2 comments/ 19517 views/ 10 favorites Meant to Happen By: vividlyyours The rhythm of the rails was all they heard... "Sir? Sir? Sorry for waking you up..." Tom stirred from his nap and forced his eyes open at the sound of the conductor's voice, turning his head toward him. The train - Amtrak's Empire Builder to Chicago - hadn't even left Portland yet, and he had already dozed off; the past two weeks had been intense and he was exhausted. "Sir, excuse me for waking you, but I have a huge favor to ask. An older couple just boarded and would like to sit together, but the only two seats left are the one next to you and one a few rows back. Would you be willing to switch seats so they can be together?" Traveling by train was a universe apart from using an airline to reach your destination. Trips took days, not hours, which meant that any negative aspects like bad seats lasted a long time. The outside world was closer and more detailed, and even at 80 miles an hour was an essential part of enjoying the trip. More than anything, passengers were basically living together, sharing their living, eating, and sleeping quarters. There was no point in making the trip miserable for a couple of oldsters, especially since they would be with him for a while. Tom agreed at once. "Sure," he answered. As he got up to move, he caught sight of the couple standing at the end of the car. The old man shot him a look of gratitude and nodded. Tom nodded back. "This way, sir, and thanks again," said the conductor, leading Tom to an aisle seat three rows back. As soon as Tom caught sight of his seatmate, he began to silently thank all the gods he could think of. She was a vision: Large, bright blue eyes sparkled above a broad smile that revealed straight, white teeth; a smattering of light freckles spread across a perfect nose and onto her cheeks. Her narrow face tapered to a strong chin and was topped by a short mop of deliberately unruly brown hair. She was rail thin, but in a way he found terrifically appealing, with small bumps and slight curves in all the right places. She extended her hand in greeting. "Eileen. Nice to meet you." "Tom," he replied. Her long thin fingers were smooth and cool. Her eyes were locked on his as he made himself comfortable. "I guess we're going to be seatmates," she said unnecessarily, though to him her every word was like en elixir. "Looks like it, yes. How far are you going?" "La Crosse, Wisconsin," she answered. "You?" "All the way to Pittsburgh," he told her. "Two and a half days or so from here." He enjoyed taking the train - it cost a lot less than flying, it was immensely more comfortable, and since he was using up his accrued vacation time before starting his new job as Regional Training Manager for Nike the next month, he had all the had all the time in the world for the trip. He wanted to enjoy the journey as much as the destination, and by being seated next to her he had drawn a great hand for this particular game. They fell into an easy camaraderie, conversing eagerly and learning as much about each other as they could. They were of an age - he was 41 and she was 39 - and shared interests in the outdoors, music, and photography. She was taking some time off from her job in advertising and public relations and had undertaken this trip to get away from a relationship that was rapidly turning sour, heading to visit her old college roommate in Wisconsin. He couldn't help but notice how animated she was when she talked, using her hands to emphasize her points and frequently touching his arm. She had led a pretty interesting life, full of travel and new experiences, and she shared them in such a way that he could actually picture himself doing them with her. It was such a departure from his everyday life - she was witty, intelligent, educated, and ambitious in addition to being beautiful. While his second wife had once been pretty, none of the other words applied to her and hadn't for years. I could listen to her all day, he mused. And all night. He also had much to share. With one failed marriage behind him and another seriously on the rocks, he had yet to meet his one and only, that person he could connect with on every level. He talked enthusiastically about his 13-year-old twin daughters, the loves of his life, and she smiled at his obvious closeness to them. She had a 14-year-old son who was spending the summer with his father in Idaho. His daughters lived with their mother in a suburb of Portland. He must be a great father, she thought. "I feel like I've known you for years," she said, and they both collapsed into laughter at the triteness of that timeworn line. "Oh dear, that was lame," she giggled. "Yes, it was," he laughed back, "but I get your point. I feel the same way, and you're a very interesting person." When their laughter subsided, she continued. "Thank you. But seriously, you're very easy to talk to." "Thanks," he replied. "I love to meet people, and I'm really glad I got to meet you." Deep in conversation, they completely missed the breathtaking scenery of the Columbia Gorge east of Portland. The sun had set by the time the tracks curved north and the train sped across southern Washington, and both had grown tired as the train approached Spokane late in the evening. "We'll have plenty of time to talk," she told him. "But I must get my beauty sleep now." He smiled at the thought that she didn't need any help in that department. Like most train travelers, they were planning to sleep in their seats due to the prohibitive cost of a cabin with a bed. Eileen settled back against the pillow she had wedged between the window and the seat, then propped her left foot across his lap and onto his left leg, bending it at the knee. Her right leg lay flat across his knees. That really left him nowhere to put his right hand except on her thigh, halfway between her knee and her crotch, so that was what he did. When his hand encircled her inner thigh she didn't make any move to resist it, which he found to be rather telling. They settled in quite comfortably like that, and between the late hour and the gentle rocking of the car, they soon dozed off. He was startled awake by the feeling of someone touching him, and opened his eyes to see that she had laid her left hand on his right and laced her fingers with his. He was still holding her delightfully thin thigh. The car was dark and everyone around them was asleep. Slowly, her hand began to urge his downward, gently pushing it toward her denim-clad crotch. His heart was beating wildly as he realized her intent, his hand eventually coming to rest smack against her pussy. She pressed it slightly against her and a slight moan escaped her throat. She bent her right leg and squeezed his hand between her thighs, drawing a deep breath. Her eyes were still closed, but was she asleep? Was this part of a dream for her? He could feel her begin to move her pussy slowly and rhythmically against his hand, the pressure increasing slightly with each movement and her breaths becoming shorter and shallower. He did nothing to interrupt the moment, letting her take this wherever it was going. He could feel the warmth of her box even through the thick fabric. The pace of her movements against his hand quickened, and he glanced quickly around to see if anyone was watching. None were; the car was filled with the deep breathing and light