Chapter 18 – Blue Suede Shoes
My decision, our last day on the beach, our first night at her apartment, all of it was on my mind the entire week. Derek was in Dallas following up with our phishing client, and Nikki was visiting a sick relative, so I was alone in the office with plenty of time to work out the details. By Friday, when he returned, I was ready to lay out a timeline for my relocation.
It would take at least a month to get my business in order, find a place in Wilmington, and see if I could get out of my lease here. I could keep up with our cases from both locations, Derek and I could meet regularly for teleconferences, audio-only or with video, and we could use email and texting for anything urgent. If something major happened, I could always drive in. Firms did it all the time. Besides, with the way he traveled, I was alone in the office most of the time anyway. I hoped my plans would come together easily and I could be in the same city with Elaine by Christmas. I wanted to spend every moment of that holiday with her.
When I heard him making noises down the hall, I hit the button on my office phone. “Got any plans for lunch?” I asked when he answered. I’d give him the morning to catch up before springing the news.
“Building C?” I heard his fingers clicking on the laptop keys.
“Meet you out front at noon.”
As always, Derek was in a suit and tie, I was in jeans and a thin, navy sweater. November wasn’t cold enough for outerwear, but as we crossed the pentagon-shaped courtyard, I could feel the change coming. A few trees still held shades of red, yellow, orange, and gold. Autumn was ending—the best time of year here. Of course, everything felt like the best to me now.
“What’s on your mind?” Derek glanced over, and I noticed a different light in his blue eyes, like something had happened. I was curious, but I had to talk to him about my plans first. Saying it straight out felt like the best approach.
“I’m moving to Wilmington.”
He nodded as we approached Building C. I caught the handle on the glass doors and held it as he entered.
“I expected that was coming,” he said.
“But I’d like to stay on with the firm.”
He didn’t answer as we glanced over the menu selection. Then we each ordered the bacon club.
“While you were gone this week, I worked out the details,” I continued. “It shouldn’t be a problem. We can keep up by video and emails, and who knows…”
I was about to say he might be joining me before long, but I didn’t want to cloud the issue. Still, with Melissa back in her hometown, minutes away from Elaine, anything was possible.
We paid for lunch and took a seat at the stainless bar that ran around the glass outer wall. Derek didn’t speak as he unwrapped the large sandwich, and I followed suit, waiting. I took a bite, and the savory tang of bacon on top of turkey and cheddar filled my mouth. As much as he and Nikki complained about this place, I’d never had a bad meal here.
After a few more bites, Derek finally responded. “I think it’s a good idea.”
My eyebrows rose. I’d prepared for a little debate before he caved to my expert planning. I waited for him to say more, but he didn’t. The change in his expression was on my mind, and I wondered if it had anything to do with his easy concession.
“How’d it go in Dallas?” I asked, snagging a chip and popping it in my mouth. Greasy, salty, good.
He nodded, finishing another bite. “They’re very happy with our work. Want us to consider handling all their online security going forward.”
“Hell, yeah,” I said with a smile. That corporation was worth several billion and was multi-national. We could both retire on an account like that. “I guess that’s why you’re onboard with whatever.”
“Yeah.” He lifted the soft drink he’d ordered and took a sip, and since he wasn’t arguing with me, I was ready to get to the bottom of his change.
“So what happened?” I sat back.
He glanced up and then shrugged. “I just presented what we’d found, showed them all the steps we’d taken to prevent future problems—”
“I’m talking about you. You’re not so… devastated anymore. If that’s the right word.”
He picked up a salt packet and tilted it back and forth between his fingers. I waited a few moments, wondering if he was going to tell me.
“Melissa’s back in Wilmington,” he said.
I remembered my encounter with her last week. She looked really good when we’d talked—worried that I had Derek with me, but good. Confident. The dark suit and professional demeanor helped. She wasn’t the timid little kitten she’d been in Scottsdale. Studying the massive guy in front of me, I couldn’t help but shake my head at the hold she had on him. She was tiny, but she was powerful.
“Right,” I finally said. “Maybe one day we can relocate the entire office.”
His dark brows lifted slightly, and he shook his head. “I don’t know.”
