Original Uber Allergic: A Romance - part 19 / ? Updated Nov 26

[Alyssa1146]

This is my favorite sneeze fic of all time, and I’ve been around longer than most.

[glitter_]

I have literally no words to describe this masterpiece. Just... wow!

[PennyLane]

This is so expertly written! Feels like I'm reading the world's sneeziest novel

[sweetnerd32]

Ugh I love this fic your writing is *chefs kiss* 😍

[starpollen]

Never fear, patient readers!  I may have skipped off to finish an old story but I am still diligently working on this one.  (Does anyone else hear Julie Andrews when I type "patient readers" / "dear readers" / etc.  No? Just me?)   

Here's Cy's part of the 'star show'... You'll likely notice that this cotton-candy fic might have a few dark tendrils in it.  Cy's got some baggage, and... well, we might get to it eventually.  Hope you enjoy! 

---   ---   ---

The Weekend - Part 4

Cy

Packing the picnic items back into the rear of my Bronco, we headed towards the sprawling science complex entrance.  Before we’d even taken one step away from the vehicle, though, I was reaching for her hand giving a gentle squeeze.  I craved the contact, the feel of her delicate fingers threaded through mine, like coming home. A light blush painted her cheek, and she gave me a shy smile.  It made my chest ache and my own mouth pull wide in an answering grin.

God, this girl… I was having trouble coming up with words.

The guy at the entrance scanned our tickets and then we stepped into the large, open space.  All around us were echoes of kids running and laughing, parents calling back and forth, and underneath was the hum of the many giant machines powering the exhibits. 

“So, Beth,” I turned to her, trying to stop grinning like an idiot but probably failing.  “What are we doing first?” 

“Well,” She blinked around, seeming suddenly confused, as if she hadn’t thought this far yet.  That surprised me a little. Maybe she truly wasn’t as Type-A as I’d assumed. “What do you want to do?”

“Oh no, darlin’,” I quipped with a playful wink, curious to see how this would play out. “You’re runnin’ this rodeo. I’m just along for the ride.”

For some reason her face went beet red.  I couldn’t imagine what I’d said to cause that reaction.

But then she swallowed and gave herself a little shake. “Okay, um, I-... I guess we can start with a few of my favorite exhibits.”

We toured around the main complex area, her leading me to the live coral reef tanks and we touched some of the exotic fish.  Then she pulled me under a black velvet curtain that revealed what looked like just a bare wall, but was actually a “shadow camera.”  She encouraged me to contort my body into several strange shapes before the loud click that froze them onto the wall behind us.  All kinds of things I hadn’t done since I was a kid, and a few things that hadn’t been here back then.  

Everything between us was easy and comfortable. Nearly perfect. We wandered through a couple of touring exhibits involving Chinese medicine, then mummies and ancient Egyptian artifacts.  We stood in the earthquake room experiencing tremors that shook us nearly to pieces. As we talked and laughed, I rarely ever let go of her hand. 

“So do you bring your classes here?” I asked when we exited the earthquake room, feeling just a little queasy from it. The sensation quickly passed. “Is that why you come so much?”

“We do bring the kids every year, yes, but I come a lot on my own.  When I was in high school I used to volunteer for the summer camps, and when I was in college I would always come when I had a free weekend, which wasn’t very often. I worked a lot.”

That last sentence made my gut tighten, remembering the three jobs she had - one of which she’d given up to go on a date with me - and thinking what I thought during the Uber ride: that she didn’t deserve to have to struggle. She was smart and sweet and educated; she should be able to have a good life without running herself into the ground.  I remembered back when--  Come on, Cy, keep it together… With effort, I forced that mental closet door shut.  

Short story is, back when I was growing up, things had been… hard... and I had made myself a promise never to have to live like that again.

I wasn’t ready to go into any of that with her, yet, especially here in this happy, childlike setting. “Yeah,” I murmured instead, gazing into her liquid-pool eyes with ghosts floating behind mine.  “I’ve noticed that.  Has-... has it been okay, without the driving?”  I had been particularly worried about that part.

That flush in her cheeks was back, and I hoped I hadn’t embarrassed her.  “N-no, no it’s fine,” She stuttered instead, shaking it off with a weak laugh.  “I’m actually enjoying having more time to myself in the evenings.  It’s been nice to relax and have some early nights before teaching the next day.”

“Hm,” I got the distinct impression that she wasn’t telling the whole truth, but decided to change the subject. For both of us. “Did you always know you wanted to be a teacher?”

“Actually no,” she exhaled a long breath and smiled. “When I was in 4th grade I wanted to be an archaeologist.  I wanted to find more mummies in Egypt.”

 “Wow,” my eyebrows popped up.  “Why didn’t you?”

“Meh,” She steered us toward the giant pendulum hanging down from the massive skylight, its silver tip knocking over wooden dowels to mark the passage of time.  I was fascinated by it, immediately wondering if I could get a mini-version for my condo... “I realized I don’t like the heat.  I’m a winter baby.” 

“I’m the opposite,” I offered with a smile, picturing her with a knitted cap and puffy jacket, romping through a snow-covered forest like a sprite.  “I’ll take a sweltering summer day at the lake or by the pool.  I hate being cold.”  Throwing the deadbolt on that mental closet door...

“Let me guess, your thermostat is cranked up to 74?”

Laughing, I nodded, forcing myself to focus on her. Only her. “And yours is at 70?”

“68.”

“Ouch,” I gave a mock shiver, though I was pretty sure I would endure freezing my ass off in my condo if she was there to warm me up.  The thought alone was enough to send waves of heat tingling from my head to my toes, imagining her standing in my kitchen in one of my button-up shirts, the collar hanging off one shoulder, the hem brushing the back of her knees…

I gave myself a mental shake in time to hear her next question. 

