DISCLAIMER: I do not own Sky High or any of its characters. I do not own Sheryl Crow's song I Shall Believe. I love all of your comments and critiques. Please continue to tell me what 'firsts' I should include.
Ms. Jones surveyed the dining area, looking pleased with her work. The table was set for four with her best china, her mother's old lacy tablecloth, and a short, stout little cranberry scented candle set square in the middle of the table. She fidgeted, trying to get the utensils set properly with the knives facing the right direction. Layla's mother was far from being a socialite, but she knew what was proper when it came to dinner parties.
Layla approached her mother from behind, tapping her on the shoulder which startled the woman a bit. She turned to face her daughter with a bright smile on her face.
"Everything's set." She straightened out her daughter's shirt, then pointing to a tiny spot on the fabric. "Darling, I think you've got potting soil on your top." Layla's eyes widened and she blushed faintly, looking down to see that her mother was right. At the very top buttonhole of her pristine white lacy shirt there was a small, barely noticeable splotch of dirt. She dabbed at it with her fingertips, hoping to brush it off before the company arrived, but just as she began to clean it up she heard a knock at the door.
"Oh, crap," She frowned, brushing off her shirt as she walked to the front door, and peeked out the front window to make sure that it was Warren and his mother. Her frown disappeared when she spotted Warren, holding a small box close to his heart with his hand. His mother was standing by his side, dressed in a fairly casual flowered dress. She was just as beautiful if not more than the first time Layla had seen her. Her long, dark hair was done up in a simple bun with little curly tendrils dangling over her face.
Just when Warren was going to knock again, Layla opened the door and smiled brightly at her guests.
"Welcome! Merry Christmas!" She held the door open and Warren, murmuring 'Ladies first', let his mother enter before he did.
"Thank you, Layla, it's very nice to be here." Mrs. Peace looked around the foyer area at all of the decorations. There was no real theme when it came to home décor, but everything looked homey. It was completely different from the Peace residence, but it had a homey sort of ambience to it which made it just as charming as the apartment above the Paper Lantern.
"Hello!" Layla's mother smiled widely, holding out a hand for Mrs. Peace to shake. "I'm Molly, Layla's mother."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Molly." Mrs. Peace shook her hand with a pleasant half-smile. "I'm Warren's mother. Call me Pelefina."
Layla's eyebrows raised slightly. Mrs. Peace's name was 'Pelefina'? It was certainly more exotic and beautiful than, say, Layla or Molly. She was over the issue in a matter of seconds, of course, and was soon ready to celebrate the holidays with everybody.
"Please, take a seat at the table," Ms. Jones gestured over to the perfectly set dining room table. "Layla and me will get you guys your beverages. What would you like to drink?"
"Water will be fine for me." Mrs. Peace slid a chair out from the table and took her seat, neatly unfolding the cloth napkin onto her lap. She didn't come from wealth, but she had the table manners of a high society debutante. Warren followed suit, taking his cues from his mother.
"And you, Warren?" Ms. Jones asked the question while pulling out two glass tumblers to serve the drinks in.
"I'll take a Coke, if you have it." He looked up to the Layla with a playful sort of smirk. Soon, the Jones ladies emerged from the kitchen each holding two glasses filled with the suggested beverages. Pelefina smiled a bit, taking a sip of her ice water.
"Can I be of use to you?" She looked up at Ms. Jones who immediately shook her head.
"Oh, no, you're a guest!" Molly grinned brightly, disappearing once again into the Jones family kitchen only to reappear in mere seconds toting two casserole dishes filled with vegetarian goodies.
"Right here is the sweet potato casserole," She set it down, then pointing to the other dish she held. "And these are stuffed mushrooms."
Layla could feel her mouth watering right away. The sweet potato casserole was and always had been her favorite recipe of her mother's. They didn't have it very often only because Layla's mother was too busy to cook a full meal every day.
"Sweetie," Ms. Jones looked at her daughter who was just about to take a seat across from Warren. "Would you go get the rolls and butter?" Layla nodded with a tiny smile, standing back up and walking into the kitchen.
"Be sure to save room for desert," Ms. Jones smiled, looking from Warren to his mother. "I've been told that my coconut cream pie is the best in all of Maxville."
Warren was content with his surroundings on this Christmas Eve. It certainly beat eating bourbon chicken with fried rice. All that Layla's mother had cooked for them was positively delicious and she was right - She did make the best coconut cream pie.
He leaned back against Layla's cushioned headboard, making himself comfortable. The two of them had headed upstairs as soon as their mothers started to talk about what adorable infants they had been and what wonderful young individuals they had become. It was nauseating and just before they had made their exit Layla's mother had pulled out the baby pictures.
Pelefina had left the house only an hour ago, leaving Ms. Jones to reminisce with only herself and a cup of tea. Warren had stayed behind, hanging out with Layla in her room.
"My mother really liked the flowers you got her." Warren yawned and looked over to Layla.
"She didn't seem all that thrilled." Layla sighed.
"No, that's just how she is. Cool, composed, and not really one to gush over material things." She responded with a nod, not really sure if he was telling the truth or just trying to make her feel good.
