by Sky Winters
“That is cheating,” she replied.
“So? Takes one to know one,” he said. “Now, about the terms of our wager.”
“We never made any official terms.”
“Guess I can ask for whatever I want then,” he told her.
“I guess you can.”
The lights went off around them, leaving them standing in a nearly dark restaurant. Beth called out to them that they were about to leave and lock up.
“Sounds like our cue. We’re being evicted. How about we drop our cars off at your place and then walk to that little pub a few blocks down for drinks?”
“Oh, I don’t know about that. It’s a work night, after all.”
“I wasn’t planning on getting completely shit faced and ending up in jail or anything,” he laughed.
“Okay. Just a couple then.”
“Deal!”
They walked hand in hand out to their cars, saying their goodbyes to Beth and her partner, who was named Jacob, according to their business card. Weston made sure she was safely behind the wheel of her rather sedate Toyota Camry before climbing into his much more substantial Mercedes GLE. Making her way the few miles from the restaurant to her apartment, the smile never left her face. It only broadened each time she looked in the rearview mirror at him following her.
Parking in the garage attached to her apartment building, they made their way directly down the ramp and onto the sidewalk, covering the few blocks to the pub with their arms wrapped about one another’s waists. Mandy marveled at how quickly she had abandoned her reservations about getting closer to Weston. Yesterday, she had felt only fear at even getting to know him better. Today, he had somehow won her over completely, making her feel so at ease that she no longer gave a second thought to how things might go wrong.
“I almost didn’t call you,” he told her over drinks.
“I wouldn’t have blamed you if you hadn’t,” she admitted.
“You just didn’t seem to be all that interested in me. Of course, being stubborn, I decided that was a challenge I had to take on.”
“So, I’m just a challenge for you then?” she asked.
“Hardly. There’s something about you, Mandy. I saw it right at the start, at that party. You give off this soulful vibe that is intoxicating. I couldn’t help but make a beeline for you before someone else snatched you away from me.”
“There’s that silver tongued lawyer again,” she laughed.
“No, just an honest man. I wanted to tell you that on the first date, but I was afraid it would frighten you away. Then I thought I’d done that anyway.”
“It wasn’t you. It was all me,” she said.
“And now? Should I plan on you tucking tail and running away if I try to get too close to you?”
“No, but I still don’t want to rush things. I just need for us to take our time, to just be whatever we become without pushing the envelope and trying to make it something it might not be.”
“That sounds like fear still talking to me, but I understand. Still, what you need to know about me is that I have very basic instincts when it comes to finding a woman I want to be with. You’re the first woman I’ve ever met that felt like some sort of destiny for me. Does that scare you?”
“More like terrifies me,” she told him.
“Well, just know that I will honor your wishes to take things easy, but I have no intentions of letting you slip away now that I’ve found you.”
“Noted,” she replied, not sure what else she could say to something like that.
“Alright, enough of the heavy discussion. Let’s dance.”
“Dance? Are you kidding me? No one here is dancing at all,” she said, waving her hands to the half populated bar and empty dance floor.
“They will be when they see how much fun we’re having,” he told her, standing to pull her up from her chair.
Mandy followed him reluctantly to the floor, the house music playing a slow ballad in the background. He turned out to be a beautiful dancer, gliding across the floor with her and twirling her about playfully. Everyone around them seemed to fade away into the gray as they became completely lost in one another. After a while, the music changed to something a little more spirited and Mandy looked around to find they had been joined by a half dozen couples. She smiled at how right he had been about inspiring others to dance.
“Want to sit this one out? Perhaps have one more drink before I take you home to get your rest for work tomorrow?” he asked.
“That sounds like a plan,” she said, following him off the dance floor to their table.
The night had gotten very chilly by the time they finished their drinks and made their way back toward her garage. They were standing at the door to his Mercedes when she realized something. She wasn’t ready to end their night together.
“I guess this is goodnight then,” he told her.
“It doesn’t have to be,” she replied. “Maybe you could come up for a while. It’s probably too soon to be driving anyway, after our drinks.”
“Well, honestly, I wasn’t going to. I had planned to just call a cab and leave the SUV here,” he laughed.
“Come on up for a while then,” she told him.
“Are you sure? I don’t want to overstay my welcome with you,” he replied.
“I just don’t think that’s possible,” she told him softly.
They were barely inside her apartment door before they were all over one another, each of them unable to contain their animal urges any longer. It was if they couldn’t get one another undressed quickly enough as they created a line of clothing that trailed from the door to the bedroom. Weston seemed to easily lift her, carrying her to the bed and laying her down before climbing in after her, his body pressed against her own.
The sensation of his bare skin against her own caused a familiar clench inside her, and she felt herself melting her at his touch. The stiff hairs scattered plentifully across his chest tickled her nipples, leaving them hard and aching against him. His hands stroked her naked form almost delicately, sending delicious shivers throughout her body.
“God, you’re gorgeous. I’ve wanted to do this since I met you,” he breathed against her ear, the vibrations of his voice teasing her even more.
