Ing of Hearts

Author's note: This is a Valentine's Day Contest story, so please vote!

*

I met the man of my dreams on Valentine's Day over a decade ago. The only problem with that is he fell in love at first sight with my fraternal twin sister.

We were at an anti-Valentine's Day event at a local bar when Sam walked in with his friend Eric.

They were both attractive, tall, and had amazing smiles. We thought they were brothers, but they just looked alike.

It was surreal. They saw us at the same time we saw them and walked over to our table. The bar was crowded, there were few tables, and we happened to have two open chairs.

My sister kicked me under the table and said, "I got left." I looked up at them and on the left were the most beautiful soft brown eyes I'd ever seen.

They reached the table and the eyes said, "Hi, I'm Sam and this is Eric," while looking into my sister's eyes.

She said, "I'm Erin and that's my sister Erica."

Eric smiled and sat down next to me. "Can I get you two a drink?" He asked. At least I think he did—I was too lost in Sam to hear him.

He tapped my almost empty wine glass, picked it up, and smelled it.

"Merlot?" He asked.

I snapped out of it and said, "Yes, and she's having Chardonnay."

"Great, I'll be right back," Eric said before sauntering over to the bar.

I started to ask Sam a question, something innocuous and tripe about them coming there often, but he was a goner already. His hand was on the back of Erin's chair and they were talking as if they were the only two people in the room.

Eric returned with the drinks and sat next to me. "Are you girls V-day haters or just dateless?" He asked.

The way he spoke irritated me. He seemed slick, I hated slick and I had less than no interest in a pussy hound.

"We're dateless. Neither of us is seeing anyone right now. We're almost done with school so whether consciously or not, we're putting graduation first and getting ready to move into the real world."

He nodded and started bragging about his job as a trader on some board of exchange. While he was prattling on about options and the market, I was staring at Sam and my sister.

She was laughing and touching his arm and hand. She brushed her long, honey-blonde hair behind her ear. She even bit her lip. They were her usual signs. I knew she wanted him and I wanted to kill her.

As Eric droned on about his new Lexus, Sam interrupted and said, "Would you ladies like to get some dinner? I know we'll probably have a bit of a wait, but Benihana is nearby and is one of my favorite places."

My sister perked up, "We love it too. Erica always wants the Sake squirted into her mouth. She never misses a drop."

Everyone but me laughed.

"Bitch!" I thought as Eric said, "I bet you swallow it all as well."

Sam had the grace to frown and shake his head at his friend. "Eric, be nice. Sorry about that ladies. A comedian, he is not."

"What?" Eric said laughing at himself.

Erin said, "Give us a minute to freshen up and we'll head out."

I stood and joined her for our trip to the bathroom.

"What an ass!" I said.

"Oh, relax. Sam is amazing and I don't want you to blow this for me," Erin demanded. "Put on your big girl panties, give him a ride, and never speak to him again, but I really like Sam."

I wanted to smack her, but let it go.

"Besides, you know you swallow."

"Fuck you!" I said as we laughed out the door.

***

Dinner was uneventful and the conversation was along the same vein as it was at the bar. By the time we finished our wine after dinner, Eric wasn't even a candidate for a one-night stand—not that I did that very often. As good looking as he was, he was too full of himself.

After dinner, we split into couples. Eric drove them and Sam and my sister drove us, so it worked out. Eric took me to a cigar lounge. Seriously. He took me to a cigar lounge on Valentine's Day.

They didn't serve alcohol, but he had a locker there that had Scotch in it. Who the hell has a locker at a cigar lounge? No, he wasn't going to make the cut.

When he dropped me off at my parents' house, I saw Erin's car in the driveway. He had the nerve to invite himself in but I brushed him off. Without a kiss on the cheek or exchanging numbers, he left disappointed.

I walked into the living room and found my sister gushing about Sam to my parents.

"Ew! You smell like an ashtray," my mother complained.

"Yeah, she picked Prince Charming and I was stuck with a frog that took me to a cigar lounge," I said and stormed off to wash the stink off of me.

***

We were both living at home while we finished school and I had to deal with Erin coming home from every date with Sam, gushing.

I heard about every anecdote he told, I knew as much about his job on the options exchange as I knew about my father's, I knew he had a penis that was bigger than Erin's vibrator, and that he ate pussy as well as a lesbian—I was almost sick of it.

