Who: Nic and Lem When: afternoon into evening, Friday, June 29 Where: the carnival first! Warning: NSFW Status:
Lem had woken up excited, because it was Nic’s birthday! It was technically Zania’s birthday too, but Lem cared much less about that part. She’d been a little worried that they would want to have a joint party or something else twin-ish, but Nic had been agreeable to going to the carnival with just her, and that made Lem very happy. She loved the carnival, she and Vex had been back every single day since it arrived, riding the same rides and playing the same games and eating the same food. She’d probably gained like ten pounds by now, but then she’d run it right off again by frolicking around the place for hours at a time. She just wasn’t sick of it yet!
It was actually kind of amazing that Nic hadn’t been there for fun yet, just to fix some magical messiness, but he had the store to look after and other things to do, so Lem understood. But it meant she hadn’t seen him much this week either, so she was doubly excited to see him and give him birthday kisses and her gift and drag him out to have a good time with her.
Once she was up, she showered and got dressed in shorts under a light sundress. She opted to leave Izzy the Lizzy at home, but leaned over the lined shoebox she hung out in to kiss her little bone head goodbye. Lem put some sparkly eye makeup on, feeling unusually bright and festive today, then headed over to Nic’s to fetch him. She didn’t bother to knock anymore these days, just went in through the side door and started hollering his name.
Although Nic hadn’t been to the carnival for fun, he could feel its pull. At first, he’d thought nothing of it, but after Zania and Reagan’s whole body-swap fiasco, he knew there was something charmed about the place. He’d been able to feel it when he was there, the dark magic laced through every bit of fabric, ingrained in the metal of the rides. If Lem hadn’t loved it so much, he’d have asked her not to go back, but instead he’d checked in on her every night, making sure she’d come home unharmed. Herself, in body and mind. It seemed harmless, and he’d had a good laugh once Zania was back in her own body, but no one involved would have called it “fun”.
Despite everything, he’d agreed to go with Lem for his birthday. He wouldn’t be setting foot in the mirror maze, but he didn’t see the harm in having some cotton candy and riding the Ferris wheel. He wasn’t one for big parties, so this really was perfect, capturing the atmosphere of a celebration without having to do anything but show up and be one among the crowd. And it made Lem happy. He knew they’d have fun together and that was what mattered. He heard the door open and shut and knew it was her even before she called out. “In here!” he called from the kitchen, then started to make his way towards her. “You look cute,” he grinned as he laid eyes on her. Dresses weren’t typically her thing, but this one seemed to fit and the eye glitter was a nice touch.
Lem usually wasn’t a huge fan of dresses, her girly side came and went on its own whims, but this one wasn’t too frilly or flowery, just loose and light, and with a little pair of bike shorts underneath it was perfect for running around and having fun in. Plus she’d wanted to dress up a tiny bit for Nic’s birthday, to make it special. She beamed from ear to ear when she saw him, skipping over to launch herself at him in a tackle-hug. Lem couldn’t take Nic off his feet, he was too big, but it was so fun to practically leap into his arms. “Happy birthday!” she sing-songed as she squeezed him. “You look cute!” He didn’t look like he’d gone out of his way on his appearance or anything, but he was always cute to Lem. She reached for his neck to pull him down into a kiss. “And happy birthday to Zan too ... is she here?” she asked after, glancing around the house.
Nic laughed as Lem leapt into his arms, rocking on his feet to stay upright. For such a little thing, she had an unusual amount of strength. Or maybe it was just surprising. He’d never had another girl literally tackle him before. “Thank you,” he grinned, kissing her back. Even though he hadn’t gone out of his way to do anything different, he appreciated the complement and the birthday wishes. “Zan’s at the shop til close, and then Gabriel’s taking her out of town for a birthday weekend. I think she’s a little over Point Pleasant at the moment. Needs something different.” He knew for a fact that she wanted to celebrate somewhere without a view of the carnival. That it was still standing was a bit of a sore spot and she didn’t need the temptation to burn it all to the ground. “You can tell her when she gets back. She might even drag you out for drinks.”
“Aww, that’s nice,” Lem said as she climbed back down to her feet. She didn’t see Gabriel either, but maybe he was upstairs packing or out somewhere or something else. Lem didn’t really care, especially since they were leaving. “Oooh, that means the house’ll be empty later,” she realized out loud, flashing Nic a wicked grin. “That’ll make it easy to give you your present.” She half-sang the words, giving her hips a little wiggle. Lem then grabbed for Nic’s hand to start pulling him toward the door. “Are you ready?” she asked, as if she was giving him much of a choice. Lem was ready to be at the carnival having fun with him already.
“Can’t I have it now?” Nic asked with a grin. “Tease me like that and then drag me to the door.” He wasn’t actually protesting though. It would be a lot more fun to stumble back into the house later that evening and enjoy each other without having to go back out again. It was rare that he got the house to himself these days and he was looking forward to it, though it did incentivize him to move out. Their setup, while comfortable, could not last forever. “Maybe you can give me a peek on one of the rides,” he laughed as she led the way to his car. He hadn’t been looking forward to the carnival, but with Lem’s hand in his he knew it was going to be fun.
“Nooope, not yet, you gotta be patient,” Lem sing-songed as she flashed him a grin over her shoulder. She had a couple of presents for him, actually, one of which would probably get them arrested if she gave him any peek at it out in public. Not that Lem was terribly opposed to being sneaky-sexy, but she preferred some privacy for this for herself too. They were definitely going to make out on a ride tonight though, she felt sure of it. Lem climbed into the passenger seat of Nic’s car and settled, only to lean over and smooch at his cheek once he was in his own spot behind the wheel. “Okay so the mirror maze it out, I get that,” she said as she plopped back into place. “But you definitely have to come through the funhouse with me, it’s kind of like an obstacle course in spots and I wanna climb stuff with you.”
“I can be patient,” Nic grinned. He kind of liked the anticipation, if he was honest, though it would be hard to keep his mind clean now that he knew he had something waiting for him when they returned home. At least Lem wouldn’t mind his wandering mind, or hands. “The mirror maze is lucky it’s still standing,” he said with a huff of a laugh. “I think the only reason Zan and Reagan didn’t burn it down was there were people still in it.” And he wouldn’t have put it past them to show up after hours and finish the job. He knew Zania had been itching to do so, but there’d been no reports of a fire at the carnival so she must not have. Gabriel must have talked her out of it. “We can do the funhouse. Just don’t run off and leave me. I’m a little paranoid after the maze. I might have an advantage in the climbing department,” he grinned. “I’ve got almost a foot of a head start on you.”
