Coming Together (MF Rom)

By Kim Couples

Copyright 2003

(You'll find more stories on my website at asstr.org. Just choose 'Authors' from, the drop down box at the top right of the index page and select 'K' for Kim at the bottom of the first page that appears.)

‘Hi, that was quick.’

‘Sorry. Ah…Is this the Williams household?’ He didn't recognise her voice, so he was almost

certain it wasn't.

‘Oh sorry.’ She was a little embarrassed. ‘I was expecting my friend to ring me back. We'd been cut off. We don't have anyone called Williams.’

‘Sorry to have troubled you.’

‘That's okay. Are you ringing from the States?’

‘Yes, Washington. Obvious is it?’

‘I've got used to Australian accents. It's great to hear an American again. I'm from New York.’

‘I can tell.’ They both laughed, and it was her turn to rescue the conversation from a quick death.

‘But you're not from Washington originally. I'd say you're more.Boston.’

‘Right first time.’

‘Been to Australia?’

‘No. What are you doing there?’

‘I work in the travel industry. It's great. Sydney's kinda small after New York, but I like the

Aussis. What do you do in Washington?’

‘I work for a bank. No that sounds boring. It's foreign exchange. That probably sounds boring

too, but it's not.’

‘Like, you move millions around the world every day?’

‘Yes. It's buying and selling currencies.’

There was something in his voice that captivated her. Alice would find the phone engaged but she would call again. ‘Want to talk to another American for a bit?’

She misinterpreted his pause. ‘Only if you want to...’

‘Sure. Yes, let's talk. I'm Dan.’

‘Beth.’ She wasn't sure that he'd heard her name, but let it go. ‘Tell me what it's like in Washington right now.’

‘Well it's getting dark. It's been wet and it's around zero tonight. What's it like there? Make me envious.’

‘That's easy. Perfect blue sky. I can see eucalyptus trees all down the street and the ferry's just

going by on the Harbour. It's hot already so I'll probably spend the afternoon in the pool. My

neighbour brought some beer over and he's outside talking with the guy who came to fix the pool. Probably wants to bribe him into going there next.’

‘Tell me more about yourself,’ he said. ‘Do you have family with you or are they all in New

York?’

‘It's just me in Australia. We're spread about the US and Europe at the moment. I'm divorced,

well almost. Let's say early 30's, average height. And last time I checked, not unattractive. Help me picture you.’

‘I must be a couple of years older than you; still got my hair though. I got divorced about five

years ago. We put it down to getting married too young.’

‘Height, weight?’

‘Average for both I suppose. No, fairly trim. I work out.’

‘I'm having a messy divorce. Yours go okay?’ He decided he could hear her smile.

‘Yes. I've heard of much worse. We had no children - that helped.’

‘Us too. But he still won't accept it. My decision. Is there a word divorcer to go with divorcee?’

‘Do you think there should be?’

‘Yes. I'm a divorcer. It had to happen, but my ex feels he's been abandoned in a foreign land. Well, he has been really.’

‘I found I was on a roller coaster - emotionally, I mean. But with us it was mutual.’

‘It's the same even if you're the divorcer. Lots of tears on the pillow.’

‘It happens with guys too. It's part fear, part grieving I think. It's not as if our marriage was all

bad.’

‘Wasn't for me either. In some ways I miss him, physical things like hugs, when we had them,

help around the house. But I can't say anything or he'd want to move back in and believe me it's over. Really over. Like final...I'll bet you're a real good looking guy.’

‘Why do you say that?’

‘I'm picturing you that way. That's the way I want you to be.’

‘I'm picturing you in a big comfortable chair.’

‘No, I'm on a big wooden stool near a breakfast bar.’

‘Okay, but you're actually very attractive and I'm imagining you with blue eyes.’

‘100 per cent for the eyes. What about hair colour?’

‘Brown and short.’

‘Blonde and short-ish - 50 per cent right. You're doing well. Body shape?

‘Who me? I'm trim.’

‘No me. Guess.’

This was a minefield. ‘Slim, attractive-slim.’

‘Ah huh...’

‘Bra size?’

‘Heck, don't ask me that!’

‘Go on guess.’

‘34.I don't know.B’

‘Ah huh’

‘Have I offended you?’

‘How could you? It was my game.’

‘Was I right?’

‘Pretty much. Does this count as flirting on an international scale, do you think?’

‘Sure does.’

‘Tell me about your family in Boston.’

They talked almost without pause about families, growing up in New York and Boston, holidays and dreaming of Europe, of friends, hobbies and men and women - mostly themselves. After an hour she brought it to an abrupt halt.

‘I'd better go. This has been the best heart-to-heart I've had in years. Thanks. I think you're

gorgeous.’

‘You might be disappointed if you could see me.’

