Despite the Pain

Chapter 13

Albion

I didn't want Dawn to leave, though we both knew she had to at least make another appearance downstairs, whether or not Dad actually wanted her to work. I knew he'd send her home. I'd heard him talking to Ryan earlier, lecturing him on taking off the day before and what he'd have to do to make up for it.

When Dawn left my room I wouldn't see her until school on Monday, and that was most of my reluctance to let her go. Then there was the taste of her lips, her arms around my neck, the way she played with my hair when I kissed her, the feel of her tongue seeking mine and the soft curves of her body so close to me. I wished I could lay her down again, but I was too nervous, too afraid of pushing her away. Especially after that admission, that she wanted to give us a try. The last thing I wanted to do was ruin it by being too eager.

I took a nap when she was gone, trying to push the feel and taste of her out of my mind until I'd have a guarantee of the privacy I needed to really think about them. I dreamed about her anyway, of having her in bed with me again, and I woke aching and dizzy. It only took a few pumps of my fist to relieve the feeling. When I finished, I cleaned any trace of it away, changed, and picked my way downstairs. The bakery was closed for the night with Dad nowhere to be found and Ryan crouched behind the cases in the storefront, cleaning them out and muttering to himself.

"Hey," I leaned against the door frame. "Want s-some help?"

"Nah," he shrugged. "Almost done." I nodded, pushing away from the frame and walking to the half price case at the end of the counter, where the leftovers from the day had already been moved. I pulled out a muffin, breaking off part of the top and popping it into my mouth as I went back into the kitchen to get a drink.

"Where's Dad?" I asked, turning to sit at the work table after filling a glass at the sink. Ryan came back into the kitchen, tossing his rag onto the table and pulling out the seat across from me.

"The Crawford's," he said, reaching over and breaking off a piece of my muffin for himself before I could so much as protest.

"Surprised A-Alina's not here," I said, raising an eyebrow.

"She's with um, whatsername," Ryan frowned, sucking the crumbs off of his thumb. "Your friend. The Anderson's daughter."

"Gisselle," I supplied, and Ryan nodded.

"Yeah," he wiped his hand on the side of his pants. "She's coming over afterward."

"Think you could t-take it to the basement this time?" I raised an eyebrow. Last weekend they had sex in the kitchen, and I don't know how the hell it didn't wake Dad. Ryan snorted.

"You're going to have to start sneaking Dawn down there too once Dad catches on to what you're doing to her upstairs," he smirked. I rolled my eyes. Once Dad caught on it would probably end altogether; there was no way I had it in me to handle those rickety basement stairs in the dark. Falling face first down them certainly wasn't going to do me any favors with getting Dawn under me again. "She let you get frisky again today?"

"I didn't--um," I shook my head. Ryan dropped his hand to the table and gave me a look.

"You didn't even try?" he rolled his eyes when I nodded, letting out an annoyed sigh. "How are we related?"

"Sh-shut up," I chuckled, scratching my fingers up into my hair.

"That girl wants to be on your dick. Why are you not all over her?" Ryan tossed his hands out to either side and let them fall back into his lap. "Do you know I would have done to Alina if we'd had the chances you're having with Dawn? Fuck, Al."

"Yeah, well--you're a p-pervert," I raised an eyebrow, and he opened his mouth to protest, thinking better of it and shrugging instead.

"Just take advantage of it," he smirked. "Before you lose the chance." I frowned, looking down at the table. Did he mean because of Dad? Or was he trying to tell me I might lose Dawn altogether?