Eraser Crimson (5 page)

“Really?”  The shock was not only evident on Tom’s face but the way he spoke.

“Yes, really.”

“You’ve got this weird goofy grin going on, this is serious.”  Tom smiled widely at his brother.  He sat up straighter in his seat and leaned forward a little.  “It’s about fucking time!  So, who is she?”

“Her name is Mackenzie.”

“Where did you meet her?”

“The Blue Room.”

“What does she do for a living?”

“She’s a waitress there.”

Tom’s smile slipped a little.  “A waitress?”

“Before you say it.  No.  Just because she’s a waitress doesn’t mean she’s after my money.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“It’s what she does for a living, it doesn’t define her.  She’s so much more than that, Tom, she could be whatever she wanted to be.  She’s intelligent and witty.  Sophisticated.  She is beyond beautiful with the most amazing jade eyes.”

“When did you turn into a fucking poet?”  Tom grinned.  He opened his mouth to speak again but was interrupted by his desk phone.  “Yes,” he said, pressing the intercom button.

“I have your mother on the line again,” Stacey’s voice came through the speaker.  “She wanted to speak to Nathaniel but he’s still not in his office.”

“He’s with me.  Put her through.”  Tom pressed the button again, putting their mother on hold for a moment.  “She wants to tear you a new one,” he said to Nate in a teasing, sing-song voice, before taking the call.  “Hi Mom!”

“Tom darling, has he come in yet?” their mother, Carol said.

“Yes, he’s right here.  You’re on speaker.”

“Hi Mom,” Nate chimed in.

“Nate!  Where have you been all this time?  You haven’t been returning my calls and then you weren’t at work, I’ve been worried sick.”

“Sorry Mom, I’ve been busy.”

“I’ll say!  I saw the photo, Nate.  You need to stay clear of that man, you hear?  I don’t want you getting into trouble with the law.  That goes for both of you!”

“What did I do?” Tom spoke over the top of Carol.

“Greg is an asshole.  I’d love to punch him in the face myself.”  Tom and Nate both sniggered.  Their mother was a petite thing, who could get blown over in the wind, she wouldn’t hurt a fly.  Besides the fact she was halfway across the world, hitting someone just wasn’t in her nature, she didn’t even spank them when they were kids.  “But violence is never the answer,” she continued.  “I don’t want either of my boys getting into trouble.  Do you hear me?  You should-”

“Hey Mom!” Tom interrupted her, giving Nate a wink and effectively putting an end to her tirade.  “Nate met someone.”

She gasped loudly.  “No!  Really?”  Then her voice turned into one of a giddy school girl.  “Oh my god!  Spill, Nate.  I need details.”

Mackenzie was daydreaming again.  She couldn’t get the sight of Nate’s shocked face when she’d dropped the towel before he left her apartment, out of her head.  Two can play at his game.  And that’s what it was, a big, fat, game of seduction.  He’d been trying to seduce her into his way of thinking. 
Oh, who am I kidding?  He’d succeeded, I’m going to his apartment, aren’t I?
  She smiled, thinking of the way he’d said,
“Whatever you want”
.  She leaned on her elbow against the top of the bar she was meant to be wiping down, her fingers playing with her bottom lip.

“Earth to Mackenzie!”  Alex snapped his fingers in front of her face and she blinked up at him.  “What’s with you tonight?”

She opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off.

“And don’t say ‘nothing’ again, because it’s clearly something.  You’ve been out of it all night.  You still haven’t told me what your thoughts were about unveiling Mr. Hot Shot Millionaire.  Is that who you’re thinking about now?”

“Billionaire,” she mumbled.

“What?”

“He’s a billionaire, not a millionaire.”

“Since when do you care about money?”

“I don’t.”  She shrugged, still staring off into space.

“Mack?”

She looked at Alex’s smiling face and found herself compelled to share with him.  Nate was doing something to her, opening her up, and making her look at her life differently.  She’d really kept herself cut off from everyone around her.  She didn’t realize how lonely she’d made her life become.  It was all her own doing, too.  She’d sat in her apartment all afternoon contemplating the reasons why she was so withdrawn.  It wasn’t something she’d done on purpose, she was just happy in her own skin, most of the time anyway.  She’d only ever used men for sexual gratification and, so far, if she was honest, her time with Nate had mainly consisted of that.  Sex.  She was suddenly not okay with just sex and it scared the crap out of her.  She needed to talk to someone.  She had even hoped to catch her neighbor Andrea before she headed into The Blue Room tonight, but no luck there, she wasn’t home.

