by Lyon, Raquel
“I haven’t done this for a very long time,” she said.
“What? Dancing?”
“No.” She shook her head. “This.”
Comprehension dawned. The light was on amber, about to turn green. But was there some reason she couldn’t say the word? Did I have to spell it out? “You mean, sex with someone other than your husband?”
“Sex with anyone.”
“Not following.”
“Like I said before, John was married to his job. He worked so hard; he was always tired by the time he got home, and his interest in me declined as his responsibilities increased.”
“He didn’t know a good thing when he had it.”
Her eyes filled with sadness. “During our reconciliation, last year, I tried to elicit his interest. I really did, but he always had an excuse.”
“And he left you again for another woman.”
She nodded into her chest, pointedly avoiding my gaze. “His disinterest convinced me I was undesirable. His unfaithfulness confirmed it.”
“Trust me. That is not the case. I’ve never wanted anyone more.” Or hated anyone more than her Ex. It was a crime against mankind for a body like hers not to be touched, and loved, every single day.
“That’s what I’m struggling to understand.”
I pushed as much sincerity into my eyes as I could. “Cora, I desire you.” I took hold of her hand and placed it on my jeans. “Would I have this if I didn’t?”
Her eyes widened, and with the lightest of touches, her other hand moved to my shoulder and continued down my arm until we were holding hands. She dropped to her knees, pulling me down with her. “I am tired of being alone,” she said. “I want to feel loved again.” My heart raced. She had my undivided attention, as she moved to release her blouse’s buttons, one by one, and parted the material. “So where were we?”
I didn’t need asking twice, and reached up to cup a breast in each hand. “Right about here.”
Her eyes closed and she pushed her chest forwards, inviting me to touch her more. I was only too happy to oblige. Through the lacy material, her nipples hardened under the pressure of my rotating thumbs. I leaned in to dot light kisses along her collarbone. Her chest heaved; her breathing laboured. Touching her was better than all my birthdays put together, and her body was the present I was dying to unwrap. I sought her mouth again, as my fingers travelled upwards to bare her shoulders, then moved back down to continue working her newly exposed breasts. It was as if I’d never touched a woman before, exploring curves that were both soft and firm at the same time. She pulled back and fought for air.
“Christ, you drive me crazy,” I whispered. “I want to see you naked.”
Filled with a mixture of excitement and terror, her eyes flicked to the lamp. “I-I …”
“It’s okay. You don’t have to be embarrassed; you have a wonderful body.”
She took a deep breath. “You first.”
“Suits me.” I couldn’t shed my clothes quickly enough, and within seconds, I was kneeling in front of her wearing only my boxers. “Bringing back memories?”
“That’s not naked.”
“Not what you said before.” I grinned. “Besides, I wouldn’t want to overwhelm you all at once.”
“I’ve seen a naked man before.”
Part of me decided I was better off not knowing, but the rest of me had to ask, “How many?”
“Just the one.”
“A one-man woman, huh?”
“Until now.”
I pulled her to me. “Until now.”
Easing off her blouse and unhooking the offending elastic, I uncovered the hottest sight I’d ever seen, but I still needed more. I had to expose every inch of this woman.
I scooped her around the waist and swung her gently to the floor. She giggled and looked at me expectantly, before I bent to nuzzle her neck and trail kisses down between her breasts. As I smoothed a hand down her side and unzipped her skirt, I circled one pink nipple with my tongue, attached my lips around it, and sucked, gently at first then harder. Air pulled through her nose, as her back rose from the floor, allowing me access to nudge the skirt down over her hips, and when my attention switched to her other nipple, her panties followed. She kicked them off with her feet.
Greedily, I scanned down the length of Cora’s body. The thought of it had had me all bent out of shape for weeks, and now it was mine for the taking. Skimming her stomach with the lightest of fingertips, I inched lower to my goal, and below her soft curls, I found it. Holy fuck, she was already wet for me. Her fingers teased under the waistband of my boxers, and the sensation of her touching my ass drove me wild, but I knew if my underwear came off, it’d be over in minutes, and I wanted it to be good for her too, besides, I liked to play. I smoothed my finger between her legs and slid inside. She tensed. “Shh. Relax,” I said, as I worked in another finger.
