by MJ Masucci
“A child shouldn’t have to live that way.”
“It’s the way I grew up. When I had the chance to leave with my mother, I took it. Joey and Tony wanted that life so they stayed with my father. They’re older than me and could make those decisions for themselves. Joey is your age and Tony is twenty-four. I wanted to be with my mother and I thought I would get some freedom. I thought wrong.”
“Is that why you said you wanted to go to California?”
“Partly the reason. I’ve never been there.”
“It’s beautiful. Maureen lives there. You should go.”
Julian noticed Nina kept staring at him intently. He stared back and she slowly slid across the couch until she was next to him.
“What do you want from me?”
“Kiss me; I need you,” she whispered.
Julian put his fingers under her chin, tipping her face up and planting a soft kiss on her lips. He pulled away slightly and opened his eyes. Nina’s were closed and she kept her face tipped up, waiting.
“Nina, what do you want?” he asked gently.
“I want you, Julian.”
She opened her eyes and they stared at each other.
“You’re innocent. Do you really know what you want?”
Offended, she moved away from him. “How do you know I’m innocent? I’ve done things.”
“I believe you have, but not what you want from me. Have you?”
“Yes, a couple of times.”
If she had, Julian was reading her wrong. His bet was that those times had been very unsatisfying. Probably fumblings in the back seat of a car or a basement family room. The way she was sheltered, how would she even manage to arrange it?
“How old were you?”
“Eighteen. It was with Madison’s brother. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do it.”
“Did he force himself on you?” Julian raised his voice.
“No, nothing like that. I sort of liked him. He was dating someone else.”
“Asshole,” he said under his breath. “That is not a decent man, someone that uses a child. Where is this jerk?”
“He’s married now and lives in Jersey. He was too old for me anyway, twenty-seven.”
“What a dick. You should’ve said no. You were barely an adult and he took advantage of the situation.”
Julian remembered seeing Madison’s last name on the roster for his class; Banner was the name. In high school, there was a Caden Banner three years ahead of him. Caden was a bully and in the popular crowd. There were times Julian wanted to tell him to go fuck himself, but he ignored him instead. He would spend most of his off periods in the arts lab away from the lunch crowd.
“I still see him when he comes to visit.”
“See him? You mean you still sleep with him?”
“No, I don’t mean that. I haven’t slept with him since the second time.”
Julian could feel his blood begin to boil, “And when was that?”
“It doesn’t matter. Why are you getting so upset?”
“I bet if you told your father or Frankie or Lou they would break this guy’s legs.”
“And that’s why I wouldn’t tell them. I’m an adult and I don’t have to tell them everything. He didn’t force me.”
“You gave something so precious away to a jerk. He seduced you.”
“Does it bother you that I’m not a virgin?”
“Why should it? I haven’t been with one since I was one. I just don’t think you should give it up to just anyone. You should love that person.”
“Did you love the person you gave it up to?”
“I did. Your virtue is a gift not to be given away so easily.”
“I’m sorry I upset you.”
Julian stroked her cheek with his thumb then took her face in his hands and brushed his lips against her forehead. He was gentle, softly kissing her lips and using insistent pressure to open her mouth. He sucked at her bottom lip, leaving her breathless at the sensual feel.
Nina moaned as he moved down to nibble at her chin and below. He moved his mouth slowly to her neck, feathering kisses along her smooth skin. Julian inhaled her scent, savoring it in his nose. His hands tangled in her long hair and she followed suit, tugging at his unruly locks. When his mouth found her earlobe, she softly cried out as he sucked it.
Nina tugged to release Julian’s shirt from his waistband; when it was free, her hands slipped under and traveled over the ridges of his stomach. She moved her hands to his back and ran her nails along his spine. He shivered as electricity floated up and down its length.
He leaned back against the arm of the couch and pulled Nina onto his chest. They were nose to nose and he kissed the tip. They were both aroused and breathing hard. Julian could feel her nipples pressing against his chest and he was sure she could feel his arousal against her hip.
“I think we need to cool off. Would you like to take a walk to the creek?”
“You have a creek?”
“Yes, would you like to see?”
“Can we lay here for a few more minutes? I like this very much.”
He wanted to say no because the ache between his legs had become unbearable. The cold water of the creek would calm him, but he had to admit, he liked feeling her in his arms too. A few minutes later, Julian prodded Nina to get up. They were both sweaty and the breeze outside would cool them.
“I’ll take you to my favorite spot by the water. It’s a pretty I think you’ll like.”
They walked hand in hand to the creek and his favorite spot, a stack of natural rocks that created a small waterfall.
“You can sit on the top step and let the water run over you. It’s so gentle now that you don’t have to worry about being washed down the rocks. I usually come here during the summer to relax.”
“Julian, can I ask you something?”
“Anything, sweet pea.”
“Do you live here because you can’t afford to live in town?”
