ChapStick

Prologue – Door #69

Chapter Music – The Flower Duet by Delibes from the opera Lakmé

‘One foot in front of the other, easy enough’ my thoughts as I strode down the hallway. Numbered doors were my guide as I traversed the path of my would-be apartment. ‘Heel, toe, heel, toe, heel, toe’ went one foot in front of the other before I grinded to a halt in front of a thick hardwood door. ‘Oh, Sean … you cheeky little bastard’ was my quiet expletive as my hands traced the serpentine outline of our apartment number. Sean always knew how to get to me. And this was probably his best one yet. The number looked promising. ‘Sean, you silly, silly dog. Don’t you toy with me, Mr. Hunter, uh-ah’ I sniggered as I gazed at our door’s assigned number.

This was a huge step in our relationship. We were finally living together under one roof. I contemplated and deliberated this decision long and hard before coming here. But however indecisive my mind was, my heart knew that my decision was absolute. Brimming with expectation and giddy excitement, I fumbled with my duffle bag in search of the apartment keys.

‘I want you to live with me, I want you to live, I want you…’ his manly voice cooed in my head like a rapturous melody as I connected the key. Sean’s a husky gruff of a man who operated me smoothly. His signature hoarseness always got to me every time. He had accessed places around my body and activated feelings I didn’t even know I had. I knew I wanted him, needed him, and ached for him the minute I saw him that morning at Bertha’s. Oh God. I could still remember the first time we touched. And if the present rise in my body temperature was any indication, well, let’s just say I was feeling quite the horndog as I thought of my man. Both my heads felt it so.

I entered and felt myself harden like steel the more I thought about Sean. He was an image of a man I couldn’t rid my mind off of – his body was like IMAX 3D: yummy treasure trail that disappeared behind pants that hung low on hips, a bare chest with a fine dusting of hair, strong junctions around the pelvic muscles, his musky thickness that never failed to impress, and that look of wanton desire and ecstasy on his face whenever he’d near … I’m not even going to say it.

My restless hands tugged at the strap of the messenger bag tightly coiled around my body. I looked past the foyer and drooled at the sight of a utilitarian abode. It had set pieces I could only describe as timeless. I noticed that the design of the key in my hand matched the set pieces. Its craftsmanship was admirable. It reminded me of mid 18th century Victorian Era with its shape like a brass clover leaf. It was heavy enough to hold, yet easy enough to lose if I wasn’t careful.

I echoed a resounding ‘hello?’ but no soul echoed back. Mildly disappointed, I let down my other bag on the granite chair below the maple coat rack. ‘What a robust stonework piece this is’ I mused as I appreciated its design. ‘Heel, toe, heel, toe, heel, toe…’ I unlatched my messenger bag, and then made my way towards the makeshift office near the walk-in closet. ‘What the ... this place is huge’ I pondered as I took out a handful of paperwork to place on the in-out tray.

Eager like a child in Disneyland, I went about to see how everything looked like. I rested more of the bags I carried on the swivel chair then made my way past the kitchen and into the entertainment hub. I slumped on the top-grain leather couch which engulfed me like a huge bear hug. I thrashed around the settee as it gave a feeling of comfort and opulence. I caught a whiff of his shower gel, a masculine scent. My nose was in ecstasy. I found myself mopping my nostrils unattractively over the crease of the leather pads. In no time I was aroused. Damm you, Sean.

The leather felt cool to the touch. It was a sign that he must’ve left just a few hours ago, the air-conditioning the last thing he turned off. I glanced up to see a clock. It was midday. I had a gut feeling that he would be here in under an hour, so I peeled myself off the couch to get busy.

I walked up to the kitchen and swung the fridge’s double-doors. My eyes scavenged for food items. It appeared that Sean was pretty settled in from how everything looked. There were sirloin steaks, a bowl of edamame, healthy patch of microgreens, and a bunch of Chinese take-out boxes. I decided against take-out and went for everything else. I backed out from the fridge with the ingredients clamped close to my chest. It was time to make a hearty meal for Mr. Hunter.

I left the steak to sit and thaw on the kitchen counter as I thought of what dish to prepare. Cooking was something I was good at. Seeing people fed and satisfied was what I lived for, which would probably explain my first of two jobs – waiting tables at a local diner called Bertha’s. It wasn’t the fanciest job on the market at the time I searched, but a Chinese immigrant like me couldn’t be picky. I had to take what I got my hands on to pay for rent and make a living.

I needed more components to complete the dish I had in mind, so I swerved and made my way towards the walk-in pantry. ‘Heel, toe, heel, toe, heel, toe, stomp, click!’ went the halogen light bulb. My eyes danced around the shelves and spotted olive oil, garlic, fresh chives, kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper. I traipsed back to the kitchen with a game plan. It was time to cook.

