Black Burlesque

by L. C. Castillo

  I shake my head at her, my eyes wide.

  She smiles and winks and walks away, leaving me feeling completely staggered. A few of the new women from class enter the locker room just as I am zipping up my jeans. One asks how long I’ve been dancing; the other asks if I’m Kazumi’s assistant! Wow! I guess I really was focused today! I blush and walk away hastily.

  Kazumi and I walk over to the restaurant awhile later. It’s only a block away from Jordan’s shop and where I parked the car. I love how everything in Uptown is within walking distance. We choose a quaint Italian place for our dinner.

  Benny and Jordan are already there, enjoying some wine and dipping into the breadbasket. I sit and grab a piece of bread from the basket and shove it into my mouth before kissing Benny on the cheek. I suddenly feel bad for not inviting Vincent to join us, though I’m sure he’s busy.

  “I’m starving! What are we ordering?” I pick up the menu and Jordan and Benny laugh.

  “What? Those measly vegetables you gave me for lunch didn’t keep me full, Jordan. I’m already hungry again.”

  “Right, I forget that you’re burning so many more calories now. You know, with all of your extra-curricular activities,” Jordan counters.

  I blush a dark shade of pink. Is that why I’ve had a sudden increase of appetite as of late? They burst into a fit of laughter as they see the realization dawn on my face. I roll my eyes and tear a piece of bread off my roll and toss at Jordan.

  I punch the address into my phone and I follow the quiet and dark winding road to the new house. It looks magical as I make my way up the long private road. The purple night sky is picturesque, and the bright moon shines on the house like a spot light. I see only Vincent’s Triumph parked in front of the garage. I guess it is rather late for the crew to be here.

  A nervous excitement blossoms within my belly. Why am I so thrilled that I’m going to see Vincent? I was just with him this morning! Surely this isn’t normal.

  I cut the engine and make my way out of the car, walking as quietly as I can. I hear the sound of sand paper scratching, the screen door is closed but the front door is wide open. The inside of the house is dimly lit, and I can’t see where Vincent is. I open the screen door and it creeks loudly, giving me away. The sanding stops for a moment and then starts again.

  I tiptoe my way into the living area to see Vincent on his knees sanding the fireplace down. The paint is stripped, and the newly exposed wood looks ready to be stained again.

  Vincent looks so damn sexy. He’s in a tight white t-shirt, the sleeves rolled up exposing his biceps. His jeans are tattered, old and faded...splattered here and their with paint. And he has on a pair of black Converse. I stand back and watch him. Where did his suit go? The one he was wearing this morning? I can’t decide which outfit he looks better in.

  “I thought you hired a crew to do all of this?”

  He turns around slowly and I see his glasses are tucked into his shirt. He looks up at me with his crystal-clear blue eyes, and inside I die a little.

  He pulls ear buds from his ears that I hadn’t noticed, and smiles warmly. He puts down the sanding cube and saunters over to me. I drink him in.

  How did I get so lucky? The thought crosses my mind briefly.

  He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me to him, crushing me against his chest. He breathes me in. I think he missed me, too. I wrap my arms around his neck and bury my face into him. He smells of Vincent, tinged with sweat, and it’s a yummy combination.

  He pulls back but doesn’t release me, he pulls his iPod or iPhone or whatever, out of his pocket and places it down on a small step latter along with his glasses. He tilts my chin up and plants a tender kiss on my lips. I return his kiss shyly.

  Ah, yes. Shy Lenore is back again.

  “I said, I thought you hired a crew to do that?”

  His mouth quirks up, “Yes, well it’s my house. There are certain things I want to do myself. I want a hand in her restoration. I was hoping you might give me a hand in all this, too.”

  My brows shoot up in surprise. “You want me to sand with you?”

  “Only if you want to. But I was hoping you’d help me make some decisions with the kitchen. Furniture, paint, and wallpaper...things like that.” His voice is a hushed whisper as he finishes his sentence. He tilts his head to one side, regarding me, waiting for me to respond.

