Major Arcana: Sex, Love, and Tarot

When it finally faded, Rosemary was left weak, limbs shivering, naked and alone. Totally alone. They were no longer with her, the men of her past. She'd exorcised them through orgasm. Not a bad way to do it. Then it hit her like a ton of bricks. In French, she recalled, they call orgasm 'le petit mort' -- the little death. Holy fuck, she thought. This Tarot thing is no joke. Her heart rate slowly returned to normal. Rosemary realized something huge had happened. All those years she'd been carrying around the memory of her failures, dwelling on them, rehashing them. Now, with them gone, she was finally ready to move on. The future is mine.

Rising, still warm and sated with pleasure, Rosemary wrapped her cozy bathrobe around herself. Then she walked over to her corner studio, set up a fresh canvas, and began to paint.

Chapter 6: The Lovers

Just before her lunch break on Tuesday, Rosemary got the text: "Dinner reservations at Lemongrass Café tomorrow night. I'll pick you up at 5:30. Work address?"

It was from Josh. His casual confidence -- he just assumed she'd say yes -- was both off-putting, and hot. Remembering her orgasm from last night, Rosemary blushed. Trying to control her beating heart, she texted back: "Sure. I'll wait for you outside. Corner of 2^nd and Mercer."

"Got it. See you tomorrow, pretty lady."

Although she hadn't drawn a card that morning (forgot, groggy-headed from sleep, again), Rosemary went straight to her Tarot bag the moment she got home. Reaching in, she felt around until a card seemed to tingle beneath her fingers. As she spent more time with them she realized they all released little sparks of power, either attraction or deterrent, whenever her fingers brushed across... maybe there was something to this Tarot thing, after all. One card did seem to draw her more than the others, and she brought it out.

Tangled in vivid red sheets, two bodies came together. Naked, he was pressed between her legs, while she turned her face away, wearing an expression that could only be described as rapture. Even as a simple line drawing, its sexiness seared her fingers. Heat flamed in Rosemary's cheeks. With shaking hands she propped the card alongside its neighbors on the shelf. The Lovers. Wow. And tomorrow is my next hot date with Josh...

Parsley kept saying she shouldn't take the cards at face value; the message they share isn't literal. Still, Rosemary felt this one sent a pretty clear message. She took a long shower that night, shaved everywhere, and oiled her skin afterward. Feeling like a teenager getting ready for the school dance, she tossed several outfit combinations on her bed and discarded them one by one. At last she settled on a pair of dark skinny jeans, some ankle boots, and a sleeveless yellow top. Silk, it flowed across her bust and hips in sensual, tantalizing folds. Sage had taught her how to dress sophisticated-sexy, not obvious-sexy, and Rosemary took that advice to heart. Businesslike and stern she might be, but Sage sure as hell had style.

*

The next day seemed interminable. After the third poopy diaper Rosemary felt like quitting on the spot. By the time five o'clock rolled around she was tired, dirty, and irritable. She tried to fix her hair in the bathroom, but one lock refused to lie straight. Sighing, she gave up and threw on a little lip gloss and mascara. The bare basics, but it would have to do. At five thirty sharp she was out the door.

"Hey, beautiful," Josh said. He was leaning against the side of his car. Dark blue, gleaming, sleek; the car even looked like him. With a huge grin, Josh was at her side in two strides. Bending down, he laid a kiss on her cheek... suspiciously close to the corner of her mouth. "It's good to see you," he murmured, so close she could feel his breath on her lips.

"You too," she said, hoping it sounded sexy, not overeager.

"Hop into my chariot," he said, still smiling. He opened up the passenger side door and held it out as she climbed in. Leather seats, she thought. Nice. Working at Amazon must pay better than daycare, that's for sure.

As he drove, Josh chatted easily. He kept his eyes on the road, but Rosemary got the feeling that he was sharply aware of her. The air between them swelled with building tension. Rosemary almost reached for his hand but, uncertain, held back. She kept her fingers tangled together in her lap instead. The heat in the car grew heavier.

Lemongrass Café was an elegant oasis tucked incongruously behind the dumpsters of a Vietnamese supermarket in the International District. They parked behind an acupuncture studio, wove around several decaying cabbages in the parking lot, and entered the restaurant. Inside, Rosemary was instantly transported to a place of soft, delicious calm. A waterfall fountain tumbled into a rock-filled basin and bamboo walls gave the impression of being tucked into a forest. The waiter brought menus and a pot of hot green tea. Although it was only Wednesday, Rosemary went ahead and ordered a cocktail; Josh did the same.

