Beating the Odds [Chapter Five, Part Two]

Chapter Five [Ryan]1

It's morning already...annoyed by the light peering through the window, I turn on my side and wrap an arm around her, my eyes still shut. I honestly didn't feel like waking up at the moment. Still half asleep, my senses were blurred and I moved slightly in order to get comfortable. Realizing I wasn't getting back to sleep, I open my eyes and look at her. She stares back at me and I give her a smile after wiping my eyes of the leftover sleep. 2

"Morning beautiful," I quietly greeted, kissing her softly. 3

She gives me a smile in return and I roll over onto my back. Gently I caressed her stomach, not realizing right away that I once again had a...problem. 4

Without a word, I rushed back into the bathroom. There's no chance she wouldn't have seen it this time, and I push the embarrassment out of my head, now just hoping she didn't think I was some pervert and that possibly, if she was somewhat impressed. What guy doesn't want his girl to like what he's packing? 5

I waited until it died down and then returned to the room where she was already dressed and now putting on her boots. Attempting to pay no mind, I come to my dresser and drop my pajamas (don't worry, I'm wearing boxers, remember?), and unfold one of my few pairs of jeans I had.6

Just out of curiosity, I turn to look at her and find her blushing. I took that as a compliment and smiled. 7

"You blushin' over there Taryn?" I sarcastically add. 8

She playfully sticks her tongue out and smiles back at me. So maybe she did like it after all? I slowly make my way to her and lean down to kiss her, running my lips along her neck as my kisses continue. 9

I then lead myself back up to her ear and say, "it's ok to look, Tar," at a low whisper. 10

Her smile gets bigger and just when something possibly could have happened, Caleb knocks on the door. 11

"Everyone decent?" he asks from the other side. 12

"Yeah, come on in dude," I answer, and when he does he gets a disgusted look on his face and covers his eyes. 13

"Aw, c'mon dude, no one wants to see that, put some pants on!" he yells.14

With a brief laugh I slip my jeans on. He shakes his head and grins. 15

"Breakfast's ready if you guys want some. Bacon and eggs. Dave just got here, and he's ready to start rockin' out. After we eat we can work on a few tunes and shit," he explains.16

"Well, Shane's got a song. He's been working on it for awhile, why not try it out for the Battle of the Bands? I've already heard it, it's great," Taryn suggests after I inform Caleb of me and Taryn's plans for later. 17

"I'm definitely gonna want to hear it...after breakfast that is, I'm fucking starving," he replies, retreating immediately to the kitchen. 18

Since I was just as hungry, I trailed right after him, and Taryn followed close behind. The first thing I notice is a small, emo looking dude sitting at the table with Jessica. That must’ve been David. I haven't seen him since he was a kid. He's seventeen now. 19

"Now that we're all here, David, meet Shane and Taryn. I don't know if you remember Shane, but you two did meet once. Taryn's his girlfriend, they're gonna be staying with us for a bit," Caleb explains, sitting down to eat. 20

"Oh, so they can stay here, but you leave me to rot at Ma's?" David jokes, poking at his bacon. 21

"Cry about it you little homo, you know I can't stand being around you twenty-four seven," Caleb replies, flicking some egg at him. 22

"Hey now, I'm the one who'll get stuck cleaning these chunks of food up, cut it out you two," Jess says with a grin as David pulls the bit of egg out of his hair.23

Me and Taryn grab our plates of food and take a seat at the table. As the women talk a little, us dudes bring up the exciting event we were dying for to arrive. 24

"So David, you play drums, eh?" I ask, taking a bite of both egg and bacon at once. 25

"Yeah, I'm alright, I guess." he says with his head down, still not eating a thing. 26

"You better change your attitude kid, you ain't gonna get anywhere acting like that. I said you play drums, eh?" I repeat. 27

He looks up at me. 28

"Yeah I do, kick ass at it too," he re-answers. 29

"Now you're too cocky," I add, taking another bite. A confused expression forms on his face and Caleb laughs at him. 30

"He's just fuckin' with you dude, you be you, nothing else," he reassures his brother. 31

"Yeah, and if you do everything you're told to do, just because you're told to do it, then you got a lot of work to do. This is suppose to be an all-man band," I tell him. 32

