by Ann Omasta
My eyes snapped to hers while I processed her words. I allowed myself begin to believe that she felt the same way I did about our relationship. Relief flooded my system at the affirmation that the level of intimacy I felt flowing between us had been reciprocated. My entire world had felt off-kilter from the recurring fear that she hadn't truly enjoyed our night together.
At my desperate, questioning gaze, she looked deep into my eyes and said sincerely, "Our passionate time together was the best night of my life, both physically and emotionally."
I could feel the blood pounding in my ears. This was like a fantastic dream. I didn't dare move or speak for fear that I would wake up and find that it wasn't real, but I craved the confirmation of her statement.
She stepped towards me then. Our fronts were lightly grazing in all the right places. My body lit up with excited electrical pulses in each of the locations that were touching Cassie's. It felt too realistic and wonderful to be a dream, but if it was, I did not want to wake up.
Unable to resist the urge any longer, I asked her, "The best?"
Cassie reached around to pull me closer to her, pressing into me. As she looked up, she smiled and said, "The absolute best."
I could barely feel my legs as the thrilling, numbing sensation traveled through my veins. I pressed my forehead down against hers. "It was absolutely the best night of my life, too," I confirmed. She breathed out a sigh of relief as if she had been worried that it wasn't. "I was so afraid that you had been faking it when I found out that Dirk sent you to me," I revealed.
"I'm not that good of an actress," Cassie chuckled before turning serious. "When we shared that simmering look at my wedding, I sensed that I was making a huge mistake, but I felt in too deep to turn back at that point. I had always thought I wanted the hot shooting star, but it turns out that a slow burning flame that lasts is what I truly desire."
Kissing the tip of her nose, I felt like I might be the happiest man alive as she gazed up at me. "I've been watching you and slowly falling in love with you for a very long time," she revealed.
I shook my head unable to believe this was really happening.
As if sensing my inability to believe her, Cassie lightly pressed her lips to my cheek. "You give up your seat when others are standing." She kissed near my ear. "You are polite to waitresses and doormen and taxicab drivers." She dropped a kiss on my neck. "You treat everyone with respect." Her lips touched my nose. "You stand when I leave the table." She nibbled on my earlobe. "You hold the door open for everyone behind you."
I closed my eyes, savoring her kissing and complimenting. It blew my mind that she noticed all of these little things. Being a gentleman, following through on these simple, common courtesies was a behavior trait that was ingrained in my personality. I didn't feel like it was anything special that deserved praise. Doesn't every man behave in this manner?
Answering my own silent question, I thought of Dirk snapping at waitresses, taking the first serving, or going inside ahead of Cassie. It never dawned on me that she noted all of these slights. I guess it was only natural for her to have noticed, but she had never given any indication that any of it bothered her.
She trailed her tongue along my neck, making me tip my head back, lost in the delirium of her touch. "You are a kind-hearted, generous, and loving man."
She kissed along my jawline heading back towards my lips... "You are funny." Kiss. "Handsome." Kiss. "Smart." Kiss. "Sweet." Kiss. "And sexy as hell." Kiss.
Her lips hovered over mine. "I'm in love with you, Reed Jacob Walker."
When she went to touch her lips to mine, I took control, smashing my lips against hers and delving my tongue into her mouth. She met me with vigor.
Turning us around and stepping forward, I slammed her back into the wall as heady passion sizzled between us. Our tongues tangled together as our mouths mimicked what our lower halves craved.
Sliding my hand up her thigh, I lifted her wispy, flared skirt and yanked her panties down. Pulling back from our kiss, I panted, "I've always been in love with you, Cassie," just before delving a finger into her wet heat.
She cried out, tipping her head back, as I plunged a second finger into her, while my thumb massaged her clit.
Clamoring to loosen my jeans, Cassie breathed out, "I want you."
My member throbbed at her words. It wanted her too. When she freed it and wrapped her hand around me, we both moaned in ecstasy. She moved her hand up and down my length, and I was lost in her, unable to think of anything but claiming her as mine.
She guided the tip of my dick to her opening. I tried to stay still there, savoring the moment. Her wet warmth was drawing me in. As I reared back to plunge into and explore the delicious mysteries inside her, a jarring thought held me back.
"The baby?" I croaked the question, my voice barely working.
"It's fine," she reassured me, but I held back still uncertain.
She grinned up at me, appearing charmed by my reluctance to take her, despite my obvious desire. "What? Do you think the baby will come out with a bruise on its forehead from you pounding into it?"
She laughed at the ridiculous mental image, but I was horrified. I stood there frozen, the tip of my penis still intimately touching her.
"I was kidding, silly." She reassured me, but I couldn't move past the fear of harming our unborn child.
Turning serious, Cassie said, "It's impossibly sweet that you would stop at this point, but the baby will be fine. I wouldn't do anything that would harm the little peanut," she added rationally.
Her words made sense, but I remained immobile, paralyzed with the fear of causing some damage to our little one. "Peanut?" I smiled down at her, placing a palm flat against her abdomen. To an outside observer, we would have looked ridiculous––partially dressed, with our most private parts lightly connected, while I chastely touched her belly and grinned down at her like a fool.
