“Honestly, Renny, I don’t think about Martel at all like that. She’s different.”
“There you go, sport. Good attitude! Just keep it tuned to that channel, and you’re on your way!”
With that send-off, he stopped by for a nice bottle of wine and found a pear-shaped bottle oif Francis Ford Coppola’s “Sofia” wrapped in pink cellophane. It was a light pink rose blend. He stopped by Publix and bought some roses, hoping he made the right choice to bring her pink ones.
Best not to go overboard.
Martel was wearing a colorful kaftan over white skintight pants. She’d pinned her hair up, letting her bangs frame her pretty face. Pieces of her long strands fell down the back of her neck, some of them in curls.
She loved the rose and the matching roses. “My favorite,” she said, placing them in water and setting them next to the bouquet from the wedding.
Her house was colorfully fixed up with beach signs and posters. An old surfboard was strapped to the corner by the front door, hooks nailed into it for a coat rack. Yellow lamps in the living room were shaped like seahorses.
Smoke billowed in the patio along the dunes where she was grilling zucchini, corn on the cob, and steaks.
“I don’t normally cook this much food but didn’t want you to go home hungry,” she laughed as she plated the steaks, her other hand clasped around the wine glass.
He helped her bring things inside, and they sat down.
“Home cooking and with a tablecloth too,” he said, admiring how she’d arranged everything.
“I’m glad you like it.”
They toasted and then dug in.
Renny was right about how he wanted to be a better man around Martel. He noticed he did sit up straighter. He listened more and asked questions instead of talking about himself. He watched the way the little dangle earrings she wore caught the fire from the candles she’d set. The room became washed in the orange glow of a budding sunset outside.
He made note of it.
“Oh my gosh. I almost forgot. We can’t miss the sunset!” she squealed, grabbing his hand and the bottle of rose. He let her tug him over the sand dunes onto the warm white sand and the hardened shore. Big white fluffy clouds had morphed into purple smokestacks reaching toward Heaven. Blushes and streaks of deep orange and yellow faded in and out around the sky as the sun touched the horizon.
He was standing next to her when she whispered, “My favorite part.”
He’d been watching the side of her face and her hair that his fingers wanted to sift through and re-clasp in her clip. He completely agreed. She was his most favorite part, the part of his life before all the other stuff filled up with clutter and got complicated. She was the tip of the pizza, the center of the cream puff, the first lick of his favorite ice cream cone. She was the beautiful part of the song he played on repeat, that melody in the middle that made the rest of the theme tolerable. The change-up of key, the slight adjustment of pitch and tone that made the world magical and everything possible.
She caught him looking at her.
“You’re not watching. You’re going to miss it, Damon.”
“I’m not missing a thing, Martel, trust me.”
She gave him a sly, twinkling look while squinting one eye. “Remember what I said.”
“I remember. I remember it all, Martel.”
She turned and watched the sun. He slipped his arm around her waist and stood as close to her beating heart as he could, his face next to hers, and watched it with her. She was shaking. Her pulse had quickened, and her breathing deepened.
“Is it possible, Martel? Do we have a chance?”
“The truth?”
“We promised, remember?” He held his breath.
“I don’t know yet, Damon. Until then, what I can give you is this sunset.”
She pointed to the orange spot that was slowly erasing. He looked for the green flash, and thought he saw just a glimpse. It was fleeting. The orange was giving way to gray. The light blue was becoming indigo. Several early stars came out. People began walking back to the beach paths or into their backyards.
She drank out of the wine bottle and handed it to him.
He drank, spilling a little at the side of his mouth. She watched him, licking her lips, but did not kiss him. With his tongue, he captured the spill and studied her face. He could see from her breathing she was aroused, and it was a thing of beauty.
“Day’s over, Damon. Our time is up.”
Did she feel his heart groan, begging for her to give him some encouragement? If she could just do one or two little things, he’d do all the rest. He knew he could bring her happiness beyond her wildest dreams.
He took her hand, and this time, he led her over the sand dunes, through the patio and back inside the house.
“Thank you,” he said as he brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it. “It was a perfect evening.”
He could see the blush on her cheeks from the wine. Her plump lips glistened by candlelight. She faced him, pressing both palms to his and letting her fingers mate with his.
“Say something,” he whispered. He held his breath and waited.
Her smile was gentle. “Someday. There’s a lot to unpack, all the things that happened in those past ten years. The flight to get here was long, and I’m tired.”
He was going to say something like “No need to unpack. We can sleep naked,” but he didn’t. Instead, he said, “Friends. I’ve missed you, my friend.”
“Me too.” Then she added, “Thank you for showing me this side of you, Damon. I hope there’s more of that to come.”
“There’s a lot more of that. More than you’d know what to do with.”
She snuggled into his embrace, and he began to feel the familiar magic happen all over again. He kissed her ear and did not follow up with the words his heart wanted to whisper.
I never stopped loving you.
It didn’t scare him to feel it all over. She pulled away and dropped his hands.
“This was nice. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.”
“Fair enough.” He walked over to the kitchen and picked up his keys. “Can I see you tomorrow?”
