Loading...A very big thanks to CarsonShepherd, Impressive, English Lady and Vella for all of their help!
As I was packing my bag to go home, I once again said a silent Thank You to my editor for giving me this assignment. It was Valentine’s weekend and I had been filled with dread as I thought about spending it moping around my flat watching television and eating ice cream out of the carton.
It was the one-year anniversary of the end of my marriage. I was feeling appropriately introspective. Also, lonely and self-indulgent. Pity party for one, anybody? Just as I was about to pop another bag of microwave kettle-corn and pour a Captain and Coke, I got the call from my boss.
“Hey, I know you’re busy sitting around in your pajamas and eating junk, but I need you for something right now. Think you can pull yourself away?”
I grumbled something about having a real life but the fact that I was talking around a mouth full of Cheetos made it sound slightly less than convincing.
“Sure you do, sweetie. OK, here’s the thing. The remodel of the Ville Belle is finally complete and they want a reporter to come down and stay for the weekend. Big suite, free food, free drinks, big hot tub… Please just give them a decent review when you’re done, they’re interested in buying advertising. Let’s see, today’s Friday – you can check in tonight and stay till Sunday noon. I need 500 words by Sunday at 3:00 p.m.”
I reminded her that I’m the parenting columnist. I don’t know the first thing about writing a hotel review but she flatly stated that everyone else was already busy for the holiday weekend and I was the only choice. She also promised to send me a writing guide for the piece.
“I promise it will be painless, just connect the dots and fill in the blanks. Come on, you can even take your Ben and Jerry’s with you. You’ll have cable TV, I know you can find some sulky chick flick and spend the evening crying your eyes out. It’ll be a blast, I’m sure.”
But even as I was whining about needing to finish my laundry, I was pulling out my swimsuit and dreaming of a long soak in the hot tub. I agreed to go. My kids were with their dad for the weekend and I really had nothing better to do. I scribbled down the check-in information, confirmation number and the name of my contact at the hotel. It took about 15 minutes to get myself packed and loaded into my mini-van. As I was backing out of my driveway, I remembered the still-open carton of ice cream sitting on my counter and decided to run inside to grab it. Better safe than sorry.
On the drive downtown, I tuned in a local station that plays 80’s rock every Friday night and sang along with Wang Chung, “Take your baby by the heel, And do the next thing that you feel.” Was there ever a better song for a radio sing-along? I couldn’t think of a single one.
As I pulled up in front of the newly remodeled Ville Belle in my clunky, messy family van, I decided to skip the valet parking and hoof it from the lot. The thought of one of the well turned-out drivers seeing the inside of my car filled me with dread. I felt like a frumpy mom in a grocery-getter. I managed to park and unload my luggage without incident and headed for the doors.
I walked up the short flight of stairs to the hotel’s entrance and the double doors were swung open by two handsome young men in full doorman’s dress who bowed and said “Welcome” simultaneously. I suddenly felt ridiculous in my jeans, cardigan and ponytail with a duffel slung over my shoulder. I smiled weakly and mumbled my thanks as I made my way to front desk.
Once there, however, I felt much better. I was greeted warmly by the staff. “Hello Mrs. Thomas. We’re so glad you’re here. Just one minute, there is a packet waiting for you in the office. Here it is. This is your press kit, your parking pass, your meal vouchers and your drink card. If we’ve forgotten anything, please just call. Now, you have a three room suite, would you like each door to have its own key, or one for all three of them?”
Stunned, I gathered myself together and told her that one key for all three rooms would be perfect. I signed for the room, picked up my packet and waited while she called the concierge to let him know that I was here. He came right over to introduce himself and immediately rang for a bellman. I felt like a bellman might be a little bit of overkill, considering that I only had the one bag, but he insisted. With the slightest touch of a French accent he said, “Please, call me if you need anything.” I was in heaven.
My bellman and I took the elevator up to the twelfth floor. He led the way to my rooms and I followed, feeling a little like a newly discovered royal. I opened the door and wandered around while my bellman tried to tell me about the room. I convincingly pretended to listen (a skill mastered by any good mom) and tipped him when he seemed to be finished.
Standing alone in my rooms, I looked around. I had at my disposal two queen size beds, a king size bed and a Murphy bed. I also had three full size closets, three coffee makers, six telephones, two regular bathrooms with shower over tub units and a masterpiece of a bathroom with a giant whirlpool tub. A nice sitting area with a huge couch and two chairs was in the center of the middle room. There was a bar with a microwave and dorm fridge. This was a lot of room for one person. It felt more than a tad excessive. But oh so good, at the same time.
I stretched out on the bed and flipped on the cable TV. Strange, I typically avoided television at home, but it seemed like such a luxury to be able to just lie around and turn my brain off. I watched a little of this and a little of that and then decided I was already bored with my remote. The rooms were so big and so empty. I wished my kids were with me. I could just picture their faces as they ran around the rooms claiming beds and squealing about the big bath tub.
Well, if they weren’t here, I could always call a friend to join me. I searched my head for a likely candidate. Someone who wouldn’t already be out for Valentine’s Day, and who didn’t have kids of their own they would need to bring. Hmmm, a single, childless friend. Oh right! I have exactly one of those. Raquel! I dialed her number quickly and literally crossed my fingers while I waited for her to answer. One ring, two rings, three rings… “Hello?” she said breathlessly.
“Hello Beautiful,” I said back into the phone.
“I love it when I answer the phone and it’s you. You’re the only person who regularly calls me Beautiful.”
“Everyone else is either blind or stupid,” I giggled into the phone. “So what fabulous thing are you up to on this devastatingly happy holiday?”
“Laundry. Just back from changing loads actually. I boycott Valentine’s Day. It’s become so Hallmark. A money maker for the rich. Sucks the blood of romance out of relationships in the name of the mighty greenback. So yeah, I’m doing laundry.”
I laughed warmly at my friend’s sentiments. She was a young woman, just about to graduate from college. She regularly attended gatherings of the Young Communists League and planned sneaky spy raids on the city’s large corporations. Her energy was inspiring and I was glad I called.
“Here’s the thing. I somehow snagged a weekend at the Ville Belle. It’s a writing assignment for the magazine. They gave me this huge room, well suite of rooms really, and some wine, some cheese, and fruit. I have free food and drinks at the restaurant. And I’m dying to get in the hot tub. The downside is that I’m here alone. My kids are with their dad and I’m feeling a little blue. I was wondering if…”
“I’m on my way. Are we there for one night or two?”