snores of people in dreamland. By now the pressure of her pussy against his hand was quite strong, and the movement of her pelvis rather insistent. She finally reached a peak and turned her face into the pillow, holding his hand against her tightly as the waves of an orgasm washed over her. He could feel her body pulsing against his hand and smiled. As was often the case with wet dreams, she awoke and immediately took in what had happened, seeing his hand being held against her pussy and feeling the warm wetness of her orgasm. "Oh shit, I can't believe I did that," she said softly, pushing his hand away and hiding her face behind both hands. "Don't look at me. You must think I'm a horrible slut." "I think no such thing," he replied in a soft, caring tone. She moved her hands from her face and looked at him. "What the fuck did I just do?" she asked in a pleading whisper. "You were obviously having a rather interesting dream," he said with a smile. She gave a wry smile in return. "You could say that, yes. Excuse me, but I need to go gather myself." With that, she pushed up from her seat and stepped over him into the aisle and headed for the toilet. Tom contemplated the events so far while she was gone. Damn, he thought. I would have liked to have been in that dream with her. He was not as taken aback by what she had done as he would have expected; in fact, given the comfortable nature of their relationship so far, it seemed entirely natural except perhaps for the location. Eileen returned from the toilet and stopped next to him. "Move to the other seat," she directed, and he complied. She sat next to him and moved in close so she could whisper, her face mere inches from his. "God, I am so sorry." "There is no need for apologies," he assured her. "But we just met." "Remember what you said - it's like we've known each other forever." "That's true," she replied. "But still..." He covered her hand with his as he answered. "It's OK, believe me." "I have a little secret to tell you," she continued with a sheepish expression. "Do tell." "I was dreaming about you." She actually blushed. "Well, that's interesting." "Yes, it was," she said with a smile. "In my dream you were the world's greatest lover." He squeezed her hand and she rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes. "This all seems so natural." "Yes, it does," he agreed. "Hold me," she said, pulling his left arm over her head and around her. The car was becoming chilly, so she grabbed the folded blanket from the seat back and spread it across them, up to her shoulders. She snuggled in close and rested her head on his chest as he leaned back against the wall. Her left hand rested on his thigh. "This is nice," she said in her whisper. Nicer than you could possibly imagine, he thought. It felt incredible to hold someone like her rather than his naysaying, grumpy, rapidly spreading, soon-to-be-ex-wife. It was well past midnight as they rolled through the panhandle of Idaho and into Montana. The car was barely lit, the windows nothing more than black squares. Her breathing slowed as she relaxed against him, feeling and hearing his heartbeat. They dozed off again to the distant hum of the train's wheels. A couple of hours later, in the middle of the night, he was again awakened by someone touching him. Under the blanket, her hand had begun a slow movement against him, rubbing his thigh ever so lightly. She felt down to his knee, then up to where it met his hip. Now her hand moved to the inside, stimulating the sensitive skin on his inner thigh even through his jeans. She squeezed his leg as she considered how nice it felt to be held by him. Eventually her hand found its way to the very top of his leg, her fingers brushing lightly against the package within. His immediate stiffening response to her touch brought a smile to her face and she heard him take a sharp breath. She traced her hand down his leg and back up, this time turning her palm so that when it reached his crotch it gently cradled his entire package. She kept her hand there and began to gently knead his cock and balls, her actions hidden from view under the blanket. He grew stiff at once and she could feel his hard shaft fill the leg of his pants encasing his upper thigh. She continued to stroke it through the fabric, feeling every detail. Not the biggest I've ever touched, but more than enough, she mused with a slight smile. His breathing was shallow and quick. Holy shit, he thought to himself. This is turning into the trip of a lifetime. Un-fucking-believable. She ran her hand up to his belt and expertly unbuckled it with one hand, then just as expertly unfastened the button at the waist of his jeans. The final touch was to grasp the tab on the fly and pull the zipper down to the bottom, fully opening his pants. She reached in, through the fly of his boxer shorts, and finally felt the skin of his cock under her hand. She grasped it fully and moved her hand along it. Tom let out a low moan. "Oh my, you're an excitable boy, aren't you?" she asked slyly. She carefully pulled his now-rigid shaft around until she could bring it out of the open fly. If not for the blanket, he would have been fully exposed. Her hand rubbed its entire length slowly. Eileen stole a quick glance to her left to see if anyone else was awake, and satisfied they were all sound asleep, she released his cock and used her hand to pull the blanket up enough to slip her head under it. Tom pulled it up higher so she was completely covered. Grasping his shaft again, she immediately took its full length into her mouth. The warm wetness, the friction of her lips around him, and the danger of discovery excited him to new levels and he felt like he could explode at any minute. Her head and hand moved together up and down his completely erect member, her tongue circling the head when she reached the top. She could tell by his size and his breathing that he was close to cumming and her pace increased. Make this last, buddy. Make this last, he thought to himself, but nature took its inevitable course and he felt his balls begin to boil with an impending orgasm. His right hand held the blanket and his left rested on her back as she continued her expert ministrations, moving faster and faster within her woolen cave. He finally lost the ability to stifle himself and surrendered to his final release. She felt his body tense and his balls begin to pulse and stopped moving her head, holding her lips around the head of his cock as he fired his hit load of love juice into her mouth, each spasm shaking him to his core. Again and again he spurted, filling her mouth almost to overflowing. His orgasm finally subsided and she felt him begin to soften, so she removed her mouth from him and swallowed every drop of what he had given her. She slowly raised her head from under the blanket and looked up at his face, which was a mask of intense pleasure mixed with wonder. He opened his eyes at that moment, and using his right hand, lifted her chin toward him. They kissed then, a soft, lingering kiss fraught with meaning and depth. When their lips parted she smiled up at him, then closed her eyes and rested her head back on his chest. He used his free hand to restore his decency and settled back against the window. All was right with the world. *************************************** The next day was spent crossing Montana