Differences

The following day, very, very early in the morning, it took several alarms several minutes to get them out of bed. Like two zombies they showered, dressed, and packed up his SUV with their luggage, including two garment bags, one for her dress, the other for his suit. Because he thought she deserved to suffer as well, he refused to let her see the one he had packed for the occasion.

He kissed her when she tried to sass him about it. “No, now we will both be surprised.”

“You’re an asshole.”

“My God, schatz, you really are a brat, you know?”

She pinched him for that and then he was tickling her until she couldn’t breathe and then they were making love on the floor of her bedroom, her packing then abandoned for several lust satisfying hours.

In the predawn light, they drove to a gas station to fill up on petrol and snacks for the road. Ryan ran in and bought what they needed while he pumped. When she came back and put the bags in the backseat, he grabbed her and pressed her body against the car before she could get in.

“Before we go, I want to ask you something.”

“Okay, make it fast. Traffic is gonna get bad soon.”

He disregarded her mundane concerns and told her bluntly. “I want you to be my girlfriend, sweetheart.” Ryan opened her mouth and he put his hand over it. “Don’t answer me right now, think about it. Tell me yes or no when we get back, or a month from now, whenever. You know how I feel about you, I have a fairly good idea of how you feel about me and I want this to be official. But I mean it, think on it as long as you need to, because I will wait for your answer.”

He took his hand away and she looked up at him. “Can I speak now?”

“Yes.”

“Raff…” She patted his hips and met his eyes again. He readied himself for a snotty answer, but instead she just said, “I’ve never done this. I don’t know how to be someone’s girlfriend. I’m an awful human being and you’re so nice and I wouldn’t even know how to try to be the girl you want.”

She wasn’t cussing him out, she wasn’t walking away, she wasn’t saying no: this was the best moment of his entire life thus far. He smiled and told her honestly, “Ryan, I’m not asking you to be anybody’s girlfriend, I want you to be mine. I already know you, I like you the way you are now, which is not awful, by the way. I’ve told you, I don’t want other girls, just you, as you are. Honestly, sweetheart, we’re already doing it. You like my company and you love having sex with me, that’s what dating is. Really, nothing has to change.”

“If nothing’s changing you need to tell me why you need this label so badly. Because this isn’t me, this isn’t what I do.”

“I don’t need it, I want it because it means something to me. I want to tell people you’re my girlfriend. I don’t want to just be a guy you like to fuck. That label, I know it’s just a word, but it’s also so much more. It means that you’re mine and I’m yours and that there’s no one else, not even the possibility of anyone else. That’s what I want, for it to be just you and me and for everyone to know it.”

Any other woman would be swooning right now, but all Ryan could think was that she wasn’t made for this. She had thought once that if he wanted a relationship she could break his heart and not look back. Now…she didn’t want to say yes merely out of habit, but she didn’t want to say no, either.

She asked, “What if I say no?”

“I’m not going to push it, I swear to you. If you say no, things will stay the same. I’ll wait a while and then I’ll ask you again.”

Ryan shook her head, but smiled. “Why? Why me? Why this? Why anything? You’re a sweet guy, Raff. Why do you want me when I’m so…not sweet?”

He shrugged and gave her that beautiful smile of his. “Because we’re like apples and oranges, different, but both delicious and good for your body.”

Ryan giggled at his terribly rendered comparison. “I…don’t think that’s the right analogy, but I get what you’re saying.”

“So you’ll think about it? Give me an answer when you’re ready?”

“Yes, I will think about it. Now get in the goddamn car and let’s get this over with.”

Eight hours, five bathroom breaks, two bags of chips, four cans of soda, two bottles of water, one breakfast break, one lunch break, and two additional snack breaks later, Ryan and Michael were only half way to Cole Harbour and one of them was getting restless.

Ryan let out a groan that turned into a moan that turned into a full on screech of frustration.

“Uuuuugggggghhhhh! Raff! Why did I let you talk me to into this?”

He looked over at her from the driver’s side and smiled sweetly. Calm as ever he asked, “What’s wrong, schatz? You’re not bored are you?”

