“This coming from someone who invested an extra eight million dollars because he fell in love at first sight,” Albert says. His voice isn’t as deep as Heath’s but their accents are nearly the same and there is a hint of arrogance in Albert’s voice.
What?
“It’s none of your business why I invested my money. Besides, I’ll be making money off of that investment not losing any. Look, my father wanted to fire you as soon as you came back but I talked him into thinking about it over the weekend,” Heath says sounding exasperated.
“Raymond wants to fire me?” Albert’s tone changes, he doesn’t sound so cocky now.
“Yes, he does. Albert, this isn’t the first time we’ve had to spend extra money because you chose to be irresponsible. I’m trying to get him to give you another chance, but you need to lay low and do things in the allotted time frame.”
“Okay, I can do that. I can’t afford to lose my job Heath.”
“Then act like it. I’m not saying don’t have fun, but just don’t let it interfere with your work,” Heath says gently.
“So,” Albert says. “How did it go at your parent’s house last night?”
“It was awful. My mother doesn’t like Alicia, as you projected. She even invited Nadia over in attempts to rekindle my love for her,” Heath says.
“I bet Nadia was looking hot though.”
“Yes, she looked really good,” Heath says.
Oh yeah.
“But you have to see Alicia, she’s far more beautiful. The best thing about her is that she’s genuine. Nadia is a fucking user,” Heath says.
I walk into the living room and Albert stands. He’s a little shorter than Heath and light skinned with blue eyes and a curly sandy brown afro. He’s no doubt mixed races and by the size of his arms and shoulders, I’m going to guess that he works out about five days a week.
“Well hello,” Albert says, greeting me in a way that I find most uncomfortable.
Heath stands and walks around the sofa to meet me giving me a kiss on the cheek and wrapping one arm around me. “Alicia, this is Albert. Albert, this is my girlfriend Alicia,” he says proudly.
He walks over to me and we shake hands then take our seats. Heath’s phone rings, it’s his father. He walks out to take the call in the other room leaving Albert and me alone.
“I’ve heard a lot about you Alicia. It’s nice to finally meet you,” Albert says.
“Good things I hope,” I say jokingly.
“Oh very good things,” he says with an awkward grin on his face that makes my stomach do a somersault. “You’re even more beautiful than he described you. No wonder he’s not in a hurry to get back with Nadia.”
“Excuse me?” I say fidgeting; radiating the uneasiness I’m feeling.
“I’m sorry, did I cross the line? I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable.”
“Yes, but don’t worry about it. Just please don’t do it again.”
“I apologize; it’s just that Heath usually doesn’t have a problem with me getting close to the women he dates. If you know what I mean.”
“No, I don’t know what you mean.” He’s starting to piss me off.
Heath comes back into the room and sits down next to me, immediately noticing the look on my face.
“Alicia what’s wrong?” He asks looking over at me. He narrows his eyes and stares at Albert. “What did you say to her Albert?”
“I didn’t say anything that she won’t find out sooner or later,” Albert says in his cocky voice again.
“He said that you don’t have a problem with him getting close to the women you date. Heath, I don’t know what kind of creepy friendship you two have but I don’t want any parts of him getting close to me, and if you think that I’m going to let some shit like that happen, you’re just as crazy as he is,” I say making myself crystal clear.
“What?” Heath answers. “I’ll be the first to admit that in my wilder days, if I had no interest in a woman, I told Albert he could do whatever he wanted if she let him. That is definitely not the case with you Alicia.” He turns to face Albert again. “What the fuck is your problem? Why would you even say anything like that to Alicia knowing how I feel about her?” If looks could kill, Heath would be on trial for capital murder.
“I was just joking with her,” Albert says feigning a chuckle.
Heath mimics his chuckle. “Your joke wasn’t funny. I think it’s time for you to leave. I will not have Alicia feeling uncomfortable.”
Albert gets up and rushes to the door, upset by Heath’s tone.
