Just to be Left Alone (22 page)

He
threw his removed piece at me as a distraction, and then jumped me. He was on
my stomach as we hit the floor.

My
nipples jutted against the cotton fabric. He traced the open path with his nose
as he slowly undid two more buttons. I felt the air on my exposed skin and
shivered. He ran his tongue over the visible swells and then pulled me back to
my sitting position. His eyes lingered on the view that the open shirt provided
before reminding me that it was my move. Indeed it was.

I
took my time in choosing a piece. I was bold enough to squeeze my bare breasts
together and tilted my butt into the air. Then, he knocked all the pieces down
before pulling me onto his lap and smacking my rear.

“Young
lady, I’ll really spank you if you keep that up. Here I am, concentrating on
this game and you keep putting your attributes in my face. That is totally out
of bounds and unsportsmanlike. You either stop that right now or I’ll be forced
to thoroughly fuck the daylights out of you,” he playfully smacked my bottom one
more time and then kissed the top of my head.

I
felt his laughter as I pushed myself into an upright position and glared at
him.

“What
comes around goes around, young man.”

“You
started it.”

He
stuck his tongue out at me. I lost it. He was so adorable. I had started it so
he had every right to spank my sassy butt.

I
got up and gathered up my things as he put the game up. We headed to the truck
hand in hand. I snuggled up against his side as he drove me back home. It was
nice to see all of these sides of him and still like what I saw.

He
walked me upstairs and ravaged my mouth before jogging back down the stairs to
his truck. I had learned loads about him today and he seemed to be interested
in learning more about me.

My
body was still yearning for Conrad’s touch. I threw my clothes in the laundry
bin and then slid in between my cool sheets without even putting on my pajamas.
I smiled as I realized that I had ended my day being naked.

Chapter Twelve

Sunday
I woke to Bella rubbing my face with her forehead. I grabbed her up and
scratched her neck before sliding out of the bed to feed her. I was still naked
and laughed at how brazen I had been acting lately. If this kept up then I
might be bad enough to buy crotchless panties. This was a whole new side of me.

Lunch
with my parents was nice. I told them I was dating someone new and about the
warehouse repairs. They told me about a cruise to Alaska that they had
spontaneously planned. I hugged them both and headed back home to relax before
my Monday morning duties.

I
was opening my apartment door when I got a call from someone who had found my
cell phone. Apparently, I had left it at the restaurant and it had slid under the
booth where a busboy found it.

I
picked it up and gave the young man a twenty as a finder’s fee. It looked fine,
but was dead so I set it on the charger when I got home. I sent a text to all
my numbers that I had gotten my phone back and Chastity told me she had known I
would get it back. How like her.

It
got late so I climbed in bed, naked again. Conrad called me for a few and I
smiled the whole time as I thought of telling him that I was naked. I would
keep this to myself.

“I
got a call from Blake and I need to head out Wednesday night since a big storm
will be coming in by Saturday. Can I take you to dinner Tuesday?”

“Of
course. I seem to be having an appetite increase these days.” Yes, I meant it
both ways.

“Now
now, don’t get me started. It’s bad enough having to leave in a few days let
alone you tempting me every second you can.”

“I
was tempted to eat the truffles in my fridge, but I’d be up all night with a
caffeine rush.”

“Got
a sweet tooth, eh?”

He
still didn’t own up to the box of truffles that he had sent me, so I would keep
up the farce.

“Yes,
that’s also why I love kissing you so much.”

 
“Okay, I’ll keep my evil thoughts to myself.”

“Good
night and I’ll see you at six-thirty Tuesday night. Hugs.”

He
blew me a kiss and hung up.

Boy,
my life had taken a turn for the better. I had actually turned myself on when
thinking of my so called evil thoughts and smiled.

* * * *

Monday
and Tuesday were very productive days at work. I was able to make an
appointment with the inspector for the beginning of the next week and corporate
would start the process of getting employees back on the clock. I was looking
forward to dinner with Conrad and refused to think about him being gone for a
week. It was too short of a time to work myself up about it.

