Chapter Eight - The Ultimate Intimacy
I arrived home shortly after one o'clock in the morning, letting myself into the house as soundlessly as I could and making my way to my basement bedroom. I had just slipped out of my clothes and between the sheets of my bed, having turned on an old movie to watch, when I heard the unmistakable tread of bare feet on the floor above me.
From the heaviness of the tread, I knew it was Louise. Moments later I heart the toilet flush upstairs. To my surprise, the footsteps did not recede toward her bedroom. I started in surprise to hear the basement door open and close and then the soft tread of her feet on the stairs.
"Jamie?" She called softly from just beyond the curtain that served as my bedroom door. "You still awake?"
I looked toward the slitted opening and smiled to see her hand appear holding two empty wineglasses. Moments later her smiling face appeared.
"I heard you come home," She said, "And...thought you might like to join me in a glass of wine."
I smiled. "Absolutely." I said, "But...what the hell are you doing still up?"
She shrugged, entering the room. "I had way too long of a nap after dinner...and now I'm too wide awake to sleep." She said in explanation.
I sat up in bed as she seated herself on the edge of my mattress. That she wore only her nightgown was a fact that was definitely not lost on me. As she had entered my room and passed in front of the television, her body had been rather provocatively silhouetted by the glare of the television screen. I had noticed, with great admiration, as her magnificent breasts bounced and swayed provocatively with each movement of her body.
She poured a glass and handed it to me, then filled her own. She pursed her lips thoughtfully and looked skyward. "Here's to...you and me." She said, smiling at me, "To friendship."
"Absolutely." I said, raising my glass to her.
We chatted amiably about mundane matters for quite some time, each of us consuming a second glass of wine as we talked. She asked me about my night and I regaled her with a few amusing gossipy stories about some of the other guys and their girlfriends.
Her eyes began to develop that sleepy look that I recognized as indicating she was nearing a state of drunkenness. Louise was a lightweight drinker, usually only drinking sociably and very little even then. Two glasses of wine was at least one glass beyond her limit.
"Can I ask you something?' She asked, draining the last of her glass and setting the glass aside. I nodded.
"Today...in the living room," She began, her words slightly slurred. "I thought...well, to me...I thought it was...kind of special...you know...the way we did it."
I nodded and smiled, "Me too." I said.
"No...wait." She said, holding up her hand, "Let me finish this...'cause...this is kind of difficult for me."
I nodded, wondering what it was that was on her mind.
"Listen..." She said, obviously trying to organize her thoughts, "I...really missed you, especially after Ross left...and then...today...being with you was so...so absolutely amazing."
I nodded silently.
"It was...kind of a perfect thing today...the way our bodies moved." She was silent, biting her lip thoughtfully for a moment, "And...then you kissed me...and, and...it kind of turned my whole world upside down."
"But..." I began, but then silenced myself when she held up her hand.
"I mean...you and me...all this time, we've been like the best of buddies...and we shared a lot of...really intimate things, haven't we? We've even masturbated together...several times."
I nodded.
"And...then today...it was like...the most intimate time of all...you know? I mean, the way we did it...with our bodies together."
I nodded again, not wanting to smile at the fact that our "bodies together" seemed to be a particularly provocative and exciting thing for her.
"And...and then you kissed me. But...you didn't just kiss me, Jamie...I mean...you really kissed me."
I smiled and nodded, remembering the sensuality of her kiss profoundly.
She shrugged and lifted her arms. "I guess...I guess I just want to know...why you did that."
I looked into her eyes, realizing I was at a rather treacherous crossroad and that I would have to tread carefully.
"I think I understand what you mean." I said, "And...I wish I had a really good answer for you. But, if you really want to know, I was as surprised and confused about everything as you were."
She nodded, and blinked her eyes several times.
"All I really know is..." I continued, "After you came...and you looked up at me...your face was so radiant and so beautiful. I don't know...I just had to kiss you...wanted to kiss you."
Her face flushed and she nodded. "I know what you mean." She said, "I felt it too...I think that...even though it was still only masturbation...it was just a little more special this morning than ever before. Does that make sense to you?"
I nodded.
She bit her lower lip thoughtfully. "It meant a lot to me...that kiss." She said, "It's been a long, long since anyone's kissed me like that."
I smiled and nodded.
"I guess...I really want to know...if the kiss meant...anywhere near as much to you as it meant to me?" She said, lowering her eyes.
I smiled inwardly, but kept my face impassive. I reached forward and gently lifted her chin until she was looking into my eyes. "Let me put it this way." I said, leaning forward and pressing my lips to hers.
Her lips and her mouth responded instantly, seeming to melt into mine. A long sighing breath escaped her and I could feel her body trembling through her lips.
When our lips parted I smiled to see her eyelids fluttering. I sensed her emotional and physical vulnerability at that moment and felt an overwhelming compulsion rising inside me to take advantage of her delicate vulnerability.
I leaned close, slipping my hand gently against her cheek.