Thanks to all of you that are reading and reviewing. An even if you don't review I appreciate your reading and hope you're enjoying The Torch singer.
Chapter 5 Learning and ChangingThe sun was shining in my face as I slowly woke to the feel of the warm, hard body enveloping me in its comfortable warmth.
With a smile, I snuggled a little closer for a moment, before slipping from under the heavy arm holding me close to that magnificent body. With a snort, Emmett rolled over onto his back, flinging his arm above his head, and continued to snore softly.
I slid off of the bed and padded to the bathroom. After taking care of business, I slipped on the robe, which hung on the back of the door, and went back into the bedroom to head through to the kitchen.
Glancing at the bed, I was taken again by how beautiful the man lying there was. The sheet has slipped down around his hips, revealing his smooth contoured chest and sculpted abs. Remembering the feel of those smooth muscles under my hands and lips, I moaned quietly, and stepped toward the door.
"Where are you going, sweetness?" his voice called gruffly. "Come back to bed."
I stopped and looked back over my shoulder.
"If I did, we'd never get out of here today," I replied with a small smile.
"And that would be wrong, why?" He grinned.
"Because I have rehearsal this afternoon, and a show tonight," I answered. "Come on out to the kitchen and I'll fix you some breakfast.
With a smile, I left the room.
The coffee was brewing and I was standing at the stove sautéing some onions, green peppers, and mushrooms for an omelet, when two arms slipped around me, and a scruffy face pressed its lips against my neck. Spreading his hands across my lower stomach, he pressed me back against him, making me very aware of every part of his body.
"Are you sure you can't skip rehearsal for today?" he asked, nipping at my ear.
Sliding the small skillet off of the burner, I turned in his arms and looked up at him, placing my hands on his bare chest.
"If we're going somewhere with this relationship, or whatever it is, baby," I said seriously. "You have to realize that nothing, or no one, comes before my music. I have never skipped a rehearsal or show, not unless I was very sick. It, Sheri, and James, are the only things that have never let me down."
He brought his hand up and gently brushed a stray hair from my forehead, staring into my eyes intently.
"I can understand and appreciate that," he said, smiling tenderly. "I will never ask you, again, babe.'
I rose up on tiptoe and placed a sweet kiss on his mouth. He cupped my head and pressed a heated kiss to mine in return. Placing his hands on my shoulders, he closed his eyes and rested his forehead against mine. Inhaling deeply, he opened his eyes and stepped back.
"Something smells awfully good," he said with a grin, just as his stomach growled loudly.
"Sounds like we need to get something in there," I said, chuckling and poking his belly. "You haven't eaten since last night."
For a moment, his eyes darkened and his nostrils flared. With a blush, I turned back to the stove.
I cooked him a large six-egg omelet, stuffed full of the onion, green pepper and mushroom mixture and sharp cheddar cheese, a smaller one for me, buttered toast, orange juice and coffee.
It was a nice, quiet time. Instead of the awkwardness I was prepared for, it seemed right to be sitting across the kitchen table from him, natural. Afterward, I sent him off to take a shower while I cleaned up the dishes. Wiping the counter and taking a last look around, I went back into the bedroom, hoping that he was finished so that I could take my own shower.
Walking to the dresser to pull out some underwear, jeans and a tank top, I heard a deep moan from behind the bathroom door, then another. Hurrying over, I raised my hand to knock and heard him call out my name.
"Emmett," I called softly, opening the bathroom door. "Are you…?"I stopped as I saw him through the frosted glass of the shower door, leaning against the tile wall of the shower. His head was thrown back as his hand was firmly stroking his fully erect cock. My core flooded and, without taking time to think about what I was doing, I let my robe slip from my shoulders and, stepping over, opened the shower door and stepped inside. His eyes flew open as he looked at me in shock.
"Let me help you with that," I said huskily, reaching for him, my heart racing and my body trembling.
"Oh, fuck, Mara, I…" he moaned.
"Shhh," I whispered, pulling his lips down to mine with one hand while the other closed around him, stroking firmly.
With a groan, he cupped the back of my head and devoured my mouth with deep heady kisses.
