"Hey man there's a girl out here for you." Kid's bodyguard swaggered into the hotel room.

"Girl?" He questioned lip upturning in a question.

"Yeah, man. You know of the female persuasion."

"Yeah, Bosco." He smiled a bit confused. He wasn't aware anyone actually knew where he was. "What does she look like?" He asked putting down his guitar and standing up.

"Dangerous." The big man said towering over his charge.

"Dangerous?"

"Yeah man she looks like you could get into a lot of trouble with this one." He cracked the door and peered out into the private lobby space. There, Athina stood an exact replica of the Polaroid he had taken from her. Leather, lace, netting, make-up dark and alluring. Her hair styled with large curls pushed to one side, ringlets falling over a leather bound shoulder. The ghost of her 16 year old self.

"Shit, I can't believe she actually came." He mumbled to himself breathlessly shutting the cracked door.

"Listen Kid, we can take care of her. I am sure the boys would love to eat her up." Bosco smiled rubbing his hands together hungrily.

"No, I'll take her, but let's make her wait a bit." He thought nervously. He had always been the one to take her by surprise, he hadn't expected her to find him so quickly.

"I get you. Don't let her wait too long though. A girl like that can get taken easily."

"Not from the Kid." He smiled cockily and picked up his guitar again beginning to strum mindlessly.

"How long you want her to wait?"

Stopping his fingers he thought carefully.

"She looks like one of your old girls from back in the day. They don't make'em like that anymore."

"Nope." Again he began to strum. "Listen you tell her I'm busy and I'll be with her as soon as I can." Thinking quickly, he pulled Bosco's frame back to him. "Wait no shit..." Her pieces had found themselves on his side of the game board and he needed to make sure he was still in control. "Just don't say anything... at all. I'll open the door when I'm ready and you can let her in."

"Whatever goes Boss." The big man slipped back through the door and Kid watched through a small crack as he pointed to a chair. He smiled as her red lips snarled and refused to sit as she propped herself against the wall.

He had sent her a pair of shoes only a day ago that had reminded him of the black platforms she wore in her photo. He was certain she would send them back as she had everything he tried to send her. The shoes were boxed with a note that simply said, "I am tired of just looking at this photo. Put these on and come find me." He couldn't believe she actually came. He was tired of chasing her and wanted to see if she would do the same for him, and she had. Athina had expertly played her part, and he was a little nervous she might be playing this game between them too well.

Watching her as she leaned on the wall casually smoking a cigarette under a no smoking sign like a small town rebel, he smiled thinking of the woman she was now and the girl she used to be. As he read through her old journals, when he met met her in the hospital weeks ago he would have never thought they were one and that same.

He wondered if the musicians she had fucked knew how old she was at the time, or even if they had cared. The girl in those pages always seemed to be running from something as she bounced from tour bus to hotel room. Now she only seemed to be running from those memories of herself. He felt a slight tinge of guilt, not really understanding what he had asked her to do until she stood there waiting for entry. But the lace garter belts that peeked from the bottom of her hot pants holding up a very tantalizing pair of net pantyhose said maybe she didn't mind too much. Besides the sky-high platform shoes she wore made her legs look longer than any woman her height should posses, he couldn't wait to touch her, to taste her. He opened the door wider letting Bosco know he was ready.

Athina gave a huff as she propped herself against the wall. She had begun to feel foolish. He had access to her 24/7 by crawling through her window anytime he damn pleased, but here she was waiting to be given entry into his fucking hotel room, in this ridiculous get up. They were playing a game and she was losing. He held all of the pieces and knew all of the rules. The only winning piece she thought she held was gone now... many times over. Lighting another cigarette she contemplated the irony of her situation. Four year ago she was in this same building, standing against this same wall waiting for a friend to finish off some random member of some long forgotten band. At the time she had begun to think how pathetic her friend was. Yet here she was in the same situation, older yet no less wiser.

"Hey listen." She strutted over to the security desk and the burly man that sat behind it. "Just go tell him to fuck off." She smiled sweetly and took a drag off her cigarette before turning on her impossibly high heels and began to walk toward the elevator.

"Why don't you tell him yourself?"

She stopped in her tracks and looked back towards the desk. "What?" Her eyes followed the man's finger as it pointed to the open suite door. What an ass he had probably been watching her sweat the whole time. Putting out her cigarette she slipped through the cracked door and was uncertain of what she would find. He had always caught her off guard and he had just denied her the chance to do the same.

"So fuck off?" He questioned huskily closing the door with a quick slap behind her as she made her way through.

"Well you had me waiting out there for a while. I have things to do too you know." Tilting her head she crossed her arms in defiance.

"Not dressed like that you don't." His finger casually rimmed the bottom of her shorts. He watched as the fury she once held in her eyes faded at his touch.

"Well one thing to do." She smiled unfurling her arms.

"How'd you find me?" He cornered her against the wall with a wicked grin.

"It wasn't very hard. Your doorman was a breeze to get past. One trip on my knees and he practically rolled out the carpet for me."

