~I've packed a cooler and a change of clothes
Let's jump and see how far it goes
You got my heart and your daddy's boat
We got all night to make it float
We could sit on the shore, we could just be friends
Or we could jump in…~
“Thanks for coming out with me,”
John said, coiling rope around his hand. “Dad wanted someone to take out the
old girl for one last bon voyage before he lets it go.”
“No problem,” Cheri said with a
smile and sipped her long neck beer. “I didn’t have anything else to do, but
why couldn’t one of your brothers do this?”
John chuckled. “Because they all
have more sense than I do to take a beaten up old
sailboat out on the ocean.”
“I guess that makes me as senseless
as you are,” Cheri joked. “Want a beer?”
“Sure,” John said, sitting down on
the opposite side of her.
She pulled out a beer from the
cooler and handed it to him. “Here’s to not dying tonight.”
John laughed. “I’ll toast to that.”
He tapped his beer on hers and took a drink. “It’s hard to believe Dad’s
actually letting her go.” He shook his head. “He loves this damn boat.”
“Sometimes you just have to know
when to let go,” Cheri said.
He put the coiled rope on his head
and said, “How you think I’d look with long hair?”
She looked at him and laughed,
shaking her head.
“I’d look like a damn caveman,” he
said, tossing it aside.
She laughed again and said, “Well,
baby, hit me over the head with your club and drag me away.”
John laughed. “Goof
ball.”
Cheri smiled and took another drink
of her beer.
John blinked slowly and took a
drink, looking at her. She twisted to the side, leaning up against the side of
the boat on her elbow, looking out over the sunset-lit ocean. She had long
curly red hair, green eyes, and skin as white as a newborn baby littered with
faint freckles. She was average height and average weight, not skinny, not
overweight either. She was curvy and healthy. Her bright pink bikini top barely
contained her breasts, but she didn’t seem worried about falling out of it. If
John knew her, and he did, or liked to think he did, she’d rather be going
without it anyway. She hated clothes as much as he did. Normally when they were
together alone, she was the one pulling her clothes off first, just to sit
around and watch movies or play video games.
They didn’t know each other that
long, barely a year, but they were as comfortable around each other as if
they’d known each other their whole lives. They got very close very quickly but
never talked about making it more than friendship. His male buddies called her
‘his girlfriend’, but he would just laugh and say she wasn’t that they were
just friends. Not that he never thought about it,
though. He even thought about bringing it up tonight. He quickly pushed it out
of his mind. He didn’t know how she would feel about it and the last thing he
wanted to do was lose a very good friendship.
~Whole world could change in a minute
Just one kiss could stop this spinning
We could think it through
But I don't want to, if you don't want to
We could keep things just the same
Leave here the way we came, with nothing to lose
But I don't want to, if you don't want to…~
Cheri licked her lips and looked
over at him and smiled. “What’s up, Tigger?”
John grinned. “Just
thinking.”
“About?” she asked.
John shrugged. “Just
stuff.”
Cheri shivered and rubbed her bare
arms. “I’m chilly.”
John pulled his t-shirt off and
tossed it to her. “Put that on.”
Cheri put it on and said, “Thanks.”
“No problem,” John said, twisting
around so he could watch the ocean pass. Out of the corner of his eye, he could
have sworn she picked the chest of the shirt up and smelled it.
~I got your ring around my neck
And a couple of nights I don't regret
You got a dream of a degree
And a shirt that smells like me
Yeah we both got dreams, we could chase alone
Or we could make our own…~
“Tigger?” she asked a few minutes
later, breaking the silence.
“Yeah?” John asked.
“I’ve been thinking about
something…”
“What’s that?”
“I’ve been accepted for an extended
study program,” she said.
“Congratulations!” John said,
smiling, genuinely happy for her. “Where?”
“
John’s smile faded.
“But I don’t know if I’m going to
go,” she said.
“Why not?” John said, his heart skipping a beat.
“There’s so much to consider,” she
said and took a sip of beer. “My parents for one.
They’re not doing so well and what if something were to happen while I’m gone?
And then there’s other stuff…”
“It’s your decision, babez,” he said and quickly got out, “I know I wouldn’t
want you to go where I’d hardly ever get to see you.”
Cheri blinked. “I’d miss you too.”
“Um, I should drop anchor and we
should probably try to get some sleep, so we can have some sunlight tomorrow,”
John said.
Cheri nodded. “Ok.”
He dropped the anchor and they went
into the cabin. She went into the bathroom and came out a few minutes later
still in his t-shirt, but the bikini top under it gone. He stood on the other
side of the double bed.
“That side ok for you?” he asked.
“Yeah,” Cheri said and got in,
rolling on her side.
John got in and lay on his back. He
turned down the hurricane lamp and laid there in the semi-darkness.
Cheri pulled the t-shirt up, put it
to her nose and inhaled deeply.
Why were they being so awkward with
each other tonight? It wasn’t like they’d never shared a bed before. He was
always the perfect gentleman, staying on his side of the bed and trying his
hardest not to touch her. He knew she was a light sleeper and didn’t want to
disturb her.
