#chelsea district

[nyandreasphotography]

Street art (FU 10) in West Chelsea - New York City, photo by Andreas Komodromos

[cocteautwinslyrics]

why didn't the mta and nj transit consider extending the L to secaucus instead of the 7? are they stupid?

[s-e-c-t-i-o-n-8]

[svalleynow]

Sequatchie County Sheriff’s Office works with Drug Task Force in Lewis Chapel operation

The Sequatchie County Sheriff’s Office works with the 12th Judicial Drug Task Force in Lewis Chapel operation...

The Sequatchie County Sheriff’s Office worked with the 12 th Judicial District Drug Task Force for several weeks on a drug investigation which has landed several people in jail and leaves others on the run and wanted by authorities. The investigation focused on illegal drugs, primarily meth, being distributed in the Lewis Chapel community of Sequatchie County and it led to several drug related…

[mapsoffun]

28th Street between 6th and 7th Avenue is The Flower District, which is both wonderful because it smells so good while walking through it, but also a little irritating because so much sidewalk real estate is taken up by plants. It’s inspired some pretty cool places, most notably The Fleur Room in The Moxy. 

The space is gorgeous, complete with high ceilings and soaring windows, and the drinks are delicious and naturally inspired by flowers. The Fleur of the Valley with vodka, strawberry, prosecco, and basil was a big favorite, as was the Electric Bloom featuring mezcal, hibiscus, and dry Curacao. 

Being on the 35th floor, the views are absolutely breathtaking, and if you come between 5 and 9PM during the week, the scene is quite chill if you’re in the mood to be in a beautiful space with delicious drinks and gorgeous views. Things seem to get more intense on the weekends from what I gather, but that’s hardly surprising. 

Definitely keeping this one tucked away for the next time I’m staying in this neighborhood!

[new-collective-conscious]

neon nights

IG: sares_pics

[famousinuniverse]

Little Island, New York, United States: Little Island at Pier 55 is an artificial island and a public park within Hudson River Park, just off the western coast of Manhattan in New York City. Designed by Heatherwick Studio, it is near the intersection of West Street and West 13th Street in the Meatpacking District and Chelsea neighborhoods of Manhattan. Wikipedia

[scopophilic1997]

scopOphilic_documentary_108 - scopOphilic1997 presents a new micro-messaging series: small, subtle, and often unintentional messages we send and receive verbally and non-verbally.

Memories of places in the past (former gay-lgbtq+ bars/clubs) (L-R, T-B): Crow Bar (East 10th Street - East Village), Pyramid Club (Avenue A - East Village), Danceteria (West 21st Street - Photo District/Chelsea), & Limelight/Chapel Entrance (West 20th Street - Photo District/Chelsea)

These posters were all over the Lower East Side for many years in the 1980s/1990s when Dean Johnson's Rock 'N' Roll Fag Bar was happening at The World, The Pyramid Club, and other venues later on. Dean also did the door at the Limelight (Chapel entrance) for some wild parties with Michael Alig & the Club Kids. Dean also had two great bands: Dean and the Weenies and the Velvet Mafia. Dean was the ultimate showman at whatever he did. Sadly, Dean was murdered in Washington DC in 2007.

(Both posters are part of my collection. The photo one was cut off a wall around 1987. The illustration was given to me by a close friend of Deans.)

[newyorkthegoldenage]

The Chelsea Hotel, 222 West 23rd Street, August 12, 1936.

[Edgar Lee] Masters proclaimed in his booming courthouse voice that there was no better home for a writer than the Hotel Chelsea. He urged [Thomas] Wolfe to sign the register and stood by as the younger man grasped the pen, observing with satisfaction Wolfe’s receding hairline and slightly drooping jowls. Wunderkind or not, the author of Look Homeward, Angel needed spectacles to read. But Masters meant what he’d said about the Chelsea. Granted, it lacked the polish of the Algonquin, with its fabled Round Table wits and bow-tied maître d’. The Chelsea had had a run of bad luck ... Still, for people with small bank accounts but big imaginations, a unique and intriguing spirit lingered in the atmosphere. Like a stately ocean liner, the enormous Victorian-era residence had withstood the battering of the district’s successive waves of vaudeville theaters and nickelodeons, oyster houses and seamen’s bars, office buildings and warehouse lofts. Inside the Chelsea, a tradition of tolerance, built into its bones, had allowed its occupants to weather these changes with equanimity. 

    --Sherill Tippins, Inside the Dream Palace: The Life & Times of New York's Legendary Chelsea Hotel (New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2013)

Photo: Berenice Abbott via Jackson Fine Art

[musings-of-a-rose]

What the Hell Are Fancams?

Pairing: Teacher Ben (SNL) x f!reader

Word Count: 2500+

Rating: Mature - 18+ ONLY!

Warnings: Just like ao3, “creator chooses not to use warnings.” If you click Keep Reading, that means you agree that you’re the age to handle mature themes. Also by clicking Keep Reading, you understand warnings may not be complete in order to avoid spoilers for the story. 

Notes: Absolutely felt called out during the SNL sketch with Teacher Ben but I knew I had to write a little something for him. I'm pulling from my own experience as an ASL interpreter in the school system (glad I finally can incorporate it!). Thanks to @vanemando15 for her help in this and for being a beta!

**If you want to be added to the taglist, join here or let me know!

Main Masterlist

Teacher Ben Masterlist

What the Hell Are Fancams? PART 2

New year, new school, new student. Such is the life of an American Sign Language interpreter when you work in schools. 

My last student moved out of the district so I was assigned a different one. This student's interpreter wanted to go back to work with the little ones and while I loved my time with them, it was time to swap grades. 

My student is amazing and comes from a rare family, in that she is the only member that is Deaf but everyone in her life learned ASL from the moment she failed her hearing test. In most families it's the complete opposite, causing significant language delays and isolation. It never fails to blow my mind how many people won't learn a language for their child, especially when they'd both be starting from the beginning. 

This student, Chelsea, I had worked with from her time in pre-k to 5th grade. It was great already having an established repertoire with a student and we easily fell back into our normal chatter, her filling me in on anything I missed for the few years I was back in Pre-K.

So how's this school? I ask, as she's been here 2 years already.

Not bad. Teachers are mostly ok. Too much homework though.

That's usually the case with high school. Any favorite classes?

I like acting class, but my favorite teacher is Mr. Ben. He teaches marine biology.  She gives me a look I can't discern at this.

Oh? 

Yeah you know, like about the whales you like and other ocean stuff. 

You're in marine bio 2 and you're calling it ocean stuff? Sounds like a great ocean stuff teacher.

She rolls her eyes at me. You know what I mean. Plus he's…

He's..what?

She smirks her mischievous smile that I know can only mean trouble. Nothing. Don't worry about it. 

Chelsea-

Oh look we're at math class.

Saved by the bell, indeed. 

After math was lunch, followed by marine biology. Since it was the first day, I decided to eat quickly and get to the next class a little early so I can start on my "who I am and where I and my student need to be placed" speel. Although he may not need it since Chelsea was in his class before. Still, you never know what a previous interpreter did. 

I knock softly on the door and male voice tells me to come in. I push the door open and see that the teacher has his back to me, bent over his desk grabbing something. His very broad back. 

"Uh hi. I'm the interpreter for your Deaf student for next period and I'm here to answer any questions-"

He turns around and I forget what I'm saying. Bright, brown eyes focus on mine, brown hair that looks so soft with greys starting to creep in, matching the patchy facial hair he has. His nose? Don't get me started on the thoughts I'm having about that nose. He's wearing a blue plaid shirt tucked into black pants, and a tie with tropical fish on it. 

A faint pink dusts his cheeks when he looks at me. "H-hi. I'm Ben Morales. The kids call me Mr. Ben." 

