Silvertongue

by Sidney Wood

  Ulie found every bite delectable, and as the evening progressed, Phillip proved more charismatic than Ulie thought possible. An excellent conversationalist, he had a delightful and surprisingly humorous air about him, and Ulie realized Phillip and Professor Tuttle were like two different people. She and Phillip talked late into the evening, completely at ease with each other.

  As their evening ended, Phillip walked Ulie to her door. She wondered if he’d kiss her. She hoped so. All evening, she had tried to pry her eyes away from his lips as he spoke and smiled. They were handsomely shaped, if a bit thin. She imagined them pressed against her own.

  At the door, they said goodbye and Ulie hesitated with her keys in hand. Her mind raced. “Will he?”

  Phillip fidgeted for a split second then leaned toward her.

  A wide smile spread across her face as Ulie leaned forward to meet him. She didn’t have to tilt her head back or reach up. Instead, she simply leaned forward. Phillip’s lips met hers just as his hands gently took hold of her shoulders, guiding her closer. His aroma intoxicated her. Ulie wished she could bask in it all night.

  Their kiss, simple and sweet, hinted at the passion she craved. Ulie felt her insides warming. Their teeth touched awkwardly once or twice, but Ulie didn’t care. The kiss dazzled her.

  From his appearance and manner after the kiss, Ulie surmised that Phillip felt the effects even more acutely. His face flushed red and he stammered, unable to stop grinning as he nodded and said goodnight. He repeated it on his way down the steps backward; nearly tripped and laughed. He climbed into the waiting taxi, beaming.

  Ulie took his reaction as a high compliment and went inside feeling happier than she had in months.

  Touching her lips, Ulie replayed the kiss in her mind. The feeling of his hands grasping her shoulders as their lips touched sent chills down her spine. She hugged herself, grateful to feel warmth kindling in her womb; not the inferno she secretly longed for, but a start. Phillip had been a perfect gentleman, funny and intelligent, and she could easily see a future with him.

  “Until next time, sir,” Ulie whispered.

  ****

  The next morning, Ulie woke with a smile. Rolling over, she snatched her phone from the nightstand and checked for messages. Nothing yet.

  “Should I send him a message or wait?” Biting her lip, Ulie typed, “Good morning!” then hastily deleted it. “The professor is old fashioned,” she recalled. Enjoying the idea of a surprise visit or a phone call, Ulie returned her phone to the nightstand. She stretched and twisted; arms spread wide. Groaning in pleasure, energy filled her waking body.

  Ulie hopped out of bed, whistling, and ran to her closet sized bathroom to run hot water in the shower. Knowing the water ran cold for at least a minute, she tiptoed to the kitchen and popped a coffee pod in a red, single serving machine. Having a tiny apartment made multi-tasking a breeze. Ulie splashed Oreo creamer into her favorite cup, slid it under the spout, and pressed the “go” button. Her dutiful coffee machine whirred and hummed as Ulie stripped off her night shirt and walked into the bathroom. Regarding herself in the mirror, Ulie wondered if the professor would ever want intimate photos of her.

  Shaking her head, Ulie slipped her panties off and stepped into the shower. “You’re getting way ahead of yourself, girl; slow down. You barely know him.”

  As hot water cascaded over her body, Ulie imagined muscular arms wrapping around her from behind and strong hands touching her bare breasts and stomach. She recalled leaning back against a tall, muscled chest, feeling safe and warm… loved. Placing a steadying hand against the wall, Ulie forced those memories out of her mind. “Enough. He had his chance.” Her body trembled as if chilled while steam billowed from the shower stall. Ulie washed and rinsed quickly, desperate to avoid more intimate thoughts about Silvertongue.

  Wrapped in a puffy towel, Ulie tiptoed to the kitchen where the aroma of coffee hit her nose. Ulie sipped gingerly and sighed, fully appeased.

  Phillip didn’t call or send Ulie texts for the rest of the day. Ulie knew because she checked her phone three or four times each hour. By the evening, she lost faith that he intended to contact her at all.

  “Maybe I scared him off by being too agreeable?”

  As soon as the words left her mouth, Ulie’s phone rang. The lock screen gave him away before she heard his voice.

