Sex on a Schedule – By Arianna Quinn #5
As Derek chats with the artists he knows, or the ones he’s meeting for the first time, the magic he carries, the one that makes him so easy to talk to and get along, shows up, making him their best friend.
It’s the magic he’s teaching his son, who needs someone to show him how to be at ease with others, how to make everyone a friend.
I grip his hand tighter as he walks around shaking hands, asking if their friends or families were affected, talking about some random fact he knows about them, or genuinely complimenting them on a specific song or style.
I keep looking over my shoulder when we walk away to catch everyone’s lingering smiles, like they know they’ve met someone special.
Eventually, Charlie, Rip, and Tyler find us.
“Neanderthal couldn’t wait?” Tyler says.
Charlie looks me over. “You’re too put together. Do you need me to teach him a few things?”
I slap at his chest. “Stop.”
“Couldn’t keep your mouth shut?” Derek glares at Charlie, but underneath, there’s no actual anger toward his best friend.
Charlie tosses his palms up in the air. “You’re welcome.”
“What are you talking about?” Rip asks. “It’s not like you two were keeping any secrets about what you were doing back there.”
Derek’s eyes flick to Tyler. “We have a show to play.”
We find a spot in the wing to watch the preceding acts. Derek hooks his arm around my waist and leads me in a small circle, two-stepping to the country love song playing on stage. Others around us join, and soon we’re singing, dancing, and enjoying ourselves.
“Hey,” I say to Derek, placing my hands on his hard chest before he walks on stage. “I love you.”
His questioning eyes search mine. And as much as I want to say yes, I have one more thing to do before I give him an answer.
“No one else I want to two-step with.” He smashes his lips to my mouth and kisses me. I sink into it, handing over my soul if I could. A tingling warmth travels from my chest down my shoulders and legs, releasing the tension in all my muscles.
The lights darken, and the crowd cheers in anticipation. But they are a distant sound compared to the loud beating of my heart in my chest and in my ears.
Derek breaks away. “See you out there.” With those parting words, he follows Charlie and Rip onto the stage and sings a few of their hit songs as the crowd chants along, never missing a line.
“How you doing, LA?” he says into the microphone.
“We’re Muddy Boots, and we grew up south of here in a place called San Diego.
You ever heard of it?” He grins as the crowd cheers, and there are some boos, but he doesn’t let that damper his smile.
“We love this city. We used to drive up here in summer to watch the Padres play at Dodger Stadium.” The boos grow louder, and next to me, Tyler shakes his head.
“Does he want them to hate us?” He chuckles.
Someone in the audience yells something. Derek banters with them, sharing all the fun places we visited when we’d drive here for a weekend or for a gig.
“You don’t have to keep it from me,” Tyler says, as he keeps his attention on Derek on the stage. “He’s been looking like he wants to say something, but then frowns like he’s having intestinal issues. I heard you and Charlie talking at the library event. I’m happy for you both.”
My back stiffens. Tyler has never hidden his dislike of me when I came back into their lives. It’s been slow going, but we are making progress in rebuilding a friendship.
Tyler turns to face me. His chest expands, and his lips open like he’s letting out a weighted breath. “He has a big heart. Makes sense. He wants to share it with a big family. Just like our dad. And you can’t stop living your life because you feel sorry for me.”
I almost topple over from him sharing this with me. “If we feel anything about your situation, it’s frustration at Amy dragging this out. We know it can’t be easy, and want you to take all the time you need.”
A slow smile spreads across his face, making his smile lines deepen and his blue eyes dance. “You keep using ‘we.’ Which makes me wonder why you’re hesitating. You will never find the perfect time. Why wait?”
Taking in a deep breath, I take time to form my thoughts.
Tyler has opened up, and I should too, because at some point he was my friend, too.
And if anything, I want that back. “I’m scared.
I keep picturing Derek calling me, telling me he can’t come home.
Or that he’s too busy to take care of us.
Or that he changed his mind. And it’s all in my head, because it’s not true.
