The Cunning

51

"How do I lay?" Madison asked as Jase slid down to the floor.

"Cross your arms, cross your ankles."

"Don't drop me," Madison said as she got into position, "I will crush you."

Jase rolled his eyes. "Shut up." The musical giggle this elicited from Madison's lips was something he hadn't heard before, he pressed his lips together to suppress the smile it drew out of him.

Madison lowered herself down across him. He pressed one hand flat between her shoulder blades, the other wrapped around the back of her upper thigh. His fingers were a mere inch from the crotch of her underwear, she wondered if he could feel the heat suddenly emanating around that area. She was so distracted by his hand placement that when Jase extended his arms, suspending her in the air with impressive ease, she wasn't ready. She wobbled.

"Point proven, put me down!" she squealed. Jase laughed again, letting her get up before pulling himself to his feet. They climbed back on the bed, both picking up their drinks. After a few seconds of silence, he looked at her, not speaking. "What?" she asked, feeling self-conscious under his studious dark eyes. The corners of his lips turned upwards ever so slightly.

"You want to smoke another one?" he asked.

She grinned. "It's not like there's anything else to do."

Halfway through the second joint, Madison had to tap out. The rest was burnt out in the ashtray. Her heart was beating hard and Jase's t-shirt was sticking to her back due to the sweat.

"You good?" Jase asked, noticing her dewy complexion.

She took a deep breath, nodding. "Yeah, it's just really hot in here." He chewed his lip and stood up, grabbing his keys and unlocking the window. When he turned around, Madison was fanning herself.

"Are you light-headed?" he asked, sitting back down. She nodded. Her skin felt too tight and her head was too heavy for her neck. Her movements were slow as if each limb were dragged through honey. Jase stretched his arm out to her, pulling her head into his lap. He began brushing her hair back from the side of her face, gently running his fingers through it. "You're just whiting out, you'll be alright soon," he said cooly. His tone was always so level and self-assured, it was hard not to believe him.

"You promise?" She didn't move out of fear that it would make the throbbing in the front of her head worse. Or that she would vomit, which felt like a strong possibility.

Jase picked up the rest of the joint, relighting it before replying in a soothing whisper, "I promise." He tipped his head back, closing his eyes, letting the smoke curl from his nostrils like a dormant dragon. Being high helped him justify to himself how much he wanted to touch her.

It was because of the skin contact, not because it was her. Though, he'd never sat and played with a girl's hair before, would have never even dreamed of doing so, either. Especially one he wasn't fucking, and he hadn't been fucking anyone recently. This sudden realisation and Madison, wearing only his t-shirt and a pair of thin knickers, with her head mere inches from his dick, called for a rapid change in his train of thought.

"Madison?" he asked, she hummed. "Why isn't anyone looking for you?" Her body stiffened a fraction for no more than half a second before relaxing again, but Jase had felt it.

"The only person that would think to look for me is my mum, and she works abroad a lot. I'd be surprised if she's noticed I'm gone." It was only a half-lie, Madison saw her mum for ten-minute intervals between their busy work schedules around once every two months, and even if she had noticed her absence, it was unlikely she would publicise it. Madison could still recall several occasions as a child when her mum was bombarded with questions from journalists, nosy neighbours, and police officers day and night because of her dad. Her mum had undergone name changes, different hairstyles, houses, and wardrobes to keep a low profile and sever herself from her past for a long time. Even gone as far as to change Madison's last name. Nothing would bring her out of hiding, not even the abduction of a daughter she no longer wanted through no fault of Madison's own.