by Cher Etan
“Fuck, Frances.” He closed his teeth at the base of her neck, holding as he strained all the way to the end, bodies meeting, Frances arching into the thrust as much as she could with Allen’s weight on top of her. Allen dug his toes into the settee, shoving just a fraction of an inch deeper, and Frances’s hands clutched useless and empty against the cushion, muscles and tendons flexing under Allen’s palms.
Allen let his teeth slide free of Frances’s neck, whispering against her skin. “Fucking dying for it, aren’t you?” Allen snaps his hips back, slamming forward before Frances could answer, and the sound Frances made, the way she arched into Allen and spread her legs wider was more than answer enough. But Allen wanted to hear more, cock dragging back slow and driving in with an upward thrust as he hit that spot inside of Frances, squeezing her wrists. He inched up, chin hooking over Frances’s shoulder, whispering hot and thick as he seesaws his hips in and out.
“That how you want it, Frances? Like it like this?”
“God... Allen. Fuck... yes,” Frances rasps, words tearing from her with an effort as Allen drove into her again.
“Gonna fuck you raw and useless,” Allen promised, growling the words with a vicious thrust. He held on to the bones in her wrists and let his mouth slide back down to cover the knob of bone at the top of her spine, teeth digging grooves into the skin as he curled his stomach in and under, drilling into her. Hard, fast, vicious strokes, so fucking good; Frances’ hips twitching up helplessly from the cushions with every down-stroke.
Allen sucked against the skin between his teeth until he knew the skin was bruised purple with blood and finally tugged away, hammering into Frances. “Know what you want, Frances,” he whispers, twisting the angle of his cock as he keeps going, tonguing against the mark on the back of her neck. “Not gonna get it until you ask.”
The words burst from Frances’s lips like a flood, neck pushing into Allen’s mouth. “Please, need to, God, please.”
“Need to what?” Allen demanded, body slamming into Frances so hard that her whole body jolted an inch up the settee.
“Need...” Frances arched, moaning as Allen kept fucking her. “God ...I.... fucking... hate you...”
“What,” tongue licking a wicked trail up the back of Frances’s neck, “do,” fucking deep and pulling out fast, “you,” fingernails digging into Frances’s wrists, “need?”
“Need... God,” Frances gasped, almost senseless.
“Not God,” Allen growed, fucking her even harder.
“Fuck,” Frances groaned. “You’re... such... an asshole.”
“But I’m the asshole... that’s gonna make you come,” Allen purred with heavy promise, smirking as he ground into Frances.
Allen could feel Frances shudder, muscles rippling and tensing, and then the words pulled from her, desperate and broken. “Fuck, Allen. Touch me. Need to... God... need to come, Allen, please. Please.”
Allen released Frances’s wrist and slid his fist between them. He pushed against Frances’ sensitive nub, hot, flushed skin, slick with wetness. Allen played with it for a second before he pressed his finger down and rubbed at Frances just as hard as he was fucking her. Frances came with the force of a bullet from a gun, shuddering and shivering as Allen’s fist was suffused with fluid. Allen’s hips stuttered as Frances locked down around his cock, muscles fluttering and squeezing--oh, fucking Christ…They both bucked and shivered and shook, bodies working counterpoint rhythm, and Allen locked his teeth at the top of Frances’s spine and bit hard. Frances cried out, whole body flexing and coiling against Allen, muscles locking around Allen’s dick, and there was a split second where Allen couldn't breathe, couldn't see—and then his nerve endings caught fire, shooting sparks all through him before they exploded, body blotting out everything except the extreme force of pleasure ripping through him.
When he could think again, Frances was spread boneless and shivering underneath him. “Yeah... fuck...Fran. So good,” Allen rasped, hips dragging and pushing to fill Frances slowly as he rode out the last edge. He finally collapsed against Frances, both of them sweaty, hearts beating like a trip hammer, neither of them able to do anything but lie there sticky and fucked out and trying to breathe.
Fuck...that was..that was incredible. Allen wondered if it was going to be like this, from now on. Not that it hadn’t been extremely good before; but this new Frances added a new dimension to their sex life; probably unburdened by the baggage of the past, perhaps she was just doing what came most naturally. If that was so, Allen couldn’t wait to see what would come next.
He slid out of Frances with a last shiver and pulled himself over onto the settee. He didn’t make it far, falling shoulder to shoulder next to Frances, both of them on their stomachs. Allen turned to stare at Frances and saw that she was breathing evenly, in and out; eyes closed. He must have wore her the hell out. He smiled smugly, unable to help himself and got up to go clean himself up before moving them both to the bed and falling asleep with his arms around her.
*****
Frances woke suddenly to a dark room and the feel of a heavy arm lying across her chest. She wasn’t sure what was happening for a minute but then it all came back to her…all of it. She shot up, staring wide eyed into the dark and felt Allen shift, murmuring nonsense words in protest of her sudden movement before relaxing again into sleep.
“Fuck,” Frances whispered moving his hand away and sliding to the side of the bed to get up. “Fuck fuck fuck,” she said hand on her stomach as she crossed to the bathroom to stare in the mirror.
