by Denise Avery
“Wh-why.” Claire struggled to form words. “Why can’t I breathe?”
“Oh! Oh, God” Parker exclaimed and let go of her wrists.
She felt his hands fumbling along her torso and a welcome relief flooded her body. “I should have taken the corset off sooner. I’m sorry, darling, that was grossly irresponsible of me.”
“Did I, Did I pass out?” Claire asked still completely baffled.
The last thing she could remember was Parker’s forearm pressing against her windpipe when he drove his thick, rock solid member deep inside of her. She actually felt lightheaded all over again just recalling it. The man certainly knew how to leave an impression.
“Yes you lost consciousness for a moment.” Parker said.
Claire was distressed to see that guilt was clouding his usually clear and beautiful brow. She placed her hands on his cheeks which were just beginning to show a five o’clock shadow.
“Hey, don’t look so concerned,” Claire said lightly. “You’re right; the corset was a technical foul. I was just so excited to try on all the stuff Savannah got us that I became over eager. I don’t think these tits were made to be forced into a corset. Not unless I was planning to sit around a tea table all day, which incidentally is the exact opposite of what you and I generally get up to. Screwing on a tea table, maybe, but…”
“Stop turning this into a joke.” Parker said in a steely tone. “You could have been seriously hurt and it would have been my fault. Is it how you want to remember our wedding night, a fractured rib, concussion and permanent brain damage?”
“That last bit may have gone a bit too far, darling,” Claire smiled weakly into the depth of Parker’s storminess, “Besides, isn’t this sort of thing to be expected? You know... the way we do things? I mean, surely sooner or later something’s got to give. A little bump on the head never killed anyone right?”
“You’re fucking with me, right?” Parker growled looking furious.
Claire’s exposed skin prickled in anticipation of his wrath. Generally it was a feeling she looked forward to, but not so much this time. “Did I say something wrong?” Claire asked in a tiny voice.
Her fingers found the thick, downy comforter of their wedding suite and pulled it around her naked body. Parker stared at her for a moment that seemed to span years. She suddenly felt very young under his scornful wrath, a little girl caught playing with her mother’s makeup, or kissing a neighborhood boy behind the family shed.
She felt precocious for being there with him and hated the sensation. Parker had never once condescended to or patronized, by making her feel too young for him. But here she had clearly crossed into territory that established her as a very silly girl.
“Claire.” Parker began doing his level best not to shout at her. “How could you possibly think that I would take the matter of your safety so lightly? Did you imagine me becoming careless with your body, your health? Are you so deluded about our relationship to think I’m a monster or some bloody animal that can’t control its urges?
“No! No, of course not,” Claire pleaded with tears coming quickly to her eyes. “I didn’t mean that at all, Parker; I know you would never let anything happen to me; I was only trying to make you feel better.”
“By painting me as a fuck-happy ogre?” Parker hissed looking away.
“I didn’t... I didn’t mean it like that.” She said fighting against the lump accumulating in her throat. “Please don’t be angry with me.”
“I’m not angry.” Parker said rising up from the gigantic bed and moving toward the bathroom, “I just feel distant from you right now.” He closed the door behind him with firm, but respectful force, and Claire finally felt the tears pour forth from her eyes.
After glancing around the beautiful suite she wrapped the comforter around like a cape and made her way to the picture window. She gazed out at the sprawling expanse of New York City; dawn was breaking to light the sky over the East River. Daylight would soon erase the neon emblems glowing so powerfully beneath her.
How had things come to this? Just hours earlier she and Parker had been celebrating their union as man and wife; the rooftop oasis was packed with family and friends. Claire had finally felt everything she ever wanted was within her grasp. Her art was being noticed in the city and she was wed to the man of her dreams. Her self-consciousness had been erased by astounding good fortune that life had thrown her way. And she’d ruined everything?
