17 comments/  24155 views/  11 favorites

Express Lane Ch. 03

By: RaLaWrites



"We could go all night… Give me the Green Light…" 

Danielle and I were singing John Legend's 'Green Light' while sauntering around the kitchen. After working two weeks with no off days, Danni finally had a chance to visit. It wouldn't last long since she was going to work bright and early the next day but we were making the most of it. 

"So what do you want me to do?" She asked, looking at the ingredients spread out on the table. We promised the next time we met up, dinner would be first on our catching up list. It was a pain in the ass that we had to eat two separate meals. DanI was a vegetarian and of course, I wasn't. 

"Well," I said, dancing. "How 'bout you cook mine and I'll cook yours?" 

Danni frowned, her auburn bangs swishing from one side of her face to the other when she cocked her head. "Oh, man. You're going to make me touch meat?" 

"Damn right. I've been wanting a good meal and since I ran out of frozen dinners, thank god, I want some homemade meatloaf and mashed potatoes." 

"Lucky you. I'm havin' such a good time I'll touch what was once a beautiful, living thing so you can have your meatloaf," she smiled.

Danni was the only girl I knew who put the sun in sunshine. She could have broken both of her legs and got mugged on the same day but at the end of it all, she was smiling. It was commendable and something to strive for in my eyes but Joanna couldn't stand her. Then again, someone in a constant bad mood like Jo wouldn't love a bubbly personality like Danni's. I was the happy medium between the two; not quite crabby but not so animated. 

"Good and I'll get started on your nasty veggie pizza," I teased. 

We bopped to the music and kept singing. Okay, screeching. But the point was we were having fun. 

The song went off and Danni decided to put her DJ'ing duties on pause to talk. "So I know I've been busy. What have you been up to?" 

I didn't look at her. I was too busy chopping up green peppers, but I did respond. "Let's see. Made a new friend who's downright yummy and started a new relationship that I'm not all that hyped about. Oh, and Joanna got hired at the grocery store a few blocks away from here." 

"Hey!" Her demanding cry made me peer at her. "Back it up. You have a boyfriend now?" 

"Yeah," I sighed. "James and I… it's a long story. A long ass boring story." Two days went by since I saw James and I wanted it that way. Oh, he contacted me multiple times — left lovey-dovey messages to my voicemail and stopped by the house while I wasn't there. When I got back home, Jo told me I had a bouquet of lilies waiting for me. It was too much too soon. 

"You don't sound all that happy." Danni stopped preparing the meal to size me up, looking me over with intent. 

"I'm not but that's no reason for you to put my dinner on the backburner," I said half-joking. "James is sweet. Good in bed, too. You've met him before and you know what he's like. I just don't know if I want to be with him." 

"Be with him so soon, you mean?" 

"No." I shook my head. "At all." 

Danni's inquisitive nature fell silent. For fifteen minutes we worked on our respective dinners without a sound, until she asked another question. 

"Forgive me for being quiet. I was just thinking. So who's this yummy friend you speak of?" 

 Finally, a pleasant topic. "Noah. I met him in the park. Wait, no I didn't. You know that same grocery store I mentioned earlier?" 

"Russell's," Danni said. 

"Yeah. Noah works there. I saw him one day in the store then ran into him the next day at the park."

"I go up there from time to time," she admitted. "What's he look like?" 

"Hmm." I put the knife down to think of a suitable way to describe the sexiness that was Noah. "He's got straight brown hair. Tall but with a thin build. Gorgeous dimples." I looked at the ceiling, hoping I didn't leave anything out. "Oh! Almost forgot. The most beautiful gray eyes in the city. The country. Universe? I don't know but they're that damn breathtaking." 

Danni watched me and folded her arms. "Really? If he's that tasty then why aren't you with him?" 

"That's an easy one to answer," I snorted. "Noah has no interest in me. The closest we've ever come to flirting happened when he asked me, 'Would you kiss a guy you've only known for an hour?'" 

Danni paused. "… So did you?" 

"No!" 

Her frustrated groan was noted but not taken to heart. "See? That's your problem, Rissa. Hot guy right in front of your face like chum on a fishing line and you swim right by it. What's wrong with you?" 

"Look, ain't nothing wrong with me. He called a week later asking me to baby-sit his little brother so he could go out with some chick. Does that sound like he's interested?" 

She laughed. "Maybe it's because you didn't kiss him! He might be turned off by that; maybe he thinks you aren't interested in him." 

"Maybe," I agreed. "Too late now to straighten it out. He's been seeing the same girl every night for a week. I've only seen him twice." 

"Girl, as long as there isn't a ring on his finger it's never too late. Even then you still have a shot, but I think you're too much of a good girl for that." 

"He called me that too," I grinned. "Might that be the culprit? Maybe he's into fuck-on-the-first-date kinda girls. No effort required; just take 'em out for dinner and voila! The panties are down in no time at all." 

The familiar chime of the doorbell tinged. "Danni could you get that? Probably Jo coming back from her thousandth date with Lawrence." 

"Okay." She jogged and her long ponytail followed, bouncing each time she took a step. I froze in place to listen. Jo wouldn't be happy about Danni's presence so I needed to know if I had to play referee. 

Danni walked back to the kitchen with both of her brows raised. "Um… it's James. Want me to tell him you don't feel good?" 

I rolled my eyes. "No, it's cool. Sit tight, I'll be right back." I would have worried about my less than stellar appearance — two braided pigtails, a tank top and jogging pants but I wanted to make this short and sweet. 

James rested against the front door. Another bouquet of flowers, daises this time around, were being clutched in his hand. He was clean-shaven again; his coiled, jet-black tresses pulled back. Forever in formal attire, his dress shirt and black slacks did make me scold myself for not changing into something a little more suitable. His wide-eyed cheerful smile elicited a similar grin from me despite my mood being anything other than pleased. 

"Hey, love." His strong arms linked around my waist. "I've been missing you." 

"Hey." James still beat Noah in the looks department; His big brown eyes were positively charming. They twinkled with content as he looked down into mine, squeezing me. His perfect full lips rubbed against mine, kissing me several times. My pert nipples couldn't help themselves; they hardened against his chest. 

"I got these for you." James lifted the daises up to my nose so I could inhale their sweet scent. "Joanna told me you'd like them." 

Wasn't that a surprise? Daises were actually Jo's favorite, not mine.

"Thanks," I whispered. "Gotta put these in water." 

"Not right now," he pulled at my arm. "We need to talk. I have something I need to tell you." 

"Yeah, me too. Sit down."

He sat on the sofa across from me and crossed one leg over the other, lacing his fingers together. "So who goes first?" 

"I uh… I think I should." Resting my head against the chair, I shifted around in a nervous way. Looking him in the eyes was impossible so I opted to stare at my hands instead. "James, I like you and you're so easy to get along with. I have never been so close to someone in such a short period of time like I have with you. That's why --" 

"You want to stay friends with me," he finished. "Not be in a relationship with me." 

I expected to see James look pissed and heartbroken. When I looked at him, I saw neither. Believe it or not he seemed to understand. 

"Exactly. That's not what you were coming to tell me too, right?" 

"Nah," he laughed. "I was coming to tell you I wanted to take you out to dinner but it's nowhere near upscale. Just this Chinese restaurant my friend told me about." 

"Oh. You mean tonight? Because --" 

"Tomorrow," he said. "I see you have company tonight. Rissa, don't worry about telling me how you really feel. I wondered if we were going too fast myself and I can understand if you only said you'd be with me because I was giving it to you that night. Wouldn't be the first time a girl did that," he said smugly. 

I had never felt so much relief in my life! "Whew! Thanks, James." 

"Don't think my offer doesn't stand anymore, though. If you ever need me to put you to bed, just call me. Or at any time of day." 

"I have a feeling I'll do that." 

"Good." He stood up and walked over to me, kneeling on the floor. "One last kiss as a couple. What do you say?" 

"C'mere, lover." My nails grazed against his cheeks when I cupped them and his eyes fluttered. Our lip-lock was a loving one, complete with erotic moans and ended with our tongues saying hello to one another. 

He pulled away, his eyes heavy with genuine sadness. "I'll miss that." 

"No you won't," I assured. "Any time I need you, you'll get that and more." 

He rose to his feet once again and so did I. "Tomorrow at Seven. Don't forget, Rissa." 

"I won't, Jaime."

His eyes narrowed as he looked at me. "Who said you could call me that?"

"I did. Night, James." 

"Night," he winked. 

I closed the door behind him, smiling. It dawned on me that I agreed to the very thing Noah inquired about and that I denied. James was now my fuck buddy but I didn't feel any outrage or shame like I thought I would. 

Go figure. 

********** 

"Larissa, do you have to come with me? Why can't you just take your car?" Joanna screeched, running around aimlessly. She'd only been working for a week and already complained that she wanted to quit. What a shocker! 

"Because Lawrence is taking you to work, right? I need to go to the store. Win-Win," I explained. 

"Like hell. You can't stand Lawrence. And I don't like the way he looks at you when you're around," she whined. 

"Not my fault your little Mack-Daddy boyfriend can't keep his eyes straight," I said. "Besides, if there's anything  you shouldn't be worried about it's me falling for him. I'd rather be alone." 

We could hear his poor, innocent little horn beeping inside of that gaudy shit he called a car. It was an old fashioned seventies car, complete with shiny red paint and silver rims. I shuddered to think about the amount of money wasted to make that thing look like it did. 

"Fine you can come," she growled. "But don't say anything to embarrass me. You know, just don't say anything at all." Jo grabbed her purse and bolted out of the door. I, on the other hand, walked at a much slower pace. I knew it would drive her crazy, but it was yet another thing she needed to be taught and sorely lacked: patience. 

While Jo was already in the car, I was taking my sweet time to close and lock up the house. Once I got outside, I even stopped to tie my shoestrings. 

I was wearing heels but who cares? Waiting would be good for her. 

Approaching the car, I could see my lesson had backfired and then some. Jo was too busy playing tonsil hockey with Lawrence. I popped the door open and sat in the backseat, right between the two of them. 

"Alright, children! Less tongue and more driving." 

Lawrence swiveled around in his seat. His cocoa-complexioned skin was smooth; his hair, cut short and wavy and brown eyes made it hard to dispute his attractiveness. If only he kept his annoying ass mouth shut, I might like him. 

"What up big sis," he slurred, courtesy of his southern accent. "How you doin'?" 

"I could be better if I was stepping foot in the store right now," I joked. "Let's save the chit chat for another time, hmm?" 

"I hear ya," he nodded. Ten seconds later my ears were being assaulted by bass-heavy music. The speakers were shaking so loud that I couldn't even tell what the song was. 

"Turn that down!" I yelled. 

"Oh, sorry." Lawrence tinkered with the controls until the sound was at an acceptable volume. Even though I was twenty-two, I was never one to crank up a song so loud that the windows in my house buckled and threatened to break.

We drove into the parking lot and I damn near threw myself out. Jo was saying her good-byes, which consisted of more kissing and god knows what else. Yet another conversation I needed to have with her. 

The sliding glass door opened and I walked inside. I was not even ten steps in before I spotted Noah, who was tending to a customer. I didn't want him to see me so I ducked into another aisle. Scanning the items in the aisle I noted not only how I, but how my body would respond to Noah. It was like being in a one-mile radius of him caused my stomach to do cartwheels and back flips. 

I trailed around the store for as long as I possibly could, visiting aisles and sections I had no business in. After all I had only come for milk and cereal. 

Since stalling for ten minutes got a little boring, I decided to check out. With milk and cereal in each respective hand I waited in the lane. Noah looked tired but managed to greet each customer with a smile. Except me. 

Once it was my turn, his warm but fake grin faded away. His eyes were dark as he glared at me, similar to the way he looked at James that night. 

"Good afternoon to you too…" I read his nametag playfully. "…Noah." 

"Now there's a face I haven't seen in a while," he murmured. "Rico Suave got you under lock and key, I take it." 

Rico Suave? I tried to curb my laugh but I couldn't lie. That was a good one. "No, James does not have me under lock and key. We aren't even together anymore. What about you and the redhead?" I had only seen her once, when dropping Jo off to work. Noah's shift was ending and she was there to greet him. 

"Silver," he said. 

