Sweetness, he said

by Starr, Jude

  With a full stomach, dressing up in a skin tight dress wasn’t an ideal plan and I attempted to talk Rose out of the idea again while Calvin took a shower. I was having a hard time concentrating; I wanted to join him, spend some time with him, skin to skin. Being at my parents’ house was turning out to be much harder than I thought. I had to control myself.

  “Come on, Iris. Try it on,” Rose begged completely overriding my arguments.

  With a frustrate huff, I stepped into the dress and Rose helped me adjust it.

  “It’s very short, Rose.” I was ready to back out of her plan. “I won’t even be able to dance in this.”

  “Chill out. You can keep your underwear on. Calvin will take care of making sure nobody can see your underwear. He watches you constantly, he’ll just have a raging hard on all the freaking time.

  “Rose!” I couldn’t believe my ears. “I like the dress, but it’s just much shorter than I would normally go for.”

  “It’s only for one night, Iris. It’s fucking New Year’s Eve. It’s the biggest party of the year.”

  She sat me down on a chair and brushed my hair. She left it loose like hers and then applied a few layers of make up to my face. I was almost afraid to smile, what if it cracked? She put glitter on my eyelids that matched my dress. Wonderful. I looked like a Barbie doll. So not like me.

  After spending an awful amount of time getting ready, we got into Calvin’s rental car and we rode with the music playing loud. When we arrived at the Sunset Bar, the parking lot was already filled with cars. People were lined up at the door, trying to get in. I had never seen anything like this before in our little country town.

  “It's crowded,” I commented. I was silently praying that Damien and Carolina wouldn’t be here.

  “I wonder how the night will go at lounge,” Calvin mused. “Hopefully we’ll get a huge crowd for the countdown. I hired DJ's from Europe especially for what I hope will be one of the best nights so far.”

  It hadn’t even occurred to me that Calvin should probably be in New York, dealing with his own bar. “What are you... What are we doing here if you should be in New York supervising The Whiskey Lounge?”

  He squeezed my fingers. “It’s okay. I have people there I trust, they’re taking care of everything.”

  “I feel bad now,” I admitted. “We could have come here any time.”

  “I wanted you to spend New Year’s with your loved ones.” His voice was soft and low, and it calmed me, but I hated that he had needed to change his plans to make me happy.

  “Say thank you, Iris, and shut up about it. He's here because he loves you. End of story,” Rose announced abruptly.

  A small smile formed at the corner of Calvin’s lips. “She's right,” he agreed mildly.

  I smiled happily. “Thank you, baby.”

  “Come on, it's time,” Rose announced excitedly as we reached the entrance.

  The Sunset Bar had absolutely nothing in common with Calvin’s lounge. The paint on the walls had faded, everything screamed of age and being outdated, but the beers were cheap and that’s all that mattered to people my age.

  “I hope you’re ready for the biggest disappointment of your life,” I laughingly warned Calvin as we entered the bar. The second we stepped foot inside, my eyes automatically drifted across the crowd to see if Damien and Carolina were here. I really didn’t want to see them.

  “They aren't here...” Rose confirmed my obviously unsubtle observations. “They probably won’t turn up. The baby is taking all of their time, I heard,” she announced nonchalantly.

  I shut my eyes and tried to push back the bad memories. Calvin's hand rested again the small of my back while he sang the lyrics of a song in a low voice. I had never listened to it before, but I knew then, that I would listen to it repeatedly from now on. His soothing voice filled my eardrums and his warm breath fondled my skin. This man certainly knew how to distract me.

  “Do you want to dance, lover boy?” I questioned coquettishly.

  Calvin grinned, displaying his sexy and provocative charm. “Can you even dance in that tank top?” He laughed, grabbing my behind.

  “You're going to have to make sure it covers every part of my body you don't want to share.”

  “In that case, we need to change you into a winter suit then.” He kissed my mouth and forced his tongue inside.

