Three Weeks: An Interracial Romance

by E. C. Hier

  He excused himself and headed for the gents which was where he found the machine he was looking for. He had to swap change with another man in order to use it which was embarrassing in itself but when the little packet dropped out of the opening, he realized that it contained Pina Colada flavored rubbers. Way to make a girl feel cherished, he sighed and slipped them in his pocket and splashed cold water on his face to calm the blush that came so easily to his skin type.

  They walked to her apartment hand in hand. He’d held a woman’s hand before but never had it felt so right. Her small hand belonged in his and he felt privileged to be holding her close. Men glanced at her for more than a fleeting look as they passed and he knew why. She had fine bone structure, full lips, and sexy almond eyes that were framed by long lashes. He was more nervous than he allowed himself to acknowledge because no matter how long he was in town for he did not want to mess this up.

  “This is me,” she said looking up at the tall ornate Victorian brownstone building. “You like rum?”

  “I would love some rum,” he said squeezing her hand.

  “Okay,” she said and led him up the front steps.

  Her apartment was on the top floor and if it had been daytime, he figured she’d have a nice view from the bay windows. The floors were carpeted in soft neutral tones and the furniture was soft and subtle. What was out of context with the rest of the room were the three large superhero prints, framed in prominent places. He was starting to feel a little inadequate because everywhere he turned there was a hunk with bulging muscles and a square set jaw.

  “I hate to disappoint you and so I’ll tell you now. I don’t have bulging muscles and I am never going to pull facial hair off like Wolverine, but I am lean and muscular. In fact, do you have a dimmer switch? Or maybe a blindfold so you can’t see me,” he said pretending to look for one.

  “It’s okay, I have rum,” she said laughing handing him a glass.

  “Ouch!” he moaned, but he was glad to see she matched his humor. “Seriously, though, my chest is pretty hair free although I think Harrison Ford doesn’t look quite as good these days; I might be able to take him.”

  “Hands off my boys,” she said. “Never dis Star Wars, or any Marvel, or DC movie star. If we’re to be friends, you need to know that if Chris Hemsworth walks in here, I am ditching you.”

  “Just so that you know, in the spirit of honesty and all that, if Scarlett Johansson walks in here,” he paused to kiss her cheek. “I’m gonna ignore her sexy arse in favor of yours.”

  “I’m not sure I believe you,” she said, but he cut her off with a kiss.

  He liked a woman who talked, but this one needed to be kissed. She was funny, and she was feisty. She was the kind of woman who could send a man crazy and he couldn’t resist her any longer.

  Olivia urged him deeper, opening her lips and moaning into his, making him feel like he was on fire. She had a direct connection to his nether regions and his brain was no longer useful to him. He placed his hands on the sides of her face and explored her mouth deeply and thoroughly.

  His kiss slipped down to her neck, and she groaned making him throb with desire. She tasted sweet and smelled divine. Kieran didn’t want to rush her, but she had slipped her hands under his shirt. He didn’t know how she’d managed to untuck him without him noticing but her warm hands were running across his ribs and back, driving him wild.

  “You’re so beautiful,” he moaned and her nails dug into his skin ever so slightly making him hiss. “Feels good.”

  “You want to move this to the bedroom?” She asked in a breathy voice.

  “Only if you don’t have a life-sized picture of Captain America above your bed,” he replied licking her ear lobe.

  “Nope,” she giggled.

  She led him to the bedroom which was thankfully free of well-muscled men blown up to make the ordinary man feel like a Lego toy. The one poster was a sparkly monochrome Audrey Hepburn canvas, and he was certain he could perform under her watchful gaze. She’d stripped his shirt, and he hadn’t even noticed her undoing the buttons. Her hands were quick, and he was pretty sure she’d been a successful pickpocket in a previous life.

  She ran her hands over his naked chest and he shivered. He couldn’t help but lean into her touch because it felt so good. When she went for his belt buckle he put his hands on hers, slowing her actions. She was still fully dressed and being naked while the other person was still dressed was a real act of trust because it made you feel so vulnerable.

  He lifted her pretty top away from her body and over her head. Either she wore fancy lingerie every day of the week or she had put on her sexiest to get his attention. It did get his attention. The tiny scraps of lace were framing a body that looked like a piece of art.

  “Wow,” he said taking a moment to study her. “I’m a lucky boy.”

  “Shut up and kiss me, Kieran,” she said, and he kissed her while trying to figure out how to open her trousers.

  “It’s no good; I can’t get in,” he said with mock frustration.

  The truth was he had all the time in the world, well tonight he did. In three weeks’ time, it would be all over, that’s if she wanted to see him again after tonight.

  Her trousers slid from her narrow hips revealing matching lacy knickers and sexy legs. When men said they liked women with legs that go on forever he’d never understood. He liked legs he could hold, touch, and wrap around his hips. Olivia’s legs were perfect in size, shape, and flexibility and he wouldn’t change them for all the leggy models in the world.

  “Okay,” he said grinning. “Now you can drop my jeans.”

