Turning of the Stars Ch. 02

"Yeah, it was."

He lifted his head this time, raising his eyebrow at her.

"What? It was. I'm not going to lie. That doesn't mean you're a bad person, you just made selfish, self-destructive choices. Lots of them, apparently. But the important thing is that you're making different choices now."

"I guess so."

"And no matter what the results of those tests are, you're just going to have to do what you gotta do and get on with life."

He sighed and put his head back down; his fingers absentmindedly playing with the hem of her pajama shirt.

"You make it sound simple."

"It is simple."

"Did you put these on just for me?"

"Are you changing the subject?"

"Yeah. So did you?"

"Maybe."

"Why Anna, I believe that is the closest you've come to being dishonest with me since I met you," he said with a grin. "You know what I have to do now."

Before she could respond he slid his hand up to her ribs and started tickling her, causing her to buck and hoot in protest. She laughed and tried to squirm away, but ended up caught underneath him, his weight pinning her down.

"No fair! You're bigger than me," she gasped.

Grant shifted his weight so he wasn't crushing her, bringing himself suddenly face to face with her. They stared intently into each others eyes for a moment and then very slowly he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. She smiled into his kiss and he pulled back.

"What?"

"I thought you said you'd control yourself," she whispered.

"I said I'd try. This is me, trying." He kissed her again, gently, holding his weight off of her and letting her set the pace. Anna slid her hands up over his shoulders and wrapped them around his neck, opening her mouth to invite him in. She explored his mouth with her tongue, sucking and nibbling at his lower lip. They lay there kissing for a long time, entwined in each other's arms, slow and unhurried.

Knowing this wasn't leading to more allowed both of them to keep their desires mostly in check, but when Grant's hand slid up her shirt and began gently teasing one sensitive nipple Anna couldn't stifle her moan of pleasure. Her hips arched up against his and he clutched her tight, his restraint nearly breaking when she wrapped on leg around her hip and rubbed herself against his thigh. He broke the kiss and pulled back sighing heavily, resting his head against her chest, listening to her heart beat slow down.

He laid so still that after a few moments Anna thought he'd gone to sleep. She was just beginning to wonder whether she should wake him when he looked up at her.

"It's late,"

"Yeah."

"Do you, ah, want me to go?" he asked, the uncertainty clear in his green eyes.

"Might as well stay, you're supposed to be here in a few hours anyway."

A wide grin spread across his face and he kissed her cheek then sat up, pulling her up after him. He followed her into her bedroom, making a concerted effort to keep his hands to himself, and watched with a smile on his face as she climbed onto the bed and flopped down on the far side. He went to move the book sitting open on the pillow and froze when he picked it up.

"I didn't know you were reading this."

"Yeah, I got sucked right in. It's really good, Grant, you're an excellent writer. Certainly proved me wrong," she said with a grin.

Grant gave her a weak smile, acknowledging the compliment. "You haven't finished it yet?"

"No, I'm just starting on the last chapter."

"In that case there's something I should probably go ahead and tell you," he said, grimly.

"Okay."

He sat down on the edge of the bed, setting the book on the bedside table. He looked nervous again, stressed, and she wondered what on earth he was about to say. Grant looked her in the eye and took a deep breath.

"I wrote most of that book in prison."

Anna sat up and wrapped her arms around her knees while she tried to think of something to say. Grant looked at her nervously, trying to gauge her reaction by her face, which was oddly blank.

"I kept kind of a journal, writing down funny stories and memories or whatever just to keep myself sane. And I wrote down recipes, things I wanted to try to make once I got out. Prison food sucks."

She still hadn't spoken and he realized he was babbling so he shut his mouth.

"I'll go if you want me to," he said quietly.

"No, you don't have to go. I'm just sort of surprised, I guess. What, um, what did you go to prison for?"

"Assault and attempted homicide."

"Oh."

But they dropped the attempted homicide charge on appeal."

"Oh."

"It was a few years ago, I was only in there for a year before they let me out early."

"Oh."

"Come on babe, you gotta give me more than that. I can't tell if you're appalled or impressed."

