by Katie Dowe
He moved her out of the way of a passing couple. “It’s not that simple.” His hand was still on her bare arm and her pulse was jumping. “I ran scared the other day and did not know what to do”. He bit off a sigh. “I really do not need this right now, but I need to be with you.”
She stared at him, not knowing what he meant! Did he mean he wanted a relationship with her or did he mean he wanted to sleep with her? “I can make dinner tomorrow,” she whispered.
“Good enough.” He lifted a hand to touch her cheek softly. “See you tomorrow.”
She walked on air back to the office building and greeted the receptionist with a cheerful smile as she made her way up. He wanted to see her again! She was not falling in love with him, she told herself. It was just that she was fiercely attracted to a man for the first time in her life and she was relishing it. She went around to her desk and sat there for a little it with a bemused smile on her face before going to work.
******
This time, she hurried home to shower and put on a simple slinky green dress, the color of apples, with thin straps that tied around her neck. The dress fell in soft folds just above her knees. She put on silver accessories; big silver hoops and bangles decorating her left arm. She sprayed a liberal amount of her exotic scent at her throat and her cleavage, shivering as she remembered his lips on hers. She slipped her feet into high heeled strappy sandals and was on her way. She hailed a cab and settled back against the seat enjoying the passing scenery. She lived in a very quiet neighborhood and that suited her immensely. She had never been one for parties and going out only when Coretta was around and she would be dragged off to some clubs or some ‘happening’ functions but otherwise she would much prefer to stay home and watch a movie or read a book. The cab let her off and she walked into the restaurant seeing him the moment she went inside. He got to his feet and Latoya felt the breath backing up inside her throat. He had a soft cotton shirt in deep green that brought out the green in his eyes and a dark brown dress pants. His hair was brushed back from his face and he looked amazingly handsome. He came forward to pull her chair out for her to sit and she caught the scent of his aftershave making her blood heat up. “You look lovely,” he whispered against her ear, his breath fanning her skin and making her pulse jump.
“Thank you,” she told him with a smile.
“How about a glass of wine?”
“I would like that.”
He waited until the wine was served before he spoke again. “So, how have you been?”
She wanted to tell him that for the week he was not around she had been totally miserable! “Fair to fine. How about you?”
“Miserable,” he admitted to her surprise. “I thought staying away from you would have done the trick, and it made it even worse.”
Latoya stared at him in surprise. She had not expected him to be so frank. “Why did you stay away?”
“I have my writing to think about and no room for distraction. You have become my biggest one,” he admitted wryly.
“I am sorry?” She looked at him questioningly and he laughed.
“Don’t worry about it. I will just have to deal with it. Ah, here comes our food.”
Chapter 3
They talked and as before Latoya found herself relaxing in his presence. He had a very sharp mind and could make a story out of everything. She told him about her friend Coretta and he told her about his best friend since high school that was now living in Texas and running a cattle ranch.
“My mother thinks I should give up chasing my dreams and get back to reality.” He toyed with the baby carrots on his plate.
“No!” she protested. “You believe that you are going to make it so hang in there.”
He looked up at her gratefully. “Thanks,” he murmured. “What about you? Any unfulfilled dreams?”
“At one point I wanted to be a ballerina.”
“What stopped you?”
“I did not have the support,” she told him lightly as she sipped her wine. “My parents were very much in love with each other and did not pay much attention to what I wanted to do. They told me to be practical and do something I could manage so that I could get a job when I was through.”
He looked at her for a moment knowing instinctively that her childhood had not been an easy one. “Do you like what you do now?” he asked her quietly.
She looked up at him and nodded with a smile. “I do.”
“Good,” he said briskly, caught by the expression on her attractive face. “Then it is not so bad.”
They finished their meal and went outside to take a walk. Latoya was reminded of the first time they had done so and how he had kissed her and she had not seen him in a week. “I can get a cab from here,” she suggested.
“I was thinking about a nightcap at my place.” His deep voice was low and sent shivers down her spine. He took her arm and turned her to him. “We both know where this is going, Latoya,” he murmured as he kept her in place.
She did not know what to say as she stood there staring at him. She wanted to just melt into his arms and not think about anything else but what she was feeling right now, but what if he regretted it?
“Stop thinking,” he murmured, guessing what she was thinking. “Just feel.”
She gave in and went home with him. All the way to his apartment, she could not sit comfortably in the passenger seat of his SUV. Her awareness was so heightened that she could not stand it. She found herself taking little peeks at him looking at his profile and wondering what it would feel like being in his arms.
He lived in a very upscale area of town that was referred to as the quiet suburbs. There were houses that ranged from simple to the extravagant and with apartment buildings interspersed in between several of the houses. He parked his vehicle in an underground garage and took her hand as they made their way to a service elevator that took them to the second floor. He let go of her hand to insert the key into the door and opened it stepping aside for her to go in before him. Latoya stood there in what appeared to be the foyer and found herself looking around at the small but elegant interior decorated in rich burgundy and cream. “Need anything to drink?” His voice sounded quietly behind her and she shook her head no. She had drunk two glasses of the excellent wine at the restaurant and found her head spinning a little bit.