I
got home and took a quick shower before he got there. I even downed two more
truffles before I dried my hair. I opened the door to him before I had my
makeup on and went to finish getting ready.

“You
don’t have to put all of that on just for me.”

“I
don’t do it for anyone except myself. Besides, I am only putting on eyeliner
and lip gloss.”

“Your
eyes are already gorgeous. I will only kiss the gloss off.”

“Well
then, I guess you won’t mind me tasting like watermelon.”

I
waved the lip gloss in front of him.

“You
taste good on your own, but if you want to be fruity, then go right ahead.”

I
slid the applicator across my lips as he watched me in the mirror. I had been
told by Chastity that guys liked watching girls get ready. I wouldn’t know. I
said this to Conrad as I got my green eyeliner out.

“Yes,
if I watched you get ready then you wouldn’t get to go out. I might be inclined
to keep you hostage at home.”

I
smudged on my favorite green eye liner.

“You
don’t make faces.”

I
stopped, mid-eyeliner stroke, “What?”

“Most
women make faces when they put their makeup on. You don’t do that.”

I
laughed when I realized that he was right. I didn’t do that.

“Good
observation.”

I
finished up and grabbed my bag off of the counter before turning to him for us
to head out.
 

By
the time I got to dessert, I started having a stomachache. I hoped it wasn’t
the food because we would both be sick. I took something for my stomach,
unfoturnatley
it only got worse.

“Are
you okay?”

“I’m
not sure. Does your stomach ache?”

“Nope,
I’m fine”

“My
stomach is tied into a knot as if I had swallowed a rock. I’m getting hot and
my head feels heavy.”

“That
sounds like the flu, has anyone at work been sick?”

“Not
that I am aware of. Maybe I should go home to bed.”

“If
that’s what you need to do, then let’s go.”

I
grabbed my bag and headed to the truck just as another pain hit me. My step
faltered for a moment and then I forced myself into the comfy front seat. Even
the seatbelt hurt.

Conrad
got me home and walked me to my door.

“Be
careful on your trip and I hope you don’t get sick.”

“I’ll
be careful. I’ll call you sometime tomorrow, Go get some rest.”

He
blew me a kiss. I smiled until another pain hit. I prayed for a quick recovery
and forced my eyes closed once I got into bed.

* * * *

Feeling
better the next day, I grabbed a can of soup and headed to work. I thought coffee
might be a bad idea, so I opted for hot tea at work. I was taking it easy
today, just in case.

Parker
was out for two days for jury duty and called to complain that he was being
sequestered. He was pissed at being in a low rank hotel with no greasy food, or
Chastity.

To
make matters worse, the weather was going haywire over several states. I’d be
getting part of it before the end of the day. They were reporting torrential
rain and possible flooding. I was glad my vehicle was made for this kind of
weather.

The
sky opened up at two in the afternoon and thunder rolled the skies shortly
after. The shade of the horizon melted into the black tar on the roads.
Visibility was at a minimum. I heard several reports of standing water on the
local streets.

By
three-thirty, I wished the crew a safe journey home as I closed the warehouse
doors against the pounding wind.

The
wind pushed against the vehicle as if it weighed nothing. I had a headache from
the hour of intense concentration it took me to drive home.

I
hated storms. They made me nervous. This storm frightened me because of its
severity. The lights flickered as I went to my room for dry clothing, so I
moved quickly. I threw on shorts and a camisole and grabbed the candles from my
dining room table. I headed to get the lighter just as the power went out.
Darkness enveloped me.

I
fumbled for the lighter in the utility drawer and used the single light to walk
to the bathroom to light the vanilla candle on the counter. It was a shame that
the batteries were dead in my flashlight. I kept forgetting to get new ones at
the store.

The
power being out meant I would be without A/C, hot water or even a hot meal. I
didn’t want to open the refrigerator, so I settled for a sloppy peanut butter
and honey sandwich as my dinner.

