The Beauty's Beast

by Eddie Cleveland

  Suddenly the door to the room opens and a man with sparse, gray hair pops in his round face, “Twenty minutes until you’re up guys. The guests have to go!” His gritty voice demands.

  “Got it,” Seth clenches his jaw and stares the man down until he pops back out of the room.

  “I guess we need to go,” I state the obvious, but I’m too tongue-tied to do much else. What am I supposed to say? I never even realized how much I missed you until you walked into my shop this afternoon? I can’t believe how amazing you turned out to be? Go break a leg? It’s better to let our discussion happen in body language. The heat between my legs intensifies and my pussy gets wet as I let myself imagine how much more I could say with my body if it was just us in this room.

  I didn’t even see Chris and Melody make their way back over here. “I think someone is waiting to take us to our seats,” she interrupts us and swirls back into my vision.

  “Oh, okay,” I somehow manage to step back from Seth and follow her to the door. “I can’t wait to see you on stage,” I smile back at him.

  Seth grabs my hand and tugs me back toward him hard so I stumble into his strong chest. Then he puts a hand on the small of my back, pressing me into him. Before I can overthink it, his lips cover mine in a slow, tantalizing kiss that makes me feel like I’m swimming in slow motion under water.

  When he pulls back, it takes me a second to open my eyes back up. Seth smiles at me, “I needed that, for luck,” he smirks and runs his hand through his hair sheepishly. “I’ll see you out there,” he nods toward the door behind me and I get enough of a grip to make my way to my friends waiting for me in the doorway.

  “This way ladies and gentleman,” the impatient man waiting for us bellows and leads us down the hall. Leads me away from a man I never realized had been my dream all along. A man I get to listen to sing for the next two hours. My heart feels as light as my feet as I practically float to our seats right in front of the stage. I’m excited for the show, don’t get me wrong, but right now, after that kiss, it’s the idea of the afterparty that I’m really looking forward to.

  It feels like we only just got settled into our spots when the lights dim down and the crowd of thousands begins to cheer.

  “San Diego! Welcome Twilight Sins to the stage!”

  Chapter 3

  Pyrotechnics fizzle around the stage and through the smoky haze I see Seth and the rest of the guys appear. The crowd is screaming so loud, it’s like a wall of noise behind me. I turn to catch a glimpse of the stadium full of excited fans, mostly women and girls, shrieking deliriously for them. It has got to be incredible to feel a building shake with the echoes of your name. I feel humbled by it and it doesn’t even have anything to do with me.

  I turn back and look up at the stage and see that Seth is watching me. Just me. He’s not distracted by the surging crowd of women that would literally kill me if it meant they’d have his smile to themselves. I hate to think of what they’d do to share a kiss with him… or even more.

  Jealousy roils in my gut and I push it away. This isn’t about them. It’s not about his intense fans or anything like that.

  It’s about us.

  With a wink that makes me melt a little, Seth jumps in the air and brings his guitar to life as he opens the show with their biggest hit right now, Drowning Without You.

  I’ve gotta admit, it’s catchy. I’ve always said there was no music worth listening to after the early 90’s, but clearly I was wrong. The band fills the air with music that would easily stack up against any of the singers I adored in the era of big hair and even bigger tunes.

  I somehow manage to look away from the stage, and by stage I mean Seth, long enough to see Melody dancing away with abandon. Chris watches her with the goofy grin of a man completely in love. For him, it’s clear the real show isn’t on the stage at all, but in her carefree spirit as she swirls around and screams the lyrics out.

  I’m not a big dancer, but I can’t even stop myself from swaying to the songs as the band plays one after another to the wild crowd. The entire time, Seth has been watching me. I feel like he’s singing only to me. Like the lyrics are love letters from his heart to mine as he belts out songs of romance and heartache.

  As another song comes to an end I wonder how long we’ve been here for. Time is a meaningless blur. If you told me I’ve been here for five hours or five minutes, I’d believe either. Seth wipes his hand over his brow as beads of sweat glisten in his hairline. It must be hot under those stage lights. I can’t help but lick my lips as he tugs off his leather jacket and tosses it to the side of the stage, revealing his white tank top and his ropy, muscled arms completely covered in sleeves of tattoos.

