by Jessica Snow
"I do hope you’re not vegetarian, but we do have quite a selection of meats. Any favorites?"
Melanie thought for a moment, then nodded. "Sure. Any pastrami?"
She thought she could see Kimberly smile slightly. "Pastrami it is. I can make a grilled pastrami on rye with sauerkraut. How does that sound?"
Mel smiled but held her hands up. "You don't need to go through all the trouble. If you point me in the direction of the kitchen, I can make it."
Kimberly shook her head firmly. "That wouldn’t do. It isn't correct to have a guest do such things. Please, sit and enjoy the fire, and I’ll be back quickly. I haven’t eaten either, so if you do not mind, I’ll join you."
“Um, of course." Mel turned back to the fire pit area and settled herself down onto the plush brown sofa. Now that she had a moment, she carefully prodded at her left shoulder. It was encased in gauze, so there wasn't much she could directly feel, but she was sure there were stitches underneath the bandage. She could move her arm, though, which meant that the bullet hadn't cracked any bones. That was lucky at least.
Within five minutes, Kimberly was back with two plates, both holding sandwiches. While Melanie thought her sandwich was large, it was nothing compared to Kimberly's, whose overflowing monster of a sandwich had to contain at least a pound of pastrami. How in the hell she maintained her figure while eating like that, she couldn’t fathom. "I have a high metabolism," Kimberly said in way of explanation, handing Mel her own plate.
Mel shrugged and tore in. She was ravenous, and for the next few minutes, the only sounds in the room were the two women tearing into their food with relish. Finally, Mel sat back, her growling stomach satiated for the moment. "Thank you, Kim, that was delicious."
"You’re welcome. It is not often I get to make food for others. I enjoyed it."
"So you live here with your brother?"
"Here and at our family estate in the mountains."
Family estate, huh? This family had to have more money than Mel could even imagine. "So what do you do?"
"Do?" Kimberly looked confused. Mel nodded.
"Yeah, you know. Are you a student, a lawyer, a painter, do you play with children all day?"
Kimberly nodded in understanding. "I assist my brother with the family business."
"Which is what exactly?”
"Mostly real estate, but we’re involved with some natural resource ventures as well. Sustainable forestry, alternative energy research, and other such things. Keith handles most of that, I assist in the real estate issues."
"I see. Any projects I know of?"
"Well, you're sitting in one of them," Kimberly said matter of factly. "We have not publicized our names in the investment, but that's how we like it."
"How mysterious."
"We prefer to be anonymous. Fame is too constricting for my brother and me."
The two continued to talk long into the night, swapping stories and information. Melanie was surprised to learn that Kimberly was much older than she thought, almost 40, while Mel was only 29. As physically different as they were, however, they shared much in common, with both of them enjoying nature, culinary arts, and a physical lifestyle, although Kimberly preferred yoga to Mel's Jeet Kun Do. "You must share with my brother," Kimberly said after Mel told her about her experience in the martial arts. "He’s also a warrior, and you two would have a lot to talk about."
"I might enjoy that," Mel said, yawning as fatigue washed over her. As intriguing as Kim made him sound, she was still a bit skeptical about her surroundings. “Why am I so tired? I've been asleep for two days."
"Stress, physical injury, and a huge sandwich in your stomach can do that," Kimberly replied. "Here, let me help you to your room."
"But I have so many more questions. Where is Keith? Why are you protecting me?
"He is out for the night, we’re protecting you because you are a good person, and you and my brother can discuss that in the morning," Kimberly said in way of answer, helping Mel to her feet. While she may have looked willowy and slender, Kimberly's pull was strong.
"Thank you," Mel quietly said, turning and heading back towards the bedroom. "Will I see you tomorrow?"
"If you wish," Kimberly replied, gathering up the plates. "Good night, Melanie."
"Good night, Kimberly."
Chapter 3
For the next two weeks, Melanie found herself a welcome, sometimes bordering on pampered guest in the Lockwood Towers. As Kimberly had told her the first night, by the next morning Keith had returned, and the two began a regular habit of eating breakfast together. The first morning had been mostly serious discussion, as Keith outlined the facts of the past few days.
