by Lulu Pratt
I push the thought away.
“Let’s talk about happier things,” I say. “Or watch a movie. I think we have one more left.”
Sarah nods. She’s not going to push the topic, and I’m relieved. She’s not a nosy gossip like so many women. It makes me want to fill her in on what I’m struggling with. But if she knows that James is in jail and I had to move Britney out of her house, I’m scared that she’ll figure out the rest. I don’t even want to go there, to tell her even a little bit about what happened. The fewer pieces of this puzzle she has, the murkier the picture is, and I need to keep it that way.
I’m digging myself a hole, weaving a web of lies. I know I am. But I don’t know what else to do. For now, I’m stuck doing damage control. After this blows over, I’ll speak to her, I vow. I’ll tell her what’s been going on, explain everything to her, and hope and pray that she understands how important it was for me to do what I did. That’s all I can do — be honest and let the pieces fall where they may.
Chapter 25
Sarah
The moment I close my eyes, Graham is everywhere. I’m trying to fall asleep, but when I close my eyes, Graham flashes before me. We are still sleeping in separate rooms, taking it slow. Half of the time, I feel like I know exactly where we stand, like we are at the beginning of a serious relationship. The other half, I have no idea where we stand, and I don’t know if he’s serious about me, or if this is just a fling, if circumstance is throwing us together temporarily.
Tonight, I can’t get the way he kisses me out of my mind. When his lips are on mine, the world melts away. His hands are hot on my body, and I can still feel the imprint of him on my skin. Slowly, sleep drags me under, but that offers me no escape. I’m not sure escape is what I want.
Release is.
At the back of my mind, I know I’m dreaming, and I give myself over to what’s happening. Dream Graham is in front of me, fire in his eyes, and I know exactly what he wants. Me. I want him, too.
In no time, Dream Graham has me naked. My skin is on fire, aching for his touch, and he obliges. He puts his hands on me, and I gasp for breath, the lust so thick in the air, it feels like it’s replacing oxygen.
The next moment, Dream Graham is inside of me. We went from an introduction to foreplay to full-on sex in seconds. I’m on my back, breasts moving back and forth, and he’s on top of me, fucking me hard. I gasp and moan, feeling the orgasm build. Every single time Dream Graham touches me, I know that pleasure will ensue. He knows exactly what he’s doing.
Dream Graham’s mouth is on my neck, nibbling and sucking the skin, and his fingers tweak my nipple, tugging and pulling. I cry out, the sensation building as I get closer and closer to orgasm. At the last moment, when I’m just about to tip over the edge, he pulls out of me. I’m left reeling, and I moan in protest.
“Why are you stopping?” I ask, but Dream Graham doesn’t answer me.
I wake up drenched in sweat and still hovering on the edge of the orgasm I never got in my dream. I’m yearning for a release, aching for sex. I want Graham’s body all over me for real. The desire that I’m feeling now is even worse than what it was every time we were interrupted. This time, in my dream, I’ve been denied my orgasm, and I want it now.
I run my hands over my own body, feeling my curves, touching myself. I am wet and horny, and no matter what I do to myself, it’s not enough. It will never be enough unless it’s Graham.
I glance at the clock on the nightstand. It’s only two in the morning, hours before sunrise. The darkness wraps around me, and the cabin is silent, apart from the light creaking brought on by the wind. Graham’s room is just across from mine, and I can’t stop thinking about him. Should I go to him? For a moment, I wonder, but then I tell myself that the worst that could happen is a rejection, and I’ll have to play with myself for my orgasm. Yes, it will sting, but it’s worth a shot.
I slip out of bed and tiptoe to Graham’s room. Inside the door, I strip myself of my pajamas, but leave my panties on, and make my way slowly to his bed. I can taste my heart in my throat. Nerves bunch in my stomach, but the ache for sex overpowers everything, and I walk over to the bed.
