Cosmic Trifecta

by Anna Lewis

  “Let’s go,” he replied, brushing over my awkwardness. Then he took my arm in his and he swept me along. I was glad for the sudden switch of activity – it took my mind off things.

  As soon as he started to talk, everything else melted away. All of my fears, worries, and insecurities just vanished. Aaron had this way of putting me at ease, even when I was feeling my worst, which made me glad that I’d agreed to this date. No one had ever made me feel that way before, and it was exactly what I needed at this point in my life.

  I had butterflies floating all over my body, which I knew were dangerous because they could lead to feelings, but I couldn’t stop them from flapping. Aaron had me feeling like I never had before, and that terrified and excited me in equal measures. This wasn’t like the way that things were with Jon – even in the beginning. This felt different, but in a really good way.

  “Now, I have a choice for you,” he offered as we walked along the river bank, in what felt like the most romantic setting ever. “We can either go to the French restaurant at the edge of town…” My heart sank at his words – that was an extremely ritzy place, the sort of building I would never fit in at. But then he continued, managing to lift my spirits all over again. “Or, we could go to the library café that’s just opened.”

  “Library café?” I asked curiously, unsure as to what he was referring to. “I’ve only just moved here quite recently, so I’m not sure where that is.”

  He smiled to himself, before continuing to speak. “It’s this new, themed café which is filled with library books. It’s decorated like an old fashioned library.”

  “Like in Beauty and the Beast?” I asked excitedly, forgetting myself for a moment. I just revealed a very dorky side of myself, and I panicked that it might just put him off.

  Luckily, he seemed to understand my reference and he laughed loudly and kindly. “Something like that. I take it that’s where you would prefer to go then? You’d rather that over the French place?”

  “Oh my God, yes!” I gasped, not even needing the time to think about it. I knew exactly what I wanted to do. “That sounds amazing.”

  “Well that’s good,” he shot me a heart-stopping grin. “Because I already went ahead and booked the whole place out for us tonight.”

  “What?” I gasped in shock. “How did you know?”

  “I could just tell.”

  Those words had me flying high. Somehow Aaron seemed to see right into me, even though I was trying to keep myself hidden, and that made me feel incredibly special.

  ***

  The night that followed was easily one of the best of my entire life – if not the best. I felt like I was living in a real life fairy tale, a dream, but it was real. The library was amazing, the books were wonderful, and so was the food. But what made it best of all was Aaron. He was sweet, charming, and I was enjoying being with him so much.

  As he told me his life story, I was really interested and listened intently. He was absolutely fascinating. Then when I told him mine, leaving out only the bleak parts, he asked all the right questions showing. He seemed genuinely interested in me.

  The more time I spent in his presence, the more my desire grew for him too. It wasn’t just his amazing body that had me going, it was him. His personality, his nature, him. I’d never felt anything as strong before, and I couldn’t block it out no matter what.

  So when he turned to me and he asked if I wanted to see his home, I didn’t hesitate for even a second. I might have been unsure when the night started, but now the desire that was coursing through my body was ruling me. I wanted this guy, and not even my shitty past was going to get in the way of that.

  “Yes, thank you,” I panted as a response. “I’d love that.”

  He held my hand in his, giving me a look that suggested he might just kiss me, but instead he tugged my arm and pulled me upwards instead.

  “Okay, come on. Let’s go.”

  ***

  Aaron

  I couldn’t believe it when Chantelle agreed to come back with me. I hadn’t planned to ask her. I’d only asked on a whim, but I couldn’t deny how happy I was when she said yes. She liked me and she wanted to spend more time with me. This date had been a roaring success.

  Not that I had any expectations, all I knew was that I wasn’t ready for the night to end. We could do whatever she wanted – I would be happy no matter what.

  I had to hail a cab to take us from the library café to my home because I lived so far out. As we drove, I couldn’t help but keep glancing over towards Chantelle nervously, to check that she hadn’t changed her mind. But she seemed to look just as keen as before.

  I just panicked about what she was going to think of my home. It was a huge, flashy mansion that I’d purchased a very long time ago, and it tended to bring out a whole range of emotions in the rare few people that I brought to visit.

  “Woah,” she gasped as she stepped outside onto my grounds. “This is… something else.” But she didn’t seem too impressed – a certain warning sign of a gold digger – she just seemed a little bewildered. Good. The ones that instantly grabbed onto my arms looking like the cat who had the cream – those were the ones to watch out for.

  “Yeah,” I laughed nervously, wanting to change the subject before things got too weird. It was too much, I knew that, but now that I was living there I couldn’t be bothered to move. “It’s okay. Shall we go inside?” I placed my hand on the small of her back and I guided her towards the front door. I didn’t want to discuss how many rooms there were, or how expensive it had been, I just wanted to resume the best date of my entire damn life!

  I ushered her quickly through the reception room, wanting to get her to the kitchen which was the most normal-looking room of the house. When I brought the place with the money I made from setting up my finance management business at a very young age, I hadn’t cared what it looked like too much. I left far too much of the design up to the interior designer, who seemed to think that I wanted the house to resemble a palace. Some of the luxuries included were absolutely ridiculous, but it was too late to change them now. Besides, I was used to them.