and rolling into North Dakota. After freshening up and donning clean clothes in the toilet and dressing area, they spent the entire time wrapped up in each other, seemingly oblivious to the rest of the world. Their eye locked and their hands touched as they poured out the rest of their lives to each other, baring their souls to further cement the bond that had formed between them. They were as simpatico as two people could be and felt like energetic teenagers again. He learned that her current relationship had not been her first bad one; the men in her life seemed to have shared the common trait of being complete assholes. "You're so different from everyone I've known," she told him. He took it as the compliment it was intended to be. He filled her in on his own bad luck with relationships, including his frigid first wife and the huge mistake he had made when he married his second and got her fat, lazy kids in the bargain. "I was lonely the first time, and way too horny the second," he told her, bringing a smile to her face. "That's what I get for thinking with the wrong head, I guess." She laughed out loud at that. The crew on the train had changed somewhere along the line, and the new conductor was a heavyset female of indeterminate age. Stopping at their seats to check on them, she asked how long they had been married. "Oh, we're not married," Eileen informed her. "We just met on the train yesterday." "You have got to be kidding me!" the conductor said. "You two are so perfect together, like cake and ice cream. I could have sworn you were a couple." Tom and Eileen exchanged a meaningful glance at that and smiled at each other. They wandered the train from end to end, exploring the rolling facility and spending some time in the observation car, holding hands while quietly watching the world pass by. The only time they weren't together was when on or the other had to use the sanitary facilities. They enjoyed a nice supper in the dining car, then settled back into their seats for the evening as the train rolled across the featureless landscape. They talked quietly, their heads close, as their fellow passengers drifted off into slumber and the car darkened once again. "Come with me," she whispered to him. "I want to show you something I discovered." They left their seats and she led him to the car containing the sleeping compartments. "These usually cost a couple of hundred dollars extra per night," she explained, "but that new conductor took a liking to us and gave me the key to an empty one." She produced a card from her pocket and slipped it into the lock. Quietly opening the door, she entered the compartment and pulled him in behind her, then turned the privacy lock. "Nice, huh?" she asked, surveying the small room. There were benches on either side that slid toward the center, forming a wide bed for nighttime use. "Oh yeah, this is great," he agreed. "I thought we could use a little privacy," she told him, turning towards him and throwing her arms around his neck, pulling his face to hers for a long, deep, passionate kiss. Her body was plastered against his from shoulder to toe, and his arms encircled her narrow frame. She moaned slightly from deep in her throat as her tongue explored his mouth hungrily, her small but firm breasts pressing into his chest. His hands explored the feel of this amazing woman, her narrow waist and hips and her small but shapely and tightly muscled ass. She loved the feel of his hands on her, feeling for the first time in years that she was with someone who cared more about her than he did about himself. She felt safe. He loved the taste of her and the sensation of her body against his, her lips and her tongue and everything else. He moved his mouth off of hers to kiss her gently on the neck below her ear and run his tongue around the lobe of her petite ear. She shivered with delight. He took a half step back. "You're amazing," he told her huskily. She blushed at the compliment. "Thank you, but time's a-wasting..." She reached for his chest and began to unbutton his shirt. He reached under her arms and did the same for her. They were both anxious to take this to the next level and quickly disrobed each other. When they were both naked, Tom paused for a moment to take in the wondrous sight of her. Although very thin, it was because her frame was small. She wasn't emaciated like so many thin people; she just didn't have much body fat. Her shoulders were squared; her delightful breasts were like a pair of shallow champagne glasses on her chest, with pale skin and smallish, light pink nipples that were pierced with discrete silver studs; her small waist curved beautifully into narrow hips, which were a particular liking of his. Below her flat abdomen she sported the narrowest strip of pubes, like a directional sign pointing to what lay below. Her legs were proportional to the rest of her, looking longer for their lack of bulk. He'd been with his share of attractive women in his 41 years, but at this time and in this place Eileen was a vision. Nothing and no one else mattered. Damn, she's hot, he thought to himself. Meant to Happen Ch. 02 A new day, a new way Debbie was nowhere to be seen at Union Station, so Tom called her. "Debbie, I'm back. I thought you were going to pick me up." "Oh, sorry. Kelly took the van and Kenny took the Jeep, so I don't have any way to get there. Can you catch the bus?" It apparently didn't occur to her to borrow her brother's car even though he lived across the street. Had she even remembered he was gone? "Did you really just say that?" He clicked off his phone without another word. Tom was fuming. Sixty hours on a train, and now he had to take the bus for another hour just to get home, pulling his suitcase to boot. How fucking typical, he thought. This wasn't the first time something like this had happened. She let her brats run roughshod over her and everyone else, so it wasn't out of character for her to let them take both cars at once and leave him hanging. While he didn't want to force her to make choices - him or her kids - he had also grown to resent the idea that his needs were NEVER considered, that he was always the one expected to compromise. He was being used and he hated it. He used the time on the final trip home to come up with the right words to tell her he was leaving her sorry ass. He tried to convince himself that he was doing it because it was the right thing to do and not because he was leaving her for someone he had just met, but he knew in his heart of hearts that meeting Eileen had finally given him the impetus to actually do it. Whatever his motivation, he needed out. He had stayed for this long out of a misplaced sense of obligation because of promises made and joint debts incurred, but in practical terms the marriage had really ended years ago and he realized those were excuses for not making the decisions he needed to make. He had known that marrying her was a mistake the very day they tied the knot, and had postponed the inevitable for too long. The person Debbie had turned out to be was nothing like the one he had been attracted to seven years earlier, and the novelty of her primary asset - she had been a world-class sexual athlete - had worn off quickly in the face of her relentless negativity, her newfound fundamentalist religion, her rapid weight gain, her lack of intelligence and