Breaking Spades

by W. Ferraro

  “Just convenient, every time there was a delivery she was never there, or didn’t return. I’m not saying she is specifically sending the flowers, but something just isn’t adding up. It’d be good to keep that in mind until we have more information.”

  Kelleigh? But he had a point. Suddenly CeCe felt cold. She vigorously rubbed her hands over her arms, but it didn’t seem to help.

  “Do you need some help warming up?” Jarod asked, his eyes explaining the true intent of his words. They grazed over her, from head to toe, before resting on her lips.

  Suddenly, the bra wasn’t enough of a shield; she felt she needed full body armor.

  “Visit’s over,” she croaked, as he slowly walked toward her, stopping when he was right in front of her, looking at her upturned face. She bit her lip, not knowing why.

  “I’ll go when you ask me to,” he whispered, pulling the pin from her hair, letting it tumble downward. “But you need to say the words aloud.”

  “You will?”

  “I will,” he leaned down and kissed the spot right below her ear.

  Leave. Get out. Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out. All these terms where stuck between her brain and her mouth, but never came out. Instead, she found herself tilting her head, giving him better access.

  His mouth began to move lower, and using his nose, he moved the silk cord out of his way, dipping his tongue into the circle that rested between her collarbones, before traveling up to kiss her other ear.

  Somehow, her hands lifted of their own accord, resting on his broad strong shoulders. Letting his lips leave her skin, he nuzzled her jaw, inhaling her scent, enticing the most erotic feelings to swell inside her.

  Jarod leaned down, placing his strong hands behind each of her thighs, lifting her so her legs wrapped around his waist. He carried her to the couch, turning to sit with her straddling his lap. Her shirt and bra were gone a moment later. His face buried in her breasts, CeCe threw back her head, reveling in the amazing feeling of his touch her as he worshipped her.

  His fingers gently rubbed her erect nipples, weighing the heaviness of her tits, as he brought one to his mouth and lavished the nipple with as much attention as a newborn baby would, while his thumb and forefinger rubbed over her other one bringing it to full erection.

  Unable to remain still, CeCe found herself rotating her hips into the bulge pressed between her thighs. Anxious to have his tongue inside her mouth, she cupped his face and raised his mouth to hers. Their lips and tongues swirled around, taking all and leaving nothing.

  His hands roamed down to her waist, around to her heart shaped ass where he kneaded and gripped as if it was a lifeline. With each squeeze of his palm, CeCe’s arousal grew. With ungraceful moves and less than seductive stretches, she was quickly rid of her pants. Fully bared to him and ready to cross the line again, she shut off her brain.

  They broke apart long enough to pull his shirt up and over his head and wiggled himself out of his jeans. She found it convenient he was going commando, one less item of clothing to remove. When they were both finally nude, he stopped her kiss.

  “Something wrong?”

  “Never.”

  “Then why did you stop?”

  “I’m just taking in the moment that reminds me why I open my eyes every morning.”

  Before she could process his words, or understand their heaviness, he brought her mouth back to his. His tongue swept in and took everything he wanted and all that she wanted to give him.

  With his hands behind her thighs, he opened her as wide as she could go, slowly entering her until he was buried to the hilt and she was stretched to the max, and he touched her womb and they both felt it; the moment of absolute penetration, of a complete union. Then with gazes locked she began to move. Rotating her hips slowly at first, then increasing speed and tempo. Using the strength of her thighs she rose up in synch with her rotations, as he continued to thrust. With amazing strength and complete trust, CeCe began to lean back ever so slightly, changing the angle of penetration just enough to reach the sweet spot. He held her with his own powerful thighs, lengthening his strokes and increasing the speed. Soon the frenzy of their thrusts had them both at the brink of oblivion, and Jarod chose that moment to drop his hand to her clit and with just one caress of the engorged tissue, she tilted over the edge, crying out in ecstasy. Her orgasm went on and on and was like nothing she ever felt before. He followed right behind her, emptying himself into her vibrating body. His teeth clenched it agonizing pain as the amazing climax overtook them both.

