My Life With Vince

Author’s note: I’d like to thank my friend and editor, Harvey, for all of his help on this piece.

It’s been a long time since I’ve written about myself, but here it is and I hope you enjoy it.

– – – – –

And this ain’t no place for weary kind

This ain’t no place to lose your mind

This ain’t no place to fall behind

Pick up your crazy heart and give it one more try.

T. Bone Burnett and Ryan Bingham

– – – – –

I felt like my world was coming apart.

The loss of my intimate relationship with Gianna a month earlier was devastating, but I’d seen that one coming. Even though we’d been together for a year and a half, we’d been subtly drifting apart since her graduation. She’d gotten closer to her boyfriend, Tim, and I went from being a third wheel to being exiled. When they graduated from college they decided to move to Utah and begin their life together, a life that wouldn’t include me.

In contrast, James completely blindsided me when he ended our relationship and I’d had no warning. How could someone be such an integral part of my life in one moment and then gone from it the next? Over the past year and a half I’d tried so hard not to fall in love with him. He’d told me he would never leave his wife and children, and I should’ve believed him. It was my fault, though, my own hubris that had led me to this precarious situation. There had been a quiet voice deep in the recesses of my brain that believed I could make him change his mind. It was the hope of an idea that I knew now would never be.

More than anything, I wanted the pain to stop and the heartbreak to end. My first instinct was to withdraw from my college courses, but that wasn’t an option. So, instead, I withdrew from life.

I didn’t go out, except to attend classes. I stopped seeing my friends and returning their phone calls and texts. I quit going to the gym to work out and I barely ate; my stomach was in knots most of the time and preparing a meal just seemed like too much work. The beautiful, luxurious apartment James had purchased for me felt like a prison.

I bought black-out drapes for the windows. I wanted to be alone, in the dark. The darkness made me feel safe. For a month, between studying, I brooded over the nature of things… sitting alone, grieving over my empty, worthless life. Looking back on those dark days, I know now that I was in a deep depression. There were several times when I… contemplated hurting myself, or worse. I was tempted to take a bottle of pills so I wouldn’t wake up, or sit in my hot bathtub and cut my wrists to put an end to the immense grief and pain. Somehow, I pushed those dark thoughts out of mind and willed myself to soldier on and find a way through the horrible grief I was experiencing.

It was 7:30 in the evening, and I’d completed my homework and was ready to go to bed. That was the one good thing about depression, I got a lot of sleep. I heard a knock on the door and I froze. I tiptoed over and looked through the peep-hole, then tried to sneak away. Unfortunately, my footsteps were heard.

“I know you’re in there, Mel… open up.”

“No one’s home, go away.” I could hear her giggle through the door and a little smile broke across my face, my first smile in weeks. “I’m going to go to bed, Rachel… let’s talk tomorrow.”

“If I come back tomorrow you’ll just try to avoid me again, so open up… I’m not leaving until you do.” My shoulders slumped. It was obvious she wasn’t going to give up, and I grudgingly opened the door.

“You look like shit.”

I probably did. I wasn’t showering regularly and my hair was completely disheveled. “It’s nice to see you too,” I said sarcastically.

She pushed by me and walked into the kitchen. After I closed the door, I followed her and sat down on the living room couch. “I’m making coffee, you want some?”

“You’re going to be here long enough to have coffee?”

She smiled. “Don’t be a bitch.”

I looked down sheepishly. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, I think you could use someone to talk to.”

“I just want to be left alone.”

“You’ve been alone for a month now; how well has that worked out for you?”

Rachel never did mince words. “Just make the damn coffee.”

A couple of minutes later she sat down next to me on the couch and handed me a steaming cup. “Just a little half-and-half, right?”

“Yeah.” It was nice that my old roommate still remembered how I took my coffee. We each took a sip.

“I know this is about James, so you might as well tell me what happened.”

I paused for a moment to collect my thoughts. “He dumped me… no warning… he just ended it.”

“No fight, nothing?”

“No.”

“Did he at least tell you why?”

A tear streamed down my cheek. “He told me he was in love with me and he couldn’t see me again.” I took another sip of my coffee. “It was like we were getting too close or something… I don’t know.”

“You scared him, Mel.”

“It was only sex, we only saw each other once a month.”

She shot me a stern look. “That’s bullshit and you know it. You were in love with him and you got him to fall in love with you, too.”

Tears were streaming uncontrollably down my face and I didn’t attempt to wipe them away. “Why did he leave me, then, Rachel?”

“He’s married, Mel… he has children… you were breaking up his marriage.”

“I didn’t mean to, it wasn’t my intention to hurt him or his family.”

She put her hand on my thigh and gently squeezed. “But you did, honey; you can see that, right?”

I sobbed uncontrollably for the hundredth time that month. “I know… yes.” She pulled me to her and held me for a few minutes until I was cried out.

“Do you want another cup of coffee?”

“Okay,” I said through some sniffles while trying to get my emotions back in check.

Once she returned with the coffee, her eyes scanned the room. “What about this apartment, is he going to kick you out?”

“No, he said I could live here as long as I wanted.”

“That’s very generous of him.”

“I guess.”

“He always spoiled you and I see that’s continuing even after he ended it.”

It was true that James had taken care of me financially since we’d met. He’d gotten me a car, paid off my maxed-out credit cards and my student loans, bought me clothes and jewelry, and given me a sizable allowance every month. When he ended our relationship he gave me a large amount of cash that he half-jokingly referred to as my severance package. I’d told Rachel about everything except the cash because for some reason I just didn’t feel comfortable sharing that information with her.

“I do feel very fortunate that he’s letting me live here.”

We took a sip of our coffee. “You need to get back out there, it’s been a month.”

“I don’t feel like doing anything.”

“I know you don’t, but it would be good for you.”

“I’m glad you came by, but it’s going to be a while before I feel like going out.”

“Why don’t you come out with me and Steve.”

Steve was Rachel’s boyfriend who’d moved into our condo with her after James purchased the apartment for me. “That sounds like a fun evening, being a third wheel with you and your boyfriend,” I said sarcastically.

“What if Steve brought one of his friends?”

My jaw dropped. “I wouldn’t be good for anyone right now.”

“I’m not talking about a relationship. I was thinking more along the lines of dinner and… you know… maybe a movie.”

I shot her a skeptical look. “And just who is this Romeo?”

“Just a guy Steve works with, one of his friends.”

“Oh, my God, he’s a cop?”

Her face split into a little grin. “You didn’t have to say that with such disdain.”

“You know I like Steve, it’s just…”

She rolled her eyes. “Oh, my God, Mel… once again… It’s only dinner.”

“I… I just don’t know.”

“I’m only trying to get you out of this apartment for a night.”

Rachel was even more stubborn than I was and it was obvious she wasn’t going to take no for an answer. Finally, I gave in and relented. “Okay.”

– – – – –

It was unseasonably mild for October and the temperature was still about 80 degrees. The warm weather allowed me to dress in a short jean skirt and a little pink lace top. Keeping with the casual theme, I chose to pair the outfit with brown gilded-leather Cocobelle sandals.

When I received Rachel’s text letting me know they were in the parking garage that was located on the bottom floor of the apartment building, my mind instantly flooded with a thousand excuses, anything that might get me out of this dreaded evening. Unfortunately, I knew there was no pretext that was going to work, or at least none that she would accept. Might as well get this over with.

“Don’t look so glum, this isn’t a form of torture,” she said while I got into the back seat of Steve’s SUV.

I forced the best smile I could muster. “I’m looking forward to this, really.”

“Yeah, right,” she said teasingly.

We made small talk, and I had to admit it was interesting listening to Steve talk about his week. There was so much to being a police officer, and I realized how little I knew about it. Also, the more we talked, the more I realized how excited they were for me to meet Steve’s friend. What was billed as a simple night out was feeling more and more like a setup.

About a half hour later we pulled into the parking lot of Famous Dave’s barbecue joint in Henderson. Again, I couldn’t help but think how much I didn’t want to be there. I was used to dining at swanky, five-star restaurants, not a lowbrow establishment like this. James would’ve never taken me to a place like this.

Then I realized how horribly bougie that sounded. I had no right to think that I was better than anyone else, or in any way to blame my best friend for the depressing, pathetic state of my life.

Steve pulled up beside a lifted Ford F-250 pickup. The three of us exited the SUV and a guy got out of the truck to meet us on the sidewalk, which gave me a few seconds to look him over. Great, another fucking Italian.