Everything seemed a little brighter as I gave her directions and started changing into my swimsuit. I loved my swimsuit. I bought it last year after my separation from my husband. It was a two piece with black boy short bottoms and a black and white push-up halter top. I looked good in it. It flattered my mommy-body very nicely. It’s not that I’m heavy. It’s just that after three babies, I’m softer now than I used to be. My hips spread during pregnancy and were never quite the same so I’ve been left with a generous (but not flabby) backside. But it seems to be in balance with my large, swinging breasts which have nursed all three of my children. My waist is still pretty small, so I’m just curvy. A lover once called me “short and sweet, and good to eat.” I always kind of liked that!
As I headed down to the pool area to wait for my friend, I stopped at the front desk to arrange for her meals and parking as well. They were, again, very happy to help. Once I had everything ready for her arrival, I headed for the hot tub.
There is nothing so absolutely delicious as sinking into a tub full of hot, bubbling water. The water makes you weightless and gently erases any nagging aches or pains. The sound from the jets blocks out background noises. And the bubbles tickle and massage you while obscuring the view of anything under the surface of the water. The result is an almost immediate blend of relaxation and privacy that is beyond compare.
I leaned back into the water and closed my eyes. My body went lax. My mind went blank. I was vaguely aware of the occasional person getting in and out of the hot tub, but I paid very little attention. I was blissed out and not wanting to come back. Eventually, though, my bladder got the best of me and I was forced to get out.
When I got back from the bathroom Raquel was standing near the hot tub, looking around blankly. I had a chance to look her over before she saw me and I was once again impressed. I don’t call her Beautiful for nothing. She’s not tall, but still taller than me. She has blond hair with nicest little bit of natural curl that hangs to her shoulder blades and big, serious brown eyes. Her pale pink skin is flawless and very healthy looking. Her entire appearance screams “innocent school girl” even from a distance. I know that she’s 22, but she still looks like a teenager. Gorgeous and sweet and naïve. Looking, that is. Just as I was shaking myself out of it (as I always have to do when she’s around) she turned and saw me.
Waving, I approached her and she smiled warmly at me. She walked up and started to give me a hug, but I stopped her. “I’m all wet from the hot tub, and you’re still dry. Why don’t you hug me after you’ve gotten wet too? It’s miserable to have someone press their cold damp self into you!” She smiled again and took my hand instead. I led her over to the hot tub and climbed in.
She put her bag on the nearest table and started pulling off her street clothes to reveal the bikini she was wearing underneath. A solid colored deep purple top and bottom brought the pink tones out in her skin. As she turned to pull her hair up into a ponytail, I noticed her newest tattoo again. It was just a black ellipse that started at the base of her neck and was about 4 inches long. When she had first shown it to me, I asked if it was symbolic of anything. She said, “Of course it is. I’m part of the Cunt Club now. All of my friends are getting them. Girl power. No, wait. Woman power.” It probably goes without saying, I love that tattoo. Watching her get ready for the hot tub raised my pulse a few beats.
This was a battle I had been fighting with myself since I met this sweet young woman three years before. It was at a big monthly meeting. Neither of us had known anyone, so we kind of just stuck together. We worked in the same field, and sometimes even on the same job. Our friendship had developed nicely into solid trust in the work place and some fun (and occasionally flirty) recreation too. She was honest and kind. And her idealism was inspiring. We had shared some secrets and she knew that I was not, strictly speaking, heterosexual. Her response was fairly typical; mild curiosity combined with a brief confession of her own unfulfilled bisexual longings. I get that a lot when I tell people about myself.
Raquel walked down the steps into the hot tub and had the same immediate all-over reaction that I had earlier. Relaxation. Relief. Release. She sat next to me and we talked casually while playing with the bubbles on the surface of the water. After several minutes the conversation quietly trailed off and we relaxed in silence. A few people continued to come and go, but the peace between us was perfect as we sat, eyes closed, and let the water hold us up.
“Um, excuse me? Miss, excuse me?” I opened my eyes to find that someone had joined us in the hot tub. A middle aged woman in glasses and a royal blue matron’s swimsuit who seemed surprisingly dry was sitting next to me.
“Hello,” I said, trying not to sound startled. “Can I help you with something?”
“Yes, I was just wondering if you knew how long the pool area is open. My husband and I are here for Valentine’s Day and I want to get as much time in the hot tub as possible, but he’s afraid we won’t have time for… well, you know, other stuff, if we stay here now. So I was thinking maybe we could go back to our room now and have, other stuff, and then come back down for a bit. But if the pool is going to close soon, maybe we’ll stay here now and then go back. What do you think?”
I sat there, trying not to laugh as this seemingly sweet woman asked my opinion about the chronology of her “other stuff.” I looked at my friend, who was also biting her lower lip to keep from giggling. Looking up at the clock, I said to the woman, “Well, it’s about eight o’clock now. And I’m pretty sure that the pool room is open until midnight. It seems you have about four hours.”
“Well, what do you think? Should we go back to our room now for a while, or wait?”
Still trying not laugh I answered, “I guess it would depend on how long you would need for your other stuff. I really can’t say. Maybe you should discuss it with your husband.”
“Good idea, I will. At any rate, you’ve been very kind. I’ll be back later and I hope we can chat then.” Out she went, calling to her husband, “Donald, this nice lady told me the pool is open till midnight. I guess you were right. We should head back upstairs now and we can come down later…”
Her voice trailed off in the distance as my friend and I collapsed in a fit of giggles. We leaned our foreheads together and laughed until we were breathless. Finally I pulled back a little and she said, “I never did get my hug.” She wrapped her arms around me in a warm and friendly embrace. It felt so good to be here, relaxing with a good friend. I sighed softly into her hair. She giggled again.
“What’s funny now, Beautiful?”
“Nothing’s funny. That’s my horny laugh.”
“Reeeeeeeally? Did Betty-Lou make you hot with all that talk about her ‘other stuff?'”
“Yeah, that’s it. No, I’m just horny. It might be the hot tub. It might be your swimsuit. It might be because I’m ovulating. Whatever the case, it just is what it is.”
That’s what I loved about her. She just was what she was. We were side by side on the bench, and we turned to face each other. I was staring at her eyes, so honest, so sweet and thinking the same thing I had thought for years. ‘If I were to ever have a chance to sleep with this woman, I would have to be so careful. She is young and relatively inexperienced. I could hurt her physically or emotionally and that would be too much to bear.’
As I shook myself out of my reverie, she smiled a very naughty smile at me. “Do you remember at the network Christmas party a year ago, when we got stuck under the mistletoe?”
