Optical Illusion 1

As always:

Thanks to Boheminxen for editing.

Thanks to "Doc" for writing Jim's character.

Thanks to "Beanpole" for writing Amanda's character.

Thanks to "me" for writing everything else.

Optical Illusion:

I almost missed her. Almost. I pulled my Prius to the stop sign at the corner of maple and elm, ready to make my final turn before I reached my destination, my small two bedroom home. A place I really wanted to be. It was Friday and it had been a long chaotic work week topped by a fun filled 12 hour marathon of a day today in which some idiot crashed the server and ended life for everyone in the office as they knew it. I just love squeezing my 6'3" 200 lb frame in the small excuse for a space the servers are in. The architect of the building really outdid themselves with that design. Seriously, why do people look at porn at work? Don't they know when I fix the problem I have to trace the cause and report it to the boss? I just wanted to relax and begin my weekend of doing nothing.

Looking both ways, I eased on the accelerator and then stopped suddenly before I made my turn. Something caught my eye. My headlights pierced through the night and rain when the sequence on her white gown reflected back the light towards me. She was sitting hunched over with her head in her hands on the green park bench, unprotected from the elements. Could she have been a bride who skipped out on her wedding? Or worse, did some asshole skip out on her? Either way, I knew I wouldn't be able to relax at home after seeing the vision before me. I pulled into the small parking lot, inhaled deeply, and then took off my blue work shirt and tie so they wouldn't get ruined, leaving me in a grey t-shirt and black slacks. I then grabbed my oversized black umbrella from the back seat.

I trudged through the precipitation and mud. If she heard me coming, she did not act on it. As I approached, I realized the woman before me was a little younger than I, and I'm 24. A little young to get married I thought, but if you found the right person, why not? Her water soaked jet black hair went to the middle of her back and it had a strand of pink on one side. I didn't say anything, but I also didn't want to scare her. I stood behind the bench and held the umbrella over us. She was crying. She was crying under the blackened sky. She was crying under the blackened sky in the pouring rain. What would possess someone to be out here at this time in the rain? Ten minutes passed before her head jolted upward as she just noticed that the rain hadn't stopped, but it did stop falling on her. She reached for something next to her and slipped on a sleek pair of black rimmed glasses and turned to me. She had a pair of mascara trails coming from each eye and I could see through the beads of water on her lenses a twinge of fear in her big brown eyes.

"Sorry, I didn't intend to startle you. You have nothing to fear. I've been here for some time now. If I was going to hurt you, I would've done it already. You looked like you needed a little comfort or at the very least a big umbrella. Are you okay?" That was stupid to ask, dummy. Of course she's not okay. Would you be okay if you were crying in a downpour? I walked around and sat next to her. I kept my face forward and the umbrella hovering over us. I stared at a flickering streetlight down the road as I felt her eyes seemingly peer at my very soul, contemplating if I were friend or foe. She took me by surprise as her hand clutched at my shirt and she buried her head into my chest and started to cry again. I was caught off guard and froze for a moment before I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. My heart went out to her. Whatever devastation caused her this pain, it had significantly impacted her.

Finally her sobbing subdues and I spoke. "Can I give you a lift home?"

"I can't go home tonight." Her response was muffled as her head was still in my chest.

"Oh. How about a hotel or a friend's house?"

She tilted her head slightly up, to where her eyes focused on my neck and chin. "I don't have any money and all my friends are out."

I'm an idiot. Of course she can't go home, the asshole would be there. She probably ran off in such a hurry she forgot her purse and money and all her friends, well, wouldn't they be at the church? I had much trepidation about my next question, but what else could I say? "I only live a couple blocks down the road. You can stay there tonight if you would like?"

The young woman sat up and gave me a quizzical look. As if she were thinking sitting on a park bench with a complete stranger wasn't bad enough, now he wants to lure me to his house. She then shook her head slowly, closed her eyes, and gave a sigh. "Alright." It was barely audible.

I gave a weak smile, stood up, and offered my hand. "Don't worry. You'll be safe." Isn't that what all rapists say?

She tentatively took my hand and I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. We gingerly made our way to my car, unsuccessfully attempting to avoid as much mud as possible. I doubt her white high heels survived. I opened the door and helped her in the passenger seat. When I got into the driver's seat, she understandably appeared a little nervous. I realized then I haven't even told her my name. I extended my hand again.