“I’m pregnant?” she asked her reflection in horror. Her reflection didn’t reply; just mirrored her expression back at her. “How can I be pregnant? We were using protection…mostly,” she continued to speak with her unresponsive reflection.
“Fran? You okay?” Allen’s husky voice seemed to be coming closer. For a moment, Frances wanted to hide but then she realized that he knew already…knew and was fine with it. In fact, he’d been exceptional in helping her cope. Frances turned to look at him as he came to a stop at the bathroom door. She stared as if she’d never seen him before. He watched her watching him for a while, eyebrows slowly rising higher and higher.
“Fran? What’s going on?” he asked at last.
“I remember,” she said hollowly.
He stared at her as if waiting for further clarification, “What?”
“I remember everything,” she said slowly as if he was brain damaged and deaf to boot.
“You remember,” he repeated looking at her with hope in his eyes. “Who you are?”
Frances nodded her head.
They stared uncomprehendingly at each other for an interminable amount of time.
“Fuck,” he said.
“You’re telling me,” she replied.
Allen opened his mouth and closed it again, unable to find words. Frances smiled at him, and the she began to laugh, which made him smile. Pretty soon they were both clutching each other and laughing hysterically. They laughed so hard they had to sit down for a minute and just breath.
“Wow, I needed that,” Allen said.
Frances punched him on the shoulder.
“Ouch! What was that for?” he complained rubbing at his shoulder with a twisted look on his face.
“Everything. You walked out on me you bastard,” she said.
Allen smiled wryly, “So you remember that.”
“Yeah! And what the fuck did you mean by that nonsense about having options or some shit?” she demanded.
“I was just fronting and you know it. I left, drove around a bit, and came right back. Only to find emergency services milling about in my driveway and what looked like a body bag being carted away,” Allen said. Then he punched her on her shoulder.
“Ouch,” Frances said rubbing absently at the site. “It wasn’t my fault,” she said sulkily.
“Yeah it never is, is it?” He snapped. Frances threw a sidelong glance his way and then sighed and leaned her head back aga
inst the door jamb.
“So we’re pregnant huh?” she said.
Allen laughed, “What is this? Greatest hits of your amnesia or what?”
“Just trying to catch up,” she said with a shrug. Allen turned his head to study her.
“If it means anything I’m glad to see you,” he said.
She rolled her head over to meet his eyes. “You’re sure? Because I kinda got the feeling you were enjoying amnesia me a lot just back there,” she said. Allen laughed.
“Amnesia you has some serious sex moves,” he said. She hit him on the arm again.
“Hey you wanna take this down to the gym? We could spar it out,” he said rubbing his arm.
“Ha, as if I’d fall for that one. I’m out of practice and you’ve been in that gym every day.”
Allen shrugged, “It was that or jump your bones. Which one would you have preferred?”
Frances was silent, looking off into the middle distance then she laughed. “Hey what if it was that that brought me back? The sex?”
“That would just be like you to have your memory jogged by sex. You’re so weird.”
“Jeez, thanks. And you’re the guy who’s in love with a weirdo so there.”
Allen laughed. “Guilty,” he said and sighed. “You wanna get some food?”
“You owe me a date dude,” she replied.
“Fine. Get dressed, I’m taking you out,” he said.
“Yay,” Frances said standing up. She staggered a bit; her insides were still mush from the pounding they’d taken earlier and her knees were perceptibly weak. She walked swaying from side to side toward her closet. Behind her Allen pulled himself up.
“You need me to help you?” he asked. Frances didn’t have to be looking at him to know that he was looking smug. She grimaced and kept going.
“I’ll see you at the door,” she said.
Allen was silent behind her and then he murmured something that she didn’t quite hear. It sounded like, “Welcome back.”
Chapter 9
They went to McDonalds because Frances wanted a cheeseburger and she felt that if she were looking for a particular cuisine, she should go to the source. The place was loud and busy but they found a table and spread themselves out.
“So…now what?” Allen asked.
Frances thought about it as she chewed her burger; mostly though, she was enjoying the burst of creamy cheese and minced beef in her mouth.
“I think…we probably have to like go to the hospital and have them check me out or something. And then we really have to talk about this baby we’re having. No half-assing it like you did with Amnesia Me.”
“Babe, what was I supposed to do? I mean, you didn’t recall anything about our situation; how were we even supposed to have a coherent conversation?”
“Sooo, do you actually want to have this baby or not?” she asked.
“I want what you want,” Allen said. Frances was shaking her head even before he finished.
“Nope. No. That’s a cop out. I need an answer,” she said.
Allen looked down at the table, chewing slowly on a French fry. “Fine…babies. Uh…I didn’t think I would be having them so early in life you know? I’m only twenty six. On the other hand, I’m kinda excited about it. I’ve been imagining holding it and loving it and it loving me…it's been…nice.”
“So you’re in love with the fantasy of having a child?” she asked.
“I’m in love with the thought of having some untidy haired punk with a smart mouth giving me a hard time all day every day…wait…I already have that,” he said with a grin.
