Breathless (13 page)

answered quietly, shifting away from him, "Maybe
this isn't a good idea."
"No, stay," he pleaded reaching out for her.
James drew Alex back towards him and began to
kiss her neck and shoulder, "If you leave now, there
will be no turning back.
If it's only for tonight, this
one time, I need you stay.”
James turned her around to face him and reclaimed
her lips.
Alex didn't protest as she adjusted herself
to lie against him on her side.
James drew the shirt away from her and brought
her to a quickening.
Alex felt James caress her
exposed hip and ease her onto her back.
His
rough hand stroked her inner thigh and Alex
instinctively arched her hips toward him.
James pushed his hand between her thighs and
stroked the hot, moist recesses of organ; as she
began to moan in ecstasy as his mouth still sought
her kisses. James stopped his caresses only to move
on top of her.
He pressed his kisses on her throat,
breasts and trailed kisses to her lower
abdomen.
James' beard scratched at her thighs as
his mouth sought to replace his fingers.
His
tongue flicked into her darkness and Alex threaded
her fingers into his hair has his hands reached
underneath her and brought her hips against his
mouth.
James felt her reaching her precipice and
rose to sheath himself in her.
James and Alex's
hips soon found a rhythm and they reveled in their
simpatico.
James felt the tightness and wondered how many
lovers she had had.
It was a heady sensation for
him to bed somebody that felt like a virgin. Alex
stroked James' back and her hands slid down to his
buttocks feeling the dimples that lay just above
it.
She trailed her nails along his back, creating a
roadway of white lines.
James continued to pump his hips into her feeling
both of them coming to the edges of their
excitement.
He continued to nuzzle at her neck
and lips, while she moaned his name in passion.
Alex cried out with pleasure finally as she wrapped
her legs around his waist to receive more of his
hardness.
She screamed in ecstasy as she and
James sailed to the glorious heights that their
lovemaking had produced.
James rolled away from Alexandra and reached for
a sheet to cover them.
He wasn't concerned that
she was cold, because he could still feel the heat of
their passion emanating from her skin, but for
modesty.
Alexandra rolled to her side and
welcomed his inviting arms as she cuddled against
his damp chest.
James stroked her hair away from her face and soon
discovered that her rapid breathing had given way
to the rhythmic sounds of sleep.
Not wanting to
wake her, James tried not to be uncomfortable in
the bed.
He had spent so many nights on the
couch after Jean left that the bed felt too stiff to his
back.
As he slowed his own breathing, James found
himself drifting off to sleep fraught with concerns
about tomorrow and the days to come.
He
realized that had not finished discussing the
attraction that had brought them together.
James cursed the sunlight as it penetrated his
eyelids, forcing them open.
He rolled over only to
discover that he was alone in the bed and the cool
sheets meant that Alex had left early.
Glancing at
the bedside clock, James sat up in frustration.
It
was well after nine and he had promised Harry he
would help set up for the barbecue at his house.
Deciding to forgo his usual coffee, James grabbed a
quick shower and ran downstairs to feed the dogs
before leaving.
He was halfway down the stairs
when the smell of coffee hit his nostrils.
Smiling,
he went to the kitchen and found a pot of coffee
brewing and his mug sitting beside it.
Pouring the
hot liquid into his cup, which he noted she had
washed, he fed and watered the dogs and left the
house.
James drove as calmly as possible to Harry's
house.
Every taste of his coffee reminded him of
Alex and her ability to anticipate his needs.
He
hadn't asked her last night if she was still going to
Virginia for the holiday and thought about calling
her when he got to Harry's to check.
Shaking his
head and deciding against it, James pulled up in
front of Harry's split level, took a last swig of the
coffee and went to help move the tables and
barbecue the steaks.
It was gonna be a long day.
Alex had quietly slipped out of the bed at 3:30
leaving James sleeping.
The ramifications would
have to be dealt with later.
It took some time for
her to find her clothes in the living room without
the lights, but she didn't want to take the chance of
alerting the dogs by turning them on.
She was still
missing a sock, when she tried to creep out of the
house.
Sheeba met Alex in the hallway and after
making nice for ten minutes slipped out of the
house.
