More Than Darkness
25
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This is a crossover smutty story featuring the character of
Tess/Salida ie Tess' Voice in Neon
More Than Eyes Alone Can See, and
Merrie's OUATIM fic on ff.net, Darkness Rising. This story will make some
sense, probably, if you read it without having read either of our stories, but
it'll make a hell of a lot more if you just read them. They're all worth
reading, we promise. Anyway, on with the show.
Rated for what has happened, and what might happen.
ourselves. On with the story.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jeffrey wanted to drum his fingers against the steering
wheel in impatience but it fucking hurt too much so he was forced to wait with
an attempt toward patience.
“Now who’s the one who
needs to calm down? It was only a mile.
“Don’t even start
with me right now,” Jeffrey said coldly.
“I’m not trying to
fucking argue you with you, I’m just stating a fucking fact.
it just to get away from us.”
“I’m not inclined
to disagree,” Jeffrey said with a sigh.
anymore. Can we just agree to hate each
other in silence for a change?”
“Fine,” Sands said
after a moment’s hesitation. They
settled back to wait.
Hot and tired,
Salida finally made it to the proposed meeting place.
but didn’t head for the car. Instead she
walked into the Quickie Mart attached to the station and bought herself a
bottle of water and a packaged sandwich.
Coming back out, she saw that Jeffrey had the door to the car open and
was about to come after her. She fought
the temptation to glare at him, simply because she was aware that she’d just
exhausted herself.
she climbed in and shut the door.
Without saying a word, she sighed and rested her head against his
shoulder, her eyes falling shut as she took the time to appreciate the silence.
Jeffrey allowed
himself to enjoy her company again; the same company he had been forced to
abandon this morning. How had things
deteriorated so much since then? There
were no answers that didn’t point back to him and Sands.
was time to start acknowledging that. But
he stayed silent. And more surprising,
so did Sands.
“I’m not sorry for
my display earlier,” she informed them. “And
I’m not shy about doing it again.” She
refused to apologize for that. They had
been being assholes, and she hadn’t been afraid to let them know it.
“I’m not asking you
to be sorry,” Jeffrey said.
“And I have no
doubts whatsoever that you wouldn’t act in the same manner again, rest assured,”
Sands added.
She nodded, and looked
at the sandwich in her hand. She’d
thought it’d sounded appetizing, but now she wasn’t so sure.
out in their direction. “Here.
“What about you?”
Jeffrey asked, taking the sandwich from her.
“I’m not hungry.”
said, “I’ll eat tonight. Wherever it is
that we end up.”
“Then at least have
something to drink. It’s fucking hot out
there and you need to keep up your fluids or something fucking like that.
You fucking told us that,
don’t ignore your own fucking advice.”
She held up her
bottle of water. Taking a deep breath,
two decide to stop.”
“Alright.
wolfing down the sandwich. He had been
hungrier than he had thought, it seemed.
with fucking Sands would try the fucking patience of a saint not to mention
working up a one hell of an appetite. If
he was being fair, it was safe to assume it was the same for Sands with him.
before driving off once more.
******************************
“Wake up, vixen.”
Salida sighed in
her sleep as she felt lips brush the side of her face.
Jeffrey rolled his
eyes. “We’re stopping for fucking
dinner, vixen, not extracurricular activities.
Salida moaned, but
opened her eyes. It was starting to get
dark out, which was something of a surprise to her.
away?
“What time is it?”
she asked groggily. “And where are we?”
Jeffrey
shrugged. “We’re somewhere west of
almost seven.”
Salida made a face,
and abruptly yawned. “I don’t know why I’m
so tired,” she muttered, not liking it.
She felt like a slug and it irritated her.
“Maybe it’s because
you’ve been fucking sick the past few days,” Sands muttered.
earlier, but he was still being bitchy.
“Or maybe it’s
because she’s had to put up with us fucking tearing each other to shreds?
very much wanted to blame it all on Sands, but he knew Salida would never let
him get away with it.
“No,” Sands said
after a moment. “Whatever.
we’re fucking stopping though. We should
just fucking keep going,” he grumbled.
“No,” Salida
moaned. “I want out of this damn car.”
“I know.
your complaining until we did stop. That’s
why we are,” Sands grumbled, turning off the car and getting out.
one, but it was still just a highway side hotel.
It was the best around though, and that
would have to do.
Jeffrey rolled his
eyes and locked the Porsche after Salida had gotten out and closed the door.
you fucking feeling?”
She shrugged, not
getting mad at the moment. She’d given
him permission to baby her, and she wasn’t going to make him eat his own tongue
for expressing some concern.
“Hungry,” she said,
surprised to find that it was true. She’d
only had a box of Cheerios and a bottle of water that day, and she found that
she was practically starving.
“Alright.
somewhere else?” Jeffrey asked, seemingly relieved at that at least.
“Look around.
nothing else,” Sands pointed out, waving and arm around in a wide gesture.
there were no other restaurants to be seen.
“The fucking hotel
it is then,” Jeffrey said with a shrug, seemingly not deterred by Sands’
observation.
Salida walked
around the car and approached the men on their left side.
upper arm, resting her head against his shoulder.
at the moment, leaving her a confused jumble of both.
it. Otherwise let’s go to bed.”
Jeffrey smirked
wickedly at that, then cursed.
Sands just rolled
his eyes and together they made their way into the hotel to check in and get
something to eat.
******************************
The meal had been surprisingly good but mercifully short.
both. What was more, he now finally had
the chance to be fucking alone all day after spending it cramped in that
fucking car arguing with Jeffrey and watching Salida drool on his seats.
and grabbed the phone on the desk and dialed the hotel room number.
hoping that she was fucking there.
“Hello,” she
answered sleepily. “Is that you, tiger?”