"Neither," she said, shooting him a wry look, "Like I said, I'm surprised. I know I don't know you that well, but you don't really seem like the assault and attempted homicide type."

"Yeah well, I told you I used to be different. Although to be honest if it happened now I'd probably do the exact same thing. That asshole had it coming."

Anna raised her eyebrows at that, unable to imagine a situation in which anyone could deserve to be nearly killed. Grant's remorseless attitude surprised and disappointed her.

"I should have said something before."

"No. It's not like you should have to walk around with it tattooed on your forehead or anything."

"The dates are right here," he said, lifting his sleeve and pointing to one of the licks of flame on his bicep. Sure enough, now that he pointed it out she could see the numbers swirled into the pattern of lines.

"So you got out a year ago? Right before you started the restaurant."

"Yeah, I had to throw myself into something and that seemed like a good thing to absorb myself in."

Anna wanted to ask another question, but hesitated because she wasn't sure she really wanted to hear the answer. After a moment she took a deep breath and went for it.

"So what happened? What did he do to deserve...whatever you did to him."

Grant ran his hand through his dark curls and sighed deeply, unsure of how to answer. This wasn't a conversation he'd had to have with anyone else. Most people knew, or thought they knew, what he'd been convicted of since it had been splashed all over the news at the time. He finally settled for telling her as much as he could without giving away other people's secrets. It was only slightly more than she'd have been able to get from the news had she had a television.

"It was a drunk asshole from the club. He got out of line, he hurt someone I cared about, and I went after him. I beat the shit out of him, but I wasn't trying to kill him."

"Jesus, Grant, what did he do?"

Once again Grant didn't know what to say, but he looked her in the eye and said as honestly as he could, "I'm not trying to be evasive. If I were the only person involved I'd tell you everything, but I can't do that. All I can do is ask you to trust me when I say that I had a very good reason for what I did."

He could see the uncertainty in her eyes and he held his breath waiting for her answer, well aware that it would be completely reasonable of her to ask him to leave and never contact her again. He couldn't believe how nervous he felt, how badly he wanted her to accept him.

His heart was pounding as they stared into each others eyes across the bed for what seemed like ages before she finally held her hand out to him for the second time that night. He took her hand and exhaled in relief, feeling like he'd dodged a bullet. He leaned across the bed and pulled her to him, lying back against the pillows.

"Take your shoes off at least," she admonished before he got too comfortable. "Convicted felon or not, I won't stand for uncivilized behavior."

He laughed and let go of her to kick his shoes off the side of the bed.

"You should take your shirt off too, while you're at it."

"Oh yeah? You think you can control yourself if I do?"

"I can try," she said with a grin.

He sat up and pulled his shirt off while she lay there watching, wondering to herself if she was being an idiot. His having been in prison didn't bother her nearly as much as the violence of the crime that put him there. Her gut was telling her she could trust him, but Claudia had said on many occasions that she was too trusting and that just because she was honest and straightforward didn't mean other people were.

Still, Grant's behavior toward her had been nothing but kind so far, so for now she decided to accept him at his word. But that didn't mean she wasn't going to be on her guard.

"You know I don't think I've ever slept with a woman without sleeping with her first," he said as he reached across her toward the lamp.

"Well then this should be an enriching experience for you- Holy crap, did I do that?" she exclaimed, pointing to a dark mark just above his collarbone.

"Why yes, that would be your handiwork. Thanks, by the way, I got a couple of compliments on it at work," he said as he turned off the light.

He lay back down next to her, wrapping his arm around her and she settled into him comfortably.

"Sorry about that. I don't think I've ever given anyone a hickey before."

"Nah, it was my fault for having such amazing fingers."

Anna blushed in the darkness, remembering what he'd been doing when she was sucking on his neck.

"I can't believe I've got you in my bed shirtless and I'm about to fall asleep," she murmered.

"Don't worry babe, if I have my way you'll have plenty more chances to have me in your bed shirtless," he replied, but Anna didn't hear. She was already asleep.

... Anna woke with the sun warming her face. The unfamiliar feeling of having someone else in her bed disconcerted her for a moment, but she smiled when she opened her eyes and found herself still in his embrace. She tried to gently extricate herself without waking him, but as she slipped out from under his arm he rolled toward her and tightened his grip, mumbling in his sleep.

