Twenty minutes later we pulled into a little restaurant. The very front of the restaurant had “Grams” in big red letters. It looked like a little hole in the wall restaurant but I was excited to see what the food tasted like. I had learned from experience that hole in the wall restaurants usually had the best food you would ever taste.
When you walked in there was tables immediately to your left and booths immediately to your right. Mace led us a booth with a hand on my lower back. To say he was ill when he got in the truck would be an understatement. Secretly I think he liked that I didn’t change. It showed him that I wouldn’t bow down to him and that I could go head to head with him with no problem. Plus, he liked bickering with me; he thought it was fun most times.
We sat down in the booth, Liam sitting next to me and Mace across from us. An older waitress probably in her mid to late 60’s came to hand us menus and caught a good look at Mace.
“Macey boy, is that you?” She asked and squinted at him like she needed a better look.
“Yes ma’am, it’s me. How are you Grams?” He asked the woman. She had soft gray hair cut in a pixie style. She wore big round glasses on her face and was heavy set. She had a flowered dress on with an apron tied around her waist. She pulled a pad out of her apron.
“Honey I’m doing good. Matter of fact I’m doing better than I have in years! It’s so good to see your handsome face. I wish you came out this way more often. Now who do we have here?” She looked down at Liam, who was squished into my side trying to hide from Grams.
“That’s my boy Liam,” Mace smiled proudly at her.
“Well hello Liam. My name is May but you can call me Grams if you’d like.” She stuck her hand out for Liam to shake, but he was still glued to my side.
“Baby, it’s okay. She’s not a stranger,” I whispered in his ear and smoothed some of his hair off his face.
He tentatively raised his head out of my arm and thrust his hand out to May.
“Hi, my name is Liam. This is my mommy,” he pointed his thumb at me, “and this is my daddy.” He pointed his thumb at Mace.
“Well it sure is nice to meet you.” She smiled and dropped his hand then stuck it out for me.
“Hi, I’m Araylia,” I spoke softly trying to hide my shy manner.
“You sure are a pretty one. Are you sure this fool over her didn’t trick you into being with him?” She asked with a blinding white smile aimed in Mace’s direction.
“Grams!” He scolded.
“Boy, don’t you scold me! I’m half your age and in a way raised you!” She retorted.
I put a hand to my mouth to try and smother my laughter but it was no use. After that comment May took our orders and went about getting the cook to fix it. Liam, Mace, and I made idle chit chat while waiting on our food. When the food was served May pulled up a chair and ate breakfast with us. She told me embarrassing stories about Mace as he was growing up, toys he liked, and how much of a handful he was as he got older. Every time May opened her mouth to tell another story, I would almost spit my coffee across the table. I loved being able to hear stories about Mace. I loved that he had somebody while growing up. I know his parents and his sister, Charlotte, were killed when he was younger so it was nice knowing he had some kind of family member.
When our stomachs were stuffed we paid the bill promising May we would come back before leaving town and left. On the car ride back up the mountain I learned that May was a close friend of his mother’s. His family and he would come visit during the summer time up until his parents and sister’s death. After they passed away Mace went to live with May until he left for the Marines. The cabin was actually his dad’s and when he turned twenty-five, he got the property.
Thinking about what Mace went through as a child broke my heart. He should have never had to go through that, it was horrifying, but I’m glad he had somebody to lean on. I could tell from the hour I spent with her, May cared about Mace a lot. She loved him like he was her own son. That was the only thing that made the pain in my heart ease.
When we got home I asked him how his parents and sister had been killed.
