Chapter Twenty-Nine - Mac
The moment I hear her soft footsteps coming up the stairs to the terrace I lose my nerve and toss the last silver envelope into the long, skinny line of fire that is burning inside a rectangular concrete pit. The edges catch first and begin to blacken, then shrivel. I will the fire to be hotter, burn faster, so that she won’t know I’m going to keep the last piece of the puzzle to myself.
“Well,” Ellie says from behind me.
I turn, careful to withhold the view of the burning envelope from her, blocking it with my body.
“That was quite a surprise, Mac. I’m not sure what to think about it.” She’s not wearing my shoes. They are far too big for her. She’s holding them, one dangling from each hand, with the bottles of Zombie Dust beer stuffed inside. She walks towards me. “That was quite the hunt you sent me on.”
“It was…” I stumble for words. “Just a way for you to get to know me. Something different than the usual tell me about yourself. I’m not a typical man, Ellie. I’m just trying to get that point across.”
“Point taken,” she says, slowly wandering over to me. “And you’re not perfect.”
“No,” I say, shaking my head. “I’ve probably made a lot of mistakes with you already. But I hope you don’t hold it against me because I can’t take anything back.”
She offers me up a small smile that comes with a shrug. “I don’t know. I don’t think you’ve made any mistakes. It’s been fun. I know we’ve had fights. But that’s all part of getting to know each other. And I’m starting to feel a little inadequate about how much of my own life I’ve shared.” She laughs and I take this as a good sign. My hints have not yet scared her off.
“I had your Heath messages. I came into this relationship with an unfair advantage, even if they were only delusional dreams.”
She wanders past me and my heart beats faster, wondering if the final envelope has burned away my past yet.
But either she doesn’t notice, or it has, because she takes a seat on the large white couch and tucks her legs underneath her.
I turn and follow her lead, sitting down next to her, reaching for a bottle of beer tucked inside one of the shoes. I pull a bottle opener from my suit coat pocket and pop it off, then hand it to her. She smiles as I repeat this with my own beer.
We clink the glass of our bottles together, like we do this all the time, and each take a sip.
“They weren’t delusional dreams, though,” Ellie says. “That’s really me.”
“Which part?” I laugh.
She shrugs. “Most of it. I want that house. Someday. I want the puppy too. And the kids and the nurseries. I want a perfect life, I guess.”
“And yet I am not the perfect man.”
“Nope,” she says. “It appears not.”
I might have a little panic attack at her admission. Is she having second thoughts?
“But I don’t think you need two perfect people to have the perfect life.”
I let out a long exhale. Relief. “I agree,” I say.
“But there’s more to me than those dreams.”
“I want to know all about you, Ellie. Every single bit.”
She smiles as the light from the fire dances across her face. “I don’t really have any secrets. I mean, you know them already. I want all that romantic stuff. I guess that’s my secret. And I don’t think it’s silly. I just think I deserve it.”
“Did you have a… a bad childhood?”
She shakes her head. “No. Not really. Of course, my mother walked out on me and my father when I was about eight. Just got bored, I guess. Maybe she wanted the perfect life too and my father couldn’t provide that. But it’s all very typical these days, right? People never seem to be satisfied. So that was kind of tragic, but I bounced back. I had my father until I was twenty and he died in a boating accident. Every year we went deep-sea fishing in the Bahamas. It was a constant in my life, even before my mom left. And that year I was in college and couldn’t get away. And of course, that’s when it happens, right? Life twists and things change when you’re doing ordinary things and not paying attention.
“Your father and my father knew each other from childhood. We weren’t as rich as you guys, but I grew up with money, and a certain level of privilege that came with expectations. That’s how I got my internship with Stonewall Entertainment.”
“I’m sure it had a lot to do with your potential as well.”
“Oh, yes. I’m sure. I’m not selling myself short just because I was offered an opportunity. And I’m certainly not saying I’m ungrateful, but this—” She throws her hands out, her gesture encompassing everything around us, indicating this place, and this life, and this moment. “This isn’t what I want.”
“The puppies,” I say. “And the dream house.”
She shrugs. “More than that, but yes. Your father made me an interesting offer today.”
