Tessa's Escape to Athena's Ground (12 page)

-25-

Now what?
Tessa thought as Russell came into the bathroom.

“Very nice, except for slacking off at the very end.” He grinned and petted Tessa’s damp crotch. She finished drying, and Russell said, “It’s late, and we’ve had a lot of activity this evening. How about we go to bed?”

They both brushed their teeth and Tessa reached for her nightgown.

Russell shook his head. “A good way to get comfortable in your skin is to sleep naked. Besides, now that I’ve seen everything, what’s the point of a nightgown?”

They crawled into the big king bed and Russell opened his overnight bag. “Take a look at this, Tessa.” He handed her a strange glass object that looked like a baby pacifier, but not.

“What is it?”

“An anal plug.”

Tessa almost dropped it.

“It won’t bite,” Russell said, chuckling. “It’s the best on the market, the smallest size, new, sterilized, and ready for use. This could rock your world. I wish you’d at least consider letting me try it on you, since you aren’t inclined to allow fingers or cocks.”

Tessa had read Fifty Shades. She had an idea about what it was supposed to do for you, but it just seemed too weird. “I’ll think about it.”

“Sleep on it,” Russell said, and turned off the light. He scooted close to Tessa, kissed her on the forehead and said, “Good night.” Then he rolled over and, in minutes, was sound asleep.

I’ll be damned
, Tessa thought. Her first night with him and Russell pulls a Mark. Annoyed, she closed her eyes and willed herself to sleep. It didn’t come easily, but eventually it came.

Tessa was in London with someone she knew was handsome, but in her dream she couldn’t make out his features. Maybe it was Mark.  Or David.  He was pressing his hard shaft in the crack between her buttocks, whispering, “It’s time to get laid.” Tessa started to wake at the feel of a warm tongue in her ear. She realized where she was when Russell’s large palm found her breast and his fingers stroked her nipple.

“What…?”

“You didn’t think we were going to
sleep
all night long, did you?” His fingers wandered from Tessa’s hardened nipple to her belly button. They came to rest on her warm mound. She began to squirm with pleasure, and he fanned her flames by stroking her slit. When she began to moisten, he inserted one finger and stroked Tessa from the inside.

She sighed.

Russell smiled and moved to her clitoris.

She adjusted herself until his finger was in the exact, perfect place and then she began to press herself against his moving finger. He stopped.

“What?” she said.

“Good, you’re awake.” He sat up and pulled Tessa with him to the side of the bed. “I don’t think I can wait any longer.” He ripped open a packet and rolled a condom on to his fully erect penis.

“What?” Tessa was awake but a little fuzzy. Ben hadn’t used a condom, since everyone had been tested and Tessa was on the pill.

Russell must have sensed her confusion. “Condoms reduce sensitivity for me, so I can last longer. It’s also lubricated, which will help. And so will this.” Russell kneeled on the floor, pushed Tessa’s legs apart and found her clitoris with his tongue. Tessa lay back on the bed and pushed her mound to meet his strokes. After far too short a time, by Tessa’s estimation, he stopped.

“Ah, sweet Tessa is very, very aroused.” He sat on the bed next to her, hauled her on to his lap and wrapped one strong arm around her waist. Before she knew it, she was tipped forward. Russell’s fingers spread her vaginal lips and felt her opening. “You’re so wet,” he grunted, and then he entered Tessa from behind.

She yelped, more from surprise than anything else. Russell pushed himself firmly inside her core and then sat, pulling her onto his lap.

“This was number one on your list tonight, remember?” He held Tessa in place, at an angle that felt awkward to her until he began rocking his hips into her. His shaft was long and hard and with each rock, it built pressure and friction across her sweet spot. Just as Tessa was getting used to the sensation at her mound, Russell leaned over her shoulder and took a mouthful of her breast.

It was too much. And too little.

Tessa groaned, loudly, and Russell rocked faster.

Tessa wasn’t sure how long Russell rocked, but it was without a doubt the longest time a man had ever been hard inside her. She felt the promise of white hot fire, but the stimulation wasn’t enough to create the waves that brought her to orgasm.

“Deeper,” Tessa moaned, thinking that would do the trick.

Russell obliged, rocking her so hard her thighs made loud slapping noises as she landed back into his lap after each thrust. But it didn’t work, and Tessa began to squirm. He stilled her by holding her tight against him with both arms.

“This position feels good, but it’s often difficult for a woman to come without direct stimulation to the clit. I can make you come, if you trust me.”

“Please,” Tessa all but whimpered. Her clitoris was swollen and her insides full, but somehow, not full enough.

Russell stood, turned around, and placed Tessa face down on the edge of the bed. He kept her hips raised, her weight supported on her knees. When she tried to raise her upper body off the bed, he gently but firmly pushed her back down.

