The Masquerade Ch 04

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This is a continuation of the story The Masquerade Chapters 1-3. Their story is continuing to unfold, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I am. As always, comments are welcome.

Thank you and Enjoy! Eskimo_Kiss xxoo

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Alex went from sleep to awake in a moment. Keeping her eyes closed, she luxuriated in the feel of Mark behind her and his arm resting across her stomach and his hand cupping her waist. Alex sighed her contentment, opened her eyes, and started. She heard a quiet "huff" as she looked into the eyes of Ciara, Mark's newfie. She smiled and reached a hand to pet Ciara, who then moved back to her dog bed and collapsed into it with another "huff."

Alex smiled and then tried to wiggle out from under Mark's arm without waking him. He groaned in his sleep and rolled over, allowing Alex to quietly get out of bed. She padded to the master bath, glancing at the clock on her way. She sighed as she saw it was four in the morning. She had to get going if she was going to make it to work from here.

Mark had taken her to his place last night. He had been right, his fettuccini alfredo was amazing; as was his house. He lived on five acres far enough away from the city to feel almost like you lived in the country and close enough that it wasn't a chore to commute to the university. He had a four bedroom house, with a master bath that had a Jacuzzi tub and a shower that she could get lost in, but it was his kitchen that she lusted after. There were spacious counter tops, a breakfast bar, a pantry, a stove that didn't have burners and an oven that would hold two cookie sheets side by side. She laughingly told him that she would happily trade homes if he ever got tired of living so far away from the university. And, that way, she could have his kitchen.

The evening had been wonderful, Alex thought as she returned to the bedroom and laid out beside Mark, watching him sleep for a moment. They'd had a wonderful dinner, watched the sun set from his patio, and talked the evening away snuggled on the couch in front of the fireplace. Then Mark had made love to her again, speaking in soft sighs, caresses, and building moans.

Alex had fought to stay away afterwards, but Mark had asked her to stay, even when she informed him that she had to be to work at five a.m. How could she have said no with his arms around her and her snuggled back into him?

Alex brought her finger to the bridge of Mark's nose and traced a line down to it's point. Mark stirred, but didn't awake. She traced the line again and then gently brushed his lips with hers. "Mark, honey." She said against his mouth.

"Mmmm?" He murmured, struggling to open his eyes. "What?"

"Mark, I have to go to work. And you drove, honey." Alex said in his ear, brushing a hand along his neck.

Mark shivered and opened his eyes. "Are you sure? You could always stay with me?" He asked with a smile, running a hand over her sheet clad waist.

Alex laughed. "I would love to, but I can't call in sick just because I want to stay here. Besides, won't you have to go to work in a while anyway?" Alex laid her head on his shoulder and played with his chest hair.

"Mmmm. I could call in sick too." He smiled down at her.

"Tch, tch, tch," Alex clicked her tongue at him. "Such a bad influence. But I really do have to get going, Mark." She said. Then she laughed as she felt him surge over her. He braced his hands on either side of her shoulders and leaned down. Her breath hitched when his lips touched hers. She thought he was going to kiss her hard, fast and deep: instead, his kiss was a brush of lips, a question of desire. She answered the only way she could. She surged up to him, pressing her mouth harder to his as she pulled him down to her. He moaned against her mouth, and slid his tongue against hers. The feel of his mouth on hers, his tongue playing with hers, set her blood on fire. As his body started to press down she moaned and felt her cleft become slick.

Alex wrenched her mouth from his with a groan and pressed against him. He pulled back, his dark eyes almost black in his desire. Alex shivered. "Mark, I don't think I have time. I have to be at work by five."

Mark slid his mouth up her neck to her ear, "What if we're quick, and I speed?" His fingers slid up her waist and she felt his fingers on the underside of her breast. "I can take you straight there, and pick you up in between class and office hours to take you home."

Alex moaned as his mouth started working it's way down from her ear. When his mouth found where her shoulder and neck met and he stopped to nibble and lick, she knew she couldn't say no. "Ahhhh. We have to be quick." Alex moaned, lost in the feel of his mouth and hands.

Mark's sinful chuckle wrapped around her, "I'll have to savor you later, then." His deep voice and wonderful words sent shivers down her back. Alex moaned as his fingers rolled her nipple and lightly tugged, sending lightening bolts to her slit. Alex caressed down his shoulders, over his sides and to his thighs. She brought a hand up and moaned to find him hard. She loved his groan as she wrapped her hand around his cock and stroked.

