i'm extremely sorry for the late update. btw its laura's birthday and ross & laura reunited so i believe this calls for a celebration!
enjoy. x
Austin
The Miami Airport is becoming way too familiar.
The plane ride back was nothing like my last one, and the memory of almost joining the Mile High Club only spurs on my need to see Ally. Miami and her have somehow settled in my heart. Every time I return to New York, I feel less and less like it's home and more and more like this place is.
I look around. And around. And around. No Ally anywhere. This place isn't as big as LaGuardia, but it is big enough to attract a rather large crowd. Families are waiting for their boarding times. A suit-wearing businessman is checking his BlackBerry. Old ladies with their bags of oranges and palm tree T-shirts are hugging their grandchildren goodbye. But not a single one of them is Ally.
Finally, I catch sight of her smile and long brown hair coming up the top of the escalator and she looks hotter than fuck in a short purple dress. I haven't seen it before. It's sleeveless and has cutouts on the side. I'm already imagining dragging my tongue along the seams and eating through it to get to that sweet pussy.
I stand where I am, trying to catch my breath like a pussy myself. Just as I'm about to say fuck it all and go for her like they do in the movies, she takes off toward me. She's close to me before I can even move in her direction.
Catching her as she leaps into my arms, I twirl her around, just like every happy, sappy couple does in the movies. Shit, I'm watching way too many romantic comedies.
Loving the smell of her and the feel of her in my arms, I bury my face in her neck and breathe her in. I squeeze her hard and she squeezes me back just as tightly.
After a few moments I pull back to look at her. It has been only a week, but at the same time way too long. I have a lei around my neck that I bought in a gift shop in LaGuardia. It's for those people wishing they'd gone to Hawaii but ended up in New York, I guess. Ridiculous, right? Who'd buy something like that? Yet I found myself doing just that. I take it off my neck and wrap it around hers. "For you," I say.
She looks down at it with a grin and then up at me. "Is this your way of telling me you're hoping to get laid?"
Having missed that sense of humor and sass of hers, I pull her to me again, twirling her once more just because I want to. While doing it, I whisper in her ear, "That's the plan."
She whispers back, "I can't wait."
When I set her down, I kiss her, at first softly, then much harder. Lips. Teeth. Tongues. Hands. Bodies crushing. Now this is a scene from a movie.
"Fuck, I missed you," I tell her.
"I missed you, too. How was New York?"
"Lots of family drama and bullshit, but it was good to spend time with my sister."
I lean forward to kiss her again, but she holds me at arm's length, almost studying me. "Want to talk about it?"
I take her hand and head toward baggage claim. Due to the length of my stay, I had to check a bag. I hate having to do that. "Not especially."
"Would you?" she asks.
I let her go first and follow. "The best news is there were no confrontations with my old man. I kept my distance and he kept his. My sister was a little suspicious and started asking a lot of questions. Except for Brandon's memorial, we haven't been all together since I found out he was fucking my girlfriend."
Ally shudders.
Yanking her hand to my mouth, I kiss it. "Ex-girlfriend," I clarify. "But I did talk to him alone."
She steps off the escalator and waits for me.
"I went to see him about my trust fund, and I told him I wanted it signed over to me. Believe it or not, he did it— no argument, no questions asked about what I have planned for it."
I'd already told her about the money. How my father's parents left each of his three children a decent amount of money with a string— that we use it for investing. To make money. Not to spend on lifestyle shit. My father has been managing our accounts. What happened to Brandon's, I have no idea. Anyway, he turned it over. I have to say, I was shocked."
We walk toward the assigned baggage belt and when we get there, I turn to look at her. "Fuck, Ally, I missed you so much. All I wanted to do was jerk off to the naked picture of you, but somehow I held off."
She raises a brow. "Why?"
I raise one back. "I just knew the real thing would be so much better."
She throws her arms around my neck and whispers in my ear, "I made myself come every night thinking of you."
Every muscle in my body tenses. "No... you didn't. Did you buy a new vibe?"
"No," she laughs. "Just used my fingers."
"Fuck me," I say. "Christ, that's so fucking hot. I want to see it."
She presses that hot little body of hers against me and breathes in my ear. "Take me home quickly and while you jerk off in front of the real thing, maybe I'll show you how I did it without a vibrator."
Holy fucking shit. I lunge for the belt. I can't get my suitcase fast enough.
Taking the elevator to the garage seems to take a million years. My cock is as hard as steel and more than ready to go. A week of celibacy after a month of nonstop sex has me wishing I could hire a chopper to get us home, or at the very least, that I'd hired a driver.
Her bright blue Jeep is parked in the middle of the garage, surrounded by dozens of cars. As soon as I get in the driver's seat, it's not the car I want to start, but her.