“What about you? Did you always want to work with computers?” 

“No,” I chuckled, once again pulled to the past. “Like every preppy teen-aged jock I thought I’d make it big in sports.  Baseball, basketball, football, wrestling, track… the only thing I didn’t do was soccer but that wasn’t for lack of trying.  I just couldn’t fit it into my schedule.”

“So how come computers?” She asked as we stopped to watch some kids digging in a sand pit for fake dinosaur bones.  Pulling her hand away, she leaned forward on the retaining wall next to the exhibit, forearms flat on the top.  I immediately missed the loss, but mimicked her pose, standing together almost shoulder-to-shoulder.  

How to answer her question without getting into all that... other stuff?... 

“Part of it was me needing to grow up,” I confessed in a low voice, not looking her way. I took a breath and shifted, gathering my thoughts. “Other than sports, there wasn’t anything I was deeply passionate about.  I don’t think I was actually passionate about sports, either, but it's what all my friends did so I did it, too.” My shoulders decided to give a careless shrug. I wasn’t part of that decision. “And part of it was the money.  IT consulting is stable, lucrative.  I wanted something that would give me…” I couldn’t say the word ‘safety,’ that hit a little too close to home, so I settled for “... security.  So when it came time to pick a major...” Another shrug.  My shoulders seemed to have decided they needed a workout without my approval.

“I see.” She studied my profile for a moment, seeming to read more than I wanted her to just yet.  So I turned to grin down at her, turning the tables. 

“Not everyone has things they are so passionate about,” I murmured with another flirty wink. I loved seeing the pale blush that rose in her cheeks when I did it. “Not like you.”

Sure enough, she did the adorable blushing thing, and I was about to lean in for a kiss... when she glanced at my watch. 

“Oh! Cy, it’s time for my absolute favorite thing of all!” She pushed off the wall and tossed a wide smile over her shoulder, heading towards the large dome in the far corner of the complex. “Star show!”

“Star show?” I grinned back, my long legs easily catching up to her.  Damn, I’d been aching to kiss her since last night and we’d just been so close…  

“YES,” She breathed hard, practically vibrating with excitement. I couldn’t be upset when she was this happy. “The planetarium. I love it.  Every time I come, I make sure to catch a show.” 

“Well, then,” I rumbled, coming up behind her in the line at the door. I ached to slip my arms around her waist, to feel her flush against me. Instead I stood very close, my chest tingling with awareness, murmuring low words into her soft hair. “I can’t wait.”

We shuffled along, waiting our turn. I stayed against her back, feeling electrical currents jumping between us and sizzling the skin beneath my sweater.  Stepping into the darkened space, it took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the dim. Beth was taking a moment to gaze at the enormous projector on the pedestal in the middle of the room, but people behind us were impatient, jostling us towards the seats.  It quickly became obvious that the show was going to be packed: we ended up in the 3rd and 4th seats in the fifth row opposite the main door, settling back into the plush reclining chairs. 

“Have you been to one of these before?” she whispered.  I was taking in the deep silence of the room; the crowded chattering seemed muted somehow.  Glancing around, I was filled with childlike excitement at the idea of this so-called ‘star show.’ The term conjured up storybook visions of magic and mystery.

“No,” I murmured back, reaching once more for her hand. My gaze dropped to our fingers, marveling at how well our hands fit together. I allowed one jean-clad leg to drop to the side, pressing against her bare thigh.  Part of me wished I’d worn shorts so I could feel her skin against mine, but I contented myself with the heat that seeped through the fabric. Our hands rested on my leg, and I tried not to think about her hand so close to my... “First time.” I finished, forcing my thoughts back to PG.

She grinned, and the sight of it spurred me to lean over for another attempt at a kiss...

The room plunged into absolute darkness, expansive music rising to signal the beginning of the show. On the curved ceiling above us, pinpoints of light began winking into existence. The presenter’s voice was low and soothing, practiced.

Damn.  Frustration took bites out of my head.

But - as bursts of light came into focus on the curved ceiling, as the stories of the stars began to play out in spinning spheres and faraway fantasies - I forgot my flash of frustration. I knew I was sitting there with my mouth open like a fool, but I couldn’t help it.  This was, possibly, the coolest thing I’d ever seen.

I was so distracted by the mesmerizing swirl of constellations that at first I blamed the tight dryness in my eyes on the dizzying patterns of light overhead.  I blinked, trying to generate some moisture, and that’s when I noticed the prickle. The one that fluttered in one tiny spot at the back of my left nostril.  

The prickle that - combined with the suddenly gritty feeling in my eyes - warned me that there might be something nearby about to set me off. 

No. I grit my teeth. No. This couldn’t be happening.  Not now.  Not again...

My upper lip gave a little twitch, nose wrinkled briefly as I gave in to a couple of discreet sniffs. Testing the waters.  This wasn’t such an enclosed space - not like an elevator or a car, or a plane with recycled air that swirled allergens all over the cabin.  The dome was high and expansive, and our reclining seats put us a few inches from neighbors. 

But the prickle had started fluttering back and forth, from left to right, raking light claws across my sensitive membranes.  I lifted the hand not holding Beth’s to pinch my nose, hoping to snuff out the prickle, and then knuckled my nostrils with another sniff.

That seemed to be the wrong thing to do, however, as the prickle became a teasing tingle. I vaguely wondered whether someone had brushed against me in line and deposited dander on my sweater.  That would be bad: I couldn’t start stripping in the middle of the show, and I had nothing in the truck to change into.

