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

[rockbell]

I'm completely obsessed 😍

[Victoria]

On 9/4/2021 at 7:34 AM, starpollen said:

The man was lazy-Sunday-morning-sex walking anyway, and with a red, sniffly nose and damp lips?  Gah.

Gah is right. 

Fabulous!

[sneezygirl97]

I hope this lasts forever or this couple ends up like your Tommy and Haley series with a bunch of different stories about different colds/allergy attacks throughout their relationship 😍😍

[starpollen]

We're back after a long time.  I have a holiday this week and some time to get back to my stories!   Hopefully I can update a few of them...

Here's the first update!  Hope you enjoy.

---     ---     ---

The Weekend - Part 7

Cy 

Once we stepped outside the museum, I pinch-wiped my nose with the handkerchief before stuffing it roughly into my back pocket with a wet sniffle.  For some unknown reason, Beth kept her arm around my waist as we skirted the building toward where I’d parked.  I settled my arm around her shoulders, but I couldn’t relax.  I was so angry with myself - my body, my stupid broken immune system - that I really fucking couldn’t relax, despite her soothing proximity.

When we got to my truck, she pulled away and leaned casually against the hood.  I opened the passenger door and reached for the glove box where my medication was, but then hesitated. I couldn’t help that my shoulders stiffened.  I have hated my allergies for nearly 20 years: I’ve never allowed anyone to watch me take the multitude of medications I need daily just to function.  

Especially Beth.  As much as she had accepted - embraced, almost welcomed - my humiliating physical issues?  I couldn’t expose her to this.  I really fucking couldn’t.   

As if she could read me like a book, she turned away, going off to wander on the nearby pebbled path that had some outdoor sculptures.  Grateful for the privacy, I quickly rummaged through the glove box to take out the pills and nasal spray that would hopefully calm my irritated tissues down.

I dry-swallowed the pills.  That was the easy part. The nasal spray was the most embarrassing. As usual, when the medication was forced up into my sinuses, I pinched my nostrils shut.  It didn’t matter; I was going to sneeze anyway. But I held out as long as I could, willing the medicine to subdue the symptoms of whatever had set me off earlier.  Eventually, I gave into the light “iishht!” that the spray induced, helpless to stop it.

I tossed the meds back and slammed the glove box shut with an angry growl.  I hated this.  I hated that I couldn’t control this part of my body, that I couldn’t stop being drippy and snotty and sneezy and miserable and disgusting.  This gorgeous, smart, funny, amazing girl deserved more than I could give her; deserved more than a repulsive wreck of a man that couldn’t even manage one fucking date without screwing it up.

I burned with self-condemnation.  The sensation was so familiar I reached for it like a lover coming home.  Then… I found my brain reaching for the memory of Beth’s soothing touch.  Pain stabbed my chest.

Get it together, Decker.  You’ll drive her home and probably never hear from her again.

I watched her jog back, those gorgeous strawberry-blonde curls swaying in the breeze.  Leaning back against the vehicle, I thrust my hands deep into my pockets, shoulders hunched, head hanging down so my hair was in my eyes. I was hiding, and I knew it.  I did this a lot when I didn’t know how to deal with life, a holdover habit from middle school that I had never managed to shake.  It made me feel even more embarrassed; I could feel my neck and shoulders tensing.  I tried some deep breathing, struggling for control.

“Better?” Beth’s voice was light. Calm. As if this was perfectly normal. 

I gazed pointedly at the ground. She doesn’t know what a fucking mess you are… “You’re…” I swallowed around a thick throat, hearing how hoarse I was from those swallowed sneezes using my larynx like a cheese grater.  “You’re sure you don’t want me to take you home?” She let a beat of silence hang in the air, and my head tilted up just enough to peer at her through the thick strands.  I needed to see her, to look into those forest-pool eyes… even knowing that she was about to crush my whole fucking world...

Keeping that calm smile on her face, she stepped right up in front of me and put her hands on my forearms.  Her touch burned. Holding my gaze, she slowly slid those wildfire hands up my arms and laced her fingers together at the back of my neck.  “I’m sure,” she murmured gently, leaning in close.  

And she kissed me.

My lips parted, and I couldn’t help sucking a tiny gasp of shock.  There was a second where I just froze. Then, electricity rocketed through every cell in my body, a shudder shaking me from head to toe.  My hands cupped her shoulder blades and pulled her flush against me, kissing her back.  Her lips were so soft, her tongue dancing with mine, her soft curves pressed against my hard chest. She moaned, and every nerve ending I had lit up like a Christmas tree.