Lem definitely never minded Nic’s hands wandering on her, no matter where they were. She certainly didn’t hesitate to touch him out in public. Lem just hoped he wouldn’t be disappointed with his “gift,” and would see it how she meant it. She gave Nic a grin back and shook her head. “This is your birthday date, I’m totally not gonna run off and leave you,” she promised. That would defeat the whole purpose! “Pft, I’m a great climber, though. And I weigh like, half what you do. And it’s only an advantage if I don’t climb you first to get higher.” Lem dimpled and winked at him. She didn’t really intend for it to turn into a competition, but if it did, she was going to do her damndest to kick her boyfriend’s cute ass.
“Hm, true,” Nic grinned, putting the car in drive and starting towards the carnival. “Climbing you wouldn’t give me all that much of a boost, would it?” He could totally see Lem climbing him, however he did little to discourage it. He never thought he’d want a pocket girlfriend, but Lem did a good job of proving him wrong on the best occasions. “I can definitely lift you if you need lifting. What else do you want to do while we’re there? I hear the Ferris wheel is a must.” It was the one good thing he’d heard consistently from everyone he’d spoken to. Apparently you could see all of Point Pleasant from the top. Nic wasn’t scared of heights, so it needed to make the list of rides to hit up.
“Ferris wheel for sure,” Lem said, and proceeded to rattle off a few more things she definitely wanted to do. She had every ride in the place memorized and mentally ranked in order of preference. She and Vex had ridden everything multiple times. Shit had gotten a little weird in the love tunnel, so that was far down the list -- they had been fine, but some people in front of them had been yelling and shoving each other hard enough to make the other boats shake. Lem had just gotten a bad vibe from it all, so she was fine with skipping that one. She also named off some games she’d gotten kind of good at and wanted to show off her skills for Nic. By the time Lem was done excitedly describing it all, they were almost there, and she bounced happily in her seat. “And we have to get a funnel cake in the end so I can sing to you!” she added.
Nic grinned and nodded along as Lem listed all the things she wanted to do at the carnival, her excitement feeding his own. It was hard to keep in mind that the place was dangerous, especially with her enthusiasm leeching onto him, but he knew that was part of its spell. The closer they got to the carnival grounds, the harder it was to resist its pull. It was a wonder he’d gone so long without enjoying it himself. “I’m all for the funnel cake, but there will be no singing,” he grinned as they pulled into the parking lot. “I don’t want a scene.” In truth, he didn’t usually care for a scene, but he didn’t like that much attention on him, especially in public. It made him nervous in a way that he couldn’t completely explain.
“Aww, not like, loud singing. Just for you, in your ear maybe,” Lem said with a little pout. It didn’t last long, because they were here! She could understand not wanting a bunch of strangers paying attention to him though, she often felt the same way in crowds. In some ways it was easier for Lem to blend in because she was so small and often overlooked, but in other ways ... her buzzcut and personal style tended to draw attention. Sometimes it was nice, sometimes it sucked, it just depended. In any case, she wasn’t going to do anything Nic was uncomfortable with, so maybe just funnel cake and powdered sugar kisses would be best. They would see. Lem joyfully burst out of the car as soon as Nic was parked, bouncing on her toes until he joined her. She slipped her hand into his to walk up to the front, grinning the whole way. “I’m so gonna kick your ass at bumper cars, I hope you’re ready,” she teased.
“If it’s just for me, I can handle it,” Nic smiled, brushing his finger over her pouted lips. He was a sucker when it came to Lem and was likely to give her what she wanted, even if it embarrassed him. A sugar flavored Happy Birthday whispered in his ear, however, sounded enticing, and likely to get her dragged from the carnival earlier than she intended. Nic followed Lem out of the car, happily taking her hand and letting her drag him towards the entrance. “Oh, you think so?” he grinned. “Try not to cry when I prove you wrong.” While not always competitive, he’d grown up with a twin that was, and when asked to prove himself was always up to the task. Not that he’d be upset if Lem showed him up, but he refused to be a pushover in a competition.
That made Lem cackle happily. She loved trash talking and competition and all of it, as long as it was all in good fun. Sometimes her temper got the best of her when she was losing, but not so much anymore as she got older, and never with Nic. Everything with Nic was fun. Well, except when Lem had been a miserable shell of a person while Vex had been gone, but that was over and done with now, and they were healing from it. This was going to be a fun night, she was positive of it. “I’ll do my best,” she grinned back at him, swinging their hands a bit. Once their tickets were paid for and they were inside the carnival itself, she couldn’t even manage to walk without bouncing, an incredible amount of energy buzzing through her. “Round Up first?” she asked, already nudging Nic in that direction.
“Round Up first,” Nic agreed with a grin. “Lead the way.” So long as they didn’t pay the Mirror Maze a visit, Nic was happy to work their way down Lem’s list of rides. They spun their way around the Round Up twice, then followed that up with the Tilt-A-Whirl and bumper cars. The Funhouse was indeed fun, lacking the undercurrent of darkness that seemed to be everywhere else. He was surprised to find ball pits just as challenging as an adult as they’d been as a kid, but that turned out to be the only difficult obstacle for them to get through. While Nic preferred to pass up the fortune telling, he was happy to try his hand at winning Lem a prize. It didn’t matter that it was his birthday; she was the one who’d enjoy a memento to remember the night.
One might think that Lem would get tired of the same rides she’d ridden multiple times a day for almost a week now, but it was all still exciting and so much fun. Nic’s presence just made it all better, and she eagerly pointed out her favorite parts of everything they did, bouncing around him like a bunny on a sugar high as they walked between rides. The people around them probably thought she was a hyperactive child with her big brother or something, but Lem didn’t give a shit. If anybody was even paying attention to them at all, that was -- they all seemed fully engrossed in their own experiences. When Nic made the winning ring toss at one of the game booths, she squealed and cheered and clambered up onto his back to point out the curly stuffed snake she wanted. Reptiles were obviously their love language now. “I love you so much,” Lem declared as she kissed at his cheek from behind. “Let’s -- oh! Um, the carousel? I don’t wanna lose it somewhere.”
