Chapter Two
Matilda huffed and puffed like an angry dragon, rapidly gathering her clothing from the floor. She snatched up her short silk wrap skirt, the turquoise and banana yellow sari print one I'd admired for months, and whipped it around her hips, tying it loosely. I stared into her flushed, angry face.
"That was Travis Hayko you were,--- you were dallying with!"
"So?"
"Travis Hayko just got out of Fernais Correctional Institution!"
"How would an ever-clueless child like you know that, Tatiana?"
"Just because I'm five years younger than you doesn't mean I'm unaware of things, or stupid! I'm sixteen!"
Matilda was putting tortoiseshell combs in each side of her hair to hold the silky strands from her face. "Like I said, you're a child, an annoying, bratty child."
"And, you're a slut!"
Her slap to my face was instantaneous. She went through the tiny door and stomped down the stairs. I could swear I saw her bare feet striking sparks as she walked. I blinked, then rubbed my eyes as I followed her down. Yeah, there were definitely tiny orange sparks at the edges of her feet and a glow of orange around her legs up to her calves. Matilda was a kinetic witch. When she was sad it drizzled, ---often. Talk about something that was annoying.
But, I wanted to continue the trend of talk about the luscious Travis Hayko. "He was in prison for grand theft auto and assault, you know..."
"I know! I know!", Matilda growled.
"Still, he's so hot...," I went on just to get her to talk.
Matida stopped on the winding stairs; I slammed into her back. "Oh, you think so, younger sister?"
I stuck out my lower lip. "Yeah, I think so. I,---I guess..."
Matilda folded her arms over her full breasts, frowning. "You guess..."
"That thick, shiny brown hair. It's just the color of the milk chocolate syrup Kiki Dupont orders to make her toffee frappes at La Dona's."
Matilda grinned. "You know I really, really like those in the morning,---in the afternoon, at night..."
"You're addicted to them. Are you becoming addicted to Travis too?"
"None of your business!"
I shrugged. "I suppose not. I'm just a little curious. That's all. It's not like we don't have plenty to ogle right here at the house."
I looked down through one of the many windows in the walls. What I saw was not an unusual sight. I'd seen it quite a few times, but I never, ever tired of it. I was looking down at our gardener and chauffeur James taking a shower, using the outdoor shower that was directly under the window. Of course, the shower was enclosed on all four sides by red cedar boards, but not at the top. I could see the round silver metal shower head pouring constant hard streams of water on his pale blond head.
As I watched he lifted his arms and massaged the shampoo into his hair, stepping momentarily out of the cascading water. The perfect wet muscles of his broad shoulders and his curving biceps gleamed as he worked up a thick lather. Then, he stepped backwards, put his head into the water to rinse, his throat arched, his eyes closed, a blissful expression on his handsome face, as he smoothed his palms over his wet hair.
Matilda was leaning over me to get an eyeful. "Hmmm... I like him best when he gets out of the shower and he's drying off in the stall, much better view... Just makes me want to take a ride to town in the Eldorado for a little shopping." She sighed. "I'll ask James, in a bit, after he's dressed." She smiled like a pussycat. "You want to come along, Tattie?"
She liked to call me "Tattie" when she was feeling affectionate. I could tell from that that her little angry snit was over. "Sure," I said.
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