Velvet Roses Ch. 06

"It's not that I don't want to tell you."

"No, of course not. You just won't."

"I can't."

"Right. You're forced to keep it a secret."

Silence filled the space between them as they stared at one another, then after a long moment passed, he spoke.

"I'm really not a secretive person..." His voice trailed off, as if struggling to find the words, then after a few moments, he continued to speak. "This isn't me. It's not who I am."

"So who are you, then?" Her eyes bored into his, as if hoping that through the power of her stare, she could force him to reveal what was hidden.

Now it was his turn to be quiet, and as silence spun between them, Jeneda realized that she wasn't going to receive an answer. She also couldn't help noticing that his face had darkened, and as he rolled onto his back and stared up at the skylight, she came to understand that whatever situation he was going through was more serious than she could have imagined.

Stillness surrounded them, and as Jeneda studied Dane, she noticed the way the moonlight illuminated his angular face. Laying motionless, he closed his eyes, as though seeking some answer from within. Then he allowed them to flutter open, and after releasing a shallow sigh, he dryly swallowed.

While his pale body seemed to almost blend in with the bed sheets, his inky hair created a sharp contrast against the white pillow. His chest rose and fell with slow, deliberate breaths, and although he appeared fairly calm, she knew he was anything but.

Being kept in the dark as to his situation was definitely disconcerting, but she knew that any attempts to get him to open up would be a fruitless endeavor. So rather than press him for more information, she decided instead to just let it go.

"Forget I said anything, okay? Your personal life is none of my business, so I won't ask you any more questions."

He turned his head to look at her, and as his eyes met hers, she saw worry cross his face.

"This doesn't have to change things between us." His tone was beseeching, as if making an appeal. "We can still be close."

He took her hand in his, then tenderly kissed her knuckles. The expectant look on his face made it seem as if he was waiting for her response, but after an extended stretch of silence, it became clear that she wasn't going to.

He moved his hand to her face and ran his thumb along her cheekbone, then turning onto his side so they were once again eye to eye, he leaned in to give her a soft, tender peck. She kissed him back, and after their mouths pulled apart, she rested her palm on his chest. A chill pervaded the air as they lay in bed together, and feeling goose bumps rise along her skin, she snuggled in closer to him. His hand came up to caress her bare arm, and noting that it was prickled with gooseflesh, he ran his palm briskly along the surface of her skin. "Cold?"

"A little," she softly replied.

He grabbed a blanket that was folded at the foot of the bed, and after spreading it out over her body, he slid beneath it and nestled against her. Still lying face to face, their legs entwined, and reveling in the warm cocoon they'd created, she released a contented murmur.

Made of velvet, the throw blanket that covered their bodies was smooth and felt luxurious against her naked skin. It was such an enjoyable sensation that she began to wonder why she didn't have a velvet blanket of her own, and she made a mental note to go shopping for one as soon as she had the chance.

As she lay there in bed gazing into Dane's eyes, a thought suddenly passed through her head and a faint smile curled her lips, which in turn caused the corners of Dane's mouth to quirk.

"What's funny?"

"The first time I saw you, you were wearing this green velvet blazer. Then when I saw you again at comic con, you were wearing another one, except it was red. And now I find out you have a velvet blanket. How many velvet things do you own?"

His smile deepened. "Aside from the jackets and blanket, nothing. I wouldn't mind adding to my collection, though."

"So what made you become such a velvet enthusiast?"

Slowly sliding a palm along the curve of her waist, he allowed his fingers to lazily drag against her silky skin. "It's soft, beautiful, sexy...now that I think of it, It's a lot like you."

She smiled. "You just know all the right things to say, don't you?"

"It's true, though. And you know it."

They fell into silence, and as she slipped her fingers through the waves of his hair, he closed his eyes and sighed in contentment.

Except for the sound of tree branches scraping against the windows, stillness pervaded the apartment, and for several long minutes they simply lay in placid contentment.

As Dane's breaths grew shallow, Jeneda became certain that he was falling asleep, so she slid her fingers out of his locks and gave him a feather light kiss. Yet the moment she pulled away from him, his eyes fluttered opened and he softly spoke.