“Love you too, babe,” Nic murmured back with a grin, his arms curling under her legs to give her a piggy back to their next destination. It still amazed him how easy the affection was between them, even after all they’d been through. He’d been worried that they wouldn’t be able to get back there, but the bad blood had been washed clean with Vex’s return. Not everyone was as forgiving as Lem, but Nic was glad she was among the few. “I can hold it if you need me to,” he offered as they made the trek to the carousel. He was sure they were garnering some looks, especially from those who pegged them as a couple, but he didn’t really give a shit. Lem was a bit younger than him, but she was older than she looked. They were both consenting adults and people needed to get over it. “Here we go,” he said, putting her down so they could join the line. “What animal do you want to ride?”
It was always fun to get a piggy back ride from Nic and get a little taste of what it was like to be tall, and Lem people-watched as he walked with her, one hand holding onto her snake and the other clinging to the front of his shirt. She didn’t think she had been this happy for this long in any particular place before in her life. It had been a great week, even if the carnival gave her weird vibes sometimes. It was worth it. On her feet again and in line, Lem grinned and squinted thoughtfully at the slowly spinning carousel. She and Vex had ridden a lot of the animals already, so she wanted to try one she hadn’t done yet. “Hmmm ... how about I take the elephant and you get the giraffe?” she suggested, flashing a grin up at Nic. “It suits you. Tall-ass birthday boy.”
“You just want to see if my head will hit the ceiling every time the giraffe goes up, don’t you?” Nic teased, happy to take whatever animal she suggested. Normally, he wouldn’t have picked the carousel, considering it more of a ride for young children too scared to ride the more thrilling ones, but he was willing to ride whatever Lem wanted tonight. It didn’t matter that it was his birthday; he was happy when she was happy. Nic watched as the carousel cleared out from the ride before, then took Lem’s hand as they were released to grab the animal of their choice. The elephant and giraffe were blessedly free—he wasn’t going to battle a kid for them, but he wouldn’t have put it past Lem. After helping Lem up onto the elephant, Nic hoisted himself up onto the giraffe and gave a doubtful look towards the ceiling. “Think I can ride without risking a concussion?”
The cartoonish fiberglass giraffe’s head didn’t stretch too far past Nic’s own, and it made Lem giggle from atop her elephant. “Just duck when you go up!” she suggested, which wasn’t really that helpful, but she was sure he would survive it. They probably looked completely ridiculous, but that was part of the fun. She and Vex had ridden a pair of the carousel horses before, pretending to race even though everything was going at the same speed. While this load of fake-animal-passengers loaded onto the ride, Lem playfully whipped at Nic’s leg with her stuffed snake, grinning her head off. She let out a little “woo!” as the music cranked up and their mounts began to move, the world slowly starting to rotate around them. Lem put her feet up against the elephant’s big ears and wrapped her snake around the golden pole like reins.
Nic laughed at Lem’s antics as the carousel started, content to just hold on and enjoy the ride. He wasn’t expecting much, just a slow paced turn around the center a few times, but as soon as it started Nic realized it was going the opposite direction of the way they were facing. “This is weird,” he laughed, looking back over his shoulder, as if he needed to see where he was going. The carousel sped up and Nic glanced towards the center, catching his reflection in a mirror. And then suddenly he was sixteen again, bashing a guy’s head into the ground. Nic’s breath caught in his throat and his hands tightened on the bar that ran up the center of the giraffe. He knew he couldn’t be there, but he was trapped in the memory, his adrenaline rushing as if it was happening the first time around.
The fact that they went backwards first was delightful to Lem, who giggled up a storm and looked over her shoulder too, as if the elephant’s generous rear end might run into something. She closed her eyes and put her hands up, just holding onto the mount with her thighs as it took her in a rising-falling circle backwards through space. It wasn’t going super fast, but it still gave her stomach butterflies -- which rapidly started to shift into something else. Lem’s mind was suddenly firmly in the past, though it didn’t jump back too far. She got a sweet throb between her legs as she vividly recalled having sex with Nic for the first time, up in his firelit bedroom right after she’d pulled him out of the path of that car. The memory was almost nine months old, which was pretty far back for Lem, but there it was in full color glory right behind her eyelids, complete with surround sound and sensations. Oblivious to the change in Nic beside her, Lem leaned against the golden pole and let the memory take over, her eyes still closed.
Nic told himself it wasn’t real, that this couldn’t possibly be happening again, yet he could feel the swell of his magic and the burst of cold that erupted as the guy’s head smashed against the concrete. Blood and ice splattered across his face, temporarily blinding him. A blink of his eyes and he was in juvie, this time with the pain inflicted on him. The panic was so real, the need to defend himself so strong, that it was difficult not to lash out and strike with magic he hadn’t had control over the first time around. A punch knocked the air from his lungs and he struggled to breathe. The world spun and all he could do was focus on the feel of the carousel bar in his hands, his anchor to the real world. Distantly, he could hear the music begin to slow, his only cue that it would eventually end.
Lem was equally lost, though it was in a much more pleasant place, and she slid forward by instinct until the thick golden pole was firmly wedged against her crotch. Gods, he’d been so beautiful that night, long and lean and so hard for her. She’d figured it would just be a one night affair -- sleep with the cute neighbor boy and then move on -- but he’d stayed in her life, and in the moment she felt like part of her had known it all along. Lem didn’t question where this intensely vivid memory was coming from, she’d mostly forgotten she was on a carousel at all. Everything just felt so good. Lem gave a soft moan that was lost in the calliope music, rocking a bit against the pole as she climaxed in her mind, surrounded by Nic’s body and magic.
For every second that ticked by, Nic’s mind conjured up some of the most physically violent memories of his life. They flew by in vivid detail, the pain so visceral that he felt like he was there, reliving the moment. The only blessing was that it seemed stuck on a specific year, moving neither forward nor backward from that period of time. By the time the ride came to a stop, he was left shaken, blinking away the images, though the pain remained. The pole was frozen solid beneath his hands, evidence of emotional magic that hadn’t taken hold in years, and he would have been embarrassed if it weren’t the last thing on his mind. “Lem?” He called her name breathlessly as he turned towards her, not entirely sure what to expect. If she’d lived through anything similar, she could be a wreck, but one look proved that her ride had been much more pleasant than his own.
