Scorpio

by Lauren Landish

  I reach behind the quirky Charlie Brown tree Maddie had begged me to get, trying not to mess up her carefully arranged ornaments or messily tossed tinsel. Grabbing the large, flat box, I offer it to her.

  “What is it? Can I shake it?” she asks, giddier than I’ve ever seen her. It’s adorable, and I want to bottle the flush on her cheeks and make her whole body pink up that prettily for me.

  “Don’t shake it, just open it,” I say, nerves sweeping through me.

  Maddie looks into the box, pulling out the thin stack of papers. “What are these? I don’t understand.” Her eyes jump from the papers to me.

  “These are the plans for the new and improved, expanded May’s Animal Rescue. They start construction once the ground thaws.” I point out little details on the paper. “Beyond the rescue areas, there’s space for a sales side. Kenneling, training, that sort of stuff for families who adopt, or even those who get their pets elsewhere. There’s office space for an in-house vet if you want. I’m guessing with the influx of animals you can help, there will likely need to be more daily hands on deck, especially some help overseeing everything. Interested?” I ask Madison.

  “Do you have to ask? Hell, yes!” she exclaims. “But how?”

  I grin. “Olivia helped me set it up through her division as a diversification of our charitable donations. Essentially, Danger Enterprises made a venture capital investment in you and May. Together, you can change so many animals’ lives and make Bane a better place.”

  Maddie looks to Olivia, telling her ‘thank you’ before plopping into my lap and covering my face with kisses. “Thank you, Scott! Oh, my God, this is going to be amazing!”

  “Well, I’m kind of hoping that you keep saying that,” I say, setting her on the couch and getting down on one knee. “I have one more present.”

  I reach into the pocket of my jacket and take out a simple box, opening it and holding it out to Maddie. Before I can speak, she whispers, “Scott.”

  “Maddie, you fill my heart with love. You complete my soul. I want to make a life, make a family with you. Will you marry me?”

  She looks back to May, who smiles but isn’t surprised. “He asked Stella and me for our blessing last night.”

  I laugh and hold out my hand. “Madison Danger sounds . . . fabulous.”

  Christmas is lovely, full of joyful celebration and surprises. But I have one last trick up my sleeve. Madison had encouraged me to spend the week between Christmas and New Year’s at the office, knowing that all the time I’ve been away while helping her had set me behind.

  But it’s the holidays, and most of the office is a ghost town anyway. So I planned a little getaway for us, destination unknown . . . to Madison.

  Knowing we have an early flight, I wake her while it’s still dark. “Madison, rise and shine, porcupine,” I sing-song.

  She cracks one eye. “What the hell did you just say? And why so early?” My girl is a lot of things, but a morning person is not one of them.

  I grin. “Huh, it just came out. I think I had a nanny when I was little who said that every morning.” Madison’s other eye opens, and she has a flash of sadness at a little version of me being woken up by a nanny every day. “As to why . . . it’s because we’re leaving. Surprise!”

  She pops up in bed. “We’re leaving today? Where are we going? Will you tell me now?”

  “Nope, have to wait and see, but you need to get a move on.” I don’t have to tell her twice. She’s already thrown the covers back and made a beeline for the shower to get ready.

  I head to the kitchen to start the coffee, knowing we’re going to need it today. Grabbing the first cup, I stand by the window, watching the sun rise over Bane. My city, my family’s city. I have a different approach than my father’s prideful ownership. I’m ready to tackle the responsibility of making it the best it can be for the people, not for myself. It’s a weight I gladly wear upon my shoulders, not a pedestal I stand atop.

  From behind me, I hear a soft ‘ahem’ and turn to see my naked fiancé standing in the doorway. “I don’t know what to wear. Shorts, pants, fancy, casual? You gotta help a girl out.”

  I look her up and down, knowing the clock is ticking on the flight but not able to resist. “Come here, Madison.” She walks to me, beauty personified, from her wet mess of hair to her bare face, to her curvy body, even with the healing injuries and scars, external and internal. She is strength, perseverance, and independence. She is need, doubt, and fear. She is the sparrow and the eagle, all in one. She is mine.

