Christmas In Virginia

by Mlyn Hurn

  Ring... Ring... Ring...

  Jack cursed. Not now, damn it, he thought furiously. This couldn't be happening to him again! The ringing continued and he knew the caller wouldn't hang up. He lifted himself free of Laena's body and leaned over the seat to grab his cellular phone from the holder on the dash. His voice was curt and hoarse as he answered the insistent caller. "Yes?"

  Laena flopped back in disbelief and frustration that he had answered the damned phone. Of all the times for a phone to ring! She focused her thoughts on listening to him, and realized it wasn't family calling him. This was obviously something related to his job. Hastily, she yanked up her jeans and righted her bra and shirt. She watched as Jack spoke abruptly into the phone while he jerked closed his own jeans and pulled up the zipper. He went to shift the phone so he could do the snap, when Laena reached out and snapped it for him. His eyes met hers, and Laena was sure that he wished he could read what she was thinking just then.

  He hung up a moment later, and turned to look at Laena after replacing the phone. "I have to head back to DC."

  Laena was intently aware of the awkwardness in the situation. She looked away from his intense gaze, merely nodding her head.

  Jack spoke a few moments later. "There doesn't seem anything appropriate to say at a time like this. Somehow things like 'better luck next time' or 'I'm still hard as a rock, how about a quickie?' just don't seem appropriate."

  A laugh broke from her throat before she could stop it. "Neither does 'it's okay' but it is."

  "I'll drive you back, and then I'll have to get going pretty quickly."

  Jack slid out of the backseat and reached in to help Laena step out.

  She didn't want to look at him in case he saw the need that she still felt deep in her body and afraid her feelings might be visible on her face. She climbed into the front seat and sat quietly while he walked around and got in next to her.

  He started the car and a moment later they were driving silently back to his sister's home.

  Laena was amazed at how quickly Jack was repacked and said his goodbyes.

  He lingered with his sons for a bit longer and ended with kissing and hugging his mother goodbye. His gaze met Laena's across his mother's head. He hadn't approached her for a personal farewell. Laena hadn't expected him to. Obviously, he didn't want anyone to know what had happened. She stopped and corrected her thoughts as she watched him climb into his car. What had "almost happened".

  A moment later, Jack waved as he reversed down the drive. In the instant before he faced forward to leave, he looked her way one last time.

  Laena thought she saw regret in his face, but she couldn't be sure. She regretted they hadn't been able to make love. She had felt an intense and unbelievable need to be with Jack, and the need had gone unfulfilled. She felt empty, alone and lonelier than she could remember being in a very long time.

  The car had disappeared down the road and suddenly Laena realized she was still staring after it. She flushed and hoped no one had seen her looking longingly after the disappearing car and its occupant. She turned to leave the porch and saw that Ruth was staring at her. Laena could feel her cheeks getting hotter as Ruth slowly smiled. Before the end of the day, she would be facing an inquisition from Ruth.

  Chapter 7

  Laena walked from the studio towards the house, a short distance away. Ruth had been able to get the studio built in record time. Laena's wheel and kiln had been delivered the day before, and she had just spent the morning getting used to working with the new wheel. Each one was a little different and required some getting used to. Ruth had insisted they get a top-of-the-line machine, and it had to be electric and fully adjustable. She had used the excuse that since she would be using it too, as Laena taught her, she would need the comfortable seat, and adjustable levels and foot pedals.

  The large oval kiln was going to be perfect, even for the largest of pieces. The clay, both porcelain and red earthenware, had arrived that morning. She and Ruth had a lot of fun mixing up the first batch, both of them ended up wearing more than what got mixed.

  Ruth had gone back to the house about thirty minutes earlier, to clean up and start lunch.

