Come Back To Me (6 page)

The driver parked outside the entrance
to the Cartier store, and I climbed out. I paid him quickly and
entered the store. A security guard waited by the door, I told him
who I was and he instructed me where to find Franco.

I waited for the elusive Franco to
emerge, and while meandering around I took a look at the jewels on
display. There were watches, necklaces, rings, and just about
everything else crusted with the sparkling gems. This was most
women’s wet dream, but not me, I felt out of place. Like a
foreigner away from their native country, no clue how to speak the
language, and having to use the bathroom like mad. I took myself to
the engagement ring section of the store, and my eyes became wider,
some were smaller than others, but some looked like ice cubes
mounted on a ring of platinum. I spied one ring that made my heart
jump. It was a smaller diamond, possibly a carat or less, mounted
into an antique scroll setting. The diamond shone like a lighthouse
on a foggy marine evening. I was mesmerized.

“Would you like to try something on?”
The sales girl interrupted my thoughts.

Should I? What would it
hurt?

“Sure” I pointed the masterpiece that
snagged my attention. “That one there.”

She unlocked the glass confines, and
placed the ring on top of a blue velvet cloth. I was hesitant to
even touch it, wasn’t there a wives tale that said if you try on
rings without your soul mate present, you would live a life of
unhappiness and loneliness? It wasn’t like men were beating down my
door to ask for my hand in marriage…I decided to try it
on.

Sliding it on my finger felt like a
dream, the sizing was perfect and it felt cool and comfortable.
This was the kind of ring I wanted, not some massive rock that
needed an accompanying wheel barrow. This was me.

The sales girl chimed in again “This
one is only $9,499; it’s a great diamond as well.”

I slid it off my finger and placed it
in her hand. “Thank you for letting me try it on.”

She frowned and placed it back in the
case; I took one last look and walked away.

“Excuse me Miss Mills?” I heard called
behind me.

I turned to see a skinny little man,
dressed in a black suit with bright red neck tie. He reminded me of
an elf, and I giggled under my breath. “Uh yes, I’m
Emily.”

“Hello there, I’m Franco; I have your
jewelry waiting over here. Your Mother chose fine looking pieces; I
hope you will be satisfied.”

I gulped in some air to push the sick
feeling back down my throat, and stepped toward him. Once I reached
the counter, he slid the velvet covering off the set and I gasped.
“Holy shit!” Franco stared at me with horror, and I heard a deep
chuckle behind me.

I turned to see a beast of a man
standing there and suddenly felt embarrassed. “I’m sorry.” I told
him “I was just shocked.” I felt my face flame.

“No worries, this place tends to shock
me as well.” The man stated.

I didn’t want to tell him that what
shocked me the most was the choices my mother had made. She
refrained from the usual bling, and opted for a simple white gold
chain, from which hung a single solitaire diamond, maybe ½ a caret.
The earrings reflected the same design and it actually warmed my
heart. After feeling happy about the choice, my attention went back
to the hunk of a man standing dangerously near me.

He was beautiful, about my height,
broad shoulders, dark chocolate hair, and tanned skin. His face was
brushed with a hint of a five o’clock shadow already, and I wanted
to run my knuckles over and over it. I looked down and did the
traditional “is he married sweep” of his hands, and my heart leapt
when I didn’t see one. Fair game.

His masculinity overwhelmed me, and
made my juices start to flow freely. My cheeks flushed, and I
became weak in the knees. What was wrong with me that I couldn’t
behave in a damn jewelry store? I chalked it up to the fact that a
man hadn’t been between my legs in quite some time, but maybe this
guy could fulfill that need.

“Do you need to sit down?” He
asked.

I shook my head and tried to pull
myself from the stupor that overcame me. “Yes. No. I’m fine.” I
smiled.

“Are you sure, you don’t look
fine.”

“Thanks for the compliment.” I said
sarcastically.

He laughed. “I didn’t mean it like
that, and just so you know I think you are more than fine.” He
winked.

“Thank you.” Was all I could manage to
say.

I was pulled yet again from my haze by
the voice of Franco. “Miss Mills, I have your items all wrapped and
ready to go.”

I turned back around and took the items
he offered, I tucked them into my bag, and gave one last look to
the green eyed god that stood next to me. I gave him a smile and
stalked toward the door. I had to get away from him before I shoved
him into the bathroom and fucked his brains out.

When I hit the sidewalk I felt a hand
on my shoulder.

“Excuse me, I don’t mean to be so
forward, but would you want to have dinner with me?” Mr. Green eyes
asked.

“I would but I don’t even know your
name.”

“Please forgive me, I’m
Grant Billings, and you are?”

“Emily Mills pleased to meet you
Grant.”

“Likewise, so how about it?
Dinner?”

“Sure. That would be nice.”

He pulled out his wallet, and handed me
a business card. “Call my cell and leave your number, that way I
can schedule a date.”

I took the card and blushed.
“Okay.”

“Well gotta go, I look forward to
hearing from you soon Emily.”

Grant walked off, and I felt the need
to change my panties, they were soaked. Having a date with him
might not be a great idea, but I was willing to chance it to be
around him once more.

Six

Jake woke Saturday feeling fairly well
rested; he hopped from his bed and began his morning routine. The
start of the day always began with a jog through central park,
nothing could challenge the feeling he got when his heart was
racing, and sweat beaded on his forehead. It cleared his head, and
helped everything come into perspective for him.

