by Xavier Neal
“It's number four.” He says glancing down at me. “And yeah, you could say I pulled that card.”
I wave my hand waiting for an explanation.
“Donations are important to maintaining places like this. The larger the donation the larger the favor they'll inevitably let you pull. This was one of the places my parents were large donors for. Apparently keeping that going has had a bigger benefit than just our name on pamphlets.”
Smirking wide, I shake my head again. “You've never pulled strings like this before, have you?”
“No. Most of the strings I pull are much smaller and to keep those at the estate pleased. Sending Lucky to Paris every year to attend a cooking festival to catch up with, or in many cases out do old rivals. Grabbing Green River Croc tickets for Mikey, our personal pilot. That sort of thing.”
“Then why'd you do it now?”
“Because I wanted you to know how important you are to me. I wanted you to know that even though shit between us is a little rocky at the moment, I still love you. I still want you to be happy and have all the things that make you smile.”
His confession moves my body in front of his. “Did you just say you love me?”
A couple of guests roam past us through the main lobby for the gift shop, grabbing his attention. They give Wes a strange stare before eventually turning their focus back towards where they are headed.
Seeing the sadness sink into his system alongside angst, I place a hand on the side of his face and command his eyes. “Look at me.”
When he does, he hopelessly whispers, “I know how hideous I am, Bryn. People can barely stomach to look at me. I know how lucky I am to have anyone care about me. Especially someone like you.”
“Care about you?” I snap and drop my touch. “You think I just care about you?”
In a still quiet voice, he assures, “Just because I love you doesn't mean you have to love me back.”
“Well, that's too fucking bad, because I do!” I declare louder than expected. “And for the record, it shouldn't fucking matter what anyone else thinks when they look at you. The only opinions that matter need to be yours because you have to live with yourself and mine because we love each other! The whole world could declare you a fucking monster and it wouldn't matter because the man I know, the man I see, the man that swooped me away to bring me to a place I love, is the most incredible man I've ever met in my life. Stop hiding behind your hoods and in the skin of some coward you aren't. Start being the man in public that you are in private.”
For a moment he doesn't move. Just when I'm ready to throw my hands in the air and start walking again, he slowly removes his hood to expose his face.
I smile proudly. “There's the man who keeps my panties wet.”
He can't help but lightly laugh.
“You know...when I remember to wear them.” After he laughs again, I insist, “Now, let's get this overnight tour going. There's at least one shark to see.”
Our fingers slip together and we start walking again, this time taking the stairs down towards the actual exhibits. Following the path to the left, we stroll through the exotic fish displays admiring them between reading some of the fun facts out loud to one another. He asks me odd questions, testing my actual knowledge of various species and breeds. Not only is he thoroughly impressed with my answers but grateful we're not playing the strip version again. As we continue our walk, we pass by the seahorse display, the frog area, and eventually arrive in the stingray room. Down the middle of the entire room is one long tank filled with them, just waiting to be touched.
“We have to touch them,” I exclaim, rushing to the sink against the wall for rinsing before you start.
Wes quickly argues. “I'm not touching a stingray.”
The water rushes out and I toss him a look over my shoulder. “And why not?”
“I...I just won't.”
“If you're too much of a pussy to do it then just say that.”
He doesn't hesitate. “I'm too much of a pussy to do that.”
I giggle and gently pat dry my hands. “Come on! Touch one.”
“No.”
“Peer pressure.”
“No.”
“Please?”
“No.”
I innocently sway my hips and bat my eyelashes rapidly. “For me...”
“Really baby? You're gonna force me to do this?”
“It's not as scary as you think. Just...try for me and I'll try something for you.”
The corner of his lip kicks up. “Are we talking sexually or not sexually?”
“Pussy's choice,” I hum playfully.
His eyes twitch a glare and a long sigh leaves him. It takes a few more moments before he caves. “Fine. But you owe me....”
“Deal.”
“I mean it, Bryn. I'm gonna want you to try something for me and you do it. No arguments.”
“Yeah. Yeah.” I brush off seeing no need to worry about that now. “Rinse your hands off and I'll show you how it's done.”
Wes quickly drops his bag, washes his hands, and joins my side at the tank where the creatures are cruising around.
“They look...busy. Maybe we should come back later?”
“They're hoping for a treat,” I inform him. “They're a part of an active exhibit. They see people and they know the likeliness of chum may be close to follow.”
“You really do know a lot about ocean life.”
“And sea life.” With a quick wink, I hold my hands out flat and hover them above the water. “Keep them out like this, just gently placed right above the line. They'll swim by and nudge you. Don't pull their tails and try not to jerk away too fast.”
Wes nods, mimics my stance, and holds his breath as we lower our hands slightly into the water.
