Chapter Twelve
Brittany
“God dammit!” I screamed as I slammed my hands against the steering wheel.
It was my fourth attempt to get the car to start and still the engine was purring for only a few sharp seconds before it died on me. I rested my head against the steering wheel for a moment and then took a deep breath.
“Okay,” I said calmly. “One more try. If this doesn’t work, I’ll call Lacey.”
Fifteen minutes later, Lacey found me standing in front of my car, staring daggers at it as though I were about to go all Kung-Fu Panda on its ass. She approached me slowly.
“Back away from the vehicle, Brittany,” she said. “This isn’t going to end well.”
I gave her a side glare. “Stupid thing won’t start.”
“I figured as much,” she nodded. “Could it be because you didn’t actually get any repairs done?”
I sighed and closed my eyes for a moment. “Being poor sucks.”
“You’re not poor,” she said firmly. “You’re just…down on your luck.”
“Funny; seems I’ve been that way for quite a while now,” I said bitterly. “Isn’t luck supposed to change at some point?”
“It still can.”
“I’m not holding my breath,” I said as Lacey and I headed to her car.
I settled into the passenger’s seat and checked the time. “Fuck,” I swore. “We’re going to be late.”
“Danny can hold down the fort till we get there,” Lacey said soothingly. “Don’t worry.”
“I think I need a second job,” I blurted out abruptly.
Lacey gave me a quick side-glance. “Will you be able to manage that?” she asked tentatively.
“I have no fucking clue,” I admitted. “But I don’t see that I have much of a choice. My current salary is only enough to cover my monthly rent and bills. I don’t have any money left over for extra repairs and unexpected expenses… And, forget about saving money. I don’t think I’ve saved a penny in over a year. I’m living hand to mouth, Lace, and I don’t know how much longer I can afford to do that.”
“You work long hours already,” she reminded me.
“I know,” I nodded. “And, I also know that taking a second job means saying goodbye to any sort of free time.”
“There is another option,” she said cautiously.
“Which is?”
“You could always ask your father.”
I cringed. “God, no.”
“Why not?” she demanded. “The bastard owes you.”
“I am not asking him,” I said, with finality.
“Brit-”
“I’m not asking him,” I repeated again, this time more forcefully.
Lacey sighed. “Is that pride talking?”
“Of course, it’s pride talking,” I said. “Pride is all I have at the moment.”
“Pride doesn’t get the bills paid or the repairs done,” she pointed out gently.
“Maybe not,” I said. “But it makes it easier for me to sleep at night.”
As Lacey parked, we ran into the diner with our “I’m sorry” faces on. Danny was standing behind the counter looking positively harassed. Monica was in her usual booth by the window, and as I turned around, I noticed with a start that Talen was there, too.
I remembered the note I had slipped into his pocket the day before. I wasn’t sure what had made me do it. I had been leaning against the breakfast counter, watching him as subtlety as I could manage and something inside me had just felt bold. Before I knew it, I had written down my name and number on a piece of paper. The plan had been to simply hand it over to him. But my courage had given way when he had stepped up to the counter and instead, I had slipped the note into his pocket.
I wasn’t sure if he had found it. Even if he had, I wasn’t sure if he would even bring it up. I decided not to psyche myself out about it.
“Where the hell have you two been?” Danny interrupted my thoughts.
“Yeah!” Monica asked. “I’m fucking starving.”
“Give us a break, will you,” Lacey said, holding her own. “Brit’s car died on her so I had to go pick her up.”
I wished Lacey hadn’t explained that part quite so loud. I noticed Talen look up in my direction at the mention of my shitty, unreliable car.
“Your car died?” Danny asked, turning to me. “I thought you got that piece of shit repaired.”
“Obviously not, Danny,” I said. “Or I would have been here earlier.”
“Why not just get the repairs over with?”
I rolled my eyes. “Oh yeah, why didn’t I think of that?”
“Genius suggestion,” Lacey added, coming to my defence.
“Looks and brains all in one neat package,” I said mockingly.
Danny held up his hands and backed into the kitchen. “Jesus, it was just a question.”
“A stupid question,” Lacey yelled after him.
“And, one that I’ve answered before,” I added.
