THE PLACES I CAN'T REACH

[flynn kavanagh]

USE SOMEBODY.

NOAH WAS APPRECIATING THE RED MASK COVERING HIS HANDSOME FACE RIGHT ABOUT NOW. DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE ROOM WAS DIMLY LIT LIKE SOME SORT OF BROTHEL, THERE WERE PEOPLE WITH CAMERAS SWARMING THE PLACE. THE PAPARAZZI KNEW THAT EVERYONE WHO WAS ANYONE WOULD BE HERE TONIGHT, AND THEY WANTED A PICTURE. THEY WANTED TO RUN BACK TO THEIR LITTLE CUBBY-HOLES OF JOURNALISTIC DAMNATION TO WRITE UP SOME LIES AND TRUTHS ABOUT THE PEOPLE ATTENDING THE BALL. THANKFULLY, IT WAS A MASKS-ONLY EVENT. THAT WAS THE ONLY REASON NOAH HAD COME.

WELL, NOT THE ONLY REASON.

HE COULDN'T GET THAT LAST KISS WITH ALLISON OUT OF HIS MIND. ALTHOUGH SHE'D PROMPTLY GONE BACK TO LOUNGING ON HER TOWEL WITH TREE-FACE, SHE CLEARLY WANTED TO TEASE HIM. AND TEASE HIM, SHE HAD DONE. THE TOUCH OF HER LIPS BURNED ON HIS EVEN NOW AS HE STOOD TAKING IN THE DARK ROOM SURROUNDING HIM. THE BALL WAS LOCATED IN ONE OF THE MAJOR HOTELS IN THE CITY, PROBABLY OWNED BY THAT LANKY BRUNETTE HE'D HEARD ABOUT IN THE PAPERS WITH SOME SORT OF TREE NAME... SPRUCE? OLIVE? JUNIPER. THAT WAS IT. ANYWAY, THE MAIN BALLROOM HAD BEEN RENTED, AND IT WAS DECORATED TO SUCH A DEGREE THAT ONE COULDN'T TELL IT HAD EVER BEEN A BALLROOM IN THE FIRST PLACE. THERE WERE PARTITIONS MARKING OFF SEPARATE ROOMS THROUGH OUT THE LARGER SPACE AND CURTAINS AND LIGHTS DANGLING FROM THE CEILING AND THE WALLS TO CREATE A RATHER MAGICAL, SEDUCTIVE ATMOSPHERE. HE HAD TO ADMIT, IT WAS A GREAT PLACE TO LOSE ONE'S SELF FOR THE EVENING. AND THAT WAS WHAT HE HOPED TO DO. IF HE COULDN'T FORGET HOW ALLISON HAD LOOKED SO DESPERATE AS SHE LOOKED UP AT HIM AFTER SHE GRABBED HIM AND TURNED HIM TO FACE HER, THEN HE WOULD FORGET WHO HE WAS FOR THE NIGHT.

GRANTED, HE PROBABLY SHOULDN'T BE THINKING ABOUT GETTING DRUNK RIGHT NOW CONSIDERING THAT HAD ONLY GOTTEN HIM BAD RESULTS IN THE PAST, BUT HE NEEDED SOMETHING TO MAKE HIM FORGET. THAT WAS THE ONLY OPTION HE HAD. WELL, THERE WERE ALWAYS DRUGS, BUT HE'D NEVER TAKEN THEM DUE TO THE FACT THAT HE LIKED HIS BODY THE WAY IT WAS. PLUS, HE WAS AN ATHLETE AND HE WOULD HAVE BEEN PRETTY SCREWED IN THE PAST IF HE'D RESORTED TO STEROIDS OR TAKEN ANYTHING WHICH WOULD REMAIN IN HIS SYSTEM UNTIL GAME DAY. YEAH, DRUGS WERE OUT OF THE QUESTION.

SLIDING AROUND ONE OF THE PARTITIONS, HE MADE HIS WAY TO THE AREA WHERE HE KNEW THE FOOD TO BE. THE DARKNESS ENVELOPED HIM, WELCOMING HIM WITH OPEN ARMS WITH ITS ANONYMITY. IF HE WAS HONEST WITH HIMSELF, HE KNEW HE WAS HERE BECAUSE HE'D HEARD ON ONE OF THOSE GOSSIP SITES THAT ALLISON WAS GOING TO BE HERE. WITH THE TREE. UGH, HE JUST WANTED TO DECK THAT GUY AGAIN JUST FOR TOUCHING HER. MAYBE HE'D BREAK HIS ARM THIS TIME INSTEAD OF JUST PUNCHING HIM. SCOOPING UP A GLASS OF CHAMPAGNE - THE SHIT WAS NASTY, BUT IT WAS THE HARDEST LIQUOR IN THE PLACE - HE DOWNED IT IN ABOUT FIVE SECONDS AND HANDED THE EMPTY GLASS TO A PASSING WAITER. STOWING THREE EGG ROLLS IN HIS HAND, HE MADE HIS WAY AWAY FROM THE FOOD TABLE AS HE QUICKLY ATE THEM.

ANONYMITY. HE SHOULD HAVE TRIED IT MORE OFTEN IN HIS EARLIER LIFE. FOR MOST OF HIS LIFE, HE'D BEEN IN THE SPOTLIGHT AS THE GOLDEN BOY OF THE CONSTANTINO FAMILY. HE DIDN'T MIND THE ATTENTION, HE IGNORED IT MOSTLY, BUT HE KNEW IT HAD BEEN PART OF THE REASON A RIFT HAD GROWN BETWEEN HIM AND ALLISON. HELL, THERE WERE SO MANY THINGS, SO MUCH BAGGAGE, BETWEEN THEM, HE COULDN'T MAKE A LIST OF IT ALL. SO CAUGHT UP WAS HE IN THIS THOUGHTS, THAT HE BRUSHED ROUGHLY PAST A PASSER-BY AND BARELY NOTICED. HALTING, HE TURNED TO APOLOGIZE, BUT HIS VOICE CAUGHT IN HIS THROAT. ALTHOUGH HE COULDN'T BE SURE, THE BLOND HAIR AND SPARKLING, SEDUCTIVE EYES BEHIND THE MASK WERE TOO FAMILIAR NOT TO BE HER. MAYBE SHE HADN'T RECOGNIZED HIM?

START FROM SCRATCH, HE'D SAID, AND SHE HAD REPEATED AFTER SHE'D LAID THAT BURNING KISS ON HIM. START FROM SCRATCH INDEED. GRABBING THE BLOND'S HAND, HE PULLED HER BACK TO HIM AND LOOKED DOWN INTO HER BEAUTIFUL FACE WHICH WAS HIDDEN BY HER SPARKLING MASK. "EXCUSE ME," HE WHISPERED HUSKILY, HIS EMOTIONS BETRAYING HIM NOW THAT HIS FACE WAS HIDDEN BY THE MASK. "I MUST PAY BETTER ATTENTION TO WHERE I'M GOING."

allison. 757. clothes.

[steph]

829

---

That night, she had gone home with Malachi.

Truth be told, she'd come desperately close to doing the deed, finally. She had wanted to get her anger and frustrations out, was craving body heat from another person, and when they were both finally naked, panting, and ready to go, she stopped him and she ended up leaving. She couldn't even bring herself to cuddle with him and spend the night. She had never, in her life, spent the night in another man's bed that wasn't Noah. She never even dated anyone that wasn't Noah and it bothered her that she couldn't bring herself to just let go and do it. But the tension between her and Malachi had lead to her showing up to the masquerade without him. He said he would meet her there, that he was running a bit late with work, but she knew the truth. He was upset about the other night and with his black eye, she wasn't sure exactly if he even wanted to show his face in public.

So she was there, her slender fingers wrapped around a bottle of beer because she always did hate champagne (too bubbly), wine (too dry), and fruity drinks (if she wanted fruit punch she could go to the grocery store and buy a jug of it for the same price). Beer, scotch, straight vodka, rum, and the occasional malibu in coke were her favorites by far. With the bottle of Guiness (she wished it was from the tap) in her hand, it looked out of place considering her attire. She wore a nude colored dress that practically made her look naked. It was a spaghetti halter with a plunging v neck front and completely naked back. The material clung to her curves. Her hair was partially picked up and in loose, beach wave curls that she recently acquired naturally while living here and so close to the beach. No jewelry was on her save for some tear drop diamond earrings. She had some pumps on to make her look taller and her mask matched the silver and white clutch in her hands. It was like a piece of white lace stretched over her bright blue orbs with silver glitter brushed across it. It concealed her just enough so where it would be fairly hard to recognize her but didn't to the point where she wasn't completely unknown.

