Jack Griggs
Seven weeks had passed since Carly and I had our moment of clarity.
Seven glorious weeks of being in this bubble I adored.
We agreed that she would leave some things at her shared house as there was still an element of pretense we needed to keep up. The nights she slept there, and believe me, there were only a few, were lonely nights. In such a short space of time she’d been able to insert herself into my place and I missed everything about her when she wasn’t there. I was conscious that she couldn’t completely drop off the radar, so on those nights, she’d go out with her friends and I’d go out and keep my old bar stool at Dooley’s warm. I did draw the line at her going for drinks with Xavier-Cunting-Burrows. It was enough that she had regular study sessions with him. I wasn’t okay with sharing her that much.
The most awkward thing was finding fun things to do that didn’t involve sex, where we could actually leave our home together and be outside. Let me tell you, there weren’t many.
Carly didn’t even seem to mind, but I did. We’d already had this unconventional start. The least I could do was date her.
We didn’t travel to college together, but did accidentally bump into each other along the way and continue our journey. The closer we got to the college grounds, the more I steered the conversation to studies. That way, if we were surprised then it should all look good. I don’t think I was bothered about them questioning me too much. I could hold my own and I was rapidly concluding that this teacher gig wasn’t for me. I didn’t want her to feel awkward, though. Being gossiped about in connection with a teacher is not the best way to finish your college education. There was also the problem that my brother still had some involvement with the college faculty as part of his split jurisdiction role. Rumors of untoward shit were rife and the last thing I wanted was for him to hear anything.
The more time I spent living with Carly in this existence where only the two of us mattered, the clearer it became that I was going to have leave my job and go back home with her. Being without her was not an option. I’d never felt more like my old self and she was largely responsible for helping me find him again.
I went to the gym on the way home most nights as it gave her the chance for some quiet study time, and she got a kick out of playing house and sorting a meal out for us. In truth, I was just as happy playing house as she was. Tonight, when I walked in, she looked edgy and it was obvious.
“What’s wrong?”
“Your brother has been trying to get hold of you. The iPad has been going nuts.”
Carly moved to stir what looked like a Thai green curry.
“Why’s that freaking you out?”
“It’s been constant for an hour. Something’s up. I can feel it.”
I pulled my cell from my kit bag and sure enough, there were ten missed calls. “Hmm, maybe. I’ll call. You good?”
“Food will be ready in ten.”
Normally, I’d leave and go call him, but she was freaked out and I wanted to be there for her. I pressed his contact to start the call and when she realized I wasn’t moving, she tried to.
“Stay,” I told her just as he picked up the phone.
“Where’ve you been?” Jake answered.
“And a good evening to you, too. I’ve been at the gym. Why’re you blowing up my phone?”
“Why are we on the phone? Don’t you want to see Livvy?” We usually Skype’d but I couldn’t risk that now.
“Because I’m cooking some food,” I told him, reaching for the spatula and banging it against the side of the wok. “I don’t have long before it’s ready. So, what’s up?”
Carly took the spatula back and now I’d given her an excuse, she was clear to make noise and carry on finishing our dinner.
Feeling brave, I set the phone on down and hit the mic button, activating the speaker.
“Lacey’s worried about Carly.”
We both looked at each, wondering what had got her mom in a tizz. “And?”
“She’s not ringing home as often as she used to and didn’t go home last weekend.”
I looked at the cooking beauty next to me and raised my eyebrows before she mouthed the words, ‘Oops, sorry.’
“Well I guess she’s busy with college crap. What’s that got to do with me?”
“Lacey keeps asking me silly shit, like if they’ve ever made a college version of the film, ‘Taken’. Swears blind her girl is being put to work by some hinky old dude with an evil plan.”
I snorted without thinking and had to pull back the laughter that was dangerously close to bursting free. This time she glared at me, mouthed, ‘Stop it,’ and then threatened me with the spatula.
This did not help. The laughter broke free and Carly really did slap my arm with a creamy green spatula. “Ow!”
