A/N: Long time no post. Enjoy!

*Many thanks to sendtherain for beta'ing.

Chapter 6 -

The next morning when Barry woke up, he felt like the crappiest… whatever he was to Iris. She'd never responded to him, but he knew there'd been no need. If she'd thought it through at all, she would've known the likelihood of him having a Sunday class was very slim. Plus, what guy wouldn't be horny for her 24/7 and leap at the chance of hooking up with her in the middle of the night? Him, apparently, because he'd been jealous out of his mind.

Now, thinking back on it, he knew there was no reason to be. She'd sent him a nude – a nude! And all that while surrounded by annoying jocks who tried to flirt with her like Oliver had. He'd been such an idiot to turn her down the night before like he had. But he didn't know how to fix it now. She was probably pissed and ready to break their arrangement as soon as he said the word 'jealous'. It was bad enough that he'd lied to her, but acting like a jealous boyfriend when he had no claim to the title?

He sighed, wishing he could talk to Cisco about this.

Cisco would probably tell him this was a terrible idea and that he should tell Iris that he wanted to be with her, since he obviously did. But Barry knew he could never do that. Iris had made it clear that she was not interested in a relationship. She just wanted to have something fun on the side, in secret, with no one knowing but them. That was fun at first, but now it just made him want her more officially.

As morning crept into early afternoon, Barry lazily got ready for the day with breakfast and a shower. He brushed his teeth, picked out an outfit and decided to go for a walk, since Cisco wasn't around – thankfully – and surprisingly, the goat wasn't either. He'd find out more about that later.

He found himself at the bookstore a short time later and knew it had been no coincidence. That's where Iris had been – getting herself off – before they'd started their little fling. In the back of his mind he'd been hoping to catch her, talk to her, make love to her, and just flick that nagging green monster goodbye.

If he got lucky – in more ways than one – maybe he'd be able to.

Taking a breath, he headed up the back entrance and quietly crept across the bookstore until he reached the erotica section. For a moment he thought his luck had run out and the place was empty, but another second later he heard a huff and when he turned the next corner he saw Iris struggling to get her hands in her panties but unable to because the bracelet she was wearing kept getting caught in the lace on the top of her underwear.

"Need some assistance?" he asked, a quiet chuckle in his voice.

She froze, then managed to free her hand and shove down her skirt without losing her bracelet.

"Isn't there a class you should be at for your…exam?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

He winced. "On a Sunday?"

"I thought that was an odd choice of words, but I was too mad to question it. It was cold last night."

Her eyes narrowed in on him and then she stomped past him, probably eager to leave wherever he was in the vicinity of.

"I…uh…could help you with that little problem of yours." She slowed. "The bracelet?"

She snorted and turned around in a huff.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" she spat. "To just pick up where we left off as if you didn't stand me up without warning?"

"Iris-"

"I thought things were going well for us!"

"They were."

"Really well."

"They were!"

"Well then what happened? I sent you a nude for Christ sakes."

"I know."

"And during the day, in public, where anyone could've snatched my phone away and seen who I was sending it to."

He blinked. "You have me listed as…me in your phone?"

She was fuming but managed to calm down enough to answer him.

"Don't you list me as me in your phone?"

He suddenly got defensive. "That's none of your business."

"No? Then where I'm going is none of yours. Goodbye, Barry."

"Wait, wait, wait!" He ran after her. "Are we… Are you… Are you breaking up with me?"

"We were never together!"

"No, I know that, but-" He grabbed her swinging hand, and she turned around before making it to the exit. She looked mad as hell and was wriggling to get away from him. "Iris, will you just…will you stop?"

"Why?" she demanded.

"Because I'm trying to talk to you, damn it."

"No. Why did you lie to me?"

His mouth ran dry.

"You know the last boy that lied to me was Eddie. He rejected sex from me too. And then his true colors were revealed. I thought you were different. Kind, innocent, sexy in your own way. That it was impossible for you to hurt me because you seemed to actually want me."

"I do want you," he insisted.

"Then why did you lie? Why didn't you show up?" Her voice rose.

"Because I was jealous!" He burst.

She stared at him head-on. "What?" Her tongue clicked.

He sighed and ran a hand over his face.

"I was giddy after you sent that nude, Iris, like any man in his right mind would be."

"Boy," she corrected. "You're a boy. You don't the maturity to-"

"Fine, fine. Boy. Whatever."

"Continue."

