by Ellen Hutton
“It’s not weird.” He said lowering his face and looking at her.
He walked over to where she stood, and she looked up at him surprised at how much more handsome he looked up close and in the light of day.
“Did you really see yourself having a future with that man?” he asked
“Why do you ask that?” she asked
“You said something last night, you told me that he never wanted any of the things that were important to you. He didn’t want kids, or pets or even a wedding. I just don’t see how you should have felt comfortable with a man like that when you give so much of yourself.” He said
His words took her a bit off guard. Somehow, he seemed to see her more clearly than Alex ever had, than she sometimes saw herself. She had been sad at the thought of never being able to have those things but parts of her had been willing to sacrifice it for Alex; at least sacrifice it in the present in hopes that he would eventually change his mind.
“I didn’t think about it much.” She said, “I was just happy to be loved and find someone who loved me back.”
“I don’t mean to be too forward.” He said, “but I can hardly call what he did to you love.”
“What would you call love?” she asked
“If I was ever as fortunate as him to have a beautiful woman such as you fell for me, I’d give you everything.” He said.
The conviction in his voice was once again so strong that she was taken aback.
“Have you ever been in love?” she asked feeling compelled to find out why he had such strong convictions.
“I was once.” He replied, “we were both children at heart and neither of us treated the other right. It taught me how to appreciate the people you love.”
The smile on her face made her eager to feel something of what he had felt. After everything that had happened, she slowly began to realize that although she had loved Alex, he had never loved her and that she had wasted six months hoping for a man he would never be.
“I don’t want to be alone today,” she admitted awkwardly.
“You could come and spend the day with me.” He said
She thought about driving around with his clients for the day and while she might have turned that down a few days before, she had no problem doing it now.
“Sure.” She said, “let me go get a shower and meet you downstairs.”
“I have to stop by the office and go to my house before we get going.” He said
“Sure.” She replied before turning and walking out of the room. When she was finished showering she made her way down to the lobby and once again found him on his phone. She thought for a moment that she might be inconveniencing him, but he had offered her a day out and she wanted to be selfish today.
“I’m ready.” She said.
It was a nice little building and from there to the offices of the car service company her father had hired to drive her around whenever she didn’t want to do it herself it was a nice little building in the middle of the city and she was impressed by the fleet of cars she passed as she made her way into the building.
Inside she was greeted by a smiling woman who seemed very eager to please Matthew. She wondered if it was his charm or good looks that drew the woman to him, but she soon found her attention elsewhere when Antonio her driver came walking by.
“Mary!” he said giving her a friendly hug he usually gave her after being gone for a long time.
“Antonio.” She said, “I heard something was wrong with your little baby girl.”
“Oh yes, she was crying all day, so I had to take her to the emergency room.” He replied, “I hope I didn’t put you out of your way.”
“Oh no,” she said, “one of the drivers Matthew, came and got me.”
“Matthew?” he said with a quizzical look.
She looked around to where Matthew had stood only a few moments before but saw that he must have left without her realizing.
“Yeah, he came and picked me up.” She said feeling a sudden sense of unease.
“Oh, you must mean Matthew Leonardo.” He said, “He’s not really a driver.”
“Who is he?” she asked
“He’s my boss.” Antonio replied, “I guess there was no-one available last night so he did the job himself.”
Mary suddenly realized that for all the talking she had done, she had never slowed down to find out anything about the man who she had invited into her home.
“Oh, I see.” She replied, “I had no idea.”
“He’s a great boss.” Antonio said, “his father passed the business on to him a few years ago and he’s managed to make it much more successful. Plus, I get paid more.”
She laughed.
“I got to go now,” Antonio said before walking off
She stood there for a few more minutes waiting for Matthew to reappear. When he did she looked at him in a new light and realized that there was much more to him than she thought.
“Ready.” He said leading her back towards the elevator.
The drive to his house much longer than she thought it would have been was because he didn’t live in the city like she did. His suburban home was breathtakingly beautiful. Away from the noise and hustle of the city, she could finally hear birds chirping.
“Wow, this is beautiful.” She said as they walked into his home.
Suddenly a giant German shepherd came running towards them and launched himself right at Matthew’s chest. Matthew caught the giant dog and hugged it before lowering the dog unto the ground
“I had to adopt one of my sister’s dogs.” He explained sheepishly.
She laughed and nodded at his feeble attempt at an excuse.
“I see.” She teased.
“Mary, this is Joan the Dog.” He said, “my niece named her, and I didn’t want to change it.”
“Wow, nice to meet you Joan the Dog.” She said affectionately patting the dog’s head.
He led her into the house and into the sitting room.
“Let me go take a shower.” He said, “you can watch some television or walk around, I’m fine with whatever.”
