30 Days

by Christine d'Abo

  He jolted, but said nothing.

  “Rob was my one and only. Or I’d assumed he was. I’m sorry if it makes you uncomfortable if I think about him every now and again. I don’t mean to. I’m not comparing you or anything. It’s just . . . he’s my frame of reference. Before you, he was the only other man I’d ever touched. Been intimate with. My brain will go there whether I want it to or not.”

  I couldn’t imagine what he was feeling. What we were doing was at the top of the list for weird. That said, he knew the score when we’d started.

  “You’re right.” He nodded, though it appeared to be more in response to his own thoughts than anything I’d said. “Neither of us are in this for a relationship. It has nothing to do with me who you’re thinking about. Like I said, it was a long week.”

  “Thanks.” I fingered the handle on the gym bag. “How about we end it on a better note?”

  “What do you have in mind?”

  Reaching into the bag, I pulled out the pile of cards. I shifted the first two to the bottom of the pile, leaving Day Three on top. I tossed it on the table and on impulse added the Day Four card as well. Then I crossed my arms and mirrored Harrison’s stance.

  He cocked an eyebrow. “What?”

  I nodded toward the cards. “That.”

  “You have two cards there.”

  I shot him a smirk. “What’s the matter, can’t handle it?”

  Leaning forward, he peered at them. “We’ve done one of these.”

  “You said we had to do them in order. Touch a naked man is Day Three.”

  “Dry hump your partner is Day Four.” Despite him trying to remain disinterested, I could tell by the front of his dress pants that I had his attention. “These seem counterintuitive.”

  “Well, you can get naked, and I’ll stay in my underwear. That way we won’t be tempted to cheat.”

  He seemed to consider that. “What else is in the bag?”

  “I told you, things we might need for the other days. I just wanted to show you that I’d been—hey, leave that in there!”

  “Got enough lube?” He chuckled as he sorted through the various containers. “I have condoms. You didn’t need to buy them.”

  “I didn’t want to assume. Plus it hardly seems fair to make you pay for anything. You’re the one doing me the favor here, so thanks for that.”

  “Don’t thank me.” When his gaze met mine I took a step back. There was a hunger in his eyes that I’d never seen directed my way before. “I’m getting something out of this too.”

  Harrison dropped the package of condoms back into the bag and without breaking his gaze, started to unbutton his dress shirt. “I haven’t showered.”

  “I don’t care.” The words came out in a rush. “I want to smell you.”

  His lips twitched into a smile. “Be careful what you wish for. This isn’t the movies. I stink.” The cotton fell to the floor with a soft whoosh. “You gonna just stand there?”

  “Yup. I want to watch.” He didn’t need to know that I needed a minute to catch my breath and clear my mind. The last thing I wanted was any stray thoughts to ruin the moment.

  Plus, it wasn’t a chore to watch Harrison get naked.

  With sure motions, he removed everything but his briefs. Back to where we’d started a few weeks ago, I waited in anticipation. It was strange how comfortable I’d gotten with the idea of another man’s body. I already recognized the various dips and curves of his chest. The ripple of his abs and how the treasure trail of hair led down to the cock that I hoped I’d be able to see soon.

  Harrison hooked his thumbs beneath the band of his briefs, caught my gaze one more time, and he pulled it down to his ankles. Once he straightened up, I gave myself a moment before I allowed my gaze to travel down the length of his body to the last piece that had remained hidden from me.

  Wow.

  That was . . . yes, that was in fact a nearly perfect cock.

  “Alyssa, your mouth is open.” He was totally laughing at me.

  “This is only the second real-life penis I’ve seen. I’m savoring the moment.”

  He braced his hands on his hips, bracketing the object of my attention. “I’m getting the short end of the stick here.”

  “Huh? Was that a dick joke? Cause buddy, your stick isn’t short.”

  “Day Four. Remember?”

  Right! I had to dry hump this vision of male perfection. Oh, such a task. Guess I’ll take one for the team.

