A Toast to Starry Nights (4 page)

He was going away!

Hopefully forever, never to darken my
life again!

But then Mike pivoted and leaped forward
to try and sucker punch my honey. Dmitri ducked and caught the fist, then
planted his own fist firmly in Mike's open mouth. I saw blood on Dmitri's hand
and gasped.

Jet chuckled, “He probably cut his
knuckles on Big Mouth's teeth. Don't worry about Dmitri, he probably doesn't
even feel it. Remember, he was in the Marine Corps? They aren't boys... they
are warrior men. Let your man fight for your honor. Oooh, this can go in your romance
novel!”

“Yeah, I don't think so.” I watched in
horror and glee as Dmitri planted another fist into Mike's bloated belly, and
then gave him an upper cut to the chin. Mike spun around and fell face first
onto the hood of his Impala, then slid into a pile on the sidewalk. Dmitri took
a few steps toward the dazed heap of human excrement and spoke. Mike shook his
head wildly, and stood up. He moved gingerly. Blood dripped from his nose and
lips-- I'm not sure if it belonged to Dmitri or Mike.

“Awwww. That weeble wobbled...and fell
down!” Jet snickered. “They just don't make them like they used to.”

Dmitri's lips moved while Mike scrambled
into his car. Once he managed to jam the key into the ignition, he drove off
and Dmitri walked up to the house with a lopsided grin on his face. I met him
at the door so I could assess the damage done to his fist.

“What did he say to you?” I didn't wait
for him to cross the threshold before I unleashed my version of the
Inquisition. Jet and Dmitri shared a mid-stride high five over my head as he
came in polished hardwood door.

He walked to the stainless steel kitchen
sink, talking over his shoulder as he did so. Jet and I followed him in a state
of anticipation.

“I told him you were done with him years
ago and he should forget you exist. That we're getting married and he has no
role in your current life.” He let out a hiss as warm water washed his wound.
“He said that he'd kick my ass if I ever hurt you. I told him if that's how he
feels, he might as well bring it on now because you don't ever want to see him
again. He tried jumping me, he got his ass handed to him on a platter. I also
told him that Jet keeps a pair of steel toed boots and a Louisville Slugger in
her car just in case she ever came across him in a dark alley...or she could
finish up for me right now.”

I gave a short nervous laugh. Jet held
up the fry pan in her grasp and smiled appreciatively at Dmitri, encouraging
him to finish.

“He got up, and I said he needed to get
lost for good. He shows up again, we'll go and renew the restraining order.” He
smiled wryly. “I gotta admit, I didn't think a smack down like that would feel
so invigorating.”

I came up behind him, and wrapped my
arms around his middle. My cheek pressed to his back and I could hear the
steady thumping of his heart of gold. He smelled of earth and man, soap and
sweat. He was my knight in shining armor, avenging angel and pillar of strength
rolled in one. With a sigh, I broke away, and reached for the injured hand.
There was a little flap of skin peeled back between the knuckles of his index
and middle fingers. It wasn't an injury worth stitches, as I had feared. I
placed a kiss on it, let go and walked over to Jet.

She stood by the couch, shoes in hand,
rolling her eyes at me.

“Would you stop by Willow's and let her
know everything is okay? She was really worried-- he took her off guard.”

She nodded and bent to slip her foot
into the ridiculously tall-heeled sandals she kicked off earlier. “I was
already planning on it. He took us all off guard.”

“Thanks. I'm going to try and relax.
I...I...I didn't expect to see him ever again.”

She gave me a hug, and said, “I know.
But you did good, kid. You didn't give him jack shit and I'm proud of you. Go
take a bubble bath and listen to some Massive Attack. That'll fix you right
up.”

I smiled wanly and silently agreed, a
bubble bath did sound good after today's drama.

The thump of boot heels against the
wooden floor from behind made my ears perk. Dmitri hugged me from behind,
resting his chin atop my head. “Jet, thanks for being here. I know Kaylis and I
both appreciate you wanting to whomp his ass.”