“Will you stay?”
“Will you?”
“He fired me.” I laugh.
“So you didn’t talk about it afterward? This afternoon?”
“No,” I say. “He’s gone. We’ll do that in his own good time.”
“So what will you do?”
“Show up for work on Monday and see what happens.”
“Well, that’s kind of cocky.” She giggles.
“He wants me there. Not showing up would be an insult. I’m not trying to insult him. I want a specific life too, Ellie. I have my own dream. I guess you can call it that.”
“What’s your dream?”
I want to tell her the truth, but I can’t. I can’t because I burned the secret I’m keeping from her. It’s shriveled up to dust in the fire in front of us. So I choose my words carefully. “I want… predictability. Stability, I guess. That’s probably a better word. And I want to change things at the same time.”
“Sounds like a paradox, if you ask me.”
“It is.” I take a long drink of my beer and watch her as she does the same. “I like to be rooted in fact. In reality.”
“So why do you like me?” Ellie asks. “I don’t think I’m that girl.”
“No,” I say, admitting it. “You’re a dreamer. And that scares me because it involves things that are untrue, or at the very least, unknown. I have a thing for truth, Ellie. A long history of being fucked over by the delusional lies of others.”
She squints her eyes. They flash with momentary anger, but she gets it under control. “Then why are we here?”
“Maybe I’m wrong about you?”
“Maybe I’m wrong about you?” she counters.
“Maybe we should take a chance on one another and find out?”
“What does that look like?” she asks, squinting her eyes in suspicion.
I sigh and shrug. My turn to throw my arms out to encompass the world around us. “This.” I laugh. “This night. This weekend. This date. I don’t really know.”
“Then why did you start this with me, Mac? If you knew I wasn’t what you were looking for, then why start something you didn’t want to finish?”
I sigh. “I thought you were cute. Before I ever even saw you, it was… kind of… adorable.”
“You find my innermost thoughts adorable?” She makes a face, like she has a bad taste in her mouth. “I’m not sure that’s a compliment.”
“It is,” I say, pulling her towards me, one arm around her shoulders. “I promise.” I take her beer and set it on the edge of the rectangular fire pit in front of us. “I’m getting used to you.”
“Oh, Jesus,” she says, pulling away.
“Stop,” I order. “And listen to me. I’m getting used to the idea that maybe a dream is not a lie. And all that stuff you said to Heath was… well, not exactly a dream. But a possibility. I don’t think you really liked Heath, did you?”
“I thought we were friends. And maybe some part of me thought he might fit into my delusional dream world. But did I really think I was marrying him? For real? No. It was an escape for me. I’ve been in a dry spell. I just needed to spice things up.”
“Well, I think you accomplished that.” We both laugh now, and I feel some of the tension ease out of her. “It certainly got my attention. And I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but you were not the only woman from work who was texting him with delusions. Heath and Ellen—”
“No!” she exclaims. “Gross. She’s old enough to be his mother!”
“Hey, she’s quite the sexpot on screen. Heath had her in his phone as Ellie. So I was getting the messages from the two of you confused.”
“Oh, my God.” She laughs. “You thought—?” She bursts out with a guffaw.
“Yeah. I really thought you were the same person when I came on to you in the stairs. And I should apologize for that, but nah. I like the unexpected twist, Ellie. I’m very happy with how things are turning out for me. Even if you are on the other side of the ridiculous line and I’m standing over in the stodgy area of the relationship waiting room.”
“Hell, Mac. You’re definitely not stodgy when it comes to me. I’ve never had so much fun in my entire life.”
“Me too,” I admit. “This has been a crazy good two weeks for me. I’ve had more fun, more smiles, more laughs with you than I’ve had in years. Probably close to a decade.” I slip my hand up her t-shirt and fondle her breast through her bra. “It doesn’t have to end, you know. We can keep going. Give it a real try.”
I don’t wait for an answer, just stand up and pull her to her feet with me. I lead her across the terrace, down the steps, through the myriad of hallways, and nooks, and rooms, until we get to the master bedroom. It’s lit up, and it’s on the second floor, not anywhere close to where I had her poking around earlier.
