Peak of Desire Ch. 08

Weakened from the orgasm, Cody could do little more than simply lay there, chest rising and falling as ragged breaths escaped his throat. Once he came out of his haze of orgasmic bliss, he rolled onto his side, then cradled his head in the palm of his hand.

Feeling him watch her, she shifted her focus and returned his stare. His hand reached out to touch her hair, fingers threading their way into her curls. He studied her closely, eyes roving from her facial features to the strands of her hair. Then he slowly leaned in and touched his lips to hers in a long, tender kiss. She felt the vibration of him moaning into her mouth, then he pulled back from the oral embrace. He gazed deeply at her for a few moments, then spoke.

"Thank you for the massage. It was wonderful."

"You're welcome."

He gently kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose, and ended with a quick peck on the lips. Then he took her hand in his and said, "Sorry about earlier today. I know I can be a little overbearing sometimes."

"A little?"

He gave a small chuckle. "Okay, a lot. I'm really not trying to control your life, though. I just want to make sure you're safe."

"I appreciate that. But you have to realize that I can take care of myself."

"I know that, Erica. You're a smart, independent woman and I love that about you. But it would feel weird for me to not share my feelings about certain situations. I can't just keep quiet about something that internally doesn't feel right."

"I wouldn't expect you to, but sometimes the way you say things makes it seem as if you're trying to boss me around. And that makes me uncomfortable."

"Yeah, I get that." He gave a brief pause, then said, "I'll try not to do it anymore, okay?"

She nodded in response, and they shared a moment of stillness, each drinking in the features of the other's face. Then his voice broke through the silence.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"Only a penny? I think they're worth more than that."

"Okay, a buck."

"From a penny to a buck? Wow, I didn't know you were such a big spender."

"Money's no object when you're involved."

She smiled, then casually draped a leg over one of his.

"So tell me. Let me into that mind of yours," he said.

"Just thinking about how much of an Aries you are. You have the classic personality traits."

"Such as?"

"Courageous, sexually charged, athletic, confident."

"And what else?" Clearly enjoying her speak about his positive traits, he urged her on.

"Reckless, dominating, bossy, controlling...need I go on?" She offered a little smirk.

"Point taken. Now tell me some more positive traits."

She chuckled, then said, "I'm sure you're well aware of the best aspects of your personality."

"Of course, but that doesn't stop me from wanting to hear about them."

She offered a playful scoff.

"I'm only joking, of course." He tucked a curly lock behind her ear, then said, "I'm not big on astrology, but I can still share some of the things I like best about you."

"Okay, tell me."

"You're beautiful, independent, adventurous, ambitious...I could go on, but I don't wanna stroke your ego too much."

"Someone in this room has a big ego, but it certainly isn't me."

"I'm confident, sweetheart. Not egotistical. There's a difference."

"Yeah, alright. Whatever you say." There was a look of amusement on her face. "So what are my negative traits?"

He hesitated for a moment, then said, "You're stubborn, overly trusting, and irresponsible."

"Hmmm...I can't argue with the first two traits, but how am I irresponsible?" Her brows slightly crinkled.

"I'd rather not go any further into this."

"Why not?"

"I just don't want to."

"Well you can't call me irresponsible, then refuse to explain why."

Cody's chest rose and fell in a heavy sigh. "You take unnecessary risks."

"So do you."

"I do take risks, but not unnecessary ones."

She felt compelled to say more, but the last thing she wanted was for them to get into an argument, so instead she bit her tongue and simply said, "Okay."

They lay in silence for a minute, then Cody reached out and placed a hand against her right breast, tenderly massaging it as he gazed into her eyes. She arched into his touch, and as he made lazy circles around her areola, she felt goose bumps prickle along her skin.

"I love how naughty you were earlier today."

Her body heated up at the memory of the erotic experience they'd shared at the swimming hole. "That was fun, wasn't it?"

"Fun isn't the word for it." His thumb and forefinger closed around a nipple, gently twisting and pulling on it until her peak was pebbly hard. "I wasn't expecting the reaction I got from you, but then again I guess I shouldn't be so surprised."

A breathy sigh escaped her lips as he continued to manipulate her nub. "What do you mean?"

"It's usually the quiet ones that surprise me the most. Sometimes they do and say things you don't expect, and when they let loose, they *really* let loose. I saw that uninhibited side of you today."

