I was finding my inner Zen and gaining a close personal relationship with herbal teas instead. Raspberry and Tangerine Zinger had been pleasant sur- prises, I must admit. I made a cup of the Raspberry Zinger and called Benny."Hello, my lovely darling." "I miss you. What are you up to tonight?" I asked, hoping I didn't sound too pathetic."Ricardo's here and we're just done with dinner.""Ahhh, well, why did you even answer the phone? You're busy. Sorry for interrupting, I just wanted to give you a drive-by love blast." "No, no, no, my sweet. Not so fast. What is going on with you?" Ben was without a doubt the most emotionally intuitive man on the planet. He couldsniff out the smallest innuendo and go wild with possible scenarios. I'd seen him in action enough to know."Nothing is going on with me," I lied. "You're busy and have company. Call me tomorrow, okay?""No. Ricardo's sorting out some work business on a call of his own. Start talking.I sighed into the phone. Why did I call
It was weird thinking about all that again. There were no hard feelings about Karl, no feelings period. Karl had actually treated me pretty decently considering what my reputation had been in high school, but I'd shut down after the inci- dent and was unable to look anyone in the eye who had seen the images of me on that video. I wonder what Karl thought when he saw it. Was he trying to comfort me because he felt sorry for what had happened, or was he hoping to get some more action out of me? Who knew? I'm sure I never knew at the time, nor did I much care. I was too busy trying to find my way out of this life.I wrote a happy-happy-nice-nice message back to Jess wishing her luck with him, and logged out of Facebook.I had a new life now. In London... with Ethan...and the baby I was having.Neil sat across from me and looked more affected than I'd ever seen him in my life.I didn't blame him, really. Telling him that we no longer need worry that Brynne might have got tainted food or
I stayed planted at least seven feet from where she was and kicked off my shoes. She sat up on the couch and stretched, arching her back and chest toward me in invitation. We still hadn't spoken a word to each other, but so much had already been communicated. We were going to go at it like beasts and it would be excruciatingly good. Like always. So... having a mutual strip show, huh? Sounds goddamn perfect to me.Me first. I had more clothes to get rid of than she did. I think I was smiling. If it wasn't showing on the outside, I had a fucking clown grin going on the in- side. I worked the buttons on my shirt slowly, watching her watch me as her eyes grew smoky. I shrugged it off my shoulders and let it drop to the floor. I kicked it away with my foot and blinked at her.Your turn, my beauty.She did a move that I dearly love, and one she does so well it ought to be ille- gal. She raised her arms and crossed palms behind her neck and dragged them upward through her hair flexing her ne
Ethan scooped me off the couch and into his arms. I lifted my eyes and got that wave of emotion again as his blues found me. I loved him so much I knew the fear. I'd heard others speak about it. I'd read about it in books. Now I under- stood. The fear that you have when you finally give your heart away to another person. It makes you very vulnerable to loss. If you never love anyone, then you'll never be hurt when they don't love you back or when they leave you.I finally had the practical experience of understanding. It sucked.Ethan sensed my newfound knowledge, I think. He studied me with intuitive eyes that looked very dark blue at the moment, and ducked his head down to meet my lips. He kissed me there in front of the window while holding me naked in his arms. I melted into him and gave in to my goddamn emotions.He carried me down the hall to the bedroom and broke the kiss to lower me down to the bed. He saw."Oh, oh, baby... don't cry," he whispered, cupping my face and settlin
The immense pressure building was already forcing a response within me and taking me forward for an orgasm. I pushed backward on his cock to let him know it was okay to keep going. "Ahhhhh... oh, God," I said, shuddering as he pressed forward again, the stretched feeling increasing to the point of pain until it seemed impossible, my body burning up. Then suddenly a give as he filled me up completely on a stinging thrust that took him all the way home. I closed my eyes on his shout and froze at the sensation."Fuuuck. you feel so good!" He held himself still and caressed both sides of my ass with his hands. "Baby... oh. fuck me... okay?" He was having trouble with words and I certainly understood that. I was having trouble holding still, and could feel the shakes returning. The convulsions weren't pain-induced, but involuntary reactions to the incredible assault on my erogenous zone. There was minimal pain because Ethan had prepared me slowly for this experience, taking me with care, a
"I called Benny tonight," I offered after a moment.Ethan soaped up a bath sponge and drew it up my arm. "How is Clarkson? Does he want to take more pictures of you?""We didn't talk about that.""But he will." Ethan's response was nothing new. He didn't like me mod- eling, and he really didn't understand how much I needed it either. I wasn't in the habit of throwing it in his face because I didn't want him getting all upset and unreasonable again. Every time I went for a photo shoot he got irrational, so it was easier to just avoid reminding him."I think Ben's getting suspicious, and I'm sure Gaby would be too if she'd seen me in the flesh, but we've only spoken on the phone." Ethan drew the sponge over my neck. "It's time to tell them, baby, I want it announced and it has to be something big. I know that much.""Big how?""London press? Celebrity guests? Posh planning?" I stiffened in his arms. He tightened his hold around me and whispered, "Now, don't panic, okay? Our wedding has
