I turned to face him and took the glass of wine that he held out. “Do you think she’ll ever come home?” I asked.
He shrugged. “It’s hard to say. Our parents dying was hard on us both, but especially her. I fly back to Virginia a couple times a year to check on her.”
“Mind if I ask how your parents died?” I took a sip of the wine and found it to be unexpectedly smooth and palatable.
He took my free hand in his and led me to the couch, where we both sat. I situated myself sideways to face him and drew my feet up underneath myself.
“It was an airplane crash. My dad was a pilot. Small aircraft. They were flying up in Alaska for their anniversary and the plane went down. The mayday tapes mentioned engine trouble.”
“God, I’m so sorry.” I placed a hand on his thigh.
He took a drink of wine and hung his head. “They were good people, like my grandpa. They lived good lives. I’m glad for that.”
He set his hand on top of mine and we sat quietly while staring at the fire. The sun was setting in earnest.
“How’d you find out about the baby?” I asked, breaking the silence.
“I went over to the hospital to ask about her. There was a news crew there. I guess I just felt a need to check on the little one.”
“I was thinking,” I said after taking a drink of the wine. “If you would have gotten to the baby first, instead of me, maybe she would have lived.”
“You know who lives and who dies isn’t in our control, Hattie.”
I looked down at my lap and nodded. “But she was just a tiny baby. What am I in this world? Just some…nobody.”
“No, never say that. You’re so much more than you think.”
I finished my wine in one long drink, the warming sensation it left going down my throat a bit unnerving. Saul held his arms out to signal me closer, and I leaned over so that he could hold me. His arm around me was heavy and warm. I yawned, feeling the wine begin to weave its wicked little grip around me.
“Is it okay if I stay tonight?”
“More than okay. If it were up to me I might just keep you around for a long time.”
He moved a bit so that he could easily lean down to kiss me. His lips felt hot on mine and his kiss tasted of sweet wine.
“I’m sorry you had to hear about the baby like you did,” he breathed. “But even more than that, I’m sorry you’re hurting so much.”
Before I could respond his mouth found mine once again and he kissed me with passion. His hands gently slid my sweater down over my shoulders and as our kissing mutually deepened, I shrugged the sweater off. His hands were gentle in discovering my bare skin, as my layered tank tops did little to cover much of me. Not meaning to, I whimpered into him as he moved his mouth to my neck.
“You okay?” he asked, his voice gentle and full of concern.
“Yeah. It just feels good,” I said. His mouth began to explore my skin and as he tasted me with his warm tongue, I continued. “Really good.”
“Let me make it feel even better?” he groaned.
His hands found their way up my shirts and he reached around to unhook my bra. I leaned forward to make it easier, and quickly he was helping me remove all my layers. He buried his face between my breasts and his hot breath nearly made me melt.
I struggled with the buttons on his shirt until each was freed. I found his waistband and untucked his top, moving my hands up his sides to feel his skin. He was softer than his rugged looks let on and his hard muscles contracted under my touch. The wine was making me feel dizzy and the effect of that mixed with his touch was electric. His mouth found one of my bare breasts and he twisted his tongue lightly around my nipple as he sucked gently. He was being so tender with me and I found myself getting lost in his affections.
“Hattie?” he said quietly as he released my breast to look up at me.
“Hmm?”
“Is it okay if I make love to you?”
I nodded approval and he sat back to take his shirt the rest of the way off. As his button-up fell off, it left him in an undershirt. I leaned forward and eagerly helped lift it above his head. His chest was sculpted and I ran a hand over one of his pecs. I could feel his eyes on me as I slowly explored the curves of his chest. His body was mesmerizing. I leaned forward and kissed him softly next to his left nipple. I heard him groan lightly, and took it as a cue to continue. I moved my mouth, trailing along until I felt his nipple beneath my lips. I gently drew his small nub into my mouth, tasting the saltiness of his skin. I really hadn’t a clue as to what I was doing, but his reaction told me that I was doing it well. As I got more involved, he winced.
“Not too hard, babe.” He sounded breathless.
I stopped and looked at him. I could feel my heart pounding with longing. Saul readjusted on the couch, eventually standing. He held an arm out for me, and I took his hand as I stood.
“Bedroom or here?” he asked.
“I’m not sure I can make it to the bedroom,” I huffed.
I reached forward and began to undo his belt. His jeans were tight from his erection and he was obviously uncomfortable.
“Here, I’ll get it,” he said, his voice even deeper than usual.
As he worked the buckle of his belt until it was undone, I began undoing my own jeans button.
“No, let me? Please?” he asked, interrupting me. “It kind of turns me on,” he explained.
I stopped and watched him slide his pants down. He was wearing boxers in gray and burgundy plaid, and they did little to hide his hardness. He moved forward and began working at the front of my pants.
“I’ve never seen anything as beautiful as you,” he whispered.