I had to admit he was kinda handsome, though. He was tall, maybe 6’2″, with short black hair and an olive-colored complexion. He looked to be a couple of years older than I was, and he was well over 200 pounds and solid. He was wearing tight jeans, a pressed white collared dress shirt, a nice sport coat, and what looked like some type of reptilian cowboy boots.

Rachel and Steve broke into big smiles when he approached us. Then Rachel turned to me. “Melanie, this is Vince.”

He looked so nervous and he actually extended his hand for me to shake it. That’s a first.

“It’s nice to meet you,” he said shyly.

“It’s nice to meet you too,” I said while shaking his hand.

“Okay, enough of that, love-birds. I’m hungry, let’s go eat,” Steve said.

Rachel shot her boyfriend an evil stink-eye and I tried to hide a little grin when I noticed an embarrassed look break over Vince’s face. While we made our way into the restaurant, Vince gently rested his hand on the small of my back as we walked. It was the first real human contact I’d had in a month, and I had to admit it felt kinda nice.

Vince opened the door for me, and I walked in and waited several seconds for Rachel and Steve to join us, which gave me an opportunity to check out my surroundings. There were booths around the walls of the large space and tables in the center of the room that all had red-and-white checkered picnic table-style tablecloths. It kind of reminded me of a sports bar because there were large TVs mounted to the walls that were showing different sporting events. There were a lot of pictures and posters on the walls, which gave the space a down-home country feel. It definitely wasn’t the Prime steakhouse at the Bellagio, but the space had a bucolic, rustic feel that I immediately liked.

When the hostess took us to our table, Rachel ensured I was sitting next to Vince and he chivalrously pulled my chair out for me. Even though she’d promised me an innocuous evening out, it was feeling more like a romantic-type double-date. After the waitress brought our drinks, the other couple was deep in conversation, which left a semi-awkward silence on our side of the table.

“So, you’re a cop?”

He shot me a little smirk. “I’m a police officer.”

“What’s your comfort level on fixing parking tickets?” I teased.

He broke into a little smile. “I didn’t know I was eating with a criminal.”

The waitress approached our table to take our order, which put a momentary hold on our conversation. Rachel and Steve decided to split a meal for two, I chose a chicken sandwich, and Vince ordered a slab of baby-back ribs.

“And what do you do besides park illegally?” he joked.

“I’m a student at UNLV.”

“What are you studying?”

“Accounting.”

“We could trade services, you could do my taxes and I could fix your tickets.”

I smiled. “I don’t have any parking tickets, but I’d still do your taxes.”

We made small talk for a few minutes, and occasionally Rachel or Steve would break into our conversation and the topic would turn to our classes or police work. Some of the things Vince and Steve talked about were a little scary. I quickly realized I’d lived a very sheltered life since I moved to Las Vegas and knew very little about the greater goings-on in the city I lived in. I also discovered Vince had joined the Marines after he graduated from high school.

When our food came, I couldn’t help but break into a little smile. The plate of ribs the waitress set in front of Vince was enormous and was slathered with a thick layer of barbecue sauce. Growing up, I remembered my father advising my older brothers to choose food that would be easy to eat and not make a mess when they took a girl out on a date. It was pretty easy to see that his father hadn’t given him the same good advice.

“What was it like being in the Marines?” I asked while taking a bite of my sandwich, which was actually really tasty.

His face got tense. “I really liked it until the war broke out and I was sent to Iraq.”

“Did you see any action over there?” I asked hesitantly.

“Yes.”

With a single word his whole demeanor changed. Like most men his age who chatted me up, he was shy and just a little unsure of himself. However, he was very adept at engaging me in pleasant, light conversation as we learned about each other, and already I was interested in him. But now that I’d questioned him on his military service, I could sense a darkness about him that lay right under the surface of his easy-going, jovial disposition.

Looking back, if I was truthful with myself, he reminded me of James. Even though my ex had never served in the military, he could go from cheerful and affable to brooding and sinister in a nanosecond. I hated to admit it, but after being with my ex for a year and a half it was a somewhat disturbing personality trait that I’d grown accustomed to and now actually missed since our relationship had ended.

I wasn’t sure how to respond to him so I gently rubbed his thigh. “I’m sorry,” I whispered.

There was a faraway look in his eyes. He wasn’t with me at the table anymore, he was somewhere else, far away, as his mind traveled back to his past. When he felt my touch, he came back to me.

“It’s okay, and it’s nothing we have to talk about.”

I got the feeling that he’d never talked to anyone about any of this. I was in no way a psychologist, but my thoughts traveled back to the Psych-101 course I’d taken my freshman year. He had a lot of trauma in his past that he’d obviously never dealt with. My grandfather was the same way. He was a World War II veteran who’d served in the Burma-China-India theatre against the Japanese, and my father had told me there were things he’d seen and done that he refused to share with anyone. Just like Vince, he’d held those dark secrets deep inside the recesses of his consciousness, in the case of my grandfather until the day he died, and I wondered if the handsome young man next to me would follow in my grandfather’s footsteps.

I gave his thigh a gentle squeeze. A first date wasn’t the time or place to talk about any of this. I didn’t want to pressure him to be more forthright with me, and I quickly changed the subject so he didn’t have to. “Do you enjoy being a police officer?”

He smiled. “I love it. I grew up here, and now I can serve the community and try to keep everyone safe,” he said passionately.

It was obvious that he’d found his calling and he knew his place in life, which brought up another disconcerting thought. Already, I sensed that he was interested in me. Like I’d suspected earlier, this wasn’t just a casual dinner with a friend; we were on a date. I was already more than just a little apprehensive about his career choice, and I knew from the outset that if I chose to move forward with him I’d have to somehow reconcile my uneasy feelings about what he did for a living. I was also thankful that, unlike his military service, his career seemed to be something that he was more than willing to talk about.

“What do you like best about it?”

He thought for a moment. “There’s a camaraderie in the force that’s similar to the Marines. The men I work with are my brothers, and we all watch each other’s back, and they’re my best friends.”

“You really love it, huh?” I said while he confirmed every one of my earlier suspicions.

“I do, and I can’t see myself doing anything else.”

I took another bite of my delicious sandwich and he cut off a small portion of his slab of ribs. When he took a bite, barbecue sauce covered his lips and he quickly used his napkin to try to clean some of it up. He was being careful and I could tell that he was trying to put on a good show for me, but I was almost certain he was regretting his choice of entrees now. He’d wiped most of the messy sauce from his face, but there was still just a little on the corner of his mouth.

“You have a little right here,” I said while pointing at his face.

“Where?” he asked questioningly.

I grabbed my cloth napkin, dipped the corner of it in my ice-water, and dabbed his face. “I got it.”

He blushed. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” I said shyly.

He had such a rugged, boyishly-handsome face. He had deep brown eyes, and it felt like he was peering into my soul when we spoke. He had a thick head of dark hair that was styled in a classic short military-style cut. As I watched him try to carefully eat his food, I felt a little wetness begin to build between my legs. He had such sexy, pouty lips, and they actually looked especially good covered in that thick barbecue sauce. Almost subconsciously, I fantasized about what those lips would feel like as they kissed me or pleasured me. Quickly, I pulled myself back. It was way too early to be having those types of thoughts about someone I’d just met. Fortunately, he engaged me in conversation, which got my mind off of those very sensual musings.

“So where did you grow up?” he asked.

“In Southern California, Glendale, actually.”

“And you moved here?”

“Yes, to go to UNLV.”

We each took another bite of our food. “Do you have siblings?” he inquired.

“Yes, three older brothers.”

He smiled. “What was that like?”

“It was… ummm… difficult.” I thought for a moment. “They were very protective of me; between them and my father, it felt like I was under constant surveillance.”

“So you didn’t get away with much?”

I grinned. “I always seemed to manage to do whatever I wanted.”

“Oh, you’re a bad girl, then?” he quipped.

Now he’s being flirty; he’s definitely interested. “Maybe,” I said slyly. We took a sip of our drinks. “Do you have siblings?” I asked.

“A younger sister who got married last month.”

“That’s great.”

“He’s a nice guy and I really get along with him.”

He’s exactly like my brothers. “You’re protective of her.”

“Of course, but she has a good man now, and I worry about her less than I used to.”

Then Rachel broke into our conversation. “Mel, I need to use the restroom; come with me, okay?”

I looked over at Vince, “Duty calls.” When I slid my chair back, he immediately rose to his feet and assisted me. “I’ll be right back.”