‘No, you're gorgeous. It's got nothing to do with looks.’

When Alice did ring she probably wondered why Beth was now lukewarm about the gossip that was so fascinating before they were interrupted. Beth did mention the conversation with Dan but Alice seemed slightly irritated about it, so she didn't dwell.

The next day, she told Eddie at work.

‘You getting homesick?’ he asked, picking up his sandwich.

‘Only a little, he was just such an engaging person. It's like when you sit next to someone on the plane and you hope they don't want to talk and then you spend the rest of the journey telling each other your life stories.’

‘Yeah, I've done that too.’ She could count on Eddie. He could keep a secret and he was a good listener. Nothing to do with being gay or Australian - no certainly nothing to do with being Australian.

What she didn't tell him was that she had kept Dan's number. It had been there, on the screen and towards the end of their conversation she had given in to temptation. Nothing would come of it of course, but it was like still being connected. If she wanted to, she could ring him. She took the scrap of paper out a couple of times at work and even wrote the number into her diary. It was comforting and she imagined from time-to-time that he might even be willing to hear from her again.

She did tell Angela - not because they were close, but because Angela was there when the temptation and doubt were warring in her mind, in the kitchen and at lunch. By dinner that Saturday afternoon Beth could sense Angela's impatience.

‘What have you got to lose? Pick up the phone. If he tells you to get lost, just say bugger you, put the phone down and get on with life. But don't sit around wishing you'd done it.’

‘I'll think about it.’ In fact, she'd decided, but she didn't want Angela around when she faced the big moment. It came at 11 that night. Eight o'clock Saturday morning Washington time.

There was only one ring; then that warm, soothing manly voice again, but recorded. She wavered for a moment; then, the beep. She would say what she'd rehearsed and leave her number. It wasn't what she'd wanted but better than ringing back.

‘Hi, Dan. This is Beth - the New York gal you were talking to.’

A click then, ‘Hi Beth. How are you?’

‘Fine. I hope you don't mind. Your number was on the display.’

‘Mind? I've been working up to trying to contact you. I was reasonably sure it was only the last number I got wrong and I was going to try all the others till I got you. I'm just so thrilled you rang back.’

And within seconds they were 'catching up', though it had only been a week. Minutes later, they sounded relaxed with each other, like old friends calling from around the corner. Inevitably, of course, the possibility of meeting up was on both their minds. He raised it the following week.

‘I'm not due to go to Australia for another year. Any chance of you using your connections and coming over? I'd really like to meet you.’

‘It's not easy.’ She meant impossible. She'd been at the agency only three months. Her manager would hardly approve of her taking leave so early. Apart from that, the legal bills had stretched her finances. ‘I'll see what I can do but it's very difficult right now. Let's keep in touch by email in-between calls.’

They did too. Not every day, sometimes not even every week. They sent each other the most flattering photos they could find and were both pleased with what they saw. They exchanged confidences and news of ordinary events, but the telephone calls were special.

Their relationship was warm and genuine but the distance and the fact they'd never met encouraged them to continue their flirtatious game from time-to-time. It was a series of kiss and run events as if they were just experimenting, testing each other's response. After they exchanged what they called 'sunbathing shots', which were actually not particularly revealing photos of her at the beach and him beside a pool the previous summer in Maine, he openly complimented her on her beautiful breasts. She made a brief mention of his lovely butt and 'hidden manhood' - an expression she'd picked up from the receptionist at the agency. The relationship remained ill-defined all through his winter and her summer.

Dan didn't tell her about Vivienne from work. It was his business. That's the way he saw it. The relationship, if you could call it that, developed simply enough. Vivienne was on the same shift and one night in late spring they stayed late to work on a deal for the Hong Kong office. It went well enough and he offered to drop her off at her apartment. They chatted warmly all the way in the back of the cab while she squeezed his arm and rested her head on his shoulder. They were within a few hundred yards of her apartment when she whispered, ‘Come up for coffee’ in that playful way that suggests that there might be more to the coffee than you could put in a cup. In fact, they didn't bother with coffee. She gave him cognac and poured wine for herself and as they finished them she simply added, ‘Stay tonight’ to a gap in the conversation.

‘Okay, that'd be nice.’

She was as confident in the bedroom as she was handling a forex deal. He undid her pastel yellow blouse as she told him she'd wanted him from her first day at the firm; didn't believe in office romances or affairs, but this was neither. It was sex, nothing more and it might never happen again. Her push-up bra revealed small, firm breasts. She undid the clasp herself and slipped out of her skirt and panties, seemingly unconcerned at the fact that she was naked while he was still almost fully dressed. She slipped between the sheets, watched him closely and waited till he had removed all his clothes before she reached into the bedside drawer for a condom.

