Chapter Ten: If I Fall
"If I fall, I fall. I'll rise up like anybody else."- Ben Harper
Jasmine
My first week back at work is hectic and getting back into the swing of things is stressful. I can't wait to get off and go see Madison.
Seven o'clock finally comes around and my workday is done. It feels good to be back at work again. I clock out and walk to my car. As I sit down, my phone whistles, indicating I have a text message and only one person is set to that particular sound; Brandon. A huge smile crosses my lips as I open it.
"Hi."
I laugh at that one small word. All I can think about lately is him and the things he said to me, ‘Sweetheart, I am far from perfect and I have many flaws, one of them being the inability to leave you alone.’ I really don't want him to leave me alone, but I fear he's going to want more than I'm willing to give right now. I'm damaged; Jeff ruined me in such a way I'm not sure I'll ever have the ability to fully trust anyone again. I shake off the feeling of doubt and reply to his text.
Hi.
I sit there with my eyes closed for a minute and then put on my seatbelt and start the car. As I put it in reverse my phone sounds off again.
What ya doing?
A huge smile crosses my lips as I respond.
Just got off work and headed home."
If you're headed home why are you still in the parking lot?”
Immediately my heart begins to hammer in my chest as I look around for his car.
How do you know that?
I can see you. Don't bother looking you won't find it. I got a new car. ;)
Where are you? I want to see it.
Three cars over. Come on and I'll take you for a ride.
I can feel the heat rushing to my cheeks and the excitement is overwhelming. Quickly, I look in the mirror, making sure I look presentable and spritz a bit of perfume on. One last glance in the mirror and I sigh, drawing in a deep breath as I get out and walk over to him. I see this metallic blue beauty a few spaces over. Walking to the driver's side quickly, I pull my coat tightly around me. The night air is cold and chills me to the bone. He rolls down his window and says, "You know, it is a lot warmer in here." I giggle and smile because the temptation is almost too much to resist.
"I'm fine," I fib as I pull the hood up on my jacket.. I’m really freezing, but I don't want him to think I'm excited that he's here.
"Oh, come on,” he says, "I don't bite."
Men make me nervous. Even after being at his apartment, seeing him in nothing but his slacks, I still get jumpy. After all the turmoil concerning Jeff and my father, I'm extremely guarded.. I slowly walk around the car and climb in. The warmth is so nice. I remove my gloves and put my hands close to the vents to warm them.
"See, I told you it was better in here,” he says with a smile. Nodding in agreement I look around and check out his ride. Immaculate, I think to myself. I should have known. "What are you thinking about?” he asks.
Smiling, I reply, "I never would have figured you for a SUV kind of guy. I would have assumed you would have a shiny new gas guzzler, not a hybrid."
He smiles, “Well I still have my gas guzzling truck, if that makes you feel better." A fit of laughter escapes my lips and it takes all I have to compose myself. He sits there smiling. "Oh there it is; my favorite shade of red." I turn my face to look out the window drawing in deep, steady breaths, as I get everything in check.
I sigh, "It's very nice, but I really do need to get home."
"Want to go for a quick ride?” he asks, smiling that panty soaking smile. My mind tells me NO but my body won't move.
"Sure, but let me call and let them know I'll be by a little later," I reply having no idea where this is going. I dial her number and turn my back to him. Aunt Sis is just a little too happy to hear I’m with Brandon.
"Its fine, they’re making cupcakes anyway,” I tell him after speaking to Aunt Suz. He pulls out of the parking lot and my heart begins to pound in my chest. The sound is so loud, I'm certain he can hear it over the radio. I sit staring forward, trying not to let my eyes waver in his direction.
We turn down a dark side road and I look over at him raising my eyebrows. "Ummmm...where are we going?" I ask.
"Nowhere, just driving around,” he says with a smile.
"Ok, but don't get lost," I reply with a snicker.
The intensity with which he looks at me makes my walls begin to melt. The sudden urge to touch him is almost overwhelming, so I sit on my hands in an effort to keep them to myself. He keeps looking over at me with that smirk I love so much. "Eyes on the road," I blurt out.
He laughs a hearty laugh. "Yes, ma'am,” he says looking straight ahead.
