Home // Completed Stories // Short But Sweet // Poetry // Stories In Progress

Therapy
By Lady T

Rated R

Disclaimer:  You know the story, the character of Antoine is not mine. I merely borrowed him for a little entertainment.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hobbling into the PT clinic, she leaned on the counter, waiting while the receptionist finished her call. Looking up from her books, the receptionist smiled and said, "You must be Kathy.  I just checked everything with your insurance; you're set for 12 visits with us. If you'll just have a seat and fill out these forms, Antoine will be right with you."

Antoine?  Hmmm... interesting name. 

She was concentrating on the forms when she heard a deep, warm voice call her name.  Quickly, she looked up, taking in the most gorgeous man she'd ever laid eyes on.  He was tall, over 6 feet, with dark and closely cropped hair, a hint of gray at his temples.  He wasn't just tan, he was bronzed, and his features

"Oh mmmmmmmmyyyyy"

Shaking herself mentally, she opened her mouth, but nothing came out.  This couldn't be happening to her, she was never without SOMETHING to say.  

He smiled; she was sure she must have been drooling...either that, or her mouth was gaping wide.  Snapping out of it, she stood on shaky legs and tried what she thought should be a smile.

He introduced himself,  "Hi, I'm Antoine, your PT. Would you follow me?" 

It crossed her mind to reply 'To the ends of the earth', and she nearly giggled at the thought.  What was wrong with her? She never reacted this way to a man.

"Settle down!" she told herself, as she admired his...um..."assets" as she followed him to the therapy room.

"Please have a seat and tell me about your injury."  He said as they entered the exam room. 

Kathy looked up at him and finally found her voice, "I was… well, I was playing baseball with the neighbor's kids, and when I slid into first, I did something to my hip."

He smiled pleasantly at her. "Ok, just lay back on the table and let me take a look."

As she lay back, he reached forward to grasp her thigh with one hand and her calf with the other.  Gentle... this man was amazingly gentle.  He told her to let him know if something hurt as he moved her leg through its "range of motion".  Her mouth went dry, and she couldn't think of whether anything hurt when he was touching her. 

After "ranging" her, he said, "When you come back next time, we're going to use the therapy pool, so bring your swimsuit.   However, now I want to try something that sometimes helps relax muscles we don't even realize are tight

Taking a deep breath, she laid back and wondered about that accent.  She could almost place it, but not quite. And those eyes... warm, soft and so thickly lashed. When he looked at her, she felt he could read her, see right into her soul. 

"Now lay on your side, facing me," he placed his left hand on her upper thigh and his right on her lower thigh so that his arms were crossed.  He closed his eyes and gently rested his hands...so gently, it didn't feel like he was doing anything.   Mentally shrugging, she was content to enjoy the feel of his hands.

After a moment, the area under his hands grew warm, very warm! She wondered if this was a reaction to his touch, or if this was supposed to happen.  She watched his hands. He had lovely hands, long fingers and so beautifully shaped.  He opened his eyes and asked her a few questions. 

"I'm new in the area.  Where do I find the local 'action'?"

Her eyes widened.

ACTION ?  OH he means entertainment!

This was just too much.  Her imagination was going wild; she was reading into everything he said. 

"There's a Jazz festival this weekend at the Grove.  I'll be going.  It's casual, and a great way to meet people." 

He smiled and said he'd think about it. 

After a few minutes, he said "Well that's it for today; remember to bring your suit on Thursday."  

Smiling, she thanked him and told him he really should think about coming to the festival. 

Antoine smiled enigmatically and replied, "I'll think about it."

The rest of the day seemed to drag in comparison to that hour she'd spent with Antoine. That night, she dreamt of a man with lovely, gentle hands, and eyes so soft and deep she would willingly have drowned in them.

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

When she woke Thursday morning, she lay there a moment, trying to remember her dreams of last night.  She couldn't see the dream so much as an impression, a feeling of excitement.

