8 comments/ 7655 views/ 1 favorites Filling the Void Ch. 01 By: CaraDailey "Emily honey"... Patricia Holmes sighed trying as she had for the last four days to break through the fog her daughter was in. "How long are you going to do this?" she asked softly, desperate to penetrate the haze that her daughter had been living in since the accident. "Do what?" Emily asked hazily. "Lock yourself away in this house. Hide yourself away from the world." Patricia explained. "You have got to get out of this house." "I can't think of anywhere to go." Emily breathed honestly, realizing that had the accident not happened, she'd be scrambling around the kitchen. Her daughter Avery would be sitting on her favorite stool, leaning on the counter, intently listening to some random story Emily would invent. Avery's wide blue eyes would be following her around the kitchen as she prepared lunch. "I know you're hurting honey but you have to get past this." Patricia said firmly, pulling Emily from her reverie of memories. "Do you want dinner?" she asked softly. "I want my daughter." Emily said numbly. "How exactly am I supposed to get past that?" "I don't know. But I know you don't do it by locking yourself in here like some hermit." Patricia explained, praying for the words to soothe her suffering. "Now's probably not the best time to tell you this Emily... But Matthew Chasen was released on bail today. He's out now." "Really?" Emily questioned, smiling for the first time. "You know what Mama... maybe you're right... maybe I do need to get out of this house." She said thoughtfully. "You stay clear of that man Emily." Patricia warned, concern filling her voice for the first time since the accident. "I am. I think I'm gonna just get out of town for a bit." Emily said rising tiredly. "I need to get my head on straight... I can't do that here." "Maybe that's a good idea." Patricia nodded thoughtfully. The image that caught her attention, as she glanced into the wall sized mirror on the bar room wall startled her a bit. The blonde dye and relaxant that laid her natural curls flat, was such a drastic change that she barely even recognized herself. Even she couldn't deny that she made a sexy picture in her poured on jeans, quarter inch high heeled boots and low cut white button up silk blouse. It didn't take her eyes but a moment to locate Matthew Chasen. It took her much longer than a moment to suppress the desire to ram the pool stick he was aiming, down his throat. Nervously she took a seat, at a table in the corner of the smoked filled room. Her eyes didn't leave Matthew, not when she placed her drink order, not when the waitress returned with the apple martini she had no intention of drinking. Instead she watched the carefree man's laughing jovial face. To watch him as she was in that moment, one would never know he was solely responsible for the death of a five year old, a mere week earlier. "Hey uh Matt..." Brandon Brewster, Matthew's new found best friend said, leaning idly back against the pool table. "Looks like you got a little blonde bombshell in the corner scoping you out." Brandon pointed out. "Yeah..." Matt smiled, showing off his deep dimples, barely sparing the blonde a side ways glance." "She's been eyeing me since she walked in." "Dude, why in the hell are you still talking to me?" Brandon asked confusedly. "That bitch is smoking hot." "No way bro. I'm not interested." Matt laughed at his fair haired companion. "Despite the way she's dressed, I guarantee you, that girl's looking for way more than I care to offer." "The way she's eye fucking you, I guarantee she ain't looking for nothing but a party tonight." Brandon countered, turning fully to study the topic of their conversation. "See, she's not shy. A shy chic would've lowered her eyes when she noticed we realized she was staring. Go make your move man." Brandon demanded. "Man, I got too much on my mind." Mathew refused taking two of the tequila shots the waitress brought over to them. "All the more reason for a freaky ass distraction and I betcha an eight ball that, that girl is a straight up freak. Now go ask her to dance before I do." Brandon chided. "Fine." Matt gave in, only to shut his friend up. Hesitantly, he set his pool stick aside and crossed the room, imitating a far greater deal of confidence than he actually felt. Emily's heart froze in her chest as the man that she wanted to see dead, began moving closer to her. She knew by his confident swagger that she was his intended mark for the night. That had been her plan. She couldn't understand why her hand trembled when she reached for her drink. Thoughtlessly, she downed the sweet liquid courage before he made it to the edge of the table. "Can I buy you another?" he asked, motioning the waitress over