The Soulmates Collection

by S. L. Scott

  “No, it’s okay. I was heading over to see you anyway.”

  “You were?” She didn’t wait for him to answer and took advantage of his attention. “I’m Christina.”

  His eyes stayed fixed on her bright and gleaming eyes. Her soft smile revealed she was happy to see him, too, so he smiled and stuck his hand out. “I’m Lawson. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  This time, they allowed the discomfort of politeness to wash over them, and they held each other’s hand tightly and selfishly, just because they wanted to.

  The wind blew and strands of her light brown hair floated over her face, hiding her smile from him. Without thinking, he took hold of her knit hat and straightened it then very gently pushed the fluttering hair off of her cheeks.

  She remained perfectly still as his hands caressed her face, watching him.

  He coughed, breaking the moment. “I’m heading home for lunch. Would you like to join me?” he asked, hoping she’d say yes, though he knew it was a risk being this forward.

  “I have a salad with my name on it waiting at my apartment.” With a devilish smile playing across her full lips, she added, “Maybe we can eat together. Do you want to come over? I can make you a sandwich.”

  “Okay,” he said, feeling on top of the world that his dream girl had just invited him over. There was something about this girl that felt so right, and he wanted to be wherever she was going. But the effects of having his crush in such close proximity were starting to engulf him, so he shifted his stance, hoping she wouldn’t notice his growing affections. He nodded his head to the side. “You ready?”

  “Yes.”

  On that acceptance, they walked the remaining block chatting about the weather. They approached a somewhat dilapidated five-story walk-up, and in sync, pointed and said, “Here we are. This is me.”

  She jerked to look at him. “I live here.”

  He chuckled. “So do I.”

  With a smile gracing her face, she said, “Well, what a coincidence.”

  “Quite the coincidence, indeed.”

  Through a shared laugh, they walked inside and stood at the landing of the stairs. Lawson took the lead this time. “How come I’ve never seen you before?”

  “Maybe you just never noticed me.”

  “Oh, I would have noticed you all right.”

  She shrugged. “I’ve been here all along.”

  He looked at her sweet expression and watched her sigh as if her beauty escaped the world’s notice. “I’m well aware of you now.”

  “And so you are.” She started up one stair, but turned back. “Maybe we work different hours. Most days, I’m at work by six a.m. and home by four or five. Apartment 3B is right up here.”

  “I get to work around noon and work until ten. Yeah, it must be the different schedules.”

  They climbed the rest of the stairs to the apartment and went inside. Lawson liked the hominess of the small place, but also noticed the room lacking something very important. “No Christmas tree?”

  Christina tossed her keys down on the console by the door then slid her coat down her arms. “No, unfortunately. I don’t have a lot of spare money this year, and my family can’t afford to help out.” She hung her coat on a hook on the back of the door then walked into the kitchenette.

  “You’re always at the lot looking at the trees though?” He hoped his confession that he had seen her there on countless occasions wouldn’t turn her off. He shed his own coat and hung it on the empty hook next to hers.

  With coffee mugs in hand, she stopped what she was doing, slowly turned around, and asked, “So, you’ve seen me?”

  “I’ve, uh, noticed you at Wonderland a few times,” he said, knowing he was busted, but trying to play it off.

  She set the mugs on the counter, walked over, and, stopped right in front of him. “Just a few times?”

  He could feel the heat emanating from her closeness and wanted more. She was like the sun on a cold winter’s day. He took a step closer, needing more of that warmth, suddenly needing more of her, the woman that was so unaware of her beauty and what it did to him. He gulped. “You’re really beautiful.” Taking a chance, he stole one more step between them, closing the gap. Finally, taking her by the hands, hands that were still chilly from the walk home, he leaned into her.

  With her eyes closed, she waited, lips slightly parted. He knew she thought he was going to kiss her and could tell that she really wanted him to. Instead, he whispered, “You’re incredibly sexy, too.”

