Bad Seed

“If you’re wearing a disguise, do I have to wear one as well?”

“Probably. I don’t want to take away from Delia’s day, you know? How do I look?”

“Your baseball cap is the one you always wear, and you wear those sunglasses all the time, too.”

“So, good?” I asked.

“I don’t think anyone will recognize you,” Tammy said. “Especially in tennis shoes and no guitar slung around your shoulder.”

“Good. That’s the point. All right, Elsie. One last chance. You comin’ or not?”

“Not. But—can you record it for me? So I can watch it?”

“Sure will. Tammy, I’m heading over to the campus. Tell Paul I got the vet bill paid and everything’s back on automatic payments. No more bills should be coming to the house. Including yours.”

“Yes sir,” Tammy said, with a grin.

I situated my baseball cap on my head and waited until I was sure there was no one stalking my gate. Paul was even lending me his muddy pickup truck so no one would recognize me in Black Betty. With all of that in place, I left to go watch Delia graduate.

I was hoping that going incognito wouldn’t detract from Delia’s day. This was a special ceremony, and one I wanted to see. I wondered what she was doing right now, and if she was nervous or excited, if she had any job interviews lined up or if she was going to stay at the company she was currently with. There were so many things I wanted to ask her, but I settled for anonymously watching her walk across the stage.

And did she ever look wonder

ful.

The Dean of the University was giving out special awards to the top ten students of the class. I listened to all the names being called out and smiled broadly when Delia’s name rang out over the audience. Elsie would love watching this when I got home. I knew she would be just as proud of Delia as I was.

Even though I wasn’t sure why I thought I had a right to be proud.

I held up my camera phone and recorded most of the ceremony. I skipped the boring speech by someone whose name I didn’t recognize, then recorded Delia receiving her award. Her smile was big and her stance was tall. The crowd roared with applause as she turned out toward her fellow classmates, and then her eyes panned over toward me.

She looked right at me, then continued to look around the stadium.

I wasn’t sure if she’d seen me. If she did, she didn’t let on to the fact that she had. My heart was hammering in my chest as the ceremony was dismissed, and I knew I had to find her. Seeing her with that cap and gown and her diploma in her hand—it tugged at a part of me that wanted to celebrate with her.

I strode in front of the crowd and made my way downstairs. I pushed past people, ignoring them as they cussed me out. I raced out onto the greenery of the front lawn, trying to find her as I stood next to a statue. My hands were trembling as I slid my phone into my pocket, saving the video for Elsie to watch later.

Then, I heard her cute little giggle as it rose up behind me.

I whipped my head around and saw her talking to a few people. I walked toward the edge of the greenery and stood by them, trying to bide my time until she was done. I couldn’t hear what they were talking about over the shrieks and hollers of everyone else, but I knew they were talking about something that made Delia very happy. She clapped her hands and jumped up, giving one of her professors a hug before she released him.

Then, she started toward me, her gown fluttering in the breeze that kicked up as she made her way to the road. She was beautiful. Electric and bright, like the sun bearing down on our backs. She had her cap in one hand and her diploma in the other, and there was something about her that glowed. A month and a half away from me had done her a bit of good. Part of me wondered whether or not to reach out for her as she passed me. Part of me wondered if I would ruin the happiness of the day with my presence.

But then I smelled her perfume, that light scent of honey and vanilla, and I was instantly thrown back to that first night.

Reaching my arm out for her, I spun her into my body. She gasped in shock, her wide eyes whipping up to mine as I slid my arm around her. I cradled her ass in one hand and the back of her neck with the other, then I crashed my lips down onto hers.

I felt her still in my arms before she moaned, leaning heavily into me.

Her arms wrapped around my neck as I pulled her against me into my warmth. She felt so good in my arms—so sweet and soft as she melded to my shape. I felt her knees give out as my tongue swiped across her lips, begging entrance as I held her body weight in my arms. I felt people looking at us, casting us curious glances. But as Delia’s lips parted and our tongues connected, electricity shot through my bones, breathing life back into my haggard body.

I had to have her. No matter what it took, I knew I couldn’t let her go. I had to feel her body against mine, and her lips on my cock. I had to kiss every inch of he . I grabbed her hand as we ran across the road, my body tugging her behind me as she shuffled in her heels.

Helping her into my truck, we barreled back to her apartment. I picked her up and threw her over my shoulder as she squealed with delight. Her hands clung to my shirt as I dashed up the steps, taking them two at a time as sweat began to drip down my back.

I set Delia down on her feet long enough for her to unlock her front door for me.

Pushing her clear through the threshold, she closed the door with her back. I ripped her flimsy black gown off her body and tossed it to the floor, allowing my hands to roam along her body. Her lips were swelling against mine as she rolled her hips into me. My hands shoved underneath her shirt, feeling her soft skin underneath my fingertips.