A Place In This Life

Chapter 18

The early afternoon was dark and rainy, with purple clouds hovering over the ocean, and winds strong enough to blow the seagulls backward. I watched as the storm moved closer to my own space from the huge picture window in the apartment's front room. The waterfront was dead, the yachts bobbing alone with the rough water. Not a soul was willing to walk in the rain that flooded the streets and sidewalks, at times so heavy that it threatened to take cars with it. I was grateful to be safely indoors, with only the sound of the weather above me on the roof. However, safe was not the right word, as I was alone with Todd and had been throughout the afternoon.

I sat curled up on the scuffed leather couch, replete with pen marks and cigarette burns, as well as a few sticky patches, chewing the sides of my thumbs. My hangnails were again victims of my anxiety, ripped and bleeding as I awaited Todd's return from his room. He said he needed to take care of something before driving me home.

It had been a split decision, really, to walk back in the door after Todd had pushed me out. There had been a sense of longing creeping around the back of my mind, as well as a curiosity that got the better of me. Todd's resistance had been minimal as I took control of comforting him. Indeed, the experience had been very comfortable for both of us.

After I had pulled the door shut and locked it, I pressed into Todd's mouth, opening it to explore. My hands had also ventured up his back, ignoring what seemed to be the delicate bones that held his body together. Bringing my hands across his chest, I was careful to avoid the Broviac, and then clasped them around his neck, further deepening my kiss.

We slid down the door to the floor, where I climbed over his hips and carefully kept my full weight off of him, while continuing to kiss his lips, chin, cheek, and finally burying my mouth in his neck.

"Ohhhhhhh," he groaned, slowly placing his hands around my waist, searching for the front of my shirt, then under it and up to my breasts, massaging small circles into the softness, sending electrical sensations down my spine.

He suddenly placed his hands between my bent thighs, parting them slightly, and then ran his hands back and forth, teasing me to think he would take it a step further with each stroke. It felt musical, a sort of gyration in my body that made me move and ride over Todd on the floor, keeping pace with the subtle sounds of lust that came from my throat but seemed to not be a part of me.

Todd's hands went back under my shirt and searched around for bra hooks, which he would not find because it was a front closure. The thought of everything bursting out of the front made me giggle.

"What's so funny?" he said, still fumbling.

"This," I said, lifting up my shirt and pointing to the front closure.

"Oh! That makes it easier," he said, releasing the clasp with one experienced hand.

"Nice," he said, placing his hot lips on the side of my neck, hitting a nerve that circuited down to my privates and back. I placed my mouth hard and fast on his, demanding his tongue. He moved his mouth from mine back down to my neck and then to my left ear, where his tongue darted in and out, sending a delicious tickle through my neck.

Despite the cold outside, I felt hot and sticky, and pulled my shirt over my head and then went back to kissing his face. He wrapped his arms around my waist and I could feel his excitement. The sensation was weird at first, like accidentally sitting on a roll of quarters left on the bed.

Then he pushed me away to catch his breath.

"Let's go to the room," he said, standing up to lead me to his bedroom.

Standing by the bed, Todd moved my hand, bringing it to his waistband and then inside. He was warm and soft, except for the roll of quarters that, when touched, caused him to push me down on the bed. He brought my legs up in the air, yanking at the bottoms of my pants until they slid off, and tossed them across the room.