The Cliff

by Gucker, Christie A. C.

  “I see no reason to wait. We’ve known each other our whole lives. Let’s just go for it!”

  “Then let’s set a date.” His eyes were sparkling. I wanted to be his wife. I wanted to make babies with him, too, lots of babies, and lots of practice trying. I wanted to grow old with him. I wanted it so badly, all of it.

  “How about …

  Chapter 47

  I Wanted You to be Mine

  “… we get married—” My cell phone rang.

  Grant and I struggled to get a hand free to answer it. He was able to grab and bring it close enough to my face, but my hands were still wrapped underneath him.

  “Shit, can you see who it is?” he asked.

  “Well, whoever it is has crappy timing. Maybe we can ask them to come untangle us first,” I giggled and looked at the caller ID.

  “It’s Samantha. Grant, just push it a little farther—I think I can answer with my nose.” Grant stretched. I could feel the clothes that bound us get tighter and all I could reach with was my tongue. I turned it on.

  “Wow, I am one lucky man. That is one talented tongue!” Grant said in his smooth sultry voice.

  “Excuse me? Did Dylan tell you that?” Samantha said loudly over speakerphone. I saw Grant blush and roll his eyes. So damn sexy.

  “Nothing, Samantha. You just caught us at a bad time. Well, good time for us, bad time to call. What’s up?”

  Grant’s eyebrows shot up, I’m sure because I was actually taking this phone call. I smiled sheepishly and tried to shrug my shoulders.

  “I heard we’re back on and ready to set a date. Jennifer and I want to know how long we have to plan. I want to start today,” she said excitedly.

  “You’re going to have to. I decided to move things up a bit. Why wait, right?” I stared into Grant’s eyes. Hell, I hadn’t even been able to tell him what I was planning, but I knew he’d be fine with anything I chose.

  “Well? I’m waiting,” Samantha said impatiently. I could hear her tapping her foot. Not quite sure why she was so excited about planning my wedding when she’d been planning hers for the past two years with two more to go.

  “So I was thinking exactly one month from today.” I heard a scream come from the other end of the phone and then nothing but babbling. I couldn’t tell anything except for the few expletives I could make out. Grant, however, had the most ginormous grin on his face. I couldn’t help but smile back and mouth, “Are you cool with that?” He nodded his head with zest.

  “Are you fucking kidding me? You’re giving us a month to plan a huge wedding? Are you trying to kill me? Jennifer is going to have a cow. What’s the rush? You preggers or something?”

  “No, Samantha, I am not preggers. I just can’t wait for this man to be my husband. Apparently, all the women want him, so I need to tie him down.”

  “Well, you already seem to have that covered.” Grant growled.

  “Are you two having sex?” Samantha said bluntly.

  “No, at the moment we’re on the phone with you instead of breaking all the rules,” Grant said, slightly annoyed, but with a tinge of humor.

  “I just don’t see any reason to wait. I love him; he loves me and I want to start our lives together. You can pull it off, Samantha; I have the utmost faith in you. Now we have to go. We’re kind of in the middle of something.” Grant chuckled and used my shirt to shift my breasts closer to his mouth and began to use his teeth to gnaw at my bra. It shot an electric wave through my body and I started to groan.

  I couldn’t wait any longer. Staying away from him had been too hard; keeping my hands off him when we were together had been even harder. Heck, I almost pulled him into the tub with me earlier. Why the hell hadn’t I? Oh yeah, I was being an ass. Now all I wanted to do was make love to him for the rest of the day through the night.

  “Samantha, can we talk later? I have to go, right now,” I said simply, not really paying attention to her anymore. At this point I was totally focused on Grant and how to escape from our current situation and get into a more intimate one.

  “Lanie, we need to start pla—” And then she was gone. My nimble tongue had disconnected the call and was now licking Grant’s earlobe. His lips were on mine in a matter of seconds.

  “Lanie, if we don’t figure out how to get out of these clothes, I might not make it. I’m very excited already,” he said, grinding his hips into mine. I was right there with him. I felt like a teenager in the back seat of a car.

  “Grant, I want you so badly, please get us loose.” I began struggling to get myself free. My phone started to ring again. I could hear the riffs of my favorite song playing. We both stopped and stared at it.

  “You didn’t shut it off? Good thing I like your ringtone.”

  “My tongue had other ideas and was rushing.” I giggled and then began to try and get one shoe off with my foot so I could get out of my sweats. My struggling soon became writhing as Grant used each of my moves as a sexual tease. I was dying. He was so damn hot.

  “Lanie, I promise to buy you a new one,” he said as he ripped my shirt to free me. My hands flew right into his hair, grasped and pulled his face to mine.

  He slid his tongue into my mouth and the taste of him intoxicated me. All the stress being apart brought everything to a higher sensitivity. I was blissful, soon to be in ecstasy.

