Better Than Me

Riley's eyes opened involuntarily. Squinting against the sunlight that streamed through the blinds, she checked the alarm clock on the nightstand. It was ten-fifteen a.m.

Yawning, Riley stretched languidly and rolled over, a smile on her face. The smile slowly faded as she found the bed empty. She sat up and raked her fingers through her tousled hair. “Andy?”

There was no response.

Riley threw back the blankets and got to her feet. She found one of Andy’s shirts and pulled it on. “Morning, Ghoul.” She rubbed her cat’s ears as she passed on the way to the door.

She padded out into the hallway. “Andy!?”

Still no answer.

She descended the stairs and checked the kitchen and the living room. It was on her way to the laundry room (though she didn’t really expect to find Andy there) that she heard it: the sound of water running in the downstairs bathroom.

She entered the laundry room, to which, for some reason, the downstairs bathroom was connected. Joker, Andy’s solid black Pomeranian, was sitting outside the bathroom door. This was a sure sign that Andy was indeed in the room.

“Hi, Joker.” Riley nudged the puppy out of the way with her foot and opened the bathroom door, slipping in quickly and closing the door before Joker could follow. “Andy.” She slid back the shower curtain to reveal Andy, water sluicing over his pale, slender body. For a split second, she was distracted, as she always was, by his perfection. Then he looked up and that gorgeous smile lit his features, drawing her eyes to his face.

“Good morning.” He studied her face. “What’s wrong, baby?”

“I thought you had left already.”

“Aw, Riley, I’d never leave without saying goodbye. I just came down here to take my shower so I wouldn’t wake you.”

Riley nodded, hugging herself.

“Rile…please don’t give me that look.”

“What look?”

“The look that always makes me hate leaving even more than I already do.”

Riley managed a small smile. “Sorry. I just…I hate it when you go. And this time, it's a full tour.”

“You know I’d stay if I could.”

“I know.” Riley sighed.

“C’mere.” Andy tugged her forward and she stepped into the shower. He leaned down, kissing her deeply, hugging her against him. She ran her hands up his bare back, to his shoulders.

“What are you wearing under that shirt?” he asked softly, drawing back slightly and eyeing the wet tee-shirt clinging to her slender body.

She gave him a mischievous smile. “Nothing.”

Andy slowly peeled her shirt off and let his hands wander to all of his favorite places on her. Despite the warmth of the water, she shivered. He nuzzled her neck, one of his hands parting her thighs. She whimpered when his long, skillful fingers began caressing her gently.

“Andy…” She cupped his face in her hands and shoved her lips against his, her tongue exploring his mouth while his fingers slid in and out of her, coaxing her towards release. Hands tangled in his black hair, she moaned into his mouth. “Andy, God…” She caught his wrist and broke the kiss so she could look into his beautiful blue eyes. “Fuck me. Please.”

His eyes went dark with desire. His hands went to her waist and he turned her away from him. She planted her hands against the tile. His body blanketed hers, fitting perfectly. He drove himself into her, kissing the tattoo on her shoulder blade (the Black Veil Brides emblem). She made a sound deep in her throat. His fingers dug into her skin, holding her still as he pounded into her relentlessly.

“Andy…harder. Hurt me.”

“My pleasure.” He pulled out, spun her around, and thrust deeply into her. He was big and still had to work a bit to get himself all the way in. His cock bumped her cervix and she screamed. Lifting her for better access, he picked up the pace. Her body adjusted to his size faster than it used to when she begged for this kind of sex, making his job easier.

Simultaneously, they reached their peaks. Andy let out a noise that was somewhere between a snarl and a groan; Riley cried out Andy’s name. On the other side of the door, Joker started barking.

Andy set Riley down and shut off the water, which was now running cold. He grabbed a thick, fluffy purple towel and wrapped it around her. She stretched up and pecked him on the lips. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” He ruffled her dripping hair affectionately before securing a towel around his waist.

“Want some breakfast?” Riley asked.

“Nah. We’ll pick up something. I just want to do this.” He wrapped his arms around her. She rested her head against his bare chest and he rubbed her back. “This tour isn't gonna be that long, ya know.”

“I don’t care,” she mumbled. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

He hugged her more tightly and she pressed her lips to his chest. They both looked up at the sound of Joker scratching on the door. Andy grinned. “I think one of the children needs us.”

“He’s just hungry. He can wait.”

Andy laughed. “And that’s why we’re never having kids. You’d let the damn things starve.”

Riley rolled her eyes. “I would not!”

Andy kissed the tip of her nose. “It’s okay. It’s just one of the things that makes you, you.”

“Yeah, well.”

Joker barked loudly, impatiently.

“He wants you to feed him,” Riley commented.

“Why do you say that?”

“He likes you more.”

“He does not.”

“Yes, he does. He’s your dog.”

“He’s a dog. He doesn’t give a damn who feeds him as long as he gets fed. Not like that cat of yours. That little shit is Satan.”

Riley giggled. “No, he’s not. He’s perfectly sweet when you don’t kick him out of bed every night.”

“Oh, come on! I only did that twice and it was only because it’s fucking weird to have a cat watch us have sex. They don’t blink.”

“At least Ghoul doesn’t try to get involved, like Joker did that time.”

Andy chuckled. “Joker thought we were playing a game.”

Suddenly, there was a knock on the front door. Joker’s barks grew distant as he ran for the front of the house.

“That’ll be the guys,” Andy said.

“No.”