  “Yes, of course. Any way I can help. That sounds fun,” I manage.

  Desire and lust are unfolding within me at a furious speed, I try to steady myself, but I can’t soothe my riotous heart. I can feel it, he can feel it; that delectable static that courses through us when we are in close proximity. Shy Lenore is in full effect and I can’t seem to move on my own accord.

  “Oh, and guess what, baby?”

  The spike of pleasure that jolts through me when he calls me baby is so disturbing. “Hmm?” is all I can manage.

  “I got the job, at Uptown University. I’m going to be a music professor again,” he says with a bright smile.

  I can’t contain my delight for him. “You are!?”

  He nods and bites his lip.

  I grin, “Congratulations, Vincent,” I whisper. I don’t think it’s possible to want him more than I do right this moment.

  “Lots of good changes happening for me,” he adds.

  He leans into me at a snails pace, and just as his lips part, a moan escapes us both, and our mouths collide. I missed him. Missed his arms, his face, and his voice. I run my hands over every inch of him, softly, almost as though I were afraid he could shatter into a million pieces before me.

  He touches me back tentatively too, in complete contrast to our flaming kiss. I gently lift his shirt up and run my hand from his navel over his soft happy trail. My fingers gently stroke the skin just inside his jeans. I let my fingers linger over his pubic hair. It’s so soft. I pull my hand out, and stroke his languid erection from the outside of his jeans. He’s wearing button fly jeans, and I mentally contemplate taking my time, and unbuttoning each button carefully, or ripping the buttons off…

  “I want you...” He whispers and gently coaxes me as he places his hand over mine. He takes my hands in his and kisses my palms, sending chills throughout my body. The house is cool, cooler than the mild early November air outside. He kisses each one of my fingertips, my wrist, up my arm and circles his tongue in the crease of my inner elbow.

  I tilt my head back, absorbing the sensation; the feeling is torture, sweet torture. It sends shock waves through my body. He continues to trail kisses up my arm. I roll my head to one side as his mouth makes its way up to my neck.

  His tongue traces my collarbone and my arms struggle to stay in place, but he keeps them pinned down. I feel my nipples harden beneath my shirt. I tilt my pelvis towards him. I need friction. His lower teeth graze my jaw and he gently suckles my ear lobe.

  “Oh, shit...Vincent...” I mutter weakly.

  I feel light headed. His hands release my wrists and his fingertips stroke me softly all the way up to my shoulders, and up my neck, until his fingers are in my hair pulling away my hair tie and massaging my scalp. My hair falls like a veil around us both.

  “I missed you, Lenore. And I like what you did to your hair,” he breathes against my lips

  I squirm and blush at the compliment. He smirks at my reaction. He takes my face in his hands and looks into my eyes. It’s difficult for me to maintain eye contact, I’m so aroused, and the way he looks at megoddamn.

  “You are beautiful. And you’re mine and I’m yours,” he whispers as he brushes his lips against mine.

  I close my eyes, savoring his words. It’s almost painful; they invoke some unnamed emotion within me. An emotion I don’t wish to think on too deeply.

  He kisses my closed eyelids and begins undressing me. Praising my body with his hands and his perfectly sculpted mouth.

  And soon I’m naked before him and he is on his knees before me. He looks up at me with hooded blue eyes, vulner
able, and full of longing. He looks drugged. He’s as intoxicated by me as I am by him. I brush my thumb across his bottom lip and grasp his chin.

  “Take of your clothes,” I order him, my voice a hoarse whisper.

  Without hesitation, he does what I ask. He throws his shirt down on the ground in one swoop, kicks off his shoes and starts to lower his jeans. It seems I’ve shed the skin of shy Lenore.

  “Lay down on the floor, face up,” I pant.

  He narrows his eyes but does as he’s asked. He crawls over toward the fireplace and lies down on some canvas that has been laid down to protect the floor.

  “Spread your legs,” I breathe. I can feel my blood pumping faster.

  He puts his arms underneath his head and very smugly he proceeds to spread his legs. I gaze at him for a moment.

