Something Different

by Allegra Johnson

  Sebastian closed the drawer holding his undergarments and picked up the box of condoms. He’d place them by the bed on the way downstairs. He looked around the room again, shaking his head. Snakes at the entry, a wonderland in the bedroom. Seemed about right for his Kenz. Choosing the table without the pile of books on it, he opened the drawer and laughed. “Thumper, you’re on reserve, buddy.” He dropped the box on top of the toy.

  When Sebastian joined Kenz in the kitchen, she was busy at the counter with her back to him. The hearty aroma of beef and vegetables filled the air, and his stomach grumble reminded him that it had been a while since he’d last eaten.

  “That smells delicious, love. Is it stew?” Coming up behind her and looking over her shoulder, he saw her dishing out the stew into several plastic bowls. “That’s a lot of food. Are you feeding an army?”

  “Yah, kinda, I guess. There are a few homeless vets that live in the area. If they can’t get into the shelter on any given night, they come here and I let them stay in the garage. It’s not much, but at least they’re out of the elements and have a decent meal to eat.” She said with a shrug. “I’m just about done here, then we can eat. Would you mind grabbing a couple of beers out of the fridge? Unless you want something else to drink?”

  He looked around the kitchen, spotting the double door chrome refrigerator. “Beer is good. Where are we eating—the bar here or the table over there?”

  “The table. It’s already set.”

  Sebastian settled at the table and pulled out his phone. “I’d thought we’d play a little game with dinner. A get-to-know-you thing.”

  “Getting to know you? Haven’t we done that already?” MacKenzie asked as she placed his bowl in front of him then turned back to the kitchen. “Do you want butter for your biscuits?”

  Sebastian looked up from his phone and smiled. “You made biscuits?” He looked down at the bowl. “I can’t remember the last time I had a home-cooked meal.”

  “Yah, well, I tend to cook a lot. It’s my thing. I feed people.” She laughed as she set the basket of rolls and butter dish down, then settled into her own seat. “So, what’s the game you want to play?”

  “Here, take a look. I found it on the web.” He passed his phone to her before taking a large bite of the stew. “This is wonderful, love.” He could get used to this—a simple life with Kenz, sharing meals, making plans, being happy.

  “You want to play the steal-your-password questionnaire? Seriously? That’s your game?” She laughed and passed the phone back to him. “All right, we’ll play, but we’re both posting it to our Facebook accounts.”

  “Deal. Okay, question one. Were you named for anyone? Wait! Where are you going?”

  “To get paper so we can write the answers down. Go on, you were saying?” She returned with a pad of paper and a pen.

  “Yes, I was named after my grandfather on my mother’s side. Your turn.” He went back to his food while she wrote his answer.

  “I was named for a soap opera character my mother had a crush on; the character’s name was MacKenzie Corey. Next question.” She took a large bite of beef and potato.

  “That’s a really pretty name. It suits you. Next question. What was the name of your first pet? Oh, I see what you mean about the password thing now.” he laughed, “My first pet was a goldfish named Bob. I’m pretty sure there were seven Bobs before my mum finally told me he died.” He laughed at the memory of the toilet flush funeral. He’d worn his best Sunday suit for it.

  “Bob? You named your fish Bob?” She rolled her eyes. “My first pet was a dog named Dick.” She began laughing as he choked on the stew he’d just swallowed.

  After his coughing stopped and he took a large drink of his beer, Sebastian asked, “Why did you name your dog Dick?”

  “So I could swear and get away with it.” She smiled sweetly, as if she were an innocent lamb “Why else? Well, other than it really ticked my mother off.”

  Her grin made him laugh. His Kenz was so much fun. He really wished he’d known her then, but he was going to get to know her now. “Were you a naughty girl, Kenz?” He leaned closer and laid a light kiss on her lips.

  “I was. I still am.” She kissed him back, holding it a bit longer and teasing him with small flicks of her tongue. “Next question, babe.”

  ~*~

  Later that night, they climbed into bed. MacKenzie curled into his side, hooking her leg over his and tickling her fingers through the light hair dusting his chest. She reached up and kissed his jaw. “I missed you too. I don’t know if I told you that or not.”

  She snuggled back down against his chest, breathing in his scent of sandalwood. Had she told him that was her favorite scent, or was this another one of those strange connections between them?

  That talk she’d dreaded wasn’t as bad as she’d feared. They’d defined the relationship, and she had herself a boyfriend; she hadn’t had one of those in nearly thirty years. Sebastian would be staying with her for a couple weeks. He had asked her to come with him back to Scotland— evidently he had an estate there—but she wouldn’t be able to get away from the café. He had closed up the London flat after MacKenzie had returned home. They’d answered all the questions, discussed future plans, and just talked. Yet, she couldn’t shake the feeling there was something he wasn’t saying, something he was holding back.

  “What are you thinking about, Beautiful?”

  His words pulled her out of her thoughts. “I was thinking about that date I have tomorrow night. I should probably cancel that.” She snickered at the angry glare Sebastian flashed at her.

  “Aye. You should. Right now.” He reached for her phone resting on the charger beside the bed.

