Memory Lane (18+)

Short Story by: EllaJane

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"She had been 17 the last time she saw him. But he still smiled at her today the same way he did back then."

Autumn and Jason had been a lot of things over the years. Lovers had *almost* been one of them. What happens when they run into each other years after they screwed things up?

*** Trigger warning: active shooter. The story doesn't focus on this, it just uses it as a way to bring our main characters together. The rest is mostly fluff***

I don't write a lot of smut so any and all feedback appreciated!

**Also, I started writing this at the start of the pandemic and do mention social distancing. It was before masks were mandatory and I chose not to go back and edit masks into the story**

It was strange, being out of the house. I wasn't planning to be gone long, just a quick trip to the store, but I felt human again for a moment while I wasn't wearing my sweatpants and baggy tshirt. It was a warm day so I had thrown on a light blue sundress, mostly due to the fact that my jeans were fitting just a little snug after I'd been home for the last few weeks. I hadn't washed my hair, which had been pulled back into a ponytail that spilled over my shoulder since I was long overdue for a haircut, but I did quickly throw on a little makeup before I left the house. Not much, just a little mascara, tinted lip balm, some light bronzer across my cheeks. You know, just enough to help me not look dead.

The second I saw him I instantly wished that I had washed my hair.

I had just turned a corner and almost ran him over with my buggy. It was strange, the reaction my body seemed to have to him, after so many years. My stomach felt heavy and my cheeks burned pink and I could not control the stupid smile that spread wide across my face.

Jesus, this was ridiculous. It had been what, at least 12...maybe 13 years since I had seen him last.

Since I had kissed him last.

Since he had touched me last.

"Autumn," he said with an easy smile. "You look good." His eyes did a quick once over and without even thinking about it my hand pulled the sundress away from my stomach, away from the mom pouch that I couldn't get rid of after two c-sections.

"Jason," I hated how breathy his name left my lips, "How--how are you?" I bit my lip nervously and cursed myself for not being able to get my body under control.

What was wrong with me?! I was a grown woman. I had been 17 the last time I saw this man, who was just a boy himself at the time. I had no idea who he had grown into. I had no idea who this man in front of me was now.

Even if he did have the same soft smile that made his eyes crinkle when it was spread wide and crooked. They crinkled just a little more today than I remembered. And his hair had just a bit of salt and pepper to it. And even though he was just wearing jeans and a tshirt, I could tell he still had the same stocky build, if not a little bit of a 'dad bod' forming. Was he a dad? I thought I had heard he'd had kids. Was he still married?

Suddenly I realized he was speaking. "Huh?" I asked, embarrassed.

"So you have kids?" He said, eyes never leaving mine.

My hand brushed across my mom stomach again, knowing how obvious it probably was, those 25 pounds of baby weight I never lost. But then he pointed to the lunchables and the go-gurt and the pull ups in my cart.

"Two boys," I said with a genuine smile that usually came over me when I spoke about my kids.

"I have a boy and a girl. They grow like crazy don't they?" he said, shaking his head as if he couldn't believe it.

"Yes, they do," I agreed, feeling that silly smile creep across my face the longer I looked at him.

"What?" He asked curiously.

Seems he noticed.

"Its just been....so long since I've seen you," I replied honestly. It was a lot. We were kids the last time we were face to face, but there had been so much between us.

"I know," and this time he gave me a sad smile. He was thinking of it, too, the last time we saw each other. "I'd give you a hug, but..."

"Six feet," I answered nodding my head. For just a few minutes I had almost forgotten about the crazy world around us. Good. I could barely keep my body under control with this shopping cart between us, no telling how it would betray me if he were to wrap those arms around me, if only for a friendly hug.

My body shivered, almost as if it remembered what his touch could do to me. What it had done to me once upon a time. I felt my cheeks burn as my mind involuntarily thought of the blazing trail his fingertips had left on my skin, of his lips nipping at my neck, of the night that he was almost the first person that I had given myself over to.

Almost.

I felt the heat in my cheeks as the embarrassment washed over me all over again. Which was ridiculous considering how long ago it had happened. I had to get away from him. I hadn't thought about that night in years and in a matter of moments he had somehow managed to make me want to crawl out of my skin.

"Well, I had better..." I motioned to the next aisle over, not quite knowing how to say goodbye to him.

"Oh, yeah. Of course," he took a side step and looked around as if he was trying to remember which way he was heading. "I'm glad I saw you. I wish it hadn't been so long," he said softly.

"Me, too," I told him. And I meant it.

