Chapter 2

The next day, truck deliveries are rolling in. I’m pushing boxes of merchandise down each of the pricer’s lines. Maria is trying to avoid looking at me, yet stealing little glances. I’m acting nonchalant, just doing my job. Nothing different, at least I hoped so.

Adrian complains, “HEY! You sent that easy stuff to Maria and this huge box of dollar knickknacks to me! No fair!”

I look blankly at Adrian.

See, some of the merch is really tough and time-consuming to inventory and price, like kitchenware. Hundreds of knives, forks, spoons, and everything else. We’re supposed to try to equalize this stuff out, but I guess I had been giving Maria the easier stuff unconsciously. I mean, after yesterday and all.

Maria replied, “Wanna swap? I don’t mind.”

Me, I didn’t say a word, just a shrug, trying to act normal even as my heart ached. Aching to talk to her, hold her, kiss her.

“Nah, it’s ok. But Rusty, you better gimme something easy next time.”

I looked at the remaining boxes. They were all this cheap housewares stuff. I break out of my reverie and am back into the world.

I started to play a joke and push another one down Adrian’s line, on top of what she already had.

“Don’t you DARE!”

I feigned and then sent it down Carol’s line.

Carol looked up at me, all evil eye, “That next one better not go down anyone’s but Maria’s.”

“Ok, ok. Sorry,” I guess I couldn’t keep avoiding this.

Maria just nodded as I puppy dog eyed her and pushed the last big crappy box down her line.

Adrian looked at her then me, then her, eyes narrowing.

“Something’s going on...” she commented.

Girls seemed to sniff out that stuff. Adrian particularly. Especially since she was best friends with Maria and kept an eye on her. Adrian was a couple years older than Maria, thus felt she was an older sister, looking out for her younger sister.

She stared at me, about to speak...

Just then, my boss called, “Hey, Rusty. We need you to help with this furniture truck.”

I scurried out to the loading dock real fast.

It was several hours later, in the late afternoon. I was moving the last hand-truck load of chairs out onto the floor for display. As I sat them down to rest a moment, unexpectedly Maria stood up from behind some mattresses. The boss had gotten her to tag and inventory the new furniture.

“Oh, ah, Maria, ah, ah, hi.”

Really good conversation starter, that’s me.

She smiled a bit, then said, “Oh, you need to put those in the stockroom here. There’s plenty already out on the floor.”

She looked around, eyes seeming to dart, “Here, I’ll show you.”

I tilted the load up and pushed it behind her as she led me back, pausing for one last check around as she went.

In the dim and crowded furniture stock room, I dropped the boxes where she pointed. She then bent over, attaching tags and adding the counts to her clipboard inventory sheets. Me, I just stood there, leaning on the hand truck, watching her ... ok, watching her butt. Her shapely, sexy, jeans covered bottom. Noting how the denim seemed form-fitted to each curve, particularly as it smoothly blended into the crease between her two cheeks and dove between her thighs.

She stood, turning in a fluid motion around and looked at me, catching my eyes now focused on how the jeans covered her lower tummy and down her delta.

“See something?” she whispered, setting her clipboard down on a box.

My eyes snapped up to meet hers as she grinned at my embarrassment.

“Oh, uh,” I hesitated, but then responded truthfully, “Yes, Maria. You.”

She giggled and her head dipped. Then swiftly looked around and took my hand, leading me back deeper into the canyon of boxes. Once there, she leaned forward and tilted her head slightly signaling me to kiss her. Our lips met. First hesitantly, relearning, then more experienced, fuller kisses. Lips parted, mouth opened, arms wrapped around. Hugging her softness and feeling her as she pulled me to her.

A whisper, “Don’t expect a habit of this,” she called between kisses.

“Too late,” I reply.

She giggled and our lips pressed again. I felt the tip of her tongue touch my lips and just barely enter my mouth. I touched her’s with the tip of my tongue. A surge flowed through both of us. Mouths tight and tongues flicking was amazingly erotic and sensuous. Our arms squeezed tighter. Hips pressed together, moving, rubbing. I’m stiff as a board, aching in the tightness of my pants.

