Eagle's Destiny (44 page)

We sat together in the living room drinking wine and talking when Margaret and Tammy came into the
living room.  Tammy had our dry
cleaning in her arms and she hung up Michael’s tuxedo and my Monterey dress in the doorway of Michael’s bedroom.  I
saw immediately
that
there was a problem with my dress.

I bolted up from the couch and ran over to my dress, “What the hell?”  I said as I ripped off the plastic wrapper.

Michael could hear the distress in my voice, “What’s the matter Babe?”

I whispered, “Oh my god, Michael, my dress.”

Margaret looked directly at me with hate in her eyes, “Isn’t that a wonderful dress Elizabeth?  Katy left this dress for me, and you know she’s taller than me so I had to have it alt
ered to fit me.  It’s wonderful.  I
t fits like a glove now.  The dress looks perfect on me.”

“Mom that isn’t the dress I left for you.”  Katy stood up too.

I burst into tears fingering the dress that would no longer fit me.

Tammy looked from me to her mother, and then to her father.  “I,” she stammered, “I let Mom take the dry cleaning in.  Oh Elizabeth, oh my god.”

As I slowly crumpled to the floor Michael caught me in his arms, “Oh Babe, I’m so sorry honey.”  I could feel the rage building in his body as he stiffened.  He stared at Margaret, “Get out Margaret.  I want you out of my house and I don’t want you ever to step foot in here again.”  He said resolutely. 

“Daddy!”  Tammy cried out, her tears falling fast, “Don’t Daddy, she didn’t mean it.”

Michael focused on Tammy, “You can go with her Tammy,
and you’re
a fool if you think she didn’t do this on purpose.”  Michael led me over to the couch and sat me down.  “And you’re a bigger fool if you think getting pregnant is going to get Jason to marry you.  I will lose all respect for you if you do that.  That is not how I raised you.  I raised you to be an honest woman.  How could you do that to Jason?”

Tammy looked at me and I shook my head.  Michael continued, “No Elizabeth didn’t tell me, Katy called me on my way home.  Why would you want to trap Jason?”

“Oh so I trapped you?”  Margaret yelled viciously, “That’s a great thing for you to tell your daughters.  Guess what girls, your father felt trapped by you.”

Everyone looked over at Margaret with surprise.  Michael looked at her and said with a cold voice, “Margaret, what are you still doing here?  I thought I made myself clear.  Get out!”

Tammy came over to me, knelt down in front of me, and put her hands on my knees.  “Elizabeth, I’m so sorry about your dress.  I’m sorry about everything.”  Her tears had turned to sobs.

I touched the top of her head, “I know honey.”

Tammy twisted around to look over at her mother, “Mom you better leave.”

Margaret didn’t say a word.  S
he turned on her heel and left the room. 

Michael concentrated his attention
on
us, “I’m sorry for this.  Paul, I’m sorry, we’re not normally so explosive a family.  Tammy, why don’t you take the dress and put it somewhere so it’s out of our sight.”

Tammy looked at me and I nodded to her.  She rose, picked up the dress, and left the room.

Michael sat next to me and held me.  “Babe, I will replace your dress.  Honey, we’ll find one just like it.”

The four of us sat quietly in the room until we heard Tammy and her mother come downstairs with Margaret’s suitcases.  The backdoor slammed
shut and there was an audible sigh from everyone in the room.  Tammy came back inside a few minutes later and she looked at us with despair and tears on her face.  Michael patted the place on the couch next to him and reached out his arm to her.

“Come here baby girl.”  He beckoned to Tammy.

Tammy quickly sat next to him and Michael kissed her hair while wrapping his arm around her shoulder. 

“I’m sorry Daddy.”  She buried her head in his neck. 

chapter thirty-seven

We managed to salvage the evening by ordering pizza and indoctrinating Paul into the Hoffman’s style of Monopoly.  No surprise when Michael won again, although it was possible that Paul let him win, which was smart on his part.

Even though the guest room upstairs was now free, Paul chose to continue to stay at my cabin.  Michael did not say a word when Katy and Paul departed together for the night.  While Michael and Tammy did the dishes, I prepared our bedroom by lighting the candles and running the bath water.  I wanted to also give them a little alone time too.  They had to do some rebuilding of their relationship.  It was surprising to me how accurate Candace had been about Margaret.  It was time though to forget about Margaret.  She was part of the past and there was definitely no room for her in our future.

