BOMAW 4-6
Page 67
"I would appreciate it if you would drive my car with a little more care... thank you very much." Sylvia grumbled, trying to get control of herself and the way he was making her feel sitting next to him. It was the only thing she could think of doing to keep him away from her, the only way to fight down all the skitter scatterings of emotions that were trying desperately to rouse her desires for him. The scent of him was filling her vehicle so she could not help but smell him, it was filling her head. The look of him in that leather, the sheer magnificence of him sitting beside her handling the mustang was a turn on in and of itself. While sitting next to him, no matter what might be coming out of her mouth, her lower region was stirring - she was on the verge of squirming because she knew what this night would bring. Suddenly she felt herself flush with moisture and ground her teeth, trapping a groan. How could he hold such a power over her she wondered? She dare not look at him again for a while, which did little good, because she'd gotten a good look at him in that hall way of the club. Nothing ever looked so good. She smiled, keeping her head turned. Careful not to let him see her smile, she needed to hide the joy that was filling her, even if she wasn't done. Even if her list was incomplete and he was throwing a wrench in it. That didn't matter. All that mattered now was going through the next hour or more with a bit of her dignity in tact.
They stopped in front of the club. Shawn was cursing her car again, he couldn't find the powered windows switch.
"Where's the - goddamnit - sonva'bitch - wheres' the - SYLVIA?! How do I open this damn window?!" He asked grumbling, he didn't have much room to pull his arm back, Sylvia thought he might be putting it on a bit until she looked over at him. She had to bite down hard on the inside of her lip to wipe the smile off of her face and not start laughing, a bit must have escaped because of the low growl deep in his chest. He looked so stuffed into the seat, his shoulders and arms a bit too wide. All Sylvia could do was struggle not to laugh at him, she finally fixed a bored look, then reached across him to point out the window and door switches. That was not a good idea, not at all. In such close proximity, where they could smell each other, their bodies did not need to be making the contact her move caused.
Sylvia moved quickly back to her side, unfortunately, the move did nothing to squelch the clamoring of her heart. Laying across his chest, reminded her, clearly of what he felt like. Her mind played over his move on her when they were back in the alley, his ability to lift her without bursting a sweat. All the little reminders about the man she married were making her feel light headed, dazed. She decided to just sit still as she listened to Shawn lower the powered window and pass his keys out to his friend Paul.
"Hey... I owe you, I owe you big time. Thanks for everything."
"Yeah... long as you're happy now Shawn, all for a peaceful life, aye." Paul leaned down in the window. "Sylvia - your performance, both nights were outstanding! You are one incredibly talented lady and Shawn, is one lucky bastard!"
Sylvia turned back and smiled, and then it dawned on her how he found her. "Wait a minute, you know Bruce the owner, you were here last week! You told him!" She accused him. Paul shrugged with a smile. "I'm afraid, guilty as charged. He's my brother you see. Have a nice evening you two. I'll take your bike by your house, we're on our way out of here in the morning."
"Thanks man... I won't forget."
Shawn pulled off, content with the evenings turn of affairs, he looked to his right and right there, was his wife, in the flesh. "Now... it's just you and me baby. You better believe, there's been nothing else on my mind, but getting you back and alone."
"Sex! That's all you needed to find me for! Where are you taking me?" Sylvia snapped and then asked softly.
Smiling to himself, Shawn didn't answer right away because he had to maneuver in and out of traffic, trying to remember the street that would lead him to the downtown area from the club where they'd just left and then to the hotel where their room was ready, he'd spent an hour in that room earlier getting it together for when he brought her with him. Wasn't long before he was right on track and merging with traffic on the loop heading for downtown. The Chicago skyline was breathtaking at that time in the evening, Shawn felt at that moment, on top of the world, he didn't know what the night would bring, but he had his wife next to him. What sucked about having to drive is that he was unable to look at her and at the moment, she was being very quiet, staring out of her window. He reached down and switched on the radio, holding the button down to scan to his favorite Chicago station that played night moods and dusties. Finding it, he smiled to hear, Brothers Johnson's - Strawberry Letter 23 - the song made Sylvia look down at the radio as well and then up at her husband, who had yet to answer her question. They were amidst the many other rear red lights going one way on the loop, as white lights sped past them going the other.