With the uncontrollable need to feel her sweet pussy, I lean over to kiss her. It isn't intentional, but all revved up, I can't stop the reflex reaction to run my hand up her thigh. Higher. Higher still. I fucking love that she's in a dress.
Easy to get my fingers in her panties.
As soon as I touch that slick flesh, I'm a goner. I caress down the center of her wetness. Just once, I tell myself.
Ally makes a noise.
And with that sound mingling with my breaths, I have no choice but to ease a finger inside her. "So beautiful, I can't wait to be in here," I whisper into her ear.
"Austin," she says, squirming.
Removing my finger, I ease my body back into my seat but leave my hand right where it belongs. "No one is going to know, baby. Just sit back and make like we're having a conversation."
"I don't know. I don't think I can—"
I rub little circles over her clit with the pad of my thumb. I wish I could put my face in her lap and eat her like she is my last meal, attack that purple dress and rub my body all over it. Soon, I think. Soon.
"Oh, God," she moans.
"That's it, baby, just talk to me and let your body go."
Her hips start rocking to the motion of my hand.
I keep going.
The bulge in my pants is going to have to wait, though. There's no way to conceal that. Suddenly I hate that I convinced her to buy an open-top Jeep. Sorry, buddy. This is about right here, right now, and you're just going to have to wait.
She opens her legs wider for me.
Needing to get my fingers nice and wet, I start fucking her with one finger at first. Then another, and finally a third.
Her eyes glaze as lust takes her over.
Soon, I can feel her pussy clenching around my fingers, and I know she's about to shatter. "Oh, Austin. Oh, God. Oh God," she moans into the car as she comes.
Ready to move this little homecoming forward, I turn to her and lick my fingers. "Now, I'm going to get us home because this," I point down, "needs some attention."
Running her hands over her flushed face and looking more than satisfied, she smiles at me. "I can take care of you on the way home."
Don't think the idea hadn't crossed my mind. "Well, if you insist," I tell her with a wicked grin and plant a kiss on her lips before I put her Jeep in reverse.
By the time we turn onto our street, I'm feeling unbelievable. Like on top of the world and a million bucks rolled into one. No, I feel like a man who was just crowned king over his own kingdom.
I really needed that.
Although the week was drama free, it was not stress free. My sister asked me a million questions, and I hated not telling her the truth, but I couldn't tell her about our prick of a father, not right now when she's on the outs with our mom. I will not leave her without a parent to turn to. I refuse to do that.
The line of cars in the driveways of both my house and Ally's is my first clue there's a party going on. I point ahead. "What's going on?"
Ally starts laughing. "Trish broke up with Trent, and this is her way of mourning the relationship."
"With a party?" I ask, scratching my head.
"Well, she told me she was going to cook food for Dez and invite a few people."
"A few people," I laugh. "This might be the whole town."
"You know Trish— go big or go home."
With a laugh, I drive past our houses, turn around, and then end up parking at the very end of the street. So much for getting Ally into bed ASAP. At least I won't have a dick of steel throughout the night.
Leaving my shit in the car, I open her door and steal a kiss before grabbing her hand. "Did Trish finally have enough of Trent's fucking around?" I ask.
Her head swings toward me. "You knew?"
I draw her closer. "Not for certain, but all the signs were there. Then again, she seemed cool with a no-strings relationship. That's why I didn't say anything."
The sidewalk glistens with speckles of sand as we walk down it. "Yeah, well, she was ready to be exclusive, and he wasn't, so she broke up with him."
"Good for her," I say.
"Oh look." Ally points to the red Mercedes convertible in the driveway. "Valentina is here."
Trish's mother has to be one of the coolest women I know.
Ally is excited and hurries past the open gate and into the open front door.
Hand in hand, we make our way through the crowd. Music is playing. Everyone Trish and I work with is here. Beer bottles are everywhere. Bottles of wine, too. Quite the last-minute party.
"I don't see Trish or Valentina," Ally tells me just as we walk into the kitchen and see Dez, notebook tucked in front pocket like he thought he might be able to write.
Dez has a bowl of something nasty-looking in his hand. "What the hell is that?" I ask him.
"Curried chickpeas," he answers around a mouthful of mush.
And then it hits me, the smell of curry all around us. "Dude, that's just nasty."
"No, it's really good. Here, try," he says, shoving the bowl my way.
I shove it right back.
Dez offers it to Ally.
She looks horrified. "Ummm... no thank you."
That look has me cracking up. "Not a fan either?"
"No way. Just the smell alone grosses me out."
"I think I love you," I tell her, not realizing what it is I've said until Dez practically drops the bowl in his hands. "I mean because you're so much like me," I clarify, even though it's not true. I just love her.
Ally stares at me.
I stare back and say nothing to smooth over the awkwardness I created.
"How about a drink?" she asks.
Me, I don't know what the fuck to do, so like a dumbass, I say, "Yeah, sounds good."
