by Nora Snowdon
“Hi, Byron. I’m so pleased to meet you, too.” Laurel Ann had a southern accent that made her pronouncements sound even more earnest. “I’ve left Albert mindin’ the stove, so if y’all want to follow me—” She took the bottle Byron handed her. “Oh, thank you. You didn’t have to bring wine, but we’ll surely drink it.”
“These are lovely,” Lu commented as they passed the large framed prints of sunflowers dominating the narrow hallway.
“Thanks. I love sunflowers. They’re so happy. There he is.” Laurel Ann pointed to Ace carefully stirring something in a saucepan.
“Hi, Albert,” Lu said with a grin.
“Hey! Only Laurel Ann’s allowed to call me that.”
“I just never knew your real name,” Lu admitted. She turned to Byron. “Did you?”
“Of course, I know everybody’s name,” he replied smugly.
“Oh, yeah? What’s Red’s?”
“John.” Byron grinned. “I was there for the naming. We had three Johns, so one became Little John, the other John-Boy, and then Red.”
“So, Byron,” Laurel Ann interjected. “Were you named after that poet, Byron … Yeats, was it?”
“Uh, Lord George Byron,” he corrected her gently, “but no one ever uses his first name. Yeah, my mother was an English major.”
“Huh? I didn’t know that,” Ace said.
“Can I get y’all something to drink? I’ve got wine.” She held up Byron’s bottle. “Or I just picked up some Big Lebrewski beer.”
“It’s really good stout,” Ace enthused.
“Okay, sold,” Lu said.
“Me, too,” Byron added. He slung his arm around Lu’s shoulders and she was surprised at how good it felt when Ace smiled at the gesture. She snuggled closer into Byron’s side.
Laurel Ann took two beers out of the fridge and handed them to Lu and Byron.
“I think this is done, Laurel Ann.” Ace held up the pot for her to look at. She nodded and he turned off the stove. “So what’s happening with your arsonist case, Morgan? Lu won’t tell us anything.”
“Well, I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you,” Byron deadpanned.
“In that case you’ll have to wait until after dinner,” Ace said. “Laurel Ann has made homemade lasagna.”
“I guess I could wait,” Byron conceded. “What’s the stuff you were stirring?”
“A chocolate cream sauce for the cake,” Ace said, puffing out his chest with pride. “Laurel Ann’s desserts are great, too.”
“Thanks, honey bear.” Laurel Ann squeezed his hand and Lu watched the smile and blush creep over his face. “Why don’t we all move to the living room where it’s more comfy.”
Lu and Byron followed them into the bright yellow living room overflowing with knick-knacks and ornaments precariously perched on every flat surface. She sat down on the couch and gingerly shifted a dancing figurine on the coffee table so she could set down her beer.
“I love Royal Doultons,” Laurel Ann said needlessly. “They’re so touching.”
“I like them too,” Ace said, smiling at Lu’s expression of disbelief. “They mean I always know what to get for Laurel Ann for a present.”
*
Later, on the car ride home, Lu was quiet.
“Something bothering you, honey bear?” Byron asked.
Lu laughed. “No. Just thinking …” She tried to express what had been nagging at the back of her brain. “I like it when people put some effort into making their house look comfortable, or beautiful, or whatever. I just don’t seem to have that drive. I mean, Laurel Ann’s house looked like a direct translation of herself, warm, colorful and very emotional.”
“That’s interesting.” Byron glanced at her out of the corner of his eye as he pulled out of the passing lane. “What does my house say about me?”
Lu watched the headlights of the city bus in the passenger mirror as they whipped ahead. Byron’s little car apparently was more than capable of speeding.
“Hmm, not afraid of standing out, eclectic, but the furniture is still warm and comfy.”
“But since my sister decorated it, isn’t my house more of a reflection of her personality than mine?”
“No. You let her do it and live with it. Though living with someone else’s style could be a form of hiding behind a mask.”
“Amazing. Home décor as a form of divination. Who’d a thunk?” He navigated a quick merge then asked, “What does your home décor say about you?”
