Fireside

Jessie hummed as she moved around the suite, setting up candles, turning down the lights, and putting on Erin’s favorite music. She opened a bottle of wine for herself and checked the minifridge for the beer she knew was cooling for him. She sat down on the bed, in an alluring pose. She got up immediately and moved to the bathroom to brush her auburn hair again and check her lipstick. Jessie straightened the skirt she knew Erin liked, the one that showed off her legs. Singing to herself she perched on the couch like a butterfly and then jumped up again to check the snacks in the microwave.

She was nervous. She only hummed and sang when she was nervous. It filled the air and covered the sound of her noisily beating heart.

At 6:15, the doorbell rang. Jessie’s chest hurt, and she could barely breathe, but she rose to answer the door. She drew back the bolt and opened the door to her lover standing outside.

Technically, that wasn’t true. He wasn’t her lover. Not truly. Not yet. That’s where her nervousness came from. They had been friends for a very long time, each with a different partner. They had grown close personally and as confidants, but never had the freedom to act upon their feelings. Circumstances had changed, and now Jessie and Erin were free to move forward. Whether they were ready was another matter.

“Hello”, he said softly. He stood in the doorway, looking unsure of himself. His sandy hair and reddish beard were freshly trimmed. He looked recently showered.

“Hi, c’mon in!”, she returned, feeling oddly giddy . She retreated to the wet bar area and pretended to be busy in the fridge as he took off his coat and closed the door.

She removed a beer from the fridge and poured herself a glass of red wine. He smiled at her as he took the bottle.

“Thanks. I see you got my brand.”

“Only the best.” She took a sip of wine and returned the glass to the counter, her hand resting beside it.

“So, how are you?”, he asked. He placed his hand on top of hers. Her hand was cold. It trembled.

“Nervous”, she blurted out. He laughed. She blushed.

“It’s OK”, he assured her, “I am, too.”

“I never could keep up appearances with you”, she admitted. “I was planning to act like the seductress, and meet you at the door wrapped in saran wrap, but I couldn’t do it. This seemed more important than a silly seduction.”

“Well, I would have enjoyed the view…but you’re probably right.” He took another sip of his beer. “Nice choice of music…I assume that was for me, too?”

“You always said that James Taylor was your favorite”, she teased. Suddenly, she felt a few of the butterflies leave her stomach, driven away by the comfort of his presence.

“Come sit on the couch with me”, he said quietly, taking her hand. To hide the lurch in her throat, she permitted herself a small smile as she gathered up the wine glass in her other hand. She followed him past the bed to the couch, which sat by the window and the sliding glass door out to the deck.

They sat together on the soft cushions, his arm over her shoulders, her head resting on his chest. They didn’t speak at first, just cuddled. She sighed.

“I always wanted to do this. I just never felt like I had the right.”

“I suppose you didn’t. Neither did I.”

“Erin, how did we get here?”, she asked, even though she knew the answer.

“It wasn’t our fault”, he replied. “Julia and I had been married for over a decade. You were living with Frank. I don’t know why you and I grew so close, some twisted piece of fate to fall for someone you can’t be with.”

“I don’t think it was a twisted piece of fate that we met”, she said, pulling away to look at his face. “I think we met because we were supposed to meet. The timing was crazy, and we had to wait, but I truly believe we are supposed to be here…now.” She swallowed.

“Kiss me”, she said.

He leaned toward her, chucked his hand under her chin and kissed her gently. It was almost a chaste kiss, until his tongue snuck between her lips. She answered by opening her mouth to him and tasting the underside of his tongue. She rested a hand upon his chest, feeling the muscle move beneath. After a long moment, they parted, breathing heavily.

“I have waited so long to do that”, he said simply.

His blue eyes were smoky with desire. She looked into them and felt her face flush. He looked like he wanted to eat her. She took a sip of wine and collected herself.

“Let’s take it slow, OK? We’ve waited so long now, I want to be patient and make this last. We don’t have to rush. We’re alone and there’s no one between us now to prevent what we want from happening.” She was afraid to look at him, hoping he didn’t think she’d gotten cold feet.

“That sounds great”, he said in a low, smoldering tone. She looked up and caught his eyes, which were twinkling. He leaned back into the couch and relaxed with his beer. “The music’s on, we’ve got all night and each other. Who’s in a rush?”

