by M. R. Joseph
“Luca, you really don’t have to clear the table, I can handle it. I wouldn’t want you to be late.”
I turn to her and I’m in a daring mood. I don’t want to leave. I want to stay with her all day. I want to kiss her till our mouths are sore and raw. I want to be inside her, I want to taste her. I just want to be with her. I grab her hand and she allows me to do so. I turn her hand so her knuckles are facing me. I kiss each one tenderly. I’m not sure what kind of reaction I’m about to get, but I have to get my balls out of my ass and at least go for it. She just stares at me. Her expression unreadable but she doesn’t pull away. I release her hand.
“Thank you so very much for the beautiful breakfast and for the book. I have to go but have a good day. You have my number. Don’t hesitate to call if you need anything.” I walk away and go into my house. I shut the door and lean against it. I wanted to kiss more than her sweet hands. I wanted to feel them on me, her soft tongue in my mouth again. I’m more determined than ever to make Leighton Parks mine.
I head to work. My mind’s not on work but of that girl who lives next to me. When I get to work I open up and head to my office. I want this night to go by quickly. I only have tomorrow left to work then I have Thursday and Friday off.
I keep myself busy and wait for the dinner rush. I help out on the floor. Adrianna is working tonight and I want to tell her about the Friday’s party. I have her on the schedule but I want her to be the first one out so I rearranged some things so she can be. I tell her to take her fifteen minute break and come sit in my office and talk to me.
“What’s going on? Am I in trouble again? I haven’t been late at all. Now that school’s over, I won’t have problems being on time.”
My sister is adorable and I love her dearly. I need to get a woman’s opinion on the Leighton situation.
“No, you’re not in trouble. I wanted to tell you that James and I have decided to have a party at the quad Friday night. We both have off but you don’t. I did however make you first in and first out on the schedule. You go in at three and you’ll be out by nine. Is that ok?”
“Damn right, it’s ok. Can I invite some friends?”
“Of course.” I hesitate for a minute before bringing up Leighton. “Um, A, there’s something else or rather someone I want to talk to you about.”
“Sure, shoot. Is it about a girl?”
“Yes, and why do you ask?” She sits up in her chair brightening from her sluggish position.
“Well first of all, you haven’t yelled at me or Fab or anyone else this whole week for starters. Then you actually schedule yourself off. You never take off. Maybe a day here and there. And lastly, just the look on your face says it all. You’re my brother, Luca. I can see when someone has my brother all in a tizzy.”
“A tizzy?” I ask.
“Yea, a tizzy. You can’t wipe the smile off your face. So who is she? Just a fuck, or do you like her?”
“Watch your mouth. If Papa heard you say that, he’d cut your tongue out.”
“Ok. Sorry. I’m pretty sure I know the answer to it anyway. Is it that girl you almost killed with the broken door last week?” I don’t answer and I feel my cheeks go red. Guys aren’t supposed to blush.
She stands up and shouts, “Ha! I knew it. She lives below me and next to you. How convenient for you. You really like her, don’t you?”
I can’t lie to her since it’s written on my face already. “Yes. I do. I really do. I’ve never felt this way. I can’t get her out of my mind.” I run my hands through my hair and push out a deep breath.
“My big brother is in L.O.V.E. I think it’s great, Luca. You’ve been a male slut long enough. Time for something serious.”
“I am far from a male slut. I haven’t been with a girl in… oh why am I even talking to you about this. To answer your question, I may be falling in love with her, yes. It’s early yet and I don’t even know if she wants to be with me or if she feels the same way for that matter.”
“Brother, the girl would be crazy not to love you. Go for it, Luc. Don’t be a pussy.”
“Mouth!” I point towards the door.” Go back to work.” She winks at me and leaves, and I feel a lot better that I told her how I’m feeling.
It’s almost eleven and most of the staff is gone. James closes down the bar area and Adrianna finishes sweeping up the floors. We did eighty five dinners tonight. Not bad for a Tuesday. I just want to go and I wonder if Leighton will be awake. I don’t want to scare her off by going there and knocking on her door. If she’s outside and hanging out, I’ll offer her a beer. If not, I’ll see if she wants coffee in the morning after my run. James is going to Grace’s and Adrianna is going to hang with a few friends. I say good night and go to my car to leave.
