For The Life of You Ch. 01

Author's Note: This is an actual story, and a long one at that. I didn't start out with that intention, but that's the way it is. So, if you're looking for something that contains sex in the first paragraph, might I suggest you read something else? Thank you, thank you, thank you Transvers for all your support, your encouragement, and especially your patients.

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SHE REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO BE THERE. She shivered a little and flipped up the collar on her heavy waist length winter coat to get some protection from the crisp February breeze that blew across the empty deck. She placed her hands on the railing and took a deep breath as she gazed at the stars that glittered brightly against the dark blue velvet night sky. The moon cast a haunting glow in streaks through the leafless branches of the woods and, for brief moment, she closed her eyes to bask in its cold light.

Just a little bit of peace and quiet, that's all she really wanted. Her dark eyebrows drew together in irritation as the bass, thumping from the music, filtered through the glass windows from the party going on inside the brightly lit house. She could hear laughter and syncopated screams from people getting down on the makeshift dance floor in the living room. The techno beat rooted itself in the back of her head and began to pound along with the music. God, she hated techno.

She sighed softly to herself, rolled her head around and tried to ease the tension that had crept into her shoulders. So much for peace. No chance of that happening at a party. She shivered again and slipped her hands into the pockets of her coat in search of her lighter and pack of cigarettes. It had been a long morning at work and a long evening that spilled over into an even longer night.

It was closing night of the show. A three month stint from start to finish. Two months of grueling rehearsals five nights a week and then a month long run of six performances a week. Then, because the show was such a hit, the director got the bright idea of having a double performance on closing night. Now the cast of forty-two plus the crew, significant others, friends and lovers were inside blowing off steam and letting it all hang out.

Normally she'd be in the middle of it all, shaking her groove thing, but she was tired and all she really wanted was to be at home in her comfy clothes and snuggled up in her bed watching a movie. Some how she had let Gerald talk her into coming to the party. She slipped a cigarette in between her thick lips, flicked the lighter and took a long pull. The smoke billowed out from between her slightly parted lips when she exhaled. She reached up and released the clip that held her long dark brown twists to let them fall down about her shoulders. She got a little relief from the pressure, but not much.

The music and sounds from the party suddenly grew loud when a door opened behind her and then was quickly muted as the door closed. Letting her know that her time of solitude was over. She willed herself not to tense up as she felt a hand slip around her waist to pull her close to a solid warm body and a pair of warm lips nuzzle her cheek. She flinched a little at the contact.

"It's a beautiful night," he said as he moved to take her lips in a kiss. "But what are you doing out here by yourself?" She turned her head slightly to avoid his mouth as she took a puff from her cigarette. She didn't mean to do it, not on purpose, anyway. But he mistook her move for something else. He let out a small exasperated breath. "You're mad about tomorrow aren't you?"

"Tomorrow?" The ash from her cigarette fell over the side of the deck as she tapped it and slid him a questioning look. It was going on somewhere around one in the morning and the only thing she was thinking about at the moment was her warm bed. What was tomorrow? She racked her brain trying to think of what was so important about the next day, but for the life of her she was drawing a blank. He slid his hand from her waist and began to rub the middle of her back.

"I'm leaving for New York," he looked at his watch. "In about five hours, and you're mad because I won't be able to spend tomorrow with you." He leaned in to kiss her cheek. "I'll only be gone a few days. If everything pans out I should be back by the weekend. I promise, I'll make it up to you when I get back."

"Gerald, this isn't the first time you've had to go out of town on business and it won't be the last." She shifted in his arms and took the last puff, then crushed the cigarette out under her high heeled boot. She looked around for a place to deposit the butt and found none, so she wrapped it in the cellophane from her cigarette pack and stuck it in her coat pocket. "It's no big major deal. I think I'll be able to live with out you for a few days." She said with an amused tone.

