by Ju Ephraime
Finally allowing her feet to touch the floor, he separated his body from hers. Reaching for the soap, he squeezed some onto his hand, and after rubbing his hands together, he reached for her again and proceeded to clean her up, making certain to leave no spot untouched. When he thought she was dozing off in his arms, she reached for the soap and whispered to him, “It’s my turn now.”
Knowing if she started soaping him they would not be leaving the shower any time soon, he tried cautioning her.
“Are you sure you want to do this?”
“Yes. You know I love bathing you.”
He knew. That was why he wanted to stop her before she began. But just the thought of having her bathe him had him standing to attention again, even though he had just had an orgasm.
He closed his eyes and let her have her way with him. Thank God they had an endless supply of hot water; by the time they got out of the shower, they were both turning into prunes.
Leaving the shower, they donned bath robes and went in to enjoy the dinner she’d prepared, which was now cold and had to be reheated.
Pouring them a glass of wine to accompany their meal, Rupert sat down, watching her as she busied herself at the stove.
“Is there anything you want me to do? I’m offering again.”
“For the last time, no. Just sit back and relax. I’ll be done in five minutes.”
“How can I relax watching you move around in that robe?”
“Take your mind from where it seems to be stuck. You do want your dinner, don’t you?”
“I want my dinner, but I’m hungry for something else.”
“Behave, Rupert, be a good boy, and I’ll think of something good and tasty for your reward.”
“You shouldn’t have said that because now all I’ll be thinking of is my reward.”
“You are too much.”
“It’s an insatiable hunger I have for you. It’s like a bottomless pit that is never full.”
“Well, I don’t want my man hungry; I’ll take care of your stomach now. I can’t speak for your other greedy side. I’ll have to think of something.”
“You can try, but so long as you are around, I’ll always be hungry for you.”
“Oh, darling, you are good for my ego. Keep stroking it, and you’ll soon have me out of this robe.”
****
Lange had fixed one tray for the both of them. She brought the tray loaded with fragrant, tasty dishes, including a small casserole with a serving of the main dish and several little pies stuffed with banana and codfish salad. Enthusiastically Lange sat on one of Rupert’s legs and proceeded to feed him tidbits of the food while they shared a glass of wine.
Rupert took a sip of the wine, staring at her while he reached for one of the small pies and popped the whole thing into his mouth. This had Lange smiling as she raised her glass to him in a toast.
“Are you enjoying your pies?” she asked.
“You know I am. I’m hurrying to get to the dessert phase, so I can get my special treat, and if you smile at me like that again, I’ll have to ask for my dessert treat first.”
“Why?” she asked, watching him above the rim of her glass.
“Because,” he whispered, sliding his hand around the back of her neck, “it makes me lightheaded.”
Lange’s eyes closed as she felt his mouth press lightly against hers. She returned the kiss as her body responded to him. She had no willpower where he was concerned. All he had to do was touch her, and she went into meltdown. She tried to hide it, but it was a losing battle. She was his; there was no denying that.
She offered him another bite of the food, and he took it, nipping the end of her finger with his teeth. She was beginning to doubt she would be able to wait to give him the dessert she had prepared for him. So, to cover her excitement, she raised the glass to her mouth and took another sip from it. Slowly, he took the glass of wine from her, set it aside, and dipped his finger into the fruity liquid. Lange watched him in the grip of excitement. She didn’t move as he touched the soft skin of her lower lip, leaving a ruby-colored droplet. Leaning forward, he licked away the bead of wine, gently sealed his mouth over hers, and kissed and licked in deepening forays… until Lange could not contain her excitement anymore and reached for him. She put her hands on the robe he wore and slid them over his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and moved her onto his lap.
Lange was suddenly hollow with need, wanting him to fill her up and take her to the place that only he could.
She parted her legs and was rewarded with his erect penis nudging for entrance. She didn’t have to do anything but sink down onto it, one glorious inch at a time. Feeling full up like this almost had her reaching orgasm before they’d even gotten started. As she buried her face into his neck, he rewarded her by pushing his pelvic forward, as if giving her a nudge.
He kept nudging her while he ravished her mouth until she was almost begging him to keep it up long enough for her to reach orgasm. But he deliberately ignored all her efforts and kept teasing her. She was so frustrated she bit him on the lip, not enough to draw blood but enough to make him know she meant business. She was not prepared for his reaction. He moved his hands to her waist, and keeping her impaled on him, he set up a pace that had her screaming his name as she claimed an orgasm that was so powerful she took him right along with her. Long after it was over, they were both breathing as if they had just completed a marathon.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Lange awoke the next morning and was feeling sore in muscles she didn’t know she had. She rolled over and reached for her husband. His pillow was still warm, which told her what had woken her up was him getting out of bed. She remained lying there to see if he would return, thinking he might have gone to the bathroom, but after ten minutes of him not returning, she could smell the freshly brewed coffee, so she knew he was in the kitchen.
