Ellie stood in the middle of the living room, a cardboard box in her hands, and sighed. The room was still cluttered with half-unpacked boxes, their new home feeling more like a storage unit than a sanctuary. She set the box down and wiped her forehead, glancing at the clock. Tom had left for work hours ago, and the silence of the house was starting to weigh on her. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off between them. They had been so busy lately—wedding planning, moving, work—that they barely had time to breathe, let alone be intimate. But it wasn’t just the lack of time. There was something deeper, something unspoken. Ellie tried to push the thought away, but it lingered like a shadow. Tom had always been gentle, kind, and supportive, but in the bedroom… well, it wasn’t that she didn’t enjoy it, but it never quite felt like enough. She had grown up in a small, conservative town where sex wasn’t exactly a topic of conversation, but she had always imagined it would be… more. She grabbed her phone and scrolled through her messages, stopping at the last one from Tom: "Hope you’re settling in okay. Love you." She smiled faintly and decided to call him. Maybe hearing his voice would help her shake this uneasy feeling. Meanwhile, Tom sat at his desk in the bustling office, his mind far from the spreadsheet in front of him. He had been trying to focus, but the sound of Jackson’s voice carried across the room, loud and obnoxious as usual. “No, seriously,” Jackson was saying, leaning against a desk with a cocky grin. “She took one look at it and ran. I mean, I get it. Not everyone can handle the size, you know? Especially the thickness. It’s a lot to take in.” Tom clenched his fists under his desk, his jaw tightening. Jackson was always like this—always bragging, always flaunting. He hated him. Hated the way he walked, the way he talked, the way he seemed to effortlessly charm everyone around him. But most of all, he hated the way Jackson had always been a reminder of his own inadequacies. His phone buzzed, and he glanced down. It was Ellie, video calling. He quickly answered, forcing a smile as her face appeared on the screen. “Hey, babe,” he said, his voice softening. “How’s it going?” Ellie’s voice was warm but distracted. “Hey, sweetheart. Just wanted to check about dinner tonight. Should I grab something from the store, or do you think we’ll order in?” Tom opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, a deep, mocking voice interrupted. “Hey, lil Tom,” Jackson drawled, leaning over his shoulder. “You know there’s no personal calls allowed on the office floor.” Tom’s smile faltered, and he quickly turned back to Ellie. “I better go, babe. Love you.” He hung up before she could respond and turned to face Jackson, his fists clenched at his sides. Jackson smirked, his dark eyes gleaming with amusement. “Who’s the beautiful lady?” “My fiancée,” Tom said through gritted teeth. “Ellie.” Jackson raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. “God, you sure do always have beautiful girlfriends, man. I was just thinking about your last one… what was her name again? Laura? Oh my god, dude, she was so tight. Like, really, I had never felt my dick gripped so hard before. I could have sworn she had never been fucked before.” He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a taunting whisper. “She clearly wasn’t getting stretched out with you. Hope you’re keeping Ellie satisfied, though. Don’t want her looking elsewhere.” With that, Jackson winked and sauntered away, leaving Tom frozen in his seat. His heart pounded in his chest, his face burning with a mixture of anger and humiliation. He hated Jackson. Hated him with every fiber of his being. But more than that, he hated the way Jackson’s words cut straight to the insecurities he had been trying so hard to bury. Back at the house, Ellie stared at her phone, a frown creasing her brow. The call had ended so abruptly, and Tom had seemed… off. She shook her head, trying to push the thought away. Maybe he was just busy. But deep down, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. She picked up another box and carried it to the bedroom, the sound of her footsteps echoing in the empty house. As she unpacked, her mind wandered back to their relationship. They were happy, weren’t they? They loved each other. But still, that