Tales of Reluctance: Tale 01

Over dinner the conversation continued to flow nicely and every time she picked it up her wine glass seemed to be full. The food went some way to offset the effects of the alcohol but she remained pretty merry throughout the meal. The spaghetti, which was excellent, was followed by chocolate brownies another big favourite of hers and then finally coffee, after turning down offers of a brandy. They continued to chat about everything and nothing until Kate with a gasp realised it was one o'clock in the morning.

"I must go," she gasped. Mark said he would walk her to the door, which made her giggle and as she laughed she tottered slightly. It was daft, but lovely that he was going to walk her a few steps from his door to hers. As they were locked in an apartment with a security man downstairs she was very safe, so it was completely unnecessary. Mark joked that his mother would never forgive him if he forgot his manners.

So Kate gave in, deciding it was nice to be looked after properly for a change. It was only a few steps, but Mark made sure she had her front door open and he had a quick glance inside the apartment to be sure, before going to say good night.

"See, no bogey man around tonight," said Kate laughing. She laughed again at the sight of Mark holding out his arms and then her hand pushed a hair off her face before warmly accepting his hug.

"Good night and thank you," she said holding him tight and then adding. "I had lots of fun."

They held each other tightly for longer than perhaps friends should. Kate whispered her thanks enthusiastically for the meal again and for his great company.

"I really have not had this much fun for ages," she said pulling away slightly.

"We must do it again soon," said Mark, "with Paul of course." He added quickly.

The two of them blushed a little, and for a moment they stood looking deeply into each other's eyes. Kate smiled shyly, leant forward and kissed him gently on the cheek. Mark slowly turned his head and extending his lips he kissed her on the mouth. The kiss was returned for a moment and then she pulled away, a surprised look on her face. Mark was about to apologise, when she leant forward again, their lips touched and they shared some quick gulping kisses. Mark held her tight. He loved the soft warm, wet feel of her lips and the way her mouth slowly moved in time with his. The bulge in his trousers began to grow as he found himself very turned on. Finally Kate placed her hands flat against Mark's chest and he let her go as she pulled away.

"Goodnight," she said and going inside she turned her back on him, went into her hallway and firmly shut the front door behind her. She could feel her heart racing in her chest as she stood, her back pressed against the door, her eyes open wide in a look of shock. Kate's lips tingled from their kissing. Eventually she pulled herself together enough to peek through the spyhole in the door. She hoped that he had gone.

The landing between her apartment and Mark's was empty and his front door was now shut too. She realised she was disappointed he had gone, even though a few moments before it had been what she wanted. That night she tossed and turned thinking about Mark, sometimes wishing she had asked him in and then at other moments glad she hadn't. Often she wondered if he was awake too, thinking of her. By morning she was both very tired and very confused.

A chance encounter!

Kate did a great job of keeping out of Mark's way over the next couple of weeks. No matter how hard he tried he never managed to get her alone, either she didn't answer the door or phone, or if he did see her Paul was with her. The events of the meal and late night together played on his mind. He worried that she was cross with him and would not want to see him again. Mark had really enjoyed her company and was keen to meet up again, but he feared he had scared her off. What he really needed was the chance to clear the air.

If only he had not tried to kiss her. It had been a mistake of over eagerness and a stupid mistake for a man of his experience to make. Then again he wasn't sure if he had made the first move. The moment of that first kiss was all a bit confusing and he was not sure if it hadn't been Kate kissing him first. He played the events over and over in his mind. His thoughts strayed to the taste of her lips, the warm moist sensation of her mouth and the musky smell of her perfume. It began slowly to drive him mad.

What he needed he decided was some entertainment. A couple of hours and many texts later it was all arranged, and he had his wish a night out, away from the tension of Kate chasing.

Mark's phone beeped and he quickly snatched it up, looking at it intently.

"Got to go," he said to the lady he was having a drink with.

"OK," she said. "It was fun while it lasted and you did warn me. I will get the bill and follow behind. Off you go. Good luck."

They kissed passionately on the lips, stared at each other intently for a moment and then Mark headed off. The lady watched him cross the room and then climb the circular staircase before sighing, and catching the bar tender's eye she motioned for the bill.

