Just A Man (The Porter Trilogy Book 1)

by Shannon Youngblood

  “Please feel free to bend over like that anytime you’d like in my house, Miss Hightower.”

  I screeched, and twirled around, grabbing my chest. My heart was in my throat. It took me a few moments to coax my heart back into position, all the while watching Alex stare at me, merriment in his eyes.

  “That wasn’t nice, sneaking up on me like that.” I panted, looking down at my shoes. My breathing was erratic, as was my heartrate.

  “I apologize, Miss Hightower, I said your name several times, but you were engrossed in my housekeeper’s culinary perfection and I didn’t want to disturb you while you were handling something so hot.”

  He was laughing at me, and, even though I was appreciative that he hadn’t scared me while I was handling the hot pan, he still made me feel like an idiot. I wasn’t sure what to say, so I walked past him to the living room and perched on the arm of the couch, waiting for him to make the first move.

  “Would you like a glass of wine, Miss Hightower?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

  “Yes, thank you, Mr. Porter.” His eyebrows lifted at my greeting. “I’m sorry, yes, thank you, Alex.”

  He nodded and headed over to the wine fridge I hadn’t noticed. He pulled out a bottle and looked at the label, put it back, and reached for another. The third bottle he pulled seemed to be what he was looking for because he placed in on the counter and pulled out a corkscrew.

  After pouring us each a glass, he walked over and handed it to me.

  “This is Matane Primitivo Di Manduria II 2012. It will pair well with the red sauce from the lasagna.” He brought the glass to his nose, swirling the wine in the glass before tipping it back slightly into his mouth. I watched him move it around his tongue and his mouth before eventually swallowing. It was extremely erotic watching him taste test the wine, and I took my own gulp to calm my sexual fever. The wine was nice, very nice in fact, but it wasn’t cooling me down at all.

  “Are you hungry, Charlotte? Why don’t I go ahead and fix us a plate. Grace’s lasagna is superb,” he said, sitting down his wineglass and heading for a cupboard where I assumed the plates were located.

  “Would you like some help?” I offered

  “That’s ok, Charlotte, please make yourself at home and meet me at the dining room table.”

  I walked over to the table and sat down at the chair next to the head of the table. I wasn’t sure where he wanted me, but here seemed to be as good as any other. I slowly sipped my wine while waiting for him to return with our meals.

  He walked in with cloth napkins wrapped around silverware and placed a bundle in front of me and his own seat, and also setting down a chunk of parmesan cheese and a grater. He returned half a minute later with a steaming square of carby-goodness. I’m pretty sure I may have started drooling. I was really quite ravenous.

  “Lean back, Charlotte,” his succulent voice commanded. I did as I was told and he placed the napkin in my lap before taking his seat and placing his napkin in his own lap.

  “Fresh cheese?” he asked, holding up the cheese and the grater.

  “Yes, please, and thank you,” I nodded, keeping my hands in my lap until he finished.

  He scraped a small amount onto the top of my pasta before moving to his own to deposit the same amount. I waited for him to pick up his silverware before digging in myself. When I popped the first bite into my mouth, I moaned at the flavor that assaulted my taste buds. He was right, this lasagna really was superb.

  Dinner was a quiet affair, and, when we were done, I offered to clean up. He declined my request, stating that Grace was very particular about the kitchen and he was only allowed to rinse the dishes and leave them in the sink. I listened, jealous. I wanted a housekeeper. We both took our plates to the kitchen. Alex rinsed them off and I put a matching lid on the glass pan for the leftovers and placed it in the very tidy fridge. It seemed that, not only was Grace a remarkable cook, she was also impeccably organized.

  We walked back into the living room to relax, but I took a detour, needing to grab my bag for my toothbrush and toothpaste. When I held them up, he nodded at me. I hadn’t been asking for permission per se, actually, I was looking for directions to a bathroom.

  “Please, go ahead and take your stuff upstairs to the bedroom at the end of the hall, where I cleaned you up from your fall. Feel free to utilize anything in that bedroom and bathroom, and, should you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask. Meet me down here when you’re done.”

