It was the solid warmth of muscle that woke Erin from the most pleasurable dream she’d ever had. When Erin realized she was waking, she half groaned at the possibility that her time with Caleb had all been a figment of her imagination. That was until the heat from thick biceps and arms that lay leisurely over her waist gave her an indication that something about last night had been everything but a fairytale.

Erin froze, and her eyes blinked to adjust to the darkened room. She was at home, that much she knew. Thoughts of Caleb’s deep strokes covered her in a congenial thrill. She rotated in those arms and came face to face with a thin goatee and masculine jawline. His breathing was soft, and she forced herself not to reach out and skip her fingers across his chin.

It wasn’t a dream. Caleb was here in her bed at her home; not in Iraq, not in harm’s way, right here with her. Erin’s heart swelled; she was excited and fearful all at the same time. Who would ever guess, after what they’d been through, that this would be possible, especially after vowing that she was done with him. Erin had underestimated just how much she loved Caleb. So much, that she could never release him out of her system just because she said it so. What am I going to do now?

Truly, Erin didn’t want to think about that part. But she was a grown woman. Was there really any need to beat around the bush? Erin wasn’t interested in being anything less than Caleb’s wife, yet, here she was coupled in his arms enjoying the ease of his chest rise and fall without even the title of a girlfriend.

“Good morning beautiful,” he said. The depth of his voice attacked her eardrums and another population of chills settled across her skin.

“I thought you were sleeping.”

A small crack of a smile lifted one corner of his lips.

“I was, but I felt you move.”

“Sleep light much?”

“It’s been something I’ve done for a long time, but besides that, I can’t have you trying to get away from me now that I’ve got you here.”

Another thrill of warmth cascaded over Erin.

“I think I’m the one who’s got you here, since you’re at my home.”

“Hmm, and it will take a dump truck to get me out of here.”

Erin giggled, and her forehead fell into the base of his throat as she laughed. Caleb took a caressing arm up her back and pushed his hips forward, so she could feel the strength of his unyielding cock.

“Mmmm,” she said with an easy moan. “What do you think you’re doing with that thing?”

Caleb rolled between her thighs and entered Erin with one elongated thrust. Her mouth popped open and her eyes lurched at his invasion.

“Oh my God.”

He caressed her heated canal and locked his jaw at the intense suction she bestowed on him. An animalistic growl crept from his throat as he stroked and rocked into her womb as if looking for the biggest encore yet.

“Caleb! Caleb!” She shouted grabbing a fist full of his shoulders. She clawed at him, completely taken by his unmistakable claim.

The phone rang, and it was a tune Erin was all too familiar with. Caleb glanced over at her disposed clothes to the light that illuminated from the phone. Rocking into her harder sent a dynamic spring of nerves tussling through her entire body.

“Oh God!” Erin said.

Her head fell back, and she shut her eyes as he plummeted, taking her on the ride of her life. The phone stopped ringing but quickly started back up.

“Caleb,” she said half pant half plea. “I have to answer the phon—”

Her words were cut short when Caleb captured her mouth.

“Mmmm,” they moaned together, and Erin gave in to his untamed beating; tying her legs around his back and lifting her ass to meet his powerful thrusts. The sensation was so overwhelming that she felt delirious and on the verge of losing her sanity.

The phone stopped ringing again and neither of them cared until Erin’s front door open then shut and someone called out.

“Erin, sweetheart, are you here?”

Erin’s eyes bucked, and she snapped her head back forcefully removing her lips. “Oh my God,” she whispered. “It’s my mother!”

Caleb’s heavy voice tried an attempt at a whisper, but it came through like a profound drum. “She has a key?”

Erin nodded her head vigorously. “It’s for emergen— Ah…” she panted midsentence as Caleb’s stroke sped up even more. “We’re going to get caught,” Erin said. “Caleb baby, please.” Erin threw her head back and Caleb tossed her legs over his shoulder. Erin opened her mouth to shout and Caleb swallowed her tongue as he pumped into her, steadfast with unrestrained hunger.

“Erin?”

Her mother’s voice was closer, and so were Caleb and Erin; close to their release. With a final few thrusts her floodgates opened and Caleb followed diligently behind her. Spasms took over their bodies and they kissed and came hard wrapped in a sheath of ecstasy.

“Erin?”