  Of course, the stadium erupts into a frenzy. I can hear women screaming out “Take the rest off!” and I frown. He’s not a piece of meat! Besides, if he was, he’d be mine and I don’t share.

  If it bothers Seth at all, it doesn’t show. He probably gets a kick out of all of his anonymous admirers. “San Diego, thank you for making the last stop on the tour the most amazing one,” Seth speaks into the microphone and the clapping and cries of love fill the stadium.

  “Marry me!” I hear one girl cry out.

  “I’m a virgin! I want you to be my first!” Another one screams.

  Jeez, I’m starting to think I might have been completely delusional to think that Seth and I had anything special. When he’s got women who are practically models at his beck and call, why would he be interested in me?

  “When we scheduled this tour,” he continues up on stage, “it was important to me to come back here. This is where it all began for us.” Seth sweeps his hand back to his bandmates. “This is where I met these guys and we played every gig in this city, like, fourteen times,” he laughs.

  The crowd settles down a little, everyone hanging on Seth’s words. I glance around and all the shining eyes are staring up at the stage.

  “But before any of that, before I ever met these guys, there was someone who inspired me to get into music in the first place. And I couldn’t be happier that she’s here tonight. I really want to do a number for her, so I’m gonna bring her up here.”

  My heart is seriously going into cardiac arrest. There’s no way it can beat this hard and not be a heart attack, is there? Seth struts across the stage and stops in front of me. Leaning down, he holds out his hand, “Come on, I got you.” He waits for me and I clutch his tatted hand as he gives me a yank and plucks me from the floor to the stage.

  “What are you doing?” I hiss, painfully aware of all the envious women watching me right now.

  “You’ll see,” he smirks and then sweeps me up in his arms, carrying me over to a speaker where he gently sets me down. “Open your legs a little bit, you’ll like this,” he smiles before turning back to the band and yelling out “One! Two! One, two three!”

  I can’t help but giggle as Seth begins singing Pour Some Sugar on Me. I must have played this song a million times as a teenager. What girl didn’t? Of course, when I played it back then, I didn’t have the vibrations of a giant stage speaker trembling between my thighs, sending little tremors straight to my aching clit.

  Oh my God, this feels incredible. I watch as Seth sings to me with sexy swagger all while the speaker touches me with his voice in the exact place I’d like to feel his tongue.

  I lean forward, shamelessly enjoying the sensation building inside me. I feel like Seth is going to make me cum without ever touching me. I can feel my panties getting soaked as he sings the words to the famous song. I can barely keep my eyes open, the vibrations are too much, quaking against my clit, taking me to the edge. I cover my mouth with my hand as an orgasm shudders through me and squeeze my eyes shut.

  I don’t even have time to think about how I just came in front of a stadium of people because Seth is finished singing. He drops the mic and picks me up. I wrap my legs around his waist and he doesn’t even look back over his shoulder to the frantic women screeching for more as he walks
me off the stage.

  Chapter 4

  It’s a short walk down the hall before Seth kicks open a door and carries me inside. It’s not the same one that him and his band were hanging out in earlier. This smaller room looks like a place for him to get dressed. With the heel of his boot, he slams the door shut behind us and pins me against the wall with a thud. His tight body is pressed against mine as he kisses me deeply and grinds his hard cock against my wet panties.

  “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do this,” he growls as he sucks my earlobe in over his teeth and thrashes his tongue against it.

  “I feel like I’m dreaming. You’re so talented,” I try to communicate between our hurried kisses.

  “If you think I’m talented with music, just wait until you see what I can do to your body,” his eyes twinkle as he holds me in place with his hips and rips off his tank top revealing even more tattoos.

  “I already saw,” I admit, blushing. “That song, on the speaker, I came,” I bite my lip.

