Ballad Ares

by Lulu M. Sylvian

  Sitting in the lobby more than an hour later, I was beginning to wonder if he really remembered me. Maybe I wasn’t in the right hotel. This was where he told me to go. Did he really know where he was staying? Maybe he was mistaken. Doubts swirled through my head. For once, I really wish I was capable of becoming invisible, because tonight for some humiliating reason, I was completely visible. Granted it was after hours, and I was dressed for clubbing, which just happened to look like I was dressed up like a cheap hooker. Of course, sitting as primly as I could with my hands clasped and my knees welded together did not convince anyone who noticed I was there for anything but nefarious purposes. One guy actually propositioned me. I just ignored him and turned my head until he left. Fortunately, he did. Unfortunately, the hotel staff also thought I was there in a professional capacity.

  The front desk clerk approached me when I first entered and found a seat in the lobby. I felt like decking him. He threatened to call the police to have me removed. I told him I was meeting my friend, and how dare he make assumptions based on my dress. Twenty minutes after that the same clerk and a manager, approached me. Again, they said I would have to leave as my activities were not to be tolerated at their hotel. After asking them to specify what activities, as I was only sitting and waiting, I repeated I was waiting for someone. This time I gave them his name, both since I didn’t know what he would be registered under, explained I was waiting for him after a performance, and he should be here momentarily. They agreed to not call the police if I would agree to leave if Mr. Martin did not arrive within the next forty-five minutes.

  Ares cut it close. After making me wait almost two hours, he showed up with only about ten minutes left before I was to be escorted from the premises.

  It felt like magic when he suddenly appeared before me. His hair was pulled back, and his face was clean with a smudge of eyeliner. He wore his long leather coat, and he looked tired. Without a word, he leaned over and picked up the bag at my feet. He then extended a hand and helped me up.

  We held hands as he guided me toward the elevator.

  I couldn’t help myself, I glared at the desk clerk. He had a look of shock and detestation on his face. I decided it was a combination of envy and of being proven wrong. He had to be jealous of Ares’s hair, the clerk was bald, and jealous I was the one going upstairs with Ares and not himself. I stuck my tongue out at him. I may be an adult, but I wasn’t always mature.

  Ares escorted me into the elevator, another person followed us in. I stood ramrod straight, balancing on my shoes, clutching Ares’s hand, and staring straight ahead into his reflection in the elevator doors. I wanted to say something, I just didn’t know what, and the other person there made me feel awkward and conspicuous.

  My eyes never left Ares’s reflection. He looked down at me. “I like your shoes.”

  “I got them for tonight. I wanted to be taller.”

  “Well, they work.”

  The conversation was stilted, forced.

  The elevator doors opened, and he pulled me through.

  The second the doors closed, I thought I might relax. The guy in the elevator gave me the creeps. But I didn’t relax. I was nervous. We stopped in front of his room door. Putting my bag down, he pulled my hand up to his mouth. His lips gently brushed my knuckles.

  “I, I don’t normally do stuff like this,” I managed to gulp out.

  “This?” He cocked an eyebrow and kissed my hand more.

  “This.” I glanced pointedly at the door. “Ya know, picking guys up at a bar, the shoes.” I could feel panic bunching in my abdomen. It was nerves, not excitement.

  “You didn’t pick anyone up. We arranged to meet remember?” His voice was soothing and gentle.

  I nodded.

  He stroked my fingers with his thumb.

  “You agreed to meet me at the club. This is not a pickup, but an arranged date I have anticipated for months.” He kissed my fingertips. “I don’t think any less of you for being here. We will go at your pace. Nothing will happen tonight that you don’t want to happen.”

  I nodded again.

  He began to brush my hair away from my face. “I like, you have that soft fire color.”

  I must have blushed, I focused down at his chest, his gaze was too intense to hold.

  “Before we go in,” he began, “you know my name, right?”

