Chapter 55

Erica

"And that's a wrap!"

Erica kept still for a fraction longer, the smile frozen on her face as she stared down the camera lens. Silence greeted her. The entire crew waited for the perfect moment before erupting into joyful applause.

"We did it!" She searched the crowd for the voice that meant so much to her. She returned his smile as he pulled her into his arms. "We did it beautiful!"

He didn't care about the dozen witnesses. Marcus' lips crashed into hers as they shared a celebratory kiss. Her fingers wound into his hair. Teasing cheers, aimed at them, joined the applause.

After months of filming, editing, and reshooting, they had finally completed their show. They had put their all into every episode, and delivered the best performance they could. The show had done all it could to be the best spooky show. It had stories from Agnes, Anna Bellview, Little Lizzy, and Bruno the Beastly. Now, all they could do was leave it with the editing team, who would hopefully turn it into an award-winning series.

God, she wanted this to be a success.

A gut feeling told her it would be okay. Life seemed to go her way now that she had found Marcus. Like the universe was waiting for them to find their way to each other before giving them the key to success.

"Alright, you two, break it up!" Erica pulled back, her face breaking into a welcoming smile as Angus made their way towards them. "I didn't want to miss the last day's shoot!"

"Glad you could make it," Marcus said, moving an arm around Erica's waist. She snuggled up to him as if they belonged together, like two puzzle pieces fitting perfectly. "Though I suspect that's not the only reason you're here."

"You're correct," Angus said with a nod and a weary sigh. He looked as though he didn't want to have his conversation. "Did you hear the news?"

"Let me guess." Erica rolled her eyes, clicking her tongue. "Alex made bail."

She had discovered her missing rings the day Sophie left. She hadn't done a good job of hiding her tracks, and Erica had a feeling exactly what that money was going towards.

"That's a good guess," Angus said, his eyebrows shooting upwards.

"Erica's rings are missing," Marcus explained. "And we had a surprising guest stay with us around the time they disappeared."

"I see." Angus squeezed Erica's arm, offering whatever comfort he could. "Do you want to take it further?"

Erica shook her head and sighed. "No. It's fine. If, after everything, she wants to go back to him, I think that's punishment enough."

"You know there's such a thing as being too nice?" Angus asked.

"That's what I said!" Marcus looked down at her, kissing her head. "I love you for your kind heart, but why aren't you throwing the book at them?"

"For what?" She asked, shrugging. "For a baby to be potentially born in a prison cell? It's just not worth it. I don't even know why I still had the rings at this point, anyway. It's not like I'm mourning their loss."

"Fair enough," Angus said. "But let me know if you change your mind." He shook Marcus' hand and kissed Erica's cheek. "I'd love to stay longer, but business calls. You must come for dinner this week. I'll have Enid call you."

Waving goodbye, Angus disappeared as quickly as he arrived. With his departure, it was back to celebrations. The crew moved towards them with party poppers and an enormous glass of something bubbly.

Confetti covered them in seconds as a cheer went around the crew. Marcus clinked his glass with hers, a sparkle in his eyes, a silent promise of a more private celebration to come.

Giddy, Erica drank and enjoyed the festivities, counting the minutes until they could be alone.

"I love you," Marcus whispered as his body moved against hers. Every part of them touched, with her legs wrapped around his waist. She dragged her nails down his back while he peppered kisses down her neck. Thrusting inside her, his hands moved firmly down her side until he could grab her thighs.

"I love you so much that life before you seems like a distant memory. His movements were slow. Each thrust was deliberate. Made to build into a crescendo, sending her to dizzying pleasure.

There was nothing rushed about their lovemaking. That had happened earlier as they fucked on the stairs. Now, in the still of the night, it was as though only the two of them existed. Their heavy breathing and quiet moans disturbed an otherwise silent room as they moved in harmony together.

Erica couldn't help the sting of emotion in the back of her throat. There had never been a more perfect moment than this, she was sure.

It wasn't an especially important day, nor was the moment itself very memorable. Given the lifetimes of moments she planned to share with him, making love on this occasion would no doubt fade into a sea of similar memories. But now, no one else existed. Marcus whispered words of love into her ear while he held her like she was the most precious thing to him. There had never been a more perfect moment.

"I love you too," she whispered back. She wound her fingers into his hair and let the strands tease her skin. Her nipples brushed against his chest as she moaned his name heatedly. His teeth grazed her ear as his hand snaked between their writhing bodies. It trailed through the patch of hair at the junction of her thighs. Brushing his fingers against her clit, he nipped her earlobe, growling into her ear. Chills raced across her body as she lifted her hips to him, offering herself to him.

