by Sophia Gray
Vance spent the rest of the day thinking about Teresa, becoming restless by the minute. He knew she had to work at the bar, so he refrained from calling her. Instead, when he got home, he started looking for a job. Up until this point, he had only focused on conquering her and on the charity because his boss was paying all his expenses. But if he wanted to end that life and make a fresh start with Teresa, he needed a real job and to save up.
He turned on his laptop and spent the afternoon browsing job sites, looking for something he could actually do. He was not fit for many things: he had worked in his father’s business as a delivery boy, and afterward for a multinational as the photocopy guy. Not a great résumé, he knew that, but he still tried to work something out. He built the best résumé he could and sent it to several job openings, hoping some would call him.
By the time he had finished, it was past midnight, and he turned on his TV and laid back on the couch, kicking his boots off. He looked at his phone, wondering whether he should text Teresa or not.
Best not to. She’s probably still working. I don’t want to seem too clingy, or I’ll scare her away, he mused grumpily. He really wanted to talk to her and refused to go to bed in case she called him.
He was dozing off, watching a boring reality show about auctions, when his phone buzzed. He sat up on the sofa, suddenly awake, and looked at the time. It was a quarter to four in the morning.
It can only be Teresa, he thought. Or her father....
His heart jumped in his chest when he saw the sender: Tess.
Hi there, are you awake? The smiling emoji at the end of the text made him smile like a fool. He rushed to answer so fast that he almost dropped his phone on the floor, and cursed himself for acting like a damn teenager in love.
Hi, Tess. Yes, I am. Why? Can’t sleep? he wrote back, trying to appear casual. He chuckled when he saw her immediate response.
Why the hell are you still up? Look at the time!
I was waiting for you, you obtuse woman! he thought in his head, then laughed out loud. He typed quickly.
The kettle calling the pot black. You are also awake.
I just got back from work. What’s your excuse?
I was waiting for you, actually. But I didn’t want to bother you, so I’ve been sitting on the couch looking at my phone every five minutes like a loser.
Well, wait no more. Did you want something in particular?
Just to see you.
Then come over.
Vance held his breath, blood rushing through his veins. She wanted him to come. Teresa wanted to see him just as badly as he wanted to see her, even if it was at an absurd time of night. He was not going to let her down!
I’ll be there soon. Don’t fall asleep!
He locked his phone and put his boots back on before tripping over the carpet as he rushed outside. Vance ran all the way to her place, avoiding late pedestrians that were walking back home.
He felt exhilarated, and when he finally arrived at her flat, he had to stop to catch his breath. He did not want her to know that he had been running. The building door was open, and he went directly inside, taking two stairs at a time until he got to her place. He knocked on the door and heard her talking inside.
“Coming!” she shouted.
Suddenly, the door was open, and she was standing there, her cheeks red and a big, bright smile on her face. She was as stunning as ever, and Vance almost forgot how to breathe.
“Hi,” he said simply, looking foolish. Teresa chuckled and grabbed him by his arm, pulling him in. She closed the door after and faced Vance, who was still recovering from his awe over seeing her.
“Hello,” she whispered. “You didn’t have to come all the way down here at this time...”
“I wanted to.” He closed the space between them and sealed their lips with a passionate kiss. His tongue played with her lips, asking for permission until it was granted. His hands traveled from her head, where he tangled his fingers in her hair, to the lower part of her back.
When he grabbed it, Teresa clung tighter to his neck, and he pressed his raw desire against her belly. She chuckled inside the kiss, and they parted, breathing hard. Vance looked at Teresa, one eyebrow raised.
“Do you find it funny?” he asked and felt her tremble in his embrace. “Looks like I’m not the only one that’s eager,” he whispered in her ear.
“Then there’s only one thing we can do, right?” she said playfully. That line sent shivers down his spine, and he could not hold back any longer. Vance started kissing her again in haste, undressing her and himself while they went by fits and starts to the bedroom, leaving a trail of clothes behind them.
