“What else?”
“They seem to like romantic gestures,” he said and shrugged.
“Like what?” Sol leaned in, eager to make Erica like him again.
“I don’t know,” Apollo said. “But TV might. Let’s go get some ideas before the dance.”
* * *
Erica smiled at her reflection in the mirror. She hadn’t planned on going to a dance at any point when she had packed. It was just luck the Hannah was her size and didn’t mind sharing her closet. The gray sparkly dress showed off the curves she liked and hid the rest. It might be a little chilly outside with the lack of sleeves and all, but at the dance it would be fine.
She giggled in the mirror. This really was like a seventh-grade dance. She wondered if the men would all be huddled to one side and the women to the other like it was back then. Erica frowned as a particular man came to mind. She sighed and tried not get upset again.
“You all right in there?” Hannah knocked on the bathroom door.
Erica opened it and did a little spin.
She laughed when Hannah clapped her hands. “Oh, I just knew this would look good on you!”
“Nice,” Rachel said from the bed. “I hope you plan on letting him grovel a little with a dress like that on the line.”
Erica laughed and plopped on the bed. “I know he was just jealous, but that doesn’t excuse him, and I just can’t stop from feeling hurt.”
She fanned her eyes to stop the tears from pouring out again.
“Ugh,” she grunted. “It’s all so stupid.”
“Agreed,” Hannah popped in. “They are all so stupid.”
She smiled at the wide grin of her friend.
Hannah had picked something far more girly than hot. The light pink material floated around her as she walked and was perfect for her in just about every way. She had piled her blonde hair high on her head, little ringlets framing her face.
“I swear you look like a cherub.” Rachel grinned from the bed.
Hannah stomped her foot. “I swear, you say it one more time…”
Rachel laughed even harder at the pout Hannah was working on.
“All right,” she said and wiped her eye. “I’ll stop picking.”
“What about you?” Hannah asked, pout still firmly in place. “Is that what you’re wearing?”
Rachel looked down at her dress. It was a simple black cocktail dress. Nothing exceptional, but it worked. She made a face at Hannah.
“This is it,” she said and continued before Hannah could interject. “I’m not trying to impress a man or get my man back.” She stared pointedly at the two of them.
Erica turned to find Hannah blushing furiously.
“Whatever,” Hannah mumbled and shot Rachel a dirty look.
The chime of Erica’s phone made her heart kick up into her chest. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, Erica hoped Sol would come by at some point to apologize. She raced to the phone. Kate’s name flashed, and she felt guilty for not calling to check on her after all that had happened with Mark.
She grabbed the phone and slipped out into the hallway.
“How’s it going?” she chirped into the phone.
“Why haven’t you called me?” Kate griped into the phone. “I’ve been waiting to hear all about things, and you never even called.”
“I’m really sorry,” Erica said. “Things have been so busy here. With the reconstruction, then the protesters and now a dance. I haven’t had much time.”
“Dance?” Kate said. “It does sound busy there.”
She could hear the pain in Kate’s voice and wondered if she was worried about being left behind.
“Mostly its work, and then Sol picks me up. By the time we finish dinner, I’m ready for bed.”
“What?” Kate practically shouted into the phone. “Don’t tell me you’ve been doing the nasty this whole time, and you didn’t call to give the details.”
Erica laughed nervously. This had never been something she was good at, and Kate knew this.
“Come on, I need details. I’ve taken a sabbatical from men unless there are signs of a ring at the end of the tunnel.” Kate groaned. “You’re just going to have to let me live vicariously through you.”
She laughed for real this time and smiled. “All right but not right now. I’m getting ready to head out. Maybe I can talk to Sol about you visiting here soon.”
“Sounds good. Then I’ll have visuals for all my juicy details.”
Erica snorted. “Maybe we’ll meet at the dining hall. I have a feeling more than one man there would be willing to kick out a ring for a chance at you.”
The line was quiet for a moment. She knew Kate was using laughter before to cover her pain. “How are you?” Erica asked quietly. She debated telling Kate about Mark, but what was she going to say? That her boyfriend had actually been using her to get to Erica? It all seemed a little too hard to take.
“Fine,” Kate said equally quiet. “Lonely.”
Her heart hurt for her friend. “I’m sorry. I’ll call more and have Sol set up a day.”
“’Kay,” she said. “Have fun at your dance.”
“Thanks.” Erica hung up the phone and thought about her friend. Life without both her and Mark was hard. Neither Kate or Erica had much in the way of family. Kate’s mom was a single mom most of her life. When she remarried five years ago, she had left Kate to fend for herself. Erica wasn’t much different. Her mom had died when she was little. Car accident. Her father never really got over it. Most days he just drank himself stupid. He wasn’t a bad man, but he wasn’t what she thought of as a good father.
Erica slipped the phone back into her purse and vowed to be a better friend.
“All right,” she said as she stepped into the room. “Let’s get to this dance.”
Chapter Fifteen
The room sparkled all around them, and Erica smiled. Hannah had really done a fantastic job, and everyone seemed to be having a good time. They had come early to set out some last minute things and make sure the caterers didn’t need anything.