Out on the street Mark bumped straight into Paul and Kate. They were dressed in their finery. Kate looked stunning in a short, sleeveless burgundy dress. It accentuated her curves with a thick reddish coloured belt around her middle. Sadly it had a high neckline, but the belt brought her waist in and so showed off her curves perfectly. Her brown high-heeled shoes set her bare legs off to perfection as well.

Mark thought Kate's greeting was a little muted and awkward, but Paul seemed very happy to see him.

"Mark, are you heading home?" asked Paul.

"Yes," He replied. "Was about to jump into a cab. Want to come with me? We could share."

For Mark the next few moments were very awkward with Paul and Kate arguing over what would happen next. Paul said tersely that he had to go back to the office to deal with some problems with the floatation. Kate having had a wonderful time watching a west-end show followed by a meal was naturally fed up at being dumped suddenly by her husband.

"You promised we would go clubbing," said Kate. The tension ramped up as the discussion went back and forth. In the end rather sulkily she agreed to be escorted home by Mark.

"I probably won't be home till tomorrow night darling," Paul said, kissing Kate on the cheek, which she ignored. Paul wandered off without looking back.

Kate and Mark stood looking at each other for what felt like forever. Kate seemed to Mark's mind to be glaring at him and he struggled for something to say.

"Drink?" said Mark when he finally found his voice and the need for someone to say something overwhelmed him. It was probably a very stupid idea he thought, but he was unsure of what else to do.

"Why not," replied Kate curtly, but then she smiled and to his relief she took his arm, as he led her back into the bar that he had just left. His earlier date had gone. He disappeared to the bar, stirring vigorously her vodka and tonic as he returned with the drinks.

"Please could we not discuss what happened the other night," pleaded Kate when they were finally sat down together. "It was a mistake, ok?"

Mark wanted to argue, to say it was wonderful, but decided she had been subjected to enough stress for one evening. He found lighter subjects to discuss and soon had her laughing, smiling and happily drinking another drink and then another.

"Lets go clubbing," said Kate suddenly. "Screw Paul! He promised me dancing and that's what I want to do." Mark protested and tried to talk her out of it, but she wouldn't hear of it. Kate made it plan that she was going, it was up to him if he came too or went home. So they were soon heading the short distance to the club that Kate had been planning to go to with her husband.

It was already busy when they went in, but Kate was immediately into the music, dragging Mark onto the dance floor and they began to dance to the heavy beat of the music. After a couple of songs Kate leant in very close and then closer still when it was clear Mark could not hear her.

"You are a great dancer," she yelled in his ear.

"So are you," he replied. He loved the way her flared skirt raised, showing off more leg as she moved. It grew very late, but Mark kept Kate supplied with drinks and they danced more or less all the time until the club announced it would be closing soon. The music slowed down and the lighting in the room went even darker.

"Do you want to go?" Mark asked unsure what to do now, as all around couples were holding each other tight and moving slowly to the music. Kate hesitated and then grabbing him she wrapped her arms around his neck and placed her head on his shoulder. Mark slowly put his arms around her waist and they stayed that way for the rest of the song and the next. When the music stopped, Kate raised her head and kissed Mark passionately on the lips.

"You better get me home before I turn into a wanton women," she said and they headed out into the night or early morning air.

It was one o'clock in the morning.

"Thank you Mark," she said squeezing his arm. "I needed to let off some steam." He went to kiss her again, but she turned her head and he only got to kiss her cheek. She smiled at him. Her smile told him not to push his luck further, the spell was broken he thought sadly.

"There is a cab," she said suddenly pointing down the street, and sure enough there was one heading their way. They were soon homeward bound, the silence in the cab awkward and fairly quickly Kate closed her eyes and either fell asleep or pretended to. Mark looked out of the cab window and watched the world go by.

Growing frustrations

When Kate woke up she saw they were at their apartments.

"Drink?" said Mark, handing her a small bottle of water with the top already off. "I haven't touched it."

"Sorry I dozed right off there didn't I," said Kate, gratefully taking a long drink of the water as Mark paid for the cab.