She got up and went to use the bathroom and brushed her teeth. When she returned to the bedroom, Rupert was there with a cup of coffee. After giving him a kiss on the lips, she accepted the coffee he handed to her.
“You’re up early this morning, darling. Are you walking to work today?”
“Yes, so I have to get an earlier start than usual, but I wanted to talk with you. I meant to do so when I got home yesterday, but I was otherwise engaged.”
“Who’s to blame for this? You have no one but yourself.”
“Yeah. I didn’t hear you complaining or saying no.”
“Why would I complain or say no? You are very good at what you do, and only a fool would say no to your brand of loving, and my mama didn’t make no fool.”
Grabbing her by the hand, he kissed her, pulling her into his aroused body. Lange was not surprised to find him that way. She believed he was in a state of arousal twenty-four-seven. How he managed to get any work done she had no idea, although he swore it only happened when he was around her. Lange wrapped her arms around his neck, her lips parting beneath the pressure of his. She tried to appear nonchalant, even if she wanted to crawl back into bed and let him have his way with her.
“Now that you have proved your point,” she told him, “what did you want to talk about?”
“I was thinking about getting you something to keep you busy. Now that you are done with decorating, I’m aware you have a lot of free time on your hands. I was thinking it’s a good time to try for that baby we wanted.”
“A baby is a good idea, but a part-time job is even better. I was going to discuss it with you when there was a lull in our activity.”
“Hmm. That’s what it is now, an activity?”
“You know what I mean, Rupert. Don’t be coy. It doesn’t become you.”
“Yes, mommy. What’re you going to do, spank me?”
“You are such a baby. I’m tempted to take my best to you.”
“Yes, yes, please mommy, please spank me.”
“You can beg if you want; it’s not happening. Let’s get back to our conversation.”
&
nbsp; “Okay, you know how I feel about my wife working. I’m perfectly able to provide for you, very comfortably, I might add. But I know it’s the free excessive time that’s getting to you. That’s why I thought working toward a baby was a good way to start. You’ll be too busy being a mom to have free time.”
“Ha ha, do you plan to impregnate me on the first try? Sometimes, it takes several tries before it happens. What will I do in the meantime while I wait?”
“I don’t anticipate it taking too long if you go off your pills.”
“You know, Rupert, you can be very self-centered sometimes. I don’t want to put that pressure on myself. I believe a part-time job is the way to go while we try.”
He knew when he was beaten. “All right, we’ll look into a part-time job while we try.” He would keep his own counsel, but he’d have her barefoot and pregnant before she could say, “Jack Robinson,” but he’d keep his thoughts to himself.
“Great, darling, I’m going to start looking after I’m back from my walk. It shouldn’t be too difficult.”
“Are you thinking of going back into your old line of work?”
“No, I’m thinking of doing something that’s not too stressful and very flexible. I want to be available anytime you need me.”
“So you are planning to work from home, then? Maybe you can do some accounting or marketing.”
“I’m feeling the marketing. I have a lot of experience in that area. Accounting? Nah, too tedious. I also want to be able to leave the house to go into the office if the mood takes me. I don’t want to be stuck in the house.”
“Great, sweetheart, I’m behind you, whatever you decide. I’m going to take a shower to get ready to leave. Are you going to be waiting for me this afternoon?”
“I sure will. I’m going for my morning walk. I should be back long before you are ready to leave. See you then.”
“All right, sweetheart, enjoy your walk. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
“Do you have something specific in mind? If you give me a hint, I sure will avoid doing it.”
With that, she walked back into the bedroom to change into her walking clothes, an old pair of sweats and tank top. Her shoes were in the entrance foyer, and she changed into them there, and she was off.
****
She set off at a brisk pace because she wanted to be back at the house before Rupert left. She usually did four miles, two one way and two going back. She called it a walk, but it was really a soft jog. Depending on how she felt, she could go as fast or as slow as she wanted. Today, she was going at a faster pace than she usually did because she was really feeling the hurting Rupert had put on her, but she did her best thinking while walking or jogging, and she had a lot to think about. So, she couldn’t pass up the opportunity.
She had gone all the way to the beach, which was her two miles, and was on her way back to complete her four miles when she felt as if someone was watching her. She looked around, quickly without slowing down, but there was no one there. She was rounding the bend that would signify her final lap of the walk when she almost ran into a man who was standing in her way on the beach. She’d slowed down to tell him to get out of her way when something about him looked familiar to her. Just as she was about to dismiss the thought that she knew the man, it came to her in a flash.
This was the man who’d almost accosted her two days ago. What’s he doing here? Does he live around here? She glanced at him again, and she knew immediately why she’d not recognized him at first. He was wearing dark reflective glasses, which hid more than half his face. They were wrapped around his face like a mask, leaving only his nose and mouth exposed. The cap on his head did an excellent job of making him unrecognizable. She couldn’t for the life of her know how she’d recognized him. He certainly didn’t look like the same man, but somehow she knew it was the same man. She felt the same shiver she’d felt when he came into her space while she was waiting for Rupert.
