Thanks to those of you that stuck with me through the site 'problems. Hopefully everything is all back to normal and I'll go back to posting daily. Things are about to get interesting. LOL

Off to Paris

Monday morning, Ryan and Marissa were in their bedroom busily packing for the trip to Paris. Suitcases open on the bed and clothes in small piles steadily building up as they moved from wardrobe to bed accumulating everything they would require. "So tell me again who I'm going to be meeting?" Ryan asked.

"Well first you'll get to meet Claude and Marie. They're the couple who run the café at the bottom of my building. We'll probably have dinner there tonight because we'll be too zonked out to think about cooking. Plus we won't have time to shop today and there's nothing much in my apartment to eat. I threw everything out before I left. Maybe that's something that you can do tomorrow while I'm at work?" Marissa suggested.

"I'm not sure if I'll be ready to be unleashed on my own tomorrow. I may need you to teach me a few vital phrases in French first. Like 'I am lost, please show me the way home'."

Marissa laughed. "Maybe we should get you a little cow bell to go around your neck."

"Very funny. It's all right for you. But I don't speak a word of French."

"Don't worry. You'll pick it up quickly. Plus you're so cute; the French women will pick you up if you're looking lost. Hell they'll probably try to pick you up even if you aren't looking lost. They're a little more confidant than American women." Marissa stated. "Actually thinking about it ... You'd better wait for me before you go shopping. I don't want some French tart trying to get her claws into you."

"The only thing I want to pick up is you." Ryan replied moving to sweep her off her feet.

"Put me down." She laughed. "We're running out of time and we're no where near ready to go."

"Well whose fault is that? Someone didn't want to get out of bed this morning as I remember." Ryan replied.

"You didn't put up much of a fight. But I'm out now. And we really need to hurry. I don't want to miss our flight. I've got all these people to show you off too. They're going to love you. Actually, thinking about it, I'm sure that I could organise you a guide for tomorrow."

"If you mean one of your gay friends then thanks but no thanks. I'm not homophobic or anything but I'd just rather wait until you're available." Ryan explained.

Marissa laughed just thinking about the reaction that Ryan was going to cause amongst her friends. "Well … hopefully I'll only be tied up in the morning and we can do a little sight seeing in the afternoon."

"Maybe I could tie you up in the afternoon as well?" Ryan suggested leering at her.

Marissa laughed. "You still want to get even for that little bondage session a while back don't you?"

"I'd like to think of it as returning the favour … not getting even. I don't see why you should miss out."

"I don't see that happening anytime soon. After all … we are on our honeymoon. So missing out shouldn't be a problem. I figure that I have a whole 3 weeks until you lose interest." Marissa.

"I intend to be interested for a lot longer than 3 weeks. But back to who I'm going to meet." Ryan replied.

"Well it depends on who else is working on the shoots. I won't know for sure until I get there." Marissa replied thinking over it. "I would think probably Sasha and maybe Emma will be there tomorrow. You'll love Emma. She's the typical English Rose and sweet as pie. She's a real doll. I sometimes wonder how she survives in the business because not all the girls are like that. Eg Sasha. She's from central Europe somewhere, extremely attractive but a real biatch. You need to watch your back with that one."

"Sounds like fun."

"Hmmm. Sometimes. A lot of them are really competitive so it can get a bit difficult."

"What about guys?" Ryan asked.

Marissa hesitated unsure of just what to say. "They'll be guys there. But I didn't know you were interested in them?" she said teasingly.

Ryan laughed. "I'm not. You know I like girls."

Marissa glared at him.

"Sorry. One girl." He corrected.

"Much better." She laughed.

"What I meant was, are all the guys gay or will there be someone straight that I can feel comfortable with?" Ryan asked.

Marissa hesitated again. She knew that she should just tell Ryan about Karl but she didn't really know what there was to tell. He was definitely straight. He was also a photographer who was so attractive, he could have easily worked on the other side of the lens. And as one of the few straight males in the industry, he had bedded nearly every female model going around. He probably had every straight males dream job. And over the last couple of years, with some encouragement from Julie, he had certainly made his interest in Marissa obvious. And she was almost embarrassed to admit that she had even given in a couple of times and ended up with him in her bed. Usually after a few too many drinks or when she had been feeling particularly lonely but she had told him before she left for LA that she wasn't interested in anything more than that and hopefully once he saw her with Ryan, he would back off completely. He was a good friend and had always been there for her when she had needed someone and so she was reluctant to tell Ryan about their past in case it made Ryan defensive around him. She hoped that they would get on and maybe even become friends.

