Some Rough Edge Smoothin'

by Louisa Trent

  Tomas hadn't exactly been a wanted kid. Any child of his was going to be wanted right from the moment of conception, by both parents.

  If he accidentally on purpose got Sera pregnant as a way to bind her to him, would she accept the little brown baby growing in her belly? Or would she resent the pregnancy since she considered this marriage temporary?

  He didn't. Not any more. He was in this for the long haul. The marriage wasn't temporary to him any more. As far as Tomas was concerned, this marriage was for keeps.

  He loved Sera.

  Tomas Ruiz loved his wife! Wanted to have a family with his wife. What a scandal. And what would the good people of Fenton say?

  As Tomas was coming to grips with his love for his wife, with his hope of having a family someday with Sera, Fred tapped him on the shoulder. “I think this town made a sound decision awarding Ruiz Construction the Riverfront Project. I, for one, was more than satisfied with your plans and your basic philosophy about the direction that Fenton should take in the future. Now that you have the city council's approval and the contracts are all signed we can put the news in the paper.”

  “Thank you, sir. You won't be sorry.”

  “Son,” the shrewd businessman said, man to man, “it looks to me as though you and your bride have a lot of celebrating to do tonight.”

  There was nothing Tomas would've liked more. Only he hadn't told Sera the good news because he hadn't told his wife anything about the project. She was still in the dark about all of it.

  If not for the Monroe mansion, they never would have met. If not for the Riverfront Project, they never would have married. And now that they'd both gotten what they wanted, there was no further reason for them to stay together.

  Except sex.

  Sera only needed him for sex.

  Her last song finished, his wife left the piano and crossed the room.

  Sera smiled. “What are you two men talking about way back here?”

  Fred beamed. “I was just congratulating your husband again.”

  “Oh?” Sera's smile never wavered.

  In horror, Tomas pivoted to Fred.

  Chingadero! Fuck it! His brain screamed. Don't tell her now! Not this way. Let me tell her later, in private! Let me make her understand that I didn't use her ...

  But Fred kept right on talking. “After all, Tomas’ successful bid on Fenton's downtown renovation project merits more than one round of congratulations! Sera, you must have been thrilled when he told you!”

  Sera's face was the picture of poise. “Well, naturally, I was thrilled. And thank you once again, Fred.”

  Thrilled?

  How could she have been thrilled about something she knew nothing about?

  He hadn't told her he'd placed a bid on the Riverfront Project! In fact, he'd lied and covered up the model in his trailer when she'd asked him about it. How could she be thrilled?

  “As I told the city council, any man who has this lady's full endorsement, as you do, Tomas, has mine as well. Your wife really believes in you, son, and your dreams for the future of Fenton. She told me all about the way you donated your time to the music school, about how you've been working days and nights to ensure its September opening—why that's commendable. It's refreshing to see such dedication. But your commitment to the school isn't what swayed me. You had my vote for the Riverfront Project because of your work on the Southside. I didn't realize all you've been doing over there. I'm so glad Seraphina brought it to my attention. And your architectural rendition of your vision for the waterfront is nothing short of genius. When Seraphina brought me to your trailer and showed me that model, I knew then that you were the only man for the job. Isn't that right Seraphina?”

  “That's right, Fred. I fell in love with Tomas's plan the first time he showed it to me too.”

  Showed it to her?

  He'd never showed it to her! He'd tried to keep her away from it. He'd lied to her about it. What was she talking about?”

  Sera continued. “You know how much antiques mean to me, Fred, and when I found out that my husband proposed the rehab of the existing downtown district, rather than its demolition, I just had to bring his bid to your attention.”

  “And I'm glad that you did, otherwise I might not have given Tomas’ proposal the serious attention it deserved. You two make a great little team.”

  “Yes, we do,” Sera agreed, all happy smiles.