"Ah, sweetness, I wanted to wait," he moaned against my lips. "But I can't." "Then don't," I begged. "Please, baby, I need you inside of me, now!"I raised one leg up over his hip and, grasping my ass, he pulled me up so that I could wrap both of my legs around his waist. He held me up with one hand, while placing his engorged cock at my entrance with the other, letting me slide slowly down onto him.
The feel of him stretching and filling me was like nothing I had ever experienced. It had been over two years of abstinence for me and I was as tight as a virgin, but without the pain. He filled me completely and I could feel him sliding against my walls, causing the friction I so hungrily craved.
I clung to his neck, sobbing in ecstasy, as he raised and lowered me, thrusting his hips up into me, taking the full weight of me onto his muscular legs. With each thrust I loosened my muscles, and with each withdrawal I squeezed them tight, eliciting groans from him as I whimpered.
"Reach down and touch yourself, babe," he rasped, biting at my neck. "I'm so damned close and I want you with me when I cum."
I did as he asked and began to rub my clit vigorously. Soon my muscles began to contract around him on their own, tighter than I had done before. The tightening band of my orgasm began to snap.
"Oh God, baby," I cried, "I…I…oh holy…now, Emmett, NOW!"Ahhh…jeez…I am!" he shouted, as together we shot out into the cosmos, shooting from star to star, wrapped tightly around each other.
Slowly we returned to the world in the shower stall.
He leaned back against the tile wall as I wound my arms around his neck, resting my face against his throat. As our breathing slowed, he gently raised me up and slipped from me. I tightened my arms around him and whimpered at the loss of this beautiful intimacy. Reluctantly, I lowered my legs, relieving him of my added weight on his trembling legs, and slid down to place my feet on the tile floor.
For a moment, we just held each other, the spray from the shower sluicing over us. Without a word, we washed one another's body and hair, rinsed off and stepped out of the stall. Grabbing large bath sheets, we dried each other, wrapped in the towels, and headed back into the bedroom.
Stopping, he turned me to him and took my face in his hands, looking sadly into my eyes.
"I wanted to wait, sweetness," he said quietly. "I wanted you to be sure before we took this step, to be free of the ghosts and be only with me."
"I was, and am, only with you Emmett," I replied, reaching up to touch his cheek. "I feel freer than I have in years. The past is just that, baby, the past. I can't go back and change all the sadness and heartbreak, but I can move ahead and become happy again, with you. You are the only man that I have felt I can do that with. The "Brian fiasco", as Sheri calls it, is behind me. I only have the future, hopefully with you, before me."
He wrapped me in his arms and held me to his chest.
"I am here," he said, kissing the top of my wet hair. "And I intend to stay, as long as you'll let me. I know that my work schedule will keep us physically apart at times, but we'll always be together in spirit. As soon as I saw you, I knew where I was meant to be."
Leaning down he drew my mouth to his and took it in a deep loving kiss. I kissed him back with just as much feeling.
An hour and a half later, I walked into the club to find Sheri sitting at the piano. When she saw me, she began to play the melody of Someday My Prince Will Come and smirked, a knowing twinkle in her eyes.
I just grinned.
Sheri grinned back and changed her tune to the intro to The Man I Love. I just shook my head at her, a blush staining my cheeks.
"Well, honey, tell me all about it," she said, shutting the lid over the keys and leaning forward on it, a look of excited anticipation on her pretty face. "Is he perfection?"
She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, grinning broadly.
"Yeah, pretty much so," I replied, sitting down on the piano bench next to her. "His family is great, too, except for Rosalie, who, technically isn't family anymore..."
"Wait, wait, wait," she interrupted. "His family? I thought you were going on a picnic at the beach?"
"So did I," I responded. "When he picked me up, he told me that his mother had called that morning and insisted that he join the family for their last day at their summer beach house this year, and to please bring me along."
For the next hour I told her about my day with the Cullens and their friends, from Esme's greeting to Alice's prophetic advice.
"Emmett has a back story that, although very different, equals mine," I concluded. "I can't tell you—that's his story to tell—but I can say that it involves his ex, Rosalie."