I couldn’t resist. The anticipation of moving, of being so close to Elaine, had me wanting to brighten everyone’s day. “She’ll come around. Elaine says she still has feelings for you. It’s just a matter of time.”
His blue eyes snapped to me then. “Watch what you say to Elaine. I’m pretty sure Melissa doesn’t like being told what to do.”
That made me laugh. “No, she does not. Which should make you her perfect match.”
He stood and took a few bills from his pocket. “I don’t need good intentions backfiring.”
I followed suit, clearing out so the busboys could prep for the next round of customers. Outside, the breeze had picked up, and it was starting to look like rain. I wished Elaine and I were spending the weekend together, but she had a teaching workshop all day Saturday. And I figured I’d get started on the relocation process.
Derek was quiet as we approached our building. I still wasn’t satisfied with the answer he’d given me, why he was so changed. “So Melissa in Wilmington is the only reason you’re better?”
“I’ve been watching Sloan Reynolds,” he said. “Their divorce is going through, and his behavior is growing more erratic. It won’t be long before he steps out of line again, and I’m going to nail him.”
“And Melissa will forgive you.”
He exhaled heavily as the doors opened. “I hope it’ll show her how much she means to me” The hint of sadness was back.
“How do you know that guy again?” We waited for the elevators and he looked down.
“When I taught at Princeton, they had this volunteer program. He showed me the ropes—where everything was. They called it mentoring, but it was really just an orientation.”
“So you weren’t friends?” We were outside the office, and I felt like I understood their connection better.
“I don’t know,” he continued. “We went for drinks a few times. I told him about my business, offered to do a free analysis of his family’s networks.”
“Yeah, but that’s just run-of-the mill marketing.”
He nodded. “When he emailed me… I would never have thought to investigate him before agreeing to track Melissa.” It sounded like an argument he’d told himself before. “He was worried his wife was having an affair. It seemed so cut and dried.”
I patted him on the back as we entered the glass doors. “It’s going to work out,” I said. “Let me know if I can help. I’ll do whatever I can.”
“Thanks.”
* * *
My phone was vibrating as I walked up to my apartment. Seeing Elaine’s name on the face made me smile.
Where are you? her text said.
Just getting home, I typed back. Wish you were here.
The air had grown thicker since lunch, and I could taste the pending rain. Damn. Nothing would be sweeter than spending a long, stormy weekend wrapped in Elaine’s arms. Another buzz. I paused when I saw Kenny’s name flashing on the screen, and at the same time I remembered Elaine still thought Kenny was a guy. I needed to clear that up next time we were together.
Hello—you alive? Hot weekend plans? I couldn’t help a smile. I’d give her a call later and catch her up. Way too much had happened for texting.
Solo weekend, I wrote back. Lots to do and tell you.
Ditto, she replied.
I was just lowering the phone when two cool hands covered my eyes. “Whoa!” I reached up to catch them, but the owner jumped around in front of me in a glint of green and golden blonde.
Elaine’s arms were around my neck and her mouth pressed to mine before I could say another word. Warmth flooded my chest, and I quickly shoved the phone in my back pocket and pulled her to me, pressing her back against the door as our mouths opened, tongues entwining.
“What are you doing here?” I breathed, breaking our kiss just long enough to unlock my apartment.
“Are you surprised?” Her lips were right at my ear, and her breath tickled my skin before she kissed me, sending her soft, almost-rose scent all around me.
“Yes.” Surprised and all kinds of awake from my head to my toes. I pushed the door closed and lifted her off the floor, my hands cupping her ass. “And now I’m horny as hell.”
She laughed, wrapping her legs around my waist. Her nose wrinkled with her smile. “I don’t really have a school workshop. I called a sub and drove all day so I could do this.” She held my face as she peppered kisses over my cheeks, my nose, my lips. Everything she did was burning me up. “Surprise!”
“Let me help you get it exactly right,” I said, carrying her straight to the bedroom.
She laughed again, and our bodies never lost contact as we slid back onto my bed. My hands fumbled down to the edge of her skirt and then under it. I curled a finger around the string of her thong and pulled it aside. She exhaled a moan, and the sound was like electricity straight to my cock. I was hard as flint and ready to be deep inside her.
