by Marie Wathen
Maybe Marcus and I need to talk, but have they told him he needs to talk to me? It’s unlikely they are giving him as much shit about it, as they are me. He wouldn’t even look at me when he came in so I think we need more time. Fuck it. I’m going to ride over to see Breesan and perhaps seeing her, and the ride itself, will clear my head. In the garage, I slide on my helmet and jacket, pop the key into the ignition of my shiny black Ducati, and hit the starter. I roll out of the bay and torque the throttle, revving the engine up to 9000 rpm’s then pop the clutch. Winding down the driveway, I skid to a stop, nearly colliding with an oncoming blacked out sedan that is hogging the entire driveway. I snatch off my helmet and jump off my now leaning bike.
“What the fuck? You could kill someone taking up the whole damn road,” I yell at the unseen driver. I bang on the window, but instead the driver door opens. I’m frozen, speechless and mouth agape.
“Hello darling,” she enunciates with the same sexy accent she uses while screaming my name as I fuck her.
“Damn Elise, what the hell are you doing here?” My body reacts to her even though my mind is telling me to leave her sitting in the damn driveway to be someone else’s problem.
“I’m here for you, silly. Why are you still standing there? Give me a kiss love.” She’s batting her eyelashes and licking her lips. She skillfully calls to my body with subtlety. Her beautiful brown eyes and contagious smile draws me toward her. Unconsciously I’m reaching for her hand and drawing her tight against my chest. She moans low and tilts her head to me, exposing her sexy pout for me to devour.
“Why are you really here Elise?” She is not an apt liar and I have no patience to deal with any more bullshit today.
“Don’t you want to take me inside your family home and show me how you grew up my love? I want to see the cute naked baby pictures and hear all the blush-invoking stories. Take me inside and then later you can take me to your bed.” She runs her hand the length of me and presses her lips to my cheek. Taking her to my bed would only create more problems. Does she even know who I am? Is she here to see me or Marcus?
“How did you find me? Why now? We ended it months ago,” I growl, pushing her body off mine. She pokes her bottom lip out and reaches back for me, but I shake my head. She turns and climbs back inside her car.
“Take me inside love,” she demands. Son of a bitch, this is not what I need right now. I lift my motorcycle upright and straddle the seat. She’s staring at me and heat fills her eyes, causing the brown to go black. She is turned on and a turned on Elise will not be contained. This is going to get messy. She follows me up the driveway, parks behind my bike, climbs out, and sashays over to me. I turn away quickly and she falls in step behind me as I escort her inside the main house.
Once inside, the first person we encounter is Gran, and even with her pleasant greeting, I can see the questions brewing in her eyes. She is standing in the hallway, dressed in a casual soft yellow shirt and matching linen pants. She has a lavender apron covering her clothes with yellow cleaning gloves reaching up to her elbows. Her white streaked brown hair is pulled into a tight bun on the back of her head.
“Gran, this is Elise, she is…an acquaintance.” I look at the sexy way Elise is dressed and realize calling her an acquaintance is underestimating Gran’s intelligence, but I go with it anyway.
“It’s nice to meet you dear. Morgan didn’t tell me he was expecting company.” Gran smiles but flashes me a disappointed look.
Gran, Aileen Barret Walker, is the heart and soul of the Walker family. She has the purest heart with a love that is overwhelming and unlimited. She openly regards everyone with her compassion and hospitality. She is still a beautiful woman at seventy and manages to keep granddad in his place, for the most part. It is good to be home again with her and granddad.
“Morgan did not know I was coming to visit. It’s a surprise. One that is long overdue. Isn’t that right darling?” She smiles at me but quickly turns her attention to what Gran is doing. “Gran is it? Why exactly are you rubbing white bread on the walls?” Elise has both hands on her hips while snickering. Gran quirks up an eyebrow and grunts; clearly displeased. When she speaks, her voice is low and controlled. She is angry by the mocking tone Elise has toward her.
“You may call me Mrs. Walker, young lady. I’m using this rye bread to clean the smear mark off my new wallpaper, darling.”
“Oh I understand that must be one of you all’s – you’s – y’alls country bumpkin cleaning methods, interesting.”
