Chapter Eleven
Daisy
Rhett, Gus, and I work together seamlessly to get dinner together.
Rhett sets the table and cleans up the mess while Gus and I prep and cook.
We’re plating the food when the back door opens.
I hide my excitement as best I can, but a smile creeps onto my face when I realize it’s Wade coming into the kitchen.
“Hey, Wade. Glad you’re joining us,” Gus says. “You want a beer?” Wade’s eyes widen and they flick to the fridge. “Yeah.” Gus laughs. “She has beer.”
“I heard you’ve never had it before,” I say. “Figured you should.”
Wade shrugs and sits at the table. Rhett sets another spot at the table while Gus gets another plate.
“You can give him that one. I’ll make another,” he says, gesturing to the plate he’d made for himself.
I take two plates. “Have a seat, Rhett.”
He sits beside Wade, and I put a plate down in front of him and Rhett. Gus brings the other two plates to the table and takes his seat while I grab four beers and pass them around.
We don’t talk much while we eat, other than Rhett and Gus commenting on the food. I sneak glances at Wade—it’s hard not to when he’s across from me and the table isn’t big.
“How is the food, Wade?” I ask.
He doesn’t look up at me, just stabs a potato.
“Good.”
“It’s very good,” Gus says. “Thank you for inviting us.”
“Yes, thank you,” Rhett adds.
I don’t miss the sound of annoyance that comes out of Wade… as he shovels more food into his mouth.
Small steps, I guess. Small steps.
Our plates are empty, and the small table is covered in empty beer bottles—we went through a sixteen-pack.
“I hope you’ll eat with me again,” I say as I gather the plates and bring them to the sink. I look at them over my shoulder. “It’s nice to not be alone.”
“I agree,” Gus says.
“You’re not alone,” Wade grumbles.
“I’m going to watch another movie before I go to bed. You’re welcome to stay,” I offer.
Someone gathers the bottles; I hear them clanking together, and Wade comes into my peripheral, dropping them into the recycling bin to my left.
“Thank you,” I say.
He says nothing in return.
“I’m going back outside,” he says, then mutters a “Thank you.”
“I should go too,” Rhett says.
“If you change your mind, you know where the door is,” I call out. I hear his footsteps heading toward the door, but then they turn around and come back.
His lips press to my cheek in a quick, cute kiss. I’m shocked.
“Thank you for dinner,” Rhett says quickly, then hurries out of the kitchen.
I look at Gus, whose eyes are wide. “Wow, what did you put in that steak?”
I laugh and finish the dishes. Gus dries them and puts them away while I get the movie ready, then we sit on the couch together to watch it.
“You know, for a while, I made Grannie watch this movie every day.”
“Every day?” Gus says, then whistles. “That feels like a lot.”
I laugh. “It wasn’t enough then.”
“I’ve never seen it before.”
“Really? It’s a classic.”
“Hey, come here,” he says, holding his arm out.
I bite my lip and scoot closer, cuddling against him.
The Wizard of Oz starts, and I smile as I recall sitting on this same couch with Grannie, watching this movie and eating popcorn.
I wish I had some. I’ll have to put it on the list. I’d planned on putting in an order for the grocer tomorrow, I just need to remember to call first thing in the morning to give Devin enough time to prepare.
I like being able to support his little delivery service.
I think it’s nice of him, considering a lot of the townspeople are up in age and may not be able to get to the store as easily as they once did.
Not everyone has young kids around to help.
This isn’t a bustling family town. It’s full of farmers whose kids grew up farming and wanted big-city life instead.
I was one of them, so I get it. Yet, here I am. Right back where I started.
Only… it isn’t forever. Before I know it, I’ll be back in school.
Gus is warm and he smells really good. Earthy and clean. Cuddling with him feels natural, and that little tingle I felt when touching him is still there, only it’s lessened and it can hardly be felt now. I wonder if he feels it too?
“Oh, wow. What an ugly woman,” he says with a laugh.
“That’s the witch. She’s not very nice.”
Somewhere around halfway, my eyelids get heavy and I can’t keep them open.
I’m warm and comfortable and content in Gus’s arms—even if I shouldn’t be.
I fall into a deep, peaceful sleep, and when I wake up, the screen is on the main menu, and the house is dark and quiet.
I look up at Gus, who is sleeping too. We’re still in the same spot, and my neck is sore from the position. I bet his is, too.
I push off him and he wakes up, looking down at me with shock.
“Sorry, I fell asleep.”
“I fell asleep,” he says, sounding confused.
“Yeah, it’s okay. I said you could—”
“No, I mean, I fell asleep… and I’m still human.” He gets to his feet, patting down his body and looking down at himself. “I’m still human… after sleeping. That doesn’t happen. Like ever.”
“Maybe it’s a certain time?”
“No, it’s not. We… we tried everything over the years. It was always sleep that resets it.”
“Well, it could be—”
My words are cut off when he grabs my face and kisses me, a long firm press of his lips against mine. I squeak, not having expected it. I certainly don’t hate it though.
He pulls back, smiling down at me.
“Thank you.”
“I didn’t do anything,” I say breathlessly, looking at his lips and wanting more.
“You did something because this didn’t happen before you got here.”
He leans in, kissing me again, his excited energy contagious.
Until something shifts.
The kiss feels different. A little more passionate. His lips part, and so do mine. His tongue slides into my mouth, and then I’m on my back with him on top of me.
“This okay?” he asks breathlessly.
“Definitely.”
Nodding, his mouth goes back to mine, kissing me feverishly as he grabs my shorts to tug them down.
I help him, then work at the button on his jeans. He kicks them off, lifting my leg, and sliding his hard length through my pussy lips.
He groans, doing it again.
I reach between us to guide him inside me, and he slides right in. We moan together, and I find his mouth again, while he thrusts into me slowly, his fingers digging into my thigh, holding me in place.
“You feel so good,” he says.
“So do you,” I add. “Go faster.”
He moves faster, his mouth going to my neck and nipping at my jaw.
“Oh my—Gus, that feels so good. I think I’m going to—”
I don’t get the word out before the orgasm hits me. It’s intense, and I feel it through my entire body, a swirl of warmth settling in my chest. I hear Gus moaning out his release too, riding out his pleasure.
His forehead rests against mine as we catch our breath together, sweat covering our skin. The windows are open, but it’s so hot that it does nothing to help.
After a moment, I say, “You can sleep in my bed with me, if you want?”
Gus smiles and kisses the tip of my nose. “I would love that.”