  The lighting is dim, only a single naked bulb illuminates the room we’re in. His body is bathed in the soft glow, and he looks even more muscular than ever.

  “Come here,” his voice is gruff.

  And I want to. I want to do whatever he asks, but I resist.

  “I want to watch you touch yourself, Vincent.” My voice has that smooth deep edge to it again.

  I’m so keyed up by the splendid view before me; I can barely keep my shit together. He hesitates for a moment, and I arch my brow. He keeps one hand tucked behind his head as he tentatively reaches down to grasp his thick erection.

  “I want to watch you touch yourself,” I say, nearly whimpering at the sight of him touching his most intimate body part.

  He begins to stroke his thick length, up and down. His bicep bulges, his chest flexes, his abs grow tight. Every muscle is defined and exposed. My body begins to quiver, just watching him…watching his muscles contract. I watch him glow with pleasure. We’re high on lust, high on each other.

  My hands skim over my breasts, and across my abdomen. His eyes don’t leave mine.

  “Who does that belong to, Vincent?”

  “You,” he pants. I can see he is getting closer and closer to the brink.

  “Say it again.”

  He grips his length in his hands, slowing down. The crown of his erection is swollen, and bulbous.

  “This is yours. I’m yours.”

  I kneel down and crawl over to him. I run my hand up his ankle, his leg, in between his legs and gently cup him. I let my hands wander over his body.

  I slide my hands over his tight abs, and feel how tightly the muscles are woven together. I make my way up to his well-defined chest. I brush my thumb across his swollen lips and pull softly on his hair. I dip low so that the tip of my breast brushes across his parted lips. His lips close around my nipple, and his tongue circles me, oh, so deliciously slow. His mouth…it’s so warm, so inviting, so tempting.

  I stand and turn around and slowly lower myself over him so that my sex is hovering over his sumptuous mouth. I proceed to lower my body until I can kiss the tip of his erection.

  I arch my back and I feel his hands skim over my waist. He grips both of my cheeks firmly and spreads them apart as he brings his mouth to my sex.

  Gah! My head flings back. I feel my sex swell once his sweet mouth makes contact. I take his erection into my mouth and suck him hard. Rolling my tongue around the crown, I can taste the bead of salty moisture. I ride his face shamelessly while taking him deep into my eager mouth. He slaps my behind and I have to stifle my groan of pleasure.

  His skillful tongue moves quickly against my clitoris. I am literally humming and twitching from the pleasure he’s unleashing. My abs contract when he slides his flat tongue across my sex and between my cheeks. I’m almost there. If he so much as breathes on me, I will fall apart.

  He’s getting close, too. Before he has the chance to come, I pull myself out of his grasp and release him from my mouth. I lower myself onto his cock with surprising force.

  We both inhale sharply at my unexpected incursion. I slow down in an effort to give myself the opportunity to stretch and accommodate to his length. I feel painfully tight, and so deliciously full. I feel him prop himself up on his elbows. He grasps my hips in his hands and slowly begins to rock my hips. I begin to push myself up and down on top of him, riding him as my pleasure peaks.

  “I love to watch your ass, baby,” his voice is rough.

  I throw my head back and put on a show for him. I roll and pop my hips as he guides me, and it is so incredibly deep this way, my body starts to climb quickly. We pick up speed and he throws himself back, tilting his hips up to me, gripping my ass in his hands, and we both let go, spiraling into an intense, mind-blowing orgasm. My body is singing, rippling, tingling…

  We both cry out incoherently, and I temporarily go blind. My orgasm is an avalanche; all coherent thought is obliterated as it tumbles rampantly down hill. Fuck!

  This.

  Is.

  Magic.

  He sits up after a few moments and holds my back against his chest as we both wait for our breathing to slow. He palms my breasts in his large, rough hands.

  “I missed you, too,” he whispers against my hair. I close my eyes and smile.

