A Love Like This (Book 1)

by Lane, Kimberly

  Tucker finally asked Amy out because Mike bet him floor seats at the Lakers game that he couldn’t get Amy into bed on the first date. Once they started dating exclusively Tucker was kind and attentive and Amy quickly fell in love with him. She managed to keep the relationship going for over a year--- but she had to keep sweetening the deal for Mike. He needed lots of incentives to keep her informed of Tucker’s whereabouts at all times. But Tucker was never truly committed to their relationship. He never looked at her the way he looks at Leila. When he broke it off with Amy he didn’t come right out and tell her that he wasn’t in love with her. He gave her the old, ‘it’s not you it’s me’ speech. He said, “I love you but it’s just not the right time for us. I have to focus on my dissertation and work so there’s no room for a relationship right now.”

  What Amy heard was, “right now, I can’t be with you right now.” She looked at him hopefully and said, “Okay, I’ll give you space to pursue your dreams.” Tucker kissed the top of her head left her apartment and never called again. However, Amy Carrington was not accustomed to being told no. She waited until his dissertation was complete and resumed her pursuit.

  “What took you so long?” She asks Mike poking his chest with her bony finger. Mike hated Amy, hated the control she had over him but he was in too deep to back out now.

  “I got held up at work. I have a life outside of your fake romance.”

  “You just remember that if it wasn’t for me you wouldn’t have that job.”

  “That reminds me. I just accepted an offer at Stockman and Grant. They’re a much larger finance company and my salary will increase significantly. You’re going to have to find a new lap dog.” He says turning to walk away.

  She grabs his arm, her face red with anger. “You think you can just walk away from me after everything I’ve done for you?

  “That was the plan,” he says with a scowl. “You’re delusional, Tucker doesn’t like you and he never did. The only thing you’re good for is a good fuck.”

  She pokes his chest again. “Don’t try to get all high and mighty with me. How would you like me to tell your best friend that you slept with his girlfriend?”

  He gives her an arrogant smile, “Tucker will never believe that I slept with you. I mean look at me I can have any girl that I want.”

  “I’m not the only girlfriend of Tucker’s you’ve screwed.”

  Mike’s expression hardens. She smiles satisfied. “Women talk,” She says shrugging her shoulders. “The poor girl was so upset about betraying Tucker that she couldn’t even accept that beautiful four karat platinum ring he offered when he proposed.”

  “What do you want Amy,” Mike asks exasperated.

  “I want you to get rid of that fucking girl,” She hisses. “Tucker and I are going to be together. You fix this,” She says before spinning around on her Gucci heels and marching away.

  ____

  The back yard is dimly lit with teak torches lining the walk way and tea lights in the pool. It’s much quieter outside and there is a cool breeze coming off the Bay. I wrap my arms around myself and shiver. Tucker takes off his jacket and drapes it over my shoulders.

  “That’s quite a right hook you got there slugger,” He says as we walk towards the pool.

  “I can’t believe that little weasel accosted me in the middle of a crowd.”

  “Yeah that was pretty brazen.”

  “I like to think I can take care of myself but apparently I can't always. Thanks for helping me that was pretty sexy,“ I stop myself and look down at the cobble stone walkway.

  “Oh you liked that huh?” He stretches his massive arms into a Mr. America pose. “I’m thinking of becoming a crime fighter in my spare time.” I laugh and slide my arms into his jacket. It’s still warm from his body heat and it smells like soap and the beach. He seems much more relaxed than he does at school. We find seats near the pool. I lean back in the chair and cross my legs. “I like the new look,” he says looking me up and down. “The bun made you look so serious.”

  “I am kind of serious,” I say running my fingers through my hair. I’m surprised it hasn’t started to frizz from all the moisture in the air. “I’ve set a lot of goals and I have to see them through.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with being driven. It’s an admirable quality.”

  “Thank you,” I say feeling self conscious. “You make me a little nervous.”

  “Look Sarah told me to leave you alone until my bitch (her words not mine) of a girlfriend was completely out of the picture. She also said that if I hurt you she’d cut off my balls in a sacrificial murder. I’m pretty sure she’s crazy enough to do it. So you don’t need to be nervous because I’m not interested in being castrated.”

  “I’ll have to thank her later,” I whisper. There is a stone fireplace and I can see all of San Francisco from the red cedar deck. “This place is beautiful. I wonder what he does to afford a house like this.”

  “Tyler’s in real estate, a broker I believe. He works for my father’s company.” Tucker pauses for a moment and stares at me expectantly. “Do you know who my father is?”

  “Nope should I,” I ask a bit perplexed.

  “Really, you’ve never heard of William Bradley.”

  “No, have you ever heard of Xavier Peterson? Why are you asking me about your father?”

