Turning of the Stars Ch. 03

Her hands slid up under his shirt again, touching as much of his skin as she could while she pushed the shirt up and off. Grant pulled back to help her get it over his head and held himself off her as she trailed her fingers down his naked chest, tracing the letters of his tattoo and carefully avoiding his piercing.

She continued downward across his stomach, following the trail of course hair with one finger. Anna looked up into his eyes as she popped the top button on his jeans, then surprised him by skipping the zipper and sliding her hand inside.

She wrapped her hand around him, fingers stroking the soft skin as she squeezed the length of him with her hand. Grant drew a sharp breath and closed his eyes, clenching his jaw to maintain a grip on his restraint. Anna smiled, determined to make him break it. She slid her hand down further and cupped his balls, gently squeezing and rolling them in her hand before running her hand back up to the tip where she ran one fingertip across the opening there.

Grants eyes opened and he lunged down toward her, kissing her roughly and trapping her hand between them. She continued to massage him, as much as she could reach with her hand pinned, and Grant groaned and reached down to pull her hand out of his pants.

"If you want me to last long enough for us to get naked you're gonna have to stop that," he said through gritted teeth.

"Then let's get naked," Anna replied simply.

He raised an eyebrow and pulled away, grabbing the bottom of her dress and pushing it up to her hips. Anna lifted first her hips then her upper body as Grant peeled the dress off her and threw it to the floor. She lay back, expecting him to lie on top of her, but instead he reclined next to her propped up on one elbow. He trailed his other hand down her side and across her belly as he stared at her with an unreadable expression on his face.

"What's wrong?"

He lifted his eyes to hers and smiled slowly. "Not a goddamn thing." His eyes drifted back down to follow his hand as it came up between her breasts and across her shoulder, stroking her neck with his thumb. "This is the first time I've seen you naked."

"No, its-" she began and then stopped herself, thinking back.

"Oh trust me, it is" he said, his voice thick in his throat. He ran his hand slowly back down her other side and over her hip. "Believe me, I'd remember this. Seeing you naked on my bed like this is the sexiest thing I've ever laid my eyes on."

Anna laughed nervously and put one hand on his cheek, fingering the short hairs of his beard. "You are a silver tongued devil, aren't you?"

Grant's hand never stopped moving on her skin as he spoke. "You aren't the first person to call me that, although you may be the first one to mean it as a compliment."

"I like it when you whisper sweet nothings to me, even if I don't always believe you," she said with a smile, meaning it as a joke.

Grant's smile disappeared and he looked her in the eyes again. "I mean every word I say to you. I know I can bullshit with the best of them, but babe..." He shook his head slowly trying to find the right words. "When I told you that you were different, that I want more with you, it wasn't bullshit, Anna. I meant every word."

Anna flushed with heat and felt her heart beating in her throat as his words reached the part of her that desperately needed to hear them. Grant saved her from having to figure out how to respond by leaning in and kissing her softly but insistently, as if trying to convince her of his sincerity with his lips. It worked. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close, enjoying the soft warm skin of his stomach pressing against hers, the tickle of his springy chest hair against her breasts.

He rolled away again, this time to shuck his jeans off his legs, kicking them off the bed. "And when I say I want to fuck you so bad it hurts," he said rolling back on top of her, pressing her into the soft bed. "When I say your body drives me insane." He groaned as he settled his erection against her hot wet flesh and grinned with satisfaction at the desperate noises she made. "When I say I'm gonna make you come around me over and over," he said, punctuating his words with frustratingly gentle movements of his hips against her, driving himself crazy even while he was trying to push her to the edge. He stilled his movements and took a shallow breath, opened his eyes and looked into hers. "I mean that, too."

He'd planned to draw this out longer, to make it last hours, take his time with her and show her that she was worthy of being worshiped. But now that he had her here, open and wet and waiting for him, he knew he couldn't wait. It had been long enough; days of waiting and wanting and teasing and holding back and he couldn't stand it anymore. When he looked at her he could see that she was ready, too.