  Covered in a mix of wet and dry powdered clay, Laena walked along the gravel path to the house. She wore shorts and a white tank top, even though the air was cool today. Working on the wheel while the kiln was firing at the same time was the easiest way to get overheated. It only took one time to faint and pitch forward into wet clay to teach you to take precautions! She raised one hand to push back an errant strand of hair, which dared to drift in the soft air. She looked up and saw someone on the back porch. A few more steps and she stopped abruptly.

  Jack stood on the porch, leaning casually against the post, and stared.

  Laena couldn't believe that he was here. It seemed crazy that now, the first week of March, he had returned. He had been technically unemployed since January twentieth, and she was surprised when he hadn't returned home earlier as he'd talked about at Christmas.

  She did not need to listen to his sisters and sisters-in-law talk about how he could have any woman he wanted, rich, beautiful and well-connected. In fact, his youngest sister had pointedly told her that if he found the right kind of wife, he could possibly run for president himself. Without asking, Laena realized she had learned what Jack's plans for his future truly were. Power such as he'd experienced would be heady and hard to walk away from.

  A divorcée without a dime to her name would hardly make the right kind of wife for a politician. Of course, the difference in their ages would be fodder for the gossips. Not that she cared-

  Many sleepless nights she'd wondered if he'd doubted his actions those few days, wishing they'd never happened. Could he have stayed away, fearing she'd assumed his actions were a commitment he had no intention of following through?

  Suddenly she had to take a deep breath to steady herself. The pull of attraction was still hot and fierce. At times over the last three months, she wondered if it had all been her imagination. But no, it was still there, in full force, just waiting for the slightest bit of encouragement or for her to relax her control, and she just might be jumping his bones in say fifteen or twenty seconds.

  Gasping at her wayward thoughts, she continued walking towards the house.

  * * * * *

  Jack had learned from his mother Laena was out back in the studio. He had heard about the "infamous studio" over the last few months from his sisters' weekly phone calls. He had spoken to his mother and told her he liked the idea. Their mother had loved painting before her marriage, and she never had time after he came along. If building it on the excuse it was for someone else would get her back to painting, then he was all for it. That opinion had not pleased the ladies in the family.

  The temptation was strong to rush back after he closed his office, but the paperwork had taken longer than he had anticipated. And then, he had been invited to visit the former president's home. He spent a week with other staff people they had come to know well over the last years. The trip was intended to serve as sort of a goodbye and thank-you celebration, allowing them all a real closure, since many had been together for eight years.

  Following that week, he had returned and spent the last two weeks packing his belongings so his apartment could be sublet, until he decided where he would go with his career from here. He had already received enough invitations for speaking engagements to keep him busy for the next nine to twelve months, at least. And those engagements always paid well, not that he had to worry about money any time soon.

  He had wanted to give himself some time. That had been his original plan, once their term in the White House ended. Since his visit home, he definitely wanted to spend more time with his sons, especially since David had not returned to school after the Christmas holidays. He felt bad about not getting a chance to discuss David's decision before leaving. Their phone calls since then had been brief, but at least he hoped they had healed any lingering wounds. />
  The brief time with his family at Christmas had merely highlighted the fact he needed to get reacquainted with his entire family, and mend a few fences that had suffered due to his job and busy lifestyle the last eight years. Meeting a woman and developing a light companionship had seemed a possibility, but it had always been on the edge of his thoughts. He couldn't say that he was opposed to the idea of a relationship, but he assumed he would never remarry. His sons were now grown and had no need of a stepmother. Perhaps he was old-fashioned, but he could see no reason to marry because he had no intention to have more children.

  By no means did he plan on doing without sex. Now that he was out of the public eye, and he believed he'd reached the age when compunction would no longer be a factor, surely no reason could be found for him to forego the company of a mature woman.

  Laena was not at all what he'd planned on, though. She didn't fit any mold or type he'd previously known. Everything about her screamed knockout, and judging by the reactions of his sons and nephews, she'd have no trouble attracting a man of any age or wealth she desired. Why was she attracted to him? Hell, he was almost...hell! He was older, but he didn't know by how much.

