The sounds of Carmen moaning and splashing about as she washed herself down, were music to Shane’s ears. He wore a crooked smile and not much else, as he hung back before joining her. Last thing she needed was for him to jump in and make waves, so he let her have her moment, washing the water through her hair, and slicking it back.
“Room for one more?’ He said in a smooth voice, before deciding to get in behind her, and ease himself down slowly. He let out a long and loud sigh, letting the tepid waters invigorate his skin. Nothing like a romantic bath after an all night that they had had. He reached for the soap, and scooted behind her, starting to rub the bar across her back in figure eights, before then setting the bar back up and massaging her back and shoulders. He hadn’t really said much since their mating, and now he felt that he could.
“You really need to thank Marissa. Fuck! She is still in my den. Ugh!” Sure enough, he had left her there, after she more or less set him straight about how to deal with his jealousy issues. “She has probably drunk all my brandy and shagged Jarvis stupid on my couch. Remind me to get that cleaned.”
This was steering away from romantic talk, and he quickly tried to peel the thought of Marissa fucking Jarvis out of his mind.
“We’ve been through a lot, you and I…yet here we are, still strong as ever.” Was he realizing that what they had was truly special, cause if he hadn’t by now, something was wrong with him.
“You know you are special.” He said, slowly working his fingers into her shoulder blades. “Made me want to be a better man.”
<3>
Shane eased in behind her with a sigh of his own and she scooted back until she was sitting within easy reach between his legs. He took up a bar of soap and rubbed it across her back and shoulders to get a lather going before setting it aside. His capable hands began to massage and knead her shoulders and back causing her to drop her head and moan.
“You really need to thank Marissa.” he began before he colored the air with swear words and a rant that he’d left the demon woman in his den and was probably shagging Jarvis into the upholstry..
“Why do I need to thank her?” Carmen wondered. Then it came to her. It was probably her that got Shane to see reason. She would get her a gift later on, maybe a night with all the male blood dolls in the coven. She would love that.
Shane continued massaging her muscles and continued his thoughts. “We’ve been through a lot, you and I…yet here we are, still strong as ever…Made me want to be a better man.”
She turned her head to look at him, placing her hand on his leg beside her and rubbing gently. “You’ve always been a better man. Because of you, I’ve become a better woman. I’ve no more doubts…no more fears. Here, by your side, is where I was destined to be. I’ve no idea why I fought it for so long…but I have stopped fighting it. You are a part of me now. Nothing, no one, including me, is going to change that.” She took one of his hands that had been massaging her shoulders and kissed his knuckles before she presented her back to him once more. “Do continue.” she chuckled, telling him in not so many words to continue his pampering of her.
“Do continue” Carmen said in a husky voice, as she presented her back to Shane once more. Her skin glistening from the soapy water and the lights that reflected off her. “It would be a pleasure.” Shane replied, taking up where he left off, and worked his fingers around her shoulder blades, before trailing them down her spine and into the water. He chuckled softly and whispered to her. “I think you like being spoilt.” It was an observation and one that he was starting to believe. Carmen deserved nothing less, especially after everything they had been through. They still had a long way to go. The threat of Vincent returning hung in the air, and while Shane tried to dismiss any thought of that bastard, it did remain in the back of his mind.
But he was not about to bring it up now, for he thought that would ruin the mood. Time for talk on that would be later, after a good day’s rest and the following night, he would sit the family down.
Water trickled off his hands as he brought them back up to work Carmen’s upper back, then shoulders and neck.
“You know, I figured you would be a lot more tense, but seems you are quite relaxed. The bath was a good idea, though standing up in the shower with you has its perks.” He teased, kissing the back of her neck, before going back to massaging her back.
<3>
“Of course i would have no trouble lending you clothes to stay the night, Amelia.” Jason offered. Amelia had to wonder exactly where she would be sleeping if she did stay the night. In the back of her mind she thought to herself that he may like her more than he was letting on. She offered a smile and nodded, accepting his offer. “Only if its not too much trouble, Jason.”
Watching Jason retrieve the remote and turn the television back on, she eased herself back into the couch to get comfortable. The leather chair made some awkward squeaking sounds before she settled and Amelia blushed slightly. Jason was keen to have her enjoy the TV shows and offered to make popcorn. Hot buttered was always a favorite. “I’d love some. Thanks.”
Watching Jason head back into the kitchen again, she drew her feet up under her and picked up a cushion, cuddling it to herself as she waited for him to return with the popcorn. He brought out two bowls which he placed the popcorn into, and gave her one, which she held using her lap. Broke back mountain was the movie on now; one about the gay cowboys, and she had seen it before, but wasn’t about to say. It was a favorite of hers. Chewing on the popcorn Amelia looked to Jason, to see if he was watching the TV or her. But Jason excused himself, saying “Excuse me a moment Amelia.” He took off to the bathroom and closed the door.
Amelia was starting to see a pattern emerging. He simply couldn’t sit still. Was she making him nervous, and if so, why? He was this great war veteran and surely he had been with heaps of girls. Setting down the bowl of popcorn, she swung her legs back over the couch and stood up, deciding to confront him about this. Reaching the bathroom door, she knocked on it and asked;
“Are you alright, Jason? You’re missing the movie.”
