Sara's Unyielding Lover (The Lovers Series) (13 page)

Sara’s
eyes widened and she gasped in complete shock.

“Did-did
you just say I love you?”

“Yes,
I love you; you’re all I think about all I want. I want to give you a key to my
house. You can come and go any time; I want you to be confident that thou Tracy
and I have a past it’s not like that anymore. I love you baby.”

It
seemed this was a night for tears. Sara was crying again but not from hurt or
sorrow she was happy.

“Oh
God Eric I love you too, I know it’s fast, I know it’s crazy but I’m whole with
you.”

“Baby”
Was all he said, he took her mouth and dominated her with his kiss. She loved
him and she was his. He pushed her back down onto the bed and made love to her
slow and tender with his love pouring over her.

The
next day at her usual lunch with Jo Ann Sara told her about why Eric hadn’t
wanted her to go to his house. She didn’t give all the details, there were
things that weren’t hers to tell. She told her how Tracy had saved his life
during a drive by and how he now felt compelled to help her.

“And
he’s giving me a key to his place, he said to come and go as I pleased because
he had nothing to hide.”

“Wow
I knew there was something there, so he says there’s nothing going on between
them and you believe him.” Jo Ann was trying to not jump to conclusions but she
didn’t like what she was hearing.

“Of
course, he’s giving me a key, he wouldn’t do that if he was hiding something.”

“Ok
that’s true enough, but you said they used to hook up back in the day right?”

“Yes.”
Sara hesitantly answered

“And
she jumped and pushed him down during the drive by? Someone doesn’t risk their
own life for someone unless they are 1. Family or 2. In love with them. There may
be no feelings on his side, but what about hers? He’s giving you a key, ok good
you can trust him but can you trust her?”

“It
doesn’t matter if she has left over feelings for him, He loves me he told me
last night.”

“So
he actually came out and said he loved you?”

“Yes
he told he loved me than he kept telling me over and over when we made love.”

“Again
wow, honestly I didn’t see him saying it first I thought you would cave.” Jo
Ann chortled.

“So
we have plans to go to the Gas Lamp Quarter to hit up a few clubs were making
it a group thing want to join us, his cousins Gio and Matt will be coming and
they’re almost as hot as Eric.” She said in a sing song voice trying to entice
Jo Ann

“Almost
huh?”

“Well
of course almost, no one is as hot as my Eric.”

“Ha!”
Jo Ann let out a sarcastic laugh,

Sara
and Jo Ann continued their lunch talking about Eric’s cousin and the numerous
clubs to pick from in the Gas Lamp.

Lunch
over back at her desk, Sara really tried to concentrate on her work; she had
showings that she needed to get tickets for, she had to fix a few more messed
up invoices but what Jo Ann said kept buzzing around in her head like a nest of
angry hornets. Sara was starting to feel uneasy about this Tracy staying with
Eric. She needed to know about her and she needed to know when she was gonna
get the hell out of Eric’s house. The hands on the clock were just not moving
fast enough. She wanted to get home, she knew she could text him and get an
answer but she thought this was too personal to do via text.

Finally
5 o’clock she couldn’t leave fast enough. Riding down the elevator she texted
Eric.

To:
Eric Morales

Done
with work heading home, meet there?

Her
cell chimed almost immediately

From:
Eric Morales

Beat
you there ;)

Sara
chewed on her lip the whole drive home; by the time she parked she was
surprised she had any lip left. Of course he did beat her there. She saw his
big truck parked in what has become his usual spot in the visitor’s parking.
For the first time since they’ve met she was unsure of herself. Eric could tell
by the look on her face as she walked up to her front door that something was
wrong. As she came close he reached out for her and encircled her in his arms;
rubbing her back soothingly.

“Baby
you look upset is something wrong?”

Sara
debated whether or not to talk to Eric about her concerns; she didn’t want him
to think she doubted him or what he said. She also didn’t want to come off as
jealous so in the end she decided to just keep her thoughts about the feelings
Tracy may or may not feel for him to herself.

“Nothing
it was just a long day I had a hard time fixing some invoices that the new
distributor sent over.”

