“Who raised you after that?”
“My grandma for a little while, but she passed when I was eleven. After that I was bounced around with family and never really had a place to call home.
“I really don’t know how you keep plugging along like you do.”
“What choice do I have?” I look him in the eyes and rest my hand on his hair. “All of that is the reason I am the way I am. It seems everyone I love, I lose. For me, this is how I protect myself.”
“It makes sense, but I guess I just can’t really relate. I’ve never lost anyone besides my sister and the mental blow that took on me was on a whole different level. I mean, she left the world by her own doing. I guess if I’d been through some of the things that you have, then I would feel the same as you and protect myself.”
“So I’m not crazy after all?”
“No, you’re not. You’ve been through so much and I admire your strength. I can’t say you don’t confuse me, but I’ll take that mixed with everything else if it means I can do this,” he says kissing my lips.
I exhale then respond as we pull away. “I don’t want to confuse you, Bain. That’s the last thing I want to do.”
“I know. I guess I shouldn’t be. You’ve made your rules clear.”
“Thank you. Listen, it’s getting late. I’m gonna go, but I’ll be back.”
“And I’ll be waiting for you to fulfill that promise.”
I smack his chest and he places his hand in the spot I just hit, pretending that I just hurt him.
“Yes, Mom, if you really want me to, I will.”
“Thank you, dear.”
“Of course. Take care of yourself.”
“You too. I love you, Bain.”
“Love you too,” I tell her and hang up. I’m not sure if Arion heard any of my conversation, but my mom only gets to call once a week and I promised her I’d answer. I know with my dad being away on business, it’s unlikely she’ll get through to him.
Arion comes into the kitchen, where I’m leaning against the granite countertop and asks, “How is she?”
“She sounds good. It’s strange to hear her voice so clear.”
“She’s sober, it’ll change a person.”
“It certainly will,” I respond.
“Well, she’s lucky to have you as her son,” she says running her index finger down the middle of my chest. Her touch, and that expression, have my dick tingling.
Arion didn’t get here too long ago. It was just as I finally fell into a deep sleep. Last night was hard for me – I thought a lot about Kinsey, my mind was racing about what she went through and I couldn’t put it to rest.
She leans in and kisses behind my ear, my breathing calms at the contact of her soft lips. Then my stomach rumbles and she pulls away, staring at me with a smirk on her face.
“Food, then sex?” she asks.
“Works for me, what do you want me to cook?”
“I’ll cook, you watch.”
I’m happy to oblige and watch her search through the kitchen. Sitting back, she bends over looking in the fridge, pulling out item after item. Her ass is perfect, so plump in her tight pants. It’s what caused me to lose it at her work that day when I ran into her.
“What are you making?” I ask.
“It’s a surprise.”
“Mmh, okay. Do you have to work today?”
“Nope, I’m off ’til Monday.
“Do you want to do something today?”
“Yeah, cook you breakfast, then fuck you.”
I can’t stop myself from laughing out loud. “After that.”
“Bain,” she says my name a bit annoyed.
I know where this is going.
“Don’t even say anything about your rules, Arion. I know where we stand. Let’s get out for a bit. There’s supposed to be a nasty storm rolling through in the next few days. Let’s get out and enjoy it before then.”
“I’ll think about it,” she says cracking an egg on the side of a glass bowl, then warms up a pan on the stove.
Her resistance to me now makes me wonder how we can fuck the way we do, then she can be so cold at the same time and act like she doesn’t even want to hang out together. If she really doesn’t want any feelings, why isn’t it just sex and then she leaves? I mean, she’s the one who came back so early today when I fucked her good yesterday, so I know there’s something else there. I decide to change the subject; it’ll be easier than pushing her buttons, plus I’m exhausted and on edge.
My phone rings while I watch Arion cook, it’s my dad calling. I decline the call, he’ll leave a message; he always does. “You can get that,” Arion says.
“Nah, it’s just my dad.”
She’s extremely talented in the kitchen, so much more than I am. It doesn’t take but a few minutes ’til she sets two heaping plates of French toast on the bar, one for each of us. Jesus, I love her appetite.