Charming Hex :hellfire

Beyond the f word

Hex

When I woke up in his strong arms that morning, I admit, I enjoyed it. The warmth, the comfort. He was wrapped tightly around me and I could feel the steady rise and fall of his chest against my back. It was a pleasantly cozy feeling that burrowed into my chest. A feeling that thankfully didn’t last long. It can't, I know better than to imagine this. He isn’t a one woman kind of man and I am a no man kind of woman.

My phone jingles softly on the nightstand and I carefully wiggle out of his wonderful grip and into the dim little bathroom. I need to change the yellowed bulbs out for bright white ones soon. Taking a deep breath I steel myself against the oncoming guilt. My mother had no idea what had happened between my sisters and I, for good reason.

“Hey mom." I greet in a forced cheery tone as I lean against the cold counter taking in my just woke up mess and desperately try to straighten up.

“Hi sweetie.” My mom greets back but I can already hear the scolding tone. “Everything is still okay with me, even after you abandoned your dear old mom. I miss you terribly… Do you want to tell me why you aren't coming for the party for your sister, Luci, next weekend?”

I sigh and leave the bathroom to find Adrian stretching on my bed, his bare chest looking utterly lickable exposing the three intertwining creatures on his pecs, his shaggy blonde hair messy in a way that seems to sharpen his boyish charm. I drink in the beauty of his toned muscles, the colorful tattoos that rest on each pectoral, the unexpected barbell through his left nipple. The man is fucking art. “Not really. Are you getting out of the hospital for it?”

I sit on the edge of the bed only to be pulled into warm arms. Laying my head against his chest I brace for the words I know she is going to say. She doesn’t get out for many things so if she is I need to be there, no matter how uncomfortable the whole thing makes me. I need to be there for my mother no matter what, she doesn't have much time left.

“Of course I am. One of my girls is holding some sort of announcement party and my mind is just off and running, you know? I am just so excited. Do you think Luci finally met the right man? I can't wait.” My mother chirps happily. “So you need to go too. Relax, have fun. Be happy for your sister no matter what happened between you two. What even is the problem with coming, no date? I know your luck with men hasn’t been great but I really hope that’s not what is holding you back. You don’t need to bring a date, plenty of the women in our family won’t have men with them. Aunt Kelly, cousin Stacy.”

“Mom, Aunt Kelly is a raging bitch and Stacy like girls. You know she will bring Erin, they have been together for years” I retort, its not my luck with men that’s bad but my distrust of them that makes me unwilling to date.

“Okay you are right. Have you met any nice men yet though? There has to be at least one available man who has shown interest. Maybe you could ask one of them? You didn’t move to some bfe town where all the men are inbred hicks did you?” she continues and though I know she means no harm I start to shrink back into myself. How do you say ‘yeah mom, I have a god in my bed right now but he is just a friend.’?

Adrian chuckles as he presses his nose into the crook of my neck. His voice is soft as he whispers against me, but my mothers ears somehow still catch it. “I can be your date…I wouldn’t mind.”

“Who was that? Are you seeing someone already?” My mom laughs and I can picture the teasing grin that is likely plastered on her face. “He has a sexy voice at least.”

I flush red and sigh, it is too early for this. “A friend mom, but I will have you know that the voice doesn’t lie.”

I can’t believe I said that. I groan a little as my mother giggles like a school girl in the phone. She lives through my sisters and I as she spends most days in the hospital undergoing a slew of cancer treatments. I don’t tell her everything, for instance she has no idea that my ex Johnny and my sisters current beau, John, are the same man and I prefer to keep it that way.