Force of Love (18 page)

“Let’s pay the bill and get them out of here,” I said.

“Thank god.”

I turned to the bartender. “Can I have their tab, please?”

“Yes, sir.” He walked to his computer then printed out the receipt. When he handed it to me, I was pleased to see that they didn’t have any drinks orders. All the guys paid for it.

“Come on,” I said.

We walked over to their table then put the cash on the surface.

“I need a lasso to tie you up,” Janice said with a southern drawl.

Cortland raised an eyebrow and looked at me.

“She keeps calling me a cowboy,” I said with shrug.

“Hey bunnypickle,” Monnique said to Cortland as ran her hand down his leg.

“Pickle?” Janice said with a laugh. They started laughing hysterically again.

“Mon, how much did you have to drink?” Cortland asked.

“A lot more than when I give you head,” she said.

Janice laughed.

Cortland looked around the restaurant, hoping no one heard them. Everyone was staring at us. They definitely heard. “Come on. Let’s go.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her to stand. She wobbled on her heels.

She ran her hands down his chest. “You are mighty fine, sir.”

“Yeah thanks,” he said as he hooked his arm around her.

I helped Janice to stand but she was walking like bambi, stumbling everywhere. “Baby, let’s go.”

“I’ll go anywhere with you,” she said as she whispered into my ear. “Especially in the bedroom.”

“Whatever,” I said as I pulled her toward the entrance.

We got them out of the restaurant and onto the sidewalk. Janice kept stumbling as she walked so I stopped her and took off her shoes.

“Are you trying to look up my dress?” she asked as I pulled the heels from her feet.

“Yes,” I said.

She pulled up her dress, showing me her thong. I jumped up and pulled down her dress, glaring at her with pure hatred. There were people walking by and I knew some people saw what was exclusively mine.

“Oops,” she said with a laugh.

Monnique started laughing at her, pointing.

“I’ll just get a cab,” I said as I waved down a car. When it pulled over, I got Janice inside then placed her on my lap. Cortland guided Monnique inside then climbed in after her. When the cab started driving, I sighed in relief. At least we were almost home.

Janice kissed my neck then ran her hands up my body. “You are so damn sexy, Ryan.”

I ignored her.

She nibbled on her my earlobe. “I want you to fuck me when we get home.”

I glanced at Cortland then looked away. I really didn’t want him to get a private show right now.

“Be quiet and I will.”

She reached her hand to my crotch and started to unbutton my pants. “I don’t want to wait,” she said groggily.

I grabbed her hand and steadied it. “Stop, Janice.”

“I’ve had sex with so many guys. I can’t even remember how many there were.”

I glared at her. I really didn’t want to hear this.

“Sometimes I woke up and wondered if I just got fucked—I could never be sure.”

“Stop talking, Janice.”

She leaned toward me and kissed my lips. “But you are definitely the best sex I’ve ever had.”

Well, that wasn’t so bad.

“You just know what you’re doing, you know? You’re just really good at it. When I fucked Adam I never got off as much as I do with you.”

“Thanks.”

“I mean, he was good too, but not like you.”

I looked out the window and searched for our building. We still weren’t home yet.

“I lost my virginity when I was fourteen. Isn’t that a little young?”

I really wanted her to shut up. I didn’t want Cortland hearing any of this. I grabbed her face and kissed her, hoping that my lips would stop her from making an idiot out of herself. She started moaning like we were having sex. It was annoying but it was better than listening to her talk about all the different guys she slept with.

“Oh—Ryan,” she moaned.

Monnique started kissing Cortland on the lips and I knew she was going to start acting up too.

“Make love to me, picklebunny.”

“I will when we get home. Just be quiet, okay?”

“Are you better in bed than Ryan is?” she asked.

“Yes,” Janice said as she broke our kiss. “We should trade so we can see. I always thought Cortland was hot.”

I growled at her. I really didn’t want to hear that.

Cortland looked away, embarrassed.

“I wouldn’t mind sleeping with Ryan,” Monnique said.

This was just getting worse.

When the driver finally pulled over, I practically dragged Janice out of the seat before I slammed the door shut. I wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible. Janice was still holding her heels and her purse, stumbling about. I picked her up then carried her into the building. When we were in the elevator she started kissing my neck. Since I couldn’t stop her I just let her be.

