Sweetness

by Jude Ouvrard

  I hated the weight that came with those words. Never in my life had I faced something like this. I loved him enough to live with him, but I was scared that he would find me boring after a month and kick me out. Waiting represented my own sense of security, I had to make sure our feelings would survive longer than a month. Deep inside of me, I knew they would, but my head kept warning me to remain cautious. “Soon.”

  He held me for long minutes without saying anything at all. We had faced our first impasse. He wanted something and I thought it was too rushed. I trusted him with all my heart, but time remained the only thing I truly needed from him.

  “I care for you, never doubt that, Cal,” I begged him to believe in my feelings for him.

  He brushed his lips across my temple and pressed delicate kisses down the side of my face. “I never have.”

  “It’s good to be home.”

  “It’s good to have you in my arms, here. You’re what matters to me, Iris.” With that declaration, I kissed him with everything I had in me. All the love, passion, desire and admiration. He responded to my attack with the same fervent hunger.

  His phone ringing interrupted us.

  “Rain check, baby, rain check.” He took the phone out of his pocket and stood up, stepping away from me. “Banks.” I could hear some of the words spoken, but couldn’t make out what he was saying. “Yeah, we’re back, Justin.” He listened and rubbed his forehead tiredly. “I’ll be there in forty-five minutes.” He ended the phone call with a sigh, meeting my gaze. “I’m going to have to work tonight. I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay.” I meant it.

  “Have you tried to reach your friend? We could pick her up in thirty minutes, on the way to The Whiskey Bar.”

  “I’ll have to text her.” I took my phone out of my pocket and while I sent the message to Krystal, Calvin tried distracting me with kisses. “You’re not fighting fair, you gave me a rain check and now, you’re teasing me. Game on, baby.”

  I completed the text and tucked the phone back into my pocket. Krystal basically had her phone implanted in her hand. I knew she would reply soon.

  “I’m a player, babe. I don’t ever lose.” His laughter echoed across the walls of the room. “But I really need to shower and get to the bar. After that, I’ll definitely play.” I could hear the excitement in his voice. “Game on, Hartwell,” he said spanking my ass so loudly, it paralyzed me for a second.

  “Calvin Banks!” I rubbed my ass, which hurt like hell. He hadn’t played nicely this time. “That hurt like a motherfucker!”

  His laughter resonated from the bathroom and regardless of the pain radiating off my behind, I laughed, too. The water in the shower turned on, and the temptation to join him nearly drove me wild but he had given me a rain check already. I didn’t want a second one. Well, mainly I didn’t want to disturb him; I knew he had to be at The Whiskey Bar soon. The bar had suffered enough from his absence already.

  While I waited, I changed into a sexier outfit, deciding to do anything to tempt him and got something to snack on from the kitchen while texting with Krys.

  Hey girl. Do you want to hang out with me at the lounge tonight?

  Hell yes. What time?

  I’ll be there in less than an hour. I’ll meet you there.

  When we got to The Whiskey Bar, Calvin kissed my cheek in a chaste way and went directly into his office. That office – the one where this had all started. A wave of heat ran through me – I would go back in there with no hesitation in a second. His hair was pulled back; his face clean shaven and he had changed his casual clothes for a dark grey suit and a red tie. To say he looked great was quite the understatement. When I’d first met him, I hadn’t cared for his business attire – it hadn’t impressed me but that attitude certainly changed fast enough. I knew now it made him who he was. With me, he acted differently; a nice and charming guy – but at work, his whole attitude changed. He had power, knowledge and looked every bit the successful business man.

  A tall, dark haired man followed Calvin, keeping pace with him. They walked into the office, and Calvin peeked at me one last time, offering me a small smile. It warmed my heart.

  “Iris, Krystal.” Julia calling out to us startled me. I was brought back to the table; but my eyes remained focused on the closed door.

  “Hi, Julia. How was the party New Year’s Eve?” I asked curiously.