“This is nice.” She took a step forward and then hesitated.
“Let me give you the tour.” He took her hand and led her through a passageway towards the living room where a fireplace took up most of that space. A large flat screen television was on the wall facing the black leather sofas. “I hardly watch television,” he told her with a shrug as he guided her out and into a small sitting room. He showed her the ultramodern kitchen and then the tour ended in his bedroom with its light dark blue curtains and queen sized bed. She found herself averting her gaze feeling like a virgin about to experience her first sexual encounter with a man! She jumped a little as he came up behind her and placed his arms on hers. “Relax,” he whispered at her ear. It was easier said than done. His breath fanned her skin and she felt herself going weak. He turned her around to face him. She had left her light jacket and pocketbook in the living room and suddenly did not know what to do with her hands. “I intend to take it slow. It might take all night.” His smile was whimsical as he stared down at her.
“I don’t mind,” she said, her mouth completely dry.
“Good.” He ran his hands over her bare arms. She took the initiative and reached up to clasp her arms around his neck, lifting her head to his.
“It has been quite a while,” she told him.
He stared at her for a little bit and then answered, “Me too.” He bent his head and took her lips with his slowly as if feeling out the territory. She sank into him and opened her mouth beneath his. Her heart lifted and melted against the warmth of him, the desire licking at her greedily. It was unbelievable! This desire racing through her! His arms went around her waist and brought her even close
r to him allowing her to feel his burgeoning erection. Mark felt his skin tingling, his heart thundering inside his chest, his body feeling light, and the shudders beginning. He broke off but only so he could use his lips to feather along her high cheeks and further down to her long graceful neck tasting the soft skin there and feeling the shiver of response from her. He quickly untied the string from around her neck, letting it fall to her waist. He stepped back a little to look at her, his eyes darkening as he took in her small unfettered breasts with their dusky nipples already hardened. He used his hands to cup her, weighing the flesh in his palms. His thumbs passed over the pebble like nipples slowly causing her to tremble. His eyes met hers before he bent to take a nipple inside his mouth. Latoya fragmented! Her body on fire, her heart shivering from the overwhelming feelings pouring though her body. His teeth grazed and his tongue soothed sending her into a frenzy of desire so intense that it had her clutching at his hair and digging in! He lifted his head and stared down at her, his eyes a strange mix of dark green and cloudy grey merging to form a brilliant fusion of colors. He took off his clothes and left his underwear on before taking off her dress. He lifted her and walked with her to the bed placing her onto it. He unbuckled her sandals and took them off lifting one foot to his mouth. Before Latoya could figure out what he was doing, he had placed her big toe in his mouth and pulled it in sucking on it until she felt as if she would implode at the erotic movement! His mouth drifted down and into the softness of her calf lingering there and biting at the flesh gently. Her fingers clenched in the sheets, her body lifting, demanding more. He reached her pubic area and she reared up in shock as he started nibbling at her mound. She screamed! She could not help it as her body went into shock! She had had sex the tame way with Bobby on top grunting and heaving until he had gotten his satisfaction and it had been that way for the short time they had been together. It had never been anything like this! His tongue ventured inside and that was when her control broke! She babbled out his name as she erupted inside his mouth, her body twisting so much that he had to hold her hips firm as he used his tongue to capture her orgasm. He waited until she had calmed down sufficiently before he stepped back and took off his underwear. To her fevered mind he looked huge, his thick erection with the pink tip looking scary. He lifted her legs and pulled her to the edge of the bed guiding himself inside her slowly, his eyes on hers as he went deeper in. Mark gritted his teeth at the tightness of her and the completely right fit. He placed her feet around his waist. He was still for a moment, his body clenched and his thoughts tumbling around inside his head. He had told her the truth, he had not been with a woman in quite some time, but this was the first time he had ever experienced something so intense. She pulled him in and spun an avalanche of emotions that tumbled inside him at an alarming rate. He came over her and she reached for him blindly putting her arms around his neck, her fingers digging into his taut shoulders as he started to move inside her. She lifted her hips towards him, her lips parted, her body flushed with the intense emotions. He bent his head and took her lips with his, the movement fierce as his thrusts became more demanding and seeking! Latoya felt the rush of emotions clamoring inside her body begging for release! He gripped her hips, his fingers biting into her flesh. He was dangerously close to losing the battle on his control and on his sanity. He eased out of her just a little bit and heard the moan of protest inside his mouth before going back in deep. His testicles clenched with feelings and he dragged his mouth from hers, his breath backing up inside his throat. He growled deep and low as he erupted inside her, his body shuddering against hers!
