Happily Ever Afterlife (2 page)

“Baby, I want you to rip my clothes off.” She tried to forget she had an audience. “Force my legs open and eat my pussy. Then fuck me hard, like you’re trying to fuck me to death.”

Immediately, Michael hissed in a deep breath and reached for his groin. He rubbed his barely-there erection. Tessa looked over to find Saylor motioning with his hands for her to continue.

“I want to feel your big cock ramming into me. Fuck me so hard you reach my tonsils from the inside.”

Saylor seemed impressed at the taunt she’d used on Michael so often that it became a running joke. A backwards blowjob, she’d called it.

“Nice,” he said.

The bulge in her fiancé’s pants grew stronger and he groaned, digging the heel of his hand along his length. Grinning at Saylor, Tessa leaned close again, ready to give Michael a verbal blow job, but he fell away from her, dropping his head into his hands and bursting into sobs. Filled with guilt, Tessa reached for him, but before her hands touched his skin, she was pulled back to Saylor’s side.

“Well, it isn’t perfect, but it’s a place to start,” he shrugged, a little too callous to Michael’s reaction in her opinion.

Michael stood and passed through them, headed toward his bed. Maybe she couldn’t touch him, but she sure as hell
felt
him. His utter despair sliced through Tessa as sharply as if she felt it herself, and for the first time since her death, she wanted to cry.

Saylor squeezed her shoulder. “Don’t let it suck you in, Princess.” His voice was so soft – almost a whisper. “Let it go, and let’s see what else you can do for this boy.”

“What? Getting him horny isn’t our endgame?” She arched a brow. Somehow, she knew it wouldn’t be that simple.

“If only.”

“So what, then? Am I supposed to find my fiancé a new girlfriend?” That seemed a little extreme, and she was hardly the person for that job. She could already feel the claws coming out at the mere mention of Michael with another woman.

Saylor snapped his fingers and the anguish that surrounded Michael when he passed through her seeped into every cell in her body once more. Damn, her spiritual guide really knew how to make a point.

“Is that what you want?” he asked.

She’d do anything to save Michael from that kind of misery. No one should have to live with that.

“Of course not. What do I need to do?” She tried to block out the sound of weeping coming from the bedroom. Not letting it suck her in would be easier if she didn’t have to listen to it.

Thank goodness Saylor could read her mind. They were transported to a park bench across the street from her apartment building.

“We need to find your boy a girl,” Saylor said. “Does he have any friends we can hook him up with? I’m sure they feel bad for him, so they’d be the easiest place to start.”

“I don’t think a pity fuck is going to pull him out of his funk for more than an hour or two.”

“Good point.”

Their surroundings changed and they were once again watching as Michael moved through his day. Tessa did a headcount of the women who worked at Michael’s firm. Eleven total. Four of them single, but not one of them good enough for her fiancé.

“This is crazy, Saylor. He can’t date anyone from work, but he doesn’t go anywhere else. We can’t very well just drop some random woman in his lap.”

“Keep watching.”

Time sped up, and soon Michael donned his jacket to go to lunch. They followed him across the snow-packed street to a bistro where he’d often taken Tessa when they met up during the day. Standing in line directly behind Michael as he waited to be seated, Saylor nodded toward Michael, but Tessa couldn’t tell what he was indicating, and shook her head.

“Watch his eyes,” Saylor nodded again.

Tessa followed Michael’s gaze, and sure enough, his eyes followed the waitress as she moved around the floor, taking care of her tables.

“He’s totally checking her out.” Saylor giggled.

Tessa stuffed down the pang of jealousy biting at her heart.
This is a good thing
. “That’s Lia. She’s worked her for a while,” Tessa said. “Michael always thought she was hot.”

Saylor’s eyes bulged. “He told you that?”

“He joked about having a threesome with her, once,” Tessa shrugged. “Asked me if I’d do her.”

