After the Concert

Bashfully she hid her face in Catja's skirt.

It was such a great afternoon. I was charmed by Catja's parents. Each of them took some time to talk to me individually, and while keeping Catja's confidence, they let me know that she was staying with them while she got back on her feet, and how she had struggled with her relationship with Hanna's father, and that Hanna's arrival had been the final straw. I was aghast that their child became a wedge rather than a renewed connection, and I promised them both that while we hadn't known each other long, I was not that kind of man, and would never, ever intentionally hurt her or their granddaughter.

I found Catja after talking to them, and she gave me a slightly worried look. I smiled and hugged her. "Your parents love you very much," I whispered in her ear, and she relaxed.

We sat companionably on the sofa, the three of us. I occasionally tried to coax Hanna into talking by asking silly questions or making up outrageous stories that had Catja laughing, but while she listened carefully, she remained silent.

"Tough crowd, huh?" I grinned at Hanna. Catja smiled ruefully, then she looked at her daughter.

"Hanna, sweetie, can you go help Mormor in the kitchen?"

"Okay, Mamma," she piped, and as she scampered off, I yelled "Hey!" in mock outrage. "You CAN talk! You tricked me!" I heard a giggle disappear toward the kitchen.

"She's adorable," I told her, and Catja smiled tenderly, before her face closed, just a bit.

"Greg..." and I could tell by her expression, that she was worried again. I put a hand on hers.

"I think I know what you're going to say? If I may?" I smiled, hoping to put her at ease.

She tucked one leg under her and nodded.

"Okay. First; please don't feel like you blindsided me with this. I can't imagine how difficult is it to determine if and when to introduce a new person to your parents, let alone your child. I'm so happy you trust me enough to do that."

She nodded. "I do. Now I'm even more sure of it."

My smile widened a bit. "Thank you. Second; it doesn't change my feelings for you one bit. She's part of you; important to you, so she's important to me.

"Third; I know she will always come first. I wouldn't have it any other way. Remember, I have a daughter too, that I'd like you to meet."

She hugged me and buried her face in my chest. "I'd like that." I held her, gently rubbing her back, until I thought she'd fallen asleep, to be honest.

"Catja?" I murmured.

"Mm hmm. Just enjoying being close to you." She paused, glancing up at me. "Greg? Did you mean it? What you just said?"

"Yes. One hundred percent." I smiled and kissed the top of her head, and she held me a little tighter. Just then her mother peeked in, and seeing us, broke into the sweetest, tenderest smile.

><><><><><

Dinner was a treat, and I almost got Hanna to smile once. I considered it a success. Afterward, I offered to help with the cleanup, but Sara shooed me away.

"You're our guest, Greg. We won't make you work for your supper on your first visit," she teased.

So, while Catja and her parents cleaned up the meal, I made it a point to sit cross-legged on the floor next to the small table where Catja had set her daughter up with some coloring books. I heard the sounds of them talking quietly in the kitchen, but not the words. Occasionally, Catja would drift over to observe, then return to her parents.

I focused on Hanna. She glanced at me as I perused what she was doing. "Peppa Pig, huh?" I remarked.

Hanna nodded as she continued to color.

"And that," I pointed, "Must be Mummy Pig?"

She nodded again.

"Could that be... Miss Kitty?" I pointed again.

"No, that's Candy Cat," she whispered.

"Oh yes, of course," I replied. "How silly of me." I was just thrilled that she'd spoken to me.

After a moment I said, "When my daughter was as old as you, she used to like Blue's Clues."

Hanna cocked her head at me. "What's that?"

"Oh, well!" I said jovially, "Let's see if we can borrow your Mamma's iPad and I'll show you, how does that sound?"

Hanna nodded again, and after a few minutes, she was engrossed in the adventures of Blue, Steve, and their friends.

><><><><><

At the end of the evening, the entire family walked me to the door. I got hugs from Sara and Catja, and another handshake from Henry.

I knelt again, and asked Hanna, "Would it be all right if I came to visit again?"

She looked up at her mother, then back at me, and nodded. Catja's smile was radiant.

><><><><><

I was dating. Fifty-three years old and dating. Dating an intelligent, funny, beautiful, sexy woman who was nearly eighteen years - an entire adult - younger than me. But I didn't care. She was good for me.

