by R. R. Banks
“I don’t know, did I?” asked Hannah with an awkward gaze.
Nathanial looked on with an awkward glance as he sipped on the whisky, tasting it in his mouth before swallowing. “It tasted like whisky.”
“Hah!” she exclaimed. “It was vodka! You’ve been poisoned!”
He laughed as he shook his head before walking up and placing his arm around Hannah’s waist in front of Russell. “Thank you for your help,” he said as he kissed her on the cheek. “I owe you a lot for that.”
“Wait, what does he owe you for?” asked Alexis as she grabbed the glass of wine from Hannah’s hand. “What did you do?”
“I told him to text you,” she said with a smile.
“When I was trying to make sense of everything, I reached out to Hannah to ask her opinion,” explained Nathanial. “Once we got past the fact that I screwed up royally, and Hannah being sweet enough to tell me repeatedly that I had, she told me that you were also having a rough time dealing with it. She said that it might be best for me to reach out and talk to you.”
Hannah stepped in front of him and looked Alexis in the eyes. “I told him that you needed closure and from what he was telling me, he needed it as well,” she said politely. “Now, I didn’t tell this genius to fly from Sydney to New York to tell you to your face, but, well, here he is.”
Alexis smiled. “Yeah, that was pretty bold,” she said. “I guess I should give you some major props for that.”
“I think you should,” he said as he sipped the drink Hannah provided him. “I like to think that I have a few romantic moments in me.”
“Only a few,” joked Alexis. “You probably used your yearly allocation since we met.”
Nathanial held his drink and smirked, looking back at the rest of the bar while thinking of the proper reply. “Probably,” he joked. “But I guess we’ll have to see if I can find a few more.”
Hannah walked behind Nathanial and placed her arm around Russell’s waist. “Please don’t ever be that cheesy,” she said as she looked up into his eyes. “I’m almost positive that would make me vomit.”
“I don’t think you have much to worry about,” he replied.
“I don’t think I do either,” she continued as she looked back at Alexis as she rekindled the feelings she had for Nathanial. “How about we get out of here and let these two have a great night to themselves.” Hannah let go of Russell and walked up behind Alexis. “Hey, Russell and I are going to head out of here for the night. I want to know everything from tonight and if you and Nathanial are able to make your relationship work, then make sure to tell me all of the details.”
Alexis smiled. “Aren’t you a bit nosey?”
“Always,” she replied. “Besides, I know how Trish’s night is going to end. I really want to know how yours ends.”
“You want to know if I give in to his physical prowess?” asked Alexis.
“I want to know that you’re going to be happy,” she replied. “Nathanial, even with his faults, was really good for you and you were equally good for him. Maybe, just maybe, the two of you can figure this out.” She looked back at Russell as he stood by the bar and paid their tab. “But, you’re not allowed to leave New York,” continued Hannah with a smile.
“I will never leave New York,” confirmed Alexis. “My life is here and besides, he’s from the United States. It’d be coming home for him.”
Hannah smiled. “Good,” she said. “I’m not losing my best friend for anyone.”
“And I would never let that happen,” she replied as she stepped up and hugged her. “I love you, Hannah.”
“And I love you, Alexis,” she said as she embraced her tightly. “Have a good night,” she said once she released her and looked into her eyes. “I’ll talk to you soon.”
Alexis turned back to Nathanial as Hannah walked away with Russell, leaving the bar for the night and heading back to her apartment. “So, want to go grab a bite to eat?” asked Nathanial as he looked out at the bar and the people dancing the night away.
“That sounds like a great idea,” she replied, thinking back to the Chinese food she ate earlier in the evening with Trish. “What do you have in mind?”
Nathanial shrugged his shoulders in indifference. “I think there’s a diner near here that’s open this late.”
Alexis nodded. “Oh yeah, pancakes would be amazing right now,” she said with a smile. “Let’s go hit that up.”
“Lead the way,” he said as he pointed toward the door, allowing Alexis to walk in front of him.
Chapter 7
Trish walked into Davis’s apartment, immediately taking in the scenery before walking over to the couch to join him for a drink. It was very plain, in comparison to the apartment that she’d moved into. The walls were a soft taupe and provided a very relaxing aura while the floors were a lightly toned hardwood that was stained to be slightly off from the walls. Also on the floors were several small rugs, all of various colors and shapes but providing enough of a contrast to allow it to be considered different. She walked into a small dining room with a beautiful table and six chairs, all constructed of wood. Looking over it, she noticed the intricate designs on the sides of the table and the tops of the chairs. “This is beautiful,” she said as she noticed the designs, placing her hands on top of the chair and rubbing her hand against it.
“My mother has a knack for purchasing old, antique furniture and my father and I enjoy restoring it,” explained Davis as he stood beside her. “Too many people throw out things they consider to be old or outdated, instead of appreciating the craftsmanship and the work that was put into these pieces.”
“I guess you firmly believe that they don’t make things like they used to?” joked Trish as she stepped past the table and walked through an archway into the living room before turning back to take notice of the arch. “Did you restore this too?”
