Scars of the Soul

by Darlene Tallman

Amy: Just finished. Lunch sounds good to me, diner?

  Rhett: Sounds good, should be there in about 30 minutes.

  Amy: K. See you then!

  Driving to the diner, she realized it was nearly “go time” and she couldn’t wait. Rhett didn’t know it yet her mind said but she had fallen in love with him. She was praying that he felt the same way. It seemed as though he did by the way he treated her, but she was being cautious because of how badly her ex had wounded her soul. Once she arrived, she saw she had gotten there before him, so she got their booth and ordered his water, then told the waitress she was waiting on Rhett to order. Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t see anyone approach the booth until she heard, “Amy? Is that you?” and looked up, seeing her ex. She hadn’t seen him in at least six months, maybe longer, ever since the health scare that caused him to run.

  “Oh, hello, Brian. How are you?” she asked politely, although if the truth were known, she didn’t give a shit how he was. He had dumped her when she needed him and while he wasn’t the best boyfriend by any means, being abandoned like that had almost destroyed her.

  “You…you look fantastic! How have you been?”

  “Thank you. I’ve been well.”

  “I’ve been thinking about you lately and wanted to apologize for how things went down. I just couldn’t handle…”

  “That’s alright, Brian. I forgave you a while ago,” she interrupted him.

  “Do…do you think you could give me another chance?”

  Another chance? Was he out of his fucking mind?! Before she could even form a response, she saw Rhett slide into the booth and heard him respond, “No. You lost any chance with this beautiful woman months ago. She’s mine now and I have no intention of letting her go.”

  As her inner cheerleader began her rah-rah-rah routine, she watched Brian’s face fall. Seemed the past six or so months hadn’t been very kind to him. Why on earth he would think she would give him another chance, though, was something she couldn’t begin to fathom.

  “Brian, this is my boyfriend, Rhett. Rhett, Brian is my ex and he was just leaving.”

  “Well, um, nice to meet you. Amy, see you around.”

  Not if she could help it, she thought to herself. Looking back, she realized he had brought nothing to the table relationship-wise and the only reason she had stayed was because she didn’t think she deserved better. Now, though, she knew differently.

  As Brian left, Rhett curled his arm around her shoulder, giving her a quick kiss. “Hey, darlin’, how has your morning been up until now?”

  “Well, up until he showed up, it was good, now that you’re here, it’s great!” she replied. “I told the waitress to give us a few minutes to look over the menu if that’s okay?”

  “Absolutely! So, what did the doctor have to say? I know you were worried that he called you into the office instead of going over things over the phone.”

  “Oh! Well, all of those tests came back clean, so we are good there. He wanted to tell me that my thyroid has stabilized, and my cholesterol and BMI have both dropped and that overall, I’ve lost fifty pounds!”

  “Sweetheart, that’s wonderful! You’ve always been beautiful, but now that you’re healthier, you’re going to be around for a long, long time for me to love on.”

  Before she could respond, the waitress returned and after a brief peek, they both decided on the steak salads.

  While waiting for their meals, he continued stroking her shoulder and playing with her hair as they talked about their mornings. He knew her brain was in overdrive; hell, after the past two weeks of enjoying one another orally, he couldn’t wait to put a serious dent in the box of condoms he had picked up. Well, actually, he had gotten two boxes, one for his house and one for hers, and he had tucked some in his truck and saddlebags. Be prepared. It might be a Scout motto, but he had taken it as his own. “So, darlin’, what are your plans for the rest of the day?”

  “Well, I have two small projects to wrap up and then I’m free.”

  “How about I grill tonight? Ribs, baked potatoes, salad?”

  “Mmm, sounds good to me! Want me to bring anything?”

  “Your pajamas. Although you won’t be wearing them for long.”

  Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh. Tonight was “the night”! As he watched her blush, he couldn’t resist leaning over and whispering, “Although we may start with dessert first, darlin’, because these past two weeks have been hard, so to speak.”

  Shaking her head, she just looked at him. “Really? You’ve got jokes? Now?”

