Burned Gasoline (16 page)

              “And
then
I’ll fuck you.”

              “Holy crap.”

              “Holy crap good, or holy crap bad?”

              “Good.” She whispered before he stole a kiss from her lips. That Christmas night had been the best she’d ever experienced, in more than one way.

*              *              *

              On Christmas day they’d made their way together over to see Jefferson’s mom, who decided she had to stay in bed all day making sure she could see the road outside the window and not miss the school bus bringing young Jefferson home.

              “Mrs. Daily?” Raylyn sat down next to her bedside. “Would you like to come and eat something with us in the kitchen?”

              “I can’t, darling. Jefferson might be home any minute now and if I don’t call for him to come inside he’ll just run away to play with Wayne and forget about his homework. Homework is very important. You must know that, working as a nurse taking care of the little baby and everything?”

              Jefferson stood in the doorway, watching the two of them talk. “That’s very true, Mrs. Daily. I was just hoping you’d like to taste some of the food on the table out there, we made it special for you.”

              “Who did?”

              “Um… I mean
I
made you a glazed ham and green bean casserole, perhaps you could just have a little taste before the school bus comes, what do you think?” She looked back over her shoulder and gave Jefferson the faintest of smiles, but felt a jolt of electricity shot through every part of her body when he quickly mouthed ‘
I love you’
before he turned and walked back into the kitchen.

              “What time is it, dear?”

              “It’s only 12:30 in the afternoon, Mrs. Daily.”

              “Oh, goodness! Jefferson won’t be home until after three, I better eat something before I starve to death.” The little woman then quickly threw off the blanket from her legs, slid her feet into her soft slippers by the bedside, and strode out of the bedroom towards the kitchen.

              Jefferson hadn’t seen his mother eat to this extent for almost ten years, not since his father died, and she became ill. He’d tried so hard over the years to make every holiday an important special, not knowing which one might be her last, or if she’d even notice that it actually was a special event. But again, he couldn’t take her eyes of her at first, until Raylyn put a hand on his shoulder and brought him back to reality.

              “Are you okay?”

              “Yeah.”

              “You’re very quiet.”

              “I know. It’s just… I think you didn’t only bring me back to life, and think you brought my mom back as well.” He pointed silently with his large hand at the speed at which the food was disappearing from her plate.

              “I’m glad she likes it. Don’t you want to eat too?”

              “I will. Just want to look at her for a moment. Remember this. Honestly, Raylyn, I think this might be her last Christmas. You’ve made it very special, as if we all knew you would come into our lives and complete the circle.”

              Suddenly her eyes seemed to water too fast and the face of his mother blurred slightly until her hand came up to stop the tears from leaving her eyes.

              “Don’t cry, sweetie.” His arms felt strong and warm around her, and she let herself relax right into them. “It’s all good. And look… mom has finished everything on her plate. You did fantastic.”

              She turned around slowly, Jefferson’s arms still around her, holding her tight.

              “Thanks, dear. I didn’t realize how starving I was until I actually sat down. I better be off, Jeff’s school bus might show up any second now.” With small shuffling feet she made her way into the bedroom once more and crawled into bed. It wasn’t before long until they heard a slight snoring, and decided they’d done well, and made their way to the couch facing the open fire place, ready to open a bottle of wine and simply enjoy the piece and quite of house, and of the holiday.

Chapter Twenty

              “I can’t believe it’s already been over four months of us dating. Soon it will be five. Wow!”

              “I truly hope you’re meaning that in the best of ways.”

              “Of course I do, I’ve loved everything about these past months… well, except for a few things, minor hiccups, but I think we’re doing well. Don’t you?”

              “I’ve loved every minute of knowing you, Raylyn.” He mumbled and kissed the side of her face, holding her close into his chest under the always so soft comforter covering her bed.

              “Even when Chris came to visit? That was a bad day.”

              “I could’ve handled it better. He just wouldn’t shut up about what a looser I was, how he started to regret cheating on you and losing Nova, and then he just changed his mind in the middle of the sentence… and said… oh, never mind.”

              “What? Jeff, what? What did he say?” She’d moved herself away from him to stare him straight in the face.”

              “Well…”

              “Well, what? Come on!”
              “He said he didn’t miss being a father… and that it was a mistake getting you pregnant. So, I punched him, hard. I’m sorry.”

              “Wow, I knew he was an asshole, but somehow I thought he miiiight come around and grow up in the process, but…. just wow! I’m glad you punched him. If you hadn’t, I would’ve.”

              “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you until now… I just didn’t think you needed to hear that, if I should be completely honest.”

              “Um, I probably could’ve have done without it, but at the same time it’s good to hear what actually stirs and brews in that mental mind of his.”

              “I’m sorry.”

              “Nah, don’t worry. I have sole custody; I really don’t have an idea of why he was even here. Guessing he wanted to save his reputation back home, and bring home the estranged wife, smiling for the world, waving, holding hands. Oh, I don’t think so.” She tucked herself underneath the covers again, just to have one of Jefferson’s arms confine her and pull her close to his chest once more.

              “So, I was thinking.” His voice so close to her ear she could feel a few lose strands of hair tickle her skin when he spoke. “Want to try out some of the toys I gave you for Christmas?”

