When Love Calls Read online

  “Mmm, mmm,” was my only reply as I awaited what I hoped would be a bit of punishment. I wanted him to make me tell him all my secrets.

  Josh was still teasing me with his staggered breath against my ear and just as I was about to give in, he pulled back nonchalantly and said, “Fine then. I have plans for us this evening anyway and you are about to make us late!” He stood there looking at me with a smug-assed look of amusement on his face. I let out a frustrated sigh and even offered a pout as he backed away from me. He just smiled and said, “Get dressed! I’ll wait for you downstairs. That way we’ll both be safe.” He gave me a wink then trotted down the stairs.

  I resigned to the fact that Ms. Kitty would not be getting any playtime right now and turned on my heels to retrieve the new bra and panties I’d dropped behind me. I slipped off my robe and proceeded to step my foot into my underwear when Josh snuck up behind me. I let out a yelp as I turned to face him. “I changed my mind,” he rasped. “Who cares if we’re a little late?” His eyes scanned my naked body hungrily. “This is worth being late for.”

  Josh cupped my breast in his hand and engulfed it with his mouth. He sucked ravenously only taking pause to tease my rock-hard nipple. He alternates from one to the other before licking his way down to my navel. I spread my feet apart as Josh pressed me against the wall and he took it as an invitation. “Mmm,” he moaned into my already dampened sweetness. I felt his tongue flick back and forth against my pleasure and in no time, rewarded him with sticky sap. My flavor seemed to drive him as he waged a relentless pursuit of my next downpour. His fingers danced nimbly across my swollen breasts until he found each pebbled peak and rubbed them between his fingers. Heated explosions overtook me as I climaxed again. I could feel my knees buckling as I gripped the wall to brace myself as Josh stood to his feet. “You’re not getting away that easy,” I commanded as I began unbuttoning his slacks and snatched them down. Before I could protest or even talk shit, he had me in the air and wrapped around him in one sweeping motion. I locked my arms around his neck and closed my eyes. The back of my head slid up and down the wall with every impassioned thrust. I thought my ass might peel the paint off the wall as he probed deeper and faster. I was perched at the edge of my undoing when Mike flashed into my head. It was unintentional and I couldn’t stop it. Even though I was there with Josh, Mike had me against the wall. Mike was unraveling me and it was his face I saw as I tumbled over the edge into a sea of rapture. I couldn’t stifle my cry and the sound of Josh’s end brought me back to my reality.

  I turned away quickly and began putting on my underwear. I needed to get both my face and my thoughts together. “I guess I’d better hurry and get dressed,” I mumbled, still facing the wall.

  “Alright, I’ll leave you to it.” I heard the clink of Josh’s belt buckle as he fastened his pants. Then there was the sound of his footsteps as he walked down the stairs. Still, I peeked over my shoulder to be sure he was gone then grabbed my sweater and jeans from the bed and went back into the bathroom. What the fuck was that?! Guilt blanketed me and my body felt like lead as I struggled to decipher what the hell just happened. I sat on the edge of the tub and stared at the linoleum floor as I flashed back to the night Mike had me pressed against the wall much like I had just been with Josh. It should have been the furthest thing from my mind, but he had managed somehow to work his way back into my psyche. This has to be because of that stupid text message! It was the only logical reason I could think of so I went with it, got dressed and vowed to block Mike and the incident from my mind.

  Twenty minutes later I met Josh in the living room where he sat waiting patiently watching television on the sofa. The fall temperature had replaced flowing sundresses with jeans and sweaters so tonight I opted for dark denim skinny jeans, brown leather riding boots and a chocolate brown cowl-necked sweater. Beneath my sweater, I wore a decorative bustier that propped up my breasts with just enough invitation to keep Josh’s eyes on nothing but me. When he turned in my direction, I knew from the way he devoured me with his eyes that I’d made the right decision. “Let’s go now because if I mess with you we won’t just be late, we’ll miss the event all together! By the way, I haven’t forgotten you owe me a surprise!” He smacked my ass playfully as we headed to the door.

  “So where are we going?” I posed with an inquisitive eyebrow raise.

  “You’ll see,” Josh said through a smile. “I hope you like it!” He gave my hand a squeeze as we rode off to the sounds of Neyo’s Closer. We rode for about half an hour before he pulled up in front of an art gallery. I perked up instantly as I looked in the window at the works on display.

