by Alexis Leia
“I want one of those”, Selene said and pointed at Jackson.
“You want one of me? Sorry, sugar, there’s just one, but you can have me anytime”, Jacks said. Chris took one of the cushions and threw it at his best friend in warning.
“Leave the cushion alone. No, I mean a tattoo”, Selene said and stared at Jackson’s revealed arms that were covered in tattoo sleeves.
“Really? What would you like?”
“A date. And nowhere visible”, she said. Both Chris and Jacks imagined where the tattoo could be, and they both reacted in different ways; Chris’s erection threatened to appear, and Jacks coughed, a little embarrassed. Selene obviously understood what was on their minds, since she tsk-ed in annoyance.
“There are a lot of hidden places on someone’s body, you perverts! I didn’t say I want it on my ass”, she said and laughed.
“That’s good, baby. Because if you decide to tattoo your ass, I’m the only one who gets to ink you”, Chris said, only half-joking.
“If I had my needle and paint here, I’d do it right away. You should come to L.A. The waiting list for my place is pretty long, but I’ll squeeze you in”, Jacks said and winked.
Selene stared at him and suddenly rose up from her position. She smiled, but Chris could see it wasn’t sincere. He wondered what made her so upset, but just then Annie burst inside the living room, bumping into the wall in process.
“Goddamn, who put that wall there”, she murmured and rubbed her shoulder.
“I probably forgot to mention it, but Annie is agile only in the kitchen. Everywhere else, well... she manages to trip over perfectly flat surfaces and bump into thin air”, Selene said, looking fondly at Annie.
“That’s just obstacles God puts in front of me. Alright, dinner is ready. Please, proceed to the dining room”, Annie said and showed them the way.
Chris waited for Annie and Jackson to enter first, and then let Selene go in front of him, like a real gentleman. And then he smacked her ass, making her jump and turn around with her mouth hanging open.
“Do you have a death wish?”
“Oh, c’mon. You liked it”, he said and winked with a grin. She narrowed her eyes, and then a sly smile spread across her face.
“Maybe”, she said and disappeared inside the dining room, leaving him a bit surprised,
and very turned on. It was going to be a hard night.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Selene watched two grown men stuff their faces with food Annie had made. They both moaned occasionally, because the food was truly heavenly. If she was being honest, she never, in her wildest dreams, could’ve imagined the scene unfolding right in front of her; Chris back in her life, sitting in her dining room, eating dinner that Annie prepared in the company of her current fling, Chris’s best friend. If someone had told her that would happen, she would’ve shown them the way to the psych ward.
She stared at this beautiful man with a damaged soul who finally looked relaxed and young, instead of serious and dangerous all the time. There were so many things she wanted to say to him, to share with him, but as she had already told him – the trust she once gave him was hard to rebuild. And she constantly had to remind herself that this wasn’t permanent, that he would leave soon, because she was in danger of getting used to this comfy routine of seeing him all the time. But how do you do that? How do you close your heart, soul and mind to the person who used to mean everything to you? How do you give up on the hope that he could be the same person again? How do you stay realistic, when all you want is to give in and let your fantasy rule your mind?
Despite food being incredibly tasty, she pushed her plate away, suddenly feeling a little sick, especially when she remembered how Jacks invited her to Los Angeles just a few minutes ago. She’d be lying if she said the idea wasn’t appealing, but she wouldn’t be able to visit that big city without remembering Chris, and seeing his best friend would remind her of this short time she had with Chris. Because this little arrangement had its expiration date, that was for sure.
“What’s wrong honey? You don’t like it?” Annie asked her, worry etched on her face. Selene had the strange urge to cry right there and then. Maybe the dinner wasn’t such a good idea.
“I think I’m catching a cold”, she lied and took her napkin to wipe her nose, just to back up her lie.
Annie knew her too well to believe her, but she simply stayed silent and watched her. Chris, however, was oblivious to the silent exchange between two best friends; his head snapped up, inspecting her face. She was sure her cheeks were red, because she suddenly felt hot from all the suppressed emotions, so he really did look worried and disapproving.
“I knew you shouldn’t have walked in the cold with your hair wet”, he told her, referring to yesterday. His worry only made her feel more tender, and she rose up, grabbing the mailbox keys that hung from the hook on the wall.
“I’m going to get the mail. It came today, but I didn’t have the time to check the mailbox”, she said and hurried out, sensing three pairs of eyes following her.
She quickly went outside and walked down the short pathway to the mailbox. The evening was chilly and very windy, the air smelling of the upcoming storm. She rubbed her bare arms, trying to warm herself.
There were dozens of envelopes in her hands, but one red envelope stood out the most and it was unsigned, the sender unknown. The curiosity got the best of her and she opened it on the spot. The note was printed out and it said: Time for you to disappear. The first emotion she felt was amusement. Who in their right mind spent time on pranks like that? Because she was absolutely sure it was a prank; she never stepped on anyone’s toes to be targeted with threats.
The second emotion was rage; if someone had something against her, then they should’ve been brave enough to say it to her face, not hide behind the paper and anonymity. She ripped the stupid little note and envelope in hundreds of pieces, letting them fly away with the wind.
