Chapter Sixteen

Maddie

Isaac gripped my waist, his fingers working furiously tickling my sides. “Stop it!” I giggled excitedly. My cheeks hurt from laughing so hard, and he was relentless, obviously loving the fact he had me so giddy.

Finally, he stopped, his body pressing its weight onto me, my back sinking into the plush mattress. My sides were sore, but my cheeks ever sorer from the laughter. His beautiful green eyes glistened like jewels from the sunlight entering our room. Our room. That was the first time I’d referred to it that way. It felt good. It felt natural.

“You’re going to be late for work,” I said softly, our lips so close I knew my breath tickled his skin when I spoke. His eyes narrowed, and his smile widened as his hands moved back to my sides. “No, please,” I cried out joyfully. “You love to torture me, Isaac Lewis,” I scolded with a playful tone.

His fingers lingered on my sides, my extremely sore sides. He didn’t touch me, didn’t tickle, but instead lowered his lips onto mine and kissed me passionately. I melted into the mattress, no longer worried about the threat his fingers made on my side. His tongue rolled across my lips, parting them gently, and then entered my mouth. My entire body reacted to the kiss, to the passion it embodied. I was falling for this man, and for the second time, I giggled. I’d been wishing desperately to remember the past, but at that moment, for the first time, I was glad I couldn’t. It was nice to experience all these firsts with Isaac, even if they weren’t truly firsts. They felt good. They felt amazing.

My arms wrapped gently around his neck, pulling myself up and into him so my tongue could push deep into his mouth. I don’t know how I ever doubted this man’s honesty.

“Seriously, you’re going to be late,” I whispered as our kiss ended.

“I’m not going in today,” he smirked.

My legs wrapped around his waist and back, clamping together at the ankles. I had him locked in, unable to escape, but he didn’t seem to mind. He rolled his body, so hard, with his hands gripped to my waist. In a quick rush, I was on top of him, and he beneath me. “I want you,” he whispered.

Our eyes were locked onto one another’s, and now my pussy pressed against his erection. I wanted him too. “There’s a condom in the nightstand drawer,” he instructed.

I leaned over, opening the drawer, and pulled out a condom from a fresh, unopened box. I tore it open as Isaac slid his pants down while bucking me with his hips. I slid down to his legs, staring at the large, veiny muscle between his thighs. My mouth watered as I lowered myself for just a quick taste. My body was hungry for him to be inside of me, and I wasn’t willing to waste much time on foreplay. We were both already excited, his cock rock hard, and my pussy dripping with juices. My lips pressed tightly around the tip of his cock, and I sucked hard as I lowered down his shaft. My cheeks sucked in, creating the suction needed to make him groan. A loud pop noise sounded as I released his cock from my mouth. I looked up at him, smiled, and loved seeing the passion and desire on his face.

“You want me to do it?” he asked, motioning to the condom.

“No,” I breathed.

I wasn’t as experienced as I thought I would be, taking several attempts to get the latex protection unrolled down his shaft.

I stood up on the bed, my feet on either side of his body. I slid my panties off from under my night shirt, and then pulled it off as well, giving him a beautiful view of my nude body.

His eyes lingered where my legs parted, causing my pussy to twitch with excitement. I lowered back down, his hands immediately cupping my small breasts as I positioned his erection between my swollen pussy lips.

My body was already well lubricated, and sliding easily with my weight onto his shaft. I let out a moan, my eyes rolled back into my head, and I called out his name as he filled me.

I loved watching his lips part, his chest rise and drop so rapidly, and his eyes fill with what I assumed was love, admiration, appreciation, maybe. I bounced up and down, his hands on my hips guiding me to a steady rhythm. My hand reached behind me, grabbing his balls, and held them in my palm. I worked my fingers through the loose flesh, massaging until it began to tighten.

My motions altered to a rock, grinding my clit against his pelvis. The friction it created, along with the fullness of his cock inside of me, worked up an orgasm quickly.

It was obvious that Isaac wasn’t far behind, his breathing becoming sporadic, his eyes rolling back, and his bucking becoming faster and deeper. Deep growls rolled through his throat and out of his lips as my orgasm exploded into wild pulsations around his thick member. I continued to rock against him, feeling as if my orgasm would never end due to the friction. His hands gripped my hips firmly, stopping further torture as his body stiffened beneath me, and the words “I love you” were mumbled, almost to an unrecognizable state.