It was possibly the best kiss I’ve ever had.

My hands fisted the back of Beth’s cardigan, pulling her closer, needing her like air. She tasted like citrus and berries.  She smelled like sunlight.  Her body was warm and pliable, pure heaven.

After two slower, lingering kisses - the last one I indulged in lightly sucking at her lower lip before pulling away - we leaned back to gaze at each other, panting.  I felt a little unsteady, like I was drunk, and gave myself a small shake, blinking to regain focus. 

“That was, um,” she gasped.

“...incredible.” I finished, also breathing hard. Staring at her gorgeous dark eyes, kiss-flushed lips slightly parted, all I could think of was more. I needed more of her... 

“Yeah,” she gave a small nod, not breaking our gaze.

“Well, then,” I cleared my throat, unwilling to even think about this day with her ending. “D-do you wanna… go somewhere else?”

“You got any ideas?” she smirked at me, bringing one hand up to gently brush the thick hair away from my face. I shuddered again; it was one of the things I loved most, when a girl played with my hair.

“One or two,” I murmured, lowering my head and capturing her lips with two more heart-stopping kisses. 

It was all I could do to pull away from her. I held her hand as I helped her into the passenger seat before jogging around to the driver’s side.  Once I got in and closed the door, I dove for her mouth, caging her head with both hands and kissing her again.

And again, and again... and again... 

God, this girl was my own personal cut of heroin. I was addicted.

Finally, she broke away with a laugh.  “Is this the plan?” she asked, eyes sparkling. “To make out in the car like teenagers?”

“Maybe,” I growled from deep in my chest, driving home one more passionate, punishing kiss… and then easing back to give her a gentle sweep of soft, lazy lips.  Slow down, Decker. Heaving a sigh, I pulled back into my seat and slipped the keys into the ignition.  “As much as that is exactly what I want to be doing right now…” I discreetly adjusted my jeans and threw a wink at her to cover it. “I’ll slow down.”  Putting the SUV in gear, I reached for her hand. 

“Do I get to know these ideas?” she asked as I laced our fingers together. “Or shall I wait to be surprised?”

“Well,” I kept my eyes forward as I guided us out of the parking lot into traffic. “I’m not sure how long you expected to be out and about today…” Giving her a quick glance, my mind already spinning forward to make plans that lasted days, not hours… 

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

All those images began strobing on the movie screen inside my brain.  Days, I purred. If I could, I would keep this woman busy for days...

My mouth curved into a sinful smile.

“Well... in that case,” I 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…” I knew the look I threw her way was blatantly heated, and I was thrilled when I watched Beth’s pupils dilate in response. “I’d like to show you mine.”

Momentarily using my knees to steer, I reached over with my left hand to flick on the music system, keeping our hands locked together.  A few more taps to the console and the playlist changed to something erotically exotic to match my mood.

Beth’s lovely features registered astonishment and confusion. “What is this?” she asked.

I flipped our hands so I could languidly stroke her palm with my thumb, thinking of other places on her lush body I would rather be stroking.  “It’s Russian,” I explained, my brain totally not tracking this conversation at all. 

“You listen to Russian techno?”

“Yeah…” Suddenly realizing where my brain was taking my body - and that I needed to cool down now before it became situation critical - I pulled my hand from hers to run fingers through my hair and forced myself to think cooling thoughts.  My grandmother in a bathing suit. Snakes shedding their nasty skins. Babies with smelly diapers... “You can pick something else--…”

“No, I--” when the song finished she 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,” I explained. “Vadim.  He… well, we’ll just say that I know a lot about vodka and a little about Russian curse words.” Thinking about the roommate helped, too.  That guy had been disgusting.

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

Reaching once more for her hand, I entwined our fingers before pulling them up and brushing a kiss across her velvet knuckles.  “As are you, Beth Turner.”  The light contact had me flushing with heat again. “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 pull over so I could pounce on her.  Once, I felt a prickle in my sinuses but a quick pinch-and-rub seemed to take care of it.  The tentative sniff that followed was clear, thank god. I really didn’t want to deal with my whacked system any more today.