Melanie was now wanted by the police. In fact, she was the focus of a state-wide manhunt, or in her case, woman-hunt. Keith had used some connections, just what those were he would not say, to back check Melanie's story. He apparently knew some people who could help her, but it would take time. In the meantime, she was welcome to stay here and recuperate. Following breakfast, Keith disappeared for the rest of the day doing work.
Starting the second day, however, Melanie discovered that more and more of their conversation turned personal and humorous. For all of his intimidating physique and rugged exterior, she found him to be a sensitive, intelligent man. She was drawn to his sense of harmony, power, and self-determination. Up until that point, Melanie still had her reservations about Keith, but now, she was starting to let her guard down.
Keith also had a wickedly attractive sense of humor. One morning, about a week after Melanie's arrival, he was telling her about a trip he took to Asia during his university days. "So, there I was, the tallest person along the entire riverside, dancing around with a giant paper octopus on my head," he said, laughing the laugh that Melanie found increasingly sexy. "When suddenly, the music stops, and this old woman rips off her robe and jumps off of the nearby bridge into the water. I was sure she had lost her mind and was committing suicide."
"Wow, so what did you do?" Melanie asked, sipping her orange juice. They were sitting in the kitchen now, each of them pulled up to the full sized granite island in the middle of the chrome and steel technological masterpiece. It was the only room in the penthouse that felt antiseptic in nature.
"Well, I’m not one to let an old woman drown, so with a mighty yell of what roughly translates to 'don't worry grandma, here I come!' I jumped in after her, paper octopus and all! When I finally get to her, she's angry with me, and I end up getting chased around the riverbank with a wet, naked old woman who kept slapping me!"
Melanie laughed heartily at the image in her mind. "What? Why was she so angry?"
"Come to find out, she was supposed to be the star of this entire festival, and she was supposed to swim from that bridge to the bridge on the other side of town. Town custom said you were only allowed to try it once, and she had been waiting thirty years for her chance. I had to use all my charm to get her to leave me alone!"
"Did she?"
"Eventually, although I think I'm supposed to either buy her a chicken or betroth my first born to one of her granddaughters or something. The local dialect was really hard to understand."
In the afternoons, Melanie exercised her body. The penthouse had a fully equipped home gym, and she made sure to put all of the equipment to good use. Starting with stretching to loosen the shoulder, she would work her way up to using weights, calisthenics, and power yoga to rehabilitate her shoulder and work the rest of her body. She watched in the mirror as her body would warm, then start to glisten as the sweat popped out on her skin. Kimberly had delivered her some clothing, and the white tank tops she wore during these exercise sessions quickly turned translucent as she worked herself harder and harder. In her mind, she was recalling the pain and agony of getting shot, and at the same time, her mind kept replaying her own two bullets that ended Gladstone and Ramirez's lives. Now she was on the run, she was angry, and she was still in pain. Both mental and physical.
&nbs
p; On a Friday, exactly two and a half weeks after coming to Lockwood Towers, Melanie was in another session. She was so focused on her mental dialogue that she wasn't paying attention as she ran on the treadmill when suddenly she heard a sound behind her. Startled, her feet tangled up on themselves, and she tumbled to the belt, banging her left shoulder as she impacted. "Ah, dammit!" she yelled, clutching at the tender joint in agony.
In a flash, she felt someone at her side. It was Keith. "Melanie, I’m so sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," he said, kneeling down next to her. His strong hands slid under her shoulders, and he lifted her easily in his arms as he carried her over to a massage table in the corner. "Are you injured?"
"Not really," Melanie said through gritted teeth. "Just my own stupid fault. I'm just a little jumpy lately."
Melanie took a deep breath and opened her eyes. Keith was dressed for working out as well, wearing tight black shorts and a cotton tank top similar to hers. She noticed for the first time that his chest and arms were covered in a very fine, very light coating of hair. While most women would find it unattractive, on Keith it definitely looked sexy, highlighting the muscular nature of his arms and torso. She could feel a tingle develop between her thighs. "What are you doing home so early?"
