Title: Don’t Look Away: Chapter Eleven, Aquiline Grace
Rating: NC-17 [language, alcohol, sex]

Summary: Pete romances Cady and also assures her of many things






Getting out of the car, Cady slipped her hand into Pete’s, her eyes going to the restaurant. The entrance was small and unassuming, but she had a feeling the single dark wooden and glass door led to much more. Couples dressed in dresses and coats passed in and out of the door, suddenly making Pete’s decision to change his own clothing make more sense. Her eyes flicked to his, not entirely sure he really meant to go there. Pete merely leaned over and kissed her sweetly as the valet drove his car off.

“Come, my sweet, they await for us,” Pete declared softly, his hand slipping to the curve of her back.

Escorted quickly to a private table covered with a white tablecloth a shiny silver sculpture reflecting the candlelight, Pete thanked the host as he seated Cady. Her bright eyes looked around, ever certain this French restaurant was top of the line. If Pete was all right with it, she would not complain at all. Her eyes flicked from the large candle in the center of the table to her boyfriend as he sat beside her. With a smile, she leaned over and kissed him quickly, before their server interrupted them. With a bottle of wine ordered, Cady reached for the leather-bound menu. Before she even opened it, Pete pulled it from her hands and set it out of her reach.

“Pete?”

“Not allowed tonight. Everything is already pre-arranged,” he declared.

“Then why did the server ask you–”

“Mr. Townshend?” a man in a white chef’s jacket approached the table. “Ah, you must be Miss Kersey. We are most pleased to welcome you to our little restaurant tonight. I assure you, this is the beginning of an unforgettable night.”

She tilted her head slightly in confusion, “Thank you…?”

“Michel. I shall be your chef tonight, Mademoiselle,” he lifted her hand, kissing it briefly. “Should you find any issues, please do not hesitate to ask for me.”

As the man left, Cady turned to Pete. Before she asked anything, he kissed her, his eyes meeting her sparkling eyes. Her lips opened to ask him a million questions, but again he leaned forward and kissed her.

“Pete–”

“No questions. You’re not allowed to dissect tonight,” he declared.

Slowly she nodded, “All right. But you do know I am already impressed.”

“Good,” he grinned. “The night is very young.”



Three hours later and five courses of excellent French cuisine, Pete slipped out of the restaurant with Cady. It had been the most expensive meal he ever paid for, but it was most certainly worth it. The girl on his arm was beaming, though lightheartedly complained about needing to be rolled home. Both of those were indicators to him it had been a very successful meal. 

Forgoing the car for the moment, at Cady’s request to walk off some of their meal, he led her around the corner. He suspected the stars were shining brightly above the London cloudbank, twinkling just like Cady’s eyes. Even in the dim light of streetlamps, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever known. She just… glowed. While he normally would not think he had anything to do with that, that night was different. Shewalked differently with him.

Stopping under a streetlight, Pete turned to face her. His hands framed her face, guiding her into a kiss. She smiled and slipped her arms around his neck, her lips parting to deepen the kiss. His hands dropped to her waist, pulling her closer.

“You are so very beautiful,” he muttered softly against her mouth before kissing her again.

“Only because you make me feel that way, Pete,” she replied as he pulled away.

“No, I’m pretty sure you’re beautiful without me. I’m pretty sure you were beautiful before me,” he declared.

She smiled, “Oh I love you, Pete Townshend. I do.”

His lips brushed hers briefly, “I love you more.”

“And how do we compare such a thing? You cannot weigh love like you can gold,” she declared.

His hands left her waist to brush her hair from her face, “I just know I do.”

“Silly,” Cady shook her head slightly. “What else do you have in mind tonight, my love?”

“I have nothing else planned,” Pete declared.

Her eyes narrowed slightly, “For some reason I do not believe you.”

“And when have I ever given you cause to not believe me? Hmmm?”

“Well never, but really, Pete?”

He kissed her, “Let’s walk a bit and then head back to the car.”