  Chapter 2

  All of the fantasies she had of him were about to be realized, so she took a deep breath, and molded her body against his as the warmth of his breath covered her neck. That combined with his voice and smell, shot straight to the center of her existence. She turned and found his mouth, taking him, forthright.

  As they showed just how attracted they were to each other, Lawson’s thumb grazed across a ring on her left finger; a gold band alerting him to her marital status.

  She held her breath, waiting for his reaction.

  “You’re married?” he asked, his tone revealing his shock.

  Not wanting to hide the truth, she nodded. “I should’ve told you.”

  “Why? W-why did you invite me here?” he stammered, confused.

  “I want you. I’ve wanted you since the first time I ever saw you. I shouldn’t, but I do. He’s controlling and unreasonable.” Losing all sense of self, she spewed any reason she could think of to help convince him to stay and make love to her. “Possessive and …” She needed him like no other and couldn’t bear the thought of him leaving after having already tasted him.

  “I shouldn’t be here—”

  “I know you want me as much as I want you,” She beckoned him, fisting his shirt and pulling him even closer. “Don’t think about the consequences. Just think about the here and now.” She laid a kiss on his chin, her lips staying put.

  “I shouldn’t be doing this…” After a too long and very uncomfortable pause, he took a deep breath, grabbed her by the waist, seeming to throw caution to the wind, and said, “Ah, fuck it!”

  She wrapped her hands around his neck as if holding him in place; neither of them wasting any more time. Their lips united as if made for the other. The rhythm of their tongues circled and swirled becoming needier as they worked each other into a frenzied sexual state.

  Christina’s body slid in a small gyration against his erection, and she knew she had gotten to him. He was all hers now. Without losing contact with her mouth, he walked her backwards to the nearest hard surface, a column that divided the kitchen from the living room, and pinned her securely against it as he pressed himself firmly against her.

  She moaned into his mouth, and that seemed to be his complete undoing. There was no possibility of them stopping now. His hands were firm as he slid them under her shirt and removed it, flinging it behind him.

  Christina was clawing at his shirt as well, desperate to press her bare skin against his. There was something about this earthbound sex god that made her drop her guard and her panties, instantly. And dropping her panties was exactly what she started doing.

  They struggled through their winter layers, cursing in-between kisses at the inconvenience of living in the cold Midwest. When they finally managed to remove all the offending apparel, Lawson said in an insinuating whisper, “I’ve had fantasies…” he started between heated kisses along her neck, “…of you serving me naked at the coffee shop.” His lips continued pressing wet goodness along her collarbone.

  With her neck tilted back and to the side, she opened her eyes. “Where I work?” she questioned, not really wanting to interrupt his attentions, but wanting to hear more about his fantasies.

  “Yes, I only go there because you’re there.”

  Lifting her head, she looked right into his hazel eyes. “I don’t remember serving you coffee and I would definitely remember you.”

  He bent down and scooped her up into his arms and carried he
r into the bedroom. After depositing her on the bed, he positioned himself between her bent knees. “I’ll make sure you never forget me.” He didn’t restrain his desire, or hold back. Instead, he rubbed his hard length between her soft folds eliciting an unabashed moan shooting straight from her core.

  “I need you,” she said. “I want to feel you inside of me…now.”

  He attacked her mouth trying to swallow her breath and she let him. She let him consume all her worries because it felt good to feel this free from burden, to run on instinct and desire instead of daily stresses and caffeine.

  A bit breathless, she said, “Condoms…left...side...nightstand.”

  He understood her stilted command and lunged toward the nightstand. She watched as he felt wildly around the drawer as if his salvation depended on it. When he finally found the foil package, they both smiled.

  Kneeling between her legs, he rolled the condom down his large erection then bent down over her. He kissed her twice before lowering his middle to hers. She took a deep breath in anticipation and a bit out of nervousness as he pressed down on top of her.

