8 comments/ 45791 views/ 19 favorites Forbidden Feelings Ch. 01-02 By: leahsgirl84 I don't know why my stories dissappeared from the site, so I will try to repost them again, one or two chapters at a time. I know you may have read them aleady, but I have done a lot of editing since I last posted. Positive and negative feedback always welcome. Enjoy. I It was a warm Sunday afternoon in the beginning of September. The leaves had just begun to change and the trees were vibrant with color. The sound of lawn-mowers and the scent of freshly-cut grass filled the air. My husband, Gabriel, and I were outside planting bulbs, tulips and daffodils, that we hoped would bloom in the spring. Our neighbors busied themselves with the chores that accompany a suburban lifestyle. Gabriel and I were almost done with the bulbs when we heard two small children behind us. We looked up and saw that our next-door neighbors' kids had come out to play on their swing set. Travis, their father, turned off his lawn mower and began to push three-year-old Samuel on the swings. The girl, Madison, insisted she was old enough to swing on her own; a "big girl" at five. When Gabriel and I had finished planting, we stood up. Travis waved to us and started walking over. We met him halfway so he wouldn't have to stray too far from his young children. We went through the standard suburbanite greeting routine, and then started talking about the big football game last Sunday; we couldn't believe how our Cleveland Browns, upset the undefeated New York Giants. We also talked about the cold weather that was headed our way and the rain that was in the forecast for the next couple nights. Travis mentioned his annual neighborhood party coming up this Saturday and invited us to stop over. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Travis's wife, Leah, walk out the sliding glass door from their dining room and head toward our impromptu gathering. As soon as I saw her, my heart skipped a beat. I'd always thought Leah was one of the most gorgeous women in the world. She had the "girl-next-door" look, that I found very attractive. I was in heaven anytime she was around, though, to my disappointment, we weren't close friends. As she walked over, I thought about just how striking of a housewife she was, and compared her to my average body. Leah was about two inches shorter than me and about twenty pounds lighter. My brown hair fell just below my shoulder blades, while her blonde hair rested on the top of her shoulders. Both of our eyes were blue, although hers were much deeper than mine. Leah's birthday had just hit a few weeks ago, making her thirty-two. I was seven years her junior. As soon as she reached us, we started up the welcoming formalities and small talk again. When that was complete, Leah asked if I had a few minutes. "Of course," I responded. Leah motioned for me to follow her back into the house after asking her husband to please make sure to keep an eye on the kids. I followed Leah as Travis and Gabriel walked back over to Samuel and Madison. As I left to follow Leah, I heard the two men start talking about ways to keep their grass green over the winter as they pushed the kids on the swings. ---------- Gabriel and I had bought our house nearly three years ago, about six months after we got married. Our three-bedroom, two-bathroom split level was located outside of Akron, Ohio, about forty-five minutes southeast of Cleveland. Gabriel worked thirty minutes to the west of our house, while I made the trek to downtown Cleveland and back every day. We could have moved further north, but both of us loved where we lived. All of our neighbors were extremely friendly, and small group of us did try to get together every so often, despite not always managing to do so. It went unspoken, though, that the whole neighborhood was there for each other; a very safe and inviting place in which to live. Gabe and I couldn't wait to have kids of our own and raise them here. We had no plans to move, especially not anytime soon. This was good, because I would really miss seeing Leah around if we ever did move. I don't exactly remember when I first realized that I was interested in Leah in this way. I didn't remember having these types of feelings for other women before. Yeah, there were women I found attractive, but Leah...she just completely changed my way of thinking. From the first moment I met her, the day Gabriel and I moved into our house, I knew she was a special woman. Travis and Leah came over to introduce themselves and the kids, back when Samuel was still a tiny infant. However, although I found her to be an extremely attractive woman, I don't remember giving any thought to wanting to be with her at the time. It wasn't until a few months back that I really