“You better believe
it, spitfire,” he said with a smile, tension leaking out of his lean frame just
at the sound of her voice. “We should be
fucking back tomorrow. We decided to
drive so at least one of us would have a car in the city.”
“What kind of car?”
Aida asked; he could hear the smile in her voice.
“The kind that goes
real, real fast,” Sands teased.
“Sands,” she
playfully whined. “Tell me, or I’ll hang
up and you’ll be forced to call me back.”
Sands laughed, but
didn’t want to go through the hassle of calling her again so he did as she
asked. “A Porsche.”
“What color?”
expected something expensive – but she’d figured him for a BMW guy for some
reason.
“A dark midnight
blue,” he said with a bit of a sigh. It
wasn't really a bad color, but he couldn’t remember what had possessed him to
get it that way.
“Really?” she
asked, a bit surprised. “That just seems
a tad bit wrong.”
“Well don’t tell
me. That’s the one sunrise chose,” Sands
said with a shrug and then rolled his eyes, realizing that she couldn’t see the
gesture.
“How is she doing?”
Aida asked a bit hesitantly. “She’s not
driving you insane, is she?” Aida was
feeling a bit responsible, since she was the one that insist that Salida
accompany him.
“No, that would be
Jeffrey,” Sands said slowly, the tension beginning to weigh him down once more.
“As fucking always.”
“I’m sorry, tiger,”
she murmured on the phone. “If you want
to talk about it, I’m willing to listen.”
Sands didn’t, but
the words spilled out of his mouth anyway.
Things got a little . . . out of hand. .
.” Sands trailed off, the renewed throbbing of his hand as he held the phone
telling him to stop fucking around and tell her what happened.
“How out of hand?”
she asked quietly. “Are you
alright? Should you be driving?
away with more than you should because you hurt Jeffrey?”
“Uh . . . let’s
just say that I’m beginning to think I might need a few stitches despite what
that bitch said.” He paused then, not
wanting to have to explain Tess over the phone.
basically alright.
anything? It’d never fucking happen.”
“I’m sorry,” Aida
said. “I won’t ask you to go get a
second opinion, but when you get back, I’ll go with you to get one.
Sands’ initial
response was to shudder at the very notion of even stepping foot in that
hospital again, but he pushed it aside as foolish.
not something I wanted to experience again.
“I miss you too,”
she replied. “And again, I’m sorry.
Salida with you. You could have found
help on your own.”
“It’s a bit too
late for regrets now, so don’t fucking worry about it.
thing she was there when she was,” he admitted slowly.
“Then I suppose I
won’t be entirely sorry.” Aida sighed,
and curled up in her bed. she repeated. “I miss just being able to
reach out and touch you in the morning.”
Sands echoed her
sigh. “I do too.
“I’ll be here.
Just the thought of
such a luxury seemed like a dream. “That
would be good.” The understatement of
the millennia.
“Then I’ll be
waiting.” She wished there was something
she could do something about the weariness in his voice, but knew there wasn’t.
Can I call you by your first name?
At least once and awhile?” She
waited pensively for his answer.
“Why?”
more curiosity.
“I don’t know.
use the name . . . but I’m your wife. I
want to be able to use a name that’s more intimate than your last.
gets to use that one. But I won’t use it
either unless you give me permission.”
Her words made
sense, but he was still wary. He had
promised himself long ago never to go by anything other than Sands.
your wife. And she already knows what it
is. And she didn’t even laugh.
within his mind and made his decision. “Fine.
But only you, and only when we’re alone.
And if I decide later I don’t want you
using it anymore, that’s the way it will be.
“Alright.
Sands very much
wanted to say no, to renege on all deals, but he cleared his throat and told
her yes. If that’s what she wanted.
“I love you,
Sheldon,” she whispered. “I love you,
and I miss you, and I’m very glad to be your wife, and I’ll be waiting eagerly
for you to get back tomorrow.”
taking his mind off it by her other reassurances.
“Alright.”
using his name, although she would keep to the restriction that she could only
use it in private.
“Goodbye spitfire.
“Love you,” she
whispered again as he hung up on her.
For the rest of the night she stared blankly into the dark and wondered
how she could help him to heal. At least
a little bit.
******************************
Sands knocked on the joining door with a sigh.
back to her after he had called Aida. He
didn’t really feel like it – a night to himself would
have been appreciated – but for the first time today he really didn’t feel like
arguing. He knew it had to be Aida.
the world in general, the next. . .
had thrown him with his name, but he felt pretty much even-keeled otherwise.
When he received no
answer, Sands slowly opened the door.
Salida was already in bed, already asleep.
things easier for them. Her right hand
was resting on the pillow next to her, as if saving a spot for Jeffrey.
“Leave,” Jeffrey
told him evenly.
“I’m going.
Jeffrey frowned at
Sands’ salutation, but the other man had already left before he could ask him
why he’d said it. Shrugging it off, he
sat down at the edge of the bed and simply looked at his wife, reaching over to
move a strand of her hair away from her forehead as carefully as he could with
his hand still in a cast. He hadn’t
wanted to wake her, but under his fingers he could feel her stirring.
“I didn’t mean to fucking wake you up.
“No, not yet,” she
whispered, forcing herself to sit up. “Com’ere,
lover, so I can help you.”
Jeffrey sighed.
without help. That
Sands had managed to untie and remove his shoes and socks on his own
deserved a small smidgeon of credit. But
he did she asked because it was either do things her way – the easy way – or
spend the next twenty minutes attempting to do things his way – definitely the
hard way.
Salida appreciated
how he let her help without making a protest.
As a reward, she started placing small kisses on the skin that each
unfastened button revealed.
Jeffrey hummed in
appreciation at her attention, inclining his head to place a kiss on the top of
hers. “Thanks.
have you do this? Not that I mind at the
moment,” he amended hastily lest she stop.
“Well, until you’re
able to get your clothes off by yourself.”
