Scent, p.12
Scent, page 12
She tilted her head as if contemplating the phrase and nodded. “To us.”
Her eyes never left mine when we sipped our beers. My stomach fluttered when her eyes narrowed. I don’t know what she was thinking, but I was tingling at the look she gave me. She put her beer down long enough to order a pizza.
“It’ll be here in thirty minutes. Let’s go relax in the living room.”
“I know I’ve told you this already, but I really like your house. It’s the true definition of charming.” I followed her and sat on the couch next to her, but with enough distance between us to not make her uncomfortable. “How long have you lived here?”
“About seven years. I plugged my inheritance into this house. I love everything about it.”
“It’s so warm and cozy, unlike my place.” I was talking about my studio. My condo in the city was full of color and was spacious, but it lacked life. I didn’t have any plants or pets. Sophia had a plant on every windowsill in the kitchen and larger plants tucked in corners of the living room, where I imagined they received light during certain parts of the day.
“You just need some art on the walls. I mean, the one landscape you have is beautiful, so you’re on your way.”
“Apparently, it’s not a high priority for me.” For the first time, I felt guilty for lying to Sophia about my life. She would probably love my condo. “But I’ll try harder. I mean, I live in the art district. I should be able to bargain with my neighbors, right?”
“If you need help picking things out, I’d love to go on a shopping spree with you.”
She looked so confident and comfortable sitting there, it was hard not to want to scoot over and kiss those full lips again. Our first kiss had been perfect—under the stars in the heat of the night, her hands on my shoulders and my hand on the back of her neck keeping her close. The way she looked at me now was the same as when we’d said good-bye the other night. Hungry and determined. Tonight was going to be interesting. Our small talk was fun and flirty, but I wanted more. Just as I was about to slide closer to her, the doorbell rang.
“Pizza’s here. Surprisingly early.”
I sighed and waited for her in the kitchen. “I’m not going to lie. That smells delicious.” When she opened the box, I leaned over her shoulder and put my hands on either side of her on the counter. Only a fraction of space was between us. Her movements stopped when she realized she was trapped. I placed a whisper of a kiss on her neck. She tilted her head to the side, affording me more skin. Encouraged, I applied more pressure and worked my way up to her cheek. When she turned, I released the counter and put my hands on her waist. She kissed me slowly. Her hands looped around the back of my neck, and I sank against her. Both of us moaned. She was soft, and her mouth was demanding. Her tongue pressed against mine, circling it, sucking it into her mouth. I was surprised at how assertive she was and took control of the moment. When we finally broke apart, I stumbled back a step. My knees were weak and I felt light-headed. “What are you doing to me, Sophia Sweet?” I cupped her face. She was so beautiful, vulnerable yet strong.
She put her hand on my chest right below my collarbone again. “The question is, what are we doing to one another?”
I kissed her swiftly and pulled back. It would have been so easy to press on and make love to her on the kitchen floor, but I didn’t want to do that to our tender relationship. This wasn’t one of my one-night stands. She wasn’t a woman I met at a bar and followed home, knowing that I could easily score. This was Sophia, the woman who had helped me feel again and made me nervous with just a single look. Nobody in my history had ever had that much power. I hadn’t realized it until this moment, and I wasn’t ready for those feelings. “Let’s eat before it gets cold.” When I pulled away, she looked shocked. I took her hands and kissed the back of them. “I’m sorry. I just want to take my time with you because you mean so much to me, and I always manage to fuck things up.”
She squeezed my hands but didn’t let me go. “I understand.”
I took a deep breath. “It took so long for me to get here, in front of you.” I wanted to kiss her again, but it would send me down another spiral. I dropped her hands and excused myself to her bathroom. I needed space. I closed the door and leaned against it. I was expecting light flirting and some soft kisses, but not that powerful explosion. I washed my hands and looked at my reflection. My face and my neck were red from the warmth I was radiating. I wasn’t splotchy but flushed. My eyes sparkled and my lips felt swollen. I took another deep breath before I opened the door and returned to the kitchen.
