“How does it make you feel?” I shot her a look. “What is this Dr. Phil?” She laughed. Her laughter was a soft jingle that made my jeans tighten. I shifted in my seat to alleviate the pressure.
“No, I am just trying to get to know you and understand you.”
“Well, Honestly, I was mad at first. Then I had time to think it over. She was right. I was running because I didn’t want to face reality. I also have seen first-hand they types of women that are out there. They want you for what you have and what you and give them. I don’t want that kind of woman. I want one that genuinely wants me for me, rich, or poor, whatever.”
“I can understand that.” She gave my arm a light squeeze.
“Here we are, my lady. Chateau Main street heights.”
Natalie laughed, leaning in she gave me a quick peck on the cheek. “You’re funny. We should do this again. What do you think?” I gave her a bright smile. I bit my lip and nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. I am funny. We should totally do this again.”
She shot me a mock scrawl, “You sure are arrogant.” I laughed you got that right. Now let me walk you to the door like a proper gentleman.”
Chapter Seven
I sat at the table staring at my phone in my hand, waiting for it to vibrate to life. It was 4 o’clock and Natalie usually text me about this time. She would just be getting in her apartment after a long day in her studio.
For the past month, Natalie and I had talked every day, either through text or over the phone. I learned quickly that she was both funny, smart and she really got my attention in other areas as well. She was insanely gorgeous.
Over the past two weeks introducing her to my family had weighed heavily on my mind. I really wanted to have her in my life as more than a phone buddy. I wanted to have her over for family dinners, take her out for a night on the town. I would be happy with just chilling on the couch watching a movie, as long as she was beside me.
Since the night we met and I drove her home, I hadn’t seen her again after that aside for a few stolen moments at G and Elizabeth’s wedding. We talked frequently throughout the day. Usually chatting about what we were doing, sending innocent photos, mine were almost always of Karina. I mentally counted down the minutes until my phone would vibrate with a message from her
Natalie had become an integral part of my life. I thought it was time to introduce her to Katinka. I needed to get Katinka’s opinion of her before I allowed things to move any further. If things went well, I was hoping to ask her to be mine. I had never asked a girl out before and I was nervous as hell.
I watched the analog clock on my phone. It was ten minutes past the time Natalie usually text me. Deciding to take matters into my own hands, I typed in my phone’s security pin and opened up the chat box to text Natalie. My fingers nervously pecked away at the screen.
D: Any plans for tonight?
N: No hello? How are you doing? :- P
D: Hello, How are you doing? Any plans for tonight?
N: HA HA I am good, Damon. No, no plans for tonight. Why? What’s up?
D: I was wondering if you wanted to come over for dinner tonight. U know, meet the family?
N: Damon, are you trying to get serious with me?
Shit. I had no clue what to say. Yes. I was trying to get serious with her. But first I wanted Katinka’s seal of approval. But if I tell her no she will think I just wanted to be friends. I didn’t think it would be wise to tell her I wanted my sister’s approval first. Knowing that if I waited too long to answer she would just think the worse. Here goes nothing. I huffed out an anxious breath and continued to type away at the screen.
D: Well, I was hoping to not have to do this over the phone or via text, but yes. Is that a bad thing?
N: Shoot me straight. What exactly is it that you want?
D: you to be my girlfriend. In a committed relationship. You know, like grown-ups have.
N: So you want sex?
I nearly died on the spot. Sex, well, yeah, that would be great. But I was thinking of starting slow. I knew that just jumping between the sheets would just end in disaster. I wanted to truly try at this relationship thing.
D: Are you trying to kill me?
N: ?
D: I want to try a real relationship. Do I hope for sex? Sure, when you feel comfortable. Is it mandatory? Not at all. I am a patient man.
N: Well damn. I was hoping for sex.
D: I swear you are giving me a heart attack here!
N: What time is dinner?
D: 6, want me to pick you up?
N: Nah, if you’re horrible in bed I need an escape.
D: Baby, I’m the best you ever had, just wait and see.