She nodded, beaming back up at me, before turning serious again. "You won't hurt it, I promise." Adding weight to her words, she reached down to guide my dick inside her.
I was still attempting to hold back, but finding it was a losing battle as my cock buried itself in her slick heat. She enveloped me, and it felt better than anything I could have ever imagined.
As phenomenal as our first night together had been, the knowledge that she belonged to Dirk had weighed heavily on my mind. I had struggled to keep forcing it back down.
Now, Cassie was mine, impregnated with my child. The difference was heady. The urge to love her with my body was overpowering. Sliding my length in and out of her, I dropped my head to her shoulder, nuzzling her.
Cassie turned her head to breathe into my ear. "I believe I was promised in an elevator once that you were going to do unspeakable things to me."
I groaned into her neck and slammed my cock into her, all worries forgotten.
Cassie wrapped her arms around my head, holding me to her, as we stayed for a long moment with me buried to the hilt inside her. "Do them," she invited, and I was lost.
I plowed into her, rougher than I would have been if I had been in control of myself. She met me stroke for stroke, begging for more.
We basked in our passion as I held her against the wall and rammed into her. She reached a hand down to rub over herself and screamed out as the first orgasm ripped through her.
I followed her over the edge as her walls tightened and pulsed around my dick.
We stood there for a long time afterwards. She wrapped her arms around me as I shivered, the last vestiges of the shattering orgasm still rippling through my nerve endings in snapping electrical delights.
"I can't seem to keep myself under control when I'm with you," I breathed out, feeling guilty for taking her so roughly.
"There's plenty of time for us to make tender and sweet love," she promised before adding, "I like it that you lose yourself when you're with me."
"I do," I confirmed before going on, "It's almost like I lose track of where I end
and you begin when our bodies meld together. I've never experienced anything like it."
"Me neither," she added, making my heart soar. "Now," she changed her tone to indicate a change in subject. "Let's go get some rest, so we can do this again later."
"That sounds like a marvelous idea," I grinned down at her before swooping her up into my arms and carrying her to my bed.
16
As unbelievable as it seemed, our night together in my apartment was even better than the first night when we had sex at the hotel room. Before the sequel happened, I wouldn't have believed it was possible to top our first night of raw passion.
I think the absence of the guilt we had both felt last time made all the difference. The first time, not realizing that Dirk had orchestrated our affair, I had felt bad about betraying my best friend. Cassie had no doubt felt guilty about using me, and, knowing her, she had probably not felt great about breaking her marriage vows. Despite our best efforts, these truths had hung heavily in the air between us in the hotel room.
Last night, we felt free and our uninhibited movements reflected that lack of restraint. We spent the entire night naked and curled together, holding each other with delicious skin-on-skin contact. We both slept soundly and seemed to move in unison...when I turned, she turned. Then we both drifted off again.
When I woke up at dawn to find her bright blue eyes gazing directly at me in close proximity, the warmth in her eyes felt overwhelming. I wanted to be worthy of such a look. Caressing her face, I said, "I'm the luckiest man alive."
I kissed her then, trying to convey all of my bubbling emotions with my lips and tongue. When she moaned into my throat, I felt the thin lines holding my control in place slipping.
Not wanting to ravage her body like an absolute savage again, I worked to take things slowly this time. Cassie maneuvered her legs around me as we kissed.
Lying side by side, I entered her in one smooth move. We kept our eyes open, watching each other as our bodies slowly joined. Our lovemaking was intimate, intense and achingly slow.
"I've never felt this connected with anyone." Cassie whispered the words into my mouth, mirroring my feelings exactly.
I nodded in agreement before I slid my tongue and dick into and out of her in a delicious and rhythmic slow dance. She wrapped her limbs tightly around me––greedily taking all I could give and silently asking for more.
Our earth-shattering connection was sealed as our interlocked bodies fanned the flames of the slow-burning fire building between us. This time, we savored each move, each touch, and each other. It was the way I would have made love with Cassie the first time, if I'd maintained a modicum of control.
We moved in tandem, totally in sync. Our bodies fit together perfectly as if our parts had been created to complement one another.
This time when she came, Cassie looked deep into my eyes as she milked my cock with her pleasure-filled contractions. We were both moaning incoherently as I became lost in her, delirious with excitement, and not holding back anything.
She had officially stolen my heart, my body, and my soul. I was hers to do with as she pleased.
We stayed like that for a while––our parts intimately connected. When I saw the tear glistening on her cheek, I reached out to swipe it aside gently. Wondering what could possibly be wrong at a life-changing moment like this, I asked her, "Everything okay?"
My heart slammed into my chest when she replied, "No."
17
Despite my best efforts to the contrary, the doubts immediately surfaced. I had a hard time catching my breath as my heart raced and I wondered what could be upsetting Cassie.
Had Dirk actually sent her to me again? Was she here at his orders? Was she having second thoughts about us? Did she still want to be with Dirk? Had our night together not been as real for her as it was for me?
The dark, swirling questions refused to subside. The palpable fear turned to ice in my veins as I cleared my throat and attempted to adopt a normal tone so I could ask her, "What's wrong?" As much as I dreaded hearing her answer, I couldn't stand not knowing.
