"Babe? Are you ready yet? We're late!"
"
It's an art gallery opening!
" She shouted back from inside the bedroom. "
All the cool people are late!
"
I chuckled as I adjusted the front of my shirt and snapped lightly at my suspenders. I wore a fitted button-down that was open almost into my bra. The deep silk magenta of my shirt contrasted with my strings of pearls that ended right before the line of my cleavage. I was still admiring my genderbendy outfit, with my tight pin-stripe skinny slacks and sleek black lace up boots, when I heard her heels clack on the floor.
"I know babe, but Jesse's speaking today and I don't want to--" My words squeaked to a stop as I took her in. Her heart-shaped lace bodice was spreading her breasts apart, and the skirt hugged her hips, ending way too high. Her heels wrapped around her ankles in black stripes. "Holy
shit...
" My mouth hung open.
I strode over to pin her against the wall in the dim hallway. Pressing my hips into hers, I slipped my hands from their harsh grip on her hips to cup her ass and then clutch at her back, where I found the low hem. I dug my nails into the skin I found there, and she moaned as she crushed my lips. She raised her leg to wrap around my calf, rubbing up my leg. I groaned as the arousal made my entire groin feel like it was going to shoot straight up into my chest and kill me.
She licked my neck right above my necklace and sucked in a strand of pearls to run through her lips, pulling them away from me as she stared me down.
"Fuck..." I grabbed her jaw to open it; the pearls popped out as I desperately drove my tongue in to take over the job of making her mouth feel good. She squeaked, and it turned into a groan. "Never mind! We can always catch the next one," I said hastily, biting her lip and tasting the lipstick on my tongue as I rubbed over the length of it inside my mouth. My nails found her neck and scratched down.
"We have to support Jesse, love..." she panted.
My best friend was collaborating with a gallery that was focusing heavily on the current refugee crisis, and he had a whole wing to himself.
Ugh...
I'd feel like a dick and a bad friend if I went through with my current impulse to fuck Suzie six ways from Sunday.
"Right... Right... I'll just avoid you all night and not look at you," I huffed out, flexing my fingers over her triceps.
She guffawed and shoved me off of her. I rubbed at my eyes violently and shuddered out a breath.
"You're ridiculous..." she muttered.
Her legs looked even better from behind as she walked away, and I had an image of digging my face in her ass. I shook my head and willed myself to think of how important that night was. It was going to raise millions of dollars towards providing aid.
Think about Jesse.
I finally got a semblance of control and resolved to rock her world later.
I held her creamy coat up for her, and she slid into it. She did the same for me, and we headed off.
----
"Dude! This is amazing! I absolutely love this!"
"Thank you! I'm surprised the gallerist gave me so much leeway to fix how I wanted."
"That's because he knows what a
genius
you are! Where do we go look at the money?"
Jesse pulled up his phone to show me the website for the gallery.
My eyes widened. "Whoa..."
"I know, right? The director of the nonprofit is here somewhere. I'll introduce you two later. But, man, this is going to help so much."
The excited look on his face made my heart swell. He'd grown so much, my Jesse, and I was so proud of what he'd done. I didn't have siblings of my own except for him. We'd clicked as soon as I bumped into him at that club all those years ago, high as a kite.
"Amazing!" I repeated as he finished describing the tour of affected areas he'd be taking a few months hence. I hugged him and commended him for his speech earlier that day.
"Thanks, Mor. I wanted to thank you..." His face screwed up for a second and his jaw tightened.
He couldn't finish, but I knew what he wanted to say. He wanted to thank me for supporting him through all the shit he'd had to go through. His unsupportive dad had thrown money at him, only to his son's detriment. It had only led Jesse further and further into alcohol, drugs, and reckless behavior.
Granted, the drugs had been fun for us for a little while, but then he'd started to spiral, and I had had to intervene. He'd come a long way since then. I admired his wide grin and sparkling eyes. He really did have a beautiful heart.
"I love you, Jess! I'm so proud of you!"
His glittering smile was so sweet.
"Thanks, Mo! I love you too."
We hugged tightly and clapped each other's backs. I managed not to cry. He must have been riding an emotional high, too, but he was all smiles.
We stood next to each other at his favorite sculpture.
"Dude... Suzie's fucking hot today."
I punched him.
"Ow! What?! It's facts!"
"Don't objectify my girlfriend!"
"But her ass, though..."
I punched him again, then laughed at his idiotic humor.
"We should probably go save her. Look, she's talking to the Houstons, and that prick can be a real ass. A wealthy ass, but still..."
We went over and I stood next to her, catching the tail end of Mr. Houston's monologue.
"--well, Clarice and I have been to several benefits this season, and we must say, this is a most wonderful vernissage. I believe I saw Senator Priory admiring one of
your
works, Mr. Morgan."
Jesse acknowledged him amiably, then steered the conversation quite admirably towards the nonprofit's work. I tried to follow along, but Suzie whispered quietly, "Apples."
That was our safe word, and it had never been used outside our bed. I snorted out a laugh, and everyone turned to look at me.
"Sorry! Allergies." I waited until they all went back to their conversation, then took her by the hand, excusing us as we went.
"You're too funny!" I exclaimed as we walked towards a sculpture.
"Ugh! That guy was annoying!" she whispered into my shoulder.
I laughed. "Yes, well, he's also loaded...So, I'm glad you made nice."
"Please! That's what I do for a living. But I did miss you."
I looked at her, and her eyes blazed back. "Me too...We still have to go to dinner though... What if we have a little quickie in the--"
"Mo?"
I turned to see a couple approaching us.
Aw, shit.
"Joey! Hey! Nice to see you!" I smiled a little too hard. I clumsily grasped at Suzie's hand again and she gripped back, digging her nails into the back of my hand.
Joey is my ex.
"I'm sure you remember my girlfriend, Suzie?"
"Hi!" Her smile was tight.
"Hi! Jo-Anna, right?"
"Right, good memory! This is Lara!"
I nodded and smiled at the woman. She was pretty.
"Hi! Great exhibit, right?" she offered, and I grasped desperately at the neutral ground.
"Yes! This is my friend's wing! He's a genius! All the proceeds are going to fund their benefit tour in March."
"Wow! Who's your friend?"
We chatted amicably for some time, and I caught Joey looking at Suzie once in a while. The encounter needed to end quicky, but before I could, fucking