Her thoughts reverted back to the steamy experience they'd shared at the swimming hole, and she felt her body grow hot in response. "It was you that brought it out of me."

"Oh yeah?"

She nodded, feeling herself melt beneath the touch of his fingers against her breast.

"You have work in the morning?"

"Yep. Afternoon shift. What about you?"

"Yeah, but I don't really wanna go." His gaze traveled along the curves of her body, lustily eyeing her feminine form. "I'm thinking about calling in sick tomorrow."

"And do what, instead?"

"You."

Her lips tilted upward. "But I'll be working."

"Not if I keep you from going in."

"How exactly do you plan on pulling that off?"

"If you're too sore to walk, you won't be able to get out of bed."

She felt a familiar heat begin to build in the pit of her stomach. "The thought is definitely tempting."

"So play hooky with me. We'll spend the day enjoying each other."

"I'd love to, but we've got a boatload of inventory coming in at the bookstore tomorrow, so I kind of have to be there."

"Kind of, or definitely?"

"Let's just say that if I don't show up, my boss wouldn't be too happy."

"You think he'd fire you?"

She shook her head. No, Iggy wouldn't do that. I have a really good track record, and I'm always covering other people's shifts."

"Even more reason for you to call in. You're a faithful employee, so one day of missed work shouldn't be that big of a deal."

"Yeah, I guess."

"So call in." He gave her one of his deeply seductive looks.

"I'll think about it."

He gave her a little smirk, as if he already knew without a doubt that she would give in to his request. He brought a hand up to her hair, winding his fingers through her curly strands, so he could check out the texture and thickness of it.

His digits burrowed in deeper, and as the pads of his fingers met with her scalp, he began to gently massage it. A sound of contentment came from Erica's mouth, and she closed her eyelids, immersing herself fully in the moment.

"Feel good?" He asked.

She gave a little murmur in response, then let loose a quiet sigh. After a few minutes of steadily caressing her scalp, Cody withdrew his fingers from her hair, then rested his cheek on the pillow and gazed straight into her eyes.

"Tell me something about you."

She lifted her eyelids to look at him. "Like what?"

"I don't know. Something I don't already know, or wouldn't expect."

She thought about it for a moment, then said, "Before I became a massage therapist, I was seriously thinking about becoming a tattoo artist."

"Really?" A smirk played at his lips.

"Yes, really. Why is that so funny?"

"I just can't imagine you doing something like that."

"Why not?"

"Well for one thing, you don't have any tattoos."

"No, but if I'd gone into it as a career, then obviously I would have gotten some."

"Do you ever think you will?"

"Sure, someday."

"What's stopping you from doing it now?"

"I'm just not sure I'd be willing to commit to something that permanent. What happens if I wake up one day, and end up hating the design I got inked? Then what?"

"You get it removed."

"No thanks. Too painful, not to mention expensive." She made a little sound of displeasure then said, "No way am I going through all that."

"So pick something you know you'll never get tired of. Like my name, or an image of my handsome face."

A smirk played at the corners of her lips. "Naw, it's gotta be something meaningful."

"Oh, nice!" Cody sarcastically said, then gave a light chuckle. "I see how it is. Now that you've bedded me, you're showing your true colors."

Her lips curled into a wide grin, and she reached a hand out to touch him, tracing patterns against his chest with the tip of her finger. "So what about you? Tell me something I don't already know."

He hesitated for a moment, then began to speak. "Well, I've been meaning to tell you this for awhile. I just wasn't quite sure when the time would be right."

"What is it?" Apprehension built in the pit of her stomach, and she gave him an eager look.

"I was born with a heart condition."

"What kind?"

"A leaky heart valve."

"How serious is it?"

"Mild to moderate, meaning it's no big deal."

"So you're okay, right? You don't have any lingering issues?" The look of hope in her eyes seemed to silently beg him to give her a positive answer.

"I'm fine. I had the valve repaired as a kid, so things are okay."

"Glad to hear." Concern etched into her face as she said, "Not trying to get on your case or anything, but I wish you'd told me this sooner."

"I wanted to. But I know how you feel about me rock climbing, so I figured it would only add to your worries."