  “Do you want a drink?” I asked, reaching into the cupboard to grab a couple of glasses and a bottle of wine. She nodded, so I poured her one quickly, wanting her to feel relaxed again. I felt nervous myself, so there was no telling how anxious Chantelle must have been! Maybe this was a bad idea after all, maybe we should have left it at the café.

  “Are you okay?” I couldn’t help but ask, desperately needing her reassurance that she wanted to be there. We were like two cats, skirting around one another, neither of us knowing how to make the first move.

  “I am. It’s just…” Charlotte took in a deep sigh and stared right at me, giving me an intense look with her warm and inviting eyes. “I guess that I’m a little scared by how much I like you.”

  Woah, for someone who had been so shy up until now, that sure was forward. I didn’t know what to make of it.

  “I, erm…” I stuttered. I found myself speechless at her revelation. How did she expect me to respond to that? My mind whirred, trying desperately to think of the best thing to say, but I was drawing a frustrating blank.

  Say something, I willed myself. Reassure her, make her feel better!

  “It’s okay,” she quickly jumped in before I could tie myself into knots. “I know this might be a bit much for a first date, but I want to tell you the truth now. Just in case we ever… become anything.” Her tone was wary now, which had me worried. She was about to tell me something that I didn’t like, and I needed to respond in the right way if I didn’t want to push her away forever. I straightened out my face, and tried my best to calm my racing heart. “Not so long ago, I escaped an abusive relationship. I ran away and started my own life, but I do still feel like I need to constantly look over my shoulder.”

  Okay, well that was her uncertainly explained! The reason she spent so much of her life hunched over and hiding her face from the rest
of the world, was because she had run away from someone who abused her in one way or another. Did he hit her? Mentally abuse her? Or something else? I wanted to ask, but it didn’t feel like the right moment to do so, so I clamped my lips tightly shut, wanting her to open up at her own pace. That felt only right.

  “My ex was a horrible man,” she continued, physically shaking as she spoke. I wanted to step forward and comfort her, but something was holding me back. I gave her space and let her continue. “And I guess it’s only fair that you know I’m still suffering the after effects of that. I don’t want…” She blew out some air, as if it was hard for her to keep her emotions inside. “I don’t want something to happen between us, only for my past to come back to haunt me.”

  I held her hands in mine, looking deeply into her soul, knowing exactly what I wanted to say. “I like you Chantelle. I like you a lot, and I’ve really enjoyed my time getting to know you, and I’d love to do that more. If you’re not ready for anything to happen between us, then I completely understand, but I hope that I can still see you.” Her revelation wasn’t enough to put me off her, not at all. We were in this now. I was hooked by her wonderful personality, and I wasn’t even slightly ready to let her go. I wanted her to tell me more, to open up to me, but she already looked spent from the amount that she’d given me, so I knew that the best thing I could do was to step back and to let her do what she needed to do. I just prayed that she would stick around for long enough to tell me the entire story.

  She mused thoughtfully for a second, biting her lip in the most adorable way possible, making my heart tremble with fear and excitement as I waited for her next move. I just had to be patient until she was ready.

  Then she did something that completely shocked me. She leant forward and she kissed me lightly on my lips, causing my heart to flutter wildly as a response. She still wanted me, she was still happy to be here with me, and that made me happier than anything else in the world! I was so afraid that talking about her past would pull her away from me, and I was so glad that it hadn’t.

  As my arms wrapped around her, and she pulled me in closer, causing the kiss to deepen, I started to panic. Was this what she wanted? Was I going to be something that she ended up regretting? Were we moving too quickly?

  “Are you sure?” I panted against her mouth, praying that she would be honest with me. I stared at her as she nodded, seeing the lust evident in her eyes.

  Okay, this was it. She really did want me. I smiled brightly at her, really drinking in her gorgeous appearance for a moment. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to have someone so beautiful and so lovely here with me. Sure, she had her baggage, but I knew what it was now, which meant that we could deal with it together.

  “You’re amazing,” I whispered, stroking her cheek gently. “I’m so glad that you’re here with me.”

  “Me too,” she said, nodding happily. “I’m so glad I finally said yes.”

  And that was enough to have me kissing her all over again.

  ***

  Chantelle

  Within the next second, we were making out like horny teenagers, unable to get enough of one another. Now that everything holding us back was gone, and my secret was already out, I felt like I could really give myself to Aaron. I wasn’t sure what made me confess about my past. But I knew I wanted him, and I was really glad that I had tell him. It made this feel so much better.

  He knew everything and he still wanted me. He knew that I was fragile and damaged, and it hadn’t been enough to send him running for the hills. That had to mean something… right?

  I ran my fingers through his freshly groomed hair, and he started to move his fingers all over my body, exploring my peaks and curves in a way that I’d never experienced before. Of course sex had been difficult for me for a very long time, because my warped relationship with Jon, but even before he ruined me it never managed to feel this good. Aaron’s touch was soft and gentle, yet passionate all at once. It made me feel amazing.

