Jungle Fever (Bayside Tigers #6) (3 page)

"Where..."

"I kinda lost it back at Micah's place," Elsa really didn't have a more delicate way to say it. She knew Caroline was very quick at drawing conclusions.

"You mean you
slept
with the stripper guy?" Caroline asked. "You curvy little minx."

"Just get over here—
fast
," Elsa sighed, burying her face in her hands.

E
lsa felt embarrassed as Caroline paid for the tab.

"This guy stiffs you and you
still
want to marry him? You are
truly
crazy..." Caroline said lighting up a cigarette.

"Can't we just leave?" Elsa mumbled.

"Not until you give me the dirty details." Caroline insisted. "You know what, I think we should celebrate and go dancing..."

Elsa couldn't believe how easily her best friend shrugged off her infidelity. Elsa felt sick inside for having cheated on James. Sure, the sex with Micah was dirty, hot and out of this world—but Elsa still didn't want to hurt the man she was to marry in two days.

"I'm not going anywhere, Caroline—okay? Jesus, I'm not gonna celebrate being a lying cheater."

"Listen, Elsa. You're gonna come dancing with me and the girls whether you like it or not. It's the least you can do since I had to pay down your tab..." Caroline said, a little annoyed.

Elsa knew Micah would be at Jungle Fever. And she didn't want to run into him again. She really didn't want to see him
ever
! But she couldn't fight with Caroline. Not after what she did for her.

"Fine," Elsa said, feeling worse and worse as the hours wore on.

*

E
lsa and her friends went back to Jungle Fever to go dancing. Elsa deliberately hid her face underneath her hair so no one would recognize her. Within seconds, she heard Micah's voice.

"You left this," he growled, handing Elsa her purse.

Elsa moved further into the large crowd. Scantily dressed bodies writhed around under the strobbing lights. Micah was sweating as he just finished performing his fireman routine on the main stage. Elsa's hand drifted up his hard toned chest, and she bit her quivering lip. Then her more logical senses got the best of her. Elsa spun on her heels and stormed away.

"What we did the other night was a mistake...I can't be seen with you okay," Elsa cried, her voice was drowned out by the music. But Micah didn't stop. He let his rough warm hands rest on her shoulders, and he pressed his sweat covered face against her cheek.

"If you want it to stop. Then tell me to stop..." He growled.

Elsa couldn't. She liked the way Micah gave it to her rough. She like his brash honesty. She liked that he treated her like he could give zero fucks what anyone else thought. All of her friends were mostly, half-drunk anyways and weren't paying her any attention.

Elsa could see the hunger in Micah's golden eyes as he let his hands slide down her arms... and in between Elsa's thighs. Elsa moaned as one of his fingers slipped underneath her panties.

No. Not here. Not now!

Elsa panicked as he slowly pulsed his fingers deep inside her wet pussy.

"Loosen up. Just relax. Let me do the rest," Micah growled.

Elsa's heat gushed over Micah's fingers as he buried himself in her pussy almost up to his knuckles. Elsa moaned, practically melting in Micah's hands. Her pussy was utterly bare for his taking. Her heart beat faster as she felt herself on the edge of coming in Micah's arms. She could feel his rigid cock grind against her ass. Micah embraced her as she trembled and jerked in pleasure. Without warning, Elsa turned around and started undoing the buckle in his jeans.

She didn't know why she insisted spiraling further and further from her morals. She just had such overwhelming need that none of it mattered. Micah smiled down at her when she finally freed his thick tiger cock. Micah groaned when she lifted her tight bodycon dress and slipped him inside her. Elsa slid her tight warmth so easily up and down Micah's shaft. Elsa's mind was blissfully empty. She didn't worry about how fat she'd look in her wedding dress. She didn't worry if James would disapprove of her body. All she wanted was to feel Micah's erect cock straining inside her. The smell of his tiger musk was intoxicating on a level she couldn't understand.

Micah took her in his mouth, sucking on her lower lip. Then Elsa could feel his warm come erupting deep inside her cunt, and sliding down Micah's pulsing shaft.

