Wine and Song (OPEN)

[Laurel Wayland]

Laurel let Eric push her down onto the chaise, and she shivered with excited energy as his hand moved to her leg. She could feel the warmth of his touch through the fabric of her dress and petticoat, and she longed to feel his skin on hers. She moved the hand on his face into his brown curls, tangling her fingers in his hair. Her other hand slid around his shoulders for support.

Adrenaline rushed through Laurel's body. The very thought that she was being so brazen in such an open place was exciting and terrifying at the same time. She knew that if anyone were to walk in, she would be disgraced, and all hopes of her marrying well would be dashed.

Although Laurel was far from innocent, there was something new and thrilling about being with Eric. She pulled him tight against her so that it was impossible to know where her body ended and his began. Kissing him furiously, she let out a tiny noise of enjoyment.

[Eric Calder]

Eric could barely contain himself. He pressed his body against Laurel's so she was stuck between his muscular frame and the chaise. He grunted pleasurably against her lips as her fingers wound into his hair and he couldn't help but start to push her dress skirt up so he could get between her legs, pushing his hips against her.

Pulling back for a split second to breath a bit, he leaned back into her, his tongue finding its way into her mouth. Oh how scandalous. He was a dead man if they got caught. His hands slid to her thighs, gripping them, but not enough to hurt her. It was nice, his skin against hers. She was so soft and he couldn't help but wonder... how far she would let him go.

[Laurel Wayland]

Laurel was in heaven. There was no other way to explain away the sensations she was feeling, the butterflies in her stomach, and the tingling ... elsewhere. There was a terrible moment when she thought Eric might be trying to pull away from her, but she gripped his hair in her fingers and before she knew it they were pressed close once more, his hand sliding her skirt up, up, up until his fingers brushed her thigh. She wanted to beg him to keep moving his hand upward, but her mouth was occupied with kissing him, and she would not break the connection for anything short of the second coming of Christ.

It was then that a shriek rent the air. "Laurel Anne!!" It was Anne Marie, crying out in horror and disgust at the sight of her only daughter, skirts hiked up around her waist with an older, poorer man on top of her. Laurel tore her mouth from Eric's and attempted to scramble into a sitting position, but it proved difficult with Eric there leaning over her.

"Mama!" Laurel blushed deep scarlet and felt her cheeks go hot.

"You, Detective, will get off of my property at once!" Anne Marie said, her voice dangerously calm. "You will not return. You are forbidden from seeing each other again. Am I understood?"

It would have been better if she had yelled, thought Laurel. Anne Marie was what Laurel described as "scary calm," a state when it would not surprise Laurel in the slightest if Anne Marie were to slap her across the cheek. Laurel, in an act of open defiance, clasped Eric's hand in her own. "I'm a grown woman, Mama, and you can't-"

"Do not speak!" Anne Marie cut her off, her voice lethal. "Your behavior will be dealt with later. Good day, Detective." Anne Marie stood there, arms at her side, and watched the couple, waiting for one of them to make a move to defy her. So help her God, if one of them tried anything, she would have Laurel's head for it.

[Eric Calder]

Eric just about jumped out of his skin at the sound of the "beast's" voice. Laurel tried to sit up and in Eric's moment of haste, he fell right onto the floor. Jumping back to his feet, he brushed himself off, his face turning red. He was surprised he wasn't dead yet. He could barely even look at Laurel at first... until she grabbed hold of his hand that is.

He squeezed her hand gently, eyes holding a defiant look as he stared at Mrs. Wayland. But.. he did not wish for Laurel to get into trouble... well, even more trouble. Looking to Laurel, he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. The look in his eyes told her everything she needed to know... like that this would not be their last meeting. After all... his business card was still there, having fallen to the floor.

Backing away from Laurel and letting her hand slowly slide from his grasp, he grabbed his things calmly. Walking right by Mrs. Wayland, he gave her that same defiant look. "Good day Mrs. Wayland," he said, nodding his head politely. If he didn't have that look in his eyes, you never would have suspected that he had just been caught with his hands up the dress of this woman's daughter. He left then, giving Laurel one last reassuring glance.