Express Lane

Readers,

I sincerely apologize for how long it took me to update this series. After starting it almost two years ago, I've decided to wrap it up with this chapter. I hope you will enjoy it and will look forward to all of my new stories and series to come.

~ RaLa

***

Hours had passed since Larissa was surprised by Noah's presence at her graduation party. It was now nighttime and most of the partygoers had said their well wishes and gone home. The only ones who lingered were Larissa's parents, Joanna, and their brother Kevin but they were cleaning up so Noah and Larissa had time to themselves. They'd already spent a considerable amount of time discussing Noah's decision and the heartbreak and pain it had caused both of them.

Now that their feelings were out in the open, they could talk to each other without feeling tension in the air.

"So how is it in Paradise?" Larissa's head was nestled against Noah's chest as she spoke. His hands were clasped in hers; they looked like the perfect couple they never had the chance to be.

"False advertisement like I've never seen before," he chuckled. "Okay well, maybe it is paradise if you're into beautiful scenery and lots of tourist attractions. It just wasn't paradise for me."

Larissa looked at him curiously. "You mean to tell me this perfect, way-too-quiet Stepford Wives neighborhood is paradise to you?"

Noah caressed her lower lip with his thumb. Six months without doing so much as touching her had been far, far too long. "Anywhere you are is paradise, Ris."

Larissa stared into Noah's eyes adoringly. Have you ever had a moment where you're so elated, it feels as if you're hovering in mid-air? That's how she felt, cradled in his arms with his hold so strong against her like he never wanted to let go. She had heard of dysfunctional love affairs but was convinced that her story was so out there that no one would believe it.

"Well," she said as she squeezed his large palm, "How long are you looking to stay?"

Noah's smile faded. "I have about a week until I have to go back."

She nodded, her own smile quickly disappearing. "Have to go back or want to go back?"

"Larissa, you know I want to stay here with you; It's just that I haven't saved up enough to leave Paradise and do my own thing. As much as I've been miserable, I've really enjoyed all the perks of working there. I can't scoff at the benefits. The daycare that Rory attends is great. I just don't think I can."

Before she could respond, Larissa's mother and father walked in.

"Hi baby," her mother said. "Before we leave, I just wanna say I'm so proud of you!" She gave Larissa a huge kiss on the cheek and to her and Noah's surprise, did the same to him. "And you... you're a handsome young man. I hope to see you again."

Her father, while not as warm as her mother, nodded in Noah's direction and blew a kiss to his daughter before heading out the door. Her brother Kevin followed soon after, which only left Joanna, who was currently getting dressed to go out.

"Where you going, Jo?" Noah said.

"Spending the night with my friend. I'm sure you two have a lot to do -- I mean... talk about. Ah hell, probably both, knowing you two." She grabbed her purse and waved to them as she walked out. "Love you guys, see you later."

Larissa turned to Noah, who had a sly grin plastered across his gorgeous face. She didn't have to ask why -- she already knew. Too bad she was going to shoot him down.

"I know what you're thinking," she said as she stood up. "It ain't happening."

Noah rose to his feet silently, still grinning. He took off his blazer and followed her as she walked into the kitchen to grab some bottled water. His eyes followed her, scanning her body. The baby blue dress she was wearing could barely contain her curves. He put a hand on her lower back and brushed his lips against her ear. "Are you trying to tell me that after six months, you don't want --"

"What I don't want is doing something with you while you're still dating Crystal," she interrupted.

Noah's shoulders slouched and he froze as she walked away. Damn, he had forgotten all about Crystal and being reminded only gave him a reason to feel like the wind had been knocked out of him. He paced with his hands in his pockets for a long while. Larissa stared at him curiously from the living room but refused to interrupt whatever it was he was doing.

After some time, he walked out of the kitchen and, pulling out his BlackBerry, sat next to Larissa. He didn't speak to her as he fiddled with the gadget, pressing buttons repeatedly with a look of annoyance on his face. Finally, he stopped and she heard the familiar sound of a phone ringing.

He was calling Crystal.

After three rings, she picked up. "Hey babycakes! How is your vacation?"

