by Amber Burns
“That’s sexy as hell, shows you’re mine,” He said coming up behind her and stripping off her vest and skirt where she stood, leaving just her bra and heels.
“I am standing in your apartment wearing nothing but a white bra, red heels and I have your, well, you know… Running down my legs… And my hair is wild, my makeup is smeared…”
Chris stepped up to her and silenced her with a finger on her lips.
“Hush, you’ve never looked more gorgeous, because I’m the one who messed up your perfection.”
The expression in his eyes kept her silent as he led her to the shower and washed her clean, from her hair, to her toes. After, they sat curled up on his leather couch, while Diana Krall played in the background, with Chris watching as Brittany tucked into a bowl of macaroni-cheese.
“Brit, baby, when can I meet your parents? We have been seeing each other for just over six months now and it would be nice to not have to sneak around behind their backs all the time, what scares you so much about letting them meet me?”
Brittany turned a little green and stopped chewing to swallow her mouthful. How did she answer this without hurting him or causing a fight?
“Chris,” She started, placing her bowl on the glass coffee table carefully, “My dad… He is so old fashioned, and I’m his only child, he still treats me as though I’m twelve.” She looked at him, and he saw the sadness and regret forming there, “He will take one look at your tattoos, and the bike, and hear that you are eight years older than I am, and then promptly forbid me from ever seeing you again.”
Chris tried to control the anger that rose in him.
“Your father, the man who produced a daughter as loving and kind as you, would be so judgmental?” He asked, an eyebrow raised.
Brittany crawled into his arms, “I’m not sure, but it terrifies me that he might, and then I’ll lose you.”
With a very deep breath Chris hugged her close.
“You’re mine Brittany, and nothing is going to change that, I will fight anyone who tries. Can we try? Can I meet them at least? I mean, I am successful as a business owner, I am financially secure enough to provide a very comfortable life for you should that happen, I don’t get drunk. Surely that is preferable to some irresponsible young college boy with nothing but booze and getting laid on his mind?”
Brittany nodded, “You should remember to make that point when you meet him, he will put you on the stand.”
Chris frowned when she said that, and then rolled his eyes, “Oh, lawyer, right.”
They stood and went up to Chris’s bed, and just before falling into dreams, Brittany murmured into his ear, “I’ll talk to my father tomorrow, okay?” and with a smile he made a small sound of assent. “Hmm.”
Chapter 6
Sunday morning breakfast in the McAndrews household was one of Brittany’s favourite things. Her mother made pancakes, she stood side by side with her, squeezing fresh orange juice, and her father sat at the table with the Sunday morning papers on his lap. Mozart’s piano concerto’s played in the background, and overall life was peaceful. Brittany dreaded the conversation she needed to bring up, but also in her heart knew it was time. She wanted to share her happiness with her parents.
“Mom, how do you think dad would act if I got a boyfriend?” She said softly.
Ann looked at her and smiled, “Does this boyfriend already exist by any chance?”
Brittany had never lied to her parents, and with a blush, nodded. Her mother pursed her lips.
“Well, I think your dad would want to meet him, and know that he treats you well, and is a good man.”
Brittany bit her lip, took a deep breath and carried on, “Mom, he is twenty-eight, and he’s covered in tattoos, Dad is going to judge him before he gets to know him.”
Her mother’s face confirmed her fears. She answered Brittany though, “Is he good to you?”
Brittany nodded, “Treats me like a princess.”
Her mother smiled, “In that case we can deal with your father, just get the two to meet.”
The little family sat down to dinner, and while they ate their food, Brittany looked over to her dad.
“Daddy, I have something to tell you,” She said carefully.
Her father stopped eating and stared at her.
“Are you okay my darling?”
Brittany nodded, “Oh yes, I just told mom, but I want to share this with you because you mean the world to me. I have met a very special guy, and I’d like the two of you to meet, his name is Chris.”
She watched her father chew his mouthful of food thoughtfully before speaking.
“How long have you been seeing him?” He said, sounding calm enough to her.
Brittany looked from him to her mother and back.
“Six months daddy.”
“Why do you only tell us now angel?” He asked.
“I think I was waiting to be sure things work out, I guess I am also scared that you’ll judge him before you get to know him.”
Her father frowned at her.
“Brittany, I’m hurt that you’d think that of me. You are a responsible girl and have always shown careful judgment in friends.”
Brittany rolled her eyes, “I questioned my choice in friends a few months ago, and if it hadn’t been for Chris I’m not sure how I would have gotten back to Rachel’s building, where he also has an apartment.”
