by Amanda Wylde
"You still a virgin, Cherry?"
"Don't call me that," I say as the tears blur my eyes. "You're not allowed to call me that or ask me these kinds of questions anymore. Take me home please. I don't know what I was thinking coming here—"
"You really think I don't give a shit about you?" he asks unbuttoning his shirt and my heart wallops at the sight. "You think I've really been able to get you out of my mind for even a day all these years?"
He takes his shirt off and I nearly gasp at his perfectly chiseled upper body under his wife beater shirt. I'm not even sure now if my heart is beating so erratically because of what he's doing or what he's saying.
Travis pulls the wife beater off revealing his gloriously muscled and tatted upper body. Then I see it. Just above his hard left peck—a tattoo of two cherries on a vine, with a droplet of water dripping down between the thin line where they touch. The word forever just underneath it. I take a few steps forward to get a better look even as my face scrunches up trying to hold back the emotion that suffocates me now.
I start to trace the words with my fingers. But just as my fingers touch his hard body he stops my hand with his. "You're twenty-one and have a boyfriend who's even older, but you're still a virgin. Why?"
I'm so close to his lips I can almost taste them. I want to now so badly. "I've always been in love with you, Travis," I whisper.
He cradles my face just like he did so long ago and kisses me softly. "I've had the tattoo since I was sixteen," he whispers against my lips and as emotional as I already was about seeing it, my heart goes wild hearing this."I kept saying I was going to cover it up but I couldn't bring myself to. Then when I got your letter a few months ago I had it colored in and the word forever added. It's always been you, Remi. Always."
He kisses me again only deeper this time and my legs nearly give out. I bring my arms to his side and he shivers at my touch. The thought that I could make this man shiver makes me smile.
I know this is wrong.
I know I shouldn't be here.
I know I should stop this.
But I'm helpless to.
I want to ask him what his girlfriend has to say about the tattoo. How he explained adding forever to it now? But I'd rather not talk about her right now. Just like I'd rather not think about Kris and ruin this moment. The kissing escalates and we move to his bed then lie down as he continues to devour my mouth. My body is going crazy now. Are we really doing this? Am I?
I do care about Kris and I have to assume Travis cares about his live in girlfriend but here we are. I continue to give into his kissing without the slightest resistance as my entire body comes alive with desire. I have no idea how far this is going, but at the moment I have no intention of stopping him. I've never admitted even to myself but this is why I've been holding out. Kris has been the only one I seriously considered giving my virginity to. I have no choice but to admit it now. The only reason I did was because I'd given up on the possibility of this ever happening with Travis.
He pulls his mouth from mine to gaze into my eyes breathlessly. Neither of us says a word as he begins to undress me, never slowing down in the slightest. The way he touches me is so like Travis. He's aggressive enough it turns me on but at the same time there's something so gentle, so tender about the way he gazes into my eyes when he does it.
He lays me down on the bed and I’m completely naked while his jeans are still on. Then he does what he did to me so long ago. What I know now he loves doing. He spreads me wide and licks my pussy. It's even more electrifying than I remember. His tongue works me like magic only this time he uses his fingers too. He slips them in and out of me gently and I can tell he's feeling me out. "I can still smell your cherry, Remi. My cherry. I meant what I said to you at the restaurant. I've never forgotten that beautiful scent. Never forgotten how good you taste."
I squirm arching my back as his tongues swirls around then he sucks my clit making me moan loudly. He works me into a complete frenzy as my body goes crazy trembling uncontrollably until I can't take it anymore and cry out in ecstasy.
"Oh Travis! Oh my God." I arch my back and squirm trying to free myself from his sucking. "Please no more. I can't take it anymore."
My body is still trembling when he starts slowly crawling up the length of me for a kiss. I can taste myself on his lips, his tongue and I love it. I feel him undoing his pants even as he continues to kiss me and just the thought of him inside terrifies me as much as it arouses me even though I still haven't come down from the blissful orgasm his tongue gave me.