  Both covered in sweat and fluids, Jarod pulled CeCe up, tucking her into his chest as they both heaved from the exertion. He recovered first. With gentle strokes, he brushed her sticking hair away from her temples and asked the one question she didn’t want to be asked.

  “Why didn’t you ask me to leave?”

  She searched his face, as if the answer to his question would appear there. Finally, without a reason or word, she pushed herself to her feet, and he willing let her pull away from him. Offering no explanation, she went to her bedroom, closing the door on their tryst, as well as his question.

  The flow was off at the store was over the next few days. Whether it was coincidental, or because Jarod had placed the seed of doubt in CeCe’s head, she was edgy about Kelleigh calling out three days straight. Being down an employee meant long days for CeCe, it also gave her an excuse to put off an official date night with Derrick.

  When she did call him, the morning after her inability to keep Jarod at arm’s length, he was thrilled to hear from her as if no time had gone by, and things hadn’t been strained between them. Derrick was elated she wanted to reschedule their date, and was beyond excited when she hinted at potentially taking their relationship to another level. She would generally steer clear of bringing up such a topic over the phone, but suddenly the matter seemed very important.

  Jarod remained around, but with the long hours at CeCe’s, chitchat was at a minimum and she decided she would no longer be answering any unexpected or late night knocks on her apartment door. However, whenever she was in the front of the store, all she needed to do was look out to the parking lot and there was his pick up and those aviator glasses looking at her.

  The fingerprint seemed to be a dead end as well. Max said it was a good print, but as of yet they hadn’t had any luck getting a hit on it. To everyone’s surprise, Max actually reached out to Jarod for assistance on it. With Jarod’s connections, he was having a friend run the print through federal channels, but nothing came back yet, or so Max told her, since she refused to speak with Jarod.

  “Ugh, is it time to go yet?” Kimmie whined. She was grating on CeCe’s last nerve, to the point CeCe was tempted to run the store by herself rather than endure another complaint. “It’s too hot to work, I should be at the beach rather than here.”

  That’s it! Limit reached. There hadn’t been a customer in a couple of hours, and it would be closing time in another hour.

  “Kimmie, time to go! In fact, it will be light the next couple of days, and I’m sure Kelleigh will be back tomorrow, so why don’t you come back the beginning of next week.” CeCe’s face hurt from the phony smile, but whatever, she just needed her gone.

  “Like, oh my, God CeCe, you are the best boss ever!” Within two minutes Kimmie was out the door and in her Volkswagen convertible. Good riddance. Time to rethink her employee choices.

  CeCe walked to the back room and grabbed a bottled water to bring out on the floor with her; when she returned, she wasn’t alone.

  “Malcolm! How are you?” She was so thrilled to see him. She had been berating herself for not going over to say hello, but with everything going on she just hadn’t gotten over to the smoke shop.

  “Oh you know me, getting along. How are things with my favorite business neighbor?”

  “If we could have some more customers, I’d be a lot better, but other than that, all is good.”

  “Still having problems wit
h how a man is supposed to deliver flowers?”

  “They just don’t make them smooth like you anymore. Sylvia is a lucky lady.” CeCe watched as the older gentleman smiled at reference of his wife, who he’s be married to for fifty-seven years.

  “Still such a sweet talker, you are, Cecille. You let me know if you need anything, okay?” Malcolm said.

  “I sure will. Thanks, Malcolm, for checking on me.”

  “Anytime,” the elder man made his way to the door and when he opened it, a flower deliver man greeted him. Malcolm held the door open for the man, but came back in with him.

  CeCe watched as the man came towards her carrying the long white box with a red ribbon wrapped around it.

  Within a moment, Jarod was in the store and had the young deliveryman cornered.

  “Who sent you?” he barked, as Malcolm walked to CeCe’s side and they watched Jarod intimidate the trespasser.

  “Uh…my boss.” The terrified delivery guy answered.

