Aftermath

This was a writing challenge from another site using the words: curls, letter, mission, teeth, t-shirt, boots

WHO AM I?

My head knocks against the stars.
My feet are on the hilltops.
My fingertips are in the valleys and shores of
universal life.
Down in the sounding foam of primal things I
reach my hands and play with pebbles of
destiny.
I have been to hell and back many times.
I know all about heaven, for I have talked with God.
I dabble in the blood and guts of the terrible.
I know the passionate seizure of beauty
And the marvelous rebellion of man at all signs
reading, "Keep Off."

My name is Truth and I am the most elusive captive
in the universe.

Carl Sandburg

As always, when shit goes bad, it unfolds in slow motion as if it were playing on an old 8mm movie reel projector. I felt my heart rate slow, and survival skills kick in. I drew my gun, aimed, fired, and watched the mark drop to the floor. I pivoted at the sound of footsteps coming from behind. I heard a shot and the sing of its trajectory as it splintered the door facing just inches away. I dropped and rolled under the table in the middle of the room. Bullets riddled the top of the table and sheared the old carpet as they penetrated the floor around me. I heard a shot from the front of the house and saw the other mark fall. I waited until I saw a familiar pair of boots cross the floor in my line of vision. I slid from under the table and saw Tank standing in the doorway with a 'what the fuck' look on his face.

"I thought you were waiting for back up?" He said.

I stepped over the body without an explanation, flipped open my phone, and called Trenton's finest.

An hour later I drove to her apartment on autopilot, knowing that it was a mistake, but the adrenaline pumping through me wasn't taking no for an answer. I had a post takedown hard on and I only knew one woman who could phase it. She wouldn't like it; she would claim her and the cop were on again. But tonight, a solo orgasm wasn't in the picture. I needed inside of her anyway I could get there.

I silently walked into her apartment; light from the living room pooled on the carpet in the hallway. She was sitting on the couch with a letter in her hand and a stack of envelopes beside her. She looked up at me in surprise. Her curls were in a disarray around her face as if she had been running her fingers through them in frustration. Without saying a word, I could tell she was worried.

She sighed and settled back against the couch. "Don't you ever knock?" she said softly.

I walked over to her, never breaking eye contact. I took the letter from her hand and placed it on the table beside the couch. I leaned down and covered her mouth with mine letting my lips move over hers, tasting her. She pulled away, her breath uneven.

She looked up at me. "As much as I like a nice hello that was a little much."

"I'm just getting started."

She leaned back against the couch and stared at me. "Ranger, what do you want?"

"I need you."

Her eyes widened as her gaze slid somewhere below my neck then slowly back to my eyes.

"I'm guessing this is not for a distraction job?"

I smiled. "Not even close." I nodded at the mail on the table. "Is that what has you so worried?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Nothing new. Just more bills than my bank account can handle."

I leaned in close and brushed my lips over the skin just below her ear. "I can take care of you."

She wrapped her arms around my neck and leaned into my chest. My cock throbbed at the feel of her breasts brushing against my chest.

She buried her face in my neck. I picked her up and carried her toward the bedroom.

"Ranger what are you doing? We can't do this." I ignored her. Her rationalizations weren't conducive to my mission.

I reached the bedroom and let her slowly slide down the front of me until her feet touched the floor. I grit my teeth as her crotch grazed over mine.

She placed her hands on my chest and shoved me. I stifled a smile, knowing this was no time for humor. I was pissing her off with the caveman act, but a part of her was as turned on as I was.

Her eyes shot daggers. "Who do you think you are? You walk in here and think you can just say you need me, and then proceed to try and fuck me?"

I reached out and tucked a wayward curl behind her ear. "That was the plan, but in my version we didn't talk this much." I unleashed the smile I usually reserved for moments like this.

'Have you forgotten I have a relationship with Morelli?" She asked.

I glanced at the bed and back at her. "He's never been an obstacle between you and me, only a diversion."

"So I'm supposed to forget what he is to me so you can get off?"

