The Challenge Club

[Dingus Guy]

Bah...

I just don't have the mindset to write at the moment. Please forgive my lack of production as of late too many things on my mind. I have too many things half done and not in the mood to just complete them. Who knows when I will catch up.

CM, I will get around to reading your story sooner or later and give you my humble opinion. Hope the back is holding up.

 

[Guest]

DG, sorry that you are having problems with the writing. I know how you feel. I have gone through a few weeks where I didn't have much motivation to write. I have found that if I get a pen and notebook and get away from the computer, I can sometimes break through the block and I-don't-feel-like-writing mood.

If you need to talk, you know how to reach me.

The back... well, it's about the same. Thanks for asking.

 

[Guest]

phew!

27 Word pages and a little over 8,600 words... and still no end in sight.

Summer (this was your challenge, right?), you've created a monster!

 

[Wills]

You can say that again.

I'm spending every moment I can spare writing. Don't know what it was about this challenge, but it sure got me going. Last count 23k words, done first two chapters and the last chapter. Just got to fill in the middle.

I'll read yours CM when the flow stops.

DG don't sweat it, I barely wrote a thing for three months, some time, it will kick back in gear.

 

[SummerMorning]

I feel monstrous...am writing overtime - and almost no fun, just work... groan... sometimes college is a pain

 

[Guest]

Are we dying a slow death here? Seems like it.

 

[Black Tulip]

It sure does. The men are abandoning us already.

Would be a pity though. This thread has inspired some very nice stories.

 

[Guest]

I am almost finished with the last challenge. I am on the 33rd page at the moment and am writing the ending (sex) scene, so it shouldn't be much longer before it gets finished.


It seems, for the most part, that we are growing from these challenges. Most of our later stories seem to be longer and have more plot development in them than our earlier ones do. I would hate for this club to die because it's been where I have gotten most of my story ideas lately, and I enjoy all the banter that goes back and forth between our group. I still feel kind of out of place here in the AH, so this club gives me a little place that I can call home.

 

[Black Tulip]

I agree with that.

My latest contribution, the Kama Sutra thing, is just up by the way. I am thinking of writing more chapters to it.

And yes, the one that got really out of hand is now into chapter 7. I posted the first part of chapter 1, about the witch, in this thread.

Nothing prevents us from continuing though, right?
If none of the others responds, why don't you give out a new challenge?

 

[Guest]

We'll give the guys a little bit more time to respond (and me time to finish up this latest one, lol). If they don't drop in soon, then I will post a new one (will have to wrack my brain to come up with one, lol.)

 

[Black Tulip]

That is what I had in mind. You finish your story and then we'll see if the guys are still with us.

 

[Dingus Guy]

I'm still here

I went away to see my parents this weekend, but otherwise I have been around. Just with some personal problems, right now is not my writing time. I would also hate for this thread to die since I started it. I have so many stories hanging and not sure when I will have my right frame of mind to do that. I am working 6 days a week and come Sunday it is my time to go out and see people. Enough with the lame excuses. I won't take on any challenges until I feel better, sorry but that is the way it is. If you want a challenge, try this:

A conversation between two men if you are a woman and two women if you are a man. See how you can interrupt the opposite sex. Words for the story:

1- must have the following phrase- "I really like him/her because..."
2- virgin mudslide (Mudslide the drink w/o the alcohol)
3- Yahoo
4- phone number
5- Can not be a gay storyline.

 

[Guest]

Ok, I finally finished Summer's challenge story. Alas, I couldn't fit in the KS reference, but I did incoporate everything else.

This is a romance story, so it's rather long. It comes in at a little over 12,000 words.

I would really like input on how I dealt with the explanation of the mother's behavior. Too much detail? Not enough detail? I wasn't sure how much to add, since it's almost like a sub-plot.

Also, I am stumped for a title. Any ideas?

I am going to go ahead and put the whole story here so you don't have to go back and search for the first part that I posted earlier.

Oh, BT, I went back and read through the first part, and I only saw one place where she bet anything. You said after reading the first part that alot of betting was going on. Can you explain?

Thanks!

***************
Grace lay in the hammock, which her dad, Tom, had made by hand out of hemp rope, and enjoyed the serenity of the outdoors. It was a beautiful spring day. The sun shone down in patches through the thick branches of the backyard trees and scattered its light sporadically over the shaded yard.

The hammock swung gently in the breeze as Grace listened to the peaceful sounds of the day. Leaves swished, insets buzzed faintly, and a songbird sang sweetly in the distance. Grace wished the quiet tranquility wouldn’t end, but she knew that it was inevitable that it would. Soon, the backyard would be overrun with sounds of people laughing and talking and of children playing.

Her parents, Tom and Martha, were throwing a cook-out bash in honor of her being home from college for spring break. Grace went to school out of state, so summer, Christmas, and spring break were the only times that she made it home for visits. Her parents had invited most of the extended family, which included one set of grandparents and several aunts, uncles, and cousins.

A sigh escaped from Grace’s full lips, and she almost wished that she had not come home for a visit. Wanting it to be a surprise, her parents had not told her about the family get together until this morning. If it had been any other day, it wouldn’t have been a problem, but today was the planned day for her boyfriend, Aidan, to drive down so that he could meet her parents.

After being informed of the party, Grace had called Aidan and tried to convince him to wait until the next day to come, but he had already been on the road for a couple of hours and didn’t want to turn around and go back.

“I’m already on my way,” he had said. “Besides, what’s the big deal about meeting the rest of your family? I don’t mind.”

The big deal was that he would arrive shortly after the party started, and none of her family even knew he existed. Grace had really stuck her foot in it this time. Her mom had been so critical of past boyfriends that Grace had decided to keep Aidan to herself for awhile and not to tell anyone about him.

She hadn’t even really intended for her family to know about him this soon, but he had brought up wanting to meet them and asked if he could come down during break. Because he lived so far away from school, he only went home during the summer.

“Why don’t I go home with you for spring break?” he had asked. “It gets boring staying here alone, and I would miss you too much. Besides, I’d like to meet your parents and your little sister.”

Grace had come up with some lame excuse about her parents wanting some alone time with her in order to persuade Aidan to drive down on the third day of break instead of coming with her. She needed the delay so that she could tell her parents about him before he arrived.

Realizing that she didn’t have much time left before the party started, Grace rolled out of the hammock and headed inside to inform her parents about Aidan. She found them in the kitchen preparing food for the party.

“Don’t even think about it,” Martha said as Grace reached for a paring knife. “This party is being held in your honor, so you just sit down and relax. Your father and I will take care of everything.”

“Whatever you say Mom.” Grace knew that her mom would be singing a different tune when it came time for the after party clean up. “I still can’t believe you talked Summer into staying with Gramps and Grams until today. Every time that we have talked on the phone over the last couple of weeks, all she could talk about was not being able to wait until I came home for a visit.”

Summer was Grace’s little sister. About five years ago, Martha had thought that she was going through the change of life. Instead, she found out that she was pregnant.

Grace sat for a moment listening as her parents discussed the food and how much would need to be fixed in order to have enough for the guests.

“Well, you know most of the men are going to eat more than one burger,” Tom said. “They may even eat more than one bratwurst or hot dog too.”

“So, count up how many men are coming and add that to the total number of people and throw in a few extra for good measure in case any of the ladies or kids want seconds.”

“You need to add one more guy to the list,” Grace added after her father had run down the list of who was coming.

“What do you mean one more? Your father listed everyone who was invited.”

“He listed everyone that you invited, but he missed someone that I invited. Someone that was coming today before I knew that you had planned a family get together.”

“Grace, whatever are you talking about?” asked Martha.

“It’s my boyfriend, Aidan. He was coming down today to meet you two and Summer.”

“Your boyfriend? What boyfriend?” demanded Martha.

“I met Aidan during the spring semester of the last school year. He was the one that I talked to so much on the phone last summer. You know, all the times that I told you “Just a friend,” when you asked who I was talking to. After school started back in the fall, he asked me out. We’ve been dating ever since.”

“You mean to tell me that you have been dating this boy for seven months and you are just now telling us about it?” Martha asked, incredulously.

“Yep, that’s pretty much what I am saying.”

“Grace Abigail Montgomery! How could you keep something like that from us all this time?”

“It’s not that big of a deal, Mom. I just wanted him to myself for awhile. Besides, considering how you usually act regarding my boyfriends, I decided to spare myself the drama for as long as I could.”

“How I act about your boyfriends? What are you talking about?”

“Now, now, you two, that’s enough. Martha, ease off on the girl. You have always been to rough on her when it comes to who she dates,” Tom said, as he jumped in to diffuse the threatening conflict. “Well, what’s this guy like?”

