Champagne and Chocolate
part 5 by Gin
Warning: This story contains very explicit sexual situations.
Luka went to the shower and turned on the
hot water, scrubbing away the various food items still on him.
After the first time, they had dozed for a while, awakening again
later to add the additional elements of champagne and
strawberries crushed in their mouths and dripping juice. It
had certainly been one of the more creative and flavorful
experiences he remembered having. However, what made it
truly memorable was Caitlyn.
He laughed to himself to have ever thought
her shy. Later in the middle of the night, they’d lain
and talked of many things, the intimacy of the moment aided by
the weather that had moved in, dropping heavy rain and lightning
while people had slept. They’d burrowed under the
covers, safe and comfortable in the dark, with the lightning
flashing every so often, cuddling and petting each other,
enjoying the feeling of another warm body to curl up next to.
There in the dark, he had shared with her the memories of that
day when his world had come crashing down around him.
He told her about his wife, his two children, how they had been
snatched away from him. Caitlyn had listened quietly
as he talked, then wordlessly she had taken him in her arms,
wrapping him in her care and compassion. She hadn’t
offered him the platitudes or the sympathy he didn’t want,
but with her questions she had encouraged him to share the happy
memories of his family.
Luka had asked Caitlyn why she had pulled
back the night before and had seemed shy. She’d
laughed and told him quite honestly that she had always been
attracted to him, but as long as she’d known him, he’d
kept her at a distance, seeming to just want to remain a
colleague and friend.
“I’d gotten used to relating to
you as platonic friend and your non-verbal messages were raising
havoc in me! I wasn’t at all sure what was happening,
and so I kept trying to relate to you in the only way I knew, as
one friend to another,” she had said.
“Yeah, well, when you got the point,
you really got the point,” Luka had said, smiling and
kissing her briefly.
“I may be slow, but I’m not
stupid,” Caitlyn added.
“Mmm..... I wouldn’t say exactly
slow either.” She’d pinched him on his butt and
he responded by holding her and tickling, which slowly turned
into more. Luka was glad they had added the sexual
dimension to their relationship. He knew she brought him
pleasure and satisfaction and hoped that he had done the same for
her. He marveled at the fate which had brought him back
into her life again. She was a special person. She
had been a good friend when he had been alone and lost in another
new city. At the time he hadn’t appreciated that; he
hadn’t appreciated much of anything. Thinking back on
it now gave him a completely different perspective about her
actions and made him appreciate and care all the more for this
giving individual. He hoped his relationship with her would
create only happiness in her life.
Luka turned the shower off and dried
briskly, wrapped in a towel he walked to the edge of the bed to
sit. The clock said 11:00. The day was already half
gone. He stroked a hand down Caitlyn’s spine, watching
her arch slightly like a cat. He’d noticed that
reflexive response last night. “Wake up, sleepy.
The day’s half gone.” She moved a bit and buried
her head in the pillow, then went still once more. Tougher
measures were called for. He pulled the cover back, leaving
her exposed to his gaze, aimed a hand and brought it down on her
left cheek. Her wail nearly broke his eardrums.
“You beast! What the hell did you
do that for?” She shrieked, rubbing the offended spot.
“Ah, good, you’re awake!”
Luka grinned at her and pulled her close to give her a big wet
kiss on the mouth. “Good morning.”
“Good morning to you, you rat.”
She tried to bite his tongue.
“Well, you’re a hellion in the
morning, aren’t you?” He was trying not to laugh.
“That hurt,” Caitlyn pouted,
“I was waking up, just slowly.” Luka
reached over and proceeded to “rub” the red spot.
“There, does that help?” He began kissing her and
she put her arms around him.
“Mmm...much better.” She
nosed his neck. “You smell nice. You took a
shower.”
“You smell like a food fight at an
orgy.” Luka quipped.
