“So do I, Mom. So do I.”
It was past six when Blade came to pick me up. I was waiting in the parking lot when I saw his black Mercedes slide in between the neighbors’ cars. I was disappointed he hadn’t come on his bike, and told him so as I climbed into the passenger seat.
“The traffic is too heavy to ride the bike now,” he said, driving away. “But I promise I’ll take you on a ride one of these days.”
“I’ll hold you on that. Where do you live?”
He told me his address, which wasn’t more than fifteen minutes away from my own place.
“I bought the condo right after I left Allie and filed for divorce.”
“So... You haven’t lived there with her?”
“No.”
A wave of relief washed over me at his prompt reply. I didn’t think I could have made love to Blade in the bed he’d shared with another woman. While I had to accept he’d had other women in the past, that would have been truly unacceptable.
His condo was in a quiet, upscale neighborhood, with lots of green patches and narrow, one-way streets. The underground parking lot was full of expensive cars. Looking at them, I experienced a strange feeling of déjà-vu, like I used to have whenever I was faced with what I called Blade’s rich world. Funny, now it didn’t bother me anymore. I had the conviction I was as good as any of the people in his world, or even better.
He opened the car door for me, then we headed to the tall building, with mirror windows and marble steps. The spacious lobby was done in black and white marble, looking more like a museum than a residence. We took the elevator to the fifteenth floor and kissed like teenagers all the way up, making the ascent more meaningful in its anticipation.
Blade opened the door of his condo for me and I stepped in, my heels tapping on the marble tiles. A statue of a naked, sensuous woman adorned a corner of the large foyer. The filtered afternoon light streaming in through vertical blinds gave the place a surreal glow. Everything was done in warm tones of honey-brown and deeper tones of dark-brown.
He showed me the spacious, simply furnished living room and the pristine kitchen, then the two smaller bedrooms. I thought he’d saved the master bedroom for last, and with good cause. The room was breathtaking. A massive bed covered in black satin sheets dominated the space, which was lighted only by symmetrical streaks of late-evening sunlight that snuck through the drawn shutters. The nightstands, closet, and other furnishings were all in deep shades of dark-brown, which contrasted with the silvery headboard of the bed.
I gazed around at all this opulence, feeling pampered as a cat. My stomach fluttered when I turned to Blade.
“I forgot to bring an overnight bag.”
“You won’t need anything,” he whispered gruffly in my ear, then wrapped his hands around my waist and lowered his mouth to mine
Fourteen
To wake up to a divine smell of pancakes and coffee was great. Add to that waking up in a soft, larger-than-life bed, between satin sheets, after an entire night of mind-blowing sex, and you have the key to heaven. Though I wasn’t sure that people had sex in heaven.
That alarming prospect brought me fully awake with a slight frown on my face, which disappeared at once when Blade entered the bedroom, wearing nothing but a pair of black boxers. I must be the most depraved woman in history, because even though I was feeling the soreness of long-lasting passion in every muscle, my mouth watered at the sight of him.
“Morning,” he said, smiling down at me as he walked toward the bed.
I smiled back and stretched voluptuously, hiding a yawn under my hand.
“Morning.”
“Did you sleep well?”
“Mmm-hmm... Almost as good as the times we were awake.” I gave him my pussycat smile, as he sat down next to me and bent to kiss me.
“Breakfast is ready.”
“I know,” I said, sniffing the air. “I’d forgotten what a great cook you are.”
“Let me refresh your memory.”
With that, he stood and exited the room. He returned after a few moments carrying a tray. I rose to a sitting position, wrapping the sheet around my breasts, more from reflex than from any need of modesty. He put the tray on my lap and sat next to me.
I lowered my face to inhale deeply the fabulous scent of a pile of yummy-looking pancakes. Next to them were a jar of chocolate cream and two mugs of coffee. I took one sip and closed my eyes in ecstasy.
Blade reached out and took the other cup.
“I can’t believe it’s Saturday,” I remarked.
