Authors: Diana Persaud
Chapter Eleven
Tommy waved a piece of paper excitedly, grinning like a kid on Christmas morning. She hadn’t seen him all week and was starting to think he’d forgotten her.
“It’s done, Honey. I’m the new owner of Everett’s Auto Body Shop!”
“Congratulations, Tommy.”
“Want to see my Shop?”
“Right now?”
He nodded.
“Sure! Let me grab my purse.”
He’s sharing an important event with me. Surely that means something?
He parked behind a large whitewashed brick building.
“This is the private entrance.”
He flipped the switch. The fluorescent light flickered then stayed on. His face glowed with pride.
“The main area of the shop is down this hallway. My apartment is upstairs.”
She followed him down the hallway. He stood in the middle of his auto shop, his arms spread out like wings.
“Well? What do you think?”
Odd that he’s asking my opinion. I know nothing about auto shops. Maybe he just needs some assurance that he’s doing the right thing?
“I think that you are going to be a very successful businessman.”
The tension drained from his shoulders. He stood with his hands on his hips, glancing around.
He pointed to a dark rectangular hole in the floor.
“Over here is The Pit.”
Flecks of metal showed through bright yellow grates that covered each end of The Pit.
“The grates are a safety precaution so nobody accidentally falls into the hole. When my oil change guy is guiding the driver, he’s usually walking backward. When he steps on the grate, he knows he needs to stop.”
He stood on the grate and hunched down.
“From this position, you check to make sure the tires are between those white lines.”
He pointed to wide white lines painted on the concrete floor.
“If they are lined up, the Oil Change Guy will drive the car straight over The Pit. Once the oil cools, the Oil Change Guy will get into the pit.”
“How does Oil Change Guy get into the pit if there’s a car on top of it?”
“Over here,” he said, pointing to a small trap door.
He lifted it so she could see the ladder that led down to the darkened room.
“This is how he gets into and out of The Pit.”
He dropped the trap door.
“I spent about a year of my life in The Pit. Nothing like hot oil on your arm to teach you patience.”
She stroked the burn mark on his forearm.
“Is that how you got this mark?”
He swallowed. His eyes drifted to her lips. Her tongue traced her bottom lip. A sudden flash of guilt made her turn away from him.
It’s not nice to tease. Especially when you’re not sure what you want.
“What’s this?” she asked, stepping away from him.
“It’s called a Lift. You drive the car here.”
He moved around to the other side and tapped a lever.
“This lifts the car so we can change tires, rotate them, change brake pads.”
He moved to the wall.
“And over here we store dirty oil rags. They have to be kept in this special container so they don’t spontaneously combust.”
“You’re pulling my leg.”
“Dead serious. I’ve never heard of it happening but it’s a warning I’ve seen dozens of times.”
Gooseflesh rose along her arms.
“Aren’t you scared to work in a place with all this dangerous stuff?”
She rubbed her arms. He moved closer and rubbed her arms gently, calming her gooseflesh while making her body sizzle.
“I’m careful, Anjali. It’s no more dangerous than any other job.”
His voice seemed deeper when he asked, “Worried about me?”
“I wouldn’t want you to get hurt,” she replied.
He seemed pleased with her response.
“I’m sure you don’t want to see my office.”
He jerked his head to the right.
“It’s pretty boring. How about we check out my apartment instead?”
He returned to the private entrance and they took the stairs up to the second floor.
She sneezed.
“Bless you.”
Boxes and rusty containers littered the studio sized apartment. Cobwebs stretched from floor to ceiling. Thick layers of dust coated every surface.
He rubbed the back of his neck.
“I didn’t realize it was this bad,” he admitted.
“Well it’s certainly…cozy.”
Plenty of room for one. Not much for two. Certainly not enough for a family.
She turned away so he couldn’t see the disappointment she feared was evident on her face.
Is this a subconscious choice or am I over thinking things?
He grunted, struggling to open the window. He managed to slide it up, a few inches at a time.
“I must be out of shape,” he panted.
She could barely see his head above a stack of containers.
