Spell Checked (10 page)

“But every time I pass out, I wake up with Mae in my bed.  So, thanks for being a sport,” Beck replied good naturedly.

“Yah…about that, it appears that Mae has bonded with you.  Is there something I should know?” Aidan insinuated.

“What in the world are you talking about Aidan?” Beck asked, somewhat confused at Aidan’s insinuation.

“You and Mae have a vampire bond,” replied Aidan.

“Well surely you don’t think I drank from her?  She is so powerful a witch it would have killed me in seconds,” Beck answered defensively.

“All I know is when you were in pain, so was she.  That’s why she is in your bed right now.  We thought if we separated you two it would make matters worse.”

“Does Mae know?” Beck inquired.

“No, you should be the one to tell her.  And what the bloody hell happened last night?” Aidan added.

“I am driving myself crazy Aidan.  Helen is hidden from me and I am falling in love with Mae.  How am I supposed to decide who lives and who does not?  I just wanted to numb the torment.  So, I went for a walk looking for someone to drink from.  Unfortunately, my willing victim had a little bit too much Nauss blood in her,” Beck explained.

Aidan was a bit surprised.  Beck was not one to make such a reckless mistake.  “Beck, I’m here for you no matter what you decide, I hope that after all these years you know you always have a sympathetic ear in me, although I will admit I become distracted easily.”

Beck laughed at his friend’s final remark before they headed back into the bedroom.

~~~***~~~

"How are you feeling Mae?" Gemma asked, concerned about her friend’s welfare.

"I'm feeling much better, thank you."  As long as Beck was near, she was fine.

"You guys slept through lunch.  If you’re hungry, I can have some food sent up," Meredith suggested.

"Food sounds good, I'm starving.  Keeping Beck warm has completely drained me of energy.”

Aidan returned Beck to bed and piled the pillows in back of him so he could sit up.

"I was just about to call room service, what would you like from the menu?" Mae asked Beck playfully, pretending his home was a luxury hotel.

"I hear the steak bites with hollandaise sauce here at Chateau Beckett are exquisite," Beck replied, playing along with Mae’s game.

“That sounds delicious,” she smiled.

"Steak bites it is,” Meredith repeated, getting up to tell the kitchen staff.

Gemma and Aidan stayed until they were finished eating, then went back to the game room down the hall, leaving Beck and Mae alone once more.

“I challenge you to a game of Starcraft,” Beck said, handing Mae her laptop.

~~~***~~~

Gemma could hear noise coming from the bedroom and felt she and Aidan needed to investigate.

YOUR FORCES HAVE ENGAGED THE ENEMY
could be heard down the hall as they walked closer.

YOUR FORCES ARE UNDER ATTACK
   “No fucking way!  Stop cheating,” Mae yelled at Beck.

“I did not!  Now concede or face my wrath…”  Beck shouted back.

Gemma and Aidan stood at the door laughing at Beck and Mae, with both laptops in bed, completely engrossed in their game.  “We should film this Aidan…Nerds in their natural habitat,” Gemma laughed, as she and Aidan turned to leave.

They were walking down the hallway when Aidan confessed to her, “I have never seen him this happy.”