“Granted,” he said
wryly. “But what I meant was how long am
I going to have to wear this fucking thing?
a sigh. “Why did I fucking do it again?”
he asked wearily. “And this?” he held up
Sands’ hand with the deep split across his palm that restricted his fingers
movement as surely as the cast did on his own hand.
down the cut on Sands’ jaw line with a hiss of pain.
before touching the cut on his arm.
“Because you can’t
control your temper?” she suggested dryly, slipping his shirt from his
shoulders. “But if you’ve got a better
theory, I’m willing to listen.”
“You’re fucking
right about that,” he said with a sigh.
gotten along. Maybe we’re just not
fucking meant to.
of our own good.” That was hard to
admit, but he pressed on. “It’s getting
worse between us. You know that?
But I don’t know what to fucking do
about it. I don’t think he does either.
looking across the room, not meeting her eyes.
“Don’t talk like
that,” she said quietly, stemming any other words that might emerge by pressing
her lips to his. It hurt to hear what
part of her knew was true, and she wanted to avoid that truth for as long as
she could.
a diversion when he saw one, but for the moment, he was more than willing to
let her get away with it. He didn’t
really want to talk about such things either.
He knew there would be a day when the issue would be forced – that day
had almost come more than once already – but he hoped it wouldn’t be soon.
vent for the emotions that were welling up inside of him and finding Salida to
be a hopefully willing receptacle.
More than willing
to divert both their minds, Salida parted her lips at the first tentative
wrest control of the kiss from her as he tried to devour her mouth.
burning away in the blink of an eye.
Feeling his wife
respond in such a way for the first time in the last few days elicited a sound
somewhere between a sigh and a moan from his mouth before he moved in to
continue the kiss. His hands moved of
their own accord down her back and up underneath the long t-shirt she wore, his
fingertips catching fleeting, tempting glances of her soft skin.
curiously arouse him even further, his hardening length swelling against his
pants that had yet to be removed. He
only hoped she would fucking do it soon.
“Jeffrey. . .”
sound as she broke their kiss to start planting open-mouthed kisses on his
neck. Her hands landed on his chest,
simultaneously moving to tease his nipples.
Jeffrey let a small
moan escape his lips as he bent his head back and closed his eyes, reeling
under the exquisite sensations her hands and mouth were causing.
waiting, his own hands moved to his waist to remove his belt and pants, but his
hands were gently batted away by her free hand.
torture. Still remaining half dressed
when he knew she was completely naked under the long shirt she wore was worse.
“I’ll do it
quicker,” she murmured in way of explanation as her fingers found the
buckle. For a brief moment she tortured
him by caressing him through his pants, but then she relented and quickly
stripped him of belt and pants.
No sooner had she
divested him of his remaining clothing than he nudged her down on the bed and
hovered on top of her, his weight on his elbows.
was able to match her state to his. He
didn’t move further – save for his mouth.
touching her in all the places his hands could not.
down, leaving no part of her body – no stretch of her skin – missed.
Salida moaned and
twisted under her husband’s lips. She’d
missed this closeness, this fire, this passion in the past few days.
was what she needed. She needed to be
close to her husband. She needed to feel
him respond to her. This morning had
been nice, but it had ultimately been for him.
This was for them, and she
loved it.
Hearing his wife’s
moans only spurred him on further. He
laid a few open-mouthed kissed on her clit, enough to make her gasp and moans
increase to a wondrous chorus in his ears, but that was all.
came. He didn’t make her wait long.
The first thrust – the
initial feeling as he slid into her as far as she would take him – that was
always what took his breath away.
increasing rhythm, giving and taking want they wanted.
passionate kiss, determined not to release her until both of them were in
danger of passing out from lack of oxygen.
Arching off the bed
to increase the pressure of their lips, Salida’s hands wandered almost
frantically over her husband’s back and sides is strong strokes.
of every movement. She could feel
herself growing a bit lightheaded, but it didn’t deter her.
Jeffrey was
breathing heavily through his nose now, but he didn’t stop kissing.
spots before his eyes, but he didn’t pull away.
only caused him to quicken his thrusts, and he felt his release tease at him
out of the corner of his mind.
Salida finally had
to break away, taking a deep breath before Jeffrey reclaimed her lips.
would have grinned at his stubbornness to have things his way.
thrusting her hips up sharply to meet one of his own
driving thrusts.
At the connection
of their hips, it was Jeffrey who had to pull away from the kiss to let out a
ragged gasp. He hadn’t been expecting
that, and it had brought his release even nearer.
he was close. Before he could complete
this thought Salida reclaimed his lips and the kiss was joined once more.
She could feel
Jeffrey tensing over her, fighting to hold his release back.
make her come before he did.
To give him what he
wanted, Salida moved one of her hands from his back and slipped it between
their slipping and sliding bodies. She
fingered her clit lightly as he kept slamming into her.
enough to make her bleed, the sudden shock of that small amount of pain made
her press more roughly with her finger than she’d intended . . .
The scream of
pleasure that echoed off the walls was mutual for the first time as Salida’s
movements precipitated her own release, dragging Jeffrey along not one second
after as she clenched hard around him. The
yell that ripped its way out of his throat was one of pure, unfettered passion.
Their neighbors might have been furious
at the noise, but neither of them had the presence of mind to think about that,
nor the willingness to care.
Salida cried out as
Jeffrey kept bucking down into her body as he came, forcing hers to keep going
until he was done. The moment he
collapsed onto her, she wrapped her arms around him, and let her head loll as
she tried to catch her breath.
“I’ve missed that,”
she panted, a few seconds later, squeezing him tightly in her arms.
“Yes,” Jeffrey
breathed. <'> “I have . . . too.
the combination of the breathlessness he was already experiencing and the tight
hold she had around him working against him.
