A Wet Valentines Day

The other woman. There was no way that she would ever be called that, Liz told herself as she laid back in the tub. A self-assured woman of 28, she knew enough about the world to know what she wanted and what she didn't. Liz was taking a luxurious bubble bath and trying to clear her mind of all the thoughts that just wouldn't stop rushing to the surface. Thoughts that caused her to question everything she had ever believed in. Thoughts that caused her hand to trace lazy circles around her nipples, now deep pink from the heat of the water. She took a deep breath and inhaled the delicate lavender scent of her freshly washed hair. Her legs were smooth, along with everything else. She had shaved with extra care. Thinking about the night ahead, her heart took a leap, and she had to take in a deep breath to calm her racing pulse. She gave a long, breathy sigh and closed her eyes briefly before rising from the water. After grabbing a fluffy towel, Liz glanced at the watch which she'd laid carefully on the bathroom counter and saw that she had an hour before she had to leave the house to meet him.

Liz silently wrestled with the situation, weighing her choices. If only we had never met, she thought to herself, if only he wasn't married to her friend, if only, if only. If only he hadn't wanted her, too. She shook her head as if to close out the doubts that clouded her judgment and began applying her make-up. Liz padded into the closet to pick out an outfit to wear and chose an emerald v-neck silk blouse and black pencil skirt that hugged her trim figure in all the right places. Before dressing, she pulled out the light green lace bra and matching panties that she had treated herself to as an impulse buy during her last shopping trip. She loved the way the color complemented her fair skin and the way the high-cut panties made her legs look longer. Liz had always wished to be taller than her 5'2"; hence the reason she made sure that all her designer shoes added an inch or two to her petite height. Liz smoothed the lightly scented lotion on her body and then added a spritz of perfume. She picked out chic Manolos, and with a final check in the mirror headed out the door.

I'm just going to help him get some things together, she told herself, but even she didn't believe it. Liz started the car and maneuvered her silver Infiniti through the busy snow-covered streets, marveling at the tall monuments that surrounded her. The sky was a beautiful orange-purple that it holds for just a few precious minutes at the end of the day as the sun dips low into the horizon.

The events of the past few months kept rushing to the forefront of her mind. Everything about him was intoxicating to her. Thinking back to how everything had started so innocently, Liz recalled their first meeting. She was new to her company and had made fast friends with a co-worker in the same department named Traci. They were the same age, both transplants to the big city, a commonality that bonded them quickly. Liz and Traci spent more and more time together outside of work, finding comfort in their easy friendship. One day over lunch, Traci confided in Liz that her marriage was not what she had hoped it would be. Traci and her husband Steve had moved from a quiet town in the east to the hustle and bustle of Washington, D.C., for a job opportunity that they couldn't turn down.

"We used to be best friends," Traci said quietly, "but we've grown apart. I don't love him anymore." Liz looked at her friend and squeezed her hand.

"Have you tried counseling?"

Traci looked at her and shook her head. "I don't think that counseling is the answer. I haven't told anyone else this, but I've been seeing a man -- Jared. We met at a volunteer event, and things just clicked. He's so different from Steve." Liz blinked several times before replying.

"Are you having an affair?" Traci smiled slowly and answered carefully, "I hate that word. I think I'm in love with him." Not wanting to show her shock at Traci's admission, Liz wasn't quite sure what to say. "I'm sorry to dump this on you," Traci continued, "especially since you're going to be meeting Steve for the first time at the Valentine's party tonight."

The whole drive home, all Liz could think was -- how am I going to meet this guy when I know that Traci is cheating on him? It made her sad that her good friend was obviously not the person she thought she knew.