“He’s really sweet and funny, and he acts like what I have to say and I what I think are important.”

“And does he make you happy?”

“Yes daddy, he makes me very happy.”

“Well, that’s all I need to know then. When’s he supposed to get here?”

“He should be here shortly after time for the cook-out to start.”

“Well, you probably need to tell your Grams about him. You know she’ll be upset if she doesn’t know about him before he pulls up in the drive-way.”

“Don’t worry Dad. I plan on trying to tell as much of the family as possible before he gets here. Oh, and please don’t tell Aidan that I just now told you about him. I don’t want him to get the wrong idea.”

“Sure pumpkin. We won’t say anything, will we Martha?”

“No, I suppose not,” said Martha, a disapproving look plastered across her face.

An uncomfortable silence fell upon the kitchen and remained unbroken until the sound of the front door being opened filtered down the hallway.

“Gracey! Gracey!!” hollered Summer as she came barreling down the hallway and into the kitchen, a pink silk ribbon flying merrily from her golden curls.

Grace swept her little sister into her arms and warmly embraced her.

“Hey munchkin! Did you have fun at Gramp’s and Grams’?”

“You bet! We had a tea party and ate pizza and watched movies!”

“Cool beans! I bet that was a blast.”

“Hey sweetheart,” said Grams, as she entered the kitchen and placed a gentle kiss Grace’s cheek. “Was your trip home okay?”

“It was fine Grams. It just gets a little tedious after awhile.”

“I bet it does,” responded Gramps. “Driving alone for six hours can’t be any fun.”

“Well, it’s not, but it’s how I get home.”

“Tom, you want to come out here and help me unload the tables and chairs from the truck?”

“Sure Dad, how about you pull the truck into the backyard? That way, we won’t have to carry the stuff so far.”

“Good idea.”

“Martha is there anything I can do to help?” asked Grams.

“No thank you Rose, I’ve got it handled. Why don’t y’all go outside and help the men set up the tables and chairs?”

“If you’re sure…”

“I’m sure. Go ahead.”

Grams, Grace and Summer, who was still riding along on her big sister’s hip, headed out to the backyard to help get the seating set up.

“Grams, there’s someone coming to the cook-out that I want you to meet,” Grace said.

“Who?”

“His name is Aidan, and he’s my boyfriend.”

“Gracey’s got a boyfriend! Gracey’s got a boyfriend!” chanted Summer exuberantly.

“Hush child,” said Grams. “Your sister is trying to tell me something. Go help Gramps and your Daddy with the tables and chairs.”

Grace put Summer down, and she skipped off towards where the men were unloading the truck.

“Okay, back to business,” said Grams. “Tell me about it.”

“You know how Mom has always acted about my boyfriends. No matter how good of a guy they are, they never meet her standards.”

“Yes, that’s very true.”

“Anyway, I have kept him a secret until now because I didn’t want to listen to Mom gripe about him and criticize him.”

“How long have you been seeing this boy?”

“We’ve been dating for about seven months, since right after school started.”

“What’s he like?”

“He’s really nice. He always listens when I talk, and he’s really supportive of me. He’s got a great sense of humor and can always make me laugh.”

“That’s good dear. It’s important to have someone to share laughter with and to have someone to talk to who actually listens. Knowing you, I bet he’s a hunk too.”

“Grams!”

“Well, I didn’t mean anything bad by it child. I just meant that a young woman as beautiful as you would obviously attract handsome young men. So, what does he look like?”

“Tall, dark, and handsome,” Grace said with a grin.

“Enough with the clichés child, I want details!”

“Well, he really is tall, dark, and handsome. I can’t really describe him without sounding silly. You’ll see when he gets here.”

“Does he treat you right?” asked Grams.

“Yes, he does. He buys me gifts and sends flowers for no reason. He says it’s just because he’s thinking about me. He often walks me to my first class, even though is first class doesn’t start for another two hours and he could have slept in.”

“You sound very happy.”

“I am. When I think about him, I feel all warm and tingly. When he walks into the room, my heart leaps.”

“Sounds to me like this might be serious. Is it?”

“I don’t know, Grams. We really haven’t discussed anything about a future. I mean, we see each other exclusively, but the “L” word hasn’t come up yet.”

“Well, it may not have been spoken aloud yet, but it’s written all over your face. I am very curious to meet this young man. I want to see his face when he looks at you. I can learn a lot just from that.”

“Learn what?”

“Well, learn his feelings about you, for one thing. Even if a person is really good at putting on a mask, it will slip ever so often when the person thinks no one is looking.”

“A mask? Why would he put on any kind of an act?”

“If he was using you, of course.”

“Using me?” It was all Grace could do to keep from bursting with laughter.

“I’m glad that you find it so amusing. However unfortunate it may be, it is very common for young men to use young women for their own pleasure. Since your mother is such a prude, I am sure that she hasn’t broached this subject with you, but I have no such hang-ups. Please tell me that you have been taking precautions.”

“We haven’t needed to take any precautions. I can assure you that Aidan is not using me for anything. Honestly Grams, that really isn’t any of your business.”

“You’re right, of course, but I couldn’t help it. I just don’t want you to get hurt. I guess that I just have to try and trust you to take care of yourself.”

“Don’t worry Grams. I will be fine.”

The whole subject was so amusing to Grace because she and Aidan had not even had sex yet. Even though they had been dating for seven months, Aidan respected the fact that Grace considered sex to be something special between two people that really cared for each other and that she didn’t want to rush into a sexual relationship. That’s not to say that they didn’t fool around a bit here and there.

There generally was some fondling going on during kisses, and before Grace had left school to come home for spring break, Aidan had slipped his hand inside her panties and started playing with her clit. It had felt so good that Grace hadn’t tried to stop him, and he continued until he had brought her to orgasm. She had tried to reciprocate, but Aidan had refused saying that he had wanted to do that for her and was not expecting anything in return.

“Are you two gonna stand over there and gab all day or are you gonna come over here and help?” Gramps hollered from the other side of the back yard.

“We’re coming Gramps!” hollered Grace.

Grace and Grams headed over and helped get the remaining tables and chairs set up. The sounds of car doors closing in the distance signaled the beginning of the guests’ arrivals.

Family members began filtering into the backyard just as the last table and chairs were put into place. Grace used the diversion of the incoming guests to sneak around the opposite side of the house and enter through the French doors of the study. Using the phone that was on her father’s desk, she called Aidan to see how far away he was from the house.

“Hey Babe, I just passed the church that is four turns before your house.”

“Then you should be here in about ten minutes. You definitely can’t miss the house. It’s the only one around here with lots of cars parked in the driveway or the front yard. I won’t be able to wait for you out front. I snuck in the house to call you, so I will have to stay in the backyard and greet all of the family. Come around the right side of the house. I’ll be watching for you.”

“Okay, I will see you in a few.”

Grace hung up the phone and hurriedly returned to the backyard. If her mother had noticed her missing, there would be hell to pay.

Sounds of talking and laughter told Grace that more people had arrived during the short time that she had been on the phone. Summer, bubbling with laughter, raced in front of Grace as she rounded the corner of the house. Following close on Summer’s heels were Annie and Andy, her cousin Janey’s three year old twins. Janey had been an avid collector of rag dolls, and now she boasted that she had her very own live ones.

Grace stopped at the edge of the crowd and looked out at her family. Both of her dad’s brothers and their wives were in attendance, along with four of their children. Two of the children, Janey being one of them, were married with families of their own, who were also at the party. Grace would bet her favorite pair of earrings that Uncle Bob had brought his guitar and would be serenading the group after everyone finished eating.

Also at the cook-out was her Aunt Lucy, who was Martha’s sister, and her two kids. As Grace looked around, she spotted her Great Aunt Louise and her Great Uncle Claude. Aunt Louise was Grams’ sister. Grace also noticed that both of the next door neighbors had come and so had her mom’s best friend and her family.

One thing was for sure. Anytime anyone in her family threw a party, everybody showed up. The family was pretty close knit. Well, most of them anyway.

Grace was more than a little irritated to see that her cousin Melissa had some. All throughout their lives, Melissa had constantly tried to outdo Grace. When Grace had tried out for cheerleading, so had Melissa, even though she had always said that cheerleaders were a bunch of snobs and that she would never be one. She took the same classes in high school and even applied for the same scholarships and the same college as Grace. Luckily, Melissa hadn’t been awarded enough money in scholarships for her to attend.

On top of all the competition in school and with friends, Melissa had always tried to steal away Grace’s boyfriends, openly flirting with them and making suggestive comments in front of Grace. She had managed to steal away a couple of them. Grace was fairly certain that Melissa had succeeded with those because she slept with them, which is something that Grace wouldn’t do. She would have to try and keep Melissa away from Aidan as much as possible. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Aidan. It was more that she didn’t trust Melissa.