"Where are you taking me Shawn?" She asked again softly.
"Where do you think?" He returned, then glanced at her in the dark car, it was a struggle not to look at her while trying to keep his eyes on the road, but he wanted to look at her, he wanted to touch her.
"I don't know - I'm not ready to go home yet Shawn." She reminded him again.
"Good, because I'm not taking you home, not yet... not tonight." He informed her softly.
Sylvia closed her eyes and for a moment dropped her head back on the seat. She was dizzy. Her head was spinning. She tried not to look at him, but the urge was overwhelming. She turned to get just a glimpse of his profile. She couldn't believe it, they'd been married almost two weeks, and to see him, knowing that he was hers, truly, the rock of Gibraltar in her life, made her wonder how could it be? The startling impact of his presence bowled her over. 'Too much in love with you. God up in heaven, I'm too much in love with this man, look at him.' She thought.
"What you thinkin'? Hm?" The question came with his hand making it's way across to stroke down her arm. The contact sent shivers through her, while arousing Shawn. Catching her breath, Sylvia shifted her arm a bit, but he kept caressing, stirring her even more dangerously out of the calm she was struggling to maintain. "Shawn..." His name was a whimpered protest from touching her.
"I missed you." His voice was low and husky over the music playing, "You know that? God knows... if I could pull over now. Why'd you cut your hair?" He asked.
"Why'd you cut yours?" She retaliated, if she didn't stir his anger in a minute she would be going down like a plane shot from the sky. If just the feel of his fingers stroking her arm could make her feel this way, God help her if he pulled over. "And what in the world made you pierce your ear!?" She tacked on remembering it.
Shawn chuckled, unwilling to stop touching her arm, his hand rose to cup her shoulder, then move across it towards her neck. "Shawn..." She tried to wiggle away, "... no now... stop it."
"Woman are you out of your mind? I haven't seen you in almost two weeks! Then when I do, you wearing that gown. Which we're gonna talk about later, but right now - you in that, you wait 'til I find some place to pull over."
"No Shawn, don't pull over. We're gonna talk remember?" Sylvia was trying to shift out of his reach, no matter how ridiculous considering the space the small car didn't allow. She was in easy reach and Shawn was not shy, if he couldn't look at her, then he damn sure would touch her. He could feel himself stirring, actually semi-erect from the moment he saw her up on stage. Wowing him, as well the audience.
"What's with the intro? Sylvia Martin?" He asked from thinking back to her going on stage.
"That wasn't me - I had no idea he was going to do that." She defended herself.
"Em, just so you know who you are, a McPherson, don't forget it."
"I know Shawn, I told you it wasn't me." She reminded him softly.
The back of his hand, his knuckles came down to stroke the side of her breast. "Shawn..." Sylvia's heart couldn't take it, she crossed her arms over them and turned away. "...would you stop it."
"Woman don't act like you don't know me. Before this night is u
p, I'll be doing a whole lot more than that. How's my son?" He asked, his hand still there, this time touching her waist, stroking and palming her body, moving over her lower belly.
"Shawn, have you not heard of personal boundaries?!"
"Sorry, don't apply to you. Not with me. Not tonight, not as long as you've been gone. Not with the way I'm feeling. Wanna reach over here and feel?"
"NO! God Shawn, why are you like that!? Have you ever heard of seduction, subtle, slow and easy?"
Shawn started chuckling low and sexy, deep in his throat, he brought his hand back to his side of the vehicle and switched the blinkers on to exit the ramp. Sylvia looked up to see where he was making the exit, trying to figure out for herself where they were going. When he pulled off, they were at a light. He looked at her, she saw him about to pounce when the light switched to green.
Sylvia exhaled a sigh of relief, he chuckled again, winked at her flirtatiously, biding his time and pulled into the downtown traffic.
"How's my son, I asked you?"