  Laughing, he kissed the tip of her nose and said, “Just keeping you on your toes.”

  As they finished up lunch, she mentally went through what she had to get done and decided she had time to get gussied up. Leaving the diner, he walked her to his car and kissed her thoroughly, letting her feel what she had done to him, and said, “See you around six?”

  “That…that sounds good.”

  Chapter 13

  Amy quickly finished up her two projects. Then, looking at the clock, she saw she had about two hours before she had to go to Rhett’s. Plenty of time to primp a bit. It wasn’t every night that you got to take things to the next level. She knew after two weeks of petting and oral play that her worries about being “good enough” were foolish, but there was a small part of her that still wondered if she would be enough for Rhett. He was everything she had ever wanted in a man – kind, caring, loving, affectionate, good-looking. Shaking her head, she went ahead and packed a small bag to take with her before hopping into the shower to get ready.

  As Rhett looked around, he decided he couldn’t have set the mood any better. He was finally using the candle warmers his sisters had gotten him, and the house and his room had a fresh, slightly floral smell, wafting around. The ribs were marinating. He wasn’t kidding when he told her they might have dessert first. After his first taste of her several weeks ago, he wanted to take it to the ultimate conclusion. She had no idea, but she was it for him. He could see a future with her by his side, raising a family, laughing and loving. Now to get her on board with his plan. First things first, he needed to shower and shave. He didn’t want her to have too much in the way of whisker burn. This weekend was about pleasure.

  Chapter 14

  Taking a deep breath, Amy approached the front door of Rhett’s house. As she was about to knock, he opened the door to her. “Hey, darlin’, you’re right on time.”

  “I was worried I was going to be late. There was a bad wreck on the way here.”

  “No worries,” he said as he took her bag and closed the door behind her. Kissing her quickly, he went into the kitchen and got her a wine cooler and a beer for him.

  Laughing a little, she looked at him and said, “Why do I feel so darned nervous all of a sudden? We’re still the same people, right?”

  Putting the drinks down, he reached for her and pulled her closer. “Yes, darlin’, we’re the same people. There’s nothing to be nervous about, y’hear?”

  “Yeah, I hear.”

  Reaching up and cupping her face, he leaned in and said, “Amy, I have something I want to tell you. Not to freak you out, but to let you know where I stand. I am in love with you. I started to fall the first time I saw you at the gym and the feelings have done nothing but get stronger. You’re a passionate, beautiful woman, and I cannot wait to fully claim you. I hope you’re not hungry right now, because I have something else in mind.”

  Holy shit! He said the “L” word was all she could think before his lips claimed hers. Soft at first, then with a little more insistence. Soon, their tongues were tangling as he licked and nipped at her lips. Feeling her pulse racing, he placed kisses along her jaw and neckline, causing her to moan. Hearing the sounds she was making ramped his desire up, and he scooped her up and carried her back to his room, closing the door behind him and sitting her down on the end of the bed.

  As she looked at him, she could see the love and desire in his eyes and was confident that he could see the
same in hers. He reached down and pulled her shirt up, saying, “Darlin’, I think we’ve both got too many clothes on, don’t you?”

  Breathing a bit heavy, she could only nod. As he was removing her shirt, she reached back and unhooked her bra and before she knew it, they were both shirtless. He laid her back on the bed and removed her shoes, shorts and panties before undressing himself the rest of the way. Scooting back in the bed, she laid there and watched him through eyes that were sparkling. Laying on his side, he pulled her closer until they were face-to-face and then began to kiss her. As he continued his assault on her mouth, she ran her hands up and down his back and shoulders. He knew she was nervous and if it took all night, they would get there. It might kill him, but he would exercise the patience of a saint. Maybe. He gently pushed her onto her back and began moving his hands down along her chest, stroking and pulling at her breasts until her nipples were both standing there just begging to be sucked. Taking one in his mouth, he saw her head drop back and heard the low moan that came from somewhere deep in her throat but seemed to have a direct line to his dick. Nipping and licking and sucking, he moved back and forth between her nipples as his other hand continued moving lower, stroking her hips, her belly, her thighs. “Oh, Rhett,” she groaned out. “That…that all feels so damned good!”