That evening as Liz prepared for the party, she seriously considered telling Traci she had a migraine and just couldn't make it. Sadly, she knew avoidance wasn't possible and said to herself, "Just smile and try to have a good time." She put on her favorite gold chain with a heart charm for luck -- fitting for Valentine's Day. A few hours later as she was dancing to her favorite song, she was relieved to not spy Traci anywhere in the crowd of her friends. Maybe she had gotten the migraine instead of me, Liz thought to herself. She had had two glasses of wine and headed off to find the bathroom. That was when she saw him. He was standing by the door with a drink in his hand. Tall, wavy brown hair and piercing blue eyes. Liz had never seen such blue eyes. He was tall, at least 6'2." He had a shirt on that matched the color of his eyes and a dark grey sweater vest on top. Liz started wondering if she had actually had three glasses of wine instead of two as she began to feel a tingle that started in her stomach and moved lower. It wasn't until Traci approached that Liz realized that this was Steve, her husband. Traci made the introductions and then left quickly to get another drink. Just as Liz turned back to excuse herself, a drunk party-goer slammed into her from behind. She flew helplessly into Steve, his drink spilling down the front of her blouse. Awkwardly, she felt her breasts smash against his chest. "Are you okay," he asked, helping her to regain her footing. "I'm really wet," she said, chiding herself for her choice of words. It was then that Liz noticed her blouse was soaked through. It clung to her breasts, outlining her nipples through the thin fabric. Steve tried not to stare, but he had caught a glimpse of the red bra she had on underneath. For Valentine's Day, he thought to himself. "Come with me upstairs," he said. "I can get you something of Traci's to put on." She had changed and returned to the party, but she kept remembering how hard his chest had been against her own. Liz knew that her reaction was just the result of her loneliness. Counting the months, she was shocked to realize that it had been almost a year since she'd been in a sexual relationship. "I don't know why I bother staying on the pill," she thought.

Over the next several months, Traci invited Liz over to their house to join them at dinner, even fixing Liz up on a blind date with her husband's friend, Dan. Liz tried to get Steve out of her mind, but his blue eyes are what she imagined at night when she was in her bed, her vibrator humming quietly under the sheets. She started wondering if she was the only one who looked forward to their time together or if she was just imagining things.

One night when Traci had invited Liz over for dinner and a movie, she arrived to find only Steve's car in the driveway. As she knocked, she heard Steve call out, "Liz, come on in." Liz entered the foyer and overheard Steve on the phone. "She just got here. Okay, uh-huh. Bye." Liz tried to busy herself in the kitchen, checking on the roast that she smelled cooking, wondering what was going on and where Traci was. Looking back, she knew that that night was the turning point. Traci got stuck "working late" again, Steve told her. They gave each other a knowing look until Liz turned away. He had invited her to stay, and they shared a bottle of wine over dinner. Liz realized that she had surpassed her two-glass limit but suddenly didn't care. She was feeling light and happy and very, very warm. Hours later as they were laughing and talking, she found herself staring at Steve's lips and wondering if they would feel as soft as they looked.

Steve had thought of Liz many times since the night of the Valentine's party, picturing her in the red bra he had glimpsed briefly. He imagined what it would feel like to remove the red bra; wondered if under her panties there was hair that matched the copper curls on her head or if she was smooth and hair-free. He had found her enticing from the start but knew his lust was in part because he and Traci hadn't had sex in so long. Many nights since their meeting he had pictured Liz as he held her heart charm in his hand while stroking himself to orgasm in the bathroom. Not long after the party, he had found the necklace in the pocket of the shirt he had on when they collided on Valentine's Day. It had apparently fallen off after they were thrown together by the drunkard at the party, and he just couldn't seem to give it back.

After that night they spent having dinner alone, things seemed to change. Liz tried to deny the attraction, although she was looking forward to their times together more and more. There were many nights that Liz found herself naked in bed imagining his body next to hers. Imagining what it would be like to straddle his large frame with her petite one.

Then one night, the phone rang. "Liz," he said. It was the late, and she had been startled awake.

"Steve? What's wrong?"

"I need to see you. Can I come over?"

He told her he'd be over in ten minutes. Quickly, Liz went into the bathroom and ran a brush through her curls and brushed her teeth. She threw on her robe and made it to the front door just as his car pulled into the driveway. He entered the foyer and said two words, "It's over."

"I'm sorry," Liz said quietly.

"I'm not," he said. "I think about you all the time. I miss you when you're not with me. I can't stand it when Traci sets you up on dates. You deserve better. You deserve better than me, but God -- I want you." They stood staring at one another for a few seconds before she felt his eyes move slowly down her body, suddenly realizing that the tie that held her robe closed was hanging loosely, and her nakedness was almost visible. She could feel his gaze as it settled on her breasts that were covered only partially by the robe. Before she knew it, he was standing so close, his eyes boring into hers, those damn blue eyes. Liz watched as he slowly reached his hands out and settled them on her hips.

