Authors: Vera Roberts
“Have you ever done anal?” he asked.
“Yes,” Mariana folded her arms, “I practiced on myself before I did it with a partner.”
Scott had to contain his impending erection. “How did you like it?”
“It’s an acquired taste,” Mariana admitted, “something to do every once in a while to spice things up.”
Scott’s desire was growing at a rapid pace. “Would you like to have a taste with me?”
“Okay, maybe you forgot how big your dick is, but I didn’t.” Mariana pointed out.
Scott kissed her forehead. “Whenever you want to, baby. I’ll be ready.”
“Oh, I know you will be.”
“What else have you done?”
Mariana thought about her sexual history. She had a feeling her wild and freaky times were boring compared to what Scott has done. “Nothing too bad, really. I’ve experimented a little with voyeurism and exhibitionism. Not counting the time with Sarah, mind you.”
Scott’s interest was once again piqued. “Oh, do tell.”
“Nothing to write home about,” Mariana opened up another box, “just some fooling around on a beach and maybe messing around a little in a parking lot with cameras.”
“Anything you would want to repeat, perhaps?” Scott asked.
Mariana stopped what she was doing and turned towards Scott. “Just name the time and place and I’m willing,” she lightly caressed his chest, “and eager,
Master.
”
Mariana said only a few words, but they spoke volumes. Scott clenched his fists tightly. “If I don’t leave you alone, you’ll never finish unpacking.”
“Then go!” She pointed to the couch.
Scott managed to walk to his sofa and plopped down on it. He turned on the TV and casually flipped through the channels. “Did you have any plans for Christmas this year?”
“Not really. I’ll probably see my family on Christmas Eve.” Mariana rummaged through the boxes. “What about you?”
“I wanted to bring you to Decatur with me, if you don’t mind. I want you to meet my family,” He nodded.
A nervous feeling arose in Mariana’s body. Scott had only mentioned his mother and sister in passing but never more than a few words about them. It was almost if he was deliberately keeping them a secret from her. “Okay, I can do that.”
“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” he reminded, “I don’t want you to do anything if it makes you uncomfortable.”
“No, it’s not that. It’s just…” She paused. “Meeting your family is a big step.”
“It is,” Scott agreed, “it’s a very big step.”
The question was on the tip of Mariana’s tongue.
Are you going to propose to me soon?
Mariana shook her head. If Scott wanted to propose to her, he would’ve done it already. “Cool,” was all she could mutter.
Scott sensed the disappointment in Mariana’s voice. “Is everything okay, Mari?”
“Everything’s fine,” she said, more rashly than she intended. “Just excited. I never have been to Decatur before.”
“I think you’ll like it. It’s a small city, but everyone is friendly and warm. You’ll fit right in.” He smiled.
Mariana didn’t share her boyfriend’s excitement. She couldn’t explain it, but she immediately felt uneasy about the trip home to his family. “Can’t wait,” she replied.
F
OUR
“So tell me…who’s this new girlfriend Scott’s seeing?”
Sarah didn’t know where to begin. Mariana was her best friend, and she knew her like the back of her hand. She knew her mannerisms. She knew when she was sad. She knew when she was angry. She knew how to react when Mariana was about to have an epic meltdown. She had explicit details about Mariana’s sex life prior to Scott. She knew everything there was to know about the girl.
Now Caprina wanted firsthand dibs. “Well, what is it that you want to know?” Sarah asked.
“How did they meet? How long have they been together?”
What are her weaknesses so I can focus on them?
“They met through her old job. She used to clean homes. I guess they’ve been together for about six months.” Sarah thought she would feel comfortable divulging such private information about her former best friend but felt quite the opposite. She felt like she was being interrogated.
“I see, I see,” Caprina took mental notes. “Do you think it’s a strong relationship?”
Sarah remembered the threat Scott gave her.
I will make your life such a living hell even your great-grandchildren will still be feeling the effects.
“Definitely.”
Caprina took a plume of her Benson & Hedges and blew out the smoke in Sarah’s direction, causing the ingénue to cough and fan cigarette smoke out of her face. “What else is there?”
“What else do you want to know?”
Caprina smiled. “Everything.”
