With breakfast done and dishes rinsed and put into the washer Eric went back to the bedroom to finish getting dressed. When he returned Eric saw that Sara was gathering everything she needed to take with her work; a messenger style kind of bag that she was stuffing an iPad into and her wallet and she had her keys in hand.
“What time are you done with work tonight?”
Sarah stopped loading her bag to look at him as she answered.
“Well it's Monday so I’ll probably stay until 6:30, Monday seems to usually be paperwork day.” She answered with a shrug of her shoulder as if to say that’s life.
“Good, I'll pick you up at 7 o'clock and take you to dinner.” Eric flatly stated as thou it was a done deal.
Sarah looked a little uneasy her eyebrows were doing that scrunch thing again and she was fidgeting with her purse.
“Well actually Jo Ann and I made plans to go to dinner tonight since we’re staying so late.”
Eric was not happy and his whole body was screaming it, his stance widened, his arms crossed on his substantial chest, his face taut and lips thinned. He looked very foreboding when he asked “What time will you be back from dinner?”
“I don't know 9 o'clock maybe 9:30 Jo Ann and I usually talk the night away at dinner.”
“Well if you're going to be gone all day who's gonna be here when your mattresses is delivered”
“Well when I paid, I paid him a little extra to make sure he was here during my lunch hour. What time do you get off?”
“Baby I own the stores, I go in when I want to, do my paperwork and leave when I want, every now and again I have to step in for an employee who is sick but other than that I make my own schedule.” He was a bit arrogant when he answered.
Sara smiled at his cockiness. “Well I wish I could do the same but I'm just a lowly assistant so I need to go to work when they tell me to.” She rebutted with a sarcastic edge to her voice. She looked at her watch then looked back to Eric
“I need to leave in five minutes or I'll be late.”
“Okay I'm not gonna hold you up but I want to see you tonight so text me when you get home.” Eric was a bit frustrated, not at Sara but at himself, he was never clingy or needy but here he was trying to stick to her like glue.
“Okay I'll make sure to text you the minute I walk in the door.” Sara said trying to placate him. As she put her purse strap on her shoulder and headed toward the front door, with a pouting Eric behind her.
Chapter 21
Sara arrived at work a few minutes early and that’s the way she liked it. It gave her a chance to settle in and get her chi tea and after such a vigorous weekend she needed caffeinated tea. After all the trade shows and fashion shows they went to last week today it was time to do the paperwork. Contracts needed to be drawn and signed, orders sent, invoices checked, everyone needed their own copy and then everything needed to be put in the computer and filed. As usual Jo Ann came in right at 9:00. Without bothering to look up from her monitor as she was typing, her voice a little buoyant wearing a smile that just didn’t seem to go away Sara greeted Jo Ann.
“Morning Jo Ann, have a nice weekend?”
Sifting through her incoming mail, not having seen Sara yet Jo Ann returned Sara’s greeting.
“Morning Sara how was OH MY GOD!” at that moment Jo Ann had looked up from her mail and saw the big purple hickie on Sara’s neck. “Were you attacked by a blood sucking vampire?”
Sara reached up and touch the spot on her neck were Eric had marked her. “Shit I forgot to cover it up” Sara looked around making sure Jo Ann’s outburst had not grabbed the attention of the whole office. Jo Ann was about to open her mouth again but Sara put her finger to her mouth and shushed her.
“Shuuuusssshhhh, geez Jo Ann.”
Jo Ann rebuffed her shushing “You can’t just shush me, you need to tell me what you did this weekend to have gotten that.” She pointed at Sara’s love bite.
In a hushed tone Sara explained to Jo Ann “I was gonna tell you everything at dinner tonight.”
Shaking her head Jo Ann replied. “Oh no no no no no you can’t come in here with a hickie from Count Dracula and expect me to wait till tonight for you to tell me.” Jo Ann out stretched her arm with mail in hand pointed at the door to her office. “In my office, I can’t wait 9 hours.”
