Buther only answer was to spread her legs wider, to grant me better access, and Iwouldn't deny her. Maybe a better man would have, the type of man she deserved,but that wasn't going to be me, not then. I wanted her to feel good, I wantedher happy, and if getting off on my hand while I finished my cigarette would dothe job, then that was fine with me.
Herarms hooked around my neck and her forehead dipped to touch my chest. Sheworked her hips against my fingers until she was whimpering and begging me tokeep going. As if I'd stop. I could tell she was close, as her thighs shook andher head fell back against the tree trunk, but she never reached the peak oforgasm. We never got that far. Because the next thing I knew, a guttural “oh,my God” came from behind me and I was backing away from Andy so fast I nearlytripped over my own feet.
“Areyoukiddingme?!”
Andysmoothed her dress out as she said, “Willa! What are you—”
“Donot ask me whatI'mdoing right now, Andrea. What the hell do you thinkyou'redoing?!”
Herother sister, Meredith, must've heard the commotion and hurried over, armscrossed and already scowling. “What's going on over here?”
“Ourlittle sister was just having sex over here, while we were having cake,” Willasaid, sneering at Andy and never once allowing her eyes to pass over mine.
Andygasped. “I was not having—”
“Oh,would you prefer I say you were getting fingered? Is that better?”
Meredithnarrowed her eyes at their little sister. “What the hell is happening to you? Imean, Christ, Andrea. Just because you've chosen to date trash doesn't mean youhave to act like it, too.”
Thecigarette between my fingers was now nothing but a smoking filter and ash, andI threw it to the ground, crushing it beneath the heel of my grease-stainedboot. I immediately pulled another from the pack, placing it between my lips,and lit up. All while Hell broke loose around me.
“Whothe hell do you think you are?” Andy hissed, her voice choked.
“Idon't know who you thinkyouare,” Meredith retorted, “but this shit,what you two are doing over here, isnotfucking okay.”
“I'mthirty years old! I'm an adult, dammit!”
Willasnorted, shaking her head. “Then act like it, instead of sneaking off duringyour parents' anniversary party to fuck your boyfriend—”
“Whereanybody can see you!” Meredith threw in. “Jesus, Andrea ...”
Witha smirk, Andy crossed her arms and said, “I think you're both jealous. I thinkyou wish you were in my shoes. I think you're so fucking tired of your boringlives, that you need to dig into mine. You wish your husbands would get thesticks out of their asses and—”
“Sweetheart,”I interrupted gently, pulling the cigarette out from between my lips.
“What?”She shouted at me, breathless and furious.
“Stop,”I said, reaching out and laying a hand on her arm. “Calm down a little beforeyou say somethin' stupid.”
Meredithuttered a sound of disgust. “Don't tell her what to do.”
Ishook my head, holding out my palm and surrendering. “I'm not. I'm just—”
Willashook her head, pinching her eyes shut and slashing her hands in the air. “Youknow what? I'm sorry, but no. You don't get to talk right now.You'rethe problem here.You'rethe reason she's never around.You'rethe reason she doesn't talk to us anymore, andyou'rethe reason she'sdoing God knows what when she's supposed to be celebrating her parents' anniversary.”
Takinga long drag from the cigarette, I shook my head. “Listen to me—”
“No,youlisten tome,” Willa went on, jabbing a finger in mydirection. “You—”
“What'sgoing on over here?” Andy's mother asked, coming into the garden that, only tenminutes earlier, I’d thought was so secluded and private.
Thiswas their chance to throw us under the bus. This was their chance to tattle andI fully expected for them to grab at it. But they didn't.
“Wecaught Vinnie smoking and told him to stop,” Meredith said, voice flat and eyespinned on me.
Andy'smom saw the lit cigarette pinched between my fingers. “Please put that out,”she commanded, and without a single protest, I did as I was told. She noddedwith approval, then said, “There's cake if you guys want it. And Vinnie?”
“Yeah?”
