High Stakes

His face sagged, he looked like he had a stroke. "What? You're not going to give me a chance?"

I started laughing. I was going to tease him, but it wasn't fair. "I would love a second date."

He wiped mock sweat from his brow. "You god damned vixen. Jeez, you had me going. You are an evil woman, Sage."

"Theo, seriously. Are you sure? I am so much older than you."

"Sheesh, I don't care. Be a damn cougar, use me and abuse me. I have been trying to tell you, I like you."

"And I like you, but I'm not looking for romance. I don't want a partner. If you're up for some hot kinky sex, then I am interested, but I do not want attachments or drama. If you are looking for more than the occasional date, a little booty shaking, then we should stop right now."

He nodded. "I'm looking for more than sex, but if that's all that's on offer. I'm not saying no. Although I do want more, I'll never turn into one of those stalker guys. You say go away, I'm gone."

That night we snuggled in the cab as it went back to my place. Inside, with the door closed behind us, We fell quickly into a passionate embrace. His hands roamed my body like a cop on a mission. My breasts crushed under his intense mauling, my nipples hardening quickly under his caress.

Our mouths locked together, and it was the continuation from earlier. It was wet, and hot. Much like how I felt.

He removed my bra with a deft touch, and that startled me. He had definitely done that before.

With my bra gone, his hands mauled and squeezed my boobs. They aren't huge, but he inspected every inch. I have had far less thorough doctor's physicals. He left nothing untouched.

I was surprised how easily he got me out of my skirt. It fell to the floor in a shimmering show of glossy leather. My panties, god, where did they go?

I was like a learner, a novice. I fumbled with his belt as he shimmied out of his T-shirt. By the time I had his jeans loosened and pushed down his legs, he was all ready naked from the waist up.

We came back together, and his hand was experienced and knowledgeable between my legs.

I moaned into his mouth as his finger slid between my moist folds. He moaned, as well, enjoying my obvious excitement.

Not to be out done, I let my hand slide down into his briefs, and his erection was already hard. It throbbed purposefully in my palm. It always amazed me how something could be so hard, so rigid, and yet so supple, the skin smooth, warm, fleshy. I stroked him, enjoying the feel, the velvet-like smoothness, the steely hardness.

His head was already slippery and sticky, the liquid oozing from the tiny slit. I moved down, down, until my hand cupped and fondled his testicles. They felt alive, pulsing, swelling.

"Don't tease me, Sage. Jeez girl, I am primed, much more of that and our night will be over."

I giggled playfully. "Surely, a young fit stud like you can manage at least twice."

"Oh don't you worry. For you, I could go all night. You are the sexiest fucking woman I have ever met. I fucking want you, I want you bad."

"Then shut up, and do it."

He picked me up easily and carried me into the bedroom. He threw, rather than dropped me on the bed, and he was between my legs in an instant.

As he climbed my body, I whispered, "Condom..."

His eyes got big, and he jumped out of bed and ran back into the lounge returning with a packet.

He was inside me in seconds, his fat cock sliding easily into my slippery sex. God, he filled me quickly, his driving rhythm steady and swift. "Fuck, Sage, god you're so sexy," he breathed as his mouth found mine.

I moaned into him as the intensity grew quickly. "Fuck!" he growled. "Oh Jesus." It was quick and ferocious, his hips driving into me. I felt myself wrap around him, inviting him to go deeper, harder. I couldn't speak, I was breathless. His body pounded into mine, his cock driving so deeply with every thrust, I could barely breathe.

I felt the electric tingly sensation deep in my vagina, the warmth, the vibrations. I pushed back against him, grinding our pubic hair together as I tried to get more of him. I wanted more, I needed more. 'Harder," I grunted.

His body, already in a frenzy, went mad. He jerked wildly, his hips like pistons. I was there, my eyes shut tightly, my lips biting and pulling viciously on his bottom lip. I tasted the blood and bit harder as my orgasm exploded, the lights flashing, an out-of-focus strobe.

"Ah, fuck," he panted with one last final thrust.

It was over, and we collapsed together in a wet sticky pile of tangled limbs.

We slowly descended from our sexual high, and he glanced at me. "Holy shit."

I giggled. "Exactly."