  “Hello?”

  “Good evening, Ulie. It’s, um, Phillip. How are you doing?”

  His gentle voice resonated in her ear, sending vibrations down into her body. Ulie blushed. “I’m fine Phillip, thank you. It’s lovely to hear your voice.”

  Phillip cleared his throat. “Oh? That’s nice. It’s lovely to hear yours as well. The, um, reason I’m calling… er, I mean to say…Do you have plans tomorrow evening?”

  Ulie gripped the phone tightly as she tried to contain an excited squeal. “Tomorrow? Yes, I think so. What do you have in mind?”

  Phillip invited Ulie to an evening at the theater where a local production company would perform Othello. The professor had mentioned their unique retelling in his Cultural Studies course. Ulie thrilled him by accepting.

  For Ulie, the next few months were a whirlwind. Phillip whisked her away weekly, to magical evenings filled with music, laughter, fine dining, and chaste intimacy. His kisses grew sweeter with every meeting of their lips, and her soul felt lighter with every warm embrace. When they were not together, he sometimes sent flowers or a penned note to say he thought of her. Ulie’s heart skipped and her belly warmed from his thoughtful attention.

  Safety and consistency were abundant with Phillip. Ulie needed both.

  When Phillip invited Miranda to join them on a weekend getaway, Ulie’s heart nearly exploded. Only three months remained of her custodial half of the year and school was starting back up. Separation anxiety had already started to settle in. The idea of spending a weekend with both of them made her spirit soar.

  “I get to go too?” Miranda closed her book and sat up.

  “Yes!” Ulie giggled, grinning from ear to ear. “It will be the three of us all weekend!”

  “Cool!” Trotting to her room, Miranda started packing. “Will we have cell service?” She yelled from the bedroom.

  “I think so.” Ulie made a mental note to call ahead and ask. She didn’t mind if they had no service, but Miranda’s dad needed a way to contact her. If they didn’t have cell service, she may need to send Chuck the Bed and Breakfast’s telephone number. Now that Miranda had her own phone, Ulie hardly ever had to speak with Chuck. She counted that as a huge blessing.

  The B&B, an undiscovered jewel on the coast, lay hidden among magnificent trees and rolling hills. Phillip delighted Ulie by offering to share a bed with her, although he made it clear that he intended for their relationship to remain unconsummated. He had reserved the entire upstairs, an open floorplan loft with two beds and enormous windows overlooking the Puget Sound.

  ****

  Nestled among pillows and wrapped in a colorful crocheted afghan in the upstairs bay window, Miranda read peacefully as Ulie and Phillip took an afternoon walk along the rocky coast. A buzzing noise drew her nose out of the pages. Miranda emerged from her cozy cocoon and retrieved her phone from the table where all three were charging. There were no waiting messages.

  She heard another buzz. It came from her mom’s phone.

  Flipping the phone over, Miranda saw a message notification from a number with no contact name. Intrigued, she punched her birthdate into the keypad to unlock her mom’s phone.

  Before Dad bought her a phone of her own, Mom used to let Miranda play games on hers. Miranda recently discovered her mom hadn’t changed the passcode. She opened the message app and her mouth dropped open.

  “Ulie, I can’t leave things like this. Please, talk to me. Like it or not, you’re a part of my life and were long before we spent the day making love. I miss you…all of you. I miss our long conversations, our texts, laughing with you, getting to know you…
Please. I have been trying to leave you alone, to forget you and move on, but I can’t Ulie. I know I let you down, that I wasn’t there when you needed me, but…it’s complicated. Please, let me explain. Don’t shut me out.”

  Miranda gawked at the message, reading it again. “My mom had a secret boyfriend?”

  Miranda snapped a picture of her mom’s screen and ran back to her perch in the window. Wrapping the afghan around her shoulders, she quickly texted the photo to the only friend she had confided in about her mom’s divorce. “Look at this! It just popped up on my mom’s phone!! I had no idea she dated anyone else. Who the heck is this guy?” Send.

  Bubbles danced at the bottom of the screen for a few seconds.

  “Holy crap! That’s crazy!”

  A second later the bubbles started again, and then, “Wait…”

  Miranda couldn’t! “What?!” Send.