We talked about it, and she felt the same. The age difference didn't bother her. Neither of us felt like we were in a rebound relationship. Catja was the smart one; she had waited until she was sure before reaching out. If it had been me, I probably would have done something stupid. When I told her that, she laughed, poked me in the chest, and said I better remember that.

I realized that while she did throw caution to the wind, so to speak, on that first weekend in Philadelphia, the situation was different now. Before, it had been like a fantasy, and she was free to walk away with no repercussions. But now... it was real, her daughter was involved, and she couldn't afford to make a mistake, like committing too early.

So I did my best to make her feel comfortable, yet show her who I was. It may sound odd, but I actually made an effort not to be 'on' all the time. I didn't try to impress her with amazing experiences every time we went out. More than once, we just hung out at my place, or at her parents', watching a movie or chatting.

That's not to say we didn't have fun. I think I broadened her taste in music just a little bit when I took her to a Larkin Poe show at The Foundry. When Megan stepped up and soloed for the first time on her lap steel, Catja threw both arms in the air and hollered as loudly as anyone in the place.

I was reintroduced to her best friend Ashley, who had me laughing by claiming credit for our relationship. "Hey," she insisted, pointing at me. "If I hadn't been such a snot, you wouldn't have talked so much and probably never have gotten together!" I was forced to admit she was probably right. She introduced us to her boyfriend, and the four of us became good friends.

We enjoyed quiet dinners, just the two of us. We shared meals at her parents' house. I think I won her mother over when I invited Catja and her parents to Chanticleer for a tour. It was September by then, and a bit late for flowers but the foundation that operates the gardens does a wonderful job of creating displays for every season.

We spent a few hours each weekend at the Little Gym where Catja had enrolled Hanna in pre-K gymnastics. It was there that I began to see signs of the real Hanna. The gym had set up a long runway for the kids to practice their run-up to the vault, but instead of a vaulting horse at the end, there was a pit filled with chunks of foam. Parents smiled indulgently as their kids trotted down, stopped, and hopped into the pit. When it came to Hanna's turn... oh my!

That kid blazed down the runway as fast as she could go, never slowing, and leaped as far as her tiny legs could carry her. She clambered out of the pit and ran back to get in line, grinning like a four-year-old maniac.

At the end of the lesson, she ran over to us, as cute as could be in her leotard and with her curls in a ponytail. She came right up to me.

"Did you see me?" she asked.

I scooped her up and settled her on my hip. "I sure did, Sweetie! You jumped farther than anyone!"

She smiled happily, and after a moment, squirmed to get down. But she held both our hands on the way to the car, chattering like a magpie.

About six weeks after we started dating, Catja and I were relaxing on the balcony, just enjoying each other's company. I looked over at her, and completely failing to sound as offhand as I'd intended, I asked, "Would you like to meet my family?"

Well. Now that was a smile.

><><><><><

We left Hanna with her grandparents and Monique was babysitting Eileen, so it would just be the four of us. Hanna was opening up to me, which was amazing and special, but I wanted to be sure that Catja was comfortable and familiar around Rachael and Jeff. I surmised that when Hanna was finally introduced, she'd pick up on that and be more relaxed herself.

That was my plan, anyway. Hah. Getting comfortable? Before the evening was over, Rachael declared Catja the big sister she had always wanted. They embraced, giggling like teenagers, and immediately made plans to go shopping the following weekend.

I looked at Jeff and shook my head ruefully. "We're doomed, son."

Later, as we gathered our coats and got ready to leave, Rachael gave me a big hug and whispered in my ear, "She's amazing, Dad. I'm so happy to see you happy." I hugged her back, shook Jeff's hand, and we headed out to the car. I thought things couldn't have gone any better.

Turns out they could.

I started the engine, but before I could put the car in gear, Catja put a hand on my arm.

I looked at her, but her gaze was focused back on the house.

She said, "I know I've only just met them, but your family is wonderful. I feel so close to them already. And... Greg?"

Something in her tone had my heart suddenly beating faster.

"Can... can we go back to your place? Maybe a drink, and we can... talk?"

We had shared kisses and caresses over the past six weeks, and even had pretty steamy make-out sessions a couple of times. But now... I thought I knew what she was saying.

I just said, "Of course, I'd like that."

