Barfly: Chapter Nine – Shelia Taylor

“So tell me about this Stellan guy,” my older and overly protective brother said as we sat in on a park bench feeding the birds.

“What do you want to know?”

“What does he do? Where’s he from? What’s he like? Where did you meet him? I want to know everything about him that you do.”

“So you can form an opinion?”

My brother nodded. “It’s very important information to know when I have to go kick his ass for breaking your heart.”

“Who says he’s going to break my heart?”

“More than likely you’ll end up crushing him, but if he hurts you, I hurt him”

I smiled, handing him the bag of birdseeds we had bought. I told him everything I knew about Stellan. Granted it wasn’t a lot, but it was enough for Walsh to form an opinion on if he liked him or not. I also told him how we met and every interaction I had with Stellan.

“No sex?”

I shook my head.

Sitting back on the bench, he wadded the empty bird seed bag and put it between us. “Is he gay?”

I laughed and shook my head. “We had a pretty hot make out session the other night and our first kiss was down right explosive.”

“Was he turned on?”

“How am I suppose to know that?”

Walsh eyed me. “Guys have obvious signs. One in particular sometimes stands on its very own.”

“Ugh,” I said with a roll of my eyes. “Hearing you say stuff like that is completely gross.”

“Well.”

“I didn’t stop to feel around,” I said.

“At least you’re not a two bit whore.”

“I want to be one with him though,” I confessed. “I imagine doing very naughty things to him.”

Walsh covered his ears. “Can’t hear you.”

I slapped him on the arm. “Is that what you’re going to do when Maddie starts asking questions about sex?”

“She’s five so I don’t have to worry about that for a while. In fact, I plan on locking her up until I die.”

“Such a great dad.”

“Besides, I’ll send her your way for sex questions. I can’t bear to think of her having sex and I still think of you as a brat with pigtails so I don’t like to think of you having sex either.”

“I am currently not having sex.”

“Has he tried anything?”

“He’s been a perfect gentleman. When it was hot and heavy, he stopped and said he should leave. He also said he didn’t want me to think he wasn’t into me by saying he should leave.”

“You sure he’s not gay?”

“Walsh.”

He shrugged his shoulders. “That makes me suspicious. Us men are horn dogs Anna. We think about sex all the time. We also take advantage of any opportunity to have it. This Stellan character had the opportunity the night he drove you home, the night he carried you upstairs, and the night he made out with you. He’s done nothing. He’s not even tried to get to second base. Every guy tries for second base when you’re on first.”

“His hands were up my shirt.”

“What did he touch?”

“My back.”

“That is not second base.”

I frowned. “He was into the making out,” I said defensively.

Walsh patted my knee. “Maybe he’s got a small penis and he’s insecure about it.”

I punched him in the arm as hard as I could.

“I hope you don’t mind small.”

“You’re not funny big bro.”

“Or he could be hung like a donkey and he’s scared you might not like it.”

I punched Walsh in the arm again. This time I hit him harder than I did the first time. “Or maybe he’s a nice guy.”

“Even nice guys try to cop a feel of boob every now and then.”

“God, I hope he’s not gay,” I sighed. “That would suck.”

Walsh laughed out loud. “It would be your luck.”

“Wouldn’t it though.”
“Maybe his last relationship was a real mind fuck. Maybe he’s just testing the waters to make sure you’re worthy.”

“Are you testing the waters with anyone?”

Walsh shook his head. Maddie’s wench of a mother cheated on him and left him. He had to have a DNA test performed just to find out if Maddie was his daughter. “Not ready to jump back into the game yet.”

“Dating sucks.”

“Yes it does. You think he’s worthy?”

I sighed and stretched my legs out in front of me. “I thought he was worthy the moment I laid eyes on him. Then I met him. I can’t get him out of my mind. All I do is think about him. I daydream about him. I can’t focus because of him. Two kisses and two dates and I’m head over freaking heels for this dude.”

“Scares the crap out of you doesn’t it?”

“Yes. I don’t like feeling like this. I don’t like being all girly about a guy.”

“Maybe he’s your real life muse.”

“That’s what dad said about mom.”

Walsh nodded. Our father was an architect and when he met our mother, he said she inspired his designs. “She was the inspiration for our house.”

“I wish he were alive so I could ask him how he knew that she was the one.”

“He always said he knew the moment he saw her. She was the most beautiful person in the room. Maybe, since you think Stellan is the most beautiful person on the planet is his way of letting you know.”

I put my head on Walsh’s shoulder and let the tears slip silently from my eyes. He always knew what to say to me. It’s what he did best. Maddie’s mother had been a fool to let him go. “You always know what to say.”

Putting his arm around me, Walsh kissed the top of my head. “It’s what big brothers do. We also kick ass when our baby sister gets hurt. You should warn Stellan that I am a forced to be reckoned with when I’m angry.”