by Hope Ford
She juts her chin out at me and I try not to smile. Her feistiness is sexy. “No. No, I don’t know. You can’t just go around stealing other people’s dates and pretend to be someone you’re not.”
Frustrated, I blow out a breath. What can I say? I can’t let her walk away. I soften my voice and move closer to her. “I never pretended not to be myself. I didn’t tell you anything that is untrue, except the part where I pretended I knew you and I were going out on my boat today.”
She folds her arms across her chest and shakes her head. “Why not just ask me out and tell the truth from the start?”
“Honestly? You want the truth?” I ask her, and when she nods her head, I tell her, “Because I knew just looking at you that you were different than most women I know. I didn’t want to pass up the chance of getting to know you.” I want to tell her that I think she’s hot as fuck, but from the stubborn look on her face, I know that wouldn’t go well. “Look, I had a good time with you. I’d like to go out again.”
I hold my breath, hoping she’ll give me another change to be truthful with her.
3
Naomi
I could stand here and keep looking at him all night. Even though he didn’t actually say the words, I still feel lied to. I know how easy it could be for me to just forgive him. He’s a sexy man with smooth words. He knows what he’s doing. I could fall under his spell easily. But I don’t want to be that way. I’m not that woman. My mom and her marriages tell me that I don’t want to be that woman.
So I do the only thing I can. I turn away from him and walk away. The pier is long and I almost stop at least five times to turn around and change my mind. But I don’t. I force myself to keep going. I can feel his hard gaze on me, but luckily he doesn’t chase after me because I don’t think I would have the will to keep going if he did.
Later that night, all I can do is think about my afternoon with Neil. Yes, we had a good time together out on his boat. Yes, he was a perfect gentleman. Yes, he’s protective and all alpha on me. But he also lied to me. Or he didn’t tell me the truth anyway.
My phone starts to ring and I pick it up. The caller id is an unknown number and I know it’s him. I had put my number into his phone. I decline the call and no sooner do I set it down than it starts to ring again. I ignore the way my stomach flutters with excitement, knowing it’s him. Hitting decline, I silence it and lie back on my couch.
I almost call Jackie. She’s the closest friend I have, but I remember that she had told me the Mavericks are not playing tonight and she had a special date night with Reagan. Man, she got a good one. Reagan is crazy about her and I’ve never seen her like this. He’s a baseball player, and women are goo goo crazy for him, but he doesn’t even care. He only has eyes for Jackie. I have to admit that a part of me is jealous. I would love to have what they have.
I run my hand through my hair and undo the bun, letting my hair fall down around my shoulders. I can’t stop thinking about Neil, if that’s even his real name. He said it was, but should I believe him?
I turn to my side and pull my legs up to my stomach. I see my phone light up on the table, but I don’t even reach for it. It’s better this way. I may have had a good time with him today, but it doesn’t matter. No matter what could come of us, nothing good starts with lying.
Neil
I barely slept last night thinking of Naomi. She wouldn’t answer my calls. I can’t say I blame her. I fucked up yesterday, pretty bad. If I had to do it all again, I would have been honest and upfront with her. But no, I kept it all to myself. Now I’m wondering if her date that never showed up has made a move on her. Could my actions have forced her into the arms of another man? Fuck!
“Fox! Get your shit together, man. We have a game with the Rangers this week and right now you can’t even catch a ball.”
As the starting catcher for the Mavericks, I know I should have my head into practice. But I just can’t get my mind off Naomi. I’ve been catching bull pens for over an hour now and I finally hold my hand up to let Jasper, the pitcher, know I’m done.
The coach storms over to me. I know he could rip my ass right now and I probably deserve it. But probably the only thing saving me is the fact that I never slouch off. I’m always the first to practice and the last to leave. I put one hundred percent into this team and Coach knows it. His face is red and I can tell he’s wanting to yell at me, but instead, he just shakes his head. “Hit the showers, Fox.”
Dustin, the right fielder, comes running up to me. “You all right, man?”
“I’m going to be,” I tell him with determination. He probably thinks I’m having shoulder pain, which I am. But today’s pain is about something else, and I’m determined to make it right.
I release a breath and nod at him before turning away and jogging to the locker room. One of the trainers follows me. “That shoulder’s tight. Let’s work it out.”
I roll my arm forward, knowing he’s right. I can feel the pain in my shoulder, even though it’s a dull pain and bearable. But for how much I throw, I know I need it worked on. I follow him into the room, pull my shirt off and lie on the table. He lays a warming mat against my shoulder and then starts to write something on his clipboard. Without looking up, he says, “You sucked it up in practice today. What’s up?”
I throw my other arm over my head and cover my eyes, blocking the glaring light overhead. “I’m distracted,” I admit.
He snorts. “No shit, Sherlock. Do you want to talk about it?”
“You a shrink now too?” I deadpan.
He adjusts the mat on my arm. “Yes, actually a shrink, a trainer, a therapist… should I go on?”
I just shake my head. “No, man, there’s a woman. I fucked up and now she won’t answer my calls. I’ve called her at least a dozen times in the last day.”