  “Are you sure?” he asked.

  She nodded, too caught up in the blissfulness to verbalize her answer.

  He positioned himself and slid inside, his own breath catching and his eyes shutting. “Beautiful,” he mumbled. When his pelvis met hers, he dropped his head onto her shoulder, allowing her the moment to adjust to him, his heavy pants signaling he needed the time, too. Without warning, he pulled back and slowly pushed forward again. Christina’s nails gently scratched his shoulder blades, and she moved to further both the feeling for herself and for him.

  The resounding groan in his chest made her even more wet, and the need for him to go faster, harder, and deeper greater. She tilted her hips when he pulled back and met him full force when he thrust forward. Their rhythm became erratic and pushed them closer to the ecstasy they both desperately craved.

  Moving his hand to her most sensitive bud, his fingertips worked her. It didn’t take long and only two or three intense circular swirls with his thumb before she finally fell from the ledge, letting herself freefall into sexual oblivion.

  She tightened and squeezed around him causing him to plunge, joining her in rapture.

  Afterwards, they didn’t move for minutes, neither wanting to rush back into reality. They continued laying there, holding each other while their bodies touched as much as possible.

  An annoying alarm sounded from the living room. After a sigh, he said, “That’s me. Wish I didn’t have to go, but I have to be back at work in ten minutes.”

  Christina smiled, relaxed from their activities, and still feeling confident. “Well, now you know where to find me. I hope you won’t be a stranger.”

  Lawson didn’t scramble from the bed. He was hesitant as he sat up. She could see the battle brewing in his eyes as he looked at her sprawled across the queen-sized bed. “You can stay,” she said, already well aware he wouldn’t or more sadly accurate, couldn’t, but wanting him to know how she felt. “I’d like you to.”

  “I can’t afford to lose my job, but looking at you here, your beauty, how sexy you are, and how good you feel.” He ran his hand over her stomach and upwards. His thumb slid across her bottom lip and stopped when her tongue dipped out to touch him. “You make me want to stay and do very bad things to you.”

  “Bad or good?”

  “Bad, but they’ll feel so good.”

  “Stay.”

  He chuckled. “I can’t.” He rolled to his side and got out of bed, walking into the living room where they had discarded their clothes. When he returned to the bedroom, he set her clothes neatly at the base of the bed and began to get dressed.

  Resting her arms behind her head, Christina admired his body as he pulled his jeans up his legs and felt a pang of disappointment when he fastened the belt. He was too sexy for his own good, she thought, appreciating his muscular physique, and definitely too sexy for her good. Their time was coming to an end too soon for her liking.

  “Don’t you have to return to work, too?” he asked, staring at the siren lounging in bed.

  Images of spending her day with him in bed, laughing, making love, and sleeping crossed her mind. They were images that made her think she should consider skipping work the rest of the day, convincing him to stay, and spending it with him in bed instead. Glancing at the clock on the nightstand, she said, “I have time. I have an hour break.”

  Once completely dressed again, he crawled over her sheet-covered body. Lifting the sheet up, he kissed each of her breasts then kissed the swollen lips he’d already fallen in love with.

  Running her fingers through his brown hair, she went lower and ran the tip of her index finger lightly over the fresh scratch above his eyebrow. “Does this hurt?”

  “No.”

  “Take care of yourself.”

  “The Christmas tree business is very dangerous,” he replied sarcastically.

  “Your face is too handsome to be scarred by an over-priced pine tree.”

  He chuckled. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  Lifting her head up, she brought her lips to the wound and kissed it. His eyes were closed, as if he was savoring the feel of her lips on his skin.

  With a sigh, he stood up. “Get the decorations ready because I’m going to bring you a tree, beautiful.”

  Her lids were heavy and her voice was raspy with exhaustion. “Only if you help me decorate it, and we do this again.”

  “What about your husband?”

