The Lovers II
                      ***NOTE: very 18+!!!***
***This is written as a sequel to The Lovers and is dedicated to several
of you who e-mailed to tell me you liked the first, and is primarily for one
woman who requested this specifically. And for one special guy out there
who makes the car scene a real fantasy for me***

     The ringing woke him from his sleep. At first he thought it was only
in his ears- he felt stuffy, clogged, achy. But then he realized it was his
phone.  "Yeah? What?" he answered, then covered the mouthpiece to
cough. Rick rubbed his hand a the back of his neck and swallowed, his
scratchy throat, the roof of his mouth throbbing as was his head.
     "Rick? It's me. What's wrong?"
     Lisa. It was Lisa. Why was Lisa calling? "Wrong?" he exclaimed,
almost to the point of over-acting. "Nothing's wrong, why?" he covered
the receiver as he held his finger at one side of his nose to close the
nostril and sniff strongly, trying to clear his stuffy nose.
     A short pause followed. "You said you'd be home by five, and it's
past five thirty already."
     "Oh..." he searched for an excuse, not wanting to lie to his wife.
"Sorry, honey. I just lost track of the time," it was the truth, after all  he
had done just that by way of falling asleep at his desk.  "I'm really
sorry. I'll be right home." His nose was running, he could feel it,
trickling down, tickling the insides of his nose. In a moment, he knew he
would sneeze, and he only hoped he could hold out long enough. "Bye
honey. Love you." Rick hung up the phone without waiting to hear her
reply. He closed his eyes to keep out the light, and concentrated on
stifling the sneeze so it wouldn't be as loud as he felt it might. He placed
his finger under his nose, firmly pressing up against the flaring
nostrils. He covered his mouth and nose with his other hand, tightly
cupping them, as if cutting off all air from going in or out. It struck only
a second later, powerful but restrained when coming out of him into a
not-so-loud "huhchmmmm." He sniffed with great force several times in
rapid succession, pushing one side of his nose closed as he did so.
     "Are you alright?" he heard a woman's voice inquire, and he turned
around in his chair to see Jo-Ann, from the cubicle to the right of his.
     He cleared his throat to talk to her. "Hey, Jo-Ann, how do I look to
you? Like normal?"
     She took one look at him, shook her head, and took a tissue out of
her pocket to hand him for his nose was running. "You don't look very
well at all, and you sound a hundred times worse. Are you sick?"
     He blew his nose, overly thankful for the tissue, tossing it into the
wastebasket below his desk when he was finished. "I don't feel well. I
think I'm coming down with a bad cold." His mind flew to Lisa, and
suddenly he remembered why he had to be home at 5. "Damn! I'm
supposed to take her to see a play tonight!" He felt the familiar
beginnings of a sneeze brewing in his nose, and he searched urgently
for his handkerchief. Not in his breast pocket, not in his back two- the
sneeze was growing stronger, creeping up on him- nor in his front
pockets. He tried to stop the sneeze, rubbing the side of his nose,
pinching it shut, plugging his nostrils with his fist under his nose- but
nothing worked. In desperation, he turned his head to his left and
sneezed into the fist, bending forward at the waist with the medium-
strength "haCHOO!" and bobbing right back up into upright position
when done. He sniffed and groaned, his head dizzy and light but
throbbing with pressure. "Look, if I <sniff> don't come in <sniff, sniff>
tomorrow..."
     She smiled. "I'll let them know why."
     He nodded a thank you and took his coat, walking fast around the
rows of cubicles to the elevator in the back.
     "Rick!" she called out, stopping his exit, making his turn around to
look towards her. "Get some rest, Rick. And take care of yourself,
alright?"
     He smiled weakly, feeling how nice it was to know someone cared.
"Thanks, Jo-Ann." He felt the presence of another sneeze, this one
larger than before, accumulating faster as well. The elevator door
opened; he stepped in and punched the button for the ground floor. As if
all in slow motion, the doors closed, he put his hand over his mouth,
squeezed his eyes shut, and took in a deep breath to sneeze an explosive
"HHAAAA-CHHHOOooooo!" which echoed off the metallic walls. He doubled
over from the force, wishing he'd stifled that one which seemed to be the
definite start of his cold, in all its marvelous misery.
     As more tickles came upon him and as the cold air about nipped at
him, he sniffled and wiped his nose with the back of his hand. Rick
walked quickly through the dimly-lit parking garage to his car,
wheezing, out of breath, as he slid behind the driver's seat and
retrieved a handful of tissues form the box in the glove compartment.
"HAAA-shoo!" he sneezed, the sound different from his deep allergy
sneezes; these were the kind that tickled a little but mostly just struck
in the outskirts of his nose- the tip and nostrils. It didn't take more than
five minutes of constant sneezing, sniffling, and blowing his nose, for
Rick to realize he was going to have a difficult time hiding his cold from
his wife. He decided, as he started the car and headed home, that the
play was more important than how he felt; he could put himself through
whatever torture it seemed like, if only he kept in his mind that he was
doing it for Lisa.
     When his car pulled up to the first stoplight, he flipped on the
radio, trying to distract himself from the discomfort he felt from his cold
and from the car's broken heater.
     "And that was The Rembrants with 'I'll be There for You', the theme
song to FRIENDS. We're going to commercials now but stick around
because we've got over fifty minutes of music an hour coming up next."
     "Atishhhhh!"
     The sound of the cute sneeze filled his ears and made him jump in
surprise and pleasure. This time it wasn't one of his sneezes, but a
woman's on the radio.
     "This woman has a miserable cold," the announcer's booming voice
informed him, "and the thing she needs now is Cold Relief with its
soothing mix of vapors to clear her up in no time." The woman's voice was
high-pitched, almost unnaturally child-like. "My cold's all gone! And in
only four days!" The announcer continued, "Take Cold Relief. Your nose
will thank you."
     Rick turned off the radio, warmed from hearing the sneeze, but still
cold from the lack of heart in the car. Snuffling, he mumbled. "My nose
may thank me but my wife wouldn't." Then he smiled. "Four days, huh?
Most colds run their course in that time anyway."
     The rest of the drive was spent trying to clear his scratchy throat
and control his runny nose, for he knew for sure Lisa would make him
stay home if she realized how sick he was, and he just couldn't do that to
her.
     Pulling into his driveway at long last, he gave his nose just one
last blow, wiped the tears from his eyes, and slapped his cheeks to give
his pale skin a little color. Then he went into the house, determined to
stay strong and focused against his aliment.

     The moment he closed the front door behind him, the warmth of the
house closed in on him. Though welcome compared to the coldness of the
late fall evening outside, he realized that the temperature change was
having another effect on him. His nose had already begun to run
fiercely, and his whole body was tingling, including his nose.
     "Welcome home, honey!" he heard from the dining room, or perhaps
the kitchen.
     Knowing very well that she expected him to go to her, he made a
quick detour to the bathroom, to wipe and blow his nose, and to splash
some warm water on his face. He emerged a minute later, feeling better,
but looking straight into his wife's eyes. "Hi, honey," he said, kissing
her on the lips in greeting. "I'm really sorry I'm late."
     She looked at him, then went into the bathroom, returning with a
tissue. "Your nose is running. Here." She eyed him as he sniffed and
rubbed his nose. "You alright?"