“Okay.”

I followed Rachel into the restroom. Once the door shut, the interrogation began. “So, what do you think, any sparks?”

She thought she was being the perfect match-maker; so of course I had to mess with her a bit. “He’s an asshole, Rachel, what the hell were you thinking bringing me here?” I said sternly.

Her face broke into a look of utter shock. “I’ve met him several times and I thought he was a nice guy. What did he say to you? It looked like you were having a fun time with him.”

I burst out laughing and she shot me a dirty look. Then I admitted, “He’s… you know… a nice guy.”

She smiled. “You like him.”

“He’s okay.”

“He’s more than okay, isn’t he?”

“Maybe.”

“Awww… you do like him.”

“I don’t even know him.”

“But you’re willing to give him a chance; that’s more than I’d hoped for.”

“I thought this was supposed to be a friendly night out.”

“Girl, you should know me better than that by now,” she teased back. “C’mon, let’s get back out there so I can watch the sparks fly between you.”

“I thought you had to use the bathroom.”

“You don’t know me at all, do you?” We both giggled.

For the first time in a month I was beginning to feel like myself again. My world hadn’t ended and I was stronger than I’d thought. Vince had issues, lots of issues, but after being with James for a year and a half, so did I. I still wasn’t sure about his time in the military or his career as a police officer, but I felt willing to give him a chance and see where this might go.

She took my hand and we made our way through the restaurant and returned to our table. Again Vince stood up; he slid my chair out and helped me settle back in, and I took a sip of my iced tea.

“So, what kind of hobbies do you like?” he asked after taking his seat beside me.

“I study, mostly, but I also like to run and work out.”

“Ahhh, a gym rat.”

“Yes,” I said shyly. “What about you?”

“I work a lot, but I also like to work out and play golf, and a few of my friends and I are getting into restoring old cars.”

“What are you restoring?”

“We just began working on a blue 1974 four-door Nova. It’s pretty beat up right now, but I think it will look great after we’re done with it.”

“It sounds like a nice car.”

“It will be after we’re done with it,” he said confidently.

He picked up his drink and turned slightly. When he did, his sport coat slipped open a bit and I saw that he was wearing a shoulder holster with a concealed pistol inside it.

“Whatcha packin there, cowboy?”

He blushed slightly. “It’s a nine-millimeter Sig Sauer P320.”

“Oh, okay.”

“Do you know about firearms?”

“Only that they scare me.”

My father loved guns and he took my brothers to a local shooting range about once a month so he could teach them how to be proficient with firearms. It never bothered me that I wasn’t included in their little weekend outings.

“They shouldn’t, it’s people who scare me, not handguns.”

I smiled. “And you felt the need to bring one here tonight?” I gently bantered.

“Because of my job, it’s almost like an extension of me now, and it’s better to have one and not need it than need it and not have it.”

I figured Steve was probably carrying too, and maybe I should have been put off by these new revelations, but I wasn’t. He made me feel safe, and slowly I was becoming even more attracted to him. “I like that you have it,” I shyly admitted.

I took another sip of my drink and looked at Rachel and Steve. They were deep in conversation and looked totally enamored with each other, probably by my best friend’s design. I knew she wanted to give me privacy with Vince and I guessed her little plan was working.

“So you study, you run, and you like to work out; anything else?” he asked.

I quickly turned my attention back to him. “I also like hiking, I love going to Red Rock and the Valley of Fire, have you ever hiked there?”

“I’ve hiked at Red Rock, but it’s been a while, back when I was still in high school.”

“When I have time, I enjoy it, it’s good exercise.”

“You don’t look like you need to exercise,” he joked.

I smiled at his little compliment. “I don’t look like I need to exercise because I do.”

He laughed and we took another bite of our food. “So, Rachel tells me that you’re not seeing anyone.”

“No, I got out of a long relationship about a month ago.” Just like his military service, my chaotic relationship with James wasn’t going to be something that I was willing to talk about on a first date. To change the subject, I directed the same question at him even though I was fairly certain I knew the answer. “What about you?”

“I’ve been concentrating on my career; I haven’t really dated since I separated from the Marines.”

“Yet you found the time to go out tonight?”

“Rachel twisted my arm pretty hard.”

Of course she did, I thought sarcastically.

“But now I’m happy I listened to her,” he said.

A little blush broke over my face. “I’m glad I listened to her too,” I said shyly.

Vince and I were done with our meals, and when I looked over at Rachel I saw they’d finished eating too. I looked at her expectantly, as if to ask, what next? Of course, she was more than happy to take the lead.

“So, the night is still young, what do you two feel like doing?” she asked. “We can catch a movie or–”

“Melanie wants me to take her shooting,” Vince said.

My jaw dropped open and a stunned look broke across Rachel’s face. “She does?” my best friend said incredulously.

“Yes, I do,” I said saucily. “I told Vince I can shoot better than he can and he doesn’t believe me. So of course, I have to prove him wrong.”

Rachel’s lips split into a little smile. “Well, that sounds like you two will have a fun time, then.”

It wasn’t difficult for her to see through Vince’s subterfuge. She knew I didn’t like guns and they’d always scared me. However, she also knew that we wanted to be alone.

“So you’ll take her home, then?” she asked.

“Yes, I will.”

– – – – –

The guys settled the bill and I gave Rachel a little hug once we got outside. “Text me when you get home, okay?” she said.

“I will, Mother.”

She grinned. “Well, if you want me to act like your mother, I will. Remember that it’s a first date and try to act like a lady.”

I stuck my tongue out at her and we both giggled. “I’ll try to keep that in mind.” I thought for a moment. “Thank you… for this… for introducing me to him, I owe you,” I said sincerely.

“Yes, you do; lunch next week is on you.”

“That sounds like a plan, girl.” We exchanged a tight hug. Just as I was pulling away from her, I felt Vince take my hand.

“Are you ready?” he asked.

“Yes, I am.”

We walked over to his truck. “Just how am I supposed to get up into this thing?” I teased.

“I’ll help you.”

He unlocked the door, opened it up, and then hoisted me up into the cab. Because of my short jean skirt, I wondered if I’d given him a little show as he lifted me in. To be honest, I didn’t really care. Once he got in he started up the vehicle and looked over at me.

“We don’t have to go to the range and shoot, I know you don’t like guns,” he said.

“No, I want to learn how to shoot and you’re going to teach me,” I said playfully.

“Really… guys take you shooting on all your first dates?” he teased.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been out on an actual date, and I’ve never even held a gun,” I admitted.

“How is that possible?”

I knew what he was talking about, but already I loved messing with him. “I told you, guns scare me.”

“No, I mean… ummm… I know you don’t like guns, but how is it possible that every guy you meet doesn’t try to take you out?”

I smiled. “Maybe they do and I just feel charitable tonight.”

He laughed. “You like ribbing me, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I do.”

He told me more about his parents and sister as we got onto the freeway heading north. He took the Tropicana exit and we drove for about a mile or so until we reached The Gun Store. Once he found a parking spot, he helped me down out of the truck; then he took my hand and we went inside. He purchased a box of ammunition from the clerk and showed him his badge. Normally you had to pay to use the range, but because he was a police officer they didn’t charge him, and he told me it was a courtesy they extended to law enforcement.

After we put on ear protection, we walked to the back of the store and went inside a large room that had partition dividers that separated the shooters. I was still a little nervous, but I felt better knowing that we were alone in the room. Then he opened up his sport coat and pulled the gun from the holster.

“Always keep the barrel pointed down-range and never at anyone, okay?”

“Okay,” I whispered.

He pointed the pistol towards the target and then worked the action, sending a bullet into the chamber. “Watch how I do it.”

He took aim at the target and then fired off four or five rounds in rapid succession, hitting the human bullseye center-of-mass in a very tight grouping with only an inch or two separating each small hole. Even with plugs in my ears the thunderous cracks were very loud and I jumped slightly.

He smiled. “That’s how it’s done, now it’s your turn.”

He handed me the pistol. There was still a little smoke emanating from the barrel and the handle felt warm from his grip. I ensured that it was pointed down-range just like he’d told me and I took aim at the target. Several seconds passed, and no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t summon the courage to pull the trigger.

“Just relax, Mel, you’ve got this.”

Several more seconds passed. It felt like my body was frozen, and as much as I attempted to summon my courage I couldn’t fire his gun. “I’m sorry, I just can’t do it.”