"Hmm, odd." she thought, her dreams never left her feeling that way.  Usually, she either couldn't remember them at all, or she woke laughing at something she'd done in her dream. 

One night, she'd typed all night long.  She had no idea what it was she'd typed, but she woke with a headache from 'working' all night.  Not so this morning.  Whatever the dream had been, she was excited, and because she was excited, she knew the dream had to do with Antoine.

For the life of her, she just had no idea what she'd dreamt. But enough of that; she had to get dressed and get through the day until she would see Antoine that afternoon at PT.  She grabbed her suit and a towel,

Best take the one-piece suit.  This is a medical visit, after all. 

Laughing to herself, she thought of the possibilities; a pool, dressed in nearly nothing, and Antoine there to "attend" to her.

The day dragged itself along.  Each time she looked at the clock, only a few minutes had passed.  Even lunch seemed to drag on forever.  Finally, it was 4 o'clock, and she quickly grabbed her things and headed for the door. 

Of course, she hit all red lights on her trip across town to the clinic.  Finally, she pulled into the parking lot, and had to compose herself before going in.  It set wrong with her to go into the clinic looking excited; after all, he was just a man and a PT who saw her as just a patient.

She walked into the clinic with her resolve set.  This time, she wouldn't make a fool of herself...this time, she had control. 

Sure, she had control, until she saw Antoine. 

He was saying goodbye to another client and reminding her to do her exercises at home.  Dressed in shorts and a polo shirt with the Clinic name printed across the back, her first thought was LEGS…his legs were just as hard as she imagined the rest of him to be. 

He turned, smiled "Hi, Kathy. Give me just a minute to jot down a few notes, and I'll be right with you." 

She managed to say "Hi." just before he turned away.

Quickly, he turned back and asked her to go ahead and get changed.  He pointed to the bathroom; this way, they'd waste no PT time.  As she changed, she wondered just what to expect from hydrotherapy.   Where could a pool possibly be in this small clinic?  After putting on her suit, she wrapped her towel around her waist sarong style, and left the room.

Antoine looked up as she neared him, "Perfect timing!"  He exclaimed,  "Follow me, and we'll go get you in the water." 

Telling herself  'relax, this is therapy', she followed him.  As they entered the weight room, there sat a large, stainless steel tank.  The water was warm, and bubbles were floating to the top.  Her heart sank.

 Room for just ONE?

What had she been thinking?  He really wasn't dressed for the pool. 

Antoine turned and gave her one of his reassuring smiles. "Here, give me your hand and step into the water; we'll get you set for a 15 minute soak. After that, I'll work on some range of motion again."

She sank into the warm water, hoping he didn't notice her disappointment.  A few minutes later, Antoine came back and sat on the stool next to the tank.  "How does it feel?" He asked.

"It feels wonderful, Antoine.  Do I have to get out?  EVER?"  She laughed as she spoke.

"Yes, you'll have to, eventually, but I'll tell you a secret; after a long day with some that require me to do a lot of manipulating, I sneak in here for a soak before I head home. But don't tell the boss, ok?" he laughed as he replied.

"Your secret's safe with me." Kathy laughed, relaxing in his company.   

"Is this your first visit to a Physical Therapist?" he asked.

"Actually, yes, it is.  It's a very new experience."

"Good." was his one word answer. 

One-word answers from men were one of her pet peeves.  Looking at him, she reminded herself,

SEE? He's just another man! A beautifully chiseled man... but just a man, none the less.

"I'll be right back; I have to make sure there's a table waiting for us."

She watched Antoine walk out of the room.  He turned his head, as if to swing hair off his shoulders, but there was no hair.

Hmm...is this a new look?  Oh, he'd be just as gorgeous with long hair!

Leaning back in the whirlpool, she closed her eyes and imagined him looking like one of those warriors in the movies. Long hair, and that tan of his; he'd be even more exotic looking…She smiled to herself at the picture her mind was developing.

"Care to share the joke?" Antoine's warm voice asked. 