“That I can’t be bothered to decorate.”
“No. It’s gotta be more than that.” He tapped his hand on the steering wheel while he thought. “White is very sterile and hard, neither of which would describe you. So, I’d have to go instead with—you’re afraid to commit, to a color, to a style, or even to where you live. Your home is very sparse as if you need to be ready to pick up and run at any time.”
“I’d go with the hard and sterile over afraid and commitment-challenged,” Lu replied. She tried to remember when she’d really decorated any place. Probably not since her preteens, putting posters from Teen Beat magazine up on her bedroom wall. Then her parents had died— Jeez, had she been emotionally running since then? Then it had been a fear of loving and losing people again. Now it was more a fear of people getting too close and learning about her fire starting.
“Or you could just move in with me and then you’d be ‘not afraid of standing out and’—what was it? ‘Comfy?’” Byron’s voice cut into her thoughts.
“I have a year lease at my place, so A, I can’t move in with you, and B, I can too commit, I signed the lease. Hah!” Lu turned to look out her side window. She shouldn’t have brought the topic up.
“I must’ve hit a sore spot there,” Byron said. “Can you stay over tonight, or should I drop you at your place?”
“I’d better go home. I need to purge my fridge for this week.”
“I think I’d prefer to be rejected for hair washing over that,” Byron grumbled.
“Want to come to my place?”
Byron was silent as he turned the car down Lu’s block. She waited, not wanting to push. “How do you feel about a ‘ravish and run’?” Byron asked.
“That sounds like fun.”
“Great.” He smiled and explained, “I’ve got a long day tomorrow. Speaking of which, I’ll be incommunicado for most of the day. I’ll call you on Thursday to let you know how it all went.” He parked on the street outside her apartment. “Okay, let’s go. We’ve got some serious work to do here, now. No dawdling.”
“Yes, sir.” Lu saluted sharply, jumped out of the car and then trotted toward the front door of her building, her heels clicking loudly on the pavement.
“That’s the kind of enthusiasm I like to see.” Byron easily caught up to her with his long-legged stride and waited while she unlocked the glass door. Fifteen quick steps and they were at the elevator watching the heavy metal doors inch their way open.
“If we wanted to save time, we could just do it in the elevator,” he whispered into her ear.
“I think being arrested for public indecency would be a worse blot on your career than mine, but …?” They stepped into the elevator and Lu pushed the button for the third floor. She was silent for a moment as she tried to imagine Byron ravishing her in the confined space. She admitted, “No. I’m way too inhibited for elevator sex.”
“You’re probably right,” Byron agreed. He looked up at the corners of the ceiling in the elevator. “I don’t see any cameras, but with how small those buggers can be, you’re really not safe anywhere from prying eyes.” With a loud screech and bump the lift stopped decisively on the third floor.
Lu had her keys ready as they approached her apartment door. “Do you have time for tea or a drink?” she asked. “Or should we strip down and get right to it?” She ushered him into her home and closed the door behind them.
“I like the way you think,” he murmured, pulling her into his embrace. Soft kisses up the side of he
r neck quickly dispelled any more thoughts of libations. Lu slid her fingers up under the back of his shirt. His skin was hot and smooth to her touch.
“Hey, can we try it up against the wall?” she asked.
“Really?” Byron’s expression was difficult to read.
“I mean, um, only if you want to,” Lu mumbled. “I’ve just never …” Her face was burning. “Never mind. I was kidding.”
“No. I’d like that. A lot.” Byron’s face broke into a huge grin. He glanced around him. “Here?” he asked as he backed her up against the door.
“Um, the bedroom. I’d be too self conscious about making noise this close to the hallway.”
“You are inhibited,” Byron teased. He undid the buttons on her blouse as he nudged her back toward her room. His eyes narrowed when he uncovered her new red lace bra. “Hurry up, you hussy. I may not be able to hold off much longer.”
“Good.” Lu slid his shirt over his head and bent forward to suck on his nipple. His fingers tightened in her hair in response. The rest of their clothes were shed as they reached their destination. “So, um …” Lu put her hands on his shoulders and stretched one leg up around his waist.