“I was riding my bike home from a Marine recruiter’s office. I wanted to join. I was only 16 at the time, but it was better to be prepared ahead of time and know what you wanted to do before joining. I was about two houses down and I felt it…I don’t know what it was, but something in my gut told me something was wrong. I ended up being right; when I rounded the corner I saw fire trucks, ambulances, and police cars there. I pedaled faster trying to figure out what the hell had happened. When I got to the house I dropped the bike and ran through the yard and a few of the officers caught me and put my ass on the ground. I looked over to my left and saw two full body bags. I wanted to know what had happened to my sister. I started freaking out then caught sight of something to my right. It was almost like a trash bag, but my sister was in that bag. She had been cut up by the robber or whoever attacked that night. They still hadn’t found their killer.” He shuddered and ran a hand in his hair.
I had tears streaming down my face. How could a 16 year old go through that? How could anybody, young or old, go through that? It was fucked up and I couldn’t imagine what that was like for him. He always talked fondly of his sister and I knew he was close to her when she was alive.
“How old was Charlotte?” I wiped my tears on my sleeve and tried being strong for him.
“She was 13 at the time. If she were still alive she would be 29,” he looked at me and gave me a sad smile.
I rested my head on his shoulder and rubbed his back softly. I wanted to give him as much comfort as he would allow me to give. Liam came into the living room shortly after asking if we could watch Finding Nemo.
Mace popped the DVD into the player and turned a bunch of dials on a radio. He switched the T.V. on and as soon as the audio started playing I was amazed. I had never been around a home theater system and that was what Mace had. Liam was as amazed as I was. He bounced on the couch for the first 20 minutes before knocking out with his head in my lap and his feet in Mace’s. I felt my eye lids get heavy and I couldn’t fight the sleep that was threating to consume me.
Two days later…
Mace had set up from May to watch Liam for the night. I had no idea why, Mace wouldn’t tell me. Before he left to take Liam to May’s he told me to dress nicely and be ready by the time he was expected to be back.
I was waiting outside on his deck and I was in a red dress that hugged my curves in a flattering way. The straps were a soft pink that crossed in the middle of my shoulder blades. The straps had gold buckles that hit my back as well. The dress hit just below my knee, it was sexy but in a casual way. The kind of sexy that didn’t hit you in the face. I paired the dress off with some sexy pumps. The pumps were velvet beige with an ankle strap that had small diamonds on it and the heel was six inches. My blonde hair was flowing down my back in soft subtle curls. My makeup was dark and smoky to make my blue-green-violet eyes pop. I felt sexy as hell and there was no way I was changing no matter what Mace had to say!
I was sitting in a lawn chair sipping a beer when I heard Mace’s truck pull up. I quickly gulped down the rest of my beer and knew I was going to regret it later. I was a light weight and I knew Mace had drinking in store for the night. After draining my bottle I threw it in the trash and grabbed my hand bag so I was ready when Mace came in.
He strode in the front door and his steps halted as soon as he saw me. I looked him up and down and unconsciously licked my lips. That man looked delicious! He must have changed clothes at May’s house because he was no longer in his jeans and tee. He was wearing black slacks that fit his thighs perfectly and I imagined it fit his butt the same way. On his broad chest was a button up dress shirt the same beige color of my shoes. He had the sleeves rolled up to his elbows showing off his impressive forearms.
I was getting turned on just from the sight of him. I wanted to say screw the night and drag him back to the bedroom. By the loo
k in his eyes, he was thinking the same thing. Watching his eyes go from bright emerald green to the dark mossy green was hot. I could tell by the change of color in his eyes and by the bulge in his pants that he was equally aroused. He growled low in his throat and stalked toward me like a man on a mission.
When he reached me he grabbed the back of my head and slammed his mouth down on mine. Because of my heels I was almost as tall as him so I didn’t have to stand on my toes to slide my tongue in his mouth. He stroked his tongue with mine and I felt a throb start in my clit. I moved in closer to him and he slid his hand into my hair and yanked back. He moved his mouth down to my jaw to my throat and up to my ear. I moaned and silently begged for more.
“We need to leave,” he said huskily, his teeth nibbling at my ear.
“Why don’t we stay here instead of going out?” I whimpered.
He pulled away and shook his head, “We need to leave,” he whispered and kissed my forehead.