He nods and picks up his first bite of food. Caleb leans closer to me for a minute. 33

"Yeah, he might have some personality to work on, but he can beat the drums like an abusive dude would his kinky bitch with an obsessive fetish for pain," he tells me, sipping some orange juice. With a brief laugh, I finish the bit of food on my plate.34

"We're going to need a name if we wanna enter this thing. Anybody? Any ideas?" Caleb starts. 35

"Well, we're a metal band so no pussy shit," I reply. 36

We all three ponder a minute before the girls join in. 37

"A name? For the band? Hmm..." Jess begins, turning to Taryn. 38

"Something dark...mysterious," Taryn adds. 39

"Like an evil intentions kinda thing?" David asks. 40

"Intent, put that somewhere in there," Jess suggests, "not evil though, that's so cliché."41

"Something else that means evil...tainted? Disturbed....impure?" Taryn provides. 42

"Oooh, double I's, I like that." Caleb says. 43

"‘Course you do you egotistical bastard," I tease. 44

He laughs and points at me. 45

"It's my actions that gave you a place to stay you dickless hobo," he replies playfully. 46

We get up to wrestle for a minute like we always used to do, but the girls called us fuckin’ nerds and told us to sit down, and eventually we did.47

"You just wait till later," I tell him. 48

"Bring it bro, I'm ready for it. I been workin' out," he remarks, thrusting sexually behind Jess's chair, which earns him a well deserved, playful smack from her. 49

Once everyone's done eating, we confirm that the band's name will be "Impure Intent", and Taryn helps Jess bring the dishes back into the kitchen. 50

"C'mon dude," Caleb says, leading me and David to the garage to set up for some band practice. 51

It's decent enough of a place to work on our music. Hell, it has a fridge, a couch, what else do you need besides the equipment and your girlfriends?52

Taryn comes into watch, sitting on some overturned bucket instead of the couch, God knows why. Caleb quickly made his way to the light switch and flipped it on. There were Christmas lights lining the ceiling. He was probably planning on being lazy in December, so he prepared early. 53

"A little redneck...don't you think Caleb?" David says, taking his place in front of his drum set. 54

"Shut it bro, be glad I even let you in my band. You should be honored," he replies, smirking and picking up his beloved Fender. 55

Taking my acoustic from its case, I plug it into the amp and do my best to tune it. It still wasn’t going to sound exactly like an electric, not even close to be honest, but for now a guitar's a guitar. 56

"Let's hear it dude. We're gonna need something for the battle, and it's a lot easier than coming up with the rest of our fragmented songs," he says, plugging in his electric. 57

I think for a moment, playing the lyrics in my head.58

"If you insist," I finally reply, winking at Taryn because I know she enjoys this song. 59

The way I sing it to her isn’t exactly the tones I intend for the song. That’s her own version I’ve made for her. 60

I take the pick from around my neck and slide it off of the string of my dads old Fender. fitting it firmly between my index finger and thumb. I strum out the beginning intro, and after about 15 seconds, I began the very first verse: 61

Descended angel, 62

Fallen from grace, 63

How could such pain, 64

Be placed on your face, 65

Who could reject, 66

Such a beautiful thing, 67

With features so perfect, 68

Hidden behind shy wings, 69

No peace will you find, in this abstracted mind, all of which I’m bound, tightens with time, each day you linger, an inch from my reach, but I wont subside, until you're finally mine,70

Alone you wander, 71

Lost and confused, 72

Each attempted turn, 73

You're stuck and abused, 74

And here I am, not far behind, 75

Reaching for you, with a face so kind,76

[Chorus #1]
No peace will you find, in this abstracted mind, all of which I’m bound, tightens with time, each day you linger, an inch from my reach, but I wont subside, until you're finally mine,77

All that holds you from rising again, 78

You have my promise, 79

It'll come to an end, 80

So open your wings and give me your hand, 81

It'll be over as quick as it began, 82

[Chorus #2]
No peace will you find, in this abstracted mind, all of which I’m bound, tightens with time, each day you linger, an inch from my reach, but I wont subside, until you're finally mine83