“Let me just—” Byron grabbed her leg and held it up as he knelt down in front of her. He placed her knee onto his shoulder and leaned her against the wall. He smiled up at her then inched her a little to the left. “We don’t want you turning the light on and off.”
“This feels awk—Oh!” Lu gasped as Byron delicately trailed his fingers between her legs. She watched the concentration on his face as he teased her sensitive skin, circling her clit, and then just barely grazing the tight bundle of nerves making her entire body jolt in response. She flattened her palm against the wall to get her balance. It was difficult to remember to breathe.
Byron paused to advise her, “Hang on to my shoulders.” His thumb stroked more insistently against her clit as one finger eased inside her. Her internal muscles pulled his roving finger in deeper. Lu grabbed tightly onto his shoulders. Her hips rocked toward him, urging him on. A light kiss just underneath her belly almost distracted her with the tantalizing scrape of his five o’clock shadow. Meanwhile she felt more fingers slipping inside her.
“Please … God … Yes!” She moaned. Her muscles clenched then almost collapsed as he brought her to the verge. His fingers rapidly pulsing within her were overridden by the strong strokes of his tongue on her clit. Her heart stopped and her body seemed to freeze in anticipation. Byron stopped all motion, then dipped his head forward and pulled her bud into his mouth. Lu screamed as her body exploded in a thousand directions. Byron’s strong arm around her waist and the support of the wall were the only things that kept her from collapsing into a giant puddle on the floor.
He let her foot drop to the ground and stood up still supporting her shuddering body. He leaned against her, his rock hard erection pressing against her belly. She could feel his facial scruff scraping against her neck as he trailed kisses up to her ear. His hands massaging her already aching breasts tantalized her and wouldn’t let her catch her breath.
“Ready for more?” he asked. At her silent nod, he grabbed her butt and lifted her up against the wall. “Okay, wrap—” Lu felt him smile against her neck as she wound her legs around him. He slowly eased her down the wall, his fingers opening her around his shaft. Lu flexed her internal muscles, pulling him in and tightening around him.
“Oh, God, Lu.” Byron groaned as he thrust himself into her. He was almost too big to fit in this position, but then he pushed in further and it felt so amazing.
Lu sucked his earlobe into her mouth letting her breath whisper into his ear. His reaction sent her immediately sliding back up the wall. He turned to nuzzle her neck and she could hear his ragged breathing between her low moans. “Now, Byron!” she demanded as she pulled him in faster with her thighs. She started to scream and buried her mouth in his neck as she gave over to the tidal wave of sensations wracking her body. Byron thrust a few more times before leaning her heavily against the wall. She watched the strained expression on his face slowly melt away. He walked them over to the bed and sat down, her legs still wrapped around his waist.
“Oh God, after a ravishing like that,” he panted, “I don’t think I’ll be able to run.”
“Me neither.” Lu untangled herself and slowly climbed up the bed. She flopped down with her head on her pillow and looked up at him. “Will you lie with me for a bit before you go?” she asked.
“Just for a moment.” He stretched out beside her and wrapped his arms around her. Within moments Lu heard his gentle snoring. She pulled the duvet over them and lay back down beside him. After checking that he was still asleep, she whispered, “I love you.”
*
“Lu!” The disembodied voice on the phone sounded familiar.
“Susan?” Lu shook her head to clear the fuzziness from her brain. She glanced at the empty spot on the bed beside her. Oh yeah, Byron had been working today and incommunicado, so she’d stayed up too late playing on her computer. Jeez, she used to be fine alone. Now, when she didn’t see him for twenty-four hours, she found herself at loose ends.
“What’s up?” Outside her bedroom window it was pitch black. Lu rubbed her eyes, trying to see the clock. It was either two-thirty or three-thirty. She squinted trying to bring the luminescent red lines into focus.
“You’ve got to help Kaitlynn. She’s outside a house on Kroger Street, um,” Lu heard paper crinkling. “ … 8567 Kroger Street. Her boyfriend went inside, but didn’t come out. So now she’s stranded there.”
