Текст книги "Painless"

Автор книги: Devon Hartford

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Текущая страница: 6 (всего у книги 32 страниц)

“Happy pre-Valentine’s Day, agápi mou,” he said softly.

Okay, now I was officially crying. Tears streamed down my face. “Oh, Christos. My agápi mou. I can’t believe you did all this.”

“I can,” he grinned.

“But it’s so much,” I said looking up into his eyes.

“It’s not enough,” he smiled.

“But I haven’t gotten you anything, agápi mou,” I said.

“Yes you have, agápi mou. You’ve given me you.” He gazed deeply into my eyes. “Samantha, with you in my house and in my heart, I have everything I will ever need on this earth. You are my all. All that I need, all that I want, all that life has to offer.”

I lifted my head up to kiss him. He worked his arms around beneath me and lifted me closer, until our lips met. The warm embrace of our kissing lips sent shimmers of desire cascading down my throat. Warmth spread across my chest and lit my breasts with pleasurey tension. His tongue entered my mouth and melted into mine. I grabbed a fistful of his shirt as his warm breath caressed me.

We kissed for a time, then he gently pulled away. “Your bath awaits. Don’t want it to get cold.” He set me down on the edge of the tub and pulled my flats off and massaged my feet.

“Mmm, that feels wonderful,” I said.

He smiled and massaged for awhile. When he was finished, he slid his hands up my jeans and worked his thumbs between my thighs until they teased between my legs. I giggled as he tickled his hands up my sides and pulled my sweater and T shirt over my head. He tossed them onto the floor, took my hands, and pulled me to standing.

“What?” I asked.

“Pants,” he grinned as he unbuttoned my jeans, slid the zipper down, and slowly worked my jeans and panties down to my ankles. He was kneeling beside me, his face inches from my center. He tilted his head up at me and cocked his dimples while he inhaled slowly.

“Fucking incredible,” he said, closing his eyes to savor my scent. He leaned toward me and exhaled on my wet folds. His hot breath made me tingle. I wanted to dance nervously, but my jeans trapped my feet. He put one knee between my legs, pressing my jeans down and binding my feet. I wasn’t going anywhere.

“Christos,” I murmured. “I can’t move.”

“Nope,” he chuckled. He cupped my butt with his hands and jerked my hips toward him, burying his face between my legs. His tongue laved between my lips, hot and hungry. He lapped up my wetness like a parched man stumbling into an oasis.

The pleasure was intense and electric, spasming out from my core into my chest, glowing up my throat. I felt faint, and propped an arm against his muscled shoulder, steadying myself as he licked away my equilibrium. Contractions seized my core as an orgasm rose up inside me, spinning through my body in liquid waves of heat. I moaned throatily and collapsed onto Christos’ shoulders as pleasure stole gravity and lifted me into the air. “Oh, oh, oh…”

He drove his tongue into me as I came all over his face. He wouldn’t stop, and my pleasure mounted, intensifying as another orgasm took flight on the wings of the first.

He didn’t stop. He wouldn’t relent. He growled and moaned as his fingers clenched my ass in his mesmerizing grip. He was ravenous and tore me open with his tongue. I wept pleasure between my legs, raining all over his face.

I was gone.

* * *

My legs were quivering when he finally finished. My torso was draped over his shoulders so I levered up with my arms. My hair hung in my face as I gazed down at him.

He tilted his head up at me, a wicked gleam in his eyes. He looked carnivorous as his slick lips spread across his teeth. “I told you I’ve been dying for a bite.”

I giggled. “You sound like a vampire.”

He chuckled and pulled off his shirt, revealing the intricate tattoos on his arms and shoulders as well as the ‘Fearless’ script across his chest, then slid himself up my body, pressing pectorals against my swollen breasts and the knots of my nipples, shooting electric tingles that stopped my breath. He unhooked my bra and peeled it away, his face still glistening as he kissed me deeply and caressed my neck.

“Mmm, so good,” he said. “Ready for your bath?”

