Pants on Fire

by Schreyer, Casia

  This smaller room looked just like the main restaurant, except for the pile of tables folded in one corner and the stack of chairs in another. Tyler sat at a round table, set for two, reading a report of some kind. When she came in he set the report aside and smiled at her.

  “The private dining room?” she said. “Are you trying to impress me?”

  “No,” he chuckled. “I was concerned that our conversation might get a little heated so I thought sitting apart from the other guests would be best for both of us.” He shrugged. “Besides, private dining room may sound impressive, but it’s for large groups – weddings, business lunches, things like that. I got lucky that it wasn’t in use today.”

  “You couldn’t just order them to let you use it?” She sat down across from him.

  He laughed. “Not if I wanted to stay CEO. The guest comes first in all things. My father was very strict about that. I ordered for us both, if that’s all right. The food should be here any moment.”

  She almost protested but, like magic, the waiter appeared and set a plate of steamed salmon in front of her. “It looks great,” she managed.

  “I’ve missed you, Megan. I tried to get in touch with you but your mother wouldn’t give me your number.”

  “Yeah, my mom is over protective like that. I’m sorry I didn’t call before you checked out, I meant to, I just got so caught up at work that I lost track of days.”

  “Speaking of work, working in television was a bit of an understatement.”

  “Less of an understatement than ‘I work for a hotel chain doing nothing in particular’.”

  “Yeah, okay, point taken. So, Miss Maizy Daisy? I never would have guessed it. Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Do you know how many guys I have told? They either bolt because they don’t want to be Mr. Maizy Daisy in the press or they want me to bring the clown costume home in the evenings.” She shuddered and took a bite of her supper. “Wow, this is really good fish.”

  “Why did you decide to become Miss Maizy Daisy?”

  “I like fun. I’m not really a clown or anything, I never graduated from Clown College and my face isn’t registered. I’m just a children’s performer with a funny face and a wig. I like kids, I like crafts, I like being silly.”

  “That makes a lot of sense. I think it suits you.”

  “What about you, Mr. Mathers? I asked you straight out what you did at this hotel chain you worked for and you blatantly lied to me.”

  “I know, I’m sorry, but you of all people should understand. I really hope you’ll understand.” He paused to pour more wine and smiled at her. “Since you’re not driving anywhere tonight.”

  “What should I understand?”

  He sighed. “Ever since college I’ve been the Tyler Mathers, heir to the hotel chain and all the money and prestige that goes with it. At parties I’m always introduced as ‘Tyler Mathers, he’s in the hotel business,’ because people want to show off their connections. That means that every young woman I meet already knows how big my bank account is.”

  “So that horrible date, when she broke up with you for not taking her shopping …”

  “Yeah, that was a bad one. She wanted me to foot all her credit card bills, and that girl had expensive tastes. The others were more casual and subtle about it, acting interested in me, in my interests, but they’d get bored and start wanting to travel to Europe on my family’s jet, or stay for free in any hotel my father owned, or they wanted me to fund their modeling or acting career, the list really does go on but you get the point.”

  “You thought if I found out you were the Tyler Mathers that I’d start asking for money?”

  He shrugged. “Every woman I’ve ever dated has wanted my money, it’s not an optimistic track record. I thought even if the money didn’t matter that you’d run out because I’d been lying.”

  She shook her head. “I didn’t want to scare you off and you didn’t want to know if my feelings could actually be strong enough to resist your money. What a pair of cowardly liars we are. And what a lot of useless, emotional baggage we’re carrying.”

  “You mean Bryce?”

  “I mean all of it. My cheating ex, the creeps who like kinky sex with clowns, the men who were scared of being involved with me, the women afraid of being involved with you, the greedy whores who wanted your money …”

  “For a children’s entertainer you sure swear a lot.”

  “And my father chides me for it every chance he gets. I keep my private life very private.”

  He put a hand over hers. “I’m glad to hear that. They gave you and Bernie separate rooms, right?”

  Megan nodded. “Why?”

  “Because I missed you and I want to apologize to you for all the stupidity.”

  “Apology accepted.”

  He got out of his chair, came around the table, and kissed her deeply. “I’m not done apologizing.”

  “I’m on tour. I can’t be seen having an affair with Tyler Mathers in his own hotel, my producers will cancel the show.”

  “Go upstairs, get changed, and meet me down the block at the deli.”

  “You’re going to apologize to me in a deli?”

  “No, we’re going to go to a cheap motel and I’ll apologize there.”

  She laughed. “No. Never. I’m not playing sneak around games while I’m on tour.”

  “I want you Megan so unless you want me to bar the doors and apologize to you right here in the private dining room …”

  She was laughing so hard now that she could hardly breathe. “All right, you can come up. If anyone asks you were having drinks with me, and my media rep.”

