by Raven Crow
“Please have a seat, Pen I will get us some drinks, you have a preference?”
“Ok, thank you I will have whatever you are having.”
I took a seat on a beautiful long black leather couch like thing while he made us drinks from his personal bar.
It was then that I realized why I had felt so strange around Sax at times like this, I was not used to being served. I tried to enjoy myself as he poured me a drink with such a charming a pleasing manner I pushed on my feelings inside because I had never experienced this before. I even had a bartender as a boyfriend and he had never served me a drink or anything else ever. This was the first time that any man had been so kind and attentive towards me in my life.
“Here you go, Pen I think you will like this.” He said while he handed me a glass tumbler filled with two ice cubes and clear liquid. I took it and started to drink.
“Thank you.” I said after I pulled the glass away from my mouth to take a breath.
He had to be the kindness man ever how was I going to be able to do what Mr. Moreau wanted me to do in good conscious? But if I don’t report back to him what I find out about the Gardier’s my grandma might lose her land and home. I had no choice, I had to do this, my grandmother was all I had left and her home was all that was keeping her alive still so I have to fight to keep it.
“Thank you for stopping by to say hi and to keep me company.” He winked before drinking some of his drink. “So do you want to watch something on TV or do you want to eat something? I could cook you a little something if you are hungry.”
I went a little into shock at the sound of a man telling me that he was going to cook for me.
“Huh… no thank you I am not really hungry right now though but I appreciate the offer.” I said before hiding a smile behind my glass while finishing off my drink.
This was going to be much harder than I had planned on.
Chapter 20
Sax
Pen’s gorgeous legs were dangling off of my sofa almost begging to be caressed but I resisted my desire to reach out and touch her. The last thing that I wanted was to send her running out the door. I was already completely shocked by her appearance at my house to begin with. The last time that we spoke she didn’t seem the least bit interested in being around me it seemed.
What was puzzling me the most was the outfit that Pen was wearing, a short denim skirt with a hot tank top and some sexy-af heels? The very heels that were dangling off of her tiny foot, her sexy fire-engine red colored toenails were starting to make my shorts feel tighter on me. I downed my drink hoping to curb my thoughts for her.
“Hey my offer to make you dinner still stands should you change your mind, Pen.” I reiterated my previous offer with a wink.
She smiled with rosy cheeks before she tried to hide her face from me behind her hand like she was embarrassed to be happy.
“All though I am dying to watch you cook me something I truly am not hungry right now, maybe later.” She spit out and shocked me.
Later? How long was she planning on gracing me with her present?
“Would you like a tour of the place?”
“Yes of course.”
“Great, follow me this way.” I added.
She bounced up off of the sofa and walked over to me. I caught that familiar scent of hers and instantly I was transported back to when we were together.
“Ok I’m ready for that tour now, Sax are you alright?” She asked.
“Oh yeah I’m just fine, sorry of course let’s start with the kitchen. Through here.” I replied as I led her into my kitchen.
She smiled while she danced her tiny fingertips across my Egyptian marble countertops.
“Wow very impressive, you did all of this by yourself, Sax?”
“Oh God—no I picked out all of cabinet pieces, the artwork on the walls, the tiles, the marble, and the wooden flooring but as far as the cookware I let the experts handle that for me.” I answered but her eyes were fixed on the kitchen itself.
I got a kick from watching her as she took in the amazing kitchen décor and equipment.
“Don’t tell me that you cleaned in here for yourself too?”
“Of course I cleaned in here and the rest of my house too, I’m not lazy and I’m not hiring a maid to do the work for me either. My mother didn’t raise a pampered prince as she’d call it, she taught me to clean up after myself and how to cook for myself when I was very little. Both my brother Tristan and I had learned how to take care of ourselves and my mother trained me well.” I boasted.
“I remember your brother Tristan, he was a nice guy. I’m sorry for what happened to him.” That old familiar tone rang out of her, the one that I had heard in so many others before her.
“Thank you. It has been years I’m surprised that you knew Tristan, Pen. I mean, he hung around a much different type of crowd.” I tried to recover my tongue slip.
“Actually I knew Tristan, he was on the football team and I was the dance team captain our two groups were all friends with one another.”
“That’s right, I remember that now plus you two were the same year, right?”
The haunting memories of my perfect brother started to shift through my head.
“Yes we were the same year.”
“What else do you remember about him, I mean you two didn’t—date or anything like that, right?” I asked her and my heart dropped into my stomach at the thought of the two of them boning or something worse.
“Oh God—no Sax I never dated your brother I would have told you that before now. I wasn’t ever interested in him in that way. Truthfully, Tristan always seemed sad on the inside to me. I can’t explain it correctly, sorry.”
And her words freed my thoughts of her and my brother doing the nasty.
“No I should be the one to apologize for even asking the question, Pen. How about I just finish the tour and I try to keep my stupid questions to myself.” I chuckled.