Her body relaxed into his arms and she lay there watching him sleep for a while, his features relaxed into boyish innocence, the corners of his mouth turned up in a smile. At some point in the night he'd taken off his jeans and he was laying next to her looking good enough to eat in nothing but a pair of thin blue cotton boxers.

The novelty of having a man's body at her disposal was too much for Anna and she couldn't help reaching up and tracing the lines of his tattoo on his arm, over his shoulder and up onto his neck. Her hand drifted down to his chest, the coarse hair tickling her fingertips, the skin surprisingly soft, belying the hardness of the muscle just underneath.

She leaned in and brushed her lips against the mark she'd made on his neck, inhaling his scent and relaxing against him. Slowly she became aware of a hardness pressing against her hip and she looked up at his face to see a grin spreading across it. Grant opened one eye and peered down at her.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

"S'alright. I don't mind being woken up like that at all," he said groggily, tightening his arms around her.

"You don't have to get up yet, it's still early. But I'm going to get started on breakfast."

"No."

"No?"

"Don't go yet," he said, brushing her hair back from her face and leaning down to kiss her.

Once again the world slipped away and she lost herself in his arms. Their hands roamed each other's bodies, exploring. Anna discovered that the slightest brush of her fingers against his nipple ring made Grant shudder all over. She pushed him onto his back and climbed on top of him, returning to the soft spot on his neck that she loved to kiss.

"It occurs to me," she said with a smile, "that I owe you."

She blazed a trail of kisses down the center of his chest and looked up at his face. His eyes were half-closed, but trained on her as she bent down and flicked one nipple with her tongue, hardening it instantly. She moved to the pierced nipple and pressed her tongue flat against it, licking it then sucking it into her mouth.

The metal was warm and she wiggled the balls of the barbell with her tongue, eliciting a jerk and a sharp exclamation from Grant. She looked up in alarm, afraid she'd hurt him, but he put his hand on the back of her head and gently pressed her back down. As she played with his nipples she slid her body down between his legs and she could feel his erection pressing hot against her belly, having freed itself through the opening of his boxers. She wiggled against him and felt his hand tighten against her head.

"Anna," he groaned in objection.

"I owe you one," she said, "Trust me."

She slid the rest of the way down and was momentarily astonished at what she found. He was only slightly longer than average, but much thicker than she was used to and for a split second she heard Claudia's voice echoing in her head asking if she thought his dick was too big for her.

She suppressed a giggle with difficulty, wrapping her hand around him and sliding it down to the base. She ran her tongue from her hand all the way up the length of him and then took just the head into her mouth, sucking gently as she ran her tongue in circles around the tip.

"Oh, fuck," Grant moaned as he pushed his head back against the pillows and fisted her hair in his hand.

Anna crowed inwardly at her ability to turn him into mush. She'd been told by more than one ex-boyfriend that she was really good at this and apparently she still had the knack, despite lack of practice. She pulled her head back and released suction with a gentle pop as she squeezed him rhythmically with her hand. Again she ran her tongue around the tip before sucking him back into her mouth.

"Jesus, Anna."

Grant's hips came up pressing himself further into her mouth and she opened wider to accommodate him, sucking harder and swirling her tongue around and around. She pulled back until just the head was in her mouth and then quickly plunged back down, taking him as far back into her throat as she could. Grant groaned loudly and for a brief moment held her there by her hair, pressing her down and causing the tip of him to slip further into her throat. She instinctively tried to swallow and her throat closed against him causing her to gag a little, but she recovered and Grant instantly let go.

"Goddamn. I'm sorry, babe, I'm sorry," he said breathlessly, clutching the sheets to keep from grabbing her again.

"It's alright," she whispered.

To prove it she once more slid her mouth down his length, pressing herself down this time and taking him even further than before. Her eyes watered and her throat muscles constricted against him, but now that she was prepared she was able to suppress her gag reflex and slide him in far enough that her lips brushed the fingers of her hand. She squeezed as she slowly sucked and pulled back to the tip before swallowing him again. And again. Grant was making inarticulate noises and she could already tell he was getting close when he reached up and gently pulled her head back.

