Walk Into Me

by Jill Prand

  “Lisa, you deserve to be happy and I want to be the one to bring back that happiness,” I lean in and kiss her quivering mouth. She has to believe she can be happy again. I pull back and wipe her eyes, “I choose you, Lisa. You have always been the only choice for me.” I kiss her one more time, “So are you ready for my spaghetti and meatballs?”

  Her eyes are glistening with moisture, but she gives me a half smile. “I’m ready,” she says softly. I start to lean in again and she pushes me back, “We’ll never get there if you don’t start driving.” This time the words are said forcefully.

  “Yes, ma’am.” We go straight into the kitchen from the garage and the smell hits me as we enter. It smells like tomato sauce and garlic. “I’ll start the water and put the bread in the oven. Do you want a glass of wine?” I ask.

  “Sure, but I’m not going to distract you and have you burn yourself again,” she chuckles. “I’ll go put some music on and set the table if you want.”

  “Everything’s already set up,” I say shaking my head. She looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. There are no dishes on the table. I hand her a glass and turn her around, “Go look in the living room.”

  She glances at me over her shoulder then walks away murmuring something about surprises that I don’t quite catch. I turn on the oven to warm the garlic bread I assembled earlier, put the water on to boil and get the salad out of the fridge. I toss it with a balsamic vinaigrette and take the bowl into the living room. The water should boil just about the time the oven is ready.

  I’d set the coffee table with soup and salad bowls so we can start on the salad. I set the bowl down, “Having a tough time choosing what to listen to?” I ask Lisa. She’s standing by my stereo going through my CD’s.

  She turns to me triumphantly, “Nope, I found just what I want.” She slips the CD into the stereo without letting me see it. As she walks back over to me, she has a sly look on her face. I know the music will be meaningful to us. The first chords of Don’t You (Forget About Me) start and I know exactly which CD she’s picked. The soundtrack from The Breakfast Club, we’ve watched that movie a few hundred times together.

  “Perfect,” I say drawing her down beside me. “Now eat your salad.” It feels so right having her here. I’m aching to take her into my arms again, but resist, we need to get through dinner first.

  Over dinner we talk about Cas and the conference she’s going to. Lisa was really excited about it but Simon Daly, one of her clients, called today with bad news. Stuart, Lisa’s ex will be attending. He landed a job at a competing company and this will make the conference stressful. I make a mental note to call Chris tomorrow and see if he can send someone to protect her. “Simon said he’d watch out for me and I will just have to be extra vigilant,” she says. I’m sure the look on my face is one of concern, “I’ll be fine, Brad. I won’t go anywhere alone.”

  “I can’t help worrying about you, Lisa,” I draw her close to me. I breathe her in. “You have no idea what you do to me,” I say against her ear. I kiss her temple then her cheek and I turn her so she’s facing me. I see no apprehension in her eyes so I press my lips to hers. I lick the seam and her mouth opens to me. I tilt her head to give me better access and plunge inside. I search every nook with my tongue then pull back to tug on her upper lip.

  Lisa sits back breaking the kiss, “Let’s clean up before we get carried away.” She’s stalling, I know it. Does she really want this? I hate that the questions start in my brain, but she’s twisting me around like a pretzel. We clean up our dishes and I pour us more wine.

  As we walk back into the living room I take her hand and instead of leading her to the couch I lure her into a dance. While we were eating I put my iPod on and set it to my “Sex” playlist so now Adam Levine is crooning out Back At Your Door and it is the perfect song for us. I always wind up back in her arms, even when I want to let her go I can’t. I have a tattoo on my heart that says “Property of Lisa” and it is permanent. We move together with the comfort of two bodies which know each other. We learned to dance together years ago practicing for school dances. Even then I was in love with her, but she didn’t know. Lisa has her face pressed to my collarbone and I feel her breath brushing over the few hairs sticking up under my polo shirt and the sensation of them moving is sending an electric current straight to my dick.