****
“Well, well, well…isn’t it Mr. Adweek?” Michelle Smith greeted her old boyfriend.
“Three years in a row,” Scott gave her a friendly hug and they sat down for lunch.
“So how have you been?” Michelle asked.
“You know same old, same old. Making brilliant ads and adding millions to my wealth every year,” Scott smiled. “Yourself?”
“Well, when I’m not doing the show, I’m ripping off these celebrities left and right,” Michelle smiled. After hosting a few art galleries and redecorating some friends’ homes, she had entered and won a reality competition for interior designers. She became a household name almost overnight. “Amazing how stupid some of them can be.”
“You’re charging them that much?”
“It’s not even the prices; it’s what they want in their home! I mean, who in the hell wants chinchilla fur as carpet?” Michelle laughed.
“I’m glad you’re still using your art for something,” Scott added.
“Eh, I still don’t think I get paid enough to deal with their egos,” Michelle chided.
“Speaking of big egos, that’s what I wanted to meet you about,” Scott perused the menu, “I need to enlist your services to redecorate a room in my home.”
“Sure thing,” Michelle nodded, “what did you have in mind?”
“Um…” Scott pursed his lips together, “it’s kinda complicated.”
“Scott, there’s nothing too complicated for me to do. Especially after the shit I deal with on a daily basis.”
“I want it to be a play room, but not the type for kids or bros,” Scott hinted.
It didn’t take long for Michelle to figure out what her former flame was suggesting. “A sex room?”
“Yes,” Scott smiled.
“All right,” Michelle took out her notepad and began taking notes, “what goes in your s-e-x room?”
“I have the toys, but I’m in the process of acquiring more. I want the walls to be purple, but not dull. I don’t want it to look like Romper Room. Something sleek.”
“Okay,” Michelle nodded as she furiously jotted down ideas, “I can do purple as the base and then put like a clear, glossy finish on top.”
“And see, that’s why I hired you because you’re better at this shit than I am,” Scott laughed.
“Let’s talk about the walls: are you going to have mirrors to watch? Are you going to have hooks and shelves for the toys? Did you want candelabras?”
“All of the above, and if you can think of anything else, I want that as well,” Scott said. “I want it to be classy, and different from any other room in the house. I want the best, softest carpet, because she’ll be on her knees a lot.” Scott referred to Mariana.
“Complete creative control? I think I’m going to like this new project already.” Michelle smiled. “What’s my budget?”
Scott shot Michelle a look. “Really?”
“Okay, no budget,” Michelle noted. “What’s my timeframe?”
“Take your time, no pressure. I know you have other projects.”
“You are definitely becoming my favorite client, Scott,” Michelle wrote more into her journal. “I wish all of my clients were like you.”
“Well, it’s the least I can do,” Scott smiled, “I never did pay you back for that headboard a few years ago.”
“And don’t forget the big-ass hole in the wall you created as well,” Michelle added. She put away her notepad and reached over to grab Scott’s hand. “Jokes, business, and bullshit aside, I’m glad you bounced back from that bitch.” She referred to Caprina.
“I had a great support system. I couldn’t lose.” Scott shrugged.
“And I’m very glad your new girl is good for you as well.”
Scott raised an eyebrow. “How did you know I was dating someone?”
“Jeff.”
“Ah,” Scott nodded, “you guys were spreading rumors about me again.”
“We had to,” Michelle replied, “You’re our favorite asshole.”
****
I don’t know what in the hell I was thinking.
Mariana knew she should’ve gone home after class. Parking at the mall was already crazy, and she had briefly forgotten it was the holiday season. She drove around the parking lot for thirty minutes, hoping for someone to walk out at any moment. She finally found parking on the top level and hoped it wouldn’t rain anytime soon.
Her weekly cooking class was at the mall, and Mariana already missed the days of going there to frivolously spend her paycheck or max out her credit cards. Truth was, Mariana knew how to cook; she just didn’t want to. But with direct
orders
from her Master, Mariana no longer had a choice. And she knew Scott was not going to be happy with her popping in a Lean Cuisine or Stouffer’s meal. It had to be prepared. It had to be fresh.
It had to be from
her.
