by MJ Masucci
“You can’t eat all the good stuff? I usually stick to Hot Pockets, frozen pizzas, and sandwiches when I don’t eat with Janelle.”
“You put all that garbage in your body? You would never know it from what it looks like on the outside.”
She looked him up and down.
“Now I feel like a piece of meat.” He said as he pulled on his boxers. A few minutes later he was dressed for a run and had secured a backpack on his shoulders. He sat down on the bed and kissed her lips softly.
“I love you. Don’t ever forget that.”
She ran her hand through his long hair.
“I love you, too.”
He went to leave as she lay in bed looking at the ceiling. Everything had come full circle, and they were finally back together. However, Ava felt a pang of sadness because as of tomorrow, they would be apart again and who knew for how long. Her mind was already worrying that without her being with Xander, he would change his mind and decide they were better separated, he was the only one with whom she wanted to spend her life.
Chapter 11
While Xander was gone, she took a shower. She had no clean panties so she went through his drawers until she found a pair of shorts that seemed as though they would be too small for him. They had a drawstring so she could at least tighten the waist. She showered and then wrapped herself in a towel just as Xander was coming back into the apartment.
“Sweetheart, where are you?”
“I’m in the bathroom. I decided to take a shower,”
“Wow, if you could always greet me this way that would be fantastic.”
She went to the counter and looked in the backpack he had just placed on the counter. He had gotten eggs, milk, cheese, some fruit salad, bagels, and donuts.
“Donuts? Really?”
“You might not like them, but I do. Now, could you please put something on before I take you back to bed.”
“I have no clean clothes here, so I was going to wear a pair of shorts I found in your drawer. Is that okay?”
“Just shorts? I have no problem with you parading around topless if that’s what you’re driving at.”
“I plan on borrowing a shirt, too, wise guy.”
She returned to his bedroom to dress and didn’t bother closing the door, partly hoping he would take her back to bed. She put on the shorts, pulling the drawstring tight. The legs ballooned out and went practically to her knees. The t-shirt was a plain white one, and she was sure her breasts were visible through it or at the very least, her nipples. But it would have to do.
Xander was in the kitchen mixing a bowl full of eggs. He looked up when she came in and didn’t know if he should thank the gods or laugh. The t-shirt she wore was revealing. Her lush breasts pressed against the fabric and revealed her nipples. But the shorts were another story. What would have hung to his mid thigh hung to her knees. The outfit was a bit comical, but he chose to concentrate on the beautiful upper part of her body. He had a hard time paying attention to what he was doing because of it. Ava noticed and put her hand out for the whisk.
“Why don’t you take a shower. I’ll make you eggs.”
“Are you sure? It’s not a problem. I can take a shower after breakfast.”
“Go, you’re all sweaty.”
He kissed her and stripped his clothing off as he went into the bathroom. The last look she got of him was his taut ass. She added a bit of milk to the eggs and searched the refrigerator for butter to put in the pan. She heard her phone chirp and went to see who had texted her. It was Rachel.
Since you didn’t come back last night, I assume that everything went well?
More than well, you have no idea.
I think I have an idea! I’m on my way to Montreal. I should be back by late afternoon tomorrow. I think it’s better we stay another day. I don’t want to get caught on the highway at night.
Ava was more than happy to stay another full day. It would be a full day in Xander’s bed.
I have no problem with that. I’ll call work and let them know I will be out until Thursday. Drive carefully and text me when you get there so I know you’re safe.
Will do. Have fun!!
Xander came out of the bathroom just as she put her phone down. He was wrapped in a towel, looking sexy. She could get used to his long hair if he wanted to keep it. As long as he kept the beard to a minimum she was fine with the change.
“We are leaving Wednesday. Rachel said she wouldn't be back until late afternoon tomorrow.”
She watched as a smile bloomed on his face.
“You don’t know how happy that makes me.” He grabbed her around the waist, and she tugged at the knot in his towel.
“Careful, baby. That’s how trouble starts.”
She could already feel that trouble had started. She managed to get the towel off him and it fell to the floor as he scooped her up in his arms. He took her to his bed and breakfast was long forgotten.
As they lay in bed with their legs tangled around each other later that morning, they talked about the future. Xander had a plan for coming back to Manhattan and resuming his life with her. She promised to give him the time he needed to get his affairs straight in Saratoga. She said she would visit him each weekend so they could be together, though she didn’t know that forces were already working against them to prevent that from happening.
They spent the entire day and evening together. Xander took her back to the inn so she could get some clean clothes. She wore the clothing she had originally worn to Xander’s. She thought she would draw too many looks walking around in his oversized shorts and a see through t-shirt. It was bad enough that her looks alone drew attention.
She was a beautiful woman and men and women alike were drawn to her. On the way to the inn, she called one of the assistants at the firm and left a message about her coming back later than she originally planned. Ava knew Victoria wouldn’t be happy she wasn’t coming back until Thursday, but she would have to deal with it. She had other people to help her besides Ava. It was more important to talk to Gage so he’d keep feeding the cats, and that turned out to be no problem.