  I took one hand and used it to finally remove my shoes and then shimmied out of my sweats. Grant helped, as he was doing the same with his free hand. His other hand held my head and my mouth to his. He sucked on my tongue and lips, like a man who was lost in a desert and had just found water. He couldn’t get enough and neither could I.

  Soon we were skin-to-skin and rubbing non-stop against each other, unable to get enough friction. I wanted him inside me, but I was enjoying soaking in every bit of him. I wrapped my legs around his waist and ground into him. He pulled himself up so he was on his knees, held me to him and slowly began to crawl across the room.

  He managed to get us over to his reading chair. He plopped us down so his back was against the chair and he was on the bottom. I released my legs from around his waist and straddled him as he bent his knees to support my back. I slid myself up and down over his length as we kissed deeply. He reverently ran his hands over my body, taking his time, watching his fingertips glide across my skin. He brushed my hair gently out of the way and began to softly kiss my neck. I closed my eyes to concentrate on the feel of his touch. He groaned as his hand moved down my neck and hovered over my heart, as though he was counting each beat.

  I wanted to show him how badly I wanted and missed him. We had been walking on eggshells lately, and honestly, he must have felt like I didn’t love him as much as he loved me. I didn’t ever want him to feel that way and wanted him to know the unbreakable bond which existed between us now and forever.

  Needing to be physically connected to him, I grabbed his face and kissed him with everything I had. I lifted up so he could guide himself inside of me and he hovered at my entrance as though waiting for my cue. I heard a small sigh of pleasure escape him and it made my body shudder as I pushed myself down on top of him. His response a bit louder this time, telling me how much he loved me. It made me die a little inside it was so damn sexy. That was the end of Rule Number Two.

  We tenderly made love for the rest of the day, stopping only for food and other necessary things. When we weren’t making love, we were staring into each other’s eyes, no words needed. Eventually we snuggled up together in his bed.

  “Lanie, we have plans this weekend, remember?” He smiled while we snacked on what we’d raided from his fridge. Presently I was eating multi-grain crackers with peanut butter and chocolate hazelnut spread. Yum!

  “How could I forget? You dipped in chocolate all weekend long. We have to get a few more jars of this to take with us,” I said, trying to scrape the last bit out of the bottom of the jar.

  “Oh Honey, you have no idea how much dipping is going to be happening this weekend.” He suck
ed his cheeks in a bit and did this really sexy thing with his mouth when he said it. I bit my lip and pushed him back down and started all over again. I thought about what I should pack and then realized not a lot of clothing would be required.

  When it had gotten quite late, we decided it was time to head downstairs and grab a real bite to eat. We grabbed a few items and cuddled up on the couch. He flipped through the channels and I spent time looking over all the packages in the chocolate spa brochure.

  I was so content and if this was what life would be like every day and night with him, then I was the luckiest woman in the world. There was nothing like having some hot eye candy sitting on the couch next to me. He noticed me staring at him and gave me a side-glance.

  “What are you thinking and should I be scared?” He reached out and caressed my cheek. I leaned into his hand and gave it a quick kiss.

  “Nothing, Babe. I was just thinking how lucky I am. Any woman in the world would kill to have you, or other things, as we already know. But why am I so lucky? What did I ever do to deserve you?” I really wanted to know.

  “Lanie, it’s not what you did or didn’t do. I have just always known it was you. There was never a time I doubted my love for you. I only doubted we would have a chance to actually be together.”

  “Why would you think that? Oh wait, the pact? Or should I say pacts?” I had actually forgotten about them, since they were pretty much void now.

  “Well, those were one reason, but not really. I didn’t think I was worthy of your love, Lanie, why would you want me? I was just like a brother to you. I just assumed bigger and better things were waiting for you. Someone out there who could give you things I never could. Do you know what I mean? It’s hard to explain.” He looked away.

  “No, it’s not. I could say the same thing. You could have any woman in the world you want. I was convinced some woman would come along who’d take you away from me for good. That you’d realize there was an entire world beyond this cliff.”

  “Lanie, there is no choice for me. I have always belonged here with you on this cliff. And I always will. In my heart, there’s no room for anyone else to exist.”

  “Grant, you have to have known I’ve felt the same way for so long. I tried so hard to not love or want you because of that stupid pact. And I thought you liked me, but that things would never happen. Don’t you remember that Christmas party we threw? The one where you and Dane made that bet about who could get the most women under the mistletoe? You guys were like kissing bandits. I was so jealous every time you grabbed another girl to kiss.”

  “And then Dane got you under the mistletoe and my heart broke.” Grant smiled at me as he touched his heart. I wanted to hold him I felt so bad.

  “But then after everyone left and Dane was so drunk, you were standing under the mistletoe while talking to him. I got you. Remember?” I reminded him.

  “How could I ever forget? It was the first time you kissed me.”

  “You kissed me back for a second. I was hoping you’d grab me and slip me tongue. I wanted it to go somewhere so badly. But you pulled away. Why?” I said almost sadly. I remember the feeling of rejection.

