Quickies

by Eddie Cleveland

  “I was hoping you’d say that,” her eyes shine up at me and I tenderly kiss her beautiful lips.

  Nice guys finish last. The phrase that’s been thrown in my face my entire life pops up in my brain. Well, judging from the smile on this beautiful woman’s face, I’d say that’s a pretty good thing. I’ll gladly take last place if Melody is my prize.

  THE END

  4

  Read Between the Lines

  Chapter 1 - Ally

  He sits down in the chair I just left and pulls me toward him. “Lie across my knees, Samantha, I’m going to spank you,” he demands, his voice ragged.

  Um. What? I mean, I’m up for some spanking in bed as much as the next girl, but being put over my boss’s knee? That’s just… hot. I do as I’m told and feel the rigid outline of his thick cock pressing up against my belly as I try to get into a comfortable position across his lap.

  He tugs my skirt up over my shapely ass and rubs his hand over my bottom. I flinch as I wait, but at the same time I’m excited to feel his hand come down on my flesh. I’m excited to be spanked. Mr. Rosewood’s fingertips slide under the edge of my panties and he tugs them down over my ass and down my legs stopping just above my knees, leaving them holding my legs together like a thin, fabric restraint.

  He slaps one cheek, then the other, then back to the first. His paddling is quick and merciless, not like the spaced out, deliberate strikes I’ve experienced for fun in bed. He means business. I moan as the unexpected pain mixed with pleasure billows in my body, I want him to keep going, to slap me harder.

  Be careful what you wish for. His smacks start to sting my flesh as he rains down more strikes. It’s starting to really hurt and I can’t help but squirm as tears start to form in the corners of my eyes. He stops, pulling me off his lap, leaving me on the floor on my knees as he stands up in front of me.

  “Is this what you want?” He unzips his pants, pulling his heavy, hard girth from his underwear in front of my mouth.

  I lick my lips hungrily, “Yes, Sir.”

  My heartbeat flutters and I bite down hard on my lip as I read the passage. It’s like my eyes can’t move fast enough across my Kindle. Like my mind can’t absorb the words quickly enough.

  “Excuse me? Are you feeling okay?” The nosy man in the seat on the plane next to me interrupts my sexy scene.

  “Of course I’m okay, why?” I focus on his furrowed eyebrows and tilt my screen closer to my chest to prevent him from stealing a peek at the words I’m beta reading.

  The middle aged, balding man looks hard at my Kindle and then at me, from the judging look in his eyes, I’m guessing he’s already scanned the passage and he doesn’t approve. Heat flushes my cheeks at the thought of this complete stranger lurking next to me. Watching me get turned on by Gabriel’s hot spanking scene.

  “Nothing, you were just making noises and turning pink. I wanted to make sure you weren’t having a stroke or something,” his lips upturn smugly, like he’s waiting for me to die of shame. Like he’s just called checkmate.

  “No, no stroke here. Just reading a story that makes Fifty Shades look like your Nana’s inspirational romance. I’ll try to keep it down, but no promises,” I wink and watch as the nosy stranger turns fifty shades of his own. All of them red.

  To hell with that guy, I glance down at my kindle. It shut itself off and went into sleep mode. I flick the button on the side to wake it back up, I can’t stop reading now. I have a book to beta.

  However, I know that it has nothing really to do with that. I love helping Gabriel put out the best sizzling romances he can, I love being a part of each new release, but more than that, I’m totally head over heels for his stories. If he never let me beta read for him again, I know I’d still read every single thing he publishes. There’s just something about how he paints a picture. How he lets me escape my day-to-day and just live inside the characters for a few hours.

  I can’t believe I’m actually going to meet him! I have to force myself to supress a squeal that has nothing to do with the sexy scene waiting for me to finish with it. I’ve never been on a real vacation in my life. The closest I’ve come is traveling around nearby towns for softball tournaments in the summer.