She startled and slipped down further into the water.  Seeing her slide, he reached in to grasp her arm. "I'm sorry!  I didn't mean to startle you." he said with concern.

Gathering her senses, she managed a white lie, saying  "I was thinking about, umm, sliding into first base and winding up in therapy over a silly baseball game."

He laughed. "People come to us for much more bizarre reasons. Let's get you out and changed, then you can meet me right over there.", pointing to the table in the corner of the room.

Helping her out of the whirlpool, she thought he looked admiringly at her figure.  She did try to stay in shape, but that couldn't be it. 

He sees bodies all day long, and mine can't be impressive to someone who looks like that.

"Hop up on the table; I'm going to range your leg, which will help with that hip that's giving you trouble.  Then I'm going to show you a few exercises I want you to do at home.  It'll be Monday before you get back into the clinic, and I don't want you to lose ground before I see you again."

They went through the exercises, and Antoine was very professional, so she remained fairly quiet, listening to him talk about what he wanted her to do over the weekend.  His low and soft voice washed over her in waves, caressing and relaxing her.  When he was through, she felt better, yet slightly sore. Mentioning this to him, Antoine replied "You'll be sore for a while yet.  Remember, pain has two meanings."   

"What do you mean?"

Smiling, he explained, "Your body was either telling you to stop doing something or to start doing something. And since you hurt yourself, it's saying to stop sliding into first," He finished by adding, "At least until you feel much better." 

Laughing, she promised "I won't be doing that for quite some time."  As she got up to leave, she reminded him about the jazz festival, and hoped she'd see him there over the weekend.  He tilted his head to the side, looking into her eyes, and said again that he'd think about it.

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

Saturday morning dawned clear and warm, a perfect day for jazz at the Grove.  Kathy woke up feeling lazy; she decided to take this day for herself.  The week had been long, and she still ached. After a hot shower, a cup of coffee, and chapter in her newest novel, she decided to take herself shopping. 

She needed a new outfit for tonight, telling herself she deserved it, and she did.   But also hoping she'd see Antoine there tonight, she wanted to look her best.  The problem was that music at the Grove was so casual.  She finally decided what she needed was a haircut and manicure instead. 

Her hair was thick and very straight, almost black, but was really the deepest brown with glints of red that showed up only in the sun.  She already had a lovely tan, and the new cut brilliantly made her eyes stand out.  She never saw herself as pretty, but she could admit her eyes were probably her best features.  They were a blue-gray, not an unusual color, but when she wore the right shade of purple, they would change to a stunning shade of green with darker rings just around the edge that made the color more intense.  Friends that knew her well said they could read her mood by the color of her eyes, and few could say they had the ability to do so; Kathy kept around her a small but close circle of true friends.

Arriving home with just enough time to change and head to the festival, she rummaged through her closet looking for just the right thing to wear.  She finally decided on a melon green, scoop-necked T-shirt that flattered both her shape and her coloring. Teaming that with a pair of shorts and some simple sandals, she had only to add her favorite jewelry and makeup.  She laughed to herself that, even though she was excited and wanted to look her best, she could only do so much, and it never took her long to get ready.    

Grabbing her favorite jazz CD, she ran out the door to her car and headed out with the windows down.  "Kathy!" she told herself, "Don't get too excited. He won't be there, and even if he is, he's too handsome to be there by himself." 

After parking and wandering through the park, she found a place covered by the shade of a large tree not far from the stage.  She hated sitting in the seats provided, preferring instead to sit in the grass, away from the other concertgoers.

Closing her eyes, she listened to the music; it was relaxing.  Since she'd had that little talk with herself, she'd been able to relax and push thoughts of Antoine to the back of her mind. 

As the song ended, she opened her eyes to see the man she was trying to forget gazing at her from a few feet away.  She swallowed hard, and did her best to smile.

"How long have you been here?"

