Passion in Portland 2016 Anthology

by Anthology

  “I’m ready for the next level,” he announced.

  “Spoken like a true gamer,” Jessica said with a shake of her head. “Come on. I know one that will give you a few dog legs to practice on.”

  Like a couple of locomotives, they followed tracks to another slope that wasn’t completely filled with middle schoolers, and that alone made Anthony both proud and nervous.

  “Just don’t get going so fast that you lose control.”

  “Okay.”

  Seriously Anthony,” she said sternly. “That is how you get hurt out here.”

  “Maintaining control is my forte,” he said with a smile. His mouth was the only part of his face she could see.

  She went first and it was clear that she had been holding back. Within a few seconds, she was zipping down the trail. Jessica stopped every once in a while to let Anthony catch up and always had a supportive comment or a helpful suggestion to make when he drifted by.

  She would then pass him again and wait farther down the hill. Anthony rather enjoyed the view it provided, but longed to keep up with her. She was only going a little faster than him really and all he needed to do was be a bit braver and let the hill pull him down.

  For a while, it was pure magic. He matched her swift movements down the slope and stayed with her as they cut back and forth through what looked like a whole world made of powdered sugar.

  All it took was one hop turn that was a little too sharp and Anthony was airborne. He was sailing sideways like cops in the movies, who jump from one place of cover to the next while firing two guns in slow motion. Except it wasn’t in slow motion. It happened painfully fast, and Anthony didn’t have guns. He had ski poles, and he lost them both when he landed on the side of his face before somersaulting to a stop.

  His goggles askew, his hat completely gone, and both skis skittering down the hill, Anthony sat up and dug the snow out of his ear. Jessica, who had heard the commotion behind her, was already in recovery mode and in pursuit of the escaped skis. By the time Anthony had put his glove back on and gotten to his feet, Jessica was returning with his equipment.

  “That, my friend, was one big sounding crash. Are you all right?”

  “Better now that I know you didn’t see anything.”

  “You know what it’s called when you lose both poles and skis in a crash?”

  “What?”

  “A yard sale!” she exclaimed. “You’re now fully initiated.”

  “I feel like I’ve been fully interrogated.”

  “Do you want to stop?”

  “Hell, no. I was just getting good.”

  They stayed out for another hour, sampling one more hill that was the site of two more yard sales. By the time they returned to the ski lift, Anthony was exhausted.

  He rested his head on Jessica’s shoulder as they floated down the mountain like an ember from a campfire and every bit as silent. The wind had even died down and the couple existed in a pocket of warmth together until the lift put their skis back on the ground.

  As they returned their rented equipment, the same clerk from before took note of the snow on top of Anthony’s goggles.

  “Did you ever fall down?” he asked innocently.

  Anthony nodded slowly, painfully. “Yard sale,” he muttered.

  “A yard sale!” the man repeated loudly. “Why didn’t you tell me? I would have printed up flyers!”

  Jessica laughed and Anthony smiled, although it hurt to do so.

  ******

  The suite was warm and waiting for them. Jessica led Anthony to the bed and sat him down.

  “Let me take care of you,” she instructed.

  Anthony nodded and fell back into the soft comforter while she removed his shoes and socks. When she unzipped his jacket she gained access to the buttons on his pants and unfastened them in short order. She sat him up to remove his jacket, but she removed hers as well and knelt on the bed so they could hold each other for a moment.

  She kissed the parts of his chest that became exposed as she unbuttoned his shirt and liked the way he arched his back to let her slide his pants down his legs. He was down to his black boxer briefs, but she was still wearing most of her clothes. She allowed him to watch as she took every piece off. It wasn’t a strip tease to music and only took a minute, but she made sure that he could see all the good parts as she removed every article.

  By the time she got back to him, his boxer briefs were straining to contain his appreciation. She reached beneath the waistband and took hold of him before pulling the garment down. Then she began kissing his stomach. The delicate sound of her kissing was joined by the ticking of snowflakes attacking the windowpanes.

  Jessica gently climbed on top of Anthony, placing her hands on his chest and eased herself down to envelop him. She savored the feeling of him filling her before swaying forward and backward. Her body moved like a breeze and he liked the way her hair tickled his face as she bent down to kiss him. Her breasts hovered just out of reach of his mouth each time she lowered herself to visit his eyes or cheeks with her lips.

  Sometimes she would lean back until both her eyes and breasts were pointed to the ceiling but always with the deliberate, slow pace of a stretching shadow. Anthony lounged in the feeling and kept cursing himself for closing his eyes.

  Jessica, a slave to her own needs, also knew that Anthony was going to start feeling the effects of his unplanned gymnastics soon, so she draped herself over him and began moving with piston consistency until they were both breathing hard.

  When she sat up straight again, she nearly climaxed at once. She massaged the feeling until it bubbled over and she stilled her rambunctious breasts with her hands. It was a hurricane of ecstasy and she was riding waves of release. Anthony erupted with a sigh that turned into a whimper of delight.

