Luke

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We drove to my apartment because I wanted to pick up a few clothes and personal effects before we met John and then drove to the beach house. Alexa needed to escape the city and the beach house was perfect. Her ex had no idea we were together, and so he would have no idea where she was. The beach house also had great security so if, for some reason, he discovered that Alexa had been seeing me, and somehow found out about the beach house, we'd be forewarned and could call the local security company that monitored the property.

"Come inside while I get a few things for the beach house," I said and parked in the parking garage down the street. "I'll only be a few minutes and then we can go meet John if you feel up to it. If not, we can stay here. John will understand.”

“No, please, we should go," Alexa said and took my hand. “You two deserve to celebrate and I need a distraction from what happened.”

He smiled softly. “If you’re sure. Maybe it would be good to have a drink, relax.”

We walked down the street to the brownstone and I let us in, opening the door, admitting us into the cool interior. She wandered around the apartment while I went to my bedroom and pulled a few items of clothes into a duffle bag, then I went to the bathroom and grabbed my shaving kit, stuffing my things inside.

When I returned to the living room, duffle bag in hand, she was standing in the middle of the room, looking at her cell.

"What's up?"

She glanced at me and I saw there were tears in her eyes. "I called my mom, but there's no answer. Now I'm worried that Blaine did something to them. I know it's crazy, but she usually texts me right away or calls me back."

"I'm sorry," I said and pulled her into my arms. "I had no idea he was so dangerous. I'm sure they're okay and she's just busy. She'll call or text right away."

"I didn't think he'd find me," she said, a catch in her voice. "I thought he had to notify the sheriff when he left the county. I don't know why they didn't call my parents and let them know."

"That sucks," I said and stroked her cheek, wiping away her tears. "You'll be safe with me at the beach house. It has great security and a team can be there in five minutes if we need them. I'm sure he has no idea you even know me, so we can relax."

She finally smiled up through her tears. "I won't be able to relax until I hear from her."

"Shh," I said, embracing her in my arms, trying to comfort her. I was sure her family was fine and that it was just a temporary lapse on her mother's part. I hugged her more tightly, stroking her hair, her body warm against mine. One thing led to another, and our mouths found each other in a tender kiss.

Of course, my body responded immediately, my cock hardening from the feel of her breasts crushed against my chest, her tongue finding mine. She slipped her arms around my neck and pressed against my growing erection and although it pleasantly surprised me that she was getting aroused when she was still so upset, I wasn't going to fight.

Sometimes pleasure was the only thing that could wash away pain.

I continued to kiss her, my hands finding her breast over top of her sweater, cupping it, squeezing it before slipping lower to caress her hip. I pulled her against me, wanting her to know how hard I was and how much I needed her.

I broke the kiss and pulled her to the stairs and my bedroom.

"But John…"

I shook my head. "John’s a big boy. He can wait. I can't."

She smiled at that, and that smile told me that she didn’t want to wait either.

I led her up the stairs, my heart rate increasing at the prospect of a quick hard fuck – something I needed and that she needed as well. As soon as I got her in the bedroom, I pushed her down onto the bed and began to strip her clothes off, enjoying every moment of it, revealing more and more skin with each motion.

Her breasts were spectacular and I couldn't get enough of them, lavishing my attention on each one, my teeth soft on her nipples, nipping them into hard points. She groaned and squirmed beneath me, her arousal making my dick jump in response.

"I just went for a long bike ride and I'm all sweaty," she said, pushing me away. "I need a shower."

I kissed her belly, which was glorious, and ran my tongue around her navel. "You taste fine to me."

"Please," she said and struggled under me. "Just a quick shower. I won't be able to relax unless I do."

"I don't want you to relax. I want you all aroused and needy."

She smiled, her eyes closed. "I am all aroused and needy. But I also need a shower."

Then, she rolled under me and managed to get away, slipping off the bed and running to the bathroom, giggling as she did.

I followed her, stripping off my clothes, and by the time I was completely naked, she was in the shower and the water was running. I got in behind her, glad I spent the extra cash to get a two-person stall with a rain shower head. Within moments, we were both drenched, and she had a bar of soap out. We lathered our hands and began to wash each other, our hands slipping and sliding over the other's body, into every crack and crevice.

She giggled when I ran my soapy hands down her back and pulled her against me, but she became all dreamy eyed when I slipped my soapy fingers between her thighs. She paid extra attention to my erect cock, and I groaned in delight as she ran her soapy fingers around the crown.

We rinsed off and I couldn't wait, kneeling and kissing my way down her belly to her mound. I lifted one thigh over my shoulder and ate her, my tongue finding her clit and licking firmly, fingers slipping inside of her body to stroke her. She ran her fingers through my hair, rewarding me with a groan when I sucked the nub. I worked her up for a few moments, but I wanted her to come on my cock.

“Wait here. I have to get a condom," I said and left the shower, dripping all over the floor to my bedroom. I found a condom in my nightstand and slipped it on, then went back to the shower.

Once back in the shower, I lifted her up, positioning her just right so I could bury myself inside her hot wet tightness.

"Do you want it?" I said, rubbing my cock against her clit.

"Yes," she replied. "Fuck me now."