Despite the cold outside, Graham sleeps with only boxers and the thick covers. I peel back the blanket and look at his body in the semi-dark of the room. I clamber onto the mattress and snuggle up to him. This is all or nothing. I lean in to kiss him and that wakes him up.
Graham kisses me back before he breaks it.
“Sarah?” he asks. He runs his hands over my body and realizes I’m naked except for my panties. I can feel him harden next me, his cock pressing against the silky material of his boxers.
“Is this okay?” I ask.
Graham answers me by kissing me again. He pulls me against him, and my naked breasts brush against the skin of his chest. He runs his hands over my back to my ass and squeezes my ass cheeks. He starts pulling at my now-sopping panties and I quickly take them off, not wanting to wait any longer that I already have. After I am naked, I straddle him. He grinds himself against me, my wetness soaking the material of his boxers.
“I’m making your boxers wet,” I say to him.
“Then we better take them off,” Graham says, and I lift up so that he can work his boxers down his legs. I help him, getting rid of the underwear completely. He is naked and hard, his cock straining and proud in the dim lighting. I’m straddling his thighs, his hard cock right in front of me. I wrap my fingers around his shaft and lower my mouth to him. When I close my lips around his head, he groans.
His hand moves to my hair, and I started bobbing my head, taking him into my mouth. For a while, I focus on sucking him off, cupping his balls with my free hand. I can feel him shudder and twitch beneath me, signs that he’s getting closer. I don’t want him to come yet. I want him inside of me. It’s the whole reason I barged in here, and I’m not leaving until I feel his thick cock plunging into my depths.
I’m about to pull away, and Graham grabs my head and stops me. I guess I read him well. He lifts my head, and our gazes meet. His eyes are dark in the night, and he’s breathing hard. I don’t need him to tell me what I already know. I make my way up his body, straddling his hips again. I plant a wet kiss on his lips, and then I sit down on his cock.
But I don’t take him inside yet. I slide his length up and down my slit, coating him with wetness, even though it’s hardly necessary. The combination of my saliva and his pre-cum already has him lubed up and ready.
I sit up, guide his cock to my entrance with my hand, and thrust him inside my aching pussy. I throw my head back at the sensation of being filled up. It’s better now, in real life, than it was in my dream. The feeling is exquisite, and it’s exactly what my body has been crying out for desperately. My moans are loud in my ears, but I can’t hold back the sounds of my pleasure. Graham’s cock just feels too good.
I start riding him, bucking my hips. The orgasm that started in my dream flares up almost immediately, and I’m shaking on top of him. His hands are on my hips, guiding me back and forth as I fuck him harder and harder.
“God, you feel so fucking good,” I moan.
The sound of my words seems to turn him on more, and he lifts his hips when I come down, slamming our bodies together and plunging his cock as deep as he could go. Electricity roars through my body, crackling and sparking with pleasure.
Judging by the feel of him, Graham is getting closer, too. The last time we did it, he held out a lot longer, but tonight, I did wake him up almost naked and suck him off.
My clit rubs up against his pubic bone, and I’m working myself up into a frenzy. His cock strokes along my G-spot, and the combination drives me crazy. It doesn’t take very long before my orgasm shatters through me, and I cry out.
My body curls forward, and I lean on Graham’s chest to hold myself up. I shudder and convulse as pleasure washes through me in wave after wave. Graham cries out, and a moment later, he’s orgasming, too. He grips my hips, shoving himself
into me as deep as he can, and I feel him release, emptying himself inside of me. We come together, crying out, breathing hard, our bodies shaking and shivering.
Finally, my orgasm fades away. Graham is still twitching inside of me, and I lie on top of him, gasping for breath. His heart hammers against his ribs under my ear against his chest, and he’s breathing as hard as I am. Both times we had sex, it was relatively quick, but both times, it was absolutely mind-blowing. I lift myself and clumsily get off Graham. My legs are numb and trembling, and it’s a wonder I can move at all.