But what I’m scared of more than anything is losing him. ”
The back of my eyes burn, and I look up, hoping for gravity to keep the tears away.
“We all carry our scars. That’s life, isn’t it? About always working on your shit?”
As quickly as the tears appeared, they vanish, replaced by a smile. One big enough to make my cheeks hurt. “You better be around for the kids to ask their uncle Tyler for advice when they think Derek and I are too annoying.”
“When they’re old enough, I’ll tell them about the time their parents couldn’t keep their hands off each other at an LA benefit concert.”
I laugh. Smiling at my boots, I say, “I wouldn’t expect any less.”
He doesn’t answer. Just smiles back at me before turning to face the stage. The not-so-settled feeling earlier about starting this part of our lives vanishes and instead, I’m filled by a lightness so strong I’m going to float away.
“You and the kids have been through so much. You should chase what brings you joy,” he says.
“It’s good advice for all of us.”
He grins, catching my meaning. “We’ll see.”
I excuse myself and search for a quiet corner. I text Mike, my late husband’s best friend, asking if he can talk.
“What’s wrong?” he asks as soon as he hears me say hello.
I ask the question plaguing me since Derek and I talked about pregnancy. “What would Ryan think of Derek and me having more kids?”
“Are you pregnant?” he asks.
I explain I’m not but that we’re thinking about it.
“He was the best friend I could ask for, so don’t take this the wrong way, but who cares what he would think? You’re not with him. You’re with Derek. You’re living the life he asked you to live if he didn’t come home. So why worry about it?”
A knot in my throat is not ideal, moments before a performance.
“If you want an answer, he would be happy. Want to know why? Because if it makes you happy, then he’d cheer you on. And if the kids are happy, he’d be setting off fireworks.”
“Thanks,” I whisper. We chat for a moment before we hang up.
It’s not long until Derek calls me up on the stage to perform our duet.
The crowd is loud and full of energy, even after the series of acts they’ve watched tonight.
My favorite part is them turning on their cell phone lights, illuminating the horizon like a million twinkling stars.
Derek and I sing the song he wrote for us about losing touch and then coming back together.
When the song is over, he yanks me close, and hooking an arm around my back for support, he bends me backwards and kisses me.
The audience catcalls and cheers. When he brings me back up, my breath can’t catch up.
“Yes,” I say, keeping my microphone at my side, and not near my mouth. “Yes.” I repeat it until his eyes brighten with understanding.
I scurry off the stage since I overstayed for those few moments after the song.
Before the stage is completely dark at the end of their set, Derek rushes towards me. “Yes? Yes?”
“Yes!” I answer.
“Let’s get back to the hotel and try.”
“What happened to sex on a schedule?”
“We can do that tomorrow. I can’t stop thinking of you in the back of the van.” Wrapping his muscular arm around my shoulders, he walks me toward the parking lot. “You think the guys will find another ride back to the hotel?”
“Don’t we have a party to go to?” I ask, reaching for the hand hanging over my shoulder.
“Only the one in our suite.”
“You can’t escape yet.” Trina appears at our side and leads us to an area where Rip and Charlie are already signing merch for a line of fans.
A few of the other performers join, and the line grows.
Hours later, I drop onto the couch as soon as we enter our suite. “I love these boots, but they are not for walkin’,” I say.
Ever patient, Derek hooks his hands around the heel and the bottom, and slips them off me. Taking my feet in his hands, he massages them.
I fling my head back and close my eyes, letting out a deep, satisfied moan. His hands still. “Want to pretend we’re still in the van?” I ask, keeping my eyes closed, not wanting to move.
When he doesn’t answer, I drop my head to catch him with his head slumped and eyes closed.
He has no idea what’s coming with a newborn and sleepless nights. He’s lucky I love him so much.
Derek
A warm, soft body lies in my arms, and I draw Emily in, breathing in her distinct berry scent.
I’m still riding the high of her saying yes.
Our lives will change, and so will James’ and Victoria’s.
