Come As You Are Ch. 01

Author's Notes - Hello! The below story is Chapter 1 of the rewrite of "Come As You Are," a 19-chapter story I posted in Novels & Novellas back in 2019.

If you're reading this story for the first time, welcome! It's a tale I've put a lot of time and effort into, as well as a good bit of myself. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it.

If you're reading this story for the second time, thank you! The players and situations are the same, but rewritten and reordered in a way that I feel is "closer" to the characters than the original was. I've also taken into account the biggest complaints about the first edition and hopefully corrected them to your satisfaction.

So, with all appropriately further adieu...

X X X X X

Come As You Are

Volume I - Brenda's Story

Chapter One - "Can't Stand the Weather"

X X X X X

As she bounced off the mattress, Michelle Min looked up at her boyfriend, Andrew, with hungry eyes. "So," she asked, "are you going to miss me?"

"Every single minute," he answered. Andrew's black hair was shaved close to the scalp. His lean frame was clad in a white tank top and blue jeans. "I'll miss your voice, your eyes, your body, your touch. Anytime you see the girls you turn into a horny little devil. I hate to see you go but I love seeing you come back."

"Flattery will get you everywhere." Having spent the morning packing, Michelle was in nothing more than a black t-shirt and old gym shorts. "How about I give you a little gift so you don't feel lonely while I'm gone?"

She smiled coyly while running her hands over his chest and abdomen before tugging on his tank top. Andrew pulled it over his head while Michelle, gazing at him with growing lust, undid the button and zipper of his jeans. She shoved them down, allowing his semi-erect cock to spring free. "First," she said as she took him in both hands, "I'm going to get this guy here all warmed up. Then I'm going to throw you on the bed and fuck you ragged."

Her fingers slid through her chestnut brown hair, pulling out the red scrunchie that had been keeping it back in a ponytail. "See?" she proclaimed while sliding the hair tie down his shaft. "I even put a bow on it for you."

"Oh my God, Michelle," Andrew laughed, a laugh that quickly turned into a gasp when Michelle took him in her mouth. "Oh my GOD, Michelle." Her lips engulfed his tip for a moment before she pulled back. She ran her tongue in a circle around the head while her fingers teasingly squeezed his length. Smiling to herself when she heard the frustrated sigh of her lover, Michelle once again wrapped her lips around him. This time she slowly slid downwards. She moved with care, getting used to his length. Her hands did their part as well, one hand gently cupping his balls as her other hand carefully gripped and caressed the exposed portion of Andrew's cock.

It didn't take long for her man to be hard as stone. With exquisite slowness, she managed to take his full length between her lips. A strangled groan of anguished pleasure escaped Andrew at the sensation. Her hands grabbed his butt, squeezing his body as she engulfed him. Michelle held him inside of her mouth for a few moments before bobbing her head forward just a little more. Then she proceeded to slide her mouth back up his shaft, moving with the same torturously slow pace, sucking on his cock and eliciting another tortured groan.

When Michelle pulled her lips from Andrew's cock, the hungry look in her eyes was replaced by playfulness as she now held her scrunchie between her lips. He laughed quietly as she took it out of her mouth and threw it in the general direction of the dresser. "I guess that makes me unwrapped," he teased.

Michelle gave him a coy smile as she stood up and shoved him onto the mattress. She pulled off her t-shirt, snapping her arm several times to ball up the article of clothing before whipping it into the far corner. The action revealed a body toned from two decades of skiing - flat stomach, lean shoulders, and pert, trim breasts topped with dark, erect nipples. Without taking her eyes off Andrew she bent over, hinging at her hips to slide her gym shorts off. The action revealed Michelle in all her glory. A freshly trimmed strip of black hair ran down between her legs.

He reached to pull her down on top of him, only for Michelle to grab his wrists. "I said I was going to throw you on the bed and fuck you," she growled while pinning down his arms. "That means I'm in charge." Her chestnut hair formed a curtain around their faces as she kissed him forcefully.

He put up a little bit of a fight, just enough not to break free. Michelle's response was to move her hips back and forth. As Andrew's frustration grew, Michelle lowered her hips and rubbed against the shaft of his cock. A small pulse of bliss ran through her body at the sounds of vexation her actions were eliciting from him.

