Luster (15 page)

L
iam’s
softly snoring in the back of Sam’s car, clutching his favorite stuffed horse against his chest. I keep glancing in the rearview mirror, still in disbelief that he’s here with us. Finally.

Sam does the same, and I watch as each time she looks back and then looks at the road ahead she tears up. It’s hard not to myself. Nothing beats knowing that he’ll be safe and sound from now on.

When the police officer handed over Liam, Sam and I both cried out in relief. He was fine, not a scratch or mark on him anywhere. He hadn’t been hurt, but he was still reeling from the traumatic shit from earlier in the evening. Donald is lucky as hell that he’s stuck behind a prison cell now. Because if he wasn’t… well, it doesn’t matter now.

We signed some paperwork and before we knew it Liam was temporarily though officially under our care. From here it won’t take much longer until Sam and James can adopt him like they’ve always hoped. And I can see him as often as I like—especially since I plan on being the designated babysitter whenever they need me.

A smile tugs at the corner of my mouth and I catch Sam’s gaze. She gives me a warm smile back, and I know we’re both feeling the same thing. Utter relief. Pure hope.

* * *

T
he Scotch-Brite
is scraping my hands raw but I don’t care. I will keep buffing this thing out until it’s as smooth as a baby’s ass. It’s got to be perfect. For her.

Despite the happy turn of events with my baby brother, all my mind can do is go back down that road and try and unravel the fucked-up nonsense that went on between me and Falyn.

There's still a part of me that wants to hold it down and stay true to form by not doing a damn thing, and waiting for her to apologize. But I won’t… Even though it's sort of her fault that we broke up. I still have to admit that she can't take all the blame, I played my part too. I'm really the one that started things up with her, so to say that I'm an innocent party here is a joke.

I
wipe
the sweat from my brow and sit back, relieved to finally catch a break for a moment. It's insane how much work I can crank out this fast when I put my mind to it. I should fuck all of my clients, date them, and then break-up with them more often. Maybe then I'd get enough work done to go back to having the kind of dough I had for a while.

N
ah
, that would be too messy. And I can't exactly imagine bending Mr. Lewis over and giving him the old one-two.

Nope, I gotta get back to work and make sure this is the best thing I've ever produced. It's certainly taking a while, and I don't think I've ever worked so hard to get a piece like this just right...

T
hough it takes all night
, I finally finish it. I throw the tarp on it and hope for a better day tomorrow.

* * *

T
he looks
I get from people passing me by on the street are enough to make me want to turn around and rethink this whole thing. It’s clear that everyone's wanting to know what's in the dolly cart and under the drop-cloth. I think they'd be a bit surprised if they saw me, scruffy and worn out as hell, revealing what's beneath. I don't exactly look the part of genius artist.

It's been weeks since I've actually gone inside the Morrissey Regent on Westshire. Which doesn't count the handful of times I've slowly passed by it, staring up at the top floor like some pathetic lost puppy.

The doorman at the front immediately recognizes me and greets me with a smile. Well, at least he didn't get the memo about me and Falyn breaking up. That certainly would've been awkward.

"Good morning sir! I was wondering where you'd been lately. Miss Morrissey has barely been out lately, I figured maybe you both were sick. Here, let me help you with that," he says, helping me pull the dolly into the revolving doorway. I wince when a wheel runs into the side of the glass.

"Thanks man, I appreciate it."

I take a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to gather my thoughts. Okay, I've gotten this far. What do I need to do now? Shit... I probably should've asked the guy if he'd seen her take off for the day yet...

I roll the cart up to the front desk and lean against the countertop, giving the attendant my best smile. "Hi there, uh... Lenore. Maybe you can help me out here."

The older woman looks over the counter at the cart and arches an eyebrow at me. "Yes?"

"I'm trying to get my girlfriend down here but she's not answering her phone for some reason. Would you mind doing something for me?"

She purses her lips and I can almost feel the cold air rolling off of her in waves.

