Hard Choices: An Erotic Romance

by Joan Farraneau

  Just then we’re interrupted by the chiming of the grandfather clock in the living room. It sounds seven times. 7 o’clock. By now the inside of the house is a-swirl with shadows.

  “Well, it’s seven,” Parsons says, upending the bottle of whiskey into his mouth. I watch as he swallows the last mouthful, his gelatinous neck jiggling. “Time for me to get going.”

  It takes Parsons saying it for me to realize what seven o’clock means. Seven o’clock? Shit! I was supposed to pick up Sam at six!

  Without waiting for Parsons to gather the documents scattered across the table, I down my beer in three big gulps, crush the empty can, and toss it to the floor. I grab my keys from the counter and am practically out the door before Parsons even realizes what’s happening.

  “Where are you—”

  “I’m late,” I say, cutting him off mid-question. “Call me with the rest of the details. I don’t want anything else moving forward until you’ve talked to me.”

  The door slams behind me as I bound down the front steps and leap onto my bike. A minute later I’m racing down the highway as fast as my bike will take me.

  I’m not falling for this girl, am I?

  15.

  Sam

  Just when I begin to believe he’s not coming, the growl of his bike cuts through the still night air. I’m not sure how I know it’s him. I just do. I can feel it.

  He pulls up a moment later, looking as perfect as ever. Was it really just yesterday that we met for the first time? As before, the same feeling of familiarity washes over me as his eyes meet mine and he smiles. The teenage girl inside of me is immediately overwhelmed with excitement. Is this what finding your soulmate feels like?

  Whoa there, girl. You need to calm down. You’re flirting with crazy girlfriend territory. Remember, you two have only just met.

  I have to remind myself of this two more times before my heart calms down enough that I can catch a breath. Luke circles the lot and pulls right up to the porch of the diner where I’m waiting, my apron draped over my arm.

  “Sorry I’m late,” Luke says, turning off his engine and swinging his leg over his bike. He takes two steps and then he’s there, standing right in front of me, as real as ever. He leans down and kisses my cheek. There’s a faint hint of beer on his breath. What has he been up? Where was it he had to go today?

  “How are you?” he asks, his eyes searching mine. They are so open, so earnest, that I don’t even care he’s an hour late. I’m just glad he’s here. After all that’s happened, I’m not sure I can take another heartbreak, even if it’s from someone I barely know.

  “I’m fine. Just enjoying the night. I always enjoying watching sunset.”

  Luke grins sheepishly and runs his hand through my hair.

  “I’m so sorry I’m late,” he repeats, placing a hand on my hip. “I had to meet with a lawyer and it ended up taking longer than I expected. I came as soon as we were done.”

  “That’s okay. I’m just glad you’re here. I was afraid—“

  Luke raises a finger to my lips to stop me.

  “Don’t be silly,” he admonishes. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world. Now, are you ready?”

  “Ready for what?”

  Luke chuckles as he wraps his arms around me and lifts me from the porch. I snuggle my head against his shoulder, breathing deep his scent, an aroma that’s been stuck in my nostrils all day. He turns and carries me to his bike and sets me on the seat.

  “For our date, goofball,” he teases. He climbs onto the bike in front of me and I swing a leg over and wrap my arms around his stomach. I feel like I’m seventeen again. “You didn’t think I was just some guy you could sleep with and not date, did you?”

  ***

  It’s a long ride out to wherever he’s taking me. At first I can keep up with where we are, but soon we turn onto a small dirt road that’s unfamiliar. We take a few more turns onto smaller and smaller roads until finally we’re on a path just wide enough for Luke’s bike. He’s driving slow, doing his best not to kick up dust and choke us. I ride with my hands resting on the top of his thighs, my face pressed to his strong back. I’m painfully aware of how close I am to him; every fiber of my being aches to feel his touch one more. Unable to help myself, every few miles I nuzzle my lips against his neck and kiss him gently. Each time, a smile spreads on my lips.

