The Bird and the Worm

“Do I pass the food test?” he questioned, eyeing me as I carefully chewed the lobster meat that he’d dipped in garlic butter and then grilled in some twisted way. The flavor was amazing, and there was something in the meat that I just couldn’t put my finger on. “Or is it an epic fail and you want to break up with me right now?”

I smiled slightly and swallowed. “Definite pass.”

He flashed a perfect smile. “Do I get a treat?”

I raised an eyebrow at him. “Yeah, sure. Come here.” He leaned forward, his lips inches from mine, and smiled. “Close your eyes.” He obeyed, and I touched a couple fingers to his bottom lip, giving a light tug. He figured that one out on his own; his lips separated, and I gave his bottom lip a gentle kiss before sliding a bite of his lobster creation into his mouth. “Now you try.”

His eyes opened, and there was a soft gleam in them that seemed to consist of more than one emotion as he leaned back, chewing slowly on the food he’d made, trying to figure out what it tasted like.

At that moment, I could see myself marrying Brian- this seemed like something a husband and wife would do. But that fantasy only lasted for a few more moments, because by that time, Brian had swallowed the lobster and his lips were attached to mine. His kiss was smug, and I smiled against his lips, placing my hand on his face, running my thumb along his skin as he kissed me again.

“Again with that Angelina Jolie eye thing…” he murmured, stroking my face, staring into my eyes.

I raised an eyebrow. “Angelina Jolie eye thing?”

“Yeah. You’ve never seen Mr. and Mrs. Smith?” I scoffed. I so had. “There’s this thing that she does with her eyes in this one scene at the dinner table, and you’ve done it like three times today.” He looked like he’d been inconvenienced, and I drew back.

“Do you want me to stop?” He shook his head. “Then why do you look so tortured about it?” There was a hint of playfulness to the atmosphere now. I opened my mouth slightly as my train of thought collided with his, and then I shut it again with a small smirk. “You like it, don’t you?” I finally said, and he averted his gaze. “The big, bad Brian Haner has a weak spot for sexy eye tricks….” I sighed. “Whatever will I do with you?”

“You could pretend you were Angelina Jolie for a minute.” Thank goodness I’d finished my food. There was a sly smile on his lips, and I was already in his lap by the time his arms had reached out to pull me down to him. “That wouldn’t be absolutely terrible, would it?” I shook my head, running my hands down his face, and he let his fingertips toy with the exposed skin of my torso. “Would be a shame to have this outfit and not use it for anything…” I raised an eyebrow.

“What would you do to me if I were Angelina Jolie?” I questioned, my arms smoothly sliding around his neck now.

He pretended to be confused. “I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about, Heather Byrd,” he countered, copying my smirk exactly. “For a minute, I thought you said something ridiculously sexual, but that just can’t be true...”

I touched a single finger to his lips, smiling subtly. “Show me."

He smiled slightly, still pretending to be confused about my motives. I had to admit…I wanted to get something out of this outfit, too, and I was tired of being the clean one in this relationship. I wanted to have a dirty moment with Brian, so I figured now was the time, since I was in blood red lingerie and he was utterly vulnerable to the effects that skimpy clothing had on him. He didn’t seem to be willing to make the first move, so I did.
I leaned forward and took his bottom lip between my teeth, sucking slightly and running my tongue along it, feeling his fingers curl against my body and figuring that this was a good thing, since I was technically experimenting- I’d never done anything like this to a man in my entire life.

He groaned softly into my almost-kiss, and I drew away. “You ready to show me?” I asked in a breathy whisper, going for a seductive purr but settling for what I could- after all, I knew I wasn’t capable of the silky purr that Brian could concoct and use against me. He nodded, and I kissed his upper lip in response, tightening my grip on his neck ever so slightly, ready for anything. If I was experimenting, then Brian was plotting beyond my imagination, which meant it was going tofeel be good. “I’m ready,” I whispered, and he rose from his chair, and I wrapped my legs around his waist so that I wouldn’t fall, feeling a small shiver of excitement as I realized this was completely new to me- which produced a thrill of its own as Brian’s lips met mine.

But that was nothing compared to what I felt when my body was pressed against a random wall, my back arching against the painted plaster.

My fingers curled against his neck, and the fingers that had played countless solos on the luckiest guitars on the planet slipped along my skin, barely grazing the bra that was part of the present he’d given me, his smooth lips pulling apart and his warm tongue brushing along my bottom lip. Anyone would have whimpered the way I did- eliciting a casual smirk from the man that currently held me against the living room wall and another smoothly planned kiss. “Is that it?” I breathed, staring into his eyes, sliding my fingers into his shaggy black hair, an odd smile on my lips. “I mean, it’s impressive, to be sure, but Brian. I thought you had more than that.”

“Say my name again,” he said huskily, and his impossibly beautiful features concentrated on hypnotizing me. I should have told him that there was no need for the extra effort- if I’d shared his bed with him last night and I’d moved in with him, I was already under his utterly delicious spell- but I simply raised an eyebrow.

