Three of Spades (20 page)

CeCe was ecstatic to see Natalie. After finishing up with her customers and bidding them farewell, she walked over to Natalie.

“Good Afternoon, Natalie. How are you? Is there anything wrong with your purchases?” she asked, suddenly concerned that could be the case.

Natalie insisted that all the items she bought were perfect and greatly appreciated. After some idle chit chat, both ladies agreed to grab a bite to eat since the store was currently quiet. CeCe called out for delivery and both sat down and began getting better acquainted. Soon, with a now empty container of Moo Goo Gai Pan as well as two empty diet soda bottles, both ladies continued their uncontrollable belly laughing after CeCe recanted the story of how she confused her current landlord for her then boyfriends overbearing mother.

Natalie could not remember laughing so hard. The more time she spent with CeCe, the more she liked her. With a few interruptions of customers, it was just about closing time when Natalie realized what time it was.

“CeCe, I’m so sorry for monopolizing your evening. I’m sure you had things to do for usual end of business,” Natalie spoke, as she watched the other woman close out the register and prepare her bank deposit.

Speaking as she pressed calculator buttons at a fast pace, CeCe answered, “No. The only thing I would have done was some more sketches and maybe a couple of passes on the sewing machine. As much as I enjoy designing, this was a much more pleasant way to pass the time.”

“You design and make clothes?” Natalie inquired.

“Yes, I dabble.” CeCe looked up as she answered. “Someday I’d like to carry strictly my designs, but for now, I’m happy with the handful of designers I carry.”

Wow. Where did she find the time? Natalie had learned, with the exception of a couple of seasonal part timers and one full time employee, it was pretty much CeCe who manned the store. It was just another added quality that Natalie would envy her new friend for. After asking Natalie if she would like to see some pieces, CeCe locked the front door and shut off the lights. Natalie followed her into the other back space next to the dressing room. This area wasn’t as big but still was roomy enough for the small desk area, as well as shelves and mobile hanging racks that housed CeCe’s design supplies and pieces.

Each piece was more exquisite than the one before. CeCe used bold colors in traditional pieces but made them new and modern using her wonderful talent of different cuts, slits and lengths. Natalie could not help but run the different fabrics between her fingers and for the first time wished she was better endowed to be able to wear such pieces. Natalie turned to face a lone antique metal wire dress form that was draped with the most beautiful colored charmeuse material. To call it blush was an injustice, the metallic hue gave the impression of richness and wealth. The fabric was quite lightweight; shimmery and soft, contouring to the form as if they were one in the same. The short one shoulder design was embellished with a wide chunky rhinestone brooch that twinkled like they were tiny little diamonds.

“This is beautiful! CeCe, this dress is incredible.”

“Thank you! The only thing to make it perfect would be a small body to let the fabric do its magic,” CeCe answered, eyeing Natalie’s perfectly pliable compact body that flowed in clean lines and had an air of virtuousness.

Turning and seeing CeCe staring at her, Natalie was concerned she missed something. CeCe just winked and laughed.

The ladies talked some more and soon it was time to leave for the evening.

“Are you going to Cal’s tomorrow?” CeCe asked.

“Yes, I’m meeting Dylan there at 8pm. Are you?”

“Planning on it; I’ll probably head over earlier so I’ll keep an eye out for you.” After an exchange of cheek kisses, Natalie headed home. She entered the house, clicking the firm and strong deadbolt, she decided to turn in for the night. When she pulled back the covers and sat down on the mattress, it squeaked reminding Natalie of all the sounds the old mattress and bedframe made as she and Dylan made love. She smiled as image after image flooded her memory. Natalie reached over for her recent novel and as she opened the page, she decided she didn’t want to read and dream of fictional characters doing fictional deeds. She’d much rather dream of what she had done with Dylan. Natalie slept with a smile on her face and deeply dreaming of what if’s and maybe’s.

Dylan pulled into his garage and cracked his neck as he climbed down from the truck. What a day. With the new development planned and orders now placed, Dylan spent most of his day in the office looking over price quotes, balance sheets, and material requests. It was the least enjoyable part of his job, but he was proud of the company that he and Seth built. As much as he liked being hands on at the sites and building something beautiful out of raw materials, the pains of being owner and boss meant sometimes you had to do things that you didn’t want to.

