Trivial Pursuits Ch. 17

Behind her closed eyes, just on the horizon of sleep, she heard his quiet, sleepy voice. "I've been so lonely this week."

"Hm? Why?" she murmured, pausing in her move to the edge of the waking world.

"My bed was empty without you."

She felt a warmth pull her back to the present. "You don't seem the type of person to miss anybody," she remarked lightly as her eyes opened, staring into the dark.

"Well, you aren't just anybody," he whispered, and then was silent, leaving her to carry her thoughts like heavy bags slowly back to the line of dark suspension.

She awoke sometime in the early morning, but when Denny stirred just enough to pull her back into the cradle of his arms, she allowed what little dross of sleep was left to drag her back under. When he nuzzled her neck several hours later, it was to whisper a groggy invitation to a shower with him. She gave a half-sleepy smile at the dreamy thought, but when she felt him move out of the bed, taking his warmth with him, she finally opened her eyes and considered the proposition with that familiar wrestling of excitement and apprehension.

When she arrived in the bathroom, Denny had started the shower of the spacious dark gray shower. Not willing to lose the incredible volume Sylvy had managed with her hair the evening before, Alessa wound a high bun atop her head, only the shortest wisps escaping to grace over her neck.

Denny had started the shower, and once hot enough, stepped inside. Alessa stood naked on the other side of the glass doors, watching him stand relaxed under the rain showerhead, his head down and eyes closed. He was impressive, his size suddenly taller, larger than he appeared in his svelte expensive suits and cool, killer lawyer mask.

Slowly, the door opened, and she sighed, knowing instantly her recently coiffed hair wouldn't last. Denny looked up, a thick torrent of water cascading down his face. He made deep places between her thighs weep in heady need. She wanted him. Suddenly, small flares of fear, anxiety, and embarrassment seemed to dissipate in the expansion of her desire to simply touch him. Her hair be damned.

Denny watched as she reached out for him, stepping inside his dark gray shower. He didn't move, sensing she wasn't reaching for his hand or his help, simply his body. He saw sparks ignite in her eyes, despite the water pouring down, and felt blood begin to swell in his penis, a delectable sort of ache beginning.

"How do you stay so strong?" she asked with bewilderment, her slender fingers finally touching the firm, sculpted muscle of his chest.

"Exercise."

"But when?" she asked bewildered when he found the time as he never seemed to consistently leave the office long enough for a workout that would build this sort of muscle.

"Mornings. Keith comes about four times a week." He watched with ever-increasing desire as she traced the hard, long curves of his body with enchantment. And lust.

"Keith?" she questioned softly, uncaringly.

"My trainer," he murmured in explanation, watching as she finally, slowly stepped up to him, her hand flat on his chest as she turned her face up to him. He watched only a second as the water cascaded down the top of her head, saturating the dark threads of her hair, before she looked up and stopped his breath.

"Can we have sex in here?" she asked bluntly, innocently and wanting.

"Fuck yes," he groaned a moment before he yanked the tie for her hair and possessively pulled her hard against him. She cupped his cheeks, pulling him down into her for a hungry kiss. "Sweetheart," he gasped, feeling her wet body against his, "your hair."

"Easy sacrifice," she spoke into his hot mouth that continually slanted over hers. Alessa, too, was mesmerized by the slick feel of water pouring over his toned body, and her fingers ran possessively down his chest. Denny sucked in a sharp breath when her hands found his growing erection, becoming fully hard in the ache of her fist.

While she never stopped kissing him, her hands began a stroke that was somewhere between enchanted exploration and purposeful caressing. At first, Denny pressed his hips into her, following her delightful lead. He continued kissing her, sliding his tongue sensually against her, moaning into her whenever she did something particularly pleasurable. At length, they had fallen into a collaborative effort, his hips thrusting gently into the ever-increasing firmness of her pulling hands.

Denny gave a heartfelt, "Fuck!" when Alessa reached down with her other hand to cup his sac at the base of his shaft, squeezing it until he felt the inward pull of an imminent orgasm. He pressed into her hard, effectively stilling her hands for a quick moment. "Sweetheart, wait," he pleaded, feeling the flames flick up his lower torso, the quiver of flesh that he couldn't control.

