STROKED LONG (33 page)

I’m pulling hard on my cock now. I can feel the strain in my neck, the burn in my forearm from my vigorous pumping. I’m going to come right along with her.

“Turn on your vibrator, Ruby.”

“Fuck,” she draws out, the faint buzz of her vibrator sounding off in the background. “Oh God, yes. Yes, Bodi. Fuck, I’m coming.”

Her cries are my undoing. I squeeze my cock hard, allowing my seed to coat my stomach, as everything around me turns black, and all I hear are Ruby’s moans, and all I feel is pleasure rippling through my cock.

“Fuck, yes, Ruby. Fuck it’s so good.”

We both ride our orgasms, our breathing heavy into the phone, our moans echoing in our rooms. I just pray I wasn’t too loud. Given the shitty build of the dorms, anyone could probably hear me.

The silence resting over us is broken by a little giggle coming from Ruby.

“What’s so funny?” I ask, hoping I didn’t moan like a fucking nerd. Who knows, I totally lost control, I could have screamed like a girl for all I know.

“We just had phone sex.”

“Yeah, I don’t find that funny. I find it fucking sexy.”

“It was sexy, but it’s also funny because even from thousands of miles apart we still can’t keep our hands off each other.”

“Technically my hands weren’t on you.”

“In my head they were.”

“Where are they now?”

She sighs. “Wrapped around me with your nose buried in my hair.”

“One of my favorite positions to be in with you, only second to being balls deep inside that sweet pussy of yours.”

She giggles. “My, my, my, Bodi Banks, such the dirty talker. I never would have guessed.”

“Neither would I. You bring it out of me, Rubes.”

***

Ruby: I’m here! Even though I lost my sock, don’t ask, I’m here! I can’t wait to see you. When do I get to see you?

Bodi: You lost your sock? For some reason I’m not surprised. I have two heats to swim today, think you can get away tonight?

Ruby: I think I can manage that. I’m staying at the Miramar Hotel, not far from the venues.

Bodi: The same hotel I have reservations for after the races.

Ruby: I can’t wait for those two days.

Bodi: I do have the dorm until the end of the games though, if you really want to live in luxury . . .

Ruby: I will pass on having spiders and rats climb up my who-ha while peeing, but thanks for the offer.

Bodi: There are no spiders and rats.

Ruby: Yet. There are no spiders and rats yet. All in good time Bodi Bear.

Bodi: I try not to think about it.

Ruby: You’re crazy for staying there.

Bodi: Tradition, Rubes. I don’t break it. I have to get going. See you tonight?

Ruby: Yes, I can’t wait. And don’t worry, I will shower before you see me.

Bodi: Wear a dress. It’s what I like you in best.

Ruby: I like you best nude, can I request that?

Bodi: Not so much.

Ruby: And where are we on the benching of the penis?

Bodi: Never. Going. To. Happen.

Ruby: And here I thought you would do anything for me. *sigh* I will see you tonight, handsome. Good luck, not that you need it.

Bodi: Thanks Rubes. Can’t wait to see your gorgeous face. xoxo

Ruby: *fans face* did you just ex oh ex oh me? This girl can’t take the cuteness.

Bodi: Annnnnd last time I do that.

Ruby: What? Why?

Bodi: I’m not cute. I’m rugged, handsome, sexy as fuck, not cute.

Ruby: It’s not like I was calling your penis cute.

Bodi: You better not. My cock is anything but cute.

Ruby: You’re right, on its girth alone it’s more like a bulgy Hulk arm.

Bodi: Bulgy Hulk arm, huh? Well, said appendage can’t wait to see you.

Ruby: Bulgy appendage better be dying to see me. Ask it if it plans on waving to me while I’m in the stands. I would appreciate a little wink from your green noodle.

Bodi: Why do I even continue these conversations with you?

Ruby: Because you crave them.

Bodi: More like I’m wondering what the hell you’re going to say next.

Ruby: I once bruised my tailbone while making a sad attempt at playing basketball. For a week I had to sit on a red “doughnut” and carry it around school. It was humiliating.

Bodi: . . .

Ruby: I called it Sebastian. It was the same week I killed my baby egg in English class. Bad week for this girl.

Bodi: I honestly don’t know what to say.

Ruby: Maybe something like you have my condolences?

Bodi: Fuck, I miss you.