“You realize that you two work for me right?” Danny asked as he bumped into the kitchen door.
Lacey and I exchanged an amused glance. “Do we?” Lacey asked, in surprise. “I hadn’t noticed.”
“Are you really the owner of this place?” I asked.
“Does that mean you intentionally picked out these colors?” Lacey went on.
“Fuck off,” he said. “Both of you.”
We laughed as Danny disappeared into the kitchen. I got together Talen’s breakfast while Lacey saw to an impatient Monica. We managed to distract her with a piece of pie, and I happened to snatch snippets of her conversation with Lacey as I got Talen’s toast ready.
“What’s the story with the brooding Apollo over there?” Monica asked.
“Umm…not sure actually,” Lacey admitted.
“He’s comes here every day now.”
“I know-”
“And, still you don’t know squat?”
“Umm...”
“For shame,” Monica said, shaking her head. “If I were forty years younger, I’d be over at his table, bending over and batting my eyes at him.”
I suppressed a laugh as I grabbed the toast and coffee and headed over to Talen’s table. “Morning,” I said. “Here’s your breakfast.”
“Thanks,” he nodded, making no mention of my note. He looked particularly handsome today in his black hoodie. His shocking blue eyes were intense and seductive, and I found it hard to look away from them. “Something funny?” he asked.
I glanced over at Monica. “It’s just…Monica being Monica,” I replied. “I think she has a thing for you.”
“For me?” he asked incredulously.
“Oh, yeah.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Well… I’m flattered.”
“You don’t sound sure,” I said, in amusement.
He smiled, but deftly changed the subject. “Car troubles?”
“Uh…yeah,” I said, in an embarrassed tone.
“We’ve all had them,” Talen said with understanding.
I smiled.
“So…is your offer still on the table?” Talen asked, taking me by surprise.
“My offer?”
“To show me around?” he reminded me.
“Oh, right,” I nodded. “Of course, it’s still on the table.”
“Good,” he nodded. “Because I don’t have to be anywhere till eleven tomorrow. Which means I can do something tonight.”
“Tonight?” I repeated. “That sounds good.”
“Great,” he nodded. “I already have your number.”
I felt a blush creep onto my cheeks and I did my best to suppress it. “The only thing is, I don’t exactly have a working car at the moment.”
He seemed unconcerned. “Luckily, I do,” he said. “I’ll pick you up tonight at eight?”
“Perfect,” I nodded.
I headed over to the counter where Lacey was cleaning out the cutlery. “Guess what?” I whispered to her.
“What?” she asked.
“Guess who I’m going out with tonight?”
“Who?”
I didn’t answer immediately, which forced Lacey to look up at me. Then he her eyes went wide with the sudden realization.
“Don’t freak out,” I said quickly. “He’s right over there and will definitely hear.”
The scream died on her lips, but I saw the excitement there. “No freaking way,” she whispered to me.
I smiled.
“You’re really going out with him tonight?”
“I really am,” I nodded.
“Excited?”
“A little,” I nodded.
“How did it go down?”
“Well, I offered to show him around yesterday,” I admitted.
“And, you didn’t even tell me,” Lacey said, narrowing her eyes at me.
I winked at her. “And ,I might have slipped my number into his jacket pocket.”
She shook her head at me. “I am both shocked and proud.”
“What?” I demanded defensively. “I’m no shrinking violet.”
“Oh, I know,” she nodded. “I guess I just didn’t expect you to make a move on this particular guy.”
I frowned. “Why not?”
“Well, for starters…he’s a little scary looking.”
“Are you serious?” I asked. “He’s fucking hot.”
“I agree,” she nodded. “He is hot, he’s just got this dangerous vibe, too, you know? I don’t know it’s as though he could be mixed up in some…nefarious activities.”
“You’re being paranoid,” I said, rolling my eyes at Lacey. “Shut up… He’s coming this way.”
Talen stepped up to the counter to pay. Lacey was at the register, so she accepted his money and gave him a quick nod. Just before he turned away, his eyes met mine and a thin current of electricity seemed to pass between us. I was fairly certain it was my imagination, but it was no less exciting despite that.
“I have some mace I can lend you,” Lacey said the moment Talen had left the diner. “Just in case.”
