After The Fall

by Ariadne Wayne

  “This is insane,” I said, “call your dad.” I had no idea how to reach him but I knew Alex had the emergency contact details.

  “I can’t go running to him just because I’m tired Natalie. That’s not going to work,” he said. I had made him some food, and no sooner had he finished eating he was softly snoring in the living room chair.

  Sometime in the night he came to bed and I woke to find him with his back to me as far over to the side of the bed as he could get.

  I reached for him and he rolled over. “What are you doing?” I asked.

  “Sorry babe, I didn’t want to wake you.”

  “I sleep better when you’re next to me,” I said.

  He rolled the rest of the way and kissed me. “I sleep better next to you. I’m sorry if this week has been crazy. It will get better, I’m sure. At the moment I’m in all kinds of meetings catching up with everything I have missed, and meeting new clients.”

  “I understand that,” I said, “but you can’t go on like this and neither can we. You’ve barely seen Aaron all week but I guess at least you have the weekend to see him.”

  He sighed. “I promise I will spend every second I can with you and Aaron this weekend to make up for it. I love you guys.”

  “We love you too, and we just want you to be a happy, healthy daddy,” I said with a grin.

  “Do you think we have time before Aaron wakes up?” he asked.

  “Time for what?” I said, trying my best to look innocent.

  Alex laughed and I felt his hand pull at the bottom of my nightgown, travelling up my body until it found my breast.

  “Oh that,” I said.

  He grinned and kissed me, his other hand pushing my nightgown up and as I sat up and pulled it over my head his hands covered my breasts, stroking my nipples.

  “I’ve missed you,” he said. We hadn’t made love all week and his touch set me on fire as it always did.

  “Wait. Are you talking about me or these?” I asked, pointing to where his hands were.

  “Both,” he said, and pulled me back down into the bed into his arms.

  “It feels like forever since we’ve done this, I don’t think when we’ve been together it’s been so long that we haven’t made love,” I said.

  “I know and I’m sorry. I will try to make things better,” he said.

  Stroking my body, his hand reached between my legs finding me ready and waiting for him. “Oh baby,” he said.

  “I missed you too,” I whispered and his fingers slid between the folds of my pussy before finding the spot that has been for his touch and I came, crying out his name as my body responded to him.

  “Natalie,” he murmured, kissing me again. His tongue found mine and he tasted so good I didn’t want him to stop.

  “I want you on top,” he said and I straddled him, slowly lowering myself onto him as his length impaled me.

  “Oh shit,” I said.

  “You feel so good,” he said. We started gently, slowly with me rocking back and forwards on his cock. He thrust upwards to meet me as I ground down, pushing into me deeper and deeper.

  Never losing eye contact we started to move together as one, speeding things up until he was driving upwards into me while I wiggled my hips. He moaned at the sensation of me moving and he was buried deep inside me when he groaned as he came.

  “I wish we could spend all weekend in bed doing that,” he said.

  I laughed. “Maybe in about 20 years when the kids have left home.”

  Almost on queue we heard Aaron stir in the room across the hall. Nothing would stop him from making his presence known. “I guess that it’s time for breakfast,” I said.

  Alex pulled on some boxers and a robe. “I’ll grab him, you take your time.”

  Even though it was the weekend, Lisa wouldn’t leave him alone. His phone kept ringing with her asking questions about work he had been doing, where to find information and any other excuse she could come up with.

  By the time Saturday night came I’d had enough. As soon as I got an opportunity when his mobile rang, I grabbed it. “Natalie,” he said, “give it to me.”

  “I’m over this Alex, she can’t treat you like this.”

  His face contorted, torn between agreeing with me and grabbing the phone back off me.

  I looked at him for just a moment before answering the phone. “Fuck off,” I said and hung up.

  Alex’s eyes widened. “What have you done?”

  “I told her to leave you alone which is what she should be doing. You’re not her PA Alex and she shouldn’t be treating any member of staff like that let alone the son of the man who owns the company.”

  He sighed. “I guess you’re right. It’s just that I want to fit back in and prove I’ve worked hard to my dad. I need to get his respect back.”

  Then I realised that I was dealing with the old Alex. The one who had caved to his father and agreed to marry a woman he didn’t love. He hadn’t been that Alex for so long, not since he had run away and travelled around the world to be with me.

  My Alex. The one who I had been married to for nearly two years wouldn’t have folded the way he was now and my heart ached for him. He was like a lost little boy, struggling with his identity which I had thought he had worked out a long time ago.

  “Alex you have his respect. He just wants you to spend the time working your way back up. I am sure that he would be horrified at Lisa trying to take advantage of the situation, which she’s doing.”

  It was Aaron’s bedtime and Alex kissed him before I took him into his room to put him to bed.

  When I came back out he was on the phone to Lisa and I paused at the door to listen. “Again Lisa, I am so sorry. Natalie had just had enough of hearing the phone ringing all day, I’m supposed to be spending time with her and Aaron,” he said, pausing to let her talk, “Yes, I understand that but I don’t think I need to be working this hard to gain my old job back.”

