This afternoon was no different from all the other afternoons in the last fifteen days. The hazy light of a late spring day streamed through the glass door and the small window above the futon bed, making visible dust moats floating in the stillness. He moved languidly inside of her, this being their second go around. Steve slowly traced Serene's lips with his tongue, feeling her muscles tensing in a way he'd never felt before. Something was about to happen and he kept his rhythm steady. A flush of wet warmth washed over him. All of her muscles contracted as she buried her face into his neck, the heat of her breath sending a shower of goose bumps over his skin.
"Serene? Did you come?"
She nodded, another small shudder going through her body. So quiet. Not like the show Taylor put on, making a big deal every time. Overcome with it all, he flipped her over, her skin slick, and entered her from behind. It took only one thrust, with her back arching to meet him, to send him over the edge. After, they lay silently side-by-side, his little finger running slowly up and down her outer thigh.
"Serene?"
She turned to look at him.
"Was that the first time you came while we were doing it?"
She swallowed, her smooth throat muscles constricting, lips bruised from all the kissing. "Yeah," she finally said, and then, "I love you."
They kissed like they had all the time in the world.
"You're so wild and beautiful," he whispered. In minutes they were both asleep.
When Steve woke up, Serene was still sleeping. The light had faded to dusk, the room left in shadows.
"Shit," he hissed. It was late, too late for his parents. Although they often didn't get home until seven or seven-thirty, they expected Steve and Carrie to be there, to have dinner as a family. Serene mumbled something, her eyelids fluttering, and turned her back to him, emitting a soft snore. He slipped out of bed, trying to dress as quietly as he could.
He wasn't prepared to find Ramani in the living room, kicking lumberjack boots off her feet, her face partially concealed by a large pair of safety glasses. She was in blue jeans and a black wife-beater. A thin layer of sawdust covered her arms and frosted her dark curls. She grinned when she saw Steve. A flash of teeth. Ramani had a gap between her front teeth that gave the impression she was sharing a secret when she smiled.
Ramani pushed her glasses up to the top of her head. "You two done with your date?"
Steve never really knew how to be around Ramani or how to answer some of her questions that often disregarded boundaries. He stood for a moment, trying to find something to say to her brazen acknowledgment of the sex life he had with her daughter.
"Um. I have to get home." His voice came out hoarse.
Ramani dug into the front pocket of her jeans and pulled out a small pipe and a lighter. She placed the pipe in her mouth, lit up the pot that was left in there, inhaled deeply and sighed out her exhaustion with a cloud of smoke.
"Cool. See you tomorrow, hon." Her words came out tight as she talked over the remnant of smoke still making its way back up from her lungs.
Steve gave a little nod. "Yeah, bye."
"Bye." The farewell came from behind him.
Steve spun around to see Aarav sitting still and quiet, cross-legged in front of his altar. God, Serene's family was fucking wonky, he thought for the zillionth time. He gave a small wave at Aarav and went in search of his shoes by the door as Ramani started to sing to herself.
“There's something happening here. What it is ain't exactly clear.”
Steve felt his face grow warm as he pulled on his vans, barely tying them before stumbling out the door.
The last person he wanted to see was Enzo. Enzo stood outside his own house, separated from Serene's by a fence and patch of sidewalk, watching Taylor climb into Julie's car. The first days of Steve and Serene's relationship, Enzo had given them smoldering looks. Laughed too hard in front of them. Made crude jokes followed by a wink. Just kidding, a slap on the back. A playful punch on the shoulder that made Steve's muscle ache for days. But Steve had let it go. He'd been a dick, he knew. Enzo had confided in him, and then he'd gone and taken the girl Enzo had specifically set his eyes on. But Enzo didn't get it. Didn't see how Steve and Serene had been slowly making their way toward each other. It didn't take Taylor long to swoop Enzo up after that, and when Enzo found out that she and Steve had dated, he was only too happy to have her.
Not long ago, Enzo had intercepted him.“Steve.” A casual arm thrown around the shoulder, a smile that had never reached the eyes. Enzo had given him a hard flick under his chin with two fingers and an even harder kiss on the cheek. “Taylor's pretty
