| Neighbors By Lilybird |
| Scene 20: Jeff hadn't seen her all day and finally decided he would stop over and see what she was up to. It was after 4:30 and when he got to her lab discovered she had already left for the day. He stopped by the office to talk to her secretary and got her home number and address, wondering when he left, what the weird look from her secretary had been about when he asked how to find her. He was starting to suspect she was more serious than he thought with the guy she had been on the phone with and that maybe stopping by her place would be a good way to gauge whether he had chance with her or not. She had been busy until 4:00, then when Oded called and said he'd be late again she had decided to head home. She was hungry and needed to go grocery shopping. She grabbed the new sweatshirt, knowing she probably couldn't give it to him until Friday or maybe even Saturday, and wrapped the lilies in paper, determined to get them home on her bike. After dinner, she puttered around for a few hours and then lonely and distracted decided finally to head out for her nightly swim. Twenty minutes into her laps she heard the gate at the pool and looked up. Her heart jumped hoping it was Oded. It was not. Instead she was shocked to see Jeff. "Hey... you didn't tell me you were a swimmer," he yelled out smiling at her. He had arrived a few minutes before and ringing her doorbell had got no answer. He walked around back to see if she was outside and heard splashing in the pool. He smiled when he realized it was her, and that she was alone. She swam over to the side of the pool as he came in. "Jeff, what are you doing here?" she asked bewildered. "I didn't get a chance to see you today, I called to see if you wanted some coffee and your secretary said you had gone home, I just thought I'd stop by and see if you wanted to go for a walk or maybe get some dessert." He looked down at her as she hung onto the pool ladder, letting his gaze wander over the wet skin on her chest watching her breasts rise and fall as she breathed heavily from her exercise. "She has other plans," came the deep voice from behind him. Jeff spun around and Abby leaned out of the pool, both surprised to hear another voice. Neither had heard the pool gate, but she knew who it was immediately. "Who the hell are you?" snapped Jeff, taking a step backwards and closer to the pool. "Jeff," Abby interrupted as she saw Oded's eyes get dark and his jaw set. She climbed out of the pool as fast as she could. "This is Oded Fehr, he's my . . . neighbor..." she still was faltering about what to say about him. She glanced at Oded as she grabbed her towel; his eyes still dark, now glaring at her, she felt burned by them. She knew what she said, or more importantly what she had not said, had not made him happy, especially after their conversation this afternoon. His eyes snapped back as Jeff spoke, not acknowledging the introduction, "Well, I think Abby can decide for herself what her plans are," he said in a voice that betrayed the fact that Oded was obviously making him nervous. He was trying to keep his eyes on Oded, but was also watching Abby as she quickly dried off and was wrapping her towel around her wet body. Oded saw Jeff look Abby up and down as she dried herself off, and he turned livid. She was totally oblivious. He strode over to her as she finished wrapping her towel around her waist. He put himself between the two of them, and placed his hand on her back as he turned to Jeff, an obvious claim on her that no one missed, including Abby. She stepped forward away from Oded but said, "Jeff, I'm sorry but I really do have plans. I'll see you tomorrow at lunch." It was a poor consolation, and Jeff knew it, but he nodded. He turned to go, again ignoring Oded. Abby followed him to the pool gate, Oded didn't move. Jeff turned to Abby, "Are you sure you want me to leave you alone with him?" He knew the answer, but still half hoped that maybe this guy wasn't the one who had sent her flowers, he had tried to convince himself the romance was long distance, but now he knew it wasn't. Abby chuckled, "Yes, don't worry, apparently he has tendencies towards protectiveness." She glanced back at him. He had sat on one of the lounge chairs, but his eyes were still fixed on the two of them, the heat in his stare sending electricity down her spine. "I'll see you tomorrow." "Perhaps next time I should call first?" Jeff was grasping for any sign from her that this thing with the tall dark handsome one wasn't all that serious. "Probably a good idea." Turning to look back at Oded. She knew she needed to get Jeff to leave and quick. "I'll see you tomorrow," he leaned down and kissed her on the cheek, watching over her shoulder for the response. He turned quickly to go when he saw Oded tense and jump off the chair. He didn't have a good feeling from Abby about how serious she was with this guy. She had stepped away from Oded when he put his hand on her, much like she had done with him in the student union. She also had not responded negatively when he suggested he call next time. She may not think this thing with Oded was serious, but it was obvious Oded did. He'd have to watch his step he