The truth was, I was insanely jealous and longed to hear every word about him.

I had a few dates over the next few months but I prevented any of them from developing into a relationship. I messed every one of them up by comparing each guy to Sam. They all fell drastically short. In one case, pun intended.

We graduated and Erin got a job in advertising downtown near Sam's work. I went to work in a management training program for the local grocery store chain. My goal was to own my own business someday and I figured it would be good experience to get some on-the-job training in retail.

Sam and my sister tortured me by setting me up with several of Sam's friends and many of those were double dates. Every time I was with them, my thoughts were on Sam. I was barely able to hide my attraction to him, kind of—Erin knew, Sam didn't.

One night, Erin invited me to go to a wine tasting party that she was hosting at her apartment. Sam showed up, which was not unexpected, but he brought Eric along.

Eric spent half the night ignoring me but once he started getting a buzz from the wines, he started hitting on me. I was also pretty looped and to my shame, I let him.

While he was off talking with Sam, I said goodbye to Erin and our friends and walked out to my waiting Uber. Before I realized what was happening, Eric was opening the door for me.

"Hi, you didn't say goodbye," he said. "I just wanted to say goodnight and make sure you got out safely."

"I'm safe and I'm not driving, thank you."

"Look, the finger foods in there didn't cut it. Do you want to grab a bite with me?" He asked.

I should've said no, but I was drunk and hungry. I accepted.

Before I knew it we were making out in the car, forgetting to change where we were going and were at my apartment. Then we were in my bed.

I don't remember taking my clothes off, yet I was naked and he was eating me out as if I were the meal we forgot to eat. I came within minutes and watched as he took his clothes off.

He was rock solid with chiseled abs, cut chest, and long thick cock. If I had any doubts, they were gone by the time he pressed himself into me, stretching me to my limits.

He had no care about doing anything other than fucking me. He hammered away without kissing me, touching my breasts, or rubbing my clit.

Before I was remotely close to cumming, he stiffened and stopped moving. His face almost made me laugh as he shot his load into my unprotected pussy.

That's when I freaked out.

I let that pig of a man, not only fuck me, but he did it without a condom. I wanted to scream as he pulled out and his sperm followed, leaking down to my rosebud, pooling on my bedsheet.

He smiled at me and said, "Wow, babe. You're a great lay," then he got up and walked into my bathroom.

"Fuck!" I thought as I wiped his cum from between my legs with his hundred-dollar shirt.

I dressed in a pair of sweats and t-shirt and walked into the kitchen as he relieved himself.

I could hear him dressing and cursing as he must've found the cum on his shirt. When he stormed into the kitchen, I put a forkful of cottage cheese into my mouth and shrugged my shoulders.

"What the fuck did you get on my shirt?"

"Cum," I said flippantly.

"Do you know how expensive this shirt is?"

"Yep. Anything else?"

He shook his head and said, "No, I think I'll be going."

"See ya."

He walked out the door and didn't even ask for my number—thank god.

***

I woke in the morning with a splitting headache and my doorbell ringing. I ignored both and shoved my face into a pillow.

My phone buzzed on the nightstand and begrudgingly I looked to see who was bothering me on a Sunday morning. I should've known it would be my sister and it was 12:30.

I buzzed her in and opened the door.

I heard her call out to me as I brewed a cup of coffee and waited for the aspirin to kick in.

"What happened last night?" She asked.

"Which part?" I asked with a smirk.

"You know what I'm talking about," she said as she helped herself to a cup of coffee. "You were supposed to spend the night and then I was woken up by a pissed off Eric calling Sam."

"What was the asshole pissed about?"

"I don't know. All I know is Sam found it funny and he said I'd have to ask you if I wanted to know what it's all about."

I shrugged my shoulders and said, "Well, since you showed up here without breakfast, let me take a quick shower and we can go out to eat."

***

We took our seats at The Southern Cafe and she said, "Spill it."

I looked up from my delicious coffee and said, "The asshole waited until I got drunk and started flirting with me."

"I told you that you were drinking too much. It was supposed to be a tasting."

I laughed and said, "I tasted every drink."

She shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, I thought I'd successfully avoided him on my way out. When the Uber got there, so did he. Before I knew it, we made out the entire way to my place. I was so fired up, I allowed him to take me to bed."

"You slut!"

"Shut up, Sis," I said and we both laughed.

"Well? Was he good?"

"He can certainly eat the kitty nicely. As far as penetrative sex, he was pretty much three pumps and done."

"He talks like he's a sex god. I knew he wasn't all that. He probably had a little Willy."

I smirked and said, "Nope."

She looked at me with wide eyes.

"He's huge." Her mouth fell open. "Long and thick. If he would've given a shit and took his time, I might have really enjoyed it."

"Wow! The sex god is a dud. I can't wait to tell Sam."

I almost dropped my coffee.

"Oh, God! You can't tell him—please!"

"Easy, Sis. He already knows something happened. So why did Eric get pissed?"

"After he—finished, he told me I was a great lay and went to the bathroom."

"He didn't"

"Oh yeah! So I cleaned myself and the wet spot with his shirt."

She laughed and said. "You're evil."

As it turned out, my fear was valid, the asshole gave me chlamydia. I was devastated. For something so quick to cure it took me a year to get over it. I didn't have a single date, I didn't even want to look at men.

***

Exactly one year after they met on Valentine's Day, Sam proposed to Erin. She, of course, accepted and they were married on a beautiful Saturday afternoon later that Summer.

As Maid of Honor, I had to dance with the Best Man and Eric hadn't changed in the least bit. He tried as hard as he could to get into my panties, but I wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

I had a dance with Sam and I had a tear trickle down my cheek as he held me.

Over the previous sixteen months, I'd fallen more in love from afar with Sam than I ever thought possible. He was truly perfect and his only flaw was that madly in love with Erin, not me.

I was so jealous of her, I became angry and avoided her as much as possible for a few months, but I eventually got over it. She was deliriously happy and I could never resent her enough to bring her down. So, I suffered my jealousy alone.

Sam must have tried to set me up with every one of his single friends at some point. Many were like Eric and had no chance, but the others weren't Sam. He was the model I would compare every man against and they all fell short.

***

Life went on and I worked more than I dated. After a couple of years at the grocery store, I decided it was time to go out on my own.

Being twenty-five and a woman didn't exactly help my effort to start a small business. I had to rely on my parents for help and they were glad to do so.

I busted my butt and built a moderately successful business out of my love for wine—I opened a wine store with a little bar. It was an expensive start-up and my dad had to co-sign on the loans I took out but I was profitable almost immediately.

I set up in a cute little Main Street storefront location. It was in between an Art gallery and a spa that specialized in high-end mani/pedis. The area was very upscale and my little shop became a popular spot for ladies to stop and have a glass of wine after a spa trip.

I still carried a burning torch for my brother-in-law, but they were as much in love as ever. They added my niece, Emma, as soon as they could after the wedding and she was then a three-year-old ball of energy.

Erin came in on Saturday afternoons for a mommy break twice a month and would sometimes visit the spa at the same time. She would never say it, but I suspected Sam to have a foot fetish as she never cared about pedicures before she met him and she became almost obsessive about her feet and shoes.

Valentine's Day was coming up and she asked, "Do you have a date for V-day?"

"Nope," I said. I'm having an anti-valentine's day wine party here at the store."

She shook her head and frowned.

"Why? Do you need a babysitter?" I asked.

"No, mom and dad are watching Emma. I was hoping to introduce you to one of our neighbors."

I was angry. I'd asked them to stop setting me up and for the most part, they listened. It had been over a year since the last blind date disaster.

"Yeah, I'll pass, thanks anyway."

"Erica, you've got to put yourself on the market. Living like a nun isn't going to make you happy in the long run."

I glared at her and took a calming deep breath. "I'm not living like a nun. I'm just busy with my business and don't have time to date."

"Oh please!" She whined. "You've got this place running like a Ferrari engine. I bet you haven't taken a vacation in years."

She knew I hadn't. She asks me every year to go to their cottage with them and I decline.

"Kiss my butt, Sis. I've almost got my start-up loans paid off and I'm looking to take over and expand next door when the gallery closes in two months."

"Erin, I love you but you're working yourself into the ground. You're wasting your youth."

"I'm only twenty-five. I have plenty of time to waste."