He holds out his hand and I shake it, willing my nerves to not come through it. God he's hot. I wonder if this is what Chelsea was talking about. In fact, I'm sure it is.

I launch into my speel, albeit a little faster than I normally would, but Ben just nods along and does whatever I ask of him. 

"Do you have any questions?" I ask.

"Um… not right now. You're a little different than the last interpreter." He coughs and takes a sip from his water bottle.

"Ah yeah we all do things a little different. Is there anything that worked well for the student and you that I can accommodate?"

He chokes on his water, coughing violently. I move quickly, thumping him on the back but his face keeps getting redder. 

"You-" He coughs "-want to go on-" He coughs more "- a date?"

It's my turn to have my cheeks heat up. "I- what? No I said accommodate… are you ok?"

He nods, muttering something like "Oh shit" under his breath as he turns away from me, his coughs dying down. But before we can talk more, the bell rings and students start moving about the halls. 

"Well let me know if there's anything I can do to date you, Mr. Ben. ACCOMMODATE! Accommodate you!"

Fuck. Me. 

A tap on my shoulder and I turn to see Chelsea, lips upturned in that mischievous smirk. 

I see you've met Mr. Ben.

I have. He's…nice.

Yeah, nice. Is that why your face is all sweaty and warm?

What? 

She laughs and takes her seat, eyes flicking between me and Mr. Ben as the bell rings and he starts his lecture. 

—----

I find myself making it to that class a few minutes before the bell rings just to have a moment to talk to him. When I can talk, that is. I've never met someone who makes me trip over my words as much as he does. But soon, we settle into a routine, after bonding over our mutual love of orca whales. A couple weeks in, I bought him a brightly colored tie with orcas swimming on it. The smile he had could be seen from space. 

Chelsea can't seem to wipe the smirk from her face whenever she sees us talking. 

He likes you. Chelsea signs, giving me a wink.

Focus on your test, Chelsea. 

It's hard to when you guys are up there yelling your love for each other. You should ask him out. 

This has nothing to do with your classwork. And this is highly inappropriate. 

She scoffs. You've known me forever. 

Yes but you're not an adult. 

I'll be 16 soon. And I'm not an idiot. Everyone knows you guys like each other. 

What do you mean "everyone"?

She gestures around the room. Everyone. It's in the fancams too.

The..what? 

F-A-N-C-A-M-S. She repeats the sign. 

Thanks but I have no clue what that is. 

She laughs and Mr. Ben walks over. 

"Everything ok? Any questions?" He's talking directly to Chelsea and not addressing me, which is exactly what I told him to do on day one.

"No, I'm good Mr. Ben. I was just telling my interpreter about fancams." I voice for her, trying to keep my cool.

His face goes blank. "The what?"

She laughs. "You don't know?"

Before he can answer the bell rings and we head off to next period. 

At the end of the day, Chelsea takes my phone and pulls up one of these fancams and wow. It's basically a Mashup of hidden video and photos taken of Mr. Ben that have been heavily edited and music added, making him look hot. How is this appro-

Oh shit I'm in this one. Apparently Chelsea is not the only one to try and push us together. 

Shit. 

The next day, I make it to his class early as usual. He walks from around his desk to lean sit in front of it.

"Hey Mr. Ben."

"How many times do I have to tell you to call me Ben?"

I smile. "Sorry. Habit."

"Hey…so what was that fancam business from yesterday?"

Oh. 

"I uh.."

"Please tell me. These kids all talk about them and I have no clue what they are."

"I don't-"

"Please?"

Oh God his eyes are all big and brown and just like a damn puppy. 

I sigh, shaking my head when I realize that was audible and I'm staring too long into his eyes. I could get lost in those eyes. 

I pull my phone out and walk over to him, leaning my butt against the desk next to him. 

"Ok, so please remember that I was shown these and am in no way affiliated with the creation of the fancams."

He chuckles, leaning in closer to me. He smells good, like fresh parchment and aftershave. 

"Are you ok?" He asks me.

"What? Oh yeah. Uh the fan cams."

I scroll through and pull one up, handing him my phone as it plays. His face becomes redder as it plays on. 

"I uh..who…who made these?"

"I'm not sure. Chelsea said a bunch of the students did-"

"There's more than one??"

"Y-yeah. Look." I swipe through a few more until it settles on the one that puts us together. I try to swipe past it but he catches sight of it before I can.

"What was that one?"

"Oh nothing. It's nothing."

"But it had my face-"

"Just another fancam."

"And yours."

"Kids these days. They will make any-anything."

"I can't see it?"

"Uh nah you don't want to-"

"Oh I think I need to see it."

He's not pressuring me at all, more like flirting, but…that's not possible. There's no way he holds the same crush for me as I do for him, right? 

My boldness coming from some tucked away insanity, I reach over and swipe the video back up, letting him watch it in its entirety. 

"The kids…want us to go on a date?"

"Apparently so. C-crazy, right?" I swallow hard, hoping he can't hear the way my heart is pounding though my chest, his scent filling my head and making it very hard to focus. 

"I don't think it's crazy."

RIIIIING!

That fucking bell ruins everything. 

At the staff meeting the next morning, they ask for chaperones to the homecoming dance. Teachers groan but a few hands automatically go up, volunteering their evening. I raise mine too, Chelsea already telling me she had been asked to go by the person she'd been crushing on since last school year. They had spent the entire summer learning as much ASL as they could in order to talk to her, which was too touching for words and I know it meant the world to Chelsea. I won't have to follow her around but I'll be there in case of emergencies. 

To my surprise, Ben raises his hand shortly after watching me raise mine. The admin takes down names and the meeting concludes, Ben catching up with me as I start to head out to homeroom. 

"You're volunteering too?" He asks. 

"Yeah. Chelsea is already going and while she doesn't necessarily need me, she asked me to come in case she does. I think she's nervous."

"That kid learned asl for her, right?"

I nod. "Yeah. She's super excited although she'll deny it."

"Sounds like her." 

"Mmmhmm."

We walk together for a hall or two. 

"I gotta go this way to homeroom."

"Oh. Right. Um, see you soon?"

"Yup. See you!"

—----

When I make it to his class at my usual time, I can see he's nervous about something, his eyes extra wide and small beads of sweat accumulating at his hairline. 

"HI, Ben."

"H-hi."

Silence as I unpack, but then he's standing near me and all I smell is him. 

"Can I ask you something?" He asks.

"Yeah of course."

"I…uh did.. um… would you-"

A student pops their head in, asking for clarification on the homework and he shakes his head, turning to help them.

—----

Homecoming arrives and I pick out a simple dress to wear. Not quite prom dress but definitely nicer than school attire. I head into the dance and get my assigned area and head there, milling about as people and students start to file in. Music blares as the dance starts andI  feel a tap on my shoulder. Turning, Ben is standing there, a navy built suit, dark button up shirt and - the whale tie I had given him shortly after we met. His mouth is agape as he takes me in. 

"You…you look…"

"Is that the tie I got you?

He picks up the end and looks at it. "Yeah. I thought it would go good with my outfit."

"Brings out your eyes."

"What?'

"What?"

Just then the music stops and switches to a slow dance, the DJ insisting that teachers should join in on this flashback. "True" by Spandau Ballet starts to play and a few staff members laugh and pull each other to the dance floor. 

"D-doyouwanttodance?" Ben speaks so quickly that I can't understand him.

"What?"

He sighs, gathering up…courage?

"Do you want to dance?"

Oh.

"With…you?"

"Yes. But you don't have to if you don't want to-"

"No! I want to!" Shit, was that too enthusiastic? 

He smiles, wiping his sweaty palms on his pants before offering me his hand. I take it, the warmth from his hand spreading into mine. He guides me to the dance floor and spins me to him, his hand hesitating over my hip. Gently, I place my hand over his and guide it to my hip, encouraging him to grip me with his fingers. 