I glared at her. “I won’t need it.”
“I’m also willing to tail you two on the date to make sure he’s not going to rape and murder you.”
“Will you stop?”
Lacey laughed. “I’m kidding,” she said. “And, I may also be a little jealous.”
“Jealous?”
“He’s a serious sex pistol,” she smiled. “I’m kinda bummed I wasn’t able to make much headway with him.”
“Did you even try?”
“The first time I waited on him,” she nodded. “He was stone.”
“He was with me, too, you know,” I reminded her.
“Nah,” Lacey said, shaking her head. “He looked at you differently. That was evident from day one.”
I wrinkled my brows together; it didn’t feel likely, but a part of me desperately wanted to believe that. This was the first date I’d been on in almost a year, and I was starting to feel the butterflies materialize in my stomach.
“You look like you just swallowed a frog,” Lacey said.
“What do I wear tonight?” I asked.
“Don’t you worry about a thing,” she said confidently. “I’ll come home with you after work, and we’ll figure something out. You’re going to look like a million bucks.”
“That’s going to be a task, considering the most expensive thing I own is like…thirty bucks.”
“It’s all in the styling,” Lacey said, with a wink. “Trust me.”
With a little persuasive pleading, we managed to get off early that night. We headed over to my place after stopping by Lacey’s apartment for a few minutes first. She had brought a bunch of clothes from her closet for me to try on, as well as a good stock of makeup and accessories. Just before I started getting ready, Talen texted and asked for my address. With a tingle in my stomach I replied and then turned to the daunting task of figuring out what to wear.
“You didn’t have to empty out your entire closet,” I told her, looking at the pile of clothes on my bed.
“I wanted you to have options,” she replied generously.
It felt like I tried on everything three times over in different combinations, but I finally settled on a pair of sexy black boot cut jeans with a red off the shoulder blouse that made me look both tall and statuesque. I left my hair loose around my shoulders and applied a nominal amount of make up that highlighted my eyes.
“What do you think?” I asked, turning to Lacey.
“You look hot,” she said, nodding with approval.
I smiled. “It’s strange.”
“What is?”
“I’m actually nervous,” I said. “I’ve never really been nervous before a date before.”
She smiled. “You’ve never really been on a date with a guy like this before,” she reminded me.
“Fair enough,” I nodded.
Just then, the doorbell rang, and I froze. Lacey on the hand, jumped into action. “I’ll get it,” she said, heading for the door before I could stop her.
Chapter Thirteen
Talen
I was trying to remember the last time I had been on a date. I had never really been the dating type, and yet I had somehow unconsciously walked into this of my own free will. I kept going over the moments in my head and realized that despite the fact that Brittany was the one who had initiated this, I had been the one to see it through. The fact that she had slipped her number into my pocket had left the choice up to me – and I had pounced on it.
I had chosen to wear jeans because it was what I was most comfortable in, but it seemed a bit out of place to wear my usual hoodie. So I found myself rifling through my still unpacked suitcase, trying to figure something that was casual without being completely disrespectful. I realized that most of the shirts I owned were sleeveless, hooded, or they had graphic expletives and images printed on them.
I had, however, brought one long sleeved white shirt along just in case a meeting or press conference needed to be held. I put it on, omitting the tie I had bought along with it. I left the collar open and rolled up the sleeves. It felt weird to be wearing sleeves after so long. After I got Brittany’s address, I headed over to her place, which was only about ten minutes from where I had been given apartments. I had just parked outside her place when I received a call from Sam.
Thankful for the delay, I grabbed the phone and answered it. “Hi.”
“‘Sup, dude,” Sam said, in his usual bubbly manner. “How’s it going?”
“Fine.”
He sighed noisily on the other end. “If you insist on giving me one word answers, then I’m not sure this will be a very interesting conversation.”
I smiled. “How are you?”
“I called to ask about you,” he said. “Don’t change the subject.”
“I’m good,” I said. “I have a photo shoot coming up tomorrow.”
“No fucking way!” Sam said, sounding delighted. “You?”
“Shut up.”
“This is amazing,” he laughed. “I’m guessing you’re going to have to be shirtless for this photo shoot.”