  “It went well, in general. Had a few issues with some drunken idiots, but otherwise, I think we nailed it.” She sounded quite proud of herself. “It would have been fun to have you here.”

  “I didn't know about the party until after we had flown to Orlando. I wished we could have been here.” I’d loved spending time with my family, but I wished I could have been here, too.

  She laughed. “I’m glad you guys were away, if he’d been here, I think Calvin would have lost his mind. That guy, your friend from the other night, he crashed the party. He asked every single staff member where he could find you.”

  “Zach?” My heart hitched in my chest and Krystal grabbed hold of my hand, squeezing my fingers.

  “He was convinced you were here, no matter how many times we told him you weren’t. He’d had a lot to drink. Security got him inside a taxi and sent him home in the end.” She laughed again. “He must have had the worst hangover ever the following morning.”

  “I’m so sorry. Our friendship isn't exactly on good terms at the moment.” I knew I’d broken Zach’s heart, not once, but twice – and at this point, I feared that it would happen again.

  Julia shook her head. “It’s alright, girl. Can I get you anything?”

  “Tequila shots, please. Four of them” I rolled my eyes. Krys and her tequila. No surprise there – some things never changed.

  “I'll have a vodka and cranberry, please.” Maybe I should have ordered two. The thought of Zach trying to find me here was freaking me out. He’d never even tried to contact me by text or phone, so why was he coming here? For someone who wanted to see me so desperately, he hadn’t really tried particularly hard.

  I had a lot of news to catch up on with Krys. From Calvin and I getting together, to quitting my job at the restaurant, and starting the new one at the gym. There was a lot of catching up to do.

  “So you guys are official now?” Krys asked, taking her last shot of Tequila

  A smile laced across my lips. “Yeah, definitely.”

  She threw herself into my arms, hugging me strong enough for my ribs to hurt. “I’m so happy for you.” She released me and sat back in her seat. “When I saw the picture of you two on the internet, I flipped out. But you deserve to be happy. I thought you were going to end up with Zach, but I can understand why you're going out with Calvin.”

  What she had said was upsetting. “What do you mean? Do you think I'm with Calvin for the money and his status?”

  Krys shook her head determinedly. “Absolutely not. I know you better than that. I was referring to the light in your eyes, both of you looked so much at ease. I don't know what it is, but there's something about him. I think he's definitely a keeper. Plus, he gave me a ride so I could come and hang out with you. How sweet is he?”

  I flushed with embarrassment – if she only knew.

  “Hey, Iris!” I turned around to see Danielle headed our way, a big grin on her face.

  “Hey, Danielle, nice to see you.” She gave me a quick hug and I introduced her to Krys.

  “I need a drink.” Danielle rubbed her temples tiredly. “I’m exhausted.”

  “Is everything okay?” Something told me it was more than exhaustion that was bothering her.

  “Trouble in paradise.” She laughed. “Some douche bags keep bugging the hell out of me every time I finish my shift at the gym. I wanted to go home, but I ended up coming here to hide out for a while. They’re the wannabe thugs, hanging out at the small snack bar on the corner of the street.”

  “What do they want?” I asked, naively.

  “Me.” She chuckled, the s
ound bittersweet. “But I’m not interested. I have certain standards and those guys are trash.”

  “Have you told, Calvin?” I didn’t like the idea of her having to hide out here at the bar, if she didn’t feel safe and knowing how much Cal cared about her, he would never let those guys do that to her.

  She shook her head. “He has enough on his plate. Honestly, they’re a bunch of idiots trying to get into my pants. That’s all they are.” I could tell she was playing it down, but she wouldn’t be here it they meant her no harm.

  “Be careful, and don’t hesitate to tell Calvin,” I suggested. I didn’t know if Danielle and I were friends, co-workers or what our status might be, but she was important to Calvin and for that reason alone, I cared about her. Tonight, I would ask Cal to give her a ride home.

  A few cranberry and vodka’s later, a tall handsome man, wearing a designer suit offered me a dance. He’d loosened his red tie, his eyes were tired, but he still had that million-dollar smile. A heart-melting smile which had the power to warm up my soul.

