Love Bites

Walking quickly down the stairs, he almost ran into Kayla at the bottom. Their mom was in the den so Kayla quietly said, “You’ve changed clothes, but I can’t believe you finished so soon big brother. Did you let her down again?”

Ashamed, Cory simply looked down, not answering.

“No… you did, didn’t you? Where is she?” asked Kayla.

Still not able to look her in the eye, he said, “Bathroom.”

Kayla thought she was crying probably and started for the stairs. Cory grabbed her arm, stopping her and simply said, “A.T.”

Kayla grinned and said, “You should be… she’s gonna…” She stopped and shook her head. “Boys – how stupid can you be? So why the change of pants then?”

Now Cory groaned and said, “Don’t ask… Me at least. I’m sure she’ll be happy to tell you.” He then walked away.

Kayla went back to picking up stuff while she waited for Lily to come down. A few minutes went by before she heard a flush, followed by footsteps to the rooms and back, then Lily came down the stairs, still looking slightly flushed.

Kayla grabbed Lily at the bottom, and pulled her out the front door, closing it behind them.

They sat down on the swinging loveseat that was on the porch, and Kayla said, “So, what the hell happened? Cory looked like he wanted to die. He wouldn’t tell me why he changed, but without telling me directly, it was pretty obvious that you two didn’t… you know.”

“No, we didn’t. He froze on me. I dropped my pants, even gave him a sort of peepshow, but he just sat there, unmoving.

“As for changing, well, it doesn’t matter really. He’s embarrassed enough.”

“So, you’re not going to tell me either?” Kayla asked in almost a whine.

“I know you two tell each other almost everything, and if he didn’t tell you, then I shouldn’t.”

“He said you were in the bathroom taking some A.T. What’s that about?”

It was Lily’s to go red. “Um, let’s just say that after our talk, then my partial striptease and subsequent rejection, I, um, had to… let’s just say unless I’m going to borrow some panties from you, I need to go home and change.”

“Oh,” Kayla said. “Well, you’re welcome to help yourself. They should fit. Although they are probably a little plain for you.”

“Thank you, but I should make a quick trip home anyways. And here soon, we really need to do something about your plain problem. Maybe take Abby and the three of us go shopping. We’ve seen her stuff, so she’ll be up to it, I’m sure.

“Tell Cory and your mom I’ll be back later, and I’ll bring dinner. Your favorite. You’ll love it, promise.”

“You be careful,” Kayla said as Lily got up to leave.

Lily got about ten feet when Kayla said, “You’re walking funny.”

Lily took a funny half-step, trying to readjust things and simply said, “Tell me about it. It’s all your brother’s fault. She walked to her BMW, got in and drove off.”

Kayla went back inside and found both Cory and their mom picking up stuff in the den.

“Where’s Lily? I thought I heard her come downstairs,” Cory asked.

Kayla gave him a weird look, then said, “She said to tell you she had to go home to change. She’ll be back later and bring dinner with her.”

Cory sighed and both Kayla and their mom looked at him. “You two have a fight or something hon?” his mom asked him, concerned.

“No, I’m just stupid mom,” he replied.

Trying to break the tension, Kayla said, “You didn’t call her fat again, did you?”

His mom looked at him and said, “Tell me you didn’t call that poor girl fat, young man.”

Cory sighed and said, “No mom, I never called her fat. Are you kidding, you’d be hard pressed to find any fat on her body.”

This earned him a look of surprise from his mom, and a smirk from his sister. “God, I should just stop talking and leave it be at bad before I say something even more stupid, but we had a pool party mom. I’ve seen her in a bikini. Can’t hide fat in a two piece. Ask Kayla.”

“Oh no, you’re not bringing me into this fiasco. This one’s all yours.” Kayla said barely able to keep in her laughter.

Cory ignored them both and went back to picking things up and putting them back where they belong.

Kayla and their mom were silent and followed suit.

Lily called later that evening and told Cory to meet her outside. Cory was hesitant when he walked out to the silver car sitting at the curb. Lily was leaned back again the BMW, watching as he walked towards her.

“So…” he said as he arrived.

“So?” she repeated.

“Where’d you run off to?”

“Had some business to take care of,” she said, turning Cory red. “No, not that… Finished that upstairs, remember?”

Cory went a shade red darker. Lily stood up and put her arms around his neck. “You’re cute when you’re red Mr. Hudson.”

“I’ll understand if you need to find someone else to, uh, take care of your needs.”

“Oh no,” she interrupted him. “You’re not getting out of it that easy. I can wait as long as you can. It wouldn’t be my first dry spell.” She leaned forward and kissed him.

“So, why’d you call me out here then?”

“To carry the food in of course. One hand, remember?” she said, holding up her casted arm.

“Oh. But you’re stronger with one arm than I am with both.”

“Come on, I’m hungry,” she said, ignoring him and opening the car door with her good hand, then pulling out one of the bags of food.

Cory grabbed the two others and closed the car door with a hand. Lily hit the remote to lock the car and they went inside.

Kayla had set the table and was waiting for them, along with her mom, at the table. Lily and Cory came in and began unpacking the bags.

“Wow, you got a lot of food,” the twin’s mom said.

“Um, yeah. Mrs. Kim usually over does it. I told her four and she feeds six easy.

