Unexpected Mr. Right (10 page)

"I don't have much time left. If we're going to do this you need to let me get started."

"Yes,” she pushed the single syllable word from her mouth. She couldn't manage anything more.

"Does your neck feel better? Can I move on?"

"Yes."

"My hands are working their way down your neck, Tabby. All the tension is gone as I rub my hands across your mocha skin. I'm at your shoulders. I'm not massaging anymore. Just tickling. Whispering my fingers across your body like a ghost. You can't see me but you can feel me can't you, Tabby?"

When did her name on his tongue start to sound so damn seductive? His voice hypnotized her. The ache in her belly headed south until it landed at the center of her thighs. “Yes, Nico. I can feel you."

"Say my name again. I never thought I'd get to hear you say it with that husky, turned-on, breathlessness that you have right now."

"Nico."

"Fucking beautiful. Just like you, Tabby. I think you deserve a reward for that. I'm going to touch your breast. Those pert little nipples are begging for me. They're eager for me. I can feel it as I roll them between my fingers. Do you like that?"

"Yes."

"Yes, who?"

"Yes, Nico."

"Don't deny me that, Tabby. I want to hear you say my name tonight. Can you do that?"

"Uh huh ... Nico."

"You know what would make this even better for you? Move your hands to your own breasts. Pretend it's me, Baby. Roll your nipples and imagine it's my hands giving you pleasure."

Baby. He hadn't used any names like that for her since the incident when she slapped him. After that she was Slugger. Apparently not tonight. Her body warmed at the sound of the term of endearment.

"Are you doing it?” he asked.

Like they had a mind of their own, Tabby's hands moved to her breasts, to her nipples. She squeezed, rolled and teased imagining it was Nico's hands on her. She needed this. They both did. The attraction they felt was mutual but she couldn't let it go any farther than what they shared right now.

"Tabby, Baby? You still with me?"

"I'm here. And I'm doing it. I'm touching ... myself ... like you said."

"Good girl. I wish I could be there to see you."

"You are here,” she reminded him as she squeezed her own nipples.

He snickered. “You're right. I am and you feel so good. I'm going to put a little more pressure with my fingers. Damn you feel good in my hands but I think I want to taste you. I'm flicking your nipple with my tongue, next I'm going to draw it into the warmth of my mouth. Does that feel good?"

"Oh God, yes.” Tabby felt him. All around her, sucking on her nipples with skill. “I'm so close, Nico.” It surprised her that her bluntness didn't embarrass her.

"I'm switching to your right breast. My mouth is there sucking on you while my hand is on your left. We wouldn't want to leave anything out, would we? Damn you feel good, Baby. Let loose for me."

Tabby moaned her release into the phone. When she did she heard Luciano yelling Nico's name in the background. Damn.

"Shit,” Nico hissed. “I have to go, baby."

Tabby almost couldn't speak her body lay so limp with satisfaction. But a thought popped into her head and she couldn't help but ask. “Wait,” she called out.

"Yeah?” He sounded annoyed. Maybe that wasn't the right word. More like frustrated. Sexually frustrated.

"Do you still think I'm only vanilla with sprinkles?” She didn't know why she wanted to know but for some reason she did.

He let out a laugh sounding more like the man she started to know so well. “I think you just added a little chocolate sauce into the mix."

Jesus, he was hard as nails. Damn Luciano for coming in when he did. Better yet, for scheduling him to work tonight. If not he would be on his way to her house to finish what they started. Now that the moment ended, he wasn't sure he'd get it back. She'd start over-thinking it, worrying, stressing that he would hurt her.

But he wouldn't. Would he? All he wanted to do is spend more time with her, pleasure her, show her how good he could make her feel if she'd just loosen up and indulge in a good old fashion affair with him. She had time to look for Mr. Right later. They were young and free. Why not enjoy it?

Nico stirred the sauce that boiled on one of the stoves. She somehow gotten under his skin. That never happened before. It wasn't something he worked at, he just never met a woman like Tabby before. A woman he could laugh with, talk with, try and open her world a little bit. A woman who had desire in her eyes but was too afraid to indulge.