I see his eyes darting in my direction and I can feel the blush begin to creep up my cheeks again. I draw in several deep breaths as the dark road winds on. He reaches over, taking my hand, placing it on his lap, only centimeters from his cock.
An intense heat fills me and the wetness between my legs indicates the effect his touch is having on me. He moves my hand slightly and I can feel his hardness straining against the fabric of his pants. He smiles and groans from the movement of my hand. The next thing I know, his pants are unzipped and my hand is sliding against his bare flesh. I begin to panic and pull my hand away knowing where this may lead. He looks over at me with a pained expression on his face.
"I’m sorry Jasmine. I'm not going to force you to do anything you don't want to do,” he says catching his breath.
I smile weakly, knowing this is true. He has been nothing but understanding regarding these situations.
"I want to, I do, and I just panicked in the moment. Jeff was never as understanding. He assumed since we were together I was…" I pause for a minute trying to find the right word. "Obligated," I finally whisper. He takes my hand in his and softly kisses my palm. A shiver of lust runs through me at the contact. I draw in a deep breath and smile. I reach over and slowly begin to stroke him. The sheer size of him is daunting. As I continue, I can feel the warmth between my thighs. He reaches over and grabs my breast under my shirt, squeezing lightly and rubbing until he finds the edge of my bra. He slips his hand inside and rubs his fingertips across my now hardened nipple.
A ripple of desire takes over as I lean over and kiss his neck and whisper in his ear, "Have you ever had a blow job with breath mints?" He hits the brakes on the car rather hard and looks over at me with curiosity.
"BREATH MINTS?!?” He asks.
"Yeah," I reply, pulling the tin from my purse. I turn on the inside light so he can see as I pop a couple in my mouth. I look around and realize we're in the middle of the road. "You may want to pull over for this," I say smiling.
"Nah, it's cool,” he replies as he hits the gas.
"Okay, but if you wreck, it's all on you."
He shakes his head and smiles as I edge closer to him, slowly lowering my head onto his lap and taking him into my mouth. As I begin to slowly move up and down his shaft, he grabs my hair and sighs. "Oh. My. God,” he says as I take his full length in my mouth. I can feel the car slowing down as I suck harder and he begins to pump into my mouth, hitting the back of my throat. Cupping his balls in my hand as I lick the tip slowly, I notice he has placed both of his hands on the steering wheel. I can feel his breathing quicken as his thrusts become more intense.
"Jasmine, I'm about to come,” he says. A sudden jerk and my mouth begins filling with his seed. I swallow quickly and I lick away every last drop. The car has stopped in the middle of the road again as he sits there with his eyes closed. I lick the tip one last time and he shivers, and then he opens his eyes, looking at me strangely.
"That was damn good,” he says as he zips his pants up.
I smile and laugh, "I told you I was good."
"I admit, I had my doubts,” he says with a wink, "but you clearly have talent." I half smile and roll my eyes at him. He laughs and turns the car around. "Want to go get some dinner?"
"Sure, what you have in mind?" I ask.
"Well there's this little hole in the wall place near my apartment that has the best Italian food ever,” he replies.
"Sounds good to me, my lunch is gone."
We turn back onto the main highway and my phone starts ringing, I look at my phone to see Jeff calling me. "How the hell did he get this number?" I ask myself.
"How did who get your number?"
"Jeff," I reply, fear rolling off of me.
I can see Brandon's eyes darken and the expression on his face turns to that of disgust. "After all he did, you still talk to him?” he asks, clenching his jaw.
"No, I don't. I-I have no idea how he even got this number."
We pull into the parking lot of the little dive. The little building doesn't look like much and the pitiful attempt to brighten it up only highlights the broken parking lot and the peeling peach colored exterior. We park and Brandon takes my hands in his and looks at me with softness returning to his eyes.
"I think you should stay with me tonight, just to be safe." I look at him and narrow my eyes. He frowns and says, "Look, I'm not trying anything, but if Jeff has your number, he probably knows where you live too, I think it'd be best not to be alone." I shudder at the thought. Drawing in a ragged breath I nod, knowing he has a good point. “I need to call and make sure they know where I’ll be.” He nods.
The interior of the cafe is surprisingly bright and inviting. The tables are all full so we take a seat at the counter. A sweet smell permeates from the kitchen and it makes my mouth water. Brandon looks at me and smiles, handing me a menu. "The eggplant parm is to die for,” he says, smiling.
