A Season to Remember

She whimpered as Simon's fingers grazed her mound, pushing through her pubic hair to find her slit. In a sudden bout of self-consciousness, she regretted not shaving, and communicated her embarrassment with a whispered apology.

Simon chuckled in the kindest possible way. 'I wouldn't change a thing.'

She gasped as he delved into her pussy, alive to the novelty of a foreign touch. She hadn't been a nun in the years since Peter; masturbation had been her companion on many a lonely night, but that paled in comparison to a masculine hand exploring her most intimate parts.

'I want you,' she whispered.

Simon took a condom from his bedside drawer, then positioned himself on top of her. Louise closed her eyes as they came together in a tender kiss, heart racing as he glided his shaft over her wet sex. She gasped when he entered her, attuned to every individual nerve ending as they welcomed his cock.

He kept things slow, allowing her to relax into his shallow thrusts. After a little coaxing, her walls invited him deeper, and he inched forward until he was rooted.

They both paused, overcome by the forgotten sensation.

'You feel so good, Louise.'

Louise wrapped her arms round his neck and pulled him closer. 'So do you. Make love to me.'

He rocked his hips, each thrust adding to the butterflies in her stomach as her body rediscovered the joy of sex. Thousands of dormant nerves awakened, flooding her loins with forgotten pleasure as his probing cockhead stretched her pussy.

Their breathing became shallow, and pheromones thickened the air as they exchanged surreal groans, luxuriating in the scents, sounds, and motions of each other's bodies. Neither felt the need for words, content to ride the wave of their first lovemaking in years. Louise felt his cock swell, and she pulled him close, roaming the muscular contours of his body as it tensed.

With a guttural sigh, Simon surrendered his load, filling the condom inside her. They then slowed their bodies to a stop, exhaling hot breaths on each other's faces.

'That was incredible,' she said.

Simon slid out and lay beside her. 'You don't say.'

'I'm glad we did that. I hope you didn't mind waiting.'

'Not at all, it was worth every second.'

Smiling at his dreamy, post-orgasm drawl, Louise laid her head on his chest and savoured his embrace until she fell asleep.

*

Simon awoke from a pleasurable dream with his cock hard, warm, and wet. Blinking himself awake, he saw the duvet bobbing in front of him, and realised that the pleasant sensation was Louise's mouth. He sighed as the implication intensified the pleasure, lying back to enjoy her enveloping lips. A hint of clumsiness told that she was out of practice, but it barely mattered for his first blowjob in years. She slurped and swirled her tongue up and down his length, paying special attention to his sensitive tip.

'Fuck, Louise,' he groaned.

The duvet muffled her giggle as she crawled back towards him. Popping her head out from under it, she said, 'That's the first time I've heard you swear.'

'It won't be the last if you keep doing that.'

'Then I guess you'll be cursing like a sailor.'

Simon puffed out his cheeks. 'What did I do to earn this?'

'Caught lots of criminals, but more importantly, took me out on New Year's Eve.' She pulled her hand from under the quilt, revealing a condom she'd taken from the bedside drawer. 'And it's not over yet.'

Before Simon could reply, Louise disappeared under the duvet. After unrolling the latex down his length, she straddled his hips, throwing the quilt behind her back. Taking both his hands, she lifted her hips and sank onto his waiting cock.

Simon inhaled as his balls tightened, his cock plunging deep into her welcoming cunt. Louise squeezed his hands, not having expected to take so much of him so quickly. She loosened her grip as she relaxed, the tension in her face replaced by a sultry smile as she sheathed the remainder of his length.

'You look sensational,' he said.

She pouted. 'You think so?'

While their first time had been in pitch darkness, the morning light bleeding through the curtains let him appreciate her form. From her creamy tits and sweeping waist to her shapely bum and thighs, she was perfection on top of him.

'I've never noticed this before,' he said, tracing the outline of a pale birthmark to the right of her navel.

'You'll learn a lot more about me if we keep doing this.'

Simon grinned. 'Can't wait.'

Still holding his hands, she raised herself up and down, treating him to visual crack as he repeatedly disappeared into her pussy. Buoyed by the sight, he escalated their rhythm, his desire to fuck too strong to be sated by gentle lovemaking. Her composure waned as he took control, yanking her down and wrapping his hands around her waist. Bending his knees and clasping her tight, he thrust with abandon, making up for three sexless years.

'Right there,' Louise squealed, her soft moans blossoming into rapturous cries, 'I'm gonna cum.'

