“That won’t be necessary, honey, but you can come back and have lunch with me,” I say batting my eyes flirtatiously.
“I’ll pick up something and we’ll eat here,” he says with a smile and then stands and walks out to the elevator but not before kissing me on my cheek.
When I know for sure that he is gone, I walk over to my phone and call Carolina into my office.
***
“How is everything going between you and Heath?” Mr. Stansbury asks after an hour-long business meeting via telephone.
“Great! Thanks for asking,” I say almost willing to share information with him.
“Alicia, I know that dating my nephew is not quite what you’ve signed up for given his profession and the amount of attention you’ve been getting from the public, but I must admit you’re holding yourself together perfectly fine.”
“Thank you sir. Oh, I forgot to mention that I will be in the states from about mid-November until after New Year’s, so I’m going to need a vacant office in the Orlando building.”
“Ok, I’ll have my assistant arrange that, and if there is nothing else, I’ll be on my way.”
“Good night Mr. Stansbury.”
“Good night McAllister.”
I hang up the phone and stretch my arms and legs giving my body relief from this long stressful day. Carolina knocks on my door to let me know that David invested five million dollars and then asks if there is anything else she can get for me before she leaves. I tell her no and then let her leave for the day.
I look at my watch, it’s four thirty and Heath won’t be here for another hour or so because he has a late meeting. I’ve finished all of my work for the day, so I turn on some soft music and lay down on the sofa taking in my view of London City as I try to figure out why David won’t just let go. Why does he insist that I still love him? Do I still love him? It’s true that he was my first real boyfriend, my first true love. I’ll always care about him, but I’m no longer in love with him. Heath has my heart, and my relationship with him feels so much more genuine. He’s taken my body to heights that David could never achieve. In my opinion, there is no need to compare the two because Heath wins in every category. He is who I’m in love with, not David. I just wish I could get him to understand that.
“David doesn’t deserve me,” I say with a yawn, and then I drift.
***
“Darling, dinner is ready,” I hear Heath say in that oh-so-sexy voice. My eyes shoot open and I look around to see that I’m in our bedroom and it’s dark out. I remember falling asleep on the ride from work and Heath carrying me in from the car, but I didn’t think I was asleep that long.
When I finally get a good look at him, he’s wearing black jogging pants and a Bridgecam Racing t-shirt and he’s even taken the liberty to take off my work clothes and put me in some pajamas. I go downstairs for dinner and Benjamin has made my favorite; baked ziti. I dig in and begin to eat as if I hadn’t had anything to eat all day.
“Alicia, instead of renting a hotel for us for six weeks, I just went ahead and purchased a penthouse in downtown Orlando,” Heath says with a smile. “We can use it when we visit, it’ll save us money in the long run.”
“That’s really nice Heath, and with the way the market is, if you decide to sell it you’re bound to make a great profit,” I say in between bites.
“Alicia, the penthouse if for us,” he says in all seriousness. “Now eat up. I’m going to draw you a bath and give you a massage before we go to bed.”
I smile and continue to eat.
Yes, I am a lucky girl.
Chapter 16
“Alicia, darling, we’re going to be late. Benjamin is waiting downstairs for us,” Heath calls out from the room.
I don’t respond because I have one million things going through my head knowing that David and I are about to see one another again. He hasn’t given up on his quest to see me, remarry me, have me to himself, or whatever ridiculous idea that may pop into his head.
Heath is normally a very patient man, but I can tell that David is starting to get on his nerves. I’m not sure how much more he can take before he’s truly had enough. One thing’s for sure, I don’t want to see him upset, especially because that’s what David wants. He feels that if he keeps pursuing me, then Heath will eventually give in and move out of the way. Little does he know, Heath St. James and I are in this thing for the long-haul and there is nothing that anyone, not David, Himaya, Nadia, or anyone else who does not care to see us together, can do about it.
