Liquid Lucidity (A Novella)

Chapter Sixteen

There was no feeling quite like waking up in the arms of a strong, beautiful man. Every night since they began sharing a bed, David held her with such a gentle, loving touch, yet with a firm grasp as if he worried she would disappear in the night. 

Hannah loved the smell of his shoulder length hair as it draped across the top of her head. She loved the feel of his heartbeat beneath the palm of her had she rested it atop his naked chest. Loved the sound of his gentle breaths interrupted by an occasional whimper. 

This is what she'd been missing all of her life. Jerry Maguire was right after all. One person could truly complete another. 

It wasn't until the night before when her father seemed determined that this relationship not happen that Hannah felt an overwhelming worry of losing all of this. Now, having David's arms holding her close, it became all she wanted. Her mom was right. This was her first time being content in forever. 

David let out a groan and turned their bodies as one so they rested on their sides. It was then she felt something press against her ass and wished like hell they slept naked so she could feel his erection against her bare skin. His breaths remained the same as they were before, appearing to still be asleep, so Hannah risked a reach around between their bodies. As soon as she made contact, his morning wood came out of the hole of the boxers and slid against her hand.

Honestly, she hadn't meant for that to happen, but she also wasn't in the least bit sorry about it. When David's breathing hitched, Hannah knew she'd been caught. 

"My dick is in your hand," he spoke in a tired sort of groan. 

"Hmm-mmm."

"Why is it in your hand, Hannah?"

Hannah turned her head just a little enough to be closer to him but not so close to subject him to her morning breath. "Be—cause it want—ed to be."

David chuckled behind her. "I don't doubt it."

When it appeared he had no intention smacking her hand away or telling her 'not until your parents leave town', Hannah threw caution to the wind and explored his body, moving her hand from the center up to the head, noticing a slight curve as she reached the top, then back down again until she began stroking him firmly at a slow pace. 

David's lips pressed against her neck and the arm that rested on her stomach travelled below the fabric of her shirt, sliding upward until it cupped her breast. A breathless sigh escaped his mouth and his fingers clenched her nipple while his hips thrust his erection in her grasp. 

"I was planning on showing some restraint with you, ya know," she heard him say behind her.

"Show all the re—straint you want. Does—n't mean I have to."

But it didn't appear either of them had a choice when the sound of his front door bell sang out into the quiet air. 

"Fuck me," he muttered, a bite in his tone. "I'm guessing that's your parents, and I ain't gunna answer the door with a hard-on."

It was a hysterical sight to imagine, but if there was any hope of her dad accepting David as her boyfriend, introducing him to his morning erection probably wasn't the best way to go about making that happen. 

So Hannah let go of his erection, much to her dismay, and turned around in his grasp, placing a small closed-lipped kiss on his lips and another on his bare chest before forcing herself out of the bed and left David all alone sprawled out on the bed. She took in the glorious sight one last time then trotted out of the room, down the hall and over to the front door, seeing only her mother standing there before she opened it. 

"Did I interrupt anything?" Her mom asked, a sly smile on her face. 

Blunt was the best word to describe her mom. She said exactly what was on her mind and to hell with one anyone thought about it. 

Hannah held up her hand and placed her pointer and thumb a quarter of an inch apart. "Lit—tle bit."

A light pink crept onto her mother's cheeks and she ran her fingers through her light brown curly hair. "I'd offer to come back, but I probably already killed the mood, didn't I?"

Before Hannah could respond, David came out in plaid pajama pants and a black t-shirt, his hair in disarray. "Morning."

"Ah," her mom hollered in a chipper tone. "I see I didn't entirely kill the mood."

Hannah followed her mother's stare to David and noticed his erection hadn't yet gone down completely. 

Rather than reply, David just spun his heals and went right back down the hall. A moment later, a light tap came from behind them and Hannah jumped before turning around and noticing her father at the door. 

Her mom went ahead and opened it. "How was the couch?" She asked with a devilish grin. 

Her dad was already fully dressed. "Much more comfortable than it looked."

"Well, shucks. That's too bad. I was sort of hoping there'd be a broken spring in there or something."

So her mother had forced her dad to sleep on the couch as punishment for his behavior the night before, which was a nice change of pace and proof that he'd acted just as out of line as Hannah suspected.

"There's no coffee maker in that apartment," her father said gruffly, ignoring her mother's comment.

Hannah shook her head. "That's because I don't drink coffee. My medications don't mix well with a lot of caffeine."

She went into the kitchen and opened the fridge to get her juice just as David walked back out wearing dark blue jeans. Hannah took a closer look to confirm his erection had finally gone down, which it fortunately had. 

"Good morning," he said, either to her mother once again or her father. He didn't look at either of them, but rather kept his eyes on Hannah until he reached her, putting his arm around her stomach and placing a soft kiss on her temple. 

"I'll get some coffee started," he spoke after placing one more kiss on her cheek. "Does anyone want some breakfast?"

Her mother walked over, her hand placed on her stomach. "I'm still full from last night. Honestly, David, you really do have a gift. I don't know anyone who can cook like you."

Because her mother always spoke the truth, no matter how uncomfortable that truth may be, Hannah knew her mother's compliment was genuine. "I've gained at least t-three pounds since mov—ing here."

David leaned into her, placing his lips close to her ear. "And you're even sexier for it."

Hannah was a size six currently. She'd been many sizes prior to that and this was her preferred. But if this relationship stuck, she didn't doubt she'd shoot up to a ten by the end of the year. 

David went back to making coffee while her dad approached the kitchen area, sitting on the stool on the other side of the kitchen island. "I wanted to apologize for my behavior last night, David," he began. "It was uncalled for. I'm afraid I was taken by surprise with the relationship and lashed out. Honestly, I always thought that Hannah and Shawn would get back together someday-"

"Certainly not for a lack of trying on the Bible salesman's part."

Her dad scrunched his face. "Huh?"

"Never mind," David said with a shake of his head and he filled the back of the coffee maker with water and pressed 'start'. "Listen, I get that you saw this big future for your daughter with the white picket fence and shit and I'm sorry that changed for her. Hannah got dealt a bad fucking hand and if I could take her pain away and make it my own, I'd do it without a second thought. But that ain't in my power. 

"What is in my power is making sure she's taken care of and loved every single day. And I'm gonna do that with or without your permission or blessing."

Hannah was focused on that single word that caused a rush of electricity through her body. A word he said so casually despite likely rarely using it. And while it was clear both her parents had also heard him use that word, neither of them said anything and David poured her juice as if it were just another word in the dictionary.