curiosity, and more than anything her spoiled, misbehaving children. It was also difficult to get excited about banging her from behind when her ass resembled twin mountains of cottage cheese, no matter how much she turned on the blowjob machine when she sensed she had pushed him too far. She was still a first class cocksucker, but it was no longer enough to make him forget everything else. He certainly didn't love her, if he ever really had. He was still seething when he walked in the door. "Debbie? Where are you?" He found her washing the endless supply of dirty laundry her kids generated. She looked up at him. "We need to talk," he said. "About what?" God, is she obtuse. She doesn't have a fucking clue, he thought. Telling her he was leaving turned out to be easier than he had anticipated. Her crying and begging were expected, but didn't move him in the least. Fueled by his anger at this latest insult, he laid it all on her in a long, unbroken litany of offenses. While he was far from perfect, they had arrived at this point mostly because of her actions or omissions and he pulled no punches. With her limited ability to comprehend complex ideas, she was convinced he was leaving her solely for another woman. Let her think what she wants, he thought. I just need to get out of here. I need to save myself. He moved out that weekend and got an apartment close to Pittsburgh, taking with him only what he'd brought to the marriage, plus the Jeep. As was often the case with new relationships, his with Eileen took off at full speed; they were completely infatuated with each other. The logical part of his brain was telling him to tread lightly because of his past mistakes and the fact that they had just met, but his emotional side was telling him that he had finally found the right one. It was something he just knew intuitively. Eileen was feeling the same way. They had parted in Wisconsin after a long, deep kiss and a hug neither wanted to end, and she missed him from the moment she had turned away to disembark. They texted each other several times a day, mostly to tell the other how much they missed them. They talked by phone, Skype, or chat nightly, e-mailed endlessly, and continued to share who they were and deepen their knowledge of each other. She had called her asshole of a boyfriend from La Crosse the day after she arrived and told him that she had had enough of his verbal abuse, his self-centered ways, and his drinking, and that she expected him to be completely out of the condo when she returned in two weeks. She even told him he was lousy in the sack, the final insult to one as filled with phony machismo as he was. She felt rejuvenated; not only had she finally met the man of her dreams, but she had finally shed the last emotional vestiges of a past filled with bad memories. Three weeks after his return, Tom started his new job with Nike and as planned headed to the corporate campus near Portland for orientation. He took advantage of the Monday start to go two days earlier, giving him more time with Eileen. Eileen kept her promise to be waiting and was standing just outside the security area at the airport when he arrived. Even though it was Saturday, she had dressed for the occasion. Fall days in the Pacific Northwest were chilly, so she was wearing a dark knee-length skirt and tan silk blouse, a short brown leather jacket, and boots that reached the hem of the skirt. Her thin frame made her look taller than she was, and dressed as she was she turned men's heads. Girl, you're acting like a teenager with her first crush, she thought, and smiled. And I feel like a teenager, she answered herself. It's wonderful. At six feet and 200 pounds he was bigger than most other people, and when she spotted him from a hundred feet away her heart leaped. He locked eyes with her at the same time and impatiently hustled his way through the crowd. Holy shit, she's the most gorgeous women within a hundred miles, he thought to himself. She's a vision. Without ever breaking his gaze, he made a beeline for her and she leaped into his arms, crushing her lips against his and holding him as tightly as she could. They might as well have been alone despite the sea of people flowing around them; they were unaware of anything else in the world except each other. Their kiss lasted an eternity and neither wanted to end it. They finally put a few inches between their faces. "Hello, cake," he said jokingly. "Hello, ice cream," she answered, and they both smiled at the memory of the conductor's words on the train. They kissed again, then turned and walked arm-in-arm toward baggage claim. They maintained some kind of physical contact all the way through baggage claim and out the door to the parking lot, talking the whole time. The simile the conductor had used was quite apt; they were as natural a couple as could be imagined. Eileen led him to her car, a red Lexus IS, and handed him the key fob. "You drive," she told him with a wide smile. "I want to spend my time looking at you." He opened her door for her while she entered the car - he was a gentleman of the old school, something else she noted about him - then walked around and settled into the drivers' seat. He took a moment to adjust the seat and mirrors and orient himself to the controls. "Nice wheels," he noted. "Thanks," she said absently. He was the focus of all her attention. He had lived in Portland for several years before moving to Pittsburgh and came back frequently, so he knew his way around. Leaving the airport and merging onto I-205, he reflected on the city's beautiful locale. "I really miss Portland," he told her. "I'm sorry I ever left." "It'll be waiting for you when you're ready to return. So will I." She leaned to her left and gave his ear lobe a playful nibble, which gave him goose bumps. He loved that. He glanced across at her. "I can't believe you came into my life," he told her with a smile. He merged onto I-84 toward downtown. "And to think it was all because two old people wanted to sit together," she answered. "I wish I had gotten their name so I could send them a thank you card." He took her left hand in his right and lifted it to his lips, gently kissing her fingers. "I love that about you," she said. "You take me back to a time when men were gentlemen, and you do it without patronizing me." "I call it respect," he answered. She settled back into her seat and pondered his words. Respect. That was what had been missing from her life before Tom, respect. Men had professed their love for her, but without respect, their words had meant nothing. That's what made this man different. "Penny for your thoughts." "Oh dear, that's as lame as the lines I used on you when we met," she said with a smile. "I guess it was," he replied with a chuckle. "You just look lost in thought." "You said something that really hit home for me." "What's that?" "'Respect'. You respect me, and I don't know that any man ever has before this." She sat up and turned a bit toward him, looking at him intently, and took his right hand in both of hers. "I need to tell you something." "You can tell me anything." "I've been thinking about this a lot lately, but I'm not sure how to say it. Since I met you, I've felt like a new person. You've brought out something in me I didn't think was there any more. But I don't want you to...I...I..." She struggled to turn her feelings