Cassie pressed her lips to mine, which alleviated my fears somewhat. When she said, "I think I love you too much," sweet relief flooded my system, and I felt like my heart might actually take flight. "I'm angry with myself for missing all of those years that we could have been together, and I wish that I'd been brave enough to leave Dirk and be with you a long time ago."
"It's okay," I reassured her, swiping away another wayward tear that was making its way down her cheek. "The timing must not have been right before. At least we've found each other now." I grinned down at her before adding, "And I will never let you go."
"Really?" She beamed up at me. At my nod, she snuggled into my shoulder and fell back asleep.
I was too wound up to sleep, so I just relaxed there, entangled with Cassie, and loving my life. I officially felt like the luckiest man alive.
As the sun rose higher in the sky, I realized that I needed to get ready for work. Cassie must have been exhausted because she barely stirred when I unraveled myself from her and headed to the shower.
After leaving her a note that said simply, "At work. Love you, R," I grabbed an apple and headed out the door.
Of all the awkward timing, Jamie came out her front door at the same time. I thought for a moment that she was going to let me off the hook easily when she gave me one of her signature, friendly smiles. That hope was dashed when she commented in her gravelly voice, "I didn't expect to see you up and about so early this morning. It sounded like you had a late and rowdy night."
Embarrassment over my behavior flared up. I had every right to be with Cassie and make love to her as voraciously as she would allow. It was not fair to make Jamie listen to it, though, and for that I was truly sorry.
I apologized to Jamie, adding that the last thing I wanted was for her to have to hear us.
"It's okay," she responded kindly, before adding, "I just want you to be happy." I felt like she was being sincere, so I smiled at her until she added, "You do need to move out, though. I don't want to be listening to that screw-fest every night."
Feeling sheepish, I nodded, acknowledging that her request was reasonable.
With impeccable timing, Cassie poked her head out the door.
"I'm surprised you can walk today," Jamie informed her dryly.
It felt incredibly awkward, and I had no idea how Cassie would react to the dig. I wanted to jump in and somehow save her, but it wasn't like we could deny how rambunctious we had been.
Cassie surprised me by smiling widely and responding, "I know, right?"
Her open and friendly reaction made Jamie laugh. "This one's a keeper," she informed me before setting off towards work.
"Indeed," I answered Jamie, while beaming at Cassie. Intending to give Cassie a quick kiss goodbye, I tipped my lips down to her and said, "I need to get to work."
The intended brief exchange turned into a full on make out session as I found that one swift kiss just wasn't enough.
Turning, Jamie yelled back at me, "You comin' to work today, lover boy?"
One––okay, two––kisses later I scurried to catch up with Jamie so we could walk to the diner together. I could hear Cassie laughing happily as she stood on the front porch watching us leave.
18
Jamie forgave me way too easily. We walked together in companionable silence––as comfortable as could be expected, under the awkward circumstances.
Deciding the best way to help her was to put my plan to play Cupid into high gear, I tested the waters by asking her point-blank what she thought about Manny.
"He's great," she responded, smiling breezily. "He's a reliable, hard-worker, who is friendly and pleasant."
I cringed a little. She sounded like she was describing a golden retriever.
Picking up on my reaction, Jamie frowned a little. "What?"
"Well, what I really wanted to know was if you are attracted to him?"
"Oh," Jamie's frown deepened as she pondered that. "I never really thought about him in that way."
Figuring that I wasn't the matchmaking guru that I had thought, I dropped it, until she added, "Before."
Raising my brows, I turned to face her. She didn't seem to want to elaborate, so I prompted her, "But now?"
"Hmm." She seemed to take a long time to ponder it before deciding. "I guess he is kind of cute, and he is fantastic on the grill."
I nodded and waggled my eyebrows at her. She chuckled and gave my shoulder a light shove. "Oh stop," she told me. "What would he see in me, anyway?"
"You know," I grinned down at her, "That's exactly what he said when I asked him about you."
"Really?" She didn't bother to hide the thrilled enthusiasm from her voice.
"Yep." I confirmed, happy to feel like I was rectifying the unfortunate situation with her in some small way.
Cassie surprised me by showing up at the cafe for a late breakfast. I was somewhat embarrassed to let her see that I had been demoted to dishwasher, but it didn't seem to bother her in the slightest.
When I took a break and joined the love of my life at the booth where Jamie had just delivered her French toast and bacon, Cassie's eyes gleamed with anticipation when I told her about my plan to spark a love connection for Jamie.
"I thought there might be something brewing between the two of you." Cassie's questioning gaze betrayed her worry.
It seemed inconceivable to me that this woman would worry about my feelings for anyone else. I wanted to reassure her that she was the only one for me, but I also didn't want to start our relationship on a lie. I finally settled on, "Jamie's a wonderful person, who deserves to be happy, and Manny's a great guy. I'd like to help them find their bliss."
"Find their bliss?!?" Cassie guffawed at my silly choice of words before beaming at me. "Leave it to me," she enthused, obviously thrilled to have a project.