"I'm Riley West."

"Huh? Oh." She just came to the same conclusion I did. She took my hand with a light grip. "Amelia Mosler."

With that, I turned the key and headed home. Not one word was spoken in the three minutes it took to drive from the park to my driveway.

"We're here." I tried to say in an upbeat way.

When Amelia didn't respond, I glanced over and she was sound asleep. The rain had let up to a light sprinkle as I carried her inside the house and into the bedroom. Even though she was left at the altar, this bride still got carried over the threshold. My threshold. Not sure how I feel about that. She is either a real heavy sleeper or emotionally drained. Or perhaps both as I tried waking her, but her only response were light groans. My hands apprehensively but carefully took off her gown. Ever try taking off a soaked gown off of someone who is dead to the world? Not an easy task. Something else that wasn't an easy task was not looking. Amelia was wearing a tantalizing black lace bra and matching thong. Holy shit. If the guy would've seen her in this, there is no way he would've left her. At this point I was praying she didn't wake up. If she had, what would she have thought? She was in a stranger's bed, almost naked, as that stranger was hovering over her. What was I saying about what a rapist would do? Finally, I got her into bed and draped the comforter over her chilled, damp body. I then hung up her gown. It would definitely need to be dry cleaned as it radiated a musky smell. I set out an array of t-shirts, sweat pants, and shorts in case she woke up. I knew none of it would fit her, but at least she could cover up in something. I grabbed a fresh pair of boxers and a t-shirt for myself and shut the door.

After a quick shower, I made a light dinner and plopped down on my couch to watch a movie. It was only 10pm and I really needed to unwind from the week, day, hell, just this evening. I didn't pay much attention to the movie as my mind was full of questions, all swarming around the young woman in my bed. Is she alright? Hell, am I safe? Will I wake up to a house devoid of all my valuables? Will I wake up to a man pummeling me because I stole his bride? Was she on drugs? Will the cops show up because she called and said I raped her? Too many questions. It was just past midnight when the movie ended. I pulled the blanket from the back of the couch and uncomfortably drifted off to sleep, pondering if I knew it would be like this, would I have stopped at the park to help?

"Riley? Sir?" Someone was lightly shaking me.

My eyes flew open and my body shot straight up. My mind was frantically trying to figure out why someone was in my house.

A woman jumped back and let out a quick snicker as I almost head butted her with my reaction. "Whoa. Sorry. I didn't mean to scare ya. Just wanted to say breakfast is ready."

The sunlight poured through the bay window and I squinted to view the silhouette of a woman walking into my kitchen. I wiped the sleep from my eyes as last night's events came flooding back to me. Everything but her name. What the hell was it? Ashley? April? Amber? Damn. I know it began with an 'A'. I got up, stretched, and made my way to the kitchen.

The aroma of bacon filled my nostrils but the sight before me was even more intoxicating. She was wearing one of my red oversized t-shirts that fell almost to her knees. That was it. Her black hair was done in a ponytail and she had pep to her step as she danced her way from the stove to the counter as a top forty hit filtered from the radio and into the air. She must have felt my presence, for at that moment she looked at me gave a small smile and I really saw her face for the first time. She had a youthful beauty that was brought out by her braces and dimples. One look through her glasses and into her big brown eyes and I was hooked. Then it occurred to me. Her name is Amelia. I wonder what the protocol is for asking a woman out the day after her botched wedding?

I smiled back. "Did you need a hand with anything?"

"No, I got this. You just sit down and let me take care of you." Amelia put two strips of bacon on each plate.

I sat down on one of the chairs that had a cup of coffee already placed in front of it.

"This is my way of saying thank you for last night. I was a bit surprised to wake up in only my underwear, but after I got a whiff of my dress, I understood." Amelia made her way with the two plates to my small dining room table. "Now, let's eat."

We had a great conversation to go with a great breakfast. Amelia had a wonderful sense of humor and our laughter was contagious. She laughed, I laughed. I laughed, she laughed. We talked well after we were finished eating. Every topic was well received and we found we had quite a few common interests. I even detected some flirting on her part. Probably my mind overreacting, but it was a pleasant thought. I avoided discussing last night. I now knew I definitely was going to ask her out and didn't want to discuss her failed romance. We were in the middle of another fit of giggles when my doorbell rang. The only people that ring my doorbell is family and solicitors, and my family would've called first to see if the eight hour drive would be worth making. I got up, slightly annoyed.

