Chapter Sixty-Five

Grace’s surprise birthday party had been a smashing success and the weekend festivities with their out-of-town guests were equally memorable.

But Mac had to admit, he was happy when it was time for everyone to go, and he had Grace all to himself again.

He found Grace sitting in the library with her laptop, looking up flights to Amsterdam.

“Are we going somewhere?” he asked as he rubbed her shoulders.

“Yes, Inga mentioned that Elke has a play coming up in two weeks and invited us to see it. She said we could stay with them, so I thought I would check out flights.”

Mac frowned. “I need to be in Krakow next week.”

“Oh,” Grace said awkwardly. “You were planning to go to our Poland office without me?”

“It was just going to be a quick in and out. It’s a small firm that I acquired when Rebecca was traveling with me. I guess I just assumed…” Mac stopped in his tracks, realizing how his words sounded as they fell out of his mouth.

“You assumed I wouldn’t want to go to Poland because you fucked a different escort there?” Grace asked pointedly. “Darling, if I am part owner of this company, as you always remind me, shouldn’t I visit with you?”

“Of course,” Mac agreed. “I will just let Casimir Mazur know that you’ll be coming with me.”

“Great. We can head to Amsterdam after that.”

“Yes, that’s a great idea,” he replied, though his voice sounded awkward.

“Mac, why are you acting so weird about me going to Poland?”

“I’m not. I simply didn’t think you’d want to go.”

“You didn’t even ask me.”

“You didn’t ask me about going to Amsterdam,” Mac countered.

Grace’s eyes narrowed. “Is there some reason you don’t wish for me to meet Casimir?”

“No, of course not. You should certainly meet the head of our Krakow location,” Mac said, sounding hesitant.

“But…”

“But nothing. You’re starting to piss me off, Grace,” Mac said more harshly than he’d intended.

Grace was taken aback by his demeanor.

“Is there a woman in Poland you don’t wish me to cross paths with?” she asked quietly.

“No!”

Mac ran a hand through his dark, wavy hair and blew out a breath slowly.

“Okay, look. Caz is kind of a scoundrel, and…”

“A scoundrel?” Grace interrupted, raising an eyebrow. “What are we, in a historical romance novel?”

Mac looked annoyed.

Grace was exasperated. “Oh, for fuck’s sake, just spit it out, McKinley!”

“I had a threesome with Caz and Rebecca,” he blurted out suddenly.

“Oh.” Grace was taken aback. Neither she nor Mac said anything for a moment or two. It seemed so out of character for him that she wasn’t really sure what to say.

“Oh. Well, I guess as long as Casimir doesn’t expect that from me, we’re good,” Grace finally said, breaking the awkward silence.

“He doesn’t. He wouldn’t. He knows we are married, and that was a one-time thing,” Mac said, looking mortified.

“Mac, if you think I’m going to judge you for having some wild sex before we met, I’m sorry to disappoint you. Try to recall that I’ve been a whore and an escort. There’s probably not much that would shock me.”

They fell silent again as Mac tried not to picture his wife underneath or on top of another man. It wasn’t a pleasant thought. But he knew it wasn’t fair to judge her based on her past either.

“Now that it is out in the open, I hope we can put it away.”

“I can if you can,” Grace said.

“Good, fine, then that’s that.”

Although neither of them brought it up again, it seemed like a heavy fog looming in the air between them. Grace wasn’t sure why it bothered Mac, but she was done trying to make him see that it wasn’t a big deal to her.

The remainder of the week was filled with local business and taking care of issues that came up in London, which left little time for pleasure.

Things still seemed a little tense between Mac and Grace when they landed in Krakow. Fortunately, their driver, Adam, was very personable and seemed to ease the situation.

“I’ve been assigned as your driver for the length of your stay here in Krakow,” Adam informed them. “I realize you are here on business. However, if you care to do any sightseeing, please contact me, and I’d be happy to take you wherever you’d like to go.”

Grace smiled and unwittingly made the young man tingle.

Mac simply nodded, his mind clearly elsewhere as it had been on and off for the past week.

It was Grace who spoke since Mac appeared lost in his thoughts. “Thank you, Adam. We will be sure to let you know.”

“You are staying at the nicest hotel in Krakow,” Adam said, making small talk. “Many don’t realize that because it’s a part of the Sheraton chain, but it’s quite nice with large rooms, spectacular service, and a lovely view of Wawel Castle. You should make time to see it if you can.”