She smiled back signaling my success on changing the awkward mood that had been leering around the room.
“I know that it is not the same thing but all I have is my grandmother and if anything were to happen to her I would be alone. Life is too short I guess is what I’m trying to say.”
She seemed distracted, she even tried to tie two unrelated things together which confused me but I smiled back at her anyways.
“Ok well, down that hallway you’ll find the laundry room, storage, and the garage but I will spare you the tour of those rooms and instead I’ll take you into the bedroom—”
“The bedroom huh… ok let’s go.” She snapped the words out of my mouth before adding more of her own.
I pointed silently towards the hallway and she b-lined it down it before I could say another word. I had no idea what had gotten into her today. She wasn’t ever this forward before now. I pushed the thought out of my mind as I followed her cute little booty down the hallway to my bedroom.
Chapter 21
Jo
My mind raced through school, Gio, and then school again before we reached Friday afternoon. I was home cleaning out the last of the moving boxes from my room when my cell started to buzz.
As I grabbed my cell from my pocket I prayed that it was Gio wanting to see me today. He hadn’t driven me to school since Monday and I wanted to make sure he wasn’t upset with me for ditching him to go to The Shore. I had picked up the phone over ten times this week intending to apologize to him but damned if I could come up with the right words to use.
It was Gio. I answered while trying to contain my excitement.
“Hello.” My voice cracked a bit.
I started to pace back and forth in front of my bedroom window.
[“Hey there gorgeous, what are you up to?”]
The sound of his voice gave me chills.
“Not much I just got finished completely unpacking my room. What are you doing?”
“I was thinking about going to this party that I know about, do you want to go wit
h me?”
I stopped in front of my full-length mirror and silently laughed at myself for what I was wearing. I had on my pink short shorts, a white t-shirt with no bra or shoes.
“Yes that sounds fun. What time?” I asked before I started to scramble around my room getting dressed.
[“I can pick you up in a few minutes.”He said before he cleared his throat like he was nervous.]
“Well I am about ten more minutes from being ready to go out, do you mind waiting on me?”
[“I don’t mind waiting on you at all. I will see you in a few, Jo. Bye.” He said and I said goodbye back before both of us disconnected.]
I jetted out of my room and down the hallway to unlock the door for Gio. My dad hadn’t been home from work before midnight all week so he wouldn’t be able let Gio in. I unlocked the lock before I ran back to my room before Gio could see me.
I grabbed my new favorite outfit, the black slip dress and I put it on. I darted into my bathroom. I wildly brushed my hair while putting on deodorant.
I heard the doorbell. Gio was here already.
I texted him to let himself in once he got here.
[Is that you? Come in the door’s open. I hit send.]
[Yes it’s me. Ok. He texted back.]
I brushed my teeth while putting my hairbrush away. I walked over to the closet and put on my black sandals while I continued to brush my teeth. I needed fresh breath in order to feel comfortable locking lips with Gio all night.
I put my toothbrush back in my bathroom before taking a finally look at myself in the mirror.
I noticed the bottoms of Gio’s legs from the top of the stairs and I grew excited. I slowly walked down the stairs this time, afraid I’d trip down them if I wasn’t careful.
“Wow you look amazing as usual, Jo. I remember that dress.” He said as I reached the bottom step.
“Thank you for saying so and for buying this dress.” I said.
“I hope you don’t mind walking to the party it isn’t far I promise?” He asked with a smile.
“No I am not lazy I don’t mind walking.”
“Oh good, are you ready to go then?”
“Yes I am.”
**
Gio wasn’t lying the party was only three streets over from our street. We walked down the road which led us to an open field that had a huge tent setup in the middle of it. There were what looked like hundreds of people piling into the field and into the tent. I suddenly became very nervous. What kind of party was this that he was taking me to?
“You look a little uncomfortable, Jo are you alright?” He asked as we came to a pause a few feet in front of the tent opening.
“What kind of party is this, Gio there are so many people here. I just saw two old ladies over there I don’t know what kind of party they would want to go to that we would also like.” I answered while looking around.
“I apologize for not warning you ahead of time Jo I keep forgetting that you are new to the gypsy world. This is a gypsy wedding and it is unlike anything else so I don’t really know how to explain it to you. Jo you will just have to see it for yourself, and then you will understand.” He said.
He gently yanked my hand and led me into the tent facing no resistance from me.
I noticed right away that everyone was dressed differently from one another. Some people were wearing jeans and t-shirts while others were dressed in suits and fancy dresses.
As we made our way through the crowd a live band started playing making it impossible to hear anyone’s conversation around us. Then the crowd started to react to the band by dancing, cheering and moving wildly making me almost lose my grip on Gio’s hand.
He pulled me close to him and smiled down at me.
“Don’t worry Jo I’ve got you. Stay close to me and you’ll be fine.” He bellowed into my face so I could hear him.
I started to feel the intense energy of the crowd as it moved around me and it made me feel alive. I felt myself moving side to side with the crowd.
