by Nola Cross
They’d spent the last two hours sharing stories of their pasts. By now, Ben knew all about her college days, Jasmine’s premature birth, and Charles’s multiple affairs. His eyes had never left her face as she spoke.
“You didn’t deserve to be treated that way,” he said now, his voice full of indignation on her behalf. “Didn’t Charles understand how exhausted you were? That cousin I told you about had a preemie. He and his wife were both wrecks for the first year.”
She stared at him. “Are you just too good to be true?”
He laughed. “I have my moments.”
And then he told her in heart-wrenching detail about the day he and Corinne had found out her cancer had spread throughout her abdomen and into her lungs.
“Of course she opted for chemo. We had to try everything, you know?”
She reached across and laid her hand over his. “Was chemo as bad as they say?”
“It was bad.” His eyes went bleak, remembering.
She squeezed his hand. “I’m sorry.”
“More coffee here, folks?” The young waiter filled their cups without waiting for their response. “How about dessert tonight? Would you like to see the cart?”
“I couldn’t,” Sunny said, putting her hand on her stomach.
“I think we’re ready for our check,” Ben said.
As they came out onto the sidewalk a few minutes later, a light snow was falling, the tiny flakes whispering onto their hair and shoulders as they walked to his car. Above, though, stars twinkled between the clouds, signifying the brief storm’s passage.
His large warm hand found hers and hung on. She looked up and smiled.
“That was a lovely dinner,” she said.
“And good company.”
“Yes.”
“Now you know it all, Sunny. You see where I’ve been, what I’m still dragging around with me at least part of the time.”
She stopped below a streetlight and turned to him. “The way I see it, we’re both veterans of relationships that ended badly. That doesn’t make us bad or wrong.”
He stood close and brushed her hair back from her brow. The touch of his fingers branded her skin.
“Doesn’t make us much fun sometimes,” he said.
“But we’re both moving away from that, aren’t we? And we can help each other move away.”
“I like your plan.” He smiled down into her face, then cupped her chin in his hands and kissed her lightly.
“That was nice,” she said when it was over.
“Are you ready for more?” His eyes darkened. “Because I haven’t been able to think of anything but making love to you for the past two days.”
His words made her knees go weak. “I’m ready,” she said, slipping her hand into his once again.
* * * *
They had agreed to go to a nearby hotel this first time, since neither was sure how comfortable they felt in beds that had been shared with spouses. The room was spacious and clean with crisp linens and a small seating area. He had brought a bottle of chilled wine from the car. As he poured it into two plastic cups, she took off her coat and hung it up. She began rummaging in her overnight bag, eventually producing a pair of white pillar candles.
“Did you bring matches to light those?” he asked.
She held up a disposable lighter. “Teachers are always prepared.”
She set the candles in two more plastic cups and lit them and placed them on either side of the wide bed. Then she dialed the light down in the room, so that everything seemed more intimate, bathed in the friendly, flickering glow.
“Nice,” he said, handing her a cup of the wine.
“Cheers.” A slight quiver in her voice betrayed her nervousness.
He clicked his cup against hers and they each took a long drink.
“You’re not having second thoughts, are you?” He reached out and ran the back of his finger down her smooth, brown cheek. She closed her eyes and leaned into the caress for a few seconds, then looked up at him again.
She shook her head. “No second thoughts.” Her brow knitted. “But what about the interracial dating thing, Ben? That’s the one thing we haven’t talked about yet.”
“It never occurred to me as being an issue.” He used the pad of his thumb to smooth away the crease above her eyes. “Is it an issue for you?”
He took a step closer, bringing his body up against hers. She stood her ground, but bought some time with another sip of wine.
“I don’t want it to be. But I’ve heard horror stories.”
Her eyes really are the color of amber, the most amazing liquid gold color. Tiny reflections of the candlelight danced there too, entrancing him. He could get lost in those eyes. “In the South maybe. Not here.”
“Even here.” Her frown returned.
