Beyond Eighteen

by Gretchen de La O

  “You smell so good,” I mumbled.

  “So do you.”

  Wilson grabbed my shirt and pulled me down on top of her. Her heartbeat pulsed against my lips as I pressed my mouth to the side of her neck. Her hands got lost in my hair as she tugged my face to hers. Her eyes, hungry for my mouth, her lips, damply whispering my name, made me ache to kiss her. A crave stronger than any addiction crested, and in that moment I knew, I can never be separated from this woman again. She pushed her lips hard against mine. Our tongues mingled before she lightened her kiss. She traced the edge of my bottom lip, catching it between her teeth and pulling just enough to make me growl. I knew what it meant. It was her way of telling me what she wanted.

  “Maaaxxx, I need you. God, I need you so bad,” she breathed as her hands shot down and unbuttoned my pants. Everything within my body that could tighten, harden, swell, and pull did when she pushed my pants down.

  “I—oh, fuck, I need you too,” I growled as I leaned back and stretched, pulling my shirt off. I pushed my fingers at the button of her pants and her flesh rippled with chills across her skin below her navel as I pushed her zipper down. She wiggled out of her pants and I hauled her shirt off over her head. Fuck, her nipples are rock hard under that white lace bra of hers. I pushed my mouth against the fabric and let my breath warm her. She gasped as I pushed my hand in between the flimsy fabric and her skin and began to caress. She was so soft, so warm. Her nipple erect, I pushed her bra down and brought my mouth to her exposed flesh. I traced my tongue around her skin and pulled at the straps of her bra, making them fall across her shoulders. A small victory for me: I reached around and deftly released the clasp, then nipped at her skin and lapped at her nipples. She was so hot, so beautiful, so mine. I wanted to be inside of her right away. I wanted to feel her tighten, take and give, and keep every part of me I had. I wanted to drag my tongue across every square inch of her flesh.

  Wilson wrapped her arms around me. Pushing me, she rolled me over onto my back. Her body almost weightless against mine, her hair tickled across my shoulders. I felt her breasts, firm against my chest. I was rock hard and ready. Her hips straddled my erection, which was pushing against my boxers, begging to be released. She sat up against the space in the room. Her weight rode perfectly against me. The sunlight bounced off her skin as she started rocking her hips back and forth, her breasts rolling and moving my hands against the curve of her ass. I pushed my fingers behind her waistband.

  “Babe, you’re so fucking hot. I need you, I need to be inside.”

  She rose up on her knees enough so I could pull off my Calvin Klein’s. The air swirled around me and I about hit the ceiling. I knotted my hands in either side of her hair and pulled her down to kiss me.

  “Take your panties off,” I demanded in her ear. “I want to feel you; I want to be inside you.”

  Her breath caught. She wanted me as bad as I wanted her. She pushed back against me, her thin panties the only thing keeping me from entering.

  “You have a condom?” she whispered.

  “In my wallet,” I huffed.

  She rocked her hips forward, stroking my length and making my attempt not to explode very difficult. I couldn’t take it. I caught her around her lower back and flipped her down onto the bed. She screamed. I told her if she was going to tease me, it was only fair if I teased her back. I needed to make love to her, but I also needed to make her feel how much I missed her.

  With her eyes bound to mine, I ran my fingers down her chest, across her stomach, and to the side of her hip.

  “Roll over onto your stomach,” I ordered.

  I watched as she adjusted and turned over. I grabbed her panties and pulled them down, her ass so round, so perfect. I leaned down and kissed her at the base of her spine then I pressed my hands against her waist before I raked them down to her ass. She couldn’t see me, but I saw everything about her. The way her spine shifted as she moved, the goose bumps that formed across her flesh as my fingers massaged down between her legs. I pushed my lips to where her ass met her thigh.

  “Push up on your knees,” I growled. No, I didn’t ask.

  I looked at her face, covered with random curls across her red cheeks, as she shifted her hair away from her eyes and adjusted her body comfortably. Her lips pulled into a slight smile; I could tell she wanted whatever I was willing to give. I slid my hands across the backs of her thighs before brushing my fingers up along the insides of her legs, where her warmth waited for me. Her hips rocked toward my fingers, begging for just a touch, a gentle stroke of magic for both of us.