I was done with conversation. I reached down with one hand and pulled my t-shirt over my head. I tossed it on a chair next to the bed and stepped toward her. Her eyes looked at me in disbelief, but her tongue running over her bottom lip betrayed them. I cupped her face in my hands and lowered my mouth to hers. I worked her tongue with mine, pulling a moan of defeat from her throat. My hands mapped her skin, finding a path of destruction that would make her mine and only mine. I pulled the tail of her t-shirt up revealing her bare breasts. My mouth reluctantly left her mouth sweeping over the skin near her nipple. She wrapped her arms around my neck and leaned her face into my neck. I pulled back when I felt her tears on my neck.

I cupped her chin and looked into her eyes. I brushed my thumb across her cheek, wiping away the tears. "Babe, I'm not going to make you do anything you don't want."

She looked away as she slipped out of my arms. "I haven't forgotten the last time." She walked over to the window, her back facing me. "Watching you walk away again will destroy me."

I backed toward the door. What made me believe I could walk in here, fuck her, and walk away? The last time I masked my feelings in the form of a deal. I accomplished walking away, but instead of getting over my obsession for her, I only wanted her more. Last time I pushed her toward Morelli, this time he was already in the room with us. Nothing about being with her would ever be simple, and I don't do complicated.

"You're right. I should go." I grabbed my shirt and walked out of the bedroom. I made it to the door when I heard her voice.

"I can't win with either one of you."

I stopped and slowly turned around. My stomach clenched at the tortured look on her face. I felt responsible for her pain. I came into her home full cocked and ready to take what I needed and walk away. But was I walking away because I didn't need the hassle, or because I was on the verge of giving her a picket fence?

Okay, maybe not a white fence, but a nice tall black rod iron with a gate.

"Explain." I said.

"Morelli will always expect too much, and you won't want enough."

I leaned my shoulder against the wall and crossed my arms on my chest. "What are you saying?"

"He wants the whole enchilada, you just want the heat."

Sadly, she summed up both of us in a 99-cent fast food menu item.

"You've never told me what you want from me." I said.

"You've never cared to stay around long enough to ask." She answered.

"I know I owe you more than a fuck and run, but it's never been like that with you."

"That is exactly what this is about." She said.

"A takedown almost went bad tonight, you got caught in the aftermath."

"I understand needing someone, but I won't be your fuck buddy." She said.

"From where I stand that looks like what you have with Morelli."

I struck below the belt, but why not call a spade a spade.

She stalked over and stopped in front of me, her hand on her hip. "I don't expect you to recognize a relationship when you see one, so I'll let that slide."

"Maybe you should have given me your definition of a relationship a long time ago. I can get with seeing someone when I want sex, and sitting around on the couch watching the Rangers. I may have to curb some of the pizza consumption, but I wouldn't need an after dinner Maalox cocktail to put up with your life."

I saw a variety of emotion cross her face. "I think you should go."

I took a step toward her and forced her against the wall. "What's the matter Babe, can't handle the truth?"

"I could ask you the same question."

"I'm truthful about what I want." I said.

"But you want only what you want."

I leaned into her from chest to knees so she could get a clue about what I still wanted.

She rolled her eyes. "Like I said, I don't need a fuck buddy."

I leaned down and whispered against her lips. "I can guarantee you will never be bored."

"Nothing has changed in the past five minutes. You need to go."

I kissed my way to her ear as I slipped my hand under her t-shirt. "I can guarantee you'll never feel neglected."

"Ranger."

I pulled away and looked at her. "I guarantee you will forget him."

I slipped my fingers under the elastic waste of her panties and gave it a jerk. She moaned as I slipped a finger inside of her. Her hands went to my waistband and unzipped my cargos. Hers hips moved with my hand as she wrapped her legs around my waist. She looked up at me as I positioned my cock at her entrance.

"Convince me this is right." She said.

"You're the only woman who has ever made me want to stay."

She pulled my mouth to hers and spoke against my lips. "Then don't ever go."

I slipped inside of her as every nerve ending in my body screamed what I had been denying for far too long.

I was home.