     "Oh, it's nothing. It's just a little cold outside is all. And the heater
in the car's broken."
     She nodded, not entirely sure to believe him after the strange way
he'd acted on the phone, but trusting him enough to let the matter rest
for the time being. "You've got ten minutes until dinner if you'd like to
get something to drink."
     He nodded, about to reply when he felt a sneeze coming at him. He
held his breath and hoped for the best, trying to hold back the urge...
and succeeding, the sneeze fading to the back of his nose. He sighed in
relief and regretted it as it made him cough. "I think I'm just going to
rest on the couch before dinner, unwind from work and all."
     She looked suspicious. "Are you sure you're alright, Rick? You look
a little--"
     He cut her off. The less said, the better off everything would be.
"Yes, honey! I'm fine. I'm just a little cold still, and really tired after a
hard day at work." Suddenly he felt the sneeze return, in full form,
over-powering him in a rush of power. He sneezed, just barely covering
his nose in time, as it was wet against his hand. "Excuse me," he said,
sniffing and running the tissue she'd given him under his nose.
     She grinned at the sneeze, letting the memory of it fill her mind
and the sound her ears. But she wasn't convinced he was as well as he
insisted he was... she knew what he looked like when he was sick and
that's exactly how he looked now. "Mmmmhmmm," came her unsure grunt,
as she left to finish dinner.
     The moment she left the room, he wiped his nose on one of the
tissues he'd loaded his pockets with, falling upon the couch to finally
relax in comfort.


     "Rick?" Lisa looked down on the peaceful, pale face of her husband.
She was sure he was ill, but admired his attempts at staying in control.
She'd only left him for seven minutes, but he was already asleep, sitting
upright, head tilted and resting on the back of the couch. "Rick, darling.
Dinner's ready."
     His brown eyes gently opened, and so did his mouth, to let out a
heavy set of coughs. The moment he was finished, she stuck a
thermometer in his mouth, firmly under his tongue. He glared at her
angrily, speaking around the thermometer, "I'm fine and I'm thakin' you
tho the plath thonith. You doth <sniff> have tho thake my
themperthure."
     She sighed, sitting down beside him on the couch. "If you're well
you'll have a normal temperature and we can go tonight. If not I'll stay
home and take care of you, and we can have a fun night together, just
the two of us." She added, "Anyway, if you're well, as you say you are,
you have nothing to be worried about."
     They waited the three minutes, Rick feeling tickles in his throat
and nose all the while, but blocking each as fast as it came. After what
seemed like ages, Lisa took it out and held it up to look at it. "98.8," she
said firmly. "Perfectly normal for you."
     He rose from the couch, walking toward the dining room. "See? I
told you. Let's eat now, okay?" The mere thought of food made him sick
to his stomach, but he would have done anything at that moment to
change the subject.
     Lisa followed him in slowly, feeling embarrassed. "I'm sorry I didn't
trust your word, Rick."
     He shrugged, sitting down at the table. He wasn't going to lie... but
after such a close call, he wasn't about to admit the truth to her either.
"You were just being protective. I like it when you do that, when you
take care of me."
     She smiled mischievously across the table at him. "Eat your dinner,
Love. We haven't time for that now."
     He returned the smile, feeling too ill to open his mouth. He felt as if
he were in a daze, stuffy and achy, and the only thing he wanted to do
was curl up with Lisa in a nice warm bed and go to sleep. Groggily, he
lifted his hand enough to bring some peas to his mouth, chewing slowly,
swallowing as pain shot through his throat. He got up twice during the
meal to refill his glass of water, though eating slowly, picking at his
food.
     When Lisa had finished her meal, she looked over at her
uncharacteristically quiet husband, who had barely touched his plate.
She knew what was wrong, and had known all the while, though didn't
realize its extent until the moment she saw Rick avoid eating his favorite
pasta dish. "You don't have to admit you're sick, but I do want you to
answer me honestly. Rick, do you feel up to going?" Her heart sank as
she realized how horrible he must be feeling, but how much she loved it.
     He nodded, pushing his half-eaten dinner aside. "I promised I'd
take you, and I will. I'm going to go get ready now; it should only take a
few minutes."
     Lisa nodded, not wanting to force him, and collected up the dishes.

     Ten minutes later, they met in the front hall, bundling up to face
the cold outdoors. Rick reached for the door knob to go, and Lisa put her
gloved hand over his. "It means a lot to me, Rick. Not only that you're
going but that you'd do this for me, not feeling your best."
     He sniffed, "There's nothing I wouldn't do for you, Lisa."
     She wrapped her arms around him, a hand rubbing the back of his
head. Softly she whispered into his ear, "I love you so much for doing
this. And I promise that for every minute you suffer for me, it's ten I'll
take care of you, and lie with you tonight."
     He smiled, "You've always been such a sucker for colds."
     She leaned out of the hug, beaming with happiness. "I'm sorry,
Rick, but you look so damn cute like this!" His face was pale and
drooping, cheeks flushed with light fever, nose already a bright red at
its end, eyes glazed over and slightly closed from fatigue. With her
gloved finger, she lightly tickled the bottom of his nose, gazing up into
his eyes at the same time. In a moment, he sniffed, breathing in through
his nose, fast, deep. He closed his eyes and brought his hand up to his
nose for the inevitable "HAACHOO!" sneezed hard, wet, his nose running.
He wiped his nose on the sleeve of his jacket and sniffled, "Glad one of
us is enjoying this."
     Suddenly she felt guilty. "Dear Rick, I'm sorry. I only-"
     He took her hands in his and grinned. "No, really, I mean it. I am
glad. I want to make you happy. I want to... to... " he stopped, turned his
head so he wouldn't spray her face with the strong sneeze he felt
building inside of him. "HAAAchoo!" he let out, his face freezing in place
afterward, with his eyes squeezed shut, his mouth half open, his
expression one of distress. He drew another great breath and froze.
Then he sighed, relaxing to open his dark eyes to see her happily
glowing ones. The urge returned quickly, as he knew it would, and he
raised his hand in front of his face as he felt it fade again. He closed his
eyes as the tickle came for the third time, and he concentrated on
relaxing enough to get it out. "haahh... heehhhh..." he breathed out,
trying to force it. Then, finally, he felt the tickle elevate to its highest,
and he sneezed fully, with a great "HA-CHEEWWW!" He sniffed and
pointed with one hand in the direction of the bathroom as he covered his
nose and mouth with the other. "I be righ back. I'b godda bwow by dose
a secod," he said, stuffily, his soft, sad eyes begging her for leave.
     She granted it with a kiss. "Go. We have a few minutes before we
must leave."
     He nodded, eyebrows rasing a little with the balls of his cheeks;
she knew he was smiling. He went with haste, blowing his nose several
dozen times, sounding more like a foghorn than a man. Lisa giggled and
dreamed of the night that lay ahead.

                      *          *          *
     Rick shivered in his seat. It felt as if the auditorium were getting
colder and colder, and it didn't help that the play was set in winter time.
His sneezing had subsided a little, but every few minutes he felt the
familiar tickling return, and it was all he could do to keep from sneezing
and disturbing the performance. It happened to be a series of five one-
acts, each one lasting about forty minutes. So by the time the third was
over, Rick was more than ready to call it a night. Between the fourth and
fifth, he burst forth with a fit of coughing, shaking in his seat for a good
two minutes straight before he got up and headed out to the lobby. 
