Fallen from Grace [Part Two of the Thicker than Blood Series] Read online

  Shaking my head, I brushed the tear away. Her words were supposed to make me feel better, but they didn't. “He's agency, remember? He can quit anytime he wants and move on.”

  Faintly, I could hear rain beginning to fall on the patio roof.

  Tiffany chewed her lip. “I'm sure he won't though. He'll be back.”

  I wasn't so sure about that. Remembering the look in Matt's eyes, I'd never seen that look before. God, I should have stopped him. He would have stayed and talked if I asked him to. I owed him so much.... and I just let him walk away. I took a deep breath and looked at Tiffany. “I'll figure it out,” I said, shaking my head. “If I have to track his ass down, I will.”

  Her eyes searched mine then smiled. “Good.”

  And that was the last we spoke of Matt for the evening. I couldn't help but think that Tiffany was annoyed with me because she wondered if I'd just let her go too. Man, I really needed to focus more on my friends and not about the bullshit in my life. I had a nasty habit of not saying what needed to be said for fear of putting myself out there. I could think of at least three relationships I let slip through my fingers because of such reservation. I was an adult. I needed to act like an adult. Keeping feelings bottled up didn't keep them from existing. I mean, I knew that, but I certainly didn't act like I did. One step at a time, I guess. Finding and talking to Matt would be the first step of many.

  When we finished our food, we made our way to the front of the establishment to find that it was raining harder. It wasn't pouring, but a nice soaking rain.

  Tiffany pointed to the left of where we were standing, “I'm over there. You ready to make a run for it?”

  I smiled. “You know, I think I'm going to walk home,” I said to Tiffany.

  She looked at me like I was nuts. “I don't think it's going to stop anytime soon,” she said, looking to the sky.

  “I know, but that's okay. It will be relaxing.” Maybe the rain would wash away some of the happenings of the last week. “Thanks for today. You always seem to get me straight after I do something stupid.”

  Tiffany smiled and hugged me. “That's what friends are for, right?” She stepped back and gave me a stern look. “The next time something like this happens, don't wait to tell me!”

  “You got it.” I nodded. “Lets do this again soon.”

  “All right. See ya, girl.”

  “Bye, Tiff.” I watched her run through the rain to her car. I was so lucky to have a friend like her. I could always count on her to give me the right advice, no matter how badly I messed up.

  I took a step out into the rain and enjoyed the feeling of the little, cool drops on my face. It was only two blocks to my house, but I knew I'd probably be soaked though when I got there.

  It was 10:30 p.m. The reflection of bright city lights in puddles on the street and sidewalk was something I always loved. It was dark out but there was something romantic in the red and yellow colors being dimpled by rain drops. It was slightly Monet-like in the way the images were skewed and smudged by the falling precipitation. I sighed, taking a deep breath of the cool, night air and enjoyed the wash of raindrops on my skin.

  When I arrived home soaking wet, I realized I had forgotten to turn on my front porch light earlier. I fumbled with my keys for a moment, unable to see the keyhole.

  When the already dim light around me grew darker suddenly, every hair on my body rose to their end. Someone was standing close behind me. I slowly turned, not really wanting to see who it might be, afraid I might be face to face with a stranger, and gasped. It was Matt! Like me, he was soaking wet – blond hair stuck to his forehead, his t-shirt was molded tightly to every sculpted-inch of his chest like plastic wrap. He was attractive before but now... he was devastating. My lips parted slightly as I met his eyes. Blue fire stared back at me. Oh God. “Matt...”

  His brow furrowed and he sucked raindrops from his lip. “Don't,” he said softly. Rain streamed down his brow bone, cheeks and nose. He was beautiful.

  My heart raced as we stared at each other. I could feel the heat radiating from his wet body. I swallowed hard. Why had he returned? Was he going to tell me he loved me? I stood paralyzed in his rapacious gaze.

