The Bride Takes a Powder

by Jane Leopold Quinn

  Throughout the hearing, he'd kept his expression and demeanor calm and unemotional—he hoped. That was his exterior. On the inside, his guts churned and his heart ached. All his life he'd gone the straight and narrow way. Yeah sure, when he was underage he'd had a beer or a smoke a time or two, but he wasn't a liar, and he wasn't a cheater. To be accused of this was killing him. And to be suspended hurt like hell.

  He was so happy for his parents' support, proud that his dad stood up for him in the meeting. His close friends, Marc and Phoebe, Davy, and even Moira, knew he'd done nothing wrong. What broke his heart was that teachers he'd thought were friends had falsely implicated him. And he didn't know who they were so now he couldn't trust anyone. He hated to live like that.

  As quiet as he'd been, as still as he'd been during the meeting, he'd known Norah was in the chamber. It wasn't as if she'd offered to represent him so did that mean she cared?

  Norah shook her head. "What a zoo. Where's the proof of all this? How're you supposed to have witnesses to your whereabouts when you won't know the dates until tomorrow?"

  "I don't know, but our bar is a pretty good alibi for me. I'm there almost every day after school."

  She let out a bark of laughter. "Only in a small town is being in a bar after school a good excuse."

  "Thank you for being there for me." As they sauntered through the courthouse park he slid his arm around her shoulders ostensibly to keep her warm. The rain had let up, but the air was still cool and damp. The truth was that he just wanted to be close to her. After their Sunday kisses, he wanted to do a whole hell of a lot more. He couldn't know how long she'd be here, but he had a gut feeling about her. Since he was a pretty pragmatic guy, as well as probably dull, this feeling was unusual. He'd kind of gotten used to casual dates or no dates in his small town. Norah reminded him he was a young healthy male with young healthy male desires. Desires he was building up in his mind and that might explode pretty soon.

  Dancing with her had been amazing and sensual. Kissing her had been a hundred times better. His whole life had been ordinary. Except for playing football in high school, he wasn't a particularly aggressive man. He loved teaching but didn't want to be principal. He'd guess he wasn't ambitious or exciting, maybe not intriguing enough for the sophisticated big city lawyer. What if she was it? The woman he was destined for? Does that really happen?

  All this shot through his mind in an instant, heating his blood, sending shards of urgent possessiveness to his heart…and cock. Don't let her get away! "Are you okay?" In worrying about his own problems he'd almost forgotten about her blood tests. "The blood tests, I mean?"

  She let out a big breath ending in a sigh and nodded. "Yes. The doctor called his morning with the good news."

  "I'm really happy for you, Norah. You didn't deserve to have to agonize about something like that."

  "Thanks, Mike. It helped close a lot of doors for me."

  "He's an ass, pardon my language."

  She laughed. "That's the least of what I've been calling him."

  "You wanna do something?" he asked. Jesus. Lame. What are you? Sixteen? "I guess I don't have school tomorrow, damn it all, so I can stay out late." He tried to give her a sexy smile and wasn't sure if he succeeded.

  "Are you hungry?"

  Food wasn't what he had in mind. He stopped on the path, turned her to face him and leaned in whispering, "I'd like to get back to those kisses we had." Slipping his hand around her neck, he angled her head to fit his lips to hers. Stiff at first, as if surprised, she quickly met the kiss, her responsive fierce pressure turning the kiss electrifying. The building heat sizzled the blood in his veins, pooling, throbbing in his cock. Closing her in his arms, he pulled her tighter along the length of him.

  She was tall, especially in high-heeled boots, and their bodies fit together wonderfully. Her firm breasts flattened against his chest sending his blood pressure soaring. He rolled his hips against the soft cushion of her belly hoping to relieve the ache in his shaft. It didn't help.

  He didn't know what to do with her. Oh, he knew how to have sex, to fuck. How to make love. But he didn't know this woman. If he kept acting any longer like a bumbling idiot virgin, she'd probably turn around and run away. It was time to show her he knew what he was doing in the sex department.

  Deepening the kiss, he brushed his lips over hers, tasting her, his tongue making little forays across her mouth. At the small intake of her breath, he gloried knowing she was aroused too, maybe as much as he was. He cradled her face in his palms, his thumbs skimming the side of her mouth, and gazed into those gorgeous eyes, pale and delicate. "Thank you for believing in me."