“What about you?” I asked.

“What about me?”

“Aren’t you, you know, like totally worked up?”

“I can wait,” he said cockily.

Ab alert! I looked down at his always amazing abs. I would do laundry 24/7 if his abs were my washboard. I ran my fingers down them, caressing all eight as they arrowed down to the waistband of his pants. “I don’t know if I can.” I grabbed his belt and pulled his hips into me.

“I would never refuse a lady,” he grinned.

I unbuckled his belt and unbuttoned his jeans. I wanted to recreate the same move he’d used on me. I grabbed his underwear and jeans and started pulling. “Damn, your jeans are tight.” I needed some leverage, so I stepped out of my jeans and panties and kicked them aside before setting my legs and yanking unsuccessfully on his jeans. “A little help?”

“Blame fashion,” he said casually. “Skinny jeans are in.” He shimmied his hips as I slid his pants down.

His cock sprung out of his boxers and waved in my face.

“Look out for my heat seeking missile,” he joked. “It’s got target lock.”

I snickered. “You are a complete dork, you know that?”

“Only for you, agápi mou.”

I managed to push his jeans and boxers down to his ankles. When I rose up on my knees, his throbbing cock was pointing right at my mouth.

“Uhhh…” I said, “What do I do?”

“You got yourself into this mess,” he said.

I arched an eyebrow and glared up at him. “I think it’s time for my bath?”

“Whatever you prefer. My dick’s not going anywhere. I can fuck you later. It’s up to you.”

Still staring at him, I shook my head. “You have a dirty mind, young man.”

“The dirtiest.”

I lowered my eyes back to his manhood. Wow, it was really big. Thick veins wound around the shaft. The head was dark and purpled with blood. It literally pulsed, thump, thump, thump, probably in time with his heartbeat, getting slightly bigger with each thud. Pre cum dribbled from the tip. I licked my lips. I couldn’t help myself. It looked so lickable.

I leaned toward it and felt heat pouring off of it before my lips even touched it.

“Do you know what you’re getting yourself into?” he asked thoughtfully.

“Not really?” My mouth had never been this close to a cock in my entire life. I’d always maintained a safe distance at all times. Maybe it was finally time to throw caution to the wind.

“We can jump in the tub if you want, and enjoy the suds,” he said softly. “It’s up to you.”

I smiled up at him and batted my eye lashes.

He grinned.

I leaned forward and gingerly kissed the top of the tip once. “How was that?”

“Wow. Amazing. I’ve never felt anything like it,” he quipped. “Best. Blow job. Ever,” he winked.

I frowned at him. “Excuse me. I haven’t had a lot of experience swallowing elephant trunks, hot shot.”

He cocked a dimple at me. “I’ve got a hot shot waiting for you, whenever you’re ready.”

I rolled my eyes. “That was epically lame, Christos.”

“And?” he grinned. “Make your move or I’m jumping in the tub.”

“Fine. You asked for it,” I growled. I leaned forward and licked the pre-cum right off the tip and swallowed. A salty hint of ocean. Not what I’d expected. But I wasn’t done. I slid my lips around the head of his cock and licked the underside.

“Fu-uh-uh-uck,” he moaned.

I glanced up and saw him throw his head back. There was no way I was getting all of him in my mouth so I grabbed his shaft with both hands and continued to lick and slide with my mouth.

He hissed in ecstasy. “Oh, damn, that’s amazing…”

I wasn’t entirely sure what I was doing. I had seen porn, and had some basic ideas about how this worked. What I hadn’t expected was how much it was turning me on. I felt the muscles in my core shaking with need, like there was a direct connection between these lips and those. I slid my head forward as far as I could go, until he touched the back of my throat. Red alert! I pulled back abruptly.

I’d heard about gag reflexes, and those fabled women who had none. I did.

I could work around it.

I continued to lick and stroke with mouth and hands. I moved my left hand down and cupped his balls and massaged them with my fingers. I suddenly remembered seeing people working those silver meditation balls in their hands, the ones that rang when you circled them around in your fingers.

