Music Man Pt. 01

It was a long and steamy kiss, and she showed no sign of ending it. The feel of her body, and the pressure of her modest breasts brought its inevitable result. He hardened fast, and she felt it, but she did not push him away; her arms were round his neck.

It was he who ended the kiss. They looked into each other's eyes. Hers really were the most arresting green.

"Time for you to go," he said gently. "Otherwise..."

I don't mind, she thought, stroking his back.

"Cassie," he said softly, "not like this, it's too quick. Let's get to know each other a little more."

"Yes," she said, giving a little shake and feeling and looking relieved. "You're right. You must understand I've never thrown myself at anyone like this before, and I don't think I'm ready for a full relationship yet either."

"You understand it's not because I don't want to?" he added.

"I can feel that," and she laughed a dirty laugh, which was new, and he loved her even more.

They kissed again, more softly this time, exchanged mobile numbers, and she left.

--

Chapter Two

Cassie Fenton was very pretty, very clever, very sensuous, very passionate and rather impetuous. In spite of that, she had been in few relationships of any depth since she began to fill out as a young adolescent. She lost her virginity to a classmate in her last year at school, but he let her down very badly which shook her trust in boys, so she was more choosy from then on.

She did go out with boys in that last school year, but would not agree to have any sexual contact beyond kissing and a fumble over her clothes. She relented and had one dalliance with a boy she fancied, who went out with her for three weeks professing undying love, took her to the school leavers' prom, after which he selfishly used her in the living room of his parents' house, she insisting he used a condom which he didn't like at all. Then a week into the summer holidays she saw him deep in the arms of another girl outside a club. She severed her relationship from him completely. Again she was heart-broken and her trust in boys was shattered.

She went on the pill when she started university and had a brief relationship, again trusting a plausible 3rd year student, allowing him to have sex at a party after they had been going together for a month, but he clearly lost interest over the following weeks, after he got what he wanted. It further shook her confidence.

So she had decided, as had Ged, to restrict her self-giving to someone who would be faithful and make a real relationship with her. She decided to concentrate on making real friends rather than looking for a lover.

She made many friends of both sexes, and for the whole of the first year she resisted all attempts to woo her. At the root of things there was a deep fear of being betrayed again. However, at the beginning of her second year things changed greatly. She fell in love. This time it felt completely different.

Her best female friend Cheryl had been close with her since they met the year before, at Freshers' Week. That first term of first year, Cheryl met and fell in love with Brian who was a year older. Cassie could see why. He was steady and totally besotted with her, and she had completely fallen for him.

Brian's parents had money and had bought him a terraced house for his second year. The pair had moved in together after Christmas and at the end of Cheryl's first year they had invited Cassie to join them for the following academic year. The house was old but clean and sound, and they loved it.

At the beginning of Cheryl's and Cassie's second year, they threw a 'start the year party', which doubled as Cassie's twentieth birthday party. Cassie knew most of the guests and moved around chatting to them. Then she became aware of a pair of eyes staring at her.

The eyes belonged to a very handsome guy. He was tall and lanky with a shaggy mane of jet black hair that fell to his shoulders. His eyes, were a startling very dark brown, almost black, below which was a large nose and a wide mouth. She returned his gaze and her heart began to flutter. As hostess, she went to him.

She swallowed, and held out her hand. "Hi!" she said brightly. "I'm Cassie - I live with Cheryl and Brian."

"I know." He smiled at her and she felt weak. "I'm Zak, short for Zachary. Never call me Zachary: I hate the name." He smiled more broadly and she knew she wanted him intensely. It bordered on compulsion.

"Zak," she repeated when she got her breath, "I like it."

She had fallen in love, and despite her understandable misgivings she could not resist. He obviously fancied her as well, and they made a date for the following week. Within two weeks they were in bed together. They had been for a drink and he had introduced three of his friends to her. They were members of a struggling rock band called Furtive Glance. They had had little success nationally but got regular gigs around the city.

