The Lover's Children - The Complete Series

Chapter 13

It feels good.

There’s something about chopping timber; using the body in a way where muscle-memory does all the heavy lifting. And the woodshed is a good place, with its homely scents of shavings, pine resin and the hay up in the loft. Even though it’s cold, my bare forearms goosing, exercise warms me from the inside.

Muscles loosening with the repeated stretch, swing and Chop of the axe, I ease into my rhythm. It’s mechanical, but in a good way; my body doing what is asked of it with no need for instruction, a familiar task which frees my mind to float.

Chop When James wants to let his thoughts roam, he moves into the kitchen. I see him sometimes, slicing onions or tasting some sauce. But behind his eyes, he’s far away.

Some might take cuckoo clocks apart. Klempner takes guns apart, then reassembles them. And I’ve seen Mitch, knitting, her fingers counting stitches while she stares into the fire, physically with us, but spiritually, somewhere else entirely.

The axe-edge impacts, bites, and the timber slab splits; the round cross-section of a pine, six inches deep, eighteen across; two neat halves falling to one side and the other of my tree-stump anvil.

Setting one half back atop the stump, I stand clear, swing, and bring my axe down in a clean strike that splits the half to quarters.

And again…

again…Rinse and repeat…

Only a couple of minutes, and I"m too warm in my sheepskin vest. Cosy warmth turns to sweaty heat, perversely beading perspiration to chill my forehead.

Hanging the vest on a nail, I work in my tee-shirt, sweat streaking a cold line down my spine. But on my heating skin, the coolth is welcome.

Back to my task…

The smooth warmth of hickory in my hand…

… the heft and balance as I swing…

… the momentary stretch…

… the wordless coordination between eye and edge, taking the axe-head in a smooth arc…

The blade cracks into the pine and once more it splits, dropping with a clunk to the frozen ground.

clunk That’s enough. Tossing stove-lengths onto the woodpile, I turn to take the next wood slice and…

… She"s there, watching me: leaning against the doorpost, muffled up against the cold, her breath a blue cloud.

“Charlotte, I didn"t see you there.”

A smile makes a soft dance over her lips. “I was being quiet. I like watching you do that.”

I twist and throw, spinning the axe through the air. It hits the stump with a clunk, lodging in the timber. Striding across, I take her in my embrace. “You have odd taste in entertainment…” Her smile widens…

clunkRubbing at her arms and shoulders, “It’s cold. You should be indoors. Go find a movie to watch. I’ll join you in a few minutes.” Sliding my arms around her waist, I pull her close. “I’ll bring in plenty of logs. How about we get the fire really blazing, then curl up on the couch with a bottle of wine and watch old movies all afternoon? Your mother and Beth will probably join us.”

She presses close, “I like that, but… I wanted to be with you. Just you…”

Just… My stomach tightens and my groin stirs…

“… It’s wonderful having everyone here. I love it. But sometimes I want you and me together. Just you and me.”

loveJustI tilt her chin up. “You okay, Babe? I thought you were enjoying having people around you? A big family. I thought it was what you wanted?”

She nods, her face bright. “Oh, it is, yes. Just… not all the time.”

She’s moving closer in, plastering herself to me, and while I have no problems with where this is clearly going… “James? You want me to…?”

“Just you,” she murmurs. Then, her mouth close to my face, she whispers, “Let"s make a baby.”

Something thumps under my ribs.

And again.

“Really? Now?”

Now?Her fingers coil into my hair, nails nipping into my scalp. “Really. Now.”

Really.My heart jabbers away, doing double-time. My mouth is dry.

This is ridiculous…

It’s what you’ve wanted…

“Charlotte, you’re sure? You really want this?”