I glanced up at her and nodded my head.
“And I joked that you were going to have to kiss me?”
I nodded again.
“I wasn’t joking. But I didn’t push it. You were married. And you seemed so much older than me. Since then, I’ve thought, you’re only 10 years older than me. That’s not so much. And you’re single now. I’m pretty sure that makes you fair game.”
“But I did kiss you,” I stammered. “I kissed you! Sure it was only a small kiss, but it was real. I went for your cheek, but somehow I caught the corner of your mouth…” My fingers went back to that spot and touched it lightly, remembering the tingle there. I also remembered my embarrassment at having missed her cheek. Did she think it was on purpose? She didn’t think I was hitting on her, did she? It all came flooding back, the desire mixed with the worry.
“And when we looked up, Margie was standing there. I thought she was going to pull out her bible and pray for us right on the spot. I thought for sure she knew that I wanted you. Wanted you so bad, my panties were damp and my nipples were hard. You look so shocked. Don’t you think I’m capable of lust?” Her voice dropped almost to a whisper as she leaned over and said hotly in my ear, “Don’t you think I know you want me too? I appreciate that you’ve been kind and all, but I know you look at me. You always look away when I glance up, but I can feel your eyes on me. And I like the way it feels to know that you’re sneaking a peak at me every time you think no one’s looking.”
I was dizzy with the realization…no, wait. Make that several realizations, that were hitting me all at once. This gorgeous young woman was telling me that she wanted me. There was a strong possibility that I could have her. And she wasn’t as fragile as I had supposed. My mind spun as I continued to look into her eyes. I took a deep breath and held her gaze. It lasted quite a while as I found my bearings and let it all sink in. Finally, it seemed there was nothing to do but lean in for the kiss. “I want to kiss you,” I whispered.
“Do it,” she said with a smile.
I leaned forward, just a little, and she met me half way. That first kiss felt a little awkward initially. It’s always hard to kiss a close friend, but the thrill was strong and I lingered there, with my mouth on hers. After a moment, I started to really kiss her, first her perfect upper lip and then her slightly pouty lower lip. Her mouth opened ever so slightly and I touched the tip of her tongue with my own. Then I pulled back and lightly licked the very center part of her top lip again. She let out a low moan that told me I had hit on something good.
I pulled back to look at her as I reached out under the water to place my hand on her waist. Her eyes met mine as I studied her intently and I moved my hand up to cup her breast under the swirling opaque water. She drew her breath in sharply as my fingers strayed over her nipple. I played there a few minutes, drawing circles, flicking, pinching, figuring out what she liked best. The look she gave me grew deeper and more intense by the second. Her body was starting to ask for release through her eyes, and I wanted to give it to her.
“I want to kiss you again,” I said while continuing to maintain the eye contact. “I want to kiss you and taste your sweet mouth and drive you crazy until you…”
“Excuse me? Am I interrupting something? You seem like you two are talking, but Donald and I just came back downstairs and I thought maybe we could chat. You were so helpful before.” Our visitor from earlier had returned to join us for a soak. She climbed in on my other side and settled herself so that she was facing my back. With a barely audible groan of frustration, I reluctantly let go of Raquel’s breast and turned to face her.
Smiling brightly, I asked, “Have a nice time, then?”
She giggled and nodded. “Oh you know, after thirty-some years it’s mostly the same-o same-o. But then sometimes Donald mixes it up and it’s more like the same-o same-OH! That’s always a nice surprise.”
Because I had turned to talk to our visitor, my friend was now behind me and we were both facing her, once again trying not to giggle. I was coming back into myself after the intense electricity that had passed between us a moment ago. Our guest kept chatting away.
“So I said to Donald, ‘Donald, why don’t we just go down there and check it out. It IS Valentine’s Day after all and we never do anything special since the kids left home.’ He had to agree with me about that. When the kids were little, I used to get up early on Valentine’s Day and put a little red food coloring in their oatmeal. Oh, they were always so tickled by that. And then they always got one of those little heart-shaped boxes of chocolate, you know the ones, with four or five chocolates in it? Was it four or five? Anyway, the center one was always a caramel. They just loved that.”
I was trying hard to be polite to this woman who obviously had just barely scratched the surface of her monologue, but it was getting increasingly difficult to pay attention to her. I reached back to scratch my back while my mind was searching for a polite way out of this conversation and Raquel gently took my hand and placed it between her legs. Glancing down at myself, I was reassured that nothing below my collar bone could be seen under the water and I started to play.
“I always found a sitter for Valentine’s night, usually some little sophomore from the high school, and Donald always bought me a new dress to wear.”
My hand slid up her thigh and over her plump pubic mound. I felt my way around a little to get my bearings.
“We would dress up, fancy clothes, a beauty shop hair-do, and my pearls, and go out to dinner down at Chez Rive – do you remember that place? No, it’s probably too long ago for you.”
There was the edge of her bikini bottoms. I followed it down into the hollow near her perfect, soft bottom. She lightly placed her hand on my wrist to encourage me to continue.
“Anyway, dinner at Chez Rive and then we’d go find a hotel room. Why we didn’t ever make a reservation ahead of time is beyond me. I swear, sometimes we’d drive half the night before we’d find a place.”
My finger slid under the fabric and her sex was right there waiting for me. I tentatively reached out my fingertip and stroked her silky curls and she responded with the slightest increase of pressure on my wrist.
“And it would usually be a not-so-nice place when we finally got there. But that was OK. We were together. That’s what we wanted. We’d pretend to be newly-weds and go to our room.”
I slowly reached behind me with my other hand and held her swimsuit out of the way. Ah, much better. I could now get between her labia and map her sex with my fingers. Yes, there were the inner labia, swelling slightly under my touch. And there was her clit, already hard and waiting for me. She exhaled softly as I stroked over it. Traveling down slowly I found the entrance to her sex and tenderly, gently, slipped a finger inside her.
“Back in those days, it didn’t seem as much like the same-o same-o either. Less same, more Oh! If you get my drift.”
It was surprising to me that I could feel how wet she was, even in the hot tub. She was definitely enjoying herself, and I pulled a little of her juice up to her clit. I got back to work right there.
“Yes, Donald always had some little trick up his sleeve for Valentine’s night. A game, an experiment. Something new and unusual. I think that might be what’s wrong with couples today, they don’t play around enough.”
I started slowing drawing circles right around the magic button, but the pressure increased on my wrist and I could feel her urgency. I picked up the pace and focused my attention right on her clit. A quick squeeze let me know that I had done well.