The moment the words left her mouth she wondered if she had said too much. She could see the wheels turning in his head, and knew exactly what he was going to say next.
“Brit, how old is this ‘Chris’ that he has his own apartment?” He asked, in a particularly measured tone.
“He is twenty-eight daddy, and his maturity suits me, I can’t stand boys my age, they want nothing but to get drunk and make-out.”
Her father stayed silent, and her mother took the opportunity to defend Brittany’s choice, “Brit has always been more mature honey.”
Her father nodded, “Well, let’s have dinner on Wednesday then, and get to know this man of yours.”
Chapter 7
Chris stood at the door of the McAndrews’ home with a bunch of flowers in his one hand, and a bottle of Glenfiddich eighteen year-old single-malt Scotch in the other. They were for Brittany’s parents. He may have had a rough upbringing, and he’d spent his fair amount of time with the gangs and run from trouble, but he would always remember the manners his mother had instilled in him before she’d died. Mrs. McAndrews opened the door, and with a smile on his face he handed her the bouquet.
“Good evening, you must be Ann, Brittany’s mother?” He said.
Ann blushed and for a moment looked just like her daughter. She stepped back to let him in, and a tall blonde man appeared from around the corner.
“Chris?” He said, holding out a hand. Chris nodded. “Adam McAndrews, pleased to meet you.”
Chris echoed his greeting, and the men tested the strength of each other’s grip for a moment, until Brittany flounced down the stairs in a mint green sundress that hugged every curve and flared out playfully over her hips. She ran straight into Chris’s arms and kissed his cheek.
“Hey you,” She said in his neck, and when she stood back a rosy blush covered her from hairline to neckline.
“Well then, shall we head through to the dining room?” Her mother politely said, breaking the silence.
Everybody turned to her, and followed into a warm and welcoming room, with a table set for four. Chris complemented her meal throughout, and by the time dinner was through, Brittany’s mother was almost as smitten as her daughter. She blushed and giggled as though she were sixteen again. Adam got as much information from Chris as he could, and refrained from comment when the sleeve of Chris’s shirt slipped up to reveal tattooing from just above his wrist.
“How did you come to own a restaurant Chris?” Adam asked, looking the other way.
Chris shrugged, “I trained as a chef, and when I got tired of preparing food the way
others told me to, and I knew I could do it better, I took a giant leap of faith and just went for it. I’m just lucky it worked.” He smiled, “You must come and try our burgers whenever you are free, they are rated the best in New York.”
The evening drew to a close, they all said their goodbyes, and Brittany walked Chris out to his bike.
“That went so much better than I expected!” She exclaimed, bouncing up and down when he hugged her.
As they turned the corner around the garage wall toward his bike, Chris pushed her back into the wall.
“It did go well didn’t it, and do you know what a successful evening does to me?” He growled in her neck.
She giggled and shook her head.
“No, what does it do to you?” She breathed through her laughter.
He pressed himself into her so that she could feel his erection against her. Brittany reached down to stroke him through his Chino’s and watched his eyes close from the sensation. She took his one hand in hers and guided it under her skirt.
“Feel, guess what I didn’t wear under my dress…” her voice trailed off as his fingers found her.
Chris groaned, “God woman, we are in your parent’s back yard, what are you doing?”
He kissed her ferociously and bit her bottom lip. She turned her head and offered him her neck, where he trailed little bites all the way to her exposed collarbone. He reached down to unzip his pants, and roughly lifted her dress, held her one leg up, and pushed into her.
“Oh yes, please,” she breathed loudly into his ear, her arms going around his neck as he held her back firmly to the wall.
Chris used his body to hold her, and gagged her with his hand over her mouth. Her small sharp teeth sank into his fingers, and he felt the muscles in her loins contracting around his cock. Her agonized moans were loud enough to frighten him into being concerned about her parents hearing.
When Brittany came, she stiffened against him, hollowing her back and rubbing her sex against him, her fluid, the proof of her orgasm and arousal leaving wet stains on his pants. Chris couldn’t hold back, the angle into her body, the wetness, the pressure of her muscles contracting around him, were all too much. He leaned hard against her, his arms against the wall above her.
“That was amazing, I don’t think I can walk, and I’m a mess!” She said, her head on his shoulder where they stood.
Chris started straightening his clothes.
“I’m kind of glad I’m going straight home, I’m a mess too…”
He looked down at the stains on his pants. She giggled again, and tidied her dress.
“Yeah well, I have to go inside smelling like sex!”
He gave her a deep kiss, hugged her tightly and left her standing on the grassy verge as he sped off into the night.
