The Wedding Date

by Zrinka Jelic

  “That’s more like it.” He covered her hand on his cock and slowed her rhythm. “I want to see you letting go and thoroughly releasing your passion. Come on, love, you can do it.” He glided his hand between her breasts and down to the waist of her shorts, then his fingers eased past the elastic of her panties.

  She grabbed his wrist, stopping him. What if he found what lay beyond this point a turn off? “Um…”

  He gently squeezed her belly, giving a deep growl. “It’s okay, babe, I love every inch of you.” He pulled her shorts down. “Off with these. Let me see you. All of you.”

  She shimmied out of her pants, past her hips and he helped the rest of the way, pausing to dip his tongue into her belly button. It tickled, and she giggled as always when nervousness got the best of her. Open and bare to him she was on full unabashed display, but all she could care of was how much she wanted him. Judging by the way he looked at her as if he would devour her, he liked what he saw.

  “See.” His husky whisper caused a surge of wetness between her legs. “Your stomach’s smooth.”

  All she could do was smile. She pulled his shirt over his head, then tossed it onto the heap of their clothes on the floor. He cupped her face and settled between her legs, right where she desperately wanted to feel him. He dipped his fingers inside her, sliding up and down the hardened nub. Her body tensed up, her back arched, and her hips buckled, but as she came close to orgasm, he slowed down until her moans quieted, then started again, sending her into whirl of frenzy. If he hadn’t stopped, she would beg him to finish her right there. “Ready for me, love?”

  He ground his cock at the apex of her thighs, sending her back into a high arch. He took a hold of her calves and wrapped her legs around his hips, opening her to him. Without waiting for further encouragement or suggestion, he inched his arousal inside, stretching her. Then in one firm tug on her hips, he was completely seated inside her. She tilted her face toward the ceiling and blew out a long breath at the magnificent feeling of him filling her completely.

  “Ah, yeah,” he groaned, lacing his hands with hers, then placed them flat against his chest. Heat radiated from his skin.

  Her tense body eased, falling into his slow rhythm atop of her. As his thrusts grew in speed and intensity, she met his hips with hers. In and out he glided, hitting her sensitive spot each time. That place which made her wild. He claimed her, and no matter how wild and free she wanted to be with him, her shaking hands betrayed her control. She tightened her legs around his hips and curled her toes on his claves.

  “Ah, Mark, yes.” She couldn’t suppress her moans and took his advice to let go of her inhibitions. Gliding her hands around his chest and down his back, she found the mounds of his butt and squeezed them.

  “Yes,” he hissed and thrust even harder, grunting in a rough voice. “Come for me, baby. I’m waiting on you.”

  “Mark,” she cried once more as she began to unravel. Every muscle in her body trembled as the orgasm seized her. He pressed his lips to hers, sending her body to stiffen beneath him. She rode the waves of pleasure wishing they’d never end. How had he made her squirm, unhinged her and loosened her to open up, forcing her to reveal her hidden side? He almost turned her into some kind of sex kitten. She nearly snorted, her a sex kitten? Never even crossed her mind.

  He held her close, brushing his hand over her back, relaxing her. She threaded her fingers in his mop of hair and pulled his head to her chest. Entangled, they stayed until their breathing steadied.

  She snuggled up to him. “Wish we could stay like this forever.”

  “Um-hum.” He cupped breasts. “I don’t think I can ever get enough of these beauties.”

  She placed her hand on his, massaging her left side. “Not too big for you?”

  “Never too big.” He gave her nipple a quick squeeze.

  She flinched.

  Being chesty caused blatant stares from the kind of men she didn’t want to pay her any attention. Like when a guy approached her and guessed her to be a D cup. Well, he’d been correct in his assumption, but she’d stopped wearing Guess tops ever since. “If I had money, I’d have them snipped.”

  At the slap of his hand on her butt, she jumped. “Ouch. What was that for?”

  “That’s for talking nonsense. Don’t you dare do anything to them. They are mine. Plus, you have the cutest little butt I’ve been dying to give it a little spank. Love how it bounces under my hand.” He slid down and gave her butt cheek a tiny bite followed by a kiss.