"So have you ever been here before?"

"No. Never even heard of it! Whenever I come down here it's to go to Uwajimaya. They've got all my favorite Japanese snacks. Mochi is my favorite dessert."

"Huh. I guess I thought you might know your way around the I-District, since you're Asian."

Rosemary blinked at his directness. Nothing was wrong with him saying that, exactly. Still, it grated on her a little, though she couldn't pinpoint exactly why.

"Not really," she said. "I guess technically I'm half-Korean, but I never knew my dad, so I never really thought of myself that way."

"Okay, that's cool," Josh said. As if sensing her shift in mood, he turned on that charming smile and added, "Hope you like Vietnamese food, anyway!"

"Oh, love it."

She ended up ordering a Vietnamese crepe -- light fried batter heaped with delicious prawns, pork slices, shiitake mushrooms, and beans, all topped with a drizzle of coconut milk. Digging in, Rosemary was certain she tasted nirvana. A moan slipped from her lips after the first heavenly mouthful.

"Ohmygod that is so delicious," she said between sighs of rapture.

Josh smirked. "I like a woman who appreciates her food."

"Food is one of life's greatest pleasures. I've never had a problem appreciating that!"

He took a bite of his fried rice; a surprisingly tame choice, Rosemary thought, considering all the unique dishes on offer. As he chewed, Josh's gaze stayed fixed on her face. His smile was gone, replaced by a meaningful gleam in his eyes.

"Some say," he said slowly, "That people who take pleasure in food... take even more pleasure in sex."

Rosemary stared. That sounded an awful lot like a proposition. Remembering the card from before, her cheeks flamed.

"Well, that might be true..." she murmured.

"Only one way to find out, right?"

His hand snaked across the table, making contact with her fingers. It felt like electricity zinged from his fingertips. Slowly, he stroked his thumb across her knuckles. Rosemary had never known her knuckles were an erogenous zone, but now she did. Her skin tingled where he brushed it, echoing the tingling arousal deep in her belly. Her lips parted wordlessly. When he smiled that wide, honest smile again, she already knew what her answer would be.

*

Their dinner didn't last long after that. Josh paid, again, despite her protests. In all fairness, after seeing his car she didn't feel so bad about eating his money. Without embarrassment she requested a doggy bag; no way was she going to waste such amazing food, even if the meal had been interrupted by the sudden urge for sex.

They agreed, quickly, to go to Rosemary's place. As he drove, she anxiously assessed her apartment in her head: Had she done the dishes? Was her dirty laundry at least in the hamper, instead of on the floor? When was the last time she'd cleaned the bathroom? Then she remembered the row of Tarot cards, in full view on top of her bookshelf, including the erection-sporting Devil and... oh, god. The Lovers. If that doesn't freak him out, nothing will.

He found a parking spot on the street and swung the car into it with two smooth twists of the wheel. The engine rumbled as he turned the key. Rosemary sat stiffly, her heart thudding, skin flaming with the need to be touched. Josh didn't say anything, just waited until she finally turned her face toward him. Then he kissed her.

Josh's mouth was hot and knowing. He didn't touch her with anything but his lips, yet Rosemary felt as if he enveloped her entirely. Leaning in, Josh wrapped his mouth around hers, parting her lips with his tongue and diving in. His movements were sure, firm with confidence as he teased and sucked, pulling her deeper. Rosemary could do nothing but moan into his kiss and let him lead her. His tongue was everywhere: dipping into the corners of her mouth, teasing her upper palate, fencing with her tongue, slipping across her teeth. Meanwhile his masterful lips held her in a tight embrace. She'd never been kissed like this; Josh was an expert, so experienced he made it seem effortless. All rational thought disappeared in the haze of pleasure.

When he finally released her, Rosemary was breathing hard. Eyes half-closed, she barely saw his lips spread in a grin. His mouth was soft and damp from kissing. He was so hot it was almost obscene.

"Shall we go up?" he murmured.

Dumbly, Rosemary nodded. Josh got out and went around to the passenger side to open her door. He held out a hand for her, and she took it. The strength in his fingers made her knees shake, as she imagined that hand sliding over her body. It was all she could do to walk up the stairs in a straight line; her joints were rubbery with lust.