  Eyes focused on my mouth, Matt lowered his face and stopped. He searched my features once more before brushing his lips softly against mine. “Kenna,” he breathed.

  I drew in a quick breath of air before he sealed our mouths tightly. Electricity shot through my body as his arms came around me, fitting the softness of my body into his hard angles. He moved hesitantly, seeking out my tongue with gentle sweeps of his. Matt's hand moved up my back slowly to gently grasp the nape of my neck and he deepened the kiss. My knees grew weak. He wasn't kissing me... he was trying to claim me, and it was working. In the entire time I had known him, we never kissed like this.

  I heard the front door open. Matt managed to opened the door without looking up or breaking away me. 'Did I leave the house unlocked?” I wondered for a brief moment before the big man pulled me out of the rain, into my home.

  His hand found mine and we said not a word as he led me to the bedroom. The light from the street was bright through my open blinds, illuminating my room like the glow of a full moon.

  Matt pressed his body into my back; I could feel his growing desire for me just above my fleshy ass. I shivered, my ache for him growing from a tiny flame into a wildfire. He slowly pulled my wet hair from my neck and planted feathery kisses to my damp skin. His lips were hot – it felt like he was branding me with each grazing touch. I could do nothing to stop the flood of desire sweeping over me.

  A firm hand grasped my shoulder, turning me to face the god-like man. Matt's eyes were fierce with hunger and need, slowly roaming from my head to feet. He blinked hard, putting a hand behind my head and bringing his beautiful mouth suddenly to mine. It had been a very long time since I felt genuine passion and desire. Having sex with him before was... sex. It was a relief of a need. It was a means to an end. The emotions coursing through me as we embraced was something totally different – it wasn't bodies coming together... it was souls.

  Matt drew his shirt over his head and off, dropping it onto the carpet. Soon, the rest of his clothes were in a pile on the floor. My eyes feasted on the hardened body of a Norse god. I bit my lip as I took in every inch of his muscular flesh. Powerful shoulders, arms and chest decorated with sweeping dark symbols of his heritage; stomach muscles carved into perfectly stacked rows. My eyes traced over his narrowing waist and the bottom of his abs which formed an arrow pointing down to his pulsing cock. I was speechless, my mouth watered.

  Pulling me into his arms, Matt slowly removed my clothing as if unwrapping a present. He growled softly when I stood before him naked. I felt... vulnerable. Only the first time that we were together did I worry about what he thought about my curves. Why was I worried about it now? I didn't realize my arms moved up to cover my nudity until Matt grabbed my wrists, gently pushing them down to my sides.

  “Don't. You're beautiful. Let me admire you.”

  I could feel myself tremble. What was wrong with me? That wasn't like me at all! I was used to taking what I wanted from him, not standing there like a fawn in front of a hungry wolf. Despite my inner monologue, I found that I was captured by his gaze.

  His hand moved up, slowly tracing along the side of my left breast. I gasped at the electricity in his touch—my nipples hardened instantly. “Matt...,” I managed to say.

  “Shhhh...,” he said as he lowered his lips to my nipple, enveloping it in the wet heat of his mouth. I moaned softly, weaving my fingers through his damp hair.

  Matt turned us so that his back was to the bed, then he lowered, pulling me with him. I straddled his hips, feeling his hardened cock nudge at my wet slit. I tried to impale myself on his pulsing erection but he had other ideas. He flipped us over and began to tease my pussy with just the head, pushing it in one inch, then withdrawing slowly. After teasing me for several seconds, Matt surged in until he bottom
ed out, sighing through the entire downward stroke.

  I cried out at the sudden invasion and held his body tightly, enjoying the sensation of being filled completely.

  Matt's lips found mine as he held himself deep, unmoving as we kissed. His mouth shifted to my neck, tracing hot nibbles from the lobe of my ear to my collar bone. I could feel myself grow wetter around the length of his cock – I was dying for him to continue fucking me. As it was, my toes were tingling from his ministrations.