Cory looked sideways at Lily at the mention of Mrs. Kim. That meant she had been to the loft, but why?

After the food was unpacked, everyone sat down to eat. Since Kayla and Sophie hadn’t tried Mrs. Kim’s food yet, they sampled a little bit of everything, while Lily and Cory had tasted it before and were busy heaping their favorites onto their plates.

They ate in relative silence, everyone enjoying the food. When they finished, Lily said that she and Kayla would clean up in the kitchen while the other two finished up in the house.

“Don’t forget the cleaners will be here tomorrow morning, so only do what you have to. Let them do the rest,” Lily told them as they went off.

Lily cleared the table and put away the food, while Kayla washed dishes since Lily couldn’t get her hand wet. “You know,” Lily said in English, “if you ever decide to accept my offer,” she continued, switching to French, “the word is open to you.” Switching to Spanish she said, “Imagine what you’ll be able to learn.”

Knowing Kayla was trying to learn more languages she said, “Live,” in Russian, and “Learn,” in Japanese.

Kayla stared at her in amazement. “What?” she asked, switching back to English. “I told you I spoke a dozen languages. Probably more, really. I never really counted.”

“Could you teach me?” Kayla asked.

“Da,” Lily replied. Russian for yes.

Kayla finished picking up the last room. The house was still a mess except for the kitchen and upstairs, but the cleaners would take care of that tomorrow.

“Time for a shower and bed,” Sophie said to the kids. “Tomorrow is going to be a long day, I think. Goodnight kids,” she said walking out of the room.

“That sounds good. I think I need a shower too. After our talk earlier Lily. I think I have an itch that needs to be scratched, so take your time you two.” Kayla turned and bounced out of the room.

Lily looked at Cory who was red. She wasn’t sure if it was because of Kayla’s reference to what she intended to do, or because he was uncomfortable because of what happened earlier. She took Cory’s hand and said, “Come on,” pulling him to the front door.

Going outside, they sat on the loveseat. Lily pulled next to her, then pushed off so they rocked back and forth slowly. Cory’s hand was in hers and she squeezed it and said, “So, would you like to talk about earlier?”

He quickly shook his head no. “Oh, come on, stop being a baby,” she chided, putting their hands in her lap. “It happens. And I actually congratulate you on being able to do what you did. By using your imagination only. But it is disappointing that you’re being… well, a prude.”

“I know,” he said. But I made a promise. Kayla and I both.”

“But you know that if the right guy and the right time comes along, your sister isn’t going to say no. You do know that, right? And I’m not saying she’s going to jump in the sack with the first guy who comes along either.

“She has to know it’s right. It might not be ’til marriage, but I wouldn’t count on it. She’s a realist.

“You’re more idealistic. Which is sweet but super frustrating. I won’t lie, that wasn’t the first time you forced me to, um, take matters into my own hand – pardon the pun. Can you tell me you haven’t done the same?”

Looking down at his lap he shook his head no.

“So, if I do it for me, and you do it for you, what’s the harm in me doing it for you, and you doing it for me? It’s just a different hand. It’s not sex, if that’s what you’re dead set against.”

“I-I don’t know.”

“Well, at least think about it then, will you?” She asked and he nodded. “Good. Now… here’s a shocker for you. Your sister is the one who told me about your stash.”

Cory looked at her, shocked. She nodded. “She knows. She understands. And she gets turned on by them too, just like I was. But for us it’s different. It really isn’t about the girls. IT’s about replacement. I would pose for you like that if you’d let me. Just knowing you were standing there watching me like that, well… So, change of subject before I drag you up to your room or force your fingers somewhere.”

Cory realized that Lily had been slowly rubbing his hand up and down in her lap. He pulled slightly, making her realize what she was doing unconsciously.

She stopped and moved their hands between them and sighed. “I guess from dinner you realized where I went. Something just isn’t quite right about how Dallas showed up and how all of that went down. It was all too convenient. I couldn’t find anything out, but I asked some friends to help out to see if they could find out who might be behind this. I’ll let you know if I find anything out.”

“Are we still in danger?”

“I don’t know. For now, I think everyone is safe. But it might be safer if I… if I leave,” Lily said with a hitch in her voice.

“After all we’ve been through? No. Don’t you dare,” Cory answered tightening his grip on her hand. “I might not be able to… to please you, but I won’t let you down when it comes to protecting you.”

“Oh, Cory my love… you haven’t let me down in anything you’ve done – or haven’t,” she said, then leaned over and kissed him.

He returned the kiss, fervently. Lily knew Cory was intrinsically passionate about the things he cared about. She knew he would overcome whatever was stopping him eventually. She would wait.

Breaking the kiss, she said, “Hold me?”

“Of course.”

She stopped the loveseat, got up and sat in his lap sideways, putting her legs out on the loveseat and her head on his shoulder.

He wrapped his arms around her and held her. Starting the rocking again, Cory watched the night sky swing slowly back and forth, the stars making gentle arcs in his vision. It wasn’t cold but Lily was cool, however not as much as usual. Cory figured it was her body that was working harder than normal to repair the damage that had been done to it, making it warmer than normal.

They didn’t talk as Cory held her and rocked, and it wasn’t until he heard her softly snoring that he realized she had fallen asleep.