by Sandra Alex
Daniel giggles. “How? It’s one meal.”
“No, I mean, I’m in love with these things now. We’re screwed. Goodbye Keto diet.”
He waves. “It’s only for school, anyway. We don’t have to live on it. I can’t. God, do I miss bread and carbs. Noodles. Beer.”
“You drink beer?”
“Sometimes. But certainly on a hot summer day I do.”
“I didn’t picture you the beer drinking type. Not with that body.”
He gets a funny look on his face and glances at his belly. “This body?”
I chuckle. “Yeah, that body. You don’t look like you ever drink beer.”
“Once in a while doesn’t hurt.” He says.
“Tell that to Greg.” I say.
He rolls his eyes. “Don’t even get me started on that.”
“Sorry.”
He takes a sip of his water and swallows. “It’s okay.”
“So you went out to get the food?” I ask, curious.
“Yeah. I figured you’d be out for a while, so I went and picked up some stuff. I bought dessert, too.”
“Keto-friendly?” I probe jokingly.
He looks at me like he’s about to dangle a carrot in front of my face. “Cheesecake. New York Cherry.”
My nostrils flare. “You found my weak spot.”
He lifts a brow, feigning seduction. “Give me a challenge.”
We both laugh and mow down on the cheesecake. After watching the rest of our comedy that we started watching a couple of days ago, we think about throwing in another one. “It’s getting late, Daniel. Don’t you have to go to work tomorrow?”
“I took the day off, tomorrow, too. I’ve got a few vacation days in the bank. But we both still have to go to class tomorrow night. I’ll take you if you like.”
“Are you going to move in with me, Daniel?” I tease.
He cups my chin in his hand gently. “Na, I just want to make sure you’re okay.”
“After what you just fed me, baby, I’m good.” I joke.
“Good. I’m glad.”
I sigh. “I do have to pick out a picture of my mom for the headstone, though.”
“I’m sure you don’t need to worry about that right away.” He says, clearing the plates.
“I kind of want to, actually. I didn’t recognize any of the pallbearers, and I didn’t get a chance to ask Nana Mary who they were. Maybe some of mom’s pictures will tell the tale.”
“You have all your mom’s pictures here?”
“Yeah. She passed them down to me after she went blind. They’re in a storage box in my bedroom closet.”
“You want some help?”
“Daniel, you don’t want to look through old photos of people you don’t know.” I say, as if what he’s suggesting is ridiculous.
He folds his arms in front of his chest. “Then why did I ask?” he pauses for emphasis and then holds out his hand. “Let’s go.”
Still in his suit pants and linen shirt, Daniel’s sleeves are rolled up from cooking earlier. I can’t help but watch his muscles clench as he lifts the photo box from the bottom of my closet. “Wow, you’re strong.” I say, touching his bulging bicep.
“Hey, get your own.” He jokes. His skin is soft, but his muscles are hard.
I pull the lid off the box as he sets it on the floor. He lays on my bed, on the spare pillow, with his head propped on his hand, and his elbow on the bed. The way his hair falls across his forehead when he lays that way is so cute. I’m still in my black frock. It’s sleeveless with a pleated skirt. Sitting cross-legged on the bed beside him, I stuff the dress between my legs, so I don’t expose myself. Daniel pretends like he’s going to look up my skirt, by miming lifting it up. “Mature.” I say, smiling.
“You copped a feel a minute ago.” He teases, but his voice is silky.
I ignore his jibe as I pull an album out of the box. We begin searching through it, as we take turns flipping it the other way so we can each take a look without having to view the pictures upside down. When I find my parent’s wedding photo, I pause. “Wow. You look just like your mom.” Daniel comments, taking a closer look. “You don’t look anything like your dad.”
“Does he resemble anyone that you saw there today? Any of the pallbearers maybe?”
He studies it for a little longer. “I don’t think so. Maybe you should ask Nana Mary.”
“Maybe.”
My phone starts to ring. It’s in the living room. I uncross my legs and try to lift off the bed, being careful to keep my skirt down. Daniel catches how cautious I’m being, and he turns onto his back. “I won’t look.” He admits.
