Spaghetti Sauce Is Horrible
I ROLL OVER IN BED, a soft groan leaving my lips. I can’t remember the last time I was this sore. It had to have been when Ram challenged me to the 5k race, and I had no time to physically prepare. I couldn’t move off my couch for almost three days until my strained muscles finally let up on me. But then again, that time was caused by physically running for almost an hour at a speed my body really wanted to kill me for, just to win the bet with Ram. This time around, it hurts in different places, all due to the way Linc had his way with me.
I sigh into my pillow, thinking about how insanely perfect our night was. How crazy it is to think that we actually…did the deed. I giggle and open my eyes, hoping Linc is still sleeping so I can spend some time ogling him and his solid perfection. To my surprise, he’s not here. A note is left in his place. I sit up and grab for the piece of paper and read through the cute chicken scratch.
Ronald-
I had to run an errand. I didn’t want to wake you because I would have eaten you raw and never gotten my shit done. You’re beautiful while you sleep. And even sexier while you snore. Be back as soon as I can.
-Abe
After internally denying that I snore, I can’t help but laugh. Linc hates when I refer to him as our former president, Abraham Lincoln. I decided one day to poke him by giving him all sorts of nicknames, until he pulled out the, two can play this game, Ronald. I lost my smile really quick, but before I could retaliate, he tackled me to the ground and tickled me until I screamed Uncle. And not because I was giving in. I was pretty sure I had peed my pants.
I press the piece of paper to my nose, as if it will smell like Linc, and close my eyes.
I can’t believe it.
Linc and I.
We finally had sex.
We stopped hiding behind our feelings, and it was the best darn move we could have ever made. I grin as I turn to my side, staring at the still indented half of my bed. Man we are two big idiots for waiting so long.
I hear my phone chiming and flip, grabbing for it on the nightstand. I bet it’s Linc checking up on me. I look at the screen and see it’s Andie.
Immediately, yesterday’s less-than-magical events pop into my mind. Chase, the fight, Roman making the wrong conclusion as to what happened. Shoot. I should let her call go to voicemail. I’m not ready to explain. The call ends, and I feel a wave of relief. Until it rings again. Darn it! I know she’s not going to give up. That’s not Andie’s style. With a deep breath, I answer.
“Hey, Andie—”
“I want details. Now.”
She wastes no time, I see. “I’m not sure what details you want. Are you trying to cook Mom’s lasagna recipe again? Because you know that you can’t—”
“Don’t play coy with me. You know what I’m talking about. Your brother’s pissy attitude and my brother’s busted lip. Start talking.”
It would be a lot easier if she just told me what Roman told her. A small spike of anxiety settles in knowing she’s seen Linc already this morning. Did he tell on me? Does Andie know about Chase? About us? “Listen, it was clearly a misunderstanding. You know Roman, always—”
“Whatever, I’m turning onto your street. I want to see your face when you explain your misunderstanding.”
Coming over? I sit up and look around my room. “Wait! You can’t.” Clothes are everywhere. Linc’s. Mine. Some furniture is knocked over. Partially. When we attempted the shower for the second time, we still didn’t make it and ended up having sex against the wall, next to the bathroom door. We got thirsty, and God only knows what the kitchen looks like. There’s no way she can see inside my house right now. Oh my God, it probably smells like sex. I had sex with her brother all over my house and she’s about to smell it!
“Why can’t I?”
“Because! Umm… because I’m having my carpets cleaned. There’s nowhere to sit. Let’s meet at Benji’s Café. I’m starved and can use some coffee.”
It takes a few seconds, but I know Andie is thinking about those Danishes. “Fine. Be there in fifteen or I’m coming for you.” And then the line goes dead.
Saved by the Danish. I huff and throw myself onto my back. To be honest, I never really put thought to what Andie would think or say if she found out that me and her brother got together. Would she be mad? Would she take Roman’s side and want to kill him or take my side and want me to be happy? She wants her brother to be happy. But for some reason, she always seems to be reserved when it comes to him. Like even she knows he may be a little bit of trouble. But maybe she doesn’t know her brother that well anymore.
