by Jesse Jordan
“No problem, man. So.....”
“So,” I reply, going down and sitting across the table from Mary. “I suppose we need to talk about yesterday.”
“Yes and no,” Mary says, playing with a crust of toast. “First... first let me tell you all about me, and what Brenda told me this morning.”
She lays it all out in simple, brutal honesty, holding nothing back. Her drug addiction, her time in jail, her concerns about Carl and what Brenda told her. My fists clench when she tells us about her running from him last night and staying in the student support center at the college, and Brenda's call this morning. “I knew I needed breakfast, so I went to the Jack nearby and then called Ian. I'm not sure what's next.”
“We'll get to that,” I reassure her. “First, I have to apologize. Your feelings about me hiding something from you, they were real. I don't know why, but when I called you about Brenda, it wasn't because of seeing her at the church.”
It's my turn, telling her about the fight I had with Carl and then Brenda showing up at practice two days in a row. Mary fills in some blanks, such as confirming our suspicion of the leak at Gashouse. “Did Brenda say who?”
“No, just that it was someone who works there. But Carl apparently has a lot of connections, I don't know how big his network happens to be.”
I continue, finishing with Brenda's attacking me and my trip to the hospital. Joey interjects with a question, just something he was curious about. “Hey, which bus stop did you use, anyway?”
“The same one I got off at, two blocks south of the studio. But there was a bus there like a minute after I arrived,” Mary says, and Joey nods. “Sorry, although I probably wouldn't have answered you yesterday.”
“Hey, it's all cool,” Joey says, smiling that casual smile that he's got. “I guess that brings us to now. Ian, Mary, what do you guys want to do?”
I look over at Mary, who looks nervous. “Mary, first off, I'm sorry. I should have told you about the fight, I should have told you about seeing Brenda at practice. I honestly don't understand why I didn't, and saying I had a headache doesn't excuse it. I was stupid, plain and simple. I'm sorry.”
Mary chews her toast, swallowing before answering. “I'm sorry for not trusting you. I've been a pretty horrible set of dates.”
“You mean his girlfriend,” Andrea says, trying not to giggle. “Mary, I haven't known this crew as long as Cora has, but I have spent a lot of time interviewing him and hanging out with them over the past few months, and this big gorilla, he's nuts about you. I can hear it in every word he says about you, and the way he's been looking at you for the past half hour. You might as well take a picture of him and title it Puppy Dog Eyes.”
I grumble, but I can feel the heat creep up my neck as Mary looks at me, her eyes beseeching. “Ian?”
“I... I do care about you. I told you before, I'm off the market, and if you want to call yourself my girlfriend, I'd like that a lot.”
“God, I'm glad you write the lyrics,” Cora jokes to Rocky, causing everyone but me and Mary to laugh. Instead, Mary looks across the table at me, nodding seriously.
“I'd like to be your girlfriend. If you don't mind if I tell everyone I know that we're together.”
“I'd be happy if you did,” I say, going around the table and sitting down next to her. I put an arm around her shoulders and she leans in, both of us still before I turn to look at her and we kiss tenderly. The laughter stops as Mary wraps her arms around my neck and hugs me and I pull her into my lap, holding her close, telling her without words that I'll protect her, that she's precious to me. “Mary...”
“Thank you,” she whispers in my ear, so low none of the others can hear. “Thank you.”
“God, he's big,” Cora whispers as she and Rocky watch. “Did I ever fit in your lap like that?”
“I'm not the size of a football player,” Rocky says, making even me laugh a little. “It's cute though, isn't it?”
“I kinda like his big size,” Mary says, smiling. “You know, it helps a girl to feel protected. No offense to you guys.”
“None taken,” Joey reassures her. “Now, on to the next thing. We've all lived in some rough neighborhoods, Mary, we know the deal. Are you safe going back to your place? From what you said, your job, your place, all of it are known to this Carl fucker.”
“I've been thinking the same thing,” Andrea adds, sitting up and going into what I think of as her serious mood. “In my opinion, I don't think you should go back there.”
