Blind, Thick-Headed and Handsome -10
The man looked at the tabloid in disbelief. No, on second thought, he wasn't that surprised. But the timing sure seemed a bit odd. Matt proposed to CJ only days after ending his relationship with that Irish heiress? No wonder neither one of them showed up to protest at his parole hearing - they were distracted. Now might be the ideal time for some sweet, long anticipated revenge.
Of course revenge would take money. And who did he know that would be willing to support some such retribution on the super couple?
He showed up at the mansion of the Irish heiress with the tabloid and an old business card in hand. When the door opened, he flashed a smile.
"Yes?"
"Hello, Ma'am. My name is Robert Tyler. I'm an acquaintance of Miss Sheridan. Is she home at the moment?"
While Mrs. Hollingsworth was sizing up the well-dressed, articulate man, Elizabeth came down the stairs and into the foyer.
"Who is it, Mrs. H?"
She stood back from the door and let her see for herself.
Robert glanced at the lovely heiress and was taken a back at her vision. She was very attractive, of course – Matt Houston always had good taste in women. Was she prettier than CJ? He wasn't sure.
"Ah, Miss Sheridan I presume?"
"Yes … you seem to have caught me at a disadvantage. Do I know you from somewhere?"
"Probably not. But, we do have something in common, or should I say someone."
She looked him inquisitively as he held up the tabloid and showed it to her.
"You know, I could just stare at you all day. My you're pretty."
That observation had CJ wondering if Matt had always appreciated her looks or if it was a sudden realization ever since he saw what was underneath her clothes. Of course being in a string bikini on a tropical beach didn't hurt.
She smiled, bending one of her knees and stretching an arm over her head.
"Mrs. Houston, you're trying to seduce me."
She grinned discreetly at that comment, letting him enjoy the view.
"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just working on my tan. I haven't had an opportunity to just relax and lay in the sun since that extremely short vacation I took at that beach club a few months back."
He didn't hear her last words. He was too busy picturing the moment when he'd slide his hand onto her chest to remove her bikini top, knowing how wonderful it would be to taste and feel when he'd touch and kiss her breasts.
He scanned their private Hawaiian beach one more time before moving closer and whispering in her ear, "You know, we have this beach all to ourselves … no one's around for miles …"
With that suggestion CJ started to anticipate how he was going to make their honeymoon sex more memorable than all the previous times they made love. It seemed to be an insurmountable task, but her husband was a man who excelled at challenges.
He began with his kisses, lightly tasting her lips with his own until he fully encompassed them. Not wanting to waste much time, he snuck his hand under her top, circling her nipple with his fingers. The feeling on her part was heightened with her eyes closed. The experience for him was heightened with his eyes open – he really enjoyed looking at her body and the way it reacted to his hands. He went over to her other breast and pulled the fabric aside of it, letting his mouth caress the nipple softly against his tongue while his hand traveled downward, placing it underneath her thong where he immediately began stroking her. She moaned at the pleasure of it all, and the way he made her feel as if her body was a temple of sorts and Matt was the worshipper.
He slid his hands down along her hips, completely removing her thong along the way. He sat for a moment admiring her ample bare parts and relishing the thought of what he would soon be doing with his fingers. He brought his mouth onto where she craved it the most and began manipulating her with his lips and tongue. The sensation became so intense that it took every ounce of strength she had to spread her legs farther apart so that he could deepen his manipulation. Between this new position and his technique she found herself on her way to a higher-level orgasm, if that was even possible. She moaned, letting out cries that included his name and a deity or two. Unable to control the volume and caught between feelings of formless control and complete euphoria, she thought, God, he was good… real good.
It didn't take long. In no time, it seemed, she had yet another orgasm. She had lost count at this point but she knew it totaled far more than she had in a while. With so much pent up passion for each other, she wondered if the next thirty or forty years of marriage would yield this same kind of intensity. One could only hope.