She didn’t want to
let up. She never wanted to let go of
him. But she sighed, and compromised;
pushing off the bed with one foot, she turned them so Jeffrey was lying on his
back and she was pressed tightly against his side, her arms still around his
back, her head resting on his shoulder.
“Thank . . . you,”
he gasped, fresh air filling his lungs once more in a whoosh.
arm around her to hold her as tightly as he could manage, feeling much the same
as she did. “I love you, Salida,” he
whispered. Ever since she had asked him
to use her real name he had been forcing himsel rem remember that request.
his name for her and he wouldn’t give it up – but he would call her by her name
as often as he could remember to.
“I love you
too. I’ll always love you,” she
whispered back.
“You’d fucking
better. Or I’ll have to come after you
until you love me again,” he joked lightly.
it’s probably best for everyone that you just love me now.”
“I do.”
soft kiss into the underside of his chin.
Before he could
reciprocate, Salida felt a slight chill.
Getting up briefly, she pulled the blankets over them before
returning. Rolling onto her side, she
looked over her shoulder and said wryly, “Get over here and keep your wife
warm.”
“I thought I just
did that,” Jeffrey said with a smirk, but moved to do as she asked, wrapping
his arms around her waist and pulling their bodies tightly together so that
their body heat was once again shared. “This
better, wife-mine?”
She
be disappointing anyone.”
“No, go to sleep.
“Okay,” she
whispered. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Goodnight, vixen,”
he whispered, kissing the back of her neck.
silent, its two occupants lost in each other and their dreams.
******************************
The car stopped in front of the hotel.
out. “You’re going to go see Grant?” she
asked, nothing more than curiosity in her voice.
“Yes.
slight nod.
“Okay.”
hair. “Call if you need more painkillers
or something. I think I’ll be gone most
of tomorrow. I’d like to be able to move
into the house this weekend, and we still need a lot of stuff.
Ikea or Lowes or something.”
“Unless Grant wants to shop for it all.”
Sands shrugged.
“Just remember your
promise, vixen and find a fucking doctor.
es'> Sands scowled at
that, but didn’t say a word.
“Sands?
before you go. Do you mind if I talk to
him privately? It won’t help if I
embarrass him.”
“Fine,” Sands said
with a slight sigh after turning off the car but leaving the keys in the
ignition. “Don’t take too long.”
“What now, vixen?”
Jeffrey asked, ignoring Sands’ words.
Salida took his
hand in hers, and met his eyes. “Please,
don’t make me worry about whether or not you and Sands are kicking each other's
collective ass,” she begged. “I
understand how much the two of you dislike each other, but will you promise me
that you won’t try to pick fights? You
know Grant is a tender subject – that’s what started this mess in the first
place. Will you just
Jeffrey scowled,
but nodded. “I'll fucking try.
“Then go to sleep
and let Sands deal with her,” she teased with a small smile.
nights. Remember how much we wanted to
be alone?”
“Yes,” he said with
a small sigh. “Fine.
between them in his mind, but he would do as she asked.
“Thank you,” she
whispered. “You never know.
him a bit. And that would help you,
right?”
“Maybe,” Jeffrey
said with some reluctance.
“Okay.”
as she was going to get. “You try to
play nice, and I’ll try to find a doctopan pan style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
I can’t call anywhere tonight, but I’ll make a list of people I want to
call.” She gave him a small smile, making
a sudden face in an attempt to make him smile back.
Jeffrey was
startled into a short laugh at his wife’s antics.
face, he muttered, “You’re very strange, vixen, but I love you anyway.
“I won’t comment,”
she said wryly, lifting her face for a kiss.
The kiss Jeffrey
gave her wasn’t sweet or quick; it was passionate, possessive, and long.
next few days also added a hint of desperation into the kiss as well.
breathing heavily, he inclined his forehead so that it rested
love you, vixen,” he whispered.
“I love you
too. Enough to put up with this,” she
touched his cast, “and this,” she tapped his temple, “and wives of other
personalities. I’ll be here waiting when
you come back.
to call Grant.”
“He’d fucking better,”
Jeffrey muttered. “Love you vixen.
place, blinking in a second’s confusion as he took control.
“Did you say what
you wanted to say to him?” he asked.
“Yeah.
problems. I got that much from him.”
continued, “I can at least talk to him for a little bit every day, right?
Sands shrugged. “You
let me call spitfire. What time should
he call? You said you would be out for
most of the day right? It’d be easier
just to set up a time now rather than him calling you and you not being there.”
“Umm, I can
definitely be back in the hotel by six, both nights.
to stay awake.” Not that I sleep well without him.
so he could see Aida, but couldn’t draw up the will to be that much of an
asshole at the moment, so he waited.
“Yes, that’s all.”
offense. Iad, ad, she removed a small
key ring from her key chain. “Here,
these are the keys to the house. You
might want them. Call me if Grant
decides she wants to go shopping. I don’t
want to waste the energy if I don’t have to.
I won’t leave the hotel until ten.”
“Alright,” Sands
said, taking the keys from her. “That
reminds me. You still have the gun and
the knife. I want those back.”
Salida hesitated,
but when she saw he wouldn’t back down on this point, she reluctantly handed
them over. “Just don’t make me regret
it,” she mumbled softly.
“I’ll try.
back in the glove box, but held the knife and keys on his lap.
keys in his pocket when he got out of the car.
Salida refrained
from pointing out that Jeffrey had said the same thing, knowing no good would
come from it. “I guess I’ll be talking
to you then,” she said, climbing out of the car and taking her bag with her.
Sands just nodded.
leave, he wasted no further time in speeding over to Aida’s apartment.
******************************
Sands made sure to lock up the Porsche after taking a few
minutes to put the keys into his pocket and clip the knife once more to his
belt. If his car wasn’t still parked
just where it had been when he left it – whole and untouched – there wouldn’t
be a neighborhood left for Aida to come back to.