yearned to spend time with Leah, and I began to think and thus dream of her constantly. It was right after I spent an afternoon with her and the kids in her front yard playing kickball because Travis was on a business trip and they needed a fourth player. I'm not sure exactly what triggered it; was it the fact I spent a few hours with her? Or the fact that I saw the unending love she displays for her children. All I know is after that I wanted to be the one to take care of her and support her, Madison, and Samuel. Unfortunately, I also knew there wasn't a chance it would ever happen. ---------- As I followed Leah back into her house, I had a gut feeling something was wrong. Leah and I had known each other since Gabriel and I had moved to the neighborhood, and she was often in my dreams, but I knew it was not a mutual feeling: I was attracted to her, but knew the feelings weren't reciprocal. Leah just didn't seem like the type that would ever consider being with another woman. We hung out every so often, but usually only when we were with Travis and Gabriel. About once every two or three months, our families got together with another couple in the neighborhood at one of our houses for dinner, drinks and a movie. We also talked when we saw each other outside; once in a while I'd come over to play with the kids and her, but I never got any inkling that she liked me as more than just a neighbor. Leah walked into the kitchen toward the sink. She stood with her back to me, hands on the counter. I leaned against the opposite counter, my hands resting behind me. I stood in an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes. I could hear Leah start to sniffle as if she was about to cry, so I moved toward the sink and leaned against the counter next to her, but I didn't look at her. Not that I didn't want to; I was just worried about making her self-conscious with my gaze. "What's going on, Leah?" I finally asked. "I'm sick of this," Leah replied, not looking at me. "I'm sick of living a lie." "I'm sorry?" I responded. I was very confused. What lie was Leah living? She and Travis were the epitome of the ideal American family everyone wants: married, two kids, a nice house in suburbia, USA. When Leah didn't answer me, I looked up at her and noticed that she was staring out the kitchen window. I followed her gaze outside and saw Gabriel pushing Leah's kids on the swings. I couldn't see Travis from where I was standing. "Can you do me a favor?" Leah asked as she turned to look at me, her eyes watery and red. "Of course," I said sincerely, placing my hand on her upper arm. "Anything you want." She walked over to the dining room buffet to her purse and dug through it. After pulling out her wallet, she grabbed a twenty and handed it to me. "Can you please get Travis to take the kids somewhere? I want to talk to you but I don't want anyone coming in and overhearing anything." "Sure," I responded. As I reached for the money, our hands brushed, causing my stomach to do a small flip. I left Leah, still red-eyed, in the kitchen as I walked outside toward Gabriel who was still pushing Samuel on the swing. From look on Gabriel's face, as Samuel yelled "Higher! Higher!" I knew that my husband was going to make a great father someday. I turned and saw Travis cleaning out his pond filter, while Madison played in her sandbox. "Hey Sweetie, here's some money from Leah," I said to Gabriel once I made my way over. My tone was low enough so Samuel couldn't hear me as I handed Gabe the money. "Take Travis and the kids out for some ice cream or something. Leah really needs some time to herself right now." "Alright, maybe we'll head to a playground too," he replied as he nodded. He put his hand over mine and gave a tender squeeze before taking the money. "Thanks Gabe. I love you." I gave my husband a quick peck on the lips and headed back inside to Leah as Gabriel walked toward Travis and the pond. ---------- When I got back inside, I walked into the kitchen. I couldn't find Leah, so I headed into the living room, hoping to find her. As luck would have it, she was there, sitting on the couch, with her feet up on the seat, leaning against the arm rest. When she heard me come in, she glanced up. I leaned against the doorway from the kitchen, and looked back at her. She was beautiful. From color in her cheeks to the way the light played upon her face...it made me wish sometimes...ah, but those were useless wishes. Outside a car door shut and the engine turned over. We both glanced out the front window and saw Travis's car back out of the driveway. "I hope you don't mind, but I got Gabriel to take Travis and the kids for some ice cream. I know it's before dinner, but I couldn't think of anything else." "No, that's okay. Thank you," Leah