Grace
TWO HOURS LATER, I unlocked the front door to my grandmother’s home and walked in, turning on lights as I went. Flea was right behind me, dropping my bags on the foyer floor. Flea closed and locked the door and followed me through the house.
“Killer, Bully, here kitties,” I called.
“Killer and Bully?” Flea asked.
I giggled. “Grams has a sense of humor.”
“I’m gonna have a look around,” Flea said, and started his ‘safety check.’
I heard a meow from somewhere, but still no sight of the cats. “Kitty, kitty, kitty,” I called, and Bully peeked out from the living room. “Hi, buddy. Are you hungry?”
He slinked around my ankles, and I leaned down to stroke him. “Where’s Killer?”
Bully followed me into the kitchen and I turned on the lights and stepped into the pantry where the food was kept. My grandmother was extremely organized, and tended to hoard food. Good food. By that, I mean, yummy food. Chips, sodas, beer, wine, and all manner of junky and delicious delights.
She’d always had shit like this for me and Merrick, and even though we weren’t kids and didn’t visit as often as we should, it would appear she kept up the tradition.
Finding the cat food, I doled out each cat their share just as Killer came trotting in. “Oh, there you are, you little booger.”
I stroked him, then left them both to their dinner.
Flea walked into the kitchen a few minutes later and I handed him a beer. “Is this okay?”
“It’s my favorite, actually.” He lifted the bottle and tipped it toward me. “I like your grandmother already.”
“How long can you stay?” I asked, pouring myself a glass of wine.
“How long do you want me to stay?”
“At the risk of giving you mixed signals…” I raised an eyebrow. “All night? I can drop you back to your bike tomorrow.”
“I can do that.” He grinned. “And don’t worry, baby. Not lettin’ your first time be in your grandmother’s home.”
“I’m going to be here for a while, Flea. You sure you want to make such a firm statement?”
“I can wait.”
I sighed. “Not sure I can, but we’ll see how we do over the next week.”
“Don’t rush it, baby. We’ve got time.”
I cocked my head. “How long have you gone… you know, without… um… sex?”
“You mean how long’s it been since I had… um… sex?” He grinned.
“Fleabio. Just answer the question.”
He leaned toward me. “You really want to know?”
I studied him for a few seconds before nodding. “Yes.”
“About a month ago.”
“That’s when…”
“Yep,” he confirmed.
“Are you saying, you haven’t slept with anyone since the last family thing?”
“Yeah, Grace. That’s what I’m saying.”
I swallowed. “Because of me?”
He grinned. “Yeah, baby. Because of you.”
I set my wine on the counter and walked around the island, sliding my hands over his waist. “I really, really like that.”
He slid his hands into my hair. “You do?”
“Yes. Because it means you like me.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, baby, I like you.”
He leaned down and kissed me, slowly and reverently, and I wished he hadn’t made the vow that he wouldn’t take my virginity in my grandmother’s home… because, I seriously would let him right about now.
I slipped my hands under his shirt, running them over his chest, discovering far more than a six-pack. Closer to a twelve-pack. My fingers followed the ridges of his body, almost of their own accord, and I wanted more.
Flea broke the kiss and studied me. “You wanna have a little fun?”
“Absolutely.”
He cupped my face. “You trust me.”
“With my life.”
He took my hand and led me to the living room. Sitting on the sofa, he guided me on top of him. “Straddle me.”
I settled my hands on his shoulders for balance and straddled his lap, smiling as he slid his hands under my sweater. “Take this off.”
I bit my lip and pulled my sweater off, leaving just my bra.
Flea hissed as he cupped my breasts, leaning forward to kiss my chest. “Beautiful.”
Emboldened, I reached behind my back and unhooked my bra, sliding it down my arms.
“Fuck, baby,” he rasped, cupping my breasts again, then drawing one nipple into his mouth.
I whimpered with need as my nipple pebbled into a tight bud.
He focused on my other one and I wove my fingers into his hair gripping tightly as he worked my body into a frenzy. He continued to use his mouth on my breasts, sliding one of his hands under the waistband of my sweats and panties, and slipping it between my legs.
I gasped as his fingers whispered past my clit and groaned when one of them slid inside of me. I couldn’t stop myself from pulling his hair as he continued to lavish my breasts with his mouth, moving his finger inside of me. I’d never felt anything like it.
“Oh, god,” I rasped, grinding my pussy against his hand.