Her grip on my skull relaxes and she pulls back. Brow wrinkled, she stares into my face. “Why would I not want it? I thought it was what you wanted?”

you “It is, but… I know you didn’t enjoy being pregnant before, with Cara. You’re right, I do want this, that you and I have a child together too. But… I understand what your reasons were for having Cara; to give James his daughter back. And with everything that happened, with Finchby and Baxter… And Juliana… I’d thought… Maybe…”

doShe cradles my cheek with her palm. “That it put me off the whole idea? No. That was then. Juliana is dead. We’re all safe. Yes, I needed time to feel like myself again. But it’s been it’s been a year now. And… you think I don’t want to give you what you want? Cara needs a brother or sister, and my Golden Lover wants a baby of his own.”

deadYes,you Her smile fades. “Why are you arguing about this? Have you changed your mind and you don’t like to say so?”

“No!” I didn’t mean to sound sharp. Moderating my tone, “No, I’ve not changed my mind. It’s just… Charlotte, I know you love James more than me. It"s alright. I"ve always known it. I married you knowing it. The point is, I don’t want you doing this out of some misplaced sense of duty. It’s too important.”

No!alright.“Hah!” Nostrils flaring, she spins away, swiping a hand through her hair. Then, she calms, turning back. “Michael, that"s not true. We… we keep coming back to this…”

not keep Scuffing at the floor with the toe of her boot, “I’ll repeat myself, again. And I truly hope this is the last time.” She moves close again, curling her fingers around mine, staring up into my eyes. “I love you too, so much. But it is different…

again sois“… With him, it"s… intense.” She bites a lip, blinking. “… It’s so intense. When he tells me to kneel, or orders me to… to…” … Her arm flails up… “… whatever… sometimes I feel as though my heart will stop. As though the air’s too thick to breathe…”

intense.sowhateverThe thumping in my chest grows to banging, my ribs set to rattle. Charlotte slides her gaze back to mine. “When I’m with you, it’s different. It"s... it"s like I’m living inside a smile. Everything around me is bright and beautiful.” She slides a thumb over my lips. “You"re my Golden Lover. My personal sunshine.”

She looks away again, but when her eyes return to mine, they’re smiling eyes. “I want this. Yes, I chose to have Cara first, and you know why. But now it’s your turn. That was always what I promised you…” She reaches for my mouth with her own, her lips brushing mine… “And I keep my promises.”

want yourFingers slip down my cheek and jaw, trace a line down my neck and chest, then trail out to take my fingers in hers. “Come on…” Her mouth twitches… “… If I’m going to make a baby, I can’t do it by myself.”

I can"t help it. A grin takes over my face, spreading from ear to ear, from cheek to cheek.

Charlotte grins back. “You look pleased.”

“Oh, Babe, you have no idea.”

Mischief gleams in her eye. “It"s my Day Twelve. The next few days…”

“Is that right? No time to waste, then.” “... Best get you indoors ASAP.”

“Here,” she whispers.

“Here? Charlotte, it"s f*****g freezing.”

“Here. Now. Everyone"s around in the house. I want you to myself. And now.” Jade eyes dance upward. “That hay should be comfortable.”

now.“It"ll wait an hour, Sweetheart. Until we can get some privacy indoors.”

“I took my temperature. Now.”

Now.“Your temperature? You"re not messing around, are you.”

temperature?“I know it"s what you want. I want it too. And I"m ready. Both up here…” She taps her temple and… “… She slips her hand back into mine, sliding it over her belly… “… down here.”

The grin has charge of my face. “Who am I to disappoint a lady?”

“What happened to the caveman in my life?” She eye-points upwards…. “I thought you’d drag me off by my hair into your lair.”

“You want a caveman? You"ve got one.” I scoop her up, and she shrieks with laughter as I fling her over my shoulder.

Snagging my jacket en route, I carry her up the ladder into the hayloft. “You might regret this. Hayseeds get everywhere.” Laying the jacket fur side upwards over the straw, “Lie on this. Keep your top on. Just take off your jeans.”

en routeShe kicks off boots, shoves off jeans, leaving herself with only thick fleecy socks below the waist, then settles her pale, naked rear on the sheepskin, Lying back in the classic artist’s model pose; a hand behind her head, one knee slightly raised, her eyes lock with mine.

I lie alongside, stroking the length of her body, moving close to nibble at an ear. The hay is sweet and fragrant, if a touch bristly. “Charlotte, thank you.”

