I Don't Need New Friends

31. Unicorns And Blowjobs

"Jesus fucking Christ, Barnes..." Zoe panted. "Is it the serum or just natural talent? No one should be that good in bed without a warning..."

"Want me to apologize?" He laughed while catching his breath, thankful that he gave a better performance than their first time. "Take it down a notch?"

"Don't you fucking dare!" She laughed. "Just don't want Sam asking why I can't walk tomorrow, that's all." She playfully bit his shoulder. "If this is how unholy good you are now, I'm not sure I want to know what Nat was talking about..."

"Oh, she was probably just alluding to how it was almost like a business transaction with us back then..." he chuckled. "She would have already left by now. It's funny that she was such a cuddler with you and Steve."

"That's because we weren't fucking..." Zoe deadpanned. "Can you even imagine the horror on poor Steve's face when she kicked his spent ass out of bed when they were together."

"Well, he's definitely a bit clingy." Bucky laughed. "I mean, yeah, the sex is great, but this is almost as good. I'm not above admitting how nice this is. Just hanging out, talking, enjoying your lack of clothes."

"James, honestly, you are too fucking sweet." She smirked. "I definitely enjoy ogling your scientifically engineered hotness. Thanks for not running screaming for the hills at my age-appropriate self. It's like we're two different species or something!"

"Come on!" He playfully slapped her ass. "You're fucking gorgeous! Are you serious?"

"Again, you're sweet, but just like you, I'm a realist." She smiled. "Hell, I'm older than any other woman you've been with, I know I'm not 25 anymore."

"Neither am I." He quipped back. "Where's this coming from? You okay?" Was she thinking about Steve? Could he have done anymore fucking damage to this woman? How could she not know how incredible she was? If he had to, he'd spend the rest of whatever time he had with her making sure she knew exactly how much she meant to him and how she had already changed his life for the better. She deserved nothing less.

"Yeah, just a little self-conscious, that's all. I guess I'm just surprised that there's someone who looks like you naked in my bed when they have other options." she chuckled dryly. "It's Los Angeles, and I'm a woman over 40, hell, over 30! And you're, well, you, James. It's a bit of a mind fuck."

"How so? You're amazing." He sweetly kissed her forehead. "Kind." Kissed her left eye. "Brilliant." Kissed her right eye. "Funny." Kissed her nose. "And you're built like a fucking woman." He growled and devoured her lips. "Curves." He kissed her neck. "Softness." Nibbled her ear. "Something to hold onto." Grabbed her ass. "Not afraid I'll break you." He pulled her thighs around him. "Something warm." He kissed down her chest. "Inviting." He grabbed another condom from the drawer. "And all fucking mine..."

The next morning, as she was scrubbing his back in the shower, he decided it was a perfect time to ask something that was on his mind.

"Hey, why won't you call me Bucky?" He asked. "Everyone else does."

"I guess that's one reason?" She replied. "I like James better. Does that bother you?"

"Actually no, which is weird, because I used to insist on women calling me Bucky." He chuckled thinking about it. "Less formal. It's like I was telling them to relax or something. I used to hate my real name. Only got used when I was in trouble." He looked over his shoulder and winked at her. "Thanks for changing that one forever."

"I'll be honest, all the stories I've heard, you were alway Bucky or Buck or Winter or The Soldier or The Winter Soldier or Soldat..." she put her arms around him. "But this version of you, the real thing, deserves to have a real name." She kissed his back. "You're made up of all of those parts, so I guess I should ask you what you prefer."

"You can call me whatever you want." He turned around in her arms and smiled at her. "As long as you call me yours."

"Did you hear that in a movie or something?" She giggled. "So cheesy! But as long as it's fine with you, I'll stick with James...Bucky sounds like a shitty frat boy name, like a guy who tries to pick you up at a party then calls you a fat bitch for not sleeping with him."

"I did what?" He laughed. "I would never! That guy sounds like an ass!"

"See? But James is a good, stand up guy, who laughs at your jokes and tells you he loves you not just while having sex, who would introduce you to his friends and ask your opinions on things. James is a fucking grown ass man. Bucky is a man-child with unresolved issues. James is willing to talk about things that make him uncomfortable." She explained. "Bucky whines about 'adulting', James is an actual adult. Bucky thinks everything should be unicorns and blowjobs, James does the work to make it that way. See where I'm going with this?"

"I think so, but you lost me at unicorns and blowjobs." He laughed. "Not sure what that even means."

"It means lala land, fantasy, unrealistic expectations of what real life is." She smirked. "Make sense now?"

"Totally. So what you're saying is that you like the actual me and not the mythical thing that you've heard so much about over the years. Works for me." He grinned, feeling like he just got permission to say what was on his mind. "Also, what was that part about telling you he loved you not just while having sex?"

"Uh, it was just an example..." she turned purple. "Please don't read into it." She looked away nervously. "Just ignore that part."

"Hmm...I don't think I will." He cupped her face to look at him. "Because you're right." He kissed her sweetly. "I'm in love with you."

"Wait! What? Are you serious? Please do not fuck with me on this." She pleaded. "I know it's really fucking fast, and we don't know each other that well, and the timing sucks, and this is completely insane..."

"Are you finished freaking out?" He chuckled. "I love you, Zoe. Deal with it."

"I love you, too, you smug asshole." She laughed and kissed him. "Now we really have to tell Sam, don't we?"

"Let's not talk about Sam right now, okay?" He laughed as he held her tightly and kissed her head. "Jesus, it feels good to be here with you. I don't care what else happens, I'm just grateful for right now."

"Did your shrink teach you that one?" She smiled up at him, kissing his cheek. "She definitely earned her bragging rights."