CHAPTER 22

 

Three Years Ago—Geek Initiation

 

Charis: Has anyone ever made fun of you?

Asher: Sure. Everyone used to rag on me. I was the too tall, skinny geek holding the Xbox. The only thing I didn't have was the acne.

Charis: Was that here or before your family moved?

Asher: Mostly back in Detroit, but here, too, some.

Charis: Well? Go on. Did it bother you?

Asher: Hey, you little fry snitch! That's fourteen!

Charis: Too late. So did it? Bother you?

Asher: Sometimes, I guess, but my sibs always had my back.

Charis: When they weren't the ones making fun of you.

Asher: Got that right.

Charis: So what made it stop?

Asher: Got my shit together, got cut. Take a look at these muscles, Sloane. This is diamond class. Some serious business right here.

Charis: Don't forget your studly ass.

Asher: I never forget my ass. Hey! Ease up, you gotta pay to play.

Charis: I'm not paying to smack you upside the head, you goofy dork! It's my right and privilege as your friend!

Asher: So what's the deal? Were you a victim of bullies?

Charis: Not exactly. It was more like people ridiculed me for engaging my brain.

Asher: Explain.

Charis: Well, there was this time I was really curious about Half & Half.

Asher: Half & Half.

Charis: Yeah. It's a homogenized mixture of half milk, half cream, right?

Asher: Uh, yeah.

Charis: But here's the thing. Half in volume? Or half in weight? What did it all mean? Nobody knew. The answer was a mystery.

Asher: Ah.

Charis: You see? It should have been transparent, freely available and out there on the interwebs, but it remained a strangely closeted secret. Like a conspiracy. Stuff like that drives me crazy. So I tried to ask around, but nobody could tell me the answer. It was all rumors and speculation. I tried to calculate it from information on the package but you know me and math.

Asher: You should have asked me.

Charis: This was before I knew you. So then I posted the question to this discussion forum and they were all like, get a life.

Asher: Sloane.

Charis: Yeah?

Asher: Get a life.

 

Asher

 

CHARIS NIBBLED HER LIP. "I'M not the best cook in the world."

I rolled my eyes and lifted the colander of rinsed black-eyed peas over the large pot. "And that's news how?"

"I've never actually cooked fried chicken. Or beans except out of a can."

"These are peas, not beans."

"Then why did they come dried and why aren't they green?" She danced out of the way of my tickling hand. "I'm just saying, all I know how to do with chicken is eat it. I excel at the eating part. Not so much the cooking part."

"I suspected as much." I added the peas to the sizzling bacon grease. "Here. Stir this."

She looked extremely nervous, but she did it. And underneath that nervousness was a very relaxed girl.

Because, orgasms.

Multiple orgasms.

Oh, yeah, I done good.

My cock was a hard-on that wouldn't quit, but I was happy. After I'd eaten her out on the foyer floor, she stammered something about my manly needs, and I kissed her until she shut up. We washed up at her insistence; I personally was fine with the idea of smelling her all night. Then I dragged her into the kitchen.

We rarely cook together. I'm not sure if she's ever even eaten my cooking. Having her here with me in my house made me regret not doing this sooner.

The intensity of my feelings was actually disturbing. Aura and I had eaten every bite together for months, but we'd never had fun, I'd never been skip-along giddy, and I'd silently sulked the whole time.

What an asshole I'd been. To Aura and to myself. I should have had Charis over here to do this ages ago. I shouldn't have put up with a half-assed relationship.

This was the life.

 

AS I PREPARED THE SEASONING flour a few minutes later, I said casually, "Reach over and turn down the heat to low, gorgeous."

"Gorgeous, huh?" I was relieved she didn't pretend not to hear.

"No way I had my face in your fine pussy and you question your gorgeousness, Sloane," I said, again going for levity when really, my heart was pounding.

I admit, I was testing her. She might not be gorgeous in the conventional way, but she was gorgeous to me in all the ways that counted.

The thing is, I want her to accept it when I say it those times we aren't panting for each other.

If that makes me scarred by Aura Renaldi, so be it.

"I guess I can deal with gorgeous, even though you're clearly on something," she said after a long silence.

"You saying I must be tripping to be attracted to you?"

"No, I guess not. It's just that I'm nothing special. I mean, I'm okay I guess. I have rocking calves. No, seriously, have you noticed my calves lately?" She pulled up her leg.

"They're cute as fuck."

She watched me coat chicken pieces with the seasoning. "I can accept that beauty is subjective, Ash. Have you ever been attracted to an ugly woman?"

I shot her a look. "I don't even know what that means. Either I'm attracted or I'm not. If I'm attracted, she's not ugly."

"But if she's ugly, could you be attracted?"

