Chapter 2
“Hi Tiana,” the sexy man said.
The instant he spoke, a flash of memory coursed through Tiana.
H voice, she thought. I recognize his voice.
She looked closer at the man. Beneath his hat, his heather-grey eyes were deep and rich. His cheeks had attractive dimples in them, his chin a slight cleft. He was muscular, dressed well, and tanned. His shoulders were broad and strong.
I’ve never seen him before, she thought. I would have remembered seeing a man so handsome. Why do I recognize his voice?
“Are you staying at the hotel?” she asked.
“Mm hmm,” he said. “Just in town briefly. Back to California tomorrow.”
“Is that where you’re from?” she asked, taking a seat beside him.
That voice! she struggled again to place it, but came up blank.
“Yes,” he said. He gave her that smile again. She felt good when he smiled.
“What do you do there?” she asked.
“I own a tech company,” he said.
“What is that?” she asked, and then immediately felt ignorant for asking. She tried to cover over her naivety. “Computers, right?” she guessed.
He laughed. “Yeah, close. Robotics.”
The instant he said the word, she had a flash of memory. It was of a boy named Tabor Knight, in the eighth grade, presenting a robotic prosthetic arm at the school’s variety show. He’d been booed off stage, called a dork and a nerd and a geek and everything in between.
After that, Tabor had been much quieter about his inventions and projects, but he’d kept up through high school.
Tabor Knight… she thought, eyeing the man. Really? Could this really be him?
He looked so different. She recalled the gossip she’d heard about him, through Christina mostly. He started a multi-billion dollar company in Silicon Valley, called Infinity Tech, or something like that, she remembered.
She glanced at his hat, and the infinity symbol.
It’s him! she thought. It’s Tabor Knight! Damn, he grew up.
She lifted her beer and took a sip. Does he recognize me? she wondered.
Something about the way he was treating her made her think that he did not. He was acting as though she was a mysterious stranger, giving no indication that he recalled sitting next to her in middle school, before his smarts had catapulted her out of her basic level classes and he took the advanced ones.
Tabor Fucking Knight.
Well, I’ll be.
He’s really grown into himself. And that’s an understatement. Damn, he’s sexy.
This night just got much more interesting, she thought.
She smiled.
As they drank, she didn’t let on that she knew him. He might as well think I’m just a successful woman, breezing through on a business trip, she thought.
When she finished her beer and the bartender offered her another drink, she confidently ordered a gin and tonic. Tabor asked for another whisky on the rocks.
When he finished describing his robotics company, and he looked at her with interest and said, “So, Tiana, tell me about yourself,” she felt like the whole world was open to her.
Tell me about yourself.
She laughed. “Oh...where to begin” she said, laughing again. The whole night — her whole life — seemed laughable. Like some cosmic joke.
She placed a hand in front of her mouth. “I’m tipsy,” she said. “Oops. When did that happen?”
“It can sneak up on you, hm?” Tabor said, with a loopy smile of his own.
She kept laughing, and then spoke again. “Oh well, fuck it. So I’m tipsy. That’s what I wanted when I came over here,” she said.
“Came over here? From where?” Tabor asked.
“I have a room across the street,” Tiana said. “The Marriott.”
“Oh.” Tabor said. He seemed thoughtful for a moment. “The Lightman’s much better. You should stay here next time.”
As if I could afford this place, though Tiana.
“You’re right,” she said, looking around her. “It is much better.”
“Plus, they have hot tubs,” Tabor said, giving Tiana a look.
Tiana knew that look.
She used to know it much better, when she was out on the singles scene more. It had been a long time since she’d dressed up, gone to a bar, and gotten the look.
It felt good.
Great.
Fucking wonderful.
She looked down at her drink and then up at him through her lashes, returning the look.
Damn this is fun, she thought.
“I like hot tubs,” she said.
“So do I,” Tabor said. “With the right company, a good soak can be heavenly.”
“Sure can,” Taina said. She liked where this conversation was leading. She could imagine being in the hottub with Tabor. It was fun knowing who he was, yet being a mystery to him.
“Where are you from?” he asked.
“I live in East Texas these days.”
“Nice,” Tabor said. “Nice, nice.” He reached for a nut from a bowl on the countertop. He was acting as though he was happy she was with him. This made her happy.
“It’s probably not as nice as California” she said, turning the conversation back to him.
