by Taras Ford
“Did you bring the socks?”
He shook his head and she narrowed her eyes. “Figured your stiff butt wouldn’t, so I brought you a pair of mine,” she said, pulling the socks out of her bag and waving them in his face.
“I don’t think I can fit them.” He wrinkled his nose.
“You better hope you can,” she teased.
“Ok, enough with the games. Where are we going?”
“You’re a very impatient man.”
Nolen fixed his eyes on her and gave a half smirk. “I think I’ve had the patience of a Buddhist monk when it comes to you.”
“Really? Just because you didn’t get your way, you think that makes you humble?”
“I take it you don’t.”
“Nope. It makes you persistent, but not patient.”
Nolen nodded. “Let’s change the subject. How was your day?”
“My day was good. Had to work and all, but I got some good tips.” She relaxed and looked out the window. Sensing his eyes on her, she cut her eyes back at him. “And your day?”
“Just business as usual,” he said in that silky voice that warmed her.
“You like what you do?”
“I don’t dislike it.”
“Interesting answer.”
“How about you?” he asked.
“I do.”
“You like waiting tables?”
“Is that so horrible?” she asked, drawing back.
“No, it’s just that I figured it was something you did to get by.” She smiled. “There are lots of things you can do to get by. I chose something where I could interact with people. I’ve met some interesting customers. Besides, today was my last day.”
“So when you become the darling of Broadway, will you still wait tables for kicks?” Sydney laughed. “Cute.”
Nolen looked out the window when the limo turned into Central Park. “Please don’t tell me we’re going where I think we’re going,” he said with dread.
Sydney leaned over him to look out his window. Her breast brushed against his arm, and he looked her squarely in the face as she grinned out at the park. When her eyes shifted to his face, which was now so close she felt his breath on her cheek, she quickly moved away, blushing. “Yes, we are! Skating at Wollman Rink. What do you think, Mr. CEO? Can you hang?”
“No. I don’t skate.”
“You said I could choose the date, and this is my choice. Of course you can always take me home.”
“Can I come upstairs with you?”
Laughing, she shook her head. “That would be a no!”
He looked back out the window. “How about a helicopter ride over Central Park?”
“No.”
“Dinner at the Waldorf?”
“No!”
“A private screening in my theater of that new Tom Cruise movie. It hasn’t been released yet.” Sydney folded her arms. “I want to go skating.”
Nolen smiled slowly and moved closer to her. She backed into the corner of the seat at his approach, lowering her arms. Bringing his face close to hers, he looked into her eyes. “And I plan to be in the business of giving you what you want, so skating it is.”
“Thank you, I guess,” she said as the driver opened Nolen’s door. “Umm . . . I think we need to get out now.”
He pulled back and relief washed over her. She enjoyed his close contact too much. Nolen climbed out of the car, then helped her out. A night chill greeted them. He closed his trench coat and Sydney slipped on her jacket, zipping it up. Leaving her bag inside the car, she handed him the pair of socks. He looked at them, frowning. Pulling up his pant leg, he showed her the black silk ones he wore. “These should do.”
“Have you ever ice skated before?” she asked, slipping the socks into her jacket pocket.
“No, but I’m good at everything I do,” he said with a confidence she found sexy.
She shook her head, and slipped her hand into his to his obvious surprise. “Let’s put that to the test,” she said, pulling him along. Walking through the park holding his hand, she exhaled a long sigh of contentment.
Central Park was the only place in New York that felt like home to her.
“I take it you do this often?” Nolen asked.
“My friends and I do it every now and then. They don’t like the cold much, but skating is my favorite thing to do in this city, ever since I was younger and Portia’s mother would bring us both to the rink on the few short visits I made. Her mother and my mother were best friends. They grew up together back home. When Portia’s dad and mom split up, she and her mom moved here. We couldn’t ice skate in South Carolina. My father thought it was a waste of time.”