He slid my pants down with obvious expertise, and stepped closer. Wrapping his arms around my nearly nude body, he kissed me hard. I reached my arms up and wrapped them around his shoulders, pulling myself against him in an effort to get even closer, if that was possible. His thumbs hooked into the sides of my panties and he tugged them down. Eventually they fell to my feet and I kicked them off. Saul lifted me off the floor and I wrapped my legs around him as he backed up closer to the fireplace. His cock was pressing into me, eagerly searching. He carefully lay me down on the blankets where we had eaten dinner. I reached up and again traced the lines of his chest with my index finger, slowly trailing down to his abs. I felt his body shiver under my touch. As my fingers got to his boxers, I used both hands to tug them down to his hips. He pulled them down the rest of the way and continued to explore my body with his mouth, his hands, and his manhood. I could feel my own dampness between my legs and was more than ready for him to enter me.
“God I need you,” I moaned.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
I felt his hand slide between my legs and he groaned loudly.
“Fuck, you’re so wet…”
He dipped one of his fingers inside of me, and using my own wetness he began pleasuring me by tracing tiny circles on my clit with his fingertip.
“You like that, don’t you?” his voice was near-growling.
“Yeah,” I managed to breathe out. “I really like that.”
His finger suddenly slid back inside of me, going deeper than before, and I felt him stroke my inner walls playfully. He continued, this time teasing my nub with his thumb while his finger searched deep within me. The combination made me arch my back and lift my hips in desire. I could feel his hard cock stroking my leg and he began breathing heavily.
“I know I need to grab a condom, Hattie, but can I just feel you for a second?”
I wasn't really sure how to answer. At the time all I knew was that I wanted him inside of me so badly that I was ready to cry out, begging for it.
“Just for a second? I promise,” he whimped.
He nuzzled his face against my chest and moved his hands to my arms, which I lifted over my head as he rearranged himself to lay on top of me. His cock was hard against me and I felt the tip slide against my dampness. As it touched
my clit, I groaned. I let my legs fall open, inviting him to feel me any way that he needed to. His touch was light in exploring me as he slid his erection up and back down my folds, occasionally dipping the head in just half an inch or so. His whole body began tensing and I couldn’t make myself stay quiet. My whimpering soon turned to gasping as he began to enter me just a tiny bit more. Every shred of my being wanted to become one with him in that moment.
“I have to stop, baby,” he said in little gasps.
“No,” I whispered. “No,” I pleaded.
“It’ll just take me a minute, I promise.”
“Don’t go?” I begged, letting my knees fall to the sides even more. I reached down and touched myself, desperate for my fingers to be him inside of me. “Please, Saul?”
He leaned down and kissed my mouth. I could tell he was torn between what he knew was right and what he knew we both wanted. I moved my hands to his back and kneaded at his flesh while his cock again found its target. He slid the tip inside of me again and hesitated.
“Just for a minute,” he whispered while looking me in the eyes tenderly.
I barely nodded, but knew it was just enough for him to take my cue. He moved his cock carefully into me, this time half-way. I moaned with the pleasure, causing him to stop and his entire body felt tense on top of me. He looked at me again and I nodded as I stared back into his eyes.
“Just for a minute,” he groaned as he buried himself into me slowly and deeply. It felt so good that my body begged for more by grinding against him. His eyes closed as he matched my rhythm, allowing him to go even deeper when our bodies met. Eventually he opened his eyes and watched me while we danced together. As he began thrusting faster, he had a pained look on his face.
“We have to stop, babe. Seriously.”
“Just for another minute?”
“I can’t. I can’t hold it that long.”
He slowed, to my dismay. I must have looked pathetically sad, because he leaned down and kissed my forehead, still lingering inside of me. He very slowly began pumping into me again, looking at my face the entire time as if watching for me to say “stop.” I never did. He continued on, slowly and almost hesitantly, for a long time. Eventually he sped his thrusting up, breaking his eye-lock with me. We both allowed ourselves to get lost in the pleasure and eventually fell apart in each other’s arms.
Both of us exhausted, we lay on the floor side-by-side, allowing the heat of the fire and the heat of each other to warm us. We didn’t talk, but rather fell asleep with our bodies entwined with each other.
CHAPTER 12 ~ A VISITOR
We slept on the living room floor for hours. It was a knock on the front door that roused me from a restless sleep. I woke wrapped in Saul’s arms, wondering if I had dreamt the knocking. The fire was dying, the room lit only by glowing red and orange embers. I snuggled up closer to Saul and closed my eyes again. The knock came again. This time louder.
“Saul?” I whispered. He was sleeping deeply and didn’t respond, so I gently shook his shoulder. “Saul?”
“Hmm?” He sounded exhausted.
“Someone’s knocking on your door.”
His eyes fluttered open at my words.
“What time is it?” he mumbled.
“I’m not sure. I left my phone on the coffee table.”
“Okay, hang on. I’ll see who it is and get rid of them.”
Whoever it was knocked again, this time calling out Saul’s name.
“Saul! Open up, it’s me, Carolina!”
I heard him struggle to slip into his jeans, grumbling as he collided against the coffee table.
“Hattie, it’s my sister. Mind slipping some clothes on?” he asked me quietly.
“Did you know she’s in town?”
“No…”
I stood and grabbed what looked like my shirts sitting in a heap on the floor. “I’ll get dressed in the bathroom,” I said quietly.
“Lina, hang on!” he called out. “I’ll be there in a sec!”