to the table as he took a seat directly across from Emily. "Looks like you're going to whether I want one or not." Emily breathed, forcing a smile and charm in her voice that she couldn't bring herself to feel. "Don't be snotty ma'am." Matt scolded, not at all liking the condescension in the woman's soft accented voice. "If you didn't want me coming over here you wouldn't have spent the last half hour staring at me like I was a t-bone and you were a starving dog. Now be nice and drink your drink." He smiled as the waitress sat another glass in front of her, and two shots accompanied by a beer in front of him. "I'm not a dog... But I am starving." Emily laughed taken aback by his abrasive words, though not at all surprised. "How's the food in this place." "Honestly..." he said leaning across the table to whisper to her confidentially, "It's a heart attack waiting to happen, but very edible." He assured her. "If you like... I could take you somewhere that the food isn't so hazardous on your health." He offered. "Don't bother." Emily laughed flipping through the three page laminated menu, knowing she'd need food on her stomach to absorb the alcohol she'd be drinking before the night was over. "Fair enough..." Matt smiled amusedly. "But don't be crying to me in the morning when you have a stomach ache." "In the morning?" She asked with a lifted brow, disturbed by his calm and even more so by his arrogance. "Don't count your chickens Mister." She said in a tone she hoped would sound flirtatious. "I'm not counting anything." He said, sitting back quietly as she ordered a rare t-bone, to his amusement, with all the trimmings that accompanied the meal. He had to admit he was impressed to meet a woman that wasn't scared to eat for fear of ruining her figure. "Im Matt Chasen" he said once again leaning across the table and resting on his elbows, interlocking his fingers together thoughtlessly. "Your friend is looking lonely Matt." She jested, turning her attention to the man Matt had abandoned for her company. The fair haired man was surrounded with a gang of young eligible women, that didn't appear to her to be old enough to be in the bar legally. "Yeah..." Matt laughed a slow drawn out agreeing word, not needing to turn to know that Brandon had surrounded himself with a flock of women. "I think that is the only reason he comes here." "And your reason for coming here?" she questioned feigning interest. "Same as most peoples I guess. I'm here to forget a fucked up week." He explained downing a shot of tequila, chasing the potent liquor with the bitter bite of the ice cold beer. "Why was your week fucked up Mr. Chasen?" she questioned, propping her chin into her upturned palm, studying him intently. "I completely totaled my truck out last week." He frowned, averting his eyes evasively. "It took me three days of shopping to actually found another that half ass suited me." "You were stressed over your stupid truck." She snapped before she had a chance to silence the anger in her voice. "Hey, call it dumb if you want, but a man's truck is an extension of who he it." Matt explained, not quite understanding the sudden fire that sparked in her eyes. "My grand father and I spent almost a year customizing that truck. It meant a lot to me." "What a shame." She sighed, once again forcing herself to get her emotions under control. Silently, she reminded herself of her mission. "I know right." He smiled charmingly. "Well at least no one was hurt." She said sarcastically, giving him the opportunity to confess to her and express his deep seated remorse over the death of her daughter. "Dance with me." He demanded eager to change the subject, before his slightly drunken tongue began to spout off the whole truth. Quickly he rose and extended his hand to her. "Really?" she questioned, staring blankly at his hand. Being that close to him so early in the evening wasn't a part of her plan. "I'm not much of a dancer." She lied, downing her second drink of the evening. "Come on..." he pleaded. "It's a slow song." He negotiated as he caught her hand and gently pulled her to her feet. "There's nothing you have to do but hold on to me." He explained softly as he led her to the deserted dance floor. "No one else is dancing." She said pointedly, looking around the vacant hard wood floor, as Matt coerced her arms around his shoulders. Gently, he laid his hands on her hips and drew her more firmly into his warm inviting embrace. "Then maybe we'll start something." He smiled suggestively. "So what are you here to forget?" he asked softly against her ear. "Nothing." She said honestly, knowing that there was no way she could ever forget. Tiredly, she laid her head on his shoulder, burying her face in the cradle of his neck. She didn't want him