HIS OBSESSION-To Load

by Beck, J. L.

  Or it could have been the three drinks I’d already consumed. I was not used to drinking so much. But I was having so much fun with Tony that I decided I didn’t care. He was driving, right?

  But the more I drank the hotter he looked and the more likely it was that I was going to end up in his bed by the end of the night. And the way I was feeling, that was going to be just fine. I deserved a bit of fun.

  “I’d have to say the best place I visited was Amsterdam,” Tony said.

  “Really? I’ve never been anywhere out of the country, but I’ve heard The Netherlands are amazing.”

  “Oh, yeah,” Tony said. “It really is something else. I will never forget the amount of bicycles that were just everywhere.”

  “Really? Bicycles?”

  “Oh, yeah. Instead of parking garages like we have for cars, they had bike racks for as far as the eye could see.”

  “Wow, does nobody drive there?”

  “Oh, they do, but they don’t really want you to. The roads aren’t that wide and the gas is like ten dollars a gallon or something crazy,” he said.

  “That’s crazy,” I replied. “But I bet all that bicycling keeps them in great shape.”

  “Oh, yeah. There aren’t many fat Dutch people,” Tony said. He waved at the waitress to bring him another beer. “And they have the best beer.”

  I took another long swig of my hard lemonade, finishing it off.

  “Do you want another?” The waitress asked as she sat Tony’s fresh beer down on the table.

  I thought a moment trying to tap into my better judgement.

  “I probably shouldn’t,” I said.

  “Why not?” Tony asked. “She will take another,” he decided for me flashing me a sexy wink.

  The waitress nodded and walked away.

  “What the hell? Are you trying to get me drunk?” I asked.

  “You are having a good time, right?” Tony asked.

  “Well, yeah,” I admitted.

  “Then that is all that matters,” he said with a cocky smile.

  “Ok, but if you have to carry me home and put me to bed, I’m trusting you to be a gentleman,” I teased.

  “Oh, scouts honor,” Tony said.

  “Were you a scout?”

  He paused a moment as if trying to remember.

  Finally he said, “No.”

  At this we both burst out laughing.

  “So, up for a round of pool?” Tony asked standing up from his seat.

  “Sure,” I said grabbing my new hard lemonade the waitress had just plopped down in front of me.

  As I stood up, I felt the room move slightly. Yep, I was getting a bit tipsy. But as I made my way to the pool table I decided that I just didn’t care that much. I was out tonight to have a great time. Lola was spending the night with my parents and I was an independent woman who worked hard all week.

  Why the hell wouldn’t I let my hair down and have a blast?

  Tony racked the balls and it was mutually decided between the two of us that he break, mostly since I had not played pool in years and I wasn’t any good at it then. But I was willing to make a fool of myself in good fun.

  Tony lined up the shot and broke the balls hard, scattering them all over the table with a crazy amount of force. It sounded like a thunder clap in my ear when the cue ball struck the rack of balls. Off the break, he sank three stripes and two solids.

  “Ok, I’m stripes,” Tony said.

  “Great,” I said. Honestly, I didn’t care what balls were mine. I was just having a blast watching Tony work his magic, which he swiftly did moving from one shot to another expertly putting the balls in the pockets until he finally missed one.

  “Ok, your turn,” Tony said with a smile.

  “Yeah, that’s not intimidating,” I teased.

  He’d sunk all of his balls except two and the eight ball, which I knew we were supposed to do last.

  “Oh, you will do fine,” he said.

  I shook my head and searched for my easiest shot to start with. I finally found it and leaned over the pool table, suddenly aware that I was only wearing a tank top now. I had left my button up blouse at our table. Drinking always made me perspire and I had taken it off. Tony didn’t seem to mind one bit. He thought he was being cool, but I saw his eyes widen when I took off my top revealing double D cleavage to him.

  I lined up my shot and tried to zero in on the angle. When I thought I had it right, I pushed the cue towards the cue ball and connected solidly. Or at least I thought I did. Something happened and my cue stick slipped off the ball caused the cue ball to go nowhere near, where I wanted it to.

