Chapter 3

Tuesday

On returning to my hotel room after Tuesday’s training session, I changed into the khakis and button-down shirt I had brought in case I went out to dinner with anyone else from the training. Most of them were interested in using their per diem to get a pleasant buzz after the training, though, so I didn’t anticipate I would need to dress up for them.

Instead, I would dress up for Annemarie a bit.

On this night she arrived dressed in a sleeveless top and a pair of black jeans that she must have had to pour herself into. They hugged her every curve, and I had to force any inappropriate thoughts out of my mind, forcing myself to remember that she had long ago established the line; I wasn’t going to cross it.

She hugged me hello, and collapsed into the chair sitting at the table in the hotel room.

After a moment, she looked up at me. “I gotta be honest. I’m tired. Can we just order a pizza and watch television for a little while?”

We talked some more as we waited for the pizza. She had had another fight with the other guy before he left for work this afternoon ... this time, apparently, because she dared to buy some extra food with the last of the money budgeted for groceries, leaving him no money for beer.

After the pizza was finished, we both propped ourselves up on the bed and turned on some reality competition. It soon served as mere background noise, as she again began weeping and I again wrapped her in my arms for some time.

As she pulled away, she gazed into my eyes and a certain look crossed her face. It was a look I had not seen in many years. It was the look of her wanting to cuddle closer, to hold me some more, to be held some more.

I leaned forward and tapped my forehead to hers. Her gaze remained fixed on me, and I saw her almost unconsciously lick her lips.

Testing the waters a bit, I moved my face closer to hers.

In turn, she moved her face closer to mine.

The television in the background faded to silence as I moved even closer to her, and waited for her move.

She looked up at me, looked off to the side for a moment ... then took a deep breath. She licked her lips, closed her eyes, and touched her lips to mine.

The kiss was soft, and tasted of the strawberry lip gloss she often favored.

Other kisses followed, and they grew a little longer as her breathing quickened slightly.

Then, I felt her head tip upward ... felt her lips part ... felt her tongue touch my lips. I opened my mouth to touch the tip of my tongue to the tip of hers.

Our tongues danced for what seemed like an eternity before she pulled away, her skin flushed, her breathing coming in ragged gasps, and her face emblazoned with what I knew to be her “come fuck me” look. I could also smell her arousal.

As she regained control of her breathing, she took my hand and placed it on her breast.

“No further than this,” she whispered. “But I want to feel you touch me there.”

Then our kisses resumed, sometimes frantic, sometimes slow, but always with my hand caressing her breast, feeling the nipple get hard under her clothes.

After a while, she pulled away. “I have to go,” she whispered sadly.

As she climbed up off the bed, she looked down. With an impish grin on her face, she reached down and grabbed me through my pants. “Hmm. I’ve still got it. I know you’ll take care of it as soon as I leave. Hope you enjoy it.”

She leaned down and instead of kissing me, she gently bit my earlobe. “Until tomorrow, honeybear,” she whispered in my ear before turning and sauntering out of the room.