His eyes find mine as he leads, neither of us saying anything, just staring into each other's eyes. My stomach is in my chest and I swear he can feel my heart pumping out of my chest. He's wearing cologne tonight, but underneath it I can smell that familiar smell of him that makes me forget words. A minute passes before he leans in and speaks in my ear. 

"You know we're going to be in another fancam because of this, right?"

I laugh. "You're probably right. But it's worth it."

He pulls back and looks at me again, his brown eyes sparkling as he stares deep into my eyes. The song ends but Ben doesn't drop my hand or my hip. 

"Will you come with me for a second?" He asks. 

"Of course."

Removing his hand from my hip, he winds his fingers through mine and pulls me through the crowd of students and out of the side door, turning down the hallway and moving away from the cafeteria doors. 

"Ben, what-"

He spins me around and pulls me tight to his body. His eyes flicker between mine and I can feel the nervous tension bubble between us threatening to pop. 

And then it does. 

His hands come up and cup my face, bringing his lips to mine as he places the softest kiss to my lips. He pulls back and I follow him, unwilling to let him go. 

"Was that ok? I should have asked before-"

I grip the tie around his neck and pull him to me, deepening the kiss. His lips are warm and inviting, better than anything I could imagine. His hands are gentle, one sliding around to the back of my head and the other settling on my hip, pulling me in closer. A slight moan from him goes straight through me and I can feel myself getting warm. 

The doors bang open and we fly apart, laughing nervously when the students that had come through the doors disappear down the hall to the bathroom without even spotting us. 

"Dinner?"

"Are you asking me on a date, Ben?"

He pushes his body back against mine, having felt my tug on his belt. 

"I am." His voice is somehow deeper and it goes straight between my thighs. 

"I'd love to."

He kisses me again and starts to put away, but I grip his tie tighter and pull him back down. His eyebrows scrunch together in a question. 

"Let's go check if your classroom is empty."

The question drops, lips hitching up in a knowing smile as he slides his fingers between mine, pulling me down the hall to his room. 

—----

What the Hell Are Fancams? Part 2>>

General Taglist:

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[kerubimcrepin]

LIVEBLOG: Dofus Novel 4, The Thirsty Beheader

I apologize for my absence. Translating this novel has burned me out from the fandom in a pretty major way, and I also got into a different fandom in the meantime and am, like, three 4k word chapters deep into a longfic for said new fandom. Besides that, I had a depressive episode and went insane for a while. Basically, I've been a bit busy.

At the same time I release this post, I have uploaded the new, updated versions of both translations (since this liveblog is mostly a reason for me to reread and fix stuff) to MEGA and VK, so I recommend you download the new versions!

I will mostly be copying the text directly, to bypass tumblr's image restriction, but some screenshots will be provided. For example:

If pride is a sin, then the typesetting and cleaning I went through with this book will have me go to hell after I die. (I don't think I'm a master, but I did a pretty good job, ok?)

A cart had just entered the District of the Lost Steps. It stopped in front of the store, as two Srams* got out.

I love the internal consistency of the street being named here. Thank you, author of this book, for caring.

“Are you sure about this,” asked the little guy, “Is this really the right place?” “Yeah,” replied the tall one, “There aren't thirty-six Shushu* houses in the neighborhood.”

LMAO this is something Kerubim is actually known for, huh?

At the time that this book takes place in, joris can't read very well. Cute...

Also, hehe... I am pretty proud of the way this part of the book was cleaned + the font + the layers and colors and opacity I applied to the text, to make it fit in with the paper.

^^^ This is me btw, during this entire post. ^^^

The entirety of the epilogue and prologue are typed on top of cleaned backgrounds sourced from the scan. The rest of the book is typed in front of a digital background. This artistic choice was made because....... You can't set different pages to be different colors in word. You have to overlay some image or a textbox, if you want a page to be a different color.

Anyway — I had a lot of fun searching for the fonts from this book! (and far less fun searching for appropriate fonts for the Russian translation since none of the fonts this book uses have cyrilic versions...)

The fonts this book uses are: Dimbo, Chelsea Market, and Aleo. Google them for all your Dofus Aux Tresors de Kerubim related needs.

The fonts I chose to use in the russian translation are: Brydan Write, Correction Brush, Curinn, and Itim. I just had to make do with what I had, ok?

“My Papycha said it's urgent!” exclaimed Joris, “He could be in danger. Maybe he's being attacked by the Thirsty!” Even Pupuce looked worried. Simone reread the message, thinking out loud: “The Huffing Bow Wow tavern is in the Pandawa district... There's plenty of bamboo milk there. Maybe the neighborhood is overrun by the Thirsters?” “And soon, the whole city will be under attack!” concluded Joris.

Nobody knows how to escalate a situation better than a 7yo with anxiety. God bless <3

The Ecaflip goes full "war machine" mode: he cuts and slices through the living dead for the entire night, and when the golden disk of the sun finally rises over the horizon, the scenery is carpeted with the Thirsty. The region is saved. Kerubim becomes a legend. To thank him, the local lord offers him the... “Hey... Joris? Are you listening?” asked Simone. She began shaking the boy, who, abruptly snapping out of his reverie, mumbled: “Huh? What?”

Joris is so normal. So sane.

“Bye-bye,” added Bowiknif. But Luis slammed the door in their faces, roaring: “You're not going anywhere!” “Oh yeah?” hissed Bakstab, “Is that so?” “Would you like us to chop up your friends with a Brakmarian steel sword of Chouque?” questioned the other, “Or with Samuel J. Axe?” Luis muttered what sounded like a string of expletives, before reluctantly opening the door to the two robbers, who bolted out without further ado.

I'm LITERALLY fucking insane about this.

“I'm sorry,” said Luis, “I tried to hold them back, but...” “We know, we saw everything,” the girl cut him off, “You did your best, Luis.”

Actually deranging. Also explains why Luis did fuckall about Sipho, Harebourg, and Ush — there's just not much he can actually do.

She spotted a Dragoturkey standing near a trough. In two strides, she reached the animal, untied it, and climbed onto its back like an experienced Dragogirl*. “Let’s go!” she said to the boy.

This once again raises a some questions about Simone's past — when did she learn how to ride dragoturkeys? Is it the same reason why she knows how to fight, at least a little?

Then again, maybe she's just being an Osamodas here.

I love, love, love the Simone&Joris content in this book. Their bond is so important to me... She's the aunt who stepped up.

This art is so nice...

They had run like mad through half the city, arrived at the wrong address, turned back just as a thunderstorm broke out, wandered around in the rain in the Pandawa district, and FINALLY arrived at the Huffing Bow Wow Tavern, a large, long building with a thatched roof.

They're so fucking stupid. I love them.

“Ah, there you are!” called out Kerubim, “I almost thought you’d make me wait some more!”

I wish english also had the phrase "I almost thought you'd be late" as a cunty response when someone's an hour or three late to an event. I don't think the english translation I made conveys the sheer frustration.

Kerubim raised an eyebrow — a perfect copy of the circumflex accent:

I struggled with this part a lot in russian sjfkgdfg. It made me nerd out a little bit too.

I didn't have a lot of comments here, but eh. It was nice to finally get this over with dfjgkdsfg.

[nyandreasphotography]

Street Colors (W22nd), West Chelsea - New York City by Andreas Komodromos

[todaysdocument]

Application of Wong Bong Siao to Enter the United States as a Native-born Citizen, with Attached Photograph

Record Group 85: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization ServiceSeries: Chinese General Correspondence

Exhibit 6.

