Chapter 126

Allegra stood watchfully alongside the tub, waiting for Richie to immerse himself in the wild bevy of bubbles she’d created when replenishing the bathwater.  She’d thought it would be funny to see her big, brawny boyfriend unmanned by a cloud of swirly, girly froth.

The joke was on her. 

Rather than looking silly, the stark contrast of the bubbles against his tanned, hair roughened skin merely accentuated his masculinity.  The diamonds in his gold hoop winked in the light, bringing to mind a rakishly wicked pirate, set to loot and plunder the first unsuspecting female in his path.

Her nipples stiffened with excitement.

“You’re cold, baby.  Come get in the nice warm water.”

I’m a far cry from cold.

Without verbalizing the admission, she took the steadying hand he offered, planting both feet at the lower end of the tub between his calves before presenting him with her back.  Iridescent bits of foam flew haphazardly through the air when she displaced the bubbles to settle her bottom between his hard thighs and leaned back against his chest. 

“Mmm,” Richie hummed appreciatively, his forearms encasing her ribcage.  They barely brushed the underside of her breasts, but it made her already heightened sense of awareness even more acute.  “I can’t remember the last time I had a nice relaxing bath.  If this is the time I have to do, I’m not feeling quite so bad about the crime.”

“It’s a little early to making those kinds of decisions,” she warned blandly.  “You don’t know what kind of evil and sadistic things I have in mind for you.”

He chuckled carelessly.  “Baby, if you’re trying to scare me, you’re gonna have to try again.  All that did was make me horny.”

And even as the muscles in his chest and abdomen softened in response to the warm water, she felt another muscle hardening against the small of her back.  A shiver of excitement danced along her vertebrae.  He had, no doubt, seen and participated in more sexual perversions than she could imagine, yet a few words from her had his interest stirring.

Yeah, that’s never gonna get old.

“How was the mall?”

His voice was thick with complacency, as though it was almost too much effort to speak.  “Mostly teenager hell for old folks like me.  Lunch with Ava was good, but then she went running with some friends so, other than that, the highlights for me were the bookstore and Starbucks.”

“What’d you get at Starbucks?” 

“Peppermint mocha.”

The p’s seemed to stick on his lips and she could envision his mouth as he carefully enunciated it. 

It fascinated her the way his pouty bottom lip would droop to the right sometimes when he talked – almost as though it was impossible to properly form words because of its fullness.

“Mmm…”  Letting him thinking she was coveting his mocha, Allegra relished the decadence of her legs slip-sliding against his beneath the foamy landscaping of their bath.  She always enjoyed the rough texture of his leg hair against her smoother skin, but the water negated the coarseness, leaving hundreds of softly silken strands tickling against her wet, heated flesh. 

She smiled when she felt his foot move to lazily drag up and down her calf, his knee sending a new flurry of bubbles floating through the air.

Unable to escape the image of his broad shoulders littered with the berry scented suds, she used the water to her advantage, nimbly flipping over in his embrace like a dolphin spinning in a pool.  He groaned as she tunneled her hands through the fizzy blanket doing its best to hide his chest from her.

She meant to look at his entire face – to see if he was thinking what she wanted him to be thinking– but after her eyes skimmed past the stubble filled cleft of his chin, they got stuck on his lips.  There was the perfect bow of his upper lip, and yes, it was beautiful, but the decadent plumpness of that lower lip was the stuff fantasies were made of. 

The tell-tale tingling of desire began humming between her legs. 

“What did you tell me you got at Starbucks?” 

“Peppermint mocha.”

Yeah, it looked every bit as sinful as it sounded.  Allegra hadn’t yet admitted her weakness for his mouth, but she wondered if it wasn’t time to ‘fess up.  Because right now, she wanted to spend the next hour or so exploring every millimeter of it in high-definition detail.

“Do I have something on my mouth?”  If she looked into his eyes she knew there would be a glint of amusement that matched his tone of voice – but she couldn’t be bothered to look.

“Not yet.”  Curling her hands over his shoulders, she tugged, using the sway of the water to propel herself upward.  Nipples grazed nipples, belly glided against belly, feminine and masculine curls collided as her thighs parted to encase his hips, one knee anchoring on each side.

“Your mouth makes the naughtiest promises, even when you don’t say a word.”   She inclined her head to touch his lips in a whisper-soft kiss, so delicate she wasn’t even sure they’d really touched.  So she did it again.

Yes. 

There was a splash, and Richie’s hand sent rivulets streaming over her shoulder blades when he curled it around her neck, eager for more.

“No,” she countered softly, resisting the pressure at her nape with a backward pull.  “This is penance.  I never get to play.  You have to let me play.”

He turned his face away, expelling a frustrated blast of air, but his hand fell obligingly back into the tub.  “Not too much penance,” was his brusque acquiescence. 

A lone index finger along his jawline was all it took to put his mouth back where she could reach it.  “Not too much,” she agreed, her breath tickling his mouth.  “But enough.”

She thought she heard a quiet ‘fuck’ from under his breath, but Allegra couldn’t be sure.  Her attention was otherwise occupied.

