The Right Kind of Love (22 page)

Sydney

“H
ey, little missy, what are you doing tonight?” Shaina asked as she swept up some of the hair around her station. Her chair was behind mine, but from the angle she was at, we could easily talk. I’d just finished up with my last client. I was headed home to take care of Zeus, refresh, and then Damien was taking me out on our date. Nervous as hell, I pulled my bottom lip with me teeth and started biting.

“Actually, I have a date tonight.” I felt like a kid in a candy store just thinking about spending an entire evening with him. I knew I was going to get shit for telling her I was going out with Damien. I think the entire town of Vegas knew we were a match except for us. I mean the feelings I had exploded a long time ago. It just took us some time to realize how much more we wanted from one another.

“And who are you going on this date with?” She stopped sweeping and came over to talk to me.

“Damien,” I said slightly above a whisper.

“I knew it. I so knew it, girlfriend. It’s so obvious with the way you two are when you’re together, and then the way he looks at you. Damn, it makes my panties melt.” And it made my panties melt, as well.

“Have we been that obvious? There is no denying that we’re both insanely attracted to one another. So I guess you are right.” I wish I knew what was going on in that head of his all the time.

“I know I’m right. The way he looks at you.” She started to fan herself. “He looks at you like you could solve world hunger. Wherever you go, his eyes follow. It’s a look of pure adoration. He’s crazy about you.”

“To be honest, I’m just a little crazy about him, too. He’s taken up a special place in my heart. We may have had a rocky start, but he’s turned out to be really amazing.”

She leaned over and gave me a huge hug, and then she pulled away and clapped her hands together and squealed. Yes, squealed. “I’m so happy for you. Do you know where he’s taking you?”

“I haven’t a clue. He just told me that what I normally wore to work would be perfect for where he planned to take me.” I just hoped I looked good enough for him tonight.

“That is really sweet. You know I’m going to want details tomorrow. By the way, are we going to see The Fade play tomorrow night?”

“Yes, that’s the plan.” I smiled just thinking about seeing Damien on stage. Watching him made me feel funny things. And honestly, there wasn’t one thing that was funny about the way I felt.

“Cool, I think some of the others want to join us. So see if Damien can reserve us one of the big tables.”

I saluted her. “Will do, girlfriend.”

“All right, I won’t keep you. Have an awesome time and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” She gave me a wink.

That’s what I was scared of—the thought of doing
something
. I hadn’t had sex, not willingly, in over a year. It was almost as if I’d forgotten how. He was so experienced that he was going to think little old me was boring.

“Tootles. I’ll see you later, babe.”

Walking into our apartment, I immediately went to my room to get Zeus. He was waiting for me by the door, his little tail wagging in the air, and a happy smile on his face.

I decided now would be a good time to tell Bee what was going on. I pulled out my phone, brought up her number, and hit call.

“Hello, Miss. Sydney.” Bee sounded chipper.

“Hey, babe, how are you?”

“Well, I’m good, although I wish I could be back in Vegas already. I had such a kick ass time. Can’t wait until we’re roomies again.”

“I know it’s going to be so much fun. So I have something important to tell you.”

“Yes.”

“Well, I’m pregnant.”

She squealed on the other end of the phone. “Oh, my God, I’m going to be an aunt!”

“Well, you may not.”

“What are you saying, Syd?”

“I’m not sure if I will keep it or not. This news wasn’t exactly the best.”

“What are you talking about? A baby is a blessing.”

“It’s just that—”

“Yes?”

“Well, the baby is from the rape.” Saying the words were so hard on me and made me feel so violated.

“I see.”

“Yeah.”

“Well, just so you know I plan to support you a thousand percent on whatever you decide to do. I got your back, girlfriend, just like any best friend would.”

“I appreciate it. Just please don’t say anything to anyone. This is a very private matter to me.”

“Got it. Your secret is safe with me.”

“Well, I better get going. I love you, Bee.”

“I love you too, babe.”

I was a little low after we hung up, but I immediately started talking myself off the depression edge and tried to gear up for my date.

Zeus and I were outside when Damien pulled up. When he got out of the car, it was almost like he swaggered over to me. Not the annoying little boy trying to be a man swagger, but the true, make your mouth dry, but your panties wet, real man swagger. He looked hot. He was wearing a pair of dark denim jeans, a short sleeved button down collared black shirt, and motorcycle boots.

He walked over to me and gave me a peck on the lips. “Hi, beautiful, how are you doing today?”

“Better now that you’re here. I missed you.”

He reached out to me and gently ran his hands up my arms, making me break out in shivers, and then up my arm, past my shoulders to my neck. He bent over and placed a tender kiss there just below my ear, and then slid his fingers through my hair massaging my scalp. It felt like pure bliss and my lady bits were attune to his ministrations. He then took his delectable lips from my neck and brought them over my mouth and gave me a kiss that sparked so many feelings in my body. Unlike other times, he deepened it, and I opened my mouth to allow his delicious tongue inside mine. His taste made me furiously fight for more as we dove into a languid dance. Every inch of his mouth became known to me. It was a beautiful mixture of lust and passion exploring our pent-up need for one another. It was sweet, it was beautiful, and it was real. I was actually kissing this amazing man, and I couldn’t think of anywhere else I would rather be.