He bristled at the thought of her lips on another man. The reaction was immediate and without thought unfortunately she had caught this as it lingered on his face, and she smiled as if she had just found a winning move.

"Kidding, kidding it was just a hand job." Again she reveled in his reaction. "Come on I don't do that... anymore." She finished her sentence as an afterthought. "He was just very nice and being dressed like this didn't hurt." She met his gaze and left a small kiss on the side of his lip as a consolation prize for toying with him. His tongue darted out quickly to wipe off what her lips left behind.

"You look good." He whispered as if he was afraid for her to hear. She grinned raising an eyebrow at this comment.

"The shoes look... nice." He began to tug playfully at the straps of her garter belt that held up her thigh highs. Her golden skin glistened through the holes in the dark netting. "Can I get your jacket?" The leather hung so heavy next to all the other flimsy materials she wore. Sliding it off her shoulders he let it fall to the floor, crumpling at her feet like a forgotten shadow.

"Nice." She glowered at the rudeness.

His amber eyes ravenous as they took in every curve of skin that peeked through the small pieces of fabric she wore under her coat.

A white shirt hung loosely and carelessly off one of his shoulders, as his dark hair was pulled away from his face in a ponytail. His square jaw as always lined with the perfectly edged stubble. The bright airiness of his shirt a deep contrast to the hard chains and overt sexual clothing she wore. This was the first time that it hit her that his style had changed so dramatically over the years. It had become softer, more relaxed not as rigid or tailored as it used to be.

"So nice that's all you got? I came all the way over here and all I get is good?" She watched him as he closed his eyes and shrugged his shoulders. "Liar." She hissed quietly. "I see your eyes."

"Oh yeah and what do they say?" He questioned trying to gain some kind of control of the situation again.

"You look excited." Rubbing her hip against his pelvis, she smiled. "You feel excited too."

With those words he pressed her firmly against the wall. His body had betrayed him and there was no use in pretending. "You look fucking incredible." His hands tore at the loose fabric that barely held up her breast. Teeth gnashing he licked furiously at her skin as soon as a perfectly round nipple peeked through. Tearing next at her shorts he couldn't wait for them to come off to feel inside her. Thankfully she wore nothing underneath, an unnecessary barrier. Reaching two fingers inside her, she was warm, wet, and as always so welcoming. She moaned softly against his neck. With that sound his dick ached to be released as it tugged against the thick waistband of his white pants. Removing his fingers he brought them to his mouth and sucked off the remnants, she had always tasted faintly of cinnamon and that slight flavor drove him crazy, he was consumed by her and wanted to consume her completely.

Her hand lowered underneath to lightly press against him, sketching the veins softly with her fingertip through the thin fabric he wore. Pulling down the waistband he bounced forward so eagerly she dropped down to her knees she took the girth of him inside her mouth. Her dark red lips making traces as she sucked. He steadied himself against the wall and watched her as she worked below. Mesmerized by the feel and look of her dark hair bobbing back and forth, her tongue rolling against his flesh as she maneuvered the length of him between her lips.

She looked up to him, his face contorting in ecstasy. Eyes closed, mouth slightly open as he breathed quickly and heavily above her. She recognized that face when he played guitar too, and this thought made her smile.

Pulling her back up from her knees she made a terrible longing slurp as he was taken away from her mouth. "But..." She whined.

"Shhhh..." He cooed pressing her against the wall harder, grabbing her leg for leverage he dropped it across his elbow.

"Is this gonna work?" She smiled leaning against the wall trying to steady herself.

"We shall see." Kid looked at her wickedly through his dark hair now beginning to loosen from the tie at the nape of his neck.

Guiding himself slowly he inched into her. As she took him in he retracted and pushed forward briskly. At this quick movement she screamed, "Yes" without thinking.

"Well I guess that's a yes folks." He laughed into the dip of her shoulder.

"Shut up." She moaned breathlessly as her body began to knock rhythmically against the wall. Feeling she had her footing in his arms she ran her hands underneath his shirt. Rimming the edge of her palm over the tight muscles of his torso that were hard at work at the moment, she felt the coolness of the cross that hung around his neck as bounced against the warmness of slick skin.

As he licked the sweat that glistened in the hollow of her neck a shiver went through her body. Pushing her harder against the wall, she was sure she would leave an impression, getting caught up in the movement and feel of him as he moved deeply inside her, she didn't notice as his rhythm changed. With a forceful thrust her head banged fiercely against the drywall. "Owwww." She moaned.

Opening his eyes he looked at her. "Shit." He laughed apologetically. Smoothing his hand over the back of her hair. "Here." He watched her give a breathless moan as he pulled himself out of her. "There's a bed."

"It doesn't have to be a bed. I just don't want a fuck induced concussion." She laughed.

"A fuckusion. I've given one of those before" He smiled putting down the leg he was holding.

"I bet you have." Athina smiled pushing him playfully, very thankful she now felt two feet on the ground.