“I …”
“Shh.” I silenced any protest, she was about to make, with another kiss, and soon, her hips were mirroring the movement of my fingers, her glorious flesh soft to my touch. She stilled, and I broke away to look down at her closed eyes and ask, “Are you holding your breath?”
Her eyelids flew open. “Shh,” she said, glancing down at my hand, “and don’t stop.”
“I have a better idea,” I said, as I began kissing a line down past her belly button. “I want to know if you taste as good as you feel.”
A small sound, I couldn’t make out, escaped her lips, as I replaced my fingers with my tongue and hooked my arms under her hips. Her thighs parted in open welcome, and I pressed my tongue deep inside her, alternating penetration with lapping and circling her sweet spot. She shivered, and tugged on my hair. Any harder and I’d be balder than Paps. Yeah, baby. I know. I’m good. I usually had to work a pussy for a good ten minutes for it to purr. It took Cora about twenty seconds, before she shuddered and struggled for breath.
I inched back up, and beamed. “Nice, huh?”
“Amazing,” she said through ragged breaths.
“And I’m not done with you yet,” I said, reaching over her to the pocket of my discarded jeans and retrieving the foil packet. I knelt up and straddled her, whilst ripping the packet open with my teeth. “Now you get to undress me.”
She chewed on her bottom lip and ran the back of her forefinger up my length, before hooking her thumbs into my boxers and slipping them down. Her eyes widened as my dick sprang out.
My lip curled into a lopsided smile. “He’s all yours. Treat him gently.”
I eased down to lie beside her and enveloped her in my arms. She was trembling.
“Why are you nervous?” I asked. “I thought we’d passed that.”
“I don’t want to disappoint you.”
“Not possible. You could lie there like a shop window mannequin and I'd still be happy to be with you. Now, how do you like it?”
She smiled. “Just be you.” Her hands reached up to my face and she pulled me into a kiss, as I shifted to position myself between her thighs. With our chests pressed together, I could feel her heart racing against mine. I kissed every part of her within easy reach, taking my time, while my hands explored lower. She needed to be fully ready. Primed. Her flesh felt wonderful under my fingers, every contact heated my blood to boiling point. Finally, she reached between us and guided me in. I almost shot my load right then. It was tempting, and I knew it wouldn’t take long for me to be ready for action again, but after all my talk, I had to live up to my promise.
With slow, calculated movements, I pulled out and pressed back in, again and again. I wanted to stay inside her forever. This was where I belonged. I savoured each second, like I would a freshly blown bubble that could pop and disappear in a flash. Soft moans and tiny sounds broke free from her lips. Perfectly manicured nails raked down my shoulder blades and dug into my clenched ass cheeks. Pain heightened the pleasure, and I fought to hold back as the pressure built. Then just when I thought I couldn’t take any more, Cora�
��s back arched, and she tightened around me. She was close. I could feel it. And so was I. I had been since we’d first kissed in the kitchen, and the wait was agony. When the first shudder rippled through her, I finally let go and came harder than I ever had before.
Chapter Seventeen
I woke up with a huge grin firmly fixed on my face. Cora was facing me, watching me intently. Over her shoulder, the clock had already crept past ten. My smile widened, as I remembered the previous night. Somewhere between the third and fourth time, we’d made it into the bedroom. “Morning, beautiful. Sleep well?” I asked.
“Very,” she said.
“Me too.” I noticed her face held a tinge of sadness. “So, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“Don’t give me that. I’m not totally blind.”
She chewed on her bottom lip, and then sighed. “Last night was really special.”
I got the feeling she was about to come out with one of her ‘buts’. “It was mind blowing.”
“Yes. But you do know it can never be anything more than that. Just one incredible night.”
And there was the ‘but’. “What are you saying?”
“It was a mistake.”
I ran my fingers down her arm, and I let my hand rest on her waist. “No. No, it wasn’t. It was a good thing.”
“We got caught up in the moment. It was sexual chemistry. That’s all.”
