JanesPrize (14 page)

She let him lead her across the room to the
luxurious bedroom. The same tree she’d seen from the living room filled the
window space with dappled shade. The leaves rustled softly as the breeze
strengthened momentarily because of the open door. The dark blue silk of her mini
robe fluttered around her thighs, showing a glimpse of her mound. She ached
deep inside and he hadn’t even touched her yet.

In a swift movement Pierce stripped off the
cover and pulled back the top sheet. Then he pushed her back onto the soft
linen. The sheets were creamy white percale, smooth and cool.

“Open for me,” he whispered and fastened
his mouth to hers. He held her head and covered her face with tiny kisses,
dipping down to the space between her aching breasts. She longed for his mouth
and moved to brush one nipple against his lips. He sucked on her breast and
then moved to lave the other with his tongue. She moaned in pleasure. At the
same time she felt him nudge her legs apart with an insistent knee. She spread
herself further, making herself wide open for him. He filled her with one
smooth thrust.

“Oh God!” she cried out and he gave a few
more hard strokes, pushing deep inside her.

The delicious tingle had already started
deep in her pussy and she couldn’t hold it in. It spread like a burning flame,
consuming her, making her build to a climax at the same time as Pierce exploded
inside her.

“That was wonderful,” she whispered as soon
as she could draw enough breath to speak.

His weight was still on her and she
realized he hadn’t withdrawn. His cock was still rammed inside her and she felt
it throb against her sensitive skin.

“That was just a little hors d’oeuvre.
We’ll build up to the main course.”

Still buried within her, he raised his
torso and leaned forward to suckle her breasts again. His mouth closed on one
nipple, the one he had merely licked before, and he sucked hard. She bucked
under him and gave an involuntary gasp. Shards of fire streaked out and down
from her tortured nipple, snaking past her abdomen right to her pussy. Her
nether lips were running with moisture, both hers and his.

His lips moved to the other nipple. The
first one still tingled and throbbed.

His thick penis filled her but he refused
to move to stroke her inside. She arched, willing him to thrust harder. “I’m
ready again,” she said.

“Are you, indeed? But I’m not ready to give
it to you yet.”

He bit her nipple sharply, seeming to know
that the tingle had begun to die. He smiled at the quiver he provoked.

His mouth claimed hers again and then
kissed her eyes, her ears, her throat. All the time his penis was swelling,
filling her more, driving her wild but he remained still, not allowing her the
pleasure of his movement.

In desperation she wrapped her legs around
his waist, driving him deeper into her hot wetness.

She had the satisfaction of hearing him
groan as his cock was forced more deeply into her and at last he began to move
inside her.

“I love it when you can’t wait for it. This
is just the beginning. I have some things planned for you tonight that you’re
going to love.” He rose up on his elbows and pumped and thrust more strongly,
watching her face. She bit her lip and closed her eyes. Her mouth opened to let
out a cry and she felt the quiver grow stronger deep in her body.

“Come on, my love. This just for you.” He
lowered himself onto her and thrust his tongue into her mouth, sliding it in
and out, simulating what he was doing to her cunt. “Let go just once more.”

Each thrust seemed to be harder and longer.
She was ready to combust. The spasms swelled, growing in intensity, rocking
every inch of her until she could hold it in no longer and she opened her mouth
to let out an animal shriek of pleasure.

She lay motionless, gathering herself
together. Pierce rolled to one side and smoothed the silk robe over her. His
hand lingered over the curls between her thighs. “I’ll cover it up until I want
it again or it wants me, whichever comes first.”

She smiled at him. Her head felt muzzy and
her eyes wanted to close. “You’ve exhausted me.”

“Then we’ll have to revive you. There’s more
where that came from.”

“If I have the strength.”

“You’d be surprised at what you can do. You
have nothing to think about for the next few hours but making love with me. And
a couple of meals of course.”

She burst out laughing. And stretched her
arms around his neck. “I do love you,” she said. “And I believe you.”

“You’d better. Are you ready for a shower?
That will wake you up.”