  Somewhere in the back of my brain I must have planned out how this moment was going to happen, because I thankfully hadn’t put on a shirt with buttons. My hands were shaking madly and there would have been no way I’d have managed them. I grabbed the hem of my shirt and pulled it off, tossing it on top of his shirt. My shorts wanted to bring my panties with them, so a slight adjustment was necessary before I was able to fully face Harrison.

  I wasn’t sure if the look of desire he had on his face was a reflection of my own, but it certainly matched the lust that ran through me. This was going to happen.

  “Sit on the couch.” My voice had regained a little of my earlier confidence. “In the middle. Hands on the back so they’re spread out. I don’t want any barriers getting in my way.”

  The smile hadn’t left his face. If anything, it seemed to brighten the sparkle in his eyes. “Yes, ma’am.”

  His cock stood at full attention as he settled into position. The head brushed against his thick hair that covered the lower part of his belly, leaving a bead of precome caught on a strand. He was easily bigger than . . . any other man I’d seen. Not porn-star huge, but still impressive. It helped that we’d actually done this before. That I’d run my hands across his skin, felt his muscles beneath my fingertips. My breasts ached and I wished he was already touching me. It would be easy to straddle his lap and let his cock slide inside me. He was clearly as aroused as I was, it would be fast and hard and dirty.

  No, things needed to be done right.

  I made my way over and stood between his legs. Harrison gripped the back of the couch, the force of his hold making the cords of muscles stand out on his forearms. Why that was turning me on was a bit of a mystery. His restraint, maybe? I sucked my bottom lip into my mouth and teased the flesh with the tip of my tongue. Blow jobs weren’t on either card. Too bad.

  “So?” He tilted his head to the side.

  So indeed. I dropped to my knees and cupped his calves with my hands. “This time I’m going to start from the bottom and work my way up.”

  “Thanks for the warning.” I was pleased that some of his cockiness had fled. “Avoid my sides or else you’ll have a repeat of the other night.”

  “You said you work out, right?” I ran my hands down to his feet, massaging the muscles as I went. He had strong arches and hairy toes. I approved. It made him less perfect and more human. “You’re a runner?”

  “Yes.” He forced the word out through gritted teeth as I rubbed my thumbs into his arches. “That tickles.”

  “As bad as your sides?” I would need to make a list at this rate. Here there be tickles. “Don’t kick me.”

  “Don’t linger.”

  Not willing to tempt fate, I changed directions and began back up across his calves to his thighs. I paid more attention to the firmness of his muscles as I went. I hadn’t realized how much of a turn-on a nice pair of legs could be on a man; strength, a solid foundation, someone who worked hard.

  The closer I got to his cock, the faster the blood pulsed beneath his skin. Oh, yes. He wasn’t immune to my touch, to the way I would lean in and let my breath tease his skin while I alternated hard and soft caresses.

  “Not yet,” I whispered. “I want to take advantage of our time. I need to learn you.”

  Harrison growled, but didn’t move.

  Unlike before, I knew enough to avoid his sides. While that had been fun, tonight was about mutual orgasms. Instead, I focused my attention on his chest. His nipples were hard nubs peeking up through the th
icket of hair. Rob hated when I went anywhere near his. Maybe Harrison wouldn’t mind so much. I stuck out my tongue, giving him as much warning as I could as I lowered my mouth. Rather than pull away, he sucked in a mighty breath, and bucked his hips up against me.

  “Fuck!”

  “Want me to stop?” I kept licking.

  “No.”

  “Good.” I gently bit down. “You’re fun.”

  “I’m a better ride than exhibit.” He bucked his hips again.

  I continued biting and licking my way across his chest and up to his neck. “No riding tonight. Lots more touching though.”

  “I was promised dry humping.”

  “Don’t rush me. I might not get another chance at Day Three.”

  Harrison shifted and for a moment I thought he was going to throw me back onto the cushions the way he had before. Moving far faster than I would have ever given myself credit, I straddled his thighs and pushed his hands back down against the top of the couch. “Don’t. Move.”