"My sister has told me you’ve been exercising quite hard recently, and have shown impressive abilities," he replied, his voice sounding thicker, rougher somehow. "I wanted to see for myself, and maybe join in."
"I think I’m done for the day, but I would love to watch your workout," Melanie replied, unconsciously chewing her bottom lip. The heat in her groin was growing, and she knew she was turned on. It had been a while since she had last had a lover, but she hadn't forgotten the signs.
Keith's nostrils flared slightly, and Melanie could swear he was smelling the air. With a momentary pause, Keith smiled ferally and nodded, walking over to the treadmill and restarting it. Melanie gingerly rolled over on her stomach to watch.
From her position, she could see all of Keith. The massage table was behind the treadmill, so she had an amazing view of his backside and legs as the impressive muscles flexed and flowed, propelling him along the belt. Glancing at the mirror in front of the treadmill, Mel watched as Keith's skin flushed, then started to lightly sweat as the belt continued to roll on. Melanie could feel wetness spreading between her legs as she watched every muscle on Keith's handsome body flex and relax.
After a few minutes, Melanie was practically moaning in lust as she watched Keith work. He got off the treadmill and started on the overhead press, his massive arms and shoulders straining as he lifted a very impressive 300 pounds over and over. Glancing in the mirror again, Melanie started when she realized that Keith's eyes were locked on hers in the mirror, and he was staring at her with open want in his face. Keith racked the bar with a loud clang and almost pounced across the room, gathering Melanie in his arms and picking her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist, thrilled at the rock-hard firmness she felt through her shorts.
"I can't hold back anymore," Keith said, as his lips fastened upon Melanie's. He was strong, firm, but his lips were soft, as his tongue snaked out to taste Melanie's lips. She moaned, opening her mouth in return, her own tongue capturing his, as the two clung to each other in desperate lust.
"I don't want you to hold back at all," Mel groaned in reply when they finally broke the kiss. "I think you're the sexiest man I've ever known."
Keith smiled, his amber eyes burning into Melanie's, searing into her very soul. "And you’re the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," he said, tracing a finger down Melanie's back while supporting her under her hips with only one arm. "Besides being intelligent, honorable, and funny. You've brought sunshine to my dark life, and I need you."
Melanie felt tears spring to her eyes, and she blinked them away quickly. She couldn't even begin to say all the words she felt running through her mind, so she answered the only way she knew how with another scorching kiss. She moaned in heat, feeling his hard cock pressing against the crotch of her shorts. Her hands roamed over Keith's broad back, tracing and memorizing each individual muscle, amazed that so muscular a man could also be so intelligent, kind, and respectful.
After breaking the kiss, she unwrapped her legs from his waist and pulled herself from his arms. She wanted to see more of his amazing body, and she couldn't disrobe him when they were entwined. She smiled, kissing his chest muscles as she pulled the hem of his tank top out from his shorts. Keith caught on, and his smile widened. With a shrug of his arms, he pulled the tank top over his head, tossing it across the room to land on a rack of dumbbells. "My turn now," he growled.
Melanie grinned as Keith grabbed the straps of her tank top and pulled. The thin cotton parted like tissue paper in his strong hands, and suddenly Melanie's breasts were exposed to the air directly. She could feel her nipples, rock hard and aching on her breasts, as she thrust them out for his approval. She knew she wasn't large, just a B cup, and she was sometimes shy about them. "Do you like?"
Instead of answering, Keith swept her up in his arms again, depositing Melanie's backside on the massage table. He gently pushed her back, until she was leaning back on her elbows, before lowering his lips to her collarbone. She gasped as she felt his tongue trace the tender flesh, while his hands caressed her arms and thighs. The heat in her groin had spread to an inferno, as Keith's right hand came up to caress her breast, gently squeezing and massaging the tender flesh. Her eyes closed in lust as she heard him whisper in her ear, "They're perfect. I must taste."
