Hey there! It’s been a minute. (Okay, over four years, but who’s counting?) Since the last R&R update I’ve been writing some new stories, including one about a girl named Quincy. It’s set in the same world as R&R and is a sequel of sorts. The first couple chapters have been published here, so go check them out! But for now, enjoy the conclusion of Rowan and Ruthie’s story. After so long, I was nervous to revisit it, but I thought it a bit unfair that I never published the end of part 3. Your memory is probably pretty hazy at this point, so I’d recommend re-reading the story from the beginning before diving into this final chapter ;)

“Take those pants off,” Rowan says. “Doctor’s orders.”

As my pants fall to the carpet, she wriggles out of her boxers, tossing them over her shoulder. They hit the headboard and slide down, settling on her purple pillow case.

I can’t help staring at her. A few fine, dark hairs are starting to develop, but otherwise, her small slit is bare.

She puts her hands on my chest. I sink back onto her bedspread. It’s cream-colored, decorated with little pink and purple blossoms.

Rowan’s hands trace down my body until they find my member.

My breath catches in my throat as she runs her fingers over me, light and delicate. My erection grows as she goes.

“It’s like those toys that get bigger when they’re wet,” Rowan says, looking up at me. “My dad bought me a starfish when I was little, but then it started falling apart, and—”

She shakes her head, “Sorry.” Her hands pause. “I’m just not very good at… all this.” A sigh. “I’ve missed you, Jake. Video chats are nice, but I’ve been looking forward to seeing you again in person, and... I always picture things going so perfectly in my head.”

I push myself up and take her hands in mine.

“Hey. You’re doing just fine so far.”

This makes her smile. We lean closer to one another. Before I know it, our lips meet. Her kiss is everything I thought it would be, and yet somehow completely new. My face feels hot. I want to look into her eyes, but they’re shut tight.

We separate. I reach out and brush a strand of dark hair from her face.

Rowan gazes at me, her expression unreadable. When she speaks, her voice is low and longing.

“Again.”

I cradle her face to mine. She reaches her arms across my shoulders. As we kiss, her hands grasp at my hair. Her bottom lip squeezes against mine as we press together. I don’t think I’ve ever been so hard in my life.

I suddenly realize she’s straddling me. She sinks deeper into the kiss and as she inches forward, we touch.

She gives a start and our lips part.

“Sorry,” I say. I’m about to readjust when she stops me, putting a hand on my arm.

I meet her bottomless brown eyes as she crawls forward again.

This time I flinch as our bodies meet.

A hushed, nervous giggle from Rowan.

She rocks forward, rubbing herself against my length.

A quiet moan.

I lean back on my elbows to give her more space to explore.

She puts her hands down on either side of me, steadying herself as she slides back and forth.

Both of us are breathing hard now. Rowan’s head is down, hair falling over her face as she stares at my crotch.

“Hello? My eyes are over here.”

She raises her head but doesn’t meet my eyes.

“I’m just— It’s…”

“Embarrassing?” I laugh. “Have I finally found the one thing that embarrasses even you?”

She tilts her head back down, but returns my laugh. “You’re gonna make me lose my focus.” She rocks back down my shaft slowly. I swallow as I feel myself rubbing against her tiny folds of skin.

“We wouldn’t want that to happen,” I say, hating myself for making a joke at a moment like this. “I’ve never broken a body part in my life, and I’m proud of that record.”

This gets her attention.

Her eyes turn up to mine, full of concern. “Oh, I— I never thought about—” she stammers. “Is this alright?”

“Yes, yes” I wave her worries away. “Just joking. Mostly.”

She frowns at me and resumes her rhythm, rolling her hips back and forth.

“Although,” I look toward my erection. “I think normally it, uh, goes...inside.”

She’s dumbfounded. I give her a second to catch up.

Her eyes widen as she does, “But it’s—” She turns her gaze down. “So big. How does it—”

My mind reels, “Never mind, let’s just—”

“Hang on,” Rowan interrupts, bringing a hand to her crotch. Using her thumb and index fingers, she spreads herself apart.