Slipping out of the embrace, his hand enfolded hers. Slowly Pete led her down the street, pausing every now and then so that Cady could peer into the darken shops they passed. Though he really had not been in that neighborhood himself - the restaurant being a recommendation by someone outside the restaurant he had been attempting to make reservations at – Pete was not entirely sure what peering into the windows was like. Cady seemed not only intrigued by whatever it was she saw, but enraptured.

“Baby?” he stepped closer.

“Pete, look,” she pointed through the window.

“At what?”

Cady waited as his eyes adjusted to looking into the dark shop. His gaze wandered the shop, looking over minor trinkets and other such items. He had no idea what she was so focused on, at all.

“I don’t…”

She quickly kissed his ear, “Good then. I will come back and get it for you tomorrow.”

His eyes left her and once more searched the items. As much as he wanted to know, he still had no clue what she was talking about, at all. Shrugging, he turned away from the window, his hand tugging her away.

“Let’s head back to the car,” he suggested.

“Whatever you say, darling. This night is all you,” she responded.

“No, baby,” Pete stopped again. “It’s all you.”

Her eyes went to his, “I don’t understand.”

He quickly kissed her, “This is all about me showing you how very much you mean to me.”

“Oh, Pete, I already know that I–”

He kissed her again, “The night is still young. I have much more to show you, my love.”

Though she did not really understand what else he could have needed to show her, she nodded. With a smile, Pete turned back down the street, slowly heading back to the valet attendant. He tipped the man with the last of his cash, a slight frown touching his face before he circled the car and slipped behind the wheel. He smiled at Cady before turning his attention to driving. They arrived back at the flat within thirty minutes, the roads being mostly empty on their late night drive from the social scene of the night. Silently they parked and headed up to the apartment. Cady’s eyes flicked to the flowers as soon as they entered the room. Before Pete even closed the door behind them, her arms circled his neck and she kissed him deeply.

“What’s that for?” he asked, eyes shining.

“No one has ever gotten me flowers before,” she declared. “And certainly not beautiful ones like that. I need to thank you once more.”

Pulling away, he closed and locked the door before turning to her, “I love you. The flowers are merely a small token to show you that. Something you can look to when I am not here to tell you.”

“Are you going to make certain I always have flowers then? Because these surely will not last forever.”

Pete thought about it for a moment and responded, “Yes.”

“Really?”

He nodded, “Of course.”

Guiding her to the couch, Pete kissed Cady sweetly and requested her to sit. He quickly turned on music – some soft freeform jazz – before heading into the kitchen. With little adieu, he opened a bottle of wine and poured both of them in a glass. Pausing at the end of the kitchen tile, he smiled as Cady removed her headscarf and shoes before glancing in his direction. Grooving slightly to the music, Pete made his way over to her, holding out one of the glasses in offering.

Accepting it, her eyes remained focused on his as he sat, “If I didn’t know better, I would think you are trying to get me drunk, Mr. Townshend.”

“Not in the least, my sweet,” he proclaimed.

She barely sipped the sweet white wine before setting it on the table, “If this is how you’re going to be every time after a day in the studio, I rather hope you have a lot of studio time booked.”

He frowned slightly, “Today was not a good day in the studio at all.”

“Why?”

“Because I wanted to be here with you the entire time,” Pete declared honestly, sipped his wine, and set it down.

Smiling Cady leaned over and kissed him softly, “I missed you too.”

His arms slipped around her, pulling her close so he could easily nibbled on her ear, “I must confess something.”

“Mmmm?” she leaned into him.

“This love I feel for you frightens me sometimes.”

Her eyes went to his, “Why?”

“Because it is so strong, so intense, I am afraid… I am afraid it will burn too hot, too quickly,” he admitted softly.

She kissed him, “But, Pete, my dearest love, this is unlike any other love ever. We fell in love with a single kiss months ago and were then drive apart. If this flame was meant to die, it would have then.”

