A Beautiful Mistake

by Ashlee Price

  Why? Why do his kisses stir me up so much?

  I'd like to know, but my thoughts get muddled as his fingers tug at my hair. His tongue rubs against mine and I moan.

  He tastes of wine and of spices from the grilled chops he had. And something else I can't quite put a finger on but which whets my appetite and fires me up.

  My breasts swell in my bra. I feel a pull in my belly as my sex awakens.

  Damn.

  In the tiny corner of my brain where thought still functions, I hear a voice warning me to pull away, telling me that I'm making a mistake. But I can't. Just as I couldn't turn away from skydiving earlier, I can't resist Dustin now, not when he's promising me the same thrill.

  His fingers rake my back through cotton and I grab fistfuls of his shirt as I shiver in excitement. His other hand cradles my jaw, then slips down to my neck. My pulse races against his palm.

  The hand on my back crawls to the front. His thumb brushes against the curve of my breast and I go still.

  Dustin stops as well. He pulls away to look into my eyes. His hand caresses my cheek.

  I open my mouth to say something, but his thumb presses against my lips.

  "Don't," he says as he did earlier. "Don't you worry about a thing."

  And just like I did earlier, I let him push me over the edge. I fall.

  I place my hands behind his neck and pull his face to mine. I slip my tongue into his mouth. I feel him grin just before his tongue takes control again. His hand moves over my breast. My nipple stiffens against silk.

  As he rubs it with his thumb, another moan escapes my throat. My sex starts to leak and I shift my legs.

  Dustin pulls me off the chair and onto his lap. The chair creaks beneath our weight.

  I put my hands on his shoulders as our tongues continue to mingle. I can barely breathe but I can't bring myself to pull up for air. He grabs my hips and pulls me against his crotch. I feel the bulge there and the stain in my underwear grows.

  His hands slip beneath my shirt. As his fingers inch towards my bra, my stomach quivers and I pull it in. I hold my breath in anticipation.

  It leaves me in a gasp when his thumbs press against the engorged peaks of my breasts. His other fingers trace the curves of flesh hiding beneath silk before pushing my bra out of the way. He captures my nipples and I pull my mouth away to give a louder gasp.

  He kisses my cheek and my ear as he gently twists and tugs on the pert nubs. His tongue traces the lobe of my ear and I shudder.

  One of his hands goes up to the back of my head. His fingers get caught in my hair and he pulls it back so he can plant his mouth on my exposed neck. He peppers the patch of skin with kisses as his fingers tug at the rubber band holding my hair in place. The tendrils spill onto my shoulders.

  Dustin pulls back to look at me. His eyes narrow in appreciation and gleam with desire.

  "Your hair looks like it's on fire," he says.

  "I feel... like I'm on fire," I say breathlessly.

  He grabs my hair and kisses me on the mouth again, stealing even more of my oxygen supply. His hands roll up the hem of my shirt and I feel the breeze on my skin. It sweeps against my breasts and I feel a chill.

  It vanishes as he leaves my mouth to envelop one of my breasts in the warmth of his. I gasp. He sucks on the mound of flesh before taking my nipple between his lips. He circles it with the tip of his tongue before licking it. Over and over again.

  I tug at his hair and wrap an arm around him as I throw my head back. My arms and legs won't stop shaking.

  He does the same to my other breast, keeping the one he just abandoned busy with his fingers. Then he pushes me off him.

  He grabs his jacket and spreads it on the ground before pushing me on top of it. I feel the rough denim against my back. As I chase after my breath, I catch a glimpse of the moon peeking through the windswept clouds before Dustin's face eclipses it.

  As I look into his eyes, I realize for the first time that they're dark brown, not black. They pin mine down and my heart skips a beat. The desire in them spills into mine.

  He cradles my jaw and captures my lips again. His hands slide down my sides until they reach the waistband of my jeans.

  They move to the front. His fingers make quick work of my button and my zipper. In seconds, my pants and my sneakers are off.