<3>
At first, Amelia was simply stunned. Like a possum caught by the bright lights of a semi trailer on the number 51 highway. Did he just say…he loved her? That was so unexpected, that she forgot why she knocked on the door. Jason’s voice was so soft…so gentle, it was hard to believe a hardened war veteran could even talk like this.
His honesty was surprising, yet it started to make sense why he behaved like this around her. More nervous than a cat on a hot tin roof. The more he spoke, the more Amelia realized the extent of his feelings. At first she stepped back, trying to gather her own thoughts and try to say something in response that wouldn’t offend or upset him. Last thing she wanted to do was outright reject him. She appreciated the fact he was opening up to her about this. Saying his piece, he inched past her and back to the television, sitting himself down and raking his hands through his hair. They say actions speak louder than words, and in this case, it was telling a whole story. Amelia didn’t want to leave though, in fact she wanted to give him a chance.
Walking back over, she stood in front of him for a moment, before reaching out to stroke his cheek. “This is all so unexpected. I had no idea you felt this way towards me.” Amelia said, choosing her words carefully. How to react though was important, since she didn’t want to rush this. She eased herself onto his lap, and stared into his eyes for a time without speaking, then said;
“We have both lost those we love, and I know it took a great deal for you to tell me what you just did. All I ask is you, let what we have….just happen.”
This being said, she leaned in tentatively, and pressed her lips to his. Her eyes closed as she deepened the kiss, but how would he respond?
<3>
Jason blinked in surprise as he was half expecting Amelia to walk out and leave him alone here in his apartment before returning the kiss with a tender loving passion. As he kissed her back he would snake his arms around her waist and hold her as close as he dared to not wanting to ruin the mood. Jason would whisper softly against her lips almost huskily as he opened his eyes slowly. “I feel lucky like a four leaf clover darling now that i have you.” Jason would then gaze into her eyes contently before continuing his flirtations. “I’m under your spell as well darling and i wouldn’t dare break it for the world.” The war veteran would then nuzzle his face against her cheek contently or attempt to while holding her in his lap for the moment. He was inwardly pleased with himself as he kept Amelia cradled in his arms for the moment as Brokeback Mountain played in the background. It was clear that Jason now had something to live for and that was Amelia Reed. As they sat on the couch together he would offer a muted sigh of contentment whilst his eyes searched hers curiously. He then tore his eyes from Amelia’s to watch flick them over to the clock on the far wall only to note it was 11:30pm before returning his gaze back to Amelia’s own black hued gaze. If anything he was quite happy and content with Amelia and willing to take the time she wanted and needed to foster this relationship into full blossom.
Both Amelia and Jason opened their eyes at the same moment, pressing their foreheads together, while Jason said to her in a husky voice;
“I feel lucky like a four leaf clover darling now that i have you.”
Amelia let out a soft sigh, feeling like this was something of a whirlwind event. She wasn’t expecting it, nor did she press Jason for more than just a dinner date. But the kiss, that was something else. She felt the emotion as he wound his arms around her and pulled her into his embrace. Was this really happening? His quip about being lucky to have her had an Irish flavor to it, which she found endearing. Their eyes met as he continued to express his feelings for her;
“I’m under your spell as well darling and i wouldn’t dare break it for the world.”
A spell? Well, truth was she was in fact a witch, but she had not performed any magic tonight. It was all as nature had intended. Amelia continued to sit in his lap, while the movie went on behind them, though she wasn’t paying any attention to it now. Her focus was on Jason. His eyes tore away from hers momentarily to look at the clock on the wall, and she followed his gaze, to see that it was 11.30pm. Not totally late, but not early either.
Amelia made a promise that she would take it slow and steady, but when faced with the prospect of going to the next level, she got a heated sensation which was hard to ignore. She reached down to the edge of her tank top, and then pulled it up and over her head, revealing a red lace bra beneath. Her skin glowed from the reflection of the light of the television set, creating a bluish aura around her. Amelia dropped the tank top on the floor, her heart in her chest pounding.
The young witch didn’t feel she needed to say a word, for actions spoke louder. Slowly she reached around behind her and unclasped her bra, before letting the shoulder straps slide down her arms, as she remained on his lap. Would he do the rest, and remove it fully?
<3>
She chuckled as she listened to him speak. “Showering with you is one of the best memories I have of us together.” She nodded before falling silent. There was a comfortable silence between them as Shane worked over Carmen’s sore and tired body, his fingers working their magic on her aching limbs. An occasional moan would tease past her lips as he worked a particular knot from her muscles but other than that, a contentment settled over them. Vincent was a small memory in the back of her mind, but she quickly locked him out, not wanting to disturb the mood with thoughts of him.
Now that he had exposed his hand too soon, they were going to be a lot more vigilant of his moves and motives. It was clear now that he wanted Carmen for himself. Why? Carmen could only speculate that because she was Shane’s, he wanted to take her from him.
“Not going to happen.” she growled in her mind, imagining herself ripping Vincent’s shriveled heart from his dead body and stomping it into ash.
At that moment, she shrugged off Shane’s hands and turned to face him, sloshing water over the sides of the tub. She moved into his lap, the tub large enough to accommodate her lithe frame as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
“No matter what our future brings…you are my shining light in a sea of darkness and I will love you until the ends of time.” she whispered, staring him in his blue eyes.
