The Question Is

by Kenna Shaw Reed

  “Not at all,” he tried not to read anything into how she snuggled into his shoulder, his arm automatically closing around her.

  “Ready to come back to my place, then?” he smiled flirtatiously, pushing his luck a little but also willing to back off and treat it as a joke if necessary.

  “What have you got to show me?” she returned his flirt with one of her own.

  “Anything and everything you want.”

  “Oh, but I think I’ve seen it before!” Grace laughed with the shake of her head.

  “Perhaps you aren’t the only one whose changed,” he said, squeezing her hand.

  “You know I have a girlfriend,” she reminded him, tearing at his heart while he tried to not ruin the night.

  “I don’t, but your secret is safe with me. Let’s go and have some fun.”

  Grace

  “I’ll go with some of the guys and pick up snacks. Meet you there?” She didn’t wait for an answer, not trusting herself to leave the party with Seth or arrive at his house. As if they were any normal couple.

  Large packets of chips, bottled water, crackers and cheese thrown into trolleys. “Better get some milk for coffees,” Jo picked up full cream, skim and almond milk before they headed the checkouts.

  “What’s Seth’s house like?” Grace asked while their goods were scanned.

  “Huge and clean.”

  “But what’s it like?”

  “You know Seth,” Jo shrugged. She used to.

  Walking up the front path, Grace understood what Jo meant, the house was pure Seth. Sleek and modern exterior with pavers leading up to the entry. Perfectly styled front garden with not a weed or a stray leaf looking out of place. Grace smiled, the house was a fantastic advertisement for Seth’s business and it didn’t take much imagination to think of it featured in styled photos adorning his brochures.

  Even though they left the party only minutes ago, when he opened the door her body instantly reacted to him. It was as if all the years melted away turning her into a teenage girl with her first love. He had gotten changed into a casual short sleeved shirt and loose jeans, making her feel very overdressed in the short tight dress and killer heels.

  “Hey, you, did I tell you how amazing you look?” he greeted her with another kiss on the cheek, with the slightest hint of a hug. “Can you help me out and make sure all the drinks go in the ice baths out the back?”

  “Sure, lovely place.”

  “Thanks, I’ll show you around once I’ve greeted everyone.”

  That’s all it took for Grace to become hostess for the night. Slipping easily into old habits, she knew what Seth needed before he did. In the kitchen, she found disposable plates for the pizza. Outside at the BBQ, she kept the conversation moving and when the night got a little dirty, started organizing rides for everyone.

  All the while, Seth was the perfect host, setting up an open fire in a half metal drum out on the patio, making sure everyone had enough to eat, even going inside and whipping up a batch of chocolate and chilli fudge brownies. What man, she thought, handles a batter as easily as a bar-b-que!

  As they both moved around the party, separately yet working as one, she felt Seth’s gaze never leaving her. Despite herself, her breath quickened and she her own heart raced whenever they were close. At first, she tried to drown her nerves with a couple of quick glasses of wine, hoping they would go to her head and make the thoughts go away.

  What would it be like to be in his arms again. To feel him hold her next to him. To lay with him. What would it be like to make love with Seth again, would it be familiar or strange.

  Every part of her wanted to run away, back to Sienna and the safety of everything they built together.

  “Thanks, mate, great night.”

  “Gracie, don’t let it be too long.”

  “See you at the wedding.”

  “Lunch next week?”

  “Up for golf on Wednesday?”

  One by one the couples left until there was only Jo and Joe left, and finally Seth and Grace sat down around the fire

  “Of course, I want marriage and kids, but to do that I need to find a wife who is ready for nappies and sleepless nights.” Grace’s heart almost stopped as she heard Seth explain the secret to his corporate success.

  “It’s easy to build a successful business when it is all you have in life. I envy the two of you, I come home to this showpiece too afraid to mess it up. It’s a house not a home. Perfect for entertaining clients, but this is the first time I’ve opened it up for friends. Success came easy – it’s the important things like love and family that I haven’t worked out.”

  Joanne rose, “With that, I think I’ll take my lover home and show him how much I appreciate him,” she winked. As Grace hugged her at the front door, Jo said, “You are not over him any more than he is over you.”

  “I have a girlfriend.”

  “Yeah? And where was she tonight? You need to ask yourself. Did you stay away because you moved on or because you hadn’t?”

  “Seth and me, it ended years ago.”

  Jo stifled a laugh, “Believe what you want, but I dare you to kiss him once and see what happens. Either you will walk away, or you won’t. At least you’ll know.”

  Grace hugged and released her. “I wish you didn’t know me so well.” Damn, did Jo see how longingly her eyes traced his lips, full red lips that joined the rough stubble over his face and chin.

  As the door closed behind the two Jo’s, the house felt quiet. Sure, the music still played outside, but inside the foyer, Grace only heard the sound of Seth breathing in time with her.

  Standing so close, yet so far apart. Almost touching and yet not quite. A single touch and she would no longer be responsible for her actions. Despite every vow she made to herself and Sienna, she wanted this man. The first man and only man she had ever loved. The man who still looked at her as if she was the only woman in the world. The man who standing before her, waiting for her to either walk away or …

  In a million years, Grace would never be able to explain how or why she ended up in his arms. Her body moved to him of its own accord, one kiss she justified, it would only be one kiss.

