by E V Darcy
Someone let out a soft snore directly above her head before they nuzzled her hair, took in a huge breath at the scent of her shampoo and sighed happily.
Holy crap on a cracker! It hadn’t been a dream she’d had!
She shifted in the embrace and slowly pulled herself away, to the dissatisfied whimper—a bloody whimper!—of Marc.
The actor was snuggled up beside her, his chest rising and falling in sleep. He looked so peaceful in the early evening light, that she was loath to disturb him. However, by the setting sun on the far horizon, Ellie knew it was much later than Marc would have planned them waking up.
She sat up carefully, so as not to wake him, before standing. She took the blanket with her—to his unconscious dissatisfaction if the sleepy pout was anything to go by—and wrapped it around her body in a toga style since the shirt was officially a lost cause.
She looked around the room for a moment and grimaced when she saw the buttons scattered about and…
She stepped closer to the marks on the floor only to stop the moment she fathomed what had made them. Well, that certainly explained what he meant by them both winning, but she was slightly embarrassed she hadn’t even noticed he’d taken matters… into his own hand, so to speak.
She snorted at her own joke as she turned around and took in the sleeping man.
‘Marc,’ she said quietly as she leant over him and gently shook him. ‘You need to wake up, I need clothes—’
‘No, no clothes,’ he muttered as he slowly roused himself. She rolled her eyes and looked at him pointedly as he finally focused on her. ‘Hey.’ He greeted her with a slow, sexy smile that made her want to fall back into his arms and kiss it off his face. ‘Why are you up?’
‘Because it’s late and Tyler’s still in his room… I think.’
‘Shit!’ he exclaimed as he shot bolt upright and almost butted her in the nose. He jumped off the couch and made to go one way, before stopping and turning another.
‘What’s the matter?’ Ellie asked with a frown as he dithered in front of her.
‘I don’t know what to do first.’
‘Hell’s bells,’ she sighed. ‘Bloody men. I’m going to go and get another one of your shirts, then I’ll mop up… that.’ She indicated towards the mess he’d left on the hardwood floor. ‘You go and check on Tyler, see what he’s up to.’ She hitched the blanket a little higher around her chest before she started toward his bedroom. ‘And we’re going to have a little chat about what happened.’
‘Fuck’s sake,’ she heard him curse just before she closed the bedroom door.
She made quick work of pulling on the last shirt she could find in the wardrobe and cursed at the fact it was white and a little thin. She rolled the sleeves up to her elbows as she padded out of the room towards the mess they had left, trying not to think about what had made it.
She had promised herself her next sexual encounter would be with someone she was involved with, that it would mean something to them both. She was far from involved with Marc in the way she had meant when she made that promise all those years ago.
But—she thought as she leant over the bar to grab a cloth and dampen it under the cold tap—Marc wasn’t involved with anyone else, was he? No one would be hurt by their dalliance, and she wasn’t going to be breaking anyone’s heart if it got out. She bit her lip at that thought.
What if it did get out?
She scoffed at the notion. It was already all over the Twitter-sphere, and it wasn’t as if they were going to make false promises to one another. After all, they were parted by half the world, so it would be stupid to assume there would be any future in whatever they started this weekend. Right?
A heavy feeling settled in her chest as her mind conjured the image of the little family-esque photo sitting on the table in its folder. She sighed heavily as she moved towards the mess on the floor. No, no matter how much she’d be amenable to starting something up with Marc, there was no way the man would be willing. This wasn’t an all-or-nothing situation; she was going to have to choose to break her rules or walk away from the man.
And there was no way she could walk away.
Bollocks.
~ ~ ~ ~
Marc watched as Ellie walked towards his room, kicking the blanket from under her feet as she went. When she disappeared through his door, he rubbed his lower face, wondering what that little chat would entail. Did she regret what they’d done? Did she want to continue? God, Marc hoped so!
