Across The Hall (37 page)

herself at me. I wrapped my arms around her as I stumbled back a couple steps to regain my balance. She let out a little giggle as we moved. It felt

so good to have her in my arms like this. This was the Sylvia I knew. The Sylvia that I had been afraid was gone.

She pul ed back just enough for me read her face. Her eyes were a bright green, shinier than they had been in days. The purplish smudges under

her eyes were so faint they could barely be seen. She appeared to be wel -rested at last. Her smile was what did it for me. It was huge, and it was

al for me.

“Good morning. It looks like someone woke up on the right side of the bed today.” I couldn’t help but smile back at her.

“Oh, I did.” She said it with a little smirk and an enticing raise to her brow. Sylvia dropped her arms from around my neck down to my hands,

which she clasped tightly in hers. She stepped back through her doorway, pul ing me along with her.

“I missed you.” She surprised the hel out of me when she went up on her toes and kissed me. Her soft lips against mine were just what I needed

this morning. I came over not knowing what today would be like with her. I wasn’t sure if she would stil be angry or back to the ghost that had been

haunting the apartment for the past weeks. Never did I expect this from her.

It wasn’t a quick kiss either. I felt her lips part against mine and the tip of her tongue sweep across my lower lip. I opened mine to her and let her

take the lead. I didn’t want to push her further than she was ready to go. I pul ed her tighter to me as she teased me with her mouth. Her tongue

darted into my mouth, coaxing mine to play. I grew harder with every pass her tongue made against mine. When I felt us growing breathless, I pul ed

back and she slid down, standing flat on her feet.

“I missed you, too,” I said, stil slightly breathless.

“I am so sorry for yesterday. I didn’t mean it. Please understand I didn’t mean it.” She was talking fast while she pleaded with me. She looked

scared like she was worried that I was upset.

“Sylvia, I know you didn’t.” I leaned down and just brushed my lips against hers briefly. “So...you look better. Looks like you got some sleep at

last.”

Her face lit up. “I did sleep. I don’t even know how long I slept, but it felt like forever.” She started to walk over to the couch and I fol owed, taking

my coat off and dropping it on the chair as I passed.

“Sylvia, do you want to talk about yesterday?” I didn’t want to push her, but I real y wanted to know what had brought about this change. I joined her

on the couch, sitting sideways so I could look at her. She was radiant today. Her hair was stil drying, but it shined. The strawberry curls bounced

against her as she sighed and shrugged. I noticed then what she was wearing. I was pretty sure the white shirt was mine. I smiled to myself at the

thought of her choosing to wear my shirt.

“I don’t real y know what to say. I just had some things I needed to get out of my system and I couldn’t do it with you watching me. You wouldn’t

have wanted to see me anyway. I was a complete mess.”

“That wouldn’t have bothered me. I would have been here for you, helping you through it.” She shook her head.

“No, Quinn. This was something I needed to do alone.” I hated leaving her yesterday but I was so afraid that she actual y would leave when she

threatened it. I was hurt at her words, and feeling guilty for being the source of her pain once again. I had intended to just go for a drive and clear my

head and then go back and check on her. Those plans changed when I found myself in front of my parents’ house.

Mom took one look at me and opened her arms. I felt like a child again as I let my mother envelop me in her arms. Her comforting embrace was

something I could always count on. After that, she led me to the kitchen and made me hot chocolate as I unloaded everything to her. I told her about

the ache of seeing Sylvia so unhappy and being powerless to do anything about it. I guiltily confessed the anger I was starting to feel towards her for

just seeming to give up on everything. Mom listened and offered bits of advice or encouragement, until I relayed the events of the morning.

Mom chastised me for not giving Sylvia room to grieve. She pointed out how I should know by now that Sylvia would need her own space to think

things through. Mom insisted I spend the night and leave Sylvia to work it out on her own. She assured me that Sylvia would cal if or when she

needed me. It was a long night of worrying about her. I woke up early and paced around the house wondering if I should just go to her. I wanted to

cal and check on her but realized my battery was dead. I plugged it back in and went downstairs to have breakfast with my parents.