Eric
could tell there was more but he wasn’t gonna push her.

“Alright
let’s get you inside, I’ll make you dinner while you soak in a bath and then
I’ll rub you down.” He squeezed her tight and kissed the top of her head.

Sara
hugged him back, took in a deep cleansing breath exhaled and step out of Eric’s
arms and put on the best smile she could.

“That
sounds perfect.”

The next morning Sara
woke up to Eric’s soft kisses.

“Morning baby.”

“Good morning.” Her
voice was gruff with sleep.

“I have to leave early,
I gotta meet Gio at the gym he’s been complaining about me skipping out on
him.”

“Oh ok what time are we
going out tonight are we meeting here or at your place?”

“Well I think here is
better; it’ll be rude to meet at my place to go out when we’re not inviting
Tracy.”

Sara sat up. “How long
is Tracy staying at your place?”

She pushed her hair behind
her ear and let out a sigh she didn’t want to be the typical insecure
girlfriend but after her lunch with Jo Ann she was unsettled about Tracy. Sara
steadied her voice and went on

“I understand why you’re
helping her I do and I believe you when you say you don’t have any more
feelings for her. But what about her, she risked her life for you, went to jail
for you and you said you guys had been intimate, you don’t do stuff like that
unless you love that person. And I feel like you’re either hiding me from her
or her from me. We don’t go to your house, we don’t meet at your house and the
one time we stopped at your house you told me to stay in the truck.”

Finished with her
unscheduled rant she looked up from the sheet had been fidgeting with to see
how Eric felt about what she had said.

Eric was momentarily
speechless, he knew yesterday something was on her mind but he didn’t think it
was this. He picked up one of her hands and placed a tender kiss on her palm.

“Baby, is this what you
were upset about yesterday?”

A silent nod was her
only answer.

“Sara listen to me,
there is nothing between me and Tracy on either side, back then she may of
thought herself in love with me but that was years ago. We’ve both grown up and
moved on. And I’m not hiding you.”

He paused stood up and
fished around in his pocket. He pulled out his hand and held it up to her. In
his palm was a red house key with little pink hearts.

“I forgot to give this
to you yesterday, I thought you might like a cute key better than just a plain
one. They had so many to choose from its like having a designer key is the new
thing. Well any way I have nothing to hide from you. Use it when you want.”

Sara plucked the key
from his palm and smiled. She was so dumb for doubting. She walked on her knees
to the edge of the bed where Eric stood. She wrapped her arms and planted a big
noisy kiss on his lips. Mmmuuuaaahhh “I’m sorry I panicked.”

“Baby I love you only
you, you are mine.”

“And you are mine.”

“Yes, now I hate to
leave you but Gio is going to rag on me.”

With one more kiss he
left. As he got into his truck his phone started going off. He looked at the
caller I.D. he shook his head.
“Of
course”

“Yo Gio I’m on my way.”

“Damn man can’t you
leave her only for one morning, you’ve skipped out on me like six times in last
two weeks.”

“I know bro I’m sorry
but this morning could not be helped.”

“What you couldn’t keep
it in your pants till tonight?” Gio was being loud and very sarcastic if he had
been in front Eric, Eric might have decked him.

“No, Sara had a mini
freak over Tracy staying at my place. I had to reassure her that there’s
nothing between Tracy and me.”

Gio let out a loud
cackle of a laugh. “Saw that coming, what chick would want her man’s ex staying
at his place.”

“Gio there’s no feelings
there; we hooked up a few times over ten years ago.” Eric was starting to get
irritated and it was too early in the morning to be pissed.

“Did you tell her that?”

“Yes I’ve told Sara a
couple of times.”

“No not Sara Tracy.”

Eric was now confused
and pissed not a good combination.

“Why would I talk to
Tracy?”

“Dude are you deaf dumb
and blind, Tracy still wants you. When I’ve been at your place I’ve seen the
looks she’s giving you; haven’t you noticed how she finds any way she can to
touch you or brush up against you?”

Eric was blown away he
tried to think if he noticed anything but nothing popped. “No, I would have
noticed.”