“There’s nothing wrong with a bit of chemistry.”
“No. No, there isn’t. But it never lasts.”
“And you’re basing this on what … your vast experience?”
“Clearly not. But Diane—”
“Is not you. Are you telling me, in the cold light of day, you don’t want me anymore?”
Her gaze fell, as if she couldn’t bear to look me in the eye. “No. No, that’s not what I’m saying.”
Thank fuck for that. “Pleased to hear it. What then?”
“When I’m with you, I forget I’m not twenty anymore.”
Were we really back to this? “When I’m with you, it doesn’t occur to me that you’re not.”
“But it’s a fact. You can’t ignore it. I’m thirty-nine; you’re only twenty-two.”
“Twenty-three in September.”
“Upping one number doesn’t change the others.” She twisted her wedding ring, and I had the sudden desire to rip it from her finger and throw it across the room.
“Quit with the old lady bullshit, will you?”
I half expected her to chastise me for my outburst, but instead, she glanced up through her lashes with an expression so pained it knotted my heart. “It’s not just about age. There’s a world of difference between us. We can’t base a relationship on chemistry alone.”
“It’s a start. What’s the harm in giving it a shot?”
“I don’t know if I’m ready,” she said.
“Why?”
“I’m scared.”
Again? If she thought being with me was scary, she must have led a very sheltered life. “Of what?”
“Of what people will say, of getting too attached and you leaving me, of being hurt again.”
“Fuck what anyone else thinks. This is about us.” I hooked a finger under her chin and forced her to look at me. “Look, no one can ever predict whether a relationship will work out or not. It’s not an exact science, but I’m willing to take the risk. The question is, are you?” I tried to gauge her reaction, but her face remained rigid, so I pressed harder. “I’m not going to hurt you. But neither will I allow you to give up on us before we’ve even started. Not when I feel this way, and I think you feel it too. You do don’t you?”
Her head bobbed, almost indistinguishably. “You make me happy, happier than I’ve been in a long time.”
“And I wish that everyone could experience a mere scrap of what I feel for you. I’ve never felt this way about a woman before. I’m putting myself out there too, but we have to give this a shot. We deserve it. You deserve it. It’s time to stop taking care of everyone else and let me take care of you.” It was the first time I’d given such a pussy speech, but I felt as if I was hanging on to our time by my fingernails, and I needed to get a firm grip.
Her chest depressed as she forced out a breath. “How can you take care of me? You don’t even have a job.”
“I’m not talking about finances, woman. I’m talking about your needs. My needs. I need to be with you, make you feel good. And you have to admit we’re good together.”
“Yes, but we have nothing in common.”
“Of course, we do. You like to keep fit. So do I. You like baking. I like eating. We’re both alone. The rest we’ll work out. All I’m asking is that you give it a try.”
“I want to try. It’s just …”
“You have trust issues. I get that. But you can trust me. I promise. I’ll never lie to you, and I’ll never cheat on you, like your Ex did, but you have to let me be in your life. Okay?” She had to agree. No way could I go back to mowing her lawns and pretend our time together never happened. I held my breath, my whole body taught with fear, as I waited for her answer.
“Yes.”
“Yes?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
The tension in my stomach finally eased and allowed me to breathe again. “That settles it then. Now come here.” I reached behind her neck and pulled her lips to mine. My fear of losing her had to be greater than hers was of losing me. The relief of her answer brought tears to my eyes, and I poured all my emotion into our kiss, afraid to let her go in case she changed her mind. After a few seconds, I managed to regain my self-control and broke contact. “Thank you.”
She smiled. The kind of smile I’d only ever dreamt about. Hell, if this was what love felt like, sign me up.
“So, how are you feeling?” I asked.
The corners of her lips curled mischievously. “Sore.”
“Yeah?” Not too sore, I hoped. Despite repeated performances throughout the evening, I’d woken up hard, and the way she was looking at me did nothing to lesson it. Last night had been a revelation. I’d expected it would take time for Cora to be at ease with me, but I’d been surprised at her eagerness. I was ready for another round, if she was game.
