Preach to me Baby

by Hazel Parker

  “So, what brings you back here?” Thomas awkwardly checked his phone and saw that he had a message from Anne. He opened it and read it. It said that she didn’t want to wonder what life could have been if she missed her chance with him. He quickly replied back that he understood she wanted to wait for the guy who was abroad and that was a bit insulting that she kept bringing it up.

  “Well, Peter left me for some bitch. His secretary of all people. Can you believe it?” Sarah began to cry and occasionally looked over at Thomas who was paying attention to his phone. “I mean, I’m just so hurt. Why aren’t there any good guys?” Thomas nodded absently as a new message from Anne popped in.

  It said that she meant Tom. She wanted to give them a chance. She didn’t want to wait for the other guy. She wanted to meet him. He replied back immediately: “Just one drink,” and then turned his attention to Sarah.

  “What do you want me to do about it? Peter is my boss, I won’t do anything to jeopardize my job.” Sarah sniffled and looked at him with puppy dog eyes.

  “Well, can’t we give ‘us’ another shot?” Thomas laughed loudly and stood up. He pulled out his wallet as he walked towards her.

  “I begged for you to stay and what was it that you said?” He opened up his wallet, “the love was gone, and that no amount of money or success would keep you around?” He took out a $20 bill. “And then I found out you went and fucked my boss behind my back while we were still together.” He placed the $20 bill in her hand and closed her hand around it. “There is no ‘us,’ get yourself a taxi home, maybe this will be enough money to get you to leave. I’ve got a date.”

  ****

  Thomas pushed Sarah out and the door and closed it behind him, locking it. He looked at Sarah and put his hand out, palm open. She looked at him confused and he nodded towards the keychain that she was still holding on to. She tentatively raised it up towards him and he snatched it out of her hand. He gave her a wave as he turned and ran down the hallway.

  As he made his way to the entrance he called out for the woman who was there to hold the door. He jogged out through the door and stopped at the street corner, trying to wave down a taxi. A voice called out to him from behind and he turned to look.

  The woman who was holding the door closed it and walked towards him, who he finally realized was Anne. They slowly started walking towards each other and stood face to face quietly. Neither said anything for a few moments. She reached out and took his hands and placed them on her hips. He laughed and leaned down, kissing her passionately as they stood on the sidewalk.

  “You wanna go upstairs?” Thomas asked, his hands massaging her hips. She contemplated the question and began to walk backwards to the door.

  “I’d like that.” Thomas followed her inside his building and through the doors towards his apartment. He walked with his hand around her shoulder and as they neared the door he kissed her on the cheek. They turned the corner to his apartment and he saw that Sarah was still sitting in front of his door. He went to stop and turn around, but Anne kept walking. “Is that her,” she asked in a hushed tone as they got within a few feet of the door.

  “Thomas, who the hell is this skank?” Anne looked down at her clothes, she was dressed in a pair of jeans, a tank top, and the same knitted cardigan sweater from the first time they met. She looked back up at Sarah who was dressed in what appeared to be a cocktail dress, makeup running down her face. Thomas stuttered for a few seconds looking between them, but Anne responded.

  “Skank? I’m not the one sitting outside my ex’s apartment looking like I’m on a bad walk of shame.” Anne took a step forward towards Sarah who had stood up to confront them. “This lady in front of you is here to fuck this man.” Anne pushed passed Sarah towards the door. “Now, please, unless you want to hear me screaming his name, I would leave.” Sarah looked at her horror stricken and stared at Thomas who shrugged and pulled out his keys to unlock the door.

  “You heard her, it’s your choice.” Sarah gasped and picked up her purse and trudged away, swearing. Thomas looked over at Anne whose chest was puffed out, her pierced nipples could be seen clearly through the shirt. He grabbed and lifted her up, kissing her. “My god that was sexy.” Anne laughed as the door swung open and Thomas carried her inside. She looked around the apartment and smiled at how clean it was.

  “I’m glad to see you kept up the place,” she told him between kisses. He began to kiss her neck as they made their way into the house and he put her on the counter in the kitchen.

  “Somebody important told me to take care of myself,” he pulled off her sweater and started kissing her neck again. “I decided to listen.” Anne tugged at his shirt and pulled it over his head exposing his back to her raking fingernails. He kissed and sucked at her neck, hickies quickly started to form across her tender skin. His hands searched for the edge of her shirt and he slid his hands up into her shirt, his thumbs began to flick and play with her nipples. She moaned as she turned and playfully bit him in the ear.

  Thomas took a step back and lifted her slightly off the counter, Anne took the opportunity to slide her jeans off and Thomas finished by pulling them off completely. He tossed them into the corner of room and he didn’t hit any pizza boxes this time. She laid back on the island and threw her legs over his shoulders as he knelt down.

