Taking a deep breath, Lance walked up the brick path that was the entrance to the Barn. It was lit with twinkling lights, in the trees and around the french doors that led into the spacious living area. The doors were left open, and Lance could see various groupings of candles,glowing on a table here, in the fireplace there and all up along the open staircase. Lance walked in and placed his lemonaid bottle on a ledge inside the door. He cleared his throat, and wiped the moisture from his hands onto his pants. He wasn't sure if it was from the "sweat" of the cold bottle, or from the fact that he found himself a little nervous.
Mercedes was extingushing some of the candles on the middle landing of the staircase. Lance could tell from the candles already extingushed that she had been making her way down the staircase putting candles out as she descended. Mercedes held an antique candle snuffer in her hand. She turned towards the door as she heard Lance clear his throat. It spooked her.
The candle snuffer fell all the way down to the landing below.Lance stepped over to the bottom of the stairs and picked up the candle snuffer. In the glow provided by the remaining candles, Lance navigated the stairs to bring the antique snuffer back up to where Mercedes stood. As he reached the middle landing where she stood, Lance held out the item for Mercedes to retrive it. Tentitively, Mercedes reached for the candle snuffer. Lance allowed Mercedes to touch it, but then brought his free hand over and placed it on top of the one she was using to claim the candle snuffer. Lance brought himself closer to her. The hand he had placed on top of hers, inched up her arm until he was close enough to embrace her. Lance literally sighed. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and brought her within a breath of his face. Lance buried his face in her curly hair. They just stood there.
After all this time, since coming back from Vail, Lance hugged her. What had he been so afraid of ? Silently, they held each other close. Lance could hear her heart beat. He knew she must be able to hear his, because it was jumping in his chest. Lance smelled Mercedes' perfume and when he moved his face from her curls, he felt the softness of her face next to his. He could feel her breathing. His lips brushed against her forehead. He closed his eyes.
There was a breeze from off the lake and it blew in through the windows. It moved the wind chimes that hung intermittently throughout the barn. It whipped around the long, flowing,sheer curtains that hung on the french doors. It blew out several candles. Lance took his hand away from the candle snuffer that Mercedes now clasped in her own. With this hand he cupped her face and tilted her chin up towards his lips. Her eyes were open, and Lance gazed into her eyes trying to convey to her what he had been dying to say to her.
'I'm sorry you've hurt so much. I want to be here for you. It feels so good to hold you.'
But, Lance verbalized none of this. Lance said nothing. Mercedes said nothing. Lance looked at her lips. Cautiously Lance put his lips onto her mouth. He softly kissed her. Lance looked into her eyes once again. There wasn't a suggestion that she felt he had done anything improper. He kissed her forehead and hugged her. He had broken that barrier he had once feared. He knew he could display his affection with Mercedes. Lance smiled and stepped back. This was the first paragraph of their new chapter.
Mercedes dropped the candle snuffer. She stepped over to Lance and reached up and drew him towards her. She kissed him. Precisely, quickly, and intensely. Mercedes, then leaned back an inch and with her face a breath away from his she looked deep into his green eyes and smiled. Lance was completely blown away by this. He leaned down and pressed his lips against hers with more urgency. Mercedes parted her lips. Lance placed his tongue inside her parted lips and his lips engulfed her mouth. Mercedes put her arms around Lance's neck and drew him even closer. Now Lance was aware of Mercedes body pressing up against his and how she positioned her thigh to stimulate him. He felt himself becoming aroused.
Lance broke the embrace and held onto Mercedes' shoulders with both his hands. Lance didn't know whether or not to apologize. He took one hand and covered his mouth, awe-struck at what had just happened. He only knew that if he hadn't pulled back then, he might have a really hard time pulling back later. Lance released his grip on Mercedes' shoulder and slid his hand down to touch her fingers. Mercedes entwined her fingers with his, and brought her free hand up to touch his face. Slowly, she put the palm of her hand on his cheek, Lance bent down and she kissed his lips. Her fingers played with his hair. She bit his lower lip and as he parted his lips, she placed her tongue inside his mouth. Lance eagerly tasted her tongue. Now he dropped her hand and pressed her body closer to his. Mercedes broke her lips away from his mouth and licked his neck and lightly bit his earlobe. Lance closed his eyes and rolled his head slightly. It felt so good. Mercedes started to unbutton Lance's shirt. Lance opened his eyes, and he held onto her hands. This was definitely more than he had anticipated. His mind was telling him that they were entering dangerous territory. His heart was another matter entirely.
Lance knew that he wanted her, he had for a long time now. It wasn't right for him to want her before, but now she no longer had a husband. That was probably the most rational thought he could manage. Because now all he could see was Mercedes. He breathed her in. She aroused all his senses. Lance kissed her hands. Then he moved his own hands up to her face and kissed her mouth again, but softly this time. He placed his forehead against hers and sighed. He tried to control his breathing. They needed to get out of there and go join the others. Lance went to put his arm around her and lead her down the stairs.
But, Mercedes seemed determined to return to the task of unbuttoning his shirt.
