Chapter Twenty-Two
Gia
Once I leave Todd’s hospital room I go straight to the closest restroom. Standing in front of the mirror I stare at myself.
“Breathe in, breathe out.” I repeat this mantra, over and over again. I splash water on my face to cool off. My face is red and slightly blotchy from the cry I had in the stall as soon as I entered the restroom. I know that Simon and my mother will want to know what was said, and I’m not sure I want to tell them.
Who wants to share with the world that your twin finally confessed his reason for making your life miserable, and that reason is that he hates you. I know that, ultimately, he wants to get to a better place, but … yeah. Still hurts.
I know my mother won’t want to believe it, but I know Simon will see right through me. I also know that I had to hold him back on several occasions from giving Todd a piece of his mind when we were kids. Even though neither one has ever mentioned it, I know they had words a handful of times.
Taking another deep, calming breath, I leave the restroom and head back to the waiting area. I’m ready to go home. I don’t want to be here any longer and after our little heart-to-heart, I don’t think Todd wants me here any longer either.
Simon stands when he sees me. My mom and dad, who were sitting next to him talking, also stand, and I can tell by her face that Mom is itching to know what happened.
“You alright?” Simon leans in and asks as he places a kiss on my temple.
“Yes, I’m gonna be fine. Todd had some things to say. He explained some stuff and I’m glad he did. I think things will be a little better from now on,” I tell them, trying to look hopeful, mostly for my mom’s sake. I’m not thrilled that he explained away his hate, but I guess there’s no “he hates me, he hates me not” going on.
Simon studies my profile. Yup. He sees right through me. I sigh heavily.
“What time is it? I’m starving.” I’m not really, but I need an excuse for us to leave.
My dad checks his watch and tells us that it’s almost three. I look to Simon to ask him if he’s ready to get out of here when Dad gets my attention.
“If you guys don’t mind sticking around for just a bit longer, your mom and I would like to take you to an early dinner. We’ve got a consultation with Todd’s doctors in about twenty minutes. They told us it shouldn’t be a long meeting, it’s just to go over some of the results of the tests they took this morning.”
I’m surprised they are willing to leave the hospital, I steal a glance at my mom and she looks hopeful, I start to look back to Simon when he tells them that he’d love to have dinner with them, but it is up to me. I nod and hold back the groan of having to stay here longer. But I do want to have some Mom and Dad time.
This makes my parents super happy, which in turn makes me happy. They tell us they will be back, and Simon and I head back to the chairs near the windows that we’d commandeered for the day.
“Tell me the truth, Gia. What happened back there? I can tell whatever he said to you hurt you.” His tone low but commanding.
“You’re not going to be happy. It was hurtful, but he explained why he’s always been this way toward me. So, I guess it’s fine,” I say, unable to keep eye contact with him. I start picking at my fingernails and shrug my shoulder.
“Bullshit. Tell me what he said.”
“I really don’t want to repeat it.”
He swears. I see him ball his fist and then he gently lifts my chin with his knuckle, so I’m looking him in the eyes.
“G. I need to know what he said.”
“He told me he hates me,” I say, my voice breaking.
“Jesus. Why the fuck would he say that?”
“I’ll admit he did a bang-up job with his presentation, but he explained that was the reason he’s always been so horrible to me. He explained why he hated me. And that he doesn’t want to anymore. It was hard to hear it. I tried to leave, but he apologized. And I think things are going to get better between us. Probably not soon, but someday.” I truly do believe what I’m telling him, I’m not making excuses. “I did tell him he was a dick,” I half smile.
He presses his forehead against mine and tells me that he’s proud of me. Then he kisses the tip of my nose.
Instead of pulling out his iPad again, we look out at the view of downtown. We talk about the city and what I liked about Indianapolis. I tell him about the Circle downtown and how it feels like you are in a different city when you visit Downtown Indy. I tell him about the Canal Walk and the outdoor concert venues. And that even though I was a teenager, I loved going to the city zoo, which was one of the best zoos in the nation. He asks questions and seems to really enjoy hearing about the part of my life that didn’t include him. The one thing he doesn’t like hearing is that I became an Indianapolis Colts fan and don’t love his beloved Packers anymore. I tell him to get over it, because I am pretty sure he also roots for the Bears, so he has no room to talk.
