Chapter Twenty - MAC
Ellie is blindfolded.
I had to convince her to come away with me. She was hell-bent on staying up at the house to wait for Five’s twins to finish testing. But… well, I’m known for my creative ways into getting women to do what I want.
Plus, she likes the blindfold game. We do it all the time.
She stumbles a little as I lead her down the path to the marina. “I got you,” I say. And I do. She doesn’t fall.
“Where are we going?”
“Date day, remember?”
“Oh, God.” But she laughs. So I know she likes my little surprise.
When we get to the dock I help her up into Corporate’s boat, which is called Hidden Treasure—dumbass—and it’s not even a boat. Fucking small yacht is what it is.
I pull Ellie’s blindfold down so she can see where we are.
“We’re going somewhere?”
“Not somewhere, Mrs. Perfect. We’re gonna have an adventure. West told me about some caves on an island nearby and we’re gonna go explore them.”
She leans up on her tiptoes to kiss my lips. “You’re gonna spelunk me?”
“Yeah.” I laugh with her. “I’m gonna spelunk the shit out of you. So just put on that bikini for the ride over…” I waggle my eyebrows at her. “Or not.” More waggling. “And relax. I got this, Eloise.”
“Eloise.” She snorts. “You hardly ever call me that and this is the second time in two days. What’s up with you, Mr. Perfect?”
“I like to surprise you. And I don’t do it enough, so today should be a day of surprises.”
She slips her hands underneath my shirt and gazes up into my eyes. “Maybe I don’t like surprises.”
“You do. Which is why our date day is gonna be nothing but new things. A constant stream of new things. A cornucopia of fun and whole lot of sexy times.”
“Perfect,” she coos.
“That’s Mr. Perfect to you.”
She laughs and playfully pushes me away. “I’m gonna change. Make sure you ditch that shirt before I get back.”
Yeah, I decide, watching her ass wiggle as she hops down the steps to the lounge area. I’m gonna remember this day, I think. An entire day alone with Ellie in paradise? Doing shit we never do? Perfect indeed.
I press start on Corporate’s nav system and then walk into the galley to see what he’s got as far as drinks go. I spy a wine cooler under the counter and choose a bottle of champagne—why not do it up right, right?—and then grab two glasses from the cupboard, and some grapes from the fridge.
“Mr. Perfect,” Ellie says behind me. “Why are you still dressed?”
I turn around, opening my mouth to beg forgiveness, and then just let it hang there.
She’s not in a bikini. She’s naked.
“You look delicious.”
“What are you doing?” she asks, eyeing the counter where all my delights are lined up. “I hope you’ve got butter in there.”
I laugh. Like pretty loud. Then whip my shirt off and walk over to her, my hands on her hips, but just briefly, because they want to wander over the curve of her ass. “That was the best day ever. You know that?”
“I dunno,” she whispers into my neck as I pull her close. “We’ve had some pretty good ones since then.”
“Yeah, but you gotta admit, butter was a sick idea.”
“Sick?” she says, feigning ignorance. “As in cool as fuck? Or as in you’re one twisted dude?”
“Both,” I say, chuckling.
“You blew my mind that day. In fact, you blow my mind every day, Mac. From the day I met you, I’ve been having fun.”
“All the days?” I ask, hitching up one eyebrow.
“Well, I missed you those couple of months we were apart while I was writing my book. But they were necessary. So I could figure things out.”
“Like what?” I ask. “What did you figure out, Ellie?”
“That you really are perfect. In every way. And I know I’ve been moody lately, and I’m sorry. I should appreciate you and all the good things in my life more. But it’s just a little overwhelming. I didn’t expect this, ya know? Look at Ivy.”
“What about her?”
“Well, she and Nolan didn’t even plan for a baby and yet they have a simply adorable little girl now. I feel… jealous. And then I feel guilty for feeling jealous because Ivy is one of my best friends. So… I don’t like it. Not at all. And I don’t like the feeling that something I really want might be a monumental struggle to achieve. And hard work and determination won’t be enough to overcome it. I want a baby, Mac. So bad, it hurts. I can’t explain it. And it probably doesn’t make sense to you—”
“It does,” I say, brushing some hair away from her eyes. “But the universe knows what it’s doing, Ellie. Sometimes it likes to throw curve balls. Make life a struggle. So you can come out the other end and appreciate it more than you did before. We just gotta trust that things will turn out the way they’re supposed to.”
She rests her head on my chest and I hug her tight. “I love you,” she says. “And I can’t wait to be your Mrs. tomorrow.”
