The Fight Within

by Laveen, Tiana

  “You never told me that…” Sean whispered, his look serious as he ran his free hand softly along her thigh.

  “Speaking to this man was the bravest thing you’d done in a very long time,” Madeline offered. “Don’t keep second-guessing it, don’t be ashamed. Your past is your past. You threw away the parts that no longer served you, a long time ago.” She offered a pleasant smile. “You must let all of that go. Be uninhibited, and trust him. And trust yourself, too. You’re very smart as well. You’ve got a good heart and are an excellent mother.”

  “I don’t feel so excellent sometimes,” she offered dryly.

  Those words simply came out. She was falling in love with what Madeline was saying, because it was factual, concrete, real and organic. The truth. After all, this was the reason why she’d fallen in love with Sean, too…

  The man proved real, tangible, and warm to her soul. He had lost his need to dress up. The man wore no getups, masks, or anything fake. He was simply himself…

  Her damn heart spoke before her mind could corral the pouring emotions, and though she donned fear like a coat, over that layer had settled a sense of relief.

  “I know. You want to succeed at everything you do, but lately, you feel like a walking disaster. That has not been good for you, but it helped you accept this man, give him a chance.”

  “What do you mean?” Sean asked.

  “Because she was more vulnerable, it made her more open, her mind more accepting. You see, when we are at low points in our life, sometimes those low points have good outcomes that we don’t understand at the time. Sometimes,” she shot an all-knowing look at Treasure, “we have to get real low to the ground, so that we are then able soar higher than we ever imagined we could. And we appreciate the beautiful sky a lot more once we’ve been left for dead on the cold, hard ground.”

  “So basically, she settled. I was her last resort?” Sean burst out laughing and slapped the table, not seeming to really care, but enjoying the butt of his own joke nevertheless.

  “No, not exactly, because her desire for you is genuine,” Madeline corrected with a rascally grin, seeming to enjoy the banter. “Despite how we arrived where we have in life, once we are there, our choices are reflections of what is currently in our heart. It doesn’t matter how this came to be, only that it did.”

  “Well,” he said with a shrug. “That’s an interesting way to look at it. I’ve learned something here. I liked this…yeah, you’re pretty damn good. I’d even say you were worth the money.”

  This caused all of them to laugh a bit more.

  “So, what now?” Sean questioned on a sigh. “Any parting words of wisdom?” He grinned.

  The psychic released their hands and looked at both of them, studying the pair.

  “You’re doing what you’re supposed to do. Just go with the flow, don’t fight it. This lifetime, I want you two to make it. You both deserve it.”

  The woman stood from her chair and handed each of them a mauve business card with her information scribed across it in white before escorting them back to the front of the store. They followed behind, lagging a bit, their footsteps in unison, as if both loathed to leave the safety of the place.

  “Well, thanks.” Sean read the card then slipped it into his jeans pocket. “Thanks a lot.”

  “You’re welcome.” Madeline smiled a bit wider as she shook his hand.

  Treasure slid the business card in her purse, while sizing up the woman out the corner of her eye. Then, the psychic gently took her by the arm, leaned in close, and whispered, “He’s the real deal… Let go, and just be…”

  ‡

  Chapter Fourteen

  “There comes a time in a man’s life when—”

  “Sean.” Treasure rested her forehead against the man’s chest as they stood from their barstool seats. They’d popped in for a late night coffee in Dunkin Donuts. Throughout their time there, he’d had her stomach forming thick loops of laughter, doubling over just so, going on and on about the less finer things in life. She never brought up the reading they’d had an hour earlier, and he didn’t, either. The words had been said, and no more was needed.

  “I was just getting to the good part.” She slowly lifted her head, rested her chin in the gulley between his collarbones—and falling a little more in love. After a few moments, they met eyes. He stared down at her, smelling like caramel and strong coffee all rolled into one delicious fragrance.

  “You put caramel in your coffee. I’m telling.” She snickered as she ran her fingers slowly along his chest, catching the fabric.