He tugged on my hand and I helplessly followed him out of the door. We walked down the driveway to the truck and he opened my door for me.
“Oh so you’re pulling out the big guns for this huh?” I smiled sassily.
He shook his head and shut the door for me then moved around the hood to his side of the truck.
We rode the 20 minutes down the mountain and into town in silence. His hand was on my knee rubbing small agonizing circles. I wanted his hand up a little higher and instead of rubbing circles, massaging vigorously. Instead Mace insisted on whatever we were doing tonight.
We pulled up to a huge steak restaurant a few minutes after hitting town. The restaurant was a nice, large brick building. On the front of the building it said “Ron’s Steakhouse”. We walked in together hand in hand and were met with a waiter about our age. The setting of Ron’s Steakhouse was very romantic, the lighting was dim and there was a grand chandelier in the top of the cathedral ceilings, much like the hotel we stayed at. A bar was the center of the attention in the middle of the room with bar stools lined up behind it. There were lovely table booths on either side of the bar with red cloths on the tables and dark green vinyl on the seats. It was beautiful and elegant in a homey way. I loved it instantly.
Mace led me a booth in the back and instead of sitting across from me like everyone else would do he sat down beside me and threw an arm across on the back of the booth. I smiled and looked around the place. I hadn’t noticed anybody except waiters here. The entire building was empty except for employees, no customers.
“There isn’t anybody else here, that’s weird,” I whispered to Mace.
“That’s because I bought the place for the night,” Mace answered my unasked question.
I looked at him in bewilderment. I didn’t understand why he would rent the place out just because we were going on a date. It didn’t make any sense at all. Unless….Nonononono!
He couldn’t be proposing! I don’t think I was ready for that. I mean don’t get me wrong, I loved Mace too death, but marriage? Could I handle being a wife? Was I ready to be a wife?
I began sweating bullets at the thought. I didn’t want to have to turn him down, but I also didn’t want to be engaged, yet. I wasn’t prepared for this. This is why he asked me to dress up, why he rented the place for the night, why he was opening car doors for me. He was trying to butter me up!
“Are you okay, bright eyes?” Mace bent his head and kissed my shoulder smiling lovingly at me.
“Ye-yeah. Everything is just fine! Perfect even!” I tried my best at a smile, but knew I had failed when his eyebrows snapped together in confusion.
He opened his mouth to respond, but I was saved by our waiter coming to take our orders. I ordered some white wine, I was going to need some liquid courage to get me through the night and Mace ordered a beer. As soon as the waiter left the table to get our drinks Mace started where he had left off.
“What’s wrong? You’re getting nervous,” he asked.
“Nervous? Me, no! I’m fine, everything is fine!” I told him, not looking directly in his eyes because I couldn’t keep the truth out of my eyes.
He swept my hair off my shoulder, “You are not fine. What is wrong?”
“Nothi-,” I tried saying but he cut me off.
“What. Is. Wrong?” He growled.
I sighed and gave in, “I know you love me and you know I love you, but I’m not ready for marriage yet! I mean think about it we’ve only been together a couple of months, are you sure you want to take that big of a step so quickly? That’s a big step! I’m not sure I’m ready to be a wife, are you ready to be a husband? I know you wanted to propose tonight, but why not wait a little bit longer?” I took a deep breath and pinched my eyes closed.
I didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but he needed to know how I felt about an engagement right now.
“I’m not proposing Araylia,” he smirked at me. That bastard smirked at me! He was enjoying my pain and my freak out! That damn smug ass!
“What? Why on earth would you buy the place for the night if you weren’t?” I asked, puzzled.
“I had something else planned,” he told me with a wink.
The waiter brought our drinks out to us and took our orders. Mace ordered steaks for both of us with some mashed potatoes and green beans. Mace and I chatted about nothing in general while waiting on our food. When the food arrived we dug in and ate in silence.