  “Wow, I am so embarrassed,” I said truthfully.

  “Why? It’s just a game,” Tony said sauntering over.

  “Ok,” Tony said taking my cue stick from me. “First, you should always chalk up to prevent slipping like that.”

  Tony took the chalk off the table and put a few dabs on the end of my stick. Then he handed it back to me.

  “Now, when you connect with the ball you want to push through it. You aren’t trying to hit at it,” Tony explained.

  He was now leaning over me. His broad, muscular chest was pressing softly against my back. I’m certain that both of us realized where our hips were. With just one small adjustment, my ass would right in front of his crotch. And that would have been pretty interesting…

  Tony’s face was looking right over my shoulder, his voice echoing smoothly in my ear. His sweet smelling breath brushed against my skin softly, erotically as he spoke.

  “Ok, we are going to do this one again. Just take it nice and slow,” he whispered.

  I followed his instructions and connected with the cue ball this time solidly. The ball hit my number one ball and sent it flying into the corner pocket.

  “Yes!” I cheered.

  I wasn’t really as bad at the game of pool as I was letting on and I think Tony knew that, but it was a fun, flirty excuse to get him to come over and touch me. Yes, I was that devious.

  “That’s how we do it!” Tony said wrapping his hand around my waist. God, I loved his touch. I was almost hoping he would turn me towards him and plant a big kiss on me right then.

  But he remained a bit reserved. I loved that about him. So far he was constantly keeping me guessing.

  We played a few more games and had a few more drinks. Tony almost let me win the last game, but I was so bad that I sabotaged myself. Oh, well. We had a blast. I couldn’t remember a time I’d had more fun.

  When Tony dropped me off at my place and walked me to my door, I was reeling side to side trying to put one foot in front of the other. Tony had paced himself fairly well with the beer since he was driving. I appreciated that. It would have been much less romantic if we’d had to order an Uber because we were both too smashed to drive. I was actually a bit disappointed that I’d allowed myself to drink so much, but once I started feeling that good and having that much fun Rosy’s bad influence was yapping in my ear telling me “If you are going to do it, then you got to do it right!”

  So I did.

  “Well, this has been an amazing evening,” Tony said when we reached my door.

  The moment I stepped out of his truck I almost fell to the ground. Luckily, I had enough wits about me to grab onto Tony’s truck and balance myself. “Um, I think you might need to assist me,” I said when Tony came around on my side.

  He shook his head in fake disappointment. “Wow, I can dress you up, but can’t take you anywhere.” He finished with a few shaming clicks of his teeth.

  “You kept ordering me drinks,” I said. “So, really if you think about it, you are responsible.”

  “Don’t blame me,” Tony said. “How was I supposed to know you were a lightweight?”

  “I think I held my liquor just fine, thank you,” I teased. “Besides if it weren’t for that you never would have beaten me at pool.”

  Tony looked at me almost inquisitively as if he was trying to decide the world’s
hardest algebra problem in his head. After a few seconds, he smiled and nodded. “Yes, you’re totally right.”

  Now standing in front of my door came what I remembered from my high school dating days as the awkward moment of a date. Or at least it always seemed to be awkward in all the romance novels I read. Not even Rosy knew that I tore through at least two cheesy romance books a week on my kindle. That was the great thing about kindle; no one knew what the hell you were reading. I smiled at the thought. That would be the perfect way to end this night.

  Well, unless Tony could do something amazing that would beat my waiting kindle app.

  “I had a fantastic time tonight,” Tony said. His eyes were warm and kind staring straight down at me. He was so tall. Yet another thing about him I found utterly irresistible. He stood about two inches over six feet, which would have put him a few inches taller than any other guy I’d ever dated. But then again everyone else I’d dated had been in high school, including Jake.

  “Me too,” I replied.

  “I would definitely love to take you out again,” Tony said. “If you’ll have me of course.”

  I laughed. How did he make the most cornball things sound so cute and clever? “Oh, I think we can arrange that,” I said with fake seriousness.