“Let’s not talk about it now.” He lifted her glass away and set it down next to his. “Right now there’s nobody here but us. And I think the color of your skin is amazing.” He placed a tiny kiss on her cheek next to her ear, another one on her neck. “Like chocolate mousse,” he whispered, undoing the first button of her blouse and laying the fabric open.
He pressed his lips to her collarbone and let his hands come to rest on the flare of her hips. She gave a little gasp.
“Or maybe coffee and cream.” He undid the second button and then the third.
His mouth found the warm, fragrant valley between the swells of her breasts. Her breath came in uneven gusts as he made his way lower.
“Or the softest, silkiest buff color.” He gently pulled aside the lacy cup of her bra until her nipple popped free. He ran his tongue over the soft, fragrant flesh.
She let out a cry and clutched at his shirt as he began to suck and lick. The tiny nub responded immediately, going firm against his tongue. In no time he was frustrated by his inability to fondle her further, hampered as he was by her clothing.
“I want you naked, Sunny.” He gave the tip of her breast a playful nip with his teeth.
Another gasp. “I’m not…” Her voice trailed away.
“Not what?” He lifted his head and looked into her face. Even in the dim room he could see her heightened color. “What’s wrong?”
“I…uh…brought a nightgown. I’m not used to being nude with a man.”
It took a moment for him to understand.
That bastard, Charles. In the process of fucking all those young things, the prick had made this beautiful woman feel bad about herself. Talk about a crime.
“All right, sweetheart. Go put your nightie on. I can wait.” He smiled in what he hoped was a relaxed way. Whatever would make Sunny feel more at ease would work for him too. They had several hours together. There was no reason they had to rush things. Though his cock was standing at attention and would have liked to have its own way as soon as possible.
Sunny grabbed her bag and disappeared into the bathroom. Ben picked up his wine glass, drained it, and filled it again. He wandered to the window and pulled aside the drapes, staring out at the wintry street. In the distance, the red lights of the radio towers on the West Hills winked festively. Radio! He grabbed the hotel television guide and checked to see if they listed any satellite music channels. Sure enough, in a minute or two he had found a station with soft background melodies, creating the perfect moody complement to the candlelight.
The door to the bathroom cracked open and Ben turned. His mouth went dry. He didn’t know what he’d expected when she’d said nightgown, but it certainly was something more conservative than the provocative bit of white lace she was wearing.
“Sweet heaven!”
A hesitant smile danced on her lips. “You like it?”
“Sunny, you take my breath away.”
She lingered for a moment in the doorway, limned by the bathroom light, then she flicked off the switch. But not before he had looked his fill.
The abbreviated gown left her smooth shoulders and arms bare, as well as her shapely legs up to mid-thigh. It was cut
very low in front, offering a delectable view of her cleavage. Not only that, but the lace itself was sheer enough that the outline of her nipples was clearly defined. Below her waist, there were tantalizing hints of a darker mystery where her thighs met. His erection, which had begun to soften while she was in the bathroom, grew painfully stiff again.
She came toward him, her lush breasts bobbing slightly with each step, a hopeful, shy expression on her face. When she drew near, he held out his hand and pulled her close.
“Do you know how sexy you are, Sunny? My God, you’re a knock out.”
“I don’t know…”
“I do. Trust me. Your ex must have been out of his mind to want anyone but you.”
As his lips claimed hers once more, her face was suffused with self-conscious pleasure, which only heightened her beauty. He would have to see to it that she received that type of compliment on a regular basis.
“Can I take you to bed now?”
“Please,” she said, breathless.
He led her across the room and they sat down together on the edge of the mattress.
“You’re still dressed,” she said.
“Not for long.”
He caressed her cheek, stroking his hand back through her hair and bringing her face closer. This time when he kissed her he used his tongue to describe the act of love, penetrating her pliant lips with eager thrusts. She gave a soft moan, a sound that set him on fire, and he let his hand drop lower to finally cup her breast. Beneath the lace, her nipple was already pebbling. He pinched it gently and she moaned again.
