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    Evolution Of A Woman

    by Montana Rose




    Chapter 14

    Monday morning, on their commute to the location, Liz was nervous. She had butterflies in her stomach. She was looking forward to seeing Oded, but she didn’t know how he was going to act around her while on the job. On one hand, she wanted him to totally ignore her, so that no one would know they were an item. On the other hand, she wanted him all over her, to show the whole world that they were an item.

    When her and the rest of the special effects crew arrived and started unpacking their equipment, she noticed Oded talking with the director and a couple other people on top of the hill. He turned his head slightly, spotted her, and smiled as the others continued talking. She felt her heart jump in her chest. Christ, she felt like she was back in high school again! That made her very uncomfortable. The high she was getting off their new relationship felt great, but it scared her. She wanted to have an adult relationship, and right now she didn’t feel very adult.

    They didn’t do much but glance at each other most of the morning, until the director told the crew to take a ten minute break. While most everyone else walked over to the table where coffee and donuts were layed out, Oded strode over to Liz, who was sitting on a crate, typing notes on her laptop. His body broke the sunlight that was streaming down on her, creating a shadow that fell across the screen, bringing her out of her thoughts. He squatted down next to her, his robes spreading out on the ground beneath him.
    “Hi there, Liz,” he greeted her with a smile.
    “Hi.” She took a quick glance around to see if anyone was looking in their direction.

    “How was your visit with your mom yesterday?” She smiled back at him, temporarily forgetting the other people. “It was fun. We sat around and caught up on all the local gossip.” She paused. “What did you do?”
    “Well, since I didn’t have a local to take me around the area, I just stayed at my house.” She laughed. “I have a beautiful view off the deck, and spent most of the day there.”
    “Oh, where is your place?”
    He waved his hand off to the north. “Off in that direction somewhere. You’ll have to see it sometime. It’s a great place.” She blushed, trying to figure out if there was any hidden insinuation in that remark.
    They talked a little bit longer, about trivial things. They also exchanged cell phone numbers. Liz felt a little more comfortable about that. At least she could talk to him after work and not risk getting in trouble while on the job. But, damn! It was nice being so near him again. She discovered that when she was away from him, she was almost convinced that he was a figment of her overaction imagination. It was nice to be reminded by the sound of his voice, the sight of his good looks, and the smell of him that he was real.
    Oded looked up and noticed that the rest of the crew were getting back to work. “I guess I better get back to it.” He turned back to her and smiled, lightly placing his hand on her knee. The shock of his touch almost made her jump. She quickly looked around to see if anyone had noticed. No one seemed to. He withdrew his hand, his smile fading. She looked at him. “I’m sorry. I’m still getting used to this.”
    “Do you not want me to touch you?” Liz blushed harder, her mind quickly falling into the gutter. Boy, do I want you to touch me, she thought to herself. Aloud, she said, “I… I don’t know what I want.”
    Oded shrugged, still looking a little put out, but willing to go along with her for a while. “Well, I’ll just follow your lead, ok?”
    She smiled at him. “Thank you. I would really appreciate it.” She tried to convey the gratitude she felt, and he seemed to pick up on it. His smile returned.
    “Talk to you later,” he said, stood up, and left.

    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

    Chapter 15

    The rest of the week, she vacillated between ignoring him and going out of her way to talk to him. She felt bad about it. She didn’t mean to jerk him around, but she seemed helpless to stop it. Fortunately, he seemed to be taking it all in stride, letting her make the first move. The crew was still working long hours, so Liz and Oded didn’t go out after work, but they talked on the phone most of the time. She liked talking to him. They never seemed to run out of things to say. It was like talking to an old friend. It felt strange to Liz to have those types of feelings for a man. She didn’t think she had ever done that before. Yes, she was extremely physically attracted to him, and was having a hard time restraining herself from just attacking him, but she was also perfectly happy to just talk to him. She guessed this was what some people called having a friendship with a man. It was all new to her. In the past, the only relationship she had had with men was a sexual one. She never had any male friends. And she was not friends with the men she had relationships with. She never trusted them emotionally. So the way she dealt with men was either on a sexual level or not at all. This relationship was different.
    Toward the end of the week, they discussed what they might do for the weekend. Liz suggested going for a hike and a picnic up in the mountains. The weather was supposed to be beautiful and she knew of a nice place that not many people went to. Oded agreed.

    So that Saturday morning, Liz found herself getting ready for a record-breaking second date with Oded. She still found it hard to believe how much had happened in her life in the last couple weeks. It was like one of those stupid romance novels. She called them bodice-ripper novels, and had no use for them. So it was a little embarrassing that her life was turning into one. She pulled her shoulder length blond hair into a ponytail, put on a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt, and dug out her hiking shoes. She also grabbed a long-sleeved shirt, in case there were bugs. Then she dug around in a linen closet in the hall until she found a somewhat worn looking blanket. It looked like the landlord probably wouldn’t care if it was spread out on the ground for a picnic cloth.
    Chris, Jamie, and Bob were once again seated at the kitchen table, observing her running around the house. When she had everything gathered up, she stopped in the kitchen for a minute to think, seeing if she had forgotten anything. Jamie gave her his mischevious smile again. Liz looked at him, then impulsively thought to herself, Oh fuck it! This is ridiculous. Why do I care if they know? I’m tired of tip-toeing around.
    She threw up her hands, almost angrily. “Yes, Oded and I are going out on a date! ‘You happy now?”
    Jamie drew back his head, almost as if she went after him physically. He held up his own hands in self-defense. However, the smile was still on his face. “Whoa! I was just joking! Don’t get pissed!”
    She wasn’t quite pissed, but she wasn’t real happy with him, either. She toned down her voice a little.
    “Well, now you know. So you don’t have to bug me about it anymore, because that’s all the information you are going to get.”
    “Ok, I’ll drop it.”
    “Thank you.”
    She gathered up her things and went into the living room to wait for Oded to arrive. Bob cast a glance at Jamie as Liz left the kitchen, but didn’t say anything. He didn’t have to. Jamie gave him the same defensive posture with his hands up.
    This time Oded was right on time, having not gotten lost. Liz may have not cared if the guys in the house knew they were going out, but she still went out the door and met him at the car instead of waiting for him to come to the house. She opened the car door, slid in, and threw the blanket and shirt in the back seat. She took a moment to look him up and down. He was wearing faded blue jeans and a coffee-colored, unbuttoned long sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Under it was a snug black t-shirt. On his feet were a pair of broken in tennis shoes. She tugged at the sleeve of his shirt. “Good, I meant to remind you to wear a long-sleeved shirt. Sometimes the bugs can be pretty nasty.”
    “Ya, I’m pretty prepared for a city boy.” She laughed. Impulsively she kissed him quickly on the lips. He looked at her, pleasantly surprised.
    “What was that for?”
    “I felt like it.”
    He glanced at the house behind her. “What about keeping this low-key?”
    “I’m over it. I don’t care if they know anymore. As a matter of fact, I told them that we were going out today.” She looked at him, proud of herself.
    He gave her a devious little smile. “Well, in that case…” and leaned over to her, kissing her soundly. She drew back after a moment, smiling herself. “C’mon, lets get out of here.” Oded leaned back, put the car in drive, and pulled out onto the street.

