by C. C. Coburn
“And you know I can’t do it that way, Beth. I can’t be your part–time lover. Not without a commitment from you.”
Beth frowned and rubbed her forehead as though the gesture might erase the thought of losing Gabe. “I thought we were going to change the subject?”
“We were, but then you started talking about love at first sight and so we ended up back here,” he reminded her.
“Why do you have to make things so complicated between us?” she demanded more testily than she meant.
Gabe answered her with a laugh. “So we’re friends again? Back to being friends who battle about love and sex and commitment?”
“I don’t usually battle with my girlfriends over those things.”
“What do you girls battle over?” he asked, and Beth was relieved they’d changed the topic at last.
“We battle over our weight, our self–image, our kids, sometimes our sex lives. But they’re just personal truths that we share with each other. I can honestly say I’ve never had a real fight with any of my girlfriends.”
“And you share confidences in a way that men never can?”
“Of course.”
“Do you talk about me?”
“Hey!” Beth laughed. “That’s pretty self–important of you to imagine we have nothing better to do than to talk about you.”
“I can tell by the sound of your voice that that’s exactly what you’ve been doing.”
“That was just a lucky guess. Next subject.”
“No, it’s my turn to decide when we change subjects and I’m not through with this one yet. What do you and your girlfriends discuss about me?”
“I’m sorry, but that’s a taboo subject. I’d never break a confidence.”
“But if the confidence is about me, where’s the problem? Do they think I’d be good in bed?”
Beth felt the heat return at the thought of Gabe in bed. In her bed making long, slow, lazy love to her in the afternoon. And all night too. “I thought you didn’t want to talk about us and sex.”
“I’m more than happy to talk about us and sex. I could talk about us and sex all night if you like. I don’t feel much like sleeping anyway. Where are you at the moment?”
“On the sofa. Do you want me to go up to my room?”
“Yeah.”
Gabe’s voice sounded husky and another tiny thrill raced up Beth’s spine as she took the stairs two at a time. “Okay,” she said breathlessly. “I’m here. Do you want me on the bed again?”
“No, I’d like you to go into your closet.”
“Kinky, hey? I don’t have any bondage gear in there.” Just a vibrator.
“Do you have a blue dress?”
This was some kind of weird fetish he was into Beth thought as she spotted an aquamarine silk number. Beth loved it but never had much chance to wear it. She hadn’t wanted to waste it on the dates with Peter Grenville or Douglas Fadden. “I can do aquamarine,” she said.
“Perfect. It will bring out the color in your eyes. Now place it where you won’t miss it and find a pair of shoes to wear with it.”
“You want me to get dressed in my pretty aquamarine number and put on shoes?”
“Yep. I want you in them Friday night at six when I pick you up for our dinner date. Goodnight darlin’,” she heard him say, and then he hung up before she could remind him that they weren’t dating anymore. Not ever, in fact.
You’re all talk, no action,” Beth complained when Gabe called her the following night.
“Meaning?”
“You get me in a lather then leave me high and dry. That vibrator is looking more appealing by the minute.”
“Do you like sailing?”
“Yes… Why?”
“I’m planning on taking you sailing on the lake just down the road from my ranch.”
Beth snuggled into the pillows on her bed. “That’s nice. When?”
“Now.”
Beth giggled. “It’s dark. Can you sail in the dark?”
“No, it’s daytime. It’s a beautiful day. You’re lying on the trampoline.”
“I thought we were on a boat?”
“We are, it’s a catamaran. They have a thing called a trampoline strung between the hulls. Look, that isn’t important, okay? Just lie back and close your eyes. The sun is kissing your skin. The snow is melting off the mountains and we’re skimming across the water on my catamaran.”
“That’s a little clichéd,” she pointed out.
“Do you want to come sailing with me or not?” Gabe growled.
“Okay, no need to get grumpy about it.” Beth snuggled further into the pillows. “I can feel the sun kissing my skin. I’ve closed my eyes, so I can’t see the mountain tops. Oh! The sun is kissing my eyelids.”