  I pushed my fingers against her. I felt the damp desire to be fulfilled grow as I rubbed and played her into pants and huffs.

  I rolled over on my back. Her hips still thrusting at the vacancy of my fingers, I slid up under her and grabbed around her ass. Her legs spread. I pulled her down against my mouth. She swayed and rocked. Her growls and moans drove me to the edge. Almost there, her body vibrating on the thin line of exploding, she pulled away.

  “This isn’t fair,” she sighed as she turned around. Kneeling on the bed, she reached for me. I was rock hard before she even began to stroke. I pushed my head back into the bed and brought my hands to her thighs, my fingers tickling and brushing inside her. I wanted to make her moan. Her hand tight against me, I felt her mouth push down around me. Every cell in my body was electrified. She made something click inside as she ran her tongue across my length. I pulled her by the waist and pushed my tongue up between her legs. We were taking each other to the edge of never coming back…at the same time. She pushed down against me, I nibbled her with my teeth, she whimpered while pleasing me, I moaned as she took me, she thrust and pulled as I nudged and pulsed my tongue against her folds. I could feel by the way her body moved she was about to explode.

  My hips thrust deep, her hips pushed hard; intense, wet, speeding, humming, heat. My body shook. Not pulling away, she consumed me. My eyes rolled back in my head and every moment that meant anything melted away when I came with Wilson. My muscles tensed as her body convulsed on top of mine, her hips splayed wide across my face, her muscles thick against mine. I kept nudging between her wet, warm legs, caressing the folds of her raw nerves, knowing there was another wave waiting to break against me. It wasn’t but minutes later that she detonated again, feral against my body.

  “Oh, my God, holy shit, Max,” she kept moaning as her body shook uncontrollably across my chest. I knew where she was. It was an ecstasy she’d only experienced with me. An understanding passed between us, an unspoken reflection of what we’d just shared. Ragged breaths echoed through the quiet space around us until my voice broke the wordless moment.

  “I bet you’re surprised I showed up,” I remarked as she aligned with me. She looked over—crescent eyes, worn expression, and breathing hard—words weren’t necessary. I knew I’d sent her out of this world…twice.

  “Mmmm, you showed up in a big way. I can’t tell you how happy I am that you’re here with me,” she said as she laid her head against my chest, her hair splayed across my neck.

  “You had a pretty rough couple of days?”

  “Yeah,” I said.

  “You want to talk about it?” I asked. I wanted her to know I was willing to listen.

  “Maybe later. Right now I just want to lay here with you, in your arms,” she answered against my chest.

  “I like that idea,” I said as I refreshed my hold on her. “I like that a lot.”

  Chapter Thirty-six

  ~ Wilson ~

  It was fantastic to have Max with me. Everything that seemed so heavy and so painful cleared up in his touch. It was if everything I could taste, smell, and feel became brilliant and magnified—the heat from the fireplace as it rolled across my skin, the aroma of Aspen saturating Max’s clothes, even the flavor of Joanie’s minestrone soup was magnificent.

  We entered the kitchen hand in hand. The honey-colored knotty pine cabinets still held the same warm memories of my grandma’s
cooking. Joanie was leaning against the farm style sink, absorbed in a conversation—obviously with Nick. It didn’t take more than the first few words I overheard to know who she was talking to. She was glowing like a little kid who’d just gotten everything she wanted for Christmas. Her eyes held an eager glimmer while her pale lips pulled tight across her brilliant, white teeth. I think I actually heard her breath hitch as she spoke. She looked up and saw us, then nodded her head and gave us a thumbs-up, indicating that she had a lot to tell us.

  “Nick, I just can’t believe it!” she said, louder and more exaggerated than necessary.

  I tried to enter into a silent, ‘tell your best friend what the hell is going on’ conversation while she talked to Nick. I swung my arms and pointed to the floor a couple of times as I pressed my hands to my heart and mouthed whatever thoughts came to my head. Finally she cleared her throat and told him that she’d call him back. They said their ‘talk to you laters’ and ‘can’t wait to see yous’ as I felt a rush of relief that I was finally going to be let in on her plans.

