Blain

I fight a laugh when I feel Tink’s hand stroking over my chest, her eyes going dreamy as the tips whisper over my flesh. It’s ludicrous to think she’s struggling to answer me but will likely accept because she just realized I fit one criteria that no other man can. I have no hair on my body above the waistband.

What Gray said earlier is true, I’m smooth as a baby’s ass cheeks all over, I don’t even have leg hair thanks to my dad’s side of the family. Apparently they genetically shun body hair. Besides my pubes, which yes I did wax on a dare and do grow sparser after that nightmare, I’m Tink’s fantasy come to life and I am not too proud to appreciate it.

I’ll use anything at my disposal to reel this woman in and if this is what does it for her I would have waxed myself on a daily basis if need be.

I should be offended by this show of her pickiness and yet I am so not. As she keeps stroking me I get hard, rock hard, my dick standing up to give his permission and just lay there, waiting patiently.

“I’m not good at this kind of stuff. I’ve never been in a relationship before Blay.” She finally whispers, jerking when my hand comes over hers to stop her exploration.

“That’s okay Tink because neither have I. I’ve had dates and one night stands but never anything that I could call a caring, exclusive relationship. I never wanted one. Until I saw you.”

Her eyes go soft, if a little wary and I feel and hear her next deep breath before she closes her eyes.

“You’ve got a lot of experience?”

I should lie but the thought of lying to her even once is abhorrent to me and I just can’t do it. It’s not a good idea to admit that I am what amounts to a man whore but I won’t shy away from who I was just as I won’t shy away from who I am now and want to be with her.

“Yes. I won’t lie to you about anything not even if I want to Tink. I’ve slept with a lot of woman. I work hard, have been working my ass off since I was eighteen years old and I played the field but it never meant anything to me.”

Her eyes narrow at that, and I rush to finish.

“None of those women were hurt in the process, trust me. They were looking for a good dinner companion and no strings sex. They got what they wanted and I got to keep things simple. That was it. I love women Tink. My Uncle Ed taught me to respect and care for women and I do, but I’ve never wanted more and they knew that.”

“But you want more with me?” she asks softly, meeting my eyes.

“Yes. I really do.”

I want everything you have to give me. Forever.

“Why? This is so weird. We just met yesterday, you used my fear of paying for your million dollar pants to manipulate a dinner invite out of me and, and we don’t even know each other,” she mutters, confused and maybe a little afraid of how fast I want to move.

“Because you were the first bright thing I’ve seen in years and I can’t go back to seeing grey. I won’t. I like you. I like that you dress however you want and look like a fairy running around with your ugly little dog, don’t get mad Tink, you know Jack is hideous babe. I like how you talk to him and stop to listen as if you’re having a conversation. I like that your mama drives you crazy but you love her anyway. And I like them. I like your family because they remind me of Uncle Ed and Aunt Char. Most of all I like you. You’re real. You’re sweet and grouchy even though you pretend not to be and you don’t pretend or want to be anything else. I want you like crazy.” I admit, swallowing past the lust.

“I got hard the minute you looked up at me with those gorgeous blue eyes and told me you want to get in my pants. I like you.” I say again because I need her to hear it and believe me.

Well I more than like her but I am no fool. I’ll play my cards right for this once and hope to hell that when I say the words she’ll be so hooked she’ll feel the same.

“Crap.” She mumbles. “I like you too.”

Yes!

“So. Relationship?” I wheedle, giving her the pouty lip.

“Fine but this is a trial run George. And you have to learn to like my dog or you can hit the streets. Just by the way, and as an afterthought, I kind of don’t have all that much experience with, ahem, sex, so don’t go expecting a porn star or anything.” She mumbles, avoiding my eyes.

She’s glowing she’s so red and I feel my chest expand as it hits me. Shit, is she saying what I think she’s saying? If so, I am horrified that the gorilla in me is beating his chest and marking out lines for peeing on later, to stake my claim.

“Don’t worry babe, I got you.”