“Why’d she go with him?” Lu asked.
“Because she’s a teenager. And she thinks she’s in love. The point is, she’s stuck.”
“I’ll call the cops.”
“No!” Susan let out an exasperated grunt. “You can’t do that. If Kaitlynn gets picked up by the cops again, they’ll put it on her record. She’s supposed to be under curfew.”
“What? You mean she’s got a police record? She’s only fifteen, for God’s sake!”
“No. They couldn’t press charges before she hit her sixteenth birthday, but that was last week.”
“Tell her to call a cab and come here. I’ll pay.”
“Her phone died while we were talking. She always forgets to recharge.”
“Jeez, maybe she needs to face the consequences, before she’ll underst—”
“Lu! This is my daughter, not some street punk we’re talking about.” Susan’s voice cracked.
“Damnit, Susan! Last time I tried to help her, she blackmailed me. I still haven’t gotten the twenty-five grand she owes me. I sure as hell can’t afford to bail her or her boyfriend out again. Not to mention what’ll—”
“She’s in danger. Please, help me.”
Lu gave up. Susan was right, first thing was to get the stupid kid out of danger. She couldn’t live with herself if the girl got raped or murdered because she wouldn’t help. “What’s the address, again?”
“8567 Kroger Street. She said she’d look for your car.”
Lu hung up the phone and rolled out of bed. She donned dark clothes and a baseball cap, grabbed her keys, her driver’s license and was ready to roll. So why was her stomach on the verge of heaving? This was nothing like the time she followed Kaitlynn to the grow-op. This time the kid would be waiting for her. She’d just pick the kid up and leave. Easy peasy. Yeah, right.
*
Lu checked her map book again. Damn. This was not the sort of neighborhood you wanted to get lost in. Large trees, winding streets and decorative street lamps that weren’t particularly illuminating. The houses were square monstrosities featuring two and three-car garages out front, with small, enclosed front doors tucked away behind. A dog’s bark echoed in the distance.
The house Susan had said Kaitlynn would be waiting by was probably the nondescript one back a bit from the road, but there didn’t seem to be anyone about. Lu drove by slowly. There was a dark vehicle parked in the
four-car parking lot, and no sweet young thing diving out to Lu’s car to be taken home. God, now what?
Lu drove down the street checking off addresses and came back to the hulking house with no address. Yup, that must be it. Lu pulled over and parked at the curb. Still, no Kaitlynn. The house, the parking lot, hell, the whole neighborhood looked totally deserted. Then again, at this hour most people would be fast asleep.
She rubbed at the tension headache building between her eyebrows and then took deep calming breaths. No, she would not set any bloody fires tonight. Despite imagining the scary music that always accompanies the stupid heroine as she checks out the strange noise in the basement, Lu got out of her car. Maybe Kaitlynn’s scuzzy-assed boyfriend had come out and they’d both gone home.
She tucked her ponytail down her shirt and pulled her dark cap down further. There wasn’t much light—the nearest street light was out—but she still wanted to be as invisible as possible.
She jogged silently up the driveway wondering what she was hoping to see. It was well after 3 a.m., so she couldn’t exactly ring the doorbell. She tried peering through the thin panes of smoked glass windows down either side of the door. Total blackness. Either they were covered or there really was no light inside. She crept along the perimeter of the building wondering what she would say if anyone caught her snooping around.
Just go home, you stupid twit. Yeah, but then Susan’ll call and I’ll have to come back to make sure I didn’t miss Kaitlynn. Lu hated these internal arguments. She never ended up doing what she wanted to do. She paused to breathe and calm herself again. Shit, she felt like a powder keg tonight.
A small octagonal window a third of the way down the building was also black, as expected. Lu glanced over her shoulder at her car and felt absurdly reassured by its staid presence. She continued checking the outside of the building. Lu considered turning back when something shiny winking in the lumpy pavement caught her eye. She went over to take a closer look.
She was so intent on her mission, she almost missed the approaching footsteps.
