In the Shadows

Maxie's Adventure

A flash of lightning lights up the sky and a deafening boom of thunder sounds almost immediately after. The storm whips my soaking wet hair against my skin, and I put up a hand to shield my eyes against the driving rain.
"Maxie!"
The wind drowns out my call and I watch with dismay as Maxie's furry butt squeezes past the downed wooden fence and I curse. When my new neighbour moved in, I popped by to introduce myself and he was less than friendly. In fact, he barely opened the door and told me not to come back. But I doubt anyone else is stupid enough to be out in this weather.
Rain pours down the back of my neck and soaks my jumper underneath. I didn't expect Maxie to bolt when I dashed outside to my car to search for the flashlight I keep in the boot for emergencies. Gripping the collar tighter, I put my head down and press on, clambering over the broken slats and into my neighbour's pitch-black yard. The only light is the weak beam of my torch and the faint glow coming from one light on in the old cabin. Maybe he's not home.
I cling to that thought as I swing my torch from side to side, trying to work out where Maxie could be hiding. As I walk further into the garden, my anxiety is through the roof. We need to get back indoors. It's not safe for either of us to be outside in this. My fingers and toes are numb, and my teeth are chattering.
Creeping around the side of the house, I'm just about to give up when the toe of a boot appears in my line of vision and I look up to see two pitch-black eyes peering angrily at me from underneath the shadow of a hood. A scream dies in my throat as I jump back, slipping on the sodden ground, and land on my ass in the mud.
"Looking for something?"
He's big and broad, dressing in a dark hoodie and combats, and heavy work boots. Making no attempt to help me, he just stands there watching my elegant attempt to get back to my feet without falling again.
"My dog. He ran away."
Swiping my hair out of my face, I try my best to look calm but fail pathetically when he grabs my hand and pulls it to him, turning it palm up. Blood is pouring from a cut that I can't even feel and I shiver from a combination of the bone-chilling seeping into me through my damp clothes and the sight of blood.
With a weary sigh, he tips his head toward his house and marches off, leaving the side door wide open as he goes inside. I stand there dumbly for a second, not sure what to do.
"Get inside before you get hypothermia. Maxie's in there."
That gets me moving. I want my dog back, but I'm also aware this is like the start of a really bad horror movie. Hesitating on the threshold, I'm about to tell him to give me Maxie and I'll be on my way when a clap of thunder sends me running indoors. Following his lead, I strip off my boots and coat in the mudroom and head into the kitchen.
In the dim light, I can make out his enormous form moving about in the utility room. When he grips the back of his t-shirt with one hand and yanks it forward over his head, I swallow hard. The muscles in his back ripple and bunch as he flings it to the side and pulls a clean one off the top of a pile of laundry sitting on the counter. As he turns to walk back into the kitchen, I avert my eyes, but not before I catch a glimpse of ripped abs and a line of dark hair travelling down below the waistband of his trousers.
I pad toward the living room, conscious my wet socks are leaving a mess. Maxie is lying on a towel in front of the roaring open fire, looking thoroughly delighted with himself. His tail thumps fast against the floor when he sees me, but the traitor doesn't make any attempt to move from his cozy spot on the floor.
Leaning down to pet him, the warmth from the flames makes it hard to stay mad. I'd curl up there too if I could. Wrapping my arms around myself, I edge closer and allow the heat to sink into me.
"Here. Go strip before you get sick."
Scary neighbour is holding out a towel and what looks to be a change of clothes. He's looking at Maxi though, and when I take the bundle, he looks down and rubs him behind the ear.
"No, thank you. I'll just take Maxi and we'll get out of your way."
The storm chooses that exact moment to take power out and I see his mouth tip up in an arrogant smirk in the orange glow of the flames. Now that it's almost pitch black, he looks straight at me and I see deep scars marring one side of his handsome face. His pale eyes dance with the flickering of the fire and his serious expression grows more intense.
"You're not going anywhere. It's a miracle you made it over here without getting knocked out by a fallen branch. I'll look at that hand when you're done."