Zipping his fly, he leaned down and kissed me on the cheek. I gathered my jeans and panties and stumbled in the dark to where I recalled the bathroom being. Half way there, he turned the kitchen light on. I snuck into the bathroom and hurried to do girly business and dress. My sweater, one tank, and bra were missing, so I settled for my jeans and a single tank top. I could hear Saul and Carolina greeting each other. She was busy apologizing for arriving in the middle of the night and he was telling her that she’s welcome at any time - 24/7. I quickly borrowed a dab of Saul’s toothpaste and used my finger to scrub my teeth, hoping to rid myself of a horrible Chinese food and wine aftertaste. I ran my fingers through my hair and took a deep breath.
Never being the best at meeting new people, I forced myself to calm down and leave the safety of the bathroom. As I walked down the hall I could hear the clinking of dishes coming from the kitchen. Saul’s sister was busy asking him why he hadn’t returned her e-mails.
“Hold on, sis,” he said, sounding exasperated. “You know I hate e-mail. Why didn’t you call?”
As they grew within my sight, I slowed down, crossed my arms over my chest to hide my lack of a bra, and cleared my throat.
“Oh, hey, Lina. This is Hattie.”
He was standing there in bare feet and a bare chest, wearing only his jeans.
“Oh, God. I didn’t know you had company,” she said, obviously embarrassed to have interrupted our night.
I smiled at her. My first impression was that she was a sweet girl, likely taking after her older brother.
“It’s okay,” I mumbled. “Really.”
Saul held an arm out, indicating I should step beside him. As I did so, Carolina stood and walked toward us. She held a hand out and I took hers in mine.
“Good to meet you,” she said.
“Hattie, I’m just making tea. Do you want some?” Saul asked me.
“Yeah, sure.”
“Lina flew in because she hadn’t heard from me since the explosion. I guess I didn’t check my e-mail and she didn’t check her texts.”
“Oops,” I said. “You must have been really worried about him.”
“Yeah, that’s an understatement,” said the girl with a soft smile.
She looked a bit like her brother with the same coloring but finer features, as well as being a head shorter.
“How long are you in town for?” Saul asked.
“Just a couple days. I have to get back to work, stuff like that.”
“How’d you get from the airport to here?”
He was busy pouring hot water into three mugs.
“I rented a car. No biggie.”
“Your bags out front?” he asked.
Lina nodded.
“I’ll grab them.”
“Saul, I can stay at a hotel. It’s not a big deal.”
“Nonsense,” he said. “You know you’re always welcome here.”
“Still have a couch?” she asked.
“I do. I’d let you crash in my bed and take the couch but Hattie’s staying here tonight.”
“I can head home if you want, Saul,” I offered.
“No…don’t do that!” said Lina. “I’m totally fine on the couch.”
Of course I felt bad, and the situation was a bit awkward.
“What time is it anyway?” asked Saul, yawning.
Lina looked at her watch and followed suit with yawning. “Almost two o’clock.”
“Hattie, do you mind finishing the tea while I grab Lina’s bags?”
“Sure. No problem.”
Of course it meant uncrossing my arms, but I took his place in front of the steaming mugs and added tea bags to each as he walked outside to gather luggage.
“So where did you guys meet?” his sister asked me.
I looked up and tucked a few stray hairs behind my left ear. “The explosion,” I said. “He saved me.”
“Seriously? Wow…that’s so like him.”
“Yeah I was pretty lucky. I gu
ess we both were. You know, to make it out of there.”
“The list of deceased didn’t have his name on it, but I was so worried since he didn’t answer my e-mails or calls.”
“He never mentioned you calling,” I said quietly in his defense.
“He probably changed his number again. He’s had to do that a couple of times with the big family feud going on.”
“You girls behaving?” came Saul’s voice from the front door. He had left it open and the cold of the night was creeping in. I could feel goose bumps on my bare arms.
“Of course not, Saul,” said Lina, obviously joking.
“Just the three bags Lina?”
“Yup. Thanks for hauling them in.”
“Anytime. I know you’re a wimp and all.”
She swatted at him and rolled her eyes.
“Hattie you look half frozen. I’ll add some logs to the stove.”
“Let’s take the tea in there,” suggested Lina. “It’s always been the warmest room. I had forgotten how cold it is here this time of year.”
“Days have been pretty warm here,” I added. “Nights are still chilly.”
Lina carried her mug as well as Saul’s and I took my own. We followed him into the living room, where I scurried around picking up our remaining clothes from the floor. I knew I was blushing, but Carolina was tactful enough to not say anything. Saul made quick work of stoking the fire and adding a piece of wood, and picked up the blankets we had slept on without explaining. Lina settled into the only easy chair in the room and slumped into it, looking exhausted. I did nearly the same, settling in on one end of the couch. Saul joined me, sitting close and wrapping an arm around my shoulders.
“So Saul it sounds like you’re a big time hero now, huh?” said his sister.
“I guess so,” he said, looking at me with a softness in his eyes. That look actually made my stomach do a flip-flop.
“So you guys didn’t know each other beforehand?”
This Side of the Sun (The Sun Trilogy) Page 9