  “No reason, it’s just that most of the women I’ve dated know everything about my father way before they ever lay eyes on me,” he says pulling my chair closer to his so that we’re face to face. I close my eyes and I can feel his warm breath on my lips. I’m not a particularly sexual person. I’ve done it once before with a boy named Kenny Macklin my eleventh grade year of high school. My friends talked about sex like it was the greatest thing in the world. They would always look over at me with pity, like poor pathetic virgin Leila. I wanted to know what all the hoopla was about and Kenny was handsome and nice enough. So on one of the rare occasions I was home alone I invited him over under the guise of studying. After a few minutes of groping and several failed attempts at trying to find the right hole the ordeal was over. I never told my friends that I’d done it. It didn’t seem like anything worth discussing. In fact up until now I didn’t understand what all the fuss over sex was about but Tucker makes me want to give it another go.

  “I like you,” he says his lips gently brushing against mine as he speaks.

  “Why,” I ask pulling away.

  “You’re beautiful, smart, a bit of a smart ass and you have a great rack what’s not to like.”

  He pulls me from my seat onto his lap and kisses me deeply.

  I push away breathless, “There are plenty of smart, mouthy, pretty girls at Berkeley. There has to be more to it than that.”

  “You really don’t have to rationalize everything,” He says leaning forward to kiss me again.

  I pull away. “Yes I do it’s who I am,” I say crossing my arms over my chest. “As much as I like kissing you I’m not willing to be just another groupie.”

  “Ok,” he exhales. “Do you remember that day in the rain? You know when you walked away from me.”

  I nod my head yes even though that isn’t the way I remember it.

  “Well you’re going to think I’m being arrogant but no woman has ever done that before.”

  “Done what? You mean walked away from you? You’re kidding? I say incredulously.”

  “I kid you not. No one’s ever called me a ‘big lump’ either, even when I’m acting like an ass women just over look it.”

  “Yeah that was an arrogant statement but I promise you that I will never over look your asinine behavior,” I say with one hand on my chest and the other raised to the sky.

  Tucker looks at me seriously, “The man you were with earlier----“ He pauses uneasily waiting for me to fill in the blank.

  “Are you two--- is
he,” he stammers.

  “You’re usually so articulate Tucker spit it out, is he what,” I say trying not to laugh.

  He smiles and reddens a little flashing those dimples that I love. “You’re playing with me.”

  I run my fingers through his thick glossy locks. He opens my hand brings it to his lips and kisses my palm gently then wraps his arms around my waist and nuzzles against my neck. I close my eyes and feel a charge of energy pulsate through my entire body. “So who is he?” He says without moving his lips from my neck. The heat of his words causes my nipples to push against my dress.

  “He’s my boyfriend but we have a very open relationship.”

  “I’ll just go find out for myself,” Tucker says and leans forward to stand nearly sliding me to the ground.

  “Oh sit down macho man. He’s my uncle.”

  “Good because I can’t stand up right now anyway,” he says kissing my neck. “Let me take you out tomorrow. Sarah told me that you never go out. I’ll show you around the city.”

  I frown a little when I think about what else Sarah might have told him. The woman can’t keep a secret to save her life. “That sounds like fun. Sarah was supposed to show us around tonight but we ended up milling around the city picking up strays.”

  “Sarah’s insane,” He says.

  I laugh, “She’s a bit spirited but she has a good heart.”

  We stop talking and look up when Pookie walks over carrying Nickie. I slide off Tucker’s lap and he pulls his shirt down over his crotch.

  “I hate to interrupt but you’re big sister is through for the night.”

  “Let me help you,” Tucker says standing up. Pookie pours Nickie into Tuckers arms and plops down in a chair.

  “Phew thank you, she’s a lot heavier than she looks.” Nickie’s head rests limply against Tucker’s chest. We all stop when we hear a grumbling coming from her stomach. Nickie hiccup’s once then spews brown and white goo all over Tucker’s shirt.

  “I didn’t see that coming," Pookie says dryly.

  “Oh God,” I say looking for the quickest exit.

  ______

  I drive across the bay bridge with Nickie and Sarah snoring on the back seat. Pookie sits up front and helps me navigate through the San Francisco streets. Pookie drops Sarah and me off in front of the dorm and heads back to the hotel with Nickie. Sarah looks like the walking dead with blood shot eyes and disheveled clothes. Back in the room I help her into bed then I shower and dress in the pink footie pajama’s my grandma Bess gave me for Christmas. I pick up a highlighter turn on a book light and open my textbook. I’m starting to doze off when my cell phone rings at around 2 AM.

  “Did I wake you,” Tucker asks when I answer.

  “No I’m awake,” I say sitting up.

  His voice is low and husky, “Just wanted to make sure you all made it home safely.”

  “Yeah we made it. Sorry my sister puked on you, if it’s any consolation you took it like a real trooper.”

  He laughs. I pause for a second, “is that the only reason you called?”

  He hesitates then says, “I just wanted to hear your voice.”

  My breath catches in my throat, “that was really sweet,” I whisper.

  “So why do I make you nervous?”

  “That question makes me nervous. Let’s just talk normally, like friends.”

  “Ok let’s start with your family, then tell me about your dreams and finally we’ll discuss us,” he says.

  “Us,” I say feeling my heart rate increase.

  “Yeah let’s discuss us, because I want to be more than just your friend.”

  “Oh my God, what are you two in high school?” Sarah says as she climbs out of bed to go to the bathroom. “Just come and pick her up you loser,” She shouts into the phone as she passes.

