The Vine

by C. A Ellis

  “Well, Angel, you sure know how to turn a man’s day into his best day ever, don’t you?” Lizzy smiled back at me and went back to her duties as domestic goddess.

  “What did you buy?” she asked, looking over her shoulder at me. I just carried on grinning at her and tapped my nose thinking, that’s for me to know and you to find out later, baby. And with that, I turned on my heel and went to hide my purchases for later.

  After another relaxed day together, I went to have a shower and ran Lizzy a luxurious bubble bath. I called her up, and she seemed pleasantly surprised that the lights were dim in the bathroom and I had surrounded the bath with candles. I had put a glass of her favourite wine on the side along with her Kindle, as I know how much she loved a good book when she was relaxing. I cheekily stood and watched as she got herself undressed, stepped in to the bath and slid down slowly into the bubbles.

  I walked over to her, gave her a kiss on her head and left the room, not trusting myself to be in there a moment longer.

  Chapter Seven – Lizzy

  I couldn’t believe it when I entered the bathroom and saw Luke had transformed it into a relaxing tranquil haven. As Luke left the room, I relaxed further down into the bubbles and started to sip my wine. I thought over the events of yesterday, my solemn mood and opening up to Luke about how I was feeling. I should have learned by now it doesn’t solve anything by keeping things bottled up.

  That point was certainly proven yesterday when all I was thinking was that Luke had lost interest in me, and then I saw with my own eyes how shocked he was at those thoughts I’d been having. I had seen how frantic he’d been to reassure me it was certainly not the case, and finally, Luke had declared his love for me. Things really don’t get much better than that in my eyes, I thought, smiling to myself. After about twenty minutes, when my wine was gone, I started getting a bit antsy and fidgety, and then it hit me as to why—the book I’m reading is a romance, but with some amazingly hot sex scenes in it, and I think if I’m being honest with myself, I’m getting a little bit turned on by them. I squirmed again as I thought about what I was just reading, and I also felt a little embarrassed.

  I put my Kindle down, thinking that was enough reading for the night, and I climbed out of the bath. I grabbed my white, soft, fluffy robe off of the door while debating what underwear I should put on, just in case Luke tried anything with me later. Just because the subject had finally been brought out into the open, I was still cautious, although I was convinced that he wouldn’t even bother. But just in case, I wanted to be ready and looking my best for him, my beautiful man.

  I laughed to myself. Look at me being presumptuous, just because I’ve read a bit of erotica. To be perfectly honest, I was quite pleased that I was getting turned on. I was beginning to think I was made of stone. I’d read those sorts of books for a while, but I had never had any stirrings down there. Well, that was until I met Luke. Very often, I’d know when Katy had been reading similar books, because when I’d be dozing off to sleep I’d hear the hum of her vibrator, where I’d expected it had all gotten a bit much for her. I used to smirk, but inside I’d be wondering what was wrong with me that I didn’t need the same relief. So it was quite liberating to feel a few flutters down below—I felt normal for once.

  As I was entering Luke’s bedroom, I could hear soft, romantic music playing, then as I fully entered, I gasped as I took in what I was seeing. There were hundreds of tea lights lighting the room. Flowers were strewn all around the room, the bed was covered in rose petals and to top it off, Luke was standing there in a black tuxedo, looking absolutely delicious. He was looking at me with the sexiest smile on his face, and as the shock slowly started to wear off I asked, “Are we meant to be going out somewhere? Because if we are, I think I’m slightly underdressed.”

  “No,” Luke replied, “we’ve got nowhere to go, and for what I’ve got planned for this evening, you are dressed perfectly. In fact, I am the one who may be slightly overdressed.” He smiled, raising his eyebrows suggestively at me. At that statement, I gulped, and looking at my beautiful man’s smile, I hoped he had in mind what I thought he had, because even as shy as I was about getting naked, I would drop my panties immediately for that smile—if I’d had any on that is.

  “Welcome to your very own romantic movie, beautiful. Would you care to dance?” Luke asked as he walked up and stood in front of me. I nodded, biting my lip nervously as Luke pulled me into him and clasped my waist. I placed my hand on his shoulder, and as our other hands met, we waltzed around slowly to the music. Just like Fred and Ginger, I thought to myself. And then it hit me why he had done all this and I smiled; his thoughtfulness toward me was incredible. “Thank you,” I whispered to him.