Alex's hips rolled when his fingers found her clit. He circled it with his fingers, pressing lightly, sending sensations through Alex's body. His mouth found hers again as he pressed his body to hers, playing with her clit until she squirmed beneath him.

Alex's body was alive with sensation from his mouth and hands, filling her with lightning and she moaned against him. He brought her closer and closer with his fingers and when she arched up into him he slid his fingers from her clit and entered her. Alex gasped, holding still, before she shattered around him. She felt as if she was breaking apart around his fingers and coming back together again. As she started to settle back down, she felt him slid his fingers out of her. She whimpered, until she felt the head of his hard cock at her entrance.

She felt Mark's moan as he pushed into her all the way. She brought her legs up around his waist as he started to pump. Her gaze met his and held as he pushed into her with long, slow strokes. She quickly felt herself building to another orgasm. Mark leaned down and kissed her hard as she felt him push into her. He sped his pace and she bucked her hips to meet his, hearing him growl into her mouth. Alex clutched at his shoulders, digging her fingers into his muscle as she felt the lightning in her body start to coalesce again.

Mark's breathing sped up, "Oh god, Alex. I'm close. You feel so good." He moaned against her mouth.

"Mark, Mark." Alex moaned back. "I'm going...going..going...Ahhhhh." The lightning coalesced at her cleft and Alex screamed as it then broke apart. She clamped down on Mark as she came around him. Mark plunged a last time and came with a roar.

Alex fell back to the bed and Mark collapsed atop her. She stroked his back as she shivered against him with an aftershock. "Mmmm." She whispered into his neck.

"Mm hm." Mark kissed her forehead as he pulled back from her and lounged at her side, on his elbow, looking down at her. She watched as his eyes lightened from black to his deep brown. Alex smiled and played with a small lock of hair at his temple. Then she scrunched her nose at him. "Now, I really have to get to work!"

Mark stroked the side of her neck lightly. "Well, if you insist on being good." Mark laid back and watched as Alex slid out of bed and stood.

"Yes, I do." Alex shook her finger at him sternly before giving in and laughing. "C'mon, honey, and I'll make you a latte when you drop me off." She laughed on her way to the bathroom when she heard Mark curse at the clock.

Alex cleaned herself up as quickly as she could and strode back into Mark's room. She was climbing into her jeans when she heard Mark coming back into the room.

"You know, I never wake up this early. I think I'm going to fall asleep in my class today." Mark groaned as he stretched. Alex watched his long frame appreciatively as she finished dressing.

"I suppose it isn't fair. I can go home and take a nap once John get's to work at nine." Alex laughed as Mark stuck his tongue out at her. He dressed quickly in khaki's and a button up shirt. He brushed against her and she noticed he must have cleaned up as well. He smelled wonderful and the hair at his temples was slightly damp.

"Just let me get my briefcase and then we can go." Mark said as they walked down the stairs to his living room. "I already fed Ciara, and I don't have anything else I need to bring with me today."

As Alex and Mark walked to his car, Ciara bounded after them, running circles around them and then running away, only to come back again. Mark laughed at her antics and then whistled three sharp notes and pointed to the house. Ciara stopped and then trudged slowly back to sit on the porch. Alex felt a little sorry for her as she got into the car.

"Don't feel too sorry for her, honey." Mark said as he started the car. Alex looked at him. "I have a housekeeper who comes by for a couple of hours a few times a week. She'll be here today and probably give Ciara five treats while she cleans." Alex laughed.

"I'm sorry you have to be up so early. I should have had you take me home last night." Alex looked at the clock. "I wouldn't want to make anyone leave home at four-forty in the morning!"

Mark laughed and stroked her thigh. "I didn't want you to go home last night, sweetie. I'm glad you stayed. Though, I will take you up on that latte. And if you could mainline it into my bloodstream that would be even better." Mark yawned through the last three words and smiled as Alex giggled at him. "You're awfully awake for this time of morning. And you haven't even had any coffee."

"Ah. I wake up quickly, and I normally don't drink coffee. It has to be a really tough morning before I'll drink any. I'm more of a tea drinker."