Tom was busily manning the grill, and Grace breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her mother come out through the patio door carrying a tray loaded with raw hamburger patties. That meant that she wouldn’t have known that Grace hadn’t been outside the entire time.

Wading into the crowd, Grace stopped here and there to speak to family members, but all the while, she had an eye trained on the corner of the house, on the lookout for Aidan’s imminent arrival.

As she walked by Aunt Louise, a frail hand reached out and grasped around Grace’s wrist. “How’s school going, Gracey?” Aunt Lou asked, her voice shaky with age.

“It’s going fine Aunt Lou. I only have two more months left before graduation,” Grace responded, raising her voice so that Aunt Louise could hear her over the din of the crowd.

“What kind of plans do you have for when you get out? Got any wedding bells in your future?”

Aunt Louise didn’t share the same liberated views with Grams. Of course, that could be because she was fifteen years older. Grams was a late addition to the family and quite a surprise. Aunt Louise believed that all women’s place was in the home as a wife and mother. She didn’t think that a woman should have a career.

Grace chuckled to herself and replied, “I don’t know Aunt Lou. I am seeing someone, but I don’t know if it is serious enough yet to even think about the possibility of getting married.”

“Well, you should be thinking about. That’s the most important thing that you can do. You should have already settled down and started a family by now.”

“All in good time Aunt Lou. All in good time.”

Grace walked away from Aunt Louise before she could get started on her lecture about the importance of being a wife and mother. It wasn’t like she hadn’t heard it countless times while she was growing up.

Checking her watch and not watching where she was going, Grace all but collided with her cousin, Melissa.

“Got somewhere else to be?” Melissa asked. “Or are you expecting someone?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Because you were looking at your watch. You either have somewhere else to go, or you’re expecting someone else to show up. I am betting on the someone showing up because there’s been a rumor floating around that you’ve got a new boyfriend,” Melissa said with a smirk.

“It’s really not any of your business what I am doing,” Grace snapped.

“What’s the matter Grace, afraid that I am going to steal away another boyfriend?” Melissa taunted.

“Not on your life, Melissa. I’ve gotten past the point where I feel threatened by you,” Grace retorted, and then she stomped off towards where her Aunt Lucy was seated.

Grace’s words were actually just a brave front. She really did still feel threatened by Melissa, and she was afraid that Melissa would try to steal away Aidan. Grace knew that she was pretty, too many people had told her so for it to be a lie, but Melissa had a definite edge in the looks department.

Even though they were both relatively the same height, Melissa was lean and trim and had luxurious long, blonde hair while Grace was more full-figured and her sandy blonde hair was cut in a bob. Grace, more often than not, suffered from a low self-image. She frequently lamented the fact that she needed to lose weight, but no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t seem to shed any pounds.

She had tried working out religiously and eating better, but to no avail. Her mom said that it was the curse of her family and that it wasn’t that she was overweight, she was just curvy. Well, that was definitely true, Grace had curves; she just felt like the curves went too far away from her body.

The only advantage that Grace had ever felt that she had over Melissa was the size of her breasts. Melissa’s breasts were so small that she was almost flat-chested. Grace, on the other hand, had full breasts that often looked as if they wanted to escape the binding material of whatever shirt she happened to be wearing.

“Where are you going in such a hurry?” Aunt Lucy asked as Grace hurried towards her chair.

“Nowhere in particular, I’m just trying to get away from something irritating,” Grace responded.

“More like trying to get away from someone irritating, I would say.”

“Well, yeah…”

“What is she trying to do this time?”

“Oh, she heard a rumor that I have a new boyfriend, so of course she has to start making insinuating comments about it.”

“Don’t worry about it Grace. Any guy that’s worth anything would know in a heartbeat what Melissa is all about. If he truly cares for you, then you have nothing to worry about. So, is there a new boyfriend?”

“Yes, there is, and he should have been here by now.”

“Well, why don’t you go up front and see if you can see him coming? I’ll run interference with your mother. Honestly, I wish she would lighten up some.”

“You and me both! Thanks, Aunt Lucy.”

Grace looked around to locate her mother and found her close to the grill with her back turned. Using that opportunity to her advantage, Grace slipped around the house and then raced to the front yard. She had thought about going inside the house and trying to call him again, but she was afraid that he would arrive while she was inside.

She walked to the edge of the driveway and looked down the road in the direction from which Aidan should come. Even though she could hear what sounded like a car’s engine, she didn’t see anything. She checked her watch again. It had been twenty-five minutes. He should have arrived fifteen minutes ago.

Grace was beginning to get worried. She’d give him another five minutes, and if he didn’t show up by then, she would go back inside and try to reach him on his cell. As the minutes ticked by, Grace paced up and down the driveway, looking up hopefully each time she heard an approaching car.

Finally, just as she was about to turn and go into the house, she heard another car approaching. She breathed a huge sigh of relief when she recognized the black truck that was coming towards her. As it pulled into an empty space in the yard, Grace rushed towards the truck.

The first thing to come into view as the young man stepped out of the truck were his long legs, which were clad in blue jeans and had cowboy boots on his feet. Even though his legs were long they were in no way lanky, as was made evident when the rest of his body came into view. A black t-shirt fit snugly around his well muscled torso, his large biceps straining against the material. A black cowboy hat set atop his curly ebony hair, and his deep chocolate eyes twinkled merrily from his tanned chiseled face.

He caught Grace in a strong embrace as she threw her arms around him. “Oh Aidan, I was getting worried. You should have been here twenty minutes ago!”

“I know. I took a wrong turn and had to backtrack and start over at the church. Looks like you’ve got quite a crowd.”

“Yeah, there’s always a large turn out when we have family get-togethers. Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Absolutely.”

“Okay, but before we go back there… you remember the cousin I told you about that always tried to beat me in everything?”

“You mean Melissa?”

“Yeah, that’s who I am talking about. She’s here…”

“So? Oh, I get it, you’re worried that she’s gonna throw herself at me.”

“I have no doubt in my mind that she will. She’s already hinted at it.”

Aidan put his fingers under Grace’s chin and gently lifted her face towards his. “Honey, you don’t have anything to worry about. Don’t you know how much I love you? Well, I guess maybe you wouldn’t. I haven’t ever told you that, have I? She could strip naked in front of me, and it wouldn’t help. I only have eyes for you. I love you Grace Abigail Montgomery.”

Grace felt as though she would melt right there in that spot. She had waited so long to hear those words from the right man. At that exact moment, she was positive with all of her heart and soul that Aidan was her true love.

“Oh Aidan, I love you too!”

He bent down and planted a sweet and gentle kiss upon her lips, a kiss that was full of promise, hope, and love.

“Gracey’s got a boyfriend, Gracey’s got a boyfriend!” came the singsong, interrupting their kiss and causing both to laugh.

“Summer, what are you doing up here?” Grace asked as she scooped her little sister into her arms.

“Aunt Lucy sent me to look for you. She said mama had ants.”

“Had ants?” Aidan said with a perplexed look on his face.

“Oh, you mean Aunt Lucy said that mama was getting antsy?” Grace asked.

“Yep, that’s what she said.”

Grace had told Aidan about her mother and how critical she could be of her boyfriends, and of her not-always-sunny disposition, so he was prepared to not get a warm welcome.

“Summer, this is Aidan. He’s my boyfriend.”

“Hi Summer. It’s nice to finally meet you. Your sister has told me a lot about you,” said Aidan.

“Hi Aidan, Grace hasn’t told me anything about you.”

Grace’s face colored, and she could feel the heat of embarrassment. She took a deep breath and decided that she had better tell Aidan that her family hadn’t known of his existence until today. “Aidan, there is something that I need to tell you before we go back there. My family… well, you know what I told you about mom and how much guff she gives me about my boyfriends…”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Well, I just really didn’t want to deal with all of that. I wanted to be able to enjoy being with you without hearing all of mom’s complaints and gripes rattling around in my head.”

“You haven’t told them about me.”

“Yes, I have… but not until this morning. Oh please don’t be angry with me. It didn’t have anything to do with you. I was just being selfish and wanted you all to myself, and…”

“Shh, it’s okay Grace. I’m not upset with you. I understand why you didn’t tell them.”

A great weight lifted off Grace’s shoulders, and she was thankful that she had been blessed with such an understanding and supportive man.

“I’ll introduce you to my mom and dad first, and then we’ll make the rounds to the rest of the family.”

As they headed towards Grace’s parents, she noticed the disapproving look on her mom’s face, and her heart sank. She was hoping that, for once, her mother would have an open mind and not judge Aidan before she got to know him. From the look on her face, that wasn’t going to happen.

