Quake (3 page)

      “Can I take you out sometime?” Kyle asks when I pick up my text book.

       I pause with it still in my hand and glance at him. He’s watching me with so much heat in his gaze, I can’t help but wonder if saying yes would be making the wrong decision. I’m worried about getting in over my head. I’m so torn. I want to go out with him and see how it goes. Maybe our date would be terrible and that would be the end of it. Maybe it would be perfect and would only be the beginning of us. His eyes are imploring me to say yes and I can feel myself starting to cave.

      “Sure.”

      The answering smile he flashes me causes tiny flutters in my stomach. I hand him my phone and he enters his number while I put my book in my bag. He sends himself a text so he has my number, I nervously bite on the tip of my thumb nail while I watch him. When we walk outside, he holds the door for me. Standing here with him, I’m reminded of how tall he is compared to my five foot three height.

      “What are your plans for Friday night?” he asks, taking a step closer to me. He takes my hand in his, sensually caressing the inside of my wrist with his thumb. “I don’t want to wait any longer than that to see you.” There’s a sheepish grin on his face I find irresistible.

      “What do you have in mind?” I ask, not giving him an answer. I can’t make it too easy on him. He looks like the kind of guy who probably has girls throwing themselves at him. I bet he’s never been turned down.

      “I’m thinking of taking you out to dinner so I can get to know you better.”

      “I’d like that. It’s a date,” I squeeze his hand and smile up at him.

Kyle

    
Janny Moore is going on a date with me in a few days. I’m looking forward to taking her out and getting to know her better, but at the same I know I’m biting off more than I can chew. This girl is perfection and I’m not even sure why she agreed to go out with me. I’m sure as hell grateful she did though. She was so adorable at the coffee shop. She was nervous around me and although she did her best to hide it, I could tell by the way she played with her long, wavy hair and how she lowered her eyes, hesitant to meet mine. I like having that effect on her; it makes me feel powerful. It makes me wonder if she likes to be submissive in her relationships and of course leads me to wonder what kind of lover she is.

      My thoughts are overtaken with visions of her blindfolded and tied to my bed, helpless to do anything but give in to the pleasure I’m going to make her feel. Once I start touching her my restraint will be put to the ultimate test because I’ve never wanted to bury myself in someone so badly. I’ve never longed to feel someone squeezing my cock while they come wrapped around me like I long for with Janny. I need to see her come, need to see the look of extreme pleasure on her face. As much as I fantasize about all of these things, I know I should move slowly with her. She just saw me for the first time four days ago and although I’ve known of her for the past two weeks, I can’t tell her that.

***

     It’s two days later and I’m not any further along on the Moore investigation. I’m not finding anything out of the norm and now I’m meeting with Sharon to discuss her options, while Bryan is away at an all-day training for work.

      “Sharon, I think the observation portion of our investigation is complete, unless you need something else.” I take a sip of the coffee she made me, waiting for her answer as we stand in her kitchen.

      “I want you to continue watching him.” She adds sugar to her coffee and avoids my eyes.

      “Are you sure?” I lean back against the counter and study her some more. “Ben will continue with the online investigation and he’s really good at his job. He’s the best tech geek I’ve ever worked with. In the two years he’s been working for us, he’s never had an issue finding dirt on someone. If there are skeletons to be found, he’s the man to do it. I don’t think you have anything to worry about though. From everything I’ve gathered so far, Bryan isn’t doing anything wrong.”

      Her lips are pursed and she looks unconvinced. I place my mug down and cross my arms in front of my chest.

      “What’s going on here? Why are you so adamant we keep going with this?”

      She takes a sip from her mug, holding it between both palms as she stares down into it.

      “Sharon,” I quirk my eyebrow as I wait for her to look at me. When our eyes meet I see a brief glimpse of shame.

      “I have a feeling in my gut that something’s going on and I can’t get it to go away.”

      “Are you sure it’s not just indigestion?” I joke, hoping to add a little levity to our conversation. It has the desired effect and I see a small glimpse of a smile along the corners of her lips.

      I’m a big believer in going with your instincts so I’m not going to try to talk her out of what she wants. “We’ll keep things the way they are for now and you can let me know when your gut feeling is silenced.”

