24. Ramona #3
“Tell me it’s good.” I say it against his mouth and don’t kiss him yet.
“It’s good.” His fingers dig into my hip. “Don’t you dare stop.”
“I wasn’t going to.” I kiss him then, deep, messy, and keep moving while I do it. His tongue is in my mouth and he’s inside me and I can feel how close he is in the way his thighs go tight under mine.
I slip my hand between us and rub my clit at my own speed, not his. He watches that too. He watches my fingers. He watches my face. I come first, shaking in his lap, biting down on a sound so the aisle doesn’t hear me, and I don’t stop riding him through it. I can’t. I don’t want to.
“Ramona. Fuck. I’m close.”
“I know. Come on.” I put my mouth at his ear and keep taking him, wetter now, sloppy, the bench creaking under us. “Stay sitting.”
He comes with a broken noise against my neck, hips jerking up once before I push him back down by his good shoulder. I feel the heat of it. I keep him in me until it’s over, until his hand on my hip goes gentle again, until we’re only breathing.
My forehead rests against his. My laugh comes out shaky.
“Your tape is peeling.” I press the corner back down with two fingers.
“I don’t care.” He kisses my temple and keeps his mouth there. “Leave it.”
He holds me, still inside me, his thumb moving on my waist. The chain has slipped free again. His ring rests against his own chest this time, caught between us.
A knock hits the door before either of us moves.
“Are you two all right in there?” The organizer waits outside while Julius rests his forehead against my shoulder.
I feel him smile into my shirt. Then he goes still, and so do I, and neither of us breathes until the footsteps shift.
“We’re nearly finished.” I climb off him carefully. My jeans are around one ankle. I get them up, find my boot and shove my foot back into it, and I’m doing up my button when I reach for his shirt.
He looks up at me, and my face warms, but he behaves while I help him get dressed. I keep my hands away from the taped-up side. He lets me button him. His eyes stay on my face the whole time, and I can still feel him between my legs when I smooth his collar flat.
“Did I hurt you?” I whisper it while I feed his belt back through the loop.
“Only my pride.” He catches my wrist and kisses my knuckles once, quick, before the handle starts to turn.
***
At the truck, the organizer thanks Julius again and mentions the equipment they need for the younger riders. Julius asks him to send the list once they’ve agreed on it.
I wait until we’re inside before turning toward him.
“You’re giving them more than the prize money.” I fasten my seat belt while he settles behind the wheel.
“They’re trying to get by with equipment that needs replacing.” He puts the keys in the ignition. “I offered to help.”
“Without deciding what they should buy?” I watch his mouth start to curve.
“They know what they need.” He turns toward me. “I’m practicing remembering that.”
I put my hand over his before he starts the engine.
“You’ve always been generous.” I keep my eyes on his. “I never needed you to spend more.”
“I know.” He closes his fingers around mine. “I’m trying to do the part I can’t hand to somebody else.”
I leave my hand with his until he needs it to drive.
***
Julius parks outside the cottage gate and waits while I search my pocket. I take out the buckle and turn it over before offering it to him.
“You came back and found me.” I hold it until his fingers close around the metal.
“I said I would.” He puts it safely away, then looks at me instead of reaching for my door.
I press my palm against the ring beneath my shirt. I can feel the chain at the back of my neck, and I wonder whether he noticed me checking it during the drive.
“Would you stay for a while?” I ask before I can argue myself out of it. “You don’t have to work out what it means.”
“I’d like to.” He switches off the engine. “You can tell me when you want me to go.”
I lean across and kiss him, keeping it brief before I start crying over how easily he answered.
At the gate, he takes my bag while I find the key. We walk to the door together, and I let myself lean against his hand at my waist.
My phone vibrates as I turn the key.
Julius moves his arm so I can reach it, staying close while I check the unfamiliar number. There’s an image attached, and I open it before reading the message beneath it.
It shows a conversation with his name above one of the replies.
Julius: Sometimes I wait until she’s asleep. It’s easier to talk to you.
My key slips from my fingers and lands on the step. Julius bends to pick it up, then straightens slowly when he sees my face.
“What happened?” He leaves my bag beside the door.
I turn the screen toward him. His eyes move over the words, and his hand closes around my keys without offering them back.
Another message arrives while we’re both looking.
Unknown number: He deleted his copies. Somebody kept theirs.
I take the keys from him and pull the cottage door closed before we’ve gone inside.
“Stay here.” I hold the phone between us. “I want you beside me while I read this.”