"You know what, we would both feel mighty stupid if this turns out to be a girl. Then what?"
"We try again."
"And if that one's a girl too? You know it is possible. You could end up being one of those men who only makes girls... then what?"
"Then I'll have three or four daughters, that's all there is to it."
"But you want sons." She said softly as if it would break her heart not to be able to give him at least one.
"What I want... right now, is you. That's all I want right now... just you. If you can deliver that to me... I'll take the rest as it comes. Can you do that for me? Can I have you?" He asked gently, reaching over again, this time caressing her soft cheek with his knuckles.
Sylvia sighed and felt her eyes water up. "You do have me Shawn, heart and soul." She answered softly.
"Bullshit..." He pulled his hand away, "I'm not as foolish as all that, give me some kind of credit. If you can leave me for as long as you did and it not bother you-..."
"How do you know it didn't bother me?"
"Did you come home? Knowing what hell I was going through, did you make your way back to me? No... there's no way in the world, I could know you are suffering even a tenth of what I was feeling and not rush to you. What hurts you, hurts me like hell. Tell me something, how many tears would you shed for me, if I died tomorrow, Sylvia, how many?"
Just the thought alone, of anything happening to him, made tears rush to her eyes. She turned away from him, because she was at a loss to explain herself, more tears rolled. Wiping below her eyes, she stared out of the window, "I thought you knew me Shawn. I thought you knew me. For you to say that, tells me you don't know me at all."
"DAMMIT!!!" He pounded on the steering wheel, "I'VE TRIED TO KNOW YOU!!! I WANNA KNOW YOU MORE THAN THE GOD WHO CREATED YOU!!! BUT YOU WON'T LET ME!!! YOU FUCKIN' REFUSE TO LET ME IN!!!" He shouted shaking. He had to pull over he was so upset. He turned in his seat, "You tell me - how do I get in, if you won't let me in." He ground out.
Sylvia was crying, refusing to turn to him. Her chest burning from trying to hold back her sobs. Nothing she'd done was done to hurt him. It was done because she was so broken from within, needing to understand why when her life had always been a hellish struggle, had God suddenly put this man before her? She needed conflict, insecurity and abuse she supposed, because that - she knew. As much as she didn't want it, hated it in fact, it seemed right that it would naturally always be. When she was alone, she was in full control and her life was reasonable and made sense. There was no exterior forces, such as... a man. Now, there was a man. Shawn... and he was too good to be true. Even with his imperfections and wrongs, he was as far as she was concerned, perfect. Even with his temper, shouting, because she frustrated him beyond endurance, he was perfect. How could he get so mad and not hit her, or want to? That was another foreign concept that she couldn't get her head around. How could he love her so completely and not want to hurt her? No one in her life... had just loved her so completely and not come to hurt her. She sat there crying, with tears rolling wondering if that's why she'd done what she had, an attempt to force him to act in a way that she understood. Sylvia sat and realized she was losing her mind.
"Come here, come here... please... come here. Aaaah baby... I'm - jeez baby please, don't cry... you know I can't take that."
"Wh-y-y-y?" She turned sobbing to ask.
"Why what? What are you asking me?"
"Why... why does it bother you... if I'm crying? Why?" Her lips trembled as she stared through blurred tears. "Why do you - say - say you love me - when you - think - think I don't love you... I do though... I do... I love you... but... why do you love me? I know why I love you. But why do you love me? I don't get it. My mother... she didn't really love me... and my father, he didn't love me - he left - I don't even know where my brother's are! And Armundo - well... I... and you - you have your whole family... who love you... and they are always there for you. No one has ever been there for me... if it weren't for Sheila... I don't know where I'd be right now... so... I don't get it... I don't understand it, why are you here?" She squeaked out, in between sucking back sobs.
Right then - Shawn knew her. He got it. The pieces all finally fit. She was filled with complex fears, dreads and emotions. All of her adult life had been spent trying to create an image of the perfect person, surrounding herself with anything and everything that personified what she needed to be, so that someone would see how worthy she was of love. Because she was a perfectionist, she'd succeeded, she'd accomplished what she sat out to gain and yet, doubted the reward of her labor. That being, snagging a man who saw what she truly was, a sweet and valuable, rare diamond - worth ten times and more than, her weight in gold.