  He saw me standing there and rolled his eyes, I couldn’t tell if it was at me or her. “I’ll find the information you’re after and get back to you. Thanks Lisa.”

  I walked towards him as he hung up the phone. “Why are you grovelling Alex? She is taking advantage of you deliberately to screw things up for us.”

  “Just let it go Natalie. Dad will be back soon and…”

  “I don’t give a fuck Alex. I’m over this already. By the time your dad gets back what else will she have done?”

  “I understand you’re upset but we just have to work through this,” he said, “sure she’s upset about what happened in the past and as you say taking advantage of the situation but to be fair on her she thought by now we would be married with maybe our own child.”

  “That doesn’t justify her behaviour. She’s supposed to be a professional but she’s hardly acting like one. Let her find someone else to take it out on,” I said.

  “She’s not going to let it go right now,” he said, “I just have to ride this out. It’s only been a week, no wonder you’re unsettled.”

  “I’m unsettled? No, I just didn’t expect that the second we arrived that my husband would forget that he had a family.” I didn’t mean that but I had the feeling that this conversation was rapidly making the whole thing my issue.

  “That’s hardly true,” he said, “I spent today with you and I’ll be here tomorrow.”

  “Working for her,” I said.

  “You’re jealous Natalie. There’s no need to be. I love you and Aaron and you know that. You’re my life.”

  “You won’t spend tomorrow with us. Just like you didn’t spend today with us Alex. All day you were on the phone to her. You barely spoke to either of us,” I said.

  “It’s just making up what I lost when I left,” he said, “once I do that then things will settle down again.

  “What you lost? What about what you gained,” I said. Now I had tears in my eyes, but I couldn’t let it go. Maybe I was being unreasonable but it seemed that Alex was ready to ru
n when Lisa clicked her fingers.

  He was silent and I hated it. We had not argued much in our marriage and this was breaking my heart but I wasn’t about to back down.

  “Alex, please. Don’t let her do this, don’t let her invade our lives and make trouble for us,” I said.

  “You’re the one making a big deal out of it,” he said.

  “Well maybe you should have just married her,” I said. That was it. I had snapped and instantly regretted what I said. Before I could say sorry though, my boy, my beautiful boy said the worst thing imaginable.

  “Maybe I should have,” he said.

  I turned on my heel and left the room, heading for the bedroom where I curled up on the bed and sobbed. The last time I had felt this awful had been after that fateful call where he had rushed to my side. After what he had said, I doubted that would happen this time.

  The door creaked as it opened and he was there, on the bed with his arms around me. “I am so sorry Natalie, I didn’t meant that I swear. I’m just so tired and stressed.”

  “Then please call your father,” I said.

  “It’s only five more weeks,” he said, “we’ll get through it and then Dad will sort everything out, I am sure. I just have to prove myself.”

  “You did prove yourself,” I said, “I know how hard you work.”

  “Natalie, you know what I mean. My whole life I never felt like I had my father’s full approval and he’s given me this chance. I know that Lisa is taking advantage but right now we just need to get through this and out the other side.”

  “You’re putting her first,” I said, “her first and us last. We’ve just got here. I miss home so much right now and you not being around doesn’t help. Even worse that you’re spending so much time with her.”

  I burst into tears again and he pulled me closer. “I’m trying baby. We just need to get this settling in done and Dad back and things will be back to normal. I love you and Aaron so much.”

  “What’s normal?” I asked, “back home normal meant me going to work and you staying home with Aaron. There is no new normal, not the way things have gone this past week.”

  “What is it you want?” he asked. I could hear the frustration in his voice and knew I was the cause of it.

  “I want you,” I said.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Lunch

  He kissed me and I took my frustration out on him, gently biting on his lip until his eyes lit up. It was as if a fire had ignited underneath him. He pushed me roughly back onto the bed, his tongue exploring my mouth deeper and deeper and he moaned as I responded, franticly pushing back as if trying to get this invader out of my mouth.

  His hands started undoing the buttons on my shirt and I reached down to get to the button on his pants.

  “Christ, Natalie, the things you do to me,” he said with a sigh. Pushing my shirt back, he put his arms around me and unclipped my bra on his first attempt and I laughed as he moved to give me better access to his cock. He was already hard and I stuck my hand into his underwear to stroke his length while he bent his head to suck on my nipples.

  “I love you so much Alex,” I whispered. His phone rang in the distance but he ignored it and I squeezed his cock in appreciation. He growled and my heart was racing as he rolled over top of me; now I could grasp the top of his jeans and push them down his legs.

  “Oh my Natalie, I love you too,” he said.

  I needed him inside so badly but he had other ideas, moving down my body to lift my skirt and practically ripping my panties off.

  He buried his face in me, his tongue driving me crazy and I ground my toes into the bed, pushing myself up to meet him.

  The climax came swiftly and I raked his hair, pulling it gently when I came to show I wanted him inside me. He didn’t disappoint and I grinned at the thought of him being all mine. Lisa would never have this, would never know his love.

  “Alex,” I cried as he came in me and his tongue found mine again. This time tender and slow.

  “I hate fighting with you,” he said, “but I have to admit make up sex is pretty good.”