I had joined Mom and Dad in the little breakfast nook off the kitchen. It was the usual place to find them in the morning. There were windows on

three sides which al owed the sun to shine brightly through. Mom liked to sit here in the morning and look out over her garden. Of course now it was

covered with snow with little tufts of yel ow dead grass poking through. In a few months it would be fil ed with color and life. As I sat through breakfast

I didn’t hear anything Mom and Dad said. I just looked out the window and thought of Sylvia. Slowly, I began to realize that Sylvia was like the

garden. Right now she was dormant, waiting for the sun and the warmth to come back. After a time it would. Al I had to do was sit back and give

her the time she needed. She too would renew, just like the garden did. With a little patience and love and caring she would come back to life, too. I

sat back and smiled. Sylvia was going to be fine.

It was after breakfast that Mom suggested I go to Sylvia’s and take her back to their place for Christmas and the rest of the weekend. My

grandparents were flying in later that morning. I liked the idea of having Sylvia come and stay.

Sylvia shifted on the couch and reached out for my hand. I focused al my attention back to her.

“I know. Mom made me see it. I’m sorry it took me this long to let you have your space.” She was visibly relieved at that. “Stil , I sense there is

more to your mood than just having been given some space.”

She smiled sadly at me, and it didn’t reach her eyes. “There is. I know my Dad isn’t coming back any more than my mom is. I just have to try to go

on.” Her eyes started to water and I wrapped my arms around her comforting her the only way I could. She stayed tucked against my chest for a few

minutes, not saying anything, just pul ing herself together.

She sat back and took a deep breath. “I also came to another realization in my time alone.” She took my hand again and turned her attention to it

as she traced along my fingers. Her feather light touch was nice, but I was curious about what else she had to say. I could tel she was searching for

the words.

When she final y did start speaking, I could barely hear her. “I haven’t been very nice to you lately...”

I sighed. “Sylvia you had so much going on that...”

“Don’t interrupt me.” She looked up at me and there was something more in her eyes. Something I had caught brief glimpses of before the

accident. “I don’t mean since the...” she swal owed, “...the accident. I was so angry when I found out you were here. I stil had feelings for you, and I

was afraid that they would intensify being around you again. I was right. They did. What I wasn’t expecting was you feeling the same way. I’m sorry

for pushing you away al this time. I was just scared.” I squeezed her hand so she would know I understood. “I’m not scared anymore. I woke up this

morning and saw al your stuff around, and it just felt right. Like this was what was supposed to be.”

“Sylvia it
is
supposed to be. And it may have been what
was
supposed to be, but we can’t change that now.” She nodded.

“Quinn, thank you. Thank you for giving me my time to grieve last night. I truly needed that time to get my mind straightened out.” Her voice

quivered but she continued. “Thank you for not giving up on me, for staying with me.” Her eyes were watering up again. I brushed away the tear that

had spil ed over onto her cheek. I leaned over and kissed her softly to silence her. She didn’t need to say anymore. I understood her perfectly.

“Sylvia, I love you. I know that everything isn’t perfect, yet and we stil have things to talk about. But for now, can we just enjoy the holiday?” Sylvia

smiled at that and nodded.

“I would like that very much.”

“Mom would like it if you would come for Christmas and stay the weekend at their place. It would mean so much to her, and me too.” I could see

the hesitance in her eyes as she bit her lip, thinking it over. “Please Sylvia.”

“When would we go?”

“Wel , since its Christmas Eve, I thought we could leave as soon as you are ready.” I knew I must look like an eager puppy. I sure as hel felt like

one. I real y wanted her to come with me. I wanted to spend the holidays with her. I could see that she was thinking it over, and that gave me hope.

“Mom would love it. She misses you.” I hoped that would help push her over.