Erin shook her head and said, "Please, Erica. You have so much love to give, find someone worthy of it."

We hugged and she walked out the door. What she could never know was that I had found someone but she was married to him.

It was extremely difficult to attend their parties, and worse was they had me over for dinner every Sunday.

She cooked a big family meal and occasionally my parents would come as well. She said it was a perfect way to have a solid relationship with me and not lose time with her husband and child. At first, I was happy to do it. I would get to see my niece and Sam. After a few months of watching Sam and Erin interact, I became too jealous.

Sam didn't seem to have any flaws. He made very good money, they had a beautiful house, he treated my sister as if she were gold, and he doted on his beautiful daughter.

***

Valentine's Day came a few weeks later and my little store had a successful party. After I closed the store and was walking to my car, my mom called.

"Hi, Mom."

"Erica, you need to meet us at the hospital. Erin and Sam were in an accident and taken to St. Alex. I don't have all of the details yet, but they are both in intensive care."

"Holy shit! Are they okay?"

"I don't know. Your dad and I are on the way over now. The police couldn't give us their condition."

"What about Emma?"

"Emma is sleeping. My neighbor Cindy came over in case she wakes up."

"Okay. I'll see you soon."

I almost didn't make it to the hospital because the tears filling my eyes were making it too hard to drive. I prayed they would be alright.

***

I ran into the Emergency Room lobby and found my parents hugging and crying. A doctor patted my mom's back, said something quietly, and walked away.

I was frozen, I knew then I had lost my sister. My mom saw me and ran over.

"She's gone, Erica. We've lost her."

I fell to my knees, broke down, and cried along with her. My father hugged us both until we were cried out.

After a few minutes, I asked, "What about Sam?"

My dad said, "He's in critical condition. Initially, they thought he wouldn't make it but they think they've stopped his internal bleeding. They had to cut him out of the car."

"What the hell happened?" I asked. "We're they drinking?"

"I don't know," he said. "If they were, the accident wasn't their fault. They were hit by a semi-truck that crossed the road. The driver died on impact. They don't know if he fell asleep or had some kind of attack."

I had to sit. I was inconsolable. Erin was gone and Sam was fighting for his life. It wasn't fair. They were so happy and had the perfect little family.

"Erica, we may need your help with Emma while Sam is recovering," my mom said.

"Of course. Whatever you need," I said.

I decided to take a week off and do whatever was necessary for Sam and Emma. We couldn't see Sam in his condition, so we went home to my parents' house.

Emma was asleep in my old room. She looked so beautiful and peaceful as I crawled into bed next to her. She rolled over and put her little arm across my stomach. I silently cried, not only for my sister but for the little girl that would never see her mother again.

***

I was woken by a shriek and a scream, "Auntie Erica!" Emma shouted and jumped up to her knees.

"Good Morning, girly. Did you sleep well?"

She nodded and said, "Nana told me we're having pancakes. Come on! We have to eat pancakes!"

I laughed and looked at the clock. "Sweetie, Nana's probably still sleeping. It's only six o'clock. I bet Papa's up though. He never sleeps late."

She sprung out of the bed towards the door and abruptly stopped.

"Papa can't cook," she said with a pout.

I laughed again and opened my arms, "Not if it isn't on a grill, he can't. I can though and maybe if I got a hug from my favorite niece, I could whip up some pancakes."

She jumped into my arms and then the previous night's events hit me. I tried my hardest not to cry, but I failed. I held her until I stopped and she ran out of the room.

My dad was watching the news with Emma on his lap and I heard my mom messing about the kitchen. As soon as I walked in there I could tell she'd just been crying as well.

She had bacon frying and was mixing pancake batter, trying to be strong, but it wasn't working.

"Couldn't sleep, huh?"

"No, Erica. I think I slept for a couple of hours, but I feel like I was up all night."

"Let me help, Mom," I said turning the bacon. "I can take over if you want to go back to bed."

"No, we have too much to do today, and I have to stay busy or I'm going to lose it. I have to be strong for Emma."

"Okay, let me help though," I asked.

***

We decided to not tell Emma right away. We wanted to see what Sam's condition was and if he was awake enough to get his input on what and when to tell Emma. She was young enough to not question anything when my mom told her she'd be staying with them for a while.