Julian started to laugh, “I can afford to live wherever I want. I live here because my father and grandfather built this place and it makes me feel close to my family.”
“You don’t need to work?”
“I chose to work to keep my mind occupied. I don’t need the money. My father did very well in business and when my parents passed away, I didn’t need to worry about finances. I live frugally because I want to, not because I need to it. My truck is fourteen years old and it’s fine for me.”
“I didn’t mean to pry.”
“It’s alright to ask questions. I want you to know.”
Nina sat down, taking off her socks and sneakers. Julian toed off his topsiders and stepped into the water. She followed and he took her hand to walk over the smooth rocks of the creek bed.
“In the springtime, the water can get pretty deep but it’s no more than about three or four feet in that corner,” he said as he pointed to a spot near the other side of the creek.
“Is this all yours?”
“Yes. I own twenty-eight acres. My nearest neighbor is a couple of miles away so I get to do whatever I want here. Uh, not sure I should tell you this but the other day when your father came over he caught me naked. I was wearing nothing but my boots.”
Nina giggled, “Really?”
“I didn’t expect anyone here and the driveway is far away from the road. I just walked from here to the house and there he was.”
“Did he say anything?”
“Yes, he was curious why I was naked. I explained.”
Nina’s brain started to conjure up pictures of Julian naked. It made her feel warm all over especially in her belly. She had already seen his lovely chest and back.
They waded around in the water for a little while and then Julian took her to a spot a short way down that they could sit and dangle their feet in the cold creek. He sat her down on the warm rocks and joined her, taking his shirt off before he sat beside her. She couldn’t help staring at his body.
“Do you work o
ut?”
“Not in the usual sense. I do work around the property and it keeps me in shape. I chop up trees that have fallen and haul the wood. I do my own repairs and mow the lawn with a hand mower. In the winter, I cross-country ski and snowshoe in the woods. You should come with me sometime. I’d like that. I like you.”
“I like you, too. I think I should go.”
“Go? I was enjoying your company.”
“I’ve been here for a couple of hours already. If I stay too long, Frankie will come looking for me.”
“Is that ever going to stop?”
“Maybe if I get married. Well, if they ever let me date someone.”
They put on their shoes and Julian walked Nina back to her car where they stopped to embrace. He kissed the top of her head when she looked up at him.
“That’s won’t hold me until I see you Tuesday. I need more.”
Once again, Julian firmly placed his lips against hers. His heart began to speed as her hands caressed the muscles of his back. He groaned as their tongues found each other and danced. He grasped Nina’s hair in his hand and gently tugged, breaking the kiss so he could lick her neck.
“You taste good. I’d like to taste more of you some time,” he groaned.
It was hard to keep his wits about him when all he could think about was taking her to his bed. His lips found hers again.
She whimpered as their kiss became more passionate and her nails dug into him. He reluctantly broke their union.
“You better go before I do something I shouldn’t.”
Nina ran her fingers over his jawline and chin. He grabbed her hand and sucked on her fingertips, kissing each before he released them. The look she gave Julian told him that if he took her to bed right now, she would give no resistance.
“Go. I’ll see you on Tuesday night.”
After Nina had driven away, he headed back to the creek to cool off.
Chapter 5
The path to Tuesday was agonizingly slow. Julian kept himself occupied by working on projects for his clients, but sometimes he found himself staring off into space thinking of her. Nina was in his head and he wasn’t quite sure what to do about it. She was so young and inexperienced about many things, especially life.
He was well traveled with the financial means to do so. She was educated, but sheltered. Still, Julian couldn’t think of a reason why he shouldn’t pursue her Nina.
Before he left for class, he took special care with his appearance. He combed back his hair, but it wouldn’t behave and fell to its familiar residence on his forehead. He shaved and dug out a bottle of cologne that had long sat unused. Instead of his worn jeans, he pulled on a pair of slacks and a polo shirt.
She’s seen you in your old clothes so why are you bothering? But he felt more confident wearing what he thought of as teacher-like clothing. Nina would probably laugh at him. On the way down to town, he got stuck behind a slow moving truck. He kept checking his watch knowing that he would end up late but keeping in mind that passing on such a dangerous road was suicidal.
The parking lot was full when he got there with two minutes to spare. The classroom was full of his students who were chattering until he began to call role. When he called Nina’s name, he felt a shiver when she replied. Her sweet voice was like music to his ears. She peered around her easel and smiled widely at him. It made him feel heated and he wiped at the small beads of sweat on his upper lip.
After he assigned a project, he began to circulate the room, stopping at several student’s easels to give instruction. He lingered behind Nina’s easel and leaned in close to her ear, “I’ve missed you.”
She fluttered her eyelashes at him and it made him want to chuckle, but he held back. He moved onto Madison’s painting and almost swallowed his tongue. She had no business being in this class. She scowled at him when he made some suggestions about how to improve; Julian gave up, moving onto the next student.
