Jake and Melanie (Melly for short) had decided they were ready to buy a house together. Melly bubbled with excitement as she sent him house after house in text messages throughout the day. Jake was more subdued, flicking through the list of houses on his phone with cool, professional interest. He paused only for those that were within their budget and economical (lower likelihood of maintenance issues in the short or long term), while she sent him everything that looked even mildly interesting.
"Ooh, look at this one on Hemlock, with the red shutters." She delicately tapped a long lacquered nail against her phone's screen as they were having dinner. Jake didn't know where she got the energy after working all day, but he appreciated her enthusiasm. She slid closer and held her phone out in front of them, swiping through the pictures. He was quickly distracted by her proximity, noticing the heat from her body and the scent of her hair. He let his arms rest from the task of shoveling food while he watched the photos scroll by with detached interest.
It's not that Jake wasn't interested in the houses so much as he was more interested in his new bride. "New" being a relative term - they'd been married for almost three years now, but their passion had yet to cool. As it was, he adjusted his position to see if he could get a better look down her shirt. He knew it was silly - nothing he hadn't seen a thousand times, and would probably see again tonight - but the thrill of seeing more than he was meant to, when he wasn't meant to be looking, was too enticing to resist. And if she caught him, she'd scoff and roll her eyes, but yet the next time she'd return with one less button fastened.
"So, do you think you want to go see it?" Jake was summoned back to reality.
"Yeah, seems worth a closer look." He shrugged, concealing a smirk at his personal joke as he wiped his mouth with the napkin. The cacciatore was good, but the sauce was a bit too watery. Next time he'd let it simmer uncovered longer and keep an eye on it.
Melly smiled her bright smile, brown eyes shining, and tapped a button to save the house to her favorites list. She'd call the realtor the next morning and arrange everything. That was just who she was: go, go, go. A lot of people thought her peppiness was an act; part of her job as a personal trainer - that it was as much a part of her uniform as the curve-accentuating athletic apparel. But the truth was that she was just naturally effervescent and, once she had determined a course of action, threw herself bodily at every task without hesitation.
Jake, on the other hand, was much more reserved. It wasn't so much that he lacked enthusiasm as he tempered it and subjected every decision to a healthy degree of scrutiny before acting. He admired those who spoke slowly and softly, with the calm confidence of someone who was undeniably correct. But despite his pensive nature and his respect for measured action, he had a compulsive side - especially when Melly was involved.
After cleaning up dinner and dishes, the couple nuzzled together on the couch. Each of them scrolled absently on their phones while relaxing in each other's arms. Jake was reviewing the houses Melly had bookmarked earlier. He scrutinized photos and studied the language of the descriptions. "Well loved..." he said with overly exaggerated praise. "Ooh, this one has 'character.'" he mocked, earning him a smack on the leg.
And so it went until they went to bed. His groin ached, pressing against her as the couple spooned in their all-too-small full-size bed. "Not tonight." She moaned softly. "Save it for this weekend. It'll be so good." She rubbed tantalizingly against him in direct contradiction to her words.
"But what if I can't wait?" He slipped his hand beneath her shirt, running his fingers softly along her stomach to just graze the swell of her breasts. She took a shuddering breath and placed her hand atop his in a half-hearted gesture of restraint. He continued his circular path, slipping his fingers beneath the waistband of her shorts on the return pass before coming to rest on her hips. He pressed against her while pulling her in and softly kissing her earlobe. "What if you can't?" He whispered.
He slid his hand down her outer thigh and back up along the inner, allowing his fingers to push up the leg of her shorts before returning at last to her stomach. She responded by arching her neck back, closing her eyes and smiling, but pinning his hand in place. "Oh, but I can, and I will. And so will you."
In a past life he may have been upset by this rejection, especially when she was also aroused and clearly unopposed to his advances. He might have continued to press, or given up and snuck away to jerk off in the bathroom, but this was a game they played and he had learned that any frustration he felt now would be paid with interest. Not only would the sensation be greater, but his "range," let's say, would also be enhanced. He liked to brag about the time he 'damn near put a dent in the wall' from the middle of the bed. Melly would sigh and roll her eyes, but was also genuinely aroused by his vigor, which only served to encourage her.
The rest of the week passed in a similar fashion, building up to the weekend. But Melly threw a curve ball Friday, making him hold on for one more night. "I planned a full day of house appointments and open houses tomorrow. I don't want to be exhausted and smelling like sex all day."