I paused. “Fuck… I hadn’t thought of that.”
Sam guffawed with laughter. “This is brilliant. Are they going to oil you up? Will they put make up on you? Will they have you surrounded by a number of bikini-clad babes?”
I cringed. “Thank God you’re not the one directing this shoot,” I said.
“Will you send me the pictures after they’re done?”
“No,” I said firmly.
“Whatever, I’ll see them eventually,” he said, with obvious delight. “Then I can get the images of the shoot blown up. I’ll paste them around town and tell everyone I know that you’re my kid brother.”
“Please don’t,” I said, shaking my head at the thought.
“This is fantastic.”
“I’m hanging up now.”
His response was to laugh uncontrollably, so I hung up and got out of the car. One thing I could say about Sam was that he always managed to put things in perspective for me. Now I was more nervous about the damn photo shoot than I was about the date. I walked up two flights of stairs before I got to Brittany’s apartment. Then I knocked twice and waited.
A few moments later, the door swung open and I found myself face to face with the other waitress from the restaurant. Her bright red hair was spiked upwards and in certain angles, it almost looked like a pitchfork. But she was eyeing me as though I were the devil.
“Lacey, right?” I asked.
“That’s right,” she nodded. “And, you’re Talen. Where do you intend to take Brittany tonight?”
She asked the question abruptly, as though she were running through a list in her head. I noticed she didn’t ask me inside, and I was fine with that. All I wanted to do was get Brittany and go.
“Umm…actually, that’s up to Brittany,” I replied. “She’s the one showing me around tonight.”
“Right,” Lacey nodded. “Now, tell me, Talen, have you ever committed any violent crimes?”
I raised my eyebrows in surprise. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me,” she said challengingly.
I was uncomfortable, but I was also amused. “Do I look like I’ve committed many violent crimes?” I asked. “Or do my tattoos give me away?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I have the names of every man and woman I’ve killed tattooed onto my back.”
Lacey narrowed her eyes at me. “Is that supposed to be funny?”
“Umm…yes.”
I heard nervous laughter and turned my head up to see Brittany walking towards us. She looked like a complete bombshell in tight black jeans and red top that bared one perfect pale shoulder. Her hair was set in black waves that framed her face and made her eyes come alive.
“Lace,” she said. “Stop it.”
“Serious question,” Lacey said, holding up one hand between Brittany and I. “Have you ever killed anyone and used their skin as a lamp?”
I shared a short glance with Brittany for I turned my gaze on Lacey. “I save their skin for other reasons – never for lamps, though.”
Laughing, Brittany pushed past Lacey and walked out the door towards me. “Goodnight, Lace,” she said. “Thanks for everything. Lock up on your way out, please.”
Then she closed the door on her friend, grabbed my arm, and pulled me down the staircase. It wasn’t until we were in the car and driving down the road that she spoke.
“I’m sorry about her,” Brittany said. “She’s just…a little over protective.”
“I didn’t get that, funnily enough,” I joked. “She seemed so chilled out.”
Brittany laughed. “Okay… So I thought we could go to Duncan’s first.”
“Duncan’s?” I repeated.
“I’ll direct you,” she said. “It’s this bar slash restaurant slash arcade place that has an amazing range of games. And before you say anything, I know it’s juvenile, but…”
“Someone once told me that juvenile fun was just what you needed sometimes,” I finished for her.
Brittany smiled and nodded. “How competitive are you?”
I raised my eyebrows. “Incredibly.”
“Good,” she nodded. “So am I, and I hate when people don’t take competitions seriously.”
“Are you planning on having a competition with me tonight?”
“I guess I am,” she nodded challengingly. “Are you ready?”
“I was born ready.”
Duncan’s turned out to be packed with people, but Brittany was right, they had a massive range of games and we easily found a free one. We spent the first hour moving from one game to the next, getting increasingly more competitive and sometimes even a little frustrated. By the end of the first hour, we had tied on our wins. The competitive blaze in Brittany’s eyes was hard not to find attractive.