"Feels like I've been waiting my whole life to do this," he says as he pulls a condom from his wallet. He stares at me as he slips it on. "You don't even know. Feel my heart." He takes my hand and he holds it against his pounding chest. "It's like my first time all over again only I know it's going to be so much better."
I brace myself as he lowers himself down in between my legs and teases me with the tip of his cock as he slides it up and down my dripping slit. He finally begins the slow tortuous slide into a place no man has ever touched me before. It belongs to Travis now. I don't immediately feel the burn until he's in a little deeper and then I do. The pain fades into a delicious tingle deep inside me and I love that its Travis doing this and not anyone else. It's what I always wanted. What I nearly gave up on.
"You okay?" he asks searching my eyes anxiously even as he continues to slip into me—stretch me.
"Yes," I nod because feeling how big he is excites me despite the pain.
He’s finally firmly seated inside me. The discomfort is still there but it's lessening and I love having Travis in me. Love seeing him stare deep in my eyes and knowing he's felt for me all these years what I never stopped feeling for him.
He breaks eye contact to glance down. "Oh yeah—" he says with a smile, "—your cherry’s mine now. It’s all over my dick babe." He glances back up at me. "Should I stop? Are you—"
"No don't stop," I say anxiously. "It's just starting to feel good."
Travis smiles and he thrusts back into me. The thought of him coming inside me excites me even more. He slips his hands into mine on either side of my head and kisses me deeply. The evidence of my own arousal on his lips and tongue excites me further. I like it. I don't understand why, but it turns me on.
"I love you so much Remi," he whispers against my lips as he continues to make love to me. "I don't think I'll ever be able to explain the depth of what I feel for you. I've known it since I was twelve. That first time my mom hired you. Do you remember that?"
"Yes," I say breathlessly as the memory comes to me and I wrap my legs tighter around his back. "Your eyes even back then did things to me I didn't understand. I still don't."
"I'd seen you around the neighborhood." He says gazing deep into my eyes. "Seen you from afar but when I saw you in my house that close, I was struck. I was so fucking mesmerizing by your blue eyes, your red hair and all those beautiful freckles. Still am," he says as his thrusts speed up. "After seeing you blush that very first time, Remi, I knew I was hooked. I knew I'd never get enough of you. Ever. You have to know that Remi—my Cherry. You have to know that I do give a shit. Always have and always will."
He kisses my nose gently as he speeds up burying himself in me harder, deeper with every thrust. I moan in response enjoying every moment of it now, despite the pleasurable pain I still feel. Being here with him, doing to me what I’ve day dreamed of for years, drowns out any objections I may have had as I welcome all of him inside me now.
He groans with each new thrust. Then he buries himself deep inside me one last time with a loud and final grunt as he squeezes his eyes shut and he stays like that for a few long moments. He lowers his face down next to mine and kisses me softly before pulling out of me and collapsing next to me.
As soon as he's able to catch his breath he turns and pulls me in his arms. "No matter what, Remi. You are and will always be the one who owns my heart." He gazes deep in my eyes with an almost alarmed look. "You bel
ieve that right?" I nod because I feel the exact same way but before I can tell him he goes on. "I'll make the changes I have to make but I won't go on without you anymore. I'll do whatever it takes."
"I love you, Travis," I whisper and he smiles.
"I love you too, Remi. More than you'll ever know."
Travis leaves the bed only to bring back a warm wet towel and cleans me up gently—so lovingly the whole time stopping to kiss me softly. Then he crawls in bed with me and we cuddle. For the next hour or so, I'm not even sure; we lie there holding each other. We kiss again and again as he repeatedly tells me he loves me and that despite the years that have passed, we’re meant to be.
Just as I begin to doze off I hear the words I know I'll never forget. "As soon as I'm back and we're together again, my life will be complete."
"So will mine," I whisper back as he kisses my temple. "So will mine."