******************
Ann and Adam sat side by side in their bed, her with a romance novel, and he with the latest journal on a criminal case he was reviewing.
“What did you think of Chris?” She asked, quietly fishing for his thoughts.
Adam looked up from the paper in his hands.
“I like how he behaved, and quite frankly I liked that he’s older. He is financially responsible, and he treats her with a lot of respect.”
When he stopped, Ann pushed a little more.
“That’s not all is it honey?”
“He has tattoos.”
The distaste in his voice was comical and Ann burst out laughing.
“He seemed to have some around his forearm didn’t he? I wonder where those are from…” her voice trailed off.
Adam cast a sideways glance at her, “Control yourself woman, I checked him out and he has no criminal record.”
“You are so over-protective of her, she turns twenty one next year you know Adam. At some point you will need to let her go.”
Adam gave his wife a sad look, “I know, but there’s nothing wrong with looking out for my only child.”
Ann kissed his cheek and turned over to sleep, “Goodnight darling, sweet dreams.”
“Goodnight beautiful.”
Chapter 8
Four weeks later the whole family, including Rachel, sat at The Grudge with juicy burgers in front of them. Chris joined them at the table, sitting next to Brittany. Everything seemed perfect, and Brittany thought that if she were a cat she’d have been purring.
“The press doesn’t lie, these are damn good burgers Chris!” Adam said around a mouthful of his lunch.
Her parents had grown a little more used to the idea of her dating, and her dad especially was being tolerant of all the time she spent away from home. Rachel wiped her mouth and looked up at Brittany, they sat next to each other, and though the restaurant was noisy, she didn’t need to speak quite as loudly as she did.
“Your mom and dad are seriously cool, letting you spend nights at Chris’s aren’t they?”
The chatter at the table went silent at those words, and Rachel went an ashen shade of pale. She looked from Brittany to the furious expression on her father’s face.
“What? It’s been seven months and you haven’t told them?” She half begged, half exclaimed. “You never told me!”
With that she stood and ran from the restaurant.
Brittany reached for Chris’s hand under the table, and he squeezed it tightly.
“Well, now the proverbial cat is out of the bag. Brittany spends the nights with me over weekends.”
Her parents sat silent, and Brittany pleaded with her father, “Daddy, please say something.”
Tears had formed in her eyes. Her father looked at her.
“You are not the daughter I thought you were. I think we need to go home, come.”
He completely ignored Chris as he pushed past him and guided his little family into the street.
Brittany looked back over her shoulder to see Chris sitting there, stricken and looking like a man destroyed.
Chris waited two days, taking his time to assess what he felt for the girl whom he had watched dragged from his grasp. It took him those two days and two sessions destroying his fists on a punching bag to come to a conclusion he had known he would reach. He ran from his apartment and down to his bike, he slipped his helmet on while he straddled the powerful machine, and as he sped toward Brittany he tried to compose a speech in his head. On her doorstep, the door swung open before he even knocked, and her father stood there, foreboding and large as life.
“Good evening Adam, I need to see Brittany please.”
“She is upstairs, she won’t see you.”
He started closing the door, but Chris heard feet thundering down the stairs.
“Chris!”
She shoved her way past her father and flung herself into his arms so violently he was nearly knocked off his feet.
“Daddy, how dare you! I’m not a child!” She cried out at her father accusingly.
Chris put her down gently and stood up to her father.
“I respect you immensely, but the way you have treated me is disgusting. I expect an apology. We are both adults, and I love your daughter, which is something you will have to accept.” He kissed Brittany on her forehead, “I will do anything for her, and to keep her in my life, and right now that something and anything is to take her home with me, Brit?”
He looked to her. Brittany nodded, ran back inside, and moments later reappeared with a small backpack. He climbed on his bike, helped her up behind him, and they rode off into the night toward Manhattan, leaving her father on his own doorstep.
“Look after my little girl,” Were the last words he murmured into the dark before he turned and walked inside to find his wife.
Chris didn’t hold back the throttle heading back home, all he wanted was Brittany, her naked skin against his, her hair against his face and to look into her eyes as he made love to her. When they parked in the garage, they both leaped off the bike, and clothing flew from bodies before his door was even locked. They tore at each other as though nothing else mattered, and
his fingers were in her hair as she ripped the button from his jeans. Her dress disintegrated under his strong hands as she tried to wrestle with his underwear. They were tangled in each other’s limbs, laughter mingled with heated kisses.
Chris was inside her halfway up the stairs, and that’s where they stopped trying to reach the bed. She knelt in front of him, the curves of her hips smooth under his hands as he pounded into her.