  Leave it to me to go big on my first real vacation. I’m only hours away from landing in Fort Lauderdale where I’ll be boarding the Romance and Erotica Book Signing Cruise. For the first time, I’m going to come face to face with Gabriel. I only hope I don’t chicken out when I see him. I want to tell him how much his books mean to me. How much joy they’ve given me over the years, and not just with my battery-operated boyfriend, or Bob, as I like to call him.

  I push down the frantic butterflies in my stomach. This isn’t something to worry about, Abby, I scold myself. This is exciting.

  I look back down to my Kindle Paperwhite and smile. It is exciting and I am looking forward to it. However, right now, in this moment, there’s nothing more exciting than the remaining words in this chapter.

  * * *

  Chapter 2 - Gabriel

  “Who am I making this out to?” I hover my pen over the page of my book. I don’t bother trying to look up at the person standing in front of me because I know I can’t see them. Somehow, despite the fact that this cruise ship can sail in any direction, it’s managed to set a course that lets the sun shine directly into my eyes like an interrogator’s spotlight. Every time I try to smile up at one of my readers who have been gracious enough to support my work and want my signature, I end up squinting at them like I’m in pain.

  “Hi Gabriel,” the voice is sultry and sweet. I immediately know who owns the silhouette standing before me, even though I’ve never heard her speak before. It’s as if my very DNA recognizes her tone. Like someone I knew and loved in a past life has finally reunited with me in the present.

  I cup my hands over my eyes like the brim of a baseball cap and look up at her. She’s beautiful. And not just because the sun has formed a perfect halo around her, making her look like an angel.

  I stand up, “Hi Ally. It’s so nice to finally meet you,” my voice creaks like a rusty door hinge and I quickly grab a swig of water. Damn my throat for betraying my nerves.

  Now that we’re face to face, I can make out her features, and let me tell you, my eyes are taking their time doing just that. Her brown eyes are shimmering under her violet framed glasses. Every time she blinks her incredibly long, dark eyelashes at me my heart flutters in unison.

  I don’t want to look like a perv, so I try not to let my eyes travel over her body. I try not to notice the way her t-shirt hugs her large breasts. I try not to pay attention to her cute belly or the flare of her large hips. I definitely try not to stare at her perfect, plump ass. Even if it is the roundest, most spankable bubble butt I’ve ever seen.

  Instead, I force myself to stay focused on her eyes, not that it’s a challenge. I can easily get lost in the warmth and kindness I see in them. I feel like I’ve met her before, and I suppose I have, however, knowing someone online is never quite the same as meeting them in person.

  “You look much different than your avatar,” I tease her.

  “You mean the fluffy kitten in a hat?” She smiles.

  Damn, that smile. I may need a minute.

  “Yeah, that’s the one, I can’t believe after all this time, I’ve never seen your face.” My voice has recovered from its previous shock, coming out deep and rich.

  “I guess I’m a bit self-conscious,” she shrugs.

  “Of what?” I don’t mean to say it so loudly. Like she just shocked me with a cattle prod kind of loud. It’s just that I can’t imagine a woman so sexy being anything but proud of her appearance. This time I do let my eyes linger, I let them undress her, I let myself imagine her body unrestrained by clothes.

  I shake my head and smile. I need a shower. A cold one. And the relentless heat of the sun beating down on me has nothing to do with it.

  Ally looks down at her book shyly, but I can see her lips twi
nge up at the corners. “I absolutely loved this one, I mean, you know that, but I can’t tell you enough,” she slides the novel across the table, “could you sign it for me?”

  With the look she’s giving me, there’s no request I’d turn down. She could ask me to slay a sabretooth tiger and I’d research how to revive the species just to kill it off again.

  “Of course,” I grab my pen and open the cover, “I thought I sent you all my books signed already. How did I miss this one?” I flip the page and see that I did, indeed, already sign it.

  “You did,” she laughs nervously, “I was just hoping you could put another little message on it, since it’s my favorite of yours and I’m finally meeting you.”

  “Sure, of course,” I flip another page and scribble my words then sign my name with a flourish and hand it back to her closed.