I did, sliding in deep, groaning at how tight she was and how intense it felt to be completely inside her once again. She gripped my shoulders as I began to thrust harder and soon, she gasped and I knew she was there. My movements were slow and steady through her orgasm, enjoying how she lost control, her eyes almost rolling up in her head, her jaw slack, her nipples hardening.

Watching her come on my cock sent me over and I thrust harder, faster, my orgasm starting, my own body tensing as I found my release. Pulse after pulse of white pleasure almost blinding me as I came.

I slowed my movements when it became too intense and simply leaned against her, her back against the wall, both of us breathing heavily.

"Fuck that was good."

I glanced at her face and she was smiling. "It was too good."

"Never. It could never be too good."

I kissed her and we remained like that for a few moments, the water still running, cascading over my back.

Finally, I pulled out of her and removed my condom, tying it off and throwing it into the trash can beside the toilet. When we finished rinsing, I turned off the water and we both dried each other off.

"I better text John and tell him we'll be right there or he might leave." I took my own cell and sent off a quick text to John.

LUKE: Sorry bud, but I'm running late. Had to pick up Alexa and we had some business to take care of first.

He texted right back.

JOHN: Yeah, I can only imagine what business you had to take care of. BASTARD! Get down here. I'm already half-drunk.

I grinned and showed Alexa the texts.

She smiled. "I feel guilty that we made him wait."

"We didn't make him wait too long. Damn, girl. You were fast."

"So were you."

I laughed. "I needed you."

"I needed you, too.”

I kissed her again once more.

Alexa went to her pile of clothes on the floor and went through her bag for her cell. She checked her messages and smiled. "Look," she said and held her cell up for me to read. "It's my mom. Everything's fine. She was just out in the garden and didn't get my text until now."

"That's great. I told you she'd text you." I read it over, a twinge of envy that she had such a close relationship with her mother and father. I pulled her against me. "I'm so sorry this happened to you. You'll be safe with me at the beach house. The cops will find Blaine and you'll get a new restraining order. You'll see."

She sighed and leaned her head against my shoulder. "I hate that he knows where I am. I feel like I have to leave, go somewhere else to do my PhD."

"You can't do that," I said, frowning at the thought the bastard was going to derail her plans. Of course, it was then that my brain went there.

There.

I remembered my conversation with Dana.

She could come with me.

To French Polynesia. Tahiti. Australia. South Africa. Back home again. She could sail around the world with me, the way I didn't let myself imagine before.

Now, I could imagine it. I could see her lying on the hammock at the front of my catamaran, dressed in a tiny bikini, her skin tanned, her hair bleached in the sun…

"Come with me. Sail around the world with me."

She glanced up, her brow furrowed. "Are you serious?"

"Never been more serious," I said, my conviction that this was the right decision growing stronger with every passing moment. "Come with me. Sail as far as you want. Stop when you want. You can take a leave of absence from your PhD. I'm sure if you really want, you could go anywhere and do your PhD at any school."

"I don't know what to say," she said, her voice soft.

"Say yes," I replied. "I know it's sudden, but I've been thinking of it for a while now. I know our start was," I said and smiled, "unconventional, but now I don't want to lose you. I want to see the world with you. John is great, but you're special."

"It's a huge decision."

"I know, but if you have to change graduate schools, if you have to move away, why not take some time, see the world, and make a decision that isn’t rushed? You're young. One year won't make a difference in the bigger picture."

She looked in my eyes. "You're serious about this? You really want me to come with you? I've never sailed before. We've only known each other for such a short time …"

"Some things are meant to be. I feel like I know you better than most people I've known for years."

She smiled. "It never felt like an act for me."

I shook my head. "Me neither. At least, I wished it wasn't."

I kissed her again, deeply, pulling her tightly against me. "Come sail with me and be my love."

She smiled, recognizing my riff on a poem by the sixteenth-century poet Christopher Marlowe.

"You know Marlowe. Color me impressed."

"I'm impressed you recognized it. Don't be too impressed with me. It's the only poem I know so you better appreciate it." I grinned and kissed her again. "I had to memorize it when I took an English Lit class in High School. We thought it was a joke back then, but I understand it completely now." I stroked her cheek. "Come with me."

"I'll think about it," she said and played with my collar. "I have to make arrangements…"

"We have time. You'll stay with me at the beach house until the cat is done and we have all the details ironed out. Then, we'll sail off into the sunset."

"It sounds like a dream." She met my eyes. "Are you sure?"

"I'm completely sure. You know what? My sister suggested it to me when I was feeling down because it didn’t seem like we were going to be together. She knew even then we were right for each other."

"She really wanted us to be together. You know she and I had breakfast together that morning after I left.”

"You did? She didn't say anything. Sneaky…" I smiled, thinking about Dana contacting Alexa, trying to encourage her to continue to see me. "So, you'll come with me? Leave all your cares behind and sail the world with me?"

"As what? What will I be to you? You said yourself that you're not the type to be exclusive to anyone."

"I know what I said. I want you to be my real girlfriend." I stroked her hair, her cheek. "The performance is over. Now, it's real."

She sighed and kissed me. When she pulled back, our eyes met.

"I will."

We kissed once more and embraced and I knew then what I had known all along, somewhere in the back of my consciousness.

She was the one – the one who could bring me back to the world I once believed in and which I feared would never be mine again.