“God you’re such an
idiot, she’s totally sprung on you, you really think you’re the only one she
has to help her get on her feet. She has family outside the neighborhood put it
together.”

“Look I’m pulling into
the parking lot now, see you in a min.” With that he hung up and went inside.

                                                           
***

When Eric left Sara felt
better, she had told him what she was worried about and he assured her and gave
her the key. He honestly had nothing to hide. She had to remember that not
every man is like Michael. Having been woken up early by Eric when she was done
getting ready and had breakfast she had twenty minutes to kill. Having nothing
to really do at home she went to work early.

Settling into her desk
she just dug into her work. At 9 o’clock as predictable as the tide Jo Ann came
in. And as it has been their routine Jo Ann stood next to Sara’s desk as see
looked over her incoming mail.

“Morning Sara, wow have
you done all that paperwork already?

“Morning,
yeah woke up early so I just came in early.”

“Uh
huh so does that mean you’re gonna want to leave early?”

Sara
lightly chuckled. “No, but if you want to send me home early that’s a different
story.”

“Well
it is Friday, if you can get the tickets and badges for the trade shows were
going to next week and get through that paperwork I wouldn’t care if you took
off a bit early.”

“Thanks,
hey did you decide whether or not you wanted to come with us tonight?”

Jo
Ann started slapping her mail across her palm as she was thinking on her
answer. “This is a group thing right? You’re not trying to set me up with
Eric’s cousin as revenge for giving your info to Eric.”

Sara
shook her head smiling that would have been a good idea if she had thought of
it. She’ll have to remember this idea for when she did want to get revenge. “No
Jo Ann it’s not a setup, Gio, Matt, Brianna, Eric and I are going.”

“What
time are we meeting who’s driving?”

“Well
Matt has an older Tahoe and it seats eight so we’re driving together. Brianna
offered to be the DD and we’re meeting at my place. Not sure of the time yet,
Eric’s supposed to text me.”

“I
haven’t been to a club in forever, alright count me in text me when you know
what time we’re meeting.”

At the gym Eric told Gio
to drop the subject of Tracy. He had insisted Tracy was just a friend and Gio
kept telling him he was dumb and not reading the signs. So the subject was
dropped. But it left Eric feeling uneasy.

“Hey man Matt and
Brianna said it’d be easier for them to meet up at your place. Bri will be
coming straight from her job and it’s easier for her to go you your place and
get ready there. Instead of driving home, then getting ready then driving to
Matt’s place. She’d be doing a lot of back tracking.”

“Yeah that’s fine I’ll
just text Sara and tell her the change in plans.”

“So, what time are we
leaving? Bri gets off at 8p.m.”

“We’ll leave at 9p.m.
then that gives her an hour to get ready.”

“Cool, we gonna met up
at the gym again Monday?”

“Yeah, Monday works,
alright I’m out I need to shower and head to the La Jolla store. There’s some
problem with the security system I’m having installed.”

They headed to the
shower room talking about the La Jolla store that would soon be open.

                                                           
***

Sara and Jo Ann were in
the middle of lunch, they had chosen to go to a new sub shop that opened a
couple of blocks away. It was better than Subway because half of the shop was a
bakery. So you could come here for a breakfast bagel or donut and pick up a sub
for later if you wanted to eat lunch in the office. Her phone went off with a
text right in the middle of her taking a bite of her Italian sub. Putting her
sub down she wiped her hands on a napkin and dug her phone out of her purse.

From: Eric Morales

Change in plans baby Gio
said it’s easier for everyone to meet at my place. We’re leaving at 9p.m. So
drive over before then.
 

Sara looked up from her
phone to look at Jo Ann to tell her about the change in plans. Jo Ann was
enjoying her meatball sub and some of the marinara sauce was dribbling down her
chin. Sara handed her a napkin ignoring the evil thought of taking a pic of her
and posting it online. Her voice muffled from the food she was still chewing Jo
Ann asked

 
“Was that Eric? What time are we
meeting?”

“Yeah we’re meeting at
his place; we’re leaving at nine so we got to be there before that.”

