by Raquel Belle
“Thanks for your help with everything,” I put out my hand to shake hers.
“Oh please, Jake, if you’re going to be dating my best friend I think we’re beyond a handshake.” She gives me a giant hug.
Sarah is staring at us, incredulous: “You knew about this?” She asks Amanda.
“Well, he approached me at the P&B drinks on Monday...”
“She tried to snub me at first,” I explain.
“But he made a pretty convincing case. And given the state you’d been in I thought… Maybe this is the right guy to make you happy.”
“I hope so,” Sarah’s sister Celia comes up and gives me a big hug as well. “It’s great to see you again, Jake.”
“Thanks, Celia. You too.”
“Do you all want to grab a drink?” Sarah asks her friends.
“No thanks, I need to get back to the family,” Celia responds.
“And we have a double date we need to get ready for!” Her other friends chime in.
“And I don’t want to be third-wheel,” Amanda grins. “Anyway, I’m guessing you two have some catching up to do.”
“Then it’s just you and me,” Sarah turns to look up at me, her eyes blazing with a secret joy.
“What do you want to do?”
“Honestly, I want to head to your place, say hi to Pepper, order pizza, and just hang out. And maybe watch some Game of Thrones.”
“On a Friday night?!” Amanda squeals in disbelief. “Don’t you want to go out?”
“Nah, that sounds perfect to me,” I tell her.
“Woah, you two are made for each other.” Amanda laughs. “Well, have a good night guys.”
We say our goodbyes to the others and start walking slowly through the park back towards the L train that will take us to Brooklyn.
Just as we’re about to descend the steps into the subway I pause. “What about walking back?” I ask her.
“To Brooklyn!?”
“It won’t take more than one hour. We can take it slow. You’re wearing flats.”
“It is a warm night,” she acknowledges.
“Come on,” I urge her. “I want to cross the Brooklyn Bridge with your hand in mine. I want to stop and kiss you halfway across. I want to see the skyline of Manhattan with you by my side.”
She laughs aloud. “That’s a lot of wants for one night.”
“Oh, I want more than that tonight,” I tell her, pulling her in for another long kiss.
“Slow down, buddy.” She gives me a sly look. “We’ll save that action for when we’re behind closed doors.”
“I know, I know. I can wait, I guess.”
“Are you sure? You were ready to put on a live show for everybody in the park just now.”
“What can I say, I got caught up in the moment.”
“A flash mob will do that to you.”
“It’s not because of the flash mob.”
“No?”
“No way. It’s because of you.”
She smiles and looks down. “Well, if you’re sure you can wait until we walk the whole way back to your place then sure — I’m game. Let’s walk.” She shoots me a devilish look.
I take her hand in mine as we continue down the sidewalk, heading towards the Brooklyn Bridge. It’s already illuminated against the dusky sky, shining over the water. “As long as I’ve got you by my side, I’m a happy man,” I tell her. And I mean it.
Chapter 17
Sarah
I would never have admitted this to Jake but I was grateful that we walked back for one main reason: I was nervous about sleeping with him again. As we talked and walked, I had that memory of our last night together in my mind — and while it excited me, it also scared me.
The recollection of how he had taken control as we stood in his front hallway and he tore my cardigan off left me breathless. I hadn’t let myself think about it for weeks. And then there was how he’d brought me to climax, again, again — and again. I’d never had that kind of night before. Could we recapture it?
At the time there had been zero expectations and no pressure whatsoever. Now the emotional connection wasn’t just undeniable, it had been voiced aloud. And the pressure was higher. Would our physical connection be just as good when we weren’t enemies but actual lovers?
By the time we get back to his apartment I’ve analyzed the situation to pieces in every way possible. But I shouldn’t have worried. The boy — the man — who had taken control that Friday night two weeks ago quickly assures me that he’s in charge again tonight. And he’s not wasting any time.
The door to the apartment is barely closed behind us before he grabs me and kisses me, pressing me up against the wall just like he did that day.
