Healing Melody

by Grey, Priya

  So I say nothing.

  We stare at each other in silence. I sense he’s trying to figure out what kind of weird shit he signed up for. He gives me a slight nod and tries to smile, but I can tell it doesn’t come naturally to him.

  “Sorry, it took me a bit,” he says. “I don’t live anywhere near your neighborhood.”

  I hear the sadness in his voice. He’s trying to hide it. But if you listen closely, you can sense it in the few words he just uttered.

  It’s been so long since I’ve had a man like this in my presence. Scratch that. I’ve never had a man as impressive as him stare at me before. And wearing this mask, I suddenly feel really foolish.

  This was a mistake. But I’ve already opened the door. I have to let him in now. I take a deep breath and try to steady my nerves.

  “Please come in,” I say as I open the door wider so he can pass through.

  I inhale as he walks past me. Damn… I’ve missed the scent of a man. And this guy, Kade, smells good, like the outdoors, woodsy but mixed with spice. I feel myself getting woozy from his presence. I convince myself it’s because of him and not the vodka tonics I’ve had throughout the night.

  He turns around and faces me, his hands in his jean pockets. He gives a quick glance around the place and shrugs.

  “Nice place,” he remarks, but I can tell by the way he says it that he doesn’t really care.

  “Thanks.”

  We stand still, staring at each other again, saying nothing. Those eyes. I see an intense storm brewing in them. He’s on the edge of something. Something deep and sorrowful. His energy might be dark and mysterious but it’s also strangely comforting. My attraction toward him escalates. I can’t explain why.

  “I should have warned you,” I say.

  “About?”

  “The mask.”

  He shrugs. “Whatever makes you comfortable is fine with me.”

  He keeps staring at me, and I realize if I’m going to go through with this, I should warn him about the scars on my body too.

  “I had an accident,” I say. “I have scars. All over my body. Including my face. I should have warned you over the phone.” I take another deep breath. “If you want to cancel this meeting, I understand.”

  He ponders what I said, and I’m suddenly racked with nerves. I realize I don’t want him to go. In the few seconds he’s been in my home, I’ve felt the air shift around me. His dark, soulful presence is astonishing. It pulls me in, like the force of a magnet. And up close, he looks even hotter than his picture. Even though I’m nervous about it, I know I just have to see what he looks like underneath those clothes. I have to see him naked.

  But I can’t blame him if he doesn’t want to have sex with my scar-covered body. I really should have mentioned it over the phone when I was talking to him. Now it’s awkward.

  “Will it hurt? If I touch you?” he asks. I notice the concerned tone in his voice. I wasn’t expecting it.

  I shake my head. Then quickly make sure my mask hasn’t shifted. “No,” I say. “It won’t hurt. But there are scars everywhere.”

  He shrugs. “I’m fine with it, if you are?” he says. “I just want to know if I need to be gentle.”

  Another long moment of silence. We keep staring at each other. His dark gaze is so intense. It’s mesmerizing.

  “Please don’t be gentle,” I confide. “I’m not that type of girl.”

  Did I just say that? I guess it’s the vodka talking, but it’s true.

  Physical sex – the unbridled, no-holds barred kind – is what I prefer. Tonight will test whether my body can handle it after the accident.

  “Good to know,” he replies. After a pause, he admits with a shrug, “I’m not really the slow and romantic type.”

  Our eyes meet again and my body begins to tingle. It’s been so long since I’ve felt the excited rush of sexual energy run through my veins.

  “Do you want anything to drink?” I ask.

  He shakes his head. “No thanks.”

  “Are you in training? Your profile said you’re a fighter.”

  He nods. “Yeah. I fight underground.”

  “What makes it underground?”

  “No rules.”

  “Sounds dangerous.”

  “Can be,” he says with a shrug.

  This Kade isn’t much of a talker, but I don’t care. I didn’t hire him for that. I hired him to fuck me. And I get the impression he knows what he’s doing in that department.

  “Is this going to be your first time since the accident?” he asks.

