Yearning for Love (18 page)

Chapter Eleven

Cold and wet Nicole stood under the awning of the pet store.  Shivering as the cold wind rattled her body, she braided her tangled wet hair in a ponytail.  The owner was kind enough to let her use the phone before closing the store for the night.  As she waited for her ride to pick her up, she reflected on the day’s events.  She was not making progress with Walker’s mother.  The woman clearly hated her, and there was nothing she could do to change that.

Jumping up and down, she tried to generate heat in her body.  She was mad as hell, and it was not a smart move to storm from the house without a coat or umbrella in early April when it still snowed.

Snowflakes mixed in with the rain as she continued to keep her arms and legs in motion.  A car coming down the street slowed to a stop.  “Thank God,” she said running to the car and getting inside.

Patty handed her a jacket from the backseat. “Nicole, are you okay?”

Nicole’s teeth chattered as she stripped off the soaking wet sweater to put on the jacket. “I am now thanks to you.  I’m sorry to call you out on a night like this.  I got lost and didn’t have my cell phone or purse with me.  Your number is the only one I memorized.”

“Why didn’t you call Walker?  Did you two have a fight?”

“We didn’t have a fight.  Patty, his mother, hates me.”

“Come on, Ms. Albright is a sweet woman.  She doesn’t hate anyone.”

“Like heck she doesn’t.  The woman hates I’m with Walker, and I can’t come between them.  I’m going back to Columbus tomorrow.”

“No, no, Nicole, don’t leave.  What happened to cause this?”

“It is bizarre on how it happened.  We were getting along! The next second, she's screaming at him to dump me because I’m a drug user, and turning him into one.”

Patty stepped on the brake jerking the car to a stop. “You are not serious! Why would she say that about you?”

“She was nosing around in the medicine cabinet and found my syringes.  Instead of asking Walker about it, she automatically assumed I was shooting up and forcing her son to do drugs with me.  I don’t need the hassles from her.”

“Oh my goodness, I am stunned.  What did Walker say?”

“He defended me. I had to get out of the house before I said something inappropriate to his mother.”

“Okay, so Walker defended you.  Why are you going to punish him by leaving?  He is so happy being with you, Nicole.  He also made up with Jeremy.”

“I’m glad to hear they made amends.  Walker is very important to me, and I might be getting that loving feeling about him.”

Patty smiled. “I told you he is lovable. I knew off the bat you two were perfect for each other.  Even Jeremy had to admit it.”

Nicole turned on the heat higher in the car.  Her bones were frozen solid. “Patty, there is a lot about me you don’t know.  I won’t go into details, but I don’t have any family, so this closeness you all have is new to me.”

“Yeah, you do. You don’t have siblings, but you have a mom and dad.”

“They are alive but I don’t have any contact with them and haven’t in years.  So, I’m not used to the big family gatherings or the conflicts that happen.  My life consisted of me going to work and coming home to nothing but me.  Let me say, it’s not easy arguing with yourself; no one wins,” she said trying to make a joke.

“I had no idea, Nicole.  Do you have friends in Columbus that you consider family?”

“I have acquaintances I would interact with sometimes.  For the most part, I kept to myself.”

“Well, we are your family now.”

She shook her head. “After hearing Walker and his mom arguing, it hit home.  I’m not equipped to handle drama.  That is what I ran from and what made me the loner I am today.”

“Girl, if we could script our lives, no one would write in drama. Unfortunately, it happens, and we have to deal with it.”

“Walker’s mom is not young.  I’m not going to be the cause of that woman having a heart attack.”

“Nicole, you need to stop.  Be honest with yourself for once.  Are you running because you’re scared to love Walker?”

“I’m trying to save his relationship with his mom.”

“He’s not sleeping with his mom!  Whatever tiff he is having with her about you will blow over to be something else next week.  You’re afraid to love Walker because you don’t know how love.”

Nicole chewed on her lower lip. “Maybe I don’t want to know how to love.”

Patty pulled into a store parking lot to finish the conversation.  “Yes you do or wouldn’t be worried about him.  There are plenty of men and women in this world who have overcome a bad childhood to have a great adulthood.  What do you want?”

“I wish people would quit asking me that,” she said truthfully.  “No one understands how hard it is to open up and let another person share my space.  No one understands what went on inside my home that I have to hide in order to keep my sanity.  I prayed, Patty.  I pray for happiness when I was a kid; I got nothing.  I am older; I don’t expect anyone to understand why I’m the way I am.  You have to live it in order to understand it.”