Antoine laughed; it had a wonderfully baritone quality that seemed to resonate from his chest and the sultry low tone made her catch her breath.  "I only got here a couple of minutes ago.  You were listening, and I didn't want to disturb you."

I'm 'disturbed' alright.  But not in the way you're thinking. 

She found her voice finally. "Pull up a piece of grass and sit down, unless you're meeting someone."  

Oh, she felt so dumb! He'd surely be meeting someone.  But, she was pleasantly surprised when he sat down and stretched out on the grass beside her. 

This was almost more than she could stand; her thoughts ran wild!  Here he was, not just sitting beside her, but stretched out like a powerful cat.  He was wearing jeans, slightly faded, hinting to Kathy that they must be his favorites. He wore a T-shirt that was snug across his chest, showing his muscular body as he stretched his arms up to rest his head on his hands.  On his feet, he wore slip-on deck shoes, and as she followed the line from his toes back up to his face, she admired his long legs and how well he was proportioned.  As her gaze reached his face, she realized he was watching her. 

She blushed profusely and didn't know what to say.  Seeing her blush, he smiled knowingly.  She didn't realize he'd been admiring her as well. She fought the blush, trying to find something to say.

"Did you find the park easily?" she asked, breaking the silence.

"Yes.  Actually, I don't live far from here. I've been here before, but I didn't realize that it was called 'The Grove'."

They sat there for awhile, quietly listening to the music, then Antoine turned to her.

"How's the hip?" 

"It's feeling pretty good. I expected it to take longer to heal.  What do you call that thing you did the first day I saw you?"  She asked.

"You mean when I put my hands on your leg?" he laughed and added, "It didn't feel like I was doing anything, did it?"

Swallowing, she replied "Yes, that's what I meant." 

Not doing anything?  Oh yes, you did things to me!

Antoine pulled off his shirt and turned his back to her.  Looking back over his shoulder, he said "Come, I'll show you what I did.  It's very easy."

"You... you can show me? How?" she stuttered

"You'll have to come closer, if you want to learn to do this."

His voice was smooth as honey.  Kathy knelt close behind him, leaning back just a bit, and Antoine, reaching back and indicating he wanted her right hand, placed it just below his left clavicle. Then, he signaled her to give him her left hand, which he placed on the other side. She was effectively wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

"Now... I want you to relax, close your eyes, and listen to my body.  You don't have to press; just hold your hands in place, and when you feel me relax, move your hands slightly further apart."

Kathy complied, and gradually, both her hands and his chest grew very warm where they met. 

Her eyes popped open, and catching her breath, she said, "Yes! This is what you did to me!"  

Leaning around so she could see him, she saw that his eyes were closed and that he was smiling.

"Yes, indeed… no, don't move" he said as, in her embarrassment, she began to move away.

What she was embarrassed about, Kathy didn't really know, but touching Antoine like this was wreaking havoc in both her mind and body.  She stayed still, wondering why he was so adamant.  As she waited for him to speak, she focused on his silky skin, under which she could feel the hardness of his muscles. Kathy realized she was feeling his heartbeat under her hand; it was racing.  Was her touch actually affecting him?  

At last, taking a deep breath, he said, "So now you know my secret."

 Her mind raced as quickly as the heart beneath her hands.

"Your secret?"

Turning, he replied, "Yes, the release I just showed you, it's so easy to do.  I taught you in a few moments, but they pay me to do it for my patients."

It took Kathy a moment to realize that he was teasing.  She was no longer touching him, but they were so close she could feel the rumble of his laughter.  His smile was glorious, his lips so full, his teeth so brilliantly white, she had to work to draw her eyes away from his mouth.  

When her eyes met his, he wasn't smiling anymore.

His eyes had darkened; the intensity of his gaze melted her already vulnerable defenses.  Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion; she heard him whisper her name just before their lips met.  His lips were every bit as warm and soft as she imagined them to be, and his kiss was soft, exploring her lips, learning every nuance.  She returned his kiss, feeling her passion rapidly grow, engulfing her.  She was losing all sense of time and space as he deepened the kiss.

