Fresh Cut Romance

by Dee Dawning

  "I insisted she go to college and she agreed. After she graduated from Loyola Marymount, she joined the Little Company of Mary Sisters as a postulant. She lives in a dorm near the campus of one of their hospitals in Torrance. She initially worked there as a nurse's assistant, but when she took her temporary vows, they made her a nurse in training. Soon she'll be expected to renew her vows. If she does that, it'll be much harder to break away from the sisterhood."

  With his jaw tight and neck muscles straining, the tension in Julian was evident. "Teresa, what can I do?"

  "That depends."

  He stood and began pacing. "On what?"

  "You."

  "I'll do whatever I can."

  "You seem to be genuinely fond of Laurel and if anyone could change her priorities, I'll bet you could swing it. However, I'm not going to help you charm my baby sister into bed, if your motives are suspect. I won't be a party to someone—you—breaking her heart."

  Julian shook his head and held his hands out, palms up. "What do I have to do to convince you that I would never hurt her?"

  I gave him a withering stare. He didn't shirk. I believed him, but this was Laurel. "If I'm hearing you right, you'd like to court my sister for possible matrimony. Is that right?"

  He looked conflicted, but answered affirmatively. "Yes, yes, yes. If I was going to ask Santa for the perfect woman, Laurel is whom I would describe. Tess. May I call you Tess?"

  I nodded.

  "I would like you to be my sister-in-law. I will do whatever it takes to get Laurel out of the sisterhood."

  "All right then. Here's what I have in mind."

  * * * *

  Slowly, my eye lids opened, but I saw nothing. It was dark. Where am I? I hadn't a clue. Slivers of light passed through the window coverings—likely from the full moon. I felt my body. Goodness, I'm naked. I glanced to my left. A nightstand. The digital clock upon it read six thirty-six am. Think. I went out with Julian. Did I drink too much? I don't remember. Why am I naked? My goodness, could this be his bedroom? Oh my God! Where is Julian?

  My right hand stretched out and patted across the bedspread. The spread rose around the contour of an object. My hand followed it lightly to the apex. It was a hip. Julian's hip? I pulled my hand back up to the top of the cover and slipped it under. Slowly and carefully, my hand moved back toward the spot I'd felt before. All of a sudden my hand felt something strange. It was warm and felt like skin but different. I ran my fingers ever so lightly along it. It was long, with something like a ridge near the end. My hand changed direction and went back down the object. Hair—curly, fuzzy pubic hair. My mouth fell open. Mary, mother of Jesus, forgive me. I think I've I sinned.

  I jerked my hand back to my chest, where I felt the necklace I'd worn. I sat up with a start. "Eeeeeeew." I touched a penis. I hope it was Julian's. The man in the bed stirred. Without warning, a bright light flashed on, temporarily blinding me, as he turned on a nightstand lamp. I quickly pulled the sheet up to my neck to cover myself.

  "What's the matter sweetheart? Can't sleep?"

  Thank God it was Julian's signature voice.

  "You were magnificent, last night, baby."

  Dear God in heaven, I did sin.

  Julian slid over and wrapped his arms around me. His arm brushed a nipple sending a pleasantly, naughty sensation throughout my body. As we embraced, my bare breasts rubbed against his chest redirecting the wicked feelings to the quickly warming area between my legs. I tried and tried without success to remember my sinful night.

  This is maddening. I have sex for the first time and don't even know if I liked it.

  After teasing me by nibbling on my lips, shivers shot through me when he whispered breathily in my ear. "Don't tell me you're ready to go again?"

  Go again? I was incredulous. Here I sit, in a very handsome man's bed, having made love, totally naked wearing only my necklace, and I can't remember any of it. It must have been a wild night, for as he held me close, kneading my back, I glanced over his shoulder and spied our discarded clothes spread around the room in some or the most disingenuous places. My beautiful dress was hanging from a single strap draped over a finial on the dresser mirror. My nylons rested on the top of the TV and draped over the screen. My bra hung from the shade of the lamp Julian had turned on and my panties lay across the footboard.

  "Julian, why are my clothes strewn haphazardly all over the room? Were we in a hurry last night?"