“Damn, girl, you’re already wet.” My mouth was against her neck and her fingers were quickly undoing the buttons on her blouse.
“I’ve been thinking about you,” she said. “And how you’ll like this…”
Her shirt was open and she swept it back. My brow collapsed at the sight of a hot-red, lacy bra barely covering her breasts. “Fuck me,” I groaned.
“That’s exactly why I got it.” She gave me that naughty smile I loved.
“Thank you,” I said, kissing the soft peaks, pushed up and together in perfect mounds. I could just see the dark tops of her nipples peeking above the shallow cups, and it took all my strength not to lose it, to go slow, keep her with me.
A little noise came from her throat as my tongue slid around one of the pink buds, and her fingers were at my waist, quickly unfastening my pants. My hand hadn’t left her clit, massaging softly but firmly with my thumb, while my fingers slid in and out of her. Her hips faintly rocked with my movements, and it was all fucking hot as hell. But my thoughts scrambled when her hand wrapped around my cock and started stroking, moving quickly up and down.
Mouths back together, my groan was lost in her kiss, in her soft lips pushing mine apart as our tongues met. I felt her hand getting slicker as it moved up and down my dick. I was starting to come, and my hips flexed as I held it back, trying to think of something other than her gorgeous body, her perfect tits, her lips covering mine.
“I’ve got to suit up,” I said, kissing her again as I reached for the bedside drawer. “It’s been too long since we’ve been here.”
Her lids were lowered as she reached around to unfasten that amazing bra.
“I really like that one,” I said, moving back to catch a now-free nipple in my mouth.
She caught my face, drawing me up to her. “I’m ready,” she whispered. “I need you inside me.”
I was pretty confident I’d never get tired of hearing her say that to me, all hot and bothered, and I was already slick as I rolled the condom on quickly. I pushed into her, and now our hips were rocking fast. She rolled us onto my back and sat up, her palms flat against the wall above my head. The tips of her breasts swayed just at my lips, and I thrust hard into her as I sat up to catch one gently between my teeth.
“Oh, god, yes!” In that moment, she let out the most amazing groan and I felt her insides tighten around my dick, pulling me right over the edge with her as her hips bucked faster, sending me deeper inside her.
I sat up and caught her ass, moving her up and down on me. Her luscious groans the greatest sound in my ears, and I closed my eyes, riding the blinding waves of my orgasm as I went off again and again inside her.
Moments later, we were collapsing, weak and sweaty, smiling and kissing each other. I was pretty certain life couldn’t get any better.
“I’m having second-thoughts about relocating,” I teased, pulling her close against my chest.
“You’d better not.” Her slim fingers tightened in a pinch on my waist, making me laugh.
“I’m just saying. I don’t want to miss any surprises.”
She rose up to kiss my lips again, her soft hair spilling around us. It was messy now, a little more bedhead, a little stringy. I loved it.
“I’ll find other ways to surprise you,” she said with a grin. “Don’t worry.”
Memories of our last night in Scottsdale crossed my mind. “I believe you,” I said before kissing her neck. “You are definitely the queen of surprises.”
A pleased sigh came from her throat as she slid back down, her arms still around my neck.
“Maybe I’ll surprise you next,” I said, running my hands down the length of her back, massaging her curves, loving the feel of her body in my arms.
Her head popped up then, green eyes lit. “What did you have in mind?”
I couldn’t help but laugh as my mind started ticking through the possibilities. I hadn’t prepared for anything, but I had an idea. “Close your eyes,” I said.
She made a big show of obeying me, and I smiled, moving her slim body to the side and getting up. Condom pitched in the trash, I went to my closet and flipped on the light, looking around. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do, but a blindfold seemed like a good start.
All I had were ties, so I picked a green one. Then my eyes fell on the gold one I’d had with me in Scottsdale. It was misshapen and nearly torn, and the memory of me struggling against it had all the blood surging below my waist again. I shook my head and exited.
Returning to the bed, I paused a moment to admire my gorgeous lady, totally nude, lying on her side waiting for me. I leaned down and kissed a breast, which caused her to let out a little yelp.