  She stepped forward and with what seemed like an expert flick of the wrist his jeans fell down, brushing his throbbing manhood on the way. She eyed him and he was relieved to see a smile on her face, that is, a smile of pleasure, not amusement. He was perfect. His tall, lean, muscular body made his nether regions look invitingly delicious, and he was pleased by her reaction. The only thing he’d ever been really unsure about was the ginger hair down there that he was too manly to shave.

  Chapter 6 - Olivia

  “Did you forget to wear underwear?”

  “I’ve never really taken to pants, and boxer shorts just seem to wrinkle up and get in the way,” he replied feeling exposed under her scrutiny suddenly.

  “Had I known you weren’t wearing anything under those,” she said pointing to the jeans around his ankles, “we would have come here sooner.”

  She sighed. The man was a mysterious, cheeky, sexy, hot temptation, and he had no idea which made him hot as well. She was aware that she could easily fall in love with him and get her heart broken spectacularly which is why she pushed the thoughts down and stepped into his embrace.

  He was quick to remove her bra and panties and she was soon standing bare against his strong, naked body. It was a pleasure, but it wasn’t enough. She wanted him. She needed him.

  He kissed her again and the man certainly knew how to kiss. His hands found her bottom and lifted her up pressing their bodies together so she could feel nothing but his skin against her. When he set her down on the bed she clung to him, using her hands, tongue, and hips to keep contact.

  She was beginning to wonder if he was addictive because the more she experienced him the more she wanted. When he stopped and reached away from the bed she shot up in alarm.

  “Easy there tiger, just got a little precaution,” he said pulling out a brightly colored packet.

  “You bought Pina Colada flavored condoms?”

  “It’s all the machine had,” he said cringing, and she laughed.

  “You got them from the bar?”

  “Yeah,” he replied undoing the little foil wrapper with his teeth.

  “So, you weren’t prepared?”

  “I’m not usually this fast,” he said.

  “I’m not judging,” she said and took the rubber off him.

  She slid the rubber on and he hissed at the contact. He was a beautiful sight
and the fact that he hadn’t taken it for granted that he’d be sleeping with her, made her feel warm inside, not that she wasn’t warm already. No, she was throbbing and hot. She was also thankful that she’d shaved her legs and moisturized every inch of her body before going out that evening.

  His hands were large and rough but when he touched her, they were gentle. He treated her like glass. He was everything she didn’t realize she wanted from a man, plus more. The only bad thing was that they had just three weeks to enjoy each other, and she had every intention of spending every spare minute doing exactly what he was doing right now, bringing her to a rocking climax.

  “Jeez, damn, Kieran,” she hissed as he kept up a rhythm that drove her insane.

  She felt like screaming because it was so intense. Her body felt more alive than it ever had been with every nerve buzzing in time to Kieran’s thrusts. She was not ashamed of biting down on his shoulder when she couldn’t contain herself anymore.

  She lay there in his arms as he pulsed inside her; she felt like she had died and gone to heaven. Not only had sex never felt that good but her own explorations had never resulted in anything near that amazing.

  “Wow!” he said finally rolling off her.

  “Wow yourself,” she said leaning into him, snuggling against his chest. “We need to do that again.”

  “Okay, give me a few minutes,” he said as she listened to his heart hammering in his chest. “Maybe ten or fifteen. No, wait, does that mean I didn’t hit the spot the first time?”

  “You most definitely hit the spot,” she said grinning up at him.

  “Good, you had me worried there,” he replied pulling her closer and kissing the top of her head.

  When his lips rested on her hair it felt intimate, more so than what they had just done. It worried her because he was feeling right in every kind of way and her heart was leaping about in her chest shouting, ‘he’s the one’. This was dangerous territory and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

  “I’m glad I bought a pack of three,” he said.

  “Only three?” she asked. “It’s a good thing I have some.”

  Kieran laughed and pulled her on top of him, holding her flat across his body. His warmth rose up into her skin and she felt closer to him. He was definitely trouble and she couldn’t extract herself if she wanted to and she definitely didn’t want to. She had a feeling her heart would be broken in three weeks’ time and she didn’t think she’d have a hope in hell of recovery.

  ****

  Kieran left in the early hours of the morning and she had kissed him goodbye at the door then rushed back into the warm bed. The covers smelled like him and she breathed it in deeply.

  She didn’t regret her decision to sleep with him before really getting to know him because their relationship was on a clock and it was ticking away. She had loved every minute of their evening and the night that followed. Waking up next to him had been an added bonus, and he’d stroked her hair before getting up to dress.

  She’d gone to work on a high and it didn’t go unnoticed by both the staff and the regulars. Louise kept giving her sly grins, and she’d had to ignore them because she wasn’t about to discuss her love life with the older woman. When Kieran came in at lunchtime, Louise had served him and made Olivia a cup of coffee at the same time. Olivia spent the next thirty minutes sitting with Kieran and trying to pretend they weren’t being watched by their colleagues.

  “I need to see you again tonight,” Kieran said stroking her hand.

  “What would you like to do tonight?” she asked knowing the look on her face bordered on naughty.