"I want to own every part of you," he growled. She had heard these words before. Marcus could be a very possessive man when he wanted to be. But this time, the words hit differently.

"You already do," she promised, pulling him to her and meeting his lips for the sweetest of kisses.

Pouring everything she felt into that kiss, she tightened her legs around him, encouraging him to move faster. The time for sweetness had gone. Now passion had gripped her, and all she wanted was to have him possess her, consume her and send her into the abyss.

She parted her lips as he deepened the kiss, tugging on his hair in silent encouragement. Moving his fingers faster, he circled her clit, forcing her hips to lock as he found the perfect spot.

She dared not move as she let him do what he did best, her thighs tensing with the building pressure in the pit of her stomach.

"Wait for me," he warned, murmuring against her lips. She groaned in frustration, even as her stomach flipped with the command. She loved when he took control of her pleasure and let her know just how well he knew her body.

He angled his hips until he hit the deepest part inside her. She threw her head back, breaking the kiss as she cried out his name.

"Right there," she begged. "Please don't stop, Marcus."

His head dipped, burying his face against her shoulder. He moved harder until all she could focus on was his thick cock and how incredible it made her feel.

"Please," she whimpered as she felt herself tighten, her eyes rolling back.

"Not yet," he demanded, moving his fingers faster. She groaned in pleasure and frustration. He was pushing her limits. Testing her. Raking her nails down his back, she grabbed his backside, pulling him into her .

"Please cum, Marcus," she pleaded. "Cum with me and fill my pussy. I need you."

Marcus growled his approval, slamming himself inside her. Biting into her shoulder, his fingers were almost a blur on her clit. Pleasure radiated throughout her body until she could no longer hold back.

Screaming his name, her climax ripped through her, exquisite pleasure racing around her body until she could feel it at her fingertips. Her heart raced as warmth and wetness released between her thighs. With a satisfied groan, Marcus joined her in another perfect moment of sheer pleasure.

Slumping against the mattress, her muscles finally relaxed, the grip on his backside loosening. Her arms flopped to her sides as she twisted her head from side to side to cool her flaming cheeks.

"I love making you do that," Marcus said as he pulled out of her, nudging her out of the way of the wet patch they had left and taking her space. "You always sound so fucking sexy."

"And you're so good at it," she said, kissing his cheek. "That was incredible."

"You're incredible." Pulling her closer, she rested her head on his chest, listening to his heart racing. "I fucking love you, Erica."

"I love you too."

Nothing more needed to be said, even though her mind raced with a million things she wanted to say.

If time was on her side, and her eyelids weren't so heavy, she would tell him how much he had changed her life for the better. He had never allowed her to succumb to the grief that was the end of her marriage. Instead, he had filled her life with fun and laughter. Purpose and meaning.

He had given her something to throw herself into by allowing her into his business, and in doing so had shown her an entirely different world. When she was a little girl, she never would have imagined she would become a real-life ghost hunter. But now, she couldn't imagine a more fitting career for her. She loved every minute of her job and the fact she got to do it with Marcus by her side made it all the sweeter.

Erica was a strong woman. She always would have fought through the pain of her divorce, especially after Alex's infidelity. But Marcus had made it infinitely easier than going it alone. With his gentle encouragement, it felt less like starting over, and more like getting on the right track.

No one could make her laugh like he could, and no one brought her more comfort than he did. When he was around, she felt safer. When things felt tough, he eased her burden.

"Would you change it all if you could? Would you have rejected Alex's proposal?"

Lottie had asked her the question one night just after she confronted Alex. In an angry, drunken fit, she had wished she had never laid eyes on Alex and could take away every moment she shared with him.

Now, she would live it all again a thousand times over, if it meant she got to love Marcus just as many times. No way she'd risk changing the past and losing out on the man who had given her so much just by being himself.

"Marcus?" She whispered, turning her head up towards him. With his eyes closed and his lips gently parted, it was clear he was asleep. She tried to ease herself from his arms to give him room to himself, only for his hold to tighten on her.

Logic told her it was a reflex.

Her heart assured her he didn't want to let her go.

Smiling to herself, she settled back in his arms, resting her head against his chest and giving in to her exhaustion.

Within minutes, she was asleep, safe, content, and secure.

There was never a more perfect moment than this, she was sure.

How could there be when there had never been a more perfect man than her Marcus?