Her smile is bright and perfect. “My pleasure.”

I let fingers drift over her thighs; soft and warm, a hint of firm muscle beneath. Sliding from knee to loin, and back again, I’m conscious that my fingertips are roughened, catching slightly on her smooth skin.

She draws in a whisper of air, and I rest my hand over copper-red curls. “Open up,” I murmur. Sighing, she eases her knees apart, canting her hips upwards a trifle as I slip my fingers down and in.

For a moment I hold, my palm cupping her mound, fingers probing at warm flesh. Oddly, my c**k’s slow to respond. By now, I’m usually bulging at my fly and keen to release a bit of pressure. This time…

More at stake…

More than just lovemaking…

“Are you alright?” Her words are quiet.

“Yes, I’m fine. It just… feels different this time.”

“It is different…” She chuckles… “Would you like me to google instructions for you?”

I burst out laughing. “I don’t think that will be necessary… f**k…”

Fuck…“What’s wrong?” She semi-sits, propping herself up on her elbows, then giggles as, rolling to one side to lie flat on the hay, I do battle with my belt.

“Sorry, gimme a mo. Got a sudden congestion problem. It"s getting a bit crowded in here.” Wrestling buckle and zipper open, I let my shaft out for air. “God, that"s better. A man needs room to breathe sometimes.”

suddenShe nods down at my waving c**k. “I don"t think you breathe through that.”

“No? You"d better hope I can. Because where I"m going to have my nose and mouth in a minute, air"s in short supply… Now… about that caveman thing…”

Eyes widening to glorious green gems, she giggles again, then gasps as I plant my hand between her breasts, pushing her down.

“Silence please,” I say. “Artist at work here…” Grabbing her under the knees, I tug her along, tip her up and, a palm on either thigh, spread her wide.

Her perfume blooms, flowing over me in a glorious scented cloud, fragranced and heady. My c**k pulses…

Gonna take my time over this…

My c**k disagrees…

It doesn’t carry the vote…

Hovering over her with my lips, I breathe… letting heated air bathe her, first at loin and inner thigh, then the swelling flesh of her outer labia.

breathe“Ahhh... “ She flexes, her head flinging back.

The copper-red of hair merges with the growing flush of her skin; a flush that flowers over her vulva, spreading to belly and thighs

A glinting line at her slit…

The gleam of wetness…

Her heating s*x…

Pushing up her sweater, I kiss her navel, her belly. Then, pulling the sweater back over her pimpling skin, slip down to mouthe over the vee of her loins.

She’s arching now, rising at the hips to meet me, legs straining wide. My hands opening her, fingers parting labia to expose her glorious, pungently-scented, liquefying p***y, I thumb over her hooded clit.

Charlotte groans… “Oh, God…”

Sweeping back the hood with one thumb, with the other, I stroke her bud, probing and pushing at the base, watching it engorge and enlarge, turning brilliantly scarlet.

She bucks, “Michael…”

“Ask me nicely…”

“Please…”

“Gonna have you coming two ways today.” Charlotte giggles, then gasps, arching as I plunge my face between her thighs.

My mouth open wide, her folds are swelling nicely. Sliding my tongue over hot, succulent flesh brings them on a bit more. But I want more than this. Teasing at her swelling s*x, stretching the flesh with teeth and lips, brings her on a bit more, her lips puffing up, her entrance opening for me. She smells amazing. My balls crawl with tension and my c**k thrumms with pressure, pulsing in time with the banging behind my ears.

thrummsTonguing over, I lap over Charlotte’s still-hooded clit. She jolts, groaning and her knees open further.

Might as well help that along…

I swing her feet over my shoulders, then snap my hands around and under her ass, lifting and helping her to open wider. “Always knew there must be a good reason this is James" favourite place to be.”

She chuckles, angling herself, offering her blooming p***y to my mouth.