N: The last time you had sex was?????
D: Point made.
D: I’ll be the best 5 sec lay you ever had!
N: ROFL Can’t wait
N: What’s your address?
I sent her my address and ran through the house to let Katinka know I would be having a guest over for dinner. I swear I was as nervous as a virgin on prom night.
“Tink,” I shouted at the base of the stairs.
Katinka popped her head out of the kitchen.
“Damon, I swear to god and all things holy that if you shout one more time and you wake that baby, I will murder you with my bare hands.” Her eyes looked murderous as she held her hands in front of her, mock strangling the air.
I held up my hands in surrender and walked over to where she was working in the kitchen.
“Why is there a skip in your step?” She asked eyes narrowed with suspicion.
“I have a dinner guest coming over.” A smug smile plastered across my face.
“What kind of dinner guest?” I couldn’t help the huge smile that spread across my face.
“A serious kind.”
“Is it the pregnant girl?” I blanched.
“No, it’s Natalie. The woman that you met at G’s wedding. She was one of the bridesmaids.”
I couldn’t help but smile at the memory of her. She was absolutely stunning in the long pale yellow Vera Wang chiffon dress. It was the perfect color against her pale white skin. Her long dark hair fell in waves down her back. The sleek dress hung on her shoulders suspended by the thin straps. Its deep V showcased her lush breast. The satin sash accentuated her narrow waist followed by cascading ruffles of material.
A look of confusion crossed over Katinka’s face as she tried to recall the faces of the bridesmaids. “I don’t remember her.”
“Well, she is coming tonight. She is my girlfriend. Or I think she is. I have to ask her again to be sure.”
Katinka began laughing. “You think she is your girlfriend but you don’t know?”
“Yeah, I can’t remember. Let me look at my phone.” In my excitement of her agreeing to come over, I had completely forgotten if she had agreed to be mine. All I could remember was sex.
I pulled my phone out of my pocket. As soon as I got the screen unlocked Katinka snatched it out of my hands and began scrolling through my text. I don’t know why she waited for me to unlock my phone. She was the one that had set the passcode to start with as she had done all of our phones.
“Tink, give it back. Please?” With Katinka, only sweetness worked. This woman could wreak havoc on a phone if given the chance.
She scrunched up her nose at me. Ignoring my plea she began reading through the text between Natalie and me.
“Well, she definitely wants sex, but she doesn’t say she wants to be your girlfriend.”
Placing my hands on my hips I threw my head back in exasperation. “What do I do?”
Katinka laughed whole heartedly. “You’re asking me what to do?”
My eyes nearly bulged out of my head. “Yes, I am asking you. You have more experience than me with all this relationship crap.”
She laughed even harder, gripping the countertop for support.
“You do realize that Tosh is my only relationship experience, right?”
Sh
e was right. She was as bad about settling down as the rest of us were. She and Tosha getting together was a shock to us all, though we were not completely surprised. It was clear the two were secretly in love with one another. We just didn’t expect they to come together as quick as they did. One moment Katinka was screwing anything with legs and the next she and Tosha were married.
“You are the one that put me in this situation, help me.” I would drop down to my knees and beg her if I knew it would help.
“Okay, I’ll help you. Tell me what it is about this girl that you like so much and why you want to date her.”
I could swear the sky opened up and I could hear angels sing, once the words left her lips. My pulse rate increased.
I sighed and closed my eyes hoping to ground myself as I let the words spill out of my mouth.
“She is smart and funny. She is insanely gorgeous, Tink. I mean wait until you see her. But aside from her looks, she doesn’t make me feel like an ATM, she doesn’t have her hand out asking for anything. She is an amazing conversationalist. We can spend hours talking about damn near anything. She gets me and seems as comfortable with me as I am with her. She doesn’t push me to change or try and make me be someone I’m not.” I took a deep breath before continuing.
