Round & Ravishing

by Mary E Thompson

  He ordered my drink and got himself a beer. He held my eyes, both of us drinking quickly. With every sip, anticipation ramped up my need for him. It had been far too long since I’d been with anyone. Living with your parents didn’t lend itself well to dating, or even just a hook-up. It was sad to say I hadn’t slept with anyone since I moved back to Winterville.

  I needed a night. One night. With a sexy oncology nurse. A man who was better than any other I’d ever known.

  When we finished our drinks, we rushed outside into the chilly November air. Noah stopped me just outside the bar and pulled me in for another kiss. His hands went through my hair, tilting my head to suit him. His tongue thrust deep into my mouth, pumping in and out, then tangled with mine. He pulled back, his breath mixing with mine, and asked, “Are you okay to drive?”

  I nodded. “Definitely. I’m in the gray Lexus over there.”

  He followed where I pointed. “I’m near the road. Black SUV. I’ll wait for you to follow me. I’m not too far from here.”

  I smiled. “Perfect.”

  He kissed me hard one last time then jogged across the lot toward his SUV. I got in my car but didn’t even bother with the heat. Noah warmed me up enough.

  The drive to his house was short, like he said. It was a small cottage at the very end of Arctic Terrace, a dead-end street just off Blustery Road and not too far from SkinnyCakes. I parked in the driveway but Noah pulled into a two car garage at the side of the house. He waited for me then closed the garage behind us and led me into the house.

  “Do you want to see the place?” he asked.

  We were just inside the garage door. Noah hung our coats up in a closet next to the front door to our left. Straight across from where we stood appeared to be a bedroom. I knew he was being polite and, quite honestly, I couldn’t have cared less about his house. As long as he had a bed, I was good.

  “Sure. We can start with your bedroom.”

  Noah grinned and led me into the room I’d hoped was his. It was small but neat. A massive king sized bed sat beneath a picture window that looked out onto the front yard. A floor-to-ceiling photograph of the Pyramids in Egypt filled the large wall opposite the door.

  “Fan of Egypt?” I asked, curious about the photograph.

  Noah smiled. He did that a lot. Either he found me endlessly amusing, or he was a genuinely happy guy. I was liking him more and more.

  “My brother took the picture. When he showed it to me I had to have it there. It reminds me that when God and Man come together, amazing things can happen. I need that reminder most days. Especially with my job.”

  “Wow,” I breathed. I really wanted to want a relationship so I could have one with him. Or introduce him to a friend of mine. If I had any of those that were single and not named Olivia. “That’s pretty insightful.”

  “Not very sexy though,” he said, his voice dipping as he moved closer to me.

  “Quite the opposite, actually. I find intelligent men very sexy. Men that can hold a conversation and like to read are definitely my kind of men.”

  “Too bad you aren’t looking for a relationship. We just might be a perfect match.”

  I laughed. “Yeah. Too bad. Something tells me we can make it work for tonight though.”

  “I like how you think, Tara.” He came closer, his eyes holding mine as he moved around the foot of the bed. Standing, with my boots on, he was only a couple inches taller than me. He took advantage of that height when he leaned over and kissed me, forcing me to tip my head back to meet his lips. One hand threaded into my hair and the other slid around my back. My hands went around his neck, playing with the hair on his nape.

  Noah backed me up until my legs hit the edge of his bed. I fell onto my back and sunk into his mattress. He lifted one of my legs and slowly unzipped the side of my boot. The sound vibrated in the room, making all my good parts pay attention to everything that was going on. He tipped my boot over his shoulder when he pulled it off, then lifted my other leg and did the same. He toed off his own boots and knelt on the bed between my thighs.

  He lifted my shirt and kissed my belly. He slid it up further until he exposed my bright blue bra. “Did you know blue has always been my favorite color?”

  “You did say it’s amazing what can happen when God and Man come together.”

  He snickered and rose to his feet. “You are definitely amazing.”

  I stood and stripped my shirt, ready to move things forward. I didn’t need romance. I needed sex. And the longer he made me wait, the harder it was getting for me to wait. My jeans quickly followed my shirt onto his floor. I reached for my bra and he stopped me.