She laughed.
“If I lost sight of you among these boxes, all I’d have to do is follow your footprints.”
She pointed to imprints left on the dusty floor. He shook his head.
“I’ll get the Shop Vac from downstairs,” she offered.
By the time she returned to his apartment, her arms tingled.
“Wow, this thing is heavier than I thought,” she panted.
She set down the vacuum and unwrapped the cord. She scanned the wall, looking for an outlet.
“Anjali, you don’t have to stay and help me clean.”
“You’ll be here forever if you go it alone. I don’t mind, Tommy. But
you
have spider duty.”
“Only if you handle the rats,” he replied in a serious tone.
“Bye!” she turned to leave.
Laughing, he gripped her upper arm.
“No rats, I promise.”
While Tommy cut apart old boxes and stacked them in a neat pile in the corner, she vacuumed. He carried the empty containers and tossed them into the metal dumpster behind the building. By lunchtime, they had cleared the apartment of clutter.
Keeping her voice light, she said, “Your bachelor pad will be complete in no time.”
He gave her an odd look before nodding in agreement.
“All it needs is a fresh coat of paint to cover this…puke green monstrosity from the seventies.”
“What are you going to do about the floors?” she asked.
His wood floors were covered in nicks and irregular grooves and the varnish was long gone.
“I kept the rug from my living room. That will cover most of this area. I’ll fix the floors once I take care of updating the Shop.”
He took her hand and led her to a corner.
“I was thinking of setting up my bed over here.”
It was close to the small bathroom and would give him the most privacy.
“What color should I paint this area?”
“Well, light colors make a small space seem larger. Darker tones would make it smaller, or more intimate.”
“Intimate. I like that.”
He turned her so she was facing him. “So what color would you like?”
A nervous chuckle escaped her.
“Why-why are you asking
me
?”
Her back touched the wall.
“Why do you think?” he asked, pressing up against her.
It was too much to hope for and she didn’t respond. Afraid of betraying her thoughts, she turned her head.
Soft lips grazed her neck. Her eyes closed and she sighed.
“Tommy—”
“Mmm. My sweet Honey,” he whispered.
A sharp spike of desire made her bite her lip to keep from crying out.
“One night. One taste. Isn’t enough for me,” he confessed as he nibbled on her earlobe.
“Wh-what are you saying?”
His eyes darkened. He rubbed the back of his neck.
“I suppose this is where we have the ‘going exclusive’ talk?”
“You sound…unsure.”
Panic flickered in his eyes.
“Talk to me, Tommy. No head games,” she pleaded.
“I don’t know where this is going, Honey. But I’d like to see where it ends up. Don’t you?”
“I still want to have a baby, Tommy. Those plans haven’t changed.”
He took a deep breath.
Stalling or thinking?
“I don’t expect you to give up your plans. I’m just asking if you can…postpone them for a little while.”
Hope blossomed in her chest. She stroked his cheek.
“For a little while. Until we see where this is going.”
“Fair enough.”
His belly grumbled loudly.
“How about we get some lunch then swing by the hardware store to pick up some paint?”
“Sounds great. I love picking out colors. The names are always so silly.”
After lunch and a trip to the hardware store, they returned to his apartment and began prepping to paint the walls. They managed to cover the green walls with one thick coat of primer before deciding to stop for the day.
“How about we grab some pizza and head over to my place?” she asked.
“Sounds great. Give me a minute to close the windows and I’ll join you downstairs.”
“So what’s on the agenda for tomorrow?” she asked as he drove to a local pizza place.
“Hopefully one coat of paint will do it, but I suspect we’ll need two.”
He stopped at a red light.
“Then I have to clean the bathroom. Mike and Jack are going to swing by in the afternoon and help carry in my bed and sofa.”
“Aside from painting, is there anything else I can do to help?”
“Maybe put away stuff in the kitchenette?”
“As if
you’re
going to be using it?” she teased.
“Hey now, I might want to surprise you again one night,” he replied.
He parked behind her car and carried in the pizza.
