Читаем The Lake полностью

Leigh let out a small “aahh” of guilt. She couldn’t bear to see him hurt. Innocently, his eyes questioned hers. Like a small boy who’d brought his mom a special gift, only to be told she didn’t want it.

She relented, couldn’t take his discomfort any longer.

“Okay, Charlie. I give in. This sure is some place you got here.”

Moving over to the makeshift bed, she clambered in, hugged her knees, and smiled up at him.

Charlie looked happier already. It dawned on her that in his own special way maybe Charlie was in love with her.

She opened her arms, and he came to her.

They lay there for a while, he stroking her breasts, her belly, her thighs and legs. Doing it carefully, like she was a piece of precious china.

Lying by her side, propped up on an elbow, head in his hand, he looked at her. She smiled deep into his eyes.

His arm dropped down.

They lay together, their bodies touching. The pain, the hard ache between her legs, began again. He caressed her back, gently. Kissed her lips, her eyelids, her cheeks.

Then tenderly, and with infinite feeling, her lips again.

She sensed the different kind of passion.

Not the wham-bam, thank-ya-ma’am stuff that had happened yesterday.

This was a wonderful, titillating foreplay to the main event.

Leigh responded, gently at first, then with impatience and a growing need. She came on top, straddling him, her mouth opening on his, finding his tongue, sucking, sucking, and pulling it into hers. Drawing it into her throat.

Wishing it were him she had in her mouth.

Like last night.

She left his mouth. Sliding down, she trailed her tongue over his slick, muscular chest.

His body tasted good; it was hairy and salty with sweat.

She licked harder now, her breath coming in short, hard gasps. Her tongue traveled past his navel and through the dark curly hairs spreading across his hard belly.

Down to his huge erection.

She grasped it and took it in her mouth until he came, writhing, moaning, spurting into her. Sobbing and gagging, she swallowed his come.

Gasping, tears running down her face, she lay with her head between his legs, panting, breathless. Pulling her up against his chest, he massaged the backs of her thighs with firm, smooth strokes.

His mouth found hers again; he took her tongue and sucked at it, hard. As he shifted slightly, his pubic hairs rubbed against her belly. Then, with a strength she wasn’t expecting, he shoved a hand inside her.

Aaaaghhh…

She cried out. In shock. In pain.

With a catlike movement Charlie was on top, thrusting himself deep into her center. Pounding into her, gouging, shaking her body to the core. She rose to meet him, raw, hurting, pressing herself against him, raking herself up and down his shaft till she could take no more.

He came into her again. And again. Still gasping, crying a little, she lay back on the tousled, sweat-soaked sheet. Charlie lay on his side, looking down at her, hungrily.

Panting. Wanting more.

Playing with her dark, softening nipples.

She felt the hard ache rise again…

“Charlie,” she breathed, closing her eyes, lifting her arms to hold him.

But Charlie leapt up, grabbed his shirt, and thrust his arms into it. Fumbling with the buttons, he gave up trying and dragged on his jeans.

Hopping from one leg to the other, he looked almost comical.

Except it wasn’t funny.

Leigh was in shock.

Crying out in disbelief: “Charlie?”

Astounded.

Bereft.

“Where are you going? You can’t leave me now…not like this…”

“I gotta I gotta…,” he stammered desperately. “I promised Mom I’d be home for supper. She thinks I’m out collecting wood for tomorrow…I gotta go…I just gotta…”

He looked around wildly.

Torn. Willing himself to be somewhere else.

Night shadows had gathered. She couldn’t make out his features.

Couldn’t see if he was disappointed.

What had gone wrong?

Had she been too forward?

Whatever. Looks like she’d frightened him off…

And now he was leaving her.

But he couldn’t.

Not when we’ve had it so good together.

Nothing, no one, is gonna keep us apart!

She sprang up and grabbed him; he wrenched away from her urgent, shaking hands grasping his shirt, holding on to him.

“Mom’ll be looking for me. She’s expecting me…”

They fell to the floor, struggling, fighting. He rolled away from her.

Pushed himself up.

Unable to believe what was happening, she reached out to hold him.

He fell back, away from her, shoving an elbow hard on the floorboards. With a rending, splitting sound the rotten floor gave under his weight.

He plummeted to the ground below.

She stared at the black space where the floor, where Charlie, had been.

Hearing his low, hurt grunt as he hit rock bottom.

The dull crack that was a thud and a splish! all at the same time.

Like a ripe melon bursting open.

Terrified, Leigh scrambled to her feet.

“Charlie oh my God Charlie Charlie! Wait, I’m coming I’m coming.”

Naked, she bounded across the landing and took the stairs, two, three at a time.

Ouch.

Shit!