“Good girl. That"s what we"re looking for.” I plunge into her with my tongue and she shrieks, my cupped palms holding her to me as I suck and lick and lap at acidic, honeyed juices. I spiral inside, her muscles fluttering. Hands clutch at my skull, nails biting in as Charlotte jerks and jolts and moans. She’s streaming; tangy, musky, briny; her honey all mine to enjoy.

My position’s still a little awkward, and my neck is cricking.

Easy access…

Winding her jeans into a roll, I shove them under her hips to replace my hands, leaving my fingers free for a bit of exploration. Stretching her open, her p***y is heated; reddening, the labia swelling, and I delve in once more, sucking away her flow.

My c**k thumps protest, wanting to be inside her, and the roughness as the head and shaft brush over hay isn"t helping. I’m trickling already, but I want to trickle inside…

insideNot yet...

Stretching her lips wide, opening her p***y to the full, her bud is exposed, stiff and upright. With my tongue tip, I probe at the base for the sweet spot she has there.

Uuurrgghhh… She shudders, quaking against me.

Uuurrgghhh…Gotcha...

Silently laughing, I probe again, this time swiping around her clit, through her folds and over the tip.

She yells, and p***y juices scald over my chin. Wriggling and bucking, she tries to escape but, still stretching her open with my thumbs, I pin her pelvis with palms and fingers.

She"s quivering and straining, and with every yell, high voltage jolts across my shaft and balls. I"m hard enough that it aches...

I"ll make you yell a different tune in a minute…

She smells of sweat and salt and s*x, but not yet of me. Her quivering is growing, accelerating, building to a shudder. Her flesh pulses, and her hips tremble and strain under my hands.

She"s about to blow...

Give her a few extra seconds...

...and drawing out the moment, I ease off, tracing the most delicate of lines in spirals around her bud.

So gently…

So slowly…

slowly…Her breathing is rapid. Panting. Then my tongue-tip to her clit-tip, I flick the tiny thing…

... This way and that…

This way and that…

Charlotte bucks, flinging forward, her nails clutching into my shoulders, biting in.

Wailing out, she gushes hot, screaming out her climax... “God… No...”

Releasing her clit, I drop to her p***y, plunging in to tongue-f**k her as I suck up spilling juices.

“Red! Red!”

Instantly, I withdraw, swinging her legs free of my shoulders to kneel upright, watching my quivering, quaking, shaking fox-haired Love. Wherever she is right now, it’s not the same planet as the rest of us. Eyes squeezed tight closed, teeth bared, fingers curled to claws, spine arched, she bucks and shudders her way through o****m…

… and eases…

… Still breathing heavily, she relaxes back down onto the hay. Her eyes flutter open, first staring straight up, then, green and brilliant, shifting to me. I lay a hand on the vee of her thighs, the skin hot and wet, copper curls gleaming. “Good?”

She nods, then both hands raised, reaches for me. “I think that makes it your turn.”

“I think it does.” Shimmying my jeans down and off, I kick them to one side then kneel up above her, my shaft pulsing its enthusiasm against my belly. “No doubt we’ll both be picking hayseeds out of our clothes for the next week.”

Charlotte chuckles, but her eyes fixed on mine, she angles her hips, spreads her thighs. Her smile is wicked. After a moment, her gaze drops to my erection, holds, then rises again. “You going to do something with that, then?”

“Oh, yes. Hold on tight. You’re not getting out of this without coming again.” Surging forward, I seize her at the wrists. She squeals, but I push her arms over her head, then settle myself over her, my c**k now resting against her belly. Slipping my arms under her shoulders, I hold her to myself, my cheek against hers. “Comfortable?” I murmur.

yesShe shifts, twisting her face to mine, her lips meeting mine. “Mmmm…” She flexes and swings, her legs locking around my waist. “Inside me. I want you inside me. Now.”

It’s so easy, so smooth; sliding myself down, my cockhead slipping through folds already hot and wet, to her entrance. She’s open, slick and ready for me, and my gradual penetration is tight and delicious. She whimpers as I enter, her arms curving down to hold me at the shoulders.

