In The Moment

by Alison G. Bailey

  “Lucky for me.”

  The look in his eyes sent shivers through me. Telling him about my diagnosis had changed the way he looked at me but not how I expected. Luken looked at me as if I were a fine piece of art to cherish.

  Placing light kisses over my mouth, he coaxed my lips apart. Our tongues did a slow dance, taking the time to explore. Luken’s lips traveled across my jaw to behind my ear. His hands slipped down, cupping my ass and pulling me closer. Grabbing a fistful of his crew neck shirt, I tilted my head to give him more room to work his magic. Every nerve ending in my body was on high alert. In that moment, I wanted him more than anything I’d ever wanted in my life.

  “Luken…” His name floated out on a breath. “I haven’t been with…”

  He left my neck and held my gaze. “Don’t think the only reason I asked you here was for that. I mean, I want you, Cadence, but we won’t do anything you don’t want to do. I meant it when I said, we can go as slow as you need. You set the pace.”

  “It’s just that… The chemo and radiation did a number on me, namely, the way I see myself. Add in my age and…”

  A flash of anger crossed his face. “Stop it. You’re beautiful. End of story.”

  “I’m nervous.”

  Resting his forehead against mine, he whispered, “It’s okay. I’ve got you.”

  THE BEDROOM WAS dark except for the moonlight streaming through the window. I thought the lack of light would help calm my nerves, but I was wrong. My knees barely held me steady standing in front of Luken. I was about to be naked, and cancer or no cancer, there was no way my forty-year-old body could compete with a toned one twenty years younger.

  Holding my gaze, he reached behind his head and tugged at his collar. His muscles stretched and flexed as he peeled off the shirt, tossing it to the floor. The breath caught in my throat and my fingers tingled to touch him, but I didn’t. I needed him to take the lead tonight. A beam of moonlight hit his chest, revealing every ripple, curve, and indentation. At first, my eyes couldn’t make up their mind where to land, but then I noticed the glimmer of a silver ring piercing his left nipple.

  “I didn’t know you had a piercing,” I said shyly.

  “If I’d had my way, you would’ve known sooner.”

  Blush.

  There was something about his piercing that was mesmerizing.

  Noticing my fascination, Luken said, “You can touch it if you want.”

  Timidly, I raised my hand and gently ran my fingertips over the ring. My gaze jumped up when I heard his sharp intake of air.

  Letting my hand fall, I said, “Sorry.”

  “Don’t be. It’s just… Let’s just say it’s taking everything I got not to rip your clothes off and get you in my bed.”

  The way he was looking at me and knowing it was a struggle to stay in control had my entire body humming and my heart opening up. Tears pricked the back of my eyes. There was no way I’d ever be able to put into words what this moment meant to me. Without knowing, Luken had given me a gift that no matter what I said or did, would never be a big enough thank you. I felt wanted and beautiful through his eyes.

  I hadn’t realized tears were falling until I felt the touch of his finger wiping them away.

  “Are you okay,” he whispered.

  I nodded, and that was all he needed. It was as if he read my mind and knew that this was more than me just being nervous about our first time. This was me finally letting go of the cancer patient and finding Cadence Fletcher again.

  Feeling bolder, I softly kissed his lips before traveling down his neck. When I got to his chest, I made a slight detour over to the piercing, placing a circle of wet kisses around it before gliding my tongue over his nipple.

  “Fuck, Cadence! You’re making things harder.”

  To his credit, Luken held on and let me continue. Staying the course, I made my way down. When I got to his ribcage, I noticed black writing scrolled across the skin.

  “A tattoo? You’re full of surprises,” I said. There wasn’t enough light coming from the window for me to make out the words. “What does it say?”

  “Life is made up of moments. If you’re not in one, you’re not living.”

  “That’s beautiful.”

  Cupping the sides of my face, he brought our lips together for a slow deep kiss. Ending the kiss, he took a step back, kicked off his shoes, undid his pants, and stepped out of them. The sight of him standing in only his boxers with his dick straining against them caused my heart to pound so hard against my chest it felt like it was going to shatter at any second.

