Mr. Mysterious In Black

by S. Ann Cole

  Natalio’s lids lowered and his eyes darkened, emotion danced in his optics now, that emotion called lust. We gazed at each other, my breath hastening as did his, and I could see in his tempestuous eyes that if he took me at this very minute, it would be fast and hard and…hot.

  Taking pre-emptive action, I unlocked my seat belt and leaped at him, wrapping my arms his neck while his hands clasped my hips and pulled me onto his lap. His tongue dipped into my mouth, exploring, as we ravaged each other with hard, hungry thrust for thrust. Lips biting, tongues tangling, saliva mixing, moans digesting. Natalio dragged up my dress, freeing my legs so I could straddle him, our lips never parting. His hands squeezed my buttocks hard as he flexed his hips forward, allowing me to feel his hard erection.

  Oh god, I wanted him so bad. I needed him. Now.

  His thoughts must have mirrored mine, because he spared no time in freeing himself from the constraints of his trousers and made quick work of shifting my panties and entering me.

  “Ah,” I moaned, closing my eyes and tipping my head back.

  Natalio attacked my neck, sucking and nipping as he thrust up into my strides. “Harder,” he breathed. “Faster.”

  I clung to his shoulders and did as he commanded, reveling in the feeling of him swelling inside me. No latex between, just us, hard against soft. The feeling was exquisite, and I felt the wave building at my impending orgasm. Natalio’s breathing grew harsher, more ragged as I rode him, taking all of him, our juices mixing. My legs trembled and my strides accelerated, harder, faster, possessed. This wave was going to be a big one. Vibration rocked me as the wave rose up in the sea. I surfed on the edge before the wave swallowed whole me and crashed me onto the shore. I shattered around my lover, contracting at my release.

  Natalio hissed air through his teeth, gripped my waist and slammed me down onto him, meeting his last hard thrust with a feral “Damn you, Sadieee!”

  He pulsated inside me, flooding me with latent Nelsons as he buried his face into my cleavage, his arms wrapped tightly around me. Then we sagged, spent. We stayed that way for… who knows how long.

  “Where did…where did you learn to speak like that?” Natalio asked my breasts.

  It took me a minute to realize he was referring to my bickering at the dinner. “I told you, I read a lot.” Though I haven’t been doing much of that lately.

  He raised his head from my bosom and kissed my lips. “You surprised me. I was so confused because I wasn’t sure if I should be angry with you or kiss you senseless. And so turned on I couldn’t even see straight. But then, that was my father. So for the whole time I was unsure of how I should deal with you on the matter.” He kissed me again and smirked. “This was a really nice way of dealing with the matter.” Kiss. Kiss. “As for my father, I can’t say. He either loves you or hates you for it. We’ll know within a month or so. If he’s fond of you, he’ll surreptitiously inquire about your well-being. Financial-wise, health-wise and every other wise.” Another kiss. “But the possibility that he hates you is highly unlikely, because he wouldn’t have allowed you stay at the dinner table after your brazen words. Chances are, he’ll deem your unshrinking as potential and thrust you a palatable business proposal that will be hard to turn down.” Kiss again. “My advice to you if such a gesture is made, do not accept. Because then your life will be automated by him. And you belong to me. No one else.”

  “I’ve been on my own for basically all my life, Natalio. I’m like an adjustable wrench. I can adjust myself to whatever situation I’m thrown into. I allow virtually nothing to rile me. That’s how I survive. And that’s why I was upset when you were trying to change me. You don’t know this because you’ve skipped seven years of my life and this is the reason I suggested we wait before getting married.”

  Natalio took on an expression of contrition.

  I tightened my arms around him.”You are the only one who can awaken my emotions. From anger to love. You are my everything. And I love you. Have faith in me.”

  “I do,” he replied. “But no, marriage can’t wait. I just…need you. No waiting.” He frowned. “What’s your take on children? We just had unprotected sex.”

  “No worries. I’m on the Pill.”

  Natalio narrowed his eyes at me. “I’d rather you be off them.”

  Whoa. Slow down! “No, not yet, Mr. Let’s-get-married-and-have-kids-in-one-breath. Maybe in the next twenty-four months.”

  “How about the next twelve months?”

  “Sixteen,” I countered.

  “Eleven.”

  “Nine.” What? Oh dang. “Shit, I meant ninetee—”

  “Nine months. Deal,” Natalio grinned.

  I huffed and thumped him. “You…you…hellion!”

  “I’ve been called worst.” He tugged my chin and brought my lips to his. “Now, Miss Francé, I’d like to take you inside and make love to you in every position anatomically possible.”

  This man…is my man.