Anna held her breath and continued to stare into his eyes as she felt the blunt tip of him pressing against her opening. When he hesitated she reached around with her hands and grabbed his ass, pulling him toward her, and they moaned together as he sank inside her. Once he started there was no hesitation whatsoever; he didn't stop until she felt their bodies connect at their roots.

They both froze for a moment with him buried deep inside her. Grant's head dropped against her neck and she could hear him whisper something that sounded suspiciously like 'Adam Jefferson,' but before she had a chance to ask who that was he began to move.

She felt him barely pull out then quickly thrust into her, repeating the motion a few times before she started lifting her hips to meet him in rhythm. He gradually increased the pace, pulling out a little further each time and pushing back in a little harder. Anna's legs came up and wrapped around him, her fingers still digging into his ass cheeks.

Grant braced his elbows on either side of her and pushed his upper body up, thrusting deeper with his hips. From that angle he could see her breasts shake with the impact and he couldn't help stilling one with his hand, taking the hard nipple between his fingers and pinching it roughly.

"Yes!" Anna gasped and lifted one arm to brace herself against the wall above her head, holding herself in place as he continued to push into her. "Do it again," she pleaded.

"Like this?" Grant rolled the hard nub between his fingers, watching Anna's face carefully as he increased pressure and speed. She moaned her approval. He pulled on it, first gently, then harder, letting it slip out of his fingers with a pop, reveling at the way she responded by squeezing his cock tighter inside.

He bent his head and took the other nipple into his mouth, sucking it deep before nipping it sharply with his teeth. The effect on Anna was amazing, she threw her head back and tightened her legs around his hips, pulling him deeper inside. Her breath was coming in sharp gasps and he watched her face flush with impending orgasm for the second time that night. He didn't think he'd ever get tired of that sight.

Anna let out a sharp cry of pleasure at his rough treatment, but he didn't let up even as he felt her muscles start to clamp down on him as he stroked her deep inside. Her mouth fell open and her breath stopped. Her body went still against him, but he could feel her muscles inside squeezing and contracting around him and he moved in time with them, driving into her harder and sucking and pinching her nipples tightly as she came.

Anna opened her eyes when she felt his soft kisses along her jaw. She could feel him hard inside her, stretching her wide even when he was still. His hands moved gently on her body, one resting behind her neck and the other smoothing the skin of her hip and thigh where her legs had fallen open after her orgasm. She turned her head and met his lips with hers, their tongues seeking each other out.

Anna's hands roamed his back and shoulders, feeling the taut muscles roll under his skin as he moved. It took her a moment to realize he was moving at all, he was going so slowly. She drew a shaky breath at the feel of him moving in circles inside her, not pulling in or out, just going around and around, his pelvic bone grinding against her clit, driving her steadily toward another orgasm. She opened her eyes in surprise and looked up at him, catching him with a satisfied smirk on his face.

"Feels good, doesn't it?"

"Yeah," was all she could manage and she felt surprised to even get that out as he pressed against the inside of her thigh with his hand, opening her wider and pressing more firmly into her. Her eyes fluttered closed and she turned her head to one side as she felt the beginnings of another orgasm in her belly, but she felt his thumb stroking her cheek, pushing her back to face him.

"Look at me," he said, gently kissing her chin.

She looked up into his eyes and he kissed her lightly on the lips. She felt exposed and vulnerable with him looking at her so intensely, but it was impossible to ignore the sensations building in her belly as he moved relentlessly, purposefully against her, the darkness in his eyes and clenching of his jaw evidence of his own barely restrained pleasure.

Anna had a moment of frustration that he could have such powerful control over her body, as if he knew what she liked better than she did, but it was forgotten as she cried out with the impact of the first wave of climax. She heard him hiss as her fingernails dug into the soft flesh on the back of his shoulders, though she could do nothing to stop herself.

"That's it baby, squeeze me tight," he said in a hoarse whisper. "Goddamn you feel so good."

Anna rode the waves of pleasure, anchored in place by his eyes and his hands gripping her body, all thoughts of vulnerability tossed out the window by overwhelming physical pleasure. The muscles of her body clenched and released involuntarily, trying to escape and hang on all at the same time.

