Chapter 16

 

Louise was enveloped in Brad as she awoke the next morning. His arm was draped over her middle, and his leg rested on her thigh as they spooned together in a post-coital cuddle that evidently lasted the entire night. Stretching, she inhaled deeply, feeling long underused muscles tightening. “Good morning.” he said from behind her ear, kissing the delicate skin on her neck.

“Same to you.” she said, turning over to face him. “Did you enjoy the movie last night?”

“There was a movie?”

Giggling, Louise wrapped her arms around his neck, and let out a shriek as he surprised her, lifting her up on top of him. “God, you’re even sexier in the morning.” Brad commented, kissing her deeply, but keeping it somewhat chaste.

Suddenly longing to feel his tongue in her mouth again, Louise widened her lips. Brad reciprocated, but then pulled back gently. “I would love nothing more than to make love to you again, baby, but I’m afraid we’re out of condoms.”

Lifting a brow, Louise lowered herself downward, kissing his chest. “What I had in mind doesn’t require protection.”

A flash of surprise came to Brad’s eyes. “Really.” he gently helped her turn her body, making her feet line up with his head, so they were in a ‘69’ position. “Are you okay with this?” he asked, parting her legs and pulling her most sensitive part towards his face.

“Oh, yes.” she said, her tone revealing that she knew what was coming next. Louise stared at his generous length in front of her, just inches from her mouth. She’d never taken a man in her mouth before, but something about Brad erased all apprehension. His tip was already moist and he was fully hard. Licking the tip and placing her hand at the base of his hardness, she asked. “Do you trust me?”

There was no answer; Brad placed his hands on her upper thighs, securing a hold on her body as he began first sucking, and then licking her moist skin.

The immediate sensation spurred her on; Louise stuffed almost his entire length in her mouth and began pumping and sucking, helter-skelter, as he moaned into her, creating an entirely new level of pleasure. The vibration and movement came from both mouths in a rhythmic action; first Louise and then Brad, a constant reassurance that each was equally enjoying themselves immensely.

Louise learned quickly how to place Brad’s hardness in her mouth deep enough to refrain from setting off her gag reflex, but adequate to pleasure him. When he began thrusting his pelvis upward, she knew he was close, and the idea was a little overwhelming at first, but then as she felt her impending orgasm, it was a huge turn-on.

“God, Louise.” Brad panted. “I’m gonna cum in your mouth. You better stop.”

The word ‘cum’, and the needy tone that came from Brad, was like a sexy order to Louise. She suddenly felt her release as his tongue moved on her exponentially, encouraging her to suck him harder. As her lips felt the base of his hardness, she had him inside her mouth fully, and then she slid her hand down and lifted her lips up to the tip, pumping his length with her hand. A gush of warm fluid entered her mouth and she heard Brad cry out, just moments after her body had ceased convulsing.

“Oh, God! Oh, God!” he mewled, writhing in pure pleasure from under her as she continued pumping, giving him the ultimate orgasm. “Jesus, Louise!” he hissed as he placed his hands on her back, begging her to what…stop? Keep going? Was it too much? She couldn’t be sure. Either way, Louise continued her oral assault on him until she felt him relax. “Holy…oh…my…God.” he breathed, as she lifted herself up and lay beside him.

Watching his Adam’s apple bob up and down, Louise waited for him to catch his breath. “Good God, woman…” he panted, his breathing starting to slow, “Of all the ways to wake a guy up in the morning…that is definitely my favourite.” he said, emphasizing the word ‘that’ as he lifted his index finger.

Grinning, Louise ran her fingers through his sweaty hair. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

Brad’s eyes suddenly opened. “Are you okay? I mean…you, um…you swallowed, didn’t you?” he grazed the side of her cheek, as if worried about her. “I know most women really dislike that. Are you…are you okay? I didn’t mean to…well…I wasn’t sure…”

Lifting a hand, Louise giggled. “You warned me…and I knew what was going to happen.” she kissed him. “I’m fine.”

Sighing, Brad plopped his head back down on the pillow, as if in defeat. “You’re my hero.”

Patting him on the chest, Louise rolled over to glance at the alarm clock on her bedside table. “C’mon. I’ll go start the shower. I don’t know when my mom is getting home, and although she’ll be thrilled, I’m sure her seeing us in bed together probably won’t go off well.”

“Good point.”

Brad’s clothes were in decent condition, so recycling them wasn’t a terrible alternative. Louise offered to iron his pants but he kindly declined. Their haste was for naught, however, as Meryl and Barry didn’t arrive until nearly lunch time. The grin on Meryl’s face was telling.

“Mom, are you okay?” Louise asked with her mouth cocked to one side, as if she already knew. “Did you and Barry have fun last night?”

Meryl gave her daughter a knowing look. She’d raised her child on the same principles as she’d been raised herself: not to kiss and tell. “We had a wonderful dinner and stayed at a glorious hotel. It was exquisite.”

Pushing his fiancé forward in the hallway, Barry interjected, “How about we sit in the kitchen and chat?”

Blushing, Meryl patted Barry on the shoulder, “That’s a wonderful idea.”

Exchanging pleasantries with Brad, Meryl started the kettle and invited Barry to have a seat. Louise pulled out some bread and cold cuts from the refrigerator on her mother’s left, and as they bumped shoulders while both reaching for the cupboard overhead, Louise caught a glimpse of something sparkly on Meryl’s hand.