When the carousel slid to a stop, Lem was practically humping the golden pole, totally unaware of being in public or what was going on with Nic or anything but that delicious night in her head. Some part of her was mildly surprised to relive the end of it, when she’d let him finish in her mouth ... something that hadn’t happened between them since then. It was like she’d temporarily forgotten her trauma around that kind of thing that night, that was how into Nic she’d been. Suddenly it all faded away and she was back in the present, blinking hazily as the world came back into focus. “Wait ... what?” she murmured to herself. Her name registered and she looked over at her boyfriend, the confusion in her eyes quickly replaced with concern. He was pale and looked upset and was that ice? “Nic?” Lem said, starting to frown. She pushed herself back into the proper spot on the elephant, her cheeks flushing, but she couldn’t think much about herself at that second. “Are you okay?”
Nic would have thoroughly enjoyed the sight of Lem getting off on a carnival ride at any other time, but at the moment his ability to appreciate public sex acts was completely shot. The trauma felt too real, fresh enough that his body ached, that he had to check his hands for blood. “No,” he muttered, still partially in shock. “That was… a bad trip.” It was the only way he knew to describe the experience, one he hoped she would understand. Nic climbed off the giraffe, eager to get away from it, in case the animal was to blame, then helped Lem off her elephant before taking her hand and leading her away from the carousel. He knew he should say more, but he was focused on putting himself back together. If he didn’t, he thought he might just be sick where he stood.
A ‘trip’ sounded like a good way to describe the way the memory had taken over Lem’s mind too, though hers had been far from bad. It seemed easy to accept that Nic had experienced the same thing -- there were a lot of mysteries about this carnival -- but it was upsetting to know that his had been bad. She accepted his help down to the floor of the carousel again and gripped his hand tight as they put some space between them and it, glancing up at Nic’s face every few seconds. He didn’t seem ready for any questions yet, even though her mind was buzzing with them. Had he been locked into a memory too? How bad had it been? Lem knew both of them had darkness in their pasts, and she suddenly felt lucky to relive something lovely instead. Once they had moved into another area of the carnival and the crowd around them thinned, Lem tugged a bit on Nic’s hand to get him to stop. “Do you want to tell me?” she asked softly.
All Nic knew at the moment was that he needed space, and the carousel itself seemed like a good enough object to flee from. He couldn’t get any farther from his past than he already was and he had no intention of leaving Lem, no matter how bad he felt. He was hesitant to speak of it all, but there’d never been secrets between them and he didn’t feel like starting now. “It was like—like I was stuck in a year’s worth of bad memories,” he said, running his free hand through his hair, fluffing it up in the process. “I don’t know if I told you, but… Zan’s magic came in when she was thirteen. My parent’s made a big to-do about it. By the time I turned sixteen, I’d pretty much given up hope that I had any. I was angry about it. About a lot of things.” He’d been a bit of a punk and that made things worse for him in the end, though he could have never known how things would play out. “The vision, or whatever it was, started with the night I beat that guy up. My magic finally snapped. It felt so real. Fresh.” Even now, his heart wanted to race in response. “And the next second I was in juvie and—I forgot how much it hurt to be kicked in the ribs.”
Lem listened intently, a small line between her dark brows, and her heart hurt for him. While she’d been having a very nice trip down memory lane, Nic had been suffering and she hadn’t even noticed. And gods, hers had been so vivid and full of sensation, she could only imagine what he’d just been through. If Lem didn’t know for a fact that it had been the carousel magic working on them, she would’ve felt really guilty for that. She hadn’t known about his magic being late, but she did know the story of ‘that guy,’ and what had happened after. “Oh no,” she murmured softly, sympathy in her gaze. Lem slipped her arms around his waist to give him a gentle hug. “I’m so sorry Nic. I can’t -- I was somewhere else too, in my head, but it was good, so yours must have been awful. Do you want to go home? Let’s go home.” Lem let go of his body to take his hand, more than okay with leaving if he was ready.
The magic bit would’ve only been an afterthought, except it had contributed so much to his mindset back then. He’d forgotten how helpless he felt, both before, when he’d been able to do nothing but bloody his hands to right a wrong, then after, stuck in a cell with no instruction. Lashing out could’ve easily killed someone, would’ve cost them fingers and toes due to frostbite at the very least. And while he’d never cared about their extremities, he couldn’t stay in that place. The carousel had brought it all back to the forefront of his mind—the pain, the fear, and the loneliness. It was a struggle to shake it off, no matter how much he wanted to. “I don’t want to ruin the night,” he sighed. “It’s just a memory.” He took a deep, shaky breath and wrapped his arms around her. “You said yours was good. Tell me about it.”
Lem hugged him again since he seemed to need it. She didn’t mind leaving if he wanted to -- she’d gotten so much time at the carnival already, and she definitely didn’t want to stay if it was upsetting for Nic. It was his birthday, for fuck’s sake, this was a night that was supposed to be nice for him. “You’re not ruining anything, the carousel ruined it for you,” she corrected, giving his waist a tighter squeeze. Lem felt a little reluctant to tell him about her own immersive memory, since his had been so bad, but if he needed the distraction ... “It was better than good, really,” she said with a sheepish little smile. “It’s your memory too though, it was the first time we had sex.” Lem felt a little guilty that she’d forgotten some details, but a lot had happened since then -- including a lot more sex. She kissed his chest and hugged him tight again. “You’re in a lot of my good memories.”
While it was annoying that her memory was better than his, Nic didn’t blame her for it. That was the carousel’s own damn fault. And he wouldn’t have wished her worst memories on her ever. Though the pain felt fresh, the feelings surrounding them were old, and he was happy to hear what Lem had gone through as a distraction. He smiled softly, remembering that night, and pulled her a little closer to him. “I was sleep walking. You pulled me out of the street,” he said. He couldn’t remember what she’d been doing up, but she’d probably saved his life that night. It was a detail he’d forgotten until now. “I don’t remember it very well, except thinking I would have happily fucked you on the front lawn.” It was one of those things people never expected from him, his ability to not give a fuck what people thought. In this case, it was probably smart to go inside, he recalled it being cold, and besides, neither of them needed to be arrested for public indecency. But in the middle of the night, they probably could have gotten away with it.
Lem giggled softly and nuzzled her face into his pec for a second. “We almost did,” she said with obvious fondness. They’d fucked outside at the bonfire party and it had been fantastic, though Lem was pretty sure fucking Nic anywhere would be amazing. It had been good from the start and only gotten better ... aside from those awful months she was so eager to put behind them. Things were better now. Still hugging him, Lem swayed their bodies gently and smiled up at him. “It was super hot, all that near-death adrenaline. Not that you should hang out in the street, but, y’know.” She patted his ass affectionately. “I’m good with going home if you want to, so just say so. I just want to give you a good birthday, and if this carnival totally fucks that up for you, i’m gonna be super pissed.” Lem gave him a sweet smile.