It seemed to go on forever, his steady unceasing movement pushing her over the edge repeatedly. As he slowed and the sensations finally subsided she pressed her forehead against his and kissed him again, wanting him to know what he'd done for her and wanting to give him back the same, but having no breath left to tell him. She drew her hands up and clasped his face on either side as she kissed him, pouring all her unspoken words into it.

When she finally pulled back she looked up to see that his eyes were closed. She ran one thumb over his eyebrow and he exhaled shakily. "I think-" he began and then shook his head and opened his eyes. He smiled at her and she felt the warmth of it rush through her body.

"You think what?"

"You're amazing," he said and kissed her again.

Anna was pretty sure that wasn't what he was going to say, but she also didn't think it was a good time for conversation. Talking wasn't going to make him feel as good as he'd just made her feel. She starting writhing under him as he kissed her, restricted in her motion with the weight of him resting on her, but she could feel his body responding, his fingers once again digging into her thigh and his breath hot against her cheek.

"Come for me, now," she whispered as she kissed along his jaw.

He buried his head in the crook of her neck and groaned. Again, he'd wanted this to last longer, but he couldn't stop. All the pent up sexual energy of the last few days hit him at once and the flood of it burst the dam he'd built to hold it back. He slid his arms up under her and anchored himself with his hands on her shoulders, pulling her body down to meet him as he impaled her again and again, her loud exclamations egging him on.

His body took over and he could hear her encouraging him, but the words were incomprehensible to him. All he could feel was her, wet and tight around him, pulling him deep inside as he drove into her over and over. Then suddenly he was there, thrusting erratically and pouring his climax into her as she contracted around him in another orgasm of her own.

His movements slowed as the roaring in his ears died down and he looked down at the woman beneath him, sweaty hair tangled around her face, swollen lips gasping for air, and all he could think was that she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. And that he loved her.

...

They lay tangled together among the sheets for a while, Anna softly dozing in the aftermath. Grant was too wound up to sleep, but he didn't want to let her go so he just lay there holding her close to his side, their fingers entwined on his belly, as he tried to get a handle on his racing thoughts. The sex had been amazing, he knew it would be; no surprise there. But that kiss she'd laid on him had shaken him to the core and his response to it had shocked him.

He counted the number of days since they met. Five. It was ridiculous, you don't fall in love in five days, and yet here he was. And there was no doubt in his mind that he loved her. He'd never been in love, never pretended to be or even thought he might be, but to the extent that he'd thought about it he figured it would be a gradual process, a slow descent. He certainly didn't believe in love at first sight.

Though he'd recognized that he felt differently about Anna from the beginning, he figured it was a matter of where he was in life. He was successful, settled, building a new life. And when he happened to meet this gorgeous, smart, sexy woman who actually treated him like a real person and not a target or acquisition, he was in a place to appreciate her and want to at least give a real relationship a try.

But that kiss. There was nothing gradual about it, it was like he'd been sucker punched or knocked off a cliff. Or both. By the time it was over he knew he there was no going back. His first instinct had been to tell her immediately, but fortunately he'd checked that urge. Having been on the receiving end of mid-sex confessions of that nature he knew it never ended well. And now that he'd had time to think he remembered their uncomfortable conversation in her kitchen the day before and didn't want to push her again.

As surprising as the realization was, he was even more surprised that he was okay with it. More than that, he was happy about it. He loved her and for whatever reason that didn't scare him a bit. It should. He should be flipping out right now, trying to figure out how to get her out of his bed without letting her down too hard, but getting her out of his bed was the absolute last thing on his mind.

He looked down at the woman in his arms and smiled. She'd certainly turned the tables on him. He was used to being the one pursued and now he was chasing her. Though he had no doubt he would catch her in the end, it would be an interesting ride to get to that point. He lifted his hand from hers to brush an errant strand of hair back off her face and her eyes opened.

"Good morning sunshine," he said with a smile. His heart gave a thump when she smiled back at him and he wondered if she could hear it.