We just stand like that. Holding each other close and enjoying the moment. And then I pull away and lift her up. She wraps her arms and legs around me as I walk us outside into the sunshine, and I place her down on the deck of the boat and just… look at her.
She scissors her legs back and forth, blushing up at me. And then she opens them wide, and says, “Down here, Perfect. I need you right now, right here,” as she taps her pussy with her fingertips.
Jesus. My wife-to-be is fuck hot.
“Come on,” she urges. “Don’t be shy.”
I laugh as I drop to my knees and crawl towards her. Then I reach for her knees, shoot her a devilish grin, and place both hands, palms down, on her thighs as I descend into her sweetness.
Her back arches as I suck on her, flicking my tongue back and forth across her clit.
“Mac,” she moans.
“Ellie,” I whisper, making her arch her back again. She fists my hair and I look up from between her legs and watch her as I lick and suck her into ecstasy. I want to touch her everywhere at once. I want my cock deep inside her. I want to fuck her hard and soft at the same time. I just want… her. Forever.
I pull back and she whines, “Noooo.” But then I’m kissing my way up her body. My lips fluttering against the smooth, tanned skin of her stomach. Both hands squeezing her breasts as I crawl up, and press my hard dick into her.
“Take these off,” she says, tugging on my swim trunks.
But fuck that. As soon as they’re down far enough to release my cock, I push into her. Sweep my arms under her back and hold her close to me as I go deeper.
She moans, her hands wrapping around my back, her fingernails digging into my shoulders, leaving marks that I can’t wait to look at tomorrow. So I can remember this perfect day with my perfect wife.
I prop myself up on my elbows so I can gaze down at her beautiful face and then I go slow. I push into her, deep. And pull out, almost all the way out. Until she grabs on to me just to make sure that doesn’t happen. Her legs wrap around my waist, holding me there, so I can’t pull out.
I look at her and we laugh together. God, I want to do everything with her. Every. Thing.
I lean down and kiss her nose. Then each of her cheeks. I kiss one eye. Then the other. Her forehead. I start fucking her again. Just slow this time. In and out. Agonizingly slow, until she’s lifting up her hips in a demand for more and thrusting against me.
“You’re gonna make me happy forever,” she says, her voice low and throaty with desire.
“Yes,” I promise her. “Yes.”
“And whatever happens, happens.”
“That’s right, babe. We’re gonna let fate take us and no matter how much it throws at us, we’re gonna come out the other side holding hands.”
She closes her eyes, bites her lip, and then we come together.
We must’ve fallen asleep after that because we wake to a boat horn blaring at us.
I lift my head, shield my eyes from the sun, and catch people yelling and screaming as they go by.
They’re smiling and laughing and pointing. And that’s when I realize we’re still naked.
I wave and slump back down, pulling Ellie to my chest.
“You exhibitionist.” She laughs.
“Hey, I still have pants on.”
She slaps me on the shoulder and then turns around so she’s on her stomach. “Is that the island?”
It’s only then that I realize the boat has stopped and we’re just bobbing up and down in front of our destination. “Must be it,” I say. “Should we stay here all day? Fuck a little more, drink champagne, and eat grapes? Or should we go on an adventure?”
“I vote adventure.”
“Me too,” I say.
The perfect day must end in an adventure.
“Let’s see…” I say, looking through all Corporate’s storage drawers. “There’s got to be flashlights somewhere.”
“Are you sure this is safe?” Ellie asks.
“Sure,” I say. I really have no idea. But I’m not gonna tell her that. “West said he took Ethan and Tori on the way here. And Ethan loved it so much, they’re gonna do it again on the way home. If Ethan can spelunk, we can too.” I shoot her a smile of confidence.
“I dunno. Ethan is like Tarzan. That kid can do anything athletic.”
I think about that for a second. He is kinda wild. Then I picture Tori spelunking. “Tori did it too. And she’s what I’d call high-maintenance. You know, ‘OMG, I might break a nail,’ kinda girl.”
Ellie scrunches up her face at me. “I don’t think you really know her.”
I wave that off. I actually can picture Tori spelunking, if only to prove to Weston that she can do it better than he can. “We’ll be fine.”
“Hey, there’s some people coming out. I’m gonna go ask them what it’s like.”
“Sure,” I say. “Meet you down there.”
I find the flashlights, which are actually headlights—leave it to fucking Corporate to be prepared for an adventure—and then I hop onto the dock and walk towards Ellie, where she’s taking to a couple in a boat. They take off before I get there and Ellie is smiling again, so I figure they told her it was safe. “So?” I say.
