Chapter Fourteen
Charles
All I can think about is how she took care of me yesterday. She made me delicious teas and soups and mouthwatering foods I can't forget and shouldn't have been able to eat while sick. Somehow, though, everything she'd cooked for me was absolutely perfect and exactly what my stomach needed at the moment.
And this morning when I woke up, I felt absolutely fine, and I still do with no current sign of a fever or any kind of illness.
Of course, because I was so sick yesterday and had sweats for most of the day, I absolutely have to take a shower. I hadn't taken one last night because I was just too sick and tired. As I head to the bathroom, I suddenly recall her looking at the front of my pants with perfect clarity.
In my mind’s eye I can see her stunned expression, the electric excitement in her eyes, the way her tongue traced her upper lip as if she wanted to taste me...
And I know that I’m going to have to relieve this pressure before she comes over to make breakfast and prepare lunch for me to have while she’s home. I want to talk to her again about staying full time, but she'd been so against the idea when we first discussed that course of action that I can't imagine that things would have changed. Then again, with the chemistry between us, maybe she has changed her mind after all.
Maybe what I should be doing is asking myself why I really want her to stay full time.
As I make my way into the bathroom to the shower, I realize I don't want to answer that question. Quickly stripping away the clothing I have on, I step into the black shower box, gazing up at the sunny skies with white fluffy clouds through the skylight overhead.
But my enjoyment of the day doesn't last more than a moment or two. Instead, I remember Alisha’s kiss on my lips. The look in her eyes in that moment as if she wanted more. The regret on her face when she said she couldn’t stay.
Couldn't or didn't want to?
That question drives me crazy, especially when I think about how quickly Saturday is approaching and that she's going to go to Methew’s house and have a private meal - a date - with him. How is his wife okay with him having another woman over? Although maybe the poor thing just doesn't know.
Turning my face into the spray of water, I push all thoughts of Methew out of my mind and let her take over.
Wrapping my fist around myself, I imagine her stepping into the shower with me and slipping her arms around my body. The thought of her soft skin and body against mine has me pulsing with need and desire and I give myself a tug. The resulting flash of pleasure is nearly blinding and I grit my teeth.
I imagine her kissing up my back to my shoulder and reaching around to take me in her hand. I can almost imagine her smaller, soft fingers on my cock, and the thought has me pulsing and raging out of control. My hand pumps myself as I think about her taking soap and lathering me up, using that to glide along my shaft with velvety friction.
I imagine her whispering in my ear. “Like that?” Her words knock the wind out of me, and I plant a palm on the dark matte tiles of the shower, letting my breath out before dragging in another. The water streams down my body, tickling like sweat as I continue working myself.
“Just like that,” I whisper, loving the thought of her taking charge, touching me, bringing me to the edge of pleasure before sliding her body around mine. I imagine her rinsing me clean, then lowering to her knees before me, looking up at me with those beautiful blue eyes and refusing to look away as she takes the tip of me into her mouth.
I groan at the thought and continue tugging on myself, feeling the mounting pleasure as I imagine her before me, taking all of me in one quick motion before pulling back with nearly excruciating pressure. And from there, she begins to move quicker, taking all of me, then backing off, the soft dampness of her welcoming mouth driving me toward orgasm faster than I’m used to experiencing.
With my eyes closed, I continue to imagine her, thinking about her taking me deep, then pulling back with one clear and obvious goal – to get me off. I imagine wrapping her hair around my fist, holding the back of her head and just resting there while letting her choose her own pace.
I can imagine her whimpering, reaching down to touch herself, clearly as turned on by what she’s doing as I am. And I imagine her bringing herself to pleasure, moaning and whimpering around me as she continues taking me into her mouth while her body shudders with pleasure.
That thought – her imploding, drives me over the edge, and I gasp with shock as the orgasm bursts out of me in thick, ropy ribbons, spilling onto the floor of the shower to be washed away by the water.
I stand there for a moment, well aware I’m in deep trouble. I want Alisha. And she’d been pretty clear that she’s not there yet. I need to feel her, but she’s reserved and pulling back. I’m not the kind of guy who’d force myself on her, of course. I’m also worried about her date with Methew and what that means.
What if they hit it off and he convinces her to join him for whatever he has in mind? Just because he’s still married doesn’t mean he’s faithful, or that he and his wife don’t have some kind of... arrangement. Troubled by the thoughts, I quickly scrub myself clean and rinse off, ready for the day I’d planned last night in the midst of a fever delusion.
“We're going to do what?” She sounds confused as she stares at me. I'd cornered her just after she got out of her car and we’re standing in my driveway, talking about my plans for the day.
“I thought you might want to go to the farmer’s market.” Now that I've said the words a second time, her expression clears up and a slow smile lifts the corners for lips.
“I would like that. I'd like that a lot.” She sounds surprised at her own words, or maybe she's surprised at my idea.
“I'll drive,” I say, and she makes her way over as if in a daze and gets in as I walk around into the driver’s side.
A few moments later we're on the road and she glances over at me, her eyes twinkling. “You didn't have to do this, you know, but thank you.”
I lift both shoulders. Eventually, I'm going to have to tell her how I feel about her. Maybe it's a good idea to get to know her a little better and be interested in her interests, and show her that I can be the kind of person she can enjoy spending time with. A farmers market seemed like just the ticket.