said softly before lowering her eyes to the floor. I also looked at the floor as I waited for her to speak. I didn't want to rush her. I knew she'd tell me what was bothering her when she was ready. After another few minutes of silence, Leah spoke. "As I said, Calie, I'm tired of living a lie. I know we aren't close, but I really wish we could be. What I have to tell you, it may be hard to hear, but I have to get it off my chest. I can't talk to anyone else about this." The whole time she was talking her gaze remained locked on the floor in front of her. "Leah..." I started as I moved closer to her and knelt down on the floor beside her. I put my hand on her upper arm, "Don't be afraid to tell me anything. I know we don't hang out that much, but I consider you a friend. I'm here for you." Leah continued to look down at the floor. More silence filled the room. "You know...I think you're very beautiful," Leah stated suddenly without looking up. Her statement stopped my thoughts dead in their tracks. That was the last thing on earth I thought she would say. Beautiful? I could see myself as pretty, maybe, depending on the day. I mean, I wouldn't say I was unattractive. Average? Sure. Pretty? Maybe. Beautiful? No. I got up off the floor and sat down on the couch next to her. I put my head in my hands as I looked down at the floor. I was extremely confused. Was she coming on to me? Should I tell her how I felt about her? What exactly did she want me to say? "I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to make you upset." "No, Leah," I responded, my voice quaking. I wanted her to realize how much she meant to me. Although I was scared to make the first move, not knowing how she would take it, I took my hands off my face, and placed one of them on her knee; it was really more of a calming gesture. I leaned back on the couch, my hand still on her knee, and looked at the wall across from me. "I am totally the opposite of upset." She changed positions on the couch so she was facing me, putting her closer to my body. I wanted to open up and tell her my feelings for her, but I couldn't. I was too scared. So, I put my hands in my pockets, and my right hand started playing with my cell phone. Whenever I get flustered, or put into uncomfortable situations, I need something to keep my hands busy. I couldn't bring myself to look at Leah. I just kept taking my phone out of my pocket and putting it back in again. After a few moments of repetitive movements, the phone slipped out of my hand and fell in between the couch cushions, between Leah and me. I leaned down to get it. Once I grabbed it, I didn't move. I couldn't move. I couldn't even raise my eyes; my body was so close to hers. I just stared at the cushions. I felt Leah watching me, moving closer to me. I could hear her breathing. I was frozen in place. I knew I really wanted to kiss her. Would I be able to get away with it? I wanted to let her know how much I cared about her. I wanted to feel her soft lips on mine, but I couldn't get up enough courage to allow myself to do it. I didn't want to hurt her. My face grew warm; I felt as if she must have known the thoughts in my head. As if to prove me right, Leah put her hand under my chin and slowly lifted my head. She gently placed her lips on mine. Her tongue traced the space between my lips as if asking to gain admittance. My lips soon parted and I felt her tongue enter my mouth. That was the only invitation I needed. I placed my right hand on her face, my thumb rubbing her cheek, and my fingers pulling her head closer to me. My tongue was now the explorer in her mouth. I had dreamed of this moment for weeks, even months. Opposing thoughts raced through my mind as I tried to concentrate on the moment. Some thoughts told me to pull away because we were both married and this was wrong. Some told me to keep kissing back because I really wanted it. She rested her left hand against my right on her face, and my fingers opened to hold hers in between mine. I had been curious for some time about what it would be like to kiss another woman. Gabriel and I had joked about these feelings of mine before. At least he thought I was joking, but I'd never done anything like this. Even if I'd wanted to kiss a woman, and Leah topped my list, I was reluctant; afraid of hurting someone or getting hurt myself. I never would've believed that the woman of my dreams, the most gorgeous woman I'd ever met, both inside and out, would ever kiss me. I couldn't stop myself from kissing her back. My left hand wrapped around her body to hold her against me. Finally Leah pulled her lips off of mine, but I kept her head close with my hand still on her face, so that our foreheads touched lightly. She never took her fingers from my hand. "Do I owe