Chapter 25*
Silently, she made her way to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle from the back of the shelf. She effortlessly screwed the top off and walked into the living room as if something or someone were guiding her. Taking a sip from the bottle she checked the volume on the stereo and turned it on. Appropriately enough, once again Brian McKnight began to serenade her, taking her back to memories as fresh as yesterday. If she had reached out, she could have sworn she would have been touching him. His amazing blue eyes were staring at her from out of nowhere. Sliding her body down on the couch she slumped so she could tilt her head back and closed her eyes. She heard his voice in a faraway place; "What are you doing?"
"Nothing, just sitting here, why?"
"Can you come over?"
"Yes. Let me drop Nic off at the sitter's and I'll be there."
"Ok."
She saw him open the door and invite her in. He was wearing nothing but a pair of light blue North Carolina tar heels basketball shorts. His naked arms were so enticing and she wanted nothing more than for him to close the door and take her in them. Disappointed, she noticed he had been playing video games. His chair had been moved to the middle of the room-directly in front of the tv, the controller discarded on the floor momentarily while he let her in. As soon as he shut the door he kissed her lightly on the cheek and made his way back to his chair to resume his game. She remembered him going on like this for several hours-as if he needed her there to improve his score(no pun intended).Moni had lounged on his bed, read some magazines and listened to the radio, combined with sound effects from his efforts for as long as she could stand it. Why had he asked her here if he was just going to sit there like that all day? Hell, she was paying the sitter to keep Nicole, she could have stayed home for what this was worth. Damn it though, she knew she never would have denied him anything he asked. Finally, frustrated as hell and not knowing what else to do, she slid off the military green rack and slowly made her way behind him. She started to rub his shoulders in a light massage. After several minutes, he didn't budge so she began to kiss, and tug and bite at his ears. He was so pigheaded! Ok, that was it he had asked for it. Moni got on her knees and crawled around in front of him. She maneuvered herself in between him and the cords connecting the controller to the game unit. Lightly kissing his neck she worked her way down his chest, while at the same time massaging his legs, and working her way up his inner thighs. Taking her time, she made her way to the opening in his shorts and found what she was looking for. Bless his heart, he had neglected his boxers that morning! Gently at first she started stroking him-he didn't realize she meant business until she got a little more forceful and asked,
"How about playing with ME for awhile?"
He looked down at her with those damn eyes and said "Oh so you don't want to play fair, huh?"
As if torture was eminent, the end of the song woke her from the memory. She knew exactly how that scene had played out. As was his favorite routine, they ended up in the shower, finishing off what she had started. That remembrance stirred something in her body and all she wanted right now was to touch him. Believe it or not, he had left her wanting more and feeling rejected as to why he never gave it. He wasn't shy about doing anything else with her-in fact he pretty much had without actually giving her all of himself.
Desiring his hands all over her body, Monique fell asleep on the couch. Sometime in the early morning hours the phone awoke her from her very vivid dreams. Still not in control of her emotions, she took her time getting to the phone next to her bed. Reluctantly picking up the receiver she said softly "Hello."
"Monique, are you ok?" It was Jeff.
"Yes, why shouldn't I be?"
"Well, last night you were very occupied-I was just concerned that's all."
"That's very sweet of you. Thank you, I'm ok."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"It's nothing really Jeff for you to worry about. Kirsten and I were having a discussion about Matt and it brought up some old wounds that I need to put closure to."
"Does this have anything to do with the Marine?" Damn could he read minds now?
"Have you been talking to Kirsten?"
"No."
"Yes, it does concern him. I don't understand why you are wondering about this-I didn't dwell on anything you may or may not have done last night." She was right. She had made no accusations or comments concerning how his night had gone at the club. Why was he apprehensive over a man he'd never met?
He had no right to be. This woman wasn't his. He hadn't even decided how far he wanted to take this, getting to know her. He was competing with a man who had already taken the time to be that for her. He'd been tempted time and time again last night, but give him credit, his thoughts of Monique had stopped him from acting on it.
"I was very well behaved last night."
"Jeff, you don't owe me any explanations."
"No, I don't. But I want you to know, I did dance with women who made passes at me, but I refrained. I want to get to know you. I enjoyed my time with you the other day and want to see you again. Can I take you out-as in out of the house, somewhere?"
