Damaged In-Law

by Masters, Colleen

  The lines come flooding back to me, even now. But how on earth would Jackson know about that long-ago performance of mine? We fell completely out of contact with each other after I ran away from home. After we kissed that night of my parents’ disastrous party, I didn’t speak to Jack for months. Years. It was one of the hardest estrangements for me to bear as I started my new life. When I was cast as Ophelia, the first person I wanted to tell was Jack, but I just couldn’t. And yet...

  “I’m sure you were wondering why I chose to bring you back to this place tonight,” Jack says, crossing the creaking boards toward me. “It’s not exactly an ideal spot for a romantic evening, is it?”

  “No, it’s certainly not,” I whisper, standing to meet him.

  “Maybe this will give you a clue,” Jack says, placing the bouquet into my arms and moving his hands to my hips. “These are the flowers I wanted to give you five years ago. The night I watched you play Ophelia, right here on this stage. And an incredible Ophelia, at that.”

  “Wh-what are you talking about?” I gasp, staring up at Jack’s sculpted face. “You didn’t...You couldn’t have known that I...”

  “But I did,” he goes on, sliding his hands around to the small of my back. “You weren’t the only one who did time in New York as a no-name actor, Cal. I had my ear to the ground in those days. And once, as I was passing through New York for an audition, I heard that a certain Calista Benson was appearing in a tiny little production of Hamlet in the East Village. I dropped what I was doing, missed my flight back to LA, and came here to see you.”

  “You...You came to see my show?” I whisper around the knot in my throat. “You were out there, in the audience?”

  “Paid a whole five bucks for my ticket,” Jack grins, brushing a lock of hair away from my forehead, “Which was actually a lot, at that point in my life. I’d barely started to get any traction as an actor, then. But I couldn’t leave the city without getting a chance to watch you perform. I knew in my gut that you were going to be good. But Callie...you were stunning.”

  “Jack...” I murmur, surprised by the sudden tear that courses down my cheek.

  “Absolutely stunning,” he repeats, lifting my face to his. “I always knew in high school that you wanted to be an actress. Remember how you used to hang around school play rehearsals like they were sold out concerts or something? I could see how much you wanted it. But until I saw you here...I had no idea how incredible you could possibly be.”

  The tears are streaming down my face now, dashing themselves against the flowers I clutch to my chest.

  “Hey. Cal, what’s wrong?” Jack murmurs, tugging me gently toward him. “Should I not have told you? Am I the biggest creep in the world for showing up here, unannounced—”

  “No, no. It’s just...” I laugh through my tears, swiping the salty drops off my cheeks, “No one’s ever told me before that they think I’m a good actress, I guess.”

  “Well. I didn’t say you were a good actress,” Jack cuts in, his eyes blazing, “I said you were an incredible actress, Callie. That’s the truth. Why do you think I begged you to be in my movie? It’s not just because you look like Avery. God knows, we have the budget to take a million new publicity shots. I asked you because you’re fucking fantastic. And, well, for a few other reasons too...”

  Jack takes the flowers from my arms and sets them aside, running his hands over my trembling shoulders.

  “Honestly, Cal, asking you to come onto this movie was one of the most self-serving things I’ve ever done,” he goes on, running his hands down my arms.

  “Wh-what do you mean?” I stammer, completely overcome by Jack’s revelation. “You’ve given me an incredible opportunity—”

  “It was self-serving,” he cuts me off, closing the space between our bodies, “Because not only did it land the most incredible co-star I could have asked for, but it’s brought you back into my life. You’re here, Callie. With me, after all this time. And you can bet that fine ass of yours that I’m never going to let you walk away again.”

  “Who’s walking away?” I ask softly, laying my hands on the panes of his hard chest.

  “Huh. Good question,” he chuckles roughly, enfolding me in his strong arms.

  “Well, I’ve got another good question for you,” I go on with a wicked grin, “It’s been on my mind these past couple of weeks...”

  “Oh yeah?” Jack says, raising an eyebrow, “Go on. What is it?”

  I take a deep, ragged breath, struggling to put one word in front of the other. Having Jack’s body pressed so firmly to mine is making it tough to form even the simplest sentences. I promised myself I’d ask him where we stood by the time we got back to the set on Monday. I just wasn’t quite expecting to ask him like this.

