Since Last Time

by Danes, Ellie

  I tossed and turned for a couple of hours. I hadn’t even had a chance to say goodnight with Kris giving me the “I see you” look and Eric looking at me strangely. This was going to be hard, trying to keep it on the down low from him. I glanced at the clock and groaned, throwing the covers over my head.

  It was about four in the morning, and I was going to have to get up in just a couple of hours to start work at Word and Chat. However, I could not get my mind off that amazing man or get it to stop the progression of where that kiss might have led into.

  It was almost as if my thoughts conjured him to life as I received a text and rolled over to grab my phone. Sure enough, it was from Dalton. I was glad I’d convinced Eric to swap numbers, so we would have them for “work” reasons.

  His first text read, I hope you are doing well.

  Okay, that’s weird.

  If you mean by doing well, I don’t have a cold, no pains, besides an ache.

  I added a smile to that text and let him think whatever he wanted

  His next text read, You know what I mean.

  I responded, No, I don't know what you mean by ‘me doing well.’ I told you that you didn’t have the right to ask me how I was doing. Did you have something else to say or do you just want to ruin my beauty sleep?

  The next one actually had me catch my breath. You are beautiful. Don’t need any sleep. Could we continue where we were tonight?

  I answered, Are you crazy? Work in two. Answer no. Besides, I’m no one’s booty call. Continue discussion later when I can book you into schedule.

  The next reply took a couple of minutes, LOL, the ball’s in your court.

  I smiled back and sent my reply, You better believe it is. Text me tomorrow and we’ll go from there. Tata for now!

  I received a smile back and with that, I was finally able to at least get a few hours of sleep before my day started.

  In what seemed like mere minutes after I had shut my eyes, my alarm went off at exactly 6:01 a.m. But I didn’t need it since Eric woke up slamming doors, his normal when he was home. I jumped out of bed and ran over to open my door.

  “Eric, what in the hell is wrong with you?”

  He poked his head out of the bedroom door. “I feel wonderful.”

  I was startled. “Amen! Now, why do you feel so wonderful when you are still wearing the same clothes you were wearing yesterday.”

  He looked down at himself. “Fell asleep in them. Anyway, Dalton helped me get some order to the accounts, and we’ll be getting them online and organized. I feel like a huge weight is off my shoulders for the first time in weeks. I’m up at the crack of dawn with you, ready to start my day!”

  “Really, he's that good with the books?”

  Eric ran both hands though his hair. “Not just that good with the books. His ideas, the things that he’s done. It’s like a whole other world of possibilities is opened up to me that I didn't know existed.”

  “I'll be damned,” I said. “I'm glad that Dalton and you are friends again.”

  Eric walked over to me. “It’s as if we just saw each other yesterday… I can't even explain it. Like I was missing my arm, and I didn't know it. I can’t believe I let Courtney come between us.” He looked quizzically at me. “Was it just me or was it weird that she was there at all?”

  “It wasn’t you,” I responded.

  “I mean, I found out all about Courtney and her escapades later. What a dumb ass I felt like and what a difference a decade makes.” He paused. “You know, we should all get together this weekend on Friday night after the will is read. What do you say?”

  “I’ll think about it,” I responded as I tipped his nose. “Love you, bro.”

  “Love you, sis.”

  Then he got into the bathroom before me. Damn it. And I couldn’t find my phone. Not a good start to the day.

  I spent the next eight hours talking about socialites on social media, talking about the latest parties and the happening scene, and showcasing what a great turnout everyone had given my father on The Boar and Brew blog. I spoke about how happy Eric and I were to have a reconnected with our old friend, Dalton Dobbins.

  As I typed in the last word, I laid my head back on that wonderful ergonomic chair, glad for the end of the day and excited to see Dalton later. About this time, Kris came bouncing downstairs to see me.

  “Okay, okay, spill, spill! I feel like I have been dying in retail all day doing crap and trying to be nice to people so I could get over here and find out everything before I hit the clubs on Friday.”