“Will you let me help you?”

“Yes.”

He wrapped his arms around my shoulders, squeezing me tight against him. “You can do this, honey,” he said into my ear.

In an instant, a calm came over me. Feeling his body so close to mine, combined with this powerful gun in my hand, a little surge of electricity rushed through me and I squeezed the trigger. The pistol kicked back just a little but I kept it under control pretty well.

He grinned. “Were you aiming for the head?” he asked.

“Yes, of course I was,” I teased. In reality, I think I closed my eyes and had just gotten very lucky, but it felt amazing to overcome a fear that I’d held all my life. “How many more shots do I have?”

“Ten more. The magazine holds fifteen rounds, go ahead and squeeze off a few more.”

I was finding it very difficult now to concentrate. His hard body pressed so close to mine was intoxicating. He started to pull away from me and I stopped him. “No, keep holding me, okay?” I said.

He smiled. “Okay.”

I willed my mind to focus amidst his close proximity and pulled the trigger, taking aim after each shot. I just kept firing the gun until the action held in the open position and I knew I’d run out of bullets.

“Damn, not bad, you’ve really never done this before?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“That means you’re a natural, then.”

All of the little holes were in the middle of the body of the target just like his, but my pattern was a bit more spread out than his. I handed him the gun and we turned to face each other. “I think I had a good teacher.”

Our eyes met and it felt like his eyes were staring into my soul. Together, we leaned in and shared a hot passionate kiss. His hard chest crushed against my breasts and little tingles were coursing through my body and reverberating between my legs. Our tongues sensually brushed together for several seconds and then he pulled back and broke our intimate embrace.

He let me shoot the entire box of shells, and by the time we’d run out of bullets I was actually getting pretty good at hitting the target in a consistently tight pattern.

I handed his pistol back to him and our eyes met. “I know it’s getting late, but would you like to do anything else?”

You can take me back to your place, I thought. Of course, I didn’t say that. “I have some things I need to do, do you think you could take me home?”

“Of course.”

We departed the store and he helped me up into his truck. This time, I slid over into the middle of the seat so our thighs gently brushed together as he drove. My Land Rover had bucket seats so his bench seat made for a much more romantic experience. On our drive back to my place I told him a little about my childhood growing up in Southern California and a few of my experiences in college. We kept the conversation light and pleasant while we learned more about each other. When he pulled into the parking garage he found a spot.

“This is a really nice place, how do you afford it, being a student and all?”

“It’s a long story, but I’ll tell you later, okay?”

“Okay.”

Talking about James and my past with him was nothing I ever wanted to discuss, but I knew at some point I’d have to, just not tonight because I didn’t want to ruin our perfect evening. We leaned in again and exchanged a series of hot kisses while our tongues explored each other’s mouth. Even though I was rubbing his thigh while we kissed, he was a true gentleman; I knew he wanted to touch me, but he didn’t despite the large erection straining against the tight confines of his jeans as we made out. It took every ounce of willpower I had not to invite him up to my apartment. As much as I wanted it, I knew that would be moving too fast.

“Can I see you again?” he asked hopefully.

I smiled. “Whatcha doing tomorrow?”

“Going on a date with you.”

I grinned and sensually ran my hand over his chest and pulled out his cellphone from the inside pocket of his jacket. After I put my number into his contacts, I handed it back to him.

“Call me tomorrow, okay?”

“That’s a promise.”

– – – – –

There was a knock at my door at 6:00 pm sharp. I guess military guys are never late. When I opened the door, Vince was standing in front of me.

“Hi, Mel,” he said.

“Hi, yourself, you wanna come in for a second?”

“Sure.”

I gave him a little tour and I was now very thankful I’d picked up in the apartment because I wanted to make a good impression on him. “You have a really nice place.”

“Thank you,” I said shyly. Just as I was about to change the subject, he asked me the question that I was dreading to answer.

“A loft apartment in downtown Las Vegas with that view,” he said while looking out the large panoramic window onto the north end of the Strip, “so, you told me you’re a student, how do you afford this place?”

I inwardly cringed. I had a lie premeditatively prepared about my relationship with James, but already I liked Vince and I wasn’t going to start lying to him on our second date. “My ex had money and he got this place for me,” I said sheepishly.

His eyes widened. “You’re not still seeing him, right?”

“No, it’s over between us,” I said somewhat more sternly. “He’s just letting me live here until I find something else.” The last thing I wanted was for Vince to think that I was still with James just because he was still letting me live in the apartment he’d purchased for me.

“Oh… ummm… okay.” He paused for a moment. “So… are you ready to go?”

“You bet.”

“You… ummm… look really nice… by the way.”

“Thank you,” I said sexily. “You clean up really nice yourself.”

I’d wanted to dress up a little bit more for our second date and I’d chosen to wear a black Bodycon mini-dress. It was made of stretch knit fabric that hugged my curves and it had spaghetti straps that left my shoulders visible. The sexy little frock featured a cut-out back, and the short hem fell on my upper tanned thighs and went perfectly with my black Prada pumps. Vince was wearing a very sharp black suit with a pressed white collared shirt that was paired perfectly with a black tie that was broken up by little white diamonds.

We took the elevator down to the parking garage. “How about we take my car tonight?” I said.

“Ummm… sure, but I thought you liked my truck.”

“I like you helping me into it,” I teased, “but my car will be easier for me to get into, okay?” I reached into my clutch purse, pulled out my keys, and handed them to him. He hit one of the buttons on the remote and my car chirped as the doors unlocked.

“Wow, a Land Rover, not bad.”

“Thank you.”

We got into my car and Vince headed south down Las Vegas Boulevard. “So where are you taking me?” I asked.

“It’s a surprise.”

I smiled. “Okay.”

Because it was still early, traffic was light for a Saturday night and we made it to the Venetian in about 30 minutes. After we got my car to the valet we made our way through the casino to the Lavo Italian Restaurant. Vince gave the maître d’ his name and he pulled up his reservation. Even though I did like Famous Dave’s the night before, this was definitely more my style and I was very happy that James had never taken me here.

Walking through the restaurant gave me a chance to take in the beautiful decor. The restaurant was decorated mostly in browns and featured an upper area that was closed off by glass, which gave the space a decidedly open yet romantic feel. The walls featured large glass windows that provided beautiful views of the Las Vegas Strip and were accented by dark brick that was broken up by lighter brown walls above them. When we reached our table Vince released my hand and we sat side-by-side. We started off with a bottle of red wine and an appetizer of Prosciutto, a few different types of Italian cheeses, and assorted Salumi. For dinner, I chose the Rigatoni Melanzane and Vince ordered the Roasted Chilean Sea Bass.

“So, I assume you’re Italian, bringing me here and all,” I teased.

“I am, Siclillian, actually.”

My eyes widened when I remembered Gianna was also Sicillian. “So, are you connected, the Mafia, all of that?” I joked.

He laughed. “No, I’m not, but my father says part of my family is, the ones back east. “Have you heard of the Bonanno crime family?”

“Yes, I have.”

“Distant relatives.”

I took a sip of my wine. “So you’re related to Tony Soprano; how did you end up in law enforcement?”

He grinned. “I’ve always wanted to help people and give back. Maybe it’s a way to make amends for…”

There it was, that faraway look in his eyes again, that darkness that had crept up from nowhere and now surrounded both of us. I didn’t want to pressure him, but this was our second date and I was interested in him. If this was going to work, he’d have to be willing to open up, at least a little. “What did you do over there, in Iraq?”

“I’ve seen things, Melanie.” His voice slightly cracked. “I’ve done things that I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to forget.”

His hand was slightly trembling, and I took it in mine and gently squeezed. “You can talk to me about anything, okay?”

He looked into my eyes and it was as if his brain refused to form words. I wasn’t sure how to proceed. I’d never told any guy what I was about to say so quickly. I’d always been able to read people very easily, and I felt it with him and he needed to know it. “I like you, Vince. I know we’re still getting to know each other, but I like you.” I paused for a moment. “I just need you to talk to me and not shut me out. I’m strong and I can handle anything, but you have to be willing to be open with me, okay?”

“I will, just give me time.”

I squeezed his hand again. “I’ll give you all the time you need, I promise.”

He took a sip of his wine and collected himself. “So, I’m Italian, what’s your nationality?”

“I’m English and Swedish.”

“So that’s where that beautiful blonde hair comes from, huh?”

I gave him a radiant smile. “Yes.”