With thirteen more minutes to spare, I shelve that thought for a later time so I can get ready. There’s no doubt Andie will show up if I’m not on time, so I hurry and throw on a pair of yoga pants, my Jon Snow’s Ho tank top and wrap a fashion scarf around my neck to cover my marks. I grab Linc’s clothes and toss them into the spare room then shut it. Another topic to avoid. My new roommate. It seems we both failed to mention Linc’s new living arrangements. It was a mere accident on my part. On Linc’s? I’m not sure. If Andie knew, she definitely wouldn’t keep quiet, which means Roman would be banging my door down, trying to rip off Linc’s arms to get him out.
With a deep sigh, I head out. The café is close, so I use my last four minutes to travel and step inside just in time. The aroma of coffee slaps me in the face, in a good way, and I inhale the addiction. I turn to our normal table and notice not only is Andie sitting, but so is Dani. Great. They’re going to tag team me.
“You’re thirty seconds late,” Andie mumbles while taking a huge bite of her beloved Danish. I look at the time and see it’s been exactly fifteen minutes. “I’m actually right on—”
“Start spilling. I filled Dani in. Well, what Ram didn’t tell her.”
I look at Dani who is offering me her sweet sympathetic smile. The one that says we love you and it’s going to be okay. This is not going to be fun.
Sitting, I wave to Greg the barista, who knows my order, and he gives me the on it head nod. I turn when Dani settles her hand on my shoulder. “Honey, are you okay? Your poor lip. Did Linc do this to—”
“Dani!” Andie snaps at her.
I stiffen at the insinuation.
“What?” Dani whines. “I’m just asking. He was the only one there. And Reagan didn’t seem to point blame at anyone else.”
“Well,” Andie huffs. “My brother might be a fuck-up but he would never hit a woman.”
“Guys…” I try and interrupt.
“I’m not saying it was but who else who do such a horrible thing?” Dani turns to me. “What has Chase said about this?” They’re both looking at me, waiting for an answer, but I clearly don’t have one. I’m pretty sure saying Chase is a bastard control freak who decided to have it out with my face and neck wouldn’t go so well with the We Love Chase squad.
“Listen, guys. Linc did not hit me.”
“I told you!” Andie jabs her finger at Dani who throws her a Shhh look.
“I was… I was attacked in the parking lot getting groceries on Saturday.” Oh, here we go. Sometimes the lies fall so easily when it comes to my life. Linc is the only one who knows the true me—not the one I try so desperately to present to everyone, even my best girlfriends.
Both women gasp. Dani jerks her hands to her mouth while Andie swears loud enough to earn a nasty glare from the old woman sitting three seats down.
Dani grabs my hand. “Oh my goodness, you must have been so scared. Did you call the police?” Yeah, the pretend police. I’m going to hell.
“No, I panicked and got in my car. I came home. Linc was there and he helped me.”
Andie gives me the, that’s my brother the kindhearted fuck-up, look. “Did you get a good look at the guy? Have Linc make a drawing? Roman would track him down and rip his balls off through his spine.”
Well, yeah I got a good look. He was tall and handsome with a side of psycho. “No, I didn’t. It all happened so fast. But, honestly, I just really want to get past it. There’s no need to rile up my brothers or worry. Linc helped me get through it, and I’m fine now. Promise.”
I wish it were that simple to just move on. But that damn Andie and her calculating looks. Just like her brother. Never gives up.
“Okay, so… There are clearly cameras in parking lots. Did anyone see? Help you? And why was my brother already at your house?”
Ugh.
Because we’re secretly in love with each other and he now lives with me and, oh, by the way, I had sex with him a billion times in my house and left no surface untouched! “He has a key. He was watering my plants.”
Okay, maybe that was a bad one. Especially since I have no indoor plants. But, dammit, those beady eyes are breaking me down.
“Reagan, I love you girl, but something seems off. Where was Chase? And why didn’t you come to the golf outing? He sure seemed put off that you didn’t show. You didn’t even answer his calls.” Because he didn’t call. “It seemed kind of rude on your part.”
Well, you see… I wasn’t really even invited and my boyfriend, now ex-boyfriend, is a man-handler, and I wanted to spend my day with your steaming hot, fantastic-in-bed brother.