nagging doubt lingered, whispering in the back of her mind. Ellie sat down on the edge of the bed, her hands resting in her lap. She thought about their sex life, or lack thereof. It wasn’t that she didn’t enjoy being with Tom, but it never quite felt… satisfying. She had always been reserved, growing up in a small town where sex was something you didn’t talk about, let alone enjoy. But she had imagined it would be different with him. She sighed and stood up, pacing the room. Maybe it was her. Maybe she just wasn’t a sexual person. But deep down, she couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t just her. There was something missing, something they weren’t talking about. As the hours passed, Ellie continued unpacking, the silence of the house growing heavier with each passing minute. She kept glancing at her phone, waiting for a message from Tom, but none came. The unease in her chest grew, but she didn’t know how to bring it up. When Tom finally walked through the door that evening, Ellie was sitting on the couch, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. He smiled at her, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Hey, babe,” he said, his voice flat. “Hey,” Ellie replied, her voice soft. “How was your day?” Tom shrugged, avoiding her gaze. “It was fine. Just… busy.” Ellie nodded, her heart sinking. She wanted to ask him what was wrong, wanted to tell him about the doubts that had been plaguing her all day. But the words stuck in her throat, and instead, she just nodded. “Dinner’s ready,” she said quietly. “I made spaghetti.” Tom forced a smile. “Great. Thanks, Ellie.” As they sat down to eat, the silence between them felt heavier than ever. Ellie picked at her food, her stomach in knots. She glanced at Tom, her heart aching with the weight of everything she wanted to say but couldn’t. Finally, she took a deep breath and looked up at him. “Tom… is everything okay?” He looked up, his eyes meeting hers for the first time that evening. “Yeah,” he said, his voice strained. “Why wouldn’t it be?” Ellie hesitated, her heart pounding. “I don’t know. You just seem… distant.” Tom’s jaw tightened, and he looked down at his plate. “I’m fine, Ellie. Just… tired.” Ellie nodded, her chest tightening. She wanted to believe him, but something in his tone told her there was more he wasn’t saying. She reached out, her hand resting gently on his. “You know you can talk to me, right?” she said softly. “About anything.” Tom looked up at her, his eyes clouded with something she couldn’t quite place. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, the sound of his phone buzzing on the table interrupted them. He glanced down at it, his expression darkening. “I should take this,” he said, his voice tense. Ellie nodded, her heart sinking as he stood up and walked out of the room. She sat there, staring at her plate, the food suddenly unappetizing. When Tom finally returned, his face was pale, his hands clenched at his sides. Ellie looked up at him, her heart racing. “Who was that?” she asked, her voice trembling. Tom hesitated, his eyes avoiding hers. “Just… work,” he said quietly. Ellie’s chest tightened, and before she could stop herself, the words spilled out. “Tom, something’s wrong. I can feel it. Please, just talk to me.” Tom looked up at her, his eyes filled with something she couldn’t quite place. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words seemed stuck in his throat. “Ellie…” he began, his voice barely above a whisper. “I… I need to tell you something.” Ellie’s heart pounded in her chest, her hands trembling in her lap. “What is it?” Tom took a deep breath, his eyes meeting hers for the first time. “It’s about Jackson.” Ellie’s breath caught in her throat, the air between them heavy with tension. “What about him?” Tom hesitated, his hands clenching at his sides. “He… he’s been saying things. About me. About us.” Ellie’s heart sank, her chest tightening. “What kind of things?” Tom looked away, his jaw clenched. “Things that… that make me wonder if I’m enough for you.” Ellie’s eyes widened, her heart aching at the vulnerability in his voice. “Tom…” But before she could say more, Tom’s phone buzzed again, and he glanced down at it, his expression darkening. “I have to go,” he said abruptly, his voice strained. “I’m sorry, Ellie. I just… I need some air.” “Wait,” Ellie said

