Cherry Locked - Final

I pleasure him again before bed. Going slower this time. The same soul-curdling, eye-rolling expression possesses Jace. I perform the machine technique gradually enough to extend the duration of his thunderous cries of bliss. How can he ejaculate so much? Where is he getting all the fluid from? He's on a porn star level! Does he take something? I count twelve off loads of sizzling paste and gobble down each. I love how he passes out afterward.

At dawn, I go to the gym since Jace is still sleeping. It's time to whip my body back into shape. The gymnasium is rustic wood with a metal ceiling.

I sit on the floor in skimpy workout clothes and start with the hamstring stretch on each leg for 30 seconds. Cobra, for my stomach and back muscles.

I lie on my belly with my hands flat on the floor, directly under my shoulders, and do a point stretch. Butterfly Stretch. Standing Quad Stretch. Lying Knee-to-Chest, kneeling hip flexor stretch. I used to be able to put my leg behind my head and contort my body like the girl from the Ring movie. I need to get that back before trying any sex positions Jace saw.

I go on reestablishing my body's flexibility. I'm stiff. I'll have to do this for about a week to regain my loosened muscles. The session lasts 30 minutes and ends with calf: leg, and high knees exercises. I practice a handstand for ten seconds. I do a half cartwheel to stand the right way up. "I'm out of shape." I labor my breathing.

Jace: Morning, honey bunny 🤍

Me: Morning, Mr. CoolWhip 😋😋

Jace: I have a surprise for you. Come to my office.

I head there, clueless as to what to expect. Is it something sexual?? Is it my turn to be sucked down there? I want to pass out for hours too. Jace is propped on the front of his desk with a long piece of blue paper. "What's that?"

"Come look."

I step onward. As I do, he levels the wrapped construction paper with his crotch. "Wow, really?" I giggle.

"Oh...how did that get down there?" He acts dumb.

"I should've known it came with a map." I grip the paper. My nails scrape his busty member underneath it. "Let me memorize it." I squeeze it a few times before snatching the paper. "Or should I let your balls match the shade?"

"Ouch...that's mean."

I unroll the blue paper to find drawings of studios. There are three stylish buildings. No name is given, just mock-up numbers. "Oh...is your architect done already?"

"Yes, now all they need is your approval."

I eye his boss chair, a tall, leather throne. "Well...I'll have to sit in the big chair to make a big decision."

Jace watches me plant my tush in it. "You don't like asking, do you?"

"Shh." I hit the blueprint atop the desk like a gavel. "I require silence, good sir." I mock a pompous British man and study the illustrations as if I have on glasses. I pretend to push up a nonexistent nose rim.

Each option is contemporary in style. There's one that's smaller; it appeals to me. The others are humongous. I think I should start small. "The first one."

He strolls to stand behind me. "Interesting."

"Why?"

"I thought you'd choose one of the big ones."

"How come?"

"I believe in the term go big or go home."

"And I believe in less is more."

He kisses me. "No such thing for a billionaire. You can ask for anything you want, no matter the size."

"Or...I could be modest and go big on something else." I glance at his crotch.

"Stop trying to turn me on; this is a conference."

"Says someone who lured me to his dick using a map. Don't get professional now." I rake my fingers through his hanging hair. "I choose the first one."

"Now about the name. What comes to mind?"

"Umm..." I search my thoughts. A name? I don't know. Maybe something with studio in it. I'm not good at names. "Let's put a pin in that."

"How about interior design?"

I purse my lips as I ponder. "It has to look exactly like the ballroom."

"Alright, we have one thing off the list."

"I suck at naming. You're great at it; Strygent is badass. Help me?"

Jace smiles. "Strygent came to me in a dream. I have no skill in picking titles. As for the product naming, my lab manager is the brain behind those. He has a skill for it."

"Maybe I should ask him for help."

"You can."

I buck my eyes. "Wait...you're permitting me to talk to another guy? You're not gonna act how I did?"

"No."

"Not fair...I wanna see you jealous, so I can have a hyper-sex drive." I frown.

"Maybe next time... Dorian is gay."

"Oh..." I roll up the blueprint. "Maybe the next guy will get you boiling at me." I hand him back the scroll. "Is there anything else needing done?"

"Marketing and construction-wise no. As for target audience, pricing, mission statement, staffing, and logo. Your input is needed." He opens a binder on the desk. I read bullet points on a checklist page.

"Okay... the audience...all ages? Or is that dumb?"

"No, that's perfect."

I beam up at him. "How about a bar on the adult side? I miss concocting potions."

