Stirred

by Nancy S Thompson

  With her hand in mine, I guided Eden down the meandering trail, through the old-growth trees, toward the foot of the falls. We explored the powerhouse and peeked through the windows at the generator turbines then moved along to scope out the impressive views of the valley before descending to the boardwalk at the base of the falls, where every tree was encrusted with vividly-colored lichen. The water was too high, but I promised Eden I’d bring her back in the summer and show her how to boulder-hop across the river.

  As the sun dipped a little lower in the sky, and the valley darkened with late afternoon shadows, I suggested we return topside and see about getting a bite to eat.

  Eden’s eyes grew bright. “How about the Salish Lodge?” she suggested. “It’s right there. I’ve heard great things about it. People come from all over to stay there, to be pampered at the spa and dine over the falls. We should so do that.”

  I held my hand out. “All right then. Let’s go.”

  The Salish Lodge sat adjacent to the falls parking lot, literally perched at the very edge of the cliff, directly above the top of Snoqualmie Falls. It provided a striking view of Washington State’s most popular natural attraction. I’d been there, so I knew, and I wanted Eden to experience the ambiance of the elegant yet cozy dining room, with its gleaming hardwood floor, large picture windows, classic Pacific Northwest interior, and the high-end food that would surely rock her world. It was a Puget Sound institution. You had to go there at least once, and, surprised she’d never been, I was pleased I could introduce Eden to yet another first.

  The hostess ushered us to one of their coveted window tables, where we sat across from each other, though I made sure Eden faced the rushing waterfall a few dozen feet away. Not that it mattered, because, as we nibbled on a starter of a half dozen oysters, then shared our entrees of vegetable gratin and rib-eye steak, we only had eyes for each other. We finished our meal, chatting in easy companionship, then enjoyed a bottle of merlot, our fingers entwined along the table as the sun set behind the tree-covered hills. The leftover light of the now-hidden sun mingled with the undulating clouds, painting the sky in theatrical hues of orange, giving way to red, then a purplish-blue before fading into an amethyst that softened gently to black. Then the stars popped into view, one at a time, until the sky was filled with the wonder of a billion lights of faraway worlds.

  I pulled Eden’s fingers to my lips for a kiss, then said, “If you’re up for it, I have one last place I wanna take you, but…” I paused, unsure how she’d receive my idea. “It’s closed, so…you’ll have to be willing to take a risk, though, I promise, if you do, you won’t regret it. I swear.” I kissed her fingers again. “Come with me, Eden.”

  Eden worried her bottom lip with her teeth as she stared at me and pondered my offer. Her gaze darted around the dining room, then out into the darkness beyond the window before settling back on me, her eyes filled with both uncertainty and longing. I could feel her desire battling against her conscience, pushing first one way, then the other, back and forth, a war of what she wanted and what she thought she should do. The small tentative grin turning up one side of her mouth gave indication as to which side was winning, and I sighed in relief.

  Too excited to wait for the bill, I left a generous amount of cash on the table then led Eden back to the car. The drive was a mere two minutes down the dark, two-lane highway, to the town of Snoqualmie, a tiny speck of a hamlet set right on the bank of the river just upstream from the falls. On the right laid a couple blocks of quaint shops and intimate little restaurants. On the left was the old train depot and a hundred yards of railway with an assortment of old, rusted railcars and locomotives on display next to an asphalt trail with a chain-link fence separating them.

  I drove past the restored depot, which now served as a museum and bookshop, and parked in an adjacent residential neighborhood filled with well-cared for clapboard homes.

  “Where are you taking me?” Eden asked as I opened her car door.

  Helping her out, I raised a single finger to my lips, asking for her silence.

  With the exception of a few streetlamps, the area was dark, quiet, and uninhabited by either pedestrians or cars. I slipped Eden’s hand through my arm and walked her to the rear side of the depot. She pulled away and spun in a circle as she peered around in awe at the restored railcars on display. After running an appreciative hand down the length of a rehabbed Army Medical Service Ambulance, Eden hopped up and down, hoping to catch a glimpse of what laid inside, but the windows were too high and the interior lights were all off.