  “The stores downtown are turn of the century buildings. I'd like to see their flavor preserved. Thank you once again for your vote of confidence, sir,” Tomas said, carefully avoiding eye contact with Sera.

  Fred shook Tomas's hand. “I'll let you two newlyweds get on with your own celebrating now!”

  When Fred left, Tomas turned to his wife, eyes blazing. “We're leaving. We'll discuss this at home.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  How could Sera have gone behind his back like that? How could she have betrayed his trust? And smile about it too?

  She must have known all along about his bid and she'd never let on to him! She would've let him believe that he got the bid on his own when he hadn't gotten the bid on his own!

  They drove home in silence.

  His wife turned to him as soon as the front door to the mansion was closed.

  “Tomas, we all have dreams,” Sera said softly. “I understand what a person will do to make them a reality. After all your hard work on behalf of the Southside, you deserve to see your vision realized. I'm happy your dreams are about to come true.”

  His dreams weren't coming true! His dreams were toppling around his ears.

  He wanted Sera to care about him, to be proud of him, not to take pity on him. He didn't want to be anyone's object of sympathy.

  Anger flying, he shouted, “You knew!”

  “I knew,” she calmly replied.

  “And you never said a thing!”

  “I never said a thing.”

  “Why?” he choked out.

  “I kept waiting for you to tell me. You never did.”

  “I didn't want you to think I was using you to meet Fred Connor. I didn't want to hurt you. That's why I didn't tell you,” he said justifying the unjustifiable.

  “I believe it's true that you didn't want to hurt me. I also believe you didn't trust me enough to tell me the truth. From the moment we met, you misjudged me and my intentions. You've always considered me too shallow to understand where you're coming from. Do you think I don't know how torn, how ambivalent, you've felt about our relationship?”

  “Only because you were a good woman and I had a lousy reputation. And then I got hopeful, and I began to think that maybe some of your goodness might rub off on me-”

  “The bad boy reformed by the good girl.” She laughed. “What a joke! You're twice as good as I'll ever be, Tomas, but you're only half as cynical.” She shook her head. “Do you think I would sit idly by and let your dreams crash and burn without doing everything in my power to prevent that from happening?

  “I knew a man who could help you realize your goal. I knew I could influence him with one brief phone call. I made that phone call. And I'm not sorry I did. That's how things get done in this world. It's not luck-”

  “No, it's who you fuck!”

  At her gasp, Tomas raked his hands through his hair. “I fucked you, Sera, but I never once screwed you like you screwed me. You went behind my back!”

  “You gave me no other choice.”

  “I could have gotten that bid on my own!”

  “You did get that bid on your own. I saw your model of the project. Your plans are amazing. The scope of your vision awes me. I merely brought your ideas to Fred's attention. Your design spoke for itself.”

  “That dinner with the Connors-it wasn't about the school at all, was it?”

  “Fred wanted to meet you as much as you wanted to meet him. I merely arranged for it to happen in a place that you would feel most comfortable. You swayed Fred's decision that night, not me. I'm only happy about
the way things turned out for you and for Fenton. This town needs a man like you. The Southside needs a man like you. I need a man like you, Tomas.”

  “Don't make me out to be noble, when what I was being was self-serving.”

  “Self-serving?” She laughed. “You don't know the meaning of the word. I did my research on you, Tomas. When I canvassed the neighborhood for the school, I spoke with the women on the Southside-mothers, wives, sisters-and they all had the same tale to tell: you gave their men a chance when nobody else in town would. I know all about the type of men you hire and put to work; they're men another contractor wouldn't touch. You've given those men a second chance. You've given them back the pride and self-respect that comes with earning a decent living paycheck. I also know all about your plans to hire more disenfranchised men, contingent upon the waterfront contract.”

  She pointed a jabbing finger at his face. “Tomas Ruiz, you own the rec enter across the street from The Pink Flamingo. You bought that old warehouse and rehabbed it so that kids will have someplace to hang after school, so they'll stay out of trouble. You're a man with a mission. Do you blame me for wanting in on that?”

