by Aria Ford
My heart was thudding, my whole body freaking out like a tree in a thunderstorm. I couldn’t think straight. This was ridiculous! Anyone would think I hadn’t ever been on a date before!
I tried not to think about the previous afternoon. After that, I was surprised Jay had contacted me again. I thought that maybe my behavior would shock him. I’d certainly shocked myself. I didn’t like to think what would have happened if any passing newspeople had followed my car.
Well, nothing happened. It would be everywhere if someone had seen me. It was a stupid risk.
I sighed. I wasn’t going to be mad at myself. I couldn’t have resisted Jay if I’d tried. Not at that moment. And despite knowing how dumb it had been, I knew that if I was given the same scenario right now, I’d do the same thing.
At this moment I was in front of the mirror, one black dress on my body, another one in my hand. I was trying to make up my mind between the two.
The one I was wearing was knee-length, with a pencil skirt and a loose, blousy top. I loved it. With my hair pulled up in a severe bun, my makeup a slightly dressy take on natural, I looked elegant and chic. At least I was hoping I did.
I didn’t want to look overdone, because then he might think I was desperate. At the same time, I didn’t want to look underdressed. How was I supposed to look for this date anyway?
I don’t even know if it is a date, or if it’s just Jay’s attempt at saying sorry. I had no idea what all this was about. He had been quite uncommunicative about our—well—incident in the car. His message was still polite and cool, not exactly friendly.
I repeated the words of the message. They didn’t indicate anything. It could be a message from a college friend, not an ex-boyfriend. Cool, polite and not overly interested. Well, I would just have to make the most of it. Was he trying to pretend that what happened yesterday hadn’t happened? I was used to Jay’s ability to disengage enough for me to think that was exactly that.
The restaurant we’d decided on—well, I had suggested it in my reply, and he agreed—was a place called Haldon’s, a fancy restaurant on Jefferson Street. If nothing else, at least I would go to a nice place.
I’m wearing this dress.
I put the other one, a black dress with floral designs around the hem, red tulips, onto the bed. It was too formal and maybe too flirtatious. This one conveyed a cool, detached outlook. Not that different to his message. And definitely suitable for the restaurant. My decision made, I turned once more in front of the mirror and then headed downstairs.
If he wanted to pretend yesterday hadn’t happened, and that he wasn’t really interested in me, he could try. I wasn’t planning to make it easy for him. I was having a hard time forgetting about it, and I didn’t see why he shouldn’t suffer just a little for it. And I wanted it to happen again.
I was shaking like a leaf by the time I reached the restaurant. Stupid, I knew. But there was nothing I could do about it. If I screwed up on this date, I would risk losing Jay again. But it wasn’t entirely fear that was making me shake, I knew—it was excitement. I was excited about seeing him again.
“Jay.”
He was early, typical of him, really, and sitting at a table in the corner. I smiled down at him and he smiled up at me.
“Oh. Hey, Margo. Glad you could make it.”
He tried to stand to pull out my chair and I quickly slipped into it, seeing that it was going to be awkward for him to get across to it while trying to balance on crutches. If he was offended by that, he didn’t give any sign. I sat down and smiled at him.
“A nice day, hey?” I said brightly, indicating the setting sun outside the window.
“Mm,” he agreed. “We’ve had great weather.”
“Yes.”
I reached for the menu, unsure what else to do. If weather was all he could talk about, well it was unfortunate. There was tension between us, so many unspoken words that the air seemed to shiver with them. I studied the list of drinks, not wanting to negotiate the space of silence between us.
I couldn’t quite believe I was here. Memories of yesterday kept on intruding and my whole body was on fire. I wanted him so much. I couldn’t get away from it—if I looked at his strong, muscled hands, I remembered them touching me. If I looked at his lips, I could feel them on mine. His shoulders made me remember how sweet it felt to be held so tightly.
And he was sitting there discussing the weather? Well, I thought archly, I could do the same.