"No, because ugly means I'm not attracted. Listen, Sloane, if you're determined to get into one of our logical merry-go-rounds—"

"I'm not. I just…you said you're attracted to me." Her face, I noticed, was red. "So I can deduce from that that that you like my looks."

"Now you're getting it. I could enjoy looking at you all day," I said frankly, then smirked. "And I know you can say the same for me."

She snorted. "So conceited."

"I'm awesome at being conceited, too," I said modestly.

She gazed around waved her hand. "What did you do? This place looks different."

"Spiffed it up for you. I'm expecting you to stick around."

"Yeah?" She sounded breathless.

"Yeah."

"So I guess this is that discussion that you threatened earlier."

"Might as well be. Hand me that big frying pan and that container of grease. And over there, that round thing."

"This? What is it? It looks like a filter screen archaeologists use for sifting artifacts."

"It's just a splatter screen."

"Don't you use a deep fryer basket like at McDonalds?"

"Not the way my mama taught me. This is how my grandma fried chicken back in South Carolina."

"Asher, sorry to tell you, but you do a really bad southern accent."

I didn't let her sidetrack me. "About this thing."

"You should pay attention to what you're doing," she said quickly.

"It's heating up. So this thing we're doing. Yes." I ushered her away from the stove and turned her jaw to face me. "Charis. This thing."

I saw her swallow.

"You and me," I said gently. "We're involved."

"Right. Involved."

"Mm-hmm. We're not buddies. We're not friends with fucking benefits."

"Was that a pun?"

"No. It was emphasis. We're fucking not just fucking."

"I see. That's interesting. 'Cause I thought…I was thinking…since we are friends, we'd take this slow."

"Yeah, well, that's not the way it is. I want you. I want everything you have for me. Your body, your mind, your heart. We're taking this as fast as we can, to make up for lost time."

Her eyes were wide and I saw her swallow.

"That's what I want," I continued, keeping my tone businesslike. "And all that platonic crap? That's ancient history. Also, in case you had any idea of dating someone else, you're shelving that."

"Oh, I am?"

"Yes. You're exclusive to me and I'm exclusive to you. So there it is. What I want. Now you. Is that what you want, too?"

I held my breath, trying not to let on how much I hung on her words.

Her lips pressed together. Her hands opened and closed repeatedly. She started pacing in a frenetic circle in the center of my kitchen.

Shit, I knew I should have just pounced on her to loosen her tongue.

The frying pan had begun to smoke. I turned down the heat. Floured chicken patties made splattering sounds as I laid them in the pan.

I felt her hand on my waist. "It's all so insane. But yes, Asher, that is actually what I would like, too. I feel like this is all happening too fast, but it feels right somehow, dangerously right. I don't know how to stop it, or even if I should try."

I stiffened. Fuck yes.

She went on in a rush. "I'm crazy about you. You make me want to shove you down a manhole sometimes, but that's only sometimes. You're about the most perfect best friend I could even postulate. I trust you more than anybody, and…if you really think we should try, well, I want you to be my lover, and my…I guess…mine. For a while at least. I'd like to try it, anyway, and see…and see how it goes. If it blows up in our faces, well, at least…" Her voice drifted off, but that was okay.

I could see through her words. She was scared.

I didn't blame her. I was, too.

But she hadn't said no.

My throat threatened to close up even as my heart tried to float out of my body. "I like your thinking, Sloane."

If I turned around and grabbed her right then, I'd be fucking her on the kitchen floor as the chicken burned.

I took her hand and moved her away from the stove, since I didn't want to set either of us on fire and I was a little less controlled than I should have been.

I gulped a few times, then cleared my throat. "We have shit to work out. I haven't even fucked you yet. That's coming tonight."

"Really? It's a foregone conclusion?"

"It is. Short of a wildfire, nothing will stop us happening."

"The woman does have some say in this, you know."

"So what does she say?" I challenged.

"I say…it's a date."

Joy. Stupid grin.

She grinned back at me and knocked me across the shoulder, then, at my wince: "Oh, I forgot that's where Karl hit you, I'm super sorry."

"As I was saying," I went on, going with it, using my puppy dog eyes. "We need to work out some things."

"Um. Like?"

"Like, I'm graduating in a few months. You're done, what, in two years?"

"I'm supposed to defend my thesis next spring."

"Cool. I'll stick around campus. It doesn't matter where I live. I can work from anywhere."

"But you have employees. Hundreds of them, don't you? In Arizona and Colorado."

I waved a hand. "No more than twenty. I mostly work with contractors. And I delegate most of that shit."

She kept shaking her head. "I can't believe you're thinking that far ahead. This is crazy, it's all so crazy."

"You keep saying that, but it's absolutely sane. You said it yourself. It's dangerously right, Char."

She started to say something, stopped, then went ahead and said it. "Did you ever talk this way with Aura?"