She nodded and watched him walk away. Instead of watching television she got up and began walking around the house. She loved how beautiful and grand it was. It was exactly the kind of house she envisioned having when she got married and had kids.
“Are you ready?”
She turned and saw Matthew looking at her with a twinkle in his eyes. He was smiling at her and she couldn’t help smiling back. Instead of the standard tailored suit he had worn to be her driver, he was wearing a part of shorts and a polo shirt that clung to him exposing his well-toned abs. she felt her breath hitch when she realized she had been staring at him and lusting after him in a way she had never done with Alex.
“Yea, yea I’m ready.” She stuttered. “where are we going?”
“I thought it would be good for you to take some time away from everything so we’re going on a short hike for a picnic.” He said, “how do you feel about that.”
“That sounds fantastic!” she said clapping her hands together.
She loved picnics. The last time she had gone to one had been with her father and that had been a long time ago. He went to the kitchen and produced a picnic basket that looked as if it had been waiting for them.
“I had my housekeeper fix something while you were in the shower this morning.” He said
The thought that he had planned such a thoughtful date made her smile a bit wider.
“Let’s go,” he said, “it’s not far from here.”
He was right about that. They drove for five minutes before coming to a nature park where several other families were having picnics.
“I know the best spot here.” He said
“I don’t doubt it.” She replied
He led her from the parking lot through the park and towards a slight hill. The climb wasn’t long, but it was invigorating and soon they found themselves at the top of the little hill in a little
cave. Inside was secluded and quiet and from that position, they could see the sun as it began to dip in the sky.
“Here we are.” He said
They rolled out the picnic blanket and were seated and eating the fruits and snacks his housekeeper had packed.
“So, I had no idea you owned that company.” She said
“It’s not usually the first thing I tell someone.” He replied
“I think it’s pretty cool.” She said, “I couldn’t run a company even if I tried, even my father laughs at me.”
“Why do you say that?” he asked
“I know it to be a fact.” She replied, “I spend far too much time daydreaming to apply myself.”
“You would be surprised at the things you can accomplish by day-dreaming.” He said smiling at her.
“I agree.” She replied, “but it’s also nothing I ever wanted to do.”
“What do you want to do?” he asked
“I love children.” She said, “I went to school to become a teacher and I couldn’t see myself doing anything else. I want children of own soon.”
“You see, for me, being in a class filled with children is the scary thing I could never do.” He teased, “but I understand your desire for your own children. I can’t wait to start having some of my own. I have a very large family.”
“Yes, your sister told me.” She said.
“Growing up in a large family makes it hard to live in an empty house.” The faraway look in his eyes reminded her of her own desires.
“I was an only child.” She said, “and my mother died when I was five, so I spent most of my time with my father. He was always there for me and he spoiled me rotten, but I always wanted siblings.”
“I can see the spoiled part.” He said, “but not so much the rotten part.”
She laughed at his feeble attempt at being funny. So far, he had only been forward and commanding with her so seeing this part of him intrigued her.
“I’m sorry about your mother by the way.” He said, “it can’t be easy to lose someone you love so young.”
“It was hard” she replied, “but it wasn’t as unbearable as it could have been. I have my father to thank for that. He threw himself into making sure I was always taken care of. He didn’t allow me to feel pain although I was sure it must have hurt him terribly to lose the only woman he had ever loved.”
“Yes, that couldn’t have been easy.” He replied,
“I’ve always been in search of love like that.” She said, “a love that never hurts even when the person passes on. The loss is painful, but the feeling of love never left.”
He smiled at her.
“It’s a rare thing you must know that.” He said.
“I’ve come to realize that the harder I try to find it.” She replied.
She looked away and out into the distance as she recalled the many times she had put herself out there and gotten hurt for it. The only reason she had never closed off is that she knew if she did, she might never find what she was looking for and she would never settle for less than true love.
Chapter 3
By the time they got back to his house, the sun had already gone down and Mary was beyond tired. She had spent one of the best days of her life so far in the company of one of the most sensitive and generous men she had ever met. There were many things about him that she admired. He was always very serious and brooding but whenever he spoke it was as if he was reading her heart and telling her exactly what she needed to hear to feel better. If she hadn’t met his sister or his dog, she would have wondered if he was doing it for her sake. The man who sat across from her was the same man his sister had praised as the most generous of the family, who Antonio had called a great boss and who had so openly shown love for an old dog he had been forced to keep.
“You should come in for some tea.” He said, “or I can take you home if you’re ready.”
She wasn’t ready to go home just yet and she wanted to spend as much time with him as possible.
“I’ll come in,” she said.
Inside the house, he made her a cup of tea as she sat on one of the stools in the kitchen.