  "Come to my place."

  Had he said that? Had he just heard it out loud? Jesus Christ, it was from her!

  He wasted no time in aiming them toward her house. Thank God it was only a block away. She fumbled the door open, and he had only the vaguest impression of the apartment before she led him directly to the bedroom.

  Embracing her, he pushed her against the wall, his hands cupping her head, holding her still. People had seen them in the park, people who may have become his enemies. He shook away that thought and anything else that might interfere with what he had planned. This was Norah Ballard. The unobtainable goddess lusted after by his college nerd friends. And now he had her for himself. He stiffened. With the slightest bit of confusion, she watched him, her gaze shifting from his eyes to his mouth.

  Take control, you idiot. Be suave. This isn't your first rodeo. Make love to her.

  Ravage her.

  Foreplay. She's not Norah Ballard, the college goddess, she's Norah Ballard the woman who believes in you and is here in your arms.

  His libido fought, wanting everything immediately, knowing she deserved more than a hot quick fuck. "God, sweetheart, you're beautiful." He traced his tongue along her jaw, down her neck until he felt the rapid pulse below her ear. Oh yeah, she wants it. Unbuttoning her blouse, his knuckles rubbing her soft inviting breasts, he spread the sides apart urgently needing to see all of her. Lovely plump breasts pillowed up over a lacy bra. Jesus. Yellow lace. He hadn't expected that. You didn't know what to expect, so go with it. He lifted his gaze to her eyes, wide with arousal.

  "Mike, touch me," she huskily demanded.

  "Oh, baby, yes. He kissed the smooth softness, nibbling his way along the edge of the material. Through the lace he brushed his finger over a nipple, as hard as a gemstone. He heard her sharp huff of breath that focused all his conscious attention on that little erect bud. Squeezing it, he hoped the friction of the lace aroused her as much as she was arousing him.

  "Mike…"

  Yes. Her moan told him everything. She cupped the mound in her palm, offering him her breast. "Please touch me. Suck my nipple." Her eyes now pled her need.

  "My pleasure." Front bra clasp. Hallelujah! He flicked the lace cups apart and sucked the pale bud into his mouth.

  "God," she whimpered, arching, pushing his nose into the soft pillow of her flesh.

  Embracing her other breast in his hand, he suckled her nipple until she writhed against him, cupping his ears to hold him there. Oh, baby, I'm not going anywhere.

  Except… Enough of this. He lifted her, placing her gently on the bed. "I need to see all of you, darlin'." Desperately. Peeling her blouse off her shoulders, down her arms, he started on the closure of her jeans, got the zipper open and felt his heart stutter. Be cool. Remember foreplay. Matching yellow lacy panties. "Norah Ballard, I applaud your underwear," he breathed.

  She giggled.

  He glanced up, her stomach bounced with her chuckles, but his smile died at the sight of her naked from her panties up. "Oh God." She watched him, her arms at her sides, fingers clutching the bedding. Every man's wet dream, the sight of her bra open and fallen to her sides, of her beautiful breasts with their pretty puckered tips, smooth skin flowing down a flat belly, and lace panties covering her mound, constricted his throat. Kneeling back, he slid her high heels and jeans
off in one fell swoop, and tossed them on the floor.

  Lace covered fair pubic hair, and the crotch of her panties looked damp. "Whoa, baby." Through the sheer material he could see puffy swollen lips and a pink clit. He couldn't take his eyes off her. His mouth watered with wanting to taste her pussy, to claim those soft puffy lips, to suckle her. He choked back an inconvenient laugh. Nothing was funny about this. It was amazing and intense.

  "What's the matter?" she whispered.

  "Nothing, honey. You're the sexiest thing I've ever seen." He traced a forefinger over the elastic slung low across her belly, then drew a finger along the the slit between the thick springy pussy hairs.

  "Oh," came out on a soft breath.

  There seemed to be some confusion mixed in with arousal. Did she truly not understand how hot she looked? Well, he was here to show her, and he honestly didn't care if she ever touched him. He was going to concentrate on her body, soft and firm, quivering in arousal. Drawing the panties off to join the shoes and jeans, he spread her legs dying to finally see all of her. He stroked her mound and smoothly slid a finger between her lips to tickle her clit. Her hips bucked, her moan resonating in his ears.