Finished a minute later, he made it back just before the fifth started,
sliding into his seat and clearing his throat. "Hey, honey," he said,
clenching his jaw to keep his teeth from chattering.
     Lisa touched his cheeks with her hand, and then tested his
forehead. "You're horribly warm, Rick."
     "I'll be fine."
     Lisa wasn't too sure about that. "You've been more wonderful than
I could have dreamed, Rick. But this is serious. I'm taking you home."
     "No!" he hissed almost too loudly, shaking his head stubbornly.
"There's only one left and its supposed to be the best of them all. If I had
to come along to this, the least I can do is stay to see the best one. I can
hold out, trust me."
     Lisa admired his gallant self sacrifice and took her coat from over
the back of her seat, putting it over his lap to give him a little more
warmth.
     He nodded his thanks as the curtain opened for the last play.
     It was a modern, abstract play which started out with fast
movements, accompanied by new age music. A few minutes into the play,
none of the eight actors had yet spoken, and the four in lab coats began
to pretend to smoke. The remaining four, standing in a line, off to stage
left, began to cough and sneeze in reaction. Lisa and Rick both shifted in
their seats, and instinctively reached over, squeezing each other's hand
without even so much as turning their heads away from the action. There
were two women and two men, coughing and sneezing exaggeratedly. For
nearly a full minute they pretended to suffer, one woman holding her
hand in front of her face and bending to it with each sneeze. One of the
men doubled over at the waist at each very powerful sneeze. The music
stopped but still the players continued, covering their noses and mouths
as they gave loud coughs and sneezes, as if they were waiting for a
signal to stop- a gong sounded- and they froze. The other woman had
her hands cupped over her mouth and nose. The other man had his eyes
closed, his head tilted back, his finger under his nose dramatically.
     Lisa squeezed Rick's hand harder than she should have, and he
gasped, pulling it from her, flexing his fingers. She covered her hand
with her mouth and whispered. "I'm so sorry!"
     He smiled, giving his hand back to her and squeezing it in
reassurance. "It's alright. It still works."
     Ten minutes later, with no more sneezing from the actors, Rick had
his own to deal with. One came that he couldn't hold back, so he went for
his handkerchief, remembering as the sneeze grew to its maximum that
he did not have it. Acting quickly, he lifted his bent arm and sneezed
into the crook of his arm. Sniffing, he turned to Lisa, who was, of course,
watching him. "I deed a tissue," he told her in a weak, unsteady voice.
     She dove into her purse and handed him one that instant, setting a
small pack of kleenex down on his thigh. "I have more if you need it," she
told him as he quietly blew his nose to get the tickles out.
     Five minutes later, both Lisa and Rick froze to hear the words of
one actor in a lab coat, "Mind if I smoke?"
     Rick and Lisa caught each other's hands again as four lit up and
the other four began reacting again, more frequently, with only sneezes,
though this time making comments at the same time.
     "I think I'm going to sneeze!" cried one.
     "I must have caught a cold!" said another.
     "I think I have a tissue in my purse," mentioned yet another, all
the while the four sneezed wildly until the other actors stamped out
their invisible cigarettes. Then came a series of sniffs, 'bless you's, and
'thank you's.
     The play continued without any further incidents of the sort, much
to Lisa and Rick's disappointment. Upon its completion, the couple made a
hasty exit, not even staying long enough to see curtain call.

     As they had arrived later than most, parking was filled up at the
lot. Consequently, they had been forced to park down a back street, one
that led primarily to a now abandoned building which had at one time
been a struggling furniture warehouse. And though it was a long walk
back, it was the prefect place to have parked because it meant they
could be completely alone. Both Lisa and Rick were warm from the scenes
of the play and Rick confessed to his wife that he had had a stand at it...
just as she confessed to him that she had reacted much the same. Neither
of them had to ask what would happen next for, as they reached the car,
they both went automatically to the back seat doors, sliding in as if they
were high school students, themselves.
     The car, inside, was cold, but without the harsh winter wind it was
less so. Lisa shed her coat, scarf, gloves, and began unbuttoning her
blouse for Rick, knowing he loved watching her undress, even after all
the years they'd been together. Rick took off his coat, shivering at the
cold, and mentioned to Lisa that perhaps it wasn't such a great idea after
all. Thinking fast, she remembered the sleeping bags they still had in the
back of their car, left over from weeks before when they had gone
camping. Lisa pulled them out from behind the back seat, finding a few
extra blankets there as well. She spread one blanket over the seat and
unzipped the sleeping bags, then laid down on her back, one leg flat
down against the seat, one leg up and bent, silently inviting him to come
to her. He grinned, still cold, and gave a shaky sigh, his cold making him
feel a bit ill, but not too ill. As he lost his jacket and climbed on top of
her, she put the layers of blankets over him, so that they were warm
together underneath. He unzipped his pants and she helped him pull
them off, taking her skirt off, as well. He undid her bra from behind and
gathered it in his hand, putting it on the seat beside her. He felt his nose
tickle and he placed it against her skin, between her breasts for the
sneeze. "ha-CHOO!"
     "Mmmm!" she moaned, her own nose tickling slightly in response.
"Bless you!"
     He grinned, his face pale and drooping as the sensation that had
caused the last sneeze settled permanently in him. It was this look Lisa
found irresistible as she watched him, the look that signalled not only
oncoming sneezes but that he was sick and completely taken by the cold.
He breathed through his mouth only, his nose stuffy, and in the freezing
air around him his deep exhalations caused soft clouds of steam. She
could see each heavy breath quicken, the small clouds of air from the
lungs of a man hot with fever, and knew it was fully upon him.
     He felt it, too, moving down, kneeling between her spread legs as
he let the anticipation build. When it began to come, he tried to hold it off
until he could get into position, then he bent over, head aching slightly
as all the blood rushed to his head, until his face was at her crotch.
Then, very slowly, he began to rub his nose against her crotch, her
panties still on, teasing her with his sniffles and warm pre-sneeze
breaths. "Hehhh... Hahhhhh..." He stroked her gently, tempting her.
     Lisa dug her hands into the blanket and seat, trying hard not to
scream with pleasure. She wanted to explode with orgasms. She wanted
him to please her. She wanted to become one with her husband and his
sneezes.
     In a moment, the feeling grew, and Lisa's crotch burned to accept
his wet and powerfully soothing sneeze, "HACHOSH!" against the insides
of her thighs.
     He thrust forward, causing his nose to rub up against the wet spot
on her lacy, silk panties. In response, he rubbed harder, faster, making
her shake. He reached up to her panty line and worked his fingers
around, teasing her some more the way he loved to. She moaned loudly as
her buttox clenched, relaxed, clenched, relaxed, and the feeling in her
crotch began pulsating with definite force, causing her to become as
warm as if she were fevered, as well.
     "Take... me...." she gasped, looking at his helpless, sick expression,
the cold taking over his nose, his head, his body the way she wanted so
badly to take him.
     He sneezed again, pulling down her panties just in time so that it
had been against her entirely this time.
     She shrieked and laughed in pleasure.