[Chorus #3]
No peace will you find, in this abstracted mind, all of which I’m bound, tightens with time, each day you linger, an inch from my reach, but I wont subside, until you're finally mine84

But I won’t subside, until you’re finally mine,85

But I won’t subside, until you’re finally mine86

87

With another hit of the chorus, I took a breath and repeated the last two lines as the song came to a close. The song finished with a soft melodic outro. 88

After I was finished, I told Caleb and David to get into position and start producing a bass line and drum beat. 89

"Is there gonna be any...you know...screaming in this song?" Caleb asked, excitedly.90

"Good question...ok, this is what we're gonna do. I want them to think it's a hardcore song at first, so David, you're after the beginning guitar intro. We're gonna fluctuate, got it? I’ll start the intro soft and I’ll play a little harder as Dave comes in with the drum solo before any singing's done. Caleb, you start bass at the end of his solo and Dave, you cool it on the drums until the chorus. Me and Caleb will play a sec before I start the first verbal note. We'll be soft again at this point, and after verse one, we'll start up hard again. Screaming the first two lines of the chorus. I’ll have line one, Caleb, you have line two, and I’ll do three and four normal tone. Then you have line five, I have six, and seven and eight are at normal again. Verse two follows the idea of verse one, the chorus happens again, and then verse three has four lines. I’ll sing one and three, and Caleb, you’re screamin’ again in two and four. Then the chorus again," I explain, taking a breath.91

They both stare at me like i shot myself in the face. 92

"That's the most you've ever spoken in your life dude," Caleb says with an amused laugh. 93

"Did you get all of that? ‘Cause I’m not repeating myself," I told him. 94

Caleb nods and David just goes along with it since his part of the whole thing was simple.95

"Okay, the guitar solo comes in after verse two. Let’s get to work," I ordered. 96

We wound up practicing for a couple hours, and the girls sat and watched, trying to converse over all the noise.97

When it reaches noon, the song's improved, but it's not perfect. It didn't matter at the moment though, I had plans with Taryn, so the rest of practice was to wait until later. Caleb offered us a ride, but I declined. I knew she enjoyed the walk and the short ride on the bus. 98

Grabbing her coat, I helped her get it on and we started our way to the park. Turns out, the pizza place was actually our first stop. No objection here, I was hungry from practicing and all the head banging and jumping around I was doing. 99

Sitting in our usual booth, we discussed everything about our near future. 100

"So...what do you think I should wear for the gig?" I ask her. 101

"You mean you actually care about what to wear? I thought that was only something ‘us girls' worried about," she teased. 102

"This is completely different Tar, you know that. I don’t wanna look like some homeless hoodlum, that's no way to bag a record deal," I reply with a sarcastic smirk. 103

She thinks for a bit to herself.104

"I think your leather jacket and some jeans would be fine. Maybe a band shirt underneath, and a belt. What should I wear?" she questions. 105

"Honestly, Taryn, you look great in anything. I like that shirt by the way, never seen you wear it before. Very sexy," I compliment with a grin before practically inhaling the rest of my Sprite (I couldn't take another dose of Coke). I was kind of disappointed, they never had Pepsi at Lou’s. 106

She thanks me and says, "it's my Pam Anderson shirt."107

"I can see why. I really like it," I tell her with a sly grin, standing up and helping her out of her seat. 108

After paying, we head to the park and position ourselves on the bench. I once again sing that same song, in the softer version I made just for her. 109

"I can't wait to see you play next Saturday, babe," she comments, kissing me gently. 110

That same fancy dressed dude took a seat in the same spot as when we were last here. It started seeming a little suspicious, but that was before the incident with Mike, so he wasn't a cop, I was sure. 111

Examining the green flier I extracted from my pocket, I read aloud and told her it starts at eight. 112

"You said you know where this Skoonerz bar is, right?" I add. 113

She nods and reminds me that it's across the street from the Mall. Following that, I pack my guitar away and pull her to me, resting my chin on her shoulder. I smile as I remember this morning. 114

"Did I embarrass you this morning?" I asked her. 115

"A little, but I think I can handle it," she says to me.116

"Oh...so you think you can handle me? I don't know about that sweetheart."117

"Is that a challenge Mr. Marks? I always rise to the challenge."118

"Well, continue wearing that shirt, and I might just rise to the challenge too."119