  “The hard-faced woman who checked in with you? Won’t she rat us out?”

  “Not a chance. Bernie is dead set on this tour being a success.”

  “Let’s go then.” He tugged on her arm.

  “What? Right now? I haven’t finished my dinner!”

  He paused at the door and let her regain her composure and then they calmly walked from the dining room and through the restaurant, while Tyler rattled off truly boring facts about the hotel. In the lobby he said, “There’s a particularly beautiful painting in the hallway of the eighth floor, if you’re interested in art.”

  “I am, actually. You don’t have to take all this time to show me around, I know you’re busy.”

  “Nonsense, it’s one of my rare free evenings.”

  Once in the elevator she whispered, “Do you think we’re fooling anyone?”

  “I hope so, because I’m showing a lot of restraint in not kissing you right now,” he whispered back.

  They made a point of stopping at the aforementioned painting and actually discussing it, all for the benefit of the hallway security camera. Then they made their way to her room and quietly went in.

  “Would you like something to drink?” she asked as she set her keycard on the dresser.

  He stepped up close behind her and kissed the back of her neck. His hands wandered up and down her arms and she relaxed.

  “I’ve missed you so much,” he whispered into her neck. She wanted to melt right there but he held her up and guided her slowly towards the bed.

  “Your touch feels so good,” she murmured.

  He unzipped the back of her dress and she let it fall in a puddle around her ankles. She stepped out of her shoes and turned into his arms. He smiled and ran his fingers along the top of her bra. “What, no fancy lace today?”

  “I packed for comfort, not for sharing, I’m sorry.” They smiled at each other and then she turned her attention to his many buttons. There were buttons up the front of his shirt, and jacket, buttons on his shirt sleeves, and belt and a button on his pants. “Thank god you’re not wearing the tie,” she muttered.

  “I thought about it, but then you would have started undressing me in public again.” He kissed her and took her in his arms and they fell into bed. Slowly their hands sought out familiar places, each taking the time to enjoy the other’s bo
dy.

  The remainder of their clothes fell away as they reached for more skin, seeking a more intimate connection. Soon lips followed fingers and they wrestled back and forth trailing kisses up and down each other’s bodies.

  He ran his fingers up her sides, making her jump away with a shrill yelp. At her glare he shrugged. “Just checking.” He reached for her, pulled her tight against his body, and kissed her hard.

  They came together slowly, a parting and intertwining that happened almost without conscious effort. She rolled, long legs parting. He followed her, still kissing her, his hips brushing hers. He paused then and looked down into her eyes.

  They stared at each other for a long moment as the sun dipped below the city sky line casting the room into deep shadow. She reached up, touched his cheek with soft, almost timid fingers. “Are you real?”

  “Yes.” His voice was deep, rough with desire. “Now I am real. Now you know me.”

  “Yes.” She kissed him. “But I wanted to make sure I wasn’t dreaming again.”

  He smiled and kissed her back. “No more dreams. No more lies. It’s just me and you, here and now.”

  She nodded and tipped her chin up, inviting his kiss. She gasped against his mouth when he slipped inside her and his tongue darted out to dance with hers. Their every movement was slow and tender, deep and sensual, close and intimate. All traces of fun and flirty were gone, all thought of the temporary and the passing replaced by a longing for a lifetime of quiet embraces and cool evenings made warm by loving arms.

  He treasured every second, already fully aware of how rare it was for Megan to be serious about anything and still be happy. He loved her, loved how she laughed her way through life, but he loved this softer, gentler side of her too, not more, not better, but just as much.

  She held on to him and watched the emotions and sensations play across his face. Occasionally she trembled against him whenever the doubt snuck into her mind and she would worry, if only for a second, that she would wake up alone, that all this was only a pleasant dream, no matter what he said to reassure her otherwise.

  It’s not a dream. This is real. I could get used to being loved like this.

  At some point they rolled over and Tyler laid back and watched Megan above him, her soft curves glowing in the dying light of day. Her hair hung loose around her shoulders, soft waves of chocolate that framed her face. Her eyes were dark and wide and intense, taking in every inch of his face, but his eyes roamed from her eyes and face to her hair to her curves and back again. He wanted to remember every detail of here, here and now. Maybe it wasn’t the first time they’d had sex together, but something about tonight was different. Now, with all the lies stripped away, they could really, truly, and honestly be fully together.

  Soon his need began to overpower his sentimental ideas and he rolled again. Her hair splayed out over the bed spread and she gasped a little as his thrusts became quicker, and more urgent. He dropped his body close to hers and their hearts thundered together.