When I look up from finding the right pair of comfortable tennis shoes, Heath is standing in the doorway of the closet staring impatiently at me. I return his gaze with a nervous smile and he gives me a hurry-up smirk.
“Darling, we’re just going to a theme park to sign some autographs for a couple of hours. You’re beautiful no matter what you wear. Please come on, I cannot be late,” he says almost pleading with me.
“Okay I’m ready,” I say as I slip on my shoes. I look at myself in the mirror and I have to agree with Heath. I do look good in my fitted jeans, Bridgecam Racing T-shirt that Heath had made for me, and a pair of retro Michael Jordan sneakers I’ve had forever. I’m still wearing my natural curls that I’ve grown to love more than any hairstyle I’ve ever had. I showed it to Tamia and Brittany via Skype the other night and they love it, too. Since I’m being rushed, I’m going to have to put my makeup on in the car. So I grab my foundation, mascara, and my new favorite lipstick, put it in my purse and then head for the door. “I’m ready,” I say to Heath once I get to the bottom of the stairs.
“Oh, thank God. Let’s go,” he says frustrated. We’re down the elevator and in the parking garage in no time. Once we’re in the car, I say good morning to Benjamin. “Benjamin, I don’t mean to rush, but I really don’t want to be late,” Heath says with a renewed sense of urgency.
“Yes sir,” Benjamin says as he pulls the Mercedes limousine out of the garage and onto the street in route to London World, the grandest theme park in all of Europe.
It’s probably nowhere near as nice as Disney.
While I’m putting on my makeup, I notice that Heath keeps tapping his foot on the floor of the car at a rapid pace. “Heath, what’s wrong?” I ask concerned.
He cuts his eye at me and stares silently for a moment. It feels like forever.
“Well, if you don’t care to tell me what’s wrong, then I can’t fix it,” I say nonchalantly as I apply my mascara.
He presses a button on the door, putting up the privacy window between us and Benjamin. “Right now I feel like you have no respect for my job. I told you what time we needed to leave the house so that I can be early. These endorsements pay our bills, Alicia. They are the reason I can afford to buy you nice things. You have to start treating them with the same respect that I treat Stansbury or we are going to start having problems. I respect your career, so please respect mine,” he says sternly.
He really is mad.
I stop dead in my tracks, as I’m about to put my lipstick on. “I’m sorry that you feel like I have no respect for your job. I apologize from the bottom of my heart, but in my defense, we only left five minutes later than you told me we needed to leave. Since I know time is of the essence, it’ll never happen again.”
“Thank you,” he says, but I can still detect attitude in his voice.
“If I may add, I understand the importance of your endorsements, but please don’t feel like you’re doing this to buy me nice things. I’ve told you more times than I can count that I have my own money and I can buy my own things. I’m with you because I love you, so I don’t need you for anything outside of that. I appreciate the things that you do for me, but love is all that I want from you.”
The frustration in his tone heightens. “Alicia, London World is a new endorsement and I can’t afford to show up late. I don’t want to argue with you, just please respect my career as I respect yours.” He shifts and starts to stare out of the window.
Oh my God. He really is mad. I’ve finally found that one thing that can make him upset with me, standing in the way of his racing career. Am I as insensitive as he makes me out to be? Do I really seem uninterested in his job? I don’t want to be that way. That’s one of the things that made me so angry with David; he had no respect for me as a career woman. He didn’t support my career at all unless I was threatening to leave him. I scoot over toward him and grab his hands in an effort to get his attention.
“Heath, sweetheart, I’m sorry if I’ve come off as inconsiderate because that is not my intention at all,” I say trying to get him to at least look in my direction.
“If you can’t respect my career the way I respect yours, then this may cause a problem between us.”
Whoa! “Look, I said I was sorry, and I really do mean it, but if you feel like we can’t make it because I was five minutes late, then maybe after Benjamin drops you off I can have him take me back to the house so I can pack my things and leave.”