Taking a swig from her beer, she sighed. This wasn't going to be as enjoyable as she'd hoped. Truthfully, she came here to escape Madison. She didn't want to face her at the moment because she knew when the time came, her fist was going to go right into her face-her most prized possession since she was a model. To her, that was more than enough payback, and despite what Madison had done, it was only once that she had been betrayed by her and only this once they had truly gotten into a fight. The rest were squabbles but nothing that wasn't resolved in twenty four hours with much needed apologies, hugs, and ice cream. She'd been her maid of honor, her best friend, her sister from another mister, Johnny's god mother. She couldn't hate her forever over one blip of a mistake...if it wasn't intentional.

Biting her lower lip that was painted a pale rose tone, she finished her beer and had grabbed another one when she turned to head for the exit. She'd finish it by the time she got there anyway. But as she walked, not paying attention really to anyone around her, fate decided to throw Noah at her once again. She had kissed him, unbelievably, after what he said to her. But there wasn't much he could say anymore to make her hurt more than she already did. Her hole had a bottom to it and she already hit it when he didn't make it for Johnny's funeral-something they never truly talked about. She'd been so depressed about it, she didn't even want to see his face. But she had kissed him because despite everything, she still wanted there to be a them and if it didn't work this time around, she would call it quits forever and just move on completely even if it was the last thing she did.

"Yeah, you should," she retorted with a playful smirk on her face. She could tell it was Noah, how couldn't she? Same eyes, same voice...well, she hadn't heard that tone of voice in a while but it made the butterflies appear in her stomach all over again, "and you should let me go too," she added to comment on how he had pulled her to him, "Unless you plan on dancing with me," Allison used to be shy when it came to approaching men in such a fashion. She'd never really been the one to lead and here she was asking him to dance in the most subtle of ways.

Let the games begin.

[flynn kavanagh]

USE SOMEBODY.

NOAH REMEMBERED THE SMILE SHE'D OFFERED HIM WHEN SHE'D ASKED HIM TO TAKE THAT PICTURE WHAT SEEMED LIKE SO MANY YEARS AGO NOW. SHE'D BEEN SO SWEET, SO UNLIKE ANYTHING HE KNEW AT THE TIME. NOW, SHE WAS DIFFERENT, BUT SHE REMAINED THE SAME IN MANY WAYS. IT MADE HIM SMILE TO HEAR HER STILL INCAPABLE OF USING FULL BLOWN CUSS WORDS, AND STILL IN LOVE WITH BEER. SO UNLADYLIKE, MOST MEN WOULD THINK, BUT NOT NOAH. HE SAW IT AS A TRUER VERSION OF HER. MOST WOMEN HE KNEW WOULD DRINK CHAMPAGNE OR WATER JUST TO APPEAR MORE 'FEMININE' BUT ALLISON DIDN'T LOSE WHO SHE WAS JUST BECAUSE SHE WAS IN PUBLIC. AND SHE WAS SO VERY MUCHLY A WOMAN.

AS HE GENTLY HELD HER IN HIS ARMS TRYING NOT TO FOCUS ON HOW SEXILY DRESSED SHE WAS, SHE CONFIRMED THAT HE SHOULD WATCH BETTER WHERE HE WAS GOING, AND HE SMILED. ALTHOUGH HER NEWFOUND SNARKINESS IRRITATED HIM, HE COULD SEE SHE USED IT AS A DEFENSE AGAINST HIM. SOMEHOW, WITH A MASK COVERING HIS FACE, HE FELT MORE FREE TO BE HONEST WITH HIMSELF ABOUT ALLISON. HE COULD SEE THE BITTERNESS IN HER AND HOW IT REFINED HER. SHE WASN'T THE LITTLE TEENAGE GIRL HE'D MET WHO'D BEEN WILLING TO LAY DOWN HER WANTS AND DESIRES FOR HIM AND HIS FAMILY. HE'D NEVER WANTED THAT ANYWAY. HER EYES SPARKLED AS SHE TESTED HIM, DARING HIM TO DANCE WITH HER. HE COULD TELL BY THE TONE IN HER VOICE SHE RECOGNIZED HIM, BUT HE DIDN'T WANT TO ADMIT THEIR TRUE SELVES JUST YET, EVEN IF THEY ALREADY KNEW. WHY NOT HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF SEMI-ANONYMOUS FUN FOR A WHILE?

HUGGING HER CLOSER, HE LEANED IN AND ALLOWED HIS HOT BREATH TO CREST ON HER NECK AS HE TEASED HER, NOT KISSING HER BUT BRUSHING HER WITH HIS LIPS. "I PLAN ON DANCING WITH YOU," HE RESOLVED, SMOOTHLY TWISTING HER TO THE SIDE AND GLIDING THROUGH THE PARTITIONED ROOMS, SWEEPING PAST COUPLES AND GROUPS DOING GOD-KNEW-WHAT. ANONYMITY COULD DO STRANGE THINGS TO A PERSON'S MIND. REACHING THE FAR SIDE OF THE BALLROOM FROM WHERE THEY'D STARTED, HE SWEPT HER INTO AN EMPTY ROOM REPLETE WITH A CRIMSON COUCH, CRIMSON AND GOLD CURTAINS, AND A TRAY OF HOR'DOURVES IN THE CENTER OF A MAHOGANY COFFEE TABLE. RELEASING HER, HE WALKED TO THE TRAY AND RETRIEVED A SNACK, MOTIONING FOR HER TO DO THE SAME IF SHE WISHED. WHEN SHE'D GOTTEN WHAT SHE WANTED, HE MOVED BEHIND HER IN THE RED-HUED ROOM AND GENTLY BRUSHED HER BLOND HAIR OFF OF THE BACK OF HER NECK. LEANING DOWN, HE KISSED HER AT THE NAPE OF HER NECK AND THEN PLACED HIS CHIN ON HER SHOULDER TO WHISPER INTO HER EAR.

"DOES HE GIVE YOU WHAT YOU WANT?" HE ASKED HER, KNOWING SHE WOULD UNDERSTAND THE PRONOUN REFERRED TO HER 'BOYFRIEND' MALACHI. RUNNING A STRONG HAND OVER HER HIP AND SQUEEZING HER SLIGHTLY, HE ALLOWED HIMSELF TO GET OUTSIDE OF THE LINES FOR ONCE. MAYBE IT WAS THE MASK MAKING HIM DO CRAZY THINGS. "DOES HE TURN YOU ON LIKE I USED TO?" HE SMILED AND KISSED JUST BELOW HER EAR, HIS HAND GOING TO THE PLUNGING NECKLINE OF HER NUDE-COLORED DRESS, HIS FINGERS CARESSING HER SKIN WITH THEIR HEAT.. JUST TEASING. ALWAYS TEASING.

allison. not gonna admit it. clothes. yeah, so the length of this sucks ass, but hopefully it gets them in the right direction (;

[steph]

814

---

It was true her snappiness and slight attitude had become reserved for Noah. Though she glowed with fierce independence and swelled with pride, there was a slight bitterness to her that was the result of the previous events that slammed into her throughout her life. The last time she glowed this way was when their son was born, when he took his first steps, when he said his first words...It all seemed to disappear as time went on, though. She had nothing to be proud of, no true independence to claim. She became the person she never wanted to become: a stupid housewife. She used to make fun of women like that. Her mother used to always tell her that Allison could do it all. She always said she'd be the one to put a career first and then when a family came along at the right time...well, let's just say she thought she had a good head on her shoulders. Allison, back then though, had been a reckless teenager who thought more with her vagina and her heart instead of her brains. If she did, though, would Johnny have ever been born? Probably not.

But as Noah seemed to make them glide into another room, her thoughts wandered over to how stupid they used to be and all the trouble they used to get into. Allison had never been a trouble maker but she hadn't been a goodie two shoes either. She got into more trouble dating Noah than she ever did in her entire life, literally. Like the trillions of times she would cut class to go into the city to see him and vice versa. How they actually did it in one of the classrooms in that prestigious high school he attended right on the desk of the professor he hated the most. They were stupid then and right now, she felt like they were being stupid again. He had just admitted to sleeping with Madison, her best friend, and here she was letting him lead her into another room that she knew would lead, inevitably, to one thing-didn't it always?

The masks seemed to make her feel like she didn't have to remember any of that right now. Tomorrow she could go back to hating him and if anything-in the morning, she'd leave him before he woke up just like the countless times he did whether it was the excuse to go to work or that he had to see his old man.

She wasn't provoked by the snacks even though he motioned for her to get some if she wanted to. Many times, she found herself not hungry for a good couple of days-she grew used to skipping meals in order to pay for rent and school. But Noah's touch and his words suddenly felt like a stab in her back. Though his touch sent delicious shivers, she really did wish, at this moment, that he would just shut up and not bring up Malachi. She could feel her spitefulness rising up from the pit of her stomach and she turned around, smirking at him while her eyes narrowed for just a split second, "I'm not sure. You'll have to remind me," she pushed him back onto the couch with some force, the frustration and anger subtle, "Did she feel as good as I used to?" she lifted her dress a bit so she could straddle him, her slender hands pinning down his wrists to his sides so he couldn't touch her as her lips brushed against his own before biting the lower one. He wasn't allowed to take charge this time. Oh no. If he wanted to, he'd have to work for it-fight for it because this time she didn't want to back down, "Did she make you beg for it?" oh they had some kinky times in their past. It had always been a fit of passion between them whenever they did it. The only time they ever truly went slow was when he took her virginity-and that was just because it was her first time and she didn't know any better. But she learned. Boy did she learn...

