Generations Beyond
Chapter Twelve

Staying busy helped the day fly by, an enjoyable change to some of the preceding days. With Cross’ new car, they could operate on their own timeline. They reported to Penn. Aarons felt free.

They ate breakfast in the dining room. Cross helped himself to corned beef hash, orange juice, toast, and fresh fruit. While Aarons went up the one time, Cross returned to the buffet for second helpings.

Clothes shopping was the next order of business. While on the drive to get them both a new wardrobe, Aarons made her calls to Washington. Both needed documentation for their cover stories for the house and references to call. While Cross continued to portray the Army Captain he was, Aarons became a self-employed contractor working from home.

The mall was the most efficient place to get everything they needed. Three and a half hours after entering the mall, they exited the premises with bags of clothes and other necessities.

Then they went to the jewelry store. Aarons avoided having the salesman touch her hand by telling him she was a germaphobe. The man took the hint and cleaned every ring before giving it to her to put on herself. He allowed her to clean it before handing it back to him with her right hand, which still wore its glove. The fourth ring she tried on proved to be the right size, so she went for it. Cross was much easier. After they found his size, he pointed to a ring in that row and he took it.

Cross slipped his ring on as soon as they walked from the store. With the new documents in a folder and everything in order, they walked in to speak with Mountainside Realty. The realter, Susan Thompson, was more than happy to help the newlyweds. She assisted them with the paperwork. While she was sure she had the perfect home, she needed to run their paperwork before moving forward. Aarons told her they understood and would wait to hear from her.

No sooner than they left than Aarons’ phone rang. It was Susan telling them of their approval. They returned to sign the paperwork to move in as soon as possible. With keys in hand, they returned to the resort to grab their belongings.

“I can’t believe how lucky we are.” She looked out the window as Cross drove away from the resort. Her thumb played with the ring on her left hand.

Cross cut his eyes over toward her. “Somehow, I don’t think it was luck. I mean, the place being available was, but I think nothing else was luck.”

“The house is perfect. Out away from other people, but not too far away. Five bedrooms, four baths is way more than what we need, but I’m not complaining. Hot tub on the back patio, pool in the back yard, area in the basement for workout equipment if we want it, awesome kitchen… your nudge got us in that much faster.”

He nodded for each of the items checked off the list. “Speak for yourself on the bathrooms there, missy. I’m looking forward to a private shower.” He smirked. “I’ll tell you this, I’m getting me some hot tub time tonight.” Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ (ꜰind)ɴʘvel.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

“The thought of being somewhere and someone not looming over me, watching my every move… I can’t put it into words. Penn has someone watching me from a distance at all times,” she chuckled.

Cross followed the Navigations system’s directions, turn after turn, as they headed somewhat into the middle of nowhere. “You’re my wife now. Ain’t no one watching you but me.”

Aarons laughed, “Right, I’ll remember that.” She gave him an exaggerated wink at the end.

The navigation system announce that they arrived. “Guess this is the place.” Cross parked and turned off the engine before he looked at her. “Want me to carry you across the threshold?”

“Sure, why not?” The sun began to set, but she noticed the owners of the house had taken great care and pride in the landscaping. Flowers dotted the base of the trees in the front of the yard.

With her briefcase in her left hand, Aarons walked up the sidewalk to the front door. She reached into her right front jean pocket and retrieved her copy of the house key. She looked at Cross for a moment before sliding the key in the deadbolt lock, twisting her wrist, and pushing the door open.

Cross scooped her up from behind and cradled her against his chest. “Mrs. Cross,” he looked at her in his arms, “welcome home.” Her free arm went around the back of his neck. He stepped across the threshold and into the house and kicked the door shut with his heel. And it went dark. “So, light. Somewhere.”

She brought the briefcase to her body and left it laying there as it freed her hand. “Move to the left, there’s a wall, should be a switch,” she said, trying to feel for something. As soon as he moved them both over, her hand found the switch and the lights came on.

“Thank you.” He carried her forward and to the right where the foyer opened into the living room that gave way to the dining room and kitchen. “Rather nice place we scored.” He turned and looked at her across the half-wall between kitchen and living room at her.

