All the lines to cross

by Ashish Rastogi

  Chapter 35: One More Time

  Jon

  A floral sweetness wafts to my nose. The bed is warmer than usual. Heated by a softness fitted into the curve of my body. The supple ass cheeks snuggle my hips. My dick wakes up energized, so do my eyes.

  Sharon sleeps cradled in my arms, chin resting on my elbow. Our bare bodies locked in an embrace. My fingers can't resist stroking her face. The softness of her skin and innocence on her face sends tickles down my body. How do I make this permanent because I want to wake up to this every day? I glance at the window - the Sun has not risen yet.

  Thoughts of the night bring a smile to my face. A new emotion makes its way to my soul. It fills my heart and body with contentment and happiness. Something I never had with anyone before. For a cliched player on and off the field, I have my fair share of fun between the sheets, but last night was out of this world.

  Everything about her is unique. Every moment spent with her is something to cherish. Amidst the echoes of my heartbeat in the stillness of the night, I take in every bit of her lying beside me, memorizing every inch and each curve. Sated and in bliss.

  The connection between us is like a powerful magnet. I smile remembering what I whispered in her ear as she drifted off to sleep. I snuggle closer and take another deep breath to inhale her fragrance. Her curls entice me. I pick one up from over her face, loop it my finger and let it slide. Then repeat the action.

  She stirs and opens one eye, raising her eyebrow "Don't mess with a sleeping Tigress?"

  I tuck the strand of her hair away from her face. "Po hungry. Need food. Do you have something in the refrigerator?"

  "Yes, there are sandwiches and fruit."

  She gets up on her elbows, but I ask her to stay in bed. To seduce her further, I saunter across to the refrigerator not bothering to put on anything. Nothing she hasn't seen already. Her smile transitions into an O, when I turn to look back from the door. Perfect. Her eyes are locked on my tool.

  "Do you need anything?"

  She squirms on being caught ogling. She adjusts her glasses, turns to lie on her stomach, chin resting on her palms, feet swaying at the back.

  "Just you. To keep me warm."

  Damn, with those few words in a soft slow tone she turns me on again. After picking a coke and the sandwich, I rush back to bed. Keep them on the nightstand and free my hands to pull her towards me. She curls up in my arm. I lift her chin and kiss her. Our tongues start the tango. Uno-dos-tres and repeat on the beats of meowl sounds coming out of my Tigress. The dance continues to the beats of her interjections.

  "Mmh". "You". "Mmm." "Hungry." "Mmmmm."

  My mouth is too busy to form a sentence of its own. "Mh'. "Po." "Mmh". "Play". "MMmm". "First."

  From the corner of my eyes, I track the third and last condom on the nightstand. Thank God for my high school coach for instilling in us the discipline of being prepared. My fingers snatch the packet. The movement makes her break the kiss. My tongue reaches out to caress her swollen lips.

  "Do you think we can trademark this kiss between a panda and a tigress? Sell it for a movie or series."

  She smiles and plants a soft kiss on my lips. "You do realize biologically the two species are incompatible."

  "Didn't seem like that a few hours back. What if we practice more? A lot more."

  "Cheesy and Corny." Another kiss. This time near my ear followed by a nip.

  "You mean racy and horny." I draw her attention to the place where her thigh rubs my groin. She gets up and straddles me.

  "Time to suit up, Po."

  We tear the packet between our teeth. She extracts the condom as I hold the open pack in my teeth and clothes Mr. Po Dick before lowering herself on him.

  "Mmmh" the sound escapes my mouth. She locks me in a tight embrace offering her neck. Nip-lick-nip, the teeth and tongue work to create new stripes on my Tigress neck as we make love. This time going slow, enjoying each lick, each touch, and every hump.

  Our bodies explore new positions to share the joy of each other. God, I can go on forever like this. We come together as she moans into my mouth, calling out my name. I keep holding her close till our breaths settle. She stays snug in my arms, head resting on my shoulder. Bodies glued by the sweat.

  "Want to share the sandwich?" I offer the food lying on the nightstand.