“You sound like an advertisement,” Mac said dryly.

When Adam’s face expressed genuine surprise, Grace said, “Don’t mind him; he’s just pouting because he didn’t get the largest suite at Sheraton Grand Krakow. We made these arrangements only a few days ago, so I took what we could get.”

“I see. I’m sure you will be happy with whatever you’ve chosen. All of the rooms are quite nice, I am told.”

When they arrived at the hotel, Mac took Adam’s business card and tipped him generously.

As he drove away, Mac said, “Thanks. Now he views me as a spoiled, pompous ass.”

Grace frowned. “Only if you act like one. But with that tip, I’m sure he won’t hold that against you.”

Once in their room, which was spacious and quite comfortable, Mac realized he was acting like a big baby. Even if it wasn’t the Presidential Suite, it was definitely spacious and well-appointed.

“You chose well. Thanks for getting us such nice accommodations on such short notice. I’m sorry I was being obnoxious. I just would rather have skipped this trip altogether.”

Grace smiled. “When you have offices all over the place, sometimes they need our personal attention.”

“You’re right, of course,” he laughed. Grace took off her shoes and sighed.

“What do you feel like doing for dinner?” Mac asked as he hung his suit in the closet.

“I’m tired. I know I should have been able to sleep on the flight from New York to Amsterdam with that lovely seat that laid flat as a bed. But I was so restless for some reason. I couldn’t shut my mind off. Can we order room service?”

“Room service sounds great.”

Mac picked up the phone and ordered a BLT for himself and a bacon cheeseburger for Grace.

They both had good intentions to ravish each other, but with that long travel day and their tummies nice and full, sleep won out over sex. Grace wondered for a moment if the honeymoon phase was over, but just at that moment, Mac pulled her into his arms, spooning her.

“Tonight, we sleep,” he whispered tenderly, “but tomorrow you’re mine.”

He kissed her neck and made her feel all warm and tingly inside. Nope, it wasn’t over yet. They were both just human. She closed her eyes and let herself drift off to sleep, knowing that when they did make love, it would be fabulous.

Chapter Sixty-Six

Hours later, Mac awoke startled by a nightmare. The dream had started off sweetly enough, making love to his sexy wife, when suddenly, he was pounding into Rebecca’s pussy while she sucked Caz’s cock. He knew it was probably because he had told Grace about the threesome he had on a past trip to Krakow. But it bothered him that he would dream about something that he no longer wanted or needed.

“Go back to sleep, Mac,” Grace said sleepily. “I can hear your busy brain, and it’s disturbing my sleep.”

Mac wipes the sweat from his brow. “I don’t know if I can sleep anymore. Maybe I will just get up and do a little work on the computer.”

“Nope. If you’re awake and I’m awake, I have a way better idea of how to spend our time.”

Mac’s need for Grace warred with the guilt he was experiencing for dreaming about Rebecca. God knew he wanted his wife, but he felt like a cheater, even if it wasn’t real.

Grace didn’t give him the option of saying no as she snuck under the covers and found his cock, still hard from his unintentional arousal, and made it disappear slowly into her mouth. She pulled it back out and said, “See? It would be a shame to waste this beautiful hard-on you’re sporting.”

Guilt won out. “Stop, Grace. I’m not hard because of you. I’m hard because of Rebecca.”

Grace froze for a moment. Then she quietly got out of bed and said, “Suddenly, this room does seem very small.” Saying nothing else, she went into the bathroom and closed the door.

Mac sat there and wondered how to fix the situation. Should he follow her? Leave her be? He got up and decided to try the door. His next move would depend on whether it was locked or not.

Finding the door open, he saw Grace in the shower. “May I join you?” he asked hesitantly.

“Suit yourself. Just know that I’m not wet because of you; it’s the water raining down on my body.”

He deserved that. And he almost turned around and left her alone. Instead, he stepped in with her and took a handful of her shampoo, and lathered up her long, red hair.

She didn’t pull away, so his soapy hands moved down her shoulders and captured her gorgeous breasts.

“I don’t use shampoo to clean my body with,” she commented, still perturbed.

“Who says I’m trying to get you clean? What if I want to make you dirty?” Mac turned Grace to face him and held her arms captive over her head against the tile wall. He moved them under the stream of water and kissed her passionately.

Mac knew the moment Grace dropped her defenses and allowed herself to bend to his will. She kissed him back with so much fervor that his flaccid cock stood at attention once again. Nobody kissed like his Gracie.

