Chapter Forty Five #2
“Benjamin—” I whisper to him, holding him so close, so tight.
“I will love you forever—until the day I die. Welcome home.” Benjamin moans so loud I have to shift my head a bit to move my ear away.
I can feel the hot spurts of his come as he comes fully undone.
I keep fucking into him—letting my own pleasure build and build—holding him as tightly as I can.
“Aaron—” He whimpers. “You are my home.” My eyes shoot open but before I can lift my head to see his face I’m following right behind him—coming deep inside—moaning into the pillow next to his head. My thrusts uncoordinated, my body shaking.
“God, really? Fuck, baby—feels so good. Ah, yesss.” I’m rambling to him—riding it out—my come leaking out with each thrust.
“Yes, really. I love you, my little blue bird.”
A high-pitched whine leaves me—the last bit of my orgasm far too intense. When I can breathe again, I stop moving, dropping like deadweight on top of Benjamin.
“I love it when you do that.” He admits after taking a moment for us to breathe. I turn my face away from the pillow so he can hear me.
“What? Sex?”
“No. When it’s so good—when I’ve got you so far into it that you whine like that. It’s so fucking hot.” This confession makes me laugh—enjoying his little gasp when I move my hips—pushing my soft dick in further.
“I’m glad. I don’t really care for it myself—but if you like it then so be it.” Benjamin runs his hands through my hair—hums a tune—draws shapes on my back. “So—what did you think?”
“About what?” Benjamin asks.
“Your first time having sex in your first home.”
“It was the same as every other time I’ve had sex with you. Unforgettable—overwhelming—soul-stealing. Doing it here doesn’t feel much different when you’ve been holding me this tight long before we moved in.” I lift my head to see him and he’s been crying again. I kiss some of the tears away.
“You okay?” He nods.
“I love it here. Thank you. I can’t wait to exist here with you.” He’s holding my face again as I stare down into his big hazel eyes.
“I would do anything for you. Exist with you anywhere. I love you, Benjamin.” He grins.
“No take-backs.”
◆◆◆
Thanksgiving comes around in the blink of an eye. Benjamin and I make the trip back to Lancaster to stay at my parents’ place, leaving our cozy new home behind for the long weekend.
“Ugh—they’re never as good as you remember them being.
” Benjamin has his sock-covered feet on the dash of my truck—eating the pizza Combos I got him when we stopped for gas.
“Fe and I used to share a bag of these every time we went on a trip and they were amazing. Now? Cardboard.” He rolls the bag up and puts it back with the other snacks—poking around.
“You’re about to steal my snacks—aren’t you?” He smiles at me sweetly, hand still in the snack bag.
“What’s yours is mine now, Aaron Archer.” I roll my eyes, looking back at the road.
“Pretty sure you’ve been stealing my shit since we were kids—but whatever excuse makes you feel better, baby. Hand me a Tootsie Pop will you?”
We plan on stopping at Benjamin’s old house on the way to my parents—per his request. We recently found out it’s his now that both of his parents are dead, so we have to get the keys from the lockbox on the door.
I can tell he’s more freaked out by it than he pretends to be, but I say nothing.
Instead—I spent most of my morning in our bed with him—slowly swallowing him whole until he cried and begged. Maybe that’ll make it easier to face.
When we get to the Dickinson house it looks exactly the same.
Gross—depressing, and very much like a conduit for all things evil.
Benjamin takes a very long, deep breath and gets out of the truck.
He makes it halfway up the lawn before he stops—staring straight ahead—perfectly still.
I follow him out of the truck and up the lawn, taking his hand in mine. The one with my ring—my bracelet.
“Aaron—” he starts, staring at the front door. “I want this house to rot.”
“Okay.”
“No one will ever go in there again. Not if I can help it. Leave everything inside. Let’s not touch anything in there ever again.
They both died in there; I bled in there for so long.
Begged and pleaded.” I’m squeezing his hand—doing my best to not cry.
I need to be his shoulder right now. “Such an evil house. I spent so many years waiting to die here. Just like he said.” He turns to me then.
“I want the last memory I have of this house being him dying on the floor—you saving me. Let’s let it rot, Aaron.
I don’t care what anyone says. And if the city asks to tear it down—we’ll let them. Get rid of all of it.”
He’s not crying—as if he refuses to give his parents those precious teardrops. As if they aren’t worth the effort—the emotion. I raise his hand, kiss the back of it.
“Whatever you say, baby.” He nods.