  “Let me catch up.”

  I paused while he tore his shirt off. The muscles. Dear God, the muscles. A smattering of dark hair that led my eyes south as he unbuttoned and dropped his jeans. It was definitely going to be a good night.

  I licked my lips, wanting to get them on his skin. He really did look good enough to eat, and I was ready for a taste of him.

  He watched me as I stepped forward. I kissed him where my lips landed. On his neck. Then his shoulder. His collarbone. His jaw. A nip at his ear. A swirl of my tongue around his nipple. And he growled. “You’re killing me, Tara.”

  “Why?” Bicep. Elbow. Wrist.

  “I want you.”

  I lifted my eyes to his, a challenge clear in them. “I never said you couldn’t have me.”

  He pulled me in for a rough kiss, his body slamming into mine the same moment his tongue plunged between my lips. His hands went to my back and unhooked my bra. My arms were around his neck, keeping my bra in place, so he lifted it up and put his hands on me.

  “Oh, yeah,” we both groaned.

  I felt him pulsing against my belly and reached for him. His fingers tightened on my breasts and his hips jerked. I pulled my hand away long enough to slip it under his waistband and feel his skin in my palm. Hard. Hot. Heavy. Huge.

  It was going to be a great night.

  “On the bed, Tara,” he growled, pulling away from me. He tore his boxer briefs off and stalked to the nightstand, completely comfortable with his naked body on display for me to appreciate. He slammed the nightstand drawer closer and tossed a handful of condoms on the bed. “I plan to use them all.”

  Tingles of need heated my body. I knew my panties were soaked through. He could slide inside without any effort. Part of me hoped he would. Seeing him, holding him, I needed to have him. But my girly parts argued for a little playtime, too.

  “I can handle it if you can,” I teased, grabbing the edges of my panties and sliding them slowly down my hips.

  When I was bare before him, his eyes feasted on me. His cock bounced with each beat of his heart, and I couldn’t wait any longer for him. I pushed him down onto his back and grabbed one of the condoms. I slowly rolled it down his length, making sure I scratched him lightly with my nails. He groaned and thrust into my hand.

  “I’m not gonna make it if you don’t stop, Tara.”

  “Then I guess we better get started.”

  He tried to get up, but I pushed him back again and climbed on top of him. He scooted across the mattress further then held my hips as I lowered onto him. We both moaned when our bodies met. My eyes fluttered closed and I just enjoyed the feel of him inside me.

  “Damn, you feel good,” he growled.

  I opened my eyes and looked at him. Then I started to move. He squeezed my hips and guided me up and down with each of his matching thrusts. It wasn’t long before the old familiar tightening of my core began. I moved faster, needing more. He moved a hand between us and swiped his thumb over my clit.

  “Yes! Don’t stop.”

  “Not a chance, Tara.”

  Our eyes met as he took me up and up and pushed me over the edge. I clenched around him, feeling the pulse of his cock as he grew harder and longer. Noah growled. “Yes,” he said through clenched teeth. His fingers tightened on my hips, digging into to my flesh. He lifted my body and dr
opped me down onto his cock, sending me toward a second orgasm.

  “Are you close again?” he asked with a smirk on his sexy lips.

  “Yes,” I moaned. “Almost… there…”

  Noah pistoned me on him harder, hitting exactly where I needed him. I crashed, free-falling and screaming his name. He followed me within seconds, his body stilling deep inside me as he came with a roar.

  Chapter 4

  I collapsed onto his chest and listened to his heart beat. I knew better than to think it meant something, but damn was that amazing. I needed to get laid more often if I was able to forget how much I enjoyed sex.

  When I could finally breathe normally, I rolled off Noah. He tucked me against his side for a minute, then kissed my forehead and went to take care of the condom.

  “Give me a few minutes and we’re gonna do that again,” he said when he crawled back onto the bed. He hovered above me, his knees next to my hip, and kissed me softly, sweetly. He kissed one side of my mouth. Then worked his way to the other side. Then kissed my jaw. And my neck. Then my collarbone.

