Three of Spades (6 page)

“Look, Natalie, I’m not going to wait until the middle of dinner to spring this, I’m here because Mom has decided to take Reggie and me up on our offer. She moves into the Assisted Living Place in Minkton this weekend,” Sam finished, observing what he could only describe as fury in his sister’s gaze.

“What!?! No, she doesn’t want that. She wants to be in her own home. How many times does she have to tell you?” Natalie shouted, then looked toward the house for any sign Gloria knew of the outburst.

“Look, Mom came to this decision on her own, and we feel it’s the best. If you are worried about staying in the house, we know she isn’t going to ask you to vacate.”

Is
he
serious?
Like
the
largest
concern
at
the
moment
was
whether
she
would
have
a
place
to
live?
Natalie had never wanted to hit someone as bad as she wanted to strike out at Sam right now. Maybe what Natalie had perceived as nonsense from Gloria, was really truly how she felt. No, that couldn’t be right, could it? Why, after all the times of saying no, did she now decide she wanted to make the move? Natalie felt as if the ground was opening up at her feet. She looked at her brother and thought, as familiar as his face was, the person behind it was foreign to her.

“If that is really what Mom wants, then of course, but I want to hear her say the words to me. And Sam, I truly appreciate the vote of confidence that my highest distress of the moment would be where I would lay my head at night.”

She needed to get away and get her thoughts and emotions in check, before she said anything else. Natalie climbed behind the wheel and pulled out of the driveway. She needed a diversion to the situation that was awaiting her after her run to the grocery store. As she drove, she could not help but focus on the answer she would receive tonight. Would Dylan really sign on for this production of a relationship? Would he be willing to fulfill the rest of her demands? Or would she have to find someone else? Someone less experienced. Natalie could not think that way, ever since she learned that the man she walked into was Dylan Cross, she prayed he would be agreeable. She hoped he would give her the focus of something else that she desperately needed. That was the only thing giving Natalie the strength to get through the next five hours until their meeting.

~FIVE~

S
o, after cleaning up the mess from prep, cooking, and dinner, Natalie was sure she scrubbed every inch of the kitchen. She had to admit it was somewhat therapeutic to be able to get some of her frustration out in manual work. Sam made the announcement at dinner and Natalie thought for a moment that Gloria did not look happy. Then her mother went on and on about how it really was the right move for her. Natalie tried to get a read on her mother but Gloria would not make any eye contact after that. Gloria had announced that she would be going to stay at Sam’s for the next few nights, especially since there would be all the paperwork and such to fill out. Natalie offered to pack her a bag and to her surprise, Gloria told her that Rose had already done it. Natalie felt that Gloria was trying to put as much distance between them at the quickest possible speed. She refused to shed any tears but when she saw the Mercedes reverse out of the drive, with Gloria nestled in the front seat, she shut the door and cried; knowing it wasn’t right.

After showering and changing, she could not stay in the lonely quiet house another minute. She left a light on in the kitchen, as well as the outside porch light, and headed out to her car. Looking at the clock in the dash, she still had forty-five minutes to go until their agreed upon meeting time and it only took ten minutes to drive there. Natalie decided to go to the park area on the east side of the lake. She pulled in and noticed a few couples walking hand in hand on the paths. There was another couple sitting close on one of the park benches. Their silhouettes were cast by a nearby light pole making them look like one of those old vintage prints from when the soldiers returned from WWII.

As Natalie sat in her car and observed the private everyday moments of people in love, she began to wonder what it would be like. To do something as uneventful as walking a path, but feeling strength and warmth from a conjoined hand. To know if you wanted to just lean your head on a strong shoulder, it would be ok.

What would it be like to know you were thought of first thing when someone woke up and that you were their last thought before they fell asleep at night? To roll over in bed and rather than find cold sheets and an untouched pillow, you have a warm solid body there. To know that all you would have to do is reach out a hand and you would feel another’s heartbeat.