 

Ginny

Oh God. This house is huge. A mansion. One of the properties along the bay that can only belong to the super rich types who use dollar bills to wipe their asses, I think as Ing pulls her car up the long driveway and towards the valet waiting at the end of the road.

“God almighty, is that a house or an office building?” Rox breathes, leaning forward between the seats to get a better look.

I’d say office building since it’s one of those modern looking block contraptions made of stone and glass and probably nickel plated freaking chrome too.

“I can’t do this. Just look at this place. If his parents are loaded you can bet he’s even richer!”

“Shut your mouth and take a deep breath Gin, it’s okay. So we’re not exactly rich, so what? Blay likes you and he wants you here and besides, you have to be here for Lizzie’s arrival or Ian will kick your ass,” Ing barks.

Oh darn it.

She’s right. If mama gets here and I’m MIA I’ll be in that priest’s office for the next five years of my life. While breastfeeding wolf cubs who carry meat around in their pockets.

“He said I have to be myself but how can I when it looks like these people are made of gold? Look at me,” I gasp, perusing my awesome dress and the orange converse I unearthed from the back of my closet.

These are my special occasion shoes but something tells me they’re not special enough by half.

“You look fantastic. And he told you to wear it. Now come on Ginny! Where’s the girl who went to graduation in that vintage wedding dress you found on sale just to piss Lizzie off? I want that girl back right now!” Mari hisses, slapping my boob.

“Hey. That hurts.”

“Good. Now stop whining and look up you ninny.”

I do and I almost melt into a puddle. Blay is waiting out on the steps as we pull up and when I see him in a tux and electric blue sneakers I can’t stop the bark of laughter that escapes me. Or the freaking tears that mist my eyes.

He looks perfect, and big and mine as we pull to a stop and he jogs over to open my door. Gray is there too, wrestling with Mari for the door, but I hardly notice their antics as he pulls me out and into his arms, kissing me softly.

“You look hot.”

“She should! I had to use a garden fork to comb her Goddamn hair!” Ing snipes, walking past me in her perfectly slutty black dress and heels.

Blay snorts out a breath into my mouth and I giggle too before he pulls me in for another kiss, this one rife with tongue and want that I can’t quite remember why I was nervous to begin with.

“Come on in and let’s go meet the family. Remember what I said Tink.” He reminds me, taking my hand to pull me with him.

“Be myself.”

“Yes. And if anyone gives you shit…wait I know you won’t say anything. You’re nice that way. No worries, I’ll be with you anyway so I’ll just kick their asses for you.”

Before I can say yay or nay he’s dragged me into the house and I gasp, not knowing what to say or do. Or where to look. I hide my distaste of the house immediately and wonder if Blay liked growing up here. It’s sophisticated, modern and everything I hate.

I see nothing here to hint at a family, no warmth and it makes me appreciate my old house even more. Mama’s cat paintings may be grotesque and creepy looking but they are so her that I feel at home as soon as I see those creepy eyes staring at me when I walk through the door.

And the carpet. It may be old and frayed and need replacing but it’s seen years of laughter and fighting and love. As has the scarred dining table and the old cedar table in the kitchen where papa reads his paper every morning before work, while mama bustles around making breakfast.

“You hate it.”

“No-”

“Me too.” He whispers into my ear, making me shiver. “It’s not a home, not like what you have with your parents. Mom hates clutter.”

Clutter? This place could be a morgue for all the warmth I see around us. Just as I thought it’s a monument to that minimalist craptastic trend that most people go for these days.

The staircase directly to my right is all stone or marble or whatever that is with glass surrounding it and yes, I see chrome at the handrail. I don’t even need to see the rest to know that it’s all variations of the same thing. Grey. This place is grey and bleak and I now get why he said I brought him colour.

“Blain darling!”

Mrs. George looks exactly the way Blay described her from her dark, glossy hair to the rail thinness of her body. And that face. Sweet Lord, I see where the man got his looks from. The woman is stunning. And so cold I feel my fingers go numb.