  “Yeah, darlin’, and it’s turning me on hearing those sexy noises you’re making!” he said as his mouth continued moving lower until he was at the apex of her thighs. “Darlin’, I can smell your arousal and see it too, let me in,” he mumbled as he gently pushed her legs open.

  “Ah…oh my God…Rhett!” he heard as he began making love to her pussy with his mouth and fingers. “Please don’t stop!” As if…he was at a banquet and she was the appetizer, main course and dessert rolled into one gourmet feast. He continued his assault on her pussy, feeling her getting wetter and wetter the closer she got to orgasm. She was no longer able to think coherently. Holy shit, he had serious skills and all she could do was feel. He began flicking her clit with his tongue as his fingers moved in and out of her, not stopping as he felt her thighs clench against his head and her pussy grab his fingers in a vice-like grip. “RHETT!!!” she screamed before she shattered beneath him. Easing off a bit, he continued lapping at her pussy until he felt her start to pull away, then crawled back up her body to claim her lips in his once again. This time, the gentleness had given way to an almost ferocious hunger. She could taste herself on his lips and tongue, which turned her on further, and her hands, which had automatically gone behind his neck, reached down to start stroking his dick.

  “Ah, darlin’, keep that up and we’ll be done before we start,” he said. “Hang on, sweetheart, I’ll give you what we both want,” he told her as he reached over to the nightstand and grabbed a condom, making quick work of getting it out of the package and on his dick. Reaching between them, he grabbed it and ran it between her lips, causing her to moan again. “Ready, darlin’?” he whispered.

  “Yeah,” she sighed, then moaned as he entered her slowly, giving her a minute to get used to him.

  He closed his eyes briefly feeling her heat engulf him. Reaching down, he pulled her hips up a bit and put a pillow underneath. He knew this angle would likely cause him to blow faster, but he also knew it would rock his girl’s world and that was his end game. “Oh…oh, Rhett…holy shit that feels so so good!”

  “Mmm…I know, darlin’, I know,” he murmured as he claimed her lips again and began moving, slow at first and then faster, her moans driving him over the brink of any kind of control he thought he had. He could feel her playing with her own nipples and, leaning down without stopping, he captured one in his lips. A few nips and licks later, he could feel the tell-tale signs that he was going to come. “Amy, darlin’, gonna come. Want you to come with me.”

  She shook her head, saying, through pants, “That’s never happened for me during.”

  Maybe not before, but he was nothing if not a generous lover, so he reached in between them and began rubbing her clit between his fingers as he continued moving in her.

  “Oh…oh…oh…RHETT!!!” she screamed as she came apart beneath him, her pussy squeezing his dick so well that he was a half-breath behind her.

  “Amy!” he groaned out, filling the condom. He continued thrusting, more and more gently, until her pussy stopped spasming. Leaning down into her, he gathered her into his arms and kissed her gently, saying, “I love you, my Amy.”

  “Rhett, I…I love you too.”

  She moaned as he pulled out of her, already missing his body weight and heat and the feel of him inside. He kissed her nose as he got out bed to dispose of the condom and then came back with a warm cloth to clean her up.

  “Hungry?”

  “Mmm, no, not right now,” she said as he got back into bed and pulled her into him with her head on his chest and their legs entwined. “That was amazing.”

  “Yeah, darlin’, it sure was. Hope you’re ready for a long weekend in bed.”

  She looked at him to see if he was serious and saw that he was definitely not joking. “Um, yeah.”

  “Good. Snuggle with me for a bit, then we need to eat because you’ll need your strength.”

  Shit. She had forgotten her machine. “Uh, Rhett? I forgot my machine at the house.”

  “No worries. We can go pick it up after we eat.”

  “Okay.”

  “And that’ll give me a chance to drop off the other box of condoms I bought so we are always prepared.”