“I haven’t been able to walk past that spot in my front hall without thinking of you in that miniskirt for the past two weeks,” he says, grinning.
“Quit talking and kiss me,” I whisper.
I’m answered by a loud bark. Pepper.
“Ugh,” Jake groans then shrugs his shoulders. “He’s always interrupting. Fine, then into the bedroom it is.” He takes me by the hand and leads me there, shutting the door firmly behind us — right in poor Pepper’s face.
“Now, where were we?” He turns to where I’m sitting, still nervous, on his bed. “Come here,” he reaches his hand out.
I go stand in front of him, mute, wondering what’s happening next.
“Lift your arms up,” he commands — but gently.
I do as I’m told and he lifts my t-shirt up over my head and drops it to the floor. He then peels his own shirt off, revealing that six-pack I’ve been trying to forget about. I can’t believe I was so determined to never set eyes on those abs again.
Without hesitation I undo the buttons of my jeans and wriggle out of them. He likewise peels his pants off. Now we’re standing there, not touching but just inches apart, him in only boxers and me in just my bra and panties.
“What now?” I ask him slyly.
“I just want to look at you for one minute,” he whispers. He brings his hand up and runs it gently through my hair, tracing it down over my lips, collarbone, along my stomach. I feel a shiver of anticipation run through me.
“Excited?” He smiles, tracing his finger along the elastic of my panties. “You’ve got goose bumps,” he murmurs, running his hand along my arm.
I nod. “Excited. And maybe…” Should I tell him the truth? “Also a little bit nervous?”
“I know,” he nods and pauses for a second, putting one hand on each of my shoulders. “I get it. Tonight it really means something, right?”
So he knows exactly how I’m feeling. I smile and breathe a small sigh of relief.
“Come on,” he takes me to the bed and has me sit on the edge, my feet still on the floor. Gently he gets on top of me, kissing my forehead first and then working his way down. My nerves slowly fade as I feel his hot breath on my belly, then my thighs, then coming through the thin cotton fabric of my panties.
“Lift,” he murmurs gently. I brace my feet on the floor and lift my butt up and he wriggles the underwear off over my thighs, down to my feet. This is brand new. I feel him exploring me with his tongue, teasing me to the brink until I’m ready to scream. He pauses just as I’m about to explode and stands up in front of me, clad in just his boxers. I eat up his body with my eyes, surveying the definition of his biceps eagerly. My nerves are all gone and all I can think of is feeling those muscles against me.
I get up and, standing on tiptoe, reach up to kiss him, feeling his hand enclose around my waist as I do. The cotton of his boxers is soft but I can feel his cock pulsating underneath the thin fabric. I inch the waistband down as we kiss until the boxers drop to the floor and he steps smoothly out of them.
“Not nervous anymore, I hope?” He whispers to me, a sly look on his face.
“Shut up and get on the bed,” I tell him, grinning.
He lies down on his back and I don’t hesitate for a second: I quickly stra
ddle him, letting my hair cascade over his face as I lean forward and kiss him. I lower my body fully onto him and start rocking my hips gently. As I move up and down, his hands on my waist gently guide me in slow circles and I feel his cock inside of me hit my sweet spot, sending shivers down my spine.
I tense my thighs and bring myself up so that he just almost slips out of me completely. I pause like that for just a second before bringing my body quickly back down on top of his, taking his entire cock into me again. He lets out a groan that matches my own as our bodies meet. I can feel the sticky sheen of sweat developing on my thighs, which are now sticking to him. He’s moved his hands from my waist to my face by now and is firmly holding it against his, kissing me and biting my lips gently.
I stop kissing him momentarily and sit up straight, leaning back as I continue to rock against him. He moves his hands from my face to my breasts, gently caressing each one, tweaking my nipples gently. I can feel the goose bumps rise up on my arms and I know if I don't stop now, I’m going to cum. I don’t want this to be over but I also can’t stop myself.