     He repositioned himself as he slid her panties down past her knees,
to her ankles. He took off his own boxers and could feel himself harden
as he felt the next sneeze come. "HaCHOOO!" he sneezed, sitting up this
time so that it fell upon her whole naked body lightly.
     She reached for him, bringing him against her, his head tilted, face
pressed against her neck as his heavy but weak body lay upon Lisa's.
"Talk to me, Rick," she whispered softly, pleading with him to give her
pleasure and release.
     He lifted his head. "I feel... so sneezy..." he said through harsh
gasps against a rough throat. "And it tickles so much... I can't..." he
stopped, the pre-sneeze expression that was stuck on his face was now
scrunching tighter, and loosening more in other places.
     "Hold it!" Lisa whispered, knowing very well the strength of he
sneezes and knowing that by this time he would be completely unable to
control it. 
     He shook his head, it's warmth pressed against her neck. "I..." it
was nearly upon him, but he tried hard not to let the breaths come
entirely. She pushed his face back down. "I... ca... can't...." he started to
pull back, intending to pinch his nose shut, but she held his head there,
preventing any movement; she wanted to feel the full force of it against
her. "Hehhh..." it was strained, softer than normal; he was desperately
trying to follow his wife's command.
     "Let it out," she told him, unable to wait any longer, herself.
     His whole body tensed as he drew a great breath and exhaled,
"HAAH-CHOOSHHH!" against her skin.
     She orgasmed, the tingles taking her over, moving her, controlling
her, forcing her, thrusting her forward against him.
     He entered as she relaxed, thrusting into her and making her
nearly numb with the pleasures of the flesh.
     He lifted her head and tried to prop himself up with one arm so all
his weight wasn't against her, and as he did so, she caught a glimpse of
his expression, his face taken completely by the urge. "Hahhh..." he felt
another coming and helped it build for her. "Ahhhh... HACHISHH!
HACHOO!" he sneezed onto her face. Putting all his weight on one elbow,
he rubbed his nose with his free hand. "Excu... 'scuse.... HA-
HARRCHOOO!" he sneezed again, pushing into her with such force that
she received him with a bursting orgasm, causing him to have the same. 
     After years of sensitive practice, the feeling of him in her gave her
nose a tickle and she sneezed in response for him. "AhCHOO! AHHCHOO!"
in his face this time, and he smiled, shaking with pleasure as a third
sneeze from her gave him a strong, pulsating orgasm, "AHHHCHOOoo!"
raised a tone higher at the end, just how he loved them.
     He pulled out and rested on his side, digging a hand into her left
breast, finding it hard and sexy. Physically, he felt worse for the amount
of exertion, and found that he could barely breathe, let alone alleviate
the feeling of aches and urges to cough and sneeze that accompanied the
cold.
     He felt a tissue at his nose and, without even opening his eyes, he
blew into it a dozen times, finally finding he could breathe once again. As
he felt her move, he opened his eyes only to find her with a large smile
on her face and a soft, sympathetic pair of eyes on his form.
     "Poor, sweet little thing," she whispered, moving to the end of the
seat so that he could lie easily without fear of providing her with enough
room.  Putting on a show for him, she dressed herself ever so slowly,
letting him touch her where he wanted as she did so. The she sexily
helped him on with his own clothes.  First came his boxers, she rubbed
her hands against his skin and kissed him in places unknown as she slid
them on completely. On went his pants and his jacket, and then his
shoes. Wrapped in the blankets, she helped him our of the back seat of
the car and into the passenger side, where he could lie back comfortably
in the seat, still elevated enough for it to be safe with his seat belt on
and so that his breathing was easier. She placed the box of tissues in his
lap for him to use easily, and then kissed him on the cheek before taking
her own seat in front of the wheel.
     As she started the car, she let her mind drift from the pleasures
she had just experienced to the man beside her, and headed towards
home before his cold grew any worse.
     The drive was a short one, as the traffic on most Wednesday nights
was almost nonexistent. Rick blew his nose periodically, but dozed off by
the end to the soft sounds of Miles Davis on the radio.
     They arrived in no time, and the absence of the car's naturally
comforting motions woke Rick up before Lisa was able to. She went
around the other side to help him out of the car. He stood and leaned on
her slightly, scared to put too much weight on her for fear she wouldn't
be able to support him, but scared to rely on his own wobbly legs. They
were half-way up the drive way when Rick stopped, eyebrows furrowing,
eyes narrowing, breathing growing heavy. "I think I'm going... I'm
goinnnggg..." the breaths got heavier, louder, exhaled "Huuhh"s that
made him rock forward, almost loosing his balance. He finished as he held
a tissue up to his face, gripped tightly in a cold hand, "to sn-sneeze..."
he stopped breathing, then drew in one huge breath to let out a massive
"HHAAAA-CHOOOO!" He stumbled back a step, regaining his composure
only to let himself sag and slump again as the wave of dizziness, ache
and fatigue swept over him. He sniffed heavily through his stuffed nose
and breathed out again in an airy half-moan, half-sigh, "Uhh..." He
coughed, talking through a strained voice and stuffy nose, "Cad I take
you ub on your offer dow?"
     She giggled. "A promise is a promise. I'll take care of you all you
want me to."
     He nodded groggily, unsure of himself, feeling dazed and sneezy.
Holding the tissue up to his face, he narrowed his eyes in concentration,
trying to feel the sneezes, ease them out, let them pass. "Ah... Ahh...
AHH-CHOO!" He felt her hand on grip his arm to help support him, and he
felt her other one on his rear to help herself. "haaSHOO-HASHOO-
HAAASHOOO!" came three huge ones, passing through him like rockets,
making him shake and making her tingle. He groaned again in misery,
feeling the sneezes stick in his nose, clog him up, holding everything
back. "Uuuuhhh..." he moaned again, quietly, feeling strength in his
voice going as well.
     She kissed him on the cheek and tugged on his arm. "Come on,
Romeo, let's get you upstairs and in bed before you keel over."
     Rick almost managed a weak smile, one corner of his mouth turning
up just a little. She only called him Romeo when she was beside herself
with happiness and love... it was soothing to know his suffering was at
least enjoyed by her. "Any... anyth... Haahh... Haahh..." he put the damp
tissue back up, right under his nose, as he gave another, quicker,
wetter, "haaah-CHHHH!" He sniffed and let her walk him in, whispering to
her softly, "Any<sniff>thing <sniff>you say, Juliette."
     She giggled. "Anything, eh? You must be ill to give me such a blank
note like that. Just think of all I could do with that..."
     "Ha!" he exclaimed, coughing a moment after. With a strained voice,
"I'd like <sniff> to see you try <sniff> to get me to do half of what's
runnn- haSHOO! -ing through your mind. I can barely *breathe* right
<sniff> now, let alone make love to you twice <sniffle> in one night!"
     In the house already, she began with him up the stairs. Lisa
nibbled on his ear. "Who said anything about sex?" she whispered in a
deep, sexy whisper. "I was thinking about housework!"
