Page 100 of Fight Or Flight

Faster.

Harder.

I fuck her like my life depends on it, and maybe it does. My balls tighten and thank fuck my reflexes have more sense than my heart because I pull out just in the nick of time. My hands fall out from under her legs and I grip my shaft. With my eyes pinned to hers, I jerk my cock.

Tell me to stay.

“One day,” I pant.

One fucking day I’m going to come inside of her.

Until then…

I groan as my fucking cock explodes, decorating Brooklyn’s stomach with my release. I mean, I think my cock explodes. The fucking thing shoots like a missile. How else would you describe it? A rocket! My dick goes off like a rocket.

What? Don’t judge me.

I just fucked my girlfriend for the last time.

I begged her to tell me to stay, and she completely ignored me.

I’m allowed to compare my load to firearms. Apparently, they’re all I got.

That’s a heavy pill to swallow, and it causes me to roll off Brooklyn. I should get up and grab her a towel. Clean her up and hold her tight. Forget I ever asked her to tell me to stay. Close my eyes and wait for the alarm to go off.

“Eric,” she whispers.

I stare up at the ceiling for a second.

“I’ll get you a towel,” I say quickly, throwing my legs over the side of the pull-out.

“Eric,” she repeats, but I don’t acknowledge her. I don’t know if it’s pride or my bruised ego. I suppose they go hand in hand. Anyway, I make my way into the bathroom and grab a towel for her. On the way back to the bed, I spot the box from Build-A-Bear.

Yesterday, I took Bella to the mall to spend some time with her and she dragged me into Build-A-Bear. It was my first time in the joint and I found it a little creepy. All those poor stuffed animals with their guts ripped out—not cool. But if it made my sister happy, I was all for it. Coincidentally she picked out a snake and guess what she named it—yep, Eric. So, while we were stuffing Eric the snake, Bella had this idea that I should make Brooklyn a bear too. I thought Brooklyn would prefer the snake, but Bella insisted on a plain teddy bear, one that I stuffed with a personal voice recorded message and dressed in camouflage. The thing even had combat boots and dog tags.

Tearing my gaze away from the box, I head for the pull-out. Climbing in beside Brooklyn, I avoid her eyes as I wipe her belly clean.

“I’m sorry,” I say. “I was careless.”

“No, you weren’t,” she replies, laying her hand over mine. “Will you look at me?”

Sighing, I force my eyes back to hers.

“I can’t tell you to stay, Eric, no matter how badly I want to because that would be selfish of me and after everything you’ve given me—everything you’ve done for me—selfish is not something you deserve.” She pauses to sit up and take my face in her hands. “Do you know how many times I’ve wanted to talk you out of enlisting? How many times I’ve wanted you to choose me instead of your dreams?” She shakes her head and forces a swallow. “So many times, but each time, I recalled the look in your eyes when you first told me your five-year plan. I remembered the tone of your voice when you told me about the flag, and I knew the best thing I could do for you is give you my love and support. I love you so much, Eric, and I’m so proud of you. I can’t ask you to stay because I never want to be a regret to you. So, tomorrow, you get on that plane and you remember there is a girl who loves you more than she loves herself and she can’t wait for you to graduate because then our life together can truly begin.”

Tears slide down her cheeks as she touches her forehead to mine.

“I’m going to miss you, Soldier Boy, but when you come back to me, I’m never going to let you go.”

I’ve said a lot of goodbyes over the last few days and I haven’t shed a single tear, but right here, right now, I wrap my arms around the girl I didn’t see coming, and I cry into her neck.

I cry because I’m scared.

I cry because I’m going to miss her.

I cry because fuck, man, I’m joining the Army—the fucking Army!

Whose bright idea was this, anyway?

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