Simon growled as he hammered her hole, paining his muscles to make it happen.

'Oh god... Keep going...'

She could barely believe this was her: a woman who had for so long feared giving herself to another, now being ravaged by a new cock, each deep stroke pushing her closer to the edge.

'Keep going... Fuck me Simon...Ohhhhhh!'

Her body quivered, melting into him like butter as contractions tore through her pussy. Simon matched her cries, relieving his taught muscles as he filled the second condom with rope after rope of thick seed.

As they descended, he freed her from his grasp. Looking at one another, flushed and breathless, they smiled in unison.

'I wasn't expecting that,' Louise said.

'Ditto. You really know how to wake a guy up.'

'Your turn next time.'

'So there's going to be a next time?'

Louise grinned and pecked him on the lips. 'If you're lucky.'

They lay in and chatted for another half hour, then Louise showered and dressed in her previous night's clothes.

'You can leave a few things here if you want,' Simon said. 'I've got plenty of space.'

'Oh... yeah, that makes sense.'

'You don't sound so sure.'

'It's not that, you just blindsided me a bit, that's all.'

Simon beckoned her to sit on the bed. 'Look, at the risk of scaring you off, I'll be candid. I want us to make a go of things. Losing Molly made me realise how precious life is, and that it can disappear at any moment. I know we've barely known each other a month, but I don't want to waste time when my gut tells me I've found someone worth taking a chance on.'

Louise stared at him blankly, a myriad of thoughts and emotions swirling through her head.

'You don't have to decide now,' he continued. 'I know it's a big decision, and I understand if you're not ready for it, but I wanted you to know where I stand.'

'I'll think about it.'

'Okay.' He walked her to the door and kissed her goodbye. 'Enjoy your lunch.'

Louise cringed as he closed the door behind her. I'll think about it, she thought. I couldn't have sounded any more dismissive if I'd tried. After berating herself all the way home, she got changed and headed back out to her sister's.

*

'Happy New Year,' Dan said as he opened the door.

Louise responded in kind, then went through to the kitchen to find Kirsty bounding between the stove and the table.

'Happy New Year,' she said. 'What's the hurry?'

'You too.' She hurried over to give Louise a hug. 'I've been rushed off my feet all morning.'

Louise produced a bottle from her bag. 'Wine might help with that.'

'You're a star, I'm going to need a couple of glasses.' She gave her sister a knowing look. 'So...'

'So what?'

'Don't be coy, you know what. How was last night?'

'Perfect. Until I messed things up.'

'Oh no, what happened?'

'I'll tell you after lunch. I'm going to need some of that wine, too.'

Kirsty finished setting the table and called the family for dinner. Dan appeared first, and the boys ambled in after being called a second time, eyes glued to their Nintendo Switches.

'No games at the table. You know the rules,' Kirsty said.

They reluctantly complied then took their seats.

'How are the games I got you?' Louise asked.

'Awesome,' Archie said. 'I beat Noah every time.'

Noah gave Archie a sullen look that confirmed his brother wasn't lying.

'It's the quietest they've ever been,' Dan said. 'We owe you one, Louise.'

'Very funny,' Archie huffed.

Everyone tucked in, chatting New Year's resolutions and plans for the months ahead. Once finished, Kirsty asked Louise for help loading the dishwasher, something they both knew was an excuse to gossip.

'So what happened with Simon?' she asked.

'We had a fantastic night, and then before I left this morning, he told me he wanted to make a go of things.'

'Like dating?'

'Yeah.'

'That's great. What did you say?'

'I told him I'd think about it then left.'

'That's it?'

'He caught me off-guard. I didn't know what to say, so I put it off. We'd just... you know... for the first time, so my head was a bit all over the place.'

Kirsty looked over her shoulder to make sure Dan and the boys were out of earshot. 'You had sex?'

Louise nodded, unable to hide her smile.

'And you enjoyed it by the look on your face.'

'Ugh, it was amazing. So much better than I thought it would be.'

'So why the hesitation? Are you still having doubts?'

'No, but... What if I fall in love and end up losing him, too?'

'You can't let fear get in the way of your happiness. I know how devastating losing Peter was, but don't assume the same will happen again. And even if it does, to be truly happy with someone, you need to risk the pain of losing them.'

'When did you become so wise?'

'I always have been, you just probably weren't listening.'

Louise smiled. 'I'll call him later. Thanks for talking some sense into me.'