“I want to wake each morning with you beside me, fall asleep with you in my arms each night, and kiss you often throughout the day. It scares me that nothing matters at all quite the way you do. You have eclipsed everything in my life. If I were to ever lose you…”

Cady cuddled him, “You shall not. All my life, though it has been brief, I have been looking for you. I thought I was lost and did not belong anywhere. But the very moment we touched, I knew that was wrong, Pete. I found me by finding you.”

He kissed her temple, “You think so?”

“I have never wanted to be someone’s trophy wife like my sisters, never thought I would be content staying home and caring for another. Maybe it is because you value me for me that things have changed. I feel like now… now I would willingly follow you anywhere and that’s a little scary to me,” she stated.

“But you followed Jimi,” he pointed out.

“Yes, but the circumstances were different. I initially followed him, thinking he would lead me to some great personal epiphany. In a way he did, because he led me to you. Then he became a distraction from what I could not have,” she explained. “And then… then he became my way back to you. Jimi was a road to you. You are a road to me.”

He reached up and gently caressed her cheek, “I am so fortunate to have you, Cady. I thank the stars above that I was matched with you by whatever means it happened. I do not for a moment believe myself worthy of your time, much less your love. But my world is certainly a better place because of it.”

Having heard as much before, Cady questioned, “Why do you believe such things, my love? You are a very remarkable man. And drop dead sexy as well. Why are you so unworthy of me?”

Pete sighed, “Because I’m an ugly geezer with me big nose who hasn’t ever had a real job and may never be able to afford all the things you deserve.”

Ignoring the money statement as they had discussed that more times than she cared to, she quickly kissed his nose, “I for one, like your nose.”

“You do?”

“Firstly I do not think it nearly as large as you likely perceive it. It is not even your most noticeable feature.”

“It’s not?”

“No,” she kissed it again. “Your eyes are. Perhaps because they are a similar shade to mine – something I used to feel self-conscious about myself – but they are very remarkable. I could easily drown in your eyes. But even more so – they are not empty. When I look into your eyes or even watch you when you are unaware, I can see there is so much soul and intelligence behind those blue eyes. That makes their remarkable color so much richer.”

“I… no one has ever said anything like that before.”

“It’s very true. They say the eyes are the windows to the soul and oh how beautiful yours is.”

He smiled and kissed her lovingly.

“Secondly,” she began as his lips left hers, “it is a very nice nose. It is not crooked or malformed in any way. It has a beautiful aquiline grace to it. Reminds me of the Roman busts I have seen in museums before. It is a strong nose.”

“You think so?”

Cady’s lips touched it again, “I know so.”

“But, baby, everyone else says–”

“Everyone else is a fool,” she declared. “And thirdly, I did once read that strong noses are symptomatic of sexual prowess. My own personal research on the matter seems to concur. Therefore, my dearest, dearest love, you should not down talk your beautiful nose. It is a good, strong nose for a good, strong man.”

Pete remained quiet. Everything she said sounded good and yet untrue. How could he live a life – all twenty plus years – and never hear such things before? His father always made fun of his nose. His mother was a little better. Kids in school – even his mates – brought negative attention to it. How could Cady be right after so many years of hearing the opposite? Yet as he looked into her eyes, he felt it almost as if he could believe.

“You are beautiful just as you are,” she proclaimed softly.

Pete’s arms tightened around her and he kissed her softly. While his intentions for the night had been to romance her, he somehow ended up on the receiving end. He was supposed to be the wordsmith; how was it that words failed him now?

Because he was completely and totally in love with the woman in his arms. Words would never be able to describe it.

“I love you,” he muttered between kisses. “So very, very much.”

Cady wiggled in his lap, “I love you too, Pete.”

As their lips met again, he felt the spark of two souls intertwined. Gently he began to deepen the kiss, tasting her affection on her tongue. While her hands remained clutching his shoulders, his right hand ran over the outer swell of her breast. Smiling, Cady slowly leaned back on the couch, bringing Pete down with her. He adjusted slightly to not be leaning on his side into her. Wiggling some underneath him, she pushed him out of the kiss.