His lips slowed, and he waited, as if gauging her reaction.  In that pause, she shyly tasted him with her tongue, slipping her tongue between his lips.  Dancing the tip of her tongue over his, she hesitated.  In that moment of hesitation, he took over again, thrusting his tongue deep within her mouth, imitating the action they both desired.  As suddenly as it began, Antoine pulled away from her mouth and drew her into his arms.

"Kathy…" he sighed "We can't, not here…what are you doing to me?"  

Resting in his arms, she moaned softly, "I believe you started that."  Again, she felt that rumble of laughter

"Who's keeping score?" he asked. 

Kathy looked up at him and couldn't believe she was here with Antoine, not to mention the fact that he was holding her.  The music was playing, the sun was setting, and she couldn't imagine a more perfect evening. 

As the concert ended, Antoine saw her to her car. Taking the keys from her, he unlocked the door, opening it for her.  He'd been very quiet since their kiss; it wasn't an uncomfortable silence, and yet…As she got into the car and reached out for her keys, he leaned down and softly kissed her, thanking her for a lovely evening.

"It was one of the best concerts I've ever been to, Antoine."

To her ears, she sounded lame, schoolgirlish. 

"I'll see you Monday at the clinic.  Take care driving home; after these things, the roads are a bear."  With a wave, she drove off.

The next day, her mind kept wandering to Antoine.  Kathy tried telling herself that it was just a concert, and that he got caught up in the moment; that the kiss really meant nothing to him.  The last kiss was just a 'thank you' for a nice evening.  Even so, she couldn't stop wondering if he enjoyed it as much as she did. 

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

Monday was gray, cloudy and much too cold for the season, but it also matched her mood.  There was no reason for this mood; nothing had happened.  She'd slept well enough, except for the occasional dream.  Dream… what had it been about?  She just couldn't remember. All day at work, she snapped at people, until finally they just left her alone, which suited her to a tee. Now, she just had to finish out the day and get through PT.  Arriving at the clinic a little early, traffic had been with her today. 

When Antoine called her back to the treatment room, he seemed distant and very professional, as if the time they spent together had never happened. 

Kathy told herself, "You know it wasn't anything to him, just a concert." 

He had her do the exercises she'd been doing over the weekend, and then set her up on one of the machines to do some strengthening exercises.

When the session was over, Antoine told her that he was handing the rest of her sessions over to an assistant, and that he would check her progress, but wouldn't see her during her visits. This was the topper to an already lousy day; now he didn't even want to see her for PT! 

On her way home, she grew angrier by the minute.  She had the worst of luck; nothing ever seemed to go the way she hoped it would.  Taking deep breaths, she willed herself to calm down.

The rest of the week was no better, but she'd at least come to grips with the fact that Antoine wasn't interested in her.  He'd wave when she came into the clinic, but he never did come over and speak to her. On Friday, the assistant told her she'd progressed so fast that she didn't need to return the next week, but that she should continue the exercises at home.  If the pain didn't go away entirely within a week or two, the assistant told her to see her Doctor again.

At least she didn't have to see Antoine in the clinic and be painfully reminded that he wasn't the least bit interested.  That evening, she changed to her oldest, most comfortable clothes, a pair of shorts that had seen better days, and an old chambray shirt with holes in it.  She pulled her hair back off her face, and looking in the mirror, she thought,

I'm a beauty? NOT!

But then no one would be seeing her tonight, so what did she care?  She'd order a pizza and wallow in self-pity while watching old movies all night. 

Hearing the doorbell ring, she hopped up. "

At least I'll have comfort food  

Opening the door, checkbook in hand, and expecting to find the pizza guy, she found herself looking at a chiseled chest. As her eyes flew up to the chest's face, she realized it was Antoine.

Stammering a 'Hi', she was just about to ask what he was doing here, when he brought a pizza out from behind his back.

