Thank you for your kind support.
This chapter is a continuation of the previous chapter, when Mercedes was looking at one of Sam's drawings.
Standard disclaimer.
My eyes watered, as I continue to look at the drawing.
For some reason, I just couldn't look away.
Sam was directly behind me now, so close I could feel the heat radiating from his body.
His mouth moved close to my ear, and my stomach quivered, at the feel of his breath on my neck.
"Tell me what that drawing makes you feel, in five words or less," he murmured against my hair. And as the first tear rolled down my cheek, the words came to me.
"Pain, melancholy, beauty, longing…"
All the sounds whooshed out of the room, like he and I were the only two people, standing in the entire place, discussing the brilliance of his drawing.
And unlike those two figures he had drawn, we had gotten passed all that stuff and were standing in the space between, close enough to touch.
I turned to him, and he wiped the tear from my cheek with his thumb.
"And?"
"Hope," I whispered. He said nothing more.
Only searched deeply in my eyes for something…but I wasn't sure what. Maybe my tattered and bruised heart.
"Is that one your favorite?" he asked.
And before I could answer, the moment was lost, because, there was an announcement and the doors were swung open and the public was let inside.
Sam steered me to one of the chairs behind his table, before the pandemonium hit. And hit did.
People mobbed the artwork, asked questions, shouted prices, and moved in herds to the next table and the next.
And so, the morning passed that way, with very few lulls, and lots of excitement from the exhibit.
When I returned from getting us a couple of sandwiches for lunch, I noticed Sam had sold another two drawings, to a man who was hunched over the table, writing a check.
Sam moved the pictures under the table, so he could wrap them in brown butcher paper and have the man pick them up, on his way out to his car.
One of the drawings he was storing away, was the one I had developed an affinity for.
I felt a stab of regret, because all morning long, I had considered buying it for myself. Yet, now that it had sold, I was happy for him.
Besides, I could barely afford much beyond rent, food, and gas.
As the afternoon wound down, I looked up from the nursing textbook, I had finally pulled out, only to see Regina staring at me, from across the way.
I turned to Sam, who was busy playing a game on his phone, and realized, she was probably staring at him instead.
Or maybe it was me.
Maybe, she was curious about my relationship to him. As curious as I'd been about hers.
I could understand why. He was a gorgeous guy.
"Your friend, the pretty redhead, is looking this way," I said, as nonchalantly as possible. Sam heaved a long sigh.
"Remember when I told you, there was a time I thought I was in love?" My eyes widened.
"Her?" He nodded and put down his phone.
Now, I looked at her in a whole new light.
Her face was striking, and she had a nice body…tight butt, bigger boobs than mine.
"What happened?"
"She was my girlfriend in high school," he said, taking a sip of the soda I had brought him for lunch.
"My first love, or so I thought, until she cheated on me…more than once, apparently."
"Hussy," I said, to get a laugh out of him, and it worked.
"Should I assume, she got to experience the sneaky side of Sam and maybe, even, got her hair caught in a certain someone's zipper?"
"Maybe," he said, with mischief glistening in his eyes. I gulped down the green-eyed monster. That was a long time ago.
"Does it still hurt? The cheating part?"
"Nah, water under the bridge and all that."
"Well, she's looking at you like she has some regrets."
"Doesn't matter, there's no going back," he said, shaking his head. "Don't feel a thing for her anymore."
I couldn't help wondering, if in a few months' time, he would say the same thing about me.
Exhausted and starving, we headed back to the hotel.
We decided on dinner and drinks at the hotel bar.
We shared wings and mozzarella sticks, along with a couple of beers each.
"Gosh, bar food...it's yummy, but so bad for you. How do you stay in such good shape?"
"I like to work out," he said. "And to answer your question from this morning...only one sport in high school…wrestling." He took a giant swig of his beer.
"How about you?"
"Kickboxing." I dipped my head so he wouldn't see how flushed my cheeks were. "But, I wasn't always this...plump. I was a late bloomer in the curves department."
"Your curves definitely suit you, Mercedes," he said, before throwing his napkin down. "I'm beat…want to head up?" I smiled and nodded.
When we stepped off the elevator, it was hard to miss the couple getting it on, in the hallway.
The guy's hair was shaved short, and he wore military fatigues. He kept whispering, "I love you" over and over, while tenderly kissing the neck of his leggy brunette.
Sam threw me a sideways grin and opened our door with lightning speed.
"How long do you think they've been separated?" I whispered.
"Probably for a long-ass time," Sam said. "That must be hard."
"Oh, it's hard," I snickered, and Sam burst out laughing.
Half an hour later, when I stepped out of the bathroom, I noticed the way Sam's eyes scanned over my body, despite the fact, that I kept my bra on this time and wore long flannel bottoms.
He had gone for modest too, in the pajama department.
He wore black, knee-length gym shorts and a blue YMCA T-shirt.
I gave him a quick hug good night, inhaled his coconut scent, and thanked him for bringing me with him.
He held on to me for longer than expected, and I realized how nice it felt, to be in his arms again.