    Liz gave him directions to a local sandwich shop, where they picked up some lunch to go. Then they drove up into the mountains surrounding the town. They pulled into a well-groomed campground where there were a half-dozen other cars parked. Looking at the cars, Oded said, “I thought you said this place wasn’t popular.”
    “Oh, we’re not going to follow the common route. We’re going to go off the beaten path.” She paused. “I don’t suppose you thought to get any pepper spray for the bears.”
    He looked at her, trying to figure out whether she was pulling his leg. “No, I didn’t.”
    “Well, I guess we’ll just have to talk loudly and make a lot of noise, so we don’t sneak up on one and startle it.”
    He just sat there and looked at her.
    “What?” she asked.
    “’Just trying to figure out if you’re serious.”
    She smiled and didn’t say anything.
    “That’s what I thought,” he said.
    They got out of the car and gathered their things. Oded pulled a backpack out of the back seat, which still had the price tag on it. Liz took the pack from him and tore the tag off. “What, did you just get this this morning or something?”
    “Yes, as a matter of fact I did. Something wrong with that?” he asked her with a raised eyebrow.
    “No, not at all,” she replied with a smile. “City boy.” He just gave her his dirty look.
    They stuffed their lunch and her shirt in the backpack. The blanket wouldn’t fit, so she just carried it. Oded slipped the backpack over his shoulders and adjusted it until it was comfortable.
    “Ready?” she asked.
    “As I’ll ever be.” He paused. “If we get lost, you know how to find your way out, right?”
    “Oh, sure! I know how to read the moss on the trees, and the direction the streams flow. I can also live out here for weeks on berries and twigs, if need be.”
    “Now, I know that’s bullshit.” Both laughing, they left the campground and started up the trail.

