Overture (Rain Dance, Book 1) (Rain Dance Series) (47 page)

     
"…Care to
share?"

     
"Don't you
have to go back to work soon?"

     
"Not for
another twenty minutes," he replied, checking his watch. When I said
nothing, he added, "I would like you to share."

     
Picking up my
sandwich, I went back to eating. "I was about to ask you
why me
.
But then I remembered that I don't want you to have to tell me
why
. I
don't need you to tell me why I'm good enough. I
know
I'm good enough,
and that's what matters. But I
feel
…"
Shit. Shit. Shit. Don't
start tearing up again.
I swallowed and took a deep, shaky breath.
"What I
feel
is different than what I
know
. And I don't
really know how I can help that." I took another big bite of my sandwich.
"I just wish I could stop getting all kinds of emotional in front of
you."

     
He was quiet
for a minute. "Daphne…you were abused, both physically and emotionally,
for what…ten years?"

     
It felt odd
hearing the words, let alone hearing them come from his mouth. I never thought
of it as abuse. I just thought of it as life.

     
"Someone
doesn't just move past that kind of thing on their own," he continued.
"If most of the last six years of your life were spent in seclusion and
I'm the first person you've opened up to, then it's only natural that you're
going to get emotional. I welcome the times when you do. At the risk of sounding
like an asshole, I like being the one whom you choose to open up to. I want to
know everything about you - what you feel down to every little thought that
crosses your head. So please, don't ever stop yourself from feeling, no matter
how bad it is, just because I'm here. Understand?" He took my chin again,
gently this time.

     
I nodded,
unsure of what to say. It almost seemed unreal. How did someone like this man
exist? How had he come to find me? For what must have been the hundredth time,
I silently thanked the heavens. Setting my food down, I crawled onto his lap
and held onto him, resting my head on his shoulder.

     
"I'm here,
too," I said softly. "Even though I may not always show it…You're
always here at the forefront of my mind. It would be nice if you could depend
on me, too, one day."

     
"I already
do."

     
"Mm. But
it would be nice if I could also ease you from whatever haunts you." When
I felt him still beneath me I knew I was on to something. "It's okay. If
you want to tell me, you will. If not, I won't delve. I just want you to know
that I'm here."

     
When he said
nothing, I hopped off of him and went back to eating my lunch. "So…what
are you doing tonight?"

     
"…Why, is
there something you have in mind?" he asked, pulling away from his
thoughts.

     
"Well, I
haven't watched any sort of spookiness for a few days now. Or is it too soon
for us to be together again?"

     
"Fuck no.
You're coming over."

     
"It's
fact," I stated as I stuffed my face with popcorn.

     
"It's
fiction."

     
"Fact."

     
"Plants
don't even have nervous systems," Ethan argued.

     
"Plants
are alive. They can feel."

     
Show host
Jonathan Frakes agreed, "This story is fact."

     
"See?" I smiled with glee.

     
"…You've
seen this before."

     
"Not since
I was little. This next one's fake though," I said, referring to the next
story in line.

     
"I bet you
anything it's true." He stole a handful of popcorn from my bowl, leaning
further back into the sofa.

     
"Nope."

     
"Yes."

     
"It's too
far-fetched, more so than the plant one. It's obviously a lie."

     
"Fact," he stated confidently.

     
"If you
thought this story was based on a real life occurrence…" The host paused
before going on, "…You're right. A similar story happened to a women in
the east in the early eighties."

     
"Fucking
bullshit!" I shouted at the TV.

     
"…What
accent was that?"

     
I looked
blankly at Ethan, remembering that he wasn't Coops. All our silly references
and inside jokes would be lost on him.
Oh well.
"The Iron
Sheik."

     
He stared at me
in confusion before suddenly bursting out into laughter. Grabbing me by the
waist, he pulled me onto him, making me spill popcorn in the process. I whined
in protest but it came out as more of a squeal. The kiss started out innocent
enough, but as our lips moved together and our tongues met with eager
curiosity, things instantly turned heated.

     
"I've
gotta pick up the popcorn," I said between kisses.

     
"Leave
it." Ethan took the bowl with one hand and set it on the coffee table.
Then he pulled me closer so I was straddling him. I moved my hand underneath
his shirt and trailed it up his back, loving the feel of his bare skin. He
cupped my bottom and carefully lifted me as he raised himself up a little bit
before laying me down on the sofa below him. When he pressed against me, I felt
the heat of his erection through the thin layers of my nightgown.

     
"Kitten," he spoke lowly, his mouth lingering on my neck.
"We can do this here or we can do this in the bedroom. Choose."

     
"Here.
Now."

     
"Thank
God." He sat back and reached his arms over his head, pulling his shirt
off. When he leaned back down to kiss me, I pulled on the drawstring of his
lounge pants, then slipped my hand underneath and began stroking him.