“Pete, this is not comfortable at all. Something is poking me in my back,” she declared.

Quickly scrambling off her, Pete pulled her up. Reaching behind her, his hand found the item in question and picked it up. Holding the item up, his eyes flicked from it to hers.

Cady slipped it out of his hands, “Huh. I was looking for that earlier, before… yeah.”

“Why was your brush out here anyways?”

She shrugged, “Doesn’t matter. Weren’t we…”

He quickly nodded and kissed her, “Perhaps we should move some place… more comfortable?”

Rather than answer verbally, Cady got to her feet quickly, leaving her brush on the coffee table and picking up her wine glass. Large blue eyes upon his, she drained the glass and set it back down. Pete chuckled and did the same before offering his hand to her. Fingers slipped into his, Cady trailed behind Pete to the bedroom. Not bothering clicking on a light, letting the light from the living room provide dim lighting, he guided her to the bed. Before turning her about, he swept her hair from her shoulder and kissed he neck gently. Closing her eyes and purring, Cady leaned back into his embrace, her hand reaching up to caress his cheek. 

Instead of reaching around to cup her breasts like his hands so wanted to, his calloused fingers went to the zipper of her blue dress. His hands ran back up to her shoulders and gently slipped the dress down. Dropping her arms to her sides, Cady wiggled slightly to shake free of the blue dress, feeling it skim over her skin and puddle about her feet. She stepped out of the dress as his lips began to trail down her spine. Chills of pleasure shot from wherever his lips touched.

“Oh, Pete,” she breathed.

Smiling against her skin, his fingers slipped under the band of her pale blue bra. Halting his kisses just above the garment, he struggled slightly to unhook the hook-and-eye fastener. About ready to just fetch a knife and cut it from her, Pete grinned when the hook finally released. Gently his hands parted, running over her shoulder blades and under the bra straps. His lips kissed back up her spine as his fingers pushed the bra free from her body. As the garment dropped to the carpet, he reached around and cupped her now exposed breasts. Cady pivoted slightly, reaching around to guide his mouth to hers. His tongue rolled over hers as he gently caressed her breasts.

Leaning back on him, Cady’s fingers clawed at his collar, tugging on his shirt. Smiling into the kiss, Pete pulled away and gently turned her around. His eyes looked into hers before he dipped in for another kiss. Still cupping her breasts, his thumbs ran circles around her nipples, feeling them tighten with each circle. She moaned softly against his mouth, her fingers seeking the buttons on his dress shirt. Quickly her fingers danced down the buttons before darting to his shoulders to force the shirt from his body. However, Pete did not relent his touch of her breasts, practically challenging her to defy him. With a shrug, her hands dropped to his pants and quickly unfastened the belt. Pete’s touch faltered as her hand slipped into his shorts and circled his thickening cock.

Detaching his hand from her left breast, Pete’s fingers circled her wrist and he gently pulled her hand away. Lifting her hand to his mouth, he kissed her palm gently. Her other hand headed to take over, causing his other hand to dart to catch it.

“No, my love,” Pete murmured.

“But, Pete–”

“No,” he kissed her hand again.

Before she spoke again, he quickly kissed her mouth and bent down to kiss her breasts. Her fingers instantly dug into his short hair, clutching to him for support. Gently he guided her down to the bed. Stepping back, Pete quickly shed his clothes before reaching for the elastic of her blue lacy panties. Cady arched her hips up, allowing Pete to slip the garment down her long legs. He kissed her big toes before releasing her.

Without being told, Cady scooted backwards into the center of the bed. Pete stood at the end of their bed for a long moment, just looking at her. By the time his eyes swept up her body to meet hers, Cady’s hand slipped between her legs. Pete glanced down at her hand, noticing Cady spread her legs even more once he did. Smiling slyly, he crawled towards her, pausing to kiss her hand though he allowed her to continue touching herself.