“You’re such a breast man,” she giggled.
“And yours are perfect.” Sitting beside her, “Keep those eyes closed,” I ordered. She nodded, and I pulled her arms, bringing her to a sitting position. Then I moved around and wrapped the green tie over her eyes, securing it at the back of her head.
“Hmm…” was all she said as a smile curled her lips. “What now?”
I lay her back, moving all the sheets away, staying as silent as possible. Her toenails were painted bright red, and I stopped at one slim foot, running the tip of my finger down her arch and then kissing the side of it.
“Mmm,” she moaned, rubbing her knees together and reaching for me. I caught her hands and put them back at her sides.
“These stay here,” I ordered. She let out another little laugh, and I smiled, trying to think of how to surprise her next.
My eyes traveled up her smooth legs, stopping where they came together. Then, with the pinky finger of my left hand, I lightly traced the line down the center of those lips, just above her clit. “I like that you keep this bare.”
“Ooh, Patrick,” she gasped, and her hands went to my arm.
“Hmm,” I said, catching those rebellious limbs. “I have another idea,” I said, standing and going back to the closet.
“Patrick?” she called, but I wasn’t gone long.
I scooped the gold tie off the hanger and went back to the bed. Next I pulled her wrists to me, using one end of the tie to secure them together and the other end to hold them above her head.
“What are you doing?” Her voice was stunned as I tied her to the bronze headboard. She was unable to move now, and the sight of her that way, arms over her head, breasts pressed together, sent the blood rushing to my dick.
My brow lined at my unexpected response, and I leaned over her, speaking right next to her ear. “You really push me outside my comfort zone.” My voice was low and breathy, and I was going for slightly ominous.
“Is that good?” Her head tilted to the side, and I saw her brow line.
“It’s surprisingly good.” I was still right at her ear. “Do you like it?”
“I don’t know.” Her voice had the slightest tremor in it, and I hesitated… But the memory of how much she enjoyed tying me to the chair kept me going.
“Can you get away?” I continued, taking one of her nipples between my fingers and rolling it back and forth. She moaned and strained against the tie, her knees rubbing together again. My dick was growing harder at the sight.
“No,” she whispered, pulling against the gold tie.
“So you’re my captive now.” My hand returned to the slit just above her clit, and I dipped my pinky between her folds. Very wet.
“Ooo,” she moaned, rotating her hips and pulling her wrists again. I leaned forward and kissed her mouth roughly, but pulled away when she tried to kiss me back.
“You’ll do what I say,” I said, in that low voice.
A little tremble moved through her body. “I don’t know.”
She strained against the tie again, and her breasts peaking together making my erection ache. I slid my finger deeper into the folds between her legs where it was hotter.
She shivered again, moaning. “I don’t like being tied up.”
Her voice was a breathy whine, and I smiled, kissing the side of her neck, working my way down to her shoulders, lower to her breasts. My two longest fingers plunged all the way inside her now, massaging what was swollen and wet. I wanted to replace those fingers with my cock, but I was toying with her the way she’d done me.
“I think you do like it.” My mouth returned to her body, I kissed her, sliding my tongue down the center of her stomach.
“I want to be untied,” she said, her voice a little more strained. “Please, Patrick.”
“Please what?” I whispered, kissing her navel then tonguing it lightly.
“Please untie me,” she gasped.
I paused then. My lips hovered just above her skin, and my brow pulled together. Her expression seemed anxious, but her body, at least judging by what I felt, was into it. I leaned up and swirled my tongue around her nipple. She let out another little whimper, and I realized, we’d just made love. What I was feeling could be residual…
Quickly I flew to the headboard and jerked the gold tie loose, then I snatched the green blindfold off her eyes, pulling her up to me and wrapping my arms tightly around her.
“Are you okay?” I whispered, kissing her cheek, her lips.
She leaned back to face me, eyes round. I wasn’t sure what she was about to do. My throat tightened. Would she cry? Would she be angry?
“Why did you stop?” she said, voice high. “I was just playing along.”
“What?” My shoulders dropped.