“You--” Beth’s voice floated over the soft instrumental that had popped up on the playlist.  “You really don’t need to worry, Cy.  About… when something sets you off.”  She squeezed my hand, not looking at me, and I felt my chest get tight at her words. She really didn’t understand how bad it could get, that she hadn't actually seen me at my very worst... “I… I can tell that you don’t really believe me when I say that I don’t mind. But…”  My grip on the steering wheel was white-knuckled, jaw set, eyes dead-locked on the road ahead.  My ears weren’t sure they were hearing the words right.  “I really, really... don’t.” Her voice was small at the end, almost nervous.  Like she almost said something else.

What, as if she was going to say something like she ‘really, really… liked it?’

That was a joke and a half. 

But my brain ping-ponged around in my skull for a while, thoughts turning over and sideways and inside-out-ways… On one side I recognized I was so attracted to her that I could barely think straight, and the other side was demanding that I end this with her because I knew where it would ultimately go.  At some point all my - issues - were going to be too much, and this time I was sure that when she left, I would be ruined.  Not broken.  Ruined.  I don’t know how long it went on, but slowly my sluggish gray matter started to realize that I needed to say something to her.  I needed to make some kind of response. 

Come on, Decker.  Pull it together.

Clearing my throat, I answered low and slow, still not sure what words were going to come out but knowing I needed to say something...  “I--...” I had to swallow again, or it might have come out as a squeak and my manhood just couldn’t have handled that right now. “...thank you.”

When she brought our hands up and ghosted a sweet kiss against the back of my hand, all the tension in my body drained away.  Magic.  This girl was fucking magic.

“So,” she tossed lightly in the air with a squeeze at my fingers.  “Where’s your favorite place, O Man of Mystery?”

I flashed her a shy grin.  “First we’re going to have dinner. I hope you like Mexican.”

“Oh my gooohhdd,” she groaned and squeezed my hand. My brain immediately wanted her to make that sound while squeezing something else... “Tacos are literally my favorite food on earth!”

“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…” I couldn’t find words, so I just echoed her groan.

“Exactly,” she agreed, but one glance into her dark eyes and I had the distinct impression that she was on the same page as I was about the groaning and the squeezing of… other things...

I grit my teeth.  Slow. Down.

“After dinner,” I murmured, totally distracted by the wants in my head as I turned the wheel.  “Then maybe we can…”

Should I go there?  Should we go back to my place on a second date?  Not because I planned to get her between the sheets - I wanted to take this slow, do right by her, if we kept seeing each other - but bringing a girl home just to cuddle on the couch is a different level of intimate.  Should I suggest that so soon?

“We can…?” she prompted gently.

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

Her eyebrows jumped high on her forehead.  See, this is why you should slow down, Decker...

“Cy--...”

“If you don’t want to, that's okay,” I breathed out in a rush, pulling my hand from hers to clutch the steering wheel almost desperately.  Even though my brain was screaming at me to shut the fuck up - right now - don’t say another word, I found my mouth saying, “I just… I don’t want today to end.”  

I could feel her gaze on me, and I had to clamp down hard on my muscles to stop the tension from physically vibrating through my body.  I was working on unhinging my locked jaw to take it back, to give some light chuckle, that smile-and-wink combo, to toss out ‘We can do that some other time…’ when I heard her calming voice say:

“Sounds good.”

Those two words unlocked my lungs, air releasing in a long, stuttering breath.  She had taken my anxiety and swept it into a quiet and calm corner of the car, like a naughty puppy that needed a bone and a nap. 

It made my heart flutter, warm and hopeful.  “R-... really?”

“Yeah,” she breathed, and then her small, soft hand was on the back of my neck, digging into my tight muscles with deft strokes.  Any remaining tension left my body in a shudder that went from my crown to my soles.  I had to blink to keep my eyes open and not crash us into a tree, it felt so good...  “That sounds pretty damned perfect,” she continued.

Yes, I thought, managing to keep my mouth shut this time and giving myself over to her soothing touch.  You are. Beth. You are pretty. Damned. Perfect.

Edited October 1, 2021 by starpollen

[EveP]

I think I'm in love with these two and I think I want you to spend every minute of your time off writing... 😁

[sneezygirl97]

I’m so, so glad this is back 😍😍 But every time I get to the end of an update I just want more 😅

[Kolen]

Yes, I am so happy this back, too. Yay for holidays!!

[Privatedancer]

I was so excited to see an update and always love getting Cy’s POV to learn more about him.  When I was looking for something to read and sorting OF by most viewed this is ALREADY popping up very early in the mix:). I think Cy and Beth will be very popular indeed.  Of course I would never turn down a Tommy and Hayley update- and you have so many wonderful characters- thank you for your contributions!