“I agree with him,” Nolen mumbled, but Sydney didn’t hear him.
Sydney let go of his hand, realizing how comfortable she was becoming. Sticking her hands in her pockets, she peeked over at him. He appeared to be deep in thought. “Something wrong?” she asked.
“Not anymore,” he said, giving her a conspiratorial wink. His ability to remain hidden behind his charm was disappointing. She secretly hoped that at some time during the night he’d let down his guard and show her something real. Right now everything about him still felt guarded and controlled. It was a turn-on and a turn-off all at the same time.
The rental booth appeared ahead and she quickened her step, causing him to fall behind. She gave her shoe size and then shot him a look.
“Fourteen,” he said.
Sydney smiled, recalling what Portia always said about a man’s shoe size. Nolen gave the woman two twenties for their skates and accepted the change. Sydney snatched up her pair, wishing she’d brought her own.
She looked over to see her date holding his large skates by the dirty shoestring that tied them together.
“People have worn these?” he asked.
Sydney laughed. “Of course they have, which is one reason you need two pairs of socks,” she said, rolling her eyes. She walked away, and then spun around to face him, stepping backward. “Care to place a wager on this?” she asked.
Nolen narrowed his eyes. “Now you’re crossing into dangerous territory, butterfly.” Sydney chuckled. “I’m a big girl. Besides, my money says you won’t stay on your feet for five minutes!”
“Really?”
“Really!”
“And if I do?”
“Then you pick where we go next.” She sat down and proceeded to remove her boots.
Nolen raised the skates to his face and frowned. “What the hell?” Giving in, he dropped down next to her, untying the strings to his skates as he watched her put hers on and lace up.
Nolen followed her lead. He kicked off his eight-hundred dollar loafers and placed his feet in the skates, questioning his sanity.
“Let me help you,” she said, kneeling down in front of him. She laced them tighter. People in jeans and sweaters made their way to the rink. He looked out of place in his black suit and long dark trench, so she tried to make him comfortable. Rising, she extended her hands to him. “Let me show you how it’s done.” He accepted her hands; he stood up straight, weaving slightly. She watched his feet. “Now, just walk to me. Don’t think about it.”
Nolen took one shaky step, then another. “Doesn’t helping me hurt your chances of winning our bet?” She was barely able to keep the laughter from her voice. “Sorry, but you don’t stand a chance in Hades on this one, sugar.”
He finally stood on his own, without her helping him balance.
“Let’s go!” she said. Sydney headed for the rink with Nolen still looking after her.
People shouldered past him, and he almost slipped once he lost sight of her. “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” he said and groaned.
Careful to take baby steps, he walked carefully to the edge of the rink. He stepped onto the ice and then began to slide, his feet shuffling under him as other skaters whisked by, laughing. Nolen swore that the temperature was ten degrees colder on the ice. It was now that he wished he’d
tried out for his high school hockey team.
In a silent glide, she skated up behind him, touching his back, then circled to face him. “How you doing there, Mr. Big?” she asked. He looked up at her, his jaw clenched tightly. The excitement of her challenge added shine to her eyes and polish to her cheeks.
“You win,” he grunted.
“You quitting on me already?” She pouted.
“This isn’t for me.”
Sydney skated close to him. “Put your hands on my waist.”
“What?”
“I won’t bite,” she said, grinning.
He slipped his hands around her waist, and she placed her hands on his shoulders. “Now, easy steps,” she said as she skated slowly backward. With her assistance he could actually glide. Finally confident enough to look up from his feet, he grew bolder.
“Well, look at you, Mr. Big Time now, ice-skating in your three-thousand-dollar suit.”
“Five-thousand,” he corrected her.
She laughed and let go of him, skating away backward, leaving him stranded in the middle of the rink.
Skaters sped past him, and he breathed slowly, he struggled with mimicking what she’d shown him.
“You have three more minutes, Mr. Adams,” she teased, skating around him.