Meditation, my ass.

Those silver balls were for blow job practice.

* * *

CHRISTOS

The funny thing about blow jobs was that a good number of chicks sucked at them. In a bad way. I mean, they were terrible. Like sticking my dick in a meat grinder.

I had no doubt an equal number of men were terrible at going down on women, but that was another topic.

The worst thing in the world was when a chick was going down on you, grinding the skin off your dick like a belt sander, having the time of her life, thinking she’s all that. The last thing you wanted to do was burst her bubble and tell her she sucked at sucking. I’d never done that. I’d always manned up and endured the pain. Most of the time, I could force out a wad as quickly as possible and be done with it. But on one or two rare occasions, the chick was so bad, there was no way I was going to come before my dick was ground down to a nub. I don’t even remember how I got out of that one. I think I had just shouted, “Oh shit, who’s that outside your window!” and ran out her front door when she was looking the other way. Not one of my finer moments.

Lucky for me, Samantha was easily the best I’d ever had. World class. Gold medal performance. She’d barely started and already I couldn’t tell up from down or left from right.

“Holy fuck” I said, “I have to sit down.”

“Did I do something wrong?” Samantha asked, pulling her mouth off my dick.

“Fuck no. But I’m going to pass out at the rate you’re going.”

“Is that bad?” she asked innocently.

I shook my head and chuckled. “No.” My knees were jelly as I lowered myself until I was sitting on the edge of the tub.

Samantha kept one hand around my dick the whole time, like she didn’t want to let go. She had no idea how fucking sexy that was. And the fact she didn’t know, made her ten times sexier. Not because she was innocent, but because she wasn’t doing an act. Some women thought the cameras were rolling while they were in the bedroom and they were busy mugging and moaning for the lens. But Samantha was right here with me, focused entirely on me. It was a rare and unique experience for me as much as I knew it was for her.

She knelt down on the rug in front of the tub between my knees. “Shall I continue?” she asked.

“Hells yeah,” I grinned.

Her hot lips slid back down my cock like a silk glove. Damn, she was such a natural. She worked her way up and down my dick, pulling me inside her deeper and deeper. I closed my eyes and my head fell back, lolling against my shoulders. Whatever she was doing with her hands and mouth was magic. I swear, my entire package was glowing with pleasure, like my entire awareness was collapsing into my cock in a tight ball of hot ecstasy straining to be released.

I don’t know how long she went on. I lost all track of time. At one point, I looked down and saw she was putting her whole body into it. The head of my dick was on fire. Every lick made my body jerk. It felt so fucking good. I think my balls were wound up so tight there was nothing left to grab, so she released them and put both hands to work on my shaft.

“Fuck, Samantha,” I whispered hoarsely, “I’m going to come. Oh, fuck, oh fuck…”

She intensified everything and I think my penis turned into a black hole because it was sucking the entire universe into the center of my body. Right when I thought I was going to blow, waves of heat flooded through my body and everything released. All my tension faded from existence. All the stress that had knotted my body for the last three weeks thinking about my trial finally let go. It was the most relaxing sensation I’d ever felt.

I was at peace.

And I still hadn’t come.

I’d read about guys having multiple orgasms. I thought it was some kind of myth. But I hadn’t yet shot my load and I was riding on a wave of intense, relaxing pleasure. It was amazing.

And Samantha kept going and going.

Orgasms had always been an explosion for me. A shooting, pounding, pulling thing. This was just total, peaceful release.

It felt so damn good.

The glow spread through my whole body. I slumped against the wall by the corner of the tub and slid down to an elbow, but Samantha kept going.

I could stay like this forever, enjoying the flying freedom the love of my life was giving to me.

I don’t know how long it went on. I never wanted it to stop.

Then something started to build. A winding tighter than I’d ever felt before. I was going to blow. Someone had shoved a nuclear bomb up my ass and it was going to rip me in half. I welcomed it.

