Castles Burning Part One (6 page)

“You have got to be kidding me.”
I expected my jaw to hit the floor.

“This last month has been really hard for her, I’ve stayed at your guys place countless times when her grandmother was out, and even sometimes when she’s home.
Christie doesn’t feel safe, she doesn’t even sleep.”

“I can’t believe this! How is this even possible?
” I demanded.

“I
don’t know.” He shook his head and slowly released a swirl of smoke, it slid out of his nostrils as he stared out at the lake, something I couldn’t put my finger on lingered in his eyes. He looked almost hurt, or maybe fearful.

“What do they expect Christie to do?”
I asked softly.

Alex shook his head in confusion.
“I don’t know, none of us know anything. Except that he is out.”

             
“This is such bull shit!” I cried, flicking the ash from my cigarette violently.

             
“They never found him guilty of the murder. They don’t have any reason to believe that Christie is in any kind of danger.” Aden offered.

Almost three
years ago Christie’s fraternal twin, who had pretty brown hair and brown eyes, had been viciously attacked while jogging. Her head had been bashed against the concrete so hard that she’d been pronounced dead when the paramedics arrived.

After t
aking one more drag off my cigarette and then putting it out, I made my way back into the house to start some coffee. The boys stayed outside behind me, but I needed some space to think about all of this. The day was cold and proving to be cloudy, the air smelled of rain and I wondered what we could do all day when fishing was obviously not going to be much fun.

Christie made her way from the bedroom to the kitchen and I handed her a coffee cup as she shuffled to a bar stool. I looked through the cabinets and
fridge at the things we’d brought along. Making a quick assessment, I decided to put out some meat to defrost, and soak some beans to make burritos for the night. We could send the boys off to town to get some ice and make margaritas and have chips and salsa. These were all Christie’s favorite things, and I knew she would be cheered up by the evening’s festivities.

As the boys came in from the patio I filled Christie’s cup with
more coffee and poured my own, “Hey will you guys go to town and get some ice? I want to make margaritas tonight.”

“Yeah we can
go now if you want.” Alex said, noticeably less shaken. Christie didn’t meet his gaze, though I could see he longed for it, he stared at her intently as she nursed her coffee. After a moment he swallowed, and I watched as his jaw clench as he ripped his coat from the stand beside the door and dashed out.

“Sure. Drive safe looks like rain.”
I said my eyes on the door. “Is he okay?” I asked quietly.

“He will be
. I love you.” Aden said as he planted a kiss on my temple before heading out the door.

Christie sipped her coffee and gazed at me over her cup.

“He didn’t sleep with me last night.” I said finally, after the door closed softly behind them.

“Sure sounded like he di
d.” She quipped with a wink. I was glad to see her out of her funk, I snapped her with the dish towel before hanging it back up and putting in a bagel to toast.

“We had sex, and went to bed together, but this morning, he was in his room.”

“Weird.” Christie said simply before sipping her hot coffee.

“Weird? That’s it? That’s all you can offer?”

“Well what do you want to know? I know you’ve got something else on your mind, I can tell. Stop beating around the bush and ask.” She said plainly.

“Did he have a girlfriend while I was in Chicago?”
I looked at the toaster while I waited for her answer.

“No, not that I know of
, there were some rumors about him and a girl he was in school with, but she moved back to California after they got their certificates. Why?”

“He’s different
, sort of. I just keep wondering who he dated while we were on a break.”

“You’v
e been gone for two years Amber. You barely called anyone or even let us know you were alive until a month before you came back. Aside from a couple visits.”

“I know, but it was hard being there alone, not having any friends or family and when I called you guys it just depressed me, so I just surrounded myself with friends who were there.”

“And boys.” She grinned.

“Ugh. Don’t remind me.”

“Oh it couldn’t have been that bad. You gave him your flower after all.” Christie teased in her most innocent voice, fluttering her eye lashes.

“Ha! Only because I was
lonely and needed a distraction.”

Christie erupted in genuine laughter and I immediately felt the tension melt from the room. “You
know what? Alex walked in on Aden in the bathroom one time shortly after they started to room together, and he told me he had no idea God was so cruel to him until that moment.” She said as she pointed to her groin with her finger.

Laughing at the image of poor Alex walking in on Aden
, I put a bowl of fresh strawberries on the table and grabbed a container of yogurt from the fridge, and two spoons from the drawer.

“Want to s
hare?” I asked Christie.

“Sure,
I’m starving. I’m serious though Amber, I don’t know how you can handle that. The big ones hurt!”

“I know.” I replied with a wink.

“You are so crazy.” She laughed.

“I love it, what can
I say? I’m a glutton for punishment I guess.” I shrugged and winked.

“That you are.”
She laughed.

“So what’s new with you and Alex, are things getting serious?”
I asked as I scooped a strawberry through the yogurt.

“I think so.
We went and looked at engagement rings a couple months ago, so I’ve been waiting on pins and needles for him to ask, but he hasn’t. Maybe when my disorder came back it frightened him off.” I put my hand over hers.

“You and Alex have been together for
over two and a half years, he knows your disorder inside and out and it doesn’t make a damn bit of difference in his love for you, you know that.” She nodded and smiled through her tears at me, her pretty green eyes shimmering with hope and excitement.

“I know I can get it under control again Amber, this is only the second time since… well, since I got the call.
”

“Good. I’m so proud of you!”