I slipped into a very sheer white nightgown and sat on the bed to wait.  All the lights were off and only candles lit up the room.  With Barry White playing on my IPod, everything was perfect.

Michael’s knock on the door was soft and I could hear the wine glasses clinking in his hands.  “Babe, it’s me.”

“I’m ready for you.”  I said trying for a sultry voice.  Yes, I was ready for him.  I wanted to jump into his arms when he walked into the room.

“Oh, wow,” he said as he walked into the room. 

I stood up from the bed.  We just looked at each for a few moments. 

“The bath is all ready for us.” 

Michael smiled and he put the wine glasses and wine on the dresser opposite the door.  He walked slowly toward me and the anticipation of feeling his arms around me was slowly driving me mad.  Finally, he wound his arms around my shoulders and pulled me close.  I sighed as I felt his hands moving down my body coming to rest on my bottom.  His lips
found mine and his kiss answered any of my worries or insecurities.

I brought my arms up around his neck as my hands stroked his hair and the side of his face.  Michael’s hands cupped my bottom and pulled me up tight against him.  I could feel his hard length pressing against me.  The intense feeling my lower body was producing made slow moans escape from my throat.  My hips moved against the soft material of his jeans and I wanted to be closer to him, but tonight I was not rushing anything.

He continued to knead my butt with his hands in a circular motion, which more than provoked a response from me.  His lips traveled down my chin to my neck.  His head lowered to my breasts and he slowly took a nipple into his mouth through the sheer fabric of my nightgown.  His teeth grazed it and it sent shivers through me.  A moan escaped from his lips.  His beard brushed against my skin and it felt rough and soft at the same time.

“Do you want me to shave babe?”  He whispered as he paid the same attention to my other nipple.

I only shook my head and arched my back to bring his mouth closer.  “Oh, Michael.  That feels so good.”

He chuckled deeply, “I can’t believe what I get to come home to.  You are amazing.”

He stepped back from me while I pulled the straps on my nightgown down over my shoulders.  The gown slipped to the floor in one fluid movement and I stood naked in front of him. 

Michael breathed in sharply.  “I cannot get used to seeing you.  You are so beautiful.”

I took his hand, “Come with me.  Your bath is all ready for you.” 

I led him into the bathroom.  He had a wonderful grin on his face and he was waiting for my lead, which is exactly what I wanted from him.  I pulled his sweater over his head and dropped it on the floor.  My hands splayed over his chest feeling the rippling of his muscles.  Michael’s nipples reacted as mine had when I laid kisses on them.  The stiff peaks were the clue that he enjoyed the attention he was receiving from me, that and the groans from deep in his chest.

Kneeling in front of him, I unbuckled his belt and unbuttoned the top button on his jeans.  He stood very quietly watching my every move.  I grinned up at him, as it was evident his erection was straining against his pants.  I laid kisses below his belly button and ran my tongue to where the zipper on his jeans began. 

Michael rocked back on heels and hissed through his teeth, “My little hellcat, you’re going to drive me wild tonight aren’t you?”

I looked up at him almost shyly, “Payback.” 

I slowly pulled his zipper down and I could tell by the way he steeled his body he was fighting not to crush my head against him.  To give him a taste
of what the evening had in store for him I did press my lips against him through the material of his briefs. 

Michael threw his head back and steadied himself by placing his hands on my shoulder, “Oh god Elizabeth.”  He groaned in a whisper. 

Slowly pulling his jeans down over his hips so that he could step out of them, he stood in front of me only in his briefs.  I had to get him naked and immediately.  Sliding his briefs down, there he was front and center.  Grinning and taking him in my hands, I opened my mouth to him tasting him.  By his murmurs and sighs, I knew the action hit the mark.

Michael reached down, pulled me up, and his eyelids almost closed.  “Bath time,” he barely breathed the words.

“You get in, and I’m going to bathe you.”  I whispered. 