“Only if it’s stone cold. No, I don’t mean
that.” She sat up “I’ll set the temperature.”

She rolled off the bed and headed for the
bathroom.

Chapter Sixteen

The bathroom was large and luxurious. She
had already noted the deep tub, a gleaming marble rectangle set into the floor
in front of the window. Two or three steps led invitingly down into where the
water would lap gently against the sides. Bottles of crystals and oils stood on
a small glass shelf to one side. Gardenia, lavender, almond invited her with
tempting labels. Later, she told herself. Later she would indulge in warm,
scented water with Pierce. At the moment, she needed a shower, hot and hard
just like the sex she’d just enjoyed.

Pierce’s hands were on her shoulders as he
steered her to the glass-fronted shower in the corner. The creamy tiles
glistened. Fluffy white towels were piled on a stool. She stepped inside and he
turned on the water. Jets sprayed from different angles, catching her neck, her
shoulders, her waist and her knees. She closed her eyes and let herself relax
against the warm spouts.

Pierce’s hands were on her again, kneading
the tense muscles in her neck. He must have filled his palm with liquid soap,
for next she felt him rubbing, sliding his slick fingers over her shoulders and
arms. His magic hands worked down her back and over her bottom. Then he turned
her to allow the spray to rinse her and began to stroke her breasts, her waist
and the tops of her thighs. The water rinsed the soap as he progressed down her
body.

At last she opened her eyes. Without a word
she filled her hands with soap and began to smooth it over his taut muscles.
She let her hands follow the curve of his ass and squeezed gently. “Very nice
buns,” she said.

Then she soaped his penis and balls,
letting her fingers linger in his pubic hair, making a ring with her hand to
caress his cock. It began to rise and harden with every touch.

“I thought you were too tired,” he
whispered against her mouth. “Be careful what you start. I’ll expect you to
finish.”

“You were right. The shower revived me.”

In response he reached down and pushed two
fingers into her vagina, thumbing her clitoris. Immediately she felt the rush
of moisture from inside her bathing his hand.

“I think you do want it again. Tell me.”

“I want to do it again. Right here.”

He withdrew his fingers and placed his
palms under her buttocks, lifting her until her back touched the ivory wall
tiles. “Put your legs around me.”

He hooked his arms under her spread thighs
and held her aloft for a long moment while she anticipated what was to come.
Then he slowly lowered her wide-open pussy onto the steel shaft of his cock.

They let out a sigh in unison as his
thickness settled deep within her. She tightened her arms about his neck and
her legs about his waist. He thrust hard and she gasped under the flowing
water.

“I’m coming already.”

“Let it come. We have all the time you need
to do it again.”

“You?”

“Oh yes. I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”

She broke into a thousand pieces as he
threw back his head and let out a long cry that reverberated around the shower.

After, he wrapped her in one of warm,
fluffy towels and led her into the bedroom. “Just lie down and relax.” He
smoothed the small frown line between her brows. “We’ll forget all our problems
and savor the moment.” He kissed her lips. “I’ll be back.”

Jane closed her eyes. Making love with him
certainly put all other thoughts out of her mind. She would try to believe he
was right and that they could put their problems to one side. She knew that
deep down he was uneasy, even fearful, about being sent back to the world of
ghosts. She wouldn’t even begin to imagine what her life would be like without
him.

A few short weeks before, she had acted
entirely out of character and made wild, uninhibited love with a stranger. Had
she really believed he was a ghost brought back to life? She couldn’t honestly
say but she’d welcomed him into her bed and into her life. She remembered a
friend of her mother’s who had met her husband on vacation and married him
three weeks later. Everyone had said they were crazy and had made dire
predictions about how long the marriage would last. The couple was still together
after thirty years and three children and still obviously in love. She smiled.
She’d like that kind of future with Pierce.

She heard the chink of glass against the
tiles around the hot tub. She sighed, snuggling down into the soft bed, and her
mind drifted, forming future fantasies…

She opened her eyes when she felt the bed
move under Pierce’s weight.

“Keep them closed,” he said. “No need to
look. Just feel.”