Aarons grabbed the case so it wouldn’t fall. She put it on the couch and took two steps. “Not bad for our first place together, huh?” she turned twice, ending so she looked into the dining room and stared at the eight person table there.

“Not too shabby.” Cross hopped on the counter to sit as he watched her stare at the dining room table. “That’s call a table. People sit at it and eat meals.”

She frowned. “I know that. I was thinking we won’t need all these seats.” Her eyes narrowed before she looked at the remote in his hand. “Should we move in?”

“You relax, darlin’,” he smiled and hopped down. “I’ll get it. You go pick the bedrooms we’ll use.” He opened a door off the kitchen and disappeared into the garage. “Shouldn’t take me long. Two trips.” He clicked the button in his hand and the door sprang to life.

While she walked down the hall from one bedroom to the next, she heard the car’s engine rumble to life, and then shut off a few seconds later. Aarons smiled and shook her head, inspecting the other rooms before returning to the living room area.

Cross brought in all their items from the car and stacked them in a compact cube the size of a pallet. He drank water from one of their glasses. When he saw her coming, he put the glass down and leaned on the counter. “Figure everything out?”

“Sort of, but there’s something we need to discuss.” She stopped next to him by the counter. “It’s easy to decide on which will be the office, and which one will be unused. The other two are a toss-up. But, who gets the master suite?” she raised a brow.

“Well,” he came toward her at a casual pace. “We have three options.” He smiled and stopped a few feet away. “Option one, we fight for it. Option two, you give it to me, because I’ll win in a fight. Option three, I give it to you.”

“I think you’re missing the big picture, Love Cuddle,” she moved closer to him, so close that their bodies touched. “Have you kept track of how much I’ve spent on you the last four days?” she looked at him with a grin on her face.

“You haven’t spent a dime,” he looped an arm around her waist and pulled her tight against him. “The government has spent a metric shit-ton of money on me. So, your argument is invalid.”

“True,” she lowered her gaze to the middle of his chest where she drew little circles with her finger before she looked at him. “But, none of that money would have been spent without me. Also,” she smiled even wider, “I let you marry me before Tuesday.”

Cross laughed before he picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder. “You know what, missy?” He walked down the hallway toward the bedrooms. “I’ll put you in whatever bed I feel like, and you’ll like it.”

Aarons laughed. “You can put me anywhere you want to, Cross. It doesn’t mean I’ll stay there. That whole ‘yada and obey’ is a line of crap.” She managed through bits of laughter.

He made his way to the master suite and flipped her from his shoulder onto the bed. “I choose this bed for you.”

“Wow,” she looked at him. “I think I can give you a visitors pass from time to time, because you’ve got to try this bed.”

“My bed will be nice enough. I won’t need yours.” He smiled and pushed off the mattress to stand at the edge of the bed. “This place is big enough that you can have your own space. Don’t think I haven’t noticed that you’ve had zero alone time since me.”

She shrugged from her spot on her back. “The same could be said about you. You’re probably sick of being around me by now.”

“Uh, you’re smart, funny, and beautiful. Why would I need a break from that?” He shook his head and flopped on the bed beside her. “All the alone time I need takes about fifteen minutes a day, anyway.”

She rolled onto her stomach and scooted next to him. “I don’t know, but I haven’t been around people for long periods of time, not like you and I have been.”

“Well,” he glanced at her face. “Better get used to it. We’re married now.” He stretched and put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes.

“Cross?” she asked his name in a question as she looked at his face.

“Yeah, Aarons?” he cracked open an eye to look at her.

“We need to sweep the house, and I need to talk to you.” Her eyes stayed on his face, but a crease formed between her brows.

“You start here,” he said. “I already checked the garage, kitchen, and dining room, but I’ll start in the living room.” He smiled and rolled off the bed and headed off.

“Don’t forget we have a basement now, too,” she called after him as she moved off the bed. Aarons started in the bedroom and moved through the rest of the rooms and bathrooms on the main floor.

Both of them knew what they were looking for. It took twenty minutes to finish their sweep and meet in the living room. Aarons walked to where Cross stood and leaned against the arm of the couch.

“Remember how I told you I kept you hidden from Penn?” She looked more at the center of his chest than in the eyes.

