Terry Thorne looked over at the woman asleep on the seat beside his. With her face composed in rest, he was free to study her at his leisure. Not that he hadn't looked before, in fact, she'd caught him out and out staring at her admiringly once or twice during the short course of their acquaintance, but this was one of those rare moments that was simply too tempting not to take advantage of.

Her shoulder-length hair was smooth and shiny brown, rich like silk the colour of freshly brewed coffee. Though they didn't show well in the poor light of the airplane's overhead pinlights, he knew that there were brilliant reddish-auburn highlights that would come to life in the light of the sun.

Likewise lush were her dark lashes, now laying against the rise of her cheek, shielding her large  eyes as she slept. Eyes that had seen a lot in her forty odd years. Eyes that held a wisdom and knowing that were the main clue that she was no longer a young girl. And yet.... There was something about the way her eyes lit up, lively and flashing when she laughed or smiled that made her seem girlish in a way that tugged at his heart... and it didn't stop there. More than once he'd seen something in those eyes - affection? Admiration? Perhaps even desire? Feelings that tugged at places a bit further South on his anatomy.

The bold and simple fact was that she was beautiful, and Terry found himself thinking about her eyes often. They were big and brown, flecked with gold but with a ring of almost moss-green around the pupil. They were also large and expressive - at times thoughtful and serious. At others, full of teasing laughter and light like a little girl's smile. They were eyes that had seen a world of experience, yet spoke of places untouched by its troubles.

Terry adjusted slightly in his seat so that he could see Brenda better. Currently her body was curled away from him, angled on the wide leather First Class seat to allow her to trap the little in-flight pillow between her head and the cabin wall. She had his suit jacket over her, serving as a light cover as she slept. He'd lain it over her himself after she'd dozed off because he knew she tended to get cold easily. But even though much of her body was hidden from view, he knew well the strong, feminine shape of her form.

Her arms and legs were long and shapely, this was a woman who was generally quite careful about what she put into her body and enjoyed a good run. The care she put into her body showed. Her waistline was a sinuous curve, lightly offset by the slightly rounded swell of her hips where they met her flat belly.

Thoughts of her legs and hips caused him to shift again in his seat as he continued his mental inventory of her more intimate curves. Her high, rounded teacup breasts... the perfect heart shape of her ass....  Terry had never been a man who got wrapped up in any one aspect of a woman. He was not a leg or tit or ass man, per se. Instead, he was a detail man, relishing all of a woman's many fine features. It was the sum of her own special uniqueness that would attract him rather than any one part. The details that went into making up the whole.

And in the case of this fine woman sleeping beside him, the whole was composed of details that he found unbelievably tempting and desirable.

The number one rule that he and his compatriots lived by was "Never become personally involved with a client or the client's family." It was a rule he had once violated and lived to regret. Barely. In penance for his rash passion, he had taken incredible risks and once again skated out by the skin of his teeth.

But Brenda was not a client -

He'd been acting as a consultant for an old mate who was heading up a Secret Service contingent on loan in Texas, protecting an Arab dignitary, Karim Zein, whose recent high profile appearances had put him at risk. The man was outspoken and headstrong, completely high maintenance in every way, and thus it seemed necessary to bring in a cultural expert and translator.

But where in the "Heart of Texas" was Terry going to find someone with such a background on short notice?

Luckily, Dino knew an ex-Ranger, who knew someone in local government who had met a woman who worked in Public Relations for a large town in Central Texas. That information and three phone calls put him in touch with Brenda Carlsson, who had studied Arabic at both UCLA and also the University of Arizona summer programme while getting her business degree. With her interest and respect for Arabic culture, she seemed the perfect choice.

A call to her boss on behalf of the Secret Service as well as a generous consulting fee, and she had become an essential part of the team for this short term but diplomatically sensitive operation.

They'd retained her services for two weeks, and during that time they'd worked in close proximity, which had given him plenty of opportunity for his initial attraction to turn into true admiration and affection. Brenda was a beauty with the proverbial charms to soothe the savage beast, and she had somehow managed to work her magic on every member of the all male team.

She'd spent time with the Secret Service men, her eyes flashing as she teased them about their "exciting lifestyle" reducing most of them to "Aw Shucks" Schoolboy  crushes, even after she'd bested most of them on the running track. Others she had drawn out during the off hours, managing to get even the most reticent of them to open up and talk about themselves. She had a way of making everyone feel both important and listened to, truly heard. And yet, somehow she worked her magic in such a way that one person's chance to shine was never at the expense of another.

All this while never losing even one drop of her feminine mystery or grace. Truly, she was an amazing woman, and even as he'd stood back and watched her charm every man on the team as well as Zein himself, Terry had found that he, too, was smitten.

And that was the real reason why he'd insisted on seeing her home himself when the job had ended. It was pure selfishness, wrapped in a gallant charade.

Now they were announcing the approach to Austin, the FA's hurrying by to stow the last of their gear and get everyone's seat into position for landing. All too soon, he would have to take his leave of this beautiful woman who had so charmed and enthralled him for the past fortnight.

As he watched, Brenda stirred and then her eyes opened. When they focused on him, a slow, sleepy smile blossomed and she stretched like a lazy cat after a cosy nap.

"Hi, Terry."

"Hi." His own smile, warm and affectionate, rose to meet hers. "Did you have a good kip?"

"Kip." Her well shaped brow tugged and her button nose wrinkled as she considered the word, taking a moment to place it, then her smile brightened again. "Oh, yes. I had a good nap." Her giggle was girlish, and like her smile, it always did him in.

His eyes narrowed playfully a moment, aware that she was teasing him, but never quite sure how to take it. It was rare enough for him to slip into Aussie slang after all these years away from home. To do so was in fact a sign that he was comfortable with her in ways that made him feel relaxed and casual, a side of himself he generally kept well hidden while working.

But this was no longer work, was it? And casual and relaxed? Well, that was just what his fantasies had ordered.

His voice dropped into a low growl as he fought a grin. "You really ought to know better than to tease a man like me."

That got him a fresh round of giggles and a hand on his arm as she fought back a smile of her own. "Ooohh, you're such a tough guy, Terry. I'm shaking in my boots."

He laughed at that, but what he was really doing was imagining all the ways he'd like to make her shake. The idea of having her beautiful body quivering at his touch made him all the quicker to accept his jacket when she handed it back a moment later. He folded it neatly and placed it across his lap as casually as he could, hiding the growing physical evidence of his desire for her .

"So, Brenda, let me ask you...."

"Yes, Terry?"

Those eyes of hers were still sparkling as she brought her seat back up, then turned to face him again.

"Were you planning on heading straight back tonight? Or, uhhm....?" His brows lifted over an unspoken invitation.

Her thick lashes dipped lower a moment, coy and seductive all at once. "Well, I might be persuaded to spend a little time in Austin... What did you have in mind?"

"I was hoping you'd agree to have dinner with me tonight."

"Yeah?" Her smile brightened again, carving dimples deep into her cheeks. Sweet Jesus, Terry thought as his pulse picked up. She looks all of about sixteen.

"Well, I'll tell you the truth, Brenda..." His hand drifted to adjust the suitcoat over his lap and he caught himself just in time and used it to brush back his hair instead. His normally close cropped chestnut locks hadn't been trimmed in a few weeks, and the curls in front were getting just a little unruly.

"Tell me the truth, Terry." Wide sparkling eyes over that teasing little girl smile fixed on him expectantly. "I accept nothing but the truth, you know."

"Okey dokey." He chuckled at that aware that she was having another go at him, even as much as she also clearly meant every word. "The truth is, I've really enjoyed getting to know you, and I'm finding myself in no great hurry to say Goodbye." He smiled, trying to keep it light. Even if she accepted his invitation, even if they pursued what he suspected was a mutual attraction, they both knew that at some point in the very near future, he'd have to move on. It was always like that, just a part of what he did and who he was. Sometimes he felt like the hero in some romantic adventure, destined to always ride off into the sunset when it was all over, bringing about Happily Ever Afters that he could never be a part of.

Now he watched her face closely, noting all the tiny flickers in her expression as she took a moment to think. Finally, her mind apparently made up, she angled to look at him again. "Seeing as how I contracted to you for two weeks and that time doesn't end until I go back to work on Monday..." Her dainty tongue slipped over the curl of her naturally pink lips, and her grin blossomed again it its wake. "I don't see how I could possibly refuse."

Terry found that he had to admire her subtle mix of logic and flirtation. His smile pushed deeper into his cheeks. "Well, as it happens, my flight home doesn't go 'til Monday."

"Oh yeah?" Her whole expression seemed to glitter at him, a combination of sweet shyness and attraction that made him want to take her in his arms and kiss her all over. He wanted to kiss her long dark lashes, and then each eyelid and the apples of her cheeks. He wanted to plant a row of kisses down the bridge of her cute little nose and then, yes, he wanted to take her lips and kiss her over and over again until the taste of her smile filled his own mouth. Terry ached to taste this woman. "I'd love the chance to show you some more of the best of Texas."

His leg brushed hers and didn't move away as he angled closer to reply. It took a moment to steady his voice as visions of them together clouded his head. "I'd love that, Brenda. We could take the entire weekend... If you wanted to."

Her long slim fingers touched his arm again. He could feel her subtly stroking his muscles beneath his sleeve. Her gaze cut up to him, shy, sweet and speaking in silent promises of the possibility of so many fantasies fulfilled. "I'd like that, Terry."

They gathered their luggage and Brenda went to freshen up while Terry waited to sign for his hired car at the Hertz desk downstairs. The process was so second nature to him that he found his mind wandering some as he waited for the forms to be finished printing. His thoughts kept jumping ahead to what the next few days and nights might hold - time spent with a beautiful woman, one his equal, if not his better, and the easy way they'd come to relate to one another enhanced by the possibility of desires as yet unexplored... Was his hand actually shaking as he picked up the little stylus to scrawl out his electronic signature?

He felt a touch on his back and jumped, turning to see Brenda grinning at his surprised response.

"Who's kipping now, Terry?" she teased as he folded the car contract into his suit pocket and gave the man behind the counter a nod of thanks.

"You sneaked up on me," he chuckled, shaking his head.

"You?" She tried to reach for the handle of her bag but he waved her off and grabbed it along with his own. "I get the feeling that doesn't happen very often."

"I'd better watch my step with you." His lips pressed at a grin that found its way into his sparkling, laughing sea coloured eyes instead.

"Yes, I think you had better." 

With a proud and playful toss of her head, Brenda led the way out into the still bright sunlight of the late afternoon, allowing Terry to momentarily drop a step behind to enjoy the sway of her hips and the way her gray work trousers clung to her perfect high-set ass.