She laughed at his observation. “I
probably look like one, too.” She gave him one last
kiss and got out of bed. “I think I need a shower,”
she said as she wandered into the bathroom.
Luka quickly stripped the bed, piling the
dirty linen on the floor for later. Rummaging in the linen
closet, he found new sheets and a comforter and made up the bed.
Pulling on a pair of shorts, he went out to straighten up the
deck. The day was hot and slightly overcast, probably
leftover clouds from whatever front moved past last night. The
heat and sun had already evaporated the water. Luka sat on
the deck railing, watching the surf pound onto the beach, lost in
daydreams of his homeland. He missed the sea and
sailing. He noted the surf today was rougher and
there were more whitecaps as a result of the front. He’d
like to take another walk today on the sand. Moving
himself out of the stupor he’d fallen into, he took all the
leftovers from last night to the kitchen and spent the next ten
minutes cleaning up. Stowing the dirty dishes in the
dishwasher and the food in the fridge, he wiped the counter and
went to find Caitlyn.
She was pulling on her sundress. He
moved to pull up the zipper for her. “Feel
better?” he asked and kissed her exposed shoulder. “Much.
You know I’ve got to get home and feed the cat. She’s
going to be very unhappy at my neglect.” She slid her
feet into her sandals. They walked to Caitlyn’s house
in good time, wanting to get there and fix breakfast. Isis
met them at the door meowing. “Careful,” Cait
warned as Luka bent to pet the cat, “She’s real shy
with strangers.” Shaking her head in disbelief
she watched as the cat rolled on the floor purring as Luka
stroked her. Is there nothing female that man can’t
charm! Caitlyn pondered. Abandoning Luka, Isis
jumped on the bowl of food before it was on the floor.
“Good grief! You’d think she
hadn’t eaten in a week.”
“I know how she feels,” Luka said,
looking in the refrigerator and pulling out melon, an egg carton,
sausage and a loaf of bread. In the end a very nice
breakfast was cooked and they sat at her table overlooking the
lush garden to eat. Discussion ranged from how they would
spend the rest of the day to how they would spend the rest of the
week. They were both of aware that Luka’s time in San
Diego was limited. Caitlyn was resigned to that fact.
It would be hard to give up something that brought one so much
happiness, but it was never hers to possess. She took her
happiness wherever she could get it.
Luka straightened up the kitchen while
Caitlyn checked in with her office. She had arranged to
take the week off, and since there was nothing of an emergent
nature to require her attention, she could devote the entire day
to Luka, a prospect she found highly pleasing!
Finishing in the kitchen, Luka went in
search of Caitlyn. He found her in the back of the
house in the garden, cutting roses. Silently he watched her
graceful movements as she cut the flowers, placing them in a
basket. Feeling his eyes on her, she looked up from
the roses and smiled. He kept looking and she laughed.
“What? Do I have dirt on my nose?”
Luka smiled and shook his head in answer.
Reaching her he pulled her into his arms in a tight embrace.
She went willingly, laying her head against his chest, wrapping
her own arms around his waist. They stool like that in that
cool shadows of the hot California afternoon, neither speaking,
just listening to the birds and other creatures rustling in the
trees and bushes. He absorbed the peace and beauty of the
moment and of the other person, pulling it in and holding it
tightly, so it would not be forgotten, feeling a sense of healing
in his soul. She absorbed the exquisite feeling of a
shared moment in time and the strength and solidity of the person
with whom it was shared. Eventually, he turned her head up
to his and kissed her gently, tenderly and slowly, letting it say
the things he was at a loss to express. The kiss ended and
she looked up at this man, who had seen and experienced such
horrors, had known such violence, and yet could be so tender and
gentle. She saw the tears that filled his eyes but not
fallen. She put a hand on his jaw and waited. It was
a moment before he spoke. “What can I say? You’ve
given me a beautiful gift, allowing me to share my family with
you. Thank you.”
