Matchmaker 07: July

"What? I think you're beautiful with your skin glowing from the rain."

"And that's not what you meant either."

I grinned. "Of course it is."

"Sure it was," she smirked, drawing the first word out.

I nodded as I started the car. "That's my story, and I'm sticking to it."

"Uh-huh."

"Having said that, I think I've had enough of the cold and wet for one day. How about a nice leisurely dinner, somewhere out of the rain, where it's warm?"

She shivered as the car's heat began to work. "Sounds wonderful."

We found a pub that looked interesting, its name, the Stagger Inn, causing us to chuckle. Like many of the pubs we'd visited, Stagger Inn, with its low ceiling, exposed beams, and polished wood and brass everywhere, made me think of times past. We were a little early for the dinner rush, so we had our choice of tables.

We picked one in a private corner. While Easton waited, I placed our order with the keep, bringing back two Jameson's and a pair of pints.

"What's the occasion?" she asked as I placed the glasses on the table.

"Celebration," I replied as I sat.

"Of what?"

I picked up my whiskey. "Of meeting the most amazing, most beautiful woman in the world," I said as I held my glass out.

She blushed but touched her glass to mine before we bumped them on the table in the Irish tradition to drive out the evil spirits contained in the glasses and took a sip.

"Whoof!" she muttered but smiled. "Thank you. You're sweet."

I smiled as I took another sip, the mellow whiskey's warmth beginning to spread through me. "I've enjoyed this trip a lot more than I thought I would."

She smiled, watching me over her glass as she tasted the amber nectar again. I liked how her eyes squinted, her lips pulling back as she bared her teeth in a grimace. She sometimes made a similar face when she was about to climax.

"I—" she began and then giggled, her voice a shadow of its normal self. She cleared her throat and tried again. "I have too."

"You didn't think you'd have fun?" I teased.

She grinned. "No, I expected to have fun, but I didn't expect to have this much fun."

I looked into my drink, searching for answers. I'd come to Ireland expecting to meet a woman and see some sights, have a little fun, fuck her for a month with no commitments, and return to Houston. I was on a rebound, frustrated with how my life had been going. Brooklyn made it very clear she wasn't a madam and didn't select women as a plaything for rich and powerful men. I'd told her I was looking for someone, but it was a lie. I was tired of getting kicked in the nuts and hadn't expected anything more than no strings attached sex for a month. It had started out that way with Easton, but somewhere along the way, something had changed. I didn't know when, and I didn't know why, and I didn't know how, but it had.

I didn't love her. Nobody can fall in love in three weeks, at least I couldn't, but I was attracted to her. To her, not just her body. In the beginning, I did things with her because it was expected, and I wanted to get into her pants. Now, I simply wanted to do things with her. I smiled to myself. I still wanted in her pants, but that wasn't the only reason I wanted her around.

"You okay?" she asked after a moment of me staring at my glass.

"I want to ask you something," I said, watching the liquid while I gathered my nerve.

"Sure."

I looked up and held her gaze. "What do you think of the idea of coming to Houston with me?"

She looked at me, some emotion I couldn't determine playing on her face. "To visit?"

I swallowed hard, taking another sip of my liquid courage. "If you'd like, but I was thinking of something more... permanent." I held her gaze.

"You want me to come live with you?" she asked.

"Not at first." I realized how that sounded and tried to walk it back. "Well, yes, I'd like that, but I know that's big step, and I was thinking maybe you could get a place of your own... and..." I ground to a halt, the look on her face freezing my voice.

"I can't," she said softly. I nodded and said nothing. "I have a career, Brent. I can't just give that up and go running to Texas."

"Is that the only reason?"

Now it was her turn to look into her drink. "That's the main one," she said, not looking up.

I nodded again. "But you're not completely opposed to the idea?"

"Of continuing to see you?" I nodded. She smiled, a soft smile that appeared to be slightly sad. "No. I was actually thinking this morning while I was in the shower how much I was going to miss you."

I felt a flicker of hope. "You're amazing, Easton. I came here, to Ireland, not expecting much, but now, I feel like maybe you're..."

"I'm what?"

I shrugged, feeling self-conscious and silly. "That maybe you're the one."

"The one?"

