American Honey

by Heidi McLaughlin

  I put my hands over each breast, not comfortable with standing there naked, even in the dark of the night. The yoga shorts were being tugged down, and I wasn’t fighting him. I wanted to be naked, and as close to him as I could get. I slid them down with ease, only standing after I’d stepped out of them and my underwear. Reed took another step, and as the lightning lit up the sky I watched him taking me in. Another wave of heat rushed over my body, this time causing me to tremble worse than before. Fully exposed, he dropped his underwear and stood before me, naked.

  In seconds our lips connected again, this time with the same motivation fueling us. I could feel his erection pressing into my stomach as we kissed. I turned my head when he began to caress the side of my neck with those lips. I felt him nibble on my ear before coming back for another taste of my tongue. There was no doubt in my mind what I wanted out of this encounter. I was ready to be ravaged, fully prepared to give him all of me.

  Then I opened my eyes and realized that I was lying in my aunt’s bed. It had all been a dream. Every single moment that I’d just experienced had been in my sleep.

  I placed my hand up to my chest and tried to calm my irregular breathing. My heart, feeling like it was beating out of my chest, was racing with excitement. It had been so real, yet none of it was at all.

  I stood up and walked over towards the window, seeing the trees blowing around as the lightning flashed. My clothes were still dry, reminding me that I’d not just been outside with Reed. My fingertips reached for my lips and I touched them, closing my eyes and imagining what it felt like to be kissed by him.

  A knock at my door made me scream out loud. Of course I knew who it was, but his timing was spot on to make me jump out of my skin. Instead of refusing to open the door, I rushed over to it, unlocking it before saying a single sentence to him. Once it no longer separated us I saw him standing there before me, except he didn’t have intent in his eyes. In fact, he had his shorts back on, and a dry shirt. “The roof is leaking again. I think the tarp may have blown open. I’m going to need you to hold the flashlight out the window so I can see what I’m doing.”

  I crossed my arms over my chest while I spoke. “Are you sure it’s a good idea? I mean, why don’t we just fix it in the morning. You’ve already cut your leg, and I practically almost died.”

  “Your roof has half of a tree through it. We can’t let anymore water get it. The wood will give and you’ll have one hell of a repair to do if it gets any worse.”

  “Reed, please.” I grabbed him as he started to walk away. “I don’t want you going out in that storm again. Just stay inside. Your clothes just got dry.” I was almost pleading with him. “We’ve been drinking.”

  He finally turned to look at me. “I can handle a little bit of wine. Are you coming with me, or not?”

  I huffed and puffed and ended up following him in fear of something happening while I was being hardheaded. Reed wasted no time climbed back out onto the roof. I held the light in his direction, while standing inside of the window, where I couldn’t be harmed. I could hear the sound of the tarp flinging around in the wind, and then I heard something tumbling. Before I could stick my head out of the window I watched the figure of a man rolling past. I screamed out his name, even though I knew it wasn’t helping. The sound of him hitting the ground made my stomach drop.

  As fast as I could run, I made my way down the stairs and out the front door, desperately calling his name as I searched for where he was lying. When lightning filled the sky I caught sight of his body, still on the ground.

  By the time I made it to kneel beside him I was already crying, thinking the worst. It was known to not move a body to prevent doing even more harm. At first I grabbed his arm and started tapping on it. “Reed. Reed, please open your eyes. Squeeze my hand if you can hear me.”

  No movement.

  I leaned down and tried to listen to his heart beating, but mine was going so fast that I couldn’t tell the difference. Then I leaned forward to see if I could feel his breath on my face. I got even closer trying to feel warmth when the rain was coming down on the both of us. “Erica.” His voice startled me, but brought me instant joy. “If you wanted to be on top of me you could have just asked.”

  I backed away from his body with eyes wide open. “What hurts? Are you okay? Do you think you walk?”

  I helped him sit up, and could tell that he was struggling. When I got him to his feet he started to fall back down. He’d obviously injured his leg during the fall. “I’m going to need your help.”