  “People already know my dirty little secret.” His smile kinked to the far left, drawing her further under his green-eyed spell.

  “Did you want a coffee to go before we leave?” he offered, his gaze never straying from hers.

  He wrapped his hands around the small of her back, layered her forehead with gentle kisses, then peered down into her eyes once more, making her mind turn to a damn muddled mess of incomplete thoughts. Her pussy swooned over the damn fool over and over, saturating, her lower lips swelling up like cotton submerged in water.

  “Nah, I’m fine.”

  He nodded and removed his worn, light brown wallet from his back pocket, but she placed her hand across his, stopping him in his tracks.

  “Let me do it. It was my idea to come here.”

  He hesitated for a moment or two, then stepped back a bit, conceding. After she’d paid their tab, they walked out the place, the intoxicating scent of fresh, hot, gooey donuts wafting behind them. The gutters smoked from a recent downpour as a burst of warmer air tickled her lower legs. They took a few steps, hand in hand, their fingers sliding against one another as if making love all on their own. The silent movement ceased when the man slowed to a crawl and pulled her to him, locking her in place like a child on a rollercoaster…only the steel bar across her belly was his hard, warm body… And oh, how she wanted to take a ride…

  “Do you know how beautiful you are?”

  Before she could respond, he pressed his lips into hers, almost knocking her off her feet. When he turned her loose, she resisted being set free, and tied her wrists securely behind his neck, drawing him in once more, refusing to be banished from her current post. He’d wear her like jewelry, for she demanded to be his new human necklace.

  “Mmmm…” They mutually sighed, tasting each other’s kiss.

  I want him so damn bad…

  And like the psychic, it was as if he could read her mind.

  “Baby, come home with me tonight,” he said smoothly, his tone wrapped in the most sincere of packaging. He presented a mischievous smile as he gleamed in her eyes, then raised her arms a bit in the air while pressing his palms into hers, turning their affections into a sweet slow dance. Those words left his sexy, slanted mouth, dripped from his tongue like water for her dehydrated self, causing her erotic pause. So she melted into the invitation, becoming one with it for a second or two.

  “I want to, but…” Her mind resisted, but her damn body pushed her harder and faster into the man’s open arms.

  “What? The kids?” His brows bunched ever so slightly, yet true concern mixed with his expression. “I thought you said they were out all night, would be gone until late tomorrow?”

  “Yeah, that’s true…it’s…it’s just…”

  He loosened his grip on her, but didn’t let her go.

  And then, she looked up into his eyes again…what a magnificent sight to see. She looked at their touching hands and wrapped her fingers around his, locking them into place. Then, she recalled what the psychic said, and her heart, body and soul were now in agreement. Her mind had to be ruled out until it complied. For now it was time…

  “Yeah, I’ll go home with you. I’m ready.” No point in resisting a second longer. She was ready, she’d been ready, and she decided right then and there, she wouldn’t circumvent her own happiness, do what she believed was right, when what she had always believed right had seemingly been w
rong.

  No, it was time to let Sean inside her a bit further, inch by beautiful inch…

  *

  “I wasn’t expecting company, so excuse the mess.” He fidgeted with his key inside of the hallway of the apartment building, looking over his shoulder every now and again at her as she studied the odd lime green light he’d taken for granted, gotten accustomed to. It made the long, narrow hallway in the place look like some sort of asylum, at least, that had been his first impression when he’d first visited the building before signing a lease. Ushering the heavy dark door open as it sung a squeaky groan, Sean flipped the light on, illuminating his living room, with the emerald green bike that hung on the wall in a lopsided sort of fashion and a dog-eared, classic poster of a Pink Floyd album cover, ‘The Wall.’

  “Ah.” Jamming her hands in her pocket, she looked nervously about, muscles tight, stiff posture, forcing a grin. “So…” She nodded. “This is your place, huh?” She’d been outside of his complex too many times to count, but never indoors, despite his prior attempts at inviting her up.