“I told you that my family is kinda connected… all of that… tell me something about your family you’ve never revealed to anyone.”

“Oh, wow… ummm.” That question had definitely caught me by surprise, and I had to think for a moment to formulate my answer. “Okay, I’ll tell you something personal, but you’re sworn to secrecy.”

“It won’t leave this table.”

“My mother grew up in Southern California, but we have a lot of family in the South, in Arkansas.”

“Okay.”

I took a deep breath. “I’ve seen pictures of my relatives in Confederate uniforms.”

He laughed. “So, the term rebel is more than just a mascot for you, huh?”

I playfully punched him in the arm. “It’s not funny, that’s a horrible thing to have in your family tree.”

“You must like history, have you studied it?”

“Yes, I have. I like learning about the Civil War and World War II. I’ve taken a few classes.”

“Those were two really bad wars, even worse than Iraq, I guess.”

“My grandfather fought in Burma during World War II, and–”

“And?”

“You remind me of him.”

“Oh, I do?”

“He loved his family, he served his country, and he did what was asked of him… just like you.”

He smiled, leaned in, and we shared a soft romantic kiss. “In time, I’ll tell you about it, okay?”

“I know you will, baby,” I said gently.

Dinner was amazing and I ensured the rest of our conversation was light and airy as we continued to learn about each other. It was a wonderful feeling; the more time I spent with him, the more I wanted to be with him in every sense of the word.

Once we finished dinner he took me to see a movie. I loved how he held my hand or had his arm around me the entire evening. During the show I was feeling a bit conflicted. It was the age-old question: how far should I let this go tonight? There were times that I hated my Catholic upbringing or, more specifically, my mother and Father Patrick, who at Mass pounded into my consciousness that I had to be a good girl. I wasn’t allowed to do those things with boys. In all honesty, most of it I’d disregarded, but it was always still right there, right under the surface, haunting me like a bad dream. When Vince pulled into the parking garage below my apartment, again I was tempted to invite him to come up and spend the night. However, Father Patrick’s voice won out, at least in part. It was only our second date and I wasn’t willing to have sex with him, at least not quite yet. However, I was willing to do the next best thing.

Once he found a parking spot, we leaned in and shared a long, passionate kiss. Just like the previous night, my hand moved to his thigh and I began rubbing. As his tongue explored my mouth, I moved my hand up and rubbed the large bulge that was straining inside his pants. Instantly, his body tensed up as I rubbed his erection harder through his trousers. While we continued to make out, I unbuckled his belt, unbuttoned the button, and slid the zipper of his fly south. I pushed my tongue into his more urgently and slid his pants and boxers down his thighs.

“Let’s see what you’re working with down here, Marine,” I whispered.

It was nice, really nice. Just a little over seven inches and nice and thick with a large mushroom-shaped head. He seemed really tense, and I took his shaft at the base and began slowly working my hand up and down it.

“That feels really good, Mel,” he said between little sips of breath.

I gave him another slow hot kiss. “Let me do something that will feel even better.”

I released his cock and leaned down until my face was between his legs. My mouth watered when I saw the pre-cum that was dribbling out of the slit and running down his shaft. He let out a low, deep moan when I took about half of him into my mouth and began slowly bobbing up and down on him. I ensured my mouth stayed warm and wet as I took him deeper with every downward motion. He gently wove his hand through my long blonde hair, and I let him slip out of my mouth and grabbed him firmly at the base.

I parted my lips and let a long string of saliva drip down his shaft, then plunged him deep into my mouth until he hit the top of my throat. I took a little breath, relaxed the muscles in my throat, and took him all the way down to the root. I loved hearing the moaning and gasping that was coming from above me and I knew he was into everything I was doing to him.

He had really good control, but after bobbing my head up and down on him for a couple of minutes his body stiffened and his breathing changed and I knew he was getting close. I thought of stopping and backing him down, but I didn’t. Tasting his semen wasn’t something I wanted, but something I needed.

“Oh… God… Mel… I… I… can’t hold it back,” he moaned.

His words only spurred me on and I tightened the suction with my lips as I continued to fellate him. I had his cock so deep in my throat I didn’t even taste the first spurt that went directly into my tummy. I backed off of him a couple of inches and rope after thick rope hit the roof of my mouth and then collected on my tongue. Once the strong blasts finally subsided, I took a little breath and swallowed. His cock was losing rigidity now and I grasped it at the base, extended my tongue, and cleaned up the little droplets along the shaft that I’d missed. After I was satisfied that I had him cleaned up, I righted myself and our eyes met.

There was a glassy look in his eyes like he was still trying to come down from some mind-blowing high, and I couldn’t help but smile. “That… that… was amazing,” he gushed.

“I’m glad you liked it,” I said shyly, but his words also took me aback a little. He was a really handsome guy. So why did his reaction feel like I’d just given him his first blow job?

“Do you want me to… you know… do something to–”

I smiled. “No, you don’t have to, I’m just glad you… you know… liked it.”

“I loved it, Mel,” he said sincerely. “Are you sure you don’t want me to–”

“No, you don’t have to.” I thought for a moment. “I’m really busy during the week with classes and studying… so… next Friday night, your place. I’ll bring the pizza, you buy the beer, we’ll continue this, okay?”

He grinned from ear to ear. “Sounds like a plan.”

“During the week, you’d better text me, a lot. I don’t really like your job, it’s dangerous, and I want to know you’re safe, okay?”

His eyes widened. “Ummm… okay.”

We stepped out of the Land Rover and he handed me the keys. We leaned in and shared another hot little kiss. “I love being with you, Vince,” I whispered.

“I love it too, Mel.”

I shot him a little smile, turned, and made my way to the elevator and then up to my apartment.

– – – – –

It was almost 6:00 on Friday night when I pulled into Vince’s driveway. Earlier in the week he’d texted me the address to his condo, which was located right off American Pacific in Henderson. He’d also texted me several times each day to let me know he was all right at work, and we’d spent quite a bit of time on the phone in the evenings when I needed a study break. I’d stopped by Papa Murphy’s take-n-bake pizza shop and purchased a family-size Chicago stuffed-crust pizza, which he said was his favorite. I parked in the driveway, and just as I was about to knock on the door it opened.

He immediately took the heavy pizza out of my hand and we shared a hot little kiss. “How are you doing, Mel, how was your week?”

“It was really good, how was yours?”

“It was great, come on in.”

I followed him down a short hallway that led to the great room and kitchen. I found out later that he’d purchased a two-bedroom, two-bath condo shortly after he’d separated from the Marines.

“Why don’t you have a seat, I’ll get the pizza going,” I said.

He sat down on the couch, and I puttered around the kitchen and got the pizza in the oven. “You want a beer?” I asked.

“Sure, they’re in the fridge.”

I opened the refrigerator and pulled out two Coronas and opened them. “You got any limes?”

“No, I’m… ummm… sorry, I don’t.”

“What! Coronas with no lime? I thought you military boys knew how to drink,” I teased.

“Next time there’ll be limes, I promise.”

I smiled. “Okay, I’m going to hold you to that.”

I sat down on the couch next to him and slid up close, and he put his arm around me. “You really don’t like my job?” he asked.

“Not really, no. But I’ll… you know… try to get used to it.” I thought for a moment. “It helps, you texting me, letting me know you’re alright.”

“I think you worry a little too much,” he joked.

I shot him a quizzical look. Is he right? Am I somehow being too clingy? I’d never been with anyone who had a dangerous career. I just wasn’t used to experiencing these types of feelings and I honestly didn’t know how to deal with them. Regardless, I didn’t want to push him away because of my apprehension about his job.

“You don’t have to text me all the time like you have been, it’s okay,” I whispered.

“No, I like texting you,” he said somewhat more sternly.

“You really don’t mind? It doesn’t bother you?”

“When I was in Iraq, the only people who were thinking about me were my family, I didn’t have anyone special waiting for me. But now… you know… it feels like I do.”

I snuggled up closer into his body. “Yes, you do.” Our lips met and we shared a soft, romantic kiss. Just then the timer went off, letting us know that the pizza was done, and he pulled himself away from me and got up off the couch.

“I’ll cut up the pie, you find us a movie, okay?” he said.

“Okay.”

I grabbed the remote and opened up the Pay-Per-View channels. I instantly saw a cute Rom-Com that Rachel had told me was really good. However, she said it was also kinda sappy; but of course she loved it. I didn’t want to make Vince waste an hour and a half of his life on some chick-flick that I was fairly certain he wouldn’t like. “Do you like James Bond?”