  “Are you claiming my butt too? Okay, they are yours, for now. You have to give them back. You see, I need them.” She laughed as he pouted, but rubbed her butt cheek where sting of his hand still lingered.

  He kissed her lips and pulled the fleece blanket over them. “I hope you don’t think we’re done. Get some rest and be ready for round two. And maybe I’ll claim your butt too.”

  She shivered, with ecstasy at his warning tone. Maybe in the next bout she would loosen up truly and muster courage to talk dirty to him.

  Neri woke up with strong arms circling her waist and her backside spooned up against Mark. Unbelievable, if someone had told her that all her wildest fantasies would come to fruition, she would’ve choked to death laughing. She slowly turned her head toward him. God, he looked so handsome sleeping next to her.

  Tag whined by the patio door and she brought her gaze away from his human. She squirmed out of Mark’s hold and scooped his t-shirt off the floor. Pulling the garment over her head, she approached the dog and opened the door. He bolted outside and down the patio’s steps. Poor thing wasn’t let out earlier due to downpour, thankfully the rain had stopped.

  She left Mark sleeping on the couch and found her cup of now cold coffee on the dining room table. Maybe she could nuke it. In the kitchen, she stared at the microwave. When she’d warmed up her broth for last night’s dinner, she nearly evaporated all the liquid. Mark’s appliances scared her. All top notch, high tech, brushed chrome, emitting soft blue lights, resembling something out of the sci-fi movie. Oh well, some article she’d read mentioned cold coffee was good for the skin.

  Sipping the drink, she took the stairs to her or rather Tag’s room and pulled her cell phone from her purse. Three missed calls displayed on the screen and three new messages waited. She called her voicemail and listened her first message from her mom. Then the second, from her mom. By the third, she assumed it was from her mom again, but was surprised to hear her cousin, Vince’s voice giving her his Skype name to connect with him.

  She opened the app and sent him a connection request.

  He accepted immediately, and his face filled her cellphone screen. His hairline receded and it looked more gray than dark brown strands covered his head since she last saw him, but otherwise his appearance hadn’t changed. “Hey, long time.” He leaned closer. “What happened to your nose?”

  She touched the cast and smiled. “Nothing much, had a bit of work on it, but don’t say anything.”

  He made a zipping motion across his lips. “Your secret’s safe. I’ve sent you a list of tunes Sandra requested. Read that demand.”

  “Yes, I’ve got your list. I must say, bit too ambitious. I was under impression we’d do a song or two while everyone’s busy with their dinners.” She upturned her lower lip. “Won’t we be a small act, you know…”

  “Tucked somewhere in the corner? Nobody puts Vince in the corner.” He waved his index finger. “We’ll be the highlight of the night.”

  “If we steal your sister’s thunder, this one’s on you. However, some songs you want us to do, we’d need an orchestra.”

  “Nope, we have a secret weapon. Simon’s coming for the wedding.”

  Her insides rejoiced at the mention of her other cousin. “No way, Simon, all the way from Croatia. Wow. Would he have his keyboards with him?”

  “His stuff’s obsolete, I’ll get him new ones here. Plus, my drummer is joining us and his girlfriend, she’s classically trained cellist, but she c
an do some crazy stuff on the instrument.”

  “Wow, looks like you’ve thought of everything. I’m afraid, Sandi will not like this.”

  “Leave my sister to me. There will be some influential people at the wedding, and I’m not passing up on the opportunity to get noticed.”

  How typical of her cousin, he’d been taught by the best. His father turned any occasion into business deal. “Of course, but I hope your bud and his girlfriend know they won’t get paid for this gig.”

  “They do. We’re still waiting for our big break. This may be it.”

  “I hope so too, but if you do, I don’t come in the mix. This is one time deal for me. You’ll have to find a new violinist.”

  “Oh, come on. You’d really pass up on being famous over teaching kids in the musical school and play at the back of the orchestra where no one notices you?”

  Famous? Are we getting tad ahead of ourselves? She tweaked her head, not wanting to get into a debate with him. “That’s me all right. Well, we’ll have to meet a time or two to practice together.”

  He nodded. “I’ll send you details.”