“They say the entrance is just right over there. Then there’s a red rope you follow into the cave so you don’t get lost, and some steps and ladders and shit. And when you get to the top, you can see like… the entire world. Sounds totally cool. I’m in.”
“Perfect,” I say, not even minding the pun. I take her hand and lead her away. “Let’s go. With any luck we’ll get to the top, climb back down, and be back on the boat fucking and drinking to watch the sunset.”
We walk through some tall grass towards a large, dark hole in the hillside. “I guess that’s it,” I say.
“Looks like it.”
We’re just passing through the entrance, looking for the guide rope, when a shooting pain has me slapping at my neck. “Jesus fuck!” I say. “What the hell was that?”
“What happened?” Ellie asks, panicked. “What’s wrong?”
“I think something just stung me!”
We both hear the buzzing at the same time and look up to see a swarm of bees, or wasps, or fucking horse flies, for all I know. “Run!” I say, pulling her inside the cave with me. We haul ass until it really gets too dark to see, and then we stop, panting and out of breath.
“Holy shit,” Ellie says. “Those people could’ve warned us about the damn bees!”
“I think they were like mutant bees, Ells. I have a huge lump on my neck.”
“Let me see,” she says, putting on her headlight and shining it on my wound. “Ohhhhh,” is her only response.
“What?” I ask. “What’s it look like.”
Ellie just stares at it, her eyes wide.
“Ellie!” I say. “Is it bad?”
She nods her head and then says, “No.”
I laugh. Even though the fucking sting hurts like hell, and I have to press my fingers into my skin to dull the pain. “Which is it, Nurse Perfect?”
She cocks her head at me and her left eye does this little twitch, which is her tell that she’s about to lie. “It’s just… a little red, that’s all. And swollen. And… is that pus? Jesus. How could a bee sting get this bad so quick? Should we go back?”
“Back? For a fucking bee sting? Nah,” I say, shaking it off. “It’s fine. I’m not allergic. It’ll be fine by the time we’re done.”
“Are you sure?” Ellie says, giving my sting the stink-eye.
“I’m sure,” I say, pointing to the red guide rope. “Look, there’s the rope. Let’s go spelunk the fuck out of this cave.”
“OK,” Ellie says. “If you’re sure.”
“I’m sure. I got this, babe.”
We walk a little farther in and then notice the ground is squishy. “Is the whole thing wet?” Ellie asks. “Like, should we have on boots or something?”
I laugh it off. “Boots. We’re fine. Just a little sea water. This cave must have an outlet to the ocean, that’s all.”
“OK,” Ellie says as we go a little further, until the water is up to our ankles. “But I think I see… things in that water.”
I follow her headlight beam down to my shoes and see—“Holy fuck!” I grab her and run, pulling her along behind me. “Get on the rocks! Quick! Before those snakes get us!”
I lift her up, then scramble up behind her, panting. “What the hell? Those people couldn’t mention this fucking cave is filled with snakes? What is this? Some kind of wild Indiana Jones adventure?”
“Calm down, Mr. Fraidy-Cat. I think they’re just eels.”
“Just eels?” I say. “Eels?”
“The tide is coming in,” Ellie says. “Look.”
I’m afraid to look. Every time I look at what she’s pointing at, something stupid happens. But I do anyway. Because that’s the kind of man I am. And sure as shit, there’s waves crashing against the rocks. “Where the fuck is all this water coming from?”
“Like you said, there’s some kind of ocean outlet, I bet.”
“Well, that fucking tide had better be low when it’s time to leave. I’m not swimming through eels.”
Elle chuckles. “Come on, there’s the rope. We’re in the right place, at least. We just go up these rock steps and then there’ll be a ladder to get to the top, right?”
“Yeah,” I say. “Sure.” But nothing those people told us has been even remotely accurate so far. So I’m not hopeful.
“Is this the steps?” Elli asks. I shine my head light and see some giant stacked stones.
“You think?” I ask her.
“I dunno. They just look like rocks to me. But that’s the way the rope goes. So we better follow it.”
So we do. We climb up the steps, which are closely spaced for a while, but eventually they stop being stacked stones and turn into boulders, each one taller than the next, until I have to make a step with my hand and hoist Ellie up to the next one.
When I follow her up, I’m out of breath and I’m getting a very bad feeling about this cave trip. “Maybe we’re not cut out for spelunking?” I ask, laughing.
“Maybe not, Mr. We’re Going On An Adventure Today. But we’re probably halfway up, don’t you think? And I bet the tide hasn’t even gone down yet, so we might as well go all the way.”