The urges became too much. She sat up. Her hair spilled over her shoulders as she looked down at him. "Ready for your present?" she teased. "You said I'm a horny little devil when I come back from visiting the girls. For once, maybe I'm a horny little devil before I go visit the girls." She reached between them to grab hold of his slick erection. It took some maneuvering but eventually, both of them sighed as she sank onto his cock.

Michelle closed her eyes and soaked in the sense of fullness. After taking a moment to get settled, she began to ride him. She would push up until half of him was free of her pussy before letting gravity pull her back down. Her painted and manicured fingernails left light red marks on Andrew's skin. His nipples were just as hard as hers, and Michelle found joy in pinching one of them, causing Andrew to inhale sharply.

Her pace increased. She began to bounce on top of him, hands on her thighs so she could push off. Her breath came in sharp gasps. Andrew's hands clenched at the bedsheets as Michelle closed her eyes, squeezing them shut as the intense feelings in her lower body began to grow in strength. A thin layer of sweat formed on Michelle's body as her hands went to her hair. She pulled it into a rough top knot, sending a flash of pain racing along her scalp. Andrew bit his lip as Michelle's soaked pussy slid up and down, over and over again. Michelle was losing control, and all she wanted was for Andrew to lay there and let her use his body.

"Ooooooooh fuck," she cried out as her womanhood tightened its hold on him. The sensations caused him to lift his hips, shifting his lower body so Michelle had a better platform to slam against. "Yes, oh God yes," she moaned while lifting her hips higher and driving them down onto him faster and harder. Andrew reached out to take her by the waist to help his girlfriend's balance. He did nothing else but keep her upright, allowing Michelle to put all her energy into fucking him.

She threw her head back. Her fingers pulled on her hair, the pain mixing with the incredible pleasure coming from inside of her. Andrew was momentarily forgotten as Michelle's body heated up. Her hips were a blur as an orgasm ripped through her, roaring its way along her lower body. Her thighs squeezed Andrew as her muscles tensed up for a brief moment before shuddering above him.

When Michelle tried to catch her breath, Andrew took over. She cried in surprise at the sudden bolt of pleasure as Andrew pushed upwards, his hands helping her to unconsciously move up and down on his stiff rod.

It didn't take long for Andrew to follow her euphoric path. His breath left his body in one loud gasp as his cock exploded inside of her. Michelle fell forward, her pussy still engulfing him, welcoming the warm fountains of his essence as she continued to come down from her climax. It took a few seconds for Andrew to go limp. With his breath now coming out in short pants, his hands on Michelle's shoulders, clutching her body to his. She was panting as well. Sweat covered both of them. She lay her head on his shoulder, gasping sharply as she tried to catch her breath.

Finding the energy to speak, he asked, "What day are you coming back?"

"Either Sunday night or Monday morning." She carefully pulled herself from his softening cock but still lay on top of him. Her dead weight kept Andrew pinned in place. "It depends on how long dinner with the family goes. I don't work until Tuesday anyway, so there's no rush."

"Good." Now firmly in the afterglow, their kiss was soft and tender. "I love you, Michelle Min."

"I love you, Andrew Cole."

"Hopefully you're satisfied enough that you won't hook up with an old high school crush this weekend," he teased while caressing her back.

"I don't have any old high school crushes. I told you, I didn't start dating until college. High school boys had no effect on me."

"Not even that one friend of yours? The captain of the ski team?"

"Co-captain," she corrected. "No, he's too much of a teddy bear. There's one person I'm curious to see, but I doubt he's even going to show up." Michelle pressed her lips against his chest. "You're the only guy for me."

"And you're the only girl." After kissing the crown of her head, Andrew added, "However, if you want to hook up with another girl..."

"You wish." Michelle groaned as she pushed herself off of Andrew's body. "I'm gonna take a shower. The last thing I need is showing up at my parents' house after a four-hour drive smelling like sweat and sex." She held out her hand to help him to his feet. "Come on. You get to scrub my back."