you an apology?" Leah shyly whispered. Neither one of us could bring ourselves to look each other in the eyes. "For what?" I responded breathlessly. I wanted her lips back on mine. I wanted to taste her again. "For what I just did," Leah answered, sounding apologetic. "No. Not at all, Leah," I said. I moved my head away from hers and looked at her. She still couldn't look at me, so I took my hand off of her face, and placed it under her chin. I tilted her head up, so I could look into her beautiful blue eyes and to make her look into mine. "I mean that. Don't ever feel like you have to apologize. You did nothing wrong." I paused for a minute to let my words soak in. "Is this what you were afraid to tell me?" Leah nodded. I could tell she wanted to look away, that she was embarrassed by her actions. "How did this all come about?" I asked as curiosity got the best of me. "I don't know, Calie," Leah began as she shook her head, "I really don't. All I know is the past few weeks I have dreamt about you and I have woken up in a different mood than usual. I just feel like I have more pep in the mornings and my day goes by much faster when I think of you." The sparkle in her eyes twinkled as she answered my question. "The way you treated my kids during that game of kickball we played, it was just like wow! I know you don't have kids, but you treated them so special. Always, 'nice kick' or 'great throw.' I saw that acceptance you have for them, and I started looking at you in a different light." "I'm sure anyone would treat kids like that. I mean, I didn't think it was anything special," I responded. "No Calie," Leah replied, "I mean maybe most people would, you're right. But when Travis plays, sometimes he forgets he is playing with his own young kids, and ends up being more like a little league coach; 'get under that ball' or 'if you kept your eye on it, you would've caught it.' That's just the way he is." "I'm sorry Leah, I didn't know" I said cautiously, "Is that the reason you asked me inside today?" "I know it's wrong, trust me I do," Leah continued getting quieter, "but I've been dreaming of you, kissing you. I couldn't get it out of my head. I had to see what it was like. I needed to know if it was going to be as good in reality as it was in the dreams." I looked as her without saying a word, and the glimmer in her eyes told me it was much better in real-life than in dreamland. "Plus, I figured it would be easier to just do it, and then ask for forgiveness later," Leah added softly. "It's easier to beg forgiveness than seek permission. I got it," I nodded and smiled at Leah, "you have nerve, and I like it." "Don't worry, that used up my nerve quota for a while," Leah whispered. "Well, I guess to ease the pressure off of you, I should admit some things too," I began, "I've been feeling the same way these last few weeks. I think that kickball game is what did it for both of us, because ever since then every time I saw you in the yard with your kids, or sitting on your deck, with your feet up on the railing. Leah, the way you look...all I can say is wow! You are the most beautiful woman I have ever met." "How can I be beautiful, Calie? I'm fat. I never lost the baby weight from Samuel. Travis barely even comes near me anymore." She let her eyes wander back down toward the ground. It seemed as if after all the honesty we both showed, she was still trying to make excuses for why I shouldn't have kissed her back. "First of all, you're not fat." I interjected, rubbing her face with my hands. I brushed her shoulder-length blonde hair away from her perfect face with my fingertips, then brought her eyes back up to meet mine. "Leah, you're the girl of my dreams, and always will be. If you're that sexually frustrated, all you have to do is let me know," I told her as I held her face in my hands. I winked at her, and she couldn't help but force a smile, though it was a really small smile, that disappeared right away. I'm sure this was hard on her. I always viewed her as a conservative woman due to her soft-spoken, traditional nature whenever we spoke or hung out. I wasn't sure where all of my courage was coming from; in fact, I didn't want to think about it. It was like as soon as Leah kissed me, everything I've wanted for months was presented to me. I was so scared that I may lose this opportunity to be with Leah, but at the same time, I really needed to know if it was ever going to be a two-way attraction. "Listen Leah," I stated, with honest sincerity, stroking her face with my hand. "I want you to make sure this is what you really want. I don't want you to end up regretting anything that may happen. Once we get going, I don't know if I'll be able to control myself, or be able to stop. I want you so badly, but I really