On the road again

As you laid down that night your mind spun, Amy, Nyx, Sara. Sara was the only one you knew you only wanted to be friends with. Amy came in and sat on the edge of the bed.

"I'm sorry Nyx and I blew up," said Amy, "we talked and I think we're ok now."

"Well that's good," you said.

"Dave," she said taking your hand, "I, well all of us, we have shit to get through."

Your mind took you someplace it hadn't in over a year. Back to New York, back to Anna's sister.

"I have," you paused, "a friend in New York, she's a psychiatrist who specializes in LGBT people."

"You never mentioned her," said Amy.

"She's my sister in law," you said, "I always got the feeling she liked me as something more, after Anna I couldn't bring myself to see her. I think I need to go see her."

"All the way in New York?" said Amy, "you've barely been back."

"I know, but I owe it to Ky."

Amy bid you good night a short while later and you booked a flight back to NY, it didn't feel like you were going home. The next day after goodbyes you were on your flight, no return trip booked. You landed in New York in the afternoon and wondered how you would approach Kylie. She liked wildflowers but it was November, you weren't going to by her jewelry. Whiskey, you settled on, Woolford Reserve, her brand.

You got to her apartment and waited outside trying not to look like a stalker. After an hour you saw her, the spitting image of Anna except for the blonde hair. She was talking on her cell sipping an iced coffee despite the cold. You felt a crush of emotion seeing her and suddenly you felt awful for how long it had been. She froze when she saw you, like she'd seen a ghost, her cell and coffee crashed to the pavement.

"Hey Ky," you said.

You waited, knowing her she'd hit you, possibly slap you, maybe throw what was left of her drink at you.

"It's really you," she said, and with that she collapsed into you and she sobbed.

The great thing about New Yorkers is the two of you were able to stand there sobbing for a good ten minutes and nobody gave a shit. Some time later you were in her apartment sitting on the couch, bottle opened.

"I thought I'd never see you again," she said shaking her head, "figured I reminded you too much of Anna."

"You did, you do," you said, "but it was also Blake's wedding, I thought if I came over when we were both so raw-"

"You're right," said Kylie, "but you could have called, I didn't even know you left the city let alone the east coast."

"That's why I had to see you," you said, "a phone call, at this point would have been hollow."

"Well I appreciate you biting the bullet," said Kylie.

You looked around the apartment, it was very clearly her place, no trace of, "where's Arnold?"

Kylie chuckled and drained her glass.

"Oh Ky, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be," she said, "I'm not, I mean I miss his cock from time to-" she blushed, "I can't believe I just said that."

"You're cut off," you said taking the bottle with a laugh.

"He left me," she said, "a little after Anna."

"I had no idea, I should have been here for you."

"Yea," she said, "but you're here now, it's not like you're leaving any time soon."

You didn't have much of a poker face.

"Oh," she said, "so what you're just passing through?"

"It's a long story Ky," you said.

She pulled the bottle back, "Uber Eats says thirty minutes for Momofuku, think you can tell it in that time?"

You tried to give the spark notes, building Shangri-la, meeting Amy, taking in Sara and Nyx.

"So," said Kylie after getting the food, "you came here to ask for my help?"

"No Ky, I came here to see you, if you want to help thats great, but I owed you this and honestly I didn't realize how much I missed you until I saw you."

"Because I look like her?" she asked.

"Because of you Ky," you said taking her hand, "we were friends, good friends and I think I convinced myself it was all in my head."

"None of it was in your head dipshit," she said somehow tearing up through a smile, "I was so mad at you, but as soon as I saw you, it's not all forgotten but it's forgiven."

You ate and the conversation turned lighter, about her practice, about your new home. The two of you lost track of time talking and thanks to New York being what it was you had no idea how late it had gotten.

"Holy shit," said Kylie checking her phone, "two AM, I haven't stayed up this late in, well not that long but I have work tomorrow."

"I'm sorry," you said, "I'll get a hotel."

"No," she said taking your hand, "please, stay."

You slept on the pullout couch which, since it was Ky's meant it was high end and very comfortable. You woke up to her flying through the apartment in the morning.

"I'm sorry," she said, "I'll be home as quick as I can, just enjoy the city or something."

You wandered around the apartment not sure what to do, it was kind of a mess and soon you found yourself cleaning. Ky had a big apartment, well big for city standards so it took you a while, you put on talk radio to remind yourself how bad the Mets were and always would be. As you finished up and waited for Ky you wondered what about New York you missed, then it hit you.

A short walk later you'd gotten two dozen bagels to bring back home with you and a pizza. The city you could take or leave but these were what it was all about.

Kylie got home about the same time as you, "you're such a tourist now," she said with a laugh, "bagels and pizza."