His face lit up. “Quantum of Solace, right? Oh, yeah, I’d love to see that.” He paused for a moment. “You like James Bond too, right?”

“Of course I do.” In reality James Bond films were just okay to me and I’d only seen a couple of them, but I could tell Vince really wanted to watch it, so of course I went along.

Vince had brought me a large piece of pizza that I could barely finish. He served himself two pieces and then a few minutes later we paused the movie so he could get two more. It was like being around my three older brothers all over again. Growing up, they all had ravenous appetites and easily emptied the refrigerator and pantry every week.

Once I’d finished my pizza, I drank the last of my Corona. I couldn’t really get into the movie, and because I had a full tummy I was getting a little tired. “Can I lie down on you?”

He smiled. “Of course.”

I stretched out across the couch and rested my head on Vince’s lap. He began running his hands through my long blonde hair, and after about a minute or so I fell into a deep sleep. About an hour and a half later I woke up to the music on the TV as the ending credits scrolled down the screen. I let out a deep yawn and stretched to try to force my body to come back to life.

“You must have been tired, you missed it.”

“Did you like it?”

“Of course I did, it was amazing.”

“Good.”

He looked down at me questioningly. “You don’t like James Bond, do you?’

“It’s okay, but I knew you did.”

“Next movie is your choice, whatever you want we’ll watch it.”

I shot him a radiant smile. “Even a sappy romantic comedy?”

“You bet; you slept through my movie, I’ll just sleep through yours,” he joked.

I playfully punched his arm, righted myself, and slid into his arms. We exchanged a long, hot, passionate kiss. “So what’s next on the agenda?” he asked.

“I need to pee and then we’ll figure it out, okay? Where’s your bathroom?”

“Through that door right there,” he said while pointing to a closed door that was adjacent to the great room.

We exchanged another hot little kiss and I got up off the couch and opened the door. My eyes widened when I realized that he’d directed me to his master bedroom. There was a king-size oak bed with matching oak nightstands and a large dresser. When I walked into the bathroom I noticed that the toilet was so clean it looked like it had never been used. It really matched the entire condo; every square inch of the space was spotless. Is he just this neat and tidy, because most guys I knew weren’t, or is he just trying to make a good impression?

After I used the bathroom, I took a few seconds to peer into his closet. He had a couple of really sharp-looking suits but most of his clothes were more casual, like jeans, T-shirts, and hoodies. He also had a few police uniforms hanging up, but the most impressive thing was his dress-blue Marine uniform. There were a myriad of different medals on the chest and there was a symbol of three chevrons on the shoulder. I had no idea what any of the symbols meant, but it all looked very impressive.

I was just about to walk out into the great room, and then I stopped as a wicked thought entered my mind. Up to this point, he seemed to like me taking a little control, and already I loved catching him off-guard and surprising him like I’d done last Saturday night. I slipped out of my pretty pink lace top and then slid out of my little jean skirt. After I’d removed my thong and bra, I moved to the edge of the bed and then called out to him. “Hey, Vince, there’s something wrong with the toilet, can you take a look at it?”

“Sure,” I heard him call out from the kitchen. I was fairly certain he was still putting the leftover pizza away. When he walked into the room, his jaw dropped and he was speechless as his eyes traveled up and down my naked body.

I giggled. “So… ummm… whaddya think?” I said shyly.

His eyes were fixed on my large breasts, but after a few seconds they met mine and it was as if his brain couldn’t communicate with his mouth to form words. “I… ummm… I don’t know what to say.”

“You’ve got two seconds to say something nice or I’m putting my clothes back on,” I teased.

He looked deep into my eyes. “You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” he said sincerely.

I took a couple of steps towards him and melted into his arms, and we exchanged a series of hot, passionate kisses. As our tongues played in each other’s mouth, we began clawing at his clothing. After a few seconds, his T-Shirt, jeans, and boxers were in a pile on the floor between us. I wrapped my arms around him, and he scooped me up, pulled the comforter and top-sheet back, and laid me down on the center of the bed and then he slid beside me.

Our mouths met again and his hand gently cupped my breast. I ran my hand through his thick dark hair, and he began running my nipple through his fingers and it quickly hardened. “You’re mouth, baby, put your mouth on me,” I moaned. His head moved down and he began roughly sucking on the hard little nub of flesh as lighting bolts coursed through my core. I reached between his legs and started stroking his cock, quickly bringing him to full hardness. It only took a few seconds before I felt his pre-cum oozing onto my hand. His mouth was moving from one nipple to the other and both of them were now standing proudly off my breasts. He let my nipple slip from his mouth and our eyes met. “You made a mess on my hand,” I teased.

A little blush broke over his face. “I’m… ummm… I’m sorry,” he whispered.

I giggled and then brought my hand up to my lips and licked his wetness off my fingers. “Don’t be sorry, I love how you taste,” I said wantonly. I playfully pushed him back onto the pillows at the head of the bed and crawled between his legs. I took his cock in my hand and began to gently stroke it. It was truly beautiful, long and thick with a full round mushroom head. I opened my mouth and let a long string of saliva drip down onto his shaft and balls and then I took him into my mouth.

His eyes rolled into the back of his head when I worked him deeper into the top of my throat. I bobbed my head down on him a few times and then relaxed the muscles in my throat and took him all the way down to the root. I loved seeing that immense look of pleasure in his eyes as I luxuriously fellated him. I took his large balls in my hand and gently squeezed while tightening my lips on the head of his cock and plunging him over and over into my mouth and throat.

After a couple of minutes I felt his bottom raise up off the mattress as he began gently fucking my mouth. I wrapped my lips tight around the head and let him thrust into my mouth with increased urgency, and after a few seconds his body stiffened and I knew I’d taken him right to the edge. I squeezed his balls just a bit tighter and then a torrent of semen began spurting onto the roof of my mouth. I held my head still until the blasts subsided and I gave him a few seconds to recover. When his eyes opened and met mine, I took a little breath and swallowed.

“God… that was just… just amazing,” he gushed.

I broke into a little smile. “I love doing that for you,” I whispered.

“Can I… you know… ask you something?” he said.

“Of course, baby, you can ask me anything.”

“Do you like… ummm… swallowing it?”

I tenderly kissed the head of his cock and ran my mouth over the slit collecting the last traces of semen that I’d missed. “I love swallowing it, honey,” I cooed.

“No one has… you know… done that for me,” he admitted.

My eyes widened. “Really, no one, ever?”

“No, Mel, you’re the first.”

I thought for a moment. “You’re okay with me doing it, right?”

He smiled. “Of course I am.”

“Good, because we’re going to be doing a lot more of it.” There were a few moments of comfortable silence. “You’ve had… ummm… women have gone down on you before, though, right?”

Another little blush broke over his face. “Yes, they have, but… ummm… it was nothing like what you’ve been doing,” he said shly.

That brought a little smile to my face. “I’m glad you enjoy it, baby.” I rested my head on his thigh and gently rubbed the little hairs on his hard, flat stomach while he wove his fingers through my hair.

“I want to taste you, Mel, will you let me?”

“Yes, I’d love that, Vince,” I whispered. I moved up his body and we shared a slow, hot kiss. I pushed my breasts into his chest as our tongues delicately danced inside each other’s mouth. Then he wrapped his arms around me and laid me down so my back was resting against the pillows near the headboard of the bed.

We exchanged another kiss and then his mouth moved to my neck and began to gently lick and suck my tender flesh. “Yeah, just like that, Vince,” I cooed. “That feels so good.” I could feel my pussy moisten as he moved lower and took each of my hard nipples into his mouth and rolled them around on his tongue. Slowly, he continued to move south, giving me little butterfly kisses on my stomach, and I opened my long legs for him. I ran my hand through his hair and playfully pushed him lower, and he nestled between my legs. Tentatively, he extended his tongue and ran his lips over the wet, engorged lips of my vagina. Instantly, little tingles coursed through my body. “Yeah, that feels so good, baby.” He was looking between my legs as if studying me.

“You… you’re already so wet, Mel.”

I giggled. “Giving blowjobs has always done that to me.” I looked deep into his eyes. “Put your tongue inside me, Vince,” I said huskily.

