Something Red, Something Blue

'Hold it,' he whispered gruffly. 'I need to be inside you.'

I took hold of the toy while McGrath slowly and carefully loosened my tight rosebud. It didn't take long for me to be ready, and he must've been growing impatient, because he didn't waste a second once I was stretched enough to take him.

He stood up, kissed the back of my neck once more, and asked me to hold still for him. I pulled my vibrator free and stood, frozen, watching his expression in the mirror as he eased his cock inside my arse.

'Shit that's good,' he muttered.

'It's about to get better,' I promised. 'Wait until you feel what's coming next.'

With one hand on the mirrored wardrobe to balance me, I used my free hand to slowly push the vibrating metal rod back inside me. I knew McGrath could feel the pulsing through the narrow barrier of flesh that separated my front entrance from my rear one, because he gasped and groaned and groped the front of my body, searching for a breast to grab.

I was stuffed full of him, and he could undoubtedly feel an abnormal amount of pressure on his cock. With our images gazing back at us from the mirror there was no mistaking how we each felt about what we were doing.

From that point onwards, we both grew frantic. The lead-up had been too long, and neither of us had any staying power. My orgasm crashed over me and I let out a loud wail. I would have fallen to the ground had it not been for McGrath, holding me up and reaming me with his rod, fucking me furiously as he reached his own pinnacle of excitement.

'Fuck, Jodie, fuck, fuck, it's so tight,' he grunted.

Even after my climax should have subsided, I still felt electric. McGrath's cock was slow to soften, and the vibrator was still inside me.

Slowly, carefully and deliberately, I pulled my fake cock from my sodden snatch and traced it directly over my clit. I gasped and pressed it down harder. I wasn't yet done.

'Again?' McGrath whispered.

Oh yes, again. The hotness of his breath, my dirty, shameless actions, and the continued stimulation tipped me over the edge.

'Oh shit, again, again, again,' I cried out. 'McGrath, I'm coming again.'

My second climax was so intense I thought I was going to pass out. McGrath's prick slipped from my stretched back hole, and a combination of lubricant and vaginal secretions dripped down my inner thigh and onto the carpet, but I barely noticed it, I was so caught up in the moment.