A little, elderly lady with salt and pepper hair comes to greet us. Her bright blue eyes showcase the youth still in her soul. "I'm Adalina and I'll be serving you today," she says her voice slightly above a whisper. She looks at me and over to Brandon. "Brandon,” she says scolding him with her eyes still on me.
"Hi Ada; I know what you're thinking and this is not that, Carlie and I broke up a while back.”
"Oh, honey, I'm so sorry,” she says patting his shoulder. "Sweet tea?” she asks. Brandon nods and Ada scurries away, coming back quickly with two huge glasses.
"Thank you,” he says and looks at me.
"Oh, where are my manners?" Ada says as she reaches out to take my hand, "I’m Ada. What’s your name honey?
"Nice to meet you Ada, I'm Jasmine." She looks at me and grins.
"You take care of this fella here, he's a good one." I nod, feeling my cheeks begin to flush. She smiles a sweet smile and winks at me. "So, what will you two have? Might I recommend the chicken or eggplant parm? Those are the house specials."
Brandon nods, "We'll both have the eggplant parm.”
Not much is said beyond Ada gushing over Brandon and the occasional sigh. After dinner, we head back to the hospital to pick up my car. As I walk up to my car, I notice a piece of notebook paper tucked under the windshield wiper. I'm shaking as I reach for it. I open it and begin to read as Brandon walks up.
"What’s wrong?” he asks, noticing the fact that I'm shaking.
"J-j-eff," I stutter.
Jasmine-
If you think I'm going to give up on us so easily, you’re wrong. You are MINE and Madison is my daughter and always will be. I won't stop until I prove that we belong together and you’re by my side.
-Jeff
"You need to get a restraining order," Brandon hisses, his jaw clenched and darkness in his eyes. I nod, unable to speak through the tears. Brandon pulls me into him and holds me tightly as I sob against his chest. "You stay with me tonight and I'll take you in the morning to the police station."
"Okay," I reply, knowing it's the safest option for me.
"Oh, and hold on to that note." He says.
I grab the necessities out of my car and jump into his, all the while looking around the parking lot. I lay my head back and close my eyes, trying to stop the sobs ripping through my chest as we drive to his house. Brandon comes around and picks me up, carrying me inside when we get there. I just can't seem to move. He sits down on the couch and holds me tightly, letting me just cry. I finally fall asleep, cradled in his arms. .
Waking up, I roll over and find him smiling at me. "What?" I ask.
"Time to get up sleepy head, breakfast is waiting,” he says kissing my forehead.
I smile and climb out of the bed, pulling on my shirt. My eyes and cheeks sting from all the tears and I cringe when I walk past the hallway mirror. "Oh, my God I look horrendous," I say, trying to straighten the tangled mess of hair. Yesterday's make-up is smeared and my eyes are red and swollen from crying.
Two white bags are sitting on the table with two large cups of coffee and a shallow black box with a purple ribbon. "What's in the box?" I ask.
"Let's eat our breakfast, and then we’ll talk. You know I'm serious about that restraining order, right?"
"Yes, I know, but it's complicated."
"How so?” he asks.
"The truth is I'm afraid of what he’ll do. Jeff is used to getting his way and, he has the means to get himself out of trouble," I reply staring down at the table.
Brandon reaches over and puts his hand over mine. "Well, I think it's time for you to open the box."
With shaking hands, I pull off the ribbon and open the box. Inside is a small purple and black handgun. I look at Brandon wide eyed, not sure what to say.
"It's for protection,” he says, forcing me to look at him. "I don't like you being in that apartment alone with nothing to protect you,” he says leaning in and kissing my cheek.
"I've never even held a gun before, unless you count a nerve gun," I say with a nervous laugh.
"It's a Ruger 9mm Luger, and I think it's the perfect size for you. Of course, you will be taking the gun safety course and getting your concealed weapon certificate first," he says.
I nod, looking back at the gun. "It is pretty, you know," I say. He smirks and bites his bottom lip. Leaning forward, I kiss him. "Thank you."
He nods and takes a sip of coffee. "Do you have plans today?” he asks.
"No, I'm off work and all I was going to do is laundry and take Maddy to the park."