  "Oh Mike. I want to see you too."

  "Oh yeah, baby. We'll get to that. I need to do this first." Climbing off the bed, he knelt, tugged her hips toward the edge, and widened her thighs. "I'm glad it's still daylight so I can see you." Holding her swollen lips open with his thumbs, he used the flat of his tongue to caress her clit.

  "Oh, God," she uttered a protracted groan, arching her hips closer to his lips. Thank you, ma'am. Glancing up, her eyes were tightly closed, her mouth open in a silent scream. Gloating, he would have smiled if his mouth weren't otherwise occupied. She panted, her belly lifting and falling rapidly, her breasts jiggling, her fists clutching the bedding. His cock ached and throbbed reacting to the arousing sight of a woman enthralled.

  When he suckled her stiffened nub into his mouth, she started to make high-pitched sounds, putting her hand over her mouth. Angling his chin up, he inserted one then two fingers into her sheath. Her hands clamped onto his scalp, fingers sliding between the strands and holding him close. He ignored the sting of yanked hair and devoured her while pumping his wet slippery fingers inside her.

  Holding on as if for dear life—I'm not leaving you any time soon, honey—her knees rose, her feet balancing on his shoulders, and she drove herself at him in a jerky yet seductive rhythm.

  He felt captured in the best kind of prison, her hands in his hair, her feet on his shoulders. He cradled an ass cheek in one palm to hold her still for his devouring mouth. Her fluttering passage massaged, throbbing around his fingers. He crooked them to press her G-spot, giving it short firm strokes until…kaboom! She loosened one hand from his hair to clamp over her mouth to smother her orgasmic shriek.

  Riding her hip gyrations, he stayed with her until she slowed down and came to rest, arms and knees flung wide in exhaustion. God. She looks beautiful, completely vulnerable and exposed. Garrett had been one lucky sod to have this and fucking stupid to let her slip away.

  She moaned loudly when he gave her one final lick the whole length of her slit and over her hard clit. Rising, he shucked his clothing. I thought I didn't care if she touches me. But I do. He wasn't finished with her. Not one little bit. I want more. My cock needs to be inside her. And fast.

  Chapter Seven

  Norah couldn't think, could only utter one word and, since there was no spit left in her mouth, not out loud. Jeezus! Garrett hadn't liked doing that to her, and he never, never, never came close to what Mike did. Garrett would tease her enough to get her started then fuck her missionary style. She got the distinct impression that Mike liked feasting on her. He'd taken his time and gotten it right.

  And now he was lying beside her finally as naked as she was.

  She must have dropped off to sleep for how long she didn't know. Awakening on her side, she opened her eyes to find Mike peering at her. "Hi." She gave him a crooked smile.

  "Hi, you." He smiled back.

  "Did I fall asleep on you?"

  "Not literally," he murmured. "But yeah."

  "I suppose you feel pretty proud of yourself for overwhelming me like that."

  He nodded, his head rustling the crisp cotton of the pillowcase. "Yup."

  Closing her eyes, she breathed in, smelling herself on his face.

  "In case you're wondering, you're delicious, Norah." He smacked his lips.

  "You liked doing that?"

  "Oh yeah, and I think you liked it too."

  She snorted. "Did my shrieking and wriggling give it away? That was a rhetorical question, by the way." She'd been right about him being hairy. Caressing the dark strands on his chest, she spun them around her finger, then spread her hand over his pectorals. "You're pretty muscular for a teacher," she said, giving his chest a kiss.

  "Teachers can't have a good build?"

  "I would have thought you'd be skinny and narrow chested with no hair," she teased.

  "Yikes. Kind of a Barney Fife look? I'll have you know, young lady, that I work out. I swim. I take care of myself!"

  "Yes, you surely do." Quirking a grin, she swept an admiring gaze down his body to his cock. Oh my God, it's big. And thick. It curved up and rested on his belly, the tip already red and leaking fluid.

  He chuckled. "I sound like a TV commercial for vitamins."

  "Whatever you're doing, it's workin' for ya'." Her wandering fingers found a dark male nipple and drew circles around it on his chest. It quickly pebbled as he drew in a short breath. "You like that?"

  His head bobbed again, his eyelids drooping in apparent pleasure, his lips slightly parted.

