Beautiful Life

by Bruce Thomas

  "Or are you reneging on what you said on the roof." He placed his arm over the back of the couch just above my head and slightly leaned in. I felt myself lean in too. "Maybe I am." I knew I was playing into his little game of intimidation. Maybe it was the ice cream or the laughter that I was still high off of from today's events but the thought that two can play this game engulfed my self control and threw it out the big bay window. I felt more confident when I was around Fred.

  Fred looked taken back and I couldn't help but smile at the thought that I threw him

  off. His eyes traveled down to my upturned lips and settled.

  Our first kiss invaded my senses and more than anything I wanted him to kiss me again.

  I knew this was probably wrong and what I was playing was dangerous but nothing in the world seemed to make sense. It was like the world tilted on its axis and the only thing that seemed align was Fred and me.

  I wetted my lips to push him further and I got a deep groan coaxed out of him before his lips landed on mine. He tugged me on top on him easily, his hands holding my face, and I straddled his waist on the couch, never breaking the kiss. Our lips collided again and again until I was so breathless I was afraid I would stop breathing. His mouth tasted like the vanilla ice cream, cold and sweet.

  His hands wandered in my hair, grabbing and tugging, turning my head this way and that to deepen the kiss. I kneaded the front of his shirt yearning to feel the skin underneath it. I couldn't hold back a moan as his tongue collided with mine sending my brain scattered.

  Stop, my subconscious screamed at me. Fred's hands pushed my hips to grind down against his causing some sort of friction. I gasp when I felt the prominent bulge underneath me. It was like some wild animal had been realised inside of me and there was no controlling it. I brought my hips back down against his and rocked. It was Fred's turn to gasp and I swallowed it with pushing my lips harder into his, fighting my tongue with his. A deep rumble vibrated in his chest making my insides clench beautifully.

  A sharp ring blasted through the

  room making both of us spring apart from each other. I landed onto the other side of the couch far away from where Fred sat, chest heaving, completely dazed.

  My senses kicked in when the ear splitting ring came again. I picked up a pillow by the arm of the couch and searched for my phone. I recognized Fred's father's name on the screen and swiped to answer it. "Hello," I breathed into the receiver.

  "Annaanna? Are you okay? You sound out of breath," Mr. Montgomery's voice boomed through my phone. "Yes," I squeaked looking over at Fred who was staring off into space, his arm once again hanging over the back of the couch, calm and collected. "I, um, just ran around the room looking for my phone. Is everything okay?"

  Fred's eyes snapped to mine and I quickly looked away embarrassed from my lie. A sly smile pulled up on his lips that made heat rush to my face. I turned my back to him.

  "Yes, I was just checking up on you to see if Matty was giving you any trouble."

  I steadied my breathing and focused on the phone call. "Everything is fine, Matty is asleep. There was no trouble at all. He's quite independant." "Yes, he's a good kid," his father said. I could practically hear the pride in his voice through the phone. I wish he spoke that way about Fred. "Well, then I will let you get to sleep too. Thank you for staying the night on such short notice. I really appreciate it. It's a busy time of year for my branch."

  "Of course, sir, I don't mind," I answered. I could feel Fred watching me, his eyes lasering into my back. I straighten by habit and ended the call.

  I turned back around and stood up. "Your dad," I told Fred as if it wasn't obvious. I ran my hands over my jeans shifting back and forth on my feet. "I figured. How is sir?" His voice was back to his normal clipped tone, the shield was back up, his eyes dark and brooding. I could feel my heart drop at the sight. Why was he suddenly angry? I looked away feeling unexpectedly tired.

  Fred stood up and picked up the pillows on the ground that happened to fall off during our rash movements. I stood off to the side and watched, feeling the tension in the air. "Ready for bed?" Fred turned towards me placing the last pillow back on the couch.

  "B-bed?" I stuttered taken off guard. "Are you staying?"

  Fred looked at me, calculating my reaction. "It's late. I don't really feel like driving back into the city."