Ethan kissed me, gentle and soft, his tongue slipping inside to tangle around lazily like there wasn't a care in the world for us right now. I felt his palm sweep down to rest low on my belly and he held it there, warm and protecting."We're gonna be okay, baby. I know we are. All three of us." I buried my face in his chest and nuzzled. "When you say it, I believe you.""It will. I know this." He lifted my face up and tapped his head with his fin- ger. "I have visions, just like you have those super powers of deduction that you told me about once." He gave me a wink."Really." I added some sarcasm, just so he'd know I was over my snit about the wedding and could go back to acceptance."Yup. You, me and our little blueberry will have our happily ever after."I had to shake my head at him. "We don't have a blueberry anymore." He feigned shock. "What happened to blueberry? Don't tell me you ate it.""You idiot." I nudged him in the ribs. "Blueberry is now raspberry." "Where are you getti
I pulled up to the redbrick house where I'd grown up in Hampstead and parked on the street."This is my dad's house,""It's lovely, Ethan. An elegant English home, just like I imagined it. The yard is beautiful.""Dad likes to keep his hands dirty with it.""I've always admired people with a green thumb. I'd like to have a garden someday but I don't know much about plants. I'd have so much to learn," she said wistfully from inside the car. "Do you feel good when you come here? Does it still feel like home to you?" She sounded a little homesick to me."Well, yeah, it does. It's the only one I ever had until I bought mine. And I know my dad would be happy to teach you anything. My mother's garden is in the back of the house. I really want you to see that." I swept my eyes over Brynne, looking beautiful as usual in a flowery dress and some purple boots. God. I loved when she wore her boots. The clothes could go but the boots could stay... any time. "Are you nervous?"She nodded. "I am...
A Gift for the ReaderA Christmas Story-Ethan and Brynne's Very First Meeting24 December 2023LondonThe street was remarkably sparse considering it was Christmas Eve. Probably because it was so damn freezing cold outside people were smart enough to stay in. It was totally clichéd to be shopping for a gift at this late minute, but here I was pushing my way through the doors of Harrods in hopes of something really perfect for my aunt Marie. I knew I'd better get my ass in gear too, because I would be spending the day with her tomorrow and had nothing to show up with!Marie was hard to buy for because she was so unique and unconventional; it was ridiculously difficult to top her lifestyle. She also had money enough to get anything she desired. She reminded me of Auntie Mame from the movie in a lot of ways. From the exotic travels to the rich dead husbands to the fantastic dresses in her wardrobe.After three quarters of an hour I gave up and started to head outside, stop- ping for a mo
"Keep your eyes closed until I tell you to open them, okay?" I parked the car and went over to Brynne's side to help her out. "No peeking, Mrs. Blackstone, I want to do this right.""Eyes are closed. Mr. Blackstone," she said, standing before me. "My package. Give it to me, please."I retrieved it from the seat and placed it carefully in her hands. It was light, just a flat black box tied with a silver ribbon. "Ready?""I am." she said."Okay, keep them closed, and I'm going to pick you up and carry you.""Sounds very traditional," she said."I like to think of myself as a traditional guy, baby." I scooped her up, careful to arrange her dress so it wouldn't drag, and started walking up the gravel drive of Stonewell Court. The rocks crunched under my feet and you could hear the sound of the waves on the rocks far below us. It looked amazing and I hoped she liked it. The whole place was lit with torches in old urns and candles glowing inside glass luminaria on the ground. Even the upper
Strong arms wrapped around me from behind and familiar whiskers brushed at my neck. "Mrs. Blackstone, are you hiding in the garden at your own wedding party?" "Pretty much," I said leaning back into him in deep contentment."Awww, Christ in heaven! Not my mum too!" Ben growled at the dance floor where Simon was now doing a very lewd rumba with Mrs. Clarkson for a cheering crowd."Go get 'em. Ben." Ethan and I laughed at Ben's retreating back as he went off to rescue his mother from Simon's undulating hips.. "As insane as Simon looks right now, that crazy boy can dance," I said, still laughing. "I am not quite over the fact that you hired him to do our photos."Ethan smuggled into me a little deeper. "Don't remind me, please. He black- mailed me, you know. Said he would forgive the whole mess if he could secure the wedding photography for us. I figured that would be okay, so I agreed. Then he sent me the contract. Trust me when I say that your friend Simon has been well compensated for