It took nothing to sweep the top of the nightie off her shoulder and touch her bare skin. As he held the silky weight of her naked breast in his palm, she drew back from his kiss and looked down at what he was doing. They both watched as he coasted the pad of his thumb back and forth over her responsive nipple, bringing it to an unabashed peak. He lowered his mouth and kissed her there, pulling the succulent tip into his mouth.
* * * *
Waves of intense pleasure washed through Sunny’s body as Ben played with her breasts. She was exquisitely sensitive there, but Charles had never been interested in spending any time stimulating them. He considered himself a “booty man”. Usually, that entailed two of three minutes of rough stimulation, followed by hurried penetration. Now, with Ben’s avid attention, her nipples sent a sizzling current directly to her core, bringing her pussy pulsing to life. She’d almost forgotten how amazing it felt to be slowly aroused by someone who cared.
“Lie back, sweetheart.”
She did as he told her, scooting up to bolster her head and shoulders against the mound of white pillows. He stretched alongside, his hand returning to her breasts. Now he freed the second one, treating it to the same splendid torture with his lips and teeth, bringing her to a higher and higher state of desire. Unable to stop herself, she groaned and arched her back, offering herself to him. Through heavily lidded eyes, she watched his mouth tug at her flesh, and it came to her then that she’d begun to think of him as beautiful too: the shadow of gold stubble on his firm jaw, the slightly hawkish lines of his nose, his generous lips. And most of all, the shadowed blue of his eyes beneath those expressive brows.
Those eyes locked with hers now as his hand skimmed down her body and came to rest on her lace-covered mound. A crazy cloud of butterflies let loose in her belly as he began to push the hem of the nightie up her thighs, inch by agonizing inch. When his fingers finally made contact with her naked pussy his brows shot up. He grinned.
“No panties? Sunny, you naughty, sexy girl.”
She felt quick heat climb her cheeks, then she gasped as his finger tickled at the juncture of her closed thighs.
“You going to open up for me, sexy Sunny?” he taunted.
Suddenly she felt so exposed, lying there with her nightie pushed up to her waist and him still completely dressed. “Are you going to take off your clothes?”
She had to admit to being more than slightly curious. Would his chest be hairy or smooth? Would he have six-pack abs? And what about his cock? She remembered what LaRonda had told her about her white lover, and a delicious shiver of anticipation trickled down her spine.
He laughed. “Eventually. But right now I’m enjoying myself just looking at you.” His finger began scribing lovely trails over the sensitive skin of her upper thighs, now and then reaching higher to tease her outer lips. At the same time, he lowered his mouth and drew her nipple in once more. The combination of sensations undid her: almost without knowing it, Sunny let her thighs relax open.
“Um. Beautiful. So sexy. So wet.”
Ben’s words washed over her as he began to stroke the exposed lips of her pussy.
“Oh God.” What an exquisite sensation!
She closed her eyes and let her legs fall open even further. How did he know how to touch her like that, as if her body was created to respond only to him? A ragged moan trembled in her throat as he coaxed her swollen bud from its hiding place with tiny flicks and gentle pinches. With expert care he brought her to a sharp pinnacle of arousal, now dipping his finger into her wet opening, now returning to play with her clit. Unable to help herself, she lifted her hips from the mattress and pushed herself against his hand.
“Are you ready for me, sweet Sunny?” His breath feathered against her cheek and she realized through the haze of her desire that her very skin was aching to feel him naked against her.
“Please. Ben. I want you inside me now.”
She watched from under heavy lids as he rose and undressed. In the candlelight his nicely muscled chest glittered with a sprinkling of gold hairs that trailed down his flat abdomen and disappeared into his slacks. She stared as he unzipped and let them drop. Dressed only in snug white briefs, his advanced state of arousal was plain to see. She swallowed as he peeled the final barrier away and stood for a few seconds looking down at her.