With an exaggerated sigh Sara conceded. “Fine” She pushed back her office chair, got up and followed Jo Ann into her office.
Once they were both inside Jo Ann shut her door, walked around her desk, dropped her mail and leaning on her hands that were placed on top of her desk with a deadpan look said.
“Ok out with it.”
Sara flopped down into the leather chair in front of Jo Ann’s desk. She leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees. Taking in a steadying breath she spilled the beans. “Ok so you remember Mr. Hot, Eric from the auction?”
“Oh my God you didn’t!” Jo Ann cutting Sara off, she covered her mouth with her hand in total shock. Then she began waving her hand toward herself demanding. “Details, details, I need details, was he good? Was he big? How long did he last?” Jo Ann’s eyes were big and bright as she asked her salacious questions. Now sitting at her desk she scootched in as far as she could leaning forward toward Sara as if that would help her to hear better. Impatiently she started to tap on her desk and whine.
“Tell me Tell me Tell me.”
Putting her hands up in surrender Sara caved. “Ok, I’ll tell you everything but you have to promise to not interrupt till I’m finished.” Sara waited till Jo Ann nodded in agreement and began to recount her weekend.
“So after I dropped you off I went and got dinner for myself, I was in the middle of a Game of Thrones re-run when he texted me...”Sara broke it all down, the first kiss, on the counter, in the shower, everything and she didn’t leave out a single detail. She smiled every time Jo Ann gasped in surprise or blushed and fanned herself.
“...So he wants to come over again tonight, I’m supposed to text him when I get home.” Sara finished with a big cleansing breath.
Jo Ann leaned back into her chair when Sara finished. She was physically exhausted just from listening. She had so many questions she didn’t know where to begin. So she just decided to start with the simplest.
“So are you two an exclusive couple now?”
Sara nodded as she answered. “He didn’t come out and say it in those words but everything we did and what he did say means exclusive to me.”
Jo Ann trying not to sound like she was second guessing Sara broached her next question carefully. “Sara, honey you seem to have fallen for him really fast, I mean the way you’re talking about him you sound like you’re in love with him. I know I encouraged you to go on a date with him, and even thou you’ve been divorced over a year you’re still on the rebound. I just don’t want you getting hurt. Are you sure these intense feelings are real feelings and not just infatuation, excitement, loneliness and great sex?” Jo Ann was trying to keep her voice calm and soothing, she didn’t want Sara thinking she was attacking her or mocking her. “You told me yourself, you never flirted, dated or been with anyone but your ex.”
Sara’s good mood plummeted as she listened to Jo Ann voicing her concerns. She knew Jo Ann was only worried about her and didn’t want her to get hurt. But Sara knew how she felt; this wasn’t infatuation, her feelings for Michael weren’t even a tenth of the strength of her feelings for Eric. Jo Ann was a good friend to worry about her. Sara wanted to put her at ease, so she tried to explain her feelings better.
“I know what you’re saying and you’re a good friend for being worried about me. But it’s not infatuation I don’t know how to explain it in a way that doesn’t sound cheesy. With Michael I was happy, comfortable; I loved how well we went together. But with Eric it feels like he’s a part of me. I feel whole; he has shown me parts of myself that I didn’t even know was there.”
Jo Ann watched Sara very closely as she went on to explain and wh
at she saw was absolute sincerity. When she spoke of Eric her lips curl up as she spoke, her body relaxed and her eyes sparkled. Jo Ann now believed that Sara was in love with him, she just hoped that he felt the same way. Jo Ann wanted Sara to know she was not against her and that she understood.
“Sara I wasn’t trying to play down your feelings I just wanted to make sure you were sure.” Jo Ann continued thoughtfully “Love at first sight, that’s amazing.” She smiled at Sara. “I’m happy your happy, now let’s get to work so we can finish go to dinner and you can repeat all the steamy parts to me.”
