Part 34 (2/2)
”I've never done this before, Josh c.u.mberland. Not this fast.”
”Done?”
”Can your ninja senses detect someone sneaking out beyond a closed door?”
”I don't...”
”Come on.” Her hands pulled him as if he were weightless. ”Come on.”
Inside her bedroom, she pushed the door quietly shut. The room was lit by a small bedside lamp, which she tapped, switching it off.
Only faint silver moonlight illuminated her form as she pulled her blouse off over her head, then undid her skirt and let it slide to the floor. Time slowed as she removed bra and panties, and stood there, a perfect G.o.ddess, the long scars glistening like moonlight inside her arms.
Josh blinked eyes filled with grit, with salt, with the overwhelming knowledge that he deserved nothing, and certainly not this. Then he removed his clothes with a Zen exactness, his gaze never deviating from her face.
They embraced standing, her skin incandescent, smooth and warm, and then she was pulling him to the bed where they lay down, his mouth finding her throat, working slowly down, to her nipples like black cherries, to the smoothness of her stomach, her soft inner thighs and the sweet surprise within, burying himself until she arced back, giving a low cry; and a shuddering sob as she took hold of his head and pulled him up to her face.
”In me,” she said.
Then he was riding to the stars, expecting it to be immediate, but silky, soft strength enclosed him, prolonging the voyage, every nerve juddering; and then the atomic fireball cascaded outwards, bursting with nova energy until he was done, lying on her and in her, holding her forever, only her name in his mind and on his lips: Suzanne, Suzanne, Suzanne.
After a time, she said ”Sorry, you're squas.h.i.+ng me.”
”Sorry.” He rolled sideways, and she turned with
him, so they remained embraced though he popped out of her. ”Oops.”
”Shame,” she said, then burped. ”Oh.”
They shook together in shared laughter.
”Now what are we going to do?” Josh stared at her in the darkness, amazed at the world.
”We could sleep.”
”I guess.”
He continued to stare, wonder seeping through him, with no awareness of the moment when he drifted downwards into restorative sleep for the first time in an age, with a sense of correctness, of security at last.
Everything paused.
They awoke still embracing, with no trace of cramp, as though their bodies fitted together exactly. Their kiss was soft, on the lips, and then she had him pulled inside her and they rode together, for longer this time, grinning, staring into each other's eyes at the moment of explosion, his before hers but only by seconds; and then he collapsed beside her.
”I need to brush my teeth,” he said. ”And did I mention you're beautiful?”
After taking it in turns to use the bathroom a quick trip each, then a longer sojourn in the shower they dressed and went into the small kitchen area. Suzanne put coffee on, then turned to him.
”You realise I'm not white?” she said.
”My G.o.d. And did you notice I'm not black?”
”I noticed everything.”
”Me too.”
The world was at peace as they kissed again, very soft and very still. Then they disengaged and got ready for breakfast, putting out bowls and cereal, occasionally glancing at the door to Richard's room, neither mentioning the boy's name.
”You're going to work with him today?” Josh kept his voice low. ”Or would that get you in trouble with the disciplinary board?”
”Probably, if it gets that far.”
”Ah. Let's sort out his problems, then maybe nothing will happen. It's his father who”
The guest room door clicked open, and Richard was standing there. ”Can I use the?”
”It's over there.”
He nodded, then shuffled past them to the bathroom, and went in.
”The poor lad looks awful,” said Josh, ”but not as bad as last night.”
”No. The first thing I need to deploy is a powerful psychophysical technique for integrating body and mind for the day ahead.”
”Cool.”
”It's called breakfast.”
Afterwards, while Suzanne did more work with Richard, Josh went into her bedroom to use his phone, checking the hospital for Opal's condition. He could have hacked into the watchcams, but the always-present memory of Sophie stopped him. A nurse told him that Opal was in post-op recovery, no further details available. The earliest she might possibly receive visitors would be tonight at 7.30, but he should call in advance, in case she was not ready. Thankful to have talked to a human being, Josh closed the call.
When he entered the lounge Richard was in an armchair, apparently in a light doze.
”I'm going to talk to Josh now,” Suzanne told the boy. ”And when I talk to you again directly, you'll know the difference. For now, just rest.”
As she turned to Josh her tone changed. ”He's all right.”
”Good.” He said nothing about Opal. ”That's good.”
Suzanne nodded. Somehow they were on the same wavelength if there had been positive news from the hospital, it would have been OK to share it; otherwise it was best to say nothing. She reached out her hand; when he took hold, it felt wonderful. With a smile, she led him into her bedroom their bedroom? and this time he knew it was only to talk. They smiled, holding each other's hands, as though about to start some oldfas.h.i.+oned dance.
”So what are we going to do?” she asked.
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