Sleep overtook us; it was always nice to have a warm body to snuggle. If I was honest, it was the one physical thing I missed. I wasn't lonely, I enjoyed my life, but sometimes, at night, I missed the intimate contact of a human being, their skin on mine, their breathing, even if they snored, cutely. That, I loved; perhaps the most enjoyable part of sex: cuddling.

When my eyes opened in the morning, I found him lying beside me, staring at me, his face inches from mine. "Wishing you could chew your arm off and escape, are you?"

He scowled, as if I had offended him. "What the fuck? Where the hell did that come from?"

"I don't know, just the way you were staring at me. I thought you must be wishing you were somewhere else."

"I was just thinking how god damned lucky I was. Waking up beside you is something I have dreamed about. Sage, I wasn't fooling around last night. I really like you."

"I like you, as well, Theo, I just don't want to give you the wrong impression. I'm not looking for romance."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I heard you last night. I don't believe you, but I heard. Loud and clear."

His kiss was sneaky, and took me by surprise. Before I was truly awake, we were making love again, and this time, it was like making love. He kissed his way down my body. His lips circling my nipples, kissing every inch, sucking them ardently, nuzzling and biting.

Then lower, his lips on my swollen pussy. Again, he teased and tormented, tantalized. Kissing the pouty lips, sucking the distended flesh, his tongue, the rampant invader sliding into my vagina, followed quickly by his fingers, and he was good, oh so very good. I felt my body responding, twisting and writhing, my hips pushing back against his mouth, grinding his nose on my clit.

I ran my fingers through his hair, tangling tightly in the matted mess. Pulling and forcing his mouth against my sex, I ground down and pulled on his hair. I held him, rubbed my pussy all over his face.

Then I let him go back to sucking my pussy, kissing as his hand plunged in and out, fucking me. The orgasm was intense. If levitation was possible, then that was it. My body was stretched long and taut. Every sinuous fiber elongated as I cried out my release.

Then, he was inside me, fucking me properly, his hard cock straining and pumping as his own release rushed towards him.

In one ferocious lustful explosion, it was over. His condom full as he slid it of his slimy shaft.

We showered together, and luxuriated under the giant waterfall heads.

We went out for breakfast, and then a walk in the park. It was cool, but clear, the clouds wispy and high, the sky a pale blue.

We parted ways later in the day, and I returned home to do some tidying up. I had never been so confused in my life. I felt so alive, so exposed. Every nerve of my body seemed to tingle, little shocks firing off like anxious torpedoes.

With the elation came sadness. I already missed Theo. My mind filled with images, just random shots: his smile, his sparkling eyes, the desire, his hearty little chuckle, his untidy hair.

I tried to shake it off, but the melancholy wouldn't go. When my phone rang, I almost wished it was him. "Hello."

My elation returned with a fiery vengeance. "Hey, boss lady. Sorry, I know I said I wouldn't bug you. I just wondered what you were doing for dinner?"

"Dinner? It is only four."

"Yeah, I know. But if I'm coming over to cook spaghetti Bolognese for you, I need to shop."

"You cook?"

"Of course I cook. Jesus, how do you think I survived college? If I couldn't cook I would've starved."

I had an uncontrollable desire to say hurry, but it felt weird, this wasn't me, I didn't get excited, not like this.

After a moments silence, he said. "Would you like me to cook you dinner?"

"Theo..."

I felt his disappointment, it was there in the ragged response. "Doesn't matter. Sorry to have troubled you."

I hated that I had hurt him. "I would love you to cook dinner. What do I need to get?"

His mood scaled new heights. "Nothing, I'll get it all. I'll be there in an hour.

I rushed around like crazy, fresh linen, then I needed to get ready. Ten outfits later, and I was ready.

His knock on the door filled me with what? Joy. As I opened the door, and saw his smiling face, I knew, yes, it was joy.

I helped him cook. Watching him was like watching master chef. He was good, he talked endlessly as he chopped and diced, stirred and then cleaned up.

We set the plates, and he spooned out what appeared to be way to much, but within no time at all, it was gone, and we were in bed making love.

The morning was madness. I had to rush, we slept in, and he wanted to make love again. I missed the morning meeting, feigning illness. Bill, however, was not convinced. "How was your date?"

"What date?" I spat back.

"Sage, I'm not sure exactly how long it is we have worked together, but it's a while. Your date with Theo."

"It was all right."