She laughs and says, "you're such a pervert."120

"Just wait, you'll see."121

"I hope so."122

Eventually we made our way back to Caleb's again. It was almost time to start getting ready to practice, and before that, hopefully a course of dinner. 123

Me and the dudes practice for a couple hours once me and Taryn get back from our walk through the park. Caleb teased me a little, saying I was whipped (which, so was he, but he'd never admit it) and David opened up a little and asked me what it was like to be in love.124

There was only one word I could describe it as: Perfect. 125

Taryn's in the kitchen with Jessica, and whatever they're cooking practically has me drooling all over Caleb's garage. As soon as we're aware that dinner's done, we rush to the dining room like starving dogs. What's in front of us as we sit down? Chicken parmesan...no wonder my mouth felt like Niagara falls earlier. 126

"How's the song coming, Shane?" Taryn asks me as she hands me a fork. 127

"It's goin' great babe, ain't perfect yet, but I think if we buckle down like we have been, it will be by the time the battle comes around," I answer, cutting off a piece of chicken and enjoying the first bite. 128

"I think we got a shot, I really do. I went to Skoonerz last night before I got home, and some other band was practicing there. They sounded like a bunch of chicks with PMS. No offense," David added. 129

Both girls made it clear that they weren't offended. 130

"I'm just glad we're finally a real band," Caleb says, "it's nice to have my little brother and my best friend here hanging around and makin' music everyday. Not to mention my woman, and you too, of course, Taryn." he concludes, stuffing his face. 131

A few more hours of practice was squeezed in and after a few joints and beers after the session, we all leave to our beds. Taryn and I are now lying next to one another as we had last night. 132

I could get used to this. 133

Drowsily, we lay there a moment before anything is said. 134

"You worried Tar?" I finally ask, running my thumb lightly over her warm cheek. 135

"Oddly enough, I’m not. I mean...it makes me nervous that the police might be looking for us, but knowing I’m with you, it makes me feel safe...secure," she replies. 136

I’m glad I provide that comfort for her...really glad.137

"I promise I’ll never let anything bad happen to you Taryn," I reassure her, kissing her before our conversation continues. 138

"Does it bother you that I smoke weed with the guys?" I question as it passes my mind.139

"No, you've always smoked, why would it bother me now? Does it bother you that I drink sometimes?" she asks in return. 140

"No, as long as you don't get drunk and naked in public. My eyes only," I joke, biting her neck playfully and holding her close. 141

After a couple minutes, I was so out of it, I didn’t know a damn thing me or her was saying, and eventually I passed out. 142

143


A couple days later, we were again doing some practice, but this time, on some new lyrics we've created. Afterwards, me and Caleb go to the nearest Axe shop to check out all the guitars they were selling. He offered to buy me one to replace my acoustic, but I told him I couldn’t accept it, because I work for what I get. I’ve always been like that.144

"So when u get your first share of the money, what're you gonna buy?" he asks. 145

"Hell...I don’t know dude, I got a lot of shit to worry about, like a vehicle, maybe a home. Taryn’s birthday's this month too." 146

"You gotta have some fun cash man. Not all things people get in life are needs you know, there's things called wants too." 147

"Well, once everything Taryn and I need is settled, I’ll think about it." 148

"There's gotta be something you want." 149

"Nah, I want what I need." 150

"Sheesh, you're lame. Things'll be different once you get that cash in your hands though. You'll have to spend it." 151

"Then I’ll spend it on Taryn." 152

"Oh God, dude, drop the good and righteous act, you need to think of yourself sometimes." 153

"I have practically everything I want already." 154

"You sound like an old priest." 155

"Shut the fuck up man, just 'cause I ain't exactly materialistic doesn't mean shit." 156

Shaking my head with a brief laugh after my last sentence, I look at some of the custom made guitars and picks lined along the wall in the back. Caleb’s expression gets a little more serious as he joins me. 157