  And kept going.

  When he kneeled on the floor between my thighs, I knew that scruff on his cheeks I’d been imagining earlier was not going to disappoint. The first swipe of his tongue had my hips rising off the bed. Then he added a finger or two. He took his time. The slow build had me nearly whimpering by the time he circled my clit with his tongue.

  I came in an instant, my legs clenching around his neck as I tried to hold him in place. The scrape of his stubble on my inner thighs made my orgasm more powerful and I screamed his name while he pumped his thick fingers into me.

  Once I released him, Noah kissed my thighs and slowly withdrew his fingers. He met my eyes over my belly as he slid them in his mouth and licked them clean.

  “I knew after I kissed you that I wanted to do that. Thank you for letting me.”

  “You’re giving me some pretty fabulous treatment here. If I’d known it would be like this I’d have let you have the stool.”

  He cocked his head to the side. “So we wouldn’t have talked?”

  I shook my head. “No, so you could have rested. You’ve still got work to do.”

  He threw his head back and laughed. He got to his feet and crawled over me. He kissed me, letting me taste myself on his tongue. “I do have more work to do. I’ve got another condom to put to good use.”

  I laughed long enough for him to lower his lips and kiss me again, then I moaned and screamed and panted as we went through the rest of his condoms.

  I was still smiling the following Tuesday when I walked in Bite Me! for our weekly girls’ night. In California, girls’ night was a reason to get dressed up in your sexiest outfit and go to a club with your most famous acquaintances so you could be seen. In Winterville, New York, a small town outside Buffalo, girls’ night was a chance to hang out with friends and eat cupcakes, something never done in Hollywood, and talk about everything.

  I liked the Winterville version a lot better.

  I didn’t feel bad about myself with my friends. It didn’t matter that I was a size eighteen and not a size two. It didn’t matter if I ate two cupcakes or four. What did matter was that I had fun every single week.

  Suburbia was sucking me back in.

  I thanked Charlie Sullivan, owner of Bite Me! and Abby’s sister-in-law, when she handed over my blueberry-lemon cupcakes. Yes, two of them. They were my version of chips and I couldn’t eat just one.

  As always, Olivia’s daughter, Becca, came running over and wrapped herself around my legs. I learned after the first week, when I dumped my coffee all over the poor little girl, to avoid carrying more than one thing to our table at a time.

  “Hey Bex,” I said, making her giggle. Her long, blonde hair shook with her laughter.

  “You’re funny, Tara. Wanna know what I did at school today?”

  “Of course,” I said, squeezing her tight for a second. She let go of my legs and walked to the table with me. Well, I walked, she sort of bounced her way over.

  When I sat down, Becca scrambled onto my lap. She dipped her finger in my icing and licked it. I gave her my best stern face, making her giggle again. “I was gonna eat that,” I said, like I did every week.

  “You should. It’s really good.” She beckoned me closer and glanced at Olivia. “Mommy doesn’t want me to eat too many sweets so she won’t let me have one when we come here. Plus, I heard her telling Ms. Abby she doesn’t have much money and can’t afford a lot of extras.”

  I forced myself not to look at Olivia. I knew if I did, she would see that I knew something she wouldn’t feel comfortable with me knowing. But damn, did it hit me right in the chest to know Olivia’s life wasn’t perfect. I’d convinced myself she had her shit all figured out and was doing great. She put on a great face for everyone, and I had no reason to believe she was lying. But if she was that worried about money, things were clearly not great.

  “Why don’t you share mine with me? But only a little bit. You won’t go to sleep tonight if you eat all this sugar.”

  Becca giggled. “Mommy says that, too. How do you eat all that sugar and go to bed?”

  Smart kid. “Well, I’m a lot bigger than you are so I can handle more sugar and my body will be able to process it because there’s more of me. Me eating this big cupcake is sort of like you eating one finger full of frosting.”

  She swiped her finger through the frosting and took nearly half of it off the cupcake. “Like this?” she asked, innocence shining in her bright blue eyes.

  I stifled a laugh and nodded. “Exactly like that. Eat it quick before your mom sees.”