I force myself to calm down, relaxing my fists as my side. Telling this broad to go fuck herself won’t be very beneficial to me. “My girlfriend is Ms. Morrissey. The one who runs the hotel? I’m sure you wouldn’t mind calling her to let her know I’m downstairs, would you? Except… well, if you could make it a surprise for her, that would be great.”

Lenore’s eyes go wide. “I wasn’t aware that Ms. Morrissey had a boyfriend. I’ll let her know right away, sir.”

I give her a quick nod as she turns away and picks up the phone.

“Hello, Ms. Morrissey? A delivery has been made in the front, but they need your signature. Yes ma’am. Well I would, except they’re adamant that you need to sign for it. Yes, of course. Thank you.”

I salute Lenore and roll the heavy-ass cart into the middle of the circular lobby and wait.

And wait some more. The waiting part I wasn’t actually expecting… but then after what feels like forever, hear her voice from behind.

Falyn. “What’s all this?”

I suck in air through my teeth, the vision of her standing in front of me still just as beautiful as always, sucker-punching me right in the stomach. She’s clearly headed for work given her appearance. I probably should’ve planned my timing a little better.

“Hey.” Really?
Hey
? Clearly I have lost my smoothness.

But Falyn bites her lip and looks down at the floor, looking as though she’s ashamed of something. “Hi.”

“Are we good here Ms. Morrissey?” a security guard who came out of nowhere asks her. She nods and he walks off, possibly a little disappointed at the lack of action. Too bad too, it might’ve been a little fun duking it out with this big guy. I have been working on the bag quite a bit…

Focus on the task at hand, Matt. It’s a big one.

“Look, I know it’s been a while since we’ve seen each other… but I have to tell you the truth. I’ve been thinking about you nonstop, even after the way we left things. It’s been pretty rough. I don’t usually throw out big gestures but I want to show you this. I
need
to show you this.”

“Matt, I — ”

But I cut her off as I turn around and pull the drop-cloth off of my latest piece. Falyn’s eyes go wide, and she covers her mouth, gasping as she sees what’s underneath.

It’s the piece I told her I would make. The one of her, at least her lower half as I had promised before. I’ve smoothed out every single part until they are completely realistic in detail. From the tops of her thighs all the way down to the tips of her toes. The piece is of her sitting with her feet tucked under—one of the many poses I had her in those nights that I sketched her beautiful form. Embarrassingly enough it was pretty hard to keep a steady concentration when I would work on the piece. It was like I was working with Falyn herself in person.

It’s the bigger of the two pieces I’ve brought to her, but I’m saving the other one for later. First, I need to know how she feels because I’m dying inside, waiting to see what she thinks of it. I may be a tough guy, but on the inside I know that it would crush me if she hated it. The work is almost an extension of me… and for her to hate it, well, it wouldn’t bode well for how she feels about me. And with what I want to tell her, what I want to do to her… I hope she loves the piece.

“I can’t… I can’t believe you did this! It’s amazing. It’s… beautiful,” she whispers, moving closer to inspect in better detail. She rubs her hand softly over one of the knees, slowly shaking her head. “Wow.”

“That’s not all. I have something else for you too,” I say as I reach in my pocket and pull out the crumpled piece of paper I’ve folded and unfolded a hundred times. It’s the contract, complete with my signature this time.

“I realize that it’s probably not valid anymore and we might have to redraw it up, but it’s to show you that I’m taking this seriously now. I should’ve done that right away, just like you wanted me to. But I screwed up and made things harder on you, and for that I apologize.”

I have to beat down the more macho side of me that wants to flip the table over when I apologize first instead of Falyn, but it’s well worth it. Especially when I see the tears well up in her eyes.

“Oh Matt, you don’t need to say you’re sorry. I’m the one who should be apologizing to you. I made all the stupid assumptions about you and let everything that Dinah told me get in my head even though I knew I shouldn’t have.”