She kept running, but her enjoyment in the walk was gone. She felt him watching her. She stole a quick glance back before entering her house, and he was standing where she’d seen him, looking in her direction. She would have to mention him to Rupert. Maybe he knew him. Rupert knew a lot of people. He’d been living in this general area all his life.
As it turned out, her talk with her husband would have to wait. He had already left by the time she got back. She didn’t think she had taken any longer than usual, but maybe she had. She did have a lot on her mind.
She went about her daily activities, but she couldn’t get the man out of her mind. It was almost as though he was there watching her every move in her very own house. She knew it was her imagination, but she couldn’t shake the feeling. She was so stressed out she left much earlier than usual to go meet Rupert.
This time to avoid meeting the man again, she went to the coffee shop close to her old job and ordered a coffee and pastry while she waited. Pulling out her cell phone, she sent Rupert a text letting him know she was waiting for him at the coffee shop. He texted her back immediately, telling her he’d be there in thirty minutes.
The waiter brought her food, and she sat back to enjoy the coffee. She was almost through eating the pastry when she happened to glance across the street, and there, watching her, was the same man. She was convinced now that he was following her. She didn’t know the man. Why would he be following her? She kept her head down and refrained from glancing in his direction again. It was hard, but she kept herself busy completing the crossword puzzle in a copy of the local newspaper she’d picked up from the next table. She had become so engrossed that, at first, she’d not heard Rupert until he touched her on her back, and boy, she almost shot out of her seat.
“What’s the matter, darling?” he asked then gave her a quick kiss on the lips.
“Nothing, really, but I believe I’m being followed by a strange man.”
“You are? I don’t blame him. He has good taste.”
“This is serious, Rupert. He gives me the creeps. I saw him for the first time two days ago while I was waiting for you by the park. I saw him again while I was out taking my morning walk, and now he was staring at me from across the street. Look there to see if you see a strange man. He’s wearing dark reflective glasses and a strange looking cap on his head.”
“Across this street? There’s no one there, sweetheart, man or woman. But if you’ve seen him on three occasions, then this is serious.”
“I know, but more than that, he stares at me, and it makes me feel dirty. It’s as if he’s seeing underneath my clothes. I feel dirty every time he looks at me.”
“If you feel so strongly about it, I believe we should report it to the police.”
“And tell them what? A strange man is following me? They’ll think I’ve gone loony. I have to wait until he does something threatening, then I can set the authorities on him.”
“This is scary, sweetheart. I would suggest you not come to meet me in the afternoon, but that would be giving in to fear. I’m going to buy you some type of self-protection weapon. That way I’ll feel better, knowing you are able to protect yourself.”
“Let’s not get hysterical yet. He has made no effort to approach me after that first day. Maybe he’s sick and needs medical help, but just to be on the safe side, I’m carrying my can of mace.”
“That’s great, sweetheart, although I’d feel better knowing you wouldn’t have to use it.”
“Come on, let’s go home.”
They walked home, hand in hand, and even though she looked, she didn’t see the strange man again.
Pretty soon everything went back to normal, with her taking her morning walks and walking to meet her husband some afternoons. She had sent out several resumes and was just waiting to hear back. In the meantime, they were busy working on that baby, but so far, they had not been successful.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Jean Louis was furious with himself. He had made himself believe that he could make the woman fall in love wi
th him, and then she’d leave her husband, and everything would be happily ever after. He saw now that he’d made a big mistake revealing himself to her—letting her see him. It appeared he’d scared her into walking around with protection, not that she could hurt him with anything she were to throw at him, but she did not know that. It would take a lot more than mace or even a bullet from a gun to get rid of him. She would find out soon enough.
It had been two months, and he had taken to watching her from afar. He was beginning to lose patience now. The longer he stayed away, the more consumed he was with wanting her.
“Stubborn, reckless little fool,” he whispered in the guttural Creole of the island. “I’ve been waiting for you for a lifetime. I searched high and low and waited patiently to find you. I’d all but given up on finding you, believing there was no one for me. I’ve imagined other women were you…I made love to them, always pretending it was you in my arms. Soon you’ll know you were meant for me. Soon you’ll come to me… hungry for my touch, or I’ll take you my way and hang the consequences.”
****
Lange shook her head in confusion at the strange voice in her head. There was no one there with her, so what was she hearing? She walked into the other rooms, but there was no one there. She thought she was imagining things, so she dismissed the sound and continued preparing the fruitcake she was getting ready to bake for her husband. He loved fruitcake, especially the one laced liberally with brandy. He loved brandy and joked about eating his liquor. He’d been especially good last night, so this was a treat for him. She was not a baker, but every so often, she felt the need to bake something, and today was a brandy fruitcake. It would be a nice surprise for him. She had even bought a tub of rum raisin ice cream to go with it.