Reaching Out Ch. 03

"Our home." She whispered to him, her voice nearly silent.

"Our home." James agreed, tightening his hands on her for emphasis.

"James?" Her voice was still that near silent husk.

"Yes?" He answered, his voice rough as his breathing was growing uneven.

"Love me." She said, her voice stronger, clearer. James could feel her body tensing as she said his name and he answered, her breathing getting faster and her pulse starting to gallop. When she gave her demand her arms clenched on him, her legs clamped around his; her whole body tightened on his.

"Yes." He said flatly, his body responding just as much as his word. Dana moaned a little again as his hand gave her ass another squeeze and his dick throbbed against her mound. James rolled them over gently but firmly, taking control. She relaxed and moved with him, the tension and thrumming in her muscles turning to a liquid grace in the space of a heartbeat. She kissed him again as he adjusted himself above her, their lips parting with a gasp when the head of his dick nestled against her slit. He could feel some of the tension return; not much, but it was there, a nervous jumping of the body that spelled out her concern as clearly as any words could.

"Are you sure Dana?" He whispered in her ear, his voice low.

"Yes James. Love me. Keep me. Make me safe." She said, her face buried where his neck and shoulder met the way she liked it. He could feel her tension even as she kissed and bit at the skin there, even as she pulled him tighter with her arms and legs, even as she rocked her hip to bring them closer together.

"I love you Dana." He said quietly in her ear as he pushed his way in. She clenched against him with her hands, her arms, her legs, and her slit as she took a sharp breath and held it. James stayed still a moment, wanting to give her a chance to adjust, to stretch.

"I love you James." She said after a second, her voice strained and rough. She didn't sound like she was in much pain, but she certainly didn't sound calm, and James was worried that she was scared.

"Are you okay?" He asked, being careful not to move.

In reply, Dana started to slowly rock her hips, back and forth, her breathing starting to tremble as she fought to keep from moaning too loudly. Her fingers dug into the skin on James' back and neck, her short nails biting hard. Her heels ground into the backs of his thighs, looking for traction. James shuddered a bit and started to move with her, having all the answer he needed. His mouth found hers, and they kissed passionately, stopping only long enough to breathe as James set a slow pace to their love making.

He wanted this to last, for this to go on as long as it could. He did not want this to end. James took long, slow thrusts as deeply into Dana as he could, turning his hips up at the end of each thrust, grinding deep. Dana rolled her hips up as he did, giving him the best angle she could to do the same. They moved as one, relishing the sensations that they were getting from each other, and the sensations that they were giving each other. James wanted to give Dana something special, to make her feel wonderful, to make her feel desired and fulfilled. Dana wanted to make James feel complete, to feel like he could have everything of her.

Dana had been afraid of this moment, had been afraid of the pain, of the stretching that James would cause, afraid of the sensations that this would bring. But now that the moment was here, now that she knew how much pain it actually was, and what the sensations felt like, she felt foolish for being afraid. This was nothing to fear. This was something to celebrate. To know that she could share this with James was the most powerful feeling she had ever known, far more powerful than her fears. The pain had been sharp, but small compared to the feelings that followed it. Now she felt the nearly overwhelming force of her love for James, and the freight train of desire that had been building in her was crashing through her in a bond with James that she knew could never be severed. The physical sensations were potent, wild, and wonderful, but they were nothing compared to what this was doing with her emotions, with her love. Had she known this was what would happen, she would have never hesitated. The night that James had first offered to use his mouth, she would have pulled him up and demanded this.

James had been through a few relationships, and sex was nothing new to him. But this was not just sex. This was something different. This was love. It was something new for him, and it was something he knew he could not go without. Not after this. He may have thought he had been in love once or twice before, but he had clearly been wrong. This was love, and this was what happened when you were intimate with the one you loved. He could never look at Dana the same after this, there was no going back, no walking away, and he was glad. He wouldn't want to change this. This was what was right for him.

