“Maybe,” Fernando said. “I’m sure she’ll come around eventually, man. But if you start flashing your money in her face she’ll start to feel like you’re trying to buy her. And nobody—especially a woman—wants to feel bought and paid for,” he said, chuckling. “Just let her take the lead. She’ll ask for help when she needs it.”
“And what if she doesn’t?”
“Then she doesn’t need it,” Jason said matter-of-factly.
“You mean she doesn’t need me,” I mumbled.
“Look, Scout. You’re more than just your money, bro. This girl is lucky to have you.”
“Even if she won’t take what I’m offering?”
“Is money all you’re offering?” Fernando asked. “Because if so, she’s getting shortchanged. You’re a good guy, Scout, and you’re more than what’s in your bank account. I’m sure this girl sees that.” He paused to take a long swig from his beer. “As a matter of fact, didn’t you guys start hanging out before she even knew you were rich?”
“Yeah…we did,” I said, shaking my head at the realization. Nola had always reacted strangely to my money. When she found out I was wealthy she damn near bolted for the door and accused me of treating her like a charity case. Jason and Fernando were right; I couldn’t push the issue, no matter how much it killed me to see her having a hard time. I had to give Nola the space to come to me for help; I just hoped she would.
“Then it’s settled,” Fernando said, draining his brew. “It sounds like you managed to find a good one.”
“You always were a lucky bastard,” Jason said, chuckling. “But don’t blow it, Scout, or I might have to give her a call. You know good women are hard to find.”
I tipped my bottle in his direction. “And that would be the last call you’d make, motherfucker.”
“Hey, you would do your boy like that? I thought we were brothers,” Jason said, still laughing.
“Then you know I’m serious.”
“I never thought I’d see the day.” Fernando shook his head and grinned. “Scout Clayborne is in fucking love. I think I can hear hearts breaking all across L.A.”
Jason raised his beer in a mock toast. “Here’s to the last remaining player in the crew. I won’t let y’all down.” We clinked bottles and gulped down our drinks. “Scout, I’m proud of you man; this is huge. But if you try to ditch us for this chick I’m slashing all of your tries.”
I doubled over in laughter, but I knew Jason was serious. “You guys are my brothers, I’m not going anywhere,” I said, giving him a sideways hug. “But, I think it’s time you assholes learn some manners. You might be getting a sister soon.”
“Oh, shit, it’s like that?” Jason asked, excited.
“Yeah,” I said, feeling like Nola was definitely my forever. “It’s like that.”
26 Scout
The house was quiet—too quiet—when I walked through the door. Since Nola had been staying at my place it was usually filled with noise—music, the TV, or her cute little humming. But when I got back from my powwow with Jason and Fernando, the house was completely still.
For a split-second, a sense of panic flooded my gut. What if Nola left? She’d slipped out before, leaving without saying a word and fleeing back to her apartment. Even though we’d pledged to be there for each other and cemented our relationship, I was worried Nola would bolt again if she got scared. And seeing how she wasn’t too pleased with me before I left, I knew it was a possibility.
After my boys set me straight I knew I needed to apologize and stop trying to be Nola’s damn hero, but it was hard. I hated to see her struggle, hated to see her break her back when she didn’t even have to. With the stroke of a pen I could alleviate most of Nola’s troubles, but like Fernando said, I would have to fall back and let her take the lead.
I jogged up the stairs, trying to sort out what I would say. I wanted to reassure Nola that I would never resent her or view her as a possession I merely wanted to own. Instead, I hoped she understood that whatever I did for her was done out of love.
It was just after one a.m. and I hoped Nola was still awake. When she shot me that death stare for interrupting her while she worked on her paper, I headed to Jason’s to give her some space. But now, I prayed she was ready to talk.
I knocked on the door to my office and popped my head inside, but Nola wasn’t there, so I headed down the hall to our bedroom. Yes, it was already ours, hers and mine. Having Nola in my space felt completely natural. I had convinced her to stay under the guise of obeying the doctor’s orders, but as the week wore on, I realized I didn’t want her to leave. I loved the feel of her head on my chest, loved waking up to her smile every morning, loved the way she did a little dance when she was happy. Most of all, though, I loved Nola; and the thought of losing her terrified me.