Drenched with sweat, Elsa stared deeply into Micah's blue-golden eyes. Micah pulled out of her, and strolled backwards with his pants still open.

"Why do you make me so crazy?" Elsa breathed.

"Why do you make me want to spend every waking moment with you?" Micah urged, his voice heavy and panting.

Then they kissed, Elsa leaned back her face messy with sweat.

"Come on, let's go somewhere we can talk," Micah said darkly.

E
lsa and Micah strolled down the beach. Elsa kicked up sand as she made a path towards Micah's bungalow.

"Why are you getting married? It's obvious you don't want to?" Micah asked.

"What makes you think that?" Elsa replied, finally looking up.

"
You kidding me
, we just fucked each other's brains out...and you
loved
it. And women wonder why men think they're all crazy..." Micah snarled, turning his back on Elsa.

Elsa slapped her sides. "It's complicated alright! Just because I have a pre-wedding fling doesn't mean I just throw away all of my responsibilities at the drop of a hat!"

"
Responsibilities
? You
kiddin'
me? That's bull shit Elsa and you know it!" Micah roared.

"What do you want Micah? You want me to just run away with you? Abandon everything I've worked hard for and just pop out a few were-babies and live an island life?" Elsa shouted. She knew that what they had was hot sex and chemistry but they barely knew anything about each other...that's not love—it's lust.

Micah cocked his brow, feeling now he was hearing the truth. "So, that's what it's
really
about? You don't think I'm good enough to take care of you. But I'm
damn
sure good enough to fuck you..."

Elsa rolled her eyes, and snorted. She really couldn't think of a good come back to that one, because Micah—quite frankly—did know how to hit it good.

"There's not many chances in her life that a woman who looks like me and is my age has someone propose to her...okay?" Elsa insisted.

Micah chuckled so hard he nearly bowled over, and fell back in the sand.

"What the
hell
are you talking about? There is a man telling you that he loves you and he would die to spend the rest of his life with you...and
guess what
—he's standing RIGHT HERE!!"

Elsa had heard enough and she wasn't going to let it go any further. She didn't need some stripper giving her any sort of life advice.

"I'm done, Micah. I don't want you showing up at the hotel..." Elsa breathed trying to hold back tears. "I don't want you coming around. I don't want to
ever
see you again."

"Just admit it, Elsa!" Micah roared. "You're afraid of actually being happy!"

Elsa then slipped off her sandals so she could race up the beach in the opposite direction. Micah just stood there, watching her curvy silhouette vanish into the night.

E
lsa and James were out having dinner at Le Stripe. James noticed Elsa just forking her food, but not really eating it. James ordered her a large spinach salad—which of course she thought was utterly disgusting—but pretended to eat it anyway.

James cocked his head to the side. "You're so quiet tonight? Having pre-wedding day butterflies?"

Elsa wasn't really listening. She’d gotten so used to only listening to half of what James said, because the other half of what he was saying was usually something about her weight.

"James..." Elsa uttered, looking up from her plate. "Why did you want to marry me?"

James inhaled deeply, not really understanding the meaning behind the question.

"Well, you're smart. You own your own business, you're nice and you're a work in progress..." James rattled on.

Elsa squinted not sure if he was insulting her or paying her a compliment...

"Look, it's normal to question whether or not you truly want this on the night before the wedding" James said with his Hollywood toothy smile. "It's okay. Just ignore all of those doubts, and we'll soon be husband and wife honeymooning in the Caymans."

"So, you're not embarrassed by the fact that you work in finance and I work in a bakery?"

James shrugged raking back his perfectly gelled hair. "I think it's cute, but I think when the kids are born, you'll have to take a step back and focus on being a good mom..." James said plainly forking some of his salad in his mouth.

James had clearly already planned his and Elsa's life right down to their imaginary children. When the entrees arrived, Elsa couldn't even eat because she lost her appetite. That night, when she slept in her bed, Elsa buried her face in her pillows. I
s this what my marriage is going to be like?
She cried in her head.
Are dropping off the kids to school and being the doting wife to my husband all I am?
She hated that she was crying, and hated that no matter what—she was going to go through with this wedding.