When I wake the next day the reality of what I've done hits me and I sit up. Travis is not in the bed and it takes me just a few minutes to realize he's not even in the room. The bags I'd seen in the room last night are gone too. My heart drops when I realize he's left me there until I see the note on the dresser next to a covered food tray.
Wrapping the sheet around me I get out of bed I walk over to the table. I pick it up unfolding it unable to believe he'd just leave without even saying goodbye. I open the handwritten note and read it out loud.
Remi,
Something came up. An emergency back home but I didn't have the heart to wake you. I had some breakfast brought up for you before I left. It's on the table. I'll call or text you as soon as I get the chance. I promise. Call the number below when you're ready to go. It's a car on standby ready to drive you home. I'm sorry, babe, but this really couldn't be helped.
I love you.
Travis
The number is at the end of the note. I'm still stunned that he'd leave me but the slightest bit relieved about the note. I actually worry that something could be very wrong with his dad. Then I wonder if maybe something didn't happen to her. I don't even know how I feel about that.
Curiously I lift the lid to the tray and see what he ordered me. Coffee a croissant, some fruit and a yogurt. I take the coffee needing it badly then walk out to the balcony. It's a beautiful morning. The kind that should evoke a deep breath and make you grateful to be alive. Except as much as I loved last night my insides are a tortured mix of angst and unrest. "What have I done?" I whisper.
I can't even fathom having that conversation with Kris. What in the world would I say? After long minutes of pondering, I decide I'll wait until Travis calls and we'll decide together then walk back inside to gather my things then call the number Travis left. As promised it picks me up and is already paid for. I get home and explain to my mom about my friend. That I ran into Janice while out last night. She's been kind of down so I agreed to spend the night at her place so she could vent.
My mom doesn't even question my explanation and I go in my room and begin the wait to hear back from Travis.
That was two weeks ago. I still haven't heard back from him. I'd told myself I'd give it a week until I tried calling him myself. Then just before the first week was up, Kris gives me the news. I'd been avoiding him for days, waiting for Travis to call and because I was afraid he'd notice the change. I just wasn't ready to have that talk with him. Not before I spoke with Travis. I even went and stayed at my grandmas and told him she was ill and I wanted to stay with her a few days. Finally after nearly a week of avoiding him and still not hearing back from Travis I gave into him picking me up for lunch.
He was a little weird at first and my paranoid ass wondered if somehow he knew just by looking at me. In hindsight I know now he was just wondering why I was acting so odd. Then he laid it on me while we ate. He'd been bringing up random subjects and I could tell that like me he was just trying to shake the weirdness. He tells me about the drama going on at home with Trace and his getting suspended from school for fighting. That his aunt is saying Trace is turning into Travis then he adds.
"Speaking of Travis. He had some major drama of his own. I haven't even had a chance to tell you about it."
I stop mid chew and stare at him shaking my head. He shakes his head with a slight frown. "Kind of sucks but at the same time it could've been worse. Remember how he made that comment. You never know what could happen from one day to the next. Well, I'm guessing maybe he had an idea his girl was pregnant. Turns out she had one of those," Kris stops to try and remember the word and I'm hanging on his every word now, my heart already shattering. "Ectopic pregnancies and went into shock. She ended up in the emergency room. My aunts calling it a miracle. Not just because she didn't die but because there was a second egg in her uterus so even after the surgery to remove the one stuck in her tubes she's still pregnant."
That's when I knew why Travis hadn't contacted me. Why Travis wouldn't be calling me. As stunned and devastated as I am, I'm strangely relieved.
Chapter 10
Kristiano
I pack up and head to my car after another grueling week at the academy. Just a couple more weeks to go and I graduate. At first I thought it a curse that I got into the academy when I did. Things had started to get weird between me and Remi. So the fact that I'm hardly home now and when I am, I'm completely spent, I thought it would only make things worse. Instead it's working out.
I was beginning to feel too crazy about her, too anxious about seeing her again. I was probably beginning to suffocate her. Between her new schedule at the new hospital she's now employed at as an RN and me being in the academy it's like we had to take a step back. It turned out to be a good thing. While I still feel anxious when I haven't seen her in days, when I do get to, she seems just as excited to see me.