Almost immediately, a couple of the creatures swim underneath our hands, the slimy, yet gritty feeling exhilarating. While Wes' hand jerks back after his first feel, I let mine linger, in hopes another one or two will come nosing around despite the fact I don't have food. By the time I finally give up playing and cooing at them, my boyfriend has not only washed his hands but picked up his mystery bag again.
I start the hand washing process at the same time I ask, “Was it as horrific as you thought it would be?”
“Pretty sure I was more afraid of it than it was of me.”
I mock him. “Oh really? I would've never guessed that.”
He gives me a swat on the ass that makes me giggle. “Don't pop it if you're not gonna top it...”
The sexual reference causes him to shake his head despite his smile. “Have you always said whatever just comes to mind?”
I nod and dry my hands. “It's a gift and a curse.” When we start walking again, I ask, “What's in the bag, anyway? You still haven't told me.”
“You'll see when it's time. How about we go check out the penguin display? They're probably resting, but I think it could still be fun.”
We wander out of the stingray room and down the hall for where the penguins are playing. To our surprise, they don't seem concerned with it being night time at all. They're diving and waddling clearly engaged in what appears to be a night time party.
“Why do I feel like we're crashing their kegger?” I giggle leaning into Wes' touch.
He tightens his grip on my hip. “Because I think we are.”
We laugh again together and watch as they seem to enjoy every moment they're having. Our time with them isn't long. Rather than impose on their evening out, we make our way around the building to where the otters are taking turns down a slide they've made. The sight sends me into a fit of giggles loving how entertaining these creatures can be.
A brief amount of time passes before Wes states, “The aquarium is accepting interns into their Marine Mammal Training program. The focus is on Sea Otters and at the end of it, they're looking to hire two or three employees on full time.”
My eyes swing up to his.
“Not quite as exciting as sharks, bu
t I think you would still love it. I damn sure would rather you spend your days watching them float around on their backs than worry about men trying to convince you to get on yours.” I drop my jaw to argue about not needing charity when he states, “I had J.T. send your resume to Renee after we left, so she could send it here to the human resources department. Internship starts next week.”
Infuriated as much as I am impressed, I snip, “I didn't need you to do that.”
He confidently replies. “No. But I wanted to. I'm lucky enough to wake up to the woman and the job I love every day. I want the same for you.”
Uncomfortable with the generosity, I sigh, “If you wanna add a third person into this relationship so we can both wake up to the woman we love, we're gonna need to look into that. I prefer brunettes.”
His urge to smile is short-lived. “I'm serious.”
“I can get a job on my own, Wes. I don't need you pulling strings for me.” Folding my arms, I continue to deny the offer, “Look, it's a really sweet gesture, we're talking Spock giving Uhura his mother's necklace level of sweet, but I can find a way into the industry all on my own.”
He nods slowly. “I figured you would say that.”
“Because you know me.”
“I do.” His grin makes an appearance. “And that's why I touched a stingray for you. You owe me one. This is it.”
I drop my jaw in surprise. “This isn't what I had in mind! I was thinking beads or a butt plug! Not this.”
He pushes past the examples and states, “You wanted me to try something new? I want you to do the same. Stop being a pussy.”
His use of my own words against me scrunches my face. As amazing as it would be to finally be in the field I spent countless hours reviewing lecture notes about, I wanted to be able to do it on my own. If I take this chance, if I let him help me now, how am I any different than that girl who dropped to her knees to suck dick to get ahead in another field? “Wes-”
“No,” he cuts me off to my surprise. “You're gonna take the internship because that's all it is. I didn't get you a job. It's not even paid. It's just an opportunity to prove yourself and earn a spot doing something you actually wanna do in life.”
“I can't afford an unpaid internship. I've got bills to pay. Eventually, rent to afford-”
“Not if you live with me.”
The abrupt change in topic folds my arms across my chest. “What?”
“Don't go,” he sighs, reaching out for me. “I know you've probably got enough saved up by now to move into your own place, but....that's not what I want, Bryn. I want you to be able to roll out of bed in the middle of the night and walk into my office. I wanna walk into the living room after working out to see you tossing back a beer with my best friend. I want your visit to your mom to be just a golf cart drive away. I'm sure it's crazy to move in with some guy you just started dating a few weeks ago, but I think that just makes me like it more. You breathe life into my life, Brynley. If you leave, I think I'd suffocate.”
I yank him into me by his sweatshirt. Knowing no verbal response I can conjure up will ever express exactly what I'm feeling, I let my body take over the duty. Our lips part and our tongues embark on a rapacious exhibition of one another's mouth. A ferocious desire rips through each of us as we desperately tug at the clothing blocking our path. Without second thoughts regarding who could catch us, we shed our clothes and bury ourselves on top of and underneath the blankets he brought.