  It’s dark and my stomach is growling with hunger by the time Luke pulls off to the side of the road. The moon is full tonight and up early. Everything around us is bathed in its creamy white light.

  When Luke shuts the engine off, the world becomes incredibly quiet. Within seconds the crickets in the brush on either side of the dirt path resume their nightly song. A moment later they are joined by frogs on the banks of a nearby stream.

  We’re in a valley, most of the sky blotted out by trees spreading their branches over our heads. In the darkness, I hold Luke tighter.

  “Where are we?” I whisper.

  Luke says not a word as he hops off his bike and walks around to its backside. He pulls open the back compartment. I hear him rummage around and then the white glow of a flashlight appears on the ground.

  “A special place,” he finally says, and leaves it at that. As I slide off the bike, he pulls out a small satchel from inside the back compartment and slings it over his shoulder. Then, with a quick peck on my cheek, he grabs my hand and drags me into the brush.

  “Come on,” he says, guiding us down an even smaller dirt path. “It’s not far. Though we’ll have to go uphill for most of it. That should help us work up an appetite.”

  It takes another twenty minutes of huffing and puffing to get where we’re going. At first I can’t make out much of anything; the forest is so thick around us that all I can see is Luke’s little circle of light bouncing and jumping in front of us as we climb. Finally, we turn one last corner and suddenly the world opens up before us.

  “Wow…”

  We’re standing on top of a hill, probably the tallest in the whole county. For some reason, it’s bare of all trees. Below us in every direction the world stretches to the horizon. In the distance, the lights of our little town sparkle. To the west, the horizon glows an unnatural orange. Without needing to ask, I know that that’s Dallas way out there, its light pollution visible for miles and miles around.

  “Welcome to my favorite spot in the world,” Luke says, sliding around behind me and wrapping his thick arms around my tummy. “This is where I used to come when I was a teenager, to just sit and think and look down upon it all.”

  “It’s beautiful,” I breathe. “I had no idea a place like this existed. We’re so high up…”

  “Right? I don’t think there’s a taller hill in all the county.”

  After a moment, Luke releases me and swings the pack down from his shoulder. He hands me the flashlight and I aim it towards the bag as he unzips it and pulls out a blanket. He looks around for a flat spot and then spreads the blanket out, weighing each corner down with fist-sized rocks.

  “Alright then,” he says, “go ahead and make yourself comfortable.”

  I plop down onto the blanket, still awed by the view of the illuminated countryside. Luke pulls out two wine glasses, a bottle of wine and an opener and sets it all down on the ground. He sits down beside me and tears off the top of the wine bottle.

  “What are you—?”

  Luke laughs as he screws the corkscrew into the cork.

  “A man can be romantic, can’t he?”

  When the bottle’s open, he pours us each a half glass and we toast. As soon as I take a sip of the wine (I don’t know much about wine but this doesn’t stop me from swirling it and pretending I do), my stomach growls again. It’s been hours since I’ve eaten; the restaurant was too busy to take a break. Hearing this, Luke begins to rummage through the bag.

  “I brought some food too.” He pulls out a loaf of bread, some cheese and a few other small items (olives, chocolate almonds, sliced prosciutto) and arranges
them on the blanket. Though our meal is meager, I feel as if I’ve just presented a feast. It’s so cute and romantic that I’m almost burst into tears. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been treated like this. Probably never. Do men like this really exist?

  Luke can sense the shift in me. He sets down the loaf of bread, wraps an arm around my shoulder, and pulls me into him. By now the tears are flowing. I’m so embarrassed I bury my head in his chest as he strokes my hair and gently shushes me.

  “What is it?” he whispers. “Shh, shh. What’s the matter? Why are you crying?”

  It takes a little while but eventually I’m composed enough to sit back and look up into his beautiful eyes aglow in the moonlight. I just can’t believe that he’s really real. Where has he been all of my life? Who knew a man could be so big and strong and yet so caring, so kind?

  “What is it?” he asks again. The way he says it is almost enough to send me right back into his arms. But I take a deep breath and wipe my tears away with the back of my hand instead, laughing as I sniffle.