Before Nola came into my life my bedroom was just a place I crashed for a few hours if I was lucky, but now it felt homey and comfortable because she was there. When I stepped through the door, I saw her sitting cross-legged on the bed reading a book. Damn, she was beautiful.
“Hey,” she said, when she noticed me staring at her. Just the sight of Nola could still bring me to my knees. She was wearing one of my shirts, looking absolutely gorgeous as usual.
“Hey yourself. Done with your paper?”
“Yeah. I’m going to proofread it in the morning, then head to campus to drop it off.”
I kicked my shoes off and sat on the edge of the bed. “What time?”
“Whenever,” Nola shrugged, “I don’t have to see Professor St. James. I can just leave it at her office.”
“Cool,” I said pulling my shirt over my head. “I have a couple of conference calls in the morning, but they should be over by noon. I can take you then.”
She eyed my chest, then bit her lip. When she realized I saw her, Nola’s cheeks flushed pink. It was a tiny sign, but it gave me hope she wasn’t mad at me anymore. Either that or she was as horny as I was. Most guys thought chicks in short dresses and high heels were sexy, but seeing Nola in nothing but my old t-shirt was a serious turn on.
“Okay,” she said, watching me strip out of my jeans. “But you don’t have to if you’re busy. I can take the bus or something.” I gave her a look and she giggled, already knowing how I felt about that suggestion. If I had any say in the matter Nola would never take another fucking bus again. “Fine…no bus,” she said shrugging for a second time.
“Good. I’m going to go jump in the shower, okay? Are you gonna be up?”
She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth again and nodded; of course, my dick swelled. I would have been all over her right then, but I smelled like beer, cigar smoke, and my Harley.
“Be right back.”
I walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower, waiting until steam filled the expansive space before jumping in and letting the scalding water beat down on my shoulders. I closed my eyes and leaned against the cool tile, running my apology through my head. I still had no clue what I was going to say, or if I should even say anything at all. The only thing I knew for sure was that I didn’t want to fuck around and push her even further away.
When I opened my eyes and reached for the soap, Nola was standing in the back of the shower, naked.
“I’m sorry,” she said before I even had a chance to utter a word. “I know you were just trying to be helpful, but it freaked me out.”
I grabbed her hand and pulled her into my chest. “It’s okay, baby.”
“This is all new to me. I haven’t relied on anyone in years, Scout. Years! So when you said you were writing me a check for twenty thousand dollars, it just felt really strange and overwhelming.”
I rubbed her back and placed a kiss on her forehead. “I get it, and I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have pushed the issue.”
“You must think I’m nuts, right? It’s just…I’ve never been with anyone before, never had anybody—let alone a man—offer me that kind of money. Everything is just…it’s just reall
y new and I’m doing the best that I can to figure it out, but I’m having a hard time. I hope you’re not mad, Scout.” Nola stared up into my eyes and my dick expanded tenfold, pressing into her stomach. She glanced down and chuckled. “Well, at least he’s not mad at me.”
“I’m not mad, baby. I just wanted to help, but I didn’t even think about how it would make you feel. I know you’re not some damsel in distress. You’re a strong, beautiful woman who’s been through hell and is still kicking ass. That’s one thing I love about you.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, really,” I bobbed my head. “You know how many people would have taken my money and run?”
Nola sighed. “My mother would have.”
“Hell, so would mine,” I laughed. “Most people would have, though. But not you, baby. You want to stand on your own two feet. That’s commendable. That’s sexy as hell, Nola.”
“You know what else is sexy as hell?” she smirked, tracing a finger down my stomach.
I swallowed hard, almost unable to control myself. “What’s that?”
“You.” Nola ran her thumb across my lips. “You, Mr. Clayborne, are sexy as hell.”
