Rachel glanced at her reflection in the bathroom mirror as she washed her hands. She took her jacket off when she arrived back at Jamie's house. And now her bare shoulders and cleavage were on full display. Rachel dried her hands before she reached behind her head, splitting her long wavy hair down the middle and pulling it forward to give herself a little more coverage. When she exited the bathroom, she could hear some soft music playing. The sound grew just slightly louder as she approached the main living room of the house.

Jamie was standing near his large stone fireplace with a rocks glass in his hand. Rachel guessed he was having a drink to calm his nerves and it made her smile to know he was just as nervous as she was. He looked up as she moved closer to him, his eyes lingering on her bare shoulders and the bit of creamy flesh that was visible between the wavy locks of her long dark hair.

"Can I have one of those?," she asked, her eyes flicking towards the drink in his hand. Jamie nodded, setting his drink on the mantle and moving quickly across the room to fill another glass. He poured the amber liquid from a crystal decanter. And Rachel smiled a little. Before she met the Duttons, she'd never seen such fancy drinking. She didn't drink much herself. And when she did, it certainly wasn't from an expensive crystal glass that matched the bottle the liquor was poured from. She was pretty sure the flavored vodka she occasionally made herself a screwdriver with came in a plastic bottle. And that's the bottle it stayed in, turned sideways and hidden in the tall cabinet above the fridge where Dakota wouldn't find it.

Rachel took the glass from Jamie, her fingers tingling a little where they brushed against his. She took as big a gulp from the glass as she dared, swallowing hard and trying her best not to make a sour face. She knew she must have still cringed a little, because Jamie was grinning at her, amused by her lack of hard drinking abilities.

"I could get you a beer from the fridge," he offered with another smile. Rachel shook her head, lifting the glass and tossing back the rest of the burning liquid inside. "Not a scotch drinker?," he teased. She shook her head again.

"I'm not really an anything drinker," she admitted. "I'm just nervous." Jamie smiled again. But this time his expression was soft and loving. The idea that Rachel, or any attractive woman for that matter, was nervous to be around him gave him a small swell of confidence. He followed Rachel's example, tossing back the rest of his drink before he reached for her.

Jamie wrapped one arm around her slim waist, pulling her towards him. He rested his other hand against the bare skin between her shoulder blades. And then he started to sway, shifting his weight from one foot to the other in time with the slow rhythm of the music. The song wasn't familiar to him. He didn't pick it. He just opened Pandora and typed in love songs, hoping to set the mood. But now that he had Rachel's body against his, he found himself listening to the lyrics as he thought about how right it felt to have her in his arms.

Tell me something, girl

Are you happy in this modern world?

Or do you need more?

Is there something else you're searchin' for?

I'm falling

In all the good times, I find myself longin' for change

And in the bad times, I fear myself…

By the time the chorus played a second time, Rachel's hands had crept up under his shirt. She stroked her fingers over the bare skin of his back, eagerly parting her soft lips when he kissed her. His tongue tangled up with hers. She tasted like heaven and the scotch they just drank. And Jamie could feel the swell of her full breasts pressing into chest as he pulled her tightly against him. She moaned as he kissed her, and he could feel the tips of her fingertips digging just slightly into his back.

Rachel wasn't sure how long she stayed there, locked into Jamie's embrace. All she knew was that when he finally broke their kiss, she was gasping for air and the heat was pounding between her legs. A little voice spoke up inside her head, telling her that she ought to call it a night and go home. The voice said that sleeping with a guy on the first date was hoe behavior. But Rachel kindly told that little part of herself to shut right the hell up because the rest of her wanted the man in her arms. When Jamie took her hand and started pulling her towards the stairs and up to his room, Rachel didn't hesitate. Instead of talking herself into leaving, she spent her time admiring how Jamie's ass looked in his jeans as he walked up the stairs in front of her.

When Jamie gave her a tour of his home, he only showed Rachel around downstairs. She hadn't seen his bedroom yet. His private space was tidier than she expected after seeing the inside of his car. Even the bed was made. And Rachel smiled, wondering if Jamie cleaned his room in the hopes that they might end up in his bed together.

Rachel perched on the edge of the bed, watching Jamie as he fumbled around, lighting a couple scented candles he had on his bedside table. She'd never had a man make such a fuss over her before. Between the candles and the music it was like a scene from a romance novel. Her first time with her ex husband was in the backseat of his car.

Rachel rose back up from the bed. Once the candles were lit, she flicked the lights off. The last bit of evening sun was still filtering in through the windows as the sweet scent of the warming vanilla candle wax filled the room. Jamie was tossing his lighter back into the drawer when he felt Rachel's hand between his shoulders. She rubbed a slow circle on his back, lowering her hand when he turned towards her. At some point during their makeout session downstairs, she'd tossed her hair behind her back. And he could feel his dick straining against his zipper as he stared down at her exposed cleavage. Her breasts were full and he knew from the way they'd pressed against his chest that they were soft and natural. His eyes lingered on the spots where the black lace edging of her bra was visible above the neckline of her dress.

