-CHAPTER 15-

Ignoring Flynn is a walk in a park.

The lunch was delightful, in fact, it made her stuffed throughout the whole afternoon. His friends couldn't get any luckier for sure, they can always munch in pricy restaurants.

Nothing eventful happened aside from taking down serious notes and formulating endless reviewers, the same practiced agony ever since their first year.

Ella's afternoon stopped when he received Theo's text, her pants beeped.

Afternoon Coffee? Dinner? See me at the cafe.

Her phone succumbed again in her right pocket. Guess I have plans. These are the days that Ella and her roommates usually have other plans. They barely talked earlier in class due to their deep focus on their Major Subjects.

It's a rare realization that she can actually pay for a cab herself, that's a first. A comfortable life is more accessible with money. She despises people who always believe that we can't buy happiness from it.

Majority of the humanity is tired of pretending. Comfort that brings happiness is on your reach through money.

Ella had been garnering this ideology since her first year in Accountancy. Her general interest in handling money has been developed over time.

Despite hearing the poor, or even corrupted financial management that results in exploited workers. Ella aspires to handle money.

The thought ends when the driver hits the breaks gently, meeting the eyes of the young woman who's probably meeting someone in a famous cafe. Her payment was followed by a smile and speeches of simple gratitude, making her way inside.

After a few moments of waiting, Theo once again, served her table on purpose, with a bargain in the back of his mind. "You are finally alone, honeybee."

"What's with the endearment? They're not around. And why dinner with me?" Ella broadens her shoulders as the straw stabbed the Shaken Chai Latte.

His sweat didn't make it in his neck as he damped his cheeks with his towel, Theo actually carried a lot of stacked metal trays.

Sweats of happiness, he loves working here so much.

It was a mahogany table for two, he sat across her. "Cutting to the chase, aren't we? I've come to bargain." The corner of his lips smiled and grabbed her drink to suck her straw.

As Ella gave him a complaining look, Theo just sniggered. "Oh c'mon, we don't have to pretend that we did not share our saliva. Chill." It was a humorous defense.

Ella can't focus on their conversation as she keeps gazing at her red hair illuminated under the warm lamp designed on every table for two. "Uhm- oh, so why dinner?"

"Oh." Theo fixed his composure and connect greenish-grey eyes to hers effortlessly. "I'd like to take you for dinner. And sex. I want sex."

It made sense to her. The dinner hour is fast approaching and might as well eat first before making out. A feast after feast. 

Besides, Ella wants it. Of course, I want it.

"You are lucky that I'm alone and I don't have to pull off white lies." Ella chuckled at their cold air. "And it's almost dinner, aren't have a night shift?"

Theo shrugged his shoulders. "It was easy to ask for an early leave, I know great restaurants here." It was a relief that it was a smooth bargain.

Theo badly wants an abrupt session to warm his loins, stress was skyrocketing since the past few days at work. It was an unusual consecutive day dealing with rude customers, pestering him and his co-workers day.

"Are you good for tonight?"

Her smile stilled as she was not expecting it. "I'm down for it." An unavoidable thought came into her.

Was she being a whore for having Flynn for lunch and Theo for dinner? And that pursed her lips, it was comical and messing up in her system. Can't believe Ella is a whore. Her chuckle went even louder and erased the idea by rolling the eyeballs.

"You're laughing?" Stunned, he observed and wondered what's so funny.

"Nothing, I'm feeling silly for having sex. I think I need this too." Theo observed her lips licked before sucking on her straw.

His throat gulped.

"Very well then. Let's pig out for a while and I'll have you after dinner." That smirk. The man is definitely good at that. Ella nod and remained silent, he observed him stood up and consumed the remaining hours of his work.

I'm his feast, after dinner.

+++

The restaurant was larger than she expected. From time to time she would check her jaw because it keeps opening in awe. The interior was a perfect ensemble of Baroque pieces of furniture, patterns, and even paintings that she vividly remembered tackling in high school.

