Strings in Seattle Pt. 02

"I don't know, I'm ready to come back to Seattle at this point, I miss the rain."

He had a look of surprise on his face then, raising an eyebrow at me. "You're coming back to Seattle?"

"Of course, that was my plan all along, I'm only here because I got a scholarship."

"I just assumed you would be joining your mom after she moves to your grandpa's."

I couldn't help but laugh as I shook my head at him. "Oh God no, Florida is not necessarily a place I'm interested in moving to."

He had a contemplative look for a moment as he looked away from the camera. "So when would that be?"

"I'm set to graduate in May."

He looked back to at his screen then. "That's only seven months."

I grinned at him as I responded. "I know."

"I kind of wish you wouldn't have told me that." Daniel was still looking thoughtful, as if his plans had changed and he had to quickly come up with a new one.

"Why's that?"

"Because knowing that I could see you again in just seven months makes staying away that much more difficult when I have such little self control where you're concerned." He gave me a sad grin before continuing. "I still don't think I should be talking to you, no matter how much I enjoy it."

"It's three months actually."

He blinked at me, looking confused. "What's three months?"

"You could see me in three months, I'm home for Christmas and New Years to celebrate at my aunt's house and pack up the house with my mom."

Daniel blinked at me again, running a hand over his face then as he let out a dry laugh. "Jesus Christ Lexi, don't tell me that."

"Why not?"

"Did you not just hear the part where I said I have no self control when it comes to you?"

I gave him a teasing smile, lying down on my back on top of my bed then. "What if I say that I like it like that?" He had a small grin as he shook his head at me again, letting out a frustrated sigh. "Of course you do."

I was enjoying myself more and more by the minute, giving him an alluring look then. "You thinking of sneaking me into the house on Christmas?"

He widened his eyes at me for a moment. "Absolutely not." He gave me a sad look then. "Cara would probably never talk to me again if she ever found out about us."

"Still doesn't like the idea of you dating huh?"

Daniel had a strange look for a moment, as if he had momentarily forgotten that I had once been close friends with his daughter. "I think there's a part of her that's scared I'll leave her behind like her mom did."

"I know, I suggested setting you up with my mom when we were in the fifth grade and she didn't talk to me for like two weeks."

Daniel let out a loud laugh then. "You wanted to set me up with your mom?"

"In hindsight not the best idea."

He still had an amused look as he shook his head again. "I'd say." He gave me another contemplative look for a moment, a small grin twitching on his lips as he eyed me through the camera. "She's only home for Christmas though."

"Mmm, what are you thinking of doing with me after she's gone?" I asked him, noticing the switch in his face then as he looked back at me ardently, that familiar lust returning to his eyes as his imagination took over his mind then.

"There's a perfect spot between my fireplace and where my Christmas tree goes, I'm thinking that would be a good place to start with you."

I smiled, liking the sound of where things were going. "Tell me more."

Daniel shook his at me though. "Weren't you going to show me something?"

I sat up again, setting my phone up at the end of my bed then so he could get a better view of me as I got undressed.

Daniel got more comfortable on his bed, smiling at me seductively as he propped a pillow up behind his head. "You got any toys?"

"Technically, yes." I answered him. "But it's out of batteries and I don't have anymore here right now."

"I guess we'll just have to make do with what we got."

I sat back a little, getting more comfortable on my bed. "I want you to tell me more about this fireplace of yours."

"First thing I'm going to do is have you lie down naked on the floor in front of it and spread those perfect legs of yours." I automatically spread my legs as Daniel spoke, already fully immersed in his words.

"I'm going to take my time though, only using my tongue to fuck you until I have you begging for more." He paused for a moment, watching me as I began fingering myself, a small smile pulling at his lips then. "And only then will I touch your clit the way you like it."

I could practically feel his hands on me as I ran my finger tip of my clit, copying the circular motion he did with his thumb as he spoke.

"I'm not going to fuck you until I've made you cum with my fingers at least once though." Daniel flipped his camera then, showing me how he was stroking himself on his bed.

I let out a moan as I imagined him ramming his cock into me, fingering myself faster then.