She leaned back in for a reminder that taking it slow didn’t mean cooling things down, and drew back, lips glistening. She rose from the couch.

“I made some nachos. Are you hungry?”, she asked.

“I’m hungry for more than nachos, but they’ll do. Thanks.”

His comment made her blush. Moving into the kitchen toward the microwave, she was reminded how his looks and vocal tone alone could make her flush and sweat. She remembered one time, after sexually teasing each other over email, she’d had to go to the bathroom at her office, and relieve herself. That had never happened with Frank. Erin’s voice repeated over and over in her head. She let out a deep breath. With it, more of the edginess left her body, replaced by a low ache.

Jessie returned to the table by the couch and put down the steaming plate. She retrieved sour cream and hot sauce and salsa from the fridge, and set them beside their meal. Erin seated himself at the table and smiled.

“Nice spread!”, he exclaimed.

“Shall I light the fire?”, she asked. “It might get warm in here, but I’m sure that would be OK.”

“The hotter the better, in my mind”, he returned, grinning.

She flipped the switch on the gas fireplace, setting the ceramic logs ablaze. Jessie looked around the well-designed room. Fire, table, couch, stereo and tv, full bathroom, nearly full kitchen, king-sized bed. Enough amenities to stay here for a week. The thought made her shiver with pleasure. It was the off-season. The rates were good.

They sat together at the round table, eating and enjoying each other’s company. The times they had been alone together in person could be counted on one hand. For Jessie, it was an odd sensation to realize that nothing stood in the way of their moment. Frank had traded her in for a younger model last winter, Julia died in a car accident eight months ago. Still, she jumped up and went to the door to turn the dead bolt.

“Are you still nervous?”, he asked, when she returned and sat at the table once more.

“Yes, and no.”

“Which is it?”, he persisted.

“It’ll take me a while to get over the fact that we are free to be together, and don’t have to check the windows and bolt the door. Sorry.” She looked down at the table’s wood grained surface and bit her lip.

“Jessie, I like what you said before…we were brought together for a reason. We’ve been friends for a long time. Let’s see what that reason is. Let’s take the next step.”

Erin pushed the chair back and wiped his face with a napkin. His eyes were dark, and deadly solemn. Jessie suddenly wanted him very badly.

“Dance with me”, he said, holding out a hand.

“Seriously?”

“Absolutely.”

“I thought you didn’t dance”, she protested.

“I do when I think I might get lucky afterward.”

With that, the tension broke within her. She burst into laughter and took his hand. He folded her into his arms. The music was low and sweet, and they swayed together slowly. Their heights were six inches apart. Jessie spent a few moments getting used to how they fit together. Frank had been her height. She had her arm around his narrow waist and buried her face into his chest. He stroked her long hair with one hand, the other clasping her hand inside his own. After several songs, she looked up at him and smiled.

“I don’t think I’m nervous any more.”

Their faces were a few inches apart. He lowered his lips, and she rose to meet them, stretching on her toes.

“Good. Me neither.”

The kiss was not so chaste this time. Jessie met Erin’s hard lips with her own soft, insistent ones. Their tongues tangled immediately. Jessie felt his hands tighten around her lower back, and drop to her ass. He squeezed. She felt her breath quicken. She cupped his face at the bearded jaw and passed her fingers through the hair at the back of his neck. She pulled him toward her by his neck, as he pulled her to him using her buttocks as handles.

Pausing, Erin lifted his head back and smiled into her upturned face. He returned downward to cover her face and cheeks with small kisses, and worked his way into the curve of her neck. Jessie felt her blood begin to boil. When Erin reached her sensitive earlobe and sucked it passionately into his mouth, she felt hot fluid flow between her thighs.

A wave of heat swept over Jessie’s skin. She clung to him as he kissed her neck and shoulder. She worked her mouth around his jawline with soft kisses as his breath warmed her ear. She found her way to his earlobe and took it in. She flushed with satisfaction at the quickening of his breath. He gripped her ass more firmly and ground her hips against his. .

He caught her wandering hand, and drew it down toward his groin, so she could feel his excitement. The bulge in his pants was unmistakable. Jessie purred into his neck with pleasure that she was responsible for his arousal.

Erin moved over to the bed and sat down on it. “Are you sure you want to do this?”, he asked.