Dana felt James start to speed up with his thrusts a little, his hips moving with a little more urgency, his dick growing even harder in her. It was a wonderful sensation down there, one among many. They were both breathing in ragged, heavy gasps. The graceful and fluid movements that she had shown earlier were gone. They both moved in deliberate, strong motions; no grace, just power. Dana matched James as he went, her hips moving with more force, meeting his with more impact each time he buried himself in her. James' hands had clamped down behind her, on back of her shoulders, holding her to him as he held himself up on his elbows and forearms, pulling her towards him as he thrust forward. Dana felt his dick start to throb in a steadily increasing rhythm inside her when he whispered in her ear.

"I'm going to cum Dana." His voice was rough, jagged, like he had just gone for a long run up a steep hill. Dana clamped her heels tighter on his legs, clamped her hands tighter on his back, his neck.

"So am I James. Make me cum." She said, her voice as ragged as his.

"I need to pull out." He said, his voice sounding worried.

"Don't you dare." She said forcefully, pulling him to her, feeling herself speeding to the brink of her orgasm as he throbbed harder in her. James didn't argue, he simply increased the strength of his thrusts, making Dana gasp with each stroke. She could feel his dick bucking wildly inside her. Between that and his increased hammering, she couldn't take any more. She felt her body start to spasm as everything inside her felt like it was a wildly uncoiling spring. When her walls started to clench and release, clench and release, she felt James' whole body tense harshly as his thrusts went wild, and then she felt it. The hot release inside her, filling her, making the feeling of an uncoiling spring go berserk. She gasped in a hitching, uneven breath as James hammered into her and stayed there, his dick jumping as it filled her with heat. He gave a few short, hard, grinding thrusts as he finished, each causing a crashing wave of fresh pleasure to smash against her.

They were still a while, just panting as they caught their breath. James stayed where he was, the two of them simply enjoying the feeling of him resting in her while they kissed and calmed down. Dana rolled her hips from time to time, sending thrills of pleasure through them in the afterglow of their love. James didn't know what the future may hold for them, but he knew that he wanted to face it with her, like this, together. They kissed at each other's necks slowly as they lay there, both feeling James' dick slowly deflating. When it finally slipped free of Dana, James eased over next to her on the bed and pulled her into his arms where he could keep kissing at her.

"This is where I'm supposed to be. This is where I am safe. This is where I want to stay." Dana said firmly, kissing James lightly between sentences.

"Then stay. This is where I want to be. This is where I want you to be." James replied, smiling in the dark. He kissed her, his hands rubbing slow circles on her back, feeling her body the most relaxed he had felt it yet. He was exhausted, he was pretty sure he would be sore when he woke up, and this was the happiest he had ever been.

--

James woke up to the dim light of the lamp. He saw Dana leaning against the wall, her sketch pad on her knees, drawing. When her eyes darted up to him and saw his were open, she smiled.

"Sorry. I woke up and I wanted to draw you. You were smiling a little in your sleep. You looked beautiful." She said. James chuckled, enjoying his view of her. She was still naked, sitting with her feet and knees together, her back against the wall, her hair a little ruffled but hand brushed, with an innocent look on her face like a little girl caught trying to sneak a cookie out of the jar.

"You look pretty beautiful yourself. How do you feel?" He asked, sitting up a little. The clock said five forty, and the sunlight was just starting to come in through the window. He had been right; his hips, thighs, and forearms were tight and sore, but he couldn't be happier. Well, he could, but they really didn't have time right then, and he didn't know if Dana would be up for it.

"A little sore, but I feel great. You made me feel great. You make me feel great. I can hardly believe I was scared of that." She said, setting the sketch pad aside. She stretched out next to him slowly, moving a little stiff, but the smile never left her face. She kissed him, taking her time with it. James held her, letting his hands tell him about her body. She was still relaxed, like she was when he held her afterward, but she was definitely stiff. There was no fear or anxiety or nervousness to it though.

She broke the kiss and let her fingers trail along his chin and neck, looking at his face with no trace of worry. Whatever tension she had felt about being with him before was gone now. They had solved that. Now she seemed to be completely at ease with James.