"Actually now that I think about it, I'm not going to fuck you right way, no."

I stopped moving my hand and looked at my phone as Daniel continued pumping his hand, running his thumb over the tip of his cock then. "What are you going to do instead?"

"I'm going to have you get on your knees so I can feel your run your tongue along this." And he began stoking himself faster. "And then I'm going to take your spot on the floor and have you ride me."

I kept my gaze on my phone, feeling my abdomen tighten up and roll as my orgasm began to near, watching then as Daniel came, shooting spurts onto his stomach and legs, and closed my eyes as I listened to the sounds of him breathing as he watched me finish.

"So maybe video calls aren't so bad after all." Daniel said to me coyly, once I was sitting back up, flipping his camera back around then as I picked my phone back up.

"Why don't you like them otherwise?" I asked him curiously, lying back with my phone held above me then.

"I don't know, I feel awkward looking at myself on camera as I'm speaking I guess."

I rolled over onto my stomach and shook my head at him. "I can't relate, I like getting that glimpse of myself that I don't ever see otherwise."

A few days later I came home to a package waiting for me on the kitchen counter and looked over to Ethan as he sat on our couch watching TV. "You have any clue what this is?"

He shook his head at me as he shrugged. "No it got delivered about an hour ago, I figured you did some online shopping again."

"I did, but those packages aren't supposed to arrive for another few weeks."

I went into the living room with the package and sat down next to Ethan, opening it as he watched.

"You sure you didn't order that?" He guffawed once I had it open, looking down at a rechargeable vibrator and dildo that were in the box along with a small typed out note.

