Chapter 3 (Monica's POV)
I awoke the next morning, fearing that last night was a dream. However, when I felth Matthew's arm firmly grasped around my waist, the way a child holds a teddy bear, I was reassured that the previous night really did happen. Not wanting to wake Matthew, I quietly slipped from under his arm. Picking up his shirt and slipping it on, I tiptoed to the kitchen. I was on a knight's quest for the strongest coffee my little machine could brew. On the way to the kitchen, I noticed a head peek over the couch. Rachelle stirred, mumbling some unintelligable profanities and scolded me for being such an early bird.
"Morning, drunky," I teased.
"I hate you," she whined.
"Lies," I gasped, "All lies!" A few minutes later, once the coffee was successfully brewed, I felt Matthew's arm sneak its way around my waist.
"Morning, beautiful," he said, kissing my neck. "Nice shirt."
"Thanks," I replied, leaning my neck into his kisses and smiling. "Coffee?"
"Sure," he said, letting go of me to grab an empty mug from the rack of clean dishes.
"Well, hel-lo," Rachelle said, rising from the couch to approach Matthew and give him a teasiing glare.
"What?" he asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion; his coffee on the brink of spilling over as he poured.
"Uh-huh," she said in mocking disapproval. "And what pray tell were you two doing last night?"
"Oh, I think you know," I interjected with a laugh. "I've walked in on you doing the same thing more times than I'd like to admit."
"I'll have to hear that story one day," Matthew chimed in, smirking.
I gave him a pointed look. "I'd rather not relive that experience," I said, shuddering at the memory. I gulped down the rest of my coffee and then turned to Matthew. "I'm gonna jump in the shower," I told him. "You okay hanging out with Rachelle for a bit?"
"Fine by me," he said taking as sip from his cup. "As long as she's cool with it."
"I'm cool," Rachelle said, finally reaching for the pot of coffee. I searched Matthew's face once mor for any signs of protest. After all, Rachelle can be a bit intimidating. But, apparently, he had no fear of my best friend. After he gave me a reassurig smile, I turned to the bathroom and shut the door behind me. I'd barely gotten a good lather on my loofa when I heard a noise coming from the other side of the curtain. A moment later, Matthew stumbled clumsily into the shower with me.
"What the hell, Matt?" I asked, wide-eyed. "What are you doing?"
"Rachelle got boring," he said with a smug grin. "And I figured It would be more entertaining in here with you." As he said the last sentence, he looked down the length of my wet, naked body with a hungry glare. Then, he took a step closer to me and ghosted his fingertips on the skin stretched over my hips. The playful tickling turned into a firm but gentle grasp, and he slowly began to pull me closer. Using his shoulders to anchor me, I leaned in and grazed my lips against his. This wasn't enough for him. He released the grip on my left hip and moved his hand to the back of my neck. He pulled me in and kissed me deeply, both of our mouths open, our tongues colliding fiercely. The grasp he held on my right hip tightened and he gently pushed me against the wall of the shower. The hand that was once on the back of my neck, mysteriously made its way below my waist. He parted my folds and softly rubbed my clit. The feeling was so intense that I instinctively dug my nails into his shoulder. This elicited a deep, raspy groan from Matt. He then quickly moved both hands to the backs of my thighs, lifting me up in one swift motion. I wrapped my legs around him at once. This was different from the previous night. Before, we were careful and gentle as we explored each other's bodies. This time, however, he was rough and uninhibited, entering me with an almost carnal need. I tried desperately to muffle my loud moans with my hands, but it was no use.
He leaned into me and whispered, "I'm sorry. I just need it like this."
No need to apologize, I thought as he continued with forceful thrusts. I responded with a whimper. My legs shook uncontrollably, and my breathing became erratic. He gave one last thrust, squeezing my hips tighter, his final groan caught in his throat. He continued to hold my legs around him, our foreheads pressed together and our eyes closed. We stayed like this for a few minutes as our breathing calmed. He kissed me softly, but intensely and let my legs slide back to the floor of the shower. The warm water dripped down on us like summer rain. Finally, he shifted to the faucet and turned the water off. He stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around the waist. Then, he walked out of the bathroom and shut the door behind him. I was left alone in the shower, my mind reeling.
After finally collecting myself, I grabbed a towel from the rack and dried myself off. I wrapped it around my body and walked out of the bathroom. Thankfully, Rachelle was long gone. I couldn't bear to hear her mocking tone after the mind blowing shower sex I'd just had. When I reached my room, the door was slightly cracked. I pushed it open to find Matthew standiing in front of my dresser, admiring the display of pictures that stood on top of it. I leaned against the frame of the door for balance as I swooned over the way his muscles curved around his arms and chest. "Who's this?" he asked picking up a silver frame from the dresser.
