Dreams Claimed (Warfield's Landing, #1) (9 page)

“Hi, Daniel. How’s it going.”

“It’s going. That’s about all I can say.” He laughed. “I’d much rather be there with you.”

“How is poor CeeCee doing?”

“This is a tough time for her. We’re coming up on her wedding anniversary. I know this is never easy, but I’m hoping that getting through this one will be a milestone for her.”

“Bless her heart! I remember when I lost Mom and Daddy. It’s always hard and some times are worse than others, but yes, once you get through the first round of important dates... the first Christmas, the first missed birthday, the first Valentine’s Day... well, in my case, it did get a bit better. I’ll always miss them and I think of them every day, but eventually you get to where you’re remembering more of the good things and feeling less of the pain.”

“Didn’t you lose your parents when you were in college?”

“Yes, it was my junior year. I worked my way through my pain. I was very lucky to have painting as an outlet.”

“I think what is making this harder for CeeCee is there was another woman.”

“Oh, no.” Nic’s heart broke for Daniel’s friend.

“I don’t know the details, and it’s CeeCee’s personal stuff, but there was a large age gap. CeeCee had some insecurities where Jamie was concerned. And there was a tragic love story in his past... decades earlier. CeeCee was always very threatened by that.”

After that exchange, they talked about Bentley. The dog was staying with Luke while Daniel was out of town, and Luke had passed on a funny story...

Daniel ended with, “So it seems that Bentley, after eight years of a near perfect record, can no longer be permitted anywhere near an avocado. Luke said he even got half of it peeled... without thumbs!” Daniel ended with such indignation that Nic laughed ‘til her stomach hurt.

Nic shared her adventures helping Thomas and Karyn measure the building in Warfield’s Landing. She hadn’t yet told him about her inheritance from Max. She was waiting until the right opportunity came along - and they had some uninterrupted time together, - so she didn't give any details about where they had been or why they were doing it.

She felt funny about keeping him out of the loop, but after all, even though she liked him, they were still getting to know each other. 

“So,” Daniel said. “I’ll be flying back on Tuesday. Can I see you when I get home?”

Disappointed, Nic replied, “Rats! I teach Tuesday nights, so that would make it awfully late.”

“How about I meet you at your studio after your class is over. I can carry your books.” He leered at her playfully. “I’ll take you to dinner.”

Once she got her giggles under control, Nic said, “No. No... You come by at 9:30 and we’ll go back to my place. I’ll fix my famous Parmesan Crusted Chicken and a salad. It’s pretty fast. We’d be able to eat in half an hour.”

“That would be great! I’ll see you at your studio on Tuesday evening.” Daniel smiled at her. “Night, night, darling.”

Nic drew a quick breath, and then leapt off the emotional cliff. “Night, night, darling.”

He winked and ended the call.

She sat there for a moment. This was happening fast, and he’d been out of town for much of it. She reflected quietly. Was it too fast? No. Not really. They'd hit it off well. She trusted him. Once they had some quality time together, and could talk without interruptions, she’d tell him about her complicated life and, as Stevie called it, her “Secret Stash”.

*****

I
t had been a long weekend, a long Monday and, now... an even longer Tuesday.

Nic was trying hard not to keep looking at the clock high on the Torpedo Factory classroom wall. She enjoyed teaching and she had some excellent students. They deserved more than a ditzy, absentminded teacher thinking about her boyfriend.

Boyfriend?

It had been so long since she’d been in a relationship. Once you passed thirty, what DID you call your significant other? They weren’t lovers... yet.

At that point, one of her students raised a hand and Nic headed over to answer a question.

Eventually, the slow clock ticked over 9:30PM and class was over. She spent another 15 minutes answering questions. This was part of what she enjoyed about teaching, but tonight she had to fight her impatience and she was angry with herself. She should have told Daniel to come to the classroom, not wait at her studio.

She gathered up the supplies and placed them in her big rolling suitcases. She was grateful that Porter and Lynn stayed to help her.