He turns to face me, heartache and frustration are written all over his face. “Darling, if you think for one moment that I’m going to let you just leave me, then you’re just as delusional as your ex-husband. I didn’t say we had to break up, you just need to respect my job. That’s all.”
Oh. I’m relieved, turned on, and a tad bit frightened by what he’s just said. I jump onto his lap and immediately put my lips wherever they can land; his lips, cheeks, forehead, neck. I need him to understand that I love him and I really am sorry for the way I’ve made him feel. In no time I’m straddling him and we’re in a full-on heated make out session, him telling me through his rough kisses that he’s not letting me go, and me telling him that I’m not leaving. He grabs a handful of my hair and slowly tilts my head back, gliding his tongue down my neck as he does. I feel his erection against both of our jeans, making me want him here and now. Knowing that we can’t have sex, I quickly think of some other things I can do to him to show him that I truly am sorry.
I slide off his lap and drop to my knees, wasting no time unzipping his fly. I instruct him to tilt up so that I can pull down his pants and underwear. His eyes are dark and wild, I can see that he wants me, too. He doesn’t say a word, but the look on his face helps me read his mind. Not breaking our eye contact, I take off my shirt and bra because I know what is about to happen is not going to be neat. His erection is semi-hard and it stiffens when I grab it, making my mouth instantly salivate. The fact that my touch has this effect on him turns me on like it’s no one’s business. I guide my lips to him, allowing him to enter, he’s long, stiff and warm in my mouth. I move my head up and down his length, setting a pace that makes him moan my name, stopping in intervals to lick and tease the tip with my tongue. I can hear his breathing increase as I engulf every inch that I can bear.
He grabs my breasts, one in each hand, and squeezes them gently. I moan against his erection as he begins to roll my nipples between his forefingers and thumbs. My little lady wakes at his touch and I start to move my mouth faster against him.
“Alicia,” I hear him whisper almost breathless. “Ah . . . this. Feels. So. good.” His words are my motivation. I start to move a little faster and I can feel him deeper in my mouth touching the back of my throat. I peek up at him and his head is thrown back against the seat and his eyes are shut tight as he absorbs the pleasure I am giving him. I need him to know that I’m sorry. I need him to know that I love him. I continue to bob my head with those things in mind. I can tell that I’m pleasing him, and that is turning me on. I love him, I don’t want to lose him. I take him deeper into my mouth and he reaches up to grab the back of the seat, slightly twisting his body as he takes in the pleasure. “Darling,” he says through his harsh breathing, “I’m about to come.”
I start to pump him with my hand while I’m sucking to assist with his orgasm, teasing him with my tongue and then taking him deep into my mouth. Moments later, I feel a warm juicy squirt in the back of my throat, as I hear him whisper my name telling me that he loves me. I pump him dry and swallow everything that comes out of him and then sit on the seat next to my, now sated, boyfriend. He looks at me and smiles, all evidence of his earlier frustration gone, then kisses me on my cheek then my lips. I grab a towel, wet it with water from one of the bottled waters and then wipe him off. When I’m finished, he pulls up his pants and then pours us a glass of apple juice while I put my bra and t-shirt back on.
“You need to upset me more often,” he says giving me a kiss on my temple.
“And why is that?” I ask with a smile, already knowing what he is referring to.
He lets out a satisfied sigh. “That was some of your best work.”
“I’ve been working on perfecting my game,” I say flirtatiously. “You just keep treating me like a queen, and I’ll keep rewarding you.”
“Be my queen. Marry me,” he says looking deep into my eyes.
“One day soon. I promise.” I can tell my words cut him a bit.
“How about we get engaged and have a long engagement?”
“Heath, can we talk about this after you’re finished?”
“Okay fine,” he sighs. “I just want some indication that you’ll be mine forever, Alicia. Something to say that you’re not in love with David anymore and that you belong to me. You really don’t understand the depths of my love for you. I’ve never felt this way about anyone . . . ever. I’ve never asked a woman to marry me so many times in my life.”