  “Eden,” I whispered across the grassy yard separating that car from the one I was most interested in, an early mid-century personal car, its stainless steel-clad body polished to a gleaming shine. Eden scampered over, ooh-ing and ah-ing, even as I attempted to silence her excitement. I pulled her to the side vestibule near the end and raised my arm. “Jump on up.”

  Eden’s eyes bugged-out, and she backed up a step as she waved both hands in front of her. “Oh, Sean, no. I…I can’t.”

  I huffed at her, climbed up, and held out my hand. “Hop up, before someone comes along and sees us.” I curled my fingers impatiently, urging her to hurry.

  She placed her hand in mine, and I hauled her up with one swift yank. She fell into me, her hands at my chest and her brow knotted in worry. I silenced whatever questions she might have with a deep, heated kiss, thinking it felt like a drug I couldn’t get enough of, an addiction I couldn’t fight. But I had to break it off—there was no time to dally—so I pulled away with a raised finger.

  “Hold on,” I whispered as I dug my keys from my pocket, searching for the one I needed. I slipped it into the lock, turned it, and slid open the door, pulling Eden inside with me and rolling the door back closed.

  Eden’s gaze swept quickly over every inch of the old railcar. Long ago, it had been a chair car, one used for passengers, with rows of seats much like a commercial airliner or bus. But, once out of service, the car had been purchased by a wealthy businessman who’d stripped the interior of its seats and remodeled it into personal car. His estate had later donated it to the museum upon his death. We stood in the forward living area, finished with a shiny wood floor and topped with a luxurious oriental rug. Sturdy, leather conversation chairs sat opposite a plush upholstered sofa, its seat deep, almost like a bed, comfortable for long journeys. Completing the space were matching end tables and an old, wood-burning stove used for heat.

  Eden’s eyes grew large as saucers at the unexpected opulence surrounding her. But then, nervous of where we were and how we’d managed to get in, she shook her head and began throwing frantic questions at me, rapid-fire, one after another.

  “Is this legal? Are we allowed in here? Where did you get that key? What if we get caught? I can’t risk being arrested, Sean. I can’t risk getting caught with you. Declan will find out. He’ll ruin me, take my school away, my home, my—”

  I pulled her in tight and quieted her with a long, passionate kiss that stole her breath away and left her speechless.

  “Sean—” she started again once she’d caught her breath.

  I placed a finger against her lips and asked, “Have you ever seen that old flick Risky Business?”

  She shook her head. “What?”

  “Risky Business,” I repeated. “That old movie with Tom Cruise and Rebecca De Mornay? You’ve seen it, right?”

  She blinked repeatedly, her brow drawn in confusion. “Um…yeah…sure, I guess. A long time ago, maybe.”

  I smiled. “Okay, good. Now…do you remember the part near the end…that bit on the train?” I asked, and even in the dark, I could see deep red color stain her cheeks.

  She shook her head and tried to pull away, though she was grinning as she did so. “Sean, come on. I can’t do that.”

  I loosened my grip, but didn’t let go. “I’m pretty sure you can.”

  She chuckled with a roll of her eyes then gazed back up at me. “What is it with you and having sex
in public places?”

  I thought about it and shrugged. “Honestly, Eden, before you, I never gave it a thought. But…you ignite something in me, a need to push the boundaries, test my limits, and yours.”

  “I think maybe you’re just an exhibitionist,” she accused with one brow arched high.

  I shook my head. “No, I’m not, but even if I were, what’s so wrong with that? If it makes it more exciting, the threat of being seen, of being watched, possibly even caught…”

  “Easy for you to say,” she snickered. “You don’t have anything to lose. Not like I do.”

  “But think of all you have to gain, Eden, an experience like none other. You’ll finally have the perspective to write what you know. Isn’t that what writers are supposed to do, write what they know?” I gripped her hands tighter, my eyes pegged hard on hers. “Imagine how you could infuse your own experiences into your books, your characters and their stories.”

  She snorted. “Why the hell are you so interested in my writing career?”

