A Girl by Any Other Name (66 page)

Christmas, I was pretty broke so I decided to make Momma a new dining table.” I finished the chain

and checked all the screws on her door to see if I should reinforce any. “I don’t think I’ve seen her

that happy since Dad died. After that, I made all of Mandy’s and Momma’s gifts. I think they liked it

better that way.”

She handed me a steaming mug and sat on the floor, leaning her back against the wall. I decided

to join her.

“That’s really sweet, Tex. You always took really good care of them.”

I didn’t answer, and thankfully she didn’t say any more. The truth was I missed them like crazy,

and bringing them up made me sad in many ways.

“Did you make the shelves at your place?”

I nodded, happy she was changing the topic.

“Can you make me some like that? They are pretty sweet.”

I took a few sips of the steaming mug she’d brought me, contemplating my answer. She shifted

closer to me and I reflexively put my arm around her and she laid her head against my chest. “I can, or

you can just move all your books to my place along with the rest of your stuff. If you agree to that, then

we can be done with this.”

She frowned. “There’s several reasons why that’s a bad idea.”

“Name them.”

“For one, it’s too soon.”

I almost spit out my coffee. “What? You realize this isn’t like a normal relationship, right?

We’re not exactly just starting out here.”

“Of course it’s not, but I want us to have that ‘getting to know you again’ phase. Then there is the

practical reasoning too.”

“What’s that?”

“It would cost a fortune to buy out my lease, and I have three more months here.”

“I’ll pay for it,” I said immediately. Hell, if it was about money, we could resolve that.

“No, you won’t. I don’t want that.”

“But—”

She covered my mouth. “Here’s the thing, Tex. I love you, and I’m not doubting that for a second,

but I like my independence too. Besides, you told me Mandy and your mom visit you, so how would

you explain all my girly stuff at your bachelor pad?”

“I’ll drop it…for now,” I grumbled.

She leaned up and kissed me. “So are we done? Because I have a few hours before work, and I

was thinking maybe you could drill me.”

I chucked. “Baby, you’re making me so fucking hard.” She stood up, holding her hand out to me

eagerly. I took it, knowing better than to actually use it to pull myself up. “Calm down, girl. We’re not

done. We have to do this last thing.” I took out the last box from our purchases.

She stared at it quizzically. “An alarm? I don’t think I can have that here.”

“You can.”

“Did you read my lease or something?” she asked, cocking her head.

“Nope, but state law says you can and that supersedes a lease.”

Installing the alarm was fairly simple. Just placing the batteries and a few small holes to set it in

place. I stood back, checking the placement of the box, making sure it was level. “Come here,” I said,

motioning to her. I stood her in front of me and crossed my arms around her, resting my chin against

her head. “Now, this isn’t connected to a monitoring service because that’s not allowed, but it will

give off an ear-splitting sound if it goes off. So if you don’t want an eviction notice, I’d suggest you

make sure to turn it off in the thirty seconds allotted. Actually, on second thought…”

She elbowed me. “Yeah, you would like that.”

“Hey, no need to get violent. Anyway, I need you to pick a four-digit code.”

“One one—”

“Not your birthday. Is that really your birthday by the way?”

“It’s close and the one I celebrate now. How about zero four—”

“Not my birthday.”

“Damn, this is hard.”

“Pick something you’ll remember, but no one else would know.”

“Zero five two five,” she blurted out immediately.

I punched it in, setting the code. “Does that have some significance?”

“It does to me.”

I replayed the date in my head, coming up short. I decided to let it go rather than guess like a

fool. She didn’t say anything else, but I had a feeling she was disappointed I didn’t know the answer.

“Guess what, baby? We’re done. Now, let me show you the most powerful drill in this place.”