“There, now it’s hard for me,” she said. “So, all that’s left is for you to check if I’m wet for you.”

Mac let his hand slip between her legs and used a single finger to part her slick labia.

“You’re soaked, my love,” he murmured into her ear as he nipped at her neck.

“Then why aren’t you inside me?”

Mac didn’t need to be asked twice.

“Put your arms around me, baby. I need to show you how hard you’ve made me.”

Mac entered her slowly as she wrapped her legs around him and thrust into her with long, powerful strokes. She moaned as he reached between them and used his thumb to stimulate her as he picked up his pace.

Grace whimpered as the man she loved brought her just on the brink of climax over and over again. Finally, he could hold off no longer. Instead of stopping short this time, he rubbed her little button until her body started to convulse. Only then did he allow his balls to tighten and let go, filling her with his seed.

After they could breathe, they finished the actual shower and dried each other off with the fluffy towels the housekeeper had stocked in their bathroom.

Mac got dressed and made some tea before turning on his laptop and clicking on his work email.

When he looked up from his work, Grace was standing there in a royal blue pantsuit with a cream-colored blouse. He took her hand in his and kissed it. “I’d forgotten how much I enjoy being on the road with you. The Krakow office is going to love you.”

“Thank you,” Grace said, sounding a little stiff.

Mac had hoped that the marvelous tryst in the shower had absolved him of his stupid comment earlier, but it seemed like there was still something that needed to be said.

“I’m sorry for being such an ass earlier. I felt guilty because I had a dream about having a threesome with Rebecca and Caz and felt unworthy of being touched by you.”

Grace tilted her head. “While it doesn’t thrill me that you had a dream like that, it’s not abnormal considering that your past experience was weighing heavy on your mind. In the future, let me decide if you’re worthy of my touch. Pulling away like that made me feel like you didn’t want me. We both have a past; I understand that. What I’m not cool with is having yours thrown in my face. I know what you meant but telling me that you were hard for Rebecca was a shitty thing to say.”

Mac was about to argue when he stopped to think for a moment how he had sounded.

“I’m sorry.”

“Maybe we just waited too long to have sex, and our bodies reacted by dreaming about it.”

“Our bodies?” Mac asked, confused.

“Yes, I was having a lovely dream about being naked on an island with a handful of guys rubbing lotion all over me.”

“You were?”

“Nope, but the look on your face just now was priceless.”

Mac laughed. “You’re pretty sassy for this early in the morning.”

“What can I say? Great shower sex makes me feel sassy.”

Mac stood and kissed her. “Thank you for preventing me from ruining the day.”

“My pleasure.”

“Let’s go get breakfast.”

As if on cue, Grace’s stomach growled. “Sounds like a plan!”

Chapter Sixty-Seven

Adam arrived at 8:30 to take them to the office building to meet with Casimir and his staff. He said he would pick them up at 4:30 as requested.

Caz was very professional and seemed genuinely pleased to meet Grace.

After the full staff meeting, Grace spent time with a smaller group to discuss ways to streamline business operations. That left time for Mac and Caz to meet privately in his office.

“You hit the jackpot, my friend,” Caz said, grinning when they were alone.

Mac smiled, unsure where Caz was going with that conversation.

“Thank you.”

“To find a woman who has a strong head for business and looks like that? You won the lottery, McKinley. Or shall I call you Mac?”

“Mac is fine. She coined that nickname for me. She has changed my life.”

“Indeed. You seem calmer and happier than the last time we met. Marriage agrees with you.”

“Thanks. So, what have you been up to? I know we send emails and such regarding business, but how is life going?”

“Wow, she has changed you. No offense, but when did you ever give a fuck about what was going on in my life?”

Mac was taken aback. “I guess I have a reputation of being wrapped up in my own world. I’m sorry if I’ve been less of a friend than I should have been.”

Caz shrugged. “It’s not a big deal, but since you asked, I have also met someone. We aren’t telling people yet, but we are exclusive.”

Mac grinned. “Well, I’m happy for you. I guess when the right woman comes along, settling down doesn’t feel like settling.”

“But there were some wild times before we found them, yes?”

Mac laughed. “Yes. I have to admit I was worried you would expect that I would share Grace.”

Caz frowned. “I know the difference between a hot piece of ass escort and a beautiful, intelligent wife and business partner. Even if I wasn’t attached, it’s obvious Grace is different. She is well named: she handles herself with such poise and elegance.”