thought. He left before she could say anything about the kiss. She turned as soon as Jeff had kissed her cheek, but he was already two steps away. Then she flew around looking at Oded; he was standing, his arms crossed across his chest, his eyes burning, his ears red as can be. She was totally unprepared for any of this. She walked slowly up to him, completely aroused at the idea that he was so jealous, but a little stung by his alpha male behavior. "What are you doing home? I thought you were going to be late again?" she asked, her voice quivering a little. He didn't answer her. "What was he doing here? Why did you let him kiss you like that? What would you have done if I hadn't shown up when I did?" still angry at the blatant way Jeff had looked at her in her swimming suit. She was quiet for a moment, trying to decide how to handle this situation. She knew he was angry, and he really didn't have any reason to be, and it wouldn't help if she got angry back. But this dominant male thing, was getting her dander up, and she had to suppress the urge to be snippy back to him, she felt like he was blaming her for Jeff's presence. "I didn't invite him here... He apparently got my address from school and he stopped by on his own. You got here right after he did, I wasn't expecting either one of you." He visibly softened. She had carefully tried to diffuse him and it had worked. She was standing right in front of him and he could see she was getting cold in her swimsuit. He reached out and pulled her close to him wrapping his arms around her. He bent down and softly kissed her lips, as she lifted her face to look at him. "I'm sorry," he whispered into her ear. "You know he wants you don't you..." it was a statement and not a question. "I do now," she rested her head against his chest, "but you don't need to be angry. I don't want him." He smiled and took a deep breath, pulling her even tighter against him. "Do you want to go inside? You feel cold." She nodded, but didn't let go of him. She was surprised he said her skin felt cold, inside she was flushed with heat, and could feel the heat from his body against her own. She hadn't thought she would see him tonight, and now that he was here and Jeff was gone, she found herself nervous and excited. They stood there for what seemed like minutes, not saying anything. He rested his head against the top of hers, holding her tight, running his hands along her spine. He felt all the anger he had inside change into desire. Finally she pulled away, "so what are you doing home? I really thought you wouldn't be early tonight." "They got done with my scenes. Normally I'd hang around and watch the rest of the shoot, but the idea of coming home to see you seemed like it would be more fun..." he took her hand as they headed back up the walk to the townhouses. "And I guess I'm glad I did... Abby, you should be careful around that guy. Do you have any idea how he was looking at you when you climbed out of the pool?" "And how was that? It seems to me I've caught you looking at me in the pool too." Oded's ears flushed red, he was busted. She laughed at him, and let go of his hand as she pulled open the sliding glass door to her living room. He followed her in, grabbing the edge of her towel as she stepped in front of him. She suddenly felt very cold air on her legs and turned to see him holding her towel in his hand. His eyes getting that sexy look in them. "I'd say he was looking at you something more like this." She felt his eyes drop to her feet and slowly work their way back up her body, pausing on her hips and waist and then on her breasts, which had turned erect in response to him she realized, as his gaze burned into her. When he finally raised his eyes to meet hers he could see the passion in her eyes, and the blush on her cheeks. "I see..." she barely whispered. He walked closer to her, and dropping her towel he reached up and with the palm of his hand brushed across her breast, cupping it his fingers, touching nothing else on her, looking into her eyes the entire time. His touch sent heat scorching through her body and pooled wetness between her legs, and the look in his chocolate eyes made her weak all over. She held his gaze, watching his eyes sparkle. She stepped closer to him, pressing her body against his, his hand still on her breast, she tipped her head up and wrapping her hand around his neck pulled his lips down to hers. He met her tongue with his own as they shared a deep kiss that told the other exactly how much they had longed to do this very thing. He wrapped his arms around her and with his hands pushed her hard against him, she could feel the hardness in his pants press against her stomach, and she knew full well how much he wanted her. She wanted him too. He bent and kissed her neck, trailing his tongue along her collarbone, swirling it in the hollow at the base of her throat, which always drove her nuts. Bringing his hand back to her breast, squeezing her hard, he heard her gasp and then bury her face in his hair. He moved his hands to her shoulders and pulled the straps of her suit down her arms, trying to free her breasts. She stood up straight against him, stopping her suit from sliding