by Lucy Smith
“That’s sad. Well, if you ever need someone who isn’t a nanny to watch her, I can think of some fun places I can take her.”
He smiled. “I’m sure she would like that.”
I looked around and noticed that the sun was starting to set; we had spent half the day at the festival. “I guess we should go home,” I said. “It looks like it’s getting late.”
He took my hand in his. “Why don’t you come over to my place tonight? We can make tomorrow an all-day affair. It will give us more time to play.”
My mind was telling me no, that it wasn’t a good idea. Offers like that only made it hard for me to refuse.
Instead, I smiled. “Sure.”
We got back to his place and watched a movie. We fell asleep together on his couch.
~*~*~*~
Several hours later, I awoke to his soft lips meeting the skin of my neck, waking me from my slumber. Slowly, I realized I wasn’t sleeping alone, nor was I in my bed. The night before came back to me: the festival, coming back to his place, and falling asleep while watching a movie. I leaned back into his warm body. His arm around my waist held me tighter. I felt safe and warm, and soon I could feel myself falling back to sleep. I didn’t know if hours or minutes passed, but again I felt warm lips moving across my shoulder and down my arm. I moaned, both from liking the sensations he was creating and having to wake up, but I wasn’t angry about it. I turned over and opened my eyes to stare at his chest. I moved my head up to look at his face.
“Good morning,” I said.
“Morning. Did you sleep okay?”
I rubbed my eyes. “Yes, surprisingly better than I have in years.”
“Good. Are you hungry? I have things to make breakfast here.”
“I’m not hungry right now. You know how to cook?”
He laughed. “I don’t have Lucas cook for me all the time, and as long as it doesn’t entail baking, I can make basic things.”
As we lay there, I remembered the reason I was here and what Kat had said about things I’d need to do in order to keep it less messy. Should I talk to him about it, or should I make up an excuse to have him leave the room long enough that I could use the toilet and take a quick shower?
“What’s bothering you?” he asked.
“What?” How does he know something is bothering me?
“You’re frowning, so I’m assuming you’re thinking about something that is bothering you. Are you having second thoughts about today?”
I shook my head. “I’m thinking about today, but not about backing out.”
Sweetly, he took my hand in his. “Well, tell me what you’re thinking and perhaps I can help you.”
“I was messaging an old friend the other day, one who knows a lot about anal sex, and she gave me advice on how to prepare for the actual act, so that it’s not . . . messy.” I could feel my chest flush with heat. This was so embarrassing to talk about with a man I was immensely attracted to.
He threw his head back and laughed, which didn’t help my nerves one bit. “I’ve never had an issue with it, and I’m not one of those guys who believe women only use the bathroom to shower and put on makeup.”
I blushed. “I’ve never talked to a guy about using the toilet before.”
“Well, my bathroom is pretty much soundproof, and you are welcome to use anything in there. When it comes to that part of the day, we can even shower together if you want to.”
“Okay.” Somehow he’d made me feel less embarrassed about the whole thing. I was worried he’d make fun of me. He was more mature than I gave him credit for.
~*~*~*~
Not long after I prepared myself for my ass’s coming-out party, we were kissing. It seemed like no matter what my week had been like or the confusion I felt about plotting with Toby and Pierce, kissing Pierce always quieted my busy mind. His lips were so gentle that I felt as if he was treating me like a virgin who had never been kissed. I quickly deepened the kiss, not wanting him to treat me like a china doll. It felt good just to kiss him and take the time to slowly touch him. I didn’t think we’d ever kissed without it leading to us tearing off our clothes in a matter of a few minutes. Perhaps he could sense that I wanted it romantic and not animalistic.
My fingers played with his hair and his hands held my waist closer to his. His fingers pushed up my shirt slightly and rubbed against my skin there. I slowly moved my hands from around his neck and slid them down his chest. Pushing my fingers under his shirt, I allowed myself to explore his warm skin and lean muscles. It was amazing how much detail the fingers could pick up when the eyes couldn’t see it. My hands traveled around his sides to his back; we continued to kiss. His hands came up to cup my face. For the first time since we started sleeping together, I felt as if I’d connected with him on a different level. I couldn’t say he felt the same, but there was a small part of me that hoped he did.
~*~*~*~
For a while after the make-out session, Pierce went out to get us something to eat, which gave me some time to myself to prepare more for later on.
I turned on the shower and heard him walk through the front door. It was a few minutes before he joined me under the shower’s lightly pulsating jets. I let the water run over my head, wetting my hair before I looked at him. He had yet to get under the water and his hair was still dry; he was watching me with a look in his eye that I couldn’t place.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?” I asked. I seemed to have shaken him from whatever thought he was lost in.
He shook his head and stepped closer to me. “It’s nothing.” Reaching behind me he grabbed a bar of soap. “Turn around.”
