Adjournment (The Fate Series) (40 page)

A whimper escapes me.

“I know,” I pant, my eyes rolled back in my head. 

He doesn’t know how completely his I am.

My grip on his body tightens as a roll of pleasure begins to build. I try and suppress it, try and hold onto this for a long as possible, but he pushes me further and further to the breaking point.   

“Let go, Sidney,” he urges me.

I know his words have a deeper meaning.

“I promise it will be okay. Just let it go. I promise,” he chants.

My hands begin to ache from their grasp as the orgasm rips through me. His mouth finds mine, suppressing my cries. This kiss,
his
kiss, the one he has been waiting years for, like our first, is not meant to be sexual or seductive. It’s skilled. He knows exactly what he’s doing. A strong pull begins to build again inside of me, aching to rip off his wet clothes and surround myself with him.

Lost somewhere between ecstasy and logical thinking, I hold tight to him, this time as a desperate silent plea to stay this way forever.

I want more, I need more…

Turning off the water he places me down on unstable legs, holding onto me until I’m steady.

“Thank you, Pet.” He smiles, his thumb tracing my bottom lip. 

“No… I think I should thank you,” I pant against him. My nerves begin their slow decline.

“Do you need a minute?” He laughs, wringing out my pants that are in a soaked pile on the tiled floor.

“I need… yes, I need…” I lean against the shower wall. My hands cover my face as a numb feeling over takes my arms.

Clearing my throat I remove my hands to shake them out and attempt to speak.

“Well… was it—I mean, did it live up to your…” I wave at him, air rushes in and out of my mouth.

Dropping the pants he stands up in front of me, his face now serious.

“Me?” he asks.

My emotions are all over the place. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry or both.

Oh my God. Our first time together was in a shower! What does this say about me?

Okay, so we didn’t have sex, but what does this say about me! I was mad and leaving, and now I’m here naked and he… isn’t.

“Are you okay?” He watches me.

“I—yes… actually no… I feel crazy.” I sink to the floor.

“Are you crying?” He drops in front of me. His hands rubbing over my bare skin.

I cover my face, my body shakes in his hands.

“Oh, fuck… Sidney? Oh my God, I broke you.” He sounds nervous. “Please, don’t cry, Pet,” he pleads.

This doesn’t help. My body shakes harder with uncontrollable laughter.

“Wait… are you laughing?” he asks, and I let it out.

Tipping my head back against the shower wall I lose it in front of him.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what is wrong with me,” I squeal.

I need to get it together.

“Well, I knew I was good but I don’t think I’ve ever driven a girl to insanity.” He sits down next to me. “And to answer your question it was worth the wait… but I won’t be waiting that long to finish this,” he whispers against my ear, leaving me breathless and dizzy all over again. “I will, however, wait until your psychotic episode is over.” He nudges me.

With a heavy sigh I lay my head to his shoulder. “Such a gentleman you are,” I say when my laughter subsides.

“Only for you, Pet.” He wraps his arm around me, pulling me into his side.

We sit quietly listening to each other breathe until I’m steady enough to stand. When I leave the bathroom, he shuts the door behind me, and I take this opportunity to strip out of the wet bathing suit top, dry off, and get into a dry one. He knocks on the door to make sure it’s okay to come in. I can’t help but laugh at the gesture.

“I am waiting on you slow poke,” I yell at the door unable to control my giddiness.

I don’t see why we have to go back… I’d be perfectly happy staying in here—oh my God, what has he done to me?

When he comes out he is dressed in dry shorts and has a towel around his neck.

Damn… He had to come out shirtless? How am I supposed to concentrate on anything with this staring at me?

“You have to put a shirt on.” I cover my eyes with one hand.

“Me? Have you seen what you have on? And where is the piercing?” he says with a stern voice.

My jaw drops, but my hand doesn’t.

“I took it out for today, and if you’re smart you’ll shut your mouth about it.”

“Well, I was going to ask if you would like to go for a swim but I don’t think that bathing suit is made to go into the water.” I hear him cross the room to where I am.

“What is with the hand? Why are you doing that?” He breathes against my neck.

I try to remain calm.

“I—I can’t concentrate if you don’t put a shirt on.”

“That’s why I didn’t bring one, Pet.” He kisses the back of my neck.

His lips grow into a smile against my skin as goosebumps radiate from the spot.

“That is some bathing suit. Do I have to untie all of these to get it off because I must say that will be more torturous for you than me.” His breath against on my skin is like a drug. He gently places his hands on my hips, pulling me against him as he slowly continues his attack.

“You can lower your hand now.” His tongue flicks my earlobe sending a soul shaking shiver through me.

I realize he’s right, I can’t see him—he’s behind me.

Dropping my hands, I open my eyes and look directly into the stupid mirror that sits across the room from us. A faint smile dancing across his lips as he watches me, watch him devour me. I’m helpless against him, and all I can do is stand here in awe of the couple across from us. His eyes boring into mine with such intensity it feels as though he is telling me a million secrets with them.

“Sidney, are you coming back down? Simon left? Don’t even get me started on that. And Pricilla came back with her parents? That girl needs to get a hobby… or laid. Anyways, she is pissed, and we are starving… not to mention the fireworks are going to be starting soon,” Molly yells through the door pulling me into reality.

His eyes no longer giving anything away flicker to the floor when he hears her name. 

Oh Pricilla… My dearest friend.

My elbow connects with Simon’s stomach, dropping him to the floor behind me. “I’ll meet you in the lounge, give me a second,” I holler back.

Kneeling on the floor, Simon grabs on to the side of his stomach to catch his breath.

“What was that for? I didn’t do anything!” he bites out.