[NotWho]

I love this so much! They’re too cute!

[Tassielli]

Oh my! This is sweetness overload. 

[rockbell]

Absolutely love this, Cy and Beth are so cute! Cannot wait to read what happens next!!

[EveP]

Starpollen, I hope all is well with you and that you can find time and inspiration to continue this story because it's so good. This and "Piment de la vie" are my favorite stories of all time. There are many great stories out there, and then there are these two. ❣️

[Wish-I-Whispered]

This is really a next level stuff righ here! Please continue if you can x

[-Evelynn]

Woah! This is brilliant! I just read a few paragraphs and I already think the rest is going to be as good as the start!

This is amazing, and I hope you make more stuff in the future <3!

[starpollen]

I'm SO SORRY it's been so long!    I hope I can make it up to you... 

---

The Weekend - Part 8
Cy

I drove us to a little hole-in-the-wall Mexican place, and when she asked I admitted that a colleague had raved about it but I hadn't been before. 

Peter hadn’t been lying. 

We gorged ourselves on the most incredible tacos I’ve ever had in my life, and I had once considered myself a ‘taco expert.’ The owners were this older couple from Baja, and instead of giving us a menu they just asked what we wanted.  Beth and I both called out “tacos!” and they started bringing plate after plate - 2 tacos on each - in more flavors than I thought were even possible.

“Oh my god, try this one,” Beth reached over and held out a hand-made corn tortilla wrapped around some type of pinkish meat dripping with an orange-pink salsa. 

Instead of taking it in my own hands, I dipped my head to hers and closed my mouth around one end, biting through.  I heard her breath catch a little, and had to stop myself from letting my lips push forward to brush against her fingers.  Flavor exploded on my tongue and my eyes closed, a long moan clawing up from my chest.  

“Damn, that’s so fucking good,” I purred, licking the dripped sauce from my lips.  I hoped she wasn’t offended by my language, but there really wasn’t any better description.  The meat was juicy and well-seasoned, the salsa a sweet/sour combination that played off the fattiness perfectly.  “What is that, duck?”  We’d had duck last night at the French restaurant but... somehow this was better. 

“I think so,” she took her own bite, that dark doe-like gaze still locked on my mouth.  I took a sip of my beer to stop myself from grabbing and kissing her.  Again.  God, it was so hard to keep my hands off of her…  “With some kind of orange-pomegranate salsa,” she continued.  Trust the cook to know.   

At that moment, the little abuela brought another plate, her dark eyes twinkling above her wrinkled smile.  “Careful, hijos, this one is a little spicy."

Beth’s eyes sparkled, her strawberry mouth stretching into a wide grin as she eagerly reached for it.

I hesitated.  She noticed.  Of course she did.

“You don’t like spicy food?” she asked around a mouthful. 

“I--” Eyeing the plate warily, my insides were at war.  I secretly did enjoy spicy food, when I was alone.  When out in public, though, I tended to avoid it because it… well, there were reactions…  But I didn’t want to spoil the relaxed and playful mood we had going, didn’t want my hang-ups getting in the way of how our chemistry was building. So, I slowly admitted, “I do like spicy food…” 

She swallowed the bite and prompted, “...but…?”  with a cocked head.  Somehow Beth kept picking up on the moments when things were going on in my head.  Even if she didn’t know exactly what, she had an uncanny sense when my thoughts tried to derail.  I used to think I was good at hiding, at deflecting and charming my way through situations.  But this woman…

Glancing at her and then back to the plate, I licked my lips, considering.  I mean, what was the point of refusing?  Beth clearly enjoyed spicy food.  If I declined, it would get awkward and the poor, sweet couple in the kitchen would have to do twice the work to bring me different plates.  And… part of me wanted us to share every tiny detail of tonight in the same way, an emotional intimacy with her that I craved. 

I ducked my head with a resigned huff.  “... fine…” 

But I needed to prepare.  Maybe once she saw my meaning she’d take pity on me and change us back to the mild stuff...  Reaching around to my back pocket, I pulled the handkerchief out and set it on the table with a meaningful stare at it.

I waited a fraction of a second, expecting to hear her say… I don’t know what.  But I should have known better.  Beth didn’t take pity on me.  Actually, her gaze sharpened, almost looking… eager?  Confused but steeling myself, I decided to just get it over with. I picked up the remaining taco and took a bite, chewing quickly and swallowing while palming the handkerchief in my other hand.

