Chapter 18
Oakley jabbed a sprig of lettuce with her fork. "So, we've established that you have a mother."
They stopped by for food on the way home, opting for take-out instead of eating in at a restaurant while covered in sweat from the gym workout. Besides, Hercules needed a chance to empty his bladder, which he did immediately when they returned and now lay on his mattress gnawing a large rawhide bone.
Tanner chewed and swallowed his bite of lasagna before answering. "Yep."
She snorted. Back to his one word answers. "Gonna tell me about her?"
His lips tilted up. "Probably."
Closing her eyes, she counted to ten and sighed. "Tanner." The hyena chuckled.
"It was just her and me growing up."
"Your father?"
"Sperm donor."
By the tone of his voice, she dared not ask for further details. "I take it you grew up poor?"
He nodded, sliding his fork under another wedge of pasta. "Like I said, it was just us. Mom got pregnant with me while in college. She lost her scholarship, had to drop out and find a job."
"What about her parents? Did they help?"
He shrugged. "Some, but according to Mom, they looked down at her a lot, told her how disappointed they were in her. She moved into a tiny apartment and managed to make ends meet."
"Wow. She sounds like a remarkable woman. What does she do now?"
He smiled; pride sparkled in his eyes and showed in his face. "She's an accountant. Went back to school, took classes as she worked full time, but she graduated with her degree in accounting."
"Do you see her often with your job taking you here and there?" She sipped her water then forked up another leaf.
"Not too much. But we email quite a bit. I need to get by to see her soon." He stared ahead as if considering his schedule and how to wiggle in time for a visit.
"I'm sure she'll be thrilled to spend time with you."
"Yeah." He scooped in another mouthful. "What about you? Do you have a mother or were you hatched?"
Her lips twitched at her words thrown back at her. "I have parents, thank you very much. They live in Jenkins. My father is the middle school principal, Mom teaches third grade."
"The perfect childhood." He took a long swallow from his bottled water.
"I'm not sure there is such a thing. But, yes, I was fortunate that I always had a parent at home with me, keeping me out of trouble. We weren't rich, had to budget, especially during the summer, but I enjoyed my childhood for the most part."
"That's why you teach?"
She shoved bits of salad around the styrofoam container while deciding how to answer. "Yes and no. I didn't want to be a teacher, didn't major in it. But, after receiving my master's degrees and seeing the opportunity, I jumped on it." Laying her fork down, she wiped her hands on a napkin. "Online teaching is different. So is teaching junior college. I don't think I would want to tackle the public education system after hearing so many of the horror stories my parents tell. I think I'll stick with my job as long as they'll let me and count myself lucky." When he didn't respond, she tossed out her next question. "You said you couldn't afford college, thus went to the military. Have you thought about going back to school now?"
Cornering his final chunk, Tanner balanced it on his fork, and then stuffed it in his mouth. He followed by wiping his face on a napkin. "Sure, I've thought about it once or twice. Too many pitfalls."
"Pitfalls?"
"My job is the main one. No set schedule, away for days or weeks at a time with no computer access. No idea what to major in or what other career to try. I'm good where I am so why would I want to lose a good thing?"
"Good point."
Tanner stood, carrying his now-empty container to the trash.
"Wait. Recycle, please." She pointed to a large trash can with a firmly closed lid.
He obediently dropped his throwaways into the waiting plastic bag inside. Oakley followed suit, closing the lid and snapping it tight.
Eyeing the clock, Tanner stared down at her. "It's still early."
"Yeah, but I need another shower. I'm sticky and stinky."
His lips curled up in a mischievous grin. An all-too-familiar twinkle flashed through his brown eyes. "So do I. I vote we take one together."
Oakley's breath caught. Bathing one another sounded so intimate, so primal, and sexy. Her belly flopped over. A definite first for her. More than anything she wanted to run her hands over every inch of his body, explore and caress, learn every nuance of Tanner that she hadn't been able to thus far. Before, he stopped her after only a mere touch or lick, citing his overpowering need and losing battle to maintain control. Since her discomfort below prevented another mutual bout of lovemaking, this afforded her the perfect opportunity to get her wish and fulfill Tanner at the same time.