“Mom, Dad, this is Aidan. Aidan, this is my mom, Martha, and my dad, Tom.”

“Howdy Mrs. Montgomery, Mr. Montgomery,” Aidan greeted as he shook their hands in turn. “It’s nice to finally meet you. Grace has told me so much about you.”

“It’s a pity that we can’t say the same about you,” Martha responded.

“Now Martha, don’t start,” admonished Tom.

Grace could always count on her dad to keep her mother reigned in, at least in front of other people.

“Grace tells us that you attend college with her. What are you studying?” Tom asked.

“My major is in business. My family owns and operates a ranch in Texas, so I decided that business was the best way to go. Eventually, the ranch will be mine to run, and I wanted to have a sound business education so that I would understand all aspects of our ranch and not have to turn over the financial and business end to someone else like my parents have had to do.”

“Will you be going back home after graduation to take over that part of the ranch?” Martha asked.

“It’s a possibility, but my parents and I haven’t really discussed the details yet. They’ve just kind of always left it that we’d talk about it after graduation.”

“But if you don’t work for your family, you will work for someone else?” Martha pried.

“Oh yes m’am, I will be making money, even if I don’t go work at the ranch right away.”

It wasn’t really a straight answer, but it seemed to satisfy Grace’s mom, at least for the moment.

“We’ll have plenty of time to talk later,” Tom said. “Grace, why don’t you go around and introduce him to the rest of the family and while you’re at it, you can tell them the food’s ready, so they can come eat any time.”

“Okay dad.”

“Well, that wasn’t so bad,” Aidan said as they walked away from Grace’s parents and headed towards the rest of the family, scattered around the tables and chairs.

“Oh, it never is in front of the guy. Mom will wait until you aren’t around to lower the boom. I never have figured out what made her so critical of men. She doesn’t seem to be that way with dad, but she is with pretty much any other man.”

“Maybe she’s just being really protective of you,” Aidan suggested.

“Nah, it’s not that. She’s critical of my uncles and cousins too. Besides, nothing I have ever done has been good enough for her. It was always, ‘You could have done better. You should have tried harder.’ She’s just a bitter woman, old before her time, though I don’t know why. Aunt Lucy grew up in the same household and she isn’t like that. Usually, when mom starts in on me, I just sit there and take it. I’m not going to do that this time. If she starts in on me about you, and I am sure that she will, she’s going to get a surprise.”

“You do whatever you have to. You know that I will support you.”

“Thanks Aidan, that means a lot.”

Grace and Aidan made the rounds, introducing Aidan, and letting everyone know that it was time to eat. Grace made a point to avoid the area where Melissa was sitting. She could always introduce Aidan to her Uncle Bob and his family later.

Aunt Lucy was the last person to which Grace introduced Aidan. Once they had said hello to each other, Grace told Aunt Lucy that the food was ready.

“Thanks Gracey, but you know that I am not a big fan of food cooked on an outside grill. I had a big breakfast so I wouldn’t get too hungry. I’ll probably just eat ice cream later.”

Grams and Gramps always made three big tubs of homemade vanilla ice cream whenever there was a family cook-out.

“Grace, why don’t you sit here by your Aunt Lucy, and I will go get us something to eat,” suggested Aidan.

“You don’t have to do that…”

“I know I don’t have to,” interrupted Aidan, “but I want to.”

Grace watched as he walked away and admired the way his jeans molded around his firm butt.

“He’s a looker, that’s for sure,” said Aunt Lucy once Aidan had gotten out of hearing distance. “I could watch him all day and not get bored.”

“Me too,” Grace said with a sigh.

“You’re in love with him, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I am, and Lord help me when mama finds out.”

“He seems like a good enough guy. He’s nice and courteous, he’s getting a college education, and he looks at you like there’s no one else in existence but the two of you. Surely even your mother won’t find much to criticize with him.”

“You know mom, she could find something to criticize with the Pope. Besides, she’s going to really hit the roof when she finds out that he really wants to be a country singer and not go back and work at his parents’ ranch.”

“Oh boy! Yes, I can see how that would set your mom off. What do his parents think about that?”

“They are very supportive of him. He did what they asked and got his education while he was pursuing his dream, that way he would have the ranch to fall back on if he didn’t succeed with his music. Oh Aunt Lucy, you should hear him sing. His voice just makes me want to melt.”

“It sounds that way with just him talking, I can imagine what it would be like if he was singing. Has he had any successes yet?”

“He sang at different places in Texas as he grew up. He did some rodeos and small time concerts. Since college started, he’s sung at several clubs in Nashville, and he’s opened a couple of times for some bigger named stars. He gets to do another opening next weekend, and his agent said that there are supposed to be some music executives there.”

“Well Gracey, I have faith that you will do what is best for you. It’s about time that you stopped letting your mama trample all over you. You’re an adult now. It’s time for you to live your own life.”

“I know Aunt Lucy. Aidan means more to me than anything and nothing that mama can say or do will change that.”

Aidan arrived back at the table with two heaping plates of food, and they spent the next little while eating and talking with Aunt Lucy.

Grace scooted her chair back and stood up. “I will be back in a few minutes.” She needed to go to the bathroom, but she wasn’t about to announce it to the entire backyard.

As she entered through the back door, she heard voices coming from the living room.

“You just do what you do best, Melissa,” Martha said. “Get him off alone, but make sure that Grace sees you go so that she will follow. Make it look good. She needs to come up on you in a compromising position. Get your hands down his pants or get them unzipped or something. It shouldn’t be too much trouble. You’ve done this before.”

“No problem Aunt Martha, I can definitely manage this. I’ll even unbutton my blouse a bit, that should make it look more convincing. I’m going to enjoy every minute of this. He is so hot. I can’t wait to get my hands down his pants.”

Grace stood in the kitchen, shock and disbelief etched onto her face. Her mother was telling Melissa to get Aidan alone and make it look like he was going along with her advances.

She’s done this before? thought Grace, the words that her mom had said to Melissa echoing in her mind.

Enraged, Grace barged into the living room.

“Grace dear, what are you doing inside? You should be out there with our guests, after all, this party is in your honor,” Martha said.

“The party is over as far as I am concerned,” Grace icily said.

“Over? What are you talking about? It’s barely even gotten started.”

“How can you even look me in the face after what you just told Melissa to do?”

“I don’t have any idea what you are talking about,” Martha responded, feigning innocence.

“I heard you!” Grace shouted. “I heard everything that you said.”

Turning toward Melissa, Grace accusingly said, “Mama said that you’d done this before. Does that mean that she has put you up to this more than once?”

Melissa looked helplessly at Martha.

“Don’t look at her!” Grace spat, “Answer me!”

“Yes, she’s put me up to it on more than one occasion, anytime it looked like you might get serious with a boyfriend,” Melissa replied, and then she hurried from the room.

“How could you?” Grace asked. “You’re my mother. How could you do something so hurtful?”

“You’re too young to be getting serious with a guy. You don’t know what you are doing. I’m only trying to protect you.”

“Protect me? From what? Being happy? I’m more than old enough to take care of myself and to decide what is best for me. I cannot believe you’d do something so cruel. I love Aidan. Do you have any idea what it would have done to me had I thought he had willingly succumbed to Melissa’s seduction?”

“Grace, I was just doing what I thought was best.”

“You’re sick and need help if you honestly think doing something like that is what is best for me. I don’t know if I can ever forgive you for this,” Grace said, and she ran from the room. With tears streaming down her face, she ran outside to where Aidan was sitting with Aunt Lucy.

“Come with me,” she cried as she grabbed his hand.

“What’s wrong Grace?” Aunt Lucy and Aidan said simultaneously.

Grace just shook her head through her tears and tugged on Aidan’s hand. When he stood, she led him into the house and up the stairs to her bedroom. Wordlessly, she grabbed her suitcase and began throwing clothes into it.

“Grace, talk to me. What happened?” Aidan said as he grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her to face him. He pulled her into his strong arms as the silent tears turning into wracking sobs.

They stood there in the middle of the cluttered room, his frame towering over hers as she buried her head into his firm chest and cried, while his strong arms held her tightly. Finally her sobs began to subside, and he sat down on the bed, pulling her into his lap.

“Can you tell me what’s wrong, now?” he asked.

As she opened her mouth to speak, a light rapping sounded on her door. “Honey,” said her dad as his head peeked around the door’s edge, “is everything okay?” As he stepped quietly into the room, followed by Aunt Lucy, he observed her tear stained face.

“I told your father that something must have happened considering the way you came barreling out of the house and grabbed Aidan. You were crying so hard, you could barely speak,” explained Aunt Lucy.