  She nods. I feed her before taking a bite of my own. Her baking is fantastic but eating this simple sandwich lying naked to each other makes it heavenly—the best meal in my life. While I am ahead in this and we both float on the endorphin clouds, I need to make my next move to keep our relationship going.

  "Sharon I want to invite you to our family get-together this Sunday."

  She narrows her eyes. "Jon, I know everyone in your family."

  "No, you don't. You are yet to meet my uncles, aunts, and cousins." I reply in between bites, taking my time savoring the homemade sauce filling the sandwich.

  She moves my face towards her and raises her eyebrows. "What's the occasion?"

  "No, we have been doing it for four years now. We meet in any one family's house by rotation. Everyone brings food." I play it down. If I give her a single hint that she is the first girl I am taking to meet my family, she might bolt.

  "You are inviting me to your family dinner. Won't it be odd?" She eats the last piece of the sandwich from my hands and snuggles back wrapping her arms around my chest.

  "No way. My cousins want to meet you. Besides Mom, Emily and Jason will be there along with all the kids. You will enjoy it. We are a crazy bunch." I keep my voice monotonous.

  "You are scaring me," she is panicking.

  I rest my chin on her head. "Don't worry, you will like everyone. They will welcome you with open arms."

  Her fingers find their way into my beard. She has been doing it all night and I like it. She sighs.

  " This Sunday the schedule is tight. I can't spare an entire day. I am speaking at a conference and will not be free until the afternoon."

  "We can do a dinner gathering." I am not going to give her an escape from this.

  "Are you sure? I mean it is only a week away." Her protest continues, but I am not caving in.

  I pick up my phone and send a text message to my family group. "Consider it done." I can see the apprehension on her face when she glances at me.

  "Hey, I will be there. You will fit well in our family." Even if she thinks I am moving fast, I don't care. I am clear about having her in my life. When I have my heart set on something, I don't let go. After a few moments of biting down her lip, she agrees. "Okay, if you say so. But on one condition—I get to bring something to the party."

  Great, it will be another way for me to show her how much we belong together.

  Chapter 36: Blow Up

  Jon

  The week dragged on, every day spent waiting for tonight. The wait was worse than the one for the next game during the season. I pump my fist when the clock chimes at 4 p.m.

  I reconfirm the conference details on the net. Sharon has an hour-long speaking assignment. I dress up, nothing formal, considering my plan for our date. A chino paired with a button-down white shirt and a light blue summer coat. It is not every day you dress up for your girl.

  Sharon had asked me to meet her at the entrance, but I reach early. No point in waiting outside. I will surprise her. Once inside, the enormity of the conference hits me. How will I gain entry? From the displays, I find out where Sharon is speaking. I approach the registration desk. The woman manning the desk recognizes me.

  "How can I help you, Mr. Hayes? Surprised to see you here."

  I use my charm on her, "I am looking for Dr. Sharon Wells from B & N Care. She is speaking in Hall C. Can I go meet her there?"

  "You will need to register as a visitor and pay up, but I can let you in for a few autographs." She winks at me. I am used to this kind of flirting, so I play along to get my pass.

  "Sure, where do I sign?" The benefit of being famous—a few signatures get me i
nside. I walk towards Hall C. Once I reach the hall, my eyes scan the room for Sharon. I spot her curls first. Sharon is in a white knee-length dress with black cherry blossom print. My eyes move to admire her legs which end in the black stiletto heels.

  As I approach, a man is pulling Sharon close. I have never seen him around Sharon. My mind goes into full alert. Who is he? There are too many people blocking my way, but I maneuver around them as fast as I can. On moving closer, Sharon's sharp tone reaches my ears, loud and angry.

  "Noah, take your hands off me!"

  "We were more than friends, Sharon!" He shouts back at her.

  She snaps at the words and the sound of her slap across his face echoes through the hallway. The place goes silent. There must be a hundred people in this room, looking at Sharon. Oh, boy, this girl needs no protection. The bugger’s right cheek bears the red imprint of her hand.

  "We were never moved beyond friendship, Noah. Whatever you think we had, ended years ago and you don't need a reminder of the reasons."

