by Sable Hunter
“Have I set myself up for a wonderful form of torture?”
She approached him, her brown eyes locked with his twinkling blue ones. Their dress puzzled Arabella. Here she wore a camisole and satin panties; back in bed, she was nude. Here, Jade had on a pair of blue jeans and a blue cotton button-up shirt; back in bed, he wore pajamas. Who determined these things? She decided to take advantage of his attire.
Stepping up on tiptoe, she kissed Jade on the strong column of his throat. Arabella felt him swallow. With slightly trembling hands, she began to unbutton his shirt. As she released each button, she began to kiss the exposed flesh, slowly working her way down from his throat to the top of his jeans. She did not go any lower; instead, she stood up and placed both palms inside his shirt working her way up his chest until her palms covered both of his small hard nipples. He shivered with desire. She lingered there, on his nipples, lightly rubbing them in a circular motion with the flat of her palm. Sliding both palms upward, she pushed his shirt off his shoulders.
With one last kiss to the hollow of his throat, she walked around him so she could divest him of his upper garment. Standing at his back, she kissed her way across his wide, massive, shoulders as high as she could reach. Then she skimmed both hands around his waist and slipped her palms up his chest, this brought her own body into complete contact with his, so she further teased him by allowing her own nipples to rub his back—languorously, from side to side. This had begun as a way to turn him on, but Arabella found herself highly aroused, maybe even more than Jade.
She was wrong.
As she was making her way around to the other side, kissing his shoulder, then his upper arm and around to his collarbone, he struck. “Temptress,” he growled as he captured her waist and secured her close to him. She couldn’t miss the hard, thick, hot ridge of his penis that formed an unmistakable bulge in his jeans.
“No, no, I’m not through.” She pushed his hands back to his sides. He allowed her to torment him further, but she could tell he only had a small amount of control left.
He wasn’t wearing a belt, which made the next step easier. Sinking to her knees, she popped the button of his jeans open and slowly unzipped his fly. She edged the rough denim and his underwear down and off his muscular legs. She began kissing at one knee and edged herself leisurely upward. Almost to the top of his thigh, she was unexpectedly lifted off the ground.
“Enough. You have tormented me enough.” He made quick work of her panties and camisole until she stood before him gloriously nude. He lifted her once more. “Wrap your legs around my waist.” She did, and found to her delight, this placed her body in the exciting position of being widespread and ready for him to enter her.
The tip of his penis pressed into the eager folds of her vagina, he edged her out slightly and gradually sat her down on his throbbing member. As he slid deep into her she moaned, her hips instantaneously moving up and down, consuming more and more of him as he eagerly buried himself to the hilt.
“Now, wrap your arms around my neck, baby.” She eagerly enfolded him in her embrace and savored the sensation of being impaled by his turgid sex. “Now, I have you, Bella, move as much you like.” His hands cupped her hips, his fingers massaging the tight flesh.
Excitement coursed through her bloodstream, this was a dream, why not let herself go and do what she had never done before. He felt so good inside of her. She began to work the muscles of her vagina; clasping him tightly, and then releasing him over and over. Rotating her hips, she felt the thickness of his penis increase even further. His cock was so big, and long, but even more wonderful, its girth was thick and filled her emptiness so deliciously. Jade licked her shoulder and nuzzled her neck. Her pleasure kept building to an unbearable intensity. She held onto his shoulders and pulled herself up until just the last inch or so of his penis remained in her vagina, then slammed back down. She repeated this motion until she was gasping from the sheer joy and delight of the incredible sensations washing over her body. God, it felt so good!
Jade seemed to enjoy loving her just as much. “Don’t stop, baby. I’m coming.”
She didn’t need much encouragement, pleasing him made her feel like a sex goddess. She slid herself up and down until she felt him explode within her. His fiery eruption triggered her own climax. She threw her head back and clamped her tight inner muscles down on his penis like a vise, milking him of every last dewy, drop of male juices.
Exhausted, she laid her head on his chest and he tenderly kissed the top of her head. “I love you, Arabella Landry.”
Then she woke up.
* * * *
The effects of the tremendous climax she just enjoyed were still vibrating through her pussy. Arabella laid still and basked in the afterglow for a few moments. Wanting to see what his reaction was, she rose up in the bed and turned to look at Jade. He was fast asleep. He had just told her he loved her and he was fast asleep!
She had to calm down and remember all she’d just experienced was a dream. When he woke up, would he remember saying he loved her? Would he remember any of it?
She couldn’t help considering that maybe this time the dream had been hers alone. How could she sleep now? She glanced over at the clock and discovered it was almost time to get up. Knowing she wasn’t going to be able to go back to sleep, she decided to go make coffee.
Dressing quickly, she slipped into her camisole and panties and pulled on a white cotton robe. It was one of her favorites; she just adored anything made of white eyelet. She stopped to look down at Jade. He lay on his side, his face relaxed and sweet. Very lightly, she touched his hair. “I love you too, Jade Landale,” she whispered.
In the kitchen, she found Evangeline and her mom already up and eating some incredible smelling, homemade cinnamon rolls. “Are those Angelique’s cinnamon rolls?” Arabella asked, already knowing the answer due to the heavenly smell of brown sugar and roasted pecans.