  Our mouths were now inches apart. It would have been easy to bend down and kiss him, long and slow the way I normally liked. But nothing about what we were doing had to do with normal seduction. This was about fucking; raw, pure sex and the mutual enjoyment that came from it. I didn’t have to fall in love to enjoy Harrison’s body. No, I was going to relish each of these experiences for exactly what they were.

  I grabbed his face between my hands, letting my fingers rub hard against his stubble. His sweat mixed with his deodorant and the remnants of aftershave. I breathed it in deeply, doing my best to memorize it, burn it into my brain for later recall. His lips parted, revealing a flash of white hidden beneath. Yes, that was what I wanted. I kept my eyes open as long as I could, only closing them when I got close enough to suck hard on his bottom lip.

  A rush of air tickled my cheek as he sucked in a breath. I didn’t want him to speak. Not when I finally got my head to the place I wanted it to be. I bit down on his lip, eliciting a flinch from him. His hands found their way to my hips, but rather than pull me off, he encouraged me to move.

  It took me a second to get the hang of grinding down on him while holding his face, but I managed to set a pace that had us both panting in no time. His cock might as well have been stone it was so hard against my pussy. The wet cotton stuck to my skin, increasing the friction and pressure on my clit. I moaned into his mouth before breathing in his breath.

  “That’s it.” He squeezed my hips harder. “Fuck me. Rub off until you come.” There was no sweetness and light in his words, only raw desire.

  Who was I to deny the man his request?

  Placing my hands on his shoulders for leverage, I increased the pressure on his cock. I must have done something right because the next thing I knew his eyes rolled up and his lids squeezed shut.

  “You like that,” I whispered as I licked his ear.

  “Yeah.” His breath was hot against my neck.

  “You gonna come?”

  “Not yet. You first.”

  It wasn’t going to take much prompting. This was the first time I’d been with a man since Rob, and while my pirates and vibrator certainly did the trick, they couldn’t replace the mind-blowing need that being held by a man could induce. I gave up with seductions and teasing and instead pressed my face into the side of Harrison’s neck and focused my attention on coming.

  Sweat covered us, mixed together between our bodies as I rode him. My cotton panties were soaked with my desire and effort to get off. The fabric pulled tighter than before, creating the perfect pressure on my clit. I lifted my body up enough to force the side of his shaft against my clit. There it was! That sensation of bliss, and the promise of oblivion. I dug my nails into Harrison’s shoulders as I ground down. Heat rose within me as my chest tightened and the muscles in my legs began to quiver. Almost there, reaching for the precipice . . .

  “Shit!” I cried out against his skin as pleasure rolled through me. My breath came back in a gasp as I rode through the release, greedily wanting to squeeze out every ounce of bliss that I could.

  It was only after my hearing came back to me that I heard Harrison chanting softly. “Yes, yes, yeah baby. Yes.”

  I didn’t stop moving. My clit was oversensitive from my orgasm, but I didn’t care. The small fissure of discomfort was worth the way his body came alive between my thighs. His hips bucked harder and his cock pressed farther up against my belly. I pulled back just far enough so I could watch the red head poke up between us. The stark contrast of flushed skin against white cotton was the single most erotic thing I’d ever seen.

  Harrison shifted his hands so they bracketed my ribcage. “Gonna come.”

  I was torn between watching his face and watching his cock. I chose the latter and held my breath as come shot from its head in long ribbons between us. The hot spunk smeared across our skin as we continued to rub together, binding us in a primal way. Finally, once I was certain there wasn’t anything left in him, I stopped moving and collapsed against his chest.

  For a long time there was nothing but our mutual breathing, coming out in a syncopated rhythm. I jumped slightly at the brush of his fingers along my skin, but relaxed into the feeling as he continued to stroke me.

  “Day Four.” He said the words with reverence.

  “Don’t forget Day Three. It was an important repeat performance.”

  “Yes, it was.”

  We fell silent again. It was strange how comfortable we’d grown together in such a short period of time. Maybe it was the sex. It had to be. It’s not like I knew much about him, where he grew up, his favorite shows or music. Could people have a relationship borne simply from sex? Could it last?