“It’s a beautiful home.” She said
“Oh, thank you.” He said, “I was thinking of selling it and moving into the city to be closer to work.”
“Oh no,” she said, “then you’d lose all this beauty.”
“I would hate losing it.” He said, “I might just keep it and get an apartment.”
“You should let my father help you to find somewhere.” She said, “he’s in real estate.”
“Maybe I will.” He said
“I need to use the bathroom.” She said
“It’s down the hall that way.” He replied motioning her towards the bathroom.
She left the kitchen and made her way to the bathroom. Looking in the mirror she observed the way her skin glowed under the soft lights. She thought for a moment it must have been from the exertion of the hike earlier but somehow, she knew it had something to do with the handsome man who she had come to see as her rescuer. She had completely forgotten about Alex when she was with him and the more she talked to him, the more she realized that Alex had never been the man for her. He was vain, petty and childish. Matthew was a man in every sense of the word and he was a beautiful man.
Hurriedly, she used the bathroom and went back into the kitchen. She didn’t see Matthew, but she saw a light on the patio and walked outside to stand beside him. Almost as if he felt her presence, he turned and faced her. The light in his eyes was bewitching and she felt herself moving towards him with ease.
“It’s so nice out here.” She said when she was by his side.
“The beauty is only enhanced by your presence.” He said
She looked around and saw that he was looking right at her. She was so fixed by his gaze that she had no idea when they instinctively moved towards each other.
“I’ve been wanting to kiss you since I first saw you.” He admitted
“You’re not such a nice guy after all.” She said remembering that the first time he had seen her, she had been with her ex.
“I can’t lie to you.” He said, “you’re far too sweet.”
“Thank you” she whispered
An instant later he lowered his head and kissed her so gently on the lips she felt butterflies in her stomach. It was the first time she had felt anything like this and the sensation was simply beautiful.
“I like you.” He whispered against her lips.
“I like you too” she replied
The next time he kissed her was more urgent and passionate. She gasped for air when he pulled away from her and when she looked into his eyes she saw the same intense passion she felt radiating from him.
“Are you sure this is what you want?” he asked
“I’ve never been surer.” She replied.
He led her into the house and up to his room. She looked around and approved the masculine designs he had chosen.
He pulled her towards him and kissed her once again. She was so caught up in the moment she thought for sure she would sink into a puddle on the floor. Pulling away, he gently undid the buttons of her shirt and tugged it from her shoulders. The look of gratification on his face told her everything she needed to know.
“You’re even more beautiful than I could have imagined.” He said as he ran his hand through her hair.
Mary didn’t want to lose her nerve, so she pulled his polo shirt over his head revealing his rock hard body and a slight dusting of chest hair she ran her hand over the patch gently which incited a sharp gasp from Matthew.
“I don’t think I can wait much longer.” He said.
In one swift movement, he swept her off her feet and walked her over to the bed. He lay her down gently before tugging her shorts and underwear off.
She had never been ashamed of her body and she had gone to lengths to keep herself fit especially because she taught such young children.
“
So beautiful,” he said kissing her neck.
He showered her with kisses from her neck to her torso and all the way down the inside of her thighs. His avoidance of her core only made it more frustrating as she lay writhing on the bed.
“Matthew.” She whispered trying her very best not to break.
“What is it my dear?” he asked as he ran his hand up her leg. She felt his fingers brush against her and her body spasmed with anticipation. She had never felt before and she was beginning to feel frustrated when she felt him touch her. Her body arched up as she moaned from the slightest touch. He brought his head down to replace his hand and she felt for a moment as if she had totally left her body. He sunk one finger into her and as both his lips and his hands worked she drifted closer and closer to the edge of her orgasm.
“Come for me.” He whispered
She had no control over her body and as the words left his lips she crashed over the edge cumming with such intensity she thought she would go blind. In an instant, he pulled her to the edge of the bed and sunk into her. The way he filled her was so perfect and complete she didn’t have to adjust as her hips arched upwards to meet his every thrust. He was slow at first and she savored every move he made knowing with certainty that he was seeking her pleasure first. Not long after, his thrusts became more powerful until he settled into a quick steady pumping pace that made her cringe and buckle. Once again, she felt herself collapsing over the edge of her orgasm and she shouted his name.
“Oh my God.” He said as he came violently.
His bloody slumped against her and he slowly untangled their bodies and rolled over on the bed so he was lying right beside her.
“Dear God, I think I might be blind,” he said chuckling.
“I’m sorry.” She said as laughter erupted from her.
It was the first time she had ever had sex and felt much pleasure. Usually, it would be up to her to fulfill her own needs after the man was done but tonight had been different. He had completely satisfied her.
“That’s the best sex I’ve ever had.” He said once again convincing her that he had some mind-reading device.