Ever, Sarah

by Hansen, C. E.

  “Sounds wonderful. I’d really, really like that.”

  Brad gave me a brief squeeze, then stood up and walked to where he’d deposited his pants. I found myself unable to take my eyes off of his body. He was a fine specimen of a man. That’s for sure.

  He was strong, muscular and beautiful.

  He had long legs which were equally as muscular as the rest of his body. When he turned to face me I quickly looked away, avoiding his knowing stare, trying to look nonchalant, feeling the heat rise to my face. I think I saw him smile.

  From the corner of my eyes, I watched as he bent over lifting his pants up his legs and tugged the zipper up. His chest was splendidly V shaped and tapered down to his defined abs and narrow hips. He has a small trail of soft black hair that disappears inside the top of his pants.

  I made a mental note to myself to explore that trail. Taste him. Feel him in my mouth, roll my tongue over…

  Sarah!

  I had to stop my wayward thoughts; they were only getting me amped up and wanting more.

  He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his cell phone. Then looked at me and smiled. “Remind me I have to give you something later.” He smirked.

  “I will make it my mission to remind you.” I tried to smile my warmest, sexiest smile.

  He laughed.

  I feigned sadness.

  “Get that pout off your mouth.” He whispered. “I’ll be happy to oblige you again…” He blinked, “Hello. Simon. Brad Hunter. Yes, I’m fine….Sarah…she’s doing well, thank you for asking…I do…I need you to cover my morning meetings with the Clark brothers, and the lunch with Wilson.” He put his hand over the mouth portion of the phone, and with his eyes blazing called out to me, “Don’t move.” He had that cat that ate the canary look. “Simon, yes, I’m here. I have to take Sarah to Connecticut tomorrow and won’t be able to make the meeting. Give them my regards and advise that we are ready to make them an offer…I will. Thank you….Yes, you as well…Night.” He pushed the button and killed the call.

  “Don’t move?”

  “Yes. Stay just like that.” He got us both another drink and joined me back on the couch. “Here.” He handed me the wine glass and I took a sip.

  “Thank you.”

  He took it and placed it on the table once again.

  “Stay like this?” I was confused.

  “Yes.”

  One word is all he said. But what he did was mind-boggling. He sat in front of me and pushed me back onto the giant pillow behind me. He took his hand and lowered it to my throbbing apex and slowly inserted his fingers. His eyes half closed and I leaned back further, pushing my head against the back of the sofa and moaned.

  “Dear Lord.” Was all I managed to utter.

  He moved his fingers in and out of me expertly. Lowering his head, he took my entire nipple into his mouth and ran his tongue over the tip, biting it lightly.

  I arched my back, which was all the instigation he needed apparently. Because before I knew it, he was sliding out of his pants and once again sliding into me. His rocking movement pitched me to the top of that proverbial mountain and left me there until I shuddered.

  I wrapped my legs around his ass and rode the crest with him. The world splintered apart and sparkled behind my closed eyes.

  “Sarah. God, Sarah. I love you so much.” He pushed into me quicker and quicker satisfying every wonderful urge I had and more. I teetered on the edge until he called out my name again, and then I fell back to earth with him, riding him down till we were safely embedded back on the sofa.

  He held onto me tighter for a few seconds and I felt the warmth of him as he throbbed inside me, my body clenching him from the inside.

  “I will never get enough of that.” He whispered near my ear, his breath tickled me.

  “Is that what you wanted to give me?” I asked sheepishly.

  “Well, yes. I always want to give you that, but there is something else. Wait here.”

  God help me this man was sexy.

  “I’m not going anywhere. I don’t think I could walk after that.” I said calmly.

  He looked at my squished face and laughed.

  “I love you.” And without waiting for a response from me, he got up and walked over to the small bag on the table by the door. I hadn’t noticed it before. He carried it back to where I sat and handed it to me.

  “What is this?”

  “Open it.”

