Chapter 6:
"Oh man," Chandler said.
Joey spun around with speed, eyes wide as Chandler came in. He left the door open, then moved right to Joey and gave him a big hug. "Fuck man, are you okay?"
"Uh," Joey returned the hug awkwardly, unsure what to say. He'd just jerked off, thinking of their mutual friend, and his jizz still coated the inside of the door. Luckily, it was hanging open, with the incriminating side of the door facing the wall, but…
"What am I saying, of course you're not okay." Chandler patted his back before ending the hug and taking a step away. "I couldn't sleep," he explained finally. "And I heard Rachel come in and… well I decided to come check on you." Chandler ducked his head a bit, looking embarrassed. "I wasn't sure if I should come in, but then I heard you…"
"Heard me?" Joey squeaked.
"Yeah, you, you punched the door." He looked a little uncomfortable, but not anywhere near what Joey would have expected if Chandler had understood what had been happening the moment before that punch.
"Oh, uh, yeah," Joey said, running his fingers through his hair. "I guess I did."
"You look…" He gestured vaguely at Joey as he moved away. "You been crying or something?" Chandler leaned against the fridge, arms crossed, examining Joey with real concern.
Thank god for that "or something". He didn't like having to lie to Chandler. No tears, no, but the truth was way more embarrassing. "Yeah. It um… was intense."
"Yeah, that was a hell of a talk," Chandler said. "I figured you might be beat, but I wanted to let you know I'm here."
Joey couldn't help but smile in appreciation. "Yeah man, I know. You're the best."
Chandler's cheeks pinked and he waved a hand dismissively. Secretly, Joey delighted in how easy it was to get a rise out of him. "You're my best friend. I'm always gonna be here for you. Unless you try to seduce Monica," he joked. "Then I'll have to fight you."
"Yeah," Joey laughed. "Like that's a credible threat."
"I will have Ross fight you." They chuckled at that, before Joey's smile faded.
"Yeah, well, he might just fight me anyway."
Chandler shifted from his lounge, standing up and looking at Joey quizzically. "What do you mean? Why?"
Opps. "I uh… it's kinda my fault Rachel is moving out."
"Oh," Chandler said. "She's decided to leave for good then?" He nodded. "That makes sense. How is it your fault, though?"
"I uh, I just told her that if he can't be supportive of her then she shouldn't be there." It wasn't totally a lie. "I mean, she's got enough on her plate, you know?"
"Jesus, yeah she does," Chandler agreed. "Guess Mon and I will have to talk about having her live with us long term."
"Really?" Joey was surprised by that. They'd been pretty adamant about living alone after the wedding.
"We can't just leave her on her own. Phoebe doesn't have room and well, she can't stay here." Chandler gestured to Joey's apartment. "That would suck for you."
"Yeah, I guess." Joey ducked his head.
"You gonna be okay if she's right across the hall?" Chandler put a hand on Joey's shoulder and ducked his head to catch Joey's eye. "I know it's hard, but?"
Joey shook his head. "I'll be fine, man. Rachel and I are friends. I want her to be happy." He smiled.
"You're a great guy, Joe." Chandler gave him another hug, then turned to go. "Try to get some rest, okay?"
"Yeah," Joey agreed. "Thanks for checking on me."
"Anytime," Chandler said. He walked out, closing the door behind him.
No sooner had it clicked closed, than Joey lunged for the lock, turning the bolt and making sure it was secure before getting more paper towels to wipe down the door. That had been way too close.
The next few days were a flurry of activity as Rachel moved again. Pretty much the only time Joey got to spend with her all week involved the whole group and endless stairs as they hauled her belongings back into the building.
Ross spent the entire time looking like someone had kicked his puppy, but to his credit, he did help with the packing and moving. Even if he sulked the whole time. Joe felt a little guilty about that, but in quiet, stolen moments, Rachel had assured him this wasn't his fault.
Still, it didn't feel great when Ross cornered him to complain about how he'd thought this was it for them, and that he'd finally get back with Rachel and they'd be a happy family. Part of Joey wanted to apologize - the other half wanted to shake him. The entitlement was obnoxious. Like she owed him a relationship.