Sure enough, once the spices hit the back of my throat the prickle skittered its way up into my sinuses. Blinking rapidly, nostrils flaring, I waited for the inevitable “hg’ISShht-hIIshsht!” aiming them into the stiff cloth.  I already missed Beth’s softer - better - hanky, but I’d destroyed that one at the museum. Beggars and choosers and all that.

“Bless you,” Beth tossed lightly, setting her margarita down and taking another bite of her taco. Was it my imagination or had she just taken a massive guzzle of the alcoholic drink?...

After the tickle faded, I was able to sort through the flavors.  Heat from a fruity chili as well as a hint of cinnamon danced on my tongue, elevating the juicy pork.  Just as delicious as the previous tacos we’d sampled.  I honestly didn’t know if I’d ever be able to eat tacos from any other restaurant again. 

We won’t even think about Taco Hell.

“Thanks,” I breathed at her, wiping my nose and grinning at the taco. Yeah, I was going to sneeze some more and, yeah, she was going to witness it.  But the taco was worth it.  This whole experience was worth it. 

I almost couldn’t believe I was thinking that.

Beth groaned, “Uhnnn, this is amazing,” around a bite.  She was right: everything about this was amazing, including the incredible woman next to me. I was enjoying this so much I was almost afraid of the intensity of it.

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

And that’s how we ate tacos.  

I would take one or two spice-laden bites in one hand, sneeze lightly into the other, then go back to the taco. The spicy food kept my nose tingling with tickles, but it wasn't even remotely as bad as a real allergy attack.  This, I could do. After three or four of these episodes, I started noticing Beth’s reactions.  She sucked that margarita down way faster than she had sipped the wine the night before.  Maybe she just really liked margaritas…  

But something about it was… off.  I couldn’t put my finger on it, exactly, but each time I aimed a sneeze into the handkerchief she seemed to get super still, something about her going suddenly sharp before very deliberately relaxing.   

I finished a quick “h’ISSHtt!” into the cloth - the 8th or 9th, I think - and when I opened my eyes Beth was suddenly very close.  I hadn’t even dragged the cloth away completely before her glossy lips brushed the tip of my nose. 

I froze for a second, blinking.  Had she just… kissed my nose??  My likely-reddenning, possibly damp, allergic-to-a-thousand-things-and-I-hated-it nose??

“You’re so adorable,” she giggled, grinning at me with dark eyes shining just a little too brightly.  That margarita must be getting to her. 

For some reason that thought made it okay.  She thinks I’m adorable.  I couldn’t help the huge smile that burst across my face, setting aside both taco and handkerchief so I could grab the seat of her chair and scoot her close, the wooden legs stuttering on the terra cotta tile.

“You’re so beautiful,” I growled, needing to touch her, taste her, breathe her in.  Two inches from her was as far as two continents.  

I wrapped one hand around the back of her slender neck, my fingers gliding along the expanse of that silken skin, the other sneaking across her skirted thighs.  My palm itched to slide up and cup her gorgeous ass but I forced myself to stop just as my thumb brushed under the hem. I kissed her fiercely, the fiery spice lingering on her plush lips causing my tongue to tingle delightfully.

God, kissing Beth was my new favorite sport.  Favorite drug.  Favorite… everything.

After a little bit of fumbling that I ignored because I was so focused on her mouth, her delicate hands came up, fingers plunging into my hair.   Her nails skimmed my scalp before threading through the thick strands and becoming tangled.  She tugged, and the slight pain stoked my inner fire even hotter. The hand I had on her thigh slid down - the wrong direction according to my lust, but a small voice in the back of my mind reminded me we were in public - my wide palm covering her knee, allowing just one thumb to lightly stroke the satin skin under her skirt.

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,” I reluctantly peeled my hands away from her with a grimace of pain, willing parts of my body that were wayyy too excited to calm down. I covered it with a laugh. “You drive me crazy, you know that?” 

Beth’s fingers lingered, combing through my hair and smoothing it back into some semblance of order before skimming down my shoulders to my wrists and away.  I felt a deep sense of loss that ached through my chest.  Reaching for her water glass, she offered me a shy smile that clashed completely with the urgent way she had been kissing me moments before.  “I know the feeling,” she murmured breathlessly.