“It was just a misunderstanding. I had prior plans and Chase seemed okay with it. I’m fine. Can we talk about something else?” I turn to Dani. “Have you decided what you want to do for your bachelorette party?”
While Andie begins groaning into her coffee, Dani smiles from ear to ear. “Oh, yes. I thought of the perfect weekend. How fun would it be for us all to visit Silver Dollar City?”
Having no idea where or what that is, I look at Andie for guidance. She just rolls her eyes. “What exactly is Silver Dollar City?” I ask.
“It’s a theme park in Branson. That’s where the taffy shop is! Wouldn’t that be great? You girls would love it. You can watch taffy being made and we can try the new seasonal flavors and they have competitions and sometimes, if it’s not too busy, they allow you to help make the taffy!”
Wow.
I’ve never seen someone so excited before.
I’ve also never seen someone else look so miserable. Andie may lose it if she has to hear about one more taffy-related thing.
“Sounds super awesome, but wouldn’t you miss Ram if we went for a whole weekend? I’m sure he would be miserable without you.” Nice save, Reagan. Dani takes in my comment and it hits her. The realization.
“Yeah… You might be right. Well, shoot. Maybe next year.”
Andie sits up, back to wanting to take part of the conversation. “Yeah, next year. So, I say we plan a girls’ blow out. Strippers, drugs, lots of—”
“Andrea Holloway,” Dani gasps while I bust out laughing.
“Dude, I was kidding. Why would I need to see stripper dick when I have her brother at home flinging his in my face twenty-four-seven,” she says, jerking her thumb at me. At that I cover my ears. Too much…too much. “Anyway, what I was really going to suggest was that we have a small party at Reagan’s. She has the perfect place for it. We can have it be joint, too. Because you know Rammy-poo will probably weep if he were away from you for a full night.”
At the sound of Dani’s cute little giggle, I laugh again. She knows her man gets the itch when he’s away from her for too long. I’ve heard his sappy endearments when he calls her on her lunch breaks.
“I think that sounds perfect. Unless that’s not okay with you, Reagan. I don’t want to intrude on your home.”
I swat the air, offering her my best pffft face. “Of course it’s okay! I wouldn’t have it any other way! And maybe just for you, we can have some taffy delivered in the spirit of Silver Dollar City.”
And as I make number one sister-in-law status, Andie pretends to gag. Personally I don’t care what we do, as long as the conversation shifts away from Chase and my apparent mugging.
“So, by the way,” Andie turns her chair towards me. “Roman mentioned he swore he saw his missing golf club in your garden. Anything you want to get off your chest?”
He’s going to get it.
Him and his stupid thieves prank. It’s all fun and games until someone gets caught red handed. And guess who just had to lie through her teeth to get out of it? Me! If Andie believed it, then I would be surprised, telling her I had no idea what she was talking about and the pole in my garden was an old antique umbrella I brought at a garage sale. And if she believed that, she sure played it off. Because, really? An umbrella?
I pull into my driveway and see Linc is back. Good. He’s about to spend the rest of his afternoon removing and discarding all of my new garden ornaments. I get out and slam my door. Stomping my feet like a child up my walkway and into my house, I call out for him.
“Linc!”
I don’t get an immediate response, but the glorious smells coming from my kitchen momentarily distract me. I toss my purse on the couch and make my way into the kitchen. There, I find Linc surrounded by pots and pans, my island filled with plates of food.
“What are you doing?” I ask, looking at the discarded ingredients he picked up yesterday for me to make his special meal.
“I’m making you lunch.” He pulls the pasta off the stove and pours it into strainer.
I watch Linc, who seems to sure know his way around the kitchen. Nothing smells burnt and the salad he prepared actually looks like it came from a restaurant. I frown in confusion. “Yeah, but I thought I was the one cooking for you? And since when can you cook?”
He turns, offering me that wicked smile he’s perfected. “Who ever said I couldn’t?” With a wink, he tosses the pasta in a bowl and picks up the pan of simmering marinara, pouring it over top of the noodles. Taking a fresh log of Parmesan, he begins shredding thin slices onto the readied dish and tops it off with some parsley.
“Is that…?”
