Lulu's Loves (25 page)

“Have you ever been to Ivy?” he asked.

“No, but I’ve heard many good things.”

“It’s one of my favorite places. The ambiance, the food, the view…it’s just one of my favorites,” he repeated.

My mind drifted.

Construction worker…Corvette…fancy, expensive restaurants…

As though he knew my thoughts, he chuckled aloud. “I said I work
in
construction.” I looked up. “I own Flinn Construction Solutions.”

I didn’t know what to say. I found myself embarrassed by my thoughts.

“But I still wield a hammer like a pro.”

“FCS. I see the logo all over town. You are one busy man.” I thought a moment. “I need to apologize. Not that it mattered, it’s just the thoughts I had.”

“You thought I was just a fun-loving, carefree guy with no real ambition?”

I nodded. “I said it doesn’t matter, I’d have gone out with you anyway. I just had no idea.”

He smiled my way. “The thing is, Lulu, I like people to get to know me for me.”

“You mean you don’t want women enjoying your company because of your company.”

He laughed at my play on words. “Exactly. I’m choosy about who I spend my time with. I don’t want to hang out with someone who only wants to hang out with me because they know I have some money. He looked my way with a grin. “Every time I asked if you wanted to do something, you kept coming along. I’m glad, because I really like you.”

“I guess I could have asked Rachael about you, but I wanted to get to know you on my own, not someone else’s version of you.”

“This is going to be a great evening.” His smile and ruddy cheeks seemed to illuminate the inside of the car.

We entered the restaurant with Micah’s arm around my back, and his hand rested on my hip. A female cellist and a young man with a snare drum played softly in a corner. The sound was soothing and enjoyable. I looked around, noticing the plush interior. Our table was a circular booth. I noticed a low glass bowl with white roses floating in water, and stemware waiting to be filled, and I noticed that Micah Flinn seemed proud of his choice.

He stood while I slid into the booth, and then slid in beside me, close. Suddenly, I felt smitten. I’d enjoyed his company every time we’d done anything, but tonight, I saw a handsome man who looked at me like no one else existed. His reddish blond hair was contained this evening, not the wild mass of curls I’d come accustomed to, blowing in the open Jeep as we drove somewhere.

He slipped his arm around me on the booth back and I scooted closer. He leaned in and kissed my cheek, close to my ear, and I felt a shiver run up my spine, as our waiter arrived.

“May I?” he asked. I nodded.

“We’ll have a bottle of the Argentinian Merlot, please.” After the waiter left he turned and noted, “It goes with anything.”

“I like Merlot.” I smiled because he seemed nervous. “Tell me about your day.”

“It was a day where I couldn’t concentrate. I couldn’t think about anything but you, so I went to the office and did paperwork, a task that I’m sure my sister, Eileen, will be pissed over Monday morning.” He chuckled as though he could see the scene play out.

The waiter returned with our wine. After he poured, Micah ordered a roasted vegetable appetizer with a brown mustard aioli dipping sauce, and we continued to peruse the menu.

“You’re not in a hurry tonight, are you?” he asked.

“Not at all.” I found myself praying the evening would linger long into the night.

“Your sister will be pissed?” I asked after I took a sip. “This wine is lovely.”

“A favorite of mine. Eileen is my office manager and, let’s just say, she likes things a certain way. She won’t experience that when she goes over my work,” he explained. “I was distracted.”

“Distracted?”

“I was thinking of you, wondering if you knew that your eyes are mysterious and if you’d ever caught me gazing into them. I was wondering if you knew that your smile makes my heart skip a beat when I see it. I was wondering if you knew that I was waiting for the right moment to tell you these things.”

“I didn’t,” I replied. “But I wonder now if you knew, I thought the same things?”

“Lulu…”

“What are you having?” I asked to distract myself.

“I’ve had most everything. It’s all good.”

“You come here a lot?” I asked.

Looking at me with a grin, he answered. “Mostly alone, but I have been on a date here–once.”

“You don’t have to explain to me.”

He smiled, and leaned to kiss my cheek again. He whispered in my ear, “It’s a pleasant place. I don’t cook. When I want food that isn’t prepared by a fast food chain, or my family, I like to come here. I don’t need to enjoy company to enjoy food. I usually sit at the bar, so I don’t have to wear the suit.”

Finally we ordered, but I hoped it’d take a long time to prepare it. This man surprised me. I enjoyed being with him.

Our dinner was served and I picked at it so it wouldn’t go by fast. We shared a lovely evening filled with conversation about his work and mine, his family, and my dad.

“Are you enjoying it?” he asked as he noticed me eating slowly.

“I am, but I must confess that I’m eating slowly, because I don’t want this evening to end.”

His smile warmed my soul. “We can order dessert to take with us.”

“Micah, what did you think this evening would bring?” I asked.

“Honestly?”

“Yes. I need to know,” I replied.

“I hoped that it would be a time of getting to know each other better. I hoped you’d realize that you enjoyed my company, as much as I enjoy yours. I hoped you’d figure out you liked me, and I prayed you’d invite me in when I take you home.”

“Order dessert to go…”

When we arrived back at my place, Micah parked the car and came around to open my door. Once inside, he removed his jacket and sat on the sofa. I poured us each a glass of brandy and joined him.

“Thank you,” he said, as I handed him the glass.

I smiled in reply. “It’s one of my little indulgences.”

“I’ll enjoy it, but I meant for spending the evening with me.” His eyes seemed to sparkle as he looked at me.

“It was a pleasant surprise.” I sat my glass aside and got comfortable. “After all our outdoorsy play dates, this was different. I didn’t know there was a ‘that side’ of you.”

“I want to pleasantly surprise you more, Lulu.” He set his glass on the end table and moved closer.