“The owners probably don’t appreciate us creating our own HBO special in the middle of their dining room,” I attempted to lighten the mood with a joke, my gaze on her softening as I drank in that rose-petal blush.  “Beth…” Reaching for my barely-touched Corona with one hand, I slipped the other over hers where it lay lightly against the battered wooden table. “I’m having a great time tonight.”  I gave her small hand a gentle squeeze, my eyes unable to tear away from hers as I took a sip.

“Me, too,” she sighed, smiling at me the way I was probably smiling at her, mooney and soft.  Her chin rested on her other hand as we let the moment hang suspended, a raindrop glistening on the tip of a leaf.

Suddenly I wasn’t sure it was such a good idea to go back to my place; I didn’t think I’d be able to control myself.  Every muscle in my body was begging to pounce on her the second we walked through my door, taking her against the wall, on the kitchen island, the couch, the floor... my bed… the shower… my bed…

I had to glance away and take another gulp of my beer. 

“Still up for a movie at my place?” I tossed out lightly, knowing she should tell me ‘Actually I should probably head back’ and swallowed a groan that would have torn me nearly in half when she said instead:

“Sure.”

It was only the second date. I kept repeating that in my mind.  Second date, Decker.  Second. Date.  SLOW.   …   DOWN.  The last thing I wanted or needed was to rush this and ruin any chance of keeping Beth long-term.  

And I wanted that with a fierceness that was borderline violent.  As attracted as I was to her physically, I wanted her mind and her heart. Her words, her shy glances, her beautiful soul.

So I did some deep breathing and kept the conversation after that light and casual as we admitted that we couldn’t finish all the tacos, had the rest packed up, and left the restaurant.  But the question danced in the air between us as we climbed into my SUV.  

Could we do this?  Could I be in this magnetic, gorgeous, funny, sweet, smart, incredible woman’s company in my apartment - her lush body inches from mine on my deep, plush, and extremely fuckable couch - without losing control?  

I guess we were about to find out. 

Edited November 25, 2021 by starpollen

[ryan0805]

Amazing story!

 

 

[Kolen]

I noticed right at the end, instead of it saying "my SUV" it says "his SUV" I just wanted to point that out, but please don't take offence! I am so glad you've returned, welcome back, and of course your writing is just as good as ever~

😍😊

[EveP]

You wrote! ❤️

[starpollen]

43 minutes ago, Kolen said:

I noticed right at the end, instead of it saying "my SUV" it says "his SUV" I just wanted to point that out, but please don't take offence! I am so glad you've returned, welcome back, and of course your writing is just as good as ever~

😍😊

OOooh thanks for catching that!  Fixed now. 👍

[starpollen]

The Weekend – Part 9
Beth

Cy’s condo was not what I had pictured for him at all. 

Like his car, I had expected flashy luxury, expense splashed on every surface.  Some penthouse, perhaps, with soaring windows, marble floors, and chrome/glass furniture. Instead, it was a tidy 2-bedroom unit on the 6^th floor.  Don’t get me wrong, it was still in a very nice building with a uniformed doorman, security desk, and fancy lobby.  But C.B. Decker’s actual apartment was as surprisingly down-to-earth as the man himself.

Laminate floors that looked like expensive hardwood but I could tell weren’t based on the feel of them under my feet.  An open kitchen just to the right of the front door with wooden cabinets in a Shaker style that were painted a soft light-grey with simple round metal pulls.  The countertop looked to be concrete stained so dark grey it was almost black, the stainless steel appliances mid-range.  The walls were a classy taupe with white crown molding, dark wood bookcases along one wall with evenly spaced pictures and knick-knacks and a few lines of books.  The whole aesthetic was clean, simple.  Understated. 

The same way Cy dressed, when I thought about it.  Invested, thoughtful, but not showy or pretentious.

The one thing that did not surprise me, however, was the massive leather sectional facing an even more massive T.V. 

“Am I that cliché?” he asked with a shy grin, his gaze following mine as I landed on those last two items.  Shy wasn’t something I’d seen Cy do much of yet, and it made my insides do complicated twisty things.

“Well, you are a man, so…” I smiled as I moved to take off my shoes by the door, flashing him a suggestive wink. “I think it kind of comes with the hardware.”  That margarita was still in full swing as I gestured clumsily at the T.V. “If I turn that monstrosity on right now, will it be ESPN or…?”

