Wicked Wednesday: So Bad, So Good

Wicked Wednesday tempted me with the prompt scent.

Tonight, I dealt with a short power outage in the neighborhood. The lights flicked back on about 5 minutes after I lit a bunch of candles. Now the house smells like paraffin and smoke.

“Hey, the power is out. Just wanted to give you notice before you head over.” I end the call and stick my phone in my pocket. How to save the evening?

After changing out of work clothes, I put a pot of water on the stove and lit the burner. The steam from the water would help keep the place warm. My search for tealight candles proved fruitful. If I were smart, I could spread them out and give the place a cozy dark ages glow. Jared knocked and walked in just as I lit the last one.

“Hey there. Wow, what’s all this?” He put his bags down and removed his boots. Most would say Jared looked a little shaggy. His hair is too long, his clothes are too thrift store. But for me? He was exactly what I needed in my life right now.

“Power is out all over the neighborhood. I guess you didn’t get my voicemail?” I grab the bags and head for the kitchen. “Cooking in the semi-dark should prove a fun challenge.”

“No worries. I’ve got you. I picked up stuff for salad and I grabbed some chicken breasts. I thought we could go simple. Big lunch today.” Jared is hanging his jacket on the coat rack. I admire the way the candlelight flickers off his golden curls.

“I don’t know how you eat the way you do and not gain a damn ounce.” I smile at him and set out the pan for the chicken. “Balsamic glaze?”

“Sounds good. Heavy lifting at the construction site doesn’t allow for extra weight.” He takes control cooking as I shred romaine and get chopping. It was so quiet without music despite the noise we made and I didn’t have a clue what to talk about.

And then he‘s suddenly singing. Of all things, Taylor Swift’s I Did Something Bad.

Laughter streams from me. I can’t hold it in, there’s just no way. Not mean or heartless, but happy. Jared had to know I was feeling awkward, so he lightened my soul with music.

He pauses and looks over at me, “Hey, that salad won‘t toss itself, yanno?” And goes back to cooking.

“Yes, sir. I know. Thank you for singing, please continue.” I separate pepper bodies from their seed cores. The salad we make will be our lunches for tomorrow, too.

Tears roll down my cheeks, but not from the onions I’ve sliced. I am doing my best to hold the laughter inside. It’s ridiculous and I love him for singing.

It’s not long before we’re sitting down to eat. My last thoughts keep circling my brain. I love him. I hadn’t realized it until now. All these months we’ve been having dinner every week. For a moment, I couldn’t breathe.

Then I really fuck up and swallow wrong. I’m choking on something. Jared is up and helping quick as a whip. Within seconds, I’m okay. Nothing too bad, a slight panic at the wrong time while eating.

He hovers, rubbing my back. My breathing returns to normal and he sits back down, focused a little more on me now.

And then the power comes back on. I automatically hit the kitchen switch when I walk in each day, but hadn’t shut it back off and now we were both blinded. As we both get up, we knock heads.

“Ah, sorry.” I rub where he struck me and then we’re both laughing again. “Maybe we should’ve moved this to another night.”

“No, it’s perfect.” Jared flips off the switch off. He walks back over but instead of sitting down, he runs his hands up and down my arms.

The house smells so good. Smoke and paraffin. Chicken and balsamic. “That’s so nice.” I look up at him and thoughts about his lips hit me and I can’t tame them.

“It’s a bad idea.” He brushes my hair behind my ear and looks down at me. There’s so much restraint in him right this moment, he’s like steel. Unmovable.

“I know, but I don’t want to wait.” I touch his cheek, it’s covered in scruff. “If you’re okay with not waiting.”

The kind of growl that makes me tingle in all the right places rumbles out of him as he pulls me into his arms and kisses me. “Natalie, are you sure? We’d have to keep it quiet.”

“Yes, I feel this is right.” I pull him back down for another kiss and there’s no stopping us. Food is forgotten. Candles flicker as he strips off his flannel and t-shirt. I shed my long-sleeve V-neck and the tank top beneath it.

We come back together all lips and roving fingertips. He picks me up and carries me back to the bedroom. There’s a smidge of light streaking into the room from the candles in the bathroom. It’s perfect.

Jeans get removed one zip and button at a time. Jared plucks the hooks on my bra and it comes undone. I toss it away, sliding his boxers off his body.

I rub my cheeks against his chest hair and capture a nipple in my mouth. The hiss I hear him make urges me on and I turn to lick the other.

“I’ve wanted to taste you as my dessert for weeks.” He follows suit by trailing his tongue along my collarbone and down my sternum. I pause long enough to pull him onto the bed.

“I wanted to kiss you the first time I saw you.” The confession burns my cheeks for a moment but then he’s squeezing my hips with his calloused hands.

“Mm, yes, please. Don’t make me wait, Jared.”

I open myself to him and stretch my arms above me to grab the headboard. Wishing for brighter light so I could see him is a dead-end. There’s no way in hell I’m leaving the bed to flip a switch.

Jared breathes along my skin, slides his tongue along my folds, teasing and tasting. Fingers dig into my buttocks as he lifts me to meet his mouth. His thumbs part me further.

“You smell so fucking good.” Before I can respond, he dives into me orally and I gasp, lost in the pleasure of his warmth and words.

“Jared… do you have a condom?” That I can think at the moment surprises even me.

He pulls back and looks up at me. “I don’t bring them when I come here. Temptation.”

Biting back a groan, I nod and let go of the headboard. “Can we just… make out naked?” I wasn’t testing him. I was testing myself. Can I take things slow?

His hair hides his eyes, but not the smile, faint light reflecting on his glistening chin. “Fuck yeah.” He moves back up and we make out hardcore. Sloppy. Sucking tongues. Scraping teeth. Hips rocking, hands groping.

When I wake up next to him in the morning I smile. We masturbated together and then curled up to sleep. It was the most fun I ever had with a guy and not have penetrative sex.

Right now… it sucked being a parole officer. Or, more specifically, Jared’s parole officer.

Tonight’s story is brought to you by “I Did Something Bad” by Taylor Swift

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