The Cliff

by Gucker, Christie A. C.

  “I love you, too.” I pretty much skipped back into the house.

  “Yeah! They’re all happy again.” Samantha clapped. “Now let’s get hammered.”

  “Let’s eat first. I barely touched anything today. I want to enjoy tonight, not puke through it. It’s scotch.”

  “Yes, please, Samantha. I don’t feel like watching you drive any porcelain buses tonight.”

  “Right, Chelsie. Like that would happen. I can hold my liquor,” Samantha said defensively.

  “Right.” Chelsie rolled her eyes.

  “No, you can’t, Samantha. You can hold beer and vodka. That’s about it. I’ve seen you driving buses lots of times.” I loved Samantha, but she wasn’t my first choice for doing shots.

  “Can you at least call it driving the porcelain Porsche?” Samantha would be mortified to even be seen on a bus. She wouldn’t even take the bus to school. Her parents had to drive them in every day.

  “Call it what you want, it’s still puking in the bowl,” Chelsie scoffed.

  We all turned as the front door opened. Dane came in with bag after bag of sushi. Dane liked to eat and he had discriminating tastes. He was also a good friend with the sushi chef in town, so we knew what we were going to eat was going to be the very best. We dined on the sushi and sipped on sake, which Dane also thought to bring. Personally, I hated sake, but this was a plum variety, so it went down pretty easy when over ice. Soon we were all watching a scary movie, laughing, and getting drunk. We actually had a good time. Well, everyone else did. My mind kept wandering off to visions of Grant and Bri, arm-in-arm, walking around meeting people. She would introduce him as her date. They would drink. They would smile. They would dance. In my heart, Grant was on a date and it was eating at me. It was killing me. My stomach was burning and my heart ached.

  “Lanie? Hello? Earth to Lanie?” Chelsie was poking my arm.

  “What? I’m here. What?”

  “Please, I know where you are. You’re wishing you were a fly on the wall at the ball. Let it go. It’s a business function. You know those suck. Be happy you’re here with us.”

  “But, I’m sure she thinks it’s a date. I’m sure she’s hanging all over him. I’m going to text him.”

  “No, you’re not. You’re going to have fun and enjoy being with us. I’m sure he’s thinking about you being here getting drunk with Dane.”

  “He knows you’re here, too. He has nothing to worry about,” I said glumly.

  “And neither do you. Now stop it.”

  “Chelsie, it’s time to throw Dane out. I need to just be with you guys. I’m feeling weepy coming on.”

  Chelsie smiled an evil evil smile.

  “Well, Dane, time for the girls to get into t-shirts and panties and have pillow fights and play twister. You need to leave.”

  Dane’s face turned all sorts of colors in a matter of seconds. I could see the hamsters spinning the squeaky wheels in his sorry little head.

  “If I promise to be quiet can I watch?”

  “Dane, don’t make me pick you up and throw you out on your ass. I would love to do that. Can I?”

  “Would it add to your fun?” Dane asked. Where the hell was he going with this?

  “What? Really? You’d let me kick your ass? Would you promise to cry like a baby?” Chelsie was getting excited at the possibilities.

  “Lanie, would it make you feel better about tonight if I let you all hit me with pillows and then let Chelsie throw me out?”

  Chelsie, Samantha, and I stared at each other. We didn’t know whether to grab pillows and start slamming them against his head or do nothing. Suddenly, smiles all around, we each grabbed a pillow and started to wail on Dane.

  “Just watch my nose. Please. Grant already broke it. Aim lower.” Dane sounded slightly alarmed.

  We were relentless. It was a barrage of pillows. Dane just put his hands over his nose. I just kept slamming my pillow into the back of his head over and over again. It was the perfect release. I got out all my frustrations on him and imagined he was Bri and pummeled away. Soon we were all laughing and having a hard time actually making contact. I was laughing so hard I thought I would pee.

  “Okay, okay, this is not as much fun as I thought it would be. I’ve had enough. Uncle. Uncle! Chelsie, please throw me out.”

  We all stopped dead and just stared at each other again. Chelsie dropped her pillow and grabbed Dane by the ear. She tugged so hard I thought we’d be able to call him Van Gogh soon.

  “Ouch, Chelsie. I didn’t mean actually hurt me.” This made Chelsie smile even more and Dane’s eyes got wider.

  She grabbed the back of his shirt and ripped him up off the couch. Samantha and I clapped and cat-called. If she was strong enough, I think she would’ve had him off the ground. She pushed and shoved him ceremoniously to the door and when she got there, she opened it and whispered something in his ear.

  “Really? Chelsie, seriously?”

  “Yes, please. It would make Lanie very happy to watch.” Dane looked at me. I had a huge smile on my face.

  “Fine.” He bent over with his butt right in Chelsie’s direction. If you could wind up a leg, Chelsie did it. She slammed her foot into his ass so hard I heard him whimper and he flew out of my view.