  I nod slowly.

  “Well, I hope I can make it memorable,” he says.

  I smirk behind the mask. “Trust me, looking the way you do, I don’t think it will be an issue.”

  I’m feeling bolder now, more comfortable. My attraction to this guy is growing with each passing second. And my sexual desire is coming back to life.

  “Well, I’m here to please you,” he says with another shrug, “Your satisfaction is guaranteed. If you don’t like anything I do, just let me know.” He pauses then says, “And if you want to take off that mask so you’re comfortable –”

  I raise my hand, cutting him off.

  “You don’t want to see what I look like underneath this thing.” I touch the mask with my fingers. “You’d cringe, and it would ruin an already awkward encounter.”

  There’s a pause, then he asks, “Why is this awkward?”

  “Well, because of this mask,” I confess.

  He nods and looks at the ground. He’s pondering what I just said. Then he looks at me. Staring straight into my eyes, he takes a few steps forward. I feel a nervous rush of excitement shoot through me. He begins to echo the words from our phone conversation. “I thought you called me because you wanted to get fucked. Wanted to feel my hands over your skin, my cock deep inside of you. Isn’t that right?”

  He moves in closer and my skin grows heated from his presence.

  “That’s right,” I tell him.

  He shrugs. “Well, that has nothing to do with how you look.” He’s even closer now. His voice turns into a whisper as he stares into me. “That’s about our bodies colliding. The skin is just surface. Everything below it is what matters.”

  I inhale deeply; he’s so close. “You smell good.”

  I’m hypnotized by his presence; by the way he looks at me. For a brief moment, he’s made me feel like I’m not wearing a mask. I know he’s probably putting on an act – his job is pleasuring people after all – but I appreciate what he just said. I’m happy with my decision. I’ve chosen the perfect man to have sex with since the accident. But before we go any further, I need to make sure of something.

  “You won’t tell anyone will you?”

  He’s surprised by my question. “What do you mean? About us?”

  I nod.

  “I don’t even know your name,” he confides with a slight smirk. “Are you famous?”

  I slowly nod. “I used to be.”

  He shrugs, takes another deep look at me and says, “Nobody will know.”

  Although I’ve just met him, I sense that I can trust him.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  I lead him toward my bedroom, still surprised by how nervous I feel. Can I really go through with this? Have him see my naked body – the jumbled clutter of scars? Sure, a lot of the damage from the fire has been repaired. But there are still so many imperfections.

  “Is that a dog?”

  I turn around. Mingus is whimpering from inside the bathroom we just passed.

  “Yes.”

  “Do you want to let him out?” he asks.

  “He’s a puppy,” I respond. “I just got him. I’m worried he might ruin the mood, you know?”

  He looks at me a little surprised. “You’re locking your puppy in a bathroom when you live in a house of this size?”

  I don’t know what to say. He’s right. Mingus deserves to be treated better. “You’re right. I’m being ridiculous.”<
br />
  I open the bathroom door. Mingus scrambles out and starts circling Kade’s feet. Kade’s face breaks into a grin as he looks at the puppy. He bends down and picks Mingus up. Mingus happily licks his face. Kade smiles – a real big smile, and the first I’ve seen from him. It shatters the somber presence he had earlier. His smile looks so genuine, so sincere. My attraction to him grows tenfold.

  I really want to fuck this guy.

  “Hey, little fella,” Kade says to Mingus as the puppy continues licking his face. The tough exterior I saw when I first opened the door has vanished. I’m now staring at a gorgeous, well-built man holding a puppy. Kade’s warmth and friendliness is palpable. “What’s his name?” he asks, turning to me, smiling.

  “Mingus,” I reply, still shocked by his change in demeanor.

  “After the jazz musician?”

  I’m surprised he guessed right. Charles Mingus was an old-school jazz musician from the fifties and sixties.

  “Yeah,” I say with a nod.

