WARNING: Just a cautionary note before you begin the reading of my latest chapter, my lovely viewers. For those of you who may be more shy to... sexual endeavors... than others, this warning if for you. This is a sex scene, although not very detailed. I kept it at least PG-13 level, at least compared to some of my other works. I wanted it to be simple and compact to fit in with the chapter. And, if nothing else, to conform to the guidelines reasoned to me by my friend Elijah (although conforming is considered a "bad thing" in most cases). Blame him if you wanted more.

All that said and done, I think some of you will be surprised to see the little twist I added onto the ending. It is horribly cliche, I think, but it suites this chapter and this point in the story very well. I would never mean to torment those romance lovers out there, but... well, you'll see.

"Think On", dear readers.

(a common quote from the novel "The White Darkness" - a good read if you find yourself in need of one. Although, I find myself wanting to slap the characters and yell "SNAP OUT OF IT!" at them... haha...)

Ruby.

Chapter Eleven

Just Beyond the Door

He was standing outside her door. How could he not stand outside her door? Every road in his entire life, every goddamn twist and turn, led him to the same spot time and time again. And it was going to keep leading him there, whether he wanted it to or not. He was always going to be standing outside her door. Always. With her, just on the other side. Just out of his reach.

Rusty ran a shaking hand through his hair until it stood on end. Well, more so than usual.

Lily was standing just on the other side of the door. She had been, at least, for the last half hour. He knew. He could see the shadow she cast beneath the door. He could see her blurred image through the other end of the peep hole. But mostly, he could feel her.

Rusty balled his hands into fists, throwing them against the door. His head followed, his forehead resting against the sturdy wood. He would have given up a long time if he could have, but he couldn't. So he didn't.

"Lily, please come out," he whispered softly, his throat hurting from all the pleading he had been doing. Yes, she was on the other side of the door. He could feel the electricity flowing between their two bodies. He could smell her, the scent of her cocoa butter lotion she applied religiously. He could taste her, the sweet nectar from the chocolate covered strawberries she craved after he made love to her. He knew her thoughts, his own tows going numb as hers did after an explosive orgasm. Or multiple orgasms. Which ever came first. He could hear her, her heart beating as he nuzzled his face against her chest. He could feel her, her lips brushing gently against his stomach as she traveled to meet his needs.

But he couldn't see her.

"Lily, please. Lily! I need to talk to you…"

He paused, there was silence. No movement. Nothing.

"Lily," he sobbed, "Lily, I'm begging you. I just want to ta…"

The door was yanked open, and Rusty stumbled forward into her apartment. He steadied himself, straightening the best he could. "Thank you," he sighed, watching her as she took a step away from him. She was measuring him, a scowl on her face. She tightly twisted her arms around one another against her chest, closing her walls. "All I wanted to say was…"

"Shut up!" she yelled at him, dropping her arms to her sides.

Rusty stared, slightly annoyed that she wouldn't let him finish his sentences. It all disappeared when he finally noticed what she was wearing. Nothing but a t-shirt. His t-shirt. The t-shirt he had given her at the lake, after he had pushed her in and soaked her from head to toe.

"Shut up, Rusty. Just shut the hell up!" she said again, clenching her jaw.

"What do you want me to say, Lily? Tell me, because I'll say it," he pleaded. He dropped to his knees, reaching his arms out to her legs.

She backed away. "I don't want to talk to you, Rusty. And for God's sake, stop acting like a little bitch. We both know that that isn't you."

She was right. Why was he acting the way he was? Why was he refusing to be refused? Why was he so desperate to get back into her good graces?

He rose to his feet, his head bent in shame. A false shame. A shame that he had never felt before. "Then what do you want, Lily."

She glared at him, and intense fire burning in her eyes. "What do I want? Do you really want to know?"

"Yes, Lily. I really want to know," he repeated.

"I want to fuck you stupid," she spoke bluntly, lifting the t-shirt over her head. Underneath, nothing at all.

She approached him, the glare in her eyes paralyzing him. Her naked body pressed up against him, her arms reaching around and closed the door directly behind him. Then, she pounced.

She grabbed him by the tie, pulling him deeper into the apartment. "So where do you want this to happen?" she asked, releasing him just as he was running out of breath. "Kitchen? Bedroom? Bathroom? Balcony?"

He stared blankly, his mind unable to grasp what was going on.

It didn't matter. She didn't wait for him to answer. He was pretty sure he couldn't, anyway. His body was running on autopilot, along with his brain.