want to make sure that this is also what you want. I have a day off tomorrow and I have no plans. Think about this overnight. If you want to go further than just that one, amazing kiss, I will be more than happy to oblige. However, if you just want to be friends and never find out what could have been, I'll respect your wishes." "Calie, thank you for understanding," she whispered as she lowered her eyes from mine. "I'll call you tomorrow either way. A sick day sort-of sounds good anyway. " I gave her one last, long hug and placed my right hand behind her head to bring her forehead to my lips. I let my lips linger there before bringing them down to her ear. "All you have to do is ask," I whispered. "If you ask, I will say yes". Forbidden Feelings Ch. 01-02 "What about Gabriel?" Leah whispered back. "I want this as much as you do. Leah, I've wanted you for months now. Gabe and I have a great sex life, but I want more. I've been curious for some time about being with a woman, namely you. Think about this overnight. Don't be afraid to ask." I backed away from Leah's ear, but kept my hand on her. "And hey, don't be afraid to say no. I'll respect any decision you make," I said as I kissed her forehead one last time, and regretfully commenced the "hands-off" friendship for the rest of the night. ---------- For the rest of the time we were alone, Leah and I sat in the living room and just chatted about nothing in particular. I left Leah's house when Gabriel, Travis and the kids got back home. As Gabriel and I walked back home together, he asked how Leah was doing. I told him that she was much better than before, but I didn't tell him why that was. That night was one of the longest nights of my life. I don't know how much sleep I actually got. I kept replaying the scenes from earlier in the day. I still couldn't believe that I'd been kissed by the woman of my dreams. I had wanted it for weeks, and it had actually happened! Then I was stupid enough to tell her to think about it before we rushed into something she might regret. She had said that she was going to call me tomorrow, but when? Which way would she want it? Would I be able to look her in the eyes again, without regret, if she only wanted to be friends? Then if she did want more, what was I supposed to do. I knew what I wanted to do, but what about Gabriel? He's was more than a wonderful husband; he's was almost perfect. He truly cared about me and would I be willing to risk that to make a dream come true with Leah? Would something with Leah be a one time experiment or something more? I know society says a woman loving another woman is wrong, but although I believed love was love, how does Leah feel about it? What if Gabriel or Travis found out? These questions and more kept running through my head, and although I tried to sleep I couldn't. II I guess someway I did finally fall asleep, because the slam of a car door woke me up, and I heard the engine turn over. I looked at my watch, and it read 6:43. Gabriel had already left for the day. I vaguely remembered him kissing me good-bye around six. I sat up and looked out the bedroom window just in time to see Travis's SUV pull out of the driveway. As he drove away, I looked toward the house next door and saw a light on inside. Knowing Travis was gone, I didn't know how patient I could be waiting for Leah to call. Would she call right away? Would she really take a 'sick' day or would I have to wait until she got home from work? I tried to stay calm. I lay back in bed, closed my eyes, and willed myself to dream again. As if by magic, Leah and I were back in the kitchen, standing against opposite counters. Leah looked up at me with her seductive blue eyes, and I couldn't control myself. I rushed over to her and wrapped her in my arms. I felt the warmth of her body against mine as our lips began to touch. Our hands were all over each other, enjoying the caressing we both desperately desired. We were too busy with each other to notice Leah's house phone ring...and ring...and ring. I suddenly woke up from the dream, realizing that the ringing was real. I looked at the caller ID on my cell phone -- Leah Kline. "Hello," I answered, still groggy from sleeping. My watch now said 7:16. "Calie," Leah said. Then she was silent. Neither one of us spoke for a moment. "Do you want me to come over?" I finally asked her, breaking the silence, and praying that she would at least say yes to such an innocent offer. "Please. Travis dropped the kids off at school before he went to work. I called in sick today. I really need to see you," Leah responded timidly. The tone of her voice made me question if she actually had enough time to think about this. "Give me five minutes," I promised her, "I'll be right over." I rushed to get out of my