“I came into the house to use the bathroom, and I heard voices coming from the living room. It was Mama and Melissa,” Grace said, her voice hitching as she spoke. “Mama was telling Melissa to get Aidan alone and set it up so that it would look like they were fooling around. She wanted me to catch them and think that Aidan was a willing participant.”

“Are you sure you heard them right?” Tom asked.

“Oh yes, I am positive. It’s kind of hard to misunderstand Mama saying for Melissa to stick her hands down Aidan’s pants. But, that’s not all. Once I had confronted them, Melissa admitted that Mama had told her to do this more than once before. All this time, I had thought that Melissa had stolen my boyfriends just because she wanted to, but now I find out that it was because Mama had put her up to it.”

“None of this makes sense. Why would your mother do something like that?” her father asked.

“I don’t know,” replied Grace. “She said that I was too young to know what was best for me, and that she was just trying to protect me. I’m sorry Daddy, but I just can’t stay here any longer, not after what happened. I don’t want to be in the same house with her.”

“I understand,” her dad said as Grace got up and resumed packing. “I’ll try to get to the bottom of this.”

“It sounds like she flipped her lid,” Aunt Lucy said.

“I’d say she must have flipped it a long time ago since she’s been doing this for awhile now,” Aidan added.

“I knew that she really hadn’t been herself for quite some time,” Tom said, “but I just attributed it to the natural changes of growing older and being married for many years. I had no idea that she was doing these kinds of things. Trying to sabotage your daughter’s love life is pretty serious. I’ll do my best to try to find out what is wrong.”

“You need to Daddy, or the same thing will happen to Summer when she gets older,” Grace warned. “That’s everything that I brought home with me for break,” she said as she closed the suitcase. “I’ll come back and get the rest of it later.”

“The rest of it?” her dad questioned. “That makes it sound like you are moving out for good.”

“I am. I can’t imagine living under the same roof as her after what’s she has done. I am sorry Daddy. I know it isn’t your fault and that you are getting punished for it in a way, but I can’t help it. I can’t stay here.”

“Well, I knew the time would come some day. I just didn’t expect it to be under circumstances such as these. Don’t worry about me. I will be okay. You do what you need to do to be happy. I’ll stand by you.”

“Thank you Daddy,” Grace said, and she threw her arms around her father and hugged him fiercely.

“I don’t think you should drive back to school. You’re too upset. Give me your car key and ride back with Aidan. Martin will be back from his business trip late tonight, so we can bring your car up to you tomorrow,” Aunt Lucy offered.

“You don’t have to do that,” Grace said.

“Yes I do. I want you to be safe. I know you, so I know that you are not through crying over this yet. It’ll hit you again when you least expect it, and I don’t want that to be while you are driving. I don’t want you to drive your car off the road because you are blinded by tears. Now, give me the key,” Aunt Lucy demanded as she held out her hand.

Grace took the car key off her ring and handed it to her. “Thanks Aunt Lucy,” she said as she hugged her.

“Daddy, can you go get Summer and bring her out front? I want to say good-bye.”

“Sure I can. I’ll see you up there.”

Aidan picked up Grace’s suitcase, and she followed him down the stairs and out to his truck.

Summer ran around the house, her curls flying in the wind, and Grace’s heart ached at not being able to stay and spend time with her sister. Summer stopped short when she noticed the suitcase sitting on the ground beside the truck.

“Gracey, why is your suitcase out here?”

“I’m going back to school.”

“But…but… you just got home. You’re supposed to be here for two weeks. We were going to go to the park, and the zoo, and you said you would take me shopping,” Summer wailed.

Tears welled in Grace’s eyes as she grabbed her sister and hugged her tightly. “I know sis, but I can’t stay. Something happened, and I have to go sooner than I expected.”

“Don’t worry, tiger,” Tom said to Summer as he swooped her into his arms. “I’ll take a couple of days off work and take you up to the college so you and Grace can spend some time together. You’ve wanted to go back and visit here there for some time now. You said it’s lots more fun there than it is here. Okay?”

“Well, I guess that’s okay, as long as it’s soon.”

“It’ll be before the break ends.”

Grace hugged her father and sister once again before she climbed up into the truck.

“Call me when you get there,” said Tom. “I want to know that you got there safely.”

“Okay Daddy, I will,” answered Grace, and then they pulled out of the yard and drove away.

**********

“I can’t believe graduation is finally here,” said Grace. “It seemed like this year was going to last forever.”

“I know,” said Aidan as he plopped down beside her on the couch. “Time seems to stand still when bad things happen.”

It had been three months since Grace had stormed out of her childhood home during spring break, but it had seemed like an eternity ago. Two nights after she left, Grace’s mother had a breakdown. According to the doctor, it had been a long time coming, but Grace’s overhearing of her mother’s plan and ensuing departure from the house had finally sent Martha careening over the edge.

During her treatment, the cause of her increasingly odd behavior was discovered. Six years before, when Grace was fifteen, Martha had been raped by her boss one night when she had stayed late at the office to finish up some work. Martha had never told anyone what had happened because her boss had threatened to hurt Grace. He used Grace as leverage against Martha and made her stay at work late three nights a week so that he could use her to satisfy his dark desires.

The rapes went on for several months, and then Martha had discovered that she was pregnant. She knew that the odds were in favor of her boss being the father because Tom had a low sperm count. It had taken them three years to conceive Grace.

Martha immediately planned to get an abortion, the thought of carrying the child of her rapist filled her with disgust and horror, but Tom found the pregnancy test in the trash and naturally thought the baby was his. She still considered having the abortion, thinking that she could lie and say that she had miscarried, but as she watched Tom joyfully tell everyone he met how he was going to be a daddy again, she knew she couldn’t deliberately break his heart. After all, there was a slight chance that the baby was his.

Martha kept the information from her boss as long as she could, knowing that he would think it was his baby and take great delight in it. Even after she began to show, he just thought she was putting on some weight.

“Trying to make yourself unattractive so I’ll leave you alone?” he had taunted. “Don’t bother. A little extra weight won’t keep me from fucking you every time I get a chance.”

When she was five months along, he had sent word that she was to come to his office after everyone else had left for the day. Martha was confused because it wasn’t her normal day to stay late.

“Did you think I wouldn’t find out?” he had asked menacingly. “You’ve been carrying my child in your belly all this time and you didn’t tell me? You bitch!” he had shouted, and then he had grabbed her by the hair and had dragged her over to his desk. He yanked off her skirt and panties and then he bent her over the desk.

“I’ll teach you to keep something like this from me,” he had said as he unzipped his pants, and then he spread her ass checks open and rammed his cock forcefully into her ass.

Even though her pregnancy didn’t stop the raping, it did keep him from being physically rough with her. When she was seven months along, he had told her that he would give her until the baby’s birth to leave Tom.

“You’re the mother of my child; therefore, you should also be my wife,” he had said.

For days Martha had wracked her brain, desperately trying to figure a way out. One night, as she flipped through the channels on the television, she stumbled across a story about a teenager who had forged a high school transcript in order to get into a good college. A spark of an idea began to form in her head, and she prayed that he wasn’t informed of medical innovations.

A week later, her boss had come to work and found her desk empty and a sealed envelope on his desk with his name written on the front. Inside was a piece of paper with the letterhead from a local medical lab. It said:

Dear Mrs. Montgomery,

The results of the tests run on the fluid and blood samples taken from your amniocentesis are conclusive. Firstly, your baby is a female and is in perfect health, having no disorders of any kind. Secondly, per your private request, a DNA test was run comparing the sample that you had given us to the DNA procured from the blood of the fetus. They are a perfect match. The DNA from the specimen you gave us is a 99.9% match for being the father of the fetus. That is the highest percentage possible for this test. There is no way any other man could be the father.

Also inside the envelope was a handwritten note from Martha:

I had Tom’s sperm tested for paternity of the baby. As you can see, the baby is his, not yours. If you try to contact me or bother Grace in any way, I will send her far away and out of your reach, and then I will report what you have done to me to the police. I know that it’s not likely you would end up being found guilty, but I am sure that the entire spectacle would not be good for your reputation nor your business.

Up until Summer’s birth and for a long time afterwards, Martha lived in terror that her ruse had not worked and that her boss would come for her… or Grace. The repeated assaults and terror filled months warped Martha’s psyche, and she began to think that she had to protect Grace from all males, and thus started the sabotage of Grace’s relationships.

Grace had not seen her mother in person since the incident at spring break, but she had talked with her on the phone weekly. Understanding the cause behind her mother’s actions allowed Grace to let go of the hurt and anger and forgive her. She accepted that in her twisted mind, Martha really did believe she was protecting Grace.

