Sunrise Fires by Heather LaBarge

and kissed her forehead.
    She sighed. “You smell good, like always.”
    I didn’t want to let her go. “Thank you, baby. When your brother comes back from tour, you give him his piece of this hug, okay?”
    She was stroking my back. She sniffed. “I will.” Her voice cracked slightly.
    “It’s only a year, hun. I’ll be back before you know it.”
    She broke from the hug. “I know.” Her face was red from crying, and my own eyes stung, too. “Your man is waiting. Better not make him wait too long…” she said in mock warning.
    “Speaking of men, tell Blaine that I said he better take care of you while I’m gone.”
    She beamed at the thought of her husband. “I will.”
    “Okay, beautiful, I love you.” I kissed her again and gave her another hug. “Take care of the car, and be sure to give your brother that piece of my hug.”
    As we pulled away from the house, I finally allowed the tears to flow.
     
    *   *   *
     
    After breakfast the next morning, Ryan helped me with cleaning the kitchen. “How do you feel, babe?”
    “I dunno. Nervous I guess.” I rinsed another plate and put it in the dish drainer as Ryan’s hand chased up my back to my neck. He massaged gently.
    “I s’pose that’s to be expected, right?”
    “I guess. Still don’t like it.”
    He pushed my hair aside and kissed the back of my neck, sliding his hands down to my hips and pulling me close. “I know you aren’t comfortable at the moment, but how do you feel about the future?”
    “Mostly good, I guess.” I bent my head forward and offered him my neck. I loved when he nuzzled me there; I’d stand at the sink all day if that was my reward. He nibbled and nuzzled, and I leaned into him. “What will I do without these moments?”
    “We’ll have them—video calling and such.”
    “It’s not the same as your hand firmly at my hip and your luscious lips at my neck. No video can capture that.”
    “That’s when we buy plane tickets.”
    I turned around. “Where did you come from?” I cupped his face and kissed him lovingly. “Where the hell do men like you come from?”
    “Men? Men?! Bah,” he scoffed. “There is only one me.” I threw my head back and laughed, putting my hands up. He bit my neck. “What’s so funny?”
    I looked at him again. “Ahhh. Fuck, hun. Nothing. Nothing at all is funny.” I rested my upper arms on his shoulders, wrapping one around them and coiling the other atop his head. “It’s so true. You are unique and special. And I love you.” I melted into our kiss, savoring the taste of him in my mouth as his hands stroked down my back and cupped my ass. He lifted me and set me onto the counter, stepping between my now open legs. My mini-skirt rose up to my panty line, exposing my dusty rose thong. His right hand came away from my ass and traced the outside of my thigh, finding the hem of my skirt and following it around the top of my thigh and between my legs. I wrapped my heels behind his knees and opened my legs even farther. He teased the seam of my thong, following it from high on my thigh to the juncture of leg and pelvis. He tickled the tendon that was stretched taut. I inhaled and tilted my hips for him. He rubbed a thumb over the silky material, pushing it against my body and causing it to absorb the juices that were already flowing. We moaned simultaneously as his thumb reached my clit. “I want you…” I breathed.
    “I see that.” He slid my panties aside and teased my slit, coating his finger without pushing it inside me. I pulled his shirt over his head and stroked his chest. Hopping off the counter, I kissed and licked his nipples as I undid his pants. Sliding my thumbs into the sides of them, I pushed them down. I had barely gotten them below his ass when he pulled me back to standing and stepped into me, pinning me between him and the counter. His cock was a rod between us, pressing against my pelvis. He stripped my shirt off, yanked my skirt up to my waist, and