Sara laughed at Jo Ann’s last comment; she had said it in a conspiratorial teenage girl kinda way, like they were planning a slumber party to exchange gossip. Sara pushed herself up out of the chair and went back to her desk. Between her talk with Jo Ann this morning and trying to fix a few invoices that did not match the corresponding orders she was late leaving for lunch and almost missed her mattress delivery. The second they were done bringing in the mattress she had to high tale it back to work. On her drive back to the office she couldn’t control her lusty thoughts, she kept replaying in her head what Eric had whispered in her ear about breaking in the mattress and how he was gonna take her. She had the devilish thought of cancelling her dinner plans with Jo Ann so she could be with Eric sooner. Riding up the elevator her cell phone chimed with a text.
From: Eric Morales
Its after noon, was your mattress delivered?
Seeing his text made Sara bubble with joy. He was thinking the same thing she was. She was feeling frisky something new for her, she decided to play with him a little bit.
To: Eric Morales
Maybe
She giggled like a five year old when she hit send. He replied instantly.
From: Eric Morales
You trying to play with me?
He knew she was playing. So she continued her little taunt.
To: Eric Morales
Maybe
His responding text made her body temperature rise.
From: Eric Morales
I like to play to, especially with my tongue I’ll show you tonight.
The elevator doors opened on her floor, time to work so she put her cell on vibrate and stuck it in her purse so she wouldn’t be tempted to text him every five minutes like a love obsessed teenager. She was so happy and excited anticipating her night with Eric that even the loads of paperwork she had to get done didn’t put a dent in her mood. Before she knew it the stack of paperwork had dwindled and time flew by. She was finishing her last invoice in the pile when she looked up. Jo Ann was standing next to her desk tapping on her watch.
“Ok Sara I’m calling it it’s 6:45 let’s go I’m starving.”
“I just need to shut my computer down and we can head out, where do you want to eat?”
“Hmmmm I’m feeling like Italian tonight that good with you?”
“Yeah that’s fine.” As Sara answered Jo Ann she was pulling out her cell phone to check her messages. She had six texts all from Eric.
Chapter 22
Sitting at a little table for two at one of Jo Ann’s favorite Italian bistros they were enjoying their entrees when Sara’s phone went off again. Jo Ann exasperated asked. “Is that him again?”
Nodding confirming Jo Ann’s question she couldn’t stop smiling. He missed her and kept texting about every 10 minute or asking when she would be done or he texted naughty things he said he would do if she came home now. Jo Ann seeing Sara more enthralled with her phone then their conversation, decided to call it a night. She knew Sara wanted to be home with Eric and was only staying because she had committed to their dinner before Eric and she wasn’t the kind of person who left her friends flapping in the wind.
“Hey Sara”
Sara looked up from her phone when Jo Ann called out her name. She quickly put her phone down. “I’m sorry I’m being rude, I promise I won’t pick up my phone again till after dinner is over.” And with that she dropped her phone into her purse and set it back on the floor.
“It’s fine, I was actually going to tell you that I’m a little more tired from today then I thought so if it was alright with you I was gonna call it a night.”
Sara couldn’t keep the excitement out of her voice. “Really you’re sure we haven’t had dessert yet.”
Jo Ann smiled Sara was trying to be sincere when she knew she really wanted to be somewhere else. “Yeah I’m sure.”
They asked for their separate bills, paid, hugged goodbye and went their separate ways. Sara had never been so impatient to get home. She swore she got every red light and was stuck behind every slow driver that ever drove in San Diego. While sitting at a red light she texted Eric.
To: Eric Morales
Coming home now, meet me there.
Sara wanted to freshen up a little before Eric got there so she parked and hastily walked to her apartment. To her surprise Eric was already there, leaning against her door. In her hast to get to her apartment she didn’t notice Eric’s truck parked in the visitor’s space. She slowed her steps and he stood up to his full height as she approached with a blatantly smug look on his face. No doubt from the fact that he not only beat her to her apartment but that she was shocked he did.
