Page 128 of Hide and Keep

I get my arm wrapped around her waist, but the momentum pulls me forward so abruptly, we both wind up falling. Just like in the woods, I twist our bodies as hard as I can so mine takes the brunt of the fall with Ever landing on top of me.

“Why’d you take your hand off?”

“Maybe…because…I don’t…the fuck…I’m…doing,” I pant out between heavy breaths, missing at least one word but not giving a single fuck. Ever’s still on me, both our faces to the ceiling, which isn’t helping my lungs, but I can’t seem to let go just yet. That was close. Too close.

I don’t want to do this shit ever again. I could go the rest of my life without trying another stunt. Easy. But I know the second Ever decides she wants to fly again, I’ll be back at it without resistance. I’m gonna have to start watching tutorials or something if I want to get better though. That and hairstyling. Fuck, my hands are gonna be busy the next three years. My hands, my fingers…

Suddenly aware of my fingers splayed out across Ever’s naked stomach, I curl them into her middle, holding her against me tighter. Her abs harden, making my cock do the same.

All at once, I roll her off me and sit up, hiding my semi between bent knees that I prop my elbows on for more coverage.

My voice gruff as all hell, I ask, “How long do you think it’ll be until you’re ready?”

Next to me, I catch Ever on all fours in my periphery. I refuse to turn my head in her direction. Not that I need to. Her in the compromising position has already been added to my overflowing vault of fantasies.

“I need to shower, then hair, makeup… Probably a few hours.”

Now I do look at her. “Even with people helping you? I could do your hair faster than that.”

She chuckles as she gets to her feet. “You don’t know how to do hair.”

“Yet.”

“Tonight’s not the time to experiment. My father will tolerate nothing less than absolute perfection when I walk in.”

But she let me earlier. She didn’t even seem to care that I did such a bad job and she was about to be on stage in front of hundreds of people. Was it really only because Arthur wasn’t going to be one of them?

Ishower while Ever does, quickly rubbing one out, then I walk with her down to the salon, pretending I didn’t just come imagining her naked body all lathered up, my hands running over the places hers probably were.

Surprisingly, the salon’s on the main floor, behind a door that I’ve passed multiple times but never paid any attention to because it’s always closed.

“I’m gonna be in here a while. Why don’t you take a tour of the manor?”

I shake my head. “Not a chance.”

“Major, there’s nowhere for me to go. Nothing to do. No one to fuck.”

She kinda snarls the last word like I’ve already accused her but that didn’t even cross my mind. I’m in here to watch…and notjusther.

“You’re infuriating.”

So are you.

While she gets situated in one of the two height-adjustable chairs, I take my place near the hairstylist.

The tall woman gives me an awkward double glance, so I start to introduce myself.

“I’m—”

“He’s my bodyguard. He takes his job very literal, so be careful pulling on my hair. One wince from me and he’ll shoot you in the head.”

That gross exaggeration hangs in the air for a few moments where both the stylist and makeup artist give each other uncomfortable looks.

It’s not until Ever laughs that the other two women do as well.

I shake my head at Ever in the mirror and she rolls her eyes, putting her feet on the vanity in front of her, her phone between her bent knees with a cheerleading video already playing. From the color of the uniforms, I can tell it isn’t today’s performance. Or even Littoral.

She’s in a silk maroon robe with her initials embroidered in white on the chest. I assumed she was naked underneath but with her legs up, making the material bunch at her hips, I can see her underwear. Lacy white underwear. Simple, elegant, innocent. On anyone else, they’d look virginal. On Ever, they look like a bow I want to pull off with my teeth before doing the unholiest of acts to what’s underneath. There’d be nothing virginal left of Ever when I finished with her.

---