Page from a Tennessee Journal (AmazonEncore Edition)

managed to lay his hand against the waistband of her skirt. He fumbled for the button and let the garment drop to the floor. Underneath, Laura wore her summer drawers. He was certain they hadn’t been there this morning, either. He let his hands slide to the side to undo their ties. The woman dropped one hand from her breasts to grab at the top of her falling drawers. Alex brushed her hand away as the pantaloons drifted slowly down on top of her skirt. He felt her body sway away from him, and he pulled her closer.
    Laying his head on her bare stomach, he let his tongue slide from her belly button up to the beginning roundness of her breasts. With his hands on those firm hips, he pulled her down toward him and sucked one nipple into his mouth. A long ago memory of fresh-cut raw cane sugar flooded his throat, and he felt he was about to float away into a river of delirium. He slid his tongue across her chest and drew in the other nipple. He felt her knees soften under him, and Laura grabbed at his shoulders to steady herself. He glanced up at her face. The moonlight had captured the top half in a glow that reminded him of a sepia-toned Bible picture. He let his tongue linger as he traced it down her belly again. He moved his mouth lower, exploring her stomach until he reached her spirally haired triangle. Breaths were getting harder for him to take. He turned her to the mattress. She sat with a loud rustle of the husks. Her eyes, which had been closed tighter than a new-trussed pig for many long minutes, opened wide at the sound.
    “My babies will wake up, suh. Maybe you could come back tomorrow?” The trembling in her body had reached her voice, and she could barely get out the words.
    Alex pushed her gently down on the mattress. Her shaking rattled the corn husks even louder. She lay straight-legged on the bed with one arm wrapped over her breasts and the other stretching to cover that triangle of hair. He rolled on top of her and bent down to kiss her just as she turned her head slightly. His lips caught the corner of her mouth. He used the strength of his legs to spread her thighs. She held them together like an unheated piece of iron at the smithy shop.
    “Bend your knees.” His voice was almost as gone as hers. He felt her falter in her effort to respond. Alex slipped his hands under her hips. Her legs felt like lead as he guided them upward. He moved his fingers to the spirally haired triangle to explore the depths of the wetness within. The woman arched her back and almost convulsed for breath as he pushed his manhood into what felt like the golden portals of heaven.
     
     
    The moon shining in his eyes stirred Alex from sleep. He immediately knew where he lay. The satisfaction in his body hadn’t gone away. He knew she was still there. Alex lay on his side with his knees bent. The woman, Laura, lay with her body curved spoonlike inside his. Her skirt was thrown over them both from waist down. Her blouse, which had earlier covered them, had slipped to the floor. His hand lay across her belly holding her close to him, her bare bottom firm against his manhood. Alex let his hand travel up to one breast. He squeezed it again, still pleasured by the rounded firmness. When he took hold, he knew there was more than soft cotton mush in his hand. Laura stirred.
    “I’d best be gettin’ to the smoke house.” Her voice was weak as she tried to scoot toward the edge of the mattress.
    He pulled her back knowing she could feel his growing manhood.
    “You don’t need the smoke house at this time of night.” He let his hand drop back to the triangle.
    Laura pointed at the window.
    “Moon says it must be close to midnight. I reckon you’ll want to be gettin’ back home before much longer.” She made another attempt to rise when Alex rolled her onto her back. She looked startled. “Suh, it’s late.” Her earlier fright had dissolved into alarm.
    “I want you to put your arms around me and hold me like I’m the man who’s goin’ to take you north and pour sandalwood perfume all over you.” Alex kissed her face, breasts, belly in quick succession.
    Slowly, she laid her arms around his neck.
    “Now squeeze tight,” he commanded as he entered her for the second time that night.
     
     
    The light from the moon now shining past its zenith made her skin glow copper like a new penny. He couldn’t tell which he enjoyed more—the first or the second time. He knew he was more than up to a third go with