  Becca ducked her face away so Olivia couldn’t see her sticking the huge glob of frosting in her mouth. I glanced at Olivia and saw her watching us with a small smile. I looked away before our eyes met. I wasn’t ready to talk to her yet. I knew it was petty, but pain like she caused didn’t go away easily.

  Carrie flopped down in the seat next to me, the last vacant one at our table. “I’m so sick of being pregnant,” she groaned.

  I laughed. “Yeah, well, you’re the one who wanted kids so badly, from what I heard.”

  “I do want kids. Lots of them. But I’m ready to meet this little sweetheart.”

  “How is the baby going to get out?” Becca asked, mouth and fingered covered in sticky frosting.

  Carrie looked at me and I shrugged, eyes wide. “Um, well I have to go to the hospital and the doctors will help take the baby out.”

  Becca considered that for a minute. “My mommy said babies grow in your belly and then come out where you pee. It doesn’t seem like enough room for a baby though.”

  I pressed my lips together to squash the laughter trying to break free. Carrie choked on a laugh and said, “Well, um, your mommy is right, but when you actually have a baby your body gets bigger until the baby can fit out.”

  Becca’s eyes got wide. “So when you get fat in your tummy your pee parts get fat, too?”

  “Becca!” Olivia exclaimed from across the table. “What in the world are you talking about?”

  The horrified look on her face was too much for me. Especially when I caught the innocent look on Becca’s. She had no idea she’d said anything wrong and I felt bad for the little girl and immediately jumped to her defense through my laughter. “She was asking Carrie how the baby was going to come out. We didn’t really know how to explain it.”

  Olivia closed her eyes and pinched her lips together. They turned up at the corners telling me she was trying not to laugh.

  “Hey, Becca!” Xander called from the other table. “Elise wants to see you!”

  Olivia flashed Xander a look of appreciation as Becca scrambled off my lap to join them. When I started going to girls’ night with Abby, it was a very different event. In the months since, Olivia started going and bringing her kids, which led to the other women bringing their husbands again. Xander was only one of two dads, and he was always trying to distract Olivia’s ki
ds by encouraging Becca to play with his daughter, Elise, who was eleven months old. Brady, the other dad in the group, had his three month old daughter, Madison, on his lap while he talked to Carrie’s husband, Drew.

  We were a big group.

  Thankfully, Charlie closed Bite Me! on Tuesday nights so we could spread out and not worry about disturbing others. She didn’t for a while, but our group grew so much that she felt it was necessary. Plus, it gave her a chance to sit and enjoy the time with us, too.

  “How are you feeling?” Sam asked Carrie.

  “Ready to meet him or her.”

  “I still can’t believe you guys never found out,” Vicki Prescott said. When Carrie found out she was pregnant, she hired Vicki to take over her job as assistant to Drew and Xander at XD Home Restoration. Vicki fit right into our group and had become close to Carrie and Mandy.

  Carrie shrugged. “We know we want more kids so it didn’t matter if it was a boy or girl. Plus, this way, all the gear and the nursery are neutral and we can use the same stuff instead of buying new if the next kid is a different gender.”

  “It’s so logical,” Mandy, Xander’s wife, added. “I almost wish we’d done that. Everything we have is pink and when we have a second kid, if it’s a boy, we’ll be starting from scratch.”

  “You’re not pregnant again, are you?” Claire, Mandy’s best friend, asked.

  Mandy shook her head. “No. We want to wait until Elise is a little older. We’ll probably start trying in a few months.”

  “These big life decisions are tough, aren’t they?” Claire asked. “I mean, I only quit my job and started a company. You guys are creating life.”

  We all laughed.

  “Yeah, but creating life is a lot of fun work. Starting a company is stressful,” Carrie said.

  “Not as stressful as divorce,” Abby said. “I think that was the worst thing I’ve ever been through.”

  “I’m with you,” Olivia added. “Especially with the kids. I mean, Bill left a long time ago, but going through everything and trying to explain to two little kids that their daddy isn’t coming back is not an easy thing to deal with.”