Her eyes widened"The same Rosalie that gave you such a hard time?" she asked incredulously. "How does that work?"
So, I told her the gist of the story, without revealing any of the sordid details. She was quiet for a few moments before she lifted her eyes to mine.
"And did you tell him your story?" she asked, touching my hand, gently.
"Yeah, " I replied quietly. "It was pretty rough. I haven't thought about it all for quite a while and, well, as hard as it was to talk about, it was kind of cathartic. When I was through, he kissed my forehead, touched my cheek and left without saying a word."
She gasped, anger beginning to fill her eyes.
"No, sweetie," I said, smiling at her mothering. "He came back, explaining that he had to work off his anger. He was angry for me, not at me. It really had been good to tell him…good for me."
"You must really feel something for this man, to bare your soul to him, Mara," she said, touching my cheek. "He must be pretty special."
"Yes, I really think he is," I whispered, with a smile. " And he still wants me, Sheri, after knowing everything, he still wants me."
"Of course he does, sugar," she said, hugging me. "You're a very special lady, and very loveable."
"Thanks," I said quietly with a sigh. "But you have to say that, you're family."
"You betcha!" she said with a chuckle. "So, tell me," she added, grinning suggestively. "Is he as built as we thought?"
"Better," I replied, grinning back, blushing. "Oh, sooo much better!"My mind flashed back to earlier that morning and I shivered remembering the sight and feel of him
"That good, huh?" she giggled, drawing me back to the present.
I nodded, shyly. Then tears filled my eyes as I told her about his wanting to wait, and why.
"He's just so caring, Sheri," I said softly. "How Rose could have treated him the way she did and do what she did, I just can't understand."
"Sounds like you need one another, sweetie," she said, hugging me again. "And, I'm happy for you both.
She lifted the lid off of the keys, which was my cue to get ready to rehearse. She was my rock.
We were rehearsing a new song for us, You'll See written and performed by Madonna. For some reason, I just couldn't get into it. It is a survival of lost love song. Sheri threw up her hands in frustration.
Mara, what's wrong with you?" she asked. "You don't have this kind of trouble…oh… hmm…this new love of yours may just be a complication as far as our performances go. Looks like you're going to have to put your Dramatic Arts degree to good use. You just can't sing these songs in such a happy manner."
"I know," I said. "I just can't help it. I don't feel sad."
"That's why it's called "acting", sweetie," she said with a chuckle. "Come on, let's try this again."
She played the intro again, just as Felix came in carrying two long florist's boxes.
"Looks like you both get flowers today," he smiled, laying both boxes on a table in front of the stage. Sheri and I looked at each other.
"Who?" she asked as we climbed down the shallow steps to the table.
"Well, I think I know who mine are from," I said with a chuckle. "But what has James done to warrant sending you flowers?"
"Just loves me," she said with a smirk. "I think."
I opened the box addressed to me. Inside I found a beautiful array of yellow and variegated tulips. Tears stung my eyes as Felix appeared next to me.
"Thought you two might need these," he said, setting two clear glass vases, half filled with water, on the table.
He smiled and patted my shoulder.
"He's a great guy, Mara," he said with a light squeeze. "One of the best."
"Thanks, Felix," I said, smiling up at him.
He nodded his head and walked back to the bar, where he was replenishing the alcohol supply.
"Oh, my God!" Sheri exclaimed, drawing my attention back to her.
From the box in front of her, she pulled out a dozen Oriental Lilies. She picked up the card and tearfully handed it to me. I smiled as I read it.
Sheri,
I want to thank you and James for always being there for Mara. True friends are hard to find, and you're truly that for her.
Emmett McCarty
"I think that you have a keeper in Mr. Emmett McCarty, sweetie. He really cares about you," she said, wiping her eyes.
"You're right, I replied, turning back to my box of tulips and lifting them out. "On both counts."
We spent the next few moments arranging our bouquets in the vases. Then searching the box, I found the accompanying card.
Sweetness,
Last night and this morning were amazing. I thank you for the sunshine and happy promises that you have brought into my life (yellow tulips) and your beautiful eyes are so captivating (variegated tulips) I could gaze into them forever.