He nuzzled his face in my hair for a few seconds, causing a tingling sensation at the base of my neck, then pulled back.
"Did you just sniff me?" I asked.
His cheeks lifted into a crooked grin, that blazed a trail down to my toes.
Despite my best attempts, my attraction to him, was totally increasing this weekend.
Now, we stood silent, on opposite ends of the room, gazes locked on each other.
I was about to say good night, when I noticed him close his eyes and swallow forcibly.
I thought about making a crack about our double beds, but he was so concentrated and intense, I didn't.
I couldn't stop staring at the raw emotions on his face, at his clenched fists…it was completely unnerving.
Every fragment, every substance, every element occupying the space between us, began to pulse and vibrate.
There was so much electricity in the air, I could almost hear it sizzle.
I wasn't sure if it was the alcohol I had consumed, or if it was that gorgeous specimen of a man, standing across from me, but I became increasingly aroused.
I arched my back and squirmed, my body betraying me, as I imagined Sam pulling me to his bed, ripping off my clothes, and telling me that he wanted to screw me senseless.
As the tension between us grew denser, I noticed something steadily swelling across the room. Sam attempted to adjust himself, but it was plain as day.
Finally, he turned away, inhaled a deep breath, and then charged towards the bathroom.
"I'm going to shower," he mumbled in my direction. He was as turned on, as I was and trying to get as far away from me, as possible.
"Sam, it's okay," I said. I felt pinpricks all over my body. It was all I could do, not to reach out to him.
"Give me a minute." He closed the bathroom door, and I heard him lean his full weight against it.
"Wait, Sam."
I had this desperate desire, this powerful need to be near him, to do something about all this pent-up frustration. If not for me, then for him.
I heard the shower turn on, right before he yanked the door open and stepped back in the room, to grab something from his bag, which was on the floor by his bed.
"I'll be fine in a few minutes," he said.
The spigot was turned on full blast and steam was already escaping beyond the glass shower door.
When he straightened himself, toothbrush holder in hand, I noticed his breathing was labored.
I scanned down his body, to his full-blown erection and his shaking hands.
And I felt this overwhelming hunger to touch him, as he brushed past me, his stride purposeful.
"Sam," I whispered. "I want to help." He stopped suddenly and sucked in a breath.
"Fuck, Mercedes." I took a step toward him
"Please."
One step closer and he didn't move away.
I stood in front of him and saw his dark, hooded eyes, and the overwhelming desire coursing through them.
I inched my fingers to his waistband and he groaned. Then, the container in his hand went clattering to the floor.
When the tip of his erection poked out of his shorts and met air, his breathing only intensified.
Edging my hands beneath his shirt, I pulled it over his head.
And when he twisted to deposit it on the floor, I spotted a second tattoo, low on his back and I remembered what he'd said, about them being well-placed.
I smoothed my fingers down his chest, and goose bumps broke out over his flesh.
My hands went back to his shorts, and I eased them down, letting his erection spring free.
Damn! He was packing.
He was taut, smooth, and all kinds of exquisite.
I trailed my hands down his belly to his hips, teasing the area around his erection with my fingers.
He grabbed my face and kissed me, with so much passion and conviction, I was begging for air.
His mouth was on fire, as his tongue tangled deeply with mine.
"Sam, you're so beautiful," I whispered against his lips. Then, I tugged his fingers away from my face and down to his sides.
I watched as he balled his fists, but kept his hands there. And I looked up into his eyes, and softly asked,
"Can I touch you?"
His response came out in a muffled pant.
I traced my thumb over his silky tip and watched how his chest heaved and his eyes glazed over.
When my fingers grasped the length of him, his breath caught in the back of his throat and my heart flipped.
He felt firm and smooth in my steady hands.
He knotted his fingers in my hair and then skimmed them along my neckline. And I relished every touch, every breath, every time he whispered my name.
Finally, I pulled his shorts all the way down his legs, and he stepped out of them.
"Get into the shower," I softly commanded.
Without hesitation, he moved backwards, crossing over the threshold of the door, and then under the stream of water.
I was in the shower now and I watched, as the water cascaded off Sam's shoulders and beaded down his chest.
I reached for the hotel soap, unwrapping it and running it under the water stream, despite my arms getting wet.
I lathered up and then washed the front of him...his neck, his chest, his stomach.
When my fingers traced down below, to his now dark-blonde curly hair, he squeezed his eyes shut and moaned.
My fingers were sufficiently soapy, and when I worked my hand up and down the length of him, and he braced the shower wall.
"Jesus, Mercedes," came from his lips, as I moved my fingers fast, and then slow, and then fast again.
His hands gripped my shoulders and then trailed down to my breasts.
And he ran his thumbs over my nipples, which became instantly hard, through two layers of clothing.
As my breathing intensified, so did my caresses.
My hands stroked up and down his warm, soapy shaft.
"Oh God! I'm close," he panted.
"Come for me," I whispered against his lips.
That was the breaking point.
He groaned out his release and tucked his head against my shoulder.
My hand continued to work him through his release, until he was finally able to breathe right and stand on his own.