She stil looked torn, but then she smiled at me. I wanted to sing, I was so freaking happy.

“There’s just one thing I need to do first.” She gave me the sexiest smirk I think I had ever seen. Then, without warning, she straddled me and

brought her mouth to mine. This kiss was aggressive and demanding and had me instantly hard. It drove me crazy when Sylvia sucked on my

bottom lip before she nipped at it playful y, then smoothed over it with her tongue. She moved along my jaw the same way, suck, nip, lick, suck, nip,

lick. When she got to my ear, she traced around the outside with her tongue.

I wanted to take her right there when she whispered, “I need you, Quinn. I need to feel you.” Her lips closed over my earlobe and gently sucked on

it as she ground against me. I would happily give her whatever she needed. She fisted her hands in my hair and returned to my mouth. I may have

moaned as she moved over me, pressing against me. She had on a pair of jeans and I could feel the pressure of the seams as they rubbed

together. I wrapped my hands over her hips to slow her down.

Sylvia ran her hands up and down my arms. She slipped her fingers up under the sleeves of my t-shirt, grasped my upper arms, and moaned

against my mouth as I thrust up against her. Her hands slid out from under my sleeves and across my chest, down to the hem of my shirt. She

tugged it up over my head and began the same torture as before -- suck, nip, and lick -- al over my chest.

I groaned and threw my head back to rest on the couch when I felt her reach for the button on my jeans. She expertly undid them. She tugged at

them and I raised my hips, letting her pul them off -- along with my shoes -- as she sank to her knees on the floor in front of me. She trailed her

finger nails up the insides of my thighs, sending a shiver through me. When she reached the edge of my boxers, I thought she would continue up

under them. But she skimmed over and started to slowly stroke me through the thin layer of cotton. I wanted to feel her skin on mine so I reached for

her hand and moved it through the fly.

She giggled. “A little impatient, aren’t you?” she teased.

“God, you have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for this.”

“Wel , then I shouldn’t keep you waiting.” She closed her hand around me and moved at a faster pace. It wasn’t long before I had to stop her. After

sleeping next to her for the past month without more than a few chaste kisses, I was beyond ready for her. I wasn’t going to last long if I didn’t stop

her.

I pul ed her up to me and kissed her as I raised her shirt over her head. Her skin was so soft, and I just needed to run my hands over her. I wanted

to touch her everywhere and feel that soft skin under my fingers. She let out a smal sigh as I tickled along her back while keeping our kisses slow

and deep. I unhooked her bra and slid it off. I didn’t even look to see what it looked like. I just wanted to feel her bare chest against mine.

I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her tight. I tried to convey that I would always be there to hold her with that hug. I inhaled her scent as I

held her to me, and was overcome with the need to taste her. I started at her ear, doing the same thing she had done to me. I moved from her ear

down to the sweet spot behind it. I knew the reaction I would get if I sucked there. Sylvia didn’t disappoint. She moaned deeply and rubbed her hips

against me. The denim was rough against my cock, but I didn’t care. I moved from the sweet spot to her throat, and then down to her breasts.

I cupped them in my hands, marveling once again at what a perfect size they were. I massaged them as I took a nipple in my mouth. I loved how it

went hard under my tongue as I licked and sucked on it. Her hands were in my hair again pul ing lightly as I kissed over to the other one to shower it

with attention, too.

“God, Quinn, I need to feel you against me.” Her voice was low and husky and had my dick twitching.

I reversed our positions on the couch and quickly moved down to her jeans, undoing them and pul ing them off along with her panties. I knelt in

front of her, just as she had been in front of me. I looked her over, drinking in the sight of her. She was absolutely breathtaking. Her eyes were heavy

with lust, her red swol en lips were parted, and I could just make out the hint of her tongue as it moved along the lower inside of her bottom lip. Her

perfect breasts rose and fel with each breath she took. Her pink nipples cal ed to me again and I leaned forward taking one into my mouth as I