Chapter 335: Empty
*I don’t mind being alone, I just don’t want to be lonely. – Shiloh*
The Saturday before Halloween, the Saints hosted a carnival across the street from their largest clubhouse, Sinner’s Shack. The unfinished hotel was bought cheap once the company lost its backing. The highway that was supposed to go through was canceled, and the development of the area stopped.
The pasture across the street had been cut down and baled. A traveling carnival set up at one end. Stalls were set up on the other end for merchants and food vendors. In the middle was a pumpkin patch and maze created by the bales of hay.
When they had found the booth for Dark Moon, the girls had been disappointed to find that Shiloh was not there. Her employees had a booth set up selling some of her more popular t-shirts, jewelry and trinkets. Her employees worked in flexible two-hour shifts. By the end of the day, they were taking orders since they had sold out.
Gertie knelt before the girls and gave them a hug and a small sad smile.
“Shy doesn’t do festivals and fairs.”
“Why not?” Alyssa asked.
“Oh, sweetie. That’s something that Shy would need to tell you about.” She kissed both girls on their cheeks. “Sometimes, there’s something in our past that we can move past. And sometimes, there are things that haunt us forever.”
“Like when that man hurt you?” Ashlyn asked, looking at the air cast still on Gertie's arm. “And you moved out?”
“Ash…” Pagan hissed.
“No, it’s okay.” Gertie smiled up at him then looked back at his daughters. “Just like that. The Moon House, as Alyssa has named it, brings up bad memories for me. Fairs and festivals do the same thing to Shy.”
“Maybe we can take her something later.” Ashlyn suggested.
“You two have a sleepover tonight.” Pagan reminded them. “How about I take dinner over to her?”
The girls readily agreed and dragged their dad off to Nessie’s Kitchen to pick out what he would take to Shiloh for dinner.
After packing up the tables, mannequins and displays, Marilyn and Bonnie took them all back to the store. Once everything was packed away and stored, Shiloh went upstairs to her empty house. The kittens were gone now too. The haunting melody of *Blackbriar* echoed around her. Even Zora seemed to know she was lonely.
The doorbell rang, surprising her and she jumped slightly. Shiloh checked her security system tablet and saw Pagan standing at her front door. Quickly, she went down the stairs and opened the door.
“Hi.” She breathed out.
“Hi.” He smiled at her and held up a bag. “I brought food.”
“Oh.” Stepping back, she let him pass and climb the stairs.
Once upstairs, he sat the large brown paper sack on the dining table. He turned and pulled her to him. It had been nearly two weeks since they had been able to get some time to themselves. The desperation in the kiss proved it.
So far, they had had sex against his front door, couch, table and floors. And her couch, kitchen table, coffee table and kitchen counter. And once, after closing, in her office.
They had yet to make it to bed.
“I’ve missed you.” Pagan admitted. “I was hoping that you would be out there today.”
“I don’t do fairs.” She admitted and Pagan felt her tense in his arms.
“The girls are at a sleepover.” He said kissing her neck and unbuttoning her shirt.
“I think their dad should have a sleepover.” Shiloh relaxed when he didn’t push for details.
“Yeah?” he shrugged off his cut, letting it fall to the floor.
“Mm-hmm.” She stepped away from him and did something on the black tablet, activating the alarm.
Shiloh tugged on his belt loop. Pagan stepped in closer to her and kissed her lips. She nipped at his lower lip before turning around and leading him upstairs.
The temporary banister had been replaced by one that looked like a long snake skeleton. The handrail was made to look like the spine while long slightly curved balusters made the ribs. It had taken the fab shop about two months to make it. He was proud of it. And might have stopped to admire it.
Except, he had another… snake that needed to be tended to.
“Are we actually going to make it to a bed?” Pagan teased as she led him down the hall to the master suite.
The bed was black with intricate detailing on the baroque arched headboard. A wooden canopy was attached to the ceiling, built into the structure, with sheer black curtains surrounding the bed. It achieved the poster bed look, without having a footboard.
Shiloh grabbed some of the curtains and pulled them out of the way. “I know, a little overboard.”
“Not at all.” He corrected as framed her face with his hands. The kiss this time was slower, tender, and full of the emotions they both swore not to have.
The process of undressing each other was slow. Methodical. Sensual.
They each took their time exploring the other. Their bodies. Tender places. Tattoos. Piercings. Scars.
By the time he sheathed himself with a condom, they were each quivering with need and anticipation. The strokes were slow, tender, deep.
And they both knew that they had gone too far. There was no going back. They had left the area of being friends with benefits. Neither was certain where they stood now. Or where they should go.
Pagan pulled her in close to him and kissed the top of her head. He loved the way that she felt in his arms. Loved holding her as they lay there together. His eyes were drifting close as sleep began to pull them both under.
In this state of being more asleep than awake, Shiloh spoke without inhibition.
“It’s so empty now that it’s just me. You and the girls should move in.”
Pagan froze. Were they headed that way? This was supposed to be casual. Just fucking between friends. Looking at the woman curled against him, he wondered if that ship had sailed. Buring his hand in her hair, and holding her head to his chest, he wondered if it was such a bad ship to be on.
