Hello all! Just a little warning, this is the chapter where the story earns its M rating for something besides language and hints and allegations. Thank you to my reviewers, especially maxridelover. Please enjoy and happy reading!
"I once heard that life should be measured in moments that take your breath away. Every moment with you takes my breath away."
A philosopher and a poet. Such profound words spoken so sincerely Riko could not get them out of her head. Round and round they cycled through her brain on an endless loop.
She carefully packed the cheese and crackers, strawberries and cream, bottles of water for him and bottle of wine for her in the picnic basket. Folding the blue and white plaid blanket, she lay it over her arm. Naruto waited for her on the beach to watch the sunset.
The wind had picked up in front of the clouds gathering in the east. Thankfully the storm clouds would not ruin their sunset.
On her way down the stairs to the sand, Riko could see him standing at the edge of the ocean. He was wearing his swim trunks with a blue hoodie. She had pulled on her favorite oversized lime green sweatshirt with a pouch on the front.
Riko spread out the blanket, sitting down facing the west. She took out the bottle of wine and her stemless wine glass. Twisting off the cap, she poured herself a glass full of the ruby red liquid. She was not a wine snob who insisted only good wines required a cork. Corks were a pain in the ass and impractical when imbibing on picnics anyway.
Naruto sat down beside her, reaching into the basket for one of the bottles of water. Glancing at her face then at her glass, he observed her quietly as she took a sip.
"Can I taste it?" he inquired, leaning toward her until his shoulder pressed into hers.
Riko extended the glass toward him. She watched as he took the glass then set it down on the blanket, creating a little hollow in the sand under it so it would not tip over and spill.
"What are you - " Her words were cut off when his mouth covered hers.
His tongue touched her lower lip, and her lips automatically parted in response. Her tongue met his pushing back into his mouth so he could gently suck her wine soaked tongue to get a good taste and sate his curiosity.
"Mmmm," he hummed with satisfaction. He sat back and opened his eyes. "Nice."
"I brought a few snacks," she announced, picking up her wine glass.
"You have a wonderful way of making the most mundane events a major life experience," he said, reaching into the basket for the strawberries and bowl of whipped cream. "Life is never boring with you."
"You have such an amazing way with words," she returned, scanning the darkening eastern sky behind them.
Lightning zigzagged in a white streak across the flat black clouds. Thunder rumbled ominously, a harbinger of the impending storm.
"You know, if we do this, if we start down this path, there's no going back to the way we were, the way things are now. This will forever change things between us," she warned him.
"I know. But does that have to be a bad thing?" he countered, his eyes meeting hers.
"I just don't see how - "
"Hey," Naruto interrupted, pointing at the sunset. "You're missing it."
The sky was on fire in shades of scarlet, orange, and yellow. The sun had transformed into a round red ball. The colors of passion, desire, anger, love - intense, powerful emotions. And danger.
Riko drank her wine while gazing at the fabulous artistry of nature like one studies a painting in an art gallery. See beauty in everything. Find happiness where you can. Don't worry about tomorrow. The future will take care of itself. Everything works out. Once those were the mantras she lived by.
When had she stopped living life moment to moment? Not too along ago she had never shunned an opportunity for happiness. The most incredible, memorable experiences in her life were also the unforeseen ones that caught her unawares, presenting themselves to be seized before they slipped away - never to be had again.
The sea breeze grew stronger, chilling her. Riko stuffed her hands into the pouch of her sweatshirt.
"We should get back to the house," she suggested, rolling forward onto her knees in preparation to stand up.
"You feel it too?" he asked her.
"Yeah," she sighed. "There's a storm coming."
~\..'../~
Just before midnight, the storm broke. Lightning illuminated her room with its white-blue brilliance. The thunder clap that followed shook the house. The raindrops on the metal roof made a tink, tink, tink sound when they started to fall.
Riko opened her eyes, watching the fantastic light show of dozens of lightning strikes racing across the black sky. Thunder rumbled low and long before dying away only to begin again a few seconds later.
Naruto hated thunderstorms as a child. What kid doesn't? She recalled telling him the same story Kushina had told her when the noise and fury of nature would frighten her out of her sleep.
"The angels are bowling," Riko had told Naruto, holding his trembling little body tighter to hers.
"What? You're lying," the agitated five year old hissed incredulously.
A flash of lightning scared him, making him hide his eyes, burying his face between her breasts in the soft folds of her cotton nightgown.
"Listen closely," she instructed him before the thunder started.
The initial boom sounded exactly like a heavy bowling ball smacking the wooden floor. The following rumble mimicked the ball rolling along the highly polished wood of the lane. Another crash of thunder perfectly recreated the sound of the ball striking the pins.
"Wow. It does sound like bowling," he breathed. Her words had sparked his childish fascination. The next bolt of lightning made him gasp. "What's that?"
"That is God's flash going off when he takes your picture," she explained.
"Oh, okay." The child had been sufficiently soothed with the silly explanation and fell asleep in her arms.
Riko smiled, closing her eyes. Such a sweet memory. She had always found thunderstorms oddly comforting, perhaps because he was always there in her arms. Growing drowsy, her ears almost missed the slight rustling of his movements when he entered her bedroom. Apparently, she would not be sleeping alone during this thunderstorm either despite his outgrowing his childish fear quite a few years ago.
Riko pretended to be asleep as he pulled back the sheet to slip underneath. Her heart quickened when he fitted his body to hers, spooning her affectionately. Lightning lit up her room causing her to jump.
"God just took your picture," Naruto whispered in her ear. "Were you smiling?"
Riko chuckled self-consciously. Of course he still remembered that stupid story. Oh well, it had certainly done the trick of preventing him from being afraid of storms. Him climbing into bed with her tonight had nothing to do with being fearful. He was simply seizing his opportunity.