     Rick didn't even have the strength to smile at her words. He began
shivering as they entered the room, cold on the second story, two whole
floors away from the heater. His teeth chattered and his whole frame
shook; he could barely stay on his feet. Lisa helped him sit down on the
bed, quickly grabbed some clothes from his dresser near the door, and
set forth on the pleasant task of undressing her husband. First came his
shoes, untied and slipped off easily. She ran her hands up his legs,
loving the feel of him, unable to keep her hands off him. She unbuckled
his belt, unbuttoned his slacks, and unzipped the zipper, pulling down
his pants as she ran her hands back down his legs. Then she pulled off
his tie, dropping it beside the bed, carelessly. Off came his suit coat, and
then his shirt, as she unbuttoned it from bottom up, putting her body as
close to his as she could. Off came his undershirt, and she kissed his
bare chest, hearing his deep, raspy breaths. She took up the sweatshirt
she'd grabbed for him, sliding it over his head, then helping him stick
his arms through the sleeves. As she ran her warm hands over his chest,
he shivered again, closing his eyes, sighing a little, happily. She
changed his socks, and exercised what self-restraint she had left as she
slid off his boxers, replacing them with a new pair. On she helped the
thick pair of sweat pants, and then she wrapped her arms around him,
hugging him ever so tightly. "You're freezing. You need to get warm. I'm
going to go get you some hot tea, alright?"
     He sniffed and shook his head. "I don't want tea."
     She was skeptical. "Are you sure, Rick? Not even those special
international flavors we have in the back of the cabinet?"
     He was stubborn. "No, I don't want any."
     She knelt in front of him, holding his cool, clammy hands in hers.
"Not even if I put honey and sugar in it for you?"
     Shaking his head like a little child, "Uh-uh. I said don't want tea."
     She tried again. "What about a cup of hot water and lemon? You like
that, right? To get you all nice and warm and..."
     This time he nodded. "Yeah. Hot water. Lemon."
     She patted his hands assuredly. "I'll be right back, darling. Get
under the covers if you get cold, alright?"
     Rick nodded, rubbing a finger under his nose. "Kay."
     Lisa left for the kitchen, giggling and whispering happily under
her breath. "He's such a little baby when he's sick. Damn, that's too
cute..."

     Upon her return, she found Rick sitting on the edge of the bed,
almost doubling over at each hard cough he gave. She sat down beside
him, and handed him his drink. He sipped it slowly, and smiled at the
warmth travelling through his body and soothing his throat. "Thanks,"
he whispered, in the loudest thing he could manage.
     She sipped her own drink, and felt his cheek with the back of her
hand. "You're really warm, Rick. I think I should take your temperature
again."
     This time he didn't complain as she placed the thermometer under
his mouth, nor protest as she gently stroked his forehead, brushing his
floppy bangs from his dampened brow. And when she took it out and
read aloud that his temperature was 103.5, he was neither surprised nor
unhappy, for now he had her to take care of him.
     Rick carefully set his cup down as he felt himself ready to sneeze,
not wanting to accidentally spill and burn himself with the precious
warmth she had made him.
     Lisa watched him intently, letting his heavy breathing work itself
deeper into her heart, as she felt most deeply in love again with her
husband. "Do you need a hankie?" she asked, noticing that his
expression was changing, his eyes pressed shut, his mouth slack and
opened, and he wasn't making the effort to restrain himself.
     He nodded in urgency, unable to answer as he felt it coming so fast
upon him; she popped up in response, sitting back down on the bed as he
sneezed twice, in strong, full doubles that shook his whole body.
"HUUURRAAHHCHOOO! HEAAHHSHOO!" so loud he grimaced at the force. 
     "Bless you!" she exclaimed, handing the handkerchief to him. He
took it with a clumsy hand, held it over his nose, and sneezed into it
twice more, "HIA-CHOO! HURASHOO!" and then again, "ha--HA-SHOO!"
and again, "HERAHH-shoo!" until every muscle in him used even a little to
sneeze was quite sore. His arms throbbed, sharp pains ran through his
neck, and the rest of his body was bombarded by a slow, dull ache that
spread at his every movement. All he wanted to do was rest a little.
     As if reading his mind, she took the empty cup from him with
finality. "Let's get you lying down, Rick."
     He grumbled and groaned as she touched him here and there,
unable to avoid the spots where he hurt. He tried position after position,
uncomfortable in each, unable to find a spot he could stay in without
feeling enormous pain or queasiness in his stomach or congestion so
much that he couldn't breathe at all. After a series of whines, "It hurts
that way" and "I don't wanna lie like that" Lisa finally managed to get
him down. He was curled up in a ball, three blankets covering him, with
his head on a pillow that rested on her lap. Lisa sat up against the
headboard of the bed and rubbed his arm comfortingly through the
blankets. "I don't feel well, Lisa," he moaned, at which his wife nodded,
knowing all too well.
     "I know. I know. Just rest, dear, and you'll feel better soon."
     But as much as he wanted to, and as much good as he knew it would
do him, he couldn't seem to get any rest. "I..." he started, sound dying
away as he wasn't sure Lisa would like him straining his voice to talk.
     But Lisa didn't mind. "Are you restless?" He didn't have to answer;
she knew already. "Go on, Rick. What were you going to say?"
     He smiled. "I liked the plays tonight. I'm glad I didn't let <sniff>
you <sniff, sniff> talk me <sniff> out of <sniff> going."
     "I did, too, Love." She had to stretch, but she reached the tissue
box on her dresser, putting it beside her. Lisa took out a tissue and put
it over his nose, feeling his warmth through it. She pressed the tissue to
his nose, her fingers on and around his nose. "Blow your nose, dear."
     He obeyed, blowing hard, surprised at how much better he felt
afterward.  "Can you believe the sneezing?"
     She giggled. "It was so erotic to watch it magnified so much. And to
be sitting there next to you... knowing that you felt the same way... it
was one of the best feelings in the world."
     "Had I the strength and no self-restraint, I would have jumped... "
he stopped, feeling again his nose tickling. "Damn..." he said, lightly,
between breaths, "Every ten sec... sec... sec-haah... haahhh... " he held
his breath, and let it out slowly as the feeling thankfully faded. He tried
to control his breaths, and his nose, but not even half a minute went by
before he was forced to take in a sharp breath, holing it, and then
letting it out a second later in a resounding, "haahhSHOOO!" he rubbed
his nose with his finger and winced as it hurt to do so.
     At the sneeze, Lisa felt herself go, the force from him that might
have been in her, might have controlled her.  She stroked his cheek,
gently petting him as she used to do to her cat, before Rick's allergies
forced her to give it to neighbors. "There now," she said softly,
soothingly, reassuringly. "You'll be alright. I'm here for you."
     His nose tickled in answer as he wanted so much to sneeze for her,
but not wanting to have his nose go through it again, for it already hurt
and he was not even a day into the cold yet. "Ahhhh..." it came with a
moment's warning, a heavy outward breaths. "Uhhh... Aaahhhhh..." he
went, trying to force the sneezes out as the tickle grew, though not
quite enough to make him sneeze.
     Lisa's crotch began to tickle wildly, warmly, and she felt her
panties getting damp as she had to wait for it. The anticipation gave her
stomach knots, twisting it, turning it, making her heart race. "Sexy," she
couldn't help let escape her lush, red lips, the word almost a breath,
tickling his ear as if it were his nose. "You're so sexy."