“This is the best angle, Tessa. Trust me, you’ll like this.” Each large hand grasped one of Tessa’s hips and he held her in place as he thrust, gently at first to make sure he was still completely inside. The walls of Tessa’s vagina tightened around him and he smiled.

“You’re going to give my cock a great ride. And I’m going to make you scream.”

Since Ben, Tessa had stopped wincing when she heard ‘the words.’ Instead, she moaned.

Russell took the on-ramp to the highway going eighty miles an hour, his penis deep and fast while his fingers pressed against Tessa’s clitoris. Tessa came with a scream she didn’t recognize as her own.

Russell stopped moving. He was still hard, but a hair’s breadth from coming himself. If he could hold on, he’d give Tessa a double.

Tessa started to wiggle free.

“No. We’re not done yet.”

Russell had been inside her for thirty minutes. He’d rocked her. He’d rolled her. And she’d had an amazing, explosive orgasm. How could they not be finished?

-26-

Russell pulled out and reached for a tube. “Lubricant,” he said as he squirted a generous dollop in his palm. Then he reached for the glass ‘toy’ he’d introduced Tessa to earlier. She started to back away.

“You said you were open to trying new things. Tessa, this is the safest you’ll ever be. I know what I’m doing and I won’t hurt you.”

“Is it really like they say in the book?”

Russell laughed. “It is a unique sensation. The best description is that you’ll feel very full, and when I enter you vaginally, you’ll feel super full, so full every sensation will be multiplied. I know you just came, but with this, you may be able to come again. Even harder.”

Tessa leaned forward to look at the toy, and Russell seemed to understand her curiousity.

“I’ll insert it slowly, with lots of lube,” he said. “This is the smallest one they make so it should go in without much difficulty. If at any point it hurts too much, I stop immediately.”

“It won’t get lost in there, will it?”

“No. See this?” He pointed to the base and what looked like a little handle. “It seats on the outside of your anus. Even has a nice little handle to make it easy to remove. This little butt plug won’t get lost and won’t go anywhere you don’t want it to. Okay?”

Tessa nodded. Russell dipped the plug in lubricant and spread Tessa’s cheeks. “Bend just a little and relax a lot.”

“That’s easy for you to say.”

“It’s easy for me to do. Relax. It’s a small plug. A beginner plug.”

“Does it come with training wheels?”

Russell dabbed lubricant around Tessa’s anus. “There are so many nerve endings here,” he massaged her slowly, almost reverently.  And he took plenty of time. “The anus can provide surprising pleasure. The trick is to go slow. How does that feel?”

“Good.”

Russell continued to rub the rim around her hole. Slow. Sensual. Gentle. Tessa was increasingly relaxed, and Russell poised the small plug for entry. He leaned over her and covered her mouth with long, sexy kisses. As his tongue explored her mouth, his hand gently pressed the plug into Tessa. When Tessa didn’t tighten, he continued gentle pressure until the plug was about a third of the way in.

Tessa’s anus tightened.

“Alright?” he asked, stopping.

“I’m not sure. It’s not as wide as my doctor’s finger or thumb, or whatever she uses. But it feels strange.”

“Don’t tense up Tessa. Just relax.” He left the plug where it was and began fondling Tessa’s nipple. While he stroked her nipple to erection, he whispered in her ear, “You’re aroused again. I’m going to make you come like you can’t believe.”

She moaned as his fingers worked her breast.

“Concentrate on how hot your body is, how much you want to be full.” As he spoke he pressed the plug in further. When Tessa didn’t complain, he pushed it in until it was seated completely. “It’s in all the way now. How does it feel?”

Tessa wiggled her rear, like someone testing a bone to make sure it hadn’t broken after a fall. “It feels fine. No pain. And…strange. Good strange, sort of like I’m full.”

Russell turned her around to face him. “I’m going to make you much, much fuller. Use the word STOP and I will.” Russell laid Tessa on her back, nudged her legs wider apart and rested the tip of his penis at her entry. “Relax,” he said, “my cock and that little, baby butt plug are going to rock your world.”

He added a little lube to Tessa’s entry and gently pushed himself inside. Russell’s size and the fullness added by the butt plug made Tessa moan.

“Alright?” he asked.

“Yes. It’s intense, but good. I feel like there are two of you in there.”

“It’s like that for me too.” He thrust deeper and picked up speed.

Tessa started to buck and moan. “Oh God, it’s intense. Intense…just don’t stop.”

Russell found Tessa’s clit with his thumb and kept his hips moving. He drove into her deep and hard. She lasted only another minute. The moment he felt Tessa’s contractions, Russell let himself go. They both made noise: Russell a loud grunt and Tessa a throaty scream. They collapsed, together, in a heap of spent passion. Later, Russell removed Tessa’s plug and wiped her anus and cheeks with a warm wash cloth. They fell asleep in each other’s arms.