Xander took her out to dinner at his favorite burger joint. She was reluctant to eat red meat since she rarely did, but he encouraged her to get the largest and greasiest burger on the menu. It was the first bite of a burger she had in eight months. The grease dripped down her arm and chin as she bit into it. She had to admit it was wonderful.
“I’m going to have to run ten miles when I get home. You’re a bad influence, Wilder. We are not eating like this when you move back to the city.”
“You might not want to eat that way, but I have been craving a Soul Burger with the seasoned fries and onion rings. Please tell me they’re still there.”
“I think so.”
“What do you mean you think so? How long has it been since you were last there?”
“It’s been over four years. I didn’t go to any of the places we frequented. The memories were just too painful.”
Xander felt horrible. She had suffered as much as he had, even more so. She was still in the city where they had shared life. At least he was far away, though he avoided those places when he was in the city to see his parents. He hadn’t checked to see if Soul Burger was still there. Washington Square Park was a trigger where he hadn’t visited until last month. So he knew what she meant.
“I’m sorry that what I did changed your life so much. I will apologize my whole life for the time we were apart.”
“You don’t need to apologize. You’ve done enough apologizing. Just being with me again is enough.”
After dinner, they walked the streets of Saratoga. He took her to his favorite frozen custard place and he forced her to get a small cone of their french vanilla flavor with sprinkles. He watched her slowly lick her cone, and he felt a stirring in his shorts. This woman is going to be the death of me. He continued to watch her until she realized he was doing it.
“What?”
“Do you know how sexy you
look licking that?” He said it softly, careful not to let the others around them hear.
“Oh, so you like to watch me lick things? You have something I particularly love to lick. If you take me home, I will show you.”
She didn’t have to tell him twice. He took her hand, and she discarded the remnants of the cone in the garbage as they hurried to his truck.
Xander was already at half mast. The memory of what she could do with her tongue and mouth had not been forgotten. Ava reached over to stroke his growing length through his shorts while he drove them back to the apartment.
“Don’t do that. I need to concentrate on the road,” he pleaded with her. “And put on your seat belt!”
Ava kept her hands to herself as far as his cock was concerned, but she ran her nails over the tanned skin of his arm and hand. By the time he pulled into the garage, his cock was straining against his shorts. She reached for him, but he gently wrapped his hand around her wrist to stop her.
“Not here.”
He quickly got out of the truck, and Ava was already on the stairs to his apartment by the time he rounded the corner. Once inside, she was upon him even before he closed the door, her hands fumbling for his zipper and tugging at his shorts to get them down. When she did, his length sprang forth. She dropped to her knees in front of him and took him in her hands. She kissed his throbbing head now wet with pre-cum and then stuck her tongue out to taste his saltiness.
He groaned as her tongue touched him. He reached down and stroked her face at the same moment she engulfed him with her hot mouth. It took everything he had not to be rough with her. He wanted to push himself deep into her throat. He let her tease him with her tongue and lips. She fondled his balls and released his cock from her mouth to kiss and lick them.
They moaned in unison as she worked him over until he was on the brink and then she slowed her pace. She looked up at him, and he looked back silently pleading with his eyes. Smiling, she began to tease him again. He pushed her hair away from her face so he could watch as she sucked. He was close, and he told her; she continued until she milked and swallowed every drop. After she was done and released him, he went to sit at his small kitchen table, his legs weakened.
“I forgot how much I missed that,” Ava said.
“I didn’t forget. I’ve had dreams about you doing this again.”
“Then why didn’t you ask me? I would have.”
“This is a renewal for us. I didn’t want to seem like I was demanding.”
“It might be a renewal, but our bodies remember each other.”
She kissed him, and he tasted himself on her lips. Her lips pressed harder, and he reached out to touch her breasts. Her nipples were hard under her shirt, and he pinched them gently with his fingers. She moaned in his mouth, and his cock once again started to stir. He stood up while still maintaining contact with her lips and moved her towards his bedroom.
“I’m going to return the favor,” he said as he backed her onto his bed.
Hours later he padded into the kitchen to get a drink of water. She was asleep in his bed, naked. The sheet was tangled between her legs, and her breasts were exposed. He stood in the doorway of the bedroom gazing at her. She stirred and turned, exposing her back and buttocks. The hair fell away from her neck, and he felt compelled to kiss it, causing her to wake.
“I had the most wonderful dream,” she mumbled.
“What about?”
“We were at your parent’s house in Lake George, and you asked me to marry you. Then it skipped months later, and we were getting married there.”
“Do you want that?”
Ava sat up in bed and turned to him. She was fully awake now.
“I would be lying if I said no. But I want to get to know you again before that happens. Despite our family’s connection to each other we only were together for three months. But it was a wonderful three months. I want that again even though we had some pretty rough times.”
“We will have that again. I don’t want to promise anything because I promised you before and look what happened. But I will say with all my heart that I will make it happen for us.” She reached out to stroke his stubbled chin.