“She does indeed. So, tell me about the woman who has turned Caz Mazur into a one-woman man.”

“How about we have dinner together tonight, the four of us?”

“Sounds great.”

When the workday was over, Caz suggested that they meet at the restaurant at 7:30. “It’s in walking distance from your hotel, a quaint place called Pod Nosem. Some traditional Polish dishes and other cuisines. It’s casual but elegant.”

Adam picked Mac and Grace up from the office at 4:30 as scheduled and asked if they wanted to go back to their hotel directly or if they’d like to see some of the city. Grace indicated that they’d love a little detour to see more of Krakow. Mac nodded in agreement, although he had hoped to sneak in a quickie before dinner. He figured she was worth the wait, even if it meant having to enjoy her after dinner.

Adam drove through the Main Square area and the Jewish Quarter, explaining things as they went along. Mac had to admit that he’d never bothered to see any of the city on previous trips. Watching Grace’s face as she took it all in made him happy that he’d agree to the mini-tour.

Back at the hotel, Adam asked if they wanted him to come back to drive them to dinner. “Pod Nosem is in walking distance, but it’s going to be quite chilly tonight. I’m happy to drive you if you wish.”

Grace laughed softly. “We are New Yorkers; a walk in the chilly air will make us feel like we are at home.”

Mac smiled. It was lovely to hear that his wife considered herself a New Yorker now. It was odd how trivial things like that seemed important.

“Before you get any ideas, our favorite brand of dessert will need to wait until dinner. I’m a little tired and want to put my feet up for a bit before we go out.”

Mac pouted. Then he went into the bathroom and got the tube of peppermint foot cream from Grace’s toiletry bag.

“Give me a foot,” he demanded.

Grace didn’t bother arguing; Mac gave the best foot rubs of any man she had ever known. She felt the aches in her arches melt away under his clever thumbs.

“Oh, sweet Jesus!” she moaned as he moved up to her calves. “You are earning major brownie points for later.”

“No, Grace; not later. I need you now.”

She was about to protest when he moved his hands up higher. She lost all resolve and obeyed as he instructed her to take off her clothes.

Forgetting about the peppermint residue on his fingers, he let them creep up her inner thighs until they reached her glistening folds. Within seconds, the tingling reaction had Grace writhing. Mac used his thumb to circler her clit as two fingers entered her wetness.

“Holy fuck, Mac!”

Suddenly realizing that he hadn’t washed the lotion off, he apologized. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Grace…”

“No, don’t apologize! More, fuck, that feels so good! Keep it going!”

Mac grinned. Then he took a small drop of the lotion with his other hand and poked a finger into her tight rosebud.

“Oh, God!” Grace started to buck and grind as Mac massaged her clit and flicked her little gold ball. He added two more fingers into her dripping pussy and a second finger in her ass. Her body was on fire, and she came hard and loud.

“Get on your hands and knees, Grace,” he commanded. When she obeyed without hesitation, he stood behind her and eased his cock into her soaking wet pussy. Some of the peppermint lingered, and he felt the tingling on his cock. It was rather decadent, he realized, as he pumped into his wife and made her explode once more before filling her with his cum.

His heart was beating wildly as he pulled out and wiped his cock on her ass. “After dinner, I’m taking that ass, my sweet little slut.”

“Yes, Sir,” she purred.

Chapter Sixty-Eight

They cleaned up and got dressed for dinner. Grace opted for black leggings and a black and white tunic blouse that plunged to the swell of her breasts. She wore her hair down and loose, looking sexy without being slutty, Mac mused.

The wind had died down, so their brisk walk to the restaurant wasn’t too bad. Walking along the cobbled street, they were a bit in awe of the grandeur of Wawel Castle just across the road. It looked splendid all lit up, and Mac thought he would see about a tour before they left Poland.

When they reached Pod Nosem, Casimir and his date were already seated. Caz stood to greet them and introduced them to Kinga. She was tall, slender, and blonde.

“Miło cię poznać,” Grace said, extending her hand.

Kinga smiled. “Miło cię poznać,” she said in return. “Czy mówisz po polsku?”

“No, I don’t speak Polish, unfortunately. Just a few phrases here and there,” Grace responded.

“No worries,” Kinga said, smiling. “I speak English, but you will pardon my mistakes as I will make many.”

“Nonsense,” Grace assured her. “Your English is quite good.”

As they were all seated, Grace asked, “Are you named for Saint Kinga, the patron saint of salt miners?”