I had never spent this kind of time with a woman before. My interactions with women were usually reserved to random hook ups and that never left much room or time for conversations or other activities. By the time ten o’clock rolled around, Brittany had claimed her overall victory and I was declared the loser. She bounced around in front of me doing what she called her signature victory dance, and I couldn’t help but get a little hot under the collar. It was incredibly attractive to see a woman so confident and uninhibited.
“Fuck, look at the time,” Brittany breathed. “And, I still haven’t fed you.”
“We can get some food over by the restaurant,” I suggested.
“If you can hold on another twenty minutes, I have a better idea.”
We left Duncan’s and headed to a take-out restaurant. “Stay here,” she instructed. “I’ll be right back.”
“I can get dinner.”
“I know you can,” she nodded. “But this time it’s on me. I’m the one who wanted to show you around, and dinner’s part of the package.”
She left me in the car and when she came back, she had two brown paper bags in hand that smelled like heaven. She gave me a few more directions and once again we were driving. As the lights around us dimmed a little, I realized she was taking me some place remote. It was a little removed from the main city, and the lack of buildings and people reflected that.
“Turn here,” she directed me. “You can park on the left by the row of trees.”
It wasn’t exactly eerie, but it was close enough. I glanced over at Brittany. “Are you the one who’s planning on killing me tonight and using my skin as a lamp?”
Brittany smiled. “Maybe.”
“I knew it,” I nodded. “That plan was way too specific.”
She grabbed my hand and pulled me through the wall of trees. We walked for only a minute before I could spy natural light coming through from the other end. When we stepped out of the tiny labyrinth of trees, I found myself staring at a brilliant silver-blue lake that seemed to stretch on for miles.
“Wow,” I breathed.
“It’s beautiful isn’t it?”
“Do people even know it’s here?”
Brittany laughed. “Of course,” she nodded. “It’s just that Canada is so full of lakes that no one really finds this one special. I’ve always loved it, though…there’s just something about it.”
And, I had to agree. The eeriness from before had dissipated, and I was starting to see the simple charm about being surrounded by nature. I had never really taken the time to appreciate it before.
“I thought we could sit by the water and eat?” Brittany suggested.
“You won’t be cold?” I asked, impressed by how unaffected she seemed to be by the chilly bite in the air.
“I’ve grown up in the cold,” she replied. “I actually love how it makes me feel. Come on.”
We settled by the edge of the lake, and Brittany passed one of the two paper bags towards me. I pulled out a deep container that was still piping hot. I opened the lid and a brilliantly spicy aroma filled my nostrils.
“What is this?” I asked.
“It’s this weird new thing that one of the locals started a few years ago. Basically, it’s cheesy pasta combined with crunchy chicken, spicy prawns, and a whole heap of double fried fries on the top. It’s the best thing I’ve ever tasted.”
I took a bite, and once again, I was forced to agree. “Fuck, this is good.”
Brittany smiled. “I also got us some drinks; we have two cold options and two hot options, depending on what you like.”
“I have to say, this is the first time I’ve ever been treated by a woman.”
“Well, there’s a first time for everything,” she replied as we tucked into our meals.
“You should have let me pay.”
She held up her hands. “What kind of host would I be if I let you pay?”
I smiled. “The kind that I’ve generally come into contact with.”
She laughed. “You’re funnier than I expected,” she said, almost to herself.
“I think you’re the only person who has ever used that word to describe me.”
“Hmm, you know, I actually believe that.”
There was a lock of black hair falling over her face, and I resisted the urge to push it back. Her blue eyes were dulled by the moonlight, but they held a hypnotic beauty that couldn’t be denied even in the dim lights.
“So…” Brittany said, glancing up at me. “You’ve never really told me what you do for a living?”
“I’m in the MMA.”
She looked at me with wide eyes. “Seriously?”
“Yes.”
She held my gaze for a moment and then laughed. “Well, I wasn’t expecting that. You’re a professional fighter?”
“I suppose,” I nodded. “I’m here in Quebec undergoing this really intensive training program. I have a fight coming up in January that I need to train for.”
“Is this your first real fight?”
“It is,” I nodded.
“Are you nervous?”
“Not yet,” I replied honestly. “The guy I’m going up against is pretty stiff competition, but after battling with you all night, I think he’s going to be a piece of cake in comparison.”