  Oh, his lips merged with hers, his tongue exploring and reclaiming her. Then his arms pulled her to him, crushing her against his body. Her fingernails traced up his back, still outside his shirt, until they reached his neck, and then through his hair.

  Then he stopped and pulled away, Grace moaned. Surely, he wanted her?

  Then she understood, the pain and passion in his eyes. Always the gentleman, he was trying to do the right thing by her and stop before they went too far. A smile, a slow sexy smile shared between them.

  “No regrets,” he said as she struggled to catch her breath. Was he talking about the past or tonight?

  “Not if you remember how to do it,” a cheeky smile as she stroked his leg.

  “It’s not my memory I’m worried about, do you think you remember what to do?”

  Grace slowly caressed the bulge in his pants, it had been so long since she felt him between her legs. Gripping him firmly, her body tingled with anticipation of him. No one could ever fill her or her heart like Seth or fulfill her the way Seth always could.

  Once. One night. She wanted to remember him for one more night.

  “It might take me a couple of times to get back on your horse, do you think you could handle it.”

  She squealed as he swept her off her feet and carried her towards the bedroom. “Try me,” his last words before placing her gently on the bed.

  “Don’t stop,” she said between kisses, not able or willing to control herself. Not wanting to wait for him to remove her dress, after it found its way onto the floor, she allowed him to remove her red lacey bra as she removed his shirt and pants.

  She felt an indescribable hunger for him. The need for him to be with her, to feel his skin once again next her skin was overpowering. Like starving animals, they came together and as she felt him
enter her, waves of delirium came over her with every thrust.

  She raised her hips to meet him, wrapping her legs around him to hold him closer. The unfamiliar feeling of a cock inside her, yet the familiarity of Seth, only Seth, her Seth built to a crescendo.

  Riding with him was everything she had been missing in life.

  “Seth, oh, Seth, oh, Seth,” she cried as she came. He smiled, kissed her once before coming to his own thundering climax.

  “Not yet,” she cried as he moved to roll away.

  He raised an eyebrow as she continued, “I want to feel you inside me a little longer.”

  “Gracie girl, give me a moment to recover and you can have me again,” he kissed her, “again,” kissed her neck, “and again,” his kisses moved to her breast.

  Every sensation heightened by his touch and despite herself, she craved more attention. His mouth claimed her nipple, with the stubble softly grazing her soft skin, turning her whole breast on fire. Without withdrawing, his hand found it’s way between her legs, fingers playing, exploring.

  This time, the shudders caught her off guard, she did not think she would be ready again for him so quickly or respond so wantonly to his touch.

  Now, Grace rolled him away, “Enough already, a girl needs chocolate.”

  “Your wish, Princess Grace, will always be my command,” she laughed at his naked bow as he left the bedroom.

  Alone, Grace became conscious of her own naked body, glowing from their love making. She looked to the sheet and to Seth’s shirt – should she cover herself or remain au natural for his return.

  “Don’t even think about it!” he commanded, baring a plate of the chocolate brownies with a small jug of cream, a bottle of champagne and two glasses.

  “Honey, I’m too exhausted to think.”

  “Liar – you thought about covering that beautiful body. Don’t even think about it.”

  “Well,” she teased, “You did ask for some recovery time.”

  “I’m old enough and crazy enough about you to know exactly what I need,” as he opened the bottle, bubbles overflowed the glasses over his hand. Grace took one of the glasses from him and licked the sweet juice from his fingers. “That’s a good start,” he said setting down his own glass. With his free hand, he broke off a piece of brownie, dunked it in the cream and offered it to Grace.

  The oozy chocolate, so rich, moist and delicious. Some of the cream ended up on her lips and out of reach of her own tongue.

  “Oh, Gracie, I’ve missed you,” Seth kissed away the cream before she opened herself to him again.

  This time, they took their time to reacquaint themselves again.

  “Do you still like this,” as he nibbled her ear-lobe.

  “What about you, do you still like this,” as she massaged his fingers.

  “Not as much as I like doing this,” he turned her over and with his cock resting on her cheeks, started massaging her back. Deep, penetrating fingers finding their way down her neck, across her shoulders and down her back.

  “Oh, oh, harder, oh there you go,” she cried out. Seth always had magical hands and now they released all the tension she didn’t realize she carried. She felt him want to find his way back home inside her, as his hands moved underneath her, “No! Don’t.” She cried.

  Seth stopped and as she rolled over, she quickly reassured him, “No, darling, I want to see your eyes. I want to see you, to know it is you,” and she welcomed him again.

  With every thrust, she watched his eyelids shutter for the briefest of seconds. As they opened, she felt his honesty – the love and passion were still for her.

  Once upon a time, they were legends in their own minds for hot, physical sex without boundaries. Tonight, everything was different.

  What started off as a night of sex without reason became the most beautiful of nights of making love out of nothing at all.

  Seth

  He left her sleeping in his bed, her glorious body lying on his sheets for him to wonder at.