  Wasting no time, his fingers threaded through my hair as he tilted my head back. Luken wasted no time slipping his tongue back between my lips. I wanted his hands all over my body and wanted to feel him inside of me. I grabbed the top of his boxers and tugged.

  Smiling, with his lips still pressed to mine, he said, “Now who’s impatient?”

  “You have no idea how much I want you.”

  His lips connected with my hot skin and traveled down my neck. As he paid attention to the spot behind my ear, he slowly slid the cardigan off my shoulders. Goose bumps popped up on every exposed part of my skin.

  “I want to see you,” he whispered in my ear, his hot breath flowing over my neck.

  I gave a slight nod before I stepped back. Focusing on his intense gaze, I slipped out of my shoes. I pushed the straps down and let my dress fall to the floor. I stood frozen in my white lace bra and panties waiting for the verdict. Luken didn’t make any move. Fear hit my stomach the longer he stared. I thought my worst nightmare was coming true. But then I noticed his arm muscles tensing as he flexed his hands while taking in every inch of my body. Holding out his hand, he helped me step out of the pool of fabric.

  Starting at my collarbone, Luken worked his way down, placing a trail of wet kisses over my hot skin. My entire body tensed when he got to my breasts. He paused, looking into my eyes for permission to continue. My fingers melted into his hair as I guided him further. He held my hips steady, licking and sucking down the center of my stomach to the top of my panties. Kneeling, his hands slid over my ass and down the back of my legs, skimming the tip of his nose along my inner thigh. When his mouth pressed between my legs, I thought I was going to collapse. Grabbing onto his shoulders, I was able to steady myself. His lips took the same route on the return trip up my body.

  Lingering at my stomach, he said, “Your body is incredible.”

  I was so overwhelmed with sensation and emotion I couldn’t speak. His hands slid to my back, unhooking my bra. I glued my upper arms to my sides in an attempt to keep the lace from falling.

  Placing a gentle kiss on the top of each breast, he looked up. “I’ll wait on my knees forever if you need me to.”

  The intense sincerity in his eyes calmed my nerves. Inhaling a deep breath, I relaxed and let the bra go.

  He licked his bottom lip as his gaze dropped. “Which one?”

  “The right one.” My words were barely audible as tears fell down my cheeks.

  Luken touched my right breast so gently it was as if he were handling a fragile piece of glass. When his lips pressed against it, a jolt of electricity shot through my body, causing my fingers to dig into his shoulders. Slowly swirling the tip of his tongue over every inch of my right breast, he made his way to the center. My nipple disappeared into his mouth, his tongue rolling over it as he sucked gently. My body was one giant exposed nerve, ready to feel the weight of him on top of it and how it felt to have him inside.

  “I can’t take much more.” I moaned.

  My nipple slipped from his mouth. “Am I hurting you?”

  “No. I need to feel you on me and in me.”

  Standing, a devilish grin crept across his face. His hands slid into my panties and over my ass, pushing them down my legs. I was completely naked and vulnerable and felt safe and beautiful.

  As he lifted me, I wrapped my legs around him. His hot skin pressed against my wet pussy almost had me cl
imaxing right then and there. Kissing me slow and deep, he headed toward the bed and laid me down. He took my right ankle in his hand and nibbled his way up until his face was settled between my legs. Grabbing the comforter, my hands twisted in the material as Luken’s tongue flicked in and out of me. I dug my heels into his back, thrusting my hips up off the bed and against his face. Wave after wave of the most intense pleasure I’d ever experienced washed over me as I screamed incoherently.

  Before I had a chance to come down from the high, Luken appeared above me. With his hands on either side of my shoulders, he stared down with a mix of hunger and wonderment filling his eyes. Gripping the waistband, I pushed his boxers down.

  He winced and grunted. “Shit!”

  Panic flashed through me. “Did I do something wrong?”

  “No, you’re perfect. I gotta get a condom.”

  “Where are they?”

  “Nightstand.”

  I wiggled and twisted until I was able to reach over and pull the drawer open. Feeling around, I quickly found what I was hunting for and got back to business.