The barest tip of her tongue came out to light on the left corner of his mouth, licking the seam where top met bottom before moving on to trace the generous curve of the lower lip and give the other side the same sweet lick.  Retracing her path, she dried the damp trail with a dozen butterfly kisses. 

Keeping her mouth purposefully soft, she opened it on a breath, dragging her own bottom lip left to right over both of his.  His shiver enticed her to repeat the action – several more times – the last of which her tongue joined in, its fleshiness glazing the seam of his lips until they shone as wetly as the rest of his body.  She contentedly sipped and lapped at the twin pillows of pleasure, gentle as a summer breeze, subtly encouraging him to invite her inside.

Willingly obedient, Richie opened for her and, giving him his cue, she kept her tongue thick and pliable even as their taste buds collided.  The minty chocolate flavor of him was heavenly, and Allegra pushed toward the recesses of his mouth, seeking a more full taste – of him.  She dredged her tongue in the valley behind his decadent bottom lip and against the slick enamel of his teeth.

He’d shown admirable restraint thus far and his own tongue remained patiently still waiting to be summoned.  The pool of moisture was building between their mouths, creating the same slip-sliding environment that their bodies were immersed in.

She encouraged him to lift his tongue, by burrowing her own under it.  There she discovered the velvety soft satin underside that drew a throaty groan and her hips ground against his in delight.

Richie wrenched away, rasping, “Jesus Christ, now I know why they call it soul kissing.  I think you just stole mine.”

“Not yet, handsome.  But soon.” 

She swooped back in to claim that tantalizing lip from his gaping mouth, drawing its damp surface in and sucking until his hips surged upward against her.    Unwilling to release it, she met his thrust with her own and continued to roll the intoxicating flesh over and over with her lips and tongue. 

I could orgasm just like this, nothing more, she thought with amazement as the tingling started in her thighs.

But she hadn’t enjoyed the buildup enough yet.

Reluctantly relinquishing his mouth, Allegra moved down to the strong column of his neck and pushed away the wet spikes of hair that clung there.  When he threw his head back in the middle of an intense guitar solo, the corded muscles and tendons became pronounced and his Adam’s apple simply begged to be loved. 

Gentle fingers tilted his head back so that she could wrap her lips over the exposed Adam’s apple, slurping delicately and tracing its circumference with her tongue.  Beads of sweat had been rolling down the length of his neck, and she lapped at them like a kitten, enjoying the salty tang that stirred a craving for another salty treat.  She tucked that to the back of her mind and diligently cleaned the drops of perspiration away with lick after lick, pausing only once on her mission – to press her lips against the freckle on the right side of his neck.  Pressed lips became open lips and open lips became a little overeager until she was passionately sucking on the flesh of his neck.

The hiss of Richie’s sucked in breath was all that filtered through her haze of lust, making her realize she was being a little too rough. 

“Did I hurt you?”

His eyes were glassy with desire as he shook his head in denial.  “Marking what’s yours, baby?”

“Are you mine?”  Allegra asked casually, minimizing the importance of the question by covering his muscled shoulder with kisses.

The water splashed around her and his hands gripped her shoulders, bringing her up to face him.  “There’s nobody for you to be jealous of.”  He fingers tightened with the intensity of what he was saying.  “And that includes Heather.”

She didn’t want to talk about his ex-wife.  Allegra swiveled her hips, grinding against his ever-hardening shaft and wiggling so that their thighs slithered back and forth against one another in their aquatic confines.

He growled.

“Are you about finished with this penance thing, little girl?”

Little girl.

Last time he’d growled those words at her, she’d had the best orgasm of her life.  Her body flushed with a spike of desire, and she ached to have him fill her.  

“Fuck me,” she breathed.  “Please.”

Bubbles and water went splashing over the side of the tub when he anchored her close with one arm and submerged the other arm to guide himself into her.

“You don’t have to ask twice,” he assured her on a grunt as he slid into a place that was even hotter and wetter than the big bathtub.  Hard fingers curled over her hips, pushing forcefully downward against the buoyancy of the water until he was buried to the hilt.

“God you feel so good inside me,” she moaned, arching backward in attempt to take him deeper. 

Her walls closed around his girth, clinging in desperation for what he could bring.  The telltale signs of impending orgasm were there for Allegra as she felt the ridge of his head hit that sensitive spot inside.

“Mmmfff...”

He propelled himself forward to capture a soapy nipple in his mouth, rolling it across his tongue while holding firmly to Allegra as their bodies swam in a pool of hot passion and desire.  Water slickened limbs felt the same sensation as his cock buried in her hot, slippery center and all the dampened nerve endings were crackling with electricity. 

Richie groaned and pulled her head down so that he could speak in her ear, without slowing the thrust of his hips.  “I love it when you ask to be fucked.  My balls swell so big I think they’re gonna fuckin’ explode.”

“Oh God…  I can feel it…”

“They’re gonna explode inside you as soon as you cum.  When your pussy grabs me so hard I think I’m gonna die.  That’s when it happens.”