My teeth chatter and a full-body shiver racks my body. I know I'm being stupid, but the thought of being alone in this guy's house is making me nervous. He's twice the size of me and has a dangerous aura to him. My heart is pounding. I know nothing about him, except that he's an ass. That likes dogs. And is offering me dry clothes and a warm place to hide out. Damn it.
Accepting his offering with both of my two hands, I look around awkwardly. The fire is currently the only light source, my torch forgotten at the back door. Where do I go? He hardly expects me to change here.
He reaches out and takes my hand, before leading me down a narrow hallway, steering me around a sideboard I definitely would have walked into. His palm is rough, and his grip firm. Maxie, the worst bodyguard in the world, stays put, clearly more interested in staying warm than ensuring my safety. The pitch black of the hallway gives way to the soft glow of a candle as he pushes open the door to a small bathroom. When he drops my hand, I'm disappointed and I'm taken aback by that. I liked it, especially because he doesn't seem like the touchy-feely type.
Without a word, he closes the door behind me, and I hear his heavy footsteps disappear back down the hallway. Before I can think too much about what I'm doing, I strip off and towel-dry my hair. At least with the power off, he won't be able to see what a mess I look. Pulling on his heavy tracksuit bottoms and a giant hoodie feels like heaven. I'm warm and somewhat dry again. Rolling over the waistband a few times, I can get the bottoms to say up, but the hoodie dwarfs me and I have to shove the sleeves up to my elbows so that I can use my hands. This guy really is massive.
Gathering my wet clothes up into a ball, and hiding my underwear from view in the middle, I edge my way back along the corridor toward the sitting room. Scary neighbour has dragged the sofa closer to the fire and sits at one end, with his long legs stretched in front of him and one arm along the back of the cushions. As I edge closer, he says nothing but thrusts a plastic bag at me.
"Thank you." I shove my wet clothes inside and still, he stays silent and just watches. The rustle of the bag, the crackle of the fire, and the thump, thump of Maxie's tail are the only sounds to be heard inside. The wind howls outside, and the rain lashes against the window, telling me I won't be making the trek back to my house any time soon.
"This will warm you up."
His long fingers hold out a glass of amber liquid and even though I don't normally drink whiskey, I need it right now. Something about this guy just sets me on edge. Butterflies erupt inside me as our fingers brush when I take the glass. His jaw clenches and the movement draws my attention back to his damaged skin. When he sees where my focus is, he huffs bitterly.
"It's rude to stare," he says bluntly before looking away from me and staring into the fireplace.
"I'm not." He grunts and takes a sip of his own drink, never looking back at me. I flop down onto the far end of the sofa and tuck my legs up underneath me, settling in for an evening of awkward silence.
"Motorbike accident." He answers the question I didn't ask and takes another drink from his glass. His full, wet lips shine in the dancing light and I can't take my eyes off them. "You not going to tell me I'm lucky to be alive?"
My quietness seems bring out his chatty side.
"I doubt you need me to tell you that."
Those sexy lips curl up into an almost smile and he leans forward to toss another log onto the fire, sending sparks floating up the chimney and out onto the hearth. The whiskey burns a soothing path down my throat, and I lean back, sighing as the heat from the fire works its magic and I feel myself relaxing a little. I keep taking sips and melt back into the cushions, the alcohol slowly filtering into my system.
"So you're an ass because you crashed your motorbike?"
Oops. The words are out before I can stop them. He whips his head around and meets my eye, and my heart stutters. He's beautiful even when he's pissed off. But as I hold his gaze, his hard expression softens and he frowns.
"I was drunk, so I'm angry at myself and my stupidity." His honesty floors me and I don't know what to say to that. "I was always an ass. Now I'm an ugly, bitter one too."
Maxie stands up and walks over to him, placing his head on his knee, and giving him some emotional support. Giving him a quick pat, he stands and disappears into the gloom of the kitchen to wash his hands before returning quickly with a first aid kit. He sits close to me, so close that my body reacts to his proximity, and balances the green box on his knee.
Tingles shoot across my skin when he pulls my hand into his lap. He rips open a sterile wipe and carefully cleans the cut on my hand. While he focuses completely on the task, I admire his side profile. His scars are facing me, and I can see why he would be conscious of them, but I still think he might be the sexiest man I've ever seen. His biceps bunch as he opens a bandage and presses it gently over the wound. He smooths the edges of the plaster repeatedly and it's clear he's just touching me for the sake of it.