     Grinning, "Heh," he said. It was almost a pleased chuckle,
accompanied with the helping breath that was transforming itself into
the great, and sensual "huhEASSHhooo!" The sneeze had a beautifully
comforting sound to Lisa, who had an orgasm as it reached its peak. The
feeling in her crotch settled back down as his sneezed died away, and
she sighed in pleasure as one hand stroked his cheek lovingly, the other
cupping her crotch tightly. It wasn't just a feeling, it was as if real; it
wasn't like sex, but it was nearly the same to her. It was something she
knew only her husband would understand about her... and something
she alone could understand within him. Neither had to speak, and neither
knew what to say.
     Without a word of clarification or a groan of protest, Lisa slid out
from under Rick to change for the night. She collected her flannel
nightgown and ducked quietly into the master bathroom to shower and
tidy before joining her husband back in bed. Instead of lying on the
bed, covered in blankets, Rick wearily moved under the sheets with his
wife. She came behind him, spooning him, wrapping her arm over him.
They lay together most of the night, with Lisa not only hugging and
comforting her sick husband but taking care of him as she held tissues
to his nose as he sneezed, wiping his nose for him after. She propped
herself up on her elbow to be able to peer over him and watch him for
when he began to look distressed, or when his face went slack and his
eyes squinted, getting ready for another sneeze. When his cheeks grew
too bright, and he began sweating even more, she got a cold compress
and held it on his forehead, turning it over every minute or two as it
grew warmer against his skin, and cooler on the side exposed to the cold
night air. Of course Lisa wanted to make love to him, but to tend to him...
she could very well understand how so many nurses fell in love with
their patients.
     Rick was warm as she hugged him to her. He was shivering and
sweating, suffering and sleeping, sniffling and sneezing. But as he
drifted to and from consciousness, he felt his wife by him always, and as
horrible as he felt, her sweet presence was enough to keep him from
complaining. Whatever happened, and however he felt, he had faith she
would remain at his side. In sickness and in health was what they had
said, and promises like that were not easily broken.
     He fell into a deep sleep around four that morning. Seeing this, Lisa
sighed happily, feeling too tired for words. She fell asleep ten minutes
after, happy and content. 


            *         *          *         *          *
     Lisa woke late that morning with a general feeling of fatigue. Rick
sat beside her, squinting at the book he was reading.
     "Morning," she said to him, clearing her voice.
     He nodded back. "You slept late. I called you in sick to work.
How're you feeling?"
     She was confused a moment, wondering why he should call her in
sick when it was he, himself, who had the cold. Then she realized there
was a reason she'd slept so late, and it began with the small tickle in her
nose. "Not too well," she answered. "I think I might be coming down with
your cold."
     He raised his eyebrows. "After last night I shouldn't be surprised.
I am sorry, though."
     She sat up, resting her head on his shoulder and one palm flat
against his chest to feel him breathing slowly, deeply. "I'm not." She
coughed and rubbed at her throat with her other hand. "Even feeling a
little miserable was worth that. And I think it's kind of romantic for us,"
she cleared her throat once again. "For us to have colds at the same
time." She yawned and felt him cuddle closer to her. She loved how
child-like he acted when he was sick, and how protective of her he could
get when she was sick. It would be an interesting next few days. "Did I
ever tell you how cute you looked like that?"
     He shook his head and wrapped an arm around her to bring her
just a little closer. "Like how?"
     She giggled, regretting it as the coughs took hold of her. "Like you
did last night when you were sneezing for me.  That desperate look on
your face when you feel a sneeze coming on." She coughed again. "Your
whole face just falls as it comes over you. And then the look stays even
after you sneeze because you still feel the urge, and you look so darn
helpless... I just want to be a part of that."
     He cleared his throat and put his hand on her forehead.
     "No, I'm not feverish. I really do mean it."
     He smiled. "I know. I know. I was just kidding. I know you meant it.
And I mean it when I say you were wonderful last night."
     "You did all the hard work."
     "Yes, but you loved it, which makes it a hundred times better for
me."
     Lisa sniffed. Lifting her hand to her nose, she asked softly, "Rick...
could you... could you hand... ehhh... ahhh... m-ahhh... ahhh--" she tried
in vain to hold it off long enough, but was unsuccessful. "AhSHHOoo!"
     He passed her the tissue, admiring her form, her body, the way she
had looked sneezing so freely, even with her hand nearly covering her
face. "Here you are," he said, his fingers brushing against hers as he
did so, catching a part of her warmth, of her beauty, of her condition.
"Bless you."
     She nodded, wiping her nose as she expected another to be coming
directly.  She looked up to see the tissue box further from herself than
she had remembered seeing it, so decided to ask him for another anyway.
"Ahh... Can you hahh... hah-and be an... ahCHOO! AHCHOO! <sniff> Hand
be a tiss-Ahchoo!"
     He shook his head, grinning. "No."
     She shot him a frustrated look. "Rii... ahhh... AHchoo! AHCHOO!" She
had dispensed of her last tissue, and was now sneezing freely in front of
her, letting them go as she had no choice but to do. "AhT-SHOO!
AHHshoooo! AhhCHOO!" she sneezed, bending forward a little at each, but
controlling herself well enough that they didn't become too much for her
entirely. "AhhSHOO!"
     Rick, grinning, finally handed her a tissue, which she took
thankfully from his hand. "Bless you, Love."
     She knew he loved saying that to her and after years together, she
loved hearing it. "Thanks for the tiss... AHCHOO! ACHOO!" she replied as
soon as her sneezing had slowed enough to do so. "The tissue."
     He snuggled against her. "This is what *I* love. Watching you come
down with a cold. I'd like to... to... HaSHOO!"
     "To sneeze?" she finished quickly for him. Looking up, she saw his
face frozen in the sneezy sort of position she liked so much, and
instantly melted. "Just like that!" she exclaimed.
     "HAAHHSHOO!" he answered, sniffing.
     Using his own words. "Bless you, Love."
     She got up to get the box of tissues from his nightstand when she
suddenly felt rather faint. She put her hand out to steady herself and
closed her eyes, wishing the dizziness away.
     He crawled over to her side of the bed. With out hand on her back
for her to lean against and stay upright with, he placed his other on her
forehead. "You feel warm... I can't tell how warm, exactly, but warm."
     She sat back down with a sigh. "Better take... AhCHOO! <sniff> take
my temp."
     He agreed, retrieving the thermometer from the bathroom. "Ok, lie
down and open up," he instructed. She followed orders willingly, glad to
be the one to be babied a little rather than the one in charge. But the
task still seemed futile as, even with his reminders that if she didn't
keep her mouth closed there wouldn't be an accurate reading, she was
unable to hold back her sneezes.
     "Ahhh... AHchoo!" Lisa sneezed, sighing as Rick gave her a
frustrated look. It was the fifth time she'd sneezed since he put the
thermometer in her mouth and if she didn't hold them back, the reading
wasn't going to be very accurate at all.
     He glanced at his watch. "One more minute, Love. Hold on."
     She nodded, rubbing her nose and closing her eyes but feeling
another sneeze already starting to build in her nose. She tried
desperately to hold her breath and stifle it.  Her nose seemed to be taken
over by the irrepressible urge, and for a moment nothing seemed to exist
but the growing sneeze as it filled her nose, commanded her body, her
heart, her breathing.  She fought against it all she could, pinching her
nose shut, sniffing, rubbing... but it continued to build, growing
stronger and stronger at every moment. In an instant she felt it come in
full, her determined face dropping helplessly to accommodate for its
large force. She gasped, taking in the air she feared would give it
substance, for she had hoped to hold it in.  Her mouth opened, nostrils
flaring, head tilted back, and she gave a thrust forward with a grand,
"AHH-CHOO!" shaking her somewhat as the sensation was past and the
force left her in a cold sweat. She felt his hand upon her forehead,
soothing, cool, and eased the thermometer out of her mouth. "What does
it say?" she asked, not opening her eyes, her nose stuffy.