“Yeah,” he said, taking a seat in an over-sized chair.

“Well, it’s more complicated than that,” she said, eyes still averted. “The first night we met, before dinner, he told me to test you. If you passed, I was to bring you for immediate lab testing and if you failed, I was to eliminate you,” she swallowed hard.

He sat quiet for a few heartbeats before he laughed, first softly, then louder as time went on. “So, here’s the thing.” The laughter died. He bit his lip and looked at her. “Either of those options would have ended poor-”

“Cross,” she interrupted him. “I know you think it’s impossible to happen to you. But, you don’t know what I can do. I’ve done this before. You know what my touch feels like. I hold on a little longer, people pass out. If I hold too long, people overdose. That night, you would have been out. Now, let me finish.” She looked him in the eyes with a seriousness she hadn’t shown before.

He gestured for her to continue.

“After dinner, after you left my room, I called Penn to report whether or not you passed. I told him you failed.” She closed her eyes and shook her head. “But, before he asked me if I’d terminated you, I explained that I needed you as an asset. He told me to keep you in the dark and if you found out, kill you. As far as Penn knows, you know nothing.” She opened her eyes and looked at him. “I spoke to him yesterday, after the base, to give my report. He’s suspicious of my reasons for having you as my partner. But,” she said, her eyes getting misty, “I couldn’t let them take you to the lab. I still can’t… and he’ll kill me for lying.”

“Done?” He asked. She nodded. He stood and walked toward her with a stoic face. “I’m presented with two choices in this moment, Aarons.” He looked at her, studied her. “I can assume our relationship as partners is genuine, and the trust we’ve shown each other is true. Or I can assume you have been lying, and you’re still lying now.” He circled her, the first step slow, but then quickly as his arms wrapped around her. He held her, gently squeezing. “I’m going to go with the first choice. So if they want you dead, they’ll have to go through me.”

He turned her in his arms and tilted her against his chest. “You’re not going to a lab. I’m not going to a lab.” He gave her a warm hug. “If they suspect, let them come. I still have a few strings to pull.”

She surprised herself by not tense at all when he grabbed her. Her hands moveing to rest on his hips. A few tears escaped her lashes before she lifted her head from his chest and looked at the wet spot they left on his shirt. She looked at him. “You might want to change shirts.”

He looked at the spot and unbuttoned his shirt. He took a half step to put enough space between them to finish the buttons and take it off. “You all right,” he asked, tossing the shirt aside, “or do you need another hug?”

“Are you trying to get me in your arms?” She wiped her eyes.

“You get used to it,” he smiled, “it’s not a hard thing.”

Aarons’ eyes looked at the clock on the wall and to him. “We didn’t get any food for the house. Did you look in the fridge?”

“Yeah, checked the fridge.” He glanced at the kitchen. “Nothing there. But we might luck out on some kind of delivery until we can get food.” He went toward the kitchen, “I found a phone book.” He checked a few drawers before he came up with a thick yellow pages.

“Check the other drawers for menus,” she suggested.

He opened drawers. “Here.” He pulled out a single, solitary menu. “Thai.” He looked it over and looked at her. “You like Thai?”

“It’s been a while, but why not? Tell me what sounds good.” She reached for her phone.

He tossed it on the counter to her. “Mu Thaud,” he headed toward the French doors that lead to the patio.

Aarons called the number on the menu and tried for several minutes to place the order. After eight minutes, she was able to order Cross’s Mu Thaud and her Coconut Soup with a delivery time of an hour.

“We have an hour to kill. What do you want to do?”

Cross stood by an uncovered hot tub. “Uh, hot tub. Hello.” He tested the water temperature with a satisfied sigh. “Hot tub,” he continued to fiddle with the controls.

“All right,” she said with a smile on her face, “I’ll go get my suit.” She turned and went in the house and dug through the mountain of belongings. She found her overnight bag from the resort and walked into the master bedroom.

Five minutes later, she walked to the patio and closed the door. She noticed Cross already in the tub. “You must have found yours faster than me,” she walked in front of him and took a seat to his left side.

