Tell You All About It
© kate7891
Thanks
to bluejay for your thorough and enthusiastic beta read.
* * * *
Since they were nine years old, Freya and Ethan were best friends. He and his family had moved to the neighbouring farm and Freya, being an only child, made herself a permanent fixture at Kimball Wines, relishing her friendship with Ethan and his siblings, people her own age.
Freya was almost eighteen when she knew she'd never be able to return Ethan's love for her in any form other than friendship. Growing up, both had heard the jokes and off-hand comments. Best friends were destined to fall in love, right?
"I'm so sorry, Ethan," she'd sobbed the night he'd built up the bravery to kiss her. "I've tried. In my head I've tried to go to that place you're in. But I just can't." She'd rested her forehead against his, her hands rubbing his forearms in comfort, tears streaming silently down her cheeks.
Ethan knew then he'd do anything to never see tormented heartache twist her facial features again. Anything just to make her happy. Even if it meant locking away his heart.
Now, fifteen years to the day after they met -- and living only six tram-stops apart in Melbourne -- they met up for their regular Sunday brunch date.
"Ethan, hi!" Freya beamed, her long blond hair a melody of gold, pale scented honey and butter caramel, wispy waves framing her warm brown eyes that radiated genuine love.
Platonic, but love nonetheless.
Ethan stood and she wrapped him in a tight embrace -- as she did every week, as though it were months between meetings, not days -- her hair a silken sunrise tickling his nose. She squeezed him once, hard, before stepping back. Her eyes glowed, brown velvet, and she was flushed.
Ethan's heartrate accelerated; he was excited, but couldn't exactly pinpoint why.
"Sorry I'm late," she rushed and sat down, combing her fingertips through the front of her hair, detangling the luscious locks. She picked up the water Ethan had poured and took a sip.
"It's okay." He scrutinised her face. "Everything
is
okay?"
Freya's smile split her face. "I think I'm
really
seeing someone." She slowly exhaled, reached out to rub Ethan's forearm in silent apology. "I'm sorry. I'm just so excited. He really excites me."
Ethan shifted in his seat, picked up the menu -- even though he ordered the same thing every time -- needing a prop to help him speak. "Is this the same guy you told me about? The one who --" he leaned forward to whisper "-- fucked you in the alleyway?"
Freya flushed scarlet and nodded, crossing her legs, feeling an ache deep in her cunt from that morning's scene with Shaw.
"You thought it was just gonna be a one-weekend thing," Ethan said, rubbing a hand over his floppy brown hair. He always fancied it was a similar shade to Freya's eyes.
"Well, yeah. He's like, seventeen years older than me. So sophisticated. And fuck, he's sexy. The things he says..." She bit her bottom lip and closed her eyes. Ethan's cock strained in his pants. "The things he does. I think I'm a ruined woman." She grinned, opened her eyes, and saw the lust in Ethan's. She sighed, softly smiled another apology and beckoned a waitress over.
"Ready to order?" Freya asked gently, giving him the kindness of distraction.
Freya had always wondered at her friendship with Ethan. On paper, they shouldn't work. She was assertive yet carefree; pragmatic but fun. He was essentially a wallflower; awkward in large groups, but wonderful in more intimate settings. Full of secrets. The pang of guilt she felt at not being able to love him the way he wanted was quickly absorbed. A familiar feeling.
"And for you?" the waitress asked.
Freya pressed a hand to her jittery stomach, unable to fathom an appetite. "Ah, I'll just have a milkshake, thanks. Strawberry."
Ethan sighed. Strawberry milk was Freya's only tell.
She was stoned.
He knew she got up to no good when she was high.
Her spontaneity drove him mad.
"Got much on for the rest of your day?" he asked, quickly absorbing the pang of guilt at making her feel bad for not loving him. A familiar feeling.
Freya changed the crossing of her legs, knowing the minute she arrived home, she'd masturbate away the ache Shaw had left raging in her cunt. She was becoming hornier, hyper aware of her bodily sensations each hour spent in Shaw's arms.
In his bed.
In his dungeon.
His tutelage in BDSM was a significant sexual awakening for Freya, one to which she responded with authentic enthusiasm and genuine curiosity. Over the last month, her body had become more responsive; curling to a whispered word, a soft touch. Something filthy whispered in gentle and seductive tones.
She always felt on the verge of an orgasm. That the slightest, most nonsensical thing would set her off.
She took a deep breath and smiled at Ethan.
"How are your brothers? Your folks?"
"Everyone's great. I'm sure your mum knows more than me about the goings on at KW," Ethan replied, settling into the familiar topic. "Tommy's girlfriend's pregnant."
Freya sat up straight. "Fuck. Tommy's barely twenty-one. Is it... happy news?"
Ethan smiled. "Yeah, it's happiest news. Him and Emma have been together three years now. Pretty normal progression." Then he saw Freya's brow crease slightly and shrugged. "For some people," he amended softly, not sure if she heard.
She smiled when the waitress delivered their drinks. She sucked up thick strawberry sweetness through a metallic straw, the ice extra cold having travelled through the silver tube.
"Did you want to come over for dinner tonight?" she asked. "Give the lovebirds some space. Your roommate's girlfriend flies in from Perth today, right?"
"That'd be handy. Appreciate it."
Freya slurped more thick strawberry milk, swallowed and said with a chilly breath, "Come over after we're done here if you like. Had no plans to go into the studio today --" she was a potter "-- just to work on some sketches; can do that while we watch a movie or if you just wanna read or whatever."
"Sounds good."
But when Ethan pulled up behind Freya's Vespa, he saw a man darkening her doorway. Freya removed her helmet and Ethan knew the moment she made eye-contact with the man. The air all but snapped.
So, he thought. This is Shaw.
Freya wedged her helmet under her arm and approached the driver's window.
"So, ah, change of plans," she said, leaning down, resting her forearm on the frame, eyes flickering toward Shaw.
Ethan cleared his throat, disguised his sudden arousal with a teasing grin. "Clearly."
Freya beamed, reached into her back pocket to retrieve her wallet. She took out her credit card and handed it to him. "Go enjoy your Sunday. Hit the mall. Go to the movies. Rent a room at the casino. My treat."
Ethan grinned, snatching her card up. "Don't have to tell me twice."
She leaned in further and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. "Will tell you all about it after," she said on impulse. "Promise."
She turned and skipped up to Shaw, his arm snaking around her and pulling her in for a hungry kiss, while Ethan sat, mouth agape, her words echoing in his ear.
Will tell you all about it after
.
Tell you all about it.
Promise.
* * * *
"Who's the kid?" Shaw mumbled some time later, his lips pressed against Freya's hair, his nostrils sweetened by her fragrance.
"Hmm?" she mumbled, half turning her languid body towards him, sleepy arousal as she slowly came awake.
"The scruffy guy in the ute. You kissed him."
With closed eyes, Freya smiled, breathy laughter escaping through her nose.
"'Kid'?" she chuckled. "Ethan. He's my best friend. We grew up together on the Peninsula. Neighbouring farms." She shifted to press her nose into the hollow of his throat, the fourth time she'd done so since they'd met. Shaw frowned having just realised he was keeping count.
"Did you tell him about me?" Shaw asked, fingertips combing through her hair, watching the strands slide through, somehow shimmering in the dim bedroom light. He brought a lock to his mouth, tickling the shape of his lips, running the threads between them. Freya shuddered, and he smiled.
"He knows I'm seeing someone," she said, lips tickling the fuzz at the base of Shaw's throat. She tilted her head back and saw him running her hair over his lips and nose, and her breath caught. She could feel it in her toes.