"I caught the pizza boy just before he rang your doorbell and paid him to let me deliver this to you" he said.  He was standing there, so self-assured, as if he did this everyday.  Kathy stood there with her mouth open, speechless.

"May I come in?" he asked, looking past her into the apartment.

"No...umm... yes, of course!  Please... come in." 

He followed her into the living room.  Spinning around, she almost collided with him, nearly dumping the pizza on the floor. They both grabbed for the pizza, stopping with their faces just inches from each other.  After the week she'd had, it was almost too much for her. She started laughing. It was either that or cry, and she was NOT going to let him see her cry. 

"It's not that funny," Antoine said, realizing that he'd missed something. 

This was the last straw for Kathy.  She sat down right there on the floor and bawled. 

"Maybe I shouldn't have come without calling…" Antoine reasoned out loud, "but I needed to talk to you.  All week, you looked so angry that I wanted to find out what was bothering you."

"I looked angry?" Kathy nearly yelled. "You were the one that wouldn't see me!  You were the one who barely glanced my way at the clinic!"

At that, Antoine smiled.

"Kathy…"

"Don't look at me like that; don't patronize me!" snapped Kathy.

Antoine took a deep breath. "Kathy, you have to listen to me.  I wasn't ignoring you, at least I didn't want it to seem like I was…" Cursing under his breath, he sighed,  "I'll have to start at the beginning, and when I'm done, you'll either never want to see me again... or you'll understand."

 With that, he started pacing the room as Kathy watched him, totally perplexed.

"Ok here it is," Antoine started to relay the tale.  "I came to this country to make a fresh start.  I'd had some trouble at home and needed to get away, but when I got here, I found that I couldn't practice as a Physical Therapist with my existing license.  I had to take a few classes to get my license in this country.  I had no way to support myself.  I came here with practically nothing, expecting to work immediately, but… I had just enough money to get a place to live, and a seedy place at that.  Then I went looking for work; I tried waiting tables because I was told I could make good money." 

Shaking his head, he went on.

"That didn't work!  One night while I was waiting tables at a very nice restaurant, I witnessed a man slap his date.  I reacted, and without thinking, I hit him.  I was fired on the spot.  As I was walking out the door with only my tips from the night, a lady came up to me and asked if I was looking for work.  Of course, I'd be looking for work, so she gave me her card and told me to come to her office the next day." 

"The offices were plush and very professional looking.  The secretary told me Ms. Sherman was expecting me, and to go on in.  Kathy, I swear I didn't know what to expect, but I didn't expect to hear her ask me to become a male escort. She promised me $1000 a date, half of the actual take. With that much money, I could have time for school and get my license.  I was to just escort wealthy women to the theater or to other events.  I know it sounds bad, but really it wasn't going to be anything but an evening out, or so I thought.  I agreed, and for a couple of weeks, everything went well."

Antoine seemed to avoid looking into Kathy's eyes as she listened intently. 

Oh God, where could this be going?

Running his hand through his hair, he continued.

"One night, I escorted a lady to the theater. Afterwards, we had dinner and I took her home.  She asked me to check the house for her; it was late, so I didn't mind.  After checking things out, I returned to the living room where I found her, undressed and waiting for me. I didn't know what to do... she was pretty enough, but I had been under the assumption that I was just escorting her and returning her home safely.  When I told her that the house was secure and that I'd be leaving, she got very angry. I got angry too, telling her I was no gigolo, but she told me that was exactly what I was...that she could have my green card revoked and have me deported.  I walked out."

Kathy quickly began to guess finally just where Antoine's explanation was going.

"I didn't say anything to anyone.  I thought if I left it alone, it would just go away.  I was wrong. When I checked in at the office the next morning, Ms. Sherman told me in no uncertain terms that I'd offended one of her best clients.  She said if I wanted to stay in this country, I would keep her clients happy.  Whatever they asked for, I would give. I couldn't believe I'd gotten myself into this situation, but what choice did I have? So, I went along with it. I told myself it wasn't so bad, I actually was highly requested.  So busy in fact that I let my studies slide."