‘Let me put it on for you. Think of it as a woman's treat.’

Sex with Vivienne was surprisingly invigorating. He enjoyed the frankness between them. It was a physical expression of affection, not just lust. They climaxed independently but easily and slept together till dawn.

At work on Monday they wished each other good morning and the slight knowing smile between them was all that anyone might have noticed.

Beth too, had other relationships, one of them physical. Her idea. She'd been to a party with her Australian flatmates and chose Mark who was uncomplicated, unattached and reasonably good-looking. She was quite open about what she wanted and even told him it was a one-night-stand. Mark was a bit too eager for her liking but with a bit of direction he massaged her and kissed her sensitive breasts. He stroked her where she needed it while she approached her climax picturing Dan in his swimming trunks. In the morning he asked, ‘Want another screw before I go?’ And she nodded.

The turning point in Dan and Beth's international relationship came in late June. The phone rang just as Dan had finished heating a frozen meal.

‘Guess what? I'm coming over.’

‘Great! When?’

‘It's only for 10 days. I'm about to be made branch manager and there's an outbound conference in Chicago they want me to attend. I'll have to see some of my folks in New York as well, so I can only be in Washington for the second weekend. It's in two weeks.’

From the moment she settled into the shuttle from New York, she was nervous all over again. She had hopes for their relationship. But what if he had irritating habits or had sent her someone else's photo, or the attraction was all one-sided? It surprised her because, despite what people said, she didn't think of herself as the worrying type - but then, this was a long-distance relationship based on a wrong number. What were the chances of success, really?

They recognised each other immediately, hugged and kissed on the cheek, then made their way through the baggage claim to his car, grinning with delight.

He was about to turn the ignition key when she touched his arm.

‘Let me look at you.’

He turned to her. ‘Any surprises?’

‘No. That's the odd thing. It's like your photograph has come to life.’ He put his hand back on

the key and she asked, ‘What about you?’

‘Slightly surprised. Your photo didn't do you justice.’ He smiled to suggest that it was flattery, but it wasn't. She slapped his arm. ‘Smoothie!’

The conversation in the car was as lively as any on the telephone. It was partly the euphoria of relief and partly anticipation. But there was another defining moment ahead and it was on both their minds.

She'd booked a room at a hotel a block from where he lived. He'd offered her lunch in his apartment and they stopped there first. He knew, and she knew, that she could cancel the hotel booking and stay with him.

Now it started to get a bit complicated. He thought she might agree to stay if he offered her the spare room. That would have been easy if she'd been merely companionable; a good and amiable friend, but already he wanted much more than that. The light touch of her hand on his leg as they sat on the sofa jolted him into action. Suddenly, he could not bear the thought of her sleeping a whole block away.

‘You could stay here if you want to.’

‘So I checked out alright then?’ She was laughing. ‘I'd love to, if that's okay?’

‘Yes. Please do. We can use our time better that way.’

She took both his hands and smiled, ‘That's very practical of you. I'm so glad to be here.’ He

glanced down her dress to catch a glimpse of the tops of her breasts for the first time. She smiled as she looked back.

‘You once said they were beautiful - from the photograph.’

‘I remember. And they are.’ He was hard.

‘I remember asking you to guess my bra size. Were you embarrassed?’

‘Only for a moment.’

She knew that he had a spare room. She'd seen inside it on his perfunctory tour of the apartment, but the issue of where she might sleep was unresolved. Beth preferred it that way, because she wasn't sure what she wanted. The thought of just seeing him naked excited her. She was tingling with excitement being near him, hearing that voice; enjoying the occasional brush of his hand or the way he held her shoulder when he asked her what she'd like to drink. But did she want to sleep with him, and then lose him as his obvious passion for her died? Making love was a delicious temptation, but might it be better to savour the possibility?

‘What would you like to do in Washington?’ He'd prepared a list of possibilities in his mind but was losing interest in all of them. To his relief she simply said, ‘Talk with you.’

So over lunch they talked about food, travel and life in Australia. Then they returned to the sofa and worked their way through movies, parents, pets and everything else that came to mind. All the time, her two bags remained just outside the door of the spare room.

In a slight pause she said, ‘I want this to go on forever’.

‘So do I,’ and he drew her to him so that she lay cradled in his arms.

‘This is wonderful.’ She squeezed his hand in emphasis.

He reached down and kissed her on the neck. She turned quickly, kissed him on the cheek and

turned back to hold his arms around her in encouragement. He kissed her again and she took his hand and placed it down the front of her dress so that he could hold her where the lace covered her breast.

‘You did say you liked them.’

‘I do.’ He held her there for a few minutes and she suddenly sat up.

‘Undo me.’ He unzipped the dress, unclipped the bra and slipped his hand under it as she settled back..

‘That better?’