My heart swelled. I loved him too. At least I thought I did, but I couldn’t bring myself to say it, not until I was sure. I fell onto him, letting my weight push down his chest, and enjoyed his arms around me while his cock stayed situated in my warm hole.

This is what sex should feel like. I knew that, even if I couldn’t remember sex at all with anyone else, including Isaac.

“What a wonderful way to start our day of fun and adventure,” Isaac whispered in my ear.

“Day of fun and adventure?” I questioned.

“Oh yeah. I have an entire day planned for us,” he smiled.

My heart swelled with excitement as I slid from his arms and to my feet. “I need to shower,” I exclaimed, rushing to the bathroom to clean up. I needed this so badly; he probably had no idea just how badly.

This house, as lovely as it was, just didn’t feel like home. I knew I had a week and a half to get ready for my Portland trip, but until then, I wanted to try everything to bring back my memories of this sweet and wonderful man.

The warm water flowed from the faucet down my face, my shoulders, and belly. My eyes closed as the streams of water blasted onto my skin, and my thoughts were focused on the memories that Isaac and I had already created. I was thankful for them, for him.

Strong arms slid around my waist, startling me at first. Isaac chuckled as he pulled me into his chest, my back taking in the warmth of his smooth skin. He gripped the loofah, added body wash, and instead of using to wash himself, he carefully, gently, and sensually washed me. The feeling of being pampered was opening my heart even more to him. Yes, I was falling.

By the time Isaac had washed me, carefully dried me, and carried me in his strong arms to the bed, I was ready to give up on the trip outside of the house I had so eagerly anticipated and just stay in the bed with him making love all day.

He leaned over me, his damp body dripping onto mine. Our lips met, our tongues entangled, and my body tingled with desire as he pulled back quickly.

“Oh no, we have plans,” he smirked.

“Tease,” I laughed.

He winked in my direction and then dropped his towel to the floor. His manhood was half-hard, still impressive, and made me want to cancel the plans even more so than before. I opened mine, displayed my own nude body and grinned as my legs parted for his peering eyes.

“Who’s the tease now?” he chuckled.

“I’m not teasing,” I winked.

His eyes were filled with hunger, and I knew it was killing him not to touch me, taste me, fuck me. But, he didn’t. He tossed a throw blanket over me and laughed.

“You really don’t want to spend the day out in public with me that bad?” he joked.

“Of course not,” I protested.

“Get dressed then,” he ordered.

He disappeared into the walk-in closet where I could hear his shuffling through hangers to find something to wear. “What should I wear?” I called to him.

“Something comfortable, and pack a bikini,” he ordered.

Ugh! A day on the beach wasn’t exactly what I would call a day out. The beach was right here, just footsteps from our back door. I’d spent plenty of my downtime there, and I was growing bored with it.

I didn’t complain, but instead dressed in a cute yellow sundress with tiny blue flowers and sandals. My bikini was underneath, eliminating the need to change when we hit the beach. My belly grumbled. I was starving, so I hoped he had planned a meal before he shoved me in the sand.

Isaac exited his closet wearing a bright blue polo shirt that brought out the brightness in his green eyes, a pair of light tan khaki shorts, and sandals. 

“You ready?” he asked. I nodded, wrapping my hair into a tight ponytail on the back of my head. “I’ve never known a woman who could look as good as you with so little effort,” he complimented.

I realized I wasn’t wearing any makeup, but my complexion didn’t require it. I smiled at his sweetness, and then let him lead me from the room to the front door.

“I’m starving,” he grumbled.

Oh, thank God! I am too.

He helped me into the Escalade, the giant gas guzzling truck he just had to have. We drove off towards town but didn’t stop as we passed by all the shops, diners, and restaurants lining the main road. “Where are we going?” I asked.

“Somewhere different,” he smiled without offering any further detail.

I leaned back in the seat and listened to the radio while classical music played and soothed my soul. I didn’t care where we went, not really, just as long as I was out of that house and spending my day with Isaac. Something was bound to trigger a memory.

“Are we there yet?” I asked like a little kid on their first road trip.

“Almost,” he assured me, but then drove another twenty-five minutes before taking an exit from the highway.

He pulled into a gravel parking lot with a large sign announcing their oysters were fresh. “What is this place?” I asked hesitantly.

“You’ll love it. You’ve been here before,” he smiled.