  Lifting his body from mine, Matt looked into my eyes. So much lust and desire clouded the crystal-blue eyes of his that I clenched my pussy around him involuntarily. He gasped and blinked hard, concentration etched deeply into his handsome face. Slowly, he withdrew completely, causing a vast and aching emptiness.

  His mouth found my nipples once again as he gently kneaded my breasts with a delicate touch. He moved his lips from the rosy peaks to the valley between my heavy globes, leaving a trail of soft kisses as he went. His lips felt like hot tulip petals against my skin, giving me a small jolt with every tiny touch. He was going to take his time, I knew it. It's what he wanted the last time we were together. It had been a long time since anyone made love to me. Is this what he was doing? Making love to me? I shuddered as his kisses reached my navel. Matt's hand traced my thigh, moving to the sensitive skin high on the inside, and slipped a finger into my heat.

  A small cry escaped my lips as his moved lower, kissing the trimmed hair on my mound. Matt dipped down and tasted me. I groaned and arched my back in a silent plea for him to continue. He licked slowly with a flattened tongue, causing him to cover more delicate and sensitive skin with just one pass. I loved the skills the man had with his mouth. Every move was gentle and direct – all deliberate.

  Matt rolled over onto his back, pulling my body with him... except he wanted me the other way... wanted me to bathe him with my mouth while he feasted on me. I moved to face the foot of the bed and tentatively straddled his face. His large hands came to my ass, gently pulling me down to him. I was rewarded when his tongue licked lightly over my clit and pushed into my eager pussy.

  “Oh, fuck!” I cried. How was I supposed to concentrate on his cock when he was doing that to me? Determined, I licked his shaft along its underside and claimed a tiny drop of precum from the head. I could feel Matt's moan against my sensitive skin. I attempted to block out the teasing dance of his tongue so I could focus on pleasing him. With three slow bobs, I was able to take nearly all of his length into my mouth and slightly down my throat. Again, I felt Matt moan. When I pulled him from my mouth, he was coated in my saliva, allowing me to stroke him while I teased the purple head with my mouth and tongue.

  “Holy shit, Kenna,” he breathed while placing a kiss on the inside of my thigh. I was only allowed to continue sucking his cock for another couple of seconds before Matt flipped me to face him. He positioned me over him and slowly raised his hips, driving his entire length into my aching pussy. I fell forward, planting a hand on his chest. Our eyes locked as he slowly withdrew only to surge back up with a quick thrust. We gasped in unison. I lowered myself in time with his hips and began to ride him, enjoying the smooth friction of him withdrawing and entering my pussy. Matt's strong arms wrapped around me, pulling me into each upward thrust, gradually increasing the speed. In the span of a heart beat, he was on top of me again, staring down at me with this intense focus as he withdrew almost to the tip each time. I could feel every ridge, every vein... it was driving me closer and closer to the edge I knew I was approaching. As if he could read my thoughts, he quickened his thrusts, driving into the hilt each time. With each stroke, the base of his cock brushed my clit. I squeezed my eyes shut with pleasure, damn near gasping for a breath.

  “That's it,” he breathed. “You're so fucking hot and wet.”

  He continued his pace until I could no longer focus on anything around me. I heard him groan loudly as my eyes saw a blinding starburst of light and I came. I'm not sure, but I think I screamed his name. As I continued to spasm around him, he pushed into me one last time, deeper than any thrust before. With that, he came as well. I could feel heat spread further into my body as he coated my insides with several pulses. The world around me became foggy and dark. I think I heard him tell me that he loved me... but I could have been dreaming?

  ****

  I woke to a dark room. My hand sought out the warmth of Matt's body, but he wasn't there. I sat up quickly, turning on the lamp. He wasn't in my bedroom. A bad feeling crept into my thoughts.

  “Matt?” The room remained silent as no answer called back.