into words and held his hand to her lips. "Eileen." "What?" "I love you too." He glanced over at her. "I fell in love with you before you got off the train in La Crosse." Her eyes welled up again as her emotions overwhelmed her and she wiped at them with her fingers. "I hope those are tears of joy," he said anxiously. "More than you know," came her choked reply. "More than you know." ********************************** They finally arrived at her condo in an upscale section of Beaverton, a Portland suburb and home of Nike's corporate headquarters. She unlocked the door to let them in, and before she took another step Tom swept her up in his arms and carried her through the opening as she laughed, easily handling her 108 pound body. He left his suitcase on the porch. "You are so old fashioned sometimes," she jokingly scolded him. It was actually part of his appeal and she loved him even more for it. "Nothing is too good for m'lady," he replied in his best British accent, setting her gently back on her feet and looking around her home. He gave a low whistle. "Wow, you have a seriously nice place here." "Why, thank you. I like it." Like many places in Portland, it was designed to take in the breathtaking scenery around it, with an open floorplan style and large windows that framed the greenery that surrounded the complex. She had designed the interior with mostly modern touches, including comfortable, albeit low, seating and the stainless steel and granite kitchen preferred by people their age. Tasteful art decorated the walls, along with several framed pictures of what he took to be her son, Derrick, at various ages. She had cleansed the place of any signs of her former boyfriend. Eileen had removed her coat and tossed it on the arm of a chair. "Let me give you the five dollar tour," she said, taking him by the hand and leading him toward the rear of the place. "You've seen the great room and kitchen. This is office space," she said, indicating a small room with a desk, chair, and computer printer, "and the downstairs bathroom." They continued up the stairs at the end of the hall to the second floor. "All the bedrooms are up here, and so are my washer and dryer. The guest bathroom is right there," she said, pointing. "And finally, the master suite." She led him into a large room with an en suite bathroom. The room was like her, elegant and tastefully appointed. Large sliding doors opened to a deck, and the king sized bed was surrounded by just enough furniture to make the place useful. He was impressed. "You have fabulous taste," he told her. When he turned toward her he saw that she was unbuttoning her silk blouse and smiling at him. He walked to her. "And you taste fabulous..." he said quietly as his hands went to her hips and he kissed her gently but insistently. She stopped undressing long enough to hold his face in her hands for a few seconds. "You are the sweetest man in the world," she said as they broke their kiss. "I can't believe I found you." He struggled to find the right words as his own emotions swirled. "I can't imagine what my life would have been if we hadn't found each other. It's like...like..." "Shhhhhh. Later," she whispered as she kissed him again. She sat for a minute on a bench at the foot of the bed to shed her boots, then stood and unzipped her skirt, dropping it on the floor and stepping out of it. She finished removing her blouse and added it to the pile next to her, leaving her in a white lace bra and matching French-cut panties. She looked amazing and his body responded accordingly. "Oh. My. God. You are a vision of perfection," he told her as he reached for her. "First things first, mister," she joshed. "I want what's under all those clothes." She pushed his jacket off his shoulders and let it drop to the floor, then reached for his shirt buttons. "Come on, strip." While she unbuttoned his shirt he slipped off his shoes with the alternate foot and did all the unbuckling and unzipping necessary to shed his pants. Reaching down to pull off his socks, he was left in the boxer briefs he'd worn that day. She took a sharp, short breath. "You are so damn handsome," she said with admiration. "And what a body." He knew he was in good physical condition, but it had been a while since a beautiful woman had expressed that opinion. He actually blushed slightly and she giggled. "Are you embarrassed?" she asked. "Yeah, a little, I guess. You're the first person to say that in a very long time." "Your ex was an idiot, then. Come here," she commanded, holding out her arms. Instead he swept her up in his arms again and laid her gently on the bed, then leaned over for a long, gentle kiss. She put her arms around his neck and pulled him to her. He eased his weight onto the bed next to her as they kissed, letting his hand wander down her side, over her hip, and onto her thigh before moving back up and cupping the cheek of her perfect ass. Without breaking their kiss, his hand slowly moved up her back to the clasp on her lace bra, and with expert fingers he unhooked it with one hand without looking. She pulled her face back and smiled at him. "You're pretty good at that, fella. That was smooth." He smiled in reply as she slipped it off her shoulders and arms, then rolled back to face him. They kissed again. Her own hands were also busy as they kissed, alternately stroking his strong shoulders and back and running down his side to feel his ass and hip. She slipped her hand under the waistband of his boxer briefs and felt his skin. What a man, she thought, and he's mine. She broke their kiss again and gently pushed him onto his back, then pushed herself up to her knees next to him. Scooting herself on the bed until she was at his knees, she reached for the waistband of his shorts and pulled them down as he lifted his ass to let her pull them off. The sight of his semi-erect member sent chills down her spine as she recalled what he was capable of doing with it. She hopped off the bed and quickly removed her white panties and rejoined him, orienting herself in the opposite direction. Tom recognized what she wanted and was ready as she straddled him, her pussy right above his face. He wrapped his arms up and over her and grasped her delightfully tiny ass as he buried his face into her hot box and immediately began licking her. She gasped with pleasure at the feel of his mouth on her, then eased her weight onto him and grasped his shaft, running her tongue along its entire length before taking it fully into her mouth. She drew her knees up to bring her pussy into greater contact with his face as her lips moved up and down his cock. Holy shit, is he good at this, she fleetingly thought with a slight moan from the back of her throat. He really knows what I like, even without me telling him. Tom was in his glory. He loved to eat pussy, and when it belonged to this perfect woman it was even better. Her juices coated his face as he ran his tongue the length of her slit, occasionally inserting his tongue into her canal or alternately flicking her clit with its tip. He felt her shudder more than once as he ate her, making love to every square inch of her most intimate parts. He loved the taste of her and wanted more. Eileen was no slouch as a lover either. Her light weight burdened him not at all, so she didn't have to keep her weight off of him and could focus on pleasing him. He had