  I raised my hand. “No one can know Kris. Not just Eric. No one. I’m just not ready for that yet.”

  Kris sat down in a nearby beanbag chair. “Then just for my future knowledge, I want to know what in God's name happened yesterday. Please dish!”

  “We talked and made amends and, and…”

  “And you swallowed his tongue, so I doubt there was too much talking involved,” said Kris.

  I turned eight shades of red. Beets had nothing on me. Kris saw I was just about to ask the floor to swallow me up, so she pulled back a little bit.

  “Are you going to see him again?”

  I nodded. “Probably tonight. We haven’t set up anything yet.”

  “I want to know everything that's going on because, my gosh, if I had had what you had, I probably would have about twenty little Erics running around right now. I mean, that brief second I saw was hot.”

  “That’s just so many ways of embarrassing, and you won’t have any little Erics unless you ask my brother out. You know how blind and narrow focused he is. I don’t think he has been out on a date in like three years.”

  “Two years, six months, six days.”

  I waved my hands. “Now that’s stalking. Just coffee. Nothing serious. Do it.”

  “I will if you tell me what happens tonight.”

  “Pinky deal.”

  We did the age-old pinky shake.

  She crooked her head at me. “You know, the word on the street is Joe is dating Katie Evans.”

  I stopped rummaging around looking for my phone. “Really?”

  Kris nodded. “How do you feel about that?”

  I thought about Katie and how she was an RN at the hospital and a candy striper when we were in high school. She was a really sweet girl. “I think they make a nice couple.”

  “No jealousy. No ‘bitch, I’m going to show you!’ None of that?”

  I shrugged.

  “That’s telling in itself,” she said.

  “Katie is a nice girl. I can see them together.”

  Kris smiled back. “I knew you would say that. I’m heading on off. Remember, dish!”

  She took off up the stairs and shortly after, I heard her roar off.

  Still trying to find my phone, I tore my office apart, then the kitchen, and living room. No phone. What was wrong with me? I was normally so very good about being organized and everything having its place. I hopped in the shower and hoped it would come to me where I misplaced it.

  I thought about Joe. I wasn’t bothered by it. In fact, I was happy for him. I liked Joe, but our relationship wasn’t terrific. We had started dating five years back. During one of our dates – I was working the bar and he had come to see me – he had surprised me with daisies and wildflowers, my favorites, and had Peggy give them to me. It was so very sweet. It’s what I hoped would jumpstart my feelings, but they never went above like.

  As I was lathering up and getting ready for what might be a date with Dalton, I tried to figure out my feelings for him. That made my heart jump all over the place. I was feeling pretty good, so good I even shaved my legs. It made my heart jump when I thought of Dalton touching them later and running a hand up my thigh.

  This was an odd feeling. I continued to compare the two. The last three years with Joe had been off and on. He was my first. It was fine but nothing so exciting I thought about it later. Certainly nothing like what I experienced last night with Dalton.

 
That might have been what broke between Joe and me. He was a nice guy, but he didn’t… didn’t move me the way I would have expected he should have. Joe was a wonderful person but not the person for me. That feeling I had with Dillon last night was unbelievably thrilling, sexy, and erotic. And all we did was kiss. Now I wasn’t saying Dillon was the guy for me but knowing that Joe really wasn’t made it better. Hearing that Joe was dating someone else made me feel relief, nothing more.

  I was all wrapped up in my towels and looking through the closet when I heard my phone give a beep. It was under my pillow. How did that happen? I must have fallen asleep with the phone on me. It had very little juice left. I plugged it in and read the text that Dalton had sent me about an hour ago. My hands shook as I read it.

  Hey, how about dinner at the hotel?

  What hotel? I texted back. A minute passed.

  It’s about time. Thought you had forgotten me.

  Maybe I had something better going on.

  Doubtful. The Alex Johnson.

  The Alex Johnson. Holy crap! The marble waterfall outside the hotel and doormen always intimidated me, and I had never been inside. It was out of my league.