Mrs. Lorraine Sander’s tipped down the hallway. She thought she heard commotion in the back room, but her daughter had failed to answer her phone calls and now she wasn’t answering her in the house either. Sticking her hand down her purse, Mrs. Sander’s retrieved her 22 handgun, but kept the safety on it because she only used it as a scare tactic. She hated weapons. But her husband was anal about her carrying it for protection.

“Erin?” She called again approaching Erin’s open bedroom door. Just as she rounded the corner, Erin ran out of it, tying the belt to her terrycloth robe around her waist.

“Mom!” she said. “What are you doing here?”

Mrs. Sanders threw a hand over her chest. “Oh my God, why didn’t you answer me? I could’ve killed you!” Mrs. Sanders added the gun back to her handbag. “You know I hate carrying this thing. Why would you put me in such a predicament?”

“Mom, I was in the bathroom getting ready for a shower when you came in, so I didn’t hear you.”

Mrs. Sanders pursed her thin lips and let out a small sigh. “I guess that’s why you didn’t hear the phone ring either then.”

“Exactly.”

Mrs. Sanders eyed her daughter. She noticed the rough entanglement of her hair and the pouty swell of her lips. If her mother didn’t know any better, she’d think Erin just finished making out. Mrs. Sanders wasn’t born yesterday. She knew how a good make-out session gave a person a flushed look on their face.

“Do you have company?” Mrs. Sanders inquired attempting to look over Erin’s shoulder.

Erin reached back for the doorknob and drew it closed as she stepped into the hallway. Mrs. Sanders looked at her questionably.

“Mom, is there anything you wanted specifically?”

Mrs. Sanders glanced from Erin to the closed door and lifted a brow.

“Well, initially I wanted to see if you heard about the soldiers coming home from their tours. I was told one of them might be Caleb and I wanted to check on you.”

“Oh, I’m fine, you don’t need to worry about me.”

Erin regarded the pensive lines in her mother’s aging face. As usual, Mrs. Sanders salt and pepper hair neatly hung to her shoulders with a thick light bounce. Mrs. Sanders inspected her daughter and her scrutiny had microscopic detail.

“Are you sure you’re alright?”

Erin slipped her arms around her mother’s shoulder and guided her back to the front room. The five-foot-four-inch woman glanced up at her as Erin spoke.

“I’ve never been better,” she answered. “I know you and dad are worried about me, but you really don’t need to be.”

“Well I was telling your father it may be a good idea for me to stay over with you a night or two, just to be sure. We could turn it into a girl’s night.” Mrs. Sanders paused. “I don’t ever want to see you go through a state of depression again and if it’s up to me, I can intervene before he has a chance to reach out.”

Erin sighed. It was only fair that she gave her mom the truth. She and her father had been there for her through the roughest patch of her life, so she owed them that.

“Listen mom, Caleb and I have spoken.”

Mrs. Sanders brows furrowed. “Oh no,” she droned.

“But,” Erin continued, “we are on good terms. I’m not holding a grudge against him anymore and things between us are okay.”

Mrs. Sanders watched her daughter.

“I wouldn’t lie to you. I’m fine.”

Mrs. Sanders exhaled. “Well alright, if you insist.” Mrs. Sanders wanted to give it a rest, but it was hard for her. “If you need anything, and I mean anything at all, please call me.”

“I promise you I will.”

Erin kissed her mom on the forehead and opened the front door.

“Tell dad I love him, too.”

Mrs. Sanders sighed. “Well I guess he’ll be happy to have me at the house.” Mrs. Sanders chuckled. “Besides, how would he eat if I’m not,” she said with sarcasm. “I love you, baby.”

“I love you too, mom.”

Erin lingered by the door as her mom left the porch and slipped back into her Volkswagen Beetle. Mrs. Sanders blew the horn then pulled away from the curb just as warm arms enveloped Erin’s waist.

“I missed you,” Caleb said. “You were gone too long.”

Erin shivered and shut the door making sure to lock it before turning around to face Caleb.

“You are a naughty boy, Mr. Malone,” she said.

A lopsided grin tapered across his face. “I can’t say that I’m sorry. Your mom was about to get an eyeful.” A gasp left Erin and Caleb tickled her sides.

“Stop it!” She giggled, making a mad dash from his hands down the hallway.

“You can run,” he sang, “but you can’t hide.”

Erin squealed as she tried to find safe haven in her house, but there was none. She was caught in a corner and taken on the nearest wall over and over.