already reached peak hardness, and she marveled at the sight and feel of his shaft. She knew how to use her hands, lips, and tongue to excite him yet keep him from the final release. Their bodies were as one, a natural sculpture of flesh and blood, of heart and soul and mind. In one movement, she lifted he mouth from him and brought her legs back to one side. Continuing around, she reversed her orientation and moved over him again, this time straddling his midsection and putting her hands on his muscular chest. "I want all of you, and now," she said in a low, sultry tone. With her right hand she reached between her legs and grasped his erection, then guided it into her hot wetness and settled all the way onto it. Her eyes closed in pleasure and she sighed. "Oh damn yes," she said, "just like that." She opened her eyes and locked her vision on his face, bending forward to kiss him as she moved slowly up and down his shaft. His hands surrounded her back and moved with her delicious body. She broke the kiss and sat partway up, and he could see all of her moving on him. "Mygawd, you are the most beautiful woman in the world," he said, her hands on his and their fingers interlocked. "I love you." "I love you, too," she answered softly, leaning forward for yet another in an endless succession of deep kisses. The sensation of her sliding up and down on his cock was overwhelming, and he involuntarily began thrusting against her whenever she came down. She responded by ever so slightly by quickening her pace a bit with each stroke until their bodies slapped together in an erotic rhythm. She could feel her orgasm quickly approaching, the blood engorging her entire midsection, until with a final hard thrust she pressed herself against him as her body released its tension in wave after wave of pure pleasure. Within seconds he also reached the point of no return and pressed further into her as he filled her with his hot juice, his hands gripping hers as spasm after spasm shook him. A fine layer of sweat coated their faces and bodies even in the cool bedroom as she dropped forward onto him and locked his lips in the kind of kiss only she could give. Winded and spent, Eileen finally rolled off of Tom and lay next to him, her head on his chest and his arm around her. They both drifted into a contented light sleep. ********************************** After a short nap, Tom and Eileen had showered together in her enormous bathroom, gently scrubbing each other from head to toe and spending much time with lips locked. I will never get tired of feeling her body in my hands, he mused as he lathered every inch of her decidedly sexy self. Meant to Happen Ch. 02 When he went to dress he realized he had left his suitcase on her porch, and slipping on the clothes he had traveled in, he went downstairs to retrieve it. When he opened the door he immediately caught sight of a late model Ford F-150 pickup parked in front of the townhouse, its driver looking right at him. After a prolonged staredown, the driver started the truck and roared away. Tom grabbed his bag from the porch and went back inside, finding Eileen wearing a silk robe in the kitchen, preparing hot water for a cup of tea. "Eileen? Do you know a guy with a Ford pickup?" "What?" Her heart rose into her throat. "Yeah, when I went to get my suitcase, some dude in an F-150 was parked right in front, sitting in his truck and staring at me." "That fucking asshole..." she said, fire flashing in her blue eyes. "What fucking asshole?" Tom asked, though he thought he likely knew the answer. "It's Jack, my ex. Besides all his other flaws, he's also a possessive prick. When I dumped him, he laid all the 'You'll never meet anyone as good as me' and 'No one else will ever want you' bullshit on me, and I had to threaten to call the cops if he wasn't gone when I got back from LaCrosse." Her sudden burst of profanity and derisive tone of voice showed the level of her anger. "So what can I do?" Tom asked. "Do I need to take him down a notch?" "No, and don't pull the strutting macho shit like he did," she said sternly, immediately regretting her harsh tone. "I'm sorry, Tom. That sounded awful." She came to him and hugged him tightly to her. "You didn't deserve that." "Hey, it's okay," Tom replied, though he was obviously unsettled. "But seriously, does something need to be done?" Eileen was feeling overwhelmed, dealing with the knowledge that Jack was trying to cause trouble, and that she had been so harsh with Tom. She stepped back against the counter, and closing her eyes, took a slow, deep breath. "Okay, one thing at a time," she open her eyes and continued, looking pleadingly at Tom. "Please forgive me for talking to you like that." She looked positively forlorn, melting away whatever lingering shock Tom felt from her outburst. He truly loved this woman and knew her well enough to know that she had been reacting to the situation, not to him. He could also see how much she loved him and how she didn't want anything to interfere with that. He took her hand in both of his. "Eileen, it's okay. Really, I know where you're coming from." He maintained a steady gaze into her eyes so she would know he was sincere. God, I want to help her, but let's see how she wants to handle this. "That's good," she replied. "I never want to say anything to hurt you." He said nothing, but maintained his gaze on her face. "But I'm not sure what to do about Jack," she said uncertainly. "I want him to stay away from me and told him that in no uncertain terms, but he's a jerk to begin with and when he drinks he gets worse." "Has he threatened you in any way?" Tom asked. "Not directly, no," Eileen told him, "at least not in any way that the cops would respond to." "So what kind of things does he do? Stalking is against the law in most places." "Oh, he sits in his truck in front of the house, or he's in the parking lot when I leave the office, or he shows up at a restaurant when I go to lunch. They're all public places, so there's not much I can do." "Can I make a suggestion?" "Of course." "Rather than make assumptions, let's go to an expert and see if you have any legal options. My original divorce lawyer is here in Portland and might know of someone who specializes in that sort of stuff." "That's probably a good idea," she opined. "A letter from a lawyer might even be enough to make him stop." "I will tell you this, though," Tom continued, "if he does anything that makes you feel threatened, I guarantee you he will regret it. And I won't lay a hand on him. I just found you and I'm not going to let him do anything to hurt you or Derrick." His own anger was flaring and she could see it in his eyes. "Tom, please don't..." she started to say. "I won't lay a hand on him, I promise." She looked at Tom with new eyes. She knew he wasn't a violent person, so this side of his personality seemed slightly out of character. The last thing she wanted was another macho idiot like Jack, all full of himself and overflowing with phony testosterone. She was sure Tom wasn't like that, but the intensity of his responses was puzzling. Looking into her eyes, Tom saw the emotions swirling in her head. "Come here," he said gently, taking her hand and leading her to the living room, then sitting on the couch and drawing her down next to him. "I have a few things to tell you." Her eyes were locked on his and