"I came over to see you, because I missed you and it was the closest thing to being able to really talk to you that I could get."

"Okay, and?" She folded her arms.

"And I saw you flirting with Oliver."

She scoffed. "I was not flirting with him."

"No? Then what was it?"

She threw her arms up.

"Letting him exist in my space temporarily while he flirted with me! I don't know, Barry, figure it out. I'm into you. What reason would I have to flirt with anyone else?"

He was dumbfounded.

"You…you're into me?"

"Sexually."

His face fell. "Right. Right. Sexually, of course."

"I told you the rules, Barry. You swore there wouldn't be a problem. Is there?"

"No! No. I just…don't want this to end, Iris. I'm…" He licked his lips. "I'm into you too."

"Sexually."

"Yes, yes, of course, sexually."

"You swear there's nothing else?"

"Do you want me to lie again?"

"No. I don't want you to lie to me ever again, because if you do, there is no more 'us'. Got it?"

He nodded. "Got it."

She released a breath and started to relax.

"So…are we good now?" he asked hopefully.

Her eyes narrowed. "No. I'm still mad at you for what you did. You hurt me, Barry."

His shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry, Iris."

She huffed. "But you can make it up to me."

"Yeah? How?" He lit up.

She held out her hand to him.

"Take off my bracelet, please."

He smiled slowly and turned the bracelet until he found the clasp. Then he leaned down and unlocked it with his teeth before letting it drop into his hand. He lifted it then to dangle before her, his breath descending onto her neck with how close he was.

"Am I forgiven now?" he whispered.

With trembling fingers, Iris took the bracelet back and stuffed it into her purse.

"Oh, come on."

She yanked him down by the collar of his shirt and pulled him into the next aisle over and straight up against the bookcase.

"Kiss me and mean it," she ordered.

He grinned. "Your wish is my command."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm wai-"

He kissed her, pulling her flush up against him and setting his hands on her ass, as she tucked one foot into the second bookshelf from the bottom in order to get some height. She twisted her fingers in his hair and stuck her tongue in his mouth and whispered the dirtiest things to get him hard.

There was no need. Iris West was touching him. That made him hard enough.

…

An hour later, after fucking in three different positions down two aisles, Barry and Iris surfaced from their early afternoon rendezvous.

Iris laughed lightly to herself as she started to adjust her clothing again.

"What?" Barry asked, grinning.

She shook her head, smiling.

"You never disappoint, Barry Allen."

He chuckled. "If only my ex could hear you say that." He shook his head.

"Why?" she asked with a smile, though later she'd realize how she had stiffened at the mention of another girl in his life.

"Oh, nothing I ever did was good enough for her. I didn't kiss right, didn't fuck right, didn't buy her the right amount of red roses…"

Iris raised her eyebrows, amused.

"She sounds awful. Why were you dating her?"

He laughed. "At the time I thought she was pretty and wanted to be with me. Looking back I think she just wanted a boyfriend who wasn't being bullied."

"This was in high school?"

He nodded.

"High school girls can be like that," she confided.

"Somehow I doubt you were."

"I said can be," she emphasized. "I was an exception obviously."

"Obviously."

He couldn't stop smiling, to the point that Iris had to look away because it was making heat flood her face. Between his brilliant smile and his dreamy eyes, Iris was starting to think she might never let go of this guy if she could help it. Who needed a boyfriend anyway?

"You should get dressed," she said. "We can't stay in here forever."

"Right."

He got suddenly serious and turned away from her to pull up his pants and underwear before picking up his shirt and putting that on too. Iris watched him as he dressed when he wasn't facing her, carving every inch of him into her memory. She'd need it throughout the day without him.

"Are we still meeting toni- Oh, shit."

"What?" Her brows furrowed. "Something wrong?"

She got up to stand beside him. He had fished his phone out of his pocket, and it was currently vibrating in his hand.

"You know that ex I was talking about?"

"Yeah…" Her stomach started to turn.

He held up the phone so the screen faced her and the name BECKY COOPER flashed across the screen.

"Becky…Cooper," she read aloud.

"Uh-huh," he said.

"Sounds fake."

He snorted. "I wish she was."

"Are you going to answer it?"

"I better or she'll leave a nasty voicemail."

"She does that?"

"If she's the same girl I remember from high school, then yep."

"Well, you can just delete it."

"I better not take the chance. She might track me down."

Iris' eyes widened. "Sounds stalker-y."

