Carol's Image (23 page)

“Still, angel. Lie still. Don’t move, or I’ll stop.” He pressed his hand to her stomach to still her movements. He heard her mewl in protest, but he just grinned.

Plunging his tongue deep into her pussy, he reached up with his free hand, and grabbed her breast, fondling and squeezing.

Carol’s head thrashed back and forth on the bed as she tried to hold her hips still. She felt as though she were running on the track toward a goal but couldn’t see the end, couldn’t find the finish. The pressure built until she thought she would explode.

Tom watched her in the throes of ecstasy as he kept his head between her legs. Just as it looked as though she could take no more, he tweaked her nipple as he suck hard on her clit.

Carol screamed out his name as she burst into a million pieces, her body trembling with the force of the orgasm. Panting, feeling boneless, she lay unmoving on the bed.

Tom stayed between her legs lapping at her juices.
Goddamn, she is sweet. And she is mine.
Standing, he quickly pulled off his jeans, toeing his shoes off in the process. Joining her on the bed before she could lift her head, he lay beside her, pulling her in tightly to his front.

Sated, Carol felt as though she couldn’t move until she felt Tom lift himself over her body, pressing his enormous cock between her legs. Suddenly, needing the feel of him inside overrode the need for rest.

Spreading her legs as wide as she could, she welcomed his cock into her waiting pussy. He entered slowly as always, giving her tight vessel a chance to acclimate to his size.

“More. Faster. Harder,” she panted.

“You sure, angel?” he asked, wanting desperately to slam into her.

“Tom, now!” she ordered.

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied, grinning as he pushed to the hilt. Her wet, slick pussy grabbed at his cock as he began pounding into her. Resting his upper body on his arms, he watched her breasts bounce with each thrust. Torn between not wanting to hurt her and wanting to pound her into the bed, he watched her face for a moment to gauge her comfort.

Showing no signs of discomfort, her eyes were closed in ecstasy as the feelings of her pussy grabbing his cock washed over her. The mouth job from earlier was exquisite, but the friction of his cock sliding in and out of her was going to be her undoing. Carol threw her arms back, grabbing the rails of the headboard as he continued to thrust. Higher and higher she climbed, reaching for something that was just outside of her grasp.

Leaning down to grasp a nipple in his mouth, he sucked it in deeply. Using his tongue to swirl around the beaded nipple, he then used his teeth to bite gently at the swollen tip.

That was all it took for Carol to go over the edge once again. The orgasm swept her over the precipice, taking her flying. Once again, screaming out his name, she could feel her inner muscles pulling at his cock.

Tom, so close himself, did not want it to end too quickly. Pulling out quickly, he heard her cry out as he left her willing body. He flipped her over on her stomach, pulling up on her hips.

“Up on your knees, angel. Grab the headboard and hang on,” he ordered.

Carol allowed him to take complete control, bringing her hips up and wrapping her fingers around the rails again.

Tom slammed into her soaking wet pussy once again. The force moved her forward in the bed. He grabbed her hips firmly to hold her still, pounding in and out. For a fleeting second, the sexual exploits Tom had had over the years with many partners flew through his mind.
Never. It’s never felt like this. Perfect. Right. Connected.

All thoughts left his mind at that moment as her tight pussy continued to pull at his cock. Feeling his balls tighten, he knew his release was imminent. Reaching around her body, he grabbed her clit with two fingers, tweaking just enough to bring her to an orgasm again. Screaming out a third time, Carol came harder than she had ever come before. Still holding onto the bedrails, she was pounded several more times from behind until she could feel Tom’s release.

Head thrown back, neck straining, he yelled as his seed filled her waiting cunt. Pulsing several more times, he emptied himself. Crashing down on her back, he barely had the energy to roll off of her, pulling her once again into his body.

Both breathing in great gulps of air, bodies sweating, they lay entwined for several moments until their heartbeats slowed.

Massive arms wrapped around her tiny frame, and she felt protected. Safe. Loved.
I want this forever. I want him forever.

Tom cradled her body into his, willing her to be as close as possible.
Knew this felt different. Know this is different. This woman is it. This woman is forever.

