A Girl by Any Other Name (69 page)

my tongue inside her. She sat up on her elbows watching me. I watched her too. Her face did

magnificent things when I was giving her pleasure. I flung her legs over my shoulders, bringing her

closer to my greedy mouth. I sucked her clit, slowly savoring it, and released it, repeating the

process, relishing the increasingly vocal moans she rewarded me with each time. She tugged on my

hair, directing me with her hands. I moved faster, squeezing her hips. She screamed louder, calling

out to me—and God—several times. My erection stiffened further with each syllable. Then I felt her

contract and release. I relished the expression of blissful ecstasy in her face with a sense of pride.

This was the girl I loved, and pleasuring her was my privilege.

I stood up, licking my lips, appreciating the sweet flavor of Sylvie. “Stay right here. I’ll be right

back.”

“I’m not planning on going anywhere.”

I ran with record speed to the bedroom, grabbed a condom and placed it on me, wondering why

the hell I didn’t keep them in every room. She lay on the table, legs dangling off the end, waiting for

me. “What took you so long, Tex?”

I laughed. “Patience, Sylvie. Put your legs around my hips.” She complied, encircling me, as I

entered her. I pushed into her excruciatingly slowly, wanting it to last as long as possible. I leaned

forward on the table, clasping her hands in mine, trailing feverish kisses down her neck and breasts. I

flicked each nipple, manipulating them against my lips. Finally, I had to taste her mouth, tangling my

tongue with hers.

I felt her clamp around my dick. “Fuck, do that again,” I said.

She widened her eyes, and her tight walls closed in around me, slowing my thrusts. I stared

down at her, thinking how surreal every moment was with her. Every time we made love, it was more

intense because it was a gift bestowed on us, and we would never take it for granted. “You are mine.”

“Yes,” she panted.

“Say it to me.”

“I’m yours.” I moved her legs up to my shoulders to deepen my plunges. I kissed each ankle,

making sure to hit her tattoo twice, as was my habit now. I continued moving slowly, knowing how

much deeper this position was. “Who do you belong to, Sylvie?”

“You.”

“Yes, and who do I belong to?”

“Me,” she screamed, biting that luscious lower lip.

“That’s right, baby. We belong to each other, but…fuck.” I was having trouble forming the

words. They were clear in my mind, but became monosyllabic garble as they exited my mouth. “You.

Own. Me.”

Chapter Sixteen

“Do you seriously do this every Saturday?” she asked, struggling to maintain a clear voice.

“No, I do it every day, but I run an extra mile on Saturday. I’ve been skipping them, though,

because a certain someone’s been preoccupying me.”

She had agreed to run with me, but I could see she wasn’t too keen after the first mile. I was

doing my best to take it easy, but we ended up speed-walking more than running most of the way.

“Can we go home now?”

I laughed. “The WC is only another mile. If you can make it, I’ll buy you a coffee and we can

hang out there for a while.” I handed her the bottle of water and she chugged it. I watched as a droplet

fell from her lips, rolling down her sweat-soaked glistening skin, descending slowly right into the

center of the V in her snug T-shirt. Damn…so hot.

“Can we at least walk?”

“Seriously? I told you we could walk a mile if we ran the next. This is our running mile so let’s

make it count. I’ll race you.”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“Nope, I’ll even give you a head start.” I smacked her on the ass, and stopped walking. “Go on.”

She narrowed her eyes at me. “Sorry, are you too delicate for this? Should we stop?” I knew that

would get her going. She never could turn down a challenge.

“What? Hell, no. Get ready to eat my dust, Caleb Tanner.” She sped off.

I stared for a while, watching her graceful legs building momentum. I followed, but was careful

not to pass her.

“Are you letting me win?” she asked, as we neared our destination.

“No, I’m just enjoying the view,” I replied, grinning.

She laughed, turning her head back to give me a smug look. “It doesn’t matter if you let me, I’m

still taking the win, Tex.” That did it, I caught up real fast because the truth was, it wasn’t in my DNA

to let anyone win, not even her.

