by Katy Kaylee
Callused knuckles rattled my hips as Eric put his body into his thrusts, and I gasped a ragged breath before my throat closed completely. The leather couch creaked in protest, and the roughness of his fingers only heightened my rapture. Rocking in sync to the thundering of my heart, he drove me closer and closer to a climax I snatched with greedy hands.
The coil in my abdomen snapped violently, and I arched off the couch to stifle my breathless cry against Eric’s crown. Clamping down on his fingers as they twisted and curled, I dug my nails into his shoulders. Spasms raced down my legs, and I ground my teeth hard while colors popped behind my screwed eyelids.
Waves of euphoria weighed down my body, and I panted harshly as I fell back. Forcing my eyes open, I struggled to take proper breaths, and Eric sprawled heavily on top of me. His weight was comfortable, and my breath hitched in my tight throat when he extracted his digits from my channel.
“You make a nice pillow, Delainne.” A rasp of a giggle burst from my chest when Eric nuzzled my breasts, and he heaved a huge breath that sucked the warmth from my skin. Neither one of us tried to move even as a twinge of worry wiggled into my chest. As if he could feel it under his cheek, he groaned and hoisted himself up to shake his head slightly. “Let’s go upstairs. It’d be confusing if Maggie saw us like this… the trick is to wake up before she does… which is usually around 7am. Think you can manage that?”
“I guess we’ll find out.”
Eric
Fiddling with Delainne’s mother’s engagement ring, I leaned on the balcony of the beautiful venue Casey had chosen for her reception. A gorgeous lake shimmered below, twinkling in the golden glow cast by the sinking sun. The wedding had been stunning, and everything went off without a hitch- surprisingly enough.
Delainne refused to say a single word to anyone, and I had a feeling it was out of respect for my cousin and his new wife. She ignored every single person that tried to introduce him or her self- even my parents. Weddings, she explained in the car, were for the bride and the groom, and she wouldn’t be the cause for disaster.
“It’s beautiful. I remember my dad’s marriage to my step-mother was nice, but it was stiff and kind of unwelcoming.” Delainne’s murmur floated on the warm breeze, and I glanced over to find myself entranced once again. She’d dyed her hair back to its original color, and she wore no makeup at all. Dark freckles smattered across her nose and cheekbones, but I never would’ve guessed they were there; she was really good at hiding them for some reason I had yet to ask about. A small, pained smile tilted her pale pink lips, and I pursed my own thinly as expectation grew between us. “Are you nervous?”
“No. I just feel shitty for the circumstance. If my mom wasn’t so fucking pretentious-“
“She wouldn’t be nearly as entertaining, Eric.” Teagen’s amused voice rolled down my spine uncomfortably, and I twisted to watch him saunter over. He had a good amount of wine in him, but he wasn’t drunk by any means. “I have to say- Casey and I were about ready to die when she asked if you couldn’t talk, Delainne. You look very charming tonight, by the way.”
“Thank you.” Teagen grinned saucily, and I slipped Delainne’s ring back in my tuxedo pocket as they exchanged smiles. “I appreciate you going out on a limb for Eric.”
“Hey, now- that’s my line.” Wrapping my arm around her slim waist, I smirked as her cheeks glowed dusky red and gold. She was breathtakingly beautiful in her gentle, grass green gown, and I forgot Teagen was only three feet away. “I appreciate you for being here tonight for me, Delainne.”
Rolling her thick lips between her teeth, Delainne ducked to hide behind a curtain of perfect, mahogany curls. Reaching to tuck a lock behind her ear, I caressed the cubic zirconia, dangling ear rings she’d bought at some store at the mall. She’d promised with every other word to pay me back, but the ear rings were, maybe, $6. The dress was cheap, too, but Maggie liked it, so I couldn’t persuade Delainne to get something a little more glamorous.
“Wow- are you sure you’re not the ones that should’ve been on the alter?” Snapping out of my daze, my gaze narrowed into fine points as it snapped to Teagen, and a shit-eating grin stretched his lips. “The chemistry between you two is insane. It’s even more intense than with Sasha.”