The thought of visiting a place I’d actually been to before intrigued me. I got out of the truck, not waiting for Isaac to help me, and just stood there, trying to remember. Nothing was familiar, at least not yet. I had hope, and I knew something would trigger a memory here for sure. It had to.

Isaac held my hand, his palm sweaty like he was nervous. He guided me to the front door, where he held it open for me. The cool breeze from the large wicker fans above and the ocean that touched their open patio was refreshing. Isaac made a point of insisting we sit on the deck, at a particular table he said we shared once before. “Only once?” I asked.

He nodded.

“Why, did I not like it?” I giggled, wondering why we wouldn’t have visited every time I was in town if it was something I enjoyed.

“You loved it,” he assured me.

The thought of eating raw oysters left me in a confused state of mind. A part of me leaned towards ordering them as an appetizer, but another said no. Did I like them or not? Isaac wouldn’t say.

“Just try them. Order what your first instincts are, and if you don’t like it, we’ll try something else,” he suggested.

The waitress showed up at our table. Her hair was dark brown and kept in two neat and tight braids that hung down the side of her head. Her nametag said Sandy, and her smile said she was ready for us to order. “I’ll have a Corona with lime, oyster appetizer to start, grilled shrimp, and a spinach salad,” I said without hesitation. Isaac’s eyes widened, looking as impressed as I was that I ordered so easily.

Isaac ordered a little healthier than usual, requesting the salmon with garlic butter, a side salad, and long grain rice. “You don’t have to eat that if you don’t want to,” I assured him, feeling guilty for passing my views onto him, if they even were my true views.

“I eat healthy sometimes,” he insisted, to which I couldn’t help but laugh.

“I do,” he whined without any ability to convince me. I’d watched him eat, and I knew he was partial to fried foods and snacks.

A large blue boat rode by in the water, the loud exhaust catching my eye. I stared out onto the ocean, watching the boat with an intense focus.

“I was here,” I whispered, remembering sitting on this patio with Isaac. I turned to him, his smile wide, his eyes even wider. “I remember having lunch with you here,” I exclaimed, nearly jumping from my seat. It may have been a small thing to remember, but to me, it was huge. It was a sign that I would get my memories back, that they werent lost forever like I feared. “We had oysters, and you gagged when I made you try one,” I boasted.

“Yes, I remember,” Isaac said as he wrinkled his nose.

Omg, all these weeks of fearing that Isaac was somehow lying to me, manipulating me. I felt horribly guilty.

Our food arrived at the table and I devoured it with a wild hunger. It wasn’t that I was starving that badly; it was more that I knew I liked it. I knew I’d had it before. I remembered.

“I have another surprise for you before we hit the beach,” Isaac said, but wouldn’t tell me what.

I was excited to visit another place, hopefully where I’d have more memories. He took my hand and led me to the truck, helping me inside. He didn’t speak as he slid into the driver’s seat, only smiled and then pulled back onto the road. We drove another fifteen miles or so along the ocean shore. He pulled into an antique mall, then turned to me and smiled.

“Do you remember this place?” he asked.

I didn’t. But, I wasn’t going to get discouraged.

Inside the large flea market-style building with long corridors filled with antiques and vintage items, the smell reminded me of something familiar, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. Isaac let me wander while he followed beside me, stopping at several of the shops to browse through the offerings.

“You loved antiquing,” he told me.

I believed him. This place had a strange hold on me, a tug and a pull that I couldn’t deny. I stopped at a jewelry shop, admiring the beautiful rings. The one on my finger was new, modern, and larger than my thin finger could really handle. I wondered why he’d chosen that ring and not a vintage one that I admired through the glass counter.

“Would you like to try one on?” the woman running the shop asked eagerly.

I shook my head, my cheeks turning pink from embarrassment. “Go ahead,” Isaac encouraged.

I pointed into the case to a beautiful tanzanite ring; it was on a split-shank white gold setting and even though the stone was larger than the one I wore, it was more delicate. I loved the detail of the vintage ring, and for some reason, the stone drew me to it like a magnet.

“Beautiful choice,” the woman said, reaching into the case for the ring. “Is this your birthstone?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” I uttered, seriously lost on the answer to her simple question.

“When is your birthday dear?” she asked.

“November,” I replied.

I took the ring from her hand and slipped it on my ring finger next to the modern one I wore. It was a perfect fit. I absolutely loved it.