As if he’s read my mind, Jake suddenly moves his hands back to my hips and grips them firmly, stopping my gyrating motion. I pause and look down at him in confusion. Before I can ask what’s up, he’s swiftly rolled us over so that he’s on top of me. I let out a scream in surprise as I feel my weight shift and find myself on my back. I have to wrap my legs around him to keep our bodies together. I’m determined not to lose him; I want to keep him inside of me.
He clearly reads my mind and grins as he continues to pump into me. “Don’t worry. I’m still here,” he murmurs, I smile in response. I have one hand on each of his arms, gripping his biceps, which are now slick with sweat and straining with effort.
He’s moving slowly but then starts quickening his pace. I want to pull him into me even further but it’s impossible for our bodies to come any closer together. So I just hang on to him, feeling his muscles tense and relax with each thrust, arching my back and bringing my hips up to meet his. That’s how we continue until we’re both left gasping, climaxing at almost the exact same moment and then collapsing on a heap on the bed.
“That was… even better… than the last time.” I manage to get the words out between giant breaths as I gulp for fresh air.
“Hey, I’ve learned a thing or two in the past seven years,” he says jokingly.
“You’ll have to show me more then,” I slap him playfully. “And may I say, whatever training you did in the army sure uh….” I stumble over my words as I try to find a way to compliment him without offending his former physique. “You look amazing,” I conclude lamely.
“Yeah, the army training was a whole new level,” he grins. “And now I keep it up as best I can — lifting weights and going for runs with Pepper.”
“Do you work out every day?”
“Pretty much. Once you’ve temporarily lost the use of one of your limbs, you become pretty thankful to be able to do ‘simple’ things like walking. There was a time where I wasn’t sure I’d be able to go running ever again.”
“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” I murmur softly, wondering briefly how painful the experience was for him.
“It made me a stronger man in the end. And look,” he sits up and takes my hand in his, reaching it down to gently graze over his thigh, where faint scars of the shrapnel from the IED blast remain, “you can barely see a thing where I was hit.”
“True…” I trace my fingers gently over the scar tissue and wait for the mist that’s forming over my eyes to dissipate. “Well… I’m glad you’re okay.” I try to lighten my tone, not wanting to bring down the mood: “And as I said, you’re looking better than ever.”
“Glad you like it,” he grins. “All of this activity has me famished. How about some food?”
“Yes, please.” I realize I’m starving; I haven’t eaten since lunch and it’s almost eight at night.
“Pizza and beer good for you?”
“Absolutely perfect.”
He gets up and pulls his boxers on before throwing me a t-shirt. “I’ll have to insist that you borrow one of my t-shirts. I love the way you look in my clothes.”
“Happy to oblige.” I slip on the oversized top and follow him out of the room. “Whew, I feel a bit wobbly on my feet to be honest.”
“Great sex will do that to you,” he grins and leans down to kiss me, then gives my butt a slap. “Now go get comfy on the couch. I’ll get us all set up for food.”
After filling up on pizza and giving Pepper some much-needed attention, we head back to the bedroom. By the time we go to sleep, I’m the most exhausted I’ve been in weeks — but it feels like a good kind of exhausted. I’m not stressed about work or Jake and I haven’t checked my phone in hours. Snuggled against the warmth of his muscular body, I fall asleep feeling more peaceful than I have in years.
I wake up to the feel of something hard prodding me insistently in the back. For a sleepy second I don’t realize what it is — and then Jake’s “good morning gorgeous” in my ear reminds me of where I am. I’m in the bed of my hunky ex (is he still an ex? An ex-ex? I wonder briefly) who gave me an unforgettable orgasm last night — and apparently wants to give me another one now.
“Good morning,” I respond, rolling over to face him.
“Sorry, I hope I didn’t wake you,” he grins and gestures downwards. “I’m afraid that’s hard to avoid in the mornings.”
“I’m glad you did.” The thought of repeating last night’s performance is a better wakeup call than the strongest coffee. I need a fix of this guy and I need it now. I sit up in bed, maintaining eye contact with him as I take the elastic hair-tie from my wrist and pull my hair back into a ponytail. His eyes light up as he watches me, the mischievous glint in his eyes matching my own. He knows what I’m up to.