My heart stuttered at Teagen’s drawl, and he swiftly turned on his heel to scurry back into the ballroom. Glaring at him, I could’ve exhaled fire through my nose as my blood boiled. Tightening my grip on Delainne, I reached my free hand to swipe my jaw, but she spoke up before I could apologize.
“This is just a show for your parents, Eric.” Her tone was chillingly calm and grave considering the sweltering temperature, and my mouth dried. “No offence, but I don’t want to marry you. I just met you… and I enjoy the things we do together, and with Maggie, but I don’t want you to get the wrong idea.”
“I know that- I don’t particularly want to think about that, either.” Grumbling quietly, I pressed my lips to her temple to inhale a lungful of her smell. “I’m not disillusioned- we met two weeks ago. I understand. Not to mention- you’re really young. According to my mom’s story, we would’ve started dating when you were 17, and I’d rather not open that can of worms. I’m not some 20-year-old that’s never been in a relationship outside of high school.”
“Can’t you get in a lot of trouble for that misconception, though?” Alarm rang in Delainne’s voice, and I shrugged carelessly even though the notion of the threat tightened my gut. Intelligent, bright eyes bored into the side of my face, and I sighed as I pictured the shit-show that would happen- theoretically, of course.
“It wouldn’t do anything. No one can prove that we met when you were underage- because we didn’t. Also, things usually only go bad when charges are filed… even though it doesn’t necessarily matter what charges. If your father magically showed up and tried to charge me for kidnapping, it wouldn’t matter that I didn’t do it. The attempt alone would ruin my career. I’m not concerned about it.”
“If Greg knows I’m here, then my father probably knows as well, Eric.” A bare thread of worry tainted Delainne’s tone, and I turned to face her fully. Her emotions played all over her expression, and I cupped her cheeks to brush her smattering of dark freckles gingerly.
“I don’t have a problem with your dad, but if that creep motherfucker comes within a hundred yards of you, I’ll shoot him.” My voice deepened with momentousness, and Delainne clearly felt torn about my declaration. I’d shot people- killed people- while I was overseas, but it was my job.
This was for pleasure- well, not pleasure, exactly. More like personal.
“We’re ready for you.” Glancing over at Teagen’s interruption, I nodded curtly as nerves set on fire just underneath my skin. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes for a short second as Delainne stood on her tiptoes to rest her forehead against mine. Soft fingers wrapped around my wrists, and her jaw ticked under my palms before I forced my heavy lids apart.
“Thank you, Delainne.” Kissing her tenderly, my chest constricted at how easy this all seemed to be. This passion play we were putting on for my parents wasn’t all pretend, at least. Taking Delainne’s hand, I led her back into the grand ballroom just as the DJ was firing up his next set. Prickles attacked my spine as I glanced around at my entire family and a good amount of people I didn’t know.
My parents sat at one of the tables at the edge of the dance floor, and I clenched my jaw hard at the sight of them. Watching me with glittering, eager eyes, my mom smiled broadly, and a scowl threatened to overtake my expression. Slowly but surely, everyone else noticed us as the songs died and silence reigned, and I shirked the discomfort forcefully from my shoulders.
Clammy palms stuck to each other like glue, and sweat beaded my back and the nape of my neck as I led Delainne to the middle of the empty floor. At no point did my mind muster the thought that I had to do anything theatrical, and I took a stabilizing breath before stopping to turn to her. In the brightly lit room, her long bone structure a
nd freckles gave her grey eyes depth. Expectancy buzzed just above my head, palpable enough that it rippled down my body in thick waves, but I ignored it with every ounce of willpower I possessed.
“Delainne…” Her eyes rimmed red, and I paused as I momentarily forgot what I was going to say. It wasn’t like I’d practiced or anything, after all. “One day soon, I hope we’ll be the ones at the head table. We’ve been though a lot, you and me, and I…”
It seemed so stupid, saying that, and I smiled secretly as Delainne’s lip twitched upward. The truth was, though, that we had been through some shit together, and she gave me a bare tilt of her head before I cleared my throat roughly. Sinking down to one knee, I fished in my pocket for her mother’s engagement ring as shocked gasps and isolated cheers converged on us.