  “You had no right to interfere,” he said, torn up with emotion. “No right at all!”

  “I realize you're angry now-”

  “Yeah, I'm angry. Good and angry: You set me up!”

  “That's rather harsh,” she said evenly.

  “I'm a harsh man and I'm glad you're learning it sooner rather than later.”

  She wiped a hand over her eyes. “All right, Tomas. I'm all out of arguments. I accept the blame for what I've done, but please, just don't penalize your crew because of me.” She shook her head. “You were right about me all along. I am arrogant. I swept into town, thinking I could solve the world's social problems by opening up a music school. How silly.”

  “It's not silly. The school is a sound idea! It's an investment in those kids’ futures!”

  Once the impassioned declaration left his lips, Tomas couldn't take it back, didn't know if he wanted to take it back. The words, more than what he should have said considering the present circumstances, were still so much less than the depth of his true feelings.

  “I was just kidding myself about us,” he said slowly. “I'll never be good enough for a lady like you. It's not about how you went behind my back to Connor. It's about who I am inside. I have money, but I'll never know anything about culture. About music. The arts. You belong with people like the Connors. You have an education. Style. I have none of those things. We're too different. We don't see the world the same way. And we can't make this thing work between us.”

  Sera's face was strained; her skin was the palest of cream. Tomas could make out the tiny blue veins running under the translucent surface of her lowered eyelids. And he swore quietly, calling himself every foul name he could think of, for not telling her the truth about his bid in the beginning. If he had, none of this would have happened. Neither of them would have resorted to keeping secrets.

  It's just that he had been so afraid of losing her and her respect-

  Too late now, he told himself. He'd already lost his woman and her respect. And it was probably all for the best that it happened tonight. It would've happened sooner or later, anyway. This way, they'd make a clean break before things got messy, ugly. Before life got any more complicated.

  Better to leave on his own than be asked to leave.

  “We were never meant to be together. If it wasn't this, it would have been something else. Have your lawyer draw up the divorce papers. Whatever you want, I'll agree to.” He turned to go. “I'll see you around, Sera.”

  “Don't go, Tomas,” she cried. “Please don't go. I-I need you!”

  He turned back to her. “You don't need me. You need this.” His hand went between her legs to cup her pussy.

  “That's right, Tomas,” she said, her small breasts heaving in agitation under the elegant black cocktail dress. “It's always been about the sex. That's all I ever needed you for, right? Everything else meant nothing. “

  “You said it, baby. Not me.”

  “Fine. I want you to fuck me.”

  At the sound of that word on his wife's ladylike lips, he went hard as steel.

  “That's right,” she taunted. “For the next twenty-four hours, I want non-stop fucking. A fucking marathon. I want it all. Everything you're known for in Fenton.”

  “You've got it, lady. Turn around,” he ordered, unzipping his fly as she did.

  He was breathing hard, his lungs on fire with anger and self-contempt and lust. Always lust. His balls were aching with lust for her.

  “If you want it, baby, you gotta show me. Pull that dress up outta my way and spread your legs. “

  Hiking her dress up to her waist, she braced her upper body on her outstretched arms and parted her thighs. “I will always want you, Tomas.”

  At the declaration, he drove his cock up and in, back to front, the thrust causing her body to violently jolt.

  Never before had he taken Sera without being able to read her expression. He was big; she was small. He'd needed it face to face so that he could gauge her level of comfort. Married for five years, her cunt was still virgin tight, so he'd been careful.

  He wasn't being careful now, he thought, as his hard cock drove into her, no condom, skin to skin.

  When she cried out, he pretended not to hear.

  * * * *

  After the first hard fuck against the wall, he'd had Sera strip. Right there, in the hallway. Everything off. And he hadn't been playful about it, either. This was no game they played. She wanted the full sexual experience, he intended to give her the full sexual experience.