  “You’re welcome, my angel, but it’s no more than you deserve,” Luke whispered in my ear. As we stopped dancing, Luke and I embraced, our eyes searching each other’s. I leaned into him and our lips touched, and it ignited something in the pair of us when our kiss deepened, it was so passionate, and so full of love and emotion I almost wanted to cry.

  Luke was the first to pull away, and my lips felt bereft that he was gone. He held my face in his hands, and then slowly they moved to the belt holding my robe closed. He loosened the knot, and as he undid it, the robe gaped open. Luke’s hands came back up as he stroked my face. He looked straight into my eyes, silently asking me if it was okay. I nodded and smiled at him. How could it not be okay? I loved this man before me, but I was secretly glad he thought of me all the time. His hands moved down, and as he pushed the robe off of my shoulders, it just fell to the floor.

  “Angel, we’ve never discussed it but are you on the pill?” Luke asked. I nodded and softly told him that Katy made me get on it when I met him. I saw him smirk, but that soon disappeared as we looked back into each other’s eyes. He took both my hands and stood back to take a look at me, admiring me, and I knew I should be shy and embarrassed about it, but remarkably I wasn’t.

  Luke’s bowtie was undone, so I pulled it and dropped it to the floor. He took off his dinner jacket and undid the cuffs of his shirt as I started undoing the main row of buttons with slow, shaky fingers. He pulled the shirt from his waistband as I pushed it from his shoulders. It was only then I looked down to the bottom of Luke’s trousers. Noticing that his feet were bare, I looked back up to Luke’s waistband with a slight smile on my face, but that smile was wiped clear and my eyes widened when I saw the tented area of trouser fabric, where my beautiful man was clearly pleased to see me.

  He put his index finger to my chin and lifted my head up so we were eye-to-eye; Luke always seemed to tell a lot from my eyes. His head was slightly bent to the side as he checked I was still good. I nodded again, and then started slowly undoing his belt and fly. As his trousers fell to the ground, Luke stepped out of them. He wasn’t wearing underwear, so when he pulled me into him, we were skin-to-skin. We were body-to-body and it felt amazing. An onslaught of kissing erupted between us. He guided me backwards and as my calves hit the bed, Luke guided me down onto it. He was hovering above me and it felt amazing as he kissed me like I was the last woman on Earth.

  Although the tangle of our tongues and frenzy of our lips was highly distracting, I was well aware when Luke slid his hand down there and pushed his fingers in gently. “Oh, Lizzy, you feel amazing. You are so wet and soft. I bet you taste amazing too. Would you mind if I taste you, Angel?”

  “I can’t think of anything I want more,” I heard myself saying. I thought I sounded brazen, but for once, I kind of didn’t care. My mind drifted off, but I was brought back to reality as Luke bent my knees and placed my feet flat on the bed. In the next moment, I could feel him kissing up my inner thighs, nipping, licking and tasting them. That’s when I felt it—all Luke had done was flick his tongue slowly along the inside of me once, briefly touching my clit, and it made me jump and spasm.

  He did it again, but this time he flicked his tongue over and over, driving me wild. Suddenly, his tongue pushed inside me a
nd his mouth and lips were all over me. He was everywhere, tasting every part of me. I felt this…pull in my belly, and it felt like my emotions were climbing.

  I couldn’t seem to get my breath.

  Oh, my God, this feels so amazing! The feelings passing from Luke’s tongue to my clit were pulsating through me, and I thrashed around because it felt so good I couldn’t hold still. And I didn’t ever want it to stop—I didn’t ever want him to stop.

  I couldn’t control it; I couldn’t take anymore, and as I screamed out Luke’s name I felt like I was spiralling into space. I was bucking beneath his mouth, and still he continued; he was relentless and it was fantastic. Finally, as I hit the crescendo of my climax, I felt like I hit the sky like a rocket before I slowly started my descent back to planet Earth.

  As I opened my eyes and tried to get my breath back, Luke kissed his way back up my body and then his mouth was pressed against mine, kissing me and I could taste myself. Luke pulled back to look at me with the biggest smile on his face I think I’d ever seen. Why I felt the need to tell him, I don’t know, but the words just tumbled out as I said breathily, “I can taste myself.”