When I pull up out back in my parking space, I get out of the car and I hear shouting. It sounds like Leighton’s voice, but who does the other voice belong to?
I’m in a nightmare. I swear. I have no idea how he found me, but he did. After a day of phone interviews with book reviewers and a two hour phone call to Kenzie, all I wanted to do was go see the sunset on the beach, read, and drink a glass of wine.
At ten, I take a quick shower and put on my pajamas. I grab a book and pour that well-deserved glass of wine. I close the curtains to my place and sit back on the couch. I think about how all I thought about today was Luca. How sweet he was, how he attentive he was to me last night, how just his mere presence grabs a hold of me and sucks me in. When I hear a knock at the door, my heart jumps and my first thought is, it must be Luca checking in on me. I wrap my robe around me and give myself a quick check in the shell framed mirror above the sofa. I’m anxious but when I answer that door, I don’t want to appear to be. I walk over and open up the curtain.
“Jesus Christ, what the hell are you doing here, Michael?” He is someone I never wanted to see again for the rest of my life. He’s the reason I’m stiff and cold. He’s the reason I left my fucking job. I have no idea how he found me and I contemplate slamming this door in his face too.
“What do you want Michael? I told you I never wanted to see you again - ever. Go away.”
“Leighton, baby, I just want to talk. I came all this way to see you. Please. Just a few minutes.” He looks terrible. Worse than I had ever seen him besides when I broke his nose. I know I shouldn’t but I guess since he drove three hours away he must really need to speak to me. Maybe he wants to apologize for what he did to me. I’m not inviting him into my home so we’ll keep this conversation on the porch.
“Fine. You have five minutes, Michael, five. You got it? I’m coming out because you’re certainly not coming in.” I step out into the warm night air. I fold my arms across my chest and stand as far away from him as possible.
“What do you want? Start talking fast. You don’t have much time.” He swallows hard. Michael is ashen and he looks like he has lost a significant amount of weight. He still is an extremely handsome man, very debonair, dressed the part of the marketing V.P. of the magazine. That still doesn’t sway me from hating his fucking guts.
“I left Sloane. I told her I was having an affair with you. She got angry and told the president of the company and I was fired for it because her dad and the president are golf buddies. She’s about to give birth to my kid and wants nothing to do with me. I have no place else to turn, Leighton. I’m sorry I hurt you, but I need you. I need you so much, you have no idea. I gave it all up for you.”
I could feel my blood pressure rise and I try my best to calm down. It didn’t work. Fuck all that mantra, tantra, yoga bullshit. It didn’t help me.
“You need me? Me? Your wife left you, you lost your job and now you want me. How convenient for you. You didn’t want me when you had me, now you want me because you have nothing else.” My voice is raised but I am not yelling … yet.
“Please, Leighton. I did want you. I’ve always wanted you. When Sloane got pregnant, I freaked. I never wanted kids. I wanted the kind of carefree life like the one
you and I had. Free to do whatever we wanted. No kids or anything else to stand in our way.” His statement made me even angrier.
“Michael, we talked about if I got pregnant. I told you what I wanted to name my first born and you even took that and ruined it. You are a liar, and a cheat, and I still don’t know why you’re here or even how you found me, but I will tell you that you making an effort to come and talk to me makes no difference. I want you to leave.”
He grinned at me and chuckled a bit. “I’m not going anywhere yet. I drove a long way to talk to you.”
“How the hell did you even know where I was? I only told Katherine.”
“That’s a funny story actually. The day I got canned, I convinced one of the security guards to let me back up to my office because I forgot something. I slipped him $50 and he let me. I went to that stuffy bitch’s office to look for anything that might tell me where you were, and low and behold, I found a note on her desk with your address on it buried under a stack of papers. I know if I’d search hard enough, I’d find you. Now, how about we pick up where we left off before you broke my fucking nose.” He starts to make his way towards me and unsettling shivers run through my body.