I hold my hand to silence her – I don’t even want to hear the word Dinah come out of her mouth again. “We can talk about that later. I just needed to see you again. I needed to kiss you again.”

I pull her into my arms without a second thought and crush my lips up against hers, their softness soothing mine like balm on a burn. God, I’ve missed her so much.

We stand there for a while, embracing and kissing, trying to make up for lost time before Falyn finally gains her wits about her and tugs on my arm.

“Horatio? Would you please do me a favor and pull this into our supply room down here? It’s going to be put up for display in the next couple of days and I need to make sure it’s in the absolute best care.”

The same huge, hulking security officer comes around the corner nodding at Falyn. “Of course, Ms. Morrissey. I’ll get right on that.”

She turns and looks at me with a big smile on her face. “You follow me.”

I
can’t believe
I’m standing here in the elevator with Matt again, squeezing him as tightly as I can. I don’t want to close my eyes. I don’t want to lose this feeling ever again.

He’s whispering things in my ear, promising that things will be different. That he is an open book for me to read any time I want. I appreciate the sentiment but really I’m the one who should be saying sorry, especially for letting Dinah get in my head the way she did. But every time I try to open my mouth and apologize, Matt cuts me off with a deep kiss. Looks like I’ll have to resort to finding another way to make up for it.

It’s funny because we have to pull apart several times as people pile in and hop off the elevator — much different than the last time we made out in this one. I giggle each time he grabs me as the car empties again, wishing this elevator still had the ‘Do Not Use’ sign on it. The best I can hope for is a quick ride up.

By the time we arrive at the top floor, Matt has pulled off my blazer and is working on the side clasp of my skirt. I quickly unlock the door and squeal as he throws me over his shoulder and turns to shut the door behind us. It feels like no time has passed since we were together.

But time most certainly has and more thoughts bubble up to the surface of my brain. I have to get him to listen to me. I don’t think I can keep going down this path with him if I don’t know what the endgame is…

“Matt,” I say, trying my hardest not to groan as he pulls his pants off. I don’t know what he was expecting from all of this but he’s not wearing any underwear. Cocky son of a bitch.

Damn I love him. The admission feels as natural as breathing, and I sort of want to kick myself for not realizing it before all the stupid shit I said last time.

“Hmm?” he mumbles into my collarbone before licking a trail up to my ear. How in the world am I supposed to concentrate here?

“I need to ah…
fuck
.” His hand is now up my skirt and touching me through my panties. The short time in the elevator with his mouth on mine has me completely wet. He smiles against my shoulder, happy with his findings. I don’t know how I’m going to be able to form a sentence when all that comes out of my mouth is panting.

“Let’s take this into the bedroom,” he growls, throwing me back over his shoulder half-undressed.

With the certain kind of grace that only Matt has I’m tossed onto the bed. He’s hovering over top of me instantly and in the blink of an eye my clothes are somewhere in a corner of the room. My mind reels.

“Wait. Just hold on a second, there. I want to talk about things first,” I manage to get out as his hands rove up my sides and caress my ribcage. “Can we just slow down a moment?”

Matt looks down at me in earnest and I swear I see the glowing embers of fire blazing in his green eyes. It’s a wonder I’m able to do anything other than breathe in his presence.

“I agree. We can take things a little more slowly. I plan on taking my sweet time with you anyway… I just hate seeing you in clothes when I know what’s lurking underneath,” he replies, giving me a sly grin.

“Lurking underneath?” I sputter indignantly. “What am I? An alligator?”

Matt just smiles some more and leans in to kiss me again on my mouth. “I mean your wily ways, princess. That’s what’s lurking underneath your innocent business attire.”

That… is actually a good point.

“I know you want to talk and all Falyn, but I promise you that whatever it is you want to say will not change the fact that I want to make love to you from now until next weekend. So let’s just do that part first—”

I lick my lips and try to put together what he’s just said. “Make love?” I want to laugh at his choice of words but something tells me there’s a reason behind them.