  “Sorry, my nose always runs when I cry…”

  He waits patiently until I’m calm enough to speak without my voice cracking, his eyes staring intently into mine.

  “What is it, sweetheart?”

  Suddenly I feel foolish. It’s embarrassing. I don’t want to admit that I’m just so happy. What kind of man wants to listen to a woman he’s just met cry about how lonely she’s been?

  “It’s just…just…” I take another deep breath and then forge ahead. “Just I’ve never had anyone do something like this for me. It’s so…romantic.”

  Luke laughs a big belly laugh and pulls me back into his arms. His hand slides up my back and into my hair. He pulls my head back and presses his lips to mine. He kisses me gently and wipes away a tear with his thumb.

  “Don’t be so silly,” he whispers. He picks up my wine glass and places it in my hand, then grabs his and holds it up. “Let’s have a toast, hmm? To new beginnings, and the end of an old, useless era!”

  He’s so cute and earnest I can’t help but giggle. As I take a sip of my wine, I run my hand up the inside of his forearm, tracing the swirling patterns of his tattoos with my fingertips. I can feel the blood pulsing through his veins. Out of nowhere, I’m overwhelmed with desire. I want him, want him like I’ve never wanted anyone. Right here, right now on this perfect night that we have all to ourselves. The memory of the night before is fresh; I want him inside of me, want to feel those powerful arms wrapped around my frail body, want to become one with him once more. The hunger in my belly is gone now, replaced by a thirst much older, much stronger. There’s no time to lose…

  Luke must be feeling the same thing because we set down our wine glasses at the same time. Before I can even take a breath his lips are against mine and his fingers are slowly unbuttoning my blouse from top to bottom. I slip my hands under his shirt and run them up his stomach, feeling each ab. Our tongues swirl together as he gets the last button open and rips my shirt off my shoulders. I feel drunk now, though it has nothing to do with the wine. It’s this night, this moment, this man.

  He rises to his knees and our lips part for a moment as he pulls his shirt over his head and drops it to the blanket. The moon bathes him in its soft light. He looks like a ghost in the moonlight.

  He kisses me again and pushes me onto my back. I reach down and fumble with his belt. When I get it open, he bends down and runs his tongue up the center of my tummy. He kisses all over my breasts, his tongue tickling my hardened nipples through my lace bra.

  I unbutton his jeans and slip my hand down into them, my fingers sliding beneath his boxer briefs and wrapping around his already-rock-hard shaft. He groans as I caress his tip, his cock twitching and jumping between my fingers. Far below us and away the lights of my town continue to sparkle; there’s no sound save our heavy breathing and the crickets singing just for us.

  With one hand, Luke reaches behind me and snaps my bra open and draws it off my shoulders. He squeezes my breast and circles his tongue over my areola. It’s like every nerve ending is ablaze inside of me. My body is pulsing with the anticipation of what’s to come.

  Luke’s teeth close around my nipple and he bites down gently as I use my other hand to unbutton my pants. I lift my hips from the ground and push my pants down to my knees as he sucks on my breast, making me moan and shiver in the cool night air.

  His hand is warm as it slides down my belly and pulls my panties off my hips. I kick them off of my feet as his fingers brush against my wet lips. I groan and a growl escapes Luke’s chest. He flicks his tongue across my nipple as he slides a finger down either side of my slit. I want his touch so bad I almost can’t stand it. I raise my hips towards his hand, begging him with my body to touch me fully. He releases my nipple and raises his head to look at me. In the moonlight his eyes sparkle.

  “Please,” I whisper, rolling my hips against his hand. “Please…”

  He pushes two fingers between my lips and slides them back and forth. I’m so wet I’m practically dripping. My head falls back to the blanket as he begins to circle his fingers over my clit, bolts of electricity shooting through me.

  “Inside,” I beg. “Put them inside!”

  Luke laughs as he slides his fingers back towards my opening and curls them. With our eyes locked together he pushes his fingers into my tight, dripping hole. The way he does it is so sexy I almost start coming right then and there. He slides his two fingers in up to his second knuckle, my lips tight around them.

