by Orr, Pauline
As she shuddered in his arms, he whispered into her ear, “May I?” She kissed him and reached for him. He leaned over and took a condom from the night stand. He slipped into her and they both sighed. He took his time as if gauging her responses to work out his rhythms. He wrapped her legs around his hips and he stroked her thigh as he moved in and out. It was nothing short of amazing.
The next thing she remembered was drifting off to sleep in his arms. Now here she was in his bed remembering and it wasn’t at all bad. For several long minutes, Cynthia didn’t worry about messing things up or thinking about what could possibly go wrong, she just enjoyed the warmth of this sweet man lying next to her.
She was so relaxed she almost fell asleep. She was startled by the sound of the apartment door opening. At first she thought that it was the apartment next door, but then she heard the jingle of keys then the following thunk as they were tossed on the coffee table.
She heard a slightly husky but unmistakably female voice call out.
“Billy, are you home?”
Cynthia bolted upright, moving so quickly she almost knocked Billy off of the bed. He clearly hadn’t heard the woman. She called out again.
“Big Bill, are you around?”
Billy heard her that time. He looked over at Cynthia sheepishly. There was the sharp sound of a knock on the door. Billy smiled at her.
“Just a sec . . . “
The woman didn’t want to wait a sec, the door knob creaked and a very pretty face with red curling hair peered around the door.
“Oh, Billy, you are home.”
Cynthia scrambled around with the sheets trying to cover herself up.
“Oh hi, I’m Billy’s roommate. You must be Cara.” Cynthia was too embarrassed to say anything. Billy was pulling on some clothes as the roommate continued.
“I can’t believe we haven’t met before. Billy just goes on and on about you.”
By this time, Billy was dressed and almost to the door. Cynthia stood up and scooped up her clothes. Keeping the blanket wrapped tightly around her she went to the bathroom and said in as dignified a voice she could muster she said, “I don’t know why you haven’t met Cara. I’m Cynthia.” Billy pushed the roommate out of the room. Cynthia heard murmurs of varying tones and volume.
She dressed as quickly as possible and left the bathroom. She walked purposefully through the apartment and got her purse. She walked out the door without saying a word to either of them. She heard Billy’s footsteps behind her and she closed the door between them.
She didn’t even bother talking to her friends who knew Billy. What would be the use of knowing the back-story? It was pointless and more than a little embarrassing. She was disappointed but she wanted to keep it to herself. The best way to forget about something like that was to find a new project that wasn’t remotely related to carnivals or zombies or men in general.
With that in mind, she volunteered to help Emily with her Girl Scout project. It seemed safe enough, lots of pre-adolescent girls working on camping skills or merit badges or something. She was unlikely to run into anyone who had dating potential, or even worse, Billy.
Of course, that’s exactly who she ran into. She didn’t think shopping for marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers would be dangerous, but it was. She was trying to reach the crackers when a familiar hand reached over her head and effortlessly plucked them from the shelf and handed them to her. She remembered why she knew that hand so well and blushed trying to shove the memory of that hand dancing across her body.
“Cynthia, I . . . .”
“Billy, don’t. Please don’t. We hardly know each other. You don’t owe me an explanation about your hot roommate or why she thinks my name is Cara.”
“So you probably don’t want to hear that my roommate is a flight attendant and I’m gone a lot so that’s the first time we’ve been at the apartment at the same time in months and that the last time she was here, I was leaving to go on a date with Cara. One date. That didn’t work out. I haven’t seen her since and that was almost six months ago.”
“Oh, that’s the oldest story in the book”
“C’mon, would I lie to you in front of the marshmallows?”
“I don’t know. Men have been known to be insincere in front of desserts.”
He started to laugh and against her better judgment she did too.
“Let’s go on a real date. Are you busy this weekend?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, I’m sorry; I just assumed . . . are you seeing someone?”
“Yes, about twelve of them. I’m chaperoning a Girl Scout sleepover this weekend.”
Billy looked relieved. Cynthia couldn’t help but smile.
“I would invite you to come by, but half of the girls are still scared of boys.”
It didn’t take long for them to decide on a place and time.
Cynthia was surprised that she was so nervous. After all, she knew that they were at least physically compatible and that heinous misunderstanding aside, they got along very well. He had a quirky sense of humor and most important of all, he seemed to genuinely like her. He was a lot of fun. She had to admit that it had been a long time since she had relaxed and had fun. And the sex was incredible. Would it be too much to hope that this date would end the same way the last one had? Or was she dooming herself to failure by hoping?