Finally, everything shifted and Ross back at his, they had a moment to breathe. Chandler and Monica went to "take a nap" and Phoebe went to play her gig at the coffee house. Rachel and Joey were left alone.
She settled down on the sofa beside him, her hand resting on the curve of her stomach as she breathed heavily. "You okay?" Joey didn't move to touch her, they were careful of too much easy affection when at Chandler and Monica's place, but he did turn to face her fully. "Not having pain again, are you?"
She smiled up at him, and patted his knee. "I'm fine," Rachel said. "Just winded."
Joey reached for the water on the table and passed her a cup. She sipped slowly, but continuously for long moments. "And exhausted with Ross," she admitted as she rested the glass on her stomach. "Honestly, I don't know how much longer I can deal with this."
"Yeah." Joey knew what she meant. He was acting like they'd broken up again or something. "He's being kind of a lot, huh?"
"That's putting it mildly," Rachel laughed. "Do you know he's been texting me to try to talk me out of this move?" She rolled her eyes. "Even if I didn't have y… someone else," she shot Joey a knowing smile. "I still wouldn't be with Ross. What year is it that he thinks he can trap me into marrying him just because he got me knocked up?"
"You could tell him you were on a break," Joey suggested. Rachel snorted.
"Yeah, even now he won't admit any wrongdoing there. Though," she sighed as she sipped more water. "I had my role in it too, to be fair. We were just bad for each other. He was entirely too possessive and jealous. I needed more freedom than he could give me." Rachel glanced at Monica and Chandler's bedroom door before continuing. "It's different now," she beamed at him.
"Oh yeah?" Joey grinned. "This new guy treats you right, huh?"
"Well," Rachel drawled. "It's still new, so you never know. But so far, yes. He's wonderful."
Joey felt his cheeks pink and he ducked his head away shyly. "Yeah, well, I'm happy for you."
"It's amazing," she pressed on, relentless with her attention. "How he can support me, and still let me be my own person. Be there when I need him, and give me space when I need that instead." Her hand slipped to his thigh, and his eyes followed it. "I've been missing our time together," she confessed quietly.
"Me too," he whispered, barely able to hear himself. He rested his hand on top of hers. "Maybe you should, uh, give him a call. Make a date."
"Maybe I should rip his clothes off and kiss him stupid," she whispered back.
Joey shifted in his seat, jeans growing tighter as he visualized that exact scene. "Well, he'd be a fool to say no to that," Joey managed, voice tight with newly blossoming arousal. "Even with people in the next room."
"The idea of getting caught is kinda…" Rachel wriggled in her seat, clearly dealing with her own desires.
"Yeah?" Joey bent his head low, lips brushing her ear as he whispered. "Because of the thrill of it, or because then I could kiss you anytime I want?"
"Both," she replied breathlessly. "I've missed you so much, Joe."
He had too. He'd missed her easy laughter, her playful flirts, her soft smiles. Every inch as much as he missed her warm smooth skin under his fingertips, or the scent of her left behind on his clothing. "If I didn't know Ross could see us from his apartment," Joey said. "I'd suggest we go out on the balcony and make out like teenagers."
She laughed softly at that. "You have an apartment, we don't need to find a semi private place to make out."
"Sure," he agreed. "But it's very difficult to restrain myself when we're in private private, Rache."
Rachel turned her head to look at him, their noses brushing with the action. "Is that so?" Her hand moved up his thigh before settling to rest between his legs, tauntingly close to his straining erection.
"The last time," he whispered gruffly. "You were barely out the door before I had my cock in my hand." Her breathing became faster with his words, and she pulled back to put the cup of water down. Only moments of distance, but it was far too much. Joey found himself taking her by the shoulders and pulling her back to him gently.
Cupping her cheek in his hand, he ducked his head, until his breath ghosted over her lips in the specter of a kiss. A soft moan escaped her and she pressed her body closer. Joey growled quietly. "You have no idea what you do to me, Rache."
"Oh," she sighed. "If it's anything like what you do to me, I think I do." Rachel put a hand on his shoulder, pushing him back against the sofa. He obliged and was rewarded by her climbing into his lap, straddling him.