I was ready for whatever effect my voice had upon him. I leaned forward, tugging at his earlobe for a short second, and then I whispered, “Brian.”

He shivered against me, very slightly, but I felt it. “I love you, Heather,” he said, and I smiled as I kissed the side of his neck. His arms slid around my torso, and all of a sudden, there was no longer the sensation of cool plaster pressing into my back.

I flashed a smile at him. “I can’t believe that’s all you would do to me if I were Angelina Jolie,” I teased, and he chuckled, kissing me softly and carrying me over to the couch. “I mean, if you were Angelina Jolie, I would have done much more than that.” As he settled onto the couch, I adjusted in his arms, trying to make it comfortable for the both of us.

His interest was piqued. “Like…?”

“Well I certainly can’t show you. You are a man, after all.”

He licked his lips for a moment, and I could bet that for that one moment, he was thinking about why he’d agreed to be in a relationship with someone like me. How he’d allowed himself to be my boyfriend, I wasn’t sure, but his smile was so amazing…

“So do I ever get to see more of this place than the living room, the kitchen, and the bedroom?”

“Not yet.” He touched my face. “You had your time on the bus.” He was right- he’d given me everything I wanted to ask from him, and I owed him for those three days. He’d pretended to be engaged to me, for crying out loud… “It’s my turn.”

I quirked a smile. “And what would you like first, dear sir?” I questioned, shifting a little in his lap, trying to imitate the eye thing I’d done earlier. I could see that it had the same effect upon him, and that was more satisfying than it should have been. I pressed my lips to his, and then I added, “I’ll give you anything, you know.”

“I want you.”

Our lips met again, and there was only the sound of our ragged breathing and the sounds involved with the kind of kissing we’d become engaged in for a few minutes. I knew there was something I should say- hell, it was on the tip of my tongue- but this was just too easy to allow domination of my conscious thought. The way his lips pushed slightly against mine was a new sensation, at least it felt like it, and when they parted and the tip of my tongue touched his, I knew.

I wanted to show him that I wasn’t a shy college girl with no sex drive.

He murmured something, but I couldn’t understand a word of it. I pulled back, but Brian wasn’t having any of that. It didn’t matter what he’d said, apparently. Assuming it was an ‘I love you’, I carried on, and I ended up on my back on Brian Haner’s couch, clad in skimpy lingerie and with my lips attached to his.

I love you, Brian. His hand slipped beneath my panties, and I gasped as his hand met a very important part of my body. He knew the sound, though, so he didn’t seem fazed by it. Have everything. I’m yours. He unsnapped the garter, pushing the stockings down and pulling them from my feet.

“Pity those only lasted through lunch,” he murmured, but I touched a finger to his lips, silencing him. He simply smiled, picking my hands up and placing them on his belt, watching my eyes.

“And you’re going to smell funny after this,” I countered, and he laughed, a truly beautiful sound, leaning forward and letting his mouth wander along my jaw line as I fumbled with his belt buckle and his jeans, which wasn’t so easy, considering the position we were in. And this couch will never be the same… I pushed his pants down his powerful legs, and his sensitive lips found my collarbone.

This time, it wasn’t going to be just about sex. This time, it was going to mean something.
At least, it would have if the doorbell hadn’t interrupted the best kiss Brian had ever given me.

He gave an apologetic smile, and then he climbed off the couch, pulling his jeans back on and nodding nervously towards the stairs. I understood. I dashed upstairs, into his- our- bedroom, pulled on the nearest shirt (which just happened to be his) and a pair of pajama pants, and was back downstairs in less than three minutes. There was a slight hint of makeup on my face, but thank goodness I hadn’t put more than this on, because this at least seemed natural.

When I walked to Brian’s side, I slid my arm around his waist, kissing his shoulder before glancing up at our visitor.

Jimmy’s smile immediately grew, and his eyes flashed over to mine. I smiled as Brian’s arm tugged me to his waist, and then I glanced up at Brian, who winked at me.

“Heather, love, Jimmy’s here to keep you company while I go out to finish some things up.” I nodded slowly, my gaze switching from between Brian and Jimmy a few times. “I won’t be long.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.” To seal the deal, he leaned down and gave me a short kiss, smiling when he pulled back. “Now let the man inside.” His arm slipped from around my shoulders, and I blew him a kiss as he walked towards his car.

“I love you, Brian,” I called after him, and he turned around, grinning.

“I love you too.”

I sighed, watching him walk away for a moment, and then I glanced at Jimmy, who had been stuck on the front steps the entire time. “Come on in, Jimmy, there should be some lunch left, and I’m wondering how you’ll react to this movie…” He flashed a smile and then walked inside. I looked past his shoulders, seeing Brian’s car pull out of the driveway, and then I followed him in, closing the door behind me.