She turned over and looked at him.
“Goodnight, Tigger.” She quickly kissed his cheek and turned back over.
“Goodnight,” he said.
~Whole world could change in a minute
Just one kiss could stop this spinning
We could think it through
But I don't want to, if you don't want to
We could keep things just the same
Leave here the way we came, with nothing to lose
But I don't want to, if you don't want to…~
The next morning, Cheri woke up
before he did and looked over at him. He had turned on his side and the covers
had slipped down to his waist. She licked her lips and reached out, just
stopping short of caressing that chiseled back she’d just dreamt about running
her nails down. She gulped and dropped her hand.
She couldn’t stand it. She had to
tell him how she felt, even if it meant losing him.
~Never waste another day
Wonderin' what you threw away
Holdin me, holdin you
I don't want to, if you don't want to…~
A little while later, Cheri was
still laying in bed next to him, watching him sleep. John woke up and she
pretended to be asleep. He gently got out of bed and went to the bathroom. He
came out and she was laying on her stomach, looking up at him.
“John, can I talk to you?” she
asked.
“Sure,” John said, shrugging.
“I’m in love with someone,” she
said.
“Ok,” John said, feeling a knot form
in the pit of his stomach.
“But I don’t know if he loves me
back.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah,” she said and went on. “He’s
a really good friend and I don’t know if he feels the same way. I flirt and
joke around with him all the time, but he just laughs. I guess I’m just too
damned funny. Anyway, I don’t know if I should tell him. I don’t know if it’s
worth risking the friendship. What if he doesn’t? How could I still be friends
with him after that? How could I face him?”
John blinked rapidly. “Tell him.
Just get it out and tell him, Cheri. That’s the only way you’re ever going to
find out.”
“He’s so damned sweet and he’s fun
to be with and he’s just so perfect for me in like every way. We have
everything in common. Everything from the movies we like and the food we like
and what kind of music we listen to and even wrestling! He loves wrestling.
He’s like obsessed with it! Not to mention he’s just plain out sexy as hell. I
mean, he’s sex on legs, seriously. He’s a major hottie,
which is just the icing on top of a very sweet cake. I think I’d fall for him
even if he wasn’t as hot as he is,” she sighed. “I guess I shouldn’t tell him.
I’d rather have him in my life as just a friend than not have him in my life at
all.”
John was momentarily stunned. He paused
for a minute to gather his thoughts and said, “Just tell him. No other way
around it.”
“But what if he doesn’t feel the
same way?” she asked. “Or worse yet, what if he says he does, just because he
doesn’t want to hurt me? He’s a great enough guy that I think he would probably
do that, just to spare my feelings.”
“I think even if he didn’t want to
hurt you, he’d be honest with you if he didn’t,” John said. “But I think any
guy would be lucky to have you falling for him. You’re a great girl, Cheri and
if this guy has a brain in his head, he’d feel the same way. You should just go
ahead and tell him. It’s the only way you’ll ever know.”
Cheri looked at him for a long
moment and blinked slowly. “I just did.”
John looked at her stunned. “Oh.”
“Is that all you’re going to say?”
she asked.
John looked at her with large eyes.
“Just give me a minute to take this in, ok?”
“Ok,” she said softly and moved into
a sitting position, hugging her knees.
John sat down on the bed and ran his
hand over his face. He turned and looked at her.
“Seriously?” he asked.
“Seriously,” she said.
He smiled brightly and moved to his
knees on the bed. He crawled towards her. Cheri looked at him with big eyes and
moved, putting her weight on her hands behind her. John’s smile stayed until he
was right over her and then he kissed her. Cheri stiffened up, unsure of what
to do and surprised. John kept his lips on hers until finally she relaxed and
wrapped her arms around him, making her back hit the bed. The kiss got deeper as
each of them melted into it and explored each other’s mouths and slid their
tongues over the other’s.
John lifted up and looked down at
her; his eyes locked on hers and said, “Cher-bear, I
love you too.”
Tears sprung up in Cheri’s eyes and
John kissed her again. “Why didn’t you say something sooner?”
“Scared,” she said. “All I kept
thinking to myself was how could you feel the same way when you have tons of
women fawning all over you, tons of beautiful, sexy women…”
“Hush,” John said and softly kissed
her. “You are beautiful and sexy and much, much more. I’ve wanted to say
something myself, but I was afraid to ruin our friendship.”
“I’m scared of that too,” she said.
~We could keep things just the same
Leave here the way we came, with nothing to lose
But I don't want to, if you don't want to…~
“I don’t want to do this if you
don’t,” John said.
“Ditto,” Cheri said.
“We could forget about all this and
go on like it never happened,” John said.
“But…” Cheri said. She gulped and
said, “I want you.”
~But I want you…~
John blinked and kissed her again.
“I want you too.”
