In the Nick of Time (14 page)

“My name is Nicholas Vitale, but you can call me Nick.” He slicked his tongue over his lower lip, and what a beautiful lower lip it was indeed…

The man scanned the room as if looking for someone in particular. When he made it to her, he paused. Their damn eyes locked and her stomach somersaulted like Dominique Dawes. He seemed to lose his track of thought, but quickly gained it as he moved past her and continued his visual assessments of the world around him. “I’m here of my own free will.” He rocked back on his heels once again. “I’m addicted to alcohol, possibly cocaine too. The jury is still out on that.” He shrugged his shoulders, smirked, and looked briefly down at his dark brown leather loafers…

I bet those are LL Bean… not too expensive, not too cheap. Means he is middle class with some taste, but doesn’t spend too much… Eva foam cushioning I bet, too. He likes to be comfortable; maybe used to moving around a lot for his job… He’s built nice. His shirt fits him perfectly; with just enough give to not make it too tight, but enough where I can see the shape of his muscles. He’s tall, slender, but very well built. He definitely works out… maybe his job is physical? Mmmm! What tasty eye candy. Finally!

She laughed internally…

“I’m from Brooklyn, grew up in Brownsville, and still live there.” He paused and scratched his elbow, leaned a bit to the side, clearly growing more and more uncomfortable as each moment passed. “I’ve been here for four days, but I’m just now seeing everyone because I was in detox… This is the longest I’ve ever gone without a drink since I began drinking, actually. I’ve been drinking alcohol since age ten. I’m now thirty-two.” His Adam’s apple bobbed about as he swallowed deep and hard.

“Um, not really sure what else to say.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. His jerky movements told on him, let her know he was nervous, felt out of place. “Oh, I guess I could tell you all what made me turn myself in, so to speak.” A tense smile creased his face. “I started doing things I didn’t remember…and I began to have hallucinations. Not only that, I felt I could endanger others if I didn’t do something about this.” He sighed.

“Things were getting out of control, I guess you could say.” He clasped his hands together as he stared at the floor, perhaps looking to it for inspiration. “…And I like being in charge of what happens to me and
how
it happens, too. This was my last time,” he pointed to himself, “being in a position where I could control my destiny because if I had been busted, then everyone else would have been making the decisions for me.” Several people nodded, but Taryn simply sat there, enjoying the sound of his smooth voice, his gorgeous bluish-gray eyes, and the way his furry brows kept dipping when he’d grow silent, seemingly drifting away into his own world. “That’s all I have…that’s it.” He took his seat.

“Thank you for introducing yourself, Nick.” Frieda nodded and smiled at him before the room lit up with welcomes as well.

“Welcome, Nick…”

“Good morning, Nick…”

“Nice to meet you, Nick…”

Taryn remained quiet for a long spell, and decided to speak after everyone else had.

“Hello, Nick. It’s nice to meet you.” She liked how she spoke; it came out perfectly, like a kitty purr and soft feline rub against a smooth leg on a cold winter’s night. The man glared at her the entire time, his beautifully shaped lips slightly parted and his chest rising a bit faster and harder. She broke their mutual trance; turned him loose as she spun away and cleared her throat before clasping her hands around her knee. She swung her foot, dangling her sandal like a carrot, back and forth, back and forth, super satisfied with herself.

Yeah, it’s thirty degrees outside and I have on sandals. So fucking what…

“Thank you…”

She turned back his way then, surprised he’d acknowledged her single reply out of all the ones tossed in his direction. He’d only nodded at the others, but with her, well, he spoke; the beautiful man
spoke.

He ate my little purring kitten with his lion voice…

She ran her fingertips over her mouth as if he’d just kissed her, and in a way, he had. Now, he wouldn’t turn away and heat filled the room.