  I shook my head. “I’m not. Not really. I’m only interested in you, Eden. Look, I don’t want to freak you out, but…I think about you all the time. I can’t concentrate, not in class, not at work. You consume me, haunt my dreams. There’s not a moment, waking or otherwise, when you’re not right here,” I said, tapping on my forehead. “I eat. I drink. I breathe. But it’s not enough if you’re not there. I don’t understand everything I’m feeling. I only know what I want, what I need, and that’s you, Eden. And right now, I wanna make love to you, right here on this train. I understand what you need, and I know what you like. Who else can say that?”

  I brushed my fingertips along her brow, down her cheek, and beneath her jaw, tilting her face up to mine. I kissed her tenderly, until her mouth parted and allowed me access. Then I plunged in, my breath heavy and urgent as my hands moved to each side of her beautiful face, weaving through her hair, to her neck, and down her back. I pulled her in tight, and our bodies molded as if a matched pair, a perfect yin and yang.

  Though aroused, up to that point, she’d remained slightly aloof, her body a little tense, like she was unsure if it was okay to give in, to abandon her inhibitions and surrender to her desire. But give in she did, and I sensed that exact moment, felt every muscle in her body loosen. It reminded me of the final leg of a triathlon, when I’d cross the finish line first after a 10K run and the tape would stretch across my chest then snap at each end, twirling free behind me. I felt Eden snap in much the same way, untethered from what always strapped her down and held her in place.

  It was a moment of complete trust as she placed her faith in me, knowing I would care for and protect her. I can only imagine how difficult that must have been, which only proved how restricted and diminished Eden had been during her marriage. I wondered if her asshole husband even realized the treasure he’d had under his nose all this time. While I hated the thought of how neglected she’d been over the years, I reveled in the fact that I was benefitting from it, that I was the one plundering such priceless riches.

  The thought made me growl in satisfaction, which seemed to excite Eden even more. She leaned her head back as my mouth scorched a track from her lips to her ear. I could feel the electricity sizzle through her as her body was seized with uncontrolled spasms of pleasure. And I knew damn well it was pleasure by the deep, husky moans emanating from her throat, and the occasional gasp when that pleasure was simply too much to bear.

  Her mewling drove me crazy, and my body grew hot and eager. I shed my leather jacket and tossed it aside. Eden peeled her sweater off, as well. With our breathing heavy, we stared at each other in the dim streetlight filtering in through the dirt-covered windows, the panes so opaque, we couldn’t be easily seen.

  My heart pumped hard at the thought of what was to come, how pliant she’d be beneath my hand, the tight, slick heat as I sank into her. I couldn’t believe this woman was here with me, mine for the taking. There’s nothing better than having a woman every other man wants to fuck, yet having her all to yourself. Christ, I was already swollen and aching with need. I couldn’t help rubbing my hand over myself to ease the tightness.

  The movement caught Eden’s attention, and her eyes swept from my face down to the rock-hard bulge in my pants. She sucked in a soft breath and smirked before closing the short gap between us, marking the first time since the night in the restroom she’d taken the first step. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Jesus, I loved to watch her walk. The sway of her hips made me harder still, and all I could think about was plunging deep inside her.

  She raised both hands and caressed my cheeks, then smoothed them over my shoulders, slowly sweeping down my chest to the ripples along my stomach. The pleasure that gave her was evident on her face, the way her teeth nibbled on her lip, and the heated longing that blazed from her hooded eyes. Her breathing shifted, fast and shallow, then she held it altogether when her fingers sank to my waistband and pulled at the well-worn fly of my 501s. Our eyes locked and held as the buttons popped open, one at a time, slow and deliberate. I knew then she was purposely teasing me. The sly half-grin told me so, provoking me more than I could bear.

  At that moment, all I wanted was to push her down and fuck her raw. But I held myself back, enjoying her sense of empowerment. I just hoped she didn’t tease me too much. I couldn’t hold out much longer. My cock was stretched and throbbing, ready to explode. Fuck! I’d never been so turned on in my entire life, and Eden wasn’t making it easy to remain in control.

  I closed my eyes and bent my head back as her cool fingers reached inside and freed me. I moaned with the feel of her hand stroking up and down, the pressure as she squeezed. But that was only the start of her blessed torment. She reached around my ass and slid my clothing down past my hips, fully exposing me. Then, suddenly, the heat from her body disappeared, and I opened my eyes to see Eden sink to her knees before me.