Davis smiled as he looked over the magnificent, wooden archway, wrapping his fingers around the post. “No, I actually made this,” he said humbly. “All of this wood came from a fallen redwood from California. I took several of the branches and converted them into various pieces of furniture.”
Trish smiled earnestly as she looked back at Davis and gazed into his blue eyes. “So, you work with wood in your spare time?”
“I do,” he replied calmly. “Apart from real estate, I work with these pieces of wood and create magnificent pieces of work, selling them to my clients to put into the homes I sell.”
“So how does that work?” she asked while standing under the archway with him. “How does your job work?”
Davis shook his head. “It’s quite simple, really,” he said with a soft smile. “I purchase distressed property, repair it, and then resell it.”
“Oh, so you flip houses?”
“More or less,” he explained. “It does very well for me. It’s a great living and I’m glad I got involved in it.”
Trish nodded as she stepped out of the archway and into the living room, taking in the scenery as she looked about. “All of these pieces of furniture, the end tables and shelves, did you make those too?”
Davis smiled as he stepped in and started pointing at all of the furniture to explain each piece. “That large shelf in the corner was found in a colonial home that I purchased just outside of Boston a few years ago,” he explained. “The home was from the early seventeen-hundreds and was still in relatively great shape, but unfortunately we had to demolish some of the walls to make it a bit more modern. That shelf, however, was built into the wall and I took it out and brought it here to use in my own home.” He turned and pointed toward another shelf at the other end of the room. “That shelf was built to match the other one. Now, this coffee table in the center of the room was found at a home in Staten Island that I just thought it was well built and looked great. There’s no historical value or anything else involved in it, just that I liked it.”
Trish laughed as she walked over to
the couch and sat down. “It’s still beautiful.”
“Well thank you,” he replied, noticing that Trish was still gazing over all of the intricate wood work in the apartment. He watched her closely, seeing that her eyes were affixed to a wooden cabinet at the end of the room, admiring the elegantly crafted handles and the immaculately detailed doors. “I see you like my armoire,” he said as he crossed his arms, standing with a sense of entitlement and achievement. “It was the most difficult thing I have ever created.”
“What’s the story behind it?” she asked as she walked toward it, placing her hand against the finely etched wood before looking back at Davis with a curious grin.
Davis stepped up beside her and opened the two doors on the top, revealing several pictures and paintings of an old British battleship from the early colonial period. “The wood from this came from a salvaged ship that was sunk just outside of Virginia during the revolutionary war,” explained Davis as he ran his finger along the coated edge. “I spent a year researching this boat once I found out that it had been recovered from the depths of the Atlantic, wondering if I would get a chance to obtain a piece of it. The wood was incredibly wet when it came out, as it should’ve been from being under water. However, once it dried, it become useable. Unfortunately, the quality of the wood after it was recovered was very frail. I purchased several feet of the hull in the hopes that I would be able to do something incredible. I wanted all of my furniture to be from this magnificent ship, but unfortunately, I could only salvage enough to make this armoire.”
“It’s still gorgeous, and it tells an amazing story,” said Trish as she continued to stare at the piece of furniture while Davis stepped away, walking over to the other side of the room before looking back at Trish. “So, what happened to this ship?”
Davis turned, placing his back against the wall and another archway that led to the bedroom. “The ship, the H.M.S. Regal, sailed into the Charleston harbor during the fall of 1777. It captured several shipments of supplies from the colonists before setting sail and heading north toward Boston harbor. They sailed along the coast line to maintain visibility and to capture and delay any French vessels bringing the colonists supplies and reinforcements from Europe. As they were sailing along the coast of Virginia near Jamestown, they were besieged by two French vessels bringing guns and ammunition to the colonial army. Their ship was sunk and the majority of the crew went down with it, but their story remained. It’s not a visceral story or even one filled with tales of heroism, but it’s personal. That ship played a role in history and now, it’s an armoire that doubles as a liquor cabinet.”
Trish busted out laughing from the last remark. She turned and opened up the door to find several bottles of fine, perfectly aged liquor sitting beside several ornate glasses. “This is also impressive,” she said as she turned back to look at him. “I can’t decide which I like more: the furniture or what’s inside it.”
“That was also a lot of work to acquire, though I can easily find it if I need to,” he said with a smile as he walked up and picked up one of the bottles inside. “This bottle of scotch has been aged forty years. I only drink it on special occasions and I’m very selective about when those occasions are,” he informed her as he held it in his hands for both of them to admire. “This set me back about three thousand dollars, but it was money well spent.”
Trish’s eyes opened up as she looked over the bottle, hearing the cost and thinking about that investment. “Why would you spend so much for something that can be disposed of or accidentally spilt?”
Davis grinned as he set the bottle back in the cabinet. “I do really well in my career and instead of spending it on a massive apartment or a fancy car, I’d rather spend it on things like this,” he explained calmly. “ Things I really enjoy, and it makes me appreciate where I’m at in life.” He paused briefly as he turned around and stepped away from the armoire. “I remember when I was in college, studying economic development at New York University. While there, I became an aficionado of bad alcohol and cheap liquor. I wasn’t very wealthy when I went to school, paying my own way by working odd jobs and delivering pizza. Financial aid could only get me so far, and it paid for my tuition and some of my books. However, I didn’t want to live in a box beside the school. I had to pay for my apartment and other things to help me get through. It’s why I appreciate this expensive bottle of scotch because, to me, it’s a culmination of all of my hard work.”