“What else can I do?” Mary asks, stumped. “All my stuff is there, and I've got like twenty bucks in my bank account. Maybe.”
“Both easily solved,” Andrea says with a smile as she glances at me. “When I needed help, your Sasquatch of a boyfriend here dropped everything and busted his ass so that I'd have a place to stay. Joey opened his home to me. I say it's time to pay it forward a little, what do you guys think?”
“But... but you don't...” Mary says, stopping when Andrea raises an eyebrow. “Thank you.”
Andrea chuckles and points at me. “I'm not opening our house to you, Mary. First off, Ian is renting a three-bedroom house in the suburbs, that means he's got two perfectly good bedrooms doing jack shit. Not that Joey and I used split bedrooms for too long after I moved in with his family. Long story, tell you later. Hey Cora, when was the last time we went on a shopping spree?”
“Oh, it has to be a few months at least,” Cora says with a chuckle. “What was it, for Lionel's things? Or was it for Angel's school clothes?”
“Are they serious?” Mary asks me, her eyes growing. “Like, seriously?”
“They're totally serious,” I tell her, hugging her. “If you want, go with them, have a girl's day out together. I suspect Andrea wants me, Rocky, and Joey to stop by your apartment, get whatever you need from there for you. Unless you have something embarrassing?”
“Uh....” Mary says, blushing and leaning in to whisper in my ear. “I've got a small vibrator in my bathroom.”
I nod, humming before I whisper back. “You won't need that anymore. Would you like us to get your things?”
“Just my school books, please? The rest isn't all that important,” Mary says, trying not to cry with appreciation as she looks around. “How? Why? Wh...”
“They taught me in journalism school to go with What, When, Who, and Where first before getting to How and Why,” Andrea quips. “But like I said, we pay it forward. Ian adores you, I trust his judgment when it comes to character. Just realize Mary, you maybe didn't mean to, but you've now got some very powerful friends in your corner.”
Mary quirks her head, then realizes what Andrea means. “Coates...”
“Yep,” Cora says with a grin, “As well as the power of an even bigger name you don't know yet, haven't even met yet, George T. Carl fucked with Gashouse, which is part of George T's media group. He's going to find out that pissing off two of the biggest media groups in town is not a good idea. Now, next big question, where do we go shopping?”
“Uh, can we do something first?” Mary asks quietly. “I should call the pastor at the church. I don't want to call my parole officer, she could bring heat on the good members of the NA group. But Carl shouldn't have influence over the NA group anymore.”
Andrea looks touched, giving me a thumb’s up. “You picked a good one, Ian. Yeah, we'll give you guys some privacy.”
“I think I need to do this alone,” Mary says, getting up. “Ian, can I use one of the back rooms?”
“Anything you need,” I reassure her, watching her go and looking back at my friends after she's left. I see them looking at me, and I'm confused. “What?”
“Have you told her?” Rocky asks with a smirk, taking Cora's hand.
“Tell her what?” I ask. “I told her all the things that happened, I didn't hold anything back.”
“Except for maybe the most important thing,” Cora says, trying not to laugh. “It's written all over your face, Ian. Seriously.”
“What?” I ask, getting a bit heated. “You guys need to stop talking in riddles.”
“It's easy, bro,” Joey says, snuggling with Andrea again. “You more than just like her, don't you?”
“Hell, he's in lo-o-o-o-ve,” Andrea teases lightly in a sing-song voice. “Just look at that pink creeping up his face. You're cute, Ian Ivory.”
“Shut up,” I grumble. “I... fuck, you guys make it hard to be me sometimes.”
They laugh, and I stew for a little while, the four of them watching me expectantly until I laugh, admitting it. “Okay, okay, when the time's right, I'll tell her.”
Mary comes out a minute later, a small smile on her face. “Pastor Dan told me that he was glad I called and that he would take it to the church elders. Apparently, Carl was already barely hanging on after trying to start shit with Ian. I didn't notice the other night, but he broke something in his hand and he's trying to get the church to pay for it.”
“Cheap bastard as well as a drug dealer?” Andrea quips, shaking her head. “Damn. Okay, so I say that we take my car Cora, it's smaller than yours, and Rocky can run Joey and Ian over to get Mary's stuff. Mary, what sort of shopping do you normally do?”