  I take her mouth in a kiss, dropping the empty coffee mug to the carpet softly. I kiss down her neck, laving her pink nipples with licks and kisses, knowing I could spend all day right here, but I’m hungry for more. And so is she.

  Madison turns, facing us toward the window, and drops to her knees before me. She looks up at me, raw desire in her eyes. “One thing. After this, can you fuck me like before? Hard and fast by the window?”

  My breath catches as she slips my pajama pants down and my cock springs up. “I can never say no to you.”

  “Yeah, you can,” she teases, grasping my thick cock and licking her lips. “You just don’t want to.”

  Before I can answer, she wraps her lips around my cock and sucks, taking me in deeply. I guide her up and down my gleaming shaft with a gentle hand in her hair, loving the way she can take me into her body. She sucks me with love and devotion.

  Years, maybe even decades of this? Of loving sex with this wonderful woman? I can’t wait for every day of it.

  I moan as she bobs up and down and fondles my balls. Reaching back, she teases my taint with her soft fingers, but there’s no need for more. I can’t wait any longer. I lift her off, my eyes wide and my chest heaving. “To the window. Keep that up and I’m coming in your mouth.”

  “Who says that’s not what I want?” she taunts, getting up and turning to the window.

  She’s glowing in the flaming morning light of the sun, and I take a mental snapshot, needing this moment in my memory bank for all eternity.

  My cock slides against her pussy, and she moans, ready for more. But before I can enter her, she looks back at me. “Scott . . . what if I stop the pills?” Her voice is soft, the question belying the obvious truth that it’s what she wants.

  “You think we’re ready?” I ask, pulling back and sliding my cock between her lips again. My head drags over her clit, and she gasps, nodding her head.

  She puts her hands on the window, pushing back against me, trying to take me in.

  “I want a family with you . . . as many babies as you want.”

  “Let’s start with one,” I say, a huge smile on my face. I pull back, adjusting my cock so that I’m pressed against her entrance, and I pause, teasing her with the tip, knowing she wants more, so much more . . . all of me, everything I can give her. I want that too.

  I push in, and there’s that fresh like the first time instant where she’s so damn tight, but then she relaxes, letting me sink in deeper.

  I pull back and thrust again, grunting as I fill her balls-deep. We go hard and fast, knowing that we’re cutting the time short, but it’s a good quickie, the sharp slap of my hips on Madison’s ass sending a good shiver up her spine as my balls come forward to smack her clit.

  “Fuck, your cock feels so good . . .” she groans, her fingers digging into the window as she pushes into me, fucking me back. But I keep her pressed to the glass, letting the city see that she is my woman.

  “I love you,” I growl in her ear as I speed up more, our bodies driving against the glass and thumping throughout the entire penthouse.

  She squeezes me, trembling on the edge, and I groan as I let go, not able to withstand any more of the delicious onslaught. Needing her to get there, to come with me, I reach around her hip to thrum at her clit. We’re both groaning, sobs tearing from our throats as I fill her and she spasms around me.

  I plant a hand on the window next to hers, exhausted but kissing her neck. “My
. . . I . . .”

  “That was better than ever before,” she whispers, covering my hand with hers. “I love you, too.”

  We disentangle, and I can’t help but grin at the mess we made of the window. “It looks like a frosted outline of two people fucking on the thing. There are handprints and tit prints, and a nice steamy outline.”

  “Should we clean it before we go?” she asks, not at all embarrassed by the art we’ve created.

  “Nope, gotta go . . . plane leaves in one hour. For Paris.”

  Madison’s eyes are so wide they nearly bug out of her head, and her jaw drops wide open. “Really? Oh, my God, are you serious?”

  I take the invite of her open mouth and cover her with a kiss before telling her, “Yes, for real. Now, let’s go.”

  She’s off and running toward the bedroom. My naked savior. I might have saved her from a few dangerous situations, but she’s the one who’s saved me . . . from myself. The biggest Danger there is.