So you don't have to worry

about batteries anymore

I smiled as I read Daniel's note, it looked like he would be getting another video call that night.

~~~

I tried to hold back the tears that were welling up in my eyes as I looked at my laptop screen, rereading the rejection email I had received five minutes earlier.

It was my third rejection that week already, which only left me with one internship option, the one that I had the least hopes of getting into nonetheless.

The week had already been a bad one, starting off with my mom calling me to tell me that I grandpa had a fall during the night and was now in the hospital, followed by rejection after rejection.

I managed to keep myself together, closing my laptop then and heading into my kitchen to cook some dinner, wanting a distraction.

It worked until Ethan got home, only having to take one look at my face as I stood by the stove stirring sauce, that I finally burst into tears.

I spent the rest of the evening crying, feeling like a miserable loser, and eventually crawled into bed, falling asleep early.

I woke up a little while later, the sound of my phone ringing on the bed next to me stirring me from my sleep and answered it without looking at the screen.

"Hello?"

"Hey. Did I wake you?" Daniel's voice on the other end, speaking quietly once he heard the grogginess in my voice.

"Yes, but it's okay." I lied, feeling like crying again suddenly as I was then reminded that he was another thing I couldn't have, another kind of rejection that I was starting to resent more and more.

"What's wrong?" He asked, hearing something in my voice apparently.

"Just a bad week."

He spoke in a tender tone then, sounding kinder than he already usually did. "Wanna talk about it?"

That was all that was needed for me to start crying again, letting out a sob then. "Not really."

"Shit, Lexi, hey." He had the same tender tone when he spoke again only making me cry harder. "Come on, talk to me."

I let out another sob before responding to him, blurting everything out then.

"There's nothing to talk about, my grandpa is not only struggling with his memories but also gravity apparently now, none of the internships I applied for want me, and the one person I want here right now is you." Daniel was silent on the other end, so I said what I knew he was thinking. "But that can't fucking happen, now can it?"

"I'm sorry." He finally whispered, giving me a moment as I wiped my nose. "Yeah, me too."

Daniel let out a frustrated sigh. "This is why I should have just stayed away from you." He was whispering again when he spoke again. "This is exactly what I didn't want to happen."

"A little late for that now." I snapped back at him, growing in my frustration.

"I don't know how to make this right."

"There is no making things right Daniel." I took a moment before speaking again, trying to steady my voice as I took a deep breath. "Cara will always be your daughter. I'm not interested in coming in between you two."

I could feel a cloud of self pity settling itself around me on my bed, already wallowing in it as I continued speaking. "I think it's time for me to admit that you were right."

A part of me hoping Daniel would say he changed his mind, but deep down I knew better.

"I wish things could be different."

"Yeah, me too."

I didn't want to get out of bed the next day, instead choosing to skip the two classes I had that day after I texted my friend Sarah that was in the classes asking me to send me the notes later.

Daniel and I had stayed up a little longer on the phone the night before, still only coming to the conclusion that we had to end things, deleting each other's numbers and texts from our phones then to avoid temptation.

I knew it was what we had to do, I was still miserable though. The only person I could be upset with was myself really, we had said no strings attached, and yet I was all strung up on him.

This wasn't like me, I didn't get hung up on guys, I would have my fun and move on.

My excitement for the holidays was gone, already replaced with a dread of knowing I would just be a few streets away from him with no possibility of actually going there now.

The next days weren't any better as my grandpa's state worsened and I still hadn't heard back from the last internship, the only distraction for being my classes then. Which were proving to be no distraction at all as I couldn't concentrate in the slightest, thinking about my problems and losses in a constant rotation.

I was beginning to wonder if this was what heartbreak felt like or my single child syndrome was kicking in and I just wasn't used to not getting what I wanted.

By the end of the week I had returned to my cloud of self pity, staying in bed that entire Friday afternoon and evening, only getting out of my bed once Ethan came in and pulled me out of bed, forcing me into the bathroom then.

"We established long ago that I'm the depressed one in this duo, now go get ready so we can go out."

I got in the shower, knowing there was no point in arguing with him, and figuring a day out with him might do me some good.

By the time I came out of the bathroom I was already feeling a little better and joined Ethan in the kitchen where he was making some breakfast before we headed out.

Our first stop was the nearby record shop since Ethan wanted to get vinyls before we headed to get some smoothies, trying to stay cool in the Arizona heat as we sat outside of the smoothie shop, Ethan telling me then about a guy he had been talking to and was meeting up with later that day.

By the time we got back to the apartment all I wanted to do was go back to bed, not just from feeling bad for myself but also because the heat had exhausted me. Thankfully, Ethan had a date that afternoon, so he wasn't there to talk me out of it, I waited until he was gone at least, heading into my room the second he was out the door.

My doorbell rang just as I sat down though, forcing me back off of me bed as I groaned and headed back out to open the door, most likely for Ethan having forgotten his keys once again.

It turned out to be a delivery guy though, finally bringing me the two packages I had been waiting for for weeks.

"Thanks, have a nice one." I said to him once I had my packages and everything was signed for, already starting to close my door and stopping then once he stepped aside and I could see down the building hallway.

