23. blue balls
blue balls
OTHELLO
I follow Marley into our suite, the moon spilling through the glass doors and windows, casting everything in a soft silver glow.
I watch her hips sway as she saunters down the entryway and into the living room.
Her body is amazing, and I almost get a hard-on as my eyes drag down the smooth slope of her back and that round ridiculous ass.
Damn.
She turns on the lamp by the sofa before she blows out a puff of exhaustion and sinks into the armchair.
“What a night?” she sighs.
“I had a good time,” I tell her, thinking about the way her body moved against mine all night.
“So did I.”
“I didn’t know you could dance like that though.”
“There are a lot of things you don’t know about me, sir.”
“Is that right?”
I step closer, kneeling in front of her on one knee. My hands lift one of her smooth, honey-brown legs to rest against my thigh.
“I’m trying to learn everything I can about you.”
I remove her high-heels from her feet and then switch legs to do the other one, purposely prolonging the moment, drinking in her perfect toes, the gold anklet on her left ankle, and the dainty tattoo of a tiny open book on her right.
Now my mind is going crazy, wondering how many other tattoos she has.
“How many do you have?” I ask, running my thumb over her tattoo.
“Just this one. I was too chicken to get another one,” she laughs.
“What’s the story behind this one?”
She glances down at it. “Books are my thing. I love to escape from reality in stories that feel better than my own.”
I look at her, thoughtfully. “That’s a little sad, isn’t it?”
Her shoulders slump when I start to massage her feet, one at a time. She lets out a low moan that I want to swallow with my mouth, but I take pleasure in watching her eyes close, the look of contentment on her face.
“How so?” she finally murmurs.
“Because you’re talking like you don’t have a good story. At least not one getting lost in.”
Her eyes are still closed, but now her forehead bears wrinkles of wonderment.
“I have a good story. I have a good career. It’s just… I like to disappear into something else every now and then.”
I nod. Understanding. Her feet are still in my hands, and I’m still rubbing, massaging, and kneading out the tension and ache she might have from dancing all night long.
“Well, try not to escape too much. You might miss something good when it’s right in front of you.”
Her eyes open, connecting with mine. Then she looks away shyly, before closing them again.
“You should switch professions. You don’t know how good this feels right now,” she says after a long pause.
“You like that?”
“I do,” she hums, a smile breaking across her face. I shake my head, smiling to myself as I keep going, cause damn, this woman…her energy is intoxicating, and I’m starting to think I’ve become addicted to her.
I drag my fingers along the curve of her heel, then back up again. Her leg shifts slightly against my thigh, her body seeming to sink deeper into the chair. A soft exhale leaves her lips, long and slow.
“Damn…” she whispers.
I feel the slight quiver of her leg, and Marley sits up as if remembering something important.
“Um. I should go take a shower. It’s late,” she says, pulling her leg from my grasp.
“Okay.”
I watch her pick up her heels.
“Not unless you want to take one first. I mean, it's your room and everything.”
How about a shower with you? We can save water.
“Nah, I’m good. I’ll wait.”
“Are you sure? Because I know you’re ready for me to be out of here.”
“What? No. When did I say that?”
“I mean, you said you went to the front desk to see about getting my own room, so I assumed—”
“Marley, no. I was trying to fix what I messed up. Trying to give your vacation a bit of normalcy after the mistake I made.”
She drops her gaze to the floor, a rush of embarrassment flushing over her face.
“Oh…”
“Yeah, that was it. Trust me, I don’t want you to leave,” I tell her honestly.
Ever.
“The room is big enough for the both of us.”
“True, but you’re sleeping on the couch. On your vacation, I know that has to be annoying.”
“I’m not annoyed. If that’s what it takes for you to be comfortable, then I’m satisfied.”
A beat of silence passes, and I can see the wheels in her head turning before she says, “I won’t take too long.”
I watch her leave, then look at the sofa, which is really more of a loveseat.
“It’s just me, you, and blue balls tonight, buddy.”