Chapter Twenty- Four
Dank
The wispy pink fabric brushed against her legs as she made her way toward me. I enjoyed the view of her entrance rather than going to her. Strappy silver heels encased her small dainty feet. The hem of the dress brushed her skin right above her knees. The waistline was high and the chiffon was belted with a wide satin sash. Directly over her heart the familiar filigree heart twinkled as the lighting hit each small pink stone. There were no straps and the soft skin of her shoulders were visible as was her elegant neckline. Normally, I enjoyed her hair down but there was something to be said for having all that mass of brown silk piled up high on her head leaving her neck and shoulders bare.
When she was only steps away I moved toward her and held out my hand. She slipped her hand into mine and the connection of our palms sent warmth flooding through me. The light charcoal that outlined her eyes caused the green to stand out more. I was taken away by the depth of her beauty as she gazed up at me. After taking in every perfect part of her appearance as she entered the room it would almost seem impossible for her soul to exceed her outward beauty. But as I soaked in the beautiful soul I saw so clearly through the window of her eyes I knew it did.
“Dank, we got to get on stage bro. If she’s here then let’s go,” Loose, my drummer, interrupted me. Scowling, I swung my gaze around to meet his. The long blond dread locks the girls were so crazy about were pulled back in a ponytail tonight. I was tempted to reach over and jerk one out of his head.
Pagan had just arrived. Her mother had dropped her off for me. She’d been spending extra time with Miranda and her mother since her return. Both seemed to need reassurance that she was in fact alive. When she’d “washed up” on the shore a few miles away after her accident her memory had been temporarily gone. Well, that was our story. Leif was believed to have drowned. Although the memory of him would fade away soon enough. Many people were already forgetting him.
“I’m just saying it’s time,” Loose whined.
Pagan giggled beside me, “It’s okay. Go on and rock the house.”
I slipped my hand through hers and pulled her with me,”Not without you up there so I can see you.” This was her prom too but I didn’t like the idea of other guys dancing with my girl. She looked entirely too gorgeous tonight.
“No complaints from me,” she chirped and followed me backstage.
We stopped to the left of the stage and I kissed her softly on the lips. I’d only meant to drop a quick peck but her arms wrapped around my neck and she nibbled against my bottom lip and I decided the crowd could wait.
Pulling her against me I enjoyed the sweet taste that was only Pagan. Her soft lips molded under mine and I fought to stay focused waiting on the moment her soul would release. A soft moan escaped her throat and my blood began to heat under each small lick and teasing touch from her tongue. Concentrating was becoming more difficult.
Pressing her soft chest against mine caused a shiver to run through me and a low growl began in my chest. Why wasn’t her soul releasing yet? I couldn’t keep this up or I’d completely lose all train of thought. Warm fingers grazed my abs as she worked a hand underneath my shirt.
Panting, I pulled back and stared down at her heavy eyelids and swollen lips. “Your soul, it isn’t releasing,” I managed to croak out.
Sliding her hand up higher on my chest she grinned wickedly up at me, “I noticed that too. Why did you stop?”
Had Leif’s claim on her soul been affected it? Shaking my head I decided at the moment I didn’t care. I wasn’t going to turn down this unexpected gift. I reached down and picked her up then began taking long strides toward the back room where we’d left all the storage containers for our equipment.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m going to enjoy a long overdue make-out session with my girl. That’s what I’m doing,” I explained, stepping into the room and closing the door behind me with one shove of my foot.
“Oh,” she gasped before I pressed her up against the wall, wrapping her legs around my waist and feasting on her mouth for the first time ever with nothing crowding my thoughts but how incredibly lucky I was.
Pagan
Dank’s band sung four of their more popular songs and the Breeze High School graduating class of 2012 was loving every minute of it. We only had two more months until we walked across that stage and received our diplomas.
“Hey gorgeous, you’re all kinds of distracting,” Dank drawled in the dark smooth voice I loved so much. Loose was telling the crowd they’d be back after a ten minute break. I wrapped my arms around his waist and rested my head on his chest.
“You guys sounded awesome out there,” I told him then tilted my head back to stare at his ridiculously perfect face.
“Les is a little off tonight but I think it’s all the girls screaming out our names and the fact they’re so close. Normally there is more distance between us and them and seeing who the screams belong to is hard if not impossible.”
“Hmmm, so you’re telling me Les is checking out the chicks?”
Dank chuckled, “That is one way to put it.”
“I could probably make a few introductions for him if he is really interested”
Dank shook his head, “No, please don’t. I want to keep these guys in a small section of my life. Not around me all the time. The last thing I need is for one of them to start dating a girl in Breeze.”
I liked that this part of his life was off to the side in its own little box section. I already shared him with... the dead. I didn’t want to share him with anyone else.
“You want to dance... or maybe go back to that storage room again?” he asked reaching behind his back to take both my hands in his.
“Yes to the dancing and yes to the storage room. In that order please,” I replied feeling my skin heat up at the memory of having Dank’s hands on me again.
We didn’t walk down to the crowded dance floor. Dank pulled me up against him and began to sing in my ear as he twirled me around in our own little private spot, tucked away backstage. This was by far the best prom any girl had ever gone to.
* * *
“Haven’t we been to every store in this mall already?” I moaned as my feet began to rebel.
Miranda glanced back at me and frowned, “We need the perfect dress and shoes to wear under our graduation gowns. We have to take them off and head to the party my dad is hosting for us directly after the ceremony. I’d think with your hot rocker boyfriend singing up on stage and all the girls fawning over him you’d want to make sure you looked hot.”
Dank had not only had Cold Soul sing at our Prom he was now agreeing to bring them to our graduation party. Of course I was more than positive Miranda’s father was paying them well. Dank had to pay the boys something. It was how they supported themselves.
I sank down on the nearest bench and took a big whiff of the cream cheese pretzels in the bakery directly across from me. It was the most heavenly smell on the face of the earth. Or at least right at this moment.
“Okay, if you go get me one of those yummy pretzels with the sweet cream cheese filling I’ll continue to torture my feet in the search for perfection.”
Miranda rolled her eyes, “Fine. But you have to share. They smell incredible and I don’t need to eat a whole one by myself. Last thing I need is a belly while trying on dresses.”
Miranda had never even come close to having a belly. It was my turn to roll my eyes. The girl was a nut.
I shoved a ten dollar bill at her and leaned back in the seat, “Please just go buy one. Heck, buy two. I’ll eat one and a half.”
“No, you won’t. Remember you have the hot sexy boyfriend you need to look incredible for. One and a half of those one thousand calorie pretzels is not a move in the right direction.”
“It’s mostly pretzel Miranda. Those are fat free,” I reminded her.