  Jarod took the box, untied the ribbon, and removed the lid and found two dozen long-stemmed white roses lying pristinely in the box. However, there was a note attached to this one.

  CeCe watched him open it and read it before grabbing his cell phone and placing a call.

  Malcolm kept his hand on her waist, holding her still.

  While Jarod spoke into the phone, he handed the computer written note to CeCe. With Malcolm’s hand around her shoulder she read the words

  It’s almost time, CeCe.

  Fear shot down her spine at the sinister sentence. Her eyes connected with Jarod’s, and she suddenly wanted to launch herself at him.

  Jarod questioned the delivery guy for a few more minutes, making multiple phone calls. Soon Max and a couple uniforms were there taking the card, flowers, and box in for evidence.”

  Malcolm remained with her, even though she insisted multiple times for him to go.

  “Really, Malcolm, I’m okay.”

  “I’ll leave when I know you are alright, and not a minute before.” Malcolm answered without even looking at CeCe.

  Jarod and Max chose that moment to fill CeCe in.

  “The delivery guy is clean, we’ve confirmed he works for Flower Depot out of Burlington. They received an online express order a few hours ago. Apparently, the Flower Depot will an accept order and deliver it the same day, up until eight PM. My guys are chasing the IP address and credit card used for the order in hopes of finding this guy.” Max explained.

  Jarod didn’t say anything, he just watched her like a hawk. CeCe pulled her eyes away from Jarod, turning her attention to Max, “And the note? What does that mean? Almost time for what?”

  Max didn’t say anything at first but his dark eyes spoke volumes, “We don’t know, but we have to assume it isn’t anything good. He has gone out of his way to be anonymous. This note indicates he’s preparing to reveal his identity.”

  “Great! So I just get to keep on waiting? The suspense is killing me,” the last part was spoken sarcastically, but it was beginning to be too much.

  Malcolm and Max jumped to placate her with words of encouragement and reassurances, but when she went to look to the blue eyes she knew would be straight with her, he wasn’t there. She turned her head slightly and saw he had left the store and was walking towards his truck.

  You probably deserve that, Cees!

  His abandonment hurt. CeCe closed her eyes and shook her head, walking away from Malcolm and Max. She paced to the office and back multiple times. Suddenly she heard Jarod call out to Max.

  “You might want to have your guys run this, too.”

  CeCe turned to look toward the door and was snared in a blue gaze. When their eyes connected calmness came over her.

  He didn’t leave.

  She watched as he returned his attention to Max.

  “This was tucked under my windshield.” Jarod handed the note to Max.

  Keep your eyes on the prize, not the girl.

  Max read the words aloud. CeCe’s breath caught and all three sets of eyes raced to hers.

  Malcolm insisted he would stay with CeCe, as Max and Jarod went to look at the video feed of the parking lot. When they returned, she wasn’t surprised they didn’t have much to go on. All they were able to tell was a young kid leaving the note when Jarod was distracted. Max had his uniforms patrolling, looking for the kid to question, but neither of them expected much to come of it. They both assumed he was paid anonymously to leave the note.

  By the time Max and Malcolm had left, CeCe had no desire to be at the store, or go to her apartment.

  Jarod was on a ladder checking the locks and security feed within the store when she emerged from the back room in ripped jeans, and a metallic silver, drape-front tank with a plunging back. He didn’t even look in her direction when she came out.

  “Look, Gates, I know you see me.”

  “I do.” He continued to focus on the ceiling tile, trying to get to the security camera that was mounted inside of it.

  “I’m going to get drunk, do you want to come?”

  “That’s an open ended question,” he responded, now using the side of his fist to get the camera mount to disconnect, still without looking at her.

  “I’ll buy. I just need to forget about all of this. And I really don’t want to go sit at a bar by myself. Can you just be my friend tonight?”

  Finally he looked down at her, and she watched as he swallowed hard. He climbed down the ladder, and when he was on the ground, he let out a sarcastic huff and just shook his head while his hands rested on his denim covered hips.

