Aubrey (Revolving With Axis)

022:

                 

She sputtered, actually sputtered. Then she looked away.

"The more I think about it, I'm probably all that you don't want. I'm all about music. I'm all about helping others make it in the music world. And I'm all out there, all the time--- making it happen for me and the guys."

She was still sputtering, still processing as fast as she could, and I had a fleeting random thought about blondes. She wasn't really one of those, but at the moment she looked suspiciously like one. Gorgeous and brainless.

I leaned in.

"If this isn't about sex. What's it about?"

Her eyebrows puckered. "I--- you---- Rafe?"

I smiled. "Right."

She cocked her head to one side. At a loss.

I helped her out. "It's about us. You got it right. I- you- us."

"So, you're suggesting that we spend the few days we have getting to know each other without--- the attraction?" She finally figured it out.

But just to be sure I rubbed her chin with my beard. Man--- she was so soft.... "Unless you called me here to spend the next few days in bed with me."

She simply closed her eyes. "No." She said very softly, almost full of disappointment--- as if her greatest wish really was to spend the next few days in bed with me--- forgetting.

I knew that was a hard one for her to swallow. She hadn't realized it about herself and being an escape artist wasn't in her own self-image. It wasn't in mine for her either.

"So, tonight---- video games? Disney movies?"

I grinned widely. "Banana splits, and skinny dipping in that pond out back."

"It'll be freezing."

"Then we can warm up afterwards."

She took a deep breath and quirked her brows. Had I just said something about  limiting the attraction?  "Sounds--- good."

"Do we have stuff for banana splits, or should we go down to the studio?"

"They'd have stuff down there." She said, but she didn't move, and her eyes stayed glued to mine. Finally, tentatively, she reached out and cupped my cheek, fingering my scruff. I closed my eyes. Her touch was the one thing I craved--- everything was revealed in her touch. Simplicity—peace--- intangible thoughts, a kind of floating --- falling--- easy --- trust. It was immensely appealing. How could I be so stupid as to deny myself of this? Easy, I couldn't.

I kind of froze there as she ran her fingers over my cheeks and lips, exploring. Finally my eyes closed and I reveled. How many other fingers? How many other lovely eyes? None of them mattered. That's how enamored I was of her. And being enamored, I realized, caused me to be a little insecure. Which was a new experience.

                                                                ****

We drove down to the studio, its familiar arches and stone facing, in gray and brown and gold with shining lights on it. No one was in the lobby, but music was piping in from one of the recording rooms. I checked the placard that usually told the day's schedule, and found names of people I didn't know.

I told her about when Axis had come here for a relaxation period. It had been very calming, very fulfilling. I had been between partners that time, and was able to explore without attachment.

"Yeah, Rosewood is great for that. I love to come here and just get out in nature." She said.

"What sorts of things do you like to do?" I asked as we approached the cafeteria.