Exploring The Depths Of Passion

Normally when I wake up my mind opens my eyes and a moment later begins to wake the rest of my body with movement and stretching. This was nothing like that.

My mind was deep in sleep when it felt consciousness pulling it awake. Slow movements and an extreme fullness had an excitement coursing through my body that my mind was unable to fully comprehend. I was disoriented but knew whatever was happening was something very good. A faint sound acted like a point which my whirling mind could cling to for coherence. There was someone else with me and I could hear their breaths. The sensation moved again and my mind once again was like a boat tossed on a stormy sea as its hold was lost to another overwhelming tide of pleasure. I struggled to open my eyes but it made no difference as I only saw darkness. Then I heard Ian groan again and I suddenly knew exactly where I was.

I was on top of Ian as he was slowly moving under me, gliding inside me. His arms were lightly around me and his shallow breaths and quiet incoherent groans made me realize my rough sleeper wasn't awake. My mind was too tired and aroused to make a decision about how to proceed. Shouldn't I wake him? My body would not agree with anything beyond responding to his. His movements were increasing as his groans were becoming less foggy. His grip tightened as he pushed deep into me. A cry of pleasure escaped from my mouth and sounded in the room. Ian's movements stopped as his breathing paused momentarily before our bodies resumed their previous rhythm of their own will. He spoke my name like it was his point to hold onto reality. The next word he whispered in exasperation was one I hadn't heard exit his mouth before. I never would have imagined it could sound so erotic. He brought my mouth to his and kissed me as deeply as he was moving in and out of me.

The other times we had been together, Ian had been controlled and attentive. This time was different. Incredibly, it was even better. He was finally just as lost as I was to the waves of pleasure rolling through our bodies. With both our minds barely awake, the rest took over. His hands guided my hips and at one point I sat up to move better against him which felt amazingly deeper. From his sounds in the darkness, he enjoyed that too. He later sat up in order to kiss me and our bodies moved in ways I didn't understand. There was so much I realized I needed to learn but that thought was soon pushed aside.

Time meant very little and it felt like we were lost in each other for an eternity until we were both completely and utterly satisfied.

"Are you tired?" I whispered. We had quietly held each other without speaking, languidly touching the other. I had no idea what time it was other than very late in the night.

"I'm relaxed. I'm completely in awe of the affects you have on me. I'm certain I've discovered the very best way to wake up is buried inside of you." He grasped the thigh of my leg I had wrapped around him. "But tired I am not. How about you?"

His comments brought both a big smile to my face and an intense blush to my cheeks. "I'm not tired either." It was the only thing I had courage enough to respond with. "I was wondering if you weren't tired if you would tell me one of your stories."

He laughed quietly. "Why do you like my stories so much?"

"You're a good story teller. Plus, I like to hear about when you were little. You talk about it almost like it was another life time."

"It feels like it was a different life time." He was quiet for a moment. "What kind of a story would you like to hear?"

I thought through all his stories about Kyle, their horses, the farm, and their mother. "I don't think you've ever mentioned your father. Do you have a story about him?"

His hand paused mid stroke up my back. "Yes, I do have a story about him but it's not a pleasant one. Can I tell you that one some other time?"

"I'm sorry". Out of habit, I leaned up to see the sadness in his eyes that I could hear in his voice but there was nothing but blackness. "You don't have to ever tell it to me."

He leaned over and switched on the light.

"I want you to know that story. I think it will help you better understand Kyle. And probably me too." He placed his hand gently against my face and leaned up to kiss my forehead. "But right now, I want to bring you nothing but happiness."

He laid back and then smiled. "Have I told you about the time Kyle almost burned down Mr. Schelner's barn and we both had to spend all summer rebuilding it? Mr. Schelner was Jodi's father," he explained.

I shook my head and propped my chin up on his chest in order to watch his expressions. Those were always my favorite parts of the story. The way the creases would form at the corner of his eyes when he was excited. How the right side of his smile always curved a little bit higher when he was just about to laugh. How his face turned gentle when he mentioned his mother. The way the light danced in his eyes whenever he would talk about riding his horse. I could tell exactly how much he liked someone by the degree of the brief slant of his mouth whenever he mentioned their name, the only exception being Kyle. Kyle's name was always spoken with the greatest slant and the flattest tone in his voice but his eyes always smiled. Half the time he would also shake his head or throw up his arms in exasperation as if there was nothing that could be done with Kyle. His expressions were indeed my favorite part.

