Corn Chips
Genesis came out of the bathroom to find Tadgh staring at his phone with annoyance. He looked up as she stepped into the office. He grimaced at her apparel with a sneer.
“What?”
“My men need bullets.” His gaze roved over her. “I said comfy sweats, but I didn’t think they’d bring you men’s clothing. You’re floating in those.”
She waved her arms, “this is not near as sexy as my cashmere sweater and jeans.”
“Well, the jeans were trashed but you could switch out oversized hoodie for the cashmere sweater and I’ll be happy and won’t comment on how it doesn’t match. Please?” he lifted his eyebrows pleadingly. “It was so soft.”
“No,” she giggled “but will it make you feel better to know they didn’t bring me a bra and the other one was so gross.”
His gaze narrowed at her chest, “no bra?”
“No bra.”
“They’re forgiven.”
“I’m starving.” She commented as his tongue ran along his lips.
his eyes not lifting above her neck. “Tadgh!”
Corn Chips dinner.”
She giggled. “I’m really hungry though, Tadgh. I need food.”
“Fine. I’ll feed you but I want you to feed me later.”
“What do you mean?”
2/10
He boldly reached out and tugged her towards him, his hand snaking under her top to stroke her ribcage. “I want to feast on you.”
“We will see.” She didn’t slap his hands away. “Feed me first. You mentioned food and song.”
“Let’s go.” He took her hand and started walking through the office and out of the building. Once they were outside, he draped his arm over her shoulder and hugged her to his side. Escorting her through the yard towards an outbuilding on the edge of the property, he smiled. “Are you nervous?”
“What makes you ask this?”
“You’re quiet and you keep looking at me sideways,” he smiled down at her as they entered the building.
“I’m not sure what else to expect is all.” She admitted with at nod. “I know you’re hoping we have sex and I’ve been flirting with
you and I let you touch me but I’m nervous and unsure.”
He squeezed her shoulder, “there is no pressure from me, well, maybe some pressure. I do want you, Gen. I want to be buried so deep in your pussy that you taste me on your tongue but, I’ve waited all this time, I can wait until you’re ready. Whether
Corn Chips
3/10
fuck like animals, I am happy with you simply being with me, Genesis. I’m thrilled with you simply being with me. I get to spend time with you.”
He walked her through the building and then up a flight of stairs, unlocking the door he led them out onto the rooftop. Twinkle lights were set up around a picnic laid out on thick blankets. A bucket with a wine bottle nestled in it sat on the edge of the picnic.
“Oh wow.” She gasped as she took in the sight. “Tadgh, you did this?”
“I did.” He gave her a wide smile. “Come sit with me.”
He helped her down onto a bunch of cushions and sat down. beside her. He tugged the basket closer to them. “Sandwiches, pasta salad and corn chips. An unconventional dinner but it’s what I packed.”
Her eyes flicked to his, “corn chips?”
“Barbeque ones.”
She stared at him incredulously. “How?” They were her favorite
snacks.
“I watched you, Genesis. I watched you all the fucking time. You used to get the cook to make you a sub sandwich and you would take a bag of corn chips and a soda and go to the garden and sit and read your books.”
She was quiet.
Corn Chips
4/10
two bitches showed up in the house and like Kiefer, I needed away from them. I went from being hyper observant about every single thing you did to missing everything. I stopped looking and, in the process, you were hurt, and Roan was hurt.”
“I remember once they were beating me,” she held the plastic. wrapped sandwich in her hand, “and I kept thinking how much. I would love for your cranky ass to come into the room and catch them.” She whispered shakily, “but then I thought maybe you hated me so much you would have joined in and if you joined in, I wasn’t going to make it until dawn.”
“I never hated you. Not even a little bit. You,” he took his own shaky breath, “lit up the room the minute you stepped into it. I could feel your energy from the next room. When we were all in the house together, I knew where you were every single second of every single minute of every single day. I could smell you. I could hear you. I could feel you. It was as if you were right there, but I couldn’t touch you. It felt like torture and all the while you were the one being tortured.”
“You really never hated me.”
“I never hated you. I wasn’t even angry at you. I was mad at me. I was mad at Kiefer. I was jealous as fuck. All I ever felt was love for you and frustration you couldn’t see me.”
She swallowed nervously, “what if I did?”
“What? What if you did what?”
“What if I did see you?”
“What do you mean?”
Corn Chips
5/10
“I mean, what if, the reason I kept things super light and never really talked or engaged with you was because I did see you.”
“I’m going to need you to elaborate,” he unwrapped his sandwich.
Genesis didn’t miss the way his fingers trembled on the plastic wrap. She took a breath as her own fingers dug to find the edge of the sticky wrap. “You and Kiefer look a lot alike, but I could tell you apart the minute we met. You were louder and more boisterous, but Kiefer was intense and quiet, and he had me in a quiet corner of the pub, but I saw you the first night Tadgh. You were always around. The thing is, the fun, wild guy I’d met the first night, disappeared after and I always wondered what I did to piss you off and I thought,” she pressed her lips together before exhaling noisily, “I thought maybe you knew.”
“I knew what?”