Jeez, his back was killing him. Leaning over the desk and sitting in his swivel chair all day probably was contributing to his current discomfort, however, he was sure he was brittle from spending the night in Natalie’s bed. He planned to tell her that their future nights together would be at his place because his old body could not take that poor excuse for a bed again. Knowing he told her he would not be able to see her tonight because of his late meeting was the right thing to do, but God how he wanted to see her and feel her, specifically, engulfing his cock in her warm satin inner muscles. Just thinking about her and that tightness had Dylan needing to readjust his pants. He headed in to change so he could come out and install the new arrivals for the Cuda.

At 2am, Dylan knew he needed to call it a night, but he just could not bring himself to do it. The car was finished. Tomorrow, Alex would be coming to pick it up for its paint job. Dylan couldn’t wait to see the glossy lime green color on the body. The hood and trunk would have wide black racing stripes; Dylan could see them already in his mind. He could not wait to burn up some asphalt and see what this baby could do.

Dylan took a quick shower and slid into bed. He tossed and turned, unable to find the right position. As he stared up through the enormous custom-made skylight, he looked at the clear blue sky and the hundreds of stars he could see. He loved looking at the night sky. There was something peaceful and simplistic in feeling and understanding your place in the world. No matter how much you do or give, in the big picture you were temporary, insignificant even. Dylan felt sorry for people that didn’t understand that. When push came to shove, when your time was over, no matter how much you think you counted, you’ll be gone but the stars would still be there.

Dylan wondered if Natalie liked to look at the night sky. He would make it a point of asking her tomorrow night when he saw her. When he did finally get his hands on her, he’d be sure to make his fleeting insignificant existence find carnal pleasure in the most imperative of ways. With that thought, Dylan had no trouble finding sleep at last.

Natalie had to drive around multiple times to find a parking spot. For a soft opening, the crowd size was unbelievable. Natalie thought what must a grand opening be like? She wove her way through the throngs of people. After making a quick perusal of the bar, she couldn’t find Dylan or anyone else she knew. She didn’t know what she should do. Standing there she must have appeared frazzled because a tall man said, “Miss, can I help you? You look a little out of sorts.”

Natalie turned to find a man standing next to her. His plaid shirt of red and black was tucked into a pair of dark jeans. His belt buckle was larger than Natalie’s hand and she blushed from head to toe because she was actually looking at his belt buckle. Quickly whipping her head upward and into the other direction, she ran her fingers through her straight styled hair and cleared her throat. “Uh no, I’m fine, just looking for someone. I didn’t expect such a crowd.”

“Yeah, it definitely looks like a Saturday night opposed to a Tuesday.” The man smiled at her and Natalie blushed further. She wasn’t used to a man, let alone an attractive man paying her any attention. With the dim lights of the bar, Natalie could not tell what color the man’s eyes were but they seemed kind. Natalie suddenly became nervous, she went to fix her usual lopsided glasses when she realized she didn’t have them on. After twenty plus years of wearing glasses, she finally paid a visit to her optometrist and got contacts.

All of a sudden Natalie was slammed into that red and black strong chest by a passerby that didn’t care that he pushed her. The man caught her but not before he accidently spilled some of his beer onto her top.

“I’m so sorry, please let me get you something to clean that up,” he said, as he looked toward the crowded bar for a towel or something.

“Oh, no, please its fine. Really,” Natalie said, because she didn’t want him to go to any trouble. She quickly wiped the small trail of suds that had run down her chest over her breast. Her new V-neck top that plunged and knotted between her breasts, at least, was dark in color so you would not see a stain right away. It was almost as if CeCe knew when she picked out the dark chocolate color. After many more offers to help or pay for cleaning, as well as an equal amount of refusals, the man introduced himself.

“Well, I’m RJ, please at least let me buy you a drink?” he said, as he smiled and leaned down close to her to be heard over the now bumping music.

“I’m Natalie, I appreciate the offer RJ, but really, I’m good.”