Zak took her to his flat. It was dirty and untidy with much unwashed crockery piled in the sink. She did not notice, as she fell into his arms. His kisses were strong and powerful, and she could feel him hard against her thigh. His chest felt firm and defined and his arms sinuous. Her lust took her: it had been so long since she had had a man, though her last 'man' had been no more than a boy.

His hands wandered over her body as he kissed her, over her back, the cheeks of her bottom, then to her breasts. He cupped them over her tee shirt and she moaned at the touch. She broke the kiss, stood a pace back and pulled the tee shirt over her head. She reached behind her and unclipped her bra. Then she slowly unfastened and unzipped her jeans, and pushed them down. She was on fire from the way his eyes fastened on her thin boy-shorts. She loved his lustful gaze, how his eyes raked her body. She had almost forgotten the feeling. She was wanted, desired and it felt so good.

She could see how aroused he was. "Come on Zak. Get those things off," she growled.

He started, awakened from his mesmerised stare hastened to tear off his shirt, then his jeans and boxers. There he was for her, naked. There was not an ounce of fat on him. His chest was muscular, his abs well defined, his waist and hips tapered, and needless to say he was hard. She moved to him and again they kissed. Then they were in bed.

She discovered he was a good lover. He caressed, kissed, licked her all over, and then brought her to a first climax with his tongue, whereupon he covered her and she felt him pushing into her moistness. It was heavenly, that feeling of him filling her and pushing in and out. He went slowly at first until she began to moan again, when he speeded up and brought her off a second time before emptying himself into her.

Later in the dark, she wondered, too late, about STDs. At least this time she did not have to worry about getting pregnant, she thought.

They became an item. She loved him more and more deeply. He was a simple man, in a dead-end job, but she didn't mind. After her university courses she would earn enough for both, and he would be able to enjoy his time with the band. Who knows? she thought, They might even make the big time.

For all that, she did not move into his flat; her previous betrayals had been so painful for her that she could not go so far as to depend totally on him, but she cleaned his place up and made it a home.

She was so besotted that she did not mind that he did no housework, or washing up, or cooking, or washing or ironing. He needed the time to rehearse and play with the band.

He made up for it in his bed with his wonderful loving. While he was out at gigs, work or at rehearsals she was able to get her university work done.

She stayed over with him often, but went back to Cheryl and Brian's when the pressure of her work got too strong, sometimes for weeks at a time. Zak didn't seem to mind. It did niggle her a little that he did not seem to miss her at all, but she brushed away any concern she had.

What did concern her was that Cheryl and Brian were cool towards Zak. They didn't try to put her off him, but it was clear they were not happy. There was only one occasion when Cheryl broached the subject.

"You do know what that band's like, Cassie, don't you?" she ventured. "They're pretty free with the women who follow them to gigs - and we remember Zak being as free with them as the others."

"Don't worry," said Cassie, a little miffed at Cheryl's intervention. "He's changed - he loves me now. I give him all he needs."

Well, thought Cheryl, I tried.

Cassie was completely certain of him and of their future. She was totally committed to him and her love for him was deepening al the time.

It was just after exams at the end of second year, early May, when her world fell apart.

Zak had a gig in the city centre, and this was to be followed by a party at the lead guitarist and singer's house. Cassie had an end of exams party, if that was what it could be called. In fact it was a session at her favourite pub, who had laid on sandwiches and pies. She left early with the thought that Zak's party would be a lot more fun.

She wandered in through the open door. There were plenty of people chatting and laughing, and there was music and dancing in the basement. She ranged around, nodding at people she recognised. Zak was nowhere to be found.

"Upstairs if you want to join in the fun!" laughed a young woman she did not know, but had seen her search. So she went up.

It was inevitable. She opened the door to the bedroom. There was a naked Zak assiduously pushing himself over and into an equally naked blonde girl. Cassie felt what thousands of betrayed partners have felt and continue to feel - that punch to the stomach, and the destruction of their hopes and dreams - but she was more devastated than most.

He had betrayed her. Lied. How often had he done this while she stayed at his flat studying? She knew Cheryl had been right, he was unable to be faithful, he wanted variety and those worshipping groupies in this bed.

