Bone Diggers - Chapter Forty Nine

Loading... Chapter Forty Nine

"We didn't get to dance at the wedding," Amilia said when Daniel entered the room. He smiled as he lifted the livery collar from his shoulders and placed the chain on the dresser. She'd only retired to the room fifteen minutes ago and had settled into the plush bed.

"You are right," Daniel said, with a light smile. He moved over closer and held out his hand. "I think we deserve a dance."

Amilia smiled, and noticed her cheeks felt a little sore. She shook her head as Daniel sat down on the bed and watched her expression. His own made her smile even bigger. "The only thing I want is for you to stay with me," she said, and rubbed her thumb against the slight stubble on his cheek. "Weddings make me think of happily ever afters. Kids, and everything else it can mean."

Daniel closed his eyes, chin lifting ever so at her touch. After taking a breath, he opened his eyes to meet hers. He guided Amilia's hand to his lips and kissed her fingertips. "I spent nearly two years of my life without you. I know what it is like. I want you, and whatever that means or doesn't mean."

"But—"

"And I will always choose you," Daniel continued. "If you are the sea, and I am the shore, I will take everything that the tide brings in."

"Are you a poet, my love?" she asked. Daniel was always the light that would shine brightest, the fire that would burn through the shadows and be the truth in the ashes. Maybe he made her a poet, too.

"For you, I try."

Amilia pressed her forehead against his, taking a gentle moment before meeting his lips. Daniel had learned to be delicate, but not tense, whenever they kissed. That balance made her feel the most comfortable. His hands hovered before resting on her waist, which received an automatic shiver. "Sorry," he whispered before moving them away.

"No," Amilia said, and reached for them. "I'm just...cold."

Daniel apprehensively looked her over as she placed his hands back. Once there, her hands moved up to his shoulders. Daniel couldn't help but freeze as he let her do as she wanted, and received a series of kisses that felt like pleas.

"Amilia..." he mumbled, bewildered by her.

"Just stay here," she said softly. Daniel nodded, and followed her next order, which was 'kiss me.' His hesitation melted away quicker than he expected.

She had only brushed her fingers through his hair with love or adoration in the past months. But this time, they tangled and knotted around the strands. He broke the kiss to be able to look at her. Her jaw was tight before opening her eyes, her body tensing up like his did. "I want you," she repeated his words, "and whatever that means."

Daniel tenderly touched her face, and she instinctively turned her cheek against his palm. "As you wish, mon amour." he whispered, and gave her the choice of when their lips would meet again.

"Great, good place to end today," Carmen interrupted.

If taking a cold shower does the trick, then her voice was an ice bucket dumped over their heads. Owen clenched his jaw and pulled off the headgear. He stared at his hands for a second before looking up in a silent search for Andreah.

She held his glance before pressing her lips into a thin line. "Wouldn't want to break TOS," Andreah said, with a veiled tone.

"Oh please," Carmen said, "No one enforces that. It just had to be there."

"Unless someone pisses off fnVR," Owen added.

Carmen's weight swayed towards him with a grin. "Exactly."

Owen smiled, but it was a practiced one he learned that signaled someone to move on. If fnVR dictated a stop for any reason, from pacing to viewership of another stream, they put an end to their playing. With the stream over, Carmen left, surely to be hyper-efficient somewhere else.

"Heading home?" Andreah asked, as she looped her purse over her shoulder.

"Yeah, I don't have anything else planned."

Andreah paused for a second. "I'll ride downstairs with you."

They moved through the lobby, only glancing at each other to be mindful of where the other was walking. Andreah pressed the down button and waited.

"So, uh," Owen started, which got Andreah's attention. Her expression could have been paired with an animated '?' above her head. The elevator dinged before he began again.

He licked his lips as they stepped in, waiting for the doors to close before looking at her. "Did fnVR plan that?" he asked, as casually as possible.

Andreah smirked a little before looking down at her hands, inspecting her nails. "No, I wouldn't trust them to make it right."

Owen's eyes lingered on her lips for a few moments longer than he meant to. "Good. I'd trust you more."

That earned a curious look. "With what, exactly?" she asked, the blush on her cheeks deceiving her confidence.

Owen smiled at her before looking away and shaking his head. He felt her eyes still on him as he looked at the screen to see they were about to stop at the bottom floor. When he finally glanced back, she was now focused on the screen too. But noted her grip on the elevator's railing. She let go as the elevator dinged and opened to let them out.

"I'll see you later," Andreah said, and pulled out the key to her bike lock.

"Later."