This weekend or part of it we'll be hanging out with her at her place. Her parents, sister and granddad are gone until tomorrow afternoon. As I drive to her place I can already feel that familiar anxiousness. She was off today and doesn't have another shift until tomorrow evening. Her text earlier said she had a surprise for me.
When I arrive at her place she greets me at the door with a cock hardening kiss. My Remi's back. Every time I'm around her now I can feel it and I know now. Her transitioning into her new role as an RN was nerve wracking for her. It put her on edge for a few weeks there but now that she's getting used to it she's beck to being my happy and sensual Remi. We still haven't had sex but every time we're together now I can feel it getting closer.
"I love how handsome you look in your blues," she says running her hand down my arm then touches my hair. "And that crew haircut gives you such a rugged look."
I smile wrapping my arms around her and hugging her tightly. "God, I've missed you."
"You just saw me the other day," she says against my ear then adds with a soft laugh. "Who am I kidding? I've missed you too."
I pick her up, swing her around then put her down and kiss her again. "So what's this surprise you have for me?"
She waves her hand toward the dining room table and it's set up with candles and two table settings a bottle of wine and the lights are dimmed. "I prepared us a romantic dinner." I smile thinking that's not such a big surprise until she adds. "And since I have the place to myself until tomorrow afternoon, I thought maybe you could spend the night."
I turn to her trying not to look as stunned as that makes me. She nods as if to answer my unspoken question and I'm instantly hard. I pull her too me and I know she feels me against her belly. "Maybe we can skip dinner."
She laughs nervously then pouts. "But I spent all this time preparing it."
"I'm sorry," I say kissing her. "I am hungry for more than just you though. So I'm sure whatever you made will be delicious."
"I hope so," she says pulling me along by the hand toward the dining room. "I'm kind of nervous about the main course. I've only ever made it when my mom's walked me through the whole thing. Wine and appetizers are already on the table. I put the appetizer out w
hen I saw you pull up. Sit," she says but I have to kiss her one last time before she walks away and into the kitchen.
I take a seat at the table and proceed to pour us each a glass of wine. It's perfectly chilled and my first sip hit's the spot after the long week I've had. I reach for one of the four giant crusted shrimp she's plated very professionally on a square white plate with a matching square sauce holder. I dip the shrimp in to the sauce and bite into it. Coconut shrimp. It's delicious. As soon as I'm done chewing I have to ask. "You made these from scratch?"
She's back in the dining room holding two salads. "I did," she says looking adorably nervous as she sets my salad down in front of me. "You like them?"
"They're delicious, Rem."
I look down at another very professionally plated dish. It's not just any salad either. There are nuts and tangerines and other fancy looking veggies. This looks as good as anything I've seen at nice restaurants. "Remi, I hate to say it, but I'm beginning to wonder if you didn't miss your calling? This looks delicious too."
"Thank you. My mom's big on cooking so she's taught me a lot. But don't worry. I love my career. I'm fine with just cooking for fun."
We eat for a few minutes with me genuinely going on about how good the salad is. I've never been big on the fancy salads with vinaigrette dressings. I'm a Thousand Island, with lots of croutons and even some meat like chicken, kind of guy if I'm ordering a salad. But this is good.
When we're done she warns me her next trip to the kitchen might take a little longer. It's the main dish.
"I can help you," I say starting to pull my chair out.
"No," she says shaking her head. "You just relax and have more wine. I want to bring it out to you."
I noticed the piano against the wall in the front room when I was here last. But her granddad was watching TV in there. So I pour myself another glass and walk over to it. I take a seat on the leather bench and ponder for a second what to play. Then decide on the last one I’d worked on before—Adele's Someone Like You. The intro’s a long one I like playing it. I'm a little rusty but after a few notes I have it and playing comes back to me like an old friend I'm catching up with. I close my eyes and hum along to what the lyrics are supposed to be then open my eyes.