Melanie could only nod in reply, and seconds later her eyes flew open as fireworks went off in her head and in her aching pussy as Keith fastened his lips on her right breast. His tongue teased and wrapped itself around her nipple, its rough texture sending electric shockwaves through her nipple and throughout her body. She felt herself lean back more on the table as her hands desperately clung to the back of his head, urging him not to stop.
Her moans were uncontrollable, as Keith kissed his way across her chest, before taking her other nipple into his mouth. Sweat stung her eyes as her nostrils flared, inhaling the mixed aromas of sweat and arousal the two were creating. "Yes, Keith, yes...." she cried, her legs parting in desire to feel his touch in her most sensitive of places.
Keith kissed his way down her body, his long tongue tasting and arousing every inch of Melanie's skin before he reached the waistband of her shorts. Through half-lidded eyes, she watched as he paused, and looked up at her. "If I continue, there's no going back," he said, lust and graveness mixing erotically in his voice. "I can’t stop myself if I keep going."
"Don't stop," Melanie replied, lifting her hips up off the edge of the table. “Take me." She felt as if a line had been crossed as if she had just jumped out of an airplane without a parachute. It was dangerous, it was exhilarating, and she knew she had never felt more alive.
Keith slipped his fingers under the waistband of Melanie's shorts and pulled them gently down her lean legs. There, displayed before her new lover, was Melanie's most tender secrets. Her shaved pussy gleamed wetly in the overhead light, and Melanie shivered as she felt the cool air from the overhead fan play against her hot skin. She shivered again as she saw the look in Keith's eyes, hunger leaping from them as his tongue traced his lips. Her body burned for him, and the normally dominant woman felt herself wanting to submit to him, to let him take her and make her his.
Keith reached out with one finger, and Melanie cried out as he tenderly caressed her labia. His thick yet graceful finger traced up and down her slit, gathering her moisture before finding her hooded clit at the top. She moaned and whined as a small orgasm shook her body, her hips jerking from just that single touch. When she came down from the clouds, she looked down to see Keith smiling up at her.
With the same devious smile he used when he was telling her some of his favorite stories, he leaned in, and his again supernaturally long tongue snaked out to replace his fingers. Melanie had never felt such sensations
before, his tongue seemed to be everywhere, touching and caressing every fold of her pussy, licking, and darting, opening her up more and more to his exploration. Her thighs clamped around Keith's head as she cried out again, this time in a full-fledged orgasm that left her unable to breathe for agonizing seconds. She felt like she was going to pass out.
"My god, what are you doing?" she moaned when she finally regained her senses. Her body was exhausted, she had never felt such a strong climax before. Keith stood up, and she could see what he wanted. His shorts were almost comically stretched out, his cock straining against the fabric almost to the point of tearing the seams. Melanie felt a ripple of fear and renewed lust flush through her chest and down through her pussy. She hadn't even seen him yet, and she knew it was going to be the largest cock she had ever had inside her.
"Hands and knees," Keith said, his voice deeper and growling. Melanie stared into his eyes, which seemed to be aflame with lust and desire. She felt another stab of fear and understood what Keith had meant earlier. The intelligent, witty man she was falling in love with was gone. Standing in front of her now was a primal sex god, not to be denied. It scared her, it thrilled her, and she knew she would obey his every whim.
Without a word, Melanie climbed off the table and got on her hands and knees. From where she was kneeling, she could see them both in the mirror. She saw her position, submissive, desirous, sexy. She gasped as she watched Keith literally rip his shorts off his own body, and his massive cock sprung into her sight. It was long, easily 8 or 9 inches, and beautifully tapered to a graceful point. The head was a fiery red, and she could see in the mirror as the whole thing shook with Keith's pulse. Precome oozed from the tip, and she watched as a drop formed and fell to the floor. "Yessss," she moaned, ready for him.
Keith seemed to have lost the capacity for speech as he knelt behind her, and lined himself up with her hot center. She shivered again in anticipation as she felt his cockhead probe at her, and she relaxed her body as best as she could when she felt his strong hands grasp her hips. It was time.