Wes' warm breath brushes across my neck before he lowers his mouth to my nipples. He sucks hard. Fast. Devours one before darting to the other. His tongue and teeth toy with the sensitive nubs until I'm clawing at him to please instead of tease. Linking our lips back together, I roll him over and crawl on top. One hand tugs fiercely at my messy bun while the other flops around in search of his jeans for something we don't need. Rather than verbally proclaim it, I connect our bodies, his cock quickly coated in my scorching wetness.
His head falls backward hitting the hard floor. “Holy shit...”
Sitting all the way up, I briskly rock and breathlessly moan. Wes' hands cement themselves to my hips while his dick relentlessly nudges so deep my body begins to overflow with euphoria. The bliss is a new, unadulterated kind. My muscles clench tighter onto their new found version of heaven. His groans crash into mine as our love roots itself further in each other with every thrust. Our organic cries echo against the glass, reminding us how truly enthralled we are with one another.
Wes' eyes roll back and he whimpers, “I can't hold off like this...”
My movements begin to falter in agreement.
“Baby if you don't want-”
“I do,” I whisper, eyes falling into his. “I want all of you.”
He groans harshly, bites his bottom lip, but doesn't give in. “Only if I can have all of you.”
I whimper in return and my pussy follows suit. Unable to speak my response, I nod, and the pistoning of his dick becomes barbaric. He pumps ferociously, not only freeing my first orgasm but immediately shredding it to make room for a second to burn. My head dips forward, his name cantilating from lips like I'm worshiping at the alter known as Wes. All of a sudden he thrusts his body upward, wraps his arms tightly around me, and trembles fiercely.
Sweltering surge after surge fills me at the same time he whispers, “You're mine now.”
Ethereal emotions continue to cradle me yet I manage to confess, “Always.”
Brynley's naked body wiggles against mine rolling my head back to look at her rather than the shark swimming around above us. “I'm starving.”
“You want me to call ahead and have Lucky get something started for us?” I question, fingers gently stroking her shoulder.
“Or...” She drags out the word in a way that informs me I'm probably going to hate how the sentence ends. “We could stop for breakfast at Mo Mo's diner.” Instinctively my body tenses and hers pops up to lock eyes with me. “You know, even Batman went out during the day. Well, Bruce Wayne. Bruce Wayne went out during the day and had breakfast with people.”
I tilt my head at her with a curious expression. “Why do you and J.T. constantly reference me like that?”
“Because that's what you are,” she clarifies bluntly. “Your mission in life seems to be to protect and save people from everything you can. Like a superhero. Batman wore a mask,you typically wear a hood. However, he had no problem meeting Selena Kyle for the occasional cup of coffee or midday romp at her place, so since I don't have a place all of my own for a midday romp, I'll gladly settle for a cup of coffee in public. Oh! And don't take any of that like I need you to save me from something. I'm more than capable of saving myself.”
My fingers return to lightly stroking her skin in silence.
As expected, my resistance to her demands leads her to state, “Hm. Let me try this again. We are going to stop for breakfast at Mo Mo's Diner. You can feel free to sit in the car and pout while I eat the world's best bacon, egg, and cream cheese bagel sandwich.”
I grunt, “Are you really gonna pull this fucking stunt every time I refuse to eat in public with you?”
Brynley stands at the same time she replies, “Yes.”
Slightly irritated, I lift my body up onto my elbows.
“And you wanna know why?” She grabs her bra from the bag. “Because you need to realize some shit is just out of your control.” Once she's strapped on the article, she proceeds to slip into the others as she adds, “I told you when I first got to your place, I would break all your rules. I would push all your boundaries, proving I obviously don't say shit I don't mean. So last night when I said you need to start being the man I fell in love with behind closed doors, out in the open, I expected it to stick. I know you wanna slowly wade back into the waters but it seems the only way you really function is if you're pushed in head first.” Now completely dressed, she offers me my jeans. “Time to nut up or shut up, Wes.”
For a moment I simply stare at my jeans being offered to me n
ot sure what amazes me more, her crude metaphors that I know I need as much as I need her, or her inability to ever back down. I grab my pants and sigh, “Can we at least sit outside?”
The expression doesn't change. “So you can hide behind your sunglasses?”
“No.” I stand to slide my clothes back on relieved my underwear are already inside. “So we can see the ducks you were telling me about.” This time her face lights up the way it always does when she gets her way. Moving my body closer to hers, I stroke her cheek and state, “You may not need me to save you, but it won't ever stop me from trying. That's what you do when you love someone, Brynley. You never give up.”