Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

QUINCY – AGE 31 { RIPLEY – AGE 26}

" I 'm engaged! Ahh!"

My face falls. "To whom?"

I can hear Arizona sigh in disappointment at my question. "To Marc, asshole. My boyfriend. The man I've been dating for over two years."

Ripley and I are in bed. She pinches her eyebrows at my sour expression. I point at the phone and mouth, "It's Arizona."

I put the phone on speaker so she can hear but motion for her to be quiet. She nods.

I grumble, "Oh. How about a long engagement? Maybe ten years or so?"

Ripley's eyes widen and she mouths, "They're engaged?"

I nod.

Arizona barks, "Quincy, cut it out. Marc is a good guy."

"No, he's not. And he's not good enough for you." Actually, he's a pompous asshole, and I can't stand him. There's no way he's not running around on her.

"You don't like him because you know he's sleeping with your sister. He's going to be your brother soon, so snap out of it. We're planning to get married within the year."

I can't pretend to be happy for her. Marc Whittaker is a douchebag. He's a pro baseball player too. I've only met him a handful of times, but I don't like him at all. I certainly don't like the way he treats her. She deserves better.

"Hmm. We'll see. Don't rush into anything. Make sure he's the one."

"Q, I accepted his proposal. I'm sure. I need you to be happy for me."

"I'll try my best. Have you told Ripley yet?"

"No, silly, I called my big brother first. She's my next call."

"Why don't you do that, and we'll chat later?"

"Okay. Talk soon. Love you, shit stain."

I roll my eyes at the never-ending references to that unfortunate incident. "Love you too."

I end the call and look at Ripley in my bed. The sheets are just barely covering her naked breasts. In the morning light, her skin glows bright like an angel. And her hair is so sexy. It's wild, more wild than usual. Likely from the hours and hours we went at it last night.

She bites her lip. "I didn't see this coming, did you?"

I shake my head. "No. I hate him. He's not the right man for her. He doesn't treat her properly."

"Normally I think you're an overprotective ogre when it comes to the men she dates, but this time you're right on the money. I can't believe they're engaged. She was talking about breaking up with him last week. What is she thinking?"

Before I can agree, her phone rings. Ripley reaches for it and nods at me, confirming it's Arizona.

"Put it on speaker."

She accepts the call, places it on speaker, and happily says, "Good morning, babe."

"Rip! I have huge news! Marc proposed! We're getting married! Can you believe it?"

Ripley St. James doesn't have a fake bone in her body. In fact, I'm shocked that she's been able to keep our marriage and sporadic sexual relationship a secret for the past few years.

With enthusiasm I can tell is hard for her to muster, she replies, "Oh wow. Congrats. How did he propose?"

"After he fucked my brains out in bed last night."

My face falls and Ripley giggles. "That sounds…romantic."

"It was spontaneous. He didn't have a ring or anything. I think I'm just so good in bed that he felt compelled to lock me down in the moment. We're ring shopping this week sometime."

I'm sick to my stomach but Ripley has a huge smile. I know it's not from the engagement news, so it's clearly at me having to suffer through this conversation. She looks at me with mischief on her face. "Give me some more details about the sex." She covers her mouth to hold in her laugh.

I narrow my eyes at her.

"Later, I need to give you wedding details first."

Perhaps it's time for me to have a little fun of my own. I quickly pull the sheets down and away from her, exposing her body to me.

Her eyes widen but she doesn't otherwise flinch. Ripley has changed in the past three years. We're only together once or twice a month, but she's no longer shy about her body. She embraces her sexiness. Us showering together in the mornings after spending a night together has become the norm. She walks around naked all the time without a care. I love that I played some small part in making her feel that way.

As Arizona rambles on and on about bridal details, I stop listening, instead focusing on the beautiful woman in the bed. The one I don't have often enough but know I can't be greedy and take any more of it than I do.

I press the button, turning the phone off speakerphone. I don't need to hear my sister when I'm naked with her best friend.

She eyes me warily as I spread and then kneel between her legs.

I bend my head down and circle her taut nipple with my tongue before sucking it into my mouth.

Her eyes flutter as she attempts to remain present in her conversation.

I slide my fingers down to find her nice and wet. Ripley is always turned on. I love taking my time to get her ready for me, but I don't need to. The woman is permanently horny, ready, and willing.

I slip two fingers inside her as I increase the suction on her nipple.