As the doors opened, I walked out and headed for our doorway. I managed to get the keys out while I held her then I walked into the apartment.

Thankfully Scarlet was already asleep in her bedroom. I locked the front door then carried Janice to our bedroom. I dropped her on the bed, not bothering to lay her down gently, then turned off all the lights and started to undress myself. I hoped she would just fall asleep and be quiet.

I took of my clothes then crawled in bed beside her, placing the blankets over both of us. A moment later, she ran her hand across my chest then leaned close to me, kissing my neck. I lied there and ignored her.

“Come on,” she whispered into my ear, nibbling on my earlobe.

“You’re drunk.”

“So?” she said with laugh. “I’m just even more horny.”

“Go to sleep.”

“No.” She moved closer to me and kissed my chest, moving down to my groin. I had a boner because I was always hard around her. She kissed the tip gently then shoved the whole thing in her mouth. I was pissed at Janice but I also really turned on. “I can’t take advantage of you.”

“Oh—shut it, cowboy.”

“Stop calling me that!”

“I will if you fuck me.”

“Shut up and go to sleep.”

She licked me again. “No.”

I liked having sex with drunk chicks. They basically let you do whatever the hell you want. You could even fuck them without a condom and they wouldn’t know, not that I’ve done that.

She pulled away then lied on her back. “Come on, Ry.”

“Stop calling me that too.”

“The sooner you start fucking me, the sooner I’ll stop talking and go to sleep.”

I growled then climbed on top of her. I spread her legs apart. She was very flexible so I could pin them back far. I slipped inside her and started to fuck her as hard as I could. I’ve fucked Janice before when she was drunk but not this wasted.

“Oh my fucking god!” she yelled. “Ryan! Ryan!”

I didn’t bother trying to keep her quiet because it was useless.

“Fuck me! Fuck me!”

I barely had to do anything and she already came. She was easy to get off when she was drunk. It was the exact opposite for me. When she was done I pulled out. “Turn over.”

“What?”

“I want to fuck your ass. Come on.”

She turned over and stuck her ass out.

Since I was already wet, I slipped inside her easily. She and I enjoyed anal, but I particularly enjoyed it when she was drunk because she was a little loose. She moaned as I pounded into her and I found my orgasm almost immediately. Starting at her ass while I fucked her always got me off. I came inside her then pulled out.

She collapsed on the bed then fell silent. I got up and rinsed off in the shower before I came back to bed. I grabbed two pills of Advil and left them on her nightstand. Then, I grabbed a glass of water and set it next to the pills. I knew that would be the first thing she wanted when she woke up tomorrow.

I lied beside her then cradled her in my arms. I ran my fingers through her hair then kissed her forehead. “I love you, baby.”

She was dead asleep.

12

When my alarm woke me up the next morning, Janice wasn’t lying next to me. The bathroom light was on so I walked inside. She was lying on the tile next to the toilet bowel. She had obviously been throwing up.

“Baby, you okay?” I grabbed her in my arms and held her to my chest.

Her eyes fluttered open as she stirred. “Ryan?”

“I’m here.”

“I don’t feel well,” she whispered.

“I would be surprised if you didn’t.”

She moaned. “I think I drank too much.”

“Yeah. A little.”

“I’m sorry.”

I didn’t respond to her comment. “Let’s get you back in bed.”

“No. I think I have to throw up again.”

“Okay.” I grabbed her sides then held her to the toilet. I grabbed her hair and pulled it back from her face as she started to vomit. I rubbed her back gently as she spilled her entire contents inside the bowl. She had a few dry heaves before she was done. She started to sweat on her neck and her arms. She wiped her face with a napkin then leaned back. I set her down then grabbed some mouthwash with a cup and another towel. I helped her to a stand as she cleaned herself up. When I looked at her face in the mirror, I saw the black marks under her eyes and the paleness of her face.

When she was finished, she tried to lay on the ground but I picked her up and carried her back to bed. I placed a bucket next the bedside and an extra towel.

She moaned as she turned over. “Oh god,” she said as she gripped her head.

“Here’s some advil and water.”

“Where?”

I sat on the bed then held her up as I handed her the pills. She swallowed them then downed the water quickly. When she was done, I lied her back down again.

“Please don’t go,” she said as she ran her hand up my chest. “Please.”