down any further. He leaned into her, trying to melt her against him again, but she dropped her hands to his arms and unwrapped herself from his embrace, stepping back. "Oded... I'm covered in chlorine; you wouldn't like the taste... " she blushed and looked at the floor, "I should go shower." She turned away from him; not sure her legs would carry her. He let her go, but moaned out loud and started mumbling in Hebrew when she walked away, then she heard him flop himself down on the couch. She raced upstairs; her heart beating so fast she thought it might explode. She tore off her suit and climbed into the shower. She grabbed a washcloth and debated about what bodywash to use. She stood there imagining his mouth on her skin and felt her legs quiver again. She opted for 'summer pear' and hoped it tasted as good as it smelled. 'What am I doing?... I can't believe this is happening.' Her head swam with the idea that she had basically told him she was going upstairs to shower so that she would 'taste' better for him. Her entire body blushed. She couldn't back out now... 'could she?' Suddenly it occurred to her that he might come up looking for her. She turned off the water and grabbed a towel. She raced for the bedroom, throwing clothes in the hamper, she hadn't even made the bed... She stood in front of her dresser. 'What am I supposed to put on?' her mind screamed at her. Her mind flashed to the image of him taking whatever she was about to put on, back off of her body again. She was a hormonal mess. She couldn't go downstairs in a towel. She threw on underwear, a T-shirt, no bra, and a pair of shorts. She went in the bathroom to brush her hair, trying to catch her breath. Wondering what he was doing downstairs. He had started out on the couch, painfully frustrated that she had just walked away from him. He sat listening to the water run upstairs. The image of her in the shower brought his first fantasy about her back into his mind and he groaned again, wanting so badly to go upstairs and join her. 'Why not...' he asked himself. She had said as she walked away that she wanted to wash off the chlorine, that she didn't think he would like the taste of her... the taste of her... He heard her words over and over in his head, thinking about what he would taste first when she came back downstairs. He couldn't stand it. He stood up and walked to the stairs, still hearing the water running. He headed up the stairs, but then he stopped himself. No, he would let her come downstairs when she was ready. He went back to the couch. He sat. He fidgeted. He really hadn't planned for this. He thought they would wait until the weekend. But he wanted her so badly, and she seemed to want him too. 'Why hadn't she invited him upstairs?' he started to wonder. Maybe she wasn't ready for this; maybe she had been looking for an escape. His stomach growled. He was starving. He was as much of a mess as she was. When she finally came back downstairs she found him in her kitchen raiding her refrigerator. He had found the left over Oreos and now he was drinking milk directly out of the carton. 'Do you ever use a glass?' she asked, thinking of the way she had seen him drink orange juice from his refrigerator the same way. She caught him by such surprise he choked and spit milk all over the floor. "What?... My god... don't scare me like that" he about yelled, milk dripping from his beard. She laughed at him. "Well, that's a sight." She tossed him a towel and noticed his ears were red again. She smiled and went to get a glass from the cupboard. He watched her walk past him and noticed her legs as he bent down to wipe milk off the floor. She was barefoot, a pair of shorts peaking out from under the T-shirt she wore. She wasn't wearing a bra, and he could see the peaks of her breasts raised against her shirt as she reached up for the glass in the cupboard. He would have to act fast or he didn't think he could stop himself. "Abby..." he started, standing to face her. "Yes..." she looked at him. His eyes were warm and still sparked with desire. She knew her hands were shaking, and just hoped it wasn't in her voice. He took her hands in his, but didn't pull her close to him. He looked down at her feet, he couldn't believe he was about to say this. "I don't think..." he couldn't say it. "You don't think what?" she asked slowly, a hint of panic now in her voice. "I think we should wait." He said it. He looked up and caught her gaze, her eyes looked confused. "Okay..." she pulled her hands out of his and turned to pour him some milk. She could feel tears in her eyes. 