"Mercedes, we can't," Lance said quietly.
Mercedes smiled up into his eyes so seductively, and yet with such innocence as she asked, "Why can't we?"
She was so beautiful standing there with the candle light glowing around them. Lance reluctantly just shook his head, 'no' and kissed Mercedes' hand.
Mercedes loosened her hold of Lance's hand and as he began to turn and lead Mercedes down the stairs to leave the barn her hand caressed the back of his shoulder and neck. With him a step or two below her, she bent over him and nibbled on his ear. Lance stood still except for how he leaned into the passionate pressure Mercedes was applying to his neck as she licked it and his earlobe as she nibbled some more. Lance turned and took hold of Mercedes' waist. Her arms went up and he rested his head on her abdomen. Mercedes then spread her legs and wedged down into such a position that she was wrapped around him.
As his hands were grabbing her bottom, he murmurs, "If we don't go now and join the others, I'm never going to be able to stop myself Mercedes. Please."
Mercedes smiled down at Lance, his face a mere inch from her breasts, "I'm never going to ask you to stop."
Lance closed his eyes. Slowly,Lance began to unbutton Mercedes' shirt. He placed his face inside, then inched his way up to her neck, licking her. She moaned. At the sound of her moaning there was such a rush of anticipation that he couldn't think of anything else but making love to her.
The flood gates had opened, and now it was all pouring out. His long repressed desire for Mercedes had become his undoing. Now it was exploding around him, and he couldn't stop it, he didn't want to stop it. Lance continued to unbutton her shirt as Mercedes licked and bit him. Lance had her shirt open and Mercedes was accepting his hungry, wet, penetrating kisses. He had backed Mercedes up against the outside wall and he knew that soon they would be sprawled over the middle floor landing or groping uncomfortably on the stairs. He had gone beyond losing control.
Mercedes whispered, "Let's go up to the loft and chrisen our new bed." Lance began undressing them both as Mercedes lead him upstairs. In the dark, with the stars visible in the open window matching the twinkling lights outside the barn, the lovers explored their passion.
Later, naked but covered by a linen sheet, Lance awoke to the sounds of people getting into cars and starting the engines. Muffled, "Thanks Mermaid,"
"Drive safely Brooklyn," and laughter was heard. Laughter. Mercedes' laughter.
The joy that was warming Lance's heart was spilling over into the night. Was he really lying here in her bed? The night air had a mist to it that increased his sense of smell. Lance could smell Mercedes' perfume on the pillows, and he drew one closer to him and smiled. When Mercedes returned Lance was grinning a sleepy grin, his eyes droopy but still filled with passion. Mercedes dropped her robe at the foot of the bed, revealing herself to be naked and tore the sheet down and placed her body up close to Lance. Lance lovingly pulled the sheet back up over them both.
"It's chilly out, Lover," murmured Mercedes.
Lance held her tighter and kissed her shoulder.
"You are cold, darlin' Here let me warm you up." Lance rubbed her arms and touched her face with his warm hands. "Give me some sugar," he said sweetly as he kissed her lips.
Lance was sure it wasn't going to be easy getting back to sleep now with them both lying next to each other naked. Mercedes smiled as Lance rubbed her bottom.
Lance put his arms around her waist and whispered in her ear. She told him it felt sensational to have his lips so close.This pleased him. He asked her, "How did you sneak out of bed so quietly?"
"I heard the guys leaving. We were terrible hosts this evening. I had to at least go and say g'night," she yawned. "But, I cannot figure out for the life of me where Lance is. His car's here."
Lance laughed quietly, "Where did you tell them I was?"
"Why they didn't ask me where you were. But, they did ask me if I had seen Lance. Did you see him tonight?" Mercedes nuzzled Lance's neck. He went cold. The hair on the back of Lance's neck and on his arms stood straight up.
"Mercedes?"
"Hummm?" she replied sleepily.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm not cold any more, you've seen to that," she giggled.
Lance felt her stretch and reach for him, placing her breasts against his chest and purring deliciously. But, still he said, "You do know who I am."
She turned and rolled over keeping his arm about her hips and holding onto his hand. "Can we save the philosophical discussion of the human condition until breakfast tomorrow morning?"
Lance squeezed her hand and kissed the back of her neck. He was overreacting. He assured himself that Mercedes meant this as a silly joke. The Lance they had known, the boy in the band, was gone. Here in his place was her lover, holding her, anticipating their next passionate moment. Lance was looking forward to waking up with Mercedes in his arms.
"Good night, Mercedes."
"Good night."
Then she added, "I love you Liam."
Lance felt a tear escape from his eye and betray him. He couldn't breathe. At that moment, he felt as if he wanted to die.
After some time passed he heard rhythmic breathing coming from Mercedes. Lance knew she had fallen asleep. He rose quietly and started to pick up his clothes that had been tossed around the loft bedroom. He paused at the top of the staircase and looked at Mercedes lying there.
"I love you, Mercedes."
Once he was downstairs, he blew out all the candles and closed the french doors behind him as he left the barn.