“Wait, Rowan, I don’t think—”

“I’m not supposed to use toys yet,” she says with a smirk. “But this looks pretty real to me.”

Oh shit.

She reaches down and takes my cock in her other hand, guiding it as she raises up on her knees and scoots closer.

Maybe I should’ve thought this through a little more. Maybe I shouldn’t have come. Maybe—

“Relax,” Rowan tells me, pausing once she’s in position. “I just wanna see if it fits.”

She smiles at me and, after a long second, I smile back. I might be ready for this. But I wasn’t sure she was. Until now.

Pursing her mouth in concentration, Rowan lowers herself gradually down.

She exhales as my head pushes up against her.

A moment passes.

She drops herself down a little more, but it doesn’t fit. I slide up along her length instead of entering, my tip nudging her clit.

A short, shaky breath from Rowan. She raises up a bit and adjusts my angle.

I lay still, letting her take the lead.

Our eyes meet.

She keeps hers locked on mine as she sinks softly down against me again. As I come into contact with her, she uses her fingers to spread her lips as wide as she can.

She squirms a little, trying to offer me a pathway inside.

We press together for what feels like forever.

It’s breathtaking and beautiful and agonizing.

And it doesn’t work.

Rowan exhales, shuddering.

“It’s my fault. I’m too small.”

“No,” I say, taking her by the shoulder. “No.”

But what if she’s right? Maybe she’s too timid, and I’m too afraid of hurting her. I take a deep breath and attempt to reassure her. “Maybe we just need to give it more time. Not to sound weird, but maybe if you were more, er, aroused it would be easier.”

“Huh?” she wipes the back of her hand across her face, sniffling.

I clear my throat, “Uh, well.. when you start off by doing things like foreplay, your body has time to prepare itself for…”

“Sex?”

“Yes, that. And so, the more aroused you are, the more natural lubricant you generate, and the easier it is to, uh…”

Rowan grins, “You’re much better at babysitting than sex educating.”

“Thanks. I think I’m blushing.”

She leans in, peering at my face carefully. “You are.”

“Still liking what you see?”

“I am.”

She giggles as I run a hand through my hair, “I’d better leave sex education to the professionals.”

“Probably a good idea.”

Suddenly, there comes a tremendous BANGING on the door.

Ruthie!

We both flinch.

Rowan gasps.

I feel it.

Her warmth surrounding me.

The two of us, together.

I’m inside Rowan.

“How’d the surgery go?” Ruthie bellows. “Is he still alive? What’s going on in there?”

Instinctively, I start to rise. Rowan heaves a heavy breath and braces herself, but remains on top of me. I squish a little deeper in.

Her head tilts back, eyes closing.

She groans.

I raise my voice, hoping to drown her out.

“Hey, Nurse! It was a close call, but I survived! And I’m feeling better than ever!” I glance at Rowan, “I think we both are.”

“Oh,” comes Nurse Jenny’s muffled reply. “Then get back into the examination room!”

“Yes!” Rowan exclaims, surprised by her success, her face flush with pleasure.

“Good,“ Ruthie replies, sounding a little suspicious at her sister’s tone. “I need to make sure that doctor didn’t mess anything up.” I hear her skipping away into the playroom/fashion runway/doctor’s office.

My eyes travel down Rowan, taking everything in. Her dark hair is messier than usual. Strands fall across her face, which is decorated with a look I’ve never seen before. Below her face, I can just barely make out the outlines of her nipples, standing erect beneath her thin pajama top. Her hands are stretched against the bed on either side, steadying her. And the lips of her labia are stretched around my cock as it thrusts deeper inside her sex.

“We should probably—”

“But we’ve barely begun,” Rowan breathes.

She reaches for the tiny nub of her clit and pokes at it before returning her hand to the bedspread.

I inhale sharply as she starts to move her hips. Her bed creaks beneath us.