'You're welcome. I understand your reservations, but I haven't seen you this happy in a long time. I think you'd regret it if you walked away.'

'What would I do without you, eh?'

Kirsty finished loading the dishwasher and topped up Louise's wine. 'You'd stay very, very sober.'

*

'Hey.'

'Hey, how was your dinner?'

'Goooood,' Louise said cheerfully.

'Have you been drinking?'

'Is that you doing some detecting?'

Simon laughed down the phone. 'Maybe.'

'Just a couple of glasses.'

'If you say so.'

'I do. Do you want to come over? You still haven't seen my place.'

'I'd love to, but I've got to get up early for work. Another time?'

'Sure,' Louise said, disappointment evident in her tone. 'I called because I feel bad about what I said this morning. It must've sounded so cold.'

'There's no need. I did spring it on you, and I figured you'd need time to think about it.'

'Well I've thought about it, and I'd like to make a go of things, too.'

'I hope that's not the wine talking.'

Louise launched into a rambled assurance that it wasn't, only stopping when more laughter came down the phone. 'Ugh, you're messing with me.'

'I couldn't resist.'

'Mean.'

'Gotta keep you on your toes. We should go out next weekend to celebrate.'

'It's a date.'

They talked until Louise arrived home, and after hanging up, she felt an odd sense of relief. Looking at her wedding photo, the guilt she had anticipated never arrived, and in a weird twist, she wasn't surprised. Looking at Peter's smiling face, always wanting the best for her, she knew she would have his blessing.

She picked up the photo and kissed it, realising that moving on didn't mean forgetting the past.

*

The restaurant Simon had picked was one where everyday clothes wouldn't do, and Louise had spent a painstaking two hours ensuring she looked her best. When her doorbell rang, her stomach fluttered as she awaited his scrutiny. After one last check in the hall mirror, she opened the door.

'Wow,' he said with widened eyes. 'You look fantastic.'

'Thank you, so do you.' She pointed to his collar. 'May I?'

'Please.'

She evened it out, then they headed to Simon's car.

'I barely recognised myself in the mirror,' Louise said. 'I can't remember the last time I got this dressed up.'

'Glad I'm worth it.'

They arrived at the restaurant and were seated by a waiter, who placed a leather bound menu in front of them.

'This place is beautiful,' Louise said.

'It's a special occasion. It's not every day I get drunk women declaring they want me.'

'Is that so? Well hopefully you won't be getting any more.'

The waiter returned to take their order, and suggested a wine to accompany their food. He knew his stuff; when he served their lamb a few minutes later, the Bordeaux was a perfect pairing.

'I'm curious,' Simon said, 'what made you call? I wasn't sure where your head was after you left that morning.'

'Kirsty told me how silly I'd been.'

'Ah, so I have your sister to thank?'

'I'd have got there in the end, she just gave me a push in the right direction.'

Simon raised his glass. 'To her. She sounds like a smart woman.'

'To her. Don't say that in front of her, though, I'd never hear the end of it.'

'Duly noted.'

'How do you feel about meeting her and the family, by the way? I understand if you think it's too soon, but they're curious about you.'

'What did you tell them?'

'Hmm, let me see. That you're a fearless, unbridled, untameable man of action who swept me off my feet.'

'You're wasted as a teacher, you should be in marketing.' He puffed out his chest. 'I appreciate the ego boost, though.'

'You're welcome. So what do you think?'

'I'd love to. Like I said, I want us to make a go of things, and that means meeting wise sisters with good taste in men.'

Louise chuckled. 'Great, I'll let her know.'

Wine and conversation continued to flow, and after a shot of espresso to round off the meal, they went for a stroll on the bank of the Thames.

'That was delicious, thank you so much,' Louise said.

'Thank you. You were great company.'

'I try,' she said theatrically. 'How did you discover the place?'

'A colleague told me about it. He took his wife there for their anniversary a few weeks ago.'

'Aww, you've mentioned me to your colleagues?'

Simon couldn't help but laugh. 'It's hard to keep secrets in a police station. I bet there's more gossip flying around than in your staff room.'

'I don't know about that. Some of my colleagues' husbands would be shocked if they found out how much I knew about them.'

'Does that mean I'll be the topic of break time if I piss you off?'

'Of course. It's easy to avoid, though.'

'Oh yeah?'

She pecked him on the cheek. 'Just don't ever piss me off.'