We slowed once we reached the WC. We couldn’t really run in that crowded area. “I won,” I

replied, taking the water bottle from her. I poured it over my head, knowing it would dry in about ten

minutes in this sunny weather.

“I think it was a tie.”

I nodded, deciding to pick my battles. “Our usual table?” I said, gesturing to the overstuffed

chairs we had sat in a few weeks before. We hadn’t been back here since that day.

“What a different conversation that was, Cal. It seems like forever ago.”

“It wasn’t so long ago. Go save our seats, I’ll get our drinks.” I got a few bottled waters along

with the coffee so we wouldn’t get dehydrated.

“Did you add sugar?” she asked when I came to the table.

“Yep, I’m your Huckleberry.”

“Yeah, you sure are.” She sipped her coffee, staring at me. Actually, she was ogling my legs.

“Like what you see?” I leaned forward, dropping my voice. “Which one do you like the best?

The right? The left?” I winked at her. “Or is it the middle?” She smiled at my joke, but it didn’t match

the somber look in her eyes.

“May I see your leg, please?”

I thought it was an odd request, but I lifted my leg up. She shook her head. “The other one.”

My smile disappeared. I lifted the other leg with less ease. She took my foot and placed it in her

lap, staring at the broken skin that had never healed.

“It’s really not that bad, baby. The fact I just ran six miles with you should convince you of that.”

She rubbed the area with her fingers.

“As good as that feels, I think you should probably stop groping me in public.”

“How often does it hurt you?”

“Like I said, not that often. Besides, it’s a pretty badass scar, isn’t it? It makes me look tough,

and no one messes with me.” I removed my foot from her lap.

“Very funny, Tex.”

“How do you know so many people here?” I wanted to desperately change the subject. She was

getting that sad faraway look in her eyes.

“I used to draw caricatures on the weekends for extra money until they got stricter on the street

artists.”

“You seem very enterprising. How many jobs did you have?”

She laughed. “Actually, that money went to buy art supplies. My boss let me have the class for

free, but he said I’d have to pay for the supplies.”

I grinned. “You’re pretty amazing, you know that?”

She held up her coffee cup to me in a toast. “Right back at ya, Tex.”

* * * *

The sound of
Mama Said Knock You Out
interrupted my sleep. I glanced over to Sylvie who

was shifting in my arms, her soft hair splayed across my chest. She blinked her eyes open, arching an

eyebrow in amusement as I reached for my phone.

“Is that LL Cool J?” she asked, stretching.

“Yeah, Momma’s ringtone.” Momma still had a hard time grasping the two-hour time difference

between us.

She giggled. “It’s appropriate.”

“Hi, Momma,” I greeted, holding my finger against my lips.

“Hello, son, I don’t have long to talk. I just wanted to see if you’d booked your flight yet for

Thanksgiving.”

Shit.

“I don’t think I’m coming this year.” I winced as the seconds ticked by, her heavy silence on the

other end. I imagined the tears she struggled to hold back, and I felt like a complete shithead.

“You come every year. Christmas and Thanksgiving are the only times we see you anymore.”

Her voice boomed out and I knew Sylvie could hear both sides of the conversation.

“I know, but I’m really busy this year.”

“Is it a girl?” My momma could read me like a kindergarten primer.

“Maybe,” I relied, hoping she’d drop it.

“Bring her with you.”

Shit.

“I think it’s too soon. We just started dating.” It wasn’t a total lie.

“Tell me about her,” Momma asked.

What could I say? That I loved Sylvie? That she made my heart stammer, my pulse quicken and

my brain work in crazy ways? Then Momma wouldn’t let it go.

“She’s very special to me.” I stroked Sylvie’s hair, unable to resist touching her. “Tell me about

you, Momma.”

“She must be special, since you’ve never mentioned a girl to me since—” She halted and I knew

why. Momma didn’t mention Sylvie’s name anymore. I think she did it because she knew it pained

me.

“I know. You don’t have to worry about me. I want to know how y’all are doing,” I asked again.