I nodded. "The one. The one I've been looking for. The one I could fall in love with. The one I could spend a lifetime with." I tossed back the last sip of my whiskey. "I don't know how to put it into words, but there's something about you, something I've never felt before, something... special."

She softened, placing her hand on mine. "I feel the same about you. You're so kind, and warm, not to mention fun, and I—"

"Don't forget handsome, rich, great in bed, and modest," I teased, trying to lighten the heavy mood.

She grinned. "And funny." Her smile spread. "As far as the rest, three out of four isn't bad." She paused. "Seriously, I've enjoyed my time with you far more than I expected to. I came on this trip expecting only to see Ireland, maybe have a fling, and nothing more, but..."

"But?" I encouraged.

"But you've turned out to be more than I expected."

I gripped her hand. "Then come home with me. What if this is something special? Don't you think we should find out?"

She didn't look happy. "What about my job?"

"It's just a job. You can find another one. I'll help you."

"What about you? Why can't you come to Wisconsin?"

"There's no oil industry in Wisconsin, or I would, but there are cows in Texas."

"I don't know," she said slowly.

"I don't need an answer now. Just think about it."

She nodded slowly. "Okay, I will."

I smiled as slowly drew her into a kiss. "That's all I ask."

"Austin!"

I drew my finger along her cheek as I rose, called by the keep to get our food. As I walked, I couldn't help but fret that I'd crossed the line. She hadn't rejected me or my idea, but it wasn't like she embraced it either, and I hoped I hadn't put her off by pushing her or moving too fast. I was running out of time. In less than three days we'd go our separate ways and she was so... what? Sexy? God yes, but it was more than that. Desirable? It went without saying. Strong? Without question.

I picked up the plates and turned toward our table. She smiled at me as her pint left her lips. I smiled back. She was all those things, but she was so much more. Special was the best word I could think of to describe her. She was special to me like no woman in the past had ever been. I'd told myself I didn't love her, but what did I know? I hadn't loved anybody in a long time, not since I became an adult, and I hadn't felt like anyone loved me. Maybe I didn't know what love was. My smile spread. Since I didn't know what love was, maybe, just maybe, how I was feeling toward her was me starting to fall for her.

"Traditional Irish lamb stew for the lady," I said, sliding the bowl in front of her, "and fish and chips for me." I took a bite of my fish before panting and puffing, trying to cool the fish that was burning my tongue. "You want to visit the Cliffs of Moher tomorrow?" I asked once I could swallow, steering the conversation away from her coming to Texas. I didn't want to press her and ruin any chance I might have of winning her over.

She smiled. "Yeah, I think I would."

We'd already seen the cliffs when we'd first arrived, but we were due back in Shannon tomorrow so we could catch our flight out on Wednesday.

I nodded in agreement. "It's a plan then. You still want to stop in Galway?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Since we've seen some of the oldest cathedrals in Europe, it seems fitting, somehow, before we leave, that we stop and see the last, great, stone cathedral built, don't you think?"

"Yes, it does." She smiled at her plate but said nothing. "What?"

Her smile spread before she looked up. "When we first started this, you didn't exactly roll your eyes when I wanted to see all the old buildings, but I could tell you weren't that interested. Now..."

"Now I am?"

Her smile spread even more. "Yeah. You're turning into a regular cathedral junky, like me."

I chuckled. "I guess I'm just slow."

She reached down and caressed my leg. "We'll see how slow you are tonight."

I grinned as a tingle passed through my cock. It appeared I hadn't put her off with my suggestion, and I relaxed slightly. She'd been trying to wear my ass out since we got here, but I'd never enjoyed having to rise to a challenge more.

I swam up from the depths of sleep, warm and comfortable in Brent's arms. After we'd made slow and easy love last night, we'd snuggled and talked about what he'd said at dinner. Nothing had been resolved, and he hadn't pressured me for a decision.

He'd caught me off guard with his question. I could feel the attraction between us, but having him invite me to his home had been a surprise. The thing was, the emotional part of me wanted to go, but the rational part said it was too ridiculous to even consider. The emotional part wanted to find out if what I was feeling for him was real, while the rational part tried to convince me it was nothing more than infatuation, that I was confusing love with the fact that he sent me soaring with pleasure every night, or at most, it was a vacation romance and the feelings were fleeting and shallow.

