Chapter 105: After Dinner Mints

"Love takes off masks that we fear we cannot live without, but know we cannot live within." – James Baldwin

"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength; loving someone deeply gives you courage." – Lao-Tzu

"Roll uptown to midnight / Then roll on downtown till its light
Because tomorrow we may die / Oh but tonight we're dancing in the fate light
Don't you rob yourself of what you're feeling / Don't rob yourself of all that you could be
Roll hard 'til midnight / Roll 'til its light, come on now
Stay up and make some memories here, with us now
To roll red carpet out with friends / To love and roll on
Our love is so right / I won't waste a minute here tonight
Our love is so right / And tonight my dance is all about you
To midnight love you / Roll on and run the red lights
Game now is keep it tight / How I love her pretty rock and roll kisses
Come on and stay with me / Roll on and run the red lights
Come this love is so right
Stay up and make some memories here, with us now / To roll the red carpet out with friends
To love and roll on / Our love is so right
I can taste we're in it here tonight / Our love is so right
And tonight my dance is all about you
I'm going crazy and it's all cause of you / It's all cause of you
I'm going under over you / This time now is so alive
Everybody's trance dancing tonight / So beautiful and so strange
It was empty till you came" – "So Right" – Dave Matthews


The song ended and Sydney brought her head back again.

"I'm sorry Sydney...I think I need to sit now..." he said apologetically.

"Sure honey," she said gently, helping him ease down to the couch, "You ok?"

He smiled, "I'm good...just a little tired now..." he said quietly.

She sat down next to him, "You wanna lay down instead? Is your back pressed on the couch too much?"

"Yeah...it's kind of pressed...will you lay with me?"

"Of course," she said as she arranged the pillows to make sure his back wasn't going to be compressed. She helped him lie down and then looked at him, gaze full of love. She looked over across the room, "Should I start a fire?" she asked softly.

He followed her gaze to the fireplace, a black and lifeless void with no red-orange tongues dancing at him. It seemed so innocent, so unassuming when it wasn't lit.

He had other memories now though, "Sure," he said.

She noticed the length of time it took him to answer, "You sure Vaughn?"

He smiled looking back at her, "Are we gonna make another memory?" he asked with a sly, lopsided grin. "Cause you know, that might help even more..."

She smiled, getting up from the couch but turning back after he said that, "Oh really?"

He nodded enthusiastically.

"Well...we wouldn't want to stop the recovery flow..." she said with her back turned to him as she lit the match.

He chuckled, "No...we wouldn't..."

She poked at the fire until it started crackling, then placed the poker in the holder next to the fireplace and got up, returning to the couch.

She lay down next to him, nuzzling into his warm body, pressing her head between his head and neck. His hand moved to hold her, resting on her hip.

"I had a really great time tonight Sydney. Thank you."

"I did too Vaughn...and you're welcome," she said as she lifted her head and kissed his cheek.

She watched him for a few minutes, his gaze staring off at the ceiling as he made gentle circles with his fingers on her hip.

"What'cha thinking about?" she asked quietly, not wanting to startle him out of his thoughts.

He smiled, "You...always you..." he said looking down at her and kissing her fully.

She smiled back up at him after they parted. Her eyes lingered on his, and then they lit up even more than they had been, excitedly. "Hey! I have an idea!" she said like a giddy little girl.

Vaughn chuckled, "What idea did you have in mind?"

She smiled, "Wait here," she said as she pushed off of him and took off down the hall.

"Wasn't planning on going anywhere," he yelled after her.

He could hear her laugh from down the hall. She seemed to have stopped somewhere in the middle of the hall. The closing of the linen closet door confirmed his suspicion.

She came back into the living room with a few blankets, the same sleeping bag from their lawn chair adventure, and something that was dull gray in color, folded over. It looked like it was plastic.