  J dropped her iPhone onto the rose-colored tile counter. Sighing, she ran her hands through her hair, pulling it back off her face. She only did that when she had choices to make regarding events that tend to let me down. Her face told me everything…I didn’t even have to ask. But I did.

  “He talked you into going back to Aspen, didn’t he?” I said. My arms became heavier than they would have with any attempt to talk best friend sign language with her again.

  “Well, not really. He’s down at the Sea Rock Inn on the other side of town and he wants me to meet him.”

  “So he wasn’t kidding when he told you he was coming out?” I asked. I could feel the shift in her intention as she answered me.

  “I never thought in a million years he would fly out here knowing there’s a huge possibility I wasn’t going to see him,” Joanie said as she picked up her phone and pushed it into her pocket.

  I felt Max’s hands slide across my stomach before he tightened his grip around my waist and pushed up against my backside. He let out a slight laugh, only loud enough for me, as he rested his chin on my shoulder. I half expected Max to lecture J about Nick, but he didn’t. Instead, he kissed my neck and left us alone to talk. I heard the TV click on in the other room. It was his way of giving J and me the moment we needed to talk.

  “I won’t go if you need me here,” Joanie said. Her body posture slumped slightly. I knew that stance, that silent language that told me she was willing to sacrifice for me.

  “No, absolutely not,” I said sternly.

  “I know you’ve been through a lot and well, now that Max is here—”

  “J, I want you to go. I’m tired of being the needy best friend. You deserve to be happy, and I can see you light up every time you talk to him,” I said before pulling her into a hug. “I want you to be happy,” I whispered against her ear.

  “Thanks, Wil. I love you.”

  “I love you too. Now go, have fun…just call me. And be careful,” I said.

  I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t feel a little jealous that Nick was going to spend New Year’s with my best friend. But it wouldn’t be fair to her if I had Max and she didn’t have Nick. I knew we couldn’t spend this New Year’s together…but with time, maybe wounds would be healed and lives would change.

  “Are you sure?” Joanie asked.

  “Yes, now get your stuff and get the heck out of here. Hurry, before I regret it,” I teased.

  Joanie squealed, like a kid who’d just gotten the okay to stay out late. She squeezed me tight around the neck before she bounded upstairs. I turned and watched as she pulled out her phone.

  I served up two bowls of minestrone soup and carried them out to Max. We cuddled up on the couch, slurping our soup, and watched Ohio State Buckeyes play the Oregon Ducks in the Rose Bowl.

  “Okay, you two, be good and Happy New Year,” Joanie said. She collected her suitcase, rolling behind her. She had changed into a cute scoop-neck, loose-knit gray sweater and black pants.

  “Are you coming back in a couple of days?” I asked quickly.

  “I…ah...I’ll call you. He wants to see the coast a little before heading back to the Bay Area.”

  “Okay, well come here,” I said as I set my soup on the coffee table and hugged her.

  “Avoid the construction up on Highway 1,” Max said.

  “Thanks, Max, take care of our girl here,” Joanie answered as she tapped him on the chest.

  “Here, I’ll take this for you.” Max grabbed her suitcase and carried it out to her SUV. He shoved it in the back before meeting me back on the porch.

  I stood wrapped in his arms as we watched Joanie drive off to meet Nick. The cold ocean breeze swirled around my neck, causing me to shiver. Max noticed and pushed his lips to my neck.

  “Well, it’s just you and me now…wonder what kind of trouble we can get into?” Max said as he pulled me back against his chest. I stumbled and he slipped his hands down around my waist.

  “All kinds of trouble,” I said as I pushed back against him before slipping out of his arms and pulling him back into the house.

  “I like the sound of that,” he growled as he pushed his body against my backside. “Maybe we’ll just stay in the entire time and make love wherever we feel like it. Like here,” he said as he pushed me against the wall at the foot of the stairs, kissing me, hungry to have me again.

  I pushed back hard and shoved him back against the arm of the couch. The soup still on the coffee table, the Buckeyes still beating the Ducks, I pushed him down on the couch and straddled him.