Custom House, District of Vermont,

Deputy Collector's Office,

Port of Richford

August 28 1899

On this 28th day of August 1899 personally appeared before me,

a Notary Public in and for the County of Franklin, Wong Bong Siao

who being duly sworn according to law makes the following declaration in order

to obtain admission to the United States as a native born citizen thereof, viz:

My name is Wong Bong Siao, I am also known by the

name of no other name. I was born in San Francisco

State of California in 1874, and am 25 years

old. I returned to China with my mother and father when I was

8 years old.

My father's name is Wong Ming Kwong. He resides at

China and is by occupation a . I last saw my father in 1899 at

in China--in May last.

My mother's name is Yee and she lives in

Hoy Ping China. I have one brothers, and no

sisters. Their names and ages are: Wong Ng Chung Age 35 yrs.

resided at Chelsea Mass.

I received a letter from my father

I saw my father's photograph in

I had my photograph taken in China & sent to my brother this summer.

I last saw my brother 17 years ago. I have not seen his photograph. I don't think I

could recognize him.

I received letters from my brother while in Montreal--containing $5.00.

I left the letters in Montreal. I have only thirty cents now.

The money to pay my expenses in coming to the United States was sent me

by my brother. It was sent by him to Quing ____.

The amount received was $150.00 and they gave me a ticket

to Montreal.

I desire admission to the United States to proceed to Boston Ma.

for the purpose of joining my brother

a laundryman on Second Street Chelsea but have

not any ticket and thirty cents in U.S. coins.

(Signed)

L.C. Leavens Witness. Wong Bong Siao [his mark]

Jnoth Mason Witness.

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 28 day of August 1899

and I hereby certify that the contents of the above declaration, etc., were fully

made known and explained to Wong Bong Siao and the witnesses

before signing.

[seal] L.C. Leavens Notary Public. [complete document and transcription at link]

[thelarriefics]

SECRET RELATIONSHIP FIC REC, Part II: Below you will find more fics where Harry and Louis hide their relationship. (Part I)

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After months of battling with his own demons, Louis goes back to get what he once left behind, but Harry's not sure if he showed up in time. A journey of remorse, healing and love that's strong enough to break them down and build them back up again. Sequel to 'love is a word, you gave it a name'.

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Louis, a renowned wedding planner, has everything he needs to be happy : loyal friends, a boss that is a little more than just a boss, a job that he loves with all his heart. Tasked with the planning of Gemma and Michal's wedding, he doesn't except to come across the man who had left him five years earlier

📖 Us Against the World by @chelsea-frew (58k)

It's time for the 58th Hunger Games. 18-year-old Louis, the victor of the 56th Hunger Games, is to be mentor to the latest tributes from District 4. It is the worst job in the world. Making it even worse is that one of those tributes is 16-year-old Harry, Louis' secret boyfriend. The stakes are life and death. Can Harry do what needs to be done to emerge as the victor? Can Louis help him from the outside? Against all odds, can these two be brought back together—or will Louis be saying goodbye to Harry forever?

📖 Train Tracks and Porcelain by @jaerie (41k)

The next moments happened in the strange slow motion of dawn. Shadows were forming into people and things and, there in the middle of it, Louis watched the humongous head of an elephant emerge from a box car right in front of his eyes. Or a Water For Elephants inspired AU

📖 Lover Boy by @brightgolden (27k)

Where Louis wants to tell everyone about his relationship with Harry, but his boyfriend clearly thinks otherwise.

📖 Unraveled by @allwaswell16 (18k)

Whilst Harry was prepared to protect the PM with his life, he wasn’t prepared for Louis’ secrets. As Harry helped investigate the attempts on Louis’ life, he found a tangled web of political rivals, possible terrorist attacks, and family secrets as well as an undeniable attraction to the man he has vowed to protect.

📖 Everything's going to be alright - Sixth Form AU by @boufantgirl (17k)

Louis is in sixth form with Harry Styles. A classic story about sixth form, love and coming out. There is some drugs and alcohol use. There are some adult themes. The people in this story are 18. A story about the end of school before going to university.

📖 On Thin Ice by @neondiamond (16k)

As the goaltender for one of the best hockey teams in the world, Harry never expected participating in his second winter Olympics would be so eventful. His hidden long-term relationship with the captain of their biggest rival team may have something to do with it.

📖 getting yourself wet for me by @dreamersdivin-headfirst (10k)

frat boys take on watersports

📖 Curves of your lips rewrite history by @lunarheslwt (8k)

everyone bows to Prince Harry, but in the privacy of his four walls, the one he is bowing and kneeling for is his knight, Sir Louis.

📖 The President and His Captain by @tommokat (5k)

Childhood best friends turn boyfriends Harry and Louis have kept their relationship quiet for almost a year now, so when Harry's basketball coach enforces a no dating rule for the season, they should have no problem sticking to that rule. Right?

📖 Battle Of The Balls by @greenblueish (5k)

the one where YouTubers Harry and Louis play Golf With Friends, go to the pub with Niall and return home six hours after posting the video.

📖 tongue-tied by @liberty-barnes (3k)

the one where OT9 participate in a game of Family Feud, and they really should have listened to Liam when he said this was a bad idea

📖 there are rumors we have to face by @louisandtheaquarian (2k)

In this scene, Harry and Louis are sneaking around in earnest while at the wedding of friends, Zarry's stunt is getting old, and rumors fly.

📖 every night with us (is like a dream) by @darkinfinity (2k)

A look into the life of a professional football player dating a physical therapist.

[mensfactory]

1935 Duesenberg SJ Gurney-Nutting Speedster

The Speedster body was fitted to chassis number 2614, which is believed to be the last Duesenberg chassis produced in 1935. The body was designed by A. F. McNeil and built by J. Gurney Nutting & Co. Ltd. in the fashionable Chelsea district in London. 

The one-of-a-kind luxury automobile was built for Maharaja Holkar of Indore, India and commissioned through a British sales agent R.S.M Automobiles Ltd of London. 

Destined for a life of royalty, the Gurney Nutting Speedster was built with unique, lavish features including a rumble seat with a concealed fold-down step built into the sides of the body for easy access, as well as red and blue lights on the front fender to indicate whether the Maharaja (red) or Maharani (blue) was driving the vehicle.

Upon its completion, the Duesenberg was delivered to the Maharaja’s mansion in Santa Ana, California due to fears of Japan invading India. After the tension in the region dropped, the automobile was shipped to India, then disappearing over time and thought to be lost until its rediscovery in 1959. 

The outstanding auto was brought back to the U.S., eventually acquired by General Lyon. Restored with all of its royal touches retained, the 1935 Duesenberg placed first in the Maharaja Class at the 2012 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and will now be showcased at the 2019 La Jolla Concours d’Elegance under the Registered Class: American Classics Open (1920-1948).

[couldawouldashoulda50]

Chapter 6 - The Whiskey Lounge (Bonus chapter to follow)

A/N - I'm actually up at the family cottage this weekend but decided to try and finish chapter 6 (rent free or not, it lives in my brain). But I think I would like to do a Bonus chapter after this one (which may take a little bit as I'm a slow writer). Please note this has not been proofread well so please forgive any grammatical errors. Hopefully it all flows well.

As ever - any and all the asks, tags, likes, re-blogs...every single one is encouraging, and I deeply appreciate it.

@misshoneyimhome - this isn't quite what we originally talked about but I do plan to include more in a follow up chapter. I cannot thank you enough for being such an amazing audience 😘

Warnings/Notes - 18+, just (hopefully) some enticing smut between these two (foreplay, fingering, intercourse), profanity

Word count 7k

The drive south from William’s condo through the already congested downtown arteries was even slower with the heavy accumulation of snow. Loren and William sat cozied up in the back seat making small talk with their driver, Emmanuel. With her one leg elegantly draped over the other, William’s arm rested across Loren’s lap. His fingers caressed the back her knee as the sedan inched along through traffic.