He anticipated the end of class. He wanted to touch Nina and her scent was in his nose from when he leaned in to talk to her. She was getting to him and he wasn’t used to that. Usually, women fell all over themselves for him, not the other way around. It had been hard for him to remain respectful in college with so much female attention. He could have bedded anyone he wanted, but the loss of his family made him choose only those that didn’t want an emotional attachment.
Maybe it was time to get over his problem with attachments. After all, he was attached to Maureen and she was fine. Other than distance, she hadn’t left his life. As class ended, he waited for his students to file out. Nina remained seated and waved goodbye to Madison who gave Julian a dirty look as she passed.
“Goodnight, Madison,” he said as she walked by him.
He closed the door after her and when he turned, Nina was next to him.
“You missed me?”
“I did. I thought your father said you should come for art lessons more than once a week? When is that going to start?”
“Tomorrow if you want.”
His heart jumped. He wanted to see her again and that would make three days in a row with class on Thursday.
“Fine. Can I walk you to your car? I’m sure Frankie is lurking around here somewhere.”
“He’s not. I said I could drive myself.”
“Do you want to have coffee at Sloan’s?”
“I’d much rather do something else.” Nina leaned close to his face, looking at him through her thick lashes.
He knew what she wanted; it was the same thing he did and Julian hungrily pressed his lips against her, pulling her tight to him. She embraced him and pulled at his shirt so she could slip her hands under it. Her fingers gently caressed the muscles of his back.
Julian skimmed the sides of her torso until his hands were under her arms and thumbs near her breasts. He wanted to touch them but he wasn’t sure if she was ready for it. Their breathing picked up and was the only sound in the room. Slowly, he moved his hands until he was cupping Nina’s breasts. She sighed deeply in his mouth, slightly arching her back to fill his hands.
“Touch me, Julian,” she said in a breathy whisper.
He did, his fingers exploring her nipples, gently rubbing until her breathing became a pant. The door opened and bounced hard against the wall, startling them both.
“Hands off, kid,” Frankie said.
Nina wheeled around and stared angrily at him, “Why are you here? I said I would be fine.”
Frankie shrank back and Julian almost laughed. She dwarfed him by at least six inches and about one hundred and fifty pounds, yet he seemed scared of her.
“I’m just following orders. You know that.”
“I’m going to have a talk with my father. I don’t need this shit anymore. Give me five more minutes.”
Frankie stood there looking at her then closed the door quietly.
“Where were we?”
The mood was broken, “You should go. I’m sure he’s probably standing right outside the door. It’s a bit unnerving.”
“Julian, don’t pull away from me. I’ll fix this.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said bluntly.
She grabbed his hand as he walked past her, “Julian?”
“Don’t read into it.” He kissed her on the top of the head and walked out, nodding to Frankie as he passed him.
On the drive home, he was incensed. Was this how it was going to be? Her bodyguard always watching and her family interfering? If Nina didn’t straighten it out, he would need to end it. They weren’t children.
When he pulled into his driveway, his phone chimed. He checked the incoming text message.
Please don’t be upset with me.
I’m not upset with you. I’m upset with the situation.
I already spoke to Frankie. He said he would leave us alone.
It’s not Frankie that worries me. He’s controlled by your father.
I’m going to talk to my father tomorrow before I come for my painting lesson. What
time should I be there?
What time is best for you?
How about late afternoon. My father will be here to visit in the morning.
Very well. I’ll see you tomorrow. Goodnight, sweet pea.
Julian parked his truck and got out. In the house, he poured himself a full glass of red wine and went to sit on his porch. It was a warm evening and he sat for longer than usual watching the fireflies and listening to an owl hooting in one of the trees nearby. He hoped Nina would be able to work something out.
In bed, he lay upon the pillow that still faintly smelled like her. When he changed the sheets, he left the pillow case on where she had laid her head. He liked the smell. That night, Julian dreamt of her, making love to her, marrying her. The dream startled him awake. They weren’t even close to that stage, but it was possible his subconscious knew more about it than he did.
Julian sat on the couch in his painting studio looking at his watch, Nina was late. She had said late afternoon and it was nearing five. He was worried. His texts had gone unanswered and he was on the verge of dialing her number when the large blue car pulled into the driveway. Shit, that’s Vito’s car.
He watched from the window as Lou got out then opened the back door. Vito exited and reached his hand for Nina. He couldn’t read her face; it was blank. Might as well face the music. Julian headed down the stairs and exited the garage to greet his guests.
“Mr. Caro. Lou, Nina.”
“We got some business to discuss. Nina, you stay here with Lou.”
“No, Papa. I want to come. This is about me.”
“Nina tells me that you’re more than just her teacher. I don’t like when people are dishonest with me. I’ve hurt people for less.”
Julian could feel nausea rising in his throat. I bet you have.
“Sir, I’m not sure what you mean.”
“You don’t? You have an interest in my daughter. I expected an honorable man to ask my permission to date her, not fuck around behind my back.”