"Crystal." Noah's voice had little enthusiasm in it and his piercing gray eyes were focused on Larissa. "I'm breaking up with you. Rory and I are moving back and I'm quitting my job. I love Larissa and if she'll have me, I want to stay with her and make a life with her." The line was silent for what seemed like eons before Crystal hung up. The screen flashed with a notification that repeatedly blinked 'Call Ended.'

Larissa looked at him dumbfounded. She knew that his words were sincere as he said them, and the way that he never took his eyes from her while he spoke only reaffirmed what she felt about him.

"Was that what you were looking for?"

"I don't know what to say," she admitted. "Of course I'll have you, but are you honest about the whole making a life with me? We're really young and... I mean, it's crazy."

"We are young. But have you forgotten about Rory? Having him as my responsibility has only made me more open to long term commitment and stability. I know I'm pretty much going to be the only parent he'll ever know." He put an arm around her shoulder. "There's one thing I have always known and that's that life will change without warning and will be out of your control. I want to make sure of two things: that Rory has the best life possible and that you're my... whatever you would want to be to me. But I want you to be mine, Larissa. If you figure out you don't want me, you can walk away. I'm not trying to trap you."

Beaming uncontrollably, Larissa leaned in for the deepest kiss she had ever shared with Noah. The embrace sent wild currents of electricity flowing through her, along with an unfamiliar pang that throbbed in her chest and stomach.

She loved this man.

Managing to pull away, she smiled and put a finger against his pink lips. "I have to get out of this dress and take a shower. Wait for me?"

"Of course."

As she walked away, Larissa realized that today was quite possibly the best day of her life. New man, new degree and a promising future. It was enough to send her into a tizzy and soon, she began singing happily to herself.

"I don't want to give you up... I don't want to hold you up..." As she turned the faucets, a forceful stream of warm water burst from the showerhead and thundered against the porcelain tub and walls. Slipping out of her blue dress, she stepped into the tub and slid the shower curtain over. Her mind danced happily between her academic success and Noah. Every time she thought about the latter, her nether regions would tingle like they hadn't in months. He was right downstairs and looked hotter than ever. Best of all, he belonged to her.

She lathered her body with soapy suds, her fingertips exploring her wet skin and occasionally brushing against her now swollen bud between her legs. Wetting her hair, she sang again as the water cascaded down her face.

"I want you to travel with me... Let loose and let your mind go free...Show you things that you've never seen..."

She suddenly stopped when she heard the door opening and closing shut. Rubbing the water out of her eyes, Larissa gasped when she saw clearly, standing in front of her, a completely naked Noah. Her eyes travelled the length of his now muscular body, noting the addition of two new tattoos; Rory's name and Noah's initials. However, it was his pulsating dick that made her lean against the shower wall for support.

"Well, isn't this a bit of déjà vu?" he whispered.

She didn't respond right away and Noah took that as an invitation to climb into the shower. He was a distance from her but still close enough to drive her wild. He reached out to touch her wet cheek and sighed.

"I've never seen a more beautiful woman. I wonder how it'll be waking up to you every day."

Larissa closed her eyes and soon felt Noah's lips hot against her. His pale hands took a journey down her body before resting on her hips. She touched him in return, hands sliding against his broad chest and down to his chiseled abdomen. He had gotten more in shape but she had actually gained a few since he'd last saw her. He must not have cared though, because his member was standing at full attention as it pulsed against her stomach. As his hands moved down to her ass, she leaned forward to kiss his neck, lips soft against his skin. Noah groaned and pushed her away.

She looked at him with confusion. "What --"

"If I'm going to do this with you, I want it done right. I don't want to make love to you for the first time in the shower." He poured liquid soap into his hands and rubbed it against Larissa's back, washing her. "I want to show you that I value you for you, not just your body and what you can give me." His lips pecked at the nape of her neck as he washed her before moving to the front of her body. Cupping both of her breasts, he poured more soap into his hands and covered her chest with the mango-scented liquid. Her nipples hardened against his touch as he knead her soft flesh over and over again. He hadn't even touched her most intimate place and already she was breathing heavily.

Turning her around to face him, Noah lowered to one knee and, putting more soap into his hands, rubbed his palm flat against her mound. The stimulation against her clit sent her over the edge and she grabbed his chin, forcing him to gaze into her eyes.