Ruby: That works, too. See you tonight, Bodi.

Bodi: xoxo

Ruby: *sigh*

RUBY

“I’m starving. I’m not going to lie, I snuck some of Satan’s mistress’s Tic Tacs while on the plane. I ran out of Swedish Fish. I was desperate,” Paisley said, scanning her menu. “I don’t know what any of this says.”

“Hey, I would have done the same thing if I had anything to snack on. I would eat a cow’s tongue right about now,” Melony responds, also looking very confused while scanning her menu.

Bellini is upstairs in her room sleeping, which is where she will be all night according to her rant in the car on the way to the hotel. Pocket has the lucky job of taking care of Pope Francis, Bellini’s beloved dog, who is actually such a sweet little guy. How he got stuck with such a horrible owner is beyond me. At least she is nice to him.

“Does Pocket creep anyone else out?” I ask, settling on what looks to be tortilla soup on the menu. “When I dropped my stuff off in the room, she stared at me from the hallway, didn’t even flinch. Pretty sure she’s going to murder me in my sleep.”

Paisley and Melony exchange glances. “She’s kind of creepy.”

“Kind of creepy?” Melony counters. “Paisley is just being nice. Pocket is a weirdo. I want to feel bad for her, given the type of abuse she endures from Bellini on a daily basis, but I’m almost positive she thrives off it.”

“Sounds about right,” I say. “If I get scared in the middle of the night, can I room with you two?”

“We demand that you do.” Melony puts down her menu and points at me, her eyes as serious as ever. “Listen to me, Ruby, if at any point of time you wake up with Pocket staring at you, you don’t say one word to her, you just grab your stuff and come share a bed with us, okay?”

I nod. “Thanks. I’m pretty sure that’s going to happen.”

Paisley pats me on the hand. “Yeah, I’m not going to argue with that.”

The waiter takes our order, which consists of us asking a thousand questions, the waiter not understanding us, us not understanding the waiter, and finally all settling on the soup that we’re praying doesn’t have any random meat in it.

“I’m so excited to watch the races tomorrow.” I’ve kept my phone close by so I can check in on Bodi. He made it easily into the semi-finals without breaking a sweat, something I wasn’t worried about.

“Me too,” Paisley lights up. “Just sucks that we have to watch it with Bellini. I have a feeling she’s going to be a real pill about it.”

Melony nibbles on a piece of bread. “She’s a real pill about everything. You know,” she reflects, a longing in her eye, “if I wasn’t desperate for this job and its pay, and afraid of destroying my reputation, I would shave a chunk of hair off Bellini’s head. Maybe a reverse Mohawk. I would have no qualms about it.”

“She would be like Regina George from
Mean Girls
. You could do something terrible to her and no one would be none the wiser, as they would all just do the same thing,” Paisley says, sipping her drink.

Not even paying attention to Paisley, Melony adds, “Then I would take her shaved hair and stuff it down that nasty trap of hers.”

“Now that’s something I would like to see,” I say, laughing at the image in my head. “Pocket would come to her rescue.”

“Or Pocket would sprint for the razor, cut off her hair, and imitate the nasty wench,” Paisley says, making us all laugh.

“How did we get here?” Melony shakes her head. “I mean, are we really that desperate that we have to follow around this horrific human being because we need money and have nothing better going on for us?”

Staring at each other, silence falls between us as we all think about Melony’s statement. At the same time, we start laughing and nodding our heads.

“Pretty much,” Paisley says.

“Money is nice when you have bills to pay,” I add.

“I like pretty things.” Melony shrugs. “So sue me. That Pothead Pizza bank is making it that much easier for me to buy them.” Pothead Pizza is the sole reason Bellini is rich, that and her father getting humped on national television.

“At least we are all on the same page about her being hideous. I would die if you two actually liked her,” I say.

“Could you imagine?” Paisley asks. “I think her dad and Pocket are the only ones who like her. But enough about Bellini, who is ready to see some hot men in tight suits?” She claps her hands in excitement.

“I wouldn’t mind glancing around tomorrow,” I say, playing it cool. Both Melony and Paisley eye me with a knowing look, and I wonder if they know about Bodi and me. I don’t think we are telling people so I keep quiet but from their intense stares, I get the feeling they’re waiting for me to say something.

But I withhold to their chagrin.

“Melony thinks Hollis is hot,” Paisley blurts out.

