Esme trotted down the stairs, skinny legs revealed by a cotton skirt, a long-sleeved t-shirt that clung to her, made clear she hadn't bothered to put a bra on afterโ
After. Ben drew a rough breath in as he watched her. She was visibly tipsy, holding onto the railing for support, but she also had that look about her, and he knew that she'd recently had sex. Her body changed after an orgasm, her movements developed even more of a flow, reminding him of a dancer. Her shoulders relaxed and, typically, a small smile played at her lips for at least the first hour after sex. There was no smile tonight.
The living room was dark, and Ben was hidden in the shadows. Audrey had gone to bed, strangely silent, like she got when she was thinking about something. It worried him. Today of all days, it worried him. Because what if she felt something, caught him looking at Esme in a certain way? Saw his eyes linger on those long legs, picturing the times when they'd been wrapped around him.
Ben watched as Esme made her way into the kitchen, flipped on the light switch, and after a moment he followed her through the swinging door. She spun, hearing the creak of the door on hinges that could use some oil, and their eyes met. He found himself squinting at the sudden change in brightness. A single switch turned on every light in the kitchen, and the gleam of the steel appliances and marble countertops did nothing to dampen the effect. Her mouth opened as she gave a little gasp, her hand came to her heart as if she'd been startled badly.
Esme backed away from him, and he moved forward. "What are you doing?" he asked quietly. She continued backing up, curving along with the kitchen counter. His steps followed. He legs were bare and, as usual, impossibly tan for the winter months. Her skirt was on the short side, flowing cotton ending at least six inches above her knees. Nothing obscene, but he had a great view of long, lean legs.
"Getting some water, what are you doing?"
He'd forgotten he'd asked a question, but he was having trouble keeping his thoughts straight. He'd been sitting next to quite the collection of empty bottles by the time Esme came downstairs.
"I meant ," he stepped forward, not allowing her to put the kitchen island between them. "what are you doing fucking Barry in a hot tub? And what are you doing fucking Barry in such close proximity to me that I can hear you moan?"
He stepped even closer, swaying a little, and Esme could tell he'd kept drinking long after the movie was over.
"What are you doing fucking Barry at all?"
She opened her mouth to speak but, predictably, no words came. He didn't stop moving forward, and Esme swallowed tightly when she realized he was close enough that she could smell alcohol on his breath. She wanted to run back upstairs to the room she and Barry shared, but that likely wouldn't have been significantly less uncomfortable. She cursed herself for coming down for water, convinced that a lessened hangover tomorrow was surely better than this.
"You're just a piece of ass to him, you know," Ben said, and saw him stumble over his own feet, and reach out to the counter to steady himself. This brought them even closer, his mouth inches from hers. ""He's just trying to prove he can take what's mine. It's what he's always done."
"I wasn't yours," Esme said, sliding further down the counter, away from him. His breath mixed with beer mingled with the scent of his cologne was impossibly familiar. He smelled like years of her life; like long, extended periods of lovemaking, and like rough, rushed quickies. Memories surfaced that she tried to shove awayโthe feel of his lips against hers, the feel of his thumb languorously sliding across her nipple, drawing shivers of pleasure, the feel of his tongue reaching out to hers.
She closed her eyes tightly, tried to remind herself of reality. It had ended badly for her, on more than a few occasions. Over and over again she had come to the realization she was just someone to call on when he was lonely, or bored, or when he just needed a release. So what had made her go back each time, except for the sweet touch of his caress, the incredible feel of him stretching her open when he slid inside of her. Would she feel him inside of her tonight?
Of course not.
It embarrassed her to think that all those times she went back to his bed and pretended that she was only there for the sex, she was really just waiting for him to let his guard down, to get used to her presence next to him, to stop resisting, and to stop looking for someone else. She had wanted it to be so easy to be with her, that the demands of other girls for gifts and time and non-sexual affection seemed bothersome by comparison. But still, she remained the one he went to when he wanted to fuck.
Ben was looking at her expectantly, and she realized he must have asked her something else, "What?" she said. She felt ill, because she wanted to run upstairs but there was nothing up there to run to anymore.
I'm in over my head
.
"I asked if you knew what was going to happen next."
Esme shook her head as if on command. His shirt wasn't tight, but it hugged his chest and biceps the way a shirt should. Neither Barry nor Ben was bulky, but Barry had more mass than Ben. Ben was lean muscle and slim hips, hips she could still feel under her hands. Barry still had some of the bulk from his high school football days. He'd had the strength to pin her against walls and hold her thighs to keep her off the ground while he had his way with her.
"He's going to endโwhatever this thing you two have is. He's had his fun, and he got what he wanted. I found out, and he proved he could take you from me. He won, and the game is over, and you won't be fun for him anymore."
Esme shook her head, trying to clear the haze the alcohol was causing. "Won what?"
Ben smiled hinted at something seductive, "Won you."
"Some win," sarcasm dripped from her voice. "You didn't want me." Saying the words out loud was harder than she thought it would be. How do you let go of your first?
"I wanted you," he said, his hand suddenly on her abdomen, sliding down and grabbing her crotch through her skirt. She pushed his hand away, "You're getting married."