Jessie was touched by his concern, and willingness to give her more space if she needed it. However, she was too far gone at this point to turn him down. She stepped to him, and stood in front of his knees, holding his face between both hands.

“It’s a good thing you are sitting down, because I would have asked you to before I said this anyway.” She took a deep breath and almost laughed with giddiness.

“I am…truly and hopelessly in love with you. There’s nothing I can do to change it. It’s a part of me. It has been a part of me for a long time now, and it will stay with me forever.” She did laugh lightly, this time. “Not that I’m trying to pressure you.”

“I know that you have had a rough few months, and that losing Julia was hard. I just want you to know how I feel , and that I don’t expect anything from you beyond what you can give”, she continued.

“Come here”, he said simply, and pulled her down onto the bed beside him. They kissed passionately, arms entangled.

“My I touch your legs?”, he asked. “After all, didn’t you wear this skirt for me?”

“Yes. Please”, she murmured hearing a near crack in her voice. She stroked his hair and watched him lean over her legs as they stretched on the bed. Erin kissed her knees lightly through her nylons, moving his hands up her thighs, and down her calves. He worked his way to her feet, kissing every inch as though it were precious to him. When he had reached the bottom and touched his lips to the top of her foot, she let out a giggle.

“What?”, he asked.

“You are kissing my terribly stinky feet!”, she giggled. “Besides, my lips miss you.” She smiled, and lay down on the bed, reaching out to draw him up and over her body like a blanket. His light body draped over hers, as he hungrily found her mouth. Jessie’s arms encircled his back, hugging him close. They lay, hip to hip, mouth to mouth, taking in the feel of each other’s body. In a moment, their legs wrapped together . Erin’s continued arousal was obvious. His erection was nestled in the hollow of Jessie’s hip, and she lifted her pelvis to grind against it.

Jessie dropped her hands to Erin’s ass and squeezed rhythmically. He moved against her and repositioned a leg between her thighs to rest against her vulva. They pressed together, breathing as one, rubbing, licking, and kissing each other’s exposed parts.

At last, Erin slipped his outside leg between hers, nudging her legs apart. His hardness, bound by clothing, pushed against her flesh. The skirt rode up as they writhed. Jessie could feel her wetness soaking through her panties. She hungered for him. She couldn’t wait.

“I want to see you”, she said. Her voice was scratchy with desire. She felt like her skin would burn up. Beside the bed, the fireplace crackled and glowed. Jessie turned momentarily to look at the fire, and the light flickered in her luminous eyes. “I want so much to see what I’ve been missing.”

He slid off the bed and stood at the end. He regarded her with a wild look. An animalistic look. Jessie gulped involuntarily. She knew that they would be passionate if they ever got together, but this was almost too much. Staring into her eyes, Erin slowly took off his shirt, exposing his muscular chest. He stopped there.

“Now you.”

Holding his electric gaze with her own, Jessie removed her sweater and shirt. Her bra was a simple satin affair meant more to support her heavy breasts than excite a man, but he didn’t seem to care. He rolled his eyes and dove for her cleavage. He ravaged her breasts with his mouth, working around skin and satin alike. He found her nipples through the fabric and teased them with his teeth. She bit back a moan, and it came out like a growl.

“I like that. I like making you growl”, he said.

She nodded, unable to speak. She simply looked in his eyes, hoping he knew what she wanted next.

Erin undid the clasp on her bra, and released her breasts from their restraint. Her breasts hung heavy and low. He was aching to suck on her breasts, but instead, he hugged her. Naked to the waist, he touched her skin with his, passing over her nipples with the light hair on his chest. Her nipples hardened instantly. Brushing past them again, he let his nipples make contact with hers. They both sucked in air at the same moment, and smiled at each other.

He gathered a breast in his hand, and fed upon it. Her areolas were huge, but tightened immediately upon his ministrations. Her skin tasted delightful. Her nipples were pink, and edible, and soon became red and rosy as he suckled.

Jessie’s hips moved unconsciously with the actions of his tongue. She tossed her head back, holding his head to her breasts. She loved this. She had always loved this. It seemed like forever that she’d waited for him, for this night. She felt herself getting close, and she didn’t want to go over the edge yet.

“Stop…I need you to stop…I’m going to come if you keep this up”, she pleaded.

He raised his head and smiled.

“Well, then, we’re just going to have to take a breather again.”