What a fucking stripper name. Silver. "Yeah, her." 

"I don't think that's any of your business, Ris." He scanned both of my items and smiled, arching one of his thick eyebrows. "The total is five seventy-five." 

Noah had the honor of being the only person I'd known less than a month who got under my skin. Whether it be good, bad or otherwise, he got under my skin. I shoved exact change onto the counter and walked off without my receipt. 

"Larissa, hold up," he called. 

My heels clicked on the cold pavement as I walked back into the parking lot. I didn't see Lawrence but then again, I never told him I wanted a ride back home. Walking, it is.

Another set of footsteps followed behind me and were approaching fast. Noah, of course. He grabbed my arm and looked down at me. The sun's rays brightened everything in sight including Noah's eyes, which were now a very light shade. I swear, he was like Dr. Jekkyl and Mr. Hyde. 

"What, Noah?" 

He sighed and scratched his head. "So yeah, she's my girlfriend." 

"Why was that so hard to admit?" I asked. He didn't say anything and I was much too busy to stand in a parking lot looking at him, even if he was delectable. 

"Never mind that," he said, exasperated. "Rory misses you. Evidently you both had a really fun time watching cartoons together." 

"We did. You tell Rory any time he wants to come by and hang out with me, he can." 

"What about me?" he inquired. 

"Oh, you can play with Silver. Dumb ass name," I muttered as I walked away. Again, Noah's strong hand clutched my arm. 

"Don't be stupid, Larissa. I haven't had a lot of free time to hang out with you but I'd like to. What do you say? I have a few days off starting tomorrow. You could come visit Rory and me today, maybe even spend the night." 

I pondered the offer. I knew that being in close quarters with Noah would make me crazy with lust but I'd have Rory to fall back on. I didn't feel comfortable getting down and dirty with a child in the house. 

If I wanted to say no, Noah was making it hard for me to do so. He poked his full lower lip out and looked into my eyes with feigned sadness. Oh lord, he could pull off the puppy dog face and not look silly! I figured there wasn't any harm in it, so I agreed. 

"Fine. I have to go home and pack for overnight." 

Placing both of his hands on my shoulders, Noah leaned against my ear and whispered. "I don't think you need to pack. Just come with what you're wearing." He chuckled, his voice deep and rich. Turning away from me, he asked one last thing before he left. 

"Wanna ride?" 

"What?" My mind was in the dirtiest of gutters after what just happened. 

"A ride home, girl."

Oh. "Um… no. I'll walk." 

"Alright. See you, Ris." I watched him stroll to his car; that tall frame of his swaggering with confidence. His silky brown hair blowing wildly from the gusts of wind swirling around us. Who was I to fool myself? If Noah even hinted subtly that he wanted it, he could get it. Oh, could he get it. 

As I walked, I thought about several things. Noah, mostly. I also thought about Jo and the talk I needed to have with her. How much fun Danni and I had last night. How James… 

James. We were supposed to go out to dinner tonight. 

 Tomorrow at Seven. Don't forget, Rissa. 

I stood on the sidewalk, stunned. I couldn't believe I forgot about our plans. Not only that but I threw them out of the window for Noah. Suddenly having a lackluster social life seemed better. Less complications, no forgetting plans. With me, there was never an in-between. Either my social life was dry as the Sahara or it was raining with people and events. And right now, it was pouring.

Express Lane Ch. 04



Hey, you've reached Larissa. I'm not here right now.... 

There it was again. I didn't think I would ever get sick of hearing my own voice, but I was starting to. 

Curled up on the couch at home with remote in hand, I did what I do best. I avoided making a decision. I couldn't say no to James or Noah. Especially Noah. I guessed a night of watching Law and Order: SVU wouldn't be so bad anyway.

Joanna's heels clicked against the wooden steps as she walked down them. "Ris, if you don't answer that phone..." 

"You'll just keep listening to it ring," I said. "I don't feel like talking to Noah. Or James." 

"Crazy," she muttered. "I can see not wanting James, he's tired. But Noah? You're out of it." 

"Whatever," I laughed. "Just go on your little date and get out of my hair." 

Once I heard Joanna close the front door and leave, I sighed. I picked up my phone. 8 missed calls. James... then Noah. Noah again. Then James, two more times. I couldn't take it. I didn't' feel so bad about standing Noah up but I owed James more than that. I hit the menu button and then pressed send, dialing his number. 

"Hello?" 

"Hey, James." I could hear a lot of talking in the background. Was he having a get-together? 

"Ris." He sounded surprised. "What's up?" 

"Sorry about our date tonight," I said. 

"No, um..." I could hear laughter in the background. Screw a get-together: James was having a party. "Actually that's why I kept calling you. I had other plans tonight." 

Well, didn't that make me feel good. "Oh. Well... okay. I guess I'll talk to you later." 

"You too, babe." Click! 

All I could do was laugh. All this worrying, avoiding James and Noah and it turned out that my decision would have been made for me already. Who knew? Slumped in the corner of my sofa now, I stretched while watching TV. Mariska Hargitay's character was inspecting an abandoned house, searching for a scared child on the run. I swear, this show always drew me in from the moment it started to the very end. Just as Dt. Olivia Benson kicked the door in to the abandoned house, I heard a thunderous knock on my own front door. 

"Woo! Hold on," I yelled, shaking off my spooked feeling. As I got to the door, I rolled my eyes. How many times will Jo-Jo come back for something she left was a fun game I enjoyed playing. 

"What you need now, Jo... Noah?"

"JoNoah," he laughed. With his hands nestled inside the pockets of his brown jacket, he peered at me. Good lord, he was wearing glasses and instead of making him look nerdy, he look distinguished. Sexy. His silver ring was in the middle of his lower lip and his dark brown, curly hair was tousled. I wonder if he went for the bed-head look or if he literally just rolled out of bed. You could never tell with Noah. Those deep dimples of his were showing as he said, "Now that's an interesting nickname." 

This man couldn't be real. It was like something out of those cheesy harlequin romance novels. A lonely woman, alone and bored, is saved by a mysterious hunk. Except Noah wasn't a hunk. He was just a real guy. I stood there, gawking at him. 

"Yeah," he walked past me, coming inside my house. "Since you're not going to invite me in, I'll just come in by myself." 

I closed and locked the door. Still silent. 

"Nice to see you too, Ris." Flopping down on the couch, he slid a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and pulled a single out. I walked towards him, sitting on the couch opposite of him as he lit it up. "You stood me up," he exhaled. "It's eight-thirty now. Rory's gone to bed, someone's watching him. But," he paused before taking another inhale of his cigarette, "I'm not even mad. I needed to get out of the house. Nice to walk in a room without tripping over some damn toys," he laughed.

"Um," I managed to squeak. "I just wasn't feeling good. Didn't feel like going out." 

"It's alright. No harm, no foul. You know I could have came to you if you didn't want to come to me. I ended up doing it anyway. Something told me you weren't out of the house." Shrugging off his jacket, he tossed it over the arm of the couch. He raised an eyebrow. "Law and Order?" 

"Yeah," I replied sheepishly. "I like it. Something wrong with that?" 

"Down girl. I was just asking a question." Some time passed before we next spoke. Instead, we exchanged glances at one another silently, like two teens on their first date. As expected, he broke the silence. I could barely think because of him, let alone initiate conversation. 

"Why you sitting so far away? I'm not gonna bite. Come over." 

I rolled my eyes. "Like I'm scared of sitting next to you, Noah." But I was. Scared to death, even. I sat on the opposite side of my large couch, still a distance away from him. I looked at him and cocked my head to the side, as if to say 'Are you happy now?' Instead of replying, Noah winked and started playing with his lip ring. 

Oh, boy. Move, Larissa. Go. 

Noah was intent on driving me crazy. We didn't even know each other that well, but I had a feeling he'd experienced things like this in the past. He knew he was good-looking and used it to his advantage. He nibbled on the corner of his lower lip, just next to the ring. Every so often he'd look over at me and raise both eyebrows; not in a seductive way, but almost in a matter-of-fact way. I liked Noah because trying to seduce was not his M.O. He went about it in such a low-key way. 

Oh, god. 

Looking over at him again, I could see he was rubbing his tongue against his lip ring. Again, it wasn't in a 'don't you wish the ring was you' way. He was doing it in such a nonchalant way. He knew he looked sexy but acted like he didn't. I knew from that point on, it was going to take all of my willpower not to spread my legs and give it up right then and there. What I told Noah some days earlier was true; I didn't believe in just sleeping with anyone, no matter how sexy. But this boy was testing my limits. 

"Okay," I said frantically, getting to my feet. "I need snacks. What do you want? If you even want something." 

"Give me a second," he muttered before looking up at me quizzically. "Got any chocolate?" 

Was he serious? I put my hands on my hips and looked over at him. He gave me a big smile that reminded me of Rory. They looked so much like each other. I guessed genes were strong in his family. 

"The only chocolate in this house is me," I half-joked. "And even then, I'm more like butterscotch." 

"Ugh. Do I look like I'm 70? Who eats butterscotch?" he complained. 

"Fine! I'll grab some popcorn and get some soda." My feet slid against the carpeted floor as I made my way into the kitchen. Opening the shelves, I grabbed two folded packets of microwavable popcorn from the box. I could barely manage unwrapping them from their plastic case without feeling the pressure building inside of me. I had never questioned myself about anything regarding my sexuality until Noah. Although I was far from a prude, I didn't believe in just sleeping with anyone. 

Especially people I wanted to be in a relationship with. 

The buttery smell of the popcorn usually nauseated me but this time it was reality's slap in the face that turned my stomach. Noah had a girlfriend. Silver. I remembered the sight of the leggy redhead in the parking lot earlier today. I wasn't jealous. What for? I had curves that could stop traffic. But who says that would be enough for Noah? 

I opened both popcorn bags and dumped the contents into a huge blue bowl Joanna and I used for get-togethers and parties. Tucking two bottled waters under my arms from the fridge, I flopped down on the couch next to Noah. Stray pieces of popcorn flew from the bowl and I heard him laugh. 

"What?" I asked, self-consciously. 

"Nah," he replied. "It's nothing. I just can't remember the last time I chilled with a girl at home, watched TV and snacked on popcorn. It's like I'm in Junior High all over again." The bowl rested on my lap. Noah's hand dove right in, making the bowl wobble against me. I closed my eyes briefly and turned away, wondering what would happen if the bowl wasn't shielding my desire for him. 

"Uh." My voice broke as I talked, and I took the opportunity to clear my throat before I continued. "Well, maybe you think it's Junior High, but I do this all the time. Much better than going to random parties with people you don't know and listening to tired lines from sleazy guys looking to bang anything with a heartbeat." 

I could see Noah from the corner of my eye. He nodded. "I can respect that." He paused before looking around the living room. "Is it always so dark in here like this?" 

"Only when I'm watching Law and Order: SVU," I explained. "Not only that, but I was planning on watching a horror movie. 'One Missed Call.' Ever heard of it?" 

Smiling, he tilted his head to the side and grinned. "Japanese or American version?" 

"American." 

"Lame. Japanese version will make you shit yourself," he exclaimed. "American version might make you jump a few times, at best. Horror movie buff like everyone else?" 

"Not me," I shook my head. "Joanna. I'd much rather watch something else but we don't have any other DVD's." 

"We don't have to watch a movie. That's horribly cliché anyway, don't you think? Girl watches horror movie with friend, guy gropes girl, they make out, fuck, and then get their heads chopped off by a psycho wielding a machete or knife or some other sharp weapon," he finished with a snort. "Hey, how about this: got any board games?" 

Of course I did! I was the queen of board games. Silly or not, I loved playing Scrabble, Pictionary or even clue. "Yeah, a few," I answered. "Clue, Scrabble --" 

"Twister?" 

The fantasy I had of Noah's body thrashing against mine didn't take place on a twister mat. But maybe that was a good thing. "Yeah I do. Hold on." I slid my hand underneath the couch and pulled out the crumpled twister box, thanks to years of wear-and-tear. I couldn't recall the last time I'd played it, but I knew I would never forget playing it this time around. 

Noah pulled the coffee table off to the side as I unfolded the mat, spreading it out on the floor. Placing the spinner next to the mat, I nervously put on hand on my hip, and raised the other one towards him. "You're up." 