She felt him rotate on his bar stool, and his knee brushed her leg. The contact felt good.
He looked at her, asking her if she liked it — if it was okay. She didn’t pull away.
He maintained the contact as he began talking about California. “The best thing is all of the sunshine,” he said. “I’ll never take that for granted. The beautiful weather, the beautiful water…it’s a gorgeous place.”
“It sounds perfect,” she said. “I bet it’s hard to leave.”
“I travel a lot,” he said. “The hard part is leaving my two dogs, Sugar and Pepper”.
Tiana laughed aloud again. “I have a cat named Sugar!” she said, her hand flying up into the air to emphasize the coincidence. She loved thinking about her cat. She felt her top slide off of her shoulder as she made the enthusiastic gesture.
Tabor reached forward and fixed it for her. His hand lingered on her shoulder. He stroked her hair lightly, before pulling his hand back. “There,” he said. “You… your top.”
“Thank you,” Tiana said.
“My pleasure,” Tabor said.
“Why did you name yours Sugar?” Tiana asked.
“She’s white,” Tabor said. “And Pepper is black. At first, I wanted to name them Salt and Pepper. They’re brother and sister. But then I didn’t want it to sound too much like the… you know, musical duo.”
“You got something against Salt-N-Pepa?” Tiana asked jokingly.
“No!” Tabor said, playing along. “I don’t think so. I mean, it’s not exactly my style of music, but…” he laughed. “To each his own.”
“What’s your style?” Tiana asked. She waited eagerly for his response. She wondered about more than just music. What’s your type, she wondered, eying him. What type of woman do you like?
He seemed to sense that she was asking about more than just music. “I like everything,” he said. “Variety's the spice of life. I don’t like to limit myself.”
“Oh really?” she asked. She liked his answer. Variety's the spice of life, how about that, she thought.
A beat of silence passed between them, and Tiana felt the music of the bar moving through her. The soft, dim lighting, the shimmering bar top, the mirror behind the bar… it was all softening, merging to create one unified, buzzed, carefree state inside of her.
She could feel Tabor’s presence even when she wasn’t looking at him, and she loved the sensation of being at his side. They drank quietly for a few moments, and then Tiana turned to Tabor with a smile.
She reached for his hand. “I can read palms you know,” she said.
He inched forward again. Now his thigh was resting against hers.
She held his hand in hers, tracing her fingers along the lines in his palm. Her grandmother had taught her some basics of palm reading, and she’d always used the trick in bars when she was having a flirtatious conversation. It was a good way to make contact with someone, and indeed she wanted to make contact with Tabor.
More than just holding his hand, but this would have to do for now. He was so drop-dead gorgeous that holding his hand was enough to throw her heart into palpitations. She let her fingers linger on his palm, not rushing the act.
“Tell me, Tiana” he said, playing along. “What does my future hold?”
“I see that you’re strong willed,” Tiana said, tracing her finger along a line on his palm. “And you have a powerful mind. You’ve had some emotional trauma in the past, but your smarts allowed you to overcome it.” She found herself drawing just as much on what she really knew about him, as she was on the actual lines of his heart.
“Really,” he said. He seemed impressed. He turned his hand so that he was holding hers. “You think you can tell the future?” he asked, moving his hand against hers, stroking her fingers.
She felt a shiver of lust pass through her. His caresses, though they were only focused on her hand, were delightful.
“Reading palms is more about reading the past,” she said. “But the past can affect the future. If you let it.”
“What about the short-term future?” he asked.
She met his eyes. “What do you mean?” she asked.
“Like tonight,” he said. “Do you see anything on my palm about tonight?” He turned his palm so that it was open again.
She looked down at it. As she looked, she felt him lean in closer to her. His breath was hot, and smelled sweet, of liquor. A soft and sultry song came over the speakers. She felt his fingers on her hair, sweeping it behind her ear. His cheek was next to hers. “I hope you can see something there,” he said, his lips almost touching her ear.
He pulled away.
She felt tingles run through her. Oh, it’s on, she thought.
The escalating sense of excitement was wonderful, but she didn’t want to rush the evening. She wanted to enjoy it to the fullest.
“There are so many possibilities,” she said mysteriously. “Anything could happen.”
“Anything?” he asked.
“Anything.” she repeated.
