Silk

by Heidi McLaughlin

  “What?” I said softly through gritted teeth.

  “You look fucking gorgeous tonight, princess.” He said as he turned on his side to face me and cupped his hand on my cheek. “And if, for some crazy ass reason, you decide you still want anything to do with me tomorrow, I promise not to stop loving every inch of your body until you scream so loud, the neighbors know my name.”

  He lightly licked his tongue across my lips before he flipped me over, smashed my ass into his body, and said gruffly, “Sleep, princess.”

  So I did.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Deacon

  I left Eli asleep, surrounded by her princesses, and wandered the long hall searching for a glimpse into her world. I hadn’t slept a wink, and didn’t think it was possible for me to sleep with her so near and untouched. At the end of the hall were huge French doors that opened into the biggest room I’d ever seen.

  Stepping into this room felt like entering a whole new house. The walls were a pale blue that was a distinct change from the stark white that ran throughout the rest of the house. The windows were covered with huge curtains pooling onto the floor. The wall directly across from the door held a large framed picture of Eli and her dad. Eli couldn’t have been more than three years old. Her dad was holding her high in the air and they were both smiling.

  Under the large picture were dark brown shelves filled with more books than I could count. There were old ones, new ones, children’s stories, adult, every type of book I knew. They all seemed to have one thing in common: fairytales. On the top shelf, standing tall, was an old, worn copy of Cinderella. The spine was taped together in places, frayed from years of use.

  At the other end of the room was a large four-poster bed with blankets that matched the walls, and more pillows than I could count. Pictures were everywhere making this room personal, more of a home, while the rest of the house was cold and sterile. Luci was curled up in the middle of the bed and ran to me as I got close, rubbing her silky head against my hand.

  Next to the bed was a black piano. The top of the piano was covered with sheet music and other papers with words scribbled on them. I picked one up and saw the words “Forever Lost” scrolled across the top in a delicate print. I didn’t read another word of Eli’s intimate thoughts, and placed the paper back, exactly where I’d found it. I knew the level of one’s soul put into anything written, and I would never invade that without permission.

  The piano bench was covered with a soft blanket I assumed was for the hours on end she probably sat here, letting her fingers speak the emotions of her heart. I pulled the bench out and sat down, running my finger down the smooth keys. The piano was not an instrument I was talented in, but I could play. Depressing the keys of her piano and hearing the sound ring through her room planted the seeds of a song longing to be told.

  I lost track of time as my fingers unskillfully played the rhythm ringing through my head. I’d been writing music for years now, and had come a long way since the first song I’d created. Now, I knew the song always started as a shell, and grew best on its own, with only a small amount of coaxing from me. If I sat back and gave it time, the song would develop into what it was meant to be without me getting in its way.

  The sun was just starting to peek from behind the horizon and gleam off the top of the piano when I heard soft footsteps behind me. I turned to see a sleepy Eli wearing only a short white shirt and panties.

  “You found my baby.” She said as her smile grew.

  “I did.” I answered.

  She walked to the piano and ran her delicate fingers across the edge of the bone colored keys. I watched as her small hand slowly moved to rest on mine, perfectly aligned. She pressed her fingers down, causing mine to depress the keys, and a more robust and clean sound rang through the room than I had been able to create on my own. She lifted my arm and slid under it to sit between the piano and me; her back to my front. Once her ass wiggled into place on the piano bench, our hands resumed their haunting melody. Every muscle in my body relaxed as we flowed together, created together.

  After several minutes, I lost focus on the song being created as all my senses honed in on her body. I swiftly removed my hands from under hers and ran them along the inside of her legs until I reached where they connected with her body. My fingertips glided along the cotton panties hugging her curves as I lightly traced up and down. I ran my wet lips along the flesh just below her ear and heard a soft moan escape her lips. Pulling softly, I lifted her shirt over her head, followed by my own. She leaned into me, her warm skin sending chills across my body.

  The sounds of her melody continued to fill my ears as I sucked and teased every inch of her bare neck and shoulders. My hands continued their exploration of her body, from nipples that begged to be touched, down to her lower half still covered by panties. I’d never hated a single piece of clothing more than I did those panties.

  Her hands moved from the piano, reaching around to thread through my hair, pulling me even tighter against her. Just when I was ready to carry her to the bed, she stood, turned, and slowly began to run her hands down her stomach. She tortured me by slowly gliding her fingers into the waistband of her panties, running them back and forth.

  ***

  Eli Blue

  I watched his bright blue eyes grow darker as my white cotton panties slid down my hips before they dropped to the floor. The touch of his hands, rubbing delicately over my skin, as if I might break, seized my heart. Rough and callused, his fingers drew out the sensations until I was moaning and needy. He placed his hands on the backs of my knees, pulling me astride him. His wet lips skimmed from just above my belly button up, stopping at the base of my neck.

  This was far from the first time I’d been touched by a man, but this was the first time it had felt like this. My skin was ablaze and the fire was building within me. I thought I might explode if I didn’t feel him inside me.