“That was for my graduation party!” I fix my hair. “Now get your ass up we have a party to get back to.”

Skipping toward the door, I swing it open just as Molly opens her mouth to speak again.

“I heard voices… Wh—What are you guys doing? And why is he on the floor?”

“He tripped into my elbow, let’s go.” I grab her arm pulling her with me. 

I speed walk through the lounge dragging Molly with me. I don’t bother to wait for Simon.

He’ll be fine.

After a few seconds of walking silently together she decides to speak.

“So we just aren’t going to wear pants then?” She giggles.

I stop, look down at myself and notice I’m wearing nothing but my bathing suit… and I’m barefoot.  I really need to plan better. I let my excitement get the better of me.

I quickly weigh my options then grab her hand. “No time.” I continue walking.

“Aye, Aye,” she salutes me. “I’m hungry, can we eat? I was waiting for you but I guess you were… working up an appetite.” She giggles again as we hit the last step.

“You are not to tell anyone of that, and I don’t want to talk about it with you… ever… understand?” I decide anger will be my friend for now.

“Oh sure, sure… what’s it worth to you, though? You know a lifetime full of sexual frustration. Was it… worth it?” Her brows wiggle.

She’s lucky she’s my sister. 

“It’s worth two years of diary entries about how dreamy Dean’s lips are on yours while you roll around in the sand… yeah, just the other night, my ass,” I deadpan. “I’m sure he would love to know how you really feel about him… that might get him to back off.” I roll my eyes at the absurdity of that statement.

“Fine. I won’t say anything. But you need to tell him if he doesn’t already know. I mean it’s not like he won’t figure it out.” She pats my shoulder.

Giving her a sideways look, we walk back to the party.

That’s when our mother spots us. “You two!” She points at us.

Not it! I was in the shower with Simon the whole time!

Oh, my alibi might be worse than whatever she thinks I did.

“You don’t think I know what’s going on?” She looks at me.

“I don’t think I know what’s going on here,” I admit.

Giving me a weird laugh, she comes closer.

“I received a note today. Saying that someone was spotted over at the Carmichaels. Alarms were tripped, their files stolen,” she informs both of us but only watches me.

“You two better not have anything to do with this,” is her final warning before putting on a fake smile and going back to her guests.

“What could they possibly have that we would want?” Molly looks over her shoulder toward their property.

“Well, whoever it was I hope they got what they were looking for because getting back into that house now is going to be impossible.” I stand with her staring in the same direction.

“Sidney, darling, have you eaten yet?” our mother yells over, her voice back to that normal Upper East Side mixed with concerned parent.

Looking over to the buffet I notice there’s no line and shake my head. I grab Molly’s arm while catching Morgan’s attention. Craning my neck in the direction of the food, she looks over at it and agrees.

I take a plate from the stack at the end of the table handing it to Molly before taking one for myself and walk down one side as Molly and Morgan mirror me down the other. Clearing her throat I look up and see Pricilla step next to me.

This moron doesn’t know when to quit.

“So you want to hear something funny?” she begins, scanning over the food.

Rolling my eyes at Molly, I decide to appease her.

“Sure, what is so funny?” I mock her voice.

“Simon asked if I would be here this weekend. We met up at a charity event. You know the ones you three are too good for? Well, it was just my luck he showed up alone,” she begins.

Dropping the ladle back into the chafing dish, my body stills.

“I asked him if you two were still a weird… whatever you were, and he said no, it had been over with for years.” She hesitates letting the words sink in.

I turn to face her while she continues to scan over things she won’t eat. “It was, didn’t you go to school with him?” I ask.

“I did, but he was so busy acting like a teenager all the time with those two and ‘baggage’ over there.” She points to Mea.

Does she want to be put face first into pasta salad?

My attention shifts from her to where Mea is now sitting with Grams.

“I must say, that girl definitely married up.” She looks at my sisters. “That’s why she’s such a secret… I mean look at her. That hair?” She shakes her head before turning to walk away.

What is her problem?

“Wait… why haven’t you told anyone?” I ask.

She turns flipping her hair over her shoulder.

“Sex tapes…” She looks down. “We have a mutual understanding.” 

“And Simon?” I decide to ask.

“My ultimate trophy. I would say may the best woman win but we both know how that turned out the last time.” She turns and walks away.

The partnership of Crazy & Baggage… 

Simon might be a lot of things, but he isn’t someone’s victory.

He’s mine. 

Turning back to the food, I white knuckle the serving spoon as everything she said replays in my head.

I’m mad at so many people that I don’t know who to start with… Simon for being… Simon or Pricilla for being Pricilla. 

“What a twat! I say we grab the paintball guns and give her a Fourth to remember,” Molly hisses as she watches her walk toward the table Grams is at.

“Breathe… Sid… Simon is coming. Calm down,” Morgan pleads. “Oh, good lord. He doesn’t have a shirt on, Sidney is pants-less. What is this, a nude beach?” She freaks out.

Molly and I exchange a look. Hers, a humored one, and mine a… don’t even think about it kind.       

“I think we need to talk.” He stands next to me taking a plate.

But I don’t speak.

He snaps his fingers in front of me, and I look up at him as his face changes from humored to serious. “What’s wrong? You didn’t touch the fish did you? I told your mother not to put it so fucking close. Okay, let’s…”

“I didn’t touch it!” I shout.

His features become calm.

“Oh, good, you scared me,” he breathes, and starts to ladle food onto his plate.

My sisters and I watch him with a close eye as he moves past the fish and continues on down the line of food.

“Why did you do that?” I can’t help but ask.

“Do what? Panic? I told you, that one time was enough…” he hesitates.

Slowly stepping closer to me in the line he continues to take huge spoonfuls of food.