      ***

      This date with Janny is the first thing I’ve been looking forward to in a long time. I’ve been existing in a continuous state of arousal since seeing her the other day. I haven’t jerked off this much since my teenage years. My overly active imagination has me wondering how her lips will feel when I finally get to kiss her. Knowing by the end of tonight I’ll know their texture, their shape, their taste, has me looking forward to this more than any other date I’ve ever been on.

      Janny and I’ve texted a few times today and she told me she would prefer to meet me at the restaurant. I would have liked to pick her up like a proper date, but I do understand the reason behind it. She doesn’t know me well enough to feel comfortable giving out her address. I’m going to show her she can trust me to always keep her safe.

      We agreed to meet at Mario’s at seven o’clock and I’m standing out in front when her cab arrives. I walk over to lend a hand while she gets out. She protests when I pass money to the driver and as soon as I close the door he takes off. I take her arm and usher her further onto the sidewalk, away from the busy street before I pause to look her over.

      “Hi,” I smile at her. I seem to smile a lot in her presence which is quite an accomplishment. “You look amazing.” I tell her, and mean it. 

      My eyes travel the length of her body taking in the tight fitting black pants that mold to her legs so well I can clearly see the shape of her calves and thighs. She’s not wearing heels, she has on black, leather flats. I love how tiny she is. She’s going to feel perfect in my arms tonight when I kiss her for the first time. 

      “Hi. How are you?” she asks and she seems happy to see me.

      “I’m great, now that you’re here. I’ve been looking forward to this since the moment you walked away from me outside the coffee shop.”

      A smile quickly spreads across her face as if she was thinking the same thing. She’s so unbelievably beautiful it’s intimidating to me. I’m not a bad looking guy, but I know I’m no prize. I have a lot of baggage and I don’t know if someone sweet like Janny is equipped to deal with it. I should walk away now while I still can, but I’m a selfish bastard and I can’t bear the thought of not being with her. If I was really a nice guy I’d put an end to this now before we get to know each other better. I’d put an end to this before we could kiss. I know once I taste her sweet lips there’ll be no turning back.

      My hand seeks hers out, guiding her toward the main entrance of the restaurant. I open the door and gesture for her to proceed in front of me. The hostess seats us and it’s only moments before the waitress is taking our order. Janny has no problem deciding what she wants and I stick with the lasagna, my usual, when I eat here.

      Derek and I come here sometimes for business dinners, but I’ve never brought a woman here to dine. Christ, I can’t remember the last date I’ve been on and the last time I got laid—well it’s been a pathetically long time. Maybe close to two years. It’s not like I couldn’t if I wanted to, but at this point in my life it’s easier to spare myself the awkwardness of one night stands and take care of things myself.

      We make small talk over dinner, both of us feeling the other out, like dipping your toe in the pool to test the water before diving in head first.

      “What’s your all-time favorite movie?” I can tell a lot about a person by how they answer this question.

      “The Dark Knight,” she answers without hesitation. “Because anyone with real taste knows it’s the best Batman movie of them all. Besides Christian Bale is the greatest Batman ever.”

      I think I’m in love.

      “What’s your favorite hobby?”

She looks around the room mischievously like she’s embarrassed to answer and gestures for me to lean forward. “I love reading erotic romance novels. I can’t get enough of them.” Her cheeks flush a becoming shade of pink while she chews on her lower lip.

      Now I’m really in love.

      I wish I’d never seen her at the Moore’s house before the night I bumped into her at Quake. I didn’t orchestrate either one of our first two meetings, and the more time I spend with Janny the more I realize it’s fate’s way of pushing us together. Although, I’m keeping the details of how long I’ve known about her a secret for now, I do plan on coming clean at some point.

      When we leave the restaurant I suggest taking a walk and grabbing dessert right down the street from where we are. The North End in Boston is full of authentic Italian eateries like Mario’s and I point out some of the better ones; our hands entwined while we walk along the cracked and pitted sidewalk. I’m surprised by how natural it seems to be doing this with her. The weather is mild for the beginning of March. The air has a slight chill to it, but not enough to make me cold.