We talked and laughed most of the night until again, falling asleep for what felt like a very brief amount of time before Ian's quiet watch alarm woke us up. The alarm was a necessity when you were in a cave and had no outside clues of the sun rising.

Ian grumbled in protest as I heard him reach for his watch. Without opening my eyes I reached out for him where he had sounded on my right. I found his chest and he pulled me to him. Both of us lay still for a while in the complete darkness, trying to ignore the fact that we had to get up.

He moved his mouth next to my ear and whispered sleepily, just above a breath, "I don't want to get up."

Thankfully my mouth was already near his ear and I didn't have to make any effort to move. "We have to," I quietly breathed.

"I want to stay here with you in my arms."

"Me too".

"When is your next day off?" He murmured.

"Tomorrow."

He was quiet for a moment. "I'll see if I can trade with Brandt."

"We'll sleep all day tomorrow?"

"Mm-hm."

I smiled at the thought.

"Ian?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you so very much."

I felt him smile and his hand that was resting on my head began slowly caressing my face.

I continued my thought, still with a quiet whisper. "These past two days with you have meant more to me than all of my very long existence."

I felt him smile again as his arms tightened around me. His lips found mine and he whispered against them, "You're still my very favorite person in the known universe."

I recalled he had said this to me the day we played soccer and it touched me to know that long ago he was telling me he loved me. I found the strength to open my eyes to the darkness.

"If you want to stay here and get some more sleep, I'll cover for you," he offered.

"Thank you but, I'm up."

"Good, because I'm starving." He sat up and switched on the light to find his clothes. I watched him dress and felt very special that what was under those clothes was reserved just for me.

He noticed me watching him and a devilish look spread across his face. "On second thought," He quickly pulled his shirt off and laid back down next to me. "They probably won't miss us this morning."

I had to move quickly to put my hands over his mouth before his lips could capture mine. "Ian," I laughed loudly. "We have to get up - no more kisses!"

His eyes narrowed at the challenge. He easily pulled my hands from his mouth and held them pinned to the ground.

"Your work ethic is disappointing this morning," he growled and moved to kiss me without obstruction.

"No," I laughed as I quickly turned my head and twisted my body away from him.

He was quicker and moved his mouth to mine.

It was difficult because I was laughing so hard but I tried to press my lips firmly together and give him no response as his lips tried to persuade mine. This was not an easy feat but I held fast.

"So that's how you're going to play it." He pulled back and eyed me speculatively. "Good move."

"Just because you're stronger doesn't mean you can always win." I challenged.

"Actually, I think that's exactly what it means. You're forgetting, at any time the stronger one has the use of tickling available in their arsenal. The weaker one, that would be you in this equation, will always lose if they try to employ that tactic."

"You would tickle me?" That stopped me from laughing. It was a memory of Melanie's I never understood. Pet's memory wasn't much help either. She was laughing in them but also not fond of the action.

He released my wrists and sat over me, all humor gone from his face too. "You've never been tickled," he guessed.

"I've seen it of course and it doesn't look cruel but I remember Mel hated it and associated a strong urge to fight with the word. It confuses me."

He shook his head slowly back and forth. "We've had sex a few times and yet you've never been tickled. I'm officially the worst boyfriend in the world."

He spoke as if I was missing out on a rite of passage. "Maybe it makes you the best boyfriend in the world. That's my opinion at least."

The corner of his mouth turned up as his mood began to lighten. "Nice try but you will be tickled. Immediately and without negotiation. Afterwards, I'll earn your kiss through less barbaric means."

He finally stopped after much pleading and struggling on my part to resist his hands. When I was able to catch my breath I was sure to give him my opinion. "I've been officially tickled now. It's not something that needs to happen again."

"I completely disagree." He laughed loudly.

I felt my mouth and forehead crease into a pout. "Please, let me up."

"Ok," he replied slowly. "But I am definitely NOT giving you your clothes without a kiss." He reached quickly for my pile of clothes and stashed them under himself smiling triumphantly.