"I know you aren’t materialistic dude, but everyone likes getting new shit. I’m just saying, when you get paid your share, don’t feel the need to pay me back, or spend it all on everyone else. Use some on yourself too. Taryn wants you to be happy also, she ain’t here just so you can make her happy," he explains. 158

It's funny how he knows how to dig into my head and help me out of some mental fixes. I’m practically always serious, but lately things are changing, perhaps for the better. With a nod, I turn slowly to the door and we make our way to Skoonerz. 159

It's always good to know the environment of your gig. we still had some time before the big day, so we were making good progress.160

David was already there when we got there. 161

"About time you two showed up, I been sittin' here for an hour now," he complained. 162

"That's cause I told you to be down here at two, dumbass. It's two right now," Caleb replied smacking him in the back of the head. 163

"Hey, it's not my fault, my clock says three," Dave added. 164

"Let's just sign up already, c'mon," I cut in, leading them to the stage manager in the back. 165

He was a short, half bald man, scrawny in stature. Shaking his hand, we explained what we were doing there and asked if there was still a spot open for battle of the bands. 166

"Only if you're better than the pussies who've been practicing here," he answers with a laugh. 167

"Yeah, I’ve heard a group or two, they sound like dying animals," Dave says with a grin.168

"If you want, and if you have spare equipment, we can demonstrate," I offer.169

"No thanks, if I hear any more booming music with this throbbing headache, I'm gonna shoot myself," he replies, "I'm sure just by your attitudes and your voices, that you're a lot better than those losers. Consider yourselves contestants," he finishes, asking us what our bands name was. 170

With a proud smile, we all replied, "Impure Intent." 171

172


Sooner than expected, that big day came up. We left early so we'd be there for sure when it started, while the girls stayed home to get ready. David comes to me and Caleb and hands us shirts he had made for our band. 173

"About time you were of any use," Caleb teased, putting Dave in a headlock. 174

"C'mon...g-get off," David stuttered, trying not to laugh. 175

"Alright ladies, you ready for the turning point of our lives?" I said to them excitedly.176

"Fuck yeah!" Caleb exclaims. 177

David, slightly confused said, "I'm not a lady." 178

With a burst of laughter we pushed him into the dressing room, telling him to get dressed. Slipping the shirt over my head, I pulled my jacket on, and grip the handle to the door of the dressing room, taking a deep breath, and walking out. 179

There she was, right in front of me, waiting patiently for me to meet with her. She's outdone herself...she looks gorgeous. Setting my guitar down, my mouth remains agape as I think of what to say. 180

"Taryn...wow, you look amazing," I compliment, coming closer to her and gripping her delicate hand, lifting it over her head and twirling her around. 181

She was wearing a little black dress with a slit running up her sexy thigh, and heels. I never could understand how they could walk in such things, but who cares? They're hot.182

She's hot. 183

"Thank you, Shane. You look very sexy tonight, by the way. Thought I’d come back to wish you good luck."184

"Who needs luck when you rock as hard as we do?" Caleb says smugly, grinning as he comes to my side. 185

"Here man," he adds, handing me his blue Fender, "use this tonight. If we win, you can keep it. I've got more. Don't argue either, or I'm beating the fuck out of you with it." 186

I think I pretty much threw my morals completely out the window at this point. To actually hold one...a new one (with more than one string might I add), I was speechless.187

My heart's racing as I know the time is coming shortly, and that we'd be on that stage. In front of a real crowd, playing as a real band. The nervousness flowing through every vein, the adrenaline, the trembling...I loved it. 188

Running my fingers along the strings of my new Fender, I replayed the lyrics in my head before setting it down beside me and pulling Taryn onto my lap, kissing my way up the back of her neck. If we win this, that's one huge ass step to making our lives everything we wanted them to be.189

The stage manager comes to inform us that we're up after the band presently onstage. Each time I think I couldn't get any more excited or nervous, it doubles the minute after.190

Transferring my strap from my acoustic to the electric, I ask David to put the acoustic in the trunk of Caleb's car...carefully. Then I slide the strap onto my shoulder and hold Taryn before the ending of the previous song was over. 191

Light-headed and smiling wider that I ever have before, everything seems to slow down as they're dismissed offstage and the emcee prepares to introduce us. 192