  “I’m not calling him now; it’s too late. I’ll call him tomorrow.”

  “You’ll text him now,” Bas growled.

  MacKenzie was enjoying this. She sat up opened her text conversations and typed out a message to Ella.

  MacKenzie: Hey, I’m messing with Bas. He thinks I’m canceling a date I really don’t have. Play along, okay?

  Ella: Aww! That’s cute. Is he jealous?

  MacKenzie: Yah. You should see his face! TTYL Love you.

  “There, done. Happy now?” She crawled over to the table to replace her phone.

  She turned back to Sebastian. With a look of hunger on his face, he pounced on her, pinning her to the bed. “Aye, very happy. And tomorrow morning, yer gonna delete your profile off that dating site.” He pressed a hard kiss to her lips, forcing his tongue inside. It intertwining with her own.

  MacKenzie's hands ran over his back, tickling along his sides before reaching between them to grasp his cock. In a tight grip, she slowly stroked his length with one hand as her free hand reached up to tweak his nipple. She felt his hands begin their own exploration a light touch along her collarbone, down to her breasts. He cupped one in his hands, kneading it firmly and running his thumb over her hardening nipple. MacKenzie arched into his touch, and a moan escaped her as he pulled away.

  Sebastian began to move away from her. “Where are you doing?” she questioned while trying to pull him back to her. “We were just getting started.”

  “Aye, and I need to get a condom . . .”

  “No, you don’t. I’m on the pill now. No more condoms. Now get back here!”

  “Oh, Beautiful . . . I do love the way you think.” He spoke as he reclaimed his spot between her legs, sliding his cock into her warm tight cunt. “Yes. So good to be home.” He leaned down, placing a soft kiss to her lips and trailing a line slow, wet, suckling kiss to that spot behind her ear.

  “Home?” she questioned half-heartedly.

  “Aye. With you, I’m home.” He began a slow and steady pace, holding her close.

  Home, she was his home. She felt the same way. But just what was he holding back tonight? She could see it in his eyes; there was something he wasn’t saying. Ah, well, that was tomorrow's problem. Tonight she was going to enjoy their love and relish in the fa
ct that he was here with her. He wanted her.

  Chapter 10

  Sebastian sat with his back against the headboard, scrolling through his emails. He’d been awake for hours; jetlag sucked. He thought about the ring still sitting in the tiny blue box in his pocket. He’d ask her today.

  A soft snore drew his attention to the mound of bedding beside him. MacKenzie was cocooned in. A smile pulled at his lips. He dropped his phone on the side table, then cuddled up beside her. He could get used to this, lazy days snuggled in bed with his love. Wrapping his arm around the mound of bedding, he placed a light kiss on the wee bit of her head peeking out of the covers. Aye, he was home.

  The shifting and grunting beside him alerting him that Kenz was waking up. She rolled over to face him, her messy auburn hair covering her eyes. Sebastian brushed it away, smiling when those beautiful bright green eyes met his.

  “It’s going to be a beautiful day,” he spoke quietly as his thumb slowly caressed her cheek.

  With a wide-mouth yawn, she asked, “And you know this how?”

  He placed a light kiss to her lips, whispering against them. “Every day I wake up looking into these eyes . . . is a beautiful day.”

  A noticeable blush crept across her cheeks and her lips twitched against his. “You’re such a sap,” she giggled.

  “Whatever you say, Beautiful.”

  “Ya know, most guys call their girlfriends “honey” or “babe”. Some may use “sweetheart”, “darling” or even dear. Ya know this, right?”

  “I’m not most guys. You’re not most girls. We’re something different, something special. Something beautiful.” He spoke the words while looking directly into her eyes. He wanted no mistakes. He meant every word, He needed her to see that. “I love you. You know that, right?”

  Sebastian watched as a smile brightened her face. “And I love you too.” She took a shaky breath, and a look of concern crossed her face before she continued. “I never thought I’d say that to another man. I couldn’t imagine my life with anyone else until I met you. Suddenly the things I never thought would happen . . .” She broke off, and her lower lip twitched. Her eyes closed and she took a deep breath before continuing, “You make believe that all those things are possible. You make me believe that I can love again. And I do, I love you.” She inched closer to him place a kiss to his lips. “I hate to break up this tender moment we seem to be having here, but I really gotta pee!” MacKenzie quickly squirmed her way out of the blankets, leaving him with a nice view of her retreating naked ass.

  Yes, he could definitely get used to this. A chime from his phone alerted him to an incoming text.

  Eva: Okay, she’s on the list as your plus one. What meal? Beef, Chicken, or Seafood?

  Sebastian looked up to see Kenz returning now, clothed in lounge pants and a baggy tee shirt. Pity that. Clearing his throat, he asked, “Hypothetically, if you were going to a dinner with a choice of beef, chicken, or seafood, which would you choose?” He flinched at her heated glare.

  “Seafood. Why are you asking me hypothetical questions before I’ve had my coffee?” Her fists landed on her hips, and her smoldering look said he would have been smarter to wait.

  Bas: Seafood. Thank you, love.

  Eva: Favor granted. We’re even now.