"You're driving me crazy."

"You need to have patience."

"I want it now."

"I want it to mean something. Do you microwave a gourmet meal or does it take time?" Again he turned her around, but this time he focused on her lovely backside. As he washed her and the water rinsed the soap away, she felt his lips press against her cheeks. Her forehead pressed into the shower wall and she moaned.

"I'm pretty sure I'm clean, Noah," she whimpered.

"But I'm not." Handing the mango body wash to her, Noah stood with intense eyes as he waited for her to begin. His cock bobbed up and down as he moved and it took her a while to look anywhere else. Without a sound, she began mimicking his earlier actions and poured soap into her hand. As she lathered up his body, her fingertips traced the outline of his new tattoos and she smiled.

"When did you get this?"

"Three months ago. I didn't plan on it or anything. One day I was sitting in the living room with Rory and he just started talking to me. Not his usual baby talk but he really tried talking to me about his feelings. He asked me why our Mom isn't around and I didn't know what to tell him." Noah stuttered when Larissa's hands went lower but he somehow managed to keep going. "It's almost like he knew I didn't have an answer because he said, 'That's okay. Mommy might not be around but at least I have you.' I don't cry. I mean, I never cry over anything. But that kid had me going. Next thing I knew I was googling tattoo shops in Paradise and I got the tattoo."

She massaged his arms and biceps as the now lukewarm stream of water cascaded down their nude bodies. Noah could have been talking about anything and she would have loved to hear his not-too-deep, not-too-high voice rumbling in her ear. Suddenly, she poured soap over his stiff member and began stroking him. Noah shivered and put his hands on her shoulders, breathing hard. "You're driving me insane," he echoed her words earlier.

"Where's your patience? Can't microwave a gourmet meal, remember?" she teased.

He pushed her away and, quickly washing the remaining soap from their bodies, turned off the faucet. He grabbed two towels and they began to dry each other off and the moment they were finished, he tossed Larissa over his shoulder in a fireman's carry and charged into the hallway, his dick still wobbling in front of him, almost as if it was guiding his way to her bedroom. He looked in the adjacent bedrooms and immediately knew which one was Larissa's. The pink and purple nightmarish decor in the opposite room screamed Joanna. Larissa's room was much more demure and humble; earthy tones mixed with subtle floral patterns matched her sweet personality. He gingerly laid her down on the bed and smiled, as if he had accomplished something grand.

She looked up at all six foot three inches of him. His gray eyes were transfixed on her naked golden brown body. The lights were dimmed in the small room and Larissa reached over to grab a remote. She pressed a couple of buttons and the song she had been singing to herself earlier, "Closer" by Corinne Bailey Rae, filled the room.

"You like music during sex? That's another thing I have to put on my mental checklist," Noah chuckled. He laid down next to her and ran his fingers through her dyed golden brown hair, still damp from the shower. The thin strand of hair he twirled around his finger was spirally curled and he sighed. "You should really dye your hair back to its natural color or let it grow out."

She looked at him and self-consciously touched her hair. "You don't like it? Everyone's always told me I look better with lighter hair."

His lips puckered against her temple. "You look amazing with any hair color. I just know you'd look absolutely stunning with your natural hair color." His lips moved from her cheek to her jaw line and she put a hand on the back of his head, touching his shaggy locks. "Speaking of hair, since when did you decide to grow yours out? Not to mention you're about thirty pounds heavier than when I last saw you." He neglected to answer her for a while, instead kissing his way to her breasts. His tongue lapped against both chocolate buds and she squirmed. Finally he backed away long enough to respond.

"The hair..." he pushed her full breasts together and began dotting kisses all over them. "Couldn't wear my lip ring anymore so I had to find another way to rebel. Decided to grow my hair out. It itches like all hell but I had to do something." When he was done worshipping her full cups he ventured further down, stopping at her not-so-flat stomach. He touched her soft flesh with affection. Larissa looked down at him nervously. Somehow in the shower she wasn't as aware of her weight gain and didn't think Noah was either. Now that he was too close for comfort, she felt very insecure as he continued. "I bulked up because I really had nothing else to do in between working eight hour shifts and putting Rory to bed on weekdays. During the weekends, Rory always had a babysitter and I'd find myself heading to the gym. Mostly to get rid of... well, the pain I felt."

