“I can’t believe I am saying this again, and to someone in a different generation. Stay away from the Shepherds.” Lady Rockbell sighs the second I enter her garden.I wonder what about me screams sexually frustrated, mentally drained, stayed up all night waiting for someone who out rightly told me he was putting an end to our late night rendezvous. Yesterday afternoon, I had followed him everywhere, but the roles were reversed, he made sure we were never alone together, he was always with the constructors, outside when I was inside, and inside when I was out, I ended up looking like a toddler waddling after his parent. He even made me go with another construction worker who smelled like sweat and smoked inside his truck, down to pick up materials, by the time we got back, he was gone. Coward.I knew he wasn’t coming back anytime soon, still I stayed, doodling on my sketchpad, helping out where I could, and finally I went home, hoping, wishing he had been joking, I waited all nig
Grandma was always particularly in love with her daughter, she never tried to hide it. In the way she would light up during their very rare calls, she never asked to speak with me and grandma never offered, because what if that made her stop calling? It also showed when she allowed her to change her name twice, even when she changed it to a nickname and not the full form, Danny, grandma let her. She was originally named after grandma’s mother, so it must have been at least painful for grandma, but she still did it. When I found out I was given the name Alec without any thought or story behind it, I asked to change my name, and grandma forbade it, strictly. I kept quiet about the different name change documents I had seen when she was out for work, and kept the name. Grandma buzzed with energy and even allowed me choose what to eat for a few days after their call, she beamed, and never fought with any of our neighbors, so maybe in a way, I also benefited from the call. Thinking abo
He moved to shut the door in my face. I hurriedly raise my hands up to eye level, showing him my peace treaty, or treats.“I come bearing presents.”I try and fail not to look at his bulging arms, or the way they glistened, like he had been working up a sweat before I came. Maybe that was why he took so much time in opening the door. He eyes my treaty, I packed it myself. Inside the box contained three mystery novels, two romance ones, a container of cookie and cream, and lastly, a movie I rented for us to see together, it was one of his favorite tear jerker novels made into a film. “Remember Bluebird?”“It might not be so good.” He says but he was taking my offering, I suppress the urge to jump, and settle for a smile instead, and when he let me through the door, I can’t help the small, yes! that slips out. Then I gasp loudly. His house was huge. Everything was in black, white or gray. The staircase spilled into the living room, art pieces filled the space in a way that told yo
“How do I mourn what never lived?”The song’s singer must have followed me the entirety of last week, since that was how I felt. I had known him for a total of three days. And it took me three seconds to drown in his eyes, and even less to get me hooked. His rough hands as he peeled my clothes off. The heat of his mouth as he captured my mouth in his. His soft groans as he ordered me to touch him. The feel of him against my hands. I groan out loud. The memories had stirred something down there. I had never felt like this for anybody. My body naturally responded to the curve of his, when we laid in bed together, His large arms around me, we… fit. “This never happened.”It did. My body that shook from thoughts of him reminded me. “Forget me.”How could I possibly? It was the best three days of my life. I was able to be myself for those three days. He laughed at my jokes, completed some of them. He watched me like I was the best thing that ever happened to earth. He listened to
“What do you mean? There must be hundreds of people working here, and you haven’t even checked.” I felt myself get defensive, my voice raising. The receptionist whose name tag read, Elsie, looked right and left nervously, as if looking for help from somewhere.“I have worked here for years, I know the names of everyone, and if you booked an appointment, it must be with a senior executive, none of them have the name Downing.” She licked her lower lip as she explained calmly, as if trying her best not to spook me. Now it was my turn to sweat. It was Shepherd’s Construction, I read all about how it was family owned, which meant the senior executives like she said would be Shepherd’s. “Asides the executives, no Downing at all?” My voice had gotten quieter, the top of my ears felt hot. He had made a comment about my impatience, that small smile accompanying it as his eyes followed me across the room. Elsie looked relieved that she wouldn’t be calling security, and she shook her head.“N
“I saw the money you forgot.” I say quickly, giving him no room to argue with me.The room had been void of his things the next morning, but bundles of money stacked on top of the table, which I brought with me, remained. I wondered why the money was left behind, nothing else, just the money, everything else methodically wiped. He exhaled sharply, giving up the idea of pretending not to know me,“I didn’t forget it, it was for your time.”I had hoped that wasn’t it. I felt insulted, I enjoyed myself, I wasn’t someone who was selling his body for money, I wanted it. Still, I took a deep breath, it was part of my promise to myself, to do anything and everything in my power to be by his side. It was the first time I wanted something for myself, someone for myself. “I assumed, I took all of it, you can’t dream about taking a cent from it.”He stared at me in a way that said he didn’t want it back.“Good, because it was too much. I didn’t do anything for that much money. I wasn’t even