  “Mmmm, is that why you’re so wet?” His fingers trail over my panties. Before I can respond, he clutches them in his hand and twists them around his skin until the fabric tears off my flesh and dangles from his hand.

  I gasp as the cool air rushes against my clit, “Let me down,” I murmur and Seth furrows his eyebrows together at the request.

  “What? Why?”

  “Because I want to feel you in my mouth,” I lick my lips and he steps back, letting me slowly slide all the way down to the floor on my knees like he’s a stripper pole.

  My fingers are shaking as I pop open the top button and tug down his zipper. Seth helps me pull his jeans down until his cock springs out, swaying in front of my face. I wrap my fingers over his thickness and take him in my mouth as he threads his fingers in my long hair and groans.

  I look up at him and he’s staring down at me with a dreamy look in his eyes as I hollow my cheeks and suck his big cock. I tease the sensitive underside of his member with the tip of my tongue as I take him inch-by-inch into the back of my mouth, gagging slightly as he reaches my throat.

  I bob my head quicker now, wanting to give him the same intense pleasure he already gave me on stage. I use my hands to match the rhythm of my mouth as I blow him.

  “Get up,” his voice is raspy as he clutches my shoulders and pulls me to my feet. It’s not a request. I steady myself and Seth whirls me around so I’m facing the wall. “I need to fuck you, Raine. I can’t wait any longer,” he steps between my legs and teases my entrance with his throbbing cock. “Do I need a condom?” His deep voice makes a shiver run down my spine.

  “No, I want to feel you when you cum. I’m on the pill,” my voice is breathy and I open my stance to accept him.

  Seth pushes the hem of my dress up so my bare pussy is exposed and he wraps his hand up in my hair, tugging it back tight as he plunges his thick cock inside me in a relentless thrust.

  “Ah!” It’s all I can say as my pussy makes way for his impressive girth. I can feel my walls hug him, squeezing down on his rigid member as he buries himself inside me.

  I place my palms on the wall and wiggle my ass back against him. I am rewarded with a stinging slap as he gives my hair another tug and plunges inside me further.

  I’ve never felt this full before. My head is under his control as he fucks me hard and fast from behind. I can feel every inch of his cock slide in and out of me. The ache in my clit builds again and I open my stance even wider, allowing him the deepest access possible to my center. I can’t help the moans that escape my lips as his balls slap against my pussy, driving me to the edge.

  “You’ve always been the one I wanted, the one I dreamed of, the one I wrote songs for. It’s always been you, Raine,” Seth manages to pant his words as he fucks me. Filling me fuller than I’ve ever experienced with every pounding thrust.

  “Oh. My. Ahh!” My eyes squeeze shut and my words turn into a guttural scream as my pussy clenches him, contracts against him, milks his cock while another orgasm overwhelms my body. My muscles all tighten and the white-hot bliss radiates through me, bringing me a level of pleasure I never knew was possible.

  “Oh fuck, I’m gonna cum,” Seth growls and fills me deep with his fat cock. I can feel the spurts of his cum erupt inside me, splashing against the walls of my pussy. His cock twitches inside me as he empties his seed.

  Seth pulls out and a little of our mixed juices slide down my inner thigh. I smear them into my skin, leaving a glistening sheen.

  I turn and face him and Seth kisses me sensually. Like he’s savoring me.

  He tugs his pants up and grabs my hand, leading me over to the couch. We both lie down; my face is pressed against his marked skin and I can hear his heart thumping inside.

  “That was amazing,” he rakes his fingers through my long locks.

  “I couldn’t agree more. It just sucks though,” I don’t want to be ungrateful or start pouting. I knew when I came here tonight that this could only ever be fleeting if it could be anything at all.

  “Why?” he meets my eyes and once again I’m transfixed by his soulful gaze.

  “I dunno,” I feel a bit shy, “I can’t imagine you’re in town for long. I guess I’m just saying I’m gonna miss you. I wish I would’ve given you a chance in high school now. It just seemed like our age gap was so huge then, you know? Like a few years was an impossible thing to bridge.” I trace over the art on his chest as I explain.