A rhythmic motion of bodies begins again. Hips thrust together. She’s dry humping me. Maybe not so dry as I feel stickiness in my pants. Her breasts are pressed tightly against my chest as our lips are pressed tightly together. Her belly dances against me, legs parting for me to place one between her thighs. I don’t think we could be any closer together, at least with our clothes still on. It is incredibly sexy being like this with her. I can’t believe that she really wants me so. I mean, we haven’t even dated and yet here she is, here we are, making out hot and heavy for a second time in two days!

I run one hand down the small of her back and onto her bottom. The other glides, first upwards, caressing her neck, fingers running through her shoulder-length dark hair, then back downwards towards her breasts. Though we are still fully clothed, I know she wants to repeat what we had previously. Her arms are tight against me, moving down over my butt, a cheek in each hand.

Suddenly, she pushes away from me. We both suck in a breath, catching up on our need for air and cooling our burn.

She whimpers, “No. No, I can’t...”

I stand there, staring into her eyes as they are fixed onto mine. I see her internal conflict. Her desire for me, for sex. Her knowledge that she doesn’t want the emotions. Emotions of love. I begin to understand that she is craving physical intimacy but without the heartache of emotional love. I start to step back not intrude into her struggle.

However, as soon as I do, she reaches for me, back into the moment. Hands finding my pants. Fingers unbuttoning them, unzipping them. Her yearning overriding her apprehension. I reach for hers. She sucks in her tummy, giving me room to undo them, as she finishes with mine and begins pulling on hers. Her pants open, folding outwards. I see the elastic band of her panty. She begins a wiggle, struggling to pull them down as I watch, mesmerized yet again, as she shoves her panties downwards with her pants. For the second time, her furry pussy is there in front of me. She is baring herself to me as she pushes her pants below her knees, this time dragging them off her legs, taking her tennis shoes with them. Bolder, sexier, naked from the waist down.

I quickly catch up, pulling my pants down, freeing my engorged flag pole, now arching upwards. I barely get my pants down to my knees and she is dragging me against her. Another heated rush to fill her.

She shoves down on my prick as she widens her legs in almost a squat with me between them. Being short myself, I only need to bend my knees a little as she guides my dick to her pussy. She rubs it a few times through her trench, then realizing she needs more moisture, licks her fingers wet as she watches my eyes witnessing her hand at her mouth, fingers inserted, licking in such a unexpectedly sexy move, then down between her legs, wetting.

I think of nothing, surroundings gone, uncared for as her small fingers wrap my prick, guiding me to her heaven. My crown enters her now-wetted tunnel. I bend further and shove into her. Groans come from both of us. My hands holding onto her waist as her arms go around my shoulders. She wraps one leg around mine and leans back against a stack of boxes pulling me with her. I fuck into her, shafting her, thrusting into her warm, wet sex. Her pussy wraps my aching dick as my balls ache for her. My rod buried inside her. I squeeze her breasts, still in her blouse and bra, and lean in so we can kiss. Tongues tussle as I begin to thrust. I can’t believe this is happening.

This is fucking GREAT!

In the back of the furniture storeroom filled with the smell of cardboard and concrete floor, separated only by a wall of wood and plaster from the brightly lit storefront filled with customers browsing at chairs and tables and beds, we fuck. She craves physical contact. I crave her. Her warmth, her smile, her body. Her sex.

Oh shit! I’m coming. Fighting hard to keep from exploding. I bite my lip and close my eyes to keep from looking at her face. Her heavenly face. Desire and love glowing from her. Her hand goes down to her belly, her furry mons. Mine follows and she hurriedly presses it into her tummy and then between her legs, touching her clit and my dick as it pumps in and out. She’s showing me how to move, how to touch. Fingers rapidly circling just below her mound.