Nic was feeling a similar rush of adrenaline now, as if he’d just been in the fights he’d relived in his mind. The visions had been so vibrant and real, he was sure his heart was still pounding away in his chest. He imagined Lem’s was beating for a different reason, the flush to her skin one he was familiar with, along with her scent. He held her close, trying to focus on what she’d been through, rather than his own trauma, liking that outcome far more. “If you really don’t mind, I’d rather go,” he said with a sad little smile. “I know you like this place, but I don’t want to test it again.” After what Zan had gone through, it had been reckless to come in the first place. If they left, the night was recoverable, but there was no guarantee if they stayed.
Living with Vex so long had trained Lem to be flexible with plans, and changing course for the evening wasn’t a big deal to her. She did love the carnival, but apparently there were things about it that couldn’t be trusted, and she didn’t like that it fucked with Nic, especially on his birthday. “I don’t mind,” Lem said, patting his lower back. She put her hands on his hips to twist them back and forth with her own body’s movements, smiling warmly up at him. “Okay soooo ... we grab some takeout and head back home?” she asked, her tone suggestive. Maybe some food and flirting would give him a boost. “Or you wanna grab a drink somewhere, orrrr ... something else? I’m easy breezy baby, just want to show you a good time.”
“You always show me a good time,” Nic said, a smile pulling on his lips at her tone. Going to get a drink was appealing, mostly because Nic knew Dragonfly would give him the high to get back to where he’d been before that damn ride. But he wasn’t sure he wanted to put up with people anymore, and the idea of alone time with Lem was far more appealing. If they wanted to get high, there were plenty of ways to do that back home. “Let’s get take out and go home. We can have drinks there, or maybe something to help me relax.” It was hard to think of anything other than Lem when she was touching him and that was just what he needed right now—more of her and less of everything else.
True to her word, that all sounded good to Lem as long as it made Nic happy, and she beamed as she nodded. Back home alone with him was where she’d wanted to end the night anyway, and there was nothing wrong with ending a night early. Or moving it along to more cozy places, at least. Lem had a feeling they would be awake for quite a while. Wordlessly, Lem took Nic’s hand and headed for the carnival exit, eager now that the decision was made to be back home.
It didn’t take them too long to decide what kind of food to get and pick it up, and soon enough they were pulling up to the house again, a warm bag of food resting on Lem’s thighs. She wasn’t too hungry yet, but she knew they would get to the actual eating eventually. It was hard to have really good sex on a full stomach, and that was Lem’s ultimate goal, once Nic felt better. She helped carry everything inside, glancing back at him with a playful smile. “You want to eat right away? Or save it for after we’ve burned off some energy?”
Leaving the carnival did wonders for Nic’s mood. While he couldn’t forget about the carousel entirely, there was little to remind him once they left, and Lem was there to keep him focused on all the good he had going for him now. It had been years since he’d had a birthday party of his own or someone special to celebrate it with and he appreciated the effort she went through for him. He definitely appreciated coming home to an empty house that was going to stay empty. That felt like a gift in itself. “I’m not all that hungry yet. I just didn’t want to go out twice,” Nic smiled. “We can chill for a bit, maybe heat it up later? Can I get you a drink or something?”
It wasn’t exactly a party if it was the two of them and no balloons or streamers or anything, but Lem was bad at that kind of fore-planning, and they weren’t at her house so she hadn’t even thought to decorate like he had for her. Nic could conjure up better magical decorations than she could find in any store if he wanted some, after all. Her main goal had just been to give Nic as good of a day as possible. She had made a little cake that had kind of turned into a slight mess when she transported it from their fridge to the Castells’ fridge, but it would probably be tasty no matter what it looked like. Lem hoped it was, anyway, she was far from some master baker. “Yes, absolutely,” Lem answered with a laugh. “A drink and maybe something to smoke?” She wiggled her hips a little bit and bounced her eyebrows playfully at Nic. Zan grew that good weed, and it never failed to make Lem horny, which was the direction she was hoping to steer them in next.
In Nic’s opinion, it was a party if he said it was a party. He didn’t need balloons or streamers. He didn’t even need a cake. All he needed was another person who wanted to celebrate with him and that was Lem all around. That she’d gone out of her way to make him a cake was incredibly endearing, even if it turned out to be inedible. It was the thought that counted with him and he could tell she wanted tonight to be special for him. “We always have something to smoke,” he said with a little laugh, and went to retrieve that first from the little box in the living room. They’d always had a healthy supply of weed in the greenhouse and sometimes that sold better than the tea or the spices. Nic handed Lem the bag of weed and their pipe, then moved to the bar, looking through their stock. “Any preferences? Something fruity? Spicy? Straight?” Who needed balloons when they had weed and liquor? He was tempted to just take a shot of something and be done with it, but instead he poured himself a shot of bit of whiskey, then added ice cubes out of thin air, showing off just because he could.
“Ummm, fruity!” Lem decided, wandering in closer while Nic made the drinks. The magical ice made her giggle, and she set the weed and pipe on the bar to start filling the bowl. She was pretty stoked that Zania and Gabriel were out of town and weren’t coming back tonight. The two of them rarely had the house to themselves. Or the other house. Much as she loved Vex, Lem liked it better over here sometimes, it was less like fooling around in an aunt’s house. “So should we like, hang out in the living room like we own the place?” she suggested with a little laugh, bumping her hip lightly into Nic’s leg. They didn’t get much chance to have sex anywhere but Nic’s room, so they might as well take advantage while they could.
Nic considered her selection for a second, then set about fixing her an amaretto sour, hoping it would meet the requirements. All the fruity drinks that came to mind were heavy on the sugar, the kind of thing that resulted in the worst hangovers if she had too much. He didn’t think they would, since they were smoking as well, but it was better to be on the safe side. Plus, he could garnish this drink with a cherry. “We can hang out wherever we like,” he grinned, bumping his hip back against her. “Living room, kitchen—they’re all ours right now. Though I am thinking about getting my own place. Like, actually looking at what it would take. Then I would own the place.” And he wouldn’t have to wait until his sister was out of town to have sex outside the bedroom. It wasn’t an issue that came up often, but with both of them in serious relationships they had to keep up sound spells so that they couldn’t hear each other. It was an old house and the walls were way too thin otherwise.