  "Don't you remember? We were burning with desire. Especially you. You said you had to see what it would be like to be with me at least once. We frantically undressed each other and tossed the clothes wherever it they landed."

  I felt a flush of warmth in my cheeks. "No, I don't remember. That's the problem. We made love and I don't remember."

  A sinful smile formed on his lips. "Really. You don't remember? Maybe you had too many strawberry daiquiris."

  "And you undressed me?"

  He nodded. His smile grew wider and more sinful, while the flush in my cheeks spread to my whole face. "Yes, except for your necklace. You said you wanted to keep one thing on so you weren't entirely undressed. At first you wanted to keep your bra on, but I didn't like that so I suggested the necklace and you agreed."

  "And then we made love. Did I like it?"

  "You loved it. Laurel, it was wonderful. You were wonderful."

  "What did we do? I mean how…what…po…sition?"

  "The intercourse we started in missionary, then on our sides facing each other. Then for the finale you were on top."

  I was getting aroused thinking about it. I straddled this dreamboat with his thingy I felt buried in me.

  "Did I…you know…come?"

  "Did you ever." With a big grin on his face, he held up three fingers. Sideways, missionary and last, you on top. That was the biggie."

  I had three orgasms. This wasn't fair. I should be ecstatic. I had sex for the first time in my life—with someone I really like—and it's a blank. "Did we use protection? I'm not on contraception and you…you get around."

  He laughed and kissed my ear. "Not anymore. I'm a one woman man from now on."

  My heart soared at those words and then I remembered my vows.

  "And yes, I used a condom. I flushed it down the toilet."

  Julian still held me. I got warm—no hot. I thought about throwing the sheet away from us. After all, we'd made love, but I held off. Between my legs, dampness developed. I could feel something yielding, but hard poking into my thigh. It was his penis and it was ready for action. I reached down and grasped it. He jerked upright. It felt sexy. I wanted to feel it. "Sweetheart, since I don't remember last night, can we make love again."

  When he didn't answer, I pulled back to look at him. He seemed puzzled. His mouth was open as if he wanted to speak, but nothing came forth, then he stuttered, "Uh…I'm…I'm not sure that's a good idea. After all it was your first time and you should recuperate."

  "How do you know it was my first time? Did I tell you?"

  He shook his head. "Not in so many words. You said you never felt like giving yourself to anyone until now. And then there was a little blood."

  Blood? I lifted the sheet and looked between my legs. There were some brownish-red stains on my thighs and pubis. I reached down and rubbed my sex. The moistness upon my hand had a reddish cast. I looked at the sheet. There were Brownish-red smudges here and there. There was something else I saw. His erection. It looked so good to me I had a strange urge to put it in my mouth. Disgusting!

  I pulled the sheet back down. "Julian. I'm so sorry about your sheets. We should get them off and put them in the washing machine right away."

  "Okay, let me put on my briefs."

  He turned away from me and sat up at the edge of the bed. Feet on the floor, he reached down, apparently picked up the briefs and tugged them up. When they were to his knees, he stood up and pulled them hastily in place. Nevertheless, the two second vision of his tight, sexy buns was burned in my mind and replaying
over and over.

  The fact that I'd been virtually naked last night in front of this man allowed me to overcome my innate timidity. As Julian padded to the closet and tossed on a robe. I jumped out of the bed and started removing the sheets. It must have surprised Julian, for when he turned back toward me his eyes grew large and round. "No Laurel, you should stay un…" He rushed to the lamp, took my bra off the shade and after he tossed it to me, turned away. "I'm going to fix us breakfast. Your panties are on the footboard. After you put them on, you'll find another robe in my closet. Or if you prefer, you can wear one of my shirts.

  I did, and donned one of his white shirts. Then I spied my overturned purse on one of the two chairs in the room. Half the contents had spilled out including my cellphone. I picked it up, opened the cover and dialed my sister.

  "Hello sis. Did I wake you?"

  "Yes you did. What time is it anyway."

  I glanced at the alarm clock. "It's almost seven. Aren't you usually up by now?"