  Jessica collapsed onto his chest. “I love you,” she said in a breathless rush of affection.

  “I love you,” His reply was soft and swift.

  They fell asleep in one another’s arms and woke up only when crisp twilight fell over the mountain and filtered orange sherbet tones through the windows.

  ******

  Dinner reservations in the Cascade Dining Room were at nine o’clock. Late for the west coast, but the lounge served food until ten and a jazz trio played until midnight. Anthony ordered cedar planked wild Pacific Coho salmon while Jessica chose a ribeye steak with black truffle butter and a baked potato.

  “It’s snowing again.” Jessica said as she looked past her reflection in the window they sat next to. Outside, it was completely dark but the dancing flakes were captured for a brief moment by the dining room’s soft light as they passed.

  Anthony followed her gaze and gave the window his attention before turning back to her.

  “You are a very good teacher.”

  “That’s because you follow instructions well,” she said waving a hand in dismissal.

  “I really had fun today.”

  “I did too.”

  “I don’t even hurt anymore.”

  Jessica waved him off a second time. “That’s the Advil.”

  “No,” Anthony insisted. “I feel fine, even after we …” Anthony replaced the last words with a grin.

  “Trust me. You’re going to feel it all tomorrow.”

  Anthony nodded his head. “Well, check-out isn’t until eleven, so I’ll have time to recoup.”

  “I should take it easy on you tonight.”

  “You mean you’re not done with me yet?”

  She shook her head.

  They drank champagne at Anthony’s suggestion and relived their favorite moments of the weekend, cementing their memories as the sound of the string bass chased the piano around the room. The fellow playing the trap set of drums wore a fedora that was cocked to the side of his head, making him look perpetually curious.

  “You have really surprised me this weekend,” Jessica said just after their meal was served.

  Anthony verified that none of the items on
his plate were touching and looked up. “I did?”

  “First with your performance last night. And then today. You’ve showed me a lot of trust, and I appreciate it.”

  “I can think of no better way to thank you for being in my life. Unless you prefer chocolate?”

  Jessica laughed; her desire for all things chocolate was no secret to him. “No, I like this. I like you like this. You’re always fun, but this weekend you’ve seemed so … free.”

  “Especially when I was flying upside-down through the air,” he joked.

  “I wouldn’t know. I was too busy dodging your skis.”

  Anthony chuckled as he closed his mouth around a forkful of salmon.

  “How’s your dinner?” she asked.

  “It’s great. How’s your steak?”

  “Amazing. Wanna bite?”

  “Sure. Want some of my salmon?”

  “Ew. No.”

  “It’s good.”

  “It’s fish.”

  “It’s good fish.”

  “It’s gross.”

  Anthony gave up and took the fork she offered him with a big morsel speared. When he put it in his mouth his eyes widened. “That is amazing.”

  “Better than your salmon?”

  He nodded his head reluctantly.

  “I rest my case.”

  “You would make a great lawyer, Jessica. It’s still not too late to start.”

  “No thanks. I’d rather work with kids.”

  “It’s pretty much the same thing. You’re a natural.”

  Jessica smiled and shook her head. “I’d rather try the salmon.”

  They were on their third glasses of champagne when the dishes from the meal were cleared away and a single white rose was placed in front of Jessica by a sure handed waiter, whose wink to Anthony was lost behind his thick glasses.

  “What’s this?” Jessica lifted the flower to her nose.

  “That,” Anthony pointed to the flower, “is the hardest rose in the world to find. Did you know that in order to get one, you have to be willing to search everywhere and wait for a long time?”

  He reached into his inner jacket pocket and retrieved a small white ring box. “And in order to keep one, you have to be willing to take care of her for as long as she lives.”

  Anthony opened the box, revealing a delicate but jubilant engagement ring. He placed the box on the table in front of Jessica.

  “If you were to be my wife, I promise to take excellent care of you for the rest of your life. I didn’t mean for that to rhyme,” he added. “It was just a nice poetic coincidence.”

  Jessica reached past the box and took his hand. “Nothing would make me happier.”

  Anthony rose from the table so he could walk over and kiss her, but she stood up as well. She hugged him so long that he wondered if their embrace counted as dancing.

  As if on cue, the musicians began a slow number. The drummer began by brushing the high hat as the piano player adjusted the mic to sing. “This song is for anyone who just got engaged,” he announced with a wink and smile. They began playing “At Last,” one of Jessica’s favorite songs.

  “Would you dance with me?” Anthony asked by tilting his lips to her ear.

  Jessica pulled back to stare at him with wonder and warmth. “Nothing would make me happier,” she repeated.

  They walked to the middle of the stingy but empty dance floor and whirled around while Jessica sang along, sang to him.

  “I can’t believe you did all this,” she smiled.

  “I can’t believe you said yes.”