I smack him on the arm playfully. “I’ll be right back.”
Checking the display, I see that it’s Heather. “Hey, how are you holding up?” she asks the proverbial post-funeral question. Her voice sounds worse than it did earlier.
“I’m okay. Daniel made me sleep and fed me until I couldn’t move. How are you feeling?”
“Like…oh, never mind. This is the worst flu bug I’ve ever had. I just wanted to check on you. I feel bad that I couldn’t stay with you. But I also know you probably prefer Daniel to my company, anyway.”
“That’s not true. Well, maybe a little bit true, since you’re a snot factory right now.” I chuckle.
“How’s your gramma doing?”
“I should call her and check on her.”
“I promise you as soon as I feel better, I’m taking you out to dinner, my treat.”
“It’s okay. I get it. If I were sick, I know you wouldn’t hold it against me.”
I hear another call coming in and look on the display. “Nana Mary must have heard me. She’s on the other line.”
“Call me if you need anything, okay?”
“You too.”
I click off the line with Heather and click over to Nana. “Hi, Nana. I was just talking to Heather.”
“Oh, how is she feeling?” Nana sounds tired but chipper.
“Like crap, just like she sounds. How are you doing?”
“Oh, I’m fine, love. Bruce and I just had a lovely dinner. We’ll all pull together, sweetheart. It’s in our blood.”
“I know, Nana. Do you want to have dinner on the weekend?”
“Sure, dear. I’d love to.” She pauses. “Do you want me to come for a visit? You’re not alone, are you?”
“No, Nana, you sound so tired. And Daniel’s here with me. I’m not alone.”
I’m in the basement so Daniel doesn’t have to hear me chatting. I know men sometimes hate the way women go on and on. It used to irritate Nick to no end when I had a conversation in the same room as him.
“He’s such a wonderful boy. I don’t know who came up with the idea for you to walk alone in the procession. I told the Reverend so afterwards.”
“You didn’t have to do that. I was okay.” I lie.
“Alright, dear. I’m heading off to bed. I just wanted to check on you first.”
“That’s sweet, Nana. I’m okay.”
“Talk soon, love.”
“Okay, Nana.”
I click off and trot back upstairs. When I get to my bedroom door, I’m about to speak, when I see something that makes me stop in my tracks. Daniel is laying on my bed, on his back, with his head resting on the pillow, one arm cradled under his head, the other draped over his stomach. His head is tilted towards my side of the bed. He’s sound asleep. I stand there, watching his bulky chest rise and fall so peacefully. Taking a step inside the room, I inch my way closer to him. He has long, dark eyelashes, creating a shadow that splays across his cheeks like a cherub.
Thighs with enough muscle to stand out, even in slumber, and shoulders that look imposing but soft enough to hold, I want to touch them. As I stare at the apex of his thighs, I notice for the first time that he has a very decent sized bulge behind his zipper. Tufts of hair lay over his ears and forehead, softly mussed from his sleep. His full lips are closed, but look plump, begging to be kiss
ed. “He loves you, Kayla. Men like that don’t wait forever.” Mom’s words ring inside my head as though she’s sending me a telepathic message from heaven.
As I get closer to him, his scent becomes apparent, and I want to bury my face in his neck. It’s fully exposed from one side, and suddenly I’m torn between kissing the flesh between his ears and shoulders and kissing his lips. Either way, my lips want to feel his flesh on them. Leaning down slowly, I get close enough to feel the heat from his skin on mine. I feel like I’m going to wake him and startle him, and almost lose my nerve, but when he doesn’t stir, I gain the courage.
Opening my mouth slightly, I tilt my head so I can angle in closely, and I kiss his lips softly, taking in his soft skin with just a little suction. As I pull back, his eyes open slowly. He says nothing, but he glances at me through eyes that seem so honest, they look like dinner plates. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.” I whisper against his lips.
“That’s the nicest way I’ve even been woken up.” He murmurs as he pulls the arm that was on his belly over to my face. Tracing a finger down the side of my cheek, he glances at my lips, as if asking for more.
