Page 8 of All Hallows' Maze
Her arms folded across her chest and pushed her breasts higher. Last night came back to me in flashes, with her hand moving over her body. Ready to hit me with more banter, her mouth opened, but at the same moment Vic’s arm snapped out and pushed her.
She screams, barreling forward and right on top of me as she takes us under. My arms find her and pull her close as I bring us back to the surface. She has a death grip around my neck and she coughing up the water that went into her mouth.
A string of curses left her mouth and she shifted against me to insult Vic. That was when I felt it. Two metal barbells pressed against my chest.
“Don’t move, Bunny,” I whispered. On the surface I was calm, but internally I freaked out because she felt so good against my skin. This was a form of what I wanted, whatweapparently wanted, but this was not the time or place. “Your bathing suit is…off.”
“Tie it back!” she shrieked, pulling us closer together. My eyes crossed as her body slid over mine. Fuck it sat on the tip of my tongue.
“It’s snapped, baby.” I leaned back to look for the fabric, but she scrambled and climbed onto me more.
“Don’t look!” I laughed at her obliviousness.
“I couldn’t see anything if I tried, you’re kind of…”
“Oh my god.” She pushed on my shoulders, but I tightened my hold around her waist.
“Don’t,” I said, but it wasn’t out of any preservation for her. It was purely selfish because I didn’t want to let go yet.
“I’m sorry,” she murmured into my neck.
“Don’t be.” I moved one hand up her side until I felt the fabric. I pulled it up between us as best I could, doing the same for the other side until a very thin barrier was between us. “I got you.”
I walked us through the pool, and she was silent. Vic was nowhere to be found and I wondered if he wasn’t as oblivious as I previously thought. Though, this wasn’t how I preferred he help us along.
“Hold on,” I instructed as I stepped out of the water up the stairs. Her legs tightened around my waist as I looked for the nearest towel to wrap around us.
I didn’t pause as we walked into the house and straight to her room. Vic could clean the water from the floor since he put us in this situation. Vera’s room was thankfully open as I reached the top of the stairs and in her bathroom, I sat her down on the counter. I shifted the towel around her chest before backing up, though my body begged me not to.
“I’m sorry,” she repeated. The small sniffle broke my heart as tears welled in her eyes.
“Why? It’s not your fault.” I wiped a stray tear that ran down her cheek.
“It’s embarrassing, my boobs were just all over you,” she muttered, looking anywhere but my face. A finger under her chin, I lifted her gaze to mine.
“I can think of worse things to be all over me. You don’t need to be embarrassed with me, Veradis. I’d be…”so lucky to have you that way. Say it. Tell her.“Don’t worry.” I kissed her nose, pressing my forehead to hers and offering her the closest comfort I could. “Shower, I’ll take one in Vic’s bathroom and then we’ll head out, okay?”
“Okay,” she said weakly, nodding and sniffling again.
“Love you, girl.” To kill myself further, I kissed her temple and let my touch linger before heading into Vic’s room.
In the bathroom, I started the shower and turned it to scalding. She was a constant loop in my mind and every kiss was hell. Each time had been I moment where I wanted to devour her but told myself I couldn’t. The moments were growing more frequent, and my sanity chipped away with each one.
I stepped into the scalding water with the memory that it wouldn’t have been the first time. When she got her nipples pierced, she insisted I go with her. I meant what I said, there was no reason to be embarrassed where I was concerned because she’d dragged me in that shop and shifted our friendship immensely.
“Okay, stand here and I’ll get the piercings marked for placement. Take off your shirt and bra for me.” I sat in the chair with my head back and eyes closed as the woman walked Vera through it.No bra,I thought to myself. She hardly wore them. Over the years, I wondered if that was something she did for me knowing I noticed every time. It wasn’t an inflated sense of self; I had just noticed a pattern. She would slip back into a bra phase if she started dating someone or if I did. It wasn’t a scientific measure, but it was a reason to question the motives.
The sound of her shirt hitting the floor increased my heart rate.
“Ooh, a bit cold.” Her voice was soft and sweet, I smiled to myself as I listened to her laugh with the woman.
“I know, I’m sorry. My hands are always freezing no matter the weather.” After a moment, I heard feet shuffle. “Okay, look in the mirror and tell me if that’s good for you.”
“Um…” Her hesitation set me on edge. If it didn’t look good, she needed to speak up, so she didn’t walk out with piercings she hated. “Dakota?” My heart faltered and my breath hitched.
“Yes, Bunny?”
“Could you…Well, you would be the better judge here.”Hell take me now.I opened my eyes, looking forward at the wall covered in tattoo show pieces and artwork. She stood to my right, just her back in my view.
