Tessa's Escape to Athena's Ground

by Brianna Salera

  “My husband didn’t get a great response from me in the first year we were married. So he stopped trying.”

  Jason’s hands were already sliding Tessa’s bottoms off. He held her steady while she lifted each foot free and then he tucked her bottoms in the waistband of his trunks.

  “Relax, Tessa,” he said as he pulled her close to him. “Just look straight ahead at the beautiful water. Feel me against your backside?”

  She nodded.

  “I will keep you steady. Don’t worry about the waves or the sand under your feet. Don’t worry about anything. Let yourself go. Trust me.”

  “I do,” Tessa said. Even though she’d only known Jason a few hours, she did trust him. Of course, she also knew Carmen would never entrust her to someone who wasn’t worthy.

  Jason nudged Tessa’s feet into a wider stance. “Feel the water cooling your heat? I’m going to put a stop to that now.” Jason kept Tessa steady with one arm while his other plunged underwater. His hand found Tessa’s mound and began caressing it. His finger slid up and down her slit, teasing her, until it settled on her clit. He began drawing circles around it with his finger, pressing harder and harder until he heard Tessa’s breath change.

  “Feel good?”

  “Mmmmm,” Tessa said, softly.

  After a few minutes with Jason’s magic fingers, Tessa thought she might explode, like at the café, except better. She couldn’t explain it, but it felt like the ocean had climbed inside her. She was beginning to feel waves, small but growing. It was nice, but something was missing.

  And then Jason supplied it.

  “Lean back against me and wrap your arms around my waist, if you can. I need both of my hands free.” Jason nudged her legs further apart and spread her lips apart with one hand while the other continued to stroke her clitoris. “Relax now,” he said, as he gently pushed a finger past Tessa’s lips. He stopped just an inch inside and said, “Okay?”

  Tessa nodded. She could feel herself defensively tensing, and she hated that the talk therapy she’d done for so many months—all those ‘ah ha’ moments she thought she’d committed to memory, hadn’t become part of her muscle memory.

  Jason continued to stimulate Tessa’s clitoris, focusing on the powerful pleasure it brought to her. He listened to her breathing and felt her hips rise to meet the pressure of his fingers, like two partners dancing. While Tessa remained focused on the building sensation, Jason slowly, steadily pushed his finger deeper inside her. When the full length of his long, muscular finger was inside, he whispered into her ear.

  “How do you feel?”

  Tessa murmured something. It could have been English or Esperanto for all it mattered; the word was unintelligible, but the passion behind it was clear.

  Jason began to move his finger in and out, careful not to disrupt the dance between his fingers and Tessa’s clitoris. As she responded, he drove his finger into her harder and faster. She moaned and wiggled, grinding her pelvis at Jason’s fingers.

  “Oh God, please don’t stop,” she cried.

  Jason whispered that he would not stop until she had come. “Stay with the sensation, Tessa. Stay with it.” Her eyes were closed, so Jason couldn’t judge her excitement by pupil dilation, but her breath was rapid and the cleavage above her bikini top was a rosy flush. She was close.

  He tipped his head down and kissed Tessa’s breast, just above her bathing suit top.

  “Oh! That’s so good!”

  “Stay with it, you’re almost there.”

  And almost before he finished the sentence, she was. Tessa’s vaginal muscles clamped around Jason’s moving finger and she began to spasm so violently there was no question. For the first time in Tessa’s life, she didn’t care how improper it might be or who might overhear her.

  “Ohhhh … my… God,” she shouted between pants.

  Jason held her firmly until she stopped panting and opened her eyes. When she did, he playfully tousled her hair. “And that, Tessa, is fireworks.”

  -13-

  Tessa held onto Jason’s shoulder while he slid her bikini bottoms back into place.

  “Do you feel like a little swim?”

  “A very little one. I’m surprisingly…tired.”

  Jason laughed. “You worked for it. Was it worth it?”

  Tessa smiled. “Is the Pope Catholic?”