  She worked my shaft with one hand and massaged the dense flesh of my balls with the other, making me grunt like an animal, which made her chuckle, until she took me into her mouth, just the crown, at first, her tongue swirling around the outer ridge then dipping into the sensitive slit at the tip. With a hiss, I grabbed Eden’s head, warring over whether to pull her away so I could regain control, or hold her in place as I rammed myself down her throat. The decision became moot when Eden finally took me fully into the wet heat of her mouth, so deep, I felt my cock touch the back of her throat. She gagged a little, and I knew I should probably stop her, that I was too much for her, but, God help me, I couldn’t. It felt too good as she relaxed her throat and sucked down my entire length then pulled back up only to descend on me again and again.

  “Goddamn, Eden…fuck!” I rasped and almost lost it when she hummed a long chuckle before resuming her work, pumping with her fist, sucking and sinking with her mouth, over and over until the pressure became unbearable. With formidable reluctance, I pulled back and pushed Eden away as I drew her to her feet and into my arms. Her heartbeat thumped clear through her body and into mine.

  “Christ, Eden. You’re gonna fucking kill me with that mouth of yours,” I sighed, then both felt and heard her snicker.

  She pulled back and kissed me on the mouth, so sweet and tender, it was hard to believe it was the same woman who’d just nearly swallowed me whole. But there she stood, the sexiest, most alluring woman I’d ever set eyes on. She was an enigma, at once both courageous yet fearful, bold and demure, provocative yet repressed, aggressive and diffident. Proof she was two different women, living two disparate lives—the woman she was expected to be, and the one she wanted to be.

  I was determined to banish the former and incite the latter. That was who she really was, who begged to be free. That was who I’d met that first night in the bar. And that was who stood before me, kicking off her Skechers and unzipping her skin-tight designer jeans, shimmying out of them with a seductive shake of her hips.

  Next came her t-shirt. She crossed her arms in front and
grabbed the hem of the tight, black garment then slowly pulled it over her head, tossing it aside. And there she stood in the tiniest, lacy panties and matching bra I’d ever seen, and I’d seen plenty. But nothing like this, or the woman poised proudly in them.

  My eyes swept over her, from the crown of her lush, copper hair and her shimmering green eyes, to the deep indents above her collarbones and her creamy breasts—perfect, round, and full, just the right size to fill my hand. Her stomach was unblemished, smooth and flat, her waist narrow and set low on her long, slim torso. Her hips flared out gently, softly rounded and absolutely perfect. Then there were her legs, those fucking crazy long, long legs, the very ones she’d wrapped around me as I pumped into her that night behind the bookstore in Ballard. I envisioned those legs hiked up over my shoulders, her hips thrusting upward as I explored her with my mouth, opening her seam, lapping at her flesh, and fucking her with my tongue as she pulled at my hair and ground herself into me. I could practically taste her, and my mouth watered at the thought.

  Eden smiled, small and seductive, and slipped first one strap from her shoulder, then the other, before reaching behind, unclasping her bra, and letting it float to the floor. I swelled hard at the sight in front of me. But she wasn’t done. Not yet. She hooked a finger on either side of her delicate panties and, with a gentle rocking, lazily slid them over her hips, past her thighs, until they slipped to the floor. She pulled her perfectly-manicured feet free and took a step backward.

  I stared transfixed at the smooth, bare flesh of her apex, at the start of her crease, knowing full well what waited for me there in that deliciously wet slice of heaven. Just the thought of it assaulted me with so many sensations, even my fingers and toes felt charged with an electrical current that buzzed and surged from one end to another.

  Eden took a step closer. Then another. And another. Until she was mere inches from me. She raised her hands to my chest and eased me back onto one of the leather chairs, where she stooped to remove my Nikes and socks. Without breaking eye contact, she leaned over my lap, her mouth so close to undoing me, but she merely pulled at my pants and shorts, tugging them clear of my legs and tossing them aside. My cock stood at attention, straight up into her face, and I wanted so badly to push her head down so she’d take me again into that sweet, dirty mouth of hers. But I wanted to see what else she’d dare do even more. She’d surprised me in so many ways this night, the excitement of not knowing what else she was capable of teased me beyond reason.