Zak looked round and saw her. "Hi, Cassie!" he said, rather out of breath from his exertions, but he did not stop pumping into the blonde.

"Sod off, Zak." Cassie snarled. "We're finished. Don't ever come near me again."

Now unfortunately Zak was high on a mixture of cocaine and beer. "No loss!' he laughed. "July's better than you in the sack - with Zak!" and he laughed loudly at his simple rhyme, repeating it over and over. "Ha, ha! In the sack with Zak!"

The girl laughed as well, "Get lost darling!" she crowed. "Zak has a job to finish!"

Cassie rushed from the house in tears. She had given herself to him, loved him, looked after him. He had said he loved her, wanted only her and he had lied. She went back to Cheryl, and fell in the door, sobbing.

Cheryl emerged from the kitchen, assessed the situation and did what girlfriends do in such circumstances. Brian did not see either of the girls again that night and sensitively slept alone in Cassie's bed, while she shared with Cheryl in theirs.

There followed a fortnight of stress and depression. Zak tried to contact her, but she ranted at him long enough for him to realise that he had lost the woman he really did love.

He berated himself for his stupidity. True he had slept with a number of girls while Cassie and he were an item, true he had left her open to STDs, but he had thought they would make it together. Too late. He had underestimated her reaction to his lies and cheating, a reaction which he thought excessive. He was used to girls forgiving him, so certain was he of his magnetism and good looks.

Cassie spent the vacation partly back at the parental home down south, and partly buried in preparation for the following year's courses at Cheryl's and Brian's house. Brian had graduated, taken a good job in the centre of Manchester and was out all day during the week, giving Cheryl a chance to talk it through with Cassie.

Cassie appreciated her efforts but nevertheless felt emptiness and sadness most of the time until, at the beginning of the Autumn term, Shona, a friend from her undergraduate course, told her she should go to the Crown Inn on Wednesdays where there was some live music. It might cheer her up. She went to the pub which turned out to be Cheryl's local, alone.

There was a group playing. Not loud, more in the background, but people were listening. She got her drink and sat to listen along with them.

Then a guy took a keyboard and began to sing. It was song of betrayal after commitment, and it spoke to her of her own experience, but it had a conclusion of hope and refusal to compromise on being open to another love.

She ended with tears running down her cheeks, The singer was just an ordinary guy, handsome though, with a really good voice, but he had moved her deeply. She knew at that moment that she wanted to know him better and to ask him about the author of the song.

After the set was over she noted the singer had gone, so she approached one of the group's members.

"Hello," she said to a curvy blonde who was putting her guitar away. "The guy who sang that song-"

"Hey!" grinned the girl. "You know? Everyone knows what people are talking about when you say 'that song'. It gets people every time. My name's Vivienne, and he's Ged, short for Gerald Smith. He wrote the words and the tune, and yes, it did happen to him."

"I'm Cassie," smiled Cassie. "I'd like to talk with him. D'you think he'd mind?"

"Tell you what," Ben, another of the group, said, "He often goes to the Union bar on Mondays - early while the place is empty. Does some writing there. Try that, or come back here same time next week. I'll introduce you."

Cassie said her thanks and the following Monday found her entering the Union bar. There he was, with a half finished pint, completely immersed in what he was writing. She heard him curse and saw him begin a new page, annoyance showing on his face. She stood awhile and studied him.

She had not paid much attention to him physically in the pub, but now she did. He was a very fit, good looking guy. His sandy hair was quite long and thick. His face was quite long and his chin was strong. The cheekbones were high, forehead wide and his nose in perfect proportion. His hands were quite delicate and his fingers were long.

She felt a tremor in her loins as she gazed at him. Here was a writer, a writer of poetry and a composer. He was sensitive to the range of emotions besetting the human condition. As a student of English Literature and Language she appreciated that deeply.

She knew then that she wanted him; he was the man her life had been waiting for. She was going to try her utmost to get him, and she had not exchanged a single word with him yet! As has been pointed out, she was impetuous, some would say foolhardy.

However, after Zak she promised herself she was going to be very careful. She would not let him into her life quickly, but she would hope he could be her friend - at least at first. She would go slow. She would control the situation.