"Well, you did your laundry last night so why don’t you take Maddy to the park, but be back here at two please, I have a surprise for you."
~~~~
The ride to the gun range is quiet, we’re both lost in our thoughts. We get out of the car and he slaps my ass when I bend over to get my new purple 9mm from the trunk. He smiles as I walk past him towards the entrance. I'm nervous as we enter, but the adorableness of him with the ear muffs on makes me giggle. Brandon motions to me to put mine on before he proceeds to start shooting. I stare in awe at Brandon as he fires off a clip into a paper target. The accuracy and speed in which he delivers his shots is amazing. I watch intently, trying to overcome the fear I have of guns. The intensity of the way he shoots is a turn on and the way his muscles tense when he pulls the trigger makes my body tingle.
He turns and winks at me while reloading the clip, and my insides turn to mush. Drawing in a deep breath, I fan myself with my hands. After he fires off his last clip he comes over to me. "You ready?” he asks.
"Sure," I reply, my voice shaking.
"There’s nothing to be afraid of, sweetheart,” he says hugging me tightly.
"I'm not afraid," I reply.
Brandon raises his eyebrow and nods. "Okay, if you say so."
I now stand in front of Brandon, aiming at the target. The subtle hint of his cologne fills my nose as he places his hands over mine, showing me how to hold the gun properly.
"Now, just take your time, it’s better to learn how to shoot slowly and accurately at first, and then fast,” he says backing away from me.
I nod, and try to concentrate. I fire once; wait a few seconds, and then again. I fire six rounds all together and Brandon looks at the target.
"Three misses, not too bad,” he states, emphasizing the ‘too’.
"Argh, I suck at this," I sigh.
"Hey, don't say that. Nobody is good the first time around, it takes practice," Brandon says with a smile.
"Well, it looks like we’ll be coming out here a lot," I reply with a grin.
"How about one more clip and then I have another surprise for you?” he says, winking.
"What is it?” I ask.
"You’ll have to wait and see,” he replies with a grin.
After firing one more clip, just as bad as the first, we leave the range and go down a small side road. The narrow path slowly widens, revealing a lake with foliage, like something out of a fairy tale. "Wow,” I remark, looking out over the crystal-clear water.
"It's fed by a spring,” he says, directing me over to the tree line where a trail leads deep into the woods. "There's more to see there,” he says taking the lead. "Dad always brought us out here this time of year when we were kids. My dad discovered it as a child and it has kind of become a tradition,” he says, dragging me along. “How is Ben doing these days anyway?” “He’s good, he went off to college and met a great gal. Four kids later they decided to get married,” he says with a laugh.
It was very beautiful. We stayed most of the day, just looking and taking. The sun was just setting as we start to leave and I'm exhausted, and in dire need of a shower. My jeans are caked with mud from falling in a puddle and I'm sure I have dirt in some very unwelcome places.
"I'm going to hop in the shower,” I say grabbing my bag.
"You want some company?” he asks, waggling his eyebrows.
I just roll my eyes and head into the bathroom. I turn on the water and adjust the temperature, step in, and I’m engulfed by the warmth. I start washing my hair and hear the door click shut. I freeze. As I peek around the curtain, I watch Brandon as he takes off his shirt. I can't help but stare. His broad chest and back are perfection. He continues to undress slowly and I feel so dirty, but I smile as I see his back and that ass. Oh my God, what an ass he has. He turns towards the shower and I quickly close the curtain. I hear him snicker. He knew I was watching.
He opens the curtain and startles me, "So, did you enjoy the show?”
I fight the smile playing at my lips and the blush of my cheeks. I step back so he can get under the water. The way the water trickles down his body is amazing. I try to keep my eyes above the waist, which, let me say, is very difficult. I turn to face the wall and grab my scrubby. As I lather up, I feel his eyes practically burning into my ass. I bend over slowly to scrub my legs. He draws in a breath and a dirty smile crosses my lips. I straighten up and sliding past him to the water, I allow my breasts to press slightly against his back. I rinse off, rubbing my hands up and down my body. My heart is thumping and he is clearly showing constraint.
He bends to kiss me, just barely touching my lips, and the sensation is dizzying. He backs up against the wall and allows me to finish. I turn and smile as I step out. My whole body is consumed with heat. I dry off quickly and pull on my t-shirt and panties. I leave the bathroom and head to the bedroom, where I brush my hair and spray on a little perfume.