  “Mighty sure of yourself there, slick, aren’t you?” she giggled.

  “Yeah, wanted you to know I was a sure thing and make sure we didn’t have to stop any more.”

  She knew she only had a few more weeks until the pill would be active, but wasn’t sure how to approach that subject, so figured when the time came, she’d let him know. As good as it had felt, she knew it would be awesome without a piece of latex in the way!

  Chapter 15

  Amy woke up slowly, deliciously sore in all the right places after the afternoon and night they had shared. After their nap, he had taken her again in the shower, this time from behind as she leaned against the shower wall. A quick dinner and then a trip to her house led to them christening her couch when she caught him putting condoms in every available nightstand and drawer and pounced on him. Once back at his house, they had gotten into the spa on his deck and she learned the joys of straddling his lap while he sat there and she “did all the work” as he said. The last time, before they both passed out, he had gently made love to her, never breaking eye contact, and it had seemed to take hours, something she enjoyed immensely, as they kissed, licked and sucked on every part of one another. She knew she was hooked. She also knew that at least part of him was wide awake, judging by the erection pressed against her ass. Wiggling a bit experimentally, she heard a low growl near her ear, “Darlin’, you keep wiggling like that and you better be willing to finish what you’ve started.” Taking her mask off and turning the machine off, she turned in his arms so they were chest to chest, his erection now pressed up against her belly, causing her to moan softly.

  “Good morning, Rhett,” she said, softly kissing the underside of his jaw, a spot she had found the night before.

  As he stroked her side and back lazily, he said, “Got a surprise for you, darlin’, but first, we need to take care of something else a bit more pressing, don’t you think? How do you feel about riding?”

  Intrigued, she looked at him; already he had shown her positions she had only read about, giving her more orgasms than she had ever experienced. Of course, since she had never had one during sex with her ex, it wasn’t too much of a feat, but hell, she wasn’t complaining! “What do I need to do?” she asked, almost shyly. Then blushed because, well, after last night, being embarrassed should have gone out the window.

  “Just climb up, darlin’, and ride me,” he said, after first making sure she was wet for him. Finding her drenched, he got another condom out and was going
to put it on when she grabbed it from him and, in a move that nearly killed him, worked it over his dick. “Mmmm, like it when you take charge, darlin’, like it a lot.”

  Feeling a bit self-conscious, she straddled his hips, then lined him up and slowly, slowly slid down his length. Oh.my.word! In this position, it felt like he was reaching places he hadn’t the night before, which had to be impossible, right? While these thoughts went through her head, he rose up enough and, with his hands on her hips, he began sucking on her breasts, moving her up and down. Taking over, she rose slightly on her knees and began going down as he surged up. Holy hell, it felt so damned good! As he nipped and licked and sucked her nipples, she used her hands to hold onto his shoulders and moved faster and faster. He could tell she was close so he moved one hand and, using his fingers, began stroking her clit where they were joined. Feeling her tighten against his dick, he watched her fall apart, throwing her head back and moaning his name. A few more thrusts later, and he was falling off the cliff alongside her.

  As she collapsed against his chest, out of breath and tingling in all the right places, she placed a kiss on his shoulder and said, “Morning, Rhett. What are the plans for today?”

  Leaning back, stroking her sides, back and ass, he kissed her and said, “Well, darlin’, this was a fantastic start to today. I wanted to take you to meet a buddy of mine who trains dogs specifically for folks with PTSD and anxiety and see if any of them appealed to either one of us. I’ve been thinking about getting one for a while, and when he told me that they also benefitted folks who dealt with social anxiety, I thought you might like one too.”

  How sweet! Yes, she had dealt with a generalized anxiety disorder most of her life. It had made it hell at times, she couldn’t handle large crowds very well, and it was one of the reasons she had chosen the career path she did because she knew she couldn’t handle an office environment. “Yes, let’s go look at the dogs! Thank you for thinking of me, Rhett, that was a really sweet thing to do.”