“You are nothing but a selfish, no-good, slimy, fucking prick. Leave! Now!”
I yell and Michael grabs my hands as I try to turn back to my door.
“Not so fast, Leighton. I wouldn’t even be in this mess if it wasn’t for that gold plated pussy of yours. You sucked me in, made me crazy, fucking insane. You were the best fuck I’ve ever had. I crave the taste of your pussy on my tongue all the time, and I’m not about to go without it anymore.”
Michael forcefully pushes me against the wall and slides his hand between the opening of my robe as he hikes up my nightgown. He quickly shoves his hand down my underwear and does his best to slide his fingers into me. He licks my neck and all I can do is shiver at the grotesque feeling of his body on mine.
“Michael, stop it. You’re being crazy. You’re acting insane. Get off me, now, God damn it. Michael, please stop, it’s over, get off!” I’m doing my best to fight him off, pushing and shoving at his chest. Suddenly, I feel Michael being jerked away from my body, and I watch him fly backwards down the three wooden steps of the porch. He’s on his back at the bottom within seconds. Luca stands there looking at him, and then he turns back to me. He rushes over to me and takes my face in his hands. I melt into them as he searches my eyes with a look of fear in his own.
“Leighton, are you ok? What the hell is going on here? I was just pulling up from work and I heard you yelling. Who the hell is this?”
Michael’s still on the ground. He isn’t getting up and it gives me a sense of relief.
“I’m fine, Luca. This asshole is my ex-boyfriend, Michael from Philadelphia.”
“You mean the married guy with the kid on the way?”
I can’t believe he knows that.
“How do you know about him? All I told you was I was seeing someone and it ended badly.”
“Grace told James, and James told me. I’m sorry Leighton. I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to upset you and it really wasn’t any of my business.”
“It’s ok. It’s done and over with now. Thank you for helping me out, again.”
I see Michael get up and stalk towards Luca.
“Ok, enough with the love fest. Who the fuck is this guy, Leighton? Another new conquest of yours? Another guy to come and fuck you senseless?”
Luca’s fist flexed and I saw look on his face that I haven’t seen before.
“Who I am should not concern you, asshole, but I’ll give you a piece of advice, walk away now and never bother Leighton again, or you will get to know me because I’ll be your worst fucking nightmare, got it?” Luca was now nose to nose with Michael. His chest puffing out and he is breathing heavy. Luca is about two inches taller than Michael but Michael was larger in the shoulders and arms. I knew Luca could take him if it was necessary.
Michael takes one step away from Luca and starts to snicker.
“Oh, I get it now. Spreading your legs for this guy, aren’t you? Let me warn you, my friend, this little girl right here will give you the ride of your life. She looks like an angel but fucks like a minx in the bedroom and in the boardroom. She’ll wrap those sweet little legs around your head and squeeze so bad you won’t be able to come up for air. Isn’t that right, Leighton? Does your boyfriend know you’re a whore, or are you just pretending to be Miss Goody Goody?”
I don’t even have time to respond because with that Luca draws back his fist and punches Michael right in the face. I can hear a crack and I know that for the second time in a month, this asshole has had his nose broken. I don’t yell, I don’t respond. Luca is standing over Michael’s body ready and waiting to land his next punch. Michael is holding his nose as the blood gushes from it. Luca’s hand is shaking and he’s out of breath.
“Get up now and leave my property before I drag your ass down the street and remove it myself. If I even hear your name again, or see your ugly face around her, mark my words, you will be sorry you were even born. Now get up and go.”
Michael scurries to his feet, and runs to his car like a wuss, but before he does, he tries to get the last word in.
“Have fun fucking that one. That crazy bitch will take you for a great ride but drop you like a bad habit. Bitch.” He hurries in the car, and I think he’s scared Luca may come after him because he peels out of the parking space like a bat out of hell.
Luca takes a deep breath in and climbs the steps to me. I see that his hand is cut open and I gasp.
“Holy shit, Luca, look at your hand. Come inside and let me clean it off.” I pull him through the door to the kitchen. I wet a rag and I place it on his wounded knuckles. I reach in one of the cabinets for some gauze and a Band-Aid. I begin to blot the cuts with the clean gauze. He winches when I try and apply some antibiotic ointment to it.