“Ha, ha,” Brittany laughed, without taking me seriously. “Wow, the MMA… Isn’t that kind of one of the more dangerous fighting competitions?”
“It can be,” I nodded. “But any contact sport usually is.”
“Is fighting considered a sport?”
“I think of it more as an art, but that’s just me.”
Brittany smiled. Her eyes grew thoughtful, and I knew she had several more questions she wanted answered. “Have you ever been injured?” she asked.
“Many times,” I nodded. “It’s a part of this life. And…”
“And?”
“I started in…less than ideal circumstances.”
She frowned at me. “What does that mean?”
“I started in illegal MMA,” I admitted. “I fought my way up in the underground fighting rings.”
“That sounds…intense,” Brittany said, looking at me as though she were seeing me for the first time.
“Do I scare you?” I asked bluntly.
She held my gaze for a moment. “Yes,” she nodded. “But not in the way you think.”
Chapter Fourteen
Brittany
The ride back to my apartment was quiet. The thought of Talen in the underground fighting rings of illegal MMA was both intoxicating and frightening. When we arrived outside my building, Talen got out of the car and walked me up to my apartment. I turned to him at the door.
“Thank you for walking me up,” I said.
“Thank you,” he replied. “For showing me around. The lake was the best part.”
I felt a sudden wave of heat and a surge of desire course through me. I didn’t bother thinking; I just grabbed the front of Talen’s shirt and pulled him towards me. Our lips collided, and I felt my body melt against his.
He was all muscle – rock hard and unbelievably strong. We backed into my apartment together, and I heard the door slam behind us, though I had no idea if that was my doing or his. I was only vaguely aware of my surroundings. The only thing I was really paying attention to was the way my body seemed to be on fire.
Talen’s hands were huge and persistent against my skin. He raked over my body as though he were trying to put out the fire, except that every time he touched me, it only seemed to make things that much hotter. I felt his hands on my ass, pulling me closer. I could feel the ridged muscle of his stomach pressed up against mine.
We buckled to the floor, with the sofa only a few feet away, but I knew that we weren’t going to make it that far. His body hung over mine, and I could feel the girth of his cock pushing up against my thigh. Even without looking, I could tell he was huge. And, it was only then that I realized his pants and shirt were off. He pulled himself up a little so that he could pull of my jeans. When I was lying beneath him in my bra and panties, he lowered himself down so that his head was between my legs.
Then he ripped off my panties violently, and a moment later I felt his tongue on my cunt. I moaned in shock as a ripple of pleasure rushed through my body. It was intense and shocking, and it made me feel as though I were floating above my body in some kind of carnal Nirvana. When he raised his head from between my thighs, all I wanted was to taste him.
I twisted around so that I was straddling him. I kissed his neck, his beautifully tattooed arms, and his chest. I took a moment to lick the hard wall of abs lining his stomach. Lowering myself down, I took his entire cock into my mouth, without easing into it. I heard him gasp slightly, which just spurred me on.
I didn’t want to take this slow. I wasn’t interested in being gentle. I wanted passionate, violent, intense, and wild.
I sucked him off with the fervor of a starving man, taking him deeper and deeper inside my throat until I was practically gagging on his giant cock. I could feel his body tense with pleasure, making me want to keep sucking him off till he came. But finally I pulled away, realizing that I wanted to feel him inside me, too.
I raised myself up higher and then straddled him quickly. Neither one of us needed to do a thing – I was so wet, that I slipped inside him easily. The moment we fused together, I felt a moment of burning passion in the deepest, most secret part of me. I could feel him as though he were really inside me – not just between my thighs, but everywhere.
“Oh, fuck!” I screamed.
And then I started riding him with an intensity that even surprised me. I raised and lowered my hips in a tempo that kept increasing with each stroke. His hands came up around my breasts and squeezed them hard as I fucked him. After a moment, I slowed, and Talen raised his legs up slightly, pushing me higher on his body. Then he gripped my hips and started pumping away at me with a force that reflected his training as a fighter.
I kept imagining him in the ring, shirtless, sweating, and filled with fire, and it made me even wetter. His tattoos winked at me as we fucked, and I tried to count them, but with each intense thrust, the number kept falling out of my head. I could feel my orgasm take shape as the pounding of our flesh meeting resonated around my tiny apartment.