Theo's shift ended at five-thirty, also the same time when Ella checked her messages. Empty, no one was looking for her.

Thankfully it wasn't crowded, for she is conscious of her wardrobe. The reflection from the huge glass revealed her own reflection.

Carrot cut pants and ruffled off-shoulder top. Theo is quite advanced, looking sharp with his oversized-knitted dark blue cardigan that buttoned only in his abdomen, revealing the favorite grey cotton shirt.

The lights are warmer than the cafe, he could completely witness fair complexions on her face. Visibly, Ella had light touches of Sephora foundation and subtle mauve lipstick. Simple. He thought.

"Good evening, a reservation?" A tall lady greeted a lovely evening when they stepped in front of the receptionist. Theo clasped her hands and smiled.

"I have, for. . ." He didn't saw that coming, this would be the first time that Theo mentions his full name. His brain seemed troubled by that. 

"For whom?" The lady asked again raking a judgemental stare on Ella. The lady is not fine with how Ella looks.

In a high-end restaurant, a commoner is rarely seen or even interacted with. Terra, the receptionist, doesn't like seeing one of them.

"A reservation for Theo." Finally, he muttered his name and almost spilling the rest of his name. In his expedition in New York, hiding his name has been the best resort to put a layer of shade in his identity.

He knows to himself that he's not hiding either, it's just the man's preference.

"A reservation?" The lady asked again, with a straightened spine.

Theo didn't hesitate to wrap his hands around hers. Contradicting the air-conditioned establishment, Ella's hand is warm "Table for two. For a couple."

Couple?

A man walked past through the front desk and took a halt when he saw Theo. "Theo?" And looks like they know each other. Wearing sharp with his maroon polo that covered his arms to his wrist.

"Jeremy." Theo greeted with a manly formal hug, making Ella and the receptionist looked troubled. "I thought you were counting swans in L.A."

"I was in L.A." Jeremy clarified. "Also my apologies for Terra, she's new in the front at the desk." The casual tone shifted in authority and suddenly Terra lost her insulting stare.

Ella lifted her ego for that.

After Jeremy ended the small talk, he also wished us a great night ahead. They walked as Theo mentioned Jeremy is a regular Sunday-morning customer.

They headed to the polished white marble table situated to the glass window, not to mention that they stood on two-story dine.

A spot just made for couples.

That reverie vanished easily when the food was finally served. Ella once again thanked the Gods and Goddesses for Theo ordering a minimum order unlike Flynn earlier was so close to film a "mukbang" video.

Porridge. The thing that her eyes caught first. It was paired with Salmon or whatever, Ella had no clue what the hell did he ordered.

Eating quickly, Theo took no time knowing that she's fond of porridges. He'll give Jeremy a credit for sure for serving a decent-looking porridge. An inch of corner smile appeared as he munched the steamed Luncheon Meat.

"I gotta say thank you for taking me here. I'll definitely bring my mom here after graduation." Ella with her genuine remark pursed her lips. A quiet guess he made, Theo was sure that she's talking about the porridge.

"Great to hear then, you're very much welcome honeybee."

"Cut the endearment, that's gross," Ella complained while munching food.

Theo pouted his lips while taunting her like a kid, that replaced by a sip of his Cranberry Tea. "We could've had our dinner on a fast food, why go expensive?" Ella asked away while not breaking eye contact. 

"We're busy and barely had a contact, might as well go extra. Why not?" That sounded more clever than Theo thought before actually saying it.  The minimized song ended in the background, occupying their space with silence. 

Ella had no idea how tired and hungry she was until she finished her porridge without even poking the main course. The fatigued fingers were not a hindrance to grip harder on her utensils, the seasonings spurted in her taste buds. Ella would moan out of deliciousness. 