The next few boulders have rope ladders to get up them. Ellie shoots me a dubious look. Because ya know what? Rope ladders aren’t all that easy to use.
“I’ll be right behind you, OK?”
I get another hesitant look from her.
“Looking at your ass, wishing we were back on the boat, fucking and getting drunk.”
She looks up. There’s like a teeny tiny light up there. “Is that the top, ya think?”
“Yup,” I say with as much confidence as I can muster. And the whole time we’re doing this I’m picturing eight-year-old Ethan. Tarzan is right. How the fuck did that kid do this? Even with Tori and West’s help? “Come on, I think there’s like an opening up there so we can rest for a minute before we do the final ascent.”
The remaining steps—which makes me want to punch those people on the dock at this point, because these things are giant boulders, not steps—are like eight feet tall and one of them has no rope ladder at all. Ellie shines her headlight around until she finds remnants of rope and sighs.
“We’re not gonna make it, Mac. We’ll have to climb down after all, I guess.”
“Fuck that,” I say. “I didn’t get stung by a killer hornet, wade through a pit of snakes, and then climb up Mount fucking Everest for nothing. We’re gonna get to the top and see the goddamned world if it’s the last thing I do. Get on my back,” I say, crouching down. “Then grab that stump right there and hold on while I stand up. Then you can stand on my shoulders and I’ll push you the rest of the way up.”
“How will you get up?”
I sigh, and look back at the rope remnants. “I’ll throw that up to you, you tie it off on something, and then I’ll climb up that way.”
“Jesus. Is it really worth all this? I mean, how great can that view be?”
“It’s motherfucking spectacular. And we’re gonna enjoy it before we descend back into the evil pit of darkness.”
She laughs. “You’ve never even seen it.”
“It doesn’t matter. We’re gonna spelunk the shit out of this cave. If Ethan can do it, we can do it. We’re adults, for fuck’s sake. He’s like… a midget. Now get on my back.”
She does. And she balances on my shoulders when I stand up. But she kicks my sting—bite—whatever the fuck it is, and I feel something ooze out of it. I don’t even want to think about that, so I just grab her ass and push her the rest of the way.
She scrambles over the edge, then I throw the rope up and after what seems like for-fucking-ever, she says, “OK. It’s secure.”
I’d like to say I’m a great rope climber. But fuck it. I’m not. But I make it and then we’re in the opening and the top is right above us.
“I hate to tell you this,” Ellie says, laughing.
“What now?”
“That’s not a ladder.”
I look at where her headlight is pointing and nope. Sure fuckin’ isn’t. It’s just a rope with knots in it. Like the kind of thing you see hanging off a tree limb that’s used to swing over a body of water.
“Shit,” I say.
“And I think we’re been in here a long time,” Ellie says. “Because I think the light from the outside is fading.”
I check my watch. “Five. Hours. You have got to be kidding me.”
Ellie just laughs.
And hell, what else can you do? I laugh too.
That last climb is torture. But she’s doing OK in front of me. And I actually do have a great view of her ass. So I just go with it. We’re about six feet from the opening when I smell something rancid.
“What the hell is that smell?” Ellie asks.
“I dunno, but it’s rank, right?”
“Horrible.”
And that’s when the bats attack.
At this point, we’re just like, fuck it. We laugh the rest of the way up, swatting the bats away as they flutter around us. Ellie screams, “They’re gonna get in my hair!” because that’s what everyone says when bats show up, and then we laugh harder.
We pull ourselves up out of that cave and I vow, as we collapse into the tall grass at the top of the island, that never will I ever spelunk again.
That’s when we see the kid staring down at us like we’re crazy freaks as he opens his mouth and a sucker falls out. “Mommy! It’s a cave monster!” And then he runs away screaming.
“What the hell?” Ellie says. “How the hell did that kid get up here?”
We stand up, walk over a ridge, smelling like we just came out of a… well, bat cave. And see about two dozen people milling about taking pictures of the low-hanging sun.
“Look,” Ellie says, pointing at a sign.
“Cave Trail,” I say, reading the sign. And it’s paved. It’s a goddamned sidewalk. And when we go over to it and look down, we see a nice, easy path filled with tourists making their way up to the top of the island.
We just laugh. And laugh. And laugh. I take her hand and lead her over to the edge of the cliff, and we sink into the grass, and watch the sun as it sits on the top of the water, blanketing it with a cone of orange, and red, and yellow.
Ellie sighs and says, “Some things are worth the struggle, ya know?”
And I say, “Yeah,” as I give her hand a squeeze. “Some things are.”