Kinga grinned. “You are the first person not from Poland to know this. I’m impressed; Casimir said I would be.”

"I was doing a little reading about the salt mines. I'm hoping we can see them when we finish our business here."

"You shouldn't miss the mines. You'll be amazed by the many splendid carvings and the chapels."

The dinner conversation was pleasant as the couples shared a few bottles of wine with their meal. Their waitress brought several varieties of flavored vodka for them to try and insisted they order dessert. Grace chose the apple-chocolate tartlet with cinnamon ice cream, while the others ordered white chocolate cheesecake.

With alcohol loosening her tongue, Kinga asked, “Caz, is this the man you shared a woman with?”

Mac nearly spat out his wine, suddenly grateful that this wasn’t the first time Grace heard about that little escapade.

Caz laughed. “Yes, darling. But we don’t talk about such things in public. I think perhaps we should call it a night.”

Kinga giggled. “I used to do things like that,” she whispered loudly, “threesomes, foursomes, moresomes…”

“Kinga!” Caz interrupted firmly. He was clearly embarrassed by her candor. Grace felt sorry for the young woman who was now utterly mortified by what she’d blurted out. In fact, it looked like she might cry.

“There’s no need to be ashamed; we’ve all done crazy things in our past. We might not be proud of those things, but they are part of a past that makes up who we are,” Grace said, trying to make Kinga feel less awkward.

“You are beautiful and sophisticated,” Kinga replied. “I doubt very much you ever slept with a man for money as I have done in the past.”

Caz was silent, wondering if his boss’s new wife would judge his sweet Kinga.

Grace stunned them all by saying, “I was McKinley’s escort before we fell in love.”

Mac put his hand on her shoulder and gave a little squeeze of support.

“I’m not proud of many things in my past,” Grace continued, “but if I hadn’t been an escort, I would never have met the man who is my husband, partner, and best friend. So, you see, it’s not about what you did to survive; it’s that you did survive and have made a better life.”

Caz smiled and put his arm around Kinga. “I keep trying to tell her that. She thinks maybe I am just sweet on her and telling her what she wants to hear. I am so proud of her and her new little business. She knits beautiful blankets and sells them at a little shop in the Main Square.”

“Oh, I must stop by tomorrow and take a look,” Grace said enthusiastically.

Kinga beamed. “Really? I can give you a discount if you find one that you like.”

The four of them walked back to the Sheraton Grand so that Adam could pick Caz and Kinga up and take them home. They stopped along the way to take pictures of Wawel Castle all lit up and planned for Grace to see Kinga’s shop the next day.

When they said their goodbyes, Caz gripped Mac’s hand firmly and said, “I can’t thank you enough for everything.”

No explanation was necessary; Mac knew exactly what Caz meant. “We will see you tomorrow at 9:00 so Grace and the group she met with today can present their findings to the staff. Have a great night!”

Mac walked up behind Grace in their room as she took off her earrings and placed them in her travel jewelry box. “You were very kind to that young woman tonight,” he said as he hugged her.

Her eyes met his in the mirror. “I know I’ve given you crap about telling people that I was your escort. But that poor girl was about to cry when she realized she’d embarrassed Casimir. I had the power to make Kinga feel better by sharing that detail with her. It seemed like the right thing to do.”

“And that is why you are so amazing, Grace. You are so in tune with how people feel and never hesitate to do what you can to make them feel more at ease. I am so proud to be your husband.”

Grace turned and faced Mac. “And I am proud to be your wife.”

A tender kiss became a passionate one as they moved to the bed. They undressed each other unhurriedly, savoring each sensual moment. Once naked, their bodies seemed to melt together as one. Seductive kisses led to erotic touching, and soon they were joined. They made love slowly and sweetly, his shaft entering her again and again until they reached climax together. It was intense yet incredibly gentle. He knew he had promised to take her ass, but he’d have to do that later. Sometimes, tender lovemaking was even more sensual.

They lay in each other’s arms for a while until their heartbeats returned to normal. No words were spoken; none were necessary.

Eventually, Grace felt a chill and pulled the sheet over them. Mac reached over and switched off the lamp. They cuddled together, drowsy from the combination of alcohol and satisfying sex, and let sleep carry them off.

Mac’s dreams were filled with making love to his wife, and when he woke up in the wee hours of the morning to relieve his bladder, he climbed back into bed and marveled at his good fortune. Then she woke and turned to him, and his luck got even better.