having the chance to study her face and see through her just yet. "I don't believe you." He laughed, unable to resist the urge to slip his hand beneath the back of her blouse. Lightly, his fingertips started caressing her smooth delicate skin. "Let me guess... Some idiot broke your heart." He said gravely over the music. "Smart man." She choked, using every ounce of will power she possessed, to force herself to allow his intimacy. Her body tensed and a wave of nausea washed over her as his lips began to brush a slow steady path from just below her ear lobe down her long slender neck. "I want to take you home Darlin." He said honestly, not sure if it was the alcohol or the woman in his arms that was creating the warm rush of desire that was threatening to consume his body. "I'll bet you do." She breathed against his neck. "I can make you forget he ever existed." He offered confidently as he drew her tighter up against him. "Some things... can't be forgotten." She bit through clenched teeth. "My food's ready." She pointed out, using the excuse to escape from his arms. Unsteadily, she made her way across the room and back to their table. "I'm going to check on Brandon while you eat Darlin." Matt explained, pulling out the mahogany chair for her, just as his mother had taught him was proper. "I'll be right back." He said lightly, brushing his fingers through her long soft hair, before making his way through the crowd to his friend. "Told ya Bran..." he sighed, once he was able to penetrate the wall of college women that surrounded his dealer friend. "That girl has pure ice in her veins." "Here..." Brandon offered, digging into his jacket pocket. He looked around cautiously before dropping two white pills into Matt's upturned palm. "Put these in her drink. These are guaranteed to melt even the thickest icebergs." Brandon explained. "You might want to hurry up though. Looks like some one is trying to move in." "Come dance with me pretty lady." Emily heard a slurred voice spouting. "No Thank you." She refused coldly, not even bothering to look up from her half eaten plate. She couldn't help but notice as she stared down at the metal plate, that the meal was the most she'd eaten since the accident. "Awe. Come on." The drunk demanded, grabbing her arm in a painful vice like grip. Callously he tugged her to her feet, despite her resistance. "I said 'no thank you'. That means I don't want to dance." Emily bit, turning to face the intruder fully. "Now get your fucking hands off of me." She growled violently. "Just one dance." The aging man negotiated. "I'll buy you a drink." "I believe the lady asked you to get your hands off of her." Matt's smooth thick voice interjected, laying a firm hand threateningly on the man's shoulder. "She's here with me pal, so take a walk." "I'm sorry." The man frowned, immediately releasing his hold on her arm, before walking away. "You alright Darlin?" he asked softly as Emily began to rub her offended arm. "I'm fine." She assured him. "Thank you for coming to my rescue." She sighed with a half hearted smile. "It's kind of funny. People like that is exactly the reason I don't come into bars." She laughed dryly. "We are out of alcohol." He frowned, noticing that he table had been cleared of everything but her meal. "I'll go get us another round and take care of the tab." He offered, hinting that he was getting ready to leave. "Are you sure it's safe to leave me alone?" she laughed, this time with genuine amusement. "I don't know..." he shrugged with a flirty smile "You do seem to attract trouble." He smiled studying her face curiously. "Damn you look familiar girl." He remarked, noticing for the first time, that she strongly resembled some one he'd met, he just could place who. "I have one of those faces." She said nervously. "Now go get our drinks." She demanded. "Yes Ma'am." He laughed making his way to the bar. "Now..." he said as he returned to sit the spiked drink down in front of her. "Why do you look so familiar to me?" he questioned interestedly, watching as she chugged the apple martini down three big gulps. "I don't know. Maybe we've passed on the street some where." She lied, welcoming the warm oblivion; it was the first time in almost a week that she felt calm and relaxed instead of cold brutal harsh hatred. "Maybe..." he smiled, thoughtlessly reaching across the table to lightly caress her cheek. "But I know these eyes." "Dance with me." She found herself saying. Despite herself she couldn't suppress the sudden craving for physical contact. "Yes Ma'am." He nodded his agreement, all too eager to once again have her pressed tightly against him. "You haven't told me your name." he said pointedly once he had her on the dance floor. "What's it matter?" she asked, for the