     
He groaned in
response and sat back again, this time bringing me with him. "Lift,"
he commanded. As I raised my arms over my head, he freed me of my gown before
wrapping an arm around my waist. When he returned to kissing me, I felt my body
shiver in anticipation as his fingers made their way into my panties to see how
ready I was.

     
"So
wet…" he mumbled. I then felt a quick rush of air leave my body all at
once - suddenly I was on my back again with my legs up as he removed the final
bit of clothing. "But you're still too tender. I don't want to hurt
you."

     
"You
won't."

     
"You're
too small."

     
Even though I
wanted him in me
right now
, it meant a lot that he was so careful when
it came to these kinds of things. I bit my lip as he inserted one finger inside
of me, using the palm of his hand to rub against my clit. The second finger
entered just as his mouth came back to mine. He was right - there still was a
slight stinging. Not enough to make me want to slow down, though. I ran my hand
down his chest, going past his stomach to wrap his hard member in my hand
again. He bit onto my erect nipple and gently tugged, causing me to let out a
small cry. His tongue quickly replaced his teeth, criss-crossing and circling
in slow, teasing motions. Soon it became too much.

     
"Please,
I'm ready. I want you inside me now.
Please
." I was practically
begging.

     
Ethan pulled
away and looked down at me with inquisitive eyes, as though he were
contemplating something. Moments later, he pulled his fingers out of me and
quickly licked off my juices. "Fine. Here." He sat back again.
"Get on - slowly."

     
I swallowed
nervously. I didn't like the idea of being in control, but I wasn't about to
say no. So I straddled him again, placing one arm around him for balance.
Reaching down between us, I took hold of his cock, stroking it a few times
before attempting to guide it into me. As soon as the head made contact with my
entrance, Ethan's hands gripped my waist tightly. I slowly began to lower
myself, but didn't get very far before it started hurting. It almost hurt just
as bad as it had the first time he had entered me. I knew I was wet enough, and
I was trying my best to unwind any tense muscles, but I guess it would take a
few tries until my body was fully able to adjust to him. I bit my lip again and
winced in pain as I took in another inch.

     
"Relax," he said tightly, his fingers digging into my skin.

     
"…It's not
uncomfortable for you, is it?"

     
"God,
no," he breathed.

     
I lifted myself
up slightly before lowering myself again. "Ow."

     
Fuck, it really
hurt. Knowing I needed a distraction, I kissed him. His response was immediate,
and his mouth worked mine just as hard. As our tongues collided, I felt one of
his hands trace the curve of my back. When I pulled back to look at him, he was
staring at me with the same questioning expression he wore when he first told
me to get on.

     
As soon as I
could fit most of him inside me, I started going at an easy pace. Eventually,
the pain numbed and the familiar, small hum of pleasure began to take its place
as I moved up and down his length. It felt good - having him inside me felt
good, but something about it felt off. It was nothing compared to what I had
felt at the beach house. After a minute or two, I began to wonder if I was
doing something wrong.

     
"What is
it, Kitten?" Ethan asked calmly, cupping my face. "What are you
thinking about?" He stared at me with a small, sort of knowing smile.

     
I stopped
moving. "...What?"

     
"Does it
feel good?"

     
"Yes." My answer was immediate.

     
"Hm."
He continued to gaze at me, more carefully now. "How good?"

     
"...Really
good." I started to feel nervous.

     
Ethan removed
my hands from his shoulders and moved them behind my back, where he held them
both tightly. I had to lean closer to him, afraid that I might fall back. I
felt a bit helpless, but not scared.

     
"Tell
me…does
this
feel good?" He thrust up into me - hard, and I gasped
loudly. "Well?"

     
"Yes…!"

     
He began moving
in smooth, even pumps. "...How good?"

     
My breathing
turned into heavy pants. The difference was worlds apart. "…
So
fucking good," I cried, leaning my head back.

 
    
He took advantage of the access I had given
him and gently bit down on my neck before sucking lightly. I wanted to touch
him, to run my hands through his hair and pull him closer to me. But his grip
was iron tight and I couldn't budge them a single inch. It was a constant
reminder of his strength. Of his power over me - something that I only now
realized turned me on like nothing else. I couldn't stop the sounds that left
my throat now. I leaned my head forward, resting it against his shoulder, and
tried to move my body in time with his thrusts.

     
Eventually, he
released his grip on my hands, only to take me by the waist, pull me off of him
and throw me down onto my back. He tugged my body closer to his, lifted one of
my legs up over his shoulder, and slammed his cock into me.

     
"
Ah
!"

     
"And how
does
this
feel?" he asked with gritted teeth as he pounded into me.