The leggy blonde gave him a warning look not to move his hands from his sides as she released him and practically tore off the bow tie around his neck as she ran her lips along his jaw and her tongue over his ear lobe. God it had been way to long...and she was going to own him.

[flynn kavanagh]

USE SOMEBODY.

THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY'D TRULY BEEN ALONE SINCE THEY'D BEEN SEPARATED. THE LAST TIME HE'D BEEN ALONE WITH HER, SHE'D SLAPPED HIM AND WALKED OUT ON HIM FOR SLEEPING WITH THE GIRL, WHO'D TURNED OUT TO BE MADISON. AFTER THAT NIGHT, HE'D ONLY SEEN HER FROM AFAR. HE STILL REMEMBERED STANDING OUTSIDE OF HIS OWN HOUSE AS HER BROTHER JOHN HELD HIM OUT AND REFUSED TO LET HIM IN TO SEE HER. HE COULD SEE HER WALKING BEHIND HIM IN THE FOYER, GATHERING HER BAGS TOGETHER, AND HE'D CALLED TO HER, BEGGED HER NOT TO DO IT. WHEN SHE'D MOVED OUT, NOAH HAD PROMPTLY DRIVEN TO JOHN'S HOUSE, KNOCKED ON THE DOOR, AND PUNCHED HIM THE MOMENT HE'D ANSWERED. NEEDLESS TO SAY, HER BROTHER DIDN'T LIKE HIM MUCH. NOAH HAD A HABIT OF THROWING PUNCHES WHEN HE GOT ANGRY, AS EVIDENCED BY ALLISON'S TREE-SHAPED COMPANION.

THE FEEL OF HER LITHE BODY IN HIS HANDS AND AGAINST HIS CHEST WAS TORTURE TO HIM. THERE HAD BEEN A TIME WHEN THEY'D BEEN SO SEXUALLY VIGOROUS IT HAD BEEN TIRING. BUT IT WAS A GOOD TIRED. NOAH REMEMBERED FALLING INTO BED AT MIDNIGHT (AFTER SNEAKING UP THE LATTICE ON THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE TO GET INTO HIS BEDROOM PAST LIGHTS-OUT), WORN OUT AND FALLING ASLEEP AS SOON AS HIS HEAD HIT THE PILLOW, DREAMS OF FUCKING ALLISON ACCOMPANYING HIM DURING THE NIGHT. THAT PARTICULAR NIGHT, THEY'D SNUCK IN THROUGH THE EMERGENCY EXIT INTO THE MOVIE THEATER (BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH NOAH HAD PLENTY OF MONEY TO SPEND ON MOVIE TICKETS, IT WAS JUST MORE FUN TO SNEAK IN), AND THEY'D GOTTEN SEATS IN THE VERY BACK WHERE NO ONE COULD SEE THEM. THEY'D SCREWED FOR THE WHOLE TWO HOURS. IT WAS THE BEST SEX NOAH HAD HAD, UNTIL ALLISON PROVED TO HIM THE NEXT WEEK THAT IT COULD BE EVEN BETTER, AND THAT WAS THEIR CYCLE THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL. THEN, THE PREGNANCY HAD COME BETWEEN THEM, AND THINGS HAD NEVER BEEN THE SAME. THEY DIDN'T HAVE THAT LONG PERIOD WHERE THEY COULD JUST SCREW AROUND AND BE TEENAGERS. NOW THAT THEY WERE ADULTS, THIS WAS THEIR CHANCE, HOWEVER IRONIC AND BACKWARD THAT WAS.

HE SMILED AS SHE CHALLENGED HIM TO REMIND HER WHAT BEING WITH HIM WAS LIKE. NOT ONLY WOULD HE REMIND HER, BUT HE WOULD SHOW HER WHAT GROWN-UP NOAH WAS LIKE. BEFORE HE COULD, HOWEVER, SHE SHOVED HIM BACK ONTO THE COUCH, AND HE LANDED WITH A THUMP. SHE CLIMBED ONTO HIS LAP, AND HE SUCKED IN A BREATH AS HE RAISED HIS EYEBROWS AND LOOKED UP INTO HER ANGRY BLUE EYES. HIS HANDS MOVED FOR HER HIPS, BUT SHE PINNED HIM. GROWLING ANIMALISTICALLY IN HIS THROAT, HE TRIED TO LEAN FORWARD TO KISS HER AS SHE MOVED TOWARD HIM, LIFTING HER DRESS AND GIVING HIM AN INSTANT BONER. "I COULDN'T REMEMBER IF I TRIED," HE HISSED AGAINST HER MOUTH AS SHE KISSED HIM, BIT HIS LOWER LIP, AND PULLED SLIGHTLY AWAY. SHE TORE THE BOW-TIE OFF OF HIS NECK, AND HIS HANDS WERE FINALLY FREE. GRIPPING HER HIPS, HE EASILY SPUN HER, PLANTED HER ON HER BUTT ON THE COUCH AND MOVED ON TOP OF HER. "DOES HE MAKE YOU BEG FOR IT?" LIFTING HER DRESS, HE RAN HIS HANDS UP HER LEGS AS HE SLID TO HIS KNEES ON THE FLOOR IN FRONT OF HER. AS SHE REACHED FOR HIM, HE QUICKLY GRABBED HER WRISTS IN ONE OF HIS STRONG HANDS AND PINNED THEM OVER HER HEAD, TILTING HIS HEAD AND TWEAKING HIS EYEBROWS IN CHALLENGE. LEANING IN TANTALIZINGLY, HE LICKED HER NECK UNTIL HE REACHED HER EAR AND HE TUGGED ON IT WITH HIS TEETH. "THIS IS ME BEGGING." HE WHISPERED HOTLY INTO HER EAR. "LET ME FUCK YOU." HE NEEDED HER NOW, IN A PURELY PHYSICAL WAY. IT WAS HIGHLY LIKELY SHE WOULD STILL HATE HIM WHEN THE SUN CAME UP IN THE MORNING AND THE MASKS WERE OFF, BUT FOR NOW, THEY HAD A MUTUAL NEED AND DESIRE.

allison. 665. clothes. i fail you again x).

[steph]

721

---

As he flipped them over, she took in a deep breathe as if to brace herself yet taking it at the same time. As he spoke, she smirked as she lay pinned underneath him, moving her hips up to clash with his own, making sure her body was pressed against his own. She locked her lips onto his in the most tragic of animalistic ways, hungry for more and the longing deep within the way she forced her hands free of his grip to grab at his hair and tear off his coat. She started unbuttoning his shirt, taking out from where it had been tucked in but she would bite his lower lip hard if he even dared try to take off her clothes and once she got his shirt fully unbuttoned she pushed him off of her using her long legs and her arms and stood, the look on her face a full on tease, "No," she answered to him asking to screw her. No...

Not yet.

She winked as she started toward the door, fixing her dress a bit as she did and smoothing her hair slightly, "This place is too typical," she said over her shoulder as if it were a fleeting and careless statement before she went right through the door and easily blended right into the party but she wasn't staying for long. Grabbing a beer from one of the waiters going around, she was headed right for the exit in that eternal grace of her's, of course while popping it open and taking a large swig. She needed alcohol for this because she had too much on her mind. Through both Madison and Noah she had become a big drinker-though she had stopped completely when she found out she was pregnant with Johnny. It wasn't until she caught Noah cheating did she start her drinking habit again only then it wasn't for fun like now...or maybe it was. But she mostly used it to drown all her thoughts away.

Reaching the door, she tossed the beer glass off somewhere next to her where it shattered and then glanced over at Noah to make sure he was following or at least caught up. Then she was taking off her heels and giving them to one of the cabbies, "Merry Christmas," she chuckled as she bit her lower lip to suppress a fit of laughter that wanted to bubble up within her. Once she saw Noah again, she started bolting into the parking lot, checking the doors to see which one was open or which one was stupid enough to leave a window down. Screwing in the back of a stranger's car surprisingly sounded more appealing than inside in a separate room at some party.

When her eyes landed on a pick up truck with a cracked window, it instantly caught her attention and she ran over, lifting her dress a bit as she did before getting on the tips of her toes to reach in and unlock it. Glad the alarm system didn't go off, she looked over at Noah, "Remind me how you made me want you again," she locked her eyes onto his as she opened the door fully to the truck and climbed in before he could reach her and once he was in view, she was leaning against the other side, her dress having risen up so the silky fabric pooled around her lap and her legs together at the knees. She kept her eyes locked onto his and chuckled, "Just like the old days...only better," her voice was husky, ready for him to take her on in whatever way he wanted and whatever way she wanted. What made this better though? Not that they were older. It had nothing to do with their age. It was the fact they hadn't done it in so long...it was all about to be unleashed for the next couple of hours until they were both so worn out, they wouldn't be able to walk in the morning.

