“I care. Obviously. ‘I want to…’ means you’re taking responsibility for your own actions. ‘I want you to…’ is putting the burden on me.”
“Oh, and it’s such a burden,” she said sarcastically.
I stared at her until she backed down. “It is a burden,” I said. “Maybe not much, but it adds up. It was one of the reasons I broke up with Kendall.”
“Lucky for me,” she said. Then she thought it through. “Um… maybe not. The same thing might happen with us.”
“Right,” I said heavily. “Kendall never took responsibility. She did in lots of other ways, but never about sex. She put the burden on me instead. And it bugged the hell out of me toward the end. It was more complicated than that, but it made me furious, like I was in charge of her happiness.”
“So… all I have to do is say things differently?” Christy said. “No, it can’t be that simple.” She frowned in concentration. “I… think I understand. I say things the way I do because I feel guilty about what I want.”
“Bingo.”
“The problem is, I don’t even realize what I’m doing. I mean… it’s just the way I am.”
“I know. And you can’t change overnight. But I notice little things like how you ask. And just so you know, I don’t mind taking charge and ‘making’
you do things. I have a dominant personality—”
“You can say that again.”
“—but I don’t want you to feel guilty about anything I ‘make’ you do.”
“Neither do I. But…”
“It’s just the way you are.”
She nodded.
“For now,” I continued. “I get it. But a mindset is like anything else—you can learn it.”
“Like discipline and determination.”
“Mmm hmm.”
“So you want me to learn… what? How to be like you?”
“Oh, God no! I’m a huge mess of doubts and insecurities.”
“Coulda fooled me,” she said with a grin.
“Well, not about sex. I know what I want and I’m going to get it.”
She arched an eyebrow. “Oh? And what’s that?”
“You… on your back… legs spread… crying out as I fuck you.”
“Oh my gosh!”
“Or, even better! On your knees… sucking my cock… begging for more.”
“My mother taught me not to speak with my mouth full.”
“Ha! Okay. Then we’ll have to find a way for you to beg with your mouth full.”
“Maybe with my eyes?” She showed me.
“Works for me.”
“Awesome! I’ll practice.”
“Perfect. How about now? Are you ready to ask?”
Her face fell.
“It’s okay,” I said. “One step at a time. You have to understand the problem before you can fix it.”
“Speaking of problems,” she said. “Would you stop calling it a
‘problem’? It’s the way I am, and I can’t help it. Where I come from, it’s called being a proper young lady.”
“Sorry. You’re right. How’s this… You have to understand your goal before you can work toward it.”
“Much better.”
“Good. Now…” I did my best to stifle a yawn. “Our current goal should probably be sleep. It’s after four.”
She nodded.
“I’m glad you came to my room,” I said. “I know better than to go to bed angry, but I didn’t know what to say to you.”
“I didn’t know either, and I felt so bad about how I behaved.”
“Me too. I should’ve handled it better.”
“No, you handled it just fine.” She caressed my face. “I had to come to my senses.”
“We both did.”
We fell silent and I decided to kiss her.
She smiled up at me after. “Mmm… this is the first time we’re sleeping together at home.”
“The first of many, I hope.”
“Me too.”
“So, are you ready for sleep?”
“I think so.”
“Sounds good. Roll on your side.” She did, and I scooted close. My semi-hard cock nestled her ass as I cradled her body with mine.
“Mmm, I like this. I like you. And I especially like him.” She wiggled her butt to prove it.
“This is perfect for late-night sex.”
“Mmm, I’d like that. But! Only when I’m ready.”
“It’s a deal.”
“In the meantime…”
“Sweet dreams,” I said.
“Of your penis. And the rest of you.” She pulled my hand to her bare breast.
“I’m glad you like being a nudist.”
“I like being with you. The rest is just a bonus.”
“Keep thinking that,” I said softly.
“I will.”
Wren was miserable the next day. Well, the next afternoon, as Trip had predicted.
“I should know better than to try to keep up with her when we drink,” she said with a friendly-baleful look at Christy. “Catholic and a crazy metabolism.”
“It’s not crazy,” Christy muttered. She glanced at me. “Why does everyone think I’m a freak or something?”
“We don’t. You’re just special. And we’re jealous.”
“Yeah, what he said,” Wren agreed. “Listen to him.”
I grinned and changed the subject. “Christy and I are gonna do some Christmas shopping today. Give us a list and we’ll hit the grocery store too.”
“Would you?” Wren said. “That’d be awesome!” She winced at her own enthusiasm.
“You mind stopping by the liquor store?” Trip asked.
“Gimme a list and we’ll take care of it.”
“I’ll call it in,” Trip said. “But lemme get you some cash for the groceries.”
“Sounds good. Thanks.”
Christy and I spent the rest of the afternoon out and about. I mostly bought presents for Trip, Wren, and my family. I had a couple of ideas about what I wanted to get Christy, but I didn’t want to shop for her while she was with me. She must have felt the same, because all of her purchases were for people besides me.
“Think I’ll go shopping with Trip tomorrow,” I ventured.
“Yeah, I was thinking that Wren and I really need to shop for you guys by ourselves.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
We stopped at the liquor store after the mall and gave the clerk Trip’s name. That didn’t work, so we gave him Wren’s. He nodded, went to the back, and returned with a dolly. We loaded two cases of wine and two of liquor in the back of the Cruiser. He stopped me before I could close the tailgate.
“One more load.” He returned a few minutes later with another four cases of wine.
I was a bit worried about how I’d pay for it all, but he simply handed me an invoice to sign. It was made out to “Hilliard’s Steakhouse,” and I almost laughed when I realized that Wren had opened a wholesale account under the name of one of her father’s restaurants. No wonder she and Trip made our monthly budget go so far!
We hit the grocery store next, and it was more of a regular shopping trip.
On the way home we picked up Chinese takeout, since we weren’t in the mood to cook and were pretty sure Wren wouldn’t be either.
She was feeling better but not a hundred percent, so dinner was more subdued than the night before. She and Trip called it an early night and went up to bed shortly after. Christy and I opened a bottle of wine and spent a couple of hours on the couch, just reading and occasionally chatting. I finally closed my book and looked at my watch.
“Think I’m going to head up,” I said. “I don’t want to take you for granted, and I don’t want to assume, but…”
“Of course I’ll sleep with you.” She smiled and replayed it in her head. “I like saying that.”
“And I like hearing it.”
We turned out the lights and headed upstairs, where we semi-awkwardly moved around each other in my bedroom. We each had a different nighttime routine and were a bit afraid of disrupting the other’s. I had to stifle a comment when she simply tossed her clothes on the floor. I didn’t quite make a show of putting my own in the hamper, but it wouldn’t have mattered—she was too busy to notice.