Distractions (5 page)

Softly walking towards them, I was able

to distinguish their voices. I heard Jack

first.

“I don’t know what to do; I am

really worried about her. This has

devastated her something fierce. When

she told me what he did, I didn’t believe

her.”

Shepard spoke next, obviously

growing tense, his volume louder.

“Who did what to her?”

There was a pause in the room. I

knew Adam knew, but Jack didn’t stop

to think that maybe I didn’t tell Shepard.

The silence caused him to become more

agitated.

“Who did what to her?” he

repeated.

“Shep, the Doc attacked Violet in

the parking lot the night he disappeared.

She screamed loud enough that the cops

came before anything serious happened.

The campus police called me to come

and get her. I didn’t believe it. I trust

her, more than anyone besides Adam, but

it doesn’t make sense.”

I sank to the floor with my back

against the wall, trying my best to stay

quiet. He knew I was off, but now he

really didn’t know what to believe. I

heard the wooden legs of a chair drag

against the tile. Shepard walked right

past me into the den where I was asleep

before.

“Violet,” Shepard yelled.

“I’m right here.”

My voice was hoarse from holding

in my sobs. He rushed over to me and

dropped on the floor, pulling me close.

He knew instantly I heard every word.

“I’m taking you home now,” he said

softly.

His strong arms guided me back to

a standing position and into an embrace.

I was too tired to fight; home was the

only place I wanted to be. Adam and

Jack stood watching; there was nothing

to say. They both walked us to our car,

making sure I was situated. Jack shook

Shepard’s hand and told him, “Take

good care of her.”

Shepard looked to me and slightly

smiled.

“I planned on it.”

Chapter 4 - Tying

Knots

Shepard followed me up to the

bedroom silently. He sat on the edge of

my bed, while I walked into the

bathroom to change into some sleeping

clothes. I came back out to find him

looking at the pictures on my dresser.

“It’s my grandparents’ ranch in

Colorado; I grew up on it. It’s my

favorite place in the whole world.”

His fingers lightly touched the

edges of the frame before picking it up to

view it a little closer.

“It’s beautiful. You can see the

mountains right there.”

I traced along the ridge outlining

my grandma’s beloved Pikes Peak in the

background.

“I love the mountains. It’s hard

finding my way here because I don’t

have them to guide me; I never know

which direction is which.”

I

laughed

at

my

backwards

compass, but it was how I was raised,

and it came in useful most of the time.

“Do you want to stay here with me

tonight?” I watched his face to gauge his

reaction to the question. He simply

nodded and removed his coat, placing it

across the rocking chair in the corner

and his shoes next to it. I turned down

the patchwork quilt comforter and

flipped on the television. He crawled in

next to me, still wearing his suit pants

and dress shirt. I knew it wasn’t

comfortable because he kept trying to

settle in.

“I don’t know how you sleep, but

you don’t have to wear your clothes. I

promise I don’t bite, unless you want me

to.” I giggled a little, but I didn’t want

him to be restless all night.

He sat up, unbuttoning his shirt

before sliding off his pants. He was

wearing sexy black trunks and a white

ribbed tank. I couldn’t help but stare at

the way his sinewy muscles rippled as

he moved back into the bed, laying on

his side to face me.

“Are you okay?” he asked as he

lightly thumbed my hairline, speaking

softly.

“I am now. Thank you…for

everything.”

I reached up and held his hand

against my cheek, closing my eyes and

breathing deeply.

I felt him shift just before his lips

grazed mine with feather-light softness.

“Again,” I whispered.

This time his lips pressed slightly

harder, but just as briefly.

“Again.” My heart rate started to

increase.

His body moved to hover over

mine as he propped himself up on his

elbows just above my face. A slick

tongue licked gently along my lip line

from one side to the other, causing me to

gasp. My fingers went into his hair,

pulling him down over my mouth.

“Please kiss me,” I begged.

I waited for him to devour me, but

he continued his slow taunts. My hips

arched up in a hungry response. He

bravely dragged his nails down along

my side and over the thin fabric of my

shirt, flushing my skin as blood rushed to

the surface.

“Oh my, who taught you how to do

that?” I widened my eyes between the

breaths that were now rocking me.

He laughed mischievously.

“No more tonight, Violet. I

shouldn’t have done that; I won’t take

advantage of you.”

“What if I want you to? Do you see

me fighting you?” I tried scooting closer

to him, but he started to back away to get

off the bed.

“I should probably go home. I can

come back tomorrow if you want me to.

I’m sorry.”

I grabbed his arm before he was

able to stand, pulling him gently back

towards me.

“I wasn’t expecting anything by

asking you to stay; I just would prefer

not being alone tonight.”

He sat on the bed and watched me

for a while, appearing to be deep in

thought before finally speaking.