He extended his tongue again and sank it deep inside my pussy, and my eyes rolled into the back of my head. I felt him licking the walls of my vagina and I began grinding my hips into his tongue and mouth, which I think surprised him. When I looked between my legs, he appeared to be very unsure of himself. Again, he hesitantly licked the lips of my pussy. I could tell he was enjoying everything he was doing, but he seemed very unsure of himself, like this wasn’t something he’d done very much before.

“You’re so wet, honey, and I love how you taste.”

Everything he was doing so far felt great, but I was very aroused and I needed him to get me there. I was fairly certain he didn’t have that much experience pleasuring a woman this way, but he seemed very eager and I didn’t want to discourage him. “I love your mouth on me, it feels so good, baby,” I cooed. He just needs a little help and direction. I moved my hand between my legs and used two of my fingers; I slid one on each side of my clit and gently pulled towards me. Instantly, my little nub popped out of the hood of my vagina. “Put two fingers inside me, honey, and lick right between my fingers.”

I let out a low deep moan as he eased two fingers inside me, opening up my pussy. “Now curl them upwards, towards you,” I said through little gasps of breath. Lighting bolts shot through my core when the tips of his fingers curled, putting pressure on my G-spot. Then his mouth attached to my clit and he began lapping and sucking, and my body instantly began to climb. “God, that feels so good, baby, just a little more,” I said through deep, labored breaths.

He started sliding his fingers in and out of me while the tip of his tongue made delicious little circles on my clit, and my body exploded as a very powerful orgasm washed over me and my world went dark for several seconds. When I’d somewhat recovered and my senses were back about me I couldn’t help but inwardly smile when I noticed that his face was covered in my secretions.

“Was that okay?” he asked questioningly as he slid up my body and we exchanged a long, deep kiss.

“I loved it, it was so good.” I’d always loved tasting myself after my lovers had gone down on me and this was no exception. I could feel his erection pressing against my thigh and I was more than ready for him. “I need to feel you inside me, baby,” I whispered. He got between my open legs, took his cock at the base, and began rubbing the head up and down the lips of my vagina, splitting them. Then an apprehensive look broke over his face, which I immediately recognized. “What’s wrong, baby, are you okay?” I whispered.

“Yes, but I… ummm… do you want me to use a condom, I have some if you want me to.”

“I’m on the pill, Vince, but… you know… if you want to use one, you can.”

“Let’s try without it, okay?”

I smiled. “Okay.”

He continued to rub the head of his cock up and down the lips of my vagina, wetting the tip in my secretions, and then he slowly pushed himself inside me. He felt so incredibly good. It had been over two months since I’d had sex, and finally my drought was over. “Just like that, baby, nice and slow, let me feel all of you,” I purred. He continued easing forward, opening and filling me, until our bodies rested together and I knew he was all the way inside me.

“God, you feel amazing,” he said huskily.

I put my hands on his muscled chest and very slowly he began rocking in and out of me. He was taking his time and wasn’t in a rush. I began moving underneath him, pushing my hips towards him, meeting his gentle thrusts, as our bodies moved together, in unison, as one. He straightened up just a bit, which adjusted the angle, and his thick cock was now rubbing perfectly against my clit and my body started to climb. His sweat was sensually dripping onto my breasts and he picked up the pace just a bit.

“Yeah, Vince, just like that,” I moaned. His shaft continued to rub my clit and the waves of my second orgasm washed over me, sending my world into darkness for several seconds. When I became aware of my surroundings again, I realized he’d picked up the pace and his breathing had changed, so I knew he was getting close.

“You feel so tight, Mel,” he murmured.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him down on top of me. “Put your weight on me, baby, hold me down, make me feel it.” He lay on top of me in the bed, crushing my breasts against his chest, and I wrapped my long legs around his torso. His gentle thrusts continued and I felt another orgasm begin to develop in the center of my core. His mouth met mine and our tongues romantically played inside each other’s mouth.

“I… I… can’t hold it back,” he groaned.

“Come inside me, baby,” I said through deep, labored pants of breath.

Just as I felt his powerful spurts shoot deep inside me my third orgasm hit with a force that I wasn’t expecting and my body began to violently quake underneath him. When my senses were back about me, I could feel his cock lose rigidity inside me. He slipped by my side, facing me, and we exchanged a series of deep, passionate kisses. He slid his leg in between mine and pulled the comforter over us as our bodies tangled together underneath the sheets. I inwardly smiled when I noticed the glazed look in his eyes. After a few seconds, he came back to me.

“That was… damn… really good, huh?”

I giggled. “It was very good.”

“I’ve just… I’ve never been with anyone like you, Mel.”

I wasn’t quite sure how to react to that. I was getting the feeling that Vince hadn’t had many lovers, which in all honesty shocked me. He was so handsome I couldn’t help but think that any woman he met would be falling all over him. He was so kind, easy-going, and loving; was there something that I hadn’t seen yet? Something he was hiding from me? I knew he could get brooding and dark when we talked about his military service, would that be something that would push a woman away from him? Surely not. He seemed perfect to me and I hoped that there wasn’t some horrible secret that he’d share and shatter the image I now had of him.

“Oh, I bet you do this every Friday night,” I teased. Given his… ummm… inexperience… I knew that my little joke was a long way from the truth, but still it was fun to give him a bad time.

“I… ummm… I haven’t done this in quite a while.”

“Okay, it’s really no big deal, I really loved it, though… you know… being with you,” I said honestly.

He ginned. “I loved it too, I hope this isn’t a one-time thing.”

I giggled. “If you play your cards right, I have a feeling we’ll be doing a lot more of this.”

“So… ummm… when was the last time for you?” he asked.

My eyes widened. My little joke had backfired. I wasn’t actually expecting him to ask about my sexual history, but he went there. Time to stall. “I’m really thirsty, you got any water around here?”

He laughed. “Sure, let me get some.”

He slipped out of bed and went into the kitchen and I heard the refrigerator open up. I couldn’t help but notice his tight little bottom as he walked away or his long thick cock that brushed against his thighs as he returned to the bedroom with a big bottle of water. He opened the cap, handed it to me, and I took a big swig before handing it back to him. He took a long drink, then he slipped back into bed and I cuddled up tight against him.

“I can tell this is something you don’t want to talk about, and we don’t have to,” he said.

I wasn’t sure if right after the first time we had sex was the time or the place to open that big can of worms and discuss our sexual histories. Nonetheless, I really liked him, I was into him, and sooner or later this topic would have to be broached. “I’m willing to talk about this, but if I put all of this out you’re going to be telling me everything too,” I said playfully.

“Okay, it’s a deal.” I looked at him expectantly and waited semi-patiently for him to continue. “My last time was right before I deployed to Iraq. There was a girl that I saw at 29 Palms, but we weren’t really that serious.”

Holy Shit! I attempted, probably unsuccessfully, to hide the shocked look on my face. I quickly did the math in my head. That would have been over two years ago. “She was in the military too?”

“No, she was a civilian who worked on base.” He thought for a moment before continuing. “When I got deployed, that kinda ended what we had.”

If we were going to do this and really talk about everything, I wanted to know it all. “How many women had you seen before her?”

He thought for a moment. “She was my third lover, I had two girlfriends in high school.”

That explains it. Two girls… high school girls… where the sex wasn’t normally that great for anyone, and then a brief fling with a girl before he was sent to Iraq. For the most part, Vince was a blank slate. Still, he intrigued me. Guys as handsome as he was got laid at will at my high school. Was that something he just never wanted? Also, why was he with only one woman during his four-year hitch in the military?

My eyes widened. “Three women, that’s not… you know… not that bad.”

“Okay, Ms. busy-body, your turn, let’s hear it.”

I giggled. “Hey you’re the one who started this, not me, you’d better remember that,” I said playfully.

He laughed. “I remember, so…”

“You sure you don’t want to get laid again, you know I’d be up for that,” I teased. The stern look on his face told me that my little joke didn’t go over well so I got serious, at least for a couple of seconds. “Okay, ask me whatever you want to know and I’ll tell you.”

“Alright, the last time you had sex.”

“It was with a handsome police officer a few minutes ago.”

He gave me a frisky look. “Before me, Melanie.”

I really didn’t want to answer this, but he’d been truthful with me and he deserved the same honesty. “It was with my ex.”

“Oh, the older guy you told me about?”

I took a deep breath. “No, a woman, her name is Gianna.”

His jaw dropped open in utter shock. “You’re, ummm…”

“I’m bisexual, Vince,” I whispered.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

He thought for a moment. “Just how many people were you seeing before you met me?”