He then takes the mat off my shoulder and I hear him squirt some kind of lotion on his hands. He starts working the muscles and the joints of my shoulders. “Maybe you should text her. Women seem to respond better to texts than calls, especially if you’re in the doghouse. Tell her what you want to say by text.”
I ponder over his words and I have to admit I’m a little surprised I hadn’t thought of that. For the next hour, he works on my arm, massaging it, and whatever the hell else he does that makes it feel brand new until the next day. Man, my body’s getting too old for this. It’s not what it used to be. Between my shoulder and my hips from all the squatting, baseball is wreaking havoc on my body.
When he’s done, I make sure to thank him before I go and hit the showers. The whole time I’m thinking about what I’m going to text her. I feel like some teenage boy, but I don’t really care. The woman is under my skin and I can’t forget about her. Remembering her in her one-piece black bathing suit, I can feel my loins tighten. She may have thought it was a safe choice, but man, all it did was make me even hotter for her, wanting to peel it off her and see her in all her glory.
As soon as I feel my cock start to lengthen, I try to change the pattern of my thoughts, thankful that the rest of the team is still practicing. I shower off the rest of the day’s sweat and grime before getting dressed in the locker room. I grab my bag, go out to my car, and I’m no sooner seated before I pull my phone out. Clicking on her name, I start the text.
4
Naomi
I thought about calling Jackie during lunch but I knew she would be busy, so I sit down at the table in the teacher’s lunch area, ready to spill my guts. The math teacher, April, sits down across from me and she must be able to read it on my face. “What’s wrong?”
I look down at the bowl of salad I brought that I told myself I would eat for lunch when I packed it this morning. Looking at it now, it doesn’t look appetizing at all. Pushing the bowl away, I shrug my shoulders. I tell her the whole sordid story from the day before.
She points her fork at me. “So let me get this straight. You are not flattered that the guy wanted to be your date and jumped at the opportunity
?”
Well, when she puts it like that, I get it. But that’s not what happened. He lied to me, and that’s what I tell her.
“Did he hurt you? Take advantage of you?” She doesn’t wait for my answer. “Nope, he seized his opportunity. It sounds to me like he was so hot for you he couldn’t resist. Oh poor you, you have some sexy mysterious sailor calling you wanting to get into your pants. Hell, answer the next call and give him my number. Sheez,” she says, shaking her head.
I can tell she’s frustrated with me. As far as I know, April is single and has been for a while. Maybe she’s not the best one to give me advice. But when she words it the way she did, I can’t help but wonder if I’ve made a mistake. Is my fear of being like my mom causing me to pass up a great guy? I eat a pack of crackers and excuse myself to go and prepare for my next class. I can tell April’s still frustrated with me by the way she waves her hand.
As I’m walking back into my classroom, my phone dings. I’ve now saved his name in my phone as “the liar” and I notice that I have a text from him. I sit down at my desk and read it. I’m sorry for yesterday. I truly am. I know it’s no excuse but I was instantly attracted to you. I should have told you the truth, but I was honest when I told you I was afraid you wouldn’t have given me a chance. I know I need to earn your trust, but I would love if you would go out with me.
I almost text him back, telling him to forget my number. I have it typed in; all I have to do is hit send. But something stops me. Maybe it’s the way he had his hand on my lower back as we got onto the boat. Maybe it’s the way he made me feel when he helped me put on my life jacket, wanting me to be safe. Heck, maybe it’s the way there’s a pull in my lower belly any time I think about him. I delete the text I’m about to send and start over. Is your name really Neil?
He texts back instantly. Yes
Well, that’s something. At least he was honest about his name. I text him. What do you have in mind?
Are you available tonight?
I debate with myself for the longest time. I can tell he’s getting antsy because I can see the bubbles come up on my phone like he’s texting something. The bubbles disappear, come back and then go away again. I would love to know what he’s thinking.
I know if I don’t go out with him, I’m always going to wonder. I type my answer into him. Yes
I squeeze my phone a little tighter, still not believing that I’m actually going to do this. Darn, I hope I’m making the right decision. I watch the bubbles on my phone and finally his text comes through.
Can I pick you up at six? Or if you’d rather meet at a restaurant. Whichever you’re more comfortable with.
The fact that he gives me options puts me at ease a little. On the boat, I had already told him about the apartment building I lived in. I didn’t think anything about it at the time, but I did afterwards. Before I can talk myself out of it, I text him, You can pick me up. I send him my address and the apartment number.
The bell rings and I can hear the shuffling and noises from all the teenagers as they swarm the hall. My phone dings again. I can’t wait. See you at 6.
A smile fills my face but I try to contain it. I don’t want to get too excited about this. Who knows if anything will come of it, but I have to admit that I’ve never felt like this before any time I’ve ever been on a date. I usually date men my age that are safe and yes, I can even tell what to do. Neil’s not like that. He’s commanding, alpha like, and he has to be the sexiest man I’ve ever laid eyes on. I don’t even know how I’m going to focus the rest of the day, knowing I’m going to see him later tonight.