      Once we’re inside Decadence, a popular dessert bar, we find an empty table in the corner and sit down. I make sure I pull her chair out for her. I’m out of practice when it comes to wooing a woman, but if I’m honest, I’m not sure I’ve ever been good at it. I want to be though. I want to be the best man I can be for her, I’m just not sure my best will be enough.

      She orders cheesecake and I order the triple chocolate cake, both of us agreeing to share with each other.

      “Where did you grow up?” I ask her even though I already know the answer to this question. I want her to be comfortable talking to me and I want to know everything about her.

      “I grew up about twenty minutes from here in Belmont.” She studies her nails, avoiding eye contact with me.

       I know this conversation isn’t something she wants to be having. “Do your parents still live there?” God, I hate doing this to her, but I have no choice. How can I explain already knowing the answers to all of these questions? I can’t—I have to remain committed to my original plan. I watch a flicker of sadness pass over her face before she answers me.

      “No, both of my parents died in a house fire right before the start of my freshman year of college.” She nervously spins her bracelet around and around her wrist.

      I don’t say anything. I just sit there in silence waiting for her to continue. I know there’s more for her to tell me.

      Her blue eyes raise to meet mine. “My high school boyfriend and I were also in the house, but I’m the only one who survived.”

I cover her hand with mine, squeezing it gently and waiting for her to continue.

      “They were never able to determine the cause of the fire.” She turns the hand resting beneath mine over, allowing me to align our palms.

      “I’m sorry for your loss, I know there aren’t words to take the pain away. I wish you hadn’t gone through so much.”

      “Thank you, it’s easier for me to talk about it now. What about you? Where did you grow up?”

      “I grew up in South Boston. I have a sister, Kenna, she’s eight years younger than me. My parents are no longer with us. They were killed in a drunk driving accident ten years ago.”

      This time she squeezes my hand and I love how soft and tiny hers is.

      Her nails are painted a light blue, a small detail which makes me wonder if she has a frivolous side she keeps hidden. “I’m sorry for your loss. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone else who’s lost both of their parents on the same day. What happened to Kenna when they passed? Who took care of her?”

She’s sweet to be concerned for Kenna and I like how she genuinely cares about other people. The more I learn about her, the deeper I fall.

      “I took care of Kenna. I was twenty-three at the time of their death and the only option she had.”

She takes a bite of her cheesecake and rinses it down with a sip of water before continuing. “So that means you’re thirty-three now.” She raises an eyebrow and waits for me to confirm it.

      “Yes, I’m thirty-three. Does that make me too old for you?”

      I hope it doesn’t.

      My stomach tightens anxiously as I wait for her answer.

      “No, I’ve never been one to get hung up on age. I’m twenty-two and an adult who can make my own decisions. I know what’s right for me.”

      “Am I right for you?” I ask, my voice sounding hoarse to my own ears.

      Her eyes rise from her plate to meet mine and I swear I can almost see the sexual tension flowing between us. “That remains to be seen.”

***

     I was shocked when Janny agreed to let me drive her home. I’m thrilled she’s already feeling more comfortable with me. The ride to her apartment passes mostly in silence, but there’s no awkwardness to it at all. Every once in a while I’ll take my eyes off the road and glance at her. Our eyes will meet and we’ll share a small smile.

      She directs me to the apartment building she lives in and once the car is parked, I jump out and walk around to open her door for her. She seems surprised I’m observing this small nod to chivalry.

      We hold hands, while walking toward the main entrance of her building. I’m not sure who reached for the other first. Once we’re inside I’m consumed with thoughts of kissing her, of my tongue gliding across her pouty lips. I want to suck her lip into my mouth and nip it with my teeth.

       We remain connected all the way to her first floor apartment. I’m not happy she’s on the bottom level. It would be so much safer for her if she lived on the second floor.

      She lets go of me to find her keys and just before she unlocks the door she turns to face me. “Would you like to come in for a bit?”

      I nod my head in response because I don’t think I can find any words right now, the way the next twenty or so minutes goes, will decide our fate. I hope her asking me to drive her home and inviting me in her apartment, means she’s curious too. I hope she’s eager to know where this may lead.