X X X X X

Brenda Lattimore darted across the street as soon as the light turned green. It was Friday night which meant the sidewalks of Emerald Pines were lined with tourists and skiers enjoying the town's nightlife and ducking into the variety of shops that lined Pine Street. There were a few new shops she didn't recognize but the old standbys were still holding court - Centennial Books, Mile High Pastries, Pike's Bar and Grill, and the regionally famous Sins and Needles tattoo parlor. A particular storefront on the opposite side of the street caught her eye. It was done up in a pink-and-white aesthetic with the sign's cursive letters proudly proclaiming the name - Candy by Colette. A peek inside the window revealed several employees, a mix of teenagers and young adults, assisting a surprisingly sizable amount of customers. Off to the south loomed the jagged crags of Taylor Peak. Several strings of halogen lamps illuminated the mountain, allowing her to make out the skiers enjoying the night runs of Sapphire Drop. The resort had added several buildings since Brenda's last visit home and what had once been a quaint getaway now sprawled along the mountainside.

She took a deep breath, savoring the harsh bite of the frigid Colorado air. Years of living in the relatively milder weather of Denver had done nothing to drive the metaphorical antifreeze from her veins. The cold was the truest sign that despite her life and attempts at a career in the Mile High City, Emerald Pines would always be home to her.

She soon arrived at her destination. It had been nearly eight years since she had last eaten at the Comstock Grill. The restaurant's wooden facade was built in the style of a mine entrance that still managed to give off an aura of high class. Its name was painted over the double wooden doors in silver paint that reflected the street lights lining the sidewalk.

When Brenda stepped inside, a young woman in a black dress looked up from a wooden podium. "Good evening! Can I help you?"

"I'm meeting some friends here. Should be under Hansen?"

The woman ran her finger down the ledger in front of her. "Hansen, party of four. They're already seated." The hostess grabbed a menu from under the podium and motioned to the large room behind her. "If you'll follow me please?"

The mine aesthetic on the outside carried over to the inside, with support timbers holding up a ceiling covered with fake stone wallpaper. Lamps lined the timbers, the bulbs flickering in an approximation of the flame of an oil lamp. Every table was full with a mix of men and women ascribing to the restaurant's dress code - shirt and tie for the men and at least a blouse and pencil skirt for the women. Brenda had gone with a gray pantsuit and black flats. Her platinum blonde hair was straightened and hung down past her shoulders.

"There she is!" Brenda heard Sadie Bedford before she saw her. By the time the hostess had brought her to the table in the back corner, Sadie was out of her seat and throwing her arms around her. Wearing a sleeveless black dress, Sadie's curly brown hair bounced as she greeted her friend. "I was starting to worry you weren't going to make it in time!"

Michelle reached over and gave Brenda a firm hug and a kiss on the cheek. "It's good to see you." Michelle had gone with a green cocktail dress that hugged her athletic frame and while accentuating her Vietnamese features. Her shoulder-length hair was freshly dyed chestnut brown.

Colette Hansen's hug was the tightest. "Hey girl," she whispered. "I'm so glad to see you." Colette's black hair was parted down the middle and styled just above the ears. Her clothing met the dress code, but in a different way, with black slacks, a dark blue button-up shirt, and a black tie.

"Interesting choice of attire," Brenda noted as she got settled.

"I couldn't find a dress," Colette answered. "I kept looking for one but nothing in town caught my eye, and I didn't want to just order one online. So I said 'screw it' and went with something practical. And for tomorrow night I found a red shirt that goes great with these pants. How was the ride in?"

The smile faded from Brenda's face. "There was an accident in the westbound bore of the Eisenhower Tunnel. I was already past the exit to Loveland when I got stuck so I had to wait for them to start moving traffic through the eastbound bore. Then there was an accident in that tunnel so I was stuck under the mountain without a signal. I was going to text when I got out but there were State Troopers everywhere. When I got to my parents' house I left my cell phone in the car while rushing to get ready, and when I went to grab it before driving down the mountain it fell between the seats. At that point, I just said 'screw it.' But hey! I got here under the wire, right?" She smiled warmly at her friends gathered around the table. "It's good to see you all again, live and in person."

"Since you're here, it's now the optimal time to start drinking." Michelle slid a narrow leather case across the table towards Brenda. "You're the expert. Mind doing the honors?"

By the time the waitress made her way to their table Brenda had gone over the wine list and made her decision with input from the other three. Their server was a young woman in her late twenties with light brown hair, naturally tinted with a hint of red, pulled back into a tight ponytail. She wore black pants and a simple white button-up shirt along with a pair of black-framed glasses. "Hello, Colette. Looks like I'm serving you guys tonight."