    The wide, well gravelled trail wound up the hill at a shallow incline. They were surrounded by pines, which were occasionally broken up by clusters of quaking aspen, whose leaves whirred and shimmered in the light breeze. They met several small groups of people that were on their way down the trail, nodding and saying hello as they passed. Liz asked one couple if the mosquitos and such were bad. They said they weren’t. She thanked them, told them to have a nice day, and continued on up the trail. As they were, Oded asked, “Did you know them?”
    “No, why?”
    “It just seems odd to be so friendly to absolute strangers.”
    “I guess that’s why people like to live here. That’s the way everyone is.” He just shook his head and smiled.
    They continued up the trail for a mile or so until Liz stopped at a smaller, grassy trail that branched off to the left, up the hill at a steeper incline. This was only one person wide, so Oded dropped behind her and let her lead the way.
    The trail led further into the pines about another mile. Large boulders began to grow out of the ground, and the trail wound between them. Pine needles crunched under their feet. The smell of the air was fragrant and mossy. A slight breeze cooled the sweat that sprang up on their skin from their hike and kept the bugs at a distance. Before too long they came upon a small stream. The trail turned left and paralleled the stream further up the hill. The sound of the water cascading over the rocks and fallen branches overpowered the other sounds of the forest. Bunches of small blue flowers grew at the edge of the water, surrounded by mounds of cushiony moss.
    As they hiked upstream, the sound of the water grew louder. They followed the trail around another large boulder, where it ended in a small clearing. On the far end of the clearing was a small wall of rock, about 15 feet high. The stream flowed over the rock and fell into a small pool, then continued down the hill. Quaking aspen surrounded the clearing, creating an oasis. The ground was covered in sparse clumps of grass and wildflowers.
    “Pretty cool, huh?” Liz asked.
    “I’ll say,” Oded answered as he took it all in.
    They entered the clearing, Liz shaking out the blanket. She let it billow to the ground, managing to miss the occasional spiny plants and anthills. Oded shouldered off the backpack and dropped it on the ground. They collapsed on the blanket, facing the stream. Liz laid on her back, gazing up at the small patch of sky above them. He laid back next to her. They rested that way for a while, commenting on the clouds that floated by. The soothing sound of the water and the physical exertion of the hike made her drowsy.
    “I could easily take a nap here,” she said.
    “I could too,” Oded replied, “if I wasn’t so hungry.” He sat up suddenly, opened the backpack, and started pawing through their lunch, bringing it out piece by piece: sandwiches, chips, sodas. Liz sat up on her elbows, watching him. She found herself almost drooling as she watched the muscles of his back and shoulders move and flex. The dappled sunlight shone in his hair, which fell in black curls onto his shoulders. The breeze brought the smell of him to her, heightened by the scent of his sweat. She decided to quit while she was ahead, and sat up next to him, crossing her legs under her.
    They opened their sandwiches and ate them slowly, watching the water and talking. Liz loved the outdoors. She could sit still for hours on end, just taking in all the sights and sounds and smells, and not be bored for some space of time. Oded seemed to feel the same way. A small smile was always on his face as he took in the surroundings. As they talked, she noticed that he tended to talk with his hands, gesturing to expound on what he was saying. She teased him, asking if she tied his hands down would he be at a loss for words. He gave her his patented dirty look.
    After they finished eating, Oded fished his pack of cigarettes out of his shirt pocket. He pointed to the pack, asking her if she minded again. She shook her head that she didn’t mind. And she didn’t, in the outdoors where the smoke wouldn’t bother her eyes. “Just make sure not to leave the butts laying around. We don’t need to start a fire and burn this place down.”
    “No, I wouldn’t want to do that.” And when he was finished, he was true to his word, carefully snuffing the cigarette in the dirt and putting the butt in his shirt pocket.
    As they talked, they touched frequently: a hand on a knee, a nudge with a shoulder as a joke was being told, legs brushing against each other. Liz felt like she needed to keep touching him, to make sure he was real. She was beginning to feel like a figment of someone else’s imagination. Someone with a really good imagination.
    They sat that way for a couple hours, watching the world go around on its axis. For a while a water ouzel visited them. The little wren-like bird hopped from rock to rock in the stream, occasionally diving underwater looking for insect larvae. A chipmunk chattered at them from atop a fallen log on the other side of the water. A woodpecker drummed on a dead tree somewhere in the distance. The wind sighed in the surrounding forest. The sound of the running water was a constant white noise that tied all the other sounds together.
    Oded turned to her and smiled. “This was a great idea. You know, in the last year since I’ve been acting, I’ve gone to quite a few locations, but I think this is my favorite so far. I can’t get over how beautiful it is here, and remote! You don’t have to go very far to get away from people.”
    She returned his smile, and brushed a crumb of potato chip out of his beard with her thumb. His smile widened. Then he leaned toward her, kissing her warmly. She reciprocated the kiss, entwining her hand in his soft hair. Soon the kiss made the arm that she was supporting herself with weak, and she fell slowly back onto the blanket. Oded followed her down, never breaking their connection. She felt the weight of his upper body on hers. She slipped her arms around him, feeling the muscles of his back and shoulders. The smell of him filled her nostrils. She inhaled deeply. His long hair fell over her face, creating a protective cocoon around them, their own little world. They kissed lightly for a while, cautiously exploring each other. But then his passion flared up, and their kiss turned more intense as he drove his tongue deeper in her mouth, unconsciously mimicking the act that they both wanted to do so badly. His tongue stroked hers, tasting her mouth. The hairs of his beard and moustache tickled her skin. She heard his breath slowly increase, and realized hers was too. He pulled the band off that was holding her hair and plunged his large hands into its fullness. She drew back enough to grab his full lower lip with her own lips, sucking on it, then ran her tongue across it. He kissed her lips, her chin, her cheek, her jaw, slowly working his way back to her ear, where he playfully bit her earlob. He then probed her ear with his tongue, his warm breath flooding her skin. This was a soft spot for Liz, and she inhaled a breath through her clenched teeth. Her toes curled inside her shoes. Chills ran up and down her spine. She felt that old familiar ache inside of her, that used to be so frustrating to her because she knew it could never be satisfied. Now it was glorious. Oded felt her response, and became even more passionate. She ran her hands all over him, reveling in the feel of his body, the softness of his shirt with the hardness of his muscles underneath.
    He worked his way back to her lips, running his tongue lightly along her jawline. One of his hands left her hair, trailing down her body, until he cupped her breast through the cotton fabric of her shirt. He rubbed her nipple with his thumb, quickly bringing it to attention. She arched her back, giving it to him even more. He began nipping at her neck, working his way slowly over to her other ear. Their breath was coming harder.
    His hand trailed down further and began tugging at her shirt, pulling it from inside her jeans. When he pulled it completely out, he slid his hand up and under, caressing her skin as he worked his way back up to her breast. He expertly released it from her bra and cupped it once again. This time she could feel the rough calluses on his thumb caress her nipple. She ran her hand down his arm, feeling his biceps flex as he kneaded her body. She began tugging at the collar of his button down shirt, trying to pull it off him. He withdrew his hand from under her own shirt, and pushed himself up until he was kneeling. He quickly took off his shirt, leaving the snug black t-shirt, and dropped it onto the blanket. Liz was extremely aroused, watching his hard muscles flex under the fabric. His curly hair was slightly tousled from her fingers. His dark eyes were studying her body intently, then he looked directly into her aqua ones.
    “You are beautiful, do you know that?”
    Liz blushed, slightly embarrassed. Her first reaction was to disagree with him, which had always been her pattern before. Then she remembered what counselling had taught her, to accept compliments and maybe even believe them. So after a moment’s pause, she simply said, “Thank you.” Oded smiled, then lowered himself back onto her.
    As he returned to kissing her, he slid his hand down between her legs, caressing her where she was already throbbing. He made her jeans chafe her deliciously. She inhaled sharply and ran her hand down his arm, feeling the muscles work. She opened her legs a little further, giving him better access. He responded by lifting himself up and settling between her legs. She opened her legs even further. She could feel his erection straining against her. He continued to stroke her with his fingers, but now he began to press his hips against her with the same rhythm. It was almost too much for Liz. She broke their kiss and inhaled quickly. “Oh god, ‘Ded,” she hissed. He lowered his head into the crook of her neck and groaned with his own wanting. She ran her hands down his back, feeling him, until she came to his flexing muscular ass. She clenched him and added her own strength to his thrusts, making it even more powerful. She thought she was going to have an orgasm before he even got into her pants. She bit her lower lip as she heard him groaning and hissing through his clenched teeth. His hair flowed across her face, and she inhaled its perfume deeply.
    Oded’s hand left the warmth between her legs, still pressing his erection against her in pulses with his hips. He slid his hand back up her shirt and began to caress her breast again, a little more aggressively this time. He kissed her repeatedly in the crook of her neck. She felt his warm breath on her skin. Then he grabbed the bottom of her shirt with that hand and began tugging it up. He got it up around her breasts when the cool breeze on her hot skin made her realize where they were. Liz quickly grabbed her shirt and pulled it back down. Then she pulled her body slightly away from his and sat up a little. He sat up as well.
    “What?” he asked, a little out of breath.
    “I just realized where we are. We can’t do this here.” They both looked around, as if just becoming aware that there was a world out there.
    “Why not? Didn’t you say this was a secluded area?”
    “It’s not that secluded,” she replied with a smile. “Other people do come up here.”
    He leaned forward again, kissing her. She could feel his sexuality oozing from every pore.
    “Are you sure?”
    She laughed against his lips and groaned. “Oh boy! You are not making this easy. As much as I would love to, this isn’t the best place.”
    “Then where?” he asked huskily, still straining toward her. She put her hands on his shoulders and pushed him gently away. She looked into those chestnut eyes, which were dancing with conflicting emotions.
    “I would really love to do this, but it’s moving a little fast for me. I feel like my brain is disengaged and I’m reacting on sheer hormones, which isn’t always a good idea.”
    Oded seemed to cool off a little, and sat back on the blanket cross-legged. He looked at her.
    “You know that I like you, don’t you? That I’m not just looking for a piece of ass.”
    Liz was a little surprised by his candidness, but thought about it for a minute. “Yes, I do. That’s what I’m having a hard time with. It would be much easier if that was all you were looking for.”
    He frowned, puzzled. “I don’t follow.”
    “I know you don’t. It’s a really long story.”
    He sat there for a moment, looking a little frustrated.
    “You can tell me.”
    “No, I can’t.”
    “Why not?”
    She could tell he was getting more frustrated, and was probably feeling a little hurt, but she just couldn’t bring herself to be emotionally vulnerable with him. She could screw his brains out until the sun went down, she could bullshit with him, she could even tell him she was an alcoholic, but she couldn’t bring herself to tell him that she was scared of him, scared of messing up her life. A nervous knot was building in her stomach.
    She opened her mouth, not sure what she was going to say. “I… I don’t think I can talk about this right now. Can you give me some time?”
    Oded was silent for a minute. Then he sighed. “I just don’t understand why me liking you is such a big deal. And I don’t understand why you can’t tell me.”
    “I know. And I’m asking you to give me some time. Can you do that?”
    He thought about it. “I guess I can, for a while.”
    She leaned forward and kissed him. He returned the kiss, but his passion was gone.
    “Thank you. I know it’s asking a lot, and I really appreciate the breathing room.”
    He looked at her and could see her nervousness. He also saw other emotions under the surface, but respected her wishes not to push it. He placed his lips on hers, kissing her tenderly, his fingers brushing her cheek. She received the feelings he was trying to convey, which were more than just sexual arousal. They made her heart leap in her chest with combined joy and fear. She broke the kiss, not being able to stand it anymore. It was just too much emotion, both on her end and his. She suddenly felt the need to get out of there, to get away from the situation. She sat back, straightened out her clothes, then started to gather the remains of their lunch together and stuff them in the backpack.
    “We probably ought to get going,” she said, purposely not looking at him.
    He glanced at his watch. “It’s only four o’clock.”
    “Ya, I know, but I have a lot of stuff to do at the house.”
    He was silent, knowing she was lying, but not calling her on it.
    “Ok, what about doing something tomorrow?”
    “I promised my mom I would spend the day with her.” She glanced at him, finishing up filling the backpack. She caught the doubtful look on his face.
    “Really. We were really close when I lived here, and I only have a couple months here before going back to LA. I would like to spend as much time with her as I can.”
    He could tell she was telling the truth on that one, and dropped the subject.
    “Ok,” he said, and got up, grabbing his shirt and putting it back on. She found her hair band and pulled her hair back into a ponytail carelessly. They stepped off the blanket, and Liz picked it up, shook the grass and twigs from it, and folded it back up. They both glanced around at the clearing, taking it in one last time, then began down the trail again.
    Oded didn’t say much all the way back to the car. When they reached it, they threw their stuff in the back seat and got in. As he was putting the key in the ignition, Liz put her hand on his arm.
    “Oded, are you angry with me?”
    He looked at her, frowning a little. “I’m not sure how I feel. Frustrated? Yes. Angry? I don’t know.”
    She got scared, and forced herself to be brave. “Listen, I…I do like you. I don’t want to screw this up. But I have a lot of my own shit that I have to deal with.”
    “Aren’t people in relationships supposed to rely on each other, to help solve each other’s problems?”
    “Yes, I know, but that’s a little too heavy for me right now. If you don’t want to deal with all this and want to call this whole thing off right now, I wouldn’t blame you. I would completely understand.”
    He was shocked. “What? Jesus, we’ve only been going out a week! Don’t you think we ought to give it a chance?”
    She backpedaled quickly. “You’re right, I’m sorry. Lets just drop this whole subject, ok?”
    He just looked at her for a moment, bewildered. Then he shrugged, started the car, and drove out of the campground.

