30. Zander
30
ZANDER
What a day.
It’s about midnight and the work seems to only be increasing. The only consolation is that I am not working alone. I stretch my legs under the table and check the time on my Patek Philippe. It’s only three minutes to midnight. The beautiful black Swiss wristwatch with white and red needles was a gift from my brothers on my last birthday. I wonder what this year’s gift will be.
My office door flings open, and Zach and Zane step inside, mischievous grins on their faces.
I cock my head to the side.“What’s up with the smiles?”
“Nothing, just that it’s midnight. Time for your birthday gift.” Zach chuckles.
“I was just wondering what’s gonna beat this bad boy.” I smirk, raising my wrist over my head and showing them the watch.
“I’m not sure you can wear what we have in mind.” Zach’s laughter fills my office. “Or maybe you can.”
Zane’s lips curl into a smile as his friend Lukas Spencer walks into my office and pats Zach’s shoulder. “You bastard. ”
“Lukas, what are you doing here?” My excitement slumps upon seeing him here this late.
“Just delivering your present.” He winks and nods toward the door through which he just entered.
What’s going on?
But then Marr staggers into my office, knocking my socks off. No words come out of my mouth. For a few moments, I simply stare at those blue eyes that have been part of my dreams every night lately.
“Happy birthday,” she murmurs.
Was her voice always this intoxicatingly smoky?
She looks around nervously as our audience blatantly stares at us.
Fuck them.
“Marr.” I cover the few steps between us and crush her soft body against me. My heart beats fast, ready to burst out of my body.
God, how I’ve missed this feeling.
“You’re here.” I kiss her, inhaling her skin. She smells like herself and whichever luxurious body wash she picked for the day. I can’t believe it. She’s here, on my birthday! Before I can ask her all the hows and whys, Zach clears his throat.
“What?” I growl.
What the hell are they still doing here?
He laughs and says, “Happy birthday, bro.”
“Thanks.” Now leave.
“Happy Birt-t-thday.” Zane shoulder hugs me, while Marr is safely tucked under my other arm. “I’m very happy to s-s-see you, Marr.” He nods at Marr, who gives him a shy smile.
“Happy Birthday, Zander.” Lukas comes forward. I pull my hand out, but he smacks it and hugs me, giving a wide smile to my girl. “You’re a lucky guy.”
“Thanks, Lukas.”
I still can’t believe he showed up with Marr on my birthday; I can’t believe my brothers kept it under wraps. This is without a doubt the best birthday surprise they’ve given me.
“Zander, we’ll leave so you can enjoy your present.” Zach winks at Marr, who blushes scarlet while Zane and Lukas snicker like ladies. “But remember, we’re meeting for dinner tomorrow, so do all the enjoying before that.”
“Don’t mind my brother, couch girl. He sometimes forgets his manners.”
“Don’t let him fool you, Marr. I never had any manners,” Zach hollers as he walks out of my office, followed by Lukas and Zane.
At last, I’m alone with my girl.
I close the door and turn to find her fixed in her spot. I reach her in two large steps and capture her face in my hands. I kiss her without restraint, drinking in her scent and devouring her soft lips, which taste of some fruity lipstick. I grab her waist, and she clutches my forearms, returning everything with equal intensity.
When we pull back for a breath, I touch her forehead with mine.
“I’ve been wanting to do that since you walked into my office.” I take a step back and gaze at her from head to toe.
She looks amazing in her stylish black dress. I know how hard it is for Marr to come out of her comfort zone. She most likely gave herself hours of pep talk before putting on this off-the-shoulder dress and leather jacket.
“You look beautiful, couch girl.” My voice thickens with emotion as I crush her to my chest.
What did I do to deserve this happiness? But now that I have her in my arms, I’m not going to lose her. Feeling her melt into my arms like this, I can’t imagine a life without her.
“Hey.” I rub her back once more before gazing into her tired eyes. Marr is a punctual sleeper, and it’s already beyond her bedtime. Plus, she doesn’t enjoy traveling. “You’re tired. ”
She jerks upright.“No, I’m not.” I smile. “It’s okay, Marr. I’m tired too. Come on, let’s go home.”
She shifts on her feet as her apprehensive gaze moves from me to my chair.
“What is it, couch girl?”
“I… I want to… to give you…” she stammers as her wild gaze locks on everything but me in my office. But now I’ve learned to read Marr’s quirks. This time, she’s nervous, but it’s not a bad nervous. Whatever turned her into this jittery mess is something cute and innocent.
“You want to give me what?” I lean back against my desk, following her every move.
“Your birthday present,” she whispers, still not meeting my eye.
I look at the small bag in her arms as she makes no effort to open it. “You can give it to me at home.”