[flynn kavanagh]

USE SOMEBODY.

LEAVE IT TO ALLISON TO DENY HIM. HE WASN'T SURPRISED; IT SEEMED TO BE HER NEW M.O. HE WOULD JUST HAVE TO GET USED TO IT. THE FEEL OF HER BODY WAS THE SAME, THE LUSTY LOOK IN HER EYES WAS THE SAME, BUT SHE WAS A DIFFERENT PERSON. HE HAD TO EVALUATE IF HE COULD STILL BE IN LOVE WITH THIS NEW VERSION OF HER. FOR SO LONG, HE'D BEEN USED TO THE CLOISTERED HOUSEWIFE VIBE SHE HAD, AND HE WASN'T PREPARED FOR THIS SNIPPY, VIVID VISION OF HER. BUT HE FELT HER BODY AND SMELLED HER PERFUME ON HER HAIR AND SAW THAT GLINT IN HER EYES... AND HE KNEW HE'D KNOWN THIS SIDE OF HER BEFORE. HE'D KNOWN THIS VERSION OF HER BEFORE SHE'D GOTTEN PREGNANT AND BEEN FORCED INTO A ROLE THAT WASN'T HER OWN. WHEN THEY'D HAD SEX IN THE BACKS OF TOWNCARS AND SNUCK OUT OF SCHOOL TO BE TOGETHER, SCREWED UNDER THE BLEACHERS, AND DONE SO MANY THINGS BOTH CLICHE AND NOT CLICHE.

AS SHE PEELED HERSELF OFF OF HIS LAP, OFFERING HIM A TEMPTING SMILE AND FLITTING OUT OF THE DOORWAY, HE GROWLED AND GRABBED UP HIS TUXEDO JACKET FROM WHERE SHE'D TOSSED IT AFTER TEARING IT OFF OF HIM. FOLLOWING HER THROUGH THE CROWD, PUSHING THROUGH THE MASKED PEOPLE IN THE BALL, HE FOLLOWED HER ALL THE TIME, KEEPING HER GOLDEN HEAD IN HIS VISION. SHE TURNED FOR THE DOOR, AND HE WAS HUNG UP IN A WILD GROUP OF DANCERS, SO HE ALMOST LOST HER. OVER THE TOPS OF THEIR HEADS AS THEY SWIRLED MANIACALLY AROUND HIM, HE COULD SEE HER TALKING TO A CABBY, AND HE BARKED AT THE DANCERS TO GET OUT OF HIS WAY. HE WAS ABOUT TO LOSE HER ON THIS CHASE, AND THEN WHAT? THEY'D GO BACK TO HATING ONE ANOTHER WITH NEITHER OF THEM GETTING WHAT THEY WANTED THIS NIGHT? THAT WOULD CERTAINLY NOT BE... IDEAL. THE DANCERS RELEASED HIM AND MOVED THEIR FRENZY ELSEWHERE, AND HE DASHED FOR THE DOORWAY, HIS SHIRT UNTUCKED, HIS COAT FLAILING OUT BEHIND HIM, AND HIS MASK TAKEN OFF AND DISCARDED AS HE RAN AFTER HER. JUST AS HE REACHED THE DOORWAY, SHE GLANCED BACK, SAW HIM, AND RAN BAREFOOT INTO THE PARKING LOT.

WONDERING BRIEFLY WHAT SHE WAS DOING, HE DECIDED NOT TO ASK QUESTIONS. THIS WAS A NIGHT OF SPONTANEITY. HE DIDN'T NEED TO OVERTHINK IT. THEY WERE DIVORCEES AT A YOUNG AGE, SHE WAS A LITTLE BIT DRUNK, AND HE'D SLEPT WITH HER BEST FRIEND. THEY COULDN'T BE MORE SCREWED UP THAN THEY ALREADY WERE. HE TROTTED AFTER HER, TAKING CARE NOT TO CATCH HER JUST YET. HE WANTED A LITTLE BIT OF A CHASE. SHE STOPPED AT AN OLDER CAR, OLDER THAN THE SURROUNDING VEHICLES WHICH CONSISTED OF LIMOS AND TOWNCARS AND SIMILAR, AND SHE SPRUNG THE LOCK. THE TIME IT TOOK HER TO SPRING IT GAVE HIM THE CHANCE TO CATCH UP TO HER, AND HE GRABBED HER AROUND THE WAIST. HE WAS ABOUT TO KISS HER NECK AND, NOT CARING IF THEY WERE OUT IN THE OPEN, TAKE HER RIGHT THERE ON THE PAVEMENT, BUT SHE SLIPPED OUT OF HIS ARMS AND INTO THE SEAT OF THE TRUCK. THE AREA WAS DARK, SO HE COULD BARELY SEE HER, BUT THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS ILLUMINATED HER AS SHE TURNED TO FACE HIM FROM THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE CAR AND HER DRESS SEPARATED TO REVEAL HER KNEES. HE HAD TO SWALLOW TO CONTROL HIMSELF.

Remind me how you made me want you again. JUST LIKE THE OLD DAYS... ONLY BETTER. HER VOICE TEASED HIM AND TURNED HIM ON, AND HE STEPPED UP ON THE RUNNER BOARD ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE TRUCK, SLIDING INTO THE TRUCK. SHUTTING THE DOOR SWIFTLY BEHIND HIM, HE HOVERED OVER HER IN THE RELATIVELY NARROW SPACE AND SMILED DOWN AT HER IN THE DARKNESS. HER EYES WERE ILLUMINATED BY THE DASHBOARD, AND HER TANNED SKIN WAS DARK AGAINST THE NUDE COLOR OF HER DRESS. PUSHING HER DRESS UP AROUND HER WAIST, HE PULLED HER TOWARD HIM AND TWISTED BENEATH HER SO SHE WAS SEATED ON HIS LAP WITH HER DRESS PILED AROUND THEM. LEANING IN TO HER, HE KISSED HER CHEST AND UNDID HER DRESS AS HE WORKED HIS LIPS OVER HER UPPER BODY. SUCKING ON HER SKIN, HE HASTILY UNDID THE ZIPPER ON HIS PANTS FOR EASY ACCESS. "IT WASN'T ALL ME, YOU KNOW," HE BREATHED BETWEEN KISSES AS THEY GRINDED THEIR BODIES TOGETHER. "YOU HAVE TO PROVE YOU WANT ME TOO." HE LICKED HER NECK UP TO BENEATH HER EAR AND THEN NIPPED HER EAR BEFORE LEANING BACK TO SMILE AT HER.

allison. 776. clothes. shmexy truck secks.

[steph]

512

---

It didn’t take long for him to get into the truck with her and it didn’t take long for her to end up on top of him with her dress around her waist and his zipper undone. So she had to prove she wanted him back, huh? Well, she only wanted him back, at the moment, just for the night. She wasn’t sure she’d want him tomorrow. It had just been so long since she’d really been with anyone, especially him, that she wasn’t sure why she was acting this way. She loved Noah, truly, but not the married Noah. He made her skin crawl. He made her feel worthless. He was a complete asshole. Sure, he’d been as ass when they were dating but it was different: it was expected…and it had been exciting.

At his words, she literally tore his shirt off so the buttons fell away. One good thing about being a housewife was that she’d been able to get her body back in shape after having Johnny. She had so much free time, she had gotten John to become her personal trainer and she’d been his first client, “Shut up,” she said a bit breathlessly, her fingers going up into his medium length hair and pulling back on it a bit. This was more than just lust and passion. By now, it had become a mixture of anger and frustration, an animal or primal reaction that had bubbled up in the pit of her stomach-hell there could even possibly been jealousy mixed in there. She nipped at his neck and sucked on it, leaving a trail down his chest as she marked her territory. He’d always been hers-who was she kidding? In high school, everyone knew it. They knew not to mess with Allison Giancola or Noah Constantino unless they wanted the other one to beat the crap out of them. Though Allison wasn’t naturally violent, she could be if she wanted to. She could hold her own in a fight. She was Italian after all. She had no problem playing dirty.

With ease she kept their bodies pressed together, letting their hips grind like they were a couple of teenagers again. Her fingernails clawed at his chiseled abdomen and sides as she locked her lips onto his roughly. Biting on his lower lip, she smirked as she looked at him directly in the eyes, giving him the look she used to give him when they were forced to endure one of his parents’ boring parties. It was the look she’d give him from across the dining room table or across the room, The look that said, give it to me-good. It had become a bit of her trademark-the seductive stare. She seemed to always have it but hadn’t realized she had such a power until she and Noah had started dating. And after making sure his pants and her dress were off and they were completely naked-she went completely for it. It was all or nothing and she had no problem with giving it her all.