While Scott would make the occasional exception when Mariana felt lazy and didn’t want to cook, he wasn’t going to make that exception all the time. Mariana silently shook her head at how much her life turned around. Six months ago, she barely wanted to clean her own home and cook. Now she was taking a rather pricey cooking course to please her
Master. And that’s what I get for letting a guy with a big dick talk me into some shit I wasn’t ready for.
Mariana walked into her cooking class and grabbed a spot at the counter. She looked over the class schedule for that night. They were going to prepare fresh pasta. Mariana stared blankly at the menu. What was wrong with going to the store and picking up a bag of already-made spaghetti? She silenced her thoughts once again.
I’m not cooking for me; I’m cooking for Him.
“All right, class,” A woman in her mid-thirties entered the large cooking area, “I apologize for being late, but as I’m sure most of you know, I could barely find any parking. Nevertheless, I’m here! I like to welcome all of you to the Sexy and Healthy cooking class. Over the next four weeks, you’ll learn how to make sensual yet healthy dishes for you and your partner. Don’t worry about trying to be perfect or messing up; we’re all human! I encourage you to make mistakes as long as you don’t serve them.” She smiled. She walked over to a nearby chalkboard and wrote her name, Moira. “In case you’re having trouble saying that, it’s pronounced Moy-rah. If that’s still a hard one for you to pronounce, you can just simply call me Mistress. I also answer to that one.”
F
IVE
Caprina entered her luxury hotel suite and fell on the goose-down bed comforter. Years ago, she was considered to be finished, washed-up, and a has-been. Now, she was in commercials promoting cosmetics and luxury cars. She was on magazine covers, talking about her interests and hobbies. She was doing interviews all over the globe and participating in a variety of charitable causes.
But what she wanted…what she craved…was worth more than any award or accolade she could receive. He was worth
everything,
and Caprina was determined to get him once again. It was her destiny.
She admitted she had mistreated Scotty in the past. He was young and green, and she hadn’t thought it was going to get as serious as it did. She should’ve never let it go as far as it did. She used him to prove a point to Dimitri and it worked. But she hurt Scott in the process.
She had known the wedding wasn’t going to happen. She had known it the moment she accepted his proposal with that joke of a ring he presented to her. But to turn him down meant Dimitri won, and Caprina couldn’t have that. So she had spent a lot of money and time upgrading Scott—his wardrobe, his car, his look. If it hadn’t been for Caprina, Scott wouldn’t know how to pronounce half of the stuff in his current closet.
So many men tried to please her and so many failed. No one could please her. Scott was the only one. Sexually, he wasn’t half-bad, though she had better. But if she wanted him to wash her car wearing nothing but high heels and a thong, there wasn’t a doubt he would do it.
She took out her notepad and crossed out the second line on her list.Become besties with the enemy.
She hadn’t planned on becoming buddy-buddy pals with Sarah so soon, but it was okay. It meant her plan was working faster than she anticipated. Caprina felt her panties getting wet.
Caprina briefly wondered what that bitch Sanora was up to. She was probably living with her parents somewhere or in some rundown apartment in the ghetto. Caprina laughed out loud. How could she be so intimidated by someone like Sanora? She was nobody, nothing. Caprina hadn’t heard anything about her since she left the
lifestyle
years ago.
So much for being a Mistress, eh?
Still, Caprina was uneasy about Sanora. She had too much influence over Scott. Now that she knew Scott wasn’t seeing her, she relaxed and focused on Mariana. Mariana was beautiful, Caprina would admit. But she was not
Her
. No one could be
Her.
Mariana was just a stepping stone to getting Scott back.
The thought turned Caprina on, and she masturbated to sleep.
S
IX
Mariana rolled over the huge king-sized bed and searched for Scott. She cracked her eyes open and noticed Scott was gone. Mariana briefly remembered where he was.
The gym.
She turned over and curled up into the sheets. It was six o’clock already and still dark outside. She didn’t have to be at her internship for another three hours. She wanted to enjoy her peace and quiet.
Peace and quiet. She finally lived in a home. A home with her boyfriend. No more apartments. No more trying to find a nice parking space. No more worrying if her rent check cleared. No more saving quarters for laundry and spending said quarters for junk food. She could walk through every room and declare it was theirs.
Their
marble tile.
Their
Jacuzzi.
Their
nursery.