He pulled her closer to him. She was starting to feel a little uneasy with him being so close and she felt the muscles in her shoulders begin to tighten. She took a deep breath in through her nose, then slowly let it out, and she had to force herself to remain relaxed. That was until she felt his hand slide down to cup the firm curve of her bottom. Then she did stiffen up. She just couldn't get use to his touch. "Gerald, hand." He moved his hand quickly back to her waist.

"Sorry babe, it's just that I really wanted to make tomorrow special for you." She still wasn't understanding what the big deal was about tomorrow, but she wasn't going to ask. Obviously it was important to him. She leaned over and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

"Don't worry about it. You said that you'd make it up to me. I know you will, and don't call me babe," she said lightly as she cupped the side of his face with her hand and used her thumb to rub away the stain of her lipstick from his cheek. She had no clue the signals she was throwing out. To her, she was just simply wiping away the lipstick on his face. But to Gerald, it was a sensual caress that said she wanted something else. His face lit up when she kissed him and he took it as a sign to go for more. He bent his head to take her lips with his but was interrupted when he heard the music pour out from the back door being opened.

"Blu Montgomery! What are you doing out there in the cold? The music's bumping and it's time to raise the roof to a respectable level. Get a move on girl!" To her relief, she looked over Gerald's shoulder to see her friend James sticking his shaggy blond head out into the cold. He was dressed in all black from his silk buttoned down long sleeve shirt that was un-tucked over a pair of sinfully tight leather pants down to a pair of thick soled work boots. He eyed the couple carefully as Blu gently extracted herself from Gerald's arms.

"The duties of a party Queen are never done," she said with a dramatic sigh and a rueful smile. She turned and started walking toward James and the party, then looked over her shoulder and flashed Gerald a smile. "Have a safe trip, and I'll see you when you get back." She let James take her hand and pull her into the house. James gave Gerald a jaunty wave along with a cocky smile as he closed the glass porch door, leaving Gerald to stand alone out on the deck in the cold.

"What was that all about?" He nodded his head toward Gerald out on the deck as he pulled her onto the makeshift dance floor. Blu just shook her head. She didn't want to talk about it. She just wanted to immerse herself in the music and forget the whole scene out on the deck. James just shrugged his shoulders and took it for what it was. Blu would tell him what was up when she was ready. Until then, it was time to get down and dance.

Cast members sat about and chit chatted about the events of the show while others danced. The alcohol was free flowing and spirits were high. Prince sang out for everyone to "get off" and Gerald watched through the window as James grasped Blu's hips, pull her backside against his crotch, and began to hump her thick globular bottom in time to the rhythmic beat of the music bumping from the speakers. She responded in kind by pushing back, rotating her hips, and then took two steps out, making like she was walking away, but with perfect timing, James reached out to slide his hand from her shoulder down to the crook of her elbow, grabbed it and pulled to spin her around and bring her back to him. Blu bent her knee and slid her leg up the outside of his thigh, effectively bringing the two of them crotch to crotch.

Gerald felt a twinge of jealously while he stood outside staring at them through the window. He saw the sexy smile on Blu's face as she leaned back and let James' strong hands support her as she stood on one leg and they moved in time with the music. Her long twists whipped wildly about as she swung her head back and forth. James leaned forward and flicked his tongue out to maneuver the tab of the zipper on her coat between his teeth. There were hoots and hollers from the rest of the cast as he slowly dragged the tab down and relieved of her coat.

Gerald clenched a fist as he watch James bury his face in between Blu's breasts. The turquoise blouse she wore wasn't cut very low, but James was an expert at unbuttoning clothing without a person noticing. Gerald's green eyes narrowed when he saw James reach out to cradle Blu's neck then his fingers trail down to pop the first button open and place a seductive kiss in the exposed cleavage. His creamy white skin was a sharp contrast as he buried his nose and lips in her milk chocolate brown valley, the sides of her breasts cradling his face.

Gerald took a step toward the door but stopped himself before he did what he knew would be a mistake. She wasn't one for making scenes. She wouldn't appreciate him going all cro-magnon and storming in the house to pull her away from James in front of the whole cast and crew. He didn't like the fact that she was all but having sex with James on the makeshift dance floor. That more than half the party was doing the same thing was regardless. Gerald was only seeing Blu.

