How to be Wild

[WretchRoad]

She was no authority, but she might as well let him think that. In truth, most of her practice came from the passenger seat, trading her services for rides. Drugs were a now and then treat, when she could afford them. Or, in most cases, they were gifted by people who simply wanted to share.

Regardless, she admired the vintage lighter for a moment before placing the smoke between her lips and flicking up a flame. Her cheeks sucked in, inhaling until a bright red cherry burned into the end, and she flipped the lighter closed, handing it back.

Ash puffed a few times quick, filling her lungs with the earthy smoke. Exhaling smoothly, she passed the joint to Daniel.

"It's like, citrus. Or something. Really nice, Daniel. Or should I call you Mr. Escobar?"

 

[Knightofsloth707]

Daniel inhaled, held it, then blew the smoke out through the side of his mouth. "Ah, I've already broken rule number one of running a criminal enterprise: don't get high on your own supply. It's all downhill from here."

They passed the joint back and forth a few times, the air filling with the pungent odor.

Daniel could feel the familiar redness creeping into his eyes and the tingling of nerve endings throughout his body - as if someone had cranked up their sensitivity.

The record player in the great room had stopped. Daniel took the last hit and extinguished the joint in an ashtray on the desk.

"Let's find a new record to put on," he said.

Earlier, her hand had felt right in his - like it belonged. Now, without thinking, he held his hand out again for Ash to take.

 

[WretchRoad]

Her hand slid right into his without thinking. It was obvious to her that was how they came into the room, and that was how they should leave it.

The internal debate on caution and need that took up the majority of her thoughts throughout the day didn't feel so significant anymore.

It was more important to get the music going again, to pet Roland along the way, and not to let go until he needed both hands to select another record.

But there was something else, something big she had to tell him because this whole thing was becoming something.

It could wait.

A new melody played through the speakers and she began to dance.

 

[Knightofsloth707]

Daniel released her hand, begrudgingly, so that he could flip through his records. He knew exactly the one he was looking for.

There it is. He slipped the record eagerly out of its sleeve and placed it on the player. Carefully, he set the needle onto the record. A moment later the silky voice of Sam Cooke filled the room, crooning "Nothing Can Change This Love".

He turned to find Ash swaying, her eyes closed as the music flowed around her. She looked more beautiful than he'd ever seen her before. He heart swelled. All he wanted in the world at this moment was to dance with her.

Normally his brain would give him a million reasons to hold back, but the whiskey in his blood and smoke in his lungs held sway.

He stepped towards her, his right hand sliding easily behind the small of her back. Their hips pressed together gently, swaying to the music.

Their hands reached for each other, instinctually, as if drawn together by a magnet. Her right hand slid into his left.

 

[WretchRoad]

A few hours ago, the message would have come through loud and clear.

Now? They were simply two bodies moving to the music, stepping in time as they rocked from side to side across the floor.

His hand was so warm.

She should have stopped him when his hips pressed against hers, but the responsible part of her mind had long been drowned out, leaving behind only feeling. She lived with the rhythm now —until she opened her eyes to find him looking right at her, at all of her, and a cool shiver ran through her chest right down between her legs.

Fuck, she thought.

Or maybe: Fuck it.

In a perfect world, they could simply dance like this all night without any further thought or expectations, but there were always caveats. Needs. Desires that couldn't just let two people move together like they were without it leading to something more.

Her thoughts spun back to those expectations. She lost the rhythm. One step out of time, her foot moved where his was, she tried to correct. To catch herself her leg swung out, hitting the coffee table before losing her balance entirely.