  He clung to my body as we made our way up the porch steps. I could hear from the sounds he was making that the pain was increasing. Once inside of the house, I got him to lay down on the couch. From there I moved the candle closer to get a look at his leg. “Did you hit your head?”

  He shook it. “No. I landed on my feet and then tumbled. My foot twisted when it hit the ground. It’s not broken.”

  “It’s still injured. Stay put, I’ll get you something for the pain.” He grabbed my arm before I could get away.

  “Wait.” I kneeled down in front of him, giving him all of my attention. “I’ll be fine.”

  I grabbed one of the towels and wiped the rain off of his face. “Jesus, I thought you’d died. You scared me.” Then I got angry at him for making such a terrible decision. “You should have never gotten back on that roof.”

  “I fixed the tarp. Erica, it’s going to be fine. I’m all right.”

  I lightly slapped him on the chest. “Stop acting tough. I know you’re in pain.”

  He held onto my arms, keeping me from slapping him again. “You say that like you care. Has my accident changed your mind?”

  I began to pull away. “Of course not. Don’t mistake my kindness for something else.”

  He laughed and put his hands over his face to rub it. I let my eyes move down his body, taking in the fabric stuck to his skin. More than anything I wanted those clothes to come off. I wanted to know if his abs were as firm as they felt when I touched them in my dream. “I won’t.”

  The fact that he wasn’t trying to get under my skin let me know that he was in real pain. I worried that he had a concussion, even though he swore he hadn’t hit his head. “Reed, are you sure nothing else hurts?”

  He let out a laugh, probably trying to act tough. “I’m fine, Erica. I didn’t do this to get your attention, you know. I was honestly trying to help. If something was wrong I’d tell you. I think I just need to rest my ankle for a bit and I’ll be good to go. In the meantime, how about some more of that wine?”

  “You want us to open a third bottle? After your near death experience I’m a little leery to see what you’ll do after another bottle.”

  He chuckled, but I didn’t find it to be funny. He’d scared me, and also made it more obvious than ever that I wasn’t letting him out of my sight. That meant that I was going to be alone with him for the rest of the night. “Just go get the wine. I promise that it won’t make me want to jump your bones, at least not any more than I already have.”

  I rolled my eyes, secretly wanting to laugh at his comment. I wasn’t worried about him jumping my bones, since I was the one fighting that battle myself.

  I fetched the third bottle of wine and came back into the living room. Reed was sitting up, looking better than just minutes before. I could tell he was stiff from the way he was rubbing his shoulder. After pouring us both a fresh glass, I walked over and handed him one. “Are you sore?”

  “Yeah. I’ll be fine.”

  I sat my glass down and walked toward the back of the couch. He’d risked his safety to help me, so massaging his injury didn’t seem like a bad trade off. Besides, I’d been dying to feel his skin again.

  I placed my hands on Reed’s shoulders and began to rub them. He put his head down and started to make sounds. I could tell that what I was doing was helping, so I continued, until Reed reached up and grabbed one of my hands. He turned to look at me and smiled. “You’re making it real ha
rd to pretend that I don’t want to kiss you.”

  I smiled, thankful that he couldn’t see me blushing again. “I’m standing behind the couch. It’s not like we’re face to face. Besides, I’m not scared of you anymore. It’s not like you could even catch me if I tried to run away from you.”

  We both laughed.

  Then Reed did something so quickly I couldn’t react. He took ahold of my hand and pulled me over the couch. My body tumbled on top of his and I was left looking up at him, while lying across his lap. “I may not be able to run, but I can certainly slow you down.” He moved the hair away from my face while I stayed still, staring into his eyes. This was not how I’d envisioned ending up in his arms, but I certainly wasn’t complaining. After my dream, and then his accident, it was exactly where I wanted to be. The only problem was giving in to what I secretly desired.

  Reed spoke softly, his voice breaking as the words came out. “What’s a guy got to do to get a girl’s attention?”

  “You’re already doing it,” I said in a whisper.