“I fixed you a plate,” Sophia said. She wouldn’t meet my eyes, so I knew our moment had affected her, too.
“Thank you.” I accepted the plate and glass of root beer. “I can’t tell you when the last time I had a root beer was.”
“Did you want another beer instead?”
I noticed she had a root beer, too. “No. Sweet and savory is perfect. And the pizza looks yummy.”
The Chicago Cubs was the only team we both supported, so we put on the game and sat on the couch to cheer them on.
“This new pitcher is on fire,” I said.
“I mean, sure, baseball is a pitcher’s game, but if you don’t have a great defense, you can’t win games.”
“What?”
“The Cubs won the World Series because of the dynamics of the first and third basemen.”
I burst out laughing. “Never in a million years would I have pegged you for a baseball fan.”
She looked at me, a tiny crumb on her cheek. I pointed to my own cheek until she got the hint and wiped it off. “If you live in Chicago, you have to be a Cubs fan. I mean, right? We’re a baseball city.”
“And football, and hockey, and basketball.”
“Only baseball counts.” She smiled.
My heart fluttered. “Well, then we should go to a game. I have box seats. Let’s pick a night or a weekend.”
“You can afford box seats?”
I stopped for a moment as I processed what she asked. “Well, Tuft & Finley has box seats and a suite, and they always give tickets to their employees.”
“Aren’t the games usually packed?”
“Don’t worry about it. Here. Let me pull up the schedule, and we can plan our next outing.” Trish and Anna let me handle employee relations. Most of the time, we gave away our tickets to boost morale, but usually we waited the week before in case we had to entertain customers. Since we were smack-dab in the middle of summer, it was probably a good idea to get the suite. “How about a week from tomorrow? We’re playing the Cardinals. The suite is available.”
“Are you serious? That sounds amazing. Yes.”
I blacked out the calendar for the entire suite so we would have it to ourselves. I was sure Trish would have something to say about it if she checked. “Done.”
“Thank you. That’s exciting. I haven’t been to a game in years.”
I threw up my hands. “How do you even call yourself a fan if you don’t go to the games?”
“Nobody ever wants to go with me.”
She sounded so sad I took her hand. “I want to go with you. Most of my friends aren’t into baseball like they are football or basketball.”
“Baseball is so easy. It’s easy to learn, easy to follow, and it’s the only time when you can eat and drink and not feel guilty.”
“Sounds like another dream date for us.”
She was still holding my hand. We were a bit too far apart on the couch for it to be comfortable, so I scooted over. She smiled. We watched the entire game holding hands. After she went to get us beers and pretzels, she sat down a little closer than before and reached for my hand once more. The gesture was sweet, but her nearness was driving me crazy. When the game ended, I stood. I was suffocating at being so close to her, and the desire to touch her had finally become too much.
“Are you okay?”
“Do you want to go for a walk? It’s a nice night.”
She stood in front of me. “Wait. Nico Marshall, are you nervous about being around me?”
“Totally.”
“I wish you weren’t. I wish you weren’t scared of me.”
She was in my space, willingly. I held my breath while she ran her fingertip down my cheek and my neck, and then along the vee of my shirt. Being touched was the single biggest turn-on for me. I cleared my throat. “It’s not you I’m scared of.”
“We can set boundaries, right? Kissing is acceptable, but we won’t let it get too far.” I discreetly wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans. She was seducing me and I liked it. Her mouth was very close to mine. “I can control myself.”
“That’s the problem. I don’t know that I can.” I captured her lips in a kiss that turned passionate very quickly. My body was rigid against her soft, supple one. She wrapped her arms around my back, and I crushed myself against her. I kissed her with an intensity that had been building for hours, weeks, months. She pulled me down to the couch, and I landed between her legs. She wrapped her legs around my waist and dug her fingers into my back. If this was only kissing, I was never going to survive making love to her. She rocked her hips into me, and I pushed into her. It had been a long time for both of us, and I didn’t want to embarrass myself by coming like a teenager with the green light. “Wait. Wait.”