By the next period, I’ve given up on being able to teach. I started the class well, but I couldn’t focus. So instead of sending them home with homework, I gave them the opportunity in class to do their work. Some of them took advantage of it and worked on their studies. Some of them talked and goofed off. Normally, I would have reined them in, but not today. I wasn’t going to get bent out of shape about it. I tuned them out while I thought about what I was going to wear tonight.
There’s still something on the edge of my mind, but I’m trying not to focus on it, chalking it up to the fact that maybe it’s because I’m not one to get so involved with a man. I’ve dated, but I’ve never really been into one like I am with Neil. I don’t want to be like my mother though. I don’t want to lose myself in a man. I’ve seen what it’s done to her and I’ve promised myself it’s not going to happen to me. Yes, Neil’s sexy, confident and like no man I’ve ever known before, but that’s no reason to lose all direction in my life. If I decide to have fun with him, that’s what it will be… fun. Nothing more.
But even as I’m telling myself that, I can feel my stomach knotting up. Is it butterflies about going on a date with him? Probably. I know that if what I’m feeling for him already is any indication, he could have the power to break me. He could turn my world upside down if he wanted to. I just need to make sure I don’t let him. I usually don’t let people get too close. I just need to do the same with him.
5
Naomi
I should have known it wouldn’t last. I’ve prepared myself all afternoon. I’ve gotten ready, put on a sundress with a cardigan over it. I’ve calmed my nerves the best way I know how and then I promised myself I would see how it goes.
But when I look through the peephole on the door, I feel the breath rush right out of me. He looks so sexy and sophisticated in his navy suit. Even through the peephole I can see how his strong arms challenge the fabric of his jacket to contain his power.
Already with a pit in my stomach, I open the door. The scent of him makes me want to wrap my arms around him and just breathe him in. He smells so masculine and like something fine and rare.
I tug at the hem of my dress, wondering if I should have worn something else. He looks so good and I look almost frumpy standing next to him. He must notice my insecurity. He lifts up a bouquet of flowers and holds them out to me. “You look beautiful,” he says in awe. “I had wondered if I’d imagined it… how beautiful you are. But I didn’t. You’re breathtaking, Naomi.”
I take the flowers from him and when he hands them over, our fingers touch. Like a jolt, I feel it up my arm and I know he does too because his eyes snap to mine. His blue eyes are dark and filled with desire as he looks me up and down. “Thank you,” I mutter as I take the flowers and almost run from the room toward the kitchen. I pull out a vase and start filling it with water.
I hear the front door close and then his steps as he comes toward the kitchen. I try to take soothing breaths, but they seem more ragged than anything. “These are beautiful,” I tell him as I take them to put on the dining table. I can feel his gaze on me as though it were his hand reaching out and caressing my body and my curves. I barely keep the moan in, I can feel it so strongly.
He walks up behind me and crowds me against the table. I can feel his heat behind me, even though he’s not really touching me. I turn and when I look at him, I can’t breathe. The way he’s looking at me drives me wild with need.
I should grab my purse and walk toward the door. I should put some distance between us. I should do anything except for what I’m dying to do. I want to be in his arms. I want to feel his mouth on mine. I want it all.
He must see it in my face, because he bends his head and I see him getting closer. My heart is racing but there’s no way to calm it. It’s like there’s an electrical presence between us and it’s zapping all the common sense I have left. All my carefully laid plans of not getting too close have evaporated. Right now, I know there’s no way I could walk away from him… from this.
When his lips finally descend on mine, I gasp and with that my mouth opens, granting him better access. His hand curls around my neck, angling my face so he can even further deepen the kiss. I moan against him. His hard chest pressed against me is my undoing. I’ve never felt so safe and still so ravaged in all my life and at the same time.
I can’t stop myself then. I reach for hi
s jacket and shove it off his shoulders. It falls to the ground and as soon as his arms are free again, he has his hands on me, pulling my cardigan off and tossing it behind me.
Before long, we’re pulling at each other’s clothing until we’re standing in my dining room, completely naked. When I back away from him, I note his swollen lips and heaving chest. But I don’t stop there. I’m dying to look at him. He feels so good under my hands, I have to see him. And when I do, my mouth drops. He is perfection. I saw him on the boat and no doubt he looked good. But up close, where I can run my hands across him as I look at him is almost too much. I don’t think he has an ounce of fat on his body. All the way from his shoulders down to his thick thighs, he is pure muscle. Even his long, hard cock is impressive. It’s hard, thick and pointed straight at me. When the precum drips from his tip and hits the floor, I drop to my knees before him. Before I even touch him, a groan escapes him. I reach out and cup his balls in my hand, feeling the weight of them. His head falls backwards, and I feel more secure knowing that I can bring this reaction from him. I lean toward him and take him in my mouth. His hand wraps around my hair and I moan, egging him on. He tightens his hold on me and I hollow my cheeks, sucking him down my throat.
Back and forth his hips gyrate and I take him in. When his balls tighten I know he’s close and I put more effort into it. Moaning around him, savoring his taste, he starts to pull me away, but I shake my head, letting him know that I want all of him.
He doesn’t disappoint. He lets his release shoot into my mouth and I swallow every last drop of him. My lips smack when I pull off of him and I lick my lips, making sure I got it all.