He looked at her when he heard her coming, and got a half a shade paler when he saw her in the swimsuit. He stretched his arms along the edge of the hot tub and looked straight ahead and nodded. “Uh, yeah,” he glanced over. “Yeah. Something like that. Uh, Aarons?” he asked with a semi-scrunched face.

She already sank in the water to her chin, hands under her thighs, eyes closed and enjoying the hot water when she heard him say her name. “Yes, Cross?”

He drew in a slow breath and looked at her head. “So, you see. I’m not wearing my suit.”

Her foot kicked to the other side of the tub, pushing her to a seated position as her eyes flew open. “You’re what?” She looked at him, eyes on his face.

“Not wearing my suit?” He sat there, nude, looking at her in her suit. “I’m naked,” he offered a nervous grin.

“I’m going to… yeah… leave you to it.” She turned and stepped out of the tub. The hem of the shorts slipped higher than she intended them to go. Thin, parallel lines ran across her upper thigh. Some silvered with age, others pink, one or two an angry red. As she took a step toward the door, the unconscious effort of pulling the shorts down took over and she opened the door and went in the house without another word.

He opened his mouth to stop her, tell her to come back, but the sight of those scars quieted him. Cross frowned and settled into the hot water and chewed on this new piece of the Christina Aarons puzzle. He stayed there for a minute before he got up, grabbed the towel he brought, and headed inside after her. He didn’t get the towel wrapped around his waist until half-way through the living room, “Aarons,” he called, as he neared her door. “Aarons, I’m coming in.” He opened the door and walked in without waiting for her consent.

She had taken her swimsuit off and dried off with a towel. She looked at him with wide eyes as she quickly got the towel wrapped around her before he walked right on in. “The hell, Cross?” She asked as she walked from the bathroom.

He crossed the gap between them with long strides and grabbed a handful of her towel. “Why?” His eyes and voice held something wasn’t there before. Concern? Worry? “I saw your legs. Why?”

She clinched the towel to her body. “The towel? Because I’m wet.” She stared at him. “What do you mean?”

“Aarons,” he started, “the scars. I saw them when you got out of the hot tub.”

Her look softened and she shook her head. After a few heartbeats she said, “I told you I didn’t want to get a swimsuit.” It wasn’t an answer, it wasn’t a confession. It was a statement.

He let go of the grip on her towel and took a half step. “There’s nothing left to hide.” Cross twisted his own towel to have both hands free. “Talk.”

She walked to the bed. One corner of the towel tucked under her arm so it wouldn’t fall away.

“I’m a monster,” she said. “They’ve used me to get to people they wanted information from. I get close to men, close enough to touch them, seduce them. I get information from them, about them, about their country.” Her eyes remained locked on the floor.

“After the first few times, I would go to my apartment and be sick. I couldn’t look at myself in the mirror. The few times turned into multiple times. I lost count.” Aarons looked at him. “I’ve spent so long mindraping people for them, I need to make sure I still felt something.”

He stood there listening to her, absorbing, digesting, understanding. Cross walked toward her. “I get it,” he said. “You’re not a monster, Aarons, and you don’t need to feel pain to feel.” He sat next to her and put his hand on her leg, on the towel. “We’re both tools, in our own ways. You had the misfortune of being used by some evil people. It isn’t the same, I know, but I felt a lot like you do. You’ve done a lot of things you regret.” he nodded. “So have I.” He looked at her. “My first tour. My first kill,” he paused while he willed the words, “it was a kid. A kid.” His face took on a pained expression. “But it was my job. One kid or an entire company. It was hard to deal with that one. You need a friend who can help like I had,” his eyes refocused on her. “I’m here for you. Know that.”

She listened to him as he told her his story. She wanted to give him some kind of comfort, but she couldn’t. Their towels were the one thing between them and it wasn’t enough. “I’m so sorry, but I’m glad you had someone you could talk to.” She said after a moment. She looked for his hand and reached with hers, holding her hand above his, curling her fingers and resting her fingernails on his skin.

He looked at her hand and at her face. “Now you have me.” He gave her thigh a gentle squeeze. “Anything I can do to help you, I will.”

“To have and to hold.” She gave him a smile. She shook her head. “I’m good. I’ve done nothing in a week.”