“How did you beat me here? I only texted you from a few blocks away.”
“I have my ways.” He said teasingly, he reached for her and pulled her in close. “What have you done to me? I couldn’t think of anything but you.”
“Same here.” She stepped up onto her tippy toes to reach his lips for a kiss. Of course a simple kiss wasn’t good enough, so he pulled her up and laid one on her so smoking hot her toes curled in her shoes. Setting her back down he grabbed the keys from her hand and opened her door, tugging her in and back to her bedroom to break in the new mattress and to make good on some of the texts he had sent her.
Spent and completely languid from their love making, he lay with her spread across his chest, dragging his fingertips up and down her back loving the feel of her soft supple skin.
“Is that what I think it is?” She reached down to confirm what she suspected.
Chuckling he answered “Yes it is.”
“Again? You’re insatiable.”
Flipping them over so that he was on top he nudged her with his nose and placed fluttering kisses on her face.
“It’s you, I can’t get enough of you, I know this will sound crazy, us knowing each other for so little time but when I’m not with you I can’t stop thinking about you. When I’m with you I want to be inside you. If I could I’d keep you locked in this room with me and never let you out. And if I had to let you out I’d have my ring on your finger and my name tattooed on you so everyone would see that you are mine.” As he was talking he was maneuvering himself in between her legs and as he said mine he sled into her warm depths to make his point. He made love to her slowly thoroughly whispering to her over and over how he wanted her, needed her and how she was his and only his.
When she came it was the most intimate emotional climax she had ever experienced. And as she cried out his name it was more of litany with tears falling from her eyes. When Eric met his release it was the most profound feeling, he had never felt anything so strong, he had never felt closer to a person then he did right now at this moment. And as he gazed down into her eyes shining with tears he saw his whole future with her. For the first time ever he was in love, how funny that it could hit him so hard and so fast. He wiped her eyes away and took her lips in a long languorous kiss. As he pulled out of her to cuddle next to her, it was then he realized he hadn’t used a condom again and Sara hadn’t noticed, but now he didn’t care, he loved her. A part of him wished his seed would take root in her belly. It was crazy, love like this only happens in movies and books; but here he was lying next to a woman he had only known for three days and he was entirely and emphatically in love with her.
Sara lay awake in Eric’s arms; he had fallen asleep holding her close to him his face buri
ed in her hair. She was in shock, replaying his words. Did he really say he would put his ring on her finger if he could? Did she imagine that or did he say it as a figure of speech to emphasize how he wanted to possess her? She knew how she felt was it possible he felt the same way? She thought back to the look on his face while they made love, what she saw she could only be described as an almost reverenced look. As her body was tired her eyes slowly closed as she fell asleep unable to answer her own questions.
Monday had set a pattern for their work week. He would come over after work, they ate dinner that either he would bring or she would cook depending on how tired she was; and then they’d make love. Sometimes he stayed others nights he had to be home. On the nights he stayed in the morning he would make her breakfast as usual. Work for Sara was getting easier as she got to know the computer system, filing system, clothing distributors and all the like. She and Jo Ann would eat lunch together and she would divulge her latest tryst with Eric. Jo Ann lived off her stories the way she used to live off Jen’s. Jo Ann wasn’t hard up she could get a date if she wanted. She was smart, beautiful, and funny but after a nasty break up with her boyfriend of two years she decided to put her dating membership on hold.
Come the weekend Eric took her to Old Town as he had planned last weekend. And as he expected she absolutely loved it. They went into so many shops Eric had lost count. She ended up buying a cameo necklace, a blown glass vase and Eric bought her a silver ring with intricate scrolls and loops that held her birth stone in the middle. They had gone to his favorite restaurant, she ordered the ridiculously huge margarita and to Eric’s surprise drank it all. Of course she was tipsy afterward which made for a very interesting night when they got to her apartment. All he could say was that he was surprised the neighbors hadn’t complained.
Sara's Unyielding Lover (The Lovers Series) Page 11