Her taste buds decided to take the wheel, Ella is in cloud-nine  The food was genuinely that good. She didn't like the sound of their mouth chewing and hitting the plate with their spoon, she tried to mutter some words that she wanted to say. 

"But seriously. Why are you so nice?" Ella asked and she was aware that it didn't sound well. 

Taken aback, Theo understood. "Hmm. Perhaps are you scared? Do you feel unsafe with me?" 

Impressive. Ella knows it was a bare minimum. "You. You are a little suspicious." 

"Suspicious?" His head was bouncing a nod while chewing. The idea started to hammer down in his head, it was essential as well to shift his perspective to a woman suddenly invited to an expensive dinner. 

Ella lubricated her lips. "I mean of course I enjoy having sex. I just think that I also have the benefit of knowing you. Maybe a little detail." Detail. The word repeated on her. Ella suddenly asked how did she gather such speculation. There's no shame in tracing Theo's face with her eyes, for a moment. 

"Are you that curious?" As the jerk he is, Theo asked the stupid question to push the conversation, finding great timing to spill his beans. In detail.  

"My intuition says it's fair for me," that followed a sigh. "You're damn aware I'm college, I have three friends like me who are waiting to graduate. Let alone my carnal desires." Ella tried to elaborate to the best of her capabilities analyzing each word as if it was an actual research proposal.

"I'm not even sure if Theo was a real name." 

The diaphragm relaxed after sucking the straw. "My apologies for being secretive." No time to be amused by the well-thought discourse, he lowered down his cool and tried to be serious.

Hell, I did push him.  

"I took my advantage, that was unfair." He paused and swallowed. "I should've been more open  for my sexual partner." He was acquiring energy from inextensible spirit around.

Ella just stared and tried to appear with authority with authentic demands to the conversation. 

The stare rewarded her light sexy chuckle from his mouth. "I'm Theodore." 

And that made sense from his nickname, Ella finally knew it. 

"I'm Theodore, 29. I love grey shirts, cinnamon rolls, and graham crackers." His jade eyes never left hers.  "I do fishing, golf and I love playing vintage grand pianos. I hate wearing red, but I love red flannels, I do collect bed sheets and coffee cans. Of course, I wash them." The rapid rush of his lungs made him look like it was a difficult thing to say. 

Ella's shock was expressed through several flicks of her lashes. Followed every word, even the rushed breathing at the end. Time freeze in their gazes. 

"That was- that was honest." These are the few words that remained in her.  

"Too honest?" 

"Yes. I mean, no." Her head shook as if she could fix the gears in her head. "That was a lot of your favorites, it's just unexpected. And apparently, you are older than me." 

Theodore scoffed and refuse to sip at the cold glass. "How old are you exactly, Ella?." The next thing he realized, he never asked her that as well. 

"Turning 25." It wasn't direct but that was the best thing Ella has to say, speaking subtly before drinking. 

The New York cityscape glows in warm yellows beneath the dark blues, admiring his choice of the best place that he can hide and blend. "Wanna ask more?" 

"You are being too nice."

"What's so wrong about trying to make you know me? Are you creeping out honeybee?" Theodore attempted to be comedic that eventually earned him a chuckle. 

A sid-stare happened in her eye, thinking about what to ask next. "Is Theodore even a real name?" 

The man's brows furrowed and simply confirmed, "Theodore is in fact a British name." 

"I see. So it means can I have your valid I.D.?" Well, Ella can ask stupid questions. 

Insanely invading my private space. "You sound absurd. Ella." He tried not to laugh at how stupid they sound was when it reached his ears. Theodore tried. 

"Oh c'mon, you are more secretive than I am. I just asked." 

"My name?" His name. The word wasn't intended to itch his scalp, Theo scratched it anyway. The itching crawled as he thought through his name, an identity that he protected like a sacred amulet hidden in a dungeon. Although it wasn't some kind of big deal, he considered himself a coward for not getting his name as relevant in his life. 