What was wrong with her? She had an actual date with an actual guy, no wait a man, who was genuinely interested in being with her. And here she was second guessing the whole affair. Maybe affair was the wrong word to use. That would be presuming a lot before a second date.
Effortless.
That’s why she liked being with Billy. The fun was effortless. He was just as exciting and unpredictable and funny as the kids she loved so much and he was smart and interesting and charming. And then she decided to talk.
“Um, if you don’t mind me asking, what happened with Cara?”
“I don’t mind you asking.”
He hesitated and she began to panic. Was he trying to think of a way out of talking about his past? Or was there something wrong with Cara that was also wrong with her? Her panic must have been visible because he reached out and took her hand.
“I don’t mind telling you. I’m just trying to figure out the best way to say this.” Oh god, what could it be?
“It’s not anything dark and mysterious or dangerous. It’s just the same thing that happens to me every time I meet someone. Or get set up with someone. It’s hard for me to meet people. I travel so much and I don’t really meet anyone on the job.”
Cynthia nodded in assent. He began stroking her hand with his thumb. She felt tingles shoot up her arm.
“I don’t want to sound like I’m complaining. I love my job, but I’m starting to get tired of being alone. I know I don’t have to be alone if I don’t want to. I just haven’t found anyone who I can see myself with in the long term.”
Was this it, was this where he was going to try and let her down easy? He gripped her hand a little tighter. There were the tingles again.
“I don’t want to scare you away or anything.”
“We just met. You haven’t done anything particularly scary.”
Cynthia thought her voice sounded shrill and panicky. She didn’t trust herself to look up because she didn’t want him to see the fear that she knew was running across her face.
“You don’t remember meeting me the first time. I don’t blame you; it was just for a second. You were with your friend Anna and this little kid came running up to you and jumped on you and you just laughed and picked him up. You didn’t mind that he completely disrupted whatever you were doing. You just picked him up and looked absolutely delighted to see him. I came over to get Anna to introduce us and you were so focused on this kid, I didn’t think you would remember meeting me. Then I saw you again at the carnival with those kids and it just made me think. It made me think that I could see myself having a long and happy life with a beautiful gir
l who would take the time to be nice to a kid and to go out and have some fun.”
He reached over and took her other hand and she felt the tingles go up both arms. She dared to look up at him. He looked so sweet and sincere that the part of her mind that wanted to say it might be a line that he said to everyone decided it didn’t care. She smiled at him.
“So that’s what happened with Cara. It only took one date to see that she would rather spend her time and money buying expensive shoes that make her feet hurt. But you made me realize that there are beautiful girls who are nice to kids and know how to dress to go to a carnival.”
She took her hand away and took a sip of her drink.
“Did I scare you away?”
“We should go to my place.”
A broad grin spread across his face and she trembled a bit. She no longer cared at how quickly things were moving, in fact, she wanted them to go faster so she could be alone with him.
She got the door unlocked and pulled him in so fast that he almost tripped. She led him to the small living room and pushed him down on the couch. She climbed on to his lap and began to kiss him. She sighed with pleasure as she felt his arms go around her. She kissed and nuzzled his face, loving the feel of his beard stubble against her face. She heard him moan as she licked his earlobe and she smiled against his neck. She nibbled and licked her way around as her hands slid up to unbutton his shirt.
She pulled it out of the waistband of his pants and felt the quick warmth of his skin as it rode up. His hands slipped up under her blouse and he stroked her back gently. Her tongue explored his mouth. She was driven by a hunger to taste all of him and feel everything he had to offer. He expertly slipped his hands under her bra strap and unfastened it. She leaned back and pulled off her blouse and her bra.
His arms went around her again and she relaxed into them. He leaned her back supporting her so he could lick her nipples. She moaned and clenched her thighs around his hips. The licks went from light flicks to a firm sucking. She arched her back in response. He sucked and nipped on her greedily and she moved up and across his lap so she could lie back on the couch, she pulled him on top of her and wrapped her arms around him. He kissed her so deeply she was incapable of thought. It was a nice feeling.
She just relaxed into the feelings as he laved and nibbled and licked all the way down her body. She focused just long enough to pull him to his feet and lead him down the hallway to the bedroom. She lay back on the bed and pulled him back on top of her. Somewhere along the way they both had stripped off the rest of their clothes. She stopped kissing him for a moment so that she could savor the feeling of his body against hers.
While she lay there breathing slowly in and out, Billy watched her, then rolled off of her. He lay beside her and stroked her from hip to shoulder. She shivered in delight as he used the tips of his fingers to explore her as he had before. Just when she thought he couldn’t stand it any longer, he danced his fingers across her hipbone and gently, very gently traced her lips with his fingertips.
