A soft rapping on the open door drew her attention from me. Raven, in her tight black leather pants and purple corset, stood in the doorway. Her pale face calm and unassuming.
"Sorry, Mae. Jax needs you up front. A customer's giving her trouble," Raven said, her words tangled in a murmur.
Mae released me, slowly, painstakingly. I wasn't sure if the gesture was meant for me or Raven.
"I'll be right back," she said, squeezing past Raven with a cheeky grin.
A thick silence hung between Raven and me. Awkward didn't even begin to describe it. Neither one of us seemed to know how to move in order to escape the situation. After all, she was the one in the doorway so I left it up to her.
"She'll run through you too, you know," Raven said, her purplish lipstick seemed to emphasize her words in a way that set off a smoldering ember of disdain.
"What makes you say that?"
"Mae doesn't commit. To anyone. You're her longest relationship yet." She shrugged, leaning against the doorframe.
"Why are you telling me this?"
"You're a nice person. I don't want you to get hurt."
"Like you did?" I crossed my arms over my middle as the discomfort pressed in on me. Was Raven really warning me or casting doubt? I feared the latter more than anything.
"Yeah, well, it was fun while it lasted."
"How long?" I took a deep breath in and released it slowly through my nose. I didn't want Raven to see that she upset me.
"A month with me. A few days with Sarai. A week with Aileen." Raven shrugged, curling a strand of purple hair around her finger.
"Again, why are you telling me this?"
"Because. You think it'll be different but it won't."
"You said it yourself, it's already different. I've been the longest. That's all that matters to me, Raven. You're not going to scare me away from her. And, for the record, she won't be needing henna from you anytime soon." I shoved away from the boxes and shelving to stalk past her. My shoulder bumped into hers when she didn't move. In my mind's eye, I imagined a satisfied expression plastered on her lips.
In the storefront, Mae stood at the sales counter with Jax while a brunette woman looked over their shoulders. Mae had a cloth sprawled over the glass, a soapstone mortar and pestle, and a bunch of herbs. Jax placed a few essential oils on the counter as Mae glanced at me. Her brows furrowed the moment she saw me. I shook my head as Raven emerged from the hall beside me. She moved toward the shelves of incense and picked a box up to sniff. Mascara-coated eyes glared at me from over the box.
Liz appeared beside the bookcases carrying a stack of almanacs. She glanced between Raven, Mae, and me. Liz lifted her eyebrows at me as she dropped her load on a shelf. She turned, hands on her hips as she watched us.
The tension in the room shifted as Mae returned her attention to the customer. The tone in her voice smoothed, and I knew she sensed what was going on. Jax looked between us, wide-eyed and suddenly interested. Mae elbowed her as she poured the contents of the mortar into a small glass jar. A few drops of oils followed. She corked it and handed it to the patient woman who turned to Jax, money in hand.
"If you need anything else, please let me know," Mae said, patting the woman on the arm.
"I will. Thanks." The woman smiled politely as Mae broke away from them to approach me.
Tightness rose in my throat at the upsurge of emotions. Anger mingled with worry but I pushed it aside. Mae gripped my elbows, glancing between me and Raven.
"Oy, Mae. Ya got yourself in a kerfuffle here, ay?" Liz jabbed a thumb in Raven's direction. Raven scowled at her, shoving Liz's arm away.
"What'd she say to you?" Mae asked, her hand on my side.
"Nothing worth repeating," I said.
"I reckon you're holding out on us, Ella. What'd the tosser do? Spill all Mae's private bits on ya?" Liz provoked, knowingly or unknowingly, I couldn't be certain.
"Just what she needed to know before Mae fucked her over like everyone else." Raven shrugged. Mae's lips thinned to lines as Jax ushered the customer toward the door. The woman ignored us until Raven's last comment.
As soon as the chime on the door signaled the exit of the customer, Mae released me and rounded on Raven.
"Get out," she spat and Raven spun around.
"Excuse me?"