C
aroline drank straight out of a bottle of champagne, while all the bridesmaids were getting dressed to the nines.

"Don't you think you want to go a
little
easy on that?" Elsa asked her best friend as she was getting zipped up in her wedding dress.

"
Hell no.
Free booze is the best part of going to a wedding. If I have to watch you throw your life away... At least, I can do it drunk..." Caroline replied, while guzzling down more wine.

Elsa snatched away the wine. "Well, I'd appreciate it Caroline, if you wouldn't be totally smashed while standing on the altar..."

Caroline frowned and reclined back in her seat.

"Why can't you just admit you like that hot stripper and put this whole dog and pony show behind you?" Caroline asked.

The other bridesmaids veered around, listening intently.

Elsa laughed uncomfortably. "What Caroline
means to say
, is that we had a good time on the island and now she's sad that we have to leave."

Caroline flipped her hand..."Yeah, whatever..."

Elsa stood upright as the tailor finished fitting her in her dress. The flowing sugary white dress couldn't have been more perfect.
So, why didn't she feel perfect wearing it?
Elsa and James came to Bayside to have a beach wedding at sunset. All the women stood under a flowy white tarp, waiting to be called.

Caroline stood next to Elsa.

"Elsa, you're my best friend. And I'm just saying, before I got married—and eventually divorced—there was a man I who I loved. But I didn't go through with it because I thought I couldn't just back out of my wedding at the very last minute. But do you want to know what I learned many years later...?" Caroline expressed, leaning against Elsa's shoulder.

Elsa peered over at Caroline.

"What did you learn?"

"I learned the only thing that matters, is what you want.
Nothing else.
What do you want, Elsa?" Caroline asked her seriously. She then pat Elsa on her side and passed out drunk on the couch.

Shit!
Elsa cursed herself.

The wedding music started, beckoning all of the women to start marching on the beach. Elsa watched all of her brides maids slip through the white tarp and down the aisle made entirely out of pink rose petals.

"
Aaah!
" Elsa jumped when she felt a hand drop on her bare shoulder.

"Micah!" Elsa squealed, she was both elated and overwhelmed when she saw her handsome were-tiger standing vulnerably before her. He wore a tuxedo, and looked nice and dapper.

"What are you doing here?" Elsa cried.

"I'm drawing the wedding portraits...
remember
?" Micah snarled. "Don't think I like standing here and watching you walk down that aisle. But the money is too good. And every dime counts if I ever want to open my gallery," he growled pulling out his charcoal and his sketchbook.

Elsa sniffled.

"...You look beautiful by the way," Micah grunted.

Loud bridal music played and one of the flower girls popped in.

"It's time, Elsa." she chirped, fiddling with the garland in her braided hair.

Elsa strolled out of the tarp holding the bouquet in her hands. Her eyes glanced off to her family sitting on the right and James' family sitting very distinctly on the left. Elsa just tried to focus on the moment and move forward.

You're making a big mistake, Elsa. You need to stop thinking with your head and start thinking with your heart.
Her inner voice scolded her. James grinned from ear to ear, Elsa almost wanted to smack him across his cheek. She spotted Micah still sketching his pictures from the sidelines.

The priest spoke up.

"We are gathered here today...in holy matrimony, to join a young couple in the most sacred bond of love."

Elsa started lightly trembling, almost feeling like any second now she'd faint. James couldn't be more oblivious to her dreading the moment when he'd hand her the ring.

"Before we start, I must ask... does anyone in the crowd care to speak their peace before these two are joined for all eternity..."

Elsa surveyed the crowd, Micah didn't even look up from his sketchpad. He was really going to let it happen. He was going to let Elsa get married, knowing it would only cause her misery.

That's when a single hand raised in the air, and before she knew it—Elsa, realized it was her own.

James arched an eyebrow confused. "Elsa, darling? Why are you trying embarrass me?" he hissed speaking from the corner of his mouth.

Elsa inhaled a deep breath and spoke. "James, I don't love you."