With this cheerful
thought in mind, he found himself humming some meaningless tune before stopping
at Aida’s front door. With a wince as he
balled his hand into a fist, he rapped on Aida’s door.
“It’s unlocked,”
she called. She was busy in the kitchen
fixing dinner. She’d thrown some beef
into her Salvation Army crock-pot with some BBQ sauce and had let it cook all
day. By this time she could break it
apart with a fork, so she knew it was done.
In a minute she’d start some rice to go with it.
Sands made his way
into her apartment, closing the door behind him and walking to the kitchen.
definitely more empty. “I see you’ve
made some progress,” he called out, leaning against the doorframe and watching
her. “Hello spitfire.
taking a sniff of the air. “What on
earth are you making?”
“BBQ beef . . .
with a bit of Cajun seasoning,” she replied, turning around as she replaced the
lid. “It should be nice and spicy . .
. Oh my god.”
counter. “Oh my god.”
“What?
with worry.
Why was he asking
such a stupid question? “You.
Sands finally
realized what she was talking about and cursed.
didn’t get into a car accident. I did
get a fucking ticket though. Stupid
fucking cops,” he muttered before looking down at the floor with a hint of guilt
nagging at him. “I told you, you wouldn’t
be happy to see me,” he mumbled under his breath.
little . . . tiff.”
“Tiff?!” she asked
shrilly. “Tiff!?”
“Ok . . . fight,”
Sands said with a wince. “Look, I’m
fucking fine, alright? No one’s dead,
and neither of us are trying to kill each other at the moment, so just calm
down. Everything’s fine.”
“Is that why you
look like you’re trying to imitate the mummy?”
She clutched her head, feeling a headache coming on from the excitement.
“I can take the
bandages off if you want.”
drag me to the fucking hospital right now and have them give me compcomplete
fucking work over.
She was very
tempted to take him up on the offer, but she realized what it meant.
himself – that he was going to let her take him to a hospital when he hated
them. She was concerned, but not that
concerned. “No, that’s alright, I just .
. . I was here the entire time daydreaming worst case scenarios for what you
could be up to, and then I see this. You
just shocked me. I’ll be alright.”
the kitchen and wrapped her arms around his middle, holding on to him tightly.
“I’m sorry.
mumbled, bending slightly to smell her hair as he spoke, his arms completing
the circle around her own waist.
“I missed you so
much . . . I worried about you so much.”
She squeezed him tightly. “Please
tell me that we’ve got more than just one night together.”
“We do,” he
whispered. “We have that much at
like that. I’m sorry.”
“It would have been
worse to have to see . . . how you got all those.
thought she was going to prevent it.”
There was a trace of anger in Aida’s voice now.
directed it towards the other woman.
“She tried.
too much for her to handle as well. Tess
had to patch us up. What a cold-hearted
bitch.” When Aida turned her head to
look at him confusedly, he elaborated. “Tess
is sunrise’s other half.
herself couldn’t deal with everything I guess, so Tess came forward,” he said
with a shrug. “And I don’t think she
could have stopped us, spitfire.”
“She should have
tried,” she replied hotly. “There’s no
good reason for you come home like this.
You’re hurt.”
“I’ve been hurt
before, and I’ll be hurt again, spitfire,” he said softly.
prevent it. This was one of those times.”
“No!” she refused
strongly. “I refuse to believe
that. You’re strong.
even hurt me. This wasn’t
necessary. I don’t want you doing things
like this because of me.”
“I did do She let him go and “What would you have “You want me to be She was right. “You have to give Sands winced “And I refuse to “Why, spitfire?” he “Because I hate “Anything to help “Alright,” he said, She’d been in the Sands blinked up at “What makes you “Oh come on!” Sands “That’s too bad,” “No . . . why?” he
ed sed suspiciously. “Son thn they ‘go “Hell yes. “Like this is the Sands sat back down The rice was Sands dished Aida grinned. “Habaneras are “I’m glad you like “I do. “It was easy enough. “I wouldn’t “And if I said you “Ah yes, the “Well, I don’t “Sounds good to me,” “Well, when you’re “Or I could do “Beyond dinner?” “Oh. “Sands,” Aida “I love you too, “I know. “You do that, “Nah. “I don’t know, “Well, in that “Very generous,” he Aida swallowed the “Not that I’m complaining, “Well, for one, I Sands smiled and “That’s nice,” she “ “Sands?” she asked, Sands thought about “Just Sands’ smile Aida thought about Sands nodded. She shrugged. “Why not?” he “I didn’t feel safe “You’d better,” “I dn’tdn’t marry “Nothing. ******************************
anger in his voice now, pulling away from her embrace to look at her while he
spoke. “I fought back.
now.” The instant he said it, he froze,
cursing all things said in the heat of the moment.
point. “And if I can’t
matter that he didn’t hurt you. Just
other of you was dead. Do you understand
that? But that’s moot point in regards
to our fight. It would have fucking
happened sooner or later.
stop it.” His voice was cold, but it
held a twinge of resignation. <
<
her eyes filled with tears. “Don’t say
that. Please don’t say that.”
me say? And don’t cry, spitfire.
optimistic about pulling through this . . . but how can I
if you’re not willing to give the same effort?” she asked, trying not to cry.
he said softly, reaching up his hand to thumb away a tear that had fallen down
her cheek.
me something to hope for,” she whispered, leaning into his touch.
what would happen to me if I lost you.”
slightly as she pressed up against his tender hand, but didn’t move it.
lose her either, but at the moment, he wouldn’t have believed it.
leave you,” she whispered back. A small
smile tugged on her lips. “Especially
since I’ve been slaving in a hot kitchen to make a home-cooked meal for
you. And you’re going to eat it and like
it, or I’ll know why.”"
asked, forcing a smalile ile on his face for her benefit.
cooking, and I don’t do it for just anyone.
But I’m willing to do it for you.