"Done." Jace uses a pen to write this addition on the list.

"Pricing has to be affordable; everyone should be able to dance. Maybe $30 a month?" I seek approval from him.

"You shouldn't be asking me, Ms. Bossy."

"I think I have to with this."

Jace bends to my ear. "Take charge like you do in the bedroom."

I smirk at his motivation; the cocky attitude I had at work activates. "The pricing will be $30 a month. There'll be a payment plan option if that's too much." I turn my head to kiss him. "I stole the last one from you."

His olive eyes smile. "I'm grateful."

"That way, your idea can live on." I give him a nose nookie.

"I love you."

"Then propose already."

"Patience."

"Why?" I grumble.

"Firstly, it can't be simple."

"It can. I don't mind simple."

He shakes his head. "You deserve a memorable proposal...not me on my knees holding a rock."

"What do you have in mind?"

"Let's finish the document."

I turn away from him with an attitude. "Fine, don't tell me!"

"The third one."

"I don't know what a mission statement is."

"It's a statement of action, declaring the purpose of an organization. How it will serve customers. A description, purpose, and objective."

I rub my forehead. "This is gonna make my head hurt, isn't it?"

"Think of it as a summary of your company's purpose."

"Bail me out; use your straight-A student tricks." I laugh stressfully.

"You have to phrase it; your voice is vital in all the aspects of the studio." He holds out his hand. "But you have time to complete the document; we can put a pin in it."

"Where are we going?"

He doesn't answer. I'm oblivious to what's going on. Jace takes me downstairs, passing the kitchen, to a hall with an open frame at the end. A wine cellar boasting an L-shaped bar is where I'm taken. Behind it are ten shelves of stocked bottles of alcohol. "How about a drink to celebrate today's progress, Ms. Bossy?"

I cheese. "That can be done. But if I break bottles, don't sue me. It's been a while." I go behind the bar station and raise my chin. "How may I help you, sir?"

"Why is this so familiar?"

"Strange...I'm sensing déjà vu, too. We must have met in past lives." I kneel to withdraw two wide-rim glasses. "Any suggestions?"

"Surprise me."

I grit my teeth. "I don't know where anything is..."

"I can show you."

"Then it won't be a surprise."

Jace comes around back. "It will; you have a golden touch." He presses a button under the bar. A compartment full of ingredients spans upwards from the floor.

"I need gin." He goes to the back and slides out a bottle, Latin style.

I gather egg whites, fresh lemon juice, syrup, and raspberries into a shaker with ice. Pump it up and down, then take the gin to pour some in. I strain it all into an ice-filled cylinder. Add 1 cup of sugar and 1/2 water to a hot pot, then whisk until the sugar dissolves. Macerate is included.

The drink is light pink when all ingredients are mixed. Still, I take my time churning the liquids, so they're well saturated. A layer of foamy syrup is added; raspberries top it off. "Time?" I ask as I pop it into a mini fridge.

"56 seconds."

"I'll get faster."

"You already are."

"Hey...I take offense to that!" I act appalled.

He grins, wrapping his arms around my waist. "Enough...to torture me?"

"Hmmm...maybe." I smack my lips on his. "Offend me a bit more."

"You're disgustingly wicked."

I press into him. "What else?"

"You despicable...cruel thing."

I take a handful of his ass. "What do you want tonight?"

"You know what I want..."

"Are you sure you don't want me to try something else?"

Jace holds my tiny ass in his giant palms. "No, I'm addicted."

"How about one last time, then I get you hooked on another technique?"

"Or...how about I eat you out if you never stop my favorite treat?" I blush. "I know you thought about it." I grab two glasses and go to the fridge for the concoction. I stay mute while pouring two glasses. "I take that as a yes." Jace raises his drink. "Here's a toast to your studio and the first step of design. To progress."

I tap my glass to his. "To progress." We sip on the fruity, chilly drink. It has a sour zing, and a well-rounded sweetness. The foam is smooth and tart. I feel a mustache on my lips. Jace swipes it away with his tongue. "Delicious, right?"

"Like you."

"Let's say we switch it around; you blow me, then I blow you?"

Jace downs his drink in one swig. "Okay." He kneels.

"Right here?"

"Why not?" He gazes up at me. "Random places help with arousal."

I nibble my lip. "Put me on the counter." I'm hoisted on it like a baby doll. I lay back. He hops onto the counter and pulls down my short leggings. Jace wags his mouth side to side on my underwear. I hastily pull them down.

"You're impatient." He laughs.