“From your garden? It is. Didn’t want to have to go to the store for a simple dash. Sit. Lunch is ready.”
My argument completely forgotten, I force my legs to my kitchen table and sit. Linc serves me up a hefty bowl of pasta, and it smells divine. He bends down, and places a kiss to my neck, leaving a path of goosebumps in its wake, then makes his way to the other side and takes a seat.
“Eat.”
So many questions are swirling in my head. But I should probably take a few bites before I start laying them all out. “Oh my God, this is soooo good,” I moan, shoving another bite into my mouth. My recipe was going to taste nowhere near this good. Linc offers me a smile of gratitude and begins stuffing his face.
Sated like a fat pig, I sit back against my chair, rubbing my food baby. “Lincoln Carter, where did you learn how to cook like that?”
“Lana.”
“Your mom? I thought you two weren’t that close?” As soon as the words leave my mouth, I wish I hadn’t said them. Before I can apologize, he cuts me off.
“At one point we were close. My dad was never around, so I never got into stuff like band or that jock shit like your brother.” He winks as he makes a poke at Roman. “But when I was home, and bored, I used to watch my mom cook. It was dumb, I know. But after a while, I asked if I could help. And she let me. We spent a lot of time cooking together. She would teach me new stuff every night. I was horrible in the beginning and destroyed a shit ton of meals, but after a while I got the hang of it.” He pauses to take a swig of his beer. His eyes are focused on the bottle, seemingly lost in thought. “One day, my dad just stopped coming home. Fucked up my mom. She stopped cooking, stopped pretty much a lot of shit she used to do. Before I knew it, I was the one cooking dinner for us. Not that she would eat it. That fucker made her so depressed, I had to call her sister to come stay with us. I was just a kid so I couldn’t stay home with her. Well, I tried, until school started getting wind of my absences. Anyway, one day Dad showed up with divorce papers. Said he’d met someone else. Completely broke my mom.” He takes another swig, this time finishing the bottle. Slamming it a bit harder onto the table this time. “That’s when I broke him. Busted his nose in three places. Got arrested and thrown in juvi. Bastard actually filed charges against me. Spent three months in there until I was released and… well…” He pauses, realizing he just said a whole lot. “Well, the rest is history. Boring shit. Want another beer?” He gets up, avoiding eye contact. He places his empty bowl in the sink and grabs two fresh beers.
“Linc…”
“Don’t, Rey. I don’t want or need your sympathy. It was a long ass time ago. Him leaving was the best thing that ever happened to my mom. She met Roger shortly after and with him came Andie.”
I stand and walk over to him by the island, praying he lets me comfort him. “But what about you?” I reach up and caress his crinkled brow, seeing the pain in his eyes. “You needed a dad.”
“I didn’t need him. Reagan, he hit my mom. I didn’t even know it until later when she admitted it to me. I’d gotten into some trouble. I was out of control and my mom blamed herself. The asshole that I was, I didn’t tell her she was wrong. I just let her believe it was her fault. I grew up in a fucked-up home. They always fought and then one day he just left. I had the nerve to blame her for him leaving too. That’s when she told me. That the motherfucker used to hit her. Times when she said she fell in the shower, hurt herself at work. It was him.” He pauses to catch his breath. His hands lift and wrap around my waist tugging me close to him. The hardness of his body, the warmth of his skin, he brings his hand to my chin raising my face so our eyes lock. “A man doesn’t fucking hit a woman.”
With the intense look in his eyes, I realize he’s no longer talking about his mom and dad.
“Linc…” I say his name but he cuts me off, lowering his lips to mine. He kisses me gently, then pulls away.
“I’m in a battle right now, Rey. I want you to keep this from your asshole brother so it gives me free reign to find that fucker myself and pound his face in. But they need to know.” He places his forehead against mine. I can feel his breath brush against my face. “I can’t focus unless I know he’s gotten what he deserves. But that may put me behind bars.”
I grip his waist tighter, shaking my head. “Please don’t do anything. I can’t lose you now. I just finally got you. He’ll leave. I told him to quit. It’s only a matter of time before he’s gone.”