“I would stay if I could. I have to go to work.”

She moaned. “Ryan.”

I leaned over and kissed her on the head. “Go back to sleep. When you wake up I might be home.”

“Okay.”

“I love you, baby.”

“I love you so much, Ryan. You always take care of me.”

I stared at her. “I’ll always take care of you.”

“I would kiss you but my mouth is gross.”

“I was going to pass anyway,” I said with a laugh.

“Okay.”

“Bye.”

“Good night.”

I left the bedroom then closed the door gently. When I went into the kitchen, Scarlet was drinking coffee while she stared at her computer. “Morning.”

“Hey.”

“How are you?”

She shrugged. “Miserable. What’s new?”

I laughed. “It does seem like you have shit going on.”

“I wish I didn’t.”

“We’re going out tonight, just to let you know.”

“Where are you guys going?”

“I meant us as in you.”

She moaned. “I really don’t—”

“Care. I really don’t care. You’re going. End of story.”

She sighed.

I grabbed my coffee then sat down at the table. “Janice is under the weather. Please don’t bother her.”

“From screaming all night?”

I smiled. “Sorry about that.”

“No, you aren’t.”

“You’re right. This is my place. I really don’t care what you think.”

“That’s very sweet of you.”

“Yeah.”

“So what’s wrong with her?”

“Totally hung over.”

“You seem fine.”

“Well, she drank like five glasses of alcohol in an hour.”

“Damn. Go Janice.”

I glared at her.

“I mean, shame on her.”

I drank my coffee and said nothing.

“What’s the big deal? She went out and had a good time.”

“It’s bothers me because it makes me scared. What about the times I’m not there?”

“I doubt she would get that wasted if she didn’t have someone there to look after her.”

“And you’re sure of that?”

“She isn’t stupid, Ryan.”

“Did she get drunk and sleep around a lot?”

She was quiet for a moment. “I don’t know. I’ve never asked her that before.”

I sipped my coffee and said nothing.

“You’re mad at her?”

“Furious.”

“Why?”

“She needs to take care of herself. That behavior was unacceptable.”

“I think you’re being too overprotective.”

“Sean would behave the same way.”

“That justifies nothing. He can be a total ass.”

“She just said some things that made me mad—showed some parts that I didn’t want all of Seattle to see.”

She laughed. “Damn. I should have went.”

I glared at her.

“What? It sounded like fun.”

“I think you’ve pissed off Sean enough.”

“But maybe he would have come out to get me then take me home,” she said sadly. “I could have seen him.”

“That’s a really stupid way to get his attention.”

“Bad attention is better than no attention.”

“Scarlet, he’ll come around.”

“I hope so.”

“He will. I promise.”

She sighed. “Okay. I just hate being here.”

“Thanks.”

She rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean.”

“Yeah. I would hate to listen to me and Janice have sex really loud too.” I grabbed my cup and placed it in the sink. “I’ll see you when I get home.”

“Bye.”

“Bye.” I walked out the door then locked it behind me.

When I arrived at the shop, I already had a line outside. I got the door open and started my workday. After I did some ink for a few clients my fingers started to get sore. I loved my job but that was one flaw. The constant grip of your hands made them tense and difficult to move.

When I closed the shop for lunch, Cortland called me.

“Yo,” I said.

“Hey. How’s yours?”

“Hung over like a wet dog.”

He was quiet for a moment. “And what does that mean?”

“She’s just hung over. How’s yours.”

“She’s totally out of it. I called in sick today so I could take care of her.”

“I would have called in if I didn’t own the place.”

“I haven’t been an ass to Monnique since she doesn’t feel good but I intend to set her straight as soon as she comes around.”

“I’m gonna tell Janice off when I get home.”

“I would have been pissed if Monnique flashed the whole city.”

“You have no idea how livid I am.”

“So it’s safe to say that they aren’t allowed to go out anymore.”

“You got that right.”

“Well, I’ll talk to you later.”

“See ya.” I hung up the phone and finished my lunch before I had to open the store again.

I finished my line of appointments and squeezed in a few walk-ins before the day was over. I stayed a little later than I would have liked because a tattoo I was working on needed more work. Since the guy was nice I didn’t want to charge him for two different sessions. After the store was closed, I cleaned my supplies and took the money out of the register before I left. I went by the bank and deposited my revenue for the day. I used to go by the bank once a week because it was too much extra time, but since my shop had been broken into twice, Scarlet insisted that I go every day.