  “Sweetness,” he said.

  It was the one and only word necessary, to let me know precisely where his mind was at.

  “Welcome back, baby.” With both of my hands flat against his chest, I could feel his heart beating through his shirt and the heat burned my hands.

  He stepped closer, caressing my waist and letting me know what he craved. “Not here, but I want to claim my rain check.”

  “You want to go home?”

  He kissed me and without losing time, deepened the kiss. “I can’t wait.”

  I peeked at him through my eyelashes. “You’ll have to wait. We have to drop off Danielle, too. I hope you don’t mind.”

  He frowned. “Danielle? Why?” The surprise in his expression confirmed he would be asking more questions. Whether they would be directed towards me or her, I had no clue.

  “Because I offered.”

  We danced until the end of the song. He twirled me around, bending me backward before kissing me. I adored how he could turn something simple into something special and romantic.

  He straightened me up and grinned. “Now, let’s get the fuck out of here before we end up in my office again.”

  Chapter FIFTEEN

  WE LEFT A TRAIL OF clothes from the front door to the bedroom. We tried to make it as far as his bed, but it never happened. Instead, my back was pressed against the wall while Calvin covered my skin with wet kisses.

  “Justin was trying to talk business, and all I could think about was the feel of your breast in my palms or the softness of your skin against mine.”

  “You were gone for a long time.” It had been two hours, maybe even three.

  “I’m sorry.” He hitched my leg up to his waist. “I had a lot to catch up on.” He pushed his cock against me, letting me know how much he wanted this.

  “I thought about how I could seduce you all night as revenge for being given a rain check, but you know what? I need you right now. I don’t want to play any games.”

  “Are you announcing defeat?” he whispered, his lips hovering over my nipple.

  “I am,” I muttered.

  With no hesitation he drew circles around my nipple with his tongue, sending ripples of sensation throughout my body.

  “You are such a tease, Calvin Banks.”

  “And you love it, Iris Hartwell.” He caressed my breast with hungriness in his eyes. “What do you want from me, sweetness?”

  “Fuck me, now, right here. Just take me.”

  He moaned. “I love how desperate you are to have me.” He rubbed his cock between my thighs, teasing me, as if I could take anymore. “Are you ready now?” he asked pulling back from me, a little.

  “Don’t go anywhere. I’m ready. All yours.”

  He looked at me with inviting eyes, his tongue licking across his bottom lip. God, this man had everything to make me fall under his spell.

  He ran a hand through his hair breaking his sleek look for the more rebellious beach boy. “Kiss me, sweetness. Show me you love me.”

  The words he announced threw me into a fury. I stood on tiptoe, trying to reach his lips until he helped me and leaned down. I kissed him with eagerness. The urge to show him how much I loved him transformed into a kissing marathon. I pushed my tongue inside his mouth, not asking for permission. I caressed his muscular back with both of my hands, taking control of his body, showering him with my love. The cool feel of the wall against my back, in comparison to the warmth of Calvin’s body against my front made me shiver.

  “Hold on tight, sweetness.” The tone of his voice was powerful and masculine. He gripped my hips and slid me higher up the wall to wrap my legs around his waist. When my feet were hooked behind him, he pushed into me, and stayed there, filling me to the brim. Our lips connected, the sexual tension reached the maximum level I could tolerate.

  “Cal, I love you.” I said the words with composure, even while I screamed them in my mind, urging him to take me harder, faster.

  With that being said, he took me, thrusting into me with roughness, all the tension coming out of his body. “I love you, sweet... Iris. I love you so much.” The emotion in his voice was palpable.

  Both of us in harmony, his thrusts were deep and fast. I moaned, biting on the skin of his shoulder making him groan in my ear. My fingers danced over the sweat covering his back, and the pull in my insides started building.

  “Calvin... so good.”

  He paused, out of breath. “Even when I try, it seems I can’t keep a slow pace with you.”