I plunge a little further into her and she moans.

“But Ruthie—”

“Probably—” she pauses to gasp. “Forgot about us and is already playing dress-up or something.”

The indignant reply comes at once from behind the door: “I never forget!”

I freeze mid-thrust.

Rowan’s open mouth morphs into a rueful grin.

Laughing, I help lift Rowan up and off of me. My length slides out of her and she presses a hand to her crotch.

“That was—”

I embrace her. “Yeah. Now put those boxers back on,” I whisper. “While I find my pants.”

By the time we’re presentable, Ruthie is on the verge of breaking the door down.

“What is taking you people?” she huffs, stamping her foot.

“Apologies, Nurse,” Rowan says as she unlocks the door and swings it open. She brushes a strand of hair that’s stuck in her mouth. “The operation had a few… complications?”

Ruthie narrows her eyes at us.

“But I’m all better now,” I say quickly.

Our mettlesome nurse puffs out her chest and grabs me by the arm. “I’ll be the judge of that,” she mutters, dragging me back to the examination room.

But we only take a few steps before the sound of a vehicle pulling into the driveway enters our ears.

“Mommy!” Ruthie yells, dropping my hand like a hot potato and making a beeline for the stairs. Always getting one-upped by the returning parents; that’s the babysitter's lot in life.

“They’re back,” Rowan breathes, so quiet I hardly hear her.

“Rowan,” I say solemnly. “They didn’t tell you to call me, did they.”

She shakes her head slowly, eyes on her mint green toenails.

I start to panic a little, picturing scenes of flashing lights and hurled accusations. I imagine myself hiding until the Clifton parents are sound asleep. Could I fit underneath Rowan’s bed? Maybe I can scramble behind the couch!

My thoughts are interrupted when Rowan lets out a sob.

“They said— they were going to settle things between them tonight. What if—”

I pull her to me, enveloping her slight, shaking self in my arms.

“Don’t go,” she sobs into my chest.

“It’ll all be okay,” I say into her hair.

“How do you know?”

“It’s like I said before. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be here with you. No matter what happens.”

She squeezes me so tightly I think I might tear.

Together, we walk down the winding set of stairs until we arrive in the living room. Ruthie waits for us at the bottom of the stairs, drumming her fingers on the banister.

“Are you okay?” she asks when she sees Rowan’s face.

“Yeah,” her older sister answers, sniffing away the last of her tears. “No matter what happens, it’s gonna be alright.”

Ruthie nods. I’m not sure how much of the situation she’s aware of, but I’m sure she’s felt the effects of her parents' struggles.

The three of us stand in the living room, listening.

Footsteps on the porch, a key turning tightly in the lock, the door swinging open with a rushed release of air.

Their footfalls are coming up the hallway.

I say a silent prayer to the universe.

As her parents round the corner, Rowan grabs my hand and doesn’t let go.

“Girls, I—”

Mrs. Clifton’s words fade as she takes in the scene before her. Her mouth hangs open. She looks dazed and confused.

Mr. Clifton looks angry.

Before they can say anything, Rowan walks up to them, stopping just out of reach.

“Well?”

“Rowan, dear, what is—”

“What’s going to happen? To you? To us? Tell me.”

Her words are fervent, but her voice is restrained... ready for what comes

next.

Mr. Clifton coughs into his fist, “First of all, why—”

Something in Rowan’s expression shuts him up. I wish I could see it. My view is limited to the back of her hair, her polka-dotted pajamas, her butt in boxers.

There’s a brief beat where it seems like everyone has stopped breathing. And then Mrs. Clifton lets out a long sigh before speaking.

“Your father and I have agreed that changes need to be made. Considering recent events, we think this is what’s best for us, and for the two of you.” (She gives me a look as she says that last part.)

“So what does that mean? Is he moving out?”