  I opened the bag. There were two items inside. One, a box with a picture of a cell phone on it. I looked at it for a long time.

  “It’s the same as mine. You used to have one just like it.” He took it out of the box and handed it to me. “I programed my number into the number two spot, and your mother into the number three spot.”

  “Programmed?”

  “Yes, when you want to talk to either one of us, you just press and hold that number and it will automatically call either Ronnie or myself.”

  “Well, that seems easy enough.” I smiled. “I think even I might be able to handle that.”

  I reached inside and pulled out the other box. It was a blue box, small, wrapped in a pretty blue ribbon. The word Tiffany’s on the top lid. I looked at him.

  “What is this?”

  It looked like a jewelry box.

  “When you…fell. You broke your engagement ring. I took the liberty of having it reset.” He looked into my eyes. When I didn’t respond he quickly added, “If you want to wear it again, it’s up to you. I just wanted you to have it again.” He briefly looked away and I couldn’t see his expression. I suddenly felt sad. “No pressure.” He turned away again and reached for the glass, lifting his drink to his lips.

  I opened the box and was stunned at what I found inside. It was the most beautiful ring I think I had ever seen.

  “It’s perfect.” I gushed. I hesitated and the look on his face told me this wasn’t going the way he planned. I instantly felt super guilty. “Would you mind if I waited just a little more before I wear it again? I mean, it’s beautiful, and large…it’s large.” I was my turn to hesitate as I tried to find the right words. “I just want to…I need to…feel a little more like she…I did.” The look he shot my way made me feel like a selfish twit, “I love it.”

  “No. I don’t mind. I totally understand. You take however long you need.” He smiled. “But now, I think it’s time for you to go to sleep. It’s been a busy day and you need your rest if you’re going to be seeing Jez tomorrow.”

  I smiled broadly.

  “You are the most wonderful man in the whole world.” I meant that. I really did, and I felt guilty for ruining his wonderful surprise.

  “Am I now?” He laughed.

  “Well, yes you are, at least right now you are.” I laughed out loud.

  Well, he wasn’t taking that sitting down. He rapidly stood up, lifted me, or should I say slung me, over his shoulder, and carried me effortlessly up the stairs.

  “To bed with you wench!” I could feel his body tremble with laughter as he walked me down the hall to the bedroom. “Get some sleep.”

  He deposited me softly onto the floor next to the bed in ‘my’ room and turned towards the door.

  “Where are you going?”

  “I’ve got some work to do before I email the final proposal to Simon.”

  “Oh.” I really think I was disappointed. Hell, I couldn’t figure me out, how the hell was he supposed to?

  “I’ll check on you later. Get some sleep. I’ve got a lot to show you tomorrow.”

  “I like when you show me things.” I smirked. Then I stood on my toes and planted a kiss on his lips.

  “I like showing you things. Now go to sleep, before I lose my mind and stay here making love to you all night.”

  I blushed. The slow rise of heat that crept up from my chest to the top of my head. Even my ears were even burning.

  “You make me feel all kinds of crazy.” I said.

  “I get that. You make me crazy�
�period.” He kissed my forehead and disappeared behind the door of his closet. I heard the water of the shower running a few minutes later.

  I climbed into the bed and pulled the covers up to my chin. I tried to wait until he was finished, but I don’t think I lasted two minutes before falling asleep.

  The next morning, Brad shook me and woke me. I squinted at the sun creeping through the blinds it looked like it was just starting to rise; I turned and searched for the clock, 6:45 am.

  “If you want to spend the day with Jezebel, you have to get up soon. It’s a two hour ride to your father’s estate in Connecticut and we should be on the road by 8:00. I’d pack for you, but I don’t know what you want to bring.”

  “Oh, okay.” I stretched and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. Turning I looked at Brad who was already dressed in a pair of comfortable looking jeans and a long sleeved tee shirt with buttons on the top. He was wearing a pair of western styled boots on that made a solid clap on the wooden floor.