"I said get out and don't come back. You've interfered enough and I'm done with it." Mae's deep, angry tone was foreign to me. I'd never seen her so livid before and I could tell Jax hadn't either. The teenager's normally pale face paled even further as she looked on. She glanced at me as I moved toward the counter to lean against it. Liz seemed positively giddy over the whole ordeal.
"Blow it out your shithole, Mae. You know just as well as I do that you're a fuck up and you'll fuck her up just as much." Raven shoved Mae as she stalked past her. Rage rose up in my gut and I wanted nothing more than to tear the rainbow hair right out of Raven's head. Mae's shoulders jerked back but she didn't falter further.
"Oy! Now that's enough of that." Liz stepped in, grabbing Raven by the arm after she shoved Mae. Raven jerked out of her grasp and Liz scoffed. "Get on with it then." She nodded toward the door.
"Get out." Mae seethed, her cheeks ripe and red from anger as she stared down Raven. "You aren't welcome here anymore or anywhere for that matter."
"You can't prevent me from coming to things," Raven spat, her hand gripping the door handle.
"Like hell I can't," Mae promised.
Raven shoved the door open violently and stormed out.
"Well, it's about damn time now, isn't it, Mae? Didn't I tell ya not to go shoving your tongue up her—?"
"Liz, for Pete's sake." I gestured toward Jax. Liz shrugged and went back to stacking books, whistling a giddy tune.
"You're not a fuck up, Mae. Don't listen to her. She's crazy," Jax defended when Mae turned to me. Her usual cool eyes brimmed with tears of rage. When she heard Jax, her shoulders relaxed some and she approached. She didn't say much at first, instead, taking my hand. Her gaze lingered on Jax as if taking in her words.
"What'd she say to you?" Mae asked me. I glanced at Jax then Mae. Jax may work at the store with all adults but she was still a kid and I didn't want her knowing everything.
"Probably the shit she usually says. About time you kicked her out," Jax's jovial tone showed her pleasure over Raven's exodus.
"What does she usually say?" I asked. Mae squeezed my hand and I could tell by her labored breathing that she was still angry.
"That Mae is a terrible girlfriend and no one should be with her. But then why does she hang around her so much and try to weasel her way in every chance she gets?" Jax glanced to Mae as if waiting for Mae to stop her.
"How old are you again?" I pressed Jax.
"Seventeen next week. I'm not a baby. I can't go to the parties but I'm here just as much as everyone else." Jax shrugged.
"She pro'ly said Mae's a bum in the sack, ya reckon?" Liz cackled and Jax tried not to snort.
"Let's go," Mae said, tugging me toward the back room.
"Don't make loud sex noises," Jax called after us. "I am underage."
Mae closed the door to the sofa room and leaned against it. I'd never seen her so quiet and perturbed before. She stared at the floor for a moment then drew her gaze to me.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?" I asked, holding my hands out to her. She pushed off the door and took them.
"For leaving you alone with her. I wasn't thinking."
"She planned it, Mae. She said that woman was giving Jax trouble. No she wasn't." I squeezed her hands, pulling her into a hug. Mae sighed as we embraced, her hands colder than usual.
"She made you upset."
"And you kicked her out." I tugged her over to the sofa. Mae pushed me back to lie down and she took up residence on top of me, her chin resting on my chest so that we could look at each other easily.
"What'd she say to you?" Mae pressed, her hand snaking down my middle until she
reached my belt. She unfastened it and released the button of my jeans.
"Just what Jax said. That I shouldn't be with—" I gasped when Mae cupped my heat in a firm, unrelenting grip. "Mae?" She wouldn't look at me, instead, she shoved my sweater up and took my nipple in her mouth. A single finger pressed in me and I grabbed her arm. "Stop. Mae, stop it a minute." She obliged and returned to holding me with her head on my chest. In time, her gaze met mine. For the first time ever, sadness sallowed her features. I caressed her cheek, guiding her up my body. She followed until her lips were above mine.
"You don't have to fuck me to show you care. I know you care about me," I said, running my fingers through her ginger hair. "I know you."
"I do care," she finally said, her gaze searching mine.
"I know, Mae." I pressed my lips to hers in a brief kiss. "What you're doing now?" I nodded toward her hand down my pants. "Is not how we do things. It's never been."
