by S. M. Shade
He spent the morning trying to embarrass me in front of my mom, making up a story about how I followed him around like a lost puppy until he agreed to date me. Then, when Mom left the room, he topped that off by telling my brother he hoped we didn’t keep him up all night. I swear, he gets so hyped up sometimes it’s like trying to rein in a toddler.
Now, I’m getting payback on his ass. Literally.
“Amber,” a voice calls, and I look around to see a group of Mom’s friends waving her over. A smile breaks across her face, and she’s met with enthusiastic hugs when she reaches them. After chatting for a moment, she returns.
“I hope you don’t mind, but they asked me to join them for a Mimosa.”
“We’ll be fine,” I assure her. “Go catch up. We’ll see you later.”
“You have a couples massage at noon,” she reveals with a grin, before joining her friends.
“She hasn’t seen them in a while. They visited her in the hospital and everything, but…”
“It’s not the same,” Justus finishes.
“Yeah.” I look back at her as her laughter rings out. Things have been so hard for her. I’m happy to see her get some joy out of today.
“So, looks like it’s just you and me.” Justus grabs my hand, ignoring the ladies around us who are drooling over him.
We’re escorted to the nail salon where we’re treated to pedicures and manicures. Since we’re marked as a couple, we’re taken to each service together. Waxing is next, and Justus grins at me when I put on the offered robe before stripping from the waist down. “Now, don’t be bashful, Sweets. You know I’ve seen it all.”
He absolutely has not seen my all, but the tech preparing the supplies smiles knowingly. Justus ignores my glare, yanks off his pants and underwear and hops onto the table. “Just a little off the top,” he says, nearly knocking the tech out with his smile.
She giggles and shakes her head. “Nah, you’re right. That’d be silly. Better get it all,” he adds as another woman enters and gestures for me to get on the next table.
He never makes a sound as she waxes him, but I’m not nearly as quiet. I can’t help it. That shit hurts. Justus is done and sitting up on the table when the tech working on me gives a roll over gesture. “All fours, please,” she says, and I want to crawl under the table.
I can feel his eyes on me as I get on all fours and hot wax is spread between my ass cheeks. It only takes a few seconds for it to be over, but my face will probably burn for the next hour, along with my privates. That’s all right, he can laugh now, because it won’t be my ass hurting in the end. After having my red and very angry vagina coated in a soothing lotion, we head to another room for our couples massage.
A large man with incredibly strong hands turns me to mush while a thin, petite lady does the same for Justus. Good god, look at him all oiled up, his tanned skin on display. I don’t realize I’m staring at him until I hear his laugh. “Don’t mind my girlfriend. She can’t take her eyes off of me.”
It’s then I realize my massage therapist has asked me to turn over. Probably more than once. I really have to stop ogling him, but it never feels like a conscious decision.
His massage ends a few minutes before mine when a tech walks in and announces his room is ready. “Go ahead,” I tell him, swallowing a giggle. “I’ll catch up to you.”
“Would you like her to accompany you?” the tech asks him, and he assures her it’s okay.
After they leave, I release the laugh that’s been building and my massage therapist chuckles. “He has no idea what he’s in for, does he?”
“Not a clue.”
A tech leads me from the massage room a few minutes later, stopping outside a door and knocking. She chats with a man wearing a white coat, and he nods at me. “Your fiancé is in that room.” Fiancé. Justus is telling people he’s my fiancé. Instead of correcting him, I follow his gesture into a smaller room where Justus lies on a padded table, a sheet covering him from the waist down.
“Hey, Sweets,” he calls, grinning at me.
“Hey, so they haven’t started yet?” As soon as he realizes what they’re going to do, he’ll run like hell. I can’t wait to see the look on his face.
“No, what is this, anyway? Some kind of skin treatment?”
“Something like that.”
The tech chooses that moment to enter and I’m sure Justus is going to ask what’s coming. Instead, he just follows the tech’s orders, scooting down and raising his knees. It isn’t until he dabs lube between his cheeks, that Justus asks, “What are you doing?”