I tickled her ribs, and she laughed, running across the room, but I caught up to her and swung her

on the bed. I made quick work of getting her shirt off. I walked to the edge and dragged off those

chinos along with her lace panties, flinging them across the room. She tugged on my shirt, and I pulled

it off, pushing her down on the bed. She wrapped her arms around me while I buried my face into her

neck. She started giggling. “What?” I asked, nuzzling her neck. She laughed harder, patting my back.

“You didn’t shave today and it tickles.”

“Want me to stop and shave then?” I whispered in her ear.

“Don’t you dare. I’m just curious that’s all.”

“About what?”

“Will it tickle everywhere?”

“You tell me.”

I trailed kisses making a path toward her stomach. Her laughter soon turned into moans. I

stopped once in a while to rub my stubble on her soft, delicate skin and she started laughing again.

We both did. I dipped my tongue inside her. I loved to hear Sylvie laugh, but her moan was

incredible. It was deep and sexy, full of longing and desire. I managed to pull out a condom and kick

off my shorts while French-kissing her pussy. I put on the rubber, almost wanting to pat myself on the

back for my impressive multi-tasking.

She was still climaxing as I climbed back up the bed and inside her. She clutched my shoulders,

digging her nails in, as I pounded into her. “Wrap your legs around me.”

She obeyed immediately. I wasn’t usually this vocal with girls, but there was something

instinctive with her. I felt the need to dominate her, and conversely, she was submissive with me and

for herself. In reality, though, it was she who held all the power over me. The sex was so much more

intense than I’d ever imagined. It was because I loved her with every cell in my body.

She used her legs to encourage me back inside her every time I pulled away. We moved in

unison, building to our release, stimulating each other with soft, wet kisses.

“I love you,” I managed to choke out as I watched her climax.

“Me too,” she screamed.

“Say the whole thing to me.”

“I love you.”

I thrust again, deeper and harder than before. She moaned against me, and I sensed she was close

again.

“Say my name, Sylvie,” I commanded.

“I love you so much, Caleb James Tanner,” she said, wrapping her arms around my neck.

I was shocked at how hard I came.

I moved out of her, heading for the bathroom to dispose of the condom. I came back to bed,

spooning her against my chest.

“It was the day we met, right? May twenty-fifth.”

“I was wondering if you’d get it.”

“It just took me a minute, but it all came back.”

She stood up and walked over to the plastic bags on the kitchen table. She was completely

naked, walking around with an air of comfort that I knew existed because it was me she was with. She

came back to the bed, bringing the bag of chocolates from the previous night with her.

“I think you deserve chocolate for that,” she said, holding up a brightly foiled chocolate square

to me.

“Let’s share,” I replied, taking it.

She gave me a perplexed look. “Cal, I brought the whole bag. We are sharing.”

“That’s not what I mean. Lie down, please.”

“Well, since you said please this time,” she replied, giggling.

I unwrapped the chocolate square, circling it over her lips, until the body heat melted it. She

opened her mouth to bite it, but I pulled it away. “Nah-uh. Not yet.”

She frowned, but I kept up the pace, covering her mouth with the decadent sweet. Once I was

satisfied, I licked it off her. “That’s really good.”

“Can I have some?” she pouted.

“You can have whatever you want, baby.” I put the flat square of chocolate halfway in my mouth,

holding it with my lips, and moved toward her. She bit off the other half. A long line of the sticky

caramel center wavered between us before landing on her chin. I made quick work of sucking it off

her. “Damn, I don’t even like chocolate that much, but it tastes so fucking good off your skin.”

“Since when don’t you like chocolate, Tex? We used to pig out on it all the time.”

“I don’t know. I guess a lot of things lost their flavor for me.”

She had a sullen look and I really hadn’t meant to go there.

“Don’t you think it’s weird that we’re like this after all these years? That we love each other

still like this? I worry that it’s too bright of a fire, and we’ll burn out. I don’t want you to regret this,

Cal.”

“I think you want a fire to be bright. After all, who’d want a dim fire? I will never regret

anything I share with you. Don’t ever think that. I loved you then and I love you now. That’s not going

to change. You’re in my heart and you’ll live there forevermore. Do you not feel that?”