“Natalie? Natalie, it sure is you. I almost didn’t recognize you. Come on, I have a table for us.” CeCe waited as her friend said a quick goodbye to the man she was speaking with. She pulled Natalie along toward the table in the new bar room. If Natalie thought the other room was crowded, it was nothing compared to this room. It was wall-to-wall people. The bar was at least four people deep on each side. From Natalie’s vantage point, she could see there were two bartenders working.

CeCe grew impatient and decided not to wait for the waitstaff, so Natalie watched as she slyly walked up to a man and started chatting. Soon, the man let her order first and picked up the tab to boot. CeCe walked back to the table and gave a wide smile that had her eyes laughing with mirth.

After taking a sip of the tall glass with a thick coffee colored drink, Natalie savored the delicious smooth minty taste. She was tempted to chug it like she did with a milk shake in her earlier years. “What is this delicious piece of heaven, right here?” Natalie asked, as she took another taste.

“Dirty Grasshopper. Isn’t it fabulous?” CeCe answered, taking a long swig of her own.

“Who was that guy you were talking to?” Natalie asked nosily.

“Have no idea, but I gave him my phone number, so perhaps, we will find out,” CeCe said sassily, as she gave her new friend a gentle shove. Both women laughed and Natalie shook her head in wonder. What it must be like to be confident enough to just sashay over to someone and be bold. Having a personal chuckle over the concept, after all, Natalie proposed a sexual relationship from Dylan with other attachments. Perhaps when she moves on with her life, she could take some pointers from CeCe and learn how to pick up a man or at least flirt outrageously. Suddenly that feeling made Natalie quite sad. She didn’t want to think of her time coming to an end with Dylan, even though she knew it would. Trying not to focus on the disheartening thought, she turned her attention back to CeCe and was joined shortly by the beginning of their large party.

First to arrive were Robyn and Bryan, quickly followed by Seth, Mae and Wes. After a round of greetings, some smooches and a loud holler of a bar order, Bryan and Seth headed over to stand in line at the bar. Natalie was engaged in an engrossing conversation with Wes, about the design basis for the addition to Cal’s, when suddenly she was engulfed from behind.

Dylan lightly bit her at the spot where her neck and shoulder met. Her taste flew through his system bringing to life all those little nerve endings that had lain dormant since they were last together. As crowded as the place was, it was as if she had left him a trail right to her. He could not explain it if anyone asked him to, but as soon as he entered the building, he knew which direction she was in.

Natalie’s attention quickly changed direction from the just stepped out of a magazine Wes, to the sexiest man in the world, in her opinion anyway. When she turned to face him in the limited area they had, every line of her body sizzled from his presence. Her libido skyrocketed from just his touch. Soon, she forgot about every detail of life, including where they were and why they were doing it, because she was with Dylan. His hard powerful body had her cradled against him. His aftershave smelled of sex, musk and him. He was clean-shaven with baby soft skin. His dark hair was styled in his usual fashion of slightly hanging over his forehead. His dark eyes were lively and focused on her.

“Hi. Where are your glasses?”

“Hello. I’m wearing contacts, don’t I look better without them?” she answered and asked.

Dylan didn’t agree with that answer. She looked smoking either way. Not wanting to make a deal of it, he settled for “How are you?”

“I’m good, even better, now.” She pressed up on tiptoes and touched his lips with her own.

Not wanting to get lost in her, just yet, Dylan kept the kiss light and minimal but with the implication of how happy he was to see her. Taking another whiff, he noticed that in addition to her usual floral pleasant aroma there was a hint of, what was that, beer? Jokingly he asked her loud enough to be heard, “Did you hit a keg party before you came?”

Laughing lightly, she answered just as loud to ensure he could hear her. “No, I was talking with a nice man when we got knocked together and unfortunately his beer tipped.”

The mental sight of her that close to another man, that he would or could spill a beverage on her, put Dylan on edge. Her outfit with the low cut top emphasized her beautifully high tits. Those skin-fitting jeans, not to mention the stiletto boots that covered her small feet, were enough to drive any masculine libido to explosion. The fact that it was another’s libido was enough of a distraction for Dylan. Insisting on keeping the darkening thoughts to himself, he settled his hands on her rear and pushed her up to him again so he could claim her lips in a much deeper and more proprietary way.