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Author's Note
Pepper's Penance is a slow burning romance that unfolds over the course of twenty-three chapters. This is not a wham-bam story. But, if you're into that sort of thing, I think you'll like this one.
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Chapter 15: The Morning After
I felt a little awkward tiptoeing out of Pepper's house the next morning, even though we both knew I had to work and I wasn't just sneaking off. I had tried to reciprocate her affections, but I think the ghost of Natalie was still too strong. Pepper rebuked my advances, politely, but refused all the same. I decided it was probably a big enough step for her just to let someone into her life and I wasn't going to argue about it. I still had my glow, I could give Pepper hers another time.
First, though, was a touch up of the henna art I had started on her arm that was beginning to fade. Pepper wandered into the store around ten with Trixie and a sack full of fast food breakfast biscuits. It was a slow morning, and in between helping the one or two customers trickling in, I was putting my concentration into laying down new lines of henna paste. Only up to the elbow, because that's all the farther the sleeve on her hoodie would go.
*quot;We can do the rest upstairs later,*quot; I suggested.
Pepper looked up from the designs I was drawing and sighed. *quot;You just want an excuse to get me naked again.*quot;
*quot;Pretty much.*quot;
*quot;You still have that freshly fucked look. It's so cute.*quot;
I put the glue bottle down and punched her on the shoulder. *quot;I should send you back home. You're not doing anything useful.*quot;
*quot;Well, I'm g?*quot;
*quot;Giving me shit doesn't count.*quot;
*quot;Actually, 'I'm going to buy lunch' was what I had in mind to say, but...*quot;
I turned and smiled, batting my lashes.
*quot;Whatever,*quot; Pepper said, pulled out her phone, and turned her back to me.
I kept it up. By the time Dave from the deli got here with our sandwiches, Pepper had called me names like, 'saccharin', 'syrupy', 'obnoxious', and my favorite, 'a walking Hallmark Valentine card'. I managed to only punch her once.
*quot;Namaste, ladies!*quot; Deli Dave waltzed in with a white paper sack in one hand, a Diet Coke in the other, and a big grin plastered over his face.
He set the delivery on the counter and took a step back. *quot;There's something different about you two.*quot;
*quot;Pepper's been calling me rude names.*quot;
*quot;Nah, that's not it. Piano lady's always spicy. It's in her nature.*quot;
Pepper turned to me and güvenilir bahis grinned. I stuck my tongue out in reply.
*quot;Oh,*quot; Dave said. *quot;Oh, I've got it.*quot; He held his chin, stoking it thoughtfully while wagging his finger at us. *quot;You two finally gave into temptation and decided to f?*quot;
*quot;Hey, Dave, man,*quot; I said. *quot;What's up with the comic book store next door? First, I see clearance signs and now he's only open Wednesday through Saturday.*quot;
*quot;Dude's gettin' old. Gonna retire soon and... Wait a minute, I see what you did there.*quot; Dave raised his arms up over his head and began dancing while butchering the lyrics to something that might have been a Marvin Gaye song in a high falsetto.
*quot;You two,*quot; he said, grinning. Dave gave his hips a final thrust before winding down his impromptu choreographed account of what he thought Pepper and I were up to last night.
I bit my lip to suppress a grin.
Pepper just leaned over and laid her head on my shoulder. *quot;She was amazing by the way. Ashley here's got just the cutest little p?*quot;
*quot;Pepper!*quot;
*quot;What?*quot;
*quot;Drink your Diet Coke.*quot; I slid her drink across the counter and turned to Dave. *quot;So he's really retiring?*quot;
*quot;Comic book dude? Yeah. It's a shame really. It was such a cool hang out place. I mean, you could go in there and just talk with the guy about superheroes or manga. Even old stuff like dungeons and dragons... anything. I could just rap for hours with the guy, you know. Kind of like me coming in here and talking about guitars and stuff with you two.*quot;
Pepper lifted her head and grinned.
*quot;And other stuff.*quot; Dave had his hands up over his head again with his hips just beginning the first circle around.
*quot;Dave. Don't go there.*quot;
He grinned and dropped his hands. *quot;Seriously though, I hope whoever buys the place is cool. Like you ladies.*quot;
*quot;Thanks,*quot; I said.
*quot;I'm going to check out your used inventory. See if there's anything I can't live without,*quot; Dave said, and wandered off.
*quot;Just holler if you need anything,*quot; Pepper called out. *quot;I'm going to eat my sandwich one-handed so I can feel up my girlfriend's thigh at the same time. Just so you know.*quot;
Dave shot his arms up overhead again and began gyrating as he made his way to the back wall.
I punched Pepper in the shoulder again.
*quot;You should buy the comic book store,*quot; Pepper said, with her mouth still working on corned beef and rye.
*quot;I don't know anything about comics.*quot;
*quot;You türkçe bahis don't know shit about music either, yet somehow you manage.*quot;
I flexed the fingers of my right hand, tightening into a fist. Pepper's shoulder was a tempting target.