She watched him and hesitated to respond. He wouldn't be aroused at all if he thought she was too heavy to be attractive, she reasoned internally. Still, she wasn't the svelte Larissa that he remembered.

"By the way, I like the extra meat you have on your bones." Could he have read her mind? Or maybe it was the obvious look of discomfort on her face as he kissed her tummy. "I think you should stay this way."

"Nuh uh," she shook her head. "The only reason I even put on some extra weight was because of all the assignments and exams I had for school. I didn't really have time to work out. Now that I'm done, I'm hitting the gym ASAP."

Noah ignored her and before she knew it he was on his knees in front of her, face head level with her shaved mound. He stared at it incredulously, as if he'd found a thousand year old treasure. He didn't move, didn't talk, didn't do anything. She waved her hand in front of his face jokingly. "Earth to Noah. You act like you've never seen one before." Noah abruptly leaned forward and enveloped her engorged clit with his lips. She screamed in a way that she never had, almost rivaling the high pitched voice that seeped from her speakers.

"Ooh... your loving is so good, so good..." The song played in a continuous loop in the background but Larissa couldn't imagine another song that fit the mood so perfectly.

Suckling on her nub, he murmured something under his breath and his voice sent vibrations through her. She knew he was doing it on purpose. Tangling his hair in her fingers she managed to pull his head away. His eyes were half open and being a distance away from her slit didn't stop him from sticking his tongue out as far as it would go to taste her. "What did you say?"

He grabbed both her wrists and held them down on either side of her. "I said it's been six months since I've seen, tasted, touched, fucked and any other verb you can think of when mentioning pussy. Not just anyone's, but yours. As I recall, the first and last time we were together was very rushed and not at all my standard. You're mine, right?"

Larissa spread her legs in response, inviting him to explore. Why did he have to be so... everything? Hot, considerate, amazing? "You know I am."

He winked at her before diving right back to his previous position, only this time his tongue began to probe her soft flesh. Tracing the length of her entrance with the pink tip, it slipped deeper into her wet canal. His groans had progressed into growls and soon, he feasted on her most private place like he hadn't eaten in years. The subtle scent of her juices and loud sounds of him pleasuring her reverberated throughout the room. She lost herself in the powerful currents of bliss he made her feel, raking her fingers through his hair like a comb. His journey was a long one; Larissa would open her eyes occasionally to look at the alarm clock next to her. When he started it was five past midnight. The next time she looked, it was fifteen to one! Noah spent more than a half hour pleasuring her with his tongue, mouth, lips and hands. Her climax had been building for a long while and when it finally came to a head, she found herself praising him and said what they both had wanted to hear for a very long time.

"Noah, I... I love you!" Her walls gripped his tongue as she came, juices tricking from her slit and as he latched his mouth against her, they pooled onto his tongue. He was very noisy as he showed Larissa how eager he was to drink up her love. Panting just as hard as she was, he climbed next to her until her head was level with his chest. He leaned down to kiss her deeply, the earthy taste of her flesh dancing on his tongue and now, hers.

"I love you too, baby." That was the last they would say to each other for a while, as Noah would proceed to make love to her for the next hour. They barely remembered to grab protection, but Larissa slid the drawer next to her bed open and removed a small box of them. A layer of dust had collected on the box and Noah laughed. She'd probably been saving them for him all those months ago. He was happy they wouldn't go to waste. He tore the wrapper open with his teeth and sheathed himself before slipping into her. It was like the perfect glove; she received him and despite his girth, she wasn't uncomfortable. A majority of their lovemaking consisted of him staring into her eyes, pumping in and out of her pussy so slowly that after a while, Larissa demanded that he speed up. He was all too happy to oblige and as he picked up the pace, she came twice against him. Her breasts shook with each thrust and between looking at them and her face, he could hardly hold back. A torrent of 'I love you's' bounced back and forth as they both reached their peak. Noah's cock twitched before he filled the condom with his seed, collapsing on top of her and kissing her until both of their lips felt numb. The song stayed on repeat well past when they finally fell asleep and even into the morning.