As the tingle grew into a tenacious tickle, I started getting seriously worried.  I’d left my extra meds out in the truck, and the sign outside said this show was 45 minutes long.  It had barely been 15 minutes.  Tension began to creep through my limbs as anxiety pooled in my gut.  

Don’t do this, don’t do this now, don’t do this again… I was begging my body.

I’d be lying if I said that all of my blinking now was solely related to a possible allergic reaction.  The sting in my eyes definitely was partly related to dread. 

My hand rose again to my nose as the tickle buzzed into a relentless itch, rubbing, wincing slightly as I felt my sinuses begin to release moisture. Another sniff that sounded a little wetter than before made my stomach drop.  

I was not going to sneeze.  I was not.  I was not going to sneeze, goddammit.

But it’s like when someone says “don’t think about pink elephants:” trying to talk myself out of sneezing just made my nose more determined.  I could feel when my upper lip quivered, nostrils flaring helplessly. 

I tried to wrinkle my nose again, to dislodge the tickle, the accompanying sniffle this time definitely wet and dangerous.  I knew I should only be taking in air through my mouth to avoid dragging more dander into my prone passages, but the sinuses-making-moisture problem was quickly becoming worse.  My nose was threatening to run in earnest, and I was trying to stem the flood. 

The itch suddenly flared into a need, an overwhelming urge I couldn’t have ignored if I tried. And I tried.  But my body stubbornly exhaled shakily, then inhaled sharply. I couldn’t help it, couldn’t stop it.  The sneeze was coming. Right. Now. 

The only thing I could do was bring my free hand up and crush my nostrils shut as the sneeze barreled through, eyes crinkling closed and chin snapping down toward my chest.  I clamped down, not allowing any air to escape, not a single sound from my throat.  

It hurt, pounding through my head and knifing through my chest.  But the tickle backed off. 

Giving my head a little shake and blinking even more rapidly through the wetness that vicious stifle had wrung from my ducts, I tried to settle back in the chair.  Maybe that was an isolated incident.  People did just randomly sneeze, I told myself.  It didn’t always have to end in an episode.

It’s just one sneeze.  Just one.  No big deal. 

But deep down I knew that was a lie.  This is me we’re talking about, here. 

The show continued for another couple of minutes, the light prickle flaring up to a tickle and then backing down in teasing waves.  Then, it happened again. 

Oh god I’m gonna sneeze… NOW.

My body sucked air.  My fingers pinched.  The crushed sneeze punched through my head, my chest.   

I glanced at Beth, hoping she hadn’t noticed.

You okay? she mouthed. Damn. She’d noticed. Of course she had.

I gave a curt nod, turning back to the presentation with another damp sniff, trying for casual. But the tingling buzz dancing through my nasal passages was ominous. I dreaded what I knew would happen next.

God, I needed to sneeze.  I really fucking needed to sneeze...

I could feel a tremendous dander-induced fit hovering at the back of my sinuses, tempting me to give in to the relieving, wet explosions that would blast the itchy little particles free.  I fought it.

But my lungs insisted I inhale another shaky breath.  My diaphragm muscles gave another helpless, reluctant gasp. I clamped my thumb and forefinger around my nose and hung on for dear life as my body reacted.  Once.  Twice.  The stifles stabbed through my head and pierced my throat, but I refused to let any air in or out.  If I did, I’d start sneezing repeatedly and wouldn’t be able to stop. My lungs started to burn.

Another vicious stifle wracked me, and I could feel that slick moisture pooling behind my finger and thumb threatening to break the tight seal I had over those traitorous nostrils. I pulled my left hand away from Beth’s and switched it to pinch my nose closed as I shifted in the seat.  My right hand was fumbling in my back pocket for the handkerchief I had tucked there this morning.

The burning itch ramped up before I could get to it, and because of the slippery snot I couldn’t help the choked “-gxkt!” that slipped out.

God, this was mortifying.  Why couldn’t I seem to go 1 damned day without being a pathetic snotty wreck around this girl?...

“Cy,” Beth’s low voice whispered in my ear, leaning into my shoulder and pressing something against my raised wrist. Blindly, I dragged it from her fingers - discovering that it was one of her oh-my-god-so-soft hankies.  Immediately tucking my aching nose into it, I leaned forward in the seat, face almost between my knees as I tried to disappear into the floor.  My sinuses were about to explode.  I barely felt her gentle hand skimming my back as I crushed three more tight stifles into the blissfully cool fabric. My head and chest were starting to ache, and I prayed I didn’t sneeze myself into a migraine from this.

Finally, a break.  I managed a shaky inhale, hesitantly drawing air into starved lungs.  I worked my nose inside the cloth, pinching and scrubbing fiercely, trying to get at the elusive itch.

When it looked like I wasn’t going to sneeze again immediately, I leaned back.  Keeping the fabric pinched around my nose to filter the air, my watery eyes were blinking and wincing as they burned.  It felt like there were grains of sand trapped under my eyelids.  My unruly hair had fallen into my eyes but I didn’t bother to push it back.  When I sneezed again it would just tumble back to where it was now.  Instead, I glanced furtively around trying to see if there was any possible way of making a discreet exit.  My burning eyes noticed that nobody around was watching me, everyone's attention focused skyward.

I could tell Beth was keeping an eye on me, though, probably watching me more than the actual show itself, and that made everything about a hundred times worse.  I stubbornly swallowed back another pair of sneezes, my throat and chest burning from the effort.  The wetness in my eyes wasn’t entirely due to the force of the stifles.  Shame burned through me from head to toe.

And - god - I still wasn’t done...

“Nxgt!-h’kxt!-... b’GXshh!”  