their four hands formed a knot between them. "I have hidden nothing from you, and I will never hide anything from you, but there are a few things we just haven't gotten around to discussing yet. "You know I was a Marine," Tom began. "I joined back in my late teens as a way to grow up and get out on my own. It's how I paid for college. I also told you that now I'm an officer in the National Guard, remember?" Eileen nodded. She hadn't given it much thought after he had told her that on the train. "I didn't see any action as a Marine, but in 2004 and again in 2009 my National Guard unit got mobilized. We went to Iraq and spent a year in combat there both times. I've been shot at and my vehicles were blown up several times while I was in them. I saw people die, people who were very close to me, and my men and I killed people. A lot of people." He watched her face carefully for her reaction to that last bit of information. Her eyes had widened, but nothing more. "Are you okay with this?" he asked. "Oh, Tom," she replied, raising one hand and lightly brushing his cheek. "I had no idea." "It's not something I talk about a lot," he told her. "But I want you to know everything about me, and that's part of who I am." Her eyes welled with tears again. Instead of being shocked or scared, Eileen had gained a new appreciation for why he was the man he was. Like most people who had never been in the military, she didn't give a lot of thought to what war was like, but his words had brought it home on a quite personal level. She leaned forward and planted the most delicate of kisses on his lips, then drew her head back a few inches. "I love you so much," she finally whispered. She kissed him again. She took a few moments to compose herself after learning what she had about him, then tried to lighten the mood. "I hope Jack is not going to meet that side of you," she said with a wry smile. "Not that part, no," Tom answered. "The main thing my military service and combat experience has taught me is to not fear death. I don't welcome it, but I don't fear it either. And pussies like Jack scare me, well, not at all." Eileen laughed out loud at the comparison. She knew Jack well, and he really was a pussy. "I hope he never meets you in a dark alley." "Like I said, I won't lay a hand on him. I know ways to make him wish he was never born that don't require physical force. No one fucks with the people I love and gets away with it. No one." Eileen laughed again. God, what a man. "But now I have something else to ask you," Tom said. "How would you like to meet my daughters?" Meant to Happen She was equally impressed. He obviously took care of himself, with a strong but not vainly muscled body. Broad shoulders anchored strong arms that had seen their share of hard work, and his flat stomach testified to his smart eating and exercise habits. He was a bicyclist, and his muscular legs showed it. Between them hung his member, which she already knew would grow to adequate size when necessary. He wasn't into massive ink like so many other guys, sporting no more than a small "USMC" tattoo on his left upper forearm, a vestige of his hitch in the Corps twenty years ago. And he was a Marine, she thought. Could he be any more perfect? They attacked each other hungrily, kissing and pawing and rubbing and stroking and trying to take in every bit of the other all at once. Their lips were locked in passion, tongues darting and exploring. Their hands wandered and explored, alternately stroking and squeezing. Tom reached down to grasp the cheeks of her sweet ass, and lifting her off her feet he carried her the few feet to the bench to their left, seating her gently on it and kneeling down between her parted knees. She held his neck tightly as they shared yet another deep, lingering kiss. He moved his head gently to nuzzle her neck and lingered at the hollow where it met her shoulder. Curling himself slightly, he ran his tongue and lips down onto her chest and continued onto her left breast. He circled her nipple with the tip of his tongue, then flicked gently at it and the stud it contained. She gasped in pleasure. Ohmigod, does this guy know what to do with a woman's body, she mused. She was a bit self conscious about the modest size of her breasts, and in a husky whisper said, "My first husband said I should join the 'Itty Bitty Titty Committee'." Tom broke from his attention to her boobs long enough to answer. "He obviously didn't know how lucky he was. I think they're perfect, like the rest of you," he told her, and his words actually made her tear up slightly. "Where have you been all my life?" she asked him softly while looking deeply into his eyes, immediately fearing she had gone too far too soon. "Funny, I was going to ask you the same thing," answered Tom. The tears in her eyes overflowed. "Damn you, man," she choked out as the tears rolled down her cheeks. She took his face in her hands and gave him another long, gentle, yet insistent kiss, then pulled him to her and held him tightly as she composed herself. "This can't be happening to me." "Some things were meant to happen, my sweet. Just accept them as they come." With that, he resumed where he had left off, kissing her gently between her breasts and moving across to her right one, which received the same loving attention as its twin. He moved his hands down her sides and onto her legs as his head left a trail of kissed down and across her midsection. He finally moved his shoulders below her legs, and after kissing and licking the inside of each of her thighs he pressed his mouth squarely onto her already wet pussy while using his hands to support and spread her legs farther apart.. As his tongue entered her canal and he tasted her juices, Eileen felt like she could explode any minute and she emitted a low moan from deep in her throat. Tom's prowess at eating pussy was quite advanced, honed through years of practice and a true enjoyment of giving a woman head. He considered cunnilingus to be just about the most intimate gift one could give a woman, and got almost as much enjoyment from giving it as the recipient did getting it. He knew what he was doing and loved doing it. "Excuse my French, but fucking-a, are you ever good at that," she told him as his tongue traced from the bottom of her slit up to her clitoris and rubbed roughly over it. She moaned again, louder this time. "I had no idea it could feel so goddam good." Tom said nothing, but continued to make oral love to every square centimeter of her pussy. He used the tip of his tongue to part her labia and when reaching the bottom inserted it as far as possible into her vaginal opening. His most effective technique was reserved for her clit, though, and he used his lips to uncover it so his tongue could scrape across it. Sometimes he would purse his lips around it and suck, or ever so gently scrape his teeth over the tip. While sucking on her little man in a boat he inserted his finger into her and turned his hand palm up, searching with curled digit for that one spot he knew existed in every normal woman. He found hers almost at once, just where he anticipated. She gasped. Men had gone down on her in the past, of course, but never like this. Tom was different, more gentle and caring and more aware of what he was giving her. With this move he had found the key to a door long locked. "OHMYGODYES!" she cried