The ride to his hotel, the Omni in downtown Austin, was blessedly short. Now that their mutual attraction had been acknowledged but not yet acted upon, Terry found the closeness of her in the front seat beside him nearly maddening. He concentrated on the busy traffic around them and kept the conversation light, asking questions which might not seem to mean much to the average person, but spoke volumes to a man who had learnt to listen to what was behind the words.

While he registered for the room, Brenda wandered off across the high lobby, which was modern and shiny, with its high ceilings and big overstuffed couches and so many cold surfaces polished to perfection. Once finished, he found her leaning by the lift, waiting for him, and her smile blossomed to greet him as he approached.

"What's this?" she asked as he handed her a key that matched his own. Only the number on the card was different.

"It's a key, Miss Carlsson," he grinned as he gestured her gallantly into the open car. "To your room."

"But -?" Her brow arched high in surprise but she folded her lips closed as he shook his head at her, his easy smile only adding to her confusion.

She turned to him again as the door closed and they were alone in the rising glass-walled car. He could see the doubt in her eyes, wondering if she'd misunderstood and his eyes crinkled, adding a touch of warmth to the curl of his lips.

"It occurred to me that in your line of work, you were probably pretty well known in a place like this." His brows rose in a shrug and there was both caring and understanding in his expressive eyes.

"Oh, Terry, don't be silly, you didn't have to -" she shook her head and tried to hand the key back to him but he only grinned and refused to take it.

They found their rooms near the end of the hall and Terry carried her bags in for her then lingered in the doorway as a moment of awkwardness crept over them. They both knew what they wanted, and they wanted the same thing, but knowing how and when to take it was one of the trickiest negotiations he had faced thus far.

"Where would you like to eat tonight?" he asked leaning near the door, watching her slip off  her light suit jacket.

"I get to pick?" Brenda came closer, making his pulse kick up at the sight of the combination of desire and delight in her eyes as he nodded. "Good. I know just the place."

"Okay, then. You get to play tour guide. The Best of Texas, right?" She was within range now, all it would take was a subtle move of his arm and he could touch her. He wanted her so badly that he was nearly shaking. "How about we both freshen up, and then you can come to my room when you're ready?"

"Okay," she nodded, her eyes moving over his face, taking him in and, he suspected, noting every aspect of his apparent desire for her. There was something about this woman and the way she looked at him that made him feel seen and understood in a way that should have unnerved him, but didn't.

Her voice had dropped a shade lower and softened and he couldn't help noticing the sweet and spicy notes of her lingering perfume. She was that close. "See you in about half an hour?"

"Perfect." He gave a slight nod and his gaze hung on her a moment longer than it needed to as he wondered if this was the moment to take a chance and reach for a kiss. A breath, two heartbeats, and he lost his nerve, the moment passed. Terry pushed off the wall with a sigh that could have passed for a whisper of regret.

She followed him the few short steps to the door and as he reached for the handle, about to step out, he heard her softly say his name.

"Terry?"

He turned back and her long fingers reached for the knot of his tie, working it loose as she smiled shyly up at him. He could see her fingers trembling slightly as she undid it, and when she was done, she didn't immediately let go.

A little tug on the silk in her hand and his lips took the invitation before his brain could kick in and stop him. A moment later his lips were brushing across hers, somewhere between a kiss and a soft breath of exploration. Her mouth was incredibly soft and sweet, warm and inviting.

Terry angled deeper, one hand coming up to cradle and protect the back of her head as he pressed her to the wall, struggling to restrain himself from rubbing full up against her, telling himself to wait, to slow down, to let this happen as it should. Yet his hungry mouth continued to pull at hers by deliberate mouthfuls, taking first one lip and then the other until a soft moan rose like a purr at the back of his throat. He was answered by a soft sound from her, almost a mewl of need, and he forced himself to let her go before they could both get carried away.

"Ohh, Terry..." Her fingers stroked his cheek as she sighed, her chest rising and falling with the quick breath of desire ignited. 

"Brendaaa..." His voice was husky, her name on his lips like a caress as he angled in for a fresh kiss. He sighed as her hand moved to his chest, stopping him lightly.

"Go wash." Her eyes moved over his face, taking in the mixture lust and want and need that made him look like a combination of wolf and little boy. "I'll be there soon."

"Yeh, okay." His smile curled his cupid bow lips as he pushed off the wall and let her go with a soft chuckle of regret. He turned back, ducking a grin as his fingers found the door handle. "Hurry."

"Okay," she agreed, nodding as her own smile added soft light to her eyes.

He heard the lock engage behind him as she shut the door. Picking up his bag, Terry walked on shaking legs to his own room next door and went inside.

Thirty odd later, Terry was washed, shaved, dressed and ready to go. No sign of Brenda yet, so he hooked up his trusty Dell and did a little work, sending off an email to Dino to let him know that the job was done but he'd be spending the rest of the weekend in Texas regardless.

Logging onto his private account, he found a few junk mail adverts that ranged from invitations to See Naughty Naked Co-eds Live! (he was sure Dino had signed him up for that one) to the latest online catalogue of flak jackets and body armour. There was an email from Henry, always a little awkward, as their communications tended to be, no matter how hard they both tried. The boy was nearing sixteen now and Terry hoped that as his son grew into manhood they'd one day find a common ground where they could both relax and relate as something akin to equals. God knew he'd buggered the Father-Son thing nearly beyond repair with his constant absences.

Still, the email showed signs of hope. There at the tail end of the letter was mention of a new girl who had caught Henry's eye, about his own age and from a neighbouring school. Henry wanted advise on a place they might go in London should she agree to a date and Terry's heart swelled with pride a little as he wrote back suggesting several good restaurants where the young couple might be made welcome for a nice meal.

That done, he made himself a note to add a bit of extra money into the boy's spending account at the Abbey to cover the date and was just about to open up his business accounting programme when he heard a soft knock at the door.

Flipping the laptop closed he got up and hurried to let Brenda in, his heart ratcheting up a few notches to beat in time with his pulse. It hit a new high, nearly thundering as he opened the door and saw her standing there.

She was dressed in a body hugging indigo dress that clung to her in a way that could only be described as "lovingly", showing off every curve of her slim and shapely body to glorious perfection. He was instantly both aroused and jealous. Jealous of the way the dress skimmed over her like a lover's caress, the way his hands longed to.

Her make up was carefully applied, minimal, not flashy. Simply there to enhance her already beautiful features. Her dark hair was shiny and soft, begging to be touched, he ached to run his fingers through it, but no, now wasn't the time... Though that time would come... And hopefully soon.

As he stepped back to allow Brenda to pass, his gaze followed the line of her light casually draped wrap down to her shoes and Terry's pulse began to beat harder in the lower portion of his anatomy. She was wearing a pair of medium height heels made up of thin straps. God love a woman who knew how to dress like a woman.

Brenda stepped into the room with a graceful stride that said she not only knew the effect she was having on him, but that this was just what she had planned on. A lesser man would have been picking his jaw up off the floor and she knew it, yet whatever she was seeing in Terry's expression had her well pleased.

"You like?" she bubbled, leaving her wrap and little purse on the back of the couch and doing a slow turn.

"Very much." Terry had to lick his lips and swallow hard to find his voice. "Very, very much." As smooth as he tried to sound, somehow the words seemed shaded with a wolfish growl. "You look gorgeous."

"Oh good." She was absolutely beaming at him now. Proud of her effect on him, pleased by the way he was looking at her, not even bothering to hide her pleasure at the way she had him all but fumbling.

God damnit, she'd done it again. The great Terry Thorne who prided himself on his ability to hit and run, taking no long term prisoners in the process, was all but swept off his feet by this glorious and complex woman.

Now, why was she grinning like that, one brow arched high over her laughing, sparkling eyes?

Brenda's gaze moved over him as she tried to fold her smile away. "Oh no. I should have warned you..." She took in his jeans and polo shirt, nice but not even close to her league at the moment. "I thought we'd go to Green Pastures." Her smile was edging away. "I'm sorry, Terry, I should have said -"

Terry looked down at what he was wearing. He'd dressed for a casual evening in Austin, his mind on the many excellent barbeque places the town was famous for. A glance back at Brenda's ensemble and the error of his ways were immediately apparent. This was not one of their casual after-work dinners. He'd gotten it all wrong, promising her romance and dressing like a third date.

"No." He waved a hand on her as he backed towards the bedroom door. "No, no, no, no. You stay." Jesus, was he stammering? "You stay here and I... I'll just be a tic. Maybe two, but... just... don't move... don't change, just - Wait."

He shook his head, grinning at her like a damn schoolboy now and pushed the bedroom door shut. He could hear her giggling as he all but raced to where his suit-bag hung in the closet.

He kept the conversation light as he drove where she directed him, though once or twice the run down look of the neighborhoods they passed through made him wonder if his best Armani suit and silk tie was going to make him stick out like a sore thumb.

Brenda was full of smiles and giggles, but he could see the light of lusty admiration in her eyes once or twice as he caught her gaze moving over him. No question, the attraction was very mutual and it was all he could do to keep his eyes on the road as his mind wandered to fantasies of finding a  motel, a side road, Christ, a barn would be fine! 

As much as he'd been looking forward to what appeared to be shaping up as a very romantic evening, Terry found himself drawing on his training to stay in control. Now that they were this close, it was so tempting to charge ahead.

But this particular negotiation demanded all the finesse he could muster. 

So he played it cool. Outwardly calm and disciplined, but beneath the surface, every nerve-ending was buzzed as though electrified. If he didn't touch her soon, the aching need might just do him in.

Green Pastures turned out to be a 19th Century mansion surrounded by several acres of rolling lawn with historic Live Oaks whose heavy limbs nearly brushed the ground in places. Peacocks roamed freely about the grounds, adding an exotic air that offset the sedate surroundings. One paused nearby to fan its tail with an elegant shiver of brilliant jewel toned feathers while the cries of other birds unseen echoed through the evening like the screams of wild cats. The sound made Brenda shiver and press her hand more firmly to his as he led her inside.

They barely had time to sip their drinks upstairs at the 1888 Bar before an attentive host was leading them down to a linen draped table for two in a cosy corner of the main dining room. Terry, still mindful of his previous faux pas made a gallant gesture and did the honours of seating Brenda himself. The host just smiled knowingly while handing them menus and bidding them a pleasant visit before disappearing adeptly to greet some new arrivals.

Terry's practised eyes made a quick study of the room. From the wall sconces to the burnished wood to the perfectly trained staff, the place bespoke Southern hospitality gilded by subdued elegance. He could not have picked a more perfect setting for this date if he'd been guided by God's own hand. This had to be one of Austin's best kept secrets, and he was thrilled with Brenda's choice of venue for their first real date.