I curled my shoulders, lowering my chin to my chest and willed myself to miraculously become invisible.  Another helpless sneeze was dragged from my lungs - “Hk’gXnts!” - and I couldn’t help the moan that slipped out after it.  

Please, just let this stop...

Dimly, I heard Beth whispering to the people on the other side of her, and then both her hands closed gently around my bicep.  The unexpected touch made me flinch, but she urged me to my feet.  Shoulders slumping, utter humiliation washed over me in a sickening wave as I realized that this, indeed, was going to be the absolute worst-case scenario.  Not only had I ruined her absolute favorite thing of all, the entire crowd got to witness my embarrassing exit. 

We stepped quickly over both people’s legs, me barely able to keep from tripping as I blinked through allergic tears while choking down two more knifing sneezes.

There was a set of restrooms nearby and, because the show was still going, on there wasn’t anyone inside.Thank god for small miracles... Beth pushed me into the Men’s and I scrambled into the last stall - the wheelchair-accessible one (and, yeah, I know that makes me kind of a dick) - locking it before slamming my back against the white tiled wall and sliding down to the museum-pristine floor, sitting right under the toilet paper dispenser. 

And proceeded to sneeze. 

And sneeze.  And sneeze. 

“t’SCHmp--g’SCHHm!” At first I tried to keep stifling, thinking that Beth might be just outside the door able to hear me.  “HHmSHHt-het-shmmff! heH-ShhMMpt!”  But I quickly realized that A. it was really starting to fucking hurt and B. she’d already heard almost every kind of sneeze-sound I had, so - really - what was the point? 

“hg’zCHHt!-heh’GZShht!... heh-GSCHhtu!..” 

I pulled yards of toilet paper, sneezing and blowing and sneezing and blowing, slightly worried that I was going to clog the toilet with all the sodden wads I was throwing in the bowl.  When the attack began to peter out, I mused that it must have been someone sitting nearby and not my sweater that had set me off.  Which was a good thing because I didn’t have anything else to wear and I really didn’t want to keep sneezing in messy fits as I drove us home. 

Which I knew I would be doing the moment I left this stall.  There was no way to salvage this. 

“eegh--SCHHtT…aAH-SCHTch-u!!” 

I admit I may have given in to a few self-pitying sobs between the spraying sneezes and muculent blows, roughly swiping the back of my hand under my eyes to scrub away the tears. I was so tired of this. So tired of not being able to control my body, tired of not being able to do something as simple as ride in a car or take an elevator or go on a date without being reminded how completely and thoroughly disgusting I was. Voices from my past hammered at my skull, a chorus of insults dragging me down.

“hH! ...hegt--SCHgtT!!” 

Eventually, though - and quicker than I had expected - the sneezing stopped.  A glance at my watch told me it had taken less than 20 minutes, which was unusual.  For me, anyway.  Maybe it was a light exposure to someone as we came in and if I hadn’t refused to let my body expel it with those airless stifles maybe it wouldn’t have been so bad. 

Who knows.  It wouldn't be the first time I'd had a fit without knowing what caused it.

I spent another 10 minutes splashing water on my face and then leaning my arms on the counter to stare at myself in the mirror.  Those voices kept hammering, miring me in suffocating self-loathing. But I knew I couldn’t hide in here forever.  

Taking a deep, shuddering breath, I forced myself to step back out into the museum.  

Coming around the corner, I found Beth lounging on a black leather and chrome bench, reading something on her phone.  She looked up as I came closer with a calm smile, those doe-eyes sweeping over my face.  I watched her from my peripheral vision, keeping my gaze fixed on the ground.  I knew what she’d see: swollen bloodshot eyes, red dripping nose, open-mouthed breathing, blotchy skin. Gross. Weakness. I ground my jaw, feeling tension and anxiety sending freezing tremors through every nerve in my body.

May as well get this over with…

“I’ll, ub,” I started, cringing to hear how hoarse and congested my voice had become. I cleared my throat so she could understand me. “I’ll drive you bagck dow.”

She stood and cocked that gorgeous head at me, seeming confused. “You want to go home?” 

Her tone definitely sounded like she hadn’t planned on that, had been waiting here patiently for me to finish so we could continue our date.  As if all I had done was gone in and washed my hands or something, not had yet another nauseating break down.

I couldn’t help it: my body flinched, face snapping to hers, eyes wide with shock, searching her gaze as if I'd hallucinated what she’d said.  “D-... dod’t you?”

She just smiled at me, not seeming to notice or care that I currently looked like I’d taken several punches to the face and was just started to swell before I bruised.  “I hadn’t planned on it,” she tossed in the air lightly, sounding so composed, so… normal...  “But if you’re not feeling well--”

“I’b--” I began, but then a lingering tickle flared in my swollen sinuses, my face crumpling in a combination of god-not-more and about-to-sneeze.  My lungs sucked a series of quick, unsteady inhales, “Hahh--hhh! --uhhh-hehh-hhehHH??...” the moment seeming to stretch out as the tickle toyed and teased.  Finally, I fumbled to pull my own handkerchief from my pocket and turned my back to her. The two drenching explosions folded me nearly in half, causing my abs to ache.  “heh-GSSSCHt- -ahh-GSSCHu!...”

“Here,” Beth was suddenly at my side and wrapping one arm around my waist, and it was all I could do not to jerk away from her, stunned. “Let’s get outside for a bit.”

“By truck,” I managed to mumble from behind the folds of fabric.  If I could get another dose of meds in me, maybe this date wouldn’t end up the utter train wreck I’d assumed it would. “...bedicide…”

“Good plan,” she patted my back, then raised a soft hand to stroke the back of my neck. 

I had no idea what to do with any of this.  In utter shock, all I could do was force my suddenly-wobbly legs to keep up as she led me toward a rear exit.