She removed her hand reluctantly though kissed my exposed breasts. I smiled at her though her return was half-hearted.
"Has she done this before? Scared people away from you?" I asked as Mae settled on top of me again. I bent my legs so that my knees cocooned her close to me. She relaxed under the gesture, resting her chin again on my chest, lightly toying with my hardened nipples. I let her as it seemed to soothe her. Even though I'd stopped her, it didn't mean she hadn't set my core on fire. I yearned for her as I always do.
"Yeah. It didn't matter much before. It matters now," she said, her eyes lingering on mine.
"Why now?"
"You're my favorite." Finally, her smile returned and I laughed softly.
"Good thing you're mine, too."
A knock sounded on the door and Mae called out, "Come in." I shoved my shirt down just in time before Jax entered.
"Damn, I thought I was interrupting," she said through a playful pout.
"No such luck. And mind you, you won't be interrupting until you're at least eighteen," Mae lectured.
"You suck. Where's my money?" Jax huffed and placed her hands on her hips.
"Bring me that purple folder there." Mae pointed to the accordion folder on her desk. She shifted her weight some to lean up as Jax handed it to her. I tugged my shirt down the rest of the way and Jax offered me a soft smile. I lifted a brow at her and she shrugged.
Mae pulled two envelopes from the folder and handed them to Jax.
"Why's there two?" she asked.
"One's a pink slip. You're fired for being a wise ass," Mae joked which made Jax snicker. She opened both of them and froze after fingering the cash.
"It's too much," she said.
"One's your pay, two's your bonus. Now go to school before I report you as tardy." Mae stretched out on me, leaning up on her elbow as I watched the exchange between the two.
"It's the last class anyway." Jax's cheeks reddened a bit. "Thanks."
"Go on. Maybe next week Ella can help you study for the GED. She's smart like that." She glanced at me and I nodded.
"I'll help," I offered. "Then you can come to class with me one day if you want to see that college is a lot different than high school."
Jax looked between us, offered a faint nod then took her leave quietly. It hadn't struck me until a few weeks after meeting Jax that she wasn't in school like most kids her age. I later discovered that she attended alternative school in the evening. As a rule, I rarely asked questions about things like that. Everyone has their reasons for the way they choose to lead their lives.
"She's a good kid," I commented. Mae nodded.
"I know. Sucks that she's bounced through foster care." Mae glanced at me as she disclosed the information.
"She's in foster care?" My heart sunk a bit.
"Yeah. Her birth parents were junkies. She ended up in foster care a few years ago and started showing up in my store. She'd sit and read the books for hours. I'd let her because, well, why not?" Mae shrugged. "Eventually the cops started showing up to take her back home. She ran away at least twice a week and would end up here."
"That's awful." I squirmed a bit as I thought of my own entry into the foster care system. I didn't run away, but I certainly remembered wanting to.
"Yeah. So when she turned sixteen and started showing up early in the morning after she dropped out of school, I offered her a job if she agreed to get her GED. And here we are," Mae said, returning to lay on top of me. I stroked her hair while I listened to her.
"You're like a satyr to foster kids, huh?"
"Just the one."
"And me."
"That's right, I forgot." Her brows flicked upward. "Jax's gotten better in the past year. She's dedicated, on time, and has learned responsibility. When she's old enough, she can come to our celebrations. I do some stuff here like the drumming circles and workshops so that she can join."
"Does anyone else know this about Jax?"
"Liz knows some. That kid saves her money like I've never seen before. She wants to move into the loft upstairs when she ages out. I might just let her." Mae shrugged. "I never use it."
"You're amazing and you don't even know it." I kissed her, hard and firm. The breath she drew told me I'd surprised her. She broke the kiss as a blush met her freckles. "Do you know how much someone like you means to a foster kid?"
"Not a clue. I'm just me, Ella. I've always been." She shrugged though her smile told me she knew very well. "You're going to get her into college, aren't you?"
"That's my plan." I laughed softly. "Even if it's one class. That kid needs to know she can make choices for herself that are useful and celebrated."