I froze as I stared at Daniel, now approaching me slowly as he stuck his hands in his pockets, not saying anything until he was standing in front of me. "I would have called first but it turns out I'm a fucking idiot that deleted your number."

I nodded at him numbly, dumbfounded that he was standing in front of me. "Well thank God you have my address at least."

He gave me a soft grin, seeming nervous as he looked down at me. "Can I come in?"

I stepped aside, holding my door further open so he could come in, staring at him for a moment then as he stood in my kitchen. "What? What are you doing here?"

Daniel ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head at me helplessly. "I didn't like where we left things."

I wasn't sure what to say, I was torn between being happy he was there, and not seeing the point of why he was doing this since it was just going to be counteractive.

"Me neither, but nothing's changed Daniel, we're still right where we started."

He took a step close to me, shaking his head as he furrowed his eyebrows at me. "We're not though."

I rattled my head in confusion, not getting his point. "How aren't we?"

He took another step so that we were only standing a few inches apart, stooping down then so that he was at my eye level. "Because now I couldn't give two shits less about what anyone has to say about us."

"What about Cara?"

I could see him swallow for a moment, looking at me with a hint of nervosity in his eyes. "I'm going to tell her."

I shook my head at him again, he was making things sound much easier than they were, after having spent months telling me why things were complicated nonetheless. "And what if she can't accept it?"

"She's going to have to accept it just as much as I've had to accept that I can't stay the hell away from you." He answered, sounding very matter of fact as he looked at me, making me feeling numb again as his gaze intensified, in a good way this time at least though.

His hands were on my waist a moment later, pulling me to him as his lips met mine with fervidity, quickly making up for the time lost in the previous weeks.

I could feel him lifting me a moment later, turning as I wrapped my legs around his waist and setting me down on the kitchen counter as his hands found their way to my hair, rolling his tongue into my mouth then.

Daniel pulled away from me once I started reaching for his belt buckle, keeping just his body pressed against mine as my legs remained around his waist. "Is your roommate home?"

I shook my head at him, pulling his belt open then. "He won't be home till late tonight or tomorrow morning."

Daniel gave me a mischievous grin. "Good." His hand began wandering up my leg, stopping at the hem of my shorts as he resumed kissing me, inching his way up them then until his fingers grazed along my underwear. I was already wet by the time he was pushing them aside with his finger tips, never taking long when Daniel had his hands on me, and closed my eyes while I leaned my head back as he pushed a finger into me.

I lifted my hips up, already feeling that familiar roll in my stomach as his lips found their way to my neck, slowly sliding another finger into me as I ground my hips against his hand.

He kept his fingers inside of me, purposely moving them slowly as he pushed them deeper, moving his finger tips along all the right spots until he suddenly pulled his hand away.

I looked back to him once I heard the sound of his belt buckle hitting my kitchen floor ringing through my kitchen then as he finished what I had started and removed his pants, letting them pool at his feet on the ground.

Daniel still had a mischievous look on his face as I kept my hips lifted, pulling my shorts and underwear off of me in one quick swoop before gripping me tightly then as he pulled me to the edge of the counter and pushed into me.

Daniel didn't loosen his grip on me, keeping me planted against the counter edge then as he began fucking me, quickly building up a rhythm as he kept his gaze on me. "I missed you."

I smiled as I looked back at him and lifted my hips off of the counter again, meeting his thrusts with my own. "Good."

He lifted me off of the counter again, bringing his hand to my back then as he went down on the ground with me, pushing me back into me hard before resuming his pace.

I could feel the floor tiles slamming into my back, surely going to leave their mark on me, but I didn't care, only able to focus on Daniel's hard plunges into me as they vibrated through my entire body.

He was driving into me harder than he ever had before, making sure each of his thrusts hit the right spot as he held my hands down next to my head, completely at his mercy.

Every time he slammed into me a jolt of pleasure went through me as I began to lose my senses, once again closing my eyes until I heard Daniel chuckle quietly above me. "What's so funny?"

He shook his head at me, moving my hands above my head as he lowered himself, giving me an alluring grin. "Nothing's funny, just enjoying the view." He dropped even lower then, speaking into my collarbone as he continued. "You get this look on your face when I got you close to cumming that will never get old."

I raised my legs higher as I closed my eyes again, letting him get back to enjoying his view as he slid deeper into me, holding him closer to me as I wrapped a leg around him.

My back was numb at that point, my whole body practically was, the only thing I could feel was Daniel moving in and out of me as I climaxed.

He kept thrusting for another moment, gripping my hands tighter as he came then as well, letting out another moan as he kept his lips pressed to my shoulder.

I got a good look at Daniel finally as he raised himself up, looking down at me on my kitchen floor as he caught his breath, giving me a soft look as he chuckled again. "Hey."

I smiled back up at him, amused by his belated greeting. "Hi." I ran my thumb under his eyes, now ringed with dark circles. "When's the last time you slept actually?"

He shook his head sheepishly. "No idea, 30 hours at least."

I widened my eyes at him and started to sit up, Daniel pulling back out of me then as he sat up on his knees in front of me. "What why?"

He took my hands, pulling me up with him as he stood, pulling his pants back up then as he answered. "I couldn't sleep and when I couldn't call you anymore I just got in my car and started driving."

"That's like 20 hours." I sputtered at him, picking my shorts up off the floor, Daniel grinned sheepishly again. "I know."