Chapter Four

Gabe

Mira sits across the room under the light of the window. The space heater spills down over her shoulders and her jacket is unzipping more and more by the second. I wish I could sneak over and crank it up so she’d finish taking it off, but there might be other ways to get her comfortable.

I stare down at my cell phone and consider the predicament I’m in, though not for long as another buzz comes in to distract me.

Mira: Looks like I’m stuck here.

Me: That sucks. Stay with me. I’m bored right now, too.

Mira: Whatcha doing? It’s crazy you’re from Rugged Mountain! You get the day off?

Me: Nah, but it’s slow. I’ve been thinking a lot about what we talked about last night.

Mira: What about?

Me: You were talking about love, and what you wanted for the future. I know I said I didn’t want kids, but if that’s something you really want, I could get on board.

I glance toward Mira, my stomach tight with guilt. If she knew I were the Wolverine, I’d bet she’d drop me in a second. But here, in this space between real life and fantasy, we’re making things work, and I don’t want it to end… at least not yet. Maybe not ever. Maybe if I can’t have her in real life, I’ll have her here. Pieces of her, anyway. Moments with her thoughts, her words, her heart… something to hold on to.

Mira: I wouldn’t want you to have kids for me. I want you to want them because you want a family. It’s too much responsibility to put on someone who isn’t fully invested, ya know?

Me: That’s the thing. I never thought I was until I met you. Now, I think about you and me in a little farmhouse on the mountain, raising a couple of kids and trying not to mess ‘em up.

Mira: Isn’t messing them up the fun part? Where will they get their personalities from?

Me: LOL. I guess that’s true.

Mira: I think they say that about good comedians. They’ve all had some kind of messed up childhood. So… I guess if we want the kids to be funny, we’ve got to do what we’ve gotta do.

Me: That sounds like a solid plan. When should we get started?

Mira: Immediately.

Me: I like the way you think. You staying warm enough? I’d bet that barn is pretty chilly.

Mira: There’s a space heater on in here but it’s not working as well as you’d think. Maybe the barn is too big.

I glance toward her as the light from the window shifts to illuminate her chest. I want to offer my coat, make notice of the comment she’s just made, do something to help her feel warmer, but that would be weird and suspicious. Right now, she doesn’t suspect a thing. If I run over and fix the heat lamp the moment she texts about it, that’ll raise some flags.

Me: If I were there, I’d keep you warm.

She smiles, the light from the phone illuminating her face.

Mira: Yeah? How so?

My cock throbs against the zipper of my jeans.

Me: I’d pull you against my chest, rub your back, and maybe I’d whisper dirty things in your ear. That always heats things up.

Mira grins wider… thankfully, I wasn’t sure how she’d take that one. We’ve been talking online for months but I haven’t gotten sexual yet, mostly because I didn’t want to scare her away.

Mira: Yeah? What kind of dirty things?

Shit! I don’t know if we’re crossing a line now or not. I should tell her that it’s me messaging her. That it’s me who’s in love with her. Deep down, I know this, but reality isn’t that easy to contend with these days. If I tell her that I’m the Wolverine, she’s going to leave. I don’t want that. I need to keep her close.

Me: Do you ever fantasize about me?

She grins wider and types. She likes this. She wants this kind of relationship. She wants this kind of guy.

Mira: I do. They’re pretty filthy, though. It would probably be borderline torture to tell you about them while I sit in a room being babysat.

She glares up at me with frustration. Why am I jealous of myself?

Me: You want to warm up, right?

Mira: Yeah

Me: So, tell me what you think about.

Biting back a grin, she types furiously, pushing her hair back away from her face as she works. The minutes pass, and though I’m a sick fuck for everything I’ve done, I can’t wait to see what she says in response.

Mira: All my fantasies are about domination. Are you into that?

Fuck! What I wouldn’t give to push her up against a wall and make her beg me to eat that pretty, little pussy.

Me: Yeah. I love that. I bet you’d look good on your knees for me.

She unzips her coat and giggles, glancing up at me before sending off another message.

Mira: What kinds of things would I be doing on my knees?

Shit! I brush my arm inadvertently against my hard cock and unbutton the top three buttons of my flannel.

Me: First, I’d want your pretty, little lips on my cock. Then, I’d want you looking up at me with my come dripping off your lips.

Fucking hell! I’m not going to make it. The actual thought of coming in her warm, little mouth has my tip dripping with excitement.

Mira takes off her coat and stares at me before glancing down again. Her breasts are full and her hard, pebbled nipples are raised and begging.

Mira: I’d like that. Then what?

Me: Then, I’d take you off your knees, lean you back, and make you beg to finish.

She squeezes her thighs together and drags in a deep breath, feathering her delicate hand through her hair.

Mira: Umm… I better stop or I won’t make it out of here alive.

Me: You sure? You don’t want to talk about how good it would feel to bend over and take my cock like a good girl?

Mira: Who are you, for real?

The question drives a thundering wave of guilt through me. What am I doing? I’m not only lying to Chevy, I’m lying to Mira too.

Me: You’d be upset if you knew.

I glance toward Mira, wondering if she’s catching on to what’s happening. This wasn’t meant to go so far. I just wanted to be close to her in any way possible. I just wanted to know her. I’d hoped by the time it did, she’d be so in love with Wolverine that she wouldn’t care that he was me. I’m not sure that’s the case yet.

Fuck! This was a mistake!

Mira: Why would I be upset?

I hover over my phone, scanning my brain for rational choices. There are none. I’m in way too deep.

I mean, I could tell her right now that Wolverine is me. I could set up a meeting and reveal myself to her then. It’s that or I could talk to Chevy and get his blessing before I do anything.

I’m not sure if I’m buying time or if I believe it to be true, but I decide to talk to Chevy first. I can keep this going with Mira as is, and after Christmas, I’ll tell her the truth about everything with Chevy’s blessing.

My heart pounds as I stare down at the screen, then toward Mira. She holds her phone anxiously waiting for a reply.

Fuck. She’s been hurt so many times by these internet assholes. I can’t have it happen to her again.

Me: We should talk… in person.

My heart slams against my chest and my throat goes dry the second I send off the message. I don’t want to look toward Mira right away, but when I do, she’s looking straight back at me.