“Jerk,” she said without emotion. “And you’re not going to cop out, however many jokes you make. Gimme an answer.”
“I can’t wait for the baby to get here. I’m curious to know him or her. I want to meet him or her. Is that clear enough for you?”
“So you’re on board with the baby wagon?” she pressed.
“Yeah Frances, I’m on board with the baby wagon. I want the baby wagon to come into town and sweep us all away. I want the sleepless nights and the crying and pooping, more crying and suckling twenty four seven…all of it.”
“That is so cute. I almost believe you,” she said.
Allen looked up at her from beneath his lashes. “I know what you’re thinking and I don’t blame you. The Allen who walked out the door the day of your accident was a child; a sulky child. But that Allen has had to grow up, step up to the plate, become a responsible adult. If you remember what happened when you were amnesiac, you know that’s true. I mean would the old me have slept next to you every night without so much as a whimper of complaint about the fact that we weren’t having sex?”
Frances made an impressed face, lifting her eyebrows and making an upside down bow with her lips; she tilted her head to the side considering. “I guess, yeah that was terribly obliging of you. I can’t remember you throwing one tantrum.”
“See!” he fisted his hand in triumph.
“So what now? I get amnesia and all of a sudden you’re a grown up? I feel cheated,” she said.
“Blame yourself for letting me get away with murder all those years. You could have put your foot down, you could have left.”
“And gone where?” she asked.
He shrugged, “I don’t know. Wherever you wanted; hell you survived the streets at an age when most of us would have curled up and died; I’m pretty sure you can do anything you want.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” she said dryly, biting into her burger.
“You don’t need it. You have anything you need, to be anyone you want. And you know it. So thank you. Thank you for staying with me and tolerating my shit and standing by me all these years. I appreciate it,” he said. Frances forgot to chew her food in surprise.
“Okay,” she said finally remembering that her mouth was full and closing it.
“And I want to make this official; before the baby comes. Let’s get married,” he said.
“Whoa there cowboy! We were just getting used to the fact that you’re an adult now. And we haven’t even discussed the major issue we were facing when I had my accident.”
“I thought the issue was my immaturity?” Allen said looking puzzled.
“It's always about you isn’t it?” Frances said in amusement. “Actually no, the issue was…actually now that I think about it, it was how immaturely you were handling my burgeoning success. So you’re saying you’re okay with me having a life outside of you now?” she asked trailing French fries in the sauce so they were thoroughly soaked and then sucking them into her mouth. Allen was distracted by this but he tried to concentrate.
“I wasn’t not okay with you having a life outside of me. I just didn’t like how much it took you away from me,” he protested.
“Are you over that now? Because I have postponed book tours, and appearances I have to make up for…it's going to be a busy time,” she warned.
“I can compromise too. You came with me, you supported me when I was just starting out. I can do the same for you. I’ll never be happy with not seeing you, you gotta realize that is not going to change; but I can handle it better than I did. I can be a man about it.”
Frances studied him in quiet consideration, “I don’t even know who you are anymore.”
Allen laughed, “Try going to see the love of your life in the hospital and having her look at you like you’re a total stranger. It changes you.”
“So I see,” she replied.
“Anyway that’s over now right? And you still haven’t answered my question.”
“What question would that be?” Frances asked still making patterns in the tomato sauce with her French fries. Allen leaned back in his chair and stared at her in disbelief. She glanced up at him as the silence stretched between them, puzzled as to why he didn’t answer.
“What?” she asked when she found him staring at her.
He sighed theatrically, getting off his chair and coming around to hers.
she watched him in surprise wondering what was up. They hadn’t finished eating. He got down on one knee.
“Frances Elizabeth Hilton, will you marry me?” he asked. The table next to them turned to watch, as did various other people milling about. Frances could feel the heat in her face and imagined how flushed she must be. Getting a proposal inside Mickey D’s had not been on her bucket list. This was blackmail, pure and simple.
“Yes, yes I’ll marry you, now get up before the entire restaurant stops to watch us,” she whispered frantically. Allen was grinning wickedly as he got up, looking supremely satisfied with himself.
“I don’t have a ring on me, but I promise you shall have one by the end of the day,” he said. Frances could feel her stomach stirring; getting ready to eject everything she’d just eaten into her lap. She stood up quickly and ran for the ladies, hand over her mouth as her body began to heave. The table beside them was extremely entertained by this behavior, with one of the guys going so far as to pat Allen on the back in commiseration.
She made it to the bathroom without embarrassing herself…more and threw up her food regretfully. She had really enjoyed that cheeseburger and she was sorry to see it go. She washed her hands and face, taking her time about it. She had to go out there and face the entire restaurant in a moment, plus she’d just agreed to marry Allen and her stomach was empty. She didn’t really know what issue to focus on at the moment but she was basically miserable. Finally, she emerged to find Allen waiting not two steps away, a bag in his hand. He held it up to her.
“I got you a refill. Take away,” he said solving two of her major issues in one go.
She lurched forward, throwing her arms around his neck. “I love you,” she said gratefully into his neck.