This is a repost of an old romance story with a new edit.
Chapter 8
Sherry’s orgasm bounced like a skipping stone, one diminishing peak after another, and then the final splash. Her overloaded senses didn’t identify the moisture on her face, until a drop fell on her lips. Reawakened taste buds recognized the saltiness of a tear.
Sam hid his face in the pillow, and said, "Thank you."
Unsure of what happened, she hugged him, and crossed her legs over his back to hold him as close as humanly possible. Running her fingers through his damp hair, she felt a surge of panic. A man had never cried in her arms before, for any reason. Now Sam, the man she loved, was reduced to tears after sex. “Are you all right, Honey?”
A husky voice, muffled in the pillow, said, “I can’t remember the last time I felt so right.”
The remark swept away her fear with warm tenderness, this poignant moment dearer than the physical pleasure. Her love had released a flood of emotion from his soul. Hope of a lifetime swelled within her. She whispered endearments, allowing him time to regain composure, and then sang in a small voice, "You make me feel like a natural woman."
Sam rose up on his elbows. “I’m such a mess. Are you sure you want me?”
She smiled. “Yes, I’m sure.”
The separation of their torsos let the air conditioner blow a cool breeze across their sweaty chests.
Smiling down, enraptured by the vision, Sam said, "You're an angel sent to show me life is worth living, aren't you."
"Yes." She squeezed her thighs around him, and said, "Call me Clarence, if you like."
His lips pressed her throat, creating a pleasant tingle as he nuzzled in. Sherry lifted her chin and turned her head to encourage him.
Between kisses, Sam said, "What was that line from the movie? Was it: 'When a woman has an orgasm an angel gets his wings'?"
"That's right." Sherry rubbed his back. "And you gave out some supersonic wings today, Baby," then pulled his lips to hers for heavenly punctuation.
Sweet minutes passed as they lay entwined, and satisfied.
Sherry pressed her cheek against his, and said, “Sam, you know what I’ve learned from you?”
“You learned I don’t want a cucumber up my ass.”
She laughed, and said, “Okay, that’s true, but not what I was thinking.”
From behind her ear, he asked, “What else did you learn?”
Massaging his scalp, she replied, “I’m not frigid, like Bob said. I love sex with you. And not once did I even think about faking an orgasm. I didn’t have to.”
Sam lifted his head to look at her. With a broad smile and liquid eyes, he said, “Sherry, that’s got to be one of the best compliments I’ve ever heard,” and hugged her tight.
A tickle inside told Sherry his penis had shrunk, and the confluence of their climax began to leak out. "I need to use the bathroom."
Sam reached over to the nightstand, retrieved a hand full of tissues, and withdrew.
She groaned at the quick separation.
After laying some tissues on her stomach, he wiped himself dry, and said, "I hope we didn’t stain your quilt."
"Maybe I want it stained. Then I’d have DNA evidence that you were actually here," she said, mopping up the wet spot.
"If you want, I’ll give you another sample ASAP," he said, grinning from the bedside.
Sherry got up and swayed her hips all the way to the closet. "We'll see.”
Years ago, to pamper herself, she'd purchased a silk kimono. Until now, no one had ever seen her wear it. Slipping on the extravagant jade-green fabric, she twirled for Sam. The short hem lifted to expose her legs all the way up. “You like?”
His face glowed with approval. "My kind of gift wrap. You are totally phat."
She stepped into the hallway, shot him a torrid smile, and said, "Don't go anywhere, Dude," then closed the bedroom door.
Sam glanced at the alarm clock. There was still an hour before he'd have to leave and pick up Chris. 'I wonder if there's a second round left in this old gun.’
The clouds broke apart and the sun reappeared. Feeling restless, he stood, looked out the back window, and marveled at all the flowers. A nearly continuous garden encircled the fenced in lawn. Red, pink and white roses, as big as your fist, climbed the chain link fence at the very back, evidence that her tender care included plants as well as people.
A subtle inconsistency between the yard and the house bothered him. The negligence of the structure seemed incongruous with her doting attention to her gardens. He wondered if bad memories associated with the house were responsible for some of its disrepair.
Another oddity became apparent as he scanned the backyard. Behind the chain link fence stood a stockade fence. Above the eight-foot wall rose a baseball diamond backstop. Obviously, there was a playground adjacent to her property. 'What a perfect place to raise a family; just walk through the backyard gate, and into the park. Was the second fence added for security, or to hide from the reminder of being childless?'
Like a Divine answer, a foul ball landed inside the yard. Moments later, a loud ring could be heard above the drone from the AC unit. The brassy clang came from a bell attached to the top of the fence. A pull rope hung down on the playground side. After a short time, the stockade gate swung out, and two boys about twelve years old peeked in. When they were confident no one was there, they opened the old chain link gate and retrieved their ball, then waved at the house as they left.
"I guess it's not for security.”
"What's not for security?" Sherry had quietly entered the room, while he was lost in thought.
"Your two fences. Some kids just came in to get a baseball. Nice of you to put the gate in for them."
Ignoring the statement, she said, "Sam, you must need to use the bathroom." She carried an antique pitcher and bowl. A towel and washcloth hung over her arm. After placing the collection on the dresser, she said, "Hurry back. I have a surprise for you."
"Hmm, a surprise, huh." He pecked her cheek, and she patted his butt on the way by. "You continue to amaze me, Love."
'Love!' she thought, 'he called me Love!' Sherry walked to the window and hugged herself. Sam had noticed the fences, and seemed to have an intuition about them that made her feel naked beyond the flesh. He saw things and analyzed for motive. Or maybe she just imagined he understood her heart.
Sherry hadn’t thought about the fence in a long time. After Bob left to be with the mother of his child, the playground was too much to bear. The day the fence went up she'd stayed in bed, depressed. No more would she have to look out onto the field of children, heart broken. Then the baseballs began to collect in the yard, and she softened. The gate and bell were installed. Instructions to ring the bell before entering were posted on the playground side, so the kids wouldn’t startle her when they came in.
'Had Sam guessed any of this?' she wondered, and then decided the kids coming in the yard just made him think about the fence.
Sherry poured warm water into the bowl and dropped in the washcloth. Jan's notebook had been a blessing. It opened a door. But now it was time for her to make her own way through. If she was to win Sam’s heart it would have to be for the love of her, and not someone created in Jan's image.
Sam walked in. Apparently he’d been uncomfortable naked, because his briefs were back on.
Sherry glimpsed her pink reflection in the dresser mirror, hot with the idea of what she was about to do. Leaning back with her palms on the dresser top, she said, "Are you ready for your surprise?" and shifted her weight so the robe opened to reveal one long leg.