“Promise me you won’t,” he pulled the towel away enough to expose some of the scars, but didn’t look, “without talking to me.” It wasn’t a question or a request, but did not carry the weight of an attempted command either.

The smile on her lips faded, but she nodded, “I promise.”

“Thank you,” he gave her leg another soft squeeze. “Now, its naked hot tub time,” he smiled, stood, and tugged at her towel.

“What? Me too?” She asked him with a raised brow.

“Yes,” he tugged again. “You too, Misses Cross.”

She smiled as she stood and took a few steps toward him. Her left hand held the towel. “All right,” she said after a moment.

“Good.” He turned and headed toward the hot tub again, one hand holding his towel in place.

She followed him, less sure of herself. By the time she looked up from her feet, she saw an open sliding glass door and a man fixing to take his towel off.

He looked at her. “You coming, or not?” He smiled and dropped the towel. “We’re on a timetable here.”

“Umm, yeah,” she said, looking at his nice butt for a moment, then pulling her focus up to look at his face as she stepped onto the patio. Aarons closed the door enough to make sure they would hear the door when the food arrived.

He stepped over the edge, into the hot water, and sank until his head vanished for a few seconds. He resurfaced and looked at her. “Come on, sweet cheeks,” he chided and looked away. “There, no peeking.”

Aarons moved to the side of the hot tub, dropped the towel and got in. She sank to her shoulders in the bubbling mass of waves. “Okay,” she said, “I’m in.”

He turned and sprawled against the side next to her with his feet bobbing in the bubbles at the end of his legs, arms stretched along the edge. “See?” He looked at her with a smile, “not so bad, eh?”

Her feet didn’t make it to the other side, but her toes reached the lip. Legs rested on top of his under the water, her calves atop his shins. A padded headrest lay behind each of the seated positions. She lay her head back and closed her eyes. “No,” she answered with a slight smile, “not bad at all.”

Cross let his eyes close. “Hey…” he didn’t look over or open his eyes. “When was the last time you handled business?”

After a few moments, she stopped fighting to keep her arms under water and let them float to the top with the motion from the currents. The stream of warm water pressing against her lower back felt heavenly. The smile seemed to stay on her lips as she answered him, “hummm?”

He opened his eyes and looked at her. “You know,” he shrugged. He shifted to get next to her, his hand finding its way to her abdomen. “Took care of yourself,” he said in a quieter tone. That hand slid along her skin, letting his fingers wander along to trace lines around her navel to the tops of her thighs.

Her eyes opened and found his. Her right hand found his thigh. She shook her head. “I haven’t,” she said.

“Not once?” he asked as his fingers danced beneath their private waves. His hand journeyed further along her thigh, but no more than mid-way. It came further toward the inside. When he got near the scars he gave each their own time and attention, inching his way higher with every moment.

Her brow creased. She looked at him. Every time he moved, she gasped. With each sound she made, her fingers gripped his inner thigh, nails grazed his skin and moved up his leg. Her knees slid apart a touch further. “No,” she whispered.

He bit his lower lip and released it. “Can I?” he asked as he eased closer. His fingers dipped between her thighs and moved up her leg until he felt the wisps of her trimmed hair.

It wasn’t a tiny gasp she made, but a soft moan rippled past her parted lips. She closed them when she realized she made the sound. She moved her body closer to his, their thighs touching, and lifted her shoulders above the water, upper breasts visible. Her fingers against soft, sensitive flesh. “If I can,” she answered.

He didn’t need to answer with words. Those poised fingers delved where no man had explored. He used his hand to press apart her legs and gave him better access to trace the lines of her mound; he teased along the manicured edges and dipped into the crevasse within. He slid into the water, allowing his arm to wrap around her; his other hand toying with her breast, fingers seeking the nipple lay beneath the surface of the water.

“Oh my…” she managed before she bit her lip to stop any further words. She let him position her as he wanted her. Her back on his left shoulder under the water. It wasn’t hard to find him. Fingers wrapped around a thick shaft, her thumb moved to stroke over the head as she leaned back to enjoy his attention to her body.