  “Sounds good, keep in touch.” She ended the connection, picked up her violin and strummed a few practice exercises to warm her fingers before playing the full song. The sound of throat clearing behind her startled her, and she turned her head toward the door.

  Mark stood there in his shorts, his arms crossed over his chest. “Don’t stop on my account. It seems my shirt is gone, though.” He approached her with slow steps. Mischief darkened his eyes.

  She rubbed her nude legs together. His intense stare told her she was in trouble. A sexy kind of trouble. “Sorry, I grabbed the first thing I found. Tag was begging to be let out and I was afraid he’d relieve himself on the carpet.”

  “You look sexy in it.”

  “I do?” She glanced down, his large shirt hung loose on her as it reached down her mid-thigh. Nothing sexy about her appearance, but if he thought so, she would agree.

  He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to his chest. “You were fabulous, but we’re not done yet. Not by a long shot.”

  His low tone and hand under the shirt had her squeezing her bare buttocks in a tight clench. “Right now?”

  “No.” He dropped his hand by his side. “The sun’s coming out and we’d been cooped up in the house all day. Let’s take Tag for a walk, pick up some food and then I’ll show you how free you can get in bed.”

  “I’m all yours.” She smirked.

  Mark placed a gentle kiss the tip of her nose. “You won’t believe the kind of noises I’ll coax out of you.”

  Neri leaned back and looked him straight in his eyes. “You’re on, lover boy.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  As soon as Mark opened the door of the pita restaurant and stepped onto the sidewalk, a solid barrier of heat hit him. He shielded his eyes with aviator’s shades resting at the top of his head.

  Immersed in checking the goods in the shop’s window, Neri didn’t seem to notice him when he approached her.

  Tag did and stretched his neck at the bag of food in Mark’s hand.

  He rubbed his shoulder on hers to gain her attention. “Anything you like?”

  “Oh, no, I was just thinking how gaudy these are.”

  He took a better look at the goldsmith’s merchandise on display. She was correct. Everything was so corny and filled with religious hokum that it was laughable. Choosing a gift for her would take some research, but he was up to the challenge. Would he piss her off if he were to send delivery to her home or work? Probably, she struck him as not easily impressed by expensive gifts, someone who would appreciate a bouquet of field flowers over most delicate roses. Though time was not on his side, he only had a month to convince her to be his and he would work his ass off for her. “Yeah, the guy’s catering to every cult and denomination, so whatever sells. Let’s eat.” Holding her hand, he led her to the knee high wall surrounding the water fountain. “What were we talking about before we got so pleasantly interrupted?”

  “Um…oh, about getting dressed as Gomez and Morticia for Halloween, err, our cousins’ wedding.” She sat with one of her tanned legs folded, her foot tucked under the knee of the other leg dangling over the edge.

  He chuckled and sat next to her. “I can see how you could easily confuse the two.” As Tag settled in front of them, Mark crossed his ankles on the dog, using him as a footstool. “So, you gonna get the dress? And a pair of heels to go with it?”

  “Heels?” She dragged the word out as if it had a dirty connotation.

  Well, with the image that conjured in his head, anything was possible.

  “I’ve got my nose broken already. You want me to break a leg too?”

  “Here’s an idea, you can practice walking in the shoes around my house, but wearing only the heels and nothing else. Okay, well add some crotch-less panties and it would drive me wild.” He leaned closer to her and lowered his voice to a whisper, “I’d love to see you in something other than sneakers or flats. Fuck me heels would look great on you, a string of pearls and thigh high lacy stockings.”

  She cleared her throat and leaned back, studying his face, while hers flushed giving her a sexy glow. “It’ll be nice to see you in something other than running shoes too.”

  “You won’t see me in heels, that’s for sure.” He brushed his thumb over her bottom lip. If her reddened cheeks were any indication, she was either embarrassed by the way the conversation turned or his idea was taking hold in her head.

  “You’re making me hot. Let’s change the subject.” She fanned her face.

  Cupping her chin, he tugged her close and kissed her lips. “Are you at least open to my suggestion?”

  She shivered and nodded. “It’s a definite possibility. First, I have to buy the damn shoes.”