He had denied himself physical pleasure for so long; had sworn off women, supposedly, for long enough to have forgotten how good they felt under his hands and how they tasted on his lips. Talking of lips…
He licked his own and smiled as the taste of Ellie lingered. He’d have to deal with that before he dealt with his son.
Speaking of…
He pushed the door to Tyler’s room open slowly, peeking through just in case his son was still sleeping. He both hoped he was and wasn’t, because if he was, there was no way he’d sleep that night. However, if he wasn’t, Marc dreaded to think what his son might have witnessed.
The movement of the door must have caught Tyler’s eye as his head popped up; he was colouring on the floor. He had his crayons spread out around him with his teddy bear propped up, to watch over them while he used his chosen colour.
‘Papa,’ Tyler cheered with a smile and quickly abandoned the red crayon he had been colouring with. ‘Did you an’ That Lady enjoy your nap?’
Yes, Marc answered. How long have you been waiting?
His son shrugged.
Why didn’t you wake us?
You looked happy, Tyler told him simply. I didn’t want to stop your slumber party. Mr. Wheresbears said we should colour.
Marc blinked at his son and wondered where he’d heard that expression. It was certainly one Marc had never used and there was no way he would ever allow Tyler to have, or attend, a slumber party. Strangers in his house or his son off in someone else’s home? No, thank you.
That wasn’t a slumber party, Tyler, Marc told him before he grabbed a wet wipe from the dresser top. He scrubbed at his mouth and fingers as he watched his son’s face scrunch up in thought.
I thought a slumber party was a sleepover? Tyler finally replied.
Marc sat down beside him and explained that usually slumber parties had more than two people and that they’d watch videos, eat junk food, play games and tell stories before going to sleep. While he and Ellie had played their own game, he wasn’t going to tell that to his son.
Can I have a slumber party, Papa? he asked in excitement as Marc struggled up from the carpeted floor.
Who with?
You and Ellie! he replied as if it was obvious. Uncle Luc and Linda could come, and Frank and Jen.
Marc hesitated. His boy looked so animated by the thought and he had dragged him out here away from their original plans. He wasn’t asking for anyone he didn’t know and it would be nice for him to have some real attention from them all.
I’m not making any promises, he ensured to say, but I’ll ask them.
‘Yes!’ Tyler squealed and jumped up from the floor, punching the air. ‘Thank you, Papa, thank you!’ Marc smiled at Tyler’s excitement and felt something deep within himself preen at pleasing his son. He hauled him up off the floor and gave him a quick squeeze before they headed back to Ellie, to ask if she had plans that evening.
~ ~ ~ ~
Ellie was just pouring herself a glass of water at the bar when Marc returned, with a very animated Tyler. The child was chattering away about pizza and drinks, completely caught up in whatever he had been discussing with his father in his room. Marc was giving him his full attention as he rattled on and she smiled at the image they made. He really was a doting dad.
She was amazed at how much the boy was talking; he hadn’t done much verbal communication in the time they’d spent together.
‘…And we need a cheesy one, Papa, ‘cause Jen don’t eat meat. Papa!’ he a
dded with a squeal as Marc threw him onto the sofa so that he bounced on the cushions. The boy giggled and righted himself to grin up at his father.
What? Yes, she does, Marc told him, clearly confused by his son’s declaration. Who said she was a vegetarian?
The boy frowned. ‘But when Unca Casey came to our house last time he told Frank that Jen don’t eat meat, she likes fish tacos.’
Ellie’s drink was sprayed all over the bar before she coughed and choked on the water she had just taken a sip of. She had not just heard that. Out of the mouth of babes!
‘I’m going to fucking kill him.’ Marc looked up at Ellie as she tried to mop up the spilt water to no avail.
‘I didn’t—’ she coughed. ‘Oh my God.’ She couldn’t help it, she burst into giggles and she couldn’t stop. She bent over the bar and dropped her head on her arms as she laughed.
‘Yeah, you find this funny,’ Marc snipped at her, but without any anger. ‘What the hell do I say to that?’ Ellie popped her head up, pursing her lips tightly to try and keep the smile off her face.