  Cum streamed from Sera's pussy down her legs, from thigh to knee. Her pubic hair was slick with it. He liked seeing it there. He liked knowing that his semen was inside her.

  When she was nude, after making a brief stop at the stash of love toys he kept on hand in the bedroom, he led her into the bathroom and told her what he wanted.

  She tossed her head. “Fine.”

  He watched her bubble up at the sink. When she was done, and her pubic curls were all soapy, he threaded his fingers through the slippery golden-brown pelt. Then, he picked up the razor.

  “All the ladies at The Flamingo keep theirs heart-shaped,” she offered.

  “Yeah, I know. But not you. I want your cunt bare. I want to see your clit easily from the back.” He ran a finger across the plump lips. “And I want this kept open. That's as in the whole time. You don't keep it open, I'll clamp it open.”

  He shaved her bare, smoothing his palm over the smooth skin afterwards.

  When she purred, he spanked her bottom. “What I say about keeping it open?” he growled

  “I'm sorry,” she murmured and two-fingered her pussy, drawing upwards on the silky pink flesh.

  “Good.”

  Better than good, her clit was right out there for him to see.

  Possessed by the sight, he handed her the largest dildo he could find in the bunch. It was smaller than he was, but still large by dildo standards “Get down on your knees on the floor and put it in.”

  Her long hair rippled around her like one of those old-fashioned privacy screens as she sank to her haunches on the tile, opened her thighs, and started pushing the phallus into her shaven slit.

  He gathered up her hair and wound it around his wrist so that he wouldn't miss out on seeing any of Sera.

  Like, when she came up a little to maneuver the dildo and her pert tits shifted.

  That was something else. He couldn't help himself, then; he ran his free hand over her. Across the up-tilted nipples, between the girlish tits. As he couldn't reach her belly, even when he bent his knees, still holding her on a hair leach, he crouched on the floor with her.

  She had gotten down for him, but mercy, hadn't he quick as lightening ended up there too?

  He kneaded her belly, then smoothed a hand between her spread thighs, up and down each leg
.

  “Push it all the way in, Sera. Nothing left over.”

  He slipped his hand underneath her, petting her bottom as the muscles in her buttocks tightened.

  When she had accommodated the dildo, he straightened his legs, and unzipped his tux trousers, still holding her by the hair with his other hand. “You know what I want, Sera. And while you're doing it, keep the pussy action going.”

  Her tongue licked the head of his throbbing cock-it already oozed pre-come-first, before sliding down the length. She kissed her way back up as his fingers tightened on her hair. At the top again, she opened her mouth over the bulbous end, and took him in.

  Holding her in place by her hair, he thrust for her throat while she manipulated the dildo faster and faster between her legs.

  About to explode, he pulled out and rasped, “Lie down on the floor.”

  Eyelids heavy, she prostrated herself for him on the tiles, the dildo still pumping in and out between her splayed legs.

  Straddling her prone body, one leg on either side of her feet, the need to possess her overtaking reason, he came on a shout of hot jettison, his come marking her as his from her mouth to her belly, as Sera writhed in orgasm.

  * * * *

  Much later, he asked, “Are you all right?”

  “I'm fine,” she answered, but her voice sounded kinda muffled in the dark bedroom.

  Concerned, Tomas peeled his sweaty body off of Sera's sweaty body and flicked on the lamp.

  She'd begged for more, so he'd given her more. Had more been too much? Had he hurt her? Was her voice muffled because she was crying?

  Sera was spread-eagled on her belly on the bed; her wrists were stretched and tied to the posts by thin leather straps; her ankles had received the same treatment. She was grinning from ear to ear into the pillow.

  Relieved, he grunted in satisfaction at her look of satisfaction. They were fucking one another into early graves, but at least they'd die smiling.

  He kneaded her lush bottom. “You're a great lay, honey. The best I've ever had.”