by P. G. Van
“I will be quick or I can use the guest bathroom if there is one,” I said calmly, fully understanding his intentions.
“None of the above,” Nick said pulling me into his arms at the top of the modern staircase.
I laughed at the irritation in his voice and said, “I will be back in your arms in no time, I promise.”
“Okay, I will use the guest bathroom then,” Nick said nuzzling my hair.
The upper level of the condo had a landing area that overlooked the main entrance and seemed to have two bedrooms. One bedroom had the entrance right at the beginning of the landing area and another one with huge double doors towards the far end. Nick led me towards the double doors and opened them to reveal another breathtaking view of the bay with wall-to-wall glass windows. The bedroom had a beautiful chaise and a leather chair at the far end of the room facing the bay and a super chic and sultry bed. The massive bed screamed mid-century modern style with a grand frame and posts at all four corners. The hardwood veneer had a dark antique finish and a rectangular headboard with matching side tables, and the dresser added a nice chic to the entire room.
I suddenly started to feel overwhelmed and stood at the entrance staring at the room as I realized the amount of wealth that allows for the kind of lifestyle that Nick leads. Nick set my bag on the dresser and turned to look back at me standing at the bedroom entrance and said, “Come on in, the bathroom is right here to the left.”
“Nick,” I said my voice barely audible.
Nick’s expression changed as soon as he picked up the strain in my voice and in a few swift steps was back to where I was standing with his palms caressing my face.
“What is it?” he asked looking into my eyes.
I looked up at him and teased, “You really are a spoiled brat!!”
Nick smiled and asked, “Why do you say that?”
I laughed and said, “A house on the peninsula, this awesome apartment in the heart of San Francisco. Spoiled for sure.”
Nick smiled and said, “The house on the peninsula is my parents,” and added in a calm tone, “I bought this place with my hard earned money. I don’t believe in cruising along with what my dad worked hard for all his life.”
I smiled at him and said, “That’s the guy I was friends with many years ago.”
Nick said as he put his arms around me and pulled me into his embrace. “Did you miss me after I left India?” he asked softly after a few minutes of silence.
I nodded and did not say anything. Nick reached up to kiss me on my cheeks and said, “I know you went through a lot,” and added, “Why do I still see so much pain after all these years?”
I clung to him and buried my face into his chest.
“I don’t know what you see in my eyes Nick. I feel like I have enough pain pent up in me to last a lifetime,” I said shaking my head.
“I can help you deal with that pain, Sameera. Let me help you,” Nick said comforting me.
“I know you can, and every minute I spend with you gives me hope that things can be normal for me again,” I said smiling at him.
“I am glad to hear that,” Nick said stroking my back and added, “why don’t you go shower and we can talk downstairs?”
I nodded and went into the master bathroom. Nick left the room to shower in the guest bathroom.
Almost a half hour later, I was blow-drying my hair when Nick came back into the massive bathroom. I almost didn’t hear him coming with the blow dryer so close to my ear. It was perfect timing as I had just pulled on my jeans and paired it with my scarlet red silk blouse. The blouse had a very graceful V-neck and pleated sleeves. I normally wore a tank top under the blouse as the V-neck was a bit too revealing, but for tonight I had decided to skip the extra layer. I turned off the blow dryer as he came up from behind and put his arms around my waist making eye contact with me in the mirror. He looked absolutely ravishing in a white polo shirt and jeans. Holding the gaze through the mirror, he kissed my ear and drew in a deep breath of my hair.
“Sameera, your hair…I love the smell. Is that Jasmine?” he asked with his voice muffled.
“Nick, what is it with your obsession with my hair?” I asked with amusement and added, “Yes, that is jasmine from my shampoo.”
“Aah, so you did notice,” he said nuzzling my hair and added, “I really am obsessed with your hair.”
“Stop it, Nick,” I said giggling and turned around to face him.
“I love what you are wearing, it’s a great color on you,” Nick said looking down at the soft lustrous silk top.