The king-sized bed is on the far wall, framed by a floor-to-ceiling window with a view of the city. I stand her at the foot of the bed and begin to undress her body. I ease her shirt over her head, place my hands on her breasts and give them a squeeze as I crouch down and lick her stomach. My hands wander down the curve of her waist and stop to hold her at the hips while I nip the soft, sensitive skin just above the button on her jeans.
Her fingers thread through my hair, gripping slightly as she lets out a long breath of air. “Talk,” I say. “I want to hear you talk.”
“What?” Ellie breathes.
My hands are suddenly ripping the button of her jeans open. The zipper rakes down, exposing her lower belly. I lean in and cover her skin with my mouth, nipping her again. And then I yank her jeans down, her white panties rolling down with the force, and toss them aside. “You know what I’m asking. Do it. Do it, Ellie. You like to pretend, don’t you? It gives you a thrill, doesn’t it?”
I slip one hand between her legs, careful not to touch in any of the places she’s craving right now. But instead, I reach up and place the whole of my palm against her, my thumb playing with the wetness between her legs. She’s gripping my hair tighter.
“Just… don’t stop,” she moans with her eyes closed. “I don’t know what to say except that. I don’t want you to stop.”
“I don’t want to stop either. So tell me what you want me to do.”
She opens her eyes for a moment, but my thumb presses against her soft folds and her eyes immediately close. “That,” she says. “More of that.”
“The words, Ellie. I like to hear the words. It’s fucking hot. The dirtier, the better. So say them. Say them all, Ellie. And I’ll put my fingers anywhere you want. I’ll put my mouth anywhere you want. I’ll fuck you sore. I’ll do whatever it takes to make you come. Make you mine.”
She is panting now. Her grip on my hair flexes and contracts, pulsating with the wave of pleasure that is surely building inside her.
But she stays silent. Nothing but her heavy breath as a response.
I withdraw my fingers and stand up.
“Mac,” she finally utters. “Please… just…”
“Undress me,” I say. “If you can’t ask for what you want, I’m happy to go first.”
That fingernail comes right up to her mouth and for the first time I notice that her polish is chipped. She chews on it for a moment and then she places each of her hands on my shoulders and slips my suit coat off. She carefully lays it on the cushions next to us and then fists the fabric of my dress shirt and pulls it out of my pants.
“Oh, yeah,” I say, shaking my head a little. “I like this Ellie.”
She loosens my tie, flips up my collar, and slides it over my head, dropping the silk down on top of the coat. Her lips press together and then relax as she begins unbuttoning my shirt from the bottom up. When she gets to the last button she slides it over my bare shoulders, her fingertips brushing gently against my skin. Tracing the curves of my muscles all the way down my arms until the shirt falls to the floor at our feet.
I place both my hands on her shoulders and press down. “Kneel,” I say. I have no problem asking her to do what I like. None. “And take my dick out.”
She lets out a long exhale and I can almost feel her pulse pounding in her neck as she lowers herself to the floor. She looks up at me, her eyes wide as she swallows hard.
“Fuck,” I say. “Just picturing you sucking my dick makes me harder.” Harder, because I’m so fucking hard right now, my cock might be made of stone.
She takes her attention to my belt and her fingers stumble through the motions of unbuckling it. She draws in another deep breath, like she’s steeling herself for the next part, but she does not hesitate. The button on my trousers is flipped through the narrow slit and then she is dragging my zipper down. One hand slides in, cupping my thick shaft, the other pulls on my boxer briefs until my cock is free.
I fist it, pumping it up and down as she watches, and then I guide it to her mouth. “Open,” I say.
She looks up at me, blinking twice, and then obeys.
I let a small grin escape as her hot breath puffs out against my tip and then the warmth of her mouth surrounds me, sealing against my skin. She sucks, pushing down, making me enter her throat before drawing back, her tongue flat as it drags along my cock, and then releases me, looking up again to see if I like what she can do.
“Keep going,” I say, encouraging her. “I love it.” But she doesn’t. She holds still. “Ellie?” I ask, cocking my head slightly with the question.
“You want to know what I want you to do?”