He watched with interest as Sydney put the blankets and the sleeping bag down and then put the plastic-looking thing in front of the fireplace. She pressed a button on a small adjacent device and then Vaughn figured it out. The folded, dull gray "thing" started to unfold, filling with air: it was an air mattress.

She stood and smiled at him as it filled, "Before I get too overzealous, I should ask if you think you get down here...and then get up of course too..."

He smiled, "Only one way to find out."

She smiled back at him, waiting until the mattress was full, and then moved the pump and grabbed the blankets and the sleeping bag and arranged them along with pillows she had produced. Giving it the once-over approval, she then walked over to him.

He extended his hand to her and she helped him sit and then stand and started to move gingerly towards the mattress.

"Ok...how do you wanna do this?" she asked as they stood before it.

"Um...planning is your job...I just do the work..."

She smiled, "Ok...well...uh...should we try to have you kneel?"

"Sure..." he said shrugging his shoulders.

"Are we gonna hurt you that way?" she asked in a motherly voice.

He smiled again, "There's only one way to find out."

"Ok..." she said as she gripped him under the arms and helped him kneel rather painlessly. Then she helped maneuver him to a sitting position on the somewhat buoyant mattress. He laughed quietly as Sydney bounced him back, then reclined him, positioning him so that his back was not on the mattress. He was fine until he looked over to his right...the fire was blazing next to him, far too close for his liking.

He shifted restlessly and bumped into Sydney who was studying him.

"It's ok Vaughn...it can't hurt you..."

He smiled, "I know...just keep reminding me..."

"You bet I will," she said reclining next to him. She lay on the other side of him, however, so he was still closest to the fire. He needed to be able to face it; with her, but face it nonetheless.

She didn't say anything for a while, but she watched him, watched his reactions. The fire reflected off of his jade eyes, making them look as though they glowed. His face was calm, just watching the flames as they sputtered and flickered as if speaking to him.

After several minutes, he turned his head away from the fire and looked back at Sydney's soft eyes. She smiled warmly from her perch next to him. She was lying on her side, the front of her body pressed against his side, her head propped up by arm, which was resting on the pillow. She reached out her hand to touch his face and asked quietly, "You ok?"

"Yeah," he said smiling, "I'm ok...really...I think I am," he said nodding.

"That's great honey..."

"Are we still gonna make a new memory? Seems a waste to bring ALL of this stuff out...and," he made sure she was looking at him, "I may have a few lingering thoughts..." he smiled coyly, "ya know...they might just sneak in...but maybe if I have another memory..."

She smiled seductively, bringing her head down from her hand and leaning over to kiss him.
"I think that could be arranged..." she said with a raised eyebrow.

"Good," he said returning the kiss, "I'm ready when you are..."

She smiled and moved herself to lie on top of him. She could feel his erection starting to grow beneath her, "Mmm...I guess you ARE ready..."

"Yeah – getting there...I could use a little help..." he said smiling.

"Help? How could I help?" she said grounding her hips into him.

She added more help by reaching her hand down to stroke him through his pants. She traced the outline of his cock with her hands, stroking up and down the shaft through the material of his clothing, "Just stoking the fire..." she said.

"God, you're bad!" he said smiling and then moaning when she gripped him hard.

"Are you complaining?"

"Absolutely not...keep stoking all you want!"

She smiled, sitting herself up on him. She moved off of him then, standing in the light of the fire, slow sensual music playing softly, as she swayed her hips to the rhythm, removing her pants in time to the music.

His gaze was hooded, full of love and admiration and passion. Once she had her pants removed, she moved to the buttons of her shirt, slowly taking each button between her fingers and watching him watch her hands as they worked over the whole line of buttons.

"I love buttons too now..." he said, his voice slightly lower than normal.