As they rolled along to her studio, Lynn and Porter were talking about an upcoming Museum Show they were looking forward to. Her studio was tucked into a blind corner and Nic felt her heart clutch with disappointment as it came into sight and there was no one waiting.

He wasn’t here! 

Then she realized that he’d been sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall and working on an iPad. He stood gracefully, dressed in jeans and a casual shirt.

He nodded to Porter and Lynn and helped them put her stuff into the studio. She grabbed her messenger bag and the four of them walked out together, talking pleasantly. At the front door, Daniel spoke again to Lynn and Porter, then he turned to her, “I hope you didn’t drive?”

“No. I figured I could catch a ride with you?” She turned it into a question. He laughed and gallantly offered his arm. Lightly holding his elbow, they crossed the street to the parking lot. Lynn was unlocking her car and looked their way. Nic waved good bye and she waved back.

D
aniel drove the short distance to Nic’s apartment. Glancing over at her in the passenger seat, he smiled. He’d missed her. The two weeks away from Nic had been endless. He loved CeeCee and there was no question that she had needed him, but...

“How is poor CeeCee doing?” Nic asked, interrupting his thoughts.

Nic’s concern for a woman she’d never met warmed him. She was beautiful inside and out.

He felt the emotional pull even more strongly than before their separation. They'd talked a couple of times on Skype while he was gone and that had helped to move their relationship along. Now that they were back in the same zip code, he hoped to take it to the next level.

“She’s still going one day at a time. Luke’s heading up to stay with her in a couple of days. She’s tough. I know she’ll be okay, but it’s painful to see her hurting.”

They’d reached Nic’s block on King Street. “Hold on. Why don’t you park over there?” Nic directed him to a small parking lot directly across the street from her building.

While they stood on the curb, waiting for a break in traffic, he put his hand out. Nic glanced at him, smiled and put her hand in his... their fingers intertwined.

They crossed the street in the middle of the block and entered her building. At the top of the stairs, she unlocked her door. “I have the second floor back apartment. I’ll warn you... the ceilings are only about seven feet tall. Thomas hates them... he keeps trying to talk me into moving.”

Daniel laughed. “We’ll see how I do, but Thomas has three inches on me, so I understand his concern.”

They walked down the narrow hall with its low clearance, and yes, already Daniel was feeling sympathy for Thomas.

They entered her diminutive living room. It had a taller than average ceiling with exposed beams, which was in marked contrast to what Daniel could see of the rest of the apartment. One wall was all built-in bookcases and filled with an eclectic assortment of books and offbeat items that Nic had collected over the years.

With a graceful wave of the hand, Nic said. “Make yourself at home. Feel free to look around... and watch your head.”

He laughed, and taking her at her word, seized the opportunity to find out more about his little artist.

The space was small, and clearly everything had a place, but there was also a relaxed quality about it. Magazines and books were stacked on the small coffee table in the living room, ready to be picked up and read.

The walls were a soft blue gray and the trim was crisp white. There was minimal furniture — a one person wicker mamasan chair and a three person wicker couch, both with cushions covered in dark blue fabric, and a coffee table in front of the sofa. The television was a small flat screen and sat in front of the wall of bookshelves on a built-in ledge.

Behind the couch there was just enough room for a compact wooden table and four bentwood chairs. Obviously, the table had to be pulled out pulled out when it seated more than two. Right now it was set close to two open shelving units holding kitchen paraphernalia. There was room to walk between the table and the back of the couch, but barely.

The wall to the left contained a large window and a windowed door. The door seemed to go to a deck or fire escape landing. He saw a number of houseplants in large pots out there.

Beside the shelving unit and to the left was the bathroom door. Down the right was a hall, leading to the bedroom? The ceiling height in the hallway was about seven feet... Looking down it, he could understand Thomas’s objections... it was making him claustrophobic. He was beginning to feel like he had entered a fairy’s abode.

He didn’t see the kitchen, but the hallway had a series of narrow shelves filled with kitchen supplies and canned goods. As he stepped over to the right, he saw the kitchen... or what there was of it.