His other hand rests on the cushion, and his pinky finger brushes against the bridge of my foot. He doesn't meet my eye, just continues to touch me. I'm getting hot and bothered by the barest of contact and I can't blame the fire or the whiskey.
Tilting his head toward the dark window, he fixed me with a look heavy with meaning.
"The wind has died down. I can walk you back to your place if you want."
I shake my head, and his eyes burn into mine. Shifting in his seat, he edges forward and trails the back of one knuckle across my cheek and down the column of my neck.
"You wouldn't even say hello to me when I came by the other day."
"I'm not opening that door and showing you my face. I used to be hot. I used to be the guy that women went after. My ego isn't ready to see a look of disgust on the face of someone I want."
Frowning, I reach out and touch his arm, feeling those muscles. As I get braver, I drag them up and over his broad shoulders and down his firm chest. He doesn't move, staying perfectly still as I explore. I hold his gaze as my hands drift lower over toned abs and stop, tucking my fingers into the waistband of his trousers.
I feel the muscles in his stomach quiver as I move towards the button and pop it open.
"What's different now?"
That anger appears again, but he quenches it quickly. He gestures around us at the darkness.
"So tomorrow we're back to you not opening the door?" His fingers stop their wandering path across my exposed skin, and he sits back a little. "Because I hate to break it to you, but I can see you."
Slowly, slowly, I reach up and place my palm against his cheek. He leans into my touch as I trace the raised lines, screwing his eyes shut.
"Does it hurt?"
He grimaces and pulls away slightly, turning slightly so that I'm not looking directly at the side of his face anymore.
"Does my pride count?"
"No."
While his eyes are still closed, I stretch up and place my lips softly to his. When he stays frozen in place, I brush them gently across his once, then twice, before kissing him a little harder this time. A tortured groan comes from deep inside his chest as he leans forward, forcing me back when he looms large over me.
"Tell me this isn't a pity fuck."
I refuse to dignify that with a response.
"I think you're gorgeous."
That seems to break whatever control the man was holding onto as he crushes his lips to mine, kissing me like a man possessed, his wandering hands eager to touch every part of me. Warm hands skirt underneath his sweatshirt and across my sensitive belly. Before I know what's going on, the hoodie is up and over my head, leaving me completely naked on top.
"Fuck yes," he murmurs as his big hands grip my breasts and he massages them tenderly, skimming across my peaked nipples with his thumbs as he takes one into his mouth and rolls his tongue across it.
"Tell me to stop." Fiery eyes meet mine as he slides lower along my body, and I shake my head stubbornly. He groans again, before gripping the waistband of his sweats and tugging them down to my ankles in one swift movement. I feel wild and reckless and sexy, baring myself completely to this mysterious man. My life is dull. I'm normally sensible. Surely, it's okay to let loose every now and again.
"I've seen you out in that garden. Tormenting me in those short shorts. Doing fucking yoga and making me pull myself off in the shower just to get rid of the fucking hard-on you leave me with."
He licks between my folds, and I whimper, both from the sensation and his filthy words. I never saw him or heard him. But he was watching. Oh god. My core clenches at the thought of him getting turned on by me without me even knowing he was there.
I writhe and wriggle as his mouth drives me crazy. He circles my clit, giving me just enough but leaving me wanting more. When he increases the pressure of his tongue, I buck against him, gripping his short wavy hair with both hands to keep him exactly where I need him. But he's too strong and he rips away, yanking my climax out from underneath me.
"No!" I cry out in frustration, and he chuckles, still watching me as I force my eyes open. He looms over me, edging his trousers and boxers down his legs and onto the floor. He goes to cover me, but I place a palm on his chest to stop him and he looks at me in confusion.
I wrap my fingers in his t-shirt and tug.
"Off." He hesitates for a second before steeling himself and pulling it off. The skin on his chest and shoulder matches his face. But right now, I don't care about that. I pull him down over me, pressing a kiss to the paler bumpy patch before moving my hips and allowing him to notch himself at my entrance.