We finished up our breakfast and cleaned up the kitchen and great room while the boys were in town. When they came back through the door, they were singing idiotically and presented us with flowers and chocolate.

The boys and I
spent the rest of the day talking about the situation and reassuring Christie that I would be living with her and her grandmother now, which seemed to make her more comfortable with the idea of going back home, but obviously didn’t remove her fear of the situation.

Later that night, after dinner, we settled in the great room to relax and have
drinks while the rain came in a downpour. Christie’s arm looked excellent and I was confident now that she had not cut herself very deep at all, she sat down next to me on the couch and I kissed her freckle sprinkled arm before entwining our fingers.

“Feeling better?” I asked her as Alex handed me a margarita
, Aden put on the stereo system and came to sit next to me.

“Yes, much better.”
She said as she watched Aden sit behind me and curl me into his arms.

“So good.”
I told her and kissed the side of her mouth softly. When I leaned away her eyes were closed still, and when they opened their dazzling green made her pretty red hair seem like fire framing her face. “I missed you while I was gone too.” I told her.

“Me too,” tears gathered in her eyes, Alex began to rub her back.

“It’s ok baby, we’re all here. Nothing bad is going to happen.” Alex crooned to her. “Let’s take more shots and have some fun tonight?”

“Why Alex if I didn’t know you better I’d think you were proposing a repeat of the last time we spent a weekend just the four of us.”
I said.

“Maybe you don’t know me as well as you think you do Amber.” He said with a
wink. Christie giggled before jabbing Alex in the ribs.

“
You wouldn’t have to get me to take shots to repeat that night. But hey, maybe we ought to ask Amber if she’s still ok with doing that sort of thing with us. Remember she’s a Navy lady now.” Christie giggled.

“Shit hopefully not for much longer, and please, you know I’m always up for fun with you guys.”

Alex jumped up off the couch to turn the music up, “well then, let the games begin ladies.”

Aden grinned at Alex, “What should it be this time?”

“I don’t really know.” Alex said.

“Oh, please, we don’t need a drinking game.” I told them, rolling my eyes. “We need a safe word.”

“Banana!” Christie hollered over her margarita with her hand cupped around her mouth.

“Sounds good to me.”
I concurred.

“Awesome! Yes, I knew there was
a reason I missed you Amber.” Alex said playfully to me.

“Oh I feel so loved you guys.
So loved.” We all erupted in laughter, and finished our margaritas before pouring more.

Thunder rolled
outside, vibrating the windows and floor boards. A crack of lightning sent the lights flickering for a second.

“Do you think we’ll lose power?” I asked.

“Probably not,” Aden said “Unless this keeps up for a while and the wind get’s stronger.”

“Well, that’s very reassuring.” Christie muttered.

“Let’s take a freaking shot!” Alex cried, “Before the power goes out.”

“Amber
, come take a bath with me.” Christie offered, holding her hand to me. “The boys can have their drinking game”

“Oh
yes I’d love that.” I replied.

“No one will take a shot with me?” Alex
asked, a fake pout on his lips.

“I will.” Aden said, “I need a beer anyway.” He smiled.

Christie and I practically ran to the master suite, and into the bathroom to fill the big garden tub. Beside the tub, in a small cabinet that held towels and bath oils, I found candles and matches and set them up around the room as Alex and Aden joined us in the bathroom, but kept their distance from the tub, to give us some privacy.

Christie came over to me and lifted my hands above my head, she was taller than me only by an inch or so, but I never noticed it except when we were standing so close
, she always seemed so small and vulnerable. Her long elegant nose nearly touched my forehead, her freckles danced all over the bridge of her nose and across her cheeks. When my shirt was over my head she let it fall to the floor as she took my face into her hands and kissed my lower lip, sucking on it gently. I opened my eyes to take a quick look at Aden, who was propped against the sink sipping his beer while Alex leaned against the door watching Christie with glassy eyes.

When Christie pulled away I quickly undid the buttons to her top and pushed it down to the floor, we both removed our pants and underwear before climbing gingerly into the hot water. Christie moved between my legs and
began to kiss me again. She cupped my breast in one hand, and below the water, glided her hand up and down my leg. After a moment, she guided me to sit up on the edge of the tub, spreading my legs wide with her hot hands which were reddened by the heat of the water. She slid them up my inner thighs from my knees, leaning against the cool wall I closed my eyes and soaked up the sensations that came over me as she massaged me gently.

“Fucking luckiest bastards in the
whole world, that’s what we are. You know that right?” I vaguely heard Alex say, and Aden’s grunt in response.

Christie’s thumbs began to slide up and down the sides of my thighs where they met my labia, slipping one thumb over my clit before licking me with her long hot tongue.
I inhaled sharply at the contact.

“Like that?” She asked.

“Yes.”

“Want more?” She purred up at me as she slid one finger inside me, and bent to lick my clitoris.

“Yes.” I said, closing my eyes and resting my head against the wall behind me.

Slowly she began sliding her fingers in and out of me as her tongue gently worked the folds of my sex, sucking on my clit and massaging around it with her lips. As I came closer to coming I
began to move my hips in a circular motion, meeting the trusts of her fingers as they stroked me expertly taking me swiftly over the edge, making me cry out with each small contraction. Coming up for air Christie licked her lips and smiled beautifully at me.

“I always love when I can make you squirt like that. It’s incredibly sexy. Wish I could do it.” She said to me, making me giggle. “Think they’ve been good enough to move to the bedroom?”