Coming Together: At Last, Volume Two

by Alessia Brio, L. A. Banks, Bridget Midway

  "Oh, great. You go away, and I'll be here for the neighbors to think I'm a freak."

  "Honey, I think they already know that.” Then Sean simulated a high-pitched squealing noise that sounded a lot like Autumn when she hit her peak.

  She playfully slapped his arm. “Not funny. It's better than you.” Autumn growled like a bear, then said, “Holy shit, fuck, damn!"

  Sean laughed so hard that his side hurt. “Do I really do that?"

  "Among other things. I like your sex face.” She squeezed her eyes shut as tight as she could and gritted her teeth.

  "Baby, you look constipated."

  "No, you look constipated. Good thing you're cute."

  "I could say the same about you. Your eyes roll to the back of your head, and you hang your mouth open like a big-mouth bass.” Sean mimicked that look, opening and closing his mouth like a fish. “I just want to put a hook in there and reel you in."

  "You've already got me. You must have had amazing bait."

  "I guess not good enough bait. It wasn't enough to get you."

  Autumn opened her mouth to refute his claim when Sean held up his hand to stop her.

  "Let's not argue. Let's just enjoy Christmas and New Year's in June."

  "I do love you, Sean."

  Sean stared at Autumn, who looked close to tears, the same expression she'd been carrying for weeks now. “I know. I love you, too."

  "Will you do me a favor?"

  "Anything."

  "Will you at least let my family see the ring tomorrow night? I want them to see it."

  "So your brothers can take pictures of it with their camera phones and show you later on what it looks like? Oh, no."

  "Please?"

  How could he say no to the most beautiful woman in the world? “Fine. No pictures. They can describe it to you, but you can't see it until we're married, got it?"

  Autumn made a crossing motion over her heart. “Cross my heart. I promise."

  "Good. Now, I've been a good boy this year.” He pushed the wrapped presents to the floor. “I want to open up this present first.” He reached under her skirt and found she wasn't wearing any panties.

  "Ho, ho, ho."

  [Five]

  Autumn glanced over at Sean as he drove his truck onto her parents’ street. She held his hand and stared at him. The thought that this would be the last time she would see him, hold his hand, touch him, hit her immediately. She had to stop thinking about that or she would cry before she got to the party.

  "My face isn't going to change before we get to the party.” Sean split his attention between her and the road.

  "You never know. You might get slightly more handsome if I look at you long enough.” She caressed his cheek.

  "Is that even possible?” he joked.

  "Oh, one last zinger. The man still has it."

  Sean parked in the circular driveway behind other cars. “Babe, I never lost it."

  "There he goes again, folks. He's playing here all week."

  Sean laughed as he got out the truck, then he helped Autumn from her side. From the front of the house, she heard music blaring from the backyard. The closer she got to the house, the more she smelled the spicy barbeque sauce. Her father really must be going all out for Sean. Autumn didn't expect anything less.

  Autumn smoothed her hands down her white sundress. She held Sean's hand as they walked to the backyard. It was then she noticed that Sean walked slower than normal.

  "Are you okay?” Autumn stopped at the back corner of the house.

  "Someone wore me out yesterday.” Sean winked.

  "Yeah, I am a weapon of mass destruction.” She flexed her arms to show off her less-than-impressive biceps. Autumn started toward the backyard when Sean pulled her back.

  He embraced her in his massive arms and pressed his lips on hers so lovingly, Autumn thought it was a dream. Her heart opened up fully. The music that overpowered the area disappeared. The only things that existed were her and Sean.

  "I'm glad we're not getting married now,” Sean said in a whisper.

  Autumn felt a prickle on the back of her neck. “You are?"

  "Yeah. Gives me something to look forward to when I get back.” He framed her face in his hands. “And I will be back."

  She nodded. “I know. I know you will.” Autumn took his hand and brought him into the festivities. “We're here!"

  The throngs of people turned to them and cheered. It was a hero's welcome, and Sean hadn't gone anywhere yet. Both her parents and Sean's raced to them. Ursula and Bob captured Autumn in an embrace, while Autumn's parents surrounded Sean.

  "It's about time our girl let you out,” Autumn's father patted Sean on his back.

  "Don't worry about me, Terance. It's been the best week of my life.” Sean put his arm around Autumn.

  "Come on, you two. Get something to drink, and let's party!” Autumn's mother swayed her ample hips back and forth to the groovy seventies tunes blaring from the speakers set up in the four corners of the yard.

  "Don't tire yourself out, Bonita. Save a dance for me.” Sean kissed the side of Autumn's mother's head.