Teeth gritted, he stays in position, letting me take the lead. Gladly. Digging my heels into the soft cushions, I push my hips up, taking him deep inside my body as he allows himself to thrust forward to meet me.
He's big, and as he rolls his hip, his thick cock seems to touch every sensitive spot inside me. I cry out and grip his shoulders as he pulls out and drives back into me without hesitating. His chest brushes against mine on each thrust and I pull him closer, wrapping one leg around his hip to keep him inside me.
"Yes!" I can't help crying out as he rolls his hips and his pelvis grinds against my throbbing clit. He picks up the pace, pounding into me hard and fast. My hands drag him closer to me so my lips can meet his in a passionate kiss. I want to be stuck to him, for every part of our bodies to be in contact, while we're joined so intimately.
Gripping me behind the knee, he places my other leg over his shoulder to deepen and begins his relentless taking of my pussy again. Hard and fast. And with this new angle, it feels incredible.
When he strums my clit with his fingers, I can't control the begging noises coming out of my mouth. I'm delirious, lost to the pleasure this man is giving me. My toes curl as warm tingles spread slowly throughout my body and my core clamps down hard around him.
Calling out my release, I dig my nails into the skin of his shoulders and cling to him as I ride the wave of pleasure back down. As my pussy pulses around him, he drives deep inside me three more times, each harder than the last. He pulls out quickly and gives his rock-hard cock a single pump before jets of cum paint my belly, sticky and glistening in the firelight.
He sags down over me, panting hard, a delicious sheen of sweat on his magnificent body.
As he comes down from his high, he tucks his head away from me. I watch jelly limbed as he walks naked to the utility and returns with a warm, damp towel to clean up with. He wipes me carefully, and I can still see the hunger in his eyes as he drinks in my naked body.
He covers himself up immediately and I'm sad at the loss of access to him. I wanted to touch him and stroke him a bit longer. Gingerly, I sit up and reach down to pick up my discarded clothes. He moves away again, giving poor traumatised Maxie a rub behind the ear before settling back into his corner of the sofa. I'm left feeling lost about what's going on. I don't feel wild and reckless anymore.
"Was that not okay?" I ask, wrapping my arms around myself to block out the chill I suddenly feel coming from his direction. I thought it was hot, mind-blowingly so, but I have whiplash from how quickly his mood has changed.
"What?" He stares at me in disbelief as I bite my lip, back to feeling anxious under his scrutiny. "No. That was amazing. I just... we were so close... you don't want to see..." Trailing off, he clenches his fists in his lap and curses, as the hum of the tv and the fridge coming back to life tells us the power is fixed.
Silently, I stand and walk to the lamp sitting on the corner table near us. I pause, silently daring him to stop me, before I flick the switch to turn it on. His chest heaves and his lips press together so tightly they turn white. I walk closer and crawl into his lap, straddling him.
"I want to see." My lips graze his ear as I whisper against his neck, his hot skin scorching me and his manly scent sending a fresh wave of slickness to my tender pussy. With no panties on, I feel even wetter.
Smoothing his dishevelled hair off his face, I lean in and kiss him, telling him with my actions just how much I desire him. He sits frozen for a few seconds, allowing me to have my fun as my tongue seeks entrance to his mouth and tangles with his own. Suddenly, one large hand clamps down on the back of my neck, and the other grips me by the ass as he stands.
I shriek and throw my arms around his neck to hang on. He grips my hair and uses it to tilt my head back as he bites and sucks on my exposed neck, all while hurrying us toward the bedrooms.
"You're going to see fucking stars. You have no idea what you've let yourself in for," he threatens as he tosses me backward into the middle of his gigantic bed and prowls forward.
I bounce and scramble backward, giggling at the thrill of being manhandled. As he grabs me by the ankles and yanks me back to the end of the bed, I shiver with excitement. He's right, I don't know, but I think I'm going to enjoy finding out.

*** I post a one-shot per month on my Patreon if you want more sexy short stories and the chance to vote on what type of story I write! www.Patreon.com/ReeceBarden. Enjoy! ***