“No need to overdo it.”
Beth could hear the smile in his voice. “What am I wearing?” she asked.
“Shorts.” He cleared his throat. “Short shorts… a bikini top and a blouse knotted at your waist. It’s a see–through blouse. I can see your bikini top through it.”
“What color is it?”
“What?”
“My bikini top.”
There was a pause. “Ah… whatever color you’d like it to be.”
“I don’t think you’re very prepared for our sail if you don’t know what I’m wearing.”
She could hear the frustration in Gabe’s voice. “I know what you’re wearing, because I’m figuring how to take it off. I wasn’t interested in what color it was.”
“It’s important to me. I don’t want to have to fantasize in black and white.”
“Turquoise then.”
“What’s turquoise?”
“Your blouse is turquoise, it’s making your beautiful blue eyes glow a deep blue–green. Your bikini is yellow. Your shorts are red.”
“That’s kinda colorful. I’m not sure I’d wear all those colors together.”
“Beth!”
“Okay. If you don’t think I look weird, then that’s fine with me.”
“Trust me. You’re gorgeous. Especially with the sun kissing your skin.”
“I’ve got a tan, right? I don’t want to be all lily–white like right after winter.”
“You have a beautiful tan. I think it’s an all–over tan. You’ve been catching rays in your backyard all summer.”
“In Denver? Can’t I have just returned from a trip to the Caribbean?”
“Beth, forget what you’re wearing, forget your tan. Stick with me, will you? You look completely gorgeous. A sea nymph—”
“So now my clothes are off already?”
“Beth! Shut. Up. Lie back. Close your eyes and feel the breeze brushing over your body, the sun on your face and tanned legs.”
“Okay, feels good. And I haven’t got cellulite anymore.”
“You can feel the boat slowing. Hear the sail coming down—”
“We’ve finished sailing already? I was just starting to enjoy myself!”
“Beth. You have duct tape across your mouth. I’ve stopped the boat in the middle of the lake because I’m going to make love to you.”
“Mm, mm,” Beth mumbled through her gag.
“I’m leaning over you, catching your hands and tying them to the mast.”
“Mm, mm, mmmoorm.”
“I’m kissing the sweet, soft underside of your arms as I work my way back to your mouth—”
“Mroommm, mmmoorum, mooom.”
“Your mouth is red and ripe with anticipation. Your lips part involuntarily as you sense me hovering over you. I touch my lips to yours—”
“Mmmuuuurooom!”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake, what is it now?”
“Mmmmron.”
“I’ve taken the tape off, you can speak,” he said.
“Firstly, how big is this lake? ‘Cos I don’t want anyone being able to see us making love from the shore. I have a thing about sex in public.”
“Trust me, it’s huge. They’d need extra powe
rful binoculars to see us.”
“Okay. And how tight have you tied my hands, ‘cos I’d hate the boat to tip over and I couldn’t get untied in time.”
“Loose, very loose. The boat won’t tip over, it’s a catamaran. We’d need a tornado for it to tip over.”
“Are we likely to encounter any tornadoes?”
“No. We’re in the mountains, remember?”
“Oh, yeah. Also, how do you know my lips are ripe and red if they’re covered with duct tape? And furthermore, how are they going to part with anticipation and how are you gonna kiss me with that gag on?”
“Good point. Guess I was getting so carried away I forgot about that.”
“And there’s one other thing…”
“Yes?”
“…I’ve forgotten. I got so scared about the boat tipping over and drowning that I’ve forgotten everything else. Can we leave the duct tape off? It’s kinda inhibiting. Plus, I wasn’t sure how you were going to kiss me through it.”
“Okay, tape is off. But you’ve got to promise not to talk so much.”
“I was just trying to understand things. I’ll try to be quiet.”
“Okay, then where were we?”
“We’re floating in the middle of an extremely huge lake, surrounded by trees and mountains. No–one walking around the lake has binoculars on them. There are no tornadoes forecast and I have a fantastic all–over tan. Which you don’t know about yet, because you haven’t taken my clothes off.”