  “Good. Now we can talk about something else. Anyone else looked at you strange since I was gone?” He handed her the bag with food. “Sorry it took longer than it should for a fast food.”

  “A couple of guys, one called me a turtle nose.” She dug inside the bag and pulled both pita wraps out. “Which one’s falafels?”

  Ignoring her question, his shoulders slumped and he groaned, his hunger gone. “Good thing I wasn’t here or I’d give him a turtle nose too. I don’t get people. How’s having a cast on your nose any different than having an arm or a leg in a cast? Why do they have to stare at you and ask questions or worse, make rude comments and call you names?”

  “Ah, don’t pay any heed to them. Here…” She handed him his sandwich. “They’re not worth the time. My friend had her arm in cast and everyone asked what happened to her. She’d tell them she broke her leg, oh the looks she’d gotten, priceless.”

  “By their stares, you’d think they saw a freak. How come you’re not bothered?” The way she sucked at the sauce on her thumb, his appetite returned, and not just for food.

  “Um…” Her jaw moved fast behind her hand on her lips, she then raised one finger in a just-a-second gesture. “Well…” She put her food down on the rolled out wrapper and opened her bottle of flavored water. “Teasing doesn’t bother me, grew up with my family’s teasing me about everything. Learned it’s a waste of time to respond to it with anger and it only encourages them to continue. I can come up with some witty comebacks, but those kinds of people don’t get it.”

  “Oh, so it’s okay for them to make fun of you, but if you give them the same, they get pissed.” Despite the tasty smells of his steak pita, he lowered the wrap and studied her. Only someone who’d grown up with teasing could become oblivious to it. Why was the world cruel to her? Then why was he surprised? She was a beautiful and a pure soul and everyone found it easy to take their frustrations and shortfalls out on her. They knew she would just draw inside her shell and not fight back. Her action, however innocent, only encouraged people’s rudeness. Damn it, sometimes you have to fight back and not let anyone take advantage of you. Easier said than don
e. How many had taken their fair share from him without as much as asking what they could do for him.

  “Whatever, I’m not giving them a moment of my time and you shouldn’t either. To change the subject, I was afraid you might take me to some posh, little restaurant, glad you didn’t.”

  Her cheerful voice broke through his temporary gloom.

  “Something wrong with your pita? You’re staring at your wrap as if you’re disgusted by it.”

  “My pita’s fine, I was just lost in my thoughts. No restaurant would let us inside with Tag and I don’t want to leave him tied to a post on the street.” At last, he took the bite and moaned as his taste buds rejoiced. None of his previous dates would accept anything less than a full table service dining. Then he knew Neri was different. Soon, he would make it up to her and treat her to a fine restaurant dinner. He almost blurted his promise out loud, but remembered the deal he’d struck with her. “How’s your pita?”

  “Yummy, the only downfall to pita wraps is that they are messy to eat, they start falling apart half way through.” She wiped her hands on the napkin, pointing at her rolled out paper with drips and bits. “Looks like a pig ate here.”

  “That’s why we brought Tag. He’ll hoover the smallest speck of food that falls out.” Mark nudged his dog giving him a go ahead to scoop the crumbs around his feet.

  She dangled a wilted piece of vegetable between her index finger and thumb.

  Tag eyed the food, licking his nuzzle.

  “Should he eat hot peppers?”

  “Better not. They gave him a case of bad breath and even worse gas. Then, he’ll eat anything, even broccoli all while making a funny face.” He smiled then the chuckles got the best of him. “You should’ve seen him.”

  Neri shook her head, but a smile tugged on the corners of her lips. She put the peppers on the wrapper and gave a sympathetic pat on Tag’s head. “Sorry bud, it’s for your own good, and ours too. Poor thing, your human is a bad boy.”

  “Yes, but I’m his bad boy, and now yours too. Besides, who doesn’t like a good laugh?” Silly question, he realized. Brook had always reprimanded him for his childish actions. God forbid, she cracked a smile in fear it could cause her permanent wrinkles. Little did she know it took more muscles to frown, which ultimately leads to premature lines. He’d decided not to interrupt her workout, let her scowl all she wanted. He was done with her scalding him like he was some schoolboy.