I should have known something was going on when I saw the porch light out. I’m not really certain what I thought at the time, perhaps the light had extinguished, or finally given up, whatever, but I had noticed the absence of light, or rather the resulting shadows that fell. The curtains were drawn over the large window, but I had done that before I left. I don’t like people watching everything that goes on and sometimes I think the woman across the street waits for me to come home.

I pulled into the garage, hearing every echo of sound, every noise generated by the garage door closing. Light illuminated the room and I walked towards the steps leading into my house. I was tired, and I had spent hours at the office when I had sworn to take a break from it. The door opened before I put my hand to it.

N was there to greet me.

I’d like to say I noticed the smile first, but my eyes were drawn to the white fabric she had tied around her hips, her breasts. My mouth fell open. She seemed to be almost glowing. Her skin appeared that much deeper, more golden against the white sheerness of the fabric. I could make out the shadow of her sex through the skirt she had fastened of….scarves?

My eyes dragged up her body and I stared at her, watching her smile deepen. ‘I’m glad you approve, D.’

I dropped my duffel bag on the floor and heard it fall down the steps back into the garage. I reached for her, making some incoherent mumbling noise. She stepped away from me and turned back, walking down the hallway to the kitchen. ‘Hungry?’

I laughed briefly at her question, studying the way the bow above her ass swished when she walked away. My fingers itched to untie it. ‘Hell yes I am.’

She glanced back over her shoulder and I saw that pleased smile on her mouth again. I was reminded just how much power she had over me. A siren. I was drawn to her like a moth to the flame. ‘How was your day?’

I was trying to determine if those were her nipples I saw through the top when she turned back around. I stopped at the bar and leaned against it, crossing my arms over my chest. I stared a little more and watched a shadow form as the fabric shifted. Oh yes, those where her….’Dae?’

I looked up, refocusing my eyes. ‘Mm?’

‘How was your day?’ She asked, taking two wine glasses down from the hanging rack. I caught a slight glimpse of her breast when she reached for them and my mouth watered. I swallowed and realized that my mouth was actually salivating. I smirked and leveled a look at her as she poured me a glass of wine - merlot, a Longoria wine.

‘Gets better by the minute.’

She moistened her lips and walked closer to me to hand me the glass. My hands brushed hers as I took the glass. ‘Thank you, pet.’

She lifted her glass and regarded me for a moment above the rim before taking a sip. I did the same. Silence fell as I placed the glass on the countertop. She said nothing, a single finger playing with the rim of her glass as she stared into its contents. I hit a button on the wall and the kitchen light slowly dimmed until only a barest trace of a path was visible. She lifted her eyes and looked at me and I offered my hand.

She started to place the glass next to mine and I shook my head. ‘Bring it.’

She walked before me and I wrapped my arms around her waist from behind, my lips brushing the line of her neck. Her hair was up, I just noticed that. She leaned back against me and we walked like that into the den, shuffling bit by bit. I felt and then saw the goose bumps that ran across her skin when my palm caressed her stomach, bare until just above her mound where the white made the ill attempt to hide her from me.

I pulled the wine glass from her fingers and took a sip before placing it on the table. She turned around and looked at me, her bottom resting on the back of the sofa. We stared at each other. I could hear her breathing, I’m certain she could hear mine. I leaned in, her eyes closed - her lashes formed fans of ebony against her cheek. My mouth hovers above hers, I can feel the cool exhale of her breath. ‘You look beautiful tonight.’

She reached for me, her fingers sliding around my neck, curling into my shirt. Her lips parted and she whispered softly, ‘You always know what to say to me.’ Her eyes opened suddenly and I met her gaze. I felt her grip tighten until the fabric was pulled tightly across my shoulders. Her eyes were glazed, brimming, swimming in a sea of tears that haven’t yet fallen. ‘I love you. Fuck, I love you.’

My brows knitted as she closed her eyes and I watched streams streak down her cheeks. My hand brushed one of them away. ‘This makes you cry?’

She shook her head and forced a smile, keeping her eyes closed for a long moment. I watched her blink rapidly and when she looked at me again, whatever that sadness was seemed to have passed. I studied her, my thumb still resting on her cheek, my hand cupping the side of her face. She pressed her face into my hand. I moved closer and stole a kiss from her lips.

I felt them part under my touch and growled into her mouth. My fingers sank into her hair and gripped the dark strands, wound them around my fingers until I couldn’t move my hand without moving her as well. My teeth tore at her bottom lip, but didn’t break the tender skin there, just pulled upon it until I felt her lean into me.

My free hand ran over the white fabric covering her breasts, felt the hard points of her nipples pushing against my palm as I learned the mechanics of it in the dark room. My touch slid around to the back and I smiled into our kiss when I felt the knot - secure, tightly held, fiercely clinging to her skin and itself. I knew I would have to tear it off of her.

What a game she had begun…

(To be continued)