'Just like always,' she thought, 'even after what he had said to her on the phone today, in the end he had changed his mind.' "Okay... just okay?" he asked, trying to get her to turn around. "What do you want me to say?" she got angry, "I race upstairs to shower, expecting... and I come down and you've decided you aren't interested... fine... I understand." She couldn't look at him, in fact she didn't understand, but she desperately was trying to turn her hurt to anger. "You think I'm not interested?... that I don't want to... you have no idea how hard it is for me to not haul your ass back upstairs..." he hadn't expected this reaction, his voice was tinged with exasperation, he choose a few choice words in Hebrew to spout at her, knowing she wouldn't understand him. He didn't know what he had expected, but it wasn't this... he had thought it would be better for her, that she would want to slow this back down, that he was giving her a chance to reconsider and now she was mad at him. When she heard his words she started to cry, she hated it when she lost control like this. He grabbed her and pulled her tight against him. "I'm okay with waiting, I really am... but why? After what you told me this morning, I don't understand, after what you wrote on the card with the lilies..." she asked chokingly between tears trying to look up at him. His heart dropped as he tried to console her, he lifted her up onto the counter and slid between her legs pressing his chest against hers. He held her face in his hands, wiping tears from her cheeks, he leaned into her and kissed her cheeks, and eyes, her nose and finally her lips. She stopped crying and tried to smile, wiping her eyes with her shirtsleeve. "Why would you still think that I wouldn't want you?" he asked, his voice deep and sexy again. "I want you so badly, it would scare you if you could truly know." "Then why? Did I do something? Is it because of what happened with Jeff earlier, that I didn't tell him about you?" she asked again, back in control. "Oh Xatixa, no...I don't care about Jeff, he's nothing." He hadn't called her that all day, she smiled as he brushed his beard against her cheek. He leaned into her and whispered in her ear, "I just don't want to rush this, I'm trying to figure out my feelings for you... I don't want this to be just physical". He looked at her. Her eyes were calm, and warm again. "Alright... I don't want that either" she answered. She glowed in the realization that he had stopped himself and wanted to go slowly for her sake. That his feelings were as confusing as hers were, "but how long do we have to wait?" she smiled mischievously wrapping her arms around his neck and nuzzling his beard with her nose. He laughed deeply. He leaned down to her and kissed her hungrily, pulling on her bottom lip with his teeth. "Don't worry vixen... I don't think I can hold out for long." She smiled and kissed him back. Then she reached around with one hand and grabbed his ass, making him jump as she pinched him, then patted his backside as she jumped off the counter and turned back towards the refrigerator. She giggled, relaxing a little, and she honestly was a little relieved they had decided to slow things down again. "Did you actually want something to eat?" she asked bending over to grab a nectarine, "or will Oreos and milk be a good enough dinner." He took advantage of the situation to pinch her back and she just about hit her head on the top of the refrigerator as she jumped and tried to turn around. She heard him laugh and stood up to see his million dollar smile beaming down at her. His eyes had laugh lines around them and sparkled deeply. "I guess I deserved that," she laughed back. She handed him the nectarine and poured some water for them both. He followed her to the living room, and sat at one end of the couch. She sat at the other end, keeping some space between them, tucking her feet up next to her sideways. They sat and talked about how the week had gone. She told him about her lab experiments, all the meetings she had gone to. Then she remembered the sweatshirt. She jumped off the couch and grabbed the bag from the table in the hall. She walked back into the living room and handed him the bag as she sat back down at the end of the couch, pulling her knees up to her chin. "This is for you," she said. He looked at her, confused, holding the bag. "Just open it... you've spoiled me this week with flowers, it's just something I wanted you to have." He smiled, looking at her, then like a little boy; he yanked open the bag to see what was inside. He reached in and pulled out the sweatshirt, holding it up to look at it. She had pulled herself closer to him, now kneeling on the couch next to him, looking over the sweatshirt to see his reaction. He looked up at her. "Thank you..."he looked again at the sweatshirt, standing to hold it up against himself. "Try it on, I know it's probably too warm to wear now, but let's see if it fits." She had dropped back into the corner of the couch again, looking at him expectantly. He pulled it over his head, running his hand over the letters on his chest, smiling at her. "Do you like it?" she asked, hopeful, pleased with how it looked on him. The color was great on him. "I do, very much," he said honestly pleased with the gift. Then he got a little frown on his face. "What?" she asked immediately, worried about the reaction. "Nothing... I really do love it, thank you... it's just a little weird for me... I never went to a formal college, I've never had a college sweatshirt. I went to theatre school, but..." She stood again, and wrapped her arms around him, pressing her cheek to his chest, hugging him tightly, his arms coming around her shoulders as he leaned his head down to rest on top of hers. "I think it looks great on you, I'm glad you like it." They