"How are things with your brother?"

"Okay. Why do you ask?"

"Just wondering." He reached out to gingerly trace a finger along the multiple studs in her ear. "Are your parents still moving him to Key West?"

She nodded. "He's leaving this weekend."

"That soon, huh?"

"Yep. Just three more days, and he'll be leaving."

Making no attempt to hide her disappointment, she pressed her lips tightly together and stared off into the distance. He didn't know how to respond, and she was preoccupied with her thoughts, so a long, awkward pause passed between them. Then after several moments of silence, he spoke.

"What time is his plane leaving?"

"At ten on Sunday morning. I'm supposed to be driving him, my dad and my mom to the airport, but I've been having some issues with my car, so I guess I'll have to get a rental."

"Your dad doesn't have a car?"

"Nope."

"What about your mom?"

"She lives in Key West. The only reason she's coming out here, is so she can accompany Riley on the plane."

"Oh."

With her brother's departure looming, she realized it could be months before she saw him again, and although she knew he would be closer to her mother, she couldn't help feeling a little sick at the thought of him being so far away.

No sooner did her chest tighten, did a lump begin to form in her throat. She also felt her eyes becoming moist, yet before any tears could well up, she quickly shifted her gaze from Dane's and turned onto her back. Then focusing her attention on the skylight, she willed herself to rein in her emotions.

Crying wasn't an option, especially not in front of Dane. It would only make her seem weak, not to mention create an unbelievably awkward moment. So instead of allowing the tears to fall, she bit down on her tongue and forced away the sadness.

As Dane grabbed her hand and laced his fingers through hers, she was brought back to the present moment, and sensing he had something to say, she turned her head and looked at him.

"I know we haven't been dating very long, and I don't know how into this idea you would be, but instead of renting a car, why don't you let me drive you guys to the airport?"

"Thanks for the offer, but I think It'd be better if I just rented a car."

"Oh, okay."

Clearly disappointed, he shifted his gaze, then let go of her hand and crossed his arms behind his head.

"I really do appreciate the offer," she said. "But It'd be kind of awkward having you with us."

It seemed to her that he winced a little from her words, and realizing that she may have unintentionally offended him, she made an attempt to smooth things over.

"I didn't mean that the way it sounded. It's just that everyone will be emotional, and it you're gonna meet my family, I don't want it to be that way. You know what I mean?"

He nodded, then said, "It's cool, you don't have to explain. It's a family thing, and I wouldn't fit in." As if to reassure her, he lightly kissed the tip of her nose. "I just want you to know that I'm here for you."

"Thanks. I appreciate that."

Jeneda let out a yawn, then curled into his side and rested her head on his chest. She felt safe and warm against his masculine body, and as he pressed his lips to the top of her head, a contented murmur passed her lips.

It'd been a long, eventful day, and their passionate lovemaking had only added to her exhaustion, so it didn't take long at all for her to reach the brink of slumber. Yet before she could go over the edge, a rattling noise whisked her back to full consciousness.

Curious as to the source of the noise, she glanced up at Dane and she saw that he was holding a bottle of pills, and after taking off the cap, he shook a few into the palm of his hand. He swallowed them dry, and after tucking the pill container beneath his pillow, he emitted a relaxed sigh.

"What are those pills for?" She asked.

"Sleeping medication."

"Do you have insomnia?"

"Not exactly."

"Then why do you take them?"

"Sometimes I just have trouble sleeping."

"Do you use them every night?"

"Pretty much. Why? Does it bother you?"

"No, not really. I'm just a little worried about you."

"Don't be, I'm fine." As if to reassure her, he soothingly ran a thumb across her cheek, then said, "Really, I'm okay."

Her brows slightly knitted as she said, "I don't remember you taking them the last time I slept over."

"That's because you were already asleep."

"Oh."

Before she could say anything else, he captured her lips in a soft kiss, then looking deep into her eyes, he softly spoke to her.

"Stop worrying, and go to sleep, spunky."

"Spunky?"

"Yes, it's a term of endearment."

She snorted in response. "It sounds like a dog's name."

"Well, you are my little pet."

He nuzzled his nose against hers, which in turn caused a soft smile to pass her lips.