"Do you like it?" Brenda was beaming at him, leaning her chin on delicately folded hands as she watched him take in the room and their fellow diners. She'd seen him work enough to know that he had to get his initial surveillance out of the way before he could settle in. She could easily imagine him mentally placing things around the room, deciding where the neighboring patrons fit in, who they were by the tiny details his practiced gaze was so well versed in reading. She saw him nod, satisfied with his ritual, and she smiled, waiting for the approval she knew was coming.

"I do," he nodded, cheeks dimpling slightly under his smiling eyes. "It's perfect. You made a wonderful choice, Brenda."

"It took a little doing to get us a table on such short notice," she told him, a lilt of pride in her happy tone. "But I knew you'd love it. I just couldn't resist."

"And I appreciate you making the extra effort." His eyes held hers for a long moment, longer than was casual or even just friendly. There was so much there, lust, admiration, desire, longing, and yes, respect, too. He had so much respect for this beautiful, bright and clever woman sitting across the table from him. She had proven herself to be a truly complex woman, desirable on so many levels. A worthy companion in so many ways, and he was excited now to explore more of her, to delve into her deeper levels and savour every element of her.

Some of that savouring was going to have to wait, however... First there was dinner to attend to.  With a smile designed to hold the lust in his eyes at bay, Terry opened his menu to look over the selections.

On the verge of ordering the Lobster Starter, Terry discovered Brenda's deep aversion to coconut and ordered the Gulf Crab Cakes instead. He fed her little tidbits of the delicacy from his own fork while she nibbled at her salad of Field Greens. From the way her lips caressed the tines and her lashes hung heavy as she savoured each morsel, he knew this night would be very special. Full of shared experiences and pleasures fully indulged, every sense bathed in delight.

The light bantering that had already become something of a habit between them continued through the appetizers, the teasing sharpened a little by both attraction and the crisp, sweet delicious wine that Terry had chosen for them. The romantic ambiance of Green Pastures, with its slightly hushed white linen airs and the divine aromas was the perfect setting for their date. Now that the job was over, the combination of ambiance, wine and the sensual beauty of the charming and clever woman seated across from him soon had Terry in a rare, relaxed state, yet every sense seemed heightened.

As his usually stoic guard continued to drop away, he found himself not only revealing little bits of himself, but also demonstrating his knowledge of what he knew about Brenda. She was amazed and flattered to realise the tiny details he'd managed to glean from some of their past conversations. He alluded to insights into her inner self, the Self that she thought that no one else ever truly saw. Yet at no time did his revelations about her seem threatening or strange. Instead, Brenda felt truly seen and heard in a way that she had never experienced before, and this in turn brought a sense of exhilarating freedom.

As their entrees arrived, Terry began to only sip at his wine, at times ignoring the glass entirely. He wanted to keep his wits about him, every sense sharply attuned. He noticed that Brenda, too, drank lightly, all but ignoring her wineglass in favour of water after the first serving. The dinner conversation, which ranged from serious to flirtatious, flowed easily, yet the air around their table seemed heavy with desire, and Brenda had barely finished her basil and pine nut encrusted salmon and Terry his venison before a discreet nod brought a server to clear their table.

"I was thinking... for dessert.... " Brenda's gaze tilted off over the curl of a playful smile, her chin resting on the fingers of one slim shapely hand.

"You're torturing me," he growled, letting his foot brush hers under the table. 

"Why, Terry, I thought they taught you SAS boys to withstand torture better than that!" Her eyes danced merrily and all he could do was chuff a chuckle and shake his head. "I hope you don't intend to disappoint me." As hard as she tried, Brenda was unable to prevent the corners of her mouth from dimpling into a curled, teasing smile.

This time, Terry saw an opening and went for it. "Skip dessert and find out. You won't be disappointed." His breath caught in the back of his throat as the pointed toe of her high heel brushed teasingly against the inside of his leg.

She was staring boldly at him now, the meal had done nothing to sate her deeper hunger. And yet... despite the desire in her eyes, her lips were forming words designed to prolong the wait. "But I was thinking we could go for a drink and -"

"No." He shook his head as desire flared like a match below the surface of his smile. "We can't." 

His big hand folded lightly around her own long, delicate fingers, stroking the smooth, perfectly polished tips. A quick glance around to assure that he would not be overheard and he leant across the table, his voice dropped low, a rough whisper.

"I need you." Terry's eyes met hers, laying bare his desire. He struggled a little to find the words, so raw with hunger that they were hard to speak "It's driving me crazy, sitting here across from you, remembering how you felt in my arms. I want to see your beautiful body... I want to taste you all over, I..."

Brenda's slim hand raised, pressing a single smooth fingertip across the bow of his lips as her own fought the tug of a smile. "Call for the check and let's go."

Terry drove a little too quickly back to the hotel, very aware of Brenda's hand resting lightly on his leg ever since the small kiss he'd stolen at a stop light, making the drivers behind them toot their horns impatiently when the light turned to green. Not that he'd cared about their frustration. At the moment, only his own mattered, but Brenda had giggled and pushed him away lightly as the discordant cacophony rose around them, so he'd pulled his concentration back to the task of guiding them as quickly and carefully as possible back to the Omni.

He kissed her again as they rode the glass walled lift up to their floor, not caring who saw them as the car rose at a dizzying rate. All he really cared about was how good she felt in his arms and how well their bodies seemed to fit together.

They were barely inside his suite before he had her in his arms again, kicking the door closed as he took her mouth, kissing deeply, boldly exploring past her lips. His tongue slid over hers, rubbing a light caress. Still sweet with the taste of wine, her lips were impossibly soft and inviting.

Brenda dropped her bag and her fingers rose to clutch at his tie, somewhere between loosening the knot and hanging on for dear life as he turned her towards the bedroom. Keeping the kiss intact as best he could, Terry managed to peek only enough to guide them in safely, walking her backwards in his embrace until her legs made contact with the edge of the mattress.

There he stopped and sat her down, breaking the kiss reluctantly. His thick but agile fingers brushed the wrap from her shoulders, letting it fall like a gossamer curtain to pool around her on the bed.

"Jesus, you're so beautiful." Terry's voice was low, rough with want and need. She was so fucking sexy, it took real concentration to keep his fingers from trembling as they skimmed over the planes of her cheeks, stroking her velvet soft skin. "I've wanted you for so long."

"Mmmm..." Brenda arched her neck, rubbing her face to his touch like an eager kitten, her eyes slanting up at him with a feline grin that perfectly suited her expression and graceful movements.

Now she knelt up on the bed, her legs under her as she pushed his suit jacket from his broad shoulders, easing the sleeves down his thickly muscled arms. The cat-like smile still graced her eyes and the curve of her lips as he let the jacket slide off, tossing it away towards the chair by the desk. He'd barely begun working off his cufflinks and toeing off his shoes and socks when her fingers began sliding his tie loose, using it to pull him down for another hungry kiss.

She was no passive flower - this time she kissed him, her tongue stroking against his before withdrawing. Brenda's mouth moved across his jaw, nibbling kisses then burying her face in his neck, pulling in a deep breath of his manly scent, a mixture of spicy soap, cologne and another, earthy leaf like scent that she couldn't quite place.

"Mmmm... Terry..." She nuzzled her way up to his ear, leaving a trail of kisses in her wake.

"Jesus... Brenda...." His hands moved over the smooth material of her dress, pushing down the thin straps, baring her shoulders, caressing over her as he sought a way in.

Terry's hand curled to cup her breast through her short frock and with a soft mewl at the back of her throat, Brenda's mouth found his again, eager, hungry, wanting... tasting of a desire that matched his own.

His thumb brushed over her hardening nipple and he felt a wave of need pass through him, finally settling between his legs like a warm throb. His cock stirred, pulsing now, awake and in need of attention.

The kiss fell away slowly, both painfully aware that as incredible as the kisses were, they were past the point of kissing being enough. He felt his tie slip from his collar, heard its silken slither as it fell away to the floor, Brenda's fingers working the buttons of his dress shirt as she murmured against his neck. "Let me see you, Terry... "

He stepped back to oblige her, slipping his cufflinks into his trouser pocket, then his own trembling fingers somehow managed to work the fastenings, hastily pulling off his shirt, then stripping off the thin, ribbed singlet beneath, tossing it aside carelessly somewhere behind him.

Terry paused a moment, watching her gaze move over his bared upper body, aware of his scars, but not ashamed of them. They were, after all, simply a part of who he was. A puckered old bullet hole here, the long, raised jagged white line where a blade had left its mark there. The scars were a part of his history, he was nearly proud of them. And the few she could see now were the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

"Mmmm."  Brenda sat up on her knees, inching closer to the edge of the bed in order to better reach him. Her lithe fingers stroked across his chest, tickling through the sprinkling of golden brown fur, bringing his tiny nipples to taut attention. Her other hand caressed the muscles of his arm, brushing lightly over the small rough patch of shrapnel above his wrist. Her eyes rose to find his and there was approval and desire there. "Terry.... You're so... manly."

"Y'like?" He couldn't help chuckling a little at her tone as her hungry eyes glittered up at him. Unconsciously, he tightened his arms and belly a little.

"Oh yes," she purred, nodding.

Her fingers dripped down his torso, paused to toy coquettishly with his belt buckle and Terry was convinced that if she didn't touch him he'd pass out on the spot. Trained or no, there was only so much sweet torture a man could take!

His hand found hers, closed gently around it, led her to the throbbing prize under the fabric of his trousers, urging her with his motions to brush her palm across his growing hardness. His breath caught in his throat as she granted his wish, rubbing her hand firmly over his cock, making it strain against the loose fabric until it tented in a way that would have appeared comical, had their combined need not been so great.

He hissed in a breath, big hands planted on her bare shoulders as she leant forward, nuzzling her face against him. He could feel her warm breath, so close, like a promise. His breathing quickened, shallow and rough.

Running a tongue over his dry lips, Terry pulled himself back under command as best he could. He couldn't, wouldn't last much longer. It was all he could do not to rip off her pretty frock and have at her like the wild beast he could feel himself in increased danger of becoming.

"Let's get your dress off." His fingers moved over her again as he tried on a smile that he suspected was entirely wolfish. "Fair's fair, luv."

Brenda let him go, sitting back with a grin. "Don't you mean 'All's fair in love and war'?" Her big, expressive eyes were teasing as she reached down and began to slowly and deliberately strip off her clingy little indigo dress.

His eyes widened under heavy lashes as he watched her slowly peel the material away. Beneath the dress, she was all but bare, only a small lacy thong slung around her hips, and no brassiere to cover her sweet breasts.