His left hand cupped her, index finger teasing her hardened peak. The real focus was a single, solitary finger pushing between, teasing her opening, but not entering. Instead, he drug the tip of a finger northward until he found her sensitive little pearl. He lavished his attentions with conviction.

“Oh fuck,” she said, legs spread as she kicked the sides of the tub. Her left hand reached for something to hold onto. She found his shoulder, nails bit into his skin. Her right hand gripped him tighter.

Cross groaned. “Moan,” he said, a hint of forcefulness in his voice. He pressed tight little circles around her tender nub slow at first, then fast; slow, then fast.

Aarons closed her eyes, trying hard not to say anything else, but her stifled words came in a muffled moan. She tried to move her hand up and down his shaft, but rubbed him against her upper thigh and ass. Her hand at his shoulder gripped as her legs shook and her moans turned into whimpers.

His hips tilted into her, eager to meet her hand at every opportunity. His fingers danced faster as his breaths became ragged. “That-a-girl,” he said between his own moans at the dual pleasure and pain. “Come on,” he urged her, fingers quickening. “Come for me.”

She felt herself reach the edge of control. She tried to let go, but she wasn’t sure how. She moved, wiggled, used her hand, rubbed against him, and it, finally, happened. His fingers moved a certain extra way and his fingers rubbed her nipple. Her back arched and her head pressed into his shoulder as she bit on her lip hard to keep from screaming, eyes squeezed shut.

He felt it in her body. When she rocketed past her peak, he didn’t stop. He worked at her for a few seconds before sinking below the water’s surface with a deep breath. He moved them both, putting her knees over his shoulders and pressing a kiss against her tuft of hair before the tip of his tongue replaced his fingers in their quest. His hands slid up, each with its own breast to lavish attention upon.

“Holy shit,” she half screamed, half moaned as he dove under the water, pressing her against the tub. Her thighs quivered against the sides of his head. Not sure where to put her hands, she placed them on top of his, squeezing her breasts along with him as she threw her head back, unable hold her moans any longer.

Her muffled moans made him more eager as his tongue pressed against her and his teeth grazed over her skin. He took one of his hands back, but left the other with hers to lavish their deeds upon her breasts, and toyed with her opening once more. That time he pressed inside of her.

She bucked against him, her hips pushed against his face and hand. Her back arched as she pulled his hand against her breast. She tried to fight it, but her thighs tried to close as she came again.

Cross gave her nub a last, long lick and pushed her legs apart enough so he could surface. He gripped her hips with both hands but stopped himself shy of thrusting to the hilt, took a moment to thank God for a split moment of clarity, and knelt there between her legs, breathing deep and heavy as he looked at her. “See what you’ve missed?” he asked with a wry grin.

Aarons lay there as her head rested against the foam, eyes half open, breathing heavily. She looked at him and managed a sleepy grin. “Not bad for a wedding night,” she said with a chuckle. From the house, the distinctive sound of a door chime was heard.

“I’ll get it,” he grinned and stood, “you might not get your legs for a minute.” Cross stepping over her leg and the water; still hard as an iron bar. He wrapped his towel around his waist on his way.

“Have I told you that you have a nice ass?” she turned and rested her chin on her hands.

Through the full length windows, at the right angle, she saw him at the front door with the delivery driver. He headed back with the bag of food after the quick exchange. “And yes,” he answered the question, “I believe you have.” He looked at her in the water and set the food on the patio table.

She went to step out of the tub and stumbled. Still bent, she was able to steady herself with a hand on the concrete before she tried to stand again. She grabbed her towel, wrapped it around her, and walked over to the table to sit. “Fucking legs,” she mumbled.

He smirked and raised a hand. “It’s my fault.” He pulled a chair next to her. “And you doubted me about naked hot tub time,” he unpacked their orders from the bag.

“Yeah, I blame you. All your fault,” she gave him a smile. She watched him unpack the food, taking her soup when he took it out of the bag. “Next time, remind me to bring my Chapstick,” she shot him a look from the corner of her eye.

Cross shot her a similar look. “Next time, remind me to bring a condom.” He put a mouthful of food into his face and chewed.

Aarons stopped chewing, looked into the distance before she swallowed. She looked at the stars, looked at a tree in the yard, and at him. “You have any with you?”

