Heavy Traffic Ch. 08

Amanda laughed at this revelation and said, "I hope that they don't have any expectations in that regard when you introduce me to them."

"Why," asked Sean. "Don't you want children of your own?"

"Of course I do, and I'm not at all convinced that you wouldn't be an ideal candidate to be the father of my children. That being said, I think it is still a bit premature for us to give your grandmothers any expectations."

Sean played with the ring on his finger. He had never liked wearing rings, or a watch for that matter because of his outdoor lifestyle and his martial arts activities. This ring didn't bother him though, and it wasn't just because its design made it difficult for him to tell he had it on, there was the emotional attachment he had felt the instant that Amanda had slipped it onto his finger. It bound him to her, and he liked that attachment.

"I suppose we should take these off before we meet my grandmothers or they will definitely fly off the handle. Once they get over their anger from assuming I would get married without telling them or inviting them to attend, and then just as you said, they will start harping on us to give them great-grandkids."

Amanda felt the ring on her own finger and said, "Couldn't we just explain to them that we need to maintain a charade of being married for a while?"

Sean took her left hand into his and said, "I'm willing to face them if you are."

Amanda put her arms around Sean and placed her head on his shoulder. She whispered into his ear, "Sean, you can trust me with your heart. I really do love you."

Sean pulled her tighter to him and whispered in response, "I do trust you Amanda, and I love you too."

Pulling back from his embrace, Amanda smiled at Sean with a lustful look in her eyes. "Good, I'm glad we got that bit of business out of the way."

Sean gazed at her in confusion until he saw her reach down for the hem of her T-shirt and start to raise it over her head. As he put his hands on hers to hold them down, he said to her, "L'amour sans confiance n'est rien. "

"Yes Sean, Love without trust is nothing, but you and I will have something that poets will write about for centuries." She took Sean's hands and placed them on her covered breasts. "I trust you with my life, I trust you with my heart, and now I want to trust you with my body. Everything will be all right."

"'Right' is determined by how we feel afterwards. I don't want any regrets related to us rushing into things - emotional confusion, guilt, or worst of all any fears over birth control. I'm not prepared in that regard, and I assume that you are as ill prepared as I am."

"I'm not prepared, but the thought of having your baby doesn't frighten me in the least. I know that's surprising under the circumstances, but I think it demonstrates the depth of my trust in you - in us, after knowing you for such a short time."

"If you were to become pregnant with my child, I wouldn't be frightened either, but the lack of fear isn't sufficient justification to throw caution to the wind. I also don't want to squelch any spontaneity between us, but I think a little 'planned spontaneity' would make both us more secure in exploring a physical relationship."

"Sean, if I didn't trust your concerns for our future, I wouldn't be here with you now. I'm not going to argue the points you have made, but I do want you to know why I don't share your concerns. In the first place, I do not believe either of us would realize any regrets from the growth of our love that we would experience through this exploration. If you are afraid that you will have regrets, be confused, feel guilty or fear impregnating me, then I respect that. For my part, I would love you whether we ever consummate our relationship, but if we don't do it, I want it to be for reasons other than fear. Next, I need to be intimate with you on a level that only lovers can share, and I sense that you have a similar need. There is a part of each of us that we want to 'give' to the other person which will not be satisfied by sexual restraint. Finally, while the rhythm method is not full proof, I have always been extremely predictable in my cycles, and I can assure you that the timing right now would make conception highly unlikely."

"Love is a compendium of needs Sean. There are several philosophers and psychologists who postulate about all human behaviors being self-serving. Maybe they are, but I believe that one of the greatest gifts a person can give to another is the willing acceptance of a gift bestowed upon them by someone else. Will you consider something for me, Sean?"

"Anything," he said.

"Consider how your heart feels about me. Can you feel love in the beats of your heart?"

"In every heart beat and in every breath," Sean admitted.

"And I feel the same," said Amanda. "Would you like for me to feel the love that you feel as much as I want you to feel my love for you?"

"I want you to always be confident of my love, to never doubt it, and to be eternally sheltered by it."

Amanda took Sean's hand, spread his fingers against her neck and said, "Do you feel the love in my heart beating for you?"