  “He leaves me alone all the time and a woman has needs.” Her tone was suggestive as if he wasn’t even a factor in the equation that was now Lawson and Christina.

  He arched an eyebrow, and replied, “You’ll be seeing me sooner than later… to help you out with those needs.”

  “I count on it, and look forward to it.”

  He left her naked and lying in her marital bed, happy and satisfied with no regrets.

  A few minutes later, Christina hopped in the shower and cleaned her body. As she lathered, she caught sight of her gold band and cleaned it, too. She smiled, feeling warm and loved as she turned the band around on her finger under the warm shower spray.

  With the weather taking a turn for the worse, the coffee bar was packed with customers the rest of the day. She finished her workday at a quarter after eight, calling it a day after a ten hour shift. Although her feet were throbbing, and she had just gotten her third steam burn today from the frothing spigot while making an extra-large soy milk mocha latte double foam, she didn’t mind the extra hours because she knew she’d be returning to an empty apartment. She clocked out and grabbed her coat. Walking out into the cool December air, she soothed her newest burn by rubbing gently over the mark near her thumb. But, the cold won out, and she slipped on her gloves.

  Since there was no rush to get home, she could take her time on her walk home and maybe ogle a certain tree salesman for awhile. Her husband worked ungodly hours during the holidays. They needed the extra money for the next semester of university, so they sacrificed their time together temporarily.

  When she approached the tree lot, she slowed her pace to make sure Lawson saw her. Their eyes connected and she sent him a small wave and a smile. He was busy talking to a family of six who couldn’t decide between a flocked Fir or a Blue Pine, but he couldn’t help the smile that covered his face, and waved back.

  She didn’t linger tonight and went home, knowing that’s all he could give her at the time. When she entered her apartment, she clicked on the lamp nearest the couch, and unwound her scarf from around her neck. Tossing her purse and coat down on the arm of the couch, she started to undress and get more comfortable. In hopes of having a tree delivered especially for her, she went to the hall closet and pulled the boxes of decorations from the very back and set them in front of the TV.

  Wanting to remember the feel of Lawson and his hands on her body from earlier that afternoon, she lay down on the couch, p
ulled a blanket over her, and grabbed the remote. After turning on the twenty-four hour Christmas music station, she closed her eyes, and let the vivid memories of his touch cover her.

  At ten-thirty, she heard a light knock on her front door, waking her up. She had fallen asleep bundled up on the couch. The knock was soft, but insistent, and she scampered from the warmth of the couch, opening the door wide.

  “Hi.” She stood in her panties and tank top with her hand on her hip, tilting her head and questioning Lawson. “You’re back sooner than I expected.”

  “I hope you don’t mind, beautiful. But I saw this tree and wanted to give it to you,” he said, presenting the sad, little, sparse-needled Fir to her.

  Her heart swooned at the sweet gesture. “You remembered.”

  “How could I ever forget? You say the same thing every year, bring me the tree that no one else wants, and we’ll give it a good home.”

  Christina wrapped her arms around her husband’s neck, and hummed. “Happy anniversary, honey.”

  He kissed her with all the love they have shared over the last five years. “Happy anniversary, my beautiful wife.”

  As he dragged the tree into their tiny living room, he noticed she had pulled their two boxes of ornaments out of storage in preparation of their Christmas Eve ritual. Christina turned the music up a little louder and brought her husband a cup of spiked eggnog. As they decorated the tree together, he teased her about something she had said earlier that day. “Controlling and unreasonable, huh?” He smirked and cocked his eyebrow up.

  Christina returned the same smirk, a smirk she had picked up from her husband over the years then shrugged. “Don’t forget possessive.”

  Wrapping her tightly in his arms, he chuckled. “Oh, I could never forget possessive, my love.” He kissed her three times on the neck as they looked at their decorating handiwork.

  They sat down when they finished decorating their tree and smiled because even a sad, sparse-needled Fir had managed to brighten the whole apartment up with Christmas cheer.