“Thank you. It is one of my favorite blouses,” I said blushing.
“I also like the view from up here,” he said teasing me.
I fought back my initial reaction to put my hand on the neckline of my blouse, but said smiling, “Enjoy it then” and reached up on my toes to plant a kiss on his lips. Almost immediately, he stood up on his toes laughing and standing up taller so I could not reach his lips.
I started laughing at his teasing gesture and took it as a challenge to reach his lips. I put my arms around his neck and tried to pull myself up but was not very successful in reaching his lips.
“Pretty frustrating huh?” Nick teased with a lot of travesty in his eyes.
Still smiling at him, I released my hold around his neck and dropped my hands to wrap them around his waist. He kept looking down at me laughing with mockery. I very slowly slipped my fingers under his shirt and started to run my fingertips along his spine. After I reached up half way, I flattened my chest against his and gently dug my nails into his back and looked up at him with desire in my eyes. The mockery in his eyes disappeared replaced with a deep longing. As his hand reached up to caress my cheek, I brought my lips to his for an everlasting sense of warmth and care. His lips were so gentle, and he let me lead the engagement. I heard him draw in deep breaths as I heard my heart pounding in my ears. His hands made their way to my waist and toyed with my waist chain, which seemed to be another one of Nick’s obsessions.
As Nick planted a flurry of kisses along my neck he murmured, “You definitely know how to get me started.”
“I also know how to get your lips on mine,” I said through heavy breathing as I arched my back.
“You absolutely do, my love,” Nick said burying his face in the neckline of my blouse.
Chapter Twelve
Nick and I walked downstairs hand-in-hand after showering and found the dining area set up romantically with the perfect lighting coming only from candles. The table was set for two with tea and Thai food.
“Wow, Nick did you set this up?” I asked surprised, sitting down on the chair as Nick held it out for me.
“Your boyfriend is not talented in this area, so I sought the help of experts,” he said smiling as he sat down.
I blushed at him referring to himself as my boyfriend.
“What’s for dinner Nick, I am starving,” I said looking at the stuff on the table.
“Well, we have jasmine tea, salad, and shrimp in Thai red curry,” he said serving me some jasmine tea.
“Nicely done, Nick,” I said and added, “I love shrimp in any form.”
“I am glad to hear that and yes, I know how much you love shrimp,” Nick said serving salad.
“How do you know I love shrimp?” I looked at Nick quizzically.
He looked at me smiling and said, “It will be a lie if I told you that I remembered from back when we were in India, but I found out through my sources.”
“You asked Nate,” I stated with confidence.
“It would be spooky if my source were someone else,” he said.
“When did you talk to her?” I asked.
“At the airport,” he paused looking at the lost expression on my face and added, “When she came to meet Srini at the airport.”
I laughed realizing that it was just a few hours ago that this beautiful evening had started.
“Ohh, I totally forgot that you met them at the airport,” I said sm
iling.
“Nate was delighted to find out that they were going home in the limo and was ready to answer all the questions I had about you,” he said as he took a bite of his salad.
“Seriously, you bribed her for the information?” I accused.
“Not really, Srini wanted to use the limo to bribe her to get lucky later tonight, and I just took advantage of the situation to get the info I needed,” Nick said very coolly right as I took a sip of my jasmine tea.
I found Nick’s explanation so hilarious that I almost spewed my tea and in my attempt to stop the tea from spraying, I ended up sending the tea down my windpipe. I started coughing and Nick came to my side in a split second to make sure I was doing okay. I continued laughing as Nick looked at me concerned and confused as to what started my frenzied reaction.
“Are you okay, Sameera?” he asked sounding very concerned as I continued to cough in between the laughter.
“Nick, I am okay,” I said and continued, “and you need to stop saying things like that when I have fluids in my mouth.”
“What did I say that was so funny?” he asked confused.