I could feel the screams trapped in the back of my throat, and for a moment, I was surprised at myself. I had never really been a screamer, but now I realized that that was probably because no man had really been good enough to make me scream before now.
I kept my hands on his chest as he rammed into me with the force of a charging bull. I let out a moaning scream as I came, but still he didn’t slow down or ease the pressure.
Instead, he pushed me off of him, turned me around and entered me from the back. I moaned again as a new range of sensations attached itself to my body. I felt as though I were still recovering from the first orgasm when the second one hit. My knees were weak, my legs felt like jelly, there was a comfortable soreness spreading through my body – but I didn’t care. I wanted as much as he could give me.
He fucked me diligently, with all the prowess of a trained champion. I could tell how fit and strong he was because he never slowed his pace. He fucked me until even my hands had buckled and I was supporting myself with my forearms. I felt his orgasm coincide with my third one and we moaned together as the climax ran its course.
Panting in exhaustion, I slipped to the floor and a moment later, his body came down next to mine. Our faces were only inches apart, and I could feel his breath tickle my face. We didn’t speak for several minutes; we just lay there, staring at each other’s faces.
“The floor’s uncomfortable,” I said after a moment, breaking the silence. “Shall we move to the sofa?”
Talen nodded silently, and we picked ourselves up off the floor and walked over to the couch. We didn’t bother putting on clothes or covering ourselves up. I was surprised by how comfortable I was with him. My eyes kept traversing his beautiful body, and it seemed to me as though he had been carved from stone. He had the body of a Greek god, and even his imperfections seemed beautiful.
His scars were masculine and oozed sex appeal; his tattoos were both artistic and hauntingly personal. His face was brooding, but there was a depth there that made his beauty all the more intoxicating. I could feel his eyes rake over my body, too, and I liked that he wanted to look at me.
His hand reached out after a moment and touched the skin just underneath and between my breasts. I glanced down at the tattoo I had got inked there a few years before. They were words written in ancient Sanskrit.
“What does it mean?” Talen asked.
“Perseverance and hard work,” I replied.
He nodded. “And, this one?” His hand brushed against my nipple before it fell to the skin just above my panty line. That was my first tattoo.
“It’s a Chinese symbol that means faith,” I replied. “Something I struggle with daily.”
“So, it’s a reminder?”
“Yes,” I nodded. “But it’s a way for me to always have faith in my life…even on the days when I lose it.”
Talen smiled. His hand travelled back up to my left breast and he squeezed its nipple gently for a moment. Then he started caressing its swell as his eyes found mine.
“Will you get more?” he asked.
“I think so,” I nodded. “One day. What about you?”
“I’m running out of space,” Talen replied. “And, I think… I might be done, actually.”
I nodded. “Your tattoos are beautiful.”
“Thanks.”
“Will you explain them to me?”
“Maybe one day,” Talen nodded. “But right now… I have to leave.”
I felt a little tug of disappointment, but I understood. I nodded and got to my feet, with Talen doing the same. I watched while he picked his clothes off the ground and dressed. When he turned to me, he was fully clothed, but I was still naked as the day I was born. He seemed to appreciate the sight because he smiled, took a step towards me, and pulled me into his arms.
He kissed me, but this time was different. It was a gentle kiss, slow and calm and patient. I felt my body tingle again, but the moment he stepped away, the electricity was gone and so was the heat. I wanted to reach out for him again, but I resisted the urge at the very last moment.
There was an old blanket thrown over my sofa. I grabbed it and wrapped it around my shoulders as I walked him to the door. But I didn’t just stop at the threshold, I headed down the stairs with him until we were outside in the cold night air and his car was visible from the street. If he thought it was odd that I had walked him downstairs in nothing but a threadbare blanket, he made no mention of it. He just turned and held my gaze for a moment.
“Goodnight, Brittany,” he said simply.
“Goodnight, Talen,” I replied.
His blue eyes looked darker under the moonlight. He gave me a parting nod and headed for his car. I waited till his car had turned the corner before I could bring myself to go back inside. And despite how cold the night was, I realized that I had a deep heat radiating from inside me.