*quot;I'm not buying the comic book store.*quot;
*quot;Fine. I'll buy it.*quot;
I set my sandwich down. *quot;Just like that, you're going to buy a comic book store.*quot;
*quot;First of all, Ash, they're called graphic novels these days. And secondly?*quot;
*quot;Oh, that's great. Already up on your snooty, pedantic horse. 'They're called graphic novels.' You'll fit right in. You and your collection of hoodies.*quot; I leaned over and sniffed at her. *quot;You even have that comic book nerd smell.*quot;
*quot;Ash.*quot;
*quot;Pepper?*quot;
*quot;Remind me to never go down on you again. You're obnoxious.*quot;
*quot;Oh, you were good, though.*quot; I slipped my arm around her waist and pulled her close.
*quot;You said my name.*quot; Pepper grinned. *quot;In the throes. You said my name.*quot;
*quot;I did.*quot; I felt a silly grin creeping over my face and sighed.
Pepper turned her attention back to her sandwich. She broke a corner off and fed it to Trixie and then took a bite herself.
I watched her chewing.
*quot;Wanna do it again?*quot; Pepper said.
*quot;Yes. Absolutely, yes.*quot;
I thought about Pepper's bedroom?how wonderful and elegant it was compared to my little studio loft above the store. I looked at Pepper, wearing a hoodie that featured Snoopy and Woodstock doing their happy dance, and slouched over with crumbs from her sandwich decorating my counter.
*quot;My place this time, okay?*quot;
*quot;Sure, whatever.*quot;
I leaned over and kissed Pepper on the cheek. *quot;Give me your arm, baby, I need to finish your henna.*quot;
*quot;I need to finish my sandwich.*quot;
*quot;The arm on my thigh.*quot;
*quot;Oh.*quot; Pepper grinned, still chewing. She plopped her arm on the counter.
*quot;I've got it,*quot; announced Dave as he came bounding up to the front.
*quot;What did you find?*quot;
*quot;Huh? Oh, you mean the holy shrine of guitar gear?*quot; He shrugged. *quot;Nothing I can afford. But, nah, that's not it.*quot;
Dave stood, wide eyed, saying nothing for the moment. Just as I was about to ask if I was supposed to guess, he came out with it.
*quot;Poetry night.*quot; He stood tall, grinning.
*quot;Poetry night?*quot;
*quot;Yeah, but not just any poetry night. Piano poetry night.*quot; Dave stood there, toothy grin, hands out, fingers spread, just waiting for me to make the connection.
It wasn't coming.
*quot;Like güvenilir bahis siteleri beatniks,*quot; Pepper said, still chewing and reaching for her Diet Coke.
*quot;Whoa, nice. Score one for piano lady. She gets it.*quot;
*quot;Am I the only one... beatniks?*quot;
Pepper handed me her diet, raised her index finger in the air and stood up. She wandered toward the back of the store. When she returned, it was with a set of bongo drums in her hand. Dave's grin got wider and I swear he was bouncing on his toes.
Pepper perched herself back on the stool, wedging the bongos between her knees. *quot;Beatniks,*quot; she said, and slapped at the drums clamped between her legs.
*quot;Yeah, she totally gets it,*quot; Dave said.
*quot;You recite poetry, Ash. And then, for or some reason, people play Latin jazz instruments to punctuate the good points.*quot; Pepper pounded the bongos again.
*quot;What kind of poetry?*quot;
*quot;Anything, just make something up.*quot;
*quot;I... I can't think of anything.*quot;
*quot;I've got one,*quot; Dave said. *quot;I call it, ode to my black Strat.*quot;
Pepper slapped the drums.
Dave put one hand over his heart and extended the other skyward.
*quot;O beautiful Stratocaster, cradled in my hands, your kinfolk are played in the mightiest of bands.*quot;
Pepper slapped at the drums.
*quot;And when I hold you, rich, glossy, and shiny. Next to you, I feel so tiny.*quot;
More bongos.
*quot;For yours is the sound known throughout the land, O beautiful Stratocaster, cradled in my hands.*quot;
Pepper attacked the bongos one last time. Dave leaned in for a fist bump and they were both grinning like fools.
*quot;You guys are weird.*quot;
*quot;You just need to get out more, hon.*quot; Pepper leaned her head into my shoulder. *quot;Most humans have a complex range of emotions. They need a way to express them.*quot;
*quot;Ergo poetry and music,*quot; said Dave, standing proud.
*quot;I'll give it some thought.*quot;
*quot;Come on, Ash. Weather's only going to get warmer from here on out. People will stop in, recite some poetry. Maybe buy some bongos.*quot; Pepper pulled the drums from between her knees and set them on the counter. *quot;Good markup on these, I bet.*quot;
*quot;I don't know, I mean... well, I'll think about it.*quot;
Pepper leaned across the counter. *quot;Don't worry,*quot; she said to Dave. *quot;I'm sleeping over tonight. So I'll have her convinced by morning. Hell, last time I had her screaming my?*quot;
*quot;Pepper!*quot; I reached out and punched her in the shoulder. *quot;Drink your Diet Coke.*quot;
*quot;This one's spicy too,*quot; said Dave, *quot;Nice.*quot;
Pepper just grinned.
*quot;Namaste, ladies. Love to watch this play out, but duty calls.*quot;
The front door chime rang. I was left alone with Pepper grinning like an adolescent Cheshire cat.