“Albert,” Heath calls out stopping him in his tracks. “That was my father on the phone. He says that you’re on probation indefinitely. I no longer have the power to save you, so if you fuck up again you’re fired.”
Albert doesn’t even respond but I know he understands Heath because he slams the door so hard on his way out that we heard it.
“Alicia, I’m really sorry. He’s never said anything like that to anyone before.”
“It’s okay, but why are you passing along women to him?”
“They were usually groupies, and that was before you Alicia. I’m not like that anymore. I only have eyes for you.” He kisses me on my forehead. “Do you believe me?”
“Yes,” I whisper.
“Good. Benjamin has loaded the car. Shall we go on our picnic?”
“Sure. Where are we picnicking at?” I ask.
“I own some undeveloped land along the countryside, so I figured we can go there since you love it so much. Just you and me away from the world to eat, talk, and make love.”
Make love? I look at him as if he’s lost his mind.
He tilts his head to the side, licks his bottom lip, and then puts his hand on my shoulder. “Why do you think I had you wear that dress?”
Chapter 10
It takes us about half an hour to get to Heath’s land along the countryside. To throw off any unwanted guests, we take Benjamin’s old pickup truck. When we arrive to Heath’s land, which is surrounded by an iron gate with a lock on it, he gets out to open it then locks it once we’re in. He drives until we can’t see anything except green pastures on all sides of us, the countryside is even more amazing when you’re in it.
He takes a blanket and a basket from behind the seat and sets everything up under a huge chestnut tree. I sit down on the blanket and take in my surroundings. The grass is lush and green against the miles and miles of hills with yellow, red, and white wildflowers. The tree that is providing my shade is in bloom with little white flowers all over it; it looks like the scene of an oil painting. The air out here is also crisp, fresh, and clean. You just don’t get scenery like this in Winter Park.
Heath kneels down in front of me and takes my shoes off then sets them down in the grass next to his.
“It’s beautiful out here,” I say lying back on my elbows
“It is, isn’t it,” Heath says looking at me smiling.
“What are you going to do with all of this land?” I ask out of curiosity.
He shrugs his shoulders. “I haven’t really decided yet. I could build a shopping mall or an amusement park, or a hotel with a golf course; the possibilities are endless.”
“Or . . . You can leave it just like it is and we can come here and enjoy one another’s company.”
“Or I could do that, too,” he says smiling at me. He sighs, “Hey, I apologize for what Albert said to you this morning. I don’t want you thinking that I’m some kind of womanizing pig because that’s not me at all. It’s just that, when you’re in the spotlight, women tend to throw themselves at you and depending on my alcohol consumption sometimes I give in to it. Please trust me when I say that I would never treat you like a piece of ass.”
“Well those women don’t deserve to be passed on like that, either, but I’m not worried about you treating me that way because I won’t allow it. I don’t know Albert, but I know I wouldn’t date him in a million years.”
Heath la
ughs. “That’s good to know. I don’t know what came over him this morning, he never acts like that.” He sighs, “Forget about him. Are you excited about tomorrow?”
“Excited and nervous.”
“You’ll do fine. I’m sure of it,” he says and then leans over to give me a kiss on my cheek.
I lean over and rest my head on his lap and he starts to stroke my hair while we talk. Our conversations weren’t about anything in particular, but it’s nice to just be able to talk about nothing and still have a great time. This is how life should be when you’re in love; simple, yet full. I don’t recall ever having moments like this. This revelation makes me question if I have ever been in love.
I think what I feel for Heath right now is love. When we’re together I feel whole and when we are apart that feeling of wanting to be with him just takes over me. I’ve never anticipated seeing David, because I knew sooner or later we were going to be arguing and fighting. Is it too soon to feel this way about someone? Am I just in love with the newness of someone’s genuine attention? That can’t be, guys hit on me all the time and I never gave a second thought to any of them, but Heath has occupied my mind since the day he came in my office and shook my hand. Tamia said it best, I’m old enough to know what I want and need from someone. So yes, it’s love, and yes I am in love with Heath St. James; utterly and completely in love.