My voice is low and soft. “When you said that you loved me earlier, did you mean…as friends?”
He swallows before speaking softly. “I think you and I both know that there is a lot more between us than friendship.”
“So my mother was right.” I say, staring at his lips.
“I’m sure she was.” He says, “I love you more than I’ve loved anyone else my entire life.”
“How come you never said anything until now?”
“Patience is a virtue.” He pauses, skating a finger down my face. “I was waiting.”
“Waiting for what?”
“This.”
I give him a puzzled look.
“For you to come to me. There’s no point in telling someone how you feel about them if they’re not ready to hear it.”
“I don’t need to hear it, Daniel. I feel it.”
“Mission accomplished.”
“So now what? I mean, you said I’m your best friend. If we’re more than just friends, does that mean we risk losing what we have together now?”
“That I’ll leave up to you.”
“Well…how do you feel…you know…about taking the next step?”
“I just don’t want to see you in any pain. If being friends makes you happy, then we’re friends.” He pauses. “You’ve been through a lot, Kayla. I don’t want you to worry about this right now.” He drapes a piece of hair over my ear. “Is there anything I can do to ease your pain?”
His words are so sincere it’s warming my heart. Our faces are so close that our noses are almost touching. The heat from his touch is making me want more. I lean in and kiss him again, this time he opens his mouth slightly and kisses me back softly. The contact is electric. It feels like a pulse of energy is being pumped through my body. As I pull back, the wetness on my lips from his mouth tastes salty yet sweet. I want more. Once again, I lean in. He lifts his head and the top half of his body, gently forcing me to lay astride him. Cupping my face with one hand he opens his mouth, tilts his head and envelops his lips over mine, creating gentle suction so sweet, a tiny gasp comes from my throat. When he pulls back, he looks into my eyes so intently, I feel a lump form in my throat.
“I love you so much, Kayla.” He whispers under the soft lamp light beside us.
Slowly pulling my fingers through the hair at the sides of his head I whisper back. “I love you, too, Daniel.”
Chapter 19
Daniel
When I saw Kayla walking alone behind her mother’s casket, my heart tore in two. The minute I saw her crack I stepped in. Nobody should have to go through that alone. I think if I hadn’t intervened, she would have fainted. The poor girl couldn’t handle all that. It’s way too much.
It’s a shame that her friends weren’t able to support her the way that they should have, but even I could tell that they were all sick as hell, and on top of everything else, the last thing that Kayla needs now is to get sick. I’d take the week off to be there with her if I needed to.
Thankful that she’s talking instead of crying, I rest my eyes as she has a conversation with her best friend Heather. Waking up to her kiss…was…sublime. Completely unexpected yet totally welcome, I have to fight my inner urges and listen to my heart. Kayla isn’t ready for anything heavy right now. I don’t want to pressure her by telling her how deep my feelings are for her, but when she wakes me by touching her lips to mine, I can’t help but wonder...is she thinking clearly?
But then, when I tell her I’m leaving the ball in her court, she wants more. As she angles her head to kiss me again, I want more, too. Lifting, I pull myself closer to her, and she lowers her head on to the pillow, while I lean across the top half of her body with mine. The contact is so…sexy. Her breasts are soft and plump against my chest. She smells like coconuts and Kayla.
As our lips connect again, I revel in her warm, wet flesh, and remind myself to stay in control. I want to slide my tongue in and taste her more, but I’m not sure if she’s ready for that yet. My lips slide over hers slowly, almost rhythmically, sucking gently, once, twice, a dozen times, as I keep my kisses semi-chaste.
Pulling back to give her a break, she glances at me and lifts her head, as her mouth finds my neck. My dick immediately reacts to the contact as she kisses and sucks my skin so seductively. A soft grunt escapes from my throat involuntarily as I turn my head slightly and close my eyes instinctively, letting her have full access. She can leave a million hickies for all I care. It feels so goddamn good.