I laughed and said, “You just didn’t realize that you were talking about my older sister’s boyfriend getting lucky tonight.”
Nick smiled to himself, ran his fingers through his hair, and said, “I know, it’s a guy thing, and I don’t have the usual filters on when I am with you,” he said as he settled back into his chair.
I processed what he said about not having any filters around me and it filled me with a high sense of pride, and I felt a wave of warmth sweep over my body. I stood up and walked over to Nick putting my hands around him as I sat down on his lap. Nick said surprisingly, “Wow, what did I do to deserve all the love?”
I planted a light kiss on his lips and said looking into his eyes, “For being yourself with me.”
“I don’t know how not to be myself around you,” he said pulling on my lower lip with his thumb and index finger.
As he gently rubbed my cheek with his thumb, I looked at him and asked, “Do you think we would have felt this way about each other if we had managed to be friends even after you left India?”
“I really don’t know,” he said and added, “but I intend to make up for lost time,” as he slipped his hand under my blouse and grabbed my waist.
I laughed and said, “As you say, Nikhil.”
Nick took in a sharp breath and pulled me closer to him and said in a rugged voice, “I don’t know what it is about you addressing me by my full name, but it just drives me nuts and I can’t figure out why.”
My laughter died when I saw the look of desire in his eyes.
“You were the one who insisted that I call you Nick,” I complained.
“I know, for obvious reasons, Sameera. You really don’t want me getting indecent in public,” he said smiling.
I laughed out loud at the public indecency part, and I saw his eyes cloud with a deeper desire and he said softly, “Did you know I had a serious crush on you when I was in India?”
“What?” I said almost falling off his lap and covering my mouth with my hands.
“Yes,” he said very calmly and added, “and that is probably the reason why I am a mess around you.”
“Oh no, was my mom right?” I said confusing Nick, and I added in response to his expression very cautiously, “My mom told me the other day that she thought that I had a major crush on you.”
“What?” It was Nick’s turn to be surprised.
“Yes, she also told me that I was too much of a tomboy to realize that,” I said laughing and added, “but I think I loved you as a friend. I wouldn’t have forgotten that easily if I did have a crush on you.”
“Wow, this is so bizarre and amazing at the same time,” Nick stated.
“Spooky, in a way,” I added laughing.
“This is actually a good piece of information Sameera. A lot of things fall into place for me now,” Nick said deep in thought.
“What things?” I asked.
“Well, I will tell you but not tonight,” he said smiling.
“Nick, does this mean we are in an adult infatuation phase?” I asked sounding worried.
“Sameera, I have had my fair share of relationships, and I have never felt this way about anyone so let’s not second-guess what we have.”
Stung by jealousy at the thought of his girlfriends I said softly, “Okay and while we are on the topic of past relationships, I want you to know that I never felt this close to my ex and I never uttered the three magical words, it’s only with you.”
“I am honored,” Nick said smiling and continued, “I am so glad your ex was an idiot.”
Nick hugged me to ward off any bad memories and it worked. I stayed in his embrace for a few minutes before realizing that I had interrupted his meal.
“Nick, so sorry about interrupting your meal, you should finish eating,” I said as I started to get off his lap.
He pulled me right back into his lap and said, “I don’t need to eat as long as you are here in my arms.”
“Don’t hit me with your amateur poetry now,” I said as I got up and added, “I will start cleaning up right after you are done.”
“Don’t worry about the cleanup Sameera,” Nick said flatly.
“Nick, I need to be able to do stuff to feel comfortable in your space,” I stated.
“As you like it, my love,” he said backing off.
“Now you are going all Shakespeare on me?” I teased.
“Okay, I am done here, let’s clean up,” Nick said getting up from his chair.
We spent a few minutes putting away the leftovers and stacking the dishwasher with our dishes.
“Who does your dishes?” I asked curiously.
“I very rarely eat here Sameera and when I do, I just stick the stuff in the dishwasher and when PammiMa and her team come for the house cleaning, she runs the dishwasher and does the overall cleaning.
