Defining Love

Pu$$y Whipped

“Oh, don't play dumb with me. I know. I knew this was going to happen. I see it in your tonto face every time you're around your friend. And I told your father." Her mouth practically twisted as she made that last statement. “I told that man he needed to sit you down and talk to you."

“Mom—"

“Are you?" she demanded, standing over me now in a tone that said there was no way I should even try to deny it. “And is she on birth control?"

My face heated for a moment, and I couldn't look her in the eyes. “Yes," I muttered.

If my mother only knew the lengths my pre-s*x talks with Mia had gone to, she'd have nothing to worry about. We'd covered respect, protection, and discretion. No one could know. She was terrified of ruining her reputation. She didn't even trust her close friends because, as close as she was to them, she said they were all a bit too gossipy when it came to that stuff and she wasn't taking any chances, so I was sworn to secrecy.

After all the talks leading up to that day and finally getting to what we'd hyped up so much, it was totally worth every single one of her stipulations. I was willing to do anything she asked me to if it meant it'd keep happening, but how was I supposed to argue with my mother? Somehow nothing ever got past that woman.

When Mia found out my mother knew, she stopped coming over to my house for months. She was mortified, though it didn't stop me from following her around like the puppy dog I'd become. Except for when we double-dated with my best friend Luke and whoever he was seeing, I hardly hung out with the guys anymore. All my horny teenage ass could think of was being with her. It was intoxicating, and there was no shame in my game. I admitted it to her all the time. I couldn't get enough.

We were the it couple in high school. But it wasn't just about that for me. We had the perfect relationship too. We could talk about anything, so there were never any communication issues. If some dude she knew or talked to got on my nerves, I had no qualms about saying so. If she was ever jealous or feeling insecure about anything, which was rare, she'd be upfront about it. We never had any of the stupid issues her friend Chloe and Luke did. He could never figure out what triggered her moodiness, and then he'd snap, and they'd stop talking for days. It ultimately ended their relationship, though they got back together and broke up a few dozen times before ending it for good.

Mia was even great with kids. My little sister, Bea, who was only seven at the time, tagged along with us often when we went to the movies or to grab some fast food. Usually, it was Mia doing the inviting since all I ever wanted was to be alone with her.

My cousin Gerardo, my mom's sister's son, was in town on leave from the Air Force the week I graduated high school. He'd smirked a few times at me during the back yard gathering my parents had for me when he saw me sneaking kisses with Mia. He and I had been close before he left for the military, and we still kept in touch with him via snail mail. But, admittedly, ever since things had gotten heavy between Mia and me, I'd been slow to respond, if I did at all, to his mail.

“You are so p***y whipped." He chuckled the minute Mia stepped away with Bea, who had tugged her anxiously to come see something top secret. “No wonder I haven't heard much from you." He shook his head but smiled big, glancing in Mia's direction then back at me. “My mom mentioned Tia Jojo being worried about you and asked me if you'd told me anything about it. So, you in love?"

I shrugged. I'd been telling Mia I loved her almost since the first time we did it. I'd been on cloud nine ever since, so I guessed I was. “We've been together over a year. What do you think?"

“Yep, it's pretty obvious, and you two are inseparable from what I hear," he said, lifting his ball cap and scratching the back of his head. “She seems sweet, but you're not thinking about getting married any time soon, are you?"

“Hell no!" I laughed. “I got plans. Big plans and getting married in the next few years isn't one of them. Mia and I are cool with things the way they are now. She has plans too. So, nope, no marriage for us anytime soon."

“Well, that's good to know," Gerardo said. “I'll pass that on to my mom. Maybe she can calm your mom a little. She seems to think you two are so serious you might surprise her suddenly and show up married. Or worse"—he laughed—“with a kid."

“Nah." I smiled, glancing back at Mia, who was on her way back with Bea. “My mom's got nothing to worry about."

She really didn't. Mia was pretty wonderful, and I'd always known even before we got together that she was the kind of girl you brought home to mom—a good girl—marriage material. But not yet. Not for a long time anyway.

As easy as it was to talk to Mia, we'd both talked about our plans for the immediate future. Marriage wasn't one of them. But it was true we had been inseparable. The only thing that had kept me from Mia on the weekends the whole time we'd been together was the fire explorers. I'd since graduated from the explorer academy and was certified now. My sights were now set on becoming a firefighter. Getting in wouldn't be easy, but I was determined, and it was what I planned on concentrating on. Mia would be majoring in performing arts and had her goals set on opening up her own youth dance studio.

My obsession and the novelty of having s*x so often had calmed a bit but not a whole lot. If I had a choice between a night out with the guys or enjoying Mia all night, I'd still go with the latter in a heartbeat. Though she'd been the only girl I'd ever been with, there were plenty of girls who flirted. If I had to be honest, I'd begun to wonder and daydream of being with some of them for a change. But I wasn't an i***t. I had a good thing with Mia, and I wasn't about to mess that up.