I will myself to hold on. I want her to come. I want to give her release. Show her how much I care. Our hands intermingle, rubbing her fuzzy mound. She places my hand flat on her lower belly and I instinctively knead her tummy below her belly button and to her delta. Massaging her. I watch her face as she becomes more dreamy, her breathing heavy pants. I have to close my eyes and fight to hold. I want to cum inside her so badly.

I hear her give a moan and suddenly she is shaking in my arms in little jerks and fits.

“Ohhh! Rusty...” she moans.

I feel her arms tighten around me and she thrusts her hips against me as I hump more times. I open my eyes to see her in her ecstasy. She is orgasming for me!

I burst! Drowning my groans into her shoulder and hair. My body racks as I thrust raggedly with each burst of sperm into her. Again, again! I need to stop moving but I don’t. My overstimulated dick still throbbing. Oh gaud, I have to stop. My energy is gone. Muscles aching. Dick shrinking and slipping out of her soaked puss.

“Maria! Oh Gaud, I love you so!”, I can’t help it, hugging her so tightly, needing her.

She smiles still aglow, but then shaking her head, almost chastising herself, even as she has one hand between her legs catching my dripping cum and reaching for her panties with the other. We again didn’t think about bringing a rag to wipe on. Her panties become that rag. She’s almost shy, ashamed of her previous lust being released. Her eyes dart, not looking at me.

She sighs, “I ... I didn’t mean for...”

I kiss her to quench her words. I say nothing but I nod and smile.

She hands her dirtied panties to me, wet with her juices and my wad, “I guess you get a souvenir.”

I gently take them, her hand touching mine in the process. We are soon clothed again, decent. Not decent. We have been fucking. We smell of sex. She warns me to wash before I see my parents.

FUCK! I’m still a teen living at home. She is screwing an underage kid. Ok, nearly eighteen. I give her a hug before we leave.

“I still have to say I love you, no matter what you might think.”

She laughs, actually liking my fawning, “Rusty, and I love you, in my own way. But don’t let this rule you. You and I are having fun. Sharing. I like you.”

I nod. I understand. Not stupid. This isn’t a forever thing. I just enjoy what we have now.

As we walk out, “Oh, THERE you are, Maria. Oh, you too ... Rusty,” with a hint of a snicker.

It was Adrian, of course. And we are still flushed, trying to act nonchalantly as if nothing happened.

Maria, “Adrian, I’m just about finished here.”

“Mmm-hmm,” Adrian sneers, “Well, I’m ready to leave.”

Maria sighs, knowing she is going to be kidded on the way home as they share their ride together. She replies, “I’ll be down in a moment.”

Adrian winks at me, turns, and leaves.

Maria looks at me and whispers, “We HAVE to stop this ... at least here.”

But then hesitates. She looks at me as I stare into her eyes.

“Well, Rusty. Are you going to ask me out or something?”

“A date?”

She laughs, “I think we kind of got this backward, but yeah. How about coming over Saturday evening?”

Which, of course, I immediately agree to.

Being only Wednesday, we had several days of ‘acting normal’ after our heated backroom conjoining and the upcoming weekend. I worked hard at avoiding her. At times, likely too much so, as she began to wonder. Adrian also became aware of something different. Something straining the easygoing relationship Maria and I had previously.

At lunch one day, “Are you mad at me?” Maria asked quietly as she waited for the microwave.

I looked up at her, trying to finish my last bite to say ‘Are you crazy? I’m madly in love with you.’ But the microwave dinged and she turned away before I could answer. Then Adrian popped in and Maria purposefully avoided me, walking around and sitting at the only other table in the breakroom.

Adrian looked over at me then over at Maria and whispered something I couldn’t hear. But I knew it was like “Are you and Rusty mad at each other or something?” as I could see Maria’s blush and head shake. Oh, maybe it was “Is there something going on between you and Rusty?” That was probably it.

Maria leaned over to Adrian and, while looking at me, whispered something into her ear. There was a little bit of eye-opening, mouth ‘O’, a little snicker, and a glance towards me. Had Maria just leaked our secret? The secret that she had sworn me to keep on pain of death?

