by Bri Stone
I shimmy my hips until our sexes are aligned and I feel his cock against me.
“Please,” I whimper. I feel his cock against the pads of my fingers and set his tip at my entrance.
I don’t know why he likes to prolong things. Or even how. His lips are against mine, but he doesn’t kiss me. He just hovers, and we breathe each other’s hot air. He sucks my bottom lip and I watch his face. His heavy, deep set brows. With a slight arch that looks like he gets them tweezed, but he doesn’t. His short, faded beard is growing and he hasn’t trimmed it in a few days. His nose rubs against mine but I can’t see it.
Then he takes my lip between his teeth and pulls. I giggle, and he releases me. He places hot, wet kisses along my jaw and chin. He is practically eating me alive when he finally thrusts inside of me.
I shudder. I’m nearly quaking. Everything is right. Everything is aligned. My entire body arches, undulates as my neck arches and I feel nothing but everything all at once. Then he’s moving. Our bodies meeting, and the sound of the leather couch beneath us making us laugh.
He seals my mouth with a kiss and turns his hips to meet me deeper. He goes faster. I want more, and I need more. I cry out, moaning his name, moaning a bunch of other things. Every time we have sex I have no doubt the neighbors can hear, and I never care.
“Thom, god Thom!” My breath hitches. I feel my pulse all over my body and I know I’m close.
I clutch his chest tighter to mine. My breasts pillow against his and my nipples scrape his chest. I pull him tighter, I can damn near feel his heart beating over mine. I need so much of him, it’s scary. He is so calm and collected about loving me with every ounce of his being; how?
Thom goes so deep I can rub my clit against his hip and it brings me closer. The quaking inside of me wrenches and it’s over. I’m coming hard and fast. My eyes shut. I see bright spots and my body warms as it erupts in shudders of pleasure.
His grunts are deep and grow closer. He curses and then kisses me. His hands tighten on my hips, then travel over my body. He clutches my breast and thrusts once more before he stills. I feel every pulse of his cock as he empties himself inside of me. It’s warm and sticky, making me shudder again.
“Baby,” he starts but doesn’t finish.
He smiles and kisses me.
Then we get up and grab all our clothes. We clean up in the shower and manage to keep our hands off each other to do so. I wear some flannel pants and a tank top because it is more comfortable. Thom hardly ever wears a shirt; his sweat pants hang low on his hips. Like he is trying to torture me.
“What do you want for dinner?” Thom looks in the fridge. “I can make something.”
I sit on the couch and continue watching television. “Anything you make is fine.” I answer.
He starts making something. A few minutes later he brings me tea and kisses my forehead. I read through more anatomy notes and a few things from work. I always liked being prepared, and he gives me summaries of upcoming work. I am so excited to be at his level one day. Residency presses in my mind again.
I don’t want to think of the future just yet. I keep telling myself it isn’t that far, and as soon as I feel like I can’t go another day, I can fly out and visit him. Or him me.
People make relationships like this work all the time. I shouldn’t have wasted so much time without him. That first year. Deflecting my fear of being in love for so long. At least I’ve grown, I think.
“That thinking face of yours.” Thom pokes the dimple beneath my eye as he sits next to me.
I didn’t even notice he set two plates of fresh shrimp stir fry in front of me. It looks delicious.
“Oh, yeah. It’s nothing.” We take our plates and we eat. A suburban couple is moving to Mexico on House Hunters.
“I always wanted to go to Mexico.” I say aimlessly.
“We should go.” He answers.
“When?” I giggle.
“Dunno...what’s on your mind?”
I keep eating to occupy my mouth. I don’t say anything until I’m stuffed and set my plate down. I wash it down with my sweet tea, and then sip my green tea that’s still too hot.
“Perrie.” Thom does the same. I turn to face him on the couch and sit Indian style. “I’ve been thinking...there’s still some stuff I still don’t know about you. The things you say, and some of the things you mention but don’t explain.” He stares at me intently. His gray eyes hard and narrow, when he’s thinking or when he’s serious.