Tom leaned down to grab the covers, pulling them up over their cooling bodies. Tucking the sheet and blankets around her, he then tucked her body in tightly to his. Kissing the top of her head, he began to drift off to sleep.

“I feel your heart beat.”

Smiling as sleep overtook him, he replied, “It beats for you.”

C
arol and Laurie’s friendship grew as they got to know each other slowly. It took several weeks, but Rob’s persistence had paid off and he and Laurie were dating. Laurie was understandably cautious given Rob’s reputation, but Carol was convinced that Rob was in love with Laurie, and she couldn’t be happier.

As she and Laurie’s friendship grew, they shared more and more of their past. Laurie opened up about her childhood and becoming an orphan at the age of twelve. She admitted that she did not know anything about her father since she was the product of a one-night stand. Carol admitted her eating disorder and some of her childhood tales.

Their schedules were slightly similar, so they had time off of work to enjoy each other’s company. After a couple of years working the graveyard shift, Carol found that she liked working days. Instead of running or exercising in the afternoons, she switched to running in the early morning. An early riser by nature, she would begin her runs as the sun was coming up. Seeing the sun rise over the mountains in the background was the perfect start to her day. With a park next to her apartment building, she had a great place to run and still be close to home. She could run and be back in time for her and Laurie to share breakfast before they headed off to work.

Carol followed this routine for several weeks, starting to notice the same early morning runners out with her. There was an instant camaraderie amongst runners. Each would wave as they passed on the trails. Runners just seem to understand and respect other runners.

Carol began her run as usual; stretching, then slow jogging, working her way up to a run as she followed the trails. After a while, she could hear the pounding of feet coming up behind her. Moving over to the right side of the trail, she made room for the runner to pass her. The footsteps got closer but never overtook her. She could feel the hairs on her neck prickle as she realized that the runner had come up right behind her and was just staying there. Deciding to slow her pace to encourage them to move on around, she slowed down just a little and then more. The footsteps pounding the pavement behind her kept pace with her.

Unnerved, she spared a glance over her shoulder. A mid-sized man with dark hair underneath a ball cap was running about 5 feet behind. She couldn’t see his eyes since they were behind dark sunglasses. He did not wave. He did not smile. He stared straight ahead at her.

Speeding up, she could feel panic set in when she realized that he kept pace with her at whatever speed she was running.
Almost home. Almost home.
Coming around the last curve of the trail, her apartment building loomed in front of her.
Thank you, Jesus.

She veered off quickly, breaking her normal routine. Instead of slowing down, then walking, then stretching, she barreled through the door and up three flights of stairs flying through the front door, collapsing on the floor, gasping for breath, frightening Laurie.

“Oh, my god. What’s wrong?” Laurie yelled, crouching by Carol on the floor.

Between pants, Carol tried to explain. “Man was…following…couldn’t lose him…wouldn’t…pass.” Carol turned on her side, rubbing her cramping legs.

Laurie grabbed Carol’s cell phone, finding Tom’s number.

“Mornin’, angel. Wishin’ it was your body I was wakin’ up to and not just a phone call,” Tom answered sleepily.

“Tom, it’s Laurie.”

Tom woke immediately. “What’s wrong?”

“Carol just came in from running. She is in the floor right now. She says a man followed her on the trails.”

“Be there in ten.”

In exactly ten minutes, Tom was pounding up the stairs to the apartment, with Jake and Rob close behind. Tom had called Jake as soon as he got off the phone with Laurie, and she had called Rob. Bursting through the door, Tom found Carol still lying in the floor with ice packs on her calves and dried tear streaks down her cheeks.

Falling to the floor, he scooped her up, cradling her against his massive chest. Her breathing had slowed, but her leg muscles were still slightly cramping. Rob hugged Laurie, then walked over to Carol and knelt next to her. Feeling her calves, he slowly stretched them out as he massaged them. With a background in sports medicine, Rob was able to ascertain that she was not injured, just in pain.

Jake calmly walked over looking into Carol’s face. “Honey, can you give us a description and tell us what happened?”

Tom couldn’t believe that he hadn’t thought of that, then realized that Jake was taking charge as the detective since he knew Tom wasn’t thinking clearly at the moment.