A slight withdrawal, then I re-penetrate until she sheathes me entirely. The temptation is to pound in, f**k her hard and blow my load. My c**k says Yes to that, but my head says No.

YesNoI want her screaming under me, and not just for a few seconds.

Winding my hips, pressing in, I spiral my shaft inside her, angling upward. It’s not the easiest of moves, but as I push against her g-spot, she lurches in my arms, hissing air through her teeth… “Oh, God…”

“Like I said, you’re not getting away without coming again, on my c**k this time.” And I wind another circle inside her, to be rewarded by a ball-tightening groan. My thighs are encouragingly wet. Another circuit and her groan is louder.

“Ready for more?”

“Oh, God, yes. f**k me, Michael. f**k me hard.”

“As my wife wishes…” And I ram forward, hard enough to swing my balls. She squawks, pitching under me, arms flailing.

I thrust again, “Come on, Babe. I want you to come again. This doesn’t finish until you do.” Another stroke. And another. Filling her with myself each time, withdrawing, then driving in again, full-length, my c**k harder with every stroke. “Come for me…”

“Uuurrgghhh…”

Her apparent loss of the power of speech makes me smile, but she’s on the build, her tension mounting. Taking a break from jack-hammering into her, I pause to wind another circle into her, catching that sweet spot inside her again, savouring her answering scream, then once more spearing in…

“Come for me…”

ComeBut she"s ahead of me, her body convulsing, her hands gripping my shoulders as though she might fall off the edge of the world if she released her hold.

I don’t stop, thrusting hard. Her hips jerk and jolt against mine. She’s yelling something. There could be words in there but I’m not sure. It doesn’t matter. I know what she’s saying, and I give her everything I know she wants…

Charlotte stiffens under me. For a moment she’s quite still, her eyes blinking open; huge-pupilled, bordered by emeralds. Her face is brilliantly flushed, her copper hair bronzed with sweat. Her heart bangs against mine.

Her breathing is jerky, rapid, then pauses altogether...

Eyes squeezing tight again, she lurches under me, and her panted yells become one, long, drawn-out wail…

Her flush darkens from scarlet to crimson…

“Don"t forget to breathe...”

In mid-c****x, her eyes unsqueeze to meet mine and she bursts into laughter, or tries to. The two don"t really go together. Her mouth flung wide, all that comes out is the bastard lovechild of a cough and a splutter

“Oh God… Don"t… Don’t do that... I...”

“Do what? This?” And I give her another shove at her g-spot to finish her off...

“No. Oh... God… No...”

No...“No?”

“It"s delicious, but I can"t stand it.”

Abruptly, she grabs at my naked ass, holding me to herself. Her cunt, tight and hot around me, clenches and grabs, squeezing at me, one rhythmic pulse after another.

Shit!

And I blow…

As I spurt, she’s still clutching at me…

One volley, two…

And now, her laughter is real. “See how you like it,” she chuckles.

… a third, and I’m done, but she’s still clamping around me like some psychotic plumber with a blocked drain to clear…

Wringing me dry….

dry….“Stop, Charlotte. For f**k’s sake, stop…”

, stop…She laughs again, a wicked little chuckle, gives my c**k one more squeeze, then relaxes, releasing her death-grip on my backside.

Limp in body, mind and groin, I drop, my weight huffing the air from her ribs.

“For f**k’s sake, Michael, you weigh a ton. Roll off, will you.”

She shoves and, unceremoniously, I drop to one side, blinking back the shooting stars behind my eyes.

“Jeez… That was…”

She giggles. “Spectacular...” She rolls close, nips my chin between thumb and forefinger steering my face to hers, then presses her lips to me... “… as it should be for our first make-a-baby effort.”

Abruptly, it’s hard to swallow. Something wells inside me. “Thank you, Charlotte.” Tugging up my pants, I realise belatedly that she’s still half-naked too. “Get dressed. Don’t get chilled.”

“I’ll just lie here for five minutes,” she says. “Might as well give everything time to head off for the goalposts. Oh, and later, when you’ve caught up on yourself again. We’ll do it again.”

*****