Ryan waited for a reply and then asked again. "Don't tell me the question is that difficult?"

"Sorry? I was just lost in my thoughts." Marissa explained.

"So. Only gay guys …. Is that what you're telling me?"

"No. There are some straight ones. Although I'm sure you'll love James. He's Karl's assistant – the photographer I'm working with tomorrow. He's as gay as they come but so much fun. I have trouble not laughing whenever I'm around him. I can't wait until you meet. Mind you … if he suggests you going anywhere private with him then I'd keep my back to the wall. Just in case. You are just his type." She laughed.

Ryan looked at her wondering if she was just teasing him. "If you are talking about he man and macho then that's me." Ryan laughed.

"That's just what appeals to him." Marissa laughed.

"Okay. So maybe I'm not he man and macho after all. What do I do to turn him off?"

"I'd keep very dark glasses on if I was you, because one look at those baby blue eyes and he will be all over you like a rash." Marissa laughed.

"I don't like rashes." Ryan grimaced.

Marissa laughed. "Well … you'd better just stick with me."

Ryan grabbed her and held her tightly to him, running his hands over her and pressing her against him until she could feel every contour of his body.

"What are you doing?" she asked. "I can't pack like this."

"I thought I'd just see what being stuck to you would be like and I think I'm liking it." He said as he ground his hardening erection into her as he thought of other places he could be stuck.

"I can feel just how much you like it. And I do too. But if we don't hurry up and finish off here, we are going to miss our flight. So you'll just have to keep that for later."

"Promise?" Ryan asked.

"Promise." Marissa replied.

---

It was Tuesday morning and Marissa had just emerged from the shower. She walked back into the bedroom realising just how much smaller everything here was compared to the spaciousness of Ryan's apartment in LA. Their suitcases were lying on the floor, still unopened. Once they'd gotten in from the airport last night they'd gone out and had something to eat and then had returned to 'christen' her apartment as Ryan had put it. Their clothes were strewn around the room as proof of their haste. She smiled as she walked around them just to get to her wardrobe.

Marissa stood there, knowing that she needed to get dressed for work but her eyes were constantly being drawn back to the naked body lying tousled in the sheets of her bed. It had seemed like such a good idea having Ryan with her here but now all she wanted to do was crawl back into bed with him. He was lying on his stomach, the sheet draped loosely across his bum, leaving the total expanse of his upper torso to her view. His right leg and arm were stretched out sideways as if they were reaching for her. She smiled. She had never imagined that it would be so bittersweet. She loved to have him here in Paris with her. But she didn't want to leave him to go to work; even if it would be only for a few hours.

When she'd left here just under 3 months ago, never could she have imagined that she would return with a husband in tow. She played with her ring. The events of the weekend still seemed almost too good to be true. But the form lying in her bed proved otherwise. She could see the matching ring firmly in place on Ryan's finger. They were married. Husband and wife. She kept feeling like she needed to pinch herself just to make sure that she wasn't stuck in some sort of dream. But then she knew that if she was dreaming all this then she wouldn't need to be going to work but instead would be crawling back between the sheets and in to Ryan's waiting arms.

Shaking herself out of the day dream before it threatened to engulf her she opened the wardrobe door and dropped the towel that she had been holding around her.

Ryan opened his eyes ... trying to accustomise himself to the light in the unfamiliar room and was rewarded with the sight of a naked Marissa standing in front of her wardrobe.

"Good morning beautiful." He said softly.

Marissa turned and smiled. "Good morning. Sorry if I woke you. But I need to get going or I will be late for work." She replied whilst pulling on her underwear.

"You wouldn't have left without saying good bye?" Ryan asked,

"No. I wouldn't." Marissa replied and moved to give him a quick kiss intending to then resume getting dressed.

But Ryan had other ideas and he reached out and held her too him and then moved to pull her back in to the bed.

"Ryan. We can't do this. Not right now at least." She qualified her initial statement.

