Pansy sits curled on the outdoor couch with Crystal snuggled into her, sleeping. Eli watches with adoration on his face, and I sure as fuck hope it’s for his daughter and not my girl. I nudge his shoulder, and he chuckles.
“She’s awesome, but you saw her first. I’d never make a move.” Eli holds his hands up in the air. “She’s all yours and the feeling’s mutual by the looks of things.”
“You bet your sorry ass it is.” I bump him again, beaming that he thinks Pansy’s just as crazy about me as I am about her.
Eli laughs, shaking his head as he walks over to Pansy and his daughter. The two share some whispered words before he carefully lifts his little girl into his arms and says goodbye.
“And then there were two.” I snuggle beside Pansy, my arms around her.
“Did you have a good time?” She cuddles into my side.
“Yeah, it feels like I’m fixing some of what I fucked up by springing my shit on them.”
“Good. I had fun, and I think everyone did, too. Well, except for Bianca and Jared, what’s up with them?”
I roll my eyes and sigh; I don’t want to talk about Jared and Bianca. “That’s a long story. They’ve never really gotten along, although I think it’s because they’re a lot alike.”
“They seem to rub each other the wrong way.”
“Yeah, you could say that,” she shrieks as I stand with her in my arms. “Enough about them, it’s time for us to go to bed.”
She tightens her hands around my neck and melts into me. And as much as I want to have her right now, take her and mark her as mine, I’ll settle for just having her spend the night with me, sleeping. I want her. I always do.
***
When I wake, Pansy’s already up, likely walking Boy, doing yoga, or swimming, in any order. I love having her in my space. My only wish is for it to be permanent.
During the shower, a song hits and the urge to write is strong. I head to my music studio where the words and the melody pour out of me, and time has no meaning.
Minutes, or maybe hours later, my fingers dance along the keyboard, finishing up the last few notes. The song’s not complete, but close. I’ll play it for the guys, and together, we will finish it.
While this is our last record, I love making music, and since Pansy’s come into my life, I’m brimming with song ideas, scraps of paper everywhere. So much so, half of me is eager to get in that studio and write, but the other half is reluctant to lose the limited time I have with Pansy, getting to know her.
“I love that. Is it new?” Pansy surveys me from the doorway in a faded black one-piece swimsuit that’s seen better days. All I see is her toned bronze skin, calling to me.
Crooking my finger, I beckon her, and she obeys. With each step to me, streams of sunlight flit across the crown of her head, deepening the warm, red tones of her long locks.
I pull her onto my lap, and her delicious bow-shaped lips curl up as her eyes widen, darkening to moss green. Her warm, almost bare back leans against my chest, and I swear our heartbeats are synchronized.
“Silas.” My name is almost a tremble on her lips.
“Hey,” I whisper, and she smiles.
I place her hands on the keyboard, my larger ones shadowing hers, and we play a few bars of the song I just wrote. The one she just overheard. It’s about her.
“Hypnotizing.” She sways with the beat.
“Very hypnotizing.” She sure is.
Lightly kissing her shoulder, my tongue licks at her salty skin, and she shudders and sighs, sinking into me. With her surrender, my hands have a mind of their own, gripping her waist and lifting her to sit on the piano with her legs bent, her bare feet grazing the keys.
“Silas,” she exhales, her hands latching onto my shoulders.
Seated at eye level with her sex, I glance at her, seeking permission. The tiny nod and nibble on her bottom lip is all the go-ahead I need. My fingers gently knead her thighs before pulling her legs wide apart.
She gasps as my hands glide up the inside of her legs. Eager to taste and touch, my tongue kisses, nips, and licks at the soft, silky skin of her thighs, the sea salt mingling with a flavor that is undeniably Pansy. She tastes like fucking freedom.
I continue to rub my palms along her thighs, to the juncture of her legs and pelvis. I’m overwhelmed with desire, burning inside as my thumb slowly swipes her mound through the already-damp bathing suit. I’m not sure if it’s wet from the ocean or her excitement.
She releases a breathy moan, dropping her head forward, her hair falling around us like curtains. Licking my lips, I plant a wet, open-mouthed kiss at the apex of her thighs and groan at her musky, intoxicating scent. She sucks in a jagged breath and curls her fingers and toes.
“Silas,” Lucia calls from down the hall, nearing the room.
My head snaps up, and I quickly adjust my semi. Pansy scrambles to get off the piano; dissonant notes fill the room, and she lets out an expletive as her toes hit a few keys. With a chuckle, I help her to her feet as Lucia rounds the corner.
Lucia glances between us as Pansy averts her gaze, her fingers absently running through her hair. “Sorry to interrupt,” Lucia says.
“You weren’t interrupting,” Pansy is quick to say, and Lucia’s smile is knowing.
“I have made brunch. Come.” Lucia beckons for us to follow.
“Thanks, Lucia.” With my hands on her petite shoulders, I bend to kiss her cheek before turning to Pansy. “Let me just make one quick phone call, I was supposed to meet up with Gray, but I’m going to push it until I take you home.”
Pansy looks to be getting ready to protest, not wanting me to change plans for her, but Lucia cuts through, “All right, but hurry or everything will be cold.” She takes Pansy with her.
My call is quick, and Gray is cool with the change in plans. That guy is so easy-going. I don’t know how he puts up with us. With the exception of him, each of us has had our share of drama and through it all, he has been solid. I hope when all is said and done, I still have these guys in my life.
I come into the kitchen and find Jorge sitting at the table sipping coffee; he nods to me but remains silent. Pansy and Lucia are seated with their backs to me, talking.
“Mija, you should move back in,” Lucia says, and I decide to remain quiet and see how this plays out.
I’m not above letting Lucia try to persuade her to come back, even though we haven’t talked about Pansy’s living arrangements, or how much I want her here. But Lucia knows me, and it wouldn’t take much for her to figure out it’s what I want.
“Like I told Jorge, I can’t right now. I need to do this on my own. I don’t want to be a burden to Silas or to take from him. I want our relationship to be equal.”
I want to interject, tell her how wrong she is, and that we are equal, but Lucia beats me to it. “Child, you’re no burden. You’re a blessing.”
“Lucia,” Jorge warns. “Leave it be. Let them figure it out.” He peers over their heads imploring me to make my presence known.
“Jorge, I’m only trying to make her see they are good together and it could be better if she came back. For all of us.”
“You’re only saying that because you want her here.”
“And you don’t?” Lucia challenges and I bite my lip to stifle my laugh.
Shaking his head, his eyes narrow, but in a loving way. “Sí, I would like her here too. She helps me with Boy.”
Pansy laughs, and I hope she knows that Jorge is only deflecting to hide how he feels. He’s not one to show his emotions.
“You two, stop. I’m not ruling out coming back, someday, but not for now. Besides, Silas and I are only just starting out. Who knows where this could go.”
“Mija, I can tell you where this will go. I have two eyes and can see clearly. I see the way he looks at you. You have his heart.”
“What?” She nervously laughs, squirming in her seat. “I don’t know about that. I think you’re reading way too much into this.”
Lucia laughs, “All right, mija, you tell yourself that.”
Deciding to end my eavesdropping, I cough and enter the room. Pansy’s cheeks are pink, and Lucia’s eyes gleam like a victor from battle. We both know her message is received and now it’s up to Pansy and me.