Chapter 3
Edward leaned against the wall and watched Talita as she marveled at the room walking in and out of the bathroom, in and out of the bedroom, pulling the curtains from the window and being rendered speechless at the view.
“I am completely in awe. I just can’t believe this.”
Edward walked through the bedroom and onto the balcony behind her. His arms slid around her body like they were meant to be there. He buried his face into her long dark curls and inhaled, smelling her aroma and becoming aroused at the way her body responded to him.
She softened as her arms reached up and behind her, wrapping them around his neck like limp noodles. When she turned around, he looked into her eyes and saw a drunken beauty part her lips and close her eyes. He leaned down and covered her lips with his, kissing her deeply, feeling the intensity build as his hands slid up her back.
“What do you want?” she whispered, pulling slightly away from him.
He pressed his mouth into hers and pulled her into him.
She pulled away again when he didn’t respond. “I want to feel you, Edward. I want to feel you inside me.” Her words ran together as her lips invited him in.
If he hadn’t been with her most of the night, he would have thought she was drunk on the alcohol that was provided at the party, but because they were in each other’s company for the last couple of hours he knew that he was the reason for her drunken instability.
He ran his hand across the side of her face, pushing her hair back and allowing the moonlight to give him access to her beauty. For every touch he contributed in, she sensually and submissively responded to. It wasn’t new to him, but it was different this time. Perhaps because he wasn’t the successful and very wealthy entrepreneur in her mind. Perhaps because she was a thing of beauty that he very deeply wanted to be a part of. He memorized her face, her features, the way she bowed her head toward his touch, the way she cooed when he caressed her skin.
She opened her big brown eyes and as they looked at him, her eyelids heavy with lust, he couldn’t help but to feel like he wanted to protect her. But from what? They were alone in his room, with no jeopardy to either of them. What was he feeling that was so different than what he had felt before with the other women he had been with?
The balcony cradled two soft lounge chairs and a small table for couples to enjoy the view. Edward pushed the table back away from one of the chairs and sat down on the edge. He leaned back, pulling Talita toward him as he stared into her eyes. He led each of her legs to each side of him and pulled her down on his lap.
“Move your hair back,” he whispered. “I want to watch you.”
Her body shivered at his request and she immediately but slowly complied.
He watched her dark red nails push her hair back off her soft, tanned shoulders, the black straps of her dress giving her skin the only contrast in the moonlight. He sat up so his fingers could entangle themselves within those straps and slide them off her shoulders. His eyes stayed glued to hers as the straps lowered down her arms. He fought to keep his hands where they were as he pulled it lower, enough to expose her perfect breasts that heaved toward him with every full breath she took. It was only then that he broke his stare, his eyes moving down to watch his own hands cover her hardened nipples. He let them drag along the palms of his hands and feed his arousal while watching her body catch fire under his control. He leaned forward, resting his cheek next to her breast, the softness of her skin on his. He felt her nipple next to his ear and it drew his mouth closer until it consumed the small dark nub. His tongue toyed with it and twirled around it causing her to arch her back toward him uncontrollably.
She pushed her body closer to his, her pelvis moving back and forth on the hardness in his pants, a moan escaping her lips when his teeth bit down on his favorite little nub. She grabbed his head and pushed her chest into his face before she pulled his face to hers. Before he could take a breath, her tongue was in his mouth and her hands were pulling at his clothes.
He wasn’t sure where it came from or why he wanted to stop, but a thought entered his head. He had his share of women in the past. They all ended the same way. A good night of sex and promises of a budding relationship, then within a week it falls apart. He believed it to be because they went too fast. They never got to know each other, to fall in love with each other before they fell into bed. The sex was always amazing. He knew how to read women enough to know who was going to be good and who wasn’t. Maybe it was because he was getting older or maybe he was just tired of the same routine and scenario. He wanted more.
He let Talita deepen her kiss and push into him a little more before he eased her back. His hands cascaded across her body and he pushed her back and allowed his eyes access to her beautiful body. He knew it wasn’t going to be easy to break the pattern but he needed to, for his own peace of mind.
Talita leaned back and expected his mouth to devour her, but when he stopped touching her and pulled her dress back up to cover her, she sat upright, her sexual arousal quickly diminishing and turning to a saddened expression of displeasure and despair. She didn’t move, hoping he was changing the way he was going to love her. When he slid the straps of her dress back on her shoulders and clasped his hands together between them she knew it wasn’t going to happen.
He watched her reaction and smiled when she started to pout. It melted his heart and he pulled her into him, wrapping his arms around her as he caressed her hair.
“I’m confused, Edward.”
His fingers fed into her hair and wound her luscious locks around his hand.
“Why don’t you want me? Am I not attractive to you?”
“Oh, baby.” His eyes absorbed her. “You are.”
“Then why the hesitation?” she asked, picking his hands up and placing them on her breasts. She leaned into him, her lips an inch from his ear. “Love me, Edward.”
He fought the urge to give in to her, but his mind won over his cock. He took her wrists and locked his hands around them, settling them in between their bodies.
“Talita,” he said directly, lowering his head but keeping his eyes on hers. “You are so attractive and I am completely drawn to you.”
“Then why….”
“Shup,” he interrupted raising a hand to her face. His finger traced her bottom lip, his eyes trailing after it. “I don’t want another meaningless one night stand that we both promise will lead into something wonderful. It doesn’t work that way. I want more.”
She took a deep wanting breath that told him she was listening.
“Come here,” he said motioning for her to get up. He took her hand and led him into his bedroom. “Lie down on my bed.” His eyes pierced into her and she complied. “On your stomach.”
