by M. E. Nesser
She found out he was married with three young children. Apparently his wife stayed home with the children since they weren’t of school age yet. The family existed on his taxi salary. I decided I should leave him a decent tip, because it had to be difficult to live in New York with a family on one income. I couldn’t believe how chatty Emily was with this man. He had a very strong accent I found difficult to understand, but she didn’t have any problem understanding what he was saying.
At one point she looked over her shoulder at me. She noticed I was staring at her. “What?” she asked.
“Do you always find out the life stories of cab drivers?” I asked her.
She laughed. “It’s been a fascination of mine since I was little. Most of the cabbies are from other countries. I love hearing about where they’re from, when they came to the United States, and who they live with. You’d be surprised how many are from Pakistan. I’ve never been there, but I feel like I know so much about the country from what I’ve learned over the years. I know some people are snobs and ignore them because their accents can be difficult to understand. I think they’re amazing. Many of these men risked it all to come to the United States so they could provide a better life for their family. I am in awe of them.”
I had never heard her speak so passionately about anything before. It was endearing. She may have come from money, but she couldn’t be more down to earth and compassionate. To say that Miss Jensen wowed me would be an understatement.
“I’m embarrassed to say I haven’t tried to initiate conversation with any cab drivers since I moved here. I’m always hanging on for dear life and praying to make it safely to wherever I’m going. I’ll have to change my approach and find out more about them. You’ve opened my eyes to a whole other world, Emily. Thank you for that.”
“My pleasure. Taking a wild cab ride is part of the fun of living in our city. I’ve just taken it to the next level. I’ve always wanted to know more about everything. That’s why I researched everything I could about paintball while I waited for you. I am ready to play, Chad.” She was beaming with excitement, and once again I was thrilled I had taken the initiative to ask her out.
When we arrived at Extreme Sports, we paid the dues and went in and got suited up. Emily looked adorable in her mask and gear. They explained the rules of the game. The playing field was like an obstacle course. The next match was starting in fifteen minutes. There were ten of us playing in the round. The instructor taught her how to use the paint gun and some tricks to stay alive as long as possible. Emily focused on every word he said. I could tell she wanted to understand the game as thoroughly as possible. I didn’t know if she worked out or not, but she looked fit, which would benefit her in this game.
When we started the course, Emily looked determined. The way she dodged the obstacles was impressive. Every time she shot her gun, she made the cutest sound. I could tell she had a competitive nature. I was so glad I’d suggested coming here. It was obvious she was having a great time. I knew I was.
We spent over two hours playing the field. By the time we were finished, we were both covered in paint. As we took off our masks and padding, I started to laugh.
“What is it?” she asked me.
“You have a ton of paint on your face and in your hair,” I told her. “In fact there’s even paint in your ear,” I said as I reached in her ear to wipe some of it off.
“Who cares?” she said as she wiped her face, which only smeared the paint even worse. “This was the most fun I’ve had in…forever!” she said enthusiastically.
Before I knew what I was doing, I grabbed her face and kissed her boldly. Thankfully she kissed me back and didn’t push me away. When I ended the kiss, I held on to her face and looked in her eyes. “Sorry about that. I couldn’t help myself. You just look so damn cute right now with paint all over your face.”
“Don’t apologize. I’ve never been kissed like that before.” She stared at me intently but with a smile that reached her eyes. I noticed her breathing was labored. “If you wouldn’t mind,” she said seriously, “I’d like you to kiss me again.”
That was the only invitation I needed. I cupped her face and kissed her again. She was incredibly receptive. After a few minutes, I could feel that we were both getting worked up. I had my paint-filled hands tangled in her hair, and she was gripping my shoulders. The adrenaline that we experienced on the playing field transferred its energy straight to our bodies. There was no denying the chemistry between us. Kissing her was better then I imagined.
I let go of her reluctantly and looked in her eyes. “C’mon, let’s get out of here. I need a shower.” She looked disappointed but acquiesced.
We hailed a cab and decided to drop her off at her place first. As she was getting out of the cab, she looked at me again. “I can’t thank you enough, Chad. I had a really great time. See you tomorrow?” she said with obvious hesitation in her voice.
“It was my pleasure. Tomorrow it is.” I could tell she didn’t want me to leave. I didn’t want to leave her either, especially after that kiss, but I knew I had to create some distance before things went too far. I reminded myself that I needed to exercise patience. Unfortunately, I was not feeling like a patient man. I felt very frustrated.
18
Emily
I didn’t want my time with Chad to end, but I had some schoolwork to do and I really needed a shower. I couldn’t believe what a great time I’d had. I didn’t think I’d laughed that much in…what seemed like forever.
Chad was so much fun. No one had ever suggested I go paintballing with them before. I didn’t even know the place we went to existed. Everybody we played with was so nice and so much fun. What a terrific idea by an even more terrific guy. I’m not sure anybody would believe I even went there and did that, but I was so glad I did. I would totally go there again.