He could not move, at least not now. He was too weak, too mixed up and scrambled inside to make the effort to move off her. He was probably pressing too much onto her but he just could not move! She had her hands around his neck and was snuggled in his chest. Then it hit him like a ton of brick! He had been so caught up in her that he had not used a condom! He had never done that before. He was always so careful but now he had entered her without protecting either of them! He lifted his head and looked down at her. Wisps of her hair had settled on her cheeks and her sensuous lips were devoid of the lip gloss she had worn. “I did not wear a condom.”
“I just had my period a couple of days ago.” She did not feel abashed to be saying that to him.
“So, you are safe?” He bent his head to nibble at her bottom lip.
She moaned and moved beneath him restlessly. He found himself hardening again, his heart shuddering in his chest. His tongue entered her mouth and delved inside in a rapid movement that had her arching her body to his. She wrapped her arms around his neck and surrendered to yet another journey of ecstasy!
*****
He abandoned his writing temporarily to assuage his intense hunger for a woman he had just met. He told himself that he was satisfying his baser needs in order to be able to write better lyrics but it was all about self. The next few weeks found them spending a lot of time together. Latoya fell in love with him in a manner that scared her somewhat, but she figured that eventually he would fall for her too. She encouraged him to write what was inside him and he found himself getting his writing done.
“I would love to meet the rest of your family,” she told him casually one day in September. Coretta had stopped over briefly congratulating her finally getting laid. She had drifted back into a vague relationship with the married pilot saying that she would get out of it eventually.
He looked over at her for a moment and did not answer. They had made love earlier and he had gone to the desk in the far corner of the room to get some writing done. “One day soon.” His tone was evasive and she felt her heart sinking to the floor.
“Do I mean anything to you?”
“Of course.” He looked over at her sitting there on his rumpled bed and dressed in one of his t-shirts, her hair mussed and her lips swollen from his passionate onslaught. He could not get enough of her, but he had nothing to offer in terms of a relationship until he knew what he was doing with his life. “How can you ask that?”
“I am not going to get in the way of your writing, Mark. I just want to know where I stand.”
“You know where you stand.” His voice was a little impatient. “You are the only woman I am seeing, Latoya, and that has to count for something.”
“I suppose.” She got off the bed and came towards him, her movements languid and sexy, her body outlined beneath his shirt, her nipples clearly defined. She climbed on top of his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. “How about an intermission?” she murmured softly.
“Of course,” he said huskily and taking her up into his arms he headed back to the bed.
*****
“I hardly see you,” Stephanie complained as she plucked the beer out of her brother’s hand and chugged it down quickly. She had been working back-to-back shifts for the past two weeks and was pooped. “I think Luke is having an affair,” she said moodily as she passed the can back to him.
“You have been saying that for quite some time, Steph,” he reminded her dryly, used to his sister’s histrionics and often wondered how Luke dealt with it.
“This time I think it is real.” She had come over to his apartment and demanded that she needed some time with her only sibling. He had come out in the living room knowing she would snoop around and find the stuff Latoya had left there. She was working late today so he had told her not to bother coming over and besides he needed to fine tune some lyrics he had been working on. “I’ve smelled the bitch on him for a few weeks now.”
He tut tutted. “Such language.” He tweaked her hair playfully. “Luke is completely devoted to you and you know it.”
“He does not want to get married.”
“Not every man wants to.”
“I want to get married and start having kids.” She pouted. “Don’t you want to get married?”
“That is the farthest thing from my mind right now.”
“I pity the poor woman foolish enough to fall in love wit
h you.”
His mind drifted to Latoya for a minute. He had seen the expression on her face when she thought he was not looking. The hopeful look and the softness and he wondered if she was falling for him. “She is going to be so lucky,” he said with a grin.
Stephanie gave her brother a dry look before getting up and going to the phone. “I am ordering Chinese and you are paying.”
*****
He told her that he would not be able to see her for the next couple of days because he had something to finish up. Latoya wanted to push him and tell him that she would sit quietly in the background while he sorted out his writing, but she had her pride. She prowled her apartment restlessly. She understood his moodiness and knew it was due to his creativity. She had read something he had written and had been shocked at the amount of talent he had. He had played something for her on his piano and she had sat there entranced. He had a surprisingly mellow voice. She had told him that she loved it, but he had said it needed tweaking a little bit.
Her phone rang just then and she rushed to get it thinking that it was him.
It was Coretta! “Tell me again why I am not telling Gary to go and screw himself?” Her voice sounded extra loud as if she was calling from somewhere with a bad connection.
Latoya bit back a sigh and reminded herself that Coretta was her best friend and had always been there for her. “You need to leave him, Cor,” she said patiently as she went and sat in her sofa in the living room. “What is it this time?”
“He is talking about leaving his wife and three kids.” She sighed mournfully. “He is threatening to kill himself if I leave him.”
“You don’t want to be a part of that, Coretta.”
“We work for the same airline, honey, so unless he leaves his job or I do then we are stuck. I need to get me a life,” she said with a sigh. “Where is Mr. Hottie?”
“At home in his apartment.” She did not want to talk about him.
“So, where are you?”
“In my apartment. We have been seeing each other a lot since the other day so we decided to give each other space.”