“I’d like that.”
“Same time, same place?” he asked.
She checked her watch. “Tomorrow starts in exactly two hours and fifty minutes.”
He didn’t dare move a muscle. Had he heard it correctly? Was he invited to spend the night?
She lifted the coffee table lid and produced a comforter and pillow. “It’s comfortable here, if you want. Or I can see you after school tomorrow.”
“Are you sure it’s okay?”
“I’m okay with it.”
“Will you wake me up tomorrow?” he asked. “I don’t want to miss it.”
“I’ll make sure you don’t miss it,” she said as she pushed the pillow and comforter into his chest. “Good night.”
He was entranced watching her saunter to her bedroom door. Behind that door, she’d be naked. She’d beg for him, just like Renny said. He’d be waiting to show her how he could be gentle and how deep his passion grew for her.
“Good night, Martel.”
Chapter 8
She’d pulled aside the curtains so moonlight could filter into her bedroom and wake her sometime during the dark of night. She showered and put on a sheer gown with embroidered flowers over her nipples. He would be able to see everything. The gown was only a shadow covering, something to stall him for a few seconds before he unleashed her.
With her heart pounding in her ears, she lay back on the bed, welcoming sleep because it would make the waiting disappear. Her hand brushed across the tiny flowers on her bodice then drifted down to the cavern between her legs.
She wasn’t going to touch herself first. Like he had done over ten years ago, he would be the one to open her up again and set her on fire. The pain of knowing they’d lost all that time they could have been together was exquisite. She’d waited this long, she could wait
a little longer.
Her clock read one-thirty when she awakened. The door to her bedroom creaked when she opened it, so by the time she made it over to the couch, he was already awake. He pulled his T-shirt over his head and shimmied his boxers down his hips as she drew closer.
He stood, completely naked, embracing her and letting her feel his hardness lodged between her thighs. He tipped her chin up with his right hand and then devoured her with a deep kiss. Her nipples knotted as she heard his hungry groan. His hands lifted the nightgown and then reached for her, massaging her wet sex, suddenly dropping to his knees and lapping her juices.
Crouching before her, he spread her thighs, running his canines along her soft bare lips, his tongue flicking her clit back and forth, making it stiff and throbbing.
She squealed as he pressed his thumbs against her nub and, with a slow downward stroke, lodged inside her opening where he massaged in circular strokes until she was quivering with pleasure.
“You are so sweet. Oh my God, so sweet!” he whispered.
Standing again, he pulled her body to his chest. His lips still wet with her stimulation, he kissed her. Their tongues played, stroking and darting until he suddenly hoisted her up, wrapping her legs around his hips, and brought her into the bedroom.
Damon laid her down, climbed over her, and peeled back the thin gown. His hands pressed over her nipples, down her waist, his forefinger finding the diamond stud lodged in her belly button.
“There it is. I’ve missed this little thing.”
“I’ve missed this too, Damon,” she said, stroking his shaft, squeezing his tip, and covering it with his precum.
He spread her knees to the sides, dove into her belly button, and sucked the diamond stud. His tongue painted a path down over the tiny stretch marks just below, and then further to enter her again. He looked up, watching her undulate under the gentle ministrations his fingers performed on her. She reached for his butt cheeks, sliding herself down and then rubbing her mound up and down his shaft.
Halfway in the seated position, she was desperate to have him deep inside her. She arched up, and he let her impale herself on him, let her slide slowly until he filled her, let her move up and down on him, squeezing him inside with her muscles.
She leaned back, bracing herself with one arm while she angled herself a quarter turn to feel his powerful thrusts as his cock pressed the insides of her delicate walls. She matched his long fluid hip movements with her own, opening to him deeper.
His urgency spiked her libido, making her heart race. As he pressed his groin into her faster, he clutched her thigh and pressed her buttocks up into him from behind, forcing himself inside deep, riding her hard all the way to his hilt. Just as she was about to release, he slowed, peppering her with kisses, tasting and sucking the softness beneath her breasts, twisting her nipples until they flamed. He covered her mouth with kisses as she arched to press her chest against his, holding tight to his hips with her thighs.
When at last she spilled, he gentled, letting her ride the wave of her own orgasm. All of a sudden, he groaned, matching her pulsations with his own. His sad moan broke her heart as he filled her, holding her still until he was spent.
She drew his hungry kisses from him. Softly, they climbed down together, sweat rolling off their bodies, breathing hard as they collapsed in a tangle of legs, arms, and sheets.
The exhaustion was thrilling. Just as they used to do, she lay with him still lodged inside her.
Before she closed her eyes for the final time, he covered her arms with his, extending to reach her fingers and mate one more time with them, and squeezed.
“Welcome home, Damon.”
She darted awake, worried that she’d miss her first class. She smelled coffee just before Damon appeared at her doorway with a steaming mug. His red, white, and blue boxers were deliciously tented, and he caught her checking him out before he bent over and handed her the mug.
She propped a pillow behind her and raised her knees, leaning on the padded headboard. With both hands, she sipped.
The sex was better now that they were older. And she was more of a participant than she remembered from before.