“Oh oh oh oh oh…  Yes, YESSSsss.  Unmnfgggnnnnn!!”

She rippled around him, contracting and releasing with her spasms until he shot his heat deep in her belly with a strangled cry of satisfaction.  The waves continued to roll as their rhythm slowed and settled along with their breathing.  Once the water was again still, there was barely enough left in the tub to cover Richie’s thighs.

“Damn you look good on me with – especially wearing bubble panties,” he approved brushing at the lingering foam before pulling her down for a kiss that stole what little breath she had left.

♥ ♥ ♥

Cleaning up the ‘afterglow’ had taken substantial energy and time, but as everything else with Richie, had been full of laughter.  The time had passed quickly as he crafted a dozen different ways to get her dirty, so that he could give her another bath.  Chocolate syrup and whipped cream were her personal favorites.

He had gone downstairs to put the mop away, and after putting on shorts and a t-shirt,  Allegra took the opportunity to rest for a minute.  Between the two baths and cleanup, she was worn out, and she now had a chance to enjoy the comfort of the big bed that was starting to feel like hers.

“What’s that?” she asked Richie lazily, pointing to the cheery blue gift bag that dangled from his fingers when he returned to the bedroom.

“I got you something at the mall.”

She frowned at first the bag and then him.  “What is it?  You’re not supposed to be buying me stuff.”

Rolling his eyes, Richie draped himself along the length of the bed next to her, putting the bag between them.  “Can you quit busting my balls long enough to open it?”

“I broke ‘em huh?”

He pulled her in for a kiss, nipping sharply at her bottom lip before releasing her.  “Not yet smartass, but please… keep trying.”

Keeping her flippant commentary to herself for the time being, Allegra pulled the tissue paper from the weighty bag.

“At least I know it’s too heavy to be jewelry.”

Reaching inside, her fingers wrapped around what felt like a book.  Intrigued, she freed it from the bag and flipped it over so that she could read the title.

What to Expect When You’re Expecting.

“Ohhhh.”  She couldn’t prevent the tears from welling in her eyes as he smiled affectionately at her. 

“Now cut that shit out,” he scolded, wiping away the lone drop of moisture that managed to find its way down her cheek.  “I just thought, since it’s your first baby, you might wanna know what’s going on.  That’s all.”

The book fell to the bed unnoticed, a casualty of the fierce hug she bestowed upon him.  “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”  Richie returned the hug, pressing his lips to her temple and letting them rest there for a moment.  “Can I ask you something?”

“Go ahead.”

“Do you like it here?”

“Here?  As in your house?”  At his nod of confirmation, she considered it.  “It’s fine.  California’s a lot different than Jersey, but being with you makes it bearable.”

“What if I weren’t here?  Would you want to be here without me?”

“Probably not.”

He nodded mutely, and unless she was imagining it, he looked a little disappointed.  “You know I’m going to be halfway around the world during your ninth month?  And that they’re not going to let you fly.”

Logically, she guessed she knew, but no, she hadn’t really put the pieces together that way.  It occurred to Allegra that she didn’t even know where the December shows were.

“Are you asking me if I’ll stay here while you’re gone?”

He picked up her hand, sandwiching it between his larger ones.  “Wondering what you’re thinking anyway.”

“That’s a long way off.  I’m not thinking anything about it yet.  But can I ask you something now?”

“Knock yourself out.”

“Do you ever think it’s strange that we’re having a baby and practically living together when – in all reality – we’ve been on exactly one date – when you chased me back to Jersey?  Two if you count the after party in Las Vegas.”

Richie didn’t think that could possibly be right, and he vainly tried to come up with evidence to refute that statement.  They’d been together for two months.  There had to be more. 

Wait a minute... 

“That’s not true.  We went out to the basketball game last time you were here.”

Ha!  There was more!

She dipped her head in acknowledgement.  “You’re right, but I was already sleeping in your bed every night.  It was more a case of where you went, I went rather than a date.”

“So what are you saying?” he asked defensively.  They’d been practically attached at the hip for three weeks now.  What more did she want?  “That I’m not treating you right?”

“Not at all.”  Allegra shrugged delicately.  “I’m just saying nothing has been normal with us.  Everyone thinks you should marry me because I’m pregnant, and that I’m sitting around with bated breath waiting for you to ask.”

Back to marriage.  Richie thought she’d understood where he was coming from.  Why was everyone making him out to be a bad guy here?  He wondered if he shouldn’t just ask her and be done with it. 

No.  I’m not going to do it out of obligation. If I do, it will end up a damn disaster. 

“Are you?  Waiting for me to ask?”

“No, not at all.  I’m just finding myself a little sad about how we ended up here and wondering what we missed out on because of the way things happened.”

Richie flexed his arms, pulling her flush against his chest with a hug.  “We missed out on a lot of chaste goodnight kisses and frustration.  We missed out on never being sure if we could make it through the hard times.  We don’t have to wonder – we’re doing it.  Some people never have that kind of reassurance.”

“You’re right,” she conceded with a mollifying smile, her eyes still wistful.  “Who needs a bunch of awkward dinner dates anyway?”