The Ultimate Erotic Short Story Collection 17: 11 Steamingly Hot Erotica Books For Women (13 page)

“It’s lung cancer. I found out about two months ago.”

Gwen let out a string of swear words, frozen on her spot on the couch. When she was finished with the curses, she formed questions.

“Why the hell are you still working? Is it treatable? Why would I tell anyone?”

“Baby, baby,” he smiled slightly, sitting down. “I’m working because I don’t know how to do anything else. I’ve told no one because… I’ve trusted no one. This life style doesn’t exactly lead to having close friends, and I don’t want them treating me like an invalid. Yes, I’ve started to go through radiation, but so far all it’s done is make me horribly ill.”

Her heart broke at that, reaching to take his hands and then wrapping her arms around him, kissing him delicately.

“You shouldn’t have to go through this alone,” she whispered, placing kisses up and down his neck. He made a noise, low in his throat, that she remembered was pleasure. And so she kissed him again, and again, her hands gently undoing the top button and loosening his tie. He responded by dropping his hands to her waist, exploring the body he once knew so well.

“And who exactly is going to go through it with me?” he asked, his lips brushing her ear. “I make enemies everywhere I go, love. This is what I do, buying little towns and breaking dreams; putting mom n’pop stores out of business so I can have my hotels. I am not a good person, Gwen.”

“I don’t believe that,” she said, pulling back to look at him. “And I really don’t care what the truth is. I know what you do, Finn, it doesn’t make a difference whether you’re doing it in David’s town or someone else’s. I know you, remember? I knew you then and I know you now.”

He muted a cough by closing his mouth, and then opened it to speak again.

“I don’t think you know the man I’ve become. On Broadway, babe, that was all smoke and mirrors. Nothing was wrong, we were still too new to each other. Everything was decadent and wonderful, and there was never any… mess. We lived a perfect life in a hotel that was cleaned twice daily, and we never saw the side of each other that was unpleasant.”

“I know you,” she repeated, placing a hand on his heart, and going in to kiss him again. This time, she pressed him back a bit, until he reclined on the sofa. “I’ve always known you.” She was straddling him now, her heart bursting with love she didn’t know she felt as she undid the buttons on his shirt, one by one until she could pull it apart. He was thinner than he had been, but his stomach was still washboard flat, his abs still evident, even if his waist was small.

She bent down, thanking her flexible body, and kissed his ear, sticking her tongue in it which made him groan. Gwen squirmed against his groin, already feeling his need rising as he placed his hands on her back, pulling her closer. With one hand, she reached between her legs and rose her hips enough to pull her lace underwear down, glad she chose tonight to wear a skirt. He responded by undoing his belt, hands frantic as their lips locked and tongues darted in and out of each other’s mouths.

When he entered her, she was already slick with need, and both of them let out a moan. Gwen threw her head back and closed her eyes, getting lost in the pleasure as she rocked against him. Finn pulled at her hips, forcing himself deeper as he thrust, his own mind clouded with bliss. She pulled the dress over her head, revealing her nakedness to him, the same as he had known before. Her smooth skin and flat stomach showed years of care and performance.

Finn had always thought she could be a model with her exotic looks, her dark hair long and loose and her almond shaped eyes always sparkling. But instead she had chosen performance, characters that were deep and well built, characters that begged artistic antiquity and thought. Gwen could have had an easy life as a beautiful woman, but she chose to work for her fame, auditioning against thousands of girls for months before her chance came.

She cried out as she felt her orgasm hit; wave upon wave of pleasure crashing against her.  He moaned, thrusting his hips one last time before spilling his seed into her, his body shuddering at the effort of it all. Her hands were pressing onto his chest with her full weight, her nails curled and leaving marks, but neither of them cared. Finally, she fell beside him on the couch, both of them panting as they caught their breaths.

“We’re screwed,” she said, burying her face in his neck, a position that was once her favourite. “How can I keep looking at you, how can I help them with the protests and the fundraisers and know you like this?”

“I thought you didn’t like thinking about the future,” he said, stroking her arm lightly. She sighed, snuggling closer.

“Finn?”

“Mmm?” he replied, sleep already taking him.

“You’ll… you’re going to be alright, right? You’re not… going to die or something?”

He hugged her tightly for a moment, his chest rising and falling several times before he answered.

“How can I die when I just found you again? That’d be pretty foolish of me, wouldn’t it?”

“Yep. We’re screwed,” she muttered, more to herself as the darkness of sleep began to take her.

***

The next morning, she awoke in his hotel bed, to her beeping phone. Blearily, she rolled over, wondering when they had gotten up and moved to the bed. Rubbing her eyes, she opened the text message that had taken her from slumber.

I assume you got some last night
David had written.
We’ve got new strategy to drive asshole out of town. Check this
. He had sent a link, and she clicked on it, glancing to Finn as she waited for it to load. He was still asleep, on his stomach, his head turned towards her. In sleep, he was ten years younger, the constant weight of the world gone from his body as his arm wrapped around a pillow, likely mistaking it for hugging her. He coughed twice and she grimaced, reaching out to stroke his arm and then glancing back to her phone. It was hotelnews.com, a trade site that he had shown her once or twice when they were together.