Adrian then purposefully turned and said, “You KISSED her?!? In the stockroom! Naughty Rusty.”

I was as shocked as she was. Mainly, that my loss of virginity to Maria’s lust had turned into ONLY a KISS. I blushed and mumbled something, only then realizing that Adrian sniffed out something happening between Maria and me. So Maria had created this cover story. It’s ok, I don’t mind THAT kind of KISS!

I just shrugged and tried to go back to finishing my PB&J sandwich. Though I did catch Maria’s eyes narrow at me, still wondering if I was mad at her, particularly now.

She got up to leave so I jumped up as well, following her out the door before Adrian decided to see what was going on.

“Maria, are you ok? I mean...” I asked her as I came up beside her while she walked back towards the pricing area.

She paused, looking at me, “I should be asking YOU that.”

“I’m fine,” I blurted, “I thought you were avoiding me. I was just trying to stay ... well, normal, I guess.”

She smiled, turned, and continued walking with me beside her.

“I’m sorry... , “ she said, almost in a whisper.

I could tell she was conflicted, but before we could say more, Adrian and others came up as we all headed back to work.

It was the next day before I got another chance to talk to her. She and Adrian were in the breakroom again as I came up beside them.

Adrian looked over at me, “Well, you two dating?”

I saw Maria’s eyes widen, mouth open about to deny that when I spoke up.

“YES! Yes, we are.”

Right then the microwave dinged. Maria pulled out her simple meal. I immediately grabbed it and then grabbed her by the hand.

Tossing her meal into the trash, I said matter-of-factly, “Come with me.”

“Hey, that was my lunch!” Maria exclaimed, not sure what I was doing.

“Where are you two going?” Adrian said, behind us, almost as surprised as Maria.

“Maria, come with me. I’m taking you out. Yes, Adrian, we are dating. Right now!”

Maria looked at me like I was crazy as I pulled her along, dropping my sack lunch into the trash as we headed out.

“I’m taking you to lunch.”

“I need my purse,” was her half-hearted reply.

“I’m buying. We’re on a date.”

Out into the Mall, I pulled her along, spotted a Morrison’s, and led her in as she tried to figure out if I was kidnapping her.

“Rusty, what is wrong with you?”

“We need to talk. And other than whatever was in your lunch, I don’t know what you like to eat. So here. Pick stuff. Fruit? You like fruit?”

She nodded. She was still in shock at my boldness.

“I want to learn more about you. That’s what you do on dates.”

She stared at me as I placed a fruit cup on the tray I handed her.

“Date?”

“Well, you did make love to me already. Here, pick something.”

She absently pointed at a Salisbury steak.

“Good, you’re not a vegetarian. You like potatoes?”

She nodded, still trying to catch her breath as I hurried her along the line.

“Brown gravy or white?”

“Brown.”

“She’ll have brown gravy, potatoes, and that Salisbury steak. I’ll have the same. Want green beans or a salad?”

She nodded towards the beans.

As we found a table, away from most others there, I began to talk.

“Maria, you know I care about you. Very much.”

“Rusty, I shouldn’t have done that. Twice...”

“Not true. That was wonderful. I was glad. Though, I guess it was a bit of tension being released. But, I mean that I have been interested in you since we met. Since I first saw you. And it’s obvious that you like me. Very obvious.”

“Rusty, I don’t know why I...”

“I know why. You are lonely, after your divorce. You like me. I know that. You need someone to care about you. I care.”

“But, our age difference...”

“I’m basically eighteen. Just three weeks. We’re not that far different. I mean, guys do it all the time. Men with younger women. Why not the other way around? Anyway, that doesn’t bother me. What bothers me is that we have to tiptoe around each other. As if it was a big scandal. It’s out now. I think everyone knows. If not, Adrian will solve that.”

“But, I am divorced. I have a child. I’m...”

“You’re beautiful. You are caring. Loving. Fun to talk with. We kid all the time at work. I can’t wait to meet your daughter. Now it’s time we, you and I, start doing more. Can’t we be more than just co-workers?”