out, "YESYESYESYESOHMYGODYES! RIGHTTHERE RIGHTTHERERIGHTTHERE!" Her orgasm came in a flash, washing over her before she knew it was coming, wave after wave of release pulsing through her. She used her hands to hold his head fast against her as she felt each spasm throbbing, her head thrown back and her eyes closed tightly, and Tom lapped up the hot juices flowing from her. After what seemed like an eternity she could feel it subsiding, and finally regained her composure enough to speak. "Ohmyfreakinggod, that was wonderful. I've never cum that hard in my life. Where DID you learn to do that?" "I'm guessing you enjoyed it?" he said, looking up at her with an evil leer. "Enjoyed it? I nearly passed out!" "I'm glad it was good for you." "You are the master of understatement. Stand up." He did so. Eileen also stood and gently pushed him across the small compartment, getting him to sit on the other bench. She dropped to her knees in front of him. "Your turn, mister." Eileen could sense the difference in their nascent relationship, the long-suppressed feelings he stirred in her. That mix of emotions was reflected in how she made love to him, with a caring and intensity long missing from her life. The sight and feel of her delightful self had already made him semi-hard, and she grasped his member at its base with her right hand and gently ran her tongue from its base to its head, stopping at the top to flick at its tip and lick the first drops of precum from the meatus. With exquisite slowness she used her tongue and lips to bring him to full hardness, covering every inch of his cock with some part of her mouth or hand. When she took him fully into her mouth he moaned, the sensation overwhelming him. "You're pretty damn good yourself," he told her. Unlike so many guys, he could not have cared less about how she had learned to suck cock; that was in the past, and she was with him now. She looked up at him without removing him from her mouth and her eyes smiled in response. As she gave her expert attention to his now-rigid shaft, he could feel the first stirrings of his orgasm and with gentle pressure from his hands on her arms urged her to stand and pulled her gently towards him. Eileen straddled his lap, placing her knees on either side of his legs on the bench, and reached under herself to grasp his cock and guide it into her dripping pussy. She lowered herself into its full length and sighed with pleasure, closing her eyes. She put her arms around his neck and drew his face to her for another long, deep kiss as she began a slow, rhythmic movement up and down on his lap. Tom returned her kiss and placed his hands under the cheeks of her tremendous ass, grasping one cheek in each. The feel of such a perfect derriere excited him even more, and his hands gently urged her to quicken the pace of her movements. She would occasionally take his full length into her then pause, grinding her pelvis against him with a circular motion to put pressure on her clit. Again grasping her sweet ass cheeks, Tom suddenly stood and lifted her with him, then turned and sat her in the bench he had just vacated. He was still inside her, but now he used his hands under her knees to spread her legs wide. He propped his knees on the edge of the bench and began to rhythmically move in and out of her, the new position allowing him to get even deeper. She gasped again as the head of his cock brushed near her cervix and she swore he was going to crawl completely into her. "Ohgodyes fuck me. Yes yes yes..." she chanted in rhythm with his thrusts. Reaching for his neck, she pulled his face toward her and locked lips with him, moaning into his mouth at the intensity of the feeling. Tom was really driving now, pumping in and out of her like a piston, his balls slapping against her ass with each push. He could feel his orgasm quickly approaching and increased his pace. He finally let out a deep grunt and pushed in one final time, holding in that position as his body spasmed and he shot his man juice into her, his lips locked on hers. After what seemed like an eternity he could feel his orgasm subsiding, and pulling himself out of her, he knelt between her legs and embraced her while his tongue and lips joined hers. Finally, out of breath and completely drained, he collapsed onto the bench next to her and wrapped his arm around her as she rested her head on his chest. They didn't say anything for several minutes and basked in the afterglow of what had just transpired. Finally she spoke. "You're incredible." "WE'RE incredible," he gently corrected. She smiled at the use of the plural. "Want to hear something funny?" "Sure." "Remember that dream I had last night?" "Of course." "It turned out to be true. You ARE the world's greatest lover." "Thank you, but I think that's a tad overstated." "Not at all," she gently chided. "You're the gentlest, most caring, most understanding man I've ever known, and you truly made love to me." His answer was a gentle kiss on her forehead. She turned her head and looked up at his face. "You're also pretty damn good looking, mister." She planted a sweet kiss on his mouth. "Eileen, I have to tell you something, too. I've never connected with anyone like I have with you. I feel like...like..." "Don't try to explain," she interrupted. "I know just what you mean. I feel the same way," came her reply. ********************************* Since they weren't paying for the compartment, they had to leave it as they had found it. After dressing they made sure everything was in its place and looked untouched, then quietly left the compartment. After a quick stop to freshen up after their marathon lovemaking session, they returned to their seats and curled up in each other's arms for a few hours of shuteye. They awoke as the sun rose and the train slowed for its stop in Minneapolis. Eileen's face reflected a sadness Tom wasn't expecting. "What is it?" he asked. "I'm getting off the train in four hours," she told him. "I have to know when I'll see you again. You've changed my life." "And you've changed mine," he replied. "In this case I think the gods have smiled on us." "Huh?" "Next month I'm starting my new job as Regional Training Manager for Nike. That means I'll spend my first month getting oriented at Niketown in Beaverton." She thought her heart would explode. "Seriously? I live in Beaverton!" "Even better," he said. "My daughters live with their mother in Tualatin, and I make regular trips there to see them, at least once every year or so." Her emotions were running away with her, leaving her breathless. She was speechless with joy. Tom continued. "I won't make any promises about when and how, but I'm going to make one thing happen as soon as I get back to Pittsburgh, and try to make another happen as soon as I can. "I'm ending this mockery of a marriage I'm in at once. I have no feeling left for her, and I've had enough of maintaining this charade. Plus, I fucking hate Pittsburgh. As for the other, I intend to spend the rest of my career at Nike, and that means eventually working at the corporate campus." "You mean...?" "Yes, that's what I mean. I want to eventually move back to Oregon. I'm also sick of living so far from my daughters." He felt refreshed, almost like a new man. "Oh, Tom, I don't know what to say. I'm so happy." "Just say you'll be waiting for me when I arrive." "You know I will."