Vance took her in his arms and kissed her again, hungrily, wanting to taste her. Vance trapped her against one of the bedroom walls. He felt her whole body pressed against him and her ragged breaths. Their mouths were still locked in a kiss where their tongues battled for control, biting each other.
“Vance,” she whispered into his mouth. He felt her smile against his lips, and when one of his hands abandoned the back of her head to caress her side, she moaned. They were both trembling with desire, and Vance pressed his hard cock against her body. Teresa tightened the grip of her legs and grabbed his head, deepening the kiss further.
Both of them were already shirtless, and he got lost at the sight of her naked breasts, so ripe and perfect. He placed her on the floor and abandoned her mouth. His lips traveled over her neck and collarbone, leaving a warm trail until he got to his destination.
Bent over her, his mouth trapped one of her nipples and Teresa moaned when she felt his wet tongue playing with her areola. With one hand, he fondled her other breast, making her hairs stand on end. She wrapped her hands around his head, tangling her fingers in his hair, and remained there when Vance’s mouth abandoned her breasts and moved to her belly.
He played with her belly button, tickling her, and Teresa laughed lightly at the touch. Vance wondered if she was as ticklish everywhere and took a mental note to check it later.
He resumed his kisses and kneeled in front of her. He looked up, and the vision of her stroking him was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Half naked, flustered, and breathing hard, Teresa looked at him with her eyes full of desire. He had an urge to rip off her pants and be done with it, but he managed to control himself; he wanted to enjoy every inch of her body, every minute he had with her, and for that to happen, he had to take it slow.
His hands moved from her sides, caressing her waist, and landed on her hips. Vance unbuttoned her pants painfully slowly for both of them. Looking up, linking his eyes to Teresa’s, he started to slide down her jeans, feeling her legs in the process. Only her underwear stood between him and his desire, and he bit the rubber band of the cloth and slid it down. Her scent filled him, and he felt his urging desire pulsing on his crotch.
Still kneeled in front of her, he started kissing her lower belly. With careful hands, he motioned for Teresa to part her legs, and she leaned against the wall, her hands automatically grabbing his hair when his kisses went south. His lips played with her mount of Venus, kissing and nibbling it, and his tongue finally got where he wanted. Teresa was hot and wet, waiting for him. Her legs trembled, and her fingers gripped his head tighter, urging him to keep going. He had no intention of stopping.
Vance moved one of his hands to her entrance, licking and moving his tongue to the rhythm he had established around her clit, and started playing with her sex. Little by little, he introduced one finger and Teresa moaned when she felt his finger plunge into her. The mixed feelings that his tongue and fingers were arousing had her on the edge, and she started moaning louder every time he moved inside of her.
Vance felt her trembling and knew she was about to come when her legs tensed at both sides of his head. He increased the rhythm and ate her with desire, wanting to taste every last drop of her. It did not take long for Teresa to climax, leaning against the wall and screaming his name.
“Vance,
Vance, Vance!” It was the sweetest sound on Earth.
Vance carefully removed himself from between her legs and stood up, holding Teresa affectionately. She rested her weight on him and looked at him with bright eyes, her face completely red. She was breathing hard and fast, and he felt her rapid heartbeats against his chest.
Vance kissed her again, but there was more than just lust and passion in the kiss; there was something more, something that neither of them was ready to face.
Chapter 3
Teresa
Teresa broke the kiss and looked Vance in the eye. His sweet eyes looked at her lovingly, and Teresa leaned into his embrace, feeling both glad and slightly alarmed: why did she feel so safe with him? Why did he look at her like that? Like he loved her?
She was definitely not ready nor willing to encounter these new feelings and emotions at that moment, so she focused on the other thing she was willing to do: repay Vance for what he had just done for her. She smiled playfully and placed her hands on his well-toned chest. Teresa felt some small scars with her fingers, so light that they were almost invisible to the eye.
“One day you will have to tell me how you got these,” she whispered.