  He caresses me through my soaked panties and my knees tremble. His fingers slip beneath the cotton and find my nub. As he rubs it, my body arches. My toes curl. My fingers dig into his shoulders as I moan into his mouth.

  He continues to rub that nub even as my body thrashes beneath his. All this time I've been burning, but now I melt. It feels like my skin is melting away as I'm falling faster through the air.

  I turn my head to the side to gasp for air. His fingers are still working their magic, bringing me closer and closer to the edge as his tongue toys with my ear.

  "Stop," I whisper hoarsely as I put my hand over his with what strength I have left.

  I look into his eyes, hoping that he'll understand the rest of what I have to say, because I can't seem to form the words.

  I don't want to do this alone.

  If I fall, I want him to fall with me.

  Dustin nods. He withdraws his hand, takes mine and kisses it. Then he reaches for his belt.

  I lift my head for as long as I can - just long enough to catch a glimpse of the tip of his cock as he pulls it out of his boxers. Then he moves back on top of me. His fingers pull my underwear to my knees before he grips my thighs.

  "Ready?" he asks me.

  I manage a grin. "Just get it over with."

  Dustin chuckles, then his face turns all serious as he pushes his cock inside me. Those perfectly chiseled features of his grow taut. A grunt escapes his lips as the rest of him fills me with one thrust.

  A gasp comes out of my mouth as my hands grip his arms.

  "Are you alright?" he asks hoarsely.

  I nod.

  I feel stretched and full, so full. And there's a slight sting. And his cock feels so hot inside me that I feel my insides might catch fire. But I'm alright.

  Dustin continues. He moves slowly at first and then starts pounding into me.

  I close my eyes and throw my head back. The sound of skin slapping against skin fills my ears. His grunts mingle with my moans to send a unique melody into the evening sky.

  My back starts to hurt as my body rocks back and forth. My legs start to feel numb. Between them, my sex burns from his thrusts. Pleasure and adrenaline course through my veins.

  I'm falling fast.

  Then I fly.

  My hips rise to meet his as the pleasure takes over. My toes curl. My nails dig into his skin as my body shakes uncontrollably and my mouth gapes to let my cries tumble out. My head spins and my mind goes blank.

  For a moment, I feel like I'm floating aimlessly, wrapped in calm and silence. Then I open my eyes and see Dustin.

  His eyes are narrowed, his jaw clenched and his nostrils flaring. Beads of sweat cling to his forehead.

  So serious.

  I lift a hand to touch his cheek but he ends up pinning my wrists above my head with one hand as his hips jerk a few more times. Then his body grows rigid. His cock grows still inside me as it releases its hot load.

  I stay still beneath him as he catches his breath, staring at his flushed face. Only then does the fog in my mind lift. Only then do the wheels in my head start turning as the realization of what just happened sinks in.

  I had sex with Dustin. On our first date.

  The first feelings that strike me are shame and dismay. Didn't I learn my lesson all those years ago?

  But then Dustin's eyes meet mine and my heart skips a beat. Before I know it, I'm lifting my head and wrenching my wrists out from under his hands so I can pull his mouth to mine. We kiss and then my lips curve into a smile.

  "Well, that was amazing," I hear myself saying as I stroke his cheek. "How's that for being honest?"

  Dustin jus
t grins before moving off me.

  I pull down my bra and my shirt but remain lying on the ground. My gaze darts up to the evening sky, to the moon that's no longer veiled but shining brightly as if it knows that Dustin and I are done having sex.

  Dustin and I had sex.

  And it may just be the most thrilling thing that's happened to me today.

  I draw a deep breath and smile at the moon.

  I know I've done stupid things today, but hey, right know, everything feels just right.

  Chapter Eight

  Dustin

  Can't you do anything right, Dustin Montgomery?

  I grit my teeth in frustration as I bury my fist in the back of the couch. As my shoulders heave, my gaze falls on the sheets of paper on the coffee table, the divorce papers Candace gave me.

  The divorce papers I wasn't able to give Marian or even tell her about.

  I let out an exasperated sigh as I run my hands through my hair.