"That was something special James. I can't live without you now. You know that, right?" She said, her smile fading a little. He felt some of her tension returning, but he was quick to banish it before it could take hold.

"It was special for me as well. I can't live without you either. You don't have to worry about that though. We'll be together. No matter what, we'll find a way. It'll work, because we'll make it work." He said, taking her hand in his and kissing her fingertips. Dana sighed and her smile returned, her fear evaporating under James' confidence. She leaned forward and kissed him again before getting out of the bed. She didn't want to, but their parents would be up soon. Time to start the day.

--

James was sitting at the table when mom came down, cup of coffee in his hand. Dana was sitting with him. She didn't like coffee, but had a mug of warm tea. James poured mom some coffee while she sat down and asked what the plan for the day was.

"I think James was going to be house hunting today. I'm going to help." Dana answered, looking at her tea. She was smiling a little, knowing that the house they picked was going to be theirs, not just James'.

"Well that's good, your father can help with that if he ever drags himself out of bed." Mom said with a sunny smile.

"I heard that." Dad said from the hall upstairs. He came clumping down a moment later, taking the cup of coffee that James held out for him. "Did you know what you had in mind, or are you starting from scratch?" Dad asked, blinking owlishly as he tried to wake up. James chuckled at the thought of dad trying to sort through listings and properties while still half asleep.

"Give it a little while, dad. Let that coffee work before we get into it. I know you guys have both been working a long week, and you look like you aren't really awake yet." James said with a smile. Dad smiled a little in return and nodded, lifting the cup a little and taking a sip. James watched him a moment, trying to see him the way Dana would. He saw a man in his forties, not fat but with a bit of a stomach pushing his shirt out. His eyes were still a bit puffy from sleep, a bit bloodshot as well. He moved slow and deliberate, clearly not wanting to be clumsy and taking care to avoid any spills with the coffee by keeping his movements steady and unhurried. His breathing was still very slow, his posture was very slumped, very un-alert. James knew that Dad spent twenty minutes or so in bed after he woke up, not getting up or out of bed, but just lying there, working up the steam to get moving. He would drift in and out of sleep as he slowly started his engine for the day. Dad was about as far from a morning person as it got. He didn't climb out of bed; it was more accurate to say he oozed out of bed.

"Yeah, sorry we've had a long week for your vacation, we hadn't planned on it, and it just kind of worked out that way, honey." Mom said, sipping on her coffee.

"Don't worry about it, that's just the way things work out sometimes. Besides, we've been able to enjoy the evenings together, and Dana and I have been able to spend the afternoons and later evening s together, so I would say it's worked out." James answered, thinking that he was actually pretty fortunate that his parents had been working all week. It had given him and Dana more time alone together in the afternoons to discover each other than they would have had otherwise.

James looked over is mom real quick, the way he had with his dad. He saw a woman who was a couple years older than his dad, wide awake and alert. Her eyes were the same slate grey that Dana had, and just as sharp. She was less laid back than dad, leaning forward in her seat. She was already looking a little fidgety, a little anxious. Her half-finished coffee was already filling her with excess energy. She didn't need coffee in the mornings, but enjoyed a cup all the same. James was sure if he put a hand to her neck, he would feel a rushing pulse.

"We all have today and tomorrow off, so we'll be able to spend plenty of time together. We could make the house hunting a family thing." Dana said softly, her hand finding James' under the table. She looked from her tea to James' face for a moment, smiling a little and blushing. Her voice was steady but quiet, though she was making good progress in contributing to the conversation. Mom, dad and James all noticed it and were happy. For her to involve herself in the discussion voluntarily was great to hear. James was happy to hear it, and was pretty sure he knew what part of the reason was. He just hoped that this was a sign of her growing bolder in general, and not just with the family. He thought it was, but he couldn't be sure. Not without seeing her give it a shot out in the world.