“Here,” she said, pointing to a large yellow topaz ring in a beautiful setting. “This is November’s birthstone.”

The ring was pretty, and I loved the vintage setting, but it didn’t appeal to me like the other. “I just love the blue,” I gushed, holding the ring towards the light to watch it sparkle. Isaac was quiet, not showing much interest in my enthusiasm, and after looking at the price tag on the ring I had tried on, I lost some of my enthusiasm as well. Guilt fell over me as I realized he must be hurt that I even entertained the notion of trying on another engagement ring, let alone actually getting it. He probably worked hard to find the perfect ring for me, even though looking at it, it didn’t feel perfect.

“I love the ring I have, but it is beautiful,” I said, handing the ring back to the lady behind the counter.

We continued searching through the shops, and as we approached the last one in the long corridor we’d chosen to explore, I stopped at one that sold dolls. They were everywhere, hanging from the ceiling, lined on shelves, sitting in old-fashioned rockers and antique cradles. They gave me the creeps with their glass eyes and stiff hair, but something pulled me into the shop anyways.

“Oh my God,” I exclaimed, picking up a large porcelain doll with matted white hair and blue glass eyes. “I remember this doll,” I sighed.

“That was in your house, along with a dozen other freaky-looking dolls,” Isaac said with a chuckle.

“It was?” I gasped, unable to put her down even though she gave me the chills.

“Yes. Your grandmother collected old dolls, clocks, bird feeders, and about everything else,” he laughed.

“She was a hoarder?” I asked.

“An eccentric collector,” he smirked.

My grandmother’s face flashed through my mind, clear as a movie still. Her thin gray hair looked like a baby bird’s feathers before they fully formed, her face so wrinkled you could barely see her face structure, and bright blue eyes that were full of love. Tears began rolling down my cheeks.

“Excuse me,” I apologized to Isaac as I headed into the ladies room.

My breathing was heavy and labored as I tried to pull myself together. I pulled a couple towels from the dispenser and wiped my eyes. The feeling was so fresh, so new, it was like I’d lost my grandmother all over again.

“Do you care if we go?” I asked Isaac, who stood at the exit door waiting for me patiently.

“Of course,” he said sweetly, slipping his hand in mine. Our fingers entangled and warmth rushed over me. I was so thankful for him. And, now that I’d started to remember again, I could remember how much I loved him as a friend, so it was no wonder I fell in love with him as a lover as well.

Isaac drove us to a secluded beach where we walked the shore, letting the cold water nip at our bare feet while carrying our shoes. I picked up seashells as we talked, reminiscing about the past, my family, and our friendship. Some of the memories he shared left me feeling lost, but some, some I could actually remember, if not the entire scenario, at least a feeling of familiarity.

On our drive home, I was on cloud nine. I leaned back in the plush leather seat and stared out the window, watching everything pass by so quickly.

The truck stopped at a red light next to a tall brick building. Anxiety rushed over me in a panic as I stared at the building, picturing me walking down the sidewalk next to a building just like that one. I was angry, I could feel it, and a little scared. My gut twisted in knots as the emotions flooded over me as if I were happening in that moment. A man, the one from my nightmare jerked my arm, pulling me back and causing me to lose my balance. I fell to the ground and he raised his hand and slapped me hard in the face. It was the same man from my previous nightmares. I knew him, at least it felt like I did, but why was he hurting me?

“What’s wrong?” Isaac asked as he pulled through the green light.

Tears fell violently down my cheeks as I began to sob uncontrollably. I couldn’t speak. Isaac pulled over into the parking lot, a pizza place, and the smell was making me sick.

“What’s wrong?” he asked again, his voice filled with panic.

“I was attacked, wasn’t I?” I sniffled. Isaac’s eyes filled with fear, and he didn’t answer, leading me to believe he was hiding the truth. I needed the truth; it was my truth. “Wasn’t I?” I shouted.

“Yes,” he finally answered in a weak voice.

“Why wouldn’t you tell me that?” I screamed.

“Why would I? It would only hurt you. If it were up to me, you’d never remember it,” he defended.

“But, the nightmares. You knew I was having them, and you didn’t tell me what they meant,” I argued. He said nothing.

“Take me home,” I demanded.

“Of course,” Isaac agreed and pulled the truck back onto the road. Home. I don’t even know where that is.