“That I watched you. Kiefer left you as my guard more often than not and there were so many times, I wanted to slip my hand into yours, but it was wrong. I couldn’t covet my husband’s brother, so I pushed those thoughts away. I forced myself to focus on anything but you when you were in the room but Tadgh, I,” she wiped a tear off her cheek as she gave a laugh at her silliness, “I thought I was a bad wife. Women who marry twins don’t want to kiss their husband’s twin to see if they kiss. the same, they don’t want to see them naked to see if they’re built the same, they don’t dream of being in bed with their brother–in–law to see how they compare sexually. I was a bad
wife.”
“Genesis.” Tadgh’s voice was hoarse.
Corn Chips
wanted him. I loved him. God, I loved him so much adhed
5/10
for him all the time but,” she held his gaze, feeling braver than she truly was, “I wanted you. I thought you hated me because you knew I was watching you. If you would have given mean ounce of attention, especially during the last three montliss when Kiefer was never around. I would have given in without a second thought. I thought you hated me because you knew I’d dient on Kiefer with you, and you love your brother so much. I thought it was why you stayed away, because I wasn’t good enough for him since I was fickle.”
“Oh Genesis.” He held his arms out and tugged her, so she was sitting in his lap. and he rocked her against his chest. “The pair of us are fools, no?”
“Are we?”
“Yes. Actually, the three of us were fools. We were all blinded to the things we needed, all wrapped up in our thoughts of what was right, proper, and expected.”
“If you could go back in time, what would you do?”
“I’d go into that bathroom in the pub and while Kiefer fucked you in the bathroom stall, I’d have made him change positions, take you from behind and got you to blow me. Then I’d have switched with him. Then we would have taken you home. together. Then we would have both followed you to Boston and eventually, he would have married you legally, but I would have married you spiritually.”
“You would have wanted to marry me too?”
“I still do.” He didn’t back away from her question as he lifted.
Corn Chips
driving Kiefer nuts you’re not wearing your rings.”
7/10
She gave a shrug. “They’re in my bags. I always said I needed them in case I was forced to pawn them for cash.”
“You wouldn’t have sold them.”
“No.”
He chuckled, “I’m sorry Genesis. For the past and for my role in it, I am so sorry.”
“I know.” She kissed his cheek. She held up her sandwich. “Are we eating with me on your lap?”
“Yes please. I want you close, if its, okay?”
“It’s okay.” She snuggled into his embrace as she took a bite. of the crusty sandwich. Her eyes met his delightedly, “chicken
salad.”
“With Swiss cheese, exactly how you used to like them.”
“How is still so cold?”
“Had the guys bring the picnic basket up from the fridge in the canteen while you were in the shower. I packed everything myself and set this all up but the food and the wine I asked them to bring up when I brought your clothes to you.”
They sat quietly eating their food and when he reached for the wine bottle he started laughing.
“What is so funny?”
Corn Chips
8/10
“I did all this but forgot the wine glasses. I don’t have glasses. I have bottles of water and a bottle of wine but no glasses.”
She grinned at him. “Open the wine, Tadgh. We’ll just drink from the bottle.”
“You’re such a classy girl.”
“I know, right?” she giggled as she moved out of his embrace and then noted the guitar. “Actually, why don’t you get that, and I’ll open the wine. Sing me a song.”
He grinned, “yeah?”
“Yes. Please.”
He grabbed his guitar while she wrestled with the cork of the wine bottle. Taking a swig of it once she opened the bottle, she watched as he took his instrument from the case and strummed his fingers across the strings. She sat cross–legged opposite him. “What are you going to play?”
“How about, Something in the Orange? Do you know it? Zach Bryan has become a favorite of mine over the last few years.”
“No.”
He held his hand out for the wine bottle, and he took a deep drink of it before passing it back to her with a grin. “I think for every song I sing you, I want a kiss.”
“It’s like busking for busses.”
He laughed at her words as he strummed the guitar again.
Corn Chips
9/10
Genesis was surprised when he started singing along with the guitar. She knew it was a country tune, aware it was his favorite kind of music and as she listened to him pour himself into the lyrics, she was in awe of the passion.
To you, I’m just a man, to me, you’re all I am
Where the hell am I supposed to go?
I poisoned myself again, somethin‘ in the orange
Tells me you’re never comin‘ home
She was dumbstruck at how, despite the Irish accent she usually heard in his voice, it took on a southern drawl as he pulled the lyrics from deep in his chest. When the song drew to a close, she held her hand against her pounding chest and blinked real tears
away.
“I think Daddy and I need to have a real conversation
about smashing the dreams of a teenage boy, Tadgh. You’re extraordinarily talented. Incredible. Will you sing me another?”
“Payment first,” his cheeks were stained red as she praised him, but he played it off playfully and pursed his lips.
Crossing the blanket on her knees she cupped his cheeks in her palms and kissed his lips softly. “I’d kiss you a million times to hear you sing me songs. I’m learning so much about you tonight, Tadgh. Thank you for not giving up on me, on us.”
His blush turned his whole face red as he cleared his throat and started strumming another tune. Genesis decided this might be the best foreplay she ever engaged in.