  “I belong only to you, Nelly. You shall do with me as you please.”

  “Will you tell me where you’re taking me?” I asked Natalio.

  It was the following weekend, Saturday. And I was once again seething from Natalio’s cosseting behavior towards me. Only minutes ago had we managed to untangle ourselves from a high-pitched, unsavory argument that had erupted after he’d blindfolded me and led me into a two-storey building—intent on surprising me—that he bought for me to open my own fashion house. The man didn’t even ask me if San Francisco was where I’d prefer to have a fashion house. And I was pissed, which resulted in a crestfallen, sullen Natalio and a yelling Sadie. Of course, our angry, vein-bulging shouting later transmuted into fuming sex against a wall in the empty building, with bouncing echoes of moans and groans.

  Natalio was calmed, I was still seething. He’d promised he would modify his controlling mannerisms, but he hadn’t.

  Though I didn’t show my appreciation, the building was amazing and I was already planning in my head how I’d design it and what I’d name it. I knew Natalio wanted to give me everything, but I just wished he would’ve asked me first.

  But then, that wouldn’t have made it a surprise now, would it, Sadie?

  Oh, shut up, Conscience!

  “No,” Natalio answered. Then he smiled. “You’re so cute when you’re angry. You should know by now Sadie, that your anger for me is aphrodisiacal.”

  I sighed in resignation. The man was incorrigible. And I was going to have to live with it.

  The sun was on its diurnal descent when Natalio steered onto open, verdant land in Napa Valley, then flashed me a wide grin. There were a group of men setting up a hot air balloon and I knew then how our evening would be spent. Oh dear.

  “You’re not afraid of heights, are you?” he teased.

  “I’m not afraid of anything, Natalio,” I retorted. “Just you,” I added in a lower inflection.

  Was this his way of trying to help me get over my fear of heights? Or was it a punishment for some unknown peccadillo that I’d committed and he wanted me to see me beg with frightened eyes?

  He leaned over and gave me a loud smack on the cheek. “Good. Don your jacket.”

  Hot air balloon. I’ve never been on one before and I was—despite my irritable fear of heights—excited. Many a time I’d wondered what it felt to ride a hot air balloon and had wondered if I’d one day muster up the courage to do so.

  Shrugging on my denim jack, I narrowed my eyes in the distance and watched as the massive yellow balloon slowly inflated, tilting to the side as the group of men struggled to keep it grounded.

  “We better hurry on,” Natalio said. “Come.” He took my hand and for a moment I couldn’t keep my eyes off him. Natalio was lucent in white sneakers, white jeans and a white V-neck sweater. The cherry-red hickey that I’d given him during a round of mind-numbing sex last night stood prominently on his neck. His face was bright with delight and he looked every bit like the cheery guy I’d fallen in love with seven y
ears ago.

  Damn, I love this man…

  By the time we waded through the winds and got to the balloon, it was fully inflated and righted, fighting against the strains of the men.

  “Ready and all yours, Nelson,” shouted one of the men.

  Natalio climbed into the huge woven basket then lifted me over as the pilot pulled on the gas lever. It was so loud I could hardly hear Natalio’s warnings for me to be careful. Once we were on and steady, the men released their hold and the balloon drifted up. There was no fear, surprisingly. And I couldn’t obliterate the silly grin that resided on my face.

  “Is this a better surprise?” Natalio asked.

  “Yes,” I grinned. “Thank you. I frickin’ love you!”

  We were soon high in ascent, and the sun’s slow descent effected a peaceful tangerine sky. My heart wasn’t even beating as hard as it normally does whenever I’m up high. Maybe it’s because my lover’s arms were wrapped tight around me. And I could feel his eyes hot on my face while I pleasured my eyes with the picturesque view of Napa Valley below. He seemed to enjoy watching me enjoy myself.

  Natalio drifted his hands up to my shoulders and turned me to face him, his eyes intense and brimming with love. He lifted my left hand to his lips, and then suddenly sank to one knee, the untamed wind tossing his hair about his face.

  Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. What was he doing? I already said yes.

  “Sadie,” he began. “I knew from the very first time I saw you that you were mine. I was bewitched, and the spell hasn’t been reversed since then. And I don’t want it to. I know you’ve already said yes, but I wanted to give you the fairy tale that every girl desires. I want to be your Prince Charming. Your Knight in Shining Armor. Your Romeo. I want to be your Everything. Anything you should so desire, as long as it is in my power, you shall acquire. We’re adrift in the sky, closer to God’s angels. You are my angel. And I want you to be mine, eternally. Please, be my wife, my spice, my life. Share my laughs with me, my wealth, my body, my soul and my heart. Marry me.”