  “What’s this?” I was barely able to stifle my enthusiasm. I loved art shows and galleries and had actually gone to several shows alone just to survey the independent works of local artists. I had several pictures I’d taken of sculpture’s downtown displayed in my house. I couldn’t believe Josh had brought me here. How did he know?

  “I bought us tickets to this silent art auction. There’s live music, wine and some heavy hors devours, but we can get real food after this if you want. I got the idea from all the framed portraits of artwork around your house. Do you like your surprise?” He stared at me hopefully.

  “Yes, Josh, I do. You really pay close attention to me, huh?”

  “You’ll learn one day,” was all he said as he shook his head, got out of the car and came to open my door.

  Once inside we checked our coats and moved around the room viewing artwork and pricing pieces. I was seriously interested in a couple. “Everything is so beautiful. You can really see the passion behind each stroke in this piece. This artist has a fire.” I said. I was engaged in every aspect of painting. There weren’t many people who knew how much art moved me. I was still blown away that Josh had noticed my interest and brought me here. Not only was the art amazing, the music was great too. As I overviewed each piece, I realized I had subconsciously gravitated toward the live music that was coming from the next room. I loved live music. The energy was so much more powerful than anything I could ever hear on a CD. I was excited to hear the live band and maybe get in a dance with Josh so I grabbed his hand and pulled him in that direction. My heart damn near stopped when I entered the room. I felt heat rise on the back of my neck as my eyes scanned the banner draped across the stage. It read Epiphany. Shit!!! It was Mike’s band. “Come on Josh, let’s go get something to eat.” I pulled him persistently toward the room where refreshments were being served. Did he see me? I hoped I’d moved fast enough to be undetected and I was already working on a plan to stage a discreet exit. I was literally in the middle of orchestrating my plan when I thought about it. Why am I running? I’m here with Josh and we are together so who gives a shit about what Mike thinks? My mini pep talk worked and I felt brave enough to venture back into the room and onto the dance floor with Josh. I gazed at Josh intently as we swayed to the music. “Thank you. This was a wonderful surprise. I’ve loved every moment.” I laid my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes as we moved to the music. After three songs, I excused myself to the ladies’ room and sauntered off in that direction after planting a delicate kiss on Josh’s cheek. When I came out, he was standing there, looking me up and down with his thoughts and intentions clear. “Woman you look… delicious.” He growled as he arrogantly licked his lips. I couldn’t believe it! “Hello Mike.” I held my breath and put on my best stone face. I needed him to know that his heated gaze had no effect on me. I could feel my nipples hardening beneath my sweater, betraying the ideas in my head. He’s not what you want!! I mentally scolded as I began making a beeline down the corridor. Mike stepped directly in my path and blocked my escape.

  “So, I sent you a message earlier but I didn’t hear back. Did you get it?” His eyes were still taking in the curves of my body and his surveillance actually stopped at my breasts perched high in my bustier. Mike watched intently as my chest rose and fell in angst. I glanced down to see for myself and what I already felt was
confirmed. He was affecting me and I hated it. “Yeah, you got it,” he nodded confidently as his gaze met mine. “I guess it’s safe to assume the dude you were dancing with is the reason I didn’t get a reply. Is that your man?” Mike inched in a fraction.

  “First of all, who I’m with is none of your damned business! I’m not sure who the hell you think you are or why you even bothered to contact me after three months, but I’m glad I got to see you tonight to get this off my chest! Do us both a favor and lose my number the way you claim to have lost it before. I don’t need to know what happened after that night. As you can see I’ve moved on, so feel free to do the same!” I crossed my arms to hide my shaking hands and my cleavage as I tried again to push past him.

  “Listen, I get it.” Mike grabbed my wrist lightly and against my better judgment, I didn’t pull away. “I know I don’t have the right to ask or tell you anything. I wanted to explain things to you because I like you. The truth is I haven’t stopped thinking about you since that night. But it’s cool, I mean, I guess the timing is just off. It was good to see you again.” I could see genuine regret in his eyes as I tugged my arm from his grasp. Just as I slid past Mike to head up the narrow hallway, Josh came around the corner. I could tell he was taking in the scene, his face a mix of concern and suspicion.

