fangirl 01 - an unconventional meeting Page 18

  He reached for the door and disengaged the lock. For a few heartbeats, nothing happened and that fluttering feeling came again as he wondered if she’d actually gone away, but then the handle turned and the door slowly opened. It was just enough for her to pop her head in.

  ‘You’re not on the loo,’ she said flatly, as she craned her neck around the door. She spied the closed toilet seat and then took an over exaggerated sniff. ‘Doesn’t appear you have been either unless you crap White Lily and Jasmine?’ She raised her brow at her question.

  He wasn’t able to answer. How did he explain it to her without telling her?

  When she got no reply, she stepped inside the room and closed the door. She leant back against the wood and stared at him—he could feel her eyes watching, assessing…

  ‘That is a huge-arse shower.’ Her comment made him frown as he glanced towards it. ‘Could fit three people in that thing. Or two, having some hot, slippery-wet sexy times. Think that lot would notice if we were gone for half an hour and came back all wet?’

  ‘Marie would,’ he snorted, and finally met her gaze. There was no judgement, no mockery.

  ‘Yeah, she totally would.’

  They stared at each other, neither one wanting to make the first move in the conversation that hung heavily between them.

  ‘So, if we’re not going to talk,’ Ellie finally said as she dropped her gaze from his. ‘Can we at least fool around a bit in here—make them at least think we’re talking? So when we go back we can say whatever it was that freaked you out is all okay now?’

  He blinked at her for a moment before laughing wholeheartedly, the knot in his chest easing at the knowledge he didn’t have to tell her anything. She wasn’t going to make demands of him. God, she was amazing.

  ‘Oh, you wanna fool around?’ he said, taking a step towards her.

  ‘Yeah,’ she breathed as he moved closer, step by step.

  ‘What do you wanna do? Make out? Give me a hickey—’ He heard her breath hitch on that one and saw how her eyes dropped to his neck. ‘Oh, you wanna mark me up? Let everyone see I’m off limits, that I’m yours.’ She outright whimpered and fell into his arms as they came within reach of one another.

  His lips claimed hers, rough and demanding, commanding her to open her mouth under his. His tongue sought hers, teased and coaxed it, so it chased his own. When she finally pursued his, he sucked it into his warm mouth and she moaned at the action. He let it go and smiled when she whined.

  ‘Ellie,’ he breathed against her lips, pressing kisses down her chin and neck, his hands skimming her sides, then trailing upwards to cup her breasts. He pulled back slightly and raised a brow. ‘Different underwear?’ he asked.

  She smiled, saucily. ‘You’ll have to find out yourself.’

  Oh, fuck. His hands never worked so fast to find a hem line. It was a black balconette offering, trimmed with lace and lightly-embroidered cups you could fucking see through! Her nipples, peaked into tight buds, strained against the sheer fabric and made him groan.

  He dipped his head to one and sucked the bud into his mouth, laving it with his tongue. Her gasp above him and her hands in his hair only encouraged him to suck harder. He reached up to find the other nipple and gently pulled at the bud there. He felt her writhe against him and pushed his thigh between her legs to allow her the friction she so desperately sought.

  What he would give to take her right here and now, to peel away those shorts and just slide right into her, other guests be damned.

  ‘Marc, Marc, please.’ Her pleas were music to his ears, a turn-on all of their own. ‘Marc, stop,’ she begged.

  He groaned in disappointment, gently biting the nipple between his teeth before he pulled back. He took a moment to catch his breath, his head still bent, his eyes trained on her heaving breasts. ‘Are you okay?’ he finally asked as he withdrew his legs from between hers.

  ‘Yes. No— yes,’ she sighed, as she dropped her head back against the door. ‘I mean I want you so badly,’ she admitted. ‘But we need to talk before I take that step, before I let you fuck me so hard I’ll be feeling you for months afterwards.’

  ‘Fucking hell,’ he breathed, dropping his forehead to her bosom. It was said so crudely, he’d never have expected it from her mouth; it just sounded so… so… dirty! So different from how he thought she would ask him—if she asked him at all!