  For a moment, the line of readers waiting behind her disappears. For a moment, I feel like we have this entire ship to ourselves as I look into her eyes.

  “Okay, well, I should go,” Ally nods at the crowd waiting behind her, “I don’t want to hold you up.” She clutches the book to her large breasts and starts to walk away.

  “Wait!”

  She wheels around and looks back at me.

  “Would you like to meet up later? Maybe get a drink or something?” I offer.

  Her round cheeks burn up. “Yeah, I’d love that,” she smiles. “Maybe we can re-enact that scene from Titanic, you know where he holds her arms open on the bow,” she giggles and I laugh at the suggestion. Ally gives a little snort and it’s the cutest thing.

  “With enough drinks, I’d be up for just about anything,” I chuckle. “How about we meet on the seventh-floor bar at eight?”

  “I’ll be there,” she smiles,turns back around and walks away.

  I can’t help but watch that sweet ass swing from side to side as she disappears into the crowd. Wow. That was intense. I’ve written about encounters like that in my books a hundred times, but I’ve never lived it.

  I can’t wait for the day to slip into night so I can see her again.

  * * *

  Chapter 3 - Ally

  “What’s a girl like you doing in a place like this?”

  I turn around on my stool, cozied up to the bar and smile. I didn’t need to see his handsome face to know it was him. I recognize his husky voice.

  “I’m meeting a very famous writer,” I tease him and smile even broader as his cheeks flare pink.

  Gabriel runs his hand through his dark hair and looks down. “Well, I don’t know about that,” he answers humbly.

  “I do,” I pat the seat next to me. “Care to join me?”

  “How about we go get a table? Something a little less crowded,” he nods to the patrons lined up beside me.

  “Sure,” I grasp the hand he’s holding out for me and slide down from my seat.

  “Could you bring us two more of what she’s ordered, please?” He looks over my shoulder at the bartender and then guides me to a table for two at the back of the room.

  His sexy charcoal suit clings to his frame in the best way. It’s true what they say, that a well-tailored suit is like lingerie for women. I’m relieved that I didn’t overdress. I had no idea what to wear when I was waiting for time to pass before this date.

  Date.

  Is that what this is? My heart flutters at the thought. I should be so lucky.

  For years Gabriel has been writing books that resonate in my soul. His words come to life in my mind, like a movie made just for me. If this is a date, it will definitely be one I’ll never forget.

  Gabriel pulls out my chair and I slide my hands over my long dress and take a seat.

  “Thank you. You’re such a gentleman,” I run my hand over my shoulder-length, brown hair and smile up at him.

  “I guess I’m a bit old-fashioned,” he shrugs.

  “I think it’s romantic,” I purr. I meet his eyes quickly and bite my lip. I’m not even sure if this is meant to be romantic yet. Way to make it awkward Ally.

  “It’s easy to be romantic when I’m in the company of such a beautiful woman,” he puts my swirling worries to rest and I exhale.

  “Thank you,” I murmur.

  A server brings us our drinks and I can’t help but laugh at Gabriel’s scrunched up nose.

  “Thanks,” he nods at the server then looks across the table at me. “What is this? A fruit cocktail? This is crazy,” he pulls the spear of pineapple wedges and cherries from the side of his Pina Colada and removes the little umbrella.

  “Just try it, it’s really good.” I laugh and take a sip of mine.

  “I’m really more of a rum and coke guy,” he eyes the drink suspiciously. “When in Rome, I guess,” he shrugs and takes a drink. I watch as his furrowed eyebrows relax. “That’s not half bad actually,” he pushes his wire-rimmed glasses up his nose and smiles.

  “See? As usual, I’m right,” I tease him. Over the last year, I’ve had more than one heated exchange with him about an aspect of his story that needed some reworking. He usually got his back up, but in the end, he would edit the book and make the changes only to admit it was the right call later.

  “Yeah, yeah,” he waves his hand playfully.