  The creep keeps holding her hand as she tries to wriggle her wrist from him. I clench my hands, fists ready to strike. She may not need a knight on a steed, but no one lays his hand on my Tigress.

  "TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF HER MISTER WHOEVER-YOU-ARE!" My voice echoes across the hall. Everyone's eyes are on me. There is a slight hesitation in my mind. What happens next can end up on the news, but what the heck. I am not letting some jerk molest my girl. I stride forward towards Sharon. The creep lets her hand go.

  "Mind your own business." He glares at me.

  "What if I tell you, you are holding my business? You don't touch my girl and get away with it, especially when she is asking you to let go." I am now within striking distance.

  "Your girl? So, the rumors are right!" The bugger recognizes me, but I am not letting him off. I roll my sleeves, ready to break his face if he says another word.

  Before more words come out of his filthy mouth, a security guard appears. "Anything the matter, sir?"

  The jerk doesn't back off.

  "Please escort this man out of the hall officer. He is threatening me."

  Now he has done it. Sign me up for pummeling this man to the ground. The raging bull inside takes a step forward, but Sharon blocks me. Her hands are on my face. She is saying something, but the words don't register. She holds my face and her lips brush mine, snuffing out the anger coursing through my veins. She sucks it all away and deepens her kiss.

  I give in, moving my hands to hold her tight. The fists open, to press her against my chest. When we break our kiss, people around us are taking photographs. I rearrange my coat, smiling at Sharon. Then I gather her in my arms and kiss her back. Soft and caressing. We make out in front of a crowd. Once I am done, I glower at the creep.

  "That should put all rumors to rest, mister."

  The man takes out his frustration at the security guy. He points at me, "You should file a report against this man."

  Before I can speak, Sharon shuts him out. "Don't push your luck, Noah. Everyone here has seen what you did. The law does not take harassment lightly."

  Even though Sharon has shut him for now with her counter-threat, the wolfish grin on the man's face tells me this is not the last we will hear from him. I make a mental note to speak to Kevin about this.

  Sharon stays silent on the ride to Uncle Ron's place. I let her be for a while to help her calm her nerves, but I need to lighten her mood. Pull her out of the funk the jerk has got her into.

  "What's on your mind, Sharon?" I shut the engine when we reach Uncle Ron's house. "Something's bothering you. You were quiet on the drive. I did not want to intrude." I put my hand on her shoulder.

  Sharon has discomfort written all over her face, "Sorry, I should not have asked you to come. The last thing you need is any kind of bad press. What happened today is not good for you, Jon. I was nervous the moment Noah stepped into the hall. After my session ended, he got pushy and blocked my way preventing me from walking away. I tried to reason with him. However, he was hell-bent on creating a scene. Then he crossed the limit. He caught my hand and tried to drag me. Not the perfect time for you to walk in unannounced."

  "Are you okay?" I rub my thumb on her lips, prodding them to smile again. No luck.

  She hangs her head and fidgets with her fingers. "I am sorry, Jon, for this mess. You were fuming, forcing me to act. I tried to push you away from Noah, but you are far too heavy for me. You were not listening. I had to take the risk. Jon, you would have smashed Noah's face with one blow, leading to the police getting involved. How would the NFL take the incident? I wanted to protect you, but now I am not so sure. Maybe I have made a bigger mess. Now our relationship is out in the open."

  I tilt her face towards me, "No need to apologize. I am glad you asked me to come. Otherwise, I would have missed that exhilarating kiss."

  "You left me no choice. It was clear what would happen. Jon, promise me one thing. When you are angry, consider the size of the person in front of you. You would have killed Noah with your bare hands." She wants confirmation.

  I nod my head, acknowledging her words for me. This moment is surreal. She cares about me. My heart swells with emotions. I want to hold her in my arms and never let her go. But I need to find out about this Noah guy.

  "Who is he, if I may ask?" the sternness in my tone surprises me. My anger creeps back at the mere thought of that man.

  Sharon shakes her head and smiles for the first time tonight. "What are you upset about? Him holding my hand or that I may have had a relationship with him?"