‘I could say she was just trying it out temp—’
She burst back into guffawing laughter. ‘Oh my God, Marc! You cannot say it was just a phase, an experiment. Holy crap!’
‘Oh… Fuck off,’ he sighed as he collapsed onto the sofa next to his son.
‘Papa? Do they do fish pizza?’
Ellie’s knees actually gave way and she collapsed to the floor under the bar. She hadn’t laughed like this in years. She hadn’t felt this good or relaxed in forever if the truth be told! She thought that when Marc came back in with Tyler, things would be uncomfortable, but this, right now, felt completely natural.
‘What’s up with That Lady?’ She looked up through her giggles to see Marc peering over the top of the bar at her—his expression warring between amusement and disapproval—as Tyler peeked around it. The boy glanced up at his dad for clarification. She waved at him to get his attention.
I’m fine, she reassured him. I’m just very happy. She gave the boy a huge smile and waved him closer to offer him a hug.
He went more than willingly and as he wrapped his arms around her. ‘Is it ‘cause we’s have a slumber party?’ he said.
‘What?’ She raised her eyes to Marc.
‘Yeah, about tonight—that’s what we were discussing—do you fancy coming to a four-year-old’s first slumber party?’
Tyler pulled back. Ellie shifted her attention back to him and smiled brightly. ‘Yup!’ she said with an enthusiastic head bob. Can’t wait!
The boy beamed back at her before running off shouting, ‘I get in my PJs, Papa! I does it myself!’
Marc stepped around the bar and offered Ellie his hand to help her up. She took it willingly and, with a sharp jerk, she found herself up off the floor and falling against his chest as his hands moved to the small of her back.
‘Hey,’ he said, voice low as he gave her another slow sexy smile.
‘Hi,’ she whispered. Her heart picked up speed as her eyes dipped to his lips. She wanted to kiss that smile off his face. Hell, she wanted to do more than that—
She pushed herself against him gently, rubbing her breasts against his chest ever so slightly. She wanted him to put her up on the bar, slide her knickers off and take her roughly, fuck her until she screamed his name.
She surprised herself with the brazen desire to be taken so… lasciviously. Sex for her had always been the same; gentle, repetitive, disappointing. Marc had inspired a side of her she hadn’t known existed. Earlier, she’d been pressed against a window for all the world to see and hadn’t cared! She wanted them to see. Wanted them to know she was sexy; she wasn’t a frigid bitch like Andrew had told her.
‘Kiss me,’ she demanded quietly and pushed herself up on her toes to meet him as he satisfied her command. His hands went under the hem of his shirt—the one Ellie picked out to wear—and he grabbed at her arse, his fingers digging into her bare flesh. He pulled her towards him slightly and she got the message immediately. With a little hop, he lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he nestled her onto the edge of the bar.
Fuck, did the guy read minds?
She felt his dick growing hard as he pressed against her and recaptured her mouth. His hand wound its way into her hair and he nipped gently at her lip.
‘You make me lose control,’ he murmured into her lips. ‘I haven’t lost control like this in years. Why you?’
The question was like a bucket of water over a fire; it quickly killed the desire that burned through her veins. Why her indeed?
She pulled back from the kiss and pushed against him slightly to get him to step back.
‘What?’ he asked in confusion as he gave her the space she needed to climb down from the bar.
‘Look, I know that I’m not some sexy-arse model or beautiful actress.’ His brows pulled down into a frown at her words. ‘But you don’t have to—’
‘No!’ he exclaimed as he realised how she had taken what was meant to be a compliment. ‘No, you’ve misunderstood me. I’m not questioning your looks. For Christ’s sake, Ellie, you are gorgeous, feel how I get just from looking at you.’ He took her hand gently in his and guided it to the front of his jeans. ‘I have never gotten on my knees for any woman, even Kelly and she—’ He cut himself off and shut his mouth immediately. Ellie watched as his whole body went taut and his eyes turned cold. It happened so quickly, it made Ellie drop her hand and press back against the bar, unable to step back any further.