"My God... you beautiful thing you. My God... look what you've given me. Come here, wipe your eyes. You got any Kleenex in here?" He asked softly.
She was trying to bring her crying under control, nodded yes, then popped open the glove compartment, pulled out a small square box of them. She snatched out three and blew her nose as her husband leaned towards her staring at her.
"Stop staring at me." Sylvia asked between hiccups, wiping her nose, drying her eyes.
"Can't help it." He suddenly chuckled saying, "Brace yourself, you see - I happen to love you now, more than ever. It just, keeps on, getting stronger. I hope you come to terms with that, because it's never gonna change. I'm never gonna leave you. I'd sooner cut off my arm than use it to hurt you. I would kill - for you - Sylvia McPherson... I would kill for you. No one is ever going to hurt you again, not while I'm alive. That is... the honest to God's truth. You gotta believe me baby... and to make sure you do, I'm gonna be married to you, a long long time, and every moment of it, I'll be reminding you... how much I do."
Chapter 124
Dennis clicked the light out after leaving Lydia's bathroom, his wife was in her dinning room talking with her. He sighed and then chuckled shaking his head. Jake was turning out to be quite the handful for Vivian. The man had pitched an absolute fit for him to stop - because Vivian had been crying and there would be no peace until he found out why. Dennis sighed as he walked and sat next to his wife. She was in a huff, wasn't talking to him. He reached over to give her cheek a little pinch when she knocked his hand away.
"Dennis you want something to drink?" Lydia asked from the kitchen, getting herself some tea and one for Sheila as well.
"No ma'am I'm fine. It's gettin' late and they got a few more minutes before I call this session ended." He warned sitting and staring into the side of his wife's face.
"Woman you need to quit. Better get that face off 'fore we get home." He teased. Her only response was to roll her eyes to him, and then roll them away. Their little tiff didn't bother Lydia one bit. She was enjoying the company for once while Sheila sat telling her about the kids. She was trying to pay attention, but her mind was replaying the scene back in the van earlier when Vivian threatened to take a bus if Dennis stopped
.
"Oh no you're not!" She recalled Jake dictating. That young man was something else. There they all were in the van and he didn't give two figs about kicking up a fuss with Vivian.
"Who do you think - you - you are Jake?! I'm - I'm a grown woman." Vivian had been sucking back and hiccupping.
"Pull over Dennis! Right in that lot!"
"No you don't - don't Dennis! For - forget him!"
"Lord please you two. Dennis - take me home! Ya'll two wanna talk, you can talk there in the basement, just go on down them side steps. Got a whole empty apartment down there I ain't rent out yet. Ya'll can talk or argue all you want down there. Dennis, you don't mind do you? You and Sheila can come up stairs stead'ah waitin' in the van." She suggested and won, giving Jake the keys to the basement doors to get in.
Following that, a wrestling match had taken place because Vivian refused to get out of the van. Jake decided to take her out of the van. There they'd been, almost eleven o'clock at night, fighting in front of her building out on the street because Jake wouldn't leave her alone. Dennis and Sheila had stood up on the stairs yelling down at them.
"Ya'll need to come in here and quite standing out there fighting like you two done lost ya'll mind." Sheila yelled. "VIVIAN! JUST COME IN THE HOUSE!"
"NO! I AIN'T COMIN' IN!!!" She shouted from the van door where Jake had pulled her to, despite her slapping him on the shoulders and arms, trying to kick him away from her. She avoided his face because she didn't want to hurt him, she just wanted to be left alone to go home. She was feeling self-conscience, had no under-wear on and the last thing she wanted was a few more minutes with him - ALONE.
"You might as well give it up, I'm not leaving you alone." Jake bit out, with one hand gripping her booted ankle and the other holding her upper arm, which his long fingers easily circled. "You walking in or going over my shoulder and carried in?"
"Why - why can't you just leave - leave me alone?!" Vivian pleaded.