Chapter Twenty-Three
“O h fuck, I’m coming,” I moan out just as my orgasm rolls through me. We’re in Chris’ car, parked in a garage around the corner from the venue working out the last bit of tension brought on by my family. His fingers continue to rub my clit as I move up and down on his dick, riding the wave of my orgasm.
We’re in the backseat of his car, and I’m still in Chris’ lap, his dick wedged inside of me. I feel his orgasm looming, so I press my lips to his and begin to ride him harder. “You’re riding my dick so hard, baby. You want my cum?” He breathes against my lips and I nod just as he lowers his head to bite down on my nipple. I’d taken my dress completely off so as not to wrinkle it. I’m completely naked while Chris removed his pants and jacket and just unbuttoned his shirt. “You going to milk it out of me?”
“Fuck yes. I need you to come. I want to feel you,” I practically beg him. His hands find my hips, pulling me down harder every time he thrusts upwards and I know that means he’s getting closer.
“Fuuuuck. It gets better every time I’m inside you.” His tongue darts out and draws a line up my neck before he attaches his lips to mine. “You’re fucking mine, Marissa, and I’m never letting you go.” His tone is low and I feel it in my sex just as his thrusts get faster and then I feel him expand inside of me. “Fuck, yes. Squeeze me, baby. Squeeze your pretty pussy around Daddy’s cock.” I gasp at his words and then he lets his head fall back against the seat. “Oh shit, I’m coming,” he says and then he holds me hard against him at the base of his cock, while he thrusts upwards.
He eventually stops and raises his head to meet my gaze. I don’t know how long we stare at each other when a smile finds his face and it’s so infectious that one pulls at mine as well. I don’t know if it’s the sex high or the glass of wine I had at home or the smile on this gorgeous man’s face, but the words fly out of my mouth. “I think I’m in love with you.”
His smile grows wider and then his hands find my cheeks and he brushes his lips against mine. “I know I’m in love with you.”
I’ve never felt this way before. I tingle all over from the top of my head to the tips of my toes and I feel like I’m experiencing a full-body high. He pulls out of me and I move to the seat next to him while he pulls on his briefs and his pants, putting his shiny dick that is still glistening with a layer of me away. He reaches into the console to pull out some wipes for me and I assume he’s going to hand them to me but he pulls one out of the pack and rubs me gently between my legs, cleaning the traces of our orgasm. I let out a whimper when he ghosts the wipe over my clit and he gives me a grin when he does it again.
“Stop it.” I push his hand away with a giggle as I pull on my dress and shoes. I get out of the car and spritz myself with the perfume I brought when I realized we were going to fool around before we went in. I’d curled my hair in loose waves, so thankfully my hair doesn’t look much different. I touch up my makeup and check my neck for hickeys or any red marks from his beard and I’m grateful that we were more careful than usual.
“I think I look okay,” I say as I close the mirror.
“Okay?” he asks as he slides into the driver’s seat. “You look gorgeous.”
“I just mean, not like we just had sex in your car.”
He starts the car and pulls out of the garage towards the venue so we can valet the car. We were probably only ten or so minutes behind my family so I’m not surprised to see them still congregating near the front. I glare at my sister when she shoots me the largest grin and moves towards us.
“I could kill you,” I whisper and she frowns at me before turning to Chris.
“Hiii!” she says as she beams up at him. “I’ve been waiting forever to meet you!”
“He’s not a fan of you either right now!” I take a second to look her over and she looks so gorgeous in her white strapless mid-length dress. It’s mostly lace with a slit up one side giving it a hint of sexy, but more than that, she looks so ridiculously happy. “Putting a pin in my annoyance for a second, I’m glad you went with this dress. You look so beautiful,” I tell her as I pull her in for a hug and kiss her cheek.
“Congratulations, Autumn. It’s nice to finally meet you. We’re so happy for you,” Chris says as he pulls her in for a hug next.
“We!” Autumn squeals and bumps my hip with hers and I roll my eyes. “Wait, why isn’t he a fan?” She looks at Chris. “You’re legally obligated to be a fan of me, or I’ll make your life miserable.” She points at him while a smile tugs at her lips.
“I didn’t say that. She did.” Chris nods at me and I cross my arms.
“You told your loud-mouthed fiancé some protected information who then told our equally loud-mouthed brother!” I say through gritted teeth.
Her eyes widen before she winces and shoots a glare at her fiancé who is greeting a group of people. “Shit. I’m sorry, it slipped out.”
“Is that how it’s going to be now, you can’t keep my secrets? I’ve got some of yours too, dear sister.”