He got into the water and I kneeled down on the tub steps.  He watched my every move as he settled into the water.  I soaped up a washcloth and ran it over his chest and shoulders.  Michael closed his eyes while I leaned over and kissed his face softly.  The washcloth floated away as I ran my hand down his chest to his belly, and then moved lower.  He leaned back in the tub and my hand went to his thighs.  I swirled the water around lightly touching his taut skin.  His erection pressed up against his abdomen and I ran my hand up its full length feeling its thickness and weight.

Michael watched my face closely.  I was in awe of this man.  It was still difficult for me to believe that he was here for me. 

“Come here baby.”  He whispered as he pulled me into the water. 

He sat up, pulled me into his lap, and I wrapped my legs around him.  His mouth once again surrounded my nipples and the feeling of his tongue against them shot straight down to the area between my legs.  My lower body rocked against him trying to get closer somehow.  I could feel him in between my legs and with each rocking motion, the feelings intensified.

“Oh baby,” I whispered.  “I want you so bad.”

My voice seemed to wake him.  He stood and gently pulled me up.  His kisses rained down on my face finally kissing me deeply as he held me against him.  Our breathing was heavy and labored.  He gently toweled me dry.  The glint in his eyes told me bath time was finished.  Michael stepped out of the tub and picked me up in his arms.  His strength surprised me.  He walked to the bed and laid me down gently.

His kisses started at the top of my head and trailed down across my eyes, to my mouth where he lingered again kissing me deeply.  His hands caressing my breasts and then slowly starting to trail down my belly.  I parted my legs for him hoping that his hand would continue its journey downward.  I lifted my hips as soon as he touched the heat between my legs.  I moaned into his mouth and the thrusts of his tongue matched those of his fingers.  It didn’t take my body long to shudder against his fingers as my release came hard.

“Oh god, Michael.”  I cried into his ear.  “Oh my god!”

His fingers didn’t leave me but continued to caress me softly as my hips moved to their rhythm. 

“You let me know when you’re ready.”  Michael whispered to me.

I smiled at him as I pushed him over on his back.  I straddled him and rubbed against him. 

“I’m ready.  Give it to me.”  I said in a deep purring voice.

He slid inside of me slowly and I gasped at the intense feeling the motion created.  As our bodies intimately connected, we moved together in a shared tempo.  The wonderful friction built up an intense desire of need between us.  Again, that movement brought me to a crescendo exploding into a cascade of stars around me. 

All I heard was Michael’s voice urging me on “Come for me
B
abe, come for me.”

He sat up and wrapped my legs around him, kissing me deeply.  As my breathing slowed, he moved me on my back and caressed me again with his kisses.  He entered me, and again I could feel his need.  My movements urged him on and the rise and fall of his body against mine were ecstasy. 

I whispered, “Baby
,
don’t hold back, I want all of you.”

He smiled and kissed me. 
H
is movements
varied
and the sensation
s
w
ere
filling me again.  As he increased his speed, I felt the ascending need in me.  In the blink of an eye, he was pushing me over the edge for a third time.  As I fell into that endless world of pure sensation and as my body trembled against his, his release came.  His body quaked and then he fell against me, holding me to him tightly, his body quivering.  We lay together for a long time trying to control our breathing, not speaking, softly touching each other in wonderment. 

Michael chuckled deeply, “We didn’t have any wine.”

I giggled, “I don’t think my legs
can
move enough to get up.  Besides, I definitely don‘t need any now.”  I stretched out fully against him and sighed.

“What did you think of the picture I left for you?”  He asked.

“I love it.”  I smiled touching his chest softly.  “You know what I’d like?”  I looked up at him.

Michael shifted as he stroked my shoulders, “What would you like?”

“Okay,” I giggled.  “I want you to frame the picture and put it up in here.”

“You do?”

“Yes,” I nodded, “and, I want you to take down Margaret’s picture.”

Michael laughed, “If you’re going to be a photographer, you’re going to have to notice when things change.  It’s been gone.  I took it down weeks ago.”

I whipped around and looked at the wall.  Michael had taken it down
and replaced it with a different baby picture of the girls.  My heart felt like it was going to burst with happiness, and I covered his face with kisses.  “I love you.”  I whispered.