While it feels like only 20 minutes, we talk for over an hour before my parents come back from their meeting and are ready to go. Even though the day has been long and emotionally charged, I feel good. I think that I now have a better understanding of my mom’s reasons for always seeming biased where Todd and I are concerned. I feel better, for the first time ever, about where I stand with Todd. And mostly, I feel so much closer to Simon. He knows so much about me already, but I really feel that now we’re good and strong.
My parents ask if we want to head downtown for dinner, since Simon mentions this is the first time he’s been to Indy. We spend a couple of hours with them, and then they leave us to head back home. My mom hugs me and tells me to have fun and stay safe. And that they won’t wait up.
Having been left to our own devices, Simon and I go exploring. We stroll up and down the busy streets hand in hand. We stop for chocolates and then drink our soda from the old school soda shop on the steps of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in the center of Indianapolis.
As it starts to get later, the music from the bars and clubs begins to pour into the streets. We pop into a few but we end up at the dueling piano bar. With drinks in hand, we find a table for two near the stage. It’s so much fun and the crowd is enjoying every minute of the duel. But at some point, during the show—probably about the time I killed my second, and last, lemon drop for the night—I become ultra-aware of everything Simon does and says. Every place he puts his hand. Every time he leans into me to tell me something. I know the exact distance between us and all I can think about is how I want more of him.
At first, I think it’s all one-sided until I feel his heated gaze. I turn to him and am greeted with lust-filled eyes. I blink, then look at his lips. He knows what he wants and doesn’t hesitate when he reaches up, grabbing the back of my head and pulling in for a kiss.
His lips are commanding, his tongue demanding. I drink it up and my hand goes to his hair pulling him in closer. Our heated kiss doesn't last long when he pulls back and looks me in the eyes.
“I want you so fucking bad. But I need to get another water in me before I can drive.”
“OK. I won’t jump you again.” I breathe heavily. Laughing, he shakes his head.
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure I jumped you.”
I just shrug. “Meh, who knows.”
“By all means, please feel free to jump me anytime.” He places his hand high enough on my thigh that heat scorches through my jeans and desire pools low in my core.
Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I wanted someone as badly as I want Simon. It’s like the past several months has been extended and angry foreplay. Until recently, the anger turned into more lustful, fierce desire.
I don’t know how we manage it, but we sit through several more duels and Simon’s two more waters and consume an order of mozzarella sticks without being kicked out for public indecency.
I might have kept my hands to myself, but my thoughts were on where I’d like to put my hands the entire time we sat there, pretending I didn’t want to just maul him.
“You ready to blow this Popsicle stand?” he finally asks.
Lifting a seductive eyebrow, I reply, “Well I mean, blow, lick, it’s up to you, but I’m ready.”
He nearly chokes on the last gulp of water he was taking. And as I stand I reach out and pat his back, biting back a giggle.
“You alright, big guy?” I ask.
He clears his throat a couple times, nodding his head in reply.
We walk a couple blocks back to the car in a nearby parking garage. In the car much like the night before, once we are out of downtown we are engulfed in the dark. Darkness just seems to fuel the aching want that has been building for hours. I reach my hand over and place it on his thigh.
“Do you think your parents will be up when we get back?” he asks casually.
“Hmm. I don’t know. It’s almost midnight and they will be up early in the morning.”
“Good, good,” he repeats to himself and nods his head.
I start to move my fingers around in different motions on his thigh. But that doesn’t placate me long, so I run my hand down the inside of his leg, brushing the growing length through his jeans. His right hand that was resting on the middle console shoots up to grab the steering wheel. He doesn’t say anything, but I can tell by his white knuckles my teasing is affecting him.
Even though I’m horny as hell and wouldn’t mind him just pulling the car over right now, I’m starting to have a bit of fun. I start in on the small talk first but continue to casually brush his hardness. The more I chat and ask him questions, the more he seems to struggle to focus on the conversation.
“Do you think that would be fun? I mean it would be totally nerdy, but Morgan is obsessed with cereal and she would love it.”
“Hmm. Yeah. Sure.”
“But like, we’d all have to bring our favorite box of cereal and if you have a milk preference, you’d bring milk too. We’d end up with like eight or more cereals and way too much milk.” I brush along his dick this time with a bit more pressure.