And so it started, but it changed so quickly. It moved from the occasional night, the odd sleepover to being every night, and when he said. "I love you, Sage," I knew it was true, there was no doubt. I just wished I could have returned his words. I think I felt it, I had never experienced this before, it was new to me, but I just couldn't say it. I saw how distraught he was. My lack of response ate away at him. It was more than disappointment. He was devastated.

It took two days, but I got home from work, and his stuff was gone. I tried to call him, but there was no response. Just like that, he was gone, he ghosted me, cut me out of his life, and it hurt. I had never experienced pain like it.

I stopped functioning; I felt my life unraveling, work seemed pointless, I walked around like a lost puppy. I grumped at everybody, people started giving me a wide berth, and I felt it: after forty five years of being in control, my independence evaporated. I was officially lonely. There was a huge hole in my life that nothing else could fill.

What to do? I didn't know how to cope. I couldn't talk to my friends, none of them would believe me. I grieved, like a person whose soul mate had died. I yearned to hear his voice, I listened to old voice messages, read his text messages over and over.

He said he loved me, but just like that he was gone. Clearly, he didn't feel what I felt. How could he walk away, if he felt what I did?

I tried, damn it, I did, honestly. The problem being, I needed to know. I needed to tell him what a bastard he was, how could he do it to me.

That's how I came to be standing outside his apartment door at 11PM. I rapped lightly, and he came to the door. "Yes, how can I help?"

I went to slap him, but he grabbed my hand. "How could you?" I screamed. How could you lie to me?"

He threw my arm away and pulled me against his chest as I cried. "Why, why did you lie to me?"

He dragged me inside and closed the door. "Sage, I never lied to you. I was completely honest with you."

"No, you said you loved me. How could you say that and then walk away? I have been dying inside."

"I had to. I couldn't survive. I had to walk away. I love you, Sage, but I can't live if that love isn't reciprocated. That's why I left. It killed me, and I have cried every night since. I missed you like crazy. A million times I just wanted to pick up the phone. Shit, I've been listening to your fucking voice messages. How much of a loser am I?"

"Wow, you are a loser," I sniffled.

We kissed, I don't know who started it, but it quickly grew and he rasped out. "I do love you, Sage."

"And I love you. I'm sorry I never said it. I was scared. Scared that you didn't mean it. Scared that it was real. God, we are so different, I'm so much older."

"For the love of Christ. Will you stop going on about your age? You're a beautiful woman, and I love you. I don't care what people say. I'm proud, not embarrassed."

"Theo, I don't know what to do. I missed you."

"And I missed you as well, princess. Life seemed empty."

"God, what a couple of losers we are," I murmured.

"How can love be losing?"

We slipped into our relationship so easily. He moved into my apartment. It was bigger, and a heck of a lot nicer than his.

Our lives became one. My friends were disbelieving when I told them. Gillian was the worst. "No fucking way. I don't believe it. Not the ice queen."

"Shut up, bitch. I'm in love, you are supposed to be happy for me."

"Sage, I'm ecstatic, I just can't believe it."

When they met him, they all saw why. He could be so damned charming, so warm, and of course he was brash, good-looking young guy.

I had to live with the jokes about being a cradle snatcher, a cougar, having a boy toy. Yes, I heard them all. I learned to take it, and eventually began to feel proud. I grew into it. If I was going to be accused of it, then I would embrace it.

After six months, he asked, "Would you like to meet my parents?"

That set my nerves off. Meeting the parents. Could I do it? He had it organized before I could back out. It was Sunday lunch at his folks' place. He told me what to watch out for. His father was a worker; he hated what he called suits, parasites on humanity.

His brothers were cut from the same cloth, although his younger brother had fallen on hard times: unemployed, and drinking too much. Theo talked about him a fair bit. Growing up, they were close, but drifted apart after Theo left to go to college. In fact, Theo became a little estranged, and distant from his whole family following his decision to go to college.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Absolutely, I know I've drifted away from my family, but I do love them, they are my blood, and I want them to meet you, and you them."

"They are not going to like me, Theo. From what you told me about them, they will view me as part of the problem. I am a suit-wearing leach, feeding on the souls of the workers."

He chuckled. "That might be the case. If that happens, then they are going to lose a son. I sorta hope you will win them over, just like you did me."

"You want me to seduce them?" I giggled.

"Call it what you will, but yeah. Capture their hearts, imprison them as you did me."