“What the—“ Louise exclaimed, pulling her mother’s left wrist upward. Her jaw dropped to the floor and her eyes widened. Meryl waited for an exasperated frown but it didn’t come. Instead, Louise’s face broke into an ear-to-ear smile. “So you guys did have fun last night,” she beamed.

Gushing, Meryl stared at the floor bashfully. Barry, having caught wind of what happened, rose, “I hope you don’t mind that I didn’t check with you first, Louise,” he stated carefully. “I figured you would be okay,”

Embracing her mother, Louise replied, “I’m okay…more than okay,” she sniffled, “I’m so happy for you,”

Watching his lover’s expression as she hugged her mother, Brad winked. There was something magnetic about Louise, and he could only guess that she got it from Meryl.

 

***

Ten Months Later

 

Linda pulled up to the communal mail pickup area and slid the car into park. She was speaking to Meryl on her cell. “Hang on a second, Meryl, I’ve just gotta go pick up my mail.”

Meryl assented and the line went quiet as Linda exited the vehicle quickly and retrieved a small pile of envelopes from her slot. Resting the packages on the passenger seat, Linda returned to the conversation she was having with her friend. “So Barry is still hell bent on a destination wedding, is he?”

Chuckling, Meryl shot back. “He says we could all use a vacation. Why not kill two birds with one stone?”

As Linda parked in the barren driveway, she picked up her mail, briefcase, purse and lunch bag, and switched the conversation from Bluetooth back to her handset, “Luckily, for Barry, Christmas isn’t far away, so if you wanted to take advantage of the fact that all of your colleagues will be off for two weeks, this would be the time to tie the knot.”

“Time is running out,” Meryl interjected. “I doubt we would be able to put something together that fast,”

Linda guffawed. “You would be surprised what some of those places can put together for the right price,” and then she paused, “are you sure you’re not just having cold feet?”

“Goodness, no!” Meryl argued good-naturedly, “I’d be just as happy to go to city hall!”

“Well, in that case,” Linda rolled her eyes, “Make the man happy and marry him at Christmas,”

She could almost hear her friends’ smile, “Well, if you say so,”

 

***

 

Setting the dinner plates on the table, Linda heard Larry enter through the front door. “Smells wonderful, darling, what is it? Ham?”

Accepting a kiss from her beloved, Linda nodded. “It’s your favourite,”

“I don’t deserve you.”

Larry sat down at the kitchen table. “How was your day?”

“Good. I spoke to Meryl.” Linda answered, pouring Larry a glass of wine. “Barry wants a destination wedding…during Christmas.”

“He mentioned something like that,” Larry said, reaching for the pile of mail in the center of the table. “It seems like a good deal to me.”

“That’s what I said to Meryl.” Linda said, arranging large casserole dishes on the counter top. Larry shuffled through the envelopes, half-heartedly listening to his wife, when he came across one package that caught his attention. “I think I convinced her,” Linda added, and continued on the tangent Meryl was concerned about: timing.

Larry stopped listening as he read the letter enclosed in the envelope. Linda asked Larry for feedback and realized she was being ignored. Turning around, she saw her husband’s eyebrows furrowed as he scanned the document he held in his hand. His expression was serious, as though everything that mattered in the world was contained within that one piece of paper. “What is it?” Linda asked, scurrying to his side.

Immediately recognizing the adoption agency’s letterhead, Linda’s hand went to her mouth as she felt her heart drop to the ground. “Dear God,” she gasped. “Have we been declined?”

A moment later Larry had finished reading the letter, and he placed it face down on the table, so Linda could not see it. His face was serene yet unreadable, making Linda feel like the news was just too harsh to bear, that Larry couldn’t say the words, they were too horrible. Taking his wife’s hand, Larry invited her to sit in his lap. Embracing her, he gulped down air, trying to hold back the tears. “Baby,” he looked up at Linda. “You better tell Meryl if they want to have a wedding during Christmas, that we have to hurry back.”

Searching her husband’s eyes, Linda asked. “But why? Did we get declined? Do we have to go through another interview?”

Larry choked, unable to hold back his emotions. “No, baby, just the opposite,” He gave Linda a squeeze as tears poured down his face. “We’re getting a little girl in January.”

Her eyes widened in disbelief. “Are you serious? W…we’re getting a girl?” She asked as her face wetted with tears. Linda had to ask it again, as if testing the words. “In January? A little girl?”

Nodding, Larry pressed his lips together. “We’re going to be parents in the New Year.”

It was surreal. Those were words Linda and Larry had waited so long to hear, it almost didn’t seem possible. Linda embraced her husband tightly as they cried tears of joy. They ate dinner in sheer bliss, unable to stop smiling at each other. As Linda removed the dessert plates from the table, Larry grabbed her playfully and began kissing her neck.

“What do you say we celebrate with some animal love-making?” he growled.

Giggling, Linda peered up at the calendar, “But I’m not ovulating until tomorrow, I don’t see the point.”

Lifting his wife, Larry carried her over to the calendar tacked up on the wall, “I see plenty of reasons.” he said, pulling the kitten-clad wall-hanging down. “And we won’t be needing this anymore.” Larry added matter-of-factly. “Frankly, I’m going to enjoy making love on my own schedule again.” he said, cradling Linda in his arms as they passionately kissed while heading upstairs.