“But I know I would have a hard time picking what cereal to bring. So, I would bring at least two, maybe three. I’d have to bring Kix and probably Fruity Pebbles for sure. What would you bring, Simon?” I ask.
“I … umm … I’d bring.” He shakes his head as if to get his thoughts back on the task at hand, which is my meaningless conversation about a cereal party.
“I’m sorry, what was the question again?” he asks, clearly flustered.
“What cereal would you bring to the party?”
“What? Why would I take cereal to a …?” He lets out a hiss as I finally just grab him through the thick denim.
“Simon, were you not listening to what I was saying?” I ask in a mock pout.
“No, I was, but—” I squeeze. “Damn it, Gia, you’ve been distracting me, and I can’t drive and follow a conversation while you do that,” he says in almost a plea.
I chuckle, lean over and as I give him another squeeze I whisper in his ear, “I can’t stop thinking about your dick, Simon.” My tongue darts out and flicks his earlobe. A hiss escapes his lips and then a curse.
“You are an evil woman, Gia Newman.”
“Yeah, but I’m your evil woman, and I want you so fucking bad it almost hurts.” Squeeze, flick, repeat.
“Just let me focus on getting us back, alright?”
“Alright. I guess that would be the responsible thing to do.” I sigh and deflate back into my seat.
With my hands back in my own lap, he seems to relax a tad. Although I peek over and see he’s driving faster than he should. We are only about five minutes away from my parents’ house when the good kind of anxiety starts to grow in my chest. I’ve practically been squeezing my legs together this whole drive to keep myself under control.
He pulls into the driveway and there isn’t much light other than the one from the porch and a streetlight about four houses down. We sit there for a beat, each staring out the windshield. Then he slowly unbuckles his seatbelt, which prompts me to do the same. We must be on the same wavelength because neither of us turns to open our doors, we just stare at each other. Until all of a sudden, Simon reaches out and hauls me to him. I go, a bit awkwardly, climbing over the middle console to his lap. Now straddling him, I can feel his heat through my damn jeans. His hands are in my hair yanking me down to him and we are kissing. It’s hard, wet, and so fucking hot. Our tongues dancing for purchase in each other's mouths. His hands are everywhere. I can’t decide if I want mine in his hair, on his shoulders, or around his neck.
The next thing I know my shirt is being pulled up over my head and then his is off too. Our breathing is heavy and thick. I go to his jeans and, with shaking hands, I unbuckle his belt and surprisingly make quick work of the button and zipper. My bra is suddenly gone by the time I free him completely. He starts to work on my jeans, but the lack of space creates an issue as to how to get them off. Suddenly his seat flies back and I have a bit more room to shimmy my jeans off.
“Fuck. Why did I wear jeans today? This would be a heck of a lot easier if I were wearing a dress,” I mutter.
My breast is heavy in his hands and he chuckles and says, “Tell me about it. I’d be inside you already if you were.”
“Look, trying to get jeans off in a car while straddling someone is ridiculously difficult,” I nearly whine.
“Boyfriend. I’m not someone, I’m your boyfriend,” he says. “And turn around. Face the front and get those hot-as-fuck jeans off,” he demands.
I turn in his lap, which now places his oh-so-very-hard dick between my ass cheeks. While I don’t dislike his demanding tone, I use this to my advantage and grind into him. I’m rewarded with a half growl, half moan. Finally, the jeans come off.
Hello, take the shoes off first, Gia—
Then I’m lifted up and turned around so fast his lips ambush my chest. My head is spinning.
“Are you ready for me, G?”
“Please. Yes. I’m so ready for you.”
“Fuck. I need you to get the condom out of my wallet first.” He lifts his hips and my head bumps into the ceiling of the car.
“Ouch!”
I fish out his wallet, flip it open and find the lone condom. He takes it from me, rips it open and sheathes himself. He slides his hand down my body in the apex of my thighs and moves my underwear to the side, leans up and kisses me so deep and tenderly. I let out a gasp when he enters me and our heads rest on each other as we breathe through this life-changing moment for us.
Even with all the years apart, I’ve always been his and he, always mine. This moment, this feeling … the power it all holds, proves that we will always belong together.