  “I don’t care, baby. Slow or not. It’s us.” I snickered. “Come on, Cal.”

  He took my hand and placed it over his heart. “Do you feel it?” I nodded. “That’s how much I love you and how crazy I am about you.”

  I swooned over his love for me. “I feel the same way, Calvin. Every time you lay your eyes on me, this is how I feel.”

  We stared into each other’s eyes, many unspoken words exchanged before we met half way and our lips linked. While we deepened the kiss, he pushed back into me. My fingers dug into his strong arms, holding myself as close to him as I could manage. The rhythm was swift, my back pressed against the wall. I couldn’t control the noises of excitement coming out of my mouth.

  The city lights from the open window kept the bedroom in a dim ambiance, adding a little touch of romance. Although, the room could be pitch black and Calvin would still be able to transform everything we did here into a romantic experience.

  The sensations in the pit of my belly started rising to the point where my blood pulsed faster through my body. My climax was coming, and I begged him to keep up the rhythm and he did everything he could to deliver my wish.

  My eyes closed, my grip on Calvin’s arms tightened, and when the apex was reached, Calvin didn’t stop. He pushed me further, trying to prolong my orgasm, always trying to outdo himself. My heart pounded in my ribcage making my whole body vibrating. My breathing erratic, I exhaled loudly on a groan. My body relaxed, and I leaned my head on Cal’s shoulder while he thrust into me one last time. His warm seed pulsed inside me, and his body went limp. He dropped to his knees on the carpet, both of us tired and sated. I couldn’t even think about moving.

  My eyes half-opened when I felt my body being moved.

  “Good night.” He kissed my lips before pulling the comforter over us. Holding me to his side, I fell back into a deep sleep, feeling safe and loved.

  The university was filled with students. Returning after the holidays was bittersweet for me. While I loved what I was studying, I missed Calvin and all the time we had spent together. I had moved half of my things back to the dorm and it felt wrong.

  We intended to see each other tonight at the gym and afterwards as well. My shift was to end at 10 pm. My phone showed it was two in the afternoon and exhaustion was already kicking my butt. I had the longest class first thing in the morning, it sucked the life out of me.

  I hadn’t seen Zachary yet. In fact,
I was doing everything in my power to avoid seeing him. I had stayed in my room until I had to run to make it to class on time and I’d gotten here late last night, much to Calvin’s discontent.

  We had spent our first night apart since we’d gotten together and it resulted in a shitty night of sleep, filled with nightmares. I cried, ate two chocolate bars and texted Calvin at 3 am, saying how sorry I was for not staying with him. Payback was a bitch. I woke up with my eyes lost in the black shadows surrounding them. My cereal box turned out to be empty, I had nothing to eat, not even coffee to drink. I hated this situation.

  Krystal knocked on my door, looking fabulous and ready to hit class. I felt like a lost puppy. I missed Calvin and waking up without him by my side made everything even worse. There was no doubt, he had become the center of my life, and I couldn’t live without him, not even for one more day. I had to find a way to fix this situation today. Would he accept it, if I asked him to sleep here? Maybe if I turned it into some sort of game? The only way to find out was to ask.

  I hadn’t heard anything from him since my break in the morning, and it worried me. I tried texting him again, but got no reply. It was on the verge of driving me crazy. I decided to call him when I couldn’t wait any longer.

  I dialed his number.

  “Banks.”

  “Hey, it’s me.”

  “I know. I love those jeans on you. Your ass looks amazing.”

  My heart skipped a beat. He’s here, I thought. I glanced around, but with the excitement my vision was blurry. I kept the phone to my ear. “Where are you?” I asked, impatient.

  “I’m right here, babe.” He laughed.

  “Calvin Banks, stop this. I’ve missed you like crazy and I don’t want to waste a second more without you.” The line went dead and two strong arms came from behind me and swooped me into the air.

  “I missed you.” He covered my neck with kisses and I squirmed. I couldn’t seem to stop giggling.

  “I’m so excited to see you here.” For some reason, I’d never thought he would visit me here on campus.