She loosened his tie, proceeding to remove his shirt with her teeth. Rusty finally found his words. "Lily, just help me understand."

"Understand what?" She yelled back, her cheeks reddening with embarrassment.

"I'm not joking, Lily." Why did he keep using her name? Why did it roll off his tongue so easily?

"You think I'm joking? Seriously?" Lily yelled, rushing to put the t-shirt back on. "This is pointless. Point. Less."

"Just talk to me, Lily!" His shirt was still hanging open, and he had no intention of buttoning it back up.

"I don't want to talk to you! The last thing I want to do is talk!"

"Well, why the fuck not!" He screamed. He had never really screamed at her before, and he instantly regretted doing so.

"I can't," she growled back, her hands balled into fists at her sides. If she didn't keep them there, she was going to start throwing things.

"Tell me the real reason, Lily. Tell me or, so help me, I will never talk to you again. Is that what you want? For me to completely walk out of your life? Because I've had it, Lily. I've had it up to here," he finished by raising his palm up to his eyebrows.

Tears formed in the corners of her eyes. Her fists released, her jaw unclenching, her posture softening. "It's because I still love you, Rusty. I love you, and if I end up talking to you I'll say things that I never wanted to say to you again. Why don't I want to talk to you?" she repeated to question for her own clarification. She was sobbing, tears streaming down her cheeks. She couldn't understand a word she was saying herself, but she hoped he was listening. "I don't want to talk to you because I don't want you to rip my heart out of my chest again."

Lily instantly thought how words - seemingly tiny words - could become so powerful when put in the right combination. The words were spoken. The ball was in his court.

Rusty approached her, the anger in his eyes illuminated with intensity. He continued until he was towering over her. He tightly grabbed her shoulders, almost as if he was going to hit her. He didn't. Instead, he just loomed. "Do you hate me?" Lily asked in the smallest voice she could muster.

Rusty had never seen her so incredibly vulnerable. He had never had the upper hand over her in a fight, and he didn't necessarily like it. No, he didn't hit her. He moved his hands to her hips, hoisting her into the air until she was able to wrap her legs around his waist. He kissed her, making her stomach do twists and turns in shear ecstasy. He spoke the words "I love you" against her lips.

She gave into him, contorting her body around his as he manipulated her. Rusty set her back down onto the ground, quickly removing his t-shirt from her naked body. He then placed one arm around her lower back, picking her up with his other arm under her knees. She directed him to the bedroom.

He intricately placed kisses around the nape of her neck as he laid her on the bed, applying his full body weight onto hers. Lily finished what she started, yanking his tie over his head and pulling off his shirt.

Moving his lips from her neck to her torso, he cupped her breast in his hand as he slowly traced the tip of her nipple with his tongue. She struggled with his belt, watching him back away and unzipping his pants.

He undressed the rest by himself, almost putting on a show for her. Then, he stepped between her legs and resumed his position on top of her, their tongues finding each other. He sank into her, hard. "You okay?" he whispered, his breathing starting to come in more rapid spurts.

Lily didn't reply. She clung to him, her nails almost digging into his back as he moved. If she remembered correctly, he was better at being a power bottom.

And she was right.

He moved with an urgent, grinding beat. Her fingers traced his hairline to his shoulders, where she pushed for leverage. Touching his bare flesh, she arched her back and writhed closer to him, his mouth moving to her ear. Every muscle in her body locked with tension as she felt his hands encompass her buttocks, pulling her pelvis towards his pumping hips.

Lily lifted herself, Rusty refusing to let her go. She straddled his member, helping him with his rhythmic beat as an orgasm was just in sight. She moved so he sank a little deeper each time, feeling her heart beat start to pulsate in time with his.

Rusty reached for her hand, forcing her mouth to mold back onto his. She screamed into his mouth as the rolls of sensation released the pressure on her muscles, feeling herself tightening around him as he pulled out and plunged one last time. They reached sexual climax at the same time, their bodies going limp around each other, even panting in sync.

Rusty jutted forwards in his bed, suddenly very aware that he was alone. The room was so dark he could barely see, but he knew he was alone. He had to be. After all, it was only a dream.

A dream that left him breathless, his lungs desperately trying to catch up with his pumping heart. A dream that had made him ejaculate unknowingly. A dream that had made him undress in his sleep. A satisfying dream. A dream that made him smile.

But only a dream, nonetheless.