  “OK. Here goes,” I rush on, “During all those love scenes we’ve been shooting together...You’ve been more that a little, um...worked up.”

  “That’s one way of putting it,” Jack laughs, running his hands along the bare skin showing between my skirt and top.

  “So...Was that Joel Brennan getting all worked up over Rosalie Danes? Or—”

  “No,” he cuts me off with a sharp growl, “That was me. Getting hard for you, Cal. It was all I could do not to carry you back to my dressing room and have my way with you right there on set.”

  “I was hoping you’d say that,” I breathe, pressing my body to his, “Because I’m not sure how much longer I can go without—”

  But before I can even finish my sentence, Jack brings his mouth to mine, kissing me hard and deep as he pulls me tight against his body. And sure enough, as I move my hips eagerly against his, the sheer enormity of his want for me becomes crystal clear. I can’t help myself. I trail my fingertips down the length of his impeccable form and run them along that hard length. A sharp intake of breath rings out from above as I work my hands along the impressive hardness pulsing beneath the fine wool of Jack’s suit.

  “Callie,” Jack groans, grabbing hold of my leather-clad ass and pulling me hard against his stiff cock, “I can’t make it back to the hotel. I need to have you. Now.”

  “Oh, thank god,” I gasp, throwing my arms around his shoulders.

  Jack catches me up in his arms, kissing along my throat and chest as his hands slip up my flared leather skirt. He moans appreciatively as he catches sight of the tiny, black lace panties I’m wearing.

  “Are those for me?” he grins, trailing his fingertips along my tender thighs.

  “Maybe,” I smile back, “OK, definitely.”

  “Does that mean you were hoping we were going to fuck tonight?” he growls, circling my waist as he runs two fingers along the thin fabric covering my sex. His touch, coupled with the salacious f-word tripping off his fine lips, makes me shudder with delight.

  “I was,” I breathe, feeling my knees begin to tremble as he strokes that aching, ready spot between my legs. “I was very much hoping we’d...You know...”

  “I don’t know. You have to say it,” he commands, holding me up against his solid form, lest I tumble over, “Say you want me to fuck you. Right here. Right now.”

  I force myself to look straight into his stunning, smoldering eyes as I take a shaky breath and press on, “I want you to fuck me, Jack. Please, I...”

  But my words trail off into a low moan as he slips two fingers beneath my panties, stroking along my wet, eager slit. I cling to his shoulders as those two masterful fingers run along the length of my sex, over and over again, working me into a fevered frenzy. Finally, just as I can’t take it a second longer, he slides them inside of me. I bury my face in Jack’s muscled neck, kissing him fiercely as his fingers flex against that tender sensitive spot.

  A low, mounting pressure starts to blossom in my core, blooming with every stroke of Jack’s strong fingers. But as those fingers zero in on my hard, throbbing clit, that sensation skyrockets, shooting through my entire body. It’s a miracle I stay on my feet at all.

  “Oh my god...” I moan, as
Jack rolls that hard nub in his expert fingers, “That’s so fucking good...”

  “Christ, Callie,” he murmurs, bearing down on that aching button. “I love seeing you like this.”

  I gasp as Jack spins me around, pulling my back to his chest and wrapping a supportive arm around my waist. It’s a good thing, too. As he works over my screaming, sensitive clit, I can barely keep myself upright. The waves of mounting pleasure roll through me, and I can feel myself on the cusp of being swept away.

  “Fuck,” I gasp, letting my head fall back against his chest as my legs tremble uncontrollably. “Jack, I’m so close...”

  “I just want to make you feel amazing,” he growls, his breath hot against my neck, “I want you to come for me, Callie.”

  “I’m...I’m right there...” I gasp, my entire body reeling with the crashing pleasure that courses through me.

  “Come,” he growls, tracing quick, firm circles around my clit, flicking and caressing me with searing precision.