Both paused, looking to the door to make sure no one was moving around in the bedroom before she lowered herself to rest on his thighs. "Ah," she gasped, rolling her hips as she felt the hard length of him pressed against the curve of her ass. "Mines smaller, but just as hard." Another writhing grind and Joey bit back a hiss. She lowered her head to press sloppy kisses to his neck and said, "Tell me about last time."
Wide palms and long fingers settled on her hips, pulling her closer as his hips rocked up to meet hers. "You were gorgeous," he managed in a frantic whisper. "All pink, hair a mess, chest heaving." He lifted one hand to cup a breast through her shirt, thumb sweeping over a taut nipple. Rachel jumped, then bit his neck in retribution, pulling free another low growl. "And touching yourself," he whimpered. "Fucking my hand and touching yourself until you came around my fingers."
Their hips had fallen into a slow rhythm of rise and fall, as she continued her attentions on his neck, and he whispered a recounting of their last encounter. "And then you had to go. And I kissed you goodbye, and closed the door."
"And?" She prompted eagerly.
"And slid my hand into my pants." He made a soft sound of protest as she pulled away. Reaching out for her as she stood. "Wha- where are you going?" he asked. Rachel just smiled and beckoned him with one finger as she walked toward the apartment door.
He followed her as she led him inside his apartment and closed the door behind them.
"Show me," she said.
Joey blinked at her. "What?"
Rachel smiled wickedly. "You closed the door behind me." She settled her hands on his hips, turning him to face the closed door. "And then you put your hand down your pants." She lifted one of his hands, sliding it into the band of his jeans. Then she pressed her body close against his, breasts pressed against his back, the small bump of her stomach resting against the curve of his ass. Her hands moved up to his chest, smoothing and scratching his shirt in turn.
"You want me to…" he trailed off, hardly believing what he was hearing.
"To show me," Rachel repeated. "If you feel comfortable with that. You can always say no," she reminded him, pressing a kiss to his spine.
He didn't want to say no. But he did feel strangely exposed, for all he was fully clothed. Still, Joey put his arm up on the door the way he had a few days ago, rested his forehead against it, and squeezed his eyes closed. "I was like this," he said, still whispering despite himself. "I could smell you on my fingers. It was like a drug, Rache."
Without comment, her hands moved down, finding the button and fly of his jeans and undoing them for him. Joey's breath sped up, the barely there brush of her fingers through his boxers felt like electricity. When he didn't move, she found his hand and pulled it down with hers, cupping his erection through the thin fabric.
He gasped softly, hips twitching with the motion. "I could smell you," he repeated. Finally reaching inside his underwear to grasp himself fully. "Fuuuuck." The groan was long, protracted and Rachel sighed against his back, pleased. "And I," he stuttered, body already shaking from the adrenaline and desire that crashed over him in waves. "I touched myself while I remembered you laying under me." His hand moved in slow, easy motions.
"Like this?" Rachel asked, placing her hand over his again. "In your boxers? Slowly?"
Joey shook his head. "No," he admitted. "I-"
Rachel cut him off. "Show me, Joey."
Something about this felt so right. Doing as Rachel desired. It was for her enjoyment after all, even if he was enjoying it too. And Joey didn't hesitate much before pulling his cock out entirely and slumping his weight onto the door. "It wasn't slow," he panted, fisting his cock hard and fast as he had that night.
She purred, her body moving with his as he rocked up into his hand. "What a sight you make," Rachel said. Her voice had gone deeper as her desire grew. "Wanting so badly you can't even make it to a chair or a bed."
Joey groaned, feeling the thrill of that night amplified now, as the heat of Rachel's body seeped into his. "After a minute or so," he managed, still stroking himself roughly. "It wasn't enough to smell you anymore." Joey grunted, feeling his cock spasm as he drew closer to his orgasm. "I wanted to taste you. So I put these fingers in my mouth." He removed his hand, resting his forehead against the door and putting his first two fingers in his mouth.
"Oh," Rachel gasped. He felt her move away, just a little, wriggling her hand between their bodies. Touching herself too, he realized. It was almost too much for him to take. More wriggling as he fucked his hand, and it took him a while to realize Rachel had moved.