  We started moving toward each other, both knowing what was about to happen between us. We’d played this cat and mouse for some time, both ending up in the same situation. I was tired of denying what I wanted. Our lips met in a kiss that was both powerful and passionate. Unlike my dream, where it felt so real, this was definitely happening. Every inch of my skin begged to be touched, and I wasn’t about to stop him when he tried. My hands gripped his wet shirt, lifting it over his head. He did the same, pulling mine over my head and tossing it on the floor. I got off of his lap and backed up onto the floor. Reed ducked down, finally getting on his knees to face me. We kissed while he removed my bra. Our tongues collided right as I was pulling him down on top of me. The plush rug beneath me added cushion, and I had a feeling we weren’t going to move from this spot.

  I began to shiver, not from being chilly, but from knowing what was happening. Reed tugged down my yoga shorts, bringing my underwear with them, just like he had in my dream. He kissed my hip then ran his lips up to my belly button. Pure emotions ran through me, traveling from my fingertips to my toes. I was completely naked, eager to get him the same way. I used my feet to tug on his shorts, letting him know that we were on the same page. There was no need for words. We both knew what was about to happen.

  There we were, both completely naked. I was wrapped in those strong arms, ready for whatever was in store for us. Reed lifted himself over me, looking down at my body. I started to cover myself, but he shook his head. “Don’t. You’re beautiful. I want to see all of you, Erica,” he said in a soft whisper. Our lips met, and I forgot all about feeling shy. He had me captivated, totally engulfed in his every move.

  His dog tags were cold against my naked breasts as he came in for another kiss. Each time our lips met I felt my hunger for him growing. I wasn’t just depriving myself pleasure for so long, I was also without companionship, never realizing how lonely I’d been. It only made this encounter seem desperate. I yearned for some kind of acknowledgement that I was a woman, in need of attention, and gratification.

  As our affections intensified, Reed pulled away. Out of breath, he traced my lips with his fingers. I closed my eyes and appreciate the way it felt to be touched so gracefully. “Stand up, Erica.”

  I wasn’t sure what his intentions were, but I knew he only wanted to provide me with pleasure. I was willing to do anything he asked if my end result was release. All of my pent up frustrations were clouding my ability to give my all with work and life in general. As much as I’d been against this encounter, it was beginning to give me hope.

  I stood up, feeling the natural pull of my body, my breast standing at attention, while Reed looked me over. He stood up and walked around me, while my body continued to shake. I wasn’t scared of being with this man. I was afraid of not being good enough. “How long do I have to stand like this?”

  “I need to see all of you,” he said against my ear. Butterflies gave my stomach a twirl, while I tried to accept my actions. “What does the air feel like on your nipples?”

  His question embarrassed me. The prude in me wanted to not answer, but the wine was making it hard to deny what else was happening inside of my head. “It tingles. I can feel them getting hard.” I had to close my eyes as I spoke, even though I knew I was doing it because I couldn’t accept that it was out of character for me.

  I felt him brushing over the hardened tips of my breasts. New sensations overwhelmed me. His breath was on one of them, blowing heat. “Do you like that?”

  I nodded silently.

  He pinched one, holding his grip until I let out a little cry. “Want me to stop?”

  I shook my head, because I didn’t want him to. In fact, I wanted him to keep going for as long as humanly possible.

  I opened my eyes to see him sucking one of my nipples in between his lips. The sheer delight of what he was making me feel was overpowering. As soon as he pulled away I wanted to grab his head and shove him back onto my breast. He licked the tip, watching me watch him.

  I could see my heavy breathing as I watched, but couldn’t calm myself. What was happening was too intense to relax.

  Reed backed up and got down on his knees. He grabbed my hips and twisted my body so that the front of me was facing the fire. He made a sound when his concentration focused on my pussy. I fidgeted my legs, trying to hide that part of me from him. He grabbed them and forced them to stand apart, while laughing at how I was acting. “Close your eyes.”

  Reluctant, I did what he said, trusting him with my body. The moment he touched my sex I knew it would be difficult to keep my balance. I’d neglected that kind of contact for entirely too long. My depraved area was on fire, and it burned for the man that I could feel inching toward it. First he kissed my inner thigh. Then with such compassion, he gradually kissed me right on my pussy. I was on fire again, this time allowing the burning to make me lose control. While panting, I felt him pulling me down to the carpet. Reed laid me down on my back and stood up. I focused on watching his every move, especially when he turned around and flashed me everything he had. He limped, but not as bad as he had before. I was surprised by his arousal, and knew from his size that he was going to give me enjoyment.