She smiled, easing out of the shirt, letting it fall to the floor near her discarded pants. She reached around to unclasp her bra next, letting it fall near her feet as well. She swayed her hips again to the music as she pulled her panties down, letting them pool at her ankles before she stepped out of them. His breath hitched when she was standing in front of him. He surveyed her naked form in front of him, perfect in every way; from the curve of her hips, and the curves of her breasts, to the way her hair fell in front of her face when she looked down at him. He made a sweep of her whole body - from head to toe, smiling as he saw the goosebumps spread over her skin. He didn't know if it was because of a chill in the air or because of his scrutiny but either way, it was wicked sexy and he ate it up eagerly, taking in the faint scent of her perfume and the rising scent of her sex lingering in the air.

His gaze dropped to the patch of curls that hid all her womanly charms. He could blatantly see her arousal, evidenced by the large amount of moisture that was slowly leaking onto her thighs. He moaned when he thought of plunging hard into that wet, hot heat.

She smiled, knowing that his erection just grew impossibly larger, straining against his pants to be free. She moved down to him on the floor, kneeling off of the mattress and reached for the button on his pants. She dragged the zipper down slowly, pressing her other hand to the front of his boxers, feeling his erection straining. She removed the pants from his body, throwing them over her shoulder, which made Vaughn giggle, and then removed his socks as well, smiling as she tossed each one over a different shoulder.

She touched his ankles, rubbing up and down his feet and then ran her finger up the middle of each of his feet. He jumped slightly, moving away a little bit.

She looked up at him with a sly smile, "Ticklish?" she said with a raised eyebrow.

He smiled, "Maybe you should check all over just to make sure..."

"Mmm..." she ran her hand up his right calf, up to the knee, kneading and then dipped her hand to the back of his knee, brushing lightly. He jerked and she smiled looking up at him again, "Another spot?"

He nodded and she continued, doing the same action to the other leg. Once she'd made it to the knees she scratched her nails up his right thigh. This time though, there was no giggling; he moaned as she rubbed with one hand up and down his thigh and scratched the inside with her nails repeatedly, and then switched to the other leg.

"Sydney," he breathed.

She smiled and moved her hands higher, running her hands over his hips, barely touching him. It was his turn for the goosebumps. The phantom touches Sydney was now giving him were highly erotic. He could see her hands moving up his body, framing around his hips and then going higher, and he could feel the energy of her hands, but he could barely feel her actual touch. She moved to sit on his lap, his erection straining towards her as she sat. She ran her hands under his shirt, caressing all over his chest and abs. She removed her hands then and started on his buttons, eyeing him knowingly.

He smiled, but he was too passion induced to say anything. She made quick work of the buttons and the shirt, slipping it off after she removed his sling. She tossed it aside and then went back to her feather light touches. His hand moved to her breast, but she batted him away gently, "Not yet," she said smiling.

He put his hand down smiling and then went back to enjoying her caresses.

She ran her hands over his chest, over to his shoulders with ghostly trails. She leaned down to give him a kiss and then lowered her mouth to his neck. She nibbled at the spot right beneath his ear, causing his hips to arch in response. She smiled moving to the front of his neck, wetting the hollow of his throat with her tongue. She took one long sweep of her tongue from the top of his collarbone all the way to his chin, and then moved back down, running her tongue over his Adam's apple, sucking gently. He moaned and that just spurred her on more, the vibrations making her even wetter than she already was. She searched for the spot right beneath his Adam's apple and then moved in wide circles around the whole area.

"Mmm...god Sydney..."

She smiled as she circled, then moved back to look at him. His eyes were closed, his breathing faster than normal, his skin flushed.

"More?" she asked.

He opened his eyes, his pupils dilated, his mind trying to make his eyes focus. He smiled faintly finally and nodded, lost for words.

She smiled in return and went back down, tracing his collarbone with her tongue while kneading the muscles in his shoulders gently. She scooted down slightly, bringing his erection down with her. He moaned when he felt her body move his cock with hers. From where she was, there was no way he could get himself inside her, but she was doing wonders with friction. She kissed his left nipple, covering the whole area with her mouth and sucking gently. She moved to the other one, moving her hips in time with her to make more friction for him.