“Just relax, it’s normal to be nervous, but it’s not nearly as uncomfortable as people fear.”
“Don’t worry. My fiancé is a very brave man,” I say, fighting back a giggle.
Justus scowls at me, which means he isn’t watching the tech when he presses a not-so-small lubricated speculum inside him.
The whole table rocks violently as Justus nearly jumps off it. “What the fuck?”
“Just relax,” the tech monotones, as if his reaction is perfectly normal. “The water is going in now and we’ll massage your abdomen.”
Bright red creeps across his face, and he shoots me a panicked look.
“You act like you’ve never had an enema before,” I giggle.
“Colonic irrigation,” the tech corrects.
“I don’t care what the fuck you call it! Get that thing out of my ass!”
With a long suffering sigh, the tech stops the flow of water. I swear his attitude is making this one hundred percent funnier. “Are you sure you don’t want to complete the treatment?”
“Yes!”
“Okay, I’ll reverse the machine, but it will take a moment to remove the water and waste from your colon. Please try to relax.”
Justus glares at me. “I can’t believe you signed us up for this.”
“Not us. Just you. I didn’t want to follow you around, you know, like a lost puppy.”
A flash of humor registers in his eyes and he shakes his head. “Revenge is sweet, baby. Remember that.” His threat is overshadowed by the groan he lets out as the water is released from his colon and pulled back through the tube. Justus hisses as the tech pulls the speculum out, and I feel like my chest is going to burst from holding back the laughter. The look on his face! Priceless.
The tech nods to me as he leaves the room, and I lean against the wall, laughing until I think I might pee myself at the sight of Justus hobbling off to the bathroom with his clothes.
* * * *
My mother decides we should go out for dinner since she didn’t spend any time with me at the spa. We go to her favorite steakhouse, and I swallow a giggle when Justus orders the biggest steak on the menu. “Hungry?” I tease.
“Starving. Apparently having a drain snake shoved up your—
“Justus!” I slam my hand over his mouth, but Mom cracks up.
“I can’t believe you signed up for that. I’ve never been brave enough.”
“I didn’t sign up.” He slips his arm around me. “Your lovely, smart ass of a daughter thought it’d be funny.”
Mom laughs even harder, and I point out, “Well, I wasn’t wrong.”
“You two!” She wipes her eyes and sits back with a smile. “I swear, I hate to imagine what your kids will be like.”
“Whoa, back it up, Mom.”
With a sigh, she gazes off into the distance. “They’d be beautiful.”
“Mom,” I warn.
An apologetic smile blooms on her face as she regards Justus. “I just want to know she’s not alone after I go.”
A knot forms in my throat, but it’s Justus’s next move that brings tears to my eyes. He reaches across and places his hand over my mother’s. “She’ll never be alone. I promise you that.”
Mom looks him in the eye and whispers, “Thank you.”
“But you aren’t going to escape that soon. You have to be there to wrangle our spawn. Coming from Sadie, you know they’re go
ing to be stubborn.”
“Oh, do I have some stories for you!” Mom laughs, and begins to regale Justus with some of my embarrassing childhood antics. Usually, I’d be ready to hide under the table, but it breaks the somber atmosphere, so I bury my embarrassment and laugh along with them.
I hate lying to her like this, but now more than ever, I want her to believe I have the future she wants me to have. And I’m sure I will. I don’t doubt I’ll meet the right guy someday, but even if I don’t, I’m quite happy by myself.
I know she’s afraid of leaving me alone, but she shouldn’t be. I have great friends and a fulfilling career. The one to worry about is Doug. I really don’t know how he’ll survive after she’s gone.
It’s then I realize that I’ve begun to accept the fact she’s going to die. It’s been a long time coming, years of heart problems and close calls that landed her in the hospital. Until now I’ve always assumed they’d find a way to cure her, that a heart would magically become available for her rare blood type. But that’s just not going to happen. She’s going to die. One day soon, I’ll see her, talk to her for the last time.