  We didn’t say anything for several moments, just staring into each other’s eyes. I knew what was about to happen and I couldn’t wait. My stomach felt like there was a rope inside of me that kept tying and then untying back and forth while butterflies danced around it trying to make me heave.

  My heart was beating faster in my chest. I’d totally forgotten the anticipation of things like this. I tried to breathe but my chest was growing tight as if trying to hold onto every ounce of breath in my body. My mouth was dry and I became vaguely aware that I was licking my lips repeatedly. Stop it! Wasn’t that gross? Surely Tony didn’t want to kiss wet, slobbery lips.

  Tony reached behind my head right then and gently brought me closer to him as he leaned down with his tall, opulent, majestic frame and kissed me softly on the lips.

  I had to open my eyes for a moment just to make sure that my lips were actually touching his, as if I couldn’t let myself believe that this was actually happening. OH MY GOD!

  And it was miraculous. His lips were full and soft, yet his mouth was strong. He was sucking me into him, pulling my essence from my body and I was more than happy to just let it go. Everything in the world that scared me, anything that tormented my thoughts or kept me awake at night—all of it could go to hell right then. I was happy and at total peace.

  Tony did not press harder with the kiss. He did not make it passionate or overly sexual. No, this first kiss between us was really all about connection. We had that spark, that romantic connection that everyone longed for, the connection that I had shoved out of my life long ago and had suddenly been reawakened by this charismatic, beautiful man.

  I wanted the kiss to last longer. I lusted for Tony to take me and make passionate love to me right there and then. I knew it was wrong and it would have been too soon, but all of my lust and desires were overwhelming my senses combined with my inebriated brain to bring every bit of sexual desire to the surface. It took all of my strength and inner balance to keep calm and just allow this sweet kiss to be what it was supposed to be without trying to force it to become something more. I did not want to go too far too fast with this guy. This was amazing and I wanted to enjoy the journey as well as I enjoyed the destination. I had a feeling the payoff in the end would be well worth it if I could just force myself to be patient. All I desired would come soon enough.

  As the kiss ended, Tony stood up to his full height, a sweet smile on his face. Neither of us said anything for a moment. It was like we were just reveling in the amazing moments we’d just shared together and we were content to let it hang in the air.

  “So, when are you free next?” Tony asked.

  “Um, I’m not sure,” I blurted out. “Uh, I mean, with Lola… I have to see when I can get a sitter. My family is usually fine anytime with keeping her during the week,” I said. I had no idea why I was suddenly unable to speak. I felt like I was babbling like an idiot. I couldn’t get the sweetness of that kiss out of my mind. I felt almost as if my whole life had been rejuvenated if that made any sense at all, to my mind right then nothing really made sense. And it didn’t’ have to. I was just happy. I was completely happy.

  “Ok, well just text me and let me know,” Tony said. “We will set something up. I should be free most nights this week, but it’s tough to tell with the assignments I might get if I’ll have a tight deadline and have to stay up all night.”

  “Wow, that sounds hectic,” I said.

  “Yeah, but I kind of like it. I feel like it’s a nice little rollercoaster. I love the pressure,” Tony joked.

  “Ok,” I said. “To each their own.”

  “Goodnight, Mia,” Tony said.

  He was started to walk towards his truck. I hated to see him go. I stood there watching until he reached his truck and gave me a final wave before starting the engine and driving away.

  “Goodnight, Tony,” I said to myself.

  Chapter Eight

  Mia

  I knew I should have just stayed home that night. I knew it as sure as I knew my own name, but the fire welling up inside of me just would not sit still. I had to go. I had to get this done.

  I’d been stewing in my room in Mia’s parent’s house all evening since I got home from work. Since Sofia came into the store the day before and showed me that picture of Mia with that good looking stranger I had thought of nothing else. The idea of her with another man had my blood boiling like a pressure cooker and it had reached its limit. I was about to blow up.