“Relax, baby, just let it wash over you.”
“I can’t wait,” I whispered.
His thumb pressed against my clit and I cried out as I exploded around his fingers, dropping my forehead to his. Flea grinned, shifting to kiss me gently, pulling his hand out and guiding me onto the sofa on my back.
“That was… amazing,” I said.
“Yeah, baby, it was.” He kissed me again. “But we’re not done.”
“I thought you said you weren’t going to pop my cherry at my grandmother’s house.”
“I’m not goin’ to pop your cherry… here or anywhere.” He chuckled. “When it’s time, I’m going to make you mine in every way.” He kissed his way down my body. “But in the meantime, I’m goin’ to make you so crazy, you’ll be ready when I do.”
I squirmed as his tongue dipped into my bellybutton.
“Lift,” he demanded.
I lifted, and he tugged my sweatpants and panties down my legs… then his face was between them and I almost lost my mind.
I couldn’t stop a squeak as his tongue pressed against my clit and my hips arched against his mouth of their own accord. He grinned up at me and I swear it was the sexiest fucking thing I’d ever seen. He slid two fingers inside of me and I gripped his head as he pumped harder into me making me crazy.
“Oh god, Flea!” I squealed, and he sucked my clit, slamming his fingers into me faster and faster.
I screamed as an orgasm hit hard and fast… I was coherent enough not to slam my knees together, but, damn, it was hard not to. Flea slid his hand out of me, kissed the inside of each thigh, then kissed his way back up to my mouth. “Beautiful.”
Leaning down, he kissed me and I wrapped my legs around his waist, lifting my pussy against the rough fabric of his jeans. I could feel his rock-hard cock behind his zipper and worried about his comfort.
“Show me how to please you,” I begged.
He shook his head. “Tonight’s just for you, baby.”
“Won’t you get…?”
“What?”
“I’m trying to think of the medical terminology for blue balls.”
Flea dropped his head to my chest as his shoulders shook in laughter.
“What?” I demanded, gripping his hair and lifting his head.
“There’s no such thing, Grace.”
“As blue balls?”
“Yeah.”
“Every guy on the planet says he’ll get blue balls from not… you know… having sex, or whatever.”
“Yeah, honey, it’s not a thing. Any guy that says that is just tryin’ to guilt some woman into fuckin’ him. It’s a lie.”
“But you’re impressively hard and that can’t be comfortable.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Impressively hard, huh?”
I blushed. “Not that I have anything to compare you to, but, yes, you feel impressive.”
His mouth landed on mine again and I raised my hips again. He linked his fingers with mine and dragged my hands over my head, pressing his hips into me. I moaned as I rubbed my pussy against his denim again and slid one leg higher. “Flea,” I whispered.
“Yeah, baby.”
“I want more.”
He released my hands and stroked my cheek, kissing me quickly. “I fuckin’ love how your body responds, Grace.”
“You do?”
“I do.”
“I don’t really have much control over my reaction,” I admitted. “Is that normal?”
“If I’m doin’ it right, it is.”
I cupped his face. “You’re doing everything right.”
He grinned. “Just wait until we have unlimited time and privacy.”
“I don’t know if I can wait.”
He kissed me again. “It won’t be long.”
“How are you so patient?”
“I know you’ll be worth the wait.”
I kissed him, my heart melting. I was excited he’d be my first. Even if he didn’t end up being my last, I knew he’d take care of me in the interim.
“Grace!”
I broke the kiss and pushed on Flea’s shoulders. “What the hell is my dad doing here?”
We separated like guilty teenagers and Flea helped me sort out my clothing.
“Grace?” Dad called again.
“In here,” I said, just as Flea snagged my panties off the floor and shoved them in his pocket.
I groaned, albeit silently, and headed for the front door.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“I brought a new shower head and shower seat for Grams.” Dad gave me an awkward smile. “And I wanted to check up on you.”
“Flea’s here. I’m good.” I crossed my arms. “Shouldn’t you be with Grams?”
“She’s asleep. Her surgery’s at nine tomorrow, so I’m going back early.”
“Great. I’ll see you then.”
“Gracie,” he whispered.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“I’m gonna say something, then I’ll go.”
I squared my shoulders and glared at him.
Where the hell is Flea?
“I love you, Gracie. I know I royally fucked up when I didn’t take you with me and Merrick.”
I stiffened. He’d never said this to me before.