He chomped and swallowed. “One, yeah. Can’t remember.”

“Think it would work?” she looked at him as she took another bite.

“In the water?” he jerked his head toward the hot tub. He swallowed. “Yeah. Either you would have to have good control and keep your hands under water,” he looked at her, “or be on top.”

“Or like we were,” she said. “How would you do it, in theory?” she asked him as she continued with her soup.

“Like, what. The mechanics of it?”

“Yeah, me on top? You on top? From behind?” she suggested.

He nodded and gave her the benefit of a slight growl of approval. “Behind would work. Didn’t think of that one.” He chewed another bite.

“But, this is the important question,” she paused for a moment, watching his face. “Do you want to?”

He looked her up and down, licking his lips as he thought. “I go with yes. No, no. Hell yes!”

She tilted her head toward the house for a moment, “I guess you better go find that condom.”

“You better get in the hot tub.” He let the towel fall away as he walked into the house.

She watched him go, butt cheeks clenching as he walked. When he went around the corner, she followed inside and went into her room and searched for her overnight bag. She found it, reached in, and grabbed the Chapstick before she hurried outside with it clinched in her hand. She opened it, spread it on her lips, moved her lips together, closed it and put it on the table. She looked to see him coming before she hurried to the hot tub, dropping her towel along the way.

He caught the tail end of her nude body. Cross whistled low and long as he held the retrieved trophy and stepped into the hot water with her, but didn’t sit yet.

She smiled at him, all of him. Aarons hadn’t seen the front of him in his naked glory before. She looked up and down his body and at his face. “Come here, Cross,” she told him, “I want to kiss you.”

He sank and knelt in the middle of the hot tub. “Chapstick?” he asked with a knowing smile.

“Of course.” She moved forward, closer to him, and slid her hands around the sides of his torso.

He pulled her close. “What are you waitin’ for?” His hands cupped her firm ass with a playful squeeze.

She smiled at him, her own hands gripped two firm cheeks as she pressed her body against his. Her eyes closed as she leaned forward, head tilted and pushed her lips against his.

The kiss was tame compared to what they did before. He traced her lips with his tongue. She parted her lips for him. She whimpered as she felt its silky texture slide over her skin.

“The simple things in life,” he whispered and kissed her again, on the bottom lip.

Her fingers held on to his side as he teased her, tempted her. She pulled back enough to look at him, “Where do you want me?”

Jonathan moved her with an even mixture of roughness and care. He turned her, but kept her upright, and pulled her back against him by her hips. Aroused, he pressed against her rear. He held her there for a moment before reaching for the condom and tearing into the wrapper with his teeth. He pushed her forward in one long, slow motion.

Christina’s heart pounded hard and fast in her chest. Her eyes opened wide as she turned to look over her left shoulder at him.

He reached and positioned himself with one hand and rubbed the tip of his shaft along her slit. “This will hurt,” he said while he looked into her eyes, one hand resting on the small of her back beneath the water, “and I can’t do anything about it.” He found her opening and pressed forward and eased into her.

She held eye contact with him while he moved around and moved inside her. She inhaled through her nose, eyes widening as she felt the touch of pain. “Quick,” she said.

He obliged her request and took hold of her hips and pushed forward in one hard thrust into her. Despite himself, he growled low and loud; a mixture of a sigh, groan, and moan.

Her face snapped to the front and she grit her teeth to keep from crying out. It muffled the sound as her hands balled into fists under the water and her body tensed from the pain. He moved, after a brief pause, in long and even strokes. Christina was stiff and stoic in the water. After the first few strokes, her body relaxed and rocked against him. Her knees bent and her hands flattened against the seat as she rocked harder.

Jonathan felt her relax and move with him. He quickened his pace and pulled her to him with each of his thrusts forward.

It didn’t take long before it felt better. When he moved faster, she matched him. She used the back of the seat as leverage to move harder. The water in the tub splashed. Moans came from her each time he pushed into her. Her knees gave out on her all at once, “Oh God.”

Jonathan followed her lead and gave her harder, longer thrusts. He gripped her around the waist with one arm and leaned forward to get a better angle. His other hand grasped her breast with a squeeze before his fingers pinched and played with her nipple.