"Speaking of material things…" Layla stood up from her seat at the foot of her bed, making her way over to her desk. She reached around her computer and revealed a small gift wrapped in bright red paper. She handed it over to Warren with a slight smile, hoping and praying that he wouldn't totally hate it.
Warren eyed it curiously, shaking it a little in an attempt to figure out what was underneath the Christmas wrapping paper. He undid the green ribbon bow and peeled the paper off to reveal a book - the complete stories of Franz Kafka. He smiled, flipping through the pages, and looked back up to Layla.
"I see you reading The Metamorphosis all of the time, so I assumed you liked Kafka." She smiled nervously, not really certain that Warren liked it until he leaned in, wrapping one arm around her and hugging her close. He withdrew, kissing her lightly on her jaw line, slipping the small box Layla had seen him with earlier out of his pants pocket.
"Oooh, my turn." She smiled to herself, ripping the paper away from her gift impatiently. Her curiosity peaked when she saw that it was a jewelry box. She felt a combination of excitement and disappointment in herself. He was buying her jewelry and she had bought him a book. It didn't seem like a fair trade-off.
Layla's eyes widened and a big, bright grin popped up on her face the moment she opened the box to see its contents.
"Oh!" She pulled out a necklace. It was just a simple gold chain with an amber charm dangling, but to her it was the most lovely thing she'd seen in a while.
"Amber… Comes from trees." Warren stated simply. "And I know how much you love trees." He smirked at her playfully, wrapping his arm around her once more.
"Oh, put it on me!" She handed Warren the necklace, lifting her long red hair up and away from her neck. Her smile hadn't faded at all. Warren slipped it around her neck, fiddling around with the clasp for a moment.
"There." Layla let her hair down, turning to give her boyfriend a light kiss on his lips before she looked at her reflection in her bedroom mirror.
"It's beautiful." She grinned. "Thank you!"
Silently, Layla promised herself that she would never ever take the necklace off. It was beautiful, but it meant more to her than any other pretty thing in the entire world. She turned and gave thanks to Warren in the form of many kisses only interrupted by her soft, euphoric laughter. He returned the kisses, smiling very faintly, and nuzzled his head in the spot between her head and shoulder.
Warren loved all of it. The meal had been excellent. He felt so welcome into the Jones household and they had treated him and his mother so kindly. Now, the moment he was experiencing right then with Layla in his arms was like paradise. He imagined that this was what Heaven was like.
Layla sighed contentedly, slipping her hands underneath his shirt to run them over his bare chest. She continued to kiss him, but her kisses turned into soft little nips on his mouth and lips. A giggle escaped her lips as she kept at it with the playful display of affection.
He didn't protest when Layla slipped his shirt over his head and tossed it on her bedroom floor and she didn't mind when he unbuttoned her lacy blouse. Layla did the rest of the work for him, slipping her arms out of the blouse and tossing it to the corner of her room.
Warren pulled Layla closer to him. Her soft curves pressed against his chest and their bodies seemed to melt into one entity. He could feel both of their hearts pick up pace.
"Layla," He whispered her name in between passionate kisses. "Are you… Should we…" He trailed off with a sigh, forcing himself to stop so he could be sure of what she wanted.
"We should." Layla stated with certainty, leaning in for a deep and passionate kiss. He reached around to her back, fumbling with the impossible clasp of her bra until she took mercy on him, removing it herself.
Warren unbuttoned, unzipped, and removed his slacks, kicking them aside and getting back to kissing his red-haired angel as soon as he could. She trailed kisses from his mouth, down his neck, and stopped right in the middle of his chest.
He almost died right then as he looked down on Layla whose eyes met with his own. It was amazing how Layla had transformed from a meek little girl into the seductress lying in his embrace.
She slipped her skirt off of her lower body, leaving the two of them with only their underwear and even that would be gone in a moment.
Layla, unlike Warren, had never been this far. All of the bold moves she'd made didn't come from experience but rather guesses. All that she did she did because it felt right. Being with Warren felt so incredibly right.
Every caress felt twice as intense compared to any cuddling they had done before this. This was true intimacy and they were both loving it.
Warren hesitated for a moment, taking in her facial expressions, her sighs, everything… It was the greatest aphrodisiac he'd ever experienced.
Layla stifled a yelp of pain as he entered her. He looked down at her, worried, and brushed a bit of red hair out of her eyes. She smiled a little at his display of concern.
"Warren," She moaned his name, taking in a sharp breath of air as they continued. He was gentle and tried to be aware of what Layla was feeling. He wanted things to be special. Layla deserved it.
Soon they had found a rhythm, Layla raising up her hips to meet with his as he moved, getting closer to her with every thrust. The moans and sighs became more frequent as they pushed on towards heaven.
"Warren," She closed her eyes whispering his name and practically collapsed. Soon after, Warren laid next to her. He trailed his fingertips over her alabaster skin, causing a trail of goosebumps to form.
"Merry Christmas," Warren murmured into her ear, then pecking her on her temple.
"Merry Christmas," She looked back at him with a tiny smile.