“Real life is hard enough. Drudgery. Salt mines. When you get between the sheets with your spouse, you have to really let your hair down. Make your man feel special. Go along with his games. It’s fun.”
Moving my finger quickly, I felt her entire sex swell even more. I wished I could see her face. She was moving her fingers over the inside of my wrist, keeping pace with my work on her clit. I knew she was getting close.
“I remember this one time… Well, when we got to our hotel room, he brought a bag inside with him. He handed it to me and told me I’d know what to do with it. Then he went into the bathroom and took a shower.”
I increased my pressure just little and was rewarded with a tight squeeze from her. She pushed my hand harder against her aching mound and I took my cue.
“‘That was odd,’ I told myself, but I opened the bag and found a little plaid skirt, a white shirt with a Peter Pan collar, a pair of knee-highs, saddle shoes and two ponytail holders. ‘Oh,’ I said to myself, ‘Donald wants to play dress-up.’ And that’s just what we did. Hooo! That was a fun night. ”
I was really working her hard, a little nervous that I might injure her, but she squeezed harder and harder, and I just kept going, while nodding blankly to the woman in front of me while I brought the lovely Raquel to a glorious orgasm. Just at the peak, she gasped loudly and our visitor looked up at her, startled.
“Sorry. Stubbed my toe. Didn’t mean to interrupt. Please continue,” Raquel panted. The woman in front of me smiled kindly.
“Well, it’s getting pretty late. Maybe it’s time for all of us to turn in. And don’t worry girls. You’re both just lovely and so kind. I’m sure you’ll find beaus and by next Valentine’s Day, you won’t have to be alone anymore. It’s been great talking with you.” She picked herself up and left the hot tub.
I turned to look at Raquel, still not sure what had just happened. It felt so surreal. As soon as I met her gaze however, I knew I hadn’t made it up. She smiled at me and said, “Last one to the room is a rotten egg.” With that, she vaulted out of the tub and grabbed a towel and her clothes. We raced all the way back to the twelfth floor.
As we entered our suite, she headed for the bathroom, calling behind her, “If you’re not naked and spread eagle on that bed when I come back, you’re going to be punished!” I was torn between doing as she asked, and discovering what punishment she had in mind. Still nervous that she would open her eyes and realize that she’d made a terrible mistake, I decided to just follow her directions. I peeled my wet swimsuit off and sat on the edge of the bed. I couldn’t believe what had happened downstairs. I had just stroked the lovely Raquel to orgasm. In front of a complete stranger. I’ve had my share of adventures, but that really took the cake. Amazing. I wanted her. I wanted to touch her again, and taste her and make her crazy. I wanted to watch her as she cried out in release. The hot tub had been so much fun, and I was hoping it was only the beginning.
Raquel startled me out of my thoughts by reappearing in front me, completely nude. Her skin was still rosy from the hot water downstairs and her damp hair lay in perfect tendrils around her face. She walked directly up to me and pushed me down on to my back. Then she grabbed me by the hips and pulled my ass to the edge of the bed. She stood and leaned over me, offering me her mouth to kiss.
Oh, her sweet lips. So soft and pliant. She gave herself up to me to in that moment. Just let me kiss her. This time I was braver and stronger. My confidence was boosted by the fact that we were in bed naked at her request. My hands went to her hair and I kissed her harder. I tasted every bit of her mouth, lips, tongue, teeth, all of it. It was like I just couldn’t get enough of her, like I was starving and she was sustenance. She started moaning into my mouth and doing a slow grind against my thigh. I started to reach my hand down to touch her again, but she stopped me. “It’s your turn now.”
She worked her way down my body, giving a little attention to my breasts on her way by. I didn’t feel slighted by her swiftness, though, I was so turned on I thought I was going to bust if she didn’t touch me soon. She kissed and nipped her way down my belly and then laughed a low sweet laugh as she kneeled between my legs. Grabbing a cushion from a near-by chair she lightly smacked the side of my thigh to indicate I should raise up. She placed the pillow under my hips and then settled herself back down.
I knew she had always been curious about women, but had no idea whether or not she’d ever slept with one. I was nervous, worried that she wouldn’t like it or would have regrets later. That lasted about five more seconds until I glanced down at her. She had a look of wonder on her face that was beyond compare. I giggled a little and she looked up at me. “It’s like seeing my new best friend,” she said. Then she started touching me.
It was clear that even if she hadn’t done this before, she had spent a lot of time thinking about it. She went straight to the slit between my lips and starting stroking, opening me a little with each pass. Her touch was perfect and soon I was breathing heavily. She slid a finger right inside me and we both gasped. A second one joined the first and she worked them in and out of me quickly for a minute or two. I was coming to the edge very quickly with my head back and my eyes closed and I felt her breathing on me. She had leaned in. Her mouth was so close to my pussy. I was filled with anticipation and need. I was not disappointed.
Her tongue touched me with a certainty of purpose. I relaxed into it and decided to just let go and enjoy it. She reached up with her other hand and held my lips open as she continued to lick me from top to bottom. Each time she passed over my clit I moaned a little louder and finally she settled there and went to work. In less than a minute I could feel my orgasm approaching and she stayed right on target, licking my clit and sliding her two fingers in and out of me. The more I rocked my hips under her mouth, the more determined she was to take me all the way there. To throw myself over the edge, I imagined I was licking her too, tasting her sweetness and the very thought was enough. I came with an almost violent shuddering orgasm that left me blind and mute for several minutes.
She crawled up on the bed next to me. We lay there in a silence that was so comfortable I couldn’t believe that this was the first time we’d had sex. I suppose that being friends for three years helps with that. We pulled up the pillows and blankets and rolled into a sweet spoon with me behind her. I drifted into a lovely sleep while smelling her hair and feeling her warmth.
When I finally opened my eyes and tried to focus on the clock, I was stunned to find that it was already after eleven a.m. I am such a morning person; I couldn’t believe I had slept that late. Oh, the joys of hotel curtains. Our rooms were still almost completely dark. I felt so good; rested, relaxed and calm. I got out of bed and made my way to the bathroom. One peek in the mirror told me once again that I should never fall asleep with wet hair! I turned on the shower and stepped in.
The smell of the chlorine on my body from the night before was almost overpowering as I shampooed my hair, but the warm water felt good. It was nice to have a quiet moment to think over everything that had happened the night before. I knew that with a woman like Raquel, there was no way to know what would happen next. But I decided I was along for the ride.
