Faster We Burn

legs around me and waited for me to go again.
    “We are.” As slow as I could I pulled almost all the way out and then pounded into her again. We set a syncopated rhythm that drove us both over the edge.
    I looked down at her to find her looking at me. Usually she turned her head, but finally, I got to stare into those wide brown eyes. I thrust into her again and held still, kissing her hard. I was shaking with the effort of doing it, but she was shaking too.
    I finally couldn’t hold out any longer and I came, saying her name.
    We were both still shaking as I lay my head on her chest.
    “That was anything but slow,” she said, her fingers threading through my hair. I lifted my head up and propped my chin between her breasts.
    “That was nice. Not angry or revenge-y at all.”
    “Nope. Just you and me.”
     
    ***
     
    “So what’s the deal with you and Ric?” she said as we lay on the couch. She was wearing my shirt and I just had my boxers on and we were sharing a bottle of beer, passing it back and forth.
    I shrugged and handed the bottle back to her.
    “I’ve known her for a couple of years. We met at a concert and she’s been a little obsessed with me ever since.”
    “Obsessed? Don’t we think highly of ourselves.” She took a swig and handed it back to me.
    “You have no idea. She’s showed up here in the middle of the night before. I’m actually scared of her.” Katie kissed my shoulder.
    “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.”
    “I bet you will.” I kissed her nose and she giggled. “So my friends aren’t scary, are they?”
    “Not really. As long as Ric keeps her paws off you, we’ll be good.”
    “And as long as you keep your paws on me, we’ll be good.”
    She rolled her eyes and drained the rest of the bottle.
     
    ***
     
    Katie stayed the night after texting Lottie and saying that she was sleeping over. I dragged her to my bedroom and we both passed out, her head on my chest, her hair all around me.
    Her eyes were open when I woke up the next morning.
    “Are you watching me sleep?” I said, admiring the way her hair was all over the place. That girl knew how to rock sex hair.
    “Maybe.”
    I gave her a quick kiss that turned into something more before she pulled away.
    “What are you doing for Thanksgiving?” she said.
    The question seemed to come out of nowhere, but I could tell she’d been thinking about it.
    “I usually just spend it with Trish, or go to Allan’s house. His mom always invites me and sends him to come get me if I try to bail. Why?”
    “Do you want to come home with me?”
    I leaned back so I could see her face better. “Are you serious?”
    “Yeah. I mean, if you want to. You’ll have to deal with my family, and my sister won’t be there, but I want you to come.”
    “Why?”
    “Because I can’t stand being around all my relatives without wanting to kill myself and I need someone to take the fork out of my hand if I try.”
    I gave her a look.
    “Oh shit. That was meant to be a joke and I –”
    I put my finger on her lips.
    “It’s okay. I actually enjoy a little suicide humor now and then. If you can’t laugh about death, then you end up worrying about it all the time and that can consume you. Trust me.”
    She pressed her lips against my finger and I moved it away so she could talk.
    “It’s okay if you have plans.”
    “Katie. I would be happy to come to your Thanksgiving with you.”
    Her face lit up. “Really?”
    “Really. I’m just not sure if your parents are going to like it. Have you ever brought anyone like me home before?”
    She tapped her chin and squinted at the ceiling as if she was thinking really hard about it.
    “Uh, no.”
    “Have you asked your parents if you can do this yet? Your dad doesn’t have a lot of firearms, does he?”
    “No, and just a few hunting rifles. He likes to go moose hunting.” Like nearly every man in Maine.
    Fantastic, that was just what I needed. “Jesus, Katie.”
    She patted my cheek and then got up. “Oh come on. You’re a big boy. You can handle it. Breakfast?”
    “Yeah, sure. Be right there.” She skipped out of the room and I heard the fridge opening a second later.
    I shook my head at myself. What the hell was I thinking? I knew what would happen if Katie brought me home. I’d been down that road before. It never led anywhere good. I was about to tell her no way when I heard her singing as she cracked some eggs into a pan.
    I leaned out of the doorway and watched