“What? What?” she whispered over and over before kissing me again and again. She was driving me crazy. How was my ice queen, who almost didn’t give me a chance, holding me flush against her on her couch? She was so passionate.
Resisting her was futile, but I had to try. I didn’t want to fall into the same trap I’d been in for the last five years of my life. I either didn’t care at all or cared too much. Sophia was going to break my cycle. That was the plan in my head. I scooted her down on the sofa so we weren’t on an incline with what felt like seven thousand pillows and kissed her passionately. I only touched her face, and she only touched my back and my neck. Once I realized we weren’t taking off clothes or having sex right here, right now, I was able to relax and enjoy the moment. Sophia was so soft, and hearing her moans released adrenaline straight to my heart. It beat furiously, causing me to take deep breaths between kisses.
“Are you okay?” Sophia asked.
My laugh was shaky and more of a small bark. “I’m just overwhelmed. My heart isn’t used to this much emotion.”
She touched my face and scratched the back of my head with her manicured nails. “This is the best date I’ve had in a long time, too.”
It wasn’t an emotional confession, but it still filled my heart. I kissed her smooth neck softly, nipping at her earlobe and finding her mouth again. We continued making out until the time came to either start undressing or leave. I untangled myself from her limber body and leaned up. “I need to go.” She touched my lips with her fingertips. “And you need to stop touching me so I can.”
She sat up and adjusted her T-shirt. “I know. It’s been a while since I’ve had a fun, stay-at-home night.”
I locked my fingers with her. “It was fun. And the Cubbies won. It couldn’t have been better.”
She raised an eyebrow at me.
“I’m serious. I miss actual dating. Too many people rush into things and forget about the small, important things like soft touches, holding hands, and respect.” I sounded so hypocritical. I couldn’t remember the last time it had happened for me. I pulled her up so she was in my arms. “Have a good night. Sleep well. I know you have a lot to do this weekend.”
“You have a good weekend, too. I’ll text you in the morning.”
I kissed her softly before I left her house. Her last words to me made me smile. She was already thinking about tomorrow.
Chapter Fifteen
It took about ten minutes of begging and a few stolen kisses at Sophia’s work to get her to commit, but I got her to agree to take Gerty to the game. It was going to be a hot day but cloudy, so we wouldn’t feel the sting of the sun. I pulled into her driveway, grabbed my extra helmet, and jogged up to the front door.
“Hi.” She was wearing shorts, a Cubs T-shirt, and sandals. It was the perfect baseball-game attire. It was not the perfect motorcycle-riding attire.
“I have a cap, too, but I didn’t want to put that on since I have to wear a helmet.” She screeched playfully when I handed it to her.
“It’ll be fine. I’m an excellent driver, and Gerty is reliable and safe.” I kissed her softly. “You look beautiful and like a true Cubbies fan.” She was the quintessential girl next door with her long hair pulled back in a ponytail, very little makeup, and a body I couldn’t wait to feel again.
“I’m wearing shorts only because I could use a little bit of color.” She looked down at her pale legs. “And I’m bringing sunscreen because I don’t want to burn.”
I didn’t have the heart to tell her that suite seats were inside and the twelve that were outside were in the shade. The only sun she would get was from the ride to the stadium or if we walked around the ballpark. “I don’t recommend wearing shorts on a motorcycle. It’s safer to wear jeans and shoes. Just put your shorts and sandals in a bag. And go ahead and rub some sunscreen on. Even though the sun isn’t shining, you can still fry to a crisp.”
“That makes sense. I didn’t realize motorcycles had so many rules.”
“I’m a good rider, but I can’t account for everyone else out on the road,” I said.
She looked me up and down. “Are you changing into shorts too? And how are you so tan when you work long hours?”