     "It's 101."
     "Dot too bad..." she remarked, thinking of his. "Cad you-" she
already felt the blanket around her shoulders and the tissues being
placed in her hands. She shivered, rasing her hands to her nose to blow
wildly, hoping to clear herself up as much as possible. "Thanks," she
whispered softly as she felt his lips brush against her forehead and his
arms wrap themselves around her body. "ahhh... AHCHOOO!" she sneezed,
bending forward forcefully, his arms steadying her as she sat back up.
It was only a matter of seconds before she started sneezing again, but
closer to ten minutes before she was able to stop. When she finally did,
finishing with a wet, "AhCHISHHH!" she felt him move beside her and
then rub her nose with a tissue.
     He murmured something she couldn't quite make out and she
opened her eyes just in time to see him coming to her, eyes closed, smile
upon his face.
     "What?" she whispered back.
     "Make love... to me," he answered plainly in a voice scratchy,
congested, but so handsomely deep and needful that she could do
nothing but comply.
     She closed her eyes once more, sniffing just before she felt his
wet, warm nose touch hers, and his lips open around her own. Holding
her breath, she opened her mouth and felt his tongue with hers, then
heard him sniff, and felt his nose rub harder against hers. It tickled a
little, but she fought the sensation. Suddenly she felt his hand on her
breast, holding, rubbing, squeezing. She was too weak to fight it, and
felt to sick to play or have sex, but she knew that he wanted her to
please him, so she did.
     A little warm but controlled mainly by the cold, Lisa let her
husband do what he wanted with her. He began kissing her neck, biting,
sucking. He squeezed both her breasts and, feeling them harden and
stand against his skin, he moved his hands down her body towards her
waist. Very gently he pulled down her sweat pants. Excited at the feel of
her panties, he looked up at her face to see her visibly fighting off a
sneeze. He waited, hands poised at her pantyline, face against her
sweatshirt-covered chest, breathing deeply from his cold and his
excitement both. He could hear her breathing speed up. A few short,
helpless gasps, "Ah.. Ahh... Ehh.." and he felt it build within him, as well.
"AhhCHOO!" starting so soft and ending so fully, a loud, high sneeze that
seemed to control him just much as it had controlled her.
     He slipped her panties off and felt her shiver, now half naked. Rick
pulled the blankets up over them as he guided her body form its sitting
position back against the bed into a lying one.
     "ahchUUSHH!" she sneezed wetly, the spray catching him, touching
his bare skin. He stood at it.
     She saw, and with a look into his luring, desperate eyes, she
nodded her approval, reaching down to slip off his sweat pants and
boxers. He rolled over with her, feeling vulnerable on his back, but all
the more excited as he knew she could control him, and that she wanted
to.
     He felt her nose against him, running down his hairy chest to his
crotch. There, she found her nose tickled by his hair, and gasped
accordingly, knowing he liked to hear her when he couldn't see her
completely. "AhhCHEOO!" she sneezed on him.
     He was pulsating, and she touched him, rubbing him all over so
hard she thought he'd cum in her face if she weren't careful. His breaths
were rich, deep, slow, but inviting all the same. She felt another sneeze
and, nose right in his crotch, touching his head, she let it go.
"AhhCHOSHH! AhhCHOO! AHHCHOOO!" three times.
     He began to moan, as he rarely did, and she knew he must be close.
     She let herself relax, knowing one more would be enough, and,
touching his balls and his penis with her hands, tongue and nose, she
game him what he wanted. "AhhhSHOO! HAAAAA... CHOOO!" she helped the
sneezes come, drawing them out, sneezing on him with force and wetness.
"AhhCHOO!"
     He orgasmed strongly spurting out against them both. She sneezed
again, and again, her cool, wet sneezes covering his parts and making
them burn as he became ready to orgasm a second time, which he rarely
did, even when he wasn't ill. She knew it was going to feel amazing for
him, just like she had felt the night before.
     "Hehh..." she warned him. "Ahhhhhehhhh... AHCHOSHHH!" she
sneezed as his body thrust forward. She grabbed him, rubbed him,
touched him in all the right places, giving him one more sneeze.
"AhhCHOO!"
     He came harder than before, nearly yelling with delight as his
whole body relaxed entirely.
     She rubbed him a little longer, looking up at him to see he was
asleep. "Sweet thing," she whispered, sliding beside him in bed and
pulling the covers up over them both. Lisa relaxed beside him, drifting
off to sleep with her head comfortably on his chest the way she loved to
sleep with him.
                     *           *           *
     Lisa awoke to a fit of Rick's coughing, shaking her awake so
suddenly her mind barely had time to realize what was going on before
her own coughs began.
     By the time both had finished, Rick noticed the time to be a little
past 2 in the afternoon. "Hey, are you hungry?" he asked his wife,
realizing that she looked a little worse but not wanting to make her
*feel* any worse by calling attention to the fact.
     She nodded. "A little."
     He stood up, dawning his bathrobe. "Let's go get some soup, then,
alright?"
     "Kay."
     He helped her down the stairs and into the kitchen where he began
getting everything together. Lisa hung off him the whole time, standing
behind him with her arms draped over him. She stayed with him until she
became dizzy once more, and then let him carry her to the living room
couch and cover her with warm blankets.  "There you are. Need anything
else?" She shook her head. "Well, then. I'm just going to <cough, cough>
finish up in there." She nodded, her face pale and contorting as she felt
a sneeze. "Feel a sneeze coming on?" he asked, at which all she could do
was nod. "Tissues..." he muttered to himself, quickly retrieving the box
from the bathroom for her just in time as she erupted with a grand,
"AhhhhhCHOO!" leading straight into a full-blown sneezing fit. The
sneezes can quickly, in doubles with only five or six seconds between
each so that the moment two were over and her nose was cleared for an
instant, another two came upon her, dropping her face, making her
sneezes again, and again, and again. The half wet, half airy
"AhhCHhaa!HAChhho!" leading off with two distinct head bobs, her body
convulsing. "AhhCHHO!AhCHHOO!" powerful, strong, bady-shaking
sneezes. "AhSHOO!AhhhhCHEOO!" Sneezing freely, unable to get much
breath in between, let alone grab for a tissue. "AhhCHoo!AHCHOO!"
Making her nose run a little, and she ran the back of her hand under her
nose. She sneezed against it, "AhhCHOO!AhhhCHOOOO!" making her skin
a little wet, and she wiped her hand on the leg of her pants. Gasping for
breath, wondering when they would stop. "HachhCHOO!AhhCHOO!" She
opened her eyes a brief moment to see Rick grinning and rubbing
himself. "AhhCHOO!AhhCHHI!" she sneezed out in front of her. Making it
more dramatic for Rick in the next two, "Ahhhh... Ahhhh...
AHHCHOO!Hahhh-AH-SHEEOO!" sniffling afterwards. "ahhh...
