The Truth Behind The Lies (8 page)

Grant Park will be crawling with people so I can at the very least think of something other than diving in between her coca-colored thighs.

I showered and dressed in some faded gray jeans. I paired it with a short-sleeved V-neck pre-worn black t-shirt. I threw on some gray Converse. I tried to dress down for obvious reasons. I maybe should have shaved but I didn’t want to look too clean-cut.

My family always had money so I was taught at a young age to blend in and never to flaunt your wealth. This advice made it easy for me to have friends in all social economic backgrounds.

My father gave some of the best advice. I miss him. I miss our talks. I wish he had given me the ‘N’ word talk.

I left my house in enough time to stop for gas and get to Nina’s place on time. Punctuality was very important to me, another life lesson from my father. She texted me her address when I asked for it last night. She waited awhile. I wonder if she was thinking of ditching me. I can be intense. I’m glad she texted me. I didn’t want to have to stalk her. I would. I want her in my bed. She’s already inside my head. I had her address already. I didn’t want her to know that I was always two steps ahead.

I thought long and hard about the lies I would tell her about Caroline. I think I have my story down. I would just embellish the story I told to other women in the past. I didn’t want to lie to Nina but I didn’t want her to be frightened. The truth has a way of creeping up and scaring the shit out of you. I’m a witness. I can testify to it, tenfold.

Nina didn’t live far. It only took fifteen minutes to get there. I parked behind her garage. I had done an Internet search of the condo complex. I wanted to know how much these condos went for on the open market. I wasn’t sure how many bedrooms she had but the majority of these condos were running from one hundred eighty thousand to a quarter million. Not bad for this neighborhood.

I waited a few minutes because I was early. I sent her a text. [I’m parked outside your garage. Take your time.]

I sat there and waited for her response. I listened to Beethoven because it calmed me. Not because I necessarily liked classical music.

[I will be right down.] I smiled as I read her text twice. Her garage door opened five minutes later. Her black BMW was parked in the small one car garage. She reached inside her car and retrieved something. I couldn’t see what it was.

As she walked toward my car I took in her attire. She was wearing short black leather boots with buckles, aged denim shorts and a white t-shirt with a picture of Jimi Hendrix in the front. She was pure perfection. She looked so damn sophisticated the first two times we saw each other. Today she looked young, playful and beautiful. I have no idea how old she is. Is she too young for me?

I sat there in a trance watching her with the garage door coming down behind her. I tried to stifle the smile that was emerging from my face. I wanted to play it cool. I was kind of a nerd in a jocks body.

It’s going to be so hard for me to keep my hands off her. I had made a vow to myself that I would dial it back of notch. I made a vow to slow things down. I hope I can keep my word to myself.

As soon as she stepped into the car my face lit up. I couldn’t help it. She was striking in her hipster outfit.

“Hello Nina.” Why did I say hello instead of hi?

“Hi Bash.” I love the way she said my name. It was sexy, cool, relaxed and familiar. I would love to hear her say it when I’m inside her. I smiled when I thought of it. I wonder can she see through me? Am I that transparent? Does she know how bad I want her?

“So are you ready to go?”

“Yeah I’m ready.”

I backed my Porsche up and took off towards the freeway. We had at least a thirty-minute drive to get all the way to downtown Chicago. I hope she wouldn’t ask me any other questions like those hard questions she asked last night at dinner.

The ‘N’word almost sank my ship last night. I was so happy she didn’t take offense to my truth. I’m going to do everything in my power to be honest but I won’t tell her everything. I have to many things to hide. The skeletons in my closet have health insurance.

“So I see you’re prepared.” Those were sunglasses she took from her car.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re wearing your Jimi Hendrix T-shirt.”

“I had this in the back of my closet I thought it would be appropriate. You like it?

“I love it.” I looked over at her. Being in a car with her brought back memories. I wonder if she’s thinking the same thing that I am thinking. “Music on or off?”

“Off is fine. We can talk and get to know one another better.”

“Talking.” I chuckled. “I might end up putting my foot in my mouth and ruining my chances.”

“You haven’t so far.”

“If I ever do, misstep, will you give me a chance to redeem myself?”

“I will give you two chances to redeem yourself.”

“You are so generous.”

“I can be but you know that already.”

“I do.” I looked over at her and grinned. She was smiling at me. This was easy. I like easy. I could say whatever I felt and not worry about the consequences. This felt right. Why was I so into her? I met her just yesterday.

“I thought you would pull up in your BMW.”

“You don’t believe I actually have one, do you?”

“No I believe you.”

“No you don’t.” I took my eyes off the road to glance over at her. “You think I used that line to get inside your car.”

“Did you?” She resourcefully asked. She was a clever one.

“No I really have a black BMW in my garage. I drove the Porsche today because I usually drive it when I go into the city.”

“Do you speed in it?”

“I have gunned it a time or two on the I-55 in the early morning hours when there’s little to no traffic.”

“You like fast things?”

“I don’t know. Cars maybe.”

“Women?” She smirked.

Christ, she poses the hardest questions to answer. “I don’t know. I haven’t had many women and I don’t think I would know if they were fast or slow.”

“Yeah right.”

“No really I’m not a player.”

“How long have you been single?”

“I’m not sure. It’s been a long time. What about you?” I was vague. I tossed the question back.

“It’s been three months, well officially two months.”

“And you’re ready to date?”

“I’m on a date with you. So I think I’m ready.”