Barry nodded. "Tell me about it," he muttered, then pressed the green phone on the screen and lifted it to his ear. "Becky."

"What, no hello?" The charming voice was heard over the phone.

"Hello."

Becky snorted. "Haven't you missed me?"

"No."

"I'm in town. What do you say we grab a drink?"

"What for? We don't like each other."

She sucked in a gasp.

"Now, that's not fair. I never said I didn't like you, just that you were-"

"I don't have time today, Becky."

"Tomorrow?" she asked hopefully.

"Why do you want to meet with me?"

"I told you, I'm in town. I'll tell you the rest when we meet up."

"Sorry, not interested."

"Aww, come on, Barry. You know I won't give up on something I want."

"How could I forget? It's how you and I met. I'll be a little harder to crack this time around."

"Fine by me. I like a good challenge."

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Fine. The south lounge by the cafeteria on campus one hour from now. If you're late-"

"I won't be late."

"If you are-"

"I won't be." She laughed coquettishly. "See you then, Bear-Bear."

He cringed at the old pet name and hung up.

"Well?" Iris asked, trying to put on a brave face as he turned back around to her.

He sighed. "Well, I have to meet up with her."

"You have to?" She asked, wanting to pout, wanting to beg him to stay with her.

"Believe me, I wish I didn't. But if I don't go, she'll find a way to track me down, and I'd rather she didn't know where I live."

"Did she say what she wants?"

"Just that she's in town and wants to chat. She'll tell me the rest when we meet up, she says." He rolled his eyes.

"Think she wants to get back together?" Iris asked cautiously.

"God, I hope not. If she does, she's getting a big fat 'no way, Jose'."

Iris laughed at that. "You sure you don't want to?"

"I'm sorry, were you or were you not here for the part of the conversation when I said she just used me for social standing and nothing I did was good enough for her?"

"You're right. Of course." Of course, Iris. "I don't know what I was thinking."

He looked at her a little strangely, then shook it off.

"Well, as much as I'd like to show up at our 'meeting' looking like sex personified, she'd probably take it as I don't know how to take care of my hygiene and insult me some more. I'd rather not have to deal with that in addition to seeing her face today."

Iris pushed past the raging feelings flooding her system and went over to Barry to straighten his shirt.

"Don't worry, whatever she says, I will say and do the opposite tonight." She winked.

He gasped. "You mean…? Twice today?"

She chuckled. "This was make-up sex. We need our nightly hook-ups, don't we?"

"Hell to the yes!"

She laughed and covered his mouth with her hand.

"You're so excitable," she teased, stars in her eyes.

"Make sure you are tonight too, because I have a feeling I'll be depleted."

"I'll make it worth your while," she promised, then kissed him on his pretty, pink lips.

He moaned softly.

"I'm gonna hold you to that."

Her eyes sparkled, and she swayed her hips for him to watch as she exited the building. Ten minutes later, he exited as well and walked in the opposite direction towards home. He had a shower to take and an aggravating ex to visit.

…

True to his word, Barry showed up to campus an hour later. It wouldn't get him to the lounge at the exact time Becky wanted, but she could afford to sweat a little. After all, she had dumped him, and he'd had to suffer the humiliation of her dumping him in front of a crowd of people at school. She had some nerve approaching him now, even if it had been a few years. Still, better to endure what she wanted now than deal with the slow and deadly approach should he deliberately stand her up.

He looked through the glass doors as he entered the lounge, and his heart sank. She was there, alright, and looking as lovely and obnoxious as he'd ever seen her. She popped her lips to the pocket mirror she held in front of her, looking practically like a businesswoman in the chic suit and long curly blonde hair that had only gotten more beautiful since high school.

He'd forgotten what a siren she was. Beauty on the outside but cold and dead on the inside. He couldn't wait to get this over with.

"Becky," he said, approaching her finally.

At the sound of his voice, she dropped the handheld mirror back into her purse, then turned and smiled brilliantly at him.

"Barry. It's so good to see you."

She moved to hug him, but he stopped her. She did not like being thwarted, and he knew that, but he had just about zero patience for her today.

"You showered," she noted. "For me?" She batted her eyelashes prettily.

"No," he said, though in a way he had. She didn't need to know that.

"Well." She tossed her long locks over one shoulder. "You look good regardless. Really good."

She started to lean in, to touch his chest with her manicured fingernails, but he took a step back.

"Enough with the flirting, Becky. I'm not interested."

