Chapter Eleven

Wil was still standing in front of the door, clearly impatient to leave. Nicole took a deep breath for courage, kicked the door shut, and pushed him back against it. Then she kissed him. It was a hard, hungry kiss that made him stop and pull back slightly to search her eyes for answers. But Nicole was done talking. She was through negotiating and making excuses. She wanted him. For business and for pleasure. And unless he forcibly stopped her, she was going to have him.

“Shh,” she whispered, when he started to say something.

She kissed him again. She could sense his reluctance. He wasn’t giving himself over completely to the kiss. For a moment, Nicole wondered if she should have let sleeping dogs lie, but when she let her hands travel the length of his body, his dog woke up and she thought, Oh yes, he is mine now.

Nicole pulled out his tucked shirt from the waistband of his jeans and slid her hands over his back. His skin was warm and smooth, his muscles hard.

God, I could eat a four-course meal off this back.

Wil’s body relaxed and he finally deepened their kiss. Nicole pulled him down to the floor. His hands slid her shirt up and found her breasts. She moaned into his mouth and pulled him closer. His lips traveled down until they found her nipple and he began to gently lick one and then the other, alternating back and forth, until his mouth became more insistent. Her hips lifted to him while he sucked harder, and a sense of urgency quickly grew inside her. It had been a long, long time since she had been with a man, and while it may have been nice to take it slowly the first time, it wasn’t going to happen.

Nicole eased his jeans down as far as she could manage. Wil was wearing boxers, which didn’t leave a whole lot to the imagination, making it so easy to wrap her hand around him.

“Nic, wait…”

“No.” She began to stroke him faster.

His breath came out in a hiss. “Nic…”

“I want you inside me.”

“Wait.”

“Now,” she said, hiking her skirt up and opening her thighs a little. She bit down on his shoulder through his shirt, letting him know she meant business. He swore under his breath.

“Now,” Nicole repeated.

Wil jumped up and peeled his shirt and jeans off. He reached for his wallet.

Condom. Damn, that hadn’t even crossed her mind. Boy, was she out of practice.

He kneeled in front of Nicole and slid down her underwear slowly. Before he could contemplate any foreplay, she reached for him and whispered “Hurry!” A quick stab of pain accompanied his entry. He pulled out and eased in a few more times, stretching her, filling her, and she knew from the familiar welling up in her groin that it wouldn’t be long before she exploded. And she had so wanted to make this last longer than three minutes.

Wil’s mouth was on her neck, sucking when she groaned, “Oh yes,” as her climax came fast and hard, which pretty much summed up the entire lovemaking session.

He pumped deeply into her a few more times, burying his head in the curve of her neck as he came.

When their breathing returned to normal, Wil lifted his face and grinned. “That was unexpected.”

“You can say that again,” Nicole said, slowly floating back down to earth.

“It’s about time you caved. I was starting to think I was losing my charm.”

“Trust me; you have enough charm to last well into your nineties.”

He ran his finger lightly down her cheek. “You are the sexiest, hottest, most unpredictable and frustrating woman I have ever met.”

“Thank you?”

Wil’s cell phone rang from the depths of his jeans’ pocket. He gave her an apologetic look.

“It’s fine,” she reassured him. “I know you have somewhere you need to be.”

“If I could postpone this meeting I would,” he said, hauling himself off her, “but I’m already very late. Not that I’m complaining.”

He really was a beautiful sight to behold, standing upright, condom and all.

“It’s okay, really.”

He seemed incredibly relieved, which made her smile. Who would have thought he would care so much about post-coital protocol? She pulled her skirt down and readjusted her top while Wil used the bathroom. When he returned, he quickly slipped on his clothes and shoes while checking his phone.

“So how late are you?” she asked, buttoning his shirt for him.

“Past the point of being fashionable.”

“Sorry.”

He put his arms around her waist. “I’m not. Any time you want to make me late again…”

“Go.”

“I could come back after my meeting.”

She considered it, but then shook her head no. “I have to work tomorrow.”

They kissed goodbye and off he went to his business meeting, wherever that was at this time of night. Nicole didn’t care. She was sated and happy. As she brushed her teeth and washed her face by the light of the moon she thought about how unfair it was that she had gone so long without sex.

Boy, you don’t know what you’re missing until you get a taste of it again. And she wanted to taste it again. She went to bed dreaming of Wil’s mouth on her body.

Nicole woke up the next morning still basking in her orgasmic glow until she caught a glimpse of her neck in the mirror.