“Roses! Oh they’re beautiful,” she gushed.
The muscle in his jaw twitched.
She picked up the vase of a dozen red roses. Her nose disappeared into a partially open bud. Desire flared in her eyes.
His eyes narrowed with suspicion.
Smiling coyly, she said, “Tommy, you shouldn’t have.”
“I didn’t,” he replied through clenched teeth.
Desire faded into disappointment.
“But if you didn’t, then who—”
She set down the vase and searched through large red blooms. She found a card and opened it. She folded the card and shoved it into her back pocket. She fished out her keys and unlocked the door.
“Who was it from?” he demanded, not caring if he sounded like a jealous twit.
She hesitated before answering, “From Sanjay.”
She carried her roses into the living room and set them on the coffee table.
“Who is Sanjay?”
“A friend of mine, that’s all.”
The pizza box caved under the pressure of his fingers.
“Men don’t send their friends
red
roses
.”
Her nostrils flared.
“Are you accusing me of something?”
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He relaxed his grip on the pizza box.
“No, Honey. But Sanjay isn’t interested in being your friend.”
She took the pizza box from him and went into the kitchen. The pizza box was on the stove, their appetites forgotten. She stood in front of the sink, her back to him. She seemed to be avoiding his gaze.
“But you already knew that.”
His nostrils flared.
“I—”
She took a deep breath and held it. The moment lasted an eternity and he suddenly realized he didn’t want to know anything about Sanjay.
He massaged her shoulders as though removing her tension would erase Sanjay from her mind. He was here.
Sanjay was not.
She groaned as his hands worked along her shoulders. Her head rolled forward. She breathed out, long and slow.
“Sanjay—”
“Honey—”
“—offered—”
“I don’t want—”
“—to father my baby.”
Icy fingers reached beyond his bones, digging deep into his core.
Once again, her shoulders were stiff. She leaned away from him.
Jealousy burned hot and bright, awakening something dark inside him. His fingers dug into her arms. He spun her around then punished her with his mouth, a savage beast teetering on the edge of control.
Ripping her shirt open, he tugged down her cup, exposing an ample breast. He pinched her nipple, eliciting a gasp of surprise.
Raw, primal need simmered in his eyes, its scorching heat made her skin sizzle.
He gripped her braid. A sharp tug forced her head back, exposing her neck. Sharp teeth grazed her neck.
A nip.
A bite.
A brand.
She groaned. Her fingers dug into his scalp. She arched her back, shoving her breast into his palm.
It wasn’t enough to appease the beast. He wanted,
needed
, total surrender.
He yanked her toward the dining room table. With expert fingers, he unbuttoned her jeans and pulled them down, leaving her bare. The sweet scent of her arousal spurred him on. Impatient fingers slid into her, filling her with ease. Lust filled eyes mirrored his own as she rocked against his hand. She gripped his shirt, keeping her balance.
Her breaths came in faster pants. Face flushed, she bit her lip to keep from crashing over the edge. She stopped moving and released his shirt. His fingers weren’t enough to fill her. She needed something more.
Delicate hands fumbled with his zipper. He brushed her hands away and freed his cock. Too impatient to free her legs, he bent her over the dining room table. With a single thrust, his cock was buried inside her. He groaned as her silky heat welcomed him. Holding her hips, he thrust, deep, frantic strokes.
As if he could make her forget Sanjay.
Her fingers slid along the smooth polish of her mahogany table, searching for something to grip. Anything to stave off her impending release. The friction of his smooth skin ignited a fire. She squeezed her eyes tight, savoring the slow burn of pleasure radiating from between her legs.
He withdrew his cock.
“No, no, don’t stop. Please, Tommy,” she begged.
Bending down, he pulled off her shoes and her jeans. Pulling her upright, he turned her around to face him.
“Tell me you want me,” he demanded in a strained voice.
“I do,” she whispered.
Her fingers caressed his face before her mouth claimed his. He lifted her and set her on the table, spreading her legs. Eyes locked, he entered her with a slow thrust, letting the fire consume them.