  Josh never took his eyes off Mike as he clasped my hand. “Is everything ok back here?”

  “Yes, Josh. I’m not feeling too well. Would it be alright if we left a little early?” I could feel him hesitate as I attempted to round the corner.

  “Sure,” he said giving a final glare down the hall at Mike. “Let’s go get our coats.”

  Chapter Eight

  So I guess I’ve officially become that girl. I was laying there watching Josh sleep. His chest rose and fell in deep, slumbering breaths. I studied his handsome face. He was even more beautiful since I’d convinced him to shave off that pesky goatee. I watched the muscles in his jaw flex in response to his clenched teeth. I wanted to memorize every detail of his face to take it with me on my trip. If anyone had ever told me, I would be reluctant to leave a man behind for a girl’s trip, I would have laughed in their face. Still I couldn’t shake the looming trace of sadness I felt about going. Josh and I had talked last night about moving in together which was a huge step for both of us. It seemed like the next logical step since I had already given him a key to my place and he spent nearly every night here during the week anyway since it was closer to his job. Josh was surprised when he mentioned it and I didn’t flinch. There was no backpedaling or hesitation. I told him we would work on it when I got back so the inkling of hesitation about leaving felt like it might be a bit of my subconscious fear of what I would be coming back to. I shook off my sensitivity and went back to surveying Josh’s gorgeous face. I leaned in and kissed him gently on his lips and he reflexively reached out and pulled me into him. I snuggled into his chest and listened to his heartbeat. I began to trail kisses across his chiseled frame and his bulge awakened at my touch so I reached down to acknowledge it. Josh didn’t stir as I massaged him slowly and wriggled down beneath the covers. I carefully pulled his hardness from his shorts and placed my tongue lightly across the tip. A low moan escaped Josh’s lips as I stroked him with my tongue again. This time he jerked involuntarily and I froze. When he settled again, I wrapped my mouth around his swell and began a slow bob. Up. Down. I had developed a subtle rhythm when Josh stirred from his sleep and threw back the covers. “Erin, what the hell are you doing?!!” I sat up and read his expression. He was genuinely upset. Is he seriously pissed at me for trying to give him oral? What man says no to that?

  “Josh, I just thought we could try it. You’re always so attentive to me. I just wanted to return the favor. Plus it’s something we’ve never experienced together. Don’t be mad!” I couldn’t believe I was apologizing for wanting to be more experimental in bed but I didn’t want to leave town with us angry at each other. “Honey let’s not fight right before I get ready to leave for a whole week!”

  “I’m not mad. You just caught me off guard considering the fact that I was sleeping. It’s like you were trying to stage a ‘sneak attack’ or something!” Josh tried to feign levity, but I knew he was serious.

  I rolled over and out of bed. “Alright, I’m gonna go and take a shower. My flight leaves in two and a half hours.” I guess I better remember to discreetly pack my little vibrating friend. It struck me as odd that Josh was so resistant to any unconventional ideas about sex unless they were his own. I had suggested several different additions, but he’d declined them all. I was trying to be patient in the hope that he might warm up to anything more adventurous than our usual activities, but thus far the results had been minimal.

  I was standing in front of the mirror with my eyes closed, washing my face when I felt Josh come up behind me. I searched the counter for my wash cloth and wiped the cleanser from my face and eyes. I saw him peeking apologetically over my shoulder. “You know how I feel about you, right?” He kissed the nape of my neck softly.

  “Yes,” I sighed.

  “It’s not that I don’t want to be close to you or for us to do different things, I just don’t like being blindsided or bombarded with it. It doesn’t mean I love you any less.” He was talking into my neck as he wrapped his arms around my waist. I glanced at the wall clock. I still had thirty minutes or so until I needed to leave and I was already packed so I let him give me his apology. Josh turned me around to face him and pulled away my towel as he perched my body on the edge of the bathroom counter. The last thing I heard as he dropped to his knees was a muffled, “I’m sorry.” I gripped his sandy hair as my eyes rolled back in my head.