---

sorry it's short-wasn't sure how far we could go xD

[flynn kavanagh]

USE SOMEBODY.

WHEN SHE TOLD HIM TO SHUT UP, HE CHUCKLED AT HER. SHE ENTERTAINED HIM NOW AS SHE HAD ENTERTAINED HIM THEN. HER EYES HAD THAT OLD FLASH TO THEM, NOT THE DULL GLIMMER THEY'D TAKEN ON AFTER THEY'D GOTTEN MARRIED. HE KNEW HE'D RUINED HER LIFE BY NOT LISTENING TO THEIR PARENTS. IF THEY HADN'T GOTTEN MARRIED WHEN THEY DID, THEY COULD HAVE GROWN UP AND GOTTEN MARRIED LATER IF THEY WANTED. THEN THEY WOULDN'T BE IN THEIR CURRENT PREDICAMENT. DESPITE WHAT HE KNEW ALLISON THOUGHT, HE HADN'T BEEN WITH ANOTHER WOMAN IN THE SAME WAY HE HAD WITH HER. SURE, HE'D HAD SOME ONE NIGHT STANDS AND DRUNK TOO MUCH SINCE THEY'D BEEN SEPARATED BECAUSE HE'D BEEN DESPERATELY TRYING TO BLOCK OUT THE PAIN, BUT HE HAD ONLY EVER 'MADE LOVE' TO ONE WOMAN, AND THAT WAS HER. EVEN HIS ONE NIGHT STANDS HAD BEEN FEWER THAN THE PRESS WOULD HAVE THE PUBLIC BELIEVE. HIS HEART - WHAT LITTLE OF IT EXISTED - HAD ALWAYS BELONGED TO HER EVEN THROUGH THEIR HARDEST TIMES.

THE BUTTONS POPPING OFF OF HIS SHIRT BOUNCED AROUND THEM LIKE HARD PACKED SNOW, TINKLING OFF OF THE DASHBOARD AND FALLING WILDLY ALL OVER THE SEAT AND THE FLOORBOARDS. WHAT COOL AIR STILL REMAINED IN THE TRUCK HIT HIS CHEST AND SENT A SHIVER OF ADRENALINE THROUGH HIM. THE MUSCLES IN HIS LEGS AND ARMS CLENCHED AS HE STRUGGLED TO CONTROL HIMSELF, AND HE ROUGHLY PULLED HER DRESS OFF OVER HER HEAD, NOT CARING WHEN HE HEARD RIPPING SOUNDS. TOSSING IT AIMLESSLY ACROSS THE SEAT, HE PULLED HER HOT BODY AGAINST HIS, SUCKING THE HEAT OFF OF HER SKIN. SHE WAS PULLING HIS HAIR AND KISSING HIM HOTLY, AND HE FELT HIS BLOOD BOILING WITH DESIRE FOR HER. THERE WAS THAT RAW MIXTURE OF ALL OF THE PAIN THEY'D FELT, BOTTLED UP FOR SO LONG AND NOW ALLOWED TO BE FREE, AND IT ADDED A RECKLESS PASSION TO THE ACT. THEY WERE BOTH ANGRY, FOR DIFFERENT REASONS, AND THEIR FRUSTRATIONS WERE ALLOWED TO INTERMINGLE WITH THEIR LUSTS. AS THEY THRASHED IN THE CAR. BITING HIS LIP, SHE PULLED AWAY FROM HIM, HER BODY PERFECT IN THE MOONLIGHT WHICH HAD BROKEN THROUGH THE CLOUDS AND NOW SHONE DOWN ON THEM. THAT 'FUCK ME' LOOK SHE GAVE HIM WAS HIS BREAKING POINT. HE REMEMBERED NUMEROUS TIMES SHE'D GIVEN HIM THAT SAME LOOK, AND THE NUMEROUS TIMES IT HAD GOTTEN HER FUCKED HARD IN THE HALLWAY OF HIS PARENTS' MANSION IN THE HAMPTONS. NOW WOULD BE NO DIFFERENT.

SHE WAS SO SEXY AND SEDUCTIVE, HE KNEW HE WOULDN'T LAST LONG THE FIRST TIME, BUT HE PLANNED ON MAKING THIS GO ON AS MANY TIMES AS HE COULD BEFORE SHE DECIDED SHE WAS DONE WITH HIM. THEY SLAMMED TOGETHER LIKE COLLIDING PLANETS, THEIR GRAVITY DRAWN DANGEROUSLY TOWARD ONE ANOTHER. HE HADN'T HAD SEX LIKE THIS IN FAR TOO LONG: SINCE BEFORE THEY'D FOUND OUT SHE WAS PREGNANT. NO OTHER WOMAN COULD MAKE HIS NERVES FEEL LIKE THEY WERE ON FIRE AND HIS BLOOD WAS GOING TO BOIL OUT OF HIS VEINS FROM THE DESIRE SHE SENT THROUGH HIM. HIS MUSCLES CRAMPED AND SEIZED AS THEY WRESTLED IN THE SEAT, AND AFTER PROBABLY AN HOUR AT LEAST, HE FINALLY SLOWED AND RELEASED HER. PULLING HER FACE DOWN TO HIS, HE KISSED HER HOTLY ON HER LIPS. HE DIDN'T WANT HER TO START HATING HIM AGAIN JUST YET. IF ONLY THIS MOMENT COULD LAST BETWEEN THEM, JUST A LITTLE LONGER. THEY COULD GO BACK TO HATING ONE ANOTHER WHEN THE SUN CAME UP.

"ALI..." HE BEGAN, LOOKING INTO HER PASSIONATE BLUE EYES. BUT HE WAS CUT OFF SHORT AS A VOICE STARTED YELLING AT THEM FROM THE ENTRANCE TO THE PARKING LOT. "HEY! WHAT THE HELL?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY TRUCK? TRYING TO STEAL IT, EH?! GET YOUR ASSES OUT OF MY CAR!" THE RAVING CONTINUED, AND NOAH'S EYES GREW LARGE JUST WHEN HE BURST OUT LAUGHING. PULLING ALLISON OFF OF HIS LAP, HE QUICKLY GATHERED HIS RUINED SHIRT ALONG WITH THEIR MASKS AND HIS JACKET. HANDING HER HER DRESS, HE THREW OPEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AND PRACTICALLY FELL OUT OF THE TRUCK IN HIS HASTE TO ESCAPE. HIS HEART BEAT QUICKLY NOW FROM THE EXCITEMENT OF ALMOST BEING CAUGHT, AND HE GRABBED ALLISON'S HAND AS THEY MADE A RUN FOR IT THROUGH THE DARKNESS. THE TRUCK OWNER'S ANGRY VOICE FOLLOWED THEM, YELLING OBSCENITIES AND ACCUSATIONS AFTER THEM, AND NOAH COULDN'T STOP LAUGHING AS THEY DISAPPEARED INTO THE SHADOWS. HE LED HER TO A GROVE OF TREES ON THE OUTER EDGE OF A PARK NEARBY, AND THERE HE STOPPED TO CATCH HIS BREATH. HIS UPPER BODY LITERALLY STEAMED IN THE COOL NIGHT AIR AND HE EXAMINED THE AREA TO BE SURE THEY WERE COMPLETELY ALONE. SLUMPING DOWN INTO THE GRASS WITH HIS SHIRT AND JACKET IN HIS HANDS AND THE MASKS NEARBY, WITH NOTHING BUT HIS PANTS ON LEAVING HIS CHISELED UPPER BODY BARE, HE LAUGHED UNTIL HIS SIDES HURT. FINALLY, HE WAS ABLE TO SIT UP, AND HE LOOKED OVER AT HER WITH A SMILE ON HIS FACE. "THAT WAS CLOSE... JUST LIKE OLD TIMES..."

HE VIVIDLY REMEMBERED ONE OF THE TIMES WHEN THEY'D HAD SEX IN ONE OF HIS FATHER'S YACHTS, AND THEY'D BEEN CAUGHT BY ONE OF THE WAITERS ASSIGNED TO THE SHIP. NOAH'D THOUGHT THE CREW HAD BEEN GIVEN THE WEEKEND OFF SINCE HIS FATHER HADN'T INTENDED TO USE THE YACHT THAT SUNDAY, BUT HIS FATHER HAD DECIDED AT THE LAST MINUTE HE WAS GOING TO HAVE SOME SORT OF DINNER PARTY. UNFORTUNATELY, HIS FATHER WAS RIGHT BEHIND THE WAITER AND HAD ALMOST CAUGHT THEM, BUT THE APPEARANCE OF THE SERVANT - AND THE MAN'S SHOCK AT SEEING THE TEENAGERS IN SUCH A POSITION - GAVE THEM ENOUGH TIME TO ESCAPE INTO ONE OF THE SERVANT CORRIDORS ON THE VESSEL AND TO GET AWAY BEFORE HIS FATHER HAD SEEN THEM. THE EVENT STILL MADE NOAH CHUCKLE WHEN HE REMEMBERED IT.