“Then let’s just jump in,” Cheri
said. “Both feet, both legs, both arms, hearts, souls, everything and give it a
shot. It might last forever and it might last for just a few weeks – who really
knows? All I know if that I love you, Tigger and I
want to be with you so bad it hurts. I want to go everywhere with you and do
everything with you and be with you always. I don’t care about anything else.
Fuck
John smiled brightly. “Fuck it all,
huh?”
“Fuck it all.”
John kissed her. “Sounds
good to me.”
The kiss deepened and John ran his
hands underneath the t-shirt she was still in. He pulled it off over her head
and kissed her again. He moved down her neck and she sighed softly. He grinned
and looked down at her breasts.
“I’ve wanted to touch these
forever,” he said and ran a hand over her right breast.
She whimpered. “You can touch them
all you want to.”
“And do this?” he asked before
capturing an erect nipple in his mouth.
“God yes,” she moaned and ran her
fingers up the back of his neck, putting them in his short hair.
John went down and tucked his
fingers in the leg of her panties and pulled. “And this?”
“You can do whatever you want,”
Cheri said softly.
John grinned and slowly pulled her
panties off and tossed them into the floor. “You may regret saying that.”
“Think so?” she asked with a smile.
“Maybe,” John grinned and ran hand
up her leg. “Damn, honey, your skin is so soft.”
Cheri smiled. “Why am I the only one
naked?”
John smirked and lifted up on his
hands. “Wanna help?”
Cheri smiled and pulled his boxers
down. He finished the job and kicked them off into the floor, then lowered
himself back on top of her.
“Finally!” she squealed and moved
her hands all over every part of him she could reach.
John laughed and asked, “Having
fun?”
“I can finally touch you naked!” she
exclaimed and squeezed both of his butt cheeks at the same time.
John’s brows arched and he licked
his lips smiling. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
“Let’s quit goofin
around, ok?” she asked.
John smiled and kissed her. She bent
her legs on either side of him and wrapped her arms around him. He kissed down
her jaw to her neck, enticing soft moans to escape her lips. He ran his hand up
her leg, over her thigh and hip, and stopping just under her breast. He lightly
touched the underside of her breast with the side of his thumb and gently
lifted it, moving the tip towards his mouth. He softly licked around the
outside of her nipple and tweaked it with the tip of his tongue, then pressed
the top of it down and curled it around, bringing it all the way inside his
mouth. Cheri whimpered and pressed his head down, wanting more. John captured
it lightly between his teeth and drew more of her breast inside, gently
nibbling and sucking as her moans got louder and her body started trembling. He
let her nipple go and kissed and licked his way across to the other breast and
giving it the same treatment. He moved back up to her mouth and kissed her,
settling his body on his knees between her open thighs.
~Whole world could change in a minute
Just one kiss could stop this spinning
We could think it through
But I don't want to, if you don't want to…~
He locked his eyes with hers and
said, “Are you absolutely sure about this?”
“Yes.”
“There’s no going back. There’s no
rethinking it through. This is it,” he said.
“I want this to be it,” she said. “I
love you.”
~We could keep things just the same
Leave here the way we came, with nothing to lose
But I don't want to, if you don't want to…~
“I love you too,” he said and kissed
her again before getting into a better position. He looked down at her. She was
glistening with her need for him. He knew they were both clean and she was on
the pill, so he didn’t hesitate. He slowly pushed himself inside of her. She
moaned loudly.
~Never waste another day
Wonderin' what you threw away
Holdin me, holdin you…~
He pulled out slightly and got down,
settling his weight on his arms on either side of her. He captured her mouth
and thrust back inside. She whimpered under his lips as he set the rhythm,
loving the sounds he was causing to come from her. He kissed down to her neck
and stayed there.
“Oh Tigger…” she whispered softly
and moaned, pushing her pelvis up to meet his thrusts.
“That’s it, baby, move with me,” he
said softly in her ear. “You feel so damned good…” he moaned and twisted his
hips.
Cheri whimpered and moved her hands
down. She gripped his butt and held on as they moved together. Her walls
contracted around him and she jerked her hips up, a loud moan coming from her
as a powerful orgasm ripped through her. At the same time, John’s sac tightened
and he shot, a carnal growl escaping from his lips and he thrust into her
harder.
He collapsed, breathless, still
buried inside of her. He kissed her and rolled off on his back. They laid there
to catch their breath and she rolled over on her side, curling into him with
her head on his chest.
“Just like I dreamed it would be,”
she said softly.
John kissed her forehead and said,
“Me too, honey. Me too.”
She moved her face up and kissed his
mouth. “What took us so long?”
“Dumb fear,” John said.
Cheri nodded and put her head back
on his chest. “I think us being more than just friends is
going to be a whole hell of a lot better than just friends.”
John smiled. “I think so too.”
“I love you, Tigger,” she said.
“I love you too, Cher-bear,”
he said and wrapped his arms around her tighter. They laid there wrapped in
each other’s arms as the
~§~The End~§~
**Song is ‘Want To’ by Sugarland