by Pamela Ann
At this point in time, anything was possible. Hell, I hadn’t even thought I could love a woman, but here I was, falling leaps into it. Knowing the jealous crazy man in me, I was surprised again that I could easily forgive Emma’s minor act of betrayal. I was just relieved that nothing happened; kissing, fingering, fucking or otherwise. If that weren’t the case, I wasn’t so sure that I could act all forgiving.
“Maybe you’re right. We can start fresh from here on,” Emma agreed, hopeful.
A fresh start, it was definitely what we needed.
A Turning Leaf
A few weeks later…
Every year, ever since we were in seventh grade, it was a tradition for us to throw a Halloween party. I guess you could chalk that up to us, men, trying to goof around and act all silly without being judged too much.
I was a Jack Sparrow aficionado and I had waited all year—hell yeah I did—to dress up as his character and use crazy amounts of eyeliner on both lids, but what took the cake, were the funky teeth and the string of braided hair that moved about as I talked.
So, with enough persuasion, more like bargaining to do whatever she wanted, I finally convinced Emma to match me. We would be Jack Sparrow and Elizabeth Swan from Pirates of the Caribbean.
We smiled like idiots when we checked each other out.
Emma’s dress was on the sexy side, showing off her cute belly button, her eyes shone like blue topaz as she sauntered towards me. “My, can I be your captive, Captain Jack?”
I bent over and planted a chaste kiss on her glossed lips, showing her my epic, toothy, pirate smile. “Anything for my Miss Swan.”
The party was wild and crazy and I expected nothing less. Hell, Halloween was my favorite holiday; it was worth the money and good fun.
My girl and I were stuck together like glue; dancing and laughing, whilst making out like teenagers like no one’s business. I was happy and by the looks of it, Emma was happy with me. The nagging thoughts of Bass Cole were gone and so was the man himself because he was out in Canada, filming. I was more than grateful that the bastard was an actor then.
When Thanksgiving rolled in, we spent it with Emma’s family. Apparently, I was the second guy she brought home to meet them. Growing up, adults and their opinions weren’t something I took notice of, but knowing these were Emma’s parents, the need to impress them was top priority.
Was I nervous? Fuck, yeah. I was sweating bullets, especially when her father was being a total tool towards me. It was understandable, coming from a parent, but from the boyfriend of the daughter’s point of view, not so much.
When Emma’s father, Seth, cleared his throat, as if to warn everyone that the grilling was about to start, I immediately tensed, trying not to get intimidated. “Tell me, Carter, how many women have you had sex with?” Seth asked in a serious manner during dinner as he carelessly popped a carrot into his mouth and chewed it leisurely.
Of course, the entire table became silent, all eyes were on me. Shit, man. Total. Big. Shit. The question was baffling, but what got me in hooks was that I didn’t know what my number was. I stopped counting after I hit the triple digits. How long ago was that? I wondered nervously. Maybe a couple years back, but I always wore protection and got myself checked annually. So while I was being a manwhore, I at least was a responsible one.
Emma’s mother warned her husband to play nice, but to no avail. Seth stood his ground while he waited for me to respond, eying me like I was a poisonous snake.
“Dad, can you at least act civilized. You’re being to invasive,” Emma hissed at him while I just sat there, turning red.
How cute and embarrassing was this? At least my Emma tried to help me out. Clearing my throat, I aimed to best answer him in the truest possible answer I could give him. “I can honestly tell you, sir, that I do not know the answer to that question, but what I can tell you, with great frankness and confidence, is that since Emma came into my life, I couldn’t imagine being with anyone else. If you had asked me how many women I have loved in my life, it wouldn’t have taken me long to answer. I have only ever loved one and that is your daughter.”
Everyone, including Emma, fell silent. As the seconds ticked by, I was getting agitated. After a minute of silence, Emma’s father beamed at me with approval. “It’s ironic. I gave Emma’s grandfather a similar answer when he asked me the same question. You are welcome in our home as long as you treat my only daughter well. Don’t make me regret this, Carter.”