She smiled her Cheshire Cat grin.
“Honestly, Dimi, I wish you let him punch ya just once. It'd make Moobs think
he had a chance. Then I coulda flattened his head with that pan. I wanted to
work on my backhand swing.” She adopted a regretful expression. Her green eyes
morphed into puppy-dog eyes of longing and her chin wavered oh-so-delicately.

Dmitri chuckled. “Sorry to deprive you
of the opportunity to make him your bitch.”

Jet perked up with a smirk. “I'll live.
There's always the possibility of next time. Mike doesn't know when to quit.”

Dmitri held me tight and said, “There
won't be a next time. We go straight to the police if he comes sniffing around
here again.”

I smiled. It felt wonderful to be so
protected. I grew up in the next thing to a hippie commune. A sense of security
outside of my grandparents was something I lacked until I met Dmitri. He was my
rock, and I, his much-loved barnacle. It was as nature intended he assured me
more than once.

Jet left amidst the squeal of tires,
Dmitri hopped on the computer to check his email and I wound my way to the
master bathroom. The pale teal walls had cobalt blue and cream colored tiles
that induced a feeling of tranquility. The roman style tub was large enough for
two, as was the separate shower stall. The wall with the sinks possessed a
mirror that spanned the width of the bathroom. The tub was in an alcove graced
with a huge bay window bedecked with jungle plants that overlooked the back
yard. It sat high enough that if one looked into the window, they'd see nothing
but the philodendron gone wild.

I went to the linen closet and pulled
out the extra pillows to reach my stashed treasure box of Lush goodies. I
considered them on par with therapy of the highest kind. I delved into the
amazingly pungent box and dug for my last bar of Blue Skies and Fluffy White
Clouds. Normally, I'd cut it in thirds, but this wasn't a restful bath; oh no,
it was pure therapy time. The entire bubble bar was to be sacrificed upon the
alter of Good Feeling.

I cranked the tub faucet to toasty and
crumbled the blue and white swirled bar into the cascading torrent. It
dissolved into the scent of tranquility, complete with blue water and fluffy,
abundant white bubbles. I stripped down and settled myself into the tub of
relaxation. The scent of patchouli and frankincense enveloped me, and the
thought of Michael Oliver Octavian Boyle and his litany of misdeeds began to
fade from my mind.

About five minutes passed before Dmitri
came in, boombox in hand, as I was chin-deep in my scented bubbles. “You forgot
your music. Dr. Akbari would be most upset to discover you weren't following
her instructions to the letter.” He popped in a CD I identified as Mezzanine,
put the boombox on the marble vanity top, plugged it in, and pressed play. A
steady bass line began to make the steamy air throb.

“I'm gonna do it.” I sank lower into the
warm water, and blew a puff of air out my lips, causing some of the bubbles to
dance mid-flight and land near my knees.

A crease formed on Dmitri's brow. “Do
what, babe?” He sat on the edge of the tub, and began taking off his muddy
boots.

I felt awkward, as if admitting Willow
could possibly be right would upset the balance of the natural order. “I'm
going to see Willow's past life doctor. They are actual doctors of the
non-voodoo kind, aren't they?”

“Don't know,. You'd either have to
Google him or ask Willow. Are you doing it to keep her out of the wedding
planning?”

“No. I'm doing it because I don't like
being useless where Mike is concerned. What would have happened if Jet hadn't
been there? Or you?” My voice cracked with the emotion I was trying to keep
inside. “I don't have the balls to tell him off like Jet does. I don't have the
strength to knock the shit out of him, either... and he'd hit me back, anyhow.”
I looked up from the thousands of bubbles reflecting the upset look on my face,
and held his intense gaze. “The feeling I got when I saw him is the same feeling
I had when I threw up on you last night... I don't ever want to feel that way
again.”

How I wish I could take those words
back. The look on his face defied description. I hastened to reassure him, “You
didn't cause that feeling, I know you didn't. I dunno what it was exactly, but
I know it wasn't you. You are nothing like him... but if it's possible, I'd
like to get to the bottom of why I felt that way, especially since I equate you
with good things.”