  Epilogue

  Madison

  Daily Horoscope, January 12th

  Libra – I dare you.

  “Are you sure about this?” Tiff asks again. I think she’s scared I’m going to go batshit crazy on her again or that something bad is going to happen.

  “I am. I still don’t believe, exactly. But you gotta admit, she was right,” I tell her again.

  “But was she really?” Tiff argues.

  I quote the prediction that started this whole roller coaster . . .“Your heart shall be his . . . then will come the sting. You will suffer . . . oh, girl, will you suffer . . . and then you shall burn. That’s literally what she said and actually what happened. Maybe I’ll just tell her I only want the good stuff this time? Although that scary sounding prediction worked out pretty well in the end.”

  Tiff nods, but she’s still not convinced.

  This time, it’s me opening the door to Marie Laveau’s House of Voodoo and shoving Tiff inside.

  This time, I expect the Jamaican-accented greeting.

  This time, I sit down with an open mind and an open heart.

  “Ah, the forgotten child who is no longer forgotten. She is found, she is freed,” Marie says wisely, and I swear she has a twinkle in her eye that wasn’t there last time.

  “I wanted to apologize for how we left after the last reading you gave me. We were freaked out because it sounded so negative. Well, it was bad, in a lot of ways, but . . .” I stammer, trying to explain how I got here again.

  “Understandable, child. So the prediction was true. You were stung by the scorpion after giving him your heart and have suffered greatly. I see fire in your recent past. Flames of pain, flames of rebirth.” Marie’s eyes trace along my skin, but she seems to see deeper, or maybe beyond me.

  “Yes, I was literally burned when my car caught fire.” I don’t want to tell her too much about Rich. That’s not what I care about. I’d like to know about my future with Scott, maybe how many mini-mes or mini-Scotts we’ll have running around. Or if the rescue will be successful. Things that matter to my future.

  But Marie laughs. “Child, my prediction speaks not of this accident. You burn still, bright and heated, with the flames of love. You will burn forever.”

  My jaw drops. She didn’t mean the car fire? She meant my love for Scott will burn eternally. That’s beautiful and something I already knew. “Thank you, Marie. I think that’s what I needed.”

  Marie dips her head once, almost a bow before her chin jerks up once more. “The spirits, girl. They want me to tell you . . . say forever you’ll be mine.”

  Beside me, I can feel Tiff’s confusion as she looks at me, her brows pulled in tight. But I understand. I don’t know how Marie does it, how she knows, but I start to hum the old Dolly tune . . .

  Forever I am yours, say forever you’ll be mine.

  Matchmaker

  by Lauren Landish

  Emily

  My knees are weak, shaking beneath the length of my formal gown as I stare blankly at the pops of color across the dark night sky. Behind me, I can feel a faint wind tickle my exposed back, making the fountain show a little blurry as the lights flash on the moving water sprays. I’m sure it’s spectacular, but I don’t even really see it. I try to blink, focus on something, anything, but I’m lost in some sort of weird hypnotic trance. My arms feel heavy, and it’s only the waving motion of the producer off camera that snaps me out of it.

  The two men across from me are both strikingly handsome, but that’s where the similarities end. One is blond and blue-eyed, with a chiseled body and a prowling natural grace. And while he might seem a little rough around the edges, with me, he’s kind and genuine. The other is the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome. He has a way with words that makes me feel precious.

  If there’s anything these two men have in common, it’s the look in their eyes, one of equal parts want and need. But is it real? How can I be sure?

  This is my deciding moment, and I feel so torn. Do I choose the one I’m falling in love with, the one who pushes me and lights flames deep in my soul? That should be an easy question, and if I were a bystander sitting at home on my couch, I’d readily say yes. But I’m scared. He could destroy me, burn me to ash with his fire. And if I’m wrong about him, I don’t know if I’ll ever recover.

  People are pulling me the other way, telling me the other guy is the better choice and backing that up with good reasons. The other guy is passionate, driven, and totally focused on me. He’s everything a woman could want. But my heart doesn’t flutter when I think about him. Can I be happy settling for safe?