Phew, parents. They were going to be great to get to know, but a pain most of the time. For Emma, I’d do anything to make her happy. “Thank you, sir. I promise that I won’t.”
It was awesome because right after I uttered the last word, I was welcomed into her family and was in her father’s good graces. I immediately accepted their invitation to spend Christmas Eve with them.
Emma and I were making new memories together and I couldn’t be happier.
After the forty-five minute drive from Ojai to Santa Barbara, we were back in my house, changing and getting ready for bed. Contentment settled over me as I gathered Emma into my arms and started kissing her, just wanting to be close to her. Tonight was a success and I was happy that I was getting to know more about Emma.
“Carter?” she asked, breaking off our kiss.
I pulled back, waiting on her to reveal what her loaded question would be. It was the way she spoke my name in a question that had bells ringing in my ears. Call it gut, instincts, whatever, but it was making me edgy.
“I have to tell you something important… something that I’m really excited about. I want you to have an open mind and let me finish talking before you say anything, okay?”
Open mind? Let’s see how pliable mine could be after, I thought before nodding my head for her to go on.
“I got chosen to be the lead actress of a movie alongside Bass. It won’t start filming until May, in Greece. I’m not sure if I’ve ever told you, but I used to be in drama in high school and I loved it. I still love it. This unbelievable opportunity could start my career if everything turns out well,” Emma rushed out, as if out of breath, nervous about having kept this a secret.
Okay, I get that she needed to keep this in for a while because hell, this was a big deal and knowing Emma, she probably needed to come to terms with it first before telling me, so it wasn’t a big deal. The problem was Bass.
Letting go of Emma, I rolled onto my back and stared at the ceiling, deep in thought. After a few seconds of me not muttering anything, Emma touched my arm.
“Carter, say something?”
“I’m happy for you, Em. I really am, but concerning you working with Bass? Not so much. He wants you. I don’t know if he’ll stop the next time. Right now, I’m thinking that he’s probably waiting for the right opportunity to draw you in. I know men like him quite well because I was one.”
“That phase with Bass is done, Carter. You have nothing to worry about. I’m with you now and we’re doing so great, you’re being so great and you make me very happy. I can’t help but love you a little more each day,” she gushed, making me happy, knowing it was what I needed to hear.
Turning on my side, I cupped her velvety skin before stroking her cheek. Without a word, I was atop her accommodating body; her legs spread, ankles behind my hips, locking me in as we slowly made love.
It was heaven and I wanted to live in it, no matter the cost.
You’re My Best Christmas
Emma spent Christmas day with Lindsey and my aunt and uncle in our home in Montecito. It was the first time Emma would meet them. They were pretty excited to meet my first girlfriend, I suppose.
Gary was my father’s brother who had taken us in when our parents died. They were a great couple, but after witnessing the deterioration of my parents, I opted not to let myself get attached to them. They were blood, but for me, the only family I had was Lindsey, Brody and Emma.
After lunch, I immediately excused us when Alice suggested going out to see a mov
ie. Emma was eager to go, but I didn’t give her the option to decide. The second Lindsey, Alice and Gary left for the movie theatre, Emma was onto me, determined to get some answers.
“Why did your aunt and uncle buy such a large house when there’s only the four of you?” she wondered out loud.
“They already bought the house before we moved in. They hoped to have their own children, but after a few years of trying, they gave up. They loved this house too much to let it go. They were happy to raise Lindsey and me after our parents died. I guess in the end, they got what they wanted.” I wasn’t bitter or anything. It was a way of life, fucked up as it was, but that’s just how real it could be. You lose one and you gain one. Cause and effect.
“That’s a little weird to say, Carter. You make it sound like they’re happy that your parents are dead—that they got an instant family through their deaths.
Not wanting to discuss trivial family problems, I shrugged. “Whatever,” I muttered, walking ahead as I took her upstairs, wanting to show her my old room.