  ‘I’m so turned on right now and I’m afraid that I’m going to let you nail me against this door with everyone else sitting out there if you carry on.’ She gently pushed at his shoulders. He lifted his head reluctantly with a little scowl upon his lips, but he didn’t care. He was just getting revved up, forgetting what was waiting for him out in the real world and she had to go and bring it all up again.

  She kissed his lip, her eyes locked onto his. She pulled back and smiled. ‘Trust me, they’d hear both of us if I let you do that—bloody hell, the whole hotel would—and it’s not you that has to live with Marie after all this.’

  He threw his head back and laughed. ‘Thank Christ for that!’ he chuckled.

  ‘So,’ she said as she moved past him and took a seat on the closed toilet. ‘Us, this thing we have going on; what are you expecting of me?’

  ‘What?’ He blinked. Fuck, were they at the where-is-this-going phase already?

  ‘Well, you have very clear ideas of what fans are like; I want to know what you think is going to happen after the convention is over. Are you worried I’m going to go and sell the story? That I’m going to try and accuse you of something? Trap you into something?’

  ‘No, no! Of course not.’

  ‘Look if you want this weekend to just be that, then that’s what it is.’

  Wait, was she giving him an out? A weekend was a bit longer than a one-night stand, but it still had the same feel to it. She’d definitely said she didn’t want that, that she only wanted sex again when she was involved with someone.

  He licked his lips as he assessed her. She glanced down at her nails as if trying to decide if she needed a manicure. It was an attempt to be nonchalant, but he’d seen her when she was really unconcerned about him or his opinion of her.

  ‘Ellie,’ he sat down on the bath tub, opposite her. ‘I have no idea where we are going or what this will become. I’m not asking you to love me forever or leave me on Monday and never darken my doorstep again. I haven’t been involved with anyone for a long, long time and, quite frankly, don’t know what I’m doing. Things have changed so much in the ten years since I tried to woo anyone.’

  Ellie lifted her head; he could see the surprise in her eyes and the questions she kept to herself, at his confession. She was probably wondering who the hell he had ever wooed with his public history.

  ‘And,’ he continued on. ‘I’m probably going to fuck shit up badly, as things are changing for me very quickly. Who’d have thought a weekend could change a life so dramatically, but that’s what this convention has done. The world has learnt about Tyler, Sonya tells me the media is creeping in, fans are gossiping and theorising about my son, and I met you.’

  He actually felt his cheeks warm slightly at that and had to drop his gaze to the floor as she smiled.

  ‘Basically, right now my life is turning upside down in the blink of an eye and until I find my equilibrium again, I won’t promise anything. However, I do know I don’t want you to just disappear after this weekend. You’re not just anyone, you know.’

  ‘Oh?’ she teased, knowing he was throwing her words from last night back at her. ‘But I am a lot of hard work for a quick screw.’

  ‘But that just makes you worth it.’ He grinned back at her as he took her hand in his.

  As her small smile bloomed into one that lit up her face, Marc realised he spoke the truth. All the shit he was about to face, his life being turned on its head, it would all be worth it if Ellie was the person he thought she was.

  ‘And I don’t want this to be just a quick screw.’

  ‘Okay,�
� she said with a firm nod. ‘I’m in.’ She got up and pulled on his arm to make him stand too. She stood on her toes to press a kiss to his lips and he cupped the back of her head, ready to deepen the kiss when she pulled back.

  ‘Later on,’ she breathed against his lips before he was able to claim hers. ‘You can pound me into the mattress until there’s an Ellie imprint on it.’

  ‘Fucking hell,’ he whined as he pulled her to him and kissed her hard enough that everyone out there would know exactly what they’d been doing in the bathroom.

  ~ ~ ~ ~

  Ellie bit her lip as she stared at Marie. The party was over. Tyler had fallen asleep hours ago before The Lion King had even finished, filled to the brim with popcorn, chocolate and sweets. Luc and Marc were off putting Tyler into bed.

  With Tyler snoring away, it had been Luc’s idea for them to carry on and watch Deadpool. Ellie hadn’t seen it yet and was more than eager to watch it, especially snuggled under the blanket with Marc, with his hand on her bare thigh, thumb brushing backwards and forwards, his fingers creeping under her shorts every so often…

  When that film had finished, Marc’s co-star had tried to get them to actually have a slumber party so they were all there when Tyler woke the next day, but the girls and Frank—although Ellie suspected Marie had something to do with his decision—decided they wanted their beds and would come down early next morning before Tyler was awake, to make it look like they’d all stayed over.