  And now, standing on the porch and watching Laena walk towards him, he knew that what he'd felt at Christmas had not been a figment of his imagination, nor an exaggeration caused by time. Her arms and legs were bare, but spattered with clay and dust. She looked worse than his mother had when he surprised her thirty minutes earlier. Laena had a streak of dried clay across her forehead and on one cheek. Jack could see her white T-shirt was dotted as well as her jean shorts, but that didn't detract from the beauty of her body.

  He could see her full, unbound breasts jiggling as she walked across the rough path. He thought briefly that he would make sure the path was taken care of and fresh gravel brought in to make it smoother and much less muddy. But his main thoughts were occupied with remembering how beautiful she had looked on the backseat of his car, with her naked breasts and her hot, slick pussy ready to welcome his hard manhood into her body.

  Jack pushed away from the railing. Oh, yeah...these feelings were real, hot and needing to be acted on-soon. He grinned at Laena, and walked down the couple of steps towards her. Being quite ungentlemanly, he told her baldly, "Someone looks like she played in the dirt. Your mud pie partner is taking a bath."

  Laena blushed and walked the last few steps, coming up beside him. She felt the intense physical pull as she stood next to him. His masculinity swamped her as he stood there, looking so average in his jeans and white T-shirt, and yet he was so very far from being average, that it was ridiculous. She unconsciously lifted her hand to push back her hair once again, but this time Jack caught her wrist and stopped her. Startled, she met his gaze.

  "I think you have enough war paint on already," he informed her with a smile.

  Laena blushed hotly as she realized that she must have been smearing the clay each time she had pushed back her hair. She lowered her arm. "If you'll excuse me, I was going to rinse off before going in the house. I want to get a hose attached at the studio, but we have been too busy to do that yet."

  Jack didn't release his grip, continuing to hold her gaze. Instead, he pulled her with him towards the side of the house, where the hose was hooked up. He turned it on, directing it at her. "Kick off your shoes and I'll rinse you down."

  Laena looked at him for a moment, and then reluctantly did as he commanded. Stepping closer, she braced herself for the cold water.

  "Turn around, Laena. I'll start in the back."

  She turned and gasped a moment later as she felt the water hit the backs of her legs. It didn't take long and she faced him again.

  He rinsed the front. Slowly he moved the nozzle over her legs, working down.

  She held out one arm to be rinsed, and then the other. When she cupped her hands, he let the water fill them and she rubbed until they were clean as well. She briskly rubbed at her cheeks and forehead, closing her eyes.

  A few seconds later she screeched as the water hit her upper chest, where she knew she had some dried bits of clay. In only a few seconds, she was drenched, her white tank top plastered to her naked skin. Her nipples were hard and tight, and poked at the clinging thin white cotton. She looked down at the blatant display. She heard the water hose hit the ground and looked up.

  Jack took the last step and stood right in front of her. His hands lifted and she had but a moment before they covered her breasts possessively. He groaned when she rubbed her hard nipples against his palms. His hands squeezed her large breasts, and then rubbed his palms in little circles over and around the taut centers.

  Laena leaned into his touch, offering her breasts more fully to his hands. She looked up into his face, and saw his clenched jaw and steely-eyed gaze. She had no doubt that his need matched hers. Her hands slid up over his chest and cupped the back of his head. Jack offered no resistance as she pulled his head towards her open mouth. She kissed him hotly and her tongue entered his mouth, seeking his heat.

  Jack moved his hands around her body and dragged her close, pressing her into his chest.

  It felt hot, sweet and erotic to feel her wet upper body pressing into his. Her fingers curled into his hair, which was longer than before.

  Jack moved one hand down to her bottom and cupped one cheek. He pulled her hips into his and pressed his hard manhood into the soft cleft between her thighs. There was no mistaking that his need was just as strong as before.