“Believe it. We have two whole days with nothing to do but be together.”
I lifted my hand to stroke his stubbled cheek, then traced his lower lip with one finger.
“I love the sound of that,” I told him, then turned my attention to the pancakes.
We spent the day relaxing, shopping, strolling through the park and passing the time with endless hours of talking. We had lunch at a small restaurant, after which we went to watch a movie and necked like teenagers in the dark, stuffing ourselves with popcorn.
In the evening Mom called me, insisting that Blade and I go to my place for dinner. So we returned to his condo to unload the trunk full of shopping bags, then climbed back into the car and he drove to my apartment.
When I unlocked the door, Rat came by to greet us, tail raised and throat vibrating in purring excitement. Mom appeared from the kitchen, followed by a marvelous smell of home-made pizza and, if I wasn’t mistaken, her special extra-spicy chicken soup. She wore a green dress that made her cheeks look pleasantly flushed. I was amused to see that, for once, her hair obeyed her and sat neatly around her head, no doubt held under control by a full can of hairspray.
“Hello, Mrs. Jameson. Thank you for having me to dinner. It smells delicious,” said Blade, handing her the huge bouquet of roses he’d bought for her.
“Oh my, they’re so beautiful!” Mom beamed up at him. “Thank you, Blade. You’ve always been such an attentive young man. I’m so pleased you’re here. Come in.” She gestured to the living room, then turned to me. “Angie, darling, is that a new dress?”
“Yes. Blade and I went shopping. Do you like it?” I asked, making a pirouette to show off the white, low cut dress, with a tight waist and short skirt.
“I love it! You look wonderful. Now go into the living room with Blade. I’ll bring dinner.”
I guided Blade through our apartment to the living room—a large, sunny space with wooden floors and simple furniture. One corner of it was reserved for guests, to serve as a dining area. Mom and I had arranged it next to one of the windows—a square wooden table surrounded by an L shaped couch and two chairs.
I invited Blade to sit on one side of the couch and I took the other side, after bringing a bottle of wine and three glasses. Rat promptly rushed in and climbed onto Blade’s lap, kneading his jeans and black T-shirt with tiny, sharp claws.
“I love this cat,” Blade said, rubbing the furry ears, while the kitten rubbed his head against Blade’s palm.
“Me too. So does Mom, though she doesn’t admit it.”
“I don’t admit what?” Mom asked from the doorway, coming in loaded with a tray.
“That you love Rat.”
I got to my feet to help her.
“Sure I love him. What else can I do after you dumped him on me and hightailed it?” she joked, putting the food on the table.
I went to the kitchen to bring the rest of the food, plates and cutlery. When we finally sat down to eat, Mom let out a small, satisfied sigh and smiled at me, then at Blade.
“How are your parents?” Mom asked him, while plating the food.
“They’re fine. Living the boring small town life, where nothing much ever happens.”
Soon we found ourselves reminiscing about our old life and acquaintances in Jamestown, asking about who married who, who left town, and other such gossip. To my amazement, the memories weren’t painful anymore. I couldn’t yet say I was fond of th
ose years, but now I was able to appreciate the sweet memories Blade and I had built in that small town. Our past history had brought us together, and that was something I would always be grateful for.
After we finished eating soup and pizza, Mom excused herself to go and get some ice cream, waving me back on the chair when I started to rise and help her.
After she disappeared in the kitchen, Blade tilted his head to whisper in my ear, “Will you spend the night at my place?”
I turned my head to stare at him and opened my mouth to reply, but no sound came out. It all seemed to be moving so fast between us, but at the same time, things only seemed to move in their natural way. I gazed deeply into his dark eyes, finding there the love and longing that matched my own. I nodded slowly and he bent his head for a quick kiss, just as Mom was returning with the ice cream.
After dinner, I left Rat to keep Blade company and went to the kitchen with Mom, under the pretext of clearing the table.
“What do you think?” I asked her in a whisper after putting the dishes in the sink.