“Yes, and they are superb,” Evangeline confirmed.
“How, did—” Her mother began.
“Not a word, Mother.” She had known Elizabeth would ask her about her sleeping arrangements, both real and dream state. At her gruff retort, they all collapsed in a fit of giggles. Despite the drama, this had been the best Christmas ever!
When their composure returned, Elizabeth got serious. “Evangeline, tell Arabella about your encounter in the woods, yesterday.”
“What are you talking about?” Arabella asked.
Evangeline got another cinnamon roll and began. “Angelique and I decided to water some of your flowers in one of the greenhouses. On our way out, Slim Pickins escaped. I couldn’t risk anything happening to him. So I followed.”
“But Nanette said…”
“I know, but it was Pickins…” Evangeline tried to explain.
“I would have done the same thing,” Arabella admitted.
Elizabeth huffed in exasperation. “You two and those animals! Continue, Evangeline.”
“I chased after him and he was seriously trying to lose me. I was so busy trying to catch up with him I didn’t notice I had crossed the property line. When I realized where I was, I stopped and zapped Pickins with a serious whammy of magical persuasion and he, thankfully, turned around and headed back the way he came. Then, I felt as if eyes were staring at me. I could feel hate settling on my skin. I knew he meant me harm. I just froze. Something told me if I just turned and ran, he would be on me like a lion on a gazelle. He may even have had a gun.
“Knowing I had to do something, I did a spell I’ve used several times with pretty good success. I called up a storm. This time, the goddess knew I was in trouble and the rain and thunder came up fast. When he heard me chanting, he stepped out from behind a tree. The sun had gone behind a cloud and he was standing in deep shadow. From what I could tell, he seemed to be tall and broad. He had on a wide brimmed hat and a long trench coat. When I saw him, I knew I couldn’t let him catch me. I felt his thoughts, he wanted to kill me. I think at that moment,
he thought he had me, but a bolt of lightning struck the ground right between us. When the flash and noise surprised him, he jumped backward and I saw my chance, so I turned and ran as fast as I could.”
“When she got back, Angelique and I were just about to come looking for her.” Elizabeth took a sip of coffee, and looked straight at her daughter. “Arabella, tell me something, does old Lyle Sessions still live next door?”
“Yes, he does. Although, I never have any contact with him. If you remember, he killed one of my cats and I will never be able to forgive him for that. I could never trust a person who could hurt an innocent animal.”
“I do remember him killing Carter, but what has he been doing lately?” Elizabeth pressed on in the pursuit of information.
“Well, let me see. Sometimes I see him downtown. He avoids me like the plague. One time, a couple wanted to visit me to get some help with a healing and they stopped at his place to ask directions. When they finally arrived here, they were scared to death. He had called them, and me, every name you can think of. Hate just spews out of him. He is so sure he is right and everyone else is wrong. He thinks he owns God and if anybody disagrees with his warped view of spirituality, then they are bound and destined for Hell!” Arabella was getting very excited and Elizabeth tried to calm her down.
“Okay, sweetie. I agree he is a nut job, but what I’m getting at is—do you think he could be a big enough nut job to kill somebody he disagreed with?”
All three grew very silent.
Elizabeth continued, “I think I’ll ask Tyler to keep an eye on him, especially after what happened to Evangeline. When she crossed over our property line, she crossed onto his. It seems very likely the man in the woods was Lyle Sessions.”
* * * *
Arabella quietly opened the door to Jade’s bedroom and found him still sleeping. Her heart skipped a beat, as she thought how wonderful it was to have him there. She’d been alone for so long. Her dad died right after her high school graduation, Elizabeth had stayed only long enough to get Arabella settled at the University of Texas, and then she’d fled to Galveston to start over. Her mother left, not because she didn’t love her daughter but because she had loved her husband so much.
For six years, Arabella had been on her own. There had been one or two guys she’d dated here and there, but no one she had ever felt she could bare her soul to. Her life had always been complicated, what with Nanette and the whole ‘Witches of Eastwick’ scenario—not to mention the home she’d inherited from Tom and Elizabeth and the business she had sworn to make a success.
At twenty-four, Arabella was probably the oldest virgin in the Texas Hill Country. She wasn’t really ashamed of her innocence, but she guessed it was quite unusual. Out of the blue, she had a funny thought, maybe she wasn’t technically a virgin anymore. After all, she had sex with Jade just a few hours ago in a dream. For some odd reason, she dreaded telling him the truth. Maybe, she wouldn’t have to—after all, she’d worn tampons, maybe he wouldn’t be able to tell.
Her eyes never left his beautiful face. Should she wake him up or let him sleep? The decision was taken out of her hands when his eyes slowly opened. For a split second he looked confused, but then he noticed her and smiled. He held his arms up to her and she fell to her knees and into his embrace. “Good morning, sweetheart,” he breathed as his lips brushed her hair.
“How do you feel?” she asked him gently.
“Just a little sore, that’s all.”
“Do you feel like getting up?”
“I would rather you came back to bed,” he teased. Then his expression turned serious. “You were absolutely magnificent last night.”