"That's probably for me." Amelia said, still laughing. "I hope you don't mind, but I used your phone when you went to the bathroom to call someone to bring me a change of clothes. I couldn't go around wearing this all day."

"Why not? I wouldn't mind." I teased as I made my way to the door.

I opened the door and the girl before me had black hair and had brown eyes similar to Amelia's and was carrying a blue duffle bag. I was certain she was a teenager, perhaps her younger sister. It makes sense for Amelia to call her sister to bring her clothes. I can only imagine what a parent coming into this scenario, her half naked with a complete stranger and a friend may not have access to her clothes.

"Is Amelia here?" The girl shyly asked while looking past me to see if she could find her answer.

"In here Mary." Amelia called from the kitchen.

Mary brushed passed me and headed in the direction of Amelia's voice.

I shook my head and mumbled. "C'mon in." She's definitely a teenager. The girls headed down the hall toward my bedroom. The contrast in them was obvious. Mary had a bounce of giddiness to her step, chatting incessantly in a high pitched voice using the entire annoying youthful vernacular. Amelia, however, just flung the duffle bag over her shoulder and walked casually down the hall, seemingly refusing to go back in time to that teenage world. I completed the breakfast clean up when they walked back in.

"I gotta get going. Thanks again Riley." Amelia had her gown draped over on arm.

I walked over to Amelia and cupped her free hand with mine. "Can I see you again?"

"Sure." Amelia blushed.

I smiled. "How about tomorrow, 6:30, at Moreau's?"

"Is that the fancy French restaurant downtown?" Amelia's eyes lit up.

"Yes it is. Are you interested?"

"It's a date."

"Where can I pick you up at?"

"I'll meet you there."

I raised her hand and kissed it. "See you there Amelia Mosler."

And so our relationship began. The first two weeks I only saw her a couple times. The third and fourth weeks we met up three times each. After that, it was whenever we could get together. We were addicted to each other. During the week, we would do simple things: movies, bowling, miniature golf, etc. On weekends, I showed her my cultural side. Fine dining, the theatre, the orchestra hall, and the art museum were all successful outings. Amelia is smart, funny, and beautiful. She's not a supermodel. She doesn't have a large chest or a big backside, but I was never looking for that. Our conversations were full of intrigue and laughter. Her vanilla perfume scent is intoxicating. And I am falling in love. Hard.

Today is Friday, June 6th, my 25th birthday. My last girlfriend broke up with me two years ago, so I was used to getting the typical phone call from Mom and Dad and then go to dinner, alone. This year, Amelia said she was coming over to surprise me. Since she doesn't work, wanting to focus all her attention on school, she doesn't have much money and feels guilty I pay for everything. She even started to tear up when she knew she couldn't buy me a gift, but she is now determined to make my birthday a "grandiose event for two" as she so eloquently put it. Amelia has no idea, but my birthday wish has already been granted six weeks earlier when she entered my life. She is all I'll ever want or need. My doorbell rang and this time I was not annoyed to answer it. No, instead I almost ran to it.

"Hey Babe. Oh let me help you." It never ceases to amaze me what a true vision Amelia is, even when she is wearing a simple v-neck t-shirt and jean shorts. This vision is carrying four plastic grocery bags and that blue duffle bag.

"Thanks Honey. That was getting heavy." Amelia leaned in and gave an open mouthed kiss. "Happy birthday."

"What is all this for?" I set the groceries on the kitchen counter.

"I'm making you dinner for your big day."

"And the duffle bag?"

"That's so I don't have to call Mary tomorrow after your slumber party." Amelia grinned. "So be a dear and set this in your bedroom while I make dinner. And don't even think about coming back in here and try to help. You can stay in the living room and watch T.V. and I'll let you know when it's all prepared."

I couldn't tell you what was on the television. My mind kept thinking about my slumber party. We've made out quite a few times and had advanced to light petting through our clothes. Whatever Amelia is up for, I am definitely willing. My fantasies of tonight were interrupted by the wonderful aroma permeating the air.