Was it deserved to be uttered? Theo had no clue. The answer was none as he lost in an inextensible gaze of the unknown the second after he left her eyes. 

"And suddenly, I was being pushy," Ella admitted while fixing her posture. "I am sorry for forcing stuff, and we cannot collide our spaces together-

"Theodore." 

She never flickered her lashes this much before. "What Theodore- 

"Theodore Andrew Flecther." His tongue was very familiar with how he pronounced it in English accent, just like his life in London. A name that he's trying to dissipate, with its sentiments and history. A place that he refuses to go back to. 

Ella hates to admit that she was turned on in such a name, her flesh is being weird. "You don't really have to say it." As if Ella has the right time to be apologetic, she said. 

"I'm doing my part honeybee, put your nerve on the chiller," Theodore chuckled and did not use his straw this time for his iced tea. 

She sipped with hers along with Theodore, meeting the ends of their stares. "So I'm calling you Theodore now?" 

"I can't allow you that." His English baritone voice sounded stern and serious. 

Her hands pressed her chest lightly. "Oh, why not? Maybe I can call you Andrew?-

"Not the Andrew, please. Ella." Theodore was so close to exclaiming that his grunt was obvious. He returned his emotions by clearing his throat. 

He was holding back and it shows. "I- I did not m- mean to be aggressive, my apologies," he gulped. 

Ella did not believe that she could witness a slice of Theodore's anger. For the last couple of minutes, she started to wonder what is going on with his identity. "I don't really know what's going on with your name and shit. You must have your reason." Reflected in her eyes was understanding, despite having an urge of being upset." 

The bossa nova soundtrack in the background seems to be louder after that. Silence. 

"I went overboard with my manners and I'm not making excuses. But I would like to keep the boundaries that I set." Theodore cracked the silence after we woke up from his reverie and resumed their contact. 

"You are still a human after all." Ella meant to say that sentence alone, she knows that it would mean a lot. Their tension softens along with the resolution of their bossa nova background wrapping up the song. 

To Theodore's surprise, he felt Ella's toes rubbed his ankle. She's literally lifting the hem of his pants and rubbed the socks underneath. Dinner was done and they have to wrap up for the main course. Theodore was moved and left petrified due to the scorching tease, almost forgetting that he liked having sex with a dominant woman. 

Ella was natural and she just knows when to engage with him. Smallest steps of being an expert. There was a thrill spilled on her nerve streams, making her smile seemed more like a snicker. Dominance, she wants to try it. 

"Let's continue this somewhere." Theodore burst his words out, clenching his jaw. 

+++

It was like yesterday since she went to his condominium, the reeking smell of cinnamon powder conquered half of the suite. Ella put her weight on the sturdy and veiny arms of her horny sex partner, Theo. 

Theodore couldn't care less if they bumped in furniture, let alone turning the lights on. It was dark enough to see their path to the master's bedroom. Gently, he placed the lady on the soft mattress and gave her a reeking stare. 

Ella's arms are moistening as she was in a heat with him, the flare of their touches are congruent. The libido even boosted then Theodore took off his shirt and revealed the sweaty sculpted chest, the low tangerine warm light enough to see his half-naked glory. 

And his bulging pants. 

Her neck was blessed by his light bite - more of a licking tongue. He did not waste any time and get on his knees on the bed to help her strip naked, putting a lot of nibbling and thirsty tongue sharing moments In between.

A moan escaped from Ella's lips. No, she bailed those moans out of her mouth. Ella was overflowing with pleasure by his foreplay. She can't stop complimenting him in silence. 

Theodore was out of breath after he damped her collarbone with his kisses. "Do you want this?" 

And Ella's hands halted from unbuckling his belt. "Are seriously asking that? Is water even wet?" Fortunately, she's in the right mood to play with words. His mouth never felt so good around her skin. 