  “Yes, it’s Ares Martin, you go by the stage name Mars.”

  He nodded. “I need to know,” he began.

  I cut him off spilling all the information I was afraid to discuss, all the information we needed to discuss. Words vomited from my mouth at a speed I hadn’t achieved since middle school. “I don’t have any STDs, they test you for that when you have a baby, and well, I haven’t been with anyone since before Bree was born. That includes her father, my ex, Richard. So, I’m clean that way. Bree’s my youngest, she’s four. I’m thirty-seven I’ve only had three partners. The boy in high school, the boy in college, and Richard. You’ll be number four. I don’t need to know how many women you’ve been with, actually I don’t think I want to know. I’m going to trust that you get checked and are clean. I am going to insist you use a condom. I brought some cause I’m not on the pill or anything.”

  I spoke quickly while staring at his chest. I hid my eyes behind my hand, as if I could block out his gaze.

  He quietly said, “Yes, to everything you just said.” He leaned forward and in a slow whisper said, “I want to shout your name when I come. I can’t exactly yell out ‘Invisagirl,’ now can I? I need to know your name before I take you in there.”

  “Elizabeth Warner, Lizzie,” I squeaked.

  His slow rumbling voice stole my breath. “Elizabeth.” It sounded like a prayer the way he said it.

  With a click and a jolt, the door was open. Cool hotel air conditioned air rolled into the hallway. “Please Lizzie, come in.” He held the door open and allowed me to pass into his room.

  It was a nice hotel room. Chairs and a table to one side, a mini kitchen in the corner. The king size bed was to one side and the bathroom beyond that. I saw the bed and froze. What the hell did I think I was doing? Ares tossed my bag onto one of the side chairs and walked straight into the bathroom and turned on the shower. I stood frozen in the middle of the room. What had I expected? To fall straight into bed? To be honest with myself, yes, that is what I expected.

  He came back into the room pulling his coat off, then he untucked his shirt. I watched him remove his belt, empty his pockets onto the side table, and unbutton the tops of his jeans. He seemed to have forgotten I was there. I was invisible again.

  He disappeared into the bathroom again, returning with his shirt unbuttoned and a toothbrush in his mouth. My mouth went dry when I saw flashes of exposed chest as he moved around. Little globs of foam collected in the corners of his mouth. He gave me a frothy smile as it seemed he noticed me again.

  “I need to shower, the hot water in this place takes forever.”

  I nodded as he gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. He vanished into the bathroom again. When he returned this time, he brushed his knuckles across my cheek, probably removing a bit of toothpaste.

  “You don’t have to, but I would like you to join me.”

  I looked down at my feet. I was terrified.

  “No need to be shy with me,” he said soothingly. “I’ll get started, then you decide.” He leaned in and gave me a brief kiss on the lips.

  I didn’t move. I hadn’t moved since I walked in. I was still in the middle of his room. Cowed by the imposing bed, uncertain of his intentions, uncertain of my own. Hadn’t he just said he wanted to shout my name? So, why was he now in the shower? Would I humiliate myself if I stayed? Leaving wasn’t an option I considered until just now. It was something I would regret forever and a day if I did leave.

  The sounds from the bathroom changed, he was under the water. I could stand here until he came back, or I could do something. I decided on the latter. I pulled off my dress, remov
ed the shoes and underthings and walked into the bathroom. I stared at the curtain, listening to him bathe. He was close, just on the other side of the curtain, and under the water. I moved the curtain and without looking at him stepped into his shower.

  The tub was not large, so when he turned, I was immediately confronted with his chest. It was broad and thick with muscles. His well-defined square pectorals were lightly covered in dark hair that made wiggly patterns as the water ran down his chest.