  “May I?” He asks eagerly.

  “Yeah I’m really going to let you see me in my pink footie pajamas.”

  “Are you really wearing footie’s? Take a picture and send it to me.” He says.

  “Yeah like that’ll happen,” I say.

  “I would send you a picture but I’m not wearing anything.” I gasp and press my thighs together tightly. This is definitely a new feeling.

  Chapter 8

  Tucker and I talked until dawn. I’m not even sure when we got off the phone. He told me that his mother and father have been together for nearly thirty years. He said that he initially majored in architecture because he knew it’s what his father wanted. His father is a real estate developer and he’s been grooming Tucker to take over the family business since he was five. Tucker said he still has the tiny hard hat he wore at the construction sites when he was a little boy. He said that he had great teachers throughout his education and he knew that he wanted to teach so after completing a bachelor’s in architecture with a minor in urban design he started substitute teaching. He loved it so much that he went on to complete a master’s degree and doctorate in education. Of course his father was disappointed but Tucker said that he couldn’t live for his father. “When I want something I go after it,” he said. I wouldn’t allow myself to focus on the double entendre.

  I told him that I initially chose architecture as a major because I wanted to make my mom proud. I said that she gave up her dream of becoming an architect to start a family. I told him that I’ll never let that happen to me. He said that I can do both, that I didn’t have to give all that I am to a career or a family. Tucker said that he wanted to get married someday soon and that he wanted kids. I told him that was a pretty heavy subject for our first conversation. He thought it was funny that talking about marriage and family gave me hives so he started cracking jokes about knocking me up so that I can’t get away from him. He stopped joking because I had a mild panic attack. Before we got off the phone he reminded me that he was still naked and that it was never too early to start working on Tucker junior.

  Right now I’m floating around in a strange place between awake and asleep. This is the time of morning that the sun starts to break through the fog from the bay. I can hear the early bird joggers trotting past my window. I pull my blanket over my head and try to relax but visions of Tucker’s naked body keep popping into my head. I’ve only seen him shirtless once but I felt the rest of him against my leg while sitting on his lap last night and I have a pretty good imagination. I’m tossing and turning trying to push the image away. I freeze when I hear a rustling at the front door. I’m positive I locked it when Sarah and I got home. I stop breathing and listen, my heart pounding in my chest. I’m about to climb out of bed and wake Sarah who’s snoring like a buzz saw a few feet away. But the dorm room door swings opens before I have a chance. I’m too afraid to move so I hope the person realizes they’re in the wrong room and goes away. The door slams shut and I hear footsteps approaching my bed. I can’t believe Sarah’s still snoring. I slowly lower the blanket and peek at the massive figure hovering over my bed.

  Tucker holds a finger in front of his lips and whispers, “Shh.”

  “What the hell are you doing in my room?”

  He kicks off his shoes pulls his shirt over his head and climbs into bed next to me.

  “You can’t be here,” I whisper looking over at Sarah’s bed. That woman could sleep through a hurricane. Tucker doesn’t say a word. He presses his lips against mine then positions his huge body over me. I wrap my arms around him as he kisses my neck. “You should really go,” I say breathlessly stroking his hair and caressing his back. He kisses my lips my neck then moves down. He unzips my pajamas and slowly, gently flicks his tongue over my nipples. I melt like chocolate under his touch. I’m trying to steady my breathing as he kisses my stomach. He’s under my quilt tearing at my underwear. His head is buried between my legs and I’m biting my bottom lip to stop myself from screaming with pleasure. Tucker thrusts his tongue inside me. My legs are wrapped a
round his head. His tongue is on the right spot.

  “Oh Tucker,” I yell out.

  “Are you fucking kidding me? Leila, wake up.”

  I open one eye and a ray of sun shines on my face through a crack in the blinds. My quilt is on the floor, I’m hugging a pillow and the sheets are wound around my sweaty body. I shade my eyes from the sun and glance over at Sarah. She’s propped up on her elbows glaring at me with blood shot eyes.

  “I was trying to let you get there but you’ve been moaning progressively louder for twenty minutes.“ She gently lowers her head back onto the pillow. “I mean how long does it take a person to cum?”

  “Oh God, I’m so embarrassed,” I say pulling the sheet over my head.

  “Nothing to be ashamed of I’ve known you needed to get laid since the day I met you. But my head is killing me so please go take a cold shower. I’m sure Tucker will be more than willing to help you scratch that itch later today.”

  “My itch will be fine,” I lie then roll over to face the wall. Sarah’s snoring resumes in seconds. I squeeze my legs together and a throbbing stronger than I’ve ever felt before courses through my whole body. I’m afraid that if I close my eyes Tucker will end up in my bed again so I hoist myself up and head for the shower.

  ______

  Tucker shows up at the dorm at around 11 AM. Sarah answers the door wearing last night’s dress. She has a face full of smeared makeup. Her hair is matted and teased high on one side and perfectly straight on the other side.

  “Ugh what the hell happened to you?”

  “Not in the mood for you right now,” She says and tries to close the door.

  Tucker sticks his foot in the door jam. “I didn’t come here for you. Where’s Leila,” He says looking past Sarah.