She scoffed. "Please. Everyone's interested in me. I'm everyone's type."

"You're not mine," he said. She raised her eyebrows, amused. "Not anymore."

"Oh, poor baby, did I break your heart?"

"You injured my ego," he said. "I couldn't stand as a girlfriend as soon you stopped pretending. Which was pretty much in the middle of our first date when you started nitpicking how many creases were in my shoes."

She frowned. "You could've at least dressed up a little. It was a nice place we were at."

"It was a movie theater. And I did dress up. We were the only ones dressed up, as I recall."

She was starting to look irritated.

"Enough about the past! I'm here to talk about the present."

"There's nothing to talk about."

"God, you don't have a girlfriend, do you?"

His eyebrows narrowed, and she came to her conclusion.

"I didn't think so."

"It's…complicated."

"Is she like me?"

"She's nothing like- You know what? I'm done talking. This was a waste of time."

"No, no, no, you don't!" She chuckled lightly and grabbed his hand to pull him to sit across from her. "We got off on the wrong foot. It was my doing, I'm afraid. Please accept my apologies."

He said nothing but pulled his hand out of her grip and wiped any trace of her off on his pant leg. She cleared her throat.

"I'm moving," she said.

He sighed. "To where?"

"To here," she said, smiling brilliantly.

He blinked. "I don't follow."

"You never did…"

"Becky-"

"Alright, alright. I've enrolled in this school. I start taking classes next semester."

"You can't be serious."

"I am. It's a good school."

"That's not the only reason."

"Well, no…you're here." She smirked.

He laughed humorlessly and leapt out of his chair.

"No. No, no, no, no. NO. We are not- Mm-mm. Nope. No. No. No."

"Just hear me out!"

He laughed. "No!"

"But-"

"Becky, full offense, but I can't stand you. And I'm into someone else."

"Someone who won't let you call her your girlfriend," she spat.

"Status isn't everything!"

"It is for you. I remember you going on and on about how great it was that you had a girlfriend and that it was me."

"That was in high school. I've changed."

"Some things don't change, Barry Allen." She got to her feet. "You may hate me now, but you'll come around once you see this mystery girl of yours never will. Remember, I always get what I want. And right now, I want you."

She shoved him away from her, hiked her purse strap farther up her shoulder, and made her way to the exit, swaying her hips for him to see. All it did was disgust him and partially remind him of when Iris had done the same on previous occasions. That had been a turn-on. This most definitely was not.

He ran his hand over his face and felt like kicking himself for ever having gone out with Becky Cooper. After he had a good idea that she was gone though, he made his way through the doors himself and headed home. He was so glad to be done with her, at least for the time being. She would likely haunt his dreams and come to be a regular annoying pest in his life.

Damn it, why did she have to come here?

He pushed all thoughts of her aside and focused instead on how he would continue to hide his affair with Iris with Cisco around, especially with this new Becky dilemma. Maybe he could help with the latter though…maybe.

Back in the lounge however, Iris was sitting at a table across the way from the couches, and she was in tears. Because Becky had made an excellent point, and she didn't have the slightest idea of how to counter it.

After all, she wasn't going to be announcing that she was dating Barry any time soon, if ever. And just how long would Barry continue fucking her with the dying hope that she would turn around one day and tell him she wanted something more? Because she knew he wanted more. She wasn't blind.

She didn't want a relationship, though. She didn't. But she didn't want him dating anyone else either. He was a good fuck, and she'd lose that for sure if he committed to someone emotionally and officially.

She sniffled, wiped away her remaining tears, and shuffled out of the building.

She'd have to think of something else.

…

Barry didn't know where Cisco had run off to all afternoon and evening, but as for himself, he was glad when midnight came rolling around and he could scoot on out to his booty call with Iris.

He walked there quicker than usual and felt his blood pumping in his veins when he saw the bookstore ahead.

In fact, was that…?

It was Iris!

Somehow, she was earlier than he was! The thought – the fact – made him smile. He smiled so big his cheeks hurt. She must've spent all day missing him – or looking forward to fucking him at least. He'd take that. He wouldn't let her down by standing her up a second night in a row. He'd never do that again, no matter how jealous he was.

He jogged over the remaining distance – exactly half a block – and smiling blindly, took her into his arms. He'd think about how she didn't pull away when they were still outside and any late-night walkers could easily see later.

"Iris," he whispered happily.