My awareness shrank down like the beginning of the universe between my legs: infinite mass crushed into a microscopic space. And then it was all over.

BOOM.

Every atom in my body disintegrated into protons and neutrons and shot across the universe at the speed of light, engulfing all of existence.

Release.

Peace.

I was at peace.

For the first time in my life, I was at peace.

Agápi mou…it was always you.

* * *

SAMANTHA

Christos’ cock grew thick as it strained in my mouth. He’d been slumped over for awhile, but I was determined to finish him. I was starving for his cock, thirsting for his sweet release. I wanted to take him into me through my mouth, swallow his energy into my belly.

He was moaning continuously, almost absently, his eyelids fluttering, nearly catatonic with pleasure. It was kind of weird, but at the same time it was the biggest turn on. He was truly putty in my hands, his body a puddle of muscle and moans.

Then his cock suddenly strained harder and harder, veins bulging, jutting and swelling beyond all proportion. This was it.

He suddenly lurched forward, his knees pressing against my sides as his whole body contracted.

“Fuuuuuuuuuuuck!!!” he shouted.

Hot cum fired into my mouth, hitting the back of my throat. I was surprised by two things simultaneously. It was very salty, and there was a lot of it. Way more than I expected.

I stopped moving my head but continued to pump his shaft. I was determined to milk every last drop out of him with my tongue. He kept coming and coming and I tried to hold it all in my mouth. I had no choice but to swallow.

I expected to gag, but I didn’t. I was so turned on by all of this, I just went with the flow. No pun intended. He flowed right into me. I continued to slowly stroke his cock with my tongue.

With my lips still wrapped around him, I glanced at Christos. His eyes were closed, his face sagging unconsciously. He was totally gone. Was he asleep? After awhile, I stopped, pulled back, and smiled at him.

I don’t think I’d felt nearly this slutty in my entire life, not even when I kissed my own wetness off of his mouth on several occasions. What really surprised me was that I liked feeling like this.

I gave head!

There, I said it! My first blow job! Yay, me! I couldn’t get over how much I had enjoyed it. I’m pretty sure it had worked for Christos too, judging by the look on his face.

One of his eyelids opened into a slit. His pupil flickered in my general direction.

“Anybody home?” I joked.

A slow smile spread across his mouth. He lifted an eyebrow. “Am I dead?”

“No, silly.” I placed my hands on his legs and leaned toward him for a kiss. I slid my tongue into his mouth and he welcomed it. I half expected him to wince for some reason, like maybe he wouldn’t want to taste his own cum. But he sucked away at me ravenously.

“Mmmmm,” he moaned.

“Was it good?” I asked.

“Mmmmm-hmmm. I don’t think I can move.”

“Ready for that bath?”

“You might want to run some hot water. I feel like we’re into next week and the tub’s probably cold,” he joked. “What year is it? I don’t even know.”

I checked the tub and it was cool, so I ran hot water and added more suds. When it was ready, I climbed in. “You joining me?”

Christos’ only response was to melt into the jacuzzi tub like a limp eel from where he sat on the edge, his legs following as an afterthought.

“Oh my gosh! Christos!” He was totally submerged. I didn’t want him drowning. I cleared some suds away and I saw him smiling up at me from under water.

Eventually, his head raised above the surface, his hair glued to his forehead. “I really don’t know what planet I’m on right now,” he said as he slid around the tub until we were shoulder to shoulder and he leaned his body against mine. “That was really amazing, agápi mou. I’ve never felt anything like it.”

“Really?” Despite Christos’ sated behavior, I was still somewhat insecure about my performance, having never done it before. There was no shame in fishing for a few compliments, was there? Besides, it was almost as fun to talk about sex as it was to do it, especially when you were basking in the after glow of having just done it.

“Really,” Christos smiled smugly. “I think you melted my dick off,” he murmured sleepily. “I can’t even feel it right now. I think my balls are completely empty. Like I shot my testicles out of my dick. Did you feel them going down your throat at any point? Can you check if they’re still there, or has my scrotum deflated completely?”