‘Beautiful.’ His hand was full of her tender, firm breast. Her nipples were hard. So was he;

aching, with his legs still over the edge of the sofa so she wouldn't notice. They were no longer merely friends. ‘What are we going to do?’

‘I want us to be together,’ she said, obviously choosing the safety of ambiguity.

‘Can you come back - leave Australia?’

‘The timing's real bad. They've made it possible for me to come, but now I'm sorta obligated, for

a few months anyway. Could you transfer for a bit?’

‘I wasn't going to tell you this, but I've been exploring that. I'd have to wait for a vacancy. It's a possibility, but no more than that at this stage.’

‘So we've got the rest of the day and tomorrow, then at least a few months to wait?’

‘We've waited longer than that till now.’

‘That was okay. Then I met you - the real you.’ She paused. ‘I don't think I want to wait any more.’ She turned, threw her arms around him, kissed him on the lips. He held her there and their kisses were passionate, hungry and she was near tears. Suddenly he stood, picked her up and carried her to his bedroom. He left the door open, stood her up, removed her dress and she let the unclipped bra fall from her shoulders. She stood there with tears in her eyes but laughing. She slipped his belt buckled open.. ‘This is too soon.’ She undid the top button of his jeans. ‘I didn't want this to happen.’ She was on to his shirt now. ‘We've only just met.’

‘No we haven't, we've known each other for months.’ She was wearing only panties and he was reaching for them. ‘We can stop if you like.’

She laughed in protest. ‘Don't be ridiculous!’ His jeans were off and she was mesmerised by the bulge. He reached forward but she resisted his attempt to remove her panties - without taking her eyes from him. ‘This is a magic moment. Let me see you for the first time.’

He stood still and she uncovered him as if in awe. ‘It's so hard.’ She held him there for the first time too, then reached down, slipped her panties off and spread herself on the bed. ‘Come into me.’

He'd day-dreamed of massaging her body, kissing her all over, bringing her slowly to ecstasy, but he also felt, as any man would, the burning need to be joined to her. He paused at her entrance. She reached up to him and as he slid deep into her, she gasped slightly and wrapped her arms and legs around him.

‘Got you now. And I never want to let you go.’ He tried to pull out to stroke her but she held him there. ‘Just stay in me for a bit. I love you filling me up like that.’ He eased his arms under her. They kissed and once again she was quietly tearful. ‘Sorry but it's joy, not sorrow.’

‘Funny way to make love,’ he whispered, pleased that he'd found a way to let her know that it

was something special. She squeezed him with her arms and legs; then let go.

‘Okay lover,’ she grinned, ‘Make love to me your way.’

‘I don't have a way.’ But he lifted himself off her and began to stroke her inside while she cooed with pleasure. She sensed that he was about to withdraw from her and held his hips in protest.

‘I just need you inside me. We've waited so long. I've crossed an ocean and all of America for

this. Keep doing that. We can do the other stuff later.’

‘I'm so turned on I won't last. But I'll be good for more.’ He was sliding slowly back into her,

pressing himself against her softness, feeling the ache as he filled her totally.

‘I'm turned on too, real hot.’ She began to touch herself where they joined and eased her finger near to the centre of her pleasure, feeling his pressure on her, enjoying his delight in being with her.

‘Are you gonna respect me in the morning?’

He took her seriously. ‘Respect isn't the issue.’ He thrust into her and she panted and stroked

herself, half closing her eyes. ‘It's about love.’ He pulled out till her lips were wrapped around

him; then eased back, just inside her as she came and panted for breath.

He held her, and she lay still, filled with him as she recovered.

‘You did say it was about love, didn't you?’

‘Yes. I love you.’

She gripped him, the way she had before with both arms and legs. ‘We're lovers. That's

wonderful! Come in me. I want to feel you come, inside me.’

‘You're really into firsts aren't you.’

‘I am with you.’

He did try to hold back, to give her more, but the sight of her naked, smiling up at him, her

breasts wobbling slightly as he thrust into her, took him to the edge and beyond within a minute. He held still and she felt his warm gift pumping inside her.

They did see some of Washington. He took her to a favourite restaurant and a nightclub he hadn't visited for years. They danced sensually until midnight, laughed constantly in the cab and once more, expressed their passion for each other between the sheets. They slept with his arm around her and in the morning Dan had a chance to show her that he was a skilful and considerate lover.

They skipped breakfast and took lunch a few blocks away.

The visit to the Smithsonian was a token effort to suggest that their time together was not totally devoted to physical pleasure. But they were uncomfortably aware that Beth's flight was only hours away.

Dinner was sombre. So was their final lovemaking, the drive back the airport and their separation as she entered the departure lounge.

She joined him in Washington the following winter and they've lived in the apartment ever since.

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