“I’ve been talking to her for like over a month now and nothing about her gets old. Instead, it just draws me to her like a moth to a flame. She is everything I could ever want in a woman and more. And… And… I think I have fallen in love with the woman.” There I said it. I said what I had felt brewing for the past week.
Katinka gasped at my admission. I couldn’t believe it either but I knew it was the truth. I had never felt that way about anyone romantically before but I knew I was in love with Natalie. Everything about her made me smile. My heart thudded in my chest every time my phone vibrates with a text from her. A perma-smile is stuck on my lips the moment her sultry sweet voice hits my ears.
“So you think you have fallen in love with her?” Katinka prodded, her eyes glistened with amusement.
“No, I don’t think I have fallen in love with her. I know I have. It was fast and I know it but everything about her is amazing. Seriously, Tink. I want you to meet her. You will see. She is just the best and amazing and funny and really she is just everything I could imagine and more. She will fit right in with everyone. She is a talented artist, self-sufficient and just immensely amazing.” I couldn’t fight the smile that crested my lips just talking about her if my life depended on it.
“Hey, D, Are you saying the woman is like, amazing?” Katinka laughed as I threw a hand towel at her.
“Now, give me back my phone you stubborn woman so I can go get ready for my date.” I started for her.
“Fine, but don’t be mad at me.” Her eyes grew wider the closer I got to her.
“What do you mean? What have you done Tink?” immediately suspicious.
“Just swear to me you won’t be mad?” She begged her eyes cast down to the phone in her hands.
“No, you know I can’t promise that because I never break my promises.” Her eyes shot up to mine and were heavy with worry.
“Katinka…” I had begun to get scared. What could she have possibly done?
“Damon, I need you to promise. It will be okay. I think. I just need you to promise.” She was near tears begging. My heart ached in my chest with the feeling of read. Instantly I was afraid of what it was she could have done while we were here talking. She hadn’t left the room. She hadn’t even left the spot she was standing at in the kitchen.
“Katinka,” My voice was stern. I needed to know. I was getting tired of going round and round with her.
“Damon, seriously.” She tried to be firm with me but her voice still wavered.
“Fine.” I surrendered. Ready to just hear what Katinka had to say I gave in and promised.
“Remember, you Never ever break a promise. You are the only man I know that has ever kept his word no matter what.” She continued, further trapping me by my oath.
“Katinka, I’m going to be honest. You are scaring the shit out of me. Just spit it out. I promise I won’t be mad”
“Hey Damon,” I heard Natalie’s voice. Alarmed, I scanned the room to see where it was coming from.
“Natalie?” I called out, expecting her to pop into the kitchen from a room adjacent to the kitchen.
“Damon, I’m on the phone.” My head fell into my hands and I let out a groan.
“Natalie, this is Katinka, Damon’s meddling sister. I just wanted to say hello and that I look forward to meeting you finally. Damon has told me a lot about you.”
I could hear Natalie laugh brightly on the other end of the phone.
“Damon has told me a great deal about you as well. I look forward to meeting you tonight. Oh and Damon,”
“Yes,” I called out in tepidly.
“I love you, too.” She hung up the phone. My jaw had hit the floor.
Katinka jumped on my back like a spider monkey, her arms around my neck as she hugged me to her. “What just happened?”
“Well, I hit her number and dialed her while you were talking about her. After she answered I put it on speakerphone. I wanted her to hear how you talked about her. I didn’t expect you to declare your love. But anyways, it worked and she loves you too.” She gushed out excitedly as she clung to me.
“I can’t believe she loves me,” I muttered to myself in disbelief.
”D, you are an amazing catch. She would be an idiot to not fall in love with you.” Katinka continued to gush elatedly.
“Yeah, maybe you’re right.” Fatalistically I acquiesce.
“Bro, I’m always right. Oh and Evie is flying in tonight. Nik has already left to meet her at the airport.” I was immediately hit with relief. Nik had been a shell of his former self since we had arrived home without Evie.
“Thank fuck. I thought he was going to go insane. He walked around like a zombie with his phone attached to his palm since we got home.”
