Dinner is yet again a media frenzy, it feels like any public setting that involves Austin and Ophelia is now a circus of flashing lights and screaming fans. Ophelia is caught off guard when she hears not only Austin's name being called but hers too. "They are calling for you, baby," Austin says as they push through the crowd with Leon to the restaurant doors, Joe has her parents safely behind them. Once inside the restaurant, they are led to a table by a huge set of windows, Rod and Oliver are already seated and waiting for them. After they order, Austin, Oliver, and Ophelia's father get stuck into planning their Bigfoot hunt and so Ophelia chats with her mom and Rod, Austin keeps his hand on her thigh at all times. "Baby, how long can we go for?" Austin suddenly asks her. Ophelia stops eating and stares at him. He is asking her? "We can go for as long as you like," she says. She was never asked about her opinion in the past, she feels a little overwhelmed by the silly little question. "I didn't ask that, baby, how long? You're the boss," he says. "Oh...uh...a week...two weeks...I don't know...how long do you want to go for?" she asks, blinking away the tears. Why is she so stupidly emotional about him giving her the reins? She feels dumb. "Holy crap that man really fucked you up," Oliver says. "Shut up," Rod says slapping his arm. Austin shoots him a deathly glare then turns to Ophelia, his face softens. "Explain, baby, tell me what's wrong," he says.
"Oh, I am sorry. I can be so silly sometimes."
"You are not silly. Tell me, please."
"It's just...you caught me off guard. You asked me to make a decision that I was never given the option to make in the past and it just hit me right here," she says tapping her heart. "You make me feel like I am something and that may not seem like such a big thing but when you have felt like nothing for so long...it hits you," she tries to explain. "I get it, baby, I get it. You have the option now. Tell me how long we can go for," he says softly. "Ten days and then I would like to spend a weekend alone with you at a spa," she says, go big or go home. "You give a woman just a little bit of power and she walks all over you," Austin laughs, "but that sounds perfect. I could not have thought of a better plan myself," he says kissing her cheek. "Ophelia, I am really sorry. Sometimes my mouth starts before my brain does," Oliver says. "Sometimes?" Rod and Austin say at the same time. "It's ok, Oliver, I know you didn't mean any harm. Besides, it's true, he did mess me up. But I am ok now...just takes some getting used to that's all. Here, have my chocolates they will make you feel better," Ophelia says passing her dessert that Oliver had previously been secretly eyeing. His face lights up and he takes the plate from her. "Thank you! Don't let this one go brother, she is a keeper," he says as Rod rolls her eyes. "I don't think I could even if I tried," Ausrin mumbles.
"I am going to kill him, rip his head off, and shove it up his butt."
Everyone at the table turns to Ophelia's dad with their mouths dropped open. "Calm down, Luke, remember your blood pressure," Ophelia's mother says stroking his arm. "I will not calm down, Patsy, that Jim is, is, is a bloody...bloody...flopwapper and I am going to punch him when I see him again."
"Luke!"
"Now I know that is violent and we don't promote that, I also apologize for my language with you ladies at the table too, but I am just so mad right now. I mean it, Patsy, if I see him again I am going clock him square in the jaw. But maybe Austin should punch me first for letting this go on for so long. Go ahead, Austin, I deserve it. I let my daughter down," he says then closes his eyes and taps his jaw. Austin looks at Ophelia, conflicted. Ophelia giggles and then leans over, kissing her father's cheek.
"I would never let anyone punch you my sweet, wonderful, bigfoot-hunting father. You and mom both warned me and begged me not to marry Jim. But I chose to anyway, none of this is your fault. I hid everything and lied to you both for years. You did not know. He treated you both so badly and made you feel so unwelcome but you both endured it just so you could still have me in your lives. Please don't blame yourselves, you did nothing wrong," Ophelia says. "The only person to blame here is that nasty ass Jim," Rod says and everyone nods in agreement. Austin slings his arm around Ophelia's father's shoulders. "Bigfoot better watch out for the likes of you, Moonbeam," Austin says, laughing.
After dinner, they make their way back to the car. It's calmed down somewhat and Ophelia finds they don't have to push as much because the restaurant has put up a few barricades so they stop and take pictures with some very excited fans. A group of young women are particularly loud so they catch their attention. "Ophelia! Ophelia!" they scream so Austin pushes her in their direction. "We have always been fans but this new you has us in a chokehold. You look amazing!" one woman says and the rest of them giggle and nod in agreement. "Oh thank you," she says, she wishes she could talk more to them but it's so busy and loud so she takes a few pictures with them and then lets Joe pull her away gently. "Ophelia Monroe is back," Joe whispers in her ear as she climbs into the car. "She is, and she is not taking any prisoners" she giggles back. "Nice!" Joe laughs and closes her door. Austin climbs in and then turns to her, lifting his hand to place on her knee with a grin.
"Say when, Sunshine."
Austin freezes and looks at Ophelia with big eyes and then they both turn to look in the back. Her father has his hand on her mother's knee, she is blushing and giggling as he moves it up. She only says when, when he gets all the way up to her breast. Ophelia's mouth drops open and turns back in her seat. "Bastard stole my line," Austin says with a laugh. Then places his hand on her knee, before he can say anything Ophelia takes his hand and places it on the crease of her hip. "This is your spot, you don't have to ask anymore," she says. Austin laughs and squeezes her hip gently then starts the Rolls.