“And if you don’t shut up, I’ll never get round to it.”
“My lips are sealed. Just not with duct tape. Continue.”
“Thank you.” Gabe cleared his throat. “Now where were we? Oh, yeah, the good part. My lips touch yours. You’re surprised how warm they feel. You moan and squirm beneath me. I’m pressing my body into yours. You can feel how hard I am, how much I want you. You open your legs to cradle me within your thighs.”
“My beautifully suntanned thighs.”
“Yes,” he hissed. “Oh, yes. This feels so good. So right. But you’re not ready for me yet.”
“Yes, I am!”
“Trust me, you’re not. We need foreplay, lots of foreplay.”
“Oh, goody. Lots.”
“I’m kissing your throat. You extend it so there’s more for me to kiss. You smell like sunshine and the mangoes we ate for lunch.”
Mangoes?”
“Yes, we ate them on the way out here. The juice dribbled down your chin. I licked it up, but I must have missed some. I’m licking it off you now.”
“Oh, God, that feels good!”
“My tongue is working its way down your throat, my teeth are grazing your collarbone. I nip you gently and you like it.”
“Yessss!”
“My lips are moving down to your breasts planting kisses as they go. I nudge aside your blouse and close my mouth over your bikini top. “
“Oh my…” Beth purred. “I can feel the heat of your mouth through the fabric.”
“Yes, and now you can feel the dampness of my mouth through the thin material. It’s wet through as I suckle at you.”
“Oh, God. More!”
“I’m nudging the bikini aside, I need to taste you, to suckle your soft flesh into my mouth. Your nipples are so hard, begging me to take each of them into my mouth. I don’t know where to start. I reach behind you to release the tie and expose you fully to my gaze. You’re more beautiful than I imagined.”
“You didn’t think I’d look this great?”
“You’re a goddess,” Gabe continued. “I didn’t think women as beautiful and perfect as you existed on this planet. I can’t help myself as my lips close over one of those hard little peaks and suck you hard into my mouth.”
“Oh, God! Yes!”
“You’re so responsive. Your body is squirming beneath me, begging me to explore further. Do you want me to continue?”
“Yes,” Beth whimpered, her body mimicking the actions of Gabe’s words. He was good, so damn good!
“With one last kiss to each engorged little peak—”
“Little?” Beth couldn’t keep the hurt from her voice. “They’re not that small.”
“They’re perfect. Magnificent. Here, I’ll kiss them again to show you how much I appreciate them.”
Beth could only manage a strangled sound of approval.
“And now my lips are moving down. Down along the valley separating your ribs, down towards that tiny, deliciously formed belly button of yours. My tongue can’t help itself. It has to dip into it, to taste your flesh and to feel the perfect form of it. I’m placing my lips over it, sucking at it, seeing if it will protrude a little into my mouth. It’s shy, it doesn’t want to come out. Ah well, my tongue will just have to explore its recesses some more.”
Beth giggled. “That tickles!”
“That’s because I’m blowing into it. Do you like that sensation of air over moistness?”
Beth moaned her approval.
“Good. Because there’s lot more to come. I’m kissing my way down over your abdomen. It’s hard and flat. I’m suspecting it’s because you’re holding it in. Relax, Beth,” he soothed. “Relax everything so you can enjoy what’s in store for you. I’m unzipping the fly on your shorts, pulling it down, and now your hips are lifting, helping me to get them off you. But I don’t want to take them off just yet.”
Beth whimpered again. “You don’t?”
“No, I want to tease you a little longer.”
“No, really, it’s not necessary,” Beth implored.