Martha spent some time in a health facility, but she was eventually released and now attended two sessions every week with her therapist. She would be attending the graduation ceremony with Tom and Summer, and Grace was nervous about seeing her. Even though she was getting help, Grace feared that Martha was not yet at the point where she would be able to be around Aidan without causing trouble.

“Don’t worry about it. Your dad will be keeping a close watch on her. Besides, they are leaving right after the ceremony. She won’t have time to cause any problems,” assured Aidan.

“You’re probably right,” agreed Grace as she snuggled up against Aidan’s hard chest.

She sat there, content and safe in his strong embrace as a familiar tingle began between her legs. They had still not progressed past fooling around, and it was getting more difficult for Grace to maintain control when they were alone.

She looked up into his eyes, and he smiled at her, and then his strong arms lifted her off the couch and into his lap. He bent his head towards her and captured her mouth with his, teasing her lips with his tongue until she opened them with breathless anticipation.

A moan escaped her as his tongue danced around hers, the kiss that started out as gentle quickly escalating into fevered passion. His fingers dug into her thighs and bottom as he ravished her mouth, both of them panting with the heat of their arousal. Warmth coiled in her belly as she felt him begin to harden beneath her. She had already decided to give herself to him on the night of graduation, which was just a couple of days away, but in the heat of the moment, she was sorely tempted not to wait.

Pulling away form this face, Grace looked at him and said breathily, “Aidan, I…” but she was interrupted by the jarring ringing of the telephone.

“Fuck,” Aidan swore, sensing that Grace had been about to say something very important.

“You’d better answer it,” Grace said. “It might be your agent.”

Grace got up off the couch as Aidan answered the phone, and she walked to the kitchen to get something to drink in order to give him some privacy. She wished with all of her heart that it was his agent, Jerry. Aidan had opened the previous weekend for a very big name star, and they were hoping that it had given him the important exposure that he needed to get him his big break.

“Grace!” he hollered as he raced down the hallway. He skidded into the kitchen, his face alive with excitement, and he swept Grace up into his arms and twirled her around.

Her heart skipped a beat in anticipation.

“It was Jerry. It seems that a big whig record executive was at the concert the other night, and he heard me sing. He wants to offer me a contract.”

“Oh Aidan, that’s wonderful news!” Grace squealed.

“I have a meeting in Nashville at the record company on Monday. If everything works out, by the time the meeting is over, I will have a contract and a record deal. I can’t believe this is finally happening! Go get ready. Let’s go out and celebrate!” he said joyfully as he headed to the bathroom for a shower.

Happiness filled Grace’s heart, but there was also a quick stab of fear. If he got the contract, it would likely mean that he would move to Nashville. What would happen to them?

**********

Graduation day dawned rainy and dreary, adding to the heaviness that Grace felt in her soul. Uncertainty and fear had been her constant companions the last two days, for Aidan had not mentioned anything about her accompanying him on his trip to Nashville nor about missing her while he was gone. She felt as though her heart would shatter into a million pieces.

A knock on her dorm door brought her out of her reverie, and she briskly walked over and opened it.

“Gracey!” hollered Summer as she romped into the room and grabbed her sister around the legs. Tom and Martha followed close behind her.

“Hey, you guys are early,” said Grace.

“Your father wanted to get here early so we wouldn’t have to park way out,” Martha said.

“Yeah, but it obviously wasn’t early enough. The parking lots are already jammed,” said Tom.

“Summer, I thought you said you need to go to the bathroom,” Martha questioned.

“Oh, yeah,” said Summer, “Be right back!”

After Summer had trotted into the bathroom and shut the door, Martha spoke, “We got the DNA results back.”

Tom and Summer had both had blood drawn so that their DNA could be compared. Summer, of course, didn’t know the real reason and hopefully never would, but Martha’s therapist thought it would be best if she knew for certain the truth about Summer’s biological father.

“And?” Grace asked, praying for the best but expecting the worst.

“She’s your full-blooded sister. She’s mine,” said Tom, his eyes filling with tears.

“That’s the best news I’ve heard in a long time,” said Grace as the bathroom door opened and Summer skipped out.

“What’s the matter, Daddy?” Summer asked, noticing the tears streaking down Tom’s face.

“Nothing sweetheart, I’m just really happy.”

“Grown-ups are weird,” said Summer, breaking the tension, and everyone laughed.

“Have you gotten all of your stuff moved into Aidan’s apartment?” Martha asked.

“All but one bag with the stuff I needed for today,” said Grace, trying not to let the worry show in her face. The least thing Martha needed was a hint that something was wrong. It was very important for Martha to see nothing but happiness on Grace’s face. The therapist said that seeing Grace happy with a man would help Martha see that she no longer had to try and protect her.

“I have to get going,” said Grace as she looked at her watch. “It’s almost time for me to be in the building for line-up.”

“Okay honey, we will see you after the ceremony. We can’t stay long afterwards, but I want to get some pictures of you with your diploma and some of you and Aidan.”

**********

Grace fought her way through the crowd, trying to get free of the teeming mass of people so that she could meet her family at the pre-arranged spot. Suddenly, strong arms grabbed her from behind and lifter her into the air.

As she shrieked, Grace recognized Aidan’s sultry voice, “Hey beautiful. Where are you meeting your folks?”

“Over by the library windows,” answered Grace.

“Okay, don’t move after you get there. I’m going to find my folks, and then we will meet you over there.”

“Okay.”

Aidan helped her break free from the crowd, and then they went in separate directions, Grace towards the predetermined meeting place and Aidan back into the crowd to hunt for his parents.

Grace met her parents at the front of the building, by the library windows, and her dad began busily snapping photos of Grace in her cap and gown, with her diploma, and also got a few shots of her with her mom and sister.

“Martha, take the camera and get a couple of me with Grace,” said Tom.

As Martha finished snapping pictures, Aidan arrived with his parents. Introductions were made, and the two families stood around talking and taking pictures of the two graduates.

“Mr. Montgomery,” said Aidan.

“Please, call me Tom,” interrupted Grace’s father.

“Ok, Tom then. Can I speak with you for a minute?”

“Sure.”

Tom and Aidan moved a short distance away, and Grace wondered what they were discussing.

After they had returned to the group a few moments later, Tom said, “We need to be going.”

“We need to be heading out as well,” said Aidan’s dad. “We don’t like leaving the ranch for long if both of us are gone. We need to get to the airport. Our flight leaves soon.”

“We can follow you to the airport and see you off,” said Aidan.

“That’s not necessary son,” said Aidan’s mother. “You two go ahead and celebrate.”

The families said their good-byes and went their separate ways.

Aidan and Grace returned their caps and gowns and then went back to her dorm room to retrieve her bag and turn in her keys to the office.

**********

“Grace, keep up with these. You know how bad I am about losing stuff,” said Aidan as he handed her an envelope.

“What is it?”

“It’s our plane tickets to Nashville. I figured it would be better to fly. That way, we wouldn’t be rushed getting there. Our plane leaves tomorrow at one. We’ll have some time to sight-see before my meeting Monday morning.”

“That’s not much notice for me to pack,” said Grace as she turned away so that Aidan wouldn’t see the tears of relief sliding down her cheeks.

“Well, you knew you were going to have to pack soon. Even if we had driven, we still probably would have had…” Aidan stopped speaking as realization dawned on his face. He turned Grace to face him and a pained expression crossed his face as he saw the tears in her eyes. “You thought that I was going by myself,” he said.

“Yes,” she whispered.

“So that’s why you’ve been so quiet the last couple of days,” he said as he pulled here into his arms. “I’m sorry Grace. I assumed that you would know that I wanted you to go with me. It’s a very good possibility that the dream that I have had for most of my life is about to come true. I want you by my side when that happens. I love you. That means that I want you with me. Always.”

They stood for a moment, in the middle of the kitchen, and Grace knew that she had let her low self-image get in the way of what her heart knew all along. Aidan just assumed that she would know he would want her with him, and she let her self-doubt get in the way.

**********

They had gone to a nice restaurant to celebrate graduation and then had returned to Aidan’s apartment. Grace had nervously worried all day how she was going to put her plan for the night into action. Somehow, she was going to have to get Aidan out of the bedroom for a little while and keep him from wondering what she was doing while she got things set up for the night. Luckily, she ended up not having to come up with a way to get rid of him for a bit because he decided that after all the sweating he had done under his graduation gown that he needed a shower.

Grace had taken one before they left for the restaurant, but Aidan had said then that he didn’t need one. She wasn’t sure why he changed his mind.

As soon as he went into the bathroom and she heard the shower running, Grace sprang into action. She opened her bag and pulled out the candles and lighter that she had stashed there. Hurriedly, she placed them around the room and after lighting them, she turned off the lights. The candles cast soft shadows around the room, and Grace thought it was perfect for creating the mood.