Ahead of time, we ordered the people in charge of the lighting to perform a specific combination which would go with the song. Hopefully they get it right. Jess rushes backstage to hug Caleb, one more time before we go on.193

"AND NOW...OUR FINAL BAND...IMPURE INTENT!" the emcee shouts as we make our way to our positions on stage. 194

The curtains are dropped and I stand in front of the mic, wiping the sweat off of the palms and gripping my guitar. More sweat dribbles down the side of my face and I turn to Caleb and David as if to ask, "are you ready?" but no words came out. They just nodded, obviously feeling the same. 195

Regaining my composure with a deep breath, I ordered the curtains to open and began the planned, soft intro. 196

The crowd seemed a little confused...good. 197

I strum gradually harder as David starts a quiet drum roll, also gradually increasing by the second. The lights behind us pulsate in time with the drum beat, just as I had ordered. Caleb enters on his cue and the words seem to crawl up my throat as they reverberate out into the huge bar. 198

The riffs for verse one played smoothly, and once we reached the chorus, David changes the rhythm of the beat and all the excitement from earlier shoots through me as scream the beginning of it, Caleb following with the second stressed line, and then the third and fourth sung at a normal tone. 199

Fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth, all done perfectly. Second verse began, and I sang it as if I was expressing absolutely everything straight to Taryn, my motivation for this song. I could feel a deepening sensation in my chest as I began the second repeat of the chorus. The lights from behind me, beating down on us, almost as hard as the eyes of our spectators who were now participating in head banging and finally realizing, it seemed, that we weren't half bad.200

After the chorus was over, I stomped the front of the stage and let out a scream as I began the solo, coordinating my fingers quickly to the right notes as my hand slid to different positions on the neck. I began head banging with the crowd, as did Caleb and David until the ending note of the solo was strummed. I ran my fingers through my sweat drenched hair to get it out of my face, screaming with Caleb the third verse and chorus, strumming out the end of the song and repeating the last two lines of the chorus, pointing back stage to my beautiful inspiration. 201

Our applause fills me with a dizzying, prideful satisfaction.202

"Impure Intent everyone, give 'em a hand!" the emcee shouts before calling all bands onstage to announce the winner. 203

"We're going to decide who's worthy of this check for five...thousand...dollars!" he adds.204

The first band was presented, and the applause was decent. Second...not so pleasing. Third was by far the best, and fourth the worst. I could practically feel my heart in my throat as he raised his hand above us. 205

"Impure Intent!" he yells as we step nervously forward. 206

The screams and applause are far more than any of us expected. 207

"By popular demand, winners of our Skoonerz Battle of the Bands and five thousand dollars is...Impure Intent!" he finishes. 208

Accepting the check with an awe struck face, the guys behind me wave to the crowd and I take the microphone in hand, placing it close to my trembling jaw. 209

Turnin’ to the curtain with a smile I say, "I wanna thank my girlfriend and my inspiration...Taryn, get out here baby!" I yell with excitement, waving for her to come join me. 210

She does, shaking as bad as I was as Caleb calls Jess onstage also. 211

212

213

A while later...I still can't believe all that's happened in such a short time. 214

"Did you see the way they were about us dude? They fuckin' loved us!" Caleb says. 215

"My God, I was so nervous," David replies, laughing. 216

"It was great..." I say, lost in thought, examining the Fender in my grasp. 217

Caleb offers another round of drinks, but I tell him that me and Taryn were ready to head home and he throws me the keys to his Mustang at me. 218

"Too damn cold to be taking the bus. Just be careful and leave the front door unlocked." he says.219

Taryn and I talked of tonight on the way home and once we arrived, quickly made our way to the bedroom. Worn out from earlier, I took a seat on the bed and pulled off my jacket, unlacing my boots and kicking them off before laying back and trying to get comfortable. 220

"Shane..." she calls from across the room. 221

Lazily I turn my head to her. 222

"You were amazing tonight…" she adds softly as she comes a little closer. 223

She reaches behind her and unzips her dress, letting it fall off of her perfect body, revealing her white lace bra and panties, fitting comfortably around every delicate curve of her body. My eyes grow wide with excitement and I feel my cheeks flush as I force a smile. 224