  He started caressing my back, my waist and before long, a small hip movement started between us. Our bodies were in synch, and he had me dancing in a very sensual manner. At least to me, it seemed. We were leaning against each other, following the beat of the music. I didn’t care who was dancing around us or who was watching, I was only focused on him. The air grew thick and heated as time went by, my back was covered in perspiration and so was Calvin. His hair looked the way it had the first time I saw him working out at the gym, all wet and disheveled. Totally sexy and he was all mine.

  “Kitten, can we go outside? Get some fresh air and maybe grab something to drink?” he spoke loud enough for me to hear him over the pounding music.

  I nodded my agreement and he led the way outside. The air had cooled down since our arrival and it was refreshing after the heat inside. I twisted my hair into a bun and let the breeze dry the perspiration on my neck. Calvin leaned back against the wall of the bar. He seemed tired.

  “Are you okay, baby?” I questioned worriedly.

  “Yeah, I’m just a bit hot, that’s all.” He brushed the sleeve of his shirt across his forehead.

  “You definitely are.” I kissed him and rested my head against his chest. He pressed a couple of kisses to the top of my head, which made me smile. “Are you having fun? I still feel bad about being here, when you had such a big event happening at home.”

  He grinned. “I’m having the best time of my life. If we’d stayed home, I would’ve been working; this is like a mini vacation.”

  “Our first vacation,” I whispered, certain I was in love.

  “We’ll go on vacation again soon, just the two of us.”

  I stretched up on tiptoes to reach his soft lips. “Where?” I murmured in between kisses.

  “Somewhere warm.” He kissed my lips. “With palm trees, exotic flowers.”

  “It kind of sounds like here, baby.”

  “No, not Florida. I’m talking Caribbean islands or somewhere in the Pacific.”

  “Honestly, I’m glad it isn’t Florida because it isn’t the same here. Damien and Caroline ruined everything for me here at home, that’s why I moved to New York. I miss the warm weather though, I could certainly go on vacations with you.”

  “I'm glad you did you moved to New York, otherwise I would still be a lost man,” Calvin said and it really touched my heart. My lost man.

  “I’m glad, too. I’ve never loved anyone as much as I love you.”

  “Same here and I don't want to lose you, kitten.”

  “You won't. Can't you see how addicted I am to you?” I couldn’t think of my life without him in it. He didn’t have to answer me, his lips on mine told me he felt the same way.

  A couple of hours later, the DJ announced the countdown to the New Year. Calvin and I stood on the dance floor, face to face, and one of his hands covered the side of my face.

  “The first New Year of many more,” he said in a low voice before he nestled his loving lips on mine.

  “Do you want to go somewhere with me?”

  He nodded. “Anywhere.”

  I told Rose we were leaving and she waved, not even trying to convince me to stay. She got so furious when I told her about Damien and Carolina. She got them kicked out of the club. Being friends with the manager had some advantages.

  Walking out from a hot and sweaty crowd never felt better. Once outside I reached for Calvin's hand and we started walking away from the bar. “I used to love hanging out here. Now, everything is different. I think I can call New York home. I feel good and free up there.”

  “Will you call my place home?” Calvin asked wit
h a wry smile.

  I chuckled. “One day I will, I promise.”

  “Just not now,” he added, and there was a bittersweet note to his voice.

  His words confirmed how impatient he was for me to move in and they also confirmed to me, how careful I was about not rushing into things. “When I was young, I used to go to a park near here and sit under a tree. Growing up in a neighbourhood where everyone knows everything about you was difficult. My sister and I, we always had more attention than the other kids because of how identical we were. All my life, I was with my sister, we were always two. Almost like we were one person in two bodies. When I moved away, I lost that completely and I became myself. I know it might sound ridiculous but for once in my life, I feel like I found my true self and I’m getting used to it.”

  “I get it, Iris.”

  I smiled. “I love the ranch, but I want to stay in New York. It's where I belong.”