The milky white substance washed off his stomach, with a swipe of my hands, and I stepped back, dazed, and more aroused than ever.
His eyes locked onto mine, and if they hadn't loosened their hold soon after, I might have come right then and there.
Moments later, I turned away from him, to let him finish his shower.
Whilst he was doing that, I brushed my teeth, changed into a dry shirt, and then lay down in my bed, facing away from his.
Sam took about five minutes more in the bathroom and I nearly fell asleep, except my mind was far too busy, processing everything.
When he stepped into the room, I felt his eyes on me, but I didn't stir.
I was hoping, he would think I was asleep, because, I didn't want to have a discussion about what had just happened.
I didn't regret it for one moment, but I didn't want him to read too much into my actions, or think it meant more than it did.
I wasn't even sure, what it meant at this point.
All I knew was, that some part of me…some raw and carnal part…longed to reach out to him. To touch him. To please him.
Moments later, my mattress caved in from the pressure of his knees, and I squeezed my legs together.
I was still cooling down, from the intense experience, of seeing him naked and making him come.
It made me feel powerful, in ways I couldn't explain.
"Mercedes..." he whispered in my ear. "Why did you do that?"
"I wanted to," I mumbled. My eyes fluttered open and I stared out the dark window. "I needed to. God! Sam, you're amazing. Just leave it at that."
I heard a sharp intake of breath, and then felt his warm fingers on my shoulder.
"What if I wanted to do things to you, too?" I shook my head, even though my underwear felt instantly moist.
"No Sam. It's okay." God! Just the sound of his voice. "Besides, you'd be breaking your own code. Just...go to bed."
Sam was silent for so long, I wasn't sure if he hadn't drifted off to sleep.
Finally, he sighed and said, "Good night." But he didn't move.
When he did, he reached down and placed a hot kiss in the crook of my neck.
My shoulders stiffened and I tried unsuccessfully to hold in a moan.
"Damn it! Mercedes." Then, his tongue was stroking my ear and I almost came unglued.
I curved my head towards him, my breaths shooting out in hard gasps.
I heard a groan in the back of his throat, right before he sealed his mouth over mine.
His tongue performed a slow dance inside my mouth...relaxed, lazy, and all kinds of sexy.
The exact opposite of my pulse, which was steadily climbing to the stars.
His hand edged under the hem of my shirt, to my stomach and I flinched.
Next, his long fingers slid to my bra, pushing it up to let my breasts loose, and he nudged me flat on my back and lifted my shirt, exposing me.
His eyes raked up and down my body, just before he swung his knee over my stomach, to straddle me.
Lifting my arms above my head, he held them captive, while he kissed me, soft and gentle, trailing his tongue along my lips.
I squirmed beneath him, feeling his hard-on grow against my belly.
He tugged off my shirt and unhooked my bra, pulling the lacy material from my arms and then dropping it on the bed.
He caressed the length of me with his eyes, while my chest heaved.
"Perfection," he whispered against my lips.
He lay down on his side, while his fingers stroked my breasts and stomach, trailing his nails up and down the center of my chest, driving me insane.
My breasts felt swollen and my need turned to desperation.
When he traced his thumb around my nipples, my fingers fisted the blankets so tight, I thought they might've gouged holes in them.
As his hand fingered the edge of my pajama pants, I nearly jumped out of my skin.
He rose to his knees, gently pulled the pants down my legs and tossed them aside.
I had on a pair of pink cotton underwear, and when his gaze moved up my legs and landed on my crotch, I was nearly finished, right then and there.
I wanted him so damn much and had for so damn long, all he had to do, was keep looking at me like that, and I'd come.
"You are stunning," he murmured. I squeezed my eyes closed and fisted the covers again.
As his hand moved up my thighs, my legs began to tremble.
"I want to touch you," he said, his fingers reaching the lacy edge of my bikini bottoms.
I sucked in a breath, as he shifted my underwear to one side.
"Damn, you're so wet," he groaned.
He trailed hot, wet kisses up my neck, to my mouth and nibbled on my bottom lip, as his finger slid through my wet folds.
I gasped loudly and he pulled my tongue into his mouth, sucking it, until I reared against him.
When he slipped one finger and then two inside me, I whimpered. I knew I wouldn't last much longer.
My hands reached for his hair, and I yanked him to me.
My tongue darted inside his mouth, lapping greedily against his, while his fingers explored me.
When his thumb inched up and found my sweet spot, I moaned into his mouth.
His thumb pressed, circled and rubbed. Then it stilled, applying constant, delirious pressure...until my entire world came undone.
Sam held me, while I trembled and pulsed, until I finally came floating back down to earth.
Afterwards, he nudged me on my side and pulled my back against his chest, until I fell into a deep, delightful sleep.
Those two certainly heated up that hotel room, didn't they?
I feel you HomiesOverHos. Wish I could help you decide, just go with what your heart tells you. And you're so welcome.
This Lock-down situation took a toll on me yesterday. I stood for approximately three and a half hours, in a long line, just to get into the supermarket. My back ached, but, it was worth it...my sons are worth it.
Stay safe, stay blessed.