His hips started bucking softly with her movements as she returned to the first nipple, licking all around the outside, but not touching the nipple itself at all. She swirled her tongue in endless circles, driving him insane, wanting her to give the nipple attention too. Just when he thought he couldn't take anymore, she began to move closer, circling like a corkscrew closer and closer to the nipple. She flicked her tongue out once, sending a jolt of sensation all the way through his body. She felt his cock jump and then soar as she bit down softly on the same oversensitive nipple.

He screamed her name as his cock leapt with anticipation. She smiled, teasing him and moving to the other nipple, mimicking the exact same movements. At least this time he knew what she was going to do, but that didn't make her go any faster and it didn't change his reaction when she bit down on that one as well.

"Uhn...Sydney," he said throatily.

She smiled sitting up on him again, "More?" she asked innocently.

"No..." he said breathily, shaking his head, "I'm gonna come right here if I'm not inside you soon..."

She chuckled softy, loving that she could turn him on that much, "Ok baby..." she said as she kissed him, moving her body upwards.

He wasted no time once he knew that she was ready. He grabbed onto her hip and maneuvered her over his cock, arching up into her folds before she even had the chance to help him. He sank into her wet heat with a long groan, dangerously close to coming already.

She pressed her hands on his chest, framing his nipples and flicked them both with her thumbs.

He threw his head back and arched into her deeper, bringing his legs up to help him thrust.

"Uuh...Sydney..." he breathed as she began to move quickly on top of him.

She had teased him enough tonight to know that he was dangerously close to coming, the build-up doing its job very nicely. She loved how she could turn him into mush.

She had to admit, however, the whole teasing process had worked very well for her too, and she wasn't far behind him, her own climax rising fast. She redoubled her efforts, moving at an almost alarming rate atop him but then slowed. He looked up at her confused.

"Look at the fire..." she said, turning her own head.

Vaughn turned his head, his brow furrowing slightly, and Sydney watched him carefully, trying to gauge how well he was adjusting.

He looked back at her a moment later, watching as her smile reached her eyes. He smiled in return.

"You ok?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah..."

"Memories?" she asked in the same quiet tone.

"Random flashes...but...honestly," he said, waiting.

"Yeah?"

He moved his hand that was resting on her hip to her lower abdomen and pressed, thrusting his hips upward, "It's really difficult to keep thinking about all sorts of bad stuff that happened to me when I can feel myself in you..." He looked down to where they were joined and watched himself disappear and reappear from inside Sydney. He pressed against her abdomen every time he thrust, looking up at her with a lascivious smile, "I like that," he said simply.

She smiled, covering his hand with hers, "Me too honey..."

"Mmm...so deep..."

She leaned down, moving his hand to her clit and kissed him roughly. He responded in kind, bringing their lovemaking back to the hurried pace it had been moments ago.

She was so close; she could feel the burn start to radiate from her clit outward, sending electric shocks of pleasure throughout her whole body. She threw her head back in a moan, loving the feeling of him so deep in her as she climaxed, her muscles clamping on him in rhythmic motion.

The sight of Sydney's head thrown back in ecstasy was enough to drive him over the edge, but just as he was coming, hot and hard and calling Sydney's name, she reached down and pinched his nipples, making him lurch and scream her name as he emptied himself inside her.

He struggled to breathe as he felt the new sensations and aftershocks echo through his body.

Sydney was smiling slyly down at him; her hands sprawled over his chest, occasionally tweaking his over-stimulated nipples.

"Holy fuck Sydney..." he said as he tried to get his breathing back to a semi-normal state.

She giggled, which just caused her to clamp on his cock again, making him shiver with another few aftershocks.

"Did you like that?" she asked seductively.

"No, not really...I just tell you that you've divinely screwed me for no reason..."

"Holy fuck..."