The three sat at a table in the back and watched as couples danced on the floor. She was surprised to see a number of the hybrids could dance pretty well and wondered if they had been practicing.
Her eyes kept going back to the door in hopes that she would see Sol enter. As time passed she stared to wonder if he would show up. About an hour in, he came in with Apollo. She swallowed hard. He was wearing a suit like the first time she saw him and wore it well.
She wasn’t the only one to notice him. Several other women made their way near them, and she began to worry that he might not want her back. His eyes found hers, and all the negative thoughts went out the door. Even from clear across the room, they had chemistry.
“You better stop looking at him like that, or you’ll set the drapes on fire,” Rachel laughed in her ear.
Erica turned to Rachel. “What’s the point in saying that if you know he can hear you?” she whispered.
“Maybe that is the point,” Rachel said.
Erica turned back to see he was standing with Apollo while he chatted with some women. Maybe she should have felt jealous, but his eyes never left hers. Erica downed her soda and stood.
She could see his eyes widen and start to glow from across the room. A smile played on her lips, and she was glad Hannah lent her the dress. She made her way across the room, slowly, stopping to chat with people along the way. When she was just a few feet away from him, she stopped to get a glass of punch.
His growl of irritation made her heart kick up notch.
“Excuse me,” she heard him say and turned to watch as he stalked over to her.
“Are you planning to make me pay all night?” he growled once he was near her.
Erica shrugged. “Maybe.”
Sol sighed. “Does that mean you won’t dance with me?”
Erica smiled at him. “Why? Are you asking?”
Sol held out his hand for her, a
nd she slipped her hand into his.
Touching him was like being home, and she leaned into the contact. Without a word, he led her to the dance floor and placed a hand at the small of her back. When he pulled her closer, she gasped in surprise. Her arms wound around his neck, and they started to move to the soft, sensual music.
She was surprised to find him as good as the others. After pulling his head down and standing on her tips of her toes, she whispered in his ear.
“How did you all learn to dance?”
His cheeks flushed for a moment, and she thought he might be mad until he smiled at her.
“YouTube. Apollo started it, and others just caught on.”
He turned her around and pressed her ass firmly to his growing dick.
“We’re pretty good, aren’t we?” he rumbled in her ear.
Erica felt her body go hot.
Sol kissed the tender skin around her ear and linked his hand with hers.
“Come with me,” he whispered to her. “I have something I want to show you.”
Erica grinned and rolled her eyes. “I’m sure you do,” she said but let him pull her away.
She followed him out of the main room and into a side stairwell. Laughing, she followed as he tugged her up the stairs. When they reached the top, he threw open the door and the biting wind from outside rushed through.
“Fuck.” She glared at him. “That’s cold.”
Sol smiled and took off his jacket. With the warmth of him surrounding her, she went onto the roof. It was actually the first time she had been on the roof of a building on the compound. In the corner was some sort of room.
She noticed that he had cleared a path in the snow, so she would be able to get through, and smiled. He had really put some thought into this. It wasn’t just about having sex in some stairwell.
They hurried across the roof to the small room. He opened the door and ushered them both in quickly. She sighed at the warmth and was grateful she didn’t have to cover her pretty dress the whole time. After all, she had worn it for his benefit.
Stepping around him, she noticed that it was some sort of lookout tower. A row of windows circled the room at eye level. She had a feeling that it wasn’t normally this decked out though. Strings of Christmas lights were hung around the tops of the windows, and two mugs of cocoa sat on a table. Next to the table stood a telescope aimed at the night sky. She smiled at the cozy room.
“I’m sorry,” he said when she looked at him. “I just got so mad seeing you in his arms.” Sol looked away. “I wanted to be the first to dance with you.”
“I really wouldn’t call what I was doing with Marius dancing. It was more like something I did at a school dance.”
Sol stepped closer to her. “And what about the dancing we did?”
Erica leaned over and whispered, “That’s the kind of dancing that leads to other things.”
She winked and turned to the hot cocoa. She picked up a mug and watched his reflection in the window.
“Do you know any constellations?” Erica peered through the lens at the night sky. She chuckled when she found they hadn’t even focused it.
“I told him you would ask.” Sol cursed.
She turned around. “Apollo?”
Sol nodded.
“So this was his idea?” Part of her felt a little let down that he had someone else plan their getaway.
“We watched romance movies to get ideas. I like the Christmas ones,” he said and blushed. “The telescope was Apollo’s rule.”
“Oh?” Erica smiled at him. “What other rules were there?”
“No sex. It’s about romance. Kisses but not making out. And you take the lead,” he said and looked around the room, a little embarrassed.
Erica grinned. This was so much better. “And what did you want instead of the telescope?”
Sol’s eyes shot to hers. “A bed.”
She shivered at his words. She stepped forward and ran a hand down his nice button-up shirt. Every part of her wanted to rip the shirt open and kiss the skin under, but he needed something to wear out in the cold.