  His eyes focused on mine and I saw a smile light up his face. That’s when I knew it; in that moment, I knew I loved him. It was a new love, a small love, but love nonetheless. I’d felt it lingering since that first night, but it was growing in my heart now. It wasn’t a needy lust-filled reaction; it was love that had sprung from the depths of a place I hadn’t felt in years. It was pure; as clear and true as the man before my eyes. But it wasn’t the kind of love you shout from the rooftops; it needed time to grow, evolve, and flush itself out to become what I hoped it would become.

  Arching my back over the top of the piano, I opened up for him to take all of me. I felt his tongue swirl and dance across my stomach and breasts. He took his time licking and nipping at me before lowering his head between my legs. I felt the warmth of his tongue spreading me as pleasure shot through every inch of my body.

  He lifted my hips, hooking my legs around his shoulders as he pushed me completely on top of the piano. I heard the keys bang as he steadied himself before plundering me with his tongue. Stroke after stroke, his mouth had me chasing after a release I knew I would quickly find. One final teasing flick and my body shook violently, as I screamed out his name.

  I felt him move my limp legs from his shoulders and slowly rub his hands in circles up my body before scooping me up in his arms and carrying me to the bed. I felt numb with satisfaction, but also craved more of him. The sound of his jeans being unzipped and dropping to the floor sent a spark through me. I heard the unmistakable sound of a condom tear and almost moaned in anticipation. The bed shifted as he crawled up the length of my body with his eyes trained on my face.

  “You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” He said in a low, husky voice. “I want to fuck you; make love to you until you can’t remember anyone other than me.”

  I ran my hands up the muscles of his stomach savoring the feel of every hard line. He closed his eyes and inhaled sharply as I lightly pinched both of his nipples. Our mouths crushed together as his hardness teased along my center. My long fingernails raked up and down his smooth back, an
d I envisioned them scraping across the rugged tattoos I’d longed to touch since I first saw them.

  He pulled back onto his knees and stared down at me, his eyes tracing every curve so intently, I could almost feel them searing my skin. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm my anticipation so I could savor every second I had with him.

  He wrapped his arms around the backs of my legs and pulled me flush with him.

  “Eli.” He breathed as I felt him enter me.

  I loved this man; I knew it, clear as fucking day. Him positioned over me, easing slowly inside so I could feel every quiver as I stretched around him. The sensation was so consuming, it caused my back to arch and an airy moan to resonate from deep in my chest. He pushed deeper, completely filling me then stilled. The only sound in the room was our breath coming faster and louder. Feeling overcome, I closed my eyes.

  “Eli, here.” He said, breathlessly. “Don’t look away, don’t lose me.”

  I opened my eyes and looked deep into his. He pulled out and pushed back in rapidly, again and again. Even though my eyes tried to close, I forced them open; I kept my gaze locked and focused on his every movement. As his muscles started to tighten, he slowed his pace, prolonging the sensations. I could feel every inch of him as he tortuously slid in and out. The fire within me flamed until I was once again calling out his name. Riding the pleasure with me, I felt his entire body stiffen and then my name rang from his lips.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Eli Blue

  I woke with a sense of satisfaction and the musky smell of man surrounding me. A light snore was filling my ears and my breath was slowed by a heavy arm holding me tight. I smiled as visions of earlier this morning flashed through my mind, causing my core to tighten as butterflies danced through it.

  The aroma of bitterness and warmth filled my senses thanks to my trusty automatic coffee brewer. Even with an entire floor separating me from the kitchen, my nose could still pick up the scent. I rolled away from Deacon and felt the muscles of my lower body were deliciously sore, causing another smile to spread across my face. Slowly, I moved off the bed trying hard not to wake him.

  He looked peaceful; there was no other way to describe him. Normally his features were distressed, but watching him sleep gave me an insight into what his true nature was, and I liked the way it looked on him.

  I pulled on a robe and crept out the door and down the stairs. When I reached the door to the kitchen, I saw the chick that had been sitting with Deacon in the music studio perched on my countertop, drinking my coffee. Her head rose as her eyes connected with mine. My gaze moved from her face down to my favorite coffee mug clutched in her boney hands. It had been my dad’s favorite mug, and I could still picture him sitting by the window, drinking cup after cup every morning from it. Once upon a time it was white, but now it was mostly stained brown from years of use. It had a quote from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off on the front—”Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” I had no idea why it was my dad’s favorite, or where he’d even gotten it. But it was mine now, and I carried on his tradition and drank from it every morning—except today, apparently.

  She jumped off the counter as I approached her. I didn’t look at her face; my eyes were fixed on my mug. I wasn’t normally a morning person before my coffee anyway, but especially not with this girl I didn’t even know, who had been with Deacon last night. She thrust the mug toward me gesturing for me to take it from her.

  “Sorry, this is probably yours. It was on the counter by the pot, looks like it gets a lot of use.”

  I took the Ferris Bueller mug from her and finally looked at her face. Her eyes were sad and surrounded by dark circles. The closer I looked, everything about her looked sad, exhausted. Her wild hair was pulled back from her face and although she was still beautiful, I could see where her body had been over used, and maybe even abused.

  “No you can use it, I’ve got more.” I said with a smile as I handed the mug back to her.