"I began to escort full time, and one night, I'd escorted a lady to the theater.  By this time, I'd moved to a condo that I used for entertaining. I drove her back there, assuming she expected it.  After we went inside, I offered her a drink and the dance began.  She stopped me and asked why I was in this business. I was comfortable, in my home and confident in what I did, so I told her 'I make good money and I'm very good at it.', to which she replied, 'But what about self-respect?'.  Initially that made me angry; I told her I provided a service for payment, and that she'd paid for my service, so who was she to talk to me like that. She asked me to take her home."

Kathy's heart filled with an odd combination of dread and sympathy.

"That evening started me thinking.  I had a profession, a real profession, but I had to finish my classes. I'd saved enough money to go back to school full time. So when I told Ms Sherman I was through, she was furious.  She said 'You're through when I say you're through!', and again the deportation threat was tossed in my face. I left and went straight to Immigration. They were amazed that I'd come in like that.  They'd been trying to catch Ms Sherman for years.  There were reports that she was using immigrants and threatening them with deportation." 

"Immigration didn't want to help me so much as they wanted to help themselves. I was told they couldn't promise me anything, and that I might be deported, even though I'd assisted them.  All I could do was wait it out, so in the mean time, I went back to school. It really didn't take long to finish my courses.  I'd nearly finished when I heard from INS again; they wanted me to testify against Ms Sherman. They said if I didn't, I was going to be told to leave the country, but if I testified, I could retain my green card.  I testified, and here I am.  I have to be careful, however. INS checks with my work to make sure I'm working at my licensed profession.  So, after Saturday night, I knew I couldn't be your therapist anymore."

Kathy was stunned. She didn't know what to say, so she sat there, staring at Antoine.

Misinterpreting her silence, he turned and walked toward the door.

Finally finding her voice, she called "Antoine! Where are you going now? You just got here and told me the most amazing story, and then you turn and walk away?"

"From the look on your face, I thought you didn't want to see me, or at the very least didn't believe me."

"It did take a minute or two to comprehend what you just told me." She slowly stood and replied.

"Sooooooooooooooo…" leaving the word hanging in mid air, she looked up into his eyes, raising one eyebrow teasingly.  "You're not a gigolo, and you're not mad at me, but you are being careful.  Where does that leave me?"

Antoine watched her, a smile playing across his full lips. In one smooth movement, he closed the distance between them, pulling her into his arms.

"Right here, Cara."  Drawing a ragged breath, biting her lower lip, her eyes rested on his mouth.  She tipped her head to the side and gazed at his lips. When she heard him draw in deep breath, she looked up to find him looking directly into her eyes… waiting… waiting for her response.

Her thoughts could be read upon her face as her eyes darkened with desire.  Antoine growled low and deep; not waiting any longer, he kissed her gently at first, but with growing need.  The kiss deepened, threatening to rip all rational thought from her. Reaching up to slide her hands into his hair and draw him even closer, she pressed herself as close to him as she could, trying to become part of him.  He freed her hair, running his hand through it on his way to her neck, and down the V created by her shirt. His fingers were burning a trail as they touched her, exploring her body.  

"Cara, I think I like this shirt." he said, chuckling as he spoke.  Pulling away and looking down, she realized the holes in her shirt revealed small glimpses of her body.  Currently, the hole in the pocket was showing her emotions like a thermometer.  A nipple peeked through, hard and aroused, even more so when Antoine leaned down to flick his tongue over the tip.  Kathy gasped as his breath fanned over the spot his tongue had left only seconds before. 

Her words were a soft whisper, "Honey, I don't like yours. Can we do something about that?"

Antoine leaned back, "If you wish, but you shall have to remove it; I'm much too busy."  Dropping to his knees, he pulled her down with him and suckled her nipple into his mouth, not touching her in any other manner. 