  One of my hands is splayed on her lower back urging us closer as I bend my knees causing her to ride my thigh. I can feel her heat through my jeans. My other hand is in her hair, yanking it back to give me admission to her mouth. I kiss her hard not asking but taking what I want now. I’m not giving either of us time to think anymore. She whimpers against me, but I can’t stop. I stab my tongue into her mouth and moan as I taste her. I rub my leg against her core and that earns me a moan from the back of her throat. My cock jolts as it fills, stretching out for her, begging for release. I need to be inside her.

  Wow, I need to slow down or I’ll be done with one thrust. I gentle our kiss, moving my lips to just below her ear. “We should move upstairs. I want to get you naked.” I lift my head and Lisa’s eyes are closed, her mouth is parted just waiting for mine so I dip in again. “Pretty girl,” I moan into her mouth. Herding her towards the steps I raise her sweater to feel her skin. She’s so soft I run my thumbs up and down while clutching her waist. Lisa stumbles as we reach the stairs, I catch her before she can fall. “Easy there,” her full body brushes against mine, I shudder in reaction.

  Lisa releases her grasp of me, “Why don’t you let me get upstairs before we end up on the floor?” Her eyes are half closed and filled with need.

  I turn her around but don’t let go. Moving her hair away, I stroke my tongue up her neck, “I can’t stop touching you, pretty girl.” I tug her earlobe between my teeth. “So you better get upstairs fast.” Her head falls back against me giving me better access to her neck and jaw, I take full advantage nipping along her jawline to her lips. She moans and tilts her head to deepen the kiss. I’m so fucking hard now my underwear is wet with cum seeping from my cock. I have to get her up the goddamn stairs. I gather her up and take the stairs two at a time. Striding down the hall to my room I try to get myself in check. I need to calm down or this will be over before I even get into her. Lisa’s making it so damn hard though, her hands are running over my shoulders and chest and her mouth is latched onto my jaw right below my ear. God, that feels so fucking good. I whimper as my balls draw up and if I don’t break away I’m going to cum in my jeans like a teenager.

  I practically throw her on my bed and step back. “You have to give me a minute Lisa,” I say straining to find something to think about to stop me from cumming. I close my eyes and picture the hull of the boat I’m going to have to strip before getting it back in the water. Nope not working. I press my fingers into my groin around the base of my cock trying to restrain myself. I think of that bitch at the closing, Helen, who propositioned me and said she would go down on me if I let her stay in the house. Yeah, that’s working, just thinking about that leech anywhere near my dick makes it start to calm down. My breathing levels out and I open my eyes to find Lisa has stripped and is lying on my bed in just her panties. I tear my clothes off, throwing them behind me and lay down next to her. “God, you’re so beautiful, Lisa.”

  She smiles and tentatively kisses me, “Are you sure, Brad? This is all I can offer you for right now.” “This is enough for the moment. We can build the rest as we go along,” I run my hand up her side until my thumb caresses the underside of her breast. “I need to be in you, Lisa. I need to make you feel alive.”

  “I’m going to start calling you Clark because you’re always saving me from self-destruction. I just don’t want to be your kryptonite.”

  I laugh, “Wrong hair color, maybe I should be Aquaman, I do work on the water.” She reaches up and runs her fingers through my hair, “No, you’re too good looking to be Aquaman, he always turned me off. I think Captain America would be better.”

  “I’
ll be whichever hero you want, pretty girl, as long as I’m only saving you.” I kiss her then ending the conversation that’s helped me calm down and now I’m focused on her. My fingers trace around her nipple until it puckers and I must taste it. My mouth encircles it as my hand starts to play with the other one. Lisa makes soft mewling sounds in her throat as I feast on her breasts, moving from one to the other, hollowing out my cheeks to give her constant hard suction. Nibbling on the peaks before swiping them with my tongue. Her smell is intoxicating and I crave a drink of her juices. I move down taking her panties off as I go and inhale her essence. She arches up against me as I swipe her core for the first time. I tease her with my lips and tongue, not settling in on her clit, just brushing it as I concentrate on licking her lips like an intimate kiss. Her hips push up and I move my arm across to pin her to the bed, “I’m gonna take my time with you, Lisa, I want you frantic before I let you come.”