  I nodded my head looking at my hands. "I'll just go find a room." I felt a sudden wave of sadness at the thought that I wasn't going to be able to stay in Fred's childhood room. Shamefully, I was planning on looking at everything in the room, pictures, papers, whatever I could get my hands on, to try and find something that would help me understand this man.

  I started to walk past him but he grabbed my arm stopping me. "What are you talking about, you'll stay in mine."

  The place where his hand gripped my arm burned with fire. I could feel my blood starting to pound through my veins with his proximity.

  "You should stay in your old room. I'll find another. There are plenty," I said with a short laugh trying to lighten the mood.

  "I don't want to stay here unless you are with me," he sighed looking into my eyes almost pleading. His mood shifted before my eyes, from hard to something that could easily resemble fear. Like normal when he says things like this I felt my breath catch and my heart squeeze.

  "I'll sleep on the floor, you can take the bed," he bargained. No, Annaanna, stop this now. This is going too far, my brain scolded me. But I couldn't say no to someone who was looking at me like this. His eyes were boring into mine silently begging me to not leave him alone here.

  Before my mind could connect with my body I found myself nodding in approval.

  "Look Anna," Fred said inching towards me with purpose. I looked up at him fully aware that my eyes went large and completely aware that I needed to hide my feelings better. Fred took a deep breath and let it out as a sigh. "I think we need to set some boundaries." Fred and boundaries? Oh God, was I that transparent?

  "And boundaries are being set by me sharing a room with you?" The words tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop them. I pressed my lips together tightly to stop more words from falling out. Sass was not needed from me right now.

  Fred cocked an eyebrow at me.

  "Yes, boundaries," I croaked, clearing my throat. Boundaries are good.

  "I have an idea," he said. He shifted back and forth on his feet as if he was leading up to something he felt uncomfortable admitting.

  Hope blossomed in my chest. "You and I seem to be on the same page when it comes to relationships, or at least that's what I picked up on and you know me pretty well by now to know that, well, you know..." He gave me a sheepish grin, tilting his head. He didn't have to finished that sentence for me to know where he was getting at. I should have never told him what I did on his apartment building roof. I could feel my blood starting to chill and pound loudly in my ears.

  "Maybe we could continue what we got going on here." He waved a hand in between our bodies then motioned to the couch. "No strings attached."

  My stomach dropped, all hope evaporating, leaving me with nothing but a dull ache in it's place. Did I come off as a floozy girl that goes around having random hookups with guys? No. He knows this too. "Like friends with benefit," I clarified crossing my arms over my chest. Even I could hear the drop of my voice that screamed 'are you kidding me'.

  My heart was pounding so hard but not with the adrenaline it was feeling moments ago. Now the stupid organ in my chest beat painfully with regret.

  "Yeah," he said excitedly. "You know." He shrugged and even had the nerve to smirk at me. I looked deep into his eyes to see if his pupils were dilated, only to see them hidden in the shadow of the television screen giving off minimal light still early in the movie we were not watching. "You see Fred," I finally said leaning in closer to him. His eyes seemed to darken at the sudden proximity between his body and mine.

  This was uncharted territory to me, me being somewhat alluri
ng, or at least trying to, be but I was not only hurt but angry at the interested look in his eyes. "In order to be friends with benefits, you have to be friends."

  And with that I walked past him and up the stairs.

  =================

  17

  "Turn around," I commanded trying to hide the smile spreading on my face.

  This was so unlike me to be undressing in the same room as a man, let alone that man being Fred. Especially after the offer he just made me downstairs. I tried to get into another room, I swear on all things holy, I did, but that only resulted to me running into several closets while Fred leaned against the wall grinning at me as if I was entertaining him. I dashed from door to door like a madwoman.

  That only resulted to me giving up and moving past him into his room because there was no way I was going to sleep in Matty's room and I couldn't find his father's at the time being. I swear he locked all of the guest bedrooms earlier.