  She kept circling, enjoying the expressions crossing his face, his slight smile of arousal. "Just enjoy it, Mike," she murmured when she felt him tensing to stop her. Leaning in, she kissed his chest, working her way to the tiny erect bud. She brushed her lips lightly over it, listening to his short puffs of breath, feeling them hot on her cheek. Adding her tongue and teeth, she nibbled. His hand cupped her head. She growled, her own nipples tightening and tingling in want, and latched onto his nipple, sucking it as vigorously as he'd suckled her clit.

  "Damn!" he exclaimed, pulling her away, putting her on her back. Shifting to lie half on top of her, he attacked her mouth, thrusting his tongue, filling every interior inch, grazing the inside of her cheeks, her teeth, suckling her tongue back into his mouth.

  She ran her fingers down his arm, down his hip, her open palm stroking his butt, scoring his skin with her fingernails. "Make love to me," she begged. "Please." It flashed through her mind that she could be making a big mistake. Jumping from the frying pan into the fire, as it were. But then he lifted off her, rolling to his knees.

  Her eyes widened as she tightened her hand around his cock. "Yes," she crooned. He was hard and hot, his skin smooth and sensitive. She spread the tip's oozing droplets around with her thumb. "Come here." She urged him to straddle her hips. Her sheath ached, pulsing for his cock, but she wanted to play first. Wrapping gentle fingers around his balls, she heard him groan, felt the quivering of his muscular thighs on her hand.

  "Enough," he hissed.

  "Do you have condoms?" As aroused as she was, she had no intention of taking any chances.

  "Shit."

  Devastated, she closed her eyes. We can't stop now.

  "Yeah." He climbed off the bed, rummaged around his clothing on the floor, and returned with several packets. Kneeling between her thighs, he ripped one open with his teeth. His eyes were already glazed over in arousal, his teeth bared in anticipation.

  She watched in fascination as he slid the condom down his considerable length, the action mimicking his penetration into her body. Arching, she moaned, her tongue scraping at her teeth. "Oh, Mike…"

  "Yeah, baby…" Gripping his lower lip between his teeth, he parted her folds, massaging in slow circles, moving inexorably toward her sheath.

 
She was exposed. No one had ever looked at her like this, just indulged himself with her. She felt hot cream pool and trickle from her passage and held her breath waiting for his touch.

  He guided his erection to her entrance and embedded the tip.

  "Ohhh…" So sensitive there. She whimpered at his slow circling movements. "Oh God, just fuck me! Oh my God, that feels so good."

  "Yeah, it does," he ground out, low and tortured. Then he slid all the way in, slowly, purposely.

  Her moan joined his groan. He filled her, stretching her so wonderfully. "Oh yes, Michael Banning! Yes, stay!" she cried as she wrapped her legs around his hips and held on. He was glorious.

  "I need to move," he muttered.

  Her response was an arch of her hips to bind them closer.

  His response was to withdraw, almost all the way, then to thrust again and again, fucking her hard. Just the way she wanted him.

  He fit inside her, the smooth round head of his cock, every long thick inch of him, and it was perfect. He drove her to an almost unbearable pleasure, demanding she follow him until he grunted deeply and stilled. Even through the condom she felt the pulsations and heat of his semen triggering another climax.

  She didn't know when he actually stopped coming. Her hips kept grinding and surging as if she couldn't get enough of him. Maybe she couldn't. She didn't think making love had ever been this truly momentous.

  ***

  Mike woke slowly. Something was different. He didn't smell the fryer or the hops scent that permeated every bar in existence. Then it hit him. Norah. They'd made love all night. She was a screamer, and they'd taken turns covering her mouth to keep Jan from hearing them.

  Slowly, wanting to savor his memories, a smile quirked his mouth, he blinked his eyes open, rolled his head, and met Norah's smoky gray gaze. She lay on her side, her hand thrust under the pillow.

  "What're you smiling at?" she asked, low and husky.

  "I didn't realize I was," he replied, rubbing a hand over his face as if to erase a grin.

  "Yeah, you are."

  "I guess I'm happy. Are you okay?" Jesus. It had been a long time since he'd had a marathon like that. He couldn't help grinning as he reached out a hand to smooth a lock of blonde hair off her cheek. Thank God he'd had more condoms. It was kind of embarrassing he'd had so many with him. He hadn't expected to get so lucky. And if he'd run out of them, he would have used his fingers and his mouth again.