  How was I supposed to give them to her when she looked so happy after we had sex? Why, her face was practically glowing and she had a smile on it almost the whole way home. She was even singing and dancing in the car.

  I didn't expect that. I thought she'd regret it. I thought she'd be mad at me. I was waiting for her to bite my head off and then somewhere in the middle of the argument, I would just blurt out that we got ourselves married by accident and since we clearly can't get along, we should get a divorce. She'd be shocked. She'd be even angrier. She'd sign the papers and we'd be over. We'd never have to see each other again.

  But no. She was prancing and floating on air. And I couldn't bring myself to push her out of the plane without a parachute and watch her fall alone.

  Damn it. Why does that woman have to be so unpredictable?

  I sink into the couch and grab my bottle of beer, hoping that the bitterness of the alcohol will wash some of my own away.

  I'm horrible at goodbyes. That's why I don't do them. I just walk away after sex before the woman has the strength to chase after me or slap me.

  This time, I didn't have that chance. I tried to, but Marian wouldn't let me, and so I had no choice but to say goodbye.

  I couldn't.

  So here I am stuck with these papers. How am I supposed to make Marian sign them now?

  I don't know. All I know is that I have to. I can't let this go on any longer. No more dates. No more sex, not after that first time was so unbelievably amazing that my chest still tightens and my cock still throbs at the memory of it.

  It was good, too good.

  I can't afford to be involved with someone that good.

  As I gulp down the contents of the bottle in my hand, I try to gather my thoughts so I can come up with my next move. They scatter when my phone rings.

  "Candace?" I ask as I hold the phone to my ear.

  She stifles a sob. "Dustin, Sidney collapsed."

  My eyes grow wide as my thoughts race. It could mean anything, of course, but this is Sidney. He's healthy as a horse. I can't remember him having so much as a cold or forgetting to take his vitamins.

  Then again, this is Sidney, the guy who works almost every day of the year, the son of a man who died from a lung disease and a woman who has barely left her house since suffering a stroke.

  I swallow the lump in my throat. "Where is he?"

  ~

  When I arrive in Boston, I go straight from the airport to the hospital. I find Sidney's secretary, Margot, in the waiting area.

  "How is he?" I ask her.

  "He regained consciousness," Margot tells me. "And they ran some tests. I believe he's going to have surgery tomorrow morning."

  My eyebrows rise. "Surgery?"

  That tells me this is bad, worse than I thought.

  "I'm sorry I can't tell you more," Margot says.

  "It's fine," I tell her.

  She looks even more worried than I am.

  "Where's Candace?"

  "In his room," she answers. "Room 317."

  I nod. "Why aren't you there?"

  If I remember correctly, Margot has always been by Sidney's side.

  She looks away as she grips her purse. "I'm afraid I don't do well in hospitals."

  I see. So some of what I'm mistaking as worry is probably just discomfort.

  Poor girl.

  I pat her arm. "Why don't you go home?"

  "I'm waiting for the two other Mr. Montgomerys."

  Right. I don't see any sign of Arthur or Greg here. Arthur's probably still in Chicago, doing banking stuff. I can't imagine him rushing here since he's just as much of a workaholic as Sidney, if not worse. They've always been the most competitive. As for Greg, he's probably on his way from DC with his attache case stuffed with all kinds of legal files. He loves being a lawyer so much that he hates to delegate, even though his wife, Renee, keeps telling him to.

  "I think they'll manage just fine," I say. "You should go and get some rest."

  She nods but looks reluctant.

  I give her another pat on the arm. "I'll go look for Candace."

  I find her as soon as I get out of the elevator, staring at the vending machine. When she sees me, her eyes light up with relief and she smiles. Then she throws herself into my arms and hugs me tight. Her arms start to shake.

  "Shh." I pat her back. "Sidney will be fine."

  "I just can't help but worry," she says against my shoulder. "He's never collapsed before."

  "I know."

  "But then, maybe I should have seen this coming. I mean, he's not getting any younger. And he always works so hard."

  "Shh." I run my hands through her hair.