Even when I saw the mess I'd made, I didn't know whether to feel exhilarated or embarrassed.

~~~~~~~~~

McGrath sheepishly thanked me for an 'A Grade root' and apologised for not being able to hold off any longer.

'It was amazing,' I said, standing on my tip toes and kissing him. 'It's so hard to imagine that on Monday I'll be sitting at my desk, trying to catch up on work.'

'Ah, you'll be glad to be sleeping in your own bed.'

'No, McGrath, I won't,' I argued. I'd already packed up most of my belongings, but I'd left out a pair of leggings and loose tee to sleep in. 'I wasn't joking when I told you I had a boring life back home. Everything is a routine. I become cranky and irritable if things don't go as I planned, even little, inconsequential things. You might feel that you know me, but you don't. If you knew the real me, you'd run a million miles.'

McGrath didn't comment, but a thoughtful expression crossed his face as we got dressed. Goddamnit, I was already starting to get emotional, and he wasn't even due to leave me for the final time until the following morning. The final good-bye was going to hurt so much more than I originally anticipated.

'How about we sit on the balcony and have a drink?' he suggested.

'Sounds wonderful. I have the complimentary bottle of white I was given still sitting in the fridge.'

We went to the kitchen. I fetched glasses while McGrath retrieved the wine. When we both had a glass we went out to the balcony and listened as the waves crashed over the beach. It was otherwise very quiet, and the night sky was filled with stars.

'Why did you choose this place?' I asked. 'How did you find it?'

'That's a bit of a story,' he replied. 'I suppose there's no harm in telling you now. You'll be gone tomorrow morning, and I'll have lost you anyway, so you may as well know the truth.'

'You don't have to tell me if you don't want to.'

He sighed heavily. 'I want to. My ex-wife rang me this afternoon to say that that fucking fat mole, Liesel, had been asking one of her and some of hers and Liesel's mutual friends questions about me, so I assume you've heard rumours and second hand information. I'd like to clear the air.'

'But you don't owe me an explanation.'

'Maybe not, but I don't want you going to Brisbane thinking badly of me. If you need to think badly of me, I'd rather those opinions be based on fact, not on gossip.' He sipped his wine. 'Fiona -- my ex-wife -- is a good woman. We met at university. Her career moved at the pace that a woman's usually does -- slow, until the point where she has children, at which point it completely stagnates.

I, on the other hand, hit one lofty height after the next. The pressure was immense, but the rewards made it all seem worthwhile. I started to ignore my wife and children. I missed awards ceremonies, anniversaries, birthdays. I justified it, telling myself that they needed the money more than me. Even when they were telling me to quit, find a better job, and we'd live off a lower income, I thought the pain was worth the gain.'

His voice was plaintive as he continued. 'Twenty years into our marriage, Fiona found a lump in her breast. She asked me to come with her when the biopsy results came in. She told me the specialists were worried; there was blood in the sample or something, I can't quite remember what, but there was reason to be concerned. I told her I was busy.

It was cancer. She needed chemo, and she asked me to come along with her for her first session, because she was scared, but I didn't go. I had a report to write. I didn't even pick her up from the hospital. I just sent my assistant to collect her.' He glanced over at me. 'That's when she decided to leave me.'

'I'm sorry.'

'I am, too. It took three months for it to truly sink in that my wife had left and it was all my fault. I told her I'd change. She asked me to find a new job. I refused. She told me if that was the case, the divorce would have to proceed. And, well, it did. And a year later, I went home for a long weekend and cried and cried and cried, because I realised I'd lost what mattered most, and there was no one to blame but myself.'

'That's very sad.'

'For everyone,' he agreed. 'I applied for a number of jobs, and was offered several, but this was the one that felt right. I thought I could make a fresh start. I bought a simple house, a simple car and these days I live a simple life. I travel down to Brisbane every few months to see the children -- they're both adults these days -- but our relationship is strained. They resent me. They don't trust me. And why should they trust me, when for their whole lives I made promises I had no intention of keeping?'

The tale was so brutally honest it shocked me. I wasn't sure I'd be capable of such forthrightness were I in his position. I would have lied, padded stories and glossed over hard truths. Did I hate him? Did I think less of him? No. I thought more of him, and my heart clenched in sympathy for him, and how he must've felt when he'd realised what he'd lost.

I knew then and there that he hadn't taken Liesel's money. No way, no how.

I tucked my legs under my body. 'Do you and Fiona get along?'

'To a degree, yes. There was a stage where she hated me, but her rage seems to have simmered over the last few years. She hasn't remarried, but she seems happy enough on her own.'

'Like you.'

'No, not like me. I don't enjoy being on my own.'

'Me neither,' I agreed. 'I've really enjoyed this week. I can't tell you how happy you've made me. I'm scared to even say this, because it makes me seem crazy and clingy, but I actually feel normal when I'm around you. If I could pack you in my suitcase and take you back to Brisbane, I would.'

'Well,' he said, licking his lips nervously. 'I go to Brisbane quite frequently, you know.'

My heart was singing with joy. 'You're welcome to come and stay with me whenever you want. I'd love to have you.'

McGrath leant over and kissed me. 'There's nothing that would make me happier.'

My hands were trembling with excitement. 'I really like you,' I confessed.

'I really like you, too. Maybe one day you'll come and live with me in a tropical paradise.'

'That's a wonderful dream to have.'

We got out of our chairs so we could properly kiss. I was mad with excitement, relief and delight. He liked me. He liked me! And we were going to keep seeing each other!

'I feel like a teenager again,' I admitted. 'Thank-you.'

'No, Jodie, thank-you. You have no idea how relieved I am that you know the truth about my past, and don't hate me.'

'We all make stupid mistakes.' I paused and blanched. There was just one, remaining issue. 'And this afternoon, when Liesel came around and suggested to me that you might have been involved in her missing lotto money, I actually started to doubt you.'

McGrath shook his head vigorously. 'Jodie, I can promise you, whatever she told you was bullshit. I'm in no way involved. I actually rang the newsagent today. They were just as mystified as me, but said they'd do some investigations.'

'I'm sorry.'

'Don't be.' He kissed me. 'I love you.'

'I love you, too.'

~~~~~~~

It was only at half past nine the following morning that I remembered I'd promised to meet Liesel for breakfast at nine.

'Shit,' I swore. 'McGrath, I've made a boo boo. I was supposed to meet Liesel at the café next to the hotel at nine.'

'And instead you've been for a long, ambling walk with your beloved,' he replied. 'I'd have been offended if you ditched me for breakfast with that dragon.'

I gave him the lightest of nudges. 'You could at least pretend you like her.'

'Why? She's been a bloody mole ever since we met in the newsagent, and I don't take kindly to people bullying others, or hunting around for information they have no right to have. She's been asking questions left, right and centre in Brisbane about both you and me.'

'That's true.'

'I'll give Liesel credit where credit's due; at least the ex-wife and I are on the exact same page for once. Fiona's just as pissed off as I am about Liesel's investigations.' McGrath squeezed my hand. 'In fact, Fiona might just be even more pissed off, to the point where she went and did some investigating about a number of sexual harassment complaints that have been made against Liesel. Apparently when someone's been on the sauce -- and there are rumours she's a heavy drinker when someone else is footing the bill -- she likes to grope young men. Young, Islander men in particular.'