  “And stay out, you bitch!” Chelsie slammed the door shut. She looked down at her foot to make sure she hadn’t left it wedged in his ass. Samantha and I clapped and cheered.

  “Thanks, Chelsie, I needed that.”

  “Me too!”

  “Me three, and now it’s time to pull out the scotch.”

  “What time is it, anyway?” I said, looking for my phone under a pile of pillows.

  “It doesn’t matter, Lanie. You’re having fun here and Grant is having—” Samantha started as she poured us each a glass.

  “The worst time in his entire life. He’s pining for you and wishing he was here making love to you,” Chelsie busted in. And then she downed her first glass.

  “I was going to say that.” Samantha shot Chelsie a bitch look. And she slammed hers down.

  “Holy shit, it’s midnight? Where the fuck did the time go? Why didn’t Grant call me yet?” I slammed down mine. Hell, this was scotch, not shots. We were going to be hurting later. Samantha poured us all another.

  “Lanie, it’s a ball. He won’t be home yet. It’s early,” Chelsie said matter-of-factly.

  “That’s not true. They usually have the place until like eleven. It’s just like a wedding,” Samantha told her.

  And that’s when Chelsie slammed a pillow into the side of Samantha’s face.

  “Ouch, you whore. Lanie isn’t stupid.”

  “Yes, I am. I’m completely stupid to think that a man like Grant would ever really want someone like me. Dane was right, it was all convenience. Brianna Stone can give him the world whereas I only can offer him this cliff.”

  Now Chelsie hit me in the side of the head with the pillow.

  “Ouch. You’re a whore,” I said.

  “Lanie, bite your tongue. Grant loves you. You’re a hot piece of ass. You already have money. Technically, the same money he has, so no pre-nup needed. You make him happy in every way possible and honestly, the sex part, I know he’s totally in heaven. I mean what man wouldn’t love food and sex and sex and food? Hell, the way you add chocolate into everything, I want a piece of you, too. Do you go that way? Is it cheating if it’s with a girl? Oh my God, would it be incest?”

  Chelsie and I just stared at Samantha having no idea what to say. I knew Samantha was a sexual master, but girl on girl? And she was looking at me?

  “Wow, Dylan sure is a lucky guy,” I said.

  “You could get lucky, too.” She winked at me. Chelsie was still staring at her with her mouth slightly agape.

  “What?” Samantha said, completely oblivious.

  “Um, I’m not sure if I tell Grant what you just said if he’d laugh, get jealous, or just stare at you like Chelsie is right now. How much scotch have you had?”<
br />
  “Not enough to get in that Porsche yet.”

  “Well, if we keep doing scotch shots, we’ll all be fighting for driving rights,” I said.

  “I want mine to be candy apple red,” Samantha chirped.

  “Samantha, it’s not a real Porsche.”

  “Look, if I’m going to be driving a Porsche tonight, it can be whatever color I want it to be.”

  “I’m going to go call Grant. Maybe I can get him to webcam with me tonight.” I really missed him. And I just wanted him to be home already. Well, at least back to his hotel room. Alone. And miserable.

  As if he was reading my mind, my phone rang.

  “Damn, is that Grant? That’s spooky if it is,” Samantha said.

  “It is!” I said. “Hey, Baby. I miss you.”

  “Hello, Love. I miss you too. What are you ladies doing?”

  “We’re drinking all your scotch,” I giggled, the scotch and my excitement to be talking to Grant all hitting at the same time.

  “Is Dane still there?” Grant’s concern was apparent in his voice.

  “Nope. Chelsie kicked his ass to the curb. Literally. How was your ball?”

  “It was boring and exhausting. I’m looking forward to going to sleep and then heading home tomorrow,” he said in an exhausted tone.

  “Did she sign the contracts?”

  “Not yet. Tomorrow during the web conference she said,” he said flatly.

  “Did you book your flight back yet?”

  “Not yet. I’ll have Bri’s assistant do it for me first thing in the morning.”

  “Thank God, Grant. I miss you and it’s only been two days.”

  “I know, Love. I miss you terribly, too.”

  “Want to webcam with me? I promise to so make it worth your while.”

  “I think I’d like that plenty. Go to your computer; I’ll be waiting for you.”

  “Bye.” I hung up. “You girls need to entertain yourselves for a while because I need to go have some fun.”

  “We’re not fun?” Samantha asked.

  “Not that kind of fun, Samantha.”

  “I can be that kind of fun.”

  “Man, scotch makes you horny, Samantha.”

  I left them talking and took the stairs three at a time to get to Grant. I opened my laptop and clicked my way to him. Soon his beautiful face was gracing my screen and my heart melted; and so did a few other places. Apparently just the sight of him made me weak in the knees as well as between them.

  “Hello, Love. I missed your face so much.”

  “I missed yours, too. Now take off your clothes and let me show you just how much,” I said.

  “Computers can do that now?”