“No. I can’t give that… at home.” Her whole body trembles and as much as I’m curious about what’s making her this delirious, I’m concerned for her.
“Marr, what is it? You’re scaring me.” I gently caress her cheeks with my thumb.
“I just… You once…” I hold her face in my hands. I’ve never seen Marr so fidgety, not even during our first lovemaking. I don’t say a word; I just try to calm her with my touch and she continues. “Not once but twice, you said if I ever…” Her voice breaks and she swallows. “You would like… in your office.”
And then it hits me.
“Marr.” Did she just propose to give me head here? I’m in awe of this girl. “No, Marr. Not today.”
“Why?” She looks close to passing out.
“None of our firsts will be in such an uncomfortable place and time.”
“But I thought…”
“Shh.” I put my finger on her lips and those beautiful eyes fill with tears as she’s unable to hold back her emotion. “It’s a fantasy, like many others I have with you.” She responds to my smile with a hesitant, teary smile of her own. “But we have a lifetime to fulfill them.”
A promise of a lifetime comes so easily with her.
“Now let me take you home.”
Parking my car, I consider the beautiful girl sleeping in the passenger seat. The drive from the office to my apartment isn’t far, but as soon as she laid her head against the headrest, she dozed off.
“Hey.” I squeeze her bare shoulder. She took her jacket off, and I love the feel of her naked skin under my hand.
“Hmm?” She shifts in the seat and opens her eyes. Her gaze jumps around in panic before she registers the unknown surroundings. “I’m sorry. I fell asleep.”
“We reached my place.” We get out of the car, and I lead Marr into the elevator. Her enthusiastic face mirrors my excitement, sleep long forgotten. “You are the first girl inside my place, you know that?” I stroke her neck with the back of my hand.
She trembles under my touch when I lean down to kiss her soft skin. But the elevator ding interrupts us. I place a chaste kiss on her neck anyway before picking up her travel bag. She carries her laptop case as I unlock the door.
“Home sweet home.” I flip on the lights.
She takes in the living room, and my gaze follows hers. The apartment looks so bare and unlived-in. There’s nothing soft or warm. If I would’ve known about her arrival, I would have at least bought some flowers.
Marr runs her hands over my work chair as she strolls in the office area of the living room. This is the most used corner of the house. The living room has doors connecting to the bedrooms. The master bedroom belongs to me, and the other two are often used by my brothers when they stay the night.
She cocks her head to the side with a twinkle in her eye. “And people say it’s difficult to find an apartment in cities. They don’t know rich bachelors have procured all the big fancy ones.”
“Smart mouth.” I spank her behind.
“Ouch!” So few people know Marr can be a tease. This side of her is so rare, and I love whenever she reveals it to me. I rub her behind, and she asks seriously, “It’s nice, but isn’t it a little big for you?”
“It is. Half of the apartment is unused. But when you’re in business, you have to maintain a reputation for people to take you seriously. Big apartments are part of it, or so I’m told.”
“Same as dressing in suits.” She grins.
“I’ve a feeling either you hate my suits or you’re obsessed with them.” I pull her into my arms and cup her face with my hands. I’m overwhelmed with the feeling of seeing her here at my place on my birthday. I push my nose in her hair, then lower it to her exposed shoulders. “What is it, Marr? Tell me.” I nip her collarbone.
“Neither of the two.” Her voice shakes as my mouth moves from her shoulder up toward her neck.
“I. Don’t. Believe. You.” I place wet kisses all over her skin.
“I…”
“You what?” I pull away from her just enough to look at her face. Her blue eyes, hidden behind the contrasting red frames, darken with desire. I narrow my gaze, willing her to tell me.
“I… searched for your pictures… online.” She hides her face in my chest. Her demureness gets me every fucking time . It’s an act of foreplay I wasn’t familiar with—or maybe it’s just her. “And I didn’t find a single picture of you in anything other than suits. ”
I smile at her admission. Before I can chaff her further, her stomach growls and she giggles.
“Sorry,” she says
“Let’s discuss your stalking habits later, Ms. Marlin.” I pull her into the open kitchen area. “What will you have?” Grabbing her by the waist, I place her on one of the high barstools. “I learned you missed dinner tonight.”
“How do you know?” She clutches my forearms. We’re like moths to the flame of our love. We both can’t resist it.
I remember she asked me a question. It’s too easy to forget everything around her. I drag myself away from her. She needs to eat.
“Zane messaged me and said that Lukas drove you from Cherrywood this evening. I don’t think you made a dinner stop. What shall I make?” I ask, taking off my jacket.
Her eyes follow my movements. She’s as attracted to me as I am to her. “Anything you can cook fast. Something light.”