  “Cool.” Kade raises Mingus and looks into his puppy eyes. “You’ve got a cool name after a cool dude, buddy.” Mingus returns the compliment by lathering Kade’s face with his tongue. Kade chuckles and lowers Mingus to the floor. When he straightens up, our eyes meet. I feel an electric shock. That’s what his gaze does to me. It’s like sex lightning!

  I take a deep breath to calm myself and continue walking toward the bedroom; Mingus follows close behind.

  It’s been so long since I’ve had a man in my company – since I’ve felt a masculine presence in my home. I miss it. And even if I have to pay for it, I’ll treasure it tonight.

  When I get to the door, I turn around. “Okay, he can’t follow us into the bedroom.”

  Kade looks down at the puppy and shrugs. “Sorry dude, she’s the boss.”

  Mingus whimpers as we close the bedroom door on him. Once inside my room, I walk over to the stereo and put on music – to drown Mingus’s whimpers from the hallway.

  “In This Special Place,” says Kade, recognizing the song.

  “One of my favorite albums,” I reply.

  “Good fucking music, that’s for sure,” he says with an appreciative nod.

  As the music fills the room, we stare at each other silently.

  “So, how should we do this?” I ask, feeling a nervous knot in my stomach start to grow.

  He takes a few slow steps forward.

  “Would you feel more comfortable with the lights turned off?” he asks.

  I nod gratefully. He walks over to the light switch and flicks it off. The moonlight streaming in through my bedroom window is now the only source of illumination. My guard comes down as comfort seeps in.

  “Let’s start off slow,” he says as he returns to where I’m standing. “Why don’t you just lay back on the bed and let me do all the work.”

  I like the sound of that. I take a seat on the bed and look up at him. Kade slowly slips off his t-shirt. I practically drool over the muscles rippling in his stomach then admire his chiseled chest. I haven’t felt the hard body of a man in so long. He unbuckles his belt.

  The nervous knot in my stomach eases and my body begins tingling with anticipation of what’s to come.

  Kade kicks off his chucks and pulls down his jeans. The only thing standing between his cock and me are a pair of white boxer briefs. My excitement grows. As I admire the tattoos running up his arms, I notice the portrait of a young boy tattooed on Kade’s chest. The boy is smiling, a wide happy grin. I’m about to compliment the artwork, but then Kade steps toward me.

  I notice his cock shift under his briefs. He reaches and pulls down his boxers. My heart catches in my throat at the sight of his impressive manhood. Instantly, my sex pulsates with need. Any hesitation I had disappears at the sight of his gorgeous cock.

  I haven’t been properly fucked in what feels like forever. I want it badly. I eagerly take his shaft in my hand, tugging on it. It grows harder with my caress. I raise my eyes and look up at Kade.

  “You’re blessed,” I tell him.

  “Thanks,” he says with a slow, satisfied smile.

  Slowly, I begin stroking his cock. It grows even larger. My eyes widen. I haven’t had a cock this big in a really long time. And his is the perfect girth and size. I feel my pussy getting wetter just thinking about him sliding inside me.

  I lean forward, desperately wanting to take his gorgeous shaft in my mouth. But I stop myself. I can’t. Not with this mask on. It’s covering my entire face. I lower my head in disappointment.

  “This fuckin’ mask,” I mutter.

  Kade senses my frustration because he responds, “Don’t worry. We can work around it.”

  He reaches down, offering me his hand. I take it and stand back up.

  “I thought we agreed that I’d do all the work anyway,” he says.

  He slowly reaches for the buttons on my chambray shirt. My heart beat races.

  He’s going to see the flawed skin on my chest!

  I quickly grab his wrist. He stops then looks at me. That soulful sadness has returned to his gaze.

  “Don’t worry,” he whispers. “We all have scars.” His voice echoes the haunted turmoil of recent trauma. I realize that the only difference between Kade and I might be that my scars are visible and his hide underneath the surface.

  I sense he understands my inner conflict because he might be going through his own. I knew there was a reason why I chose him.

  He’s haunted just like I am.