He knew that Blu could handle herself with James, hell, she could handle herself with any man for that matter. She had Gerald panting after her for two years before she finally allowed him to touch her in other ways besides the customary hugs and kisses given in greetings and good-byes. But she never let him to touch her the way James was touching her now.

Gerald stuffed his fists in his coat turned and walked away. They were just dancing, having a good time, but she was having that good time with someone else. Not Gerald, and that didn't sit well with him. He clenched his jaw as he tried to ease the feeling of jealousy coiled in his stomach like a snake. He knew that they weren't exclusive. She had made that clear to him from the beginning, but he was still determined to make her his. He was Gerald Stratton, a successful business man. He learned long ago how to get what he wanted from people, he always got what he wanted, and he had his sights set on Blu. He'd spent quite a bit of time trying to get past her defenses and now that she'd finally let him in, well he wasn't about to let some pissant like James Worthington step in and take over.

Gerald was still irritated that he had to go to New York, but the business people were stalling on the rights to the show he wanted. So he had to go personally to wheel and deal. He had a feeling that it was going to cost him a pretty penny, but he was okay with that, she was worth it. He just didn't like the timing of it all. He shrugged his shoulders. That's all right. He'd send her something and when he got back he'd make up for tomorrow in spades. With that thought in mind, he began whistling to himself as he got into his silver Lexus RX11 and drove off toward his condo to get ready for his flight. Yes, things were definitely going go his way.

Inside the house people were rocking to the beat of the drums and working up a fine heated sweat in an almost primitive tribal dance. The air was heavy with the mixture of cigarette smoke and the scent of marijuana. There was an underlying current of sexual tension that was bouncing around from person to person. People were bumping and grinding on the dance floor, couples were sneaking off to get a little something-something. Some just didn't care and were blatantly displaying their affections for all to see.

James turned his head and slanted his gray eyes to look out the window. He saw how intensely Gerald had been watching them and smiled to himself when Gerald stalked away. Without missing a beat, James slowly pulled Blu up and let his lips play up her sternum, to the side of her neck and then nuzzled the sensitive spot just behind her ear. "He's gone," he said softly.

Blu let her leg drop from James' hip, her hands rested lightly on his shoulders as she steadied herself and smiled up at him gratefully and stepped back from him, effectively putting space between them. "Thank you, James." She bent over and scooped her coat up off the floor before someone danced on it and crushed her cigarettes.

For a brief moment James took the time to admire the fantastic view Blu unknowingly gave him. He let his eyes wonder up her high heeled black boots and curvy jean covered thighs. His gaze lingered on her bubble-licious booty and he noticed there were no panty lines. Which left him with the question of whether or not she had gone commando or if she was wearing a thong. He cocked his head to the side in thought then shrugged his shoulders. Either way his mouth watered, damn, she was hot. "Anything for you, babe," he said with a shrug and got a wolfish grin on his face. "And anything to stick it to good old Strap-on." He laughed at his nickname for Gerald.

Blu stood up and noticed half her blouse was undone showing her black lacy bra that barley covered her heavy breasts exposed to the entire room. She turned to look at James and shook her finger at him and quickly buttoned up her blouse. "Really James?" She admonished as she moved in the direction of what she thought might be the kitchen, weaving and side stepping people with ease. "The way you act some times, I forget that you're forty years old. You are just bad." James followed closely behind her. He wasn't sure if she was reprimanding him for unbuttoning her blouse or his quip remark about Gerald, but she was smiling so he didn't care.

Upon entering the kitchen, Blu spotted a pot of coffee surrounded by half eaten plates of food and bottles of alcohol sitting on a table. She threw her coat over the back of a chair and immediately started rummaging through the cupboards in search of a mug. She did a little dance when she found the right cupboard and scored a mug that she could barely wrap her tiny hands around.