  Sebastian laughed at Eva’s response. Setting his phone aside, he set about with the hard part. “There’s a charity event this weekend in Los Angeles, and I want you to attend with me. I needed your dinner choice.”

  “An event? In L.A.? With you? This weekend?”

  Oh no, her face did not look well pleased. Sucking in a large breath, his words were rushed out on the exhale. “It’s for the H.E.R.O organization.” He paused at her squeak. “No, not another auction! It’s a dinner.” That didn’t seem to diffuse her temper, judging by the deep lines etched between her arched eyebrows. “Kenz, love, it’s just a dinner and some dancing. Really. A cocktail hour, over-priced meal, lots of boring speeches.”

  “No.”

  He waited for more, but when no further words came and she made toward the stairs, he ventured, “No? What do you mean, ‘no’?”

  “No as in no; I’m not going to some fancy dinner with a bunch of snotty douches, spending the evening being uncomfortable and out of place. No! Have fun, and I’ll see ya when you get back.”

  Sebastian bolted out of bed and across the room to intercept her. “Wait, Kenz, please. Let’s talk about this.”

  “There’s nothing to talk about. I don’t belong in that world, your world. I’m a simple girl that lives a simple life. I am not a jet-setting socialite like you. I’m not going!” She folded her arms across her chest and stared back at him with a determined look on her face. “Besides, I have nothing to wear to some fancy event this weekend.” She pursed her lips.

  “You must have something in there to wear.” His hand vaguely indicated the direction of her closet. “Every woman has at least one little black dress in their closet for just such a situation.” There was no way she was going to play the ‘nothing to wear’ card with him. No way, he knew this trick. Women always said ‘I’ve nothing to wear’ when what they really mean is ‘I need a new dress’. Of course she wanted to go. Who wouldn’t enjoy a perfect evening of dinner and dancing?

  The couple stood in a silent stare-off, neither willing to budge an inch. Sebastian choked back a laugh. She’s stubborn that's for sure. Nae bother, I can be stubborn too. Sebastian folded his arms across his bare chest, widened his stance and set his eyes on hers.

  MacKenzie tossed her arms into the air with an exasperated sigh. “Fine! Wanna see? Come on.” She turned on her heel and marched toward her closet. Standing in the center of the small room with her arms spread wide, she twirled around Julie Andrews style, declaring, “I have nothing to wear! Do you see anything remotely fancy-fru-fru in here?” She stopped spinning, her hands on her hips and a fire in her eyes.

  Sebastian had to bite his lip to stop the laughter building within him. Now was not the time to laugh; he wasn’t an idiot after all. No matter how over-dramatic she was being at the time. He looked about the closet and had to admit it was rather sparse. Certain there had to be something in there, he searched again. He took a few steps over to a beaded gown and pulled out the one next to it—a black leather minidress. “Well, there’s this one. I would say this would qualify as a little black dress.” He turned a smug look at her, enjoying the blush rising in her cheeks.

  “Would you believe that was a Halloween costume?” Her eyes had lost some of their fire, her voice softer than earlier.

  He was enjoying this playful time with her. She was just so different from anyone else. “Well, I would if it weren’t for . . .” He let his words trail off as he indicated the few pairs of leather pants, several corsets, vests, and jackets. Every piece was sexy as hell, and he couldn’t wait to see her in them.

  “Ugh. You’re impossible! I wore it to the Leather & Lace charity ball the club had a few years back. They have a fundraiser for a local homeless shelter. Last year they had a carnival, and it looks like that will be repeated again this year. It was by far the most successful.” She explained everything as she hung her dress back up. Turning to leave the closet, she was intercepted yet again by Sebastian.

  “Right, I forgot you’re a badass biker chick. Omph!” He rubbed his stomach where she’d landed a playful punch. “What was that for?”

  “I’m not a biker chick! I’m a motorcycle enthusiast,” she stated in a haughty tone.

  “That punch says otherwise.” Sebastian jumped to the side before her second punch could connect much lower. “So, if you don’t have anything to wear, we’ll just have to go shopping,” he exclaimed, thrilled he seemed to be winning this battle.

  “Shopping?” MacKenzie’s shoulders slumped. Maybe she didn’t like shopping, but she clearly wanted a new dress. He couldn’t wait to see her try them on, see her face light up when she found the perfect one. And taking it off later, of course . . .


  “Yes! We’ll need to get you a dress. Emerald green, I think, or maybe navy blue. And shoes and a purse to match. Oh, and we must get you lingerie . . . lots of lingerie.” His words drifted off as he starting picturing her in it.

  “You’re really gonna make me go to this thing, aren’t ya?”

  “In a word, yes. I called in that favor Eva owed me. I was scheduled for this event months ago. I didn’t have a plus one at the time.” He closed the space between them with his embrace. “I have my forever plus one now.” He inwardly cringed at the slip. She wasn’t his forever yet. The ring came back to his mind. He’d ask her at breakfast.

  “I hate shopping,” she muttered into his chest.

  “But you love me.” Sebastian pulled back just enough to see a small grin playing on her lips. She loved him.