Rubbing his hands together, he grinned at me and flicked the spinner, which landed on left-foot green. Noah simply placed his now sock-covered foot on the circle, and waited for me to go. The spinner took forever to choose where I'd go, and my upset stomach fluttered with butterflies. Right-foot red. This pattern continued, each hand and foot that he or I moved making me all the more anxious. When it was my turn to spin and move again, I noticed that I was on all fours underneath Noah. Occasionally I'd hear him groan which would make me crazy, but he insisted that it was lack of exercise. "Being in one fucking position like this is... murder," he puffed. "I really should toss the cigs off of my list of bad habits and jog once in a while."

A condescending laugh escaped me. "Told you. Just because you're young, it doesn't mean you have an agile body like mine." I moved one more time and could feel my arms starting to give. "Oh, Shit!" I smiled going down and laughed non-stop when I hit the mat. I didn't notice that Noah had gone down as well, with his arms propped up to support himself. While he wasn't directly over me, he was still close enough to put me ill at ease. His dark, grey eyes penetrated me. He wasn't laughing; not even a smirk. I wondered if he was hurt. "What's the matter?" 

He stood up and clasped my hand, pulling me to him. His large palm brushed against my jawbone as he cradled my cheek. All the alarms were going off inside, and on the outside, my hard nipples and damp panties were a testament of how much I wanted this man. He inched forward, strands of his straight brown hair obscuring his eyes. My eyes closed as I felt his lip-ring brush against my own full, bright pink lips. I trembled as it sank in that we were embracing in our first kiss. A kiss that shouldn't be happening. 

As if he read my thoughts, he pulled away as quickly as he could and reached for his jacket. I walked towards him, putting my hand on his shoulder. "What?" Noah --" 

"Have to get back to Rory," he explained as he slipped his feet back inside of his shoes." He stopped when he saw just how confused and slightly hurt I was. He pulled my hand to his mouth and kissed it softly. "It's been fun." Opening the front door, he winked at me before closing it. 

With my back against the door, I stared ahead of me, barely blinking. What the hell just happened? 

*****

"How's Rory?" Noah asked as he entered his three bedroom, two-bathroom abode. The toys that lay askew all over the living room with Rory in the middle of the mess answered his question. Instead of smiling at the sleeping tyke, he sighed and cocked a brow at Crystal, who was too busy filing her nails to look up at him. "Crystal," he barked. "Why the fuck is Rory not in his own bed?"

"He's too heavy," she whined. "What was I supposed to do? And I told you about calling me Crystal. My nick is Silver." 

Even having a girlfriend with the hottest body in the world didn't compensate for her lack of intelligence and common sense. Noah scooped up Rory in his arms, being careful as he maneuvered his way around the various blocks and toy cards blocking a clear path to the bedroom. Laying the three year old in his bed, he tucked him in and swept the hair out of his face. He had embraced him as his own. Hell, Rory might as well be his son. If it wasn't for their mother high-tailing it out of dodge, maybe the kid would have a better life. When Noah found out that his then 45 year old mother was unhappily pregnant and wanted an abortion, Noah begged her not to. An only child, he had always yearned for someone to play with. Now, as an adult, he wanted nothing more than to take Rory as his own, and give him the best life his mother never could. 

Placing a soft kiss on his forehead, he quietly retreated from his bedroom and grimaced as he looked at Crystal. Now fully nude on the couch, she flashed what was once a seductive grin Noah's way. Her fiery-red hair was wild and her green eyes told the story; when in doubt, give it up. Noah adored that some years ago, but now it did nothing for him. "Put your clothes back on, Crystal." 

"Silver!" 

"Whatever. I'm not in the mood tonight." He continued admonishing her as he gathered Rory's toys and put them in his wooden toy chest. "Just tell me how he was." 

"Annoying," she scoffed. "First he wanted me to read to him. Then he wanted me to play with him. And when the little bast-- I mean, tyke, finally wore himself out, I tried to pick him up but he was just too darn heavy. You understand, right?" Silence. "Right?" she asked again. 

Noah look at her scornfully. "Not right," he growled, trying not to raise his voice. "You know better." 

"Whatever! You know, I'm tired of you treating me this way. You wouldn't even have this fucking house if it weren't for me and my dad. Or your job, for that matter." 

The bitter laugh that emanated from Noah startled Crystal. The side effects of dating a local socialite. The quintessential rich 'Daddy's Girl.' When they had met in high school, Noah didn't care about her life or her background. He just wanted to hit the sack with her, but Crystal didn't give it up so easy back then. So he waited a very long year before he scored with her. By that time, Crystal had already "fallen in love" with Noah and wanted them to be an official couple. Her wealth never came into play, until his Mom dropped the bombshell that was her pregnancy. Crystal and her father, Norman, really came through for he and Rory. Norman Foyer owned roughly half of the businesses in the suburban town, which made for a very rich man. He also dabbled in real estate, and even allowed Rory and Noah to live in one of his homes, with the price of rent reduced at a considerable rate -- all because of Crystal.

She had done a lot for him. But it still wasn't enough. He didn't love her. 

"You know, you're right Crystal. I would not have this house if it weren't for you. I wouldn't have my job if it weren't for you. Thank you." Noah stiffly turned and walked to his bedroom. He was grateful that Crystal didn't live with he and Rory; she constantly complained that the house was too small. Not a far fetched complaint from a girl who was used to only living in large, luxurious homes. 

"Silver," she reminded him for the millionth time. 

Gritting his teeth with his back turned to her, he dropped his head and turned to look at her. "Right. Silver." He closed the door to his room and sighed. His body stayed tense until he heard the familiar sound of his front door closing. God, that chick drove him nuts. At 23, Noah didn't expect Crystal to want to be a mother to Rory right away, but up until recently he had hoped that she would at least warm up to the premise of being around him on a daily basis. It was clear she hadn't and didn't want to. 

His angry thoughts turned to sweet ones as he remembered when Rory and Larissa first met. Rory was shy, like Noah had been as a child. Usually, he didn't take to strangers but when Noah told him that he was spending time with Larissa, before he even saw her, decided to grab flowers for her. Could he tell Ris was a special person ahead of time? Noah sure did. Rory talked about her whenever he recalled his first and so far, only visit with Ris. "Noyah, ah we gowing to see yarissa?" the little man would ask every so often. He spoke just as Noah did as a kid, and it made him laugh. 

Then he remembered tonight: how Larissa had sat nervously next to him throughout his whole visit. It was endearing at first because he knew she liked him. He'd gone through the motions a million times before. But he didn't want to do the same old song and dance with her. She didn't just seem different, he already knew she was. Good lord, he could barely keep his eyes off of her nipples that jutted out from beneath her shirt clear as day. God knows how he ached to rip that little flimsy shirt she was wearing off and caress his lips lovingly around what he assumed were beautiful chocolate buds.

As he looked down at his feet, he quickly realized his view was blocked by the tent that had risen in his boxers. Lying on top of his bed covers, he found himself slipping his hand inside of his shorts to wrangle his member. The reason Crystal loved him, as well as other girls, was all thanks to his package. He was blessed with an above average shaft and he couldn't recall a time where a girl didn't want to jump on him right then and there after they saw it. But he wasn't thinking about them. He was thinking about Larissa, and her luscious golden brown skin. He had dated many girls before in the past whenever he and Crystal took "breaks", including Asian, European and even Hispanic. But he had never had the pleasure of laying his eyes upon such a beautiful Black beauty like Larissa. She was positively stunning, without even trying to be. 

"Oh," he groaned softly as his clenched fist traveled back and forth around him. It was never Noah's M.O. to go for the girl-next-door type and not too many men did the same. But maybe he should have. Maybe, no, there definitely was a hypothetical trophy to be won for having a gorgeous, classy, hospitable and kind woman on your arm, even more so then having some smoking hot bimbo by your side. Larissa was that classy woman. She was definitely gorgeous and so, so kind. Bashful. It was refreshing to meet someone like her. His mind outlined the shape of her body and he grunted as the first trickle of his seed dribbled down his hand. He wasn't there yet, but the thought of her body made him so damn close. 




Express Lane Ch. 04



Larissa wasn't a thin girl. She wasn't heavy. She managed to stay somewhat safely in between, all the while maintaining a small waist and large, round hips. And that ass! Oh, man, he imagined doing everything with that. As his pace quickened, a pang hit his heart in an odd way. He couldn't even get too aroused at the thought of taking Ris rough. He wanted to be soft. Loving. Give caressing touches and kisses that make her shiver. He wanted to... 

"Make love to her," he whispered aloud. "Larissa." 

The vivid portrait that entered his mind sent him over the edge. He was on top of Larissa, but cradled her so gingerly, almost as if she were fragile. Her lips and his were not their own, but they became one as they embraced in sensual kisses reserved for lovers only. He thought of his member entering her gently so as to not hurt her. Her imaginary moans and whimpers triggered what he knew was coming. A large stream of his seed spurt from him, landing across his hand and lower stomach. Breathing heavily, he grabbed wipes from the table next to him and closed his eyes. Noah had been in love before. He knew what love felt like. He couldn't quite say he loved Larissa. 

But he wanted to.



Express Lane Ch. 05



Walking hand in hand with Rory, Noah was escorting the energetic little guy from daycare. They were still far away from home and Rory had not yet run out of stories about the day's misadventures. Lately, Rory was the only thing that put a smile on Noah's face. Crystal had gone on vacation -- which was a very good thing, in his opinion -- but she told him that it was only temporary. She would be coming back tonight, and her first stop would be to "spend time" with him. More like badger him. 

"Noah, I'm tired," Rory whined, rubbing his eyes with balled fists. Noah picked his little brother up, resting his head on his broad shoulder. As he cradled him into his chest, Noah made no attempt to lie to himself. He was incredibly busy with work and watching Rory with little to no help, but he couldn't go around Larissa while he felt this way. It wouldn't be right to her. He wouldn't be surprised if she hated him for not contacting her; he'd seen the calls over the past few weeks and so desperately wanted to return them but his conscious wouldn't let it happen. 

His cell phone was ringing. Larissa? In an effort to break the cycle of avoiding her that he had fallen into, Noah hit the 'talk' button without looking at his caller ID. Fuck, the one time he should have checked, he didn't. Crystal. 

"Yeah?" he answered dryly. 

"Hi, snookums!" Crystal shrieked. She must have been in a good mood; otherwise she would have grilled him for such a lackluster greeting. "Just got back from St. Croix and I have got great news for you!" 

Please let it be that you want to break up with me, he thought with false hope. "What's that?" 

"Well um, my dad needs someone for his new business. Someone to be in charge of, well, everything." 

Not Russell's. The only way Noah would commit to willingly working there is if someone held him at gunpoint. Hell, even then, it would still be up for debate. "No thanks. I'm fine with the position I got." 

"Not at the grocery store!" she scoffed. "Dad's business in Nevada. It's a little town, just on the outskirts of Las Vegas. I know you're handy with computers and stuff, so you'd be doing a lot of IT work, mostly. Keeping track of the business's finances. I think he said something about close to 100k a year, if I'm not mistaken." 

Holy shit. Noah stopped in his tracks and almost dropped his phone. Fumbling with it, he put the receiver back up to his ear. "One hundred-thousand a year?" he asked. 

"Yeah," she giggled. "You wouldn't have to worry about living arrangements, since we own a few properties there. I think you'd have fun living in the condo we own. It has a lot of space and there's an elementary school nearby for Rory. That way he would be out of our hair most of the time!" 

Our? "What do you mean, Crystal? And I'm not calling you Silver, so just get to the point." 

"Fine," she sighed. "Well, I'd be living with you, naturally. I'm tired of this town just as much as you are. The only reason my Dad even moved here was for all of the business opportunities. Won't it be fun?" 

Noah's shoulders shrugged. 10ok a year was the best offer he'd gotten since... well, ever. But living with Crystal? Having to see her face from sunup to sundown was the one thing that fucked up the whole deal. That and leaving Larissa behind. "Look, I'm almost home," he explained. "I'll call you back when I get situated." Flipping his phone closed, Noah barely managed to keep walking without stopping. Jesus, he was looking for some kind of break; even close to praying, though Noah was not what you would call a devout Catholic. Noah guessed this was God's way of answering his prayers. But was it the right choice for he and Rory? 