When she spoke to him and he looked up she saw surprise and amazement in his soft brown eyes. He just stared at her. She felt uncomfortable, uncertain.

When he stammered his response as he gazed in awe at her, she knew then that he fancied her and it gave her real confidence and a deep buzz. She felt a sense of high elation and was therefore emboldened while being amazed at her dominance of the situation. She as much as told him to take her home - his home, and her cup overflowed when he agreed! Overflowed? Well, she did get at little damp down below!

She had almost told him to go out with her as well, and he had shown enthusiasm for the idea. Then the kiss. That was the moment she really knew; their future was together. He was so gentle and seemed to be able to put his whole soul into the kiss. Perhaps the song was right, it was 'in his kiss'!

Even so, had he tried to take her to bed at that moment, she told herself she would have stopped him. She was relieved that he wanted to take things slowly, that he wanted more than a trivial lustful encounter.

By the time she really had to go, she knew she was in love, and suspected he had fallen for her in his turn. All the more strange, she thought as she went home, as I don't believe in love at first sight!

However, there was again that hollow feeling of fear about another broken relationship and another betrayal. Was this merely a rebound?

--

Chapter Three

After she went, Ged could not settle. He could not get over her beauty, and her obvious attraction to him which he could not for the life of him understand. He felt supremely happy - happy as he had not felt for many months.

This girl was different from all the others, and so devastatingly beautiful! There was an instant rapport between them, and that kiss! He gave up any attempt to write, and sat in his room with a silly grin on his face. After all, she was... beautiful.

He made himself a makeshift meal and then could not stop himself from phoning her mobile.

"Hello," she said, picking up.

"Hi!" he said. "I thought I'd phone." He stopped unsure what he was phoning for.

"That's nice," she said. "I got home safely."

"Oh, good!" he said, glad she had found a reason for him to phone.

"I'm glad we met," she said, sounding almost shy.

"Me too!" he averred, rather too enthusiastically.

From then the call meandered around how nice it was they'd met. He invited her to eat with him the next day, and then go for a drink and she happily agreed. He ensured she was not vegetarian, or had any particular dislikes, and she was impressed with his thoughtfulness, and said so.

So their first date was a meal he cooked at his house. He did a spaghetti dish with bacon, egg, cheese and herbs, and followed it with a microwaved treacle pudding with custard. Again she was impressed that not only could he cook, but that he was a very good cook, and again said so. After the meal they washed up together and then wandered gently hand in hand to his local pub for a couple of hours.

Then it was time to leave.

"Where to?" he asked.

"I'd love a coffee," she said, smiling into his eyes.

Thus they made their leisurely way back to his place. She slipped her arm round his waist and he laid his across her shoulder.

When they reached the gate to his house, She couldn't stop herself: she pulled him to her and lifted her face very obviously for a kiss. It was long and intense, that kiss, and she was gratified to feel him pulling her strongly to him, reacting against her groin, as his hands fervently stroked her back.

He couldn't believe how passionate she was. Her arms were round his neck, then raking through his hair, pushing her breasts hard against his chest and opening her body to him. He felt he was losing control of himself his desire consumed him totally.

Neither could she stop herself - she desperately needed him and his body. She wanted to melt into him. At that moment, her fears and reservations were gone: she wanted and yearned for no one else. So much for taking it slowly! flew across her mind and she giggled inwardly.

At last they broke and moved rapidly and with some purpose into the house and directly into his room. The door being shut, they faced each other. There were no words. Everything stopped as they stood face to face and stared.

Ged raised his eyebrows, and Cassie nodded. Wordlessly they had agreed that the long gradual development of their relationship was cancelled, replaced gladly by headlong lust.

With a fluttering heart, Cassie took the hem of her shirt and lifted it over her head. Her bra was light yellow, translucent and pushed her breasts together, giving her an enticing cleavage. Now she realised why she had chosen it. She saw his gaze and knew he liked it. With a smile she nodded at his shirt and eagerly he followed her lead, leaving him naked to the waist. She took in his pretty pecs, six-pack and flat stomach, tight and well defined.