Chapter Twenty-Nine
Bernie
“You look adorable.”
I ignore Ash and bounce on my toes, continuing my dynamic stretching routine. Sure, this is a family-friendly event, but I am going to smoke both Ash and his brother, even if I have to wear this stupid turkey hat and wings.
“I think the wings were a nice touch, Bhaiya . I think we should have made some for you too.”
“I’m good with the hat,” he says, and both brothers laugh at me.
“Whatever, losers. Get a good look because you won’t be able to see me in a mile.”
“Oh, do you want to race, sunshine?” Ash says, his voice too fucking amused. I’ve spent a day and a half with his charming, touchy-feely family, and despite my embarrassing heart-to-heart with his mother, I love them. His mom and dad are in the back of the crowd with the people who plan on walking, proudly wearing their matching baseball caps with fall-colored feathers and turkey beaks hot glued on. Apparently dressing up for a turkey trot is a Mishra tradition.
I finish my torso twists and start to do high knees with my game face on.
“I think she’s serious, Ash. She thinks she’s going to beat me.”
“Ravi did cross country, Bernie. He’s pretty fast,” Ash warns, and all I hear is that their shit-talking needs some serious work.
“Isn’t cross country where the slow runners go? All those miles? None of the speed?”
“Ohhh,” Ash says, pushing his brother, and I shrug, arching an eyebrow at Ravi. We might be the same age, but Ravi radiates little brother energy, and it’s fun as hell to tease him.
“It’s on, Murphy. What are you going to give me when I win?”
“Money?” I ask, and he shakes his head. “What do you want?”
“Christmas.”
I tilt my head.
“Ash already told us he wasn’t going to be with us for Christmas. If I win, you have to come for Christmas.”
“ Chhote , that’s not fair–” Ash interrupts. We have not talked about Christmas, and all of this is news to me, but I don’t think I’m going to lose. The joke’s on this loser; I was planning on spending Christmas alone.
“And if I win?”
“Not gonna happen.”
I roll my eyes. “It’s not fun for me if you don’t know what you’ll lose.”
“If you win you can have whatever you want,” he says with way too much confidence. Who wouldn’t take that bet?
“Deal.” I reach out my hand so we can shake on it, and Ravi cracks his neck dramatically before running in place.
“It’s on like Donkey Kong,” he shouts.
I roll my eyes and edge my way to the front, past the strollers and people with dogs. We’re going to look like lunatics trying to race, but if I can get in front of the moms, I can do this. A couple of high schoolers who look serious are at the front, perfect pacers. Ash follows me and kisses my neck.
“I love you,” he whispers in my ear.
“Don’t you dare distract me, Mishra, I’m not going easy on you.”
His husky laugh sends goosebumps across my skin, and I think about his greedy hands roaming my body early this morning. It’s still my favorite way to wake up.
The crowd cheers when the race director stands next to the inflatable start line with a mic. “Alright, turkey trotters, are you ready to burn some calories before the pie?”
I take a deep breath and let it out slowly, each Mishra brother flanking me.
“Can I get a gobble, gobble before we go?”
Ravi bends down and flicks the pinned-on turkey wings on my back. “Gobble, gobble. Murphy, ready to lose?”
“I hope you don’t cry when you have to hand me your credit card.”
Ashish laughs beside me. I wait for the race director to give the signal, and then I fly . I’m more of a casual runner, but I push my body hard every week on my bike. I know the feeling of temporary pain.
I pump my arms, weaving around a few people who are already slowing down and pin my eyes on the back of a younger girl who shot out to the front.
Perfect .
I always pick a tether when I race or do long runs. Someone who's just a little better than me that I try to keep in my sight. I don’t pay attention to anything else but the back of her purple shirt.
“See if you can keep it up!” Ravi shouts behind me, but I’m in the zone. I shut down my screaming calves and the burning in my lungs from the cold air. I pump my arms harder and remind myself it’s less than thirty minutes of effort, twenty-five if I’m really moving.
My lungs are screaming and blood is pounding in my ears when we round the final corner back to the inflatable start line. A wide grin splits my face as I try to put a little more gas into each step before a wild hoot breaks my euphoria.
Heavy footsteps pound behind me, and a hand smacks my ass. Ravi laughs like a maniac as he passes me, three feet from the finish, before collapsing on the crunchy cold grass next to it. I can hear Ash’s booming laugh behind us as I step across the finish line, and soon his arms wrap around me from behind as we both pant and stare down at his stupid skinny brother.
“I can’t…breathe,” Ravi pants like he’s about to throw up, his smile wild and too pleased. “The look…on your…face.” He starts gasp laughing again, and Ash snickers behind me.