It was a wide spot in the hall and consisted of the refrigerator, stove, and sink. There were no counters... the appliances stood side by side.

As he watched, Nic pulled a foil packet from the refrigerator. She turned on the oven and stepped around the corner to the dining area. She chose a large flat glass dish from the shelves, and working on the table, slid the contents of the foil pack into the dish.

She looked up at him and smiled. “As soon as the oven reaches temperature, I’ll put these in and we should be ready to eat about twenty minutes after that.”

*****

D
aniel was seated on her couch, with his feet resting on the coffee table. Nic was curled up in the curve of his arm and smiling to herself.

He’d asked before putting his feet on the coffee table. A small point, but one that she knew was significant.

“That was a wonderful dinner. I’m amazed at what you were able to create in such a small kitchen.” He grinned down at her.

She laughed up at him. “Well, it took me months to get the hang of it. You have to plan everything out ahead of time... especially since you have to move the work surface back and forth between the stove and the sink. No counter space makes it all a real challenge and I had a couple of disasters early on.”

“I can see that.” He agreed with a grin. “I like to cook. I do well enough in my gourmet kitchen... and, I’ll admit, I have been known to complain about not enough counters, but after tonight, I promise never to criticize it again.”

With that, he pulled her close in a warm hug. As she snuggled against him, she looked up and he took her lips in a warm, masterful kiss.

The kiss ended and she stood. He looked a bit disappointed. She smiled and held out one hand. He looked at her, obviously gauging what her actions meant. She gestured with her hand. He placed his in hers and stood. With a firm grip, she led him down the long, narrow hall back to her bedroom, smiling at him over her shoulder.

D
aniel followed those beautiful dancer’s legs down the hall... her black shorts displaying them to advantage... the shirt tails from her huge men’s dress shirt brushing the backs of her legs past the shorts. His arousal grew with every step.

She’d kicked off her brightly painted tennis shoes and her feet slapped lightly on the hardwood floors.

Daniel was determined to remember every detail of their first time together... and was equally resolute that his little artist would spend a lifetime in his arms.

Her bedroom was small and spare. The bed was a double, with one bedside table. The walls were the same gray blue as the rest of the apartment. A navy spread was on the bed... pulled back and displaying crisp white sheets and pillow cases. A small upholstered chair was tucked in a corner. The walls were bare.

The airconditioning was working valiantly in the early summer heat, making the room a cool oasis. At the back of the apartment, away from King Street traffic, it was quiet.

She turned and faced him, and with a smile she started to pull his tee shirt from his jeans. He put a hand out and stopped her gently but firmly. “No... no. I get to unwrap my gift first.”

She stared at him a moment and then smiled again, slowly. She stepped back and held her hands low and open... in invitation.

Reaching out, he slowly unbuttoned her shirt. He had to concentrate to keep his hands steady... and he realized he’d been waiting his whole life for this moment.

He slid the shirt off her beautiful, strong shoulders. She was small and perfect. Her breasts were lovingly cupped with a lacy front fastening bra. They needed no support so the bra simply showcased them. Her rosy nipples peeked through the lace.

Her elastic waist shorts slid off easily as he hooked them with his thumbs.

She wore tiny lacy panties that matched the bra. He swallowed, and looked up. She was watching him steadily, a slight smile on her face.

After he looked his fill, she stepped forward and said clearly... “My turn.”

Her small hands pulled his tee shirt out from his jeans. She worked quickly and wasn’t gentle. If anything, her haste excited him further, so when she reached for the buttons on his jeans, he nudged her hands away again. “No, let me get it...”

He unbuttoned his pants but left them on his hips as he gathered her into his arms. He pulled her up to his height and dropped his mouth to hers... heavy... demanding... forcing a response...

She wrapped her legs around his hips and kissed him back... her passion evident. Using his hips for leverage, she rubbed herself up and down against his crotch. He released her lips and groaning, gently bit down on her neck.

The shiver that went through her galvanized him. He took two steps forward and almost tossed her to the bed, following her down. She tugged at his jeans for the third time, her lovely face impatient.