Chapter 10
LILA
Rain pours as I park beside Amos’s car in my driveway. Considering the weather, I’m not surprised to see Sutton’s truck here as well. I grab the two pizzas and the box of breadsticks from my passenger seat and dash inside.
Sutton must’ve just arrived since his hair is dripping and he’s busy taking off his boots inside the door.
Amos grins from the couch. “God, it’s like I’m the only person who works around here.”
Sutton snorts setting his boots aside. “Would you like to drown him under the downspout or should I?”
“I’m a little impressed he’s out of bed before two.”
Amos flips me off. “I’ll have you know I was up at the crack of noon. Is that pizza for everybody?”
“No, I’m going to eat two whole pizzas and breadsticks alone. Stand back and be amazed.”
Amos hops up and bounds in the kitchen, rubbing his hands together. “You really are my favorite sister, you know.”
“Yeah, yeah.” He ruffles my hair, and I flick his earlobe. Some things you never grow out of.
He plates a couple of slices and returns to the living room while Sutton sidles up to set his lunch box on the counter. The grin on my face can’t be restrained. He unpacks the remains of his sandwich, tossing it in the trash while I busy myself getting a plate.
Suddenly, his voice comes from right behind me. “You could try not to look so pleased with yourself.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Have some pizza. There’s plenty.”
“Uh-huh.” He reaches over my shoulders to put two packages of my favorite cookies and a liter bottle of Dr. Pepper on the counter in front of me. “Will this offering end the vendetta?”
“I suppose we can call it even.”
“Good.” He snatches one of the packages of cookies back. “These are mine.”
Surprise pulls a giggle from me. “They’re addictive, aren’t they?”
“Like sugar coated crack.”
After we finish with the pizza and put the leftovers away, Sutton retrieves a shopping bag from the front door. “Wait until you see what I got at the discount store.”
He pulls something bright blue out of the bag, unwraps it, and sets it up.
“Is that a playpen?” Amos asks. “Did you knock someone up?”
“It’s a pop-up ball pit!”
It sure is. Complete with a tiny basketball goal that connects on one side. Amos and I both give each other a look trying to figure out what the hell he’s thinking. Sutton rushes out to his truck and returns with a large box full of plastic balls.
“Dude, I don’t think you’ll fit in that,” Amos says as Sutton opens the box.
“It’s for Dusty. Watch.” He whistles and Dusty comes galloping down the hall. “Look what I got you, boy,” he says, his voice full of excitement. He holds the box up high and starts letting the balls fall into the pit.
Dusty loses his furry little mind. He bounds into the pit, jumping around as the balls surround him.
It’s the cutest thing ever. His barks echo through the trailer, mixing with our laughter. For the next hour, we all end up on the floor, playing with Dusty, tossing the balls for him to chase, and chucking them back into the pit.
Sutton tries to teach Dusty to put a ball in the little basketball hoop, but each time, he just grabs it and runs around, too excited to pay attention. All in all, it’s not a bad way to spend a rainy afternoon.
When it’s time for Amos to get ready for work, Sutton sits at the kitchen table with his computer. Judging by the little smirk on his face when he glances at me, I have a suspicion about what he’s doing.
“Are you playing Third Place?” I demand.
“Of course not. I’m watching porn. Leave me alone.”
Amos walks in and stops in his tracks. “What?”
“He is not. He infiltrated my neighborhood on Third Place and he’s messing with my Smalls.”
Amos shakes his head. “That game is boring as hell.”
I’m too busy retrieving my laptop and logging on. Damn it. His Small is now in love with mine and he’s leading her toward the bedroom. “Stop trying to hubba hubba me!”
“What the hell does that mean?” Amos snorts, then holds up his hand. “Never mind. I don’t want to know. Try not to kill each other.”
“I’m not promising anything.” At least I have my Small set up as child-free so she won’t get pregnant.
Trying to keep kids in this game isn’t fun.
“Oh, before I forget, there’s going to be a neighborhood pool party this weekend.
It’s the last night they have the pool open.
Everyone will be grilling out and drinking. You can bring Mandy if you want.”
“Sounds good. I’ll ask her.”
Heavy rain and storms continue over the next couple of days. It’s often like this when we hit that line between summer and fall. I’ll be attending the party this weekend but there’s no way I’ll be swimming. That pool water will be freezing even if the temperature rises again.
Each evening, I end up playing Third Place for at least an hour, locked in battle with Sutton.