  "Yeah, but I got to sleep late last night. Don't worry, I need to get up anyway. What can I do for you?"

  "I'm not sure, but a lot has happened and I need to talk with you. I don't want to talk about it over the phone. Can we meet sometime today?"

  "Can it wait until tomorrow? Remember, Seth's mother is taking the kids then."

  "I'd rather not." I paused to think, then an idea flashed through my mind. "How about if I make reservations for Loving Touch Spa's for later this morning. Can you get a babysitter?"

  "Sure. I'll see if she can watch them today, too. If not I'll handle it. Oops. I have another call coming in. Let me put you on call waiting."

  "No, wait Tess, I'll see you at Loving Touch Spa's at eleven, unless I call you back. Okay?"

  "Okay, baby. Bye. I love you."

  "I love you too. Bye?"

  Chapter Five—Loving Touch Spa

  "The most precious possession that ever comes to a man in this world is a woman's heart." - Josiah G.

  Quickly, I switched to the incoming call. "Hello?"

  "It's me. I can't talk long or loud. She's in the bedroom."

  "Calm down Julian. Tell me what happened."

  "Everything went just as you thought it would. That was a good touch with the blood. How did you do it?"

  "Just pricked my finger. If everything went fine, why do you sound in a panic?"

  "I didn't say everything went fine. I said everything went as you said it would, however, there's one catch. Since she doesn't remember any of our lovemaking, she wants to do it again, for real!"

  "That's great. Enjoy yourself. Make it official. Just don't get my baby sister pregnant."

  "No! As much as I'd love to have sex with your sister, I'm not going to stoop so low as to make love to her through trickery. That would be dishonest."

  Hmmm, The man has character. "We already tricked her. What about that."

  "Yes, we did, but it was your idea and I went along because it's for her own good."

  "You mean for your own good. Don't you?"

  "What."

  "Never mind. Tell you what Julian. I'm supposed to meet Laurel at your sister's Spa. Is there a coffee shop nearby where we could meet?"

  "There's a Denny's a couple blocks east of there."

  "Perfect. See you at ten. I have to go now. I need to find a babysitter, quick."

  * * * *

  As I walked into the kitchen, Julian was putting the phone back in its cradle. "Who were you talking to?"

  He seemed to be in thought, running fingers through his mane. Looking at me, he snapped his fingers, "Breakfast. Oh, I had to tell my secretary, Connie, something." Then he bounced over to the refrigerator and pulled out a package of frozen hash browns, four eggs, cheddar cheese and ham. After carrying the items to the cooktop, and bringing two frying pans up from the lower cabinet, he proceeded to make a giant ham and cheese omelet.

  He remained quiet—reflecting, as he fixed our breakfast.

  "Is something wrong?"

  He glanced at me, reached out to my hand and pulled me into him. "Heck no everything is perfect." He kissed me on the forehead, the nose and finally the lips.

  I hadn't put my bra and panties on and was wearing only his shirt. He'd made love to me last night, my first ever, but it didn't feel like it. I wanted to know him intimately. I felt a need to feel him inside. I wrapped my arms around him. "After breakfast I'd like to make love. It may be my second time, but it'll feel like my first time. I need to know what it feels like before…"

  He sighed, "I'd like nothing better, but we wouldn't have time. That's what the phone call was about. I have an important meeting at ten, which I can't miss."

  I must have looked disappointed because his fingers gently took hold of my chin as his lips came forward for a kiss. "I'll tell you what. Let me get this business behind me and I'll fix you a gourmet meal tonight. Veal piccata. How does that sound?"

  "It sounds yummy, especially, if we reprise last night's activities afterward."

  He smiled and waggled his eye brows up and down. "It's a date. Have a seat. Breakfast is almost ready."

  * * * *

  I'd started my third cup of coffee when Julian finally arrived. Silently, he sat down and I poured his cup full. He put a little cream in and took a sip. I waited, but he said nothing. "Good morning, good looking."

  He smiled. "Sorry. I was thinking."

  "About what?"