Nola slid her hands up to my neck and brought my face to hers. I brushed my lips across her mouth before pushing my tongue inside. We stumbled backward into the wall, and I gripped Nola’s waist, pressing into her. My dick throbbed and wacked against her damp skin. Nola reached down and massaged me, and I couldn’t help but groan against her lips.
“Damn, baby. I think you need to—” my breath hitched and I groaned in pleasure as she stroked my shaft. “Nola, baby, you gotta stop. Baby….you need to—” If she touched me again, I was scared I would explode, so I grabbed Nola’s wrists and pinned them above her head.
“Let me go, Scout,” Nola whined, her voice husky. “I want to touch you.”
But I couldn’t risk it; Nola had to come first, there was no way around it. I nibbled the trail along her neck, down to her collarbone, and finally to her breasts. Nola pulled her hands loose just as I dropped to one knee, taking one of them into my mouth and sucking it hard. Her back arched off the tiles, and Nola’s hands gripped my hair. While I played with her nipples, I slipped a finger inside Nola’s wet pussy and began massaging her.
“Scout…” she breathed, shuddering at the new sensation between her thighs. “I’m going to…” she stopped and moaned louder when I added another finger, “I’m…I’m going to fall,” she stammered.
“Don’t worry, baby, I won’t let that happen. I got you.”
I hooked one of Nola’s legs over my shoulders, and then the other, holding her against the wall. I lifted her higher so her thighs were in line with my mouth, then I plunged my tongue into her delicious middle, lapping up her juices. Nola’s legs tightened around my back as I licked, nibbled, and slurped her up, using my tongue to massage her g-spot with each flick. Nola pressed her hips further into my mouth and I drank her up willingly until her whole body began to tremble in pleasure.
“Scout…you have to stop,” she panted, “please, baby. You have to stop. I’m gonna...”
Nola’s body jerked violently, causing her to double over and grip my neck. I helped her to her feet, ready to carry her to the bed to get some rest, but she stopped me.
“Inside,” she whispered in my ear. “I want to feel you inside of me.”
“Baby it’s late and you’ve been working on your paper all day.”
“Scout, please,” she begged, almost causing my dick to burst right then. “Please…” She wrapped one of her legs around mine and leaned back against the wall. “Scout—“
Before she could say another word I plunged into her warmth, inhaling deeply and stroking her slowly so I wouldn’t come too quickly. Nola’s pussy was tight and moist, hugging my dick so perfectly it felt like she was made just for me.
She hoisted her other leg up, wrapping herself around my waist as I dove deeper into her. Nola nipped my neck, then kissed the flesh just behind my ear before biting it hard, driving me fucking insane.
We crashed against the wall, hips rocking and voices growing louder with each thrust. I felt close to the edge, but I didn’t want our dance to end; it felt too fucking good.
“Turn around,” I growled into her neck.
Nola’s feet slid to the ground and I flipped her over before slipping into her from behind. I palmed her breasts as I stroked her pussy, using my thumb to strum her g-spot. She screamed then, getting louder and louder each time I pounded into her and I could feel her body quake again. I picked up the pace, hammering into her delicious middle, sensing we were both close to our peak.
Nola curved backward, allowing me to dive even deeper into her sweet spot. She grabbed my head, bringing my face to her neck and my mouth to her ear.
“I love you,” she moaned, her whole body convulsing around my dick. “Scout…I love you,” she said over and over, and that was all I needed to explode.
We collapsed against the wall, sliding to the floor of the shower, which felt more like a sauna. Nola’s hair was big and wild, like Chaka Khan in the ‘70s, and she looked like a goddess—or what I imagined a goddess looked like—her golden skin glistening under the dim lights.
I cradled Nola in my lap as the hot water rained down on us, pruning our skin. But in that moment, we were too spent to move and too happy to care about anything other than each other.
27 Nola
“What’s all this?” Scout asked, just as I was finishing up a skillet of fluffy scrambled eggs.
“Breakfast!” I called; slightly miffed he’d ruined my surprise. Scout had been so wonderful to me—letting me stay in his place, tending to my every need, and setting by whole body alight again and again—and I wanted to return the favor.