She moans, "Yes."

Even with the phone off speaker, I hear Arizona squeal. "Yay. You're officially my maid of honor."

Ripley's back arches as she manages, " Umm hmm."

She pushes my head down her body until my mouth is exactly where she wants it. I pull my fingers out and slide my tongue inside her.

I hear Arizona talking, but I can't make out her words.

Ripley replies, "Yes, I'm seeing someone casually. That's all I'm interested in. Just a random Barney." She makes eye contact with me. "He's really good in bed. I'm using him for that. It's not like I'm going to marry the guy."

She gives me a cheeky smile.

"Yep, his dick is huge. It's so freaking long. He fucks me deep. I'm learning that I need that. Really need that. So I'll stay with him until I find someone with a bigger, longer dick."

Her chest shakes as she attempts to contain her giggles, loving to fuck with me.

She's going to pay for that comment though.

I slide up her body until just my tip breaches her entrance. She reaches over for a condom, but I shake my head and mouth, "Just the tip," as I move it in and out of her over and over again.

"Great. Let's talk about the bridal shower details tomorrow. I have to take care of something right now. I'll call you then."

She ends the call and throws her phone across the bed. "Get a condom on and fuck me deep."

I lift my eyebrow. "Until someone who can fuck you deeper comes along?"

"Exactly."

"You know, scientifically speaking, most women's g-spots are very shallow. You might enjoy a little tip action. "

I continue to move my tip in and out of her, loving the feeling of being bare inside her, something I've certainly never considered with anyone else. She gives me an unimpressed look. " This woman's g-spot isn't shallow. It's very deep. Mariana Trench deep."

I chuckle. "The deepest trench in the ocean? That's what you're comparing yourself to?"

She smiles. "Yep. Now get that condom on and find my Mariana Trench."

"Hmm. Did you know that I was a marine biology major before I left college?"

She bites her lip as she nods. Of course she knows. She's so smart. This woman misses nothing.

"I'm very well versed on the ocean, and I'm feeling a bit like Jacques Cousteau right now. I need to do some investigative exploring before my long submarine can enter these deep , wet waters. Trenches are dangerous, especially one as deep as the Mariana Trench."

She giggles as she widens her legs. "Explore away, Mr. Cousteau."

I start with two fingers and slide them in. "We're entering at the sunlight zone. You might know it as the continental shelf. It's the warmest part of the ocean, but I would argue that for your trench, it only gets warmer as we get deeper. It's what makes you a wonder of the world."

Her face lights up, enjoying this little game.

I add a third finger and push in a drop deeper. "And now we hit the twilight zone. There's little to no sunlight here."

Her hips start to gyrate. She breathes, "More. Give me more. "

A fourth finger enters her, and I push just a little deeper. She moans loudly.

"Now we're getting close to the abyss. It's very dark here. We're below the Titanic , Shortcake."

Her eyes flutter. "Oh god, Quincy. So good. Keep going."

With some maneuvering, I'm able to get my whole hand inside her. I pump her hard and deep. "Ahh. We've arrived at our final destination. Mr. Cousteau finally gets to his target where he's now laid claim to the deepest part of the St. James Trench, my personal favorite. Very few things can live here, but I sure want to."

I pump her ferociously. She's writhing and screaming my name. Every inch of her flushes. Her toes start to curl, her tell that she's about to come. One of many tells. She's so responsive to me.

I thrust my hand in and out as fast as I can. The bed is smacking against the wall. She's gripping the sheets, enjoying the hard ride. I pound and pound until she yells out into her orgasm, her body squeezing my fist like I'll never get it back out again.

As she begins to come down from the high, she lifts her head and looks at my hand buried in her. "Holy shit. You really did get the whole thing in there."

"I'm an excellent marine biologist." I pull my hand out and lather my cock with her juices, giving it several long pumps. "Now it's time for some missile submarine exploration."

She grabs the condom and pushes me until I'm lying down. Crawling over me, she says, "I think I'd like to control this submarine expedition. I don't want him going rogue."

I happily let her take the reins. She rolls the condom on, positions me at her entrance, and sinks down onto me.

I suck in a breath. "Fuck, Shortcake. That feels good. These are my favorite waters to explore."

She smiles as her nipples rub against my chest. I do love the feeling of her soft body on my hard one.