"Yeah," he said shrewdly, with a sexy smile, "I thought it appropriate."

She giggled again, "I'm flattered Vaughn..."

"Not as flattered as I am baby."

She smiled happily and leaned down to kiss him. After she said, "We should probably get to the bedroom..."

"Why?" he asked.

"Well...because the other people that live here are going to be home any minute. They don't need a floor show."

He laughed, "Ok."

"I'll go get our robes..." she said as she got off him slowly.

"Mmmhmm..." he said, watching her go until she went out of view. He smiled a smile of a man very satisfied, and glanced over at the fire. He was alone with the fire, but he hadn't really realized until just then. For a moment, it all came crashing back, the fear, the pain...but he kept staring at the fire, and soon, that's all it was. A fire that had provided warmth and soft light for two lovers who had just engaged in the most intimate of communications.

Sydney was in the bedroom before she even realized she had left Vaughn alone with the fire. She felt a surge of anxiety rise as she repeatedly told herself how stupid she was. She grabbed the robes and practically ran back out, but when she saw him, she stopped, keeping herself hidden from his view in the hallway.

He was lying on the mattress, in front of the fire, just as she had left him. His body was bathed in soft hues of orange and yellow, his naked skin looking even more tan that it really was. His left arm was laying across his stomach as though the sling were there and his right was under his head, elbow pointing towards the fire. His gaze was planted firmly on said fire, and she moved slightly so she could see his expression.

She expected to see a mix of fear and panic, but his visage was calm, his breathing even, and there was a hint of a smile on his lips. That made her extremely happy, and she moved quietly back over to him, kneeling beside him. "Hey," she said.

He looked over at her with a wider smile, "Hi..." he replied.

She was hesitant to say anything, thinking maybe he was just still too passion induced to really be thinking about torture, but she had to know, "You...you ok? I sort of left you alone..."

He smiled warmly, "I can be alone Sydney...actually I think it was good that you went..."

"It was?"

"Yeah...I was ok...I was ok alone. I have flashes every now and then, but I'm not afraid of it anymore."

She leaned over, kissing him and saying, "I'm so proud of you...I love you so much Vaughn."

He smiled, gladly accepting her kiss and said in reply, "You should be proud of you...it's only because of you...and I love you too – more than you could possibly know."

Tears sprang to her eyes and she leaned down again kissing him fiercely.

Vaughn backed off slightly and Sydney looked at him in confusion, "Sydney...if we don't stop...Will...Francie – yeah, gonna get a floor show..."

She chuckled, "Ok, sweetie..." She helped him sit up, "Should we try the kneeling again?"

"Yeah, that's probably the best way..."

She helped to a kneeling position and then lifted him under the arms to stand. He winced once they were standing.

"Vaughn?" Sydney asked as she put the robe on him and noticed the pained expression.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Did you get hurt?"

"Mmm...no...I don't think so...muscles didn't like that...or wounds..."

"I'm sorry Vaughn, maybe we shouldn't have–"

He cut her off with a finger to her lips, "Don't Sydney...we never 'shouldn't' have done that...ok?"

She smiled, "I know...I just...I don't want our overzealous love making to set you back..."

He laughed, "I'd rather have that set me back than anything else."

"You think you can still walk to the bedroom?"

"I think so..."

She started walking backwards slowly, taking him with her. When they got to the bed, she sat him down and started to grab his pajamas.

"You look tired honey," she said as she got him dressed.

"Yeah...you wore me out..." he said with a smile.

"You loved every minute of being worn out."

"Yes, I did," he said proudly.

She got him settled in the bed, and then said, "I'm gonna get rid of the evidence...k?"

He nodded, yawning. She smiled as she went out, knowing full well that by the time she got back, he'd be asleep.

She picked up the blankets and the sleeping bag, let the air out of the mattress and put all of it away. When she came back in, he was sleeping soundly and she lie down next to him, falling into slumber quickly after.