tentatively.
"Fine." I could feel the moon trembling at the edge of the horizon. Warmth flared over my skin as I waited for the rush of energy.
She padded toward me, footsteps silent in the thick carpet. I watched the light and dark play across her skin in sultry patterns as she moved. I lifted my glass to my lips and she suddenly became two, then three, through the thick crystal as I took a sip. Each movement of her muscles as she walked, every breeze that stirred her scent toward me tightened my body with desire. I wanted her again. I closed my eyes until the feeling passed. It was too near to true darkness to risk it. This was only day two and it would be time soon.
She sat down next to me on the couch and I automatically put my arm around her and pulled her against me. Scary.
"I've been thinking," she said as she snuggled into the curve of my arm. She slid a slow hand across the hair of my chest and tucked it around my waist.
"Me too. Will you be here when I wake up tomorrow?" I looked down at her.
She seemed startled. "I don't know. I should probably go home." She didn't sound like she wanted to. "Nobody knows where I am. And Mom's alone… "
I didn't comment on that. It was her decision. "I'd like you to stay, if you want to. I won't force you. If you have to go, you have to." I shrugged but I wanted her to stay. "What were you thinking about?"
"What just happened between us? There's something there even now." She lifted her hand and again touched my chest with gentle fingertips. A nervous energy rose from her. Her heartbeat quickened as she thought about it. My body responded again but I fought it down forcibly. We needed to talk.
Why lie? "I don't know."
"Will it go away when we leave here?" The curiosity blended with sadness, as though she already knew the answer.
"You're the first woman that I've let get this close during a full moon. I assume it has something to do with what I am. I've been with other women but it's never been like this."
That made her happy and she hugged me. Every woman wants to think that she's special. This time, it was the truth. There was a pause. It was filled with the clove scent of pride, the light tangerine of happiness, and determination mixed with a healthy dose of fear. She took a deep breath. My stomach clenched. I wasn't sure I wanted to hear what she was about to say.
"I've got this big house," she said abruptly and continued quickly so I couldn't interrupt, and probably so she wouldn't lose her nerve. "They put a full apartment in the basement. A real apartment with a kitchen and bath and a separate entrance. I can't put Mom down there because she can't handle the stairs. The door to the main floor can be locked so you can come and go and nobody can bother you. There's a fenced estate and a pool." The fear faded as she finished the speech she had prepared. It was said. The implication was clear.
She didn't move even a muscle as she finished. She was frozen against me, waiting, nervous. I let the silence grow for a moment as I thought about all of the consequences.
"And geese," I said lightly. She let out a relieved breath.
"And geese." Humor edged her voice. Then she hurried on. "Anyway, if I paid you in advance, I wouldn't want you to wander off with my money and not do the job."
"Naturally."
"So I was thinking that maybe you could sort of, maybe, take the apartment. It's huge. Really. It's the whole lower level."
I didn't know what to say. Her words echoed my thoughts from a moment ago and I still didn't have an answer. "And do what? I'm not the Ozzie and Harriet type, Sue. This has been great. Incredible, even. But I don't want to move in with anyone."
"I know you don't. Neither do I." Part truth, part lie. I didn't know which was which.
"I was thinking more of… well, a bodyguard. There have been some threatening calls. Mom stupidly promised some man money to protect us. He said that no accidents would happen as long as we paid every month. Even I know what
"Fine." I could feel the moon trembling at the edge of the horizon. Warmth flared over my skin as I waited for the rush of energy.
She padded toward me, footsteps silent in the thick carpet. I watched the light and dark play across her skin in sultry patterns as she moved. I lifted my glass to my lips and she suddenly became two, then three, through the thick crystal as I took a sip. Each movement of her muscles as she walked, every breeze that stirred her scent toward me tightened my body with desire. I wanted her again. I closed my eyes until the feeling passed. It was too near to true darkness to risk it. This was only day two and it would be time soon.
She sat down next to me on the couch and I automatically put my arm around her and pulled her against me. Scary.
"I've been thinking," she said as she snuggled into the curve of my arm. She slid a slow hand across the hair of my chest and tucked it around my waist.
"Me too. Will you be here when I wake up tomorrow?" I looked down at her.
She seemed startled. "I don't know. I should probably go home." She didn't sound like she wanted to. "Nobody knows where I am. And Mom's alone… "
I didn't comment on that. It was her decision. "I'd like you to stay, if you want to. I won't force you. If you have to go, you have to." I shrugged but I wanted her to stay. "What were you thinking about?"
"What just happened between us? There's something there even now." She lifted her hand and again touched my chest with gentle fingertips. A nervous energy rose from her. Her heartbeat quickened as she thought about it. My body responded again but I fought it down forcibly. We needed to talk.
Why lie? "I don't know."
"Will it go away when we leave here?" The curiosity blended with sadness, as though she already knew the answer.
"You're the first woman that I've let get this close during a full moon. I assume it has something to do with what I am. I've been with other women but it's never been like this."
That made her happy and she hugged me. Every woman wants to think that she's special. This time, it was the truth. There was a pause. It was filled with the clove scent of pride, the light tangerine of happiness, and determination mixed with a healthy dose of fear. She took a deep breath. My stomach clenched. I wasn't sure I wanted to hear what she was about to say.
"I've got this big house," she said abruptly and continued quickly so I couldn't interrupt, and probably so she wouldn't lose her nerve. "They put a full apartment in the basement. A real apartment with a kitchen and bath and a separate entrance. I can't put Mom down there because she can't handle the stairs. The door to the main floor can be locked so you can come and go and nobody can bother you. There's a fenced estate and a pool." The fear faded as she finished the speech she had prepared. It was said. The implication was clear.
She didn't move even a muscle as she finished. She was frozen against me, waiting, nervous. I let the silence grow for a moment as I thought about all of the consequences.
"And geese," I said lightly. She let out a relieved breath.
"And geese." Humor edged her voice. Then she hurried on. "Anyway, if I paid you in advance, I wouldn't want you to wander off with my money and not do the job."
"Naturally."
"So I was thinking that maybe you could sort of, maybe, take the apartment. It's huge. Really. It's the whole lower level."
I didn't know what to say. Her words echoed my thoughts from a moment ago and I still didn't have an answer. "And do what? I'm not the Ozzie and Harriet type, Sue. This has been great. Incredible, even. But I don't want to move in with anyone."
"I know you don't. Neither do I." Part truth, part lie. I didn't know which was which.
"I was thinking more of… well, a bodyguard. There have been some threatening calls. Mom stupidly promised some man money to protect us. He said that no accidents would happen as long as we paid every month. Even I know what
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