No longer at his back, she'd come around his side and was now slipping between him and the door. As she looked up at him, he looked down at her, his hand slowing as he wondered what she was doing. "Oh no," she said with a wicked smile. "Don't stop." She lifted her fingers to his lips, and there Joey smelled the familiar sweet musk of Rachel's arousal. "Open." She pressed her fingers through his parted lips and he tasted her. Moaning, sucking her fingers down, he let his eyes fall closed and his pace increase.
"What a pretty sight," Rachel hummed as he tongued her fingers, lavashing them with greedy licks and long suckles.
He was starting to lose it now, legs wobbling, his cock occasionally rubbing up against Rachel as he fucked his hand. They were so close now, barely inches between them, and it couldn't be helped. He made contact with her shirt again, feeling the cold spot left there by his last batch of precum, and gasped softly.
Rachel pulled her fingers from his mouth and he chased them, wanting more, needing more. But she was a cruel mistress, and would not oblige. Instead she went up on her toes and leaned close, her breath tickling his lips as he panted and tried to control himself. "What did you think of?" she asked. Her hand slid down his chest, then lower and lower, until her slim fingers wrapped around his hand, moving with him. "When you came like this? What were you thinking of?"
A keening escaped Joey's throat, as she squeezed his hand, thereby adding pressure to his already aching cock. Words, how was he supposed to use words right now? "Ah-I…" He lifted his head from the door, pressing his brow to Rachel's instead. "I thought about how you'd feel," he managed tightly. "Coming around my cock instead of my fingers."
A rumbled noise of appreciation left her lips as she slanted them over his in a brief kiss. Then she pulled her head back enough so she could look down at where their hands clasped. Joey looked down too, gasping softly despite himself. She wasn't even touching his cock, just his hand, but fuck, it was hot.
"Come for me, Joe." It wasn't a question. She gave him another fierce kiss, then moaned against his lips. "I want to watch you."
He was too lost in the moment to really think, and Rachel's hand moved with his. Up and down, squeezing, urging him on. And her eyes lowered, taking in the sight with a hunger that bordered on starvation. "I think about that too," she rambled, her fingers finally wandering. Not too far, just enough for her thumb to sweep over the slicked tip of his cock. He moaned loudly and she did it again. "When I touch myself, I think of how it would feel to come on your cock. To feel you kicking inside me. Spilling yourself. Filling me."
How was he supposed to restrain himself when she spoke like that? When she stole touches? He let go, his cock kicking violently, crying out loudly, as he came. Heavy, thick ropes of come shot from him, and Rachel caught them in her palm, purring as she petted the head of his cock, now slick with his seed. "Yessss," she growled.
Joey's hand fell away as the climax passed, but Rachel's didn't. She continued her gentle ministrations, spreading his own slick over the rock hard length and squeezing gently. Milking every last drop of cum out of his cock until his legs gave out and he slumped heavily against the door.
She took some of his weight then, using her clean hand to help hold him up. Until he managed to get his feet under him and pulled back to look at her. Their eyes locked, and slowly, wickedly, Rachel pulled her other hand away from his shaft, lifting it to her lips. She held his gaze as she sucked each of her fingers clean, and though he was well and truly spent, he still felt his cock kick in appreciation.
"You," she panted, breathing as if she'd run a flight of stairs and letting her hand drop back down to her side, "taste incredible."
"You are incredible," Joey replied. He was breathing heavily too, but that wasn't surprising. She kissed him again, long and slow this time, and he tasted himself on her lips. "Fuck," he breathed inbewteen kisses. "You're going to be the death of me, Rachel Green."
She smiled, stealing more kisses as he made an effort to shift his weight back and return his softening penis to his boxers. "Well," she sighed, still raking her eyes over him hungrily. "I do my best."
"I'd die happy," Joey assured her. He left the jeans open, knowing he was an absolute mess and would need to change anyway. She looked decadent, leaning against the door like that, cheeks flushing down to her chest, and her pupils blown out with lust. He still wanted her, even mere moments off an orgasm. He always wanted her. "What about you?" he asked.
"I'm good," Rachel said, smiling. "Really. Very satisfied."
His brow furrowed. "Did you?"
Chuckling, Rachel shook her head. "No. But there are different ways to be satisfied." She pushed off the door and moved to the kitchen sink. "You're very good at taking direction," she said as she turned on the water and began washing her hands. "Did you like it?"
