From birth, it seemed that Randy and Rhonda were meant for each other. They were born in the same month in the same year, lived a block away from each other, and their parents were good friends, sharing religions, cultures and morals.
Randy’s mother was particularly adamant about him marrying Rhonda because she believed that they would raise their children the way she raised Randy. Nothing would make her happier than to see them together. She had subtly suggested it several times during the families’ gatherings, but she stopped after noticing Rhonda’s bashful response.
After graduating high school at age eighteen, Randy and Rhonda decided to backpack through Europe for a year. That was the perfect opportunity for Randy to make a move, and he felt a sense of urgency because Rhonda had enrolled in film school in New York and would start studying when they returned. He planned to stay in Nebraska City to be mentored by his father as a handyman.
Their funds were limited, so they planned to find work throughout their journey. Randy was excited about seeing Europe with Rhonda, and she couldn’t wait to take a photo at the Eiffel Tower to post on Instagram.
The first stop was the Swiss Alps. Both of them loved nature and fitness, so they hit the trail the day after they arrived. Several metres up the trail, Rhonda challenged Randy to a race. The last one to the top buys dinner.
As Rhonda sprung to take the lead, Randy tripped her and then giggled, watching her sprawled on the ground. She raised her head off the ground and smiled. She loved it when he messed with her and didn’t mind giving him a headstart because she knew he didn’t stand a chance.
A hundred metres up the trail, she caught up to him and bumped his shoulder with hers to scoot over. She looked over her shoulder and smiled as she passed him and then said, “I’m ordering the most expensive steak on the menu.”
At the top, she leapt into the air, her arms stretched above her head. “Yes! I win. You suck.” She smiled.
Randy looked at her from the corner of his eye, his lips pursed. Besides losing, he hated paying for expensive meals. He was a penny pincher, believing that a frugal lifestyle paved the way to financial freedom.
During dinner, Rhonda looked at him after she took a bite of the steak and then smiled. His sour expression made her chuckle, which she muffled by pressing her forearm against her mouth.
After dinner, Randy thought he deserved at least a kiss. After she hugged him to thank him for dinner, Rhonda pulled back. They looked at each other, smiling. He believed that it was the perfect moment, and his tense face revealed his eagerness to make a move.
Rhonda cleared her throat and broke eye contact, her eyes wandering over his shoulder. Randy felt his heart drop to his stomach. When they were in high school, Randy heard her say to her girlfriends that she could never be attracted to her male friends. Hearing that made him apprehensive about making a move for years, but his mother convinced him that he meant more to her.
Randy hung his head and slouched his shoulders on the way back to the hotel. Rhonda pretended not to notice it, using the scenery as an excuse to look around.
Two days later, they were in Paris. The blossoming flowers, the half-tucked sun behind a cloud and the bustle made spring even livelier in the most romantic city in the world than they imagined it to be. Randy had brushed off Rhonda’s rejection and convinced himself that she felt confused about him making a move.
Their first stop was a cafe close to the Louvre. Rhonda wanted to try the croissants and scones while sipping cappuccino. Needless to say, the pastry and coffee were overpriced, much to Randy’s dismay. But he felt the need to be a gentleman and pay the bill. Rhonda had no qualms with that.
After the Louvre, they went to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Rhonda took numerous selfies from all angles. She wanted to choose the best photos to enjoy a barrage of likes and comments. Randy watched her, and his smile faded as his patience wore thin, waiting for her to join him so they could take a photo together.
A stranger took Randy’s phone, and Randy put his arm over her shoulder and she had her arm around his waist.
“Say, cheese,” said the stranger.
Both of their smiles broadened.
Randy took his phone and thanked the man, then stared at the photo for some time. He showed it to Rhonda, and she said, “Looks amazing. Who would’ve thought the two of us would be here in Paris together?”
He had believed it because he thought about it for years. He couldn’t wait to get out of Nebraska City and be alone with her so that she could see him as more than just a small-town boy. Randy was convinced that their time in Paris would bring them together.
After roaming the city for the rest of the day, the two best friends ended up in a fancy grill house. Randy swallowed the lump in his throat after seeing the prices and restrained his facial expressions from revealing angst.
He forced a smile, but Rhonda saw right through it. She was a free spirit who believed that life was for living. It was easy for her to have that attitude as her parents funded her lifestyle. Randy’s father taught him to work for what he wanted, so he had spent weekends visiting clients with his father since he was fifteen and helping him. All the money he saved was earned. Randy understood the value of the dollar and the hardship endured to make money.
As they strolled down the cobblestone street, Randy looked at Rhonda and smiled. He grabbed her hand and intertwined his fingers with hers. She smiled, always trying her hardest to be polite.
When they reached the corner before their hotel, Randy stopped and faced Rhonda. The Victorian lamp post, twenty metres away, had illuminated the 15-metre circumference, isolating them to a dark spot.