He stood up and walked shirtless into the kitchenette to retrieve another beer. Jessie flopped back onto the bed to regain her composure. The feelings of intensity slowly ebbed. She lay stroking her ribs absently with a small smile on her face.

“What are you thinking about?”, he asked, returning to sit on the edge of the fireplace. He sipped his beer and admired her partial nudity. The firelight played across her pale skin. Maybe it was tricks of the light, but she seemed to be glowing.

“I imagined this. I wrote poems about it. I wrote dirty stories and posted them on the internet. I just had to work out these thoughts in some way that didn’t hurt anyone. I couldn’t plan on a day or time when it might happen, because it was never a sure thing.”

“So, how does this compare to the fantasy?”, he asked with amusement. He felt like he could afford to play; they had the time, and it just heightened his desire for her.

“Better. You’re really here now, and not just a wish or a hope or a figment of my imagination.”

“Give me a couple minutes. I intend to surpass your imagination.” With a wolfish grin, he put down the beer. “Ready to continue?”

She nodded.

“I want to lick you. I told you I like that. I want to taste you.”

She nodded again, and swallowed. His disclosure by email one hot day last summer was the one that sent her to the office bathroom. He slipped the skirt off her, and the nylons. Now she lay on the bed clad in only her panties, which were soaked and smelled of her musk. He pulled down the panties and discarded them beside the bed. He looked her up and down as if wondering where to start. Her nerve endings tingled with anticipation.

He chose her left little toe. Erin rolled his tongue around the toe, then moved across the top of her foot to the inside of her ankle. Jessie wasn’t laughing now. His tongue traveled up the calf to the pit of her knee. She spread her legs wider to give him space, and the smell of her curry instantly sent blood rushing south. He inched his way up Jessie’s body, up onto the bed. His erection rested against the edge of the bed. He thrust forward with his pelvis, feeling excitement build in his loins.

Erin’s tongue worked slowly, almost lazily up Jessie’s thighs. The anticipation almost made her scream. She was waiting for his tongue, dying for it. She moved her hips desperately toward his face as if to smother him with her depths. He refused to be rushed. Jessie lolled her head to the side and lifted it up to watch his progress. She saw his hips humping the bed, moving ever toward her. She knew he was as heated up as she was, and that he was just playing with her to make things last.

“Eat me. I want you to eat me. Now.” She demanded. She reached forward to grip his hair. “Please, I need you.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She dropped his head and he directed his attention to her outer lips, licking and sucking, nibbling and swirling around them. Jessie lay back, gripping the sheets. Her mouth was open as if to breathe more easily, but her breath was shallow and quick. She was afraid to breathe, afraid to move. His tongue felt so good, so right. Everything, everything felt right with him. His tongue circled her clit. She let out a strangled noise. He flicked it. She grunted. He flicked it again. And again. Jessie barked out a string of unintelligible words. She arched her back to get closer to him. Erin thrust into her pussy with his tongue, and thrust against the sheets at the same time.

“I’m coming soon if you don’t stop”, she whispered.

“Do you want me to stop?”, he asked raggedly. He nosed her clit and she shuddered.

“I want more than your tongue inside me. I want all of you.”

“As you wish…” Erin slid off the bed. He undid his belt, loosened his jeans, and slipped them down past his narrow hips. His erection was clearly visible through his underwear. He quickly slipped them off. Jessie smiled at the sight of him.

“What?”, he asked nervously. They had joked about size upon occasion. She looked in his eyes and crooked her forefinger invitingly.

“You look good to me. Come here and fill me. I’ve waited long enough.”

With that, he was upon her. They lay again, naked this time, hip to hip, mouth to mouth. Their skin was warm and sweaty from the fire and each other. Erin’s erection slipped against the wetness of Jessie’s thighs. He rubbed back and forth a few times over the surface of her lips. Holding his cock, he placed the head against her pussy and pushed his way inside her core.

She cried out, “Yes!”, and wrapped her arms and legs around his back and thighs. Erin pinned her beneath him, moving in and out. He thrust into her, and they grunted together as they coupled. Her hands gripped his behind and pulled him into her more deeply. She felt his muscular ass flex and release as he fucked her. She tilted her pelvis and lifted it to him with each stroke. Her hands traveled up his backside, where she began to dig into his flesh with her fingernails.