  Yep, it was official. I’d never been so sure of anything in my life. It might have seemed unwise, and it might not have been the move that anyone else would make, but I did it, and I couldn’t be happier. I finally felt free enough to make my own choices, and this was the right one for me.

  I knew that I was acting really out of character for myself, but I didn’t care. Aaron had already been so patient with me already, and he’d given me the best night of my life. The date he’d arranged was absolutely perfect for me, and it made me feel like he could see deeply into my soul, and instead of worrying me it felt amazing. I’d spent such a long time walking on eggshells, not doing anything that I wanted, that it felt amazing finally to be able to give in to my body’s desires.

  After a few more moments of kissing, Aaron pushed me backwards until I was lying across his dining table, and he stared down at me, smiling at me as if I was making him the happiest man alive. As his eyes travelled over my body, I found myself no longer wanting to hide away from him. I wanted him to see, I wanted him to be able to look at me in that way. It was a feeling that I hadn’t experienced in a very long time, and it made me feel really good about myself.

  “You’re beautiful,” he commented, making me blush furiously. I knew that I wasn’t gorgeous enough to deserve that compliment, but it was nice to hear all the same. It made me feel special.

  “I… thank you,” I mumbled as my face heated up with embarrassment. “You’re gorgeous too – but I’m sure you already know that.”

  He pushed back for a second, giving me a curious look. “Do you think that just because I’m wealthy, that I’m a player too?” He seemed hurt, so I averted my eyes, a little ashamed of my comment. He said, “I always get that, but I’m really not that way at all…”

  “No, no,” I shook my head quickly, wanting to distract him before my thoughtless comment really derailed things. I didn’t want this to stop now, not when it was feeling so good. “Just that… you’re very handsome, and you must get people telling you that all the time.” Was I explaining that right? I wasn’t sure, and from the way his face contorted in pain, it felt like everything I’d said was wrong.

  “I’ve been hurt too,” he admitted, stepping backwards slightly. I leant up on my elbows, looking at him with concern plastered on my face. “I’m wary of others as well.” This had me thinking. Sure, I hadn’t assumed that he was a player, but I did think that he had the world at his feet, so it was weird to hear otherwise. It was strange to think that he might have similar reservations to me. “I’ve only ever had women interested in my money, and it’s difficult to imagine that anyone would like me for anything other than that.”

  It hit me then how much we had in common, despite our very different backgrounds. We both had walls up, and we both had experienced pain from others. I could see now that it wasn’t just me that needed to be healed – it was him too. This made me feel a deeper, stronger bond between us. I wanted to be able to help him as he did me, I wanted us to be the light at the end of each other’s tunnels.

  Sure, it might make me crazy to be thinking like that so soon, but there was something between us. I just knew it.

  “I like you for you,” I told him, repeating his words back at me. “You’re kind and sweet, and I would like you no matter what. Even if you had nothing, and you lived in a cardboard box, I would still like you.” I smiled brightly at him, hoping that he would see how serious I was, but he didn’t laugh like I expected him to.

  Emotions crossed his face. Before it could overcome me, he started to kiss me once more in a way that was much steamier and definitely leading somewhere! Okay that was good, he was still happy to be with me, and that was just what I wanted.

  “Do you want to do this?” he whispered to confirm that I was definitely on board, and I nodded confidently as a reply. I was aching for him, my body warm all over, if I didn’t get him soon I might just lose my mind. I needed him now, we’d waited for far too long. I couldn’t wait anymore.

  As if
to prove my point, I arched my back and reached out for him, tugging him back to my lips, where we kissed some more.

  As soon as he confirmed that I wanted him for real, he started to trail his fingers up my legs, which caused an involuntary moan to escape past my lips. I was hornier than I’d ever been before, and that haze of lust had me acting a little like a sex goddess – it was crazy!

  As he started rubbing me through my panties with his fingertips, he sent a whole bunch of unexpected, wild sensations bursting right through me. The desire was overflowing now and if I didn’t claim him soon I wasn’t sure what it would do to me.

  I began panting wildly against his lips, showing him what he was doing to me. I wanted him to understand just how desperate I was for this to happen, so that he wouldn’t hold back, and eventually because of this I found my fingers unbuttoning his trousers. I wanted to get a feel of him.

  Once his thick length was between my fingers, I experimented with movements up and down his shaft, just to see what worked for him, and soon he was trembling with excitement above me. I was driving him wild, and I couldn’t believe it. I had this strong, powerful man a mess at my fingertips, and that made me feel absolutely amazing.

  “Stop,” he panted breathlessly. He sounded desperate, which was the only thing that made me comply. “Wait, I need to…”

  And then he pulled back and he tugged a condom from his pocket, looking a little awkward as he did. It was obvious that he hadn’t necessarily planned for this, but it was a good job that he had – we were going fast, but a surprise baby at this stage would have been too much!

  I ran my eyes all over his body, really seeing him for the very first time. It was clear from his muscular body and sculpted abs that he was a man who really looked after himself. He looked damn good. He was leagues above me, but that didn’t matter. It was me that he was here with, and that was all I focused on.