A crackle of thunder above was followed by heavy raindrops. Noah managed to get the umbrella open just before the fat drops of rain got a chance to drench them. He knew he was almost at home and tried to walk as fast as possible. A medium-sized woman was walking towards him, but he paid her no mind. Even if he tried to, the rain would obscure his view. The closer the woman got to him, the slower his pace became. The gait of that walk. The switch of those hips. Her rubber boots and raincoat were the same she wore that day in the park. She looked delicious. 

"Larissa," Noah called out. 

When Larissa realized who it was, she stopped to a halt, then tried to hightail it past him, but he grabbed her arm. "Wait!" 

She shook her head and pulled away from his weak grasp. "No, Noah. I'm busy and minding my own business. I have nothing to say to you." 

First Crystal with her bombshell, now running into a livid Larissa was enough to drive Noah crazy. He clenched her arm again, this time holding on so tightly he could hear her whimper. "But I have something to say to you and goddamn it, you will listen to me." 

She pulled back, rubbing her arm lightly. Her eyes went to Rory and she picked up the sleeping toddler along with the umbrella. Noah was so pissed he was shaking, and didn't want to chance dropping his little brother. With a deep breath, he looked into Larissa's honey brown eyes and a torrent of words followed. 

"Ris, I've been busy. I haven't had any help with Rory. This old lady next door to me baby-sits him sometimes but she's probably had her lifetime's worth of childcare experience, so she's sick of him. I've had to work full-time AND train new employees, including Joanna." 

"If all you're going to do is give me excuses --" 

"They're not," he interrupted. "There is no excuse. I have been busy, but it doesn't mean I couldn't have taken five minutes out of my day in the past two weeks to contact you and let you know how I feel. Let's just stop the bullshit, Larissa. I've had a relationship's worth of bullshit. I don't want anymore. I feel something for you and I already know you do too." 

"Who says?" she spat. This girl was stubborn down to the very end. 

"Fine." Noah stepped forward, his line of sight focused directly on her, his stare more intense than usual. "Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't want anything with me. I'll fuck off, let you live your life." 

Larissa shifted uncomfortably. "But that's stupid," she whispered, looking at the ground. 

"Even if it is," he reasoned. "Just do it. Look at me and tell me you don't want to be with me."

Slowly her gaze lifted. When her eyes met his, she quickly closed them again. "Noah," she sighed, "So what if I do want to be with you? You have a woman. You have a girlfriend. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to see if I can have some form of a love life too." 

"Who? With Rico Suave?" Noah scoffed. 

"His name is James," Larissa snapped. "And yes. James is sweet, loving, kind, everything you --" 

Putting his coat over Rory to block him from the rain, Noah snatched the umbrella out of Larissa's hand. He was already drenched from the spring rain, and the second the water began hammering down on Larissa, she gave him a look that told him how much she loathed him for doing that. "The hell is the matter with you?" 

With both hands, Noah cupped Larissa's face. He stared into her eyes, his pale hands caressing her light, golden brown skin. His left thumb lightly brushed against her bottom lip, tracing it. "You are what's the matter with me," he whispered. "Look, I don't know what you think. I'm not some hot-shot Don Lothario looking to fuck anything that moves. I've dated people other than Crystal, I've felt love and before that, a strong connection. A strong desire." 

Larissa trembled under his touch. He didn't know whether it was from the rain or his words, but he didn't want to chance her getting a cold. "Rory and I are almost home. You obviously weren't going home but I... I want you to come back with me. Even if I didn't feel this way for you, I'd still want to talk to you. You're an ideal person to confide in," he confessed. "Please." 

Larissa's straight brown hair was beginning to curl from the rain's moisture. Nodding softly, she bent down to pick up the umbrella. "I'll come back, but I have to get this out of the way. It's important. Here." 

Noah looked at the ground, shaking his head. "Keep it. I'm a soldier, after all. You know how I am about rain." He forced a small smile and made one last intimate gesture towards Larissa by lightly touching her hand before he continued on his journey back home.

The load on his shoulders suddenly got a little lighter. Now all he had to do was deal with Crystal. 

Which would be no easy feat. 

*****

With her raincoat over her head, a very shaken Larissa wandered down the road. Her destination was not far but the exchange she had with Noah sent her into a tailspin. Pissed was not the word to describe how she felt towards Noah for not talking to her for weeks. No, it was much too tame. Incensed was a better fit. 

After that very awkward, tension-filled night with Noah, and the sweet kiss that made up for it all, she hadn't heard from him since. The few calls she made to his cell went unanswered, her voicemails ignored. Why would he not talk to her? She replayed his responses in her head. 

Ris, I've been busy. I haven't had any help with Rory.

Why not drop Rory off to me? She thought. He knew she would have no objections; she adored that little boy.

Let's just stop the bullshit, Larissa. I've had a relationship's worth of bullshit. I don't want anymore. I feel something for you and I already know you do too. 

Of course she did, but was ignoring her for two weeks the right way to show it? She didn't know the true motive behind his actions and didn't want to press him for it. Hopefully he would explain on his own accord. Larissa's thoughts switched gears as she buzzed apartment number 201. "J. Vazquez" was written next to it. 

"Hello?" a garbled female voice answered. 

Larissa arched a brow. "I'm sorry, I was trying for apartment 201. Must have hit the wrong button." 

"No, this is it," the mystery woman replied. 

Huh. "Is James Vasquez there?" No answer, only the hum of the buzzer that signaled the door was now open. Hesitating for only a second, Larissa grabbed hold of the doorknob and turned. The distinct smell of the apartment assaulted her senses. Although it wasn't crude, it had sort of a heavy musky scent that wafted throughout the entire building. As she walked up the steps, she stopped just before stepping in front of James' door. She could hear two voices, slightly arguing with one another. 

"Why didn't you ask who it was?" the male voice urged. 

"James," the woman sighed, "How was I supposed to know it wasn't Helena coming to hang out with Drew?" James' brother. There went the theory that the mystery chick was Drew's girl. Larissa pressed her ear closer to the wall, straining to hear. The girl's voice sounded very familiar, but she just couldn't place it. 

"What am I supposed to tell her, Danni? That I'm dating her best friend?" 

Larissa's hand went to her mouth. Danni was dating James? They saw each other not less than an hour ago, taking notes for one of the upcoming final exams. Larissa didn't now how to feel. Should she even feel upset, angry, betrayed? She didn't think so. James was hot, no mistaking that, but she didn't want him. Crave for him. Not like she did with Noah. This last-ditch effort to get over Noah failed miserably, and she was surprised but happy with the end result. 

She stepped in front of the door and, when James finally opened it, blurted out her feelings. 

"I could hear you guys through the wall and I want you to know that I don't care that you're dating, in fact I think it's great. You should have told me earlier, you know. Hi, Danni! Bye Guys!" Larissa took off down the hall, leaving a stunned James and Danni standing at the door. 

Time to get back to what she really wanted. 

***** 

With Rory long gone to sleep, Noah had spent the last half-hour or so flipping aimlessly through TV channels. What was the point? His mind couldn't focus on anything but Larissa. 

He tossed the remote on the couch next to him. Raking his fingers through his messy brown hair, he couldn't believe what Crystal dropped on him today. In his heart of hearts, he knew if there was any other way out, he could do without Crystal and her father's offer. Then again, passing up the chance to make One Hundred Thou a year was just damn stupid. He had no idea of what to do. He needed Larissa's ear. And lips. Neck. Breasts. Nipples... 

"Fuck," Noah grumbled. Screw the money. How could he leave a queen like Larissa behind? She was perfect in every way. Well, except for being hard headed. But he could happily look past that. Speaking of that tasty little treat, where was she? He hoped she didn't go back home. Or worse, she and Rico Suave reconciled. Pulling out his cell, he hit one of the speed dial buttons he'd saved Larissa's number on. The phone rang a few times before someone picked up. 

"Hello?" 

"Yeah? Who is this?" Joanna. After training her and listening to her whining for the past two weeks, her voice was one that he would not soon forget. 

"It's Noah," he said. "Ris at home?" 

Silence on the other end. Did she hang up? 

"No," she sighed, "In fact she's headed your way. What are you --" 

"Thanks, Jo. Bye." He hated to be curt, but it was obvious from day one that Joanna was into him. He had no time to be annoyed by barely legal bait, who just happened to be the sister of the one woman he desired most at the moment. 

He needed to get his mind on something other than his troubled thoughts. Sifting through his CD collection, he slid a CD marked "Favorites" into the player. Under the Bridge by Red Hot Chili Peppers played first. It was fitting; his mood was very somber and lost, much like the song's theme. 

"Sometimes I feel like I don't have a partner..." Anthony Kiedis' brokenhearted voice seeped out from his speakers. 

"You and me both," Noah huffed. He looked at the clock. Almost 10:00pm. She wasn't coming. If she came this late, she'd have to spend the night. Probably went crawling back into what's-his-face's arms. 

"Take me to the place I love... Take me all the way..." 

With closed eyes, Noah began to sing along. He sympathized with the song's message; a lonely man abusing drugs spends his time underneath the freeway, just to get that one fix and escape it all, despite the friends and family he left behind. Noah had been there. Not necessarily under the bridge, but at god knows who's place passed out, drunk off of who-knows-what and after smoking countless blunts. Marijuana, or as everyone else he knew called it, Weed, had been his saving grace. While he didn't dabble in some of the stronger and harder to shake drugs his friends took, one blunt he snuck in his room at home turned into two. Then three. Four. Five. Until he lost count. 

When Rory was born, it changed everything. Some people need actual parenthood to sober up; Noah's parenthood came early. It might not have been his child, but damn it, he was Rory's brother, father, mother, friend, caregiver, entertainment, and anything else that little boy wanted. Noah's father had left long ago, and though he didn't know him, he could not hold a grudge against him for getting out of dodge. His mother was insufferable. He enjoyed life and living, no doubt about that, but the fact that his mother was even allowed to reproduce was startling. She had never done anything motherly for him; even making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich was a task he had to master at the age of five, because his mother refused to lift a finger.

A light knock at the door. He sprang from his seat, almost breaking his neck to answer. It was her, all right. Prepared with what he assumed to be a sleepover bag, she walked past him and looked around. 

"Where's Rory?" she whispered. 

Noah pursed his lips and put a finger to them. "Sleeping. Though," he said, sitting on the couch, "I don't expect him to get up anytime soon, it's been a long day for him. So um, how'd things go with..." 

"Don't ask," Larissa chuckled. "Just don't ask." 

Noah shook his head and smirked. Whatever happened obviously worked in his favor. He watched Larissa look around the large living room, first at the flat screen, high-definition TV, and then at the CD tower stocked with hundreds of the discs. She smiled at him, her full, juicy lips parting. God, he would love to kiss those lips. And lick the others. 

"Nice house." 

"Thanks." It might not be mine for much longer. "But um, that's why I need to talk to you, Ris. Crystal called me earlier and her dad gave me a crazy offer. I want to say once in a lifetime, seriously." 

Larissa looked puzzled. "Like what, Noah?" 

God, this was hard. Looking into her brown eyes, his lips parted but his voice faltered. He couldn't form the words to accurately explain the situation at hand. "A job with an annual salary of 100k. Nice condo in Nevada, great school for Rory."

"At what cost, though?"

"Living with her." 

Larissa stirred around on the seat cushion. Scratching her head, she looked at the ceiling in what Noah assumed was deep thought. Her golden brown skin always seemed to glow, and her beautiful tresses fell messily past her shoulders. Gorgeous without even knowing so. She was thinking of the perfect answer, he hoped.

"Do what you feels right. Do what you want, Noah," she said simply. 

He was frozen. Do what he wanted? If he knew what he wanted, he wouldn't have asked for her help. "That's all you have to say, Ris? Just like that, you can't come up with anything better?" 

"It's just like that, Noah." Her tone wasn't one laced with bitterness or carelessness, but simply someone who believed that their opinion was the best one. Noah leaned forward with his fingers laced, parting his legs and propping up his arms on his knees. His temples were throbbing, and he didn't need to see himself to know that his porcelain skin had turned a bright red. He was pissed. 

"What do you want me to say?" she said, exasperated. "I can't tell you what to do, Noah. You do what's best for you and that beautiful little boy, that's all that matters." 