Mom excuses herself to go to the restroom, and I watch as she makes her way across the restaurant. Slowly. So damn slowly. “Hey,” Justus says, putting his hand on my arm. “Are you okay?”
I give him a quick nod, swallowing the lump in my throat. I really just want to get out of here and be alone. Looking doubtful, he signals the waiter and pays the bill. “Your mom looks tired. We should get her back.”
Again, I give him a silent nod.
Mom returns from the bathroom, and I notice how dark the circles around her eyes are. I link her arm through mine and we start toward the exit. “Let’s go home.”
“Good idea, hun. I’m getting tired.”
“You shouldn’t wear yourself out, Mom. Today was too much.”
Her kind eyes meet mine. “No, today was lovely. I’ll rest this evening and tonight. Tomorrow, we’re hitting the mall. You need some pretty new clothes.”
“I see where you get your obstinacy,” Justus says, sidling up on her other side and taking her arm.
“You just watch it, there, pretty boy. Those looks won’t always get you off the hook.”
Justus flashes his can’t-resist-me grin, and Mom giggles like a teenager. “I stand corrected.”
The ride home cheers me up a bit. Justus and I volley good-natured insults back and forth, and Mom joins in as well. When we get back, she excuses herself and heads to bed.
“Thank you,” I tell Justus, after we’ve taken turns showering and settled into bed.
“For being so awesome, or for the orgasms I’m about to give you?”
The thought of his lean, muscled body looming over me, driving into me, flashes through my brain and my voice is a few octaves too high as I respond, “For being so good to my mother.” I pat his chest. “Nice try, though.”
In an instant I’m on my back, and he’s on top of me, his hips pinning me down. His hands grasp mine, stretching them above my head. Lust gleams in his eyes when they meet mine. “I don’t have to try. I can make you come until you can’t take it anymore. And then I’ll make you come again.”
Oh fuck. Somebody help me, because my brain seems to have lost all desire to resist and my body is pleading for his touch. His lips press a light kiss on my neck before brushing my earlobe, and his husky voice sinks into me. “You’re so damn beautiful it hurts to look at you. This is torture. You want me as much as I want you. Say yes.”
Apparently, my vagina has made her decision since I’m rubbing myself against him. I need something, a way to forget, something to dull the sadness that’s stealing back over me. “It has to be just sex, no strings attached,” I murmur. Which is a ridiculous thing to say since this is the man who once faked a different identity to get laid. “And you can’t tell anyone.”
Amusement flickers across his face. “Are you ashamed of me?”
“I’m not going to listen to you talk shit about me every time we’re around our friends. They can’t know.”
He releases my hands and runs his palm down my cheek. “I wouldn’t do that.”
“No one can know,” I insist.
“Baby, you’re going to be shouting it through a megaphone to anyone who will listen.” His finger lands on my lips as I start to protest. “But no one will hear it from me. I promise.”
Fuck it. I haven’t had even decent sex in too long, and I don’t doubt for one second this man can deliver. We’re both single. We’re both adults. And any other justification I can think of right now because his mouth is on my neck and it feels fantastic.
“Fine,” I reply, rolling us over suddenly until I’m sitting on top of him. He’s stronger than me, but I caught him off guard, and I am not the type to lie back and let him have his way. He wants me, I’m going to show him what he’s in for.
A wide smile spreads across his face as I gaze down at him, my palms pressed to his chest. “Take your shirt off.”
“You’re so cute. Acting like you call the shots.” He sits up slowly and reaches his hand over his shoulder to grab his shirt, pulling it off in one fluid motion. How do guys do that? Why is it so damn hot?
His hands crawl under the hem of my t-shirt and warm palms grip my sides. He strokes up and down, dragging his fingertips over my ribs, stopping just short of my breasts. His eyes darken at my obvious reaction, and my shirt is tossed across the room as I’m flipped under him again. Soft lips trail across my ribcage and damn, I never realized I could be turned on by someone kissing my ribs. Guys usually go right for the boobs.