  “Oh, yes…” I breathe. “Just like that.”

  Using his thumb to massage my clit, Luke starts to pump his fingers slowly in and out of me. At the same time he bends down and runs his tongue up the side of my neck. He bites my ear lobe and sends goosebumps racing down my body.

  I can’t wait any longer. Luke’s teasing me and he knows it. He knows what I want. I reach down and push his jeans off his hips, his boxer briefs coming down with them. I glance down between our bodies. God, I love his cock. So long, so thick, so beautiful.

  I wrap my legs around him, tilt my hips upward, and reach down and wrap my fingers around his manhood. I stroke him up and down, matching the rhythm of my hand to his. He groans and kisses his way up the side of my face. I kiss him deeply just as my pussy begins to clench around his fingers.

  “Please…” I groan, breaking away. “Please. Don’t make me wait any longer…”

  Luke smashes his mouth back against mine and pumps his fingers even faster, my pussy squelching. I try to gasp but Luke won’t let my lips leave his. My thighs are shaking; my hand squeezes his cock and strokes faster. He seems to grow even thicker in my hand. He wants me just as much as I want him.

  Just when I think I can’t stand it anymore and feel like I might explode, Luke pulls his fingers from inside of me. He sits back on his heels and looks me over, his hungry eyes taking in my body splayed out before him. He meets my eye and grins.

  I can’t take my eyes off of his cock. It’s all I can think about. I’m craving it. I’m crazed with desire. If he doesn’t fuck me soon I might scream.

  “Do it,” I command, spreading my legs. I slide a hand down my belly and rub my pussy for him, sliding my fingers up and down either side of my swollen clit. “Fuck me, Luke.”

  He winces, almost imperceptibly. For a moment, I wonder what I’ve said. But these thoughts are quickly brushed away as he bends over me and slides a hand under my ass. He lifts my body with ease, guiding his cock towards my opening with his other hand. He slides it between my lips, wetting his shaft with my juices. The touch of his skin to mine is too much and I begin to come, a small orgasm that I know is only the first of many.

  “Please, please…” I beg, my nails digging into his back. I kiss his lips, his cheeks, his neck, his collarbone. His cockhead pushes back my hood and rolls over my clit. Using his fingers to press his tip into me, he grinds it over my nub until I’m gasping and my thighs are quivering. Using his hand to guide
him, Luke slides his cock back towards my opening. He pushes his hips forward, for a moment his head pressing against my still-too-small opening. I resist for only a second before I give way and he glides in. We gasp together as he enters me.

  “Oh yes...oh yes…”

  His hand grips me tightly as he pushes himself forward, pulling out every inch or so to give me a moment to relax before thrusting his hips forward again and sliding deeper. He’s so big, I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to it.

  In an instant I’ve forgotten the rest of the world. It just doesn’t matter anymore. The diner. Sarah. Mike. My husband. I don’t care. All I want, all I can think about in this moment is this man before me that I’m pretty sure I’m already falling in love with. There is nothing but this moment on top of this hill overlooking the only life I’ve ever known.

  He pulls my towards him, sliding in as deep as he can go, our gazes locked together. We’re barely breathing. I can see the same craving in his eyes that I feel burbling up inside of me. This is what’s meant to be.

  As the crickets begin to chirp around us once more, Luke pumps faster and faster. I gasp and a laugh burst from my lips. It just feels so good…

  “More!” I beg, digging my fingernails into his shoulders and pulling him into me. I never want to let him go. “Oh, yes, more! I want you, Luke. I want you so bad…please, don’t ever stop. Don’t ever stop…”

  16.

  Sean

  “Wow…”

  Sam giggles beside me. I look over at her lying on the blanket beside me, her skin shiny with sweat in the moonlight. Her chest is rising and falling rapidly as she works to regain her breath, her hair in a mess about her face. In all honesty, I’ve never seen a more beautiful sight. She’s like an angel. Her skin looks so smooth, her lips so inviting. What’s happening to me?