Loren’s face was illuminated by the sea of brake lights, and as she craned her neck to look at buildings she recognized, William studied her profile from the side. It wasn’t long before she felt his gaze, and she nudged him playfully as she placed her hand on his. Turning slightly to face him, Loren seized the opportunity for a light kiss and leaned in further to whisper compliments in his ear.

Turning on to Front Street, the car inched along into the more historical section which bordered the Distillery District. Emmanuel indicated that he will inform the doorman of their arrival as there was an alternate and more private entrance for the team to use. After the driver stepped out, William leaned over and kissed Loren; it may have been a quick kiss, but he still managed to slip his tongue against hers, leaving her wanting more. Giving her a wink, William took a black toque from his pocket, and slid it over his blonde locks just as Emmanuel opened the backseat door.

William intertwined his fingers with Loren’s while they followed the greeter through a small maze of dingy corridors until he opened another doorway, leading to a private area of the lounge.

Loren’s heart pounded hard in her chest as she spotted clusters of players and their significant others in the section roped off for the team. As thought William could sense her nerves kicking into high gear, he gently squeezed her hand and whispered in her ear how beautiful she is. He then snaked his arm around her waist, resting his hand on her hip as they approached the group.

As his teammates turned and saw William approaching, they cheered, "Willy!" in unison. William laughed at their enthusiasm for his arrival, as did Loren, while his hand on her hip gave her an affectionate tap.

Loren feared she looked like a deer caught in headlights and she tried to channel the words Chelsea said to her about looking poised and confident. Try as she might to breathe normally and keep her chin up and shoulders back, she was simply too star-struck to do any of that. Especially, when she began to notice that she was now the “new girl” with William and all eyes were on her as she and William hung their coats up.

Max was the first to approach William and Loren, showing off his wide grin and missing teeth, he pulled Loren in for a friendly hug after he acknowledged William with a pat on the back.

Max said he was stealing Loren for a moment and he guided her past the numerous sets of eyes that wanted to get a close-up look of William’s plus one. Loren tried not to notice how those in her passing wake would huddle together, exchanging bits of information about who she was.

Max lead Loren to another small group and began the round of introductions, starting with his girlfriend, Estelle.

Estelle’s eyes immediately lit up as she hugged Loren enthusiastically. “Loren - I am so happy to meet you. Max told me all about the skate last week and what happened with the gentleman you care for.”

As Max recounted what occurred with Gary during his session, Ryan (Reaves) and his wife approached Loren, giving her a hug after more introductions were made. Ryan chimed in on the story telling asking Loren to rhyme off some of Gary’s typical chirps at her expense.

William could hear laughter from across the room and saw Loren already talking and interacting with some of the more outgoing players and their spouses and girlfriends. William was standing with Timothy Liljegren and Pontus Holmberg as they talked about seeing their friend and former teammate earlier that week in Washington. William’s focus however was not on the conversation about Rasmus. He was far more impressed by the sight of Loren laughing as she became more comfortable in her surroundings.

Ryan’s wife Alanna and Estelle quickly took Loren under their wing and began meandering and schmoozing around the room.

More and more, the room filled up with the players and WAGs as they shuffled in from the blustery weather outside. Loren remained in complete awe of the people she was surrounded by, especially having just spotted the exquisite Tessa Virtue-Rielly and her number one defenseman husband, Morgan. Loren knew Morgan’s birthday was in March, and she debated whether she should approach the couple as they greeted people nearby to wish Morgan a happy belated birthday.

As It turned out, Estelle looked after the introduction to Tessa and Morgan, and Loren opted not to mention anything about birthdays to avoid coming across like an off-kilter super fan.

Tessa engaged in further conversation with Loren mainly surrounding her work as a PSW and her experiences in that field. As ever, Loren deeply admired Tessa for her elegance and gracious personality and she joked to herself that Tessa is who she wanted to be when she grew up.

Over thirty minutes had passed since Max had swept Loren away from William. As he stood making small talk with another forward, William scanned the room looking for Loren, eventually spotting her talking with the McCabe’s. He watched as Max motioned for Loren to come and meet someone else. William couldn’t help but to feel irritated. He knew Max was naturally more outgoing than he was at these events, and he understood had the best of intentions with introducing Loren to a few others. William slightly sulked wanting to spend time with her too.

When William refocused, his gaze suddenly connected with hers. Her expression was soft as she smiled adoringly at him from where she stood. Loren watched William excuse himself as he waded through the bodies standing between them.

William leaned in towards Loren’s cheek. “I think you’re more popular than I am,” he smiled.

He caught Loren’s subtle fragrance as she lightly pressed her body against him, laying her hand on his forearm. “Hmmmm….That’s a bit of a stretch,” she purred as she glanced upward as his face.

William smirked. “Feel like getting out of here?”

Understanding he was being facetious, or at least partially, Loren pressed her cheek against his and whispered “maybe not just yet.”

William was just about to suggest they find a dark corner somewhere, when one of the owners of the lounge appeared. He announced that the private “Tunnel Tour” was just about to begin and introduced the group’s guide and expert for their whiskey tasting experience.

Ravi was the lounge’s very attractive whiskey expert, who was gifted with loads of personality and charisma. He lead the group into the tunnel and explained it was inspired by the underground passage during the era of prohibition and as they walked, he pointed out the numerous bottles of low-to-high end whiskeys from different regions. Several charcuterie boards had been ordered as part of the experience and were laid along the long wooden countertop. The low, soft lighting mixed with a neon glow created a cozy and inviting ambience, as the players and their significant others mingled while savoring samples of whiskey, cured meats and delicious cheeses.

Ravi approached Loren and William and asked a few questions to anticipate which Whisky might be appealing for the couple to start with.

As she listened to Ravi, Loren noticed over William’s shoulder Simon Benoit and his girlfriend Alice trying to hear the whole whiskey spiel. William’s eyes followed Loren’s gaze and once he saw Simon standing there, he smiled and gestured for them to come over.

William introduced Simon to Loren and to William’s surprise, she responded to Simon in French and introduced herself to Alice. The couple’s eyes lit up and Alice let out a small shriek of excitement, now having someone else should could converse in French with, followed by an enthusiastic hug.

As Ravi resumed his questions, William noticed how transfixed the whiskey connoisseur was on his beautiful date. Ravi seemed smitten with Loren which might have really irked William once upon a time as he could have a little jealous streak. However, there were times in his past that girls from had taken advantage of him getting riled up and William learned it was best to not react and stay calm.

Loren’s interactions with Ravi were kind and was courteous but nothing more. Despite her almost shy nature, William witnessed how quickly she could captivate those around her with her warmth, charm, and her beguiling smile. He recalled early on with their first outing that she really listened to him, making him instantly comfortable and feel valued as a person, not just a notable hockey player. Because of her humility, Loren would never know the subtle yet powerful impression she often made on those she encountered.

William chuckled to himself.

Poor bastard doesn’t stand a chance he thought to himself as he slipped his hand around Loren’s waist and let it rest on her hip. Loren glanced upwards at William’s face and immediately reciprocated, nestling further into his body and lightly stroked his lower back.

After the hour long tour ended, the group made their way back up to the main level and their designated area. The places was bustling with patrons; apparently the storm outside did little to thwart people from going out to blow off steam.

With the house lights lowered, muted blue and magenta lights streaked the floors and walls. The crowd began dancing to the free-flowing music from the DJ as he fused popular dance tracks together.

Alice and Loren struck an immediate friendship. The two sat on one of the plush leather benches sipping their cocktails as they spoke animatedly in French with sharing a number of things in common. Having also met the girlfriends of Bobby McMann and Matthew Knies, a small group was subsequently formed comprised of the newbies and younger WAGs. that gravitated towards each other.

Loren would often glance towards William and if their eyes happened to meet, he would gesture sweetly whether it was a wink, a suggestive bite of his bottom lip or that perfectly cocky smirk that made her throb.