Rachel's hands found the hem of his shirt. And she moved slowly up his body, loosening one button at a time until she reached his collar and pushed the shirt back off his shoulders. He shrugged it the rest of the way off, letting it fall to the floor near his feet before he quickly pulled off the white t-shirt he was wearing under his button down. She ran her fingertips gently over his exposed chest, reading his body like braille. He had a patch of dark hair on his chest that spanned his pectoral muscles. And she raked her fingers through it, pausing over his sternum where the hair was the thickest. With her hand resting flat against the center of his chest, she could feel his heartbeat.

Rachel was so consumed with her admiration of his body, that when Jamie pushed the straps of her dress down over her shoulders, she didn't feel the rush of self consciousness she was expecting to feel about her body. She moved, slipping her arms out of the thin black straps and wriggling her full hips as she pushed the dress completely off, letting it pool up on the floor near her feet. Jamie reached forward, placing his hand on the curve of her waist. Trailing his hand up, he grazed the side of her breast. Her skin heated up under his touch as he traced his finger along the lace edging of her bra. When he finally cupped her breast in his hand, his touch was feather light. And Rachel pushed slightly forward, eager for more pressure. A small sigh escaped her lips when he squeezed, softly massaging her. The slight pressure against her nipple sent tingles of pleasure through her body. Rachel twisted her shoulders slightly, reaching behind her back and unhooking her bra. She slid it off, letting it fall to the floor near her borrowed dress. Her already hard nipples tightened painfully as the cool air hit her exposed skin.

Eager for his warm skin against hers, Rachel reached up and wrapped her arms around Jamie's neck. She rose onto her tiptoes, pressing her body against his as she kissed him. He parted her lips with his tongue, deepening the kiss as his arms circled her waist. Rachel moaned into his mouth again, enjoying the feeling of his skin and soft tickle of his chest hair against her bare breasts. Jamie shuffled his feet, turning them so the edge of the bed was behind her. His hands cupped her ass, lifting her slightly before he set her down on the bed. Rachel leaned back, pulling Jamie with her until she felt the mattress under her back. They were still kissing when she slid her hands between their bodies, unzipping his pants and pushing them down his hips. Jamie broke their kiss, standing up between her thighs. His eyes were dark with his desire for her and his perfectly groomed hair was deliciously tousled. He hooked his fingers under the edge of her panties, sliding them down off her hips and tossing them away. Once she was bare, he pushed his pants down, taking his shorts with them. The soft trial of hair on his stomach led to a thicker patch between his hips. His dick was large, the skin of it slightly darker than the rest of his body. Rachel was unable to hide the flutter of nervousness and fear that flickered across her features. Jamie's erection was easily double the size of her ex husband's. And her ex hurt her with his. Lots of times. Rachel rose up, using her palms to propel herself back and slightly away from the man between her thighs.

"Whoa, hey, what's wrong?," Jamie asked, lifting his hands and turning his open palms toward her. Everything seemed to be going well. And unless his radar was totally off, Rachel seemed completely into what was happening. Then all of the sudden, her body went stiff and she was scooting away from him. When Jamie stepped back to give her a little more space, he was relieved to see that she visibly relaxed.

"I'm sorry," she said, tucking her hair behind her ears. She looked up at him, the embarrassed blush rising in her cheeks.

"You don't need to be sorry," he assured her. "We can stop now if that's what you want." Rachel shook her head slightly. She cast another nervous glance at his groin before she looked up again, meeting his gaze. When she spoke, her voice was low and quiet.

"I don't want to stop…," she said, sucking her bottom lip in and nibbling on the side of it. "I just… um… I need you to be gentle with me."

Jamie felt the hard tug in the center of his chest. And he reached for Rachel, pulling her up off the bed. He held her protectively in his arms, pressing kisses into her hair. He felt terrible for her and angry at whatever happened that made such a gentle, sweet woman afraid he was about to hurt her. He sighed as she melted into his embrace. Jamie rubbed his hand over her back, giving Rachel another moment to relax before he caught her under the chin and tilted her head so he could see her face.

"I would never hurt you," he promised. "If I do anything you don't like, just tell me and I'll stop."

"Okay," she quietly agreed. Rachel tucked her head back down, snuggling into Jamie's chest. Despite her initial bout of trepidation when she saw it, the feel of his hard length pressing against her stomach was making the heat pool between her legs. And she tipped her head back up to kiss him again. Their kiss began softly. But the heat quickly built back up between them. They moved back towards the bed, climbing all the way onto it this time instead of perching on the edge. Rachel lay back into the soft blankets, her hands gently exploring Jamie's body as he hovered over her. He was hard and muscular in all the right places. And she could feel her insides throbbing with need when he began to kiss and lick his way down the column of her neck.