I
jumped at every boom or bright flash and dropped my sandwich once. Thankfully,
it landed on the table. I grabbed a romance novel, but reading by candle light
made my headache worse, so I put it up.

There
was a crash. I jumped from my seat so fast that the chair fell. There was
something in my ceiling. Water was dripping onto my floor. I heard yells as I
grabbed the candle and went closer to my front door.

There
was a tree branch coming through the molding above my front door. Water was
pooling at my feet as I stood there. The tree that had stood beside the
staircase had apparently fallen onto my unit. Hopefully, I could still get out.

I
ran to my bedroom and grabbed up my emergency back pack. I put on my tennis
shoes and pushed a scared Bella into her carrier as I heard someone on the
walkway.

“Ma’am,
are you in there?”

“Yes,
who’s there?”

“It’s
Robert from maintenance. We need to get everyone out of the units under this
tree.”

“I’ll
be right out. Is it safe to open the door?”

“It’s
clear, but may not open all of the way.”

It
opened just enough for me to squeeze through. I saw Robert look at the puddle
at my feet. I handed him Bella’s soft carrier.

“I’ll
get a sump pump over here to soak this up before too much damage is made.
You’re lucky you live in this unit.”

He
put Bella down and motioned to the hated apartment next door. The tree had
taken out the top of the door and was halfway across the den area. I was indeed
lucky. The tree was blocking the staircase and had busted some of the steps.
The only usable staircase was beyond the tree and on the opposite side of the
complex.

Robert
had said they had several sump pumps and would use those when the power came
back on. Right now he’d put tarps over the doorway. The floor would probably be
damaged and maybe the bottom of my furniture, depending on the level of water
seeping in.

I
was thankful that all of my photos and electronics were on surfaces a few feet
above the floor and not in the direct path of the destruction. My television
and stereo items were in a four foot tall cabinet in the corner. My television
might get some of it.

The
complex manager had lent me the empty storage closet that was on my floor so
Robert and I had made several trips filling it with my valuables.

I
was soaked by the time I padded carefully through the puddles in the parking
lot. I climbed inside my Jeep and shook the water from my hair, like a dog. I
placed Bella on the passenger seat and wished I could crack the windows for
her. I reached for my cell phone. It was damp from being in my pocket since I
had spent so much time in the rain. It was going to need to sit somewhere warm
to dry out.

“Hey
honey” Conrad said.

“Hey”
 

“You
sound tired. Is that the rain I hear?”

“Yes,
it’s very rough over here. The tree at my staircase got struck by lightning and
the trunk went into my roof.”

“Are
you okay?”

“Yes,
it did minimal damage to my ceiling, but totally demolished the roof next door.
The staircase is blocked off and water was pooling in the den.”

“Where
are you right now?”

“Bella
and I are in the Jeep out in the complex parking lot. The manager offered me a
storage closet so my personal stuff could be locked up.”

“Are
you going over to stay with one of the girls?”

“Honestly,
I hadn’t even thought that far. I used my brain cells for protecting us and my
stuff first.”

“That
makes sense. Why don’t you stay at my cabin?”

“I
don’t have a key.”

“Sam,
I have a hidden spare key and you’re more than welcome to stay there. The
appliances and heat are gas so you should be comfortable if the power goes out.
Just head over there and relax.”

“Are
you sure?”

“I’d
be insulted if you didn’t. The key is under the terracotta planter next to the
shed.”

“Okay,
I’ll head over there now. Thanks honey.”

“It’s
no trouble. Please, be careful.”

“I
will. I’ll call you tomorrow. Good Night.”

“Good
night.”

I
texted my info to all three of the girls, at once, before I pulled out of the
parking lot. I slowly drove to the cabin, the solar lights lit up his gravel
driveway. Bella meowed as she realized she would be getting out in the storm
again. Hopefully, tonight wouldn’t make her afraid of storms.