As she watched from the darkness of her car, Natalie could see the bold colors of the fallen leaves. Some blew across the grass and paths, while others sailed on top of the calm water of the lake. As one leaf fell right onto her windshield, she noted how its yellow color branched out into orange and red hues as it grew away from the vein. And just that quickly it was gone as another breeze blew it off to an unknown place.

Noticing the glowing time from her dimly lit dashboard, Natalie realized it was time to head over to Cal’s to learn her fate. She took a couple of deep breaths and slowly slid the car into reverse. She pulled out of the tranquil calmness of the autumn evening and into, what she hoped would be, the beginning of lessons that would change her life.

Dylan pulled into Cal’s a few minutes before nine o’clock. Still not one hundred percent sure if he was going to agree or not; he just could not help but feel what Natalie needed was not him. As he climbed out of the truck, he heard his name called. He turned and he noticed Gwen walking toward him. Her tall curvaceous body was adorned in denim and sequins. Her knee high black leather boots fit snuggly to her calves. Her too small pants emphasized her high firm ass and showed her toned abs, before her silver sequined one shoulder top covered her round full breasts.

“Hey Dreamy. How are you? Haven’t seen much of you around lately,” Gwen said, as she leaned over and placed a smacking kiss on Dylan’s cheek, leaving an outline of her cherry red lipstick.

“Been here and there, doing this and that. And how is the fabulous Gwendolyn Watson?” Dylan asked out of courtesy, as he leaned against the front bumper of his truck. He hoped that Natalie hadn’t yet arrived; he hated leaving a lady to wait.

With that compliment, Gwen went into detail about how she just came back from a tropical vacation in the Caribbean. As she spoke of the hot sun and warm crystal blue waters, she stepped closer to him and ran her manicured nails up his chest.

“So what brings you here? Looking for some company?” Gwen asked with unabashed confidence.

Knowing just what kind of company Gwen could be, his body was intrigued, but his mind shot to Natalie’s golden blonde hair and large brown eyes. In that moment, he made his decision.

“Actually I’m here meeting someone, but it was great running into you Gwen. Go easy on these poor men; it’s rare that they meet anyone as vivacious as you,” Dylan spoke, as he disengaged his body from her warm and willing one.

As Dylan made his way toward the front of the pub, he saw Natalie standing to the right of the steps, in the small casted shadows of the porch. She saw Dylan with the beautiful woman and her hopes had crumbled. That was the type of person Dylan Cross wanted, not some inexperienced Kindergarten teacher who’s most alluring feature was her ability to quote any work of fiction this side of Shakespeare. She knew this outcome was more probable than his willingness, but seeing it in front of her own eyes, made it that much more unbearable.

Trying for the remainder of her courage, she stepped out of the shadows and addressed the man that she desperately wanted to learn from.

“Thanks for meeting me. I understand your decision. I appreciate your time yesterday and I hope you have a nice evening.” With a final nod of her head, she walked swiftly back to her car.

“Wait, Natalie, where are you going?” Dylan asked, as he easily caught up with her hasty exit.

Seeing in her gaze that she saw the entire exchange with Gwen, he needed to clarify for her his decision. He noticed, standing closer to her between the parked cars, just how petite she really was. His internal masculinity felt the need to protect her, even if it was from her own assumptions.

Unable to control the need to touch her somehow, Dylan placed his open palm on her cheek and felt that buzz run though his entire body again. Her cheek was so soft that Dylan was afraid the roughness of his skin would mar her in some way.

“Natalie, I’m in. I accept your business proposal, but I have some conditions and stipulations we need to discuss before we go any further,” he spoke huskily, not being able to help it.

Shock ripped through her body. She thought she would cry just from the sheer joy she felt from his words. Knowing that reaction would not be appropriate, she could not help the smile that spread across her face as she looked at him through her glasses.