Elise runs a finger over the wall nearest her then rubs it with her thumb, as if inspecting it for dirt. She quickly turns toward the kitchen to her right and walks through the arched doorway. Gran shoots me a discouraged look and shakes her head as she resumes cleaning. I drop my shoulders and shake my head at the tongue lashing her look promises later.
“I’m dehydrated from the astonishingly long flight to Alabama, fetch some water for me,” she orders.
“Elise, I’ve already been as polite as I can be to you. I insist you tell me what you are doing here and then I want you to leave,” I grumble.
“I’m here for you Morgan, you!” She says as if that was the obvious answer to my question.
“Well you’re not getting me, so walk out the door, get your ass back in your car and leave now.”
“I’m not leaving Morgan. I have a hotel room in town but I was hoping that I could stay here with you. I’ve missed you and I know you have missed me. What do you say we go upstairs now and make up for all of those lonely nights apart?” She licks her lips.
She’s standing inches away from me with her chest straining through her tight red dress. She looks incredible with her long red hair down flowing along her arms and back. She places her soft hand on my neck then trails one fingernail down my chest to the waistband of my jeans. I grab her hand just as she cups me then I push her away. She narrows her eyes at me and I am momentarily stunned by her exquisite beauty.
I know her body is like a precious jewel and I have enjoyed discovering those little hidden treasures in the past, but she is toxic and I can’t allow her back into my life. Besides Marcus is here now and all it will take is for them to run into each other. Then she’ll be rubbing against him the same way she is doing on me. Unbeknownst to us, at that very moment, Marcus stands in the stairway leading from the basement, staring at us.
A sharp intake of air and she croons, “Marcus?” Her reaction to his presence feels rehearsed.
The icy glare he directs to her pierces me. “Elise,” Marcus says flatly. I don’t feel guilty about her behavior, but when he glances at me I avert my eyes.
A salacious smile crosses her lips, “What are you doing here? I mean I had no idea that you boys had made up. This is absolutely wonderful news. I suppose now we can all finally be friends.” She bites down hard on her bottom lip, a sign that she’s horny. She takes a step toward him.
He holds up a stiff hand and shakes his head, “No! I don’t think so Elise. You and Morgan can be whatever you want but I’m done.” He dismissively waves his hand then drops it. “I’m leaving…” Before he could finish, she crosses the kitchen and cuts him off.
“No darling, I’m here to see you both and I want us all to make up for lost time. I know we can be great friends. Let’s give it a go. What do you say?” She deepens her French accent, causing it to drip with sensuality. I freeze as she brings out the big guns. Her accent is his weakness. I’m curious now to see if he can continue to resist her. I’m currently fighting my own body’s response to the spell she casts. Apparently she thinks I didn’t notice how she already knew he was here. “What the hell is your problem Elise?” Marcus bellows. Having heard enough, I grab her upper arm and turn her away from him.
Looking between them I yell, “That’s enough!” Turning to Elise, I growl. “Let’s go, you’re leaving now.” Escorting her to the front door, I push her out. “Don’t come back Elise.”
She grows angry instantly and snaps, “I’
m not done here. Do you hear me? We’re not done! Not even close Morgan.” I snort as I watch her walk down the sidewalk and slither into her car. I turn around and see Marcus is watching her as well.
“I had no idea that she would follow me here. I haven’t seen her in months,” I defend.
He sighs. “I don’t even care, Morgan,” he replies then turns to walk away.
“Marcus…I’m, can we talk?” I stutter through my attempt at an apology.
He continues to walk away, “No need. I’m going to lie down before the pain meds knock me down.” Fuck.
I feel exactly the same as before Elise showed up. Fuck it. I tried but he’s a selfish bastard. It’s either his way or no way and I’m not playing his game.
Remembering the reason I was leaving earlier was to check on Breesan, I decide to send a text.
MORGAN: HEY BREESAN!
BREESAN: HOW R U?
MORGAN: GOOD, R U OK?
BREESAN: GUESS U HEARD ABT LAST NITE? IM OK
MORGAN: CAN I C U?
BREESAN: WHEN?