first time taking notice of his scent. She deeply inhaled the thick combination of cigarette smoke, tequila, expensive cologne, and something else that she couldn't quite name at the moment. She couldn't deny that it was a potent and alluring blend. "You'll just forget it in five minutes." She breathed against his neck. "Besides, come morning, it won't even matter any way." She said nestling against him sweetly. Her body began instinctively clinging to his. "I'm not that man Darlin." He assured her. His breath caught in his chest as he felt her fingertips lightly exploring the back of his neck, as they made their way up to play idly in the back of his short cropped black hair. "Maybe I'm that woman." She said, laughing at the absurdity of her words. "Look at me." He demanded, gently coaxing her face up so that her eyes would meet his. "Who are you?" he asked softly. "Who am I?" she thought aloud. Curiously, her hands made their way down his broad shoulders to rest on the solid wall of his chest. "I am, who ever you want me to be tonight Chasen." "Then you're mine." He said possessively. He was only a bit surprised by her turning away when he leaned down to kiss her. "I need to use the ladies room." She explained, needing a moment to collect the sea of jumbled thoughts that were racing around in her fog filled mind. "It's around the corner there." He said, pointing to the opposite side of the bar. "It's the last door on the right. I'm going to get another shot. Do you want anything?" "A coke." She said softly, rather enjoying the cloud her body seemed to be floating on suddenly. "I think I have had more than enough alcohol for one night." Matt had finished off the third of consecutive shots he's ordered before he grew concerned with the time that had lapsed between his blond rushing off to the ladies room and that moment. He didn't want to be concerned for her. None the less, his mind started reeling with every worst possible case scenario. Anxiously, he made his way to the restrooms. "Matt..." Emily sighed, opening her eyes as she felt the brush of his fingertips against her forehead. "Are you alright?" he asked softly, having stepped into the ladies room, to find her leaned back against the cold concrete wall as if in a trance. "I'm fine." She assured him, nestling her face into the warmth of his palm. "What are you doing in the ladies room?" she asked, hooking her fingers through the belt loops of his denim jeans. "Looking for my lady." He explained, brushing the pad of his thumb over her heart shaped pouting lips. "Well Matt Chasen... You've found me." She breathed heavily, using her hold on his belt loops to draw his body closer to her own. "Now what are you going to do with me?" she questioned. "Goddamn. I want you Girl." He growled, pressing his lips to hers so hard that he heard and felt her head bang against the concrete wall. "I'm sorry." He whimpered against her lips, cupping the back of her head tenderly. "Don't stop." She found herself pleading, as her hands mindlessly tugged at the hem of his t shirt. "I want to feel you." She panted, pressing her lips more softly to his. "Mmm Darlin..." he groaned, feeling himself hard to the point of feeling like a 16 year old virgin again. "Let me take you home." He pleaded, feeling himself come undone as her innocent hands began to explore the hard ridges of his chest and abdomen. "Okay." She nodded, grabbing his hands and leading them to her breasts, encouraging them to kneed the full round globes. "In a minute." She assured him, kissing a path over his neck and shoulder. "If you don't stop..." he warned, entangling his fingers in her long blond hair, holding her mouth more firmly to his neck as her tongue and teeth grazed over his skin experimentally. "I'm going to take you right here on this bathroom floor." He said firmly. "Okay." She consented, molding her body more firmly to his. "Okay what?" he asked, holding her tight as his hands slid down her back to grasp her buttocks roughly. "Okay, don't stop." She moaned against his ear, as the feel of his fingertips digging into her firm bottom, excited her to the point of irrationality. "You don't want this." He argued, even as his hands instinctively reached for the button on her jeans. Part of him felt guilty, knowing that her desire was fueled by what ever Brandon had given him to slip into her drink. The biggest part of him simply wanted to be inside of her. "Really?" she questioned, tensing confusedly as his hand slid curiously down her pants, beneath her black lace panties. "I could be wrong." He smiled, as his fingers came in to contact with her freshly shaved mound. His breath caught in his throat as his fingers felt the moist slick proof of her desire. "You are." She whimpered breathlessly, feeling