  "Sharon, please don't take it otherwise, but I did not like how he was eyeing you. I was about to bust his eyes for looking at you that way. You are right. Perhaps I would have killed him for touching you."

  She sighs and for a few seconds stares at the road ahead, avoiding my eyes. I sense doubt in her mind but then in a flash, it clears.

  "Jon, you have every right to ask. Noah was my classmate in med school. We were inseparable for three years until I found out what he was up to. We shared an apartment. It helped me avoid ending up with a huge debt. In return, I supported him in his studies. It started as a friendship, but he wanted more. I held back because of studies—getting through med school was more important. We were both busy with work doing different shifts, but we found time once in a while to go on dates."

  Sharon pauses, her silence broken by her breathing. She is debating if she wants to share more. I don't push her. After a few seconds, she opens up. "He dated other girls behind my back. I never got a whiff. He was gracious and charming. I was gullible. A simple girl finding her way in the corridors of a prestigious medical school. We never went beyond a few kisses because I was focused on my career. In my fellowship, I found out about incidents with female patients and nurses. He had a filthy mind, so I broke up with him. He tried to make up, but it was too late. I moved on, but he didn't."

  Hate and anger jostle in my mind to come out. If I come across that man again, damn his life. I zone out, thinking of all the ways I will smash him into pulp.

  Sharon snaps her fingers in front of my face bringing me back to the present. "Let us not talk about him and ruin our time." She smiles, and that is my cue to take her in. I rush out and open her door and swoop her out carrying her to the porch.

  "Put me down, Po. We have created enough scenes today to last a week in social media." Sharon tries to wriggle out of my arms.

  I put her down, but I am not done teasing her. Time for the next step in mission cheer her up. She needs to relax and be her loving self again before she meets my extended family. Yeah, my greed for the beaming face of this quirky girl has no limits.

  "Tigress, why are you all wrapped up?"

  She twists her face and gives me a sly grin. "Can you keep a secret?"

  When I nod, she cocks her head to one side and shows me her neck, "Don't tell the fat panda about these new stripes."

  With a finger, I lower the scarf surrounding her neck and caress the pr
oof of our night together. "Ooh, they look beautiful."

  She moves my hand away. Standing this close my eyes catch the brooch on her black coat. This girl is a delicious tease. The panda with the purple hat warms my heart.

  "I am not hiding my new spots." I bare my neck and rub my fingers over the marks she left on my neck. She grabs my neck with her hands squeezing them. I fake a choke. She laughs at her small victory to shut me up.

  My Tigress is back. I am one overjoyed panda.

  Chapter 37: Meet the Family

  Sharon

  He is a celebrity and the pictures will soon be on social media. Will I be able to handle the spotlight and the paparazzi? I am not comfortable becoming a post on gossip tabloids.

  If things go downhill, will I be able to ignore the looming danger to my professional reputation? Have I overstepped? Is Jon a luxury I cannot afford? The happiness I should not have. The forbidden fruit? Are a few moments of joy worth all the trouble it can cause?

  Moments of happiness are like soap bubbles emerging from a loop. Fleeting and fickle, they float around—only a second away from being burst. Yet, we chase them.

  Yes, joy is a momentary respite in life's tragic tapestry. The heart leaps, excited to unwrap this gift that life presents. If you don't, then what else is there? A life filled with misery and loneliness, bereft of joy.

  Now, it is too late to pull back. I told him about another difficult phase of my life. His possessiveness frightens me, but that is a discussion for another time.

  Jon rings the bell. In his funny way, he helps the dark clouds of self-doubt and apprehension inside me to clear away.

  To tell you the truth, I may have caught a bug and it is bad this time. A full-blown case of PTSD. Not that one, so you better not blame Humpy. Leave the poor animal alone, will you? I hold no grudges against Humpy, and neither should you.

  I am talking about post-tantalizing-sex dipsomania. The symptoms are all there—I long to be with Jon; I haze, dreaming about him, smile to myself and occasionally hum mushy romantic songs. And that is a gigantic red flag—I am not even a bathroom singer. While he waits for the door to open, I drink my fill of this gorgeous man remembering every nook, line, and muscle on his body.