"Dumbass," Dez mutters.
Ally walks over to the fridge and tosses me a beer, and then tosses one to Dez. Pouring a glass of wine, she stares out the window.
"Damn, bro, I think I like her more than you," Dez says, setting his bowl down to open his bottle. "At least she knows how to handle an awkward situation. If you love her, tell her so for real— don't make light of it."
"You're giving me relationship advice?"
"Yeah, I am, dude, because you need it."
When I glance toward Ally, she's walking out the door.
I'm on her heels. "Where are you going?"
"I saw Trish and Valentina in your kitchen. I'm going to find out what's going on."
"I'll come with you." I grab her hand and take the lead, using the path to get over there, which is not only faster than the beach but more private, too.
About halfway down the stepping-stone pathway, I stop and push her up against the house. "I know we never talked about what this is happening between us, and I have no idea how you feel about me, but I meant what I said. I know I played it off like I didn't, but I did. I love you, Ally. I love you." I grab her face between my hands. "I love you."
When she says nothing, I start to think she doesn't feel the same about me as I do about her. I put myself out there, and I get nothing. Nothing. I should be okay with it. But I'm not. I break away from her and stare at her. I don't know why, but I start moving away from her.
She's standing there motionless.
I keep moving.
Just as I reach the end of the path leading to Trish's backyard, she comes rushing for me. "I love you, too, Austin. I love you, too."
Stunned, shocked, and feeling like the luckiest guy alive, I stumble, and we both tumble to the ground. Me on my back, her on top of me— right where she belongs.
Her lips crash down to mine, and I take the back of her head and thread my hand through her hair. Teeth clashing. Lips melding. Mouths crashing.
Clapping is what pulls us apart.
We both turn our heads.
Dez is standing there. "Bravo, that's the way they do it on TV, man. I'm so fucking proud to call you my best friend."
"Fuck you," I tell him and get to my feet, bringing Ally with me.
"Anytime, buddy, anytime." He laughs and walks away.
Crying from the open kitchen window of my house takes our attention away from our admissions of love and back to where we were headed before it all started.
Ally looks up at me, and I give her a nod. She takes off and I follow her.
In my kitchen, Trish is looking slightly shaken and her mother is holding her hand, trying to calm her down.
"Is everything okay?" Ally asks.
I close the door and stand behind her.
Ms. De La Rosa is a beautiful woman, short with black hair just like Trish's. And she is always dressed just to the nines. Today is no different. She's wearing a black suit and high heels.
She smiles at Ally. "Hi, Ally." She lets go of Trish's hand to hug her.
"Hi, I didn't know you were coming," Ally says.
"It wasn't planned. I just wanted to talk to both you and Trish before anything is made public."
"What is made public?" Ally asks, her voice full of worry.
"Hi, Austin." Ms. De La Rosa waves.
I clear my throat. "Hi, Ms. De La Rosa. I'll leave you three to talk."
"No, it's fine. You can stay," she says.
I look toward Ally, and then Trish.
Both of them nod, letting me know it is okay to stay.
"Please, sit down," Valentina says.
Once we are all seated, she sits too. "I already told Trish about this, Ally. Simon Warren is in financial trouble. I don't know what's going to happen, but I am going to stick it out with them, and that means I may have to move back to New York City."
"Mom, I already told you, I think you should take some time to consider this. You hated it when we lived there." Trish's voice is soft. "Take what I have left in my trust. You can use it to hold you over until you find a new job."
Ms. De La Rosa has tears in her eyes. "I appreciate that, but I can't. That is your money, and someday you might need it. I don't want you to worry about me, mija. I'm going to be fine."
Both Ally and Trish get up and wrap their arms around her. "We know you are," I hear Ally whisper in her ear. "You're the toughest woman I know."
About ten minutes later, everyone seems to have calmed down enough to head back to the party.
Ally grabs the wine bottle she opened earlier and a Corona from the refrigerator. "Come with me," she says.
I follow her up the stairs and into her room.
Once inside, she peels off that purple dress and then she removes her panties and bra, followed by the lei I'd given her. "This is who I am," she says.
My eyes take her in from head to toe. "I know who you are," I tell her.
"I like things neat. I'm quirky. I do not like to try new foods. I cross my t's and dot my i's, always. I have weird phobias. I always wonder what if. I hate sleeping in and like to go to bed early."
I look into her eyes and see everything in her gaze. Fear. Hope. Pride. And love. Heat, too. That so familiar and welcome heat. I walk toward her. "I love you," I tell her softly. "I love everything about you."
She lets out a breath, as if she'd been holding it. "I love you, too, but I think I should also tell you I don't think I can ever let you in the back door."
Nothing can stop the rip-roaring laughter that bubbles out of me as I lift her and swing her onto the bed. "That's okay, baby. As long as I can go in the front door, that's all I need."
She's all I need.