***

Owen muttered under his breath. A lid kept catching the top shelf of the dishwasher, and he had to wiggle it around so it was flat enough. He kept telling himself he needed to get around to the dishes all week, but now here he was, with a shit ton too many. He was about to tackle the pans that needed to be hand washed when he heard a knock at the front door. He walked through the living room. Whoever it was knocked again before he made it to the other side.

At his door was Andreah. She tried to brush off the water that had stuck on her raincoat. She blinked up at him, but didn't say anything.

"Uhm, hi," Owen managed, further inspecting how wet her hair was. "Did you walk here?"

"Biked," she responded without a beat. She glanced over him now too. "Were you sleeping?"

Despite what his pajamas bottoms seemed to suggest, he shook his head. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes," she answered, then shifted. "Can I come in?"

"Sure." Owen stepped aside to give her space and closed the door once she was in.

She paced away a short distance, feeling more embarrassed than anything else. "I don't know how to eloquently say this." She turned back to look at him. "I wanted to kiss you in the elevator. Actually, I wanted to stop the elevator and spend a good hour in there. And I haven't thought about anything else all day."

"Wow." Owen's footsteps slowed to a stop a few feet from her, wondering what the right words were. "I don't know what to say."

"Is there anything you want to say?"

"I don't think so," he said. Andreah covered what he also felt pretty well.

She stepped forward and stood up on her tiptoes to give him a more polite kiss then he was expecting. His hands moved to wrap around her before realizing her jacket was still soaked from the rain. He quickly moved for the front zipper, and she let it slip onto the floor. Andreah pulled her arms around his shoulders, pressing against him while playfully biting his bottom lip.

Owen pushed her against the door, roughly pulling his hand through her hair. Hers were cool against his feverish skin. Only when Andreah pushed forward did he slow enough to savor the feeling, to really believe this was real.

Andreah willed him eventually to move more into the living room. Her breath was heavy against Owen's skin as they stumbled around. He braced himself against the arm of the couch as his foot accidentally caught the rug.

"Careful, you're going to break something," Andreah teased, taking the moment to pull off her shirt.

"Then we should get you to the bed where it's safe," Owen countered. He closed the space between them and easily lifted her into his arms, as she wrapped her legs around his waist with a laugh.

They both let out a huff as they crashed into the pillows. Andreah smiled brightly at him as they adjusted to the soft bed. He gave her a few quick kisses before moving down her neck, and pulling at her bra with impatient want.

It felt like the first time again, yet he knew all the right moves. Where to kiss, where to hold her, how gentle or how rough he should be. Andreah fell into the same rhythm, knowing exactly what made him desire more. The notion that everything between them wasn't right until they were in bed together felt wrong. Yet, having the same touch that once cut so deep into his soul now soothe was the closest he came to a symmetrical perfection. Being with Andreah, as more than just business partners, more than what they once were, was everything he never realized he wanted.

Andreah thought as she pulled the sheets tightly around them that being in Owen's bed was the only place she wanted to be from now on. Not just for things like this. But other stuff, like being real naughty and eating dinner in it while watching that movie collection she hadn't gotten around to investigating. "Tell me something I don't know about you," she asked, after lying in silence for a short time.

Owen chuckled, making her adjust at the rough exhale. "Isn't this a little backward?"

"So?" she seemed to dare. "Talk to me."

"Okay." It felt like the silliest thing, but it made him smile in an unstoppable way. "Um, I'm a middle child." Andreah smirked, but buried her nose into his chest. "What?" Owen laughed again. "Why is that funny?"

"Explains so much," she teased.

"I'm going to bop you with a pillow if you don't behave."

Andreah tucked in closer, and felt a small laugh vibrate through his ribs. "No, no, I'll be good I swear. Okay, I have a real question."

"Shoot."

"If you hate your family so much, why do you go by your last name? I'd think it would be a constant reminder."

"It is, and I don't hate them." Owen waved his free hand in the air. "But there is a power in taking what you're called and twisting it around in your favor. In hearing it said in that fashion, it reiterates the meaning you want."

"Huh," She let out a little hum as she thought. "I guess to be fair it should be my turn. I should make it good like...saying my favorite color is red."

"No way," Owen said, with utter disbelief. "Me too!"

She sat up, narrowing her eyes slightly. "I can't tell if you're shitting me or not."

"Guess you'll never know until we get to that one."

"Well fiiine," she said, extending the word. "I'll just stay here until you tell me."

"Good," he said softly.

Andreah echoed him even softer as she settled down again and closed her eyes, falling asleep with an ease that made him jealous. Even though he didn't even want to fall asleep, really. Lying here with Andreah curled so close, and the light thumping of bass coming in from the open window, promised to keep him perfectly content. It didn't even matter what song it was. It was enough that it was steady, like a heartbeat.