  The two floated in the cool water for a few minutes and then made their way back to the blanket. On the walk back, Jason wrapped his arm around her and rested his hand on her backside. When she didn’t object, he slid part of his hand under her bikini bottom and gently stroked the smooth skin of her left cheek until they reached the blanket.

  “How about a cold drink?” Jason said, lifting a bottle of water in one hand and a Diet Coke in the other.

  Tessa asked for the soda. Jason twisted the cap off with a flourish and handed her the bottle.

  “Such a gentleman,” Tessa said. “And a gentle man.”

  Jason actually blushed.

  They sipped a cold drink and Jason talked about Sydney. “I’ve been to the States once,” he said. “L.A. But I suppose that’s a lot different from New York.”

  “Yes. Did you like L.A.?”

  “Very much. I’d like to visit more of America someday. There’s a lot to learn by traveling.”

  Tessa thought about what she’d learned over the past six hours, and grinned. “Yeah. I had to come all the way to Australia to…”

  “Come.”

  They both laughed.

  “If I can be serious for a minute,” Jason said, “I want to talk about what happened out there in the ocean. I think we just demonstrated there is nothing wrong with your body. It knows how to respond to the right stimulus. The trick is to get the right stimulus and stick with it while your body opens up to it. That’s another way of saying…?”

  “Ask for what you need.”

  Jason lifted his bottled water as if toasting Tessa.

  “Tonight, we will have our last session, you and I.”

  Tessa frowned. She was really beginning to trust Jason.

  “No frowning allowed!” he said playfully. “It will be a great session, still focusing on asking for what you need. It will be more intimate, so I want to prepare you for that.”

  “Intimate as in...?”

  “Carmen’s therapeutic plan has several goals. We achieved the first one, out there in the beautiful Pacific.”

  Tessa blushed, but smiled too.

  “But I understand there is an issue you need some closure on.” Jason looked into Tessa’s eyes and dropped his voice to almost a whisper. “You told Carmen what your husband died doing, with another woman. You seemed to feel it was, in part, your fault because you never allowed him to do that to you.”

  Tessa’s blush deepened, and she lost her smile.

  “I’m sure Carmen tried to get you to let yourself off the hook there. Because you didn’t give it didn’t excuse his getting it elsewhere. That was a mega breach of trust.”

  Tessa nodded. She knew that, in her head. Her heart, on the other hand, wasn’t so sure.

  “I understand that you’ve been working hard these past few months, and that you’ve realized you aren’t satisfied with the narrow sexual definition you’ve lived with all your adult life.”

  “I used to think that practically anything other than simple missionary position was either twisted, gross or beyond my ability to do. I don’t think that anymore. But I don’t know which things are right for me, and which aren’t.”

  “That’s what you’ve come to Australia to discover.” Jason stroked her arm gently with the finger that, minutes ago, had given Tessa the most sexual pleasure she’d ever experienced. “Tonight I will press you to try two things. I will always respect your right to decline, but I’m going to put some pressure on you, based on what you said you wanted in therapy.”

  “That was back in the safety of Carmen’s office,” Tessa said. Though her voice was light, she wasn’t entirel
y joking.

  “But you’ll be in the safety of Jason’s arms,” he said, lightly, but also not joking. “Don’t forget that.”

  “What two things? Or is it better if I don’t know?”

  Jason scooted closer to Tessa and gently stroked the inside of her thigh. “I’m going to show you how pleasurable it is to let a man kiss your clitoris.”

  Kissing it didn’t sound so bad, Tessa thought, but she knew there was more to it than that.

  “Just kiss?”

  Jason’s eyes twinkled. “Nailed me on that one, didn’t you! They’ll be sucking and licking involved. And if you’re up to it, maybe a gentle nibble or two.”

  Tessa laughed, but it didn’t disguise her nervousness.

  “What’s the second thing?”

  “Let’s leave that a surprise, okay?”

  They gathered their things and headed back to the ferry. By the time Jason pulled up to the Westberg entrance, Tessa was a mixture of fear, joy, anticipation and dread.