As his mouth fastened upon her breast, Pete covered her hand with his own. Letting her guide him, he quickly figured out exactly how she liked to be touched. Soon his long fingers replaced hers, allowing her hand to wander about his body. Her hands settled on his strong shoulders as his tongue continued to lap around her breast, his fingers stroking her. Soft gasps and moans passed her curvy lips, her eyes opening and closing.

“Oh, Pete,” she groaned.

He paused his oral assault to stretch up and kiss her mouth, “I love you, Cadence.”

“Oh, Pete, I’m so in love with you.”

Kissing her deeply, his hands rolled over her hips, spreading her legs further apart. Cady instantly rolled her sex towards him, expecting him to slide into her hot body. However, his intentions were otherwise and he pulled out of the kiss. Briefly kissing her breasts once more, his mouth continued down. She gasped as he kissed her pubic heart, realizing what he intended to do a moment before he did just that. Hands on her thighs, he kept her legs apart and gently kissed her sex. His tongue slipped out and wiggled between her petals. She gasped, her fingers digging into his hair once more.

His fingers inched towards her sex, barely keeping hold of her thighs. Resting his forearms on her legs, his calloused fingertips reached to spread her wide for him. Pressing his nose against her swollen clitoris, Pete slipped his tongue into her. Cady moaned, wiggling beneath him. Briefly smiling, he glanced up at her as he began to lap up her honey.

“P-p-peeeeeete,” she groaned.

Shifting forward, his nose pressed against her clitoris more, causing a moan to pass her lips. Pete decided that was exactly the reaction he was going for and continued to apply the pressure as his tongue reached deeply into her. Her fingers clenched and unclenched in his hair. Rather than continue to take her to ecstasy, Pete gently pulled away, knowing how very close she was.

Slowly he kissed sloppily up her body, pausing to lick her navel, suckle her breasts. Keeping her legs spread, Pete’s mouth united with hers as he slowly pressed into her body. He felt her body instantly quiver as it molded around him. Holding onto that tension, he remained completely motionless, buried deeply in her. His lips showered kisses around her face, paying special attention to her closed eyes, her brow line, down her nose back to her mouth.

“I love you, Cady,” he breathed before kissing her again, slowly withdrawing from her body.

As he pressed back into her, her body clamped around his. She wrapped her legs tightly about his waist, holding him close to her. Keeping her mouth occupied, Pete slowly ground into her, rocking their bodies. His slight motions kept her body in a heightened state, her spasms continued to massage his cock, making it ever so difficult to not jump into the stars with her. He wanted to bring her repeatedly before joining her.

“Ohhhh goooooodd, Peeete,” she moaned as his lips left hers. “Aaaaaaagaaaaain.”

Smiling, his hands loosened her legs around his waist, allowing him to thrust slightly. His ever so slight movement was enough to elicit pants and gasps from her. Her body was in constant flux, just as he wanted. Kissing her, Pete quickly withdrew, causing Cady to gasp. Eyes holding hers, his hands guided her to her side. Straddling one leg while slipping the other over his shoulder, Pete pushed back into her body. Cady groaned, her hand reaching to cover his as he held onto her leg. Poised as he was, he quickly thrust into her very sensitive body. Within moments, she was once more moaning and groaning his name.

“Peeeeeeeeeeeeeeete,” she breathed. “Oh goooooooood.”

As her body once more undulated and quivered around him, Pete felt the tension shoot down his spine a bit unexpectedly. He pushed deeply into her and leaned down. She kissed him hungrily as his body pulsed and shot into her. With a little finesse, Cady returned to her back, keeping Pete fully immersed in her, their heartbeats and breathe synchronized.

“I love you, Cady. So very much,” he breathed.

“Oh, Pete, I believe. I believe,” she whispered. “I love you too. With all my heart and soul.”

Their bodies were still linked, though Pete shifted so that not all of his weight no longer rested upon her. Rather than lose that connection, even has his body softened, Cady looped her leg around his waist, holding him to her as long as possible. Chuckling, his fingers traced down the curve of her jaw to the outline of her body. As her eyes fluttered close, he kissed each eyelid.

