“We’re gathered here in peace and love with those who share the heartbreak of Mother Earth’s loss of a great man. A man who used his words to embrace millions. A man who created worlds. A man whose imagination and talent stole our hearts. J. R. R. Tolkien.” She paused as she looked at each face gathered. I looked around at the crowd, too, and noticed eyes glistening.
Jesus Christ, these people were softies.
I watched Daisy, gauging her reaction. She seemed solemn but not too hard-hit like some of the others who listened on intently, tears in their eyes.
“—for a moment of silence,” Poncho girl droned on. “Send your blessings to the heavens, for though we mourn such a great soul, we know that his time on this planet has been served, and wherever he is now, we wish him great joy in a new adventure.”
I watched as everyone looked up, their eyes closed, peaceful smiles on their soft, unaged faces. I felt my age then, among these young bucks and nymphettes, and for a second, I wondered just what the hell I was doing. But one glance at Daisy brought it all back. My mission.
My promise.
Once the appropriate span of silence had been met, the group chatted softly and the guitarist started up a tune I wasn’t familiar with. Some of the girls, Daisy included, opened up coolers filled with beer. One by one, they went around to the attendees and handed out the bottles of beer. I waited with bated breath as Daisy came my way.
“Beer?” she asked me with a smile. Her husky voice that reminded me of smooth whiskey and winter nights weaved itself into my soul.
I didn’t change my relaxed position, only accepted the cold bottle from her. “Much obliged.” I tilted the bottle her way in thanks.
Something in her expression changed, and she seemed to see me for the first time. I knew exactly what it was. I was a man. Not a fresh, baby-faced boy with a lyrical voice to match. I was rough, masculine, and knew exactly who the hell I was in this world.
She seemed to hesitate before asking, “Want some company?”
Looking next to me at the empty space on the ground, I put down my beer and asked the kissy-faced couple if they had a spare blanket, which they were more than happy to provide me. I spread it out next to me and motioned for Daisy to sit.
“Well, aren’t you a gentleman?” She giggled a little nervously as she sat down, tucking her legs to the side and underneath her for modesty.
“No, darlin’. Just a man who knows a woman’s worth.” I tipped the brim of my hat up and winked at her. She blushed and looked away.
I smiled at her reaction. Daisy was a good girl. A pure girl. And as far as I knew, still an untouched girl, as she should be. Sure, loose women or ones that fooled around with their boyfriends or fiancés had every right to be free with their sexuality. But Daisy was mine to protect from the many predators out there in the world. Besides, no one would ever be good enough to even touch her.
“You from around here?” She fiddled with the hem of her skirt as I opened my beer with my car key.
“Not too far, not too near. Yourself?”
“Montana.”
I whistled. “Pretty far trip.”
“Yeah. But I had to come. Tolkien was brilliant, a true-blue genius, don’t you agree?”
I nodded after taking a sip of my beer. “He will be missed for sure.”
“Since you’re much older than me,” she said, ducking her head shyly. “Sorry, I mean—”
I waved her away with a surprised laugh. “That I am, no harm in acknowledging it.”
She smiled. “I just wanted to know… how old were you when you first read Tolkien?”
I looked up for a beat, trying to recall. “Thirteen, fourteen, I think. I was always more partial to Lord of the Rings, myself.” Which was true. Although, admittedly, I had found it incredibly tedious, but my professor in freshman year had made us read it.
A happy sigh escaped her lips. “It’s just so rad that his words touched so many.”
It was she I wanted to touch, but I agreed. “That is true.”
I wasn’t much of a talker; never had been. Daisy didn’t seem to mind, though, as we sat in silence for a beat, until the boy across the way started up with a new song. In the corner of my eye, I saw Daisy straighten, and I turned, mid-drink, to her see what had caused it.
She eyed me, smiling, a look of pure sex kitten on her pretty face. I swallowed my beer, its bitter piss-taste making me regret taking it in the first place. But I had to hide my reactions from her. I was barely able to control myself from touching her and grabbing that yellow hair into my fist and pulling her luscious lips to mine.
I raised an eyebrow at her, wondering what she was so excited about.
“This is one of my favorite songs!” She closed her eyes and swayed, her cheeks flushed, her smooth graceful neck splotched with ruddy color. “I’m Rose, by the way. What’s your name?”
With her eyes still closed, I watched her in awe before I gathered my damn wits and answered. “Sonny. It’s nice to meet you, Rose.”
She smiled, showing perfectly straight white teeth, and opened her eyes. “Groovy name. Nice to meet you, too, Sonny.”
Her cat eyes stayed on mine for a long time, then her little pink tongue peeked out to lick her bottom lip. She was so sexy and had no goddamn clue of it, either. Heat soared in my blood as I gazed at that mouth, reading the desire there that communicated want. Need. Lust.
Someone broke the spell, however, when they called out her name. Daisy turned to look and waved. “Over here, Paula!”
Paula, the red poncho girl, came running over and pulled Daisy by