Claire felt her knees go weak and sank slowly onto the soft white carpet of the suite. She rested her forehead against the cool glass of the window as tears cascaded down her face. She’d never been a very pretty crier; unlike girls in the movies who simply became dew-eyed and looked gorgeous. No, when Claire cried it was not a pretty sight. Red blotches splattered her cheeks, her eyes puffed up until she could barely see and her nose ran incessantly. Then there were the sounds; no dainty whimpering or melancholy sighing for Claire, more like the death rattle of a wounded hyena. Certain things just can’t be helped.
Her sniffling moans were so loud that she did not hear Parker approach. She jumped when his firm arms wrapped her up; he was back and she was safe as ever. She collapsed against his chest; heaving as the sorrow of growing apart even for a moment ripped through her body.
“What’s going on?” She asked lifting her tear-streaked face to his. Parker looked down at her with a warm, sad expression. She swore she could see tears beginning to well in his ice blue eyes.
“You’ve never felt this way either have you?” He asked quietly while stroking her wilting curls. “Like you could rip yourself in two for the sake of someone else? Also if anything was to come between you, you would never recover?”
Claire nodded furiously, marveling once again at his seeming ability to read her mind. Parker hugged her closer to his chest, her ear resting on his rapidly beating heart. She realized in that moment what had upset her so much. For a fleeting moment she had glimpsed at what her world would be if she did not have Parker. Looking out over the greatest city in the world; seeing thousands of different lives all being led at once; she knew no other life, but this would ever satisfy her. It would be impossible.
“You must think I’m a pathetic little kid,” She moaned, hiding her face from him. “Please understand me Parker. Please know that I don’t think of you as some tyrant, or heartless dictator ruling our little family with an iron first. I know that people always assume such bullshit when rougher sex is in the picture, but I know how wrong they are. At least they are about us; I’m not afraid or forced, I trust you. I also love you, and I want to be with you for the rest of my life. Don’t you know?”
Parker cupped Claire’s chin in his hand and gazed down at her, amazed. Brushing aside a lock of her ash blonde hair he said. “How did you do that? Steal all my words just before I said them? Sometimes I think you know me much better than I know myself, Claire Baxter... Or should I call you Claire Bennett?”
“Bennett,” Claire said breathlessly. She realized what a wreck she must look; all tear stained after sobbing so she hid her face in her hands. “God, you must think I look horrible. A few hours into the marriage and I’m already letting myself go, right? Give me another week to pack on sixty pounds and start farting under the covers...”
Parker rolled his eyes. “Please tell me you don’t buy all of that nonsense about marriage? That would be the least mature thing I’d heard you say, if it was the case. Claire there’s no set way that a marriage unfolds. Hell, there’s no one set marriage period. Plenty of husbands cheat and lie, and so do plenty of wives. But there are also plenty of happily married couples in this world. Somewhere? Maybe not in New York.” He laughed to himself. “But please, for the love of God, don’t imagine that you have to ‘do the wife thing’ now that we’re married. If I come home to see you eating bon bons instead of working in the darkroom, we might need to have a conversation, but—”
“Darkroom?” Claire asked. “What’s this about a darkroom?”
&n
bsp; “Oh, must have slipped my mind.”Parker smiled. “Consider it a wedding present, from me to you. Work on the basement of our townhouse should be finished in a couple of days. If not, definitely before the honeymoon is over.”
“Honey, wait a minute?” Claire said sitting back on her knees. “You told me that business was too crazy right now for us to sneak away on a honeymoon. You said we’d have to wait at least six months for things to calm down at the office. You mean we’re going to have construction workers in our house for six whole months? How are we going to fuck in the kitchen? Or on the stairs? Or on the living room floor? Or—”
“Well, that’s the thing” Parker said grinning. “I may have lied to you a little, about our honeymoon that is.”
“I don’t understand.” Claire said biting her lower lip.
“I may have planned a surprise honeymoon for us to embark on, as soon as we check out here?”
“A surprise? Why you.” She pounced at her husband throwing her arms around his neck, “You devil! I didn’t even get to pack or anything.”