As I was rinsing my hair, the curtain opened a little and I was joined in the shower. She wrapped her arms around me for a good morning hug and jokingly said, “No kissing till after I brush my teeth.” I finished washing up and moved aside to let her under the full spray of the water. I washed her back for her and then stepped out to dry off. I realized I had left my bag out in the room so I headed out to get dressed.
A few minutes later Raquel appeared dressed and ready for the day. “I’m starving. Do we really get free food too?” I nodded and grabbed the meal vouchers. We set out to find the hotel restaurant.
Brunch was fabulous. We had both worked up quite an appetite the night before and so we sat quietly eating and occasionally smiling at each other. I wanted to pinch myself to make sure I was really there. Just the day before I had been wandering around my flat, stuffing my face and feeling utterly alone. Now I was in a luxury hotel with the most beautiful woman I have ever known and we had just had sex! It was almost beyond comprehension.
On our way back up the room, we decided on an afternoon of laziness. When we got into our suite, we pulled all of the pillows off the beds, made a giant pile on the floor and rounded up several blankets. I pulled the CD player close and put on a soft compilation to play in the background. We lay down close together on the pillows, taking care to get good and comfortable and then covered ourselves with blankets. As we were chatting, she casually reached her hand up and started playing with my hair. I rolled onto my side towards her and lightly ran my fingers over the baby softness of her belly.
The conversation rambled all over. I asked her about school and she asked about my kids. My kids absolutely adore Raquel so I had lots to catch her up on. She took her turn and told me all about her new kitty and how he spends most of his time attacking her head and terrorizing her little studio apartment. It was nice to be there with her, still friends but somehow slightly more than friends at the same time. We could have had the same conversation on any day of the last three years, but today it had an added layer of intimacy that was so needed in my life.
After a time she said she was feeling “nappish” and I noticed just how drowsy she looked. I kissed her forehead and reached for my book. She curled up closer to me while I read. I chuckled quietly at something on the page and she looked up at me quizzically. I indicated the book with a nod of my head, “Wanna hear it?”
She nodded and lay her head back down. I read the passage and she chuckled too and said, “Keep going?”
I was more than happy to oblige. I love reading out loud and being read to as well. I found where I had left off and read for awhile. After a few minutes I noticed that her breathing had grown deep and steady and let my voice drift off into silence to allow her some decent rest. I continued reading next to her and then finally dozed off myself.
It was dark when we woke up, feeling silly for having slept the day away. I sliced up the cheese and opened the wine from the hotel gift basket. We lounged a little while longer and woke up fully. It wasn’t long before we realized that we were hungry again, and the cheese just wasn’t quite enough. We decided to dress up a little for dinner, just for fun. I put on my favorite pair of ‘ass jeans,’ a black silk tank top and a sheer black fitted long sleeve shirt with some tasteful beading on it. She pulled on her most flattering pair of jeans and a light pink tank with some embroidery of the same color. The tank was very fitted though, and she needed a little help pulling it down over her perfect breasts. We played around with our hair and I put on a little make-up. When we were all done, we returned to the restaurant.
We had a few minutes to wait before we could be seated so we stood just outside the restaurant in the hotel lobby. Raquel wasn’t feeling shy and slipped her arm lightly around my waist. I happily realized that she didn’t care if anyone saw us together. She leaned over to whisper something in my ear and I couldn’t even concentrate on what she was saying, her hot breath had set me on fire again. I nodded in agreement to anything, hoping I wasn’t making promises I couldn’t keep.
When our names were called we were led to a very private table for two, complete with flowers and champagne, compliments of the concierge. It seemed that neither of us could concentrate on the menu so we ordered the special and sat back sipping champagne.
“So, we’ve spent the day together, but we haven’t really talked about last night,” Raquel said almost shyly. She started to fidget with the napkin on her lap. “Was it … alright?”
“Oh my, are you kidding?”
“Well, I’m not looking for an ego stroking. I really want to know. Was it OK? Did it please you? Is there something I should be doing different?”
“No, Sweetie, it was fabulous. It was more than fabulous. It was amazing. Do you know how long it’s been since anyone’s given me that kind of attention? A long time.”
“You’re sure? Cause if there’s something else you’d like, you can tell me…”
“No, it was great. Wait, does that mean that we’re going to do it again?” I said with a laugh. She leaned forward and smiled a very naughty smile.
“Do you see those two men over there?”
“Yes…”
“What do you think they would do if I kissed you right here at the table? Do you think it would turn them on to watch? You’re so beautiful, they’ve already been looking this way.”
“I’m sure if they’re really looking this way, it’s because of you.”
“I want to tell them what we did last night. I want to tell them how sweet your pussy tasted and that I can’t wait to bury myself in it again. Do you think they’d like that story?” She giggled again.
I was amazed. My sweet young friend Raquel was a sex kitten. She was just as naughty as I was!
“You keep up that kind of talk and I’m going to have to take you back upstairs for a spanking,” I whispered.
“Oh, you like that, do you? Well, maybe I will just keep it up then. Do you know what I really liked about last night? I really liked that you knew exactly where to touch to me, how to stroke my clit. I could have come much faster than I did, but I waited. I wanted to make it take a long time so that you would have to sit there and listen to that woman and not turn around and pin me to the side of the hot tub. I do wish I could have cried out though. I wish I could have shown every single person in the pool room just how good you were by letting them hear my orgasm.”
Our dinner was served and I was a little glad for the interruption. She had me so turned on with her words that I had already soaked my panties and could feel it seeping through my jeans. I wanted to touch myself so bad. I wanted to touch her even more.
We ate quietly. Every once in a while I would look up and find her smiling at me. She’d giggle and then take another bite of food. I stayed hot all the way through dinner. Every time I thought I’d brought myself back down a notch, she’d run her toe up the inside of my thigh and tease me more. When the two men at the other table walked past on their way out, she waved a little and smiled even more. They smiled right back and gave a wave. One of them said, “We’ll be in the bar later, ladies, if you want to stop by.” We both giggled and nodded at them.
I had originally planned to eat a full meal, since it was on the house. Writers don’t make much money and I had been just as excited about the free food as the hot tub when I checked in the night before. But sitting across from Raquel while she stared hungrily at me changed my mind. The minute we were done with our main course, we left for our rooms. As we walked out of the restaurant and around the corner she ran her hand over my ass and whispered something in my ear. I couldn’t tell exactly what she said, but I know that she used the words “pussy” and “now.” I picked up the pace.
The elevator ride was an experience all by itself. The doors closed and we met in the middle of the car, suddenly all hands and mouths. My god, this woman was amazing. She never let up for a minute. By the time we reached the twelfth floor, my breath was coming in ragged gasps and my face was flushed. She was in the same condition.