“Here’s my bedroom,” I murmured as I opened the dark oak door. It was themed in dark nautical colors against white walls. My trophies and achievements were lined up on top of a mirrored shelf. I watched as Emma strolled towards them, scrutinizing each award and recognition with avid curiosity.
“What are you smiling about?” I came up behind her, nibbling her earlobe before I pulled her against my chest.
“A little league, Carter Mason.”
My tongue was playing with her ear, intentions of the innocent kind of kissing was out the window as I felt my dick twitch in excitement. Hastily lifting off her dress, pulling her stockings down, I didn’t even pause in reaching inside her thong, seeking her already moist folds, ready to come out and play.
“How about you think about the big league Carter Mason, hmm?” I erotically whispered against her ear, sending shivers across her frame.
Reaching for my kiss, Emma devoured me, showing me how much she loved me, exposing herself to me.
I started pulling us towards my large bed as we fervently kissed and, at the same time, hastily took our clothes off. I broke our kiss before pushing her down onto the bed, naked. Emma was a beautiful woman, but when aroused, she was magnificent to look at, and look I did. I gazed at her with terrifying hunger while I stood tall and de-robed before her, letting her indulge in watching me stroke my shaft, getting me even harder as our eyes met.
“I just want to picture you like this forever in my mind… on my bed… looking more beautiful than the first time I saw you.” I moved silently towards her, eyes full of admiration and determination.
“Stop,” Emma commanded and pushed me down on the bed. “Now, it’s my turn to have a good memory of you on your bed.” She gently stroked my torso, hands sliding down south, scratching before she got hold of the base of my shaft, tightening her hold of it before letting her succulent mouth slowly suction me off, blue eyes gazing upon me. She was enjoying what she was doing to me. Letting it go, she teased it, as her mouth hovered around the tip of the shaft. “Do you want a hard suctioned vacuum with a side of teabag action? Or, a wet, sloppy, nasty deep throat with a side of tongue action?” Long lashes batted downward to view my aroused state, staring at me, wide-eyed with pseudo innocence.
Wicked Emma, how I love you like this, pleasing me and loving doing it at the same time. “Thank you, God, for answering my prayers and granting me the perfect woman!” I exclaimed with enthusiasm before reaching down and stroking my hard cock a few times before speaking, “Give me the nasty works, Emma.”
“Sure, but with one condition, do not ever, ever touch my head and push it down, comprende?” She raised a brow at me.
I’m at your service, baby. “See this?” I held out my hands before placing them underneath my head and smiled. “I will never dare touch a strand of your beautiful blonde hair, my Emma.”
We began, slowly pleasing each other until we were both yelling and gasping for air. I could die a happy man, I thought as I pulled myself out of her wet depth, sated and merry. It was a Christmas to remember, all because of this woman beside me.
“I love you, Emma, with everything that I am.” I moved onto my side and gathered her limp body close to me.
Kissing my sweaty chest, she murmured, exhausted, “I love you, too, Carter.”
We held onto each other until we fell asleep.
For the very first time, I was happy during Christmas.
Welcome Back To Reality, Mason
Three weeks later…
“What’s wrong? Why do you look all sad and depressed?” I worriedly asked, nudging and pinching her cheeks.
“I’m a few days late, Carter.”
Shit, man, I thought, tensing. “You’re pregnant?” I asked, in a tone that sounded like I was accusing her, but it was more of in disbelief. I’d been here before, several times in fact. Women used pregnancy to fuck the guy up; it was a weapon of mass destruction to all young men.
She gave a nonchalant shrug. “I don’t know yet. I was hoping you could come with me to get a pregnancy kit at CVS or somewhere. Then we can head back here and do the test together.”
A baby…I was going to be a father? That sinking feeling of being trapped and suffocated dropped like a roaring wave all over me, submerging me deeper into a place that I wasn’t prepared for… a place where I didn’t want to be. Father. For years, I had vowed not to become like him and it seemed that I was on my way to doing just that.