Mackenzie looked around the near empty bar.  It had been a quiet night and the other staff had all gone home, only her and Alex remained.  He’d have to do.

“I spent the weekend with him.”

“Who?  Mr. Hot Shot?”

“Yes.”  She stared at her friend, trying to gauge his reaction.  She didn’t really have to guess what he was thinking though, this was Alex she was talking to, he always let his feelings be known.

“What are you doing?  He’s only using you, Mack.  You deserve better than being used by him.”

“I know I do.  But it’s not like that.  He … he wants to have a relationship with me.”

“He said that?” Alex asked, incredulously.

“Mhmm.”

“Exclusive?  Because he seems pretty intent on fucking every attractive woman that enters this place.”

“Seriously?  Did you have to say that?”

“What?  It’s true.”  Alex shrugged.  “Are you okay with that?”

“Fuck no.”

“Well then?”

“He said he wants me. 
Only
me.”

“And you believed him?”

Mackenzie started rubbing the bar top with the rag, thinking that over. 
“I’m not interested in anyone but you.” 
Yes.  She believed him.

“I do,” she replied, resolutely.

She watched the last couple of clients leave through the front door and glimpsed a black car parked outside on the curb.  She wondered if Simon was here to collect her already and a thrill passed over her body.  She glanced at her watch.  Fifteen more minutes.  She’d been the one to ask for space and yet the hours of said space had been excruciatingly long.  She wasn’t in a hurry to have a repeat.

“Just be careful.”

She turned to Alex and gave him a reassuring smile.  “I promise to be careful.”

A moment later, she felt a large presence behind her and spun around to find Simon standing on the other side of the bar.

“Ms. Reed.”  He gave her a brisk nod.

“Hi Simon!”  She smiled at him, unable to contain her glee at being able to see Nate soon.  “Alex, this is my ride.  Do you mind closing up on your own tonight?”

“Sure.  No problem.”  Alex smiled at her but it didn’t reach his eyes.  His concern was endearing but unnecessary.  He eyed Simon warily.  He was a big man, but to her, he seemed to be a gentle giant.  She felt safe around Simon.

Mackenzie had an extra bounce in her step when she went to the staff room to collect her overnight bag.

“Bye Alex!” she called as she passed him on her way back out.  When she rounded the bar she was surprised to see that Simon had her coat in his hands, the one she’d left at the mansion.  He held it out for her and she turned so he could help her into it.  It was a sweet gesture.  “Such a gentleman, Simon,” she gushed and she swore the man blushed at her words.  “Thank you.”

She was even more grateful for the thicker coat when Simon opened the door of the bar and a gush of cold night air hit.  She shivered and he quickly ushered her toward the car.  Simon helped her into the back seat, closing the door behind her with a solid thud.  Her heart was hammering in her chest in anticipation.  She thought about how different this trip was to the last time she had been driven to Nate’s apartment.  She only knew him as Sir then and had been blindfolded the whole time.  She had felt his presence on the seat beside her.  She closed her eyes and recalled that feeling.  Her breathing became heavier and tingles ran through her body.

Mackenzie had not known what lay ahead of her that night, but tonight … it would be whatever
she
wanted.  She smiled to herself thinking how funny it would be if she said she wanted to watch a DVD and curl up on a couch with him.  Would he do that?  She had a feeling Nate would, but would Sir?  The ever aroused sex god probably wouldn’t allow that to happen.  Which one was she seeing tonight?  It suddenly occurred to her that she had the control.  Maybe she could bring whichever one she wanted to the forefront.   It was a strange power to behold.

Simon had walked Mackenzie into the apartment, then bid her good night, closing the door on his way out.  She now stood in an empty living room.  Though the term ‘living’ didn’t seem to fit the space.  It felt cold, not homely at all.  Shiny, stark white tiles lined the floor, modern white leather seats were arranged sparsely, white walls holding detached-looking bland colored artwork framed the room and a lonely potted plant sat on the floor to her side.  The small palm the only splash of color and life in the whole room.  It was nothing like his beautifully decorated mansion.  That felt like a home, an overly large one, but still inviting.  This place felt clinical.  Definitely more Sir than Nate.