“Its good to remember the happy times
and share those memories with a friend. Sharing cuts
the grief in half, and doubles the good memories.” She
smoothed the hair back from his face.
“I’m glad I came to San Diego,”
he said and pulled her in tightly. “I’m glad I’m
here with you, but I don’t want to bring you any grief.”
She looked up at him in amazement. “And
why would you do that?” she asked.
Luka took a long time answering. When
he did he spoke slowly, still thinking, “Because I can’t
be anything other than I am, or give you anything else.”
Caitlyn shook her head. “And why should you be? And
what else than what you’ve given me would I be asking for?”
“You might have dreams of a stable
relationship to build on, a family. I’m not sure I’m
ready for that yet, or if I ever will be.”
Whatever he was expecting, it wasn’t
her laughter. “Luka Kovac, you storm into my life a
day ago after I haven’t seen you in ages, seduce me, and
change the tenor of our relationship in the blink of an eye, and
now you’re talking families?” She laughed again
and Luka didn’t know whether to be offended or to laugh
himself.
“From working with you, I knew you were
an honorable and protective man. I can see you haven’t
changed much.” She lifted her head to look at him.
“Not that I’m complaining, mind you, I truly appreciate
it. It’s just...,” she broke off and slowly laid
her head back against his chest. “I guess I’m a
realist. No matter how much you may want things or people
to be the way you want, they’re only the way they are.
So, in the end, it’s a lot easier if you’ve learned to
see them clearly from the beginning. Then you have less
false expectations.”
“How did you get to be so wise?”
he asked, a smile in his voice.
“By nearly killing myself when I was
younger from unrealistic expectations. Learning was sheer
self-preservation,” her tone was wry and dry. “Lets
get these inside.” She picked up her basket of roses.
After taking care of the flowers, Luka sat down on the sofa,
pulling her down on to his lap, Isis jumping up to join them.
“Lets go swimming. Then we can do the steam and sauna
rooms.”
“That sounds nice.” Caitlyn
was petting a rumbling cat and Luka had begun to pet her. “Oh
it is, it is. I have some ideas.” He said next
to her ear. “Oh, I just bet you do....” He
was rubbing her back and slipping a hand underneath her short
t-shirt. She went limp against him.
”You remind me of your cat.
You purr when stroked and arch your back the same way.”
His attention began to get a little more serious. Her
breath caught as his hand wandered farther and teased a bit more.
He continued his attentions for a few more minutes, then stood
abruptly and set Caitlyn on her feet. “Come on, get
your things together, bathing suit, whatever you need. Lets
go.”
“Now?” She stood there
looking a bit dazed. “Go?”
“Yeah, now.” He kissed her
harder and gave a push toward her bedroom. “Get ready.
Anticipation is good for the soul.” She narrowed her
eyes at him, but hurried to get ready. They walked back
down the street, touching hands, bumping into each other, Caitlyn
doing her best to remind Luka what he had turned down. He
just smiled at her. Passing a video store, Luka stopped,
pulling her inside, saying they should rent a move for later.
They argued over choices, finally ending up with three movies. He
was disparaging her choice of a romantic comedy involving two
sisters who were witches and a Bulgarian cowboy who wouldn’t
stay dead. “Is this what they call a ‘chick-flick?’
he said sarcastically as he paid at the counter, when he felt a
hand slip under the edge of his shorts, slip between his legs and
squeeze. He jumped, exclaiming out loud in Croatian,
causing the girl behind the counter to look at him strangely.
He flushed, grabbed the bag and Caitlyn, and strode out the door.
She wore an angelic expression as they
walked the rest of the way. At the house, they changed into
swimsuits and went out to the beach. The surf was
still a bit rough, so they decided to walk along the beach.
The area was all private homes fronting the beach, so there were
hardly any other people along this stretch of sand. They
walked for about a half-hour and then turned around and walked
back. Caitlyn wanted to lie out on the deck to sun for a
bit.