    The entire drive back to her house was filled with an uncomfortable silence. Both of them were unhappy with the way the day was ending, but neither quite knew what to do to fix it. Oded pulled up in front of the house and parked. Liz reached behind her, grabbed the blanket, and fished her long sleeved shirt out of his backpack. She dropped them in her lap and looked at him for a moment. He was looking at her, and she was unable to read his thoughts.
    “Look, I’m really sorry about this,” she said. He lowered his head and rubbed his temple with his fingers, as if he had a headache. Then he sighed, and raised his head.
    “I know you are. I just think we might have a good thing going here. I would hate to see it fall apart already.” There was another silent moment as Liz considered how to answer that. He continued. “But I’m willing to give you some room. I will let you make the next move, ok? Let me know what you want to do.” He lifted a finger and gave her that intense look of his. “But I’ll tell you right now, I won’t wait forever. I don’t put my life on hold for other people, and I don’t expect people to do that for me.”
    She was taken aback by his abruptness, but admired it. He didn’t seem to have any trouble expressing his feelings. He obviously wasn’t into martyrdom or manipulation. You knew exactly what you got with Oded. She smiled and caressed his beard with her fingers. “That’s a deal. And I appreciate your honesty.” He thought of bringing up her dishonesty, but bit his tongue. Instead he kissed her, softly. He still wasn’t smiling, but that intense look was gone. She gathered up her things.
    “I’ll see you at work on Monday, ok?”
    He nodded, and watched as she got out of the car and headed up the walkway. Then he slowly pulled out and drove away.

    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

    Chapter 16

    The next two weeks were awkward and stressful for both Liz and Oded. He kept his promise to let her make the next move, although she could tell it was killing him. She caught him several times at work gazing at her. She could see on his face a mixture of sadness, longing, and frustration. She talked to him, but only relating to the business at hand. Other people on the set noticed the coolness between them, but didn’t say anything. They had probably seen it countless times before. It was nothing new to them. But it was new to Liz, and she hated it. The only thing she liked about staying away from Oded was that it cleared her mind, so she could think a little bit. One of the things she decided to do was to quit trying to solve this problem by herself and go to an AA meeting.
    She ended up going to a couple of them. It was nice visiting with her old friends. She found that she had really missed them. At the first meeting, she brought up as a topic her problems dealing with Oded. She talked about it being her first relationship since being sober, and always finding assholes before, and trying to figure out what was wrong with him, why she was attracted to him and he to her. Everyone in the meeting either told her things she wasn’t ready to hear, or her mind was so preoccupied with Oded that she didn’t listen, because she didn’t seem to get any resolutions. But she still enjoyed going, just to be around people she had a kinship with.
    One of the things that bothered her about Oded was that he wasn’t an alcoholic. Could she really have a serious relationship with someone that she didn’t share that kinship with? It seemed funny, being disappointed that someone wasn’t an alcoholic, but she felt much more comfortable around someone if they were. There was an instant bond.
    The next meeting she went to, she didn’t bring up the topic for the meeting, but somehow she ended up talking about Oded again anyway. She didn’t know how that happened. And her friends seemed to be repeating themselves, saying the same things that they said at the meeting before. But a little bit more sunk in this time. If nothing else, she seemed to hear all the popular slogans, “Let go and let God,” “One day at a time,” etc. Then, after the meeting, her friend Milt came up to her and asked her to speak at the next speaker’s meeting. These meetings were held once a month, on the last Saturday of the month. That was in a few weeks. The person would get up in front of the group and tell his or her story: what they used to be like, what happened, and what they were like now. He caught her off guard, and she found herself agreeing to it before she could think about it. She had never spoke before an AA group before. She immediately started to feel nervous about it, even though most of the people that would be there had already heard most of her story in bits and pieces over the years. But she didn’t change her mind about doing it. She figured it was probably something that she should do, that she was meant to do.