  “Yes, I’m sorry, baby,” Luke said, “but I had to share a bit of what I was having with you because it was all kinds of sweet down there. I mean, we’re talking sugar, honey and birthday cake all rolled into one.”

  He then gave me one of his heart-stopping grins, and it was so infectious I just couldn’t help but grin along with him. As I stayed on my back, Luke laid on his side beside me while he drew little circles on my belly with his fingers, causing goose bumps to break out on my skin. “So, Angel, how was your first ever orgasm?” Luke asked with a smirk.

  “It was okay,” I said with a laugh, taking his ego down a notch.

  “Just okay, eh? Hmmm, let me see what I can do about that for the second one then.” And with that, his body engulfed mine as he positioned himself above me.

  “Luke?” I respond anxiously, placing my hands softly against his muscular chest.

  “Yes, Angel?” he prompted, looking concerned again.

  “I’m nervous,” I answered honestly, while I stared at the place between his pectorals, feeling too shy to look him in the eyes. “I really want to please you, but I’m not sure I can.”

  “Baby, please don’t be nervous. I will take good care of you, which will please me tremendously in itself. You know I’d never hurt you, right?” he asked while looking deeply into my eyes. I nodded in response.

  “Trust me when I say you do please me, in every way possible, and let me tell you a little secret…I’m a little bit nervous too,” he whispered, and as we started to kiss again, my nerves ebb away. I was aware that I could feel Luke’s thick erection pressing hard against my centre. I felt the moisture of my anticipation, and because I now knew the feelings it would evoke, I silently willed him to slide himself inside me. Luke must’ve felt my legs widen slightly at my provocative thoughts, because while our kissing continued, I could feel he had taken hold of himself and slowly started guiding his length into me. As he entered me, I gasped at the size of him. I was stretched and filled, could feel him in parts of me that had never been touched before, and it felt absolutely amazing.

  Luke whispered in my ear how fantastic it felt to be inside me and how tight I was, and even in the throes of passion, I could feel my cheeks flaming at his words as he started slowly thrusting inside me. I was instantly comforted by the way only Luke knew how—by him telling me how much he loved me and needed me, now and always. Then the incredible feeling of him sliding in and out of my most intimate place took over. He balanced on one of his elbows and used his other hand to caress his way from my collarbones, down between my breasts, travelling over my tense abdomen and finally sliding around my hip to clench my bottom. He used it to lift me slightly so he could plunge into my wetness even more deeply, making me throw my head back and cry out in sheer ecstasy.

  My nails dug into his back when he moved his hand back up my body and started fondling my breasts, and as he leaned down to take one of my nipples into his mouth I could sense that feeling building in my belly again—like a thousand fluttering butterflies. I felt so close to my beautiful man in that moment, as I looked up to his face and he was looking back at me with complete adoration in his eyes. I knew there was no place we’d rather be than lost in this moment together.

  Oh, lord, this feels amazing. And that was my last thought before I was lost to him. As I climaxed violently, I grabbed onto Luke’s back as I screamed out. I felt his pace quicken and I knew he was close too, and I desperately wanted him to come inside me—maybe then I would start feeling like I was enough for him. If only my body could make him feel so good he’d explode.

  Coming down from the most exhilarating feeling I had ever had, Luke came hard, shouting Angel as he pounded himself into me as his release finally erupted. Then he was kissing my face all over and searching it with his eyes to make sure I was still okay. How could I not be okay? For goodness sake, he…or should I say we were amazing.

  I knew Luke was just making sure the deeper me was okay—the insecure one, the one that took everything so personally—and you know what? For once in a very long time, I was more than ok; in fact, I was floating on cloud nine. “Are you okay, Angel?” Luke asked nervously.

  “I’m great,” I answered truthfully, smiling at him.

  “I’m thinking you enjoyed that; well, I’m guessing you did from the crying out and the scratches I now probably have all over my back,” Luke said, smiling back at me and trying to embarrass me. No trying needed—my cheeks were on fire.

  “Luke,” I prompted a little more seriously.

