24. Dottie
24
DOTTIE
Pussy Posse Group Chat
Rachel
So what's the deal? Kira and Dottie, you two just run off to Tennessee, and Georgie and I become chopped liver?
Georgie
We're hurt. Truly hurt. How could you forget us so easily?
Kira
I didn't forget you! I could never forget either of your cute little booties. My dads and brother have been occupying my time. Who knew being the only girl in the family would be so exhausting? They're so needy.
Rachel
And Dottie? Hello? Earth to Dottie! What's your excuse?
Kira
The old Dottie can’t come to the phone right now.
Why?
Oh! Because she’s the main character in a weird, cum-soaked teenager dream come to life.
Okay, first of all, eww. Never say that again, Keeks. Second, I’m sorry! I didn’t forget any of you! I am loyal to The Pussy posse! I’ve just been enjoying a…
Home-cumming ;)
Kira
Oh so it’s okay when you make gross sex jokes but not when I do it?
Rachel
Ummmm, Georgie and I are having sex and we still find time to check in.
Kira
You and G are having sex and you didn't invite ME? I could have ménaged all over your trois. RUDE.
Georgie
Kira, you know what Dramatic Rachel meant. I'm with James, she's with Am. If we were together, you would 1000% be invited.
As would you, Dottie.
Kira
As long as I’m included in all orgies, real or fictional, I’m happy.
Rachel
Now that I know you're both alive, I will dial back my dramatics. We're glad you're having a good time, both of you. Keeks, enjoy your family. Dottie, enjoy the orgasms. You deserve them.
I adore you all. Drinks on me when we're back in California.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" I ask as Stephen turns his truck up the drive to McKenna Mountain. Jay and Keith invited him up for the evening for dinner and board games, and even though I told him a thousand times that he didn't have to join me, Stephen insisted on coming along.
He also insisted on stopping at Miss Pattie's for an apple stack cake, which I have on my lap. We dropped Daisy May off with Mr. and Mrs. Hudson before heading up to the house. I'm a little nervous about walking in and spending the night on the mountain. Kira gets her big mouth from her dads, and even though I know we’re bound to be in for a shake down, it’s nice to be out.
Not that I haven't enjoyed the last few days. Stephen and his dad closed down the business for the rest of the year, and since he's had the time off, we've spent every day at his apartment. We've been watching Bridgerton and Planet Earth , drinking Old Fashioneds and eating Chinese takeout in bed, leaving only to meet the delivery drivers at the door and to take Daisy May for walks.
And of course, there's the actual reason we've found ourselves unable to leave his bed: the sex. Ever since the night in our field, I've been incapable of keeping my hands off Stephen. He's just as gorgeous and tender and caring as I remember, but now he's all wrapped up in this delicious man-body.
He's thick with muscle and his chest has this thick hair smattered across it, all the way down his belly button and past the Adonis belt that I lick every chance I get. He touches and fucks me like a man now, too. Not an ounce of trepidation when he takes what he wants from me, and in turn, lets me take what I want from him.
He's exactly how he always was, and so much better all at once.
And to be fair, we have left the bed. We've fucked in his kitchen, in his shower, on the floor…
Suffice it to say, we've taken full advantage of the privacy that comes with being adults.
"You know that I love the McKennas, and the McKennas love me, right?" He asks as he reaches over and grips my thigh through my tights. My legs part of their own accord, and he squeezes tighter.
"You had better behave yourself, sweetheart," he growls .
"We could turn around and go back to your place," I suggest, running a fingertip over his forearm. His thick, corded, veiny forearm that I would very much like pressed on my lower back while he fucks me from behind right now. There is something to be said for the dormant sex monster that lives within me.
Don't get me wrong, I've been plenty horny in my life, but I've only ever craved orgasms before. That sweet release that can be brought on by my own hand, a charged vibrator, or the overpriced shower head I had installed in my bathroom. Orgasms are easy. You want one? You get one. But now? It's not the orgasms I crave, though I'm certainly not complaining about them. It's Stephen.
It's his hands in my hair, the weight of him on top of me, his lips and the way he kisses me everywhere. It's the way he holds me while I sleep, his entire body wrapped around me, cradling me like I'm the most precious thing in the world. It's the way he wakes up earlier than me just to get me coffee and tickles my back while I drink it under his blankets.
It's like my heart is horny for him, not just my body.