When Kate came round again she was sitting on Mark's sofa and she was feeling a little woozy. She could not remember how she had got there, her intention had been to go her own place. Alone! Mark was looking at her with concern on his face and he was holding a glass of water, which she thankfully took a drink of.

Mark placed his hand on her knee as he asked her if she was ok. When she nodded he commented that it was a shame that Paul had run out on her today and this seemed to open the floodgates. She talked for ages about how life with Paul was so difficult at the moment.

She let slip that they had not made love for over six months and he took no interest in her or what she was doing. It was floatation flotation she moaned. All the time she was speaking Mark had begun to gently stroke her knee with his right hand and then gradually he moved a little higher. Mid speech Kate paused and took a deep breath.

"Sorry I seem to have fallen into the habit of touching your leg," Mark commented.

Kate smiled.

"Do you want me to stop?" Mark asked

Kate shook her head.

"Its very nice," she said.

So Mark began to reach further up her leg, reaching as high as he could before slowly running his fingertips down her skin till he returned to her knee. Her breathing seemed to miss a beat every time he moved downwards.

Kate's chattering began to falter and though sometimes she managed to form coherent sentences about the problems with her husband she clearly began to struggle to concentrate.

Mark gently moved back her round so he could still stroke her legs whilst lying back on the sofa. Kate was now kneeling between his legs. He loved the sensation of her thigh. It was soft, silky with the slight roughness of the hair follicles causing some friction with his skin. He ran his hand round underneath her leg, Kate gasped suddenly as he did.

Her eyes were closed and her breathing was fast. He could feel the hard knot of her leg muscle as she tensed her leg. All that time on the treadmill he thought. He gently lifted her skirt and using two hands stroked both of her thighs; she lifted herself a little higher, gasping with the sensation.

"Oh yes," she moaned. "Just like that. That feels amazing."

"Would you like a kiss?" asked Mark.

Kate opened her eyes and shook her head. "I am not going to fuck you." She said with firmness that surprised him. "I am not. I do love what you are doing though." And the faraway look returned.

Mark smiled, watching her closely. Seeing the intent to keep her word and not sleep with him, but at the same time realising she was not going to ask him to stop his gentle caress. He focussed on watching her and adjusting what he was doing to maximise the pleasure for her.

"Please don't stop. That's so nice." She whispered. He clearly was doing it right he thought. "I so miss the touch of a man." She murmured.

His fingers moved gradually to the inside of her leg and slowly traced a path upwards, moving closer and closer to her knickers.

"You are so soft, so lovely" said Mark.

"Please no higher," said Kate suddenly, but her eyes remained closed. "I am so turned on." She opened her eyes to look at him seeming to be momentarily embarrassed, before adding with a smile. "I am a little wet."

He ignored her and with one finger he touched the material of her knickers right where her pussy was.

"No," she gasped. "Not there."

"It feels lovely," Mark said, "let me show you how nice it can be." And he used his fingers to touch her a little harder. Her knickers were indeed damp. He began to stroke up and down, Kate breathing harder and rolling her eyes. Mark kept stroking up and down, occasionally making small circles before resuming moving up and down, as she seemed more turned on by that. Kate opened her legs a little wider encouraging him to continue. Suddenly he slipped his index finger inside her knickers making her gasp. He could feel her dampness on his fingertip and the coarseness of her pubic hair contrasted against the wonderful soft, wet, warmth of her pussy.

"Can I have that kiss now?" Gasped Kate, leaning forwards. She and Mark kissed long and passionately.

"We are still not going to fuck," she said sternly, "but let me help you."

She lifted her body up and to Mark's surprise she pulled her knickers halfway down her thighs, so he could more easily pleasure her. He resumed stroking her, making her moan with pleasure as she lay on top of him. As his thumb gently ran up and down the length of her slit, he could feel between his fingers the warm slick sensation of her pussy juices. Kate's moaning became more and more intense.

"Don't stop darling," she begged. "Fuck that's sooooo good."

He smiled at the word darling and the fact she had used the F word. Mark continued to try and find ways to take her to higher and higher levels of pleasure.