I climb into his bed and try to calm myself. Lying there with my eyes closed, I hear the doorknob turn. My heart jumps with excitement as he walks in smiling. He climbs in beside me pulling the covers up, pressing up against me. He kisses my neck softly, causing a shiver to run down my spine. I turn to face him, wrapping my arms around his neck. His lips gently kiss my forehead and then my cheek. He presses his forehead to mine and smiles. I close the gap between us and kiss him. His mouth covers mine with passion. I groan as his tongue slips into my mouth, his taste is so sweet. I pull in closer, pressing every inch of myself as close to him as possible. As we kiss, the fire inside me builds.
"Oh god,” he moans into my mouth as I run my fingers down his chest to the waistband of his pajama bottoms. I stop and work my way back up, stopping to flick his right nipple. He growls and rips his lips from mine. I smile at him sweetly and he begins kissing my neck again, gently at first and quickly increasing in intensity. I moan loudly as he reaches my shoulder. He rolls me over so I'm on my back and lowers himself on top of me. I grab his arms, feeling the muscles rippling underneath his smooth skin.
He continues kissing down my body, slowly reaching the hem of my shirt. He backs up, sitting me up. I raise my arms so he can slip my shirt off, exposing my ample bosom. “Beautiful,” he whispers kissing me and laying me back down. He slides his tongue from my neck down between my breasts. He licks around my nipple tortuously and my hips come up of the bed. I'm about to lose my mind when he takes my nipple into his mouth, biting gently.
Pulling him as close to me as I can get him, I can feel his erection straining against the fabric of his pajama bottoms. He works his way back to my mouth, kissing me with such intensity my whole body is ablaze. I reach down and fumble with the button on his pants. I finally get the string undone, and slide them down. I realize he's not wearing any underwear and it catches me by surprise. The shock on my face must be obvious because he chuckles when I gasp.
I pull him back down, kissing him again. The thin fabric of my panties is the only thing between us. He smiles, kissing me deeply and pulls away, he then begins kissing and licking down my trembling body.
“Are you afraid?” he asks. I nod. “Why?” he asks in a whisper.
"Jeff was always so rough and demanding," I say.
"I'll be gentle with you,” he says reassuring me. I groan again when he reaches my flat stomach. “So beautiful,” he muses as he reaches the waistband of my panties. He gets up on his knees and begins working my panties down my long legs, leaning over and licking my thigh. “Are you sure about this?” he asks.
"Yes," I say breathlessly, unsure of how I’m feeling.
He smiles, scooting lower on the bed and spreads my legs, exposing my core. His mouth hovers above it and I can feel his warm breath on my clit. He takes his long finger and rubs it up and down my slit. A loud groan escapes my lips as he flicks my clit. He slowly inserts a finger and moves it around in a circular motion. Confusion fills me, as I don't know if I should be enjoying this or not. I've always told myself I wouldn't do ‘this’ again, I think to myself, seeing the faint light reflect off the thin gold band on my finger.
As he plunges deeper into me, he begins licking my clit in the same rhythm of his finger and everything begins to clear. I begin to feel a sensation like nothing I've ever felt before. As the intensity builds he stops. I'm about to protest when his tongue takes the place of his fingers. “Oh my god,” I moan, as he licks slowly up and down my slit, focusing on my clit.
With each caress of his tongue, I'm losing any aspect of control. My hips begin to buck against his mouth and his sucking increases. I scream out his name as my whole body convulses in pleasure with the first orgasm I’ve ever had. He looks up at me from between my legs and smiles. I sigh heavily as he climbs on top of me, kissing me deeply. I'm not sure how I feel about tasting myself.
“Is it always like this?" I ask.
"Oh no,” he says, "It gets better." I can feel the blush covering my body at the thought. “Shall I show you?” he asks coyly. I nod impatiently. "Okay, but just know this may hurt a bit because.. well you know,” he says, trying to make me less tense. I laugh slightly, biting my bottom lip. “Girl, You need to quit doing that.”
He lowers his mouth to mine and I try not to focus on his erection pressing into my thigh. He kisses me softly before getting back up on his knees, stroking himself. "Are you sure?” he asks again, seeing my body trembling with anticipation.