Sean felt her pulse and nodded. Amanda placed her fingers against his neck and felt his pulse in return. "Is this how you want us to feel our love for one another Sean, because there is a much more intimate way for us to feel each other's pulse - to feel each other's love."

Sean was silent as Amanda continued, "I want to give you the feeling of my love. I want my heart beats to squeeze around yours as I feel your love pulsing inside of me. I want to give you a closeness that we both will cherish. Please use the love in you to soothe the love in me."

Without speaking, Sean slid his shorts down his legs and over his feet, pushing them down to the foot of the bed. He then lifted Amanda's T-shirt over her head and waited as she slid her own panties off and they joined his shorts somewhere in the sheets. Sean rolled onto his back to let Amanda give him the gift they both desired.

Amanda spread out on top of Sean and brought her lips to his. As their lips met and their tongues danced, her hands explored every inch of Sean's body that her position would allow her access to. Amanda couldn't say how long they kissed, but it felt as if their lips had fused together and she no longer knew where hers began and Sean's left off. As much as she wanted their kiss to continue and to fondle and investigate every part of Sean's body, her desire to join their bodies took precedence this first time.

Breaking their kiss, Amanda positioned herself on top of Sean and using her hand to guide his erection, she began to slowly impale herself. Her progress was deliberate and Sean exhibited unbelievable restraint to allow her body to adjust to his penetration at its own pace. She was small and soft, while he was huge and hard. Guttural moans accompanied Amanda's occasional gasps as her determination to fully surround Sean's manhood continued. The increasing stimulation of her slow acceptance resulted in her first orgasm at the moment that they were finally joined completely. Her second occurred when Sean rose up and suckled her breast, followed by her third as Sean emptied himself inside her several moments later. It was Sean's orgasm that she craved more than her own. Knowing that she was capable of satisfying a man - her man - this man, finally made her feel worthy of her role in this world as a woman.

Amanda collapsed against Sean as her sated body could no longer support her in an upright position. Before Amanda's orgasm has fully receded, Sean had recovered and had begun throbbing inside her once more. Placing his arms around her to hold their joined bodies together, Sean rolled Amanda onto her back while remaining inside her. This time, he took control of their love making and Amanda willingly allowed him to do so.

When she was finally capable of speech, her first words were, "I knew your kiss held promise, but that was unbelievable. I'm hooked."

"Australian girls are easy," Sean teased, throwing her own words from earlier back at her. Amanda giggled and said, "Well I can't speak for other Australian girls, but where you are concerned Mr. Wallace, this will be one very easy Australian girl from now on."

"You must have taken lessons from Eve herself," Sean said. "How many other boys have fallen prey to your feminine whiles?"

Amanda just smiled at him and said, "None."

"You weren't a virgin, were you?" Sean asked in surprise.

"Yes and no."

Sean chuckled, "How can it be 'yes or no'. Either you were or you weren't. I didn't feel a hymen break or anything, so I assumed..."

"I lost my hymen horseback riding when I was thirteen." Amanda told him.

"So you never had sex before tonight?"

"Oh God, this is embarrassing," Amanda groaned as she snuggled against Sean's neck. After a moment she pulled back and said, "I sort of had sex with a man while I was in college. While in nursing school, I was working in the student medical center at the university. Girls would often come in seeking advice on sexual matters, such as birth control, sexually transmitted diseases, and so on. The only thing I was qualified to discuss with them was abstinence, so I thought I would try to learn more about things in order to better serve the patients. One long weekend I hired a male 'escort' to assist me with my research and at one point he inserted himself into me a little bit."

"It doesn't sound like you got your money's worth," teased Sean. Amanda smacked him playfully and continued, "Oh he earned his pay, just not in the fashion that he was accustomed to. I used him to practice placing a condom on a man, going through a box of a dozen condoms over the weekend, and I suppose I teased him unmercifully as I touched him in different ways to see what responses resulted - erection-wise. Other than that, he mostly just watched rugby on television while I practiced with the use of diaphragms, spermicides and other devices. He thought it was hilarious that I was writing everything down, but I really did consider it a clinical research project of sorts. On the last day, I washed his penis with alcohol, followed by Chlorhexidine to make sure it was disinfected, then I asked him to insert it into me two different times so I could determine how a bare penis felt, followed by one wearing a condom. So physically, I wasn't a virgin, but I felt like one emotionally and spiritually. Do you understand"

Sean leaned over and kissed her, "Wait here."