as if tiny sparks of electricity were making their way over her body and meeting to concentrate in the very center of her womanhood. "Get out of these pants." He demanded, pulling away from her only long enough to turn his attention to turning the dead bolt on the bathroom door to ensure their privacy. As he turned back to face her, he felt a powerfully painful jolt of desire. Watching her kick off her boots and trying to shimmy drunkenly out of her pants, stirred an emotion inside him that he didn't care to analyze. "Here." He laughed, kneeling at her feet to pull the denim the rest of the way free of her shapely legs. "Last chance to tell me to stop." He warned as he rose, undoing his own jeans. Filling the Void Ch. 01 "Don't stop." She repeated, finding her arms reaching for him wantonly. "I don't have protection." He breathed, backing her against the sold stone wall. "But I am clean." He assured her, once again grasping her buttocks, this time to lift her feet from beneath her. Gently, he coaxed her thighs around his slim hips. "You talk too much." She sighed, closing her eyes tightly as the room began to spin slowly. She felt him pause uncertainly at her opening, as if uncertain of whether or not to proceed. "Please Matt." She whimpered, nervously snaking her arms around his shoulders. "I don't want to hurt you." He admitted, as he began slowly pressing himself into her warm tight inviting body. "Then don't." she laughed, wiggling her hips anxiously trying to sheath him more full inside of her. "This is crazy." He groaned, burying himself completely with in her slick moist feminine folds. He froze as a cry of discomfort tore from her lips. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry Darlin." He breathed, kissing her pouting lips apologetically. "Why are you stopping?" she complained, oddly savoring the pain in her loins. "I'm not stopping Darlin," he assured her, taking her lips more firmly, kissing her lovingly as he began to move slowly in and out of her. "Just slowing down a bit." He breathed against her lips. He felt almost lost as she laid her head on his shoulder tiredly. "Ah Matt." She moaned against his neck, finding her mind deeply confused by the pleasure his body was igniting in her. As the room started to spin faster, she began to cling tighter to him. "You feel so different Chasen." She panted breathlessly. "From who?" he asked, desperate to distract his mind from the violent need to fill her with his seed. "It doesn't matter." She frowned, feeling each thrust of his hips pushing her closer and closer to something, though she wasn't yet sure what. "I like the way you feel." She admitted pressing her lips to his necks to muffle her whimpers of pleasure. "You feel so good." He said honestly "I've never felt anything like you before." He admitted quickening his pace, pressing her tight against the wall, grinding hard against her clit with each hard thrust into her. "Oh Goddamn." She cried, finding herself rocking herself against him, the waves of electricity shooting through her body becoming more than she could bear. "Please God. Don't stop." She moaned lustily, tensing against him, her nails digging violently into his bare shoulders. "Please Matt." "Oh Darlin." He grunted, once again quickening his rhythm to the point of near violence. "Oh God Baby." He bit as he felt her sudden damp rush of passion as she began to tense and quiver around his cock. The temptation to explode inside of her was almost more of an invitation than he could resist. "What...the...fuck..." she cried as the surge of pleasure that seemed to flow through every part of her body made her world spin far more than the alcohol. "Don't move Darlin." He demanded as he withdrew from her and spilled his seed on her stomach, barely having lifted her shirt far enough up to avoid the spray of his cum. "Matt..." she whimpered as he let her legs slip from his waist, forcing her to stand on her own accord. "I'm right here Darlin." He assured her gently, holding her steady with one arm, while his free hand reached for and dampened a paper towel. "Why am I so shaky?" she asked naively. "Because I gave you an orgasm." He boasted as he wiped his semen from her stomach. "Don't worry though; I'm pretty sure I pulled out in time." "I don't understand." She admitted, studying him confusedly. "I didn't get you knocked up. You're safe." He laughed, turning to retrieve her jeans. "Oh." She frowned, all at once, her reason for being in the bar in the first place come flooding back hitting her like a tidal wave. "Now what?" she asked tiredly as he handed her back her jeans. "Now.." he said once again kissing her softly, nibbling teasingly at her lower lip as she tried to pull away. "You get dressed..." he explained, kissing a