“A dozen or so, I get bored easily.” We both laughed at my little joke. “I was seeing two people, Gianna and the older guy’s name was James.”

“At the same time?”

“Yes, and before you ask, they knew about each other.”

“Tell me about her.”

“She was a nursing student, but she graduated a few months ago and moved to Utah with her boyfriend.”

“And her boyfriend knew about you?”

“Yes, he did.”

It was as if I could see the wheels in his mind spinning, trying to grapple with everything I was telling him. “I’m not even sure how to process any of this.”

“Just tell me what you’re thinking.”

“You… you know… have a lot more experience than I do, don’t you?”

“Yes, I think I do.”

“I’m almost afraid to ask this, but how many men have you been with?”

I cut my eyes at him. “If you’re going to start judging me about my past, then we’re going to have a problem,” I said sternly.

“No, I promise I won’t judge you, I really like you, Mel, and I need to know,” he said soothingly.

My eyes softened. “You’re the seventh man that I’ve been with.”

“That’s… ummm… not that bad.”

“No, it’s not, and your best friend’s girlfriend has been with a lot more men than I have, so in my book seven isn’t that large a number.”

He laughed when I brought up Rachel. “Yeah, I can see that about her.”

“She’s my best friend, Vince, and she’s really sweet; everyone has a past.”

“Only seven? I can rely on that being an accurate figure?” he teased.

I playfully punched him in the arm. “It’s accurate, they were my boyfriends, I was very picky when it came to guys and sex for the most part.”

“What does that mean, for the most part?”

“I liked giving blowjobs in high school, but I only let that go so far. Again, if I had sex with a guy, then I was in a relationship with him.”

“Yeah, you’re… you know… pretty good at that.”

I giggled. “Yeah, I’ve had a little practice.”

There were a few moments of comfortable silence as he reflected on everything I’d told him. He grabbed the bottle of water off the nightstand and took a big sip before handing it to me, and I drained the bottle. “So, Ms. bisexual, how many women have you been with?”

“I had a girlfriend when I was in high school, she was my first.” I thought for a moment and tried to figure out a way to proceed and make what I was about to tell him somewhat more palatable. “When I got to college, I became very active.”

“I hope you’re going to arrive at a figure sometime within the hour,” he teased.

“I’m trying to give you a little context. I loved to dance and go clubbing; between that and hooking up with girls in the dorm, let’s just call it extensive.”

“So, 100?”

“Ummm… maybe half that, or a little more, I’m not sure.”

“You’re not sure?”

“Clubbing always involved drinking and I… you know… I didn’t have the qualms about having sex with women that I’ve always had when it came to men.”

“That’s… ummm… kinda sexy. Do you like being with women more?”

“No, I like both equally, maybe I’m still trying to sort some of that out, I guess.”

“I’m not going to have to come home and kick a bunch of women out of my house, right?”

I giggled. “If I’m with you, then I’m with you, and no one else.”

“Maybe I’d like to come home and find you in bed with a woman,” he joked.

“I think I’m way more than you can handle all by myself,” I said saucily.

He laughed. “I think you’re right about that.”

He slid up against me and we exchanged a long, deep kiss. As our tongues gently danced inside each other’s mouth I felt his erection pressing against my thigh. He moved even closer to me and his hand gently cupped my breast. Instantly, my nipple hardened.

“I want you again, Mel,” he whispered huskily into my ear.

“Vince, I’m… you know… I’m a mess down there.” I could feel his semen oozing out of me and I thought maybe he’d want me to take a shower before we had sex again.

“I don’t care about that, I want you again,” he said a little more demandingly.

Even after everything I’d told him, everything I’d revealed about my past, he wanted me bad. As we exchanged another long, hot, passionate embrace, I reached down and began to gently stroke his erection. “What do you think we should do with this?” I said blithely.

“You’re the expert, you tell me,” he teased.

“Oh, you’re giving me the choice now? I said sexily.

“Yes, I am.”

“Lie down on your back.”

He propped a few pillows behind his back and eased back against the headboard, and I quickly slid on top of him. Our combined secretions were making a sexy little puddle on his stomach and I moved back until the head of his cock was resting against my vagina. I reached back, took him in my hand at the base, and rubbed the head through the lips of my pussy, splitting them. Once I had the tip against my aperture I eased myself back on him, and he slid into me with one long thrust.

“God, you feel so incredibly good,” he murmured.

I put my hands on his chest and began slowly moving him in and out of me. He reached up to my breasts and began gently kneading them in his large hands. “Your big cock feels so good, pinch my nipples, baby,” I cooed. My hard nipples slipped between his fingers and he began pulling and pinching them, which sent volts of electricity through my core. I slightly adjusted the angle so the base of his thick cock was perfectly caressing my clit. Instantly, my body began to climb. I picked up the pace and plunged my vagina on his cock over and over. He gave my nipples one more hard pinch which sent me over the edge. My body started to shake and convulse as my orgasm overwhelmed me.

When my senses were back about me, his hands had moved to my hips to steady me. I leaned in and we exchanged another hard passionate kiss. His hips began to powerfully thrust upwards, sending his cock even deeper inside me. I put my hands on his chest to steady myself as he continued to rut hard inside me.

“Just like that, baby,” I moaned. “Fuck me hard and deep.”

His breathing began to change and I knew he was getting close. I squeezed his cock hard with the muscles in my vagina and another orgasm began to quickly build deep within my stomach. Just as I felt his thick spurts shoot deep inside me, the waves of my powerful orgasm washed over me. When I began to come back around, he pulled me down on top of him and we shared a soft, romantic kiss. I could feel him lose rigidity inside me and I slipped onto the bed beside him and he quickly pulled me against his hard body, spooning me tight. He wrapped his muscled arms around me and I could feel his cock rest between the cheeks of my ass.

“I think we’re getting pretty good at that,” he whispered softly into my ear.

He made me feel so safe, so protected. My world felt perfect. “I think we’re going to need a lot more practice, just to be sure,” I teased between a little yawn. I heard his breathing soften and I knew he’d drifted off to sleep. From that moment, I knew that this was the man that I wanted to be with. I wanted to belong to him, to be his.

– – – – –

I awoke the next morning very early, considering how late we’d stayed up. I looked over at the bedside clock; it was just a little after 5:00. I tried to close my eyes and will myself to go back to sleep, but it was all for naught. Vince was still asleep, and I gently pried myself away from him and went into the master bathroom to use the toilet.

My body felt sticky from head to toe and I jumped into the shower. I didn’t like the idea of using his body wash to soap up and wash my hair but I didn’t have any other options. I scrubbed myself clean and then stepped out of the shower to dry off. Because I’d used his body wash, I now smelled like him, which was kind of sexy in its own way. I thought of going into the kitchen and making a pot of coffee, but when I saw him still sleeping in bed there wasn’t anywhere else I wanted to be than with him.

I slipped back into bed and slid up against him. In his sleep he pulled me against his body and spooned me again tightly into him. I listened to his soft breathing for several minutes and then fell asleep in his arms.

A few hours later I awoke with Vince giving soft little butterfly kisses to the back of my neck. I also felt his fingers between the lips of my vagina, gently playing with me. I let out a little moan when they gently ran over my clit. “That’s the way I want you to wake me up every morning,” I whispered.

He gave my neck another little kiss and then I felt his tongue gently lick and suck on my earlobe. “You were getting wet in your sleep, do you know how sexy that is to me?”

I let out another deep moan when he pushed two of his fingers deep inside me. Taking me a bit by surprise, I felt his thumb gently begin to rub my clit. “That feels so good, baby. I’m glad that you know where that is now,” I said as he continued to rub the hard little nub between my legs.

“I love how wet you get, so easily, I’ve never been with a woman like you.”

“It means I love what you’re doing to me,” I whispered sexily.

He slid closer to me and I felt his hard cock press against the lips of my vagina. I opened my legs slightly to give him better access and he eased himself inside me with one long slow push.

Gently, he began rocking himself in and out of me. My legs were almost closed and he felt so big inside me as he penetrated me over and over with long deep strokes. This felt nothing like the last time we had sex. He wasn’t rutting inside me like before, this was sensual, smooth, and gentle. He was making love to me and it was exactly what I needed from him that morning. He continued to move in and out of me at a slow, steady pace, and I reached between my legs and began gently rubbing my clit for the extra stimulation that I needed to get there with him. “When you’re ready, baby, come inside me, just like before,” I said sensually. Just as I went over the cliff I felt his hard spurts squirt deep inside me.