She remained quiet, simply studying him with her deep brown eyes. She could tell from the expression on Cody's face that he was waiting for her to speak again, but not wanting to come across as nagging, she'd chosen instead to remain silent.

"Go ahead, say it," his voice urged her.

"Say what?"

How foolish I am for climbing with a heart condition."

"No need for me to say anything. I know you're gonna do what you wanna do, no matter what. And I've learned to live with it."

The air around them grew very still, with only the noise of their breathing to break the silence.

"Don't look so worried, I'll be fine." His fingers worked to smooth away a crinkle of worry that had formed between her eyebrows.

She gave him a weak smile. "Yeah, I know." She nuzzled against his chest, pressing her lips to his flesh in a tender kiss.

He gave a sound of contentment, pulling her closer up against him. They lay there in perfect contentedness for nearly five minutes before Erica felt the urge to ask a question.

"Cody?"

"Hmm?" He drowsily said.

"Is there a chance of something happening..." her voice trailed off as she thought of a way to say it without sounding so solemn. "I mean, could anything end up going wrong?"

"Chances are pretty low. My condition is moderate, not severe, so there's no reason for you to worry, okay?"

She gave a nod, lovingly caressing his torso as he skated a finger against the tender flesh of her inner thigh. Their body heat mingled, legs tangling as they basked in each others presence. Comforted by the feel of Cody's body, Erica closed her eyes and gave a little murmur, lulled to sleep by the strong, rhythmic pattern of his heart.

* * * *

The sound of Erica's cell phone alarm woke her from a deep sleep, prompting her to roll onto her side and grab her mobile from the bedside table. After silencing the alarm, she stretched languidly on the mattress.

Noticing that the space next to her was empty, she got out of bed and slipped into the same garment she'd been wearing the day before-Cody's plaid flannel shirt. She could hear the faint sound of her lover's voice, floating up from the lower level, and descended down the iron staircase to see what he was up to.

As she reached the first floor, she spotted him with phone in hand, sitting nude in a large black armchair in the corner of the room. She wasn't sure who he was taking to, but judging from his end of the conversation, she guessed it was one of his climbing buddies. Completely famished, she headed for the kitchen to see what he had in the fridge.

After pulling the door open, she bent down to have a look inside and saw several packs of lunch meat, a large jug of milk, a loaf of bread, and two cartons of eggs. There were also some bottles of soda, as well as a few cups of yogurt. Deciding on a container of strawberry yogurt, she pulled it out of the fridge, then grabbed a spoon from one the drawers.

After pulling the foil top off, she threw it in the trash, then headed for the living room.

As she walked toward Cody, he watched her with a lustful gaze, keeping his eyes pinned on the generous amount of cleavage that peeked from between her barely buttoned shirt.

Erica's eyes were keenly fixed on what lay between his deliciously toned thighs, and she found herself captivated by how perfect his nude form was. Sitting casually with his legs spread, Cody seemed to be proudly displaying his virile masculinity, and she felt her inner muscles clench in response.

As she reached the chair he was sitting in, she climbed up onto his lap, leaning in for what she thought would be a quick peck, but when she tried to pull away, he held onto the back of her head, preventing her from evading the passionate caresses of his velvety tongue.

She moaned deeply into his mouth, happily allowing him to do what he did best-drive her absolutely insane with desire. When he finally allowed their lips to part, he resumed his telephone conversation.

"Yeah, I'm still here," he spoke into the phone, then wrapped an arm around her waist, watching as she dipped the spoon in and began to eat her yogurt.

She felt his hands gradually move upward to unclasp the button on the flannel she was wearing, then he part the halves of fabric so he could gaze at her bare breasts. His eyes roved to the cup of yogurt she was holding, and after dipping his finger inside, he painted her nipples with the custard-like food.

"Sure, what time did you wanna come over?" He moved the receiver away from his mouth, then leaned forward and glided his tongue over the flesh of her right nipple. After licking off every trace of yogurt, he gave her other peak the same attention, then offered each of them a gentle nip.

Erica dipped the spoon into the yogurt and scooped out a generous portion, then positioned it next to Cody's mouth. He parted his lips to take in the spoonful, and after sliding it out, Erica scooped out another portion for herself.