"Steve..." she began.

"Do you know how many times I've imagined you like this," he said, "imagined touching you, imagined tasting you?" Liz could feel a blush creep up her cheeks at his words, not quite knowing what to say. Steve slid his hands lower on her hips, moving them to her backside.

"Tell me that you want me, too, Liz," he said in a sensual growl.

"I can't be with you while you're with her."

Steve leaned down so he could whisper in Liz's ear. "I'm not with her. I'm with you. I want to be with you. Tell me what you want. Let me show you what I want, Lizzie."

Liz's eyes drifted closed as she wrestled with what she wanted and needed with what she knew was the right thing to do. She leaned into his warm breath at her ear as Steve moved his hands lower on her backside. She was vaguely aware that he had reached down and caught the hem of her robe in his hands and was dragging it upwards. She could feel his fingernails lightly grazing her skin, and Liz couldn't believe how badly she wanted him. It had been so long since she had given herself to a man, and she suddenly felt that itch deep inside that reminded her of what she'd been craving. She felt the cool air on her bottom and realized that she was almost naked and in his arms. "Look at me," Steve said quietly. She willed her eyes to open as she wrapped her arms around his neck for support. "Say you want me, Lizzie. Say you want me to make love to you." With that, he lowered his head and licked a slow trail from her collarbone to her jaw. Liz was hot and dizzy. It barely registered when he began to open the tie to her robe, the only barrier that covered her nakedness. "Steve," it took so much willpower to say the words, "please. I want you, I do. I just can't like this." And that was how they left it. Liz had sent him away and then cried all night. She called in sick the next day -- she just didn't want to see Traci's face. It angered her so much to know that Traci had been cheating on Steve, but she refused to be involved in their broken marriage. Maybe if he was free, she thought sadly.

Steve, meanwhile, could think of nothing but Liz. He had known that Traci was cheating on him for a long time but couldn't bring himself to end things. It wasn't until he realized how much he cared for Liz that he saw a lawyer and started making plans to ask Traci for a divorce. Steve knew that Liz was what he wanted and that she couldn't be his, wouldn't be his until Traci was out of the picture once and for all. Again and again he replayed in his mind what almost happened at her house. He remembered the silky skin of her ass as he trailed his fingers over her. Steve imagined parting that gauzy robe she had on and seeing her beautiful body in front of him for the first time. He imagined teasing her nipples and hearing her cry out for him. His need is what spurred him on to end things with Traci as quickly as possible.

Liz managed to avoid Traci at work. She seemed too caught up in her affair to even notice the demise of their friendship. Liz replayed the night Steve had touched her for the first time. She still couldn't believe that he'd left when she asked him to go. If he had hesitated a moment longer, she knew she would have given in to her desires and said those words he had asked her to say.

Liz was just about to leave work when her cell phone rang. Her heart skipped a beat when she realized Steve was on the other end of the line. "Hello?" Liz answered quietly.

"Liz? It's me. I -- I've missed you."

"Me, too," she said into the phone. Liz looked around, making certain that Traci wasn't around to overhear her conversation.

"Liz, can you come over tonight? Traci's moved out, and I want to get her stuff out of here. Our divorce will be final on Friday." For a moment, Liz wrestled with the idea of saying no, but she heard herself say, "Yes." She hurried home, and that's when she decided to take the bubble bath.

Liz knocked on the door to Steve's house and he answered quickly. She walked in and turned to say something, but he already had the door shut and spun her around to lean in for a kiss. Everything happened so fast. She felt his wet, soft tongue tease her bottom lip. At the same time, he was peeling the jacket from her shoulders.

"MMM, you smell so good."

"Steve..." Her composure slipping, she moaned into his mouth.

"We can't -- "

Steve's hands seemed to be everywhere all at once. Liz realized she was pinned between the wall and his body. He had her coat off and had started to pull her shirt from the waistband of her skirt.