He turned on his side, placing his coffee on the bedside table and then slid down next to her, his hand fingering the slit between her thighs. “I have to ask you a question.”
“Go ahead,” she whispered and took another sip.
He stopped fondling her.
“But don’t stop doing that, please.”
“You like that?”
“You know I do. Is that your question?”
“No, it’s not.” He rimmed her opening, and she nearly dropped her coffee mug. She bit her lips and closed her eyes.
Damon rescued the mug and placed it next to his.
“The question I have is, did you get bare for me?”
She felt wicked when she recalled the little appointment Kaitlyn had insisted she had done. Smiling, she covered his fingers with her own. “Partly. I did it so we could enjoy it together.”
He directed two of her fingers inside, making her arch in pleasure, pushing up. His hot tongue flicked her bud back and forth. She jumped. She felt him move against the back of her hand. She withdrew her fingers just as he entered her one more time.
It was impossible to get enough of him. She considered calling in sick but knew that she’d enjoy the waiting all day until they could explore again. She’d feel her swollen sex as she walked, sat, drove her car. She’d remember this, the way he played with her body and took her until she was ragged and desperate to be taken again. The way he tasted her.
Afterwards, she quickly showered and then dressed. He was waiting for her in the kitchen with a scrambled egg.
“You need to keep your energy up. I have plans for you tonight, Martel.”
“I can hardly wait. I get off at four,” she whispered as her fingers touched his cheek. She planted a kiss on his lips. “I can’t wait.”
His hand had lifted the hem of her skirt. His eyes got big as he slid his palm over her buttocks and discovered she wasn’t wearing panties.
“Very nice, Martel. Are you sure you’re not itching to stay home?”
“I’m itching for all kinds of things I’m hoping you’ll do with me.”
His forefinger penetrated her one more time, and she sucked in air between her teeth. She lifted her skirt to her waist, staring down at the sight of his fingers massaging and then losing themselves in the lips of her bare sex.
Kaitlyn was right. She wasn’t going to be able to keep her own hands off her pantiles, violated completely nude sex all day until she came home to him.
He withdrew, slid the skirt down her thighs and rubbed his forefinger over her lips. “Now that’s the way everyone should go to work. Wet and full of desire.”
“Thank you, Damon.”
She extricated herself from his arms and walked to the front door. Remembering she’d forgotten her purse and her keys, she turned. He was holding them in front of him.
“Did you forget something?”
Chapter 9
“Honey, I’m home!” Damon shouted as he walked through the front door.
“Out here,” came the response from Renny. He was reading a magazine in his swim trunks, catching some sun. Damon retrieved a beer from the refrigerator and joined him.
“Well, would you look at that? You’re actually smiling, Damon.”
“Yup.”
“Come on. I want the deets.”
“No can do. My lips are sealed, Renny.”
“Now that’s a crying shame. Figured the longer I went without seeing you, the longer the very graphic tale of wanton sex and foreplay I’d get. Just what the hell were you doing for the past twelve hours?”
Damon was proud to share what he could. “It worked. Your idea worked.”
“Really?”
“It did. We had a nice dinner. We watched the sunset together, and we didn’t have sex.”
“So why are you ju
st now returning? She throw you out?”
“No, I told you it worked pretty good. We decided to wait until the next day, which was this morning. I slept on the couch and was rewarded with the gift of her presence early in the morning, and we fooled around until she left for work.” He took a drink from his bottle and grinned.
“Pretty happy camper, then, I guess.”
“Very.”
“So, what’s the plan?”
“I go back over tonight.”
“Have you eaten yet?”
“Just a scrambled egg. I’m starving.”
Renny took them to a local burger bar, which sat on the beach at Treasure Island, two towns away. They took a table outside under the thatched overhang, near the railing, watching people as they strolled or biked by. The sky had remained clear and bright blue, nearly matching the color of the ocean.
Renny stuck his French fries in the paper nut cup of tomato ketchup. “So, what is it with Martel? How far back do you guys go, high school?”
“Almost. She was finishing up high school, and I’d just done my first year of Junior College. Neither of us was sure what we wanted to do, although I was thinking about the Navy. She wanted to teach, but her mom was pretty torn up when she found out her dad was chasing his secretary, and he got up and left.”
“Hell of a guy.”
“We dated that whole year and into the summer. It got pretty serious, hot and heavy. I won’t lie to you, it was a lot of fun. But as the months went by, I felt like I was going to just get sucked into all the small-town drama. I wanted to do more than play house, but, dammit, I really loved her. I know that now.”
“And?”
“I got this crazy idea about joining the Navy to become a SEAL. This is the part I don’t feel great about.”
“So, you decided to try out. No harm in that, Damon. What, she didn’t want you to go?”
“Nah, man. I never gave her the chance. It scared the shit out of me. I was young, Renny. Real young. I wasn’t ready, but I didn’t know how to tell her. I did a really shitty thing. I just left, and I left without saying good-bye. I figured I’d come back and, you know, make it right, but I just never did.”
Second Chance SEAL: The Girl He Left Behind (Sunset SEALs Book 2) Page 7