Stone successfully sweet talks my Small into bed twice, but I’ve finally managed to put some distance between them again.
I had to take all the doors off my house and trap the horny bitch inside for a while.
In retaliation, I filled Stone’s house with garbage, then broke his showers. Now every time he goes back home, it makes him stink. All the other Smalls avoid him, waving their hands in front of their faces and running away.
“It’s okay if you want to keep Stone all to yourself,” Sutton says, grinning at me from across the room.
“What I want is to dip him in lighter fluid and toss him in a volcano. Along with his creator.”
A pop up appears at that moment that reads. Congratulations, Lila is pregnant. Better prepare the nursery!
“No!” I shout. “You son of a bitch. She’s childfree!”
“Not anymore.” Sutton beams from ear to ear, typing away.
“Absolutely not. What’s the mod for an abortion clinic?”
He throws back his head, laughing. “There’s no virtual abortion clinic.”
Amos comes out of his room to see what the yelling is about. “What are you two arguing over?”
“He got me pregnant!” I snap.
Amos whips around to face Sutton, his eyes bulging.
“On the game!” Sutton exclaims, leaping up from the couch and holding his hands out in front of him. “My Small got hers pregnant.”
“Dude, I was already digging your grave in my head,” Amos says, running a hand over his face. They laugh together before Amos adds, “You’re fucking characters on a video game? Are you that hard up?”
“Give me a break. I had to live vicariously. You can’t come for a week after a vasectomy.”
I could make you come so good, Lila. Sutton’s words run through my mind. Sadly, it’s not the first time I’ve replayed them since his sleep talking incident. Get out of my head, damn it.
Amos puts his shoes on, preparing to leave. “Well, your week is almost up.”
“It is, now I have to get off thirty times before going back to get the sperm tested.”
That was not information I needed. “So, you’re going to be beating off all over the house?” I interrupt when Amos opens his mouth to reply.
“Well, I wasn’t planning to go on tour with it.”
Amos scoops up his keys. “Okay, that’s more than I needed to know. I’m going to work.”
Once Amos is out the door, I focus on an internet search for mods. Sutton is going to pay for this one. After finding the perfect revenge, I log off, and go next door to hang out with Holly for a while.
Maybe I should start trying to find someone to hook up with. I’m not sure why I’ve been so worked up lately, but if I’m getting turned on by anything Sutton says, it’s past time to get laid.
It’s late when I get back, and the trailer is dark and quiet.
The rain finally stopped which means he’ll go back to work tomorrow, and I’ll get the place to myself again.
Despite the time, I’m not tired so I climb into bed with my romance book.
The group finally agreed on a romantasy which isn’t really my thing, but this one is super hot.
By the time I finish the second spicy scene, I swear I can feel my new toy calling me from my nightstand.
If Sutton overheard me last time, he never said anything.
He’s been in bed for hours, and anyway, this new toy is supposed to be much quieter than my rose.
I’m glad I charged it up before putting it away.
I reach over and turn off my light, strip off my underwear, and let myself fantasize about this current book boyfriend for a moment before turning it on.
Oh wow, yeah, this one was worth every penny.
The steady low suction quickly builds me up, but it isn’t enough to get me there at the lowest speed.
The next speed is better, but it’s also louder.
For a second, I consider turning it back down. No, fuck it. It feels too good. I don’t care how loud it is. The universe must take that as a dare because a sudden bang startles me, and I hit the button to stop it, nearly groaning aloud from frustration. I was so close.
“You don’t have to stop.” Sutton’s voice comes through the wall, low and husky.
I’m frozen, not sure what to say or do. Should I ignore him, or deny he heard anything?
“Finish, Lila. Because I’m going to.”
Oh my god. He’s doing the same thing. The picture flashes in my head of him lying with his cock in his hand. My fingers creep back down. I’ve never been much of an exhibitionist—not that he can see anything. But the thought of making myself come while he’s listening triggers something in me.
The hell with it.
I turn my toy back on. The image in my head won’t return to the book boyfriend.
Instead, I see Sutton, his long lean body sprawled across his bed as he strokes himself.
It takes less than a minute for the feeling to build again, and I have to bury my face in a pillow when the intense orgasm strikes me.
The sudden stillness when I shut off the toy is broken by his deep groan. Doing my best to quiet my heavy breaths, I lie still, trying to recover my senses. Seconds turn to minutes in the silent darkness.
I can’t believe I just did that.