  “I said it, and I meant it. I’m going to make you very happy.”

  “You already have.”

  “Trust me, it gets better.”

  Anthony filled his eyes with hers.

  “You don’t have any other surprises up your sleeve do you?” she asked.

  “Actually, I don’t.”

  “Good,” she replied with a smile. “Then it’s my turn.”

  “What did you have in mind?”

  “I don’t know yet, but you’ll definitely be surprised.”

  “I guess I …” Anthony gasped. “Hold on a minute.” He dashed over to the table where the open box was sitting and plucked the ring out of it.

  “First of all,” he said as he re-joined her on the dance floor. “We shouldn’t leave the ring on the table like that, and second we should see how it looks on you.”

  Jessica held her hand out and he placed the ring on her finger. It was cold on her skin but filled her body and soul with warmth.

  “I love it.”

  “I love you.”

  Her reply came from her lips as they pressed against his. That night she made love to him with the firelight heating their bodies. It would be the first of many nights caught in each other’s arms and lost in each other’s love. That weekend would become the stuff of legend, stories they would eventually share with their friends while the kids were at play.

  And it always ended the same way, with Anthony explaining how he was so sore the next morning that they had to stay an extra day.

  About the Author

  Morgan and Jennifer Locklear met in 1989 as teenagers and became high school sweethearts. They have been married since 1995 and live in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States with their two children, a son and daughter.

  Although both enjoyed creative writing in their youth, they have only been working as a writing team since 2010. Since then they have created a dozen full-length and short stories together.

  Jennifer has been employed in fundraising and development for a non-profit organization since 2000. She also enjoys participating in charitable activities, both locally and online. In her (limited) free time she is an avid reader.

  Morgan has been employed in the hospitality industry since 1998. He has been active in the local performing arts community since childhood with many acting and directing credits to his name. He is also a musician and songwriter and has recorded 6 albums.

  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MorganandJenniferLocklear

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  Forever Yours – Nicole Richard

  True love is a rare find.

  Time apart makes the heart grow fonder.

  But a second chance?

  Near impossible.

  College sweethearts Zach Davenport and Malia Jameson were the perfect pair to be dubbed Oregon State University’s Cutest Couple. Together they had it all until a family obligation and the fear of the unknown split them apart.

  With five years and the Pacific Ocean to divide them, fate conjured a way of reconnecting two people who could not be any more perfect together. They’ve come to realize the true meaning of “A heart never forgets,” but will they allow time and distance to play a role in keeping them apart?

  CHAPTER ONE – Zack

  “Shit,” I cursed at my computer screen and punched my desk. I should have read the subject line instead of blindly opening the e-mail my father sent.

  From: Cliff Davenport

  To: Zackary Davenport

  Subject: CDR Engineers, Inc. – Portland office organization

  Zack,

  I would like to speak to you before the end of the workday to discuss the Portland office management position. Due to prior obligations and deadlines, I will not be able to be in Portland as I hoped.

  I will need for you to go in my place.

  There is also a LEED sem
inar on Thursday and Friday that I believe would be beneficial to your résumé.

  C-

  “Double shit.” Maybe I can send it to my spam folder. I drummed my fingers and mentally mapped out my schedule for the next week. I had clients to meet and deadlines to make. This would screw with all of it. He wanted me in Portland by Thursday, which meant I had to leave tomorrow night. I hated this last minute bullshit. What made it worse was that he “suggested” I attend one of those boring conferences on going green.

  “Mr. Davenport, is everything all right?” Ms. Kline, my assistant, asked from the doorway.

  “Yes. Everything’s fine, but I need to be in Portland for the next eight or nine days. Could you make the arrangements for me?” I was still staring at that damn e-mail.

  “I’ll get on that right away, sir.”

  “Thank you.”

  My father’s continuous pressing for me to run the Portland office had become taxing. I was thirty-one years old and a dually licensed Civil Engineer. I was perfect for the position, but I still had my doubts. Everything with my father had to fit into a five or ten year plan. My goals in life were to design infrastructures and be damn good at it. That was it! Well, that and to find another girl of my dreams. I highly doubted I’d ever find another Malia.

  It had been five years since I stepped foot in Oregon, and there was a good reason for that. My unexpected freak-out then pick-up-and-leave exit that fateful night left me cringing in my leather seat. But what were the odds Malia was even still there? The last I knew, she had moved back to Hawaii. She was probably lounging on a white sandy beach, sipping some fruity mixed drink and selling the idea of a destination conference to some corporate executive. If I hadn’t been stupid and running scared, I could be there with her right now, enjoying a beautiful sunset and walking along the beach.

  Then there was the thought of my father wanting me to check on a new office that suddenly made my neck itch. I would have to suck it up and make the best of it. If I were lucky, I would be able to run a drink tab equal to one-quarter of one month’s salary, hang out by the pool, and find me a pretty little plaything.