    The following week, more of what people were saying at the meetings must have been sinking in, because she found herself more relaxed, her mind less frozen in panic. She began to smile again. She also found herself missing Oded. She had felt the same out in LA, where she missed her friends and family from Montana. It was strange, feeling that way about a man. It was like missing an old friend. She would take drives around the countryside by herself, and see sites, and miss having Oded there to point them out to. She missed his companionship, his friendship.
    On the other hand, she also missed him as a man. The four years she had spent without one seemed like a dry desert now, and she was dying of thirst. She missed the aura a man possessed, the scents, the sounds, the feel of a man. Before she got sober, she had always been a sexual person. That was maybe one of her problems. She tended to think with her hormones, not her brain. Now she was finding that her sexual drive hadn’t diminished any, it had just gone underground for a while, as a river sometimes will during a drought. Now it was like springtime, and that river had surfaced again, now abounding with the melting snow from the mountains above. However, she thought that she could be a sexual person and still use her brain. She knew that she had changed a lot since getting sober, and had gained a little confidence in her ability to keep her head out of her ass.
    It was with these thoughts in her mind that Liz approached Oded the following Friday. It was at the end of the day, and everyone was walking toward their cars. She caught him just as he was reaching his Audi. He was wearing a t-shirt and jeans, having changed out of his costume. However, the tattoos were still on his cheeks and forehead. It gave for an odd appearance, and she couldn’t help but smile.
    He was standing next to the driver’s side door, digging in his front pocket for his keys when he looked up and saw her approach. He noticed her smile and returned it with his own tentative smile. She stopped next to him, then leaned against the door.
    “Hi,” she greeted, a little shy.
    “Hi, Liz.” She could still see the frustration and hurt in his eyes, but now there was hope too.
    She twined her fingers around themselves nervously. “Listen, I’m sorry for not talking to you sooner.” He was silent. “You’ve been really patient, more patient than I probably would have been in the same situation, and I do appreciate it.”
    He smiled a little more. “Well, I appreciate it that you appreciate it.” She snorted laughter, covering her mouth with her hand. It was a bad joke, but better than nothing at all. His smile broadened. She continued with her little speech.
    “I would really like to see this work, too. I’m sorry for treating you the way I have.” She paused. “Can we try this again?” She looked up at him anxiously. He stepped forward, pinned her against the car, and kissed her affectionately. All of a sudden it was ok between them and the awkwardness melted away. He broke the kiss and hugged her fiercely.
    “God, I missed you!” he whispered in her ear. She felt her knees want to buckle, and hugged him back just as tightly.
    “Jesus, Oded, I missed you too,” she replied.
    They drew back and looked at each other for a moment, their arms still around each other, savoring the feelings between them.
    “How about coming over to my place tomorrow evening?” he suggested. “Like I said before, it’s a great place, and it has a beautiful view off the deck. We could sit out there and have dinner.”
    She looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “Are you going to cook?”
    He threw back his head and laughed. “God, no! I was going to get a pizza delivered!” Her laughter mixed with his. “That sounds fine. Anything, really.” They pulled away from each other reluctantly. Oded gave her directions to his house, which was up one of the canyons outside of town. He then unlocked the driver’s door of his car and slid in. Liz leaned in the open door and kissed him again. “I’ll see you around 6:00,” she said.
    He nodded. “See you then.”
    They both had grins on their faces. She shut the door, and he started the car and pulled out of the make-shift parking lot. She turned and walked to her crew’s van, practically floating the whole way.