We were quiet on the drive to my condo. Not an uncomfortable silence, just... lost in our own thoughts. I was still riding the high of seeing how well Rachael and Catja got along. And it made me start to think about my feelings for her. Before my musings went much further though, we arrived, and I gave Catja a hand out of the car, and held it all the way to my door.

Once inside, I took her coat and asked, "Wine? Something stronger?"

She took a deep breath. "Mmmm... a Scotch, I think."

I raised an eyebrow, as I went to fix her drink. This was new; she was usually a wine drinker. I made one for myself as well and returned to see her seated on the sofa. She patted the spot beside her.

"Come, sit with me."

I complied, handing her her glass, and she took a sip. "Oh, that's good." Leaning forward, she set the tumbler on the coffee table and turned to me, taking my hands.

I waited for her to speak, but she merely sat there, searching my eyes with her own. Then, she reached up, and placing a hand on each side of my head, she drew me into a kiss. I could taste the liquor, as her lips parted and her tongue slipped between mine.

It went on and on, that kiss. It felt like hours, but was probably about 20 seconds. She pulled back, took another sip of her drink, and kissed me again, even longer than the first. A stray thought flitted across my mind; that this was now my favorite way to enjoy Scotch.

"Wow!" I breathed when she pulled away again.

Her eyes were smoky. "Greg, I'm ready."

Can 't make it any plainer than that.

I stood and gave her a hand up. Moving forward, I kissed her lightly, then she gave a little shriek of laughter as I picked her up. She put her arms around my neck and her head on my shoulder, as I carried her to the master bedroom, where I carefully set her on the bed.

Taking a step back, I pulled my shirt off, over my head. It had been a chilly day, so I was wearing a dark brown Henley with a forest green t-shirt under it. When they came off, Catja got up from the edge of the bed and moved to me, running her hands over my chest. Then, giving me a wicked grin, her hands moved to the button and then the zipper of my jeans.

Her hand dipped inside my boxers, and I hissed when her nimble fingers wrapped around my cock. She glanced up at me and 'hmmmed' as she slowly stroked.

I let my head fall back and enjoyed her caresses for a few moments, then whispered, "Let's get these out of the way, shall we?"

At her nod, I kicked off my shoes, and shoved everything to the floor, pulling off my socks as I stepped out of the tangle. I stood there, completely nude, before her.

Catja stared, taking me in, then returned to stroking me with one hand, and gently cupping my balls with the other. She kissed all over my chest, and then my nipples. In between kisses, she kept glancing up at me, then down at my cock, back and forth, until she sank to her knees in front of me.

"Catja..." I whispered.

"Shh," she returned. "I want to." She gently kissed the head then resumed stroking, with both hands now, in a kind of hand-over-hand motion. I groaned, and she glanced up at me. She moved her head forward and gave me a little lick. Her soft warm tongue felt so amazing...

She continued, up one side of my shaft and down the other, before returning to the head, and then, parting her lips, she drew me inside. Swirling her tongue around me, she sank more and more of my hardness into her mouth. I closed my eyes and lost myself in the sensations. One hand drifted down to rest gently on the side of her head. Not controlling, just... touching. Stroking her hair as her lips and tongue stroked my manhood. She glanced up at me, smiling with her eyes.

It felt like mere moments before, incredibly, I was feeling that familiar tightening.

"Aaaahhh... I'm..." I moaned, trying to warn her, but she just increased her efforts, drawing me deep, then as she felt me swell, she began short bobs, until she felt the first explosion. Then she held me about halfway in, hands gripping my butt, as I emptied myself in her warm, willing mouth.

"Oh my God, that was amazing," I gasped when she finally released me and sat back. One hand went to her face, where she wiped away a small trace. "Sorry," I continued. "It's been a really long time."

"That's partly why I wanted to do it. That, and also I really wanted to." Shyly, she confessed, "I've never done that before."

I was surprised, "What, given a blowjob?"

She blushed. "No, I mean yes, I have, but I've never... you know, swallowed it before. I always stopped and finished with my hand."

"But with you, I wanted to try. And I think I liked it, that I could give you that much pleasure. But now... Greg, it has been a really, really long time for me too, and I need..."