pajamas, and into jeans and a hoodie. I ran a brush through my hair and quickly brushed my teeth. Thankfully, I had taken a shower last night. I was out my front door in four minutes, and knocking at Leah's soon after. She answered my knock within seconds dressed in a long-sleeve shirt and track pants. "Hey," Leah said. Her eyes were as blue as the Caribbean. She leaned against the door frame. She seemed very uncomfortable. "How are you?" I inquired, trying to get a feel for the situation. "Not bad," Leah looked down at the tiled floor. "I couldn't sleep last night. I kept thinking about what happened yesterday. I really don't know what to do. I haven't had a kiss like that in the longest time, Calie. Travis used to make me feel that way. I probably would've gone all the way with you last night, if you hadn't stopped things. In a way, I'm thankful you did. It showed I can trust you, and take things at my pace. But, on the other hand, I wanted you. You said you might not have been able to stop if things kept going. Well I don't think I could've stopped myself either." "Leah, can we go somewhere more private?" I asked, while motioning to the open door. I didn't want to have a crowd of people watching us if things got too hot. Leah led me inside and shut the door behind me. She motioned for me to follow her. We went up some steps into her living room, and then some more into the upstairs hallway. I followed her into the first room on the left, and I recognized it as the room she shared with Travis. I was surprised that this was the "private place" she brought me too, and even more surprised that the bed was already made. Hopefully, I would be the one to help her unmake it. "Is this private enough for you?" she questioned, smiling hesitantly at me as she sat on the edge of the bed. I wanted to rush over to her, wrap her in my arms, and treat her like she deserved to be treated; with tenderness and love, but I forced myself to hold back. I had to make sure it was really what she wanted. "You said yesterday that Travis doesn't seem to want you anymore, how long has it been?" I sat down on the bed next to her and looked over her gorgeous body. "Quite a few months. I really don't remember the last time we just made love. To him, it is only about satisfying himself; I don't know if it has ever lasted more than ten minutes," Leah said with a shake of her head. "Describe it to me," I inquired, "what exactly is he like in bed?" "We have sex when he wants, not when I want it," she started slowly, as she turned away. I could tell that my request was embarrassing. I wasn't sure if she ever spoke about love-making to anyone other than her husband before. "There's usually very little in the way of foreplay, other than a kiss here and there. If he does use his hands on my body, they are rough and quick. Not in a harsh way, but just not in a soft and sensual way either." In the almost three years that I'd known Travis and Leah, I never would have guessed this about their private life. I felt sorry for her. I couldn't imagine being married to someone who didn't have respect for me in the bedroom; who didn't care about my feelings along with his. Gabriel had always been great about making sure my needs came before his. I didn't want to add salt to the wound, so I didn't bring up my relationship with Gabriel. Instead, I tried to keep her talking. It's true that I loved the sound of her voice, but more importantly, I wanted to get to know her emotionally. "How is he with the kids?" I asked Leah as I inched closer to her. "Not as good as everyone thinks he is. I mean he's great when he's around, but it's like he's never home. Or if he is, he's busy working around the house or writing songs for his band. So, I'm the one that usually drives the kids to school on my way to work in the mornings, and I pick them up on my way home. I know he drove them today, but only because their schools are on the way to his office, and I told him I didn't feel good. I was actually very surprised when he agreed to drive them. But, I'm the one that cooks dinner for everyone, I give the kids their baths, and I put them to bed. I'm the one that gets up if either of them needs a parent in the night and I'm the one that wakes up early with them on the weekends." Leah took a breath before continuing, "Don't get me wrong, I love my children, and would do anything for them. I just wish that sometimes I had more help from Travis." "You deserve it," I responded. Tears started to form in her eyes and fall down her face. She looked completely vulnerable. I put both of my hands on her face to wipe the tears away with my thumbs. As if embarrassed, she brushed my hands away and wiped her eyes on her sleeves. Then she moved up on the bed, using the pillows as cushions