“I’ll just have water, I think,” I said after a while, when he said nothing. “I need not to have bags under my eyes tomorrow.”
He smiled. “I’d forgotten about that.”
I laughed, despite my tension. He had always teased me about that—the fact that I always had water. He did the same thing before a game, or even before heavy training. Alcohol wasn’t going to help his body any.
“Well, what are you having?” I asked with a quirked smile.
“Water,” he said.
We both burst out laughing. When the waiter arrived, he looked from one of us to the other with confusion on his face.
“To drink, sir?”
“Two waters,” Jay managed to say. He caught my eye and I pressed my lips together to stop myself from laughing. When the poor guy had gone, we started giggling again.
“You haven’t changed,” he said. His voice was warm.
I smiled, feeling that voice stroke through me like warm silk. “You either,” I said softly.
He grinned back. His eyes twinkled.
Damn those blue eyes! They could always get anything out of me. My heart beat faster and I focused on my clasped hands, struggling for composure. I felt as if my abdomen was melting, his voice and his smile stroking me like his hands once had.
“So,” I said brightly. “How’s work?”
“You mean the consulting?”
“Mm.” I nodded. “Oh, thanks,” I added to the waiter, who handed me the glass then discreetly withdrew. Probably scared of provoking any craziness from us.
“Well, the consulting is good. Though I’m not sorry to have a holiday from it now.”
“I bet,” I said. “You’re here for a week, yeah?”
“Yeah. Back on Monday.”
“Oh.”
I was saddened by that thought. That meant we had only five days left together in the same town. Just as well, I thought, that we had chosen tonight for a date.
“You’re living in Houghton now?” I asked conversationally. I was trying to ignore the fact that I could feel his knee next to mine under the table. I swallowed hard.
“Um, yeah,” he said with a smile. “Nice place, really. Can’t complain. Good to be back in Wisconsin again.”
“I guess,” I said. I didn’t know he had been outside of Wisconsin. There was so much about the recent years that I didn’t know.
“Yeah. I went to college in Michigan,” he said. “After…” He trailed off.
I drew in a breath. It was the first time he’d mentioned the accident. I didn’t want to do or say anything that would break the spell. I waited for him to say something. When he hadn’t after about a minute, I cleared my throat.
“I guess we should look at the menu?” I asked.
“Oh yeah. Right.”
The smile that flashed across his face lit up his eyes.
I felt it shiver through me and set my body alight. I coughed and moved a little in my seat, trying to hide how aroused his presence made me feel. It was my treacherous body and its memories. I turned to the menu and scrolled a thumb down the list.
He looked at me shyly. “Margo?”
“Mm?”
“Can I have your number?”
I smiled. “Sure,” I said.
“Well, I guess it’s easier than email, right?” he said with that soft smile.
I chuckled. “You bet.”
We exchanged numbers and I felt my heart skip as he texted to check it was right, then put the phone in his pocket.
I saw t
he waiter hovering. I gave a little giggle and reached for the menu. We were going to be in here all night at this rate! “We should check the menu,” I said.
“Oh yeah. That,” he said, grinning. He lifted his and I hid a smile as he read it. He seemed to give it intense consideration.
“I like the sound of the grilled perch, myself,” I said after a moment, underlining it in the menu.
“Sounds good,” he said with a shrug. “I think I’ll go for something heavier.”
I smiled. “You always did.”
He chuckled. “I guess I’m used to training hard.”
The wistful look that crossed his face made my heart twist. I got a glimpse, just then, into how much this accident had hurt him, what it meant to him.
“Well, you’re in great shape,” I said carefully.
He looked as if I’d slapped him.
I regretted instantly what I’d said. I should have tried to avoid making comment on his body.
“I’m sorry,” I said quietly.
He shrugged. “It’s okay.”
We sat in uncomfortable silence for a while. Then he turned to me with a hesitant smile on his face.