  Maybe someplace a little less formal.

  Anywhere else, Eric would know.

  Damn. Of course, he would. He would know in like five seconds flat if I went out on the town with Dalton. But doing things on the sly was… exciting.

  Besides, you deserve nice things. How about my room for dinner?

  My pulse started jumping. Now that sounds like a plan.

  I’ll have the limo pick you up.

  I sent him a little smiley face. Give me forty-five minutes.

  Thumbs up was his reply.

  I felt like a princess. Looking around my room, I could see nothing that passed for clothing for such an occasion. I dug around in my closet, throwing clothes all over the place. My room looked ransacked. Then I found it, hidden away in the back, what every girl needs. A little black cocktail dress. I had bought it years ago and never had a reason to wear it. I smiled to myself. Now I did.

  The minutes went by in a blur as I hurried to look presentable before the limo appeared in exactly forty-five minutes. I loved the promptness, but I wasn’t sure I was ready for this. One last glance in the mirror, and I hardly recognized myself with my makeup perfect and the sexy little dress. I even felt different. Very womanly.

  I watched Asheville glide by as we headed to the hotel. As the doorman let me out near those waterfall walls, I realized the doorman was someone from high school, Jeff Davies. I heard he was working a third job for the home his wife and him were buying.

  He nodded my direction, giving me a smile. I think my ears tipped red. I was going for a potential hookup or a potential disaster. As I walked into the atrium, I realized that in all my twenty-seven years, I’d never been into a penthouse, anywhere. The concierge escorted me to the elevator and turned a key and pressed a button.

  I was shaking as the elevator doors opened into the living room of the penthouse. What a view! I’m not just talking about the mountains and the setting sun, but I’ve never seen a man look so good as Dalton did when he walked into sight.

  Dalton was normally put together anyway but tonight he was wearing a business jacket and white shirt, opened slightly to give a view of his chest, but not enough to be gaudy. Scrumptious. I could see hor d'oeuvres and a bottle of champagne set up out on the balcony. The look on Dalton’s face as he stared at me made me feel proud to be a woman.

  He cleared his throat. “You look… fantastic.”

  I smiled shyly.

  Dalton held out his arm for me, and I took it as we walked out onto the balcony. He poured a glass of bubbly for us both, we sat back, and started talking. As we talked, time disappeared. I learned so much about how he made his way back from absolutely nothing and everything that happened to him between Asheville and LA.

  He seemed hesitant to go over some of the details. I figured there were things about his past he wanted to say but couldn’t yet as we were still feeling our way around each other. He’d tell me in his own sweet time, I supposed.

  As we talked throughout the evening, our courses were served from room service. Salads, soups, steaks. I hardly tasted it, I was so entranced by his tales. He served me as I talked about what had happened here and what was going on. I learned he had no social media skills, and he learned that I was enthralled by the whole social media industry. I’m sure I bored him to tears, but he didn’t appear uninterested as he asked me intelligent questions about marketing.

  By the time we made our way to dessert, I was stuffed. Roll me around like a seal. When they served up crème brûlée, I noticed he'd only gotten one with two spoons, so we shared. After we finished, he opened another bottle of the really awesome champagne he poured me earlier and filled my glass. I stepped away from the table with my glass and walked to end of the balcony, while he gave instructions to the staff, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.

  I stood there with the wind blowing through my hair, and the wonderful smells of early summer drifted through the penthouse. I looked over Asheville. The city I loved, the city I grew up in. As the last plates were cleared away, I thought about all that happened in my short life and how much of it was filled with Dalton and the memories of him from the time I really noticed him as a teenager to now. It just felt so right to be here.

  As I thought of him, he came to me, wrapping me gently in his arms from behind. He leaned down, kissing my neck, and ripples pulled through my entire body. He spun me around, took my champagne glass and put it on the ledge, and kissed me, melting me, drawing me to his flame. Dalton took my hand and led me to the loveseat in the living room. He sat down and patted the cushion next to him. I sat down, and he leaned toward me and the kiss consumed me again.