  “Nope, but I sure can.” I slowly started to remove my clothes. Grant licked his lips and began to unbutton his shirt. He couldn’t seem to take his eyes off the screen.

  “God, you’re so beautiful, Lanie. I mean, absolutely breathtaking.”

  “Wait. I have more.” I stripped down to nothing but my panties and sat on the edge of my chair so he had the best view of everything.

  “Are you forgetting something?” He pointed at the screen and I could only guess he was trying to point at my panties.

  “Oh no. I need to drive you wild before you get the whole shebang.” He smiled and then wiped his brow. He seemed to be slightly intoxicated, but that was okay, so was I. He continued to remove his clothing until he was down to his briefs. I looked over his body, drinking in the sight of him. He was perfect in every way and I thanked God he was mine.

  “Tell me what you want me to do. I’ll give you whatever you want.” I gave him a sultry smile and he swallowed, exaggerating for my benefit.

  “I’d tell you to touch your breasts, but I don’t want you to cover them up with your hands. Tell me how badly you want me and then show me where.” He grinned.

  “Baby, I want you so badly. I need to feel your lips right here …” I pointed to my neck. “And here …” I ran my hand down to my breasts.

  He groaned softly and moved closer to the screen.

  “More, please, Lanie.”

  “But I want you most right here.” I ran my hand down my stomach and playfully pulled my panties to the side to give him the money shot. I heard him growl.

  Then I heard something I was not expecting. I shot my eyes back to the screen.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” Grant said toward the doorway…

  Chapter 38

  You’re Breaking My Heart

  “How the hell did you get into my room?” I grabbed my shirt and covered my breasts, not knowing who he was talking to.

  “Grant, who the hell is in your room?”

  And then I heard giggling. Female giggling. Oh no, she was not in his room. I saw Grant grab his pants and quickly try to put them back on.

  “Oh no, don’t put them back on; then I’ll have to take them back off.” It was Brianna Stone. She sounded wasted. How the fuck did she get into his room? Did she have a key?

  “Is that Brianna? What the fuck is she doing in your room? How the hell did she get in?”

  “Just a minute, Lanie. Let me get her out of here,” he said quietly toward the screen.

  I watched until he was out of camera view and then listened. I couldn’t hear, so I turned the volume up as loud as I could. I put my shirt on in the meantime.

  “Oh Grant, you’re so hot with your shirt off. I just want to touch you.”

  “Bri, you need to leave. I’m on the phone with my fiancé. You have to leave.”

  “Well, it didn’t sound like you wanted me to leave earlier,” Bri cooed.

  “Excuse me? What the fuck did she just say?” I was starting to get mad now.

  “Lanie, please. Just one second.”

  “Lanie? Oh, is Lanie on the phone?” Her tone was meant to sound innocent but I could hear how fake it was.

  “Damn straight I am. You’d better—”

  “Lanie, I have this all under control. Bri, you need to go back to your room now. I think you had a bit too much to drink.” Grant was trying to maintain control, but I was about to lose mine.

  “Oh Grant, your arms felt so good around me when we were dancing tonight.”

  He had his arms around her? They danced? She was in his room earlier? I wanted to throw my computer across the room. I watched Grant and Bri pass in front of the camera. She was wearing a bathrobe and was trying to take it off. Grant was trying to push her back and keep it on her.

  “Please, Bri, the bathrobe needs to stay on. You need it to go back to your room.”

  “I can put it back on when we’re done.”

  “Oh, we’re done. Now please, be a good drunk girl and close up your robe and head on back to your room. Now.” Grant sounded annoyed, yet calm. I was happy to see he wasn’t interested, but I was pissed to all hell she was even there and trying to put the moves on my man. I wanted to say something, but I wasn’t sure what to say.

  She crossed in front of the screen and dropped her robe to reveal panties and a bra. I heard Grant gasp; then she took her bra off. She fucking took off her bra. She was topless in front of my man!

  I saw Grant’s hand reach towards her and she grabbed it and shoved it onto her breast, giggled, and shut the laptop.

  What the fuck! I grabbed my phone and headed down the stairs heading straight for the door.

  “Lanie, where the hell are you going?” Samantha asked.

  “I’m catching the next flight out. That bitch is in Grant’s room, and the last I saw, she had nothing on except her panties. She’s naked with my fiancé. I have to go … Now!”

  “What the hell?” Chelsie shouted. She slammed her glass on the table.

  “Lanie, you can’t go to the airport like that,” Samantha said pointing down at me.

  I looked down and realized I hadn’t put my pants back on.

  “Lanie, what the hell is going on?” Samantha was alarmed and so was I. For all I knew, there was now a naked woman
in my future husband’s room.

  The house phone rang and Chelsie picked it up.

  “Hello?” She paused. “Grant, what the fuck is going on over there? What the fuck?” Chelsie was in protect-Lanie-mode. She held the phone out to me so I grabbed it.

  “Lanie? Everything is fine. She’s gone now.”