“Yes. It’s been a long time since I’ve had carpet burns on my knees,” Cora said.
“Carpet burns? Really? Let’s see them, then.” I scooted under the sheet and kissed my way down the side of her ribcage to her legs. She squirmed and giggled. I hadn’t quite reached her knees when I heard the bedroom door open.
Were we in for another rant from Nessie? Because I could do without one of her angry outbursts cramping my style, yet again.
“Mum?” said a voice that sounded like Nessie’s, but wasn’t. I froze. “I came round to collect some more of my stuff, and then I heard noises. I …” My fringe tickled my nose and I sneezed. “Is that … Dad, under there?”
Cora peeled the sheet from my head, and I turned to the voice. It belonged to another mini Cora. “Hi,” I said.
“Oh. Um, hello,” the girl replied. “I’m sorry, Mum. I didn’t know you had company.”
Although her tone held a trace of shock, it made a welcome change from her sister’s usual loathing. I did a quick top to toe of Cora’s eldest, as I shuffled to a sitting position. Her blonde hair fell in waves over a huge rack, squeezed into a tight yellow top, and skintight jeans covered the longest legs I’d ever seen. I found myself wondering if Cora had looked as hot, twenty years ago, then kicked myself. She was still hot, and she was mine. My eyes were under a strict no wandering order now, especially where her daughters were concerned.
“Amy, this is Johnny. My, um …” Cora began.
Yes, what was I? Gardener? Handyman? Neither sounded right in the current situation. “Boyfriend.” I interrupted. Amy’s eyebrows rose and she shot a look at her mother. I turned to look at Cora too. “Right?”
Cora’s eyes flicked nervously between us. She opened her mouth, and I
could tell her brain was struggling to find a plausible alternative. Finally, she spoke, “Yes.”
“Okay. Um. I’m not sure quite how to respond to that. You never told me you were seeing anyone, Mum.”
“It’s been a recent development,” Cora said.
“I see. Hmm. Well … congratulations.”
I took hold of Cora’s hand and squeezed it, smiling. “Thank you. We’re very happy.”
Amy’s lips twitched into a smile. “Mum deserves to be happy.” Her gaze roamed over my chest and back to my eyes. Was she checking me out? “Are you older than you look?” she asked. “Yeah, I’m guessing you must be,” she said, answering her own question. “Well, I’ll just get my things, and then I’ll be out of your hair. Nice to meet you, Johnny. Mum, I’ll call you later.”
When the door closed, I turned to Cora. “That went well, I think.”
She was staring at me with raised brows. “Boyfriend?”
“You like that?”
“It sounded strange.”
“What would you prefer? Partner?” I shook my head. “Too formal. Bit on the side? Implies you already have somebody. Shag buddy? Well, as much as that idea appeals, we’ve already established it’s more than that. Personally, I like boyfriend, and as far as I’m concerned, we’re a couple now. So, boyfriend it is. What shall we do today?” I asked, closing the space between us and kissing her shoulder.
“It’s Friday. On Fridays, I have yoga class in the morning, go shopping in the afternoon, and host my book club in the evening. In fact, my class starts at eleven, so I really need to get ready,” she said, opening the space back up.
“Are you trying to get rid of me?”
“Yes.”
I shuffled closer and ran my tongue along the edge of her ear. “Why?”
Using more force, she pushed me away and swung her legs off the mattress. “You're far too tempting.”
“Okay, I can take a hint. I was thinking of going into town anyway.”
Chapter Eighteen
Once the new haircut had been ticked off my mental list, I paid a visit to the job centre, hoping to find someone in need of an odd job man. I was out of luck. Row upon row of white cards pinned to billboards offered a variety of menial positions: shop work, cleaning, labouring stuff, but no demand for gardeners. The school caretaker job half appealed—at least the pay did—but scraping chewing gum from desks and fixing toilets in graffiti covered bathrooms wasn’t my scene, and I wasn’t yet desperate enough to flip burgers or collect glasses. I scanned the depressing, soulless room of blank faces holding no hope and couldn’t get out of there soon enough.