“Yeah, I feel it so much it’s like a physical ache. I don’t want this to end.”

“It won’t. We won’t let it. How about another piece?”

She nodded. I unwrapped another of the foil squares, wondering what surprise this had in the

center. I moved it against her lips again, waiting for the chocolate to melt slightly. When it did, I

moved it across her body, using it as a writing utensil to mark her waist.

She crooked her elbows and peered down at my etching. “What are you doing?”

“I was just thinking of another tattoo that you should get. What do you think?”

She giggled. “Your initials? Classy, Tex.”

“Hey, I just want to make sure it’s clear who you belong to.”

She grabbed the chocolate out of my hand and carved her own initials into my biceps, drawing a

heart around the letters. SC, Sylvie Cranston.

“I like it.”

“I was just kidding.”

“I wasn’t,” I said, popping the chocolate halfway into her mouth. She bit into it and I helped

myself to the other half. “Mmm, mint.”

“I have to get ready for work, Cal.”

“I’m driving you.”

“I can take the bus, that’s what I usually do.”

“No, that’s what you did. I’m driving you, but first, let me help clean you up.” I rolled my tongue

over her waist, wiping away the chocolate signature I’d left on her body, which elicited a deep moan

from her.

She then did the same on my arm, tracing her drawing with her tongue. I piled kisses down her

neck. “I have to get ready.”

“I promise I’ll be quick.”

“Ha, I don’t think so, but tell you what, if you promise to use the time wisely, why don’t you take

a shower with me?”

“I’ll use it wisely,” I promised, before I tasted the last of the chocolate off her lips.

Chapter Fifteen

The following Sunday, I arrived almost twenty minutes early to pick her up. I usually waited for

her in the car, but I decided to go in. The art supply store wasn’t what I was expecting. They had all

the typical artists’ tools you would expect lining the walls, but there were also several canvases and

sculptures for sale. It was like part art supply, part art exhibition.

“Can I help you?” a young guy with Jim Morrison hair and a button-down shirt with a

psychedelic pattern asked me.

“I’m here to pick up Sy—Sophie,” I replied, catching myself. Maybe her idea of calling her

Sophie was better. I couldn’t exactly say ‘I’m here to pick up my sweetheart’.

He regarded me for a moment, giving me an up-and-down look. “Are you a friend of hers?”

I wanted to tell him it was none of his damn business, or better yet, that she was mine in every

way possible. There was a set to the square of his jaw that was challenging. “She’s my girlfriend,” I

replied, with a cheerful smile.

“I didn’t know she was dating anyone.”

“I’m glad I can clear it up for you. Is she here?”

“She’s teaching a class in the back.”

I didn’t ask if it was all right, I made my way to the back. Luckily, Jim Morrison was busy with

new customers so he didn’t stop me.

I stepped into the small classroom area and there she was with about twenty kids of various ages

surrounding her. “All right, ladies and gentleworms, let’s finish up.” They all laughed at her joke.

“Miss Sophie, I got the paint on me!” one girl in pigtails cried. As I looked around the room, it

was clear that these children were disabled. Sophie wiped the girl’s fingers and spotted me in the

corner.

“Almost done, Cal.”

I nodded. “Take your time. Is it okay if I sit here?” I asked, gesturing to an adult-sized chair in

the corner. She nodded.

I watched as she treated each child’s painting as if it was the next Picasso or Rembrandt. Sylvie

would make a great mother. It hit me that I really didn’t know how that would work. I had no doubt

that I wanted a life with her, but how would I explain to Mandy and Momma that they couldn’t meet

my wife? We’d have to talk about that, but now was not the time. There had been so many bombshells

that I wanted to hold off on any more serious discussions.

My phone buzzed in my pocket and I checked it. Tony’s name popped up asking me if I wanted to