The dress tangled briefly around her hair and she shook it loose with a little tug, letting it drop to the floor. Terry pulled in a shaky breath as his eyes moved over her. Jesus, if anything, she was even more beautiful than he'd imagined! How could a woman look so strong and so delicate all at once?

She had a body that would have put most women half her age to shame. Her long, shapely arms and well formed shoulders framed her lean torso beautifully. Her breasts were much as he'd fantasised, the perfect size to fill his hands, but her nipples were more plump than he'd envisioned, dark like sweet berries. The biggest surprise of all - the right one was pierced. A thin silver loop with a centred matching bead hung from the pert tip, and he caught himself licking his lips and grinned.

Brenda was watching his face, clearly enjoying the display of appreciation as his gaze moved over her. Her grin curled a little deeper as his eyes caught on her nipple ring and his skin rippled with an involuntarily erotic shudder. She seemed pleased at his reaction, and also with her ability to continually surprise him.

Her smile rolled across her face as she reached up and cupped her own breasts in her hands, fingers stroking around the nipples, slanting a coy look his way. "Do you like the way I look, Terry?"

"Yes." His voice caught rough at the back of his throat and he nodded. "Oh, yes, Brenda. You're bloody gorgeous."

He forced his eyes to travel on, taking in the sinuous curve where her ribs left off and dipped in around her flat belly before flowing out again to form her hips. Here, too, was another piece of body jewelry, a ring vertically piercing her navel that matched the one above, somehow managing to accent her beautiful belly, calling attention to the soft planes and shallow valleys. The lace of her silky white thong stood out in the soft light of the room, almost stark against the golden honey glow of her skin.

She was all woman, built as a woman should be, not flat and shapeless like the girls in fashion magazines, but a combination of slender curves that would drive any man wild.

And wild was just how Terry was feeling at the moment. His usual reserve draining away as his eyes moved back up to watch Brenda's fingers still caressing her breasts. He felt almost dizzy, drunk with desire for her, standing there on the precipice of fantasy and reality.

He pulled a breath, shakier than he would have hoped for, seeking the discipline to not bowl her over and have at her without further ado. But no, this was a woman, to be desired, yes, but also respected, wooed, caressed and cherished. And Terry was determined to treasure every moment of their time together.

His hands joined hers, stroking the soft skin around her puckered aerola, brushing her fingers away so that his thumbs could tease her plump nipples. He noted a slight dip in the skin above her right nipple, barely noticeable, perhaps even easily overlooked by a less observant man. But he saw it, suspected a minor surgery, filed it away and moved on.

An instant later, he was on his knees before her, planting kisses all over her chest, slowly targeting the tight, dark nubs at the centre of her breasts. He licked, then sucked, first one then the other, his tongue playing lightly with the silver ring and causing her to hiss in a breath above him. He took his time, unhurried, moving back and forth, his big hands cupping and gently kneading her soft flesh. Her fingers raked through his hair as his mouth teased her sensitive flesh, making her nerve endings sing and sizzle as though electrified.

"Oh... oh, God, Terry...Mmmmm." Brenda's voice grew husky as her hands slipped down over his broad, strong shoulders, scratching lightly there and at the nape of his neck. Every suck and nibble on her breasts sent out corresponding vibrations through her nether regions. She could feel herself growing wet between the legs, her sex felt drenched and ravenous.

His hands cupped her as his mouth widened to take in both nipples at once, sucking noisily, wetting her skin as he made a greedy meal of her breasts.  Wider still, taking one, then the other into his mouth and drawing back slowly with delicious suction until, with a last sucking tug, his mouth moved on, mapping a trail of kisses and subtle licks all over her upper body as he eased her back onto the bed.

"Mmmm... Brenda... your skin is so soft, luv." Terry nuzzled and licked his way down Brenda's body and her legs spread instinctively to make room for him between them. His gentle hands stopped her long enough to peel away her lacy panties, and then tenderly eased her legs open again, kissing his way down the smooth mound where the dark hair was soft and sparse, yet shyly framed her most intimate feminine parts.

"Oh, yes, baby," she cooed. "Your mouth feels so good... kiss me there." Her body quivered and writhed as his lips found their place in the cleft between her long, soft, shapely thighs.

Her pussy was beautiful, like the petals of a moist rose, spreading invitingly and drawing him deeper with a heady, enticing scent that Terry could not resist. His thumbs parted her nether lips, exposing her dark, lush centre, heated and dripping like ripe exotic fruit, begging to be tasted. He felt the throbbing between his own legs intensify as he began to stroke her tender folds with his tongue.

She was sensitive and shuddered, so he forced himself to lap more lightly, up one side, then the other and soon her fingers were threaded through his short curls, hanging on as her hips rose and fell in time to his attentions.

"Oh, god, Terry... yes, baby... so good... oh, it's been so long!"

Every word, every hissing breath, every husky feminine cry only encouraged him to prolong the sweet torture. He loved her taste, especially the secret musk he could reach only by angling his tongue deep inside her. Her scent filled his senses and time lost its meaning. There was only this; the sensuous act of tenderly feeding on her, stroking her plump smooth folds with his tongue, sucking at the tight peak at her centre, burrowing deep inside to draw out her nectar and the sound of her rough breathing and cries of pleasure.

Brenda's hips bucked as his strong thick finger slipped inside then her thighs spread wider, inviting him to continue his erotic assault. He kissed her pretty pussy, sucking sweetly as he would her upper mouth and slowly added a second finger. Above him her hands knotted on the pillow and she began to pant as his slow thrusting opened her to him.

"Mmm... Brenda... y'taste so good," he murmured between sucks and licks as his fingers worked gently in and out. His tongue flicked across the pert head of her clit and she tightened around him, making him shudder at the thought of how it would feel to finally be inside her. She would sheath him so tightly, pure pleasure... Imagining it made him dizzy.

"Terry... Terry..." she whimpered above him. "Enough... I want to feel you inside me." 

Her hands returned, now pulling at his face and shoulders, trying to urge him to stop the sweet torture. He relented, allowing her to draw him up, reaching to undo his trousers as he found his feet and stepping out of the fabric as it pooled around his bare ankles.

He was fully hard now, a wet spot on the front of his briefs where his overly excited cock had left its tell-tale mark, dark over his swollen, straining head.

"Oh, baby..." Brenda sat up and reached for the sides of his dark grey jockeys, sympathetic to his need for relief. "Look at you, caught inside those tight shorts." She eased the elastic over his hips, taking care to free him gently. A moment later, his heavy bolt bobbed free as Terry toed the briefs away.

"Mmm... nice." Brenda's eyes widened appreciatively as she took in his pale shaft and the darker plum of his well shaped head. He wasn't huge, though he could measure up in the locker room well enough. Although not excessively long, his cock was thick and meaty, jutting out proudly over a heavy set of low slung balls that were nested in the same soft golden-brown hair that dusted his chest and curled under his arms. His darker knob was like a velvety mushroom, and she couldn't resist tasting the rich pearl of moisture that formed in the dimple of his tiny slit as she reached out to stroke him.

Terry held his breath, planting his heels as her tongue stroked over his sensitive head. A moment later he was panting at her soft breath ruffling his curls as she nuzzled his heavy sac and the base of his cock. She inhaled deeply, drawing in his rich, spicy musk, then sighed in pleasure before moving on.

"Ohh, Brenda... jesus, yesss," he hissed, one hand weaving into her silky dark hair as his chin tucked to allow him to watch her bestow affectionate attentions. One hand cupped his balls as she lapped little kitten kisses all over his throbbing bolt, and he jumped and danced and pulsed in her hand as her beautifully manicured fingers wrapped around him. She pulled with firm, smooth strokes, moving the sheath of skin over his tightly tensed muscles and causing a corresponding flutter in both his balls and lower belly.

Another ragged breath and Terry was fighting for control again, almost dizzy with the need to be buried inside her, wrapped in her heat.

Gently, gently, he drew her hands from him, lifting them to kiss her fingers as he again eased her back on the bed, allowing her to arrange herself comfortably before he joined her there.

More kisses as their bodies moved closer, coming together in a combination of soft and firm, warm and smooth, his cock dragging here and there, feeling heavy on her skin as he moved above her.

Brenda's legs parted invitingly, welcoming him to her body, her hands stroking the taut muscles of his arms and broad shoulders as Terry braced over her. "Easy baby, go slow," she urged as her hand slipped down to help guide him in. "I want to feel every inch of you."

"Sssff." Terry's breathed hissed in and held as his head brushed into her wet heat, all the fantasising and wanting of the past two weeks crystilising into this moment, a frozen second before their desire was consummated, their famished bodies fed.

He arched his hips and felt his head begin to slip inside as Brenda's long legs moved impossibly wider, opening her to him. She arched her back and they both moaned softly as his head crowned within her and he summoned the last of his reserved discipline to keep from simply diving deep inside.

With his eyes closed and brows knitted in concentration, Terry gently piloted himself slowly deeper, taking his time, feeling his way along, allowing her grasping, pulling inner muscles to take him in at their own pace. She was small and tight, so very tight, opening to him slowly. He moved by delicate degrees, focusing on the feel, his attention pinpointed on every minute detail of sensation, with the same sort of deliberate and careful focus as he might use to diffuse a mine in the dark.

"Oh, god, Terry...so thick, baby... so good," she cooed, fingers stroking over his strong, wide back as he settled finally, seated deep inside her.

"Hooh, Brennda... ohh, dahhrlin', so good to be inside you..." His own voice was low and thick, rough at the back of his throat as he swam through the depths of pleasure so deep, it bordered on ecstasy.

He pulled a slow stroke, feeling her grip tightly around him, stroking him as he began to move inside her. Brenda arched her long neck, nuzzling his jawline, kissing, licking and burrowing into the hollow near his neck, drawing in his scent, a mixture of his cologne, heated skin, something masculine and uniquely his own and the musky tang of her sex.

His lips angled, seeking hers, drawing her kisses back to him, tongues rubbing and dancing sweetly together until his thrusts grew stronger and she broke away to gasp, nails digging into his arm and back as she arched under him.

"Mmm, yehhhh, Brendaaa..." His accent had grown richer, husky within his deep, lusty growl. "...Feel me so deep inside you..." Terry whispered into her ear, a tone so low it seemed to penetrate her soul almost painfully.

He lowered himself to nuzzle into the side of her smooth throat, her own perfume now mixing with the scent of her warm flesh and the clean aroma of her freshly shampooed hair. There was something else, indefinable, the fragrance of night air perhaps, or was it simply the sweet smell of their bodies coming together and finding such delicious pleasure?