Tabor lifted his drink and took a sip, emptying his glass. He raised his hand to call over the bartender. Tiana lifted her gin and tonic and took another sip, nearly finishing her drink as well.
Where did my drink go? she wondered. I must have been drinking while we talked. She felt delightfully free, filled with a sense of carelessness, almost recklessness.
Nothing seemed to matter. Except for the sexy man next to her.
“What would you like to drink?” Tabor asked her.
Tiana raised her glass. “Another gin and tonic would be lovely,” she said.
Tabor nodded at the bartender, ensuring that he got the order.
“You know,” he said, while they waited for the drinks. “The hot tub is outside. I bet there’s a great view of the stars.”
“It is nice and clear out, isn’t it?” Tiana said.
“Let’s go later on tonight,” Tabor said. “If you’re up for it?”
“I can’t think of anything better,” Tiana said.
The two drinks arrived, and Tabor lifted his glass. “Cheers,” he said.
“Cheers,” she answered.
He caught her eye. “I’m really glad you’re here tonight Tiana,” he said.
“The feeling’s mutual,” she said with a coy smile.
*****
Several hours and quite a few drinks later, Tabor used his hotel key to unlock a gate that led into the pool area.
What am I doing? he thought to himself. This woman is engaged.
He’d seen the ring when she first came over to talk to him. How could he not see it? The diamond was gigantic.
Some man’s one lucky son of a bitch, to get this woman, he thought.
But she’s been talking to me all night. She clearly wants to hook up with me.
What the hell, he thought. He looked out at the shimmering hot tub. The Lightman Hotel was very swanky, and the pool area was no exception. The little lights danced in his vision, and then blurred. He stumbled a bit.
Shit, he thought. I’m wasted. It feels good to relax though.
He heard Tiana laugh, from behind him.
She must have seen me trip, he thought. Though this usually would have upset him greatly, he felt completely unbothered by it. She makes me feel so free, he thought. Like she isn’t judging me. It’s almost like… like I know her from somewhere.
He searched his mind as he had many times that night, when a certain expression that she made or word she said would tickle his memory. But he came up blank.
He turned and looked at her. Her hair was shiny, as if she’d just stepped out of the salon. In fact, her whole look was that of a well-cared for woman — pampered even. Her makeup was flawless, her sculpted eyebrows perfect.
She wore a silky, flowing black top with little cut-out shoulders. He liked the way it looked on her ample, curvy frame. He couldn’t wait to see more of her body… all of the curves she was keeping hidden.
Just forget about the damn ring, he thought to himself. She’s a grown-ass woman. She can make her own decisions. And right now, she wants you.
And you want her.
So take her.
*****
They walked towards the hottub, laughing about something Tabor had just said. When they reached the clear, hot inlet, Tiana paused and started taking off her pants.
In her tipsy state, Tiana didn’t mind disrobing at the side of the hot tub. She felt incredibly free, relaxed, and uninhibited. It was nearing midnight, and there were no other guests out in the hotel’s upscale pool area.
She laughed as she watched Tabor take off his pants and button-up shirt and drape them over the side of a patio chair. He wore light blue boxers and in the little white garden lights that the pool area was sprinkled with, they contrasted with his tanned skin. He was more muscular than she’d anticipated.
Tabor, Tabor, Tabor. Mmm, mm. You have changed since high school, she thought.
In all the right ways.
He still didn’t seem to know who she was, and that was just fine with her.
Tabor was walking in his boxers towards a panel with jets. She enjoyed the view as he turned the jets on, and then walked to the edge of the now bubbling water and lowered himself in.
She joined him, from the other side of the pool, in just her bra and underwear. He immediately started crossing over to her side, which caused a jolt of happiness to pass through her.
He wants me, she thought, as he crossed the hot tub.
He didn’t stop as he reached her, his wet body floating onto hers, settling in front of her. His hand reached for her hair, and he pushed it softly behind her ear as he leaned into her.
She felt relaxed and excited at the same time as he leaned in, closer and closer.
As he kissed her, she couldn’t believe how unbelievably good it felt. The kiss involved more than his lips. His whole body leaned into her, beneath the water’s surface. His hard muscles pressed against her soft flesh, creating a sea of sensations within her.