Slightly vexed at his analogy, I growled softly, "There are no bars here. If you feel like that, then maybe you should move out."

"Jesus, Sage, don't take me so literally. All I meant was you captured my heart and soul. We are one now, and I love that."

We slipped into a cuddle, "We could go over for Sunday lunch; it's always a big deal at home. Ma will get the whole family together. You can meet them all in one go."

I could think of no out, not without offending him. It was sealed the next day. He got home from work and made the announcement.

Sunday morning, I rummaged through my wardrobe, wondering what in the hell I was going to wear. Theo walked in, catching sight of the clothes spread on the bed.

"Just wear something casual, it's not formal."

I held up a couple of what I classed as casual outfits, but he kept shaking his head. In the end, it was jeans and a T. The fact the jeans cost more than a lot of the dresses he discarded went right over his head.

Pulling up outside his parents house scared me. God, we were so different. The area was rough: broken down cars, broken windows, trash bags spread everywhere, children playing on the streets, yelling and screaming, the language atrocious.

My facial expression must have shown my shock. Theo chuckled lightly. "Hey, don't panic, they're just kids having fun."

"Listen to the language. They sound like they are all criminals."

He opened my door and held my hand tightly as we walked up to the front door. He didn't knock, he just threw open the door and called out, "Hey, Mom, anybody here?"

The following explosion of chaos shocked me again. We were swamped by children, who all yelled his name. That was followed by his siblings, and then his parents. Theo did his best to free himself to do the introductions, but with his three-year-old niece in one arm, his nephew under the other and another tugging at his pants who was barely able to walk. I held my breath, trying to slow my wildly beating heart. Overwhelmed, I stood immobile. I considered making a run for the door, but suddenly, I was wrapped in a pair of arms, and a very pretty woman said, "Hey, you must be Sage. I'm Shona, Theo's sister." Her cheap perfume clouded us and her wet lips on my cheek did nothing to quell my unease.

She took control of the introductions, as Theo played with the children. "Sage, this is Carol, our sister. That tall streak over there is Paul, our brother, and the beautiful woman beside him is his unfortunate wife, Irene. Next were Theo's parents. His mother walked up, leaning in for a kiss on the cheek. "Hi, Sage, that is a pretty name."

"Hello, thank you, it is a pleasure to meet you."

The thin dark-haired man beside her reached out his hand. Hey, I'm David, Theo's dad."

"Pleasure." I replied, feeling instantly hesitant. There was something about him that made me uneasy. His eyes bored into me like lasers, his hand gripped me like a vice.

"Mom, Pop," Theo said loudly, "This is who I have been rambling about."

Shona grabbed my hand, and said, "Come on outside, we're just getting lunch ready. We had to use the big table."

Outside, Shona started the process. Okay, there were no thumb screws, but it was an interrogation, nonetheless. She should have a job for the prosecutors office, because she left no stone unturned.

As we talked, I felt the pressure easing the questions, turned more to conversation, and even Carol started to soften towards me.

As we carried the cutlery out to the table, a dark shadow feel across us. "Hi, I'm Michael, the black sheep of the family."

He seemed shy, uncertain. "I'm sure you are no such thing." I replied lightly.

"No, he is. Trust me." Carol giggled. "He sure is, ain't even got a job."

He turned away, embarrassed. Theo's Mom fussed around, clearly wanting to talk. "You know, you're the first girl Theo ever bought home?"

"Really, I'm shocked. He seems quite popular at work."

"Oh, he seen plenty of women, he just never bought any home. I think he was embarrassed by us."

"No, I'm sure that's not the case. He always speaks so highly of his family. He loves you very much."

She patted my hand. "You must be special."

"I don't know about that, but we have become close."

"I can see that n the way he looks at ya. That boy is smitten. He was always a fragile boy when he was younger. Always reading and learning. Broke his fathers heart when he went off to college. He has been forgiven since."

The whole family came together for lunch. It was an incredible experience, so many people, the chatter, the laughter. Truly an amazing lunch.

After lunch, we, the ladies, were in the kitchen cleaning, the men outside talking, drinking. Things went very quiet and we all heard Michael say, "Jesus bro, you fucking did it this time. Finally fucked your way into some money. You're made for life now, bruh."

"What the fuck did you say?" Then it was the sound of fighting, things smashing.

I went to rush out, but Theo's mother grabbed me tight. "No, sweetheart. Let them sort it out."