As soon as I walked into my dad’s place, I stripped down and jumped in the shower. I had paint in the strangest places. I grabbed my sponge and started scrubbing. As soon as I put soap on the sponge, I thought about the last shower I took. It was hard not to feel worked up, especially now that I’d spent time with Chad. He was even nicer than I’d thought. I’d never expected him to be so thoughtful and so much fun. And God, he was sexy. He’d worn an old shirt that was tight on him to play paintball. It accentuated his muscles in a way that should have been forbidden. I tried not to gawk at him, but it was impossible not to. He was a beautiful man. I couldn’t wait to see him naked. At least, I prayed that one day I would see him naked.
When I got to the area that actually didn’t have paint on it, I hesitated. I felt needy and wanton. I’d never had an orgasm two days in a row before, but I thought it was time to continue to make more changes in my life. I needed to be more open-minded about my sexuality, which had been repressed for…my whole life, I guessed.
I closed my eyes and thought of how Chad looked in his shirt. His body was truly lethal. It turned me on more than I thought a man’s body could. He was very muscular and very lean. A deadly combination. I started a slow, sensual massage between my legs while I thought about him. Then I thought about how he had kissed me. In three years Martin had never kissed me with so much ardor. It was probably the sexiest kiss I had ever received in my whole life. No, it was the sexiest kiss I had ever gotten.
The more I thought about that kiss, the more pressure I put between my legs. I had never done more than kiss this man, and I was experiencing more sexual sensations than I had ever felt. I couldn’t even imagine what it would be like to sleep with him. I knew it would be satisfying. In fact, I was confident this man could rock my world. God, that would be a welcome change.
The wave overtook me quickly. It was unexpected, and it felt great. So much had happened in the past forty-eight hours since I’d left Martin. Every hour that passed made me more confident I had absolutely made the right decision. Watch out world, there was a new Emily in the house!
When I finished my shower, I ordered a pizza a
nd sat down at the kitchen table to do some schoolwork. My phone buzzed. It was Martin. I declined the call. A few minutes later it buzzed again. I was so annoyed. Why couldn’t he just leave me alone? I was about to decline the call when I saw it was Chad. I picked it up quickly. “Hey,” I said excitedly.
“Hi there. I was just wondering if you got all of the paint off of you?”
His question embarrassed me, considering what I had done in the shower. He didn’t know that, though, so I tried to respond as calmly as possible. “As a matter of fact, I did. It wasn’t easy, though,” I told him, laughing.
“Find any bruises yet?” he wondered.
I thought about it and then realized I did have a few bruises. “As a matter of fact, I think I do. On my thighs and arms. What about you?”
“I have a few. Definitely worth it, though, wouldn’t you say?” he asked me.
“Totally. I can’t thank you enough. It was exactly what the doctor ordered,” I told him.
“You are so welcome. So what are you up to?”
“I’m doing the assignment from the lecture. I just ordered a pizza. What about you?”
“I can’t concentrate. I was thinking about how much fun we had. I was also wondering when I could see you again,” he said.
“You’ll see me tomorrow,” I told him with a nervous laugh. I knew that wasn’t what he meant.
“Tomorrow seems far away,” he said seductively.
“Well, I did order a large pizza. I’d be happy to share it with you if you’d like.” Holy crap, I just invited him over. I thought an alien had invaded my body, and I wanted to thank the stars above that the alien was brazen.
“You sure?” he asked me.
“I don’t know. I think so.” I said honestly. Deep down I knew I wanted to see him, but this new relationship scared me.
“I don’t want to pressure you, Emily. I just loved hanging out with you and am looking forward to hanging out with you some more.”
I wasn’t sure what to say. I’d just broken up with Martin. I should probably take some time for myself. Although the new Emily was trying to be spontaneous, I was scared to be too bold.
When I hesitated, Chad said, “Relax. We can do something another time. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. I know it’s very soon since the whole Martin debacle.”
“I want to see you too. I’m just scared,” I admitted.
“I understand. We’ll just have to plan to do something another time—”
“No,” I interrupted him in a definitive voice.
“What do you mean, no?” he asked.
“I want to see you too. I’ve been thinking about you and that kiss since we parted ways. I would love for you to come over and share this pizza with me.”
“Will your dad be there?” he asked.
“No, he and his wife, Katharine, live elsewhere. I live here alone.”
“Are you sure?” he asked quietly.
I was done overthinking everything. It was time to take a risk. “I would love to share my pizza with you,” I told him as confidently as I could.
“OK, if you’re sure. I’ll be there soon. Need anything?”
“Nope. I have wine and beer. We are all set.”
“That’s great. I’ll be there soon.”
19
Chad
I never expected to be invited over, but I was thrilled. I couldn’t concentrate on the material I was supposed to read anyway. All I could think of was Emily. I wanted to be with her. I wanted to get to know her better and make her laugh. It sounded like she wanted to see me as much I as wanted to see her. This was a good sign.
I threw on some jeans and a T-shirt and headed out. It took about twenty minutes to get to her place from where my apartment was. The doorman held the door for me, and I gave my name to a man behind a security desk. Emily had already given him my name, so he showed me the way upstairs.
When I got into the elevator, I had to type in a code. It took me to the top floor. The penthouse? This should be interesting. I rang the bell to the only door I saw, and Emily opened it quickly.