Dmitri's aquiline nose flared as he
exhaled. “I can understand that... and I don't ever want to see you look that
terrified ever again. If you think that going to Willow's shrink will help to
empower you against that loser, I say go for it. Kick ass and take names,
babe.”

I beamed at him. “I'm glad I got rid of
the zero and hooked up with my hero.”

He stood up and laughed. “Is there
enough room in there for me, or do you prefer to hoard the bubbles to
yourself?”

“There's plenty of room if you don't
mind smelling like a Middle Eastern spice market.”

He smiled. “Beats an English rose
garden.” He grabbed his black tee shirt by the hem and lifted it over his head,
before dropping it onto the tiled floor. I always admired the grace in which
Dmitri moved. Fluid and elegant with a sureness of movement. The waistband of
his jeans rode low on his hips, and the sight of him in a state of casual
undress excited me. His warrior's body never failed to garner my admiration. He
was a sculpture of muscle and skin. Dmitri's hands rested on his hips as he
looked at me. “Stop eyehumping me. I'm not even naked yet.”

“Then you shouldn't be so damn
attractive. I'm just admiring you. I'll stop if you want. But I'm warning you,
if you think it's not a good thing, you might want to reconsider marrying me
because I plan on spending the rest of my life staring aimlessly in your
direction and heaving teenybopper sighs.”

“It's not a bad thing... I can just see
the hamster on its wheel when I look at you... and all the things you're
thinking of doing to my poor, helpless body with that lecherous look in your
eyes. You are a lecher, Kaylis.”

I laughed. “You say that as if its a bad
thing.”

Dmitri's hands went to unbutton his
jeans, and it was with some effort that I maintained eye contact. My gaze swept
down to his collarbone, to his pecs. I bit my lip and locked my eyes onto his
face. He winked at me as he removed his faded indigo jeans. His six foot two
frame was clad only in black boxer briefs, and to my eye, he was never more
attractive. Broad shoulders tapered down to a trim waist and well-muscled
thighs. As he finished undressing, I moved to make room for him in the tub.

“I can't see where your legs are with
all these bubbles in the way.”

“Just get in, Dmitri. You not gonna step
on me.”

He stepped into my deliciously feminine
tub and sighed. “It's the middle of June in northern California... and you're
taking a hot bath?”

“Either get in and enjoy or get out if
you can't handle the heat, hun. You're the one who wanted to hop in without
asking how toasty it was.”

He sat down, and I positioned myself
between his legs, my back against his chest. “You mean roasty, darling.”

I smiled. “I meant 'get over here and
kiss me', darling.” I turned around and leaned against his chest to look up
into his face.

Dmitri smiled down at me. One side of his
mouth quirked higher than the other. “It's awesome how much you want me.” He
kissed me. Bubbles shot into the air from the sudden movement.

Bubbles and blue water sloshing out of
the tub didn't faze us as we celebrated our love for each other. Dmitri's rough
hands roamed my slippery length, searching, teasing. I took his cock in hand
and straddled his lap to slide down his hardness.

Excitement built, reached its zenith and
faded, all the while our lips moved against one another in a never-ending kiss.
As I felt him throb inside me he whispered mid-kiss, “I love you.”

I shattered with completion. We rested
in that tub until the water cooled and the remaining bubbles popped on their
own volition.

Chapter Five-

“I hate to say it, Kaylis, but it looks like you jacked off a smurf.”

Sunday morning, and I stood in a plastic
apron over my camisole and cut-offs as I rinsed out my latest tie-dyed
creation; a mandala of indigo, pink and white. It was made to look like a lotus
blossom in full bloom, and it will b the main focus of a quilt I'm creating for
Willow's upcoming birthday. My hands were splotched with colors since I worked
without gloves this time.

“I've some ReDuRan somewhere. That will
take the stains off, if smurf spunk upsets you too much. But you'll have to
wait until I'm finished, and this is in the wash.” Blue and pink swirled down
the drain of my massive stainless steel farm-style sink. “Dmitri, will you
please hand me those little snips over there?” I looked to my left, at the long
workbench containing a large spool of sinew and my organizer of all things
sharp, pokey and scissory. He wandered over and lifted out an object.