"I wanna feel what you felt." I spread my legs. "Go faster." He lifts my ass, so I'm a foot off the counter. His moist tongue lathers my lip flaps. Jace blows air across them. An artic freeze effect occurs. My legs flutter while he continues the air conditioner method. His tongue dances along the outside, finding every nook there is. Each gush of air from his mouth numbs me. I hiss and hum. Why isn't he inside yet?! "Faster."

His tongue slips in, passing my labia, dabbing my pearl. Jace bobs for apples. My inner glands roast. He traces a figure 8 motion on my pink ball. I weep at the ache. Jace vacuums my clit between the dabs. The temperature rises. The sloppy slushing... and the tightness of his mouth has me crying out. His slippery sword writes symbols on my raw bulb. He twirls, beats, slurps, and vibrates on it, while keeping the writing method and head bobbing.

I slop out cum shots, releasing shrieks. Jace gobbles me, smothers me, dehydrates me. I sweat from the heat. I'm a landslide...an avalanche of melting snow. White shot after white shot. Loud howls and the shaking of my spine exhaust me. I cling to consciousness, but all my fluids are drained...all my energy expels. I faint.

The dream in the cabin reoccurs. Only my view is inside now, and my baby bump is no more. There's a crib. I near it, hearing the cooing of an infant. I wonder what our child will look like? More me or Jace? Or both? Will it be a girl or a boy? What will I name it? I stand above the crib and look down. The baby is covered in a blanket. Its tiny handprints claw from underneath the cloth.

I reach to remove the white cloth so I can look upon our child. But I'm rushed away from the room. I'm pushed backwards in a haze.

"Madi? Wake up." Jace's husky voice surrounds me. "You need to replenish yourself." I open my eyes. I'm on a sofa, a few feet from the bar. "I need the favor returned." He hands me a Gatorade. I take it in silence and untwist the top. "You okay?"

"I had a dream."

"Was I stripping again?" He sniggers as he stands over me.

"No..." I gulp the energy drink. Do I tell him what it was about? It could speed up his proposal. "When will you ask me?"

"Oh...I must have popped the question in the dream."

"No...it wasn't that."

Jace takes a seat beside me. "Then what?"

"We had a baby..." I stare at the bottle. "This is the second time I dreamed about it."

"Wow..." He leans forward to look into my eyes. "You're at the finish line before me."

"Am I?"

"Yes...children come after marriage."

I sigh through my nostrils. "Maybe I'm having the dreams because you're taking too long. How much longer do I have to wait?"

"I'll ask soon."

"Soon could mean months. If you knew how much I wanted this, you'd be rushing."

"Madi, I know how much you want marriage. You lost all bodily function when I mentioned it."

"Then what's the issue?"

"There isn't one."

"Why the wait, then?"

"Because I'm planning something special."

"It can bea normal proposal."

"I'd rather it not be."

"So, I'm just supposed to keep waiting?"

"It won't be that much longer."

"It feels like it's never going to happen."

Jace turns my head towards his. "I just assured you that it would. Why would you say that?" He's peeved by my words.

I look at the floor, avoiding his aggravated eyes. "That's how it feels."

"I get that you're restless."

"Do you? Because I don't think you do. If you actually knew how many years I've had it planned out. I mean everything. The theme, music, dress, venue, food, ring, you name it."

"You picked out your own ring? That's not how it goes."

"Well, I did it...I pieced together everything." My sight darts from the floor to him. "I'm sick of it being an idea..."

"How old were you when you planned it?"

"17..."

"So, 5 years."

"And a half...." I correct, "I swear time is weird. I feel like an old maiden."

"The sexiest old maiden."

"I'm being serious," I complain.

"Sorry." Jace caresses my jawline. "Can I see the ring?"

"That's cheating."

"How about telling me the color?"

"Don't you have one in mind?"

"I do...but now that I know you have a fantasy ring, I want to change it."

"I'll like the one you pick."

"No, I want you to love it."

"I will once I see it."

"I'll just ask Lily; I'm sure you shared it with her."

"Don't! You can't give me a ring I know. It has to be completely different."

"It will be. I just need inspiration for the jeweler before they begin forging."

"Jeweler? You're not buying one?"

"No, my mind is set on an 80-carat diamond."

I hold my chest. "How many?!!"

"80 carat."

"That exists???"

"It does...so does the Cullinan Diamond, 530 caret. Should I swap it out for that?" He brags.

"Those sound expensive."

"Only a couple hundred million."

"Oh, you're right, that's such a small amount." I jab sarcastically.