“Princess, guys don’t joke around about threesomes. Trust me. They may try to pass it off as a joke, but deep down they’re praying the girl jumps all over it.”

Tessa eyed him suspiciously. “And you know this how?”

“Gay or straight, a guy is a guy is a guy. You don’t think gays do the threesome thing? It’s not just a straight fantasy.”

As the woman moved around, Tessa studied her closely. Where Tessa was a little beyond pleasantly plump – more cushion for the pushin’ Michael always assured her – Lia’s body was slimmer, but still curvy. They both had the same long, blond hair. She couldn’t help but feel a little flattered that Michael was attracted to a woman who resembled her.

“So now what?” she asked. “We go whisper in his ear to ask her out?”

Saylor tapped a finger on his chin. “I think we’ll have to be a little more aggressive than that.”

“Like how?” Beyond a little subliminal suggestion, Tessa was powerless. Wasn’t she?

“Watch and learn, Princess.”

As Lia approached Michael with a huge smile, Saylor jumped beside her and stuck out his foot, and damned if Lia didn’t trip over it, stumbling toward Michael.

“How did you do that?” Tessa asked, as Michael shot forward to catch Lia in his arms.

“Whoa, are you okay?” Michael asked a stunned Lia. He helped her to her feet, but kept his hand wrapped around her arms, as though the floor might suck her down again.

Saylor blew on his fingertips. “I’m not completely without talent. And neither are you. Blow on her nipples.”

The hell? “Why would I do that?” Tessa asked.

“You’ll see. Just do it.”

Lia grasped Michael’s arms as she regained her balance. Tessa bent toward the woman’s breasts and started to blow. She expected to feel a little weird about it, after all, she’d never really entertained the idea of messing around with another woman, but when Lia’s nipples puckered in response, Tessa felt a strong sense of accomplishment. It was fun. Kind of naughty.

When she looked up, she found Lia staring down at her and started to panic. She’d seen Tessa? Felt her breath across the tight buds? No, Lia stared in mortification at the insubordinate puckers on her chest, her cheeks turning an alluring shade of pink.

“Uh, um,” the woman sputtered, still grasping Michael’s biceps. “I’m so sorry. Did you see that floor reach up and grab me?”

Michael stared open mouthed at Lia’s breasts. Behind him, Saylor reached around and gently rubbed along his crotch.

“Hey, how come you can touch him and I can’t?” Tessa asked.

“For starters, I’m stronger than you, and since you guys are tied to each other, you aren’t allowed to touch him.” Sure enough, the front of Michael’s pants began to bulge under Saylor’s caress.

“Can he actually feel that?” Tessa asked.

Saylor backed away now that Michael sported a full-fledged hard-on. “Not really. It’s kind of like the suggestive power when you were whispering in his ear. He can’t hear or feel it, but he gets a sense of it in his head.”

“Cool.”

Michael and Lia both stared at his tented slacks, both blushing furiously.

“I didn’t. I was watching your eyes,” Michael finally replied. The color in his cheeks darkened and Tessa barked out a laugh.

“I see his brain-to-mouth filter is still worthless,” she said.

“Miss Lia, I think it’s time you seated your customer,” Saylor suggested.

“If you’ll follow me, I have a table for you over here.” She pulled away from Michael’s hands and turned. Pulling off his coat, Michael draped it over his forearm to hide his erection, and trailed Lia.

“Those are some pretty cute bar tricks, but will they be enough?” Tessa asked, elbowing Saylor as they followed Lia and Michael. Considering she was trying set up her fiancé with another woman, Tessa thought she was coping exceedingly well.

“All we can really do is get the ball rolling, but any relationship has to start with a little lust.”

“So how have you been, Michael? You don’t come in much anymore.”

“Just been keeping a low profile. Work keeps me pretty busy,” he said.

“He’s so full of shit,” Tessa said. Sitting around, drinking beer and watching TV was not busy with work.

“I hear ya,” Lia said. “But I kind of miss seeing you around. You always manage to brighten my day.”