so she could sit up more comfortably. I cautiously moved up the bed, watching her for any indication that she didn't want me to be near her, but I needed to be next to her body. She didn't flinch as I reached out to take her hand. I sat in the middle of the bed, and I guided her to sit between my legs. Leah entwined herself into my body, and then threw her arms around me in a tight embrace. She buried her face in my neck. The fabric of my hoodie was the only barrier. This wasn't exactly what I was looking for, but it would have to suffice for the moment. I knew she needed this; needed the mental and emotional support that I was willing to give her. I wrapped my arms around her and rubbed her back. I could feel that she was very tense. "What's wrong?" I asked Leah when I heard her start to cry again. "Nothing," she responded. The tone of her voice made her difficult to believe. "Leah, no matter what, we have to remain honest with each other. Something is bothering you and I need to know what it is." I continued to rub my hands up and down her back. She didn't respond, and I started to get worried. "Leah, look at me," I said as I tried to pull away. I felt her shake her head, and hold on to me tighter. "Leah, I'm serious. I need you to look at me," I repeated. "I can't. Not right now," she whispered. I stopped rubbing her back and just held her close to me. If this was all that she wanted for the moment, then I had no choice but to respect that. "I know why you want me to look at you," she said after a few minutes. "You want to make sure I'm okay with this. I know my eyes give everything away." "Then why won't you look at me? What are you trying to hide?" I asked. "I'm afraid my eyes will tell you the wrong thing," she mumbled. "I don't understand," I said. "I really need to make sure you're okay before we do anything else, and if you don't want to go further, I need to know that too." We sat in silence for a few more minutes. I was letting what I said sink in. "I'm afraid I will kiss you again," Leah whispered, mostly to herself. "Do you not want to kiss again?" I sincerely hoped this wasn't the case. There was more silence. I tried to pull back and look at her, but she wasn't letting me go. "Leah, remember what I told you last night. If you want to stop at that one kiss and not do anything else, I'll be okay with that. I just need you to be honest with me." "Calie, I really do want to kiss you again. I do. I just don't know if I'll want to stop there. I want to do so much more with you." Her voice was getting a little bit easier to hear. "What else did I tell you last night, Leah? Do you remember?" "If I ask, you'll say yes." "All you have to do is ask," I whispered to her again. "I'm not going to lie to you. I want you, Leah. I want you so bad, but it needs to be mutual." After sitting in silence for a few more minutes, Leah pulled away and looked up at me. "I really do want to go further with you," she said hesitantly, "I'm just scared." "I will go at any pace you're comfortable with," I replied softly. "Slowly," Leah whispered. "Sweetie, I wouldn't have it any other way right now," I kissed her forehead. She gave me a growing smile as she leaned back on her hands and faced me with an incredible, seductive look on her face. I knew at that instant how badly my body craved hers. My left hand caressed her face, as my right helped prop me up. I gazed into her eyes. I knew she understood my unasked question when she slowly nodded her head. I leaned down onto her lips and kissed them ever so slightly as my left hand went behind her head to pull her closer to my mouth. Our tongues met as they entered each other's mouth. She took her right hand off of the bed and held the back of my head, her fingers interlocking with my hair. Our tongues explored each other's mouths, desiring more of each other. I could tell that she wanted me to linger on her lips, but I had other plans. This was the invitation I had been waiting for. With a considerable amount of resistance, I pulled my lips off of hers and slid them up her left cheek bone. I found her ear and started nibbling it. She let out a soft moan. I wasn't used to hearing moans when I did that. Gabriel always pushed me away when I tried to nibble on his ears. Soon, the soft moans became louder and her hands on my back got rougher. I knew she needed the release that I was planning on giving her. I was going to make sure she got it, but not quite yet. I stopped nibbling on her ears and kissed down her neck to her throat. She tossed her head back as I licked and kissed her throat and chin. Her hands were back on my head, pulling me closer to her. Her moans were getting louder. "Are you sure you want this?" I asked as I drew back from her body and ran my right hand under her