Her look was vicious. “You know I am! And we’ve already played every road trip game ever invented and a few I’m sure you made up.”

“I know of one we haven’t played. Why don’t you tell me something personal, Ryan.”

Poor, sweet Raffl was trying so hard to pry without prying. She was onto him. She had let him go on about his family for hours, listened to the stories from his most recent trip, his college days, his childhood, his family. She was actually interested, so she asked questions and listened to his answers. And then he would look over at her, longingly, silently pleading with her to offer up some snippet of her own life for his consumption. She would just smile and then ask him something else about his life. He would sigh, but comply.

Now he was just coming right out and asking, but vaguely enough so he didn’t risk her flipping out on him like the last time he has asked about her mother. Damn, she was no good at this, so why did he want her? She really didn’t understand. He was sweet and giving and open, while she was cranky most of the time, selfish, and prefered to be closed off.

After he asked this she patted his leg and then went quiet, choosing to look out the window instead. Michael knew when not to push so he drove on, silently trying to emit vibes that let her know he was there if she ever wanted to talk.

He was just about to ask if she had to stop to use the bathroom at the next rest stop when she blurted out, “She liked yellow.”

His head whipped to the side until she turned to look at him with a small smile on her face. His eyes went back to road and he asked, “Your mother?”

Her voice was quiet, not sad, but…almost nervous, unsure. “Yeah. She died when I was very young, so I don’t remember much. But I know she had a bright yellow apron with little white flowers along the edges. And she always had candy in her pockets, lemon drops. So I think of her when I see bright yellow things.”

He smiled. “Like the curtains in your kitchen.”

“Yup. Exactly.” Ryan put her feet on the dashboard, rested her chin on her knees,and avoided looking at him. “I’ve never told anyone that. Not even Contessa. Kind of stupid, I guess.”

“No, sweetheart, not at all.”

To anyone else, it was a meaningless detail, but to Michael, it was so important. He wished to know her, really know her, the past, the present, everything, but this little story ended up touching his heart more than anything else probably could have.

He reached over with one hand and stroked her back. “Thank you for telling me. I think she would have liked the tablecloth I bought you.”

Ryan rolled her head to face him and grinned. “I know she would have. I didn’t know her well, but I imagine she would’ve loved you, just as Contessa’s mom does. You have a very yellow personality: bright, cheerful, annoyingly chipper at times.”

“Oh, mein schatz, you say the sweetest things to me. And I’m very good with mothers, it’s the daughters who give me trouble.”

When he winked at her, she only grinned and said. “You’re welcome.” They drove on in a comfortable silence until Ryan said, “How come you don’t ask about me and Contessa?”

“What would you like me to ask?”

“Most men would be interested to hear about our time together as lovers.”

His grin was goofy and wide. “I’m not most men. I only like to think of you with me, not her, not anyone else.”

“You’re something special, Raff. I appreciate that.”

“Well, I am Austrian and not to brag, but it is the best country on earth.”

Ryan huffed out a laugh and then sighed again as she eyed up the scenery that was still just as boring as it had been for the last several hours. “Oh, Waffle Raffl, are we there yet?”

“Almost.”

“Half way isn’t almost.”

“So, tell me more stories, more memories. That will pass the time.”

Without emotion she simply told him, “I just gave you the one and only good memory from my childhood, Raff. You tell me something instead.”

It nearly broke his heart to hear that. Michael knew he was lucky in his family, he was close with his parents and brother and together they had forged so many happy memories. Little moments from his life that could always bring a smile to his face. Even though Ryan had said she’s happy now, it hurt him so badly to know that this hadn’t always been the case, that she had suffered, that her childhood was morose. However, he also knew she didn’t want his sympathy So, he told her more stories of his own and they made her smile, so he smiled in return.

Two hours, a few more bathroom breaks, and a dinner at Taco Bell later, they were still about six hours away. And Ryan was even more restless.

“Pull over at the next rest stop.”

He was driving yet again and he threw her an annoyed glance. Well, as annoyed as Michael will get, which isn’t very. “You have to pee again?”