both stood still, both thinking again of the conversation they had earlier on the phone, about Oded admitting he was intimidated by her education. Neither brought it up, neither wanting to open that conversation again, not now, not yet anyway. He lifted his head as he felt her lift hers and looked down at her. He kissed her softly and she responded in kind. Then she stood back from him, running her hands across the UBC on his chest. He reached down and pulled the sweatshirt back off, running his hands through his short hair to brush the new sweatshirt fuzz out of it. She plucked a piece from his beard, and smiled. "Thank you," he told her again, laying the sweatshirt on the arm of the couch next to him. " 'ded, I'm going to make some tea, would you like something?" she asked, wanting to break the little bit of awkwardness that still hung in the air. "Yes, please," he answered, still plucking fuzz from his shirt, stopping to look up at her. He really did like the gift, but the implications of the college letters bothered him more than he wanted to admit. He looked at her, then smiled as the warmth in her eyes tried to console him. She left for the kitchen, and he walked over to her bookshelf, for the first time looking at the things she read. He shook his head a little and sighed. They really were from different worlds, and he was indeed a little worried, afraid she would grow bored of him. She returned carrying two cups of tea, handing him one as he walked back towards the couch. While in the kitchen waiting for the water to heat up she had watched him looking at her bookshelf, wondering what he was thinking. She hadn't even thought when she bought him the sweatshirt that it would make him self-conscious. She honestly hadn't stopped to think about the differences between them. He himself had told her earlier that he didn't worry about it, that he brought other things to the relationship. He was right, and she knew she needed to remind him of that. She had thought a lot about his comments this afternoon and evening, before she had gone swimming, before Jeff had shown up. What he said made sense to her. It would explain a lot of how things had happened in her past relationships, and now realizing this, she was determined to not let this be an obstacle between her and Oded. They came from very different life experiences and they had a lot they could teach each other she thought. He may not have the benefit of the education she did, but his experiences were as valuable as hers were. She handed him the tea as he met her by the couch. She could tell he was still bothered. " 'ded... do you remember what you said to me this afternoon, you told me that you think that you bring other things to this relationship. I want you to know I find you and your life, and your experiences much more interesting than any other person I know. I think it is what makes us different, that makes us so interesting to one another." She paused, waiting for his reaction. Trying to read his face. He looked into her eyes, they were warm and deep, and wise and inquisitive. He smiled and chuckled a little. "Thank you," he answered her, "I know... Let's not worry about this, let's just enjoy each other." He wanted to appease her. He honestly wasn't sure about anything, but he wouldn't let it affect him when he was with her. He kissed her nose and she let out a sigh. She sat back down in the corner of the couch and he sat again at the other end. He stretched his legs, and she reached out, pulling his feet up onto her lap. He groaned with satisfaction as she rubbed and massaged his toes and ran her hands over the tendons on the tops of his feet, up to his ankles. She was amazed, 'he even has beautiful feet' she thought, letting herself again relax and enjoy the fact that he was here with her. The awkwardness disappeared slowly, and they talked and talked, for the first time in several days no sexual tension seemed to hang in the air as they relaxed with each other. Conversation changed and she asked about his work. He told her about the plot of the show they were shooting this week, about all the special effects and why things always seem to go so slowly. He also told her about the other actors and the gossip on the set. Then the conversation turned back to family, history, memories, each learning about the other. Sitting with her this long, admiring her beautiful face, feeling her hands on his feet, he slowly felt the longing of arousal for her creep back into him. Finally, curiosity getting the best of him, he asked as innocently as he could about her past boyfriends. He had been trying to figure out a way to find out how much experience with men she really did have, especially after her implication earlier in the day, that she didn't think men found her attractive. She blushed and tried to change the subject, but he pushed her. She finally shared with him that she had only had three relationships. Actually only two, she corrected herself. She had slept with three men, but the first one in college hadn't been serious. It was all about losing her virginity, and it had been bad inexperienced sex. The second happened later in college, it had been more serious, but ended when