by Anne Conley
Dalton watched her for a while and cleared his throat, before digging into his own food.
After a few minutes of silence, he said quietly, “I’ve seen your vibrator.”
She dropped her fork with a loud clang and took a sip of wine before speaking. “I don’t use it, much.”
“I know.” He grinned at her, mischievously.
“Okay.” She breathed through the flush that was deepening on her face. All or nothing. “Did you dream about...when I did? Use it?” She held her breath.
“Not like the other dreams.” He said simply.
Curiosity got the best of her. “What do you mean?”
“The other dreams had been about your life, like I was you, living your life. They were very detailed.” She nodded along with him. That’s what it had been like for her, too. “But when you used the vibrator, I had stopped having those dreams, and I was missing you.” His already intense eyes turned almost black with desire before he spoke again. “That night, I had the most exquisite orgasm of my life, while I was sleeping. It was just impressions and...sensations. Very intense. I was hoping it was you...and the vibrator.”
“Oh.” She took a tentative bite of her dinner, willing him not to talk with her eyes, wanting to get a bite down without choking. After she swallowed, she said, “Alright, your turn. What did you see?”
“I saw a loving mother, dedicated teacher, and completely unfulfilled woman.”
She did it this time. As soon as she had a mouthful of wine, he said the words “unfulfilled woman” and she choked. Coughing and sputtering, she held her napkin in front of her face. He handed her a glass of water. When she didn’t stop, he scooted out of his side of the booth and came around to hers, sliding in next to her to pat her back. The waitress stopped by to see if she could help.
“No, I think she just swallowed down the wrong pipe. We’ll be okay.” He continued to pat her back, feeding her small sips of water until Alyssa had herself under control.
“I’m sorry, Alyssa. I didn’t mean it like that.”
“It’s true.” She sputtered, still coughing a little. Her self-confidence was gone, and she just wanted to crawl into a little ball and go to bed.
“Why do you think we were dreaming about each other, Alyssa?” She gazed up at his smoky eyes as he asked the question. She sniffled.
“I don’t really know.”
“It means we have something special. Some kind of link with each other, and I want to explore it. Can we do that?”
“I’m trying, Dalton.”
“You want to get our food to go?”
She tensed in his arms, and he amended his question. “I just thought maybe we could talk better at your place. Or mine. Just talking. Somewhere there’s no choking hazards.”
“Okay.”
After having their food wrapped up, Dalton followed Alyssa out to his car. Opening the door for her, he resisted the impulse to pull her into his arms and kiss her into oblivion, but he wanted to get all of the talking out of the way first. He knew Alyssa had issues that they needed to deal with before they could pursue the physical element of their relationship.
They rode in silence back to Alyssa’s house. He could see she was nervous, casting shy glances his way periodically, and he wondered what was going on inside her head.
Once inside her house, Alyssa asked, “Do you want a glass of wine?”
He cocked an eyebrow at her, “Are you sure it’s a good idea?”
“Well, I’ll try not to drink any while you speak. I think I need it, though, to get through this.”
“Okay, I’ll have a glass.” He was uncomfortable that she felt the need to be inebriated in order to talk to him but decided not to think too much about it.
He waited until she had poured two glasses and sat down on the couch before sitting next to her.
Pausing slightly, to allow her time to take a drink and swallow, he asked, “Are you afraid of getting hurt, with me?”
She paused, thinking before answering. “No.”
“Why did you have to think about that?”
“Well, all of your…women seemed to really enjoy everything you guys did together.”
She was blushing again, and Dalton found himself aroused. She obviously had no idea how sexy she was when she was embarrassed, or she would probably make more of an effort not to blush so much. Although, she had apparently made an effort to look sexy tonight. She had blown him away when she first opened the door this evening, and he was still having a hard time keeping his eyes on her face.
“I really enjoy giving pleasure, Alyssa.” His voice had gone husky. He wasn’t sure if he’d be able to go away tonight with just a conversation, especially if they were going to stay on this topic.
