-RORY-
“What the fuck is going on, Rory Gregor?” Hindley slammed the Magic Door behind her as she barged into my hotel room.
“Nice to see you too, sweetheart.”
“Cut the bullshit. What’s going on with you and Michael? What did he say to you?”
“He said you’re working hard, and you need to concentrate on Axel and your other dude.”
“And you just rolled over and accepted that without fighting for me?”
I held up my throbbing hand that was wrapped in a bag of ice. “I think we’ve seen where my fighting gets me.”
“You know what I mean, Rory.”
“He said you’re a great lawyer, and now an accomplished agent too, so I should let you continue to grow, professionally.”
“So you don’t want me anymore?” Her huge doe eyes were quickly filling with tears.
“What?” I scooped her into my arms. “Are you kidding me?”
“It’s just that, usually, you don’t let me go without a fight.”
“Hindley, I care about you more than anything in this world. Even skating.”
Her eyes grew wide with surprise.
It was the truth. I understood in that moment just how much she truly meant to me. “I guess I’ve realized that maybe it’s me who’s putting you in harm’s way.”
“What the hell does that mean?” She shoved me off.
God, this was going to suck. I was nauseous just thinking about the words rolling off my lips.
“I trust you, with Axel, I mean. I know you’re strong and you won’t take his shit. I don’t want to stress you out. I know the law firm is putting a lot of pressure on you, and then there’s the worry you have about Paul’s company. I don’t want to put more stress on you too, that’s all.”
She tilted her head and furrowed her brow. “Where’s my Rory?”
“What do you mean?” I laughed.
“Where’s my caveman Rory, the one who beats his chest and stands on top of me, peeing around me in a vast circle, staking his claim?”
I grabbed her around the waist. “That Neanderthal is still here.”
“Neanderthal?” she questioned. “That’s an impressive word, Mr. Gregor.”
“I have lots of new words, Miss Hagen.”
“Read to me,” she begged.
“What?”
“I love when you read to me.”
“Really?”
“You know I do.”
When she’d first asked me to read out loud to her, I’d been so self-conscious I could barely do it. But over the weeks, I found it totally relaxed us both. If I got to a word I didn’t know, I’d pause and try to sound it out. If it was still beyond me, I’d either type it into Google Translator or she would help me and we’d add it to my sight word list.
While she walked over to her room, I stacked the pillows against the headboard of the bed and leaned back against them.
She returned with her e-reader, opening a familiar book. That’s What Friends Are For by Valeri Gorbachev. It was the story of unconditional love between two unlikely friends, a pig and a goat caught in a tidal wave of misunderstandings. They felt like Hindley and me. Even though it was a low-level reading book, I didn’t care. It was one I could read without help, and that brought me more joy than almost anything in the world, besides Hindley Hagen herself.
“Come here, baby.” I patted my lap.
She handed me the e-reader then she snuggled up to me, laying her head on my lap.
I twirled a strand of her hair around my finger as I read to her. The entire scene felt surreal, something I never pictured myself doing in a million years.
“I love your voice,” she said softly.
I moved the e-reader to the side, staring down at her face. It was glorious, glowing with pride for me. “And I love you.” I smiled down at her.
She took the device from my hand and set it aside, then shifted onto my lap and straddled me. “I love you too, Rory Gregor.” She leaned in and placed a gentle kiss against my lips. “Thank you for trusting me.”
“It’s Axel I don’t trust, baby.”
“I know. But I can handle him, I promise.” She tilted her head the opposite way and placed a kiss high on my cheek next to my ear.
“You’ll call me the minute that fucker tries anything, promise?”
“I promise.” She placed another kiss along my jaw.
“Thirty-five days,” I said.
She drew back, tilting her head in confusion, her eyes narrowing. “What does that mean?”
“Five weeks, thirty-five days until…”
“Until what?”
I flipped her over, crushing her body with mine.
She squealed in delight.
“Until I can tell the whole fuckin’ world you’re mine,” I growled.
“Rory,” she admonished.
“Oh, no, you’re not backing out now, Miss Hagen. You promised me the X Games would be my finish line, in more ways than one.”
She giggled as my lips blew along her neck.
“Thirty-five days,” she repeated. “But we have to be careful, Rory. Okay?”
I lifted up, staring into her gorgeous cocoa colored eyes. “Oh, Miss Hagen, I vow to be anything but careful with you.” I buried my face in her neck and littered kisses along her jaw.