“So, you had an interview yesterday?”
“Interview? Oh yes.” I chuckled. I’d almost forgotten about that. Crazy, really.
“Yes,” he smiled. “It sounded important?”
“It was,” I said, feeling a big smile spread across my face. “It just slipped my mind, now.”
“Oh?”
I gave him a look. “Well, yeah. I guess seeing you was more exciting,” I said.
He stared at me. The blue eyes were wide, a sort of disbelief shining in them.
I swallowed hard.
“Really?” he asked.
I chuckled. “Well, if you’re gonna force me to admit to it, yes.”
He laughed. It was a delightful sound, warm and rich and friendly.
I felt it lift my heart and warm every inch of my body.
“Margo,” he said softly. “I…thank you.”
I smiled at him.
He smiled back.
This time, when his knee moved between mine, I knew he’d done it on purpose. My breath stopped in my throat and the world seemed to go quiet. The warm skin pressed against me and I shivered as he pushed it higher, authoritatively parting my legs. The restaurant with its chatting clients, the clink of glasses and the soft sound of waiters taking orders all faded away. Everything was still, and it was just the two of us.
I let my knees move apart and his knee pushed further between mine. My ankle felt the light brush of his toes. I let out a shuddering sigh. He was so close, so warm. My whole body was tingling and throbbing. I closed my eyes. I wanted him so much.
My own toe brushed his ankle. I heard him sigh. I made a little tickle under the bone, feeling the thick, hard muscle there. This was the leg that still worked, his left leg. I teased him with my foot, making traces up the calf and back down again. When I looked at him his eyes were slits of longing.
I remembered that stare, the way he looked at me. I felt my heart thump and my breath sang in my ears. My blood was throbbing in the most unlikely places and I found it hard to think straight.
“Ready to order?”
We both jumped.
“Um, yeah. Thanks.”
I could have wept at the interruption as the waiter approached us, pen in hand. I tried to see the funny side. But it was difficult to feel amused when my insides were aching and my body was tingling and I could smell the sweet scent of his aftershave, reminding me of the delicious feeling of being pressed against his chest. Jay placed the order for both of us and when the waiter had gone he turned back to me, a sweet smile on his face.
“Well?”
“Well what?”
He grinned. He didn’t say anything, but his knee probed further, sliding along my thigh and making my entire body tingle. I gasped and dug my nails into my hand, trying to distract myself from the rising ocean of longing inside of me.
Luckily, the dinner didn’t take too long to arrive. We weren’t speaking much by the time the plates appeared before us; we were focused on the sweet feelings of our feet and toes and, once, his hand squeezing my knee. It was almost unbearable, my body held at a fever pitch of longing.
I breathed in the sweet scent of grilled fish, fennel and salad.
“Mm.”
I watched him eat. That thin, hard mouth opened, his tongue playing briefly at his lips. I smiled, enjoying letting my own tongue slide out and lick my lips, noticing the hungry expression on his face as I innocently lapped at the rim of my glass, knowing it looked good.
We ate ravenously and, before long, the dinner was finished.
“Let’s get the bill, huh?” His voice was a tight whisper.
I nodded. My body was on fire and I couldn’t have handled much more of sitting in that restaurant, trying to ignore the feelings that were surging through me.
Jay gestured to the waiter, paid the bill and then we were heading out of the door into the darkness and warmth outside.
***
I followed her to her car. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. With that short skirt swaying as she walked, her back straight, her butt round and pert, I was captivated, completely and utterly. I could smell the scent of her perfume and I could see the shine of her skin in the light of the streetlamps. I wanted her like I had never wanted anyone before, ever.
I wanted to squeeze that round butt in my hands, gripping it as I pushed into her, my hands clutching fists full of her soft, womanly shape. I reached out and touched her there, feeling the soft, silky fabric of the dress brush my fingertips, the sweet allure of the warm skin beneath snatched from me as she giggled, turning around.