they graduated. The third had occurred in graduate school, she had dated Chris for several years, they had talked about getting married, but then it ended, and she hadn't really dated since then, that had been three years ago. She tried to explain that she had thrown herself into her work after that, she had been too hurt to open herself up again. "Why did it end?" he asked her. She honestly didn't really know. "I think we got bored with each other. I think he started to find other women more attractive, wanted to explore his options," she answered, not really looking at Oded as she said that. He frowned, not happy to hear her talk about herself that way, but not knowing what to say. "Was he a good lover?" he asked, his accent getting heavier as he spoke. "What?" she looked up embarrassed that he had asked her that. He didn't say it again, he just looked at her, he knew she had heard what he said. "I don't know..." she stammered, "compared to whom?" He still didn't say anything. "It was okay..."she offered, not looking at him. He smiled at her. If her experience in the past had been good she would have known it. He smiled and thought to himself, 'Ahhh... She thinks she is so smart, but there are things I can teach her...' He dropped his feet to the floor, she still had them in her lap, but had stopped massaging them when he had started asking her about relationships. Her face was flushed crimson and he knew he had embarrassed her. He moved closer to her on the couch and took her hand in his. He kissed her knuckles, he turned her hand over and kissed her wrist, he felt her pulse race against his lips. He looked up at her, her eyes were deep and fiery. The sexual tension was back, and she felt it too. She leaned into him, touching her lips to his, softly. He wrapped his hand in her hair and held her lips against his, pressing her more firmly against his mouth, trying to part her lips with his tongue. She opened her mouth for him and let him inside of her. His other hand moved to her hip, he turned her legs up across his lap. His hand brushed across her stomach and settling between her legs, urging her to open her thighs. She gasped a little at the feel of his hand pressing against her. She shifted her hips slightly and felt his hand move lower, running over the outside of her shorts. She pulled back from him, "I thought you said we should wait?" her voice breathy against his neck. "Mmmm... " he moaned against her temple, caressing his fingers across the fabric that separated the two of them, " but that doesn't mean we can't explore a little." He wanted to feel her body respond to him. He pushed her legs farther apart with the palm of his hand and slid his fingers inside the edge of her shorts. Her eyes grew wide as she felt him touch her, pressing against the nerves at the top. She was wet immediately, and his fingers slid easily down her, finding her entrance. She tilted her hips against him as he pressed one finger inside of her, his thumb massaging her clitoris. He watched her reaction as she arched tighter against him, pressing her shoulders against the couch. Her head fell back and he leaned down to kiss her neck, nibbling the length with his teeth. She gasped and he felt her hands in his hair as he slid a second finger inside of her, teasing her as he brought her closer to a climax. She looked at him, blushing, but her eyes gave her away, he could see the gold flecks in the deep pools of green and knew she was enjoying this. She looked away from him, biting her lower lip as she tried not to moan. He saw her fight back and chuckled, "It feels good... yes?" his accent heavy and deep, trying to get her to look at him. The sound of his voice sent her over the top, she couldn't control what she was feeling and she clutched at his hair and shoulders as her body shuddered against him, her muscles throbbing rhythmically against his fingers. She melted, completely relaxed against the couch, closing her eyes and humming softly. Her body had fired every nerve and she was awash in the endorphins that followed. She opened her eyes to look at him; he smiled at her and leaned down to kiss her. He didn't move his hand, debating about whether he should start again, and try to bring her to a second orgasm. She shifted underneath him, moving her hips. He couldn't help himself as he smiled sexily at her. He started slowly pulling out then pushing his fingers deeper inside of her. She moaned and looked up at him in astonishment. " 'ded... I don' think I can." "Oh, Xatixa, you can... close your eyes and relax." She laid her head back on the arm of the couch, and tried to concentrate on what she was feeling. She slid her hips farther down onto his lap, he spread his legs so she would rest on the couch between them. She could feel him, hard pressed against her hip. His fingers and thumb caressed her slowly. She knew he was watching her, she could feel his eyes on her face and neck, and knew he had to see how she was responding. She wanted to feel his mouth on her skin. Her body surged with heat as she thought about what he was doing to her, watching her reaction as he did, no one had ever done this to her, no one had ever watched her. She realized she was living