MORGAN: NOW…
There is a long pause before she finally answers me, saying that she will meet me for coffee at Devan’s Cup. I cut down the twenty-minute drive by several minutes arriving on my motorcycle, but find that she’s beaten me here. I stroll into the coffee shop and see her body curled up on one of the sofas. She has her head tucked down, one elbow on the back of the sofa with her hand gripping the back of her neck and she’s reading. Glancing up as I approach, she arches an eyebrow and tilts her head studying me, “Hi. Morgan?” With humor in her smile, she pretends she can’t tell me from my twin.
She is so beautiful sitting there with her dark brown hair pulled into a low ponytail, wearing a tight fitting white t-shirt and faded, loose fitting low rise jeans, and a pair of brown flip flops; she’s casual and comfortable. Even though she’s joking, her eyes display a sadness that I hadn’t seen before.
Dropping down next to her, her knee brushes against my thigh and I instantly feel a rushing sensation pulse through my body. I scrub the palm of my hand over the spot where the contact is, an attempt to soothe the burning desire. Only it’s not an ache that stops on the surface; rather it moves along my body, traveling deep inside me. I regain my composure and focus on her words in an attempt at normal conversation.
I chuckle. “Yes, it’s me. You’re quite a funny girl, aren’t you?” Smiling at her joke, I tense as I glance and see her frown. “Now, tell me about what happened last night. I only got a few details from Tristan this morning after they brought Marcus home from the hospital.” I can see her body tense from the mention of his name. I wonder if it’s a mistake bringing up the subject so quickly.
Heavy emotions brew behind her beautiful gray eyes, “Is he ok?” Her voice is rushed and panicked. She leans forward in her seat. I take it as a sign that she’s preparing to run away.
“He has Gran waiting on him hand and foot. What do you think?” I joke. She slightly relaxes and settles back down into her seat. She places her reading material in her backpack and takes a sip of her coffee. A smile spreads across her face and she glares at me before speaking.
“Your Gran will have him better in no time.”
“And how are you?” She looks away from me and stares down at her hands.
“I’m okay. I feel horrible about what happened to Marcus,” she says while wringing her hands, causing the fingers to turn purple on the tips. I can tell she’s lying about being okay. Overwhelmed by her anxiety for him getting hurt, I just want to hold her in my arms but she’s not going to allow it.
“Now see, I can tell that you’re not being truthful. You’re hurting and think that you can fool me with ‘I’m ok’, but it won’t work. See, I have this sixth sense that alerts me when a pretty girl is in pain. I want to help, Breesan. Let me help you. For what it’s worth, I’m a pretty good listener and even better at keeping secrets.”
Her body draws into itself. She is going into a defense mode, but I need for her to relax and trust me. Without hesitation I pull her down, causing her head to land against my shoulder. I tuck her head under my chin and run my hand up and down her back, hugging her lightly.
“You know what? Never mind, I have a better idea than talking.”
“Oh, yeah like what?” she says curiously.
I run the pad of my thumb under her eye where a tear threatens to spill over, but successfully catch it before it falls.
“Come with me and find out.” Standing, I drag her along with me. Hesitantly, she grabs up her backpack and I take it, pulling a strap over one shoulder before grabbing her hand and lacing her fingers with mine. “Let’s put this in your car, you won’t need anything where we’re going.” She nods. Walking out of the coffee shop, she stops at her car and drops her bag in the backseat and then we walk around the opposite side of the building where my motorcycle awaits.
She looks around the nearly empty parking lot then grins at me. “Is that yours?” she says, pointing at the glossy black beast parked against the curb under a small tree.
“Yes ma’am. Want to go for a ride? I’ll take it easy and go the speed limit.”
“Hell no, you won’t do either. Let’s see how fast this beauty will go.” Bouncing on her feet like a little kid, her excitement is infectious and I’m happy as hell that I drove my motorcycle.
Straddling the bike, I hand her my helmet. She climbs on, nestling snug against my back and wraps her legs and arms securely around me. We drive south until we reach the southern point. Along this part of the island is a lagoon. On the other side lies a hidden treasure, a small piece of land that only a handful of locals know about.