“I had no idea your mom found my service weapon, honey. I swear to Christ. I had changed the code on the safe the day before, made sure it was inside and unloaded. I have no idea where she even got the bullets. They were locked up separately… with a new code. I changed codes every week, just in case.”
I bit back the sting of tears.
“And I know I compounded everything when I shut down. It’s why I sent you to Maisie. I wanted you to feel loved and protected, but I should have fought harder to stay present.”
“Except, in the end, you refused to let me stay,” I hissed.
“It was complicated, sweetpea.”
“I need you to go now,” I whispered, Flea’s chest hitting my back and I realized he’d been close all along. I leaned back against him and took comfort from his strength.
Dad studied me, his eyes wet, his face tortured. “I want to make this right, sweetpea.”
“Maybe let her process what you’ve told her,” Flea suggested, sliding his hand around my waist. “Go from there.”
My father nodded. “I can do that.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I repeated, and Dad walked out the door.
“Where were you?” I demanded, locking the door and spinning to face Flea.
“I was right here, baby, but he needed to say something, and you needed to hear it.”
“My side!” I slapped my chest. “You’re supposed to be on my side.”
I stalked to the kitchen and angrily poured a glass of wine. Flea followed, slowly, and leaned against the island watching me.
“What?” I snapped.
He shrugged, but he had an annoying grin on his face that incensed me. It wasn’t quite shit-eating level, but it was close.
I took a sip of wine. “He’d never said any of that before.”
“No?”
I shook my head.
“How does that make you feel?”
“Fuck you,” I growled, and pressed the cork back into the wine bottle. “I’m the one with the psychology degree. You aren’t authorized to shrink me.”
“Grace,” Flea said gently. “You need to process this.”
“You were supposed to be there.”
“I was there.”
“You didn’t stop him from saying all that… shit.”
“Tryin’ to give you the space to fight your own battles, honey.”
“Well, he is the exact definition of the dragon I require your assistance vanquishing.”
Flea moved around the island and got in my space. Close.
“What are you doing?” I asked, stepping back.
He reached for me, keeping me from escaping. “Tending to my woman after an emotional evening.”
I tried to pull away, but he held tight. “Flea.”
“Baby, your dad’s tryin’. And if I really believed you were done, I’d step in and tell him to fuck off.”
“You don’t know me well enough to say that.”
“You don’t think?”
“It’s been, like, a month.”
“It’s been more than ten years.”
I rolled my eyes. “I was a kid. We didn’t know each other back then.”
“You forget I was part of all of that. I was there when you and your brother came to the club that night. I was there when you woke up screaming in fear. I was there when you fell asleep against me, and I was there when Hatch and your dad sat down to figure out how to best handle you and Merrick so you felt safe.”
“What?”
He frowned. “You didn’t know?”
“Hatch hates my dad.”
“No, he doesn’t.”
“I mean, he doesn’t hate him, just doesn’t trust him.”
“Nope, not even that,” Flea countered.
I frowned. “What am I missing?”
“I didn’t hear the entire conversation, but Ryan came to the compound and asked Hatch to watch out for you guys. He was a mess. You know Hatch enough to know that he loves you like a daughter, so you know he was gonna do whatever he needed to do to protect you.” He lifted my face and stroked my cheek. “You’re an adult now, Grace. Try to see it through that filter. Not the filter of the traumatized girl. It doesn’t mean you have to forgive him, but give yourself a chance to heal, honey. Completely. Whether or not you let him back into your life, you need closure.”
I wrinkled my nose and dropped my head to his chest. “I was thinking I’d just grow old and bitter and push everyone I love away.”
“I know it doesn’t feel like it sometimes, but I’ve got your back.”
I sighed. “Honestly, I shouldn’t really expect that from you so soon.”
“You don’t think?”
I met his eyes. “You do think?”
“Grace, I’m in. I’m not goin’ anywhere. I obviously can’t predict the future, but we’re friends… we’re a hell of a lot more than friends, and I want to take this as far as it’ll go. So, yeah, you can fuckin’ expect anything you want to expect from me.”
“Why can’t you just be a dick?”
“Can’t be somethin’ I’m not.”
I groaned. “I know.”
He chuckled, leaning down to kiss me. “Don’t worry, I’m sure I’ll rise to the occasion sooner than later.”
“Don’t go changing on my account.”
“We gonna watch a movie and make out some more?”
“Yes, please.”
He grabbed a new beer and we headed back into the living room to find a movie.