Before The End

Ch. 2

It hurt Griffin to see her physically react to him in that manner. Ever since he had first kissed her in his dorm room, she had never rejected him as she did now. She was his Ely; always amenable to his proclivities whenever he wanted. Other women were willing to let him do what was in his nature, but they always wanted something from him. Ely didn't. At least, he had hoped she wouldn't want more, and she had never asked until the last time they were together.

Griffin wasn't oblivious to her feelings. He felt her love for him. Whenever he collapsed on her lush body, love vibrated from her core. She'd stroke his hair and back until he fell asleep in her arms. As his heartbeat regulated, he could feel her heart skip beats as her leg caressed his own. Ely made him feel safe and warm—he was 'home.' Boston meant nothing to Griffin; he only returned to see her, be with her, and fuck her until the angst of being apart from her faded away.

He'd stayed away because he'd hurt her. As he recalled, she said, "I'm tired of being just another pussy." But she was never just a 'pussy' to him.

Elyce Fielding was his best friend, confidant, lover, and, when the thought of marriage and children flitted through his mind, his wife and the mother of his children. He shook his head. Marriage wasn't for him. Griffin had decided many years ago that he would never marry. He never wanted to end up like his divorced parents: a mother, who was unhappy and unfulfilled as a wife and mother, and his father who worked long hours as an executive, raising his two children with the help of nannies and countless babysitters.

Elyce never took from him. She was complacent with living in secrecy, and no one knew what she meant to him. The press left her alone because she simply didn't exist as a meaningful part of his life. Her name was never mentioned in the rags, which he thought helped preserve her privacy. She meant too much to him to be dragged through the muck and mire of the industry.

Griffin both loved and abhorred the television and film business. The unspoken rules of the trade forced him to play the game at the expense of Elyce. When she had accused him of being ashamed of being in a committed relationship with her because she was too ugly and too fat, he had realized the error of his ways. The industry was the impetus for her accusations, and his denials fell fall flat because he had judged her appearance. 

Elyce Claire Fielding couldn't fit neatly into his Hollywood social life. She dressed to hide her curvaceous figure, her makeup was always understated, and she could use some highlights on her mousy brown hair. She knowingly made herself plain and obscure to others, and he delighted in it. It meant she preserved herself for him. Her insecurity made him powerful, but not in the way Ely believed. 

Griffin wanted her to save herself for him. She had been his woman since the night he jokingly referred to as "popping her cherry." He was her first, and he always wanted to remain her 'only.'

Whenever she had a boyfriend, Griffin was crushed. It physically hurt, and he would lash out passive-aggressively by fucking every woman in the business willing to spread her legs or bend over for him. Ultimately, he would make every effort to tear Ely and her boyfriend apart. It didn't take much. Those boys were insecure, knowing Griffin's flowers and treats elicited sweet memories that Elyce would never forget. If they were real men, they would have nipped it in the bud, or better yet, talked to him face-to-face during the countless times he visited and was overly affectionate towards her in front of her new man.

The men had been awed by Griffin. He could tell by their widened eyes and grins. They would take over the conversation, preferring to talk about his latest gig with certain actors or actresses, and Griffin made sure to flirt with Ely during those exchanges. Once, at the theater, he had even fingered her to orgasm while her date got more popcorn. When her date returned, Griffin was sure he knew something was up. There was a distinct smell of Ely's sweet pussy in their vicinity, and Griffin pretended to lick his fingers clean of popcorn butter and salt. Her rosy cheeks, glowing in the dark, were a dead giveaway to the post-orgasm euphoria she had experienced. Inevitably, she would be dumped. While he never wanted her broken, he did want her slightly dejected, ready for him to swoop in at any moment.

"I didn't think you'd want to see me," he stated.

"At what point tonight did that change?" she asked with narrowed eyes. "Because you should have maintained that presumption."

Griffin hated arguing with her. Still, he didn't mind when she played coy and refused his advances. Over the last couple of years, the push and pull had become part of their interplay. They would end up fucking the entire night. After that, he would leave to film another movie, or shoot another commercial overseas, while she waited for him to return. And he knew therein lay the problem—he was always leaving her, and she was always waiting.

***

"Griffin, if you need me to compliment you on your new film, congratulations. I wish you the best. I'm sure your success will multiply. But I told you last time, I can't be your friend with benefits. The only person benefitting is you."

"That's not true. I see to it you get off first, each and every time," Griffin retorted gruffly.

Through the thin top, he saw her nipples harden at his truthful quip. His dick thrummed in response, wondering if her clit tingled.

She cocked her head and pursed her lips. "Be that as it may, Griffin, I made it clear what I want, and you can't give it to me. Let's go back to being friends. I'll be nerdy Elyce, who wants to spend the rest of her life writing in her tiny room. You continue to be the vivacious, handsome actor, who left me behind."

Griffin hated that she knew how to get to his innermost pain. He smirked, shaking his head. It was a wonder he bothered wasting his time on her. She wasn't just good with words on paper—her tongue was just as creative. However, he wouldn't walk away from her again. The last three months had been torture for him. He'd kept himself busy with work, and had satisfied his urges with some standbys in LA, but his suffering was more emotional. Not being able to tell Ely about his accomplishments, goals, and even failures was hard.

"Okay, I deserve that," he agreed, lifting his chin with the exhalation of a calming breath. "I need you." He surrendered.

"Oh, my God, Griffin. What do you need from me that you can't get from some other girl?" she asked, exasperated. She walked to her bed and sat on the corner edge.

"You know better than anyone that I can only get what I need from you," he said. "I want you all the time, Elz. You're my first love." He trained his eyes on hers, watching as her eyes widened in shock, then quickly furrowed in anger.

Griffin had never admitted to feeling anything more than close friendship and sexual desire. His body told her one thing while he silently acted another.

"You're really good," she scoffed, "I'm your first love. Right!" She chortled.

"What do you need to be convinced that I love you, Ely?"

"How about . . . you show me a big, diamond ring, get on one knee and ask me to marry you? Tell me to quit my job because we're leaving for LA to move into your amazing apartment overlooking the hills."

He smirked and rubbed his chin. The bristles on his chin rustled against his cupped hand. His free hand slipped into his jacket pocket and he knelt on one knee, pulling out his fisted hand.

"Elyce Claire Fielding, will you please give me a chance to redeem myself? To show you I'm the man for you? If you'll—" he stopped speaking when he saw her eyes dilate. He couldn't keep up the pretense. She looked . . . she looked hopeful. Anything less than what she asked for would be cruel.