“No need, I had a team of shoppers buy everything you might need on our travels. Nothing has been overlooked; it has all been taken care of.”
“I can’t believe it.” Claire cried out trembling with anticipation. “Where are we going?”
“Claire.” Parker sighed, “Did I not just say that the whole thing is going to be a surprise? Why would I give away the best parts of it now?”
“Can you at least tell me how long we’re going to be gone?”
“About a month.”
“A month?” Claire couldn’t even comprehend having a month free from school, work, or the everyday tedium of post-graduate existence. For perhaps the first time she realized how much marrying Parker was going to change her life. No more scraping together pennies from under the couch in order to make rent, bullshit, counter jobs, online dating, student loan debt, ramen noodles or cockroaches. Apart from those gigantic Costa Rican cockroaches found in the rainforest, but basically no more nonsense.
“Think you can handle it?” Parker teased.
“Bring it on.” Claire cried. “I can’t believe you did this for me.”
“What’s so hard to believe? I love you. I want you to have an incredible life. I want you to see the country, the world and have every possible opportunity. A lifetime of everything you could ever want is the least I can give you in return for what you’ve given me.”
“What’s that?” She asked.
“Claire.” He said taking hold of her hands. “You loved me, fully, without any qualification or demand. You loved me before you knew that I was, well financially endowed.”
“And otherwise endowed.” Claire muttered.
“The point is.” Parker said seriously. “You’re the first, no the only woman, who could ever reach me. You’re the only one I’ve ever been able to open myself to. Do you have any idea how miserable I was before I met you? I had every possible human comfort at my disposal and it was never enough. Nothing moved me; nothing convinced me that the world was a good or beautiful place. Not until that afternoon on the subway. Not until I looked into your eyes and saw the potential for a love that wasn’t predicated on how much money I made or how I looked in a three piece suit.”
“For the record, you look fantastic in a suit.” Claire interjected
“Thank you darling, but do you understand what I’m trying to tell you? From here on out, you will not want for anything. That’s why I was upset earlier when you woke up; I felt as though I’d tricked you into a ridiculous slave relationship with me. That’s not what I want for you; it’s never been my intention. It would be a pale mockery of what we have; my love for you is closer to worship than anything else. Maybe that’s extreme, but it is the truth. When I say that I want you to have everything, it means much more than material things, it includes your well-being, respect, and self-worth.”
“But Parker.” Claire said resting her hands on his solid chest. “I never had any of those things, those intangible things, before I met you. You’ve validated me on every level; for the first time in my life I feel like a whole person. You’ve given me the world; now it’s my turn to give everything I can to you. The most I can offer right now is myself, fully, and with a promise of never holding back. My mind, body and soul are open to you as long as you want them. But in time I know that I will give you much more. I will be a loyal partner throughout your and our lives. When you’re lost, I will lead you back from the edge. I will be a good wife, and step mother, though to be completely honest, I haven’t even begun to process that...”
“It’s a lot you’ve signed up for,” Parker agreed.
“And I’d sign up again in a heartbeat. Because it’s the only life I want; if I didn’t have you or lost you... it would be the end of me.”
“Oh, Claire...”
“I meant it.” She said adamantly.
“Thank you for saying that.” He whispered.
“It’s what’s in my heart. Sorry if that sounds cheesy, but it’s the truth. I don’t know what else to tell you buddy.”
When Parker’s face broke into a smile Claire leaned toward him conspiratorially. “So... where are you taking me tomorrow?”
He grinned back at her, pulling her into his lap. “You’ll find out where I’m taking you tomorrow... tomorrow.”
“Ugh!” Claire uttered, wriggling in his grip, “Please, please, please, just give me a hint, a little one, you know you want to?”
“Fine, how’s this, we’re not only going to one place.” He said and laughed.
“What do you mean?”
“Exactly what I said, there may be more than one fixed location, that’s all.”
“Holy crap!” Claire exclaimed. “Are we doing something like an Around the World in Eighty Days thing?”