“Goodwill mostly,” Mary admits. “Only thing I really spent money on was my ink.”
“Which by the way gives you the best set of tatts in the entire group,” Rocky says. “Those vines put Ian and Joey to shame.”
“Jerk,” Joey says, but nods. “But it is some good ink. Sometime later, let's talk artists because that's someone I'd like to meet.”
“For who? You don't have any space left on your arms,” Cora asks, and Andrea raises her hand. “No shit?”
“We'll talk about it in the car,” Andrea says, disentangling herself from Joey and getting up. “Mary, let's go have some fun. And before you even start.... no, I'm not letting you see the prices on anything today. I'm an honest to God fucking billionaire princess officially, I can spend that money any way I want.”
The girls leave, and I give Joey a look, raising an eyebrow. “Fucking billionaire?”
Joey blushes, smiling shyly. “Well... it's good to be engaged.”
When Mary and the girls come back, they quickly drop nearly a dozen shopping bags on the couch, gather up their men and leave, leaving me and Mary alone. She looks amazing. With her hair done and her makeup expertly applied, she looks almost like a gothic Snow White. Even her short sleeved, scoop-necked black dress and knee-high boots with four-inch soles are cute and sexy in a very Mary way, showing a hint of her curves in the dress.
“You like?” she asks uncertainly, biting a plump blood-red lip. “When I saw them, I just thought that they'd make it easier for me to walk with you, sort of help with that one-foot difference in our height.”
“You look beautiful,” I reassure her, pulling her in for a kiss. She's right, it is easier with the now only five or six-inch differences in our heights, and when her tongue comes out to touch mine, I feel a stirring in my jeans that I know she can sense as well. “Sorry, I'm rushing things.”
“Yes... and no,” Mary says, stroking my face. “Ian, I want to make love with you tonight. But we have all night, let's take our time?”
“I like that idea. And I like the idea of calling it making love instead of something else,” I reassure her. “We guys had a little time and Joey used his second best talent and made us dinner.”
“You didn't have any problems at my apartment?” Mary asks, and I shake my head.
“Rocky watched the parking lot while Joey and I got your stuff in one swing through. All your textbooks, a pair of boots that you obviously don't need now, and I even grabbed your phone charger. We also stopped and got you some toiletries, so there's a fresh toothbrush, some girly soap, shampoo, all of it's in the bathroom for you. If we screwed up, blame Rocky, he bought the stuff that he says Cora uses.”
“I'm sure it's fine,” Mary reassures me. She pulls my head down and kisses me again, things quickly growing deeper until we're full-on making out in the middle of my living room, my cock aching inside my jeans. Mary reaches down and cups me, making me moan. “I can't believe you're this big.”
“I can't believe you took it without being hurt,” I answer as she squeezes, making me moan. “Mary...”
“Fuck dinner, we can eat later. Right now, I want you,” she whispers. “You know what another good thing is? No headache for you tomorrow. How about we make love now, have dinner, and then... well, we'll let what happens, happen?”
“I like that idea,” I growl, reaching down and picking her up in my arms, my hands sliding over smooth skin as I lift her dress, not feeling any panties. “Are you?”
“You'll just have to see, won't you?” Mary teases, moaning as I squeeze her ass. “Don't tempt me.”
“What?” I ask, and Mary blushes. “What?”
“One of your friends happens to like it back there,” Mary says, moaning again as I squeeze. “She made it sound so good, but I doubt her man's hung like you.”
“I know they're not. Remember, I've toured with those two for years now,” I chuckle. “But we can explore that another night. For now, I'm hungry.”
“What's that mean?” Mary giggles as I carry her down the hallway and into my bedroom, where I lay her down and push her feet up towards her head. “What are you doing?”
“Having a snack,” I tease as I lift the skirt of her dress and see the blood red satin thong she's wearing, no wonder her ass cheeks were just skin. “Holy fuck, that's sexy.”
“The bra matches too,” Mary says, smiling sexily. “Want to see?”