We hurried down the hall to our room and got inside as fast as possible. It was like a scene from a movie: just kissing and groping and trying to get undressed urgently. I had to help her with her shirt again, this time pulling it off with a good hard jerk. We stumbled across the massive sitting area and made it to the bed.
I gave her a little shove and she landed on her back. I crawled up on top of her, straddling her waist and holding her hands over her head for a moment while I kissed her fiercely on the mouth. And then she surprised me. She bit my lower lip. Hard. And I liked it a lot. OK, I thought, the game is on.
I kissed her even harder and then pulled all the way back. I looked down at her and was struck again by her beauty. I leaned in to kiss her, but then didn’t quite do it. I teased her, leaning in brushing her lips with mine and then pulling back once again. She started whimpering softly and straining to reach my lips. I came all the way down to her face and lightly licked the center of her top lip again. She exhaled into my open mouth and I continued stroking her lip with my tongue and then picking up the pace and flicking it lightly in an imitation of what I was planning to do to her aching sex just as soon as I could.
When neither of us could take the torment anymore, I released her hands and kissed her hard on the mouth. Her fingers went to my back and she started lightly scratching me. My reaction to that was strong and my breathing quickened. I decided it was time to move south. I kissed my way down her neck, using my lips, my teeth, and sometimes just my tongue until I came to her breast. I took it in my hand and ran my thumb over her nipple. She arched her back and I took it in my mouth.
I played with her nipple between my lips for a few minutes, growing wetter by the second, but her insistent moans moved me and I decided to continue my southward journey. I lapped at her smooth belly, taking a pause at her belly button to pay homage. The curtains were open and the moonlight flooded the room, causing her pale skin to glow beautifully. Stretched out on the bed, full of need, she was the loveliest creature I have ever seen. I wanted to take it slowly and make it wonderful for her, but it was too late for that. The passion was almost overwhelming as I slid down between her legs, placing a pillow under her hips to bring her pussy right up to my mouth.
As I lowered my face to her pubic mound I could smell her want. I inhaled it and knew that I was just as hot as she was. My own dampness spread across my inner thighs and I was so close to orgasm that I had to fight a battle with myself to keep my hands on her and not in my own lap. With the fingers of my left hand, I spread her open and marveled at the engorged pinkness of her. My right hand stroked her softly, bringing some wetness up and out of her to her waiting clit. I wanted to keep playing, teasing a little at a time, but I’ve never been good at looking without tasting and this was no exception. I covered her pussy with my mouth and licked downward from clit to hole.
When my tongue reached the opening of her sex, I could taste a small pooling of her juice and it was heaven. She tasted like melted honey butter, more butter than honey and oh-so-sweet. The smell, the feel, the flavor all hit me at once and I was unexpectedly rolled over by an orgasm that caused an aching spasm deep inside and left me trembling. Gradually my breathing slowed back down and I got back to the task at hand, although it never for a minute felt like work. After that orgasm, I was feeling a little less insistent and had the patience to really explore her.
I ran my tongue down one of her pussy lips, playing in her soft curls with my tongue. I did the same on the other lip. Back and forth I went, passing a little closer to her clit each time, finally grazing it lightly with the tip of my tongue repeatedly. She started lifting her hips towards my mouth as I barely touched her and after several passes, she hissed “You Tease” at me.
I laughed softly, exhaling on her sensitive parts and murmured, “Yes, that’s right.” She reached down and started running her fingers though my hair and I began to flick lightly at her clit. Her response was immediate and she let out a long low moan. Her sounds were like a carrot dangling in front me, the better I performed, the louder she became. I put everything I had into making her sigh and moan. My reward was the sweetest I have ever had. I slid two fingers inside her and released a tidal wave of words that I was not expecting.
“Oh My God. You are so amazing with your tongue. I’ve never had anyone eat my pussy like this before. Oh God…”
Her words trailed off but her moans continued at a quickening pace and suddenly she pulled the hair on the top of my head tight, bringing my face hard against her soaking sex. She started circling her hips, grinding herself against my mouth and smearing her fluids all over. I stayed right on target, increasing the pressure just a little and taking care to hit the exact right spot over and over again. With an almost keening shriek, she went over the edge and went rigid for just a few seconds. Slowly she lowered herself back into the bed and became still. I kept my mouth on her, just lightly petting her from top to bottom with my tongue until she gently nudged my head back and pulled herself away slightly.
I wiped my face off and then lay my head on her belly while she stroked my hair. After a little rest, she pulled me up so that we were lying next to each other and kissed me deeply. “Thank you,” she whispered as she ran her hand down from my shoulder to my breast and started to play with my nipple.
She teased it lightly at first and then a little more roughly until she was tugging at it firmly and I was lost. My eyes closed and my head fell back as I sank into her touch. She was kissing me again and I was kissing back. She moved down and started to torment my breasts with her hands, lips, and teeth. I couldn’t believe that I had found another biter. I guess I never quite grew out of that as a child, but most people were faintly put off when I sank my teeth into them. Raquel just bit me right back and I believed I had found my self in the land of milk and honey.
I tried to lean up a little to kiss her again, but she firmly pushed me back down. She moved herself on top of me and kicked my legs apart with her knee. I opened to her and wrapped them around her waist. She brought herself down so that we were sex to sex and then leaned up to look at me while rocking herself rhythmically into me. “When I see you like this, it makes me wish I had a big hard cock to fuck you with. I would hold your legs open and slide myself into you. Can you feel it? Can you feel me? I would go so deep and fuck you so hard. I want you so bad. Oh, I want to fuck you…”
She stopped talking and leaned down to kiss me. I tightened my legs’ grip around her waist and started grinding into her. She felt my urgency and didn’t waste any more time with her pretty words. She crawled back down my body and settled herself between my legs. She turned her head to the side for a minute to glance at the clock and the feeling of her long soft hair gliding over my hungry sex made me quiver. She noticed my reaction and smiled a naughty smile up at me.
Taking a handful of her hair, she stroked me lightly with the ends of her golden locks. Goosebumps sprang up all over my body and my nipples somehow grew even harder. I lay there on edge, full of anticipation and desire with a throbbing aching pussy. She continued to tease me like that until I finally uttered “Uncle” under my breath.
“What was that?”
“I said ‘uncle.’ You know, like when you’re kid and you’ve had all you can take?”
“Oh you’re going to take a lot more than that, I’m afraid.”
She laughed a wicked laughed and spread my labia with one hand while plunging into me with her tongue. I had a flash of lucidity and thought, “This can’t be her first time with a woman, she’s just so good.” And after that the thoughts fled and I was nothing but nerve endings.