Last night he'd been so attentive as he made slow sweet love to me, and his kisses didn't feel like vacation fling kisses. They felt like the treasured kisses of someone in love. He hadn't even mentioned the L word, and while he made me feel like no man before him had, I wasn't prepared to use the L word either. But dammit, there was something there, I was sure of it. For the first time in my life, a man was making love to me instead of fucking me.

I smiled as I sighed. Even when he was fucking me to nirvana, like he had after dancing with me at Buckaroo's, it was different than our fucking had been in the beginning. I couldn't describe how it was different, but it was. It was almost like, even when we were going at it like deer in the rut, there was still a tenderness or emotional connection that wasn't there in beginning, but mostly, it was how he looked at me.

There was the same simmering lust that had been there since the first couple of days, but now there was something else, a softness he hadn't had in the beginning. He'd always been a gentleman, opening doors and such for me, but now he couldn't seem to do it without touching me. He couldn't seem to keep his hands off me, but not in an overtly sexual way. A soft caress of my arm or a touch on my shoulder in passing, his hand resting on my hip or our arms curled together as he held me to his side, or his hand holding mine as we walked.

I stretched with a near silent groan, causing him to slowly stir behind me. There was no doubt he wanted me in his bed, as I wanted him in mine, and the way he looked at me, the way he made love to me, made me feel like the sexiest, most desirable woman in the world. More than that, though, was he made me feel wanted in other ways. I couldn't put my finger on how, but even when he wasn't kissing and licking me to within an inch of orgasm or burying his wonderful cock inside me, I still felt wanted and special, like I was more than a collection of body parts.

I smiled to myself. After the first time he fucked me, all I could think about was having him between my thighs again, but that had changed too. Now I enjoyed my time with him out of bed as much as my time with him in it. Now I saw him as more than a cock with legs, and—

"Morning," he mumbled, kissing me on the shoulder and pulling me more firmly into his chest.

"Morning," I sighed with a smile. I might enjoy our time out of bed, but that didn't mean I wasn't going to fuck the shit out of him this morning.

He moved, rolling me to my back as he hovered over me, watching my eyes a moment before taking my lips in a long, luxurious kiss. I pulled him close, drinking in the sensations. You could wake up to this every morning if you'd just go with him to Texas, the emotional voice in my head whispered. I smiled as his lips slowly pulled back, my rational side kissed into complete silence.

I held his gaze. He was a little scruffy and bed tossed this morning, but Goddamn did he look fuckable, and I liked the intensity of his stare, as if he were trying to memorize every detail of my face. I began to flood as he held my gaze, his finger softly caressing my cheek. I smiled up at him, and he smiled in return before lowering his lips to mine again.

I swear to God, I tingled all over as he kissed me, placing a leg between mine to settle more heavily onto me as he drew in a deep breath, his hard cock pressing into my leg as his kiss became deeper and more sensuous. I pulled him down, our tongues engaging in an erotic dance before he broke the kiss and began kissing along my jaw and down to under my ear.

I squirmed under him, his hard, muscular body pressing me into the bed as he nuzzled that special place he'd found weeks ago. He began to thrust softly, his weeping cock sliding against my leg. I turned my lips to him, and he took them greedily before kissing down to the hollow in my throat. I tipped my head back, baring my throat to him as he kissed lower, taking his time, his fingers, tongue, and lips causing my skin to prickle as I began to crackle with erotic energy.

He moved lower still, feathering kisses around the sharp points of my breast before flicking the nipple firmly with his tongue, causing me to gasp softly when he took the point into his mouth and scraped it softly over his teeth. He feasted on my breasts, and I held his head to me as he used his leg to open me up to greater pleasures.

I took his hardness in my hand as he slowly dragged his fingers down my body, his touch feather light and leaving a trail of sizzling pleasure in their wake until he touched me, his stroke through my wetness slow and delicate. I gasped and sighed as he brushed my button, my head tipping back in pleasure as he slowly thrust in my fist.