Patty clapped her hands. “What a performance, Nicole; can’t you see my tears?  For someone who claims to be strong and not have any self-pity, you sure do dwell on your past a lot.  I don’t know what went on in your house or why you’re estranged from your parents.  So to sound like a total bitch, I don’t care.  I care about Walker and what you are doing to him emotionally.  Do you love him?  That’s all I want to know.  If the answer is no, then go back to Columbus and dry up an old lady with no traditions to pass on to a family of your own.”

Nicole’s face reddened with anger.  Keeping her head towards the window watching the rain-snow mix fall harder to melt on contact with the ground, she thought, who did this chick think she was to set her straight?  She lived in an ivory tower with rose colored windows where the sun shined every day.

Patty started the car driving from the parking lot. “I guess I got my answer.”

The drive to Walker’s condo was quiet between the two women.  Nicole did not attempt to expound on Patty’s question concerning Walker.  The white and redwood condo came into view.  Soon as Patty stopped in front of the yard, Nicole unhooked the seatbelt and got out.

Before closing the door, she said, “For your information, I do love Walker.  I’m going to make sure he knows that tonight.”

Patty hid her smugness and replied, “I already knew that.  You just had to hear you say it.”

Nicole smiled. “I really need black girlfriends to tell me when I’m being an ass. White girlfriends are for consoling not scolding.”

Patty wiggled her finger. “I have black sister-in-laws who have taught me to stand up for myself and be tough.  So I’ve learned from the best at putting people in check, plus I work with Curtis.  He has a habit of putting me in my place all the time.”

“Well, wish me luck.  I don’t know what type of mood Walker will be in or if he is awake.”

“Nicole, you are a woman.  If he is asleep, you have what it takes to wake him and get his full attention.  Flaunt those assets and make that man puddle at your feet.”

“Thank you, Patty. I appreciate the honesty and know what I should do to improve my self-esteem.  I will talk to you tomorrow.”

Taking a breath, she tested the doorknob. The door opened to silence.  He must have taken Leslie home and left the door unlocked for her.  The lights were on in the living room but the television off.  Nicole hung Patty’s jacket in the closet and went into the kitchen and turned on the light.  The food was put away and the dishes were cleared from the sink.

The furnace clicked on filling the room with warmth as she stood in the kitchen.  Contemplating on what needed to be done, her heart began to beat so fast it could be seen palpitating under the drenched bra and against her damp skin.
You can do this, Nicole.  Go up those stairs and declare to that man how much you want to be with him.  Don’t whimper and be pitiful, but strong and arrogant. Be Theodore Carpenter and put the law down
.

A creaking on the wood floor warned her that she was no longer alone.  She turned around to face his towering height. Their eyes joined together.

He reached for her, and she went gladly into his open arms. Her wet bra and soaked jeans instantly created a water stain on his t-shirt and pajama pants.  So, it happened again. She wanted to cradle him.  No, she wanted him to hold her tighter, never let her go.  Her arms went around him fanning the palms of her hands against his broad back.  He smelled fresh.  Her head was pressed against the solidity of his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat.

She closed her eyes, letting all her inhibitions drift away. “I need you, Walker.  I need you more than you know.”

He grinned, releasing those lethal dimples. “You have me.”

“I didn’t think you would want to see me again after what happened tonight.”

“Nicole, I love you.  Mom and I will have our differences and you may be the topic of the majority of those disputes but don’t you ever doubt my feelings for you.”

“Okay, but I need something from you.”

“Name it and it’s yours.”

“I’m asking you to be patient with me.  I’m new at this.  I’m already skittish and apt to run at the hint of trouble.  You have to stand firm with me and correct me if I’m overreacting to certain situations.”

He raised an eyebrow.  “You mean how you overreacted tonight?”

“That would be a prime example.  In my defense, I didn’t want to mouth off at your mother.”

“Believe me I would have understood if you had. We had one of the worst arguments ever, and we got a lot off our chests.”

Nicole turned his face to the side.  Her finger traced the red scar on his jaw.  “She hit you?”

“Yeah.  That was the first time she ever hit me.”

She skewed her nose sniffing around the room. “What are you doing?” He asked.