She cooed softly beneath him as he stroked her back and stroked her sides, his hands moving upward to cup her full breasts. Every nerve ending seemed to sing with life and a need for more of him. She ached to have him inside of her, but he took his time, teasing her endlessly. His fingers rolled around her terse pink nipples, soothing them before pinching and twisting them one by one. It filled her with a delicious mix of pain and pleasure that drove her wild.
An almost involuntary groan arose from deep within her as his hot mouth nuzzled against her neck. She arched her hips upward, pushing into his own in an attempt to ease some of the tension that had built so rapidly between her legs. It did nothing to ease the need for him. Her nails dug into his back, pulling him tightly against her as he continued to slowly drive her insane with his touch.
“Weston,” she said breathlessly, his name coming out as not much more than a gasp.
“Shhh,” he replied, drawing a single nipple into his mouth and sucking hard. His teeth scraped against it painfully, causing her once again to arch upward against him and dig her nails deeper into his back. It seemed to only encourage him. Everything about him was intoxicating. She couldn’t have dreamed a man into life that could have been more in tune to what she needed.
“Please,” she begged, his mouth on her driving out all rational thought. All she could think about was her need for him, the ache that permeated her entire being as he relentlessly teased her with his tongue, his teeth, his hot skin against her own.
Her plea went unanswered as he drifted from one nipple to the other, creating an ever increasing tension that vibrated throughout her being. She had never felt so safe with a man. No man had ever seemed to desire her in quite the same way he did. She was more than hap
py to hand over control to him, to let him take over in any way that he wanted.
Even his scent was overpowering. It was earthy, overwhelmingly powerful. It called to her in such a primal way, beckoning to her inner animal to join his and do whatever felt natural without hesitation. She gasped as he tangled his fingers in her hair, tugging at it with a grasp that was hard, almost painful. It brought nothing but more pleasure as she gave into his roughness with wild abandon. Time felt like it stood still as she stepped outside of herself and enjoyed every little nuance of how he was manhandling her in all the right ways.
“You are perfect,” he moaned as her hand found its way to his cock, slipping her fingers slowly around it as it pressed heavily against her belly. She knew that he was far from wrong. She was anything but perfect, but together they seemed like sexual ideals, as if they were built for one another. His mouth found its way to hers once again, drinking her in, his tongue exploring hers enthusiastically as his hands continued their slow dance along her skin.
She lay there, looking up at him as he suddenly pulled away and got to his feet, looking down at her. She had forgotten all about her usual self-consciousness about the few extra pounds she carried or any imperfections. Instead she was focused on his perfectly chiseled body and the protruding cock that proved how much he wanted her. Reaching for her legs, he pulled her downward, easily flipping her over with what seemed like unnatural strength. She moaned loudly as he began a slow trail of bites down the center of her back and dug his fingers into the soft cheeks of her ass.
There was something about what he was doing to her that was filled with just as much tenderness as it was roughness. An emotional reaction seemed to flood over her, sucking her down into a violent pool like you’d find at the bottom of a waterfall. She was completely overwhelmed by feelings for him that were far beyond what she could have ever expected so soon. She felt as if she was spiraled down beneath the water and the only thing for her to hold onto was Weston.
His large hands slid between her legs, pushing them apart as he knelt at the foot of the bed and lapped at her already dripping pussy. She tensed and dug her fingers into the covers as he alternately licked and sucked at her clit, his fingers teasing her inner walls as he tortured her with making her wait for him.
“Ohhhhh,” she moaned, no words capable of forming beyond that as her legs began to shake violently with orgasm. Flooding his mouth with her ecstasy, she was given only a few seconds of a reprieve before he brought her to another climax. It was almost more than she could stand, the only words she could now form came in the form of pleas for him to fuck her.
“Not yet, beautiful. Not yet,” he told her. His words were accented by his sinking his teeth into each of her thighs and then squarely into her swollen, aching pussy. She cried out in pain, enjoying the way it felt as he sucked at her clit until she thought her entire body might just explode with need. She felt helpless as she lay face down on the bed, unable to do anything but allow him to continue the endless teasing.
She felt so weak, lightheaded. Was it really possible to pass out from having so many explosive orgasms? Just when she thought she might find out, he was flipping her over, sliding her body back upward so that she was squarely on the bed. He rose over her, holding himself up on strong arms, before slipping into her heated center. He made love to her in a rhythm that was hard, but slow and deep. The friction was rivaled only by the hormones that seemed to have taken control of her body, leaving her with no thoughts other than how he felt inside of her.
Her teeth sank into his shoulder as he quickly brought her to another unexpected climax, her body breaking apart around his throbbing cock as he pulsated inside of her. He returned her vigor by kissing and sucking at the side of her neck without even the slightest change in his perfect rhythm. Her hands found their way downward, digging her nails into his ass as her own hips rose and fell to meet his every thrust. Their bodies slammed violently into one another until his body convulsed against her own, a loud groan of pleasure escaping his lips as his body seized with the force of his own orgasm.
