Chapter 3

            By the time he makes it inside, I have myself under control once more. He says, "Celeste, I'm sorry. So is Ro. She didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

            I say, "It's ok, AJ. I guess I don't want to think about after you're married. You're my best friend. It's gonna be weird when I can't see you."

            He pulls me around to face him and says, "I told her, I'm telling you, nothing is going to change. I won't give you up for anyone. You've stood by me through hell and back."

            I put my hand on his face and say, "But AJ, if you're married, how will it look if you hang out with me?"

            He says, "I don't give a flying flip what it looks like. Do you want to stop being my friend?" I shake my head no and he says, "There you go then. We'll be friends forever. Got it?"

            I smile and hug his neck and say, "Got it."

            He says, "Now...since we missed a movie, want to rent one on cable?"

            I laugh and say, "Sure. I'll grab us a drink. You want another coke? Or something harder?"

            He laughs and says, "I'll stick with coke, thank you." I have to laugh with him. He knows the hardest thing I drink at home is wine coolers. When I'm with him, I usually don't drink at all. I grab us each a coke and go into the living room to find the lights turned down and the TV turned up.

            I hand him his coke and sit down beside him and say, "What are we watching?"

            He says, "My all time favorite movie. The Big Easy."

            I laugh and say, "Hey, I like that one too."

            We settle in to watch and I can't help but think about how close together we're sitting. He pulls me in close against him as the sexual tension builds up between the characters in the movie. I can't help it. I get so aroused.  And AJ knows it.

            He turns to me as the first really sexy love scene starts and he says, "I do believe you like this part of the movie."

            I turn my face to his and say, "Whatever do you mean?"

            He slides his hand up my thigh under my dress and says, "Why didn't you wear panties?"

            As his fingers slowly circles the heat emanating from my body, I say, "Why do you think?"

            He smiles and says, "It's been a while."

            I say, "It has. Want to finish the movie?"

            As his finger slides inside me, he whispers, "Later. Right now I want to finish you."

            His lips cover mine as he pushes my back on the couch. My legs open wider and his fingers explore me more fully. I drink in his flavor as he moves his probing fingers faster and faster. I pull my lips from his and say, "AJ, wait...we have all night."

            He says, "I know...but this one's all for you."

            He pushes my dress up farther and lowers his head.  When his lips join his tongue, I come unglued. I arch up into him as he explores my body as only he can. I grab his head and hold him tighter against me as he draws my first orgasm from me. My body quivers in lust as he moves his lips across my stomach. He sits up and leans toward me, kissing me deeply. Tasting myself on his lips is a shock in itself but it just makes me want him more.

            I stand in front of him and take off my jumper.  As I'm unbuttoning my blouse, he strips off his shirt. When I see the tattoos across his chest, a sultry smile crosses my lips. He sees it and says, "What's so funny?"

            I grin and say, "Nothing. I think you're gonna be surprised by what I did a few months ago."

            He laughs as he's stripping off his pants. He says, "Nothing you do surprises me Celeste."

            I drop my shirt and say, "Are you sure?"

            When I turn my back to him, I hear his breath hiss through his teeth. I feel his fingers slowly trace the tattoo that now crosses the bottom of my back. He says, "When did you do this?"

            I laugh and start to turn to face him, but he stops me. He kneels behind me and takes in every inch of the tattoo, studying the detail.  In the center is a moon, surrounded by shooting stars. I say, "I decided I wanted to do something wild and crazy. Wild and crazy for me anyway. Do you like it?"

            He says, "Darling, it's beautiful. And sexy as hell." When his tongue finds the center of the moon, I gasp, a tingling shooting down my legs.

            He stands and I turn to face him. I say, "Now what?"

            When he looks down, my eyes follow his and my body shivers in anticipation. I am always amazed at how hard he gets when we make love. He smiles at me and says, "Come here."

            He pulls me around to the back of the couch and leans me over it. His fingers caress the stars on my back as he slowly joins our bodies together. I grip the back of the couch and moan as he pumps in and out of me. Slowly at first, making me wetter and wetter.

When I start to whimper, he speeds up, thrusting harder and harder. I want to scream. He slides his hands under my stomach and pulls me back until I'm standing up in front of him. His hands cover my breasts and his fingers tease my nipples as we grind together. He bites my neck before whispering, "You feel so good, Baby."

I cover his hands with mine as he brings us closer and closer. When I feel my body tense up, I lean forward again. He grabs my hips and thrusts himself deeply inside me, letting go of his load.

When I turn to face him, I lean on the back of the couch as his lips cover mine. His hands slide over my back as mine go up his chest and around his neck. He moves his lips to my ear and whispers, "It's never been as good as it is with you."

I savor the feel of his lips and teeth on my neck as I whisper, "For me either, AJ. You make me feel amazing."

He pulls back and looks at me intently. He says, "Come on, Baby. Let's go get comfortable on that big old bed of yours."

Before we move, he lowers his head and kisses me sensually. He's never kissed me like this before. It's more than just our tongues battling to be in charge. He's literally making love to my mouth with his and my body is on fire for him.

He sweeps me up into his arms and carries me into my room. The rest of the night passes in a haze of carnal lust. By the time we wake up at dawn, my body aches. But I wouldn't change a thing. He kisses my temple and says, "I have to go, Baby. Meetings today."

I turn and kiss him before saying, "I have to work too. Call me and we'll do lunch soon."

That was the last time I saw AJ until mid December. He called, but we never got together again. But I could tell things had changed quite a bit. He was getting more and more involved with the wedding. He seems happy. So I should be happy for him, right?  Right.