I knew immediately what she meant. "We discussed the long term. We danced around the topic a lot." I paused for emphasis. "The way it was with Aura has nothing to do with the way it is with us. There's no point dancing around things with you, Sloane. We know each other too well, and I like to have a working plan. You are what I want."

"For now?"

"For as long as it lasts."

I thought the vagueness of my answer would set her mind at ease. Personally, given how well we got along and the violence of my feelings, I didn't see an end to the thing between us, but anything could happen, right?

She jumped on it, though. "And what if we can't make it last, huh? What happens after it's over?"

"That is a hypothetical scenario that's useless in this situation," I declared.

"But if it happens…where are we then? Do we hate each other? Are we mortal enemies?"

"That's not going to happen ever," I said, because it wasn't.

"So you think."

"Sloane, if you didn't want my opinion, why bother to ask?"

"Right. Okay, then, for as long as it lasts, we're together. Which is a tautology, but whatever. It's good."

She muttered something else under her breath, but I didn't hear.

I knew I was getting ahead of her, ahead of myself even. I wasn't ready to marry her or anything. It's just that I'm an impatient person. People had told me to wait to take out my first patent. Wait to invest in it. Wait to buy a house. Wait, wait. Fuck waiting.

I'd had my say. I'd already gotten her to agree to more than I'd expected. She knew I was serious. She knew we weren't screwing around.

It was enough for now.

 

MY PHONE SIGNALED AN INCOMING text while Charis was groaning orgasmically around a bite of fried chicken, black-eyed peas stewed in bacon, mashed potato, and a green bean. And I say orgasmically knowing now exactly what that means as it pertains to her.

I fucking love to watch this woman eat.

After our intense conversation coming to terms with "this thing," we'd lapsed into our usual easy back-and-forth. But I didn't let her forget this wasn't a buddy-buddy deal. While we ate, I held her hand, or I played footsies with her, or I just looked at her mouth.

I didn't want her to forget where we were headed.

 

Unknown: Hi Asher. I'm a friend of Winnow's

 

Oh, hell, no. Not again. I stared at the phone. I started to put it away, but Charis said with her mouth full, "Who is it?"

"Hold up," I muttered, and texted back.

 

Asher: Winnow's news is out of date. I'm not single.

Unknown: Gee that's funny, I don't give a shit. WTF? My name is Megan Duphont BTW in case you wondered. Nice to meet you too.

 

I laughed.

 

Asher: Sorry I thought Winnow was hooking me up. It's a bad habit of hers. What can I do for you?

Megan: I want you to hook me up. Just joking!!!!! Well, kind of. Winnow says you're friends with Joel Marquette.

 

I chuckled.

"Who is it?" Charis demanded.

I shook my head. "Just another babe hot for Joel."

 

Asher: Yeah we're buddies

Megan: Your sister is having a party Friday.

Asher: So she is.

Megan: And she doesn't know Joel all that well.

Asher: You need to say the words. I'm not ambushing my bro for hints.

Megan: Pout. Will you invite him to the party?

Asher: Sure. I'm not going though so he probably won't. Should I mention your name?

Megan: He probably wouldn't recognize it. We've never been introduced.

Asher: Fine

Megan: Can you try to convince him to attend? Maybe make it sound like it's gonna be great? Maybe say someone has a telescope and we'll be looking at moon craters?

 

I grinned. At least this girl knew Joel wasn't just a pretty face.

Charis grabbed my phone before I could reply and pored over my texts the way I'd done hers. I smirked, stretched out my legs and rested my head back against my laced hands. We always stole each other's phones, but usually we waited for permission. I liked this new note of intimacy between us.

"I forgot about Winnow's party," she said and slid the phone back to me. "Why aren't you going?"

I opened my mouth to tell her about Elianna, then paused. Telling your bestie about a woman's unwanted interest in you is one thing. But your girlfriend?

Charis.

Girlfriend.

I'd made it so.

Rock on.

Anyway, mentioning any other woman around Aura used to be like marching into an active minefield, and I didn't know Charis's level of insecurity.

Intimacy's one thing. But at this stage, I thought it best not to go there.

"I'm gonna be busy."

"Uh, it's Friday of spring break. Is work piling on for you or something?"

"No."

"Let's go. Then Joel will come and this girl Megan can meet him. She sounds nice. Asher, this chicken is amazing. Next time can you make wild rice too?"

Shit.

I texted Megan back that I'd try to drag Joel's ass to Winona's party.

I guess we were going.

 

"I AM SO STUFFED."

"Not sexy," I said lazily.

Lie. My cock thought the act of sprawling out in the recliner with Charis slumped back against me, her legs drawn up and her long, stockinged feet planted on the seat, basically dripped with sex. I held her around her waist. She fit between my legs perfectly. I could see the slight bulge of her pinky toe ring through the sock. Even that was sexy. Now if only she were naked.