  “Can I put it on you?” I asked.

  He nodded.

  My gaze stayed locked on his as I ripped open the foil and slid the condom out. I wrapped my hand around the base of his dick. Slowly I moved my hand up, applying slight pressure as my fingernails lightly skimmed over him. A deep growl vibrated from his chest as his arms trembled. Luken watched intently as I rolled the condom on.

  “Fuck!” he said through clenched teeth.

  “Okay?”

  “Yeah. Cadence, I gotta get inside of you now.”

  I took his face in my hands and pulled him to my mouth. Our lips moved in perfect sync as his hips rocked into me. The feel of his dick teasing me felt incredible. Propping up on his elbows, he eased himself inside me. There was no pain. No moment of having to get used to the feel of someone new. Like everything else with Luken it felt natural.

  I tightened my thighs, letting him know it was alright to speed up. If I could, I would have crawled inside of him to be even closer. He shifted his body to the side. Placing his left knee underneath my thigh, he pushed my leg higher and wider. The move was mind-blowing.

  Luken buried his face in the crook of my neck, pounding harder and faster into me. “Fuck! I wanna stay inside your pussy forever.”

  The feel of him throbbing inside me, caused my back to arch off the bed as the pressure began to build. Two more hard thrusts and I exploded.

  “Luken!” I screamed, my body convulsing underneath him.

  His movements got more frantic just before his muscles tensed and he came inside of me. With our sweaty bodies stuck together, we laid there in silence while we each tried to catch our breath. After a few minutes, his body shifted.

  “I’m so fucking happy I found you,” he whispered against my neck.

  I tightened my hold on him. “Don’t move.”

  He nibbled his way up my neck and along my jaw until our eyes met. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  THE NEXT MORNING my eyes fluttered open at the tickling sensation running down my spine. I squirmed trying to scratch it when I heard a throaty chuckle behind me. Luken’s tongue licked its way from the small of my back up to my neck.

  Stretching like a cat, I yawned. “Good morning.”

  “Mmmhmm.” He hummed, tickling my ear. “Get up sleepy head.”

  “But I’m so comfy. Plus, I have a hot guy making out with my back.” I wiggled my ass against him and immediately felt him get hard.

  He growled. “Fuck, Sweetheart, keep that up and we’ll never get out of here.”

  Between the after effects of last night, how quickly his body responded to me and hearing the term of endearment, I felt like a giddy college coed.

  Luken playfully slapped my ass before crawling out of bed.

  “Hey! That’s no way to treat a guest.”

  “I need my first mate up on deck. We’re taking this baby out on the open seas.”

  I flipped over and sat up, holding the sheet to my chest. Luken pulled on a pair of red board shorts and a white T-shirt.

  “We’re going sailing?”

  He lunged toward me, placing his hands on either side of my hips. “Yes. I can’t wait to fuck you in the middle of the ocean. Now get your beautiful ass up and dressed.”

  “Aye, aye, captain.”

  He stood and grabbed his sunglasses. “Don’t forget to wear your bathing suit.”

  “I forgot to pack it.” I lied.

  “Then it’s a good thing I bought you one. It’s in the top drawer.”

  “How did you know my size?”

  “Grace is a good friend.” Sliding the sunglasses on, he flashed a bright smiled and left.

  I wrapped the sheet around my body as I climbed out of bed. I opened the top drawer to find a Victoria’s Secret bag staring back at me. I grabbed the bag and before I had time to talk myself out of it, I put the suit on.

  It fit perfectly, and I felt comfortable in the turquoise and white floral design boy shorts and solid white high halter top. Even though a lot of skin was still exposed, I felt covered. Needing a little more time to psyche myself up for the big reveal, I pulled on a pair of shorts and slipped into one of Luken’s hoodies I found in the closet.

  As I passed through the kitchen, I saw that Luken had already made coffee. I poured myself a mug and headed up to the deck. I was very excited when I found out we were going sailing. This was a weekend of new experiences.