I just swallow and blink, like I’m stupid. “Thom,” I touch his knee gingerly. He looks down at my hand almost like a foreign body he has never seen before.
“I’m not going tolerate it anymore. I’ve told you everything. I still feel like I only have pieces of you.”
“That’s not true.” I whisper.
“Perception is reality, Sparks.”
I relax. If he’s using my pet name, he can’t be that mad. But I know he is right.
“What...I thought I had told you everything.” I avoid his gaze, knowing I’m full of shit now.
“In theory.” He smirks.
I purse my lips and lean against the back of the couch. “What do you want to know?”
“You never want to talk about your ex. Is that because you still have feelings for him?”
I widen my eyes in shock. “No! I mean—no. I don’t talk about him because I’m not proud of how things ended.” I feel my bones quake at the memory of it. Everyone has moments they aren’t proud of, and I wasn’t proud of this.
“How do you mean?” He leans closer and draws me in to look at him.
“I mean I destroyed him. Trevor. His name was Trevor.” I sigh. I want to look away, but he has a force that keeps me looking.
“What happened?”
I close my eyes and inhale deeply. “Thom, why do you want to know?” I laugh humorlessly.
He gives me a look. “There’s a reason why you don’t tell me things. Why you don’t open up... I want to know why.” His voice is firm, but still soft.
“Well, it didn’t necessarily start with him.” I scoff.
“I figured it started with your mom.”
“A little, yeah.” I deadpan. Admitting it, but not wanting to really delve into it.
“Perrie,” he takes my hand, “I’m not doing this to attack you.”
“I know.” I say seriously. “I just...you’ll think differently of me.” Fear lowers my voice.
“I’d never think any differently of you Perrie. I love you. Every piece of you. Nothing will ever change that.”
He smiles softly at me. I swell with the conviction of his words. I never doubt them.
“Okay. Fine.” I take a deep breath. Maybe three.
“I met him sophomore year and we started dating. After a couple of months, he said he loved me and I think I only said it back, so I wouldn’t hurt him. I cared about him. But I never loved him. It was a shitty thing to do.” My voice breaks and drops. I still feel the shame I managed to bury every day. The shame I quelled with the justification that I did care about him and did enjoy being with him.
“But I still did it. And kept doing it.” My throat clogs. I swallow it down. “Um, he was planning to go to law school at Colombia. I got in to med school there, and we planned to stay together.” My heart ceases at the memory. It was the worst thing I had ever done. I start crying because I still feel so shitty about it. Thom squeezes my hand but the look in his eye tells me he knows where it’s going. Silent tears precede me.
“Trevor left before me in June, and I was supposed to meet him a few days later. He wanted to move everything in, so I wouldn’t have to worry about it. The day I was supposed to fly in I changed my ticket at the last minute and flew here instead. Managed to accept my admittance after the date passed. I ignored his calls for days. Weeks, even. I didn’t talk to him until...July I think. He said he always knew I never loved him. That he wasn’t mad. He still likes my photos on Facebook sometimes, even the ones with you.
He got married last year. So, I guess I didn’t completely ruin love for him.”
I take a deep breath and wipe my eyes. “Still love me?” I sing darkly.
“Always, Perrie. That was a long time ago.” He says quietly, gently.
“It’s hardly any different from what I’ve done to you. That first year. I wasn’t...getting off on you wanting me. I was so afraid of what I would do. Sometimes I still am, and I don’t know how to get past that.” I exhale. I’m also afraid of people leaving when I care about them, but I didn’t want to burden him with my fear that one day this would end.
“We’ll do it together. I just needed to know.” He kisses my forehead. His lips linger, and he pulls me into his lap as he hugs me.
“How could you love all of me without knowing all of me?” I whisper into his chest.
“That’s just what love is, Perrie. Accepting everything. Feeling something too strong to ignore. Every day I spend with you pulls me in deeper. I didn’t need to know anything about you besides your personality, as I saw it; to fall in love with you.”