Another late night supper at Denise's? Please?
Em
I brought it to my lips, smiling behind it, before I showed it to Sheri and she sighed, happily.
"Methinks romance is in the air for you, my sweet Mara," she said hugging me tightly. "You deserve it, Mar, you really do."
"Thanks, Sher," I replied. "I don't know what I'd do without you and your unwavering support."
Cleaning up the floral debris, we took the vases of flowers and placed them on the piano as we continued to rehearse.
That night I was disappointed when Emmett didn't show up for the show. Maybe he'd changed his mind and didn't want to see me anymore. Maybe something had happened to him, and I shivered at the thought. Insecurities had my mind going in all directions.
We had just entered the dressing room, my anxiety showing on my face, when my cell phone rang. I grabbed it, flipping it open.
"I'm at the back door, sweetness…" his voice started.
Dropping the phone, I was out of the room and flew down the hall to the alley door. Flinging it open, I stopped still for a moment, taking in the sight of him.
He grinned crookedly, his right dimple deepening, and I was in his arms, our mouths glued together. Holding my face in his hands, he pulled back and gazed deeply into my eyes. Then his mouth was devouring mine again.
"Hey," he whispered, pulling back again. "I've missed you today. How'd the show go?"
"I missed you, too," I replied, my arms still around his neck. "Thank you for the beautiful tulips. Sheri loved her flowers, too."
"Got to make the family happy, y'know," he said with a grin.
"Oh, so there's a method to your madness, is there?" I teased. "James won't be so easily won over. He's very protective of me."
A gust of wind blew down the alley, causing me to shiver.
"Cold?" he asked. "Let's get you inside so you can get warm and change."
He held the door open for me and we went inside. Just as I reached for the dressing room doorknob, the door opened. Sheri and James stood there.
"Hey, you," Sheri greeted us. "We're just leaving. Are you going to supper, or do you want us to wait for you?"
Emmett glanced down at me, raising his brows in question.
"Yes," I replied to him, turning to Sheri. "I'm going to supper with Emmett."
He grinned, flashing his dimples at me.
"Okay, then, we're off," Sheri said, moving aside to let Emmett and I enter the room.
James stared, stone faced, at Emmett. Emmett stopped and stared back for a moment, before he spoke.
"I swear to you, James Connery, that I will never intentionally hurt her," he said, never taking his eyes from James's.
James looked at him for a long moment, then, with a curt nod, walked out into the hallway. Sheri, having observed the intense exchange, followed behind her husband. She stopped and turned back to Emmett.
"Thank you for the flowers, Emmett McCarty," she said, grasping the front of his jacket and pulling him down closer to her level. "You're a good man."
She reached up and kissed his cheek as we heard James grunt from the hall. With a smile, she patted Emmett's chest and grabbed her husband's hand as they walked to the outer door.
Emmett turned to look down at me with a smile.
"He really cares about you, doesn't he?"
He walked toward me, taking my hands in his.
"Yes," I replied, looking into his eyes. "They both do, and I care about them. I love them."
"I'm glad you have them," he whispered, leaning into me. "I won't have to worry about you as much, when I'm away."
"Away?" I whispered, my heart beginning to race. "Are you going somewhere?"
"Yeah," he said with a frown. "I've got a project in the works and have to be gone for two weeks for re-shoots."
"When do you leave, and where are you going?" I asked, trying not to let him see how distraught I was becoming.
"Come 'ere," he said, leading me over to the easy chair against the wall.
He sat, pulling me down onto his lap, and wrapped his arms comfortingly around me.
"I'm so sorry, babe, but I have to leave next Sunday evening. I have to report to the set by six o'clock Monday morning, in Toronto," he said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear. "Once you sign on the dotted line, they own you until the project's done."
"I know, baby," I said, cupping his cheek. "I just don't want you to go, we only just found each other."
"I don't want to go either, sweetness," he said, pressing his cheek into my hand.
I leaned in, pressing my lips to his. The electricity that shot between us was a tangible force in the room, and his arms tightened around me as his mouth continued to plunder mine. I tangled my fingers in his hair as I moaned into his mouth.
