Chapter Nine:
Days Gone By

	The rain was falling in heavy sheets around them. So think that they could barely see the street from the front porch. A slow rolling thunder could be heard echoing periodically in the distance. Stormy was glad that it was raining. It managed to cool things down outside immensely. Having been a very hot August this year, everyday seemed to be worse and worse. Today the temperature had almost reached a hundred degrees outside, and even higher in the house. It wouldn't have been a problem if Stormy would have gotten someone out to look at the air conditioner and ducts. Not that she didn't want to, she just didn't have that much money on hand. No doubt it was going to be winter before she would be able to get it done. By then it wouldn't matter.
	Stormy sat in her rocking chair on the porch, lazily playing her guitar and singing. Steven sat at her feet like he often did when she was relaxing on the porch. His lips were soft and tender as they moved around her shin. Starting from her ankle he kissed a trail upward ending at her knee. Each kiss sent a ripple through her body. She loved the feel, she loved the attention. Ever the good dog he was, Stormy would think. So helpful. And he had been very helpful. It had been much nicer to be outside since he'd completely rebuilt the porch.
	Stormy looked down at him, watching as he traced his lips over the delicate fur on the inside of her calf. A smile moved to her lips as she slipped into her mind. Steven had made a world of difference in the month that they'd been together. Not just with all the work he did around the house, but with other things too.
	Steven had been at there everyday after his classes had ended, to help her around the house. The upstairs had been completed. All three bedrooms were done, the bathroom had been remodeled, even the hallway had been finished. Downstairs they had managed to finish the living room, the kitchen, the guest bathroom, and the main hall. Unfortunately the dining room was still a staging area for repairs. They were fine with that. They mostly ate in the living room anyway.
	What Stormy really enjoyed about having him around was the companionship. Steven was level headed and nice most of the time. He was guilty of a few immature outburst at times, but nothing Stormy couldn't handle with a kiss, or a wink. It didn't take much to calm him down. Steven's outbursts  had increased in frequency, the more sex they had. I guess since they were a couple, he didn't have to hold back his emotions anymore. Stormy wondered, but never had enough drive to really seek and answer.
	It didn't really bother her so much. In fact, despite the lingering guilt, which she had learned to avoid dealing with, she was feeling better about herself. Not so concerned with her eating habits, with her weight, or how she looked. She knew Steven adored her for who she was, not how she looked. Maybe that's the type of companion she needed in her life. 
	Stormy giggled when she felt Steven nip her ankle. He didn't look up at her, just went right back to loving on her. They'd never said it- well, Stormy was the one that never actually said that she loved Steven. There had been only one man that she'd known for sure that she had loved, and that was Dutch.
	Was she in love with Steven, or was it more that she was in love with his companionship? She knew that he was in love with her. Could see it in his eyes, hear it when he spoke her name. He'd even told her her once. The day that she had sung for everyone in church. In fact, he proclaimed it, in front of everyone. She was so stunned that she hadn't been able to say it back. Hiding it behind a hug and a cheek kiss.
	Shortly after that, she stopped going to church. Not because she was embarrassed, but because she didn't want to deal with the condemning looks from the other church goers. Their terrible whispers, judging her at every turn, only fueled the cancerous guilt that grew inside her heart.
	Stormy knew how they saw her. A dirty old woman, trying to recapture her youth. A sugar mama who doesn't mind robbing a cradle or two, on her way to happiness. Was she happy? It was so hard to tell when she let these thoughts in. When she blocked them out through, then she was very happy.
	If she could avoid the judging altogether, then things would be better. That's why she opted to not tell her therapist about Steven. Hiding him in the basement of her mind, like he was a dirty little secret. Which he was, at least from the Dr. Bullock, he was. Stormy would get defensive if the doctor's questions wandered too far into the relationship area. Telling her that she could start casually dating, testing the waters. It made her feel like the doctor was pushing her to cheat on Steven. That was something she could never do. Stormy had forgotten that she'd never mentioned Steven to the doctor. Finding herself, mentally forcing her foot out of her mouth.
	The thoughts were cleared from her head, when she felt Steven's weight on her lap. He'd pressed his upper body against her knees. His lips caressing along the tops of her thighs. Her familiar friend had returned again, the tingling. Every little peck was a spark that fed the tingle, threatening to ignite it into a wildfire. Stormy stopped strumming her guitar and rested it against the side of the house. Her eyes playing across his face while it moved along her thigh. His eyes heavily lidded as he was so focused on his task, he must have not noticed that she stopped playing. Such a sweet boy, she thought. The memories were coming back to her once again. The smile had faded a while ago, and now was turning into a frown.
	Ruby had been their biggest supporter for a long time, but the last time she and Ruby had lunch together, they had fought. Ruby was talking crazy, about how Stormy had changed. Stormy didn't seem herself anymore, like something was eating her from the inside out. Telling her that nobody knew her like Ruby did. Liar, Stormy had called her. She didn't know what was going on in my life. Stormy had told her that she was imagining things.
	But had she been? All Stormy ever talked about was Steven. Steven had become her drug of choice. Maybe Ruby was right, but Stormy would never tell her that. Instead she got up from the table and walked out of the restaurant. Tomorrow was Monday, she would be having lunch with Ruby, if things would have gone better between them. 
	Stormy closed her eyes, and sighed when she felt Steven reach under the long shirt she was wearing as a nightgown, pulling her panties free from her hips and sliding them off. She spread her legs, dangling them over the arms of the rocking chair. Common sense told her to stop him. Told her that this was not the place to be doing something like this. But she knew that it wouldn't matter. It was pouring outside, no one would be out on the streets right now. No one would be able to tell what was going on. 
	The tingle was growing stronger, becoming an untamed monster, at the feeling of his warm tongue probing her ready pussy. It was always ready for him now, whenever he wanted it. Because that's how she wanted it to be. She was still in control. Steven moved his tongue along the outer edge of her. The soft moans escaping his lips, telling her that he was enjoying the sticky taste of her. Stormy squirmed and bit down on her thumb.
	Steven pulled away, licking her taste from his lips. “I love you Stormy.” His voice resonated with her coldly.
	Then he went right back to eating her out. “I love you too.” Stormy uttered, powerless to stop herself.
	I'm still in control, a voice echoed inside of her.