v Ashley - Golden Trail

Layne opened his eyes and saw dim light in an unfamiliar room.

Groggy, he sensed movement and turned his head to the left.

Rocky was sitting there. Her head bowed, dark hair with fashionable (but fake) streaks of blonde pulled back in a ponytail but that heavy fall at the front that wouldnt fasten back, as usual, covered one eye.

What the fuck?

His eyes moved beyond her to the walls then they kept scanning and he saw the monitors, the drips and cords.

He was in a hospital bed.

Shit, Ive been shot.

He closed his eyes, feeling heavy fatigue and not much else. It wasnt like he just woke up. It was like he hadnt slept for a year.

When he heard rustling, he forced his eyes open again and saw Rocky move, adjusting in her chair, putting an elbow to the arm, her jaw in her palm, her fingers curling around her cheek. Her head was up now and her face was flawlessly made up, also as usual. Perfection. He hated it. When they were living together years ago she would put on makeup to go to class, to go out dancing, to go get a meal but it was light. If she wasnt going anywhere, or nowhere special, she didnt bother. He preferred it that way.

Her eyes skimmed over him and shot back, fastening on his.

Layne? she asked, her voice quiet.

The boys, Layne said, his voice scratchy and hoarse.

She stood, the movement liquid, the way she always moved, full body or just lifting a finger to point at something.

Fluid.

Her chair was so close, standing brought her right next to the bed.

They were here with Gabrielle. Dad took them home, she whispered, looked to his chest, her eyes lifting again to his, How are you feeling?

They okay? He was still talking about his sons.

Youre okay, she told him. Itll take awhile but the doctors say youll be fine so theyre okay.

The exhaustion was nearly overwhelming and the last person on earth, outside of Gabby, who hed want in his hospital room or anywhere near him, was Raquel Merrick Astley. Hed rather go to sleep and wake up when she was gone but he struggled against the sleep that wanted to take him because he had to know.

What do the docs say?

Youll be fine. They hit you in the thigh, gut, shoulder, she answered. The gut was the bad one but they stitched you up.

He took three. Now he remembered, he took three. He felt each one.

He wanted to ask if it was her husband that worked on him.

He didnt ask that, instead he asked, How long am I gonna be in here?

Awhile, she evaded.

Whats awhile? he pressed.

Not too long. At most, two weeks.

Fuck, he didnt have any insurance. Fuck.

Instead he asked, Wheres Merry?

At the Station, hes coming later, Rocky answered.

His eyes closed because he couldnt keep them open anymore but he forced them back open.

He safe? Layne knew he could ask her that. Rocky and Merry were close, Merry told Rocky everything, she did the same with her brother. They looked out for each other; they kept each others secrets. Shed know.

Yes, far as he can tell, you kept him clean.

Thank God, Layne thought and his eyes closed again.

Then he asked, Whatre you doin here?

Shh, Layne, just rest, she whispered.

He forced his eyes open and to focus on her. Whatre you doin here? he repeated, now his voice sounded scratchy, hoarse and as tired as he felt.

He watched her face change, her eyelids descended to half-mast, her mouth got soft.

Layne stared.

Fuck, he remembered that look. She used to look at him like that a lot, always it came unexpected no matter how often she did it. While they were watching TV, across the room at a party, but mostly across a table from him any table: at her Dads, at a restaurant, at their apartment, hed feel her looking at him and catch her eyes, see that look on her face and know his life was beautiful. He hadnt seen that look in eighteen years.

She leaned in, lifting a hand and placing it gently against his cheek.

Rest, Layne, she repeated quietly.

His eyes slid closed and he wanted to tell her to get the fuck out. He wanted to tell her to go to hell. He didnt want her near his sons, near him. They lived in the same town again but that was as close as he wanted to get. Her brother had been a family member, who, after Layne came back, turned into an old acquaintance then a loose colleague and, finally, a friend. Her father the same, without the loose colleague part. But a year back in town and she hadnt re-entered his life and he took pains to keep it that way.

As these thoughts drifted through the weariness, he felt her hand slide down his cheek to his neck.

Then, fuck him, he could fucking swear he felt that heavy, soft fall of hair slide along his cheek, his temple and he smelled her perfume, expensive, elusive then he felt her lips brush his.

Jesus.

By the time he forced his eyes back open, her lips were gone, her hand was gone but the scent of her perfume remained. With effort he turned his head to the side and saw the door close behind her.

Then his eyelids closed and sleep took him.

She rolled him then her mouth was on him, her tongue, her hair trailing down his chest, she nipped his side with her teeth, sexy, hot, Christ, shed devour him if she could.

He hauled her up and rolled her back, his lips taking hers, his tongue shafting into her mouth. He fucking loved the way she let him kiss her, let him take, did nothing but give. It was contradictory to the way she fucked him, a tussle, a battle for supremacy.

Not, of course, when he made love to her, that was different.

But now, they were fucking.

Both her hands slid down his back to his ass, fingers curling in, he could feel her nails, all the while she arched her back, pressing into him. She wanted it, he knew it and his cock was so fucking hard, aching, if he didnt give it to her soon, hed come on her belly.

His hand moved down her body, between her legs, down the inside of one thigh, pushing it open and his hips moved between.

Her mouth broke from his, lips sliding across his cheek to his ear.

Yes, Layne, come inside, Rocky rasped.

Laynes eyes opened.

He was on his stomach, in his bed and his cock was rock hard. Aching.

He rolled to his back.

Christ, he muttered into the darkened room.

He lifted his palms to his forehead and pressed in.

Every night, every night for six weeks since he saw her in his hospital room, he had these dreams. Always sex, hot sex, wild sex and not what they had eighteen years ago. These werent memories. She wasnt twenty and he wasnt twenty-four. Theyd had hot, wild sex back then, the best, the fucking best he ever had, by a mile. But, in the dreams, she was who she is now and the same with him. And the sex was better.

Far better.

Out of this fucking world.

He stared at the ceiling, concentrating on bringing his body under control.

Layne didnt understand these dreams. He hadnt even seen her since that night. Hed seen her brother Merry and father Dave dozens of times but not Raquel. He hadnt talked to or asked Merry or Dave about Rockys visit either. After days slid into weeks and she didnt show, hed actually tried to convince himself hed been hallucinating, especially after seeing that look, smelling her perfume so close, feeling the touch of her hand, her hair, her lips.

But he knew he wasnt hallucinating.

He rolled out of bed and got up, walked to the bathroom, took a piss, washed his hands, splashed water on his face then brushed his teeth as he stared at his torso in the mirror.