“And what did he say about touching?” She unbuttoned the first few, and let her fingers slip through and feel the skin below.
Sol shook his head. “You know,” she said. Her other hand pulled his head to hers, and she nibbled his earlobe. “I think I would have gone with the bed,” she whispered.
He groaned and wrapped his hands around her, groping her ass.
Erica stepped back and shook her finger. “Remember, I take the lead.”
Sol groaned and closed his eyes for a moment. He heard her move, and his eyes snapped open. She was staring at him, a chair just in front of her.
“Sit,” she said and watched as he listened.
She walked around him and thought of what she wanted to do. For the first time, she was the one taking charge. Erica could feel his eyes on her, and she knew it was hard for him to let her be in control. Everything about him said he needed to be in charge.
She stopped in front of him, hiked her dress up and straddled his lap. His hands hung to the side, but she could see the muscles tense when she pushed in closer so her heat was right over his hard length.
Erica leaned forward. “No making out?”
“Erica,” he groaned.
She feathered light kisses across his face. When she came to his lips, she lingered, nipping and licking them.
“Maybe some rule were made to be broken.” She pressed herself firmly against him and opened her mouth against his.
They moaned as they felt the other’s rising excitement. Erica broke away first as his hands roamed over her body. She grabbed his hands and put them back down.
“Not yet,” she said.
After sliding off his lap, she kneeled between his legs. Surprise sprang into his eyes as it struck him what she was about to do.
She slowly pulled down the zipper in his pants, and, much like every other time, he was without underwear. The easy access was to her advantage. She palmed his large length and stroked him from base to tip, running the palm of her hand over the head.
“You don’t have to,” he started to say, but stopped when she swiped her tongue across the slit at the top.
He groaned and fixed his eyes on her, the yellow blaze heating her as she ran her mouth all along the sides of him. When she placed the head in her mouth and twirled her tongue, he started a low growl. The sound only excited her more. Slowly bobbing up and down, she sucked him in further and further. When she reached the end of what she could take in, Erica gripped the base and worked her hand up and down in time with her mouth.
“Oh God, Erica you have to stop, or I’m going to come.” He growled and cursed as she continued to bob up and down, increasing her efforts.
Sol shouted as he released into the back of her throat. She swallowed and licked the side. When she pulled back, he came out with a pop.
“My turn,” he growled. Sol stood with her and pushed her forward over a control panel.
Wasting no time, he shoved her dress up her body and ripped the panties she was wearing. Erica gasped and felt herself dripping with anticipation for him. He might be a tad overbearing at times and cavemanish at others, but she would never tire of this. His demanding control in the bedroom was exciting, forceful and made her feel more wanted than she ever had.
His hot mouth arrived first, and she groaned as he speared into her, going stiff and wiggling inside. He had hardly touched her, and already she was on the brink of an orgasm.
“Sol,” she whimpered.
“No,” he growled and pulled away.
Erica glared behind her to let him have it, but found herself being pushed forward as he thrust inside. She gasped from the sudden fullness and was glad he stilled to let her body adjust. He leaned forward and kissed her ears.
“I love it when your hair is down,” he said. His hips moved slightly, and she moaned.
He shifted again, and she slammed back against him.
“Fuck me,” she whispered.
A snarl ripped from him as he thrust rapidly into her. His fingers bit into the flesh at her hips.
“I’m not going to last long,” he groaned.
“Wait for me,” she whispered.
Sol leaned over her and pushed her bra up to cup her breasts in his hands. His fingers teased the hard peaks and rolled them in his fingers.
“So close,” she whispered.
Sol leaned back, starting to hammer her again. Their skin slapped together, and the sound only added to her excitement. He slammed into her hard, and they both came, shouting their releases.
When he pulled out, she felt the cool air stir against her legs. Seconds later, he was wiping her off with a box of tissues. He pulled her upright and kissed her hard.
“Stay,” he whispered against her mouth. “Stay with me.”
Erica pulled back to look at him. “Here?”
Sol shook his head, his face pained with worry. “Take the job and stay. Stay here with me.”
Her head spun at his revelation. Up to this point they hadn’t spent much time talking about what would happen after. It wasn’t something she really wanted to think about. She loved being with him, but she just wasn’t sure she belonged in his world. Things were so structured and strange at Luna Lodge.
“I haven’t really…” she started but was cut off by his crushing kiss and melted into him.
Sol put everything he felt into the kiss. She just had to understand how much he needed her. He had never felt this kind of warmth in his life, and she was the only thing that gave it to him. His arms wrapped around her, he kissed her until they were breathless and weak kneed.
“Just stay with me, Erica,” he growled, his raw emotion almost too much for even him to handle. “I need you.”
She kissed him softly, and he could already feel her pulling away.
“Just let me think on it,” she sighed. “It’s a big decision.”
“Me or the job?” He could feel his anger rising and tried to control it. That wouldn’t help him here.
“Both,” she whispered. Tears pooled in her eyes. “I think I’d like to go home now,” she sniffed.
Luna Lodge: Sol Page 11