“I’b sor--” I tried.

“Don’t you dare apologize, mister,” she chirped, startling me further by raising up on her toes and pressing a soft kiss to my cheek.  The sensation of her lips lingered, and I felt my eyes slipping closed as a shudder rocketed through my chest.  “I’ve said it before. I’ll say it again,” she stepped in front of me, and I managed to wrench my eyes open to stare at her soft smile.  “I don’t mind.”

 

Edited November 24, 2021 by starpollen

[rockbell]

gah! I love Love LOVE THIS SO MUCH!!! can't wait to read what happens next for these two cuties 

[EveP]

What Rockbell said! I know you just posted this part, but it's so good and I need more! 

[Just Older]

Aw, poor Cy. He needs a big squishy hug ... maybe in the middle of a sneeze attack.

 

[Serendipity]

These two are so sweet 🥰 And I'm loving getting to know Cy's backstory a little more!

[Tassielli]

Well I’m definitely gonna hear Julie Andrews now  

As for the rest of it, your writing is so good I can barely process. It’s like if good vibes were a drug, you know? Just riding the high. 

[Kolen]

Yaay! I hear Julie Andrews now, too. Amazing as ever, keep on keeping on. Your characters are so PRECIOUS!! 💗💗💗

[Privatedancer]

Wonderful but I am dying to know how he felt at the end with her comment and clear effort to make him feel relaxed and accepted.  Love these two! You are an amazing writer.

[starpollen]

The Weekend - Part 5
Beth

Once we stepped outside, Cy pinch-wiped his nose with the handkerchief before stuffing it roughly into his back pocket with a soft sniffle.  Boldly, I kept my arm around his trim waist as we skirted the building toward where he’d parked.  Although his arm settled on my shoulders, we didn’t speak, and I got the distinct impression that he was upset. Angry with himself.  I couldn’t understand why.

When we got to his vehicle, I pulled my arm away and leaned against the hood.  Cy opened the passenger door and reached for the glove box where I presumed his medication was, but then he stopped, hesitated. I noticed a stiffening of his broad shoulders.  I almost rolled my eyes, but somehow managed to keep a serene expression.  If he insisted on being embarrassed there wasn’t anything I could do in the moment to change his mind. I’d have to work on that long-term.

Long-term. I turned that one around in my head for a minute. It seemed that part of my brain was already settling into the idea that this might go somewhere... 

Slow down, Beth.

I turned away to give him some privacy, wandering to the nearby pebbled path that had some outdoor sculptures.  My ears picked up the sound of the glove box dropping open and some vague rummaging.  But I didn’t glance back to watch.

Instead, I drifted among the sculptures for a few minutes, trying to gauge how much time he would need, not wanting to rush him but also not liking this sudden distance between us.  My ears perked up when he gave a light, “iishht!” but nothing else. 

After a little bit, I heard the glove box slam shut.  Definitely angry for some reason…

It took only a few seconds to make my way over to him.  I noticed he was leaning back against the vehicle with hands thrust deep in the pockets of his dark jeans, shoulders hunched, head hanging down so his hair was in his eyes. The corded muscles in his neck looked strained. He hadn’t closed the passenger door.

“Better?” I kept my voice light, giving his hard form a soft smile. 

Cy’s gaze stayed pointedly at the ground. “You’re…” He swallowed thickly, that deep voice still deliciously tinged with a slight rasp.  “You’re sure you don’t want me to take you home?” When I let a beat of silence hang in the air, his head tilted up just enough to peer at me through those tawny strands.  

He looked so vulnerable, so sure that I was going to end our date. Maybe even thinking I wouldn’t want to see him again.  What could I do to reassure him that these... incidents... weren’t going to scare me away?

Keeping that calm smile on my face, I stepped right up in front of him and put my hands on his forearms.  I could feel his muscles rock-hard with tension underneath the wow so soft sweater.  Holding his jewel-blue gaze with mine, I slowly slid my hands up his long arms and over his wide shoulders, lacing my fingers together at the back of his strained neck.  “I’m sure,” I murmured gently, leaning in.

And I kissed him.

I felt his lips part, sucking a tiny gasp of shock.  There was a second where he just froze. Then, a shudder shook him from head to toe, and his big hands were cupping my shoulder blades and pulling me flush against his rock-hard body, kissing me back with a shy fervor that melted every bone I had.  The slow drag of his lips against mine and the teasing tangle of our tongues stoked the fire that suddenly blazed between my thighs. A moan crawled up the back of my throat.

Wow, this man could kiss!

Cy’s hands fisted the back of my shirt, clutching me closer, as if he could drag me into his body like air. He tasted like deep earth and warm sunlight.  His scent was sultry, darkly spiced with a slightly sharp tang.  It was instantly my new favorite smell, and somewhere in the back of my thoroughly lust-shattered brain I wondered if Yankee could make a candle out of it. 

I clamped down and dragged my sanity back to heel before I giggled into his mouth; I would most definitely buy a ‘Cy-scented’ candle. 

After two slower, lingering kisses - the last one lightly sucking at my lower lip before pulling away - we leaned back to gaze into each other’s eyes, panting.  Cy’s mouth was still open, ocean-blue eyes heavy-lidded and a little glazed.  After a moment, he seemed to give himself a small shake, blinking until he could regain focus. 

“That was, um,” I gasped, falling into that cool gaze, sparks glittering down my body where it pressed against him.

“...incredible.” Cy finished with an audible gulp between breaths.  He was staring at me, too, the look on his face dancing back and forth between carnal hunger and guarded longing.  

“Yeah,” I gave a vague nod, still coming down from the high.