Once home Ophelia makes them tea in the kitchen but her parents practically down it and then say good night and dash upstairs.
"Oh, they are fu-"
"No! Don't you dare say that! Gross!"
"What? It's natural and I think it's sweet that after years together they still get excited by each other. My parents hardly look at each other, they are miserable."
"Do you get on with your parents? Would they like to visit? They are welcome here anytime."
"Yeah, we get along. They are nice, they just stayed together for the kids though. I had a brother who died when we were teens. Ripped my mom up - she's never been the same, gone a bit loopy and I don't think my dad knows how to handle it. They love each other, easy to see, but..."
"Oh, I didn't know you had a brother who passed. Tell me about him...if you are comfortable talking about him."
Austin looks at her then cocks his head and smiles. "Sometimes I think you have a manual on me. You know exactly what to say to make me feel good - always. Most people just ask how he died and that always annoys me, like he never lived a full life, you know what I mean? But here you are asking about him and the life he led. I don't mind talking about him. He was incredible, he was my hero. His name was Red, star quarterback and a real charmer with the ladies. He was a few years older than Oliver and I, we looked up to him. He was funny and kind, and always looked out for us. This one time he let us go with him and his friends to jump off this really high bridge into a river. I got scared and chickened out. When everyone started laughing and ripping into me he stood up on the edge and then started shaking and made himself cry saying he was too scared to jump too. Everyone forgot about my cowardness and focused on him, ripping the big quarterback apart. Man, he would have loved you...he would probably have stolen you from me with one wink. You would be gone for him."
"Oh, I don't think so."
"He got sick when he turned 18 and died within six months. That fucker had the nurses eating out of his hands till his very last breath. Oliver and I used to sit for hours next to his hospital bed and even though he was in a lot of pain he would always sit up when a nurse came into his room. He would charm them into giving him extra jelly, he liked jelly. He would say he hopes there are nurses in heaven, he liked nurses in uniform even more than jelly. He had this laugh, it was so contagious, it would bounce around us like magic and then burrow into your chest and make you feel warm. That's what I like to remember when I think about him...his laugh, just the thought of it makes me smile."
"I think you and Oliver have the same laugh. He sounds wonderful."
"He was a better man than me. He probably would have found Jim already and beat his ass. He had a thing for treating women well. He charmed all the girls but he had the same girlfriend ever since I can remember. He never cheated on her and always treated her like she was the most important woman in the world. He would say that you can't help who you fall in love with, it just happens and you should not fight it. Her name was Rosie - I don't think I have ever seen someone break as much as she did when he died...not even my mom. I am still in contact with her, she is married now and has two kids. She is happy and I know that makes Red happy."
"Do you think I could meet Rosie? I would really like to."
"Sure! She lives right here in LA. Said she wanted her kids to know Oliver and me, we are like uncles. Her husband is cool too, he is actually the drummer for the band I tour with."
Ophelia giggles and takes a sip of her tea then scrunches her nose. It's tea her parents had made from herbs on their travels. "Oh, this is yuck! It tastes like grass," she says.
"I am glad you said that, I have been dying over here. What did they put in this anyway?"
"Grass."
Austin puts his cup down and looks at her, a small smile playing on his lips. "The first time I met you, I scared the shit out of you. You were shaking so much I was scared you would spill hot coffee all over yourself...now here you are...sharp comebacks, happy, confidant, sexy...fuck your sexy," he says. Ophelia smiles, "you think you could find the time to spread me out on this smooth kitchen counter and fuck me?" she asks softly, biting her grin back. Her heart beating so fast at how shamefully brazen her words are. Austin's eyes widen, "yes," he clears his throat, "I mean sure, of course...i-if that's what you want," he says, clearly caught off guard by her forwardness. "It is," she looks over at the kitchen clock and then hops off the kitchen chair, "but it is kind of late...maybe another time," she says still biting back her grin. "Not a fucking chance, you nasty little freak," Austin says and grabs her hips, hauling her up onto the counter and then he climbs up himself as he laughs. Leaning over her he frowns as he pats her dress. "How the fuck do I take this dress off?" he asks. "I don't know, Dimond put it on me," Ophelia says now also patting her dress. Austin sits up and leans over, grabbing a huge kitchen knife. "Oh! No! Don't do that! Diamond will be devastated," Ophelia says. "I am sorry, baby, but I have priorities - tits, vag, belly, ass and then dress in that order. Besides, this dress has been begging me to rip it apart all evening and Di was warned," Austin says hooking the knife under the top of the thigh slit. "Wait! what if you just lift the skirt?" Ophelia suggests. "And not see your tits?" Austin asks, offended. "My breasts and you can feel them over the material," she says. Austin looks at her with a disgusted face. "I could-" Ophelia starts but stops when she hears a ripping sound and then looks down. Austin has cut the thigh slit all the way up to the corset. "Oops...I must have slipped, my bad," he says, not sorry at all. "Oh look what you have done! All that and you still don't get to see my breasts, silly man," Ophelia says trying pointlessly to fix the rip in her dress. "I'll fix that," he says and before she can stop him he slides the knife between her breasts and slices through the corset. It falls open, exposing her breasts. "Well, hello there ladies," he says with a smirk.