He took off her bralette and threw it on the ground next to her jacket. The torn lace looked a bit sad next to the dark leather jacket. Soon after her shorts made their way over as well to keep the lace company.

"Well, I'll never be able to wear that outfit again." She mused looking at the shredded fabric. "So destructive."

"Good." He growled as he rounded her hips tightly and began to guide her to the bedroom.

_______________________________

"Morning." Bosco said looking up from the newspaper he was reading as he watched Athina stumble from the Kid's hotel suite. The girl he had witnessed last night had been put together in perfection. This morning she stood hair a mess of curls. The hairspray and pins long gone from sweat and movement. She wore a pair of the Kid's sunglasses pushed tightly against her face. The leather coat pulled casually over the white shirt he wore the night before. Besides the jacket the only other original piece to her outfit was the net pantyhose which now were riddles with pulls and snags disconnecting the delicate weave.

"Miss you need a ride?" He couldn't count how many times he had asked that exact question of the ladies as they left his room the morning after.

"No I'm good, thanks though." She smiled eyes shaded by the mirrored frames. With a small wave she sashayed to the elevator.

"Dangerous." He voiced under his breath. By the way she walked he could tell she had been turned out. He shook his head as she stumbled sleepily and then disappeared behind the closing metal door.

Kid awoke reaching out to feel a warm body next to him, but she had already left. "Damn." He moaned in disappointment wanting to still feel her body against him. Rubbing his eyes awake, blurry black lines on his hand got his attention. Opening both he tried to focus, as his eyes adjusted in the dimly lit room he noticed her handwriting all over his body. Her words soft and fluid as her poems tattooed his golden skin. He smiled a little saddened that her work would have to be destroyed. Also very impressed that she was able to cover his body with eyeliner and he hadn't even stirred as she wrote.

_______________________________

"Hey." He said deeply crawling through her window.

"Really?"

"Well you left it open. I thought it was an invitation." He jumped over her couch and with a slight thud landed on the cushions.

"Damn he had figured it out." She smiled to herself.

"Your store wasn't open so I just thought I'd stop by." He watched her try to hide her smile as she busied herself in the kitchen using every effort not to look at him.

"Yeah I decided to take the day off. I had a rough night." This phrase brought back the memory of his body above her and she bit her lip harshly to stop a smile from creeping.

His gaze not leaving her he watched her every reaction to their idle prattle. She was transformed from the night before. Smooth and fresh faced all the dark makeup from the night before washed away. Her dark curls still moist from the shower, pulled back exposing her the delicate skin of her neck. He decided this was the look he preferred.

"How so?" He questioned walking over coolly to join her in the kitchen.

"Oh no. I'm sorry sir. She isn't ready for you yet. You'll just have to wait over there." Turning to face him she pointed to the couch with a spatula.

"Oh I see." He smiled coyly and tried to kiss the skin of her shoulder but was rebuffed once again by the spatula.

Taking his sunglasses from the table he put them on and sat back on the couch. She of course was punishing him for her wait the night before. If she had to wait so would he. Though of course he could never follow someone else's directions, he swayed over to her record collection and began to thumb through. Picking one out he opened the turner taking out the previous record he smiled, Curtis Mayfield... this woman and her music.

"Don't you scratch my records." She screamed sternly from the kitchen, still denying him the pleasure of her gaze.

With these words he knew her eyes had been on him the whole time though she had pretended not to notice or even care. Putting on Santana's Caravanserai he made his way back to the kitchen.

"The couch." She said feeling him behind her. The soft sound of crickets began to blare through the stereo. "Of course he would pick this one... ever the artist." She rolled her eyes.

"Couch." She hissed again as he lightly pressed against her.

"No." He cooed deeply running his fingers softly over the bare flesh of her neck. He felt her try hard to stifle a smile under his touch. "You stole my sunglasses?"

"Yep, they look better on me anyways." She turned to face him, bringing down the nose piece she finally made eye contact with him.

"You took my shirt too." He cornered her pressing her body lightly against the oven.

"That looked better off you anyway. Besides how else was I supposed to leave?" She remembered her clothes lying in scraps strewn across his floor.

"Maybe I didn't want you to."

He nuzzled her neck and a blush began to grow over her cheeks, but she said nothing. As many times as they had been with each other someone always left... maybe they could try something a little different next time.

"Are you hungry?" She asked lightly breaking her attention from his gaze.

"Always." He whispered in her ear, but she wasn't exactly sure of his intention with that response.

Lifting up the hem of his shirt she wanted to see if any of her handwork had remained. Tracing her finger over the one word he left on the skin of his stomach, she had never seen a more truer statement... INSATIABLE.

_______________________________________

Improvisations: Light and Snow VI

It is now two hours since I left you,
And the perfume of your hands is still on my hands.

And though since then
I have looked at the stars, walked in the cold blue streets,
And heard the dead leaves blowing over the ground.

Under the trees,
I still remember the sound of your laughter.

How will it be, lady, when there is none left to remember you
Even as long as this?

Will the dust braid your hair?

Conrad Potter Aiken