I reached under the water, between his legs and cupped his balls. “Still there,” I grinned. I gave them a gentle squeeze. “They seem like they’re still kind of full. Maybe you need to drain them some more?”

“In awhile.”

“What?” I gasped. “I thought you were the minute man when it came to recovery time.”

“Not after what you just did. I might need an hour.”

“No way!”

“Yes, way. Come to think of it, I think my blood sugar took a hit from all that action. I may need some chocolate after that.”

“Are you crazy?” I barked. “After what I swallowed, I think I need to go on a diet!”

He snickered. “I’m sure you swallowed no more than two thousand calories.”

“That many?” I gasped seriously.

“That’s what they say. But that has to be a myth. A load is no more than a few teaspoons. I mean, a twenty ounce porterhouse is a thousand calories. How the hell would you squeeze two thousand into two or three teaspoons? Doesn’t make any sense. In other words, you don’t need to go on a diet.”

“Are you sure?”

“Man, you’re such a girl. I guess you won’t have room for the chocolate I bought you, what with swallowing my load and all,” he said dismissively.

“That’s where you’re wrong! Women always have room for chocolate!” I hopped out of the tub and grabbed the heart shaped box off the counter, then slid back into the water. I looked at the box. “What’s See’s Candies? I’ve never heard of it.”

“That’s right,” Christos said, his mouth just above the surface of the water, a sleepy expression still hooding his eyes, “they don’t have See’s on the east coast. See’s is Mary See, the little old lady who invented them. Prepare for the best chocolate truffles you’ve ever had.”

“I’ve had Godiva. Some old lady named Mary can’t possibly be as good as exotically sexy Godiva,” I scoffed.

“Try one,” he said, uninterested in my argument.

I opened the box and looked at all the different milk, dark, and white chocolate morsels. “Which one should I pick?”

“It doesn’t matter, they’re all awesome,” he said.

I grabbed one and took a bite. Rich chocolate and butter cream filling melted my taste buds in a chocolatey rush of yummy scrumptiousness. “Oh my god. That is unreal.” I swallowed. “I think I just had my first foodgasm.”

“Told you,” Christos chuckled. “Happy Valentine’s Day, agápi mou.” He leaned over and kissed me passionately.

We took turns kissing and eating See’s chocolates. I couldn’t decide which was yummier.

It didn’t matter because I was sharing both with my man.

I was in heaven.

Chapter 6

SAMANTHA

The next morning I was in hell.

I’d had nightmares all night about Christos being in jail. I slept like crap and woke up exhausted.

At least Christos was next to me in bed. For now.

His trial was tomorrow.

I stared at the ceiling, my head spinning like a hurricane.

His trial felt like an eternity from now and I just wanted it to be over. It also felt like it was a second from now, and my time left with Christos was so fleeting that I needed to hold onto him for dear life.

“You awake?” he asked softly.

Tears dribbled down my cheeks. “Yeah,” I said softly.

He rolled over onto his stomach and his face was inches from mine. He kissed my cheek gently.

I smeared tears from my cheeks and held back the hitching sobs that tried to force their way out. I wanted to be strong for my man.

“Let it out, agápi mou,” he said softly. He wrapped an arm around me and pulled my naked body into his.

“Oh, Christos,” I sobbed, finally letting go. My body shook with pain and fear. I shut out all the terrible future scenarios dancing through my head and did my best to concentrate on Christos’ loving embrace.

I cried for a long time as he kissed me softly, showering love all around me, my lips, my eyes, my cheeks, the tip of my nose, my ears, my hair. I sank into his comforting love.

“I love you Christos. I can’t let you go,” I said desperately. “I need you. Right here. I don’t want you going to court tomorrow.” I knew it was ridiculous, but I said it anyway.

“I need you too, agápi mou, forever and always. I need you in my life to guide my heart, to keep it open, to keep me grounded, to remind me why life is worth living, why I have to keep fighting, why I will never give up on you or us. You are my life, agápi mou. I have nothing without you.”

