Under Mr Nolan's bed

“My dad,” she replied through a mouthful of fruit. “That’s just what he said… except then he told me that he was in love with you.” My heart leapt in my chest. “He did?”

“Yeah.” She snorted. “My dad in love with my best friend. How is this not some sort of punishment?”

I felt tears stinging my eyes and blinked them back. “I’m sorry you feel that way.”

“How am I supposed to feel?” She slid off the counter, tossing the apple core into the garbage and flopping onto the kitchen chair next to me, her arms crossed. “You’re fucking my dad!”

I nodded, feeling the weight of it in my chest. “I know how it looks… but, Erica… it’s not like that…”

She frowned. “Don’t tell me… you’re in love with him, too?”

“Yes,” I whispered miserably, the tears I’d been holding back starting to fall. I couldn’t stop them.

Her face softened when she saw my tears and, leaning forward, she took my hands in hers. “Leah, you’re like my sister… we’ve been best friends forever…”

“I know,” I squeaked, my tears wetting my already soaked blouse. “I don’t want to lose you.”

She sighed. “I don’t want to lose you, either.”

“I didn’t know what to do.” My eyes searched her face. “I love him, Erica. I really love him… but I was so afraid that you wouldn’t understand…” Her hands squeezed mine. “I don’t know if I understand. I thought I knew what love was… with Bobby…”

Now she was crying, too, her lip quivering again. “But I obviously didn’t mean that much to him…”

“He’s a jerk.” I nudged her knees with mine.

“He didn’t love me,” she whispered, shaking her head. “I know that now.”

“I’m sorry.” I was really crying now and so was she.

Erica slid to the floor and put her head on my lap. “I was so mad at you…”

“I know.” My hand moved her wet hair off of her cheek.

“I wanted to hate you,” she went on. “I wanted to hate you both-but I couldn’t. I love you too much. You know that, right?”

“I do now,” I choked out, stroking her hair, her back. “I love you, too, you know.”

She drew a shaky breath, rubbing her cheek against my bare thigh. “I know. Do you know how I know?”

“How?” I whispered. Her lips touched my skin, warm and soft, and I shivered.

“Because you didn’t tell me,” she murmured, looking up at me. “You were both protecting me.” I held my arms out and we hugged. I sank to the floor beside her and we held on, both of us crying.

“You must really love him,” she said into my ear as we rocked. “You both risked so much…”

“I know it’s a sin,” I whispered, holding her tight. “But it feels so right. I don’t understand it.”

“God works in mysterious ways, I guess.” She squeezed me hard.

I sat back, frowning. “Do you really think we’re being punished?”

“I did.” Erica sighed. “Now…I don’t know.”

“I can’t help how I feel.” I pleaded at her with my eyes, feeling the tremble in my mouth.

She nodded. “I know. Come on, let’s go get changed and get warm.” It felt like old times, like nothing had ever come between us, as we stripped out of our wet clothes and pulled on t-shirts and climbed, still shivering, into her bed to snuggle under the covers.

“Wanna watch a movie?” Erica touched her forehead to mine.

“Noooo!” I groaned. “That’s how this all started.”

She raised her eyebrows. “What do you mean?”

“Me and your dad.” I flushed at the memory. “That’s how… we started…” Her eyes were searching. “How? Tell me?”

“Are you sure?” I swallowed, rolling away from her. I didn’t want her to see my face.

“Yeah.” Her hand over my back. “What happened?”

I let out a slow sigh, closing my eyes. “I saw him one night when I got up to use the bathroom…”

“Doing what?” Erica rested her hand on my hip and she moved in so her body was pressed up against mine.

“He was… he was watching a movie… and…” I glanced over my shoulder at her, feeling her soft thighs against mine. “Are you sure you want to hear this?” She nodded, moving my wet hair and kissing my neck. “Tell me. I want to know.”

“You’re not too weirded out?” I insisted, shivering when her lips moved down into the curve toward my shoulder.

“Yes,” she admitted with sigh. “And no. It’s hard to explain.”

“Tell me about it,” I breathed as her fingers edged their way under my t-shirt, stroking the soft skin of my belly. It was distracting. “Anyway… I saw him touching himself… and he was so… god, he was so hard, Erica…” She made a little noise, her breath tickling the hairs on the back of my neck.

“I couldn’t help watching him and touching myself, too…” Her fingers crept under the elastic of my panties, teasing. “Did you see him come?”

“Yeah,” I breathed as her hand moved to cup my mound. “All over his belly.”

“Then what?” she prodded, her hand rubbing slowly over my pussy.

“I don’t remember,” I murmured, squirming, feeling the heat of her crotch against my bottom.

I whimpered when she moved her hand away. “Fine, if you don’t want to tell me…”

“I do,” I protested, reaching my hand back and touching her bare thigh, pulling her hip in to me and wiggling back against her. “I just… it seems a little strange… telling you…”