“Whatever,” I grumble, shifting from one foot to another. The cold and the hard stop are causing my legs to pinprick. “I need to walk around.” I walk in a circle trying to catch my breath.
“I hope you like matching pajamas,” he shouts, and despite the family-friendly venue, I don’t even feel a little bit bad about flipping him the bird.
It is Thanksgiving after all.
***
“Hey,” Ashish says, cuddling up to my side where I’m sitting crisscrossed by the coffee table. He must have told someone because there were several new puzzles in their game closet when we explored last night. We’ve all been working on this one, a collage of candy bars through the ages, throughout the day.
I lean my head against his shoulder, continuing to idly sort pieces. “Hi.”
“Want some dessert?”
I groan at the idea of more food and shake my head. “I’m not ready.”
“Hmm.” He kisses the top of my head and slides his hand under my shirt to rub my stomach. “Still full?”
“Ashish, I have never been to a vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner. I could eat everything .” And I did. I ate my weight in Indian food and American sides, and it was perfect.
“It was really impressive; I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone double-fist naan and mashed potatoes before.”
“Don’t judge me.” I snap a piece together on the table.
“Not judging, admiring.” He slides his hand up along my ribs, and I can feel him touch the edge of my sports bra.
“What are you doing?”
“Nothing, sunshine. Come take a nap with me.” He nuzzles my hair again, and I soak up this perfect moment. I didn’t have a bad childhood. I love my mom, and before the messiness of my breakup with Stephen, we had a good relationship. But there is something uniquely special about falling in love and having it accepted. The Mishras feel like my people, just like Pru’s family. The kind of acceptance that allows you to get your own glass of water instead of asking like a guest.
“A nap, huh?”
“Uh-huh.” His thumb keeps seeking until it rubs against my nipple, and he tilts my chin up to kiss me.
“Only a nap?”
“Are you calling me a liar?” He pinches my nipple, and my breasts are telling me I am more than willing, my stomach…a little less so.
“I seriously doubt my ability to do more than climb the stairs, Ash. No shenanigans,” I warn, rubbing my lips against his chin.
“No one has sex on Thanksgiving, Bernie. It’s a distinctly unsexy holiday.”
I laugh and steal another kiss.
“You’re both gross,” Ravi complains, settling himself on the couch with a beer. Ash flips his brother off with his unoccupied hand and I back up, groaning as I rise to my feet. Maybe I overdid it with the 5k. I should have walked with Ash’s mom and dad.
“Don’t be jealous, Chhote .” Ash says, lacing his fingers with mine and walking around the couch.
“You guys better be back down here in two hours. I’m going to project my computer on the TV so we can shop for our Christmas pajamas. That’s if Bernie can get up and down the stairs.”
It’s my turn to flip him off before I gingerly walk up the stairs.
It’s only late afternoon. Ash’s family eats their main meal around lunch, a few hours after the turkey trot, and then they graze and hang out for the remainder of the day. It’s nice. When was the last time everything felt this good?
Ash herds me into our room before shutting and locking the door. His hands slide under my shirt, lifting it over my head before pushing my leggings down.
“I thought we were taking a nap.”
“Only a nap,” he promises, unsnapping my bra and nudging me toward the bed. He removes all of his clothes, and I watch his dick sway as he stalks toward me.
“Ash, I really don’t think I can–” I stop talking when his hands tug my panties down my legs, He keeps them wide with his shoulders and presses his face into my pussy.
“So fucking pretty,” he whispers before spreading my folds with his fingers and licking.
“But I’m so full.”
“Just lay back and enjoy, sunshine. I want a little dessert before my nap.”
My toes curl as he gets to work. I stretch my arms above me and arch my body under the warm sun coming through the window.
“I love you, Ash.” I moan, squeezing my eyes shut because I can’t keep the words in anymore. I feel him turn his face and kiss the inside of my thigh.
“I know you do, Bernie. I love you, too.” He glances up at me like I didn’t just bare my freaking soul to him. “Now hold still and let me love you.”
So I do exactly what he tells me to do; I let him love me. When he’s done and I kiss my way down his body to return the favor, I know this moment, this weekend, will be etched in my brain forever.
His body shaking when I take him into my mouth. The way his hands stroke my hair and face. The feel of the warm sun on my skin when he begs for more, tells me he loves me. Ash curled around my body while he rocks into me, kissing my neck and whispering how good it feels. Feeling so welcome.
Ash is changing me and my expectations of what love looks like. When he shudders behind me, cupping my breasts, whispering the sweetest, hottest words anyone has ever spoken to me, I start to not only believe in the possibility of a second chance at a happily ever after.
I start to want it.