I gave him a long look before I turned around. He moved my hair over my shoulder and used his soaped-up hands to wash my back. His thumbs rubbed circles into my muscles; he knelt on the shower floor and ran his hands down my sides and over my butt to my thighs. He took his time rubbing the muscles in the back of my thighs, and I pressed a hand on the wall and leaned into it. It all felt good, and I could feel my nerves and my body relaxing. The trepidation I had been feeling all day finally started to melt away. He massaged his way down both my legs before he had me turn around. Taking more soap into his hands, he started at my ankles and slowly worked his way up my legs to my thighs again. Even with high-paid masseurs, I’d never felt as satisfied from a massage as I did now.
His face was close to my pussy. I could feel his breath, cool against my wet skin. He spread my legs farther apart and angled his head to lick at my clit. He used his thumbs to spread my lips apart, which gave him better access to everything.
The warm water was hitting my back and his tongue was working its magic to take me to new heights of ecstasy. Soon I was coming, and he ran his soapy hands upward, over my sides and breasts. He stood and kissed me gently, his hand cupping my face.
We got out of the shower and dried off. I smiled at him. I had butterflies about what was going to happen next, but I knew he would take care of me the right way; he had never let me down before. He led me to his bedroom, and I moved to sit on his bed.
“Have you ever experimented with touching yourself there?”
“Yes, a few days ago. I liked it.”
He smiled. “Good. Grab a pillow and lay down on your stomach for me.”
I did as he asked and got one of the bigger pillows. He placed a bottle of lube next to me and then moved behind me. I tensed, thinking he was going to go straight for it.
“Relax. We’re not at that point yet.” He started by placing his hands on my lower back and massaging it like he did in the shower. He gently rubbed my lower back and butt until I was completely relaxed.
“If you keep doing that, I’m going to fall asleep.”
He laughed. “I’m done. Can you lean into your pillow and put your butt in the air for me please?”
I moved my legs to do as he asked. He crouched behind me so that his face was level with my butt. His fingers grasped either side of my butt cheeks to spread them.
I let out a squeak as I felt his tongue touch my asshole. I could feel myself turn red; he couldn’t see my face, but I felt initially embarrassed. I’d never let anyone that close to my ass before, and now he was licking it. As I got over my embarrassment, I realized that it felt pretty good. His tongue was hot as it moved over me and the fact that I’d never been touched there like that made it better. I started to moan and pushed myself back into him. I could feel the pleasure start to build. I never thought I could be brought to orgasm by someone doing this.
He stopped, however, before I could reach orgasm. I heard the pop of the cap on the jelly bottle and looked down between my legs. He was putting the jelly on his fingers. I looked away but tensed when I felt the tip of his index finger pushing against the hole.
“Relax—I’m not going to hurt you, Lauren.”
I knew he wouldn’t, so I let out a deep breath and concentrated on relaxing myself. He slowly pushed more of his slick finger inside me. It was still an odd sensation, but it wasn’t unpleasant.
I could feel him curl his finger inside me and a small moan escaped me. “Can I try putting in another finger now?” he asked.
I tensed briefly but then relaxed again. “Yeah.”
He pushed another finger into me along with the first. It stretched me, and I grimaced as I tried to get used to the new feeling. He still took it slow, curling his fingers over and over inside me. Again I could feel the pleasure restart its climb. I moaned louder and pushed myself into his hand. He stopped again and asked if he could add a third finger. “Yes,” I said and waited for him to stretch me even farther with this third finger. I wondered if this was what it would feel like when he put his cock inside me. His slick fingers made my ass slick and before long I was moaning again as the pleasure restarted its climb. I was so close to an orgasm now that I could feel my body getting ready to release it.
He pulled his fingers all the way out of me. I looked over my shoulder at him. “Are you crazy? I was just about to climax.”
He smiled at me and picked up a condom that had been sitting next to the jelly. He tore it open. I waited with anticipation as he put it on along with more jelly.
“Remember, stay relaxed. I won’t hurt you.” He moved to kneel behind me, and I focused on keeping myself relaxed as he slowly pushed himself into me. He waited after he got himself all the way in. “You okay?” he asked. It hurt a little—his cock was obviously thicker than his fingers had been, but it didn’t hurt as bad as I thought it would.
“Yes, keep going.”
He started to slowly thrust in and out of me. It took me a moment to get used to the new feeling, but soon the pleasure that he had been teasing me with the entire time began to build again, slower this time. My arms and legs were starting to get tired.
“Can I turn over?” I asked. He pulled out of me, and I turned over onto my back. I put the pillow under my lower back.
He placed my legs over his shoulder and leaned over me. Again, he positioned himself and pushed himself in, quicker this time. His thrusts were steady, and he used his hand now to come down and stroke my excited clit. I moaned. My pleasure bubbled over and I came, his name falling from my lips. He thrust into me harder now, and I held onto the sheets. I could feel the muscles tighten around him with the after-spasms of my orgasm. He moaned, then stilled his movements, and came.
Pulling out of me, he lay down beside me and caught his breath. He looked at me. “Did you like that?”
