Tempting Adeline

14

DELACROIX

It was just a day ago. The sun had set leaving a glow on her skin. She spent the entire evening practising her cello to perfection.

The question was rent free in my mind. What would possess a woman to change the entire trajectory of her life in a few short years? What could push a woman with a junkie of a mother to suddenly possess the aura and musical talents of a Julliard musician with enough skill to push out the best awarded member of the Montgomery Fine Orchestra?

I thought I knew everything about this woman. Every single thing that makes her who she is inside and out.

After leaving Lana’s tattoo parlour, I’d gotten word that Adeline was headed to the music hall. I watched her spend an hour on the bus station before she hopped on a bus to get to her scheduled meeting.

I followed her, dodging onlookers, my hoodie over my head and my bike mask covering my face. I stayed out of sight as I watched her alight the bus and spent a few minutes outside taking deep breaths to calm herself.

I sat outside the door to the private music room waiting to hear her practice.

Minutes passed before she drew the bow against the strings, but when she finally did, the most phenomenal sound entered my skull. I’m not sure what I expected but it wasn’t this. The precision, the quickness and the accuracy of each note she plays was captivating.

Finishing the song with small errors, she starts all over again. She is playing from the depth of her soul. I know she’s in there somewhere. She’s somewhere behind the shell of deceit. I offered her my heart, never wanting her to give it back.

I need to feel her now that she’s so close to me. My nails dig into the carvings on the wall as my thoughts slip to the countless nights we’ve spent toying with one another, describing to each other what we like, what we need, learning about what drives us insane.

My c**k swells against the rough fabric of my denim, sensitive and in need of a tight hole to plunge into as I rub myself raw, over and over again. Josiah was right. I can’t stop the feeling when I’m with her.

The notes taunt and tease me with her closeness, those skilled fingers finding new ways to incite the desires in me. She made me this way, without control of my own body. Hell, even her music turns me on.

I flex my hips again and again into the rough door, the head of my c**k swollen and aching with need. I grit my teeth, my forehead pressing into the door, breathing through the quick pulse of pleasure that hits me hard and fast.

With my palm against the hard surface of the door, I breathed through my mouth. I catch my breath as I hear the last bow part from the string and I’m immediately alarmed when I hear the closing of a door down the hall. My hands found my pocket and I turned around, walking down the hall from when I came.

She almost caught me. I straddled my motorbike, gripped the handlebar and tore away from the musical hall. If she had such amazing talent which I didn’t know that it was this good, why didn’t she go for it? Why doesn’t she want to talk about it?

ADELINE

A knock echoed outside.

I flew out of Croix’s arms and dashed upstairs. I go to the bathroom, adjusting my messy hair and spraying some of my perfume to cover any smell of Croix on me. If Wesley came back home, five minutes ago, I would have to explain why we were all cuddling and straddling. My stomach immediately churns.

“Za’s here. Come get it while it’s still hot.”

He drops the pizza on the table at the same time Croix exits his bedroom with a shirt on. I was really hoping he would stay there for the rest of the day to make my life a bit easier.

“How is your day going, angel?” Wesley kisses my cheek, making me blush.

“It was...” I glanced at Croix whose eyes were trained on me. “...interesting, to say the least.”

“I missed you.” He comments before kissing my lips.

I kiss him back eagerly, almost attempting to kiss away my strange cuddling infidelity.

Croix clears his throat, ruining the moment. I roll my eyes.

“Croix, sorry man.” Wesley chuckles. “How are you?”

“I’m great. Refreshed from one of the most comfortable days off with a certain someone. We watched a movie and she straddled me.” He grins smugly at me. “You can guess what happens afterwards. She even wet my pants.” I then noticed the wet stain on the pants, exactly the place I straddled. I felt my cheeks heating.

P“Oh. Lana was here?” Wesley chuckled, waving it off. “You too look good together. It’s actually none of my business. I have to go shower.”

Wesley looks around and spots the DVD and the cookies. “You have been eating red velvet cookies? You only do that when you’re stressed.”

“We can talk about it after the shower you were talking about.”

Wesley gave a nod and walked towards his room. And when I’m sure he’s out of sight, I turn to Croix. “What the f**k was that?”

“What was what?” He feigned confusion while he bit on the cookies. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Little Del.”

“You clearly know what you’re doing.” I growled. “And stop calling me that. I’m not little.”

“It’s such a shame no one ever calls you that. It suits you, little Del.” He ate the last cookie and took out another one, handing it to me. “Here, eat. You seem stressed.”

When I collected it after giving him my best murderous glare, he continued. “Such a shame these cookies are made when you’re stressed. It’s delicious.”

“They are?”

“Yes they are. No one has ever told you before?”

“No, not even Wes. He has never tried my cookies before.

“Talk about a shitty boyfriend. Your boyfriend is on the top tier. So what's making you upset anyway?” He crossed his arms, his eyes on me. I could tell he wants to know but why? To tease me?

“Well unfortunately, this is a talk for the shitty boyfriend and I, not for third wheelers.” I stuck out my hip and crossed my hand too. A scowl appeared on his face before he masked it and walked away.

Now finally, I have some alone time with Wesley.

I entered my bedroom, had a quick shower, did my womanly business and stepped out with a fresh change of clothes, a tank top and shorts to be precise. Croix then stepped out with Josiah and Elijah leaving Wesley and I alone.

“Remember the night we ordered pizza at Chris' birthday party that we took home?” I asked, bringing back the memory to set the mood.

He snorted. “That night that we didn’t eat the pizza because we slept in the cab all the way home and we forgot it in the backseat?” He let out a small laugh. “The pizza was so good and we left it in the cab like it was nothing.”

“I think we had other things on our mind that night.” I grin seductively.

He chuckled, adjusting himself on the couch. “Is there something wrong?”

I bit my lips, cuddling into my couch. This is how we were. Whenever I hint at s*x or anything seductive, he gets nervous unless he’s in the mood for it after he has drunk something.

I sighed. Wesley is a good guy and he loves me, that’s for sure. I just want to train myself to love him back but Croix is taking that discipline away. “How long till we move out of here?”

“I don’t know. I’ll take you out of here. That’s for sure.” He kisses my forehead and cuddles me closer.

“Well, I got an email from the WYP fellowship and they said that to admit me I need a muse for a gallery. I need a perfectly symmetrical face for the gallery that I can paint or capture on camera. And I was hoping you’d...be my muse.”

He sighs, continuing the motion along my arm. “I don’t know what to say.”

“You could start with congratulations or that’s great news then resort to saying yes to being my muse.”

“You know I don’t support that community you’re obsessed with.” He answered after a beat, his tone exasperated.

“But this is my dream. You’re supposed to be supportive.” I huffed, my jaw tightened and my mouth trembled at the sharp cut of his words.

“I have a better idea. Why don’t you go for the cello? It brings money and that fellowship will only waste your time and money?”

“Is that what this is about? Money?”My voice is quiet. “I just need you to be my muse.” I said softly.

He exhaled, eyes drifting away. “I don’t really see the point of it, but do what you want.”

The silence that followed told me everything I needed to hear. The tears threatened to spill but I held it in. I need to be strong and find a solution.

“Why are you crying?” The familiar voice spoke.

And then the entire dam broke out.