She starts off with slow, purposeful movements, but quickly begins bouncing ferociously on top of me. Ripley hated being on top when we first started having sex, but now she loves it. As much as I like to control things in the bedroom, I get off on seeing her like this. Powerful, confident, taking charge.

I watch her full tits bounce up and down as she takes what she needs from me, grinding her clit on me every time she comes down.

"Play with your perfect tits."

Without hesitation, she listens as she continues to ride me. I love the sight of her squeezing her own sensitive nipples. It's so hot.

As her orgasm approaches, her movements become more erratic. I sit up and grab her ass to take control, thrusting deep inside her where she likes it.

She wraps her arms around my shoulders and joins her lips to mine. Her tongue is everywhere, doing some deep-sea exploring of its own.

I love her kisses. I crave them. They're so heartfelt. It's like she can't taste enough of me.

I feel her walls constrict around me. "Your pussy is milking me."

She throws her head back.

"Ah, Quincy."

"That's right. Be loud. Show me what my cock does to you. "

Keeping one hand on her ass, I reach the other up to her throat and give it a squeeze. As soon as I do, her eyes flutter.

I can feel her coming, so I begin to let go and give into my own pleasure.

Just as we're both reaching that peak, she sinks her face into my neck and mumbles, "I love you," as we both moan into our respective orgasms.

For a few long awkward moments, there are no sounds but our heavy breathing.

Her face is still buried in my neck, our sweaty chests stuck together. I start to pull away, but she tightens her hold on me and whispers, "I know what this means. Let me have one more minute."

I keep my arms wrapped around her and pretend for the entire sixty seconds that I'm a normal man and am capable of giving her normal things. That a woman like Ripley St. James telling me she loves me is the best day of my life, not the beginning of the end.

I take deep breaths to inhale her scent, knowing I likely won't get to do it again.

When we eventually pull away, I see that her face is covered in tears. "I didn't mean to say it, but I can't lie and tell you that I don't mean it." She nervously licks her lips. "I'm in love with you, Quincy. I won't pretend otherwise anymore."

I pull away from her. I can't say this while her body is touching mine. While I'm still inside her.

I place her on the bed, stand, and run my fingers through my hair. "Why couldn't you leave it be? We had a good thing going."

She pulls her knees to her chest and looks up at me with sad eyes. "Because I want more. I love you. I can't be with anyone else because of my feelings for you. I don't want to. Why can't we just be together? For real."

"Because we don't want the same things in life. I was never unclear on this arrangement, Ripley."

She slowly nods. "I know, but I suppose I was hoping you loved me too, and that it would change things for you." She swallows. "I see that it hasn't."

"If we can just go back—"

She shakes her head and takes a deep breath. "No, we can't. I'm happy this happened. Maybe it will help me finally break free. I can't keep doing this to myself. I've spent more than three years being your dial-a-fuck and nothing more. You go out and do god knows what with all these women, while I can't bring myself to go near another man. It makes me sick to my stomach to have to pretend like I don't love you. It makes me sick to my stomach to lie to my best friend. I need to love you in the open or not at all. I need you to love me back or let me go."

Opening and closing my mouth a few times, I start to feel tears well in my eyes as I whisper, "I'm so sorry."

Her chin sinks to her chest. "Are you embarrassed to be seen with me? Is that what this is? Handsome, perfect, superstar Quincy Abbott, who can have any woman he wants, saddled with an overweight, mediocre woman."

My heart sinks. "Is that really what you think?"

She stands and wraps herself in a robe before gathering my clothes from the floor. Handing them to me, she croaks out, "It's what I know. I need you to leave. I need you to stop calling me every few weeks when you need someone to fall into bed with her legs wide open for you. Obviously you'll always be in my life to some extent. I love Arizona too much to walk away from you completely, but we'll be cordial when we need to be, nothing more." She steels her shoulders, being the strong woman I know her to be. "Let me go. It's time."

"Short—"

"Don't call me that. It's special to me. It's our secret name, but now it's tainted, and I can't hear it again. You only call me that in private because you won't love me in public." She begins to walk into her bathroom. "Goodbye, Quincy. Don't be here when I come back out. Lose my number."

She closes the bathroom door behind her. My heart fucking hurts, which is exactly how I know she's right. It's time to end this.

I hear her sobbing behind the door. Desperate to go to her, but knowing it's a mistake, I get dressed and walk out of her life.