  It’s all just happening so fast. I only met them a few weeks ago, and it’s been a whirlwind of romantic adventures ever since. Admittedly, most of it has been orchestrated by the show, contrived by the people behind the camera who have walked me step by step through the journey to this moment.

  So whom do I chose?

  “Emily!” the producer calls, obviously exasperated with my unintentional overly dramatic pause. “We don’t have time to stand around all night. I need the choice before the light show finishes!”

  I take a deep breath, trying not to lose my lunch all over my high heels. I give a nod and count to five, pausing as I see flickers of emotion in the eyes of both men.

  Fear. Uncertainty. I know exactly how they feel.

  Even though I’m not sure how this is going to end, I dutifully begin. “I’ve thought long and hard about this, so gentlemen, let’s see if we’re a Match. Please . . . turn over your cards.”

  Emily

  “I still can’t believe it!” I cry into the phone to my friend Cassie as I walk out of my bathroom, fresh out of the shower and over the moon giddy. “They really want me!”

  “We’ve been over this. You’d better believe it, girl!” Cassie laughs. I’m sure she’s happy it’s finally become a reality for me as I’ve annoyed her to death ever since I sent my video to the producers. “Unless you’ve suddenly become grotesque or killed a man, they picked you. You’ve sailed through all their Q-and-A sessions, and I’m guessing you’ve haven’t had a zit pop up overnight, so you’re golden. It’s you, babe.”

  I’ve been running around my room like a chicken with its head cut off, but at Cassie’s words, I pause and squeal, “O.M.G. It’s so happening! Hollywood, here I come!”

  “Congrats again!” Cassie exclaims. “I’m so happy for you!” She adds under her breath, “Thank you, Jesus! I don’t have to listen to ‘I wonder if they think I’m cute enough’ over and over anymore.”

  I can’t stop smiling, my heart soaring to the heavens. “I know, right? I mean, after I sent in my video, I was convinced I wouldn’t get a call back. They must get thousands of submissions from interesting women. Me? I’m regular old Emily, nothing special.

  “You are special!” Cassie says. “I know it, you know it, and they damn sure know it or they wouldn’t have picked you. Now, serious question here . . . you got your outfits picked yet?”

  I can h
ear the grin in her voice as she asks, and I nod, even though she can’t see me. “Yeah, a few. They told me that I only needed to bring a few spare outfits and they would provide the rest.”

  “Damn, they’re just rolling out the red carpet for you, aren’t they?” Cassie jokes. “Sure they have one wide enough?”

  “My carpet’s a lot skinnier than yours, Miss Future Real Estate Mogul,” I say, casually tossing back her dig. Furrowing my brow, I bite my lower lip thoughtfully. “I’m just dying to know what the show is going to be about. The ad was attached to the season finale of Survivor, but the execs told me it would be something totally different.” Thinking about it, my mind goes back to when I first got the call.

  “Hello, this is Meredith Ward of Ward-Williams Productions. I wanted to talk to you about your video submission,” the businesswoman announces when I pick up the phone.

  I almost hang up on the spot. Just another attempt by Cassie at playing a prank on me. No way they’re calling me.

  “Nice joke, Cass! You’re not fooling me!”

  The laughter at the other end of the line tells me that I’m way off. God, I’m such an idiot. Her laughter assures me that I didn’t ruin my chance. “Miss Parks, I assure you this is no joke, and the only Cass I know is a seven-foot-tall guy.”

  “Oh, my God, I’m so sorry!” I spew, blushing furiously. “Miss . . .? I’m an idiot.”

  “Meredith Ward. And relax. I just want to chat a little. Your video caught our attention.”

  I try to keep my racing heartbeat under control as she begins to ask questions that are mostly about me. Where I grew up, why I love working with kids, and why I applied to the show. I try to answer them honestly without running on forever. I don’t want to sound like a ditzy airhead. She seems especially interested to know if I have any skeletons in the closet, explaining that the show’s producers don’t want any shockers while the show is on air. I don’t blame them. Scandals have been known to sink ratings like a ninety-year-old’s tits.