  “Yes, my beautiful angel sent from heaven,” he replied with all the cheesy drama that only someone like Luke could pull off.

  “It was better than in the movies,” I whispered to him. Luke stilled and looked deep into my eyes. That look—the one that seems like he could see into my soul—crossed his face, and I could tell he wanted to speak, but words were failing him as he leaned in to gently kiss me. I accepted his tongue willingly. I love him so much, and in that moment, I had a fluttering right by my heart.

  As if reading my mind, Luke pulled back and said in a tender voice, “I love you, Lizzy Maynard, so much it sometimes physically hurts me.” Luke was always so much more open with his feelings than me. I give him my biggest smile, because for once in the longest time, I felt truly happy.

  Luke wrapped his arms around me, and as he leaned forward against my lips I heard him say, “Ding, ding, round three.”

  Chapter Eight – Lizzy

  Our six months of relationship bliss and contentment was only ever occasionally marred by the fact Luke had to go away on business quite a lot, and this weekend had been no exception. He’d had a two-day trip to New York and is due home tonight…well, the early hours of tomorrow morning, and I, for one, can’t wait.

  I miss him like crazy when he has to go away, and to be honest, he doesn’t go quite as often these days as he used to—only if it is essential and he really has to. Even though we are in the age of Skype and a million other forms of communication, Luke would rather not be away for longer than he had to.

  Thinking of Luke, and the fact that the sooner I get to sleep, the sooner he’ll be here. I suddenly feel beyond tired as I slide into bed and into a deep slumber. The alarm wakes me at 6am, and unusually for me, I am instantly awake as I know Luke should be home by now, but he’s not in bed.

  I sit up rubbing my eyes when he walks into the bedroom. My goodness, the presence of this man is astounding. I rub my sleepy eyes again to make sure he’s not a mirage, but then I see him put his bags down. Luke looks over at me, and then unexpectedly, he jumps on the bed, grinning like a naughty school boy. Just as I’m thinking how goddamn sexy he looks, he grabs my face between his hands and lands a great, big, noisy smacker on my lips. I pull back slightly, laughing at his antics as Luke pulls his head back further, looking at me all over. He’s
more serious now, and seems to be drinking in every part of me.

  “God, I miss you so much when I’m away, Angel,” Luke says.

  “Me too,” I whisper, desperately pulling him back to me, claiming his lips with mine to keep them where they belong. After a minute, Luke starts to soften the kiss until his lips leave mine completely. He stands up while I’m left pouting at the sudden removal of his lips, with the feeling of loss.

  “I didn’t think your flight was going to be so late. What happened to get you in at this time?” I ask.

  “Delays at JFK,” he says, raising his perfectly formed eyebrows.

  “Are you going into the office?” I tilt my head at him.

  “Yes, right after I’ve had a shower and change my clothes.”

  “But are you not totally exhausted?” I ask, surprised.

  “No, I had a couple hours of sleep on the flight,” he says smiling.

  “Ah, the beauty of first class.” I laugh. “Go and have your shower then, handsome.” I continue giving him a cheeky smile.

  “I will,” Luke says turning toward his bags, “but first, I’ve got to give you your present.”

  “You didn’t need to do that; you’ve only been away for two days,” I weakly protest.

  “I know, but I wanted to, and just to let you know, it’s never only two days, because every second of those two days I miss you like crazy.” And as that lovely, romantic comment leaves his lips, I just melt. Luke hands me a bag and I look up at him, biting my lip with excitement. I take the bag and pull out a box, placing it on the unmade bed. I gently take off the lid and pull back the tissue paper, and inside there’s a pair of shoes.

  I pick up one shoe delicately, treating it like it’s made of glass as I turn it around in my hands, because this is not just a pair of shoes—oh, no. The shoes Luke has brought home for me are the most stunning works of art I’ve ever seen in my entire life, and I’d defy any female to tell me otherwise. I’d go as far as to say these are my dream shoes. The silver, high-heel, peep-toe shoes sparkle and shine with individually hand-placed crystals, and the contrasting signature red sole gives them away as a Christian Louboutin creation—every girl’s dream. I know how much these would have set him back. I know this since I’d read an article in Vogue and laughed because the shoes and clothes featured were extortionate. I’d thought, who in their right minds would ever buy them?!