I was stuffed to the gills and Mace was staring at me intently. He had a bit of an odd look on his face, almost contemplative but still admiring.
“Do I have something stuck in my teeth?” I asked.
“No. Why?”
“Because you’re staring. Hard,” I told him.
He looked a little embarrassed but didn’t comment back.
He pulled something out of his pocket and laid it on the table. It was a red velvet necklace box. I was puzzled, this is what this big night out was for? For him to give me a necklace?
I opened it up and gasped, my hand flying to my mouth and tears filling my eyes quickly. Inside the necklace box was a long gold chain and a bullet hanging from the chain.
The same bullet I pulled out of his thigh when we met.
I couldn’t believe he had it after all this time. When I had pulled it out I gave him the option to keep it if he wanted. He chose to keep it, but I didn’t know he had done this with it.
I pulled it out of the box with the intent on getting him to clasp it around my neck. However something on the back of the bullet caught my eye.
“I love you, forever, always.” Was inscribed on the back of it along with the date we had met.
The tears that were waiting anxiously to spill, did. I couldn’t believe he would have kept the bullet and done something so thoughtful with it. I loved him all the more for keeping it. As he was putting it on he spoke.
“I love you bright eyes, forever, always. This may not be an engagement ring, but I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to spend the rest of my life loving you, pleasing you, helping you, being there for you, wanting you. All of it. That bullet there, that’s the lucky bullet. That bullet brought us together and I would take that bullet a million times if it meant being with you forever. I love you Araylia, plain and simple.”
He let every emotion shine bright in his shocking emerald green eyes. I could see it all, the love, the devotion, the adoration. His soul was bared to me right now and I couldn’t handle it.
I threw my arms around his neck and cried softly into his shoulder.
He was too much.
Too intense.
So loving.
So passionate.
All mine.
“I…love…you…s-s-so much Mason,” I stuttered out between my choked breaths.
“Say it again,” he growled.
I knew exactly what he wanted.
“Mason, I love you.”
He slid his hand in my hair and grabbed a fistful. He jerked my head back roughly and took my mouth in a searing kis
s. This was the kind of kiss that changed lives. The kind of kiss that was monumental. The kind of kiss that would forever be etched into my brain and play on repeat in my wildest fantasies.
His tongue plundered in my mouth, exploring, tasting, and taking. Taking everything I was willing to give to him and I was willing to give it all. He nipped at the corner of my mouth and trailed his skilled tongue down my neck. His tongue still attached to my neck he pulled us both out of the booth and plopped my ass on the table.
He hiked my dress up my thighs to my waist. I was exposed bare and I didn’t give a shit. I wanted this so much, regardless of where we were.
“This is going to be hard and fast. I don’t have it in me right now to give it to you slow and sweet,” he rumbled.
“Don’t give a shit,” I replied breathlessly, “Just fuck me. Please,” I finished on a beg.
“My fucking pleasure,” he growled.
Mace ripped my panties off and took his cock out of his slacks. I licked my lips just looking at his swollen, angry looking cock. I wanted to take him in my mouth and make him beg for it.
He lined his head up with my swollen, drenched pussy and surged his hips. He seated himself inside of me in one long, hard stroke. I moaned and clawed at his neck, where my hands were resting.
I could feel all the tension in my body melting away from his brutal thrusts. He made good on his word and fucked me hard and fast. I could feel his balls slapping my ass from the force of his hips and it turned me on more.
I slid a hand between us and grabbed his balls and squeezed lightly. I wanted him to be even more worked up. I wanted it even harder.
“More,” I whimpered.
He gave me what I asked for. He placed his thumb on my clit and gave it pressure. My head fell back, thrusting my breasts in his face and he took advantage of that. Sucking one taunt nipple in his mouth and massaging vigorous circles on my clit, I fell apart. It felt like I came undone at the seams. I think I heard myself screaming but my ears were ringing from the sheer force of my climax. I blissfully fell into oblivion.
The Lucky Bullet Page 18