A light bulb came on in my head. I doubled back to the fridge to retrieve a cup of horseradish and light sour cream, “Garlic steak with horseradish sauce it is,” I muttered to myself as I covered the loins with plastic. The sight of meat getting wrapped made me think of nasty things. It took all of me not to defile the meat right then and there. Damn, Sean. Okay, now it was time to grill.

I stirred garlicky oil over the saucepan while waiting for the loins to set. I cranked up my iPod and hummed along the hauntingly beautiful melody of the Flower Duet by the Delibes. I crooned its evocative musical styling as I whisked the sour cream, horseradish, salt, pepper, and chopped chives. If there was another thing I was good at, it’s precision. I was a natural at measurement. It had always been my thing. I remembered completing Angry Birds the first day it came out. I breezed through the levels like nobody’s business. Hmm, if only I was a good shot like Sean.

I ran my pinky around the edge of the bowl and took a sampling. It looked gross but tasted deliciously tangy. Satisfied, I covered the mixture with plastic wrap and popped it in the fridge. I knew that grilling would take the most work, so I went ahead and got started. ‘A teaspoon of garlic oil on both sides of the meat … so the salt and pepper would stick’ I chanted as I dabbed.

My palms caught heat as the steaks seared on the grill. An arcane feeling recoiled in my gut as a memory swept through my consciousness. The prickle of fire reminded me of a distant memory. One I thought was forgotten yet was never gone. I cringed and backed up from the flames. Sighing, I brushed the steak with oil every minute until golden brown, and slightly charred.

I noticed a phone was camouflaged behind the black ramen bowls. The light gave away its position. It vibrated and kept on flashing bright over the granite kitchen counter. ‘Oh, I didn’t see you there’ I remarked in intrigue. I swiped the screen to take the call, the receiver against my ear. My face formed a face-splitting grin as I transferred the steaks to a platter. The call was him.

“I did … I placed the papers on the tray … hmm-mmm,” I conversed as I garnished his meal.

“I hear a sizzle. That steak?” he inquired instinctively to which I answered with an observation.

“You left a phone here. An important call might come in,” I chimed with mild ridicule as I tossed the edamame and microgreens, making the meat presentation look fresh, pretty, and appetizing.

“It’s not mine,” he stated matter-of-factly and with a huskiness that was so masculine. Oh Christ.

“Then whose is it?” I smirked. I knew where this was going.

“It’s yours, V,” he offered, and I felt like a nasty little thing.

“I made you your favorite, but I finished early so you might have to microwave it when you get back,” I flirted a little. It felt nice to toy with Sean. It took my mind off of pressing matters.

“Ah, it needs no microwaving, babe…” he whispered seductively, making me clench in all the right places.

I wanted to stretch the innuendo, so I played along with him, “Your meat will get cold,” I murmured.

“Oh, I love it when you talk dirty,” he cooed salaciously into my ear.

“I know,” I bit my lower lip. I was all sorts of nasty, and I knew it.

I stood over the counter lost in a sea of thought, mulling over my love for Sean that knew no boundaries and no partitions. To my surprise, hands came up behind me and enveloped my waist in an embrace that was full of warmth. I choked a surprised gasp at the libidinous sensation. Slowly, I closed my eyes, lowered my head, and put the phone down. There was no need for the grill to coax the heat from my body. Sean spooning me was enough to set me ablaze. I longed for his touch and his presence. And as I opened my eyes I saw ruby cufflinks. It was definitely him.

“There is beauty in small things when they catch light,” I spoke as my fingers traced circles over the back of his hands. The warmth of his skin reminded me of autumn in Long Dong, China.

He perched his stubbly chin on my right shoulder. I felt my knees liquefy at the touch. His warm torso pressed tighter against my back, and all I wanted to do was surrender and sag. Gently, he took my wrists, and then kissed the back of my hands. My nerve endings tingled at the contact of his facial hair. I turned slowly, feeling like a canvass that was about to become the Monalisa. My hips painfully brushed against his stiffness. His erection was Da Vinci’s brush. I turned slowly, brushing every cavity. Our eyes locked. It was then we knew that we painted a masterpiece.

I coiled my fingers behind his neck to rein him closer, “Someone’s excited…” I suggested as we shared a heat that was tumultuous and volcanic. I felt his punctuation in my stomach. Oh God.

“Guess who’s hungry?” he hissed playfully as he nibbled the outer core of my ear. Oh f**k.

My body roused from within the harder he pressed. I could feel his heart match the speed of mine as I looked into those dark brown eyes. He gave an impish smile, knowing full well that he always had this effect on me. Subtly, he closed his eyes and rested his nose over the nook of my shoulder. It took all of me not to combust in my pants as he sniffed my collarbone. Jesus Christ.

“You smell great, baby…”

“It’s not me, it’s the steak.”