She hesitated only for a moment, wondering what he had planned. She rolled over and closed her eyes when his hands kneaded into the muscles of her shoulders.
“You are amazing with your hands,” she cooed.
“It is just one of my many talents.”
“I can’t wait to find out about the others.”
“In due time, my sweet. In due time.”
The sun shone brightly into Edward’s cabin and stirred him from his sleep. The cool morning air wafted in from the window that never got closed and the curtains flittered along the wall in a beautiful morning wind. The smell of coconut and fresh fruit wafted his way as he sat up in his bed.
Talita sat on a blanket splayed out across the carpet in the living room of the cabin, stirring a silver spoon around inside a small tea cup. Her long, bare legs were crossed and her eyes were closed as she inhaled the contents of the tea cup.
Edward sat on the edge of the bed not wanting to disturb such a beautiful sight. He etched it into his memory before she noticed him no longer asleep.
“Come here,” she said. Her smile was beaming and her eyes were bright.
He pulled himself from his bed and slipped on his pajama pants before accompanying her on the carpet. When he got to her, he grinned when he noticed her eyes cascade across his bare chest and down his stomach to his pants. He was always the modest one when it came to his body, but he did believe in healthy eating and exercise. It kept him fit.
“What do you have here?” He knelt next to her and grabbed a grape from the pile of fruit in front of them.
“I figured you would be hungry so I ordered some room service.”
He looked around the small smorgasbord of pastries and fruit she ordered and his stomach told him she was right. He molded his body around hers and enjoyed a sliced orange she fed to him with her delicate fingers.
“I could get used to this,” he said as a trickle of juice escaped over his lip.
Talita leaned over and slowly licked it from his chin, her eyes glued to his. She stayed there, only an inch from his mouth, her breathing controlled yet trembling. She wanted to say something, he could feel it. Her reluctance made him feel uneasy as if she was about to divulge something that shouldn’t be felt until weeks after loving someone, or something a naïve eighth grader would say to her crush. He cleared his throat and grabbed at the grapes, flinging them one by one at her as he rolled away.
“What are you doing?” she squealed, picking a small grape from her hair and launching it back at him.
He dodged it and swooped in for another handful, propelling them at her one by one as he dove behind the couch for cover.
She counteracted with mini muffins, giggling as she went in for the offense toward him. She climbed the couch to the top and peeked over the back to find him before launching the last of her missiles toward him, but he was gone. She sat up and looked around, only to see him running toward her like a warrior, hollering loudly and bombarding into her until they were both laughing so hard they couldn’t continue.
He moved a strand of hair from her face and quieted down, his heart beating out of his chest. He kissed her tenderly, his hand gently moving up her side and across her stomach.
“You feel so good,” he said, closing his eyes and allowing his sense of touch to be the only sense permissible.
“Make love to me, Edward,” she whispered.
Her words jolted at him. He wanted to, but he also wanted to wait. She was worth that. He kissed her forehead with a small kiss. He kissed her temple, then her cheek. She knew it wasn’t going to happen as he covered her face with small kisses. She took a deep breath and sighed.
“In time, my Talita. I need you to be patient with me.”
She nodded, closing her eyes and feeling his body close to hers.
They spent the better half of the morning together, eating fresh fruit, laughing at his corny jokes, listening to stories and bathing together.
He dragged the luffa up her arm and watched the soapy bubbles conjure together as she told him about her childhood and how her rich daddy never had time for her.
“What about your mother?”
“She died when I was young.”
“I’m sorry.” He wondered why people apologized when hearing such tragic news long after the healing was done and the people left behind had moved on. It always seemed the proper thing to say.
“I never knew her. I recall images of her from time to time but I think they are from pictures I have seen of her as I grew up.” She leaned her head back on his chest and closed her eyes to enjoy the feel of him around her. “What about you? Any tragedy in your life worth a biography or a lost tear?”
“Is it sadistic of me to say I wish there were?”
She giggled. “No. I guess when people are telling stories, they like to compare them and even puff out their chests when they think theirs is best.”
“Well, it looks like your chest wins in this one.” He pulled the luffa up over her breasts that were barely submerged in the bubbly water.
A sharp knock at his door got a groan out of him.
“Don’t say anything,” she whispered. “Maybe they will go away.”
“It’s Joseph. He doesn’t just go away.”
“Edward! Open up, man,” the familiar voice shouted from the other side.
“Told ya.” He wrapped his arms around her for just one more moment of bliss before prying himself out of the tub.
That evening after an amazing dinner with some of his colleagues, Edward went to the bar with Joseph to finish out the night. They bellied up to the bar and ordered their drinks then looked around the place.
“Lot of fine ladies in here tonight,” said Joseph, licking his chops.
“Dude, you don’t quit, do you?”
“Only when I’m dead, my friend.” He slapped Edward on the back of the shoulder and laughed.
“What happened to Miranda?”
“What do you mean?”
“You were with her just last night.”
“And let me tell ya, she is a fine piece of ass. Mmm, mmm, mmm.” He shook his head and kissed his fingertips.
“You have no soul,” Edward said, smiling at him. “I honestly don’t know how you do it.”
“Stick with me and I will give you a few pointers.”
“I’m good, thanks.”
“You’re gonna stand there and try to tell me you didn’t land gorgeous Miss Brazil?”
“I am.”
“Bull shit.”
Edward kept his gaze steady on Joseph and didn’t crack.
“God damn.” Joseph stepped back and looked at him. “What was wrong with her?”
“Nothing. Nothing at all. That is why I waited.”
“Why you waited…,” he asked, curiously. “I’m confused.”
“I really like this girl. I think it could lead into something, hopefully, serious.”
Joseph turned to the bartender and put his hand up. “Can you make that a double?”