Soul Mate (The Mating Series) (9 page)

“You know, that’s why we’re together.” Jimmy said
, breaking my thoughts.

“To save the South American frogs?” I asked.

“No,” he said “because I get the pictures, but I can’t always interpret them.”

“Just
like with the frogs,” I said.
And Carson Kittheridge.
I thought, but didn’t verbalize.

“Yes. I thought it was bad news, but
it was good news to my client,” he said. “I realized that maybe I have misinterpreted the picture of you and
him
…or at least I hope so.” 

“I do too
,” I said.

We finally arrived
at Blaine’s. Jimmy found a front row parking spot. He put the car in park, and turned the engine off. “Cassie,” he said.

“Yes.”

“No matter what happens, I’ll always care about you,” Jimmy locked his green eyes on me. “You know that right?”

“
I’ll always care about you too,” I said.

Jimmy leaned over
the gearshift. “Come here.” he whispered. I leaned in. Jimmy kissed me. As his tongue probed the inside of my mouth, my hand found the front of his pants. I felt Jimmy’s hardness. It aroused something in me. I held on to Jimmy.
What am I doing? We are in public, quit touching him!

“Stop,”
Jimmy breathed, “before I rip your clothes off right here.”

“I don’t think I’d mind
,” I said.
I’ve waited years for this.

“
I don’t want to rush into this,” he said and pulled away from me. I frowned. “Come on, let’s eat.”

Blaine
’s imitated a trendy New York style restaurant. The design assaulted my eyes. The darkly lit interior added to the effect. Cobalt blue abstracts danced on the walls. Oddly contoured tables and V-shaped blue velvet chairs jutted up from the mosaic tile floor. The wait staff zoomed to and fro causing a chaotic atmosphere. The dishes looked more like art creations than actual food. Sauces dotted and circled the plates creatively.

I read about the
art deco style in the Star News. They gave it great reviews. I mentioned it to Jimmy several months ago.  “Oh, it’s alright,” he said.

“You’ve already been?”
I wanted to try the restaurant, but couldn’t afford the expense.

“Yeah, but it wasn’t that great
,” Jimmy said.

“With who?” I asked.

“Some friends,” He replied, “mostly local artists.”

I realized that Jimmy
and I traveled in different circles. Actually, I had no social circle. While Jimmy ate at fashionable restaurants and went to gallery openings, I sat at home eating lean cuisine and talking to my dead mother. I suddenly felt uncomfortable and out of place.

Was I really the girl for Jimmy?
Of course not, I already knew my future. What would my soul mate be like? I wondered. I thought about the woman who’d be Jimmy’s soul mate. I bet she would be stylish, and up with the latest in fashion, not sitting in a dress she bought in college.

Once seated,
Jimmy ordered our meals. It offended me.
Was I so defunct that I didn’t know how to order?
“What?” Jimmy asked.

“You ordered for me.”

“Do you mind?” he asked, concerned. “It’s just they have this great artichoke and spinach chicken. I know how you love that dip you get at the store.” Everything he said made me feel passé. It sounded like he meant: “You eat that store bought crap, but I eat the real stuff.”

“I do like spinach and artichoke dip
,” I said.

“You’re uncomfortable
, aren’t you?” he asked.

“No.”

“Cassie, we can go somewhere else,” Jimmy said. “I thought you wanted to come here.”

“I did, but I suddenly feel outmoded like Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion.”

“For you to even make that analogy means you’re not
outmoded
.” He laughed. “Cassie, I like you for you. I don’t want some shallow hipster.” Jimmy gestured referring to a woman seated across the room. Her smile was force. She appeared as if she smelled something bad. Her salon hair and manicured nails did nothing to hide her superficial demeanor. “Honestly, we live in the Indiana, not London. These people are hacks, pretending they live somewhere else.”

I felt better. “Are you a hack too?” I asked.

“Certainly,” Jimmy said, “how do you think I’ve built up such an A-list clientele? I move in their circles and I’m a hack like them.” He clasped my hand. “You’re the genuine thing. Don’t let these fakes get to you.” 