  I had no idea what I was going to do, but I knew I couldn’t just sit on my hands and do nothing. I had to talk to her. I had to tell her how I felt. I needed her to know I was willing to fight for her and if I had to prove myself over this other guy then so be it; I would do whatever it took.

  I laughed to myself every time I thought about what high school Jake would have done. I would have found this prick she was seeing and have a little talk with him. I’d warn him to back off or else and if he didn’t there would have been hell to pay. I would have beat his ass until his own mother couldn’t love him. Hell, high school Mia would have thought the whole thing was heroic and sexy.

  But this wasn’t high school. We were adults now and if I did something that stupid not only would I lose any chance I might ever have with Mia, but my ass would be thrown in the slammer so fast my head would spin around three hundred and sixty degrees nonstop for a week.

  I had to handle this delicately.

  “Come on man, you know your twin sister better than anybody. Don’t you have any suggestions?”

  Donovan looked at me like I was on crack. As the last ditch effort of a very desperate man I had sought out the guidance of Mia’s twin brother, who also happened to be one of my best and oldest friends. But the moment I asked the question I realized I was probably not going to get the answers I was looking for.

  “Dude, what the hell makes you think I know what to tell you? Just because Mia and I happen to be twins doesn’t mean we are sharing a brain or anything. I have no fucking clue. She has always been strong headed and she marches to the beat of her own drummer. You know she is considered the black sheep of the family.”

  “Hey, don’t call your sister a black sheep,” I said coming to my love’s defense. Best friend or not if Donovan spoke ill of the woman I loved I’d make him wish real quick that he didn’t dare open his mouth.

  Donovan smiled and held up a defensive hand. It felt mocking. I let it slide. He was right. I was getting way too uptight and freaked out by all of this. I had to clear my head.

  “Man, you know I love my sister and I want her to be happy. I also love you like a brother and I want you to be happy. But I really can’t get in the middle of your thing. What’s between you two is really between
you two. I’m Switzerland, here.”

  “Shit, I should have known this was a mistake,” I said sliding off the bar stool.

  Donovan was working the bar tonight at our favorite hangout spot, KNine, really the only cool place to hang out in our town, except for the Canal Bar which was far too yuppie for my taste.

  “Sit down,” Donovan said. He was walking towards me with a bottle of Wild Turkey. He grabbed a clean glass and filled me up a double. The glass slid across the table in front of me. I downed it in one gulp.

  Donovan promptly poured me another.

  “I should probably stop wasting time getting wasted thinking it will fix everything,” I said with a laugh. I decided to sip this drink and enjoy the flavors of the bourbon. That’s right, sip it just like a sir tonight. I needed a relaxed mind, not a drunk one if I was going to decide just how to approach this thing with Mia.

  “I disagree,” Donovan said pouring himself a shot of whiskey and downing it.

  I almost admired the guy. You had to love a job where you were expected to drink.

  “Maybe this new guy and Mia aren’t that serious,” I said. “I mean they’ve only gone out like one time, right?”

  “Well, twice if you count tonight,” Donovan said.

  “What? I thought Mia was just hanging with her friend Rosy tonight?” The only reason I knew this was because Mia’s parents were keeping Lola overnight tonight. I figured Mia and Rosy were just having some kind of a wild girl’s night.

  “No, it appears that Rosy is just helping her get ready and this new guy is picking her up for a proper date,” Donovan said.

  The way he was speaking so casually angered me to no end. Was he getting a kick out of this or was he just being his usual dumb self? Donovan had a habit of zoning out when he was talking to you sometimes as if his mind suddenly became focused on some random thought that was so interesting it demanded every molecule of his brain’s attention. That was when “Robot” Donovan showed up.

  “Shit!” I hissed slamming down my glass of whiskey. I felt like throwing it through the mirror behind Donovan and getting some anger out. This was the worst possible news I could have received right then. I’d been holding on to some shred of hope that the new guy would just be a dork and Mia would not want to actually go out on a real date with him. I’d been freaked out over a coffee date for God’s sake, but now an actual evening was happening between the two of them. What if it turned out well? What if he kissed her? Hell, what if they ended up fucking tonight?