  More bubbles.

  Chapter Twenty-Six (Mid-August)

  During the car ride back to their apartment, Miranda kept awkwardly silent. Ulie knew something bothered her, but Miranda wouldn’t talk about it.

  Glancing at her, Ulie sighed. “If you change your mind, I’m here sweetie.” Ulie adjusted her grip on the wheel. “We’re almost there. Do you want me to stop anywhere for fast food?” A trip to McDonalds or Wendy’s had always been a winner. Ulie had saved bribery as a last resort, hoping she could coax the issue out of Miranda without resorting to greasy food.

  “No thanks.” Miranda stared out of the window.

  Ulie arched a brow. “Who are you, and what did you do with Miranda?”

  Miranda rolled her eyes.

  Ulie considered pressing, but instinct told her to give it more time. “Be patient.”

  At home, Miranda holed up in her room while Ulie prepared for work the next day. Before bedtime, she checked in, knocking on Miranda’s partially open door. “Don’t forget to set an alarm, okay? We need to leave at eight-o’clock sharp.” Ulie peered into the dark room to see Miranda typing on her phone.

  “Who are you texting?” Ulie tried to make the suspicious question sound casual.

  Miranda continued typing. “It’s just a friend, Mom. I don’t have a secret lover or anything.”

  “Whew! That’s a relief!” Ulie leaned against the door, putting the back of her hand to her forehead. “I thought I was going to have to call your dad!”

  Miranda rolled her eyes. “Goodnight, Mom.” She rolled over, turning her back to the door.

  “Goodnight kiddo.” Ulie frowned and backed out of the room.

  Retiring to her own room, Ulie checked her phone out of habit. As usual, there were no texts or calls from Phillip. There were seldom more than two days without some form of communication from him, yet Ulie wished for more. She wanted to speak to him every day, and to know he thought of her as often as she thought of him. Then again, whenever a bouquet of flowers or a handwritten letter arrived, her spirit lifted, and lingering fears of rejection were allayed. No flowers had been delivered this week and no letter had arrived.

  The workweek sped by, and Ulie’s relationship with Miranda bounced back. Her love life improved as well. Phillip finally reached out to her, explaining his long absence as a family emergency. By Friday afternoon, Ulie looked forward to a romantic dinner at their favorite restaurant, while Miranda planned to stay overnight at a girlfriend’s house. Ulie wondered if this might be the night she and Phillip would enjoy a new level of intimacy in their relationship.

  Arriving home early, she sped to the bathroom to shower and prepare for whatever the night entailed. Once again, she paused in front of the mirror. “Will Phillip like what he sees?”

  Ulie turned right and left, trying different poses. She recalled the excitement of photographing herself for Noah, how vital and wanted she felt knowing he hungered to see more each time. Ulie remembered the first picture he sent to her, the full-length shot of him posing bare chested in unzipped jeans. Fire kindled in her womb as the vivid image danced in front of her eyes. Unclasping her bra, she purposely let the material slide slowly over her nipples, enjoying the subtle arousal the sensation elicited. Stepping out of her underwear, Ulie’s cheeks turned pink as she recalled the way his eyes had burned with desire staring hotly at her naked body. Realizing who she fantasized about, Ulie felt shame turn her face from pink to red.

  She tried to imagine Phillip instead of Silvertongue. Mentally, she had him pose in the same manner, wearing his preferred slacks instead of jeans. It didn’t work, not even close.

  “When we’re alone together, that is when it will matter.”

  She had genuine feelings for Phillip. She loved his kisses and the feeling of his arms around her. She’d grow to want Phillip’s body the way she still wanted Silvertongue’s. She just needed time.

  Taking her phone from the counter, Ulie opened the message app and read his words again.

  “…Please, let me explain. Don’t shut me out.” She could feel the emotion in Noah’s words.

  “Should I reply?”

  As soon as the words passed her lips Ulie felt burning shame. Disgusted at her moment of weakness, Ulie hit delete and closed the app. “I only care about Phillip,” she said.