Ellie, unpacking in their new home, feels a growing unease about her relationship with Tom, especially regarding their intimacy. At work, Tom is harassed by his colleague Jackson, who mocks his relationship and makes him feel inadequate. When Tom returns home, Ellie tries to address the tension between them, but Tom is reluctant to open up and eventually leaves abruptly after receiving a mysterious call.

Ellie stood in the middle of the living room, a cardboard box in her hands, and sighed. The room was still cluttered with half-unpacked boxes, their new home feeling more like a storage unit than a sanctuary. She set the box down and wiped her forehead, glancing at the clock. Tom had left for work hours ago, and the silence of the house was starting to weigh on her. 

She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off between them. They had been so busy lately—wedding planning, moving, work—that they barely had time to breathe, let alone be intimate. But it wasn’t just the lack of time. There was something deeper, something unspoken. Ellie tried to push the thought away, but it lingered like a shadow. 

Tom had always been gentle, kind, and supportive, but in the bedroom… well, it wasn’t that she didn’t enjoy it, but it never quite *felt* like enough. She had grown up in a small, conservative town where sex wasn’t exactly a topic of conversation, but she had always imagined it would be… more. 

She grabbed her phone and scrolled through her messages, stopping at the last one from Tom: __"Hope you’re settling in okay. Love you."__ She smiled faintly and decided to call him. Maybe hearing his voice would help her shake this uneasy feeling. 

Meanwhile, Tom sat at his desk in the bustling office, his mind far from the spreadsheet in front of him. He had been trying to focus, but the sound of Jackson’s voice carried across the room, loud and obnoxious as usual. 

“No, seriously,” Jackson was saying, leaning against a desk with a cocky grin. “She took one look at it and *ran*. I mean, I get it. Not everyone can handle the size, you know? Especially the thickness. It’s a lot to take in.” 

Tom clenched his fists under his desk, his jaw tightening. Jackson was always like this—always bragging, always flaunting. He hated him. Hated the way he walked, the way he talked, the way he seemed to effortlessly charm everyone around him. But most of all, he hated the way Jackson had always been a reminder of his own inadequacies. 

His phone buzzed, and he glanced down. It was Ellie, video calling. He quickly answered, forcing a smile as her face appeared on the screen. 

“Hey, babe,” he said, his voice softening. “How’s it going?” 

Ellie’s voice was warm but distracted. “Hey, sweetheart. Just wanted to check about dinner tonight. Should I grab something from the store, or do you think we’ll order in?” 

Tom opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, a deep, mocking voice interrupted. 

“Hey, lil Tom,” Jackson drawled, leaning over his shoulder. “You know there’s no personal calls allowed on the office floor.” 

Tom’s smile faltered, and he quickly turned back to Ellie. “I better go, babe. Love you.” He hung up before she could respond and turned to face Jackson, his fists clenched at his sides. 

Jackson smirked, his dark eyes gleaming with amusement. “Who’s the beautiful lady?” 

“My fiancée,” Tom said through gritted teeth. “Ellie.” 

Jackson raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. “God, you sure do always have beautiful girlfriends, man. I was just thinking about your last one… what was her name again? Laura? Oh my god, dude, she was so *tight*. Like, really, I had never felt my dick gripped so hard before. I could have sworn she had never been fucked before.” He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a taunting whisper. “She clearly wasn’t getting stretched out with *you*. Hope you’re keeping Ellie satisfied, though. Don’t want her looking elsewhere.” 

With that, Jackson winked and sauntered away, leaving Tom frozen in his seat. His heart pounded in his chest, his face burning with a mixture of anger and humiliation. He hated Jackson. Hated him with every fiber of his being. But more than that, he hated the way Jackson’s words cut straight to the insecurities he had been trying so hard to bury. 

Back at the house, Ellie stared at her phone, a frown creasing her brow. The call had ended so abruptly, and Tom had seemed… off. She shook her head, trying to push the thought away. Maybe he was just busy. But deep down, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. 

She picked up another box and carried it to the bedroom, the sound of her footsteps echoing in the empty house. As she unpacked, her mind wandered back to their relationship. They were happy, weren’t they? They loved each other. But still, that nagging doubt lingered, whispering in the back of her mind. 

Ellie sat down on the edge of the bed, her hands resting in her lap. She thought about their sex life, or lack thereof. It wasn’t that she didn’t enjoy being with Tom, but it never quite felt… satisfying. She had always been reserved, growing up in a small town where sex was something you didn’t talk about, let alone enjoy. But she had imagined it would be different with him. 