  Jack has no way of knowing this, but I’ve never had a man make me come before. Every orgasm I’ve ever had has been my own handiwork. And so, as I feel myself barreling toward bliss with Jack’s body fast against mine, I almost don’t know what’s happening. Not until that hot, tell-tale sensation erupts inside of me, spilling out into every cell of my being. I cry out as I come for him, my body wracked with bliss. He holds me close as the waves of pleasure crash through me, again and again.

  But even as I come to and spin back to face him, meeting his ravenous gaze, I know that I’m not nearly done with him yet.

  “Come here,” I whisper, catching his face in my hands.

  I bring my lips to his, letting my tongue sweep into his mouth as he lifts me off the ground. He grabs me firmly by the ass and pulls me against him, my legs wrapping around his tapered hips. In three quick steps he’s carried me out of the lights of the stage, back into the shadows of the backstage curtains. I hook my ankles around his waist as he spins me around and pushes me up against the rough wall. I bury my fingers in his hair as he rips open the buckle of his belt with a metallic click.

  His hands slide up beneath my red top, cupping my breasts firmly as he holds me pinned to the wall. I breathe in sharply as he pinches my hard nipples, just hard enough for it to feel absolutely amazing. My head falls back against the wall as he shoves down his trousers and briefs, letting his hard cock spring out. I let my eyes fall on that thick, gorgeous length that I’ve fantasized about so many times. My entire body is screaming to feel him inside of me. I can’t wait another second.

  And luckily, I don’t have to.

  Fixing that arresting blue gaze on my rapturous face, Jack holds me fast with my back pressed firmly to the wall. I groan as I feel the tip of his staggering cock brush against the throbbing wetness between my legs. He hovers there for just a moment, a breath. And then, with one forceful buck of his powerful hips, he drives into me at long last.

  It’s a moment I’ve been thinking about, dreaming of, for over a decade. My expectations are sky high—but the real thing blows right past them in a heartbeat.

  I cry out into the vaulted ceilings of the theater as he barrels deep inside of me, splitting me open. He’s absolutely enormous, and for a moment I wonder if I’ll even be able to take all of him. But our bodies have been waiting for this for a long time. We’re primed for each other. It feels like we’ve already been here a million times, even as it feels scintillatingly new. I meet his every thrusting pass, marveling as he goes deeper and deeper, to my very core. It’s like he could drive right through me—and maybe he might.

  “Goddammit,” he groans, “You feel so fucking good, Cal...”

  “I can feel every inch of you,” I whisper, digging my hands into his dark brown hair, “I want to feel you come, too.”

  “I’m there...” he gasps, pinning my hands over my head as he barrels toward the edge of oblivion, “I’m...I’m...”

  With one final, searing thrust, Jack slams into that perfect, delicious place deep inside of me and comes hard. I feel a whole realm of bliss unlock itself to me as he cracks me wide open and fills me up. He thrusts slow and deep as our shared orgasm sweeps through our bodies, leveling us both. We collapse into each other, our chests heaving as we hold each other wordlessly. Swathed in the backstage darkness, wrapped up in Jack’s sturdy arms, I feel truly safe for the first time in a very long while. Perhaps ever. Who would have thought that a fast and dirty fuck in the back of theater could be so perfect?

  “So,” I breathe, as Jack lowers me back onto my high-heeled feet.

  “So,” he smiles, his eyes glowing warmly.

  “Was that the surprise you had in mind?” I ask.

  “Hey, that surprised me just as much as you,” he laughs throatily.

  “It was a good surprise, I hope?” I ask, pulling my skirt back into place.

  “The best I could ever imagine,” he replies, wrapping his arms around my waist.

  “Good answer,” I grin, standing on tip toe to kiss him once more. It’s amazing how easy it already feels between us. Almost too easy, too good to be true. But I’m not going to worry about it now. There are more pressing things to consider, at the moment.

  “We should probably get cleaned up,” I say quietly.

  “That’s a fact,” he chuckles, pulling up his briefs and buckling himself back up.

  “Come on,” I smile, strolling back onto the stage and grabbing the two unopened bottles of wine. “What do you say to a limousine joy ride through the city?”

  “I say...you’re adjusting to this movie star thing just fine,” Jack grins, shaking his head.

  “Do we need to clean up, or...?” I ask, looking at our mostly-devoured feast.

