Page 6 of Hard as Wood

I turn away from the door, sitting on a chair by the unlit fireplace. I won’t leave without a goodbye, but leaving could be the only way to give the girl I love most, the happiness she deserves.

Chapter five

Clara

Nothing makes you feel more well-rested than a good cry, stuffing your face with granola, and a heavy nap. There’s a glimmer of happiness during my first blink of wakefulness, but then I remember the sadness that washed over me before I fell asleep. Now that I’ve napped and eaten, I realize I might have overreacted. I’m still anxious about Pineo leaving me for the attention of everyone else in the world. Still, I should have just told him my worries instead of barricading myself in my room and making a big production.

I don’t know how long I’ve been asleep, and guilt riddles my consciousness as I crack open my bedroom doorand peer out into the hall. It’s silent. My heart drops at the thought that maybe Pineo has already left. Perhaps he decided I’m too dramatic, and he’s already sick of our life together.

I race out of my room, taking in my small living space. Thankfully, it seems the people surrounding my home have left. I don’t hear any chattering, and even though the curtains are drawn, I don’t see the light shifting on the other side from people moving about. I sigh in relief once I spot Pineo asleep on a chair by the fireplace. Seeing him already makes me feel better. I crawl onto his lap, nestling into his neck. He wraps his arm around me, rubbing his fingers lightly over my skin.

It takes him a while to pull himself out of sleep. At first, he holds me tightly—allowing me to share his warmth, but as his eyes flutter open, his spine straightens. I gaze up at him from his lap. “I’m sorry I was so upset,” I say in a small voice.

His hands fall from me, and I sense he means to get up. I crawl off him, confused and worried, and sit back down at the edge of the chair, staring up at him,

“It’s my fault,” he says, standing beside the chair. “I upset you.”

I pop to my feet, grabbing his hands. “No, Pineo. It’s not your fault. I just saw the way everyone reacted to you and…”

“Yes, I know. I embarrassed you, and I will continue to embarrass you. Look at me. I’m a hideous freak. My skin is made of wood, and I’m much too tall. You deserve someone that you can bring out and show off. You’ll never be happy with me.”

Blood rushes to my face. “Pineo. That’s not true. I want to be with you. I don’t care about other people.”

“But you will. It’s already become too much just from a short trip into town. Imagine a whole life with me.” He turns from me, tears in his eyes.

I grab his hand. “Pineo, wait. Is this what you want? Can you live a happy life without me?” He’s saying he’s leaving to make me comfortable, but what if this is all just to mask the truth? What if all my fears are true? What if he tasted the sweetness of the attention and realized I would never be enough? My body shakes, but I keep hold of him. I can’t let him go until I know the truth.

He turns back to me, studying me intently. It’s like I see his brain working behind his eyes. I don’t understand why this isn’t just a simple yes or no answer. “Well, what is it? Do you want to leave?”

Finally, his lips part. “Yes. I want to leave.”

My heart breaks, studying his face in disbelief. I hear a rip, and I’m pushed away from him, but not by his hands. I look down; his dick has broken through his pants again and grows impossibly long, much longer than before.

“Oh no. I’m sorry.” His wooden face reddens, and he attempts to cover his member.

My mind races with the events that happened before his dick grew last time. He had told a lie. He told me that he didn’t watch me pleasure myself, and his cock burst through his pants. Now, this time, he tells me he wants to go, and it happens again. Maybe it’s my mind playing tricks on me—not letting me drown in my sorrow just yet, or maybe he’s lying.

“Pineo, were you telling the truth when you said you wanted to leave?”

He’s distracted by his massive cock, not meeting his eyes with mine as he tries to turn away from me. I wrap my fingers around his head, and he shudders, moaning with pleasure and his eyes rolling back into his head. I slowly stroke him, a small fraction of the length. “Pineo, are you lying to me?” I stroke lower, and he moans again, giving into my touch. “Yes,” he answers through a heavy breath. “Yes, I lied. I thought it would be better for you. I’m sorry.”

I tsk. “My wooden boy. It seems that your dick grows every time you lie.”

His eyes shoot open, and I pause my movement. “Oh, I guess that makes sense. How foolish of me.”

“Shhh.” I walk closer to him so I can roll my closed fist down his cock to meet his body.

“Oh, Maker!” he croaks as I get closer. “That feels too good, Clara. I don’t deserve this.”

I press my body against him, rubbing my hardened nipples under my shirt against his chest. “You have only lied to me to protect me or my feelings. You don’t need to lie to me, Pineo, but I know you would never lie to hurt me.” I reach down and grab his wooden balls underneath his member. They’re so large and swollen, heavy in my hand.

He groans, throwing his head back. “They’re going to burst,” he says.

I rise on my toes, bringing my lips to his ear. “I want your wooden balls to burst inside of me. I want you to coat my insides with your maple syrup come.”

He sobers for a moment, studying me. “But Clara, I could hurt you. My dick is too long.”

I trace his jaw, staring into his eyes. “What did I tell you? Stop worrying about hurting me. We’ll figure it out together. We’re a team. We just need to be honest, and everything will work out.”

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