***

An hour later, Tessa awoke; her mind and heart were buzzing like she’d chugged a half dozen Red Bulls. She’d had so many new experiences in such a short time, and for the first time in her life she was exploring her sexuality instead of hiding from it. She knew she should feel exhilarated, and on one level, she did. She knew she shouldn’t feel guilty, but on one level, she did. She knew she should feel alive and young and full of renewed hope, and on one level, she did…but on another, she felt as lonely as ever. No. Lonelier. She’d learned a lot about herself in Carmen’s office, but to what good if she had no one to share her life with? She thought about all the amazing things she was learning about her body; how to open up emotionally and physically in order to give and receive pleasure. But what good is it if you’ve no one special to share that pleasure with?

Sex without emotional connection was just physical recreation, like spinning or Zumba without the orgasm. She wanted more than that; she wanted it all.

Tessa slipped out of bed and quietly powered up her laptop.

David,

It’s the middle of the night and I find myself thinking about you. I don’t have anything I can report to you; I’m working on my issues and getting resolution. I’m happy with the way things are working out, but I think I had unrealistic expectations. Kind of like when an overweight person loses a bunch of weight and likes that they’re healthier, but is surprised that being thin doesn’t mean being happy.

I’m kind of like that now. The things I came to Australia to fix are being fixed, and that makes me feel good. They were things that stood in the way of my happiness. But like the dieter, I’m discovering that removing obstacles to happiness isn’t the same thing as becoming happy.

Tessa looked at Russell, sleeping in her bed. As wonderful as he was, he was an instructor. A mentor. A therapist. Not a friend. Not a lover. Not David. Tessa wished it had been David, not Russell, rocking her world an hour ago. She finished the email.

I so want to become happy. It feels possible now, but it also isn’t happening yet and that makes me very sad.
I wish you were here.

Tessa

Tessa sent the email and powered off the laptop. It seemed strange that she could have the most amazing night of her life, and an hour later, feel so empty. She crawled back into bed, rolled over and cried herself to sleep.

-27-

MONDAY

“Morning.”

Tessa opened her eyes and turned her face toward the voice. It was Russell, holding a cup of hot coffee in his outstretched hand.

“It’s 9:00. Time to get going.”

Tessa sipped the coffee, uncomfortable in her attire, which was to say, nothing.

Russell seemed to notice. “You were beautiful last night, you’re beautiful this morning. Nothing’s changed, except you’re going to have to find a dry cleaner before you wear that again.” He pointed to Tessa’s silk dress, on the floor in the corner. “I was going to hang it up for you, but I noticed a rather large stain on it. Next time, you might embrace the panty lines and don some underwear.” He grinned wickedly.

Tessa blushed.

“How did you sleep?”

To lie or tell the truth? Like Ben, Russell seemed to read women as if they were billboards: perfectly clear with only a glimpse and at high speed. She couldn’t fool him if she tried.

“I was a little unsettled.”

Russell sat on the edge of the bed next to her. “Want to talk about it?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know what to say. Things have been going great here. You, Ben and Jason have been wonderful. The experiences you’ve all given me have helped me so much. But something caught up with me last night, after…you know.”

“After we had sex?”

Tessa nodded. “I woke up, maybe an hour after we finished. I should have felt wonderful. Instead I had this deep ache.” She lightly touched her heart and looked at Russell. “Stupid, huh?”

He put an arm around Tessa and gently pulled her to him. “Not stupid at all. When you came to Athena’s Ground you were pretty buttoned up, physically and emotionally. Getting unbuttoned, literally and figuratively, is a stressful thing for someone like you. Add to that something the psych people call dissonance: you know, rationally, that you’re not morally, ethically or legally obligated to be celibate for David. But emotionally, you’re pretty attached to the guy, so you feel like you’re cheating on him. That leaves you feeling guilty and confused because the sex you’ve had has been extremely enjoyable.  How’m I doing so far?”

“Am I that transparent or are you brilliant?”

“A little of both.” Russell smiled. “When you get home you’ll have follow-up sessions with Carmen. It’s standard. Everyone needs to sort through the confusing feelings this field experience creates. Carmen will help you sort through it: guilt, joy, right, wrong--throw it all at her, and I promise, you two will work it out. In the meantime, focus on getting what you need out of our experience.”

“Thanks Russell.” Tessa’s voice was small and quiet, but she felt better. Hearing her own thoughts and feelings coming from Russell’s mouth made her realize that she was confused, not crazy, and that her confusion was normal.

Russell stood and pulled Tessa off the bed with him. “Let’s get going. The shower’s yours. But Tessa, do me a favor and leave the privacy blinds open.”