A coy smile crossed her face as she peered up at him from under her lashes. "I would like that."
His eyebrow shot up as if her answer surprised him before his eyelids lowered to half-mast, a signal of his rapid rising desire. He reached out with his hand, latched onto hers, and led her out of the kitchen to the bathroom.
Once in the smaller room, they made short work of their clothes, shucking the items off speedily and leaving them in a heap on the floor while Oakley turned on the shower. She ran her fingers through the water to check the temperature. Satisfied, she looked over at Tanner, suddenly a bit uncertain about shower protocols.
"Ladies first." He gestured inside the small enclosed room.
His hand on her bottom set her into motion. She hurried inside the space and backed away from the spray, allowing ample room for Tanner.
Settling under the water, he faced her, sparks flashing in his eyes.
She grabbed the washcloth and squeezed a generous amount of shower gel onto its surface. Rubbing it together to create lather, she bit her lower lip, waiting for Tanner to take the lead.
He followed suit, stealing the bottle of soap from her slack fingers and spreading it over a darker colored terry cloth. "I'll wash you first." He purred above the sound of the water splashing against his wide shoulders.
"Okay. But I want to…" She paused, gathering courage to express her wishes. "Since we can't… you know… I thought I could touch you again." She blamed the heat flashing over her face on the rising steam.
Tanner groaned low in his throat. "Let me wash you first. Then, I'm all yours."
Oakley nudged closer, relaxing when Tanner began gentle strokes across her shoulders, gentling and reassuring. He took his time going over her face, carefully avoiding getting soap in her eyes.
What started out as a simple act of hygiene maintenance soon turned into a dance of passion. Tanner took extra time with her breasts, not moving onward until her nipples stood at attention. Only then did he dip lower, brushing over her flat stomach before pausing at her femininity. "Spread your legs for me." His voice alone sent chills of desire up her spine.
Following his command, Oakley shifted, allowing him access to her tender parts.
With extraordinary tenderness, Tanner cleaned the area using light sweeps of the rough material with just enough pressure to get the job done.
She bit back a moan at his teasing, disappointed when he bent down, leaving her core to wash her legs.
Tanner stood, wrapped his arms around her, and guided her into position. Taking a stance behind her, he spread her arms, allowing the spray to hit her squarely in the chest, trickling downward, taking soapsuds as it went. His hands captured clean water, using it to wipe her face before roaming lower, cupping her breasts with a gentle squeeze, and lifting them enough for a direct hit from the heated water.
Oakley threw her head back against Tanner's chest, sensations of pleasure raging through her blood with the simple act. In all the years of taking a shower, never did she feel anything remotely like what she did at that moment.
She panted, forcing herself to refocus; otherwise, Tanner would have her turned to a puddle of mush in a matter of seconds. All too easily, Tanner distracted her from her goal, something she longed to experience.
Gulping air, she grasped his wrists. "My turn. Before we run out of hot water, I want to get my hands on you. All of you."
He looked down at her, his lips curling upward. A challenge and look of eager expectation covered his face. "You sure? I haven't done your back."
She lifted her washrag, motioning for him to spin with her free hand. "I'm sure. Now turn around so I can start with your back. I'll leave the best for last." A smile covered her face in anticipation of how she would tease him, return all his mischievousness back to him.
Turnabout is fair play, after all.
Plopping the sudsy cloth on Tanner's neck, she began scrubbing easily, working her way down his large frame, taking in each ripple and jerk as he reacted to her touch, massaging the thick mass as she went. Once she reached his lower back, she paused for a second before plunging lower, wiping across his rear, marveling at the solid muscles beneath her hand.
Skittishly, she veered away from the middle crack, choosing to delve farther down, cleaning his legs before standing once more. "Turn please."
If she thought washing his back was the sexiest thing she'd ever done, doing his front with his sultry eyes watching her every move proved her wrong.
He watched her intently, his gaze flicking from her face to her hand and back again. Her heart sped with the sheer intimacy of the moment.
