Cloud Walking

right there as she moaned deep and raw in the back of her throat.

    I tore my mouth from her nipple and picked her up, carrying her to the bed. We quickly discarded the rest of our clothing. Touching and rubbing. Tasting and licking. Until there wasn't an inch of each other we weren't acquainted with.

    We were both covered in a fine sheen of sweat, my fingers were between her legs and I could feel how ready she was for me. “Danny. Now. Please,” Rachel rasped and I knew neither of us could wait a moment longer to be joined together.

    I leaned over the side of her bed and found my wallet in my jeans' pocket. Pulling out the condom, I made quick work of getting it on. And then I was between her thighs. I was pressed at her opening and I stopped. Looking down at Rachel, my heart literally stopped. Her hair was splayed across the pillow, her chest rising up and down in rapid, short breaths. Her cheeks flushed and her eyelids heavy. She was mesmerizing.

    I leaned down and kissed her, my lips lingering as I tasted and suckled. “I love you, Rachel,” I murmured into her mouth. Rachel's arms, which were around my back, tightened. Her legs came up to wrap around my hips.

    “I love you, Daniel. More than anything,” she whispered back. And then, I was inside her. I took it slow at first, waiting for her initial pain to be over. I saw her wince and her back arched up off the bed. I forced myself to hold perfectly still until she acclimated to me.

    “You alright, baby?” I asked, pushing the hair back off her forehead and kissing her nose. I hated to hurt her. I'd rather cut off my arm than make her feel any pain ever again. But then she smiled and began to move her hips.

    “I'm wonderful,” she said, her breath hitching as we started to find a rhythm together. And then we were moving our bodies. And I swear, I have never felt anything like that in my life. I had had sex. Lots of sex. But nothing came close to the total completion I felt as I moved in and out of Rachel's body.

    And when we were finished, we laid there together, wrapped up in each other and I knew there was nowhere else on this earth that I ever wanted to be. This girl was it. She was my forever. And I was on top of the clouds.

    I was jarred awake by the sound of Rachel's phone ringing. We both blinked sleepily and I looked at her alarm clock and saw that it was five in the morning.

    Crap! It was five in the morning! Rachel's mom would be home any minute!

    “Rachel! Get that! I have to get going! Your mom will be here soon!” I said in a near panic. Rachel hopped out of bed and grabbed her phone.

    “Hello?” she said in a rush. I hurried to pull on my clothes. I was tugging on my socks when Rachel's words made me stop.

    “What do you mean she's gone? Please, Mrs. Young, calm down. I don't understand.” I sat down on the bed beside Rachel. Her face had gone pale and she was gripping the bed sheets in a death grip.

    “I swear I haven't heard from her!” My stomach was in knots. This was obviously about Maggie. What the hell had our friend done?

    “I promise! The second I hear from her, I'll call you!” Rachel's voice rose in anxiety. I put my arm around her and she leaned into me. “I know. Mrs. Young, please, that will only make it worse. Give it until this evening. I know Maggie. She will call one of us. I'll let you know as soon as I hear something.” I waited on pins and needles as Rachel hung up.

    She looked up at me, her eyes wide and panicked. “What is it, Rach?” I asked.

    “She's gone. Maggie. She's run off. Apparently Ruby, Clay's aunt called the house this morning looking for Clay. He and his parents had an altercation last night and he took off. When Mrs. Young went to get Maggie, she wasn't there. No note, nothing. She had just taken off. So it's pretty obvious who she ran off with.” Rachel ran her hands through her hair.

    I let out a breath. “Well, hell,” I muttered, not sure what to say.

    Rachel got to her feet and started pulling on her clothes. “Get your phone. Let's start harassing the shit out of her until she freaking answers! I can't believe she pulled a stunt like this! She is so dead!” Rachel seethed. She was really angry.

    She was furiously dialing Maggie's number when I stopped her. “Calm down, Rach. Seriously. You know Maggie. And you know how she is about Clay. You can't go all guns blazing on her. You have to hear her out. Listen. Otherwise she'll shut us out again,” I told