"Oh, yes, baby... so good, I feel you..." she whispered. "So big, so deep inside." Brenda's hand slipped down, kneading the firm, flexing round of his ass as he continued to stroke deeply within her, the heels of her pretty shoes digging into the back of his legs as she wrapped around him, meeting his thrusts, giving as good as she got.

Encouraged, Terry began to experiment with his thrusts, seeking the peak of her pleasure, trying to draw her out. Long slow languorous strokes gave way to shorter, faster ones. Finally he found the pace that made her gasp sharply, then moan and wrap around him, fingers weaving tight over the heels of her hands which pressed hard at the small of his back.

"Like this, Brenda? Can you cum for me like this?"

She nodded twice quickly, gripping him harder, her hands pushing sharply at his back. "Yes, Terry, yes! Please don't stop!"

He rooted her firmly now, stroking with smooth quick rocking thrusts, feeling her tight sweet pussy flex and quake, then clamp down around him as her climax built. Her whole body tightened under and around him, a moan, at first choked at the back of her throat, slowing rising to explode in glorious ecstasy.

"Oh... oh...uhh...uhhhh...ohhhyeaaaaahhhhh!"

She writhed and shook, then fell back against the pillows, panting beneath him, eyes closed as she rode out the wash of aftershocks. A soft smile of shared joy played over Terry's face, pleased to have brought her so much pleasure.

Her eyes fluttered open, focusing on him as she licked her lips. Her expression was still soft with lust, still hungry. "More," she panted, wrapping around him and he began to move inside her again as her hands knotted and pressed at the flat place between his hips.

The next one came quicker, riding on the coattails of the first, her voice rising again in a loud cry as she erupted beneath him, clinging and shaking like a small storm suddenly unleashed. There was another brief lull while she caught her breath, then a third. This time she simply went off without him moving at all, her tight hungry little cunt grasping and pulling all over his embedded cock as she shook and moaned, arching sharply. It was the sexiest damn thing Terry had ever experienced.

This time he followed her down as she fell back against the pillows. Her pussy was shaken and spent, yet quivering around him, swollen and beating in time with her rapid pulse. He blew softly over her heated flesh, cooling her as she rested and caught her breath.

"Mmmm... Terry..." Her fingers rose and tenderly raked back his sweat damp curls as his lips brushed lightly over her shoulder, neck and ear, leaving kisses so soft and sweet they seemed stolen from the angels.

"So beautiful, Brenda... so sweet watching you cum for me...god, what a gift."

She giggled, then her lips settled to accept the kiss his mouth proffered, taking her in tenderly with deep, rich affection and something that tasted satisfyingly of his respect for her. As the kiss deepened, she became aware of another taste beneath, darker, still hungry - his need.

"Terry..." her hands prodded him lightly as his lips moved to her neck again. "I want you to cum inside me, I want to feel you cum."

He pulled another languid mouthful from her lips, then nodded, bracing up on his thick arms again, positioning himself to take his own pleasure at last.

As Terry rose up above her ad began to pull long strokes, his expression became concentrated. From his vantage point over her, his eyes roved her upper body as if memorising her beauty, then he smiled and focused with a faraway stare on the pillow near her ear as he retreated into the depths of his own pleasure.

"Yes, Terry... oooh, you feel so good, baby...so good inside me... " Brenda's soft hands caressed over his body as long strokes gave way to shorter, sharper ones, his eyes slipping closed as his concentration deepened. She continued her soft murmuring encouragement, but the actual words were lost to him as his focus moved into a place deep inside. He wasn't even aware of the sounds that rose from his own throat, low hungry growls and grunts mixed with deep moans.

His rough breathing became short, hard exhales and his handsome features pulled tight. Brenda angled back to see his face, now taut, his sweaty brow furrowed deep as he sought his own release. There was a purity in that moment; pure man, pure animal, pure pleasure that made her shiver and caused her heart feel full of warmth and sensual affection.

"Oh, yes, baby, yes... take it...cum for me," she urged.

Another low moaning growl, a thrust so deep it nearly hurt and he lowered in her embrace, wrapping around her, one arm coming up under her back for his big strong hand to grasp and pull at her shoulder. His other hand slid under her ass, almost big enough to encompass what he held entirely as he gripped her, guiding his intent thrusts to fruition. There was something in his moans that sounded almost desperate now, as if a battle waged inside him, a contest between control and need.

"Cum for me, Terry... I want to feel you cum deep inside me."

As if her words had somehow unlocked something within him, Terry gave a sharp grunt and then his moans began to rise, growing louder, deeper, climbing towards abandon...

... And then he let go, bucking and shaking in her arms as his warm seed released within her, panting and voicing low cries of pure pleasure unleashed.

The first thing he became aware of as his senses returned were her soft lips, pressing light kisses against his flushed face as her long, slim fingers stroked back his damp, unruly hair. "Mmm, Terry, that was so good."

"Christ, woman," a rough chuckle bubbled up from deep in his chest. "What'd you do t' me?"

"Me?" Brenda giggled. "You're an animal!"

He chuckled again, nuzzling his face into the side of her warm neck and leaving several tiny kisses there. "An animal, huh?"

"Yes!" she feigned annoyance. "A wolf in sheep's clothing, Mr. Thorne!" Her tone was rich with playful, taunting betrayal.

That made him laugh harder, and she giggled again through a smug grin, her eyes regaining their usual teasing light as his own crinkled at the corners and twinkled down at her from above.

Their laughter threatened to dislodge him from his imbedded state, and Brenda gasped sharply and tightened around him, trying to prevent the inevitable. Terry's chuckles quickly became a smiling sigh as he leant down to kiss her. "More later," he promised, as the kiss became a whisper, nuzzling at her ear. "We have the whole week end."

Terry swam up slowly from the depths of a dream to find himself wrapped around the warm soft feminine form of Brenda, still dozing lightly in his arms. They were spooned cosily together, his knees half tucked behind hers, one arm draped across her middle, hand cupping her breast, his privates snuggled up to the warmth of her ass.

He kissed the back of her shoulder tenderly, aware of the pressure, slight but growing, between his legs. It was tempting to roll her over and awaken her with an early morning romp, but they had the whole day and night ahead of them and he didn't want to tire her out before the morning actually began.

Unwrapping himself from her as carefully as possible, he rolled from the bed and padded quietly into the loo.

When he returned to the bedroom a few minutes later, the pressure relieved and a bit of cool water on his face to wash the sleep away, she had rolled over into the warm place he'd left behind and was blinking sleepily at him.

"Mmmm," Brenda purred, holding back the covers with an inviting smile. "Good morning, Mr. Thorne."

He slipped back into bed beside her and she wrapped around him, head on his shoulder as his arms curled to cradle her to him. "How'd you sleep, luv?" His lips brushed her hair from her forehead and he placed a tender kiss in the clearing.

"Wonderfully. You?" She was nuzzling into his neck like a kitten as her fingers played with the light hairs on his chest, not looking to start anything as far as he could tell, but rather just enjoying the warmth and closeness.

"Like the proverbial baby." His fingers slipped into her silky dark hair, stroking and rubbing lightly against her scalp. They lay there in easy silence for a short time, allowing their bodies to finish awakening, simply enjoying the feel of being together.

Brenda yawned finally, her face scrunching into a smile as her body stretched against his, leg curling to wrap around Terry's own. He couldn't help smiling in return and dropping his chin for a slow, sweet morning kiss.

"Mmm, last night was incredible." He nuzzled the side of her face, leaving another kiss near her ear.

"You'll spoil me." Her finger flicked playfully at his tiny nipple.

Terry jumped at that, then chuckled. "I'd like to. Will you let me?"

"I might." A sly smile dimpled her cheeks, then Brenda stretched luxuriously again and rolled away, leaving a kiss on his bicep as she passed. Now on her feet, she strolled casually towards the bathroom, but every move belied the fact that she was proudly putting her fine, sleek body on display for him.

"What are your terms, Miss Carlsson?" Terry's grin dug deeper as his eyes made a meal of her perfect backside, sashaying mildly atop her long, lean legs. Her only answer was a giggle before closing the door behind her, so he pushed up in the bed, propping the mounds of pillows behind him and waited.

He was, of course, an expert negotiator, and her terms were simple enough. She wanted a morning run, which he agreed to easily, though he demanded a light breakfast first. They had coffee, muffins and yogurt sent up and breakfasted at the little table near the balcony, enjoying the brilliant blue of the sky and making plans for the rest of the day.

By ten, they were jogging on the Towne Lake Hike and Bike path, their long, effortless strides well matched as they followed the granite gravel trial  past the Stevie Ray Vaughn statue, which Terry had never seen and insisted on stopping for a quick look at. She stretched and pranced in place, waiting for him to examine the tall bronze figure and it's attendant tributes of candles and flowers before they loped on, admiring the various landmarks of the Austin skyline as they passed by.

He kept his pace easy, mindful of the trail's full distance, which she had told him was just over four miles all the way around. As they crossed the bridge, nodding and smiling at the other runners they passed, Terry realised that not only was Brenda keeping up easily, but that at times she seemed to almost be slowing her pace as if waiting on him. 

That got him going, and he put a bit more effort in, forcing his thick, strong legs to pick up the pace. It felt good to run with her, shooting each other challenging little grins, neither willing to let the other see them flag. In this fashion, they made it the full four-plus mile distance round the lake and panted over to his car, stretching and walking off the last jangling flares of adrenaline as they caught their respective breath.

"Not bad, Miss Carlsson," he teased, shaking out his legs as he watched her gulp down water from a sports bottle.

"Sure gave you a run for your money, Mr. Thorne!" she shot back, wiping her lips on the heel of her hand. His fingers waggled at her and she handed him the water, watching his throat move as his head tilted back on his thick neck to gulp it down. There was something inherently masculine in every thing he did, yet he seemed entirely unselfconscious, as if he had no idea of the way women stared at him as he passed.

He handed back the bottle with a nod of thanks, managing to admire the expanses of her long legs, bared by her tiny wind shorts along the way. With a move so quick and discreet that she wasn't entirely sure she hadn't imagined it, he turned away to adjust himself in his running shorts. When he turned back, the smile he cut to her was boyish and full of twinkling mirth.

"What?" she demanded, but he only shook his head, still grinning, pure admiration and something that looked very much like a mixture of lust and amusement radiating from his eyes. "Do you think you could still do the SAS training course?"

"Maybe." He shrugged easily, but his cocky confidence sneaked through, tugging at the corners of his curling lips. "Been a while."

Brenda squared her shoulders and fixed him with a tough stare. "Allright, Thorne! Drop and give me twenty!"

Without hesitation, without even a wince at the gravel that was surely digging into his palms, he dropped and gave her twenty five. When he was done, he pushed up to his feet, lips pressing at a smug grin under a brow cocked high as if to say "What next?"