Alessa pulled back and opened her eyes. His face was contorted in pain as he focused on corralling the response of his body. When his breath seemed to calm to more rhythmed pants, he was able to look at her, able to take in the erotic beauty of her standing wet and lustful before him. He surprised her when he quickly grasped her hands, which were still clutching him and took two steps into her, pushing her back against the dark gray slate wall.

She gasped, startled. But the short burst of fear only lit her flames hotter, and for a moment, with only the sound of heavy breathing and the raining shower, they stared at each other.

Alessa felt devoured.

Denny ferociously claimed her mouth with his own, pressing himself hard into her, digging his steel-hard shaft into her belly. He let go of her hands to run them down her sides and then between her butt and the wall. After two or three almost painfully rough squeezes of her smooth cheeks, he firmly grasped them to lift her high, never stopping to kiss her the whole while. Alessa's legs instantly wrapped around his waist, her weight supported in his hands. And then his hard fingers were digging into the cleft of her bottom, finding the juicy wetness between her pooling lips, which he alone had caused.

Alessa felt his strong, thick fingers spear her from behind, finding her needy flesh with masterful accuracy. She whimpered as he plundered her, teaching her the sensations of the new angle with which he penetrated her.

He could feel her thighs quiver as they clung to him, her smooth mound pressed against the stone plane of his stomach. When he couldn't stand the wait any longer, he slowly lowered her the few inches down his body until the aching head of his penis could feel the heat pouring from her body. Alessa shifted slightly in his hands, wanting him to enter her, but in no position to make it happen any faster. Denny pressed her harder into the wall, causing her to groan, but effectively stilling her impatient movements. He wanted her to feel like his toy, his tool, the helpless receiver of his body's search for pleasure.

He wanted her to feel fucked.

"Denny, come on," she moaned as he held her there, kissing her as he angled his hips gently back and forth to bring the tip of his erection up against her over and over, but never penetrating her. The dull tapping on her gaping and aching lips was maddening as it kept her smoldering but was never going to be enough to burn her down. "Please," she began to whine, wondering if this was one of those games he played just to get her to beg. "Why aren't you fucking me?"

She had tried to stop kissing him, but pressed against the wall as she was, she had nowhere to go, and was willingly helpless as he continued to consume her. Her hands were threaded in his hair, and as the ache in her loins grew and became an unbearable cramp, she grasped his wet locks, her nails digging into his scalp.

"Denny, if you don't fuck me this-"

Without warning, Denny rammed his hips up as he drew her down violently on his hard length. Alessa grunted as he hit her cervix. The sudden invasion, stretching her swollen tissue, was painful, but had the desired effect as she came instantly, her walls fluttering erratically around him. Denny pulled out only to shove harshly into her three or four more quick times until he came as well. He continued pumping into her, needling his ejaculate deep inside, riding the waves of her continuing climax until bliss overtook him.

They clung to each other, trembling, disoriented and euphoric. Their breathing was fast and shallow, occasionally joined by a shaky moan when an aftershock tore through one of them. The hands that had clasped him close to her began to relax until they were running over his shoulders and back. Denny's own hands were also altering his grasp on her round globes, now kneading them lovingly, soothingly.

When reality began creeping in through the cracks of the fading bliss, they returned to gently kissing each other, needing to give comfort as much as receive it. When Denny's finally soft shaft slipped from her body, he lowered her to her feet, kissing her a little longer. At some point, they were able to rinse off, though neither was much interested in actually ceasing from kissing long enough to shampoo and soap up. In the end, they settled for a long rinse and emerged from the hot shower.

He wrapped her in a plush bath sheet as he sat on the bench in the bathroom, lovingly kissing the dry skin he revealed as he went down her body. She threw a towel around him as well, leaning over to kiss his head and the back of his neck and tops of his shoulders until her legs were dry by his caring hands.

"And I think you're finished, Sweetheart," he observed coolly, not interested in staring at her arousing form as they had appointments to keep and couldn't squeeze in anymore sex. Denny took his naked body from the room to get dressed and leave her to beautify herself for their outing. By ten, they had eaten the breakfast he had prepared and were out the door to pick up Cadence.

Given their morning together, Denny was relaxed with no cloud on his horizon, but as they drove nearer to the address she had given him, her once sated nature seemed to morph into a brittle temperament, rigid and nervous. He merely took note, choosing not to mention it.