I knew it. I knew David’s pursuit of me is starting to get to him, but surely us being engaged isn’t going to fix that. I love Heath, and I feel in my heart that he won’t cheat on me, but I don’t know if I’m ready to take that dive into marriage just yet. We’ve only been dating for a little over three months. There has to be some timeframe to go by before talking engagement and marriage.
“The fact that I’ve moved all of my stuff into your place isn’t good enough? What about the fact that I make love to you every night, and that I spend all of my free time with you?”
“Then why is it so hard for you to give me the ultimate commitment? Do you still love him?”
“What? NO! Why does everything have to equate to me still loving David? Why can’t it be the simple fact that I don’t want to make the same mistake twice? You’re a great guy, but I’ve been burned before from love. I don’t want it to happen again,” I whisper the last part as I realize my own truths.
“So you think I’d break your heart?” He sounds hurt by my confession.
“No, I know you won’t hurt me. Just give me some time, we’ll get engaged, and for the record, it’s probably best to wow me with a proposal and stop asking after sex.” I laugh and then finish putting on my makeup.
“Yeah, you’re probably right,” he says with a laugh.
***
When we arrive at London World, there are at least five hundred people waiting at Heath’s entrance.
“Wow, England has more groupies than America,” I say as I look and see that most of the people hanging out at Heath’s entrance are women with their best club outfits on. I mean, come on, we’re at an amusement park. There is no way in hell they’re going to make it all day in six-inch stilettos.
“Yeah, they’re like bees to honey, and to think before I met you I would have picked three of the hottest ones to take to my trailer to have sex with. True love really does change a man,” he says smiling nervously because I’m giving him a faux nasty side-eye. He kisses me with enough passion to give us both confirmation that he’s mine forever and it starts to make me rethink my views on marrying him.
“Are you ready?” Heath asks looking out of the window.
“Yes,” I say taking a deep breath.
He taps on the glass, Benjamin opens the door, and then we step out of the car hand in hand. I hear Heath’s name being called from every direction. He smiles and waves and even takes pictures with a couple of the people that are closer to the gate. Before we step into the entrance, he spots a litt
le boy in a wheelchair holding a poster of Heath winning his last championship. Heath pulls a pen out of his pocket and asks the little boy, who told him that his name was Geoffrey, if he would like an autograph. After getting his autograph, Geoffrey asks Heath if he could take a picture with both of us. Heath asks me if it’s ok and I oblige, the kid is too cute. We take one picture smiling and then another being silly and then another as Geoffrey is hugging both of us saying ‘thank you’. Before we leave, Heath gives Geoffrey and his family complementary tickets to get into the theme park for the next year and then we are on our way. The happiness in Geoffrey’s eyes warms my heart.
We walk into the entrance and I start to think differently about Heath and what he does. Sure there are, and will always be, women who want to take my place in Heath’s life. Those are the fans that I can’t stand, but then there are little kids like Geoffrey who make Heath’s job worth it for him. The mere fact that he spotted him out of the crowd lets me know that he does what he does out of the love for his true fans and not just the attention that he gets.
London World has provided us with an awesome trailer. This thing has a bedroom, full size bathroom, a fully stocked kitchen and let’s not leave out the fully furnished living room. Heath plops down on the couch and looks at his watch. “We have an hour and a half before the park opens, would you like to lay down for a bit?” He asks.
The park doesn’t open for over an hour and you bitched me out for being five minutes late. I don’t say anything because I didn’t like it when he was mad at me earlier.
I sit down next to him and his phone rings. It’s Benjamin letting Heath know that his security is in place at the front of the trailer and that he is in the guest quarters if Heath needs him.
“Did you have any plans this weekend darling?” He asks, stroking my leg with one of his fingers.
“No, just to be here with you,” I say, stretching and yawning.
“I’d like to take you to my place in Weymouth when we leave here. We can go drop Benjamin off, grab some clothes and head out. It’s a little ways from The Vue, but it’ll be worth the drive.”
What She Needs Page 21