He moved the damp towel from over her and a
shiver rippled over her cool flesh. She felt his warm hands slide smoothly down
her body and a delicious scent of almonds filled the air. His palms were slick
with oil from one of the glass containers she had admired.

His hands returned to her breasts. “I love
your nipples,” he whispered. He flicked one and it rose obediently into a bud.
He kneaded the soft flesh for another moment and then moved to her belly.
Arousal snaked through her in response to the firm caress.

Before she had time to think more, he
cupped his hand between her thighs, playing gently with her labia, rubbing more
oil onto her sensitive flesh with a light touch. She felt his finger slip
inside her and he began to rub her clitoris with his thumb. She squirmed beside
him as the pleasure mounted. She purred with pleasure.

To her dismay he took his hand away just as
she was about to reach orgasm. “No,” she moaned.

“Be patient. Turn over.” Pierce flipped her
over onto her stomach, replenished the small pool of oil in his palm and rubbed
her shoulders, eliminating knots with a skillful touch. Her body felt boneless
as she sank deeper into the towel.

“Where did you learn to do this?” she
murmured.

“Just good instincts. Knowing what feels
good.”

“It feels wonderful.”

His fingers trailed down to her buttocks
and he began to massage, letting his hand creep into the crack between her
cheeks. One finger rubbed her anus. She tensed.

“Do you remember what I said to you when we
first met?”

“You said I was too tight and you’d make me
ready for it another time.”

“So you’ve thought about it?”

“Yes,” she breathed.

“Is it nearly time?”

“If you think so.”

His oily finger pushed a fraction into her
ass. She gasped. His other hand wiggled under her to rest on her wet pussy. The
sensation was incredible. She relaxed her tight muscles.

“That’s right.” He bent to kiss the nape of
her neck, his movements echoed in his touch between her legs. “But that’s
enough for now. To be continued.”

She raised her head. “You can’t leave me
like this.”

“Like what? “ He raised an eyebrow. “Naked
and begging?” He slid from the bed and slapped her behind. “I’m going to find
you a good dinner, feed you some excellent wine and remind you every few
seconds that you are desperate for me to fuck you. We’ll go to see this psychic
expert then we’ll come back here and I’ll do it.” His hand curved over one
cheek of her ass. “This is so tempting,” he said. “But I’ll wait.” He smacked
her again, then stroked the tingling area. She groaned in pleasure. “Told you
you’d like it, my love. Come now, up you get.”

They found a quiet restaurant on a side
street in the old town and ordered a simple meal with a half bottle of wine.

“We have to keep a clear head for this
person,” Pierce said as he shared the last between two glasses.

“Selma.”

“Selma it is.” He raised his glass in a
toast. “May she have all the answers.”

Jane was still wet with anticipation and he
constantly touched her hand, rubbed his foot against her leg, kept his eyes on
her as she ate, heightening the tension that twanged and quivered through her
body. Her head might be clear of wine but her brain was addled with thoughts of
making love.

She pulled in a deep breath, let it out and
took a long draft of ice water to soothe her roiling thoughts. She forced
herself to remember the most embarrassing moment in her teaching career and her
mind slowly began to settle.

They paid the bill at nine thirty. Dusk had
dimmed the sky as streaks of red and gold marked where the sun hung low above
the horizon. Street lighting had come on, casting shadows on the path.

Jane fished in her purse for her car keys.
“I looked at the map before we set off,” she said. “It’s not hard to find.”

She followed the streets out of town and
turned on to a country road with no sidewalks. “This might be as spooky as your
house,” she said. “I wonder if she’s one of those New Age people who eat
macrobiotic diets and wear natural fibers. Maybe she has cats, or keeps
chickens.” She heard the nervous tone in her own voice. She was beginning to
blabber.

“You’re going to have to explain some of
that language later.”

“Sure.”

Away from the town lights, the surroundings
seemed much darker and she peered through the windshield to try to see house
numbers.

“I’m looking for 3825. I think the odd
numbers are on your side.”