“I’m sniffing for bleach.”

“Why?”

“Umm, where is your mom?”

He started to laugh. “She is safe at home.  God, Nicole.  I didn’t whack her and bury her in the backyard, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“Hey, I’ve read about strange things happening when tempers get out of hand and people lose their minds.”

“Thankful for you, you have a non-violent man.  I’m a lover, baby; not a fighter.”

Rubbing his cheek with the back of her hand, she felt a surge of adoration flood her.  “I am thankful.  I love you, Walker Albright.”

“Hearing you say that is music to my ears, Nicole,” he said bending his head to capture her lips.

A clash of thunder shook the foundation of the condo. Walker broke the kiss. “Let’s go upstairs.  You should get out of those wet clothes before you catch pneumonia.”

Walker closed the bedroom door.  Standing near the bed, Nicole held her breath when his arms went around her body and up the small of her back to unclasp the wet bra slipping it off her shoulders.  His gentle touch caused her to shiver as he unbuttoned her skinny jeans tugging the material down her damp curvy hips.

Next his fingers rimmed the lacy elastic of her underwear. Gently his fingers brushed against the soaked silk wisp of material covering her womanhood before sliding them to the floor.  Nicole let her head tilt to one side, enjoying the feel of his deft fingers.  Caressing her in places, she would never tire of him exploring.

Totally naked, Walker worked his hands over her body, squeezing her ample breasts.  He held her imprisoned while he bit, sucked, and nipped at her full lips.

“Ooh,” Nicole moaned, plagued with delight. With an ease, he lowered her until her backside was touching the cool sheets of their bed with him atop her.

The hardness of his arousal pressed against her heat awakening tides of sensations. Her body fluttered when he separated her legs to explore; she didn’t resist the probing fingers parting the entrance to seek the forbidden fruit.

He groaned, “Damn, baby, I love you.”  He slid down her body until his head was perched between her thighs.

Nicole melted as his tongue laved the swollen nub back and forth, sending shockwaves of ecstasy to every nerve in her body. Making his way down, his tongue dipped into her womanhood, sampling the nectar her desires for him created. His mouth was heavenly, and she gave into the lust.  She laced her fingers through his hair. Lifting her hips to meet each thrust of his tongue as her orgasm began to build.

Her thighs quivered when his tongue withdrew from deep within her to lock on her clit, sucking gently until she burst out convulsing against the pressure of his tongue, “Oh my god!”

Walker lifted his head, licking his lips. “I’ve got so much more for you,” he said.  Getting off the bed, he quickly undressed and reclaimed his position atop her.

Nicole hardly had time to catch her breath but secured her legs around his hips, holding him captive.  As his fingers smoothed over her sensitive slick folds, he inserted a finger.

Dizzy with desire she panted like a dog in heat.  Walker had no shame making her scream.  She never screamed during sex.  She never experienced more than one orgasm before.  She didn’t know it was possible for women to have multiple orgasms. 

With Walker anything and everything was possible.  He introduced her to new techniques with every lovemaking session.  Yes, she called it lovemaking instead of sex now.  He made it about passion about love and desire.  She loved him. 

She moaned, “Baby, I’m ready for you; don’t make me wait.”

He silenced her with a soft kiss; his tongue thrust into her mouth, teasing as his fingers worked magic inside her womanhood. Within seconds, another powerful orgasm rocked her body. She gasped out loud while he held her in place.

Lifting her legs over his shoulders, he glided closer to press the bulging tip of his erection to her most private area reserved just for him. He circled, retreated, letting her moisture coat his shaft.  He was driving her close to delirium.  She raised her hips, urging and waiting for him to take her.

“I like it slow, baby,” he said looking into her heated eyes and resting on his knees between her legs.

She nodded allowing herself freedom to explore his body.  Her hands roamed his chest.  Her slender fingers toyed with his nipples, tweaking until they hardened.  His eyes were closed enjoying her touch.  Her hands feathered along his flat abdomen, to stroke his hard shaft.  Trembling, unexperienced fingers closed around his engorged and thick manhood.  Nicole admired the texture of his male anatomy gliding back and forth in her hand.  She had never taken the time to get familiar with the male reproductive organ since it only served a quick purpose for her.  The need to caress or entertain her lover wasn’t necessary since they weren’t making love but releasing each other’s sexual tension.