His tense body tells me he won’t let it go. I worry Linc will do something that will take him away from me. I can’t bear for him to put himself in danger for me. “Kiss me,” I plead, needing him to focus on the now. On us. On what’s important. “Linc, please.”
He brings his hands up to cup my face, and with his eyes searing, he crushes his lips to mine. He kisses me deep and hard. My lips don’t need an invitation as they part and our tongues collide in a beautiful dance around one other. Just as Linc increases the pressure of our kiss, we both groan slightly, forgetting our wounds. Linc chuckles, pulling away.
“What a pair we are,” he says looking deep into my eyes.
He scoops me into his arms, carrying me out of the kitchen and down the short hallway to my bedroom. Not releasing me, he crawls onto my bed, laying me on my back.
He wastes no time pulling up my tank top, placing kiss after kiss on my navel, ribcage, working his way up my chest. My eyes are closed. The feeling of his wet lips touching my flesh causes a rush of wetness in my core. “No one is going to touch you again.” He presses his lips in between my covered breasts, pulling down my bra to take my peaked nipple into his mouth. “No one will ever lay a hand on you again. I fucking swear it.” His pressure increases as he sucks my nipple hard into his mouth. My back arches, while my hands find his thick hair.
“Linc…” I moan, wanting to address his recent comments but loving this feeling too much to get the right words out.
“I know, baby. I got you. Not a single hand on you.”
“Linc… wait…” I throw my head back and moan when he bites gently on my swollen tip.
“I’m going to protect—”
I cut him off by pulling at his hair. He abruptly stops, lifting his head. “What? What’s wrong?”
“Well, about the whole hitting thing…”
“Yeah, never again.”
I think I shock him by the disappointed look that appears on my face.
“What’s wrong, Rey?”
“Well, you said no hitting. And I thought… I guess I was still hoping that maybe…” Say it. Don’t puss out. “Well, that you would still want to experiment. With me. Would spanking still be in?” I watch as his eyes darken immediately, the green irises that I dream about disappear behind his growing lust-filled pupils. His hands around me tighten and my heartrate skips in anticipation. He’s going to give in. He wants this, too.
“You want me to spank you?” Now, seemingly amused, his hands work their way back down my ribcage and lock around the hem of my pants.
I don’t want to come off too eager. The fantasies I’ve had of Linc having his way with me have been a bit, shall we say, X-rated. But to think that all I have to do is say yes and my wildest, dirtiest dreams can come true… I lick my lips and answer him.
“Very much so,” I whisper, biting my lower lip while trying to play it cool. His bad-boy smile tells me he knows I’m nervous. Excited. Once he gets into my panties, he’s sure to find out that I am also immensely turned on.
My answer does the trick because he slips his thumbs into my pants and tugs. A small squeal falls from my lips as he pulls once more, roughly discarding my pants, taking my panties with them.
“And why do you think you deserve to be spanked? Have you been a bad girl?”
I fight not to laugh. I can feel Linc’s smile on my pelvis as he kisses alongside my pubic bone. He wants me to talk dirty. He knows it’s on my list.
“I have been bad,” I reply, my voice dripping with nerves, but also arousal. “I…didn’t do the dishes after lunch.” Oh God! What did I just say!? I throw my hands over my face, complete embarrassment washing over me. “That was so not sexy—ahhhh.”
Linc cuts me off by taking a nip from the inside of my thigh. His lips are so close to my center, his breath like a torch to my flesh. “You naughty little girl, you. Not doing the dishes means I have to punish you.” Linc’s words cause me to laugh. He’s playing along with me. And I’m grateful for that. I slowly uncover my face as I watch him lick my inner thigh, barely brushing my sex. He raises his head and winks at me.
Before I have a chance to offer him my thankful smile, his mouth is on me. Covering my sex with his lips, filling me with his tongue, and gripping me roughly with his strong hands around my thighs. He isn’t slow as he eats me, sucks on me, plunges his tongue in and out of me, until my legs begin to quiver and my orgasm is about to burst through me. I feel my belly knot, and I know I’m done for. I’m going to come.
“Linc, I’m going to…” Just as I’m about to release, he stops. He grabs for my hips and flips me so I’m now on my stomach. I turn, wondering what he’s up to, when he places his hands under my hips, lifting them so my butt is raised in the air.
