Justin

Justin hasn't had an appointment with Mercedes since running into her at her event: he hasn't had to conspicuously dodge her, they are both people with full scedule books. But the time is going to come when he'll have to meet her in that hotel in Beverly Hills. He doesn't like having this secret from Eleanor, hates having her come home from work, complaining about 'the bitch' & having to pretend he hasn't known the woman himself for years now. How long could he keep up the pretense? And what would happen if it went on for years before she found out? Justin has decided he has to simply not see Mercedes anymore. But because she is Eleanor's boss, because she is a mean-spirited bitch who will take revenge if spurned lightly, he can't simply tell Xaviera he won't take appointments with Mercedes anymore, he'll have to discuss it with her personally. He has spent days mulling over ways to tell her so he can get it over with, and get it done so she doesn't do anything drastic, but has come up with nothing. When Eleanor tells him Mercedes is sending her to her family's vacation house on Lake Tahoe, to show it to a prospective buyer, and that he was specifically invited to escort Eleanor on this weekend job, Justin is immediately suspicious. He cannot believe Mercedes is motivated by anything other than pure selfishness & probably hates Eleanor for having something she can't have herself. "I don't trust her," he says aloud, though he didn't mean to: Eleanor really has changed him, he's becoming habitually open with her, saying things he usually keeps to himself. He's let his guard down, perhaps too far.

"You hardly know her, Justin," Eleanor laughs, and Justin winces as another chance to clear the deception has to be picked up or let fly, "I don't trust her either...but what could possibly be wrong with it? And I have to go, she's my boss. You will come with me won't you?" she asks. He'd like to know what Mercedes could possibly be up to, how she could possibly be setting this up to her advantage. But there's nothing he can think of, and whatever it is, he'd rather deal with it while he's with Eleanor than deal with waiting at home while Eleanor spends the weekend away. "Of course I'll go with you, Princess," he says as he kisses her. "I wouldn't miss a weekend alone with you for anything."

It's been too long since he took the car out for a long drive. Once he decided to enjoy this trip without worrying about why Mercedes arranged it, he could indulge his taste for speed on a long stretch of open freeway as they spend a day driving out to Lake Tahoe.

Justin didn't think Eleanor owned a skirt, but she dug one out from her closet somewhere to wear for this trip. If she's got one skirt, he thinks, she could perhaps be persuaded to wear more, if he's very good. He lifts her up onto a counter and slides his hands over her tights, her legs parting beneath his touch. "We have to go into town & find a store: we need food," he says, kissing her lips gently between each word.

She says she doesnt want to go into town her skirt, she wants to change before they go out. He's going to have to be more than very good, he sees. "I like you best with no clothes at all, Elle," he whispers as he kisses her neck. She groans throatily as he pulls down her zipper, and he gets her undressed with amazing effeciency.

He enters her reverently, worshipping the creature that breathed love into him and woke his soul. He is sure that no one who has ever thought they were in love feels the same pure flame of devotion he feels, that they enjoy this rapture of perfect union, he can't imagine anything this brilliant & wondrous could be experienced by anyone else. He grips her tight, so close together they are one, and nose pressed to nose he whispers her name, "Eleanor, Eleanor, Elle," likes it's a charm that would bind her to him. Her lips tremble against his, her back arches suddenly and a sweet, blissful cry rises from her throat.

NEXT