  I peered up into his face as he wiped water from his eyes. When he saw me his eyes opened wider, his jaw went slack, and he blanched. I stepped back and put a handout to brace myself, closing my eyes. This had been a mistake. I could feel the sting of tears behind my lids. I hoped there was enough water on my face to hide them. In that split second, with his instant reaction of shock it felt like I had been gutted. I was so humiliated. I knew I wasn’t not in perfect physical form. My breasts may never have been perky before I had two kids, but they were not exactly saggy. I have never had a flat stomach, and my hips were wide, but I didn’t think I was so bad that he would go into shock seeing me naked. I felt so raw and exposed, physically, and mentally.

  I felt his arms encircle me and pull me to his chest. I let him. I may be ugly, but I desperately needed the comfort, even if it was from the same man who just delivered the insult.

  I felt the whole length of him. His chest was as strong as it appeared. His middle was flat and taught, and his legs were also well muscled and firm. I noticed a lack of erect anatomy, providing confirmation that I really was not appealing to him.

  My hands curled under my chin against his chest. Within the few heart beats of entering the shower my world imploded, and then he was kissing the top of my head and slicking the water down my hair and down my back.

  “You are,” his breath seemed labored, bracing himself to ditch the ugly Lizzie, “so beautiful, I wasn’t expecting to be caught so badly off guard.”

  “Wait, you think I’m beautiful?”

  “Most definitely.” His voice was thick with emotion.

  A ragged sigh escaped my lips. “I thought, you reacted like I was hideous.”

  “No, no, not hideous. You took my breath and stopped my heart.” He lifted my chin and kissed me. Water ran over our bodies. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, pressing my breasts into his chest.

  His hands slicked water down my back and cupped my butt. His lips were warm and tasted of mint. He sucked my tongue into his mouth, our lips danced, and tongues twined. The combination of wet warm naked skin, and his toe-curling kiss made me very aware of my body. I wanted to feel his hands, I wanted his lips, and I really wanted to know why he didn’t feel the same.

  “Um, everything okay?” I asked. “Are you sure I’m not hideous?”

  “Yeah, the mind is willing, but it seems the body is kicking me in the balls,” he groaned.

  It never occurred to me that a healthy virile looking man wouldn’t actually be virile.

  “I guess I drank too much during the show, I didn’t know if you would be there. Booze is a good numbing agent.” He gazed down his front, I did not. “Whiskey dick. This is my body’s way of letting me know I’m not so young anymore and can’t drink like I used to.”

  “You don’t seem drunk, are you?” I was skeptical. I heard of whiskey dick, but I thought the person had to be pretty drunk for it to be a thing.

  “Apparently more than I realized.” He pulled me in close, “I guess I will just have to be satisfied with making you come, and then I’ll ravish you later. He gave me a big-bad wolf quality grin, laden with wickedness and mirth.

  He started by washing my hair. He scrubbed and rinsed with expert skill, drawing the water thru the length without creating excessive tangles. He soaped up his large hands and ran them over my shoulders, massaging up and down along my spine. He turned me so my back was to him, and he ran his hands down my butt and onto the backs of my thighs. As he washed back up my legs, he let his fingers caress the cleft of my butt. I hissed in anticipation.

  He pulled me back against his chest and began giving my front a soapy massage. He cupped my breasts in a combination washing kneading motion, giving them an erotic massage.

  “These are the dirtiest nipples I have ever seen,” he growled into my ear as he rolled each one between his thumbs and fingers. He pinched and rolled and pulled on both nipples simultaneously.

  I groaned, I let my head roll against his chest. I had never felt so good. He left one hand cupping a breast and swept the other down and across my belly. His fingers played in the curls above my core. My body exploded in sensation. I hadn’t been touched like this in a very long time, probably ever.

  Getting more soap, he moved both hands down to my inner thighs. He started massaging my legs then moved inwards toward my inner folds. He rubbed my skin together, then he ran a single finger across the crease. I sharply drew in a breath.

  He mumbled, “This is very dirty. It’s going to require extra attention.”

  He reached between my folds and caressed either side of my clit with his fingers.