“You know what I mean,” she panted.
“Umm hmm,” I hummed in her ear. “I know what you mean, all right.”
“Rory,” she blew out.
“Yes, Hindley.” I smiled against her skin.
“I love you.” Her words were desperate and pleading.
I lifted off her completely. “What’s wrong, Hindley?”
“Nothing,” she said, grabbing my neck and dragging my face to hers. “I want you to always remember, no matter what happens in the next thirty-five days, that I love you.”
I pulled her hand away from my neck and broke our embrace, rolling on to my side.
“What’s wrong? What are you talking about?”
She pushed on my chest, forcing me onto my back and climbed on top of me again, taking my face in both her hands. Her eyes searched mine, looking for traces of something that I couldn’t comprehend.
“I’m talking about the fact that I love you more than anything or anyone on this earth. I’m talking about how I’d do anything to protect you, no matter what it is.”
Her words were soft and gentle, but I still felt a tug at my heart that didn’t settle well with me. “Are you all right, Hindley? Are you in some type of trouble?”
“No, baby,” she whispered against my neck. “But you’re going to be in trouble if you don’t take me to bed and fuck me thoroughly.”
“What?” I laughed.
“You heard me, Rory. Stop with this sappy shit and fuck me already.”
“Why, Miss Hagen, you have such a potty mouth.”
“Yeah, and I’m about to wrap that mouth all over your dick in a second.”
Well, fuck me. Somewhere between the first time I’d found her shitfaced on the street back at that club in Austin, and now, my modest, meek little Drunk Girl had turned into a vicious sex goddess—and I loved it. Not only that, but against all the odds, we’d fallen in love.
The feeling should have comforted me and brought me great peace. But tonight I felt as if Hindley’s love for me may be her own undoing, a block around her neck that had the potential to drown her.
No matter how much I loved her, I had to be willing to pull away if my love ever endangered her life. My only problem was, I was a weak motherfucker, a selfish bastard to the core, and I feared I wouldn’t be able to walk away from her if that time ever came.
I shook internally, realizing I’d never survive without her, but knowing one day, I might have to in order to keep her safe. Tonight, she was all mine though, and I was going to enjoy her.
She unzipped my pants, freeing my one-eyed soldier who was already standing at full attention.
I wanted inside her so badly it hurt. I helped yank down both my jeans and boxers in one fell swoop, gazing up at her beautiful face. Her golden blonde hair fell in front of her, caressing my thighs as she stared at my dick.
“Is it possible to be in love with a penis?” She giggled.
God, that laugh. My dick swelled even bigger.
“Oh my God, Rory, how did you do that?”
I knew what she was talking about, but I was tired of talking. I spread her legs wide, allowing her to straddle me, pushing up her skirt to reveal her satin thong.
“I believe your exact words were ‘Fuck me already’, Miss Hagen. Was that correct?” Her temptress smile was my undoing. In one fluid motion, I flipped her over and jerked off her panties then grabbed a condom from the nightstand drawer and rolled it on in record time. Before she even had time to think, I slammed into her, all my emotions pouring out into the one place where I felt safe. Inside Hindley Hagen.
“Oh, God, Rory,” she moaned in my ear.
“Say it, baby,” I begged as I thrust inside her over and over, hitting every spot I knew lit her on fire.
“Oh, Rory!” she shouted through her heavy breathing, her hands gripping my ass, pushing me in further as her long, lean legs wrapped around my hips.
“What, baby?” I yelled. I wanted to hear her say it, while I was buried deep inside her. I didn’t even have to tell her, she knew what I needed to hear her profess.
“I’m yours!” she shouted. “You’re mine.”
“Always, Hindley?”
“Forever,” she panted. “I’ll be yours forever, Rory. You’re my Skater Boy.” She let out a moan like I’d never heard as her body shook and spasmed underneath me. She clamped down on my dick, drawing me further inside, sending a shot of sheer ecstasy through my entire body.
I pumped into her several more times, my dick growing thicker with every thrust. Sex had never felt this spectacular, with anyone, ever. I knew the reason why but I wasn’t sure I could say it out loud.
“Forever, Drunk Girl!” I exclaimed as I found my own release. I fell on top of her, my panting slowing as I returned back to earth. “I’ll love you forever, Hindley,” I whispered in her ear. Whether together or apart, it was the truth. I would always love her, even if it meant I had to leave her one day to keep her safe.