  “It’s messy, I know, but the bedroom is fine. I promise.” He closed the door behind her, locked it, and took her coat in quick succession. “I’m going to hang this up right over here, okay?” he stated while pointing to a slender closet beside his kitchenette.

  “Okay.” She swallowed, her long neck seemingly caught with a fur ball while she still wore that silly faux grin.

  Relax, baby…

  “You want something to drink? Some water? I got beer, too,” he announced as he opened his finger-print smudged refrigerator door, pissed he didn’t think far enough in advance to purchase one of the woman’s favorite drinks, X-Rated Fusion Liqueur.

  “No, I’m fine, Sean. Thanks,” she answered quickly, turning to and fro as if waiting for a late bus. He was certain her heels would wear a hole into his damn carpet.

  “Alright.” He grabbed himself a chilled bottle of water and marched back into his living room where he’d left her standing to peruse a small tower of school books, an impressive electronic collection if he said so himself, and a long forgotten assemblage of thin paper plates soaked with old pizza grease, along with one renegade pepperoni slice that had escaped his ravenous bite. Taking her by the hand, he led her down the short hallway, opened his bedroom door and flicked the light, revealing a neatly made-up bed with crisp, fresh linens.

  So fuckin’ glad I washed my bedclothes this morning and made the damn thing! Must’ve been an angel whispering in my goddamn ear!

  He sighed with relief as he made his way into the bathroom inside of his bedroom, leaving the door open for her to watch, stare, take it all in.

  “You can sit on my bed if you want,” he offered, standing in front of his toothpaste-speckled mirror and sliding his shirt over his head. He didn’t dare admit the shit, but when the psychic was revealing things, stuff he knew no one could just make up, he had begun to sweat. What was supposed to be simply for fun, something to pass the time, had turned into a ‘Truth or Dare’ situation, and he feared his greatest concerns would be revealed to Treasure, that his past would be opened up like the festering wound that it was, split like a can of old tuna, stinkin’ up the joint—and he’d have to explain the source of the stench.

  He wasn’t ready…not now, possibly not ever. He just wanted to enjoy the here and now for a moment. His damn anxiety had made the shirt stick to his flesh and it was a relief to tear the thing away. When he eyed his reflection once more, he noticed his hair had twisted in a faux hawk of sorts from his abrupt, urgent movements to be released from the sticky confines of his clothes. He heard her giggle in the distance, the music of her laughter put a smile on his face, breaking him away from his strained thoughts. Turning to face her, he simply stood there…eyeing her.

  “Gimme a sec, gonna jump in the shower.”

  She nodded in understanding, and less than ten minutes later, he reappeared, his back slightly damp and an anticipatory smile on his face. He wrapped a towel around his erection, keeping his back toward her. Scratching an itch along his jawbone, he moseyed back into the bedroom, making a beeline toward his computer. Propping it open, Sean scanned his playlists and selected the one he had in mind. As Sam Smith’s ‘Stay With Me’ began to play, he re-entered the bathroom and removed the thick, cream-colored towel from around his waist, letting it fall to the floor. He could feel her heated stare without the need for confirmation as he looked in the mirror, and if his ears weren’t deceiving him, he heard her utter a subtle sigh. He took a couple more glances at himself, and once he turned around to exit the bathroom for good, he found her in her underwear, with only her claret lace bra showing. She got settled, nestling herself just so under his navy blue sheets like the sweetest little semi-unwrapped thing on Earth.

  “I want you in the worst way…”

  “I want you, too.” Her words came out slurred, thick with expectancy. Her eyes hooded, the long, dark lashes batting as she slid one foot slowly over the other, causing the sheets to rise and fall from her sluggish movements. He could barely get himself together as he surveyed her, drawing closer and closer until he slid beside her under the rustling sheets. He wasted no time in flipping the damn things off of her body, exposing her for his full viewing pleasure.