  "He works so hard," she goes on. "And I don't even know why. I mean, the company is doing good. He already has so much money. We don't even have children to inherit his fortune."

  I say nothing. I've always wondered why Sidney works so hard, or if he really likes what he's doing.

  "But then he says everyone is counting on him. What about him? Who can he count on?" Candace sniffs. "You know, sometimes he mumbles about you and your brothers, saying he wishes all four of you ran the company your father started. He even says it's what your father wanted. But then Arthur has his bank and Greg has his law firm and you..."

  She stops. I already know what she's thinking, though.

  I pull away. "Go on. Say I have nothing."

  "Well, you had your invention," she says as she rubs my arms. "And you can still do great things if you put your mind to it."

  What she means is that she wants me to do great things, just like Sidney, Arthur and Greg. It's a contest. It always has been. And I'm always in last place, whether in my parents' eyes or in hers. I used to wonder if maybe she would have chosen me over Sidney if only I was more hardworking and successful.

  Candace squeezes my arm. "Anyway, let's not talk about that. It doesn't matter right now. What matters is Sidney."

  I nod. "What did the doctors say?"

  "That they found something wrong with one of the valves of his heart," Candace says. "That he'll have to undergo surgery to have it fixed."

  "Okay."

  That's good. At least the problem can still be fixed. And it will be.

  I pat Candace's shoulder. "He'll be fine. He'll be back on his feet again in no time."

  "I know," she says. "Still, I can't help but worry." She looks into my eyes. "I'm scared, Dustin. I've never been this scared. I never realized until today that I could lose the man I love and live the rest of my life all alone. And I do love him, Dustin. I love him more than I can say. I've never loved anyone but him and I can't imagine loving anyone but him."

  I already know that. I learned it a long time ago. Even when I was trying so hard to impress her, all she could see was Sidney. Even though I'm taller and better looking and possibly even smarter, I was almost invisible to her, a fleck in the shadow of the man she adored.

  I take her hand. "And he knows that. He's not going to leave you or any of us. If he does, I won't forgive him."
/>
  Candace nods.

  "This is Sidney Montgomery we're talking about." I squeeze her hand. "He's not going to let anything ruin his plans or get the better of him, especially not some damaged heart valve."

  That makes Candace grin. "That does sound like him."

  "It is him," I say. "He'll die only when he wants to, only when his company is the best in the world and he's sure it's going to be around forever. And when he's finally beaten Arthur at golf and me at basketball."

  Candace chuckles.

  "Until then, he'll be around. With you."

  She smiles. "Thanks, Dustin."

  I smile back.

  She gives me a push. "Now go and see him. I'm sure he's waiting for you."

  Is he? I don't know. I go anyway, walking down the corridor past the nurses' station and rounding a corner until I find Room 317. The door is open and I go in.

  Sidney is in his bed in his hospital gown. He smiles when he sees me.

  "Hey," he greets.

  "Hey," I say back with a grin. "How do you feel?"

  "Better now that they got me some morphine for my headaches and chest pain," he says.

  I approach his bed. "So they have you on drugs, too, huh?"

  It's hard to believe that not so long ago, I too was in a flimsy gown on a hospital bed with tubes attached to me and drugs coursing through my veins.

  Oh, and flirting with a doctor and then marrying her. Good thing I don't have to worry about that happening to Sidney.

  "Have you talked to Candace?" Sidney asks.

  "Yup." I pull the stool from the corner so I can sit by his bed.

  "And Arthur? And Greg?"

  I shake my head. "They're not yet here."

  He frowns.

  "But I'm sure they're on their way," I add.

  He laughs. "Nah. They don't love me that much. In fact, I'm pretty sure they hate me."

  My eyebrows rise. He's never said that before. Either the morphine or the scare he just went through has made him honest.

  "No, they don't," I tell him. "At least, Greg doesn't."

  He laughs louder. "Arthur definitely hates me. And Greg? He's a good boy. Then again, too good. He wouldn't think twice about sending me to jail if I deserved it. Plus I think he's always blamed me for killing his pet lizard."