out the dream she had about him, watching her. She felt like she would explode, her hips moved against his hand, she couldn't look up at him. He moved faster inside of her. He saw her hand grip the arm of the couch and he knew she was close again. "Let go... enjoy it... my beautiful Xatixa," he whispered against her ear as she sat up against him. She felt her body tense, her stomach muscles tightening then the crest of the wave hit her and she shuddered, going weak, pressing her face into the vee of his neck and shoulder holding onto him, moaning his name softly. She shifted her hips back, over his leg, pulling away from him. He let her go, helping her lean back against the couch. She smiled at him, looking out from lowered eyelashes, flushed and shy about what he had just done to her. He chuckled deeply. She sat, sated and overwhelmed with what had just happened. She dropped her gaze again, too shy to look into his eyes, not knowing what to say. Her body tingled with all of the sensations he had made her feel. His fingers stroked her neck, his other hand rested on her knee. He waited for her reaction, watching her, hoping she would look up at him. She shifted slightly and finally he leaned toward her and gently kissed her on her neck, below her ear. She tilted her head as he continued to kiss her, bringing her hand to his cheek. He looked up and finally caught her eyes with his. Her eyes were deep, warm, almost clear green. The flecks of gold he saw in them earlier had disappeared. He smiled, guessing this must be what she looked like when she was content. She smiled back at him, her shyness disappearing as they moved past the immediate moment where everything happening had been about her. His eyes were still dark and passionate, she knew he had not had the pleasure she had just experienced and thought about what she might do for him. She let her hand come across his shirt over his ribs and ran her finger inside the gap between the buttons. She felt him take a sharp intake of breath as her hand moved lower, running across the top edge of his jeans. She sat more upright against him, pushing her hand down to cup the tightness that pressed against her. He moaned, more words in Hebrew spilling from his lips, then reached down and grabbed her hand, pulling her away from him like she had touched him with fire. "If you start this, there will be only one way for it to end," he almost hissed into her ear between gritted teeth, restraining himself. "Would that be so bad?" she almost giggled, nuzzling his beard with her lips. "No..." he laughed a little, holding her wrists in his hands, "that would not be so bad...but I still think we should wait." He almost couldn't believe he was still saying this. "Then you should go, because if you don't, I'm going to have a difficult time keeping my hands to myself." She whispered into his ear as she leaned forward to nibble on it, she pulled her wrists out of his hand and ran them back up over his broad chest, stopping at the top button. As sated as she had been just moments before, she found her body aching for his touch again. The feel of her tongue in his ear almost made him lose control. He felt a shiver run down his neck and he almost came off the couch in response. The sound of her voice was like honey and the feel of her breath on his neck was wearing away any thoughts he had about leaving her alone tonight. He hadn't expected her to be this forward with him and it aroused him to the point of pain. He knew he should go, but he couldn't bring himself to stop her. Her hands worked back down his ribs. She flexed her legs and in one fluid motion that amazed him, she stood and turned, holding her outside leg in place, she brought her knee across his lap to straddle him pressing her hips into his. He grabbed her waist as she ground ever so gently against him, feeling him through his jeans against her shorts, still wet from his exploration of her. She smothered the moan he let out of his mouth with her lips as she drank in the taste of his mouth. His head was swimming with the intense emotions she was raising in him, he turned his mouth away from hers as he tried to clear his head. "Abby... please..." his voice ragged. " 'ded, tell me what you want." She groaned into his ear, running her tongue around it again. "Stop." His voice deep but barely audible. She did. She sat back from him, still straddled across his legs, her hair flying wildly in her face, her hands pressed against his shoulders. "Are you serious?" she asked, a shocked and embarrassed look on her face. "Yes." He answered deeply, slowly. His hands on her waist, his thumbs against her stomach, he ran his hands down to her thighs and rested them there. Feeling the strength in her muscles as she held her weight slightly off of him. She sat staring into his eyes, she couldn't read them. He looked away knowing she was trying to figure him out. In Hebrew, he groaned under his breath "Xatixa, you have no idea what you are doing to me, ...I want to make love to you with all of my soul, but now can not be the time." "Oded, you know I can't understand you... what did you just say?" she asked, knowing he wouldn't tell her, or he would have said it in