Mr. Clifton runs a hand down over his chin as he answers, “Yes. But I won’t go far. I’m going to be staying at a hotel downtown until the paperwork goes through on my new apartment.” His mouth shifts between a frown and a smile, like a staticy TV channel trying to come through. “I realize this isn’t what you wanted to hear, but…”

“But we hope in time, you’ll come to understand things from our perspective,” Mrs. Clifton finishes, giving her former husband a sideways glance.

“You said you’d try to work things out,” Rowan says.

“We did,” her mother answers.

“And we are,” says her father. “We’re still undergoing counseling from Doctor Carver.”

With this announcement, Rowan retreats to the couch, where she sinks down on the leather cushions. She swallows the news, bringing a hand to her forehead.

“Counseling?” asks a bewildered Ruthie, tugging on my sleeve. “What’s that?”

Mrs. Clifton collects her younger daughter in her arms and sits on the opposite end of the couch from Rowan.

“Now that that’s out of the way,” Mr. Clifton says. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Um, I can explain,” I say, putting my hand up in what I hope is a deescalating gesture. “You see, I was in the area, er, driving by, I mean, and—”

“I called him.”

Rowan sits up straight, hands folded neatly in front of her.

Her parents turn their stares on her. She looks to me before addressing them.

“I know you said I was ready to start watching Ruthie by myself, but—” She sniffs and wipes away a very-real tear, “I didn’t feel like doing it alone.”

“Well,” Mr. Clifton’s chin wrinkles as he frowns. “That was a very silly thing to do. I’m sure you’ve caused Jake a load of trouble.”

“Actually, sir,” I speak up. “Jake had no problems coming over.”

He tuts and shakes his head, “I’m sure a fine young man such as yourself has much better things to do on a Friday night than to watch these two.”

“I may be a fine young man,” I reply.  “But I’m also a babysitter.”

“But surely a babysitter’s duty doesn’t entail dropping everything on a chance phone call from—”

“He’s more than my babysitter,” Rowan tells her father.

“What’s that?” Mrs. Clifton asks.

I gulp.

“Jake’s more than my babysitter,” she repeats. “Because he’s my friend.”

“And mine!” Ruthie adds, wriggling in her mother’s grasp.

“Charming, I’m sure,” Mr. Clifton grunts. “But I think we’ve all had quite enough for one night.” He digs in his pocket and pulls out a wad of bills. He pushes them into my hand. “This should settle things. Goodnight to you.”

Taking this as my cue to go, I head for the door.

“Wait,” Rowan calls, jumping up from the couch. “I’ll walk you out.”

“I don’t think—” Mr. Clifton begins.

“Go ahead,” Mrs. Clifton intervenes with a nod. “But be quick.”

Her husband’s displeasure is obvious, but he doesn’t argue.

Rowan makes for the hallway, bumping me just a bit as she passes. I follow her to the front door.

“Bye Doctor Jones!” Ruthie yells after me.

“Bye-bye Jenny!” I return right back.

As we round the corner into the hallway, I realize how hard my heart is pounding in my chest. Rowan turns and gives me a small smile as she disappears out the door. This does not help my heart problem. Maybe I need another visit to the doctors?

We stand on the porch, looking out at the starry night sky. What we can see of it, at least.

"It's a lovely night," I say.

"What a coincidence," says Rowan. "I had a lovely evening."

I can't help giving her a sideways glance.

"Sure, my parents may not be a great fit for each other anymore,"  she shrugs. "But when I'm out here with you?" She rotates to face me. I take her hand in mine. "I feel like everything is going to be okay, just like you said. I know it will be."

"I can’t predict the future, but right now? I think we're a perfect fit."

"I was just thinking the same thing."

Rowan melts into me and I lean down and we share a single, perfect kiss.

Whew! I hope the wait was worth it. I know I've enjoyed writing these characters over the past half decade or so, and will likely revisit them again in the future. (I've already got a holiday special planned.) For now, the story of Rowan, Ruthie, and Jake continues in a sequel set many years in the future—it's called Quincy.and the first couple chapters are out now!