While she was speaking, I helped her to her feet and slowly undressed her. I drew her in for a kiss as I reached behind her to undo her bra, then stepped back, drawing the straps down to reveal her perfect breasts. Perfect to me, anyway. I cupped them and softly stroked my thumbs over her nipples. They hardened under my touch, and I moved in for another kiss, feeling those twin peaks against me.

We kissed passionately and after a minute or two, I moved from her mouth to her throat, slowly working my way down to nibble at the junction of neck and shoulder. She shivered as my hands moved up and down her back, then returned to her arms and then her sides, caressing, light as a feather.

I turned us around and sat on the bed with her standing before me. This put her breasts right before me, and as I started to move forward, I glanced up at her. Her eyes were glazed with desire.

I moved the rest of the way. I kissed the underside of one breast while my fingers hefted the other, then traced lazy circles around her areola. Switching from one to the other. Teasing, with tongue and fingers, circling ever closer to her dusky pink nipples, which were hardening even more under my touch.

"Greg..." she whispered, running her fingers into my hair. When she did, I enveloped one nipple completely, circling it with my tongue while applying gentle suction. She let out a breath and her head fell back, as I again switched to the other. So perfect.

Withdrawing, I got up from the bed and knelt before her. As I looked up at her, I hooked my fingers into the waistband of her panties. She nodded, and I could see the desire in her eyes. I drew the scrap of lace down her thighs, and she put a hand on my shoulder for balance as she first lifted one foot and then the other, allowing me to remove her last remaining garment completely.

I looked up at her again as I allowed my hands to move up her legs, massaging her calves, and then the backs of her thighs. I shuffled forward slightly, dropping to my knees off the bed. Moving my hands up to cup her buttocks, I brought my face into her sex, inhaling deeply. As I started to move my face further forward, Catja stopped me.

"Oh! N-no, you don't have to..." she stuttered, reaching down to draw me to my feet.

Puzzled, I said, "I won't do anything you don't want me to do, but... trust me, I want to do this for you."

Surprise bloomed on her face. "Really? No one I've ever been with wanted to do that. My ex used to say it was gross."

"Seriously? Honey, he was so wrong. Will you let me show you?"

With trepidation, she nodded and I lay her on the bed. She bit her lip nervously as I stood by her feet. Picking up each foot, I tenderly kissed one instep, then the other. Moving slowly, I kissed, licked, and nibbled my way up one leg, stopping short of my goal. Then I repeated my journey on the other leg. Finally, I eased her thighs apart and positioned myself between them. Her pussy was covered in a thatch of neatly trimmed dark brown hair. She was wet and smelled like heaven.

I glanced up at her, and she still looked a little afraid, but also anxious. Good anxious. Her breathing was a little ragged and her fingers clutched at the sheets. I tried to smile reassuringly, then I dipped and had my first taste of her nectar. I kept things at a near-glacial pace. First, I kissed her gently on the top of her mound, then began small, soft licks on her inner thighs, just beside her labia. She fidgeted, and that's when I moved to drag my tongue up her slit. Not venturing inside yet, but enough to draw a gasp from Catja.

"Okay?" I whispered.

"Mm hmm," she nodded, eyes closed.

Using my fingers, I spread her lips apart and began to lick her in earnest. Gradually increasing my efforts, I savored every inch of delicious pink flesh I could. Planting my nose firmly in her bush, I tried to cover her whole opening with my mouth and did my utmost to wriggle my tongue as far into her opening as I could.

"Oh fuck, oh my God, what are... what are you do... doing...!" she panted. Her hands were clutching at my head. I stopped for a moment and lifted my head slightly.

"Just hang on, Baby," I replied and returned to my task. Gradually, I worked one finger into her and began to stroke in and out, while latching my lips over her bud and flicking it with my tongue, coaxing it further out of hiding.

Catja's panting turned into moans. "Oh, oh, oh, oh..." Her hips were rocking up and down, and her thighs were spread wide.

Her "ohs" rose in pitch and turned into a keening whine. Her thighs slammed shut, trapping my head between them, and her hands continued to grab at my hair, pressing me more tightly against her. I reached up with one hand to tweak a nipple, and with that, her hips jerked up once, twice, and her legs gripped even tighter as she began to orgasm.

Nonsense syllables spilled from her mouth. I continued to gently, slowly, caress her folds with my tongue, until she gave one last full-body tremor, relaxed into the bed, and started pushing at my head. "Too much, Greg, holy shit, please..."