“No, I swear. It was just that one time,” she says as she holds my hands in hers before turning to Chris. “I’m so sorry and…I know more about this situation than anyone. I should have probably given more context like the fact that you’re so desperately in love with Marissa you can’t see straight. That will help.” She giggles before someone behind me seems to catch her attention. “Be right back.” She looks at Chris. “We have so much to talk about.”
Chris reaches for my hand and laces our fingers as we walk into the main room. “I like her. You two are so similar.”
“Don’t remind me,” I groan as we make our way through the room toward a table with glasses of champagne and we both grab a flute.
“Thank you for coming.” I’m already picturing a life of these types of events with him. Weddings, engagement parties, and other celebrations of love. Maybe eventually ours.
“No place I’d rather be,” he says as he taps his glass with mine.
“Oh my god,” I hear from behind Chris and when we both turn towards the voice, my heart skips a beat because we are met face to face with his ex-wife.
No. No. No.
“What are you doing here?” she asks looking at Chris and then me. “With…her,” she spits out and all I care about at this moment is not making a scene in front of my entire family and everyone my sister knows.
I look at Chris with a panicked expression and it’s almost as if he can read my mind. “Holly, what are you doing here?”
“I asked you first,” she snaps as she crosses her arms in front of her chest pushing out her breasts that are very much on display in her navy strapless dress.
I want to say something smart but the last thing I want is to set her off here of all places, so I go with the truth and speak as calmly as possible in an attempt to pacify her anger.
I blink at her. “My sister is the bride.”
Her eyes flash to Chris angrily. “That doesn’t explain what you’re doing here.”
“This is not the place to have this conversation and if you can’t behave civilly, I think it would be best if you left,” Chris says and I internally wince because while I would love to see him put her in her place, we are clearly not on the same page about not doing that here.
“Excuse me? I was invited.”
“Everything okay?” A man wearing an ill-fitting suit with a handlebar mustache approaches us and I’m assuming he was invited and she’s his plus one. “Mr. Holt?” He looks at Chris confused and I look up at him with equal confusion causing Holly to look at us both with a snide smile.
“You remember my lawyer?” she says, resting a hand on the shoulder of the man she’s standing with, and I feel like I’m in the midst of a car accident happening in slow motion.
If he’s Holly’s divorce lawyer, that means he’s probably about to learn who I am. Very soon. Fuck. I do my best to control my breathing because I feel like I might have a panic attack.
“Can’t say I was expecting to see you here.” He laughs awkwardly before looking at me. “And Autumn’s sister, correct?”
“Yes, also the woman that was screwing my husband,” Holly says casually and my eyes flutter shut as I try to count to five while taking deep breaths.
“Holly, don’t do this,” Chris says and I can tell he’s trying his best not to lose it. I can also tell his patience is wearing thin. The man with Holly turns his eyes to me and though his eyes aren’t full of judgment, I can sense his disappointment.
“I didn’t do anything,” Holly says.
“Can I talk to you outside?” he asks and though I don’t love the idea of my boyfriend getting into it with his ex-wife at my sister’s shower, I don’t want her around my family a minute longer. She seems like she’s ready to blow up and I don’t want them caught in the wreckage.
“Nope.”
“Okay, well remember the divorce agreement you signed ,” he warns through gritted teeth.
“I said I wouldn’t talk to any kind of press or go to your board of trustees over you sleeping with your subordinate.”
“It said anything publicly ,” he corrects.
“Well, as far as I’m concerned, it’s only the four of us standing here, all of whom know that you were sleeping with her while we were still married. Now if anyone were to overhear…” She trails off and I see a ghost of a smile when her eyes find something just over my shoulder. I pray it isn’t anyone related to me, but when I turn around, I meet eyes that match mine. They’re full of anger but not directed at me.
“Can I ask who you are?” my mother says as she takes a step next to me and then another so she’s more in front of me and I already know this isn’t going to end well for Holly. I’m in for an earful later, I’m sure, but Holly is about to be read for filth.
“Mom…”
She puts a hand up which is a sign I know very well that advises me not to talk anymore.
“Holly Holt. His ex-wife,” she says, nodding at Chris.
She turns her gaze to the man next to her. “And you are?”
“Joseph Stanfeld. I work with Eric.”
“Okay,” she snaps, “I think I’m caught up. I’m going to assume you were none the wiser about this situation?” she asks as she spins her finger in a circle, indicating what just happened. “And I would remember who I’m married to before you think about lying to me.”
I can see the trepidation all over his face at the idea of getting on the wrong side of Judge Collins’ wife. “I was not aware.”
She nods. “Well, I think it’s time that your date goes home.”