“But how? I used up all the eggs and milk trying to make pancakes the other day.”
I pulled out a couple of plates and took the eggs off the stove. “You live in a really nice neighborhood, Scout. The stores around here deliver.”
“And you bought all this?” he said, popping a piece of mango in his mouth.
“Yup!” I piled pancakes, bacon, eggs, potatoes, and fruit on a plate and set it in front of Scout. “And I’m making you dinner too.”
He gazed at the food, surprised, then came around the countertop and lowered his lips to mine. “Wow. How the hell did I get so lucky?”
“Karma?” I said, enjoying the way I felt in his arms.
“Nah, I’m pretty sure that isn’t it. I don’t have enough good karma built up to deserve all of this.” Scout kissed me again, looked around at the spread, and turned back toward me, “Or you.”
I wondered the same thing. I didn’t understand how I was blessed enough to find a guy like Scout, especially when I wasn’t even looking. The first guy I’d ever allowed to get close to my heart had swept me off my feet and showed me that love—the thing I’d been so terrified of for years—was not only possible, but totally AH-MAY-ZING. I knew nobody was perfect, but Scout was dammed close, and I scarcely thought I deserved him. He was everything I wanted in a man, and everything I thought only existed in sappy movies. But Scout was real, and it almost felt like he was made just for me.
I wrapped my arms around his sturdy waist and inhaled. Scout smelled manly and fresh, like a brand new bar of Zest soap. “Better eat up,” I said, unable to stop myself from placing a kiss on his neck. “You still have a few more conference calls, right?”
Scout rested his chin on the top of my head. “Just two, then I can take you to campus to drop off your paper.”
“And to the Verizon store so I can get up a new phone since mine is broken.”
Scout saddled up to his breakfast and grinned, rubbing his hands together before he dug in.
“What happened to it?”
“Umm, you broke it.”
His head snapped up. “I did?”
“You don’t remember? You threw it across the room right before you kissed me for the first time. It shatt
ered and everything.”
“Oh shit,” he chuckled, looking way too cute in his tank top and shorts. “I’m sorry, baby.”
“It’s okay. It was super old anyway, but I was hoping it would last a little longer. Phones are so expensive these days, you know?”
“Well, I’ll buy you a new one,” he said, shoveling a forkful of potatoes into his mouth.
“Scout—“ I sighed. I still wasn’t sure I was comfortable letting him buy me things, especially expensive stuff like hi-tech phones or college tuition.
“Relax, Nola. I broke your phone, it’s only right I replace it. I’m not forcing it on you, okay? But it’s sort of how things work.”
He had a point. If I would’ve broken something of his I would have felt obligated to replace it as well, so I guess accepting a phone from Scout wasn’t such a big deal.
“Fine. I’ll let you buy me another one. But nothing fancy, okay?”
He chuckled and shook his head. “Baby unless you can travel back in time, all the phones are pretty fancy these days.”
“Whatever.” I rolled my eyes playfully, but I knew he was right. Truth be told, I was itching to trade in my beat-up Blackberry for a sleek smartphone, but letting Scout buy it for me felt…weird. I knew I was being silly—it was just a phone, not a million dollars—but the idea of letting someone else foot the bill for me still made me uneasy.
I pushed my ambivalence aside and reminded myself that Scout was my boyfriend, not some random guy off the street. If I couldn’t let him buy me something as small as a phone without freaking out, maybe I wasn’t ready for this type of commitment. Letting him go wasn’t an option, so I needed to learn to deal, and fast, before I messed things up.
“Speaking of phones,” I said, changing the subject. “Can I use yours? I need to check in with my job to see when I’m on the schedule.”
Scout’s eyes darkened and I saw his jaw tighten, but he didn’t say a word. Instead he reached into his pocket and slid his iPhone across the counter.
I pushed a button and tried to get it to work, but I couldn’t; it was locked. “I think you have to put in your password,” I said, starting to hand it back.
When You're Ready Page 18