Also in the bag was the lingerie that she had purchased specifically for this night. She had chosen a light blue peignoir set because she wanted something that looked sexy but still didn’t show everything right away. The blue lace and tricot gave her the sexiness she wanted without coming across as sluttish. It wasn’t completely see-through so it still left something to the imagination. That was one of the reasons she had chosen the powdery blue instead of red or black.

Underneath the lacy robe, was a baby doll whose stretchy lace body snugly embraced Grace’s full breasts. The opaque skirt touched the top of her thigh, hiding the g-string that attempted to cover her trimmed mound.

Grace stood indecisively by the bed, not being able to make up her mind about what kind of position she should be in when Aidan came out of the bathroom. The sound of running water ceased in the bathroom, and Grace knew that Aidan would come out within a couple of minutes. Finally, she decided to just stand there by the bed, for she was afraid that she would look utterly stupid if she tried to pose seductively on the bed.

The bathroom door opened, and Aidan entered the bedroom, clad only in a pair of boxer shorts, his muscles rippling down his firm chest. He stopped short as he saw Grace standing by the bed, the shadows flickering softly across her body. “Oh wow, Grace,” he said as he padded softly towards her. His eyes swept over her, drinking in the sight of her curves, relishing in the vision of powdery lace brushing against smooth creamy skin.

“Happy Graduation,” Grace said softly. “I wanted tonight to be extra special.”

“Are you sure Grace? I want our first time together to be wonderful. I want you to be absolutely certain that it is what you want.”

“I am absolutely certain, Aidan. I’ve been planning this for awhile now. I love you so much, and I want to give myself to you. Every time we are alone together, it gets harder and harder to control myself. I dream of your touch, of your body against mine. I yearn to feel you sliding inside me. I need you to make love to me.”

Aidan gently took Grace’s face in his hands and tilted it up so that he could brush his lips across hers. Tenderly, he planted kisses on her face, before coming back to her lips. Teasing her with his tongue, he lightly licked along her lips, until breathlessly, she opened her mouth, and her tongue darted out, seeking contact with his.

A tingle shot down to her belly, as Aidan deepened the kiss, crushing his lips against hers and passionately thrusting his tongue into her mouth. Their arms entwined around each other as their tongues danced together fervently and passion consumed them.

Breaking the kiss and stepping back, Aidan slowly slid the peignoir coat down Grace’s shoulders, and it landed in a lacy pile on the floor. “You are so beautiful,” he whispered in her ear, his hot breath causing Grace to shiver. He gently pushed her back onto the bed and lay down beside her.

Grace’s breath came in ragged gasps, part from nervousness and part from arousal, as Aidan teasingly untied the ribbon that held the front of her baby doll together. The gauzy material fell open, exposing her ample breasts. His hands slid down her sides and grasping the top of her g-string, pulled it down her hips, slipping it down her legs and then tossing it into the floor.

He explored her body with his eyes and hands, gently stroking her soft skin as he worked his way up her curvy body. As he reached her thighs, Grace opened her legs slightly in anticipation and moaned a sigh of protest when his hands skipped from her thighs to her belly. His hands slowly slid upwards, worshipping her body, until they came to rest on her voluptuous breasts. A sharp intake of breath hissed through Grace’s lips as Aidan’s thumbs brushed across her nipples.

“So fucking beautiful,” Aidan murmured as he lowered his mouth to her breast and sucked in a nipple.

Grace sighed as Aidan’s mouth and tongue ravished first one breast and then the other, licking and sucking in abandon. Heat began to smolder in her belly as pleasure flowed through her body. Aidan trailed kisses down her abdomen, pushing her thighs apart with his hands as his mouth reached her trimmed mound.

“Umm,” she moaned as his tongue licked down her slit before his fingers spread her lips wide, exposing her glistening opening and her swelling nub of pleasure. His tongue dipped into her moist hole before sliding up to her clit and circling her puffy button, which sent hot shivers through her center.

As she moaned and writhed from his ministrations, Aidan looked up and said, “You like this,” and then he made a quick swipe of his tongue on her clit, “don’t you baby?”

“Oh yes Aida, oh god yes, please don’t stop,” Grace responded.

Her cries pushed Aidan’s passion higher, and he vigorously made love to her clit and pussy with his tongue. Fire raged in Grace’s belly, the pressure building to a deafening crescendo. When Aidan slid a finger inside her tight walls, Grace’s body went taut, every muscle tightened, and her head arched backwards… and then she exploded.

Her mouth opened as if to scream, but no sound came out, and her body spasmed and shook as the mind-blowing orgasm raced through her. Grace had never experienced anything like this before and it was if the whole world had gone black before exploding into vivid color.

Aidan rode the waves and continued to lick and suck while his finger thrust inside her. As her breathing evened out and her body stilled, he moved up, his legs nestled between hers and his elbows resting beside her shoulders, their bodies pressed together. Gently brushing the hair away from her face, he said, “I love you so much,” and then he planted gentle kisses on her forehead.

“Make love to me Aidan,” Grace whispered. “I want to feel you inside me.”

Aidan rubbed the tip of his cock up and down her slit, gathering her wet juices, and then he slowly pushed inside her. Grace wrapped her legs around his hips, drawing him deeper inside her yearning pussy. With each slow thrust in, Grace’s body quivered. Aidan took her hands in his, entwining his fingers with hers and held them above her head. As his thrusts quickened, he stared deep into Grace’s eyes, the depth of his love for her etched on his face.

Warmth radiated throughout Grace’s body, the steady thrusts of Aidan’s cock deep inside her tight pussy driving her arousal to new heights, and knowing that she was loved so deeply by the man of her dreams turned her on even more. Her breath came in panting gasps as her body geared up for another orgasm.

“I’m getting close baby,” said Aidan. “Cum for me, I want to feel you cum while I am inside you.” He released her hands and got up on his knees. Slowly, his thumb circled her hot button, and her thighs quivered as she began to buck wildly against him.

Loud moans tumbled from her mouth as her back arched, and wave after wave of pleasure rolled through her body. Aidan’s guttural cries joined her moans as he plunged deep inside her and let out spurt after spurt of hot cum. Spent, he collapsed on top of Grace, their breathing slowly calming down, the sweat drying on their bodies.

Gradually, they came back to their senses, and Aidan rolled off Grace and pulled her against him. “Thank you Grace for trusting me so much, that was one hell of a graduation present. Now, I have something for you,” he said as he reached over her, opened the drawer on the bedside table, and pulled out a small box.

Sitting up, he looked down at her and said, “You are the most important person in my life, and I love you very much. I can’t imagine what life would be like without you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Grace, will you marry me?”

Grace’s mouth fell open in shock, and then she shrieked and bolted upright. “YES!” she screamed as she threw her arms around Aidan. When she finally pulled away, tears were streaming down her face. “Oh Aidan, I love you so much. You just made me the happiest woman in the world.”

“Give me your hand,” said Aidan. He gently took her hand and pulling the ring out of the box, slid it onto her finger. “I know it’s not much, but it’s the best I could do right now. If I get the record deal, I will buy you a better one. I had thought about waiting to propose until after the meeting, but I just couldn’t wait.”

“Oh, Aidan, it’s absolutely beautiful. I don’t need a better one. This one is perfect.”

They lay back on the bed, snuggled together, content in their love for each other.

 

[Black Tulip]

It's not a big deal, but my eyes kind of stumbled over it:

You bet! We had a tea party and ate pizza and watched movies!”

“Cool beans! I bet that was a blast.”

“Hey sweetheart,” said Grams, as she entered the kitchen and placed a gentle kiss Grace’s cheek. “Was your trip home okay?”

“It was fine Grams. It just gets a little tedious after awhile.”

“I bet it does,” responded Gramps. “Driving alone for six hours can’t be any fun.”

I'll read the whole story today and post my comments.

 

[Guest]

Ahh, ok, thanks BT, I see what you are talking about now.

 

[Black Tulip]

I read your story with pleasure. Neat trick to make mum wacko. I would have been content with less detail, but it does not bother me at all. It is kind of a bonus story.

I did find another double word:
"Are you two gonna stand over there and gab all day or are you gonna come over here and help?” Gramps hollered from the other side of the back yard.

“We’re coming Gramps!” hollered Grace.

Do you mean come? or something else?
Grace was more than a little irritated to see that her cousin Melissa had some.

Titles: I'll just write down some random thoughts. You never know if one of them sets you on the right track!
I think you should do something with the double use of Grace/grace.

falling for grace / finding grace

or

graduation / educating / finishing touch to education

things like that could be a starting point for a title too.

Have you realized it can be up as a first time as well?

 

[Guest]

I did find another double word:
"Are you two gonna stand over there and gab all day or are you gonna come over here and help?” Gramps hollered from the other side of the back yard.