When I came home, Scarlet was still sitting at the table. Janice was nowhere in sight.

“Hey,” I said. “Have you seen Janice?”

She shook her head. “She hasn’t left her room.”

“Thanks.” I left the kitchen then walked down the hallway. When I walked into our bedroom, Janice was sitting up in bed. Her hair was done so I knew she had showered and gotten ready for the day. “You feeling better?”

She nodded. “That Advil really helped.”

“Good.”

She rose from the bed then approached me. Her hands were held together tightly and she avoided my look. Her eyes were cast down to the ground. She looked frightened like a child that had been caught doing something bad. I stood there and waited for her to speak. “Let me talk first,” she said.

I crossed my arms over my chest but said nothing.

“I’m really sorry about how I acted last night. I can’t remember everything that happened, but I remember a few vague parts. I totally crossed a line with the alcohol consumption. I don’t normally drink like that. I just did it because you were there and I knew you would take care of me. I’m sorry for all the embarrassment I caused you. It won’t happen again.”

I said nothing for a long time. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“I forgive you.”

“Really?”

“You said you were sorry, right?”

“Yeah—but—aren’t you going to yell at me?”

“I was but you apologized and said everything that I wanted to hear. That you were wrong and wouldn’t do it again. What more do I need to say?”

She was quiet for a moment. “I just don’t deserve to get off the hook that easily.”

“You’re lucky you’re so damn fine, then,” I said with a smile. I kissed her on the forehead. “It’s okay.”

“I wasn’t expecting this.”

“My biggest concern was that this behavior was normal for you. That scares the fucking shit out of me. But you told you had never done that before so that relieved some anxiety. Plus, you told me you wouldn’t do it again and learned your lesson. Lastly, you said you only behaved that way because I was there. So, that covers everything.”

She sat on the bed and looked at me. “I’m so glad you aren’t leaving me.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Leave you?”

She nodded.

I sat beside her and held her hand. “Why would I leave you?”

“Because I made a big deal about you being an asshole because you were trying to protect me and you ended up being right.”

“I’m always right.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“There’s nothing you could do to ever make me leave you. We’re together—forever.”

“What if I cheated on you?”

“You wouldn’t. I’m not worried about that.”

“Thank you.”

“But some of the things you said freaked me out.”

Her eyes widened in fear. “Like what?”

“You lost your virginity when you were fourteen. You were even younger than I was.”

“Oh—yeah.”

“What happened?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” She looked away.

I felt my heart accelerate. I didn’t like the sound of that. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and held her close to me. “I’m here if you ever change your mind.”

“I know.”

“And you told me you slept with so many guys, you can’t remember them all.”

She continued to avoid my gaze but said nothing.

“We’re a lot alike.”

“It seems so,” she whispered.

“I’m really glad we found each other.”

She sniffed and I knew she was trying not to cry. “Me too.”

“Baby, what’s wrong?”

“I didn’t know I said that to you.”

“And what does it matter?”

“I don’t want you to think less of me.”

“I could never, baby. I think you’re amazing. Your past is irrelevant to me. As far as I’m concerned, I’m your first and you’re mine.”

She finally looked at me. “Really?”

I rubbed my nose against hera. “Yeah. And you know what else you said?”

Her eyes widened again.

“That I’m the best you ever had.”

She smiled. “Well, that’s true.”

“I know it is. Apparently the other guys didn’t know what they were doing.”

She rolled her eyes. “Hardly.”

“And I’m glad I slept around so much because I have all this experience to use on you—the woman I love. I love pleasing you as much as I do.”

She leaned into me. “You’re very talented.”

“I try.”

“I’m really sorry about everything, Ryan.”

“It’s okay. You did one thing that I’m still pissed about. It will take me some time to get over.”

“I don’t want to know.”

“You lifted up your dress and showed your goodies to everyone on the street.”

She covered her face in embarrassment. “Oh my god.”

“And you said you thought Cortland was hot and wouldn’t mind fucking him.”

Her face turned dark red. “I’m so sorry, I’m sorry.”

“Baby, it’s okay.”

“I’m so embarrassed.”

“Let it go. You said wouldn’t do it again. I believe you.”