LEANING TOWARD HER BENEATH THE TREES, HE PULLED HER TO HIM, SETTING HER ON HIS LAP. HE BRUSHED HER BLOND HAIR ASIDE AND KISSED HER NECK TENDERLY, HIS HANDS ROAMING HER BODY BEFORE HE LOOKED UP INTO HER EYES. "SO DO YOU WANT ME AGAIN, YET?" HE ASKED, MISCHIEF GLINTING IN HIS GAZE.

allison. 1048. clothes. ooo you inspired a post right out of me! hahaha.

[steph]

1072

---

A soft cry strained its way out of her throat as her fingers gripped the edge of an open window so tightly, her knuckles turned white. She could feel the beads of sweat trickling down her body and his own so they mingled and disappeared on the throw blanket underneath them so they wouldn't end up with splinters from the wooden floors. The tree house was high up in the large oak tree of her small backyard and was easier to access through Alison's room which was in the attic of the small yet cozy house. It had originally been built years ago with all the love in her father's and brothers' hearts and here she was, fifteen years old, with her tanned legs opened and the sandy blonde haired rich boy between them. His hands gripped at her hips roughly as he slammed into her and the grunts and groans he let out sent her into a frenzy and a whirlwind of ecstasy. She thought losing her virginity would be a horrendous event, as Madison made obvious when she asked her about it.

Alison bit her lower lip sharply as he pressed his body against her own and he bit sharply at her neck so she let her head fall back in pleasure. Her mouth was open and her eyes closed tightly but nothing came out as they both reached their breaking points and finished after a grueling hour and a half workout. As Noah's muscles seemed to relax after being so strained, she could feel him pulsing within her and she finally let out the air she'd been holding in as they both collapsed, breathing heavily while their fingers laced themselves together. She hadn't thought twice about the fact he just finished inside of her-it didn't matter...because he hadn't gotten her pregnant that time.

His head lay on her chest as she tried to quiet her racing heart and she opened her eyes, looking up at the ceiling and the Christmas lights strung all over the place so it wasn't so dark, despite it being mid August and the middle of the afternoon. She had cut class and without anywhere to go, they ended up in her tree house originally to play a drinking game and ended up abandoning the beers unopened in the corner and deciding it was time to just get her pesky cherry popping crap over with. He pulled away from her, but only slightly, and looked down at her so their eyes locked-her own wavering. He moved her dampened hair out of her face and with all the seriousness in the world only he seemed to be able to muster up, even at the age of eighteen, he said it, "Ali...I love you," and those three words made her melt completely. It was the first time he'd ever said them to her-and since then, every time he said it she'd pray it would never be the last.

Now here she was, racing through a parking lot, clutching her dress to her chest since he'd ripped it when taking it off of her and there was no way she could put it back on now other than around her wide hips. She couldn't help but laugh as they ran, her mind wandering back to them in that truck, wanting to figure out what it was he was about to tell her. Was it the same three words? Was it something totally different? Allison always made it clear she wasn't some weird hopeless romantic. She didn't believe in soul mates or one true love or any of those things-or at least she hadn't until she met Noah. Even then, for a while she didn't think he was the one for her. He was the exact opposite of everything she ever wanted in a guy and yet he turned out to be perfect for her-as if molded to be the perfect key to fit into her lock by God Himself.

As he brought her onto his lap while she tried to catch her breathe, her eyes wavered as he kissed her neck and moved her hair to the side. She heard his words but she chose to ignore them. Did she want him again? Yes. She did...but not in the context he was implying. She found herself suddenly wanting more than the physical contact. She had always found him attractive-whether he was eighteen years old picking up a fifteen year old version of herself and spinning her around after not seeing her for an entire day or he was twenty years old looking down at seventeen year old her in her wedding gown that cost more than a down payment on a car and his hand going over her tiny baby bump during their reception. She knew she'd love him when his hair turned gray and he got wrinkles and she knew she'd love him, still want him, when they were on their death bed. It was why it had been so easy for them to write their own vows, so easy to say I do, so easy to go in head first without truly thinking about how it could completely change who they were: because they were young, stupid, and in love.

"Remember the tree house?" she'd been quiet for a while, her heart pounding in her chest as she looked out at the grassy field before finally looking over at him with a sparkle in her eyes that hadn't been there for years, "What were you going to say? In the truck?" her voice was quiet like they had to keep it some big secret that they were sitting in the park half naked. She looked down at her fingers as they traced the contours and lines of his abdomen. She was curious-and taking a short break from their work out. Plus...he already knew the answer to that question-he'd asked her it tons of times before. So, do you want me again, yet? Every single time she'd told him, simply, Always and forever, babe.

[flynn kavanagh]

USE SOMEBODY.

HE REALIZED AS SOON AS HE ASKED HER IF SHE WANTED HIM AGAIN THAT IT HAD COME OUT WRONG. SHE SHOULDN'T JUST WANT HIM - LOVE HIM - AGAIN BECAUSE THEY'D FUCKED IN SOME STRANGER'S CAR. SHE SHOULD WANT HIM AGAIN BECAUSE HE WAS WHO HE WAS, NOT BECAUSE HE WAS GOOD UNDER THE BELT. BUT HE KNEW BY THE LOOK IN HER EYES AND HER SILENCE THAT SHE'D THOUGHT HE MEANT SOMETHING ELSE. TRUE, HE WANTED TO HAVE SEX WITH HER AGAIN, BUT HE WAS TIRED AND HE JUST WANTED TO BE CLOSE TO HER FOR NOW. IT WAS SAPPY AND PATHETIC, SO HE WOULDN'T ADMIT IT OUT LOUD, BUT IT WAS TRUE. SO HE KEPT HIS SILENCE AND WATCHED HER OUT OF THE CORNER OF HIS EYE. SHE WAS GORGEOUS, AND NOT SIMPLY BECAUSE SHE WAS BASICALLY STILL NAKED, HOLDING HER DRESS UP TO COVER HER CHEST. SHE WAS LIKE A MODEL WITH HER PERFECT CURVES, AND HE'D ALWAYS BEEN THANKFUL SHE'D GOTTEN BACK HER ORIGINAL SHAPE AFTER SHE'D GIVEN BIRTH TO JOHNNY. HE KNEW MOST WOMEN DIDN'T, BUT SHE HAD GOOD, STRONG ITALIAN GENES, AND IF HE DIDN'T KNOW ANY BETTER, HE'D SAY SHE LOOKED EVEN MORE SMOKING HOT THAN SHE HAD BEFORE.

HER QUESTION WAS SUDDEN AND OUT OF NOWHERE, AND IT SURPRISED HIM SLIGHTLY. DID HE REMEMBER THE TREE HOUSE? FUCK YES, HE REMEMBERED THE TREE HOUSE. THAT HAD BEEN BACK WHEN THEY'D HAD PASSION AND WILDNESS, BEFORE THEY'D BEEN TURNED INTO OLD MARRIED FOGEYS AND HAD LOST THAT FIRE. WHEN HE TURNED TO LOOK AT HER, HE SAW THAT FIRE THERE, AND HE KNEW SHE WAS REMEMBERING THE TREE HOUSE RIGHT NOW. HOW COULD HE FORGET IT? IT HAD BEEN THE FIRST TIME THEY'D HAD SEX, AND HIS BODY STILL BURNED AT THE MEMORY. "YES... I REMEMBER..." HE REPLIED, SMILING SLIGHTLY. HE WANTED HER LIKE THAT AGAIN, LIKE THAT TIME AND ALL OF THE TIMES IN HIS TOWN CAR, IN HIS PARENTS' MANSION, ON THE YACHT, AND SO MANY OTHER PLACES. HE WANTED TO JUST HAVE FUN WITH HER AGAIN... HAVE FUN LIKE THEY'D HAD TONIGHT.

BEFORE HE COULD SAY ANYTHING MORE, SHE LOOKED AT HIM FROM WHERE SHE SAT IN HIS LAP AND ASKED HIM WHAT HE'D BEEN ABOUT TO SAY IN THE TRUCK. HE DIDN'T KNOW IF HE COULD ADMIT IT TO HER. WAS IT THE RIGHT TIME? HE'D BEEN ABOUT TO SAY THOSE WORDS IN A FIT OF PASSION, BUT HE'D BEEN CUT OFF BY THE OWNER OF THE TRUCK. NOW, THE MOMENT WAS GONE, AND HE DIDN'T KNOW IF HE SHOULD REPEAT THEM. THE HEAT OF THEIR MOMENT HAD COOLED, AND NOW SHE WOULD ONLY HATE HIM IF SHE HEARD THEM. GENTLY PUSHING HER OUT OF HIS LAP, HE PUSHED HIMSELF TO HIS FEET, SHAKING HIS HEAD. REACHING DOWN FOR HIS SHIRT AND JACKET, HE SIGHED AUDIBLY. "NOTHING... I WASN'T GOING TO SAY ANYTHING." HE WAS LYING. GREAT, THIS WAS EXACTLY WHAT HE'D WANTED TO DO WHEN THEY 'STARTED OVER'. HE'D BEEN FUCKING THIS UP SINCE THE GET-GO. TURNING HIS BACK TO HER, HE CLENCHED HIS FIST AROUND THE SHIRT AND JACKET HE HELD IN HIS HAND AND STARED OFF INTO THE DARKNESS. VISIONS OF THE NIGHT HE'D GOTTEN HER PREGNANT DANCED IN HIS MIND. WHY THAT NIGHT IN PARTICULAR? IT WAS THE FIRST NIGHT HE'D FELT HE HAD ACTUALLY MADE LOVE TO HER, NOT JUST SOME WILD, PASSIONATE FUCK LIKE THEY WERE USED TO. EVEN THOUGH HE'D GOTTEN HER PREGNANT, HE WOULD NEVER REGRET THAT NIGHT.

