Battered

Chapter 33

"Cheryl, wake up."

As the taxi pulls into our street, I attempt to rouse the sleeping Geordie from her resting place on my lap. She had snuggled up to me during the car ride home but the wine had obviously gone to her head because ten minutes later she was fast asleep.

"Chez?" I try again, gently shaking her shoulder.

"Hmm?" comes her sleepy reply, eyes still closed.

"We're home. Let's go inside and you can go up to bed ok?"

Cheryl opens her eyes and lifts her head from my lap, giving me a quick nod. The car stops outside our door and I take a twenty from my purse, handing it to the driver while Cheryl gathers up her coat and handbag, "I didn't mean to fall asleep" she says apologetically, yawning loudly as we get out of the cab.

"It's alright babe. All the fun must have tired you out." I laugh.

Cheryl flashes a cheeky smile and playfully pats me on the behind as we walk up the driveway. We go inside and I linger in the hallway to check the answering machine for messages. Cheryl brushes past, stopping to give me a peck on the cheek before heading upstairs.

After getting a glass of water from the kitchen, I switch off all the downstairs lights and make my way up to our bedroom. The door is half open and I catch sight of Cheryl getting changed into her nightwear. She is stood by the bed, facing away from me and although the bedroom light is off my eyes are immediately drawn to her exposed back and legs.

Cheryl slips a long, baggy t-shirt over her head, the fabric coming to a tantalizing stop just above her thighs, and I hover in the doorway, just taking in how beautiful she is. The floorboards creak under my feet, alerting Cheryl to my presence and she turns to face me, self consciously tugging at her top.

"Sorry" I quickly avert my gaze, not wanting to make her uncomfortable.

Without saying a word Cheryl crosses the room and comes to a stop in front of me. She takes hold of both my hands and leads me further into the room, her lips finding mine.

We move towards the bed, the kisses growing in intensity and it doesn't dawn on me what's about to happen until Cheryl's small hands find their way to the back of my dress, slowly easing the zipper down. The fabric falls away from my shoulders and Cheryl momentarily breaks the kiss to look questioningly into my eyes. I give a small nod of consent and she removes my dress completely, leaving it in a heap on the floor. Cheryl's eyes sweep over my body and a light blush forms on my cheeks under the weight of her stare.

"You're so beautiful" she says. Her hands rest lightly on my waist as she leans into me again, easing the nervous little butterflies that have formed somewhere in the pit of my stomach.

We climb onto the bed, half draped over each other and the feeling of Cheryl running her hands over my body has me quickly deciding that I want to see more of her; that I need to feel her too. Tentatively I reach for the hem of her nightshirt and she doesn't object when I pull the material up over her thighs, my hand lightly running over smooth skin.

Cheryl lets out this breathy little moan that sends a jolt of excitement through me and I carefully flip her over onto her back; the nightshirt riding up to her hips. Our eyes meet as I hover above her and Cheryl smiles, bringing a hand up to touch my cheek.

"Are you sure about this?" I ask, even though she was the one who initiated it, "we don't have to do anything you're not ready for."

"I'm ready" Cheryl answers calmly, with a confidence that has me questioning my own readiness for a second.

The hand that was resting on my cheek moves to tangle in my hair as Cheryl pulls me down towards her lips and kisses me deeply, pushing my anxieties to the back of my mind. I break away briefly to lift Cheryl's nightshirt over her head, throwing it to the ground before claiming her lips again.

The pace of the kiss changes, lips meeting again and again with restless urgency as eager hands continue to explore and legs tangle together. I shift positions, moving to lie next to Cheryl, and reach around to undo the clasp of her bra. She arches her back when my lips find the soft skin of her breasts, gasping with anticipation and throwing her head back as I make a line of quick little kisses over her chest.

Cheryl runs her hands down my back, slipping them into my underwear and I can't help but moan at how good it feels to have her touch me this way. It's unlike anything I've ever experienced before. The last few items of our clothing are shed and I almost lose my breath when our naked bodies press together for the first time.

Cheryl throws her arms around me and draws in a breath as my hand trails down her body, starting from her stomach and gradually moving lower. Her fingers dig in to my back as I start to lightly caress her and my eyes remain fixed on her face, closely studying her response to my touch.

Her eyes flutter closed as the restless movements of her body indicate exactly what she wants. My lips meet hers as I steadily increase the pace and Cheryl moans loudly into my mouth, letting me know that she's close. One of her arms falls down onto the mattress, landing above her head and I reach up to take hold of her hand, lacing my fingers with hers as we continue to move together. Her breathing picks up and and she cries out in pleasure. Moments later she falls over the edge, tears running from her eyes.

Gently brushing my thumb across her cheeks, I wipe her tears away and hold Cheryl close to me while she recovers. When her breathing has slowed down to its normal rate, I tilt her chin towards my lips ans she kisses me back with a tenderness that sends my heart hammering and leaves me breathless by the time we pull apart.

"Are you ok?" I ask once she has settled down in my arms again, "I didn't hurt you or anything did I?"

Cheryl lifts her head to look at me, "Of course you didn't babe. You were wonderful." she kisses me once more for emphasis then cuddles up beside me, letting out a quiet little sigh of contentment.

We lay like that for several minutes, covering each other with soft, lazy kisses and just enjoying the new level of closeness between us.

A whispered "I love you" from Cheryl eventually breaks the silence and has me beaming with happiness.

"I love you too"

Relaxing into the pillows, I fall asleep with a smile on my face; listening to the rhythmic sound of Cheryl's breathing.