As we cross over the small concrete bridge, I feel her body tense against mine. I hope I didn’t make another mistake bringing her here alone. Parking under a pavilion, I allow her to hop off the bike first. I sit here a moment, watching her pull her long hair free from the helmet and observe her reaction. She skims around the area with her eyes dancing, and I’m reassured that I made the right decision.
“I love it here! It’s one of my favorite places about Willow. I actually started to come here before you texted me this morning,” she says smiling.
Reaching down, I grab her hand and walk over to one of the picnic tables. We sit quiet for a few minutes.
She is an enigma. How will I ever break through her tough shell and get to know her? Will she ever let me?
“Breesan.” Repeating her name a few times with no response, I wonder where her mind is because she’s obviously lost in deep thought.
“Sorry,” she says bashfully. “I was just thinking about the times when my dad would bring me and Anna here. We would spend almost an entire afternoon pretending to be mermaids or watching the horizon for ships wondering what kind of treasure they were bringing. Sometimes we would even pretend that pirates where on the ships. It’s so funny to me now thinking about those small sailboats or even the huge yachts being confused with pirate ships.” She’s smiling and shaking her head at the memory and I can’t help but smile along with her. It’s cute
“I’ll bet you were adorable.”
Ohgod she’s blushing and it’s sexy as hell. I find myself moving closer to her while still holding her hand. Glancing down at where we are joined, I begin caressing my thumb over her soft knuckle. She draws her attention away from the ocean and stares at me. I suddenly feel a prickly sensation in the back of my mind and it feels like déjà vu, but something feels off too.
“So, you didn’t bring me out here to relieve old childhood memories. What do you want Morgan?” Her tone is serious and I know if I press too hard I’ll lose her. I don’t want to risk it; I don’t usually give a shit, but she’s worth it and I really want to get to know her.
“You hide a lot. I can see it and feel it. I just want to get to know you Breesan. I know that it’s not easy letting down your guard, especially since I’m a complete stranger. But we’re both close to Tristan and you know as well as I do
if anything happens while you are with me, he will kick my ass. All I want is to be friends and I want you to know you can trust me.” Bobbing her head, she keeps eye contact.
“I’m not really good at the whole friendship thing, Morgan. Something you’ll soon find out firsthand, but I don’t want it to be weird for us to be around each other.” She lets out a long sigh. “It’s going to be a long summer and we will be pushed together a good bit if I know Anna and Tristan.” She smiles bashfully. “Not that it will take them pushing us together, I mean…shit. Ok, here’s the thing, I don’t do boyfriends because I don’t like to date but we can hangout as long as it doesn’t get complicated. Uncomplicated is acceptable for me at this time, but digging deep into my psyche isn’t cool, understand? And we can try working with the friends part.”
“If that’s what you want then that’s what we are doing,” I concede and quickly change the subject. “Now that we’ve settled that issue, I want to invite you out with us tonight. Don’t freak out. There’s a whole group going to Club Toxic so it’s not a date in anyway, just a group of ‘friends’ hanging out.” I stress the word friend while doing air quotes that rouses a giggle out of her and oh damn what that sound does to me. I struggle with need to adjust myself but can’t risk her knowing how she is tormenting me.
“Ooh you’re too late. Anna asked already.” Smiling playfully, she then nudges me with her elbow. “But I’ll be your date again under one condition. My date must dance with me. Agree to that or I go with Anna and Tristan.” If this beauty wants a dance partner, she scores big time and so do I.
“Well looks like it’s a date. Let’s get you back so you can go home and get ready for me…I mean for tonight.” I shrug because she catches my mistake.
After dropping her off at the coffee shop, I turn onto the parkway to merge with traffic. I look over my shoulder to see Breesan has fallen in behind me and notice a dark sedan has merged into traffic behind her. Panic rushes through me as I slow down to see if the driver is a feisty redhead who recently arrived in Willow. I can’t make out the driver, but it is definitely not a woman based on the large hands I can see gripping the steering wheel. Confident that everything is cool, I gun the throttle and pass Breesan again. She waves at me and I ride home with a couple of hours to kill before I need to pick her up for our date.