I’ve seen thousands upon thousands of gorgeous men. I’ve posed with them, dated a few male models, too. I swear, not seeing any beefcake can make a woman lose her damn mind! You’d think there was no penis within a thousand miles… Wait, I haven’t had sex in over a year. No wonder I’m a mess. My Lord!

She burst out laughing, causing people to look in her direction.

“Oh…I’m sorry.” She faced Frieda, but could feel the man’s eyes still upon her.

The morning session went on as usual, and she struggled so, like an ice cube under the summer sun to stay afloat, in one piece. Mr. Vitale
kept
staring at her; it was quite unnerving the way he carried on. She fixed her face just so, pretended to be intrigued by Marquita’s stories of being a bar attendant and drinking the stash. Or by Enrique’s tales of smoking crack-cocaine in between teaching his students and then double crossing a drug dealer, which only left him fired, untrustworthy, penniless and with a broken leg once his supplier caught up with him. She’d heard it all before, and no story, rendition, legend, or saga shocked her anymore. After group was over, it was time for her to make her way to aerobics class. She stood from her seat, her head held high as she glided past the man, putting her all into it.

I walked for a living…

I can turn anything into a stage. This is my runway. Watch me show and prove! Watch this, Mr. Vitale.

Work it, bitch!

She gave herself an internal pep talk along the way, stifling her laughter at her utter silliness. It felt fantastic to get effervescent butterflies, a hoopla of childish giggles, and to simply feel alive. The blood in her veins pumped a bit faster; her pussy cried out, sensing the beautiful, fresh meat in the near distance. Nick was cause for celebration. He’d be a welcome distraction, and just
maybe,
she’d have new friend.

… A fuck buddy never hurt either…

That woman has
no goddamn hair…

Nick smirked as he sat there watching her. Her bone structure shook him the hell down. He’d never seen such an impeccable woman. From the top of her perfectly rounded head with a sprinkling of dark fuzz down to her long, well kempt feet, covered in sandals for some odd reason—she was an image of erotic perfection. Her lips were what sank his ship, though… Glossy, full… perfect.

I bet those big, soft lips would feel so good wrapped around my dick… Damn, she’s fucking gorgeous!

He was supposed to be in active recovery after four days and three nights of hellish withdrawal. His body became a grave, and detoxing from alcohol proved much worse than he’d imagined. Regardless, he made it through. When he’d initially arrived, he was stripped down and his body and belongings searched. He felt a void—nothing at all. The male nurses patted him down, made him bend over and spread his fucking ass cheeks, told him to cough and all the shit he was accustomed to telling guys he’d just arrested to do. Now, he found himself on the other end of the damn spectrum. After he showered and re-dressed, rigorous testing immediately commenced.

They’d drawn his blood over and over; urinalysis also done, twice. He was told in no uncertain terms that his body was a walking factory, an adult candy store filled to the brim with all things harmful. Two nurses and a counselor explained his results as they turned page after damn page. He was a fucking mess. His blood pressure and cholesterol were sky high. Luckily, he was disease free; no STDs, no diabetes or heart disease. The ailments he did have were all due to his drug abuse and he was assured that once he was clean and stayed sober, as well as adopted a healthy lifestyle, he should be just fine.

He was encouraged to eat a little, though his appetite was nonexistent. After skipping breakfast, he was reminded once more to get a bite or two. Yet, since he’d been in a damn hole for three nights, his body in serious alcohol withdrawal, the last thing on his mind was food. But, he knew he had to push past that, force the shit down. He resigned himself to some fruit and a toasted half bagel, figuring it would be the best he could do…

…But when he looked across the room, he suddenly had a taste for pussy…

I’ve never been attracted to bald women before. Matter of fact, I prefer long hair on the ladies that catch my eye. But… she barely has any at all. This is fucking comical.
He cracked a smile as he realized he was crushing on a woman with a head shaped like a peach…and all she had was the fuzz…

I wonder if she cut her hair all off in a fit of rage or if she is really is going for this sort of look?
Is she crazy? Did she pull a Britney Spears? Doesn’t matter… I’ll still fuck ’er.