warm slow path down her neck. "And I take you home." He said running his fingertips lightly over her bare hips. "And then I'm going to spend the rest of the night... Probably the rest of the week end fucking you." He said forcing himself to move away from her, as desires once again start to gnaw viciously at him. "Or do you have other plans?" To be continued..... Filling the Void Ch. 02 "This works for me." She forced a smile as she wriggled her hips back into her jeans before leaning down to tug on her boots. "Do you think your friend has anymore of the stuff you slipped in my drink?" she asked pointedly. "I like the way they make me feel." She lied, having another purpose for the pills. "You knew?" he asked with a slight stammer, feeling akin to a deer trapped in the head lights of a semi. "Yeah..." she nodded "I'm not really blind... Or dumb you know Chasen." She said matter of fact tone. "I'm sorry." He breathed hesitantly. "Don't be... Just get me more." She pleaded softly as he led her from the bathroom. "Matt..." she breathed, catching his arm gently and turning him to face her. For a moment, all she could manage was to stare up at him sullenly. "Yes Darlin." He smiled down patiently, guessing from the wrinkle of the bridge of her nose, that she was struggling to say something. "I'm not a drug addict." She said firmly. "I don't have a problem." She said, trying to assure away the concerned look from his face. "I just want to escape my life for a little while." She said honestly. "It's okay." He smiled, brushing her cheek lightly. "I'll take care of you." He vowed softly. "Thank you." She yawned tiredly, allowing him to draw her against his chest affectionately for a moment. "What ever is going on in that head of yours Darlin, I promise to make it go away." He promised against the crown of her head, breathing in her lavender scent, committing it to memory. "I wish you could." She frowned, snuggling against him tiredly. "Please take me home Matt." She pleaded holding him tighter, desperate to keep her tears at bay. "Yes Ma'am." He smiled, kissing her forehead and giving her a gentle squeeze before settling her away from him. Hesitantly, he handed her his keys. "I'm going to go talk to Brandon for a second. Go out to my truck, it's the big black one, and wait for me there." "Yes sir." She laughed, taking the ring of keys he offered to her. She couldn't help but notice the small gold wedding band that was looped into the key ring. "Interesting." She thought aloud, as she made her way through the increasing crowd to find the exit. "I know it's a little out of the way, but I'll be more comfortable at my house." She assured him as he silently drove out of the busy late night city traffic. "I'll take you any where you want to go Darlin." He said softly, laying her hand on her thigh. "Just as long as I don't have to leave you tonight. What are you doing way over there? Come here girl." He demanded softly, flipping up the arm rest, making room on the seat for her to snuggle up closer to his side. "You aren't going to be leaving me tonight." She said firmly, as she slid across the seat to nestle hesitantly against his side. "You know, I've made love to you and still don't know your name." he pointed out as she draped her hand over his stomach lazily. His use of the term 'making love' shocked him painfully, almost as much as the warmth that filled his heart from her nearness. "I told you Chasen, I am who ever you want me to be." She laughed against his shoulder, allowing her fingertips the luxury of idly exploring the ridges of his toned abdomen through his cotton t shirt. "Tell me your name." he demanded, turning his head slightly to press a light kiss to her forehead, yet another affectionate gesture that seemed to be so instinctive when she was near. "I'll tell you my name if you tell me something about you." She negotiated. "I'm an open book." He nodded his agreement. "I'll tell you anything you want to know." "Tell me about the wedding band on your key ring." She asked curiously. "The wedding band?" he sighed, "You jump right to the sensitive subjects don't you." He laughed nervously. "It belonged to my wife." He said some what evasively. "You're married?" she questioned interestedly. "I was. Not now." He answered simply. "Did she leave you?" she asked, finding herself genuinely curious about the man that had ruined her life. "In a manner of speaking." He sighed, unwittingly drawing her more firmly to his side as he spoke. "She died three years ago." He explained softly, feeling the heavy cloud of darkness engulf his heart as it always did when she was brought up in conversation. "What happened?" she asked turning soft curious eyes up to study the face she could barely make out in the dim lights of