He takes his time, kissing his way up until I feel his hot breath on my nipple. My back arches, and I shamelessly shove my breasts toward his mouth. He gives me what I want, sucking my nipple into his warm mouth and I swear, that’s almost enough to make me come. While his mouth is busy showering my breasts with attention, his hands are removing my shorts and panties.
A groan escapes him as a thick finger slides inside me. “Fuck, you’re so wet.” His gaze meets mine and he wears that insufferable smirk. “There’s one part of you that can’t deny it wants me.”
“Maybe I’m thinking of someone else.” The words lose their impact since they come out in a gasp as he adds another finger, drawing them in and out at a steady pace.
“That smart mouth.” His hands grasp my hips and he flips me over, dragging me down until I’m bent over the bed. “I know just what you need to cure that attitude. And I’m going to give it you.” The crinkle of the condom package tells me he’s prepared.
“What?” I murmur, a shiver running down my skin at the sensation of his tongue on the back of my neck.
His words in my ear are raspy. “A good hard pounding.”
I have to bite back a scream as he plunges all the way into me. The man is going to rip me apart. His hands tighten on my hips as he lifts me to the angle he desires as if I weigh nothing and does exactly as he promised, thrusting into me fast and hard.
I’m struck almost instantly by a violent orgasm that steals my breath, charging through my body like a raging inferno. “That’s it, Sade,” he growls, smacking my ass. “Not so lippy when my cock’s inside you, are you?”
Not one smart ass response comes to mind. I’m too busy being pulled under by his powerful, relentless strokes. His fingertip rubs a small circle on my clit and I shudder as pleasure rolls through me in pulsing waves again. “Please,” I groan, not sure what I’m pleading for. I don’t think I could remember my own name at this point.
“Please what, Sweets? Fuck you harder?” He slams into me, and I’ve never been fucked like this in my life. It’s raw and primal and I never want it to end. After I’m gripped with another sharp, quick orgasm, he stills, and a cross between a grunt and groan rumbles his chest as he finds his release.
Christ, what have I done? He may have just ruined me for all other men.
Chapter Four
Justus
I wake before
Sadie, and a grin instantly appears on my face at the memory of her the night before. The way her body enveloped me, her legs and arms shaking as she came over and over. I was surprised she was willing, but when she said yes, I wasn’t about to pass up the opportunity.
Groaning, she turns over and stretches.
“Good morning.”
Another groan. “Get away from me. You killed me. Everything hurts.”
“So, no morning blowjob, then?” I tease, and she throws a pillow at me.
Her mom knocks on the door and reminds us we’re hitting the mall today. All I want to do is keep Sadie naked and underneath me, but it’s just not in the cards.
“Be down in a minute!” Sadie calls, dragging herself to the shower.
An hour later, we’re piled in the car and headed down the highway.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Sadie asks her mom as we make our way through the doors of the local mall.
“Yes, I’m fine. Now stop fussing.”
She’s not fine. She looks weaker today than yesterday, the dark circles around her eyes visible even through her makeup. No matter how we protested, she insisted on this day at the mall. I have a feeling she’s trying to spend all the time she can with her daughter, relive some of the fun things they used to do together while she still has time.
Sadie falls in step beside me, and for once, she doesn’t tense up when I put my arm around her neck. I guess the night of mind blowing sex loosened her up a bit. The expression on her face when she glances at her mother is heartbreaking though. I don’t think she expected her to be as sick as she is.
“Where to first?” I ask.
Sadie and Amber look at each other and answer simultaneously. “Pretzels.”
Their giggles follow us to the kiosk where we all three get a giant pretzel. “Seriously?” I tease Sadie. “Cinnamon and sugar? That’s not a pretzel, it’s a donut. Real pretzels are covered in salt and dipped in mustard.”
“You’re wasting your breath,” Amber says with a grin. “Been trying to tell her that for years.”