I nod and sniff back tears. “I love you too, Thom. I love you so much. And...” I really start crying. “I don’t know how I can be without you. I wish I were one of those girls who could follow their boyfriends anywhere.” I wave my hand with a sad laugh.
“That’s one of the things I love about you; your will. Your strong mind. If you had tried to follow me, I don’t think I even would have let you. Forensic pathology is a dream you’ve always had. It’s a part of you that shouldn’t get left behind or settled for.” He kisses my temple and holds me tighter.
“What else do you love about me?” I look up at him. He holds me at arm’s length and smirks.
“Your tits and your ass.”
I smack his arm. “Thom.”
“I love everything Perrie. Your smile, your laugh, your sneeze. The way you yawn like a hippo in the mornings. And the way you roll over me in your sleep, and I wake up to use my inhaler; but I don’t dare move you away. And how strong you are. Of everything you have overcome. You’re so smart, and kind. You make me better. I love everything that comes with you, and I always will.”
“Thom...” I whisper. Mostly in shock. More in awe. Of this man and his ability to always make me feel so warm and fuzzy. Accepted and truly loved.
“I’d ask the same of you, but I know you love my dick so much, it surpasses everything else.” He laughs. I feign a frown, but it fades as I smile through my tears.
I turn and hug him.
My cheek presses against his and we just hold each other for a long time.
Chapter Nineteen: Thom
I AM STILL VERY APPREHENSIVE about my plan.
I know Perrie really well by now, but she can still be unpredictable. I knew this could go south fast if I wasn’t careful.
It was barely six A.M. when I finished getting everything ready. Clem was in on the plan too. Their dad—was still out on assignment. It would just be us. But we needed this. She needed it.
Perrie would always seem like a different person around this time—in the three years we’ve been together. For the two weeks between her mother dying and her birthday, it was like half of her wasn’t even there. I couldn’t even imagine what it was like years ago. It has been ten years since, and I know it still hurts her the same, but she has gotten better at coping with it. I just wasn’t sure how she would react to this.
I’m a little nervous. I don’t get nervous very often.
Our bags are packed, and the flight leaves in two hours. Now to wake her up...
I go back into the bedroom, and she is laying on her back with her arm outstretched. She moves around so much in her sleep, often I’ve woken up with her on my chest and I can’t breathe. It’s a wonder she doesn’t fall off the bed entirely. Her hair is all messy and she snores every few seconds.
The brown sheets slip down her bare chest, of course I had to give her birthday sex when midnight hit. But I was getting distracted.
“Perrie, wake up baby.” I sat next to her and gently stroked her cheek.
Her eyes opened, she realized how early it was, and then glared at me.
“What—why are you dressed?” She mumbled.
“We have to leave in two hours. Happy birthday, Sparks.” I smirked.
“It was until you woke me up. Where are we going?” She sat up and stretched out.
My eyes traveled down her chest, watching her nipples perk up to the morning air. I groan, really trying not to get distracted.
“It’s a surprise.” I try.
“I hate surprises.”
“I’m taking you home.” I look in her eyes. It’s a struggle, but I manage.
“Home?” She blinks. The sleep leaves her eyes and is replaced with shock and understanding.
I cup her cheek and kiss her soft lips.
“Home.”
THE FLIGHT WAS THREE hours, but we flew first class. Maybe I am spoiled, but Stan always offers and who would turn down a first-class flight?
He helped talk me into this and gave me good advice like always. He doesn’t know Perrie like I do, but we both agreed I needed to give her space in this. I couldn’t force her, but we were doing this one way or another.
“Do you want to try and hail a taxi?” We just got down to ground transport, and we don’t have any checked bags.
I didn’t have to pack much for her, since we were going to her house, so I just had the duffel bag.
“At IAH? God, no. We can book a car here.”
The last few times we had come here, we went to the other airport. I forget the name. But Perrie knew her way around this one too. Following her around and taking her advice reminded me of the first time I came home with her.