Coming up for air, he leaned his forehead against mine.
"If we're going to get some supper, you'd better get changed," he said softly, standing up and setting me on my feet. "Then we'll head out."
I didn't want to "head out" yet. I wanted him, and I was going to have him…right then!
I turned toward the huge walk-in closet and stepped inside, slipped my shoes off and put my jewels in the safe. I strategically maneuvered the closet door, with a full-length mirror on it, to reflect the main room.
"Emmett, can you give me a hand? "I called out to him. "Sheri usually helps me, and I can't reach the zipper tab."
Without saying anything, he stepped into the closet and up behind me. I shivered as I felt his fingers slowly slide the zipper down. When he reached the bottom, I thought I heard him hiss before he turned away and went back to sit down on the chair.
I sat on the folding chair in the closet, knowing that the angle put me in full view of the outer room. With my knees spread, I raised one leg and rolled the thigh high stocking down to my foot and pulled it off, laying it across my lap. Then I did the same with the other. Standing, I place them on the shelf next to the door. Facing the mirror, I carefully unclasped the front hooks of the black lace teddy I was wearing.
Glancing up through my lashes, I was hard pressed not to smile as I watched Emmett moving restlessly in the chair. Raising my head, I closed my eyes as I slowly let the teddy drop to the floor. I stood there, in front of the full-length mirror, dressed only in my black lace thong.
With my mouth slightly open, I licked my lips and slipped my hands up my body to cup my breasts and tease my nipples with my thumbs. I heard a loud groan and met Emmett's eyes in the mirror. Then I realized that his pants were open and he was slowly stroking his hard, erect cock. My core was instantly flooded, the moisture running down the inside of my thighs.
Turning, I walked to him, fell to my knees in front of him and, reaching for his pants, I began to pull them down. Without breaking our gaze, he lifted his hips enough to let me slide them down to his ankles. I bent and slipped his shoes and socks off, his pants over his feet, and tossed them aside.
I ran my hands up the inside of his legs, kissing and nipping. After stopping to take him into my mouth and suck him for a moment, I continued up his torso. Reaching his lips, I caught them between mine, sucking his lower lip deep into my mouth as I pinched his nipples through the fabric of his shirt. He started to reach for me, but I pulled away and stepped out of the thong. Leaning back down, I kissed him, hungrily.
"I'm gonna ride you, baby," I whispered against his mouth, "like you've never been ridden before. Scoot to the edge of the cushion."
"Mara, what…" he started.
"Just do it, dimples," I said. "Now!"
He complied and I turned my back to him, straddling his hips. Grasping his cock in firmly my hand, I positioned the head at my entrance and sat down hard, impaling myself on him.
"Oh, fuck!" I moaned as I felt him fill me more than I ever had been before. It felt like he was up in my stomach somewhere. I began to rise and fall on him, undulating as I did so, clenching my muscles as tightly as I could.
"Ahh, God, Mara, what the fuck are you doin' to me?" He growled and grasped my hips to help steady the rhythm.
Slowly the pace increased. I felt the tightening in my lower abdomen begin. Reaching down with one hand, I cupped his sac, squeezing gently. He slid one hand around to place his finger on my clit and began to rub vigorously.
"Oh…Em...I'm gonna…come!" I cried, exploding around him.
Feeling his balls tighten, I pinched down between them.
"Holy fuck…Gahh!" he shouted as his climax rolled over him, sending streams of hot cum into me.
We flew together into that place where time and space had no meaning. The only thing that we felt, was the throbbing connection we had made.
As we came back into ourselves, I leaned back onto Emmett's chest and he wrapped his arms around me. Slowly he slipped from me and turned me as he sat up and pulled me onto his lap, cradling me to him.
"My God, woman," he whispered, kissing my temple. "You are amazing. What did I ever do to deserve you?"
"I think that, maybe, we are each other's reward for going through so much fire." I said quietly, looking up into his eyes.
He tightened his arms around me and leaned in to place a tender kiss on my lips.
Suddenly his stomach growled and I laughed.