"Or," he says as he pulls up in front of the house and throws the truck in park. "We can go inside, and you can dig into that apple cake on your lap." He gets out of the truck, and I wait patiently for him to round the front and unbuckle me.
"And then later, I'll kiss all the caramel off your lips before I dig into you like an apple cake," he whispers against my ear as he reaches over and undoes my seatbelt. I hum my appreciation as he takes the cake and helps me down out of the truck. The front door swings open, and Keith is on us like green on grass. The dogs are at our feet, yipping and sniffing as we follow a chatty Keith inside.
"And wait until you see the charcuterie Dean put together. Seriously, I don't know where my kids got their talent from because it sure wasn't from me!"
"Oh honey, they might have gotten their talent and smarts from me, but their beauty is all you," Jay says as we enter the kitchen. He gives Keith a peck on the lips before hugging Stephen and I. Dean appears from behind and shoves a Cosmo into each of our hands. I spot Kira at the island and sit next to her while the guys chat by the bar.
"You've got that freshly-fucked look about you, you dirty girl. Your skin is gah-low-ing," she says a little too loudly. I shush her, and she snorts.
"What? Are you afraid my dads are going to find out that you're– gasp –sexually active? You do remember who gave you the ‘birds and the bees’ talk, don't you?"
"That doesn't mean I need you yelling about my freshly-fucked glow to them, babe," I mutter under my breath.
"Why not? They also taught us about the importance of regular orgasms as part of a healthy skincare routine," she shrugs as her dads, Dean, and Stephen round the island and start picking at the fruit plate laid out in the center of the island.
"Dottie, darling, you are glowing," Jay says with a wink, and Kira throws her head back laughing as I feel my cheeks turn red. Dean pats Stephen on the back, and the bastard just waggles his eyebrows at me.
A little while later, we're all gathered by the fire, Cosmos in hand and an abandoned game of RuPaul's Drag Race Monopoly between us. Keith sits between Jay’s legs, resting his head back on his shoulder. Kira has her head in my lap, and I play with her hair while Stephen runs a hand up and down my shoulder. Dean went to bed an hour ago after nearly flipping his lid when Kira hit him with three 'Draw 4' cards in a row during Uno.
"Stephen, hon, how's your dad? It's been so long since we've seen him," Keith says. Stephen laughs as he takes a sip of his wine.
"Yeah, Dad is good. He's been around, he just sort of ducks and hides whenever he sees you around. A few months ago, he spent fifteen minutes hiding behind the watermelon stand at Share Shop while you guys picked out corn. I think he's still mortified about what happened at Kira's college graduation party."
Jay, Keith, and Kira all laugh, and I put on a smile even though I feel like a total outsider. Kira had begged me to come back for her graduation party, but I'd refused. Stephen looks over towards me, and as if sensing my awkwardness, he gives my shoulder a reaffirming squeeze.
"Dad was bragging about his high school ball days. You remember his story about the game-winning touchdown he caught? The one where he conveniently leaves out the fact that it was the only touchdown he caught in four years as a tight end? Well Jay here offered to toss the old pigskin around, and Dad leapt on the opportunity despite being sorely out of shape and on his sixth Beer-mosa of the night. He went long, Jay tossed the ball, and it hit Dad square in the nose. I'm talking Marcia Brady style. He looked like he got punched in both eyes for days. It was hilarious."
I slap a hand over my mouth to cover my very unladylike laugh.
"Poor Mr. Hudson!" I cry.
"I felt awful!" Jay laughs. "You know that's why we had the back deck done the next summer? We didn't need an upgrade, but I still felt like I owed your old man something after scarring him like that."
"Eh, it was his own fault. He gets a little too high in the instep when he drinks. But we appreciate the work, either way." Stephen lifts his glass and Jay reaches over, meeting the glass with his own and cheers-ing.
"I can't believe he's still working," Keith says with a sigh. "If I had a son like you, I'd have retired a long, long time ago."
“Pops, you do have a son," Kira says, rolling her eyes.
"I know that. I said a son like Stephen. I love your brother, but he's too much like IronDad. Too busy throwing around his football and making millions of dollars to take over his old Pop's online yoga classes," Keith sighs.
"What about me? I'm literally a fitness instructor!" Kira squeals. Keith leans forward and pats her cheek.