"My mom," I said, slowly walking toward him and the picture display. I didn't even have to look at the picture to know which one he was holding. Her dark hair falling over her shoulders, holding a big, yellow sunflower; she wor the same blue dress that I always remembered her in. We had the same big, inviting smile.
"She's beautiful," he said, and he was right. My mother was very beautiful. Everyone knew that. My father would tell me all the time how she was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. He'd tell me how they met in high school and how all the other boys would drool over her like dogs. She'd still chosen him, a shy, awkward theater geek that didn't even think she knew his name. "She looks just like you," Matt said, awakening me from my memory. Right again, Matty, I thought. In fact, it haunted me everytime I looked ini the mirror. I only saw her, and it destroyed me. I missed her so much, yet I could never escape her. Everytime I saw my reflection, it was her face staring back at me.
"Yeah," I said distantly. "I know."
"Where is she now?" he asked, setting the frame back down.
"She died," I said, discretely wiping a tear from my face. "Car crash."
"I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to-"
"No, it's okay," I interrupted. "I just- can we just change the subject? I don't really like to talk about my mother."
"Sure," he said. "I'm sorry. Pretend I never brought it up." I tried to hide my expression, but he could tell that I was uneasy now. He grabbed my hand and tried to meet my eyes with his, but I turned away.
"I almost forgot," I began, regaining my composure. "I have a meeting with one of my professors. It's actually a pretty big deal. Most professors are a little weird about working with students on the weekends. So, I don't wanna be late." I took a few steps backwards to distance myself from his questioning gaze.
"Oh," he said, disappointed. "Okay, well, I'll let you get ready." He walk towards me and put his hands on my shoulders. "How about I take you out to lunch when you're done?"
"Sure," I said. "That sounds lovely." He kissed the tip of my nose and moved past me reaching for the door. He lingered with his hand on the knob, and he turned back to me.
"Are you sure you're okay?" he said.
"I'm fine," I lied, trying to sound non-chalant. "Stop worrying. I'll call you later."
"Okay," he said. Then he walked out of the room. Seconds later, I heard the door to my apartment shut softly, and I crumpled to the floor and began to cry.
I sat at the small round table outside of the bistro, waiting for Matthew. He was 20 minutes late. What the hell's taking so long? Just as I was mentally cursing him, I noticed the frame of his bouncy walk. As he approached me, he said, "Sorry, I'm late, the director called us in at the last minute to reshoot some scenes."
"It's fine," I said. "Just wish you would've called."
"I did," he pleaded. "Your phone kept going to voicemail." I pulled my phone out of my purse and stared at a blank screen. He was telling the truth. I was so caught up that I must not have remembered to charge it.
"Oh," I said. "Sorry, I didn't even notice the battery was low."
"It's cool," he said, leaning over to give me a lingering kiss.
"Matt!" I whispered. "Someone will see us."
"I don't care," he said with a laugh. He sat down across from me and began perusing the menu. I pulled it down, away from his face and stared at him. "What?" he said.
"I care," I protested. "What if a reporter sees? I'm not ready to have my privacy taken away from me, not yet."
"Fine," he said. "My lips are sealed, and no p. d. a." He returned to the menu and I said nothing else. Collecting my emotions, I picked up my menu as well.
Moments later, the waiter approached us. "Are we ready to order?" he said.
"Can we have just a minute?" I asked.
"Certainly," he said, turning on his heel and walking away.
"Listen," I said. "I didn't mean to offend you."
"You didn't," he said with a sweet smile, the one that I loved the most on him.
"I just- What are we doing?" I asked, slightly confused as I turned over the events that have occurred since I met Matthew.
"What do you mean?" he asked, still smiling. How was I supposed to compose my thoughts with that gorgeous smile staring back at me?
"I mean us. Me and you, what are we doing? Are- are we dating now? Is this just a fling? I mean, I don't know how to act around you now. And what about work? Aren't there rules against this? Am I gonna get fired? Are you gonna get fired?"
"They can't fire me, I have a contract," he said. "And they won't fire you either. We aren't going against any rules. I like you, and I'm not really sure what we are, if you're looking for some kind of label. Let's just see where things lead, okay?"
"Okay," I surrendered. The waiter came back, and I was forced to forget my unresolved feelings, for now. We ordered our lunch, and the subject didn't come up for the rest of the day.
The weeks went by, and Matt and I continued with our after hours rendezvous. There were deep talks over whiskey at the same bar where it all began, late night trists at his apartment and mine, and a few other places we discovered. However, we were very careful not to discuss any details of our arrangement again. We were taking a break together on set, when he leaned over and whispered in my ear.
"Can I tell you a secret?" he asked in a hushed voice.
"Mmm," I replied, slightly intrigued. "Okay."
"I've always wanted to fool around in the workplace." he said, his lips grazing my neck as he spoke. "Come with me."