"Okay, Show-off," she chuckled softly, working hard not to look impressed. "Take me back to the hotel. You've earned a day of spoiling me."

And spoil her he did, starting with a hot, fragrant shower in which they languished, kissing and washing each other playfully until the water went cold. That sent them laughing and scrambling to wrap up in the fluffy oversized hotel towels. They might very well have ended up back in bed again, had Terry's stomach not grumbled impatiently and demanded feeding.

For lunch, he chose Stubbs, tucking happily into a mess of ribs while Brenda picked carefully at smoky chicken so tender that it all but slipped off the bone. He washed his meal down with a crisp, cold Shiner Bock, and pretended to steal her ramekin of Serrano pepper and cheese spinach when she wasn't looking. She pouted prettily until he relented and handed the hostage side dish over, his knee rubbing hers under the table as he rumbled that now she owed him, vowing to extract payment in full when they were alone again.

Strolling hand in hand uphill from Red River on Sixth, heading back in the general direction of the Omni, he impressed her with his knowledge of downtown Austin's hot spots, which in his opinion included several dives that horrified Brenda as he pointed them out.

"Where's your sense of adventure, luv?" he teased, swinging her hand lightly in his and giving it a taunting squeeze.

"I traded it in for a shot at longevity," she shot back through a proud smile, head held high.

"Well, then it all comes down to how you define living." His tone softened, becoming thoughtful. He cut her a look, realised that he had offended her slightly with his teasing and sought to set them back on track again. "I've listened, you know. Mountain biking, motorbikes, childbirth... I didn't mean to imply -"

"Single parenthood."

"That, too." He nodded as if he understood completely, chewing on his lower lip, then folding it under as if he'd just become conscious of doing so.

"There's all kinds of dangers in this life, Terry." She said, pressing his hand with her own. "Adventure is what you make of it." Her bright smile broke through again, like a burst of warm sunshine after a sudden storm. "It can't all be Claymores and blowing things up."

He chuckled at that, shaking his head. "You'd be amazed how much time I spend in the office filling out forms and filing reports."

"Papercuts, then." Brenda giggled. "Those can be horrific."

'True enough," he agreed with a grin, and the dark cloud that had briefly hung over their happy mood was swept away as they hiked the final few blocks to the Omni.

"Terry, where are you taking me?"

"If I tell you, I'll have to kill you." He shot her a wink as he piloted the hired car effortlessly, passing the Capitol with its big, round breast-like dome to leave the bustling Saturday traffic behind them.

"You're mean!" Brenda pouted, but from the way her slim hand rested on his thigh as he drove, Terry doubted that she was truly mad. Instead, when he glanced over at her, her face was relaxed, the corners of her shapely lips curled into the hint of a grin. It was a Mona Lisa smile, slightly expectant. She trusted him now, and was clearly pleased that he would make an effort to surprise her.

They drove out into the Hill Country, headed vaguely towards Wimberly and after a while, the open road and rolling fields gave way to a small community set along the Blanco River. Houses, antique and craft stores, restaurants and other small businesses were tucked back in the tall, lush trees that lined the riverbed, still slightly swollen from the early rains of Spring. The legendary Texas Bluebells were out in full force.

Brenda's  smile bloomed radiantly twenty odd later as he parked the car in a tree shaded grotto near a white building with a low tiled roof. Birds chirped and called overhead and they could hear the sound of water trickling, an unseen fountain somewhere behind the low, Japanese-style wooden fence. It was peaceful here, like an oasis, a respite from the modern world.

"Where are we?" she asked, taking his big hand again as he set the car alarm and headed them towards the open door of the building.

"Somewhere that I can spoil you." He cut her a grin that said he was pleased with himself, as well as with at his ability to find special ways to amuse and surprise her here in her own home state.

"Mmmm... this is wonderful."

Terry watched the peaceful smile encompass Brenda's pretty face as she slid her slim body into the gurgling, steaming water. He'd been in there for several minutes already, soaking and relaxing  on the built-in wooden bench, waiting for her to finish disrobing and join him.

His own smile formed in response as she submerged to shoulder level, moving towards him gracefully in the small hot tub. She crossed the water to float before him like a mermaid, a playful, happy cast in her eyes that seemed like an invitation. He took the invitation, leaning close until their lips met in a slow kiss.

"Mmmmm," she sighed again, her smile reforming as they gently parted. Still grinning, she floated back, her body like a silver fish beneath the water.

"You're like something out of a faery-tale, a water sylph." 

"Yeah?" Her smile turned slightly mischievous as her toes rubbed high on his thigh, close enough to stir his bobbing cock.

"Don't get me riled up, woman," he growled through his grin. "You wouldn't want me to embarrass myself during the massage, would you?"

Her eyes darted to the prize floating between his strong, thick, well muscled legs. "Ohh, Mr. Thorne, I don't think you'd have any reason to be embarrassed."

With a pleased chuckle at her words, he launched himself off the bench and caught her in the middle, one arm curling around her slim waist to hold her there as he kissed her again. Their slippery bodies rubbed together in a sensuous dance as the kiss deepened, tongues caressing and dancing in a slow game of give and take.

Twenty-odd later, she was astride him, letting the water bob her gently up and down on his meaty cock as they stared into each other's eyes, watching the play of responses, enjoying the slow build of delight. Her floating breasts were in his hands, cupped almost gently as his thumbs teased her plump nipples.

As fate would have it, that was the moment that someone knocked on the gate to their retreat, signaling that it was time for their respective massage sessions. Brenda's eyes went wide and she stifled a busted giggle against the side of Terry's neck.

"Come back later," he growled towards the offending knock, glancing back over his shoulder to make sure they couldn't be seen through a knot-hole or gap in the fence.

"Sir, I'm sorry, but the appointments -" The faceless voice was gentle and patient, but firm enough to leave no room for arguing.

"Two tics." He turned back to Brenda, now grinning at him, eyes laughing at the interruption. He sighed and shook his head, then stole a hungry kiss. "We'll finish this later," he promised before lifting her carefully off his lap, sighing with amused regret.

"You'd better rinse off in the cold shower, Terry." Brenda climbed gracefully from the tub and wrapped the big towel around her body, trying not to giggle at his aroused state as he did the same.

He chuckled and swatted her covered ass to get her moving, but before leaving their private alcove, he paused and did just that.

By the time they left the spa, both were feeling loose, almost boneless. After making a stop in a nearby café for tea and a light snack to revive them, they were soon headed back to Austin. Brenda blinked sleepy smiles at him as he drove, her hand always near, touching him, stroking back his hair, resting on his thigh. Although he never in a million years would have admitted how much, Terry was enchanted by her affectionate touches. It made him feel admired, cared for and wanted - not just sexually, but as a whole man. Enjoyed for everything he had to offer. It was a feeling he hadn't experienced in a long while, maybe not since the early days of his marriage to Camilla.

Brenda's hand fell still, resting on his upper thigh, and when Terry glanced over, she was asleep, smiling peacefully.

"Just leave your shoes there, by the door."  

Terry, now dressed in his best black polo shirt, jeans and a suit jacket and sans his own shoes, waited for Brenda to toe off her low-heeled slip-ons, leaving them by the sliding wood and rice paper door beside his own leather lace-ups. He gestured for her to enter the Kimono's tiny private dining room first, executing a small bow that allowed him to enjoy the view of her perfect ass yet again.

"Domo." He settled onto a cushion at the low table, then his head dipped in another bow to their hostess who smiled and bowed deeply in return before backing out, sliding the thin door closed as she went.

"You sure charmed her." Brenda grinned, tugging at the pillow beneath her as she attempted to arrange her long legs comfortably under the table. "Are you fluent?"

"I get by." Terry shrugged offhandedly, wondering if he'd imagined the tiny spark of jealousy at the hostess' initial delight when they'd come in and he'd addressed her in her native tongue. "Dino, my business partner? He usually handles the Japanese accounts, so I've gotten a bit rusty."

"I see." She nodded and let him take her hand across the table. "Dino sounds like quite a character, the way you've described him."

Whatever slight cloud may have previously shadowed her smile was now gone. The openness of Brenda's expression was relaxed and easy again as she grinned up at him from beneath the fringe of her long lashes almost shyly while his big fingers lightly rubbed and caressed her smaller, slim ones. "Have you known him long?"

"A lifetime, but it feels like longer," he chuckled. About to leave it there as he always did - deflecting personal questions had become second nature - he saw that she was interested in hearing more, and went on. "We were recruited to the private sector, to K and R work about the same time. Even trained with the same bloke. Wyatt was the best there was back then."

"And now you're the best." Her smile widened, beaming at him. It wasn't a question.

"We're good, I don't know about the best." He shrugged and chuckled again, ducking his own shy grin now, but he wasn't entirely able to hide a sparkle of pride.

"You're modest."

"Honest," he corrected with a shake of the head, then his eyes met hers again. His even gaze spoke of so many things - confidence, understanding, affection, pride, and the pure and simple joy of a man out on a date with a beautiful and desirable woman whose company he greatly enjoyed.

"So, is this more of your plan to spoil me?" She giggled as a tilt of the head indicated the typically spare Japanese décor. The room was about eight foot square, made up of the sliding paper panels, with thin woven bamboo mats on the floor. From a hidden speaker, muffled so as not to intrude, came the sound of a kyoto playing traditional music, a meandering melody that was soothing despite its unfamiliar cadence to the untrained Western ear.

"Absolutely." Terry's lips twitched as his smile tugged at them, trying to start up again. "When you mentioned that you liked sushi,  I knew I had to bring you here. This is the very best sushi in Austin." His fingers played with hers; now rubbing, now holding, keeping the warm glow of their lazy late afternoon lovemaking and cuddling flowing between them.

"I don't like sushi, I love it." Her fingers rubbed and played with his in return, her grin curling demurely again as he sat back to openly admire her. She'd dressed carefully, taking great pains to look casual as he'd suggested, in curve hugging jeans and a little baby-doll top under a cropped cardigan. It clearly pleased her to see his appreciative glance. "And my hometown is sadly bereft of sushi restaurants. I mean, we don't have any." Her chin dipped in certainty, punctuating her point beneath brows that arched high as if daring him to disagree.

"Absolutely criminal. You should complain to the Council." His blue-green eyes were sparkling at her from beneath his own expressive brows which pulled low as he struggled to appear suitably dismayed on her behalf. He knew that he'd gotten it just right when a giggle burst through her smile and she leant across the table to kiss him, still grinning as she used her fingers to wipe away the traces of her lipstick from his smile.