We start walking toward the house again, but a few feet from the steps Benjamin stops once again. His hand is trembling now.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t do it. I know it’s just only like 10 feet and I’m being silly but I really don’t think—”
“Button.” He rips his eyes off of the house and looks at me. I give him a mischievous smile. “Then I’ll just do it. Bastard hated me anyway—it’ll feel nice pissing him off from the grave while I take his shit.”
Benjamin smiles—relaxing just a bit—looking at me with those eyes that say alright, Aaron—you take care of it.
Of me. Fix it. And I do. I bring the piece of paper with the combination on it and jump over the two steps that lead to the front door.
The broken screen door creaks loudly. I put in the combination and the lockbox opens—giving me a set of keys.
I turn the handle, make sure it’s locked, and turn right back around.
“Here ya go.” I walk back over—handing Benjamin the keys. He recoils, staring at my hand in disgust. “Actually—maybe I’ll keep them. If the city needs something, I’ll be the one they answer to anyway.” Slowly—a small little grin replaces the panicked frown he had before.
“You’re so hot when you talk like that.” I raise a brow.
“Like what?”
“Like an overbearing husband talking to his dutiful house husband.”
“Am I not?” I’m grabbing him, pulling him against me as he giggles.
“Right now, it’s an overbearing fiancé.” I roll my eyes.
“Once it’s husband, you’re getting spanked.” Benjamin’s grin grows.
“Yeah?”
“Fuckin’ masochist.”
◆◆◆
Once we’re all seated for Thanksgiving dinner, I realize I never told my parents I proposed a month ago. Oops. Everything was just so hectic—it happened so fast. At least Felix invited them to the actual event.
The family is gathered around and I’m nervously staring between Tina and Greg. Eventually, Mom puts her fork down.
“Little Bird—” she pries gently. “What is it? Do you want to say something?” Damn it, Mother. I clear my throat.
“Yes—actually. It’s a funny story—um—” I look at Benjamin who must be on the same track as I am as he stares back in fear. “I proposed to Benjamin.”
There’s a moment of absolute silence.
“What!?” Mom jumps from her seat—rounding the table to us.
“How is that a funny story?” Dad questions, continuing to eat.
“Oh gosh, Aaron—it’s beautiful. Aw, my little Bear—you look so beautiful.” She’s crying now, kissing his face all over. Benjamin’s laughing, trying to pry her off.
“It’s funny—hah—because I proposed to him last month.”
Another moment of absolute silence. Then— “Ow!” Mom slaps the back of my head.
“Owww!” Benjamin whines—receiving the same slap.
“YOU’VE BEEN ENGAGED FOR A MONTH?!”
“I feel like you’re missing the part where this is a funny story—not an angry one.” Felix laughs at me—unfortunately drawing attention to himself. As he sees Mom’s eyes land on him, he panics.
“Wait—Mom, wa—Ow! Hey—you knew about my engagement, why am I getting slapped?” She glares down at him where he sits.
“When did you learn of Aaron and Bear’s? You don’t seem shocked.” He looks at me—at Kayla—at Benjamin, eyes wide.
“Since Aaron asked me to help set it up. Ow! I got two?!” Mom directs her attention to Kayla, who raises her hands in surrender.
“I have no excuse. Horrible daughter-in-law over here. I’ll take my slap. Oof—ouchies.” She rubs her head, grinning as Mom returns to her seat.
“Well—” Mom takes a deep breath and looks right at Benjamin. “Little Bear—you’ve been a part of this family for so long it really won’t feel any different, anyway. We lucked out I guess—both of our in-laws integrated so long ago there’s no awkwardness.” She jokes, relieving the tension.
“Here, here.” Dad agrees.
“Who’s going to walk down the aisle?” I actually hadn’t thought about Tina’s question.
“Bear is definitely the mommy.” Felix says—earning a roll to the face.
“Don’t be rude, son.” Dad chastises. “But yes—I believe it makes more sense for Bear to walk.” I turn and look at Benjamin next to me. He takes a bite of his roll—swallows—shrugs.
“I like people staring at me, so why not?” This makes the table laugh—apart from me because that’s a good point—everyone will be staring.
“Who’s going to walk you?” Dad asks, successfully propelling the entire table into straight silence once again. After a few uncomfortable seconds, during which no one makes eye contact, Benjamin clears his throat and moves to save Greg.
“No one—I suppose.”
Another one of those moments. Another desperate need to fix this, make it right. I can’t do it, I’m marrying him. Both Amber and Felix are at the altar with me, and Kayla and Benjamin don’t have that kind of relationship. He loves my parents, but they aren’t necessarily super bonded with him.
“No biggie—” he smiles at the family. “More attention for me, anyway.” This lifts the mood a bit and as the ever-loving best friend—Felix graciously changes the subject.