Alex dumped her stuff in the living room and
collapsed on the couch.
Thinking that the worst
was yet to come, Alex grabbed the blanket off the
back of the couch and dozed off.
The shrill sound of the telephone ringing beside her
head, made Alex jump with a start.
Looking at the
clock on the wall, Alex realized she had been asleep
for several hours and needed to get on the road to
Washington soon.
"Hello," she answered hoarsely.
"Alex," said the voice on the other end.
"Yeah.
Who's this?"
"It's Rachel, honey.
Were you still sleeping?"
"Yeah.
I was.
What's up," she asked rubbing the
sleep out of her eyes.
"I'm so happy I caught
you.
I need to cancel the barbecue.
Dan's dad
died last night. "
"Oh, Rach, I'm so sorry.
Is there anything I can do?
Do you want me to still come down and help?"
"Thanks, but no.
Dan's parents moved to Florida
six months ago, so everything is being done down
there."
"Okay.
Give Dan my best and call me so I know
where to send flowers and stuff. " "I will.
Thanks,
Alex."
Alex said goodbye and hung up.
Sighing, she went
upstairs to shower and wondered if going to Harry's
party would be a good idea.
She could be close to
James, where she wanted to be anyway, and have a
good time.
As Alex showered, she remembered
the night before and James' touch on her skin.
Her
body trembled at the memory of his mouth and
hands on her breasts, belly and thighs.
Shaking
herself out of her revere, Alex called Suzanne to let
her know she was going to be at the picnic.
"Hello," answered Suzanne.
"Hi.
It's Alex.
Do you still have room for one
more?"
"You're coming? That's great.
Of course, we do. "
"Great, what can I bring," Alex asked.
"Just yourself," Suzanne smiled into the receiver.
"I'll bring something," Alex responded laughing and
hung up.
Putting on a pair of shorts and a half shirt, Alex
quickly mixed up a favorite summer dessert,
grabbed the bottle of Stoli from over the kitchen
sink and headed out the door.
Alex arrived at Harry's just as Grayson, Morgan and
JR showed up.
The three of them claimed her in
the drive way, and escorted her around the house
into the back yard.
James saw Alex walk into the back yard and almost
dropped his beer.
She had put on a pair of black
shorts and a red half shirt that rested just below her
breasts.
James remembered the feel of her skin
on his chest last night as he made love to
her.
Turning his head slightly, he saw that Suzanne
was watching him watch Alex.
She smiled at him
as Alex approached her, said hello and unloaded the
food that she didn't need to bring.
"Alex, I told you you didn't need to bring anything,"
Suzanne said shaking her head and laughing.
"I know.
But I couldn't get a bottle of wine
today.
Damn liquor stores are closed. "
"You want some orange juice for that," Suzanne
asked pointing to the Stoli in her other hand.
"Sure. "
Suzanne led Alex onto the deck to get some ice and
oj for her drink and sat down to chat.
"Somebody
is watching you," whispered Suzanne
conspiratorially.
"Who," asked Alex looking around the yard finding
James' eyes.
Smiling, Alex waved to him, smiled and took a long
sip of her drink.
Turning her attention back to
Suzanne, who watched the whole thing with some
interest, she avoided her gaze.
"What's going on with you two? He hasn't let you
out of his sight since you got here. "
"I don't know, Suzanne. "
"Do you love him?"
"More than anything right now.
There are just so
many complications. "
"Like what?"
"Like his marriage to Jean, his affairs, my
'engagement' to Tad.
Take your pick. "
"Alex, James is so complicated. . . "
"Tell me about it. "
"Would you like me to explain him to you?"
"No.
I want him to do that. "
"Alex, you made it," shouted Harry from the yard
seeing the two of them on the deck.
"Yeah, Harry, I did.
And now everyone in Ashmore
Valley knows it too. "
"I thought you were going to D.C. "
"Change of plans.
They had a death in the
family. "
"That's too bad," sighed Suzanne.
"Yeah, it was. "
"Come join us.
We're getting a game of volleyball
together. "
Laughing, Alex set down her screwdriver, kicked off
her shoes and walked to where a volley ball net had
been set up.
"Alex is on my team," claimed Harry as soon as she
reached the yard.