“Well, then,” he cleared his throat, still staring at me, barely blinking. “D-do you wanna… go somewhere else?”

“You got any ideas?” I smirked at him playfully, bringing one hand up to gently brush the thick hair away from his handsome face.  I felt another tremor quake through his tall frame, jewel-blue eyes fluttering closed.

“One or two,” he murmured, lowering his head and capturing my lips with two more earth-shattering kisses. 

It was all we could do to pull ourselves apart, never breaking our gaze. Cy held my hand like a gentleman, helping me into the passenger seat before jogging around to the driver’s side.  Once he slipped in and closed the door, his hard body immediately leaned over the center console, caging my head with both big hands and diving into my lips with greedy abandon. 

He kissed me again, and again... and again... 

Finally, I had to break away with a laugh, my cheek grazing his chin and feeling the barest beginning of fine sandpaper stubble.  “Is this the plan?  To make out in the car like teenagers?”

“Maybe,” he rumbled from deep in his chest, driving home one more passionate, punishing kiss that stopped my breath… followed by the most gentle sweep of soft, lazy lips.  A heaving sigh later, he pulled back into his seat and slipped the keys into the ignition.  “As much as that is exactly what I want to be doing right now…” Cy tossed that adorable half-smirk-and-wink at me. “I’ll slow down.”  Putting the SUV in gear, he reached for my hand. 

“Do I get to know these ideas?” I asked, reveling in the warmth of his long fingers lacing through mine, locking in place.  Coming home...  “Or shall I wait to be surprised?”

“Well,” Cy kept his eyes forward as he guided us out of the parking lot into traffic. “I’m not sure how long you expected to be out and about today…” he darted a quick glance my way, a slightly worried frown pulling at his mouth.

Responding with a relaxed smile, I made a show of settling back into my seat.  “Darlin’,” I echoed the pet name he’d used on me a couple of times.  “I’ve got all the time in the world.” 

Like a long drink of cold, sweet tea, or the lingering breeze blowing through the trees in early summer, the smile that oh so slowly curved Cy’s mouth was everything perfect in that moment. 

“Well... in that case,” he rumbled in a voice that was low and raspy that thrummed with rainy-day-slow-sex promise. “Since you’ve shown me your favorite place…” Cy speared me with a look that was so blatantly heated that my mouth went dry and certain places on my body started to throb. “I’d like to show you mine.”

Momentarily using his knees to steer, Cy reached over with his left hand to flick on the music system, keeping his right hand locked in my left.  A few more taps to the console and the playlist changed to something erotically exotic, so unique that I couldn’t help the astonished and confused expression that caused my eyes to go wide and my forehead to scrunch. 

“What is this?” I asked.

Cy flipped our hands so he could once more stroke my palm with his thumb.  But this time the motion felt decidedly more sensual.  “It’s Russian,” he explained. 

“You listen to Russian techno?” I stared at him, completely baffled. This man kept getting more and more interesting. 

“Yeah…” suddenly tense, Cy pulled his hand from mine to run fingers through his hair.  The anxious tell.  “You can pick something else, I've got--…”

“No, I--” when the song finished I reached to repeat it.  “I really like it.  I’ve never heard anything like this.  How did you--”

“My roommate junior year of college was from Russia,” he explained.  “Vadim.  He… well, we’ll just say that I know a lot about vodka and a little about Russian curse words.” The lopsided grin he gave me was just adorable. 

“Wow,” I breathed a light chuckle. “Cy Decker, you are just full of surprises.”

Reaching once more for my hand, he entwined our fingers before pulling them up and brushing my knuckles with his tantalizing lips.  “As are you, Beth Turner.”  The smoldering look he shot my way melted my bones.  “As are you.”

We rode in silence after that, and it was all I could do to concentrate on keeping my breathing steady and not insist he pull over so I could pounce.  Once, Cy’s knees took over the wheel as he pinched and rubbed at his nose with his left hand, but the sniff that followed was clear. 

“You--” I began, unsure if this was the right time to broach the subject.  Taking a deep breath, I decided to plunge ahead.  “You really don’t need to worry, Cy.  About… when something sets you off.”  I squeezed his hand, not looking at him.  “I can tell that you don’t really believe me when I say that I don’t mind. But…” Now I had to glance at him, seeing that his grip on the steering wheel was white-knuckled, jaw set, brilliant blue gaze dead-locked on the road ahead.  “I really, really... don’t.” I finished weakly.   

I had almost said it. But I had a strong feeling that Cy wasn’t ready for that, yet. For my… kink. It might be some time before I could drop that bomb, and for him to be ready to accept it. 

Holding my breath, I waited. 

I counted the white lines on the road as the silence stretched.  After 96 I lost count.

Clearing his throat, Cy’s voice came low and reluctant, almost timid.  “I--...” I watched out of the corner of my eye as his Adam’s apple bobbed.  “...thank you.”

This time, it was me bringing our hands up to kiss the back of his.  I watched his tension melt away.

“So,” I broke the moment, like mercury scattering. “Where’s your favorite place, O Man of Mystery?”

His shy grin slayed me.  “First we’re going to have dinner,” he flicked those gorgeous azure eyes at me. “I hope you like Mexican.”

“Oh my gooohhdd,” I groaned, rolling my eyes as I salivated and squeezed his hand. “Tacos are literally my favorite food on earth!”

The grin became a beaming 1000 watt smile. “Mine, too.  Although I also love Thai food, seafood, good down-home Southern cooking, and - as you’ve experienced - fine French dining.  But tacos are…” he trailed off with a groan. 

“Exactly,” I agreed fervidly.  My mind suddenly flashed with an image of Cy and I on the floor of my living room, my coffee table strewn with take-out taco debris, his big body hovering over mine, diving down for a heart-stopping kiss… 

I grit my teeth.  Slow down...