"You're mean to tease me, Terry, when I'm so clearly deprived." A pout fought her grin, but it was a losing battle. That she was just as pleased to be here with him as he was to have her there was quite clear. With every minute that they spent together it became more and more difficult to imagine a time when he would have to kiss her goodbye.

"I'll do everything I can to make it up to you, I promise." 

If there was a hint of bittersweet in his smile, it was well hidden by the brushing of his lips across her fingers, which he gently let go of when the door behind her slid open again and their bowing server came in to take their order.

Back in his suite at the Omni later that evening with bellies full of sushi and a comfortable amount of warm sake buzzing in their veins, they passed a cosy evening together, sharing half a bottle of New Zealand Riesling that Terry had discovered at a bottle shop in town.

The wine was good; a cool, crisp and fruity contrast to the and smoky rice flavor of the earlier sake. Terry and Brenda stripped down to their comfies and spent several hours cuddling on the bed, drinking and talking. They never seemed to run out of subjects to discuss, the last flowing seamlessly into the next, tributaries of experience leading to rivers of stories, memories that sailed easily between them as the time ticked by unnoticed.

With the wine and the various luxuries of the day softening the edges of his usually sharp senses, it took Terry a while to realise that Brenda's voice had grown softer, her replies less and less frequent as she struggled against the pull of sleep in his arms.

"Let's sleep, luv," he said, rolling her over in his embrace and reaching back to douse the bedside lamp.

"Ooohkaay." She stifled a yawn behind her hand, stretching the word out as she curled onto her side. When his arm slipped around her middle and his knees tucked up behind her own, she sighed happily and wriggled back against him until his soft crotch was nestled against the warm rounds of her ass. "Mmmm, s'nice sleeping with you."

"You feel good in my arms," he agreed, his deep rumble softened to a purr-like whisper as his lips brushed a good night kiss across her ear.

"Good night, Terry." Brenda lifted his hand and kissed his thick, strong fingers. Her small hand squeezed his, then settled their entwined hands into a comfortable place near her middle, just below her breasts.

"Sleep well, Brenda." He pressed a tender kiss to the back of her bare neck, then cosied into his place behind her again. A few deep breaths and his body relaxed, allowing his dreams to pull him under without a fight for once.

Terry drove and Brenda navigated, using the route back to her home as an opportunity to show off parts of central Texas that he might otherwise never have seen. In no hurry whatsoever, their only plan today was to spend time together, they detoured to side roads and through small towns, finally reaching the city itself in time for a late lunch.

She dissuaded him from taking her to the local Dairy Queen and he laughed but flat out refused to set foot in the town's Outback Steakhouse. By some strange sort of default, they ended up at Doc's, a waterside establishment where Terry sampled his first ever hush puppies and pronounced them "bloody fantastic", scarfing two to every one of hers.

They ate in the sun on the outside deck, and while they dined from paper lined plastic baskets filled with seafood, chips and sides of coleslaw, Brenda pointed out various landmarks in the skyline across the river.

After lunch, it was back into the car for a trip through the park, where she explained in more detail her near fatal mountain-biking accident, causing him to whistle and shake his head over the steep narrow trails where she used to ride. Terry was likewise impressed of the view of the Brazos River as seen from Lover's Leap, where she told him the legend of the star-crossed Huaco Indian couple who met their unhappy fate by flinging themselves from the rocky height, and thus gave the spot its name.

Her duties as tour guide continued as they descended again,  passing the Frisbee-golf course and the various sporting areas - baseball, tennis, soccer fields, a colorful little water park, the par course and, of course, the requisite sand-volleyball court. Along the way they saw a mixture of people enjoying the park in every way possible on a warm Sunday afternoon; biking, running, horseback riding, walking and sunbathing. Families and other groups dotted the grassy river banks, barbecuing and picnicking, clusters of people that ebbed and overflowed, while others sat apart, keeping quietly to themselves in smaller groupings.

The late afternoon could not have been more beautiful when they parked out by the dam where Brenda often ran. The Spring sunlight had lost it's wintry coldness. There was the smell of freshly mown grasses and budding flowers in the air, along with a warm lilt in the breeze that caressed over them as they disembarked, Terry setting the locks with a push of the button on the remote.

She took his hand as they crossed the parking lot, but was forced to let him go again as to ascend the steep grade, long stepping and even occasionally leaping over the deep furrows that years of sluicing water had eroded into the narrow path.

Terry followed, letting Brenda lead the way. His busy eyes roved to take in the natural beauty around them, but returned often to the sight of her ass moving up the hill before him, cradled in the soft, pale denim of her low-slung jeans. After all, that too was a sight of natural beauty, and one he enjoyed immensely.

"Isn't it amazing - Hey! What are you smirking at?" She arched a brow at him from over her shoulder as she caught him watching her.

Terry could feel the wolf in him as he licked at the corner of his grin. Unable to play innocent this time, he simply chuckled and shook his head. "Come on, woman! Show me this damn Dam of yours." He tried on a playfully grumpy growl.

"My god, Terry!" Brenda reached for his hand again as they reached the flat place where the path widened. "Did you just make a joke?"

"Never in a million years. I never joke." His face pulled tight and flat, the only sign of his grin was the mirth twinkling in his eyes. "Ask anyone."

"I would, but all the witnesses have mysteriously disappeared," she teased, giggling as he bumped her hip affectionately with his own.

"Here, look!" With his hand in hers, she excitedly dragged him over to the low restraining wall to take in the magnificent view of the lake, laid out in all its glory. Liquid gold sunlight dappled the surface like sparkling jewels mixed in amongst the tiny, far-away sailboats, diamonds, blue topaz, aquamarines and amber glinting around the perfect little triangles of sails that bobbed and skimmed across the lake.

"It's beautiful," he agreed, slipping his arm around her trim waist, only to remove it a second later when he became aware of a minute stiffening in her posture as a jogger passed.

They were on her home turf now, and something had changed. A slight shift in their axis. She was home now, and as happy as she was to share her special places with him, he was only a visitor, blowing through like the breeze. Welcome but temporary, where she would be here long after he was gone.

Terry thought to apologise, but didn't. It would only call attention to the momentary discomfort, perhaps even give solid reality to the thoughts that he didn't yet want to face. Instead he smiled and stepped back onto the path. "So, show me the rest," he asked, and she did, smiling and gesturing to points of interest as they went, but something in her smile had changed, too. There was a slight trace of shadow in her eyes, and he couldn't help wondering if her heart felt the same heavy tug that his did -

The weekend was almost over.

He could tell it was hard for her to keep to their slow, strolling pace. She was used to running here, and it showed, evident in the way she lifted her face to the warm afternoon sun, shaking out her hair like an impatient young filly. It made him remember their run the day before, long strides well matched as they made the slow circuit around the park in Austin, the late morning sun warm on their flushed skin.

Suddenly, the only place he wanted to be was in her arms, cherishing every moment that they had left together. 

Still, he managed to show appreciation for what Brenda sought to share with him - the Structure, a tower that jutted out from the dam itself, the sound of water pounding out with impressive force somewhere below them, out of sight but impossible to ignore.

Retracing their steps back past where they'd originally entered the path, she showed him the actual Dam. Here the wind licked at them, cooler now as the sun began to exit the sky, leaving patches of gooseflesh in its wake as they turned away from three turtles catching a last bit of daylight on a submerged log and headed back to the car.

When Terry asked where she wanted to have dinner, she promptly insisted on cooking for him. Her proud smile and the tilt of her chin left no room for argument, so he drove them to the local market, the H.E.B.

It was big and high ceilinged, as such places tended to be. Despite the well-arranged shelves crammed full of tempting displays, there was a sprawling, warehouse like feel to the store. Terry carried the basket while Brenda shopped, a vaguely amused smile toying with the corners of his lips at the rare opportunity to enjoy such a commonly domestic activity with her.

Terry was just getting the hang of scanning his own groceries in the checkout line when Brenda's mobile rang. He concentrated on his chore, carefully typing in the produce codes as she shot him a guilty smile and answered the call.

"Hey, baby. Uh huh. I'm at the Gucci-B right now, checking out. Do you need-" Her smile twitched under a pixie-like wrinkle of her nose as she covered the receiver and whispered, "It'sAlyssa, my daughter."

He nodded and smiled, then went back to scanning the last of the things in their basket, giving every appearance of not listening in, though he could clearly hear every word of Brenda's side of the conversation.

"Okay, sweetie... I was hoping you'd get a chance to - no, no, that's okay. Make sure you pack your homework for school tomorrow." She made an attempt to reach for her checkbook, but Terry waved her off with a firm grin as he handed over his own credit card to pay for their purchases. "Will you be home for dinner tomorrow night? Okay. Good. I've missed you, too."

He picked up the handled bags and stepped past the checker, idly inspecting the bouquets of flowers by the exit as he waited for her to catch up.

A moment later and she was by his side again, slipping her phone into her bag as she explained. "She's going to her boyfriend, Christopher's, tonight." A slight frown tugged at her pretty face as she sighed. "I was hoping you'd get to meet her."

"That would have been nice," he agreed easily as Brenda fell into step beside him in the carpark. He felt compelled to say more, something to push back the fingers of reality's grasp on them for just a little longer. "But hey, this way, we'll have your place all to ourselves, right?"

"Yah." Brenda nodded, smiling as she waited for him to stow the groceries in the back along with the rest of their gear before unlocking the passenger door and holding it open for her. She paused a moment, standing with the door narrowly separating them and leant in to leave a quick kiss on his lips before slipping into the car.

By the time Terry slid behind the wheel, her Mona Lisa smile was firmly back in place, curling at her lips and the corners of her eyes as contented as a cat on a windowsill.

The dinner Brenda cooked was excellent; salmon and eggplant perfectly turned out on her little George Foreman indoor grill, accompanied by fluffy sweet white rice and the last of the Riesling from the night before. Terry exclaimed with genuine pleasure over the fresh tasting simple fare. It had been a long while since he'd enjoyed a home-cooked meal aside from his own steak, eggs and chips or a quickly tossed salad.

After the dinner dishes had been washed and left to dry, they adjourned to her little deck overlooking the Brazos. While geese and fat Mud ducks waddled and strutted below the leafy green trees that protected the deck from view, Terry smoked a rare cigarette. Brenda stood at the railing beside him, tossing bits of muffin to the greedy waterfowl, laughing at their antics as they battled one another for the treats.

"I like that photo over the table." Terry gestured with the half smoked cigarette and a nod of his chin. "Is that you, or Alyssa?" 

Brenda smiled warmly at his question. She didn't need to look to know which picture he was referring to. The oversized black and white of a young, dark haired girl holding a kitten was one of the only personal photos on display in the whole apartment. "That's Alyssa. Isn't she adorable?"