  I breathe a sigh of relief as I realize I’m in very safe hands.

  I let go of his wrist, letting him proceed.

  He moves in closer. We’re so close; we could kiss…

  He unbuttons my shirt and gently slides it off my shoulders. I raise my arms above my head allowing him to pull off my black tank top. With adept fingers he unfastens my bra. Slowly and ever so gently, he begins running his strong, firm hands over my fragile skin, over my breasts. My body springs to life at the sensation of his touch. I rest my hand against his chest as he kisses the side of my neck. His warm lips against my tough, ropey skin are welcomed and needed.

  He continues with a trail of kisses down my chest, taking one of my breasts in his mouth, gently tugging on my nipple. Lord, how I’ve missed a man’s lips on my body, on my tits. I grab the back of his head and press it against my chest. His touch makes me forget all my inhibitions.

  Kade drops to his knees. He looks at me as he runs his hands up my legs and under my peasant skirt.

  My breath catches as I feel his fingers reach over the top of my undies. He slides them over my hips, and down my legs.

  I help him by taking off my skirt. It drops to the floor. Except for my mask, I’m completely naked, just like him.

  Kade gets back to his feet. He runs his fingers over my scarred skin, his digits delicately dancing across my flesh. He squeezes my shoulders, motioning me to turn around. He continues running his hands down my back. Then he squeezes my ass.

  I feel his warm breath against the back of my neck as he whispers in my ear, “You have nothing to be ashamed of.”

  I struggle to stifle the emotion that suddenly overwhelms me. He may be lying, but I don’t care. I appreciate his words and need to hear them. This isn’t about sex anymore. His presence – here, in my bedroom – makes me feel alive again.

  Kade moves closer, and I feel his cock, now fully erect, press against my backside.

  “Here’s the proof that you having nothing to be ashamed of,” he says with a growl. “Do you feel how hard I am for you?”

  I’m overcome with gratitude and desire. A tear rolls down my cheek. To be wanted this way, by another human being, is something I never thought I’d experience again.

  Kade leans forward and wraps his strong arm around my waist. His fingers slide across my belly, toward my crotch. He begins to tease my wet lips with his fingers.

  “You need this: me, inside you,” he says in a low whisper.

  “You have n
o idea,” I reply, resting the back of my head against his shoulder, thankful for his presence.

  “Well, the waits over,” he growls and places another kiss on my shoulder.

  Slowly, he turns me so I face him. I’m surprised by the lust and passion burning in his eyes. Could it really be for someone like me? I glance down at his rock-hard cock.

  “Lie on the bed,” he orders. “It’s time I give you what you need.”

  Grateful, I follow his instructions.

  Kade grabs a condom from his jeans and slips it on his cock. Then he climbs over me. I feel the tip of his cock nudge against my pussy.

  I look into his dark, intense eyes and press my hands against his chest.

  “You ready?” he asks.

  I want to kiss his luscious lips, but can’t. I simply nod.

  Kade shifts his hips and I feel the head of his cock slowly part the lips of my pussy. He eases himself inside me. My pussy welcomes him, clenching around his girth.

  “You feel good,” Kade whispers into my ear.

  “Trust me, you feel better,” I confess.

  Slowly, he pumps his cock in and then out. With each stroke my pussy throbs for more. I wrap my arms around his wide back, my legs around his waist. I want him deeper inside me. He’s bigger than I’m used to, but I want to take as much of him as I can.

  “Fuck yes,” I moan with pleasure. “You don’t know how badly I need this.”

  Kade increases his long, deep thrusts, each one raising my threshold of desire.

  My breath quickens as we find our rhythm. Drops of pleasure slide down my thighs. Then I feel it coming. That sensation I’ve been missing for so long is slowly building inside me. I dig my nails into Kane’s back as I wrap my legs tightly around his waist. I want all of him. As his cock stretches me wide, and fills me to the brim, I beat my fist against his back. “Fuck yeah, Kade. You feel fuckin’ a-maz-ing.”