She grabbed the collar of his jacket and pulled his head down to hers, kissing him in the moonlight. He pulled back for a fraction of a second.

"What are you-"

"I missed you."

She attacked his lips again, and he let her. Who was he to complain if she wanted to make out where anyone could see? It was what he wanted, for her to get closer to not wanting them to be a secret, to wanting them to be officially dating. Then he could finally throw in Becky's face-

Maybe he was getting ahead of himself.

"You're tense," she purred into his mouth. "Relax."

He relaxed at her command and gave himself over to kissing her. He pressed her up against the back of the building and sifted his hand through her soft curls, memorizing her mouth with his tongue, trying to keep up with the passion she was driving into him.

"Okay, okay, let's go."

He frowned.

"Inside, idiot." She laughed. "Before someone sees."

He grinned and smacked her butt as she went inside, making her yelp. She was giggly though, and it was contagious. He didn't know what had gotten into her, but he knew he was addicted. She was infectious.

Coming to the top floor, they started to strip immediately, jackets off, shirts, pants, undergarments, gone. Barry was about to put on a condom when iris stopped him and led him in his socks down the corridor to an aisle where the moon shown bright through the window.

"I-Iris." His eyes widened in a panic. "Aren't you worried someone might-"

"I told you to relax, Bear."

He looked at her a little strangely at the new pet name, especially one so closely resembling Becky's, but the heat in her eyes drove the questions and suspicions out of him.

"Lie down," she said, and he obliged, covering the carpet in his long frame.

"Good," she praised, then got down on her knees, her ass reflecting the moon before him, and started to lick his cock.

"Oh, God." His eyes rolled back.

She licked every side of his length, then sucked him dry like a popsicle. He was hard as iron by the time she'd finished with him, and about to burst no doubt.

"Don't cum yet," she ordered, and he shook his head.

"Mm-mm."

She smiled, licked her lips, and then straddled him while she slowly lowered her hole onto his throbbing cock.

"Irisss," he slurred, and she leaned down to kiss him, grinding hard against his body with his length inside her.

She moaned, placing his helpless hands on her breasts, hardening her nipples and sending shivers racing across her skin. Barry thrust up a little into her, and she pushed his knees back down behind her.

"Just me," she said. "Let me make you go wild."

"Jesus Christ."

He shut his eyes for a moment and tuned in solely to the feel of her moving on him. She moved harder and faster, up and down, so the slap of their bodies could be heard throughout the whole bookstore.

He growled and pierced her hips with his dull nails.

"More. I want more."

His demand was sexy as hell, and Iris moved even faster after that. She followed every order, sensed every change in his body as he grew more sensitive to her touch. And finally, she let herself have some fun and climbed off him only to settle her soaking wet pussy on his face.

He lapped at her juices greedily, holding her ass tightly above him. Iris had to clutch at the bookshelves on either side of her, so her trembling legs wouldn't cave in on her. It was more intoxicating than anything she'd ever felt in her life, and it was by Barry's lips, no other's.

"Barry!" she cried out, cumming without warning and falling over him so her whole body wouldn't smash him to the carpet.

Barry ejaculated almost simultaneously, jerking himself off as soon as her ass left his grip.

"Iris," he groaned, stars in his eyes, visions of her naked body through every moment of their fuck flashing before him.

Iris rose up and gradually returned to him, surprising them both by caressing and kissing him, cuddling close. Barry easily wrapped his arm around her and peppered kisses of his own across her body.

"I don't want you seeing anyone else, Barry," she finally said.

Thinking this was about Becky, he frowned.

"I thought I already told you I'm not interested in Becky. The opposite actually. I can't stand her."

"I know." She licked one nipple, then tugged on it with her teeth before smoothing it over with her thumb. "This isn't about Becky. Not entirely at least."

"Then what's it about?" he asked, his hand tangled in her hair.

"I don't want to have to worry about you being with anyone else." His eyebrows rose. "About our arrangement being cut short," she amended.

He nodded once. "Then what are you suggesting?"

"Exclusivity," she said. "We continue as we are, but you don't actively look for or date anyone else unless we've talked about ending our arrangement first."

"Just me?" He started to tense up.

She smoothed her hand over his chest to calm him.

"Of course not. It goes for me too. That way neither of us will get jealous. There will be no reason for us to be."

He licked his lips, a million questions spinning through his mind, but he answered point blank because he knew there was no question.

"Okay," he said, then pulled her down for a kiss. "Whatever you want."