A part of me is nervous and scared, but most of me is about to jump on this mattress like a kid and howl with joy.
I’ll share this incredible experience with Emily.
There’s no one else in this world for me. I can’t fucking wait.
“What are you humming?” Emily asks quietly in a sleepy voice.
“I was humming?”
She stretches her limbs, keeping herself under my hold and adjusting to lie on her back. “You do that when you’re happy. Like when you eat ice cream.”
I climb over her. “Want me to hum while I eat your yummy pussy?”
She smiles, a sleepy sexy one. “You do that, too.”
“I think we should test the theory.” I slide down her body, kissing her glowing skin, lingering on a pert nipple until it’s as stiff as a pebble and she writhes under me. I move to the next one, taking my time to savor the saltiness of her skin and the satisfied sounds my caresses draw out of her.
Lazily, she rubs her fingertips over my scalp. “Take your time. I have nowhere to be.”
I smile into her skin, doing as she asks, taking my time and kissing every spot below her breasts, to her navel, across her hips, and slipping a hand between her legs and coaxing one to the side. I do the same for the other thigh and breathe in her feminine scent.
My body shivers, and I will my dick to control itself. Because taking my time is exactly what I want to do—well, after I get my revenge for van sex. I dip my nose in her center, and Emily shifts in anticipation as she releases a “yes.”
I sit up. “I’m hungry. Want some French toast?”
Eyes wide, she tugs at my wrist. “You’re not finished yet.”
Holding back a bubble of laughter, I rub my stomach with my free hand. “I had a show last night. Need some fertility food for breakfast.”
Her hold tightens. “Get back here. Now.”
“Nope,” I scramble off the bed, although she still has her grip on me. “I’m gonna call room service. Think the guys want to come have breakfast again?”
She releases me, eyes narrowing on me and tracking my attempt at finding clothes.
“What are you up to? If this is the same bizarre Derek from yesterday morning, then I’m… I’m…” She frowns, looking around the room and then at me. “I don’t know.”
Her wrinkled nose is adorable. I wait for her to think of something.
Her eyes narrow at me. “We’re having sex in the back of the van the entire ride to San Diego.”
The laughter finally comes out of me. “Angel, that’s not a punishment.”
“It will be when I won’t let you come for two and a half hours.”
“Again, not a punishment.” It absolutely is.
“After coffee and French toast, I’ll think of something.”
I reach for her ankle, and pull her toward the edge of the bed. “I’ll take my punishment however you want to dole it out. Remind me to never, ever keep anything from you, especially sex.”
“Then what are you doing out of bed when I’m naked and horny?”
“Let’s get you wet,” I say as I dive my hands under her and scoop her over my shoulder and carry her to the bathroom.
Once the water is warm, we walk into the shower, kissing and letting our greedy hands roam over each other.
Emily’s touch travels straight to my heart.
I swallow every little sound she makes, keeping our lips sliding and dancing against each other.
Gripping her thighs, I lift her and she wraps them around my hips.
“Need you,” she says into my shoulder.
“I always will,” I say as she positions me at her entrance and slides over me. We both groan as she takes me all the way in.
Her snug and silken body welcomes me. This is home. This is forever.
I flatten a hand against the tile to keep from crumbling with need, and thrust into her. Too soon, her body squeezes me, and my balls are heavy, and my spine tingles.
Emily slaps at my chest. “Wait, stop, stop, stop.”
I stop and clench my body, trying to keep my orgasm from exploding out. “What’s wrong?”
“We should really make a schedule if we’re trying to get pregnant.” She smiles, eyes bright and innocent.
My jaw clamps down hard enough I might break all my molars.
“Just joking. Proceed.” She grins at me.
“I think you’re angling for the spanking.” I piston into her, and her head hangs back.
“Yes, yes, please.”
“We’ll make a schedule for that, too.” I say as she cries out her release and I pump mine into her.
I definitely want to do that. And more.
Thank you for reading Sex On A Schedule , A Risky Replay Bonus Story.