Whatever, this is complete bullshit. Noah leapt to his feet, scowling as he made way towards the hallway, in route to the bathroom. 

"Where are you going?" Larissa wondered. 

He didn't answer. He looked back at her angrily, then continued to walk to his destination. He needed to cool off. His head was clouded in anger, and some of his boiling blood had inadvertently gone south. He was confused, angry, and so fucking horny. 

"What a day," he grunted, turning the faucet handles violently. As the lukewarm water rushed out of the showerhead, Noah stripped off his clothes and kicked them out of his way. He looked around for his bar of soap. What luck -- no soap, only that bubble bath shit Crystal loved using so much. "Fuck it," he said, pouring a small amount into his hand. "Better than nothing." His large palms traveled his toned frame, spreading the watermelon-scented liquid everywhere, creating large, foamy bubbles. He spent the time in the shower, up until that moment, ignoring the quivering erection that stood at attention, pointing towards the shower wall that Larissa was on the other side of in the living room. 

Jesus, it wasn't just his mind. His body literally craved for her.

Both fist slammed against the tiled surface, sending the relatively small bathroom a jolt. Fuck! Goddamn it, Noah, think! Now was not the time to not have an answer. He needed to always have an answer. Not for him, but for Rory. The last thing he wanted to give Rory was instability. He wanted nothing more than a stable life for him, and Rory was more than deserving. 

He thought he'd heard something, but ignored it. The sound of his beating heart drowned out everything, made everything else so irrelevant. All he could think about was this fucked up situation he was in, and the woman he wanted to make love to like there was no tomorrow. 




Express Lane Ch. 05



The click of a woman's heel echoed throughout the bathroom. Now he was sure he wasn't alone. Peeking his head out, he saw Larissa looking at him with saddened eyes. "I'm sorry, Noah. I just didn't know what to say, you know? I know that Rory means everything to you, and I didn't want to influence something that could potentially make life harder for both you and him." 

Noah knew a thing or two about hard. His member twitched, and the sight of her, too close for comfort while he was like this caused it to drizzle pre-cum, which dripped onto the shower floor. "Ah," he groaned, "It's alright. I'm cool. I'll be out in a little while." 

"No, it's not cool. I like you a lot, Noah, and I..." 

Christ, would she not let up? He didn't want his hormones to take over, but if she kept on like this, he'd lose the battle. 

"Larissa, I said..." 

"No, just listen to me!" she cried. "I don't want to do anything that would make me look selfish, I don't want to tell you something just because I..." 

Fuck this. Either it would make her wet or make her run. He didn't care anymore. He hastily slid the shower curtain over, exposing himself to her. Her eyes went straight for his erection, and her mouth dropped at the sight of it. 

"Because you want me, Ris?" he breathed. Noah stepped forward, his long and very rigid shaft just inches away from Larissa. "Look at me." 

It took her a while, but she went from staring at the lower part of his body to the upper, gazing helplessly into his deep grey eyes. 

"Do you see what the hell you're doing to me? I mean, really. Jesus Christ, I could hammer straight through this fucking wall in the state I'm in." Combing his fingers through his now wet brown hair, Noah's eyes were locked onto hers as he began to confess how he felt. "I don't want to leave you behind, okay?"

Larissa nodded softly, unable to respond.

"You know I haven't known you that long, but I know a bull-shitter when I see one. You aren't. You're real. Too fucking real, Larissa." 

"Noah..." 

He reached for her, quickly wetting her outfit with the shower's warm stream. His lips connected with hers, their tongues flicking against the other, exploring, tasting each other. She didn't fight. He didn't pull away. They became one. 

With her small hands on his chest, Larissa removed them to unbutton her jeans. Good god, She was undressing! She managed to slide her jeans off and toss the heels aside. The only thing that remained were her panties and blouse. Noah smiled. His animalistic tendencies would come in handy here. "Unh!" His bare hands ripped the flimsy blouses' material right down the middle, causing it to drop at her feet. 

Larissa shrieked. "Noah!" 

"Whatever, I'll buy you a new one." Thank god there wasn't a bra covering those perfect breasts and chocolate colored nipples. He turned her around and very carefully ripped off her panties, causing her to yell once again. Noah almost let out a fucking scream of his own once he saw that ass. "Oh, have mercy." As she faced him, she poked him in the chest, but all he cared about was looking at that pussy. Trimmed. 

Larissa must have been self-conscious, because she covered her mound with her hand to shield it. "I haven't shaved it smooth in a long time, okay?" 

He laughed softly and looked down at the large, pulsating shaft that was now rubbing against Larissa's golden brown thigh. The contrast of his pale self against her delectable darker skin was electric. " If you think I care about that right now, you're crazy." His palm struck her backside, making that delicious echo resonate throughout the room. But in the midst of all of this, Noah remembered the promise he made to himself. He didn't just want to ravage Larissa. 

Okay, he did. God knows he did, but he'd done that so many times before with so many different people. He wanted something else with her, do things right this time around. 

Larissa shocked him as she enclosed her dainty little hand around his cock, stroking him. Gritting his teeth, Noah closed his eyes and lifted his head. "Ris... are you sure this is... uhn... you know..." 

"What, Noah?" she quickened her pace on him. He couldn't remember the last time his knees had been so weak. Thank god for that shower wall. "What you want? D... don't get me wrong, shower sex is awesome, but I'd... ahh..." 

Larissa grinned. "Speak up, Noah. You'd what?" 

The pre-cum he was leaking now could have amounted to a full orgasm for him. Putting his hands on her shoulders, he looked into her eyes and breathed deeply. 

"I'd rather make love to you, Larissa." 

Larissa staggered to find something to lean against after hearing his words. She looked ill, as if she were going to faint. Which didn't make him feel too good about his confession. 

"I want to make love to you." Noah looked her straight in the eye, the tone of his voice more unsettling than his glare. He reached down to hold her free hands, rubbing the back of her palms with his thumb. "What the fuck else do you want me to say?" he chuckled nervously, tilting his head to the side. "You're worth making love to, not just fucking." 

If he didn't love her before, the beginning process of loving her began when Larissa flashed him the sweetest smile he'd ever seen. She blushed, and his grin in return showcased his very deep dimples. She couldn't look him in the eyes and to his surprise, her smile faded. 

Not good. 

"Ris?" he said cautiously. 

Larissa's grip of his hands loosened. By now, the loving grin had dissolved into a full blown frown. "No." 

He swallowed, feeling pangs of pain in his chest. What did she mean no? 

"I can't because you have baggage," her voice waned. "Not Rory, but Silver. I don't like or want to be with someone who's already involved." She bent down to pick up her ripped blouse and panties, shuffling around to look for the rest of the outfit. 

Noah shut his eyelids tight, holding his head in his palms. She was right. In Crystal's eyes, they were a couple. "Ris... I..." 

"I'm not leaving," she clarified. He huffed, a part of his body quickly feeling a lot less tense. "I'll stay with you because it's clear you need somebody right now, and I don't run out on good people." Covering up as much as she could with her torn and tattered clothing, Larissa walked out of the bathroom and called behind her, as quietly as she could. 

"I'm going to change into my night clothes and then I'll be waiting in the living room when you're done." 

The once steamy flow of water had turned icy cold now, but Noah's blood was red hot. He felt so much passion for this woman, this beautiful, considerate queen. No, he wasn't pissed at her. Far from it.

Slowly but surely, he was starting to love her. 

"God, just... let her feel the same. Please."

*****

With her legs folded on Noah's large couch, Larissa rubbed her shivering arms. Her whole body tingled. Any other time, she would have done a quick replay of the events that just happened. Not now. Her emotions were too raw; her heart was very much guarded. Larissa had been in love before, and she had also been hurt, too. She didn't want it to happen again. Not with Noah. 

As she looked up, he entered the room. Shirtless and almost nude, save for boxers, Noah slumped against the couch next to her. His comforted groan at least told her he was feeling physically better. As he saw her ensemble, his expressionless face turned into a childlike grin, and he scoffed. "Pajamas?" 

Larissa looked down at her matching P.J.'s, which were embroidered with the image of a blue sky and tiny clouds. She smiled back. "Yeah, and? Got a problem?" 

"You're not eighty," he laughed. "Save that for when your body has gone south and you get up at 4:00am every morning to watch the sunrise, drink coffee and talk about how things used to be in the old days." 

Larissa lied back, happy that the mood was at least temporarily lightened. "Well, I just happen to think they're nice." 

As the very uncomfortable cloud of silence hung in the air over them, Larissa realized just how temporary the fun and jokes were. They sat quietly, occasionally glancing at the other. 

Noah finally spoke after some time. "I don't know what to do about Crystal. I mean, fuck our relationship," he admit. "I could care less about that. It never meant much to me anyway. But this house and my job are courtesy of her father. I don't have any immediate family in the area. I don't have enough money to travel out of state." 

"Well," Larissa leaned forward, "Let's try to think about what you can do." 

"I'm screwed," he laughed with bitterness. "The economy is horrible, especially in this place. I could try to move someplace where business is picking up but that takes cash I don't have. Fucking degree under my belt that I haven't even utilized."

"What degree?" she questioned. Unless she was wrong, this was the first she'd heard of it. 

"It's in the IT field. I've always been a little bit of a closet nerd. Computers were my saving grace back when I was a kid. I love the fact that we live in the age of rapidly evolving technology, you know? Anyway, the demand for IT jobs in this place is ridiculously low. Imagine how surprised I was when I got here." 

She nodded, trying to think of something. "Well, that's a start. You have something to work with." 

He looked at her, his grey eyes a very light color, in contrast to how they'd been while he was in the shower. His naked body, soaking wet. His large, pulsing... 

"No, no," Larissa muttered aloud. "Don't think about that." 

"What?" 

She cleared her throat. "I said, don't think that way. Look, you got me, okay? Push come to shove, there's an extra bedroom in my house. Now Jo isn't gonna give her personal space up because you know she's a little princess but I'll gladly share my room with Rory and you can have the other, alright? I got you."

Noah's questioning glance turned to an agreeing nod. "Not my style to impose, but I might not have a choice." He grabbed a spare cigarette from his coffee table, sticking it in the side of his mouth as always, looking for a lighter. 

"Might not have a choice about that problem, but uh..." Larissa took the cigarette from his mouth and broke it in half. "You need to do something about that one." 

Noah grinned. "Fair enough." Scratching his brow, he moved closer to Larissa and cuddled with her. There went that tingling feeling again. 

"I haven't felt this comfortable in a long time," he whispered to her. "You're making me forget about all this shit I'm staring down. Not only that, but I feel better about it too." 

She couldn't resist reaching down to hold his hand. "That's what I do." As Larissa closed her eyes, head against Noah's shoulders, she could feel him sneak soft kisses against her neck. She didn't try to stop him. But she did notice that Noah's stereo was on and playing a song she loved. 

"Noah," she said, "Is that the radio or your CD player?" 

"C...D... Player..." he answered between kisses. "Why?" 

"Just asking 'cause I love the song that's playing. Didn't think you'd be into anything like that," she said. 

"That's one of my favorites, I love mellowing out to this one." 

"I love it too." Larissa's lips parted, and she gasped as Noah began to bite her neck lightly, suckling on her silky skin. Noah groaned against her. She could feel his massive erection growing against her and in turn, made her own juices stir. "Noah?" 

"Ris, I'm going crazy. I can't have someone as beautiful as you so close to me and not get hard. You make me so fucking hard." 

Larissa turned to face Noah, and planted her lips firmly on his. Yeah, she was adamant about being involved with a man without baggage. But she also believed sometimes, you just needed to feel. Not think or analyze or worry about anything, but just feel things out. 

And oh, did she feel Noah. She stood up, carefully taking off her pajamas. Noah watched, his eyes fixated on her, barely able to blink as her golden brown flesh came into view once again. His fair hands rested on her hips, her mound level with his face. "I want you too, Noah." 

He was able to come out of his stupor, only to sweep her legs up and over his arms, carrying her to his bedroom. Their tongues entwined as they kissed and stayed that way until Noah laid her gently on the bed. Larissa could barely make out his room, it was so dark. Her inability to see heightened her other senses considerably. Noah's hands traveled from her hips to her calves, which he propped onto his shoulders. His wet tongue made an excruciatingly slow journey from her ankle to her inner thigh and back again. Larissa couldn't believe what was happening. 