“I really wish you’d come down for Thanksgiving. There is someone I want you to meet.”

“Who?”

“The man I’m dating.”

I shot straight up in the bed, pulling the covers with me. “Who is he?”

“Remember Paul Casper?”

“Him? He can’t even hold down a job.”

“Calm down, Cal. It’s not him. It’s his brother, Alan.”

“I don’t know an Alan Casper.”

“I went to high school with him. He moved out of town for college, but he’s back now.”

I wasn’t naïve enough to believe my mother didn’t date. She was an attractive woman after all,

but she’d never been serious enough to want me to meet any of her dates. “Has Mandy met him?”

“Yes, she likes him, and I think you will too. He’s a very nice man.”

“He better be if he wants to date my momma. If he’s anything like his brother then I don’t

approve.”

I imagined her shaking her head through the phone. “He’s very nice.”

“What does he do for a living? Why did he move out of town? Why is he back?”

“I wasn’t expecting an inquisition.”

“I’m sorry, but if he’s dating you then he needs to meet certain standards.”

She sighed. “He’s a dentist. He’s opening a practice here so now we don’t have to drive forty-

five minutes to get our teeth cleaned. He’s a very nice man.”

“Then why isn’t he already married?”

“Cal, you seriously need to get a hold of yourself! He’s divorced if you must know.”

“Why is that?”

“I didn’t ask him, but since you’re so curious I’d suggest you come home for Thanksgiving so

you can meet him.”

“Did Daddy like him when y’all were in high school?”

“What does that matter?”

“Because my father was a good judge of character and his approval holds a lot of weight with

me.”

“Yes, we were all friends.” Her voice grew softer and I felt guilty bringing it up.

“I’m sorry, Momma, I just don’t want you to get hurt or be taken advantage of. There are many

men out there who prey on women like you.”

“Cal, you need to trust my judgment. Do you think your momma’s a fool?”

“No, ma’am. She’s a smart, capable woman, who raised a son that will beat any man’s ass that

dares hurt her.”

She chuckled. “You’ve always been a protector. It’s in your blood. I’ll be fine. Please think

about coming home, you hear me?”

“Okay,” I said to appease her. “I love you.”

“I love you too, son. And tell that girl that she better be treating you right or she’ll be hearing

from your momma.”

I hung up the phone and felt Sylvie’s small hands kneading my shoulders. I leaned back against

her chest.

“You miss them a lot, don’t you?” she asked.

“They’re fine, Sylvie.”

“You didn’t answer my question, but I’ll let it go. I think you should go home for the holidays.

They miss you too. I’ll be fine. I’ve spent a lot of holidays by myself.”

“Not anymore.” I took her hand, kissing it. “I’m right where I should be. End of subject, okay?”

“’Kay.”

The truth was, I wanted my family back together. I wanted all of us in one place, especially

Sylvie.

* * * *

She made me barbecue brisket and homemade ice tea like Momma did. She did it as a non-

verbal gesture to convince me to go home. How did she not understand? There was no way I could

enjoy a holiday with my family knowing she was alone and in danger. Neither of us talked about it,

opting to watch a movie. She fell asleep on the couch, so I carried her to bed, deciding that watching

her was better than any movie.

Sylvie asleep in my bed was still a surreal feeling, except tonight she stirred and shifted. The

panicked shriek that followed signaled a nightmare. She hadn’t had one since I’d found her. She began

shaking, like she was crying, but no tears came. I gently shook her shoulder, kissing her cheek,

whispering reassurances to coax her awake.

As soon as she opened her eyes, her mouth dropped and her eyes widened with terror. She

wrapped her arms around my neck, clinging to me. I rolled us over so she was on top of me. I stroked

her hair, trying to comfort her. “Hey, you’re okay. You just had a dream, sweetheart.” She didn’t

answer. She gripped me as if I was a high ledge she was hanging onto. ”Do you want to talk about

it?”

“No.”

“It might help.”

“I said no.” Hot tears rolled off her chin onto my chest. I pulled her away from me so I could