"I am sure you enjoyed yourself-don't think I didn't notice the little lingering you maneuvered over top of me. I know what you want, so why don't you just save the 'wining and dining' for someone who'll buy it?"
"How can you know what I want, when you don't even know what you want? If I remember correctly, you kissed me back! Now all of sudden something happens to bring on this sentimentality over a man who you've supposedly put behind you and I'm the asshole? That's not fair."
"You're right, it's not fair. But I have to be able to close this chapter before I can open up one with you, do you understand?"
"I understand, but what does that entail?"
"I need to hear it from him. I need to know why he shut me out and cut me off."
"I thought you knew."
"No. Things were just left hanging. Communication stopped."
"If you need help, please let me know. I sort of have a vested interest in this."
"Oh really, how's that?"
"The sooner you close the door on him, the sooner you can open the door to your heart to me. Goodbye, Sunshine."
With that, the connection was dead. Jeff knew at that moment he wanted her. Not just in his bed. Being completely honest, he was a typical male and knew what she needed. He'd get her to open up if it killed him. The whole night he realized she had been pining over a man who was stupid enough to let her go. At the time he had been confused as to why he was turning down ass left and right at the club over thoughts of her. Now, he knew why. When this woman loved, she did it completely; heart, body, mind and soul. This whole thing could be mind blowing, especially when he gave back to her just as much.
Monique decided it was time to try this last ditch effort. She sat down on the bed and quickly wrote out what she believed summed up her feelings. She included her address and phone so that he could return correspondence if he so desired. Folding the one sheet of paper, she slid it into a Marine envelope and addressed it to his mother, asking her to please forward it to him, wherever he was. Slapping a stamp on it, she threw it in her bag to send out when she left on errands. Jeff was right, she couldn't be fair to him as long as she, for some stupid reason held on to Allen. Jeff had sat there on the phone and basically told her he was faithful the night before. Faithful to what? Me? I don't even have the right to expect that nor even inquire yet he's offering the information. I could be so wrong and missing out on something I'll only get one chance at.
Silently, she made her way to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle from the back of the shelf. She effortlessly screwed the top off and walked into the living room as if something or someone were guiding her. Taking a sip from the bottle she checked the volume on the stereo and turned it on. Appropriately enough, once again Brian McKnight began to serenade her, taking her back to memories as fresh as yesterday. If she had reached out, she could have sworn she would have been touching him. His amazing blue eyes were staring at her from out of nowhere. Sliding her body down on the couch she slumped so she could tilt her head back and closed her eyes. She heard his voice in a faraway place; "What are you doing?"
"Nothing, just sitting here, why?"
"Can you come over?"
"Yes. Let me drop Nic off at the sitter's and I'll be there."
"Ok."
She saw him open the door and invite her in. He was wearing nothing but a pair of light blue North Carolina tar heels basketball shorts. His naked arms were so enticing and she wanted nothing more than for him to close the door and take her in them. Disappointed, she noticed he had been playing video games. His chair had been moved to the middle of the room-directly in front of the tv, the controller discarded on the floor momentarily while he let her in. As soon as he shut the door he kissed her lightly on the cheek and made his way back to his chair to resume his game. She remembered him going on like this for several hours-as if he needed her there to improve his score(no pun intended).Moni had lounged on his bed, read some magazines and listened to the radio, combined with sound effects from his efforts for as long as she could stand it. Why had he asked her here if he was just going to sit there like that all day? Hell, she was paying the sitter to keep Nicole, she could have stayed home for what this was worth. Damn it though, she knew she never would have denied him anything he asked. Finally, frustrated as hell and not knowing what else to do, she slid off the military green rack and slowly made her way behind him. She started to rub his shoulders in a light massage. After several minutes, he didn't budge so she began to kiss, and tug and bite at his ears. He was so pigheaded! Ok, that was it he had asked for it. Moni got on her knees and crawled around in front of him. She maneuvered herself in between him and the cords connecting the controller to the game unit. Lightly kissing his neck she worked her way down his chest, while at the same time massaging his legs, and working her way up his inner thighs. Taking her time, she made her way to the opening in his shorts and found what she was looking for. Bless his heart, he had neglected his boxers that morning! Gently at first she started stroking him-he didn't realize she meant business until she got a little more forceful and asked,
"How about playing with ME for awhile?"