"Noah, just... don't tease," she pleaded. "I hate being teased." 

"Too bad," he whispered. Spreading those long legs, Noah's pursed lips pressed against Larissa's sensitive love button. 

"Oh! Noah..." 

"Mmm," was the only response he could give her as his tongue traveled around her sensitive clit clockwise, then counterclockwise. He tormented her with his mouth, enclosing his lips around her clit. She could only imagine how sexy he looked, playing between her legs. She reached down to touch his sleek brown hair which tickled her inner thigh. And then he did it. He did something Larissa had never felt before and would never feel again with another man. 

"Turn over," he hissed. Slapping her ass hard, Larissa squealed as she got on all fours, legs spread wide behind him. Feeling self conscious with her ass up in the air faded away as soon as he probed her folds from behind, making her scream.

"Noah!" 

"Anybody... ever... done this... to you?" he asked between licks, kisses and suckling on her clit. 

"No," she whimpered and felt Noah pull her arms behind her, holding both of her wrists with one hand. Squirming, she realized that Noah completely stopped with his motions, instead relying on Larissa to wiggle and grind her pussy against his extended tongue. 

This is so damn kinky. I love it! 

"Yeah," he gasped as she slid her pussy against his mouth, covering him in her juices. "Fuck my mouth, Ris. It's yours, baby. I'm yours, I'll do whatever you want to make that pussy cum for me." 

"Oh, shit," Larissa groaned. "You want me to cum for you, Noah?" She moved closer to him, feeling the warmth of his face against her backside. Her yelps and squeals prompted Noah to slide his tongue inside of her fully now, tasting her greedily. He rubbed her clit with his two broad, thick fingers, egging her on. 

"Cum... fucking cum for me..." 

As she gripped Noah's sheets, Larissa released a piercing scream that bounced off of his bedroom walls. The fluttering of her walls against his tongue sent lightning bolts of ecstasy that she had never experienced before. Her creamy taste covered him; his tongue, mouth and face. Noah groaned just as loudly as she had and when she collapsed, Noah crawled on the bed next to her. His kisses were greedy, and her scent lingered heavily on his tongue and now, hers. 

"Are you okay?" he inquired as he brushed the hair out of her face. 

Larissa grinned. "Yeah," she panted. "Just... damn." 

"I know. But you can tell me how I'm that damn good in the morning," he laughed." The flick of his lighter illuminated the room briefly, and was followed by the oppressive smell of smoke. 

"Didn't I tell you about that?" 

"Whatever, I need it. That's the first time I came just by licking pussy," he exhaled. 

"You didn't... you know?" she asked vaguely. 

"If you're trying to ask me if I choked the chicken, the answer is yes," he laughed. "Still a first for me." 

Now she felt guilty. And a little cheated. "How come you didn't wait for me? Maybe I wanted to do something about it." 

"I'm surprised I lasted as long as I did, to be honest. Not that I have problems performing," he paused. "Just because I was with you." 

Larissa bit her lower lip, suppressing a smile. If he and Rory did have to move in, she wasn't worthy of getting to experience this every night. It was just too damn good to be true.

"I gotta get up early," Noah interrupted her thoughts. "If you're not sleepy, you can keep yourself entertained by surfing the 'net or watching TV." 

"Nah. I'm not really a night owl. I'd rather go to bed, too." As she turned over on her side, Noah leaned over to kiss her on the lips. With his arms now around her, Larissa didn't expect the sudden lifting of her thigh and even more so, a very hard Noah entering her from behind. 

"Ahh! What the fuck are you doing?" 

"Going to bed," he snorted. "And so are you. If you want more, just wake me up throughout the night." Covering them up with his large blanket, Noah kissed the back of her neck and presumably drifted off to sleep. After some time, Larissa followed suit, with visions of their lovemaking floating around. This was probably the most bizarre month of her life, but she wouldn't change it for the world. Everything happened for a reason, right? She didn't know why Noah had come into her life. 

But now that he was in, she didn't want him to leave.



Express Lane Ch. 06



Dear readers,

I would like to apologize for the very long delay in updating the series. After moving and starting another year of college, I haven't had time to do much. I hope this chapter compensates for the wait, just enough to tide you over until the next one.~ RaLaWrites

***********

Larissa was stiff as she sat down in the small boutique. Her face was expressionless, only occasionally changing it to flash a forced smile to her mother and Joanna.

"Rissy," her mother pleaded. "We are in here shopping for your graduation. The most you could do is act like you're semi-excited."

"I know I am," Joanna chimed in, holding up a shimmering metallic dress to her body. "There's nothing I love more than shopping."

Larissa sighed. "I'm fine, Mama. I don't really care what I wear on that day."

"It seems to me you don't care about much anymore," Joanna said. In a rare act of kindness, Jo sat next to her forlorn sister, putting an arm around her shoulder. "You have to let it go."

Let it go. For the past six months, she had heard that phrase more times than she could count. She chanted it in her head like her personal mantra. Yet it did nothing to ease the pain.

Six months had passed since Noah and Rory left for Nevada. To call his decision a complete shot to the heart would be an understatement, yet accurate. She could remember the phone call like it was yesterday, mostly because she was expecting Noah to take up the offer she'd extended to him. Everything was still so vivid in her mind.

"Hello?"

"Hey," Noah answered. His voice was unusually shaky but Larissa could probably understand why. Getting rid of Crystal probably wasn't the easiest task in the world. "You sitting down?"

Larissa nodded. "Yeah. Listen, before you say anything, I just wanted to tell you there's no reason to be ashamed. I don't have a problem letting you and — "

"Wait. Larissa... fuck."

She could tell by his voice that he wasn't ashamed. He was hurting. It didn't take long for her to put the pieces of the puzzle together. He decided to take up Crystal's offer after all.

"God," Larissa whispered. "How long? How long did it take you to make this decision?"

"I... I didn't know until yesterday night," Noah sputtered. "Please listen to me. I have to do this for Rory. It has nothing to do with me or you, but it's all about him. Ris," he sighed. "I care about you so much. Don't ever question that. I need to make the best decisions for him, that's all."

It didn't take long for Larissa to feel the familiar sting of tears threatening to spill over. She couldn't yell. She couldn't scream. She couldn't get angry. He was right.

"Then do what you need to do for you and Rory. Just tell me one thing," she said, stifling her sobs. "What was the other night? Hmm?"

"The other night was unfinished. I didn't even get a chance to do or say half of the things I want or need to."

"And unfinished it will stay," Larissa snapped. "I have things to do, so I have to let you go."

"Wait! Jesus Christ, at least give me a chance to explain why I'm doing this!" he pleaded.

Stopping only to wipe her tears, Larissa scoffed. "I don't need an explanation. Goodbye, Noah."

Joanna wiped a single tear from Larissa's face. "Oh, Ris. Come on. At least try to be happy."

She nodded. Noah's decision may have caused her pain these last six months but she refused to let it affect her this week. She'd worked long and hard for her degree and damn it, she wanted to celebrate. She stood up from the quaint sofa and walked over to the endless racks of formal dresses. "I never thought I would say this in a million years," she said, pulling a baby blue dress from the rack, "but you're right, Jo. This is my time and I'm going to enjoy it." There is life after Noah, she thought to herself. I just haven't started living it — until today.

****

With hands in pockets, Noah peered out of the window of his top floor office. Paradise, Nevada was accurately named and captivating. A big tourist staple, it mimicked the fast pace that New York possessed, yet had the hospitality of Georgia and the leisurely feel of Hawaii all rolled in one.

But he hadn't enjoyed himself in all six months of being there.

Turning away from the window, he was met by a full length mirror. If he could put his current self next to how he looked six months ago, not even Noah would know they were the same person. His wiry frame had bulked up considerably; not body fat, but muscle. A result of going to the gym four nights a week to relieve the stress he felt from his job and lingering unhappiness. His once short brown hair had grown, which often bothered him. He wasn't used to having strands of hair in his eyes this much, but he wanted something to compensate the lack of his beloved piercing that Crystal's father forbade him to wear. 'Unprofessional' was the exact phase that Russell used.

Though, what did remain with Noah those past six months was a feeling of discontent.

A beautiful office, a high-paying salary, a stunning condo and an expensive private school for Rory. All of these things he had, and none made him feel even slightly indifferent about the decision he made.

The grating buzz of the intercom made Noah's gray eyes glare in its direction. His secretary, Sarah, habitually bothered him about the littlest things. He imagined this time was no different.

He pressed a button with his thick index finger to respond. "Yes?"

"Mr. Gallagher, Ms. Smith is on the line. Would you like for me to tell her you're busy?"

Crystal. Noah could do nothing but sneer at the mere mention of her. The only good thing about "living" with her is that she was never there. With her father paying for non-stop vacations around the country, there was no way for her to. She only contacted him for important reasons.

"No," he sighed. "Let her through."

After a few moments, her nauseatingly happy voice boomed through his speakers. "Hi, snookums! I just got back from L.A. and I bought you and Rory the most incredible stuff! Oh, and last night, I —"

"Crystal," Noah interrupted, jotting notes on his pad. "I'm very busy. You had something important to say?"

"Well, I was thinking. Paradise is perfect but everyone needs a trip now and then. Where do you want to go?"

Noah froze. His vacation was fast approaching, but he hadn't thought about travelling anywhere. "I'm not sure. We'll talk about it later. I have to go." Ending the call, Noah sat back in his chair, hands behind his head. As he looked down at his notepad, he sighed. He'd scribbled Larissa's name repeatedly. The first three months, he pretended he didn't care. The last three, the pain was condensed to a dull throb that crept up on him every so often. He couldn't get her out of his system.

But then again, to stop loving her would be an impossibility.

He'd wanted to call her, e-mail her, visit her. He tried the first two with no luck and couldn't bear the thought of dropping in unannounced. What if she was involved with someone?

Looking over at his calendar, Noah's eyes scanned the days. It was the last week of April, with May fast approaching. If he was right, Larissa would be graduating this week. That made a better alibi to come and see her than just doing it for nothing. He reached for the phone, nervous, hesitant. Dialing her number slowly, he took a deep breath and waited as the phone rang.

"Hello?"

It was Joanna. Not Larissa, but it's a start.

"Joanna?"

A pause. Finally, she responded. "Noah?"

"Yeah. Is Larissa there?"

Before Joanna could answer, he could hear her. Her voice was faint, but clear in the background as she called out to her sister.

"Who's that?"

"Somebody for me," Joanna said. Rapid footsteps followed and finally, she continued. "Now don't say anything," she said in a whisper. "I know you probably want to talk to her but trust me, if I give her this phone and say you're on the other end, she'll never talk to you."

"I'll take my chances," Noah responded. "I need to talk to her. I wanted to come back for her graduation. She's graduating next week, right?"

"Yeah, she is. Just got back from buying her dress. Noah, listen. If you want to come, just come. You know how stubborn Rissy is. If you ask her, she'll tell you no."

Noah groaned. He never thought he'd say it in a million years, but Joanna was right. "Yeah. I guess that's keen advice."

"Well, of course! This is me you're talking to. Now here's the information..."

****

Larissa was nervous as she waited in the audience, complete with cap and gown. The anticipation of walking across the stage with her Mom, Dad, Joanna and brother Kevin watching was too much for her to bear. Nothing could make this day more special than it already was.

As 'Pomp and Circumstance' began to play, the graduates stood and walked, one by one, to accept their degrees. The auditorium door opened, but Larissa couldn't see who entered. Most likely a late arriving family member. As her name was called, she could hear her family cheer. Accepting her degree, Larissa waved to them and stepped down.

When the ceremony ended, Larissa changed into the low-cut, baby blue dress she'd picked out that day in the boutique. It hugged all the right curves, but covered up just enough so that it was tasteful and right for the occasion. She was greeted by Joanna as she walked outside.

"Hey Jo. Where's Mama and Daddy? Kevin?"

"Hey smarty pants," Jo teased. "Um... they went back to the house."

"I thought we were going to go out to celebrate, though."

"I know, but they wanted to er... freshen up." Joanna was horrible at keeping secrets and even worse at lying, but somehow Larissa didn't notice today.