“He is a gorgeous man, Angie! Even handsomer than he was before,” Mom said, also in a stage whisper, watching me with large green eyes and a brilliant smile. “So well-mannered and well-spoken. On top of that, you can tell he’s successful. I’m so happy for you! You deserve a man like that.”
“Thank you, Mom. He’s the most special man I’ve ever met. I still can’t believe he’s mine. Er... Do you mind if I spend the night at his place?”
Mom’s nicely shaped eyebrows arched.
“Again? Well, this is quick. Of course I don’t mind, baby. I have that furry little devil to keep me company,” she said smiling. “You and Blade have the right to make up for all the time you lost.”
“Thanks for being so understanding. You’re the best mom in the world!” I said, hugging her tightly.
I went to my bedroom to stuff some clean underwear and my toothbrush in my handbag, then came back to the living room, where Blade and Rat waited for me. After we said goodbye to Mom, and Blade promised he would be back soon to visit, we left.
Darkness had fallen over the city, making all the multicolored lights look brilliantly magic. The air was cool and the fresh scent of blooming jasmine overlapped the smell of exhaust gas.
“What do you want to do?” Blade asked, sliding a hand around my waist, as we walked to the parking lot. “Do you want us to go out, to a movie or something?”
I laid my head briefly on his shoulder.
“No. I just want to go to your place and relax. It’s been a long day.”
“How about a long bath?”
“Sounds divine!”
I sighed dreamily, closing my eyes at the tempting thought.
Tempting was an understatement. Blade’s tub resembled a small pool, except the water was very hot. We sat buried under scented foam up to our necks, with me lying over Blade’s chest, my buttocks firmly tucked between his thighs. He had one forearm supported on the edge of the tub, and moved his fingers idly, tracing circles on the bubbly surface of the water.
“It feels so good to have you here, like this,” he said, kissing my temple. I leaned into him, rolling over to face him.
“I know. I’ve never been this happy in my life.” I smoothed the wet hair away from his forehead and my fingers touched the scar on his temple. “Not even three years ago.”
He cupped my cheek in his palm and lifted my face to him. He kissed me deeply and thoroughly, igniting my desire for him with every sweep of his tongue inside my mouth.
I was breathless when I lifted my head to gaze at him, feeling my eyes as glazed as his.
“I think we’d better get out of the tub,” he said huskily, as his hands traveled down my body to cup my bottom and press me to him.
“Okay,” I whispered back with my lips still touching his.
I stood up slowly, letting the foamy water reveal my body inch by inch, thrilling in the intense arousal that sparkled in his eyes as he watched me, mesmerized. I smoothed my hands over my breasts, belly and thighs to wipe the traces of foam, and saw his gaze become even glassier, as he followed the lazy movements of my hands. I reached for a bath sheet and wrapped it around me, then stepped out of the tub, my stare still locked with his.
“I’ll be waiting for you in the bedroom.” My voice and eyes radiated invitation and promises of sinful bliss.
“I’ll be right there.”
He rose as well, graceful as a big, dangerous feline. I caught my breath at the sight of his hard, naked body, and his obvious desire. I backed away to the door, never breaking visual contact until I slid the door closed behind me.
I felt my feet floating above the ground, as I breezed around the bedroom in a drunken, euphoric state of happiness and sexual delight. Such was my distraction that I jerked when I heard a phone ringing. I looked around dazed, and saw the ringing came from Blade’s phone, which was sitting haphazardly on the nightstand. I stared at it for a moment, then walked over to check the display. It read Allison calling. The picture of a smiling blonde looked back at me from the small screen
Fifteen
I squinted down at the screen. I had only a few seconds to appraise the woman who’d lied her way into Blade’s life. She didn’t resemble me that much really, only her coloring was similar to mine. Fair flawless skin, dark blonde hair, light green eyes under drastically arched eyebrows. There was something about those eyebrows and the expression on her face that made me think of Snow White’s malefic stepmother. I narrowed my eyes and tightened my lips involuntarily, then firmly grabbed the phone and answered.
