Page 27 of Chasing Fireflies

“Fuck you,” I say, standing up and walking away. I climb the stairs two at a time and slam the door shut behind me. Everything is a fucking trigger to him. Can’t I simply be in a bad mood? Can’t I be upset without it having to do with my disorder? I grab the basket of unfolded clothes and dump them onto the bed. I sigh as my mind tells me what is true.You can’t just be upset. You’re not normal. Your mood swings are extreme, and you do have triggers.I toss the clothes to the side and sit down on the bed. The door opens, and I look up. “I’m sorry.”

“Me, too,” he says, taking a seat beside me. “I shouldn’t think every one of your moods is more than just a mood.”

“No, you should. It is what it is,” I say, moving my hair out of my face.

“You will learn to drive the bike. I promise.” He grabs my hand and links our fingers. I look over at him and laugh.

“What?”

“You’ve got popcorn in your beard.”

“Get it.”

I reach up and pick it out. He eats it from my hand.

“Eww.”

“Why is that eww?” he asks, chewing on the popcorn.

“’Cause it’s beard popcorn.”

“Beard popcorn is the best, woman. Don’t you know?” He grins.

“No, I don’t.”

“Here, let me show you.”

“No,” I say, trying to loosen his hold on my hand.

“Where are you going?”

“Away from your beard.”

He holds my hand tighter, and I fall back as he climbs on top of me, bringing his beard down to my face and rubbing it all over me.

“You’re scratching up my face.” I giggle as he starts to tickle me. Placing my palm onto the bed, I try to move up and out from under him. I twist in his arms, but this only makes him do it more and hold me tighter. “Cash,” I say as he tortures my sore hips. “Stop.” I laugh uncontrollably and wiggle more. He quickly plants his mouth on mine, and I smile underneath his lips. My legs fall open, and he settles. I feel him grow hard beneath me, and I moan when he presses forward. “Make me feel good,” I tell him, and he lifts my dress and all play leaves the room as he thrusts into me. I claw at his back, and he grabs onto the headboard, fucking me until I cry out and he goes still. Our unfolded clothes lie under us, wrinkled to hell and back, and I look over at him. He is the most beautiful thing. He is mine, and sometimes I can’t believe it.

Chapter Nine

Cash

“Now, Mrs. Kingsley, you can’t keep throwing stuff at Mr. Kingsley. One of these days you’re going to hurt him.”

“Cash, stop calling me Mrs. Kingsley. I’ve done told you my name is Elizabeth. And I don’t throw anything at the dummy that would hurt him. Joe’s just a big ol’ baby,” she huffs and puts her hands on her hips.

“Oh, I’m a big baby,” Joe says. “What about you yesterday when you didn’t get to watch your soaps because the cable went out?”

“The damn cable went out because you didn’t pay it!”

“You get a job then and pay the shit. I don’t even watch it!”

“You are the one who told me not to get a job, you God dang donkey!” She picks up a pillow from the couch and goes to smack him in the face, but I stop her.

“Mrs.—”

“Cash, if you call me Mrs. one more time, I’m going to hit you with this pillow.”

I hold up my hands. “I’m sorry, Elizabeth. Please, put the pillow down. Now, you two love each other. You have to stop this fighting. Maybe if you stopped drinking that would help.”

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