I was shocked. 'Liesel told me something about that. She said me it was all a misunderstanding.'

McGrath snorted. 'I'm not sure there's much misunderstanding to be done about repeatedly trying to fondle someone's balls.'

'No,' I agreed. 'That's just horrible. If she really did that, she deserves to lose her job and face charges.'

'Speak of the devil,' McGrath muttered, cocking his head. 'I believe that's her, heading straight for us.'

My companion was right. Striding towards us, chin up in the air, was Liesel. She wore that attitude and indignation of a woman who was gunning for a confrontation. I was just tired and fed up, and I was sick of her drama. I was due to leave in a few hours, and didn't want to waste a single minute on her.

'You stood me up,' Liesel accused. She wore a black swimsuit with a matching, transparent caftan over the top. A brightly coloured towel was thrown over her shoulder.

'Sorry. I forgot all about it.' I frowned. 'Why didn't you just text me a reminder when I didn't show up? I gave you my phone number when we were at the conference.'

'It was a work phone, Jodie. They took it off me when I was stood down,' she replied. 'Obviously.'

'Well, obviously Jodie didn't anticipate that you would go around copping a feel of young, male waitstaff at work functions,' McGrath said smoothly. 'However if you're here to discuss the missing lotto money, then I can assure you that neither Jodie nor I have had any involvement. Nor has the newsagent. Everything was done through the proper channels.'

Liesel glared at him. 'You think you're so clever, don't you? So funny?'

McGrath rolled his eyes. He was past annoyed. He, like me, just wanted Liesel to fuck off so we could enjoy our last bit of time together. He'd be coming to Brisbane in a month, but a month was a damn long time.

Liesel noted his reaction. 'I'll nail your arse to the wall, Mister. You just wait. You think your shit doesn't stink, but I know all about you, Tony. I know all about you abandoning your wife in her hours of need.'

'Liesel...' I started.

'...Jodie,' she interrupted. 'Don't make excuses for him. He's a loser. There's a reason he's single, and it's because he's not worth a woman's time. And you'll see, Jodie, you'll see. He has my money, I just know it.'

'I don't have your money, you stupid bloody woman,' McGrath said, irritated.

Liesel folded her arms over her chest. 'I don't need to listen to any more of this. I'm going for a swim.'

'Okay,' I said. 'That sounds like a good idea.'

McGrath eyed her up. 'That sounds like a good idea, but if I were you, I'd wear a stinger suit,' he warned Liesel. 'Either that, or I'd go half a kilometre up the beach and swim in the netted area.'

'Are you trying to make me get lost?' Liesel accused him.

McGrath stared at her appraisingly. I could just about see his mind ticking over, as he tried to decide whether or not she was worth the trouble.

'No,' McGrath said. 'I'm trying to help you.'

'I think you've helped enough,' Liesel replied.

With that, she stomped off towards the beach.

'She might get stung by a jellyfish,' I said worriedly. 'Do you think I should chase after her and tell her you weren't making fun of her?'

McGrath put an arm around my shoulder. 'Nope.'

~~~~~~~~

Four weeks after McGrath and I said good-bye, he arrived in Brisbane. I met him at the Brisbane domestic terminal at seven o'clock on a Thursday night, and he immediately picked me up, gave me a tight hug and kissed me more passionately than was probably appropriate for our surroundings.

'You look incredible,' he said, eyeing off my red dress.

'Thanks,' I said. 'I figured if I wore something red, and you took something blue....' I trailed off meaningfully.

'Hussy,' he grinned. 'Good thing I come prepared, huh?'

We laughed as we walked out of the airport, holding hands as if we were in our teens, not middle-aged. I was so gloriously happy it was barely believable.

'I heard a rumour Liesel lost her job,' I said.

'She did,' he agreed. 'Fiona called me with the good news. On the other hand, she did end up getting her lotto money.'

'Really? What happened? And how did you find out?'

'Ah, the benefits of living in a gossipy small town,' he explained. 'The newsagent called me and told me what happened. Apparently the silly twit gave the lottery corporation the wrong bank account details. The money came back to the lotteries corporation, who contacted Liesel. They lotteries corporation then received the correct details, and paid her.'

'So you were right. You always said she'd likely given the wrong number.'

'As did you,' he pointed out.

'Great minds must think alike,' I said.

'Definitely, Jodie. That's definitely what it is. And dear God, that dress is hot. Thank fuck I bought the magic pills, my lady, because I am going to fuck you senseless.'

I couldn't think of anything I wanted more.