We can see the tents long before I pull into a parking spot and the second I put the car in park she bounces out, before I can even kill the engine. I can't help but smile at her exuberance.
She hurries around to my side and takes my hand, pulling me along. As we step amongst the vibrant tapestry of tents in the farmers market, scents, sounds, and sighs overtake us. I can make out the scent of sweet strawberries mingling with earthy herbs, freshly baked bread smells wafting on the breeze, and the invigorating aroma of ripe fruit.
She hurries over to the first tent, where vivid red tomatoes nestle amongst golden ears of corn with their husks gently whistling in the breeze. Little miniature baskets overflow with plump berries, blueberries, black berries, salmonberries, and a few others I don’t even recognize, like the tiny dark berries that are much sparser.
“What are those?” I ask, taking her elbow and pointing to the small black berries.
“Those are elderberries. I'm surprised someone is selling those.” She sounds genuinely concerned as we walk up to the table and examine the berries.
“Why?” I ask in a low voice as the owner of the stall speaks with another couple, their conversation animated with hand gestures and laughter as if they’re old friends.
Alisha leans into me and speaks in a low voice. “Elderberries are poisonous unless they're cooked. Most people don't know that, so selling them here is rather dangerous from a liability standpoint.”
“That does seem risky.” She moves away from my side, heading for another stall and I follow. We stop at a bustling bakery tent that entices us with their artisanal loaves. The scent of freshly baked bread leaves my mouth watering and just the look of their flakey golden crusts and beautiful patterns leaves me wanting to buy the whole tent. But she's already moving on to the next tent that displays a delightful assortment of cheeses in wheels, wedges, and long round cylinders mixed with berries or herbs.
“This place is amazing. I can't believe I've never been here before.” When she glances at me, I can see how lit up her face is and joy warms my blood. The next tent she stops at seems to be all delicious desserts with freshly made doughnuts, pies, cookies, brownies, and every delicious treat known to man on a table that had to be nearly buckling under the weight.
“Those donuts look good,” she says, lifting her hand to point at the cinnamon donuts. But as she moves, our hands brush one another, and a cascade of tingles erupt from the point of contact to flood my body.
Without a word, I pull out my wallet and buy two donuts, offering her one and taking the other. She lifts hers while arching an eyebrow in a clear request for me to do the same. I mirror her movement, unsure what she's going to do. She touches her donut to mine with a smile and says, “Cheers!”
I can't hold back a smile at how adorable she is.
Eating our delicious cinnamon and sugar treats, we venture through the bustling farmers market, navigating stalls overflowing with vibrant produce and the intoxicating scent of freshly baked goods.
As we stroll side-by-side, she becomes my guide, unveiling a world of knowledge about health, nutrition, and the intricate nuances of micro and macro nutrients.
I've always known that the way food fuels our body is an intricate process, but now when she explains it, it sounds interesting, but in school when they’d tried to teach me, I’d had to fight sleep. The subject that I always found so boring isn't boring when she talks about how we’ve all been taught all wrong about food our whole lives.
We stop by another vegetable booth where a farmer proudly displays his harvest, a testament to his dedication and labor of love. Stalks of leafy green plants stand tall with leaves ruffling in the breeze while a rainbow assortment of bell peppers, potatoes, and carrots decorate the table in a truly captivating array of color, beauty, and imperfections.
She stops at his table and touches the carrots with longing in her eyes.
“You're welcome to get whatever you want for yourself or for my house. My treat.” I didn't bring her to the farmers market to just look.
She tosses a surprised glance in my direction. “Are you sure?”
I nod my head, sure that I've never been so certain of anything in my life.
She orders some of the multi-colored veggies and once they're in a basket, she takes my hand and leads me back from shop to shop, picking out her favorite foods and telling me things about them. At the tent selling cheese, she has me try some very mixed goat cheese, and while I'm nervous at first to try any fruit mixed with cheese, I discover that I love the flavor combination.
From there on out, I'm not nervous to try anything she offers.
She stops at another tent, where fragrant bouquets of herbs release aromatic scents, and she plucks a sprig and brings it to my nose, inviting me to inhale the sweet and spicy scent before picking and choosing a few bunches to bring home.
I love watching her pick and choose the things she wants as her fingers skillfully sort through everything she touches and her eyes dance with joy. She’s clearly in her element and that makes me overjoyed.
When we finally wind down to stop, her basket is full and she's happy. I take the basket from her and entwine my hand with hers, and just like that we make our way to my car.
On the drive, she seems deep in thought, perhaps processing all the fun we’d just had. “I didn't talk too much today, did I?” she asks with a worried glance at me.
“Not at all. I feel like I learned a lot and I really appreciate that you took the time to teach me some of what you know.” I reach out and touch her thigh, squeezing gently, stunned by the heat that sears through me with the gesture. I like touching her and would like to touch her more.
As I drive, I notice the vivid colors of the sinking sun as the skies go bright golden with pink, blue, and purple hues igniting the clouds. I pull over and she laces her fingers with mine as we watch the breathtaking colors, and some love song plays softly on the radio.
For the first time in a long time, I feel totally warm, loved, and happy.