She moaned, wanting to take his hand and press it against her, begging him to slide his fingers into her. He seemed to know what she was thinking and he kissed her gently before continuing the sweet torment. He was relentless as he played her body like a fine stringed instrument. By the time he was finished she was dripping wet and as taut as a wire with anticipation and lust. When he took a minute to rest, she flipped him over on his back. Straddling him around the hips she leaned over him and took a condom out of the top drawer of her nightstand.
“We have that in common”, he quipped.
He moaned as she moved back, slipped the condom over him and climbed right on top. He looked surprised at the speed with which she did this. He closed his eyes as she slid down the length of his shaft. She sat up straight and rode him steadily, enjoying the sound of his moans and the sound of their skin meeting.
Every single thing about this moment was perfect. Her breathing quickened and she began to speed up, rising and falling and grinding around. He gripped her hips as she began to buck and move as her orgasm built. She felt him deep inside her as she came. Tired, but not completely satisfied, she lay down on top of him. She kissed him lightly.
“No, you didn’t scare me off.”
He laughed, flipped her over on her back and tucked her legs neatly over his shoulders. He entered her slowly and firmly. She closed her eyes and just enjoyed the feel of his slow, steady rhythm.
Her voice sounded rough as she asked, “Harder, please?”
He didn’t answer, just complied. He increased his speed and pressure and she heard herself moan deeply and loudly. He sped up again and her legs slipped from his shoulders and wrapped around his waist. Locked together they moved against each other, their rhythms and need feeding off of each other.
Seconds after she climaxed he drove deeply into her and gave a deep groan. Sweaty and exhausted he rolled off of her and lay beside her. There was a slight shift on the bed and the perplexed face of a small cat appeared. The cat marched down the bed and gave Billy a sniff then a nuzzle.
“I didn’t know you had a cat.”
“There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”
“I plan to take the time to find out.”
Billy leaned over and kissed Cynthia deeply. She kissed him back and reached for him.
“Fun Cynthia fact, once is not enough. I hope today’s not your day to be a zombie.”
He laughed and fell back into her arms.
***
[Hope you liked the story and don't forget your 8 complimentary books, which you may find a download link to on the last page of this collection, just after the 11th story ends. Now, on to the next story!]
Love Online
by
Pauline Orr
CHARLOTTE Rowland stared at her computer screen, the pointer of her mouse hovering over the sign up button. She was still undecided about what to do. Part of her wanted to try it, hoping that this might be the right route for her at last, despairing at the disappointment that came before. Another part was aware of how desperate it could be considered. Only losers used internet dating right? Her friends had insisted she give the website a go though.
After the seventeenth bad date in a row she was beginning to consider trying anything. She’d gone the other routes already; meeting people in bars, having friends set her up on blind dates, personals in the newspapers, she’d even given speed dating a try. All of them though just seemed to bring out the freaks and oddballs.
Occasionally a relationship had formed but it had been slow building and pitted out within weeks. Sometimes it lasted a little longer but before any real commitment could be made between her and whoever she’d thought was right something went wrong and they exposed a fatal flaw that drove her away instantly.
Charlotte had tried the other routes and even looked into her own personality, wondering if it was something about her that seemed to attract losers. She’d been gratified when her female therapist had assured her that she was completely mentally healthy, well as mentally healthy as a woman could be when she faced near constant disappointment and rejection. So she had continued with the set up.
She’d watched friends that she’d brought along for support have luck, find someone and slowly build that relationship that she wanted for herself but all Charlotte seemed to get was the men no one else seemed to want. Some had just been too odd, others had been downright abusive, and their true colors thankfully showing before too much time in their relationship had passed.
Now though she was willing to try something else, to build up that relationship before meeting face to face. Charlotte looked at the page on her diary for the next two months and saw the weddings and engagement dinners all lined up with their neat little colors. She felt alone, longing for that someone to share her life with. What’s more her mother was now nagging her, asking constantly when she was finally going to bring a nice boy home to meet the family and marry.
The thought of havi
ng to endure yet another Christmas dinner under scrutiny of her parents as they tried to figure out what was wrong with her filled Charlotte with dread and hardened her resolve. With a deep breath Charlotte clicked the join up button and began to fill in her profile, excitement and anticipation building as she carefully filled in each section. She got more and more excited as the messages began to pour into her inbox once her profile went live and it was with a gleeful giggle that she opened the first one.
***
CHARLOTTE’S excitement lasted three months. It gradually wore away as the bad luck that plagued her in dating within the real world followed her onto the net. She had set up several promising dates, each one seeming to be perfect for her and every man selected especially for her through the website’s carefully programmed algorithms.