"Oh honey, sweetie, darling, light of my life, you're far too loud and annoying for yoga. Know your strengths, stick to spin."
My heart warms in my chest. I adore this family so much. Even when they're teasing each other, love and adoration radiates off them in waves. I might not have a loving parent of my own, but I am one lucky girl to be welcomed into the McKenna family even for a moment. I've spent too much time cowering in fear and avoiding my own ghosts. I've taken a lot for granted. I decide right now that I will not go so long without coming to see Jay and Keith again.
"And what about you, Dottie Lynn? Are you itching to get back to Los Angeles? I love Fox Hole but it's impossible to find a good smoothie or green juice in this town. Naturally, my suggestions at the town meetings to open an Erewhon location on Main Street have fallen on deaf ears." Keith rolls his eyes, and I take a nice long sip of my Cabernet.
"Actually, I don't miss LA at all. Honestly, I think I'm kind of over the whole scene there," I say. It's the first time I've said that out loud, but damn, it feels good.
"Really? You're not thinking about moving back here, are you?" Jay asks. I shake my head .
"Fuck no. God, absolutely not." I feel Stephen stiffen beside me, but in a split second, he's back to dragging his fingertips back up and down my arm. I almost feel bad for spitting out my gut reaction like that, but staying here or moving back was absolutely never in the cards for me. This is all going to warrant a bigger conversation, but for now, I lean into his touch, telepathically letting him know that he is not the reason I don't want to be here. Not anymore.
"Does this mean what I think it means?" Kira says, hopping up to her knees and poking me repeatedly in the chest.
"Maybe," I say slyly, sipping my wine.
"Anyone wanna share with the class? What do you think it means, Keeks?" Stephen asks, with a forced sounding laugh.
"I think it means Dottie girl is finally pulling her head out of her ass and joining The Pussy Posse up in San Francisco!" she squeals as she launches herself into my lap.
"What the fuck is a pussy posse?" I hear Stephen mutter as wine splashes over the rim of my glass while Kira straddles me and bounces.
"Relax, Keeks. It's just a thought. An interesting thought, but a thought."
"Please please please move up to SF. All those bitch ass friends of yours in LA are so lame. The cool people all moved away. The only ones left are the washed-up models who are bound to write salacious tell-all books about you one day," she says, nuzzling into my neck .
"Hey," I say, swatting her butt. "I'm one of those washed-up models, missy."
"You're not a washed-up model! You’re a hot, rich, influencer-slash-model-slash-DJ and an aspiring event planner! You've got G's wedding that you’re working on and hello?? The Streamline holiday that you planned for Adler?"
She's got a point there. I have been enjoying my newfound projects, and even though I didn't get to attend the Streamline holiday party, Georgie and Rach FaceTimed me from the event and it turned out even more beautiful than I had imagined. The Winter Wonderland theme popped on screen. The jazz band I hired sounded amazing with a perfect 'nostalgic Christmas' vibe, exactly what I had been going for. I had real trees brought in and adorned with lights, ice sculptures galore–the classy kind, no swans here–and about a million and half candles mixing with twinkling lights to create the perfect ambience.
It's amazing what a person can accomplish with a billionaire's budget.
"Well, whatever you choose to do, it sounds like you're right on the brink of a bright new chapter. We're proud of you, Dottie girl. Now, these two old hags need to get to bed. Kira, set the alarm when you go to bed, will you honey?"
With that, Jay and Keith head upstairs.
"I think I'm gonna head up, too. You two are staying here tonight, right?" Keeks asks, and Stephen nods .
"That'd be great. I don't want to drive when I've been drinking, even if it wasn't much."
"We could call an Uber," I say. I don't know have much time left here in town, and I'm not ready to ask what comes next so in the meantime, I'd like to continue to make the most of our nights as possible. Something I don't think we can do properly on McKenna Mountain.
"Please," Keeks scoffs "it's almost midnight. Bob Linden is drunker than any of us right now. He'd probably drive into the lake if you tried to get him to pick you up."
Damn small towns. I forgot about the whole 'One Uber Driver' thing.
"C'mon, sweetheart. I'm sleepy. Why don't you show me your room?" Stephen says, standing and holding out a hand for me. We take our glasses to the kitchen and put away some of the leftover snacks while Keeks sets the alarm. When she's done, we turn off the lights and the three of us head upstairs.
Sigh. At least I might get a full night's sleep tonight.