the trucks dash. "She was pregnant...There were complications... She didn't make it." Matt explained in a hollow voice he barely recognized. It was the first time he'd discussed his wife's death with any one out side of his family, he wasn't sure why he was discussing it in the first place. It would have been so much easier to lie. "The baby?" she asked, annoyed by the tears that filled her eyes, threatening to spill out at any given moment. "John Isaac, it was a boy, he lived for eighteen days in an incubator." He said, not hearing the cracking of his voice over the onslaught of memories. "There were so many tubes and monitors hooked to him that you could barely see his tiny little body through all of them most of the time." "I'm so sorry." She breathed, feeling the pain in his voice as acutely as she felt her own. Despite herself, thick warm tears slipped from her eyes, dripping idly on shirt. "That was a long time ago." He said, trying to convince himself as much as her. Feeling the sudden dampening of his shirt, moved him far more that intended to acknowledge or accept at that moment. "Now, what's your name?" he asked desperate to change the subject. "Anne." She said telling only a half truth. She figured that using her middle name wasn't exactly a lie. "Have you thought about getting remarried, or having more kids?" she asked, more to make conversation than from a real interest. "It's never crossed my mind." He said honestly. "I could see possibly getting remarried, but trying for another child is out of the fucking question." He bit more harshly than he'd intended. "So, what about the jack ass that hurt you? Tell me about him." "He destroyed my entire world." She said vaguely "And is walking around oblivious to that fact. The only part of me that was good and decent is dead now but nothing seems to have changed in his life." "That doesn't sound fair." Matt said seriously, sympathizing with the way she felt. "But, for what it's worth, if he lost you then I think he's the one that got the raw end of the deal. Okay Darlin, I haven't seen a house for like ten miles. Are you sure that you aren't dragging me out into the middle of no where to kill me?" he teased, eager to lighten the mood. "Not tonight." She replied honestly. "I'm not quite done with you yet." "You got jokes." He laughed amused by the serious tone in her voice. "It's just a few more miles." She assured him. She couldn't help but wonder if the sudden racing of her heart was due to nervous energy or a side effect of him spiking her drink. "You can't honestly live out here." Matt sighed as he turned off the country highway onto a dirt path. "It's a summer cabin." She laughed. "And I do spend a tremendous amount of time here. Especially lately." "You're too beautiful to be hiding yourself away from the world because of some damn man." "I'm not hiding." She laughed as he pulled to a halt behind her black pathfinder. "I'm recuperating." "This isn't the picture I had in mind, when you said summer cabin." He admitted viewing the large cedar cabin through the high beams of his truck. "Come on..." She laughed, taking the hand he offered as she stepped down out of his truck. "I promise it's not haunted." "I think I'm going to head back to the city Darlin." He paused, not entirely sure why warning bells started sounding his tequila addled mind. "If that's what you want." She sighed, turning to face him fully, studying his concerned green eyes in the moonlight. "It was nice meeting you and thank you for letting me be a notch on your bed post." "It's not like that." He breathed, genuinely hurt that she would even have such thoughts. "This place is just..." "It's empty, and quiet, and lonely." She provided the words he was searching for. "That's the point Chasen. It fits me." "I don't want it to fit you Darlin." He said honestly. "Then come in and change that." She suggested. "And if you're really nice, I'll even make you breakfast in the morning." She smiled sweetly. "Just breakfast?" He asked, grasping her waist and drawing her body closer to his. "That's all I'm worth?" "Yep..." She smiled, not shying away as he dropped a sweet affectionate kiss to her slightly parted lips. "Are you coming or going?" "Keep looking at me like that..." He warned suggestively. "Come inside with me. It's too cold out here Matt." She breathed, feeling her body beginning to succumb to the cool night air. "Alright, but if you murder me and hack me to little pieces, I'm going to be so pissed." He laughed, allowing her to lead him into the cabin. "Damn it..." She groaned, flicking the light switch to no avail. "I think the breaker tripped again." "Where's the breaker box?" He questioned curiously. "Same as in every house I suppose. It's in the basement." She laughed. "Wait