*******************************************

It was killing me, not being able to touch her. It was probably a good thing, because grocery store or not, if I did I wasn't sure I'd be able to stop.

Unless she told me to. I had listened when she told me stop. I wish she hadn't. But she did. And I listened.

That was a million years ago though. And I was stupid enough to let that much time go by. Stupid enough to think she wouldn't still have that same effect on me.

As soon as I saw her it was like my whole body vibrated. I would recognize those bright green eyes a mile away. Her smile took me right back to when we were kids. The years had been nicer to her than they had to me. If she had gained any wrinkles I hadn't noticed. And her body gave way to a few more curves that the blue sundress she was wearing hung on in all the right places. Motherhood had maybe even made her a little softer in a few places, but that only made me want to touch her and feel for myself.

I watched her walk around a corner and I knew there would be no getting her out of my mind. The image of her would invade my thoughts for the unforeseeable future and I was just contemplating following her when I heard it.

"HEY!" A voice rang out. "Hey, what are you--?!" *pop* *pop*

The sound of gunfire caught me off guard and for a second I just stood there, confused. Then I heard the screaming, the panic, the sounds of terrified voices.

*pop* *pop*

The sound again broke my daze and without thinking I broke into a run. Around the corner I had watched Autumn disappear, hoping she hadn't made it far.

She was there, crouched down behind her shopping cart, a look of confusion and terror on her face.

"Autumn," I said, much more calmly than I felt, "Come on," I grabbed her hand and she didn't hesitate to follow me. The look of relief when she saw me sent a bolt of joy through me, but I had to remind myself this wasn't the time to be thinking shit like that. I had to get her out of there. I had to keep her safe. I had to focus on something besides her skin touching mine, even it was just our hands.

"What...why??" I heard her whimper as we heard more shots.

I didn't answer her, I just pulled her along as I moved towards the back of the store. Truth was I didn't have the time to think about who it was or why it was happening. The world was a tense fucked up place right now. People were sick. Quarantined. Losing their jobs. The nation was divided. All you had to do was watch the news to see this kind of thing happening around the country. But not here. Not in our hometown. Not until today at least.

I kept my hand closed around hers as I lead her down a narrow corridor at the back of the store, then I opened an even narrower door and slipped inside, pulling her in behind me. I had worked in this grocery store in high school and had brought her to where I remembered this tiny broom closet to be.

It was a tight squeeze. There were a couple of mops and push brooms propped up and I pushed them aside to try to make room. There was barely enough space for us to stand sideways, facing each other, as I shut the door behind us. The world sounded muffled behind the door, but you could still make out the screams, the shots, though fewer and farther between now. I silently wondered if this is where I should have brought her. Would she be hidden enough to stay safe? Did I just trap her instead of save her?

I felt fingers tighten around my own and I realized her hand was still clutched in mine. For the first time I looked down at her face, barely visible by the dim light let in by a tiny rectangular window above the door. Her lip trembled as tears threatened to spill over her long black lashes. Her chest heaved as she frantically took long deep breaths. Her eyes found mine in the darkness.

"I have to get home to my babies," she whispered, barely audible.

"You will," I told her quietly, without a seconds hesitation, "I'll get you back to them," I said, carelessly making promises to her that I wasn't sure I could keep. Seems even all these years later I still couldn't stop doing that.

She nodded gently, but I'm not sure she believed me.

Just then we heard a loud BANG! Her body tensed and her free hand grabbed at my tshirt, crumpling it up in her fist. I put my hand on her shoulder, maybe to steady her, to comfort her, or maybe just because I needed an anchor too. Neither of us moved or dared to breath for what seemed like forever. In reality it was only about 45 seconds. I finally whispered to her. "Its ok, I don't think anyone is coming."

Her eyes looked up into mine in the dim light of the closet, staring heavily through those lashes. I had seen this look on her face before. Only a couple of times, but I had seen it.

Instead of releasing my shirt she tightened her fist around it and gently tugged, causing my body to sway forward and close the few inches of a gap between us. I allowed my fingers to slide from her shoulder, down her back, and then to finally rest on her hip.

But that was as much as I was willing to do. Maybe I was imagining that look in her eye. Maybe she just needed someone close to comfort her. Maybe just the sheer proximity to her was making my mind play tricks on me.

Maybe not. But whatever it was she needed, I was going to make sure she was in control of it.

I noticed her chest, which was against me now, was heaving heavily again, as if she were breathing deeply. "Are you ok?" I asked quietly. Her eyes never left mine as she gave a gentle nod.

Another minute went by. Her eyes heavy, but almost searching mine for something. Every once in a while we would hear a noise or a shout and her gaze would dart towards the door. But then it would find me again.