She sighed and stood up, pacing the room. Maybe it was her. Maybe she just wasn’t a sexual person. But deep down, she couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t just her. There was something missing, something they weren’t talking about. 

As the hours passed, Ellie continued unpacking, the silence of the house growing heavier with each passing minute. She kept glancing at her phone, waiting for a message from Tom, but none came. The unease in her chest grew, but she didn’t know how to bring it up. 

When Tom finally walked through the door that evening, Ellie was sitting on the couch, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. He smiled at her, but it didn’t reach his eyes. 

“Hey, babe,” he said, his voice flat. 

“Hey,” Ellie replied, her voice soft. “How was your day?” 

Tom shrugged, avoiding her gaze. “It was fine. Just… busy.” 

Ellie nodded, her heart sinking. She wanted to ask him what was wrong, wanted to tell him about the doubts that had been plaguing her all day. But the words stuck in her throat, and instead, she just nodded. 

“Dinner’s ready,” she said quietly. “I made spaghetti.” 

Tom forced a smile. “Great. Thanks, Ellie.” 

As they sat down to eat, the silence between them felt heavier than ever. Ellie picked at her food, her stomach in knots. She glanced at Tom, her heart aching with the weight of everything she wanted to say but couldn’t. 

Finally, she took a deep breath and looked up at him. “Tom… is everything okay?” 

He looked up, his eyes meeting hers for the first time that evening. “Yeah,” he said, his voice strained. “Why wouldn’t it be?” 

Ellie hesitated, her heart pounding. “I don’t know. You just seem… distant.” 

Tom’s jaw tightened, and he looked down at his plate. “I’m fine, Ellie. Just… tired.” 

Ellie nodded, her chest tightening. She wanted to believe him, but something in his tone told her there was more he wasn’t saying. She reached out, her hand resting gently on his. 

“You know you can talk to me, right?” she said softly. “About anything.” 

Tom looked up at her, his eyes clouded with something she couldn’t quite place. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, the sound of his phone buzzing on the table interrupted them. 

He glanced down at it, his expression darkening. “I should take this,” he said, his voice tense. 

Ellie nodded, her heart sinking as he stood up and walked out of the room. She sat there, staring at her plate, the food suddenly unappetizing. 

When Tom finally returned, his face was pale, his hands clenched at his sides. Ellie looked up at him, her heart racing. 

“Who was that?” she asked, her voice trembling. 

Tom hesitated, his eyes avoiding hers. “Just… work,” he said quietly. 

Ellie’s chest tightened, and before she could stop herself, the words spilled out. “Tom, something’s wrong. I can feel it. Please, just talk to me.” 

Tom looked up at her, his eyes filled with something she couldn’t quite place. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words seemed stuck in his throat. 

“Ellie…” he began, his voice barely above a whisper. “I… I need to tell you something.” 

Ellie’s heart pounded in her chest, her hands trembling in her lap. “What is it?” 

Tom took a deep breath, his eyes meeting hers for the first time. “It’s about Jackson.” 

Ellie’s breath caught in her throat, the air between them heavy with tension. “What about him?” 

Tom hesitated, his hands clenching at his sides. “He… he’s been saying things. About me. About us.” 

Ellie’s heart sank, her chest tightening. “What kind of things?” 

Tom looked away, his jaw clenched. “Things that… that make me wonder if I’m enough for you.” 

Ellie’s eyes widened, her heart aching at the vulnerability in his voice. “Tom…” 

But before she could say more, Tom’s phone buzzed again, and he glanced down at it, his expression darkening. 

“I have to go,” he said abruptly, his voice strained. “I’m sorry, Ellie. I just… I need some air.” 

“Wait,” Ellie said

A couple, Tom and Ellie, navigate the complexities of their relationship as they move in together and plan their wedding, struggling with intimacy issues and hidden insecurities. Tom's past relationship and his rivalry with a coworker, Jackson, add layers of tension and doubt, as Ellie grapples with her own reservations about her sexuality and Tom's performance in bed.

The Insecurities of a Small Town Girl

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