At some point I realized that she was working me with her fingers while rocketing me to the moon with her tongue. I was riding her face for all I was worth and she stayed right with me, licking my clit and fucking me hard with two, and then three, fingers. Slamming her fingers into me over and over again and coaxing me over the edge. Higher and higher until suddenly the world went white behind my eyes and I’m falling through the sky, air rushing past me and finally touching bottom and slowly coming back into my body.
I lay there panting. I was the luckiest woman in the world. Raquel went over to the bar and poured us each a glass of wine. She tucked the blanket up around me and then crawled in under it by my side. I curled around her and she held me while we kissed and sighed a little. Eventually, the conversation returned and we chatted and giggled some more. I’m not really a giggly girl, but I had definitely done my fair share over the last 24 hours.
Her voice was so sweet and I loved listening to her talk. Even though she was ten years younger than me, we never had any problem finding something to talk about. Her stories about college life were very entertaining to me and my stories about my kids always made her smile. We shared a passion for our work as well and that always provided plenty of new conversations. Lying in bed with her made me feel safe and warm. “I think we should roll film on this and force men to watch so they know how to behave after sex,” I murmured into her shoulder.
“Absolutely. It should be required viewing. This is perfect. What could possibly be scary about this?”
“Are you OK with everything? Having any regrets?”
“My only regret is that we waited so long,” she answered. “I can’t believe that this was out here waiting for me all this time.” I wanted to talk to her more, figure out what was going to happen next. I just wanted to tell her how happy I was. No, I guess that’s not all. I wanted to know if she was just as happy. I was being such a girl.
I took several deep breaths and let myself relax into the bed. I reminded myself that I had just had 30 hours with a sweet young thing, who happened to be nearly perfect. If that was all I was getting out of it, it was going to have to be enough. Anything more would just be icing on the cake. With the scent of our coupling still covering me, I drifted into a dreamless and peaceful sleep.
In the morning, I woke up much earlier than Raquel and decided to lie in bed and read until she woke up. I was still feeling peaceful and now very well rested, a good combination. She rolled over and put her head on my belly. I offered to read to her again and she nodded her head in agreement. We lay like that for over an hour all tangled up in the blankets and each other.
Eventually we decided we wanted breakfast and since check-out was at noon, it seemed best to get started with our day. We made our way into the shower and took turns soaping and rinsing. I dried her back and she dried mine. As we were getting dressed, she reached out and smacked my ass, hard. I turned to her and gave a playful shove which led to a small tussle. We ended up back on the bed; with me pinned under her while she devoured my neck and collar bone. I had just brought my thigh up to grind against her when we heard voices from another room of our suite. We were silent for a minute while we tried to figure out what was going on. After a moment I called out “Hello.”
“Hello? Housekeeping!” came the reply from the other room. “We knocked but didn’t get an answer, so we came in.” The voice was getting closer. “Would you like us to come back later?” I was frantically reaching for a sheet or a blanket or anything when I heard the housekeeper gasp. I turned my head and saw not one, but two women standing just outside the door between rooms. Raquel giggled and I finally found something to pull over us.
“We’ll just come back later. Yes, that’s it. We’ll just come… back… later.” And with that they both backed out of the room and into the hallway.
“Oh my god,” I whispered. “This is just what the magazine needs. The parenting columnist having an affair with a child!”
“I’m not a child!” Raquel said indignantly.
“No, you’re all woman. But if I didn’t know that you were 22, I would never believe it. You look so young.”
We lay there for a minute and then she said, “Well, I think I’ve been a very naughty girl. Have I been naughty? Because I’m pretty sure I deserve to be punished…”
With that, I slipped out from under her and left her there on her hands and knees. “Kneel up,” I whispered in her ear. She did as I requested, sitting up completely straight and bringing her perfect peach bottom to rest on her heels. I came around behind her and bit the back of her neck. I snaked my hand between her arm and her side and started roughly playing with her nipple. She moaned and leaned her head back onto me. I brought my other hand around so I could torment both breasts at the same time. It wasn’t long before she was whimpering, clearly wanting more.
I lowered my mouth to her neck again and started to nibble and lick. She threw her head forward to allow me more access and I saw her tattoo, her mini-cunt and I couldn’t resist. I leaned towards it and gave it a lick. She trembled. I licked the tattoo again. Another visible tremble. This time I tried a long slow lick down one edge of it and elicited a small moan so I licked back up the other side and was rewarded with another moan. I decided to flick over the top of it with my tongue. Her breathing grew ragged. She brought her hand up and grabbed the hair on the top of my head. She was pulling my face into her tattoo just like she had pulled me into her pussy the night before. I kept licking and stroking; it just like I was eating her. Raquel’s moaning grew louder and louder and I realized with a start that she was going to cum. I worked the delicate skin at the base of her neck with my tongue and in a just few short minutes, she let out a cry that told me I had done well.
After she’d had a moment to come back into her body I put my hand between her shoulder blades and pushed her forward so that she was in a knee-chest position. I took a long look at her backside and was thrilled to see that she had soaked her pubic hair and it was lying in shining curls hiding her pink flesh. I spread her open and slipped a finger easily inside. Her pussy gave me an involuntary squeeze. I started sliding it back and forth and she backed herself up, pushing herself farther onto my hand. I added a second finger to her tight hole and watched her stretch to accommodate me. She picked up the pace and rocked herself harder and faster onto my fingers, using them to fuck herself.
I looked down at her beautiful ass and couldn’t resist. I leaned down and lightly ran my tongue over her deep pink rosebud. She almost jumped out of her skin at the surprise. I waited for her reaction and it didn’t take long before she thrust her hips up at me. I kept slamming my fingers into her and watched her offering that bottom to me, becoming almost frantic. Her moans had become whimpers and I decided not to make her wait. I leaned in again and gave another pass with my tongue. The whimpering ended and the moaning resumed. I licked it again and she nearly screamed. I kept it up, lightly rimming her and keeping her rhythm with my fingers as she pushed herself into an orgasm that soaked my hand and left her completely limp on the bed.
I felt like I had definitely earned my breakfast, and so had she. I brought her clothes over to the bed and went to get myself dressed. We held hands on the way down to the restaurant and snuck a quick but sweet kiss in the elevator. My grasp on reality was slipping a little and I started thinking about us. About the long term Us. I could get used to her. Who am I kidding, I wanted to get used to her. We had spent two fabulous days together and I wanted to take her home with me. I wanted to be able to call her after a bad day and tell her all about it. I wanted to fall in love. With her.