Finally enough time and silence had gone by that it seemed it might be safe to leave our tiny safe haven. The hand that was intertwined with mine finally started to release my fingers. I felt an ache in my chest because I wasn't ready for her to let me go. I was wrong about the heavy lidded look. I was letting wishful thinking get the best of me. Of course she was leaning against me, we were crammed into a closet too small for two grown adults to fit into. What a fucking moron.

The hand that released mine traveled up and curled around my shoulder. Her fingers found themselves in the hair at the back of my neck, and I shivered, thinking of another night long ago that started with a similar gesture.

With a firm grip I felt her hand pull me towards her, so I dipped my head lower as she whispered, "Jason?"

"Yes." I answered. I didn't know what I was saying yes to, but I didn't care. Whatever she wanted, the answer was yes.

With my head now lowered, when she looked up our faces were a mere inches apart. Her nose brushed mine as she moved slightly, but hesitantly. I stayed still. She was going to have to do this. This was her move. I could lean down and close the gap in seconds, but I needed her to do it. I couldn't be wrong about this. Not again.

Her eyes found mine again, and for just a moment she wasn't the new grown, confident woman I'd just met. She was the unsure girl that had nearly broken me once before.

I gave her hip a small squeeze. And that was it. That was all she needed.

She moved her face closer and pressed her lips against mine.

The kiss was slow and gentle at first. Like she was testing the waters to see how I would react. I returned it eagerly, but softly at first. Brushing my lips over hers and dragging my tongue slowly across her bottom lip.

I pulled back slightly, so I could see her face. I needed to see her. To see that she wanted this. But she instantly followed after me, nipping at my lips.

The arm I had around her hip tightened, bringing her as close to me as possible. My other hand came up and cupped her cheek, then tilted her neck so that I could deepen the kiss and claim her mouth properly.

I heard a whimper escape her mouth as she parted her lips and allowed my tongue access. She tasted just as sweet as I remembered, but kissed me back with a new confidence that I knew only came from experience.

I shook that thought from my head. I didn't want to think about who'd she'd been kissing the last decade, or who she might go home and kiss after this. This moment, no matter how right or wrong, was ours.

Reluctantly I moved from her mouth and trailed her jaw and neck with my tongue, nipping and sucking along the way. I wanted to taste her. All of her. She let out a soft sigh as she welcomed my advances, tangling her fingers through my hair and bending her head to give me access.

As I ravished her neck, her face turned and then suddenly I felt her mouth on my ear. Her tongue traced the edges before I felt her teeth gently nip at the lobe. I let out a deep growl into her neck as I felt my jeans harden and bulge tightly against the zipper.

Apparently I couldn't control myself any better than a goddamn teenager.

Not wanting to push my luck, I gently shifted myself away from her until I could get it under control. To my surprise she chased me with her hips and pressed against the bulge with purpose.

She absolutely was not the same timid girl I had once known.

Excited by her enthusiasm, both my hands slid down to her hips before reaching around to cup her behind and pull her forward against me. I felt myself harden and grow even more as I rubbed against her through our clothes.

She let out a breathy moan before grabbing my face with both hands and pulling it back to her mouth. The kiss was aggressive and messy and wild. I had never seen her like this, but fuck if I didn't love it. I pushed against her again and her hips bucked back against me, wanting more. I slid one of my hands from her ass down her thigh until I could grab her behind the knee and hike up her leg. Her bare skin felt warm and smooth as her sundress slid back. She lifted her leg easily for me, and I held it up by my hip giving myself better access. Our lips never parted from the frantic kissing as I backed her up a few inches until she was against the wall. With my hand still behind her knee I pressed the rough bulge of my jeans right up to her center.

A whimper of pleasure escaped into my mouth as she rocked herself against me, tightening her leg around my hip. It was almost comical, two grown adults dry humping in a closet like a couple of teenagers. But I'll be damned if it wasn't the hottest thing I'd ever done.

We never stopped kissing, tasting each others mouths, lips, necks, ears. She kept grinding against me and me against her and I was pretty sure I was going to get off without ever actually taking off my pants. Which would have been a first.

Then her hand grabbed mine, the one that was holding her knee, and she guided it up her thigh, underneath her dress, until my fingertips brushed the edge of her panties.

"Touch me?" she panted.

She didn't have to ask me twice.

My hand moved to the waistband of her panties before dipping my fingers inside. They moved down over her soft lower stomach and then through a small patch of hair that was already sticky and wet. My middle finger slid easily across her slit, gliding through the excitement I had already given her. I liked my lips, wondering how she would taste and held myself back from just saying fuck it and burying my face in her pussy. That's not what she asked for - not yet - and I would do as I was told.