Our meals arrived. Jimmy was right
, I did enjoy the chicken. I enjoyed it so much that I ate part of his too. The food tasted delicious, but sized equivalent to a McDonalds Happy Meal. Obviously, Jimmy ate a bigger lunch. He barely took a bite before I snatched his plate away. It may not be chic to eat two plates of food, but I wasn’t a waifish model wannabe.

Jimmy drank a dry martini as he watched me eat like a farm hand. “Do you want a drink
?” he asked.

“Sure, what do you recommend?”

“Do you want something hard or sweet?” Jimmy asked.

“Sweet
,” I said.

Jimmy called the waiter by snapping his fingers. I noticed others doing it
, and considered it rude. I didn’t understand this mod etiquette, but he did. Jimmy didn’t wait for the maître d' to speak. “Get this lady a Dr. Seuss,” he said. The man promptly disappeared without a word.

“Is it chic to be rude?” I asked Jimmy, chastising him for his discourtesy to server.
I didn’t know the cool Jimmy. I didn’t like him. My Jimmy was sweet and courteous.

“It is
,” Jimmy said, smartly. “I do it to fit in.” He reminded me.

Seconds later, the server appeared with an insane looking drink in a huge martini glass. The
glass stem bent back and forth in an angular pattern. Aqua blue liquid resembled the
Cat in the Hat
book
.
A red and white striped straw came out and jig-jagged all around the glass. Unquestionably, the drink mimicked its namesake.

I looked at the monstrosity in front of me. “I feel like reciting
Green Eggs & Ham
,” I said.

“Trust me, you’ll love it
,” Jimmy said.

I closed my eyes and took a small sip.
Delicious!
I took a bigger sip, then another, and another. Before I knew it, my drink disappeared. “I want another!” I shouted.

“Oh no,” Jimmy said, “that drink has eight different alcohols in it and it creeps up on you.”

“Creeps up on you?” I asked. It tasted like Kool-Aid.

“You’ll know what I mean
when you stand up,” Jimmy said. “We both have work tomorrow. I don’t want to be up all night holding your hair while you puke.” Once, Jimmy and I spent several hours on his veranda drinking shots of tequila. After about eight shots, I became violently ill. Jimmy, bless him, spent the entire night taking care of me as I puked my guts up in his toilet. That night I fell in love with Jimmy Kim. It’s true love when a man holds your hair while you puke.

“You’re status has elevated to boyfriend so you don’t have to sit up all night holding my hair. That’s reserved for just friends
,” I said, a little tipsy.

“If I’d known that I wouldn’t have delayed our relationship!” Jimmy laughed.
I loved when Jimmy laughed. My heart skipped a beat.

Jimmy paid the tab and we started to leave. When I stood up, I abruptly felt lightheaded. “Whoa!”

“Are you alright?” Jimmy asked.

“Y
eah,” I replied, but wasn’t so sure. I hoped that I wouldn’t spend the drive hanging out the BMW’s windows. I teetered as I walked. Jimmy wrapped his arm around my waist and guided me out.

Once in the cool autumn air, I felt better. The breeze from the
passenger window (Jimmy had it all the way down “just in case”.) felt great on my face. The radio played Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get it On”. I sung with it. “Let’s get it on...” I crooned. I ran my fingers through Jimmy’s hair and sang seductively in his ear.

I was tipsy and probably ma
de an idiot of myself, but Jimmy didn’t seem to mind. He turned quickly and kissed me. He adjusted his pants twice, aroused. “Let’s get it on...” I whispered in his ear. I ran my hand seductively down his muscular chest.
Thank God for liquid courage!
Normally, I wasn’t aggressive. Jimmy smiled so big his eyes all but close. I played with his hair. Jimmy had the softest hair.