She began to slightly gyrate her hips as Mark slipped two fingers inside her, she began to push against them, lowering herself onto his groin and trapping his fingers. It hurt him a little, but he held them where they were, staying inside her and trying to maintain the pleasure for her.

"I can feel how hard you are," she said whispering in his ear and then kissing him on the lips again. "I can feel your lovely big cock against me."

"Rip my knickers off." She said.

"What?" he said, shocked and surprised at what she had said.

"Rip them." She repeated. "Go on. I want you too."

He withdrew his fingers and reaching up with both hands he grabbed her knickers on one side. She had lifted her body up to help him.

"Tear them off," she said again.

He split her knickers with a short sharp tug and pulled the material away. She smiled, breathing deeply, eyes closed as the material was pulled across her ass. Mark tossed the ripped underwear onto the floor.

"Now hold still," said Kate and lifting her skirt up so it was not between her groin and his, she began to rub her bare pussy up and down against the hard bulge of his cock. She began to rub harder and harder forcing Mark down onto the sofa. Even through his trousers he loved the sensation.

"You are so big and so hard," she moaned. "You feel so fucking big."

At first he used his right hand to make gentle circles on her ass as she rubbed him. He loved the feeling of her soft skin on his hand. The force of her thrusting, the fact her belt was digging in him and he wasn't exactly laying comfortably meant in the end he gave up and just gripped the arm of the sofa tightly as she continued to rub against him.

"I am sorry darling." She began to say over and over.

He felt his cock go ever harder and a growing urge to come grew stronger. He also began to gasp, as much with pain, as pleasure, but still Kate carried on.

"Sorry," now was all she was saying. Repeating it over and over as she became a little wild, eyes closed, hair dishevelled. He watched her moaning, thrashing up and down as fast as she could. Just as Mark felt he would soon have a very wet warm sensation in his trousers, Kate came with a long drawn out moan. Her body began to quiver and she briefly held herself above him supported by both arms before flopping down onto his chest.

"Fuck that was amazing," she said. Mark went to move.

"Just hold me," she whispered and Mark kept still, holding her tight. His hand over her bare bottom again, he loved the fact it felt warm and clammy as he held her.

Mark realised that she was crying, so he held her as tight as he could.

"Its ok darling," he said. "Just let it all out."

Kate paused and pulled up his shirt. Kissing his bare chest before again lying back down. He could feel the warm wetness of her tears on his chest as she continued to cry.

"I am sorry," she whispered, "that was all a little overwhelming."

And then gradually she became calm and quiet. When she had been completely still for some while, Mark began to wonder if she had fallen asleep.

"Are you cross with me?" she said suddenly, breaking into the silence that had descended.

He lifted her head, she resisted at first and then co-operated. He could see the redness in her eyes.

"Why would I be cross?" he said smiling at her, "that was incredible." He hoped the eye contact would convey to her his frankness.

"Well I thought you might be frustrated that...........well you know." She paused.

"That we haven't made love properly?" said Mark. "I love what we just shared." He said intensely, again making sure there was eye contact. "I love giving you pleasure and watching you lose control. It was......Wow." He voice tailed off and Kate once again lay back on his chest.

"That was the most amazing orgasm of my life," she said. "But................ I must go. This is not right. We must not go any further."

"Stay the night," begged Mark, trying to hold her arm as she got up.

"We don't have to make love, just share my bed," he begged.

She ignored him and as he watched she calmly picked up the remains of her knickers and placed them in the bin. It seemed a strange thing to worry about there and then.

"You will make sure you put them safely in the wheelie bin downstairs won't you," she said. "I'd just die if anyone found them."

"Of course I will," he replied. "Please................. stay with me tonight."

"I can't darling," said Kate sitting beside Mark and running her hand through his hair. "If I stay we will make love. You know we will and I could not bear the guilt. Please let me go. I feel guilty enough towards you for not giving you as much pleasure as you gave me, but I will never forget tonight."

Mark lent forward to kiss her again but she placed her hand on his lips and resisted him. Kate shook her head, but smiled when he kissed her fingers.

"I love you," said Mark as she removed her hand. "Stay," then after a pause. "I don't suppose Paul would be very happy about what we have done already. So stay."