"No way, she's on mine," said James gently grabbing
her arm and pulling her to his side of the net.
"How did I know that," asked Harry, laughing as JR
served the ball.
The game went on for about an hour as everyone
got more drunk.
Instead of points, they had to
drink if the opposing team got a point.
James
watched as Alex, laughed with the guys and played
really well.
Her shirt occasionally lifted too high
for his liking offering everyone a glimpse of her full
breasts.
Eventually, Suzanne called the game off
so that the steaks could be put on the grill and
everyone could relax before eating.
Alex decided to leave her shoes off and went in the
house to help Suzanne get the side dishes
ready.
Melissa and Beth had come with Morgan
and David, as well as other significant others who
were helping in the kitchen.
"Alex, take these out to Harry, for me please,"
requested Suzanne handing her a tray utensils and
sauces for the steaks.
Alex took the tray to the porch as requested and
found James sitting in a lounge chair watching the
door, waiting for her, she guessed.
Smiling casually at him, she handed the tray to
Harry and saw that James' beer can was nowhere to
be found.
Walking over to him, she knelt down
beside his chair and asked, "Do you need another
beer?"
"Actually, if Suzanne can spare you, I'd like to have a
minute with you. "
"I think she'll be okay without me for a while," Alex
responded, smiling.
James stood up, grasped Alex's hand and led her off
the porch.
Alex was aware of the looks they were
garnering as they crossed the lawn to a secluded
corner near the woods that Harry's property
backed.
"Hi," he said once they were out of earshot and
partially hidden by a tall bush.
"Hi.
How'd you sleep?"
"Fine until I realized you weren't there anymore,"
he responded wrapping his arms around her waist.
"James," she said squirming slightly, "are you sure
this is a good idea; with everyone here and
everything.”
"I think it's a fabulous idea," he replied before
leaning down to capture her lips.
Alex leaned into the kiss feeling the desire between
them grow again.
"James, stop," she gasped as he
moved his mouth to her throat.
"What? What's wrong?"
"We need to talk. "
"We talked last night, Alex.
We know we're in love
with each other what more is there," he questioned
standing up but still holding her in his arms.
"Why did you and Jean divorce?"
"You know why," he answered dropping his gaze
from her eyes to the ground.
"I know what lead to the divorce, but that doesn't
explain why you did what you did or what you're
doing now. "
"What am I doing?"
"Moving from woman to woman," she charged.
"Alex, that's not fair," he swore, finally dropping his
hold on her.
"Yes, it is.
You broke off your fling with Francine
only to fall into bed with me.
How many were
there when you were with Jean? Why do you do
this?"
"You don't know the first thing about what went
down between Jean and me.
I didn't start sleeping
around on her by accident.
She made it possible
for that door to be opened.
I just walked through
it.”
"What do you mean?"
James sighed, "Jean had a lover; one that she took
up with after I had to start taking maintenance trips
for Hasani.
"So it's do unto others? Is that your philisophy?"
"Basically yes.
I found out one night when I came
home from a trip a day early.
His car was sitting in
my driveway and I walked around back to see if the
dogs were outside.
I saw Jean and this man in the
yard with each other. "
"James, I'm so sorry," she offered, reaching up to
caress his cheek. James grasped her hand tightly
and held it against his chest.
She could feel his
heart beating and the pain seeped through his
pores and into her.
"She never knew that I knew.
She still doesn't.
I
let her believe that I had had affairs while I was
away.
There were only two others during our
marriage and you know one of them. "
"Francine. "
"Yeah," he replied shaking his head.
"But why them, James?
Why did you have to sink
to her level?"
"Why shouldn't I have? Why should I be the one
wondering where she was? I just turned the
tables. "
"Is she still seeing this man?"
"Yeah.
I just found out that he moved in with
her. "
"James, I'm sorry.
Morgan made me believe that
there were so many others. "
"I know.
I let them believe that.
If they believed
and Jean asked . . . "
"They would tell her what she already believed,"
Alex finished.
James shook his head in agreement, "I'm sorry you
had to find out from Morgan.
I should have been
honest with you.
Alex, you have to trust me.
I
love you and I wouldn't betray you for anyone or