When Love Calls (15 page)

"I just wanted to be able to have a private conversation with you and not have to talk across the table. First things first though, let’s hit the buffet. I’m starving!" Mike rubbed his stomach for emphasis. He lightened the mood and I relaxed some. I was relieved to get up from the table and away from the heat of Mike’s body.

At the station where eggs were being made to order, I waited as the chef prepared my veggie and cheese. From there I stopped and added turkey bacon and a side of fruit to my plate. When I returned to the table, I found Mike there, his plate piled high with what looked like a bit of everything. When he saw me coming, he stood and waited for me to be seated before he sat down. I made a mental note of it for no particular reason.

"Erin, first, I want to apologize for how everything happened between us that night. I know I left abruptly and never really gave you a legitimate explanation why. It wasn’t my intent to have any of that happen. I mean, even what happened at your house. When I took you out, it was because I really liked you and wanted to get to know you." Mike put down his fork and eyed me intently. "After I left that night, I went to get my son from my mother’s house. She watches him for me when she can. I don’t take that for granted and I try not to take advantage of her kindness. Anyway, I told her I would be there to pick him up that night at nine, but things with you took a different turn and I lost track of time." I could see him trying to gauge my expression. I stabbed a piece of cantaloupe with my fork and shoved it in my mouth as I continued to stare at him blankly.  Mike took a labored breath and began again." Once I picked him up, I thought about stopping back by just to explain but it was already late so I planned to just talk to you the following day but my phone deleted all my contacts. I knew you had my number so I was hopeful that I would hear from you but that never happened. The whole time I couldn’t stop thinking about you but I wasn’t sure you were even interested.” I shifted in my seat nervously. I hadn’t called for the same reason he hadn’t but I wasn’t about to tell him that. I gave him a nod hoping to encourage him to go on. “Erin, I couldn’t get you or that night out of my mind so I finally broke down and had a friend from work to look you up in the AAA system. That’s when I sent you the text.  I swear to you it wasn’t about the sex. I didn’t see that coming and I still would have wanted to see you again if it hadn’t happened. I couldn’t get
you
out of my mind. The look in his eyes pleaded for me to believe him. Everything he’d said had been none of what I’d expected. I had pre-judged him and had gotten it all wrong.

His explanation had blindsided me.  When I called him I was prepared to hear him out, then move on with my trip and the rest of my life but now I felt unsure. I still wasn’t sure how much of what he said I actually believed but I wasn’t ready to question it either so I deflected. “So, how old is your son?" He looked at me initially with disbelieve then resignation as he shook his head and smiled.

"He’s five. His name is Adrian. His favorite food is pizza and he loves anything involving Monster’s Inc. Is that your only question after I just said all that? Don’t get me wrong, I like the fact that you are interested in him, but I was talking about what went on with you and me."

Since my attempt at a diversion was unsuccessful, I took a deep breath and responded.
He asked for it, so here it goes.
"What do you want me to say? You told me all of that and there was a span of three months when we had absolutely no contact! You know where I work. It is the same place you met me for the AAA service. Also, most phones these days come with some sort of information back up so that people don’t lose all of their contacts. So I find it difficult to believe that you didn’t contact me because you couldn’t figure out how. As for what happened that night, I didn’t ask you to stay instead of going to get your son—that was your choice. In fact, until today I didn’t even know you had a son, so exactly how did you expect me to respond?”
There’s no way he’s putting all this on me.

Mike paused long enough for our silence to become uncomfortable. The whole time his gaze at me was unwavering. His fingers scratched his chin as he said, ""You know, you really are a smart woman and it sounds like you have things all figured out but let me just clarify a couple of things. You mentioned the phone. As far as phones and contacts go, did you lose yours too because I don’t recall you ever contacting me. You’re right, staying with you was my choice but it was also your invitation. I stayed because I wanted to be with you, but you don’t seem to believe that. So tell me this, if I wanted to play you for a fool or just wanted to sleep with you and keep it moving, why even try to contact you after ‘three months’ and why chase you down here? I don’t mean any disrespect but if sex is all I wanted, I already got it so why am I here now?"