  “I know. That’s all in the past now anyway,” he pulls me closer. “But, um, well this is the last stop on our tour, so I was thinking about sticking around for a while. I’m not sure how long, but I am sure I’d like to take you out,” he trails his fingers down my back.

  “I’d love that,” I answer honestly. “I really would.”

  I lie in the heat of his arms and listen to his breathing grow deeper as he drifts off. It’s just incredible how life turns out sometimes. I snuggle into Seth and let myself drift into a hazy memory of him back when we were in high school. His sweet smile that has turned sultry over the years. His blue eyes that can lock me in place now. I never would have thought that he’d be the man who made my heart swell, and now I can’t imagine it any other way.

  THE END

  9

  Constructing Love

  Chapter 1 - Samantha

  Big Buck’s Steakhouse, I can’t help but shake my head as I tick my freshly manicured nails off the table top. Why would anyone want to go on a first date here?

  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not some kind of snob. I’ve worked hard to climb the corporate ladder. You don’t become a senior marketing executive at one of the hottest advertising companies at the age of forty by slacking off. Sure, money isn’t a big worry now, I slide my hand over my pale pink, chiffon sundress, remembering when my budget was so tight that ramen noodles felt like a luxury.

  However, Big Buck’s Steakhouse is far from luxurious. It’s like if luxury developed a heroin addiction and lost every ounce of dignity and self-respect then, covered in scabs and track marks, began to work the streets. That would be comparable to how ‘luxurious’ this dive is. The only reason I agreed to meet my date here is because of how hot he is. I’m normally not a superficial person, but after spending the last year on endless first dates with other marketers, accountants and lawyers, I was more than ready to try something new. And Wyatt James is definitely different. First of all, he’s eight years younger than me and his body looks like it’s been carved from steel. Suiting since he works construction downtown.

  What woman doesn’t love a man who’s good with his hands?

  “Would you like another drink? Or are you ready to order now?” An exhausted looking waitress with silver-streaked hair and slumped shoulders startles me.

  I look down at my empty glass and then glance around the room. Where is he? Am I being stood up? My gaze settles on the aging men cozied up to the bar across the room and for a second, I wonder if one of those pot-bellied old timers is him.
I mean, I used a picture from five years ago for my profile. I’m not proud to admit it, but it’s true. Who’s to say his picture isn’t some relic of his youth. Or maybe I’ve been catfished. Doubts begin to swirl around in my mind like a cyclone of anxiety.

  “Another drink for now, please,” I chirp at the waitress, my throat tight.

  This was probably a mistake. Maybe I should go ask for the bill instead. I begin to stand up when the door beside the line of ancient video game consoles opens up and, I swear, light almost shines around him angelically as he steps inside.

  Wyatt James.

  I lick my lips as I scan him from head to toe. He definitely didn’t use an old picture. If anything, with his skin-tight shirt clinging to his well-defined abs and his faded jeans cupping his round ass, he makes his stunning profile look like chopped liver. I didn’t think that was possible.

  I swallow hard and wonder if I should wave him down or something. Instead, I tuck a tendril of my auburn hair behind my ear that somehow escaped my sleek ponytail, and take a deep breath.

  Wyatt James spots me in less than a second and I’m relieved when a huge, sexy smile spreads over his full lips. Damn. I know people say men look better when they’re serious, but I love a warm smile that can just make you melt like that first taste of cotton candy on your tongue at the state fair.

  He quickly crosses the floor while the steakhouse and all of the sad people and its tacky décor fade from my sight. This man is so beautiful we could be meeting in hip waders in a swamp somewhere and he could make it feel like a tropical beach of glistening white sand.

  He walks up to me and shamelessly lets his eyes travel over my body before meeting my eyes with his icy blue ones. I clasp his extended hand and am surprised by how warm and large it is.

  “I’d recognize your beautiful smile anywhere,” he finally speaks, “I’m sorry I’m late, but I’m so glad you stuck around. I’m Wyatt James, your date. Mind if I sit down?”