"Okay. Well, let's go." On the drive home, Larissa was tipped off by the many cars that lined the street. "Oh lord. A surprise party? And you didn't tell? What's the world coming to!"

Joanna gave a nervous grin. "Oh, that's not the only surprise you're in for. Trust."

Walking up the porch steps, Larissa smiled broadly as she opened the door. Dozens of people hopped out of hiding spots at her arrival, with cries of 'Congratulations' ringing throughout the house. She wasn't used to being the woman of the hour but there were no complaints coming from her that day. As she walked in and greeted everyone, she noticed someone she wasn't familiar with standing in the backyard. Most of the partygoers were in the dining and living rooms. The mystery man had his back turned, and as she approached the back door to walk out, she called out to him.

"I didn't know the party was outside."

He turned around. Larissa's eyes had trouble focusing, but as she realized who it was, she felt weak.

Noah. A much more in-shape, shaggy haired, healthy and happy looking Noah. A cigarette dangled from the corner of his mouth. He flicked the ashes from it and smiled at her. "Didn't want to smoke in the house."

Frozen in place, Larissa took in the sight of him. She didn't know exactly how to feel, but she did know her proclamation earlier about the day not being more special than it already was had been proven false.

But was it for better or worse?



Express Lane Ch. 07



Readers, 

I sincerely apologize for how long it took me to update this series. After starting it almost two years ago, I've decided to wrap it up with this chapter. I hope you will enjoy it and will look forward to all of my new stories and series to come. 

~ RaLa

***

Hours had passed since Larissa was surprised by Noah's presence at her graduation party. It was now nighttime and most of the partygoers had said their well wishes and gone home. The only ones who lingered were Larissa's parents, Joanna, and their brother Kevin but they were cleaning up so Noah and Larissa had time to themselves. They'd already spent a considerable amount of time discussing Noah's decision and the heartbreak and pain it had caused both of them. 

Now that their feelings were out in the open, they could talk to each other without feeling tension in the air. 

"So how is it in Paradise?" Larissa's head was nestled against Noah's chest as she spoke. His hands were clasped in hers; they looked like the perfect couple they never had the chance to be. 

"False advertisement like I've never seen before," he chuckled. "Okay well, maybe it is paradise if you're into beautiful scenery and lots of tourist attractions. It just wasn't paradise for me." 

Larissa looked at him curiously. "You mean to tell me this perfect, way-too-quiet Stepford Wives neighborhood is paradise to you?" 

Noah caressed her lower lip with his thumb. Six months without doing so much as touching her had been far, far too long. "Anywhere you are is paradise, Ris." 

Larissa stared into Noah's eyes adoringly. Have you ever had a moment where you're so elated, it feels as if you're hovering in mid-air? That's how she felt, cradled in his arms with his hold so strong against her like he never wanted to let go. She had heard of dysfunctional love affairs but was convinced that her story was so out there that no one would believe it. 

"Well," she said as she squeezed his large palm, "How long are you looking to stay?" 

Noah's smile faded. "I have about a week until I have to go back." 

She nodded, her own smile quickly disappearing. "Have to go back or want to go back?" 

"Larissa, you know I want to stay here with you; It's just that I haven't saved up enough to leave Paradise and do my own thing. As much as I've been miserable, I've really enjoyed all the perks of working there. I can't scoff at the benefits. The daycare that Rory attends is great. I just don't think I can."

Before she could respond, Larissa's mother and father walked in. 

"Hi baby," her mother said. "Before we leave, I just wanna say I'm so proud of you!" She gave Larissa a huge kiss on the cheek and to her and Noah's surprise, did the same to him. "And you... you're a handsome young man. I hope to see you again." 

Her father, while not as warm as her mother, nodded in Noah's direction and blew a kiss to his daughter before heading out the door. Her brother Kevin followed soon after, which only left Joanna, who was currently getting dressed to go out. 

"Where you going, Jo?" Noah said. 

"Spending the night with my friend. I'm sure you two have a lot to do -- I mean... talk about. Ah hell, probably both, knowing you two." She grabbed her purse and waved to them as she walked out. "Love you guys, see you later."

Larissa turned to Noah, who had a sly grin plastered across his gorgeous face. She didn't have to ask why -- she already knew. Too bad she was going to shoot him down. 

"I know what you're thinking," she said as she stood up. "It ain't happening." 

Noah rose to his feet silently, still grinning. He took off his blazer and followed her as she walked into the kitchen to grab some bottled water. His eyes followed her, scanning her body. The baby blue dress she was wearing could barely contain her curves. He put a hand on her lower back and brushed his lips against her ear. "Are you trying to tell me that after six months, you don't want --" 

"What I don't want is doing something with you while you're still dating Crystal," she interrupted. 

Noah's shoulders slouched and he froze as she walked away. Damn, he had forgotten all about Crystal and being reminded only gave him a reason to feel like the wind had been knocked out of him. He paced with his hands in his pockets for a long while. Larissa stared at him curiously from the living room but refused to interrupt whatever it was he was doing. 

After some time, he walked out of the kitchen and, pulling out his BlackBerry, sat next to Larissa. He didn't speak to her as he fiddled with the gadget, pressing buttons repeatedly with a look of annoyance on his face. Finally, he stopped and she heard the familiar sound of a phone ringing. 

He was calling Crystal. 

After three rings, she picked up. "Hey babycakes! How is your vacation?" 

"Crystal." Noah's voice had little enthusiasm in it and his piercing gray eyes were focused on Larissa. "I'm breaking up with you. Rory and I are moving back and I'm quitting my job. I love Larissa and if she'll have me, I want to stay with her and make a life with her." The line was silent for what seemed like eons before Crystal hung up. The screen flashed with a notification that repeatedly blinked 'Call Ended.' 

Larissa looked at him dumbfounded. She knew that his words were sincere as he said them, and the way that he never took his eyes from her while he spoke only reaffirmed what she felt about him.

"Was that what you were looking for?" 

"I don't know what to say," she admitted. "Of course I'll have you, but are you honest about the whole making a life with me? We're really young and... I mean, it's crazy." 

"We are young. But have you forgotten about Rory? Having him as my responsibility has only made me more open to long term commitment and stability. I know I'm pretty much going to be the only parent he'll ever know." He put an arm around her shoulder. "There's one thing I have always known and that's that life will change without warning and will be out of your control. I want to make sure of two things: that Rory has the best life possible and that you're my... whatever you would want to be to me. But I want you to be mine, Larissa. If you figure out you don't want me, you can walk away. I'm not trying to trap you." 

Beaming uncontrollably, Larissa leaned in for the deepest kiss she had ever shared with Noah. The embrace sent wild currents of electricity flowing through her, along with an unfamiliar pang that throbbed in her chest and stomach. 

She loved this man. 

Managing to pull away, she smiled and put a finger against his pink lips. "I have to get out of this dress and take a shower. Wait for me?" 

"Of course." 

As she walked away, Larissa realized that today was quite possibly the best day of her life. New man, new degree and a promising future. It was enough to send her into a tizzy and soon, she began singing happily to herself. 

"I don't want to give you up... I don't want to hold you up..." As she turned the faucets, a forceful stream of warm water burst from the showerhead and thundered against the porcelain tub and walls. Slipping out of her blue dress, she stepped into the tub and slid the shower curtain over. Her mind danced happily between her academic success and Noah. Every time she thought about the latter, her nether regions would tingle like they hadn't in months. He was right downstairs and looked hotter than ever. Best of all, he belonged to her. 

She lathered her body with soapy suds, her fingertips exploring her wet skin and occasionally brushing against her now swollen bud between her legs. Wetting her hair, she sang again as the water cascaded down her face. 

"I want you to travel with me... Let loose and let your mind go free...Show you things that you've never seen..."

She suddenly stopped when she heard the door opening and closing shut. Rubbing the water out of her eyes, Larissa gasped when she saw clearly, standing in front of her, a completely naked Noah. Her eyes travelled the length of his now muscular body, noting the addition of two new tattoos; Rory's name and Noah's initials. However, it was his pulsating dick that made her lean against the shower wall for support. 

"Well, isn't this a bit of déjà vu?" he whispered. 

She didn't respond right away and Noah took that as an invitation to climb into the shower. He was a distance from her but still close enough to drive her wild. He reached out to touch her wet cheek and sighed. 

"I've never seen a more beautiful woman. I wonder how it'll be waking up to you every day." 

Larissa closed her eyes and soon felt Noah's lips hot against her. His pale hands took a journey down her body before resting on her hips. She touched him in return, hands sliding against his broad chest and down to his chiseled abdomen. He had gotten more in shape but she had actually gained a few since he'd last saw her. He must not have cared though, because his member was standing at full attention as it pulsed against her stomach. As his hands moved down to her ass, she leaned forward to kiss his neck, lips soft against his skin. Noah groaned and pushed her away. 

She looked at him with confusion. "What --" 

"If I'm going to do this with you, I want it done right. I don't want to make love to you for the first time in the shower." He poured liquid soap into his hands and rubbed it against Larissa's back, washing her. "I want to show you that I value you for you, not just your body and what you can give me." His lips pecked at the nape of her neck as he washed her before moving to the front of her body. Cupping both of her breasts, he poured more soap into his hands and covered her chest with the mango-scented liquid. Her nipples hardened against his touch as he knead her soft flesh over and over again. He hadn't even touched her most intimate place and already she was breathing heavily. 

Turning her around to face him, Noah lowered to one knee and, putting more soap into his hands, rubbed his palm flat against her mound. The stimulation against her clit sent her over the edge and she grabbed his chin, forcing him to gaze into her eyes. 

"You're driving me crazy." 

"You need to have patience." 

"I want it now."

"I want it to mean something. Do you microwave a gourmet meal or does it take time?" Again he turned her around, but this time he focused on her lovely backside. As he washed her and the water rinsed the soap away, she felt his lips press against her cheeks. Her forehead pressed into the shower wall and she moaned. 

"I'm pretty sure I'm clean, Noah," she whimpered. 

"But I'm not." Handing the mango body wash to her, Noah stood with intense eyes as he waited for her to begin. His cock bobbed up and down as he moved and it took her a while to look anywhere else. Without a sound, she began mimicking his earlier actions and poured soap into her hand. As she lathered up his body, her fingertips traced the outline of his new tattoos and she smiled. 

"When did you get this?"

"Three months ago. I didn't plan on it or anything. One day I was sitting in the living room with Rory and he just started talking to me. Not his usual baby talk but he really tried talking to me about his feelings. He asked me why our Mom isn't around and I didn't know what to tell him." Noah stuttered when Larissa's hands went lower but he somehow managed to keep going. "It's almost like he knew I didn't have an answer because he said, 'That's okay. Mommy might not be around but at least I have you.' I don't cry. I mean, I never cry over anything. But that kid had me going. Next thing I knew I was googling tattoo shops in Paradise and I got the tattoo." 

She massaged his arms and biceps as the now lukewarm stream of water cascaded down their nude bodies. Noah could have been talking about anything and she would have loved to hear his not-too-deep, not-too-high voice rumbling in her ear. Suddenly, she poured soap over his stiff member and began stroking him. Noah shivered and put his hands on her shoulders, breathing hard. "You're driving me insane," he echoed her words earlier. 

"Where's your patience? Can't microwave a gourmet meal, remember?" she teased. 

He pushed her away and, quickly washing the remaining soap from their bodies, turned off the faucet. He grabbed two towels and they began to dry each other off and the moment they were finished, he tossed Larissa over his shoulder in a fireman's carry and charged into the hallway, his dick still wobbling in front of him, almost as if it was guiding his way to her bedroom. He looked in the adjacent bedrooms and immediately knew which one was Larissa's. The pink and purple nightmarish decor in the opposite room screamed Joanna. Larissa's room was much more demure and humble; earthy tones mixed with subtle floral patterns matched her sweet personality. He gingerly laid her down on the bed and smiled, as if he had accomplished something grand. 

She looked up at all six foot three inches of him. His gray eyes were transfixed on her naked golden brown body. The lights were dimmed in the small room and Larissa reached over to grab a remote. She pressed a couple of buttons and the song she had been singing to herself earlier, "Closer" by Corinne Bailey Rae, filled the room. 