“3809,” Pierce murmured. “3811, 13, 17, 21…
Should be the next…”

Sure enough, a sign swung close to the
road, announcing 3835. Jane pulled in to the driveway and sat stunned at the
sight before her. The house was a geodesic dome reminiscent of Fuller’s work.
Like an orange cut in half, it stood on an immense, flat block with every inch
of the rooms inside entirely visible. All glass with metal supporting struts,
it blazed with light. A circular insert like the core of an apple occupied the
central area, presumably concealing a bathroom. She had expected a small, cozy
cottage. Would not have been surprised by a modern rancher. But this spaceship
left her speechless. Selma Thaddeus must be a very interesting woman.

As she switched off the engine, a door
swung open near the base of the dome and a figure appeared.

Forget the handwoven shawls, Jane said to
herself. This woman was dressed in an elegant silk gown of dark metallic gray
with a high collar that framed her face and clung to her long limbs. Jane heard
Pierce suck in an appreciative breath and she gave him a nudge.

She stepped forward, her hand outstretched.
“I’m Jane Chartraine. This is my friend Pierce Newland.”

“Selma Thaddeus. Please come in.” She stood
to one side and Jane saw more of her features as she came into the light. The
youthful figure contrasted with Selma’s silver-gray hair, piled on her head,
showing her classic bone structure. Her eyes were a very dark blue, her skin
fair and virtually unlined.

“I think you were surprised by my house.”

“It is very unusual.” Jane looked around.
They were obviously in the living area of the dome. Scattered rugs in muted
colors lay haphazardly on the wooden floor and two or three groupings of
comfortable chairs filled the space. Every flat surface seemed to carry a vase
of flowers. Their scents wafted gently into the cool air.

“I love the light,” said their hostess and
she motioned them to take seats. Jane settled next to Pierce on a wide couch.
Selma took a single chair opposite and sat perfectly still, waiting.

Jane cleared her throat. “I’m not sure
where to begin.”

“At the beginning and go to the end.”
Selma’s mouth curved in a gentle smile. “I will offer you some refreshment
after we have talked. I don’t want anything to distract your concentration or
mine. Please,” she gestured for Jane to continue. A diamond ring gleamed on her
right hand.

Jane took a deep breath. Heaven knows she
had gone over the scenario enough times in her mind. “I have a friend, “she
began, “who has come across some strange phenomena. He was told that a ghost
can be brought back into the world of the living by a touch from a person.” She
hesitated.

“Go on.”

“So what we—he—is wondering is if someone
brought back this way will live a normal lifespan, and if he or she can be sent
back in any way to the dead.” She swallowed.

“Does this ghost want to go back?”

Jane pleated the hem of her shirt. “No, not
at all. But we think this ghost was murdered in his first life and that the
murderer might be able to follow him into the present day. If that can happen,
could the murderer kill him again?”

She sat back against the soft cushions. She
felt lighter, somehow, as if a burden had been lifted.

Selma remained silent, her brow furrowed.
“Well,” she said at last, “this is quite unusual.” She shook her head and the
heavy weight descended again on Jane’s shoulders. Beside her, she could feel
the tension in Pierce’s body.

“I had a feeling this was too strange to be
documented anywhere…” she began and prepared to rise.

“No, no. Please stay where you are. I
didn’t say it was unheard of, just unusual. I think I remember a case rather
like that. Excuse me a moment.” Selma rose to her feet in a graceful gesture.
“I have to check something in my library. There is herbal tea in the Thermos on
the table. I’m afraid I don’t have black tea or coffee. Please help yourselves,
I won’t be long.” With that she glided out of the living area and seemed to be
heading for somewhere on the other side of the house.

Pierce got to his feet and paced to the
window. “Do you think she really knows something that will help?”

Jane nodded and moved toward the small oak
table where a stainless steel container sat next to delicate bone china cups.
“I do. I think she knows what she’s doing. I have that impression anyway. Do
you want tea?”

“Sure. Anything.”

Pierce paced again between the couch and
the window. Jane poured two cups of fragrant tea and handed him one. She
remained beside him staring out at the bushes that surrounded the property.