“I love you, Cadence. Completely.”



Waking with Pete’s arms wrapped around her, Cady smiled and snuggled closer to him. He instinctively tightened his embrace. She kissed his shoulder, her eyes looking over his sleeping form. She truly did believe everything she had told him the night before. She loved his nose, his eyes, his everything. And it was very scary to give herself to completely over to him. She certainly did not want to lose her identity, but then again she did not really know what her identity was. She was a rich girl with a knack at painting. That was it. She had no other identity, not even one of devoted daughter or sister. Perhaps she could add musician’s girlfriend to the list, but she still felt very undefined. As she lay beside him in the early moments of morning, Cady found herself more afraid than she had ever been in her life before.

And really she had no reason to be. She was in love and loved by a wonderful man. She had financial stability, something she knew her father would never strip from her. She was nearly nineteen, had her whole life ahead of her, one that she was going to spend with Pete. She had no reason to be afraid. And yet she was.

“Pete?” she muttered softly.

“Mmmmm?”

“Pete, I’m scared,” she uttered.

“Huh?” he asked groggily.

“I’m afraid, Pete.”

Rubbing his eyes with his free hand, he looked to her, “Why are you afraid, baby?”

Her eyes went to his, “Because I love you so much and I know you love me so much and… I… I don’t know.”

Pulling away from her slightly, he reached over and clicked on the lamp, deciding the dim morning light filtering in through the open bedroom door was not enough at all. Remaining sitting up, his back pressed against the white, fabric-covered headboard. His hands reached for her, but he hardly needed to gesture for her to scramble up into his arms, pulling the sheet with her to cover both of them. She quickly curved around him, nestling into his embrace.

“Baby, why are you afraid?” he asked again.

“I… I… Pete, what am I?”

He looked at her for a long moment, his fingers tracing her face, “I cannot answer that for you, Cady. I can tell you what you are to me, but I cannot tell you what you are to yourself.”

“I… I do not feel that I am a daughter or a sister in any real meaning of the word. I am not a secretary or a nurse or any of those other professions I am allowed as a woman. I am not really even an artist,” she declared. “I am a girl, sometimes even a woman, and I am your girlfriend, but what else… what else…”

Pete kissed her temple, “I do not think figuring out who we are meant to be easy or even something we figure out quickly. There are moments of epiphany for certain, but I think figuring out who we are a lifelong journey. And I think that changes over time as well. I know right now we are beginning a new journey in this life – together – and I would be a fool to declare it does not scare me as well. I never knew I could feel so strongly for another person. I thought I loved Karen, but every minute with you proves that more and more wrong. I do know I was made to love you and I know it will not always be easy. But this life’s journey, I want to walk with you.”

“Pete, will I ever be more than just your woman?”

“You already are,” he declared. “You are you first and foremost. And however you want to define that, I will be behind you one hundred and fifty percent. If you want to be an artist, which you clearly have the talent for, I will support that. If you want to be the world’s largest collector’s of pillbox hats, I will support that. You define who you are. To me you are the most beautiful, loving, artistic, levelheaded woman to ever grace my life. I am honored that you even consider yourself my woman.”

“When we have children… will I just be a mother then?”

He did not even flinch at her question, his fingers gently playing with her messy hair, “Again, Cady, you will be what you define yourself as. I will never be able to think of you as just anything. You will never be just the mother of my children, but Cadence, the love of my life and everything else that you are. You will always be the sum of all of those things. You are not one-sided nor would I ever want you to be. I love every facet of the glittering girl in my arms.”

“Pete… I think… I think I need to paint again,” she admitted softly.

His lips touched her temple again, “Then once the sun lights the sky and the stores open, we will go purchase any supplies you need.”

Cady cuddled with him for a moment, “Pete?”

“Yes, baby.”

“I understand now.”

“Understand what?”

“The difference between lovemaking and fucking,” she declared. “Thank you for loving me.”

He smiled and guided her mouth to his, “I will never stop.”