  “I don’t know if this is such a good idea…J just left, what if she forgot something and comes back in?” I asked as I pulled his shirt off over his head.

  His smile mesmerized me, his eyes pierced my soul, his hands clung to the edges of my face, and I melted into his lap.

  “She can’t…I locked the front door.” He smiled before pushing his mouth hard against mine. His lips were hot, wet, and tasty as his tongue tangled with mine. His hands slid firmly across my back as he pulled me closer.

  “You ready to make love to me right here?” I asked as he dropped his mouth to my neck.

  “God knows I’m ready,” he answered as his hands slipped under my shirt. His fingers dragged along the edge of my bra, his thumbs separating my straps from my skin. Goose bumps raged where his fingers explored my flesh. His palms dragged along my breasts, my nipples hard against his fingers, my lips owning his. I needed his kiss and craved his touch.

  I pulled at his shirt, trying to free it from his chest. I wanted to feel his skin with my hands, drag my fingers along his shapely six-pack, and I longed to get lost in his touch.

  “Hold on, babe…there’s something I want to show you,” he said as he leaned back, attempting to stop me from groping him. I pushed my hands into his hair, but he reached up to grab my wrists and kept me from trying to kiss him.

  “What do you want to show me?” I sighed as I played with him a little more.

  “Really, babe, it won’t take but a minute. I found it when I got here. I want to show it to you,” Max held my wrists and stared into my eyes. God, he gets whatever he wants from me when he gives me those sultry, puppy dog eyes …and he knows it.

  “Okay, where are we going?” I asked as he helped me off his lap.

  “Just wait and see.”

  I was never really good at ‘wait and see.’ I was more of the ‘just give it to me now’ type of girl. I didn’t want to be surprised by something I had no control over. Max learned that when he got me into that death trap up in the sky.

  “We already did that with the helicopter…remember? That didn’t go over too well. Besides, what if I refuse?” I countered.

  “I promise you, I will not take you in any moving vehicles or machinery that takes you off the ground. Just give me one second,” Max stopped talking for a moment, hustled to his suitcase, and began to rummage through it.

 
“What are you looking for? Do you need me to help?” I asked, noticing his arm buried up to his bicep.

  “No, I need my jacket. Wait, here, it is. Get yours, too.” He pulled out a light windbreaker, too thin for north coast weather in December. I collected my grandpa’s flannel jacket off the old, gnarly, driftwood coat rack by the front door. I could still smell his Old Spice cologne in its fibers.

  “Alright, let’s go,” Max said as he gave me a quick kiss on the lips and pulled open the door.

  We walked across the front yard out the sea-weathered picket fence and down the narrow sandy trail toward the ocean cliffs behind the house. The long, thin, wispy foxtails swayed in the breeze, trouncing against our jeans as we meandered our way to the ocean’s edge. The winter sun attempted to warm our faces while the chill of the gentle wind betrayed all its efforts. Targeted by the salty ocean air, blustery against my skin, I reminisced about spending hours down at the beach when I was younger.

  “So you want to take me to the beach?” I asked Max as he led the way, pulling me by the hand. “Because we need to head to the right if we are going down the cliff to the beach.”

  “Well, actually, I saw that bench from the road and I was thinking I’d like to watch the sunset with you.” Max pulled me over to the familiar old redwood bench.

  “You’re kidding me. Max, you have no idea how special this bench is to me. My grandpa had this bench built so he and Grandma would have a place to sit and watch the sunset. They used to bring chairs here, but when it got too difficult for them to carry, he paid the city to build this bench…right in their favorite spot.” I could feel a lump grow in the back of my throat.

  I looked out over the horizon. The rim of the sun was sinking behind the edge of the boundless, dark blue ocean. Fire-red clouds splayed the landscape as misty fog danced across the water.

  “Well, that makes this moment even more special,” Max whispered as he pulled me into his chest. I could feel his heart thrash against his sternum. The wind kicked up and my hair swirled around my head, lashing at my face. I pushed into his chest and tightened my arms around his back. He pulled me down onto the bench. As I turned to see the sunset, he held my hair out of my eyes. We sat on my grandparents’ bench, speechless, while we watched the sea swallow the sun.