“Marry me, so we can go through so much more- together.” Everyone waited on bated breath as Delainne’s face nearly split in two from her grin, but I nearly suffocated. I never expected this to feel so real- so impending- and my heart beat furiously in a bid to crash through my ribs. Sniffling delicately, she nodded hastily before a half-laugh, half-shallow, gasping cry burst from her.
“Yes!” Delainne squeaked like a mouse, but her answer echoed through the huge hall. Sliding her ring safely back onto her finger, I leaped to my feet to sweep her into my arms with a relieved laugh. Cheers and whoops and clapping fell on deaf ears as I twirled her around, and I smashed my lips on hers when her feet finally touched the floor again. Trembling fingers threaded through my hair, and she held me harder as her kiss stole my breath.
“Your dad will probably kill me if he ever finds out about it.” Giggling almost hysterically, Delainne tugged my hair sharply, but gently, as she leaned back. Her eyes were wide, glazed over, and sparkling with happiness that I knew was genuine. “How does it feel to be engaged to a man you met two weeks ago?”
My whisper earned me a fierce blush, and I grinned like a madman as excitement and thrill overloaded my system. Pushing me back, Delainne poked me in the chest weakly, but she didn’t make it far before our moment came crashing down around us. The scene around us was chaos, filtering into our bubble, and apprehension drenched her expression the second we spotted my mother practically sprinting across the dance floor.
“I knew it! I just knew that Eric had someone special in his life. Mother’s intuition is never wrong, you know.” An uncomfortable laugh burst from my chest, and I held Delainne tighter to me when my mom tried to grab her. Her shrill voice gyrated against my ears, and my body thrummed with the need to run away and hide in the coat closet. For a fraction of a second, my mom looked absolutely miffed that I wouldn’t let her crush my new fiancée, but I pursed my lips at her slight glare before she started ignoring me. “So, tell me- how did you two meet? I’ve been bugging Eric for years to bring you around, you know. I’m so glad you’ve stuck around- you know, since he’s a single dad. I admire that you’re not letting Maggie get in the way-“
“I beg your pardon!” Shock jerked my muscles at the thundering exclamation, and it took me a moment to realize that it came from Delainne. She’d never spoken with so much emotion or so loudly before, and every single eye in the place landed on her.
Delainne was fucking livid, and it showed all over her face. Clenching her hands by her sides, she got in my mom’s personal space in a display of confident righteousness that knocked the air from my lungs.
“Maggie is an amazing little girl with more talent and brains than any other little girl. She would never be a burden or a strain on my relationship with Eric- for that matter, I like her more than I like him sometimes. If you bothered to get your information first hand instead of through gossip, you’d know that. How dare you assume that I’m not as committed to Maggie as I am to Eric!” Surprise rocketed through me that Delainne kept up the charade when she was so obviously pissed off. Jutting her chin, she turned her back on my mom to storm out towards the balcony, and I watched her physically ripple with rage.
Seconds passed before I really registered why Delainne had blown up like that, and I shot my mom a scathing glare before Casey ran after her.
Delainne
“I am so, so sorry- I- I can’t apologize enough- I never meant to-“ Casey smiled sympathetically as she patted my knee, and I bit on my lower lip hard to stop it wobbling. All my effort did was rattle my teeth, and tears welled in my eyes as embarrassment rampaged through my chest. Eric or Teagen hadn’t found us yet, and I wrung my fingers as shame clung to my ribs and throat like tar.
“It’s okay- it’s not like you ruined the reception or anything. If nothing else, it’s more memorable, and that doesn’t mean it’s a negative thing, Delainne.” Her smile widened, and I gulped harshly to ward off the cotton that collected under my tongue. “She had it coming. All of the important stuff was done- the dance, the cake- it wasn’t bad timing at all.”
“Why- why would she say that? Why would she think that?” I knew that maybe Casey wasn’t the best person to ask, but I didn’t want to move- didn’t want to force my legs to work properly. Eventually, Eric would find me; the grounds were only so big, and most of it was a lake. Sighing heavily, Casey leaned back on the gorgeous, wooden swing on which we sat, and the thing didn’t so much as peep as it rocked gently.