I knew this was the playful teasing I had noticed so often with other couples, particularly between Mel and Jared. It went against my nature because you had to pretend to not want to give the other person what they wished and it often required bluffing. However, I had been able to pick up sarcasm which also went against my nature so I tested my abilities. I was having fun with him and I realized the teasing had an element to it that was profoundly intimate. Not only were there parts of his body that were just for me but there were also parts of his mind and character that he used only with me.

I worked to change my smile into a shrewd face but failed miserably. "You've tickled me and now you're not going to give me my clothes?" I verified.

"That's correct."

"Then you leave me no choice." I stood in front of him trying not to be overwhelmed by the urge to avert my eyes or blush. "I'll have to go all the way to your room to get some other ones."

"Our room," he corrected darkly, calling my bluff.

"Do you mind if I take the light?"

"Sure. If you think it's best to leave me here. With your clothes. In the dark. Without breakfast."

"It's not my first choice." I found elements of the truth made this easier. I picked up my sandals and the lantern and then slowly walked to the cavern's entrance. I tried to formulate my next maneuver but feared I was at a loss of options.

"You'd leave a man without the ability to get breakfast?" His question caused me to turn toward him. "So it's weakening your opponent with sustained hunger." He tried not to smile. "Another good move, Wanderer."

Again, I could barely keep the smile from my face but I didn't give up. Never letting my eyes leave his, I slowly lowered the lantern to the ground before turning. I was enjoying his playful game even if I knew there was no way I was going to walk out of here without clothes on. "I'll probably stop on my way for a quick bath this morning too."

"Wait," he called and stopped my exit. What was most unfair was the ways his eyes had turned dark and smoldering. "I'm certain our absence from the crowd has been noticed and people are always going to talk, but if you walk out there without any clothes, and especially with hair that says precisely what you were doing all night, you're going to leave nothing to the imagination."

I reached up and felt exactly how awful my hair must have looked.

"One kiss for each article of clothing?" He offered me an out mercifully although I realized he was still winning this challenge.

"One kiss each." I repeated the terms. "And will you help me fix my hair?"

"Of course. It's only fair since I messed it up." He grinned and raised his hand while beckoning me by curling his finger in. "Come back here my little minx."

I dropped my sandals and leapt back into his arms to gladly give payment for my clothes back. He laughed at my reaction and held me close. Of course he took advantage that I had not specified the length of those four kisses. But I didn't mind at all.

With the first one he quickly had me underneath him and the kiss was hungry, long and intense. My skin was soon burning under his hands. His lips didn't break away until he was deep within me and I was gasping from the sudden sensation.

"One," he breathed in my ear.

The second and third kisses were taken briefly during his passion.

This time again was different than the others. He had a desperate need for me that caused me to have a desperate longing to fulfill. It was as if Ian was the one on fire and I was his solace. Our bodies didn't move in gentle or adoring ways. They weren't loving, indulgent, or even lost. They were hungry. It wasn't very long before his hands wrapped tightly around me and he cried out.

He rested his forehead on my chest as his breathing slowed and I ran my fingers through his hair. He moved back up to look at my face, his brilliant eyes took my breath away they were so alive with the fire that had just consumed the rest of his body. "I saved the last kiss." He held my face gently. As he kissed me softly, he pulled out of me and I whimpered softly at the loss.

"I hate leaving you too," he whispered.

I pulled his face back and started to give him soft kisses on his mouth, face and throat. To be honest, I was still in awe of the depths of his passion.

"Mmmm, extras. You're generous this morning." He nuzzled his face against my neck.

"Apparently, I need to work on my bargaining skills."

"I very much look forward to the challenge, Wanderer." He leaned up to look at me with one eyebrow higher than the other and his devilish grin I was becoming more accustomed with. "It's a good thing we didn't fix your hair before the kisses."

"Indeed. You're feisty this morning," I exclaimed.

"No, I'm hopelessly in love with you." He started to run his fingers through the ends of my curls. "I never imagined it was possible to find this much happiness in these caves. I couldn't be happier right now."

His smile slowly turned higher on one side and his eyes narrowed. "Unless you have a stack of pancakes."

I shook my head. "Let's get you some breakfast already."