  Midway through his proposal my face was soaked with tears, and my facial muscles hurt from my residing grin. “Like you didn’t already know the answer,” I sobbed. “Of course yes.”

  The monstrosity of a ring winked up at me. Platinum, with a rectangular cut diamond surrounded by emerald green studs. I’ll be damned…

  Natalio removed the ring from the slit in the black velvet case and slid it onto my finger. “Don’t you ever take this off,” he warned. “I want you to wear my love. Embrace my love. Pride my love. Brag my love. Be my love. I want you to love my love.” He rose to his feet and crushed me in his arms. “I love you, Sadie.”

  Tears ran amok from my eyes and the elation, ebullience, joy and felicity that I felt at that moment were incapable of a perfect description. I would forever remember this day. Forever. Like a life-saver, I clung to him. “I love you too, Natalio. I’m yours. Only yours. Eternally.”

  The loud gas of the air balloon, the pilot that stood afar, the unfriendly wind and its biting chill faded into quiescence as Natalio and I locked ourselves into an eternal embrace and allowed God’s gentle breathing to float us away.

  Acknowledgement

  I would like to thank my ride-or-die cheerleader Vashti, for being patient and putting up with me throughout this bumpy ride. Wasn’t this a rough ride, my dear? Thank you, for always telling me that I could do it, for being the optimist in times when I was pessimistic…and for being the worst critique ever!

  To Sophie King, for your editorial feedback that, at first, gave me an instant headache when I realized that there was so much wrong with my story which I thought was ready. Only, it wasn’t. Your hardcore feedback sent me back to the drawing board where I had to work so much harder at developing my characters and making this story better than it was. Thank you for not taking it easy on me.

  I would also like to thank Sean for opening my eyes to seeing what my passion truly is and what I should have been doing with my life all along. You’re an amazing motivator, and I won’t ever forget that you’re the one who pressed my Start button for this journey. You are treasured Sean!

  Thanks to Jason, for your constant words of encouragement and perpetual optimism, and for sitting with me in the library reading through my mess of a story when you should’ve been writing your research papers. Also, for putting up with me whenever I’m too stubborn to take corrections. I still laugh each time I remember our argument about using the word ‘edge’ or ‘verge’, and you stopped everyone who walked by, asking them which word suits the sentence better just to prove that I was wrong (I knew I was, but, gah! I hate being wrong!). You’re an amazing friend, Jason.

  To the one person on earth who knows how to make me laugh until I see stars: Quesie. Dude, you r-o-c-k! Thank you for always cheering me on. For going around asking complete strangers if my book cover looked too ‘vampire-like’ when you should have actually been fighting crime! For believing, since high school, that I was going to write a book one day. For just being…superb! You da’ best, Q.

  To my two lovely girls, Sharyn and Keisha. Thank you both for being such wonderful friends to me. Though mostly far apart, we’re always close in our hearts. I wuv, wuv, wuv, you girls!

  To my most treasured, adored, magnificent, excellent, supernatural friend of all, God. The master of my world, director of my life, giver of dreams, and the granter of my wishes. I love you! I love you! I love you! Thank YOU.

  Last but not least, to all the people who have taken the time to read my novel. I hope it was an enjoyable read for you. Look out for Lovello’s story Love Has A Name!!

  About The Author

  S. Ann Cole is a passionate writer and reader, and a lover of anything that distracts her from the real world. Ms. Cole is not your typical girl. She hates chocolate, candle-lit dinners and all that hearts and flowers stuff makes her feel awkward, coffee makes her drowsier than ever, and she tends to talk to herself, a lot.

  Having an obsessive and unquenchable affair with the written word, she’s naturally a recluse who dwells inside her imagination and has to suffer continual bashings from her friends for being a neglectful pal who does nothing but sit around the computer all day, writing.

  Like a big kid, Ms. Cole loves watching Disney Channel, enjoys a big bowl of Honey Bunches of Oats cereal and prays to our God like it’s nobody’s business—well, it really isn’t. When she isn’t abusing her computer keyboard, you can find her nosing a novel, stressing with school assignments, tweeting about every minuteness of her life, or disturbing her neighbors with her rugged voice, trying and failing to hit those notes of Beyonce’s Listen (she really ought to leave the singing department alone!)

  Lean in a little closer, here’s a secret she wants to share with you. Yes,you. S. Ann Cole can easily be bought with a really, really good bottle of red wine. Shh, don’t tell anyone, okay? *wink*

  Contact Ann

  Twitter @AnnColeRomance

  or

  Website www.AnnCole.net

  For The Reader

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