“Alicia,” Heath calls my name bringing me back to now. “Are you against getting married again?”
“Um . . . Heath we just started dating,” I say smiling.
He chuckles. “I’m not proposing. I’d just like to know your take on a second marriage.”
“Oh . . . Well I’m not against it; it would just have to be with the right person.”
“Do you think I could be the right person?” He asks, tracing the outside of my ear with this index finger.
“I know you’re the right person,” I say before I can completely process the thought.
“Well, I’m glad we’re on the same page,” he says putting that same index finger on my lip. I kiss, then graze it with the tip of my tongue and I hear the sharp intake of his breath. “Are you hungry? He asks gruffly.
“Sure,” I say sitting up and letting him pull out the contents of the basket; cubed cheese, crackers, grapes, strawberries, scones, a bottle of Clicquot Rosé, and two champagne flutes. “Benjamin really outdid himself this time,” I say staring at Heath hoping there is nothing else in that basket.
“I told him that today was going to be a special day for us. I didn’t tell him what to pack; he did this on his own. Benjamin is really quite fond of you, he thinks that we’re perfect for one another,” he says as he hands me a flute and fills it with pink sparkling champagne. We start to eat.
“How long has Benjamin worked for you?” I ask as I put one of the sweetest strawberries I’ve ever tasted in my mouth.
“All of my life, he worked for my parents before I was born.”
“So that’s how you’ve known Albert all of your life?”
“Yes, my parents believed in treating everyone equally, so when Benjamin and his ex-wife, Helen, had Albert, my parents would allow Benjamin to bring him over to play.”
“Is that why your father gave him a job with the company?
“No, not exactly. Benjamin wanted Albert to be a butler like him. He made Benjamin waste all of his money on schooling, only to get a job and lose it because he didn’t realize how hard being a butler actually is. Benjamin isn’t too fond of Albert because he’s spoiled and lazy, but he is his son, so he has to love him. He’s told me on numerous occasions to just fire him and let him experience life without someone coddling him.”
“Wow.”
“Wow is right,” Heath says biting into a strawberry in a way that made me think of the first time we had sex.
I put a grape in my mouth and immediately regret it because I’m already so full.
“Have you had enough to eat?” Heath asks looking at me intently.
I nod, lean back propping myself up on my hands, and then let out an exaggerated sigh.
“Good, now if you would please take off your clothes,” he says. I stare at him with my eyes wide and my mouth dropped open. “Trust me, you’re going to enjoy what I have in store for you.” With those words, his eyes turn into something darker, sexual. If looks could make me come, I would be steamrolling into an orgasm right now.
I slide off my jacket and take off my dress so that I am only in my panties. He looks at my panties with a “take those off, too” smirk. I respond to his unspoken command and place my panties on top of my pile of clothes off to the side of the blanket. “I’m glad I didn’t have to remind you that you lost a bet,” he says looking at my naked body. “Now, I’m going to lie down and I want you to sit on my face.”
Oh wow!
He takes off his t-shirt, lies down on the blanket, and motions for me to come to him. I crawl over to where he is laying, stand over him, and then squat down guiding my little lady into his mouth. When his tongue finds my clitoris, I immediately let out a moan. Reaching up, he grabs my behind and squeezes as I roll my body against his face. I can feel his tongue stroking me up and down and making circles all over my little lady.
Where has this man been all my life?