  Quite by accident, while shifting her hips to make his weight more comfortable, Megan found Tyler was suddenly in the exact perfect place to stroke her g-spot with every thrust. Her breath caught in her throat and she swallowed hard.

  “Oh, Tyler,” she gasped. “Don’t move.”

  He froze and she let out a desperate whimper.

  “No, don’t stop. Don’t stop. God, don’t stop. Just don’t move.”

  When he started moving again she shuddered and nodded, her eyes fluttering closed and her head tipping back. Understanding dawned on him and he continued with measured strokes, watching her lick her lips and toss her head around as the pleasure moved from ‘nice’ to ‘overwhelming’.

  When her arms shot out and she grabbed the covers with both hands he knew she was close. Careful not to shift his position from the waist down he bent forward and began nibbling at her neck. It was enough and her back arched, slamming her body tight against his and she gasped sharply.

  The shocked, breathless silence didn’t last long and she was soon moaning louder and louder. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself close against him, and let out a sound that was very close to a scream.

  He shuddered and went over the edge so fast and so hard that it left him dizzy. When they were both spent they lay together, arms and legs intertwined until neither could so much as scratch their nose without completing rearranging both of them first.

  Her eyes were fluttering closed and she smiled. “You must be real. That was better than anything I could have dreamed up.”

  “Compliment received at this end,” he muttered and sleep pulled him under.

  ***

  Megan rose slowly from sleep, her breathing deep and peaceful. She rolled over, stretched, and encountered nothing but empty bed. She sat up, heart pounding as the memory of the night before came sharp into focus.

  The sound of the shower running relaxed her again and she slipped from the bed and padded across to the bathroom. Tyler was rinsing shampoo from his hair and Megan just leaned in the doorway watching him.

  “You’re up early.”

  “Meetings,” he said. “And I have to get home to change before I hit the office.”

  “That makes sense. Were you going to slip off without saying good-bye?”

  “No, but I was going to let you sleep as long as possible. I’m done here, if you want the shower.”

  “Yes, thanks.”

  “I put my number in your phone,” he said. “And I stole your number from your phone’s memory.”

  “We should have thought of that a lot sooner,” she said.

  When she got out of the shower he was dressed and hovering by the door. “I’ll be in meetings all day so I’ll miss your appearance at the book store, but Stephanie will be there with her son, AJ. I’ll be back here to check you out this evening. I promise.” He kissed her. “Good luck.”

  He almost bumped into Bernie as he went out and Bernie stared after him, obviously in shock. She turned to Megan. “Is that Mr. Mathers?”

  “Yes, that’s Mr. Mathers.”

  “And was Mr. Mathers here all night?”

  Megan rolled her eyes. “Yes, Tyler and I slept together. Yes, I know I’m on tour. Look, no one needs to know about this until we get back from tour and Tyler and I decide exactly what this relationship is.”

  “So what was last night?”

  “An apology. Do I need any more lectures? Because I’m awake and washed on time and we have a schedule to keep.”

  “Fine. We’ll deal with Mr. Mathers and the press if or when it becomes an issue. Are you ready for today?”

  “I won’t be forcing any of my smiles, that’s for sure. When do we have to meet the car out front?”

  “Forty-five minutes. And you will eat breakfast because I will not have you passing out in front of all those kids.”

  “Bernie, that’s over and done with. I’m over Bryce, I’m not going to go on anymore starvation diets to ‘improve my self-image or sense of self-worth’.”

  “Good. And make sure you’re packed, too. You’ll barely have time for a shower when we get pack to check out this evening.”

  “I know. I didn’t really unpack last night. Now, let’s go down and get that breakfast, I didn’t get all of my dinner last night and I’m starving.”

  ***

  For not being one hundred percent sure of how many people would show up or exactly how the day would go it was a very successful start to Megan’s tour. They had wisely advertised two sessions, one before lunch and one after lunch. At the beginning of each session Megan led the kids in a quick sing-along and answered their questions before settling in behind the long table and signing cookbooks.

  The only real surprise of the day was when a round faced blonde with a son too young to be cooking stepped in front of her and said, “You know, I think I’m just as excited to meet you as my son is, Megan.”

  Megan looked up sharply, her shock quickly giving way to a smile.
“Well, I’m glad AJ enjoys the show so much. This cookbook will be a wonderful keepsake for him.”

  She opened the book and wrote, ‘To AJ, never be afraid to chase your dreams, you can be anything that you set your mind and heart to. Thank-you for being my #1 fan. Miss Maizy Daisy.’

  “Thanks for coming by!”

  Stephanie smiled at her, took the cookbook, and the line moved on.

  ***

  Tyler looked at his watch again and the chairman of staff relations cleared his throat. “Is there a problem, Mr. Mathers?”