  I gave him a tentative smile and headed towards the stairs. I was crushed inside, though. He wasn’t putting me in his bedroom. I was being put in the room where all the others had been. I walked up the stairs and immediately felt bone tired. I was on carb and emotion overload. I walked to the end of the hall and opened the door across from the gym.

  The room looked exactly as it had last weekend. Had it really only been one week since our first encounter? And here I was, staying the night in a strange bed after fucking a man I barely knew. The logical side of me screamed at me and told me to go downstairs and tell him this was a mistake. My wild side was already laying naked on the bed. As much as I trusted my logical side, I knew I wasn’t going to leave, especially now.

  I stepped into the bathroom and put my stuff on the counter. I turned and looked around the space and at the giant tub. I longed for a bath. Wait, I stopped myself, why couldn’t I have one? I guess I could! I walked over and turned the taps of the tub, turning the water on as hot as I could stand. I saw a jar of bubble bath on the side of the tub and squirted in a few drops. Mmmmm, Vanilla, my favorite. I wonder if he picked it out, or if it had been Grace.

  As the tub filled, I walked over and squirted my toothpaste onto my brush and scrubbed my teeth. I felt minty clean and I couldn’t wait to get into the tub. I stripped down and sank into the gloriously hot water, turning off the tap as I went. I placed my hair up into a high bun so I would not to get it wet and leaned back against the tub. Oh my, this was heavenly. I may just stay here for this alone.

  After a few minutes of soaking, I felt completely relaxed and ready to enjoy my weekend. My relaxation snapped and the tenseness returned full force when I heard a knock at the door. It couldn’t be anyone else but him and I was naked in his bathtub.

  “Charlotte, may I come in?” he asked timidly through the door.

  I frantically moved bubbles over me to cover up anything, which was probably stupid since he’d seen all of me anyway, but a bath was so much more intimate in my eyes.

  “Come on in,” I squeaked, triple checking my bubble placement.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were bathing, I could come back later if you’d like, or you can meet me in the living room when you’re done?” he asked, skimming his eyes down my bubble-clad body.

  He looked and sounded a bit nervous, which heightened my unease. Alex Porter never looked nervous. He always seemed to be in control. I wasn’t quite sure what to make of his tone.

  “You can stay, Alex, it’s ok,” I said, motioning to the bench across the bathroom. I closed my eyes again as he walked over to the bench and sat down. I peeked up at him and watched him watching me. I felt exposed, but seeing the hunger mixed with the nervousness in his eyes transfered my own anxiety to one of excitement.

  Boldly, I sat up a little bit and had to ask the question that had been on my mind since I had entered the ensuite. “Why am I in this bedroom and not in yours?”

  He drug his hands through his hair and I could see the wheels spinning in his head while he formulated his answer.

  “As I told you, my bedroom is my sanctuary. I’ve never invited women in there. Last night was an exception that I don’t intend to repeat. Is that going to be a problem?” He raised one eyebrow at me, waiting for my answer.

  I sank back into the bubbles and shook my head. I had to remember that this was different for him than it was for me. This was just the occasional lay for him. He didn’t know my feelings and, hopefully, he never would.

&n
bsp; Conversation turned light after that. We talked a little about work and he complimented my work ethic. I told him I got it from my mom, who held down multiple jobs to get me through schooling. We talked about Grace and I found out she had been his housekeeper for almost 3 years. We also talked about Bracks a little and I discovered his name was actually Scott Bracks and he was Alex’s cousin by marriage.

  When the water started to chill, I asked Alex to step out so I could get changed. He smirked at me and reminded me that he’d already seen all of my luscious body, which prompted my normal blush to cross over my cheeks and down the top of my breasts. It may have spread further down, but my skin was a pleasant shade of pink from my bath.

  I got out and dried quickly, releasing my hair from the tie. I didn’t want to presume too much, so I elected to wear the tank top and the yoga shorts over my emerald green panties, and no bra, instead of the babydoll nightgown.