  *****

  When I opened my eyes, the Las Vegas sign greeted me through the airplane window. Even though the fasten seatbelt sign was illuminated, I decided to chance it and surfed my way to the front of the plane toward the bathroom. The sign on the door read, “occupied.” Of course. I couldn’t resist sneaking a peek through the curtain into first class. Who knows, I could be on the plane with a celebrity. I eased back the curtain and as my eyes roved down the walkway a broad shoulder that leaned slightly into the aisle three rows from the front caught my attention. I panned down further and locked in on a denim shroud leg attached to a black motorcycle boot. It couldn’t be. Or could it? I snatched the curtain closed. The urge to pee left me completely as panic set in and I scurried back to my seat. What the hell is he doing here? His ass had better not be stalking me! I cannot catch a charge for beating some fool’s ass in Nevada!! My head was reeling as I plotted how to get off the plane and out of the airport without him spotting me. I flopped down in the seat beside Feliz, slumped down and slapped on my shades.

  “Girl, what the hell are you doing” Feliz snapped with a mortified expression. “Is this some kind of weird fear of flying nonsense or what? Sit up! You are embarrassing me!”

  “NO,” I whispered. “It’s Mike! He’s on the plane! I saw him in first class!”

  “Erin, are you sure it was him? I mean, did you see his face? Did he see you?!”

  “Well, no, I didn’t actually see his face, but I know it was him! I could tell from his shoulder and his boot,” I said frantically. Feliz erupted into howling laughter! She laughed until tears rolled down her face.

  Feliz’s face had turned beet red and was gasping for air when she finally replied, “So, let me get this straight. You think Mike is the only man on the planet who has broad shoulders and wears boots?! You are trippin’! Thank God we’re taking a vacation because you clearly need one. Whew, I can’t wait to tell Amber and Angie this! Girl, you crack me up!!” Feliz continued to chuckle to herself as she watched me peer cautiously over the top of the seats.

  When the plane landed, I didn’t budge. I sat right there and waited for everyone else to de-board the plane before I walked hesitantly toward the exit. I wanted to be sure there was plenty of distance between Mike and I. Feliz and the other girls had gone on without me so
I pulled out my phone and texted her:

  “PLEASE pull my bags off the belt at baggage claim! I’m coming down soon and I’ll meet you guys outside.”

  As I walked down the corridor toward the terminal, I tried to figure out exactly why the possibility of seeing Mike had me so flustered. I wasn’t really afraid that he was stalking me and I had pretty much closed the chapter on our “little encounter” so what would be the big deal about seeing him in Vegas? I satisfied myself with the thought that when you see a guy you slept with on your vacation flight, it’s natural to be taken aback. Vegas was big enough for the both of us. Besides, I’d be far too busy with my girls to even think about why Mike might be in Vegas.

  When I got to baggage claim, I found my friends waiting there impatiently next to a sign marked Airline Shuttle Corp. “Well, it’s about damned time Erin! I hope this isn’t an indication of how our trip is going to go. Feliz told me about your little ‘sighting’ and you have got to relax! There must be more to that whole Mike story than we know about and for all this trouble, you owe us a full and detailed explanation.” Angie winked and gave me a nudge. I knew she would give me a hard time about my behavior and truthfully, I deserved it. Still I wasn’t ready to spend our whole trip talking about Mike or any of my other relationship escapades. I wasn’t sure how much of it I was prepared to share anyway.

  Thankfully, the conversation shifted on the ride to the hotel and everyone seemed to forget about being interested in my love life. Good! The shuttle was filled with the sound of us clambering about places we’d been before and the new things on the strip that we wanted to see this time around. The driver stopped the van at the main entrance to Caesar’s Palace and we all hopped out, tipped the driver and lugged our bags into the lobby. “I’m glad I sprung for the VIP package.” I said as I rolled the suit cases to a significantly shorter check-in line. The girls followed my lead and we were in and out of line in no time. I had already decided to take a nap and was headed toward the elevator when Angie called out, “You know you’re wrong for not staying in a suite with us! Look at you being all antisocial on our girl’s trip!” her nose was scrunched up in a way that made her look like she smelled something bad. I knew she had an attitude, but the truth was, Amber snored like a buzz saw and I never could sleep with anyone who snored. “Don’t start Angie. I’ll see you guys in a few hours. You can feel free to fuss me out then. I’m going to take a nap!” I ignored her side-eye and continued my trek toward the elevator.