  “What are you doing?” I asked as he moved further away from me.

  When Reed came back he was holding the first candlestick in his hand. He lit it against the burning pillar and walked back over to where I awaited him. “Keep your eyes closed, Erica.”

  I closed my eyes, silently praying that he didn’t have some kind of fire fetish, that would leave me needing hospitalization. Utter shock hit me when I felt the first drop of hot wax touching my skin. My eyes shot open as I watched him tipping the candlestick so that more would fall to my tender skin. “Reed what are you -?”

  He didn’t let me answer. “Shh, close your eyes, Erica. We’re just getting started.”

  For a few seconds I was literally petrified. Thinking that he was going to hurt me, I contemplated kicking him and running back upstairs, but then the second drop hit my nipple, and as much as I expected to feel pain, a shot of pleasure rushed through every inch of my body. I let out a cry, full of need. He knew that I wanted to feel it again. I could hear it in his laugh. Then I felt it when he sucked on that same nipple. I opened my eyes and dug my hands into his hair, holding him against my tit. “Don’t stop,” I cried out.

  He let go and flicked it again with his tongue. I pulled him up to my face and kissed him hungrily. The storm that was happening outside had become only a backdrop for what was occurring inside of the old bed and breakfast. We were too captivated by each other to care about anything else. The bottles of wine had allowed me to open a side of me that I didn’t know existed and I was ready to explore it.

  Reed pulled away and looked right into my eager eyes. I bit down on my lips letting my teeth drag against it. He smiled and backed away again, taking the candle and dripping it over the other nipple. This time I watched it happe
ning, and felt it hitting my tender skin. I gasped, sensing both pain and a large amount of jubilation with each drop. I went to touch myself where the wax had dried, but he grabbed both of my hands and raised them above my head. I saw only intent in his eyes, fueling his drive. Then he let the hot substance drop down covering the opposite side. I could feel it hardening as the air came in contact with it, but Reed didn’t stop there. He let it keep dripping down the center of my abdomen, further down until he’d reached the base of my pussy. I knew what was coming, but nothing could have prepared me for the moment that hot wax came to fall on my clit. I jumped up screaming, at first because it was like an open flame to my body, and then because that pain sent thrilling ecstasy all the way up into the tips of my nipples.

  He grabbed my flailing arms and put them back over my head, before sinking down and sucking my clit into his mouth. In a matter of seconds he’d pulled off the wax and spit it out into the fire next to us. Even with the romantic ambiance, I was too distracted to be able to begin to rationalize with what was happening to me.

  While he was busy grabbing the candlestick again, I’d become enthralled in rapture. Never before had waves of pleasure hit me the way they were. My head fell back, and I lost all control. When I finally became able to open my eyes again, I saw Reed leaning over me with a smile on his face. I laughed out loudly, understanding the kind of pleasure he’d been talking about. When I started to roll over, figuring that the foreplay was over, he stopped me abruptly. “Whoa, where do you think you’re going?”

  “I was just -.” In all honestly I thought we were done with the hot wax.

  “We’re no where near finished, Erica.” It was irrational to feel giddy over something that was meant to be sexy, but I couldn’t help it. I wanted all this man had to give, and I was preparing myself to be ready and willing.

  Once I was back in the same position, Reed flipped me around on my stomach. I placed my face down over my hands and closed my eyes, putting all of my trust into what was to come. I felt his warm hands cupping each of my ass cheeks. He began massaging them with firm pressure. He was separating them, probably getting a full-on view of my asshole. As uncomfortable as that was for me, I remained quiet, focused on the good and not everything else. Then I felt his tongue, licking over the soft skin of my backside. His warm saliva left a trail as he continued on. With every inch that it moved, I could feel things in all parts of my body again. My clit, still tingling from my first orgasm, was begging to be touched. Had I not been lying on my stomach I may have touched myself there.