“Oh my God!” she shrieked. “What the hell is this?”

Nicole examined the reddish blotch on the side of her neck more closely. “A hickey? You have got to be kidding me. I’m forty-one years old and I have a hickey on my neck. Unbelievable.”

Nobody would believe her if she told them she got hit with a baseball. It was going to be ninety-eight degrees in the shade today, so a turtleneck was out of the question. How was she going to hide this?

A scarf. She was going to have to wear a scarf tied around her neck for the next five days. She was going to kill Wil. Nicole hadn’t even felt him give her one, but then again, she had been focused on other sensations. Speaking of which, hickey aside, she had to admit she felt great. She felt energized, sexy and aroused, like all her nerve endings were standing at attention. She had a kick in her step, even as she checked on Sammy.

“Hi, Sammy. Did you eat your mouse? Yes, you did. What a good boy you are.”

Sammy remained motionless, no doubt conserving his energy for all the things he had to do that day. His discarded skin still lay crumpled in the corner. I should probably get that out of there. Since she was feeling somewhat bold, she reached inside the cage to grab it. As soon as Sammy detected movement, he jerked his head toward Nicole’s hand causing her to scream and yank it back out. Maybe that had been too much bravado. She had to remember to ask Wil to take care of that for her.

Wil.

If goofy uncontrollable grins were a crime, she’d be in prison without parole, because the second she thought of Wil, one spread all over her face.

When Nicole arrived at the office and saw the peonies he had sent, another grin erupted. When he called her later that afternoon and said in his deep voice, “I thought about you all night,” not only did her face feel like it might crack open from smiling so much, but a raging heat spread throughout her entire body.

“Oh yeah? What did you think about?”

“I thought about all the things I want to do to you.”

Nicole swallowed hard. She should tell him last night had been a one-shot deal. He was too young, not to mention he was her client, and she wasn’t ready for a relationship. But the truth was she wanted him again. Badly.

“What did you have in mind?”

“I can be there in twenty minutes.”

She chuckled into the phone. “You’ll have to settle for when I get off work.”

“I’ll take care of dinner and meet you at your place.”

Again, that goofy smile. “Perfect.”

****

“By the way,” Nicole told Wil, removing her scarf and pointing to her neck, “this can’t happen again.”

Wil took a look at the hickey. He was impressed by his work. “That’s a big one.”

She wagged a finger at him. “Promise me, no more.”

“I guess I got a little carried away.”

“You think?”

“Okay, I promise no more on the neck. What about on other parts of your body?”

Wil took her face in his hands and kissed her deeply, marveling over how completely powerless he felt whenever he touched her. All it took was one kiss and his thoughts went immediately to wanting to make love to her. She may have caught him by complete surprise last night, but now that he had his wits about him, he intended to show her that sex with him could last longer than a few minutes.

“Do you want to come upstairs with me?” Nicole asked, breathless.

“Yes, but first—”

Wil’s cell rang.

“Your phone is not allowed in the bedroom.”

He checked to see who was calling, and then answered. “We’ll be there in a minute, Mom.”

“Mom?” she said, after he had disconnected.

“My mom made all this food, so I thought we could go there to eat.”

“To your mother’s?” She paused, looking uncomfortable. “How old is your mom, exactly?”

“Forty-four, I think. Why?”

“I’m only three years younger than your mother, Wil.”

“So?”

She answered him by throwing up her hands and giving him a look that clearly said, If you are really this clueless, I am never sleeping with you again.

“Okay fine,” he said, “but my mom doesn’t know anything is going on between us.”

“What would she think about you bringing me to dinner?”

“You are still handling my account, aren’t you? Or did you forget about our business relationship?”

She blushed. “I haven’t forgotten, but it definitely hasn’t been first and foremost on my mind.”

“Relax, babe. I told her we had some business to go over and she invited you for dinner. We’ll eat, and then come back here for dessert.” He gave her a smile that was purely carnal.

“Hmmm,” she said, still not appearing entirely comfortable with the whole idea.

Wil patted her ass on the way out. “I’ll be on my best behavior, I swear. She’ll never suspect a thing.”

****

It wasn’t much of a walk since Wil’s mom lived one condo down from Nicole. Her place had the same layout: two-story, two bedrooms, and two baths. Wil had bought it for her two years ago, along with a new SUV, and a month-long stay in Mexico.