"Hey, Rosemary," Colette responded. "Good night so far?"

"Busy, but people are tipping well."

Brenda leaned forward from her seat, studying the waitress before smiling. "Rosemary McBrenan! Oh my God, hi!"

"Hello Brenda," Rosemary said with a warm smile of her own. "Colette mentioned you all were getting together for dinner," she added, nodding to Sadie and Michelle. "How's everyone doing tonight?"

"Can't complain," Michelle answered. "How about you?"

Rosemary motioned to the crowded restaurant. "As I said, people are tipping tonight. Makes being this busy worth it."

"How come you're waitressing?" Colette gestured towards the hostess stand on the other side of the restaurant. "You're normally up front."

"One of the waiters called in sick, so Mom asked me to take his shift since we didn't have time to find a replacement." Rosemary shrugged. "It's killing my feet, but what are you going to do?"

"We'll help out by not being difficult customers." Brenda glanced down at the wine list. "We'll take a bottle of Malbec," she said, running a finger down the page, "a bottle of Riesling, and you might as well grab two pitchers of ice water to save a trip."

"Alright," Rosemary said, producing her ticket pad and writing down the request. "Let me get those from the wine cellar and I'll be back in a few minutes."

"I remember Rosemary saying in high school that she was never going to work here if she could help it," remarked Michelle after Rosemary had left.

"Her Dad broke his leg a few weeks ago," Colette explained. "Slipped on a patch of ice and got a nasty compound fracture. He's seeing the same physical therapist as my grandmother. Rosemary's here to help out during the busy season. She swears she's gone once her Dad's better but I don't think that's going to happen."

"It feels like more and more people from our graduating class are drifting back to Emerald Pines. Who all's in town now?" queried Michelle.

Colette held a hand just above the table as she counted. "Not counting Rosemary, there's Ian Rocker. He's working for your dad up at Sapphire Drop," she told Michelle, "doing maintenance in the motor pool. Amy Yates has her dress shop. Tyler Hammond's a physical trainer over at Independence Fitness. Joshua Smith's a firefighter if you can believe that. And, of course, Sadie Bedford, local celebrity and Twitch streamer extraordinaire."

"And YouTuber," Sadie said, hoisting her wine glass. "Plus don't forget Vienna over at Sins and Needles."

"Vienna Polley." Michelle shook her head at the name. "If Amy was the queen bee of our graduating class, Vienna was queen hornet. Has she said if she's coming to the reunion tomorrow night?"

Colette weighed her answer. "She's debating. She says outside forces are pressuring her to go, so if I have to lay a bet I'd say she'll show up."

"Outside forces?" Michelle laughed. "Let me guess. Anthony Giovanni and Garrett West." Colette reached up and tapped her nose as she nodded in confirmation.

"Gio and Garrett," Brenda whistled. "There's a pair of names I haven't thought of in a while. Last I heard Gio was in Wyoming somewhere and Garrett was... down in Florida?"

"Orlando," Michelle confirmed. "He's still living in Orlando according to Gio."

Colette went to speak, only to be accidentally cut off by Brenda. "Speaking of Gio, please tell me he's coming tomorrow tonight. And please tell me he's still as hot as he was in high school."

"Oh yeah," Michelle answered, "he's still hot as hell. He's working IT for some company up in Cheyenne and we've got plans to ski Loveland next winter for old time's sake." She leaned back in her chair and playfully fanned himself. "That boy's going to be a silver fox when he hits old age."

Brenda couldn't help but say, "Yet in four years of being on the ski team AND being his date to prom AND running into him on Spring Break you never once made a pass at him."

"We were way too close and he just wasn't my type. But I can damn sure admit when a man looks attractive. Gio? Is a very attractive man."

"Sounds like the high school reunion might end up panties optional for me then," said Sadie.

"Come on," Brenda chided, "that's an image we didn't need."

"Garrett mentioned Gio's getting into town tonight," Colette finally managed to say. "Those two and Vienna will probably be drinking over at Pike's until last call."

"Garrett mentioned? When did you talk to Garrett?"

Before Colette could answer Brenda's question, Rosemary came up to the table along with a teenaged busboy who refilled their glasses before setting two full pitchers of ice water down. "I've got a decanter of white and a decanter of red," Rosemary said as she reached onto her tray. "Who's drinking what?"