Silver, Blue & Gold

"What?" he said gently. "What did you want to tell me?"

Molly took a deep breath and looked up at him. "That I love you."

"Say it again, please," he said, tightening his grip on her shoulders.

"I love you, Jake," she said. "I wanted to tell you but I was afraid, and then when I finally decided I would, I--"

Jake cut her off with a kiss, and Molly sank into it with no questions. "I'm sorry, Molly," he said when he at last broke the kiss. He rested his forehead against hers. "I'm sorry I was so scared. I kept telling myself I was afraid to hurt you, but I was really afraid I'd get hurt. I'm sorry."

"I won't hurt you," she said, brushing her lips against his. "I love you."

"Once more, just say it once more," he murmured, wrapping his arms around her. "Tell me again while I'm making love to you."

"I love you," she whispered, and the rest was lost as he crushed her to him.

"Are you working tomorrow?" he asked as they tumbled onto the bed. He found the edge of her shirt and lifted it swiftly off.

"Not until the afternoon," she said as she unbuttoned his shirt, touching her lips to the exposed skin. He shuddered. "How about you?" she asked.

"I'm taking the morning off," he said. He kissed her again, but this time gently, as if he had all the time in the world. His hands weren't still, smoothly sliding the rest of her clothes and then his to the floor.

"Oh, God, Jake," she murmured. "I missed you so much." She glided her hands over his shoulders, then ran her fingers through his soft, dark hair.

"I missed you, too," he said, trailing kisses to her shoulder. She shivered as he nipped at the crook of her neck. "All the color drained away when you walked out the door," he told her, moving to look into her eyes. "I hated to see that."

"I hated to go," she said, blinking back tears. A few escaped, and Jake chased them with his lips. "I didn't know what else to do."

"Neither did I," he said, "but now I do." He bent his head to catch her mouth again, then used his hands and lips to make her gasp and arch against him. How he'd missed that. He'd missed everything about her body. Even before finding out about the lie, he'd had absolutely no desire to touch Chelsea. Now his hands itched to touch every part of Molly.

His hands slid over her breasts, along her hips, and finally he found the slick warmth that made him groan with desire. "Tell me, Molly, please," he said, stroking her gently, watching her give in to the pleasure. She tensed and then quivered against him, and he laid gentle kisses along her cheek as she recovered.

"I love you, Jake," she said when she opened her eyes again. "So much."

"I love you, too," he said. He thrust gently inside her, relishing every sensation. He said it over and over, until they were too breathless to speak. He murmured her name once more as he held her tightly and came, distantly hearing her say his name as she clung to his shoulders.

He kept her close as they lay in bed, exchanging light kisses and gentle touches.

"I'm so glad I found you," he said.

"Me, too," she said, her voice tinged with sleep.

"Everything was so gray, before," he murmured. "I was overdue for a rainbow. Now I have you."

x-x-x-x

Notes on the story:

It's inspired by the song "Silver, Blue & Gold," by Bad Company; I tried to incorporate some ideas from the lyrics.

Many character names are taken from the British sitcom "Are You Being Served?" I have no idea why. Must have been a fit of whimsy. Molly Sugden is named for the actress -- Mollie Sugden --who played Mrs. Betty Slocombe, senior salesperson in the Women's department at Grace Brothers' department store. Shirley, one of Molly's coworkers, is named for Shirley Brahams, junior salesperson to Mrs. Slocombe. Lucas is the name of one of the Men's dept's junior salespersons, as is Spooner.

I really did carry a book in my purse called The History of the Vikings. Quite good, as I recall. My brother really did get very upset when Mike Schmidt retired from the Phillies in the mid 80s, and my dad really did finally break down and tell him Schmidt was retired from baseball, not life.

Thanks to Cristalball for the last minute editing help!

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