  "No, I'm good." He placed his hands behind his head and grinned up at me, his playful mood from earlier back. I gave him a look that made him laugh and get up to move to his bathroom.

  Duh, his bathroom! Why didn't I think of that. He probably thought I was changing in front of him on purpose. I mentally slapped my forehead.

  I waited to hear the door shut before I took off my shirt and replaced it with an old high school state football shirt that was a few years old. It was too big and baggy that it hit me mid thigh. I took off my jeans, stepping one leg out after the other, and bent over to search in my duffel bag for a pair of shorts. Ruffling around through it I cursed that I didn't pack any. I did not usually wear pants when I slept. I didn't know Fred would swoop in with

  his surprise visit, let alone force me to sleep in the same room as him.

  Okay he wasn't forcing me but still.

  I straightened up and kneaded my forehead. I wasn't going to wear my jeans to sleep in. That would be too uncomfortable. But you can't not wear pants, Annaanna, Fred is in the same room as you!! "Lace," came a husky voice from the bathroom door. "I like them." Fred wandered back into the room wearing nothing but grey Annaefs and made his way back to his bed. I pulled down the hem of the shirt further trying to cover my exposed thighs and white lace underwear. I wondered how long he had been standing there in the doorway without me knowing.

  He looked over at me with a blanket and pillow in hand. "Don't look at me like that Raine. I'm only man." I giggled an un-Anna-like chirp, forcing me to press my lips together to cease the sound. I avoided eye contact considering he was almost naked except for the band snapped around his waist. His chest was bare with the exception of a cross tattoo that covered over his left pec. I have never noticed he had a tattoo. But then again I've never seen him shirtless before.

  I warily watched him as he spread out his blanket on the ground and took another pillow from the bed. I slipped into the bed and pulled the comforter up to my chin tightly. If you would have told me a month ago I would be in this position of Fred Montgomery being in his underwear and me in bed next to him I would have laughed in your face and paid for you to get your head examined.

  I heard him rustling around on the ground trying to find a comfortable position. I felt bad that he was sleeping on the floor in his own bedroom instead of in his bed which felt too big and cold alone. I closed my eyes, having a one woman battle in my head if I wanted to take this step.

  "Fred," I said so softly I wasn't sure if he heard me.

  "Yeah." He stopped moving around.

  I laid on my back looking up at the ceiling imagining him doing the same on the floor.

  "You don't have to sleep on the floor." My voice sounded raspy and breathless to my own ears. What was I doing? "The bed is big enough for the both of us." Fred sat up from his place on the floor and eyed me. He didn't say anything as he got under the covers keeping a few feet between us.

  My chest was killing me and my heart was beating loudly at the thought of him laying so close to me. I wouldn't be surprised if he could hear it.

  I've slept in the same bed as him before, actually a lot closer than this, extremely closer than this, but we were both awake for this time around. We were both aware of him next to me and me next to him. I could feel the anxiety build up in my chest as I continued to stare up at the ceiling.

  I felt Fred shift beside me on the mattress. I could see him turn on his side from the corner of my view. I didn't dare look at him. My eyes unwillingly closed when he ran a finger along my hairline and down my jaw. His finger trailed down my neck and circled in the indentations of my collar bones causing surprised goose bumps to appear.

  He was watching me cautiously, waiting for me to protest his advances. My brain was telling me to stop him but every fiber in my body was begging me to not stop his slow torturous touch. My breath hitched but I didn't move away. I held back a shiver that shocked me throughout my body, sending every nerve to attention.

  He shifted closer to me, moving onto his side with the hand that wasn't touching me propped under his cheek. He moved the comforter down to my lower stomach and continued to draw more designs, traveling over my shoulder to my arm. My eyes fluttered at the tingling feeling. It felt like an electric current was zapping me wherever he touched.

  "Anna," he whisper and I turned my head to face him. He was a lot closer than I thought he was and I was caught off guard when his lips latched to my neck in a quick dodge.