  He was cleanly shaven and he noticed how smooth her legs were against his face this time, her supple skin tensed up slightly as he licked his finger and slid it inside her. As the finger slowly turned and slid easily he kissed her clit, sucking at her lips. He began to lick it up and down, slowly but with force. Anne reached down and grabbed his hair as he continued to lick and finger her. He turned his finger and began to move it quicker, rubbing over her G Spot. Her back arched and she loudly began to moan his name, her legs wrapped tightly around his head, forcing him deeper into her pussy.

  After a few moments of this her legs relaxed and she sighed, having just cumed. He continued to lap at her pussy, but pulled his finger out. With both hands he removed her legs from his shoulders and stood up. When he stood up he stared for a moment as Anne laid out, her chest heaving up and down. He reached down and with one hand pulled her towards him. They kissed for a moment and she sat up.

  Thomas lifted her up gently from the counter and carried her to his bedroom where he set her down. Before she laid back she unfastened his pants and let them drop to the floor. Thomas stood still as she pulled down his boxers, his cock was hard and she took it into her mouth, her tongue licked and lapped at the tip as she sucked it. With one hand she stroked the shaft, with the other she fingered herself. Thomas reached down and took her breast in his hand, squeezing it and teasing the nipple slightly.

  She pulled back and continued to stroking it, looking up at him. She let go and laid back in bed, scooting up towards the top of the bed. Thomas crawled onto the bed after her and slid one hand behind her back. He pulled her in close as he laid on top of her and she looked at him with a smile.

  “You’re hogging the bed again.” Thomas raised back up laughing and flipped her onto her hands and knees. He leaned down and started to lick her pussy again from behind, making sure she was wet. “Oh, this kind of sharing will make up for it.” He laughed again and slid inside her. She moaned as she reached up to grab the headboard. He began thrusting, pushing her into the headboard gently with each pump.

  Anne began to moan his name as he started to get faster and harder, her arms shook and she laid down, her ass in the air. Thomas changed position slightly so that he had an angle to spank her. He reared back and spanked her hard once on her right ass cheek. She let out a little yelp and moaned for him to do it harder. Thomas continued to pound into her with spanks and his dick until she bit down on his pillow and moaned loudly. Thomas thrusted one last time in complete pleasure and they both collapsed into a pile of panting, sweaty tangled limbs. Anne tried to roll back into Thomas’ arms, but he kept moving away. As he reached the edge of the bed, he allowed Anne to slide into
his arm.

  “Look who’s the bed hog now, punk.” Anne sat up and playfully acted hurt.

  “How dare you, this is payback, that’s all.” She laid back down into his extended arms and she looked up at him, his eyes closed. “So, are we still going to get that drink?"

  *****

  THE END

  Irresistibly Mine

  Brandy took the curve in the road like she had a thousand times, even though it had been years since she’d travelled this road home. As she neared the city, it was hard not to look at everything through the eyes of her former self. She passed the copse of trees where she and her friends used to meet up to drink and smoke what they had scrounged up from their parents or older siblings. She smiled at the memory and the time when getting caught sharing a cigarette was the worst of her fears.

  It seemed like around every bend there was something else that triggered a new memory. Some ways ahead, Brandy could see Miller’s barn coming into view, the place where she had her first kiss. It was awkward and sweet and something she hadn’t thought of in years. That was the thing with starting over; if you never sever the memories that bind you to what you’re leaving, then you can never really start over.

  She took her foot off the accelerator as she entered the city limits. Rolling countryside gave way to industrial buildings that were unfamiliar to her. She tried not to let herself feel saddened by the signs that the city she used to know so well was already feeling so unfamiliar.

  This is what I wanted. It’s for the best, she reminded herself.

  Brandy carried on as the cityscape changed to more familiar surroundings. Her old stomping grounds. The main highway into town led her through downtown and her eyes strayed out her side window, almost of their own volition. She knew what she would find there, but wasn’t entirely sure she was ready to relive those memories.

  Her eyes had a mind of their own, though, as she stared down the street that led to City Hall. In a flash, her mind replayed the dozens of times she drove down that road. If she tried really hard, she could grasp onto the tendrils of excitement that she used to feel as she neared the stark, stone building, the anticipation that place held. Looking at it now, she only felt disgust and guilt.

  Turning to look at her son sitting beside her, earbuds fixed in place and eyes turned out his window, Brandy smiled. She couldn’t condemn her time spent in the halls and rooms of that old building entirely. Luca was the one good thing that came from it. In the midst of all the slander and accusations, all the tears and hard goodbyes, Luca was the bright spot that reminded her that even when things seemed dark, there was always hope.

  Weaving her way through the streets, Brandy finally pulled up in front of her parents’ house. Luca pulled the buds from his ears and stared up at it from his seat.

  “This is grandma and grandpa’s house?” he asked without turning.

  “It is.”

  With another glance out his window, Luca shrugged and opened his door and got out. She smiled after him, at all the signs pointing to Luca becoming less of a little boy and more of a young man. She was proud of her son and proud of her life. However, that niggling in the back of her mind made it hard for her to be at ease. The result of too many years spent with a guilty conscience.