“Tell me,” I say, unable to stop a full smile. “Whatever it is, I’m up for it.”
She looks me straight in the eyes as she takes each of my hands and places them on the side of her head. Pressing them against her skull, telling me to grip her tight.
I’m happy to oblige her wishes. And I know what she wants, but I want to hear her ask.
“Hold me here,” she says. “And…” She loses her nerve and blushes a bright pink.
I reach down with one hand, cupping her full breast as best as I can. It spills out between my fingers, heavy and erotic. I twist her nipple, making her moan. “Tell me, Ellie. You have no fucking idea how badly I want to hear what you have to say.”
“I want you to…” She shakes her head and smiles, still embarrassed.
I take my hand up to her head again, gripping her hair as I bring her mouth towards me, my hips almost reaching for her, my cock throbbing with anticipation. “This?” I ask.
She nods, but looks down.
“Say it,” I command. “All you have to do is say it. Remember how good it felt when I fucked your ass, Ellie? And you didn’t think you’d like it. But this? You know you want it. You know you’re going to love it. So just tell me. I might come on your face just hearing you say those words.”
“Fuck…” she says. “Fuck… my face. Like you would… my pussy.”
“Holy hell,” I say with the slightest hint of satisfaction that I can’t tuck away. “I am happy to make you happy.” I grip her harder, if that’s possible, and the moment she opens her mouth, I thrust inside her. Past her lips. She is not wide enough to take my whole girth, so her teeth scrape just enough across my cock to make my head fall backwards with pleasure.
I pump my cock into her wet mouth just like I’m going to do her pussy in a few minutes. I’m not going to come in her mouth. My woman will always come first. But I want to give her the full face-fuck experience. “Put your hands behind your back, Miss Hatcher,” I say in a low, rough growl. “And don’t move them unless I tell you to.”
She looks up at me, her eyes already watering with the strain of obeying, but she does as I ask as she leans forward, practically begging for more.
I give it to her. Hard. And fast. She gags and spits, her saliva dripping out of her mouth and over the curve of her chin. And she never takes her eyes off me. “You like that, Ellie? You fucking slut. Play with your pussy,” I say. “One hand only, keep the other behind your back, and do not stop until you come.”
Her fingers are between her legs, rubbing her clit in fast, frantic circles, before I’m even done talking. “Put your fingers inside yourself, Ellie. Show me how you like it.”
She presses against her pussy, adjusting her legs until they are open wide and I have the perfect view of everything she’s doing.
“Come,” I say.
She moans with her release, my hips still pumping, fucking her face, dick still in her mouth. The sound thrums, vibrates, tantalizing the tip of my head until I almost forget and shoot my come down her open throat.
I pull back just in time. Ellie is gasping for air. Her face is a mess, her makeup smeared down her cheeks, her chin just as wet as her pussy.
“I want to lick you so bad right now.” I don’t give her a chance to recover or respond, just reach down, lift her up, twirl her around, and push her forward until she has to bend over the bed and place her hands on the mattress to steady herself.
I bend down, my hand pumping my dick in long, fast strokes. And then I release the hold and flatten my hands on her ass cheeks, spreading them as I place my mouth over her pussy and suck.
“Oh, shit, Mac,” she says. Her legs tremble with the effort of holding herself up, but I don’t stop. I flick my tongue against her clit, insert two fingers in her pussy and one in her ass, and then pump her until she comes again. Writhing, and twisting, and falling forward, utterly unable to keep herself upright.
“Tell me now, Ellie. It’s not so hard when you want so bad, is it? Tell me what you want me to do.”
“Fuck me,” she says. “Put your cock in my pussy and fuck me until you can’t.”
I am the one moaning this time. I’m so fucking ready to spill, I don’t even bother with a condom. Just press the head of my dick against her opening, grab her by the hips, and give her exactly what she wants.
She comes a third time, almost immediately. And even though I’d like to fuck her like this until morning, I want to come all over her face even more.
I pull back, flip her over, her breasts heaving with her heavy breathing. Her legs open. Her eyes closed. And then I grab her by the shoulders, place her in front of me and shoot my come all over her lips.