The prospect of Nic living in his own house was both exciting and sad at the same time to Lem. Sad because he wouldn’t live right next door anymore, and exciting because it would be all his, and how cool would that be? She gave him a little pout that wasn’t very serious as she took the drink he made her. “I wish you could buy the house on the other side of us,” Lem said with a dramatic sigh. “I don’t want you to go far, I’ll miss just walking over to you.” She hugged him around the waist for a brief moment, then went to head for the living room to get comfortable and cozy while they could. Lem knew that Nic knew she couldn’t leave Vex, so they would still be living separately, but it was working out pretty well for them so far, so she didn’t see a problem with that. Maybe in a few years if things evolved like they tended to do.
“That’s kinda what I’m looking at,” Nic said with a little laugh. “I like living close, but living with Zan was never meant to be a permanent solution. I’ve been looking at the lots on either side or across the street. Same side would be nice because we could just extend the wards. Both houses could use some major work, but it’s not like I’m in a hurry.” He was just hitting the point in his life where it would be nice to have his own space. And his thoughts ran along the same lines as Lem’s—he knew she’d never leave Vex, so he didn’t want to be far from her. Maybe it was foolish, building his future around his current situation, or weird to live so close to his twin sister, but he really didn’t care what other people thought. He liked the idea of building a little community and that fit their lives better than anything else.
Lem perked up and grinned at him. “Really? Ohmygod that’s awesome,” she said as she kicked her shoes off. She plopped on the couch and tucked her feet under her, beyond happy that Nic was looking to stay that close. It would be perfect, all three houses in a row, all five of them with their own space and privacy. If Nic was only living a door or two down, maybe Lem could eventually move in with him eventually. She rarely thought ahead enough to ponder what kind of life she wanted -- it would never be normal, that shit was boring anyway ... but she definitely wanted a special someone now. As soon as Nic was settled on the couch with her, she scooted in to cuddle up to him. “I would help you fix stuff too,” Lem told him. “I’m pretty good with a hammer.”
Nic knew he could never plan for a future with Lem. They weren’t going to get married, settle down, and have a few kids. But Nic didn’t need all that to be happy. He just needed her in his life, consistently and reliably. If she wasn’t there every night, that was fine, so long as he knew where to find her and he knew she was safe. It wasn’t a normal arrangement, but neither was living with his sister. Neither was being a witch. Nic wasn’t aiming for normal anyways. “If you’ve hammered anything, you’ve hammered more than I have,” he snickered, pleased to have her curl up beside him. He handed her her drink, then took a sip of his own, a whisky and coke. “But yeah, looking into it. Trying to figure out what it would take. I’ve got the funds, but… it feels like a really big decision, you know?”
“Yeah,” Lem agreed, even though she didn’t actually know. She’d never bought a house, she’d never even really had a steady job, much less all of the other adult things that seemed so important to people. None of it was very important to Lem -- only her people were important, and their mission. But her basic needs always got taken care of without a ton of effort on her part, and she recognized that not everybody was that lucky. And she could totally understand why Nic wanted his own place. And if he wanted it, she wanted it for him. “You’ve really never hammered anything though?” she asked, tilting a grin up at him. Lem found that cute for some reason. “Besides me, of course.” Her smile turned a bit more wicked before she took a sip from her drink. “My dad was really handy and he tried to teach me all kinds of stuff. I loved to do the hammering and sawing and all that the most.”
“Besides you,” Nic grinned, dipping down to give her neck a little kiss and a nip of his teeth. He almost pointed out that that wasn’t work, but then he thought Lem might turn it around on him and make him work for it. He would, she had to know that, but not tonight. “My dad’s not handy. He taught me how to pick up the phone and call someone to do it for me. But I’d like to learn what it’s like to really fix something up myself. With more than magic.” He could make the house look however he liked, but not long term. If he wanted something real, something solid, he’d have to do it by hand. It could take months, years even, but when he was done he’d have something that was truly his. “Would you really want to help me?” he asked, raising a brow. “I wouldn’t ask you to, but if you wanted, it’d be a lot more fun with a partner.”
Lem had come from a comfortable middle-class family, so there had been some things her father had opted to leave to professionals, but he liked to do as much of it himself as he could. She was grateful that he’d tried to make sure his kids weren’t completely useless adults. “Of course, yeah,” she answered Nic, a little surprised he was double-checking. Maybe it wasn’t so surprising though, there hadn’t really been any physical projects for her to throw herself into, so Nic hadn’t seen that she enjoyed working in certain circumstances. Or maybe he’d just seen how flaky she could be. If and when all of this really started happening, she would show him. “It’ll be fun! And I mean, I can’t like, fix everything, but I can definitely help you with some stuff.” She wouldn’t have her own house-flipping show any time soon, but she could help Nic avoid a few maintenance bills, at least. “When do you think all this might happen?”
Despite how close they’d become, commitment was one of those subjects that Nic never bothered to broach. He knew Lem could potentially leave at any minute, that Vex’s visions might send them somewhere else, and he would be left devastated and alone. It made planning things together seem like a poor idea, especially something as big as working on a house. But he was always hopeful. After what they’d been through, he was sure she’d stick around if she could. “Help is more than enough,” he smiled, then shrugged. “I haven’t initiated anything yet. It’s Ludlow, so all I probably need to do is call a realtor. The house next to us has been sitting empty for a while now, so I imagine it’s just a matter of telling someone I want to buy it. I wouldn’t even have to move in until things were in better shape.”
It had taken her a while to understand that this street was not one of the most desirable in Point Pleasant. It wasn’t exactly a slum neighborhood, but it was maybe one rung up from Seaview. Lem didn’t often pay attention to that kind of shit. But apparently it was pretty convenient, if Nic would be able to just buy a house easy-breezy. And he would only be two doors down! Her excitement showed in her smile and she bounced a tiny bit on the couch cushion. The uncertainty of their future together was far from her mind at the moment -- everything in life was uncertain. For now, in this moment, she was exactly where she wanted to be. “That’s gonna be so badass,” Lem said with a grin. She took a big swallow from her drink, then leaned forward to set it down on the coffee table. “Then I’ll get to do this more often ...” She murmured the words as she moved to slip into Nic’s lap, straddling his hips and draping her arms around his shoulders.