She watched him climb out of bed, admiring his body as he walked into the bathroom. How could a body that looked to be sculpted from granite feel so soft, warm and sensuous against hers? She heard the water running at the sink and saw him emerge in a few minutes with a wet wash cloth.

"This is for you," he said as he held the cloth out to her.

Smiling up into his eyes, Amanda made a decision that she hoped would convey her trust in him even more, "Would you like to do the honors?"

"You wouldn't mind?" Sean asked.

She shook her head and pushed the covers off her legs, exposing herself to him. "Considering how much I want to care for you and tend to your every need from now on, it's only fair that I let you do the same with me if you wish. My body is yours Sean."

"And mine is yours Amanda."

***

Folsom was awaken by someone coming into the bedroom without knocking. Before he could turn his head to see who it was, he felt a nudge to his shoulder and heard the voice of Q-Tip say, "I-Bar wants you."

Quincy Harris looked as ridiculous to Folsom as he ever had. Bleaching his oversized Afro to the snow white shade of cotton, and standing at seven feet in height, he embraced his street name with his appearance. A ruthless gangbanger before he had reached his teens, Q-Tip had been unquestionably loyal to DeMarcus Steele since the two of them were in the youth detention center together.

Folsom looked over at Kimberly and she was sleeping as soundly as she ever did. It was generally very difficult to wake her from a sleep deep enough for her to be lightly snoring as she was right then.

"I'm coming," said Folsom as he climbed out of the bed and slid his briefs and pants on. Q-Tip returned to the doorway, but just stood there watching Folsom until he had pulled on a t-shirt and started following him down the hall to I-Bar's office. Q-Tip didn't open the door for Folsom, but just assumed a position beside it as Folsom knocked and entered.

"You been up all night?" Folsom asked as he approached DeMarcus at his desk.

"Too much to do to sleep right now," DeMarcus said. "Have a seat."

Folsom sat and waited. DeMarcus maintained his professional persona, which always made his moods difficult to ascertain. Finally he spoke, "Lonnie and Regis checked out the hotel you mentioned. They couldn't get in, or even very close because the place is swarming with cops and Feds, so it looks like my girls are there as you suspected. They tried parking where they could watch the place but kept getting chased off. Not looking good for me being able to get them back, but I haven't given up on that yet."

"I could get the staff at the hotel to report to me on the status of the girls and keep me posted of any plans to move them," Folsom offered.

"I don't want your name associated with those girls anymore than it already has been," countered DeMarcus. "Tom, have you ever heard of the Maldives?"

"The islands in the Indian Ocean? Sure."

"I think you should go there," said DeMarcus.

"Let me guess," said Folsom. "No extradition treaty with the US."

"Correct, but that's not the only reason. The setback with this shipment aside, I see a fucking goldmine in the girls from all those poor under-developed countries in Southeast Asia. Their exotic looks make them valuable and the younger and more virginal they are the better. Having you in the region could pay dividends for me in helping to establish a solid and dependable supply chain for years to come."

"Plus it gets me out of the country so the Feds can't touch me, thus helping to shield you, and it puts me someplace where I can be of assistance to your future business plans. I like it," said Folsom.

"You may not like the caveat that I'm placing on the deal," said DeMarcus. "You move to the Maldives and serve me there in exchange for your life. My toy stays here with me."

"You want to keep Kimberly?" asked Folsom. "I didn't think you even liked her."

"I despise the white bitch as much as every other white bitch, but although you try to hide and deny it, I know she means something to you. So while I trust you to be a stand-up guy, she will stay here with me as insurance. Follow me?"

"You don't have to do that, DeMarcus," Folsom appealed.

"I don't have to do a lot of things Tom, like letting you live after you brought all this shit down on me. We go back a lot of years, so this is the deal I'm willing to make you. Take it or leave it."

