Page 49 of Ruck Me

“I’m confused then because she’s the only person I’ve seen you with lately.”

Even though I was surprised by his astute observation—Donal wasn’t exactly detail oriented—I didn’t let it show. “Well, it is Aoife, but we’re not fucking.”

“Shit, now I’m confused,” Ferg interjected as Tadhg slapped him on the back of thehead—

again.

“He’s saying he’s dating Aoife, but they’re not fucking, you moron.”

“Fuck you,” Ferg hissed, pushing Tadhg away. “I got that. What I don’t get is why you’d be with someone you couldn't fuck. Isn’t the whole point to dating having pussy at the ready? How does that even work, having a girlfriend you're not having sexwith?”

Until Aoife, that’s what I’d thought too. This situation was a whole new world forme.

“Lots and lots of patience, man,” I answered with a rueful laugh. “And a lot of quality time with this.” I held up my hand, palmout.

Breaking his prolonged silence, Donal noted, “So that’s why Declan’s been an asshole.”

“He doesn’tknow.”

“Oh shit!” exclaimed Tadhg. “He’s going to kill you when he finds out. You know the rules.”

“He’s not going to kill me. But that’s why we’ve kept it a secret. You’ve seen him lately. Dude’s off his fucking rocker and Aoife doesn’t want to add to whatever is going on. She’s going to tell him though. Soon.”

“How fast are you again?”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Because I sure as shit hope you can run faster than Declan when he finds out you’re fucking his baby sister.”

I clenched my fists at my side and took in a steadying breath. I loved Ferg like a brother but he could try my patience like nobody’s business. Before I could answer him though, Donal spoke for me. “He’s not fucking her, asshole.”

I exchanged a glance with Donal. He could be the most flippant person you’d ever meet, but he was as solid as they came—which he usually tried to hide. I didn’t understand why, but if he wanted people to think he was a clown, who was I to tell them otherwise?

“I can’t be the only one thinking it, so I’m just going to say it. Why not? She’s fucking prime, man,” Tadhgsaid.

“Don’t you dare say another fucking word about her,” I growled, my fingernails digging into my palms.

Tadhg raised his hands up in forfeit. “Okay man, calm down. No talking about Aoife like that, but I have to ask. Why aren’t you fucking her? You love pussy.”

He was right, I did. But I cared about Aoife more--which was why I wanted them to know what Aoife meant to me, how important our relationship was. So important that I would willingly eschew maybe the only thing in the world I loved more than playing rugby.

Silently, I took in the lads across from me—arguably my best friends. Over the years we’d shared blood, sweat, and tears—literally. Every good moment in my life had occurred with these three. Ferg and Tadhg stared at me expectantly, waiting for my answer, while Donal’s chin dropped forward in silent acknowledgment. They might be jackasses—hell, I could be one too—but they had my back and always would. Anything I told them would be kept in the strictest confidence.

I scrubbed a hand over my face and scratched at the stubble peppering my jaw. “Aoife's a virgin,” I admitted. Ferg’s eyes grew wide, Tadhg’s jaw dropped open, and Donal’s face remained a mask of indifference. “We’re taking thingsslow.”

“Holy shit,” Tadhg whispered. “You must be dying.”

“Just because they’re not fucking doesn’t mean they’re not doing other stuff. You don’t have to stick your dick in someone to make them come, you know,” Donal said, his weary eyes landing onmine.

In a moment of startling clarity, I understood what he was silently trying to communicate. Donal, against all evidence to the contrary, was a virgin himself. That was even more surprising than when I’d found out about Aoife. But because it was evident he didn’t want our other roommates to know, I played along.

“Yeah, exactly,” I said, wiggling my fingers suggestively. They also didn’t need to know that my fingers had, at no time, ever been near Aoife’s pussy.

“But she’s sucked you off, right?” Donal asked.

“Nah man. Like I said before, we’re taking itslow.”

I watched as his eyes blinked shut in relief and his shoulder sagged. For the benefit of the other two, he made a show of feeling bad for me, but I’d seen the truth in his reaction. Neither one of us was getting blow jobs at the moment. Hell, maybe he neverhad.

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