Page 55 of Cedar Edge
“Hey, do you want me to get you another coffee?” I offer up.
My friend looks at me blinking back tears that shock me before she’s shaking her head. “Nah it’s okay T. Thank you though. I’ll get another in a bit. Sorry I snapped at you.”
Reaching across the table I squeeze her hand reassuringly. “It’s okay. But I’m here if you ever do want to talk. I may not be an expert on relationships but I can listen.”
Athena snorts. “Nah but you are an expert at taking three cocks.” A deep flush moves up my neck and into my cheeks. “Shut up!” I hiss.
Athena laughs loud and clear. “What? I know y'all are into some freaky shit. Ugh I bet they give the best head.” She leans forward but doesn’t drop the volume of her voice. “They eat your pussy real good don’t they?”
“I’m not fucking telling you anything, now keep your voice down.” My friend snorts and leans back, crossing her leg as shedoes and exposing the fishnet stocking covering her tattooed legs. “How many of those has Logan done?”
She pauses, as if mentally calculating all her tattoos she has spread over her curvy body. “I don’t know, it’s honestly hard to say at this point considering he does most of them. It’s easier to say I have four that aren’t from him.” Lately I’ve been more and more curious about letting Logan tattoo me. Each time I visit his shop I get a little more interested in having his mark on my body. “You want a tattoo don’t you?”
“What? No!” I say a bit too quickly. Athena arches a brow at me with a look that clearly says she doesn’t believe me. I sag a bit and nod my head. “Okay fine, I’ve been hanging out with him at the shop more lately and I’m just curious.”
“Girl. Do it. I mean I love getting tattooed by Logan, he’s a fucking artist about it and has a very light touch. But you getting tattooed by him?” She fans herself with her hand. “I bet he’d take real good care of you baby cakes.”
“Is everything about sex with you Athena?” I grumble. A cool autumn wind kicks up and blows a few dry leaves down the street and I burrow into Ace’s jacket a bit deeper. His scent weaves around me and the memory of him fucking me from behind on the kitchen counter this morning replays in my mind. It had started so gentle and unhurried and ended deliciously rough and fast. Logan had walked in for the last part of it and gotten himself off watching us.
“Oh my god! You tell me everything is about sex and yet here you are daydreaming about it!” Athena screeches. Startled, and very embarrassed, I jump up to a stand and glare at her. “Oh come on T, I’m sorry I’ll stop.”
She bats her eyes at me and I’m loath to admit it works. “Fine, but I don’t have long. I have to pick up our costumes for tonight.” I was more than a little excited for this evening. It had been a long time since I got to enjoy Halloween and I hadplanned the perfect outfits for me and the boys. Logan had burst out laughing before he got that mischievous look in his eyes when I told him my plan.
“You can have the corn maze right before opening.” I glance towards Athena as she tips her head back and allows the sun to bathe her pale skin. She’s the kind of beauty that belonged in 1960’s Hollywood, not a western town like Cedar Edge. Athena was one of the rare people who moved to Cedar Edge as an adult. And I can’t help but wish she had been here for me in high school, I like to think maybe we would have been friends.
“I owe you one.”
She smiles and opens her eyes to look at me. “Thea babes you don’t owe me anything. I’m glad you are happy and safe. Enjoy those delicious men you have and please avoid leaving any x-rated items behind in my maze.”
“What's this about x rated items?” A shadow falls over the table and for a moment fear tries to crystalize in my veins immobilizing me from looking upward or from recognizing who the voice belongs to.
“Such a whore. I’ll teach you a lesson.”
“Well howdy sheriff,” Athena says as if she can sense my sudden change.
Law chuckles and the sound is enough to knock me loose of whatever hold Royce’s voice was trying to have over me. I cut my friend a look that I hope conveys my thanks. She rewards me with a small head tilt and not for the first time I wonder what has happened in Athena’s past to make her understand the demons that haunt me in a way that only another survivor could get.
I turn towards Law who has angled himself in front of the sun. My mouth waters at the sight of him still in his uniform with a cowboy hat on. “Figured you might want a ride home, darlin'.” He says with a slow drawl.
Pushing to a stand I wrap my arms around him dragging him in for a kiss. He groans as his own arms wrap around me. I get lost in his taste and feel until Athena clears her throat behind us. “Well I guess I know what I’m picturing later when I have my date with Big Blue.”
Law chokes on a laugh, pulling back from me. “I’m sorry, who is Big Blue?”
“Oh my god don’t ask.” I groan as Athena cackles. I start shoving him down the street, away from my still laughing best friend.
“I’ll see you later today!” She calls after me. “Don’t forget, I don’t want to find any of your ‘Big Blues’ later!”
Her laugh follows us all the way to Law’s truck.
Ace
Glancing at Law I can see he is just as annoyed as I am with the green haired devil in front of us. Athena Gold stands in front of us holding two costumes. Her eyes are dark, lined with gold and black. She’s dressed as Medusa and I’m fairly certain if she could turn us to stone she would.
“I’m not wearing that.” I say for what feels like the millionth time.
Athena narrows her eyes at me before lifting an eyebrow. “I’m sorry, do you think this was a choice for you?” I step closer to Thea’s best friend, so close that she has to tilt her head up to look at me. “You think that look is going to work on me Ace Haven? You’ve got another thing coming. Put on the damn costumes before I call your girlfriend and tell her what a dick you are.”
Law whistles behind us but Athena keeps her gaze locked with mine. I’ve got to hand it to her, very few people will go toe to toe with me and it makes me respect her a bit more that she doesn’t back down.