"I don't wanna move for a week," she sighed.

"What a lameass." I kissed her behind her ear.

"This is really nice."

I agreed. My fingers were spread out on her belly. They itched to venture lower and cup her where she was warm and soft.

"Any minute now I'm gonna get up and show you that good time I promised you," I said, biting her earlobe.

I could hear her smile. "As long as I'm not the one getting up."

We sat like that, me kissing her everywhere I could reach, while my hands roamed over her front. She chattered, I responded in monosyllables, and fuck, it was like we'd been cuddling like this for years.

Except one thing—she was freaked out. Though she acted relaxed, she shifted and blabbered and never once picked up her phone. Deliberately, I didn't go under her clothing. I just let my palms wander over her shirt, treating her like a frisky mare that needed soothing before it could be ridden.

After a bit, I cupped her crotch and pulled her back against me. I knew my cock digging into her back sent a clear message: I will fuck you.

As soon as I lightly started stroking her between her legs at the seam of her corduroys, her voice faltered. She shifted position uneasily.

With my other hand, I found her nipple and softly, repeatedly brushed it. And Charis's voice drifted off altogether.

Time to get real.

"You're wearing a bra," I accused into her ear.

"S—so?"

"It's a hindrance."

"Oh." Then: "Were you even listening to what I was saying?"

"Not for the last hour," I murmured. "Why, was it important?"

"Other than the part where I said do you solemnly swear to make me dinner every day for the next week and you said yes, Charis, I will…no."

"Excellent. You wearing undies, Sloane?"

I felt her shudder. "Of course, I always wear underwear."

"Do you? I thought you might have ditched them when you washed up."

"Asher, stop using your voice like that."

"Like what?"

"Like you're using your hand," she rasped.

My hand that was stroking her crotch seam, up and down and all around, tracing her and feeling the fabric grow damp.

"Getting turned on, dude?"

She squealed. I turned her face toward me to find it scrunched up. "Stop that!"

"Stop what?"

"Duding me. While you're…"

"While I'm petting your pussy? I'm not sure I should stop. This pussy seems pretty happy with the status quo. It's licking me," I added wickedly.

Confirmation that she was aroused came when she didn't acknowledge my pun, not even to groan. Her hips lifted reflexively.

I scratched the corduroy.

Now she did groan, but it wasn't about my lame wit. "I can't believe I'm already…after what you did before…"

"Mm, I guess that must make you insatiable. Hey, listen up, I have a question for you. You ready?"

"Yes." She sounded wary.

"Do you want something in that pussy? Something big and hard? Well? It's not a hypothetical question."

"I, uh…"

"Something big and hard could help you with all that wriggling around you're doing. A tight, empty pussy needs a cock to fill it up, Char. Fact."

"Oh, shit, you're talking like that to me!"

"Dirty words for a dirty girl," I murmured, canting my hips.

I heard her whimper at the moment of contact with my rigid cock. "You know I want in there, Sloane. I want in deep. I felt you fuck my fingers with that insatiable pussy. I can't wait to feel you crushing my cock with one of those cute little orgasms where you scream the place down."

"Fuck."

"Take off your bra. Show me how pretty you are."

Her hand flew up, but then came back down. "No, you take off your pants first."

I paused. "You want me to shuck my pants?"

She gave a choking cough. "And the sun keeps on shining. Yes, I want you to take your pants off, Mr. Sexy. What heterosexual woman in her right mind would not vote for your pants off if the option presented itself?"

The smooth way Mr. Sexy rolled off her tongue made me grin.

"Well, now," I said, pleased. "How long has this desiring-of-pants-removal been going on, sweetness?"

Instead of a sassy reply, I got a series of uncomfortable contortions and my ribcage was dented by a flying elbow as she turned around in my lap. I jerked back defensively. "Oof."

Then she was facing me, her gentle eyes staring into mine with surprising candidness.

All injuries were instantly forgotten.

"It's been going on," she whispered.

"Since when? New Year's? Thanksgiving?" I tapped her chin. "You said a long time, so…I know, it was the fireworks last summer. The Fourth of July is when you started noticing me in that way."

She bit her lip. "A long time. Years. Please…yeah, please don't tease me about it."

Years.

Years.

I stared down at her with consternation. "You're serious."

She nodded, looking scared. Ashamed. Defiant.

Charis Sloane was telling me she'd wanted me for years, and she wasn't messing with me.

"You mean…you occasionally looked at my ass and…"

"No. I mean, I looked at your ass a lot. I tried not to, but there it was. There all of you was. I mean, I knew I had no right to look and you were too young, and then later on you were taken, but that's what I did. All the time. So now you know."

"Fuck, Char." Something twisted in my gut. "Oh, fuck." Then, as it really hit me what she was saying: "Fuck, fuck. Fuck."