He chuckled, low and sexy, toeing off his own shoes and looking down at our twinned white-socked feet.  “Busted.”  Taking my hand and lacing our fingers together, he led me to the sectional.  “I have pretty much every streaming service on the market, so it should be easy to find whatever movie you’re in the mood for.”  Guiding me smoothly to sit, he let go of my hand and stepped back, a carefully neutral expression on his handsome face.  “Would you like anything?”

You, naked, I almost blurted out.  Biting my lower lip, I felt my face flare with heat. Margarita needs to shut herself up...

“Um, whatever your having?” is what I said instead.

Cy flashed me a knee-weakening smile before moving into the kitchen to put the leftover tacos in the fridge.  “Beer or wine or water?”

“Water, please.”  Margarita needed no help from her friends tonight, and I knew what mixing drinks would lead to.

“Or I could make coffee or hot tea?”

“Water’s fine.”

If Cy had hoped I’d give a different answer he didn’t show it, either with a facial expression or body language.  Moving smoothly – almost too smoothly – he balanced two water bottles on one massive palm before coming to sit on the cushion next to mine. 

I cracked the cap and took several long pulls, willing the heat to fade from my cheeks.  As I feared, it was taking every ounce of my self-control not to pounce on him.

“So, Beth,” he turned his massive shoulders to face me, bringing one knee up to lay between us like the Great Wall of China.  “What are you in the mood for?”

The question was laden with innuendo, but Cy’s ocean-blue eyes regarded me steadily with no hint of those types of intentions.  It honestly looked like he was only asking about movie preferences and not… ugh, now those thoughts were crowding my brain.

“Darlin’,” I ducked my chin coyly and let my eyes drink him in as I echoed what he’d said to me at the museum. “This part of today is your rodeo.  I’m just along for the ride.”

I even drew out that last word, ‘riiiiide,’ mimicking his intonation exactly.  Heat flickered in that sapphire gaze, a brief burst of flame that flared and then disappeared.  Clearing his throat, Cy cracked his water open and took several long gulps, just as I had.

Oh, good, I inwardly sighed.  He’s not as unaffected as he’s trying to appear. 

Finishing with a hard swallow, his eyes bored into mine, expression serious. “Do you consider tonight to be our second or third date?” 

I thought about that for a moment, allowing my eyes to roam around the room, noticing some photos hanging on a far wall and a laptop with several files on the coffee table in front of where he was sitting. “I don’t know. Technically it’s probably still the second date since we haven’t left each other’s company.  But…”

“But it feels like the third, right?” he was gazing at me intently, those too-blue eyes burning with some emotion I couldn’t identify.  Suddenly it hit me: he was trying to figure out how fast we could go, whether it was acceptable to take things further than holding hands and heated kisses.  

I frowned. Was I ready to do that?  I wasn’t sure. 

He caught my expression, deliberately leaning back and forcing a boyish grin. “Okay, second date.  And if you insist that it’s my rodeo,” he winked at me in that mischievous way he’d done several times since we’d met. “I think I know what I’d like to watch with you.”

Reaching for the remote, he aimed it at the massive screen and it flared to life with – yes – ESPN.  An explosion of sound as a crowd roared in some stadium somewhere as a football went through a goal, but just as quickly there was an implosion of silence as Cy thumbed buttons and brought up a search bar and typed a title.

“Really?” I asked with a helplessly goofy smile.

“Really,” he grinned back, scooting close and raising an arm to drape across my shoulders and pull me into his side.  “Is this okay?” he asked looking down at me with a guarded expression.

I snuggled against his broad chest, inhaling the clean, spicy scent of him and clamping down on the surge of lust at the proximity of his deliciously hard body.  “It’s perfect.”

We watched “Step Brothers.”  It was the perfect choice to allow me to come out of Margaritaville and distract me from my haze of want.  We laughed. Cuddled.  At one point, both of Cy’s hands found their way to me: the arm wrapped around my shoulders had one set of fingers gently stroking my upper arm while the other set tangled with my own laying on my thigh.  He rested a gorgeous cheekbone against the crown of my head, every once in a while releasing a contented hum or sigh that I didn’t think he was aware of doing.  As tempted as I was to tilt my head up and start kissing him, I didn’t dare.  Not even one peck.  If I kissed him even once I wasn’t going to stop.  He was holding me so carefully that I was sure he was thinking the same thing.

When the credits began rolling, we didn’t move.  Cy’s breathing had been deep and even for some time but when he sucked in a slow, jagged inhale I knew he hadn’t been asleep.  The digital clock on the satellite box said it was after midnight.