Fumbling with her keys, Rosemary managed to get the door unlocked. Her tiny living-room/dining-room/library/studio was there, looking small and messy, with the galley kitchen beyond. Sure enough the cards were on bold display atop the bookcase. But Rosemary shouldn't have worried. Josh didn't even give the place a cursory glance before pulling her into another steamy kiss.

He wasted no time tearing at her clothes. Rosemary's flowy silk top came off over her head, and in moments he'd undone the clasp on her bra and her breasts were in his hands. Her nipples hardened immediately. She gasped as he rolled those little pebbles in the dip of his palm, releasing shocks of quivering pleasure. Unwilling to leave his hands, she awkwardly scratched at her boot zipper with the other foot, trying to get her shoes off.

Josh pulled back, breathing hard. With his eyes fixed on her, he bent up his legs one at a time, untied his shoes, and chucked them into a corner. Although her fingers trembled, Rosemary managed to take hers off too. When she straightened up, she saw that Josh had taken off his shirt and unzipped his black work trousers. His bulge strained within, behind a pair of turquoise boxer briefs. Rosemary's breath came fast as she unbuttoned her jeans and shimmied her hips to loosen them. Josh stepped forward, holding her waist and planting hot, sonorous kisses on her neck as she peeled off the tight pants. When she was down to her underwear, he brought his hands around to her ass, squeezed, and lifted her up. She squealed in delighted surprise, wrapping her legs around his hips to hold herself there. His erection pressed between her legs. Rosemary was dripping wet, aroused and totally ready. She hadn't felt this turned on in a long time.

Supporting her with one hand, Josh pushed open the door to her bedroom. It wasn't hard to find; in her apartment there only was the one, besides the bathroom at the end of the little hall. Rosemary had thrown the covers up over her bed, but hadn't really made it. Her pajamas lay in a pile on the floor, and the laundry hamper in the corner looked rather too full. All those worries evaporated when he threw her on the bed. Staring down at her with lust-darkened eyes, he hooked his thumbs into the waistband of her panties and stripped them off. Before her mind could process what was happening, he was between her legs.

He didn't put his mouth on her at first. Instead, he placed one hand on each of her thighs, easing them apart. His eyes were locked on her center as, gently, he tucked his fingers between her petals and spread her wide. Rosemary shivered as cool air teased across her deepest, hidden places. She'd never had a man do this to her before. It was as if he was opening her up, one delicate fold at a time. She felt exposed, vulnerable.

"Mmmm, Rosie, you look so good," he growled. Then he dipped his head, parted his lips, and licked.

She cried out, her hips bucking up into his face. His tongue alighted directly alongside her clitoris, exactly the spot her body had been craving. How does he do that? she thought, blearily, through the blinding waves of pleasure. How does he know exactly where, exactly how to touch me? He ate her like a feast, his skilled tongue swirling, flicking, pulling her in ever-smaller circles toward the breaking point.

With polished expertise, he avoided her center, spending time just along the edges until she was trembling with need. Her hips surged against him, seeking the missing connection. Uninhibited moans rose from deep in her throat, and her head thrashed back and forth in helpless agony of pleasure. Rosemary's hands clenched in the sheets, seeking an anchor for the storm he was building inside her. She felt gushes of liquid desire pouring down her thighs, and he lapped them up, bringing her natural wetness around to coat her petals. It might have been minutes he was down there, or only seconds. She didn't know; all was lost in the haze. All she knew was that, when he finally brought the tip of his tongue to her clit, she erupted.

Rosemary screamed as she came, thrashing, her thighs tightening around his head as her body shuddered and thrashed. Her orgasm took over, rocketing through her body, leaving her weak and panting in its wake. The inner muscles of her pussy clenched and quivered; her clitoris hummed on the edge of pain from the intensity of climax. Taking his time, Josh pressed his whole tongue firmly against her clit, holding her down until she could breathe again.

"Holy shit," she gasped. "You are good at that!"

Raising his head at last, he fixed her with a devastating smile.

"Oh, I've got more tricks than that up my sleeve," he said. His voice was low and sexy, reverberating deep in her core. Rosemary shivered.

"What sleeve?" she managed to say, humor reasserting itself in pleasure's aftermath. "You've got no shirt on, as far as I can see, so just where are you keeping those tricks?"