"It's not morning yet," she said pulling away and looking over her shoulder at the windows.

"Stop being argumentative and kiss me." He bent his head to her and felt her giggle as he pressed his mouth to hers. After a moment he pulled back and gave her a speculative look. "So were you really hungry or were you just fucking with me?"

"A little of both," she said, laughing at the suspicious look on his face. "I had to get you back somehow. 'Will you feed my fish?' was the least sexy thing any man has ever said to me post-orgasm. Or possibly ever."

"At least I'm memorable."

"Oh, you're memorable alright." She wiggled her eyebrows lewdly and lifted the sheet off his hips to peek underneath.

"Thanks, that soothes my fragile male ego quite nicely."

"Good. Does that mean you're gonna feed me?"

"I suppose, but only if you promise continue to make positive insinuations about the size of my dick."

"It's a deal," Anna laughed as she rolled away and began looking for her dress. She finally found it in a crumpled heap and wrinkled her nose at the idea of putting it back on. Almost like he read her mind, Grant crawled up behind her on the bed and wrapped his arms around her, pulling the dress out of her hands.

"Don't," he said simply, nuzzling her neck.

Anna smiled and cocked her head to one side to give him better access. "I'd feel weird walking around your house naked."

"You won't look weird," he muttered against her hair.

"I wanted to go check out your deck, can I borrow one of your t-shirts or something?"

"Sure." He forced himself to calm down. At the rate he was going she wouldn't eat until breakfast.

He tossed her a shirt from his closet and ably suppressed the urge to tackle her again at the sight of her bare ass peeking out from under it. He threw on some clean boxers and they went downstairs together. Anna went out the sliding glass doors onto the long deck and stood at the railing looking down at the river until Grant came out carrying a plate loaded with snacks and two glasses of wine.

"You should have called me, I'd have helped." Anna took the glasses from him as he set the plate down on a small table.

"You know I own a restaurant, right?"

Anna rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I think I might have heard that somewhere. I still could have helped."

"You can help by eating this food. You'll need your energy." He sounded innocent enough when he said it, but gave her an evil smile that made her think that maybe walking around with no underwear on was a bad idea.

They ate and drank and laughed for a while before ending up in each other's arms, Anna leaning back against him on one of the reclining deck chairs looking up at the stars. His legs were dangling off the sides of the chair while hers were curled up under her. She was trying to point out the constellations to him, but he wasn't paying much attention. At the moment his face was buried in her neck and she could feel his dick swelling, prodding her lower back.

"And Orion is right there." She raised her arm to point and jumped when Grant's hand slid around to cup her breast, flicking one sensitive nipple with his thumb. Making a valiant effort to ignore his caresses, she continued. "You can't see all of him, though, not like you can at home. Too many lights here."

Grant looked up at the note of sadness in her voice and slid his hand off her breast onto her belly. "Do you miss home?"

"Sometimes. Parts of it. I miss my family. Occasionally I miss the predictability of it, the reliable routine. But I don't miss being there. It was so small and everyone knew everyone's business. For a bunch of old hippies they were surprisingly closed-minded about some things and there was a lot of politics going on. If you can even call it that, more like a bunch of bored people gossiping and scheming and wielding their disapproval like weapons. And if you didn't fit into their plan, their collective idea about how you were supposed to act it was like...well, let's just say most people made it a point to fit in."

"Did you fit in?"

Anna smiled. "I used to. I was a good kid; well-behaved, did my chores, never caused problems. They all expected I'd grow up to be a good wife and mother and be content to garden and have babies for the rest of my life. When I started to question whether that's what I really wanted, suddenly I wasn't such a valuable member of the community anymore."

"Was it because you went to school?"

"That wasn't the only issue, but that's when it came to a head. I just wanted to know what else was out there and I didn't understand what was wrong with that. I still don't. But they saw it as tantamount to treason and I got turned into something of a pariah. Even my dad was angry with me for a while, though my mom always stood behind me. By the time I graduated it was so bad I had to get away. I felt like I couldn't breathe, the weight of their constant disapproval was oppressive."