"Now, " I said with a chuckle. "I think we'd better get dressed and go get us that supper."
"I think you're right," he agreed with a smile. "You're going to need the fuel for what I have planned for you for the rest of the night."
I mewled as he set me on my feet, slapping my butt as I headed for the closet to get dressed.
Thirty minutes later, we were walking to Denise's, arms wrapped tightly around each other.
"Hi Emmett, Mara," Jane called as we entered the diner. "How was it tonight?"
I glanced up quickly, blushing before I realized that she was talking about the show. Emmett chuckled under his breath and squeezed me tightly.
"I didn't see the show," he called back, before adding, for my ears only. "At least not the one on stage."
Again I blushed and he laughed.
We sat in the same booth as the last time, facing each other. He reached across the table and took my hand, bringing it to his lips. We were staring at each other, as he kissed the back of it, when Jane's shadow crossed over us.
"Looks like things have progressed," she said, smiling. "Good for you both."
"Thank you, Jane," I replied "I think it will be...good for us."
I know it will," Emmett declared. "Very good."
"Well, she said, clearing her throat. "I'll be back to take your order."
She set a plastic covered menu before each of us and went back behind the counter.
"Are you very hungry?" he asked, picking up his menu and glancing at it.
My mind went immediately to his earlier declaration of things to come, and I closed my eyes. Breathing deeply, I tried to suppress the moan in my throat and soaked my panties.
He touched my blazing cheek, and gasped at the sheer lust in my eyes.
"I think we'd better eat fast," he murmured, his own eyes glowing.
I whimpered softly as Jane appeared beside our booth. I looked down at my hands as Emmett looked up at her with a smile, the consummate actor.
"What's the special tonight, honey," he asked.
"Meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy, peas and pearl onions in a butter sauce, homemade yeast rolls and butter, and the dessert of your choice." She rattled off.
"Sounds good to me, with sweet iced tea, please. Mara? He asked, looking at me.
"That's fine," I replied, looking up at Jane. "Water with lemon for me please."
"Comin' right up," she said, finishing jotting down the order on her pad, and headed for the kitchen.
While we waited for our dinner, we barely spoke. It was more hand holding and smoldering looks that passed between us. I was squirming in my seat and I noticed that Emmett was, too. I felt like a teenager on my first date with the captain of the football team.
Jane appeared with our dinner and again I was amazed at the amount of food on my plate.
There were two, one inch thick, slices of meatloaf , a huge portion of real mashed potatoes and brown gravy, and a generous serving of the peas~n~pearls. A basket of hot rolls, butter, and a little, bear shaped, squeeze bottle of honey was set between us.
"Thanks, Jane," I said, picking up my fork.
I watched as Emmett took a bite of his meatloaf, and the look of ecstasy on his face let me know that this would be another good meal.
Again, I could only eat about a third of my supper and had to ask for a to-go box.
As I waited for Jane to bring it to me, I just had to have another bite of a hot roll slathered with butter and drizzled with honey.
Naturally, the honey dripped onto my fingers and I lifted them to lick it off. With hooded eyes, Emmett took my hand and sucked my fingers into his mouth, swirling his tongue around them as he licked them clean.
This time, I couldn't stifle the groan that rose to my throat. Then he reached across and wiped the corner of my mouth, where there was a drop of the sweet substance, and slipped his finger into his own mouth.
"This doesn't even compare to the taste of you, sweetness," he whispered, swirling his tongue around his finger. "Not even close."
I felt myself beginning to throb as another gush flooded my core. He started to reach for more of the honey on my lips, but Jane appeared with my take-out box. We both sat back, not realizing that we had leaned in so far toward each other.
"You keep this up, Mara and you'll never have to make lunch for yourself," she said with a grin.
I smiled up at her as she handed the check to Emmett. He handed her a couple of bills, telling her to keep the change.
We were quiet as we walked the six blocks back to the hotel, each of us lost in our own thoughts; and every once in a while, he'd give my shoulders a squeeze.
A/N: Well, what do you think? Will they be able to make a difference in each other's lives? Let me know by clicking on Please Review below.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE! See, I'm not above beggin' my sweets!