Wil and Nicole entered through the garage and were immediately greeted by his mom’s yapping Chihuahua.

“Shush, Lola,” he said, scooping the dog up and carrying her football-style into the house.

His mom kissed him on the cheek and took Lola. “Hi, mijo.” She saw Nicole and said, “I hope you brought your appetite with you. I’ve been cooking up a storm all day.”

“Hi, Carmen. Thanks for having me.”

Wil wandered into the kitchen, lifting up pot lids. “What did you make?”

“What didn’t I make?” she laughed, following him into the kitchen. “I have chiles rellenos, chicken mole, rice, black beans, sopa de fideo, and corn on the cob.”

She smacked Wil’s hand as he was about to reach into one of the pots on the stove. “Out!” Carmen steered him out of the kitchen. “Nicole, sit. What would you like to drink? Anthony, get Nicole something to drink!”

“Anthony?”

“My middle name,” Wil explained. “How about a beer?”

“Fine,” she said, taking a seat at the dining room table, while he grabbed two beers from the fridge. He sneaked a look at Nicole, watching her for a moment in his element. He felt oddly comfortable, considering the fact that he didn’t bring just anyone to his mother’s home for dinner. Trust had to be earned with him. And yet in the short time he had known Nicole, he instinctively knew she would never do anything to stab him in the back.

“Get me a beer too, Wil,” a female voice called from the couch.

“Eloisa, what are you still doing here?” Wil said. “Don’t you have a home?”

Wil’s brother, Carlos, galloped down the stairs in jeans so baggy Wil was surprised he didn’t trip. “She doesn’t want to go back home, because she knows her father’s going to kick her butt for staying out all night.”

Wil slid into the chair next to Nicole and handed her an open beer. “Eloisa’s my cousin who seems to think this is her second home.”

“Hey, where’s mine?” Eloisa yelled.

“Get your fat ass up and get it,” Carlos said.

“Loser,” Eloisa said.

“And that’s my younger brother Carlos.” Wil sighed, wishing there was a mute button for the two of them.

Carmen appeared at the table ladened with an armful of plates. “Can both of you shut up, please?”

Nicole jumped up to help her. “Here, let me.”

“Mom, did you make me my lunch for work?” Carlos asked.

“Yes, Carlos. It’s in a container in the fridge.”

Wil took a sip of his beer and said, “My brother’s twenty-two and my mom’s still taking care of him.”

Carlos sat down next to him. “Not everyone can afford a maid.”

“I don’t have a maid,” he said sheepishly. At least not every day.

The door leading from the garage opened and in walked Monica, Wil’s other sister, with her three-year-old daughter, Sabrina, toddling behind.

“Here, Monica,” Carmen said, handing her two platters piled high with food, “take these to the table.”

Wil stood and went toward his niece. “Hi, mamas,” he cooed, taking the girl into his arms. “Give your uncle a kiss.”

She squealed with delight and gave him a peck on the lips.

“Let’s eat before it gets cold. Come on, Eloisa,” Carmen said, waving her over.

Everyone crowded around the table and dished heaps of food onto their plates. Wil kept glancing over at Nicole, making sure she was feeling comfortable. She appeared to be having a good time, until she dipped a tortilla chip into the bowl of salsa.

“Is this spicy?” she asked.

“Not really,” Carmen answered, at the same moment Wil and Carlos shouted, “Yes!”

Too late. Nicole had already popped the chip in her mouth. Her eyes began to water as she furiously fanned her mouth.

“Drink beer, not water,” Wil tried to tell her in between her coughing.

“Are you trying to kill her, Ma?” Carlos said.

Nicole held up her hand. “No, it’s okay. My fault.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Carmen asked. “I’m so sorry.”

“Yes, I’m fine,” she assured her, wiping her runny nose with a paper napkin.

Wil gave her other hand a squeeze under the table. Baby Sabrina laughed and threw a noodle from her soup which landed on Carlos’s knee, and the phone rang—all at the same time.

“Answer that, Monica. You’re closer,” Carmen said.

When Monica came back from the kitchen after hanging up, she said, “That was Sonia. She’s coming over.”

Wil felt the color drain from his face. “Now? Why didn’t you let me talk to her?”

“She’s a block away. You can talk to her in like five seconds.”

“Who’s Sonia? Another cousin?” Nicole asked.

“Wil’s fiancée,” Eloisa said.

Nicole slowly turned to look at Wil. “You didn’t tell me you were engaged.”