  “Dinner will be in your room at 8:00. I’ve already made arrangements with room service. Have a rest and see you in a few hours.”

  ***

  Tessa, the report from Australia sounds good! I’m jealous that it’s beach weather there, though if this keeps up we’ll have a beautiful white New Year’s (even if it’s a beautifully COLD one :) I did a quick Google and read that in Australia you can get a pretty good sunburn in less than fifteen minutes. Soak in some sunblock before you head to the beach! Well, lunch break is over so back to work.

  Yours, David.

  Tessa smiled and hit reply.

  Hey David! Thought of you in 36° weather this afternoon as I waded into the Aussie side of the Pacific. I slathered on the sunblock, but still got a little pink…

  Tessa paused, and chuckled. She’d gotten very pink, but not from sun exposure. David didn’t need to know that.

  …but nothing bad. In fact the afternoon was a success. The ocean is a good place to be reminded that there’s a big world out there. When I remember that, as I did this afternoon, my problems seem a whole lot smaller. I’m doing some more reflection and work this evening, so probably won’t get a chance to email you until tomorrow.

  Have a good night. Sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite. (If they do, I suggest Terminix.)

  Tessa.

  Tessa scanned her work email. No emergencies, thank goodness, but lots of activity. Her staff had already taken calls from buyers at Macys and Dillards; they wanted to know whether Tessa had plans to add accessories to her line. Dillards also wanted to know if Tessa would be interested in creating a group or single design each season for them, on an exclusive basis. Tessa’s business was certainly heating up and it felt good, if a little overwhelming. It was clear she’d be putting in some long hours when she got home.

  Tessa turned off her laptop and slid it away from her. The first thing she’d done when she got back to the hotel was take a long, warm shower. She shampooed her hair, lathered every inch of her skin, twice, and shaved her legs (again). She towel dried her hair, moisturized herself from nose to toes, and decided to take a quick look at email before getting ready for her appointment with Jason. Since the appointment was here in her room, which scared her more than a little bit, she had plenty of time to get ready. She stretched out on top of her king sized bed and mentally went through her closet. Was the green dress trying too hard? Were the white capris with the simple pink tunic too casual? The sun and sand, added to the stress of her ‘water aerobics,’ resulted in one tired woman. Just for five minutes, Tessa thought, as she closed her eyes.

  -14-

  Tessa opened her eyes again when a loud knock on the door jolted her awake.

  “Tessa?”

  Tessa turned toward the bedside clock and squinted. It couldn’t be right. It read 8:02.

  “Just a minute,” Tessa adjusted the hotel bathrobe she’d fallen asleep in and belted it tight. “I’m coming…”

  Jason smiled when he saw Tessa peek out from behind the door. “I would say you already did, but for all I know you were doing more homework in there, and might be coming again.”

  Tessa felt the blood run to her face. Added to a bit of sunburn, it would be flaming red now.

  “I fell asleep. I’m not ready. I’m sorry.”

  “Can I come in?”

  Tessa swung the door all the way open and Jason stepped in. He looked her up and down and his eyes twinkled with amusement.

  “The natural look, I see. If anyone can pull it off, it’s you.”

  Tessa glanced at the mirror outside of the bathroom door. Her hair had dried while she slept; it looked a little like the ‘before’ Sandra Bullock in Miss Congeniality. She’d also fallen asleep with her face on the sleeve of her chenille bathrobe and it left a red crease mark from the top of her cheekbone to the cleft of her chin. Charming.

  “I look terrible. I am so sorry. Give me a few minutes and I’ll pull myself together.”

  Tessa turned to head into the bathroom but Jason grabbed her hand. “Hold on a minute. I think you look adorable.”

  Tessa looked into his eyes for sarcasm. There was none.

  “I need to comb my hair. At least,” she said.

  Jason let go of her hand. “Do whatever will make you feel good. But, Tessa, seriously, the bathrobe is fine.”

