A Girl by Any Other Name (26 page)

That way your grades won’t count and there’s nothing devious about it.”

“Will you get in trouble for that?”

I shrugged. “Only if someone tells. It is community college, after all. They’re not exactly vigilant

about these kinds of things. I’ve heard that Ocean Community College is fondly referred to as ‘Only

Chance College’ and that’s by the alumni.”

She laughed. “’Kay.”

“Goodnight, Sylvie,” I whispered, kissing her temple.

“We need to talk about something first.”

“What’s that?”

“I don’t think you should call me Sylvie anymore. I have a new name now. I would say it’s fine

for you to call me that when we’re intimate, because I prefer it too, but I’m afraid you might slip up if

we’re in public.” She had a point.

“I know what you’re saying, but Sophie doesn’t feel right to me. How about if I call you Sylvie

when we’re alone and ‘sweetheart’, or ‘baby’, or even ‘lover’ when we’re out?”

She laughed. “You’re crazy.”

“Crazy about you. I love you, girl.”

She sat up, pressing her hand against my chest. “You haven’t said that yet.”

“Yes, I have.”

“No, you haven’t. We’ve talked about it in an external sense, but you haven’t said it directly to

me since…since that night.”

“Well, I have no problems saying it. I love you, Sylvie Cranston. I have loved you since I was

fourteen and I will love you until the day I die.”

“I love you too, Caleb James Tanner.”

“You know you’ve never said that to me.”

Her mouth dropped open.

“You didn’t have to. I always knew, but it’s nice to hear the words.”

“Let me be clear then. I have loved you since I was eleven and you sat next to me on the swings

at church. It’s grown each day since, even when we weren’t together. I will never stop loving you.”

My heart warmed with her words so much that I clasped the back of head and pulled her toward

me, kissing her passionately.

* * * *

“I think it’s dead,” Sylvie said, watching me drill the chain on her door.

“It’s not dead. I’ve had this drill for fifteen years, so what does that tell you?”

“That it’s time to get a new drill,” she replied playfully.

I shook my head, pissed that my drill wasn’t working when we were almost done with all the

repairs. I turned to her, and I had trouble remembering what it was I was supposed to be doing. There

was nothing sexy about a plaid shirt and chinos, but somehow Sylvie made them look like French

lingerie. Her hair was up in a messy bun, and my fingers twitched to release it then caress it. She must

have sensed my desire, because she pouted her sumptuous lips and raised her eyebrow. “So, are we

done for today?”

I wished we were, but I needed to get this done. I wouldn’t feel all right about her being here

alone if it wasn’t. “You’ve been a good helper so far, but now you’re just distracting me. Why don’t

you get me a cup of coffee, woman?”

“That sounded very chauvinistic, Tex.”

“It’s not. You can get yourself a cup too,” I replied, turning back to my work. The drill was on

its last legs, and I was about ready to chuck it out the window.

“I can help you.” There was a piled huskiness to her already sexy voice. I had a feeling her

version of help wasn’t going to get this task done.

“I don’t think so.”

“I can make it easier.”

“Sylvie, let me finish this and stop distracting me!”

“But, Tex, you’re stressing out so much.”

“Yeah, and trust me, I’m going to want you to relax me…but later, when I’m done here. This is

very important to me.”

“Yeah and—”

“Damn it, girl, I’m serious,” I snapped, watching the drill in my hand start to smoke from the

pressure I was putting on it.

That was when I heard another sound echo through her small apartment. It was a fresh energetic

buzzing that was so opposite to the dying sound coming from my tool. I turned and she stood there

clutching the latest Craftsman drill, charged up and ready to go.

She sauntered over to me, holding it up like it was a pistol, smiling smugly. “I was going to say

you can borrow my drill. Sometimes it is the tool and not the user.”

I took it from her, admiring its features and its power. “Very nice. Why do you have this?”

“I found out it’s cheaper to make my own frames and easels.”

“When did you get so handy?” I asked, pulling her to my chest and kissing her head.

“I was just going to ask you the same thing. I don’t remember you knowing all this stuff.”

“Sylvie, I don’t think it takes a genius to install a chain.”

“No, but you just seem really comfortable with it.”

I released her, returning to my work. She went to the tiny area that constituted her kitchen to

make coffee.

“I think it really started when I came home from college. I noticed there were many things in

disrepair. It wasn’t like Momma to let things go like that. At first, I couldn’t figure it out, but then I

realized that even with my dad’s insurance settlement and my mother going back to work, things were

tight with me in college and Mandy’s music lessons. I figured the least I could do was help out. My

dad was always good at fixing stuff.”

“I remember. He was always tinkering with y’all’s appliances and cars.”

“I wasn’t so great, but I figured everything I needed to know was in a book somewhere. Then for

Christmas, I was pretty broke so I decided to make Momma a new dining table.” I finished the chain

and checked all the screws on her door to see if I should reinforce any. “I don’t think I’ve seen her

that happy since Dad died. After that, I made all of Mandy’s and Momma’s gifts. I think they liked it

better that way.”

She handed me a steaming mug and sat on the floor, leaning her back against the wall. I decided

to join her.

“That’s really sweet, Tex. You always took really good care of them.”

I didn’t answer, and thankfully she didn’t say any more. The truth was I missed them like crazy,

and bringing them up made me sad in many ways.

“Did you make the shelves at your place?”

I nodded, happy she was changing the topic.

“Can you make me some like that? They are pretty sweet.”

I took a few sips of the steaming mug she’d brought me, contemplating my answer. She shifted

closer to me and I reflexively put my arm around her and she laid her head against my chest. “I can, or

you can just move all your books to my place along with the rest of your stuff. If you agree to that, then

we can be done with this.”

She frowned. “There’s several reasons why that’s a bad idea.”