“I was being your captive, begging to be set free…”
I frowned, but the side of her mouth twitched. “You were worried?” The twitch was turning to a tiny grin as she placed her hands on my cheeks. I was getting pissed. “I’m sorry.”
“Dammit, Elaine.” I started to get up, releasing her altogether. But she was on me, grabbing me fast by the shoulders.
“Don’t be mad!” she cried.
I stood at the bedside, and she was on her knees, holding me, her face struggling between laughter and worry.
I exhaled deeply. “You have no idea how it goes against all my instincts to hear you beg me to stop and ignore it.”
She rested her head on my shoulder still holding her arms tight around my neck. “I love you so much.”
It was impossible to stay mad when she said that. I wrapped my arms around her waist and gave in completely, pulling her close.
Her head popped up then, that glimmer back in her eyes. “This is why we need a safe word.”
“Motherfu—,” my hands went back to her waist, but she shook my shoulders.
“I’m serious! Then we know for sure if one of us needs to stop.”
“A safe word.”
“Something you’d never say during sex.”
“Like what?” I was sure my expression was as skeptical as I felt because her eyebrow arched like she was fixing to tease me.
“Bubblegum.”
“What?”
“Yes!” She hopped off the bed and picked up the gold tie. “Wow. You really messed this one up.”
I took it from her and went into the closet, hanging it back on the peg. “One of my hundred-dollar ties, no less.”
She was right behind me, slipping those cool, slim hands around my waist. Her bare breasts pressed against my back as her fingers spread out over my stomach. I took one of her hands and lifted it to my lips. My erection had only cooled a little.
“So bubblegum,” I repeated, walking out of the closet and pulling her with me.
“Yes,” she hopped on the bed again. “If one of us is going too far or if it hurts too much—”
“I don’t like the sound of that.”
“Say bubblegum and it stops,” she continued unfazed. “That’s the deal.”
“It’s like a magic word,” I said, curling a blonde strand around my finger.
She tilted her chin up, shaking her pretty head. “No, the magic word is please. The safe word is bubblegum.” Then she laughed and kissed me.
“I think we need to test this.” My hands had just gone to her cheeks, cupping her face when I noticed a loud tapping noise from the other room.
Our lips stilled and I raised my head. We exchanged a confused look, but I let her go, picking up my jeans and jerking them over my hips.
“Hold that thought, Bubblegum,” I said.
“You can’t use it all the time or it won’t work!”
I shook my head as the tapping grew louder and went to the door. “Hang on,” I called, pulling it open fast. The girl outside my door jumped back.
“Oh!” she said, and for a half-second, I didn’t recognize her. Light-brown, shoulder-length hair. Her lips were a rosy pink, and she only wore the lightest mascara. It was smudged a bit under big blue eyes. She was the same, but completely different.
“Kenny?”
Those eyes flew down my shirtless torso and back up as her cheeks flooded with pink. “This is how you answer the door?” she exhaled, shaking her head as she pushed past me, entering my apartment.
“What are you doing here?” I followed her back inside, shutting it.
She went to the fireplace and stood staring at the silent space while I took in her short dress with black combat boots. The edge wasn’t completely gone.
“I’ve been needing to talk to you, but you’ve been away so much.” She turned to face me, wringing her small hands. “When you texted that you were alone this weekend, I figured I’d just drive up and spend the night.”
My brow lined and I shook my head. “What’s going on?”
“Oh, Patrick.” Those hands went to her forehead, and she pushed back her now-even hair. It was a gesture I recognized from the tattoo parlor when she’d forgotten to get my signature on the paperwork. Her eyes rose to mine, and now they were shining with tears.
“Hey,” I crossed the room quickly to hug her. “What’s wrong?” I rubbed her back, holding her close. “Did your parents kick you out?”
“No,” her voice trembled. “But they might. Oh, god.”
Her hands went to my arms and she pushed out of them. Then she took another step away, and her eyes scanned my body again.
“Why aren’t you wearing a shirt?” she said, her voice irritated. “It’s hard to think when you’re all… on display like this.”
“Jesus, will you just tell me what’s going on?”
With a deep inhale, she straightened her back. Then closing her eyes, she said it. The two words that exploded everything.
“I’m pregnant.”