  “Please, please,” she begs. I blow gently over her clit before drawing it into my mouth scraping it lightly with my teeth. Lisa screams, “Oh God!” and her whole body trembles. I know she’s close so I insert one finger into her drenched pussy. She’s so fucking tight the thought of my cock being inside her takes me to the edge, but first I want to make sure she’s ready. My mouth concentrates on her clit as I ease a second finger into her and hook them against the soft wall looking for that spot that will set off the explosion within her. She’s quivering around my fingers and begging for me to let her come.

  I lift my head to look at her and she is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, “Let go, Lisa.” I pump my fingers into her again as she finds her release. Her hands are in her hair and her back arches pushing those perfect breasts up. I start kissing my way up her body, still trembling from her orgasm. I reach over to the nightstand where I left the condom earlier and rip open the package. By the time I’ve sheathed myself Lisa’s eyes open and she reaches up to kiss me.

  “Inside me now, Brad,” she demands. I can no longer deny either her or myself and I plunge into her. She moves with me as we find a rhythm, my balls tighten against me and I know I don’t have much time, she just feels too good. I reach between us and caress her clit, “I’m coming, Brad,” she cries. As soon as I feel her pulsing around me I let myself climax. God, I love this woman. No one else has ever brought me to this level of release. I empty not only my seed but my heart into her. I have nothing left. I fall next to her hugging her to me.

  “I love you, Lisa,” I murmur in her ear. We fall asleep in each other’s arms.

  I’m startled awake while it’s still dark out. “Bobby, where are you?” Lisa cries out in her sleep. “I need you to come home.” Her words cut me, but it’s not like she didn’t warn me. She’s not mine yet, her heart still belongs to him.

  I pull her against my chest, “I’m here, baby, go back to sleep.” I use his name for her hoping she’ll believe my arms are his. It takes me a long time to fall back to sleep.

  Lisa

  I’m sitting in First Class waiting for the plane to taxi to the gate. The conference was a success. I met with a few new client prospects and have a real shot at landing one of them. I have Allison already working on research for the presentation I booked next month. It means I’ll have to drive down to Bethesda, Maryland. They are a group of doctors who created a new kind of prosthetic. It’s supposed to revolutionize the industry as it is surgically implanted and the limbs almost look life like. They are working with a few test subjects at Walter Reed and they will be ready to market in four to six months. I had to sign my life away to assure them we wouldn’t leak any secrets. I have to submit to a background check before the meeting. I wonder if Chris can handle that since he’s running Harber Security now.

  I glance back to business class and there is my watchdog, Karl. He still won’t tell me who set it up with Chris that he accompany me. If I had to guess it would be Arthur. Arthur had offered to come when he heard Stuart would be there, but his wife hasn’t been well and I was adamant he stay with her. Karl has been discreet, but I caught on to him the second day when Stuart walked past the booth I was manning. Karl stepped in front of me and eyed him until he turned the corner. After that the jig was up and I had him explain to me that he was a Harber employee. It was for the best actually because as soon as I found out, I relaxed. I didn’t even realize how stressed I was about Stuart being there.

  The plane finally docks and we are allowed to stand, I only have my purse and laptop bag as carry-ons so I’m one of the first out the door. Karl is right behind me and I slow down, “Thank you for babysitting me,” I smile at him.

  He smirks, “Best job I’ve pulled ever.” He stops and places a hand on my arm, “I just wanted to tell you I think Bobby was a lucky man to have you in his life.”

  Tears well up in my eyes, “No, I was the lucky one, but my luck ran out when he didn’t come home.” I turn and walk away before my tears fall. The pain of loss is back in a flash. I’ve been doing so well keeping it in check, mainly because I haven’t talked about him to anyone. I’ve put him in a box and only think about him in my dreams. Hearing Karl say his name popped the locks opening me up to the excruciating pain again.

  Karl catches up with me, “I’m so sorry, Lisa.” “It’s nothing you said, Karl. I just can’t talk about him yet.” A tear slips out of my eye and I pull out my sunglasses. I see Arthur waiting for me and I walk straight to him.

  “What’s wrong? Did something happen?” He asks with concern etched on his face.