He pulled away and we were both breathless, and then he peppered soft, chaste kisses down my neck and behind my ear again. My hair stood on end and tiny pebbles formed on my skin. I moaned deeply. He finally stopped and just stared me in the eyes.

“Wow.” That was all I could get out of my mouth. He kissed me senseless.

“That was pretty fucking great.” He pulled me into his arms and held me there giving me a warm embrace.

I placed my head on his chest and relished the moment. We had finally taken a baby step. I had to wonder if this baby step was enough for him. Knowing he was a man of many desires with a revolving door was hard to compete with. He had women that jumped into his bed with just a hello, and here I was going to make him work for it.

We walked back up to the apartment, and I stopped at the fridge look at the picture of the sonogram.

Baby.

Yes, I’d said the word that had been on my mind nonstop for the last forty-eight hours.

The plan was to give the baby up for adoption. I didn’t say a word to my co-workers. They didn’t need to know until I was showing, and I especially didn’t want to say anything, because I just didn’t know what I wanted to do.

I finally noticed that my pants were a little snug around the waist. My breasts had been tender for a while, but I had just chalked it up to thinking I was going to start my period, which, of course, never came. I have no idea how I could have missed the fact that I didn’t have a real period for three months. My only guess was that I was so busy with all of the changes going on in my life that I just didn’t realize it. I had missed my period before, so I didn’t think anything of it.

I had taken the pill they gave me at the hospital after the rape. They promised that it would stop any pregnancy, but wouldn’t terminate. But the chances of being pregnant weren’t all that high. Apparently, not very high was high enough for my body. The thought of just getting rid of the baby, of every last piece of Wes, flashed through my mind. But only for a moment. I couldn’t get rid of the life growing inside of me. It wasn’t the baby’s fault.

How could I get rid of this life growing inside of me?

“So do I have time to go change into something that is a little more comfortable and fresh?” I really hoped he would say yes.

“Why? You look beautiful in what you are wearing now.” I had on a pair of black pants with a black and white polka dot sleeveless top with a ruffle down the middle. I’d finished the look with a pair of black peep toe pumps and lots of silver jewelry. I had to admit that I looked pretty damn cute.

“Babe, I think you look beautiful just the way you are. Please stay in what you’re already wearing.” His eyes slid up and down my body and it made my nipples turn into tiny hard pebbles that I’m sure were apparent if one were to look at my breasts. They were dying to be touched. My entire body was craving for his large hands. My tummy did a delicious flip.

It was very delicious.

Damien picked up Zeus and started talking to him as if he were a human. It was so cute to watch. He scratched him behind his ears, and then he did something I hadn’t seen him do before. He gave him a kiss on the top of his head. I melted.

Like, totally melted.

“Shit, I’ll be right back. I forgot something in my car.”

I pecked his lips. “Okay, babe, hurry back.”

He winked at me. “Oh, I will.”

I walked back into my room to freshen up. It didn’t take nearly as long as I had planned because I didn’t need to change. I liked that Damien liked what I was wearing. It was cute, but it wasn’t over the top. It was me, and I didn’t have to do anything special to make him happy. But when I looked in the mirror and saw my hair limp, I turned on my flat iron to fix it a bit. He may be perfectly happy with how I looked, but my hair needed some help for me to be happy with it.

There was a tap at my door. “Come in.” Damien strolled into my room with a small bag in his hand.

He extended it out to me. “Here, I got you a little something.”

I felt my eyes widen in surprise and my lips turn up in excitement. “You got me a present?” I heard my voice raise an octave and didn’t even care. “I love presents!”

He gestured to the bag in my hand. “Open it. I just saw it and thought that maybe you might want to look at it. If you don’t want it, I completely understand.”

I opened the bag and pulled out a book. My eyes welled up with tears. “You got me a baby names book?” And then a few of those tears fell. Would I really be able to give up this baby? I could tell that it meant so much to him. However, it would have nothing to do with my decision.

“Thank you so much, honey.” I leaned into him and he leaned his head down. I reached up on my tiptoes and gave him a peck on his lips.

Releasing myself from him, I went back over to my vanity and began touching up my make-up. I just went with simple.

“Do you think you can be ready in fifteen minutes? We have reservations in a half hour.”

I took another glance at myself. “Sure, no problem.”

We were in Damien’s car and headed for the strip. I secretly had hoped he would take me to dinner at one of the restaurants there. I wasn’t expecting anything fancy, but I thought it would be fun. We turned on the strip and the lights instantly assaulted my eyes. The place was lit up like the Fourth of July. I loved being on the strip and passing all of the hotels. He pulled up to the valet at the Bellagio and my door was opened by one of the attendants.

Damien looked to me. “We’re here, babe.”

“Awesome, I love this hotel!”

He rounded the car and came over to me grabbing my hand and placing it into his. We walked through the front doors and I looked up as I took in the ceiling that I admired so much. It was beautiful with the blown glass in various colors. I couldn’t fathom how they did it.

He led me to an Italian restaurant that had been getting a lot of buzz. The girls at work always raved about it, and I was super excited to get a chance to try it. But from what I had heard, this place was one that needed a reservation weeks in advance.