Masterpiece Theater

I dreamed of her.

When I finally got to sleep, I was dead to the world, and she was there, behind my eyelids.

Laughing. Smiling. Kissing.

She bit down on my neck while she straddled me, her sundress flying up and around her.

She wasn't wearing anything underneath.

Nothing between us except my board shorts.

The sun cast brilliant rays of orange and red as it set behind her. The roar of the ocean mixed with the roar of blood rushing in my ears.

Teeth. On my neck, my earlobe, my bottom lip as she teased it while we kissed.

Hands everywhere. Mine on her thighs, and then cupping her ass. Hers on my chest, her nails dragging gently across my skin, and then lower, as she buried them beneath my waistband…

I woke up with a raging hard-on that needed immediate attention.

Any later and I would have been stripping my bed.

For the second day in a row, I worked myself over. This time not once, but twice, as thoughts of her replayed in my head.

It wasn't like I was dying for sex. I wasn't that hard up. I could go out and find some, easily, if that was all I was after, but it was different with Laurel.

It wasn't just sex. I didn't want it to be and I didn't want her to think that, which was why I didn't make a big deal out of her wanting to leave last night.

She was beautiful and stubborn and mysterious. She was a fighter.

I sensed a battle in her. She was dealing with something heavy. I saw in her eyes how conflicted she was when I asked her to stay.

So I let her go, because I wasn't going to be the one to make that choice for her.

I didn't need her hating me.

She said she would call, and that was enough for me. I suspected she was a woman of her word.

Over coffee and a cigarette, I fielded more messages from Michelle, knowing I had to deal with it at some point.

She'd moved out almost three months ago and was still insisting that she had stuff here.

I loved Michelle. We'd been together for so long, everyone thought we were gonna hit the big leagues. Her twin sister was dating Matt. It should have been perfect.

We got back from a tour in November. Thanksgiving was the last night she spent in the house before deciding she needed time apart. A two week break turned into a month long break and by Christmas she made the change permanent. Now it was the middle of January and it didn't look like things were getting better.

Not that I was holding out hope. Both of us had some things we needed to work out. I missed her, but we needed this time apart. It was good for both of us.

I hadn't planned on meeting anyone else. I always figured Michelle and I would get back together eventually.

Meeting Laurel threw a wrench in that plan in ten seconds flat.

The sooner I made sure Michelle had all of her shit, the better.

Hell, maybe she was just trying to get back into the house because she wanted to make up.

Which would be bad if she decided to come over while Laurel was here. She wanted to go slow. I doubted that included a run in with my rampaging ex.

And there was still the whole rock star thing she didn't know about.

I made more coffee, trying to plow down the headache that was forming at the base of my skull.

Matt made his way through my front door, humming out a new tune we were working on, and carrying a large box of Krispy Kreme.

“You take such good care of me.” I joked, pulling a donut from the box. “What’s the occasion?”

“Figured you would need the extra boost after your night. Where’s Laurel?” He took the coffee I offered.

“She left. Last night.”

“What?” The disbelief in his voice was astounding. “What happened?”

I shrugged, taking another bite of my donut and washing it down with the last of my coffee. “We ate, watched a movie, made out a little. Then she left. She said she didn’t wanna go too fast.”

“Dude, come on. That’s code for ‘let me jump your bones’.”

“Maybe she wanted to, but come on. I just met her. I haven’t even told her I play guitar for a highly successful metal band, one she happens to like. I don’t wanna scare her off. I really like her.”

“And that’s code for ‘I’m so hard up I’ll fuck a coconut’.”

“Is there a reason for your visit or did you just come to mock me?”

“Yeah, my ass is getting cussed out because you won’t answer your phone.”

“Sorry. I’m guessing Michelle talked to Val?”

“Yeah, and Val is yelling at me because apparently it’s my responsibility to make sure you make up with Michelle.”

“I wasn’t aware we were supposed to be making up.”

He followed me downstairs and raised his eyebrow at the fact that the mattress was pulled out, the sheets a little messed up. I grabbed one of my guitars and started playing quietly, trying to work out a rift for a new song.

He sat on a bar stool and lit a cigarette. “All I know is that Michelle has supposedly been calling you and you refuse to see her.”

“I’m not refusing to see her. All she’s said to me is that she wants to come over because she thinks she left some stuff here and I told her I would look for it and let her know.”

“Dude...how are you this clueless?”

I ignored him and continued to play.

"Hello?" Zacky called down the stairs.

"Z, come down here and tell him how much of an idiot he is."

"Not listening to you."

Zack picked up my other guitar, the one I kept on hand for him, and plucked out a few chords. "Are we addressing the Laurel thing or the Michelle thing?"

"He refuses to acknowledge that both of them wanna bounce up and down on his dick."

I rolled my eyes. Sighing, I set my guitar down and grabbed a cigarette.

"I acknowledge it."

"You just won't do anything about it." Zack pointed out. "What's the problem?"

"Michelle left three months ago and I don't want Laurel to think that's all I want from her. I, unlike the two of you, am a gentleman."

At this, they laughed. I just shook my head at their immaturity. When my phone rang, I stepped away so I could talk without being a sideshow.

"Good morning beautiful." I greeted.

"Morning. How'd you sleep?"

Memories of my dream came up and I was grateful it was only a phone call. "Good," I choked out. "You?"

"I, uh, slept."

As always, she sounded distracted, avoiding actually answering the question.

"I'm glad you called."

Awkward silence. I was smiling but ti didn't sound like she was in a good mood.

"Anyway, I'm calling because, um…" there was stuff going around her that had her distracted. Matt and Zacky were making kissy faces. I turned my back on them and pressed my phone harder against my ear.

"I had a good time last night."

"Me too. When are you gonna let me take you out?"

"That's actually why I was calling. I think...I think it's better if-" She pulled the phone away from her ear and muttered something to someone else.

"I'm sorry?"

"Sorry." She said with a huff. "I just...I can't do this right now. It's not a good idea. I think it's better if we don't see each other right now."

"Oh. Okay."

"I'm really sorry, Brian. I just have a lot going on right now. Other commitments." I heard more talking in the background, one of the voices very male sounding.

"Well, you have my number."

"That I do. Bye."

"Yeah, bye."

Disappointed, I hung up. Behind me, Zack and Matt were still making fun of me. When I rejoined them, they saw the look on my face and immediately shut up.

"Not a fucking word." I growled before storming back upstairs. I didn't really care about leaving them here. I just grabbed my keys and took off, not really worried about a destination.