"How'd you come up with spunky?"

"When I saw how feisty you were with that sword, that's the first thing that came to my mind."

"So I guess this means I'll have to come up with a nickname for you, huh?"

"If you want. Don't feel like you have to, though."

Although it was impossible to hold her any closer, he tightened his arm around her, and as they lay there wrapped in each other's embrace, they allowed sleep to claim them, drifting off to a place where their worries were nonexistent.

* * * *

Having spent the better half of the morning feeding their sexual appetites, Dane and Jeneda were standing outside the door to her apartment, indulging in a kiss that was deliciously carnal and wonderfully wet.

While their tongues engaged in a lustful dance, their hands greedily roamed each other's bodies, grabbing and caressing soft, fleshy areas, as well as harder, unyielding ones.

Soft moans filled the air around them, and although they could have gone on kissing for a whole lot longer, the need to replenish their oxygen forced their mouths apart.

Still craving the feel of her flesh against his lips, Dane leaned in to tenderly kiss her neck, then lifted his head and offered a long, heady gaze.

"I need you."

His lips were so close to hers, that she could feel his breath as he spoke, and as he grinded his hardness against her, she elicited a breathy noise.

"You already had me twice this morning."

"So let's make it three."

Biting her lip, she offered him a desirous gaze, noting the way his lips were flushed from all the kissing they'd done. She also noticed the way his hair hung sexily in his face, partially obscuring his left eye.

This only enhanced her already lascivious mood, and after turning to face the door, she quickly unlocked it, then walked inside. He waited a few seconds before crossing the threshold, eyeing her with those sensually dark eyes of his. Then with a faint smile on his lips he entered.

"So this is what your apartment looks like."

His eyes darted around the living room, flitting from the bay windows, to an s-shaped coffee table which was made out of glass, before coming to rest on a CD rack on the wall. As he walked closer towards it, she followed him, and upon reaching it, he gazed interestedly at it.

"You still collect CD's?" A faint smile touched his lips as he asked the question.

"Yep. Call me old fashioned, but nothing beats having the physical album."

He lightly nodded before saying, "I agree."

Scanning the titles of the various CD spines, he perused her music collection, which included bands such as The Cure, Depeche Mode, and the Cocteau Twins. Then after a few moments of silently examining the discs, he spoke.

"Looks like you've got a pretty decent collection here."

"Only decent?" She asked.

"Okay, better than decent. You've got good taste."

This brought a smile to her lips, and after returning it with one of his own, Dane casually sauntered towards a purple sofa with black pillows. After taking a seat, he looked curiously at an open scrapbook that sat on the coffee table, and after picking it up, he began to flip through it.

Sitting down beside him, she watching as he scanned each page, and as he pointed out a picture of her as a baby, she heard him emit a light chuckle.

"You were quite the exhibitionist, weren't you?"

The photo he'd pointed out was a yellowing snapshot of her at three years of age, and had been taken in the backyard of the house where'd she grown up. Clad in nothing more than a pair of pink sunglasses, she was posed with her hands on hips, looking into the camera with a giant smile.

"I'm surprised I even had the sunglasses on. According to my parents, one of my favorite things to do around that time was run around the house naked."

His smile deepened, and as he turned the page, he said, "You sure were an adorable little thing."

"Thanks."

As he flipped through the pages of the memory book, she watched on in silence, only speaking when he offered the occasional comment or posed questions.

They were only two pages away from reaching the end of the scrapbook, when suddenly Dane stopped turning the pages, and figuring that he might be wondering as to the story behind the photograph he was studying, she offered some info.

"That was taken eight years ago, at my college graduation."

She was about to give additional commentary, but as she glanced up at his face, she noticed there was a strange look on it. To say he appeared shocked, would be a gross understatement, and although he was normally pale, it now appeared as if he'd suddenly become nearly translucent.

Her eyes darted back to the scrapbook, and seeing that his fingers were trembling as he held the edges of the book, she grew alarmed. Yet before she could speak a word, he broke the silence.

"Who's this man standing next to you?"

"My dad's best friend, Vincent. Why?"

"Just curious."