Mark groaned. "You don't drink coffee? How do you function?"

Alex laughed at him and said with a suggestive tone, "I don't know, honey. How do I function?"

"Keep talking like that, and I'm turning this car around. I'll call in sick for you!" Mark's voice dropped in octave and Alex shivered as his voice wrapped around her. She smiled as she met Mark's eyes for a moment.

"Insatiable, aren't you?" She laughed.

"Not quite," Mark grinned at her and smiled mischievously. "But, as I said yesterday, my dear Alexandria, last night was not enough."

"No, it wasn't," She replied. She slipped her hand to his thigh and then intertwined her fingers in his when he lowered his hand. She snuggled back into the seat and sighed happily.

"So, what classes are you teaching?" Alex asked.

"Today I have Celtic Civilizations of the European Middle Ages. It's three days a week. I also teach Introduction to Western Civilization. It's also three days a week. Different days though. I don't teach any classes on Wednesdays. I tend to have appointments with my advisees and I have two grad students that work with me. Each grad student teaches one class a week, so they can get used to working with students." Mark grinned at me, and then yawned again.

Alex laughed and watched the scenery go by. Mark had shifted his hand back to the steering wheel and she absent-mindedly stroked his thigh. They were silent for a few minutes.

"Umm, Alexandria?" Mark questioned

"You know Mark, you can call me Alex." She glanced at him with a smile.

Mark slowly said her name. "Alexandria." The way he savored each syllable sent shivers down her each of her spinal segments.

"Never mind. You are never allowed to call me Alex." She said with a grin. Mark chuckled deeply.

"So, where are you working exactly?" Mark asked.

"Oh, right. You know the coffee place 'Deep Blue'? It's down on twentieth street, near the university?"

"The one with all the chess boards and games?" Mark asked.

"Yep. That's the one."

"I've heard of it, but I haven't gone there yet."

"It's great. John gets the beans specially made, and we have a great variety of bagels and pastries. But really, I like the clients. The morning is usually the people stopping to get the coffee and breakfast and back out again, but by eight or nine the regulars are coming to play. Mostly it's the old men who play chess and argue every move there is." Alex laughed.

Mark smiled. "Sounds like you really like it."

"Oh, I do. It's not what I would want to do for a living. That's what karate is for. But I get to help out my friends and I really enjoy the atmosphere."

"Wait, Deep Blue. Wasn't that the computer they made to play chess?" Mark asked.

"Yeah. John's a bit of a chess fanatic and when he decided to open the coffee house he wanted to incorporate that into it. So the name Deep Blue seemed good to him. Probably because Louise works with computers. So he named the shop after his two loves." Alex smiled at him.

"That's sweet." Mark was quiet for a moment, then started a bit. "Sorry. My mind isn't quite up to a whole lot of conversation yet. I'm really going to need that latte this morning, or I'm going to fall asleep in the middle of my lecture."

Alex laughed at him. "It's okay. I'm used to people not being quite with it in the morning. I work in a coffee shop, most of my customers are getting their first cup and can be quite grumpy." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "You don't have to talk on my account."

Mark grinned at her and they again lapsed into silence. Alex marveled how the silence between them hadn't yet seemed awkward. She was as happy in silence with this man as she was talking. Or doing other things, for that matter.

They had entered the city by this point and Mark was making his way towards the university and Deep Blue. They were about five minutes out if the lights were nice to them. Alex glanced at the clock. Five o'clock. The store would open late today. Alex sighed. But it was the first time she would open late since she started working for John about six months ago. Alex yawned. He'd forgive her this once.

"I'm sorry I made you late, Alexandria." Mark said as they pulled into the parking lot.

Alex kissed his cheek again. "Park over there. And it's not your fault. I wanted to, too. Though you do seem just about irresistible. Maybe it is your fault." She laughed when he stuck his tongue out at her. She wrinkled her nose in return.

Alex slipped out of the car as another car pulled into the parking lot. It was one of her regulars, Andy. She jogged to the door of the shop and opened it up as Mark got out of the car and followed behind more slowly. She opened the door, flashing Mark a smile as she slipped inside, turning on the lights and rushing to the espresso machine to turn it on and warm it up. She nodded her head to Mark to have a seat in the corner. He sat down and put his head along the back of the chair, closing his eyes as Andy walked in.