When she reached the car, she lifted her lovely face to smile at me. Her smile got into me and warmed me, making me want her so much it hurt. I looked at the outline of her red lips, noticed her tongue snaking forward just a little to tease me, those eyes slanting and wicked, laughing up at me with a look that was invitation and challenge, together.
I reached out a hand and rested it on her shoulder, gripping her skin. She wrapped her arms around me and my mouth descended onto hers, wet and warm and sweet.
I groaned as her warmth invited me. I let the tip of my tongue stroke her lips and gently part them. She opened her mouth without hesitation and my tongue slid inside that soft, wet, yielding space.
Her body was against mine, her small, firm breasts flattened on my chest as I held her close, my arms tight around her. I loved the feeling of her soft, yielding body crushed to mine. She sighed and seemed to melt into me, my body hard against her gentle softness. She was pressed against my rising arousal and I held her close, my cock throbbing with my longing.
I broke the kiss and looked into her eyes. She stared up at me, those wide brown eyes warm and tender. I wrapped my arms around her and held her close. She let her body mold to mine.
“Margo?” I asked.
She smiled. “Come on.”
I couldn’t believe she meant it. I stood where I was, not sure if I should believe her and get into her car, or just stand there and watch her drive away. I didn’t know what to think.
She grinned. “I guess I forgot to unlock.”
She pressed the key and the doors clicked. She inclined her head at me, mischievous, indicating I should get in. Then, when my hand touched the doorknob, she went around to the driver’s seat and got in too.
I let out a shuddering breath as she sat down next to me, and her hand reached for my leg. Just watching her move was arousing. This close, I could see a long expanse of pale skin as her skirt rode up midthigh when she sat. I stared and felt my loins fill, fit to explode.
“Come on,” I growled. “Let’s go home.”
She chuckled. “If you insist…”
I smiled. “Yes.”
My hand descended onto her leg and my mouth devoured hers. I couldn’t stop wanting to kiss those soft, full lips. I loved
the feel of them parting under my pushing tongue, admitting me into the warmth of her mouth. She was sighing, and I had to clench my fists to resist the urge to push her onto the seat, throw her skirt up over her head and undress her right there and then.
“Let’s go,” she said.
We sped off into the night.
We reached her apartment sooner than I would have expected. I had, I realized with surprise, only been there once or twice.
“Baby,” I said as she pressed against me, a little sigh in the back of her throat. “I want you.” I pressed against her, loving the feel of her soft body against my hard, throbbing manhood.
“I want you too.”
It was awkward getting back onto my crutches after hugging her, but I managed it as she reached for her key and took some time letting us into the apartment. I followed her across the threshold and into the lift.
I started to feel the first tingle of nerves as we headed up to her apartment. The lighting in the lift was stark and made me feel exposed. I suddenly dreaded the moment when she might catch sight of my leg. All of a sudden my confidence was chipped away with my misgivings.
When I looked up from the floor, she was smiling at me. My doubts quickly slid away as fast as they came.
She whispered my name and pressed against me as the lift door sealed behind her. I leaned into her, letting myself feel nothing except the sweet pleasure of her body against mine. She was warm and soft and her curves fit against me as if she had been carved to fit in my arms. I sighed and let my tongue push into her mouth and held her tight.
We almost fell out of the lift on the eleventh floor. She giggled, and I leaned against the wall, giving myself time to get steady. I had my arms in the loops of the crutches, my hands on the bars, and I needed a moment to balance. She went over to unlock the door, giving me the time to get steady.
Then, as the door unlocked with a click, I followed her inside.
***
I switched on the light and closed the door. I couldn’t believe it. Jay was here.
I swallowed hard and tried to distract myself from the feeling that my abdomen was on fire and all I wanted to do was press against him. I could feel a wetness soaking into my panties and I knew that if I didn’t have him soon I would go crazy. All the same, I wanted to go slowly and savor this.