“Maybe... Sort of...” Parker said with his face falling slightly.
“What is it?” Claire asked feeling concerned.
“It’s nothing. Just... will you promise not to be disappointed?”
“Disappointed by a luxurious month-long honeymoon? I think I can manage that.”
“But... What it is, it’s not around the world.”
“Oh my God, Parker, just tell me what we’re doing.”
“Ok, fine...We’re going on a month-long tour of the United States.”
“You mean like... a road trip?”
“Exactly like a road trip.”
“Oh my God!...”
“Isn’t it what you wanted? When we were talking earlier, you said what you wanted more than anything was to see the country, stopping at all the road side attractions, eating at diners. Right?”
“Yeah, but... isn’t that kind of beneath your station?”
“Perish the thought.” Parker said and blushed.
“We’ll have to work on your vernacular before we go.” Claire smiled.
“But you do like the idea?”
“I love it, thank you Parker.”
She leaned toward him and placed her lips upon his ever so gently. His firm mouth responded in kind, moving against hers in perfect time. Even kissing Parker was an act of absurdly intense sensuality, and Claire was still surprised by how turned on she could become by the mere locking of lips. She let her hands travel down Parker’s muscular back reveling in its tautness through his shirt. Suddenly she was aware of being totally naked beneath the comforter; Claire then felt the familiar, overwhelming desire to be taken by Parker warming within.
Claire swiveled her curvy, voluptuous body so that she could wrap her long legs around him. She could feel, immediately that he was swelling to solidness. There were few things she loved more in the world than that first moment of his hard, pulsing cock pressing against her pussy in the act of love. Through the soft layers of fabric his bulge was straining against its sheath, its desperation to enter her was matched only by hers to accept it.
She wrapped her arms firmly around Parker’s neck and rolled her hips against his bulg
ing dick. He moaned softly against her neck, his hot breath sending goose bumps, good ones this time, careening across her exposed skin. She drew back and bucked against him, loving the feel of his swelling cock rubbing against her eager pussy. The friction of the sheets between them rubbing against the two bits which most wanted to meet was driving them both crazy.
Claire allowed the comforter to fall from her shoulders; it slid down until she was naked to the waist. Parker sucked in a deep breath as he took in the twin mountains of her enormous breasts. Seeing her husband feasting his eyes upon her bulging bosom made Claire feel like a goddess, and she leaned back ever so slightly to allow a better view. Her breasts moved up and down with her heaving breath, bouncing as she dry humped her way to paradise with her groom. She could feel her pussy getting wet as the pressure of his cock became more insistent and his gaze became hungrier.
Parker laid his hands on her shoulders while struggling to remain composed as she rode his cock for all it was worth. He gently pushed her torso down and away from him until she was sprawled on her back, her legs still firmly wrapped around his waist. His eyes roved over her body, prone before him in all its curvaceous glory. She was able to feel the heat from his gaze on her firm round tits; in response her nipples rose to attention. She swore she felt him grow an inch at the sight of her erect nipples rising like tiny peaks on the hills of her breasts.
As if revealing a great treasure, Parker peeled away the comforter to entirely expose Claire’s body. Lying naked before him Claire felt as though she had returned home safe and sound. She loved nothing more than releasing herself into his care, surrendering, knowing she would be cherished, and cared for. Parker cherished the sight of her body which was ready for his hands, tongue and cock to bring alive in rapturous orgasm. He looked for the world like a man in prayer, and perhaps Claire thought he was.
Parker’s laid his hands upon Claire’s waist, digging into her flesh with his strong fingers. Pushing his hands up over her ribcage he took her breasts. Knowing exactly the right amount of force required to caress her tits he savored the weight of them in his palms. He held them as if they were priceless, precious gifts to the world. Parker’s let his thumb glance across the perk nubs of Claire’s nipples; a sharp stab of pleasure hit her. She arched her back, rubbing her wet pussy against the still-covered bulge of Parker’s crotch.