“Not yet,” I command, my lust taking over. I pull her panties to the side to be shocked again at the baby smooth, pale white skin of her pussy, no hair at all, and I wonder just where the hell Andrea and Cora took my woman today.
My woman. Even thinking those words makes my desire strengthen and I lean down, my tongue tasting the soft, perfectly smooth skin of her lips and making Mary moan again. “Ian... mmmmm, that's good.”
“Delicious,” I joke as I lick again, letting my tongue part her lips to taste the delicious wet folds inside. She's warm and spicy, and as I feast on her love juices, I let Mary's sighs and moans guide me to bring her pleasure. I've always loved eating pussy, but with Mary, there's something extra. It's not just to prepare her for the size of my cock but to give to her, to let her know how I feel about her. I nibble, suck, and lick her pussy until she's groaning, grinding herself up into my mouth in quiet desperation as I do everything possible to not touch the deep pink button of her clit that's peeking out from its hood at the top of her cleft. Finally, I pull back and look into her lust crazed eyes. “Mary...”
“Please, Ian. I need you,” she half moans, half whines, half-begs. “More than you know.”
It's all I need to hear and I bend my head down, dragging my tongue over her tender bundle, and Mary cries out, grabbing my hair and pulling me in closer. I circle her clit with the tip of my tongue before lapping at it, driving her higher and higher as I make love to her.
Nibbling, I suck on her clit, letting my teeth scrape lightly over her as I slide two fingers into her, pumping them in and out quickly, pushing her higher and higher. Tonight’s all about her, and I plan on giving her every fantasy she’s ever had. She’s panting, crying out incoherently as I clamp down on her clit hard, holding her against me and unable to even pull back if she wanted to.
Mary's thighs clamp around my ears and a fresh squirt of delicious sweet-salty nectar floods my lips as Mary comes, soaking my face and leaving my cock twitching in my jeans as I think of how much I want this woman, to hold her and have her and love her. In this instant, I finally understand the sort of completion that Rocky and Joey have with Cora and Andrea, and I'm overjoyed that I have a chance at that now.
When Mary's legs finally relax, she misunderstands the tears in my eyes. “Ian... sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you.”
“You didn't. I'm crying because I'm happy, you beautif
ul, silly goof,” I tell her, sitting back. “I'm crying because you make me happy.”
“You make me happy, too,” Mary says, sighing contentedly and reaching for the ties on the outside of her left boot. “But I want more.”
“Me too,” I say gravely, stopping her hand. “But... leave the boots on. They're fucking sexy.”
“Okay,” Mary says, then blushes. “Uh, Ian?”
“Hmmm?” I ask, unbuckling my jeans and pulling off my tank top.
She wiggles her hips and bites her lip again, her makeup slightly smeared and making her look all the sexier. “I'm on the pill, so maybe this time?”
I understand and nod. “If you trust me, I trust you.”
Mary reaches for the buttons on the front of her dress, nodding. “I do.”
Holy fuck, I never thought those two words could be so sexy.
Chapter 13
Mary
I wake up in the early morning light feeling better than I have in my entire life. After a delicious meal, Ian was everything I could ever hope for, kind and supportive, including me in everything he did. He showed me how his BiPAP sets up, and now, waking up, I feel great. The machine isn't anywhere near as loud as Ian led me to believe, but then again, I've fallen asleep in jail, where even a quiet night can be interrupted any minute by someone going apeshit. If anything, the BiPAP creates a sort of white noise that I relish as I stretch, running my hand over Ian's back.
I was surprised last night when Ian slept in the nude, but now, looking at the sexy, tight curve of his ass in the morning light, I'm glad. Feeling naughty, I reach around and wrap my hand around his cock, which is already half hard in his sleep. In a few seconds of pumping though, it's rock hard and I giggle as he stirs. “What are you doing?”
“Waking you up,” I joke, laughing as Ian unstraps his headpiece and pulls it off, tossing it onto the floor.
Ian growls, grabbing my wrist and turning over, pinning my arm to the bed. “You're being very naughty. I've held back with you before, but you keep teasing me, you're going to get it.”