“Oh, really? It’s just a little ointment, Luca. It can’t hurt that much.” I’m not looking at him but I can sense that he’s staring at me. I’m not going to look up at him. I’m not going to get lost in his eyes. Nope. Not going to do it. He reaches his other hand up and begins to caress my cheek. I close my eyes and feel the warmth of his touch and I can’t bear to resist it too much longer. I look up at his perfect, beautiful face.
“Luca, I…” His lips crash into mine before I have a chance to finish what I’m saying. He’s gripping my face with both hands now and I’m powerless against his hot lips. I’m trying to keep my wits about me; I’m trying to still my hands, keeping them from grabbing his neck to deepen this kiss. My thoughts go around and around, I’m dizzy with desire, and I can’t restrain myself from doing what I want to do any longer.
I stretch my arms around his back and press my lips into him even farther. He takes his hands from my face and pulls me tightly against him. He gently slides his tongue into my mouth and I receive it with every fiber of my being. This kiss is slow, it’s deliberate, it’s loving and I don’t want it to end.
He removes his lips from mine and begins to trace my collarbone with his tongue. He alternates kisses and licks and it’s sending me into such a frenzy, I’m afraid my panties may melt right off my body. I hang my head back to give him better access. His light kisses travel up my neck then down again and I hear him whisper in between pecks, “No one, and I mean no one,” his tongue slides up the side of my neck finishing with a nip on my ear causing my body to jerk in pleasure, “should talk to you or about you,” with a gentle pull of my hair he exposes the front of my neck and marks every part with his talented mouth, “in that way again.” He works his lips up to meet mine but not claim them just yet. They just hover there and I lick my lips ready to receive him. “You are the most perfect thing I have ever laid eyes on.” His lips tickle mine as his words break down my every resolve. “You should be respected.” With that he sucks my bottom lip and smiles when I moan in ecstasy at his words and touch. I feel m
yself grind my hips into him wanting a closer connection to his body.
“You should be worshiped for the right reasons; you should be loved by someone who is worthy enough to be blessed to have it. Do you understand me, Leighton?”
I’m so engrossed in what he is doing to me all I can do is say, “Hmm.” I’m so pathetic. This man wants me, he wants me. Luca Ferro wants me, Leighton Parks. I’m so afraid I’ll wake up tomorrow and this moment will be nothing more than a distant dream, but it’s not. He’s real, this is real, and I want him.
“Luca,” I moan, “I want you.” The feel of his body, his hot breath on me, is more than I can stand, and I know without a shadow of a doubt, he wants me too. His lips find mine again and he deepens his kiss. It’s different from the kiss we shared the other night. This one is full of adoration. His hands move to cup my breasts and they feel full and alive, a growing urgency for him to touch me further consumes me and I lower my hands to touch his erection that’s pressing into my belly. When I touch him, he groans, not in protest, but in pleasure. His tongue continues to sweep inside my mouth and I suck on his tongue gently, licking at the hard muscle that it is. My nipples are hard and he lightly grazes over my nightgown with his fingertips. Then he pulls away, panting, and I instantly feel the void of his lips no longer on mine.
“Leighton, I want you. I have never wanted another woman as much as I want you, but I want to earn your trust, respect you, get to know you before we go any further. These feelings I have for you go beyond anything I can comprehend right at this moment. I need to do this the right way. Can you understand?” He grabs my hands and kisses each of them gently. He moves each of my hands, one at a time to his cheeks, and gently rubs it along his stubble. My knees are wavering and I don’t want this feeling to end, not now, not ever.
He touches my cheek again and looks deep into my eyes. He asks me, “Do you understand me, Leighton?” I nod because at this point it’s all I can do. I have no words; they are lost in him, with him, buried beneath me. He smiles at me, his eyes dancing with the joy of knowing I do understand, and I do. I truly do. As much as I want him deep inside me, making love to me, bringing me to the hilt of desire, I know he is a man of his word and he will respect me, and show me I’m worth so much more than what was demonstrated by Michael, the prick, tonight.