His cock was about the same length as Charles’s, but thicker. And of course lighter in color, with a darker, purplish head. She reached out and wrapped her hand around his shaft, squeezing gently, feeling the powerful male vitality beneath the silky skin. Their eyes met, and she began to stroke him. He hardened even more beneath her touch.
Never taking her gaze away from his, she scooted closer to the edge of the bed until she lay just beneath him. Propping her head on a thick pillow, she guided his throbbing cock into her mouth. As she closed her lips around him, he sucked in a hissing breath.
“Ah, Sunny!” His eyelids drifted down and he stood with legs braced.
The taste of him filled her mouth. Clean, warm man skin. A hint of salt. That vital resilience pulsing against her tongue. She licked around the head and then sucked him in again, going lower this time, feeling the tip of his cock bump the back of her throat. She adjusted her angle and set a slow, steady rhythm, nodding up and down as he moved in and out of her puckered lips. After a moment his hands closed on her breasts, kneading and plucking at the sensitive tips in time with her movements. She whimpered, lifting her hips again, offering herself.
He groaned. “God. That’s too much.” He opened his eyes and looked down at her, his gaze fixing on the naked invitation of her pussy.
She reveled in the expression of raw desire she saw on his face. For the first time in years, she felt the full bloom of her feminine power and knew that in this good man’s eyes, she was truly beautiful, completely desirable.
Running her tongue one last time up the length of him, she sent him a sultry smile and held up her arms. “Come to me.”
He slid down beside her, stopping only to grab one of the little foil pouches he’d laid out on the bedside table earlier. She stroked his chest as she watched him roll the condom down the length of his cock. And then he rose above her and she guided him into her waiting body.
He entered her slowly, inch by inch, filling her to the hilt. He went still. As she looked up, questioning, a happy grin lit his handsome face. “Perfect fit,” he said. And then he kissed her, lon
g and deep.
* * * *
The alarm on Ben’s watch beeped, rousing him from the delicious catnap he’d been taking. Sunny must have heard it too. She stirred, her warm weight moving against him in a slow, sensuous reminder of what they’d been doing the past three hours. His body began to respond.
He chuckled. “If we don’t get out of this bed right this minute, I’m afraid we’ll be here another hour at least.”
“That would be fun.” She lifted her face and gave him a lazy smile. The candles had burned down an hour or so ago, and he’d turned on the lamp on the desk across the room. The light painted a soft gold sheen on her lips and cheeks.
“No doubt.” He dropped a kiss on the satin skin at her hairline. “But I don’t want to fall out of Peggy’s good graces by being late. Something tells me we might need her services again in the very near future.”
“I hope so.” She drew back a few inches and refocused on him, her hand resting on his belly, her top leg thrown across his.
At some point in the evening she’d discarded her negligee entirely, and it thrilled him to see her self-confidence returning. If anyone should feel confident of her own desirability, it was Sunny. Everything about her was beautiful, womanly. Even the luxuriant curves of her body were sexy to him, her lush breasts and rounded belly, her generous hips. And her natural scent made his cock twitch with primal pleasure.
As he stared into her eyes—those clear amber eyes that mesmerized him—a new awareness filtered into his mind. He had fallen for her. Profoundly. At first, he’d simply been grateful for the way she’d taken Spencer under her wing, rescuing him at Pioneer Courthouse Square and then including him in her Christmas activities with Jasmine. Then he’d been drawn to her pretty face, the homey warmth of her kitchen. Kissing her sweet, willing lips had relit the fire in him, inspiring him to throw off the yoke of his grief and guilt.
Somewhere along the line he’d also come to admire her for her selfless devotion to her classroom of kids and the elderly folks at the senior center. She was a kind woman. He liked that. She’d been kind to him as well, and a caring listener.
And now the final piece of the puzzle clicked into place: the warm, fragrant welcome of her perfect body. The two of them fit together as if they’d been made for each other.