  “I take it back. You haven’t become a diva quite yet,” he amends. “No, we don’t have to clean up. I paid off a couple of stage hands to take care of everything.”

  “Old theater kid habits die hard I guess,” I laugh, “Let’s go!”

  I hand him a bottle, grab my gorgeous bouquet, and all but float back out of the theater. I steal a glance at the space as we go. If I could have known five years ago that I’d be back here some day, and what I’d be doing back here...It’s almost too incredible to think about.

  “This really was amazing, Jack,” I whisper, “Thank you.”

  “Anything for you,” he replies, slipping an arm around my waist. “I mean it. Anything.”

  “I’ll hold you to that,” I smile, as we make our way back out into the night.

  The limo is waiting for us on the curb as we step outside. I smooth down my obvious sex hair as best I can, but I’m sure I’m not fooling anybody. Good thing this corner of the village tends to be more or less deserted.

  Or at least, it used to be.

  A dozen clamoring voices start chattering away as the theater door swings shut behind us. All around us, reporters brandish smart phones and recording devices, snapping pictures and lobbing unintelligible questions. I freeze, imagining what Jack and I must look like from their point of view: Disheveled, flushed, booze-in-hand, clothes all disarranged. We look like we’ve just had raunchy, drunken sex in an abandoned building. And that impression is only made worse by the fact that we totally did.

  Jack takes my hand and tugs me through the crowd. We all but dive into the waiting limo and peel away, but the damage is done. By morning, our faces will be plastered across every gossip blog and tabloid the world over.

  “Guess I’m starting to get the hang of this celebrity thing after all,” I sigh.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Wow...I really need to get these sex dreams under control.

  So goes my first waking thought as I float up from a deep, restorative sleep. These naughty nocturnal fantasies have been a nightly occurrence ever since I moved into The Rouge, but this last one was much more vivid than usual. There was the rough, glorious first round in The Ingenue theater, then the second round in the backseat of the limo, then the third and forth back at
the hotel after a bottle of wine each.

  Maybe I need to buy a new vibrator or something. Clearly, I need to be getting off more, my mind continues to churn sleepily. But the thing is, I don’t feel a bunch of pent-up sexual tension inside of me, begging to be released. In fact, I feel relaxed and incredibly taken care of. I don’t understand how the two things can coincide—wild sex dreams and deep satisfaction.

  That is, until I feel a muscular arm circle around my waist and tug my gently back against a broad, sculpted chest.

  My eyes spring open, taking in the scene all at once. I’m not in my own bedroom at The Rogue at all. I’m in Jack’s room. In Jack’s bed. With Jack’s arm wrapped firmly around my body. Scratch that—my naked body, as I discover when I peer down under the covers. I glance over my bare shoulder, trying to keep as still as possible, and find Jack’s sleeping face resting on the pillow beside mine.

  The world pauses in its rotation as I take in the sight of Jack, asleep. His face is as relaxed as I’ve ever seen it, almost heartbreaking in its peacefulness. His strong, square jaw, defined cheekbones, and smooth brow rest easily, and I almost don’t recognize him without the wide, lopsided grin.

  I’ve dreamed of seeing him like this for more than ten years. And finally, here he is beside me. I wish there was a way to freeze time, right in this moment. The second we roll out of bed, the rest of the world will come flooding back in. The photographers, the gossip, the tabloids. If I had my druthers, all of that would fade away like fog burned off by the sun.

  Of course, that’s the real fantasy. Reality could never be so simple. But even if it isn’t simple, it can still be so, so sweet. Isn’t his sleeping face proof enough of that?

  “Hey,” Jack murmurs, that grin blossoming back into place as he opens his dark blue eyes, “Fancy meeting you here.”

  “Oh, you know,” I sigh, turning to snuggle against his bare chest, “I was just in the neighborhood. Thought I’d stop by.”

  “Well I’m glad you did,” he replies, kissing the top of my head as I fit myself to the contours of his perfectly balanced form. I practically start purring as he lets his hands roam down along my body, across the dip of my waist, the rise of my ass. A thousand images from our wild, uninhibited evening of sex race through my mind. We may have a lot of lost time to make up for, but we got a pretty good jump on the effort last night.