Gabe continued as if he hadn’t heard her. “My tongue is exploring the soft flesh above your bikini panties. It’s stroking from one side of your tummy to the other and then back again. Your flesh is warm from the sun, I want to explore further. But not just yet. I need to kiss you again. I’ve returned to your mouth. Your lips have been warmed by the sun too, they’re making mine tingle. I’m kissing you deeply, trying to imbue you with the passion I’m feeling for you. I’m settling my body onto yours, pressing into you because that’s what your body is urging me to do. You’re whimpering and squirming, trying to press yourself up into me. Open your legs more, darlin’, I want to press myself against you, let you feel what you’ll be taking into you, one slow inch at a time. Do you like what you feel?”
“Oh, yes! More!” Beth demanded as she imagined him kissing her deeply, passionately, driving her crazy with his clever tongue and warm, wonderful lips.
“Lift your hips now, darlin’,” he instructed. “I want to get those shorts off. There, that’s better isn’t it?”
Without waiting for a reply, he continued, “And what have we here? Your bikini is tied at each side? Two tiny triangles of fabric. Let’s undo them and see what I find?”
Beth had a vivid picture of herself at sixteen in a pair of bikini panties just like the ones he was describing. She’d always knotted them with a double bow to prevent them coming off. Now she was hoping she hadn’t been so prudent.
“Oh, I like these, darlin’, you’ll have to wear them more often,” Gabe breathed, sending a tiny shiver of anticipation through her.
“I guessed you were a natural blonde,” he purred. “And your curls are so soft, downy, so beautiful, I can’t avoid kissing them. Do you like that?”
Beth had lost all ability to speak. She could only mumble her approval.
“I thought you might. And you’ll like this too,” he promised. “My tongue is tracing that tiny slit that hides your feminine delights. Open for me sweetheart.”
Beth couldn’t help doing as he bid, her fingers reaching to trace the path of his tongue.
“Hmn, you taste so good. My tongue is stroking that tiny bud of pleasure. I can feel it swelling as I lick you, suck it into my mouth and graze it with my teeth.”
Beth was barely coherent. She was aware the tiny whimpers that filled her bedroom were coming from her. Gabe was sending her over the edge with his words and his clever, clever tongue. She’d never exp
erienced anything like this before. She writhed on her bed, her head tossing from side to side as Gabe’s voice filled her ears and his words sent her body spiraling towards orgasm.
“I love it when you moan like that, darlin’. It turns me on, knowing that what I’m doing to you can make you feel so good. You do feel good, don’t you?”
“Oh, yes! Don’t stop!” Beth begged.
“Now I’m exploring you with my fingers too, pressing them into you, searching for that pleasure nub deep inside you.”
“Oh, my…” Beth was finding it hard to breathe.
“My tongue is teasing you, my lips are sucking you into my mouth, my seeking finger has found your G–spot. I’m rubbing it, teasing it. The sensations are pooling and spiraling within you—”
“Oh, God!” Beth almost screamed. “Don’t stop. Yes… yes… right there,” she panted as Gabe’s seductive words filled her ears and her imagination ran riot as the sensations mounted within her body, causing her to moan and gyrate with pleasure.
“I’m putting another finger inside you, filling you,” he murmured and Beth wanted to pass out with the pleasure of it.
She could only whimper her approval as he continued the onslaught. “You’re trembling all over, you’re begging me to release your bonds, but I won’t. I can’t. My hands and mouth are otherwise occupied. Pleasuring you. Taking you to a peak you’ve never been to before. I suck your clitoris into my mouth and stroke your G–spot deep and hard and—”
Beth didn’t hear anything more of what Gabe had to say, she was almost screaming with the pleasure of the orgasm that was shaking her to her foundations. The pleasure waves washed over and around her. She imagined she saw fireworks, but it was probably just that she was so giddy with excitement and pleasure that she was seeing stars. Gabe Hunter was one hell of a lover!
“Beth?” she heard him call through a fog of desire as she came down from the peak, her breathing slowed, her eyes opened and she realized she was in her bedroom, not on a boat in the middle of a lake with Gabe lying naked beside her.
She released a moan of frustration. There would be no satisfactory conclusion to their lovemaking. She couldn’t pull Gabe down over her, feel him enter her deep and fast and bring them both to another cataclysmic shared orgasm.