I collapse next to Graham on the bed. He sits up and pulls the covers over us both. He pulls me against him, his body hot. I’m already starting to fall asleep, exhausted. I’m not going back to my own bed. Graham doesn’t look like he wants to let me go, and to be fair, I don’t want him to.
Chapter 26
Graham
When we wake up again, the sun is high in the sky. Sarah and I are both early risers, but after our passionate night together, we needed the sleep. I love waking up next to her. Her body is draped over mine, her hair tickles my neck, and her naked curves feel amazing under my fingertips.
I can’t believe what she did last night. I’ve been trying so hard to take it slow with her, to not move too fast and scare her. The last thing I expected from her was to come to me in the middle of the night, almost naked and hungry. In the cold light of day, it feels like a wonderful dream, but the pleasant ache of my muscles and the sweet feeling of Sarah beside me proves it was very real.
I loved every bit of it. Every time I think I’ve figured Sarah out, she surprises me in a new way. I also like where our relationship — if I could call it that yet — is heading. I don’t know what caused her to come to me in the middle of the night, but I would love for her to do so again. I can still feel the echo of her body on my cock, throbbing and pulsing. I’ve had a lot of sex in my life, but nothing has compared to what it’s like with Sarah. I don’t know if it’s because she’s good in bed, or if it’s because I feel something for her. Of course, I feel more than just something for her. A lot more.
Sarah’s naked body is soft and malleable on top of mine, and her breathing is steady. I tip my head to the side a little to look at her while she’s sleeping. This is the most innocent form, the most natural. No matter what she does, Sarah is beautiful. In her sleep, she looks so much younger than when she’s awake for some reason. Her eyelashes are long, her cheeks are rosy, and her lips are plump and kissable. I don’t kiss her just yet. I don’t want to wake her.
I lie with her like this for a while. Slowly, I stroke her sides and back and elicit a sigh from her. She lifts her head and blinks sleepily at me.
“What time is it?” she asks, her voice still thick with sleep.
“I don’t know. Late.”
I kiss her, and she kisses me back. It’s amazing. Her lips are soft when I push my tongue into her mouth, and her tongue tangles with mine. I love the feel of her body on mine, and she moves her hips over me, imitating a very gentle sex. I could take her again right now. There’s something about morning cuddling that’s a hell of a turn on, and God knows I’m hard as fuck. But I’m not going to push her further than we’ve already gone. I’m determined to keep it slow. So, instead of rolling her onto her back, spreading her legs, and pushing into her again, I roll to the side so that she is lying next to me and cannot feel my erection.
“So, last night was good,” I say.
Sarah smiles, blushing lightly. “I’m glad you think so,” she says. “I wasn’t sure if I was overstepping the line.”
“Never,” I say, shaking my head. “I’m curious, though. What brought it on?”
Sarah shrugs. “I had a dream. It was about you. It turned me on. I didn’t want to do something about it myself, and you were just next door, so…” She shrugs.
I smile. “I think this is the first time I’ve ever been ecstatic about being next door to someone. Tell me what your dream was about.”
Sarah shakes her head. “I’m not telling you anything. Or else you’ll start thinking I’m a naughty girl.”
“Sweetheart, you came to me almost naked in the middle of the night, offering yourself up to me. Trust me, I’m not complaining.”
I reach for her, cupping her cheek and pulling her closer again for another kiss. After a while of making out, Sarah breaks the kiss.
“I think we should get up,” she says. “I would like to see if the car is reachable yet.”
I nod. I want to stay in bed, making out all day, but I won’t push her. So, we get out and get ready. I shower after Sarah does. When I get out, she’s whipped up a quick breakfast for us. I go to check on the car, and when I get back, I’m smiling.
“Good news, I think we can leave today. Why don’t you call your sister and let her know you’ll be on your way? We’ll leave an hour.”
Sarah smiles, walking to me to give me a hand. “Thank you, so much,” she says. I smile, too. If my woman is happy, so am I. I don’t think too hard about the fact that I’d just thought of her as my woman.
