Free Adored by Carolyn Faulkner

best not to wake him, she slid him a tad to one side, then slithered successfully out from under his other side without waking him, rightfully proud of herself for the accomplishment.
     
    She dressed quickly and efficiently, and carried the rest of her clothes into the living room, where she added them to the pile by the couch that had contained her panties, slip and skirt.  She’d removed her stockings and carefully and stuffed them into a grocery bag she had found under his kitchen counter.
     
    It was then that she realized she was famished, and went poking into his cupboards for something to eat, settling on a big bowl of raisin-bran cereal.  She sank down onto the couch – this time on it rather than over it - and turned on the news to wait for him to wake up.
     
    It was nearly an hour later when she heard him roar, “Tessa!” as he barreled out of the bedroom, trying to simultaneously zip up his pants and shoulder into his shirt.  “Tessa?!”
     
    “I’m right here,” she said, flipping off the TV.
     
    She was amazed by the look of sheer relief that she saw wash over his face.  He stalked directly to her and helped her up from the couch, folded her in his embrace and kissed her warmly.  He was blushing bright red as he leaned a bit back to catch her eyes, saying, “Oh, man, I am so sorry!   That is so not like me -”
     
    “Shush.  It’s perfectly fine.  Must’ve been good sex if it knocked you out so completely,” she grinned.  Sean couldn’t believe she was being that understanding.  He didn’t know if he would have been quite that patient if she had fallen asleep on him like that, without so much as a “by your leave” for what had been one of the most fantastic sexual experiences of his life.
     
    He sank back onto the couch, taking her with him, holding her on his lap.  “I thought you might have gone home.”
     
    “And drive that behemoth you call a truck?  I’d need a pile of phone books just to see over the dash!   No, thank you.  I figured you’d wake up sometime, and then I’d bug you to take me home.”
     
    “Or not,” he smiled mischievously.  “You could stay the night .  .  .”
     
    “Yeah, I had thought of that, too, but I don’t have anything of mine over here – no clothes, no cosmetics .  .  .”
     
    He looked very disappointed, but agreed.  “You’re right.”  He didn’t want to be too presumptive – what was he thinking?  Yes, he did, definitely want to be that presumptive!  “How about I grab some things for work and we stay at your place tonight?  I don’t really want to let you get away from me that easily.  I need you.”
     
    It was the last phrase that got her.  He needed her.  She adored the sound of that.
     
     
    After that they were inseparable, always spending the night at either his home or hers - usually hers - just because she had more possessions than he did, even though his was the bigger place.
     
    Neither of them had much family left, beyond siblings and their kids that lived elsewhere, so they became each other’s family. 
     
    Pam worked for Tess the following Saturday, and with both shops closed on Sundays, they cobbled together a four-day weekend.  They danced to the live band in the Wolf’s Den, right in the middle of the casino, and lost a frightening amount of money at both the table games and the slots.  But what a time they had!   They retired early every evening, enjoying a suite with a two-person Jacuzzi before ravishing each other in the king-sized bed until they each fell into an exhausted sleep.  It was a great mental-health break; both were rested, relaxed and ready to go back to work Monday morning.
     
    As the weeks passed, they made their own traditions.  Thanksgiving turned into their personal holiday, since both of their businesses were closed on Thanksgiving and the day after.  Christmas time was extremely busy for Tessa; she handmade dozens of beautiful centerpieces that were