Seth was … Chrissy’s troubled boy, or Nate’s, or Ella and Rick’s. Definitely not mine.
The rain gave no sign of letting up, so I darted from the Civic to the condo, my work papers clutched to my chest. Bethany, I thought, you are petty and cruel, but you are also hurt and cornered by pain. We wronged you. We require your forgiveness.
I sent my little missive into the universe.
Matt met me in the lobby. He hugged me and took soggy items off my hands: the manuscripts, my purse.
“More potboilers?” He eyed the stacks of paper.
“Eyes off, you.” I slapped his butt as I followed him up the stairs. Like a curious animal, he was forever getting into the manuscripts I brought home. He laughed at me for printing them, said I was following in the footsteps of Pam the Luddite, and disparaged every hopeful’s novel.
“Aw, come on. This one actually looks cool. The Midnight—”
“You’re a big bully.” I laughed and bumped our door shut, prying the papers from him. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say these new young writers threaten you.”
“Threaten me? Ha.” He yanked me into his arms. I gave him a giddy smile. “And if they’re new and young, what does that make me? Old and old?”
Young and old, I thought, wrapping my arms around his neck. Like a child in a man’s body, sometimes. And I imagined he had sometimes seemed like a man when he was just a boy. Too sad and serious. I feathered kisses along his jaw.
“Mine,” I said.
“I can work with that.” He tugged at my wet hair so that I tipped back my head, and he kissed my mouth. “Poor thing, you really got stuck in that weather.”
“God, you have no idea…”
We made out for a full quarter-hour before I noticed the tent in the living room.
“Matt!” I snickered. He’d moved the coffee table and couch to accommodate the tent. It was new, or new to me—a tall gray and orange dome.
“Aha, she finally sees it.” He stalked over to the tent. Yes, it was definitely new. Matt wore his distinct “Do you like my new toy?” expression, and he circled the tent and folded his arms and studied it, signaling that I should also take a moment to admire it. I did.
“Wow … it’s nice.” I touched one of the poles. “So big. So…” In our living room.
“Mm. I got it at REI. Had to throw it together, make sure nothing was missing.” He frowned at the mesh-and-polyester palace. “I thought we might take it for a spin this evening, but not in this weather.”
On cue, thunder crackled and boomed outside.
“Oh, babe.” I rubbed his back. “Lemme get into dry clothes and we’ll ‘take it for a spin’ right here, okay?” I kissed his cheek. “Happy Fourth.”
His eyes lit up like a child’s.
“Perfect,” he said, already halfway into the tent.
I peeled off my wet clothes and changed into my Shell Belle Couture chemise, an expensive little gift from Matt. I never bought such nice things for myself. The champagne silk complemented my pale skin and felt luxurious. The lace cups, well … I resisted the urge to grab a robe as I felt my nipples hardening. Matt liked the lace cups best of all.
In the bathroom, I untangled my hair with Moroccan oil and washed my face. On my skin, I left the scent of rainwater.
I returned to a living room devoid of pillows.
The tent flap was shut.
“Knock knock?” I said.
With a swift zinging sound, Matt unzipped the door from inside.
“Why, come in.” He was laughing. The tent was tall, but taller Matt stood stooped beneath the dome. All our pillows lay around his feet.
“Don’t mind if I do.” I took his hand and stepped inside.
He stared openly at my chest.
“Oh,” he said.
His expression grew somber. I wanted to burst out laughing.
God, his cuteness …
“Very swanky in here.” I sat cross-legged on a pillow and looked around. The tent was cozy, the inner flaps a vibrant orange, and adorable Matt had stocked a wall pouch with snacks and drinks: two cans of Coke and a bag of goldfish. In another flap, two books and a flashlight.
“I was just testing those pouches,” he mumbled, gesturing to the snacks. “Hi.” He shucked off his shirt—yum—and crawled to me. “Hi…”
“Hi,” I said, giggling. “Hello. Did I ruin storytime with lingerie?” I slid my fingers up his arms. Whisper of skin on skin. My hands curled over his shoulders.
“No.” He closed in on me, his body pressing mine back and down. He went for my neck with his teeth, like an animal. Bit the column of my throat. Licked away the hurt.
“Ah,” I gasped, arching under him. I pawed at his abs and pulled at the band of his lounge pants.
An electrical pop sounded in the condo and the room went dark.
Matt and I froze.
We laughed in unison, sitting up and holding one another.
Pure darkness. I clung to his torso.
“Well, this is a first,” I said. “Our first power outage.”
“Always be prepared.” Matt groped around until he found the flashlight. He turned it on and hung it from the top of the tent. A cone of light shone over us.
His erection tented the front of his pants. I reached for it, my hand drawn to it. I gripped his head through the fabric. God, I loved seeing him turned on.
“I’m glad that happened.” He flexed into my hand. “Slowed me down.”
“Baby, you don’t have to slow down.”
“I know. I want to.” He caressed the undersides of my breasts and my nipples. The intricate lace of the cups scratched gently at my skin. I twitched and moaned.
He reached up and turned off the flashlight.
Darkness rushed back in.
It was better that way, never knowing what was coming. His hot, wet mouth on my nipple. His tongue between my legs. The weight of his dick along my chest.