  Not bothering with a robe, I padded barefoot through the house and found Matt was gone. He had left. I sat down on the sofa and stared at the front door. Did he just step out or did he really leave without saying goodbye? He came back to fuck me and then left for good. I chewed my lip, not letting my eyes up from the door. I remained like that for five minutes, hoping each tiny sound I heard was him about to walk back in. No such luck.

  Returning to the bedroom, I started looking for my phone when I noticed Matt's clothes were still laying on the floor. If he had gone... what was he wearing? Seriously, what the fuck? I picked up his damp jeans and found that even his wallet was left behind. I stared at his boots. Shaking my head, I could think of no reason why he would leave these things. Frantically, I searched for my phone and found it under the covers. I dialed his number.

  “The number you have dialed has been disconnected or is no longer in service. Please check the number and try again. BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP...”

  “What the fuck...,” I muttered and tried his number one more time, getting the same message. How could this even be possible? It was like he... vanished into thin air. Unable to think clearly, I found a corner of my bedroom, sat down and didn't move until the sun was coming through the blinds an hour later. How ridiculous I must have looked... sitting naked in the corner, holding my cell phone with both hands.

  When I stood finally, my ass was numb. I wanted to call Tiffany and tell her about what happened, but I could hear her now... 'why didn't you talk to him?' or 'you'd rather have sex than find out what's up with him?' The last thing I needed was a lecture.

  “Fuck me.” I tossed my phone onto the night stand and climbed back under the covers. I needed a break from life, so it seemed.

  I woke up three hours later and stared at the ceiling. No matter what possible scenario I came up with to explain what happened with Matt, all of them fell flat or beyond the realm of possibility. I thought about calling the police and reporting him missing, but what would I tell them? 'Yes sir, officer. I woke and found him gone... his clothes, boots and wallet still here. No, I didn't do anything to him!' Yeah, that would be awesome.

  Coffee. I needed coffee. Something wasn't coming together. Perhaps some caffeine would do the trick. I got dressed, grabbed my Kindle and headed to the Java Lamp. The drive-thru was packed, being rush-hour for nine-to-fivers, but the inside was vacant enough. I ordered my usual venti triple soy caramel mocha and found my favorite chair by the window.

  The sky was overcast, but I knew from the thin, wispy, low clouds that it would clear off in a few hours, revealing a deep, brilliant blue as was common for a late summer in southern Oregon. I sighed. Summer was almost over and I had yet to go hiking up to Grizzly Peak, as was my summer tradition. After coffee, I'd go there. It would be a good diversion from the shit in my life.

  I took the lid off of my coffee and set it on the side table next to my chair. Unlike most people, I never quite figured out how to sip a hot beverage and ended up burning myself in any attempt. Instead, I let it cool so I could drink it.

  Pulling my Kindle from my purse, I found the latest dystopian romance I was reading and picked up where I had left off. Occasionally, I glanced up from the device to look around the coffee house as people shuffled in and out. People fascinated me. I tried to figure out who they were and where they were going. Sometimes I even made back stories for them to amuse myself.
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  As the text got slow, I placed the Kindle down and finished off the mocha. My eyes roamed over the few customers situated around the quaint cafe. I met eyes with a man who was glancing over a paperback book at me. He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes, and looked back down at the pages in front of him. I stared for a moment longer before picking up the Kindle again. Something about him was familiar, but I couldn’t put a finger on what it was. The next couple of times I looked up, I'd catch him averting his gaze back to his reading. Why did he seem so familiar?

  Around 11:30 a.m., I had enough of the eye-tag I was playing with the stranger and left to change into more suitable hiking clothes.

  The parking lot at the trail head was vacant, but it was a Thursday morning. I parked the Z and pulled out my gear, which consisted of a light backpack and a gnarly-looking hiking stick I had purchased on impulse from REI.

  It was turning out to be a quite lovely day – the clouds did clear off and the sun filtered warmly through the branches of the sweeping firs and alders. I sighed and smiled. It was good to get out here. The air smelled much better on the trail than in town; crisper, cleaner. It was rejuvenating.