She released a random ‘oh God’ or ‘fuck’ between moans, managing to say his name a few times.

The unpredictable pattern of his thrusts gave way to ragged breathing mixed in with his moan. Every fiber of her body tensed as he thrust into her one last, deep time. He spasmed, spilling himself into the condom with every throbbing pulse within her. He sunk back and pulled her to him onto one seat and laid back.

“Fuck,” he said between breaths, “that was incredible.”

“I bet you say that to all your wives,” she teased when she looked at him.

He grinned at her. “Yeah, all one of them. Be honest, brutally honest if you have to be.” He splashed water at her. “Was it good for you?”

She looked forward and took a few seconds to think. She got off his lap, lifting herself and sat next to him, thighs draped across his lap. “It’s not what I expected, but I don’t know what I expected,” she told him, “but I can tell you I enjoyed it. Did you?”

“Mmhmm,” he answered. He plunged a hand under the water and brought it up a few seconds later with the tied condom. He set it off to the side. “Very much so.” Jonathan let his hand fall under the water to rest on her knee. “In hindsight, the hot tub was a good decision.”

“Agreed,” she leaned her head back and closed her eyes. “I hope you have more condoms, Mr. Cross.”

“Fresh out. But we can pick up more at the store.” He let his eyes close for a few moments, relaxing; playing with her scars, feeling her skin against his and the heat of the water. “How many do you think we should get?”

“How about two boxes?”

“Come here, you,” he said, pulling a towel across his chest, not caring if it got wet, and patting the covered space.

“Jonathan,” she looked at him and the towel. “If I lay down against you, I’ll fall asleep.”

“Lies,” he said and attempted to pull her from beneath the water but lacked any real leverage. Cross looped an arm around her waist, but played at dripping droplets on her exposed skin with his other hand and watched the water roll away to rejoin the rest of the tub. He brushed his fingers along her shoulder before he let his hand fall into the water with a slight splash.

Christina smiled at his touch. She closed her eyes, brought her hand under her cheek and enjoyed the contact while it lasted.

“We need to sleep, and not here. I’m partial to not breathing water.” He did not need to wait for her to move, he stood with her in his arms and set her on the patio next to the hot tub. He was afforded the chance to take a step and admire her wet, naked body in the chilled night air, steam rising from her skin. “And me without my camera,” he grinned.

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Careful, or I’ll tell my husband.” She bent and picked up her towel and wrapped it around her. When she looked at him, she pushed a strand of wet hair behind her ear and smiled at him.

Jonathan’s towel was sacrificed for the brief cuddle. He climbed out of the hot water with nothing to wrap himself in. “Do it,” he dared as he smacked her ass while he walked by, “I’ll beat him up and take you away from him.” He left the door open for her.

She grabbed her Chapstick off the table and followed him into the house. “Nah,” she paused in the kitchen, “he’s kind of a sissy. He doesn’t kiss me, hold my hand, or like to spoon with me at night.”

He shook his head, laughed, and checked the locks on the doors. “As long as you’re the little spoon.” He flipped the light on in his room.

Christina followed him, stopped at her door, and leaned against it. “Lucky me,” she flashed him a smile. “I was hoping you were going to take that one.” She gave a nod to the room. “I’ll leave my door open, in case you get scared at night,” she offered.

“Oh, you promise,” he feigned fear, a feat at his size and level of complete nudity. He fell onto the bed on his back and laid there for a moment. “I’m debating if I need to put shorts on for bed, or if you have enough control to not come and molest me in the middle of the night.” He raised his head and looked at her.

She watched him though his bedroom door. “I’ll control myself if you do the same. I sleep naked anyway.” She took the towel off and walked into her room as she dropped the towel on the floor and crawled onto her bed.

“Oh, we’re fucked.” He crawled into his bed and laid his head on his pillow not hiding the beginnings of arousal. “Night, Mrs. Cross. I’ll see you in a few hours.” He grinned, staring at the ceiling before hitting the bedside switch and closing his eyes.

“Baby oil,” she said. “Add that to the shopping list.” Christina looked at the wall before looking into his room. “Good night, Mr. Cross. Happy honeymoon.”

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