Chapter 15
“Sketch, what’s going on?”
“Uh…” I pause, trying not to freak out.
“Drew.” He looks at me more concerned now.
“It’s stuck.” I whisper.
“What?” he looks at me confused. “What’s stuck?”
“Uh,” I just look at him, embarrassed and trying to will him to become telepathic so I don’t have to say it out loud. “My disc.”
“Wh — what do you mean, it’s stuck?”
“I mean, I can feel it, it’s there, but like it won’t come out.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, I think all the air got pushed out.”
“What do you mean?”
In any other situation, his facial expression and just repeating the same thing would be comical, but right now, it’s just frustrating.
“I mean, you pushed all the air out and now it’s like suctioned to my cervix.” His mouth opens again before I cut him off. “I swear to God, if you say ‘what do you mean’ one more time…”
“Okay.”
“We have two choices: either we go to the hospital… you know, that place where my mother worked and everyone knows my entire family, or…”
“Or what?” his eyes open wide as he looks at me again. “You want me to get it?”
I just look at him, feeling the water threatening to come out.
“Okay,” he nods as soon as he’s sure of my answer. “Let’s do it.” He nods again, jumping as if to pump himself up and shaking his arms out.
It actually makes me laugh, even though I want to die from embarrassment.
“So, how do we do this?”
“I don’t know.” I gasp, my voice shaking as I try to stop the tears from coming.
“Oh, baby.” He whispers before pulling me into his chest. “Come here.” He holds me for a few minutes, somehow letting the panic subside as he stands with me.
“This is so embarrassing.” Shaking my head. “I swear, I’ve been using them for years and never had this happen.”
“What can I say?” He laughs, shrugging as if he’s impressed with himself.
“Not fucking funny.” I laugh out, swatting at his chest.
“It’s a little funny.”
“I hate you.” I mumble as I try not to laugh.
“How you want to do this?” he asks.
“I don’t know.” I toss my arms to the side as the tears slide down my face.
“Hey, hey, hey.” He says, squatting just enough to pull my hands away from my face and make me look at him. Brushing my tears away with his thumbs. “I have an idea. I’ll get it ready. Just lie down and relax.” Falling backward on the bed, I shake my head, not believing what’s happening.
I hear the water running in the bathroom and sit up on my elbows. Curiosity gets the better of me as I make my way to the door, peering in. He’s kneeled down, looking under the sink.
“I know it’s under here.” He mutters to himself before pulling out a small bath pillow and moves it over to the tub. Putting his hand into the water, testing to make sure it’s warm enough.
Turning around, seeing me, and jumps.
“What are you doing?” I whisper, walking over.
“I thought a bath might help you relax.”
The emotion in the room makes the corners of my mouth turn up.
“Come on.” He nods towards the tub.
Undressing before I step into the water. He moves the pillow over, motioning me to lift my head and placing it underneath. Sighing, I attempt to relax as he walks over to the sink, washing his hands. Closing my eyes, I want to pretend this isn’t happening.
The water shifting makes my eyes pop open as I look at him in the tub with me.
“You don’t have to get in… you can just try from outside.”
“Drew.” He tilts his head to me again. “Look at me.” His voice becomes serious. “Are you thinking that it may come out and blood gets in the water?”
Slowly, I nod my head.
“I don’t give a shit. In fact, I couldn’t care less about it. Let me know when you’re ready.”
We look at each other for a moment before I slowly nod my head as I move my legs.
“Okay, what am I looking for?”
* * *
“Don’t look at me.” I whine as he walks back over to the tub.
He insisted we stay in the water and relax.
I demanded that we drain and refill it.
“Stop it.” He mumbles as he pushes on my back for me to sit up. He moves around me until I’m lying back against him. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about.” He whispers into my ear.
“Yeah, okay.” I roll my eyes even though he can’t see me.
“I’m serious.” I can hear the chuckle he’s forcing down. “And if you think about it, it is kind of my fault.” It makes me laugh again before I cover my eyes.
“Next time, you’ll have to be more cautious.”
He lets out a loud laugh. “How about next time, just take it out?” I’m sure he can feel me becoming uneasy before he starts again. “I told you, I’m not afraid of blood.”
I sit staring at him as he shows me this gentle side, not knowing exactly what to do with it, but I guess if I’m being honest, he’s been this way with me since he showed up at my apartment months ago.
“I would do much worse than getting blood on myself for the woman I love.”
My breath catches in my chest as I turn, looking at him, a sly smirk spreading across his face.
“And just to make sure I’m clear, I mean I’d do a lot worse for you, Sketch.” Leaning in and kissing my nose.
It’s such a sweet gesture, it’s almost sickening.
My mouth hangs agape as he reaches over, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me back into his chest.
I can feel his breath on my ear as he speaks again. “You don’t have to say anything. I just wanted you to know.”
“I don’t want you to be upset.”
Feeling his chest vibrate as he laughs and tightens his grip around me, pulling me further into him.
I can feel his breath on my ear as he whispers.
“I’m not upset. Even if you say nothing, I know how you feel.
I can feel it. I know it every time you come to me for help.
I can see it in your eyes when you look at me.
I can feel it in how your body reacts to me.
” His fingers gently running up my stomach.
“So, no, I won’t be upset. Take as much time as you need; I won’t say it until you’re ready.
I just realized and wanted you to know.”
I’m aware he means that although he just told me he loves me, he won’t say the specific words until I’m ready.