My body buckles a little when he finds my sweet spot. I start to move my hips faster and he grips me tighter and we coordinate our rhythms. “Heath!” I scream knowing that no one can hear me. He starts to work his tongue over my little lady and suck on my clitoris at the same time. My body is climbing and begging for relief. I roll my hips against his tongue in an attempt to give myself the feeling I so desperately need right now. My nipples are hardened from the sweat of my skin and the coolness of the air. I grab them between my forefingers and my thumb and start to pull and roll them in an attempt to make this orgasm come. After several moments, Heath glides his tongue across me one last time and my body bursts, releasing all my sweet nectar into his mouth. I fall forward calling out his name through my ragged breathing. His arms are locked around my thighs because I’m too weak to hold myself up. My little lady is swollen and tender from what he’s doing but he doesn’t stop until he licks up everything.
When he finally releases me, I fall onto the blanket. My eyes are shut and I just want to go to sleep. I feel him hovering over me and I hear the rip of his zipper coming down. I open my eyes to see him holding a condom between his teeth. Before I think about it I tell him that I’m comfortable with him not wearing it and he looks at me like I’m growing horns from my head.
“I don’t want to get you pregnant yet Alicia,” he says sounding worried.
“Trust me, you won’t.” I’m both happy and sad by my confession.
“Are you sure?” He asks, searching my face.
“Positive,” I say with a smile giving him that last bit of reassurance.
He slides his erection into me. I can feel his body relax as he enters my warm wet little lady. He’s so big and thick and it feels so good to have him inside of me.
“Forgive me if I come faster than usual,” he whispers, “I wasn’t expecting this.” He starts to roll his hips and pumps himself in and out of my little lady. I moan, groan, and call out his name as he stretches and fills me. He leans in to give me a kiss and I can taste myself on his lips. “Darling, this. . . You’re so warm, so wet . . . Can I come inside of you?” His voice is harsh, and his body is slick from the thin film of sweat he’s worked up.
“Yes,” I mewl wanting him to completely enjoy his first raw experience inside of me.
My body is starting to tighten again as my little lady grips his erection wanting another orgasm. I roll my hips back and forth allowing him to fill my little lady with every inch of his erection.
“Heath!” I moan as he thrusts himself in and out of me matching the movement of my hips.
He nods his head because he can feel me getting wetter.
“Heath I’m coming,” I whine as my body bursts around him.
That is all he needs because no sooner than my orgasm is complete, his body relaxes and I can feel his come running from my little lady down my behind. When he is finished, he lies down on his side and looks over at me. “I have a confession,” he says staring at me with satisfaction in his eyes.
“What’s that?” I ask.
“If we would have had sex without a condom prior to our bet, I would have lost without a second thought.”
We both laugh.
“Come here,” he says signaling me to lay in his arms.
I do as I’m told, and I don’t regret it. We lay silently breathing in the fresh clean air, looking at the miles of wildflowers and green grass, smelling like the sensual scent of one another. This man is the best thing that ever happened to me.
***
I must have dozed off too long because Heath is waking me up to watch the sunset over the countryside. I’m still naked, wrapped in a blanket and he’s fully dressed. He hands me my dress and my jacket but not my underwear. I get dressed and then take a seat between Heath’s legs on the blanket and admire the sky’s purple, pink, orange and yellow tones with white clouds perfectly positioned throughout. The sun is setting behind one of the hills, setting off a red-orange color against the green grass. Heath wraps his arms around me, pulls me closer to him and whispers, “I could sit like this with you forever.” He kisses me on the top of my head, sending a light tingle through my body. When the sun disappears behind the hills, Heath packs everything up in the truck and then we head back to The Vue.
The ride home is pretty quiet for the most part. I’m resting my head against Heath’s body and he has his arm draped around me. I let out a long yawn, stretching my arms and legs. “You’ve slept for almost three hours and you’re still yawing,” he says laughing.
“I’m tired from all the sex I’ve been having over the past week,” I say through another yawn.
“I’m sorry darling, but there’s something about you that won’t allow me to get enough of you.”
“No, it’s okay. I like it. My body is just not used to all of this.”
“You never had this much sex with your ex-husband?” He sounds confused.
What She Needs Page 13