She began to lay down on one of the loungers
when Luka walked up behind her, put his arms around her waist and
asked, “Aren’t you going to take off that suit? You’ll
get lines.” Caitlyn stilled for a minute. “You
mean go nude?”
“Mmm-hmm. I’ll rub lotion on
you,” he added helpfully,” but maybe you’re too
shy...” he broke off. Caitlyn thought. “Well,
there’s really no one here, so okay.” She
shimmied out of her suit quickly and lay down before she
chickened out. Luka got a bottle of lotion and applied it
to her back, then retreated to his lounger to read. A
half-hour passed. “Aren’t you going to turn over?
You’ll burn.” He warned. Caitlyn roused
from a light nap and sleepily turned over keeping her eyes shut
against the glare. “Want some more lotion?” he
asked. “Yes, please,” she murmured.
She felt his hands begin to apply the lotion
from the bottom of her legs working upward. They went
slowly, seeming to spend more time than necessary lingering over
her skin, stroking softly in the sensitive crease behind her
knee, skirting teasingly near the apex of her thighs. They
moved to her abdomen and hips, smoothing and stroking, then
higher to her stomach and breasts. He avoided touching her
nipples, making her all the more aware of them as they protested
the avoidance by hardening and standing out, as if seeking his
touch. He worked up her neck and shoulders, his arms
occasionally brushing over her breasts, causing the nipples to
tighten painfully. He stretched out her arms over her head,
rubbing lotion all along their length. She felt something
wrap around her hands as he worked on her there and felt a
restriction when she went to move them.
“What the..?” she began.
“Too late. I’ve got you.”
She opened her eyes to see Luka standing
nude next to the lounger, a slight smile on his face. "What
have you gone and done?” She twisted her head around
and saw her hands tied together with the bikini top she’d
discarded and it was anchored to the lounger. A sharp tug
revealed it was tied well. “I suppose you think that
you’re clever, Kovac.”
“Just devious,” he grinned. “You
started it! I’m just reciprocating here.”
“I don’t think a little grope is
the same thing as this.” Caitlyn protested.
“Well, I guess that depends, now doesn’t
it?” He sat down next to her and began stroking her
breasts. “I’m trying hard to even it up.”
His fingers on her breasts were circling her nipples without
touching. Her breath caught in anticipation then was
released as his fingers wandered away without fulfilling their
promise. She kicked him lightly on the hip with a loose
foot. “Now, now, none of that.” He lay
casually over her lower body and legs to keep them restrained.
Caitlyn began to get worried. “Luka,
its broad daylight! We’re in public! Anybody
could come walking by on the beach and see us!”
He smiled slowly and concentrated on the
circles he was drawing on her stomach with a finger. “Mmm...true,”
he glanced around over the top of the deck railing, “but no
one’s here...yet...” He leaned down and began
placing open-mouthed kisses on her stomach, trailing his mouth
along to her navel. His tongue dipped inside and Cait felt
her insides tighten in response to his actions. She pulled
uselessly against her restraint, her eyes closing, and she
cursed. “Bloody hell, Kovac!”
He moved his mouth up over hers. “I
should hope we can make it much better than that.” His
mouth moved over hers, open and wet, his tongue gently stroking
her lips. She opened to him and he deepened the kiss.
He stayed that way a while, giving attention to her mouth and
face, feeling her begin to relax a bit as he coaxed a response
from her. Slowly leaving her wet mouth, he trailed his own
down her neck to her breasts, rubbing the slight growth on his
cheek along her soft skin there, breathing warm breath on her
nipples without touching them. She squirmed in response and
he smiled against her skin. “Still want me to stop?”
“Can we go somewhere else?”
“No.” He cupped both breasts
in his hands and rubbed his face in between them.
“Oh. Well...if we must...”
his tongue moved closer to her nipple. “I
suppose... it will...,” she stopped, concentrating on the
feeling of anticipation his action had caused. His tongue
hovered just out of reach. “Oh God, Luka, please!”