She slid her mouth off and replaced it with her other hand, pumping him hard with both fists. He arched back against the pillow and she closed her fingers over his head as he exploded, shooting hot liquid into her hand. Anna continued to stroke him firmly as he came, watching his face relax and gentling her touch as the climax faded.

"Jesus," he muttered.

"I'll be right back," she said, grinning to herself as she pushed up off him.

Anna felt inordinately pleased with herself as she walked to the bathroom and rinsed her hands and mouth. Though she'd known she was good at that she'd never actually enjoyed it before, but this time it was almost as satisfying as if she'd had an orgasm herself. Standing up from the sink Anna caught her reflection in the mirror and froze. The woman in the mirror had a smug, confident look on her face. Her lips were slightly swollen and reddened and her cheeks were flushed pink. She looked downright sexy.

Anna walked back into the bedroom, suddenly aware of the sway of her hips and the way her hair cascaded over her shoulder and between her breasts. Grant was still lying exactly where he had been when she left. She laughed and flopped down onto the bed next to him. He looked at her with a huge grin on his face.

"Damn, woman, where did you learn to do that?"

"I took lessons."

"From whom?" he looked at her skeptically and she laughed again, leaning over to kiss him on the cheek.

"I'm kidding, it's just a natural skill I happen to possess."

"Well you're amazing. I can't say I've ever had a bad blow job, but that was above and beyond."

"Does that mean we're finally even?"

"Yeah, I think I might actually owe you now. Especially after the way I grabbed you," he turned to look at her, serious now. "I really am sorry, it's just been a really long time. Not that that's any excuse, but it won't happen again, I promise."

"That's too bad, I kind of liked it."

Anna blushed, hardly believing she'd said it. If it had been anyone else she might never have admitted it, but she had a feeling Grant wouldn't judge her or think less of her. She was right. His eyes narrowed, glittering green, and his tongue snaked out to wet his lower lip, sending a shiver of anticipation down her spine.

"Oh yeah?" he said in a low voice. "Like it a little bit rough, do you?"

"Maybe a little."

He grabbed her wrists and rolled over so she was suddenly pressed beneath him, her hands pinned next to her head. Grant stared into her eyes as he gently squeezed her wrists, measuring her reaction. Anna's eyes fluttered and her breath came in short, rapid gasps through parted lips, but she didn't break eye contact. He could feel her nipples hard against his chest and he knew without asking that it was turning her on.

"Do you like this?"

Anna bit her lip and nodded, pulling at her arms to test him. He tightened his grip slightly, and pressed his semi-hard dick against her through the thin satin pajamas.

"And you liked it when I made you swallow my cock."

Anna felt a rush of moisture between her legs and she closed her eyes, unable to meet his gaze as she nodded. She felt the rasp of his stubble, prickly against her neck, tickling and slightly painful at the same time. He moved along her jawbone and up toward her ear, then followed the same path with his tongue, cooling and soothing the same spots. When he got to her ear again he took her lobe in his mouth and sucked gently on it.

"It's alright," he whispered in her ear. "I liked it, too."

Very slowly he trailed his lips down her neck and breast, teasing her with his breath before taking one impossibly hard nipple in his mouth. Anna jolted, arching up against him as he sucked. It felt like every nerve in her body was ignited. His hips were rocking against her and the delicious friction of the damp satin between her legs was taunting her, teasing her into wiggling against him, trying desperately to feel more of him.

"Tell me what else you liked," he said as he moved his head over to the other breast, all the while rubbing against the wetness he could feel soaking through her pajamas.

"I um, I like it when you tell me to come for you," she stammered, blushing again.

He sucked her nipple deep into his mouth, stabbing and teasing it with his tongue as he dragged it back out. Anna was hardly breathing, the rocking of his hips against her driving her to fever pitch as he looked up into her eyes.

"What else?"

"When you said- oh god," she gasped as Grant rose up face to face with her again, his entire body pressing hard against hers and the head of his dick sliding against the wet fabric over her clit. Just as she felt the first rush of orgasm approaching he backed off, pulling his hips away.