“After dinner,” he murmured, turning the wheel one-handed.  “Then maybe we can…” he trailed off, brows furrowed. 

“We can…?” I prompted gently.

“Beth, I--... I’d really like to watch a movie with you... at my place.”

It was one of the last things I expected him to say. 

“Cy--...”

“If you don’t want to, that's okay,” he breathed out in a rush, pulling his hand from mine to clutch the steering wheel almost desperately.  “I just… I don’t want today to end.”  

I gazed at him, tension practically vibrating through that big body.  His brows had crashed low over his eyes, nostrils flared as he took shallow breaths. His voice was so small at the end, so hopefully raw… there was no possible way I could say no.

“Sounds good,” I tossed lightly in the air, taking his anxiety and reshaping it into something quiet and calm.  Normal.  Easy.

Cy sucked in a stuttering breath. It made my heart do that helpless flip-flop thing.  “R-... really?”

“Yeah,” I breathed.  Reaching over with the hand he’d released, I cupped the back of his taut neck and massaged his strained muscles. The full-body shudder that followed strengthened my voice.  “That sounds pretty damned perfect.”

---   ---   --- 

 

P.s. If you’re interested in the Russian techno song, you can find it on YouTube:
Rasster & Renomty - Djara

 

Edited September 2, 2021 by starpollen

[Kolen]

Eeeeeeeeeek!! An Update!! [] possibly[] first comment afterwards? You never cease to amaze me, you are so good at writing, thank you thank you THANK YOU!!!😁🙃😉😌😍🤤🥰😃♥️❣👌🏽

[BurgundyJayne]

Yeeeeesssssssssss!!!!!!!!👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏🥰

[EveP]

You build your characters so well. I really feel for both of them and want more, much more! I think these two are my new favorites.

[Freshair]

Yay! They are so right for each other...and about time they got to kiss! 

I'm pre-ordering the novel, okay? 

[Privatedancer]

That was aaaammmmaaazzziiiinggg!

[rockbell]

I...I..I just 😍🤤😍

[Privatedancer]

 had almost said it. But I had a strong feeling that Cy wasn’t ready for that, yet. For my… kink. It might be some time before I could drop that bomb, and for him to be ready to accept it. 

Holding my breath, I waited. 

I counted the white lines on the road as the silencestretched.  After 96 I lost count.

Clearing his throat, Cy’s voice came low and reluctant, almost timid.  “I--...” I watched out of the corner of my eye as his Adam’s apple bobbed.  “...thank you.”

 

I love this part and am really looking forward to reading what was going through Cy’s mind.  I agree it is too early to tel him about the fetish but this was perfect.  Of course his past will make it hard to believe she means it but also Cy is so good at reading her.  Maybe he sees that she is clearly fighting to hold back when he is sneezing and assumes she is holding back her disgust, embarrassment, or urge to flee rather than her urge to comfort hun and well- jump him (later…when he recovers from the fit of course 😚)…

[HowFitting]

This is just 😍😍😍!!!!!! Oh man I love this on so many levels!!

[starpollen]

Kind of a short part here.  Sorry.   It just seemed the right place to stop before going back to Cy's point of view.  Hope you enjoy regardless!

---   ---   ---

The Weekend - Part 6

Beth

 

Cy drove us to a little hole-in-the-wall Mexican place I hadn’t heard of, and he admitted that a colleague of his had raved about it but he hadn't been before.  We gorged ourselves on the most incredible tacos I’ve ever had in my life. Hands down. The owners were this cute older couple from Baja, and instead of giving us a menu they just asked what we wanted.  At our unison cry of “tacos!” they started bringing plate after plate - 2 tacos on each - in a dizzying array of flavors. 

“Oh my god, try this one,” I reached over and held out the corn-wrapped treat.

Instead of taking it from me, Cy dipped his head into my hand with a tilt - ‘you always bow to the taco,’ he had explained - his hot mouth closing around one end and biting through. Saphire eyes closed, a long moan rippling from that corded throat.  Aaand he just let me feed him...  My insides melted into hot goo.

“Damn, that’s so fucking good,” he purred, tongue darting out to catch a drop of sauce on his lips.  It was the first time I’d heard him use that curse word, but it fell naturally from his lips. I wasn’t offended. Actually, if I admitted it… I was kind of turned on.  “What is that, duck?”

“I think so,” I took my own bite after his, still gazing hungrily at his mouth and trying to maintain control.  “With some kind of orange-pomegranate salsa.”  Watching his tongue lap at his lower lip was straining the limits of my patience. Inhaling through my nose to steady myself, I fought the urge to jump over and start kissing him. 

At that moment, the little abuela brought another plate, averting what might have been a sneak attack on his mouth.  “Careful, hijos, this one is a little spicy.”

Ooh, yes please!  I reached for it greedily. 

Cy hesitated. 

“You don’t like spicy food?” I asked around a searing mouthful.  Actually I could handle quite a bit more spice than this, but the soft burn was nice.  Some type of pork, maybe carnitas, with an apple-jalapeño relish that was utterly delicious.

“I--” he eyed the plate warily.  “I do like spicy food…”

I swallowed the bite and prompted him, “...but…?”  with a cocked head.

Glancing at me and then back to the plate, Cy licked those sinful lips again, considering.  Then he ducked that tawny head with a resigned huff.  “... fine…”  Reaching around to his back pocket, he pulled the handkerchief out and set it on the table. My mouth suddenly went dry.

Picking up the taco, he hesitated for a fraction of a second, but then ‘bowed’ to it and took a bite.  Chewing quickly and swallowing, he held it in his right hand while readying the white cloth with the left.