She looked at her lap and twisted her hands a little, before taking a gulp of wine. “Okay. I’ll just say it. Dalton, you’re a whore.”
He laughed in surprise, and she stared at him open mouthed. He stopped laughing as soon as he could, but he had a hard time holding in the chuckles that escaped.
“Why is that funny?”
“It’s not funny, I suppose...It’s just...Look, Alyssa, I’m not proud of some of the things I’ve done in my past. Most of them were purely impulsive. I’ve always had a hard time thinking things through before jumping into them. When something sounds like it might be fun, I do it.”
“Well, what about diseases, Dalton?”
“I’m clean. I’m tested regularly.”
“When was the last time you were tested?”
“I’ll do it tomorrow, if you want me to. Alyssa, I won’t do anything to make you uncomfortable. I promise.” She hadn’t looked at him and it was killing him. He wanted to see her eyes while they were talking. Unable to resist the lure of sitting so close to her on the couch and not touch her, he grasped her face in his hands and tilted her face toward him.
“Here’s what I want, Alyssa. I want you. I want a relationship with you. I want to make you happy. I’m willing to wait until you’re comfortable with me. Do you believe people can change?”
“Yes.” Her breath had started coming quicker, and Dalton could feel it on his mouth, as he held her face close to his. She looked at his mouth, then back up to his eyes. “I want you too, Dalton.”
He kissed her then, and he didn’t hold anything back. Having been in her presence all night, and trying to hide the almost constant state of arousal had really been hard for him. He finally had heard the words he wanted her to say, and he reacted.
As he crushed her mouth against his, he willed her to want him as badly as he wanted her. He teased her lips with his tongue, until she opened for him. Thrusting his tongue inside her mouth, he met her small tongue and the tentative strokes that she used. He ran his hands down her neck, holding her head in place, while he made love to her mouth with his.
He nibbled on her lips with his teeth, softly, sucking them into his mouth to taste the sweet wine on them. He inhaled deeply, smelling her intoxicating perfume, his senses reeling. He opened his mouth over hers, and let his tongue explore the depths of her mouth.
Her body trembled at his touch, and he ran his hands down her back, pulling her closer to him. He could feel her breasts push against his chest as her hands entwined in his hair, pulling him closer still. He could feel her body mold with his, as he continued to kiss her. Alyssa leaned back, still holding his head close to hers, and he pushed forward until they were lying on the couch. One of Dalton’s hands crept down to her bottom, squeezing gently, while the other rested on her breast. Alyssa’s leg curled around one of his, and he could feel her need as she pushed her hips against his erection. Her breath came hot and fast as she continued kissing his mouth.
Dalton had never experienced this with a woman before. He felt like he was going to explode, and they were both fully dressed. He wanted to taste more of her, so he slowly kissed over to her ear, nibbling and sucking gently on her earlobe, reveling in the gasps she emitted. He started rubbing her breast thro
ugh her dress, feeling the soft peak harden in his fingertips.
“Dalton.” She breathed.
He stopped his ministrations. “What, Alyssa?”
She turned her head to look at his eyes, her breathing ragged as she squirmed under him. “I don’t know. I-I...”
“Do you want me to stop kissing you?” He hoped not. The noises she was making were turning him on.
“God, no.”
“Do you want me to stop touching you?”
“No, Dalton. I don’t.” She pulled his face back to hers and kissed him aggressively, making Dalton groan as he resumed his fondling of her breast.
Alyssa arched her back under him and continued to push her pelvis into his, writhing against Dalton. He kissed her neck, and she tilted her head back to give him better access to her skin. He continued down, kissing her erect nipple through her dress. He cupped her breast with his hand and pulled the top of it into his mouth, listening to Alyssa moan and whimper. Her frantic gyrations under him increased, distracting him slightly as he sucked her breast hard through the fabric of her dress. His other hand was on her other breast, and he pulled the fabric of her dress and bra down, exposing it to his fingertips. As he mouthed one breast, he fondled the other, until Alyssa’s whimpers became more urgent.