“Please, Jade. Don’t say…”
“Look at me, Arabella.” He clasped her by the chin and gently turned her face until their eyes met. “I am an experienced man, but you are the most responsive lover I have ever had.”
“You can’t judge my desirability based on what happened during the night. Last night we shared a wonderful, beautiful, dream…but it was a dream. That was my mind responding to your mind. My body may not be nearly as responsive as my brain imagines it to be.”
“Soon, I’ll prove you wrong.”
“I hope so, but in the meantime—do you drink coffee?”
“Yes, I do, strong and black.” He grabbed the lift and hoisted himself upright. “I am getting my strength back quickly. Did they give you a bag of my things when we left Tranquility?”
“They did.” She went to the closet and brought the duffel bag to him. “No one had opened it.”
“There’s no secret, I thought I could at least put on the jeans and shirt I was wearing the day I had my accident. I don’t have any other clothes with me. My wallet should be in there, too.”
Arabella drew out his wallet, jeans and the blue shirt from her dream.
“They’ve been freshly laundered; you can put them right on.”
“Kate probably did that before she realized I wasn’t going to recover.”
“You are recovering.”
He grabbed her hand, pulled her to him and buried his face against her mid-section. “I am recovering, thanks to you and your family. You are my miracle, Arabella. I was as good as dead until you found me.” She cradled his head in her hands and felt tears running down his cheeks.
“My finding you and your healing was a miracle, Jade. I can’t explain what happened, but I’m as grateful for everything as you are.” She waited for him to repeat what he said in the dream about loving her, but he didn’t. Almost immediately, she chided herself—the man had just escaped from a horrible death or an equally horrible life—he had more important things to think about than romance.
“Let me help you dress, and then we’ll get you some coffee and breakfast.” Punctuated by giggles and kisses, they accomplished the task quite easily.
When they went to the kitchen, the rest of the group was there and already busy.
Unusually enough, Elizabeth was being practical. “I found a doctor who will make house calls. He said he will come and check on Jade’s progress. His name is Philippe Francois. He’s already contacted Tranquility and had Jade’s chart faxed to him. He will be here later on today. I hope that’s all right, Jade?”
“Sounds great. I have questions and I want to know how fast I can push a few things.” He coughed and it was hard for the women to keep from laughing. They rolled their eyes at Arabella who gave them withering looks. He was referring to sex, obviously. She busied herself fixing Jade’s coffee and breakfast and ignored her rude relatives.
A knock at the door made Evangeline jump.
“Are you okay?” Arabella asked as Elizabeth beat a path to the door.
“I’m fine, just still a little shook up from my encounter in the woods. Look, your mother is blushing.” Both girls laughed.
“Hey, I knew who’s at the door.” She let in Detective Garrison. They lingered out of sight for a moment and everyone heard a little giggle from Elizabeth.
“It doesn’t take a witch to know something is brewing with those two.” Arabella laid her head on Jade’s shoulder enjoying the fact that love was in the air.
“Tyler has come by to update us on what is going on over at the Townsend’s,” Elizabeth announced. Before he took a seat or accepted the cup of coffee Angelique prepared for him, he walked over to Jade’s wheelchair and shook his hand.
“It’s good to see you looking so well.”
“Thank you, Detective, and thank you for arranging my transportation so quickly yesterday.”
“I was glad to help; one of those EMS guys is a good friend of mine. Don’t worry, the cost will show up on your insurance bill.”
“That’s what insurance is for.”
The detective sat down and took a sip of the strong java. “Early this morning, we took some equipment out to the crime scene and we’ve been able to verify there are a number of sites that could very well be graves. I’ve also received a preliminary report which matches so
me of the names you were able to give me as actual missing people. So far, everything you have told me is checking out. I don’t pretend to understand all of this, but I do want to tell you I am grateful for what you all have done.”
Nanette did not hesitate to respond. “Mr. Garrison, I came to my granddaughter’s house knowing that trouble and danger was very near. Just yesterday, Evangeline had an unnerving experience, not more than a thousand yards from where we sit now. I believe there is a killer who now knows who we are and where we are. My family is not safe, Detective.”
“Do you need to come in and file a report?” He looked at Evangeline.
“No, I don’t have a description. There was a storm brewing and the heavy clouds and thick woods made it too dark to see well. I did feel threatened, but he made no actual move to hurt me.”
Elizabeth decided to get their suspicions out in the open. “Tyler, our next door neighbor is a man by the name of Lyle Sessions. Have you questioned him at all?”
“Just routine, to see if he had seen or heard anything. Why? Do you know something I don’t?”
“He has always hated us. For years, he has spewed his venom and tried to turn the community against us. Like a coward, I escaped here when Tom died, but I left my little girl to make it on her own and I know she suffered the brunt of his and other people’s ignorance and prejudice.” At Elizabeth’s admission, Jade turned his attention toward Arabella.
Arabella grew immediately concerned Jade was finding out too much too fast. She knew he was a prominent citizen and the worst thing she could think of was people talking bad about him because he associated with her. Selfish though her motives might be, she wanted as much time with him as she could before he had to return to his high-powered life.