  He didn't hover over me but laid on his side, pressed against my side, while his lips and hands roamed. I wanted him pressed closer to me but I didn't dare move. His large hand traveled down the valley between my breast skimming over the plain white bra I was wearing under the t-shirt. I stretched my neck up to give him easier access to the hollows of my throat, the feeling too good to limit him.

  That taunting hand traveled over my side down to my left hip bone. He chuckled when I jumped after he teasingly gave my thigh a squeeze making my breath come out more forceful on top of his head as his lips worked their way down my body.

  He didn't bother to remove my shirt but skimmed his lips over the thin material managing to make my body react to the intimate gesture, peaking and arching.

  I should feel insecure as his hand skimmed my stomach and with a quick breath I tightened my muscles but the strain didn't last long. I was too worked up to think of something as tedious as my midsection. It felt like Fred was worshiping my body with his hands, kneading and massaging all the right pressure points.

  He pushed the thick bedspread away from both of our bodies and hovered over me. His hand moved lower and lower.

  Now would be a good time to stop him but I couldn't get my mouth to shape the words. Everywhere he touch scorched with fire.

  His fingertips skimmed over the lace of my panties causing me to squirm underneath him. He cupped me over the white lace and rubbed, applying a little more pressure making my back arch off the mattress. I suppressed a loud moan only allowing a strangled sound to escape.

  "I knew you would like that," he smirked into my neck as he continued to suck and nip the skin there. Surely there would be a nice sized love bite there in the morning.

  My fingers wounded up in his hair needing something to grip onto under the attack I was taking. He continued to rub me and suck at the spot where my jaw meets my neck.

  I could feel him pressed against my stomach, a prominent pulse that made my breathing come faster. Without thinking I reached my hand to the front of his Annaefs and gripped him through the material. Fred growled deep in his throat and ceased his lips on my neck only to drop his head to my shoulder. I don't know what came over me. I have never done this before but I took it as a good sign and gripped him tighter. He reached for my hand causing me to

  stop, losing contact against me. Panic began to bubble up inside me. I didn't want him to stop. He wrapped his fingers around my hold on him and brought his eyes level with mine. He showed me what to do, moving his hands smoothly over mine guiding my hand over his length. The grey mat
erial acting as a barrier just like my lace.

  He bit his tongue between his teeth and I found myself mirroring him. His eyes were so dark I felt like they would swallow me whole making my stomach clench deliciously.

  A low groan escaped his throat and his lips reattached to mine, hungry and needy. His hand slipped inside my panties making me buck underneath him. He held me down by kissing me harder. He rubbed my little nub adding more and more pressure as he kissed me. His tongue darted in and out of my mouth and he nipped at my bottom lip, tugging it out then letting it snap back. I moved my hand faster over the material of his Annaefs feeling an intense need for more contact.

  He ran his finger down to my entrance teasing it but never went farther than that. A burning pressure settled in the lowest part of my spine threatening to explode inside of me. Fred must have picked up on my movements and breathing coming harder because his expert fingers pressed faster building me higher and higher. When I finally found my release, Fred was not far behind. Wetness seeped through the material under my hand as Fred road out his high, biting his lip with his eyes scrunched closed. I watched his chest as it became a pretty red blush. I ran my tongue up the vein in his neck protruding from his

  exertion.

  Laying my head back on the pillow, I placed my hand on my forehead trying to calm myself down. I have never felt anything like that in my whole life. I now know why so many people did this sort of thing. And I now knew why they did it with Fred.

  He looked down while he hovered over me and broke out in a shaky laugh steadying his breathing like I did mine.

  Now is the time when embarrassment began to set in. I turned my head to the side so he couldn't see the heat flush my cheeks. "Hey," he said placing a finger under my chin and turning me to face him. He examined my face his eyes roaming from my forehead, to my eyes, my red cheeks, before he chuckled again to himself. "You are something else, you know that Anna."