“Hello.”
I deliberately made my voice sound contented and satiated, like after a fantastic round of sex. I could tell she was taken aback by hearing a feminine voice, which told me Blade hadn’t had other women around him, at least while he was with this Allison.
After a few seconds she asked, “Who is this?”
Her voice sounded brisk and annoyed, in total contrast to my faked sweetness.
“Blade’s girlfriend,” I replied. “Who are you?”
“His wife.”
Her sour reply caught me at the ready. At that moment I saw Blade from the corner of my eye walking into the bedroom, wearing nothing but a smile, which faded when he heard me speak into the phone.
“Oh, you mean his ex-wife? Yes, I think Blade mentioned you,” I said in a dismissive, bored tone, looking straight at Blade, who stood expressionless in the doorway. “Can I help you with anything?”
“I need to speak with Blade,” the woman said, and I could almost hear her teeth grinding.
“He’s in the bathroom, but I can give him a message. Oh, wait, he just came in. Hold on.” I handed the phone to Blade, who sat on the bed. He looked at me with what I could only assume was amusement, confirmed by a nearly imperceptive twitch of his lips. He took the phone from me saying, “Thank you, baby,” loud enough to be overheard. His voice cooled considerably as he put the phone to his ear. “Hello, Allison. What can I do for you?”
He listened for several moments, then said, “I will come tomorrow to pick up all the things I left there. I hope they don’t bother you.” After a short intervention on her side, which I couldn’t hear, he said, “Well then, throw them away. It’s even better like this. You’ll spare me of the unpleasantness of one last visit.”
She was probably shouting invectives at him, because he inched the phone away from his ear for a few seconds. When he spoke again it was to say only a brief, “Take care of this matter as you deem fit. Goodbye.”
He disconnected and stretched a hand to place the phone on the nightstand. Then he looked up at me.
“Come here.” He reached out to grab a corner of the bathrobe I clutched to my chest, but I resisted and turned away from him, going to the window.
Even though I acted blasé about it, I was shaken by the scene. Barely now I fully realized the impact of Blade’s hasty marriage. Even though he hadn’t loved Allison, he’d lived
with her for three months, shared a bed, intimacy, perhaps dreams and long midnight conversations. He had kissed her and made love to her. The thought of him touching her, watching her with the incandescent passion I thought was reserved only for me nearly made me double up with emotional pain.
When he came up behind me and put his arms around me, I almost flinched and drew away, but he held on tight, forcing me to turn and face him.
“What’s wrong?”
He was looking down at me, holding my shoulders firmly between his powerful hands.
I glanced away, avoiding his gaze.
“I don’t know, Blade. It’s just that... I’m beginning to realize that you truly have been married. Maybe you haven’t loved her, but I can’t help imagining you in bed with her, making love to her the same way you do with me.”
“No!” he said sharply, shaking me to make me look up at him. “Angelina, don’t ever say that. I’ve never, never felt for anyone what I feel for you.”
“But you still slept with her!” I shouted, feeling irrational but unable to stop the tears from flooding my eyes.
“I did, yes,” he said, letting me go and plowing frustrated fingers through his hair. “But it didn’t mean anything, I swear it to you. I know I sound like a jerk, but it’s true. I tried to find in her something that wasn’t there. I tried to find you in every woman I dated, Angelina, but it was impossible. Sex didn’t mean anything with any woman, except you. How can I make you understand that?” His voice rose in desperation. “It’s like the guys you said you dated. You kissed them, right?”
“It’s not the same and you know it!”
“It’s not much different! When you perform an act without feeling any real pleasure or happiness, it doesn’t matter if it’s kissing or fucking. What makes it different and vital with you is the fact that I love you. I’m crazy about you. Don’t you know that by now?” he pleaded, cupping my face between his palms and staring intently into my eyes. “Angie, I want you and no one else. Allie was my wife only by law, but never in my heart. I want you to be my wife, my only real wife, to love and to cherish for the rest of our lives.”
Unabridged Page 9