    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

    Chapter 17

    That Saturday afternoon she began getting ready to go out to Oded’s house. She couldn’t help but think about the subliminal suggestions about going out there. She didn’t know if he purposely chose a date where it would be easy to sleep together, but it was on her mind, almost on a subconscious level. There were nervous butterflies in her stomach again as she got dressed.
    She borrowed the second van again, after making sure no one needed it, and followed Oded’s directions to his house. She began on a street that started in town, then meandered into the hills a few miles. She then turned onto a dirt road, which branched off in several directions. One of those branches switch-backed further up a draw. It curved gently up the side of a hill, then ended in the driveway of a home perched on the side of the hill. The wood and stone home was receded into the ground, with a daylight basement underneath it. The driveway ended at the basement level. A redwood deck jutted out over the basement. She parked the van next to Oded’s Audi, grabbed her purse from the passenger seat, and got out. She climbed up the wooden stairs to the main entrance to the house. He opened the screen door just as she got there, and let her in.
    Liz stepped in and admired the interior of the house. It was a timber frame home, probably about ten years old. The entry where she was standing led to the open living and dining rooms. The kitchen was at the rear of the house, separated from the dining room by a large island. The far wall of the living room was split in half by a river rock fireplace. Bookending the fireplace were huge windows, giving a commanding view of the entire canyon. A pair of french doors off to one side led to the deck, which was on the other side of the windows. The floors were warm douglas fir with earth colored area rugs scattered about. Comfortable overstuffed furniture made the living room casual and inviting.
    “Wow, this is a great place!” she exclaimed.
    “Ya, not bad, huh?” he said with a smile. “It’s a vacation home that the owner rents out by the week, month, whatever. It’s in nice shape for such a place. A lot of times they’re pretty beat up.”
    He put a hand lightly on the small of her back and guided her into the house. “Come on in, make yourself at home. The pizza’s not here yet, but you can grab something to drink out of the fridge. It should be here anytime.”
    Just then the doorbell rang behind them. They turned to see the pizza delivery boy standing in the doorway. Oded turned back to Liz, waving in the direction of the fridge. “Go ahead and get something to drink. I’ll take care of this.” He fished his wallet out of his back pocket and greeted the boy as she walked into the kitchen, dropping her purse onto the dining room table along the way.
    She opened the fridge and grabbed a cold Pepsi. She noticed that the inside looked like the typical bachelor’s fridge. It contained a half gallon of milk, some old Chinese take out, a butter dish, half a dozen eggs, and the pepsi. She happened to glance at the open garbage can next to the fridge and spied a couple full bottles of beer in it. They had been half-way buried under the other swill. She just smiled and shook her head. It was funny how normies reacted to her being an alcoholic.
    Oded walked up behind her and dropped the pizza on the island counter. “Would you mind grabbing me a pepsi, too?” She reached back in and got another one. She closed the door, turned around, and looked at him. She couldn’t help but tease him.
    “Are you sure you don’t want one of those beers you threw away?”
    His face flushed with embarrassment. “Uh, I…I…”
    Liz laughed. “It’s ok. You don’t have to hide your alcohol from me. If I’m going to go out and drink, there’s nothing you can do to stop me. But if I’m going to drink, I’m not going to waste four years of sobriety on a couple beers. I would go down to the liquor store and buy half a gallon of vodka.” He looked shocked. She laughed again. “Normies don’t have a clue.”
    He frowned, puzzled. “Normies?”
    “That’s what us alcoholics call anyone who’s not in a 12-step program. As in, normal people.”
    He took his pepsi from her and smiled. “Well, then I guess I’m a normie.”
    She just looked at him and returned his smile. He didn’t have a clue that he didn’t have to announce it. It was written on his forehead in big neon letters.
    Oded set down his pepsi next to the cardboard pizza box, walked around the island to the overhead cupboards and got out two plates. He returned to the island, opened the box, and plopped a couple pieces onto each plate. He got tomato sauce on his fingers, and quickly licked it off. Liz felt her palms break out in a sweat as he sucked the sauce off his thumb. She loved those full lips of his. He grabbed a couple napkins from their holder and picked up his plate and pepsi.
    “You ready to go out on the deck?” he asked, looking at her.
    “Sure,” she replied, and had to clear her throat a little.
    He spied the strange look in her eyes and frowned slightly. “What’s wrong?”
    She felt her face flush and mentally cursed. “Nothing.” He just looked at her a moment longer, then turned around and led the way to the deck.
    She picked up her plate and pepsi and followed him through the french doors onto the deck, where there were two redwood chairs. They both sat down, putting their plates in their laps as there was no table. The railing around the deck was low enough so that even sitting down they had a panoramic view of the canyon below. A light breeze was blowing, keeping the unshaded platform from getting too hot.
    They looked out over the land below. The various evergreen and deciduous trees that surrounded the back and sides of the house swooped down the hill, joining other groups, hiding other homes from their view. Liz could see an occasional glint of sun off glass across the canyon, but other than that, the homes were well hidden. The area was very well developed to keep it as pristine as possible. The road that she had driven up snaked along the bottom, looking small from so far up. The far hills were framed by the mountains further beyond.
    “I can see why you spend a lot of time out here,” Liz commented.
    Oded nodded. “If I come out here in the early morning or late evening and stay real quiet, sometimes a few deer will come out of the trees and graze on the grass.”
    She looked at him and smiled. “I’m glad you like the outdoors as much as I do.”
    “Ya, this is a little different than what I’m used to, though. I’ve always lived near the ocean, so I’m used to that type of outdoors, swimming, etc.” He shrugged. “But I guess it’s all basically the same. The outdoors are the outdoors.” She wanted to be courageous and suggest that he take her to the ocean sometime, but that required a little more commitment than what she was willing to say out loud right now. God knows where they would be when this shoot was over. She knew they both lived in the LA area, but that was a whole other world. He seemed to sense what she was thinking, and waited to see if she would say anything. But she didn’t. She just turned back to the view and took a bite of pizza.
    They put their feet up on the railing, eating dinner and enjoying the view. They would talk for a while, then sit in silence for a while. They spied a hawk floating over the canyon, zig-zagging back and forth on the currents, hunting for a meal.
    Even when they sat in silence they seemed to have a subliminal communication. Liz didn’t eat very much, because as time passed her stomach became more nervous with butterflies. She and Oded would occasionally glance at each other, and each time a bolt of electricity seemed to pass between them. The sexual tension built up until it seemed like she could have wrung it out of the air like water out of a wet cloth. They both knew what was going to happen later. It was just a matter of time. Liz’s face flushed. She touched her cheek with the back of her hand, and her skin was hot. She seemed more aware of her breasts as sexual flesh, how they stood out from her body. Oded seemed to be feeling the atmosphere also, because he shuffled in his chair, tugging at the sleeves of his t-shirt, playing with his watchband, his crossed feet on the deck railing twitching. Liz very studiously watched the scenery, keeping from looking at him. She wanted him badly, but on the other hand was scared to death of him.