“No. I want you to fuck me.” Michael laughed and saw her grinning, but she said, “I’m serious. Please?”

“Ryan…you know I love to fuck you more than I love to do pretty much anything else, but I’m also just as sick of this car as you are. I want to get there as soon as possible so I can go to bed.”

“Hey, this was your idea, buddy.”

“I know and believe me, it’s been fun. I’m just exhausted, schatz.”

“You want me to drive?”

“In a bit. Just…no more talk of fucking. It’s distracting.”

Ryan bit her lip and finally thought of the perfect way to pass the hours and be a brat at the same time. She took off her seatbelt and then started tugging down her leggings.

Michael was immediately horrified. “Ryan, what are you -”

“If you’re not going to fuck me…I can amuse myself.”

“Oh, my God. You better not. Ryan! I’m being serious.”

He actually sounded a bit upset, which only encouraged Ryan even more, the bratty thing. She put one foot on the dashboard to spread her thighs and ran a hand against her pussy over her panties, moaning slightly. Michael tired not to look, but he sent her several disapproving glances. Ryan had apparently found the one thing that got under his skin, he did not like to be distracted while driving.

“Sure you don’t wanna pull over?”

“Little devil. I take back what I said, you are awful, the worst.”

Ryan laughed so hard she momentarily stopped touching herself, but that didn’t last long. Still giggling, she shoved her hand under the band of her panties and pressed her fingers against her now moisting folds.

“Mmm, Raff, tell me another story. A dirty one.”

Now he laughed, but shook his head. “I am not encouraging this. I would like to live through this trip and talking dirty to you while you touch yourself as I’m driving over seventy miles per hour is not the way to do it.”

“Fine, you’re no fun at all.”

She fell slightly quiet as she slipped two fingers in her entrance and thrust them shallowly. She sunk down further in her seat, popping her hips forward and circling them slightly as she started to get warmed up.

Michael, despite what he might have said, continued to look over regularly. Ryan noticed, but then closed her eyes. If he didn’t want to play along she would play by herself. With her fingers wet with her arousal, she brought them to her clit, tracing the ridge of flesh around the nub before she stroked it directly. She quietly moaned and kept her eyes closed, merely enjoying getting herself off.

His voice was strained when he told her, “Take your panties off.”

Now she opened her eyes and smirked at him. “I thought you wanted to live through this.”

“I don’t need to live that badly. Let me see you, mein schatz.”

She stopped touching and pulled her panties down, tossing them on top her leggings on the floor of the car. It was still light outside, there were cars passing on Michael’s side and now she was exposed. If anyone driving by thought to look over, they would be in for quite a treat. The thought made Ryan’s cunt ache and drip, so naturally she decided to shed her shirt as well, because why the hell not?

Once she was naked, Michael groaned. The car was cold because he had the air conditioning cranked so her nipples were hard a pebbles as soon as they were exposed. She propped her foot up again and then brought one hand back between her thighs and used the other to tweak her nipples, tugging on the peaks and pulling the flesh from her body before releasing it to wiggle back into place.

Her fingers found her clit, but she found she was too aroused and about to come, which she didn’t want to happen too soon. She abandoned the bundle of nerves to sink down lower and rub her fingers inside her walls.

Again, his voice came out rough and deep. “Put your other leg on my lap.”

She did so, extending the leg closest to him across his lap with her foot resting on the door. He couldn’t look at her for too long, but he put his hand on her shin and then moved steadily higher on her leg. When he reached her inner thigh, she gasped and bucked against her hand.

“Raff…I know I started this, but please don’t kill us.”

He chuckled, but his hand kept moving. “I promised to never hurt you, I meant it. My eyes will be on the road the whole time. I don’t need them to find that beautiful pussy of yours.”

And as he said it, he did just that, pushing two fingers into her opening to join hers until she was stuffed full of herself and him.

“Oh, God! Fuck yes.”