She arched upward towards him. His mouth closed over her
nipple, drawing it into his mouth, sucking hard and stroking with
his tongue. The feeling shot straight into her womb,
causing a tightening and resultant explosion of tension that left
her gasping and shaking.
“I’m going to die.” Cait
said. “Not yet,” Luka switched to the other
breast with similar results. He smiled, “There’s
more where that came from.” He said, and proceeded to love
every inch of her body with his hands and mouth, leaving her
gasping and uncaring if her moans were heard by passers by.
She couldn’t think about anything but his hands and his
mouth and the way they made her body feel. He drove her
from one peak to another, leaving her limp and spent.
Finally, he arranged her unresisting legs
open to either side of the lounger and settled himself in
between. He rubbed himself in the wetness there, sliding
back and forth against the heat of her body. Opening his
mouth over hers, he shifted and buried himself inside her in one
movement. He swallowed her gasp at the entry and began to
rock against her, stroking her inner skin as he had the outer,
slowly and completely.
Caitlyn groaned against him and spoke,
“I don’t care if the whole world is watching, don’t
stop!” She hung on to the warmth and power of him as
he moved over her. It seemed to last forever, the warmth of
their bodies in the sun. It was as if the heat of the sun
and come down to reside inside her and it was expanding, getting
hotter with the passing of time and each stroke of his body in
hers.
The heat and light built. He reached
down and wrapped her legs up around his waist, tilting her pelvis
and creating more friction. Still he didn’t stop and
the light expanded even more. The speed picked up and
Caitlyn began to see the light reaching its outer limits, filling
in every crevice of her being. Abruptly, it spilled over,
her body convulsing, her mind flying away on the wave of light.
She felt him follow and they both rode the light waves together.
She had no idea how long they lay there like
that, but thought later it had been for some time, as they both
had dozed off. Cait awakened as Luka groaned in her ear,
stretching slightly and fumbling around with the knot in her
bikini top. She felt her arms freed and winced at the
feeling as the blood moved back into them as she lowered them.
Neither moved yet beyond that, both still drugged from the force
of their climax and journey into insensibility. Luka
eventually moved to get his back out of the burning rays of the
sun. Standing up, he looked down at Caitlyn, at the picture
of abandon she displayed, and smiled.
“I wish I had a picture of that to take
with me,” he said, eliciting a smile from her. “Thank
God you don’t,” she returned. He pulled on her
hands and she winced as she sat up. “Ouch!”
She rubbed her arms a bit.
“Does that hurt?” Luka massaged
her upper arms to help restore circulation. “I’m
sorry...I shouldn’t have done that.”
“Are you crazy?” she asked. “That
was very much worth a few sore moments.” She stood up
and leaned into him. “That was incredible.”
She reached up and kissed him and then whispered. “Thank
you.”
His arms tightened almost painfully around
her and he kissed her. He stood there looking out over the
sand and water, wondering why his life was so complicated, why he
couldn’t take the little things for granted like other
people, why he was still afraid to risk giving his heart again.
This was what he wanted. It was what he was missing in his
life. But he couldn’t risk losing it again. He
also couldn’t stay away from having at least a taste of it.
He wondered what he was condemning Caitlyn to with his inevitable
leaving, probably the same hell as he was condemning himself to,
and yet, he still couldn’t go away at the moment because he
wanted more. He wanted as much of her as he could take.
And with that admission, he thought he deserved to suffer twice
as much because he knew what he was doing and still chose to stay
and hurt her. He was being a damn bastard and he didn’t
care. He needed her too much.
Caitlyn was pulling him towards the house,
talking about showers and dinner. Luka let himself be
pulled, forcing the thoughts out of his mind, forcing himself to
be present fully in the moment without the specter of the past
looming over it. He would need to have these moments to
remember one day soon when the reality was gone. He wanted
to remember it all.