  “I’m fine. I just need to get home,” I say softly.

  “It’s my fault,” Karl says from behind me. “I brought up Mr. Harber.” He walks around us towards the baggage claim. I take Arthur’s arm, “I really am okay. It just hit me for a moment.” We walk over to retrieve my bags. “He didn’t know, he was complimenting me.” Karl is standing on the other side of the carousel with his head down, “He feels awful so don’t say anything to him. He did a great job.”

  Arthur looks over and shakes his head, but then concentrates on finding my bags. We leave a few minutes later and I hope Karl has a ride home.

  “Am I taking you to Jodi’s or Brad’s?” Arthur asks as we hit the Belt Parkway.

  “Jodi’s please,” I say as I check my messages.

  I have texts from Brad waiting for me.

  Hey beautiful can’t wait 2 c u

  Call me when u get in

  I text back.

  On my way home. Need 2 veg in front of tv. Wanna b a potato with me?

  My phone vibrates in seconds.

  Pizza or Chinese?

  I smile. He knows me so well.

  Let me ask Jodi n John

  He replies.

  k <3 I have a few messages from Allison regarding projects we’re working on, so I call her. By the time we’re done talking I’m only minutes away from home. Wow, that went fast. Allison reminded me that I have to submit to a thorough background check for the prospective client, “Arthur, does Harber Security do government style background checks?”

  “Yes, why?” he looks at me in the rearview mirror.

  “I have to have one done for a doctor’s group out of Bethesda. They are planning to market some sort of new prosthetic and they want to vet out potential vendors.”

  “Well, Chris should have a file on you already since you are a principal at Harber.” Okay, that’s a little creepy. I wonder if Bobby had a file on me. I’m sure he did since he’d been keeping up to date with my life. Does Chris have access to all that information? I’m not sure I’m comfortable if he does. “So, is Chris in the area?”

  “I think he’s in DC this week. Want me to find out?”

  “No, I’ll give him a call tomorrow.” I’m definitely going to have to talk to him myself. Exhaustion starts to hit me as we pull up to the house. It’s just after three, so I will have the place to myself for a couple hours. Arthur brings my bags in for me and tells me he’ll pick me up at our usual time for work tomorrow. I wish the co
nference would have ended on a Friday, but I only have two days of work left before the weekend.

  I go into my room and unpack. I have a pile of clothes for the dry cleaner I’ll take in on Saturday. I just don’t feel like going out again today. As I put away my shoes I bump into “the” box. I put all the pictures, notes and gifts from Bobby in there except the picture of us on the beach and the necklace which is in my jewelry box. I sit down on the floor. “I miss you, Bobby,” I cry. I open the box and his last letter to me is on top. I take it out and just hug it to me. I can’t stand to read it again.

  I don’t know how long I’ve been sitting here when Jodi walks in, “Having a bad day?” She asks as she sits and puts her arms around me.

  “Just missing him,” I answer sniffling.

  “It’s okay to miss him, Lisa. It’s only been a few months. No one expects you to forget about him.” She reaches into the box and pulls out my favorite picture of him where his eyes are shining with desire. He’s so full of life in that picture it’s agony to look at it now.

  “Why Jodi? Why him?” “I don’t know. We’ll never know but you can’t keep ignoring your feelings. You went from one extreme to another. You need to give yourself more time to mourn him. Brad will give you time if you ask him.”

  “No, I won’t do that to him again. He’s waited long enough. I just have to figure out how to let Bobby go.” I take the picture from her and place it face down lay the letter over it and close the box. I take a deep breath and close the box in my heart as well. I can do this. I can live without him. “Brad is coming over to veg in front of the TV with me. He wants to know if we want pizza or Chinese. I vote for pizza.”

  “Sounds good to me, I didn’t feel like cooking anyway.” She stands up and offers me her hand. “Why don’t you take a bath? I’ll call Brad and tell him.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” I say as I toe the box back into place. After my bath I put on a pair of sleep pants and Bobby’s sweatshirt. I haven’t worn it in a while, but Jodi’s right, I do need time to mourn tonight. I just hope Brad doesn’t say anything about it.