We both fall silent as my mind wanders.
“What you thinking about?” he whispers in my ear, bringing me back.
“You ever think 10 years ago that we’d be here?”
“What lying naked in a tub together?”
“Not that specific, but yeah.” I laugh again.
Mumbling to himself. “Maybe not quite 10 years ago.”
“What?”
“Not 10 years ago.”
“Then when?”
“Let’s not talk about this.”
“No,” I giggle, sitting up and looking behind me. “Are you saying you thought about it at all?”
“Fine… yes.” He lets out a small laugh. “I was helping the campus police during one of the graduations. You were loading your car. And I might have watched you for longer than I care to admit.”
“When was this?” trying to hide my grin.
“I don’t know, like 4 or 5 years ago.”
“But you said nothing, you just saw me?”
“What could I have said?”
I just shrug
“Exactly.”
“But you thought about us being together then?”
“Not exactly.” He sighs. “But I had a dream that night.”
Turning around, tilting my head as I look back at him.
“I know didn’t make any fucking sense to me then either, but…” he trails off as if he doesn’t want to finish.
“But what?”
“Like it was you, but you looked more like Caroline.”
“What?” I’m laughing.
“Fuck, not like it was your mom. I knew it was you, but it was like… ugh…” he groans out before he’s moving out of the tub, frustrated with himself.
Not being able to stop myself from giggling, I get out of the water, wrapping a towel around myself, and following him.
The door to the bedroom is wide open, and he’s nowhere inside it. Walking down the hall, I see him in the kitchen as he stands with the whiskey bottle in his hands.
“I get it.” I call out to him, causing him to stop, turn, and look at me. “You meant it’s because I’ve always looked so much like her, you could imagine what I would look like when I’m older.”
I watch as his tension releases.
“And maybe you still felt a little conflicted because there’s a little age difference?”
A slow nod responds.
“And even though I was in college and was technically an adult, you still thought of me as your friend’s little sister.”
Another nod.
“You felt ambivalent thinking about your friend’s little sister even at 19, 20 as an adult, so you saw me as an older version?”
“Yeah,” comes out in a whisper.
“And?”
“And what?” he asks as I move around the counter, moving closer to him.
“…and how do I compare to your perceived potential?”
“I was close.” He whispers as I continue to move closer.
“Close?”
“Yeah, Sketch, you consistently surprise me.”
It brings a smirk to my face as the distance narrows.
“You’ve exceeded any dream I could’ve ever had.” He smirks. “Maybe that’s why growing up, I was adamant about how I hated you. Because somewhere deep down I knew if I let you near me, you’d consume me. I knew where it would end.”
“Where’s that?”
“Where I’m doing way worse things than dealing with a bit of blood.”
“I thought you said you wouldn’t say it.”
“I’ve never said it,” he grins.
I laugh as I shake my head. “You know, I feel like I need to repay you.” Biting my lip.
“Repay me.”
Slowly, I just nod my head.
“For what?”
“For what you just did for me.”
“Drew, you don’t have to…”
His words trail off as I open my towel, letting it drop to the floor before reaching over and grabbing the rolled knot on his.
Sinking to the ground, I look up at him through my lashes and bat them, running my tongue along my lips to moisten them.
He falters for a moment as he looks down at me, his cock rising to meet me.
“Drew, you don’t have to —”
“Eli, shut up.”
Licking my lips before wrapping them around his cock, slipping him into my mouth.
“Fuck.” He gasps out before leaning forward, bracing himself on the counter. One hand coming up, tangling in my hair as he presses his hips into me, causing me to gag around his cock. “Eyes on me.” He demands it; somehow turning me on more every time he says it.
Pressing all the way until he slips down my throat and stills.
My throat convulses, tightening around his cock. He pushes against the back of my head, forcing me into place. Forcing me to breathe through my nose as saliva drips from my lips.
Eyes still locked on him, I can see the second where his demeanor changes, where his eyes change, almost lightening. Forcing away the darkness, he makes his true self hide behind it.
And there he is, the Eli I always knew, the Eli that lived across the hall from me for a year. The Eli who was partially raised by a felon. The Eli, who always had the ambition of joining the MC, standing right alongside the rest of my family.
Another gag constricts around Eli’s cock, and he lets out a chuckle.
“Come on, Sketch, I know you can take it.”
Nodding my head, I agree with him.
Pulling out and gripping my arms, pulling me up until I’m standing in front of him. “Turn around.”
Saying nothing, but following his commands, feeling his hand coming up to my shoulders, the other gripping my wrist, before he pushes me over until my head is resting on the counter.
His body presses me into the counter as he leans over. His fingers toying with my entrance, pressing inside me before slipping out, taunting me.
“Spread your legs.”
Not saying a word, my feet slide away from one another.
“Atta girl.”
Still holding my hands together, he moves from pressing against my back.
I can’t see him, but only hear his movements.
Gasping out as his tongue comes across my pussy before latching around my clit, sucking it into his mouth.
Sliding back down before he’s lapping at my core, only for a second before he’s pressing me back into the countertop.
“See, not afraid.” He whispers into my ear as he presses inside me. Somehow I’d forgotten in the last few minutes the whole reason we ended up in the tub. “Shh.” His voice rolls through me. “Stop overthinking it. Relax, let yourself enjoy it.”
Pulling back, one hand resting on my shoulder, as his right hand grips hold of my hip, forcing me backwards over him.