  "You got it, sweetie."

  The party beat any house party Autumn attended in her teenage and college years, or any wedding reception she'd ever attended. This time, it was her turn to cling to Sean. She wrapped her arms around him whenever he wasn't dancing with her mother or shaking hands with her brothers.

  "Honey, you don't have to hang onto me so much. They won't bite.” Sean winked at her again, proud that he could use her words against her.

  "You're cute.” She glanced at the gate leading into her parents’ backyard to watch the new guests filtering into the yard. “You're right, Sean.” She pulled away from him. “I need to make a special announcement anyway.” She ran to the patio and asked her brother to turn off the music. Then she grabbed his microphone. “Hey, everyone. I have a quick announcement."

  The crowd of people turned to her.

  "I don't want to talk for Sean, but I just want to thank everyone for coming out and wishing him luck when he's deployed tomorrow."

  The people surrounding him patted Sean on his shoulders and back. Her man looked so good wearing the white shorts and crisp white shirt she'd bought for him for this special occasion.

  "For those who don't know, Sean and I have been dating for a little over a year now. He's my best friend, and the best man I've ever known.” Autumn's throat tightened.

  Come on, girl. Don't cry. Not yet.

  "Hey, I thought you said I was your best friend and the best man you've ever known!” her father screamed.

  Leave it to Autumn's dad to lighten any mood.

  "Hush up, Terance. Let the girl finish.” Autumn's mother smacked her husband on his backside.

  "You keep that up, we'll both miss her speech.” Her father tickled her mother, then pinched her ass.

  The crowd erupted in laughter. When the laughing died down, Autumn finished what she had to say.

  "Like I was saying, Sean and I have been together for a year. I've never loved someone as much as I love him. I would give my life for him, although I'm not sure Sean believes that."

  "I know you would, honey. I'd give my life for you, too.” Sean scanned the group. “I'd do it for you all."

  "We know, Sean.” Bob put his arm around his boy.

  "It might surprise you to know that all this week Sean has repeatedly asked me to marry him."

  A gasp sounded through the group. A couple of the women started to cheer until they all glanced at Autumn's hand and noticed it was devoid of a ring.

  "I turned him down. You see, I've always had a fantasy of my dream wedding. I knew where I wanted it, the guests I would invite, the food we would eat. I had it all planned."

  "That's Autumn for you,” her older brother began. “Always over-thinking things."

  "You're right, Cole.” Autumn nodded. “I was looking for perfection when I had it right in front of me.” She stared at Sean.
“I got so caught up in what I wanted, I wasn't looking at the big picture. In the big picture, I would hate for Sean to leave thinking that I didn't love him enough to take that leap. I want him to look forward to something when he comes back home.” She sauntered to him. “Sean, I hope you have that ring on you.” She turned to the side where she and Sean had entered.

  Sean glanced that way and saw Reverend Wilmore from Autumn's church.

  "I called a family friend to see if he would do me a favor.” Autumn held Sean's hand. “Sean, will you marry me?"

  "No.” Sean shook his head.

  Another gasp rippled through the crowd. Autumn's heart sank when he made his abrupt response.

  "I'm going to ask you again. I suggest you answer right this time.” Sean dropped down to one knee in front of her and pulled out a black velvet ring box from his pocket. “Autumn, I know I won't be here long enough for you to get on me about taking out the trash or turning down the thermostat so that you're freezing. But I want you to save up all of that for when I come home. Will you—"

  "Yes!"

  "No, wait. Wait until I ask you. Will you—"

  She smothered him in kisses. “Enough said. You have me. You'll have a wife before you go."

  Sean lifted Autumn in his arms as everyone cheered. When he let her go, he stared at her. “You planned this the whole time, didn't you?"

  Autumn shook her head. “I was determined not to marry you until you came back home. Then I talked to a really wise person.” She looked over at Ursula. “She didn't tell me that I should marry you. But she did make me realize that if I didn't, I might regret it. I don't want to regret anything when I'm with you."

  Sean winked at his mother.

  "So I bought your outfit and mine. I made a few phone calls. Except for the reverend, no one here knew what I had planned."

  "I knew you would do it.” Autumn's mother put her hand on her hip. “You came here in white. Hello!"

  "I thought she wanted to match him.” Autumn's father pointed to Sean.

  "I was hoping.” Ursula hopped from one foot to the other as she gazed at Autumn and Sean.

  "I'm tired of talking about it. Can we get these two married now?” Bob said.

  "Oh, wait. You're going to need this.” Autumn handed Reverend Wilmore their marriage license. Then she looked at Sean. “I didn't want to make a liar out of you.” She winked at him.