“No. No, you cannot do that. There's still time to cancel your application.” He was affected by what I told him, but he was proving to be difficult. He held on to the steering wheel, probably trying to ground himself so he doesn't reach out and touch me. “I told you already, I plan to disobey every single one of your rules.”“Alec... You don't want to play this game with me.” His voice was lower, had even more vibration beneath it. Inside of my pants, I was hard, really hard. If he touched any part of my body right now, I might explode. “Really? Because it seems like it is you who should not play this game with me.” I refute sharply. We were dancing to a new tune, it was never like this between us. And now I was openly daring him. And he liked that I was daring him. “You have gotten a lot bolder little good Alec.”He said with raised brow. He used the nickname, a score for me. “I was raised well.” I say, referring to him. He wanted me to say whatever I wanted, if it had consequen
With a suppressed huff, I stare at the last of many messages I had sent since last night. A total of ten messages, all of them desperate, begging; just he way he liked it. And all of them went unanswered, he read all of them, pointedly ignoring them. I barely slept last night, and this morning, I almost slept through my alarm. To say I am having a rough morning is a gross understatement. I got to the venue with just a minute to spare, Cait gave me a suspicious glance, with no time to reprimand me, she nods in my direction. When they call my name, I steal a glance at the phone again, expecting and hoping for a response from him, but all I see is my last message, “At least tell me where you are.”He read it, to his credit, he read it few minutes after I sent it.“Mr. Sanchez?” The lady calling the names called out impatiently, no time for one more text, I hurry inside the room. For the first time in a while, I was actually nervous about the interview, the fear of failing and then
He moved to shut the door in my face. I hurriedly raise my hands up to eye level, showing him my peace treaty, or treats.“I come bearing presents.”I try and fail not to look at his bulging arms, or the way they glistened, like he had been working up a sweat before I came. Maybe that was why he took so much time in opening the door. He eyes my treaty, I packed it myself. Inside the box contained three mystery novels, two romance ones, a container of cookie and cream, and lastly, a movie I rented for us to see together, it was one of his favorite tear jerker novels made into a film. “Remember Bluebird?”“It might not be so good.” He says but he was taking my offering, I suppress the urge to jump, and settle for a smile instead, and when he let me through the door, I can’t help the small, yes! that slips out. Then I gasp loudly. His house was huge. Everything was in black, white or gray. The staircase spilled into the living room, art pieces filled the space in a way that told yo
Grandma was always particularly in love with her daughter, she never tried to hide it. In the way she would light up during their very rare calls, she never asked to speak with me and grandma never offered, because what if that made her stop calling? It also showed when she allowed her to change her name twice, even when she changed it to a nickname and not the full form, Danny, grandma let her. She was originally named after grandma’s mother, so it must have been at least painful for grandma, but she still did it. When I found out I was given the name Alec without any thought or story behind it, I asked to change my name, and grandma forbade it, strictly. I kept quiet about the different name change documents I had seen when she was out for work, and kept the name. Grandma buzzed with energy and even allowed me choose what to eat for a few days after their call, she beamed, and never fought with any of our neighbors, so maybe in a way, I also benefited from the call. Thinking abo
“I can’t believe I am saying this again, and to someone in a different generation. Stay away from the Shepherds.” Lady Rockbell sighs the second I enter her garden.I wonder what about me screams sexually frustrated, mentally drained, stayed up all night waiting for someone who out rightly told me he was putting an end to our late night rendezvous. Yesterday afternoon, I had followed him everywhere, but the roles were reversed, he made sure we were never alone together, he was always with the constructors, outside when I was inside, and inside when I was out, I ended up looking like a toddler waddling after his parent. He even made me go with another construction worker who smelled like sweat and smoked inside his truck, down to pick up materials, by the time we got back, he was gone. Coward.I knew he wasn’t coming back anytime soon, still I stayed, doodling on my sketchpad, helping out where I could, and finally I went home, hoping, wishing he had been joking, I waited all nig