He yanked her into him, and an illuminated Tower Bridge provided the perfect romantic backdrop as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Some would have considered the kiss that followed too steamy for a public place, but on a cold January night, there were few prying eyes.

They parted, and Louise shivered without Simon's body heat. He took of his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

'Thanks.'

'It's not the best time of year for a riverside walk.'

As if to prove his point, they felt specs of rain against their faces.

'Let's go back to mine and get warmed up,' Louise said.

They retraced their steps along the bank, breaking into a jog and then a run as the heavens opened, unleashing a torrential downpour that saw them soaked by the time they reached the car.

'And it was all going so well.'

'At least you had my jacket,' Simon pointed out. 'I look like I've entered a wet shirt contest.'

'Ooh, don't give me ideas.'

'I think you'd do better. Your boobs are nicer than mine.'

'You really know how to compliment a lady.'

'I've got plenty more where that came from.'

*

It was still pouring down when they arrived back at Louise's. Simon grabbed his overnight bag from the back seat, and they hurried inside. They exchange a glance, clothes saturated and hair dripping, and couldn't help but laugh at the state of each other.

'Let's get changed and relax by the fire,' Louise said. 'I've got half a bottle of red in the kitchen.'

'Are you trying to get me drunk?'

'Of course. How else I going to learn your deepest, darkest secrets?'

She led him upstairs to change into their nightclothes, and Simon used the opportunity to have a look around her room. He stopped when he got to some photos on a dresser. Louise emerged from the en suite and rested her head on his shoulder.

'You look really happy together,' he said.

'We were. I put them away after he died because I couldn't bear to look.' She picked up her wedding photo. 'I think I'll take them down again.'

'You don't have to.'

She smiled. 'It doesn't mean I'll forget, but I don't want the past constantly looming over us.'

He kissed her and they went downstairs. Louise poured the wine and lit the fire, then they cuddled on the sofa to banish the last of the cold.

'I've always loved the sound of rain,' she said.' It makes me feel so cosy at night, especially if there's a thunderstorm as well.'

'It's the opposite for me. Too many rainy nights on the job.'

'Hmm, then how about I help you associate it with something better.' She relieved him of his wine glass then straddled his lap.

'How are you planning to do that?'

'Like this.' She guided his hands under her shirt and placed them on her waist. 'Next time you hear rain at night, instead of thinking about work, you can think about your hands on my body.' She moved them up to her breasts. 'You can think about how soft these are, how they respond to your touch...' She whipped off her top and threw it across the room. 'And how they belong to you.'

Simon leaned forward, kissing one pert orb while kneading the other. Louise sighed, stroking his hair as every inch of her flesh had its turn under his lips. Lulled by the gentle warmth of his mouth, she gasped when he grazed a nipple between his teeth. Sensing her pleasure, he bit down again with a little more force, drawing a shiver.

With the sensation descending to her loins, she gyrated her hips, coaxing his already-plump cock to its zenith. Feeling its contours through two layers of clothing made her crave the feeling of skin on skin, and she lifted herself up to pull his pyjama bottoms away. His cock popped out, pointing longingly up at her, and she met it with her hand.

'How do you feel about the rain now?' she asked, treating him to long, gentle strokes.

'Not as bad, but it could be better.'

'Then I'll have to try a bit harder.'

Louise took a condom from her pocket and placed it on the sofa. She then slid down her own pyjamas, revealing the last bit of preparation she had made for their date.

'Damn...' Simon said.

She smiled. 'All shaved. Do you like it?'

He ran two fingers through her hairless sex, coaxing a moan from her as she coated them with arousal. 'I love it.'

He pulled her into him, and they made out like horny teenagers while grinding up against each other. Louise grabbed the hem of his t-shirt, and Simon lifted his arms for her to take it off. After taking time to appreciate his torso, she unwrapped the condom and rolled it down his shaft. With a sultry smile, she guided him inside her.

'Fuuuck,' he groaned, reclining into the sofa, 'I think I'm changing my mind about the rain.'

'I told you.'

She eased herself down and arched her back, displaying her curves in all their glory. Simon ran his hands over them, sweeping over her tits and shoulders before descending her back. Louise revelled in his greedy touch, grinding her hips to better feel him inside her.

'I want you to think of this next time you hear the rain. No thoughts of work, only how I feel.'

Simon drank in his lover, fixating on her every word as she rode him to the patter of rain and the crackling fire. Waves of pleasure soothed his body, the unpleasantness of the January rain long-forgotten.