“Mae either,” said Gemma.

~~~***~~~

The game was over and Mae had lost horribly.  When she noticed a thumb drive sticking out of his USB port, she grabbed the thumb drive and quickly jumped off her side of the bed.  “Is this where you keep the cheat codes Mr. Cheaty McCheater?” she accused him, holding the thumb drive in the air as she stood on the side of the bed opposite him.

“Mae I need that, it is for work,” Beck said, climbing out of bed on his side and dashing around the bed to catch her.

She tried to crawl back across the bed to get away but was too slow.  Beck grabbed Mae by her ankle, flipping her onto her back, dragging her half way off the side of the bed.  She quickly wrapped her legs around his waist, so she wouldn’t fall off the edge of the bed as he leaned over her, pinning her arms above her head.

“Where is my stick, Mae?  I need it,” he demanded as he relaxed his grip.

“As far as I can feel…I would say in your pants,” she joked feeling Beck get hard against her through his clothes.

He started to go pale.  “I need to lie down,” he said half-winded, letting go of her wrist and crawling on to the bed beside her.

She pulled the thumb drive from her bra where she had safely secured it and placed it in his hand.  “You don’t look so well, should I get Aidan?” she asked.

“No.  That little run around the bed wore me out.  I just need to lie down for a minute,” Beck said, rolling over to his side so they could spoon with his arms wrapped around her.

“By the way, I like the way you look in my PJ’s.”  Beck thought of her running around the bed in his clothes; on her they were sexy.  He felt wanted, knowing she took them so that she could have a piece of him with her.

Mae nudged her elbow back into him playfully.  Again, she had been busted for taking his clothes.  “I’m not giving them back.”  No matter how things turned out between them, it would be the one thing to remind her of him.

For Beck, all of this was new.  He had forgotten what it was like to fall in love, having never lived in the moment regardless of consequences.  For now, that was his resolve, live in the moment with Mae until he had to make a choice.  He would no longer hold back emotionally or physically.

“One day Mae, I will steal something unexpectedly from you and I will not let you have it back,” Beck said.

“And what do I have that you could possibly want, Beck?  You have everything.”  She wondered if she could have anything he might want.

“Your heart,” he whispered softly.

Mae was eager to give him her body, but her heart was another story.  One could not help but lust after Beck.  His generosity and attentiveness made him undeniably attractive, along with his playfulness.  However, love was a term Mae had fallen out of touch with.

“If you can steal it, Beck…It’s yours,” she replied.  Beck did say he liked a challenge and she was definitely that.

“I don’t know about you, but I am tired of lying around.  If you don’t mind, I’m going to go see what everyone is up to.”  Mae got up and walked down the hall where she could hear laughter coming from what she assumed was the game room.  Gemma, Meredith, and Aidan were playing cards on one of several card tables.  There was a bar at one end with a buffet of food on it and a large screen TV on the other with sofas and recliners around it, a pool table dominated the middle of the room.  The game room was more like a sports bar, aside from being decorated in the same ornate style as the rest of the house was.

“What are you doing out of bed?” Meredith asked, acting like a mother hen.

“I couldn’t stand being in bed anymore.  I could really use some fresh air, but I don’t think I can make it down the stairs,” Mae confessed.

“Well that can be easily fixed.  Beck has a veranda outside his room and now would be a good time for him to get some air too, the sun is setting,” Aidan said pointing to the outside window.

“I think we could all use some fresh air, I’ll have the staff send up some food and drinks and we can continue this game outside.  In the mean-time, go back to bed with Beck, we will get you when everything is ready,” Meredith ordered.

Mae walked back to Beck’s room and found him still lying in the same position he was in when she left him earlier.  She sat in one of the chairs by the bed.  He looked so peaceful lying there, she did not want to disturb him.

“I know you are here Mae, I sense your presence.  Come lie beside me so I can feel your warmth,” Beck’s eyes remained closed as he softly spoke.  Mae’s departure left him cold and empty and he needed her.

“I can do better than that Beck.  I want you to feel my heat,” she said softly, crawling on top of him and straddled his waist.  She lay down on top of his bare chest, her lips close enough for him to feel her breath on his neck.  “Is this warm enough for you?” she tenderly whispered in his ear before touching it lightly with her tongue.

Beck opened his eyes.  “Mae, I do not have the energy to finish what you are starting!” he cried softly.

“Yeah…but I bet you’re warm now,” she purred.

“Yes, I am most certainly warm, thank you,” he said, turning his head to face her.  He put his arms around her waist and kissed her.  “Why must you tease me so?” he asked as if she were inflicting pain.

“I can get off you if you want me too,” Mae teased.

“No, please do not move, I like you this way,” he replied.

“I would love to stay, but there is a posse coming down the veranda with food and drinks.  I don’t want them to see us like this,” she explained.

Beck laughed, “You say the funniest things Mae.”  He imagined Aidan, Gemma, and Meredith dressed as cowboys coming to get them.

Mae rolled over and jumped off the bed.  Beck still was not able to walk completely on his own, so she helped him.  Before they got to the outside doors, he had her walk him to another set of double doors in the room.  He opened one door to reveal another grand room similar to his, only this one was very feminine.

“I would like for you to move into the lady of the house’s suite; that way we can be near and still give each other space.  Would you do that for me?” he asked.

“I don’t know Beck, you drive a tough bargain.  How’s the shower?” she inquired.

“If you do not like it, I will build you a new one, so say yes already,” he begged.

“Okay, but on one condition.  I can’t be held responsible for sneaking into your room at night due to its close proximity,” she teased.

He laughed then replied, “Very well, Mae, I will keep the door unlocked in case such an opportunity should arise.”

“I hope it will be more than just an opportunity that will arise,” she replied.

“Mae, why do you insist on kicking an injured man while he is down and I really do mean down.  You are killing me,” Beck laughed.

Beck and Mae sat in a chaise lounge together on the veranda.  Beck was lying across her lap, both clothed in his plaid bottoms and t-shirts.  Aidan, Gemma, and Meredith were playing cards, but Mae and Beck were just too tired to join in.

“Thank you for saving my life this morning,” Beck said, holding Mae’s hand which lay across his chest.

“Sorry I’ve been so brash, I’m sure the ladies who normally grace your manor are far more reserved.  I just can’t help myself when I’m around you and at some point my persistence will make you give in.  You know that, right?”  Mae was feeling a bit embarrassed about her behavior.  It was not something that would have been accepted in the high society associated with Beck’s wealth.

“There are no other ladies that grace this house and I thoroughly enjoy your brashness.  Please do not think you have to change to fit into my world, because from this point on it revolves around you,” Beck told her, obviously wanting Mae to be comfortable with him.  “I thought things might be moving too fast for you,” he added.

“They are…but I’m okay with that.  The part of me that usual screams caution is completely silent around you.  I’m not sure if that is good or bad, but I am willing to take the chance to find out.”  Mae wanted to be open with Beck.  It was a completely new concept for her since she was never one for confessions.

“Will you share my bed with me tonight?” Beck asked openly.

“Yes, but only because you may need me to keep you warm and I know you don’t have the energy to do much else besides sleep,” Mae replied.

“Always quick to point out the obvious?” Beck said playfully.

“Yes, yes I am.”