His kiss began softly, full of tenderness, but gained force as they continued to move against each other. All of the talking, drinking, laughing… all of the looks that they had exchanged over the course of the evening, had all been placing tokens of passion into an invisible bank. Now, Taina realized, it was time to spend those tokens.
She felt as though she was at a casino, and had just won the jackpot.
She allowed herself to kiss him without inhibition, her tongue exploring his mouth as his explored hers. She let her hand settle against his neck, just behind his ear.
She felt his hands moving along her body, along the tops of her breasts, and then over the fabric of her bra. His hands continued, over her abdomen and then down to her thighs. His touches delighted her.
She felt him pull her away from the edge of the tub, toward the middle. She allowed him to guide her until they were both in the middle of the tub.
She felt his hands wrap around her back side, and squeeze her ass. She wrapped her legs around him, enjoying the sensation of his package between her legs.
All the while, he kissed her, his kisses drawing more and more passion forth from within her.
God, I haven’t felt like this for so long, she thought, in a rare moment when she was thinking at all. For the most part, her mind was blissfully free of thought. All of her attention was on the feelings in her body, and the sight and feel of the man in her arms.
He was strong, and she liked the way he controlled their movements. With his hands on her ass, he moved her against him. With his kiss, he pushed her limits, opening his mouth to show her that she could be as free — as uninhibited — and as sexy as she wanted to. He didn’t color within the lines. He sucked her bottom lip as though it was candy.
His dick was hard, and as he guided her body against hers in the water he created a rhythm that she enjoyed.
She reached down with her hand and circled it around his penis. Every time their bodies moved, her hand slid along his shaft.
She felt his hands moving around her back, and when her bra fell away she realized that he’d unhooked it. His hands traveled over her back, his palms strong, massaging her muscles along with the jets.
His lips left hers, and moved to her ear.
He kissed her earlobe, sucking on it as he had her bottom lip. She loved the feel of it, and she moved her hand along his shaft faster to show him. She heard him groan.
Her breasts pressed against his muscular torso, and his steamy flesh felt good against her hard nipples.
As he sucked on her ear, she felt herself become more aroused.
He parted from her slightly. “Oh, Tiana,” he moaned, as her hand continued to jerk him off. She could see that he liked it.
He closed his eyes.
She didn’t stop.
He moaned again.
“Oh, Tiana” he said, whispering in her ear now. “There’s so many things that I want to do to you,”
“What do you want to do?” she asked, lost in pleasure. She longed for him to talk dirty to her.
“I want to fuck you,” he said, sending a pang of arousal through her.
“How?” she asked. She wanted him to be explicit, describing what he would do to her as she imagined what it would feel like.
Her hand left his dick and wrapped around him, pulling him into her.
He was so hard between her legs. She felt him slide between her thighs, but there were too many layers between them. He’d removed his boxers at some point, but her panties were still on. She wanted desperately for him to be inside of her.
“Hard,” he said. “As hard as you want. Do you like it hard?”
“Mmm,” was all she could say, imagining the pounding that he would be able to deliver.
She slid her tongue around her lips, watching him watch her.
She felt his fingers move between his legs. He began stroking her, over her underwear.
“I’m going to fuck you until you scream,” he said, stroking her gently.
“Mmm,” she moaned again.
“Is that what you want?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said.
“Is that what you want, Tiana? Do you want my dick inside of you?”
“Yes,” she said again, barely able to get her voice out as he stroked her.
She knew she needed to have him, as soon as possible. Barely able to think, she moved so that she could get out of the hot tub, guided by the need to be in a bed with him. Naked with him.
There was a small white towel folded on a chaise lounge at the edge of the tub, and she leaned forward to get it. As she bent over, she felt him come up behind her. He stood behind her, gripping her hips for a moment.
He pressed against her, sending thrills of desire through her body.
She could barely walk, but she wrapped the towel around her. For an instant she thought of the girls across the street, the way they used to make fun of her as she cowered in her small towel in the gym locker room. The thought flitted quickly by, and was soon drowned in the oblivion of lust and the cloudy alcohol-induced state she was in. All that she wanted to think about was the sex she was about to have.
Tabor likes the way I look, she thought. I turn him on.
She could tell by the massive hard-on he had, as he got out of the hottub.
His room was merely a few doors away from the pool area, and before she knew it, they were in the dark hotel room, and her towel was falling away from her body.
She moved to the bed, and Tabor followed her quickly.