  "Your sister. What else? She has me hornier than a three peckered goat and I don't know what to do. I'm cooking dinner for her tonight and she's specifically requested that we repeat our intimacy of last night." He raised his hands in apparent frustration. "Except we didn't do anything last night."

  "And you don't want to have relations with her under false pretenses."

  "Right. From the start, I wanted her to want me before we made love and now she wants me, but for the wrong reasons. And I don't know how to get back to the right reasons. Oh hell, it's all screwed up. How the hell am I supposed to know if she wants me for me or to see what she missed?"

  "Hmmm. Good point. I foresee another problem as well."

  He put his coffee cup down. "What?"

  "If you do have sex, you'll perforate her membrane for real and she'll spot, this time the blood will be hers."

  His hand ranging through his hair, he asked, "What are we going to do?"

  I pursed my lips. "I don't know, but I need to get going or I'm going to be late."

  I picked up the check and his hand covered mine. "Leave that, I'll get it."

  I stood up and caressed his cheek with my hand. "You'll be good for Laurel. I hope we can pull it off." I turned and walked out.

  * * * *

  I arrived early so I went back and visited Sarah. She just put her customer under the dryer and her next client wasn't due for twenty minutes, so she grabbed my hand and led me to a small employee coffee room. As we poured and fixed our coffee, she asked, "So how was your big night out?"

  I'd been opening a packet of Splenda and when she asked, I jerked and Splenda powder went everywhere. Some landed on Sarah. I tried to brush it off, but she stopped me. "Stop it Laurel. It's nothing. Why did you blush? Did Julian hurt you?"

  I shook my head earnestly and shrugged. "No, I don't think so. I don't remember last night."

  We carried our coffee cups to one of three tables and sat. "Well, at least you didn't have sex with him."

  I sensed the heat building in my face.

  Sarah must have noticed. "Did you?"

  Involuntary, I shrugged again. "I don't remember. Last night is a blur. All I know is I woke up in his bed naked and there was blood on the sheets."

  "Oh, my God. You're a virgin. I mean you were a virgin and did it. And you don't remember having sex?"

  "I don't remember anything that happened last night."

  "He must have slipped you some Rohypnol. I can't believe he'd do that, but that's the only explanation."

  "What's the only explanation?" Came a
voice from the doorway.

  "Oh, hi Jessie." I said.

  She nodded her greeting.

  Sarah explained, "For the strange situation Laurel found herself in this morning."

  "What was that, Laurel?"

  This was so mortifying. I felt the heat coursing through me again. "I woke up in bed with Julian and we were both naked."

  A smile formed on Jessie's face. "Well congratulations, you lucky girl."

  "That isn't what's strange." Sarah piped in.

  "What do you mean?" Jessie responded, defensively.

  "She doesn't remember any of it. The date, the sex, nothing. The only explanation is the date drug."

  Jessie inhaled deeply as a scowl formed on her face. "My brother would never do anything like that. He doesn't need to. You of all people, should know that."

  Now, Sarah turned red.

  "Yes, I know of your little fling with my brother. You didn't really think telling the other operators what you and Julian did wouldn't get back to me, did you?"

  Sarah, apparently indignant, elevated her chin, narrowed her eyes and spoke through pinched lips, "Nevertheless, she woke up naked and there was blood on the sheets."

  "Well, she could be on her period. Are you, honey? Are you on your period?"

  I shook my head.

  "There was blood on the sheets because she's… she was a virgin."

  Jessie's intense eyes glared at me. "Since you don't remember, how do you know you had sex with Julian?"

  "He said I was wonderful."

  Jessie smiled and threw her head back. "There you go Sarah. If she'd been given the date rape drug, she'd have been like a zombie. She loved it. She just had too much to drink."

  I glanced at my watch. Eleven-oh-three. I jumped up. "I hate to leave you ladies like this, but I'm late for my appointment. If it'll make you feel any better let me tell you; I don't feel like I've been raped and I'm sure Julian would never do anything like that."

  I hugged Sarah and Jessie. "Goodbye."

  Tess frowned at me as I walked through the spa portal into the waiting area. Sitting in one of the chairs, she glanced at her watch, then sporting an annoyed look on her face, she patted the chair next to her.