"Yes," I reply.
He takes his cock and lightly rubs it across my clit. I'm immediately drenched in wetness. He grins, feeling the warmth. He rubs up and down my slit, spreading the warmth. I feel him at my entrance and my body tenses up.
“Don’t be afraid. I'll be gentle until you tell me you want more,” he says as he pushes himself into me. I feel the burn and tears begin to stream down my face. "Oh, I’m sorry; do you want me to stop?” I shake my head, trying to stop the tears. “Okay,” he says as he pushes slowly until I'm completely filled by him. The burning has lessened, and as he pulls back and pumps back into me a little faster, the pain is replaced by pleasure as he continues to plunge himself deeper. I moan and his speed increases.
He stops suddenly and flips me over onto my stomach, grabbing my thighs and roughly yanking my naked lower half over the edge of bed towards where he's now standing between my legs. The sheets have already come loose from the mattress, but I claw at fistfuls of the fabric anyways. I'm going to need something to hang on to if this is any indication of what's to come. He runs his hands over the curve of my ass, smacking it firmly before sinking his thick cock into me again.
The heat and fullness, as he slides inside, makes me gasp and I dig my fingernails into the sheet. He's lucky that he's not beneath me right now or I'd be covering him with scratches; it has never felt this good. He pulls out almost completely then slowly pushes back into me. He continues this rather slow rhythm until I simply can't take anymore. “Faster," I moan into the pillow as he kisses the back of my neck. I wince in pleasure and try to focus on taking in as much air as possible, since every hard slap of his body against mine actually wrenches the breath from my lungs.
The intensity is frightening and incredible at the same time. "Oh God," I whimper as the movement of his body forces mine to inch up the mattress. It feels so fucking good, and I'm not sure how much longer I can keep from crying out.
"Give me your wrists,” he whispers, pulling my hands from their grip on the sheet and pinning them down at my sides. I feel his full weight come to rest against the length of my back. He covers my body with his, and leans in to nip at my neck. His breath puffing across my damp, sweaty skin sends a shiver right through me, right down to where my clit throbs, aching for attention. He moans into the sensitive skin of my neck. His thrusts no longer shake the whole bed but instead begin to pulse deep inside of me, causing my legs to tremor uncontrollably beneath his.
He's so heavy that I can't move at all, except to wiggle my fingers and curl my toes, which heightens just how hot the sex is. A loud whimper escapes my lips. "Yes," Brandon moans, angling himself differently so he can finish me off. I'm losing control and it's what he wants.
"Oh God, you're going to make me scream!"
"Good,” he pants into my ear, his breath falling hot against my neck, "You'd better." I lift my chin to the side a little to allow him access to my lips. He covers my mouth with a burning kiss just as he knees one of my legs up onto the bed so that the inside of my thigh is now pressed flat to the edge of the mattress. It creates a teasing bit of friction between my throbbing clit and the damp spot on the sheets beneath us, which hurls my body straight towards the brink of pleasure. "OH!" I groan loudly into his mouth, shuddering beneath him just as everything else is reduced to white noise.
"I want to feel you come on my cock,” he whispers breathlessly. I gasp, but my climax cuts me off. I stretch out my fingers, gripping what I can as an intense orgasm floods my body and leaves me reeling. I actually go numb with pleasure.
Brandon then gently flips me back over onto my back. He stands over me just staring. "What are you doing?" I ask.
"I was just looking at you,” he says. I raise my eyebrows at him, and he lowers himself between my legs again, plunging hard into me once more and I groan loudly at the force. The heat building within me spreads throughout my body, like a wave of ecstasy and unlike anything I've ever felt, takes over. I claw at his back, pulling him deeper into me as the sensation intensifies. He jerks as my orgasm pushes him over the edge. A guttural groan passes his lips as he crashes down on me.
I look up into his eyes, breathing heavily, and I notice the sweat glistening on his broad chest. I laugh as embarrassment and modesty suddenly take over. He looks at me with confusion and humor in his eyes. "What? Is there something wrong?” he asks.
"No," I say with a nervous giggle. "I just, I-I don't even know what to say," I stutter, feeling like my body has turned into mush.
He rolls off of me and lies beside me, kissing my cheek. "You’re amazing,” he says with a smile.