“Excuse me?” Holly sneers and in any other scenario, I’d warn Holly that she did not want to go down this road with my mother. “I didn’t do anything.”
“You’re disrupting my daughter’s shower. That is plenty . Now, I would kindly ask this lovely gentleman to escort you home. You are welcome to come back, Joseph, but please I would advise you to keep better company,” she says.
“I’m the bad company? Your daughter was sleeping with my husband and I’m the problem?”
“Holly, enough,” Chris snaps and I feel the tears burning in my eyes over this nightmare unfolding.
“Sweetheart, what’s going on?” I hear my father’s voice, and oh my god, this could not get any worse.
“Nothing,” my mother says. “Can you get me another glass of champagne though?”
“Of course.” His eyes find mine and he frowns when he sees my tears. I turn my head towards Chris and then I feel his hands on my face despite still being in Holly’s presence. I eventually see them move out of my periphery and I breathe a sigh of relief that she’s gone.
“I’m so sorry,” he whispers so quietly I don’t think anyone hears him. “Please don’t hate me,” he says before he pulls me into his arms and against his chest. “Let’s go take a walk.”
When I turn my eyes back to my mom, her eyes are on us both, full of anger and judgment and sadness and disappointment and it feels like someone is taking a knife to my insides.
“Mrs. Collins—” Chris starts but she puts a finger up and shakes her head.
“I wouldn’t speak.”
“Mom.”
“You shouldn’t either.” She blinks at me. “I just had to defend you because you slept with another woman’s husband? To his wife? Is that really what I’m supposed to take away from this interaction?” She shakes her head when I don’t respond. “We raised you better than that, Marissa.”
“You don’t understand—” I start but I don’t even know how to make her understand. My mom wouldn’t. Not over this. It doesn’t matter that I didn’t know at first or that she wasn’t a good wife or that they didn’t have a good marriage. I was the mistress and that’s never a good look.
“She didn’t know,” Chris says and him taking the heat for all of this definitely won’t help.
“Oh? Okay? But you certainly did.” She blinks at him. “This is not the place to have this conversation but this is absolutely not over.” She walks away without another word.
We are out on the balcony alone a few minutes later while I try to get myself together. “I’m so fucking pissed,” he says, and I lean against the railing as I take a sip of my champagne.
“Is this what it’s going to be like every time we see her?”
“No. It’s just because this was the first time, I’m sure. She probably didn’t think we’d get back together.” My lip trembles and then I feel his hands again. “Hey, look at me.” I look up into his blue eyes which look as sad as I feel. “I love you.”
“I’m going to assume you loved your ex-wife too at one point,” I hear my dad’s voice and I can already see this going terribly.
Can we just get a break?
“Dad, can we not do this now?”
“He’ll break her heart the same way he did mine,” my dad says. “That’s what your ex-wife said to me before she left.”
“I would never break her heart and I didn’t mean to break Holly’s heart if I did at all. We had been having problems for years.”
“Were you not cheating on her? With multiple women? Not even just Marissa?” Chris doesn’t say anything at first and I think he’s struggling with what exactly to say. “I think it’s best if you leave also.”
“Dad, he’s not leaving. I know how bad this looks, but their marriage wasn’t good. It wasn’t—.”
“And how would you know? Were you there? Are you just going by what he’s told you? You can’t be that naive.”
“He wouldn’t lie to me.”
My father gives me a look of derision before a laugh leaves his lips. “A man cheated on his wife for years and you think he wouldn’t lie to his mistress ?” he asks. I know he didn’t say it to be harsh or cruel but hearing my father of all people use that word makes me feel worse than any other time I’ve heard it.
“Don’t call her that,” Chris says and I can hear the edge in his voice while still trying to err on the side of being respectful. “I know you don’t trust me, but I do love your daughter. It’s been her ever since I laid eyes on her almost three years ago. Since then, I haven’t been able to see anyone but her. Please don’t put her in a position where she doesn’t feel supported in loving me back.”
My father doesn’t say anything before he scrubs his hands down his face and shakes his head. “Marissa, we raised you to be honest and good and to treat people well. You’ve got the world at your fingertips and you’re going to mess it up before you even have a chance to get started. You’re only twenty-three and I can see you’re already in way over your head.”
“I know we didn’t start in the most ideal way, but he’s divorced now,” I argue, but hearing his disappointment expressed so explicitly feels lower than rock bottom.
“He’s your boss. Funny how quickly you seem to forget that.”
“I love him,”I say because it’s the only thing I can say in this moment that my father can’t refute.
“In five years, you’ll wish you hadn’t,” he says and then he walks away.