She couldn’t tell by his expression if he was kidding. It was one thing to shower for his pleasure in the heat of pleasure, and quite another to do it when the only thing on her mind was breakfast. She closed the blinds and lathered up.

They had breakfast in a little coffee shop down the block. They were both famished. “Three a.m. aerobics,” Russell said, as he shoveled another forkful of eggs into his mouth.

“What’s on the agenda today?” Tessa asked, nibbling toast.

“Sex. Lots of it.”

Tessa choked, and after he handed her a glass of water, he laughed. The smile reappeared thirty minutes later, as they stood in front of an old wooden building called Chandra’s Yoga, Pilates & More.

“In here?” Tessa said.

“Well we’re not going to do it standing out here on the sidewalk! Come on.” Russell took Tessa’s hand and pulled her inside.

The studio, or gym, or whatever one might call it was a suite of small, glassed-in rooms lining the exterior walls. There was a common exercise floor in the center of the room. The place was well-used, a nice way of saying, worn. But it was clean and smelled of disinfectant and incense. At least Tessa thought it was incense.

Russell led Tessa to the back corner, toward a bright yellow door. They passed a young woman folding towels and an older woman in the center floor. She was dressed in Yoga pants and struggled with the downward facing dog. The rest of the facility was empty, and Tessa wondered how “Chandra” survived with such little business.

“Here,” Russell said, stopping at the closed, yellow door. Tessa could hear something that sounded like chanting coming from behind it. Russell tapped on the door twice, waited a moment, and called out, “It’s Russell.”

The chanting stopped and a woman said, “Come in.”

Inside, Tessa could see the room was a small office. A middle-aged woman with a long, gray braid down her back sat cross-legged on the floor. She rose and Russell hugged her.

“Tessa, this is Daphne. Daphne, this is a friend of mine, Tessa.”

“A friend of Russell’s is always welcome at my studio,” she said. Her smile was open and warm.

“Are we all set up?” Russell said.

“Yes. Tessa’s clothing is set out in the ladies changing room.” She looked at Tessa. “That’s on the other side of the room, far corner.”

Clothing? Tessa was beginning to sweat, thinking about the ‘& More’ on the sign outside.

To Russell, Daphne said, “I’ve reserved Studio A.”

“Tessa, please, go ahead and change. I’ve got a little catching up to do with Daphne, then I’ll be right out.”

Tessa didn’t move.

Daphne smiled. “Shame on you Russell. I’ll bet this is her first time.” She turned to Tessa. “Don’t you worry, you’ll love it. And I bet you’ll be great at it.” Daphne wrapped her hand around Tessa’s arm and gently pulled her out into the center room. “Donna, will you show Tessa to the ladies changing room please?”

The young woman put down her pile of laundered towels and Tessa followed her, wondering what on earth she was getting herself into.

***

Tessa wasn’t prepared for what she saw in Studio A. Russell wore normal workout clothes with one noticeable addition: strapped to his groin was a bright red protective cup.

“Nice outfit,” he said, pointing to her faded full body leotard.

“I could say the same about you,” she responded, pointing to the red leather covering his groin.

He grinned. “I take no chances with the boys, especially around novices like you.” He motioned her to get close, and she did. “Before you can enjoy sex, you have to have confidence that you are safe, or that you can take care of yourself if you discover you aren’t. The very first promise I made when we met was…”

It took a moment, and then Tessa got it. “You said you wanted to show me how to put assholes on their ass!” She grinned. “Is that what we’re doing here?”

“This will be a short lesson; I just want to introduce you to the idea. You’ll need to pursue it back in New York if you want to get good.”

Tessa poked his chest playfully with her finger. “You’re afraid I’m going to be a quick study and put you out of commission. That’s why you’ve got the boys wrapped in armor!” She threw her head back and laughed. “Okay. Bring it on.”

Russell poked her back, also in the chest. But his poke was different; it was slower and sensual, and it ended with his finger resting on top of a nipple. “I’ll teach you the simplest move. After you’ve got the hang of it, we’ll have a little contest. Whoever wins the most points gets to pick the next activity.”

The simple move looked and sounded incredibly easy. Just bring your knee to your chest and kick straight forward. Swinging your leg out from that position wasn’t difficult at all. The tricky part, Tessa discovered, was connecting to the bull’s eye—in this case, Russell’s red leather protective cup. Despite her best effort, Russell either caught her foot or dodged her blow eight out of ten times.

“Don’t give up on it,” he told Tessa, after declaring himself the contest winner. “You have good balance and body awareness. Find a gym in New York that does kick boxing. With some more work, you’ll do well.”

Tessa headed for the studio door.

“Where are you going?” Russell said.

“To change. We’re done, right?”

He shook his head. “I won. That means I get to pick the next activity.” His dark eyes sparkled devilishly.