“I assume Eric told you that they lived with him the first few months of Maggie’s life, right?” Nodding, I pursed my lips tightly as I reached to wipe my eyes, and expectation pocked my skin. “She went into crazy grandma mode, and she was really hurt when Eric kicked them out. I remember it because Teagen and I had just started dating, and she tried to give me the sob story because I didn’t know the situation. Sasha was great, by everything I’ve heard about her, but she was never more than a hookup. As mean as it may seem, Maggie was an unwanted accident. If Eric was any less the man he is, he probably would’ve given her up when Sasha died.”
“That doesn’t explain why she’d think that Maggie would get- get in the way…” Stumbling over the phrase, I scrunched up my face as disgust roiled in my belly. “He’s not an only child, so why would she do this to him?”
“She doesn’t matter enough to answer that, Delainne.” Emerging from behind a privacy trellis that he’d been eavesdropping from, Eric strode confidently down the gravel path. My heart lodged in my throat, and I ducked my head as disgrace leaked from my eyelids. “She’s my mom, and I love her, but I don’t want her in my life or my daughter’s life. That back there is exactly the reason why- because she says offensive shit, and I’m pretty certain she knows it’s offensive.”
“It’ll be okay, Delainne. And don’t worry about making a scene. You didn’t do anything wrong.” Patting my knee one last time, Casey shot me a solid smile before standing up to glance around. The sun had sunk low in the sky, and a smidgen of relief smeared across my chest. At the very least, just as she’d said, the reception was nearing its end, so nothing had really been ruined.
Leaving Eric and I in still silence, Casey disappeared behind the wall, and her footfall faded into nothing. He stared at me, and I held my breath before he closed the short distance between us to hold out his hand. Reaching for him, I soaked up the comfort he offered when he pulled me to his chest to wrap me in security.
“Do you want to leave now, or in the morning? We still have the hotel room for the night, and Maggie’s not expecting us until the afternoon.”
“… I don’t think I can ever face any of those people ever again- I’m so mortified with myself.” If Eric took that for any sort of answer, he didn’t act on it, and I inhaled a shuddering, shallow breath. “I just- I couldn’t let her say that, Eric.”
“I know, sweetheart. Casey was right, you know- you did nothing wrong back there. My mom was out of line, and you weren’t wrong for taking it the way you did. You understand what it’s like to not have a mother.” My heart squeezed painfully, and Eric slowly twisted to guide me back towards the venue. Somewhere, I knew the walk was short, but it didn’t fill me with energy to get it do
ne quickly. “You know- I kicked my parents out and transferred because my mother tried to put Maggie in a daycare when she was six months old without my knowledge or permission.”
“What?” Grunting in acknowledgment, Eric frowned deeply as horror struck my chest. In the midst of all this beauty, our experiences with our parents were dark blotches that had no place. Tightening my grip on his lapel, I clung to his side as my words failed me.
“It didn’t make sense to me because that’s why my mom was there- to help me take care of her while I was at work. She justified it by saying daycare or school is pretty much my only chance to meeting a woman because I couldn’t date with a baby. Even my dad told her not to do it, and when she tried, he told me straight out. My mom told me to my face that she was glad Sasha died so Maggie could have a better person for a mother. She’d never even met Sasha- we’d only had a few conversations about her when my mom would ask me about what I did state-side.”
“Why does she care about your romantic relationships so much?” Pausing our journey with the hotel in view, Eric turned to hold my shoulders firmly. There was no hatred in his eyes when they met mine- only resignation and disgust and dislike for the woman that had brought him into this world.
“Delainne, she cares because it’s something she can stick her fucking nose into. It’s a problematic area of my life, and she thinks she can fix it- she’s delusional. I know it’s shocking and painful, but I’ve been dealing with this since before I turned 18 and enlisted. The way she acts is one of the reasons I decided to do so in the first place. You’re hurting, and I understand why you feel this way, but for me- it’s nothing more than a dull ache.”
That resonated deep in my soul, and I hiccupped as I glanced around cautiously. Stepping closer to him, I gulped harshly as I gathered every scrap of courage I could muster.