As Denny turned down the street her father lived on, his eyebrows rose and he glanced over at the pensive woman, now sitting fully erect with hands clasped in her lap. He supposed living within sight of The Palace of Fine Arts had its advantages, but as he took in the anxiety in her that grew the closer they drew to her father's home, he wondered if she'd ever benefitted from them. After all, she grew up in Walnut Creek in an average lower-middle class home with a sick mom and creeping stepfather. She rarely spent time here; it wasn't her home.

"There," she stated pointing to the three-story home second from the end of the street. The stucco was painted a light ochre with dark wood trim. There was a small plot of grass between the sidewalk and the house, and the drive ran next to the home into the backyard. The trees were trimmed tight, and as it faced the south, the front was warmly lit in the mid-morning light.

"It's nice," he praised, not quite sure what else to say.

"Yeah. It's been in Shelly's family awhile," she explained, looking up at the window. "Actually," she said suddenly, turning to him, "Can you pull up a little? Maybe a few houses down?"

Denny frowned in confusion. "I guess. Think I'll get a ticket blocking the drive?"

She made a noise as if to deny it, but then quickly agreed. "Yeah," she said was an almost-chuckle, "they're pretty strict around here."

Clearly that wasn't the reason, and though he didn't like it when she covered the truth, he didn't push it. He pulled forward until a tight space between two cars was found and paralleled perfectly. Before he could stop the engine, Alessa had popped out and yelled that she'd quickly grab her sister.

Denny could only sigh and get out himself, recognizing the obvious ploy to keep him from meeting her family. He leaned against his Audi, deciding perhaps it was better for everyone involved to be introduced one person at a time. As he stood there waiting, he studied the homes around him, taking note of which ones he liked and which ones he thought seemed a little tacky for that neighborhood.

Much to her unease, the front door was open, and the sun reflecting off the storm door with beveled glass somehow hid the dark interior with bright light. She thought she would have to knock, but as she reached the top step, the door burst open and Cadence came flying out, landing in her sister's arms.

"Oh my god, where is he?" she squealed.

"Bite your tongue," Alessa hissed, not wanting Shelly or her father to overhear.

"Oh, be that way," Cadence grinned, not upset for a second. She turned to go inside for her bag and to tell her parents goodbye.

"And you're going to be at Muir woods? For how long?"

"It's a hike, Shelly," Alex said with a smile and then sipped his coffee. Alessa stood by, silently telling herself she shouldn't be upset her stepmother was haranguing her as she was; after all, it was only par for the course. "You don't really have a set schedule for hiking. It'll take as long as they can stand it, right, girls?" Alex finished his banal observation.

"Yeah, mom. And besides, Alessa promised me a bon fire on the beach, so I may just spend the night with her," Cadence suggested, both to her mother's and Alessa's discomfort.

"Actually, I'll have her back by ten. I have to work tomorrow," Alessa stated with a shrug when Cadence gave her a look of surprised disappointment.

Shelly was still eyeing her speculatively, but her relenting expression was proof she wasn't going to argue with the plan anymore. "Alright, but call if anything, and I mean anything changes. Understood?"

Alessa forced a smile and placed her hand on her sister's shoulder. "Of course." She immediately turned and guided Cadence out before anything else could be said to delay their escape.

Octo twined her fingers in Alessa's. "Sorry about that. Mom was trying to come up with reason last night of why I shouldn't go today."

Alessa kept her mouth shut, but a ring of perturbed disgust changed the slant of her eyes. Cadence gasped. "Is that him? Oh my god, Alessa, he's...a man," she whispered, a sound of surprise and uncertainty and adoration thickly coating her voice. "He's your boyfriend?" she asked for confirmation, still unable to take her eyes from the man they were steadily approaching.

"That's him," she answered in her own whisper, pride and uncertainty and an unidentified need for approval blending together, causing her stomach to jitter.

Before Alessa had an opportunity to introduce her sister to her boyfriend who had stepped away from the car to smile at them, Cadence bounded forward, her slim hand outstretched. "You must be Denny. I'm Cadence, Alessa's sister, but of course you know that. You can call me Cadence or you can call me Octo. My mom and most of my friend's call me Cadence; only Alessa call's me Octo. It's her nickname for me since I'm so clingy. You know, like an octopus. But, since you're her boyfriend I guess you can use the same nickname. Or you could just call me Cadence, I'm fine with either."