  Not that either of us wanted a relationship. Stupid sex-addled brain. But still.

  “What’s your favorite color?” I rolled my head so my chin pressed against his chest and I could see his eyes.

  He glanced down at me, but the awkward angle had him look away. “Why?”

  “Just curious. I don’t really know much about you.”

  “Alyssa—”

  “Don’t worry, I’m not trying to trick you into dating me or something. Call me old-fashioned, but I want to know a bit about the man who I’m sleeping with.”

  “I’m not worried.” He pressed a kiss to the top of my head. “Brown.”

  “Really?” Rob’s favorite had been blue. “Why?”

  “Does it matter?” There it was again, that odd note in his voice whenever things got personal.

  I didn’t want to ruin what we had going on, not when I’d just gotten my head in the game. I wanted to go through Rob’s cards, learn more about myself and what I might enjoy when it came to sex. While I didn’t need Harrison to do this, it was a lot less intimidating to have him with me.

  “Sorry. No, it doesn’t matter. Ignore me. My brain is misfiring from the amazing sex.” When I pulled back, he didn’t stop me. “That was awesome.”

  “It was.”

  “You still okay with helping me with this? I mean, we still have lots of cards to get through. I know you’re pretty busy with work.”

  Harrison chuckled. “I’m sure I’ll be able to fit you in.”

  “Good.” Whatever cloud had descended upon us had blown over. “I better get dressed and go have a shower.”

  “I need one too.” He patted his chest just above where the come had dried. “Good thing I hadn’t showered earlier. You know, you could always stay and join me. Might be fun to get cleaned up together.”

  “I better not. I really should get back and get ready for bed.” I pulled my shirt and shorts on while he watched. “Besides, we can’t have a shower together.”

  “Why not?”

  I poked the end of his nose with my finger. “Shower sex isn’t until Day Sixteen.”

  This time when I left, the sound of his laughter followed me home.

  13

  Every condo in the building had a small plot of the roof garden set aside for our use. Most
of the tenants took advantage of the space and planted what they could. Some loved flowers and would tend and grow the most beautiful perennials you could ever want. Mrs. Le Page focused her attention on vegetables, mostly tomatoes, and at the end of the summer would distribute the fruits of her labors to anyone who asked for some.

  Me? I tried to grow flowers, but never quite remembered to water them. The garden had been another one of those chores that Rob and I had always tackled together. Neither of us excelled at it, but together we managed not to kill the few plants we had. When he died, I let things go for a while. It wasn’t until Pierce actually threatened to revoke my privileges if I didn’t make a better effort to mind my plants, that I forced myself to refocus my efforts. I wasn’t going to lose my spot, one of my memory places, so here I was. I’d decided on a new approach and after taking Mrs. Le Page’s advice, I planted vegetables.

  As I knelt down in front of my plot, a long zucchini in my hands, I wondered if it was firm enough yet to use it as a dildo.

  Yes, this is what my life had come to. I officially had sex on the brain.

  Rob would be pleased. So would Nikki.

  My current ponderings were the result of a Harrison drought. After our session Friday night, I hadn’t seen much of him. I heard him come back from the gym Saturday morning when I finally rolled out of bed in search of coffee. I didn’t hover near the front door in the hopes of seeing if he’d slow down. Or knock. Fresh brewed coffee. Come on in! I wasn’t even disappointed when I heard his front door echo shut. He was MIA for the rest of the weekend and I eventually had to push my curiosity aside.

  It was actually fine. I needed a few days to remember that I had a life that required my attention. Bills had to be paid, parents had to be called and reassured, matinees to attend alone. Zucchini to be fondled.

  Naw, this one was way too big to be useful.

  Maybe I should reconsider my moratorium on cucumbers.

  The roof door squeaked open and new voices joined the gentle buzz of the city below. I might not be much of a gardener, but I did enjoy the sense of calm that being up here brought. I said hello to the new arrivals and went back to rescuing the fruits of my labor from their weedy prison.