He knew that Dana was far more comfortable with just him, he had seen that last night and this morning. He knew that she was doing much better with their parents, as was evidenced by her involvement in conversation last night and today, but he still needed to know how she would do in general. He supposed that it was something he would see in time, when the chance presented itself. He assumed he would find out when Dana and mom went back in to the leather shop on Monday, provided Dana was confronted with a customer that wanted to know more about the design work.

"Well that sounds like a fun idea, what do you think James? I know too many cooks can spoil the broth, but I have to admit I'm curious as to what kind of place you are looking for." Mom was saying. James snapped out of his little train of thought and looked over to her, nodding.

"No, that sounds good. I can use all the help I can get. I want to make sure I get something close so that Dana doesn't have too far to go between here, work, and my new place." James said, stammering a little over his words. He found that he had almost said 'we can use all the help we can get' instead, and had to change mental gears to keep himself on track with what he wanted to say. He made a mental note to be more cautious about how he phrased things during the house hunt. He really did want something close by, so that Dana wouldn't have a long commute to and from work every day, but he wasn't really worried about her driving between the new place and here much since the end goal was having her move in with him. But he couldn't exactly say that outright just yet, and would have to be careful about it for now. He was starting to realize that this was going to be more complex than his simple plan had first appeared. He felt the gentle and reassuring squeeze of Dana's hand on his just under the table, and looked over to her. She was smiling at him, just a hint of a blush in her cheeks. He smiled and gave just the barest tip of a nod to her. He was acutely aware of the fact that the tables had turned, and she was the one now providing the moral support. Looking at her, seeing her smile and her subtle assurance that she was with him no matter the obstacles ahead, he felt like anything was possible. Like he could rise to any challenge with confidence. He had the love of a wonderful woman to support him, and knowing that made a world of difference. It made every obstacle look a bit smaller, a bit less daunting, and lot more worth the effort to overcome.

"I figure if I'm close by, then it'll make it easier on everyone, and I'll be able to visit more, help around the house here more if you guys need a hand with anything. It'll be good to be close to the family again. I don't think I realized how much I missed you guys while I was away until I came back for a while, you know?" James said, squeezing Dana's hand in return to let her know what he realized he had missed in his family most of all. She turned a little redder, but James didn't think that mom and dad were catching on to much, if any, of the unspoken communication between them. James didn't see any reaction or recognition in them as they talked; they seemed to be completely oblivious to the by-play between their kids.

Dana was easy enough for James to read, for the most part. He was sure that soon he would be much better at reading her, as he fully intended to continue to focus on observing everything about her, the way she observed people. He wanted to see the world the way she did, to understand the way she saw people so that he could understand her better. He wanted his world to be Dana, and knowing how she saw everything would be a key part of that.

Dana could read James like a book, and knew what he was doing the entire conversation. She had seen how he stuttered and thought that he had probably almost talked about the house as theirs instead of his (something she herself was consciously and carefully monitoring her own speech for), as well as catching his glances at her and seeing how closely he was watching their parents. She saw that he was still pretty obvious in how he went about watching them, but she didn't think that mom or dad saw it. They seemed to be fairly blind to a lot of it. She was forever amazed at how little they saw when talking to people. She wondered how they talked to each other; to other people in general at all, seeing as little as they did. Dana was always amazed that mom could haggle as well as she did with her limited observations. Mom seemed to pick up on a fair bit when she was negotiating, but as soon as a deal was struck it was as if she put a pair of blinders back on. Dana never understood it, but it was simply another item in a long list of things she did not understand about people.

Dana watched how James watched the three of them, making mental notes of what to talk to him about later. She wanted to see what he was seeing. She was starting to grow more and more interested in James' evolving sense of perception, now that he was starting to actually watch people. She thought it was really sweet that he was taking the time to try to see things the way she did. He hadn't told her he was trying to, but it was clear to see that he was trying very hard to see more, and she was touched that he would put so much effort into something like that. It was a little thing, perhaps even unconscious, though she doubted that, given the effort he was putting into it, but she was happy to see it all the same. She wanted to know more about what he was seeing, and what was driving it. She knew she would soon have plenty of time to talk to him about it, and she was thrilled by the idea.