"Hi Andy! How are you today?" Alex piped as she started getting his regular order ready. She slipped a bagel out of it's bag and into the toaster.

"I'm good Alex. Running late today?" Andy glanced over at Mark, who looked to have fallen asleep, and grinned at Alex.

"Oh you, shush! I'll tell Alice you were mean to me when she comes in later." Alex said as she started getting the ingredients together for his latte. "It is going to be a few extra minutes, if that's okay. The machine isn't quite warmed up."

"It's okay. I've got a little extra time today." Alex grinned at Andy. He was getting close to middle age, short for a guy, about Alex's height, had thinning hair and his belly was starting to get soft. He was alway nice when he came in, which was a good way to start the day as he was usually the first in. His wife, Alice, usually came in about eight-thirty after dropping off their two kids at school and rushing off to work.

Alex was rushing around the store, making the drip coffee and putting the new bagels and pastries out. When the machine warmed up she started putting together Andy's latte. Andy leaned in, over the counter. "So why are you late, Alex? Hot date?" He asked in a whisper, glancing over at Mark. He laughed out loud when Alex blushed. Alex quickly glanced at Mark, who opened his eyes and grinned at her.

Alex stuck her tongue out at both of them and finished up the latte and bagel for Andy. As she was ringing him up, he leaned over the counter again and said, "About time, honey. Hope he deserves you." Andy smiled at her as she gave him his change.

She laughed and leaned over the counter, kissing Andy on the cheek. "That's sweet, Andy. Maybe I won't tell your wife you were mean to me. But you better leave before your mouth runs off with you again." She grinned as Andy left, laughing.

As she was ringing him up, two more customers had come in and Alex glanced at Mark. 'Just a minute' she mouthed at him and he nodded, leaning his head back against the back of his chair and closed his eyes. She grinned and made small talk as she dealt with the customers. She grinned as the young woman who had come in second kept sending admiring glances at Mark.

A lull came after the two customers and she went over to Mark. He opened his eyes as she came up to him. She stood over him and nudged his leg with hers. "Wake up, sleeping beauty. What kind of coffee would you like?" Mark kept his head against the back of the chair and smiled up at her, albeit a little sleepily.

"Oh, just a regular latte, but maybe an extra shot. Or five?" He said. She laughed and started making her way back behind the counter.

"Do you want that to go, or are you going to stay for a little bit?" She asked.

"I would love to stay, but this chair is so comfortable, I'd probably start snoring and no one would believe that your coffee is caffeinated." Mark struggled to his feet and stretched his arms overhead before making his way to the counter.

Alex smiled at him as she made the latte. "So, you mentioned that you could pick me up and take me home? If you can't, that's okay. I can get someone to drop me off."

"Tired of me already, honey?" He asked as she handed him the latte. She heard the humor in his voice.

"Not even close, hun. But I don't want to interrupt your work day." Alex said. She leaned a hip against the counter.

"No, it's okay. I've got a few hours between lecture and office hours. I usually grade papers, but I got a head start on those yesterday when I was waiting for your call." Mark sipped his coffee, then saluted her with the coffee cup. "It's good. So if I go to campus now and finish those papers, I can come back and drop you off at home before having to be at campus again."

"Sounds good. What time is you class done?" Alex started moving around behind the counter, getting things ready before her usual rush at six.

"Nine. Do you mind waiting about twenty minutes after you get off work? I won't be able to get here until about nine-twenty or nine-thirty."

"No, that's fine." Alex looked up and saw another of her regulars come into the shop. "I got to get back to work." Alex smiled at him. She came up to the counter in front of him and he leaned over it. She leaned forward and kissed him quickly.

"See you later, Alexandria." Mark said in his deep voice as he walked out of the shop.

"Later, Mark." Alex said as she looked from his retreating form to Mrs. Taniger, one of her regulars. Alex smiled as Mrs. Taniger looked from Alex to Mark's retreating form outside. Alex laughed out loud when Mrs. Taniger looked back and said, with her eyes sparkling. "Nice!"

"Your usual, Mrs. Taniger?"

"I'd rather have what you have, dear." She replied with a grin.

"Mrs. Taniger! What would Mr. Taniger say?!" Alex scolded as she started making the light vanilla latte that her customer preferred.