'OH NOAH...NOAH...NOAH...' HER VOICE WAS HEAVILY ITALIAN WHEN SHE WAS ON THE VERGE OF CLIMAX, AND HE LOVED IT. SWEAT BEADED IN A SHEET OVER HIS CHEST, DRIPPING ONTO HER TONED BELLY IN THE SEMI-DARKNESS OF THE FOYER OF HIS PARENTS' HOUSE IN THE HAMPTONS. HIS PARENTS WERE ON A ROMANTIC ANNIVERSARY TRIP TO PARIS, AND THEY WOULD BE GONE FOR TWO WEEKS, SO HE HAD THE HOUSE TO HIMSELF. HIS SISTERS AND YOUNGER BROTHER DIDN'T GIVE A DAMN WHAT HE DID WITH HIS TIME AS LONG AS HE LEFT THEM ALONE. HE'D DISMISSED THE SERVANTS HE'D SEEN, AND HE'D BROUGHT ALLISON IN HERE, LAID HER DOWN ON THE EXPENSIVE PERSIAN RUG AND SLOWLY STRIPPED HER CLOTHES FROM HER LUSCIOUS BODY, ONE ITEM AT THE TIME. IT HAD BEEN SLOW THIS TIME, SLOWER THAN IT HAD BEEN EVEN WHEN HE'D TAKEN HER VIRGINITY THAT AFTERNOON IN THE TREE HOUSE, AND SOMETHING ABOUT IT MADE IT EVEN MORE EROTIC TO HIM. THEY WERE OUT IN THE OPEN, POTENTIALLY ANYONE COULD SEE THEM, AND THE VOYEURIST IN HIM REVELED IN IT. 'ALI...' HE MOANED AS HER BACK ARCHED, AND HE KNEW HE HAD HER. THAT WAS THE MOMENT HE LET HIMSELF GO, COLLAPSING ON TOP OF HER, HIS FACE BURIED IN HER GOLDEN HAIR, HIS BODY STICKING TO HERS AS THEY LAY THERE.

FINALLY, HE'D ROLLED OFF OF HER, LEANING HIS HEAD ON HIS ELBOW AND RUNNING HIS FINGERS DOWN HER BARE STOMACH AND UP AGAIN TO TRACE HER NECK BENEATH HER JAW. LEANING OVER, HE KISSED HER UNDER HER EAR AND THEN ON HER FULL LIPS, SMILING AT HER. 'ALI... I LOVE YOU.' IT WASN'T THE FIRST TIME HE'D SAID THOSE WORDS, AND IT WOULDN'T BE HIS LAST. HE WANTED TO SAY THEM TO HER EVERY DAY UNTIL HE DIED. IF HE'D ONLY KNOWN HOW BADLY HE WAS GOING TO SCREW UP THEIR LIVES...

TURNING BACK TO FACE HER, HIS EYES SHINING IN THE DARKNESS OF THE PARK, HE DROPPED HIS JACKET AND SHIRT TO THE GROUND AND OPENED HIS PALMS UPWARD IN A SURRENDER GESTURE AS HE SHRUGGED HIS BROAD, MUSCULAR SHOULDERS. "I LOVE YOU," HE STATED PLAINLY, SHAKING HIS HEAD AND SNORTING AT HIMSELF. "I LOVE YOU, ALI. THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY. SO YOU CAN HATE ME IF YOU WANT TO, BUT IT'S TRUE. FROM THE MOMENT I FIRST TOLD YOU IN THE TREE HOUSE UNTIL TODAY, ALL I'VE EVER DONE WAS LOVE YOU." HE SIGHED AND PLANTED HIS HANDS ON HIS HIPS, LOOKING DOWN AT THE GROUND AS HE CONTINUED HIS RANT. SHE WOULD HATE HIM AFTER HE WAS DONE, BUT HE HAD TO SAY IT. HE COULDN'T LIE TO HER AFTER HE'D PROMISED HER A NEW START. "I LOVED YOU THE MOMENT YOU HANDED ME YOUR DAMN CAMERA AND ASKED ME TO TAKE THAT PICTURE OF YOU AND MADISON AND YOUR FRIENDS. I LOVED YOU WHEN I WAS IN ENGLAND, TOO FRIGHTENED AND TOO MUCH OF AN ASS TO ADMIT DEFEAT. I LOVED YOU THE NIGHT YOU LEFT ME, AND DAMN IT, I LOVED YOU AFTER YOU WERE GONE."

LOOKING UP AT HER, HIS SHOULDERS SLUMPING SLIGHTLY AS HE TOOK A DEEP BREATH AND RELEASED IT. "YOU HATE ME, AND I DON'T BLAME YOU, BUT I DON'T JUST WANT YOU TO GET BACK WHAT WE HAD. I DON'T WANT WHAT WE HAD," HE ADMITTED, STEPPING TOWARD HER AND TAKING HER FACE IN HIS HANDS. "I WANT MORE THAN THAT. I WANT TO GIVE YOU MORE THAN THAT." HE RELEASED HER AND STEPPED BACK TO GIVE HER SOME DISTANCE. "BUT IF YOU DON'T WANT THAT, I UNDERSTAND. MAYBE YOU NEED SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING UNTARNISHED BY MEMORIES OF THE PAST."

allison. 1206. clothes. wow i totally had no intention of making you wait. i am a horrible friend xD.

[steph]

enough words lol

---

Biting her lower lip, Allison walked down the aisles of the pharmacy, procrastinating and buying herself some time. So what if she missed her period? It wasn't the end of the world. She'd get it next week or maybe even tomorrow and she'd be fine. They would be fine. It was why she hadn't told him about it. No need for alarm just yet. Reaching the correct aisle for the uptenth time, she took a deep breathe, reached out, and grabbed three different pregnancy tests before making the walk of shame to the counter. Thankfully, just some old lady was working. Putting down the lightweight boxes, she pulled out her wallet from her back pocket (she always did hate carrying purses around-so annoying) and gave the woman the necessary change. She could see the judgment written in her features as Allison's trembling hands grabbed the black bag and then nearly raced out of there and ran so fast to her house and into the bathroom, it could have beaten a world record. But five minutes later, after checking every single test over and over again...every single little plus sign and pink strip made her want to disappear under the covers and never come out. Crumbling into a heap on the bathroom rug, she put her hands over her mouth to keep herself from crying. It wasn't the fact that she was pregnant because she knew, from the beginning, that she wouldn't get an abortion. It was how disappointed her parents would be in her, and it was the fear of how Noah and his parents would react. She had this horrible gut feeling they'd all want her to get rid of it and for the life of her she couldn't. It was a life, regardless of who created it, and all the emotions; anger, frustration, disappointment, regret, shame, guilt, pain, all rushed into her system and made her sick to her stomach. It made her eyes swell up so she was crying waterfalls silently and it was then that Johnny opened the door to the bathroom, since no one was home and she'd forgotten to lock it. He'd seen her there, crying quietly and after his eyes went between the tons of tests in the sink to Allison on the floor, they widened and she could see the shock that someone like Ali would end up pregnant. Someone who always got very good grades to the point of being a nerd, someone who was on the track and soccer teams, someone who had absolutely everything going for her in the future: soccer and track scholarships to out of state universities, scouts, everything wanting her to go to their schools and represent them...all down the drain because she couldn't control her hormones and because she'd been stupid, young, naive, and hopelessly in love with someone Johnny didn't even like...

And despite the disappointment Ali saw in her older brother's eyes, he had sat down on the floor next to her, pulled her into a hug, told her he loved her, and that everything would be okay.

But it hadn't been. From that day on, everything just went from bad to worse. The only moments of true happiness she'd experienced was when little Johnny was born. He had brought her sunshine back-reminded her that even if Noah didn't love her anymore-she still had a part of him in their son that would always love her unconditionally. When he died, it was like she lost both of them at the same time. She didn't have the only person she could rely on to always be around, to always make her smile...It was why it had been so easy to pack her bags and leave Noah. She already said goodbye to him with Johnny flatlined.