“Are you over him, the ex?”

“I’ve been over him months ago.”

“I hope so.” I looked over at her and wanted to touch her so badly. I planned on keeping my rebellious cock on silent instead of vibrate. I planned on being a complete gentleman no matter how horny I got. I planned on keeping her close.

I couldn’t remember my last sexual encounter with a woman. All my time and energy went into my work. I breathed that place. My work was how I filtered oxygen. Work was the only thing I had succeeded at. I was a winner at work, with woman not so much.

Who was the last woman I slept with? I can’t remember that either. Maybe it was, yes it was Dana, my accounts manager over at Sunriso.

I knew I shouldn’t pry but something made me probe deeper. “Was it hard, the breakup with your ex?”

“Would it be cold to say, no, it wasn’t hard at all.”

“Not if it was the truth.”

“It is the truth. I wanted out and I got out.”

“How soon did it take you to get out?”

“I was out emotionally a long time before I was physically gone.”

“Did he know that?”

“No, not at first. Maybe he did. I can’t say. I definitely don’t want to talk about him.”

“We can talk about whatever you want to talk about.” I was opening up a can of worms, snakes and spiders. I wanted Nina Norwood so damn bad. I would take the torture I was sure she would put me through.

“What college did you go to?” She asked as she gazed out the passenger window.

An easy question, I can answer that. “U.I.C. Where did you go?”

“Southern Illinois.”

“You have your Masters?”

“Yes. You?”

“No, I didn’t feel it was necessary. I had to get to work right after I graduated. I had to help out with my father’s businesses. It was expected of me. I’m the oldest son.”

“You have brother’s and sisters?”

“Yes one of each. My father is dead. My mother is very much alive. Are your parents still around?”

“My parents are alive but divorced.”

“No brothers or sisters?”

“One sister, she lives in Arizona.”

“Are you close?”

“As close as we can be with the distance.” She said with a ping of sadness.

I decided to lighten the mood. I never want to see her sad. “I think this is my first two-day date.”

“So you have never seen a woman two days straight?”

“We’re not talking about when I was married right?” I needed clarification.

“No, your marriage doesn’t count.”

“Well no I haven’t.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know. It just never happened. Have you seen someone two days straight?”

“No I have never had two dates with the same person back to back.”

“Good, I can be your first. I checked to see who was performing.” I said.

“I did too. I didn’t recognize anyone’s name.”

I smiled. She was so damn cute. “I didn’t either.” I added.

“Well we will both be rookie blues fan then.”

“Yeah.” I grinned.

The drive wasn’t bad. Traffic flowed freely. We only hit a snag a few blocks from Grant Park. I made it to Michigan Avenue and I pulled into the Columbus underground parking garage.

“So you’re going to park your Porsche in this public parking garage?”

“Yep.” I shrugged.

“You’re not afraid someone will damage it?”

Her concern for my car was cute. She says things no one else has ever said to me.

“Afraid. No. I have car insurance.”

She looked over at me and smirked.

“Park next to the Benz.” Nina pointed out of the front window. “It would make me feel better.”

That was rather bossy. She could boss me around up until I split her open. I whipped my Porsche into the open spot next to the black Mercedes.

My eyes have grown attached to her legs. They are so brown, smooth and so flawless. I’m ashamed that I want to scar them, just one permanent scar so that she can see it and remember me forever. I haven’t always had such deranged thoughts. What sane person wants to mark a beautiful woman? I guess the same sane people that have their lovers name tattooed on their bodies. I don’t know. I would never bruise her. That’s just sick.

I drank her in the entire time. Nina was a new toy for me. I think she was fast becoming my favorite toy. I just wanted to play with her. This day was going better than I could have ever wished.

NINA

Bash and I emerged from the underground parking garage in search of a place to eat. We stopped off at a chain restaurant. Bash seemed very interested in why I had to have coffee so late in the day. I’m a bitch if I go without coffee for too long. I just told him I needs my coffee. He thought that was funny.

We talked and ate before we walked the few blocks to Grant Park.

Today was going good. I had already spent a few glorious hours with Bash. I say glorious because now I talk and think different. Because he’s so unlike anyone I’ve ever dated. His confidence is off the charts. His swagger is off the chain. He just makes me smile. He just makes me laugh. My jaws hurt from smiling.

This date was less intense than La Bistro Cabernet. That place was romantic whereas this was laid back and casual. Bash looked cool with his new growth of facial hair. This man was a sexy motherfucker. I could lick the sweat off his body and be okay with that. I could bottle his sweat and sell it on the expressway off ramp with peanuts, and bootleg movies. I could call his scent Vandervol. I could sell the Eau De Toilette Spray, Vandervol aftershave and shower gel. I would be rich. Bash smells like heaven.

We walked to the different concert stages. We eat unhealthy because cheating at any concert is allowed. That’s what Bash said was the rule. His rules were plucked from outer space. We danced around. We were having fun. Bash even made me play air guitar after I told him black people don’t play air guitar. We don’t say rock on either but I kept that one to myself.

Bash was a perfect distraction. We might last three months or three minutes but he is just what I need in my life at this very moment. We wove in and out the crowd and moved from one stage to the next.

There was something about me that was militant. That’s why I asked Bash if he ever used the ‘N’ word last night. That’s why I say and do things that are not politically correct. Maybe I shouldn’t have listened to Public Enemy in my youth. I just opened my mouth and the uncomfortable words come out.