And I doubt you’ve had anything home-made in a long time.”
admitted, looking somewhat surprised. “Thank
you,” he said with a small nod.
you relax,” she murmured. “And to that
effect, no more talk of anything depressing.
Just you and me.” She gave him a
small peck on the cheek. “Now, let me go
start the rice, and we can eat soon.”
taking a seat at the small table that remained with two chairs in the kitchen.
I’d be a hindrance rather than a help, not to mention that I’ve never cooked
before.”
process of adding rice to the water when he’d mentioned his hurt hands.
topics,” she scolded . . . right before throwing a handful of rice at him.
her as if he couldn’t believe she had done it.
brushing the stray bits of rice out off the front of his shirt with his
fingertips. “Thanks,” he drawled
sarcastically. “But those are from your
share. I’m hungry and since you’re the
one who decided to liberate the rice in my direction, then you’re the one who’ll
have to face the consequences,” he said wryly.
think I don’t have more rice than I need?” she asked with raised eyebrows.
towards him slowly, box of minute rice in her hand.
in his direction, giggling as she did so.
whined, raising up a hand to block the rice.
to send another rice grenade in his direction, he took action.
but he managed. He got a
she. It was battle royale after that.
short laugh a minute later, amused at the sight of all the rice in her curls.
she said seriously. “But at least we
each got it tossed at us, even if it wasn’t at our wedding.”
forth’ they can also ‘be fruitful.’” She
grinned and kicked some rice at him. “Thank
god for modern medicine, huh?”
without having a brat thrown into the mix.
ideal time for me to get pregnant,” she said with a roll of her eyes.
all my treatments. But later, after I
beat this. . .” she shrugged. “We can
talk about it later though. Besides, I
don’t get to see you enough as it is.”
She stood on her toes for a kiss . . . then realized she needed to go
check the rice.
in the chair as she wandered about in the kitchen, thankful he had dodged that
bullet for now. He wasn’t exactly
against having a kid someday, but he had never really wanted one.
– which he wasn’t – then perhaps the reason he didn’t want a kid was because he
didn’t want it going through the same shit he had growing up.
alive by his progeny wasn’t the way he fucking wanted to go out either.
done. Aida spooned it into a bowl, and
the meat into the other. She picked up
two plates and a couple of fornd tnd took the silverware into the dining
area. She set places for her and Sands,
and then left and came back with two glasses of iced tea.
and waited to hear from her husband whether he liked it or not.
himself self up some of the food as well and grabbed the fork awkwardly in his
right hand and tried a bit of the beef and rice.
time I’m done, but it’s good that way,” he said with a
nod, taking another bite.
neighbor lady used to make when I was back home.
And a lot of them.”
better,” are better, he said with a smirk.
it,” she said, and he could see in her eyes that she meant it.
after taking a few more bites of his food before setting his fork down to take
a drink of the ice tea.
Throw a couple of cheap steaks into a crock-pot with BBQ sauce and some spices,
and then let it cook for six to eight hours.
Steam some rice. There you are,
completely done.” She shrugged.
cook, I might have to do it more often.”
complain,” Sands said with a small smile, slowly getting some more meat and
rice. He hadn’t been lying when he said
he was hungry.
still owed me dessert?” She smiled as he
looked up at her.
long-awaited pie. Where do you want to
go?”
really want to leave,” she drawled. “So
I suppose the best idea would be for one of us to go buy some, and bring it
back here.”
he said with a shrug. “If you tell me
where it is I can go later. Now that I
actually have a car in this city.”
done, I suppose you could just go into the kitchen and open the fridge.”
she hadn’t managed to plan everything for their evening.
that,” he said wryly a moment later, leaning back in his chair to look askance
at her. “Just what else do you have
planned for tonight, spitfire?”
“I was just planning on being adaptable to what you needed from me.
but I am now. And that means I’m open to
whatever it is that you need. I love
you. I’m willing to trust your lead.”
should have needed to ask.
fork down on his now clean plate. He
didn’t really know what to say to that.
reached across the table and entwined her fingers with those on his right hand.
for you. I think that just by the both
of us being here, I’ve proved that. I
like being able to take care of someone, and I like being taken care of.
Aida,” he said, giving her a small smile.
him a little, but he was trying not to let it show.
right? If you ever want something from
me, just ask and I’ll do it.” This was
quite a carte blanche, but he felt no regrets for having done it.
from you,” she whispered. “Your love,
your ring on my finger, and the permission to use your name.
that was only meant for him, “if I think of anything
else, I’ll let you know.”
spitfire, sai said with a smile. “Mind
if I smoke? I haven’t had a cigarette
all-oh fuck. Never mind.
has my lighter,” he said with a sigh. He
saw that she seemed to be finished as well. “Need any help with all of this?”
gathered all the dishes and carried them into the kitchen.
slice of pie in one hand and a fork in the other.
next to Sands’, and then sat down.
maybe it’s been built up too much,” he said, looking at the innocuous piece of
pie. “At least it’s white though,” he
muttered. “I see that you only brought
out one piece of pie. I suppose there
was a reason for that?” he drawled with a teasing smirk.
case, I’m asking you too,” she teased
back. “But I’ll let you have the first
bite.” She cut off a piece and held it
up for him. “See how generous I am, oh
hubby of mine?”
agreed with a roll of his eyes after swallowing the bite of pie.
I must,” he said with a smirk, holding the fork in front of her mouth with a
slight tremble in his hand that he tried to ignore.
bite of pie, then took the fork from him.
hand to her face. Very carefully, she
kissed each and every finger.
press a soft kiss on his lips.
but what was that for?” Sands asked, tilting his head in curiosity.
really don’t have much of a sweetth.
My next excuse would be that I’m trying to kiss all your hurts
better. And after that, I’d have to say
that I missed you.” She kissed him
again, briefly, before pulling away.