My hand slides down her side, grazing the side of her breast, over her dress. When she nips my earlobe, I feel it in the groin as it gets harder. As she pulls back, I throw my inhibitions out the window, and tilt my head, opening my mouth, and I slide my tongue inside, gently forcing her lips apart with mine. We both breathe outward as if taking our first breaths together. The feeling is so fucking hot. Her tongue is soft and warm against mine as we kiss like lovers. This is way better than that kiss at the bar the night we first met. Her lips slide over mine again and again as our tongues connect deliciously, and I feel her hot breath on my cheek. Hands all in my hair, she’s almost pulling me closer to her, taking all of me in.
Our lips part slightly for a second, but then reconnect a second later, as we seemingly can’t get enough contact with each other. The suction from her mouth on mine is getting me so hot it’s almost too much. Chests starting to heave from lust, I can hear our heavy breathing in the silence. The sound is heady. When our lips part again, I bury my head into her neck and begin sucking and kissing her skin; first one side, then I kiss along her collar bone from the neck of her dress, and kiss my way to the other side, trailing kisses from her shoulder to her ear.
Kayla pushes her back leg towards me, indicating that she wants me on my side. I play along as she turns onto her side to face me. As she drapes her leg over my hip, my hand finds her thigh as I graze my hand up her skirt. Her lips find mine again as my hand travels up her leg until I reach her ass. Without stockings, her rear end is naked under thong panties. Skating a thumb over her skin, she starts to writhe from my touch. “I really like this dress.” I murmur against her lips.
“The dress or the underwear?” She giggles.
“Both are…very nice.” My voice is low and sultry. Gently pushing me onto my back, Kayla sits on my belly and begins unbuttoning my shirt. My hands are all over her legs as she sits on me, and I watch her facial expression change as my chest and belly are exposed.
“You’re so perfect, Daniel.” She comments as she opens my shirt wide. Her hands sweep slowly all over my chest and belly, feeling my skin, and I lift so we’re nose-to-nose. “Hi,” she says as she kisses me.
“Hi, baby,” I whisper against her lips, pulling my arms out of my shirt and tossing it. The zipper to her dress is at the back of her neck. I pull it down until it stops at the c
rest of her rear end, and I slide it off her arms, revealing her black lacy bra underneath. I kiss her chest just above her bra and she climbs off me, onto the floor, and steps out of her dress. Turning to face her, I sit on the bed, and bury my head into her belly, revelling in how soft and warm she is. Then my lips find the flesh around her navel, and I kiss her with an open mouth, all around that area. I can hear her breathing in deeply, taking it all in.
Standing up, I turn her so her back faces me, and I begin kissing her shoulders and back, trailing kisses all the way down to her ass, where I kiss, suck and lick her flesh there. The nerve endings in her rear end must be sensitive, because she starts moaning, spurring me on. Rising slowly, I trail kisses up her back, sliding my hands up either side of her body, until I reach her neck. Tilting her head, Kayla’s eyes are closed as I kiss her neck from her shoulder to her ear and place my hands on the cups of her bra. With my thumbs inside her bra, I kiss her neck while grazing her nipples with my thumbs. They bead instantly, making my cock twitch, and she reaches back, cupping my hardness with her hand.
As her hand slides up and down the shaft under my zipper, my eyes close from her touch. Two years, my friends…it’s been two years since I’ve been touched there, or anywhere else for that matter. “Mmmmm….” I whisper in her ear as she continues pleasuring me, and then she turns around to face me, and unbuttons my dress pants. As the zipper comes down, her hands go on either side of my hips and she pushes them down to the floor. I quickly wiggle my way out of my socks, as we stand there wearing only enough to cover our bathing suit areas.
Wrapping my arms around her, I envelop her body with mine. Dividing my gaze between her eyes I tell her again how much I love her. She says those three special words back to me and I lower her onto the bed, placing my weight carefully over her. My hardness is on her sweet spot, and her eyes slowly close as she takes in the contact.
Cupping my hands around her face, I kiss her deeply, sliding my tongue inside her mouth, entangling it with hers as she parts her legs and rubs her hands down the length of my back, stopping at my ass, where she slides her hands inside my briefs and pulls them downward, exposing me.