  Jack moved his hand from her buttock. It slid around slowly, his fingertips caressing the skin exposed under the short jeans, moving forwards. Once he reached the front of her thigh, it was only a second longer before he slipped his fingers between the gaps of short jeans onto the naked flesh below.

  He froze. "Damn, woman! You aren't wearing any panties!" He could feel her wetness on his fingers, and it made him harder and hotter than he could have thought possible. His fingers slid along her wet, swollen pussy lips.

  Laena told him breathlessly, "There is a couch in the studio."

  The words had barely left her lips, and they were almost running along the short path towards the studio. Jack slammed the door shut behind them and pulled her into his arms. He lowered his head and kissed her deeply. He looked up a moment later and sighted the couch. He moved them over to the long, extra-wide sofa. His hands took a moment to cup her full breasts beneath the wet material. He realized in an instant that she felt sweeter and sexier than she had just two months earlier. Nothing really important had changed!

  Jack tugged her shirt over her head, throwing it aside. Her jeans were next, but he did pause for a moment to stare at her lovely body. Off came his shirt, followed by his shoes. Before he could move his hands to the snap on his jeans, Laena's hands were there.

  Laena yanked on the snap and slid down the zipper eagerly. Her hands pushed at his jeans and jockey shorts.

  Jack had but a scant second before he felt her eager hands caressing and stroking him. He had really wanted to make this first time last, but he was becoming resigned to that not happening. Of course, considering their false starts in the beginning, he should be grateful they were getting as far as this!

  Laena stepped backwards and lowered herself to the sofa. One leg was on the floor and the other was bent at the knee. Jack gasped as he looked from her full breasts, quivering with her rapid breathing, down to where her body was spread open for his taking. He groaned and lowered himself. As his hard cock pressed forward, she encircled his hips with her legs. She pulled him closer, and then the head of his cock slipped past her outer lips. They both groaned together as their flesh joined.

  Her eyes closed, savoring the feel of his heat, so close to her, finally.

  "Laena, open your eyes."

  Slowly, she looked at Jack.

  He held her gaze as he pushed forward, entering her body a millimeter at a time.

  She rocked her hips upwards.

  Jack could hold back no longer. With a groan of def
eat, he thrust.

  Laena felt him sliding in and out of her body, shifting position.

  He slipped one hand between their bodies.

  She gasped as he began to tease and torment her supersensitive clit. Her hips thrust up to meet him, and she lifted her arms around his shoulders. She pulled him close as her body shook and trembled, and in the next instant, her orgasm engulfed her. She cried out, needing him to-

  "Fuck me, Jack!" Laena gasped, surprised at her own words.

  She met his eyes and saw the heat rise a few more degrees. She smiled as he began to thrust into her eager body more quickly.

  As if spurred on by the trembling muscles squeezing his cock, he came hard and fast. His body jerked, and he filled her with his seed. Over and over, he thrust into her wet heat, until he finally collapsed on top of her.

  Laena listened to his raspy breathing, and slowly noticed the feeling of heat deep inside. She realized it was the heat from his body being truly inside of her, and now she would have some sweet reminder of him within her-

  Jack shifted above her. He eased out reluctantly, but rearranged them on the sofa to lie face-to-face. He stared into her eyes, wishing he could read her thoughts just then. He leaned forward and kissed her lips lightly, fleetingly.

  Laena smiled slightly, feeling drowsy and sated. She closed her eyes, and let her body curl into Jack's.

  He closed his eyes, not pausing to wonder why he felt so amazingly relaxed and at peace. Jack awoke to the sound of the old triangular dinner bell being rung. It took him a moment to realize that he and Laena had fallen asleep. He rubbed one hand across his eyes, and then turned his wrist to look at his watch. He was surprised to see that almost two hours had passed since his arrival. He looked down at Laena and saw she still slept soundly. He wondered if her nights had been as restless as his. He couldn't count how many times he had awakened from an erotic dream starring Laena. This last hour or so was probably the most solid sleep he'd had since Christmas.