"You can't tell if I liked it?" Joey asked incredulously, gesturing to his ruined jeans even if she couldn't see them with her back turned.
"I can tell you liked wanking off," she said without turning. "I can tell you liked tasting me, and feeling my involvement." Finally the water shut off with the squeak of a turing knob and Rachel spun to face him. She dried her hands on a towel, and leveled an assessing gaze at him. "But I can't know if you liked me telling you what to do, not really, unless you tell me."
Joey swallowed hard, feeling heat rushing to his cheeks again. For fuck's sake, he'd just come on the woman, surely this shouldn't be embarrassing him. Rachel waited for his answer, but none came as he cast his eyes to the linoleum floor. Finally, he heard the soft "thwap" of the towel being place on the sink, then saw Rachel's feet padding into view.
A finger tucked under his chin and lifted his eyes to meet hers. "Chair," she said. No anger or disappointment colored the word, just a firmness that implied direction. He was to sit in the chair, and so he did. Rachel walked past him, disappearing briefly into the bathroom before returning with a bowl of warm water, a wash cloth, and a towel.
She knelt on the carpet before Joey and began sponging off the quickly drying cum on his pants. "I've noticed," she said without looking away from her task. "That you struggle with saying what it is you want." He opened his mouth to protest, but Rachel pressed on. "Yes you do. Maybe not with some things. But with this? With telling me what brings you pleasure? You only seem to manage it if you're halfway out of your mind with want."
Reaching up, Rachel tucked her fingers into the belt loops on his jeans and tugged, urging his hips upward so she could slide them off. He hadn't expected her to take the boxers with her, but he was glad of it as he noticed the mess in there was starting to dry as well, pulling skin and pubic hair. Rachel tossed the clothing aside, then dipped the wash cloth back in the warm water and started working her way up his thighs, wiping away the mess and soothing his tension from their conversation.
"Well," Joey sighed, leaning back and letting himself enjoy this moment. "It's not about what I want."
"Of course it is, honey." Rachel said emphatically. She rinsed the cloth again, before settling it on his groin like a blanket. "What you want is important too, Joe." Again his eyes found the floor.
He wasn't sure any lover had ever said that to him. After all, he was known as the guy who was good at sex. People came to him for an experience. Not to… spoil him. Rachel lifted the cloth, then tenderly grasped his flaccid penis, moving it this way and that to clean around it. Joey hummed his approval.
"Joe," she said softly. "You deserve to have your needs and desires met just as much as anyone else." The cloth swept over the soft skin of his cock, wiping away his cum. "More than most, actually," Rachel whispered. "You deserve someone who gives as much of themselves to you, as you do to them."
"I like it," he admitted. "When you tell me what you want." To be honest, Joey wasn't entirely sure what was happening right now. Rachel was kneeling before him, gently sponging him clean, and telling him he deserved things he'd never really even considered he could have. After one of the most intense sexual experiences he'd had in his life. He stared at her, blinking slowly.
"There you go." She dabbed him with the cloth once more, then leaned down, pressing a kiss to his freshly cleaned cock before smiling and standing. She placed the dry towel on his lap, then took the other items back to the bathroom.
When she returned, she settled in his lap and handed him a glass of water before nosing into his neck and breathing deeply. A happy sigh followed, and Joey realized he felt something new - absolute safety. He wasn't worrying what she was thinking, or how he might have messed up, or that she was unhappy with him in some way. He knew, in that moment, she'd said nothing but true words as she'd cared for him physically.
His eyes brimmed with tears and he took a long swallow of the water to disguise his sudden emotion. He'd known he loved her - had thought he'd loved her - before, but now? "Rache?" He managed after a moment.
"Hm?" she hummed happily.
"I -" He wasn't sure he had words that would cover everything he was feeling. "I feel…"
Rachel's hand smoothed his cheek, scratching on the light stubble there. "Me too," she said quietly. His heart quickened, though he couldn't speak. "I feel it too," she clarified. "I don't know what to call it yet. But I feel it."
Joey put the water down and wrapped both arms around Rachel. He knew, deep down, this time was fleeting. Soon he'd have to put pants back on, and they would have to go back to their friends' and pretend they hadn't just had a mind-blowing sexual play. But for now? Now he just wanted to hold her.
The world could wait.