“Oh so you want to take charge today, hm?” He gives me a knowing look.
“You’re not the only one who’s learned a few tricks over the past seven years,” I whisper. I pull the blankets slowly off of him, exposing his rock hard cock, and then straddle his mid-section as I lean forward and kiss him. I’m still wearing his t-shirt from the night before but nothing else. With no panties on, I let him feel how wet I already am as I grind myself against his chiseled stomach.
Then I give him a last kiss on the lips before moving down to his chest and running my tongue firmly over those perfectly defined abs. Glancing up, I see him looking down at me. I raise my head and give him a sweet smile before just grazing my tongue across the top of his pulsating cock. His entire body shivers and I feel his hips shift. I slowly fit my mouth over the head of his dick and work my lips all the way down, taking him all in. I maintain eye contact the entire time, letting him watch me as I work my mouth up and down. His cock is now wet with my spit. I give one last firm lick before working my mouth back up to his stomach and chest.
Then I straddle him again but this time I let him inside of me. He lets out a gasp and the mischievous look quickly fades to one of pleasure as I rotate my hips, moving up and down rapidly. He works his hands up underneath the t-shirt of his I’m still wearing. With one hand he takes the excess fabric at the front of the shirt, twisting it in his fist so that the shirt is pulled up and tight against my body. He brings his other hand between my thighs, placing his thumb on my clit.
With his hand there and his cock inside of me, every nerve in my body feels like it’s been activated. I have to concentrate to not break the rhythmic motion of my hips. I might be on top of him but he’s the one calling the shots. My body is in his hands and he can do whatever he wants with me. I feel myself get even wetter at the thought of it. The gentle rubbing of his thumb on my clit becomes faster and I move my hips more quickly in response, matching the pace he’s set for us.
I can’t control myself anymore. I throw my head back, giving myself up to the moment and let out a low scream as I bring my body down even harder onto his. It doesn’t take long for him to exp
lode between my thighs, shivering and shuddering. Once I orgasm, it’s like all the muscles in my body go limp. I can’t even muster the energy to climb off of him. Instead I simply collapse forward on his chest, laying my head there as I continue to straddle him. He strokes my back through the sweat-soaked t-shirt I’m still wearing. We stay like that, totally silent, simply breathing together.
“Sometimes I just need a morning quickie,” I smile as I slide off of him.
“There are so many new things I have to learn about you,” he grins. He takes me into his arms and we lie like that, letting the morning sun wash over us.
“What about breakfast?” He asks. “Is French toast still your favorite?”
“Nope,” I shake my head. “Blueberry pancakes.”
“Hm, then we’ll have to head out for supplies. Want to take a walk with me and Pepper? We can grab breakfast goods and coffee while we’re at it.”
“Actually I was thinking I might head back to my place for a fresh change of clothes.”
“Oh no you don’t.” He sits up quickly and envelopes me in a giant hug. “I’m not letting you out of my sight this weekend. I want you here with me; I want to soak up every part of you while I can.”
“Well, I need something for work on Monday at least. I can’t roll in there in the same clothes as Friday.”
“Fine,” he feigns mock annoyance. “You’re almost as high-maintenance as Lydia Bowers.”
“Stop it,” I hit him but I’m giggling. “If you don’t quit being a jerk I’ll just leave altogether.”
“No way,” he nuzzles his face into the back of my neck as he hugs me into his body from behind. “You’re stuck with me.”
We take Pepper out for a walk and stop by the supermarket to stock up on supplies. Jake insists on paying for everything. “You’re my houseguest this weekend,” he says.
It’s a cool crisp fall day but the sun is shining and we drink the to-go coffees we got while sitting on a bench in the dog park, watching Pepper play.
“What made you decide to get a dog?” I ask him. I’ve been wondering this for some time; Jake never seemed to be into animals when we were in college.