Nate butted his cigarette out in the ashtray, the blistering cold wind biting his fingers and cheeks.  Sliding the glass door open he stepped from the balcony back into the warm apartment and froze at the sight of the beautiful woman standing in the center of the room.

“Mackenzie,” he greeted her, his legs making quick work at eating up the space between them.  He cupped both of her cheeks and placed a tender kiss on her lips.  He had been waiting more than thirteen hours to have her back in his grasp, his lips on hers. 
Too fucking long
.

Mackenzie shivered at the coldness of his hands.  She sighed into his mouth before his hot tongue dipped in and she fell into his kiss.  He tasted of cigarettes, scotch, and just
HIM
.  His hands rested on the sides of her face when he pulled back to look at her, his dark eyes focusing on her green ones.  She was struck by the thought that all day a part of her had been missing and now, back in his arms, she felt whole again.

“Hi,” she said, almost shyly.

“You’re finally here.”  He pressed another kiss to her lips before moving his hands down to her neck, back, then lower to cup her ass.  Pulling her against his body, he said, “It was a really long day.”  He kissed her chin, neck and collarbone as his hands skimmed the edge of her skirt.  He inhaled her sweet perfume, loving that she was back in his arms.  His fingers trailed up her thighs, lifting her tight black skirt as they went. 

“Nate,” she whimpered.

He glided his fingers over the garters on her thighs, she shivered and his cock hardened.  He found the edge of her panties, quickly tugged them aside and slid a finger inside her.  She was already wet and ready for him.  He sucked in a quick breath.

“
So fucking good.
”

“Ahh,” she gasped.  He withdrew his finger then re-inserted two.  She bucked against him.  “Your fingers are cold,” she whispered, her hands tangling in his dark hair as she leaned into him.  He started pumping his fingers in and out of her body, the coldness of his flesh only adding to her pleasure.  She was clenching and climbing, aching to climax.

He could read her body, she was close, she needed it.  Tightening his arm around her waist, he increased his pace, bending his fingers to hit that special spot.  She leaned her chest against him, her head lifting, back arching, she was gasping into his neck, her hot heat clenching around his fingers.

“Come for me,” he pleaded
.  He needed her pleasure as much as he needed his own.  He wanted to give her all that she desired, he wanted to give her …
fucking
everything
.

“Ahh …”  Her whole body twitched and writhed against him.  “Yes,” she croaked out, desperate for oxygen in her lungs, her mouth dry as her orgasm ripped through her.  “Mmm.”  She clung to the lapels of his jacket, resting her forehead on his chest, just below his shoulder, breathing heavily on weak legs.

“Hi,” he murmured into her hair as he withdrew his fingers.

“Some greeting.”  She smiled, squeezing her eyes shut tight, trying to regain some composure.  “I thought I was meant to decide what we do tonight.”  She was out of breath as she spoke.

“Ah, yes.”  He stepped back to look at her hooded eyes, trying to appear at least a little apologetic, though he felt nothing of the sort.  The look on her face made it obvious she didn’t believe him for a second either.  He chuckled.  “Mackenzie, something tells me that if you objected to what I just did, you would have spoken up.”

“True.”  She smiled genuinely before placing a soft kiss to his lips.  “Can I use your bathroom?”

“Of course.”  He turned, placing his hand on the small of her back to guide her toward the bedroom.  They stepped inside the door and Nate pointed to the ensuite to the right.  “Go right ahead.  I’ll wait for you out here.”  He left her to it, retreating to the living area.

Memories of their first night together flooded her mind as her eyes took in the room.  It was a large bedroom, modern, stark, and only a little more inviting than the living room.  White walls, charcoal carpet, a bed with black and white linen.  A black armchair sat in the corner – the armchair that held her clothes the last time she was here.  She gulped in discomfort.  It was the corner where she stood to get dressed when she had been dismissed.  In the opposite corner, near the large wall of glass overlooking the city, there was the small side table that held a crystal decanter filled with amber liquid, she presumed to be Glenfiddich, a couple of glasses beside it.  One of which he had drank from when he’d turned so cold and told her to leave.  She swallowed a lump in her throat, looking away.