It was awkward for Michael reaching over, but they managed, both of their sets of fingers fucking her at a leisurely pace. Ryan let her eyes close and Michael, as promised, kept his facing forward and that was probably the hardest thing he had ever done.

He pulled his hand free and then hers, grabbing her wrist to guide her fingers into his mouth. He moaned around the digits as his tongue licked between and around them. When he was done tasting her, he moved her hand back between her thighs, pushing her fingers back inside and then blindly feeling along her folds until he hit her clit.

“Süsser…yes…”

“Yes, yes. Come for me and I’ll let you suck my cock as I drive.” He felt her pussy tighten and clench and he smiled. “Oh, my little devil likes that idea, very much. Come on, sweetheart, come for your süsser.”

A few more thrusts of her fingers, a few strokes of his on her clit and she came gasping out his name, streching her thighs further apart and letting the shutters move through her entire body.

She took a massive breath and let it out as she opened her eyes again. “Goddamn. That was awesome.”

Michael chuckled and she watched him lick his fingers as he had done to hers. He took a quick look over at her before grabbing her hand and repeating himself on her hand for a second time.

“Mmm, my sweetheart is sweet. At least she tastes sweet. Her personality…not so much.”

She found the strength and energy to punch his arm and he tried to give her harsh look, but his smile got in the way.

Ryan leaned over the median and put an elbow on his knee as she then rested her hand in her palm and looked up at him. “You really want me to suck your cock while you drive, süsser?”

He leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “No, mein schatz. That would kill us both. But I will stop at the next rest stop and then you can do it.”

Ryan’s laughter drew his out and when she wiggled her body so that she was lying with her head on his knee, Michael stroked her hair.

He asked, “Are you going to get dressed?”

“Later, when we stop. After I suck your dick.”

Michael grunted and continued to caress her hair as she hummed her contentment. She didn’t look comfortable, her legs curled up in her seat, her torso hovering over the center console, her head in his lap, but she was never more at peace. His touches were gentle, soothing, and she let herself fall into them. She closed her eyes and decided to rest until they stopped again.

She woke to Michael brushing his hand along her cheek. She opened her eyes and was surprised to find it so dark outside. She sat up and looked around. “Where the hell are we?”

“Halifax. You slept for a long time, schatz.”

She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and tilted her sore neck to stretch it. “Oh, Raff, I’m sorry I made you drive the whole rest of the way. You should have woken me up.”

“I couldn’t. You looked like an angel, to disturb you would have been a crime.”

“Jesus, you didn’t even have to pee or anything?”

“I did, I just peed my pants. If your hair is damp, that’s why.”

Ryan instinctively touched her hair and found it dry. Then she smacked his thigh. “Idiot.”

Michael just laughed and opened his door. “Let’s go. I want a bed and you still owe me from before.”

Grinning, Ryan got dressed and jumped out as well. With their luggage retrieved from the backseat, they walked to the road Michael had parked off of. In front of them was the ocean, that Ryan hear and smell better than she could see. The only light was provided by the windows of the building they had parked next to and it guided them forward.

In the lobby of the SeaWatch Bed and Breakfast, Ryan took charge since Michael had done the bulk of the driving thus far.

“Hi. Reservation is under Raffl.”

The women behind the desk was young, probably barely twenty-one, which would explain why she had been stuck working the evening shift and waiting for the late arrivals.

As she flipped through some papers to look them up she asked, “You’re here for the Crosby wedding, right?”

Ryan rolled her eyes. “No, we’re here for the Higgins wedding.”

“Hmm, that’s odd. I have you listed as being in the Sidney Crosby party.”

“Well, the record is wrong. We are in the Contessa Higgins party.”

Michael hooked Ryan’s neck with his arm and smiled at the now visibly flustered young woman. “Ryan means that we are here for the Crosby-Higgins wedding, on the bride's side, obviously.”

The young lady blushed under his gaze and Ryan rolled her eyes again. “Oh, yes, of course. Sorry, we only have it listed under Crosby because…well…you know.”

“I don’t know, would you care to explain to me why the bride isn’t even listed as member of her own goddamn wedding party?”