Matt’s eyes soften to a slow burn as he runs his hand along my hip and reaches up to cup my cheek. “Yeah. It’s not something I… guess I’ve really done before. At least not the way I’d like to now. I mean fucking you is absolutely amazing, don’t get me wrong. But I—I just lost you. And to have you back in my arms after so long feels like I’ve won at life. I want to make love to you because I’m in love with you, Falyn. And I just—”

I roll on top of him in a single move, not bearing the distance between our bodies, our mouths any longer. I kiss him fully and deeply, exploring his mouth as if I’ve come home for the first time in years. His hands hold me against him safe and warm, and I realize the gravity of his words.

I pull back slowly and look down at him, really taking everything about him in. From the way his dark blonde hair sticks out every which way to how red his full lips are after I’ve kissed them. His mouth parts slightly, revealing that adorable chipped tooth. Matt smiles up at me looking a little confused but content.

I’m not confused though, and I gather the courage I need to get these sticky words off my chest. “I don’t know how you did it, but you did. You maneuvered your way in past all the other bullshit. And you did it in the most aggravating way possible. But now I know you’re in there, in my heart,” I say, placing his hand over it. “I love you. And I promise I won’t push you away ever again.” My voice cracks around the words, I’m so angry and embarrassed that I did that to him, but I refuse to give it anymore thought for now.

Not when I have Matt’s cock stiff against my backside.

I lean forward and graze my lips against his, smiling when he rolls me onto my back and takes control. Did I mention how much I love it when he does that?

He takes his time with me. His mouth relearns every inch of my body, his tongue sweeps past my most sensitive parts. I don’t know how I don’t lose control right there but he never stays in one spot for long. It’s the worst kind of teasing he’s doing because I miss having him inside me so badly. I’ve never wanted anything so much in my life.

When Matt spreads my thighs and lowers his head between them I cry out. I couldn’t be more turned on as he slides his fingers deep inside, his tongue tracing my folds. He flicks his tongue against my clit once, twice, giving it one long lick before I fall apart. Tiny fireworks behind my eyelids explode while he finishes me off, the rest of me practically convulsing as I yell out a string of complete ridiculousness. There was probably an ‘Oh my god’ thrown in there a time or two.

I know what’s supposed to come next and I’m eager for it. Normally I’d take the time to return the favor but I’m so selfish that I’m ready to resort to begging for Matt to fuck me. Excuse me,
make love to me
, I mean. Whatever you want to call it, I’m desperate for him to do it.

He needs no encouragement though, and he easily finds my entrance without having to fumble around. He knows me well now and slowly pushes the tip of his cock inside of me. My eyes roll into the back of my head as he fills me up, his rigid heat pulsing inside of me.

He moves us into a sitting position where his back is against the headboard without ever breaking our intimate contact. I moan as I sink deeper down onto him with the change of position. I roll my hips against him and he leans down, his mouth easily finding my nipple.

We fuck slowly, simply enjoying the feel of one another. Matt leans back claiming he’s checking out the view, but then he lies back completely and leaves me to take the reins and ride him now. I gladly do my duty.

But I’m not as patient of a lover as he is it seems, and it takes me no time to start fucking him like my life depends on it. I take him fully to the hilt bouncing up and down on his cock and biting my lip as Matt pinches my nipples. I can’t control it anymore and pick up the pace, racing to the end. I’ve never felt more alive than how I feel when he and I come at the same time, grinding our hips together and holding on to each other tightly. I moan loudly, unable to control the small orgasms that take over after. I ride them out like little aftershocks and smile down at Matt when they finally subside.

A tiny little thought invades my mind for a moment and I laugh to myself. Matt looks over at me, curious.

“It’s nothing. Sorry—my brain is running on sex and a bagel with cream cheese this morning. Not to mention I probably should’ve called out from work.”

The rumble of laughter in his chest is comforting. “I guess this whole making love thing isn’t so bad then, huh? I mean you obviously have your priorities straight.”

Making love. A girl could get used to this.