Nolen clenched his black-gloved hands and felt himself swaying.
“You’ve got two more minutes, Mr. Casanova!”
He laughed, keeping his balance by swinging his arms counterclockwise.
Sydney clapped and kept skating. “Bravo! One more minute, and you’re home free!” He stood still.
Skating back to him, she frowned. “That’s cheating!”
“Nope. You said stay on my feet.” Nolen drew up his sleeve, he checked his watch. “And it looks like I won the bet.”
She stopped in front of him, folding her arms. “So you did. But since you cheated, I think it’s only fair that you find your way back to the other side of the rink alone.” She turned and skated away.
“Sydney!” he called out in panic. He watched as she leapt, then landed on one leg. She began to spin with her arms up like a ballerina. Beautifully she emerged out of the spin, and skated off to the other side of the rink.
“Damn it!” He grunted. Nolen shuffled his feet. He tried to get to the other side of the rink, then fell on his rump. Some kids skated by, caught in a fit of laughter. They pointed at him. “Fuck this!” he mumbled, but failed to rise again. After three unsuccessful attempts, he dusted the frost off his gloves, anger boiled in his chest.
“Need help?” Sydney asked, smiling down at him.
“No!” he barked.
She shook her head. “So your ego can’t handle a little fall on the ice?”
“Just leave me!” he barked.
She knelt beside him. “You’re going to have to stop taking yourself so seriously.”
“You brought me here to make an ass out of me. To take me out of my element, admit it!” His contemptuous tone backfired by sparking her anger. He looked up to see her glaring at him.
“And you took me to the private dining room at the Mandarin, tried to dress me in an expensive rag, and hand-delivered me by a chauffeur, I might add, to remove me from my element. Doesn’t feel good, does it?” Nolen’s anger melted under the comparison. “I guess not.” He sighed.
“Come on, cry baby,” she said, she reached down to pull him up.
She helped him to the bench where they had left their shoes. After they returned the skates, the mood lightened. “So you won the bet, Nolen. Where do you want to go?” Sydney asked.
“What happened to Mr. Adams or Mr. CEO?”
When her eyes cast downward, and her hands rubbed her side, it was evident she was equally nervous. It was another trait he found endearing. Then she looked up, her lips pressed together in a serious line. “No more games, ok? Hi, I’m Sydney,” she said. Her hand extended to him for forgiveness.
Nolen looked down at the offer to begin again with a raised brow. He lifted his gaze back to her face. He could see her sincerity in the deep hazel of her irises under sweeping lashes. He accepted her hand and shook it.
“Hi, Sydney. It’s good to meet you. I’m Nolen.”
“So, Nolen, I’ll ask you again, what’s next?”
He dropped her hand and took the other. Walking over to a wheeled cart emitting the smell of roasted chestnuts, he pointed at the sign.
“Nuts 4 Nuts!” she exclaimed.
“Yep. A walk in Central Park with you at my side and a bag of Nuts 4 Nuts. That’s what I’d like to do next.”
She seemed surprised. “You do know that these things smell better than they taste?” Nolen shrugged. “I’ve got a feeling that with you, they’d taste like prime rib.”
“Very smooth,” she said, with a light chuckle.
“Thank you.”
After he paid the nut man, they strolled through the park. Neither spoke as they passed other couples and a few joggers.
“So, have you ever been married?” she asked, popping a nut into her mouth.
Nolen shook his head. “No.”
“Me neither.”
“You’ve got plenty of time.”
“So have you. But of course you enjoy bachelorhood too much.”
“I’ve been in love, Sydney.”
“I know you have. She probably hurt you pretty badly, huh?”
Nolen stopped. “What gave you that idea?”
“You don’t strike me as a man who steps into the fire twice.”
“Very intuitive.”
Nolen was once again impressed. Sydney’s youth and inexperience, which he initially thought of as weaknesses, proved to be her greatest strengths.