“We’re coming Gramps!” hollered Grace.

Are you talking about using come/coming or hollered? Or both? lol Thanks for pointing that out.

Do you mean come? or something else?
Grace was more than a little irritated to see that her cousin Melissa had some.

That's a typo. Should have been come.

Have you realized it can be up as a first time as well?

I actually hadn't thought of that, but I already have a First Time story on the back burner, and I don't have a Romance, lol. Besides, I think the Romance readers are more lenient towards lots of plot before the sex. It tends to not be that way in other categories.

 

[Black Tulip]

Not sure if I will have time to finish the challenge this weekend. Work has been interfering a lot the past week.
And I have been trying to finish the witch story.
And I'm into a chapter 2 for the Kama Sutra.

There is something brewing in the back of my mind though, so I will definitely give it a try.

 

[Black Tulip]

bump

Chapter 1 is up! Hurray.

I'll try something for the challenge but I have no clue what a virgin Mudslide is. I did a Google but all I could find had Bailey's or something in it. They looked awfully sweet, all varieties.

 

[Dingus Guy]

bump

Chapter 1 is up! Hurray.

I'll try something for the challenge but I have no clue what a virgin Mudslide is. I did a Google but all I could find had Bailey's or something in it. They looked awfully sweet, all varieties.

Try a frozen daiquiri or pina colada (virgin as well which means no alcohol) as a substitute for the mudslide.

I have to catch up on some reading Sunday. Seems that CM was busy.

 

[minsue]

Try a frozen daiquiri or pina colada (virgin as well which means no alcohol) as a substitute for the mudslide.

I have to catch up on some reading Sunday. Seems that CM was busy.

Just delurking for a moment to say I'm so happy to see your smiling, bouncing AV appear on the board again.

- Mindy

 

[Dingus Guy]

waves

Just delurking for a moment to say I'm so happy to see your smiling, bouncing AV appear on the board again.

- Mindy

Thank you. Good to see your kissy bunny. My Bunny leaves kosher passover chocolaty eggs treats.

 

[Black Tulip]

Thanks Dingus.

Glad to see you hanging around, even if you're not writing.



Have a 'matze', with butter and brown sugar. [moaning loudly]
I'll eat anything from every religion as long as it tastes good.

 

[SummerMorning]

Hi all!

I'm still alive... just not writing much. Not finding the time, I guess...seminars and work at the uni. After a whole day of reading and writing, I can't look at a keyboard without feeling a slight twinge of...erm...dismay...

...so I guess my writing will have to wait for a later date... *glum*

BTW - Tulip - I'm coming to NL from 21.4 to 26.4 - apparently there's some kind of really large relay - marathon thingy and a friend and I are running around 24 km each (well, three times 8 km, not 24 in one go )... so we're training hard now

 

[Black Tulip]

Well, I think this was the fastest written story I ever did. I must say I feel very proud, as I wrote it more or less in four hours.

I hope it's not reflected in the quality, but I trust you all to let me know!

1175 words and all items used, as far as I know.


Virgin Mudslide

"Ted? Is that you?"

The middle-aged man stood waving at the poolside, his short stocky frame clad in blue swimming shorts. He was not sure, but it looked like his friend Ted, doing laps in a determined if not amused way. He squinted against the glare of the sun on the moving water. It really looked like Ted.

"Hey! Ted!"

The swimmer finally heard him, grinned and raised a tanned arm before finishing his lap. He ignored the steps in the corner and pushed himself up and out of the pool, showing bulging muscles in the process.

"Donald, you little shit. What're you doing here?"

The guy named Ted was just as middle-aged as Donald, but the opposite of short and stocky. He looked like the traditional male suffering from midlife crisis. A tanned skin from the parlor, toned muscles from the gym and instead of graying hair he had dark curls from the hairdresser.

Donald eyed his friend with a quizzical look. "Man, you make me sweat, just by looking at you. Why do you do it?"

Ted grinned and pointed at the round middle of his friend. "I do not want that." He stretched his trim body and looked quickly around to see if there were interesting subjects in the vicinity.

"Let's have a drink. It's been ages." He picked up his towel, draped it around his neck and walked towards the terrace, expecting Donald to follow him.

He chose a table near the front of the terrace, sprawled in a chair and watched Donald lower his compact body. He called the waitress with an imperative gesture. "A Perrier for me. And you?" He looked to his friend.

"Beer, drafted." Donald grinned. "I know, I should drink water like you. Man, I don't know why you do it."

Ted looked a bit uncomfortably. "That's the second time you said that. What're you saying? You think I'm turning into a sissy? Is that it?"

"Jeez, cool it, man. Course not. Just what I said. Why?"

Donald's asking seemed sincere, so Ted relaxed a bit. He looked at his friend for a moment, the confident mask on his face slipping a bit. He nodded as if he came to a conclusion.

"I'll tell you why. This is strictly between you and me, right? No blabbering, specially not with Irene."

He waited for Donald to say something before he continued.

"Ok, I won't tell my wife. As if I would." He huffed a bit indignantly.

With a final look around Ted moved his chair up a bit and leaned over the table.

"Janice. That's why."

"Huh?" Donald looked baffled. "Who the heck is Janice? Are you cheating on Hilda?" He stared at the handsome face in front of him and noticed the uncomfortable cast to his face. "Oh - my - god! You are, aren't you?"

Ted signaled him to silence as he spotted the waitress returning with their drinks. He waited till she was out of earshot again. He saw the approving gleam in Donald's eyes and suddenly he grinned a lot more confident. Sipping from his bottled water he nodded.

"Yes, I am seeing someone else."

Donald snorted. "Seeing, my ass. You're screwing around Ted. Don't give me bullshit." He clapped Ted on the shoulder. "Come on. Details, give me some details. Where did you pick her up? Is she a looker? What?"

Ted cocked an eyebrow. "A looker? Do you have to ask? Course she is." He bent over again. "Twenty-two. At the most. Long legs, tight ass and long, blond hair. And the best part of it: she loves cock. My cock." He grinned in anticipation of his friend's envy.

Donald smiled, but not with the expected envy. "A blond knock-out, huh? And what about Hilda?"

"Hilda? Nah, she's not suspecting anything. You know how it is. The fire died out a long time ago. She's just not that interested anymore." He took a sip of water. "Fucking Hilda is like a virgin Mudslide. It's sweet, but it's half-frozen and it lacks a kick." He laughed at his own joke.

Donald wiped some foam from his mouth, and set his empty beer glass back onto the table. "Have you ever tried to unfreeze her?" He eyed his friend a bit curiously. Seeing the blank look on Ted's face he made a gesture. "Never mind. How did you find this blond dream?"

For a moment Ted thought Donald was not really admiring his success, not as much as he had expected. It was only a fleeting impression and he was too eager to share his prowess to linger on it.

"You know I surf the net, mostly late at night, when Hilda has gone up. I know you do as well, so don't give me crap." He frowned at Donald's raised eyebrows. "There's this site where you can read all kinds of porn and you can chat with the writers of those stories as well."

"Are you saying this Janice is writing porn for the Internet?"

"No, but she's reading it and she was chatting there as well so I kind of chatted her up." He laughed again, not realizing he was annoying Donald with his bad jokes. "Think of it! A woman who likes to read porn. Have you ever heard that one before?"

Donald shrugged and avoided the question. "How did you two meet? Come on, out with it."

Ted settled himself in his chair, obviously getting ready for the real telling. "We exchanged Yahoo-nicks and after IM-ing for a while she got really hot for my little pecker. I persuaded her to give her phone number. After that we had some pretty intense conversations, if you know what I mean." He snickered. "We have met twice now and man I tell you, she really loves it. Yes sir, she really does." He nodded his head as his eyes got a faraway look in them, clearly thinking of the sex-loving Janice.

Donald coughed as he got up. "Sounds interesting Ted, but I have an appointment with a client. I really have to go." He stood up and looked down at the bronzed and muscled man sprawled at the side of the pool. "Don't worry, I won't tell Irene."

Ted frowned a bit at the sudden departure of his friend. He smiled as he recalled his last words though. "That is why I really like him, because he is a true friend", he thought, finishing his bottle of Perrier with a sigh, going back to dreaming of Janice again.

Donald had trouble keeping his laughter inside as he walked away. No, he wouldn't tell Irene, but he hadn't said anything about Hilda, now had he? She'd be very happy to know she wasn't robbing Ted of his fun. All that had been needed was a not so little pecker to defrost that lady. Virgin Mudslide indeed, the moron, more like molten lava if you knew how. And conversation worth listening to as a bonus. He doubted young Janice even knew the word.


Yes, I know. No sex in it. That's probably why I could write it so quickly.