Page 24 of Strum Me

Chapter Eleven

Brad

Eight Years Ago

She smells like jasmine. Skin porcelain white, delicate, fresh, of the night. Even now, with the sunlight softly filtering through her lace curtains, the day slowly dragging itself awake, she smells like the absolute stillness of night. Like mystery and something hidden, dangerous but undeniable.

Her arm is warm against my bare chest and I pull on her waist, cradling her against me. She wriggles and mumbles something in her slumber. I wonder if she’s dreaming of us last night. There’s a tensing around my middle as the memory floods my own brain. Her hot, damp body under mine as she held herself open, waiting for me. Then finally, feeling myself slide into her, taking her and giving to her all at once. My heart races as I remember the way she arched her back, pushing herself against me, taking me deeper.

“Hmm, Brad?” she mumbles softly into her pillow.

I press my lips against her bare shoulder. “Shh, Butter, I’m here. Get some more sleep.”

“Mmmokay. Don’t leave okay?”

“No, I’m not leaving. Ever. Just… just get some more sleep.”

My fingers brush a curl from her face and follow the curve along her neck and down her spine. She shivers a little at my touch and it thrills me.

I roll over onto my back, not wanting to disturb her. The clock on her nightstand tells me it’s 6:26 a.m. Her favorite coffee shop opens in four minutes and it gives me an idea. Inching at a snail’s pace to the bottom of the bed, I quietly slide my pants on and creep out the front door, careful not to stir the rest of her family.

***

“Two double caramel lattes and two croissants and a Greek yogurt to go, please,” I order at the coffeeshop ten minutes later.

“YO, BRADLEY!”

I turn to see my bandmates strolling through the cafe door. I’m not surprised to see them wearing the tattered remains of their suits from last night either.

“Good God, what stinking gutter did you guys climb out of?” I grin at them.

“Yo mama!” Jez hollers back.

“OOOH!” Seb and Marius exclaim in unison.

I let my mouth drop open in mock offense before replying. “Hey! I’ll tell her you said that and that’ll be no more roast dinners for you.”

“Shit. Sorry, reflex. You know I love Mrs. Windsor,” he apologizes sheepishly.

Marius comes over to me and slings his arm around my shoulder. “What about you? You fucked off outta there so fast, I barely had time to throw your violin after you.”

“Ah shit, did you...?”

“Relax, I’ve tucked your precious Ivy all tight and snug in her case.” He’s referring to my nickname for my violin.

“So? Where were you?” he asks me again.

“Nowhere. I just went home,” I say, bracing for a round of questions.

“You’re wearing the same clothes, pecker-breath,” Sebastian grins.

“So?” I busy myself with gathering sugar and napkins hoping they’ll take pity on me.

“So, you went home and went to bed. Then woke up and put on the same clothes and decided to go get a coffee at 6:40 a.m. on a Saturday morning.”

“You are so smart, you could be a detective if only you had half a brain.”

“Two lattes, two croissants, and a yogurt!” the girl at the counter calls out.