Text after text had come in over the next two days as Jacky trudged through her work that week. Eric was persistent in his effort to talk with her. His first few texts over the last weekend had been calm and just checking in to see how she was. Then, he had started asking if she was mad. She responded once there, saying she wasn't mad, just busy. By the time the second Wednesday came, he was practically begging for her to talk with him. She still refused to respond. She had even skipped her Krav class the last two nights in an effort to put distance between the two of them.
It wasn't that she didn't care about Eric or was angry. It was just that she wasn't sure if she wanted to go there again and relive that old life. Part of her never wanted to tell him what happened at all, and just leave it at fun stories of crazy adventures that he was mesmerized by as much as she was by his work. His strong arms were a product of that work and it was partly what drew her to him. I mean, after all, what girl doesn't like a fireman. He was so tame and her stories had made him excited. Plus, he could not be more understanding of needs and willing to not push, but just be friends as it were. Months had gone by like that, and then of course, he made his suggestion of benefits to their friendship as a way of pulling them both out of their funk, and here she had ruined it all by opening her mouth.
Now, here she sat on Friday after not going to class all week, and ignoring yet another request to come by and talk as she sipped on more bourbon trying to numb her brain. She figured eventually she would talk to Eric, but just not tonight and not until she figured out what she should tell him and what she shouldn't.
As she poured another glass, that option was foreclosed. The doorbell rang out startling her. The movie she had on TV was some horror flick from the 80s or 90s, which only accentuated her reaction to the sudden interruption. Walking to the door she realized that that last double shot had been perhaps one too many for entertaining a guest. A gaze through the peephole confirmed just that as she saw Eric's worried stare on the other side.
"Jacky, I know you are in there, I can hear the TV, so just open the door. I'm worried." He was so sincere and seemed so concerned now in person that she couldn't help herself. A throwing of the deadbolt and she was turning the knob to let her concerned buddy inside.
Eric didn't advance to her or reach out; he just walked through the open door and stood looking at her.
"I'm fine...see...now can you relax and let me be in peace?" Jacky's words were just a little slurred, but the sudden desire she felt just being in his presence had started to clear some of her fog already.
"Bullshit. Now, can I lock your door so we can sit and drink together and relax? I miss hanging out. I haven't talked to you at all in a week and I'm off tomorrow just like you."
"Fine, lock the door." Eric complied turning to lock the door and throwing the deadbolt. When he turned back, she was standing in the kitchen wondering what she was supposed to say now.
"So, what are you drinking my dear Jacky?" Eric smiled softly and approached her.
"Maker's, want some?" She offered the glass out to him with no smile on her face.
"And how many bourbons have you had sexy?" Eric looked at her head tilted and smile growing.
"A few, in my own house, and I can have as many as I would like." It was her turn to smile back, finally regaining some of her tenacity in the moment.
"Then, I shall pour my own glass if that's okay." He walked past her to the cupboard, a little closer than he had to walk if she was honest. He smelled musky and nice as he passed and she felt more alcohol fog lift as she felt her body temperature rise.
He reached the cupboard then and reached in to get a glass. Eric's bicep slid out of his shirt a little more, revealing part of his upper tattoo. Those muscles, she thought, they would be her undoing with this man. Jacky must have been lost in that thought for just a second too long because she suddenly realized she was staring into his brown eyes. Eric's eyebrow was raised as he looked back at her as if asking what she was staring at.
"What? I can't imagine how I would tie you up? You know where the liquor is." She stopped; the turn to sexual banter was unintentional. She hadn't meant to put her thoughts on display, in fact, she was not even remotely interested in sex before he walked in, and yet here he was. He turned, smiling as he opened the pantry.
"You can imagine anything you want. I was just surprised you were even...uh...considering... Hey where's that bottle of Jack Daniel's you used to have in here?" And, it crashed back in again. The reason she had not contacted him back, the reason she didn't want him here.
"I threw it out. It was an old bottle, and I don't drink it anymore." Her voice trailed off as she caught his sideways glance. He seized the Maker's then and without another word poured himself a half-glass.
Eric turned and moved towards her, approaching right in front of her. Her heartbeat sped up as his scent drew in close and she could feel the heat he radiated. When his arm brushed past to set his glass on the counter to her left side, she sighed. Fuck, did he notice, no it was only a small sigh right? Eric smiled as he turned to his right and opened the freezer door.
After a little rummaging, he produced one ice cube, which he slid into his own glass. God, the sight of the ice cube in his fingers, melting as it touched his flesh was driving her crazy right now. Jacky had the sudden urge to shake her head and get back in control, when he produced a second ice cube.
"You shouldn't drink it warm you know." He smiled as he approached just in front of her. She tilted her glass and he slid the ice cube in, never losing eye contact.
The air went out of the room then and it was just the two of them in a small bubble. Her heartbeat sped up immediately and every noise and motion around seemed to move slowly as she watched. Eric inserted his fingers one by one into his mouth sucking the water from each one as he looked at her.
Then, he politely took the drink out of her hand with his right hand. His other arm reached around her to pick up his drink, which meant he grew even closer to her body. The brush of Eric's arm along her side left a streak of imperceptible sex that ignited more of her senses. Jacky couldn't believe how slowly he was moving, and tried in her mind to wrestle with whether or not it was just her mind processing slowly. He leaned up then, now holding two glasses and barely an inch from her. She was smashed against her counter top and fixed on his eyes.
Jacky cracked then, unable to hold her composure. Maybe it was the alcohol or maybe it was lack of seeing him the last week, or maybe just a release from the thoughts that had plagued her brain. But, she cracked. She had to know if he felt the same, so she reached her hand out in that slow moment and trailed her fingers up his left thigh. A few inches into her movement, she knew exactly where Eric's thoughts were.
Her fingers danced over his hard head and made their way up the length of his trapped shaft. Eric was definitely on the same wavelength. Perhaps it wasn't the time or her thoughts that were slow, maybe it was Eric as well. Could he have been hoping that she would make the move, waiting to gauge where her mind was before pouncing?
Jacky heard the sound of the glasses on the counter and in the next instant her mouth was captured by his. Eric's tongue finding hers almost immediately as she moved to his zipper. There were no words between them only soft sighs between kisses. Her fingers slithered their way into his khaki pants. She just needed to be one layer closer to his cock, just one layer. Eric's breath caught as she played with his head, feeling moisture seep through his briefs.
Then, it was Eric's turn. His hand slid down the back of her yoga pants and under her panties seizing her ass cheek. His touch was welcome and her head went back as his other hand joined. This gave him access to her weakness and he was kissing and licking her neck immediately.
She moaned and fumbled to get her hand out of his pants so she could breach that last layer of fabric and touch him, really touch him. Eric took his opportunity once her hand was out and crouched. His hands had taken her pants and panties down as he moved. All he had to do was slide each of her feet out so that she was naked from the waist down. When he stood again, she was hoisted up and then sitting on her countertop as he spun around.