I look into the breadbasket and find a baguette. “Panini?” I raise an eyebrow. I know Marr is crazy for Italian.
“Excellent.” The reaction I was hoping for. “Lukas is your childhood friend?” When I don’t reply immediately, she adds, “He said so while we were driving.”
I cut the bread with more force than necessary before I glance her way. “You didn’t feel nervous with him.”
It’s not a question; I saw it in the office. Marr even waved goodbye when he left. He won my girl at their first meeting, something even I couldn’t do.
“Isn’t he closer in age to you than Zach and Zane?” Marr asks.
“Lukas is two years older than me. We were in the same foster home until Beast adopted us. We went with Beast, and he went to the military some time later. He came back a few years ago and joined a security firm with some other friends,” I state and add the tidbit of information that irks me the most. “But during all those years, he kept in contact with Zane.”
“You didn’t know about it? Is that the only reason you don’t like Lukas?” As usual, no rubbish, and she hits the bullseye.
“He and I, we have a difference of opinion on several matters.” I grab the back of my neck with agitation.
Sensing my discomfort, Marr concludes the discussion “Okay. When will the food be ready?” she asks and slides down the chair as if we were talking about food all long.
“Two more minutes, miss.” I give her a playful salute, happy with the change of discussion.
After checking on the bread in the griller, I join her in the living room. I place the two glasses of red wine on the table while Marr is busy searching for something in her bag. Minutes later, when I’m back with two pesto turkey paninis, she’s sitting on the couch with a wineglass in her hand and one small box wrapped in golden paper beside her.
“My gift?”
“Yeah.” She nods nervously as I place the plates on the table.
“Other than the one you’re going to give me after dinner that you were so keen to give me in my office?” My crude words catch her off guard, and she chokes on the wine. I rub her back, chuckling all along as she coughs deep. She glances at me with her wide eyes and gaping mouth.
“What? Don’t look at me like that. You were really offering to—” I flinch as she smacks my chest, but I soon burst into laughter. “Tell me, Marr.” My voice turns a note lower, and I whisper, “Would you have done it, blown me, if I’d have agreed?”
Her face turns all shades of red before she replies with a shy smile, “Guess you’ll never know.”
“Oh, baby, I’m so gonna regret this every minute of my life.” I thump my head back into the couch and groan. Images of Marr dressed in her black dress crouching under my office table with my dick in her mouth is a vision I can never wipe from my head.
Fucking morals.
“Where did you go?” She strokes my fast-paced heart.
“To my imagination. You would run away if you knew what I was thinking.” I look down—her head resting on me, her chin tucked on my chest.
“Tell me,” she whispers.
I shake my head and look up at the ceiling. “No one has turned me on as you do, couch girl. Your one look is enough to ignite a fire in me, and I burn like dry timber.”
I return my gaze to her and notice the forgotten dinner on the table.
“God, you make me forget everything. Eat.” I sit upright, taking her along with me.
She takes a bite of the bread. “Wow, you really can cook.” Surprise is evident in her voice.
I laugh at her reaction. “This isn’t cooking. This is just some fix-up.”
“I love your fix-up .” Her twitching lips tell me she’s not at all talking about food.
“Keep going baby and before you know it, I’ll throw you over my shoulder and take you to bed. I will spend all night showing you my fix-up .”
She looks at me for few minutes, eyes wide, lips parted, just asking me to do all that, until she shakes her head. “No. You still have to open your gift. I hope you like it.”
“There’s nothing you can give me or do for me that I won’t like,” I reply, kissing her nose.
Before we lose track of the conversation again, I pick up the small box from the table. It fits perfectly in my palm. I glance her way to find her nervously fidgeting in her seat.
I tug on the black silk ribbon and tear the wrapping paper to reveal a small wooden box before flipping the small golden latch open. Inside is a red resin cubic ornament tied to a chain. I place it in my palm and bring it closer to Marr.
“Explain.” I know it’s a thoughtful gift. I can imagine Marr thinking about it for several nights.
She covers the small cube with her hands, keeping just a small opening on the top. I peek through it and see the cube glowing in a cherry red color— our color .
“It’s florescent,” I comment, mesmerized. There’s a metal piece inside, shining brightly. I get off the couch to turn off the lights in the room. When I turn around, Marr has placed the cube on the coffee table, and the metal piece resembles a sound wave, floating inside the red resin.
“What’s that?”
“Me,” she whispers.
“More, please.” I don’t know why, but there’s a nervous energy around us. I don’t know the meaning of her gift yet, but the exotic red thing glowing in the dark feels like a landmark in our relationship.
“I 3D printed the red florescent resin around a sound wave made of titanium metal.”
“Titanium?” I know everything she does has a meaning, and I’m dying to decipher her gift. I’m eager to see it the same way she does.