I was anxious for him when he pulled me into his arms. I’d been thinking about this moment all evening. He was a big guy with strong arms that were almost as big as my thighs. His ruddy, freckled face was tanned from the outdoors, and I believe his smile was the sweetest I’d ever experienced. He wasn’t sexy, he was manly. Suddenly, I realized that there was a place in my heart that belonged to him. I eased closer; he held me tighter. His eyes locked on mine and he kissed me. It was a sweet kiss that had my heart beating in a way I hadn’t felt in a long time. Soft beats. Desire.

He eased me back to look at me, but I pulled him back. I pulled him closer and the kiss became passionate. His hand in the middle of my back drew me nearer, and I felt a gasp of delight as he did. I felt his lips smile against my own.

Finally, he released me. I had to catch my breath. “What took you so long to do that?” I asked.

He grinned. “You, Lulu. I needed you to want me to. I needed you to be ready for me. I needed you to let go of whatever held you back. I wanted you to want me.”

“What kind of want, Micah?” I asked in a whispered voice.

“I think you wanted me to kiss you.”

“What else do you think I want?” I loosened his tie and started to unbutton his shirt.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

We went to my room. Micah sat on the edge of the bed. I stood in front of him. Bending down to kiss him, he placed his big strong hands on my cheeks and brought my lips to his. Falling back on the bed, he brought me with him. Running his hands through my hair, he kissed me again and again, each one more passionate than the last. Wrapping his arms around me, he rolled so that he was straddling, hovering above me.

“Lulu.” He whispered my name, and I wanted him. I wanted him to make love to me. I felt myself falling for him. I wanted him to love me.

I didn’t say a word, somehow he just knew. He moved away and started to undress. I went to him and helped him shed the clothes he wore. He reached for me to do the same. Standing there naked, I heard us both draw in a breath.

He took my hand and led me to the bed. He lay beside me, just looking in my eyes for the longest time. I brushed wild curls away. I wanted to see his face.

“Micah, I don’t want to go any further than this, if there aren’t feelings between us.” He leaned up on his elbow with his head resting on his hand. “I feel something here.”

“What do you feel, Lulu?” he asked.

I squirmed uncomfortably, but I was going to tell him.

“I have to think about how to say it. I know what I feel, but I need to make sure you know. I’m not in love–yet,” I smiled, nervously. “I can see that I could let go and fall in love, but what I need you to know is that I’m opening my heart to you.”

He didn’t say anything. He just watched me.

“I know what Rachael has shared with you. I needed to know, so I asked her. I’ve felt guarded, but you make me want to explore. You make me want to share. You make me want to be part of someone’s life again.”

He was watching me intently but still didn’t say anything.

“Micah, I need you to say something.” I felt tears threatening to spill and I swept them away.

“I’m trying to figure out ‘yet,’” he said, with a smile. “What do I need to do about that? Because I’ll wait, but I have to know when ‘yet’ is. You’ll have to tell me, Lulu. Better yet, show me when ‘yet’ happens.”

I turned to face him, to look into eyes that showed me something I hadn’t seen in a while, a look of love. I eased myself close enough to place my lips on his. It was a sweet kiss. It was warm and inviting. It felt like love.

“Are we just going to lay here naked?”

“What do you want, Lulu?”

“I want you to make love with me.” I ran my hands up his chest, and he rolled me on top of him. Framing my face once more, he kissed me. He hugged me tight; the kissing became more passionate and my heart swelled. He touched me in ways I’d never felt, said words I’d never heard.

“You are everything I’ve ever dreamed of. You’ve been a fun companion these last weeks. I enjoy every minute we share. I want to love you like you’ve never been loved before, in every way. I want to show you days filled with all of that. I want to show you nights filled with passion. More than anything I can imagine, I want to share coffee with you in the morning, because I know how you like it. I want you, Lulu.”

I looked down, focusing on the look on his face. I had to take it all in. His hands traced light circles on my back. I pulled him closer and he rolled to his side. He looked in my eyes, and I knew that once this began everything would change. Reaching for me, beginning an exploration of my body, I knew with each touch, I needed more.

I moaned with pleasure, and he smiled.

“Now, Micah,” I whispered, urging him closer.

“Now what?” he teased.

“Make love with me. I want you.” I reached for him and I knew he wanted me too.

He wrapped his arms tightly around me, and rolled to hover above me, once again. Lifting my hips to meet him, he entered me. He moved slowly, taunting, and teasing; each move excited me. He smiled when he looked at me. When our eyes met, I never wanted to look away, not even a blink. With my body, I urged him to hurry, but that smile…the look on his face told me nothing would be hurried.

“I’ve dreamed of this. I’m going to take my time and enjoy it,” he told me, as he peppered my face with kisses.

“Me, too.”

At last, we made crazy, passionate love. His exploration of my body, touching me in places and ways I’d never experienced, only left me wanting more. It went on all night. We didn’t sleep. When we weren’t tangled in each other’s arms, we talked. In the middle of the night, we got up and ate the dessert we’d brought home and then went back to bed. In the morning we had coffee, and cheese grits, with eggs that Micah cooked. I never wanted him to leave me. I wanted this every day; every day for the rest of my life.

“I need to go to my place. Come with me?” he said, as we cleaned up the kitchen.

When we arrived, his ‘place’ was an apartment.

“What?” he asked, noticing the question my face expressed.

“Flinn Construction Solutions builds and rebuilds amazing houses and you live in an apartment, I’m just shocked,” I laughed.

“I’ve remodeled two houses and sold them. I guess I’m in between. This is easy.”

I looked around. Everything was simple and tidy.

“It’s just a place. I need to grab a quick shower. I’ll be fifteen minutes, tops.”