Folsom knew he had no choice. Maybe once he was out of the country and making I-Bar money from the Maldives, he could convince him to send Kimberly to him. "When do you want me to leave?"

"It'll take a couple of days to make the necessary arrangements, but I want you out of here immediately. I'll have Q-Tip take you to a place we have down near Macon until I figure out the best way to get you out of the country, and that will depend on how hard the Feds are looking for you. I've taken care of that hick Sheriff, so the Feds are going to be very motivated to find you."

"Okay," said Folsom. "I'll go get dressed..."

"You're dressed enough," said DeMarcus. "I'll have some clothes sent to you, but you need to leave here right now. Q-Tip is waiting for you. Give him your cell phone so he can get rid of it on the way." Tossing him a new cell phone, I-Bar said, "Don't use this phone to call anyone you know or any place where you are known. That includes you not calling me. If I need to talk to you, I'll call one of the guys with you. Understand?"

"Sure I-Bar." Rising to his feet, Folsom turned and left the office without further comment or questions.

***

By 6AM, Sean and Amanda were showered and dressed. Amanda had followed up on her promise to clean up the hair on Sean's neck at the same time she fulfilled her earlier fantasy about their naked bodies sharing a shower.

Amanda was wearing a pleated khaki skirt and pale blue knitted tank top that she had purchased just yesterday. Sean was surprised that with all the shopping bags he saw in their room, Amanda had packed all of her purchases into a single, medium sized duffle bag no bigger than his own. He took their two duffle bags down to his car while Amanda logged onto her laptop to send a few e-mails to Jeremy Thorndike.

By the time Sean returned to the room, Amanda was ready to go downstairs to meet Samuel and his church group. She had insisted on buying them all breakfast, along with the girls prior to their trip to the amusement park.

The I.C.E. agents and Atlanta Police officers guarding the hotel had virtually commandeered the International House of Pancakes restaurant next door to the hotel simply by their shared use of it for coffee, food and restroom breaks while on duty. Amanda had spoken with the manager of the restaurant the previous evening and made arrangements for her large crowd to be accommodated for breakfast. When Amanda offered him a bonus of 50% over whatever the food charges ended up being, the manager had promised to have extra servers and kitchen staff available.

Sean went downstairs with Amanda to meet Samuel and his wife, then to help them and the other adults to corral the girls and join them up with the two dozen children from the church's youth ministry. Once the crowd reached the restaurant, Sean waited for them to be led to seats before ordering a cup of black coffee to go and excusing himself.

"Don't you want breakfast?" asked Amanda as she caught him at the counter paying for his coffee.

"I'm not much of a breakfast person," said Sean. "Plus, I want to make a couple of phone calls and send a few e-mails before we head out for the day. Do you mind if I use your laptop? Mine is already packed in the car."

Amanda placed her arms around his neck and kissed him before answering, "Thank you for asking Sean. We both know that the laptop is technically yours but your courtesy and manners are very much appreciated. Are you sure that I can't bring you back something? Maybe a muffin for later?"

Sean had his hands on her waist and realized that their public intimacies felt very natural to him, which was not something he had experienced before. He had never felt comfortable holding hands with a girl in public, let alone kissing one as he had just done willingly with Amanda.

"I'll tell you what," he said. "By the time you are done here, I will probably be ready for another cup of coffee. If you would bring me back a refill, I would appreciate it. As far as food goes, how about if you see if they have an orange and a banana? Either or both could be a tasty treat for us later."

"Consider it done, Mr. Wallace."

"Thank you Mrs. Wallace."

Sean checked the time on his cell phone as he walked across the parking lot to the hotel lobby. It was just after 7AM, which wasn't too early for his first call to his Uncle Kirby. He had to keep reminding himself that his Uncle was in the same time zone as him because he was so used to Kirby living in San Antonio, Texas which was an hour behind Atlanta. Kirby had moved back to the Northern Virginia area with his new job with Brandt Consulting in order to move in with his fiancée, Wendy Lewis. Wendy was with the Air Force Judge Advocate General's office, stationed at the Pentagon and Sean knew that his Uncle Kirby was consulting for the Department of Homeland Security, which is why he had brought him into the situation with Amanda and the girls originally.