  Stepping into the shower, Ulie invited cool water to overtake her sensitive skin. Goose flesh appeared from head to toe and the fire inside subsided. The water turned ice cold and Ulie turned the handle, demanding more heat. Her thoughts turned to Phillip as a torrent of hot water soothed her chilled skin. Excited by the sensation and anticipation if the night ahead, Ulie determined to show Phillip that she wanted him.

  Clean and feeling renewed, Ulie slipped on her favorite pink bra and panties set. The sexy, flesh colored underwear had tiny white dots, white lace, and white bows. She opted for a similarly colored skirt and matching shirt. Ulie hoped she looked okay as she met Phillip at the door.

  When she opened the door, his mouth opened and closed without making a sound. Judging by the coloring of his cheeks and his wide grin, he approved.

  Delighted, Ulie kissed him on the cheek and donned her jacket. She took his arm and leaned against him as they walked to a long black car she didn’t recognize. As they approached, a man in a black suit and tie stepped around the car and opened the back door for them. “You hired a driver?” She looked at Phillip in disbelief.

  “I did.” Phillip smiled. He gestured for Ulie to enter first.

  As she scooted across the bench seat in the back of the car, Ulie saw that fragrant bouquets of blood red flowers decorated the interior. Fresh cut roses filled her nostrils with their calming aroma, bringing tears to her eyes as Phillip entered to sit next to her. Ulie suddenly turned and kissed him, taking his face in her hands. The door closed, enshrouding them in darkness and privacy.

  Phillip startled at first but settled into the kiss as he regained his wits. Ulie could feel his mouth curl into a smile as he kissed her back.

  She melted. For the first time in their relationship, Ulie felt an uncontrollable fire stirring inside her. She wanted more than the kiss they shared in that moment. Just then a flitter of doubt crept in.

  “Did Phillip start this fire, or did he rekindle what Noah stared earlier?”

  Ulie forced those thoughts aside, refusing to analyze her feelings. Instead, she reveled in the fact that Phillip could make her feel this way. She placed a hand on Phillip’s chest and opened her mouth, inviting his tongue inside.

  Phillip pulled away with a high-pitched chuckle. “There will be time for that later, I hope. Let’s try not to mess your makeup before dinner.” He smoothed down his suit jacket, leaning back against the seat.

  Ulie bit her lip, still aroused. She placed her hand high on his leg, nearly touching his crotch. She hoped his usual inhibitions were subdued by the darkness. Ulie felt something in his trousers shove her pinky finger; she smiled.

  Phillip cleared his throat and removed her hand, folding her fingers in his own. He placed his other arm around her.

  Ulie pouted
in the dark but couldn’t stay mad at Phillip for being a gentleman. She leaned against him and enjoyed the peaceful ride, inhaling floral beauty and Phillip’s spice infused cologne all the way to their destination.

  When the car rolled to a stop and the door opened, it came too soon for Ulie. She followed Phillip out of the car and took the hand he offered as she stepped up to the restaurant’s curb. Side by side, they walked inside where a handsome young man dressed in black and wearing a bright smile caught Philips eye and immediately led them to a waiting table set for two. Ulie let Phillip help her out of her jacket and sat gracefully on the chair he pulled out for her. Phillip pushed her chair in, surprised her with a tender kiss on the neck, and took his seat on the opposite side.

  Ulie continued to be amazed as the evening unfolded. Phillip had planned everything in advance. They didn’t need to order anything, including wine or desert. Phillip had pre-selected delectable choices for both of them.

  Throughout dinner, Ulie wondered if he had orchestrated an evening together or the entire night. After dinner, would he whisk her away to a five-star hotel for a night of passion, or did he plan to return her home before midnight like a fairytale gentleman? She hoped for the former, and secretly, beneath the table she was quite ready for it. His unique voice and gentle way kept the fire in her womb burning all evening. She longed for him to kiss her. When he stared into her eyes, she wanted to reach under the table and touch him, to feel his body respond to hers.

  Finally, Phillip stood behind her chair and helped her into her coat. Offering his arm, they walked together to the waiting car. Ulie marveled at his careful planning and thoughtful attention.

  To her surprise, the flowers were gone when she slid across the back seat. Still, their aroma lingered and Ulie smiled demurely at Phillip in the dim light. The door closed behind him and she moved closer.