He grabbed my hand and led me down the hallway. We turned the corner to another hallway, and another corner, until we reached a closet. We looked over our shoulders to make sure the coast was clear and snuck inside. Immediately after the door was closed, I was nearly attacked by his lips. In between the rough kisses he planted everywhere, I caught a glimpse of the small dark closet. There was a desk against the right wall and a few mops and brooms in the left corner. He turned me around and bent me over the table. Hovering over me, he swept the hair away from my neck and trailed soft kisses along the back of my neck. He pulled the left side of my black pencil skirt up, his nails lightly scratching my outer thigh. I could feel him growing against my back. It was so exhilerating, the fear and excitement of getting caught. He slipped his hand under the waistband of my undies and slid them down to my ankles, and I stepped out of them anxiously. They got caught around one of my leopard print heels and I shrugged them off. I heard the distinct sound of a belt unbuckling and a zipper being pulled down roughly. Seconds later Matthew entered me from behind. I grabbed onto the edge of the desk for support as he thrusted. He held onto my hips and pulled me into him as he quickened his pace slightly. My head hung low and my legs began to shake in my kitten heels. Matthew pulled out of me and turned me around. He hoisted me up onto the desk and parted my legs hastily. He grabbed my waist with both hands and edged me closer to him, my legs hanging over the desk lazily. He entered me again and buried his face in my neck. He gripped tightly around the back of my neck, and my hands moved instinctively to his hair, gently tugging and tangling my fingers into his wavy locks. He breathed into my neck and thrusted harder and faster. I wrapped my legs around his waist, needing him to be closer, deeper. He groaned at the feel of my legs locking around him and began to move even faster. Minutes later, he elicited one final groan and pushed inside me with all the force he could manage.
We quickly cleaned ourselves up and scurried down the hall, giggling, hoping no one would notice our absense. We were let down when we both caught a glimpse of Shemar grinning at us. He walked over, looking rather smug. He pulled a feather out of my hair and handed it to me. Then he whispered loud enough for Matthew and I both to hear, but low enough that no one else would, "Closet in the left wing?"
Matthew and I looked at each other wide-eyed. "It's cool," he said with a chuckle. "Your secret is safe with me. Besides, I haven't seen Matt with a girl since, well, ever. And you seem pretty cool."
"Uh, thanks," I said, slightly bewildered.
"Hey what do you say the three of us grab a beer after we get outta here?" he asked clapping a hand on Matthew's shoulder.
"Sure," Matt chimed in. "Sounds good." After Matthew approved his invite, Shemar rose and walked to the other side of the room to run lines with Kirsten. Matthew gave me a dubious look. Unable to read his expression, I shrugged and turned away, waiting for the director. Then, as if on cue, the director came back and called them onto set.
Hours later, after we'd finished shooting for the day, Matthew, Shemar, and I sat in the back of our usual bar. I laughed out loud, startling the bartender, as Shemar told story after humiliating story about Matthew before I'd started interning. "So he gets plastered and goes up on stage, in a turtle costume, singing 'Part of Your World' from 'The Little Mermaid'," he said, making me shoot beer out of my nose.
"Oh, my god," I said, still laughing uncontrollably. "I have beer down my shirt! I'll be right back."
(Matthew's POV)
Monica skipped off to the bathroom, and I gulped down the rest of my third beer. When I lowered the empty bottle from my face, I saw Shemar staring at me. "So," he said, "you and the new girl huh?"
"Yep," I replied. "Me and the new girl."
"How'd that happen?" he asked bewildered. "I mean, don't get me wrong, she's cool, I just haven't seen you with a girl in a while."
"I mean, we just hit it off, I guess," I said. "I think I'm falling for this one."
"Wow," he said, leaning back in his chair and lifting his beer to his lips. "Getting pretty serious."
"I don't know, man," I said, unable to wipe the smile from my face. "She's just...different."
"You thinkin about the 'L' word, man?"
Before I could respond, Monica came up behind me and slid into her seat. An awkward silence fell upon us. "What were y'all talkin about me or something?" she asked.
"No not at all," I said.
"Wow," she said, smiling like a goofball. "You're a really bad liar."
"Don't worry," Shemar said. "You are concerned friend approved."
"Okay, good," she said, mockingly letting out a sigh of relief, and fanning herself with a napkin from the table.
"Hey, listen," Shemar piped up. "I gotta get outta here."
"Got a hot date?" Monica joked.
"Actually, yes," Shemar added with a wink. He walked out of the bar, leaving us to ourselves.
I turned to Monica, smiling as I admired the twinkle in her deep brown eyes. "What?" she asked with a light laugh.
"Nothing," I said, unable to utter what I was really thinking. I knew I was falling hard and fast, and I wanted to tell her so bad, but I couldn't. Not yet. "Actually, it's getting late. You ready to get outta here?"
"Sure," she said smiling. We left some cash on the table for the waitress and left the bar.