It was agony not to stare.  But I managed another bite, swallowing down a suddenly parched throat and reaching for my half-empty margarita as nonchalantly as possible.

My peripheral vision caught him blinking rapidly, nostrils flaring.  Then, “hg’ISShht-hIIshsht!” into the hanky.

“Bless you,” I tossed lightly, setting the margarita down and managing another bite of my taco. 

“Thanks,” he breathed, wiping his nose and quirking that sexy, lopsided grin at the taco in his hand.  Then he took another bite.

I couldn’t help the tingling that started fluttering in all my private places, biting the inside of my cheek to keep my expression neutral.  Keep cool, B, keep it together…  As if I hadn’t already seen him do this numerous times. 

Honestly it didn’t matter how many times I saw or heard Cy sneeze; I didn’t think I would ever get tired of it.  The man was lazy-Sunday-morning-sex walking anyway, and with a red, sniffly nose and damp lips?  Gah.

“Uhnnn, this is amazing.” I groaned around a mouthful, not only referring to the food.

The older lady - noticing our enthusiasm for the spicy dish - brought out another with even more heat.  

And that’s how we ate tacos.  

Cy would take one or two spice-laden bites from one hand, sneeze lightly into the other, then go back to the taco.  I struggled to maintain my composure as each light kiss of sneeze in the air caressed my ears, my heart pounding and my blood heating and various places on my body going liquid.  I sucked that margarita down way faster than usual, the whole experience making me giddy and a little light-headed.  

Which is probably the reason why - after he tucked a quick “h’ISSHtt!” into the cloth (the 9th spice-induced sneeze, but who was counting?... oh, that’s right, ME…) and gave another swipe at his nose - I leaned over just as the appendage emerged from the abused folds and lightly kissed its pinkening tip. 

“You’re so adorable,” I giggled, grinning buzzedly into his wide, starfire eyes.

Cy froze for a second, blinking, and then his smile exploded, perfect teeth gleaming in the low light of the restaurant as heat flared in his cerulean gaze.  Setting aside both taco and handkerchief, he grabbed the seat of my chair and scooted me close, the wooden legs stuttering on the terra cotta tile sending earthquakes through my core.  

“You’re so beautiful,” he growled.  

One big hand wrapped around the back of my neck, the other sliding across my skirted thighs as he claimed my mouth with a hungry kiss. The fiery spice lingered on his lips, his tongue, his breath, the taste of him blazing hotter because of it.

I closed my eyes, hands spasming in the air, wanting to reach for him but also aware that taco juices were dripping from my fingers. I didn’t want to ruin that likely-very-expensive sweater.  Fumbling for a napkin, my hand closed around his handkerchief.  Not caring one bit, I swiped the mess from my skin before dropping the damp - and now slightly greasy - cloth and plunged my fingers into his hair.  The hand in my lap slid down, a wide palm covering my bare knee, one long thumb creeping under my skirt to lightly stroke my thigh.

Before things could go any further, a clatter from the kitchen caused us to jump apart, breathless.  We stared at each other, chests heaving, before we burst out laughing.

“God, Beth,” Cy reluctantly pulled his hands away with a grimace, deep rumbling laughter still rolling from his broad chest. “You drive me crazy, you know that?” 

Also reluctant, I allowed my fingers to comb back his unruly locks before skimming down his shoulders to his wrists and away.  Reaching for my water glass, I offered a shy smile.  “The feeling is mutual,” I simpered, feeling distinctly overheated, struggling to catch my breath.

“The owners probably don’t appreciate us creating our own HBO special in the middle of their dining room,” Cy huffed around a wicked smirk that softened as he gazed at me. “Beth…” Reaching for his barely-touched Corona with one hand, he slipped the other over mine. “I’m having a great time tonight.”  His long fingers gave mine a gentle squeeze, ocean-blue gaze burning as his lips touched the mouth of the bottle.

“Me, too,” I sighed, smiling stupidly and resting my chin on my other hand, eyes frozen on his unbelievably handsome face. 

“Still up for a movie at my place?” he tossed out lightly, but I saw the set of his jaw as he glanced away and gulped the pale lager.

“I--” swallowing hard, determined not to kill the mood, I was suddenly anxious. Earlier that afternoon I hadn’t really considered the implications of going home with a man on the 2nd date. Especially THIS man. I knew nothing irrevocable would happen; Cy was a gentleman and I wasn’t ready.  But still… the temptation would be there. Knowing that our next stop was his place, that I would be in Cy’s apartment - with his things and his scent and a couch probably steps away from his bed… It was on my tongue to say ‘Actually I should probably head back"... but a voice that sounded suspiciously like mine answered, “Sure.”

Cy did his best to keep the conversation light and casual as we admitted that we couldn’t finish all the tacos, had the rest packed up, and left the restaurant.  He wouldn't let me pay, arguing that I'd already covered lunch and the tickets.  But the question danced in the air between us as we climbed into his SUV.  

Could I do this?  Could I be in this searingly masculine, magnetically attractive man’s space and not do something incredibly awkward or idiotic or embarrassing?  Something that would shatter whatever was building between us?

Knowing me, I highly doubted it.

 

Edited September 4, 2021 by starpollen

[EveP]

It doesn't matter that it's short when it's so good. Now I really want to try that duck taco with orange-pomegranate salsa, and I have a new favorite sentence: "Each light kiss of sneeze in the air caressed my ears". 🙂 

Could I have some more, please?

[Privatedancer]

Wonderful update - thank you!

[Kolen]

Yaay another one! Keep it coming, but at your own pace, of course! I love the description of her body reacting to the pleasure caused by her fetish. 😳😃😍🙃