  “We should go out because I need the incentive to keep my hands off you and being around people is the only way that’ll happen,” he replied, giving her a devilish smirk.

  “I just need to ask you a really serious question,” she said placing a hand over his.

  “Sure,” he replied looking nervous.

  “Are you wearing underwear right now?” she asked keeping her voice low.

  “Nope, swinging free down there,” he said with a grin.

  “I don’t know how I’m going to get through the day,” she said shaking her head.

  “I’ll meet you outside your apartment at seven,” he said grinning. “Wear comfortable shoes and trousers.”

  She watched him leave and couldn’t keep her eyes off his behind. Just knowing that he wasn’t wearing boxer shorts was driving her mad but seeing the way his cargo pants hugged his backside was enough to make her glad she was wearing undies herself. She finished her coffee and avoided Louise who was trying to gain eye contact.

  “He is really cute,” Louise said finally plopping down onto the seat that Kieran had vacated.

  “Yeah, he is,” she said.

  “And that accent, wow,” Louise went on.

  “Do I need to be worried about you?” Olivia asked dryly.

  “Maybe if I was twenty years younger,” Louise said winking. “You have a sparkle about you.”

  “Yeah, well, prepare to watch me get my heart broken and I can tell you now it won’t be pretty,” Olivia said standing.

  “How long is he here?” Louise asked, the smile having dropped from her face.

  “Just under three weeks,” she replied and then hid in her office until the sinking feeling left.

  She didn’t get attached easily but Kieran had swept in with his red hair and cute accent and everything inside her had responded to him. She needed to find out what faults he had because if he left her in three weeks while he was still masquerading as the perfect man she would be facing destruction; self-destruction.

  The thought put a cloud over her head for the rest of the day and Louise didn’t look so smug anymore either. Kieran had opened her up like a flower and now it was time to revel in the newly discovered feelings. She would be like the butterfly; she would shine for a few days and then it would all be over and things would be worse than before. Unless, of course, his next work placement was close enough that they could still see each other.

  There was still something to hope for but in the meantime, she had a date that required comfortable shoes and pants, and she had no idea what she was going to do on such a date.

  Chapter 7 - Kieran

  Kieran didn’t suffer from nervousness as a rule but as he made his way to Olivia’s apartment he was troubled with not only butterflies but a sinking feeling that he’d made the wrong choice of second dates. He could have taken her to the cinema, theater, any number of restaurants or clubs but he had decided that ice skating would be fun. He should have asked her first.

  When he saw her step out from the foyer of her building, he felt some relief that she was wearing jeans and a pair of Nike's. Her jeans were tight and form hugging and her hoody was chunky and warm. She looked perfect but then she’d looked perfect every time he’d seen her. She had a habit of making every other woman in the vicinity disappear into insignificance.

  “You look beautiful,” he said pulling her into his arms.

  “Thanks,” she replied lifting her face up to be kissed.

  “I’ve missed you,” he said kissing her fully and finding his hands slide down her body of their own accord.

  “You saw me at lunch,” she replied. “Keep your hands off my butt! This is a family-friendly neighborhood!”

  “Oops,” he said pulling them off her sweet behind.

  “So, where are we going?” she asked.

  “Before I tell you, I just have to say that if you don’t want to go there, we can go somewhere else, I don’t mind,” he said. “I just thought it might be fun to go ice skating.”

  “Ice skating?” she squealed.

  “Yup, is that okay?”

  “I love ice skating but I have to warn you, I spent my childhood ice skating and I’m pretty darn good,” she said looking happy.

  “Me too,” he replied laughing.

  He was really pleased she was game for it but he was now starting to worry that she would spend
the whole time laughing when he fell over. He had spent hours on the ice as a kid and he was pretty good when he was standing but he usually spent just as much time sitting on the ice as he did gliding on his skates. He wasn’t graceful but he could be fast.

  “I’m buying you dinner too,” he said. “There’s a hot dog stand there with the best hot chocolate in the city or at least that’s what one of the guys at work says.”

  “Does it have marshmallows and cream?”

  “I have no idea but if it does, we’ll consider it as pudding,” he said reaching for her hand.

  “What’s for starters?”

  “A kiss from me of course,” he said pulling her against him once more.

  “Cool,” she said before he covered her lips with his.

  They kissed on the corner of the block, the subway, and when they passed a busker singing a James blunt song in front of a hat full of coins. If he had been a particularly romantic guy, he would have said that the evening was beginning as a romantic one but he didn’t really understand the concept of romance. As long as Olivia was smiling and still willing to kiss him he would count the evening as a success. If she took him back to her apartment at the end of the night, he knew he was definitely doing all the right things.

  Women were a mystery to him and most were scary but this one was worth a bruised backside and the potential for a displaced kneecap; maybe that was romance.

  They put on their skates and made their way to the entrance. The butterflies were back, and he had to make himself take a deep breath. He would fall over, he always did, and she would see it many times over. As long as he didn’t hit his head, or break a limb, or even worse, pull her down with him, then everything would be okay.