"I'm not sure if I can wait. You are just teasing me aren't you? Standing there dressed like that."

"What? You'd prefer it if I get dressed in the bathroom in future and come out fully clothed?" Marissa asked.

"Nooooo. Fully unclothed is much better." He replied. "Although it does have some serious effects on me." Ryan said looking down at the tent pole now evident in the sheets.

"I'd love to stay and help you with that but I need to grab a coffee and finish getting dressed and I have about 5 minutes until I have to leave."

Ryan sat up first and then put his feet on the floor and stood up. "How about I be a really good little house husband and I'll go and put the coffee on while you get dressed?" he suggested as he stepped over the clothes and moved towards the door.

"Sounds great. But aren't you going to put some clothes on?" Marissa asked unable to take her eyes from his erection standing proud.

"I was sort of hoping that maybe the thought of me like this might make you get finished with work in a hurry and we could take back up where we have left off." Ryan teased. "But of course if you'd like me to cover up?"

"Stay just as you are." Marissa replied. "It's a lasting view that I'd love to have in my mind as I go off to work. Mind you getting out the door could be a problem." She laughed.

---

Ryan made the coffee and Marissa joined him fully clothed. They couldn't help but laugh at what an interesting sight they would have made with Marissa fully clothed and Ryan completely naked siting on her kitchen stools side by side making their plans for the day. It was agreed that Ryan would do some work at home for the morning. He could answer his emails and make a few calls and then he would meet Marissa about 3 at the studio where she was working that day. She left him with the address and told him to just get a cab. It wasn't far and he could have walked but until he knew his way around it would be easier. If she looked like being held up she would call him and reschedule things. They would have a late lunch and then they were going to go to the grocery store on the way home and pick up some food. Marissa couldn't believe how much the idea of shopping for food with Ryan appealed to her. But then again doing anything with Ryan appealed to her. If she could they would never be parted. She knew that was totally impractical, but a girl could dream.

She finished off her coffee and then lingered over a deep and delicious kiss with her husband before making her way to the door. "I don't mind if you want to work like that, but just remember not to open the door to anyone unless you put on some clothes. The French are a very sexually liberal society but I'm not sure that they are ready for you just yet. And even if they are … I'm not ready to share." She laughed.

---

After Marissa had left, Ryan tidied up in the kitchen and then knew that he had put it off long enough. The time had come. So he picked up his phone and dialled the London number. After a few rings it answered.

"Ryan? Hi. I hope that you have some good news for me?" Dan asked.

"Hi Dan. So things haven't improved there?" Ryan asked.

"No. She just moves from day to day barely speaking. My divorce actually came through yesterday and I thought that might give her a bit of a jolt. I mean we can actually go ahead and get married now but she didn't seem to care at all. I'm not sure if anything can get through to her."

"Not even Marissa?" Ryan asked.

"What? Are you saying?" Dan asked. 'I thought you said that she wouldn't … so is she …"

Ryan laughed at the other man's reaction. Even though they had never met, Ryan felt that he would get along well with Dan. It seemed as if he genuinely loved Julie, something that he didn't think that Julie had experienced much of in her life. Maybe if they could get back on track, everything would work out for her this time. Ryan just knew that he was so happy himself, that he wanted everyone around him to be as well. "Yes, yes, I did and yes. I think they are the right answers in the right order." Ryan explained.

"I don't know how to thank you?" Dan replied. "When?" he asked.

"That I can't tell you as yet. But Marissa did agree, at least in principle. We only arrived in Paris last night and Marissa has a few work commitments lined up but when she gets those under control, I'll see what we can organise. The only problem may be that it will be a two for one package." Ryan informed Dan.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, if Julie wants to see Marissa then she is going to have to see me as well. We come as a pair."

"But that's great. I'd love to meet you." Dan replied.

"I'm not sure that Julie would share your sentiments. But that's the way it is. So maybe you should talk to her and I'll give you another call in a day or two and we'll see what we can work out."

"Sounds great. Will you come here? I have a place in the Cotswolds that maybe we could all spend the weekend at?"

"I'll have to see what Marissa has planned but I'll get back to you." Ryan assured him.

"Okay." Dan replied "And Ryan?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."