  I took another mug out of the cabinet and turned to the coffee pot.

  “Umm, I’m Angela, by the way. I’m friends with Deacon, but you probably already figured that out.” She said nervously.

  I nodded as I sipped from my mug and relished the hot liquid as it burned down my throat. “Yeah, I did. I’m Eli.”

  “Trust me, I know.” She smiled.

  I stopped talking and hovered over my coffee again, I wasn’t sure what to say to her. Normally, I wasn’t this awkward with new people, but I didn’t have a clue who she was. She could be his girlfriend, for all I knew.

  I took another mug from the cabinet with the intentions of taking it to Deacon.

  “He doesn’t drink coffee,” she said, pointing toward it.

  “Really?” I asked, astonished, “who doesn’t drink coffee?”

  “Yeah, I know, he’s crazy. Something about not drinking hot things.” She shrugged her shoulders.

  “He doesn’t drink anything that’s hot?” I asked and she nodded. “What about soup? Does he eat soup?”

  She smiled, “I think so, but I’ve never actually seen him eat any.”

  “That’s weird.” I added.

  “I know, right? I told him that, but he just doesn’t understand.”

  We both laughed, and the airy, carefree noise that resonated from her soul didn’t match her tired appearance.

  I nodded at her as I turned to leave the kitchen.

  “He’s my thread.” She said softly after me.

  I looked back at her, not understanding.

  “He’s what holds me together; me and my brother, Tony. I don’t know where we’d be without him.” She said as her voice caught.

  I didn’t speak, I just nodded.

  “I’ve really fucked things up this time, I don’t know what’s going to happen.” Tears spilled over and down her cheeks.

  I walked back toward her, wanting to offer some sort of comfort to this woman crying in my kitchen. I held my hand out to her and led her toward the kitchen table.

  “I’m sure it’s not that bad, there’s always hope.”

  ***

  Deacon

  I woke to a bright, empty room. The sun had completely risen and was now filling Eli’s room with warmth and cheer. My thoughts seemed to match it as well, and I wanted to punch myself for being so elated about it.

  I found my jeans at the end of the bed and headed downstairs. I heard voices coming from the kitchen, and what I saw stopped me in my tracks. Angela was sitting on some overstuffed bench crying so hard, she could barely talk, and Eli was sitting next to her, holding her hand and lightly stroking it. I was confused by the intimate setting and wondered just how long I’d been asleep.

  As I approached them, Eli turned to look up at me.

  “I’m going with you guys to see Tony today. Angela needs support and we can…”

  “What?” I interrupted.

  “I want her to go.” Angela added between sobs.

  “What the hell?”

  Eli stood, walking closer to me. “She told me what happened, and I think she needs the extra support today.”

  I shook my head. “No, Eli, I don’t know what she’s told you, but I’m pretty sure I wasn’t upstairs long enough for her to tell you everything. You have no idea what you’re walking in to.”

  “I don’t need to know everything because what I already know is enough. She’s an addict, like my dad was. She needs the support, and I’m going to help her.” She paused, inhaling deeply. “Plus, the band’s first show isn’t far from there tonight, and you can’t ride all the way up there on your motorcycle with your guitar.”

  I pulled her further away from Angela and whispered. “This isn’t some fancy-ass California jail, this is a prison. I’m there a lot to see Tony, and I can promise, it ain’t pretty. You aren’t going.”

  “Yes, I am.” She said as she folded her arms across her chest.

  “Bullshit! Someone
like you doesn’t need to be in a place like that, you are not going—end of discussion.”

  “What the fuck does that mean? ‘Someone like me?’ I’m no different than you, or Angela. I’m going!”

  “Fucking shit, woman, you couldn’t be any more different from us. You might not see it, but everyone else knows it the second you enter a room.”

  She put her hands on her hips and raised her eyebrows at me, which only resulted in making my dick twitch, which I’m positive wasn’t her intention. But I could see the wheels turning in her mind, she didn’t like this side of me, and I didn’t blame her; no one did, not even me.

  “I’m going if Angela wants me there.” She said through gritted teeth.

  We both looked toward Angela, whose face was covered in shock. Her eyes went from me, to Eli then back to me.

  “If she wants to go, let her.” She shrugged.

  “Of course, no big deal coming from the chick that never visits her brother, so she doesn’t have a fucking clue what the place is like.” I threw my hands in the air. “Fine. If you are both set on it, you can bring your ass, but you will leave if shit gets outta control.”

  Eli nodded.

  “No arguing; if I tell you to leave, you walk your boney ass outta there without a single word.”

  She smiled at me—she fucking smiled at me—and I didn’t know whether to kiss her, or yell at her to wipe that shit off her face.

  “I need to change before we leave.” Angela said.

  “We’ll run to my house first and then come back here. I need to get my equipment for tonight, too.”

  Angela walked toward the living room as I pulled Eli against me.

  “I’m not happy about this.” I said softly, kissing her forehead.

  “I know, but I want to go. I want to know you, and your friends.” She laid her head on my chest while running her hands along my back.

  “I don’t want you to know that side of my past, it’s darkness you don’t need to see.”