Sated and content, they fell to each other’s sides and lay silently in the barely lit bedroom, only the light from a nearby outdoor flood light shining through the window. Mandy lay her head in the crook of his arm and he put his arm across her, the weight of it feeling incredibly comforting. She felt so safe in his arms, so complete. Their smells mingled together, creating an imprint that would stay with her in remembering this moment.
She contemplated what this all meant. Things between them had happened so suddenly, so completely. She had told herself to keep her distance and she had done anything but that. There was no taking this back, pretending they hadn’t crossed some invisible line that no longer allowed them to be just casual in their dating. It frightened her to already be so invested in him, but that fear was quickly overcome by a sort of calmness that seemed to settle over her in his arms. Before she knew it, she was drifting off into a peaceful sleep. Not a concern in the world could penetrate the tranquility left behind by his touch.
Chapter Nine
The following morning, Mandy awoke with Weston curled up to her back. His warmth spread along her skin in a way that made her want to do anything but get out of her bed and get dressed for work. Still, she had no choice.
“Mmm, morning already?” Weston mumbled as she climbed out of bed and began padding across the floor to the bathroom.
“Yes. I was about to wake you. I wasn’t sure when you had to be in,” she told him.
“Not long from now,” he laughed, climbing out of bed and walking toward her.
“Do I need to let you shower first then?” she asked, her words giving way to his kiss as he bent forward to pull her to him. He tasted just as wonderful as he had last night.
“No. I need to go home and get a clean suit. I’ll just shower there. Let me get going so you can get on with things here and I’ll call you later. Okay?”
“Okay,” she said, leaning in as he kissed her softly one more time before getting dressed. She drew on her robe and walked him to the front door.
“It’s going to be a very long day trying to concentrate on my cases when all I can think about is how incredible you feel,” he told her.
“It won’t be easy to focus on my work either,” she told him, kissing him once more before he had to go.
Mandy’s paranoid brain half expected him to be a one-night stand. She told herself that he was one of those guys that had only been interested in her because she hadn’t fallen at his feet to begin with. He had said he liked challenges, after all. All day she waffled between smiling as she remembered how his hands felt on her skin, how he felt inside her, and grimacing from the anxiety that she might never hear from him again. She had to keep reminding herself that it was just fun and not to make too much of it.
Still, she breathed a sigh of relief when her phone buzzed that afternoon and she looked to see that he had sent her a text asking how her day was going. She smiled as she returned his message and went back to work. Moments later, she received another one that asked what she was doing tonight. Feeling bold and brazen after last night’s heated encounter, she sent him a simple response.
“You, hopefully.”
When nearly an hour went by without a response, she started to worry that she’d been too forward.
“Sorry, I got tied up unexpectedly. I’ll pick you up at seven.”
Mandy didn’t bother to ask what he was picking her up for. Instead, she merely replied that she was looking forward to it already and would see him then. The rest of the day seemed to crawl by as she anticipated seeing him again. As soon as work was over, she raced home to get ready for their date.
“You look incredible,” he told her, taking in the red dress and heels she wore. “I’m not sure how you’re going to trudge around the lake in that get up, but I’m sure you’ll manage.”
“What? We’re going back up to the lake?” she asked.
“No. I’m just ya
nking your chain. Did you not notice I’m still wearing a suit?” he said with a laugh.
“Yes, but I thought maybe you came straight from work and were going to change or something.”
“Tonight, I thought I would take you out for a proper meal at Scalini’s. You must think I’m a cheap date with picnics and free taste tester meals.”
“It might have crossed my mind,” she laughed.
“Then I must redeem myself. A nice Italian meal and great bottle of wine should set the record straight.”
“It depends. You aren’t going to use a coupon at dinner, are you?”
“Funny, very funny,” he told her, kissing her on the lips and smiling down at her. “Are we ready to go? I don’t mean to rush you, but I have reservations for seven-thirty. They tend to be busy, so I had to pull some strings. If we’re late, they’ll just give our table away and we’ll end up eating at some fast food restaurant.”
“Then, let’s go. I can’t have you taking me to the Chicken Snack Shack for dinner.”
“No, you cannot,” he said.
As the days passed, it seemed like things were only getting better between the two of them. Mandy no longer thought about her fears of being abandoned or mistreated. Weston was perfect for her in ways that she had always know Cameron was not. She had accepted her ex with all his faults, but she now knew just how much better things could be. Before she knew it, Halloween was just around the corner and they were making plans to celebrate it.
“There’s a fantastic haunted tour down at the old carnival grounds. I thought we could go check that out and then head off to the afterhours Halloween party at The Restoration.”
“The Restoration? Isn’t that the old monastery they turned into a night club?”
“Yes. That’s the place. They have the best Halloween party there every year, but we’ll have to get really inventive with our costumes. There’s a contest and I want to win it!”
“So, you won’t be going in a sheet?”
“No. We’ll have to do much better than that. I wasn’t going to that party, originally. I decided to go at the last minute. That’s how my old bedsheet ended up as my costume. Wait until you see how into costumes I can get.”