By the time he reached the tops of her breasts, Rachel was arching her back. Her hands twined into his hair, tugging gently at the roots as he swirled his tongue around her nipple. He cupped her other breast in his hand, pulling one of the dark pink buds into a hard point as he sucked the other one into his mouth. Her breath was coming in ragged, shallow gasps as every inch of her body reacted to his touch. Rachel's head was tilted back, her eyes shut tight. Her body felt like a cord that was stretched taut. It wasn't until she felt the soft scratch of his stubble on her inner thigh that she realized he'd kissed his way down her body, positioning his head between her legs. When she felt the tip of his tongue run up the length of her labia, Rachel gasped, her thighs instinctively squeezing together at the unfamiliar contact. The warm tickle of his breath came next. Softly laughing, Jamie pushed her thighs back apart and pinned them gently to the bed. She wasn't being held immobile. He was just stopping her from crushing his head between her thighs. He used a light teasing touch, flicking his tongue over her most private area. She was breathing hard, her hips bucking against his hold on her. The intense way she was reacting to him was arousing in and of itself. Rachel wasn't playing or toying with him. She just wanted him. Maybe even as much as he wanted her.

When he delved his tongue between the delicate folds of her sex, she cried out. Her cry sounded like an equal mix of shock and pleasure. He smiled into the kiss, slightly amused that she seemed almost ready to levitate off the bed and he'd barely even done anything to her yet. Adjusting his hold slightly, he left his forearm against the soft flesh of her thigh and used his fingers to part her lips, exposing her glistening opening and the small hard bud of her clit. Using barely a whisper of pressure, he began to flick his tongue back and forth across the small bundle of nerves. Her chest heaved as she gasped for breath. And the taut muscles of her inner thighs were quivering under his touch. Then, she cried out, her body going rigid as she arched her back. Jamie continued the movements of his tongue, drawing out the pleasure of her release. He released his hold on her thighs as he moved back up her body.

The blue of Rachel's eyes was a thin ring around her widened pupils. And she stroked her hand over his cheek with a soft plea to kiss her. Rachel bent her knees, spreading her thighs wide apart as she wrapped her legs around his waist. And when he felt the throbbing head of his dick graze against her slick opening, he had to remind himself that she asked him to be gentle. Her fingertips dug into his back as he entered her. He broke their kiss, taking a few deep breaths. Only the head of his dick was inside her. Her entrance was slick with desire. But she was still a tight fit. And he guessed she would be even without all the clenching she was doing. She was going to have to stop that. Or he was going to shoot his shit before he even got his dick all the way inside her.

Rachel's hair was a wild messy tangle around her head. And he brushed it back off her forehead before he kissed her again. He tangled his tongue up with hers, finishing the kiss with a gentle peck before he moved to whisper into her ear. Relax. He gently coaxed her, nibbling at the sensitive skin behind her ear. Just relax, I've got you. He felt her thighs first, the taut muscles going lax against his hips. Her inner muscles followed, the walls of her vagina relaxing enough that he was able to push his hard length further inside her. He pulled back, following that movement by pushing further inside. When his balls finally bumped against her ass he let out a low groan of pleasure.

"Is that okay," he asked. How tight her slick little channel was, felt like heaven to him. But he wanted to make sure it wasn't hurting her. Rachel nodded her head as she rocked her hips back, allowing him slightly deeper access. And the expression on her face as she looked up at him was so soft and loving, he had a hard time not losing himself completely in her eyes.

"It feels good," she assured him in her soft breathy voice. "Don't stop."

Jamie moved slowly at first. But his own desires eventually took over. From her soft cries of pleasure and the way her hips were rocking up to meet his thrusts, Jamie could tell Rachel was enjoying his less than gentle approach. The tension was coiled low in his stomach. And when her insides exploded in a flutter of heat and fluid he couldn't hold himself back any longer. He cursed under his breath as he coated her insides with his release. He rode out the last waves of his orgasm before he withdrew, collapsing on the bed next to Rachel. Both their bodies were covered in a thin sheen of sweat. And when she cuddled into his side, he was quick to wrap his arm around her, pulling her closer. Rachel hummed as she wriggled into a comfortable spot, hiking her leg over his thigh and resting her head on his chest.

Neither of them spoke at first. Jamie was afraid to spoil the moment. And Rachel was deep in thought, her mind slightly blown at the fact that she'd just had the first orgasm of her life. She had no idea that sex could feel like that. And despite knowing that it was far too early and completely frightening, she felt herself slowly filling with intense feelings for the man that had his strong arm wrapped around her.