Shit! Please tell me this is not happening right now.

Carlos smirked. “Wil probably doesn’t want to spoil his image.”

“I keep telling them I want grandchildren soon. I’m not getting any younger,” Carmen said.

Nicole searched Wil’s face for some kind of explanation, the hurt and confusion evident in her eyes.

“I’ll be right back,” he said, pushing back his chair and heading out to the garage to intercept Sonia.

****

Son of a bitch. She’d been screwed. Literally and figuratively.

Nicole leaped up quickly and announced, “I just remembered my son is supposed to call me and I don’t have my phone with me. He’s in New York visiting his father.”

“Oh, you must miss him so much,” Carmen said.

“I do. Very much.” Tears started to form behind her eyes.

“Go then, before you miss his call.”

“Thank you for dinner,” she said, making a beeline for the front door. “I’ll go out this way. Let Wil know I’ll call him from the office tomorrow.”

No way was she going to leave through the garage. Nicole didn’t want to see Wil, and she sure as hell didn’t want to see the girl he had asked to marry him. She waved goodbye with a fake smile plastered on her face and hightailed it back to her place. She threw the dead bolt into place, raced up the stairs two at a time, and fell face-down on top of her bed, sobbing.

How could she have been so stupid? So gullible? No wonder she had given up on men. They did nothing but let her down.

Five minutes later there was heavy knocking on the front door. Nicole didn’t answer. There was a pause, and then more knocking. A pause, and then her cell phone rang. A message was left. The phone rang again and another message was left. A third time and a third message. Wil was persistent if nothing else. But then she already knew that.

There was some more knocking, and then silence.

Nicole didn’t need to hear what he had to say. There was no misunderstanding over the fact that Wil had a fiancée, and that Nicole had been one last fling before that trip to the altar. She was probably one of many, in fact.

If she attempted to turn this experience into something positive, at the very least, she had an entertaining story for the ladies on Friday night. Annie wouldn’t be at all surprised to find out Wil was engaged. She’d had enough horrific experiences with men in her life to know they all had the potential to be pond scum.

Wanda would say, “Yeah, but how was the sex?”

And Paulina, her mind always on business, would ask Nicole if she could slip Wil’s fiancée her business card because “Every girl needs a good wax before their wedding day.”

She got up to take an antacid for her raging heartburn, and to check the three messages in her voice mail which were all from Wil.

“Come on Nic, answer the door. I know you’re home. Give me a chance to explain.” That was his first message.

In the second message his voice was harsher. “Nicole, either open the door or answer your goddamn phone so I can talk to you. You’re acting like a child.”

And the last one consisted of a heavy sigh, a curse, and then a hang-up.

Maybe Nicole wasn’t acting like the most mature person by avoiding Wil, but there wasn’t any way he was going to be able to explain this one. She let out a loud productive belch and felt instantly better. It’s not the end of the world, she told herself. Her emotions had been through worse. Hell, she’d been through a divorce—the humdinger of heartbreak.

She’d survive physically, too. Yes, it had felt great to have sex again, but it wasn’t like her libido couldn’t go dormant again. Or maybe it didn’t have to. Surely there must be one eligible man out there for her; one who wasn’t heavily medicated or wanted to spank her.

Oh, who was she kidding? Men were nothing but heartbreak with a capital H. The farther she stayed away from them romantically, the better.

****

Avoiding Wil at the office the next day proved more difficult. Their agency was working for him, after all. When he showed up after lunch, Eve already knew to tell him Nicole was out with clients for the rest of the afternoon. Eve didn’t question her, but Nicole wouldn’t have gotten away with it if Eric had been in the office.

Her peonies had begun to wilt so she happily chucked them into the trash. She didn’t need the constant reminder that they symbolized love. The real dilemma was how she was going to handle Wil’s account. If she told Eric to take her off the account, he’d want to know why. Nicole would have to tell him it was because she couldn’t keep her hands off the client. Not good to have her dirty laundry publicly aired to the boss. Not to mention the rest of the office.

Nicole left work at five on the dot and headed straight home. Even though Wil’s car wasn’t parked in front of Carmen’s condo, she gunned her car into her garage and immediately closed the door. She kept all the lights off and ate a bowl of granola for dinner by the light of the television.

There were no knocks on the door that night. Her cell rang only once, but she didn’t recognize the number and no message had been left. Nicole couldn’t decide whether she was relieved that Wil hadn’t tried to contact her or disappointed that he had given up so easily.