Unprepared pregnancies, I was the fruit of one. “I’m not ready to be a father, Em. Hell, I’m not ready for any of that shit. What the fuck! I didn’t ask for this!” I started to panic, thoughts of a crying baby and Emma blaming me for everything, yelling and more screaming. Suffocation, it certainly was choking the life out of me, inhaling me deeply, mutilating any reasonable comeback my brain came up with.
Emma looked offended, like I slapped her with an accusation or an insult, maybe both. “You think I want this? I have a future I was looking forward to and now that could be taken away from me.”
We were doing so well, and we still could be. There was still hope. If there’s a will, there’s a way. And I sure as hell wasn’t ready to become a father or live without Emma. There was only one way I wanted this to go. There was so much at risk here. For me, for Emma and for our future together.
Holding her face, I spoke sincerely to her, “We could have it aborted. We can get rid of it.”
Emma flinched at my suggestion, seeming distraught. “We’re not even there yet. We have to see if I am before you start plotting the demise of your child.” She got up and strolled towards where her purse was and grabbed it. “Are you coming with me to go get the test or what?”
I searched her face for a few seconds, pleading with my eyes before giving her a curt nod.
Twenty minutes later, we were back at the dorms. I was jittery, more than ever. For some reason, going with Emma to get the pregnancy kit, being here with her to find out the truth, it all became so real to me. When a woman tells a guy that they’re pregnant, we immediate think, “we’re fucked,” but we never think about the agony of waiting to know the truth.
Pulling the kit out of the plastic bag, I stared at it like it was the detonator that was going to blow up my life in a few minutes time. “Do you just pee on it? Just like that?”
“Yes, that’s what the instructions say, right?” Emma snapped at me, annoyed, before she grabbed the box and darted towards the bathroom, slamming the door to make a point.
I admit, I was being a jackass, but I couldn’t help it, I was getting paranoid. Torn between the images of signing my life away and just comforting Emma, knowing that she needed me right now.
The next three minutes were the worst few minutes I’ve ever had to date and, by God, I didn’t want to go through this again. It was petrifying.
Standing up, I started to pace, flicking a glance back to the bathroom after a few seconds, contemplating if I should be inside wi
th her so we can look at the stick together. Could I possibly handle it if that damn thing turned out to be positive? I asked myself, knowing the answer. No, I simply couldn’t. Huffing a few times before deciding to lean against the wall, I closed my eyes, urging myself to calm the hell down.
“I’m not pregnant.”
Fuck, I didn’t hear the door open. Staring at Emma’s form, she simply looked troubled, but my mind was registering what she said more. Not pregnant means, no baby.
“Fuck! Thank you, God!” I thundered with relief and evident joy, almost forming a smile at the news.
What a fucking day this was. Phew! Hell, I needed a cold beer after that ordeal. Fuck, I needed to celebrate or something. “Listen, Em, I have to go. I need to clear my head. I need to just drink a beer or two. I’ll call you.”
Brody and Cooper needed to celebrate with me, maybe even Russo, I thought as I went over to a silent Emma and planted a kiss on her forehead.
Pulling my phone out, I walked out the door and called Brody. “Yo, bro! I need to booze up.”
“Got stacks behind the bar. We celebratin’ something I don’t know about?” Brody mused, wondering what prompted this call. The man knew me too well, knew that I just didn’t call to get drunk randomly.
Damn straight, we’re celebrating. We needed to celebrate freedom, that’s what. “I’ll tell you all about it later. Coop at home?”
Brody grumbled something about them not talking, but yeah, he was home. “Cool. I’m on my way back.” Cutting off the call, I climb into my Cadillac, homebound.
When I got home, Brody was already waiting for me on the patio. He had a huge bucket full of ice and chilled beer halfway dipped in them. “Sweet!”
Walking a few steps towards the hallway, I called out for Cooper. “Coop, come out, man!”
“Yeah!” I could hear him, a little muffled.
Joining Brody out on the patio, I headed straight for the bucket, getting a bottled-neck import. Gulping a couple of times before I finally let out a breath, I then spun around to face Brody, who was eyeing me skeptically.