Alice caught William and Loren on the verge of eye fucking one another and she grinned knowingly at her new found friend.

[spoken in French]

“So….you two seem to be really getting along well…have you been seeing each other for a long time?”

Loren swished the ice cubes around in the thick glass tumbler. “No, it really hasn’t been a long time. We only met last week.”

Alice smiled at Loren, who looked like she needed some reassurance. “I don’t know him well but Simon says he’s super nice - a really good guy, especially for being one of the big stars…the core four or whatever they call them.”

Loren turned to look at William. “He fascinates me. He really does. He just seems so sweet and kind - it’s pretty unnerving actually,” Loren chuckled as she continued “I keep wondering how the fuck I’m even here tonight with him, well - with everyone actually - but especially with him.”

Alice nudged Loren gently. “You’re here because he likes you. When we were downstairs, before we joined you, Simon told me he hadn’t seen William bring a date to any of the other team functions. I’m sure he gets what he needs when he needs it but you’re the first girl he’s invited out. However things end up between you, that’s at least something."

The familiar opening bars to “Could You Be Loved” by Bob Marley and the Wailers and soon enough, Loren, Alice, Sanna (Järnkrok), and a few others were up dancing around in a circle.

Loren was an excellent dancer and she was enticing to watch. Her moves were more sensual than sexual as she completely immersed herself in the music.

As her hips moved to the rhythm, William watched her run her fingers in her hair as she mouthed the words to the song.

A voice beside William’s ear startled him and broke his focus.

[In Swedish] “Sanna says she’s really sweet, a real nice girl,” Calle leaned in towards William. “Sanna asked Loren about you two….she said you’re not dating - you’re just hanging out…or something like that. Is that really it?”

“It’s just really shitty timing. I really fucking like her…like a lot but I don’t know…with the playoffs coming up and if we tank…I head back to Sweden, and then what?”

All Calle could was give his friend and teammate an empathetic look and shrugged his shoulders.

William continued to watch Loren. He guessed she was feeling a little buzzed and less inhibited as she kept dancing to one song after another. He also wished he wore pants that were more loose fitting for every second he watched her move, the unforgiving fabric around his crotch got tighter.

Loren beamed at William at a distance as the effects of her two Old Fashioned cocktails started to work their magic. She motioned with her head to see if he wanted to come over and dance. William gestured “no” but gestured for her to keep dancing. That perfect cocky grin reappeared on his face and Loren was fairly certain he liked what he was looking at.

William had given her an incredible night. He had been patient and supportive earlier when she her mind was sinking in negativity. Loren looked back towards William as he chatted with a few teammates. Rather than approach him, she quickly found her phone and sent him a text.

Thank you for such an amazing night. I really hope you enjoyed yourself too. Whenever you are ready to leave, I’m ready too.

Loren glanced back towards William as pulled out his phone from his pocket. The screen lit up his face and she watched a wide grin spanned his face. Looking towards Loren, he motioned towards the door with his head and mouthed “Let’s go”.

William heard the disappointed reaction when Loren bid her goodbye’s to the women she had been dancing with. With the last hug given to the ladies, Loren glided back towards William as he stood waiting at the end of the bar. She smoothed her hand up along the expensive fabric of his shirt and purred into his ear of how gorgeous he is.

William turned and kissed Loren, stopping only to murmur “You’re killing me…car’s circling the block waiting for us…let’s get outta here” against her lips.

They retrieved their coats and approached the exit; the winter wind could already be felt even before William pulled the door open.

William held Loren tightly as she gingerly tip toed across the shoveled sidewalk towards the back passenger door. Emmanuel cheerfully greeted Loren as William helped slide her rear onto the seat. He rounded the car and quickly slid in next to Loren from the other side of the car.

As Emmanuel drove north on Yonge Street, William and Loren sat in the backseat of the sedan, feeling slightly affected from the various whiskey samples served through the night. The two spoke softly about their evening, kissing lightly and nuzzling between sentences.

William pulled Loren close to him and she rested her head on his broad shoulder, while his hand found a place on her rear-end.

Loren quietly spoke near William’s ear; the scent of peppermint carried on her breath. “Did you enjoy yourself tonight?”

“Mmmm-hmmm…had a great time. You’re pretty entertaining to watch.”

Loren giggled at William’s reference. “Entertaining? How could I be remotely entertaining?”

“Mmmm….maybe entertaining isn’t the right word. I just know I really enjoyed watching you tonight. And yeah, you were pretty popular…not just with the WAGs either.”

Loren shifted to caress William’s jawline with her lips. “I have no idea what you’re talking about…”

William looked down as his fingers as they toyed with the delicate ring on Loren’s index finger. “The dude…Ravi, who took us down the tunnel for that whiskey tour. He couldn’t keep his eyes off of you the entire time. And then there was the bartender…I watched him eye fuck you all night long.”

Loren’s lips remained by William’s ear, curling into a smile when he gave her ass cheek a little squeeze. “Hmmm….I never noticed. Still…that’s only two men versus the forty or fifty women I saw ready to pounce while you strutted off to the men’s room,” Loren murmured.

William chuckled “I strut? Really, eh?”

“Like a peacock…and you know it,” Loren whispered suggestively.

William gave Loren’s ass another light squeeze and replied “You love it…just admit it.”

As she nodded she rested her head back on William’s shoulder. The car ride was quiet except for the sound of ice pellets hitting the glass of the windshield. Loren gazed out the window into the bleak and stormy night. Earlier that evening, she fielded numerous questions about her relationship with William to the best of her ability. They were just hanging out. They weren't dating or friends with benefits.

Despite how unlikely it seemed that their paths would ever cross, once they met, a natural and instant connection formed. However, Loren knew how complicated being William's female companion could be. She also thought it was likely he wasn't ready for anything serious with anyone. Loren herself questioned if she wanted any kind of romance, whether short or long term.

What she knew for certain was that she loved his company. She felt so alive around him and it was liberating to rediscover parts of her personality that had been dormant after the many upsets that she experienced.

Her mind began to stray with the thought that one day, maybe sooner than later, she and William will be at some kind of impasse. Loren would rather sacrifice her own heart and feelings than to have William feel any kind of pressure with potentially getting involved…or uninvolved with her at this point of his season.

Loren had already thanked William for an amazing evening, but she wanted to ensure he knew how much she appreciated everything that had transpired between them over the past week.

As Loren lifted her head from his shoulder, her eyes trailed down to William’s hand that laid near hers. She swallowed hard, trying to think of the right words to say.

Smiling demurely and with her eyes still cast downward, Loren began speaking softly. “Listen…William, I just wanted to say that no matter what might happen from this point forward, it’s been really amazing getting to know you. I think you’re a pretty incredible person.”

Ah shit….not the whole ‘where is this all going’ thing…please no… William thought to himself.

As he turned to look at Loren, her gaze finally broke away from looking at his hand, and her eyes softened when she looked at his face.

Loren continued reluctantly, having to stop and collect her thoughts periodically.

“I… just… - I wanted to say that I don’t have any expectations….in terms of whatever we might do, or don’t do…if that makes any sense. I feel that I understand - at least on a very basic level - that your life and your career has so much pressure surrounding it, especially right now. I really don’t want to add to that. With the regular season ending in a few weeks and then the playoffs….which I hope you’ll have really long run, of course….” she said as she rubbed her forehead feeling a mixture of frustration and embarrassment. “Fuck, now I really don’t know if I’m making any sense.”

William was beginning to understand what Loren was trying to say, but he had a hard time hiding his puzzled expression.

Loren exhaled in one short huff, feeling a little exasperated with herself. “I’m just trying to say that I know this may not be a good time for you to get into something with someone, so I understand if and when you have to put all your focus on hockey and I’ll sort of…bow out. You just need to sort of let me know…” her voice trailed off as she looked downward again. She nervously chewed on her bottom lip as she smoothed her hands up and down her skirt.