Except tonight. Tonight she'd pleasured herself, with him instructing her. Maybe there was a light at the end of the tunnel. But she'd have to make the next move. He didn't chase women. Well he hadn't until he met Tabby.

Tabby couldn't get her orgasm inspiring phone call out of her head. A couple days passed yet her cheeks still tinged with an embarrassed heat at the memory. Hell, maybe she should have gone to the doctor after her tussle with Jackson. Obviously the incident left her with a couple loose screws. Not much she could do about it now. Last she checked they didn't make pills to help crazy women who pleasure themselves on the phone with a man who was supposed to be just a friend.

Though the way she saw it they should.

She didn't do phone sex. Never had. The fact is, before Nico she was never a really sexual woman. Sure she'd had sex and enjoyed it enough but a man never gave her that zing with just one look the way Nico did. And you could sure bet no man ever made her even think about tweaking her own nipples into orgasm while being coaxed over the phone with said man. “Oh God what have I done?"

Tabby leaned back in her office chair and let out a frustrated sigh. Now she had no idea how to act around him. He hadn't called her since the incident as she liked to call it. Was he giving her space? Had he decided to just move on? Would he expect something more from her now? She knew her actions sent out mixed signals. Not smart. This wasn't a game to her and she feared he would think it was. One minute she said one thing, the next she screamed in release while he sat listening on the other end of the line.

The scariest part is she feared she'd be even more attracted to him now. She always wanted him and if things were different, if she could indulge in an affair without risking her heart she'd have given in months earlier. After what they just shared she knew that idea to be even worse than she originally thought. If he could do what he did with just words she'd be in big trouble if she ever jumped into the sack with him.

The thing was even though she wanted nothing more than to forget the incident had never happened, she knew she couldn't. One look at him and she'd recall every passionate second of their phone call. Seeing him for the first time in front of Bri, Kaylee and Luciano on Friday night would be a huge mistake. They'd know something happened. Well lets rephrase that, she'd help them figure out something happened by turning into a shy, red-cheeked, ball of embarrassed energy right in front of them.

She'd be like Kaylee was around Luciano before they got together. “Shit, shit, shit.” The only thing she could do is call him. Hope that they could talk this out and it would ease some of the awkwardness that would no doubt be between them. Grabbing her cell out of her purse she looked his name up in her phone book and hit send. Three rings later he answered.

"Hello."

"Hey ... It's Tabby."

"I know who it is, Slugger but you are going to have to speak up if you want me to hear this conversation. You're mumbling over there."

Was she mumbling? She hadn't noticed. Damn she felt silly. She had no idea what to say. He probably did stuff like this all the time. “Sorry. I just thought we should ... um ... talk about the other night."

"Why?” he asked.

Why? Why? Of all the dumb things to say. “Because I touched myself with you ... over the phone!"

"Unfortunately, I didn't get to do any touching. Being at work and all. Maybe next time though.” She could hear the smile in his voice.

"You know that isn't what I meant. We stepped over the lines of our friendship, Nico. Things weren't supposed to go ... there."

"I don't live my life by a strict set of rules like you do. Who cares where things were supposed to go, that's where they went. I had a hell of a good time as I'm sure you did too but if you don't want that to change things it won't. Simple as that. We're still friends, I don't expect anything else out of you. End of story. Unless of course you want—"

"No.” She cut him off. “I mean, I enjoyed the other night but we can't do it again. We just can't do it again.” She envied how easy going he sounded about all this. No matter what she decided he was okay with that. She could never be like that. Not where sex and love were concerned.

"Okay, Slugger. No more hot-as-hell phone sex. What about cooking lessons? We still okay with those?"

To her surprise the word, “Yes,” rolled out of her mouth without a second thought. She really wanted to spend more time with him. It might not be a good idea but she couldn't say no regardless.

"Great. Where are you?"

"Work."

"Give me the address. I'm picking you up in half an hour."

Tabby and Nico walked into building where Nico informed her they would be taking a cooking class. Why, she didn't know. The man was a freakin’ chef yet they were taking a cooking class. His idea. Not hers.