Josh laughed and leaned back into his knees. His broad chest was smooth, rippling with muscle, so tight and hard her fingers itched to stroke it. On his upper bicep was a black tribal armband tattoo. My god, this man is hot. Grinning at her, Josh dropped his hands to his open fly, drawing her attention there. Rosemary swallowed in anticipation. If anything, the bulge in his boxers looked even larger now.

"I guess that's right. I can't keep tricks up my sleeve with no shirt on," he said. "Luckily, I have a few spares in here, just for you."

With that, he slid off the bed and pulled off his pants. Rosemary sucked in her breath at the sight. His cock was huge, both long and thick, the kind of cock that must have made other guys in the locker room insanely jealous. And been the talk of the girls' locker room, as well... If I ever paint him, Rosemary thought, it will be like this: standing tall, naked, impressively erect, with that knowing smile on his face. Just like this. Her artist's eyes gave way to her bedroom eyes, though, when he pulled a condom from his trouser pocket and, with a quick, practiced motion, rolled it on.

He climbed back on the bed with a meaningful look in his eyes. Rosemary knew better than to be coy; they both knew what was going on. He didn't lean in to kiss her. She didn't reach for him. Rosemary simply spread her legs and let him in.

Josh entered in one smooth thrust, groaning with satisfaction when he bottomed out inside. His balls nestled right up against the curve of her ass. He held there, claiming her body without motion, just occupying it fully to her center. Then he pulled all the way out and thrust into her again. The pleasure was intense and irresistible. Rosemary couldn't stay still any longer. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, tilted her hips, and began to thrust right back.

Soon they were in the flow, he pumping, she meeting each thrust with one of her own. Her fingers dug into the skin of his back, urging him toward harder penetration, deeper connection. Josh's face was tense, his brow furrowed. He tilted his head so he could watch their bodies come together. Rosemary watched, too, moaning each time she saw his cock slip out, then slam in again. His balls slapped against her buttocks, driving her wild. This was raw, passionate lust, and she was taking just as much as he was giving.

Josh's thrusts grew sharper and quicker. Sensing how close he was, Rosemary responded with harsher cries of encouragement. Her fingernails left red scratches on his back as she pulled him closer. She clenched her inner muscles, trying to draw him tighter into her. He was stronger, though. Despite all her efforts, Josh got one hand between them and grabbed hold of his cock. Pulling out, he leaned back, separating them enough so his other hand could tear off the condom. Still holding his cock in one hand, panting, he jerked once, twice, and then came all over Rosemary's belly.

She stared as his cum spurted out, coating her skin with shining rivers of white. Although her pussy twinged with abandonment, Rosemary was transfixed by the sight of his orgasm. In that moment she realized she'd never actually watched a man ejaculate before. It was fascinating, the way his cock sprayed jets of gleaming cum. Ropes of it landed on her skin with a hot, slippery splash. His hand held tight to the base of his cock, steadying it as he came, groaning long and loud, his muscles trembling with the effort of holding himself upright. When the last gush burst onto her skin, he finally flopped down onto the bed beside her.

Rosemary didn't say anything for several moments. Neither did Josh; he was breathing hard, one hand over his eyes, calming himself after that powerful orgasm. Curious, Rosemary trailed her fingers through the puddle of cum. It was smooth and slick. Her fingers glided through it, drawing designs on her belly. When Josh finally turned to look at her, she met his eyes with a smile.

"That's never happened to me before," she commented.

"What's never happened before? Amazing sex on a Wednesday night?" he said, with a wry chuckle.

She giggled.

"No, although that's a rare event these days! I mean... nobody's ever come on me before."

There was a pause before he asked, "Did you like it?"

Rosemary thought for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, I think I did."

"Good. I've got more where that came from," said Josh, his confident grin back in place. Hauling himself up onto his elbows, he leaned down and gave her a quick, flirty kiss. "Let's take a shower, yeah?"

"I can make that happen."

Rising from the bed, Rosemary stretched luxuriously. Most of the semen was dry, but some still dripped down her body, tickling as the droplets rolled. She was thoroughly fucked -- in a good way. My god, it's been a while since I felt so sexy! And so satisfied. Bending down to pick up her pajamas, she gathered his clothes and handed them over before leading the way to the bathroom.