"And now she's wet." His calloused hands effortlessly slid into her undergarments, it fits perfectly with his fingers as if it was owned. Theo's questions have never been sexier, 

"And like what I said earlier, I'll be on top." Ella reminded him about their conversation earlier in the elevator. Well, it wasn't a conversation, it was more on stroking Theodore's cock for two minutes after pressing a lot of buttons. 

"Yes, I do remember." Two fingers delve immediately into her soaked core, earning a loud woman moan. "I wanna see how you handle it." 

He removed his finger and scooted underneath Ella. The sound of the clamping belt is annoying that she has to get rid of it quickly. She cannot buy some time to appreciate his v line down to the hem of his Calvin Klein underwear. 

Theo immediately locks his gaze on the ceiling when Ella starts licking his abdomen, making the tongue go lower. His hard boner sprung just right on her face, looking on it like an expert. 

His carnal tiger is begging for her to give him a blow-job. The energy was immeasurable when her tongue teased the head of his penis. It's been a long time when had sex like this, he could've leaked in pre-cum. 

Bodyspray. It was a men's body spray that Ella smelled when she started giving him a head. Ella can see his veins closer than ever. Angry, red, and flushed with blood. Theodore's cock was way too obvious that it needs a release. 

"Don't you dare cum." Ella pressed her lips on his hard steel. Even in her voice, he finds it sexy. 

"I'm trying." He looked down, distracted by the immense pleasure. Her head starts to jerk slowly and strokes his hard member slowly with her mouth. Oh boy, she's good. 

Ella wasn't satisfied and restricted more boundaries. Well, she just told him that he cannot move. After she pulled down his boxers off of his legs, she took care of undergarments and she sucked him in nude. 

Theodore was gasping for air. The cock was soaked with saliva and pre-cum, he also thrust his hips despite how it contradicts her orders. His sexy moans elevated her desire to jerk her head more, Ella also had a chance to masturbate his sturdy penis from time to time. It was unbelievable for her ears to hear the slurps, groans, and squirts together with his moans.  

"Harder," Theodore begged. For years in his sex life, he absolutely knows how to control his orgasm, especially in blow jobs. Although sometimes a woman's mouth performs really well, Ella's hits really different. 

Another set of curses he groaned when she stroke his penis faster. Theodore disregarded her dominance and reached for his condom, effortlessly sliding it into his large member. Ella also discarded her dominance shit, her head was full of wild thoughts every time she's in control of his cock.

Or maybe he's an average. 

Unapologetically loud, Ella maximized her moans as she guided his sex pole to her wet core. She felt a different level of carnal pleasure since she was on top. It took a while to adjust to his size, she just watches his sexy expression when their sexes connect.

The sweats escaping from their skin intensified as the sight made them hornier. Theodore was exactly like the ones on porn films.

Sculpted torso and a huge erection. 

"Theodore. Ohh... fuck." Ella mindlessly whimpered.

That made him grit his teeth and lock his eyes with her amidst the dim lighting. Theodore's strong arms gripped her waist and thrust himself upwards, feeling her tightness clenched in his cock. Curses followed from his mouth. 

And it went sloppier, and harder. He keeps pumping and fucked her brains out as he wants her to come first. Ella just keeps saying his full name, enjoying the sex after she came. 

Theodore was breathtaking to watch, there was a hind of veins in his neck, his chest was quite flushed, and his red hair shines through sweat. Ella kept that pretty little mouth asking for more in between her moans and groans. 

"Oh. Fuck!" Theodore moaned huskily as he reached his peak. His thrust was unforgivably strong, wild, and hungry. He finally spurts his liquids in the rubber, backed up with few thrusts as if he came inside. How he just wishes he could see his cum dripping on her pussy. 

The french kiss wasn't a part of a plan but they did share their mouth, disregarding their lungs with ragged breathing. They focused on their own gazes, hearing their mouth and nose breathe. Theodore licked his lips chuckled in ow voice. 

"Theodore. My name sounds better when you whimpered."