Dinner was excellent and the food was good too. All throughout, Amelia was rubbing my inner thigh with her foot. She didn't go all the way up to my bulge, but she was very effective in sky rocketing my already present arousal. She knew what she was doing to me. She brought up topics like politics and world events, but used a plethora of innuendos to keep my mind on edge just so she could tease me about not listening as her foot did its dance. I was actually thankful she didn't make direct contact with my crotch as my mind wasn't the only thing on edge.

When we finished eating, Amelia told me to stay put as she first went to the bathroom and then she handled clean up. I was thankful for the break, if what her foot was doing was a preview for the main attraction.

Amelia was finishing the dishes when she called out. "Shit!"

I turned my head to the commotion. "Are you alright?" I went to stand, but slumped back into my chair when I saw her.

"Look at what I did." Amelia's white t-shirt was soaked. "How clumsy of me." She said in a whimsical way.

My jaw dropped as I realized Amelia must have taken off her bra while in the bathroom because two glorious mounds of flesh were on display through the transparent fabric. Her nipples were hard and erect, trying to puncture their way through their prison just to say hello to me.

Amelia shrugged her shoulders and sighed. "Oh well. I guess I'm going to have to get in my pajamas now." She padded down the hall to my bedroom.

After a minute or two of paralysis, I followed. Amelia was waiting on my bed in her "pajamas."

"You made it right on time." Amelia greeted me with a grin.

I smiled back. "I love your pajamas."

"Would you like to join me in your matching pajamas?"

I didn't hesitate and stripped off all my clothes and jumped into bed. Both of us were lying on our sides, facing each other. My heart beating a mile a minute as I opened my gift that being the little red bow Amelia had placed over her womanhood, effectively removing her only clothing.

We kissed. We kissed in a way we never kissed before. There was an electricity coursing through us as our lips, tongues, souls intertwined. It was sensual, sexual, passionate, and full of love all at once. If we did nothing else, I mean ever again, I'd be happy with just this kiss. It was a pleasure beyond rational comprehension, an expression of true love between two soul mates. We kissed for an eternity, for a few seconds, who really cares, and I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt that Amelia felt it too.

"Amelia, that was... Wow." My hand was caressing her arm.

"I know... I know." Amelia shook her head, searching for the correct word. "It was perfect."

I had to agree. But this evening wasn't about a kiss. Amelia slithered her arm down and began to lightly pet my erection. I almost felt sex after that would ruin the moment. Her petting became a stroking and we kissed again. I had to touch her. Any part of her body would suffice. My hands came to her sides and I felt her warm, soft skin. Once in contact with this beauty, I realized not any one part of her body was enough. I wanted, no, I needed to explore every square inch of her. I brought my hands to the nape of her neck. I broke the kiss and Amelia was momentarily disappointed. My lips began their descent south. First her chin, and then her neck, placing light pecks everywhere. With my hands and lips now working in conjunction with each other on opposite sides of her body, I traveled further down.

My hands on her spine could feel her involuntary shiver as my lips reached the valley of her luscious bosom. My fingertips were randomly moving along her backside, unsure of where they would land next while I started a spiral path with my lips from the underside of her breasts to reach the apex. I took my time. My kisses were following their own yellow brick road path and as I reached the zenith of my ascent, Amelia was squirming with anticipation. My hands molded her derriere and I flicked each nipple with my tongue, sending a shock wave of pleasure through her body. She fell on her back and pressed my head to her chest. I lightly nibbled and sucked on her left nub and positioned my right hand to toy with the other.

I reluctantly released her teat as it was time to continue my close inspection of her anatomy. Amelia groaned her displeasure until my kisses resumed their downward descent, giving her the expectation of joys soon to come. My hands went to her sides and traveled at the same speed as my unwavering kisses. I reached her naval and darted my tongue in. Her pelvic region was next and her short, black hair tickled the inside of my nose. My hands were on her hips and my fingertips were scraping the sides of her backside. My kisses made their way around her opening and then outright passed it up when I advanced to her thighs. She was twisting in agony and clutching at the mattress, her body upset at my bypass of her need as I lowered myself down her left leg and then up her right leg, stopping momentarily to suckle on each of her toes.