He moved lower still, his lips never leaving my body as his fingers danced over my flower, softly opening my petals as his fingers explored. I held him as long as I could before his manhood was out of reach, sighing again as he kissed his way to the inside of my thighs. He was the master of the measured tease, and had me on a knife's edge, my desires fully aflame as he built me up with aching slowness.

Finally, after an eternity, he kissed me where I longed to be kissed, his unhurried licks and nibbles causing me to writhe in beautiful agony as I wrapped my hands in his hair. I began to gently pump my hips, unable to remain still as he teased me with lips and tongue, my orgasm slowly rising within me. I pushed at his head as I twisted my hips.

"Please," I whispered. "I want to taste you."

We rolled as he kissed the inside of my thighs before he turned in the bed. I tasted myself on his lips, our tongues dancing, as I took my fill from his lips, before I draped myself across him. I covered his cock in butterfly kisses, painting the sides with slow swipes of my tongue as he began to kiss and lick my most secret place with more enthusiasm. Lying across him, his lips, tongue, and fingers busy, I tried to focus on pleasing him, but it was hard, so hard.

His slickness coated my tongue as I took him into my mouth, wanting, trying, hoping to give him a fraction of the pleasure he was giving me. I couldn't swallow an average size man, and I had no hope of doing so with someone as large as him, but I took as much of him as I could, his soft hiss of excitement and pleasure my reward for the effort. I couldn't remain still and began to thrust my hips again, stroking him rapidly with my fist as my tongue danced over his shaft.

I felt hot, like the searing Texas sun was beating down on me. My orgasm was coming, I could feel it. I pushed at it, straining to hold it, wanting to extend this moment as long as possible, but Brent was a lover of unparalleled skill and I was being buried under a seething avalanche of pleasure. I tried to pull away, to escape the pleasure of his lips and tongue, but he held me tightly around the hips, refusing to allow my escape. My body was no longer mine to control, and I began to face-fuck him as my orgasm overtook me. I swallowed him, becoming wild with lust, gurgling and coughing while pumping him hard and tight with my fist as I held him in my mouth, until my orgasm exploded within me like a star.

I went rigid with pleasure as I pulled him from my mouth with my last coherent thought, my mouth opened in a silent scream of ecstasy, and still his tongue danced and probed, rapidly flicking my button with a hard point before he flattened his tongue and swiping me with a fast lick.

I surfed the wave of pleasure, my mind screaming in ecstasy, until I sighed in relief as my climax released me. As I sagged, waiting for my strength to return, he gently let me down, his feverish kissing slowing and becoming gentler. I blew out a cleansing breath between pursed lips, a smile tugging at them as I returned to myself. I was typically good for a couple of orgasms, though Brent could often give me three, and unlike any previous lover, occasionally four. I smiled as I turned, taking his lips and kissing him lustily, grinding his hardness into my wetness to cause a delicious thrill to skitter though me.

You could have this every morning if you just go with him... He allowed me to take my fill from his lips, watching my eyes as I slowly pulled back. He brushed his fingers softly along my cheek, his smile soft and sexy as he held my face.

"I want you," I whispered.

He smiled but said nothing for a moment before pulling my lips back to his. As we kissed, he slowly rolled us over. We'd become well practiced in the past month, and he entered me as we became still. I gasped with his passage, the pleasure of him sliding into my depths almost too intense to bear. I reached up, taking his face into my hands as he thrust into me with a deliberate, pleasurable rhythm.

I watched his eyes for many long moments, our gazes locked, as if he were looking into my soul. No man had ever looked at me like he was looking at me now, and it touched me. Desperate to taste his lips, I pulled him down, kissing him passionately as I lost myself in the moment.

When I released him from the kiss, he began to drive into me harder, faster, and my orgasm began rising within me. "Kiss me when you come," he whispered, his face intense, the muscles of his chest tight as he began driving into me with purpose.

He knew. He always knew what I needed and when. I nodded, my eyes drifting closed as my bliss built, blotting out my doubts and fears. I began to ramp up for my second orgasm, his soft grunts and gasps of passion exciting me. Once again, I began to tighten up as my climax bore down on me. My eyes snapped open as my rapture began to take me. I sneered at him, my teeth bared as I sizzled in erotic distress, my orgasm building, building, building, until I grabbed his face and pulled his lips roughly to mine as the wave of pleasure crested and broke over me.