“I guess I have to let you go now, don’t I,” he murmured.  It wasn’t a question.

“Yeah,” I replied just as softly, wanting with every fiber of my being to stay right where I was.  “But I can see now why this is your favorite place.  This couch is extremely comfortable.”

“It’s not the-…” he trailed off before suddenly pressing his lips into my hair and giving me a hard squeeze.  “Never mind.  Come on,” he pulled away slowly, like magma creeping down a hill.  The expression on his gorgeous face was pained, his throat bobbing with a hard swallow.  “I’ll take you home.”

“I have to get my car,” I reminded him as I allowed his hands in mine to help haul my reluctant body up from where we’d practically buried ourselves in the cushions. 

“Right,” he grimaced again, not letting go of my hands even as we made our way to his door.  

We rode back to the parking lot in silence, the long fingers of his right hand still threaded through my left.   When he pulled into a space next to my car and threw the gear shift into park, he didn’t let go of my hand.  And he didn’t look at me.

“When… when can I see you again?” he asked the steering wheel.

I unbuckled and turned until I was facing him completely, reaching with my right hand for the left side of his face.  Turning tortured blue eyes to mine, I smiled wide before pulling him to me and capturing his lips in a deep kiss.

I hadn’t allowed myself to do that while in his apartment.  I probably shouldn’t be doing it here in his car.  But I just couldn’t stand how unhappy he seemed.

A low moan broke from his chest, both his huge hands cupping my face as he leaned forward and kissed me back, the fire between us flaring up fast.  My lips parted with a gasp, and Cy’s growl of pure want echoed off the back of my throat.  A tangle of lips and tongue and teeth, gasps and moans and sighs.

He was the one that finally broke away, panting, pressing his forehead hard to mine.

“Jesus, you’re gonna kill me…”

“But what a way to go,” I laughed lightly, stroking fingers through his beautiful hair and brushing my lips lightly against his one more time.  He surged forward to start up again but I pulled back, stroking my thumb across a cut-glass cheekbone.  “I’ve got some lesson plans I need to finish tomorrow… er, today.”  I grimaced at his dashboard clock glaring 1:03 a.m. at me.  “But I can message you when I’m done?”

His hungry gaze swept over me, licking his lips as if he was a man starving staring at a buffet.  “Yeah,” he managed, voice hoarse.  “Please.  Beth.  Please.”

‘Please.’  This gorgeous, sweet, successful, amazing man was begging.  For me.

I dove in for one last kiss and then all but ran to my car, hurtling out of the parking lot as if being chased.  Heart pounding, lips swollen and aching, my brain spinning with too many thoughts that refused to be caught and examined.

Weathering Sheba’s irate screams when I came in the door, I dumped food into her neglected bowl and fell into bed still clothed.  Wrapping my arms around a spare pillow, I breathed in deep, still feeling Cy’s strong arm wrapped around me, his hard body pressed against mine, the hunger of his mouth.  Even though I was tempted to go take a cold shower to calm down, I refused to wash away the scent of him that lingered on my clothes, in my hair. 

When Sheba jumped up to take her usual place on the pillow next to mine, I had a sudden flash of a mental image of Cy lying there, instead.  I fell asleep with the sound of him sneezing echoing in my dreams…

[Freshair]

Welcome back,  what a great Thanksgiving treat! 👍 

[starpollen]

4 hours ago, EveP said:

You wrote! ❤️

I did.  I am.  Although, I really do feel like this thread needs to come to a close so I can start a new one with these two.  Maybe one more chapter from Cy's POV and then the next one can be him with a terrible cold...    

Edited November 25, 2021 by starpollen

[darkness-is-the-light]

29 minutes ago, starpollen said:

I did.  I am.  Although, I really do feel like this thread needs to come to a close so I can start a new one with these two.  Maybe one more chapter from Cy's POV and then the next one can be him with a terrible cold...    

Ooh, please. I would LOVE to see that. 

[Serendipity]

So glad to see some new updates! Always love more of these two! 

[sneezygirl97]

1 hour ago, starpollen said:

I did.  I am.  Although, I really do feel like this thread needs to come to a close so I can start a new one with these two.  Maybe one more chapter from Cy's POV and then the next one can be him with a terrible cold...    

😳 Yes, yes , yes!!!! I want that so much!

I’m so happy this is back 😄😄😄