  ‘So I’m guessing you’re having your own slumber party?’ Marie wiggled her eyebrows at Ellie as Mallory continually tugged Marie’s shirt from behind. The poor girl had been ill every morning and now looked dead on her feet. She definitely needed her own bed.

  ‘Well,’ Ellie started, flicking her eyes to Frank who was standing far too casually in the corridor. ‘I figured I’d probably need to find somewhere else to sleep tonight, anyway.’

  ‘Oh, sure.’ Marie rolled her eyes. ‘Like I buy that! Just admit it—you’re going to get laid!’ her friend sing-songed. Then, with an almost-squeal, Marie added, ‘And by Marc Matthews!’

  ‘Marie!’ Ellie admonished. ‘Shut the hell up!’

  ‘Look,’ Marie dropped her voice lower, pulling herself out of Mallory’s reach and constant tugging as she stepped closer to Ellie. ‘It’s been a long time since you’ve gotten any; make sure he wears a condom—no glove, no love. And do not do anything weird or that you’re uncomfortable with. We know how freaky some of this famous lot can be.’

  Ellie nodded, taking the words of advice to heart. For all her friend could be, Ellie knew Marie was being deadly serious. She was actually grateful; she hadn’t thought of protection—she hadn’t been on the pill since leaving university. It was easy to forget the rules when one hadn’t played the game for so long.

  ‘—thanks, I’ll pass the sentiment on to Linda.’ Luc’s voice came towards them and the girls quickly hugged before Marie dragged Mallory away. Frank followed the duo closely behind.

  ‘It was lovely to meet you properly,’ Luc said to Ellie as he stepped into the suite’s entrance. He wrapped her in a hug and gave her a squeeze before he turned to Marc and gave him a hug too. ‘Thanks for the party, Marc, I’ll… umm…’ He rubbed the back of his neck as his eyes cast down to the floor. Finally, with a sigh, he gave his final good night. ‘See you in the morning, I guess.’

  As the door closed behind him, Ellie stared at it. ‘Is everything alright with him? He seemed… I don’t know—off. Like something’s wrong, but he’s trying to act like it’s all okay.’

  ‘He’s been like that for years,’ Marc confessed as he turned her to face him. ‘It comes and goes, but lately, he’s been getting more and more that way.’

  ‘He seemed a bit reluctant to go home. He and his wife—’

  ‘Are the most in love couple I’ve ever seen,’ Marc said with complete conviction. Ellie frowned as she thought back to the night before—the shouting, the swearing, the red mark on Luc’s face.

  ‘Really? But last—’

  ‘Hey, I don’t really want to talk about them right now.’

  ‘Oh? What did you want to talk about?’

  ‘We can’t talk about it here,’ he dropped his voice to a whisper. ‘People might be listening.’

  ‘Where’s safe?’ she asked with a smile, as she forgot about Luc and Linda. She hoped he was going to say—

  ‘Let’s try the bedroom.’

  ‘The bedroom?’ she raised her brows in mock surprise. ‘You sure we’ll be safe in there?’ He nodded, solemnly. ‘Okay then.’ She took his hand in hers and began to lead him towards the room.

  She’d been thinking about this moment all evening—since he’d first brushed her lips with his that afternoon—but now it was here she was suddenly nervous. This afternoon had been impromptu, but now—

  Now was different. Now, there was an expectation.

  She stood in the open doorway to his room and stared at the massive bed. She knew he was behind her, watching, waiting for her to be as brazen and assertive as she had been earlier. But she needed him to lead her there, needed him to tell her, in his silent ways, that it was okay for her to just let go, be wild.

  ‘What’s the matter,’ he murmured as he stepped up and wrapped his arms around her. ‘Having second thoughts?’ He began to kiss her shoulder.

  She shook her head. She wasn’t; she wanted to do this, she just… She had to be honest.

  ‘I’m crap in bed.’ She stated it as quickly and simply as she could, just as Andrew had all those years ago in the solicitor’s office. Marc froze in his actions, his lips pressed to her skin.