“Hi,” she said coyly. She was a little out of breath. How cute.
“Hi back,” I said with a smile. It was obvious she was anxious to see me. I was glad she felt the same way.
“Uh, come on in. The pizza is great. I’ve already had a piece. It’s in the kitchen over here.”
I followed her into the kitchen. It was impossible not to scan the layout of the apartment. It had a spacious floor plan, high ceilings, and large windows. The décor was a combination of sleek, contemporary lines with a hint of a classical motif. There was a cathedral ceiling that offset a stunning marble fireplace. The furniture looked like Italian leather and the tables were all glass. The wood floors and random wood furniture were all a dark mahogany. Although it was obvious this was an extremely expensive place, it had a homey feeling. I liked it. My mother was an interior designer in San Francisco and would be impressed by the color scheme and design.
“Tough to be a struggling law student in New York, huh?” I teased her.
“My dad has been very successful. This is where I lived while I was in high school. When he remarried he moved to a different place with my stepmom, Katharine. Since it’s such a prime piece of real estate, he decided to hang on to it for a while. I’m grateful I had a place to go when I left He Who Must Not Be Named.”
I had to laugh at her Harry Potter reference. I’d wondered whether she’d have a sense of humor. Apparently she did. I needed her to forget about Martin and move on, so I focused on the décor. I looked around a little more before I said, “The woodwork is incredible. My mother is an interior designer. My whole life I’ve been watching her renovate homes or designing new ones. She does incredible work. It’s impossible for me to walk into a new place and not notice the details of the wood, tile, windows, and furniture. I’m kind of a snob when it comes to stuff like that. What are the chances you’re living in one of the most beautiful penthouses I’ve ever seen?”
Emily smiled at me. “I’m glad you’re impressed. I could have gotten a place closer to school after I left Martin, but I really do love it here. It has a lot of good memories. Sara and I were relieved when our father got custody of us. This was a pretty awesome place to live in. I’m glad I was able to come back here.”
She motioned for me to sit down. “Beer or wine?” she asked politely.
“Wine works for me.”
She grabbed a bottle and handed it to me to open. I saw her go into a glass cabinet and get out two wine glasses. There were already plates and napkins on the table. I poured two glasses and waited to toast her. She picked up a glass and clinked it against mine.
“To new friendships,” I said.
“To new friendships.”
We sat down and opened up the pizza box. It was a vegetarian white pizza. A lot of my friends back home were vegetarians, so I was used to eating meals without meat in them. We ate in silence for a few minutes. She looked nervous. I didn’t want her to be. We’d had so much fun earlier in the day. Maybe being alone with me intimidated her.
“You OK? You seem a little anxious,” I asked her gently.
“Yeah, I guess I am a little nervous. I’m not used to being with a man alone. I’m not sure of your expectations.” That was honest. And candid. “With my dismal experience with men, I’m worried I’ll scare you away before anything even gets started.”
Oh, this wounded bird needed some serious mending. “Please don’t worry. I’d never force you to do anything you didn’t want to do. I just want to get to know you better. I know it’s too soon for you to get serious with anyone, since you just broke up with that guy.”
At that point she set her piece of pizza down and wiped off her mouth. “I feel like I left him about a year ago. I’m not sure we ever had a real relationship. It was more a partnership based on mutual respect and convenience. I liked him in the beginning. I was flattered that a guy asked me out. He was the first pe
rson I ever really dated.”
That was one bit of information I didn’t expect. “I don’t understand that and find it hard to believe. Why didn’t you date in high school? You’re a smart, beautiful girl. It doesn’t make sense to me.”
She took a long sip of her wine and waited a minute before she answered. “My parents split up when I was entering high school. Our mom didn’t want us, so our dad moved my sister, Sara, and me here. I always knew I wanted to go to law school, so I worked really hard to have straight A’s. There’s a strange sense of responsibility being the oldest child in a family, even though there were only the two of us sisters. I saw what my mom’s infidelity did to my dad. It destroyed him. Being in a relationship never interested me.”
Her honesty was refreshing but also sad. I had so many questions. I wasn’t sure where to start. “If this is too personal, you don’t have to answer me. I just wonder if Martin was the only man you’ve ever been with.”
She smiled sadly and looked down at her hands. “Not exactly. I went to the senior prom with a guy from my class. I was happy to be asked, so I went. I had never been asked out before. It was flattering at the time, but I quickly found out he just used me. We drank at an after party, and he had his way with me in the back seat of his car. It was painful, since it was my first time. I didn’t even know him very well. I could have probably said no, but there was a part of me that wanted to know what it was all about.
“A quick, painful tryst in a car wasn’t the best idea. I was glad it didn’t last long. I never spoke to him again after that. In fact when I saw him at school the following week, he acted like he didn’t even know me. Then I met Martin when I went to college. He took control of the relationship and made his master plan. I enjoyed not making any decisions and was content going along with his plan. It made me feel good to be wanted. So, as you can see, I am not experienced in the sex department. My sister, on the other hand, is involved with a man that she loves and they have intense sexual chemistry. That is something I’ve never experienced. We’re just very different, I guess.”