  When I stepped out into the room, I saw a pair of slippers on the bed with a note from Alex saying, “For you” and that was all. I hadn’t thought to bring any, so this was a nice gesture. I walked down to the living room and saw him leaning against the fireplace, looking into the flames, with a brandy glass full of the amber liquid. It reminded me of his eyes.

  I cleared my throat, letting him know of my presence, and he turned around and hungrily drank me in. I stared at my feet under his penetrating gaze. I suddenly felt very underdressed.

  “Come here, Charlie,” he said, raising his hand out towards me.

  My skin tingled. He called me Charlie. I knew what that meant and I knew what would be next. He didn’t disappoint as he placed his glass down on the mantle and gathered me into his arms. He walked me to the sofa and sat down, with me straddling his lap. He was letting me work at my own pace, which put me at ease, and I was sure that was his plan.

  I leaned down and covered my mouth with his, gingerly at first, and then working into a frantic pace. It wasn’t long before we were both tangled on the floor, spent and complete, panting and regaining normalcy. Our joining had been fast and rough, both of us working through our individual nerves and enjoying our new status.

  I noticed I still had my top on and so did he. We hadn’t even bothered to remove all of our clothing, and the thought of what we had looked like, all arms and legs in a tornado of excitement, made me giggle.

  “I love that sound. You sound so carefree when you giggle,” he whispered into my ear.

  “Thank you,” I said timidly.

  “Hey, don’t get shy on me now, we have a long night ahead of us. I plan to show you things you never thought you could experience and you will feel things that might seem scary at first, but I promise you’ll love them!”

  I nodded my head. I wanted to try new things. I needed to get out of my bubble and explore myself. I was ready, but not right now. Right now, I wanted to sleep and I told him as much.

  He chuckled at me before standing up and then crouching down to pick me up and carry me up the stairs. He took me into the bedroom at the end of the hall, my bedroom for the night, and laid me on the bed, laying next to me on his side and stroking the skin on my stomach. I didn’t normally sleep on my back, but the sensations felt so good that I couldn’t help it and I drifted off into a sated slumber, listening to Alex’s heartbeat in my ear.

  **********

  I don’t know how long I slept, but I was awoken by a tickle on my side. I tried to bat it away, but my arms refused to move. I guessed I was just too sated to move any of my limbs. The tickle came at my side again, accompanied by Alex’s voice. “Wake up, sleepy head, I think you’ve slept long enough.”

  I opened my eyes and smiled up at him. He was holding a feather in his hand and standing on the side of the bed looking down at me. He had changed into a faded pair of blue jeans that hung low on his hips and he had decided on no shirt. I approved.

  He grinned back at me before stating, “I told you we would try some new things Charlie, are you ready for some fun?”

  I nodded, blinking wildly to rid the remnants of sleep from me, as I watched him try and tickle me again, and I tried to bat it away, finally realizing why I couldn’t move my arms.

  My wide eyes travelled up my arms to the corner of the bed and saw it. My wrists were bound with silk scarves to the bedpost. Spread out between each post. I looked down to see my feet had been spread as well. How did I sleep through that?

  I started shaking violently, images washing through my head of years past. I felt sick. I wanted to scream. I wanted to curl into a ball and hide under a rock. But most of all, I wanted to run. Suddenly, screaming pierced through my terror. It was me. I was screaming, telling them to stop, to let me go, please, I won’t tell anyone, just please, let me go.

  The words fell from my mouth. I couldn’t see anything but a frat party surrounded by guys and music, dancing and beer. I closed my eyes to block it all out. I had to get out of here. I had to go! I tugged at the restraints. I kicked. I pulled.

  “Charlotte, Charlotte! Jesus, what’s wrong! Fuck! Shit! Stop screaming!”

  I stopped screaming long enough to draw another breath and start all over again. I could feel the hot wet tears streaming down my face and my throat was already sore. I watched as he reached out and undid my arms and my legs swiftly. When my hands and legs were free, I stopped screaming and curled into a fetal position and rocked. I shut my eyes tight and whimpered, begging God to take me and stop the torment.

