A Love Like This (Book 1) (30 page)

“
What
’
s the matter,
”
 
Tucker asks.
 
He
’
s kissing me but my mind is somewhere else.

“
My daddy
’
s pretty scary,
”
 
I blurt out feeling silly about how childlike I must sound.
 

“
Is he a big guy?
”

“
Huge,
”
 
I say.
 
 
“
Maybe we should just say we
’
re dating for now.
 
I wouldn
’
t want your first visit to end in bloodshed.
”
 

“
Parent
’
s love me,
”
 
he says as he lowers me onto my back, positions himself between my legs and rests his head on my chest.
 
His long legs are hanging off my twin bed.
 
 
“
This bed must have been made for an elf.
”

“
My big personality might have had you fooled but I
’
m only 5
’
 
feet tall,
”
 
I say rubbing his hair.
 
He
’
s quiet for a few minutes.
 
 
“
Are you awake,
”
 
I ask stroking his back.

“
I guess we did everything backwards.
 
If I was your father I
’
d be pissed if some man walked into my home and said he married my daughter in Vegas, while she was drunk no less.
”

“
Maybe someday we
’
ll have a real wedding,
”
 
I say.

“
Yeah we will,
”
 
he says sliding his big hand over one of my breasts.
 
 
“
I can
’
t believe these are real,
”
 
He says squeezing it gently.

“
I take it you
’
ve encountered lots of fake breasts,
”

“
Do you want to meet my family?
”
 
He says quickly changing the subject.
 
“
My mom, dad and sister usually have dinner together on Monday nights.
”
 

“
I
’
ve never heard you talk about your sister.
”
 
He lifts his head to look at me.
 

“
We don
’
t talk very often but she
’
ll be excited to meet her new sister-in-law.
”

“
Do you think it
’
s a good idea to tell them so soon?
 
What
’
s the rush?
”

“
There
’
s no rush but I don
’
t see the point in waiting.
”

“
Let
’
s just tell them we
’
re dating for now and in a few weeks we
’
ll say we eloped,
”
 
I say kissing the top of his head.
 
Tucker
’
s hand is under my shirt making circles around my nipple.

“
Tucker did you hear a word I just said?
”

“
Yeah I heard you,
”
 
He says lifting my shirt and kissing my breast.

“
I was planning to volunteer today.
 
I can meet you after.
”

“
You volunteer in Marin?
”

“
I take the bus over there as often as I can,
”
 
I say.

“
I
’
m going to send a car for you,
”
 
he says sitting up on his knees and sliding his shirt over his head.
 
I reach up to unbuckle his pants.
 
He stands to slip out of his shoes and jeans.
 
I get
 
up and stand in front of him and
 
pull his underwear down to his ankles.
 
He
’
s hard everywhere and for a brief moment I wonder if it
’
s love or lust that I feel for Tucker.
 
He wraps me in his enormous arms and I breathe in his sent.
 
He kisses me gently and I feel like its love.
 
He lifts my shirt over my head unhooks my bra and lowers his head to my bare breasts.
 
It
’
s definitely lust I think as my body tingles under his touch.
 
He cups each of my breasts in his hands and
licks and sucks my nipples before moving
his lips back to mine.
 
The kiss deepens our tongues wrestling angrily as we tear off our remaining clothes.
 
We back up until my back is pressed against the d
orm room wall.
 
He lifts me with one arm and
drives himself into
 
me.
 
He holds onto my ass and I encircle my legs around his waist as he pounds inside me
 
repeatedly.
 
I bite my bottom lip to prevent myself from screaming out his name.
 
When
 
both our bodies begin to tremble with pleasure
 
another thought races into my mind:
‘
birth control
’
.
 
 
“
Shit,
”
 
I say.

After Tucker leaves to meet Mike for Lunch I resist the urge to wrap up in my quilt and sleep the day away.
 
I drag myself out of bed, shower and dress in a sleeveless black
 
sundress with colorful flowers around the b
ottom and wedged heels.
 
 
I
 
pull
 
my hair into a high ponytail and put on tons on mascara and shiny lip-gloss.
 
I head for the administration office and register for next semester
’
s classes.
 
I
’
m all set to head for the bus stop when a call comes in on my cell phone.

“
Mrs. Bradley,
”
 
the man on the other end says.
 
I hesitate for a moment thinking who the hell is Mrs. Bradley.

“
Yes that
’
s me,
”
 
I say reminding myself.

“
This is City Town Cars.
 
Your car is waiting in front of the administration building.
 
The drivers name is John and he
’
s been instructed to stay with you for the entire day.
”

“
Thank you,
”
 
I say and hang up thinking I could get use to being pampered like this.
 
John a tall lanky man who reminds me of Lurch from the Adam
’
s Family is standing next to the town car.
 
A few girls are standing near the car peering into the tented windows.
 
I approach the car tentatively.
 

“
Good afternoon Mrs. Bradley,
”
 
John says as if he
’
s known me his whole life.
 
He opens the door and I slide onto the back seat feeling self-conscience because the girls are giving me dirty looks.

“
How did you know who I was?
”
 
I ask John as he merges onto interstate 80.

“
You
’
re husband described you to the dispatch office.
 
I could also tell by the way those girls where looking at you.
”

“
Yeah my new husband is pretty popular with the ladies.
”
 
 
We drive over the Richmond San Rafael Bridge and down the 101 freeway.
 
There are tree lined hills on one side of the freeway, stores and businesses on the other.
 
I sink into the leather seats and make small talk with John as we drive.
 

“
We
’
re here Mrs. Bradley,
”
 
John says pulling up to Room for Growth.

“
Please call me Leila.
”
 

“
Yes ma
’
am,
”
 
He says getting out and opening my car door.
 
He exte
nds his hand to help me out and
hands me a card,
 
“
Just call the number on the front of the card a few minutes before you
’
re ready to be picked up.

“
Thank you,
”
 
I say fishing around my purse for money to tip him.

“
No need for a tip.
 
You husband
’
s taken care of that.
”

“
I guess he thought of everything,
”
 
I say as I head towards the building.
 
Inside are learning stations where the participants are taught
 
to weave baskets
 
and other skills
 
as part of their job training.
 
They sell the baskets online, at farmers markets and art shows to earn extra money.

“
Leila!
”
 
Sharon a woman with Down-syndrome calls out as she rushes over to hug me.
 
Where have you been?
”

“
It
’
s only been a few days,
”
 
I say.

“
Come on we have lots of catching up to do,
”
 
Sharon says linking arms with me and pulling me over to her work station.
 
We sit down and I pick up the basket I was making on my last visit.

“
So what
’
s up Sharon?
 
How have you been?
”

“
I
’
m fine, but Joan
’
s in a snit.
 
I heard her yelling at her son over the phone a few minutes ago.
”

“
Well that
’
s none of our business Sharon.
”

“
It
’
s your business because she was talking about you.
”
 
 
Sharon leans across the table and whispers conspiratorially,
 
“
Joan wanted you to meet her son and I think he told her that he has a girlfriend now.
”
 
 
Sharon looks around the room,
 
“
Joan always hates his girlfriends.
 
One girl had boobs as big as my head,
”
 
Sharon says with exaggerated hand gestures.
 
 
“
Here she comes,
”
She whispers turning her attention to her basket as if she wasn
’
t just discussing Joan and her son seconds ago.