  “Oh God,” I moaned. I was going to explode any second.

  “I think you need to wash this nipple some more.” It was hard to not start pulsing my hips, and to just let his hands toy with me.

  In one fluid motion, he turned me, pressed me back against the wall, and was on his knees.

  “This needs…” He didn’t finish what he was saying. He lowered his head and licked.

  Lightning shot straight through his tongue and into my clit. Warm water continued to fall on us. Ares ran his tongue around my center and slowly inserted a long finger.

  I gasped, I grabbed his hair for stability. I forgot how to breathe, my inner muscles started to quiver around his finger. All that existed was his mouth and his hand. As he sucked and swirled his tongue, he inserted more fingers and began thrusting. My muscles clenched tighter and tighter. I rocked my hips, he sucked and pumped. The climax that had been building from the second he touched me slammed into me like a semi-truck. I had no control. My eyelids flickered, my hands seized up in his hair, and my inner muscles grabbed and released his fingers faster and harder than his thrusting action could match.

  He continued the magic with his tongue. My orgasm did not subside, it continued. Ares pulled it from me with his mouth, laving and sucking that delicate flesh. I gasped for air. I couldn’t have screamed if I had wanted to. I must have pulled too hard on his hair, and pulled his head back. His tongue left me. My quaking muscles settled. Then he ever so slowly slid his fingers from me.

  “Oh,” was all I could muster. It was more of a whimper than an actual word.

  He licked his fingers with a satisfied grin on his face. Grabbing the soap and working up a lather he said, “Still dirty,” as he continued to wash and massage. Every time he flicked a finger along my sensitive sex I would shiver. I must have been very dirty, he spent a long time washing me before wrapping me in a large fluffy towel and carrying me to the bed.

  Sometime later I awoke in the dark, wrapped in a clean white sheet. Ares traced his fingers up and down my side.

  “Hmm, you okay?” I asked sleepily.

  “May I ravish you now?” he inquired.

  “Didn’t you already earlier?” I purred.

  “I would like to finish.” He rubbed a very hard, very warm erection against my bottom.

  “Oh, I was worried that maybe you didn’t like me.” I rubbed against him in response.

  “I like you very much.” He pulled me onto my back and covered my mouth with his. He slid his tongue between my lips, and I captured it, sucking at it. I still tingled from his expert washing and did not need much encouragement. He slid two fingers along my clit and back dipping into me. I moaned.

  “Wet.” He smiled down at me as he shifted between my thighs. I wanted him there so much. I had fantasized about looking up at him and wrapping my legs around him. I had not expected the sensation of his hair. He ran it back and f
orth across my face and chest. It felt like cool smooth silk, setting all the nerves in my skin to a heightened awareness. He handed me a small square of foil. I managed to focus on opening the condom by touch as I could not see much in the dark room. He made focusing difficult as he continued to sweep his hair across me.

  I handed him the unwrapped circle of latex when he grabbed my wrist and pulled me into a sitting position as he shifted back onto his knees. He guided my hand to his erection. I couldn’t see much, but what I felt was glorious. It was of an unexpected proportion. I took my hand and ran it from base to tip. He was long, straight, and perfectly thick, extremely proportional to his considerable height. He was rock hard, the skin was silk soft and hot. His circumcised spade head pointed in my direction like a targeting arrow. I rolled the condom down his length, then cupped his soft balls. My eyes found his in the low light.

  “Is that thing going to fit?” I sounded more nervous than sarcastic as the remark had been intended.

  “I’ll go slow,” he said as he lowered himself to me.

  His tip found my opening and I closed my eyes with a sigh.

  “Don’t close your eyes, look at me,” he said softly.

  I opened my eyes and he slid into me. He had explored my body thoroughly in the shower, this was his final claiming. His eyes stayed locked to mine as I felt him pull back before he pushed all the way in. My hands smoothed over the muscles of his chest and down his arms. I felt my internal muscles open and encase him.