Hotel Tycoon Finn Derron diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. 6 months to live, at best
.
Derron Board of Directors questions their Chief’s ability to do job.
read the headline. She nearly dropped her phone, letting out a noise of surprise. Beside her, he stirred, sitting up blearily.

“Good morning love.”

“Erm, maybe not. David just sent me this,” she handed over her phone, giving him a moment to stretch and yawn. He took it, attempting to focus on the small print in the early morning. But as soon as he did, his eyes wide-eyed and his face darkened.

“What the hell!” He looked at her, his jaw set. “Did you…?”

“Are you kidding me? It’s been about 6 hours since you’ve told me, 5 of those we spent sleeping, and you can check my call log and texts. I didn’t tell anyone,” she shook her head in disbelief. “You really think I would do that? How about we talk about the first part of the headline, though?”

“It’s not true,” he said, shaking his head. “It’s not even remotely close to true.”

“Is it?” she asked, as he got up too fast and had to lean against the bed post. He glared at her, pushing himself up and heading for the shower.

“Gwen, don’t.”

“Jesus,” she shook her head as another text beeped through.
Protest at noon in front of Bed and Breakfast. New Angle. He’s not fit to even consult on this town
. As Finn turned on the shower, she hit reply, texting back frantically.
Cancel protest. Have to talk to you. Meet me at Grill in two hours.

Are you drunk???
Came David’s confused text. She didn’t answer, throwing off the sheets and going to find her clothes. Already, her mind was spinning with how this was going to work. She would need everyone’s help in the town, that was for sure. But most of all, she would need Finn.

When he came out of the shower, towel wrapped around him, he seemed surprised that she was still there at all, let alone dressed and waiting for him.

“You should go,“ he muttered, his voice twinged with exhaustion as he went to his suitcase. “I have an angry board of directors to deal with and you probably have another event to make them angrier.”

“They have pictures of you coming out of a Los Angeles Hospital,” Gwen said, waving her phone at him. “That’s why the story leaked. When were you in LA?”

“Last week,” he realized, speaking slowly. “Dear God. I am sorry.”

“It’s fine,” she shrugged, scrolling through the pictures. “But really? Cedars-Sinai? You chose the most celebrity known hospital in the entire world? They practically employ paparazzi to stand at their door.”

“I can’t avoid having chemo. Not even the very rich can be immortal,” he replied, coming to sit on the bed beside her, a smile on his lips. “You, my darling, you have the right idea. Whenever you want to sneak away and be unnoticed, you come here.”

“I do,” she nodded. “When I sprained my ankle on stage, I spent 5 weeks here recovering and regaining strength , training in the community pool, rather than having paparazzi watch my every move outside the theatre and question my career. Mystic  Falls is a good place to hide.”

“Is it?” he asked, taking her hand. “Then perhaps if all this goes astray, I should come back here to die.”

“Stop it!” she glared at him, even as the wheels turned. “Don’t talk like that. I have a better idea.”

“What?” he asked, and she told him, laying out the details that had hastily come to her brain. He raised an eyebrow as she spoke.

“You would do that for me? Go against him and stand beside me?”

“I’m not going against anyone,” she snapped, ignoring her phone as it beeped again. “But you need each other, you do, and you just don’t realize it. Hell, the hardest part of this plan is going to be convincing David. If we can do that, the rest is a breeze.”

***

“What’s Gwen got up her sleeve?” Derrick slid into the booth beside David, Ally sandwiching him as they waited. The Grill was crowded already, and they were lucky to get a booth at all. David checked his phone, although there was nothing new.

“No idea. Although knowing her, she’s probably organized a flash mob that involves stripper poles and a full Broadway production. Sometimes I think Gwen doesn’t know how to do anything besides perform.”

“I don’t think it’s a flash mob,” Ally said, her eyes fixed on the doorway. David looked up, and their jaws dropped as she entered, her hand firmly gripped in Finn’s.

“I sure hope she’s acting,” David said, raising an eyebrow. Derrick turned to him, aghast.

“Did you know about this?”

“No idea, brother,” he replied, just as stunned as the rest of them.

“Guys,” Gwen said as she approached. “This is Finn. Finn, this is David and his brother Derrick, and his girlfriend, Ally.”

“It’s a pleasure,” Finn disentangled his hand from Gwen long enough to reach out to shake. No one however, moved.

“What kind of joke is this?” David asked, turning to Gwen. “Kiddo, what are you pulling?”

“So I haven’t been entirely honest,” Gwen said, sliding into the booth chair. Finn slid in after her.

“You got that right,” David replied, his eyes flashing to Finn. “You have about 5 minutes before I accuse you of working with the enemy.”

Gwen rolled her eyes, and Finn coughed, clearly uncomfortable.

“Finn and I… knew each other, a long time ago, in New York. I haven’t known him the whole time, we have lost touch. But when I saw him again, here, what was I supposed to do? All of you were so angry, and you kind of have a right to be, I mean, no one wants to lose their business or home. But neither does Finn,” she looked to each of them.