"Not just any pizza."

"You didn't," she said swiping the box from you, "oh my god," she said admiring it, "I could just kiss..."

She turned to you, her eyes boring into your soul and stepped closer, and closer, you were practically touching at this point. You kissed her, softly at first though it didn't stay that way for long. Her tongue was in your mouth, her arms around you. You had initiated the kiss but you waited for her lead and soon she was undoing your pants. Clothes were practically ripped off. She was a knockout by any standard, so much like Anna but as you always knew the similarities ended at looks.

Her kisses were aggressive, like she needed them to survive. You picked her up and sat her on the kitchen counter, you didn't ask, she simply smiled and you entered her as she moaned through a smile.

"Finally," she gasped, "fucking finally."

If this had just been sex you might have tried to make it last longer, feel her out, see what she liked, but this wasn't sex, this was a culmination of a night you'd tried to forget and a mistake you'd almost made. You held her waist and slammed into her Kylie rocking her hips to meet you, your lips barely parting except for a moan from Kylie or you trying to take a breath. It didn't take long for her to reach her orgasm which was good because as soon as she started to you erupted into her with a grunt.

The sex was over but you still kissed, still held each other close. You helped her down and the two of you moved to the couch, her cuddled up on you, her head on your shoulder.

"I have been dreaming about that since..." she trailed off.

"Blake's wedding?"

"Longer," she said, "too long. I thought at first it was a crush and it would pass but, even when I was with Arnold. Blake's wedding was just the first time I would have crossed that line."

"Ky," you said, "I love Anna, I always felt this but."

"She got you first," said Kylie, "and I'm glad she did, she deserved to be as happy as possible."

You hugged her to you as kissed the top of her head.

"Pizza?" she finally said, "then we'll take this to the bedroom?"

You ate quickly and then you had her on the couch, the bed was too far. After you laid on the couch talking a bit more, then you took her to bed she wanted you again and she got you, then again in the shower in the morning before work. Her departure was less frantic, more she just didn't want to leave you.

"It's taking some doing," said Kylie, "but I'll be ready to go this weekend, I was hoping we could drive, it'd help me bring what I need."

"Whatever you want Ky," you said kissing her.

She spent more time at the office the next three days but still wanted you every minute she could have you, by Saturday morning you were certain you'd had her on every surface in the apartment. You rented a truck, Kylie wanted to bring roughly all of her possessions for what she was saying would be a one month stay.

The traffic getting out of New York was abysmal, the traffic in New Jersey was a little better but soon you were flying through Pennsylvania.

"So tell me about them," said Kylie as the road opened up, "what should I know?"

"I don't know," you said, "isn't there like doctor patient confidentiality?"

"You're not a doctor dipshit thats not how it works," she laughed, "Sara, what's her deal?"

"She was in an abusive relationship," you said, "from what I can tell it wasn't physical but she was shaken when she first got there. She's kind of weird and really open sexually."

"Oh and you know this from experience?" said Kylie raising an eyebrow.

"No, well yes but," you stammered, "she initiated."

"So Nyx," said Kylie changing the subject, "she was homeless?"

"Yeah," you said, "in and out of lock up because she was on the street, she suffered the loss of a pretty dear friend. She likes to be affirmed, told she's pretty but she also just kind of talks in circles sometimes."

"And how was the sex with her?" asked Kylie.

You were certain you were beet red and would have given anything for a tire to blow or something so you could get out of the truck.

"Amy," said Kylie, "damsel in distress."

"Amy's sweet," you said, "she and Nyx both started helping out, I didn't ask them to. Amy's..."

"So she's the best lay?" said Kylie who seemed to be trying to kill you with a look.

"Amy and I were alone together for a while," you said, "it didn't happen right away and I care about her."

Kylie seemed to cool if only a little bit and you continued on through to Ohio where you stopped for the night.

"Enjoy your stay," said the hostess, "we always love having happy couples here in Dayton."

"Dayton is for lovers," said Kylie, "who knew."

"She must have seen my ring," you said looking at the band like it was a foreign object, you'd almost forgotten it was there.

"It's sweet you're still wearing it," said Kylie, "even if you've plowed four girls one of whom is her sister."

"Ky," you said, "that's harsh."

"Well what is it Dave, are you a chaser?"

"No," you said defensively.

"So are you just a nympho?"

"No," you said.

You sat on one of the beds, maybe she was right.

"Dave," said Kylie after a moment, "I'm sorry. I was so happy when I saw you, and the sex my god but I think maybe I'm trying to rush towards us and you're not sure what you want."

"I'm just kind of rudderless," you admitted.

"Well, I can work on you too," she said, "as a friend, as a doctor there's all kinds of ethical problems."