Michael actually pushed Ryan towards the stairs and said to the girl, “Forgive her, she’s a little cranky from too many hours on the road. We drove in from Philadelphia. Long day for us.”

Still eyeing up Ryan nervously, the girl handed over the keys. “Right, well, you’re on the second floor.” She then handed over a white box just about big enough to fit a pair of shoes and said, “Welcome gifts from the groom AND the bride. There is another wedding guest in the Captain’s Quarters on the first floor. A Mr. Del Zotto?”

Michael grinned. “Ah, yes, I know. Has he arrived?”

“Yes, he went out I believe, but it was awhile ago. He should be back soon.”

“Thank you so much…”

“Karen.”

“Thank you, Karen.”

“Of course. Welcome to Halifax. Enjoy your stay.”

They made their way to their room, but as soon as they were there, Ryan was willing to drive the fifteen hours back to Philadelphia on her own, without stopping.

“Oh, Christ have mercy on me.”

Michael, as per usual, was positive about the whole thing as he dropped his bag. “What? It’s cute.”

Ryan looked at him in disbelief. “Cute?” She looked around the room, nautical themed everything, taxidermied fish on the walls, worn out furniture, and a cabin in the woods vibe that made her skin crawl. “This isn’t cute, Raff. This is the seventh level of hell.”

“It’s only for a few days. It’s not that bad.”

“Ugh, she owes me so big for this.”

“I know something that will take your mind off things.” Before she could ask what, he took her hand and pressed her palm against his still hard cock.

Ryan immediately stepped closer to him and started stroking him. “Have you been hard since I fell asleep?”

“Yes, sweetheart. If you want to make it up to me…I wouldn’t object.”

“Mmm, aye aye captain.”

There in a hell Ryan never thought could be this real, she came to her knees and rewarded Michael for a job well done on the road. When she was done, the poor thing was so tired he flopped down on the bed and went right to sleep. Ryan kissed his cheek before sneaking out of the room and wandering down the road towards the dock that was brightly lit. From there she called Contessa.

Her friend answered breathlessly. “Yeah, babe?”

“Oh, my God. Were you -”

“We’re done, I swear. You have perfect timing. Hold on just one sec.” Ryan heard Contessa say something to Sidney, followed by his deep, but muffled response. Contessa went bounding down the stairs and then was back on the line. “Okay. How are you, darling? Did you guys get here?”

“Yes, we are currently in the fisherman’s wet dream of Halifax. I cannot believe you have spent the whole summer in this God awful place.”

Contessa mirrored Michael’s sentiment. “It’s not that bad. You get used to it. How was your drive?”

“You know…not terrible. It was long and we’re both tired, but it was actually kind of…nice.”

Contessa wanted to squeal, but she just said, “Oh, Ry, so cute. Did you tell him you like him?”

“No, but he knows. Enough of that, how are you? Any wedding jitters yet?”

“Ha! We were actually just working out some nerves right before you called.”

“Thanks, slut, for clarifying, as if I hadn’t already guessed. Do you need anything from me?”

“Nope, everything is handled. You’re coming over tomorrow, right? Sidney wants to see you and so do I.”

“If I have to suffer his company to enjoy yours, I will. Should I bring Raffl?”

“Umm…maybe not. We know things are gonna be a little tense with the Flyers and the Pens all here so we’re trying to keep everyone as segregated as possible.”

“Good idea. I’m just happy you’re still on the Flyers’ side of things.”

“I love the Pens, too. It is possible to like both teams.”

“Sure, whatever.”

“So difficult as ever, Ryan. Go to sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow and then the next day is my wedding! Can you believe it? I’m getting married, Ry!”

Contessa sounded so purely happy that even sour Ryan wouldn’t think of making a rude comment. “You sure are, babe. Good night.”

Notes

Ok, seriously, this is the last one this week. I NEED to work on some one shots, for real. Plus, I have like 12 romance novels I just got from the library, so I need to read as well. But also, seriously, I might start writing about the wedding this weekend so I might be a goddamn liar and post another chapter in two days, oops!