Shakily, she reached out, grabbed the soap, and plunked more on her cloth. Only then did she touch his neck, avoiding his face altogether, smoothly rubbing her way down his body once more. Refusing to look down, she kept her eyes locked on her present location, brushing back and forth as if his chest were a canvas waiting for her to paint.
Each pec received special attention as she darted across his nipples, feeling his body's response as well as hearing his growl of appreciation. Gaining confidence, she dipped lower across his abdomen and his six pack. Skipping the blatant arousal, she leaned over, quickly finishing his legs.
With a deep breath, she stood, staring at the last place to wash. His erection poked out, hard and large, as if begging for her touch.
Tossing the washcloth aside, she rubbed her hands together, gathering lather. A quick glance found Tanner's eyes locked on her hand, watching as she reached out, wrapped her small hand around his cock, and felt him jerk with her first touch.
"Yes," Tanner groaned, but remained still, arms to his side, the shower pelting his back before slipping off to drip on the shower floor.
Using the soap as a lubricant, Oakley slowly and gently explored him, easing her fingers forward then backward, experimenting with various grips and tightness. His body shuddered even as his hips thrust. Releasing him for a moment, she moved lower, tenderly cupping his scrotum, rubbing her thumb over the skin, learning the weight and feel of a place she never dared touch before.
Tanner groaned loudly, his arms reaching up to bracket the shower stall. His slitted eyes bore down into hers.
After a short but thorough examination, Oakley returned her hand to his erection, grasping him once more. Patiently, she began to stroke, measuring his length from tip to base. Feeling more sure, she picked up the pace, searching for the right combination to send tides of ecstasy streaming through his system, building his desire and arousal to a fevered pitch.
"Damn, Oakley. You're going to make me come."
She continued her pumping action, her eyes rarely leaving his face, as she sought to bring him to climax.
He cracked his eyelids open, pinning her with his gaze. "That's what you want, isn't it?"
In almost disbelief, she realized he hit the nail on the head. She wanted to watch him lose control, see what her touch alone could do to such a strong man, know that he found release with her actions and attentions. "I want to… watch." She breathed almost as rapidly as he. The thoughts of sending him over the edge stoked her inner fire to frenzy.
He groaned low at her words, a curse leaving his lips as his hips surged and retreated.
Oakley increased her speed and pressure, seeing his body tighten and his hands clench into tight balls still braced against the walls. His eyes snapped closed as his neck arched; veins and muscles stood out starkly against his tanned skin. Her hand glided over him once, twice, before he barked with pleasure, the physical release spewing over her hand and arm, only to be washed away seconds later by streaming water as he shifted his stance to lean heavily on the glass door for support.
"Can we do that again?"
Tanner chuckled tightly, his eyes opening to look at her as a grin appeared on his face. "Insatiable little minx. You liked that, didn't you?" The words came out breathlessly as he gasped to catch his breath.
"Oh, yes," she admitted.
He stood back on his feet, releasing a pent-up breath. "You may be the death of me, but I'll go happy."
Tanner turned, located the shampoo, dribbled some on Oakley's hand then his own. "I need some time to recover. And, we should hustle and finish before this water turns to ice."
She laughed and complied, scrubbing her long locks with enthusiasm. The sooner they got out of the shower, the sooner she could get her hands on his naked body again.
* * * *
Sunlight shining through the bedroom window woke Oakley. She glanced at the bedside clock, yawned, and then turned onto her side to gaze at the other occupant in the bed.
Tanner reclined on his back, sprawling out with arms and legs, maximizing his sleeping space. His mussed sandy hair pressed close to his scalp while a cowlick pulled his bangs to the side. Relaxed, his physical frame still impressed, full of muscles and strength, tight skin outlining dips and valleys of an athletic specimen. A handful of chest hairs twisted this way and that while a line of darker, coarser hairs began at his bellybutton then dropped lower, leading to what declared him male. Powerful legs covered with fine hairs, a touch darker than his head, completed the package. Flawless and handsome, Tanner put the fabled Adonis to shame.