Continuing his phone conversation, he said, "Really? Because there's someone I want you to meet, too." He placed his hand on her thigh and gently caressed it, maintaining eye contact with her the entire time. "About three weeks."

Erica couldn't deny that it made her feel good to hear Cody mentioning her to one of this friends, and her lips curved into a little smile. Having emptied her yogurt cup, she set it down on the floor beside the chair, then placed her palms against his chest and began to tenderly caress it.

His eyes followed the journey of her palms, watching as she grazed her hands over the smoothness of his chest. As her fingers were exploring his chiseled torso, she leaned in to give him a few light kisses against his breastbone, enjoying the feel of his warm flesh against her lips.

A sound of contentment passed his lips, then he spoke into the receiver. "She's sweet, sexy, has a good sense of humor..." His voice tapered off to give the person on the other end of the line a chance to speak, then he said, "Oh yeah, most definitely." His eyes trailed along the curves of her body, while his hands slid leisurely over her smooth skin.

Erica could never tire of his gentle, yet manly touch, and she adored the way he lovingly caressed her skin, as if it were velvet or some other luxurious type of fabric. She felt his fingers drift downward, and as they bumped against the fabric of her underwear, she glanced into his eyes and saw he was meeting her gaze head on.

He released a light chuckle then said, "Not sure if she'd be up for that. You're gonna have to ask her yourself."

Erica cocked an inquisitive eyebrow at him, but all she received in response was a little wink. With her hands now on his hard stomach, she slid them further down until they made contact with his groin, then lightly danced her fingers along his unerect penis. He shifted beneath her touch, releasing a breathy noise that was barely audible.

Lust danced in her eyes as she admired the sight of his hard-on, and she took a firm hold of his cock, gripping the base of it in her palm. Unable to stop herself from playing with it, she gave him a long, languid stroke, then followed it up with another. She placed soft kisses along the side of his jawbone, then trailed her way down his neck.

As her lips made contact with the hump of his Adam's apple, she peeked her tongue out to offer it a gentle lick, then softly sucked on it. This withdrew a little moan from his lips, and he tilted his head to offer her unobstructed access.

Her warm, wet tongue traced a path down the rest of his neck, and as her lips reached his collarbone, she peppered kisses along it. Now fully erect, Cody's hot thickness was held firmly in her hand. Giving him a seductive smile, she manipulated his most sensitive area, her eyes staring straight into his as he carried on the conversation.

"Alright, well I better get off now." He bit his lip, seemingly attempting to force back a sound of enjoyment. "Yeah...uh-huh, okay. See you then. Bye."

After pressing the call end button, Cody tossed the phone aside, then fixed her with an expression of carnal desire.

"You are so naughty."

"You're naughtier."

Their mouths met in a hungry kiss, lips smacking together as they released soft moans of enjoyment. When their lips broke apart, she curiously posed a question.

"Who were you talking to on the phone?"

"My friend, Mia. I mentioned her last night, remember?"

"Yep. So is she coming over?"

He nodded. "She's on her way now. Says she wants to pick up some rock climbing equipment, but I think she really just wants to meet you."

"So in other words, she wants to size me up."

"Yeah, probably. Not to worry though, she does this with every girl I date."

"Has she gotten along with any of your previous girlfriends?"

He hesitated a few moments before answering, as if he was giving himself time to recall past events. "No, she's pretty much hated all of them."

"Wow. Well I guess it's good to know what I'm up against."

He offered a little smile. "Even if she doesn't like you, which I highly doubt, it's not a big deal. I date who I want, regardless if she likes them or not. So don't worry about it."

"I won't." A moment of silence passed before she spoke again. "So what exactly did you mean when you said to her, 'I'm not sure if she'd be up for that'? Was it something sexual?"

"Oh, that. It's just a little something she suggested."

"What? A threesome?"

His brows lifted in surprise. "You're into threesomes?"

"I was joking, Cody. So don't get all excited."

He gave her a look of amusement. "For a minute there I thought you were serious."

"But now you know I'm not." She said it firmly, hoping to erase the little glint of hope in his eyes.

"Mmm, won't stop me from thinking about it, though."

"You are such a perv!" She gave him a playful slap on the chest.

"Hey, I'm only joking."

"Yeah, right. I know how that mind of yours works."

"Takes one to know one." His lips pulled into a grin.

"So have you ever had one?"