She grins back and says, "it's ok to look you know."225

As if lured against my will (not that I’d fight it anyway), I lifted myself from the bed and came closer to her, running my hands down her sides as I kiss her firmly, slipping some tongue as she lifts my shirt over my head and drops it to the floor. 226

My fingers climb up her back to where her bra connects and I unhook it, pulling it slowly away from her body and letting it drop as well. I feel that same pulse, just stronger, shoot from my stomach to my groin as I take in the sight of her perfectly round breasts, and her standing before me, letting me remove everything that covers every inch of her skin I hadn't seen before. 227

“You’re so sexy Taryn..." I whisper. 228

Kissing slowly down her neck and exploring every inch of her topless upper half and gripping her breasts gently, caressing them, I lead her to the bed, pushing her down onto it. 229

And I thought the gig made me nervous. 230

I lean slowly over her, propped up on my arms and kiss inch by inch to her ear from her neck, down to her breasts, trailing the tip of my tongue over her nipple. 231

In seconds I had my jeans down, along with my boxers, and I was throbbing violently as I pull down her panties, rubbing her gently with my thumb. The way she gasped just then sent a strong shiver of pleasure down my spine. 232

"Are you sure about this, Taryn?" I question, stopping a moment in case she wasn't quite ready. 233

"I've never wanted anything more in my life...except you. And now that I have you...make love to me," she answers, staring up at me with gorgeous, entrancing eyes. 234

I wanted her so bad...there was a fine line between lust and love, and so I make myself wait long enough to tell her I love her before grasping both of her knees and pushing her legs apart, positioning myself between them. 235

"I love you too Shane," she breathes out, grasping my forearms as I softly kiss up her neck, pushing my way in and feeling the tight inside of her gripping every inch of me as I go deeper. 236

Her loud gasp startled me and immediately I stopped, afraid that I was causing her more pain than pleasure. 237

"Am I hurting you baby,?“ I ask worriedly. 238

"No...you're just...big," she replies with a shy grin and a deep blush. 239

I couldn't help but laugh at that compliment. 240

"Thank you...but if it hurts at all, tell me and I’ll stop."241

With a simple nod, she braces herself on my forearms again and I push gently in and out of her, rocking my hips at a steady pace as I stare into her eyes, kissing her softly. 242

Grunting under my breath, I wrap her legs around me, lace her fingers in mine as I pin them against the bed, and speed up a little. I wanted her to know that this was more to me than just sex.243

She thrusts in rhythm from under me and moans, sending a stronger wave throughout my entire body as I hold back one of my own, clenching my teeth and eyes tight as I contain another moan, breathing heavily against her instead. 244

My God was she tight...245

She sighs my name loudly and squeezes around me from inside, and a moan bursts from my lips as I tense and thrust harder.246

"Do you want me to slow down?" I practically sigh between thrusts, digging my fingers into her hips. 247

She shakes her head slowly. 248

"No...I want you to go faster," she breathes, blushing again. 249

"Whatever you want baby," I reply, pushing as fast as I can while keeping balance and breathing her name once deeply. 250

She rakes her nails down my chest as I lift her legs to my shoulders, pounding into her slower but harder, kissing down her leg and rubbing the front of her, palming her ass and squeezing it hard. 251

"You're amazing Shane!" she yells, whimpering and moaning as I feel the inside of her getting more and more wet by the second. 252

"You're so beautiful Taryn," I reply, taking in every bit of her wide open, sexy body, lying so submissively before me. 253

Leaning my head back, I grunt deep and loud, shoving into her as I feel it slowly building up within me. In short, restrained breaths, I continued, holding it back as long as I could until I knew she was completely satisfied. 254

She nods as if she knew what I was thinking and moans with me as I squeeze her hips, moaning deeper and thrusting as I feel it exit in bursts. 255

She whimpers and let's go simultaneously, scratching lightly down my stomach and arching her back before dropping to the bed, her body pillowed under mine. 256

We're both quivering and gasping for air as I drop beside her and pull her to me, kissing her over and over, and she returned the favor. 257

I couldn't tell when I stopped, I practically kissed her and held her until I eventually passed out. 258

Damn did I love her.259

260