“Babe, I’ve gotta get dressed.”

Tears stung Riley’s eyes.

“Rile.” Andy caught her chin between his thumb and forefinger. “Please, don’t do this.”

She sniffled. “Sorry.”

He kissed her and left the bathroom. Riley trudged out to the laundry room, dug some jeans and a tee out of the dryer, and put them on. By this time, someone was tapping the beat to Marilyn Manson’s “The Beautiful People” on the door. Riley knew without a doubt that it was Christian Coma, Black Veil Brides' drummer.

“CC!” she yelled, walking to the door. “Stop!”

“I’m taking requests!” he called back. “Anything you want to hear?”

Riley jerked open the door. “I want to hear that the tour is canceled.”

Jake Pitts, one of the Brides' guitarists, gave her a sympathetic look. “Sorry, Riley, no can do.”

She sighed. “I know.” She stepped back to let the guys file inside. Jake and bassist Ashley Purdy both kissed her on the cheek as they passed her. “You guys want anything to eat?”

“No, but some coffee would be nice,” Jeremy Ferguson, the second guitarist, replied.

Riley headed for the kitchen and Andy’s four band mates followed her. Ashley had to pick Joker up because he wouldn’t quit getting under his feet and making him stumble.

“Help yourself.” Riley gestured at the coffee pot on the counter next to the microwave. She fixed herself a glass of orange juice and hopped up on the counter, watching Jeremy bustle around the kitchen.

Andy came in while Jeremy was making coffee. “Jinxx, you’re so pathetic.”

“No, he’s not,” Riley protested.

“He’s making coffee. That’s--”

“What?” Riley cut in. “A woman’s work?”

Andy approached her and gave her hot pink and dark purple hair a playful tug. “You know I don’t think that.” He kissed her on the mouth, then took her orange juice. He situated himself on the counter beside her.

“Here, Andy! Take your damn dog!” Ashley exclaimed, holding Joker, who was whining and squirming in Andy’s direction, out to Andy.

“Aww.” Andy handed Riley her orange juice and accepted Joker.

Ghoul slunk into the room. He stayed pressed to the wall until he was adjacent to Christian; he ventured out to wind himself around Christian’s legs.

“I don’t get it,” Andy said. “How come Satan cat likes CC?”

“I don’t kick him out of bed,” Christian retorted, scooping Ghoul into his arms.

Andy looked at Riley. “You told them about that?”

“She told the girls,” Jake said.

“You know I don’t keep secrets from my harlots,” Riley defended herself, resting her head on Andy’s shoulder.

“Anybody else want some coffee?” Jeremy inquired of the room at large.

“I’ll take some,” Ashley said.

“Me, too,” Christian said. “If you have creamer.”

Riley sipped her orange juice. “CC, not only do we have creamer, we have hazelnut and French vanilla.”

“And you say she doesn’t have the maternal instinct,” Christian remarked to Andy.

Riley swatted at Andy. “You said that? I take care of you, don’t I?”

“Yeah, but it evens out ‘cause I take care of you, too.” Andy’s voice was husky.

Jake covered his ears. “We don’t want to hear about your sexual escapades.”

“Oops!” Riley giggled. “Sorry, Jake.”

“I like when Andy brings up their sex life,” Christian said. “It gives me an excuse to think about Riley naked and Andy can’t get mad because he started it.”

Riley arched an eyebrow. “CC, you’re about stupid. Why the hell would you want to think about me naked when you have Cori?”

Christian lifted a shoulder. “I love naked girls and you’re hot.”

Andy’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Christian, shut up, please.”

“I think I should leave the room,” Riley commented.

“Why?”

“Well, to be completely honest, it makes me a little uncomfortable to know that your four best friends are in my kitchen, thinking about me naked.”

“Hey!” Jake tried to look offended. “I’m not--” he broke off at the disbelieving looks from Ashley, Jeremy, Christian, and Andy. “Okay, I totally am. Sorry, Riley.”

“I’m so telling on y’all to the girls.”

“They know you’re hot,” Jeremy said. “They can’t blame us.”

“You forget how irrational girls can be,” Jake said. “They think Riley is hot, but they might be pissed at us for thinking about her that way.”

“Uh, that could be because I’m their friend.”

“And my girlfriend,” Andy added.

“So?” Christian frowned. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“It’s disrespectful to check out one of your girlfriend’s friends,” Riley explained.

A sly smirk curved Ashley’s lips. “How often do you get in trouble for this, Andy?”

“Never,” Andy answered.

Jeremy snorted. “Bullshit.”

“He doesn’t,” Riley confirmed. “I have trained him well.”

“Riley,” Andy said warningly. Riley flashed her sweetest smile and pushed her mouth against his.

“Guys, as much as I hate to break up this little party, it’s time to go,” Ashley announced.

Andy slid off the counter. Jeremy and Christian quickly finished their coffee; Ashley dumped his mostly untouched mug down the sink.

Riley trailed after them to the front door, where each guy hugged her in turn. Andy was last. “Don’t cry. Please, don’t cry.”

Riley sniffled. “I’m not crying.”

Andy brushed his lips across hers. “We have a show in San Diego in a week, okay?”

Riley nodded.

“I love you, Riley.”

“I love you, too, Andy.”

He kissed her again, this time with much more heat and passion, and then he was gone, a final wave before he climbed into Jeremy's black Dodge Charger. Riley stood in the doorway until the vehicle was out of sight, shut the door, and let the tears fall.