“Paisley!” Melony reprimands, a blush staining her cheeks.

In all honesty, I don’t think there is one woman on this planet who wouldn’t think Hollis Knightly, Olympic diver, isn’t hot. He’s amazingly ripped and has the best set of abs I’ve ever seen on a man, even better than Bodi, and I hate admitting that but it’s true. Pair those abs with his dark scruff and short man-pony, he’s a walking sex stick diving off the ten-meter platform.

“I think he is too,” I agree. “Reese King . . . oh, and Bodi Banks,” I say nonchalantly as an afterthought, but by the look in their eyes, they don’t buy it. “Got to love waxed man chests, am I right?” I shrug and take a sip of my drink, hoping their knowing eyes turn away from me.

“Anything you would like to share with us?” Paisley asks, leaning a little more forward than I would like.

“Yeah, any certain men you want to swoon over?” Melony adds, pressing her finger against her chin, a smirk on her face.

I look between the two of them and feel myself start to wilt under their glare. I’m not going to say anything. No way. My relationship is between Bodi and me. Nope, not going to crack.

“Speedos.”

Yup, that’s all I say, but that’s all they need. They got their answer from my awkwardness. From my avoidance of all eye contact, from my one-worded sentence. It’s plain as day.

I don’t just think Bodi is hot. Nope, I love that damn man, and I’m pretty sure if I looked in a mirror right about now, it would be written all over my face.

***

Bodi: Where are you?

Ruby: On a bench by the beach, right outside the hotel.

Bodi: By yourself?

Ruby: Yeah . . .

I stare at my phone, waiting for a reply but receive nothing. Was I not supposed to meet him? He sent me a text earlier, letting me know he was done with his required press interviews and his end of the day chat with his coach.

I’m confused.

Glancing away from my phone, I look out into the wide Atlantic Ocean. The water is not something I feel like dipping my toes in after all the reports I’ve heard on the news depicting how unsanitary it is. But still, it’s pretty to look at. Thankfully, there are no floating body parts in my view. A part of me wants to believe that the media was stirring the pot. I mean, really, would the International Olympic Committee really allow their athletes to swim in body-part-infested waters? I don’t think so.

I will say one thing about Rio, the locals are not afraid to show skin. And what nice skin they have, all bronze and beautiful, compared to my fair white hue. I’m a total tourist. That and the fact that I’m actually covering up my girl bits. I didn’t receive the memo on the thong two-piece bathing suits.

Would Bodi want me to wear one of those? Would he think it’s sexy or would he want me to cover up?

I think he would be quite pleased in the bedroom if I wore something like that, but out in public there would most likely be some kind of animalistic, predatory kind of attitude he would take on. At least that’s what my little in-love heart would want.

I’m in love.

I’m in love with a man who struggles with his emotions, who’s shut every door on his soul, leaving the tiniest windows open for me to climb through. He’s a beautiful man, with an even more beautiful heart but doesn’t seem to see that, which terrifies me. If he can’t see the kind of man he really is, then will he be able to identify the feelings he has for me? Will he be able to reciprocate the all-consuming obsession I have with his loving soul?

My guess . . . no.

But, that’s not going to stop me from showing him, from helping him open his eyes to a world he’s been hiding from. One smile at a time, that’s all I need. One smile equals progress.

“Ruby!” I turn around to see Bodi jogging to me in a pair of navy blue athletic manpris cinched below his knees, a white T-shirt, and a Team USA hat. He’s wearing flip-flops, which I’ve never seen before, but what I can’t get over are his manpris. What man can pull off such a pant? Uh, Bodi-freaking-Banks can. Why does he have to be so damn gorgeous? It’s almost unfair.

“Bodi!” I say cheerfully, standing to give him a hug. I go to wrap my arms around him when he grips my shoulders and looks me in the eyes, sheer panic running through them.

“Are you okay?” His breathing is extremely labored and there is sweat trickling down the side of his face.

“I’m fine. Are you okay?”

He swallows hard and steps back, gripping both sides of his bill, he squats down and from my view, I can see the muscles in his back tense with each breath.

I’ve seen this Bodi. This is the same Bodi I witnessed in Target. He’s on the verge of a panic attack and I have no idea why.

Gently squatting next to him, I place my hand on his back and speak softly, like the time I watched Eva do so in the coffee house a while back.