Feeling her own voice grow thick with excitement, she said as clearly as she could, “You really will do this with me?”

If, by this, she meant ravage her and take something from her that she only could ever give once, then yes. Even though he still had his reservations about the arrangement, he could not stand the thought of her offering this to another man. Who knows what she would get in return.
Yeah
Cross,
you
are
the
better
of
two
evils,
just
keep
telling
yourself
that.

“Yes, I’ll do all that you ask, but I have some conditions and they are deal breaking,” Dylan said, as he looked at her honest to goodness surprise and elation at his acceptance.

“Yes, yes, of course, what are your stipulations?” Natalie answered back eagerly.

Dylan could not help but chuckle as he removed his hand from her cheek and crossed his arms over his chest. He had to admit, he didn’t care for the loss of physical contact with her. As he exhaled loudly through his nose, he tilted his head and gauged how best to begin. Being Dylan, he opted for some good old fashion sarcasm.

“You want to continue to discuss this delicate situation right here in the parking lot or go inside?”

“Oh, um, yes, why don’t we go inside?” Natalie said, so excited to know this was really going to happen that she had lost track of where she was.

Dylan turned to allow Natalie to precede him into Cal’s. He placed his hand at the small of her back and allowed his fingers to curl around her side. Being able to feel her tense up, he leaned in closely to her ear and whispered, “If we are going to do this, you are going to have to get used to me touching you, Babe.”

As they walked up the steps and into the crowded bar, Natalie thought of him calling her babe. She was proud to admit she loved it. In all of her books, there were always terms of endearment and some were more ridiculous than others were. To hear a man, like Dylan, say it to her warmed her more than she ever thought something like that would.

Dylan guided her to a high pub style table near the moderately crowded dance floor. The band was playing a heavier riff than usual and it seemed quite popular. Natalie stepped on the bottom rung to hoist herself up to the high seat. To her surprise, Dylan sat in the chair next to her and placed his right arm over the back of her chair. The server chose that moment to come over and ask for their order.

“Hi-ya, Dylan! What can I get for you and your lady this evening?” Mary asked, as she pulled a sharp point pencil from her left ear and tucked an empty round tray under her left arm.

“Hey Mary, I’ll take a beer please. Natalie, what would you like?” he asked, as he raised the hand that lay across the back of her chair and rested it between her shoulder blades. The heat coming from his palm radiated straight through her, Natalie suddenly felt flushed and hot. Knowing both Dylan and the server were waiting for her order, she tried to focus on giving sound to her voice. “I’ll have the same as well as a glass of ice water.”

With a ‘sure thing’, Mary scribbled down on her pad and scurried off toward another full table.

Dylan kept his hand pressed against her slight back and he could feel her increased heartbeat. The softness of her slate gray cowl neck sweater made him want to move his fingertips. Natalie looked down focusing on the tabletop, as he began the slow sensual movement. His hand moved from one shoulder blade, down along her spine, then back up to her other shoulder blade.

“You asked me to do this, remember, Natalie? To have sex with you I’m going to have to touch you, all over,” he whispered, as he watched her close her eyes.

Knowing they needed to talk and work out the details, Dylan reluctantly removed his hand from her sweater covered back and placed it back along her chair. Natalie opened her eyes at the loss of his touch, yet could not bring her eyes to meet his.

Realizing this was going to be much harder than he thought, he brought his free hand up and ran it down his face.

“Natalie, are you really sure this is what you want?” he asked, giving her the opportunity to reconsider what she asked of him.

Nodding her head, she felt the familiar rabble of butterflies invade her stomach.

“Then please, stop looking as if I’m holding you here against your will. If we are going to do this, then we both need to be vocal and honest with each other. I’m agreeing to fulfill your physical demands, as well as partake in this relationship with you, but I need you to be up front with me. I need to know that you won’t keep anything from me. It’s the only way this will work.” And the only way that Dylan would be able to sleep at night, but he kept that thought to himself.