Her head turned up to the sky and her thin brows drew together when she spoke to him. “You think I’m intuitive?” she asked.
“I do.”
“Not really. It’s a lot easier to see someone else’s pain than acknowledge your own. I left home just under a year ago. My parents, well my dad and I are estranged. Since then I’ve kept my friends close, but pushed back at pretty much everything else. Dancing is the one dream I won't give up. Despite the fact––” Curious, he touched her arm. “Despite what?”
She shook her head. “It’s hard to have faith in people, when everyone is so shady I guess. I don’t trust many easy. That’s why I accepted this date.”
“Because you don’t trust the world?”
“Because I want to trust you.” She smiled and looked back at him. The wind caught her hair and blew it toward her face. “You’re my boss. I want to make sure you understand how important this ballet is to me.
Things are changing. Change is good. I’m ready for it now. I’m not going to be that girl that hides, not anymore.”
Before he could stop himself, he touched her just under her neck. Her immediate response was to step back. Her eyes stretched at the involuntary reflex reaction. Nolen smiled and reached out again. This time she allowed his touch.
“It’s been a long time since I met someone like you, Sydney,” he mumbled, more to himself than her.
“There are plenty of people like me, Nolen. I guess. You haven’t said much about yourself. You’re um, not that old. I think you have a story too? Am I right?”
Pulling her close, he slipped his arm around her midriff. Her head fell back. She allowed him the liberty to once again capture her eyes. Neither spoke, but something undeniable passed between them. He brought his face down and kissed her. To his delight, she put her arms around his neck and accepted his kiss.
He could taste the buttery and salty flavors on her tongue, increasing his desire as his hands slid down her hips. He drew her closer, and held her against his chest while his demanding lips caressed hers. The kiss was urgent and exploratory, forcing her to her toes to keep up. Overwhelmed by his need for more, he pushed away while her mouth was still open. As she opened her eyes, he licked his lips and looked down at her. She blushed, dropping her arms.
“
I should take you home,” he whispered, and his eyes traveled from her face lower. “Yes, it’s time I take you home.”
It all happened fast. She found the simple act of breathing to be a struggle. “I changed my mind. I think I should go home,” Sydney swallowed her fear and tried to remain calm.
He blocked her with his arm as he leaned in closer. “You asked me to bring you here. You said you wanted to see my place?”
Sydney wished she’d been smarter. The night had gone to her head, and she had become too comfortable with him. Now with his breath on her face and the smell of his cologne weakening her, she felt trapped. Nolen moved his face closer to hers, pushing lightly against her. The inside of his bedroom held little light, but the desire for her was on his face, cast in shadows, and in his touch. A seductive appeal she couldn’t deny.
“I know, but the wine has me a little fuzzy,” she said. Her eyes moved from his penetrating stare to his lips, parted slightly. Did he plan to kiss her again? What should she do if he did? Oh, God, would he just do it already and get it over with?
“Yeah, wine can do that to you,” he said, flicking his tongue at her bottom lip, then pulling it into his mouth.
Sydney closed her eyes and reached for him. The final act of submission she knew he’d been waiting for.
Nolen pressed against her, he pinned her to the wall as his tongue chased hers. The kiss grew in its intensity and his erection made her move her hips involuntarily. Her desire controlled her actions while her brain checked out.
She moaned under the kiss, feeling his hand as it pulled her shirt out of her pants. Sydney enjoyed his cool touch against her skin once it moved over her belly, and upward to her left breast, squeezing then pinching her nipple as he forced her into a throaty kiss that made it hard to breathe. The throb and ache between her legs wouldn’t let her resist.
She turned her head away from the kiss, and he immediately began to nibble her neck. “What are you doing?” She gasped as he pressed his erection against her thigh.
“What I’ve wanted to do since I first laid eyes on you,” he said, undoing her belt buckle. She felt the zipper slip down and opened her eyes.