English in the first place. He leaned forward and lifted her off of him shifting her onto the couch. She curled her knees up and leaned into the corner, still looking at him, but sheltering herself. "I've got to go." He groaned deeply, standing up, untucking his shirt to relieve some of the pressure against his erection. He turned to look at her. She looked so beautiful, sitting curled up on the couch, her hair still tousled around her face, having dried, barely brushed from her shower so long ago this evening. She had wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her chin on her knees, a slight frown on her face as she watched him. She looked a little tired, a little confused, a little hurt, but also still radiating with excitement and desire. He knew what he was doing was hard for both of them. He knelt down beside her and brushed her hair behind her ear, stroking her cheek with his fingers. "It's too late for this tonight Xatixa." He tried to heal the hurt in her eyes. She looked over his shoulder at the clock. He was right, it was late, it was after 1:00, but she didn't believe that was why he had stopped her. After what he had done to her, she couldn't understand why he still insisted on waiting. She had made herself completely vulnerable to him, had trusted him to touch her, the way he did, had let him watch her as she responded to him. She realized as he kneeled next to her on the floor that although she had made herself vulnerable; physically and emotionally, he wasn't ready to do the same yet. He certainly was capable of performing the act of sex, she knew he must be hurting with the pain of the erection in his pants, that wasn't the issue. He had told her he wanted what they shared to be more than physical, he could handle the physical part, but he wasn't ready for the emotional part she suddenly realized. He was looking at her intently, wanting her to understand. She did, although she was pretty sure he truly didn't understand himself. She smiled at him, and reached her hand out to run her fingers through his hair. He caught her hand in his and kissed her fingertips; he smiled back at her, shyly. She noticed his ears were red. She dropped her legs and let him help her up off the couch. She hugged him and they walked towards the front door not saying anything. "Will I see you tomorrow?" she asked him, turning to wrap her arms around him one more time. "I don't know. I'll call you when I know what the day looks like." He smiled down at her. It seemed like he said those same words to her everyday. She looked up at him. "Oded... thank you..." "For what?" he asked smiling a little sexily at her. "For everything... For coming home early. For the flowers. For your honesty. For the great conversation. For those incredible orgasms." She said with a completely straight face. He laughed, tossing his head back. His chest roaring with the sound of it. She laughed too. Happy she had broken the awkward feeling between them, by broaching the topic that hung between them. "You are very welcome." He beamed at her. He brought his hand up and tweaked her nose, running his fingers over the freckles that crossed the bridge of it. "I think next time I shall count every one of these freckles with a kiss" he half whispered. Kissing the tip of her nose gently. "Then next time we should start much earlier... so the time does not get so away from us, as it did this evening..." she offered. He knew exactly what she meant by that, and he kissed her gently. "Mmmm..." he hummed against the top of her head as he sighed. "I promise..." Then he turned to go. She watched him walk down the stairs, his new sweatshirt tucked under his arm. He turned and saw the moonlight cast on her standing in the doorway, barefoot, one foot propped against the shin of her leg. Her T-shirt completely covering her shorts, her hair afly. His heart beat faster as he waved one more time, thinking of how happy he felt with her. She waved back and turned to close the door and then she was gone. He didn't turn on the lights in his house. He headed upstairs and climbed in the shower, again trying to squelch the arousal she created in him. He shook his head and let his chin drop to his chest. Since he had first seen her he had dreamed and fantasized about the chance to share her bed. She had opened herself up to him tonight, all he would have had to do was say 'Yes', but he had turned her down. "Dedman... what the hell were you thinking?" he asked himself. He climbed into bed, exhausted, physically and emotionally. She affected him in a way he couldn't understand. He ached for her but as he lay in bed thinking about her, he came to the realization that what he ached for was more than just her body, he ached for all of her. She was the smartest woman he had ever met and he was fighting these feelings of being intimidated by her. "What if she grew tired of him... discovered that the other people she worked with were better suited to challenge her, engage her... even Jeff..." he got angry at the thought. He had fallen for her fast and that also scared him. He fell asleep trying to push the thoughts from his head. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Neighbors - Chapter 21 |