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'Tis a Consummation Devoutly to be Wished
Trapper slowly became aware of the smell of fresh coffee and daylight in the room and a sense of being uncomfortable; his back and neck were stiff. At first, before he opened his eyes, his mind told him he was asleep in his office but then he opened them and realized that he was in the easy chair in his living room. He suddenly remembered her and how he had come home at that ungodly hour and found her asleep on his sofa, curled up with the afghan over her. She hadn't left. But she was gone now, the afghan neatly folded over the back of the sofa cushions.
"Oh, hell," he said to himself, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands. "When will I learn?" Trapper gave a deep sigh and then closed the foot extension and stood up. He started to fold the blanket when he heard her voice behind him.
"Coffee?"
He turned, surprised, and she was standing there, her short hair still slightly damp, and she was proffering a mug of coffee. "Uh…yes, thank you," he said reaching for the mug. She was smiling at him, smelling of soap with no make-up left on her face and wearing an old, denim work shirt of his that he kept hanging over a chair for quick dressing, her bare legs below. He wondered if she was wearing anything underneath. Maybe he'd find out, he thought.
"Don't misunderstand this," he said," but why are you still here?" He sipped the coffee waiting for her reply.
"Well, because I told you, I'd wait for you-and here I am." She shrugged her shoulders and continued to smile. "I hope you don't mind…I took a shower and borrowed your shirt."
"Oh, no, not at all. I don't mind at all, and you know what? You look kinda pretty all fresh and scrubbed, and that shirt looks a hell of a lot better on you than it could ever look on me." She did look pretty, he thought, and decided this is what he preferred-no pretenses of any type.
"It was presumptuous, I know, to go ahead and make coffee and some toast but you did say for me to make myself at home…." her voice trailed off because he was grinning at her. "What's so funny?" she asked.
"You. I don't know how you could possibly think that anything you could do would be presumptuous. You could do anything you want." He placed one of his hands on her cheek and kissed her. Her mouth tasted sweet, he thought, like coffee mixed with strawberry preserves. Trapper placed his coffee mug on the table by his chair and put his arms around her and pulled her next to him.
"Ummm, Trapper," she said backing away and pulling his hands off of her. She looked uneasy and he wondered why; if she hadn't wanted him, why had she stayed and why was she standing in front of him wearing just his shirt? Now he was confused.
"I'm sorry if I misunderstood you." Trapper said. "I shouldn't assume anything."
"No. You didn't misunderstand. I do like you and I certainly wouldn't mind if our relationship went further, I just…."
Trapper laughed because she was stammering like some hapless teenage girl. "But what's wrong, then?" He really wanted to hold her again and kiss her.
"Well, I just want to tell you that it's been a while since I've been with anyone. I mean since my divorce and moving here and all that, well, I haven't been dating really. Okay, you're my first date since my divorce, I admit it. But it was easy to remain celibate because I didn't see anyone who interested me in the least-until I met you. And every time I think about how long Randi practically begged me to go out with you, well, I could have been seeing you for months already and we could be past this awkwardness!"
Trapper smiled to himself; he found her openness and honesty such a change from the women he had been with and especially Melanie-Melanie who had deceived him for so long during their marriage.
"So," Trapper said, wanting to put her at ease, "Do you want me to sweep you off your feet and carry you upstairs and ravish you so that we can get to the next stage in our relationship?" Apparently, his efforts worked because she smiled, glanced down and then met his eyes again.
"No, Dr. Smart-ass, it's just that, well, the girls aren't as perky as they used to be and I'm getting cellulite on my rear and I'm just a little…I suppose the word is insecure."
"Well, I tell you what-I'll keep my eyes shut, okay?"
She laughed and then put her arms around his neck and he pressed her next to him, enjoying the smell of her skin and the taste of her mouth. He began to recognize that she was eager for him and it made him feel even more desire for her.
And she had thought of him so many nights and wondered what it would be like with him, and here he was, holding her and she was in his house wearing his shirt that smelled of him-she had fantasized about him so many nights since she had met him. So she focused on the sensations of his mouth and his beard against her cheeks.
Then Trapper heard a key in the front door and turned. She heard it too and quickly backed around the corner into the dining room
J.T. walked in the front door and smiled at his father standing there in a wrinkled dress shirt and his trousers-J.T. assumed his father had just gotten home from either a long night at the hospital or a long night at some woman's place.
"Hey, Pop, I came to borrow your tools." J. T. stopped because his father had the oddest look on his face.
"Get out," Trapper said slowly and with deliberation. Now."
"But I need to fix my... remember I told you that…"
"Now. Get out now or I will bodily throw you out."
It suddenly dawned on J.T. that his father wasn't alone and that there was someone else there with him and that there was something going on-something sexual-and he blushed. The idea that his father had relations with other women still bothered J.T. As old as he was, he still, secretly in his heart, hoped his parents would reconcile.
"Oh…right. Um…going now," J. T. stammered and then backed out and loudly closed the door to indicate he was gone.
"I'm sorry," Trapper said to her. "That's what I get for giving him a key." But she was smiling at him, her arms crossed across her waist.
"And he was…?"
"Oh, that was my son, J.T., also known as 'Coitus Interruptus.' He always walked in at the most inopportune times when he was young. He sadly hasn't changed."
She laughed and Trapper looked at her and felt a sudden surge of emotion-he felt such a longing for her, not just sexual, but a longing to have her as part of his life. He felt an actual need. The same way he needed food and drink and good music to make his life worthwhile, he needed her.
"Let's go upstairs."
"Take me, I'm yours," she said throwing her arms in the air.
He laughed and then swept her up in his arms as if she weighed nothing. She hugged his neck, tucking her head under his chin, breathing in his skin and feeling the rub of his beard, and he carried her up the stairs to the bedroom while murmuring endearments to her. He realized that he hadn't felt this way since he was young, before he was jaded and just wanted the mechanical act of satisfaction; he wanted her, and not just to satisfy his urges.
"Now, little one, let me have my way with you."
Afterwards, he lay with his head on her chest, listening to her heart beat under him. He was, at that moment, the happiest he had been in a long time. He always had to be the strong one, always had to be the one who handled all the world's problems and it was such a relief to find refuge in her arms and feel her fingers gently stroking his neck and caressing him. His body relaxed even more.
"Thank you," he mumbled.
"For what?" I should be thanking you," she softly said running her fingers through the small curls at the back of his neck..
"Thank you for giving yourself to me, that's what I mean"
"Oh, Trapper, I think you're the only man I've ever met that I've liked this much."
"Does that mean that you'll see me again?" He sighed deeply; he hadn't felt such peace in a long time.
"I will not only see you again, I be with you and, should you so desire, give you quite a nice time-but only if you want."
Trapper smiled to himself; he already had everything he wanted, but he was glad that there was always her offer for more.
~FINIS~