  “Leave the sheets off. I don’t want to miss a thing. And if you get cold, tell me. I’ll just hug you a little tighter.” He gently tugged at her chin, bringing her so close, the tickle of her breath from her slightly open mouth tiptoed against his flesh. Not wasting another damn second, he enveloped her full lower lip into his mouth like the succulent fruit that it was. He gradually slid his other hand slowly up and down her thigh, daring himself to keep his cool, to not let his dick tell him what the fuck to do. Her flesh warmed quickly to his touch as he glided his tongue slowly, so slowly, inside of her mouth, eliciting a feminine, helpless whimper that made his dick jolt, twitch, stretch and constrict against the thin fabric of his linens. He let his fingers wander farther and farther until they’d skimmed her downy pubic hair, turning him the hell on.

  She’s got some peach fuzz now, let it grow out a bit…niiiiccceee….

  Intensified, burning with desire, kiss after heated kiss, his muscles ached from the strain of his self-control. Her scattered, jagged breaths became louder as he slid her thin, lacy panties aside and ran his urgent fingertips against her plump pussy lips. With him deepening the pressure, slowly up and down, the woman swallowed her voice in a gasp, then regained it on the back of a moan.

  “Uh…Ahhh…” Her eyes widened as he slid his digit in her creamy, warm center.

  “…Uhhh… Ahhhh…” Her lashes fluttered and her eyes rolled as if she were barely holding on, taking him closer to the point of no control.

  “I’ve got so many plans for you…your body belongs to me, now.” Opening her slippery petals, he slicked another finger within her essence.

  “Mmmm, you’re wet, baby…soooo fucking wet!”

  “Ahhhh…Ahhh…” She squirmed about beneath him, her hips rotating forward, backward and side-to-side as she fucked his fingers rhythmically, coating his hand with drenched gratitude. Ushering her legs further apart, he parked himself between her legs and stared into her eyes. He grinded against her, forcing his hand deeper within her. His digits and dick fought for center stage, both wanting to be close to her sweet, weeping nectar.

  “I just gotta eat your pussy. I can’t wait any longer.”

  “You can have it all…” she said on a moan as her body twisted round and around.

  “And I plan to.” He raked his gaze possessively over her entire form. “…And I will…”

  The woman gyrated her hips faster and faster, stirring in timed twists to his demanding touch. Finally, he removed his hand from her zone and journeyed between her soft, awaiting thighs. The jaunt proved over before it began, for he was famished and ready to feed…

  Spreading her thighs wide open with the palms of his hands, he took a quick look at the satur
ated beauty that awaited his taste. Just as he suspected, she was even lovelier in person. Without another second to lose, he buried his head between her legs.

  “MMMMMM!” She twisted and shook for he gave her no time for a slow build up. He needed her flavor in his mouth right away.

  “Ahhhhh…Ahhhh! Oh God!” She buried her fingers in his hair as he pushed his mouth roughly into her lower lips. When he slid a finger back inside of her, she christened it while he worked it all over and within her saturated folds.

  “Ahhhh…” The woman slipped and slid amongst the sheets, her body snaking and winding in strange yet lovely contortions as he moved against her zone with soft pecks, back and forth, until he could no longer resist deepening his oral kiss. Gripping her hips, he shoved his tongue completely inside of her.

  “Ahhhh….Sean….Ahhhh!” she cried out, losing control of her damn self, just how he liked.

  He lazily looked up at her a time or two, turned the fuck on at the sight of her hand fisting his pillow and squeezing the shit out of it. Like an airplane landing and coming to a complete stop, he pulled out of her, but he was nowhere near his final destination. Ushering himself slightly forward, he flicked the tip of his tongue over her distended clit. Her hands made their way back down to his hair; she ruffled his tresses, emitting a loud sigh while bucking against his mouth. He gripped his lover tighter and sucked harder, rocking her roughly against the sheets, causing the coils to squeak and holler beneath them.