This time scooping up some pie with her fingers, she asked in a low
voice, “How’s your sweet tooth?” and
offered the sweet to him.
sucked every bit of pie from her fingers before licking his lips and smiling.
that sweet, you know. Oh and that
reminds me. I still need to get you some
dark chocolate. Next on my list,” he
nodded before smiling wickedly. “How
about something sweeter?” he asked, leaning over to kiss the side of her neck.
murmuredit bit breathlessly. “But you
should . . . oh, keep your umm, sweets on the – oh god – table.”
skin as the tip of his tongue darted out to taste her.
sweeter than the pie. And I haven’t even
gotten to some of the best parts yet,” he said against her neck.
tilting her head back as he continued nibbling away.
it. “Maybe.
raised eyebrow.
wondering. I thought that we could
perhaps try one or two of them out while I still have the energy.”
desire and wicked humor mixing in her gaze.
widened to see that look upon her face. “Hmm
. . . spitfire wants to play. Good.
I need for what I have in mind. But you
have to tell me now, Aida. How far are
you willing to take this? I know you
like pain nearly as much as I do, but everyone has their
limits. I need to know yours.”
that. She’d rarely known any men willing
to play with her, so she didn’t really know her limits.
don’t think I’d be comfortable with full-out cuts.
seriously. “I haven’t really
experimented too much.”
he asked. In order to make things
enjoyable for both of them, he needed to know where she stood.
. . I didn’t think it was necessarily a good idea.”
asked, trying to put the thought of her previous boyfds ods out of his mind.
not theirs.
with them. For them it was the ultimate
release of my power over to them, and if I was uncomfortable with anything,
then too bad for me. Or at least that’s
what it felt like.” She laughed, and
leaned forward to rest her forehead on his shoulder.
the more.”
Sands growled softly. “And do you trust
me, spitfire? Think about it before you
answer. Do you really trust me, knowing
what I am?” He didn’t know what he would
do if she said no.
someone I didn’t trust,” she said. “I
wouldn’t countthemthem to be there for me when I go bald and while I’m sick as
a dog. I certainly wouldn’t cook for
them.” She smiled.
outside of my family and a few friends.”
She saw that he was still watching her seriously.
You’re gentle with me when I need it.
You do things for me that you don’t want to do.
need it. What else is there for me to
say?”
kiss upon her lips. “Come on, let’s go
for a ride.”
for such a sporty automobile. She’d only
seen cars like these through showroom windows, and to actually be able to sit
in one – especially since the seats were more comfortable than any piece of
furniture that she owned, and probably more expensive – it felt very nice.
She rolled down her
window to let the cool evening air pour into the car, enjoying the way her hair
was flapping around her face.
“Having fun,
spitfire?” he asked with a smirk, longing for a long stretch of highway where
he could show her what the car could really do.
“Yes.”
voice. “Someday you’ll just have to get
me out of houshouse, and we can just drive.
I love moving fast.”
Sands laughed at
that. “How did I ever find you?
spitfire. As soon as you want.”
She turned around
and grinned, before returning her gaze to the passing streets.
soft leather seat while she stuck her right hand out the window and started
playing with the air, feeling it pass over her hand.
Sands let her enjoy
the ride until they came to a stop some ten minutes later in front of a rather
large unmarked house. “We’re here,
spitfire.”
She looked around
them. “Where’s ‘here’?” she asked.
situation. She needed his reassurance.
“Somewhere that
took me a while to find. It’s a little
shop that both sells and caters to certain . . . desires.
has. It’s very private, very elite.
it. < sty style='mso-spacerun:yes'> It’s called simply Fleur.”
Aida nodded her
understanding. “I trust you won’t mind
if I stick close?”
Sands nodded and
handed the keys to n win with a white lily printed on his black shirt
block. pan>pan>“They don’t let cars stay on the
street. It’d be too conspicuous,” he
explained softly to Aida. They
approached the door where they were met by a man in an expensive black suit
with a white lily through his buttonhole.
“May I help you
Sir, Madame?” the man asked softly.
“Yes you may.
offer.”
The doorman
appraised Sands and Aida before nodding slightly and opening the door behind
him to allow them entrance.
Aida knew she was a
bit out of her element here, so she stuck close to her husband and followed his
lead. Since it was difficult to hold his
hand, she tucked her arm through his and walked at his side, relying on her
skill as an actress to keep her uncertainty to herself.
The inside of the
premises was totally decorated in black and burgundy fabric, and mahogany
paneling. There was a white lily motif
everywhere her eyes rested: live flowers in vases, oil paintings on the walls,
small representations pressed into the molding along the ceiling, and flowers
tucked into the hair or buttonholes of the people who worked here.
second-hand store clothing, but at least it was clean, fashionable, and it
suited her. Things could have been
worse.
“Don’t worry,
spitfire. You’re better than any of
them,” he whispered in her ear as they walked into the main parlour.
woman, modeling everything from lingerie to suits to jewelry.
scattered throughout the room, their faces blank as the handful of other
customers with Sands and Aida glanced at their wares.
“What are we doing
here?” she whispered, eyeing the living mannequins and trying not to laugh at
the absurdities of the rich.
“Shopping,” Sands
said with a smile. “I know you don’t
really enjoy it, but I’m in the mood to spend some money.
sigh.
“And why did you
need me to come?” she asked softly. “I
thought it was your fantasies that we
were discussing.”
“True.
wouldn’t. Decide that, and I’ll
with a wicked smirk. He lo aro around at the room at the models
throughout. “First of all, do you want
any of the lingerie? I’d drool to see
you in any and all of it – well maybe not that yellow one – but
reactionpitfpitfire. Without that, it’s
all illusion.”