Xander got back into bed beside her and pulled her against him. They fell asleep facing each other with their hands locked together.
The next morning Ava woke up alone in bed. The clock read 6:15. She figured that Xander went for a morning run. Ten minutes later he entered the apartment in a soaked t-shirt and shorts. The shirt clung to his muscular chest, and she could see the outline of his abs.
“Don’t you look delectable this morning.”
Xander looked himself up and down.
“Me? I’m all sweaty. It’s very humid even for this time of the morning.”
“Are you coming back to bed?” She watched him strip off his clothes.
“I can’t. I have to work today.”
Ava gave him a look of disappointment.
“I’m sorry, but I was already on the schedule. Maybe I can get out a little early.”
Ava got out of bed and began pulling on her clothes.
“You don’t have to leave.”
“I think I would be more comfortable in my room at the inn. Can you drop me off on your way to work?”
Xander knew that she was upset, but he chose not to say anything.
“Yeah, I can do that. It’s on the way to the lumberyard. Can we have dinner tonight?”
“Rachel should be back late this afternoon. Do you mind if I bring her along?”
Xander really wanted it to be the two of them, but he loved Rachel.
“If she wants to come, that’s fine. I need to catch up some more with her. Are you at least going to sleep over tonight?”
Ava smiled at him. “I think that can be arranged.”
Xander dropped her off on his way to work just before 7:30. She chastely kissed him on the cheek before she got out of his truck. He winked at her as he pulled away from the curb. She went to her room not realizing how exhausted she was until she lay down on her bed. Instantly, she was asleep only to be woken up an hour later by knocking on her door. She dragged herself off the bed to answer the door and was surprised by who was there.
“I thought you had to work?”
“Well, when I explained to my boss that there was a special girl in town only until tomorrow, he told me to go home. So here I am.”
Ava invited him into the room.
“Did I wake you up?”
“Yes, you did and how the hell can you not be tired after no sleep the last two nights?”
“I am, but I have plenty of energy still.”
“Honestly, I am exhausted. I need to sleep at least a couple of hours.”
“Do you want company?”
“If you lay down with me, we won’t sleep, and you know it.”
“I promise not to bother you. I could stand to take a nap, too. Then maybe I can take you around to see the sights.”
“I would rather walk around that little park I first saw you in.”
“I can take you there. It’s nice during the day. There are plenty of shaded areas to sit.”
“Let’s do that then.”
She patted the bed next to her, and Xander kicked off his boots and lay next to her. She laid her head on his chest, and they both feel asleep. Three hours later, Xander was the first one to wake up. Her perfume was in his nostrils. This was the way he would like to wake up with her every day.
He slid his body out from under her head trying but not succeeding to wake her. She sleepily looked at him.
“Where are you going?”
“I have to use the bathroom. I’ll be right back.”
“Put the seat down. This is a girl’s room.”
Ava turned her body to her side and snuggled her head into her pillow. When Xander came back, he spooned her, and they fell back to sleep. That was where Rachel found them when she arrived back at their room after 2:00 PM. She entered not expecting anyone
in the room, but when she saw them on the bed, she tried to be as quiet as she could. It wasn’t quiet enough, and she woke Xander when she dropped her car keys.
“Hey, asshole. So you finally got it figured out?”
Xander gave her a wide smile as he turned to her. “Yes, we worked it all out. I’m coming back to the city as soon as I can straighten everything out here and there.”
Rachel’s eyes widened as she caught the full view of his face.
“Well, shit, you shaved that disgusting thing on your face. I guess Ava does have a good influence on you. That beard was just awful.”
“Thanks, Rachel. You do have a way with words. We are going out to dinner tonight. Would you like to join us?”
“No. I think you need to spend the last night with Ava before we leave. She has missed you so much.”
Ava began to stir beside him.
“Rachel?” Ava rolled over to look towards her cousin.
“I’m back from a very successful meeting.”
Ava sat up next to Xander and Rachel proceeded to tell them about her meeting with her client. It was her first celebrity Canadian client. She was sure that business would get busier after the publicity surrounding the woman’s wedding in a few months.
Xander asked Ava if she wanted to get some lunch. Regular meals had been put to the wayside since Sunday, and he was starving. They asked Rachel to join them, but she declined. She was exhausted from the drive and wanted to rest. They bid Rachel goodbye just as she got settled into her bed for a nap.
Xander grabbed Ava’s hand and kissed it as they walked to his truck.
“What do you feel like having to eat?”
“I don’t care about food right now. Take me back to your apartment and make love to me.”
“You have become insatiable. What am I going to do with you?”
“I just told you what you could do with me, now hurry.”
Hours later when Xander’s bedroom grew dim with the fading daylight, they talked. She had fear growing in her belly about what the future held for them. She had spent four years trying to put his memory behind her but couldn’t. Now their love was renewed, and she was leaving tomorrow, without him. She didn’t want to be separated.