It was an idea that Nic had been thinking about for a while, then put on hold when his life seemed to fall apart, but circled back to now that things felt a little more stable. It was never going to be a good time to change, especially for someone who didn’t necessarily like it, but having the support of those he cared about would make it easier. Lem’s enthusiasm definitely made him want to take that next step, if only for the additional privacy having his own living room would bring. “That’s reason enough,” he grinned, his hands settling on her hips as he leaned up to kiss her lips. “You can jump me in any room in the house. Any time you want.” That was true now, when they were alone, but with two housemates it felt far too rare these days. He looked forward to the spontaneity that could come with having a space to himself, especially with a girlfriend that wanted to take advantage of it.
Maybe it was a silly reason to buy a house if it was the only motivation, but Lem knew it was about more than that. Nic deserved his independence, and this house had always seemed more like Zania’s space than his. She was obviously a more strong-willed decorator, at the very least. And now with Gabriel living here, Lem was sure Nic sometimes felt like a fifth-wheel roommate. Plus, she was excited for them to have a project to work on together, something to do that would last. “Mmm, I’m gonna hold you to that,” she murmured with a wicked smirk. Since she wanted to jump him now, Lem kissed him again with more intent, her arms curling around the back of his neck to keep herself close. She always felt so safe and good sitting on his lap, and she knew it would feel ten times better once their clothes came off. As the warmth spread through her stomach and her lips moved with Nic’s, she hoped they were heading in that direction soon.
The house had always been more Zania’s than his, but it had never bothered Nic. He’d put his foot down when he had to, but he generally let her have things her way because, in the end, he’d always intended for it to be hers. Eventually she’d buy him out of his half and he’d find something for himself. He just hadn’t known when that would happen. It was a feeling that had come upon him when all the stars aligned, the realization that he was ready to move on, to put some distance between himself and the person he’d been closest to his whole life. It wasn’t like he was planning to go far, but one house away was more than they’d had in forever. So it really wasn’t just the ability to have sex wherever he wanted that was motivating him. That was just the thought that dominated when Lem was in his lap, kissing him in a way that promised more, and in a dress. Even with shorts on beneath it, it gave Nic the chance to run his hands up her bare thighs before slipping beneath her skirt. His kiss deepened as he squeezed her ass, holding her close. This was the way he’d hoped tonight would end and he was glad to see they could find it again after the detour from earlier.
The shitty carnival weirdness was far from Lem’s mind now. Nic made it so easy to forget everything bad ever, it sometimes amazed her. Was that what love was? Lem still wasn’t sure that love as a concept made much sense, since it seemed to be different for everybody, and she didn’t relate to a lot of the ways society described it. What she did know was that Nic made her feel safe and adored, even though he’d seen her at her worst. She was interested in his mind and his heart, and he didn’t get on her nerves like so many other people. She wanted to hang out with him a lot and make him happy. That was enough for Lem, and she felt really lucky these days. She made a soft sound against Nic’s lips at the feel of his hands on her skin. She rolled her hips a bit to push her ass more firmly into his grip, her mouth getting hungrier against his. On top of everything else, he turned her on something fierce, and not everybody had been able to do that at all. Lem reminded herself that she couldn’t be selfish tonight, it was his birthday, but she wanted to linger where she was for a bit longer to soak in the feel of him.
There was nothing about Lem’s position that made her feel selfish to Nic, who always enjoyed having her in his lap. He could touch her everywhere, kiss her and press against her, and still give her the freedom to pull back if she so desired. Not that Lem ever had. When it came to desire, they fed each other’s fire, growing more aroused with every touch they shared. Nic had never been a controlling lover, not exactly dominant, but also not submissive, pushing only where it felt welcome and holding back only when it felt necessary. Tonight, he felt no need to hold back, knowing the house was theirs, that every one of Lem’s touches was encouraging more, so more he would readily give. He gave her ass one last squeeze, then moved his hands up and up, eventually breaking the kiss so he could lift the dress over her head. Then his kisses began to move in the other direction, away from her lips and down to her neck, tasting her skin as his thumbs brushed over her nipples. Eventually he’d get there, but he was in no rush.
Nic had never made her feel like she wanted to pull back. Lem had slept with some guys who hadn’t made her feel safe, back in her more self-destructive days. It had always been bad for her mental health. But Nic felt like the complete opposite -- she knew she was safe with him and he had her best interest at heart. The way he treated her, how he could be passionate but so gentle when she needed it, it was all perfect. Lem wanted to be perfect for him too. She knew she couldn’t fix everything about herself, but she was getting more comfortable with certain triggering things she’d held off doing before. Lem had been thinking about giving Nic a blowjob for most of the day, and so far she was aroused about it instead of anxious, and that meant so much. She felt ready to pamper him that way, like he did so often for her. Lem leaned back a bit as Nic’s kisses traveled lower, her fingers raking through his hair. She moaned and rocked her hips as his mouth reached one pierced nipple, already throbbing between her legs. “I want to suck you off,” she murmured to him, fingers flexing around soft strands. “Is that okay?”
Nic’s goal was to tease her nipples until she was full on humping him, trying to get off through her shorts and his jeans. He was sure he could do it and there was little that could have diverted him from his goal, except an offer like that. Nic had learned through observation that sucking cock was something Lem just did not do. He could ask why, but with her history he didn’t really need to. And he was fine with it. Not once had she ever left him unsatisfied, even when he went down on her first. He didn’t do it in hopes that she might reciprocate, but because he’d learned that it was something girls liked and he liked giving it. If she wasn’t comfortable giving head, he didn’t want her to try, which was why her offer caught him so off guard. “Only if you want to,” he said, looking up at her as his tongue flicked the barbell that pierced her skin. He tried not to come across as too eager, but the thought of her mouth on him made him increasingly harder than before.
She’d had her mouth on his cock before, to lightly tease or as a brief part of foreplay that Lem had full control over, she could do that much. But actually spending significant time sucking and feeling a man’s hips move as he got closer to coming could send her into a trauma spiral. She’d never let it get that far with Nic, but it had happened before with much more casual sex partners, and Lem didn’t want to put him through that. He put up with enough of her crazy. But she felt good about it tonight, safe and secure that he would stop in an instant if she needed him to, and Lem wanted to treat him. He was so good to her, all the time. Even in that very moment, looking hot as hell as he teased her nipple. Lem gave a tiny whimper and dragged her blunt nails across the backs of his shoulders, looking back at him with open hunger in her eyes. “I do,” she whispered, stroking his hair again. Lem cupped Nic’s jaw to pull his face up for her to kiss deeply again, then moved back to slide off of his lap and down on her knees in front of him. She started working on getting his fly undone to tug his jeans off.