  I couldn’t help watching him as he pulled a small overnight bag from his closet placed it on the end of the bed and placed a few personal items inside, admiring his concentration. With nature calling I stood and walked into the bathroom, peed, washed up and brushed my teeth. I leaned in and turned the water on in the shower and after feeling the water to make sure it was the right temperature, lifted the big tee shirt—Brad’s tee shirt—over my head and walked in. Just the simple pleasure of standing there with my face lifted towards the showerhead, feeling the warm water cascading over my body was enough to cause the silly grin on my face. But my excitement built when I thought about my, our, upcoming plans for the day. I hurried and lathered up my hair, then conditioned it. Afterwards, I opened the bottle of body wash and breathed in the scent.

  Flash.

  Closing my eyes, I washed my body, rinsed, then stepped out and dried off as quickly as I could, feeling the chill of the early morning air.

  Throwing my hair up into a big white fluffy towel, I made my way back into the closet and flipped through the hangers, noting that there were way too many to choose from. Whoever I was, I certainly liked clothes and obviously bought everything I laid my eyes on. I must be some crazy hoarder type. I laughed at my thoughts and finally came across a pair of worn, soft, comfortable jeans. I grabbed them off the hanger, and pulled a light sweater from the shelf as I made my way into the bedroom. I tensed as I opened the dresser drawers, until I found a pair of panties and a bra. I dressed as fast as I could, feeling the goose bumps slowly rose to the surface of my skin.

  Pulling on a pair of thin socks I walked back into the closet and searched the shoe rack until I found just what I was looking for. A pair of western boots, perfectly worn in, that just happened to match Brads in color.

  What a dork I am.

  I pulled them on finding they fit perfectly and I was overly pleased at how comfortable they were.

  I grabbed another of Brad’s tee shirts from his closet, another pair of boy shorts and threw them into the matching overnight bag brad had left on the bed. I walked back into the closet and found a pair of fawn colored riding pants with suede inserts along the thighs and another pair of jeans. I grabbed a cable knit sweater and a leather jacket. I took a couple pairs of socks and underwear as backups and after adding deodorant and a little makeup and skincare essentials, I zipped the top of the bag shut. I just finished braiding my long hair when I heard Brad’s boots announce his entrance.

  “All ready? Finish packing?” I heard him behind me.

  I turned to face him.

  “Yup.”

  “You look like my Sarah.” He said proudly, perusing the length of my body slowly, a lazy smile playing on his lips. His gaze changed when he noticed my choice of footwear.

  “She’s in here hiding somewhere.”

  “Here, let me get that.” He reached over me and lifted the overnight bag lingering a little longer than necessary as his fingers grazed the top of my hand.

  His light touch caused my heart to race and the air rapidly left my lungs leaving me feeling odd…dizzy.

  He leaned in closer, close enough for me to feel the heat of his breath on my cheek. I stiffened, sure I was about to lose what little strength I had in my legs.

  “What’s the matter?” my voice sounded so strange to me. Almost like I was panting.

  “You smell like my Sarah.”

  “You smell like Brad.” I laughed nervously, “but what I really want right now, is to have some of that delicious coffee I smell.”

  He stepped back and I swear I moaned an audible sigh of relief.

  Dear Lord, what the hell is wrong with me?

  “After you.” He said, letting me pass him, and then he picked up the other bag, as well as the two jackets that were lying side by side on the bed and followed me down the stairs.

  Chapter Twelve

  We had a croissant with our coffee and afterwards packed up the car. Brad pushed some buttons on the keypad near the garage door, I assume to set the alarm, then he locked the doors behind us and we were on our way.

  The chill of early spring morning was reluctant to give way to the warmth of the bright sunshine, but it was clean and crisp and smelled of pending summer. We traveled north for about an hour before traveling east. The highway we drove on hugged the Atlantic coastline and I pulled my sunglasses down over my eyes as the sparkle of the sun on the water was overly bright. The smell of the ocean spray was glorious, and I instantly knew that I’ve smelled it many times before.