Blay tenses beside me but I see that evil smile of his, one that reminds me of the shark he told me he can be. Mrs. George comes forward to hug him and I notice that he’s not as pleased about that as a son should be before she turns to me and notices my dress.

She stares, one eye twitching as they moved down from my sleek hair, over the dress and stop at my shoes. They bug, like cartoon bug and I see one roll when she spots Blay’s sneakers.

“Well.”

“Mom, this is my girlfriend Tink. Tink, my mother Cece. Tink’s friends are also somewhere around here…”

I stop listening and cringe when I see Ing run at the buffet table with a hoot that echoes around the room. Not far behind is a smiling Rus, who’s checking out her ass like it’s his personal buffet.

I tune back in when Blay subtly shakes my hand and fight a devilish grin.

“What an…interesting dress dear. Where did you buy it?” Cece asks.

Now I’m a nice girl, I am. My mama raised me to be sweet to the elderly and help strangers where necessary, even swearing that Lucifer was my future husband, but what she also taught her only daughter is to never take hell from other people.

Mama doesn’t take any sass and she sees everyone as her equals. She taught me that before I was weaned off her leathery boob and while I may not say things with quite the fire she does- wowza does the woman have a temper to go with that fiery mane-I know how to handle myself.

And Blay did say I should be myself.

“Why thank you, Mrs. George. I loved it the moment I saw it in that hobo’s shopping trolley and just knew I had to have it. Of course getting the bugs off was a nightmare but a good wash did wonders. The smell was not great I tell ya, but I worked a sewerage plant one summer in high school and once you smell that, I swear nothing else smells bad.” I say sweetly, stroking my dress with a preen.

I look fabulous darn it and I know it too. Just like a ballerina.

Those blue eyes bulge, a lot and I hear Blay make a choking sound beside me as her face turns an interesting shade of red.

“Of course it was the shoes that were a real find. I got them from a second hand church sale and keep them for special occasions like tonight. I had to chemical scrub them to make sure I didn’t lose my feet to a fungus but they were so worth it.”

Blay’s shoulders are shaking by this point and I hear a bark of mirth and turn to see Gray sidle up to us, his expression full of delight.

“Tink you beautiful thing, you’re here. Hey mom! Mom! You gotta bring dad and come meet Tink!” he yells, so loud everyone stops talking and turns to stare at us. “And see! I told you she’d wear the dress she bought off a hobo.”

I turn when silence reins and see these people staring at me slack jawed as a short little vision of a blonde and a behemoth come my way. The man looks like Gray while the woman is a blonde version of mama. She’s nothing like her in looks, oh but those eyes. They hold mischief and joy and I totally get where Gray comes from her.

Meanwhile Mrs. George is trying not to hyperventilate while keeping a smile plastered to her face for all she’s worth.

“Oh my goodness, she is just gorgeous! Why, Ed, would you just look at this girl. Doesn’t she just remind you of me when I was young?”

She proceeds to envelop me in a hug filled with warmth and a clean perfume that makes my nose scream yay. I like Char immediately, like a meeting of souls and hug her back tightly, pulling back from her with a smile.

“It’s so nice to me you. Blay told me all about you and your husband.”

“All good things I hope?” Ed asks, hugging me as well.

His grin is all Gray and I smile, adoring him too. These people are real. Good. People I would want to know and spend time with and I understand even more why Blay’s taken a shine to me.

I still don’t get it enough to feel that confident but I suddenly don’t feel like a dog at a cat farm.

“The best things. I hope to see more of you and gosh, you just have to meet the girls, they’ll love you!” I say, looking around for my three terrors.

Gray gives me a wide smile and I roll my eyes dramatically because I know what he’s thinking. Good luck to him if he thinks Mari will be an easy catch, I think silently, snorting at his knowing wink.

“Ahem. Well, I suppose I should introduce your friend to everyone,” Mrs. George sniffs.

“That’s okay mom. We’re still waiting on Tink’s folks so we’ll just stay here until they arrive.”

Oh Lord.