AHhhCHOO!AhhhCHHOOO!" as she bent forth with the rythms and
patterns that the sneezes held over her. "AhhCHOO!AhhhCHOO!" They
were out of control and she could do nothing until they disapated.
"Ahhhh... AHHCHOO!HAACHHOO!" And finally the last two,
"AhhhSHOO!AHHCHOO!" making her nose calm down, stop tickling, cease
its sneezing.
     "Bless you!" Rick gasped, thrusting a handfull of tissues at his
wife and zipping himself back up.
     Lisa opened her eyes and smiled at him, blowing and wiping her
nose as she motioned towards the kitchen. "Shouldn't you be finishing
up?"
     He nodded. "Yeah. Guess so. I'll be back. Take care, Love."
     She nodded once right back at him. "I will."  She waited eagerly for
his return, hearing him sneeze in the other room and feeling the tickles
coming and going in her own nose.  The large sneezing fit had done its
part but her nose still had a semi-sneezey feeling to it. Still, she was
determined to hold back until her husband returned.
     "Here, Honey," Rick whispered, placing his hand on her arm to
rouse her. She looked at him confused. "You must be tired, you fell
asleep again for a few minutes there." He handed her a bowl of soup and
warned her that it was a little hot.  Lisa accepted it gratefully, blowing
and sipping the hot liquid as it soothed her throat and her hunger. 
     "How did you get through last night feeling like this?" she asked,
finishing her soup to settle back against the pillows and cushions. She
hated to admit it, but her cold was a bit worse than she thought it would
be. She wondered how Rick managed to stand up, let alone drive home
and sit attentively through dinner and three hours of plays... and then
make passionate love to her.
     "I thought of you," he answered truthfully, finishing up as well. He
hardly hesitated as he suggested, "Hey, would you like me to give you a
back rub?"
     She smiled. "You would? That's so sweet of you." He'd only done so
a few times in all their years, and had never before asked about it, she'd
always asked him, begged him even.
     They shifted around, finally comfortable with Lisa sitting up,
leaning over with her arms crossed on the arm of the couch, her head in
her arms, eyes closed. Rick sat behind her, straddling her with one leg
hanging over the side of the couch, a blanket wrapped around his
shoulders, as he was cold. He gripped her shoulders and she sighed as
he worked his fingers into them, his thumbs making circles at the base of
his neck.
     "Damn that feels good," she said, her body aching horribly. "Sure
you don't have another woman you've been practicing this on?"
     He chuckled. "And why would I want another woman when I have
you?"
     She giggled. "Good point." Then she sighed, relaxing as he rubbed
away her aches. It didn't take her a minute to sneeze again, breaking the
mood as she reached for a tissue and blew her nose. She sneezed again,
much to Rick's delight, a bold and clear "AHH-CHHOO!"
     "Bless you," he told her, handing her another tissue. "You looked
very cute just then."
     She blushed, though with the flush of her cheeks it was hard to
tell. "Really?"
     He nodded. "Really."
     She put her head back down with a sigh. "Only you could make me
feel so sexy when I feel this miserable."
     He chuckled. "And only you could be it."
     Their talking grew to be nonexistant as Lisa enjoyed his soothing
rubs and gentle touching of her nose as she sneezed and sniffled and he
tended to her in such a caring mannor. She couldn't help but drift
comfortably off to sleep.
     "Lisa?" Rick whispered when he was finished, listening to her
stuffed nose trying to take in deep breaths of air and succeeding only in
stilted snores. "You awake?" She didn't answer. "I'll take that as a no,
then." He covered her in blankets and, not wanting to bother her with
his own snores, drowsily climbed the stairs and crawled safely and
soundly into bed.

                      *          *          *

     Lisa woke a few hours later with a sniffle and a higher fever. A bit
delerious, she sat up not knowing where she was or where Rick was. She
called out his name, to no avail. Then she heard the soft sound of his
snores, and, wrapping herself up in blankets, made her way upstairs to
find him huddled under the covers of their bed. She crawled in beside
him, putting her head on his chest and her hand at his waist, causing
him to react. Even asleep, he knew her touches, and rolled over to
accomodate, holding her in his arms, sighing with pleasure to be with
her. She sighed back and whispered as she fell asleep with him. "I love
you, sweet Romeo."

                      *          *          *

     "I need a drink of water," Lisa complained sweetly, hoping her
husband were sweet enough to go get one for her.
     Rick chuckled. "You must be more fevered than I thought if you
expect me to get one for you. I was just up a few minutes ago, it's your
turn."
     She felt her nose tickle again, overpowering her dry throat. Sitting
beside Rick in bed, she put her face near his, her nose lightly pressed
against his neck. "AhhCHHHmm!" she sneezed, stifled against his skin so
convincingly she couldn't see how he could resist her.
     "Uh uh," he mumbled, rubbing his own nose, sore and red at the
base, with his finger. "I'm not getting up."
     She nodded, groaning to get out of bed and heading to the
bathroom to fill a glass of water for herself.
     Sneezes could be heard from the other room, distinct, loud, and
very manly sneezes that seemed to completely fill the room, but not so
overly loud that they were unattractive.
     "Need a tissue?" she called as she came back into the room, rubbing
her own nose and seeing his running freely.
     He shook his head. "They hurt too much. My nose is sore." She got
him another handkerchief from the drawer and he thanked her as he
covered his nose and blew thoroughly.
     Lisa got the vaseline from the bathroom, coming back and joining
him in bed. "Here <sniff> let me help." She dipped her finger in and got a
lot out, rubbing it all over his red, chapped nose.
     "That... tickles," he said between breaths, smiling. "You're gonna
make.. .make... me... sneeze agahhh.. ahhh..."
     "Don't <sniff> sneeze till I'm done!" Lisa exclaimed, grinning at the
look on his face as he realized her rubbing it was about to cause him to
sneeze a very big one.
     It built slowly but surely, so that he knew it would be strong, and
he lifted the handkerchief up to get ready as she finished rubbing the
cream in. A second later, she finished with one last, light rub that tickled
his nose so greatly that he had no control, even as he tried to hold it
back. "HA-MMPHSHH!" he sneezed freely, stifling it as much as he could
with his own willpower.
     He rubbed his nose gently and sniffed, admitting that his nose did
feel a little bit better. "Now let me do you," he told her, taking the jar
from her and dipping two fingers in. 
     "Be careful," she told instructed, feeling a little hot to think of him
rubbing her tickly nose. "You don't want to make me sneeze, too."
     "Don't I?"
     She shook her head like a little girl. "Nah, 'cause once I <sniff>
start, I might not be able to stop."
     His eyes widened. "Oh?" A grin extended the length of his face.
"And that would be a bad thing?"
     She grinned mischeviously. "Not necessarily..."
     And with that, they began again, tickling each others noses as if
they had never heard each other sneeze before. They rubbed and
tickled, sneezed and adored, cherishing each moment as if it were their
last. And in the moments that followed, the true bond was build between
them and that in the heat of pleasure they made love again. Not as two
people enjoying themselves, but as two truly dedicated lovers who were
too wrapped up in each other the notice their own ailments...

~tarotgal

PS-The play is something I acutally did see- it's caled "Interview" and
besies the sneezing *g* it's also very, very good! If it happens your way
any time in the future, it's worth going to see