here... I'll..." She started, but was cut short by his voice. "No ma'am. Where you go in this creepy old house, I go." He said firmly as she took his hand and led him blindly through the pitch black rooms. "Be careful here..." She warned softly. "We're about to go a few steps, and the breaker box, is here." She smiled, striking her lighter in front of the panel box, throwing the on switch to every room but the basement. "You're the woman that doesn't panic." Matt breathed, laying his hand on her hips. "My God, that is so sexy." "Really?" She sighed turning toward the sound of his voice. She pressed her trembling palms to his chest. "How sexy do you find me?" She asked softly, pressing him backwards, towards the bed she'd set up in the middle of the room. "More than... I even have the words for." He admitted, slipping his arms around her waist. A grunt of confusion escaped his lungs as he fell backwards onto the bed. His complaint died in his throat, as he felt her body topple down onto his. "So..." She sighed, propping her elbows up on his chest and dropping her chin into the palms of her hands, staring down into the darkness where she imagined his face would be. "Does that mean you're open to fulfilling a few of my fantasies tonight?" She asked in a sultry voice she barely recognized. "What ever you want Darlin..." He groaned, grasping her firm round buttocks in the darkness, massaging her gently through the denim. "Let me be in control." She breathed, realizing her plan was falling into place so much easier than she'd imagined it would. "What ever you want Darlin." He breathed, easing his hands from her body, entwining his fingers behind his head. "I'm yours." He groaned as he felt her lips innocently brush against his neck. "You'll do what ever I ask you?" She questioned softly against his ear, as her hand slid beneath his plain grey T-shirt, curiously exploring his skin as she pushed the fabric higher up on his chest. "Yes Ma'am." He agreed, rising up slightly from the bed to allow her to pull the shirt free of his hard chest. Already he was hard for her. He couldn't help but wonder if his friend hadn't dosed him as well, as a practical joke. As she began kissing and nipping a slow warm path down his chest, he couldn't deny his desire was all about the woman on top of him. "Anything you ask Anne." "Anne?" She questioned confusedly, catching herself too late. "Yes Anne..." Matt said confused by the sudden bout of indignation that filled her voice. "That is your name isn't it?" "Yes." She stammered, quickly running suitable lies through her head. "But I like it better when you call me Darlin." "I'm sorry." He smiled, running his fingers through her hair affectionately. "Darlin..." He corrected. "I will do anything and everything you ask of me." "See... that sounds so much better." She praised, breathing a quiet sigh of relief. Curiously, she returned her hands and lips to his hard hair roughened chest. She couldn't remember a time she'd ever been so curious about a man's body before. The only man she'd ever had physical contact with, had been Avery's father. The thought of that man's touch sickened her so over the years, she'd never bothered exploring other specimens. She couldn't help but question how odd it felt to be so curious about the man beneath her, especially as deep as her hatred ran for him. She attributed her new found warmth to the spiking of her drink as she slipped from the edge of the bed, kneeling between his legs. "I don't have a lot of experience." She found herself confessing as she slipped his cowboy boots off his long narrow feet and tossed them aside. "I could feel that when I made love to you." He smiled, deeply moved by her insecurity, and again finding his use of the L word disconcerting. "I'm sorry." She breathed, as her hand slid up his thighs, over the hard lump straining against his zipper, pausing as her hands reached the waist line of his jeans. "Please don't be Darlin." He said softly, catching her hands in his. "I like that very much. You have no idea how rare that is in a woman." Easing her hands back down to his thighs, he unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans. Hesitantly, he lifted his hips up to ease his jean down far enough for her to take over. "I bet." She laughed nervously, pulling the denim fabric from him one leg at a time and tossing them aside. For a moment, she laid her head on the inside of his thigh debating her next move. Determinedly, she reached under the bed. "Now what?" He asked softly, sensing her hesitation. He bolted up off the bed so quickly, he knocked her backwards as he felt, more than heard, the click of a cold steel shackle clamping shut on his ankle. "What the fuck?" He growled, suddenly feeling like a caged beast.