We booked a car but had to wait thirty minutes. We found a seat in a small restaurant by baggage claim. Our knees touched as we partially watched the football game.
“Do you feel older yet?” I idly traced the back of her neck.
She practically purred as she shook her head. “No. I feel the same. Why do people always ask that?”
“I don’t know.” I laughed. “You are older than me though, so you’re the wiser one.” I smirked.
“By two months. That doesn’t count...I don’t know. I feel like I don’t know why you woke me up so early to come here.” Her thin brow arched as she looked at me.
I tried to keep a poker face.
“So, we would have more time.”
I took a swig of my water and fed her one of the fries we ordered, just something to tide us over until we got to her house. The flight wasn’t long enough for anything other than peanuts and snack bars.
“I tried to get Clem to come too.”
“Really?” Her voice rises.
“Yeah. She said it was too late to request leave or something like that.”
She nodded in understanding, but she still looked down.
“I’m used to spending my birthdays without her. She hasn’t been there since I was twelve, she was a senior in high school then.”
Their relationship was good, from what I could tell. They were close and got closer after their mom passed away. Perrie has never told me everything about it, I hoped she would now. It was still eating at me that I hadn’t told her why we were here.
“Car is ready.” She said after getting a text.
The drive was long but comfortable in the back of the sedan. She rested her head on my shoulder and managed not to doze off. I tried to keep her busy by asking her more about the city. For growing up here, she didn’t know much.
She lived in Beachside Village, specifically Abalone. Their house was big, blue, and the definition of a beach house. The stairs wrapped around, and we entered through the front door. She always had her key, and no one was there. It was a nice three bedrooms, open and spacious. The light came through the kitchen and living room windows.
We headed straight to her room and dropped our bags. I watched her look around her room like she was reacqu
ainting herself. I sat on the edge of the bed and took off my shoes and stretched out from the jet lag.
Her room brought in a lot of light. She had pale blue curtains, and pretty much everything else was blue. It was her favorite color. The fluffy comforter, the shag rug by the wooden desk; even the shower curtains and mats were blue.
“Come here.” I reached out to her.
She smiled and climbed in the bed and straddled me. Her lips went to mine immediately. Any drowsiness I had was gone. I deepened the kiss and coaxed her lips apart. She sighed and lowered her body onto mine but didn’t press on my chest too hard. Her lips were soft and pliable as I dipped my tongue into her mouth, driving with hers.
My hands go to her waist and I move farther down, until I reach her hips and grind my hips under hers. She groans and turns her face as her hips dip lower. My cock grows harder and she moans as she rubs against me. I cup her face and pull her face from mine, so I can breathe. Flights are usually rough on me, but I feel okay. Didn’t even have to use my inhaler.
Perrie sits up and I reach for her shirt with a wry smile.
“I thought we already celebrated.” She spoke softly, desire already masking her voice.
“If the female body could handle twenty-five orgasms, I’d go for it. One time isn’t enough to celebrate your twenty-fifth.” I smirked.
She giggles and wiggles her hips as a sign to continue. I lift her gray sweatshirt over her head. She has on a pink lace bralette that barely contains her pert breasts. I fucking love when she wears those. I groaned in anticipation. Every nerve in my body was calling out to her. I undid the draw string of her sweats and maneuvered her out of them.
She smiles, looking in my eyes as she pulls my shirt over my head and I smile back. Moments like these, they never get old. When we are just happy to be together. Happy to be in each other’s arms. She cups my face and pulls me into another kiss. Her lips were soft but intense as she deepened the kiss. Her soft fingers glide across my stubble, she seemed to like my permanent three-day shadow I started keeping.
I roll us over suddenly and she giggles against my lips. I move to her neck, sucking that soft spot beneath her ear that holds her intoxicating scent. I inhale deeply as I taste her skin. Moving across her neck and collarbone. I trace the edge of her bra, staring into her eyes as she squirms. I love teasing her until she is begging. She rids me of my pants and I rub my pelvis against her. There is too much fabric in the way, but I still feel the heat of her against me.