"What color did you choose?" I drink Gatorade instead of answering. "Did it match your eyes?" I stare at him with a wide smile. "Was it pink? Silver? Gold? Perhaps rose gold?" I go on drinking. "The sooner you answer, the faster I'll propose."

I place down the bottle. "Deal...it was rose gold."

"How'd it look?"

"Like a tiara."

"Can I see a picture?"

I pat my pockets; they're pretty deep, so I have to dig in. "It was a Morganite and Diamond Halo Ring. I modeled my whole Pinterest board after it. A peaches and cream-themed wedding." Once on my phone, I navigate to bookmarks and scroll all the way down, passing dozens of pins.

One titled Dream Ring is what I click. When the page is loaded, I turn the phone around so Jace can see.

I reminisce my teenage self scouring the web for bridesmaids' dresses and groomsmen suits.

And, of course, my own gown. Well, two gowns, one for the ceremony and one for the reception.

The chosen song was an orchestra version of Young And Beautiful. A magical tent venue lit by firefly lights. I listened to the music with the reference pictures stained in my mind.

I wouldn't go to sleep unless my eyes were tired. I imagined wearing the gown. How the cream fabric would feel on my skin. How the bodycon shape would give me a sexy figure. How this ring would shine on my finger.

"I see what you meant by tiara." He glances at me. I feel the sentimental value of the ring peeking through my soul. I'm awestruck by the photo, as if I've never seen it dozens of times before. "I'm sure this is the one."

"But what about the one you're having made?"

"You love this one. It's settled. I'll still have modifications done."

I switch the screen to gaze at it, unable to hide years of desire. "I do love it...probably more than I love you."

"Ouch."

"Aww..." I kiss him. "Sorry, but this was my first love. You can be my last."

"That still hurts."

"Let me make it better. Get on the counter." I point to it as if he's a dog.

I wait for the engagement for a week. I even spy on Jace to gain intel. He's out and about, flying place to place, from what the jet's GPS shows. Mostly he's at downtown skyscrapers. He visits The White House once. I get paranoid about spying on him there. So, I drop my snooping, expecting invisible men in black to pop out of thin air.

There's an expo in a few months, so he stops at the arena a lot too. Has the ring arrived? Are the modifications done? Is he done replacing the diamonds with a higher carat? But he doesn't stop at a jeweler at all. I have no clue where the mail is delivered. The drones must sort it, meaning I can't get hold of any packages.

I go through his dresser drawers and closet, searching for a little box. Or a big one. The caret is ridiculous. I go through drawer after drawer, pants and coat pockets, and even look under the bed. There's nothing.

I grow more and more restless. I call Lily to vent. "I don't get why he hasn't done it yet? I looked for the ring, but it's not here. He hasn't been to the jeweler, just work and home. I was told soon last week. I can't do this!"

"Maddy, breathe; you'll survive. Jace is planning something big. Let him."

My eyes water. I think back on the years of watching newlyweds slow dancing. Smashing each other faces with cake, taking candid photos...sharing soulful gazes. All while I observed from a distance with envy and jealousy. All the times I cried later in bed. The hurtful bubble guts...the impending doom of growing old alone. It's back again. I'm falling down an abyss.

I clutch my stomach and brace for a fatal surge of pain. "Lil...I can't."

"Hon, you're getting your wedding. You're not on the outside looking in anymore. Just breathe. Okay?"

Teardrops skid from my lashes. "What if he changed his mind?"

"No...stop it." She sighs. "I'll let you in on something, but keep it between us. Okay?"

"What is it?"

"He's not sure if you want us all there or if you want it one-on-one. Honestly, none of us are sure, so Jace is working it out. There, now chill your nerves."

"Oh..." I wipe my eyes. I never thought it out. Do I want my fam there or not? That's a good question. I'm not sure. Could I just tell Jace to do it his way? I wouldn't mind my family being there for the proposal, or if they're not. It can go either way. I just want the ring on my finger. I just want to say yes.

I've been saying it forever in my head. Daydreaming about tossing the bouquet to another lucky woman. Passing over the threshold as husband and wife into our home. I'm ready to be one with Jace. To have him deflower me... make love to me. I know I've been waiting this long, but my endurance is weighing thin. I don't think I can wait any longer. My heart is dying.

I munch on chocolate ice cream while soaking in a bubble bath. The steam is therapeutic. I breathe it in and sink lower into the water. I take big scoop after big scoop to smother my fragile heart. I need to relax...and just get by one hour at a time. I think I can do it. I finish the bowl of ice cream and bathe for an hour.