He looked up at her, and saw a vision of ecstasy. Her eyes were squeezed shut, and her mouth was open in a tight ‘o’ while it looked like she had momentarily stopped breathing. Suddenly, her body stopped its urgent undulations and she shuddered against him, as a gasp escaped her mouth.
“Oh...Dalton.”
“What?” He thought he knew, but he wanted to hear her say it.
“I think...I just had...” Her breathing was still rough, and he reveled in the flush on her cheeks and the glassiness in her eyes.
“Did you come?”
“Yes.” She breathed, smiling at him.
“Was that scary?”
He thought she might have blushed, but her already-flushed cheeks managed to hide it. “No. It wasn’t scary. It was...awesome,” she breathed. Alyssa looked down at her disheveled appearance. She pulled her dress up over her breast, and straightened her skirt, but not before Dalton could see her white panties with an alluring wet patch on them. He adjusted his jeans, trying to relieve some of the tightness in his groin.
She saw him. “Do you want me to do something for you?”
“Like what?”
“Like, um...” Her hands continued to fiddle with the skirt of her dress as she looked pointedly at his crotch.
“Oh. No, you don’t need to do anything.” He had pretty much had a hard on all evening, an hour or two more wouldn’t kill him.
“Are you sure?”
Dalton leaned over and kissed her chastely on her lips. “I’m sure Alyssa. You can get me another glass of wine if you want.”
She got up to go get the bottle of wine from the kitchen. When she returned, she sat down next to him and poured the glasses. She handed Dalton his glass, and taking hers, she leaned back against his side as he slipped his arm around her. They sat in companionable silence for a little while before she asked, “Is your dad doing okay?”
He snuggled her closer in the crook of his arm, loving her scent. “Not really. He’s under hospice care and has been for a couple of weeks. It’s just a matter of time for him.”
“How’s your mom doing with it?”
“Not good. My sister’s tried to be there for her, but when he dies, Mom will probably fall apart. I’ve been trying to help my sister, but aside from taking shifts at the hospital so they can go home and rest, I don’t really know what else to do.”
“Well, you’ve been doing stuff around the ranch. That’s got to help, right?”
“Yeah. The thing is I’ve really been enjoying the work. I think it’s time for me to move back, especially if Dad dies. Otherwise, Mom would have to sell everything he’s worked so hard for.”
“Do you want to move back?”
Dalton looked at her and saw she was looking down, running her fingers around the rim of her wine glass. “Yes, I do.” She didn’t respond, so he tilted her face up to him with his index finger. “I want to move back, Alyssa. I don’t want to go anywhere.” He kissed her on the forehead, then turned her so he was holding her in both arms with her back to him. He rested his chin on the top of her head and felt her as she breathed.
Sitting like this, her smell surrounded Dalton. Vanilla. She smelled so sweet. He inhaled deeply in her hair. “You smell so good. Do you bathe in cookie dough?” He teased her.
She giggled. The sound of it made him warm in his stomach. “No. I don’t bathe in cookie dough.”
They sat like that, in enjoyable silence, drinking their wine, until finally Dalton said, “I need to get home. I’m sorry.”
“That’s okay, I need to go to bed anyway.”
They stood, and Dalton embraced Alyssa, relishing her warm softness. “I had a great time tonight.” He breathed in the scent of her hair one last time, anxious already for the next time he would be this close to her.
“I did too, Dalton. Thank you for dinner.”
She walked him to the door, where he leaned down for one last kiss.
“I’ll call you tomorrow?” He asked.
She nodded at him before he let himself out the door.
On his way home, Dalton delighted in the feeling of elation that consumed him at the prospect of beginning something with Alyssa. His brain swam with memories of Alyssa, her shyness, her laughter, her sensuality. The memory of her trembling and shuddering beneath him on the couch brought a smile to his face. He looked forward to doing much more of that with her, hopefully with fewer clothes on, but he was determined not to rush things with Alyssa. She was an exceptional woman, and he didn’t want to ruin things.