“What’s going on? You hurt yourself on the microwave?” he joked. “Or are you… are you distracted, Jack? Do you have company? Or are you jerking off during our calls again?”
I squeezed her ass as I answered. “I do, as a matter of fact. And you’re keeping me from her.”
“You never said you were dating. Rebecca!” he bellowed. “He’s dating!”
“About time,” I heard from a distance. “And stop talking about him jerking off in front of the little person.”
“What’s she like? When do I get to meet her?” He seemed eager.
I took the spatula from Carly’s hand and turned off the stove before moving her away from it. I leaned into her and kissed her gently. “She’s so pretty.” I kissed her again, this time coaxing her mouth open with my tongue.
‘What are you doing?’ she mouthed at me.
“She’s fun, clever and sexy.” I started to un-button her blouse slowly from the bottom up, revealing her skin, inch by teasing inch. Finding her tits free underneath was just perfect. “I’m hoping this is special, brother.”
“What’s her name?”
I ignored his question and leant forward, taking her rosy tight little nipple in my mouth and sucking before gently biting down.
“Fuck!” she whispered.
“Is she there right now? What did I just hear? Ah shit, are you touching her while talking to me? Ah, that’s nasty. Do you still need to hear my voice to bring your solider to attention?” he asked seriously. If this had been anyone other than Carly, a girl who didn’t know my brother’s twisted sense of humor, I might have worried. “Hey… Nameless Lady. Just a hint, he loves it when you squeeze his balls tight, like a vice. Until he goes blue and looks like he can’t breathe. And hide your underwear. He has a thing for girlie panties. In fact, check him now. He’s probably wearing some you didn’t even realize were missing.”
“Goodbye, Jake,” I mumbled around her other breast. Carly was completely into it and I barely had room to move my head up so I could say the words.
“Yeah, yeah. Go check out Carly, see what’s going on. And one more thing. Lady…. He loves to be pegged with a big black dil—”
I ended the call before he could finish.
“See,” I muttered to her. “I’m already doing my bit. I’m totally checking you out.
Our food was delayed. We ended up making out in the kitchen like a couple of teenagers until I finally caved to her begging and let her ride me on the kitchen floor. Not exactly hygienic, but we’d both eaten each other like food in the past, so what the hell. After proving my extensive microwaving skills, we were back in my little kitchen area cleaning up, and she was smiling.
“What’s the smile for?”
“Just happy. I like that you didn’t hide me away this time. From your brother.”
“Either that or the voyeur inside you liked it more,” I said suggestively.
“It’s just hearing the way you are with him makes me hopeful. I want to be a part of that for real, one day.”
I pulled the dish towel from her hands and pulled her to face me.
“It’ll happen. I promise.”
“It’s going to be a rough ride.”
I watched her face. She proceeded with caution around this subject all the time. I knew she needed to keep reminding me, but I wanted her to have the same faith I did.
“Let me tell you why I know,” I began, kissing her softly. “I was a little bit wild, back in college, but not as wild as my brother. I’d calmed down, was looking to get settled, and he carried on going nuts. You know the whole Meesha thing. He took his wild ass away to get some perspective and came back with a whole new life. Jake fucked everything up and came back with his happy. I think what pissed me off the most was that he didn’t even have to look for it. It found him. So, while he started to live my calm life, I tried to pick up his wildness. Yin and Yang and all that shit. It felt only right to balance things out. I look back now and see how unhappy I was. Wild isn’t me and the only good thing pushing that boundary got me, was you. I did something so reckless by taking you, and I can’t believe I still have you. I’m starting to feel more like my old self. Calm and settled Jack feels good on me. You woke me up and I like who I am again. That’s why I’ll fight every last one of them before I let them come between us. If I lose you, I lose myself again.”
As I admitted all that stuff to her, this odd calming sensation drove through me. It was the first time that what we had, what she meant to me, was about more than sex. More than the excitement we both felt over our secret love. This, what we had, was real and losing Carly was not an option. It was as simple as that.