              She froze, but conveyed a smile. “I’m intimidated.” She whispered. “They’re not like the once I’ve ever used.”

              “I could be fun, though. Why don’t we just pick one of the toys and play it by ear?”

              “Alright, I guess…”

              “Hey, let’s play with this together. Not
you
doing it for me just because you want to impress me, okay?”

              “You’ve been with so many more partners than I have. I want to be as good as them. What if you think I’m boring?”

              “First of all,
yes
, I’ve probably been with more women than I should; secondly, I’ve never done this with anyone else. Sure, I’ve been married, but this was not on the menu. This is just dream stuff for me. You’re my dream girl, and these are things that sometimes happen in those dreams with you.”

              “You dream of me?”

              “Um, yeah. You’ve kept my mind, and other parts of my body, very busy since the first day you caught me looking into your car outside of Harold’s.”

              “Oh, cool!” She giggled but got interrupted when he suddenly rolled on top of her and silence her laugh with his lips.

              “I love how heavy you are on top of me. I love how you hold me in place, and make me sink into the mattress like this.”

              “So what you’re saying is that you like to be held in place, am I right?”

              “Yes, by you.”

              “Oh, we can fix that easily, sweetie.” He kissed her again and grabbed a solid hold around her wrists. “These can go up here, and you’d have to beg me to make you come. I think we’ll start here tonight and see how far we go.”

              “You’ll have to fight me first.” She giggled once more, and with full force tried to wiggle her hands away from his, without any success, until she ran her tongue at the ridge of his ear, halting his every move.

              “Fuck…” He whispered softly into her shoulder, as she once again touched the lobe with her tongue, flicking it with her spry tongue.

              As her tongue made it down his cheek he met it with his; tasted it, sucked it, encircled it with his lips, until their mouth completely consumed each other. The kiss was ravaging, destroying any attempt to softness between them. As hands clamped to each other, fingers entwined, and the vigorous movement of bodies tossed both pillows and blankets down onto the floor there was only one single thing missing between them. He needed to be inside her, now.

              Spreading her legs with his knee, having her throw one of them over his shoulder, he extricated his hands from hers to sink them fingers into the unruly curls on her head, before he buried himself deep and hard inside her, releasing a sudden cry of pure pleasure from the woman smother underneath him. As his relentless thrusts shock the bed, Raylyn’s cries became louder and louder until his hand nestled between their bodies and pinched her clit. She went quiet then, and her body bent up and into his, while her fingernails carved runes into the skin of his shoulders. He felt her tighten inside, and held her there, pinched her hard, until the shivers transferring from inside of her made their way down her legs and away from her body.

              “Breathe, baby.” He whispered, and as on demand the lungs inside her chest came to life and gulp after gulp of air entered them again until her arched back relaxed back down onto the mattress.

              Slowly tears ran down the corner of her eyes, and she met his, but she had no words. No words could explain what she had just felt inside.

              “I know.” He said low, and released his hand between her legs and laid her leg back down. Straightening her out. Kissing her lips, whipping those tears away. Then slowly, oh so slowly, he started rocking inside her. So wet, so slippery, so wonderful.

              “I… I…” The stutter coming out of mouth was almost incoherent. She simply didn’t know what to say.

              “Sssh. Relax, just feel.” He kissed her again, softly this time, and her mouth met his as she encircled him with his arms. Slowly they rocked, moved as one, slowly her tears started trickle again.

              “I’m sorry.” She mumbled onto his lips. “I don’t know why.” He only met her words with a smile and kept on kissing her, until…

              “Thump.”

They both stopped.

              “What was that?” She mumbled, and tried the tears going down her face with one of her hands.

              “I… don’t know.” He answered, and slowly rocked inside her again, bending down for another kiss.

              “Crash!”

              “Get off! Get off! That was definitely something.” Abruptly she pushed him away from her body and ran towards the robe on the door hanger.

              “Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!” Jefferson, caught her arm, and stopped her hand opening the bedroom door.

              “Now, try to be quiet. We don’t know what it is, yet. Let me look first. You stay here. Don’t move.” He motioned for to stay put and threw on his t-shirt and jeans.

              “Just, be careful.”

              “I will.” He whispered, and held his finger in front of his lips hushing her.

              The upstairs hallway laid dark and quiet, as did the rest of the house. As he took a few more quiet steps on the rug covering the walkway, he tried to peek down the stairway to the bottom floor, but didn’t see anyone moving around or anything that had fallen out of place enough to make the sudden crash.

              With a few more steps he was at Nova’s door. Still closed, the way they’re left it before going to bed. As he slowly turned the knob, it clicked slightly, before he pushed it gently inside. As the door opened he noticed the shattered glass across the floor, a black and white picture of ultrasound picture of Nova torn in half, and suddenly a woman standing with Nova is her arms came into focus.

Chapter Twenty-One

              “My God you two are loud! No wonder I had to come in here and take care of my baby.”

              “Who are you?! You… you need to put down that baby right now before I call the police!”

              “Really? With the way you guys behave next door to a baby, I have all the right I want to be in here and take care of her… Oh, and I’m Sarah, by the way. Nice to finally meet you, Jefferson.”