Willing her knees to remain firm, she tugged at the hem of his shirt, pulling it over his head, forcing him to break contact. He knealt before her, head thrown back, her view of his face, neck and chest unobstructed. 

There was something vaguely familiar about this pose.

 Tilting her head to the side, she studied him.  His face turned up, neck exposed, and she could clearly see his Adam's apple.  "Kathy, what's wrong?" he asked, pulling her closer.

"Nothing, Honey. Just a moment of déjà vu, but I can't quite grasp it."

With a smile and a lifted eyebrow, he replied, "I'm picturing you showing me a more comfortable spot for…" His words were drowned by her swift kiss. Quickly, he stood, his lips never leaving hers as he propelled her backwards down the short hall.

Lifting his head for a moment, he growled, "If you won't show me to your room, I'll find it myself."  

Antoine thrust her into the first room he found.  He saw a bed, and whether it was hers or a guestroom was of no importance.  Backing her towards the bed, his hands went to the buttons of her shirt, quickly opening it to his gaze.  Sliding it over her shoulders and down her arms, his lips blazed a trail following the shirt.  Her knees finally refused to support her.   Kathy landed on the edge of the bed, pulling Antoine forward with her. 

"I didn't realize you wanted to get me into bed that quickly," Antoine smirked as he rolled them to their sides.

Coming up on her elbow, Kathy teased, "I think there may be several things you don't realize."

"Would you care to elaborate?" murmured Antoine as he lay back, gazing up at her.

"Mmmmmm... maybe later."

"Excellent answer."  

Kathy swooped down, capturing his lips in a heated, consuming kiss. Taking control of the moment, she drew back, kissing the corner of his mouth softly, moving to the other side and repeating the action.  She ran her tongue along his full lower lip before sucking it softly.  She felt, more than heard, the moan that came from Antoine.  He lay still, letting her control things, only his hands moving gently down her back, lingering over her round, soft bottom.

Kathy softly kissed his chin, trailing kisses down his neck.  Glancing up, she saw him watching her. His eyes were dark with passion; she knew it was only a matter of time before he tried to take over again. 

This struggle for control was more enticing than she had ever realized, and it pushed her further.  Returning to his neck, she slowly moved down his body, brushing his chest and abdomen with her breasts.  A sudden tremor rocked her lover's body; his hands became more demanding.  As she kept sliding further down his torso, her breasts finally came to rest over his most sensitive shaft.  Kathy's lips made contact with his nipple, flicking her tongue around it, then sucking it between her lips. The roar that erupted from Antoine's throat both startled and pleased her. Before she could stop him, she was on her back, his eyes boring into hers, a look she could only describe as predatory darkening his countenance.  

"Enough!" 

Uttering only one word, Antoine took back control.  Branding her lips with his desire, her nerves endings were being assaulted as she had assaulted his.  The ache she'd been building in Antoine was now hers as well, his lips left hers but his gaze remained steadfast.

In one swift move, he had parted her legs and rested a portion of his weight at the site of her ache.  The feel of his body... so ready, so close…. She arched to meet him, rubbing against his hardness, trying to relieve her need.

"My God, Woman!  You will have this end before it's started!"

"Antoine…. I need you... now." came her tortured response.

"I can deny you nothing; you shall have your wish." He plunged deep within her moist hot chamber as her eyes closed in ecstasy.

"NO! Look at me, Cara." The words seemed ripped from his throat. His intensity deepened the need she felt.  Meeting his eyes as she matched his pace, soon she was crying out as he took her over that precipice and into a realm where sensation reigned supreme.

She shattered into a million pieces, her being held together only by his eyes, and he felt her crest that wave and knew he would follow. With a deep thrust he spilled himself into her as she continued to convulse around him. Collapsing, he tried to move so as not to crush her with his weight. 

She held tight to him, "NO! Don't leave me."

"Kathy, I will never leave you," he proclaimed, his eyes speaking of his love.

"I meant…"

"I know what you meant.  Still... know… I will never leave you."

The End