I pulled her into my arms. “I spend a day here and there at the lake. Personally, I love your pale skin, so protect it.” Our kiss was perfect, with just enough heat to make me want more, but cool enough to make me stop. “Are you ready to trust me with your life?”
She playfully tapped my shoulder. “Yes. I trust you.” She repeated herself. “Let me change real quick.”
“We can put some other clothes in the saddlebag.” I watched as she jogged up the steps. “You’re going to love riding and insist we take Gerty on every date, even during the winter.”
Sophia laughed. “I doubt that will happen.” She returned in less than a minute, wearing jeans and athletic shoes. She held up the bag with her shorts and sandals. “Let’s get this over with before I talk myself out of it.”
I strapped the helmet to her head and gently tapped the top twice. “Let’s go.” I grabbed her hand and gave her a few quick rules. “Follow my body. If I lean, lean with me. Hold on to my waist or shoulders. Your seat is a bit higher than mine, so whatever you’re comfortable with, okay? I promise to drive slow.” I was so excited I could barely stand still. I got on first and held the bike steady while Sophia climbed on, then pointed to where her feet should go and started Gerty. The sound was so powerful yet relaxing. I turned on the microphone so Sophia could hear me. “Are you ready?” She tapped my shoulder and gave me a thumbs-up. “You can talk. I can hear you.”
“Oh.”
Her laughter gave me tingles. She was excited about our adventure. I pulled slowly into traffic, letting her get used to cars around us. Sophia lived close to Wrigley Field, so I stayed off the highway and took Broadway to Addison, which was about a thirty-minute ride. Sophia pointed to things she loved about the city and all the places along the way that she liked to visit. She held me tighter when we got into baseball traffic. Once we reached the gate, I flashed them my parking pass, and they waved us down to the front of the parking lot.
“Wow. Tuft & Finley must really love baseball to have such a nice setup,” Sophia said. I parked and shut down the bike, then waited for her to climb off before I put the kickstand in place.
“Come here.” I unsnapped her helmet strap and gently pulled it from her head. “How was it?” She threw her arms around my neck and kissed me passionately. I could hear people off in the distance clapping and whooping. I didn’t care who saw us. This reaction was better than I’d imagined. “So, you liked it?”
“It was great. I loved it.” She melted into me out of embarrassment once she realized the cheering was for us.
“Nico, where have you been?”
My suite neighbor came over to say hello. I’d known him since I was a little girl. With his suite next door, we visited quite frequently. I’d completely forgotten about the regulars here. They could blow my cover by asking a simple question about my life.
“Hey, how are you?” I introduced Sophia and prayed nobody gave anything away.
“I’m great. Want a hot dog or a beer before you go in?” He pointed back at his tailgating setup that was quite impressive, even though he was going to a suite that had barbecue and beer as well. “And where’s Patricia? Are she and Rob coming?”
“They won’t be here tonight.”
“What? The biggest rival in our division, and they aren’t here?”
I shrugged and locked up the motorcycle after taking out Sophia’s bag. “I think they have a party or something. Okay, we’re going. See you up there.”
“Nice to meet you, Sophia.”
We walked toward the stadium entrance. I looked back over my shoulder, and he gave me a thumbs-up. I waved him off and followed Sophia through the gate.
“So, everyone knows everyone here?”
I nodded. “Most of these people have had season tickets for decades.” We got lucky with our suite. My parents owned it and sold it to Tuft & Finley about five years ago. They gave it to us for a steal, but they got to attend whenever they wanted. Thankfully, tonight they were committed elsewhere.
Sophia was too excited to go straight to the suite. She found a bathroom and changed into her shorts and sandals. I shook my head at her and smiled.
“What?” She held my hand as we walked down the corridor of fans buying food, beer, lemonade, and souvenirs.
“I love seeing you so excited. The fact that it’s about baseball makes my heart swell.”
She nudged me with her shoulder. “It’s all about getting to know one another, right?”
“What do you mean?”
“This. Dating. Right?”
I squeezed her hand. “Agreed. And for the record, I really like dating you.”