“Surprisingly, I did. I didn’t think I would. The thought of it never really appealed to me before. But you made it enjoyable and made me feel safe. Thank you.”
He smiled and leaned over to kiss me. Not long after, we both fell asleep.
Chapter Twenty-Three
I wrote Pierce a note, letting him know that I would see him Tuesday morning, and I snuck out before he woke up so that I could catch my flight to New York to meet up with my mother. As I left his place, I couldn’t help but feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Someone was watching me again, and it wasn’t paparazzi. That terrible feeling I got from whoever it was wasn’t a good one. It wasn’t until I was up in the air that the feeling left me. I wished I knew where it was coming from.
As I expected, my mother wasn’t as thrilled to see me as she usually was. Perhaps she knew why I was there. She hugged me briefly before getting in the car, but we sat in silence as we made our way back home. I wanted to say something, but I didn’t know what would be appropriate.
It wasn’t until she was pouring us tea on the second-level sun balcony of our home that she spoke. “Your brother told me you know about the affair. That’s the reason you’re here, isn’t it?”
I slowly stirred sugar into my tea; it gave me something to do so that I didn’t have to look her in the face. “Yes. I want to know more about it. How it started and ended. Why she killed herself.”
My mother took her time unfolding a napkin and making it line-free on her lap. “I always knew you’d ask me about this one day.”
I sat forward, eager to hear her explanation.
“The feud between the companies at that point was more or less just a friendly rivalry between college friends. They were always trying to top each other; they thought it was fun.” My mother’s thumb played with the edge of her tea cup. “I’d always known your father loved Julia. They were college sweethearts before I met him. I don’t know the full story, but somehow Peter wooed Julia away from Joseph. Joseph knew they were happy together, and with them being his best friends, he never tried to get her back then. I met him soon after they broke up.” Tears appeared at the corners of her brown, almond eyes. “Julia and your father started up an affair, and toward the end, they weren’t even trying to hide it anymore. I’m not sure what prompted it all of the sudden, after so many years. But there was no stopping them.”
“Why didn’t you leave him?”
She smiled sadly. “I was raised to believe a woman should stand by her husband no matter what happens. So that’s what I did. Stood by him in the face of the tabloids and didn’t back down.”
I took a sip of my tea. “Pierce says that Daddy is responsible for Julia killing herself.”
She looked out at the scenery and sighed. “Everyone has their own opinion about that. I guess the only one that really knows the truth is Julia herself. I don’t think she meant to take her own life though.”
“What do you mean?”
My mother looked at me. “When the affair became public, Joseph turned his back on her. He pretended to be the perfect family man, wanting to rebuild what he had almost destroyed. Peter, even though he had been openly having affairs for years, made Julia stay inside the house. He told the public that she had put herself in a self-imposed exile. Mainly, he just wanted to keep her away from your father. They say she was under twenty-four-hour watch so that she couldn’t leave without him knowing.” She took another sip of her tea. “I don’t think she ever meant to go through with it. I think she tried to overdose on sleeping pills so that she would have to be taken to the hospital, thus, getting out of the house and alerting the public to what was going on.”
“Except it didn’t work out like that?”
“She was never sent to a hospital, and the coroner concluded that she had overdosed on prescription sleeping pills and that was all. I think Peter knew what she was up to and let her die. But there’s never been a way to prove it.”
“So you think she was murdered?”
“Yes.”
I sat back in my chair, trying to digest everything she had told me. “I should have known about this, Mom. How can you bear to look at him?”
She reached across the table for my hand. “No, sweetheart. You were so young. There’s no way you would have known what was going on. I had to remain strong for you. I didn’t want you to see the pain your father had caused.”
“You should leave him. He doesn’t deserve you.”
She stared at the tea cup in her hand. “I’ve
been with him for so long I don’t think I could make it without him by my side. We all carry our own burdens, Lauren, and we learn to eventually walk with a straight back while doing it. It’s just a fact of life.”
Anger boiled up in me. “Mom, if I chose to leave the company, would you be mad at me?”
“No, I would be proud of you. Very proud.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
I ate an early dinner with my mother and then made the trip back to Vegas. As I walked into my apartment, I speed-dialed Kat on my cell. I had questions for her. When it went straight to her voice mail, I sighed and left a message telling her to call me as soon as she could. I walked over to the window and looked out over the city. Should I call Pierce? He would have some of the answers to my burning questions, so I dialed his number next.
“Hello?” he answered sleepily.
“Hi, can you come over to my place now?”
“Lauren? I was sleeping—and having a rather nice dream too.”
“Yes. Please? There’s something I need to talk to you about.”
“Can it be done over the phone or in the morning at work?”
“No. Please, Pierce, come over.”
“All right. I’ll be there in fifteen.” He hung up. My heart raced. I sat down on the couch and tried to calm myself. I felt a small headache coming from my sudden burst of adrenaline. Time seemed to fly as I thought about all the details and just how much I wanted to make my dad pay.