  Tessa was alone in the bathroom, brushing out her hair, when the possible meaning of Jason’s comment hit her like an eighteen-wheeler doing ninety. She blushed. She was deciding whether to stay in her robe or change into a dress when Room Service knocked on the door. Tessa let Jason handle it while she considered her options. Dress, and experience the undressing that she was sure would come sometime after dinner, or, be comfy in her robe and make the undressing less dramatic.

  Tessa emerged from the bathroom in her robe.

  “I hope you like what I ordered,” Jason said, lifting metal plate covers and arranging the plates of food. “Part of the pleasure of food is its appearance, yes?”

  Tessa smiled. There were half a dozen plates of exotic food.

  “Ladies first,” Jason said, with a wave of his hand. Tessa allowed Jason to pull the desk chair out and seated her in front of the food. “Have you eaten oysters on the half shell before?”

  Tessa shook her head. “The texture is a bit…slimy…for my taste.”

  “We’ll see,” Jason said, his green eyes twinkling. “Sometimes slimy is very, very pleasurable.”

  Once again, Tessa felt a flash of heat on her face. “That looks good!” She pointed to a plate of pasta, maybe because she was suddenly famished and maybe because it smelled heavenly.

  “It’s a specialty, a little something the chef agrees to make for us.”

  “Desert?” Tessa said, pointing to a plate with fine, dark chocolate.

  “Yes. Do you like asparagus?”

  Tessa nodded. “And avocado.” She nodded toward a plate with finely sliced wedges arranged around a center of what looked like salsa.

  Jason lifted an empty wine glass and filled it with dark, red wine. “Australian. So you know it’s the best,” he said, handing it to Tessa.

  “I bet the vintners in Napa Valley would have something to say about that.” She raised the glass, in salute.

  Jason pulled up a chair and settled in. “Let’s begin with the oysters, shall we?” He picked one up, brought it to his lips and said, “When texture is a problem, the trick is to take it in all at once and simply swallow.” He slid the oyster meat into his mouth and swallowed.

  Tessa wondered if he was talking about oysters or ‘something else.’ She hadn’t sipped enough of her wine to ask.

  “These are expertly prepared. May I?” Jason lifted an oyster and leaned next to Tessa. “All you have to do is open your mouth and swallow.”

  Tessa hesitated. The gray things were slimy. They reminded her of…

  Jason smiled.

  Could he read minds, Tessa wondered.

  “This was something you told
Carmen you wanted to work up to. I’m just priming the pump here.”

  Before she could back out, Tessa closed her eyes and opened her mouth. The moment she felt the oozy mollusk on her tongue, she swallowed. Jason handed Tessa her glass of wine, and she chased the oyster down with a large gulp of wine.

  Tessa quickly recognized that each plate had a purpose. Though she didn’t know about the pasta, since she didn’t know what was in it, all the other items on the table were aphrodisiacs. And Jason fed them to her, one by one, some efficiently, some erotically.

  “Asparagus is my favorite,” he said, lifting a spear from the plate. Tessa opened her mouth to receive it, and Jason shook his head. “Let me demonstrate.”

  Jason slowly inserted the spear in his open mouth, withdrew it part way, and guided it back in, sucking it as it entered and left his pursed lips. After several nearly obscene passes, he nibbled the head of the tuber. “Not all things sucked in this way should ever be bitten.”

  -15-

  Tessa reached for a spear and Jason gently slapped her hand away. “I guide it in, and you take as much of its length as you can without gagging.”

  Tessa did, but she knew she’d never again eat asparagus without thinking she was ‘priming the pump.’

  The pasta had been excellent, filled with interesting herbs and spices and covered in a light, but rich, cream sauce. But the best was the chocolate. Jason had fed each piece to her, asking her to lick his fingers after each delicious bite.

  Tessa didn’t know if it was the wine or the pasta and chocolate, but by the time dinner was over, she was feeling warm and dulcet. Jason placed the empty dishes in the hall outside of the room.

  “Feeling good?” he asked.

  She nodded.

  Jason held his hand out to her. Tessa took it and allowed him to gently pull her to her feet. He led her to the full length mirror just outside the bathroom and stood directly behind her.