“Name them.”

“For one, it’s too soon.”

I almost spit out my coffee. “What? You realize this isn’t like a normal relationship, right?

We’re not exactly just starting out here.”

“Of course it’s not, but I want us to have that ‘getting to know you again’ phase. Then there is the

practical reasoning too.”

“What’s that?”

“It would cost a fortune to buy out my lease, and I have three more months here.”

“I’ll pay for it,” I said immediately. Hell, if it was about money, we could resolve that.

“No, you won’t. I don’t want that.”

“But—”

She covered my mouth. “Here’s the thing, Tex. I love you, and I’m not doubting that for a second,

but I like my independence too. Besides, you told me Mandy and your mom visit you, so how would

you explain all my girly stuff at your bachelor pad?”

“I’ll drop it…for now,” I grumbled.

She leaned up and kissed me. “So are we done? Because I have a few hours before work, and I

was thinking maybe you could drill me.”

I chucked. “Baby, you’re making me so fucking hard.” She stood up, holding her hand out to me

eagerly. I took it, knowing better than to actually use it to pull myself up. “Calm down, girl. We’re not

done. We have to do this last thing.” I took out the last box from our purchases.

She stared at it quizzically. “An alarm? I don’t think I can have that here.”

“You can.”

“Did you read my lease or something?” she asked, cocking her head.

“Nope, but state law says you can and that supersedes a lease.”

Installing the alarm was fairly simple. Just placing the batteries and a few small holes to set it in

place. I stood back, checking the placement of the box, making sure it was level. “Come here,” I said,

motioning to her. I stood her in front of me and crossed my arms around her, resting my chin against

her head. “Now, this isn’t connected to a monitoring service because that’s not allowed, but it will

give off an ear-splitting sound if it goes off. So if you don’t want an eviction notice, I’d suggest you

make sure to turn it off in the thirty seconds allotted. Actually, on second thought…”

She elbowed me. “Yeah, you would like that.”

“Hey, no need to get violent. Anyway, I need you to pick a four-digit code.”

“One one—”

“Not your birthday. Is that really your birthday by the way?”

“It’s close and the one I celebrate now. How about zero four—”

“Not my birthday.”

“Damn, this is hard.”

“Pick something you’ll remember, but no one else would know.”

“Zero five two five,” she blurted out immediately.

I punched it in, setting the code. “Does that have some significance?”

“It does to me.”

I replayed the date in my head, coming up short. I decided to let it go rather than guess like a

fool. She didn’t say anything else, but I had a feeling she was disappointed I didn’t know the answer.

“Guess what, baby? We’re done. Now, let me show you the most powerful drill in this place.”

I tickled her ribs, and she laughed, running across the room, but I caught up to her and swung her

on the bed. I made quick work of getting her shirt off. I walked to the edge and dragged off those

chinos along with her lace panties, flinging them across the room. She tugged on my shirt, and I pulled

it off, pushing her down on the bed. She wrapped her arms around me while I buried my face into her

neck. She started giggling. “What?” I asked, nuzzling her neck. She laughed harder, patting my back.

“You didn’t shave today and it tickles.”

“Want me to stop and shave then?” I whispered in her ear.

“Don’t you dare. I’m just curious that’s all.”

“About what?”

“Will it tickle everywhere?”

“You tell me.”

I trailed kisses making a path toward her stomach. Her laughter soon turned into moans. I

stopped once in a while to rub my stubble on her soft, delicate skin and she started laughing again.

We both did. I dipped my tongue inside her. I loved to hear Sylvie laugh, but her moan was

incredible. It was deep and sexy, full of longing and desire. I managed to pull out a condom and kick

off my shorts while French-kissing her pussy. I put on the rubber, almost wanting to pat myself on the

back for my impressive multi-tasking.

She was still climaxing as I climbed back up the bed and inside her. She clutched my shoulders,

digging her nails in, as I pounded into her. “Wrap your legs around me.”

She obeyed immediately. I wasn’t usually this vocal with girls, but there was something

instinctive with her. I felt the need to dominate her, and conversely, she was submissive with me and

for herself. In reality, though, it was she who held all the power over me. The sex was so much more

intense than I’d ever imagined. It was because I loved her with every cell in my body.

She used her legs to encourage me back inside her every time I pulled away. We moved in

unison, building to our release, stimulating each other with soft, wet kisses.

“I love you,” I managed to choke out as I watched her climax.

“Me too,” she screamed.

“Say the whole thing to me.”

“I love you.”

I thrust again, deeper and harder than before. She moaned against me, and I sensed she was close

again.

“Say my name, Sylvie,” I commanded.

“I love you so much, Caleb James Tanner,” she said, wrapping her arms around my neck.

I was shocked at how hard I came.

I moved out of her, heading for the bathroom to dispose of the condom. I came back to bed,

spooning her against my chest.

“It was the day we met, right? May twenty-fifth.”

“I was wondering if you’d get it.”

“It just took me a minute, but it all came back.”

She stood up and walked over to the plastic bags on the kitchen table. She was completely

naked, walking around with an air of comfort that I knew existed because it was me she was with. She

came back to the bed, bringing the bag of chocolates from the previous night with her.

“I think you deserve chocolate for that,” she said, holding up a brightly foiled chocolate square

to me.

“Let’s share,” I replied, taking it.

She gave me a perplexed look. “Cal, I brought the whole bag. We are sharing.”

“That’s not what I mean. Lie down, please.”

“Well, since you said please this time,” she replied, giggling.

I unwrapped the chocolate square, circling it over her lips, until the body heat melted it. She

opened her mouth to bite it, but I pulled it away. “Nah-uh. Not yet.”

She frowned, but I kept up the pace, covering her mouth with the decadent sweet. Once I was

satisfied, I licked it off her. “That’s really good.”