“I don’t know how to get
to his place.”

“Just come to my place
and we’ll drive together.”

“No I want to drive down
to the Gas Lamp in my car; if I drive with you and I want to leave early I’ll
be stuck.”

“Ok then just come my
house and we can drive to Eric’s in your car.”

“Yeah that’ll work, what
are you wearing?”

Sara took a drink of her
root beer, washing down a bite of sub. “Hmmmm not sure I don’t want to dress up
too much but I want to look hot.” Sara licked her finger made like she was
touching something and then made a sizzling sound, just as Jo Ann had did when
they first saw Eric. Jo Ann couldn’t help but laugh almost chocking on her Dr.
Pepper as she did.

“You’ll look good in anything;
I’m gonna wear my sparkle jeans, black sequenced tube top and my Baby Phat
black heels.”

“Hold on hold on hold on
sparkle jeans what is that?”

“It’s my dark blue jeans
with the two back pockets covered in rhinestones.”

“Oh ok I thought you
meant like the jeans were cover all over in sparkles.”

Jo Ann shook her head
and rolled her eyes.

“Of course they’re not
covered all over that would look stupid.”

“Agreed” Laughed Sara.

Sara shot Eric a quick
text to let him know of Jo Ann’s plans.

To: Eric Morales

Jo Anna wants to drive
her own car down to the Gas Lamp in case she wants to leave early. I don’t want
her driving alone so we’ll meet you at your place and follow you down.

Finished with their subs
they walked back to the office; talking the whole way there about what Sara
should wear and how they would style their hair. Once back at the office they
both jumped into their work, wanting to finish up early so they could leave a
little early. Sara needed all the extra time she could get she was leaning
toward curling hair which would take forever.

It was almost 4 o’clock
Sara really wanted to leave but she was having problems getting ahold of the
registrar office on the phone for the show they were supposed to go to this
Wednesday. She needed to get their badges and parking passes. Every time she
called it was busy. She reread the show’s packet to see if there was another
way of getting ahold of them. At the very bottom she found an Email address.
She was in business now, she sent an email requesting confirmation on their
badges and parking pass. There she was done.

She pushed back from her
desk and went to knock on Jo Ann’s office door.

“Come in.”

“Hey Jo Ann I’m all
finished, just waiting on an email confirmation for the LA show but it’s Friday
so I probably won’t get it till Monday.”

“Ok then go ahead and go
and I’ll meet you at your place ‘round 8p.m.”

“Great see ya later.”

Sara went back to her
desk shut down her computer gathered all her stuff and headed home.

When Sara got home she went
straight to her closet. The Gas Lamp wouldn’t get that cold at night so she
could get away with wearing a skirt but she had the coolest skinny jeans ever;
black with faded stone washed grey spots in the shape of stars. She wished she
knew what Brianna was wearing she didn’t want to be the only one in a skirt
then again a skirt would give Eric easy access. With a devilish smile she
thought of all the possibilities.
“Skirt
it is.”
She paired her skirt with purple long sleeve scoop neck top with
the shoulders cut out. Outfit picked she needed to start on her hair.

At five to 8 Jo Ann
knocked on Sara's door. Sara who was still not ready ran to the front door,
opened it and let Jo Ann in. Hi I'm not finished with my make-up yet so give me
a couple of minutes.
Jo Ann followed Sarah back into her bathroom. As Sara was
putting on the finishing touches to her make up Jo Ann got a good look and saw
Sara’s outfit.

“Wow you look great that
skirt looks perfect on you. Oh Sara your hair, its looks so beautiful how long
did it take you to curl it like that?”

Sarah chuckled “It took
me almost 2 hours to get the curls in.”

“Oh wow your make up
looks stunning where'd you learn to put it on like that.”

“YouTube.”

“Are you serious
YouTube?”

“Yeah I actually learned
how to do a lot of things off YouTube, cool braids for my hair and other stuff.
Okay I'm ready let's go.”

 
The girls walked out to the parking lot side by side and got into JoAnn's Kia
Rondo.
Sarah
inputted Eric's address into Jo Ann’s GPS and they were on their way.