  “I’m glad to hear that because after seeing you earlier with your horse, I was worried you were going to stay here and let me go.”

  “I wouldn’t let you go.” I squeezed his hand. “I would keep you prisoner.”

  “Maybe I should pretend to leave,” he joked.

  We walked into the park and headed towards the tree I’d sat under for years. We were quiet for a while, simply enjoying each other’s presence. I pushed him against the tree, holding him by the collar of his shirt and pressed a kiss to his lips.

  “I love how you got me to dance.” I wet his lips with the tip of my tongue. “How you kept me secure in your arms and how you touched me.” Calvin let his lips graze down my neck. “It was very intimate, sensual, and yet I don’t think anyone noticed.”

  “You’re wrong. Every single man in there wished he was in my shoes.”

  “But I’m only interested in you,” I whispered. Calvin slid down the tree, tugging me down with him and settled on the ground with me cradled in his lap. “I’ll have to go back to the residence when we get back to New York.”

  “Don’t. Not now, Iris, I don’t want this to end.” He sighed. “When I said I had the best holidays of my life, I meant it. Spending a lot of time with you was amazing.”

  “Kiss me,” I ordered.

  “God, I love it when you say that.” His voice was hoarse and deep when he spoke. “Shouldn’t we head back to your parent’s place?”

  “We should, but I really want you to kiss me right now.” I peeked up at him through my eyelashes. He grinned and softly stroked my cheek with the back of his fingers. “What if I can’t stop?” he said, our lips touching.

  I nibbled on his lips while we were so close and things grew more heated. Calvin held my head in place and slanted his mouth to meet mine.

  I didn’t know how far he would take things in a public park under the stars in the pitch black sky. The full moon proved lighter than either of us would have wished. He clasped my breast, and I started to feel the desire growing, deep inside.

  “Kitten, you know how much I want you.” His tongue grazed my lips. “But I respect you more than taking you here. Trust me, it might give me blue balls, but I won’t do this to you. Not here, you’re worth more than that.” He squeezed me closer, his hands dancing against my back. “Come on, let’s head back.”

  Chapter 13

  We had gone to bed at three in the morning but I didn’t care, I wanted to be up early to help my parents with the horses. I needed to help them while I was here and I kind of missed doing it, too. Maybe not the manure part so much.

  The Sunset Bar hadn’t changed much, I realized, but my favorite part about last night had everything to do with the park. I’d always liked that place as a kid and sharing it with Calvin made everything even more special.

  “Baby, you can stay in bed, but I’m going to help my parents, okay?” I whispered to Calvin.

  He rolled over, sounding sleepy. “What... What time is it?”

  “It’s 7:30 am.”

  He turned on the side and groaned into his pillow. “I’m going to need a shower and…”

  “Coffee is served.”

  He chuckled.” You’re the best.”

  “I’ll be outside.” I kissed his forehead.

  I hated to wake him up so early after spending half of the night awake. Every part of my body demanded that I go back to bed, but I couldn’t. My working boots waited by the door just like the old days and my skate board and my apple were right next to it. Mom knew or hoped I would help them, I guessed. I let my board fell on its wheels and rolled to the stables out back.

  “Good morning, honey.” Mom’s eyes lit up when she saw me entering the stable.

  I walked up to her. “Morning, Mom,” I said, hugging her tightly.

  I bit into my apple and gave the rest of it to Polo. It was something I used to do every day when I lived at home. Every morning, whether I had school or not, I would come out here to see him. “Good morning, boy,” I said petting his nose. He devoured the apple in no time.

  “Where's Rose?” I asked mom curiously. I hadn’t heard her return home last night.

  “I thought you might know. She didn't sleep here.” Mom rolled her eyes.

  “Oh!” Had I missed something? Was she dating someone? I had no idea.

  “Did you have a good time last night?” Mom questioned.