    Just when Liz thought she couldn’t take the atmosphere any more, Oded said quietly, “Hey.” She turned to look at him. He was gazing at her intensely, those chestnut eyes almost on fire. He held up his hand, giving her a “come here” gesture with his finger. She leaned toward him over the side of her chair. He met her halfway and kissed her, his hand sliding along her neck and into her loose hair. Her heart seemed to seize in her chest, then beat double time. She put her hand lightly on his forearm, feeling the fine hairs there. Oded dropped his feet from the railing and slowly stood up, bringing her with him, their lips still sealed. He stepped back from her, breaking the kiss and looking at her. He was asking her without saying anything if this was what she wanted. She answered in the same way, by closing the distance between them, pressing her body against his, and kissing him fully. She knew that there was no way she could have said no anyway. She had been beyond saying no as soon as she had walked through the front door. He wrapped his arms around her waist as she wrapped her own around his neck. Their sexual fervor exploded with anticipation.
    After a few moments, Oded broke the kiss again, stepped back, and took her hand. He opened the french door and led her slowly into the living room, past the kitchen, down a hallway, and finally up a flight of stairs. The upstairs was the master suite. The large bedroom had a high, light-colored ceiling with two skylights and light-colored walls. On the far wall was the doorway to the bathroom. A soft tan carpet covered the floor. At the center of the far wall was a large bed with a slightly rumpled dark colored comforter.
    He led her to the side of the bed, never letting go of her hand. Then he turned to her and pulled her to him, resuming the kiss where they had left off. Liz felt her mind shut off and her hormones take control. She also felt emotions that scared her, feelings for Oded like affection and tenderness, that she wasn’t ready to deal with. So she did what she had always done, which was to throw them into a cage inside her heart, where no one could get in and hurt her.
    He slid his arms around her waist again, pressing her body against his. As she entwined her fingers in his hair, she could feel his erection prodding her. She had forgotten how much power there was in arousing a man, and wallowed in that feeling. She rubbed herself against him, inciting a groan out of him. Her body began to throb in rhythm with her heartbeat.
    She pulled back and looked at him. He was wearing another close-fitting t-shirt, this one forest green. It lined the muscles of his torso, giving Liz a teasing idea of what was underneath. She admired him for a moment, then couldn’t stand it anymore. She tugged at his shirt, pulling it from within the waist band of his jeans. She pulled it up and over his head, having to stand on her toes. Oded grabbed it and slipped it over his arms, letting it drop to the floor. She gazed at his bare chest and rippled stomach.
    “Oh my, Oded,” she purred, running her hands over them. There was a greedy look in her eyes. He chuckled a little self-consciously and bent to kiss her again. Soon he was tugging at her own shirt and pulling it over her head. As he resumed caressing her lips, she could feel their bare skin touching and their combined body heat. She had had many fantasies of this scenario over the years, and the fact that it was finally coming true was about to drive her over the edge. His cologne filled her nostrils. His heavy breathing filled her ears. And she wanted him to fill that void inside of her, to be inside of her. The anticipation was almost too much.
    He quickly unhooked her bra. It joined the other clothing on the floor. As he slowly kissed her lips, then her cheek, then her jaw, and finally her earlobe, his hand glided down and cupped the warmth of her breast, stroking her nipple lightly, bringing it immediately to attention. Oded probed her ear with his tongue, pressing his erection against her with the same rhythm. She groaned and clutched his ass with her hands, pressing him to her even harder. She could feel the hardness of his muscles through the soft denim. He let go his own groan, his breath a hot gust against her skin.
    He left her ear, trailing warm moist kisses down her throat, over her collarbone, and finally to where his hand was on her breast. He kissed her nipple, then inhaled it into his soft mouth, twirling his tongue around it. His breath chilled her wet skin while his facial hair pricked it lightly, sending chills up her spine.
    She impatiently put her hand under the shelf of his jaw and raised his head back up to hers. He smiled at her, his full lips still moist. She smiled back, then kissed him, slipping her tongue into his mouth and tasting him. Her hands slid around the waist of his pants to the front and slowly unbuttoned them. She hooked her thumbs around them and his underwear and slid both down over his slim hips. He quickly stepped out of them, stopping only to kick off his loafers. She stepped back and admired him fully naked. As she looked him up and down, a smile as rich as a dollop of cream spread across her face. “Oh, boy,” she sighed. “This is going to be fun.” He smiled back, his eyes almost black with excitement.
    Liz stepped back toward him, kissing him on the mouth. She then trailed her lips over his chin, feeling his stiff but silky beard. She worked her way down to his adam’s apple, where she stopped to pirouette her tongue around it. She felt his skin vibrate under her lips as he sighed. His hands groped for her, finding her breasts and massaging them roughly. She further traced down his body until she encountered his nipples. She gave each one special attention, kissing and tongueing and biting, then blowing on his wet skin, watching them become rigid. She ran her hands over his abs, then curved around his waist to clutch and caress his ass, feeling the soft hairs there. Then one hand trailed back to his front, dropping seductively down to run her fingers through the thicket of black curls and gently cup his tight balls. She toyed with them until he groaned, then brought her hand up to close around his erect penis. She whispered her fingers up and down the length of him slowly. As she was doing this, her mouth left his nipples. She trailed her tongue down the center of his torso, leaving a moist trail behind her. Oded entwined his fingers in her hair, sucking a breath through his clenched teeth.
    As she reached his penis, she veered off to one side and continued down, stopping at the strap of muscle on each side. She kissed and tickled there until his skin began to tremble.
    “God, Liz,” Oded groaned. “You are going to kill me.” He tried to guide her with his hands, to take his penis into her mouth. She just laughed against his skin. “I’m just getting started,” she replied. She ran her fingers through his thick pubic hair again, then pulled her head back to look at his erection. She let him savor the anticipation, then brought herself forward, running her tongue wetly up the length of his penis, feeling the velvety skin, which always reminded her of rose petals. She finished by placing a kiss lightly on the tip, then continued back up his stomach, relishing the salty taste of his skin. He let out his pent up breath in a gust, clutching her hair in his large hands.
    When she was finally standing upright again, looking into his eyes, Oded brought her face towards his and kissed her roughly, inhaling deeply.
    “That was not nice,” he growled.
    Liz gave him an evil smile. “Would you like me to stop?”
    He smiled back. “Hell no!”
    She chuckled, constantly caressing his body all over with her hands. Then she sauntered around to his back, trailing her hands lightly along his body.
    “What are you doing?” Oded asked quietly. She didn’t answer, just chuckled again. She stopped when she was standing directly behind him. She took a moment to admire his body, his broad shoulders, his narrow waist, sweeping down to his tight ass. Her mouth was watering. She stepped towards him, pressing her breasts against his back. She swept his long hair from his shoulders and kissed him on the base of the neck. Then she slowly lowered herself, trailing her wet tongue down his spine and running her breasts down his back. She finished by caressing his ass with her breasts and placing a soft kiss on the base of his spine. She felt him arch his back and groan. She looked up to see him throw his head back, his dark hair falling back in rich curls. Then she slowly worked her way up until she was standing again, stopping only to fondle a mole on his back, and slipped around to the front of him again.