Instead, I slid my finger inside of her before adding a second. She held onto my shoulders, bracing her back against the wall, and rocked herself against my hand. She leaned her forehead against mine and breathed heavily into my mouth, kissing it erratically between thrusts.

"I want...more..." she breathed between movements.

My free hand grabbed her cheek as I said, "Whatever you want, Autumn, just tell me."

She stopped her movements and slowly slid her leg down from my hip. For a second I panicked and thought this was over. I knew it had to come to an end but I wasn't ready yet. But then she reached beneath her dress and shimmied her hips a little before I saw her panties drop to her ankles in the dim light of the closet. She stepped out of them then slowly reached for the button of my jeans. I was throbbing against the zipper as she said,

"I want you."

Hot fucking damn.

She unbuttoned the jeans and pulled the zipper down. My cock was past ready to come out and bulged into her hand immediately. She rubbed it in her hand through my boxers for a moment and all I could do was rest my head against hers as I breathed heavily. She pushed my jeans and boxers down around my hips then grabbed me with her bare hand, making long purposeful strokes. I couldn't take much more.

I shifted and heard her gasp as I moved quickly. Pressing her further into the wall I grabbed her ass with both hands and lifted her up to my waist. Both her legs wrapped around me as I held her against the wall and my dick just barely brushed her opening. Just the tip. That's as far as we had ever made it.

I kissed her, slowly this time, then leaned back. "Are you sure?" the look in her eye told me she knew why I was asking. But it also told that she knew what she wanted this time.

"Yes," she said without a seconds hesitation.

I held her tight and pushed inside her, sliding in easily. She was so wet and warm and felt so good and fuck I wasn't going to last long.

Her hips met every thrust, almost like it was a dance we had been practicing for years. Her eyes never left mine unless they closed for a moment because I hit just the right spot.

We tried to go slow but we both just kept building. I felt myself thrusting faster and I wanted her to come with me. I slid my hand between us and found her clit with my thumb, rubbing and circling with each thrust as I got faster and more frantic.

I must have found the right spot because she grabbed my shoulders tightly and panted out, "Oh, fuck, Jason," before laying her head back against the wall.

"Can I come in you??" I asked, almost too late. There really hadn't been time to ask questions about protection or birth control or things of that sort. And quite frankly at that moment it was all I could do to ask.

"Yes!" she breathed out, almost pleading me to as she orgasmed right before me. I emptied myself inside of her, giving a few ending erratic thrusts as my face buried into her shoulder.

We both stood still, breathing heavy and loudly against each other, both broke out with a sheen of sweat. I had waited so long to do that with her and it had been worth every single day I had waited.

"Holy shit, Autumn," I mumbled into her shoulder and I felt her laugh against me.

Reluctantly, I raised my head up and gave her a quick kiss before pulling myself out of her. I stuffed myself back into my boxers and watched as she picked up her panties and used them to clean herself. She struggled with what to do with them so I grabbed them, wadded them up and stuffed them into my pocket.

She gave me a funny look. "Souvenir?" she teased.

I rolled my eyes, "I'll get rid of them. Unless you want to put them back on?" They were soaked with her and myself so I knew the answer to that.

She chuckled and shook her head. It was quiet for a moment and then she grabbed my hand, interlacing her fingers with mine. "What do we do now?" she asked quietly.

Did she mean about us? Or about what was happening outside of this closet? Hell, I had almost forgotten about the danger we were hiding from. Honestly I had forgotten everything and everyone except for Autumn until this moment. But did she mean us??

"I don't know," I managed to choke out, not wanting to say the wrong thing. I leaned down and kissed her again, almost desperately, because I knew this moment was coming to an end.

And just like that, I was right.

"Hello?? Is anyone back here?" We both looked towards the door at the voice. "This is Officer Gregory, its safe to come out! Please do so with your hands where I can see them!"

I took a deep breath. "Are you ready?" She looked at me sadly then nodded her head. I turned toward the door. "We're here!" I yelled, "We're coming out!"

And just like that, I opened the door and we walked back into the world with out hands raised up, but with our fingers still intertwined.

For now, at least.

************************************************

Author's Note:

Thank you for reading my short story! Its the first thing I've written in a long while! I look forward to any feedback. If there is enough interest I may write a one shot about Autumn and Jason's backstory. Let me know if that's something you'd like to see!

Submitted: February 08, 2021

Romance romance smut second-chance friends-to-lovers ten-years-later