My heart opened to his in that moment wider than it ever had before. Christos was my one true love. I knew it as certainly as I felt his heart opening wide to mine in that moment. I literally felt energy flowing between us, the ruby jewel of my own heart absorbing and projecting back his love in a completed circle.

Together at last.

I treasured this man like no other thing in my short life. He was my gift.

I would do anything to keep him safe.

Anything.

Without thinking, I reached between us and felt his hot heat in my hand. I slid him inside my waiting wetness and we made tender love.

It was slow, soft, connected, and precious. The wings of my heart fluttered in the bath of his love. Our bodies spiraled up and out of the room as one, the hot breath of our love lifting us effortlessly into the sky on billowing sheets of ecstasy.

Eventually, we reached orgasm together.

“I love you, agápi mou,” we murmured simultaneously.

After, as we laid in bed, we returned to Earth and came to rest in our own bodies once again.

To my surprise, I was on top of him. I hadn’t even realized I had ended up here. It had happened unconsciously, without insecurity or anxiety.

I really had been out of my body, connected with Christos on some strange spiritual plane that existed outside of this bedroom.

But that moment had passed.

I was now intimately aware of my physical body once again. Christos’ manhood, the most sensitive part of him, was still deep inside of me, quivering within, pulsing faintly and intermittently. I savored knowing that his fluids were mingling with mine as he emptied the very last of himself into me. I wanted to keep his tender manhood inside of me like this forever so I could protect him from all the terrible things in the world. I wanted to sustain the open flow between our hearts in that moment, this connection that was proof his heart was bound to mine.

Forever.

* * *

At some point, stark reality prodded its way into my awareness. I could feel Christos’ semen puddled between us on his stomach. The gooeyness didn’t bother me. It just reminded me that I would need to clean up, need to separate from Christos, breaking our physical connection so we could go about our day.

Why was it that sex always led to an ending? I felt sadness stirring in my belly. I knew the French called orgasms ‘little deaths’. It had always seemed morbid to me, but in this moment, I realized they were right. I felt something dying. I hoped it wasn’t prophetic.

Groan! This was not how I wanted to start what might be my last day with Christos for a long time.

I hugged Christos as tightly as I could, my face burrowing into his muscled chest. I never wanted to let him go.

Never.

“We should get cleaned up,” Christos said.

“No,” I whispered.

He wrapped his arms around me and held onto me for a long time. I appreciated that. His manhood was still inside me and I still wasn’t ready to let him withdraw from the protection of my body.

Just a few more minutes.

For consolation, I reminded myself that after every ending comes a new beginning. It felt like false hope, but I did my best to rally. Life was filled with the rhythm of change. I’d seen it first hand.

Now I just had to walk into a new chapter.

Just get up off the bed and start.

Any time now.

I sighed.

Did I have to?

Finally, I sat up on top of Christos.

He smiled up at me, his jeweled blue eyes piercing my heart.

He gave me courage.

He gave me hope.

He gave me strength.

No matter what happened.

“We’re a mess, aren’t we?” I asked.

He chuckled. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. Want me to lick you clean?”

I hung my head and lifted my hips off of his. There was a swimming pool down there. “I hope you’re thirsty,” I joked, totally unselfconscious. I felt like a new me. I don’t think I’d ever been this relaxed around Christos, or even when I was alone.

I climbed off of him, cupping my hand between my legs to catch any errant drips. Why was reality always full of annoying details like this? “I’ll be right back,” I said as I walked toward the bathroom, “Stay right where you are.”

Rose petals still covered the bathroom from top to bottom. All of the candles had gone out, save one.

One candle.

I looked around the room. Wasn’t there one other candle still burning? Two strong flames burning bright, side by side?

No. There was only the one.

The one.

I shuddered and blinked away fresh tears. I almost doubled over in agony.

Christos…

“You okay in there?” he called from the bedroom.