  Brandy stepped out of the car and helped Luca pull their suitcases out from the trunk. They made their way to the front door together. As they cleared the stairs, the door flew open in front of them and they were both pulled into a tight hug.

  “Brandy! I’m so glad you made it.”

  “Hey, Natalie. Of course I made it. I wouldn’t miss my baby sister’s wedding,” she said, smiling despite the cloud of hairspray that descended upon her.

  Natalie pulled back and took in Luca. “And look at you, Luca. You’ve grown since I last saw you at Christmas.”

  “Hi, Auntie Nat,” he said with a quiet smile.

  “Come in, come in. I was just heading out with the rest of the wedding party to meet with the minister for a rehearsal,” Natalie said, stepping away from the door. She paused and turned back. “And since you’re here, maybe I could steal Luca for a couple of hours.”

  “Absolutely. He’s been looking forward to being in the wedding party. Do you need me there too?”

  “No, you can hang out, unpack, relax. And we’ll be back before supper.”

  With a brilliant smile, Natalie wrapped an arm around Luca and they headed towards her car. Brandy watched them leave, her sister’s boisterous voice carrying until they got into the vehicle, then Brandy shut the door and began lugging her and Luca’s bags up the stairs.

  Once upstairs, she threw them on the floor of the guest room and flopped down on the bed. Brandy wanted to explore all the rooms of the house while she still had it all to herself, but exhaustion took priority at the moment. It was strange being home again after all this time. This used to be her bedroom, but now very few traces of her childhood room remained. Which was fitting, of course. It had been many years since she’d been a child in this home. But the smell of the hardwood and the fragrant fruit trees beyond the window churned up the memories of the place just the same.

  Brandy let her eyes drift close as the past tried to, once again, simmer to the surface. She squeezed her eyes tight, her only defense against the memories, but it was no use. Being there, surrounded by reminders everywhere she turned, the memories began to trickle into her conscious. The ones that she tried to keep most buried, the ones she tried to not let herself relive hit her with full force.

  It always seemed that when she allowed herself to think of being back home, her mind could never conjure up memories of learning to cook with her mom or winning the high school basketball championship or any other normal memories. Her mind always took her back to the last few months before she left. They were burned so vividly in her mind.

  Brandy sighed and decided that while she was home, there would be no escaping the reminders of her past. Maybe if she allowed herself to replay those memories that so desperately wanted to rip through her defenses, they would be satisfied and stay safely locked away for the rest of her trip.

  She relaxed her body into the bed and let herself relive the memories from ten years ago. All the memories from the summer before she left eventually became tarnished and painted with the same ugly brush, and she wasn’t ready to let herself go back to that just yet, so she let herself start with a good one. It came back to her in an instant and played in her head as clearly as the day she’d lived it the first time.

  *****

  The floor of the lobby shone as Brandy’s shoes clicked across it. The summer was quickly coming to a close and she was couldn’t help but feel like it was a bittersweet end. In another month, she would be heading off to college, starting another chapter of her life, and Brandy was thrilled at the possibilities. This summer, though, had been the best of her life.

  Working as a summer intern for Mark Hudson in the deputy mayor’s office was a dream position. One she had beat out a dozen other high school students to get. And while the work she was doing was giving her fantastic experience for the future, it was the stolen moments with Mark that she cherished most. She would regret having to leave.

  Brandy made her way through the maze of hallways that joined the various additions to the old building. As she turned down a corridor that led to an older part of City Hall where her office was kept, she caught sight of Mark ahead of her, making his way back from her office.

  “Good morning, Mr. Hudson,” she greeted him, careful to keep the excitement out of her voice.

  “Miss Merrill, you’re late,” he said, his tone harsh.

  Brandy’s heart rate sped up as the authoritative sound of his voice reverberated off the narrow walls and straight through to her lower belly. This wasn’t the first time they had met this way, in a public place, under the guise of something professional even though she knew it was anything but.

  “I’m sorry, Mr. Hudson.”

  Mark didn’t say anything, just
nodded his head curtly and led the way back to her office. She pulled the key from her purse and unlocked it, Mark following her in. Her office was small, sparse, generic. The kind where if you tried hard enough, you could touch all four walls at the same time. Brandy tossed her purse on the chair and turned back around to face him. She watched as he pulled the door shut and a familiar ache surged through her at the sound of the door locking.

  “You know how I feel about punctuality, Miss Merrill,” he said. His voice was low, firm, and his eyes skimmed over her body, heating her skin.

  “Yes.” She cast her eyes to the floor.

  “Yes, what?” He cocked an eyebrow at her.

  “Yes, sir.” Her eyes darted up to his and she caught the heat in them.

  He closed the short distance from the door to her desk in a few, slow steps. His every move was calculated as he came to a stop in front of her, mere inches from touching. Mark’s dark eyes trekked across her face. He looked at her like he wanted to possess her, and she liked that look. She liked being consumed by him.