  "Stay exactly as you are when I come home. Don't change.” Sean held her hand as they stood in front of the reverend.

  "I'll make a deal. You come home to me, and I promise I won't change.” Autumn chewed her bottom lip. “I did make one change.” She turned her back on him. “At the small of my back, I had them tattoo your name, rank and serial number.” She glanced over her shoulder. “In case something happens to me, people will know I belong to you forever."

  "God, I love you.” He kissed Autumn. “Now I really have something to look forward to when I'm over there."

  "Yeah. You had better be thinking about coming home and making grandbabies."

  "Mom!"

  "Oh, wouldn't twins be great?” Ursula held Autumn's mother's hands as the two women clucked on about babies.

  "Before we go any further, let's get the marriage part out of the way, shall we?” Reverend Wilmore said in a calm voice.

  Autumn felt good about taking this step in her life. It wasn't the end. This was the start of a great new beginning. While Sean was away and fighting, Autumn would be praying for his safe return home. Enough said.

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  bridgetmidway.com

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  Black and White

  © Chloe Waits

  Smooth polished ebony lying in his arms wonder at the translucence of my skin with blue tracings under surface his fingers strong dark sure on my pale flesh

  knowing coaxing oily essence and slippery need mouth prying open tender flesh succulent meat of oysters

  greedily searching for his pearl

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  www.website.com

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  About Coming Together

  Coming Together is about giving and about sex—a tantalizing combination in any context. Conceived online in the Literotica[®]com Authors Hangout, a forum for erotica writers, Coming Together is the passionate product of many talented individuals. It's grown way beyond its original borders.

  We were all amateurs when the first erotic cocktail was served. In the years since the inaugural volume hit the cyber shelves of Café Press, many of the original contributors have become successful professionals: authors, poets, editors, and artists. Traditional, small press publishers have picked up many of the self-published titles, and Phaze has continued to pour our philanthropic elixir into its catalog. Both Charles River Press and eXcessica have e-published Coming Together titles, and in the spring of 2009, All Romance eBooks will be added to that list.

  To date, Coming Together has compiled ten collections, with several more in the works. I am thrilled with and humbled by both the quantity and quality of the submissions received. Support from publishers and booksellers has been exemplary, as well. The critical acclaim is the cherry on top.

  In each volume, we strive for an inclusive mix, embracing the diversity of desire. The causes we champion cross all demographic groups, and so does Coming Together. While each individual intoxicant may not suit the tastes of every reader, the savory cocktail is sure to stir every imagination.

  Note, however, that these pages may contain stories in which the characters do not practice safe sex. Everyone involved with the publication of Coming Together encourages its readers to act responsibly and to take appropriate precautions against both unwanted pregnancy and the transmission of disease.

  All proceeds from the sale of this volume of Coming Together will be donated to Amnesty International (amnesty.org) which campaigns for internationally recognized human rights for all.

  Bottoms up!

  peace & passion,

  Alessia Brio

  www.eroticanthology.com

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  Sex-Kitten.net

  Sex-Kitten.Net is pleased to support this edition of Coming Together—and the project in general.

  We admire the work of editor Alessia Brio and all the talented authors who have made this book truly something amazing. They along with you, the buyer of this book, are proof that fans of erotica are more than just some dirty-minded selfish folks—you are all proof that sex & arousal, even the solo acts, are indeed acts of love.

  We sex kittens would like to officially salute you all—but with copies of this book so near, our hands are working their way towards our panties...

  ~ Gracie Passette

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  With Special Thanks

  As I once commented in an interview: Giving is just plain sexy! There are some damned sexy people involved in the publication and promotion of Coming Together.

  I'd like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all our wonderful authors. Please visit their sites and support their work. There are website addresses immediately following each story or poem.

  In addition, each of the following has gone above and beyond to help ensure the success of Coming Together. Please find a way to show your appreciation for their generosity:

  Phaze Books

  www.phaze.com

  All Romance eBooks

  www.allromanceebooks.com

  Lucrezia Magazine

  www.lucreziamagazine.com

  Romantic Times

  www.romantictimes.com

  EPIC

  www.epicauthors.com

  ScrapFairy Designs

  www.scrapfairydesigns.com

  Erotica Readers & Writers Association

  www.erotica-readers.com

  Alison Kent

  www.alisonkent.com

  Barry Eisler

  www.barryeisler.com
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  Charles River Press

  www.charlesriverpress.com

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  Visit www.phaze.com for information on additional titles by this and other authors.