“Michael, ask her out!” Saylor commanded, but Michael just stared at his menu as the color returned to his cheeks.

“He won’t. He’s too chicken shit. I was the one who finally broke down and asked him out,” Tessa said. “And in his frame of mind, I just don’t see it happening.

“Hmm, maybe we need to work on her, then.” Saylor tapped his chin.

“Lia, ask him out,” Tessa said as forcefully as she could.

“Do you know what you want, or do you need a minute to look?” Lia asked, nodding at the menu in Michael’s hands.

“I’ll have the turkey club on rye and a cup of potato soup.” Michael folded the menu and held it out. “Coffee to drink.” He smiled – the first Tessa had seen since they’d started watching him.

Lia returned the smile, but Tessa thought it looked a little sad. She could tell that Lia really did care for Michael, at least a little. That was promising. Now to nudge her to do something about it.

“Don’t worry Princess, we’ve got some time.”

Michael drank his coffee and ate his sandwich, barely acknowledging Lia when she came to his table, but his eyes followed her wherever she went.

“Watch this,” Saylor said, pointing to the table next to Michael where two young men and a woman about the same age ate lunch.

One of the guys had a small, fried appetizer in front of him, maybe popcorn chicken or something. He tossed a piece in the air and caught it in his mouth. When he hurled another one skyward, it dive-bombed and hit him in the eye.

Tessa snorted. “Did you do that?”

Saylor nodded and waited for the man to make another attempt. Tessa knew it was coming. The guy had to save face. When his tablemates laughed at his miscalculation, he turned an alarming shade of red. This time, it hit his chin and ricocheted across the table, down the front of the woman’s dress.

“Seriously, Greg?” The other man at the table barked. “Grow the fuck up, will ya?”

The woman stood and excused herself, probably to run to the bathroom and fish the food out of her bra in private, but before she could leave, Greg reached across the table. Saylor was right there with him and knocked a glass of water over just ahead of Greg’s hand. The water splashed all over the woman.

Saylor knocked Greg’s other arm out from under him so that he was flat against the table. His outstretched hand kept sliding, until it slammed against the woman’s pubic area. To anyone watching, it probably looked like the guy lunged for her crotch.

The friend jumped from his seat and grabbed Greg by his collar, dragging him to stand.

From across the room, Lia yelled, “Hey! Hey, you guys knock it off!”

“What the fuck is wrong with you, man?” the friend growled in Greg’s face. He shook Greg violently and pulled back his arm, preparing to punch the man in his grasp.

“Stop!” Lia screamed, but Michael was on his feet and grabbed the friend’s arm before he could unleash his rage on Greg.

“Deep breath, man.” Michael spoke in the friend’s ear, wrapping him in a bear hug to keep him still. “You don’t want to do this here. You’ll go to jail. Just calm down.”

“I’m really sorry. It was an accident,” poor Greg explained.

The entire bistro had come to a standstill, waiting to see how the scene would unfold. When the man’s breathing slowed and his body relaxed, Michael released him and patted his shoulder.

“I think you guys better pay your bill and go. And leave a fat tip,” Michael said before returning to his seat.

Greg and the other man each threw some money on the table, and headed for the exit, grumbling all the way. The woman meekly followed behind, her dress still dripping.

“Thank you so much, Michael,” Lia came to stand beside his table. “That could have gotten really ugly.”

Tessa stood behind Lia and clasped her hands under her chin, batting her eyelashes. “My hero!”

“No problem.” Michael looked up at Lia and smiled, but quickly glanced away. “Anyone would have done the same thing. I just happened to be the closest.”

“You’d be surprised. I think most people would have just moved out of the way and watched it all go down. Anyway, lunch is on me today. Thanks for your help.”

“Anytime.”

Lia turned to leave, but hesitated. She spun back around to face Michael. “A friend of mine is having an art show on Friday night. Would you like to go with me?”

He sputtered. “You, you mean like a date?”