Gio watched me at first before joining me. He slowly moved his hands down the sides of my body. I leaned in closer to him. I wanted him to kiss me but not in front of all of these people. I looked around noticing that the crowd had moved back from us and they were now staring at us while continuing to dance around us.
“Why is everybody staring at us, Gio?”
“They’re staring at you because you are so beautiful, Jo and because you are new here.” He explained before arching his brows.
I pushed past my desire to leave while I tried to find a distraction from my own social phobias. I spotted a small crowd over in one of the tent’s corners that seemed uninterested in the music. I looked harder to see what they were all looking at. They seemed to be gathered around a group of women sitting at a round table.
“Gio, what are they all looking at over there in the corner?” I asked him while pointing to the group. He looked quickly before looking back at me.
“Their over there asking the teller’s questions about their futures I bet.” He blurted out.
“Huh—what is a teller, do you mean a fortune-teller?” I begged.
“Yup.” He answered me. That had me completely shocked to see in real life and not at a fair or carnival.
Chapter 22
Gio
Standing there holding Jo was only wrecked by the curious crowd surrounding us. She held on to me unaware that I had lied to her. I had told her that the crowd was only staring because she was so beautiful. She of course was beautiful but that’s not why they were staring. Jo had quickly become a threat to most and she didn’t even know it. It was like I could hear each and every one of their thoughts; who is that girl dancing with the king’s son, why is she here she is not one of us, and why her and not me?
As a tornado of jealous grew around us I knew I needed to get her out of there before she was sucked up into it.
“I am very grateful that you wanted to take me out but I am not really feeling this crowd. It might be better if I actually knew the bride or groom too.” She yelled up at me.
I pulled her out of the crowd and we quickly ducked out of one of the tent’s side flaps without anyone noticing us. She never hesitated, she was most eager to follow my lead.
Once outside it had changed to night and it was dark with the absence of the moon and without moonlight we could hardly see around us. We would be able to easily get out of the crowded streets without being noticed under the cloak of night. I wanted to have her all to myself. I scrambled to think of a place that I could take her that would be private and yet beautiful enough for the likes of her.
I pulled out my cell phone and put on the flashlight, the light from the phone lit up our faces and the small area around us. I put my lit up phone on the tree’s trunk.
“I’m sorry for taking you into that mess I saw things going differently in my head, forgive me?” I pushed out my lips with my hands in prayer position. Her eyes lit up and she smiled.
“You are forgiven, Gio.” She spun around looking at the surrounding woods. “What is this place, it is so beautiful?” She walked over to the huge tree to get a closer look at the low hanging branches. She had spotted the multi-colored, glass bottles that had been strung up and tied onto each individual branch. She touched one of the glasses as she looked over at me.
“The kids around here have been tying up bottles to this old tree ever since I can remember. There must be at least a hundred or more bottles hanging from it by now I’d bet. It is pretty isn’t it?” I joined her, she nodded her head.
“It is very beautiful but why do they hang these bottles up?” She bunched up her nose which was adorable just as a gust of wind blew her long gorgeous hair over her shoulder onto her chest. “Wow, it’s windy.” She giggled as she placed her hair back over her shoulder and into place.
“Are you cold, do you want my shirt?” I offered to comfort her. I’m a dumbass; of course she doesn’t want my shirt. “Or I could take you back home, i
f you are uncomfortable?” I asked and immediately prayed she’d want to stay.
“No I’m fine. It isn’t the least bit cold out here; I don’t want to go home.”
“Ok good I’m glad that you’re fine. To answer your question, they hang up a bottle to represent a wish that each one of those kids made before they hung up the bottle. They think that their wishes will come true if a firefly lands inside of the bottles.”
“Huh, like the firefly somehow will land inside of the bottles before flying away, carrying that wish away to wherever wishes come true? That’s a beautiful ritual. I want to do it. Where’s a bottle?” She started scrambling around the tree trunk looking for a bottle.
“Hey—hey now we won’t be able to find a bottle out here in the dark, Jo. Come on, we will find a bottle for your wish another time, ok?” I said to her while I put my hands on her shoulders. I started to rub her neck softly and her skin felt as smooth as butter underneath my fingertips. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you all week. It’s becoming a problem.”
She turned to face me, “What have you been thinking exactly?” She placed her hands on my hips while looking up at me with those big, blue eyes of hers.
Exactly? I can’t say what I have really been thinking or she’d slap my face. “I’ve been thinking about kissing you. I can’t stop thinking about the sounds you make when I’m touching you.” I went for it without another moment to waste.
I leaned down kissing her gently before parting her lips with mine to put my tongue inside of her mouth. I played with her tongue while kissing her lips with mine.
The sound of cracking leafs from behind me pulled me from her lips.
“What was that?”
“I don’t know, sounds like someone is coming maybe we should go?” I looked around us but could not see a thing.
“Go where?”
“Do you want to go to my place?” The only thing I could think of to say.