"God, you feel good," he whispered in her ear, sending shivers up her spine. Liz struggled to make sense of her mixed emotions and vaguely realized that she had wrapped her arms around his neck and was pulling him toward her with an urgency that rivaled his. I have to know, she thought, that Traci is out of our lives. I can't move on knowing that I'm the other woman. I won't do it. Liz started to withdraw her hands from his neck, but he let out a low growl and drew her hands back against him once more.

"Huh-uh. I'm not letting you go," he said quietly. He pulled her blouse down her arms but stopped short of removing it altogether. Her arms were trapped behind her back, tangled in the sleeves. His breath caught as he glimpsed her breasts, encased in green satin and lace.

"I just want to -- " She lost her train of thought and struggled to find the words as he buried his face in her hair.

"Uh-uh," he whispered in her ear. "I can't wait. I want you...right...now."

And with that he lowered his head to hers and kissed her slowly, deeply. Liz felt his hardness and finally found the words she needed to say. "Tell me it's really over. I need to know."

"Liz -- " he said, his breathing ragged. "It's over. Over. I haven't been in love with her for a long time," he moved his hand to her face, tracing his fingers along her cheekbone. "I haven't had sex with her in months. All I can think about is being with you." Finally, she knew she didn't have to hide her need for him any longer. Liz let Steve pull her back into his embrace and returned his kiss.

"You're not going anywhere," he whispered in her ear.

Liz felt his tongue probing her mouth and felt weak with wanting.

"Baby, Lizzie, tell me." He wanted nothing more than to hear her breathless and saying all the things she wanted him to do to her.

"Please," she said, not sure if she had even said it out loud.

"Tell me," he teased her, "Say my name."

"Steven," she said into his mouth, "please, don't make me wait." He pulled her arms free from her blouse and grasped her hand, pulling her further inside the house, toward the steps that led to the bedroom.

"We're not going to go..." Liz trailed off. There was no way that was going anywhere near the bedroom that he had shared with Traci.

Steve paused and looked at Liz, seeing her hesitancy.

"The guest room," he said, guiding her toward the open door. They walked slower now, each afraid the other might change their mind. She walked toward the window slowly and parted the curtains, noting how the pane was covered with frost. Steve came up behind her and moved her hair to the side and placed a soft, wet kiss on her neck. Liz shivered, as much from the cold of the window as from the kiss. She started to turn toward him, but he held her in place, facing the window. Steve reached into his pocket for the gold heart charm necklace and fastened it around her neck. "My charm," she said, surprised. She had thought it was gone forever. He moved his hands from her neck to her bra straps and inched them downward. She tried to turn toward him, but he held her firmly in front of the frosty glass, his chest pressed to her back. As he removed her bra, she could see the reflection in front of her. Her breasts were free, and her nipples hard, straining for his touch. Liz suddenly felt shy standing in front of the window, partially exposed.

"Steve -- " she said, trying again to turn to face him.

"Shh," he whispered into her hair, holding her steady once more. He began lowering her skirt down over her hips, her thighs, until she was clad only in her panties and heels. Steve reached around her and grasped a breast in each hand, feeling the soft weight, lightly drawing her nipples between his fingers. "So beautiful," he growled, squeezing her harder now. It was all Liz could do to remain standing. She leaned back against him, feeling his erection at her back. She wanted his tongue on her, in her. She wanted to take him in her mouth. Liz knew with an animal instinct that she wanted him to take her with no restraint. With one hand, Steve continued to knead her breast, pulling her nipple back and forth between his fingers. He lightly trailed his other hand lower and lower. Liz was afraid that someone would see them in the window but suddenly didn't care. She longed to feel his fingers inside, parting her folds. Instead, he teased her, his fingers rubbing her through her damp panties.

"Mmm, I like that," he said.

"I want to touch you," she said huskily, reaching behind her for his cock.

"Soon," he panted in her ear. "First, I want to see you touch yourself." He moved his hand from her breast to capture her hand in his, drawing it past her waistband, into the soft wetness below. Liz never imagined how amazing it would feel to have his hand controlling her own as she dipped her fingers into her heat. Moaning deeply as his hand forced hers to trace circles around her clit, she felt all her senses being overwhelmed at the same time. His voice cracked. "Jesus, you're so wet." Steve pulled his hand away from hers and allowed Liz to finally turn toward his chest