William was at a total loss for words. He could not count the number of times he has had to make the uncomfortable and awkward speech to a girlfriend or a fuck-friend or a fling wanting more from him than he was willing to give. Or worse yet, totally ghost someone which he had done once or twice, and was not proud of for doing so.

Here sat this strikingly beautiful woman in front of him, whom he just met, anticipating his needs and trying to make sure he had a clear and visible path forward, whether it included her or not.

The biggest problem is that William knew she was absolutely right. He did have misgivings about getting to know someone new on deeper and more intimate level. Perhaps he should have just let her be the previous Friday and not engaged in messaging with her. She had already gone through so much and the last thing he wanted was to add another chapter of bad memories for her

Yet William had to acknowledge that he had never met anyone quite like Loren. He had confided as much to Rasmus, aka Sandy, his former roommate and teammate earlier that week before the Leafs last road game. Having firsthand knowledge of William’s day to day life, being his teammate and his close friend, Rasmus understood the push-pull effect that William often faced with being such a popular hockey player in the hotbed of the Toronto market. The amount of attention William received, both good and bad, was hard on some of the women William dated. However, Rasmus saw something different in the way William spoke about Loren. They had only met once at that point, and as William let his guard down with Rasmus, he appeared positively moony over her and the interactions they shared thus far. It was rare that William showed this side of himself, and Rasmus encouraged him to at least try to get to know her better.

William looked longingly at Loren and watched as she attempted to smile to mask the uncertainty she felt. As they neared his street, William gently kissed Loren first on the lips, then created a path from the side of her mouth to her jawline, and tasted her luminescent skin all they way up to her ear lobe.

“I understand what you’re saying but let’s not think about all of that now.” The way William’s voice purred into her ear had her aching between her legs. “And - you are staying tonight, right? I don’t want you driving home in this.”

Loren nodded, unable to utter a single word.

The car pulled alongside the curb directly in front of the entrance to William’s building. Loren leaned forward and thanked Emmanuel again for having to be out driving in nasty weather. As Loren opened the car door, William leaned in close and said he would join her in a second, and for her to be careful when she steps out. He wanted to give Emmanuel a substantial tip and didn’t want to seem smug or flashy in front of Loren.

The sidewalks had been tended to but she still gingerly walked on the ball of her feet until she made it into the lobby of his building. Security acknowledged her with a smile as she watched William through the window round the back of the car and pass through the front entrance.

The elevator’s ascent was quick and uninterrupted and the two entered William’s condo with both dogs waiting with energetic greetings. William changed into a thick hoodie and sweat pants to take the dogs for a quick walk. William affectionately declined Loren’s offer to keep him company; he wanted the dogs to do their business quickly and Loren’s presence would only distract them.

As he exited with the dogs into the hallway, he turned to Loren and with a soft kiss, he encouraged her to get comfortable and to pour them some wine and told her he’d be back soon.

Loren meandered down to the guest room where her belongings remained. She slipped out of the Louboutin’s and her feet throbbed momentarily, grateful and aching to be flat against the plush rug.

She stood in front of the mirror as she slipped out of the pencil skirt and loosened the tie on the side of her blouse. After laying her clothes on top of the garment bag, she studied her reflection in the mirror. The black lace bra and panties, with the addition of the thigh-high stockings made her feel desirable and sexy and she hoped William would feel the same. He had made her feel secure enough to consider even greeting him like this upon his return and the whiskey she still had in her system didn’t hurt either.

She ventured into the washroom to freshen up and upon closing the door, there was a white dress shirt of William’s hanging on the hook. Loren ran her hands down the sleeve which only elicited a deeper need from her core. She slipped on the shirt and the scent from his body, his deodorant and cologne converged and her need for William grew exponentially.

She heard her phone chime from a text notification and there were instant butterflies flitting in her stomach when she saw William’s name.

what r u doing rn

Loren responded with two photos and a simple thought.

waiting ❤️

William shuddered from the arctic winds as he and the dogs hurried back towards his building. He felt pangs of nervousness as he anticipated what was likely to transpire between him and Loren. It was a feeling which he had not felt towards anyone in a very long time.

William even felt his cock stiffening in the elevator ride to his floor discreetly adjusting it before stepping off the lift.

The dogs barreled through the door first, as usual. When William stepped through, he saw Loren on the couch in his unbuttoned shirt, looking more stunning than ever. She had the blanket (that he never bothered to put away from the night before) draped over her crossed legs, while the dogs surrounded her, giving her kisses with their return.

William approached her, and as much as he wanted to tell her how fucking gorgeous she was, he couldn’t speak; he could only think to offer his hand to have her stand. Placing her hand in his, Loren’s deepest desires for him took complete control of her. Loren wasted no time snaking one arm behind his neck and the other firmly around his shoulder as William hoisted her up, cradling her ass cheeks as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

Their mouths connected in a kiss so soft, deep and full of yearning that they both wanted to stay in that moment forever. William walked them towards his bedroom, his mouth never once leaving hers.

At the foot of his bed, Loren unhooked her legs from around William and he lowered her to stand before him. His hands were still firm on her waist, keeping her close as his mouth left hers to travel down her neck. His lips became firm against her skin as he slid the dress shirt off of her shoulders. Every kiss made Loren feel unbalanced and she began to moan while tightly gripping the fabric of his hooded sweater. She quickly helped William discard said hoodie, revealing William’s chest which Loren marveled at while she slowly ran her hands through his chest hair. Her hands traveled down his body further, and she linked her fingers into his waistband. She helped slide his pants off, leaving only his tented shorts that flaunted William’s rigid member.

Loren’s breath trembled when William cupped her face, gazing at her with an intensity he had never felt for anyone before.

He asked to see her with nothing on except for his shirt and her stockings. Her eyes were wide and innocent as first gazed at William, and then followed his hands glide down her body, slowly slipping off her panties in the process. As she unclasped and discarded her bra, William’s palms travelled up her abdomen. He watched as her eyes closed and lips fall open slightly when his hands lightly squeezed and cupped her breasts. He lowered his head and tongued each nipple, eliciting more gasps and moans from her mouth. Each time William lapped at the sensitive nerve endings in each of her taut mounds, it was like electrical currents travelling straight to the tightness in her core.

William could feel the hot tension building rapidly in Loren. Her hands began to grip his wide and muscular back and he could feel her squeezing her thighs tightly trying to relieve pressure. Her hands slid to his hips and pulled his body towards her. She began to rub her engorged clit against William’s thickness and sensually licked and sucked the flesh around his chest and neck. Her mouth left no physical evidence on his skin, but William already had a mental picture of the magic Loren’s gorgeous mouth would do with his cock.

William grabbed a hold of Loren’s ass and he pulled her in even closer. He spoke in to her ear, his tone low and gravelly as he motioned to the bed. “Let’s get in…I’m going to show you how amazing you are.”

Loren laid on her side, her hair spread out, covering the expanse of the pillow. William’s eyes were fixed on her face as he lay facing her propping up on one elbow. It drove him wild how she looked bashful and seductive at the same time. The nipples he just teased with his mouth were perked and pointed under the luxury cotton fabric and he quickly held open the shirt to nip and suck on her nipples once more. Without hesitation, William’s guided Loren onto her back as he shifted his body tight against hers. Loren began to squirm and moan as William’s tongue lapped at her sensitive peaks. His hand moved from fondling Loren’s voluptuous breast down along her rib cage to her lower abdomen. The feeling of William’s hand below her navel made Loren begin to pant with anticipation. William released her nipple from his mouth and watched her belly rise and fall quickly when his fingers grazed the small patch at the top of her pussy.