Katinka’s eyes widened. “I know I have barely seen him since I got home from the hospital. This whole not knowing with him and Evie had him fucked up.”
I gave her a reassuring smile. “She will say yes. She is an idiot if she doesn’t.” Katinka nodded in agreement.
“Okay, you go get sexified while I get dinner ready. We still have a few hours but I want to make sure everything is perfect. Tosh is on baby duty. I know it takes you forever because you spend hours looking at yourself in the mirror, but please try to be done at a reasonable time. You don’t want to keep the lady waiting.” I rolled my eyes at her and bound out of the kitchen.
I took my time in the shower ensuring I had properly washed and scrubbed every inch of my body and also took the time to trim up my manly parts. I wasn’t expecting sex but I wasn’t about to turn it down if it was offered.
I shaved and styled my hair ensuring every strand fell perfectly. Smiling at myself in the mirror, my grey eyes shined back at me. I really was a sexy mother fucker.
Katinka’s shouts and banging at my bedroom door forced me away from my reflection. That woman had a knack for interrupting me during my self-worship. I swear she orchestrated it intentionally.
“What?” I called from my bedroom, unwilling to allow her in while I was still undressed.
“I need you to take the baby while I get ready. Nik and Evie are here but haven’t come out of his room since they arrived.” She called back
Yanking a pair of boxers out of my dresser drawer I slipped them on.
“Just a minute,” I turned the look on the door and twisted the handle.
Katinka stood there with a freshly bathed Karina swaddled in her arms. A smile instantly spread across my lips. I reached out my hands and took the tiny infant into my arms cradling her against my chest.
“Tosha couldn’t watch her?” I asked with indifference. Honestly, I didn’t care what the reason was. I would stop everything I was doing to watch my niece. I cooed at the baby i
n my arms. Brushing my thumb against her cheek I planted a kiss on her crown.
“Tosh ran to pick up more wine. Nik is wrapped around Evie in his room. Ivan and Kiev went to grab their dates. That just leaves you, Uncle.” She smiled sweetly at the baby in my arms.
“You know I don’t mind the princess. Why do we need more wine?” I knew we had several bottles of a 2013 Hall Napa valley cabernet Sauvignon in the wine rack. It was Katinka’s favorite and really the only wine we bought for the house.
“Well, I don’t know if everyone likes red and Kevin and the guys will also be coming over. G and his wife are back from their honeymoon so I thought we would have a big family dinner.” Her eyes lit up with excitement at having everyone around the dinner table.
I knew she felt like we all did. Having grown up together, our families had dinner together at least five days a week. It was comforting to have the house full of friends and family. This was our way of recreating our childhood home life. A wonderful life for little Karina to grow up in, full of love and family.
I pulled Katinka into my side, giving her a hug. I placed a kiss to her crown. “You are a wonderful mother. Karina is going to grow up feeling well loved and protected.” I reassured her.
“Now go get ready. I will keep an eye on the princess and let her help me pick out what to wear.” I released Katinka with a quick slap to her backside. “Now shoo woman.” Katinka obliged and left us to the task of getting ready.
Laying the baby on the bed I pulled my pillows around creating a barrier of safety. I knew she couldn’t roll over yet but I wasn’t willing to risk it regardless.
I began to talk to her as I got ready in a soft baby voice. Her gurgles an infant banter swelled my heart with love.
“Uncle D has to look good for his ladies, ya know.” I prattled on as I pulled out a pair of dark wash denim jeans and slipped them on over my hips.
“What will look good with these jeans Dragotsennyy Precious?” I held out a shirt in each hand. One was a white Gucci button up dress shirt with thin pale gray pinstripes and the other was a black long-sleeved Ed Hardy t-shirt with gray writing and a metallic gold tiger on the front. Both were tight across my chest and would accentuate my thick corded forearms once my sleeves were pulled up. What can I say, I was a narcissus. I liked having the body I worked so hard on up for display.
Rocking Away: A Heavy Metal Romance (Slava Pasha Book 3) Page 9