“I’ll tell you anything you want to know,” he assured her. The army of butterflies began kicking again in her stomach. Why did she keep getting flustering every time Vance opened his mouth! She cursed herself in her head and decided it was time to take action.
She pushed Vance, who stumbled onto the bed. Knowing what was coming, he smiled and rested on his back, waiting for Teresa. She did not play hard to get. Moving like a cat, she reached for his pants. She unbuttoned his jeans so slowly that Vance groaned, trying to urge her to go faster, but that only made Teresa laugh and proceed even more slowly.
“You are too eager, Vance. Enjoy it,” she teased. Vance seemed to have lost his ability to speak, for all he did was groan again. Teresa had finished with the buttons of his jeans, and she tucked her fingers inside of them. She lightly caressed his crotch at the same time she started leaving kisses on his chest and abdomen, leaving a trail of fire on his hot skin wherever her lips touched.
Her hands stopped for a minute while her mouth traveled south, leaving a small bite just above his waist that would leave a mark. She finally pulled down his pants, and Vance let out a sigh of relief when his hard cock was released.
“Teresa,” he muttered, urging her to continue. Teresa chuckled, and her hands found their way again to his hard penis. Kneeled in front of him, she started rubbing it, up and down while she left kisses everywhere but where he wanted. Vance was exhilarated: Teresa was playing with him, she wanted to drive him to his limit, and she knew she was doing it.
When her hands suddenly stopped and were substituted by her mouth, Vance uttered a cry and bit his lips to contain it. Both were sweating, enthralled, and Teresa felt aroused every time Vance moaned and ushered her to go deeper. He had done wonders with her body, and she wanted to do the same. His legs were trembling, and Teresa knew that if she kept on like that, moving her tongue around, going up and down, Vance would not last long.
With a movement that must have taken his whole will, Vance grabbed Teresa and pulled her away.
“I’m not quite ready yet, Tess. I want to be inside of you,” he whispered, his voice hoarse with desire. It sent shivers down her spine.
“Oh, but you were,” she answered playfully. Teresa got back to her feet and smiled naughtily, watching Vance remove the rest of his clothes and get to his feet. She was going to say something else but was suddenly interrupted: Vance kissed her hard, muting any word she might have uttered, and lifted her into his arms again.
This time, both fell on the bed, arms and legs tangled around each other. Teresa felt Vance’s skin, hot on her body, and his pulsing desire was hard against her. She grabbed a condom from her nightstand drawer and handed it to Vance. Vance sheathed himself, then positioned his cock between her legs and slowly, carefully, started to push into her.
Teresa moaned when she felt him, moving in and out. He was on top of her, inside of her, everywhere; it was exhilarating. His scent filled her senses, and the touch of his skin made hers tingle. Vance moaned in her ear, and she gripped his back, sinking her nails into his skin, leaving marks. They were trails of passion that would take a long time to disappear.
“Vance, faster, faster!” she begged, biting her lips to prevent the screams of pleasure.
Vance complied. He thrust inside of her, increasing his speed, and Teresa wrapped her legs around his waist, joining him in the rhythm he had set. Everything went faster. The world felt upside down to Teresa, and she felt the well-known rush of heat run through her body, the spasm of her legs when she climaxed once again. She let out a cry, and Vance plunged deeper inside of her, finishing at the same time she did.
He collapsed next to her, both trying to catch their breath. When she could breathe normally again, Teresa turned to look at him, smiling, and kissed his open lips. It was but a brush, but it made Vance smile.
They fell asleep, curled up against each other, when the alarm went off all too soon. Though they had less than five hours of sleep, Teresa realized that she had never slept better.
She had already made coffee when Vance came out of the bedroom, showered and looking as if he’d had the same restful sleep. They sat at the kitchen table, remembering the previous morning when Vance had proposed. Teresa’s heart skipped a beat thinking about it. She handed him a mug of coffee and some toast.