  “Sex is pretty good full stop,” I said.

  “Chur bro,” he said.

  I stared at him for a moment and then burst out laughing. Oh, I loved this man. We made love twice more in the night and I woke in the morning in his arms, where I belonged.

  Sunday was better. He turned off his phone after some duress and we took Aaron out to the playground nearby and had some lunch. It was the most carefree day we’d had in a while and we all exhausted ourselves before ordering in for dinner and getting ready for bed.

  Aaron was coming down with a cold and I took some extra time to tuck him in. “He’s amazing,” said Alex, “growing all the time.”

  “We need to get out of this place and into a house, I said, “apartment living isn’t really very good for babies.”

  He sighed. “You’re right. When Dad gets back and we have some more time we’ll look. In the meantime you should check out some real estate agents and see what you can find.”

  We crawled into bed and I snuggled back into his arms while he kissed my neck. “Do you really get homesick Natalie?” he asked.

  “Sometimes,” I said, “I miss everybody and we did have such a laid back life at home. This is a lot to get used to.”

  “I know and I love you so much for giving me the chance to do this. To be honest I miss Auckland too, it became home.”

  “I guess I can just hear Roger in my head telling me that I should be sorting you out,” I said with a laugh, “and David would be around fussing over Aaron, making me go out and do things.”

  Alex laughed. “Those two would love it here.”

  “I am sure they would,” I said.

  “And now Mrs Mercer, there’s something else I want from you now.”

  “Whatever could that be?” I asked.

  “I think you know,” he said and kissed me in that way that made my toes tingle, his tongue caressing mine.

  After we made love I think I slept better that night than I had all week and in the morning I kissed him goodbye and made him promise not to be too late home.

  He sighed. “I will try my best but you know what work is like,” he said.

  “I know, don’t let her push you around too much,” I said.

  When I put Aaron down for his nap later in the morning, I decided to do some baking. I hadn’t done anything like that for ages. It was an occasional Sunday afternoon thing back home. There was bacon in the fridge and cheese and I worked out I had enough flour to make scones.

  They came out light and fluffy. As they weren’t always the easiest things to make I was especially proud of what I had done and put them out to cool. This was the part of my new life I did like, being a full-time mum to Aaron and doing the domestic thing.

  I jumped when the knock on the door came and was surprised to see Colton. “Hi Natalie,” he said, “is it OK if I come in?”

  “Sure,” I said, “do you want something to eat? I’ve just made some scones.”

  He followed me into the kitchen and his face lit up when he saw what I had made. “Those look great thanks,” he said.

  “I was just about to make a coffee, do you want one or do you want some juice?”

  “Juice would be great,” he said.

  “So what brings you here?” I asked.

  “The apartment is so empty without Mom and Damian. I don’t know anyone around here yet and I thought you might be in the same situation.”

  I smiled. “Well, to tell you the truth I’ve been feeling the same way. Alex is always at work and this whole big city thing scares me a bit.”

  He laughed. “Me too, I’m worried I’ll get lost. Though I did just get in a taxi this morning and give him your address. I suppose it is that easy.”

  “I’m glad you did. It’s nice to have some company,” I said.

  We made our way into the living room. “So Alex isn’t here?” he asked.

&
nbsp; “No, he’s at work where the vengeful Lisa is getting her pound of flesh,” I said.

  “Pardon?”

  “Don’t worry. Alex is working, I don’t know how long for today,” I said.

  He looked disappointed. “Is everything all right Colton?” I asked, “I guess it’s a bit weird having a step-brother now.”

  I don’t know why he felt he could confide in me. It seems to be something people just do but he went red and fumbled with his hands before talking again. “I like Alex,” he said.

  “I’m glad you do. It’s good to like your new family. I hope that extends to me.”

  “No. I mean I really like Alex.”

  The penny dropped and I put my coffee cup down. “Oh Colton, are you meaning that you have a crush on him?”

  He nodded. “I kind of hoped he would be here. I know he’s crazy in love with you but I thought he might have some kind words for me.”

  I closed my eyes and when I opened them he was standing up. “I know. It’s nuts and I’ve probably just freaked you out. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

  “Honey it’s fine,” I said, “I completely understand. I have a big thing for him too you know.”

  At that he laughed and sat back down again. “I was worried that you would freak out.”

  “Alex is convinced that you have a thing for me,” I said, “he says it’s the way you look at me when we’re all together but it’s not me you’re looking at is it?”

  He shook his head. “No offence. I mean you are gorgeous but I don’t like girls that way.”

  “And that is fine, we’re all different Colton. Does you mother know?”

  “I think she suspects but I’ve never told her. You won’t tell anyone will you?” he asked.

  “Not if you don’t want me to. I’m good at keeping secrets like that. It’s up to you to tell who you like but don’t ever be afraid to tell anyone.”

  He grinned. “Thanks Natalie, I didn’t come here to tell you but you’re so easy to talk to.”

  “I must be. You’re not the first person I’ve kept that particular secret for. Sometime I’ll introduce you to my friends.” I could just picture David in particular taking Colton under his wing to help him, he was good like that.