“I want whatever
will make you take looklook at me and feel the sudden need to throw me on the
nearest piece of furniture and then screw me senseless,” she whispered into his
ear. “I want you to show how much you
know me by picking what you think I would enjoy the most – and I think you know
me better than you think you do. I will
tell you that I enjoy feeling feminine.
I’m a very girly-girl. feeling pretty . . . like a princess for lack of a better descriptive
phrase. Choose something that makes me
feel that, and that fills your fantasy.”
Sands shivered
slightly at wordwordspanspan style='mso-spacerun:yes'> “I always
li
like that, spitfire. Don’t tempt me or I’ll
take you up on that and take you right here in this room.
in another fancy restaurant again, but who the fuck cares?”
over there would be what you had in mind, but it’d certainly fulfill my end of
the fantasy.” He gestured to the model
in black. She was wearing a sheer black
sleeveless merrywidow and panties with matching
garters, hose, hee heels.
“Mmm . . . I don’t
know, tiger,” she said reluctantly. “I
adore the stockings and the garter belt . . . but I don’t think I like the
rest. He sighed
melodramatically. “Can’t blame me from
fantasizing, right?” he said with a wicked smirk.
playfully. “Do you still want me to keep
choosing or have you set eyes on something you like?”
“I like that.”
gold under the soft lights of the room. “I
really like that.
bought it . . . but it’s not what I want for tonight.”
spread to her lips. “Okay, I see what I’d
prefer. But I’m not going to tell
you. Yave ave to guess, and each miss
will mean you owe me a piece of totally innocent pajamas for me to lounge in
once I’m house-bound.”
Sands pulled a face
at that, but nodded after taking note of the sshe she had wanted.
and lace gown in pale pink.
“It’s nice . . .
but that isn’t it.” Aida was enjoying
this now.
“How about that
one?” he asked, gesturing to a floral print babydoll
in lavender.
She shook her head.
“Oh come on.
breath before making himself remember that while fun, she couldn’t wear
lingerie to bed every single night. And
if he had his way the pajamas he ended up buying for her wouldn’t be
red lace teddy.
“Nope.
complexion. Better just to stick with my
hair.”
red that much anyway, no worries there. Jeffrey’s
fucking color, not mine,” he muttered. “F
ho
how about that one?” he said with an almost sigh, pointing to a lace up slip in
black. Hmm . . . those would be fun to undo, he
thought to himself wryly, glancing over the criss-crossing strings up the sides
of the slip.
“Bingo,” Aida
called out in a sing-song voice. “I knew
you could do it.”
“Uh-huh,” Sands
drawled with a raise of his eyebrow. “So
how many pairs of boring pajamas do I owe you now, three?
correct? What color for both?
impatient to get back to her place at the thought of seeing her in the slip.
“Black for your
present,” she said, kissing him on the nose.
“And that gold-ish color for mine.
between amazement, amusement, and impatience.
“That reminds me,
sunrise wants us to do some shopping for the new house tomorrow if you’re
willing. She’s hoping to move in over
the weekend. If we’re going to do it
though, she wanted us to call her tomorrow before ten to let her know.”
“I’ll call and talk
to her. There was something I wanted to
suggest to her anyway.” Aida twined her
arms around Sands’ neck, standing on her toes to do so.
about right now. Right now, I want to
find out more about your fantasy.”
Eventually she’d want to hear the whole thing, but she had the feeling
that it w be be best to hear it in private.
Sands smiled down
at her. “Remember our first night
together, how slow we took things? You
said that you once lasted two hours before you passed out.
with my wife, savvy?”
Aida actually had
the courage to laugh. “You’re too
impatient,” she said disbelievingly.
“True.
impatient. I always will be.
than give in. I’m an impatient man, I
agree. But I’m also stubborn as hell and
I want what I want. I
takes. And I’m also a possessive
bastard. That record ruffles my fucking
feathers. I want it gone.
“Alright,” Aida
said. “I don’t suppose I have a reason
to complain.” Personally, she thought
he might still have a few tricks up his sleeve.
He walked into one
of the smaller rooms and picked up some scented massage oil that he liked and
knew she would too and a few black silk blindfolds just for fun before
returning to the main parlour to make his purchases.
but was discrete enough not to say anything about it.
charge cards to pay for the purchases. She
bid them both good evening, and Sands and Aida were on their way, the lingerie
in small black boxes in a nondescript white bag.
was the point. A place like this didn't
stay in business for as long as it had without discretion.
He handed his keys
to one of the valet’s sing ing inside the front door and after a few minutes,
they were headed back to Aida’s place as fast as the crowded city streets would
allow them to go.
******************************
Aida unlocked the door to her apartment.
your fantasy? Or was that it, in which
case I might ask to hear another one tomorrow night.”
Sands just smirked
at her for a moment before speaking. “Fine,
you want to hear my fantasy for tonight, I’ll tell you.
And I’m going to make sure you know
that. I’m going to take things slow
until all you can do is focus on me and what I’m
around me, begging me to give you just a little bit more, knowing that I’m the
only one who can give it to you. The
only one who can give you release. Once
I’ve felt you’ve learned your lesson sufficiently, I’ll give you want you want.”
Aida felt her heart
speed up at his words as her breath became shallow.
was the only one who could satisfy her.
This was a fantasy, so wou would pretend she didn’t know.
softly.
“I want you to put
on the new slip I got you. I’ll be
waiting.”
She nodded and took
the bags from him. She went into her
bedroom, and slipped out of her clothes quickly.
hours before Sands had arrived, she pulled on the slip without any hesitation, reveling
in the feeling of silk against her skin.
She went into the bathroom and poked through a drawer full of hair ties,
and pulled out a black lace ribbon. She
used it to pull back her hair – although it remained down girlishly around her
shoulders – then glanced in the mirror.
The blackness of the fabric complemented her pale skin.
she thought, admiring herself in the mirror.
After blowing herself a kiss, she wandered back out to the living room,
barefoot and wide-eyed.