  “Yes, it was great to spend time with Rose. I’m really loving my life in New York but I miss her. All my life, it has been us and now, it’s just me. I miss you and Dad too. Anyway.” I tried not to get too sentimental and pushed aside how much I missed them in the Big Apple. “Calvin and Rose seemed to get along great. We danced together and the night flew by.”

  “I think, he’s really fond of you and your dad and I are very happy for you. He’s a good man, Iris. I can tell how much he cares about you even if it hasn’t been a long time.”

  “I think I found my other half. Now, I can only hope Rose find hers.”

  “She will, hun.”

  I took the water buckets from all the stalls and filled them with fresh water. Mom helped by putting them back in place once they were filled. Once we were done with the water, I went outside to get a hay bale. These things were really heavy and definitely too heavy for my exhausted body first thing in the morning. It took all my energy to bring it into the stable and toss some into each of the eight stalls, while Mom got their mixed grains prepared.

  I hadn’t done this routine in a couple of months and it showed. I used to do this with my eyes closed and now, my heart was pounding hard and I had sweat rolling down my back.

  “Good morning! Anything I can do to help?” Calvin’s bright voice startled me.

  When I turned around, I could have sworn he had turned into an angel. The sun rising behind him created an orange halo around his head. His hair was down, and sections of his tattoos were showing beneath the sleeveless t-shirt he was wearing. But his board shorts really did it for me. I smiled, staring at him in wonder, happy that he had picked me to be his beloved one. I had fallen deeply in love with him.

  “Baby, come—” I began.

  “Calvin!” My father called his name, interrupting me. “Do you want to throw some ball?”

  I chuckled quietly at my father, the football fan who couldn’t wait to play with an ex-professional footballer. Cal mouthed ‘sorry’ before he joined Dad outside the stables.

  The sound of Dad’s laughter and cheering warmed my heart. He liked Calvin and that meant a lot.

  While the boys enjoyed playing some sport, I decided to take a small ride with Polo. He didn’t have his saddle on, but it didn’t matter to me, I was just as happy to ride bareback. The other horses followed us around the enclosure as we cantered around the outside. New York City had a lot to offer, but it didn’t have this. Hearing all of the other horses galloping along behind us made me feel good. They weren’t just animals to me, they had amazing hearts and seeing them do this was the proof. They remembered me, even after all these months away. Bringing my ride to a halt, I f
inished up by brushing their coats, something every single one of them enjoyed. Mom helped and eventually, Rose finally appeared and joined us.

  I could still hear dad was having a good time with Calvin and I was glad to hear that it seemed as if Calvin was enjoying Dad’s company as well. He laughed out loud, as he explained some kind of technical football point to Dad, but I wasn’t sure if Dad would remember anything about this. He was way too excited about playing a football game with Calvin Banks.

  Once we were done with the morning tasks, I took my board and performed some of the tricks I used to do during my spare time. I was such a tomboy as a child, but I think part of it was because I was a twin. My sister was the exact opposite, she loved everything girly; glitter, everything pink and constantly changing her hairstyles.

  Dad and Calvin stopped playing and came over to watch. Calvin looked really impressed and grinned when he spoke. “Tony Hawk, what have you done to my girlfriend?”

  Girlfriend? I almost fell off the skateboard. I had never heard that word come out of Calvin’s mouth before and it astounded me. Admittedly, Calvin didn’t really feel like a boyfriend, he’d stormed straight past that title. He had gone from the man I flirted with, to the man I couldn’t live without.

  I let the board roll away and ran straight into his arms. He caught me mid-air and almost tripped over. I kissed him multiple times, all over his face.

  “So, I’m your girlfriend, huh?” I chewed on my lip, blushing furiously.

  “Why does it surprise you, kitten? It’s the proper terminology, but I think we’re much more than that.”

  “We are.” I hugged him with all the strength I possessed and then wriggled out of his arms. “I need to shower before the guests arrive. I stink.”