After we ordered our breakfasts, I reached across the table and covered her hand with mine. She looked up at me with her big brown eyes and smiled. “You look like you have something to say,” she said.
“Actually, I just want to know what you’re thinking. I’ve obviously had a great time this weekend.”
“So have I. It’s been an amazing couple of days.”
Looking at my napkin, I continued. “And I’d like to see you again. I mean, more than going to business meetings together. You’re sweet. And smart. And funny. I haven’t exactly hidden my crush from you. But I didn’t really have any idea how great it could be.”
I was met with silence. I forced myself to look up at her. She was still smiling at me. A good sign, I thought. I took a deep breath and counted slowly to ten. She still didn’t respond. I kept counting, now to 30. Still no answer. I went on, counting all the way to 60 but she was clearly waiting for me to say something more. I didn’t know what should come next.
“So, what are you thinking? Are you thinking anything?” Please answer me, my mind was screaming.
“I want to see you again too. You’re beautiful. And you make me feel so good. I get wet every time you touch me.”
“You do? I mean, you want to see me?” My heart soared. I couldn’t believe it. She wasn’t just walking away from this. I flushed with happiness. “What do you think we should do next?”
“Go on a date. Go on a couple of dates. We can have sleepovers at my tiny apartment. And sometimes when your kids are gone, we can stay at your place. Maybe we can all have pajama parties when they’re home too. Popcorn and movies. And board games. You have great kids.”
Picking up on her lead, I tried to stay cool. “Keep it casual, though.”
“Exactly. Casual. Friendly. And fun.”
“Right. Friendly and fun.” This is not quite what I had been dreaming of. But I didn’t want to scare her away. I was always terrified of overwhelming people. It had happened a lot. I smiled at her and hoped it didn’t look forced. I let go of her hand and started eating my breakfast.
I was thinking about what to say next. It seemed so important not to seem desperate, but that’s exactly how I felt. It had been a year since I left my husband and I was ready to move on. The weekend with Raquel had been damn near perfect. The sex, the cuddling, the conversation, every bit of it was mind-blowing. I knew I was being greedy, but I wanted more.
Several minutes later, she cleared her throat and I looked up at her. She looked like she was close to tears. “Oh Sweetie, what’s the matter?” I asked.
“I’m not ready for something real. I’m just not ready. When I graduate in May, I’m going to Mexico for three months for a Spanish Language Immersion program. And after that I’m going to Texas for six months for an internship. I’ll probably come back when I’m done with all that, but I just don’t know for sure. And it would be easy to fall into this with you. To have someone adore me and take care of me and fuck my lights out would be so great. And to fall in love with you and get close to your kids and be with you a little bit every day – I can’t even tell you how good it all sounds. But I’m not ready.” She choked back a little tear.
She looked more angry than sad and I sat and tried to figure it all out. I knew I could love her. I was pretty sure she could love me too. But she was so young. I wanted life to be like it had been all weekend, yet it suddenly seemed impossible.
What if we did date? How would it go? More amazing sex, more profound conversations, more reading aloud. I would get attached. Having her come and go from my flat (in my mind I had already given her a set of keys and a toothbrush) would brighten my day. My mind was already whirling with sweet ways to show her how much I cared. A handful of flowers left on her doorstep. A chocolate bar left by her computer during finals week. A surprise text message wishing her a good night’s sleep. A million ideas filled me with hope.
But in the end it all led to the same place: falling in love with a woman who was leaving indefinitely. We’d have about 14 weeks together. Could I live with that? Would I walk away after 14 weeks and be OK with it?
Beyond my own selfish longings, there were the kids to consider. She was already close with my kids. Being a single woman with no children, she always had the extra energy for games and secrets that mommies often lack. If she came around more, if she spent the night, they would love her even more. My dream of waking up next to her and then making a family breakfast together seemed so perfect. My mind was already taking us on picnics and to the zoo. How would my kids handle her departure in 14 weeks? They were still healing from the divorce. We had had months of separation anxiety and bad dreams and healthy defiance after the split. It wasn’t fair to let them grow attached to another adult who was going to leave them.
In the end, it wasn’t fair to her either. She was in her last semester of a rigorous undergrad program at one of the best universities in the country. It had taken a lot of work for her to unclutter her life so she could focus and finish well. She needed this time. She needed to be selfish and work on her own things. And no matter how bad I wanted her, I couldn’t ask her to change her path.
Suddenly, I understood her anger because I felt it too. This perfect gift had been dropped in our laps at a time when we simply couldn’t unwrap it. The fact that we both wanted to was irrelevant. It simply wasn’t our time. Maybe it would come around again, but for now it just wasn’t right.
I let the anger wash over me. I let it consume me. In several minutes I was surprised to find that it had already faded into frustration. I looked up at her for the millionth time that weekend and saw that her anger had subsided as well.
Neither of us wanted to finish eating, so we started walking back to the room. She caught my hand again in the hallway and pulled on my fingers a little. I turned my face to her and was surprised to find her smiling again. “This really was an amazing weekend,” she said. “I have so much to thank you for.” She brought my face up to hers and kissed my lips lightly. “You know, the timing… it’s just bad timing…”
“I know, Beautiful. No regrets. Just happy memories. And aching thighs to remind me.”
She laughed then and yelled, “Last one to the room is a rotten egg.” We took off at a run for the elevator and raced back up to the room. When we got there, we collapsed on the bed in a fit of giggles.
When I had caught my breath again, I said, “You didn’t need to thank me back there. The pleasure was all mine.” She kissed me again and then got up to pack. Even though I knew we were doing the right thing, I couldn’t bring myself to watch her pack. I laid in bed and read while she got her stuff together.
“OK, then. I think I have everything.”
I nodded, “Yep.”
“Need any help with anything?”
“Nope. I’ve got it.”
“You’ll call? We’ll ride together to the next meeting?”
Nodding again, I said, “Of course, just like always.”
I got up and walked to her and she wrapped me in a warm embrace. I held her close for a second and then kissed her cheek, her forehead, and her other cheek. “Take care.”
“You too.”
The door closed behind her. I stood for a minute, trying to assess the damage to my heart. After a short bit, I realized that there wasn’t any. The initial anger had passed, and so had the frustration. All that was left was a happy glow and a fantastic story. My body was sore but I felt great. I felt like all the things she said I was: strong, beautiful, funny, smart. Sexy.
I was also well-rested, well-fed, and well-fucked. At that moment I couldn’t imagine that life could really get much better than this.