Rhonda looked up at him, her lips slightly apart. Her heart raced as she anxiously awaited Randy’s move. His heart sped up as he was eager to infuse his lips with hers. He closed his eyes, and she watched him lean forward, then pressed her hand on his chest.
Stunned, Randy opened his eyes.
“We can’t do this,” said Rhonda. “You’re a great guy, but I’m scared of ruining our friendship. Maybe it can work out, but what if it doesn’t?”
“Then we can be friends.”
She shook her head. “We can’t go back to being friends and pretend like nothing happened. I’m scared it’ll leave a stain on our relationship forever, and you, or maybe even I, will never feel the same about the other again. I’m really worried about that.”
Surprisingly, Randy understood her concern. He wasn’t upset about her reaction because he believed that he had a chance to be with her if he convinced her not to worry about them losing their friendship. He knew that she was jittery about taking the next step and that he could calm her nerves with time.
After escorting Rhonda to the hotel, Randy decided to walk around the city. As he turned a corner, a woman with curly, brown hair gasped as she nearly collided with him on her bicycle. She squeezed her brake, slightly raising her back wheel.
Randy grabbed the handlebars, bringing her to a complete halt.
“Je suis vraiment désolé.”
“Sorry?”
“Oh, you are American?”
“Yes. I’m Randy.”
“Francesca. Nice to meet you. I say, I’m sorry.”
He chuckled. “Oh, no worries. It’s fine.”
Randy’s gaze remained on her as his infatuation with her inflated. Her facial features and hairstyle resembled Rhonda’s. Something about her energy also emulated Rhonda’s free spirit.
“Is everyzing okay?”
“Yes.” He briefly closed his eyes. “Sorry. I’m just taken back by your overwhelming beauty.”
Francesca understood ‘beauty’, so she smiled and said, “Zank you.”
After speaking for a few minutes, Randy asked her to accompany him to a cup of coffee. She accepted, and after Randy suggested the nearby cafe, Francesca proposed a cheaper alternative, much to his delight.
They kept in touch for the following months, as Randy and Rhonda explored Europe while working part-time jobs. He opted for cheaper accommodation and groceries than Rhonda’s. They usually met up twice on weeknights to explore the city together because they both worked on weekends.
Before Christmas, they flew back to the States.
Randy planned not to rush Rhonda about convincing her to give him a chance, fearing he would scare her off and seem desperate. He took his time, months passing as he slowly worked his magic on the weekends that she flew home from New York and during the holidays.
Randy felt that he also made progress via their telephone discussions, but Rhonda would occasionally say something that made him feel he had taken two steps back. But he persisted.
Francesca called him every second week. Although he loved talking to her, he knew that their lives were on separate continents. Besides, Rhonda was the girl he grew up with.
After months of discussions, Randy’s hard work had paid off. He had eased all the anxiety the love of his life had about being with him. She flew to Nebraska City.
Randy had proposed, and the wedding was in two months.
The happy couple decided to consummate a week before the wedding.
She stood in front of him, looking up, her lips apart. He smiled and crashed his lips into hers, the momentum pushing him on top of her as they fell on the bed.
She hooked her right leg onto his left leg, and he ravaged her chest, shifting his lips from one nipple to the other, unable to get enough of them. She dishevelled his hair, running her hands in every direction.
Her left leg hooked onto his, and she breathed heavily while he nibbled her neck. His lips lowered from her chest to her abdomen and then down to her pussy. His tongue swung in all directions on her pussy, ensuring his saliva wet every inch of it.
After he stood up, she sat up and unzipped his pants. Staring at his dick, she looked up at him and smiled. He smiled at her and then nodded. She shoved his dick into her mouth and used her tongue generously.
He murmured. Her eyes shot up to his, curious to see his reaction. His eyes were closed and his face was completely relaxed.
She lay on her side, raising her right leg. He lay behind her and slid his dick into her pussy. As he sped up, he put his arm over her abdomen and pressed his cheek onto hers. She groaned several times and then clutched his quad. He perceived it to mean that he should give it to her faster, so he obliged.
Her face flushed as he put his back into it, drilling her hard. She screamed, and he pressed his face into her hair.
After some time, he got up, and she shifted her ass to the edge of the bed. He rubbed her ass and then stuck his dick into her pussy. He grabbed her waist and thrust, increasing the pace over the following few minutes.
His right hand ran down her leg, and he smacked her ass with his left hand. She bowed her head, lowering her face to the pillow as he grabbed her shoulders and penetrated aggressively.
As he was about to cum, he pulled out his dick and shot his load onto her back.
On the day of the wedding, Randy was satisfied with all the arrangements. They had settled on a small wedding and kept the expenses to a minimum. The bride had agreed to the minimalist option.
When Rhonda appeared at the entrance of the church, everyone turned to look at her. She was late.
She walked down the aisle…
…and found an empty seat.
Her eyes filled up with tears as she watched Randy place a ring on Francesca’s finger.
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