“Yeah,” I choked out hoarsely, “just a second.”

After I composed myself, I looked around and grabbed a hand towel off the rack and returned to the bedroom. I crawled onto the bed and kneeled next to Christos. I gently wiped him clean, swirling the towel around his stomach and his thighs.

“Ready to shower?” I asked.

“After you,” he said as he propped himself up on his muscled, tattooed arms.

I held out my hand to him and he took it. I led him off the bed and into the bathroom, where we showered together.

After we dressed, we went downstairs.

“What do you want to eat?” he asked.

“I’ll make it,” I said confidently. “Sit down and relax.”

“Giving orders now?”

“Yep,” I grinned.

“We have leftovers from last night,” he suggested, “tons of lamb. I always love protein for breakfast.”

“Zip it. I’ve got it.” I opened the fridge and scanned the contents. There sure were a lot of leftovers. I hated to let food go to waste and I wasn’t above taking suggestions. I grabbed some veggies, the lamb and onions from last night, and cooked omelets for both of us. I also made toast and poured some orange juice.

“What are you going to do today?” I asked.

Christos finished chewing on a slice of buttered toast and wiped his face with a napkin. “Move you in, remember?”

“Oh yeah.”

“I need your key. Don’t forget to call your apartment manager.”

“I’ll do it right now. I don’t want you getting hassled.” I jogged upstairs and dug my phone out of my purse. I called my manager and explained everything before going back downstairs. “Christos, are you sure you don’t want me to help move stuff?”

“No, I’ll handle everything,” he smiled. “You won’t have to lift a finger. It’s my gift to you.”

“That’s so sweet, agápi mou,” I said, “but I kind of feel like ditching classes today.”

“Which classes?”

“Today? Oil Painting and Figurative Sculpting.”

“Oh, you can’t skip those,” Christos said firmly. “I mean, Marjorie would totally miss you in sculpting.”

“The Bitchinger?”

Christos chuckled. “Yeah. Can’t let her down. How’s she been treating you lately?”

“Like her favorite student,” I grinned.

“You must’ve done something to please her.”

“I think please is too pleasant a word,” I grinned.

Christos arched an eyebrow. “Do I want to know?”

“No, otherwise I’d have to kill you,” I winked.

We finished breakfast and headed out the door together. I stood in the entryway as Christos locked up behind us. I felt like we were a married couple heading off to work. It was so domestically romantic I wanted to hug myself.

“Isn’t Spiridon home?” I asked.

“No, he had to take care of some stuff. I think he’ll be back late.”

“Okay. If I get back to the house before you, is it okay for me to come in?”

“Of course, agápi mou. You live here now. Come and go as you please.”

Wow, I really liked the sound of that.

Christos started loading up his Camaro with the packing materials while I hopped into my VW and drove to campus.

Getting through my day was harder than I’d expected. Nagging in the shadows of my mind, like someone continuously tapping the back of my head with two stiff fingers, was the awareness that Christos was going to court in less than twenty-four hours.

I tried to joke around with Romeo and Kamiko in Oil Painting to distract myself, but it didn’t help. Somehow, everything made me think of jail. The paint that was trapped in the tube until I uncapped it and squeezed some out onto my palette. The fruit stuck in the bowl on the pillar in the middle of the studio until someone else decided to move it. Sure, Christos wasn’t an inanimate object, but if he ended up in jail, he’d have as much control over life as paint or fruit did. None.

Lameness.

After class, I had no appetite, so I left Romeo and Kamiko to get lunch by themselves.

I went to the library to study some Sociology and History. My grades in both classes had continued to sink.

Despite the quiet environment of the library, no matter how hard I tried to concentrate, I couldn’t remember a single word of what I read. I packed up my bags and went to Figurative Sculpting. Hunter Blakeley was still the model, but he had become invisible to me. He was just a big brainless slab of tanned muscle and blond hair. Whatever. He didn’t even look at me anymore. Thank goodness for small favors.