chin. "I don't know how much I can control myself if things move any further." "Please Calie. Please keep going," Leah begged me as she pulled me closer to her. Her eyes were seducing me. She moved her mouth to my ear and whispered, "I want you...I need you." I could tell from the breathless way she spoke that, she needed to be touched, to be loved, and to be reassured that she was beautiful. I kissed her softly on the lips again before I took my left hand from the back of her head and moved back from her. I removed my sweatshirt and threw it on the floor. I was glad I had put a T-shirt on underneath. Then I used both of my hands to push her shirt up to just below her bra before caressing and kissing her stomach down to her hips. I moved back up her body and I placed my left hand behind her head as I pulled her in toward me. Once again my lips found hers, and I gently helped her lie down on the bed. I used my left arm as a brace to help me lie down so I didn't interrupt the kiss or remove my hand from her head. I lay down on my side next to her. I let my right hand slide softly down her body and just as I was about to go under the waistband of her pants, her hand stopped me. She didn't say anything, just continued to kiss me the same as before. I realized that I was moving too fast for her comfort, so I moved my hand back up her body to caress her breasts instead. I moved her shirt and bra above her breasts and she didn't object to this, so I brought my lips off of hers and took her left nipple into my mouth. I sucked on it, while using my left hand to play with her other breast. Her moans were driving me crazy. After a little while, I brought my mouth to her other nipple, and started to do to the right what I had already done to the left. As I did this, however, I heard Leah's stomach let out a low growl. Her face grew red. "I'm sorry," Leah apologized. "I haven't had breakfast yet, and I'm sort of hungry." "Well, I guess I'm making us some breakfast," I responded as I brought my lips back up to meet her mouth before I got off the bed and started toward the door. "You don't have to do that. I can cook," Leah started to get up off the bed. "It's my house after all." I turned around and put my hand on her arm. "No. Sit. Relax. Let me take care of it." I leaned down to kiss her forehead and then turned to walk away. "You know, I could get used to this treatment," she said as I walked to the door. Before I left the room, I turned around just in time to see her smile; and what a smile it was. When I got to the kitchen, I realized that I had no idea what Leah wanted for breakfast. I would just have to create something. I opened the refrigerator, and started looking in the various drawers in the fridge. I found some strawberries, which sounded great. I continued to search the fridge and found some chocolate syrup that the kids probably used for making chocolate milk. I couldn't find any milk, but an idea popped into my head. What could be better in the morning than strawberries and chocolate syrup? I washed the strawberries, and grabbed a bowl for the chocolate. I still needed to find some drinks though. Tea? Coffee? I looked in her cabinets and although she had both, neither sounded like it would go particularly well with strawberries and chocolate. I glanced into her dining room and found a bottle of unopened champagne, and although it seemed great, I didn't want to open it and have Travis wondering why it was open or missing. I went back to the fridge, and I found a bunch of different sodas and juices. Suddenly, I had an answer! I grabbed the white grape juice and searched Leah's cabinets until I found two champagne glasses. I poured the grape juice into the glasses, and poured some chocolate into the plain white bowl. I took down a plate, and placed the bowl in the middle of it. Then I placed the strawberries around the bowl. "I don't know the last time I had breakfast in bed," she squealed with delight as I walked in with our breakfast. She laughed at me as she pointed to the champagne glasses, and I told her it was just grape juice. I dipped the first strawberry into the chocolate syrup, and lifted it to Leah's mouth. It was then that I realized that I forgot to grab napkins. A drop of syrup had dripped on her chin, and without a napkin handy, I had no choice but to lick it off. After that little incident, we were both content to feed ourselves, interrupted by the occasional spill that needed the help of the other's tongue. When we were done eating the strawberries, we toasted our champagne glasses to each other, I glanced up at Leah. I knew I had made the right decision for breakfast. As I got up to take care of the dishes, Leah went to the bathroom to make sure all the chocolate was cleaned off of her face.