Suddenly, someone’s warm hands landed on her shoulders, but she didn’t get scared. She knew that touch.
‘‘What are you doing out for so long? Jesus, you’re shaking’’, Chris said and spun her around to give her a hug that not only warmed her body, but her soul as well.
She wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned her head on his chest. She just needed this one moment, just one second to rest her mind and her soul. Because she suddenly felt very, very tired. And the only one who could comfort her at that very moment was Chris, with his raw power so unhidden. She let herself have a moment of weakness, promising herself that it was going to be the last time she leaned on him.
“What’s wrong baby?” he asked her, his voice soft.
“Nothing. Just a wave of tiredness swept over me”, she said, not lying completely.
“You work too much.” He caressed her back in soothing motions.
“Look who’s talking. You’ve checked your e-mail thirteen times and answered your phone five times since you arrived”, she said. She knew he was busy, but she couldn’t even imagine the quantity of his obligations.
“You’re right. I’m turning it off right now”, he said, took out his phone and did as he said.
“You don’t have to do that, I wasn’t complaining.” She knew very well what being in charge meant.
“I know. But I’m here, in this amazing house, having a dinner prepared by my Selene’s best friend who hates me and who’s messing around with my best friend. If that’s not a good time to turn your phone off, then I don’t know what is”, he said, making her smile. She forgot about this gentle side of him, because he rarely showed it.
“How do you know I work so hard?” she asked him, narrowing her eyes.
“Well, every time I text you, you reply after a few hours so I know you’re busy. And you’re constantly running around the town; I saw you more than a couple of times running from one side to another. And I – uh, I asked around about you.”
“You asked around. Uh-huh. And what di
d you find out?”
“People love you. They brag about having the best mayor in the world and say you’re constantly on the move to make this town better. They kept saying something about a project of yours, but I couldn’t catch up”, he said, forming the last sentence like a question.
The wind was blowing so hard now, it loosened her bun, making her hair fall down and cascade down her back in long waves. Chris didn’t waste time in catching one of her locks and twirling it around his finger, looking mesmerized as he stared at it.
“I was always obsessed with your hair”, he murmured and gave her a quick kiss.
“Let’s go inside, you have to tell us about that project”, he said and looked up at the sky, where dark clouds hid the moonlight.
They walked embraced, their arms around each other’s waists and sighed in relief when the warmth of the living room engulfed them. Annie and Jackson were sitting on the couch, in the process of making out when Chris and Selene entered, and Selene enjoyed coughing in order to interrupt them. Payback was a biatch.
Her moment of weakness passed, and instead of sitting next to Chris like he expected, she sat in one of the leather chairs next to the fireplace, ignoring Chris’s frown. He didn’t react otherwise, always sensing what she needed. At the moment she needed space, and he gave it to her. That didn’t mean he was happy with it. In fact, he looked pretty surly. That, in turn, made Selene pretty amused.
“I need to tell you guys about the new project that’ll start next spring”, she told them and immediately started explaining everything about The Mountainview Resort.
Annie looked ecstatic as the story progressed, Jackson looked impressed and Chris looked calculative, especially when she explained the part about the investors. When she finished, Annie stood up and gave her a tight hug, followed by ‘‘You kick ass, Freckles’’, and Jackson asked her if he could already book a room in the resort for next year. However, Chris didn’t say anything.
“And what do you think?” she asked him, anticipating his words. He leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest.
“I’m your first investor.”
“What?” she asked him, not believing her ears, her jaw dropping to the ground.
“I think it’s a hell of a project and I want to be a part of it”, he simply said. First, she had to make some things clear in order to believe him.
“First of all, it’s a forty-million-dollar project. You’ll have to cash out a pretty substantial amount in order to be the investor”, she told him, warning him immediately. He didn’t look concerned.
“And?” he asked her nonchalantly. Wow, she guessed money really wasn’t a problem for him.
“Are you doing this because we’re having sex?” she asked him, the thought suddenly popping inside her mind. If that was the case, she was going to let Annie have her way with him, she swore to God.
“Jesus, no. I really like the project. Do you think producing is the only thing I do? I have shares in a few major companies throughout the world, and I’ve participated in a good number of big projects. What’s wrong with wanting to be a part of this one?”
“If you have the right reasons, there’s nothing wrong”, she warned again.
“Me liking it is not the right reason?” he asked her, becoming a little angry.
“It is. But, Chris, if you’re lying, I swear to God I will make your lights shut off”, she said and pointed her finger at him.
At the same moment, a lightning struck the sky and a roaring thunder shook the house. Then the electricity shut down and the living room went dark, only fire in the fireplace illuminating it. Everybody remained silent, but Selene chuckled and looked up at the sky.
“Sometimes God takes me too seriously”, she said and got up to light the candles.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“Are you a witch?” Jackson asked Selene as she lit up dozens of various-sized, white candles, placing them all around the living room.
“She’s not. But I know what she is, and it rhymes”, Annie said while helping Selene to light up the room. Selene tickled her best friend, making her scream and laugh uncontrollably.