"Will you talk to her about foster care sometime?" Mae tilted her head, tracing her index finger over my lips.
"Of course," I said, pulling Mae into a hug. Emotions ran high today, so we settled on cuddling on the sofa until darkness fell around us.
Chapter Two
"So one last outdoor wine tasting adventure for us next week before it gets too cold. Are you sure the Merlot was your favorite?" Delia asked as we chatted on the phone. I sorted through the laundry to find something to wear for my dinner date with Mae.
"Yeah. I prefer reds usually. Who else is coming?" I decided on jeans and a tunic top, setting them aside.
"Same people as last time." She yawned. "So how's everything with Mae?"
"Good. Really good actually." The front door opened and I gripped my towel as I glanced down the hall. "She's here. I better get going."
"See you Monday," Delia said as we hung up.
I tossed the phone on the bed and scurried to the living room to find Mae petting Monkey. Dressed in her usual broom skirt and loose top, she drew her gaze to me with a smile.
"Hi, kitten," she said, slipping her hand into her woven purse.
"You're super early. I'm not even ready yet." She kissed me quickly when I approached.
"I know. That's what I was hoping for." She gripped my towel, walking toward me at the same time. This seemed way too familiar. Had she made some sort of habit out of catching me in a towel? I took a few steps back but she pressed on. She walked me backward until my rear hit the stool of the island counter. She grinned as I gnawed at my bottom lip.
"What are you doing?" I asked, catching myself on the stool.
"Whatever I want," she said, yanking the towel away from me and tossing it on the floor.
My first instinct was to cover my chest but she stopped me. Heat rushed my core, ending in an aching dampness between my legs. How did she do this to me so quickly? She dug around in her bag, removing a handful of silky purple fabric.
"What's that?"
"You'll see." Mae caught me in a kiss, pulling me away from the stool then walked me backward down the hall to the bedroom. When my knees hit the bed, she thrust me on it. I fell with a gasp as she crawled over me, ditching her bag on the floor.
She urged me upward until my head hit the pillows. "I love when you glisten for me," she whispered as she shoved my legs apart. She dragged her finger ove
r my slit and I bit my tongue in effort to remain quiet. A second stroke and a whimper escaped me as my ache deepened. She gripped my wrists, one at a time, pressing them over my head. I grasped the brass headboard as she slipped the silk over my wrists, wrapping it a few times before securing my hand to the bed.
She had never done this to me before. My left hand followed until both were tied above my head. My heart thundered in my chest, my center ached and the desire to touch overwhelmed me.
"Pull this one to release them," she whispered in my ear as she showed me which knot to tug if I needed to. I gulped and nodded before she resumed her game.
"What's our safe word?" she said as she stood above me, one foot on either side of my hips. Slowly, she released the tie of her shirt.
"Um…" I stared at her as my mouth watered, craving her in ways words couldn't express. "Pineapple."
"Sounds yummy to me." She licked her lips then removed her shirt, brushing the fabric lightly over my breasts. My nipples responded while goosebumps raced over my skin. The sight of her had me staring, first at her lips then at her breasts. She pulled the string of her skirt and it dropped away like a magician's curtain, pooling over my midsection. She stepped out of it and kicked it on the floor. Now my gaze fell to her equally glistening center. Her bare, perfect folds just a foot above me. My body wriggled beneath her, out of my control. Mae smiled, a wry, naughty smile that told me she loved whatever it was she saw in my expression.
"Tell me what you want, kitten." Mae knelt between my legs, keeping me spread wide. She hadn't even touched me yet but I whimpered again.
"You."
"Nuh uh, not good enough." She flicked my clit once with her index finger. "Tell me what you want me to do to you."
My body twitched with her teasing and the bindings tightened as I pulled on them. We'd played like this somewhat in the past but never this intensely. I panted heavily as if she'd already brought me to climax. She dragged a single finger up the inside of my thigh, skipped my middle, then down the other.
"Taste me," I pleaded the way she had taught me, gnawing my lip as I writhed beneath her. She might push me over the edge with barely a touch.
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