"Well I do." Jake teased. She kissed him and wished him goodnight, but not before giving his crotch a brief massage. He groaned and tried again to get her going, but she stuck to her plan - difficult as it was for both of them - and he eventually gave up.
They were up and out early Saturday morning. Jake swore she was trying to kill him (in so many ways), to which she told him to shut up and drink his coffee. She wore a tight white, spaghetti-strap tank top - the kind with a built-in bra - and an airy pink skirt. Despite the amount of walking, she endured in a pair of practical, yet stylish, white platform heels that accentuated her toned legs. Not to be outdone, Jake trimmed up his goatee and threw some gel in his hair. He splashed on just a bit of cologne that he knew she loved but he rarely wore. He also had on a faded tee shirt that was just a touch too small and accentuated his muscular arms, tucked into a pair of perfectly fitting jeans. Two could play this game.
Of course, she played it better.
Their agent brought them to house after house. Some were okay, but none had everything they were looking for. Some had strange layouts or expensive maintenance issues. Others had a peculiar smell and a "murder vibe" as Jake described it. Their agent was perfect, though. She didn't push them any one direction and gave them all the time they asked for at each house.
Melly was vibrant, fluttering across the floors like a ballerina and sauntering up the stairs like a salsa dancer - always ahead of Jake. She caressed the bannisters, remarking on the quality of the wood while Jake shook his head and adjusted his pants. She would comment on the character of the house and how they could always change the paint, but in the end was never satisfied.
For his part, Jake checked all of the fixtures; turning the faucets on and off, flushing the toilets, and peering into the ductwork and other crevasses. "Hmmm." He would mutter with an academic aloofness. "Have to take a closer look at that later." He would say as he wandered off, poking and prodding at seemingly strategic points in the structure. Later, in the car on their way to the next location, Melly would ask what he'd seen and he'd shrug. "I don't know what the hell I'm looking for. I'm just making this up as I go. Funny to see your faces, though." She, of course, slapped him and rolled her eyes (as best she could while still driving).
Jake would take advantage of their brief car rides to gently caress her thighs, running his fingertips lightly from her knee up under her skirt. She always stopped him with a stern "Not while I'm driving. Do you want us to crash?" His advances were never fully unwanted, and he knew his boundaries well enough, so he would push right up to them.
"We're here." Melly said with unspoken intention. Stop and get out of the car, she meant, but he took the opportunity to go the extra distance, playing his fingers across the soft fabric of her underwear. She sucked in a breath and unintentionally let her legs relax farther apart. "We have to get out." She breathed, but did not move. She knew they had to stop, but did not want to. Their tour was nearing its end, and they had been teasing each other for the entire day. Both were eager to return home and had already fantasized about how they might pounce the other several times over.
The real estate agent got out of her car ahead of them, smoothing her polyester pantsuit. Without waiting for her clients, she marched up to the door to retrieve the key from the lockbox. Melly cleared her throat and fixed her hair as she composed herself. A quick dab of powder to her cheeks and she was out of the car. Jake, however, lagged behind. "Go on in. I'll catch up. Gotta reply to a text." he lied, staring at his phone. In reality he needed to wait for some swelling to go down, which took longer than it might have otherwise. A full week of waiting followed by a full day of teasing was pushing the limits of his endurance. He was tempted to pull up some porn, but checked the weather instead. Not only did he worry about seeming awkward or suspicious, but this house genuinely appealed to him more than the others, and he truly wanted to give it a proper walk-through.
He entered into the space between the kitchen and the living room. It was an open concept with a spiral staircase leading up to a loft. Without thinking, he kicked off his shoes and strolled through the kitchen, running his hand along the smooth, granite countertops and admiring the new chrome appliances. There was plenty of natural light, and the built-in fixtures provided options for brilliant illumination or a softer glow, which Jake preferred. The house was secluded enough to offer privacy, but not completely cut off from the possibility of a neighbor or passerby catching a glimpse through the generous windows.
Jake heard Melly and the agent talking upstairs as he continued his self-guided tour around the comfortable living room with vaulted ceilings accented with natural wood. The bathrooms were spacious and modern with no noticeable defects. He considered detouring to the basement, but was feeling a strong pull toward his woman, so he climbed to the second floor instead.