"Quite a beauty. Like her Mother."

She rewarded him with a kiss for that, and they were both smiling as they drew apart again.

"You taste smoky." She remained close, her shoulder resting against him, liking the feel of his big, strong arm touching her smaller one.

"Sorry," he chuckled, reaching to stub the offending cigarette out, but she stayed his hand with a small shake of her head. "I don't mind. Finish it."

Two more drags, he really wasn't much of a smoker, and he was done. He felt her eyes on his back as he leant down to drop the butt into an old soda can she'd provided for the purpose. She was smiling as he turned around to face her again, admiration, true affection and a tiny hint of hunger beneath her relaxed expression.

"You've got a great back... so big and strong. Such wide, manly shoulders." Brenda stepped closer, her fingers slipping over the bare skin of his arms beneath the short sleeves of his polo. Her neck arched, lips nuzzling into the side of his neck, inhaling deeply to draw in his fragrance as her hands continued on to caress his back. "Mmmmm."

Terry's arms slipped around her waist, hands linking loosely just below her hips as the breeze stirred a tiny set of windchimes, making them tinkle musically. His body swayed lightly against hers, moving in slow time to the Van Morrison tune that wafted down from her neighbour's open window above them.

"Thank you for spoiling me this weekend, Terry," she murmured, letting him move her to the familiar melody.

"It's been my pleasure, Brenda." His warm breath ruffled lightly against the little hairs above her ear. "Thanks for letting me."

They didn't say the rest - they didn't need to. 

Back in her bedroom, the door closed and locked - just in case Alyssa should return - their kisses turned from warm and affectionate to hungry again. Terry undressed Brenda slowly, easing her back onto her bed, his mouth never far behind his surprisingly light and agile fingers as they moved over her body.

Before long, his cheeks were wet with the honey from her loins and his kisses tasted of her nectar. They rearranged themselves on the bed with him over her, between her legs, long, slow, full thrusts so delicious as to be maddening.

Brenda pushed at him, impatient for more, wanting to experience all of him and Terry allowed her to roll him over and climb astride. From his new position below, he was able to watch her more fully, her lean body and soft curves alive with the pleasure that was written all over her face as she rode him.

"Look at me, Terry," she urged, soft like a whispered moan. "Look at us."

By tucking his chin, he was able to honour her request, watching his own slick, thick shaft moving between her sweetly parted and welcoming rosy nether lips as she pushed herself up and down on him. The sight of it made him dizzy, drunk on the sensual indulgence they were sharing, and he moaned deeply as his hands came up to cradle and cup her breasts, feeling the cool little ring that adorned her nipple against the rough skin of his palm.

"Brenda, Brenndaaa," he murmured, awash in a haze of desire, of fantasies fulfilled, his eyes heavy lidded with lust. His impending climax was like a warm, sweet pressure, the threat of a storm that hovered on the horizon, like the release of the dam-water, just out of sight, but the force of it was inevitable.

Unable to push his own need back for much longer, Terry pulled her down to him, holding onto her as he rolled them over. His thrusts became stronger and shorter as he mined for her pleasure, working hard to find the trigger that would set her to shaking and calling out beneath him.

His knowing efforts were soon rewarded by Brenda's voice rising to become shouts of abandon as she clung to him, arching hard, shaking as her inner muscles tightened and quaked in the dance of release, so sweet and enticing that he had to truly concentrate not to let himself go, too.

Having learnt the pace of her pleasure, he allowed her a moment's rest, which also served to stave off the pressure that had been building in his own loins. She caught her breath, and his lips found hers again, delivering slow, tender, soothing kisses until her hands pressed against his back again.

Her voice, low and urgent in his ear gave him goosebumps. "More, Terry. More. Please. Now. Do it."

Rearing back like a stallion, feeling like a King, he gladly gave her what she wanted, stroking with fresh intent until her voice was raw and hoarse and begging him to stop and let her rest. More kisses, and then once more, moving inside of her -  it barely took a stroke or two and she was off again, writhing beneath him, her voice rising in the loud cry that was the signature of her pleasure.

He let her catch her breath and was about to try and set her off again when she caught his face in her hands, stopping him. "Now you, Terry. Your turn. I want you to come so good in me, baby."

His eyes moved over hers, offering to grant her more, needing to be certain that she'd had her fill. The gaze that met his lust-heavy one was sure, ready, warm and knowing.

Something passed between them again, that unspoken thing, a knowledge they both shared, the knowing of intimates. Then his eyes closed and her arms and legs held him as he dug in and began to stroke again, this time for himself, chasing the tail of his own release.

In the end, it was the other way around - Terry's climax caught him - sneaking up from behind and stealing his senses, making him roar in amazement as his eyes momentarily flashed wide open only to slam shut again as the power of it overtook him.

Brenda held on, soaking in the sight of his handsome face and powerful manly body fully given over to the complete intensity of his pleasure, enjoying the moment when he was at his most vulnerable - just before his awareness returned and his eyes opened to slowly focus in on her again.

"Brenda." He smiled, still a little dazed, almost as if he was surprised to find her there.

"Yes, Terry." Her smile curled to match his own, content and caring as her fingers stroked through his short, damp curls, nails rubbing at the hair at the back of his neck.

"Mmmmm." His eyes closed again and his big body seemed to slump a bit as his lips found hers, moving their smiles into a long, slow, tender kiss that spoke of everything they'd both been unwilling to say. Their lips finally parted as the kiss fell away, leaving the slightly bittersweet tang of all the time they'd never have.

"Brenda, I -"

"Shhhhh." She pulled him down to her, stroking at the short bristles at the back of his head until he simply nestled into the side of her neck with a sigh. "My big, strong soldier, Terry.... So strong... so sweet... so good..." Brenda smiled again as she felt him kiss the side of her throat as his arms moved to wrap around her from above.

At that moment, all she really wanted was to savor him with every sense at her command, to be as there as she could possibly be, and leave all thoughts of tomorrow and the reality that Monday morning would bring far, far away.

"Just lay with me, sleep with me, hold me."  She kissed the smooth spot over his ear, drinking in his warm man-scent, sweat and sex and the last lingering traces of the expensive cologne he'd put on that morning, so strong at first, now as faded and comfortable as a favorite pair of jeans. All of it a part of what was uniquely him, Terry Thorne, the first man in years to spoil her so well.

Terry sighed and kissed the soft flesh that formed the curve between her neck and shoulder, tasting the fragrant warm flesh and the saltiness of their coupling. He recognised her words for what they were. More than just tender endearments and post-coital murmurings, she was giving him instructions. A way to say goodbye without making it any harder than it already was.

"Well, my time went too quickly 
I went lickety-splitly out to my old fifty-five 
As I pulled away slowly, feelin' so holy, 
God knows I was feelin' alive 
And now the sun's comin' up 
I'm ridin' with Lady Luck 
Freeway cars and trucks... 

Stars beginning to fade, and I lead the parade 
Just a wishin' I'd stayed a little longer 
Lord, don't you know the feelin's gettin' stronger -

Six in the morning, gave me no warnin' 
I had to be on my way 
Now the cars are all passin' me, 
Trucks are all flashin' me 
I'm headed home from your place 

And now the sun's comin' up 
I'm ridin' with Lady Luck 
Freeway cars and trucks... 

Stars beginning to fade, and I lead the parade 
Just a wishin' I'd stayed a little longer 
Lord, don't you know, the feelin's gettin' stronger..." 

The old Eagles tune on the radio made for fitting company as Terry battled the early Monday traffic on I-35, heading back to Austin International. The sun was, indeed, just coming up as he tried to see beyond the slow semi that moved like a blue-fly caught in the proverbial molasses just in front of him. A glance at his watch showed 5:12am, still plenty of time to turn in the car and make his flight.

Another sip of the coffee he'd picked up at a servo just outside of town, bitter then, worse now that it had grown cold, and he wished he'd thought to sweeten it before hitting the road again. But he'd been in 'action mode' then, as Dino called it. Moving forward, doing what he needed to do and concentrating on not looking back. Right now, that was a luxury that he simply couldn't afford.

He couldn't, wouldn't stop to wonder if Brenda was still asleep in the rumpled covers of her warm bed. Couldn't bear to remember how it felt to slip out of her apartment, the finality of the door closing behind him as he stepped out into the cool dark of the pre-dawn morning. He hated the way it felt to think about leaving her behind, like a chance not taken, a promise somehow left unfulfilled.

Back in the office the following morning, he got online, found a florist and sent Brenda flowers with a card that said simply; 

Sweet Brenda, 

If ever you're in London...

-Terry 

He was just finished entering his credit card information and sending the missive off when the door to his office opened. He looked up and there was Dino, hanging in the doorway, his eyes grinning and sending off sparks in a manner that told Terry that he'd soon be packed and on his way again.

"How was your weekend?" his partner leered. "Did we get a little high class kitty?" The look on Terry's face as he tugged at his tie and adjusted to a defensive posture in his big leather chair confirmed everything Dino suspected. "Anyone I know?"

"None of your business," Terry growled, flipping his laptop closed.

"Jesus, Terry, I haven't seen that look on your face since -"

Terry glanced up, his eyes narrowed and his face pulled flat, an expression somewhere between challenging and closed off. "Did you come in here just to give me the piss, or was there a reason-?"

"Now that you mention it, we've got business, buddy. So wrap your nuts in a protective cup, grab your gear and meet me at Heathrow. We've got a flight to North Korea at noon." Dino raised his pale brows, grinning widely like a manic Leprechaun. There were few things he liked better in this world than getting to work - best yet if he could hit the ground running and not stop until everything in his path had been reduced to smoking rubble. Pure joy at the prospect of the potential for action was etched into every line of his face. "We've got a situation."

Terry rolled over in his sleeping bag. It was military issue, and a far cry from comfortable. Nothing at all like the warm, clean, cosy bed he'd left in Texas ... was it really only a week ago?

He rubbed his stubbled chin, scratching at a bug bite as his eyes scanned the night sky that hung like a star studded canopy overhead. With little difficulty, he began to pick out the constellations, naming them silently to himself one by one.

Somewhere, across the world - under these same stars - there was a chance not taken, a life un-lived, and a woman he could have loved... if only.

But he was who he was, there was no denying it. And tomorrow, after shouldering his pack and doing what had to be done, there would be another sunset... and another after that... He knew it just as surely as he knew his own name.

He rolled over with a soft sigh, closing his eyes to shut out the stars, pushing back the possibilities of what might have been and concentrating on getting the rest he needed to face what was inevitably to come -

Another day.

Another sunset.

And the sureness that his fate would lead him to ride into each and every one of them.