The woman moved like a damn swan. She was poised, even possibly egotistical, and any woman who didn’t have a pinch of hair and one as flat chested as she but who held their head fucking high as if a crown were atop it
definitely
got his damn attention.

…She has a nice ass though. A real nice ass… I could bite into that, slide my cock up down the crack… Never fucked a bald-headed woman before. This could be fun…

When the morning group was over, he had a little free time, but all he could think about was tracking down Ms. Bald Eagle and making the woman lend him her gold hoop clad ear.

Bald eagles are on the endangered species list. I better get to her while I can,
he joked to himself as he looked around for her.

And there she was, her nose in a book as she walked the side of the hallway, her shoulder against it as if she needed the wall for support.

“Heeyyy.” He slid up beside her, a big, greasy grin on his face. He made sure to pull one of the better ones from his arsenal. She may like a guy with a nice set of teeth. She looked at him with her sparse eyelashes and blinked seductively. He drifted his gaze to her neck and her partially exposed shoulder, adorned with what appeared to be a very detailed tattoo, and took notice that the woman’s pores were totally uncovered.

She doesn’t have a bit of hair ANY goddamn where, including her eyebrows.

Instead of being turned off by such an odd sight, he found it somewhat alluring, damn near erotic…

She smells good, too. I bet she keeps herself real clean. I bet her pussy smells like nothing at all… like water. I want to find out…

“Hey.” She smiled back and slid the book inside a cream-colored canvas bag. “How are you?” She raised her hand to shake his.

Friendly little thing, isn’t she?

He smirked and shook her hand heartily, causing them both to laugh as they turned and began to walk side by side.

“I’m okay. Uh, where are you on your way to?”

“Aerobics, then yoga.”

“Yoga, huh?” He raised a brow and gave her the once over. “You like that?” He slicked his tongue over his lower lip.

I can work you out… make you sweat. Bend you over, shove myself nice and hard inside of you…

“Yes, I enjoy it. After that, I do meditation. What about you?”

“I’m scheduled for meditation class, too. I have to meet with my counselor in like ten minutes though.”

“Oh, who do you have?” She paused, crossed her arms over her flat chest and looked at him.

“I believe his name is Charles.”

“Yeah, I know Charles. You’ll like him.” She nodded.

“Well, that’s good news… So uh, how long have you been in treatment?”

“It depends on what time you are asking about.” She didn’t smile, but her tone was pleasant enough.

“Wow, that sort of journey, huh?”

“Yeah.” She looked down the hall for a moment then back at him. “It’s been that sort of journey.”

“In group you said your name was Taryn, right?”

“Right.” There was that smile again…

Damn she sure is pretty. I wonder if she knows how beautiful she is?

“And you’re Nick.” She laughed lightly as she pointed at him, a twinkle in her dark brown eyes.

“Yeah, I’m Nick. So, uh you know that homework assignment Frieda gave me?”

“Yes, it’s an exercise actually. You’re supposed to write a letter to yourself.”

“Yeah, right, so, uh…” He paused, looked back and forth and all around as if he were about to engage in an illegal drug deal, then turned his attentions back in her direction. “You want to come by my room later today and help me with that?” He winked at her, did a head nod and made it perfectly clear what his goddamn intentions were. The woman’s smile quickly faded, and if she had eyebrows, he was certain they’d be dipped.

“Nick, that wouldn’t be an excuse to try to get me in bed now, would it?” Her lips twisted to the side, the way he’d seen so many black women do when he was telling them some shit that they didn’t quite believe. Before he could answer, make his argument, plead his case, and slide some golden bullshit her way, she continued on.

“You haven’t even been here a one damn week, and you are
already
trying to screw someone?!” She truly looked mortified. “You
really
should be ashamed of yourself! What? Did you think I’d be easy or something? You think I’m some damn ho? A thot?”