  Chapter 24

  I hear shuffling. My eyes aren’t open, but my ears go into focus. It sounds like the shuffling of feet. I’m cold, unbearably cold, and disoriented. I reluctantly open my eyes to find that Vincent is draped over me, we’re both naked covered in the scratchy canvas used to protect the floor during renovation. I close my eyes again and I hear the shuffling of feet and the crunching of gravel underfoot and a car door slam, and muffled voices? Wait? Am I dreaming? I sit up and cover my breasts with my arm. NO! I am most certainly not dreaming!

  “Vincent! Shit! The workers are here!”

  He springs up and pulls on his boxers, and covers me with the canvas just as the front door opens and three men walk in. The big man in the middle widens his eyes and he quickly looks away. I can see his color rise. The men behind him stop, look over at me and offer me an embarrassed smile. But nobody has the sense to walk the fuck back out.

  Vincent, cool as a cucumber, strides toward them.

  “Would you mind waiting outside for a few minutes?”

  They smile at him with heated cheeks, and avoid eye contact with me. It’s a cool morning, but I can feel the heat rising from my neck.

  “Yeah, sure. Come on guys. Give ‘em some room,” says the big one grumpily. They shuffle out at once. Vincent closes the door and I hear the distinct sound of laughter. Vincent turns back around and looks at me with a calm and amused smile on his face.

  I must be red as a tomato, my eyes wide, my hair a wild mane.

  “Oh my God, Vincent, I can’t believe we fell asleep, I am so embarrassed!”

  He laughs softly and I glare at him. He puts his hands up in defense.

  “We were tired. Look, no harm done. You’re completely covered. I want to get you dressed so I can take you to breakfast,” he stoops down and begins to collect my clothes and get me dressed. I don’t know why he insists on doing this, getting me dressed, but I secretly love it. It makes me feel treasured.

  I cover my face with my hands and try to bring myself together.

  “By the way, your safe is here. Let’s get some breakfast and then we can come back and you can give me your opinion about the kitchen and some of the upstairs bedrooms.” His voice is so deep, sexy and authoritative.

  I sense my opinion is important to him and he is eager to get thing moving with the house. I nod enthusiastically and watch him dress. He pulls me up and into his arms. He plants a soft kiss on the tip of my nose.

  “You gave the crew a hell of a start to their morning,” he scoffs. I roll my eyes. We walk out the side door to avoid the crew of men waiting on the porch.

  I don’t think I’ll be looking any of them in the eye any time soon.

  We enjoy an early breakfast as Vincent gives me a rundown of what my day will be like. Our day, I should say. It’s bizarre not knowing what each day will bring. I loved the predictability of my life.
The way each day was already pre-planned, by me; there were no surprises. That was just a few days ago, but if feels like another lifetime.

  We get right to it, heading directly to the local paint and hardware store to pick up supplies and paint samples. We look up some furniture places online that specialize in vintage pieces, and go to a few tile places to look for a new back splash for the kitchen. There is an enormous selection to choose from. But I have a keen eye, and I zero in on a few options quickly. Then we tackle the bathroom fixtures. That takes no time at all since Vincent already found a place that makes the exact same kind that we will be replacing. He finalizes his order and we’re informed that the fixtures will be shipped and delivered to the house within the week. Boy, does my man work quickly.

  We drive up the narrow private road and park the car. There are three trucks, with various tools poking out of them, parked in the driveway. Vincent walks around to open my car door for me and we make our way up the porch steps. He senses my embarrassment and gives my hand a reassuring squeeze before opening the door for me to step inside. I hope I don’t see the three men who walked in on us this morning.

  Everyone is fast at work. Noise is emanating from every room. No one seems to notice Vincent and me, so he points me in the direction of where my safe is. I bound up the stairs as he and Gil, the man in charge, walk out to the front door to go over a few things.

  I walk to the closet inside the library where Vincent says my safe is. The closet is hidden away in the corner of the room and its locked with a skeleton key that Vincent has given me. I add it to the several keys on my keychain given to me by Vincent. I’m beginning to look like a custodian.

  I unlock the door and my smoky black safe sits there like an unpleasant reminder. My building. My shop. My dog. Up in flames.