They walked into the room, everyone already behind their station and the cooking teacher in the front of the room.

"Glad you could make it,” the female teacher called out. “I'd heard I had two more for this evening. Do you want to tell us a little bit about yourselves before we get started?"

Nico spoke up before she had the chance. “My name is Luciano and this is my fiancée Kaylee. Neither of us know a thing about cooking so we decided to take a class before our upcoming wedding."

Tabby's head snapped to the left to look at him. She could feel her eye protruding from her head.

"Don't be shy Snooky,” Nico pat her hand before turning toward the teacher and the rows of people who stood in front of them. “She's a little bit nervous because she can't cook."

The squeaky-voiced woman came toward them. “Now Kaylee, there's no reason to be shy. Everyone is here because they have trouble in the kitchen. We'll have you whipped into shape before that wedding date gets here."

She could practically hear Nico laughing even though no sound escaped his lips. She could feel his amusement seep through their touching hands. Well, two could play at that game.

"Luciano tried to show me how to cook macaroni and cheese one night, it's his favorite meal, you know, but he forgot to use a pot holder and burned his hand so bad we spent half the night in the emergency room. He's been so scared ever since I can hardly get him to step foot in our kitchen. It's like just seeing the stove gives him flashbacks."

How do you like that?

"Oh you poor dear. We'll cure you of your phobia today, you just wait and see. I'm going to pay extra attention to you throughout your lesson today. We couldn't want you to get injured again."

Tabby got him that time. He didn't expect her to come up with a story like that so quickly. Now he had an overbearing cooking teacher breathing down their backs the whole time they made their poached pears. He could work with this. Might as well get into character and enjoy the little game. They'd mixed the wine, cinnamon, nutmeg, water and a few other ingredients in the sauce pan. The pears needed to go in next. “Snooky, how about you take over? After all, you'll be the one cooking the most. While I'm working I'll need someone at home, barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen."

Nico tried to hold in his smile when every woman in the room looked at him like a chauvinist and the men looked at him with sympathy. When Tabby turned and shot him with her evil eye he knew he'd succeeded in what he really wanted to do, give her a hard time.

"Well Luci, since you're the one who has a phobia to get over I think you need this more than I do."

She added a little “Ha” with her eyes telling him she thought she'd just pulled one over on him.

"You weren't calling me Luci last night.” He added a wink for good measure.

"Nico!” she screeched.

"Who's Nico,” the chef asked?

"That's what I'd like to know.” He fought to hold in his laugh.

She looked nervous. He could see the wheels turning in her head like she really wanted something creative to say. Lucky for her, their instructor saved her.

"Tonight is about the art of cooking. Let's focus on that. Luciano, why don't you add the pears. We want you to get over your fear of getting burned. Hop back on that horse by adding those pears and covering the pan with a lid."

This lady was a little crazy but a laugh all the same. He didn't want to ruin her class so he decided to get to cooking, of course still pretending he had no idea what to do. “Kaylee why don't we do it together?” It took Tabby a minute to realize he spoke to her.

She smiled up at him and it hit him right in the chest. She had a beautiful smile. It took him a minute to realize her smile was part of their act.

Tabby picked up two of the peeled pears and he grabbed the other. They placed them in the pan before he covered it.

"That's it. You two work very well together."

"Thanks,” they both replied in unison. Yeah, he thought they worked well together too.

The pears simmered and apparently had to sit over night after that. While they did their thing the cooking instructor brought out already simmered pairs for them to start the second half of the recipe. Nico was such a character. She couldn't believe he threw out that whole Kaylee and Luciano scheme. She'd have never thought to do something like that but after he started the routine she realize how fun it really was.

Nico continued his spiel the whole time, grabbing huckleberries when they were instructed to grab vanilla beans, or questioning which spoon was the teaspoon compared to the table. She couldn't believe no one else caught on to their act. She felt herself smiling numerous times through their whole lesson. Despite the fact that he'd “messed” up the whole time their pears came out perfect by the end of the class. Apparently he couldn't screw up a recipe even when he tried.