An hour later, we’re both ready to leave. I lock the cabin and put the key in the glove compartment in my car. I’m going to be driving Sarah back here. She won’t need to keep it on her. We make our way out of the woods, and suddenly, we’re back in town. We were never that far away, but being snowed in together made it feel like we were in a different world altogether. It doesn’t take us very long to get to Monica’s house. When I pull up in front of it, Sarah turns to me.
“I really appreciate you dropping me off,” she says.
“Don’t mention it. Call me when you’re ready to go back to the cabin, and I’ll make sure you get there safely.”
Sarah nods and leans forward to kiss me. I didn’t expect it, but I love it. She smiles at me before she hops out of the car and walks to the front door. As she arrives, the door opens and her niece Lindsay bounces up to greet her. I watch the little reunion for just a moment before I turn the car around and head to my own home.
I stopped at home first to get myself clean clothes. I only had the clothes on my back when I got snowed in with Sarah, and even though we didn’t exactly exert ourselves — not when we had clothes on anyway — a fresh change of clothes is needed. When I’m showered and freshly dressed, I walk to the house next door.
Britney and the kids were all glad to see me, and I’m happy to see that Britney is in a good space. James is still in jail, denied bail no matter what his lawyers tried to do, and because he doesn’t even know where she is, she feels safer. I know there is still a long road ahead. Divorce in a situation like this can’t be pretty, but Britney has already taken the first step, and the positive change shows.
I spend the day with my family, glad to be around other people again. Being with Sarah for a while has been great, but I’m relieved to be able to return to society. I’m sure she feels the same way.
By late afternoon, I get a phone call from her.
“I’m staying at Monica’s for the night,” she says. “Will it be all right if you take me back to the cabin tomorrow afternoon?”
“Of course. Have fun with your family.”
We end the call, and I have conflicting emotions. On the one hand, I’m glad to be with my family again. On the other, spending time away from Sarah suddenly seems strange.
Chapter 27
Sarah
Spending time with my family again is great. I usually see them so often, but this time, only a few days away from them seemed like a lifetime. Maybe it was because I couldn’t leave, and it was out of my control. Now that I’m with my sister again, I feel like I can relax. It’s not that I wasn’t relaxed with Graham, but being with someone that I haven’t known for very long is just not the same as being with someone I had grown up with.
“So, tell me about Graham,” Monica says. It’s just the two of us, drinking coffee. Larry and Lindsay have gone out to do some grocery shopping.
I blush. “Where do I start? He�
�s been great in every way. We never planned to spend so many days together. I mean, we hardly know each other, but I feel like I’ve seen who he really is now. I really like him.”
“I’m so happy for you, sis. You deserve a good man. You’ve waited long enough.”
I nod. When I think about Graham, I get butterflies. The last time I felt like this about a man was when I met Jacob. That didn’t end well, but I have a feeling that this one will end differently.
“Are you nervous about it?” Monica asks. She knows me too well.
I shake my head. “That’s the thing. I’m not nervous. I feel great about where we’re headed. I think that’s why I want to pursue this, and why I don’t want to just say thank you and walk away. Everything about him is different than the other guys I’ve met. He seems so sincere. That’s very hard to find these days.”
Monica nods. “It really is. I can’t tell you how glad I am for you. I take it you’re going to stay in his cabin?”
“I am. Obviously, he’s not going to be there with me now that the snow has melted enough, but it’s a free place and has good memories now.” I smile, remembering the nights we had sex. I remember all the movies and the board games and everything we did together to pass the time. I’ve told Monica everything we’ve talked about — not the private things, but everything else — and she agrees that we’re compatible in so many ways.
“How are you going to get back to the cabin?” Monica asks.
“Graham said I just have to call him, and he’ll pick me up again. He wants to drive me back there. He complains about my tires.”
Monica rolls her eyes. “He’s not the only one. I hope you listen to him, being that you’re not listening to me.”
“That’s not the point.” I laugh.
“Why don’t you let me drive you there, so he doesn’t have to come all the way here, first?” Monica asks.