Jamie felt an equal mixture of fear and relief when he felt Rachel's small intake of breath. He could tell she was about to say something. And he was relieved that she was speaking instead of him. He just was afraid of what she might say.

"That was beautiful," she sighed, humming softly as she tilted her head back and placed a soft kiss on his jawline. "Thank you." Rachel felt his chest moving before the chuckle escaped him. He captured her mouth with his, laughing into the kiss.
"I never had anyone thank me for a lay before," he admitted, unsure of what exactly he ought to say in response. "You're staying the night, right?," he asked. Before Rachel could answer Jamie quickly informed her of all the hopeful shopping he'd done earlier that day. "I didn't know what you like so I got all different breakfast stuff. Eggs and bacon and sausage and fruit and pancake mix and juice and…"

Rachel tucked her face into his chest. She was trying her best to hold it in but the giggles just exploded out of her, interrupting Jamie's recitation of his rather epic shopping list. Like the candles and the music and the fancy restaurant, it was obvious that Jamie had gone above and beyond to please her. She felt special and loved and sublimely happy and there was nothing she'd rather do than stay the night and have breakfast with him in the morning. She would have been happy with just a cup of coffee, waking up next to him.

"I'd love some breakfast in the morning," Rachel said. Jamie hugged her against him, kissing the top of her head this time.

They lay still until their bodies cooled off and the room started feeling cold against their bare skin. Jamie pulled the sheets back. And as Rachel began to shimmy under them, she paused, cocking her head slightly to the side.

"Is that the music you left on?," she asked. There was definitely some sort of noise coming from downstairs. Jamie padded towards the open bedroom door, sticking his head into the hallway.

"I think it's my doorbell," he said. He wasn't sure who might be at his door. It was late in the day for visitors. His closest neighbors were acres and acres away. And most of the people he knew didn't even know where his new house was. And the rest would have called or texted if there was an emergency. Jamie shrugged as he pulled his jeans back on.

The wood floors were cold under his bare feet. And Jamie glanced longingly back towards the bedroom, seriously considering just climbing under the sheets with Rachel and not even bothering to satisfy his curiosity about who was at his door. He stopped in the living room, shutting off the music. Then he crossed the space and pulled the door open. Jamie cringed, his eyes widening as he realized that opening his door without checking to see who it was first was a terrible idea.

"Hey sexy," Sarah crooned, moving into the doorway and draping her arms around his shoulders. "Where have you been?," she asked. "I've been texting you all day."

Jamie cringed back, attempting to extricate himself from her clutches. Take a hint, he thought to himself. If a man wasn't returning a woman's texts, that was usually a sign that he was losing interest, not an invitation to show up unannounced at his house.

"I've been busy," Jamie said, ducking under her arm and putting a little space between them. Unfortunately, Sarah was not willing to be cast off so easily. She stepped forward, trailing her manicured finger down his bare chest to pull at the button on his jeans.

"I know how to take your mind off work," she teased. Jamie gasped her by the wrist, removing her hand from his personal area.

"Look," he explained. "...this isn't a good time. I have company." Sarah's eyes widened a little. And it took Jamie a moment to realize she was looking past him into the living room. He cursed under his breath when he turned to see Rachel. She was fully dressed and ripping her denim jacket off the back of the couch.
"Don't mind me," she hissed. "I was just leaving." Rachel shoved her feet into her sandals and pushed past Sarah on her way out the door. Jamie took off after her, cutting his feet on the gravel walkway in his rush. She snapped her car door shut, slamming her hand down over the lock tab before he could grab the handle.

"Rachel! I'm sorry!" Jamie shouted through the glass. "Please don't leave like this!" Rachel's only response was her middle finger pressed against the glass as she used her other hand to jerk the car into reverse. Jamie raked his hand through his hair as he watched Rachel tear ass down his driveway. His immediate impulse was to go after her. But he was at least going to need his shoes and car keys for that.

"Who's the bumpkin?," Sarah joked with a laugh as Jamie stomped back into the living room. "Is that baby momma?" Her smile faltered as she took his expression and the angry set of his shoulders. Jamie grasped her by the upper part of her yoga slim arms, hauling her towards the door and thrusting her out onto his porch.

"I'm not a fucking idiot," he hollered. "I know this was all some corporate game to you. Which was fine. Because I was getting laid. But now you've disrupted my actual fucking life." Jamie pointed Sarah towards her fancy little two seater sports car. "Get the fuck out! And don't ever come back here again!" Jamie shut the door in her face without waiting for a response. He honestly didn't care what she had to say. He just wanted her gone. Off his porch and out of his life. For good.

**The song lyrics are from the song Shallow by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. This story is also cross posted to AO3 under the same title with inspiration photos or graphics with each chapter. **