“I don’t want us to break,” she replies. Her eyes are fixed on the red light source.
“What does the sound wave say?”
She opens her cell phone and hits the play button.
Her sweet sound vibrates from the speaker. “I love you, Zander. Yours and only yours, Rose.”
“Marr, how did you do it?” My voice trembles with emotion.
“I converted my voice into a sound wave and then had it replicated in titanium. I wanted to give you a happy memory of my name.” She picks it up from the table with the small metal chain attached to it. “You can hang it in your car. ”
The gravity of her words and the meaning of her gift hit me. She has created a piece of her, her name, in hope to wipe away the haunted memories of my past. I look at her in awe. If anyone has the power to do that, it’s her.
“You don’t have to keep it.” She misunderstands my lack of words. She doesn’t know her gift, her love, her concern, has left me speechless.
“I love it, couch girl. I love you. I will always keep it close, Rose .” I shiver but don’t feel the usual fear. For the first time in years, the word doesn’t sit heavy in my mouth. Instead, it feels liberating.
“Zander. You don’t have to—”
I capture her remaining words in my mouth. I was right, this gift is indeed monumental. This isn’t just any souvenir; this is my girl telling me I can share her happy memories, and I’ll die trying.
I grab her waist and deposit her on my lap. All my emotions are in overdrive, and only she has the power to soothe me. I caress her face.
“You’re always so soft.” I lean in to taste her lips again.
We lose ourselves in the kiss as our hands roam over each other’s body, touching our souls, remembering what belongs to us.
I draw from her lips and kiss her shoulders. Sucking her buttery skin, I descend lower. Her exposed, flawless skin has been teasing me since I first saw her tonight. Her hands grip my hair, and her fingers graze my scalp.
My mouth roams over her chest as I tug her dress a tad lower to reveal her cleavage and kiss her there. “I like this dress. I can kiss you everywhere so easily.” I demonstrate, pressing some more wet kisses on her exposed skin.
Marr shivers at my admission as I nudge her dress further down and find the black strapless bra.
“This is sexy,” I rasp, gazing into her wild blue eyes. Holding her gaze, I graze my teeth over her tits and then bite down hard. Her shriek morphs into a moan as I suck her through the fabric.
I run my fingers over the black elastic fabric once more before dragging it down. Taking her breasts in my hand, I suck on them. She tastes fucking amazing.
How did I manage to stay away from her these past few weeks?
She squirms, and I doubt she’s aware how she’s slowly rubbing herself on me.
I continue sucking her as my hands trail lower from her waist to her thighs, finally slipping under her dress. I reach the corner of her panties and slip my fingers inside the silky fabric. They glide over the light dusting of moist hair and then over her wet folds.
I slide her on the couch and kneel on the floor before her. Nudging her legs apart with my shoulders, I kiss her inner thighs, going higher and higher while my fingers continue stroking her wet lips.
My mouth reaches its destination. I throw one last glance toward my girl—her head resting back on the couch arm, eyes closed, one hand over her breasts, trying to cover them, dress bunched around her waist and black silk panties on display. I lower my face to her sex and inhale deeply. Her scent is intoxicating. Pushing the material to the side, I put my mouth on her folds.
“Zander,” she cries out.
I glide my tongue inside her wet heat. I thrust my tongue in and out, fucking her with my mouth. She responds to my passion with heavy moans, her incoherent blubbering driving me wild.
I latch on to her clit, and she grabs my hair, tugging on it hard. She thrashes in my arms, crushing my head in between her legs until she slumps limp on the couch with a long moan.
“That was some birthday gift,” I whisper and wipe my mouth with the back of my hand before getting on the couch next to her. She looks at me coyly. As always, her shyness returns, and she fixes her clothes.
I pull her into my arms as a myriad of emotions hits me. Marr settles beside me, her cheeks pressed against my chest. We stay entwined with each other until I hear her soft breathing slowly getting heavy with sleep. I kiss my dozing girl’s forehead.
As the entire night flashes before my eyes, the question nagging me since my return from Cherrywood has found its answer.
I can’t imagine a life without my girl. A smile creeps onto my lips as I think about her sleeping like this, in my arms, for all the days of my life. Placing another kiss on her forehead, I carry her to my bedroom. A thought of her dressed in white while I cross over a threshold with her in my arms crawls in my mind, and my hardening cock agrees.
I chuckle.
Calm down, Zander. You’ve still to ask, and she has still to say yes.
The night light casts a purple glow on her face when I place her on the bed. I gently get her out of the dress. After taking off my own clothes, I slide in beside her.
I pull her closer to me, her back against my chest, my face resting on the crook of her neck as I inhale her scent and fall asleep.