  ‘What?’ He stood up straight and turned her around, but she couldn’t meet his eyes. She’d got him all geared up, acted like she was some hot, sexy thing, someone who was able to blow his mind and give him the most exciting experience he’d ever had when really she’d been lying this whole time.

  ‘Ellie, I highly doubt that,’ he tilted her chin to get her to meet his gaze. ‘Who told you that?’

  ‘An- Andrew,’ she managed, her eyes flicking to his and away again. ‘My ex-husband. He told me when we were signing the divorce papers, that I was crap in bed. A frigid bitch that didn’t know how to please a man and that’s why he went elsewhere.’

  ‘That little piece of shit,’ Marc breathed before he pulled her into his arms to hold her for a moment. ‘Ellie, I promise you, you are far from frigid. Trust me. The way you move, respond to my touch— Fuck, Ellie, I came so hard earlier, I thought I was going to pass out. And I wasn’t even in you. That was just your taste, your sounds… To be honest,’ he paused for a moment and then sighed. ‘Maybe you’re right, maybe we shouldn’t do this.’

  ‘What?’ She stiffened in his arms.

  Bollocks, Ellie thought. She was sure she’d stuffed this up, all because she had to be honest. Why couldn’t she have kept her mouth shut? Just experience one night with her dream man, then quietly slip away next morning, before he could tell her it wasn’t what he’d expected and he didn’t want her to keep in touch after all.

  ‘Well, if I almost passed out from eating you, you’ll probably kill me off when I finally make love to you.’ He shook his head sadly. ‘Shame—if I didn’t have Tyler to think of, it would be the way I’d choose to go.’

  She stared up at him as she processed what he’d said before she burst out laughing. He smiled back at her, wide and bright before he reached up and trailed his finger down her cheek.

  ‘Trust me, there’s no way a frigid bitch would respond the way you did to me. It’s clear your bastard of an ex-husband was a shitty lover and didn’t know how to turn you on.’

  He stepped closer and dropped his hand down her arm, his fingers lightly dancing over her skin. It made her shiver in anticipation as he took her hand gently in his. His thumb caressed the underside of her wrist as he brought it up to his lips.

  ‘He had no clue how to make you react the way you do for me.’

  Her eyes w
ere half-lidded as he kissed from her wrist to her shoulder. When he reached his target, he wrapped her arm around his neck before continued onwards, to her lips.

  He kissed her gently, sweetly, with an underlying promise of more, as he bent down and lifted her into his arms, bridal style, to carry her across the threshold of the room in the direction of the bed.

  ‘Ellie, you are beautiful and sexy and… inspiring,’ Marc whispered as he laid her out on the covers before joining her. He leant over her, braced on one hand, while the other slid over her chest and down her stomach. She held her breath, as she thought he was going to slip the hand under her shorts, but instead he diverted and ran it down her leg as he moved over her, to nestle between them. He pulled her leg over his hip and ground down onto her. She gasped as she felt the truth of his words pressing against her, this time through thin layers.

  ‘Look how you inspire me,’ he breathed the words against her mouth as he continued to gently thrust against her. ‘Years, Ellie. Years, since I’ve willingly had a hard on.’ He pressed kisses to her lips and trailed them down her neck, as his hands pushed her top up. She chewed at the inside of her mouth as she pushed her hips to meet his, seeking that friction that she desperately wanted, to feel that sweet release she’d felt earlier under his tongue.

  ‘Years since I’ve allowed myself to get aroused.’ He brought her top up and she moved to allow him to remove it from her body, revealing the bra he’d seen earlier. He growled again as he saw it and dropped kisses across her chest, nibbling and sucking the bare skin along the top of the garment. She wanted him to bite her, leave a mark there so that when she looked at herself later she would know this moment had been real.

  ‘But,’ he said as he pulled one of the cups down and gently took her breast out. He gazed at it hungrily and she willed him to take it, to suck it, to enclose it in the heat he had given her earlier in the bathroom. ‘I don’t think,’ he licked his lips and lowered his head. His breath skimmed across her tightening nipple, teased her and made her arch up toward him as she sought what her body desperately wanted. ‘I don’t think I could not be aroused by you,’ he finally confessed before he sealed his mouth over the bud and gave her what she sought.