“I don’t want to sound all crazy and rushed, but we should start planning the wedding, don’t you think?” she asked, taking a sip off coffee. She had thought about it, and the sooner they got married, the better it would be for both of them. Teresa was afraid of her father showing up at her place again, unannounced, and she wanted to avoid that possibility altogether.
“Yeah, you’re right,” Vance conceded. “I don’t have to go to the charity today, do you?” Teresa shook her head. “Then we can spend the whole day together working on it.” He winked at her, and she smiled. She fancied the idea of spending the whole day with Vance, even if it was running errands.
“The first thing we should do is find a suitable day to go to court. I suppose I have to make an appointment, but we should get married as soon as possible,” she said. Vance seemed to agree with her, so she went to the next issue. “Do you have any relatives and friends you would want to invite? I know you’re just doing me a favor, but... it will still be your wedding.” She only wanted to invite Anna and the girls, but it seemed fair to her that Vance should be able to invite any family he wanted.
To her surprise, he shook his head. Teresa looked at him, wondering whether to ask or not, but he told her anyway.
“I’ve kind of... drifted apart from my family, to put it mildly. My parents are divorced. And I don’t talk to either of them.”
She could understand that.
“But I thought you told me you worked with your father?” she asked, a little bit curious.
“Yes, I did, before the divorce. Before the accident.”
Vance looked at his coffee and remained silent, but Teresa did not press further. Everyone deserved to have their privacy and open up when they were ready. To her surprise, Vance started talking again.
“I’m not an only child, you see. Or at least, I wasn’t,” he muttered. Teresa’s stomach dropped. So he had lost a sibling. An overwhelming feeling of pain and sadness rushed through her body, and she repressed the impulse to jump up and hug Vance. Instead, she let him talk at his own pace.
“I had an older brother. I really looked up to him, you know. I was the annoying younger brother, always following him around, trying to be just like him.” He laughed bitterly, and Teresa reached out her hand across the table and laid it on top of his hand.
Vance stared at it for a moment and looked up at Teresa and was able to put a small smile on his lips. “He was four years older than me. And we really got along – the four of us. We were
a happy family, until... Well, let’s say I admired my brother but didn’t know he was a big drinker.”
Teresa’s grip tightened, and Vance placed his other hand on top of hers, rubbing it mindlessly with his thumb.
“My parents knew though – something I discovered after the accident. One day he was coming home from a party. He’d had too much to drink... and had an accident. The road was wet, the car flipped over, and he didn’t make it,” he whispered. “I was fifteen at the time, and my whole world turned upside down. Not only did I lose my brother that night, but I also lost my family. It turns out that my mother blamed my father for my brother’s drinking problem. She said he had always been too hard on him and that had pushed him over the edge. And my dad, well, he blamed my mother, saying she had spoiled him and never set boundaries.”
Vance took a deep breath and went on.
“In the end, they were both too busy grieving their lost son and blaming each other to realize I was still there, I suppose. They got divorced soon after, and my father took off to who knows where. I stayed with my mom, but she never really noticed me again. Funnily enough, she started drinking, and I left home the day I turned eighteen. I don’t think she even noticed that I was gone.”
Teresa sprang to her feet, the chair scraping against the floor, startling Vance who looked up just to see Teresa rushing towards him and hugging him tightly, catching him off guard. He seemed surprised, but soon relaxed in Teresa’s arms and caressed her back. When they parted, Teresa planted a small kiss on his lips.
“I’m over it, Tess. I swear, don’t worry.” He smiled, and Teresa sat back on her chair, a little bit ashamed for her sudden outburst. “What about you?” he asked, trying to lighten the mood.
“Just some friends from town,” she confessed with a small smile. Vance looked at her, and she knew he wanted to know more, but she could not open up to him just yet. She felt bad not being able to reciprocate, but she still couldn’t. “I’ll tell you my sad family story some other day. Today, we should get our asses up from these chairs and head out to court! We have a wedding to plan!” she exclaimed, and was glad when Vance did not press her any further.