Brynne had mentioned how the whole place was eerily quiet and that she'd never seen another person at the hotel, which made no sense with the Games happening. So that pretty much confirmed there were people involved at the highest levels. U.S. Secret Service, most likely. Westman was a dead man before he ever took Brynne from the flat. The senator had protectors in high places apparently. Westman had overstepped in his attempt at blackmail, and paid the ultimate price.Disaster averted, but still, far too fucking close for my comfort. This whole mess had happened for a reason. Very strange, but true. If Westman hadn't started stalking her, we wouldn't have met, or ever gotten together, or be about to marry and have a baby. It was all just a bit much to rationalize sometimes, even if it was our reality. I tried not to think about that part. Brynne was free to live a regular life now, with nobody out there plotting to take her away, or harm her, or bother with any aspect of her, and thi
Four weeks later..."So I hear that congratulations are in order for the two of you." Dr. Burnsley looked up from between Brynne's legs, where he was using the banana probe on her again. I realized I was definitely jealous of the probe. That fucking thing was seeing more action than my cock lately. Brynne wanted to keep things chaste in the bedroom for the previous couple of weeks to make our wedding night a little more special. The most goddamn ridiculous notion I'd ever heard of, but hell, I just did what I was told. Mostly."That's right. By our next visit she'll be Miss Bennett no more. It'll be Mrs. Blackstone from here on out." I gave Brynne a slow wink.She mouthed the words Love you. I love you too, my beauty. I thought my words."Lovely news, then," Dr. Burnsley said, now looking at the monitor as he found the black blob on the white blob with the beating heart, except our blob had grown considerably and didn't look even remotely blobish anymore. My eyes were transfixed-I cou
My attempt at killing him had obviously failed, because he now had a sharp blade pressed up against my neck, shocking me with its coldness, forcing me to stop struggling. The disappointment I felt was a bitter pill to swallow, but even worse was the heartbreaking sight of Ethan's face in the twilight. He stood not less than ten yards away from me. So close, but not close enough. Ethan's flat-out run had come to a screeching halt, his arms splayed out in surrender, his head shaking back and forth in a silent plea to Karl not to cut me. This....would be Ethan's undoing. His fear of the blade would propel him into any kind of negotiation to free me. I knew it. Ethan would sacrifice himself to keep me from having my throat slashed. Karl could not have chosen a better trigger for Ethan's fear in all the world.Events and sequences had come together in near-perfect harmony, but near was not enough for my needs right now and wouldn't be until I had her safe in my hands again.My dad had know
My first instinct was to rip the lamp out of the wall and start bashing Karl on the back of the head with it. I don't know how I didn't. I wanted to hurt him, make him suffer in agony for a long, long time before he died. The evil my mind imagined for him was not fit for anyone to ever know. I'd have to keep it buried inside me forever. No problems there.It took some time, but we got there eventually. Karl got bored in our small prison and started texting someone or playing a game. I couldn't tell. That's how I knew he had his phone and where it was. I would have to get it from him at some point and use it to call the only phone number I could remember-the phone number I'd had since my move to London four years ago. I did not know any other numbers by heart but I knew that one.I thought about how I could get to Karl's iPhone. In time I realized the only way was for me to dig deep into my psyche to where I was willing to go all in, as Ethan would say. To bet everything. To carefully
He gripped my chin roughly and pinched, turning me back to him. "Don't think you can play hard to get with me, Brynne," he said in a cruel voice, before he slammed his mouth over mine, his tongue pressing in and trying to invade me.."Karl. I'm pregnant-no, please stop, please!" I begged between gasps for air."Ugh... that bastard's spawn growing inside you is not the nicest thought, my dear, especially when I'm trying to fuck you. You really know how to cock block, you know," he complained, "but fine, have it your way. I can wait."Karl heaved himself off me and leaned on the wall, his eyes roving over body with lust. He adjusted himself at the crotch and sneered at me."Are-are you going to kill me?" I tried not to think about his motives and what would happen if he succeeded. I fought to stay calm and not run. I needed Karl to trust me a little for what I hoped I could manage to do. Not running from him would be the first step."I don't know yet. Maybe I will and maybe I won't." He
I checked my watch, wishing I could leave Lord's Cricket Ground right now, but I knew I had at least another hour here. Ivan had just finished announcing the archery and the media crew was done with their telecast, but the stands were still being cleared, and I knew that would take some time. I was giving my cousin the personal treatment, the same as I did for members of the royal fam ily, and so far, so good. The men's individual elimination had proved no great surprise, and I could think of nothing I wanted more than to get home to my girl, and back into her good graces. I had some humble pie being served to me this evening and I was good with that.Ivan was making his way over to me when my mobile went off. I hoped it was Brynne. She'd never replied to my text from earlier. I smiled when I saw her name... but I read what she had typed in her message. And then my whole world collapsed.I can't do this anymore with u. Ethan, u killed us last nite. My Old life is what I want back now.