  “So, what got you into writing romance anyway?” I blurt out the question. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, you have a gift, but it’s not the usual career choice for most men,” I continue.

  Gabriel takes another long drink of the Pina Colada and licks his lip. “Well, when I first started, I was really awkward around girls. I always knew what I wanted to say to them in my head, but could never make the words come out, you know?”

  I nod, feeling a bit of that myself.

  “So, I started writing it down. First just the things I wanted to say, but then story ideas bloomed and the next thing I knew I was writing my first book.”

  “I love that,” I meet his eyes and it feels like a jolt of electricity is running up and down my body.

  “It turned out to be perfect in two ways,” he doesn’t take his eyes off of mine. I feel like I couldn’t look away from him if I wanted to, which I don’t. “The first way was it gave me an amazing career that I’m grateful for everyday,” his eyes travel over my face and settle on my lips.

  Does he want to kiss me as much as I want to kiss him?

  “What was the second way?” I whisper.

  “The second was that by writing these books, I finally got the confidence I needed to talk to beautiful women.”

  “Ahhh, well congratulations,” I laugh and roll my eyes.

  “No, I don’t mean it like that. I’m not bragging right now, I’m telling you that I’m so happy it had that effect on me because if it didn’t, I’d never be sitting here talking to someone as stunning as you,” he reaches across the table and laces his fingers through mine.

  I don’t know what to say. I can’t imagine any words that would make this moment any better, so I just enjoy the heat extending from his hand to mine. I savor the moment, giving this point in time its very own wrinkle in my brain, so I can remember it forever.

  Gabriel leans forward and I feel myself being pulled toward him. I watch his lips and bring my mouth closer to his until he is hovering over my face. His lips are just about to cover mine in a kiss and a siren squeals and jars us back into our seats.

  “What is that?” I yell over the noise and cover my ears.

  “I have no idea!”

  “Guests are asked to return to their cabins while crew do a deck by deck search,” the man on the loudspeaker instructs us over the blaring alarm. “Again, please return to your cabins, this is not a drill, there has been a report of smoke inside the ship. Crew members will be doing a deck by deck search. Guests will be notified when the restrictions have been lifted.”

  Gabriel stands up and extends his hand to me. I grasp his fingers and sigh. Of course there’s a fire, or whatever. Of course I couldn’t have my perfect night with the man of my dreams.

&nbs
p; I walk out into the hall and Gabriel and I part to go to our separate cabins. Damn it! Why can’t I ever have my own happily ever after?

  * * *

  Chapter 4 - Gabriel

  I pace back and forth in my cabin, the room is so tiny, I’m making myself dizzy with how frequently I have to turn. Finally, I plop down at my desk and sigh. I feel like a caged animal waiting for the ‘all-clear’ to be sounded so I can race back to Ally.

  Staring out my porthole window, I let images of the evening flash through my mind like a movie. I relive her beautiful smile. I let my imagination run wild, pretending that we didn’t just almost kiss, but that we had a wild night of toe-curling ecstasy that followed the incredible kiss. Right now, it’s nothing more than a fantasy. No more real than one of my books.

  That gives me an idea.

  I open my laptop and turn it on, my smile growing as I let the fantasy run wild in my mind. I open Word and let my fingertips fly over the keyboard.

  If I can’t spend tonight with Ally, I’ll do the next best thing, I’ll write about it.

  Time passes in a blur as I write about the writer and his sexy beta reader. I relive our meeting earlier today, giving details about how crazy she made my heart beat and how I breathed her in deeply, wishing I could smell her perfume on my pillow later.

  Click-clacking fills my room as I continue the next chapter with us meeting up for drinks. Except, in my version I kiss her. Passionately. Hard. Our tongues thrash together in need like our bodies ache to do.

  I write about how we get a little tipsy and begin to dance. In my story, she grinds against me, purposely getting me worked up like a naughty girl. A naughty girl who has earned a punishment. My fingers type up a sizzling scene in my cabin, where I spank her bare bottom until it’s red with handprints and I fuck her hard until I fill her with my cum.