When he got home, he saw both his mother’s and his sister’s car were in the driveway. That was not a good sign. Neither one was at the hospital.
He walked to the door filled with dread and opened it to see Mary, Renae, and Kelly sitting on the couch in the living room with their arms around each other, and tear streaked faces.
“Oh, God. Mom.” He went to his mother, and she clutched him, needily.
“He’s gone, Dalton.” Wracking sobs coming from the woman who had been such a strong force in his life, broke his heart.
“I’m sorry, Mom. I’m really sorry.” He wrapped his arms around the frail lady, and wondered how much weight she had lost in the last couple of weeks. Helplessly, he looked at Renae, who clutched a crumpled box of tissues in her lap.
“Where have you been, Dalton?” His mother looked up at him with pain filled eyes.
“I had a date. I’m sorry, Mom.”
“I tried to call you…to tell you…” She dissolved into tears again, and Dalton grabbed a tissue from the box on the couch next to her.
“I had my phone turned off, Mama. I’m sorry.”
“You shouldn’t have done that. You knew your father was dying. You knew we might need to get in touch with you.” Her voice was accusatory.
“I said I was sorry, Mama. Please.”
Mary’s voice was rising in pitch, as she spoke. “So, while your sister and I were by your dying father’s bedside, you were out getting your jollies off with some…”
“Don’t say it Mama. I feel bad enough. Please.” He looked at her, pleading. “Don’t bring Alyssa into it. She’s not what you’re thinking.”
“All I’m thinking is how you’ve messed up, again, Dalton. We needed you tonight!”
“I can’t tell you how sorry I am. But if you’re going to stand there and yell at me for a mistake I can’t take back, then I’m going to my room.”
“Go to your room, then! Run away from your responsibilities, just like you always do!” Mary turned to her daughter, who looked at Dalton helplessly, as he turned and strode from the room.
An hour later, Dalton was still in his room, listening to the quiet of the house. He had listened to h
is mother and Renae talk in hushed voices in the living room, and then he heard Renae put Mom to bed. He waited a little while before venturing out into the living room. Renae was sitting on the couch with a bottle of whiskey and a bottle of water on the coffee table in front of her.
“Hey.” Dalton said quietly, so as not to startle his sister. “I’m really sorry I had my phone off. I wasn’t thinking.”
“It’s okay. Is she really different? From the others?”
“Yeah. Alyssa’s special.” Dalton grabbed the bottle of whiskey and took a healthy swig, feeling the burn as it went down his throat.
“Good for you. And also, because she’s Kelly’s teacher. I’m not sure I would be comfortable if her teacher were one of your usual whore-types.”
“Ouch.” Dalton thought he probably knew what she meant, but it still hurt a little to hear the words.
“Mom will get over this. It’s just hard for her, and she expects you to be at her beck and call when she wants you.”
“Yeah, I know.” He drank again, before passing the bottle to Renae, who sipped a little whiskey and then sipped from her bottle of water. Dalton hadn’t drunk with her like this since her husband had died.
He put his arm around her and pulled her close, to comfort himself as much as her. “I really wish I had been here. I’m going to live with this and Mom’s anger for awhile.”
“She’ll get over it.”
“And make me feel as lousy as possible in the meanwhile.”
They spent the next three hours getting drunk together, telling stories about their dad. Renae took prim sips of whiskey, chasing them with water, while Dalton swigged from the bottle. Memories floated through the room, of Dalton and his dad restoring the Triumph, of their father’s reticence to let Renae wear makeup, of ways he had taken care of them, in the best way he knew how.
They laughed and they cried, and through the laughter and tears, Dalton knew they would be okay. He knew their dad wasn’t sick anymore. Now, he just needed to help his mom get through this part of her life, just like his dad would, the best way he knew how.