“Tom, can you help me to the sofa? I feel rather undignified here on the floor,” Carol mentioned.

Tom stood, carrying her slight weight over to the sofa but did not place her on it. Instead, he turned and sat down himself, continuing to cradle her in his lap.

If this seemed unusual to his friends, they did not show it. Once Rob replaced the ice packs, he moved back to wrap his arms around Laurie. Jake sat on the coffee table, facing Carol with his notebook and pencil ready. “Start at the beginning, Carol. Just tell us what happened in your own words.”

“I was running on the trail that I’ve been running every morning before work, and…”

“You run the same path at the same time every morning?” Tom interrupted, eyes wide, brow furrowed. “Do you know how dangerous that is for a woman?” His voice rose with each word.

“Tom,” Jake warned. “Not now. This is not the time.”

Carol’s breathing hitched as though the tears might begin again. Tom placed his hand on the back of her head, pulling her toward him so he could place a kiss on her forehead. “Sorry, angel.”

Nodding, Carol composed herself and began again. “There are always runners out. We’re a friendly group; people wave, move to the side if someone is running faster. I heard someone coming up behind me. I moved to the side, but they fell into step behind me and just stayed there. I tried moving to the side, then I tried slowing down. They just stayed with me.”

Carol had been looking at Jake as she spoke, but she spared a glance up at Tom’s face. His fury was palpable, and she wished she hadn’t looked. Swinging her eyes back to Jake, she continued. “I finally glanced over my shoulder and that was when I saw him. He stayed about five feet behind me the rest of the way. I finally sped up when I came around the corner and could see the building. I just ran here as fast as I could.”

Tom’s arms had tightened with each sentence out of Carol’s mouth until his grip was uncomfortable.

“Tom,” she said softly. “You’re hurting me.”

Quickly loosening his grip, he apologized as he kissed her head once again. Cutting his eyes to Jake, he willed Jake to continue. Knowing he lacked the control right now to ask her about the stalker, he needed Jake to take control.

“Honey,” Jake continued. “We need to know what he looked like. Can you give us a description?”

“He was medium build. Not as tall as you.”

“How tall, Carol?” Jake prodded.

Carol scrunched up her nose in thought. “Well, I am five foot five and he was probably about five or six inches taller than me. He was thin though, with a lean runners build.”

Jake and Tom read each other’s minds; there was no way this could be Bert. Jake continued, “What was he wearing? What did he look like?”

“He was wearing a black hoodie but it had no writing on it at all. Black sweat pants. I don’t know about his shoes. He had dark hair and was wearing a black ball cap, but it also did not have any writing on it. I couldn’t see his face very well. He was wearing reflector sunglasses, so all I could see was myself.”

Thinking it over, her shoulders slumped. “That’s not very much to go on, is it?” Sighing deeply, she looked up. Glancing at the clock, she jumped up. “Oh, my god. I’m going to be late for my shift. Laurie, you have to leave too!”

Laurie hugged her and assured her that she had time to get to school. Rob hugged Carol also as he walked Laurie out.

“Angel, why don’t you call in sick today and stay home?”

Carol turned and looked at Tom incredulously. “Tom, I can’t miss work and Laurie gets home about the same time that I do.”

Wanting to diffuse the conversation, Jake interjected, “Carol, do you have any idea who would want to follow you?”

Shaking her head, Carol simply replied, “No. No one. I know you all thought Bert was sending the flowers and note, but it wasn’t him running behind me today for sure.”

Jake crossed over to her in a couple of steps, stopping directly in front of her. Leaning over, he kissed the top of her head, and said, “Be safe. Be smart, keep your phone with you, and don’t go anywhere alone.” Nodding to his partner, he walked out of the apartment.

“We need to talk, angel.” Tom stated.

“Tom, I get you’re pissed about me running in the early morning, but we don’t have time to argue about it now,” she said walking to her bedroom. “I have to shower and get to work.”

“Oh, we’re not gonna argue ’bout it, angel. It’s as simple as this. You don’t run same time, same place, every day. In fact, until we know who this fuck is, you don’t run period.”