After Matt coaxed the remaining moisture from her, she laid stretched out on her towel, taking it all in. She saw him out of the corner of her eye removing his clothes, ready for her attention. She turned to her side and immediately began fondling him, happy to reciprocate. She wrapped her hands around his erection and started massaging it in ways that emitted similar moans from him as she had earlier. Seeing proof that she was pleasuring him, she moved closer, encompassing her hand around him as she slid it into into her mouth, fully engaging him into a paradise that he had so recently come to love from her.
After a few intense minutes, he cried her name and few other inaudible words as he climaxed. She helped him release, and then moved next to him, letting him encompass her with his arms. She loved cuddling him with him after sex almost as much as the experience itself. After all she was a woman who stereotypically enjoyed the feeling that their love-making was just that, and that nothing, materialistic or otherwise, was between them.
He wondered if they would be this hot and heavy long after their honeymoon was over, and if they'd ever be able to concentrate or do anything else besides sex … like work and eat. Speaking of food …
"CJ, I thought we'd eat at the Novellis' restaurant tonight. I made reservations in the alias of Mr. and Mrs. Tanaka. I thought it would be fun to surprise them."
She looked up at him and frowned.
"I guess that means we'll have to get back to the hotel and get dressed, huh?"
He smiled devilishly.
"Well, we have a whole hour until we have to be there and their restaurant is only a few minutes away …"
She reached to him, encompassing his lips with her own and pulling him on top of her.
Elizabeth was so intrigued with the headline that she invited Robert onto the veranda where they sat down at the table to discuss their common interest. She had never heard of him, so he definitely had the advantage.
"So you were engaged to CJ?"
"I was … before Houston came between us."
She stared at him, surprised by that statement. In the short time Matt and her were together, the subject of a relationship with CJ or any other women had never come up. Tyler saw her reaction and figured that she still had some strong feelings for Matt.
She took a closer look at the picture trying to play devil's advocate.
"This is a tabloid. How am I to know this is true? It could all be made up – even the photo."
He was prepared for that response.
"I've had a lengthy career as a reporter and know the man personally who took the picture and wrote the byline. He's ruthless, but accurate."
She rose from the table and started to pace.
"I…I can't believe it. I didn't think there was ever anything between them."
"I used to think that, too. But now that I've had time to gather some perspective, I know now that they must have been lovers on and off for years."
She swung around and widened her eyes at him.
"No!"
"Believe it. I've seen the way they've interacted with each other, and everyone knows how much time they spend together … working."
For a moment he thought about mentioning Matt's famous reputation with lots of other ladies as well, but that fact might make Elizabeth doubt Matt's loyalty to only one woman and play against his plans.
A part of her didn't want to hear anymore, but another part of her was too tempted to know what else he had to say on the subject.
"How long were you involved with CJ?"
"Romantically not that long - about six weeks. I've known Matt since college. He introduced me to her when I moved to L.A. last year."
This information confirmed her suspicions that he might be a reliable source, since she didn't even know what college Matt attended.
Seeing the naïve expression on her face, Tyler figured she was probably unaware of his recent incarceration. It gave him some reassurance that she would be an easy pawn to coerce and help him carry out his plans.
"Well, the way I see it, we could help each other out. You want Matt, and I want CJ."
She widened her eyes and set her jaw.
"Mr. Tyler, if you even think for a minute that I want to be involved in something illegal that would harm either one of them…"
"Now hold on a second, who said anything about violence? All I want you to do is help me arrange an opportunity to get in between them so that I can rekindle what CJ and I once had. You scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours."
He did have an interesting idea. If he could convince CJ to leave Matt, then Elizabeth could comfort Matt in his time of need. Without CJ in his life he might even want to give up being a detective and settle down with her. It was an decent plan, but was she so desperate to be with Matt that she'd financially back such an outrageous idea?
"I want no part of your ludicrous plan, Mr. Tyler. Count me out."
He resigned himself thinking this wouldn't be easy, but then, nothing worthwhile ever was.
"Okay, then, if that's the way you want it. If you won't help me out I could resort to another idea, which may or may not involve violence. And don't even think about notifying the police or warning any of the Houstons. I don't react too kindly to people interfering with my plans."
A chill went up her spine as he uttered those words. She saw the intensity in his eyes and knew he meant what he said. She showed him the way out and wished she had never let him in the door.