“Let’s get going,” Skull said when the kiss finally broke.
“Okay,” Clarissa grinned at him and wiped her eyes to rid herself of the last tears that still clung to her long lashes.
“Where’s your helmet?” he asked her.
“At home,” Clarissa frowned.
“At least it’s a short ride,” Skull said and helped her onto the bike.
Clarissa held tight to Skull and listened to the roar of the engine beneath their bodies. The little voice in the back of her head told her to ‘stop this nonsense, right now!’, but her heart wasn’t in the mood to listen. Clarissa was so lost in the feeling of her body pressed against Skulls back that she didn’t realize they were at her apartment until Skull killed the engine. She opened her eyes and blinked up at the full moon. She grinned to herself, because the moon had been full on the day they met, too.
Clarissa slid off the bike and watched as Skull pulled his helmet off and hung it on one of the handlebars. He turned to face her and Clarissa pressed her lips against his for a moment before leading him to the elevator. It was late at night and the elevator zoomed down to the ground floor almost immediately. Clarissa pulled Skull inside of the elevator and pressed the button that would take them to the fourth floor.
She grinned at Skull and giggled. Clarissa didn’t know why she was laughing, but it felt good not to be able to stop smiling. Skull wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her again. Their tongues danced together as the elevator rose. The kiss ended suddenly when the high pitched ding of the doors opening startled them both. Laughing they left the elevator hand-in-hand.
Clarissa slid the key into the lock and turned it, but the door didn’t open. She pulled the key out of the knob and looked at it before breaking into a fit of laughter.
“Is it broke or something?” Skull asked.
“No,” Clarissa shook her head, “This is the key to the coffee shop.”
“Do you have your key?” Skull asked, arching a brow.
“Yeah, just give me a minute,” she laughed, “here hold my purse open for me so I can look for it.”
“You mean this key?” Skull asked lifting the red plastic key chain that hung from the side of her purse.
“Yep,” Clarissa laughed.
“Well, unlock the door then,” he grinned.
“I’m trying to,” Clarissa giggled.
Clarissa felt her face redden, but she wasn’t sure why. It was just as unexplainable as her fits of laughter.
“Maybe because I’m standing on a big, ‘maybe’, which has a bunch of possibilities,” she thought to herself.
“Shoes off,” she said, “I already have to steam clean the carpets.”
“Okay,” Skull said and kicked off his boots.
Clarissa locked the door behind them and grinned up at him. Skull pulled her back into his arms and kissed her again. Clarissa’s body felt raw to the touch and Skull’s hands lingering on the small of her back made her moan. Skull nibbled her lip and looked down into her eyes.
The world seemed surreal as she wrappe
d her arms around his neck and lifted her hips, pressing them into his. She felt his manhood stir and her cheeks reddened. She could totally do this. She could just allow logic to fall aside and her body to fall into his. Clarissa rubbed her thighs together and deepened the kiss. Their attraction was mutual. So what was stopping them? Was there a reason not to?
Skull pulled off his coat without breaking the kiss. Clarissa’s hands traveled down his shoulders and onto his arms. He winced and moved his left arm away when her fingers happened upon skin that felt warmer than the rest of him. Clarissa broke the kiss to look at his arm. An angry cry escaped her lips as she pushed him away. There surrounded by stinging red flesh was Skull’s new tattoo: A star with a bold X through it. She had seen the same tattoos on all the men at the AlleyCat Pub.
“You didn’t?” she said and stepped back from him.
“Didn’t what?” Skull asked, looking confused.
“You joined their gang?” Clarissa said, but her voice was barely above a whisper.
“It’s not what you think,” Skull said quickly.
“Is that your answer to everything?” Clarissa shouted, suddenly finding her voice, “That’s what you’ve said about everything, Skull, and I’m sick and tired of hearing it! I know what it means for a whole group of people to have the same tattoo! I’m not as naive as you seem to believe I am!”