  For years he tried to forget her, to get over her. There had been other women but none of them came close to replacing Grace in his life or heart.

  Fuck. What had he done? She remained everything to him and all he could ever be was a one-night dalliance.

  Seth made himself a coffee and went out onto the patio where the embers from the fire softly glowed. It didn’t take long for him to get another blaze going and he sat back in the same chair Grace vacated, his legs stretched out onto the table. If he closed his eye he could remember the first time he saw her earlier in the night. A scene out of a movie, the room parted and caught his breath as she walked through the other bodies to him. No one else existed from that moment on.

  Her greeting was warm and genuine. He felt as if the years disappeared with her first, “Seth.”

  His body, no his heart was still hers to do with whatever she wanted.

  When everyone decided to come back here, he hoped Grace would join them. If she hadn’t, he would have spent a very long and lonely evening surrounded by friends. But not only did she come, she readily stepped into the role of his hostess. By his side.

  And now, he left his sleeping Princess in his bed.

  Seth had never been a man of tearful emotion, yet the unfamiliar tinge of sadness and melancholy overwhelmed him. Not for him, he would never regret loving Grace. No, his thoughts were for her.

  What would happen tomorrow, would she regret what happened – worse still would she blame the alcohol or him. Would she leave hating him when it only proved that his love for her was never ending.

  “Hey, you,” Seth had been so caught up in his own thoughts, Grace surprised him with a kiss. Catching on quickly, he pulled her into his lap, hands underneath the man’s shirt, capturing the curves of her ass.

  “I thought you would sleep until morning,” she smelled of him.

  “I woke up and you weren’t in bed, then I saw you out near the fire.”

  “So.”

  The words hung between them.

  He had no words. If only he did - what could he say that would make her give up her life in the city and move back with him.

  “I know,” she nuzzled into him, “And yet, I don’t know.”

  The passion from before gave way to a comfortable need to be together.

  “Want a coffee?” he asked and after she nodded, she followed him into the kitchen.

  “Hungry?” Damn fool! Asking a heap of boring questions when all he wanted to know, ask, scream out was whether she was okay, and did she miss him even a fraction of how much he missed her.

  Instead, he opened the fridge, “Leftover pizza?”

  “Sure - do you want it heated or cold?”

  “Cold, obviously.”

  “Man of my own heart,” she grabbed a couple of plates. “Why would anyone try and pretend it is fresh by reheating it?”

  “You haven’t changed,” he said, passing her the cup of coffee and making himself another.

  “What do you mean? Didn’t I get an award saying I am the most changed?”

  “There’s a reason for everything – no random actions,” he said cryptically.

  “Well, what do you call this?” she ran her hand across his chest and he held her, noticing for the first time that her shirt wasn’t a clean one from his dresser, but one he wore earlier in the day. He remembered throwing it in the hamper before getting ready for the reunion.

  Was the shirt a sign she wanted to be closer to him or just the first thing she found? Stop overthinking things, he reprimanded himself. He’d have the rest of his life to analyze tonight.

  “I call it an unexpected gift,” his hands found their way underneath the shirt and up her back. Soft as silk. “A beautiful evening with a woman I have loved longer than I want to admit,” his heart laid bare.

  “Seth, I …” she started, her arms wrapped around him, “I didn’t know. I thought you would forget me the moment I left town. I broke up with you, so you wouldn’t have any ties
or obligations to me.”

  “Sweetheart, I might have been single, and I’m not saying that I didn’t look around, but you have been pretty impossible to forget.”

  “So, tell me about you these days,” she asked as they both looked at the clock. Two am.

  For hours, they sat first in the kitchen and then back onto the patio, learning about each other again. Seth found a willing sounding board for his next project, surprised at how much advice Grace had for financing options. He pulled up some of the designs on his laptop and together they discussed how different demographic markets would react to the options his architect and interior designers wanted him to consider.

  “What do you do when you aren’t working?” she asked.

  Seth paused, most people knew about his generous donations to local community groups. Not many people knew about his work with the high school students. It was something he did for him, for his conscious not for recognition or glory.

  If anyone would understand the drive behind helping the boys, it would be Grace. She not only knew him back in the day, she had a front row seat to his demons and loved him even though he came close to throwing his life away. He had taken too long to answer. Overthinking again.

  “Seth, it wasn’t meant to be a trick question – what do you do in your spare time?” her smile soft, welcoming and encouraged him to open up.

  “Do you remember Mr Compton from high school?” she nodded, confused, “He is now the principal and we kept in touch.”

  “Sport sponsorship or coaching?” Seth smiled, “Fair call, that would have been more my thing.”

  “No, perhaps one day. At the moment, he recommends a couple of boys to me who are at a point where they need someone to listen and believe in them. Help them work out what sort of future they want and how to get it.”

  “So, you organize apprenticeships or jobs?”

  “Not for these boys, at least not at first. One boy I started working with only left juvie a week ago. This is his last chance to sort out his life. We spent an hour in the gym playing basketball. He didn’t say a word the whole time – and any bruises I have on my body are courtesy of his desire to push me out of the way to get the ball.”