I felt my cheeks flush. The points he’d made were valid. This would be extreme behavior for a booty call or the hope of a "friends with benefits" situation and to make matters worse, he was pushing me to take ownership of my part in the situation. His words had softened me and put me in my place at the same time and when I looked into his eyes, I saw nothing but sincerity. Traces of hurt distorted his perfect face and I yielded. "I apologize, Mike. I didn’t mean to jump to conclusions, but you have to admit this whole thing is a little crazy."

"I know and I don’t want you to believe I’m just some guy out looking for some random sex. Sex is easy, but I thought you and I had a spark. It really bothered me that I didn’t hear from you. It’s the whole reason I even reached out to you after all that time. When I saw you at the gallery that night, I thought that was the end, so to see you here now…” His voice trailed off as he ran his hand over his face and he shook his head. I watched his every move. I was looking for anything that would indicate he was being anything less than authentic. I found nothing. "I’m serious Erin. You’ve got me in a bad situation right now. Running into you here has my head even more messed up! I know you have moved on and I guess I’ll have to do the same, but since you’re here, would you give me just a little bit more of your time? I honestly just don’t want to let the chance for us to spend time together pass me by."

 I was nervous and roused. My head, my heart and my body were in a full on battle. Part of me thought there couldn’t be any harm in hanging out with Mike in Vegas as friends but the other half of me was petrified. "I actually should be going Mike. I’m supposed to meet my friends at noon. So much has changed and I really wish we’d had this talk sooner but …"

  "Ok, well, can I at least walk you to your room?” He interrupted.  “I mean, if this is goodbye, I don’t want to say it until I absolutely have to." Mike stood as I got up and even though I hadn’t responded, he was following me out the door.

  "How do you know where I’m staying?" I asked.

  "Well ma’am, again, you
are
a smart lady, but I had the sense to know that you weren’t venturing off too far from your hotel for a beer last night and definitely not alone in Vegas!" He had me pegged and I couldn’t help but laugh. Against my tinge of apprehension, I agreed to let him walk me to my room.

  The elevator ride seemed to be in slow-motion. I told myself he would walk me to my door and that would be that. I would just have to figure out how to get rid of any lingering feelings for him. I still couldn’t wrap my mind around the fact that I still had any feelings left. I had only seen him twice and it had been months ago.

The elevator doors opened and Mike followed me down the hall to room 2214. I leaned against the door and prepped to give him
any
excuse for why I needed our goodbye to be abrupt but I couldn’t think of anything believable enough to say. I didn’t speak. Instead I watched as he studied every inch of me as though he was committing a permanent picture to memory.

 "Erin, does the guy from the auction make you happy? If you say yes, I’ll walk away and be happy that you’re happy. If you say no, I feel like I’m obligated to do whatever it takes to see that you have the happiness you deserve." He had inched in closer to me and now his proximity was close enough that I could once again feel the heat from his body. He was towering over me, awaiting my response. I was just about to speak through what felt like cobwebs in my throat when I was startled by the voices of a group of people approaching. It made me nervous so I turned to unlock the door.

 "Come in for a minute, just in case one of my nosey friends decides to show up." I swallowed down my angst as I scanned the hall before opening the door. Mike followed me inside and closed the door behind him. He paused in the doorway and even though I wasn’t facing him, I could feel him staring at me. I knew he was awaiting my response. My chest tightened and my breathing became shallow. I had tried to ignore my feelings and make the “right” decision but it was undeniable. We were here in this moment for a reason and I couldn’t let it pass me by. Without a word I turned and kissed him hungrily. As if that was all the response he needed, Mike gripped ample handfuls of my backside like he was punishing me for keeping it away for so long. I felt the same dull pain I remembered from that night on the shore. I pressed my body hard against him and felt the full length of his nature against my thigh. I eagerly unbuckled his pants as he helped me remove my jersey dress. Mike bit my perky nipples through the thin lace bra that held them hostage and I felt my head begin to spin. I bit down on my bottom lip before he muffled my moan with his mouth. Our tongues lapped against each other like waves against a shore as I continued to help him out of his pants. Mike stumbled out of his shoes and pants as I pulled down his boxers and his erection sprang forth. I guided him to the bed and sat him down on the edge where I slowly dropped to my knees, and took his stiffness in my hand. I placed soft kisses up and down his shaft and looked up to check for his reaction. Mike watched me hungrily and it urged me forward. He didn’t stop me as I licked the tip. He didn’t flinch when I took him fully into my mouth. I closed my eyes and worked my rhythmic pattern until I could feel he was close to his end. Before he could release, I pulled away. “Not yet.” I groaned.