‘Marc?’ she asked quietly.
‘I’m sorry,’ his voice was flat and detached, making her stomach drop. ‘I need to go check on Tyler.’
‘Of course,’ she said, but he had already walked away.
She took a deep breath and shook her head as she tried to make sense of what just happened. She frowned, biting into her lip at replaying his words. He’d turned funny right after he said the name Kelly. Maybe… Could that be Tyler’s mother? “Even Kelly”, he’d said, and who would you be closer to than the mother of your child?
Thoughts and questions running through her head, she wandered back into the living space and absent-mindedly picked up her bag from the sideboard; she wanted her phone. Maybe Google would have the answer…
She fumbled around in her bag, hunting the phone down. When she finally found it, she groaned to see two missed calls from Marie and half a dozen texts from Mallory, demanding to know where she was.
Bollocks. She had forgotten about their meal tonight; now, there was less than an hour before they were due to go. She hesitated as she thought of Tyler and how excited he was for her to be part of his first sleepover. But that was before Marc had dismissed her. She looked down at the phone in her hands, heaving a sigh, cleared her notifications and tucked the device back into her bag.
She found her shoes under the coffee table and slipped them on before she headed to the door. She just hoped she could make it back to her room without anyone noticing her dressed in just a man’s shirt and belt. The girls were never going to let her live this down as it was; she certainly didn’t need internet trolls adding to it.
‘Are you leaving?’ Marc’s voice stopped her reaching for the lock as she got to the door. She glanced back over her shoulder to see him standing in the doorway to the bedrooms with Tyler on his hip. The boy was wearing mismatched superhero pyjamas.
‘Well, I thought…’ As she turned around, she waved towards the bar, unsure exactly how good Tyler was at reading lips. Marc sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
‘Look, I’m sorry. That’s just not something I talk about.’
‘Okay,’ she said simply, with a shrug of her shoulders.
‘No, it’s not, but I just… can’t.’ He shook his head. ‘Please still stay tonight, it would mean a lot to Tyler.’ She glanced down at the boy who’d stuck his thumb in his mouth and watched her with uncertain eyes.
I’m just going to get into my pyjamas, she told the boy
. I’ll be back in half an hour.
‘Okay,’ Tyler said quietly around his thumb. She walked over and ran her hand over his dark hair before pressing a kiss to his forehead. She glanced up at Marc.
‘We really should talk.’ He nodded his agreement and she left the two of them.
On the way up to her room, she wondered exactly what she was going to say to Marc when they finally got the chance to have their discussion. But even more pressing; what the fuck was she going to tell Marie and Mallory?
~ ~ ~ ~
‘Where in God’s name have you been?’ Marie demanded, hand on her hips, as soon as Ellie opened the door to their room. Mallory sat on the blonde’s bed and Trent paced in front of the window as he talked into his phone.
‘And what the hell are you wearing? You were not wearing that at lunch—you wouldn’t wear that in the confines of your own room, never mind out and about where people can see!’
‘Yes, Mum, thank you,’ Ellie replied sarcastically as she threw her bag on the bed. ‘Tyler spilt juice all over me, Marc’s going to have my clothes cleaned and he loaned me his wardrobe—’
‘You mean part of it!’
‘—and his trousers didn’t fit over my stupid hips, so I was stuck with very little choice—’
‘You could have called us!’
‘—so I made do with what he had to offer.’
‘You look fabulous B.T.W. Very sexy.’
‘Marc thought so,’ Ellie said matter of factly before she could stop herself. She froze on the spot as Marie cried aha! ‘Bollocks.’
‘Guys,’ Mallory spoke up, ‘What’s going on?’
Sorry! Marie quickly turned to Mallory and started to explain. She’s shagged Marc behind our backs.
No, no, no! Ellie interjected, I did not, Tyler spilt—
Marie slapped Ellie’s hands down and began again. She did the dirty with him, Mal, on his balcony!
Ellie rolled her eyes. He doesn’t even have a balcony.