  When I emerged, Luken was hard at work getting the boat ready to set sail. The breeze rustled through his hair while he untied the boat from the dock. As I watched him go through the routine, thoughts of last night drifted through my head, causing me to shudder.

  “Hey, sleepy,” he said, pulling the rest of the rope into the boat.

  I held up the mug of coffee. “Thank you.”

  “You’re very welcome.” Cocking an eyebrow, he asked, “Do you have your gift on?”

  I handed him my mug and unzipped the hoodie giving him a quick peek.

  “Like it?”

  “I love it.” Raising up on my toes, I gave him a kiss and took my mug back.

  “I love you.”

  The mug started to slip from my hand. Luckily he had fast reflexes, catching it before it fell and setting it aside.

  I was taken completely off guard by his words. “Luken… I… um…”

  “You don’t have to say it back. I’ve been wanting to tell you but didn’t want to scare you.”

  My heart wanted to say it back to him, but my head kept screaming that it was impossible to feel this way after only a short time. Listening to my heart for the last two weeks had made me happier than I’d been in a long time, though.

  “I love you, Luken.”

  His face lit up. “Really?”

  “It doesn’t make sense but… yes, I do.”

  “Love doesn’t have to make sense. It just has to be.”

  Sweeping me up into his arms, he spun me around while squeals of laughter flew out of me. After a few more spins, I slid down his body until my feet landed back on steady ground.

  “Let’s get out of here. I have plans for this away from port.” He gave my ass a squeeze.

  Warmth radiated from between my legs to the rest of my body.

  “Come on. You’re gonna help me drive this baby,” he said walking toward the front of the boat.

  “What? Wait! I don’t know how to drive a boat.”

  TURNS OUT I wasn’t half bad at captaining the ship. The rest of the day was spent sailing, eating, relaxing, having sex, and getting to know each other better.

  It was late afternoon, and we were in the middle of nowhere, stretched out soaking in the sun and having a few drinks. I’d gotten brave and hot enough to ditch the hoodie but still had on the shorts.

  Baby steps.

  I took a sip of wine and said, “Tell me about your company? You’re pretty young to have started one and it already is so successful
.”

  “I developed the software junior year in college. By the time I graduated, I had a business plan and took off running. The first year was rough, but I stuck it out with the help of my parents. I kept working my ass off, grabbed some opportunities that came my way, and now I have a company with sixty-five employees so far.”

  “You’re a regular Bill Gates.” I smiled.

  “Not yet but maybe someday.”

  “No maybe’s about it. I predict great things in your future.”

  A strange expression crossed his face but quickly vanished. I didn’t think much of it at the time. I figured since we were talking about his company that something about it must have triggered a thought.

  “I want you to meet my parents.” He blurted out.

  “Um… do you think that’s such a good idea at this point?”

  “Why wouldn’t it be?”

  “Well, we just started this and with the age diff…” His jaw clenched. “I’m not bringing up age as an excuse not to meet your parents. Of course I want to meet them. I’m just saying it might be good to ease them into the idea of me.”

  “They married eight months after meeting.”

  “So speed runs in your family.” I teased trying to steer the conversation anywhere other than meeting the parents.

  Reaching over, he slid his hand to my inner thigh. “No reason to waste time when we see something we want.”

  Gripping my hips, he pulled me on top of his body. “You don’t have to meet them tomorrow, but I do want it to be soon.”

  By the serious tone of his voice, I knew this was very important to him.

  “Just give me a little more time,” I said.

  A weak smile crossed his face.

  I started to move off of him, but he stopped me. “It’s time to drop the shorts.”

  “I had a feeling that was next on your list.” I teased.

  His hands roamed to the hem of my shorts. With one quick tug, they slipped over my ass. Wiggling my hips, I pushed the shorts down until they reached my ankles and then kicked them off.

  “That’s better,” he said.

  Draped over Luken’s chest, I rested my cheek against his heart. His hand mindlessly stroked up and down my back while we laid silently listening to the sounds of the ocean. Funny how just two weeks ago I believed this was nothing more than a fling that would fizzle as quickly as it started. But with both of us using the word love and Luken wanting me to meet his family, things were getting very real, very fast.