Something inside me is set free after he uttered those words. I hope out out of the car by myself, even as he took my wrist and pulled me after him, my entire body buzzed with nervous excitement. There’s a little bounce in my steps as I walk, I had thought about this moment for a long time, right after he left, and every time he was around me. Back at Saltwater he always made sure to touch me, squeeze my ass, even in public, it made me feel good, wanted, but since I arrived here, he has been civil towards me, I haven’t complained out loud but it made me worry. The house is scattered with workers, people who had already started to work on both our ideas, a cacophony of different sounds fill the air. A few of the workers greet him as we pass, he greets them too, but doesn’t pause. He was heading straight for the back of the house. The back of the house was a work in progress, his work was still in progress, that meant there was no reason for a worker to be out here, unless they were
As if Lady Rockbell had summoned him when she said his name, I see him first since I am facing the entrance. Lady Rockbell gives me a look that I read as keep your mouth shut and we’ll continue this later. I nod as subtly as I can. “Christopher, are you lost?” She asked as he came to stop by her chair, one hand in his pocket and the other resting on the back of her chair. He keeps his eyes on her but somehow I felt like he was watching me. Why did I react so stronger to this man? What about him made me feel so alive and wide eyed every time? Everything. The answer is quiet at the back of my mind, like a whisper of the truth I have always known.“I came to pick up what belongs to me.”My breath hitches, my eyes on his face, he still doesn’t look at me, no acknowledgement of any kind. I force my eyes to remain on the upper part of his face, if I looked any lower than his nose bridge and I would turn into a tomato. “There’s nothing of that sort here.”“Your time with him is up, old w
I was awake way before my alarm rang, I laid awake unblinking. He had been considerate enough to leave the night lights on as he slipped away. I wonder how he knew I liked to sleep with the night light on. I amazed myself with the thoughts I have right now, i am supposed to hate him, he slipped out whilst I slept, and not the first time either too. “I am inclined to think this is how you look every day.” Lady Rockbell says when I walk into the garden. She is dressed similarly to yesterday’s outfit, and this time there is a desk section among the rows of strawberries. “Couldn’t sleep last night.” I sigh, taking my place at the desk. This time my coffee is in a large flask I carried from my apartment.“Is that an architect thing?” She asks, her hands busy, she doesn’t look at me.I remember what she told Christopher about the similarities between my drawings and his mother’s. The way I paced myself was to not do an internet search about him, I wanted to know him from him, however,
His words leave me gasping for air. He wants me… he wants me… like present tense, like I want him, like I have always wanted him from the second I saw him.“Not Wes?” The words force their way out of my mouth, the need to know that he isn’t using me was far too great to ignore. His mouth graze my earlobe, my body trembled at his touch, I try to keep my eyes open, hear the truth from him, but my body had already fallen under his spell, my limbs were not my own any longer. He drops a line of kisses along my neckline, my nails dig into the skin on his forearms as I hold on to him tighter, I try not to pinch him, he must like the pain because he brings his mouth over mine, claiming it in the softest of kisses. I moan into his mouth, melting against his body as fireworks exploded behind my eyelids. His kiss is warm and soft, he gently caresses my lips, taking his time. His hands cup my head, pulling me even closer to himself. My toes curl as his tongue teases me, licking my lower lip
There’s a knock on the door, I don’t wonder who it could be. Even before opening the door to reveal him standing at the front of it like he didn’t know the pass-code. Looking down at his full hands, I understand why he had to knock. I try to help him with the groceries, but wordlessly, he slipped through the door, I stare out into the inky night for a few seconds before turning around and shutting the door. The entire day I meticulously avoided him, made sure we were never alone together, not just because I was mad at him, but because I was scared I would forget he wasn’t mine, and bend to his every command. Yet the house was clean, the candles were lit in the kitchen, and I haven’t eaten all day, because I knew he would come, maybe I hoped he would come. “Lady Rockbell said you showed her my drawing.” I say before he could ask why I set out the plates even before he said he was coming.He pauses his movements, letting the apron hang in the air for a few seconds before the materia
Gunther’s call comes through the second Lady Rockbell’s driver pulls into the cafe’s parking lot. Not the call or the brother I wanted to hear from, I think about letting it ring till the end, pretend to be busy, but he might call Lady Rockbell, so I swipe accept. “Sanchez. How was the meeting?” He sounded like he was barely restraining himself, his little excited huffs are carried through the speakers.“It went great, she made me do a sample sketch for her.” I say sparing the details, the confidentiality clause binding me.“Did she uh like it?”I could tell he was nervous, this project was really important to him then, the thought that his team might not be doing so well financially crosses my mind, but I shake it off immediately, it couldn’t be. “She said I should return tomorrow, nothing else.”He must have muffled the speakers to do a little celebration of some sort, because I don’t hear from him for a while. I slide into my car and I am immediately hit with the thoughts of h