James had selected a bottle of vodka from the table and was rinsing a used glass out in the sink while he watched Blu. She was bent over looking in the fridge for some cream and happily humming to herself. She twitched her legs excitedly when she scored again causing her bottom to jiggle deliciously. James groaned inwardly. "God, don't do that," he muttered under his breath. Blu looked over her shoulder as she back out from the fridge. "Don't do what?" Her oval shaped dark brown eyes were wide in question. James rolled his eyes, she honestly had no idea that her unintentional move was sexy as hell and such a turn on.

The music that drifted in from the living room changed to a disco beat and James changed the subject. "So, what were you and Gerald talking about out on the deck?" Blu shrugged her shoulders as she mixed the cream and sugar into her coffee. James poured the vodka into the now clean glass and leaned against the counter next to the sink and waited patiently. The way she stiffly stirred the spoon in her coffee told him that she wasn't quite ready to talk about what had transpired out on the deck.

Blu took the first sip of her coffee and closed her eyes as the hot creamy sweet liquid spilled over her tongue. She unconsciously smiled as she reveled in the taste. She dug around in her coat pocket for her lighter and cigarettes and was about to sit down at the kitchen table when she spotted an open space on the counter next to James.

"Scoot over," she said as she handed him her mug and hopped up on the counter and settled herself in. "I don't know," she mumbled around the cigarette she had slipped in her mouth. She lit it and then quickly braided her twists as the cigarette dangled between her lips. She tossed the finished braid over her shoulder, slid the fingers of her left hand around the cigarette as she took a hit and then exhaled heavily as she grabbed her mug from James. "He was going on about how sorry he was that he had to go to New York tomorrow," she looked at the clock on the wall it was going on quarter after two and corrected herself. "Today."

She cupped the mug in her hands, leaned over and snuggled her head on James' shoulder. She drummed the heels of her boots against the cupboard and hummed along with music for a moment and then sat up. "I mean, it's not like he doesn't go out of town on business all the time," she waved the hand the a held her cigarette through the air. "So what's the big deal about tomorrow, I mean today," she asked with an exasperated sigh.

James almost choked on the vodka he was sipping and gave Blu an incredulous look. "Um, maybe because today is Valentine's Day and maybe he wanted to spend it with you instead of having to go to New York to fight for the rights for a show? Did you think about that?"

Blu just blinked at James. Valentine's Day. It really hadn't occurred to her that that was what Gerald was all worked up about. James didn't notice that she'd remained silent as he went on about how Gerald probably had big plans for the two of them, especially because it was their first Valentine's together, or rather, not together. Her upper lip curled. "Ew."

"Did you just say 'ew'?!" James stopped in the middle of his lament. She nodded her head. "Yup, and I'll say it again in case you didn't understand the first time: Ew." This time she shuddered along with the word. She put her mug down, hopped off the counter and went in search of an ashtray.

"Okay, so it's Valentine's Day. So what? It's just another day in the month, only more expensive." She couldn't find an ashtray so she gently pushed James aside, turned the handle on the sink faucet, put out her cigarette under the running water and deposited the soggy butt in a nearby trash bag. James set his glass down and moved behind her to wrap his arms around her waist and brushed his lips against the side of her neck. Once again she had will herself not to stiffen up when he touched her.

"Come on babe, don't tell me you didn't have plans for him to come over tonight for a nice romantic evening filled with love and passion," he murmured as his hands moved up to rest just below her breasts. "You wearing some sexy silky thing clinging to that sinfully hot body of yours. Getting Gerald all worked up." He let his hands glide down to her waist and curled his finger around the belt loops of her jeans to pull her bottom against his front. He was playing with her. She knew that, well turn about was fair play. You want to play? Let's play.

"Give me the green light...Give me just one night...I'm ready to go right now..." The music floated through the open door of the kitchen. Blu arched her back a little and rocked her hips so that her bottom rubbed against his crotch. She could feel him beginning to harden against her backside through the material of each of their jeans and leather and she pressed back a little more firmly. They began to sway slowly on the off beat of the music that drifted around them.