She remained still in his arms, waiting for his next move, contemplating what he might do. For several minutes, he held her, his hand pressed flat to her belly. His lips grazed the back of her neck as if testing her acceptance. When she did not protest, she received several kisses in a line down her neck from her earlobe to her shoulder sparking the long dormant sexual desire inside of her.
Riko sighed when his large hand, fingers splayed wide, glided upward. More tender kisses on her neck turned the spark into a flame. Anticipation of where he intended to touch her made her squirm. His hand covered her breast, squeezing, bringing forth a moan from her lips.
Naruto pressed into her making her aware of his excitement, hard and pulsating on her behind. His forefinger and thumb pinched her nipple sending a surge of pleasure throughout her body. She writhed in his arms, creating a delicious friction that made him groan.
Arousal rising, growing frustrated, and wanting more, Riko rolled over to face him. Her lips found his, kissing him hungrily. Her hands roamed over his chest luxuriating in the silky feel of his smooth skin under them. His contracted nipple scraped against her palm before her thumb stroked across it making him moan, low and deep in his throat. The steadily burning flame flared into a roaring fire from the erotic sound.
Riko closed her eyes, relishing the prickling sensation left in the wake of his fingers gliding across her ribs, pushing up the t-shirt to reveal her breasts. His warm breath heated her skin when his mouth blazed a trail to her chest. Her entire body throbbed with yearning when his wet tongue lapped over her painfully taut nipple. Groaning, arching her back, she shoved her nipple into his open mouth. His lips willingly closed around the stiff flesh, sucking gratefully. Her fingers gripped his head, her cheek rubbing across the softness of his hair while unbridled carnal delight spread setting her entire body ablaze.
Riko opened her mouth and moaned loudly when his hand pushed against her underwear, rubbing her through the material. She carefully slid her knee between his, pressing her thigh against the bulge under the thin cotton of his shorts. Her nipple popped free from his mouth when opened it to issue a groan. She pushed him over onto his back, straddling his hips. His hands tunneled further under her shirt, pushing it up her arms and over her head. Her arms wrapped around his neck when he sat up to kiss her. His fingers skimmed over her belly raising goosebumps before hooking over the top elastic of her panties.
"How far do you want to go?" Naruto inquired, waiting for her answer before attempting to remove her underwear.
"That question is yours to answer, my dear. You're the virgin. Are you ready?" she asked, placing her hands over his.
"I have wanted this for so long," he said. His eyes were glossy, half closed giving him the appearance of being drunk. "Please, please make love to me."
All right then. Rational thought be damned. Don't think, just feel. Opportunity was knocking, answer the fucking door. No regrets allowed because a line was about to be crossed, and there was no going back.
After some awkward maneuvering, a few giggles, and a lot of kisses, the last physical barriers separating them were gone. Riko positioned herself above him, lowering her body onto his erection. She held him close, his open mouth pressing against her neck to muffle his plaintive, lengthy moan. She liked the way Naruto's strong fingers gripped her behind as she moved her hips slowly.
Was sex like riding a bike? She hoped so. Presently Riko felt as if she had forgotten every damn thing about having an intimate encounter. Her body felt too tight, the initial contact a bit uncomfortable. He appeared to be enjoying it though, gliding smoothly in and out of her. Allowing Naruto to take the lead, to do as he pleased, enabled her to relax until the ride became easier and more pleasurable. His hands explored her body; massaging, squeezing, caressing, pinching.
Her fingernails raked along his back when he thrust into her forcefully striking a sensitive spot deep inside of her. He threw back his head, almost howling. Although he sounded as if he was in pain, the expression on his face displayed the purest and most intense carnal bliss.
"Naruto," she gasped, her arms tightening around his neck.
Apparently Naruto knew he was on to something good because his hands gripped her waist before he pushed into her again with a fast, powerful movement. Riko cried out, this time meeting his thrust to intensify the stimulating delight for both of them. His body shuddered in response.
"Naruto," she breathed into his ear.
"Mmmm, I love it when you say my name," he murmured, his hand sliding up her spine. He pulled her down to kiss him.
His end was coming, but hers had arrived. The heated pressure that had built inside of her released, overwhelming her, pushing her along, like a wave headed to shore to crash with others following closely behind it. Her fingers and toes tingled as she rode out the pulses of orgasmic bliss with each of his thrusts into her. Opening her mouth, she moaned, almost baying like a wolf to the moon, when he climaxed during her successive orgasms.
"Oh, my god," Naruto panted. "That was amazing."
Riko covered his face with kisses, finishing with a long kiss on his lips. She rolled off of his body to lie next to him. Her hand rested over his heart, concentrating on his runaway heartbeat. His fingers played across her forearm.
"What happens now?" Naruto asked, sliding his other arm under her neck.
"We go to sleep," she answered, yawning as if to back up her statement with proof of her tiredness.
"You know what I mean," he chuckled lightly.
"Just let things happen as they will."
"Will things get weird between us?"
"Be honest with yourself. Things are already weird between us," she stated bluntly.
"I suppose so," he agreed.
Riko used her finger to trace his jaw. The edges of his face were round, softened by his youth. Guilt tugged at her insides and tried to invade her mind. Not now. She would not allow it.
When the lightning lit up her room, she could see his eyes were open and staring at the ceiling. He probably felt the same way she did. Satisfied and content, but fighting the niggling second thoughts, pondering if they had made a horrible mistake.
"Everything will okay," he assured her. "I love you."
Snuggling into him, pressing her ear to his chest to listen to his steadily drumming heart, she closed her eyes.
"I love you too."
Riko loved him with all of her heart as she always had, but in a different way - a way she did not quite understand yet.