Ophelia tries to be angry, she really does, but she is lying on her back on her kitchen counter with a man leaning over her wielding a huge knife and her beautiful dress in tatters. It is ridiculous. She can't stop herself from laughing. "Hands and knees, baby," Austin says dropping the knife. Ophelia's laughing snorts to a stop. Hands and knees? Oh, she can't do that. "Oh! uh...no, I can't do that!" she protests. Austin reaches into his pocket and pulls out his cigarettes, lights one, and then twirls his finger in the air as a pulls a long drag from that. "I am not ready for that," she says. Austin releases a mound of smoke from his mouth and grins. "Oh you are ready, up you go," he says taking another drag. "But, but you won't be able to see my breasts and, and I won't be able to see your face," she tries to reason with him. He releases another mound of smoke, through his nose this time. "True, but I will be fucking you so I think I will be just fine. Turn," he says. She bites her lip as she thinks. She knows if she refuses point blank, he won't force her or even be mad and he will still have sex with her so she has nothing to lose by refusing. But...it is kind of thrilling. She has never had sex like this and Austin knows what he is doing, he always makes it pleasurable.
She sits up slowly and then takes the cigarette from his mouth, takes a drag, and then blows the smoke back into his face. She places the cigarette back into his now half-dropped open mouth. "Ok," she whispers, resting her cheek on her shoulder as she looks up at him with doe eyes and a sweet smile then turns over into her hands and knees. She waits for a moment then looks back at him when he does not move. He is frozen in place, cigarette still hanging out of his half-open mouth while he looks at her with big eyes. "You wanted me like this right?" she asks, keeping her voice sweet as she smiles and blinks her eyes at him. "I have created a man-eating monster. You will be the death of us all, Ophelia Monroe," he whispers. "Maybe...but right now I am on all fours just for you, sweetheart," she coos. Austin's eyes roll back and he groans then grabs her hips and squeezes. But then he lets go and hops off the counter. "Need to take my clothes off," he mumbles to himself as he removes his clothing. He grabs the kitchen counter to pull himself up but then stops and reaches for a teacup and downs it then slams it down on the counter as his face contorts. "Fuck! Shit, that's nasty! Fuck!" he groans leaning on the counter and looking at the ceiling. "Are you ok?" Ophelia asks, sitting back in a kneel. "Hand and Feet, baby, and don't talk to me until I find my fucking brain again. Fuck!" he says still looking at the ceiling. Ophelia sucks in her giggle and then goes back onto her hands and knees. "And she obeys, really?" he says under his breath. Austin walks around her and hops up onto the counter behind her. He slides one hand onto her hip and then she feels him run his wet fingers over her already wet opening. She groans at his touch. Then she feels him push into her slowly, she whimpers as he gets deeper and deeper. It feels like he never ends. Then she feels his hips pushed flush with her ass and he leans over her, kissing the back of her neck. Her arms strain a little with his weight as he slides his arms around her and cups her breasts. He runs his lips and tongue along her shoulder and then back up her neck, kissing lightly just under her ear. "I know you see no reason for me to change...but I want to change. You make me want to change and be the best man I can be...for you. Leave the world behind and follow you where ever you choose to take me. I don't care. As long as I can feel you, touch you, taste you...have you," he whispers. Ophelia's stomach flutters. What is he saying? She wants to love him and it would be easy to - she is already starting to feel something for him, something she knows she has never felt for Jim. But, she is not ready yet. She is scared. She turns her head and looks at Austin out of the corner of her eye. "Austin..." she breathes out, she does not know what to say. She does not want to hurt him. He kisses her cheek and smiles at her. "Just for now, baby, just for right now," he whispers.
He moves up and grabs her hips then pulls out of her and slams back into her so hard he almost knocks her off her hands. She screams and he pulls out again, slamming back in again and again, harder and harder each time. She feels herself being pushed forward an inch every time he slams into her. By the time her spine starts tingling with the promise of an earth-shattering orgasm, she is already almost at the edge of the kitchen counter. She grabs hold of the edge and pushes back to stop herself from falling off, Austin groans at the friction then grabs the back of her head, tangling his fingers in her hair and pulling her back gently. She turns her head and then he bends over her, connecting their lips as he continues to thrust into her. Goosebumps form on the back of her thighs and her skin feels like ice and fire. "Please, baby, I can't hold on much longer," he begs into her mouth then kisses her again. He wraps his fingers over her hand and she tangles them together then she feels it. Little bubbles floating through her veins and a warm heat growing in her stomach. "Yes," she whimpers into his mouth, "yes, yes, yes," she encourages it as it grows and then explodes at the same time his hips stutter and then he groans into her mouth as his eyes squeeze shut, she whimpers and gets lost in the magic. Then Austin is kissing her again, she can't breathe but she does not care, she will happily die in his arms.