So as she stood there, holding her dress up and watching Noah walk away, she didn't expect him to turn around. She had turned her back on him and now he was turning his back on her. But the words spilled out of his mouth like word vomit and all she could do was stand there, thankful the darkness of the tree hid her face so he wouldn't see the shock that played itself out in her pale blue orbs. She let him rant on, let him finish, and once he did, she continued to remain silent-not entirely sure what to say and deciding it would just come out naturally, "I don't hate you," she said quietly, "And I never wanted anyone new either," both statements were true, "I wanted to hate you, though...and I tried to-for a very long time," since they were married she'd been trying to hate him but she couldn't she just couldn't. Every fiber of her being belonged to him and she couldn't just replace the owner when there was a contract giving him the rights for as long as she was alive, "I just...I miss you," she bit her lower lip a bit, "I've been missing you," she missed him while they were married and she missed him at work when he found her. She missed him at the beach, at the party, in the truck. But now-she didn't have to miss him, "And I'm glad you're back," she smiled a bit, though she could feel tears, though of what she couldn't tell, brimming on the edges of her lower eyelids, "I loved you in the tree house," she took her time walking over to him, mostly because she didn't have any shoes on and so her dress was dragging a bit, "I loved you when you said I do," she smiled a bit, trying to stifle her girlish giddiness, "I loved you when Johnny was born," and though his name and memories made her heart ache, she knew they both needed to face it: they both messed up while raising their son. He'd been absent and she hadn't been able to save him, "I loved you when you were unfaithful," she didn't falter as she said it-saying it outloud that even when he made mistakes, she still adored him, "I loved you when you punched my brother," she laughed a bit, "and I loved you when you signed the divorce papers...which I put on hold for the processing," she said quietly as she finally reached him and looked up at him. She had sent it in to her lawyer but had asked him to hold on on finalizing it.

"I still love you. Forever and Always." and with that, she let go of her dress to jump up and wrap her legs around his waist with a huge smile on her face before locking her lips deeply onto his.

Yeah, it was sappy...

No-fuck sappy.

It was Ali and Noah.

[flynn kavanagh]

USE SOMEBODY.

WHEN HIS CONFESSIONS SPILLED OUT LIKE WORD PUKE, HE HONESTLY THOUGHT SHE WAS GOING TO HATE HIM. ALTHOUGH SEX HAD NEVER BEEN JUST 'SEX' BETWEEN THEM - IT HAD ALWAYS BEEN SOMETHING FAR MORE MEANINGFUL THAN JUST GETTING THAT ECSTASY - MAYBE IT WAS FOR HER NOW? MAYBE HE WAS THE ONLY GUY SHE FELT COMFORTABLE FUCKING, AND NOW THAT SHE WAS OFFICIALLY FREE AND HE'D SIGNED THE PAPERS, PERHAPS HE WAS JUST HER JUMPING OFF POINT INTO THE WORLD OF SLEEPING AROUND. HELL, HE'D BEEN THERE. HE'D HAD THE POINTLESS ONE NIGHT STANDS, AND HE'D HATED HIMSELF IN THE MORNING. MAYBE ALLISON NEEDED TO GO THROUGH THAT TOO BEFORE SHE COULD LOVE HIM AGAIN. OR MAYBE SHE WAS JUST USING HIM: NOT THAT HE COULD BLAME HER. HE DESERVED TO BE USED AFTER EVERYTHING HE'D PUT THEM BOTH THROUGH: DESERTING HER AND JOHNNY WHEN THEY'D NEEDED HIM MOST. INWARDLY, HE WAS ASHAMED OF HIMSELF, AND HE WAS FINALLY FACING IT. SO WHATEVER SHE HAD TO SAY, HE WOULD ACCEPT IT ONCE AND FOR ALL, AND IF THAT MEANT SHE HATED HIM, THEN SO BE IT. FINALLY, NOAH WANTED HER TO BE HAPPY WHETHER THAT INCLUDED HIM IN HER LIFE OR NOT.

WHEN HER SMALL VOICE CUT THROUGH THE AIR THAT SEEMED SO THICK FOLLOWING HIS CONFESSION, HE WAS SURPRISED SHE ADMITTED SHE DIDN'T HATE HIM. SHE'D MISSED HIM AS BADLY AS HE'D MISSED HER, AND THE RELIEF WASHED OVER HIM AS HE STOOD, SILENTLY, WATCHING HER BEAUTIFUL FACE AS SHE CONFESSED HER OWN FEELINGS. WHEN SHE MENTIONED THINGS IN THEIR LIFE - THE TREE HOUSE, THEIR WEDDING, THE BIRTH OF THEIR SON - NOAH SMILED A SMALL SMILE, FEELING THE EMOTIONS FROM THOSE EVENTS WASHING OVER HIM. HE COULD FEEL THE HEAT OF HER SKIN AND THE WAY HER BODY FELT ON AND AROUND HIM IN THE TREE HOUSE. HE COULD SEE HER GLOWING FACE AND HER BABY BUMP AS SHE LOOKED UP AT HIM AT THEIR WEDDING WHERE HALF OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK CLUSTERED IN A GINORMOUS CHURCH AND LISTENED INTENTLY AS THEY SPOKE THEIR VOWS. AND HE COULD HEAR THEIR BABY SON CRYING AS HE CAME INTO THE WORLD, COULD FEEL ALI'S HAND CLENCHING HIS TIGHTLY, AND COULD SEE THE TEARS ON HER CHEEKS AND IN HER EYES AS SHE LOOKED AT HIM AND WHISPERED, 'WE HAVE A SON!' WHEN SHE ADMITTED SHE LOVED HIM WHEN HE'D PUNCHED JOHN, HE RAISED HIS EYEBROWS AND SHRUGGED SLIGHTLY. HE'D DESERVED IT. HER BROTHER JOHNNY HAD NEVER BEEN NOAH'S BIGGEST FAN BY ANY MEANS, AND NOAH HAD NEVER LIKED HIM MUCH EITHER. BUT THEY'D PUT UP WITH ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE THEY BOTH LOVED ALLISON.

SHE CONCLUDED BY ADMITTING SHE HADN'T SUBMITTED THE DIVORCE PAPERS AND, THEREFORE, THEY WERE STILL MARRIED AND HAD BEEN THIS WHOLE TIME. HIS EYES WIDENED BRIEFLY, BUT AS ALWAYS, HIS FULL EMOTIONS DIDN'T SHOW ON HIS FACE. SHE WAS RIGHT AGAINST HIM NOW, LOOKING UP AT HIM WITH HER DRESS CLUTCHED IN HER HANDS AND A SMILE ON HER FACE. SUDDENLY, SHE JUMPED AND WRAPPED HER LEGS AROUND HIM, AND HE CAUGHT HER UNDER HER HIPS, HER SKIN MELDING WITH HIS BARE CHEST AS THEY CAME IN CONTACT. SHE LEANED FORWARD AND KISSED HIM PASSIONATELY, AND HE RETURNED THE KISS AS HE PULLED HER AGAINST HIS CHEST. HE KISSED HER UNTIL HE THOUGHT HIS HEAD WOULD EXPLODE FROM LACK OF AIR, AND ONLY THEN DID HE PULL AWAY TO LOOK INTO HER EYES. SHE WAS STILL AS LIGHTWEIGHT AS ALWAYS, SO HE HAD LITTLE TROUBLE HOLDING HER UP WITH HER LEGS WRAPPED AROUND HIM.

"EVEN THOUGH WE'RE STILL OFFICIALLY MARRIED, I MEANT WHAT I TOLD YOU A COUPLE WEEKS AGO," HE COMMENTED, LEANING HIS FOREHEAD AGAINST HERS, "I STILL WANT TO WIN YOU BACK COMPLETELY. I DON'T WANT US TO BE THE WAY WE WERE THEN. I WANT US TO BE A NEWER, BETTER VERSION OF OURSELVES." HE GENTLY LOWERED HER, SETTING HER FEET ON THE GRASS AND THEN URGING HER TO LAY BACK IN THE GRASS AS HE HOVERED OVER HER WITH A SMILE ON HIS FACE. "BESIDES I HAVE A FEW THINGS I NEED TO SHOW YOU." HE CHUCKLED MISCHIEVOUSLY AND KISSED HER, ROLLING WITH HER IN THE GRASS. BEING MARRIED DIDN'T LESSEN THE MAGIC OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP, HE JUST DIDN'T WANT IT TO BE LIKE IT WAS BEFORE. HE WANTED THAT PASSION BETWEEN THEM TO COME BACK. HE WANTED TO FEEL THE 'DANGER' THEY'D ALWAYS MANAGED TO FEEL WHEN THEY WERE YOUNGER. NO MORE WOULD HE SETTLE FOR SECOND BEST WITH HER. HE WANTED HER TO HAVE ALL OF HIM, AND THE BEST OF HIM.

allison. 775. clothes. rawr.