  “Lanie, I only pulled away because if I hadn’t, I would have never let you go. My entire body was aching to hold you tight against me and show you how I really felt. But I wouldn’t have been able to stop myself. I pulled away for you, out of respect.”

  “I thought you didn’t want to kiss me back. I went to bed thinking about you, hurting that you didn’t want me. You kissed all those other girls and then when it came to me, a peck. I thought you only looked at me like a sister then.”

  “My love, if I had known you felt that way, I would’ve taken you upstairs right then and there. We both would have had a different first that night. But you never have to feel that way again. I promise to always kiss you back. Passionately and very, very deeply,” he said as he raised his right hand. I raised mine, too. He leaned over and pulled me closer so I was basically right up against him. Our faces were so close and all I wanted was to feel him kiss me.

  “Shut your eyes,” he said.

  “What? Why?” I asked as I complied.

  “Think back to that night. Be there right now. I want you to kiss me. I want to show you how I wanted to kiss you that night. Do it exactly like you did it. Can you do that for me?” he said as his thumb rubbed up and down my cheek. My heart melted a little bit right then and there. I actually felt a small flutter of excitement in my chest. My heart started to beat faster and so did Grant’s. I could feel it.

  I leaned up and put my lips close to his just as I had so many years ago. Back then I was afraid he’d pull back. He didn’t, but he held his kiss at bay. Apparently. I moved so slowly. I could feel his breath on my face. It was ragged. My memories started to flood back. He was breathing just like this that night. He didn’t move. He just stood there frozen … waiting. He did the same thing tonight. I moved closer until my lips softly brushed against his. I just kept them there and then slowly pressed harder. His lips felt like heaven.

  And I felt like I’d gone back in time.

  I could hear a Christmas song playing in the background. The room was decorated floor to ceiling. Haley and Jennifer always went overboard for the annual Cliff Christmas Party. It was a huge event, spanning all three of our houses. Everyone was there. Dane, Grant, and I stuck together like we were glued. It was so late at night, or maybe early in the morning, depending on how you looked at it. We had all been drinking. Dane had grabbed me and done a dramatic dip and kiss, smashing his mouth to mine, but in a mock kiss. Grant had smiled. But now thinking back, it wasn’t a happy one.

  Dane had continued to drink, toasting all the guests when they left. He was totaled. He fell over the couch, rolled right off and passed out on the floor. It was only Grant and I. We were standing at the back of the couch, giggling at Dane and enjoying the revelry. I looked at Grant and realized he was standing under the mistletoe. I don’t know what came over me, but in seconds I was right in front of him, against him. I could feel the heat of his body and I wanted to fling myself at him. But I slowed myself and felt heaven when my lips touched his.

  I was suddenly very aware that Grant was holding back his kiss tonight. I started to move back from him and his hand thrust out and entwined into my hair. He grasped the sides of my face and pulled me back to his lips. He crushed his mouth against mine, moving his lips in the most amazing way. I was lost in it.

  His hand reached around the back of my head and held me in place as he slid his tongue between my parted lips. A fast tingle ran through my body and I instantly grew warm. I began to kiss him back, desperate for more, but he released me. I was dazed for a moment.

  “That is how I wanted to kiss you back that night. I wanted nothing more than to show you exactly how your kiss made me feel. But Lanie, how could I?” he whispered sweetly.

  “How could you hold back, Grant? If you had kissed me like that back then, we’d have been together all these years. You should have.”

  “I was scared,” he said with a smile.

  “You were afraid to kiss me back? Why?” I looked at him incredulously.

  “Because it was you and I wanted you to be mine so badly. What if you didn’t want it? I was already aching for you in every way possible.”

  “I would have kissed you back and would have been yours. But I am now and that’s all that matters.” I touched his heart. “We still have all those memories.”

  “I have another memory of that night.” He leaned his head down and raised an eyebrow at me.

  “Oh?” I uttered, knowing fully well what he was referring to. I had given him a little window show that night. I wanted to show him what he was missing, so I had purposely removed my dress in front of it. The lights in my room had been dim, so he got just a hint of my silhouette, but I actually had stripped down completely that night.

  “Yes, the view from my room was beautiful. I saw everything,” he said provocatively.<
br />
  “Everything?”

  “Yes, Lanie. Your dim lights illuminated you more than you might have thought. You were breathtaking. I spent a few moments that night with that image in my head and other things in my hand. If you know what I mean.”

  “Raincheck?” I guessed.

  “Yes, Sexy Girl, I rainchecked all over myself.”

  I blushed and had no idea why. Grant and I had done things to each other recently that were just, well, overly intimate. Why I was blushing now after so many years, I had no idea. He had seen everything up close and personal, very up close. The thought of him pleasuring himself to thoughts of me all those years ago made my heart thrum in my chest and other places get all warm and achy.

  He smiled at seeing me get flustered.

  “You’re still stunning.”