Mike collapsed back onto the bed and rubbed his hand over his face. "Woman," he said with a sigh. I stood there in front of him, still in my bra and panties, watching him. He sat up, pulled me close and consumed me with his kisses. I followed his lead as he laid back on the bed and I climbed on top of him. Our tongues met in a slow sultry dance of me licking his lips and him sucking mine. I paused to adorn his neck with firm nibbles and soft kisses before pulling his earlobe between my teeth. Mike moaned his pleasure into my chest as he reached behind me to undo my bra. My throbbing breasts cascaded onto his face and he welcomed them with his warm, pink tongue. Now I moaned my reply. I began grinding my hips steadily against his girth and could feel the wetness accumulating in the lacey fabric between my legs. Without warning, Mike reached down and tore them off.  In response, my pleasure received him and engulfed him with soft, sticky syrup. My arrival was instant and overpowering. I trembled as rippling waves radiated through my body. I tried to pull away from the sensation, but Mike grabbed my waist and pulled me further down onto him. I couldn’t contain my cry of ecstasy as he thrust himself relentlessly within me. I could feel that he was close to his peak and ground my hips harder against his. Unable to contain my impending climax, I clinched from inside as a washing release came yet again, but Mike wasn’t done. He flipped me onto my back and pulled my legs up onto his shoulders. He kissed and sucked the inside of my calf as he continued kneading into my wetness. I reached for a pillow and tried to cover the sweet anguish etched on my face but Mike snatched it away. “Don’t hide from me. I want to watch you come.”
Has he not been watching the past two times?
To my own disbelief, as his pace quickened, again I felt tiny starbursts inside. I clenched my eyes tightly and felt Mike bite down hard into my calf mixing pain with my pleasure as we both came together. I was spent and my body was damp with perspiration. Mike looked down at me then kissed the spot on my leg where small bite marks remained. “You ok? Did I hurt you?” He continued to trace kisses from up along my calf.

“Yes,” she replied breathlessly, sliding my legs down his sides. “But I liked it,” I smirked. Mike rolled over and laid on his back and I crawled over to lay on his chest "So, now what," I murmured into his shoulder.

"Well, that is really up to you, but I’ve already told you my feelings about it. I can only assume that all of this was the answer to my question so, like I said, I feel obligated to do whatever it takes to make you happy."

  It was ten o’clock when I finally turned over to check the clock on the nightstand, I listened to the pattern of his breath as we laid there in silence. I knew he was giving me time to think about everything that had just happened and to figure out what my next step would be. I peeled myself reluctantly away from the warmth of his muscular frame, went into the bathroom and turned on the shower. It wasn’t long before he came to join me. “What are you doing? I questioned as he climbed in the shower behind me.

 "I’m multitasking… getting clean and getting dirty at the same time," he growled as he nibbled my ear and traced kisses down my neck and shoulder.

  "I really need to start getting ready.” I implored. “My friends will be calling me any minute. If I don’t answer, they’re coming straight down here." I could tell my words fell on deaf ears as Mike was pressed up against me and massaged my breasts from behind.
He knows that drives me crazy!
I could feel my resolve dissipate as I leaned back against his chest and kissed him longingly. Mike moved one hand down to meet my yearning flesh and gently explored it with his fingers. I was bent to his will now. He turned me to face him and this time he was the one dropping to his knees. Beads of water rolled down his back as he placed a row of kisses up my inner thigh. Before I knew it, he enraptured my wetness with his tongue; swirling and flicking vigorously. I sucked my bottom lip between my teeth as the trembling in my legs traveled to my heat. I gripped the wall and curtain rod for fear I might collapse and interrupt him as he ravaged me sweetly. Mike released a guttural moan as he lapped up every bit of my nectar and I rewarded him with a second helping. It only drove him further. When I thought I would surely go insane from the pleasure that engulfed me, to my surprise again I climbed passions peak and gratefully descended.