"You like music during sex? That's another thing I have to put on my mental checklist," Noah chuckled. He laid down next to her and ran his fingers through her dyed golden brown hair, still damp from the shower. The thin strand of hair he twirled around his finger was spirally curled and he sighed. "You should really dye your hair back to its natural color or let it grow out." 

She looked at him and self-consciously touched her hair. "You don't like it? Everyone's always told me I look better with lighter hair." 

His lips puckered against her temple. "You look amazing with any hair color. I just know you'd look absolutely stunning with your natural hair color." His lips moved from her cheek to her jaw line and she put a hand on the back of his head, touching his shaggy locks. "Speaking of hair, since when did you decide to grow yours out? Not to mention you're about thirty pounds heavier than when I last saw you." He neglected to answer her for a while, instead kissing his way to her breasts. His tongue lapped against both chocolate buds and she squirmed. Finally he backed away long enough to respond. 

"The hair..." he pushed her full breasts together and began dotting kisses all over them. "Couldn't wear my lip ring anymore so I had to find another way to rebel. Decided to grow my hair out. It itches like all hell but I had to do something." When he was done worshipping her full cups he ventured further down, stopping at her not-so-flat stomach. He touched her soft flesh with affection. Larissa looked down at him nervously. Somehow in the shower she wasn't as aware of her weight gain and didn't think Noah was either. Now that he was too close for comfort, she felt very insecure as he continued. "I bulked up because I really had nothing else to do in between working eight hour shifts and putting Rory to bed on weekdays. During the weekends, Rory always had a babysitter and I'd find myself heading to the gym. Mostly to get rid of... well, the pain I felt." 

She watched him and hesitated to respond. He wouldn't be aroused at all if he thought she was too heavy to be attractive, she reasoned internally. Still, she wasn't the svelte Larissa that he remembered. 

"By the way, I like the extra meat you have on your bones." Could he have read her mind? Or maybe it was the obvious look of discomfort on her face as he kissed her tummy. "I think you should stay this way." 

"Nuh uh," she shook her head. "The only reason I even put on some extra weight was because of all the assignments and exams I had for school. I didn't really have time to work out. Now that I'm done, I'm hitting the gym ASAP." 

Noah ignored her and before she knew it he was on his knees in front of her, face head level with her shaved mound. He stared at it incredulously, as if he'd found a thousand year old treasure. He didn't move, didn't talk, didn't do anything. She waved her hand in front of his face jokingly. "Earth to Noah. You act like you've never seen one before." Noah abruptly leaned forward and enveloped her engorged clit with his lips. She screamed in a way that she never had, almost rivaling the high pitched voice that seeped from her speakers. 

"Ooh... your loving is so good, so good..." The song played in a continuous loop in the background but Larissa couldn't imagine another song that fit the mood so perfectly. 

Suckling on her nub, he murmured something under his breath and his voice sent vibrations through her. She knew he was doing it on purpose. Tangling his hair in her fingers she managed to pull his head away. His eyes were half open and being a distance away from her slit didn't stop him from sticking his tongue out as far as it would go to taste her. "What did you say?" 

He grabbed both her wrists and held them down on either side of her. "I said it's been six months since I've seen, tasted, touched, fucked and any other verb you can think of when mentioning pussy. Not just anyone's, but yours. As I recall, the first and last time we were together was very rushed and not at all my standard. You're mine, right?" 

Larissa spread her legs in response, inviting him to explore. Why did he have to be so... everything? Hot, considerate, amazing? "You know I am." 

He winked at her before diving right back to his previous position, only this time his tongue began to probe her soft flesh. Tracing the length of her entrance with the pink tip, it slipped deeper into her wet canal. His groans had progressed into growls and soon, he feasted on her most private place like he hadn't eaten in years. The subtle scent of her juices and loud sounds of him pleasuring her reverberated throughout the room. She lost herself in the powerful currents of bliss he made her feel, raking her fingers through his hair like a comb. His journey was a long one; Larissa would open her eyes occasionally to look at the alarm clock next to her. When he started it was five past midnight. The next time she looked, it was fifteen to one! Noah spent more than a half hour pleasuring her with his tongue, mouth, lips and hands. Her climax had been building for a long while and when it finally came to a head, she found herself praising him and said what they both had wanted to hear for a very long time. 

"Noah, I... I love you!" Her walls gripped his tongue as she came, juices tricking from her slit and as he latched his mouth against her, they pooled onto his tongue. He was very noisy as he showed Larissa how eager he was to drink up her love. Panting just as hard as she was, he climbed next to her until her head was level with his chest. He leaned down to kiss her deeply, the earthy taste of her flesh dancing on his tongue and now, hers. 

"I love you too, baby." That was the last they would say to each other for a while, as Noah would proceed to make love to her for the next hour. They barely remembered to grab protection, but Larissa slid the drawer next to her bed open and removed a small box of them. A layer of dust had collected on the box and Noah laughed. She'd probably been saving them for him all those months ago. He was happy they wouldn't go to waste. He tore the wrapper open with his teeth and sheathed himself before slipping into her. It was like the perfect glove; she received him and despite his girth, she wasn't uncomfortable. A majority of their lovemaking consisted of him staring into her eyes, pumping in and out of her pussy so slowly that after a while, Larissa demanded that he speed up. He was all too happy to oblige and as he picked up the pace, she came twice against him. Her breasts shook with each thrust and between looking at them and her face, he could hardly hold back. A torrent of 'I love you's' bounced back and forth as they both reached their peak. Noah's cock twitched before he filled the condom with his seed, collapsing on top of her and kissing her until both of their lips felt numb. The song stayed on repeat well past when they finally fell asleep and even into the morning. 




Express Lane Ch. 07



"Ooh, your loving is so good... so good... Closer..."

***

Two Years Later

Nervously pacing back and forth, Larissa could barely stare at herself in the mirror. She looked absolutely beautiful; her makeup was flawless and her hair had taken hours before it reached the perfection that it currently was, her dark brown spiral curls were shoulder length and her veil was carefully placed on top so as to not mess up Joanna's hard work. The nausea in her stomach wouldn't go away no matter what she tried. She'd already gone through half a bottle of Tums and a can of ginger ale. No luck. 

Joanna walked in and looked every bit of beautiful as she did. Her hair was now short and feathered, something that Larissa would never wear in a million years but it looked good on Jo. Her light pink dress had a white sash around the waist and a matching white and pink flower was pinned to her hair. Her pink pumps clicked with each walk and as she approached Larissa, her big brown eyes were filled with worry and just a hint of annoyance. 

"What are you doing? There's a good 250 people out there waiting for you."

"No, I know," Larissa said. "I'm coming. I'm trying to get rid of the nausea." 

"Larissa... you might have a graduate degree but I'm swear you're dense sometimes. You're pregnant. You're supposed to feel nausea, you're supposed to puke, you're supposed to have swollen feet!"

"I'm only four months and I look like I'm about six or seven!" She turned back to the mirror, her back slightly arched to accommodate her protruding belly. As she looked at herself, she managed to temporarily forget about her nausea and she smiled. After the night of her reunion with Noah, they'd found a small but beautiful house to rent for an affordable price and for the first year were pretty much playing house. Larissa decided to further her education and obtained a Master's, along with a teaching certification. She was having trouble finding a position that offered the big bucks but landed a job as a Science teacher at the local junior high school. Noah did the same and got a Master's in Computer and Information Science. He, however, did not have trouble finding a good position and soon made enough to comfortably support Larissa, Rory and himself. 

It was some time after that he also realized that they could afford to support another addition to the household. 

She smiled to herself, Joanna still looking on with a puzzled look. He was subtle about telling her he wanted to start a family with her; one night when they were about to make love, he took Larissa's birth control pills and tossed them in the trash. She panicked for a while but could hear his reassuring voice in her head, telling her that any child they had would be taken care of thoroughly and would be loved by him and Rory unconditionally. When they approached the now six year old Rory for his blessing, he simply smiled and said it would be cool to be an uncle. They both laughed. 

She felt butterflies in her stomach and it ended her daydream. Joanna pulled her arm and barked at her as she opened the door leading to the chapel. "Girl, you gon' bring your big pregnant behind out here, I'm not waiting another minute having people asking me where you are..." 

Larissa pulled away from her slowly. "Alright, already!" Joanna gave the cue to the pianist and instead of playing the much too traditional wedding march, he played the instrumental version of Corinne Bailey Rae's "Closer." At first Larissa didn't think it would be appropriate for a wedding, but since Noah assured her the rather risqué lyrics would be omitted from the ceremony, she agreed. As she begin her walk down the aisle, accompanied by her father, she ignored the endless sea of friends, colleagues, extended family members and acquaintances to look at her mother, who was beaming with pride; her brother Kevin, who apparently had spent half of the day talking to Noah about the bachelor party he threw for the room and was still whispering in his ear; Rory, who was actually behind Larissa as she walked down the aisle, holding the ring on a small satin pillow; and then she saw her husband-to-be. 

Noah smiled as he stood waiting for her. His suit was tailored and a dark gray color. They contrasted with his eyes, which were the lightest she had ever seen them. He was happy. He had not only kept the long hair but decided to grow it a few inches longer. His face was clean shaven and even though he was now two years older than the 24 year old Larissa, he still had the baby face she remembered. His body had lost some muscle after neglecting the gym for some months but she actually preferred him to be between the wiry frame he had when she first met him and the buff state he came back in. She stumbled a little, trying to get to him as fast as she could but her father gripped her hand and whispered in her ear. "He's gonna be there when you get up there," he reminded her. "No sense in falling all over yourself and hurting my grandbaby to rush." 

She agreed silently and nodded. Finally, they reached the alter and as her father kissed her on the cheek, he hugged Noah and walked to the pew to sit next to his wife. 

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in holy matrimony...." 

***

The house was empty when Larissa and Noah got back home. Both of them practically stripped out of their suit and dress and she slipped on one of her comfortably maternity dresses. Noah opted to go shirtless and slipped on sweatpants. There were no sounds except for their soft breathing; Rory, who had grown close to Larissa's family and had even started to favor her mother and father as the grandparents he never had, decided to spend the night to let the newlywed couple enjoy their first night as husband and wife together. Too bad it wasn't going to end in the stereotypical way of consummating the marriage; they'd done that much too early and Larissa's feet were too swollen to do anything but lie down. They stared at each other for a long while without saying anything, until Noah pulled her aching feet into his lap to massage them. 

"You okay, baby?" His fingers hit all the right pressure points against the soles of her feet and she smiled in relief. 

"Are you kidding? I'm great. Well, except for the aching feet, sore back and unsightly gas."

His hoarse laugh echoed in the room. "Well, I am happy to have you as my wife, Mrs. Larissa Gallagher. Even if you have gas." 

"I'm happy to have you as my husband. But why do I have to change my name and you don't have to change yours? Shoot, you belong to me. You should be Mr. Noah Gallagher - Jones." Again, he laughed, this time moving her close to him to cradle her. He rested a hand against her stomach, trying to feel his unborn child. "Has he kicked yet?" 

"It's only been four months." 

"I know, it's just... I can't wait. It's like Rory will have a little brother.. even though technically it will be his nephew. Somehow that just seems wrong." 

It was her turn to laugh. "It's great, are you kidding? Another boy joining a house full of boys already. He'll be right at home." 

Noah leaned forward to kiss her on the lips softly before moving back. "I hope so. I know this isn't the biggest house in the world, but I really love it. You think we should buy it, add on a couple of rooms in case we want to make the family a little bigger sometime down the road?" 

Larissa nodded. "Of course. We can add everything you want, white picket fence and all."

As he reached forward to grab the remote, she smiled as her first name was sprawled across his back. "I still can't believe you did that. You're not going to have any space for James' name on your body!" 

As he turned on the TV, he looked at her like she had just spoke a foreign language. "James? I know you're not suggesting that I name my son after that cheap Rico Suave looking dude you used to know. That's like me suggesting we name our daughter Crystal." 

Larissa rolled her eyes. "Fair enough. How about Casey?" 

"You're just itching to make him bully bait, aren't you? I like Josh." 

"Too plain. How about... Kieran?"

"Kieran Gallagher. Well, he will be half Irish. I like it." And for the rest of the night, they sat talking about everything that came to mind, including their baby and their new lives as parents to be.