Nic knew from the look she gave him that she wanted this and he caught her lips in his as she ran her fingers through his hair. That she could ever want him like that spoke volumes about the level of trust she had in him, something he hadn’t thought attainable months ago when he’d thought he’d lost her for good. It was a sign that things weren’t just okay between them, but better than they’d ever been. “Fuck,” he muttered as she slid off his lap and onto the floor, half dressed and opening his pants. He helped her tug them off, then pulled his shirt off as well, perfecting the image he wanted to cement inside his brain. She was like his own personal little sex nymph, able to get him hard with just the mere suggestion of more. He didn’t voice that he wanted it as well. That much was obvious.
It was like having a lovely buffet spread out in front of her when she was starving, and once he was bare, Lem ran her hands over the skin of his thighs and hips and stomach, her bottom lip caught in her teeth. She wondered vaguely if Nic had any idea how gorgeous he was to her. Sometimes she just wanted to methodically lick and nibble on every inch of him, head to toe. Maybe someday, if he could keep still long enough. For now she was much more focused on the thick cock in front of her, flushed and straining now. Still slow stroking his thighs, Lem leaned in to plant some soft kisses around the sensitive skin, nuzzling Nic’s groin here and there before she finally ran her tongue up his shaft. There was a tiny flutter of nerves in her stomach, but it felt more good than bad. Lem was in total control of this, she told herself, and Nic would never hurt her. She curled her fingers around the base of his cock to guide it into her mouth to gently suck and explore him with her tongue.
The slow tease was absolutely going to kill him, Nic was sure of it. Normally he had a focus during this kind of build up, usually his hands on her body, or his mouth, touching her, kissing her, and teasing her. He wasn’t used to the ability to sit back and enjoy and the anticipation was enough to make his thighs quiver as she kissed and nuzzled around his cock. The desire to touch her was so strong that his hands balled into fists, and he focused on keeping them at his side, a focus that helped him maintain some control over the situation without taking any from Lem. She really was incredible, a siren who had called to him from the start, who could get him hard with just a look. The feel of his cock in her mouth made him moan softly and commit the image to memory. It was a feeling he would not soon forget.
Lem had used her sexuality -- her ‘feminine wiles’ as her mother would say -- to get what she wanted from men in the past, so she knew that a lot of them found her sexy ... she’d just never felt like she was until she’d met Nic. There was a huge gap between knowing there were men out there who wanted to use her body to get off, and feeling beautiful and hot to someone she actually cared about. It kind of struck her as funny sometimes. But at that moment it just felt so warm and good, and she loved having Nic’s eyes on her like this. Lem moaned softly around him as she took his cock deeper, her tongue stroking more firmly against the hot curves of him. Parts of her still felt a little cautious about this, but more of her just wanted to make Nic feel so good. She started to bob her head, building into a rhythm as she followed the cues in his breathing and the tension in his body.
Nic had always found Lem sexy, from the very first time that he’d met her. He knew people judged him for it, often thinking their age difference was more than it was, but it wasn’t even her body that pulled him in. It was her energy, bright and blinding and addictive. She brought out the fun, playful side of him that was otherwise content to be locked in a closet. And she made him want, feeding a desire in him like no one else ever had. The deeper she took his cock, the more profanities fell from his lips as he tried to keep himself still, to keep his hands to himself. For someone that didn’t do this often, she seemed to be a quick learner, reading him well enough to have him panting within minutes. Or maybe it was the novelty of it. Either way, she had him at her mercy.
There was something powerful in it that Lem was finding quite arousing. It took trust on both ends -- she did have the most sensitive part of Nic’s body between her teeth, after all -- and she found that strangely hot. It was fun to listen to him get all moany and full of breathless curses, and the way his body twitched and clenched made her feel like some kind of goddess. Lem appreciated that he was being so careful not to put hands on her, but the longer she did this, the more she wanted that touch. Lem ran her short fingernails up the length of Nic’s thighs as she kept sucking on him, until her free hand found one of his. She gently pried at his fist to get him to unclench, then linked their fingers together to give him a reassuring squeeze. Lem opened her eyes to glance up at him, slowly pulling off of his cock so he could watch it slip free of her lips. “You taste so good,” she whispered.
The touch was such a little thing, but it was almost more intimate a gesture than having her mouth wrapped around him. The squeeze of her fingers relaxed him and he groaned softly, hips lifting towards her mouth as she pulled back. “Goddamn, Lem,” Nic muttered as his cock slipped from between her lips. “You’re gonna make me come like that.” That was probably the point, but Nic wasn’t going to assume and he wasn’t even sure he wanted it. A good part of him did because holy shit did her mouth feel good on him, but he’d been thinking about her finishing on his cock most of the night and he knew he couldn’t have it both ways. At least not right away. They did have a whole night ahead of them though, so maybe he should let her decide. He reached out with his free hand and gently brushed his thumb across her bottom lip, slightly swollen from being wrapped around him. “You wanna ride me?”
Lem did want to make him come, but she wanted to let him have it however he wanted. It was his birthday after all, and she was trying to spoil him for once. She swayed her hips back and forth, her tongue sneaking out to swipe against Nic’s thumb on her lip. The question gave her a sweet throb between her legs, and she realized just how aroused she’d gotten by doing this for him. Her body certainly wanted to ride him. “I do,” she murmured with a little smirk as she rose up onto her knees between his legs. Lem moved Nic’s cock to rub the tip against one of her nipples, gazing at him coyly. “But do you want to be ridden? Or do you want to come in my mouth? Or maybe I can ride you until you’re ready and then ...” She dipped down to swipe her tongue against his flushed skin before she flashed him a little grin.
Nic wasn’t good at being a selfish lover. Even with the option presented to him, tied up in a bow, it felt wrong to take it, especially when he knew how much he’d enjoy the alternative. He could let her finish him off, lay back on the couch, and lazily let her ride his face until she came, but he thought the last option she gave him might be much more fun. She was such a little temptress, toying with him, driving his arousal higher with each brush and lick against his cock. It didn’t take him long to decide. “Ride me until you come on my cock,” he said, voice deep and husky with desire as he pulled her closer, encouraging her to climb up into his lap. “I want to feel you, then finish in your mouth.” Since she was offering. It was too much to pass up.