“This is probably the wrong time to

say this, but I like you. I always have. I

know you don’t see me that way and

most likely think I am too young for you.

I can’t help how I feel, so it’s for the

best if I don’t stay.”

I couldn’t believe it. Any normal

hot blooded twenty-one year old would

have me naked on the floor, screaming

his name out by now; it would be so

easy. But here was Shepard confessing

he’s always had a thing for me and being

a proper gentleman about it. Of course,

he is. He’s not a dick. Why am I so

shocked about that?

I shifted up onto my knees,

crawling a little closer. Giving a large

sweet smile, I held both sides of his face

and kissed him lightly.

“You are quite wrong. I never

thought someone like you existed. There

was a time in my life where you would

have never taken a second glance at me.

I suppose I still carry that feeling of

inadequacy;

you

just

mistakenly

discerned it as disinterest.”

I slid off the bed and walked into

the bathroom to start the hot water for a

soak. Coming back out, Shepard was

still sitting there quietly.

“I shouldn’t be so dependent on

you. You don’t have to come back,” I

said.

I turned back towards the bathroom,

only making it a few feet before I felt his

hand grasp my shoulder.

“You don’t listen very well, do

you?”

He

laughed

deeply

while

threading his fingers through my hair.

“Wha…” His soft lips caught me by

surprise.

Stepping back away from me, he

walked over to the tub to check the

temperature with his hand, adjusting the

water slightly. I stood closemouthed,

taking in his movements. Sitting on the

edge of the oversized antique claw foot

tub, he motioned for me to come over.

Standing between his knees, he slowly

lifted the top of my sleeping shirt up past

my ribs and over my head. I rested my

hands on his shoulders for support as his

fingers slid along the band of my shorts

before dragging them down my legs,

leaving me completely exposed. The

cold room made my skin rise with goose

bumps. One hand rested upon my hip

while the other reached over, twisting

the brass knobs to turn off the water.

Looking up slightly to meet my eyes, he

leaned in, placing a single kiss just

above my navel before standing.

“After you,” he said.

I dipped my toes in the water

tentatively before fully letting them sink

to the bottom of the tub. It was perfect. I

slowly immersed myself in the steaming

water that came up to my breasts. There

was plenty of room for another person,

yet no one had joined me before in my

beloved ritual.

Watching him slide off the rest of

his clothes and slowly get into the tub,

facing towards me, my jaw fell to the

ground before I quickly turned away.

“Like

what

you

see?”

His

confidence in my reaction caused my

head to snap up in surprise.

“Who are you and what did you do

with Shepard?” I questioned cautiously

at this new behavior. In the whole two

years I had known him, never once did

he come across as brazen.

“It’s just…this isn’t the first time I

have seen you in here.” He blushed,

giving his confession. When I quirked

my eyebrow upwards, he pointed out the

window towards his house.

“That’s my bedroom, Violet.” He

looked like a kid caught with his hand in

the cookie jar.

My mouth continued to remain wide

open. “I never noticed because it was

always dark. I just assumed it was some

spare bedroom.” I slapped my hand

across my eyes and tried to lower myself

further into the tub. “So you like to

watch me?” I asked suspiciously, still

not looking at him.

“Yes, I do. You’re beautiful,” he

replied softly.

I slid back up a little more and

gazed at him with curiosity. It was

fascinating how much life could change

in

twenty-four

hours

–how

circumstances could draw two people

together in the strangest ways. We’re

often so wrapped up in our own little

minds that we fail to see the very things

happening around us, quite literally.

“So I imagine you’ve seen quite a

bit.” I turned my head to the side in

embarrassment. Private moments where

I had relieved sexual frustration had not

been so private.

“Violet, why have I never seen you

with anyone? My father wonders the

same thing, but for different reasons.”

He paid no attention to the red hues

splashing across my neck and face.

“I haven’t been with anyone in a

long time; it’s complicated. Being alone

is easier.” I started to subconsciously

chew on my bottom lip, although I

wasn’t as nervous as I felt I should be.

His hands felt for one of my feet

and he started to run his thumb along the

instep and sole, causing my head to dip

back.

“Why have I never heard you talk

about anyone or seen you with anyone,

either, Shepard?” I was genuinely

interested now that the conversation had

begun.

He inhaled and exhaled deeply. I

wondered if anyone had ever asked him

this. “I’ve never been with anyone.” He

stopped rubbing to see how I would

respond to that.

I immediately felt sadness because

I knew it was true. The expression on his

face held a thousand emotions, each one

unfulfilled.

“Why?” I couldn’t stop myself from

asking.

“Girls don’t pay attention to me.

They even mock me because they assume

I’m gay. Also, I watch my father treat

women like pieces of garbage, and they

let him do it. It doesn’t matter because

the one’s I am physically attracted to are

emotionally or mentally empty. Being

alone is easier for me, too.”

I slipped my foot out of his hands