  I wanted more. I swung my leg over his hips and straddled his body. No words needed to be said. We needed each one of these kisses. We had both waited too long for this moment. As our tongues waged war, I pulled his shirt up and ran my hands under it to his chest, feeling the hardness of that body and wanting to know more of what lay underneath the shirt. I felt a bump on his abdomen and pulled his shirt up more, so I could see.

  “A memory from doing time,” he said.

  I leaned down and ran my tongue over it, and he hissed. He drew me back up into his arms and dove right back into my lips.

  The kiss deepened. My body responded, opening a crack in the wall I had built after he had left. His arms pulled me closer and closer, wrapped around my back and shoulders. Time stopped, just for us. I didn't want this moment to end. I savored every second I had with him, not knowing what the next day would bring. We pulled apart, catching our breath. I leaned in closer to him and slipped his jacket off his shoulders. He helped take it off, laying it on the other chair. He leaned over me to do so and as he did, I moved my hips ever so slightly against him. He put both his hands on my arms.

  I felt the heat radiating off him. I leaned in for another kiss and again, moved against him. He moaned deep, and my throat caught it. I shifted my hips slowly against his, grinding. Being hip to hip on the large loveseat, as I moved and swayed against him, I felt how much he enjoyed me being there and how very much there was of him.

  I unbuttoned each button, slowly, one at a time, relishing him and our time together. I pushed the shirt off his well-toned shoulders, and he shrugged out of it and saw the glory of everything that I had missed. I stroked his chest and abdomen, including the small scar, feeling that he appreciated my attention to detail. I kissed a trail from his shoulders, up his neck, sliding my lips over him.

  When I nibbled on his earlobes, he shivered. “Baby, please stop. I waited nine years. I don’t think I can wait much longer.”

  I pulled back a little and continued my journey of discovery. He put his hands on me, pulled me up, and set me on my feet. I looked down at him, leaning back in the loveseat, shirt undone, pants a little bit too tight, and my knees wobbled. />
  He stood up, dwarfing me. “I want to see all of you.”

  He reached his arms around me and pulled down the zipper on my dress. My stomach flip-flopped all over itself.

  As the dress fell around my feet, it revealed the Victoria's Secret black push-up bra and black lace underpants I had matched up, just in case. The way he looked at me kindled the fire that had been just flicking inside to a bonfire. All I wanted was his hands on me.

  “Dalton.”

  As I said his name, it was as if he came out of a trance. He leaned down, kissed me, and picked me up, wrapping me in those solid arms. He carried me through the penthouse kitchen into the bedroom, where he laid me gently on the bed. He stood next to it.

  When I looked up at him, he was shaking as much as me. I sat up on the bed and pulled him between my legs. I pulled the zipper down and pushed all the clothes out of the way, so I could see Dalton, all of Dalton.

  He stepped out of the pants and got in bed with me and pulled me to him. He reached behind me and undid my bra with a quick flick of his fingers. I was free, and he leaned down to enjoy the bounty, tasting me and setting me on fire as his hands worked miracles. I felt my panties slip away and all I could think of was Dalton. His musk, his smile, his eyes as they bored into mine like I was a prize he had wanted for very long time.

  He looked down at me, gave me a kiss, and I arched my hips up toward him. If it felt like he had branded by his kisses; what would it feel like when he moved into me?

  “Dalton, please,” I murmured into his neck. When I arched myself to him, I took him in. The tension continued building. It felt like I belonged here, like my body and essence had been waiting for this since time began.

  As I moved with him, the wall I had built was being hammered down, brick by brick. Beating a rhythm, each piece of the wall fell away. When the last brick shattered, I felt a release I never felt before.

  I cried out his name and in that moment, he cried out mine. He laid down gently next to me, moving me to lay side by side with him, still entwined, still together. He found my hands and put them to his lips and kissed them. My body spent, I could do nothing more than sleep.