“Spoiled brat and who is PammiMa?” I asked teasing him.
“PammiMa is Raj’s mom. She takes care of the household stuff at the family residence and here,” he said smiling.
“Yes, spoiled,” I repeated looking at him with mischief in my eyes.
“Easy, my lady. I was sent to study in India for many reasons and one of the major ones was for me to realize what I am blessed with and that always helps me stay grounded,” Nick said smiling.
“I know, I am just teasing you,” I said looking at him with warmth.
After clean up, Nick excused himself to make a phone call, and I wandered back into the living area admiring the beautiful view and slid into the ultra-luxurious leather sectional looking at the tiny lights moving on the surface of the bay. The magnificent Bay Bridge was elegantly lit with the series lights that made an engineering marvel look beautiful and graceful. Nick came back into the living area and probably did not see me laying on the sectional at the junction and called out my name with sheer separation anxiety.
“I am here Nick,” I said raising my hand.
He laughed and said as he walked up to where I was lounging, “Were you hiding from me?”
I shook my head and said, “Just enjoying the view.” I then asked, “Do you ever get bored of this view?”
Nick sat next to me pulling me close to him and said, “I barely sit down and take in the view even though I got this place for the view.”
“Nick, you have to stop and smell the flowers once in a while,” I said looking at him smiling.
Nick put his arms around me, pulled me onto his lap with my back to his chest, and nuzzled the nape of my neck saying, “You mean, like this?”
The sudden touch of his lips on my neck sent shock waves through my body, and I automatically put my arms on his arms as they tightened their grip around my waist. I leaned back against him and stretched my neck backwards to rest my head on his shoulder as he continued his invasion with his ice cold, fire-edged tongue working at a perfect pace. I groaned and reach
ed backwards with my hand to run my fingers through his thick, dark, smooth hair. As his tongue triggered waves of pleasure through my entire body, his hand gently moved up to the V-neck of my silk top and slid under the shirt and my inner layer gracefully. Nick and I drew in a deep breath in unison as his fingers found my aroused nipple. With amazing coordination, his finger and his tongue matched the patterns on my neck and my nipple.
“Nick,” I said almost yelling out his name unable to contain the desire within my body. He paused as I turned around to face him and said almost whispering, “I want you, and I want you to make love to me.”
I saw his eyes darken and deepen with desire.
“Meera, baby you don’t need to rush it,” he said caressing my cheek with his palm. I took a deep breath and took his hand that was caressing my face and placed his palm flat on my chest and said, “Listen to my heart, my heart wants me to,” and I slowly guided his palm down my body to my navel area and added, “And my body wants it too.” I heard his deep groan before he reached forward and put his lips on mine, pushing me flat on the sectional and pinning me down with his weight while kissing me with a sense of deep hunger. He gently lifted the silk top over my head as he got off me to take off his shirt. When he took off his t-shirt, I noticed the bite mark that I had given him earlier that week on his shoulder. I reached to touch his shoulder where my teeth had left the mark. He looked down at it and said with utter joy, “Thank you for the souvenir my darling.”
“Nick, I can’t believe you still have the mark. It must be painful. I am sorry,” I said.
“Sssh, it’s the best thing ever,” he said comforting me.
He suddenly got off the sectional and took my hand and said, “Let’s go upstairs,” and added, “I will carry you upstairs if you don’t feel like walking.”
I shook my head indicating that I didn’t want to be carried and said, “Yes, let’s go upstairs,” taking his hand.
A few minutes later, we were back in the luxurious bedroom, and in the dim lighting, the majestic bed had a sultry look to it.
Nick reached for a remote and turned on the music system and a few seconds later, I heard the sound of a soft flute playing. I stood near the bed with my arms around me as I had left my silk top in the living area. Nick put down the remote and put his arms around me with my hands still in front of me and whispered, “Are you really ready?”