Alessa's mouth open and eyebrows knitted in awe of her sister's ramble. Denny only chuckled with the same sort of charming and insouciant air that flittered all females' hearts and drew the confidence of all men. He even had the nerve to appear modest with that winning smile, Alessa noted with chagrin, wondering if she was only a victim to his charms as any woman would be.

"Cadence, it's very nice to meet you. I'm glad you could fit us into your schedule."

Alessa moved toward the car, and Denny turned, opening the back door for Cadence and her pack. She slipped in with the graceless ease of a young girl. He would have opened Alessa's door, but she was already in buckling herself, not willing to stay on the sidewalk where they could be spied by Shelly.

When Denny was in and pulled away from the curb, Cadence moved forward to stick her head between their two seats. Alessa chided her to put her seat belt on, but Cadence only argued her lap belt was on, just stretched out.

"Plus, I want to talk to Denny," she said, grinning widely in his rearview mirror. "And of course I'd fit you in," she stated, directing the conversation to him. "How could I not? When I found out Alessa had a boyfriend, a real boyfriend, 'cause let's face it, she's never had one, I couldn't pass the opportunity to be the first to meet him."

Alessa gave an almost-mute groan and looked out her window. Denny kept up his wide smile, looking over at the amount of discomfort she was in. "Wait until my mother hears 'it's an honor to meet me.'"

"I said the 'first to meet' you. It's more like a scientist discovering a mythical, never-before-seen creature rather than meeting a famous celebrity," Cadence corrected cheekily.

"Ouch!" Denny said with mock-pain, his hand clutching his heart. After a moment of laughing, he defended himself. "Though, in this case, my rarity is more a fact of Alessa's peculiarity, and not anything of my own defect."

"Gee, thanks," Alessa said, turning to look at him before rolling her eyes and turning back to the window. But Denny saw her smile.

"So, Cadence, what good secrets can you tell me about Alessa?" Denny asked in jest, waiting for the riled reaction. She did turn to look at him, clearly uneasy, but also aware that embarrassment by family and lovers was only natural.

Cadence chuckled. "I don't know. She's a pretty good girl. She's never been in trouble."

"Oh, as you have?" Alessa teased crossly, turning around to raise an eyebrow at her spoiled sister who always got away with murder.

"Well, I may have not been punished for the...mistakes I've made," she answered shrewdly, "but you've never done anything that you should be punished for." She turned to look at Denny. "I think if you were to look up the word 'goody-two-shoes' in the dictionary, you'd find her picture."

Denny laughed at that. Alessa only sighed stared mutinously out the window.

"But anyway, no, nothing embarrassing to report, I'm afraid. Only interesting things about her are the books she gives me to read."

"Oh, yeah?" Denny asked.

"Oh sure. In fact, for my birthday, she gave me a whole box of her favorite books that she read when she was my age."

"Of course Cadence is young for her school year. Her birthday is right before the cut-off," Alessa explained.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Cadence asked.

"It only means I think you're above average; you can compete academically with kids who are almost a full year older than you."

"I guess."

"And what books did she give you for your birthday?"

She thought for a moment and then listed of the ones she had read. "Romeo and Juliet, Great Expectations, The Old Man and the Sea, The Odyssey, Wuthering Heights. That's what I've gotten through so far. Unfortunately, we're only reading a few of the ones she gave me."

Alessa explained. "They've changed the freshman curriculum quite a bit since I was in school. A lot of new modern reads. Not the same old classics," she sighed looking out her window.

"I would have thought you would have preferred to read those yourself," Cadence commented.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you know how you hated the books you gave me-"

"I never said I hated them," Alessa defended, shocked, as she turned around to her sister.

"Maybe not in so many words."

"Why does she hate them?" Denny asked.

"I don't."

"You said you hate how the women are portrayed."

"How are they portrayed?" he asked.

"Well, Alessa, it's your opinion, you tell him."

"I simply stated it was infuriating that women's ambition in the books was disguised as using their base nature to advance. That a man could advance through hard work but a woman's advancment was only through marriage or an illicit affair. And they all ended in death. It's like the desire for more in life was an evil flaw in the insipid nature of women." With her rant over she eyed both of them, daring them to argue.