Jimmy didn’t say anything during the drive, but he leaned in for a kiss at each stoplight.
He forced himself focus on driving. About a block from my apartment, his lust intensified. Jimmy alternately grouped and kissed me. I wanted Jimmy too.

Jimmy
held in the lust just long enough to get to my door and open it. We pushed through the door and immediately started kissing and caressing each other. Jimmy kicked the door shut with his foot. The slam echoed down the hall. I vaguely heard Mr. Johnson bang on the wall in disapproval.

“I’ve wanted this for so long
,” Jimmy said, pulling at my clothes. Too busy kissing my neck, Jimmy didn’t notice a cold breeze pass by.

Mom!
I did a quick glance around. I didn’t see her. “Where’s Mom?” I asked, cautiously. I didn’t want to lose the moment, but I couldn’t to be in the throws of passion and Mom appear. I’d freak out.

“Gone
,” Jimmy said.

“How do you know?”

“I saw her and she vanished when she saw us,” Jimmy said, his hand in my undergarments.

“In the bedroom
,” I said, pulling back towards my room.

Jimmy threw me on the bed and began undressing. I slid my dress off and la
id back, waiting. I didn’t know what to expect. I could count on one hand the number of sexual experiences I had. I wanted to please Jimmy, but felt self-conscious about my experience. Jimmy slowly pulled my under pants off. He unhooked my bra, and caressed my breasts. I shivered.

Jimmy stood naked before me
, fully erect and well endowed. The size of his organ intimidated me. I tensed when Jimmy mounted me. “Relax,” he whispered in my ear. “I’ll be gentle.”

My lover placed two fingers on the spot between my legs. Softly and gently he circled. Electricity shot thro
ugh my body. I spread my legs for him to enter. Jimmy moved slow trying not to hurt me. When he slid inside, I flinched. I forgot the sensation of sex. It felt uncomfortable. “Are you okay?” Jimmy asked, tentatively.

“Yeah
,” I said. Jimmy gently pushed deeper. As Jimmy steadily pumped, the sex became pleasurable. “Yes!” I cried out. Jimmy’s breathing grew heavy in my ear. Our bodies exploded in ecstasy at the same time. I writhed with delight as Jimmy slowed his rhythmic pumping. The sex didn’t last long, but felt wonderful. Jimmy was a tender lover.

“
That was wonderful.” Jimmy said and rolled beside me. Together we lay silently content. Jimmy wrapped his arms around me. I snuggled close. Hot and sweaty from love making, Jimmy said, “I need a shower. Do you want to join me?”

“Sounds good
,” I said.

Jimmy ran the hot water. He pulled me close an
d gave me a loving kiss. “How safe are we?” he asked.

“Safe?” I didn’t know what he meant.

“You know, safe from making a baby.”

Holy crap! I hadn’t even thought about birth control, safe sex or any of
it.
I counseled women daily about safe sex. I should have considered it for myself. I even had a box of condoms in my nightstand.

“You’re not on some kind of birth control?” Jimmy asked.
You’re the psychic!
Why didn’t Jimmy think of protection?

“No, why would I be? I haven’t had sex in over four years.”

“I just thought...well, you didn’t mention using protections so I assumed.” I sat on the toilet with my head between my knees. How could I have been so stupid? “First thing Monday make an appointment with the doctor,” he said.

“Why?”
He already knows I’m pregnant
. I thought about what I’d tell Mom. “Hey, Mom you’re going to be a spook-tacular grandma.” She was going to kill me.
Ugh!

“To start birth control
,” Jimmy said.

“That doesn’t help when you’ve already done the deed!” I
began to freak out.

Jimmy laughed heartily. “You’re not pregnant.”

“Then why did you mention it?”

“I suddenly felt the urge to do it again and I thought I’d better check with you.”

“How do you know I’m not pregnant?”

Jimmy closed his eyes and made a face like he was thinking real hard. He pulled me off the stool and said, “No babies in there.” He patted my tummy. I wasn’t convinced. How could he sense anything this quick?  I
’d have to wait the agonizing two weeks until my period was due.