“If you’re sure. I like to give as much as I like to receive.”
“I can tell that about you. All the more reason for me to be selfless tonight. Hell, you’re the first woman I’ve ever treated this way.”
I believed I was, and it stunned me.
I covered his hand with mine and settled in against him. “Okay, Nik. But very soon, I’m going to make you come so hard, you’ll see stars and never want another woman again.”
“Rita, I’m already there.”
11
Nik
I GROANED WITH my eyes still shut as I felt my arm throbbing. Last night came flashing back. Club R and the fight Wolf and I broke up. My arm getting sliced open, then stitched up. Rita and her sweet pussy. I could still smell her on my face. And falling asleep in each other’s arms.
Wait.
I turned to the spot beside me. It was empty. I sat up much too fast and saw stars. Not the stars Rita had told me she’d give me when making me come hard. No, I was tired and felt weak. I reached for my cell phone and saw a note beside it, with a fresh water bottle and ibuprofen.
I smiled, lifting the paper. This woman knew how to take care of me, that much was for sure. My smile grew wider as I read the note.
Neighbor Nik,
Imagine me kissing you good morning. I didn’t want to wake you but needed to be home before Granny woke. I’ll be back at noon like we planned.
XO,
Rita.
Strangely, I could feel her kissing me. Tomorrow morning, I’d get to wake up with her in my arms, and I couldn’t wait.
Who was I? I almost didn’t recognize myself anymore. Part of me wanted to let my guard down with Rita. To let her into my heart completely. I wanted to trust her. Trust that she wouldn’t abandon me. But maybe I was being an idiot. Even though she wasn’t like any other woman I’d been with before, I wasn’t sure I wanted to chance letting her in.
She was sure as hell nothing like my mother, who I could hardly remember anymore. My mom never wanted me. Since the day I was born she regretted not getting an abortion. That was why Nana Bea was more like my mother than my grandma. I was six when my mother left me.
The last words she ever said to me came roaring back. I’m leaving, kid. Don’t fuck up your life as I did. Keep your dick wrapped up.
“Mommy, where are you going?” I’d asked with tears in my eyes. In my heart, I knew though. I knew I’d never see Marilyn Tevez again. Before, she would leave for days at a time but she’d always told me when she was coming back. This time had been different.
“You don’t have a mommy, Nik. Nana Bea is all you need.”
“Don’t leave. I love you. Please, Mommy. Don’t leave.” I’d wrapped myself around her long, skinny leg, holding on with a death grip.
“Fuck, Nik. I don’t need this shit.” She’d pushed me off of her and I’d stumbled, falling on my ass. “Women are nothing but trouble. They can’t be trusted and don’t you forget it.” She’d stormed out of the house as I sobbed on the living room floor.
I never did forget her parting words even though Nana Bea had said she didn’t know shit and to not believe anything she says. When I got to high school, Marilyn’s warning had been validated by my first and only girlfriend, Cece. I was so in love with Cece and her big brown eyes. I’d given her the best of me and did everything to make her happy, or so I thought. But I wasn’t enough. She’d told me I was too hard to get close to. I didn’t open up to her the way she wanted and I had a short fuse. Everything she’d said was true.
Cece broke my heart and ended up screwing one of my buddies at a party. It was then I’d vowed to never give a woman the power to hurt me.
I’d shut myself down and became a one-and-done man.
I only fucked and got out. There were no flowers, love letters, or cuddling after sex.
And I sure as hell always got mine.
But last night, Rita got a side to me I didn’t know existed. I selflessly gave to her, wanting to please her and make her mine. It was crazy how I hadn’t had sex or gotten sucked off in over a week… and I wasn’t dying. I was okay.
I checked the time on my phone. It was 10:12 a.m., around the usual time I woke up every day. I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the shower. I had a few things to prepare for before Rita and I left for our overnight trip.