“Whoa. Chick fight”, Jackson said and adjusted his position on the couch to get a better view.
“I’ve dreamt about this all my life”, Chris added and leaned forward, watching Selene and Annie acting, well, not according to their age. They both lifted their heads up, Annie on the floor and Selene standing above her. They separated simultaneously, fixing their clothes and hair stiffly.
“We shall forget this ever happened”, Selene warned, giving Chris and Jacks a meaningful look.
“What? That the mayor of Mountainview likes to torture her friends with tickling?” Chris teased.
“You saw what I can do. I made the lights go out. Don’t make me wish for more indecent things to stop working”, she said with a fake sweet smile as she stood in front of him. He looked down at his crotch, then back at her and pulled her down on his lap.
“You’d miss it”, he said and licked her neck before sucking it, making her legs give away.
“Chris...”, she warned him breathlessly, aware that Annie and Jackson were already getting sick of their PDA.
“Let’s go upstairs”, he said and abruptly stood up, turning her around, so she hung on his back, her legs circling his waist.
She yelped at the sudden change of position and held onto his neck, probably choking the shit out of him. But he didn’t seem to mind as he made his way through the living room, followed by some chuckles. He stopped on the first stair and turned around to give Annie a fair warning.
“If you interrupt us in any way, I swear I’ll spread the word around the town that you were born a midget and went to a plastic surgeon to get your knees stretched, and this was the best they could do.”
Selene and Jackson burst into a laughing fit, but Annie gasped and spoke in a disbelieving voice.
“You wouldn’t!” she exclaimed, making Chris raise his eyebrow in a dare.
“Or would I?” he asked rhetorically and proceeded to climb the stairs, carrying Selene with his hands under her ass, like she weighed nothing.
“Chris, we can’t leave them alone!” she told him, but she was already getting turned on, so her words meant absolutely nothing.
“They know how to play in the dark, too”, he only said and stepped into the hallway.
“The room at the end”, she directed him before he could ask. He took fast strides toward her bedroom, and she could literally see why; his erection strained against his jeans, and she had a bird’s-eye view of the mesmerizing situation.
Her bedroom filled the space that should’ve been an attic, so it wasn’t very big. But what it lacked in size, it compensated in charm; her bed was right under the window, dark red sheets spread over the soft mattress. Two bedside lamps were covered in sheer red scarfs that usually threw soft reddish light, but since the power was out, the only thing illuminating the room were four candles placed on the nightstands. The room wasn’t overly decorated; it was rather simple, but so inviting in its warmth. There was one moderately-sized closet behind the door and that was it. However, Chris looked awed as he looked around and gave her a devilish smile.
“I knew you liked red, Red”, he lowered her down on the bed and climbed on top of her. He kissed her deeply and tucked his hand under Selene’s tank top, caressing her ribcage. She already started rubbing her pelvis against his, looking for a relief.
“Yesterday I didn’t have the chance to enjoy this beautiful body of yours, but today I’ll make up for it”, he said and started kissing her neck.
She moaned and panted underneath him, wanting his touch everywhere, anywhere. He licked and sucked his way down to her breasts and gently bit her nipple through the cotton of her top and her bra, making her pant breathlessly.
“Let me see those beautiful breasts of yours, baby”, he whispered and pulled her top over her head. She complied by lifting her arms above her head, helping him get r
id of the barrier between them.
“Take your shirt off”, she told him, but he tsk-ed and removed her hands when she tried to take it off him.
“You led the way yesterday. Today, I’m setting the pace”, he told her and kissed her again, his tongue playing with hers.
“Thank God for front clasps”, he murmured and unclipped her bra, setting her breasts free. He stared at her chest for so long it almost made her uncomfortable, so she tried to cover herself up. Chris stopped her instantly, his gaze full of heat and adoration.
“Don’t ever hide from me. You’re absolutely stunning”, he said softly and bent his head down to suck first one, then the other nipple.
Her hips shot up involuntarily and she closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation. His rough five o’clock beard scratched her sensitive skin, but it felt so good she wanted to purr. He played with her breasts for the longest time – kissing, licking, biting and sucking one nipple, while gently rolling the other between his fingers. Selene knew there were women who could orgasm from just having their breasts played with, and damn it, she was almost there too. She could feel herself getting insanely wet, incredibly ready, and indescribably aroused. Chris, as if feeling her humongous pleasure was about to become too much, stopped playing, and started trailing kisses down her stomach.
“You’re killing me. I almost came”, she complained, sounding breathless. Her very attentive lover chuckled, as he licked her ribcage, making goosebumps appear all over her skin.
“Oh I know. But I want you desperate for release. I want you needing me so much, you can’t take it anymore”, he said in that specific voice he had when he was turned on. That deep, raspy, borderline primal voice that made Selene’s legs turn to jelly.
“That’s very, very mean, Chris”, she said sternly, but she had to ruin her point when he lightly caressed her thighs, and she couldn’t help but moan. He then decided to spray her entire stomach with kisses, paying special attention to her bellybutton. Admittedly, it felt good, but damn, she needed him lower.