  I felt the bed shift as Alex sat down. Thankfully, he didn’t touch me. He just sat on the end of the bed and stared at me. I couldn’t even look up at him to see what his eyes would tell me, since he wasn’t verbally communicating. I don’t know how long I stayed like that. It could have been two minutes or two days, but I had to leave. I had to make my legs work. Taking every bit of determination and will I had, I moved to get up.

  I scooted to the end of the bed and stood, grabbing the edge until I felt the shaking stop and the strength return to my legs. I couldn’t stand to be here a moment longer. I needed to get out of this room and out of this house. I needed to put some distance between us. It wasn’t his fault, I knew that. He didn’t know my past, but I needed to leave now. I grabbed my bag off the floor and pulled on my jeans and my other tank top.

  He just watched me. I knew I should explain to him what was happening. But I couldn’t speak. If I did, I would never stop crying. The pain was a lump in my throat and talking would release that pain into my entire being. When I put my bag on my arm and went to the door, he put his hand out. The sudden movement made me drop my bag and curl in on myself. He put his hand down and stepped back, letting me exit the room. I picked my bag back up and looked down to my feet. I couldn’t even meet his gaze.

  I ran down the stairs, thankfully not falling, and out the front door. I punched the button of the elevator and, when the car pulled up, I stepped in and hit the lobby button. As the doors shut on my face, I saw Alex looking out of his door at me, a pained expression marring his perfect features. I waited until the doors were completely shut before I let a single tear fall from my face.

  Chapter 18

  I couldn’t afford to let even one more tear fall until I made it home. Driving in the dark and crying was a recipe for disaster, and although not more than half an hour ago I begged God to take me, I didn’t really want to die yet.

  I needed to find out if Danny was awake. I didn’t want to talk, I just needed him to hold me. I pulled out my phone and took a shaky breath, calming my trembling fingers

  To- Danny (951)555-8454

  1:36am

  Are you awake?

  -C

  I put my phone down and concentrated my hardest on the road. Thank the Lord, it wasn’t raining. I don’t think I could have made it home with another obstacle to tackle.

  From- Danny (951)555-8454

  1:38am

  Yes, are you alright? Where are you?

  To- Danny (951)555-8454

  1:38am

  Please sta
y up. I’ll be home in 30. I need you.

  -C

  Almost as soon as I pressed send, Danny called me. I didn’t answer, I couldn’t handle the distraction on the road. I needed to use every ounce of my strength to concentrate on the drive home and not let myself fall into the abyss. I had to shut off my phone.

  I pulled up a half an hour later with Danny standing at the door waiting for me. I grabbed my bag from the seat and pushed to my weary feet. I needed a shower, a scalding shower, but I needed to be held by someone who wouldn’t hurt me.

  He didn’t say a word as he took my bag from my hand and placed it inside the door. He walked me over to the couch, and, as soon as I sat, his arms were around me and I let the dam of my emotions go.

  My tears flowed, and it was ugly. I hiccupped. I hyperventilated. I had snot dripping down my nose and onto Danny’s shirt. He didn’t say a word to me, letting me do what I needed to do, holding me and stroking my back and my hair. He was the epitome of a best friend and I thanked everything in the world for him.

  Once my tears turned to a sniffle and the occasional sob or hiccup, Danny cupped my chin and tilted my head back.

  “Charlie, what’s wrong, baby girl?”

  I felt dead inside. I still had never told him about what happened to me. The only people who knew were my mom and Robert and his friends. He knew something had happened, but he didn’t know the details, and I wasn’t sure I could relive them to tell him. But what would I tell him? I had to tell him a least a little.

  I told Danny a bare minimum account of the Robert and his friends attack, and about the aftermath. I could feel the rage boiling inside my best friend, so I placed my ear to his chest to try and calm him. I needed to finish this and tell him, so I could move on. We sat in silence for a little bit so my words could process. When I was confident he wasn’t going to go and beat down the jailers in order to get to Robert, I continued.