“Naughty little girls who don’t do the dishes don’t get to come when they want,” he says, taking the palm of his hand and rubbing the skin of my butt cheek. “What do you have to say for yourself?”
Oh God, this is so fun. I know it’s ridiculous to role-play about dishes, but right now, I find it to be the hottest thing. “I should be punished. Spaghetti sauce is impossible to get out once it’s dried.” I feel Linc’s body tremble a little and I know he’s laughing. I wiggle my butt, encouraging him to teach me my lesson.
Slap!
My body jolts, a small whimper falling from my lips. I don’t have time to register his spanking because another strike falls on my cheek.
Slap!
“Tell me how sorry you are for forgetting your chores.” He pops me one more time, before taking his hand and smoothing it over my stinging flesh.
I never put much thought into the pain of being slapped, but the arousal overrides it. I’m so wet between my legs, I can feel myself dripping down my thigh. I’m not sure how many more strikes I can take but I’m extremely turned on and want more. “I’m not sorry. I should be punished more.” I tell him, pushing my ass into his groin.
Another chuckle, then a groan from Linc as he grabs my hips and grinds into me from behind. “Jesus, Rey, you’re supposed to beg for forgiveness, not want more.”
Oops. But whatever I have to do to get him inside me is number one on my list. I meet his movement, grinding into his hard-as-stone cock, knowing he won’t be able to refuse me much longer. “I need you to fuck me, Linc. Take me roughly. I’ve ruined those dishes and I deserve no leniency.”
That does it. I hear Linc swear under his breath. His hands are off me instantly. The sounds of his belt and pants being ripped from his body fill the air. He’s back behind me instantly, rubbing the tip of his cock at the entrance of my sex. “You sure you want this, baby? I don’t take lightly to a woman ruining my dishes.”
I try and fight my giggle. I push back, urging him inside.
“You’re so goddamned sexy like this, Rey.” With one hand around his cock and the other gripping at my shoulder, he gives me what I’ve been craving. He slams inside me, causing a rush of dizziness to swirl through me. Pulling out, he thrusts home again, each time going deeper than before. “Fuck,” he grunts, grabbing my hair and wrapping it around his fist.
“Yes, fuck me. Yes.” What a brazen little hussie I am. I’ve never even said a swear word during sex—much less done any begging—but right now, it feels empowering, naughty, bold. I meet him thrust for thrust. Each time, he feels harder and harder. I’m panting like a wild cat, while Linc is grunting and swearing. His grip on my hair tightens as his other hand gives a hard slap to my ass.
“Jesus. The way your porcelain skin reddens with my touch. Goddamn…” Another one, and another one, each one a euphoric jolt to my center. His pace is quickening. Each time I feel my knees skid farther up the bed. My hands are digging into the sheets so I don’t go flying as he pounds me into the bed.
Linc must know I’m fighting to stay in place, so he wraps his hand around my hip, holding me there. With close proximity, he reaches over and works my clit with his fingers, until I know I can’t take any more.
“I’m, shit… I’m going to, oh God… Linc.” Explode. I explode. My insides grip around him so tight, he growls, slamming into me harder than before. With a hot surge rushing inside me, he comes hard with a groan.
We both collapse on the bed, fighting to catch our breath. It isn’t until I can finally see straight that I break the silence.
“I am never doing the dishes again.”
Linc’s chest vibrates from behind me. He kisses my back and rolls over onto his, taking me with him and allowing me to snuggle up to his side. “Who would have thought that dried up spaghetti would have been so hot?” We both laugh because, seriously, I’ll never look at spaghetti the same way again.
“Thank you,” I say resting my head on his sweaty chest.
“For what? I feel like I should be thanking you. That was fucking amazing.”
I sit up and meet his eyes. “For allowing me to experiment. Showing me this part of sex. Being my victim.”
Linc smiles, reaching up and cupping my breast. “I highly doubt I’m a victim. Consider me willing and ready any time you spark an idea.”
With that, I smile big, knowing I have exactly that.
His eyebrows raise. “What?”
“Well, I actually have an idea I wanted to explore. How exactly does a sixty-nine work?”