Loren gasped when William’s feather touch slid in the wetness around the lips of her pussy. Her hip movements were beyond her control, especially when William resumed kissing and tonguing her nipple and sliding his finger along her soaked and swollen clit.

The sensation was mind-bending for Loren as William skillfully moved his mouth to the most delicious spots on her body, all the while he stroked and flicked the sweet nub between her legs.

As he worked her clit with his middle finger, Loren fell apart. She was panting heavily and she let out a sound that was partly a squeal and partly a loud groan. Her eyes shot open when hit a hot spot just right and Loren dug her heels into the mattress, almost violently lifting her hips upward. She gripped the wrist of William’s hand that was working her into a frenzy.

Between pants, Loren began gasping William’s name. Loren was feeling too overstimulated and too overwhelmed, having never been brought to this level of bliss by anyone before. Every touch felt like an electric jolt to her body and Loren was feeling like she actually might lose her mind.

Loren’s hand remained clasped around William’s wrist as she whispered “William, please…I’m….it’s - I just - I just need to calm down for a sec.”

William ceased and he watched Loren close her eyes and exhale slowly. Her hips moved from still wanting William’s touch, and with her eventual consent, he slowly began stroking her again, kissing along her collar bone.

Loren lifted her eyes and gazed adoringly at William. She released his wrist and ran her hand along his stubble on his cheek as he leaned in for another passionate kiss. Each time William’s mouth found hers, the taste of his tongue against her own made her clench her walls so tightly, desperate for the feeling of his cock inside of her. Loren’s hips rocked against the mattress which invited William to insert his fingers into Loren’s pussy. He started slowly pumping his middle finger and then inserted a second finger deeply when Loren pleaded for more.

William’s cock was rock hard watching how exquisite Loren looked and felt. He wanted to feel the tightness of her pussy gripping the shaft of his cock and he was becoming more desperate by the second.

William’s mouth connected with Loren’s jawline and between firm kisses, his breath hot against her skin. “God, you’re so fucking gorgeous….fucking so sexy….how about - do you want to climb on top of me?” he asked, full of wanting.

A smile fell upon Loren’s lips and she breathlessly responded “Yes, please.”

William discarded his shorts and laid on his back helping Loren as she steadied herself on top to straddle William’s torso. She felt shy and self-conscious which William quickly sensed. His hands slowly skimmed over her sheer stockings, then under the shirt and along of the curves of her waist. Loren was hot between her legs and the sheen of her arousal left a trail on William’s skin as she slowly began to rub herself against him. William could not get enough of the view of her tits, still slightly concealed under his Polo button down. William mused that from here on, the memory of Loren in that shirt will never leave his mind. She absolutely took his breath away.

Loren leaned forward to kiss William. Her legs spread wider as she lowered her mouth onto his, and she whimpered with the sudden urge to grind her cunt against his taut abdominal muscles.

Kisses that were first tender and sensual turned to desperate and needy.

Sitting upright once more, Loren reached behind her for William’s cock. When her fingers wrapped around the girth of his shaft, William bit his lip and pressed his head into the pillow, moaning as Loren stroked him.

As much as he loved watching her work his arousal out of his tip, it was feeling just a bit too good, and he was getting desperate to feel the slickness of her pussy sliding down on his dick.

“Loren….I don’t wan- to….come - not just yet. Can we….can you get on…oh fuck - I want you to ride me.”

She smiled and replied softly “Mmmmm - okay,” and slowly released his cock.

Loren’s face was flushed as she looked down at William’s soft expression. As she raised and positioned herself just above the tip, William slid the pinkish head between her hot and slick folds. Loren’s hand connected with William’s as he held his cock just so as she tried to lower herself on his hardness.

The tip only slightly penetrated Loren’s entrance. Although she was wet with arousal, Loren was extremely tight and it felt as though there was an invisible barrier.

She tried to guide his shaft inside her once again but was unsuccessful.

Visibly flustered, she looked down at William with a mixture of embarrassment and discouragement. “I’m so sorry…..I’m not sure….it’s been a really long time since this - since I have done this. I’m -”

“Hey - Loren….it’s ok.” William spoke softly, smoothing back the locks of hair that had fallen around her face. “Do you still want to do this? We don’t have to.”

“Oh my god - no….I mean yes, I want this….I want you….I guess it just need to take it that much slower,” Loren replied quietly.

The two kissed slowly and longingly as William began to run his tip slowly through her wetness over and over again.

Desperate to try again, Loren spread her opening a little wider with one hand while William pressed the head of his cock into her entrance. Loren grasped William’s chest, lowering herself onto him as he held his cock steady in one hand, and gripped Loren’s hip with his other.

Torturously slow, Loren’s center slid down almost all of William’s length. Her core was so tight that her walls could feel the protruding veins of his cock.

Rising and falling on his cock steadily faster, William knew he had never felt anyone like Loren.

His hands reached up and pushed back the sides of his shirt allowing him to look at and feel her tits roll and bounce every time she grinded on his cock. Soon, Loren gripped his forearms bouncing on William harder and faster and the euphoric sensation began to grow in his belly.

The sounds of two people finding pure and exquisite pleasure in one another filled William’s bedroom. William and Loren had unlocked a new level of intense passion and they acted on every impulse. He watched her body jolt from the electric energy being driven into her core. The noises coming from her mouth were so erotic, William needed to hear more. Much more.

He grasped at the meaty parts of Loren's hips and as she arched her back, William firmly drove his cock into her core. The veins on Loren’s long neck jutted out as she cried out William’s name. William began to thumb Loren’s clit, inciting her thighs to quake from the powerful sensation.

Loren was losing complete control of her senses and her only instinct was to sprawl atop William’s sweaty, matted chest and hold on for dear life.

William’s arms cradled Loren tightly as she screamed affirmations into his pillow when he fucked her hard. He bit back the urge to holler out profanities and instead, grunted through gritted teeth against Loren’s shoulder.

Loren began to pant that she was coming but her vocalizations were mostly absorbed by William’s pillow. William held her ass while he pounded her deep, and when her orgasm hit, she yelled out nonsensical words against William’s neck as her body convulsed within his arms. Had William not been holding her in place, he’s sure she would have bucked herself right off of him, quivering uncontrollably.

William himself could not bring himself to slow his pace as that same euphoric sensation that started in his belly was now a pressure boiler ready to explode. With one long, guttural moan, William shot streams of cum deep inside Loren. William fought the urge to bite Loren’s shoulder, which was a urge he never had before.

William and Loren laid in each other’s arms unable to speak or even move. As their laboured breathing turned into a more controlled rhythm, Loren began to stir slightly, as William’s softening cock, glistening in their shared juices, slid from her entrance.

Loren slid off of William and he turned onto his side, bringing her body back to him.

He murmured into her hair, “You okay?” as he traced a path with his fingers along her shoulder blade.

Loren could feel him beginning to grin as she nuzzled his chest while letting out a satisfied moan. “I’m……” she trailed off. “I can’t…I…I’m barely able to speak. I’m good. Really good.”

A few more moments passed as Loren and William regained her faculties.

William broke the silence first, speaking in a low, gravelly voice. “You said it had been awhile…how long was it since your last time?”

Loren shifted in William’s arms, lazily shrugging and murmuring into his chest, “Over three years, I think…something like that.”

William raised an eyebrow and lightly shook his head. “Jesus.”

Loren propped herself up on her forearm. “Seriously though, do they teach you how to do this in Sweden? Because that…what you did….that’s not normal,” she chuckled and then added, “I didn’t even think I liked sex.”

William thought for a moment. “How long can you stay tomorrow before you have to leave for work?”

“2:00 or so, I might be able to push it to 3…call in a favour maybe....just this time. Why…what are you thinking?” Loren smiled.

“I’m thinking this was just a practice run. Now I need to show you what I can really do.”