“So, you drink expensive liquor to remind you of what it was like to drink bad liquor?” she asked playfully.
“It’s more of a celebration of the fact that I don’t have to drink it anymore,” he said with a coy grin. “However, if you’d rather have some of the cheap stuff, I keep it in the kitchen under the sink.”
Trish laughed heartily as she stepped forward and placed her hands on his shoulders, leaning in to kiss him on the lips. “I would love to drink the cheap stuff with you if that’s what you would prefer,” she said softly as she leaned in and kissed him again. “Frankly, I’m just happy to be here with you right now.”
“And why is that?” asked Davis as he wrapped his hands around her waist.
“Because you seem like you have it all together while I’m still trying to figure it all out,” she explained honestly.
Davis nodded. “You really think I have everything figured out?”
“I do,” she replied kindly.
“On the surface, I do,” he said softly. “I want it to appear like I have everything under control. However, I still work very hard to keep going with what I have and making everything happen like I do. It’s a struggle to stay focused and motivated, but I do the absolute best that I can do.” He walked over to the couch and had a seat, looking back at Trish as she stood in front of the armoire and looked back at him. “Thank you for coming back tonight,” he said honestly. “I’m really happy that you ended up moving back here.”
Trish smiled as she walked over to the couch and sat down beside him, turning sideways and placing her legs up on the cushions. “I’m really glad I did too,” she said with an earnest smile. “I think this could be considered one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”
“Coming back to my apartment?” he asked sarcastically.
“No, coming back to New York, silly,” she joked playfully, slapping him softly on the arm as she smiled at him. “I’m really glad that I decided to come back to New York after all. All my friends and family are here, and then there is this guy who may be really good for me that’s also here. I couldn’t get a foothold for life in Chicago and I couldn’t really make friends. I belong in New York and I’m happy that I’m able to come home.”
“Was it difficult to organize the move?” he asked, enjoying the conversation.
Trish sat still for a bit, thinking of her answer while she looked over at Davis. “Honestly, I’m going to miss the kids I was working with, but I feel like I left them in a better position than before I got there,” she said confidently. “Before I arrived, some of those kids were raising themselves. Once I checked in, we were able to start an effective mentoring program that really helped some of them and I’m happy for that.”
“You know, I asked you before about what you think about having your own family one day. Has that changed?”
“Not even a little,” she replied. “I don’t want my own family right now. Is that a problem?”
Davis smirked. “Not really,” he said. “One day I’d like to think about it, but right now, I’m really enjoying myself.”
“That’s a good answer,” she said with a soft smile, looking across the couch at him. “I really think that is fantastic.”
“I’m not saying that I don’t want a family one day,” he clarified as he sat up and turned toward her. “I’m just saying I don’t want one right now.”
“And that’s ok,” continued Trish. “I’m open to the idea one day, but right now, with me working with children all the time, I don’t
think I can raise them on my own yet.”
Davis nodded. “That makes sense,” he said. “You’ve dedicated your life to other people’s children. I can respect that.”
“Thanks,” she replied. “Why don’t you show me the rest of your apartment?” she asked in a seductive tone.
“I’d love to,” he said with a smile. Davis stood up from the couch and reached his hand out, motioning for Trish to grab it and allow him to lift her up. Reaching forward, she grabbed his hand, rising to her feet. He led the way through the living room and through another archway, into the large bedroom. She followed him into the bedroom, where she noticed more of the ornate, antique furniture resting against the walls and the bed resting in the center of the room against the back wall.
They stopped in front of the bed as he wrapped his hands around her waist, pulling her forward while she placed her lips on his, kissing him affectionately as their bodies touched. She took her hands and immediately started unbuttoning his shirt before pulling it off his back to reveal his firm abs and smooth chest. Reaching for the back of her dress, she unzipped it allowing it to fall to the floor, while he kept a tender hold on her. He pulled her closer, pressing her chest up against his while moving his hands up to unhook her bra, allowing her bare breasts to rub against his firm upper abs. She moaned softly as her stomach rubbed against the tip of his cock, feeling the firmness touch her skin sparked a fire in her center.
He took his hands and lowered them down to her ass, placing his thumbs underneath the elastic of her thong before slowly lowering them. “You’re not wasting any time?” she said as she stood naked, releasing her lips from his long enough to look at him bewitchingly. She placed her hands on his shoulders and pushed him backwards onto the bed before lowering herself down to her knees and looking across his torso at him. Placing her hands on his waist, she unbuttoned his pants, pulling them down off his hips and letting them drop to the floor. Next, his boxers met the same fate as they too ended up on the floor. His cock, firmly erect and standing straight up, waited patiently for Trish to place her hand on it to do what she chose to. Lowering her head to his erect cock, she slowly licked the tip of it.