  After some time on this road, we turned onto another highway and headed west, away from the coastline. It wasn’t long before the scenic ocean drive became more of a country drive. Rolling green hills and valleys lay before us for miles and miles and each small town we passed was more charming than the last.

  “Need a break?” Brad asked as he reached for my hand squeezing it gently.

  “I wouldn’t mind standing up for a few minutes.”

  “We’ve got to stop up ahead. You can stretch out then. Sound good?”

  “Perfect.” I couldn’t help the smile that slowly spread across my face.

  Brad just chuckled low in his chest and slightly shook his head. I guess I must have looked ‘corny’.

  We arrived in a small town called Bantam, and Brad pulled the car to a stop in front of a small cluster of buildings. I stepped out of the car to stretch my legs.

  “How much further?” I asked as I spun slowly taking in the sleepy town. Tall white spires rose up into the sky, stark against the deep blue. I breathed in deep as I lifted my face towards the sun. There was a smell in the air that was unmistakably ‘horse’. And without warning an excitement began building in the pit of my stomach. A sort of nervous excitement.

  “About another half hour down the road. I’ll be right back. I just need to pick something up. Can I get you anything?”

  “No thank you. I can’t wait to get there.” I could hear the jumpiness in my tone, “I think my body remembers this,” I scanned the immediate area, “even though my head is swimming in confusion.”

  He smiled at me, “I’ll be right back.” He called out as he walked inside the quaint country store.

  There were billboards in the distance that advertised riding lessons, with pictures of white fences and hay bales. One had an image of a horse mid-jump with a young rider sitting on top. I got a chill up the back of my neck and nearly began dancing in place. Somehow I knew Jez wasn’t too far from here and I was finding it hard to contain my excitement. Like a little kid Christmas morning.

  Brad walked out of the small store effortlessly carrying a large picnic basket in one hand, and a wide case in the other.

  I ran over to help him, but he assured me he was fine. He stopped at the rear of the car and reached into his pocket, pulling out a key fob, then popped open the trunk and gently placed the still hot case into the car next to the large picnic basket.

  “Mmmm, smells delicious.”

  “Wait till you eat it. It is o
ne of your…”

  “Favorites.” I finished his sentence for him.

  “I’m sure you’re getting a bit tired of hearing that, huh?” He walked me back to my door.

  “No. It’s just frustrating not knowing my own ‘favorite things’.” I climbed in and he shut the door before walking over and climbing into his side.

  “Ready?” He smiled at me.

  “As I’ll ever be.” I fastened my seatbelt, then reached over and squeezed his hand.

  “Then, let’s get to it.” He pulled the car back and slowly turned getting us back on the road.

  We drove for another fifteen minutes before I noticed that the homes were getting further and further apart. Several homes had big iron gates and pillars on the road with the name of the property on the post or, in some cases, the gate itself. Long white rails edged the acres and acres of property that were part of these exclusive horse farms. Hilly farm land sectioned into squares of property where all types of farm animals grazed.

  Appletree Farms.

  Juniper Farms.

  The names were indicative to the area, but beautiful and expansive. We got to the point where you weren’t able to see the homes from the roadway because they were set so far back from the road. But the fields where the horses, cattle and sheep roamed were immaculately kept and gorgeous. Rolling green hills with long swaying weeping willows and tall oak trees.

  We slowed in front of a big black iron gate with large brick pillars, each sporting a large gas lamp, complete with flickering flame, on the top. ‘Sugarlump Farms’ was in gold colored metal script letters across the span of the gate itself.

  Brad turned to look at me. I believe my mouth was hanging open.

  “Well, this is us.”

  “Where did they get the name…my father and mother?”

  “You.” He said plainly.

  “Did I name it this?”

  “You did.” He replied. His eyes were searching mine for some sign of recognition. I just smiled.

  Flash.

  I did remember something about the word Sugarlump. It was a silly, childish name, but there was also something that was so endearing about it as well.