He looked down at her with those damn eyes and said "Oh so you don't want to play fair, huh?"
As if torture was eminent, the end of the song woke her from the memory. She knew exactly how that scene had played out. As was his favorite routine, they ended up in the shower, finishing off what she had started. That remembrance stirred something in her body and all she wanted right now was to touch him. Believe it or not, he had left her wanting more and feeling rejected as to why he never gave it. He wasn't shy about doing anything else with her-in fact he pretty much had without actually giving her all of himself.
Desiring his hands all over her body, Monique fell asleep on the couch. Sometime in the early morning hours the phone awoke her from her very vivid dreams. Still not in control of her emotions, she took her time getting to the phone next to her bed. Reluctantly picking up the receiver she said softly "Hello."
"Monique, are you ok?" It was Jeff.
"Yes, why shouldn't I be?"
"Well, last night you were very occupied-I was just concerned that's all."
"That's very sweet of you. Thank you, I'm ok."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"It's nothing really Jeff for you to worry about. Kirsten and I were having a discussion about Matt and it brought up some old wounds that I need to put closure to."
"Does this have anything to do with the Marine?" Damn could he read minds now?
"Have you been talking to Kirsten?"
"No."
"Yes, it does concern him. I don't understand why you are wondering about this-I didn't dwell on anything you may or may not have done last night." She was right. She had made no accusations or comments concerning how his night had gone at the club. Why was he apprehensive over a man he'd never met?
He had no right to be. This woman wasn't his. He hadn't even decided how far he wanted to take this, getting to know her. He was competing with a man who had already taken the time to be that for her. He'd been tempted time and time again last night, but give him credit, his thoughts of Monique had stopped him from acting on it.
"I was very well behaved last night."
"Jeff, you don't owe me any explanations."
"No, I don't. But I want you to know, I did dance with women who made passes at me, but I refrained. I want to get to know you. I enjoyed my time with you the other day and want to see you again. Can I take you out-as in out of the house, somewhere?"
"I am sure you enjoyed yourself-don't think I didn't notice the little lingering you maneuvered over top of me. I know what you want, so why don't you just save the 'wining and dining' for someone who'll buy it?"
"How can you know what I want, when you don't even know what you want? If I remember correctly, you kissed me back! Now all of sudden something happens to bring on this sentimentality over a man who you've supposedly put behind you and I'm the asshole? That's not fair."
"You're right, it's not fair. But I have to be able to close this chapter before I can open up one with you, do you understand?"
"I understand, but what does that entail?"
"I need to hear it from him. I need to know why he shut me out and cut me off."
"I thought you knew."
"No. Things were just left hanging. Communication stopped."
"If you need help, please let me know. I sort of have a vested interest in this."
"Oh really, how's that?"
"The sooner you close the door on him, the sooner you can open the door to your heart to me. Goodbye, Sunshine."
With that, the connection was dead. Jeff knew at that moment he wanted her. Not just in his bed. Being completely honest, he was a typical male and knew what she needed. He'd get her to open up if it killed him. The whole night he realized she had been pining over a man who was stupid enough to let her go. At the time he had been confused as to why he was turning down ass left and right at the club over thoughts of her. Now, he knew why. When this woman loved, she did it completely; heart, body, mind and soul. This whole thing could be mind blowing, especially when he gave back to her just as much.
Monique decided it was time to try this last ditch effort. She sat down on the bed and quickly wrote out what she believed summed up her feelings. She included her address and phone so that he could return correspondence if he so desired. Folding the one sheet of paper, she slid it into a Marine envelope and addressed it to his mother, asking her to please forward it to him, wherever he was. Slapping a stamp on it, she threw it in her bag to send out when she left on errands. Jeff was right, she couldn't be fair to him as long as she, for some stupid reason held on to Allen. Jeff had sat there on the phone and basically told her he was faithful the night before. Faithful to what? Me? I don't even have the right to expect that nor even inquire yet he's offering the information. I could be so wrong and missing out on something I'll only get one chance at.