  “You really do know how to push a guy to the limit don’t you, Kitten?”

  She didn’t want to admit what she was feeling to him, but she was afraid it was the only thing that would get him to accompany her.

  “Please, I just need a friend tonight.”

  “Fine. I’ll be your friend,” he answered. As they made their way to the door he asked, “Are we talking friends, or friends with benefits?”

  CeCe honestly laughed aloud, “We are talking ‘you can borrow my lip gloss if you see a cute guy’ kind of friends.”

  “Oh, great! But I think the color will clash with my shirt.”

  When CeCe and Jarod arrived at Cal’s, she was surprised how busy it was, considering it was a weeknight. Seats were at a premium, but they were able to find two together in the original building.

  “Wow this place has changed,” Jarod said as he looked around.

  “It’s been a couple of years since Cal added on the new portion, but I’m biased to the original place. This was the first place I ordered a beer. First place I threw a drink in a guy’s face, and the first place I come when I want to feel like the old CeCe.”

  “The old CeCe?” Jarod asked, not understanding.

  “Yeah, the girl that appreciated simplicity.”

  “What the hell does that mean?” he pushed for a further explanation to her cryptic answer.

  “It means everything seems so complicated lately.”

  “And complications are bad?”

  “To the simplicity of life, yes, they are.” She answered quietly, and more to herself than to him.

  The bartender joined them then, and after some small catch up niceties, CeCe ordered a double shot of tequila and a draft beer. Jarod ordered a soda.

  “A soda? I told you I wanted to get drunk.”

  Looking into her eyes he said, “You can get drunk, I can’t.”

  She crossed her legs on the bar stool, turning herself so she faced him and pressed, “Why can’t you drink, Gates.”

  He knew what she was doing, and by God, he couldn’t allow it to work. She told him she needed a friend, and as much as he wanted to be anything but friends, he would give tonight to her. She needed it, and deep down he needed it, too.

  “Because for me to remain your friend, it is best if I have all my faculties. Not to mention safer.”

  The bartender returned with their orders, CeCe picked u
p her shot and brought it to her lips, but before downing it she asked, “Safer?”

  Jarod turned his head and focused on the mirror and glass shelves that housed all the different bottles of booze. He could see himself in the reflection, not to mention the beauty next to him, and tried to convince himself his answer was the honest truth, rather than the noble one, he responded, “Kitten, where I’m concerned, you are far from safe. But I know where the line in the sand is, I’ll die before you are anything but.” He sipped his soda, and only then did he look back to her, and watched her swallow back the shot before taking a hefty swig of her beer.

  After that intense moment, they drank in silence for a bit before the atmosphere between them lightened up immensely. CeCe inquired about his time in the Marines, as well as the friends he talked so candidly about.

  By this time, she’d had four shots and was working on the same number of beers. Jarod was still nursing the same soda. He looked at her and noticed the redness in her face and the giddiness in her voice and knew she was toast.

  “How about we get you home?”

  With overzealous emotion and constant touches to his bicep and shoulder, she insisted, “No way, it’s still really early. I’m having fun, aren’t you?”

  He couldn’t help but smile, he was with CeCe, so of course he was having fun, but it didn’t take a piece of paper and a lot of letters after your name to know she was going to be hurting come morning.

  He watched, as she danced in her seat to the jukebox, and conversed with regulars and non-regulars, basically anyone that would talk to her, and the smile just tattooed itself to his face.

  When she began to shake her chest in time with the music, he knew it was now or never, or his nobility and promise would go straight out the window.

  “Time to go, Kitten.”

  She stopped and pouted, but something must have told her not to fight him because she succumbed to his direction without an argument. When she attempted to stand, she swayed and wound up right back on the seat.

  “Whoa! Head rush,” she held her head for a moment as Jarod placed a gentle hand under her elbow, lifting her to her feet. He kept his hand there to steady her, but truth be told, he just needed some sort of physical contact with her.