    Oded pulled her to him and crushed her body against his, growling as he ran his hands over her ass. He almost squeezed the breath out of her with his strength. He slid his hands around to her front and quickly unzipped her pants and pulled them down with her panties, running his hands over her fair skin as he did so. She deftly stepped out of them and her shoes. He passed one large hand over her ass, then lowered it down her leg until he caught the back of her knee. He pulled her leg up along his side, giving him access to her. She placed her foot on the bed, widening herself even more to him. She wanted him so bad she could taste it, but she was also loving the anticipation. As he kissed her forcefully, he slid his hand along her inner thigh, then slipped a probing finger into her warmth. She inhaled sharply. God, it had been a long time since anyone had touched her there! She felt like she was on a hair trigger. All of her muscles were aching and trembling.
    “Jesus, ‘Ded,” she groaned. “I want you inside of me!” He answered with his own muffled “Yes!” against her neck. His finger rubbed that sensitive little bud of silk, trying to bring her to a quick orgasm. He almost made it. Liz had to will herself not to go over the edge. She wanted to keep the anticipation going for as long as possible for both of them.
    She pulled back from him, watching those beautiful eyes with her own, and laid back onto the bed, spreading her legs, that rich smile still on her lips. Her eagerness was almost overwhelming as she watched him kneel on the bed, then slowly lower himself on top of her. She relished the weight of him on top of her, the feel of his hot skin against hers. He bent his head to her breasts again. She clutched her hands in his mass of hair and watched him as he caressed her nipples with his soft, full lips, his moist tongue. She loved watching a man work.
    He slowly made his way back up to her lips as his hand stole between her legs again, exploring her warmth. Then she felt his erection against her skin, and had one more moment of exquisite anticipation before he slipped deliciously into her. Oded watched her face, enjoying her expression as she groaned, releasing her held breath, as he filled that empty space inside of her.
    “Oh, god, Oded, you feel so good!” Liz cried. He bit his lower lip and moaned along with her. She wrapped her legs around his and slid her arms around his back and over his ass, feeling his muscles flex as he worked. She clenched him with her hands, and he responded by thrusting as far into her as he could, startling a gasp out of her. Every time he moved and created that tantalizing friction, she groaned in response.
    He continued kissing her about the face and neck with his warm lips, his heavy breath flooding her skin, on her cheeks, her jaw, her eyelids, her ears. She could feel her skin over her entire body flush as they both broke out in a light sheen of sweat from their exertion. Their sweat and the smell of their act created an intoxicating musky perfume in the air. She savored the look of ecstasy on his face as he thrust inside her. He slowly increased their rhythm, he leading her, until they approached their climaxes, then slowly decreased it until they were barely moving. Liz thought the pressure building inside her was going to cause her head to explode. She made grabbing gestures at anything, clutching the cloth of the comforter, Oded’s hair, his back, his ass, anything to hold on. He watched, smiling, as her desire glowed on her face.
    Suddenly she couldn’t stand it anymore, and pushed him back, then on his side, then rolled them over until she was on top, never letting him slip from her. Now she was back in control, and chuckled as she sat up, straddling his hips. He returned her smile. She began moving up and down his erection at an excruciatingly slow pace, feeling his tip penetrate her, then sliding down, grabbing his hips and impaling herself on him, taking all of him in, letting her head fall back, her blond hair cascading down her back. He laid back and enjoyed the ride, sliding his hands all over her body, her hips, her legs, her breasts. She chuckled at the look of extreme pleasure on his face. She slowly increased their pace, working up to the crescendo. Soon they were pounding at an almost frantic pace, his hands on her hips, adding his own strength.
    When she judged he was almost to the point of no return, she quickly sat up, rolled off him, and got out of bed. He gasped and brought his head up, his eyes widening in shock, his penis waving indignantly in the air.
    “What the hell are you doing?!” he cried, his voice cracking.
    She smiled at him, relishing the turmoil on his face. “I don’t know about you, but my throat is dry. I’m going to get a glass of water. Do you want anything?”
    “Oh, my god!” he gasped, and flopped back.
    “I’ll be right back,” she purred, and walked into the bathroom.
    A few minutes later she came back, slowly sipping from a glass. She admired his body and the still shocked look on his face. The power she was feeling of controlling their sex was overwhelming. She climbed back onto the bed and once again straddled his hips.
    “Want some?” she asked, holding up the glass with an evil smile.
    “No, I don’t want any damn water!” he responded gruffly. She chuckled and shrugged her shoulders innocently.
    He began messaging her body with his hands again, almost roughly. “I want to be inside you!”
    “Well, let’s see if we can remedy that, then,” she replied. With the glass still in one hand, she stroked his erection with her body, then with the other hand deftly guided him into her. She began creating that delicious friction again. She took occasional sips from the glass, and struck up a casual conversation with him, as if they were on a dinner date instead of having sex. He seemed to have some trouble following the subject. After a while their pace quickened and their talk trailed off, forgotten. Liz placed the glass on the bedside table and got serious. Their rhythm turned harder and faster. When they were both on the brink of their climaxes, she lowered her body, grabbed him, and rolled them back over so he was on top of her once again.
    She kissed him passionately, then whispered in his ear, “Come in me, Oded.” He growled his response, and began thrusting into her. She clutched his ass, feeling his muscles quiver, on the edge of exhaustion. They both started crying out their exertion and fervor, his bass to her soprano. As their climaxes hit them, both their bodies turned rigid, trembling. He continued thrusting deeply, his tendons standing out on his neck, his teeth clenched, as he filled her. Each time he thrust, a climax drove through her body like an ocean wave, stopping her breath and freezing her body. He thrust one last time, grabbing her shoulders with his hands and using every muscle in his body to go as deep as he could. Her breath was still locked in her chest from her own orgasm as she felt him spasm inside her.
    Finally their bodies unclenched, and he fell on top of her in exhaustion, both of them releasing their pent-up breath in gasps. Liz’s entire body, from head to toe, tingled from her climaxes. She felt light-headed from lack of oxygen. The muscles of her entire mid-section trembled with fatigue. Now she remembered why poets always compared orgasm to death.
    “Oh, my god, Liz, that was fantastic!” Oded panted, kissing her on the ear as he laid his head in the crook of her neck. She caressed the soft skin of his back and ass with her hands. “Yes, it was,” she replied, still catching her breath. “I think I just died.” He chuckled, his breath warming her skin.
    He sat up, preparing to leave her. She grabbed him by the shoulders. “Don’t go,” she smiled. “Melt inside of me.” He lowered himself again and quickly thrust into her, surprising a gasp out of her. “That’s never going to happen if you keep talking like that,” he replied, his voice a velvet purr.
    They stayed that way for a while, she caressing his body, enjoying the feel of his body and the weight of him on top of her, the moisture of their combined sweat. He continued kissing her, tasting her skin, her face, her neck.
    Only after both their bodies had totally relaxed, did she allow him to leave her. He pulled out gently, leaving her with that empty feeling again. As he rolled over onto his back, she rolled with him, ending up with his arm around her, her head resting on his chest. As they had their after-sex conversation, she relished the resonant sound of his voice in his chest, the pull of air in and out of his lungs, the constant thub-lub of his heartbeat. She smiled as his warm seed trickled down her inner thigh, content as a cat that has gotten into the cream.



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    Evolution Of A Woman - Chapters 18-25