It was more than that, though. She could tell from the way his body grown rigid that something about the picture had him deeply distressed, and although she'd looked at the photo dozens of times, she gave herself a moment to really study it, trying to see if there was anything odd or startling about it.

Taken on her college graduation day, the photo was of her and Vincent posing side by side They both had broad smiles on their face, and while she was in a cap and gown, he was dressed casually in a pair of jeans, a black button up shirt, and a trucker's cap.

His silver streaked hair was slicked back from his head, and his lips were stretched into a proud smile. Noting the small teddy bear and bouquet of flowers in her hand, Jeneda recalled how Vincent had given them to her as a congratulations gift.

The snapshot had been taken eight years ago, yet the memory of that day was still fresh in her mind, and as she stared at the picture, she found herself wondering why Dane seemed so spooked by it.

As far as she could tell, everything about it was completely normal. There weren't any strange looking people in the background, nor was there anything off-putting in the slightest, so she was at a total loss as to why he had such an odd reaction to this particular photograph.

Completely puzzled, she redirected her gaze to his face, and saw he was still staring obsessively at it, almost as if he were in a trance-like state.

"Dane, you're scaring me. What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

He'd answered a bit too abruptly for her liking, and she also noticed that his voice had wavered, as if he were scared. But of what? A *photo*? The idea was completely ridiculous and didn't make an ounce of sense.

"Something *is* wrong. Tell me." She said it firmly, as if to convey that he didn't have an option.

"This hat your dad's friend is wearing..."

As his voice drifted off, she looked at the photo for reference, and saw that the hat in question was a baseball cap and had the words, 'Proud Italian American' emblazoned across the front of it.

"Yeah? What about it?"

"It looks familiar to me. Did he wear it often?"

"I don't know, I only saw Vincent five, maybe six times a month. He was a trucker, like my dad, so they were both on the road a lot."

"Oh."

His Adam's apple bobbed up and down a few times, as if he were struggling to swallow something back, and for a moment she began to wonder if he was going to be sick.

"Are you sure you're okay? If you want, I can get you a glass of water."

"I'm fine. I just started taking this new anti-anxiety medication, so I think I'm having a reaction to it."

"But just ten minutes ago, you were fine."

"Yeah, I know. It happens out of the blue, I can't control it."

She gave him a long, hard look, then glanced back at the picture.

"It seems like this photo triggered something inside you. Is there something about it you don't like? Maybe it brought up a bad memory."

"What?" His brows knitted as he hurriedly added, "No, of course not. Why would it?"

"I don't know. I'm just trying to figure out what's going on with you."

"I already told you, It's these new meds I'm taking."

Taken aback by his sharp tone of voice, she gave him a strange look before saying, "Okay. Just thought I'd ask."

They both turned their attention back on the photo, and after a short moment of silence, Dane posed a question.

"So this guy is your dad's best friend?"

"He used to be."

"What happened? They had a fight?"

"Nope." Releasing a sad little sigh, she absentmindedly smoothed the peeling edges of the protective film that covered the photo. "About seven months ago, Vincent disappeared. No warning, no explanation, he just vanished."

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

"Yeah, so am I. He was like a second father to me."

Dane shifted uneasily in his seat, and after clearing his throat, he spoke.

"You don't know whether he's alive or dead?"

She shook her head. "Last time I saw him was eight months ago. My dad told me his last sighting of Vincent was at a truck stop in Oakland on the night he disappeared. They chatted for a bit, then Vincent took off to deliver the merchandise he was carrying in his rig. Apparently he never made it, though, because they found his truck stranded miles away from the pier where he was scheduled to deliver."

Silence stretched between them for a long moment, during which Jeneda glanced at Dane, and saw he was still staring at the photo with a strange intensity. Baffled by both his behavior and uncharacteristic quietness, she looked fixedly at him, studying his expression.

A dark look had come over his face, and his mouth was set in a grim line. His breathing had become shallow, and she also couldn't help noticing the way he kept nervously swallowing, as if there was something in his throat that he was struggling to get out.

It was odd to say the least, and as they sat there in complete stillness, she realized that the air had become charged with tension.

"So the police never found out what happened?" Dane suddenly asked. "There wasn't any evidence at all?"