He started his run, but instead of
clearing his thoughts today, he seemed to be overtaken with
thoughts of Emily. He replayed the images of her that he found on
the web, and the front of his jogging pants started to
tent.

She was so different and yet the same
as she’d been in their college days. Of course she was still as
beautiful as ever, but she’d grown into herself so well. She looked
mature, but not aged. Her skin was flawless, and natural, with a
hint of pink in her cheeks.

In the past she complained how she
wanted darker hair, but Jake loved the hue she was blessed with. It
complimented those eyes that he could get lost in for days if not
years. She was his idea of perfection.

With his head spinning,
thoughts out of control, and his dick making an unwanted
appearance, he cut his jog short. He sat on a park bench and
breathed in to clear his head.
She took his
breath away?

“What the fuck is wrong with me?” He
thought. Jake was baffled how Emily could make his head spin even
though he hadn’t seen her since college. There were so many females
that rocked his world, but just thinking about the blonde angel he
once knew made him think of other things for his life.

He was tired of bringing home women,
fucking them senseless, and making them leave his apartment. He
realized that in doing so he treated them more or less like
prostitutes, although he never paid them for services
rendered.

Jake felt butterflies when he
remembered he would see her the following weekend. What would he
say? What would he do? The caveman in him wanted to knock her over
the head, drag her to his place and never let her leave again. He
wanted to worship her, mind body and soul. But would she want that?
Would he scare her away, or would the fact that they came from such
different backgrounds still cause a roadblock? Pulling him from his
tirade of questions was his phone. He reached into his pocket and
hit the answer key.

“Hey?” He greeted.

“Jake its Kandie, how are you
baby?”

Shit. Kandie. He didn’t really want to
think about her right now. This woman was the total polar opposite
of Emily. Where Emily looked innocent and wholesome, Kandie was a
bad girl, and she wasn’t afraid to show it…in the bedroom and out
of it. Kandie had jet black hair, which was cut into a sexy bob
just below her chin, and dark skin that displayed her Hawaiian
heritage. The best thing about her was that she was the best steady
fuck in his life. This woman had no inhibitions whatsoever; she
wanted cock, anywhere and everywhere. Jake considered her his booty
call, and Kandie didn’t seem to mind the title.

“Oh Hey, what’s up?” Jake
questioned.

“I wanted to see if you would be home
tonight? I have an itch that needs scratched if you get my
drift?”

He caught on to her analogy with
quickness, she wanted to be fucked, and he was the man to do
it.

“Yeah I’ll be around, what
time?”

“Nine okay with you?”

“Sure sounds great.” He then ended the
call.

After the call, Jake felt guilty for
some reason, sure he’d done this s ton of times, but now he was
thinking about someone else. He was tired of meaningless sex, and
thought it was time to start a lasting relationship. Jake wanted
someone to come home to every night, someone to share his hopes and
dreams, and someone he could cherish with is whole
heart.

It was bizarre that he was even
thinking about “happily ever after”. He was never wired that way;
it was about the next piece of ass, and then time to move on. His
big head told him to call Kandie and cancel their plans for the
evening, but the ache in his little head told him to fuck her and
get some relief. For now he would go with the little
head.

Once home, Jake needed someone to talk
to. He wanted to get the opinion of someone he trusted, but who
would listen without thinking he had lost his marbles? Should he
call Gabe? Nah Gabe was a self-proclaimed “Playboy”, his love them
and leave them strategy worked for him, but Jake wanted more. The
only person he felt mildly comfortable with discussing matters such
as these was his Mom. She would probably be overjoyed that he
wanted to settle down; after all she was always harping on him for
grandchildren. One thing about it though, his Mom understood
love.

Jake could see the love his Mom and Dad
shared while he was growing up. It was evident in everything they
did, from working on the ranch together, or just sitting around
playing poker at the kitchen table. It was always there, and
surrounded his family like a cozy blanket. “Time to make the call.”
He thought.

She answered on the second ring.
“Bradford Ranch.”

“Hey Mom.”

“Jake! Oh honey it’s so wonderful to
hear from you.”

“You too Mom, are you busy.”

“Never too busy for my oldest
son.”

“Speaking of your oldest son, have you
heard from Tyler lately.”

Tyler was Jake’s younger brother by
three years. Tyler enlisted in the military right out of high
school, and was stationed overseas. Jake missed his brother, but
knew he would be able to see him on his next leave.

“No, haven’t heard from him in a few
weeks.” His Mom’s voiced shook.

“I’m sure he’s fine Mom, you know
Tyler, saving the world and all that crazy stuff.”

“I know son, I just wish I had my boys
safe and sound back here again. But enough about my problems, what
was it you needed to talk about? Is everything okay in New York? Is
your Law Firm alright.” She sounded worried.

“Mom everything is fine no need to
worry, I just wanted to ask your opinion on some stuff.”

“Well in that case, I’m all
ears.”

“Mom I know this is going to sound
crazy coming from me but, how do you know when you are ready to
settle down?”

“Wow, has hell frozen over? This is off
the wall coming from you Jake.”

“Yeah well…”

“Well, it’s not something
that just happens I suppose, have you met someone that makes you
feel like giving up bachelorhood?”

“No. Well maybe.” He said.

“It’s not a maybe question Jake, either
you have or you haven’t, which is it?”
“Okay then the answer is no.” He sighed.

“Look Jake you’re thirty-two, you need
to stop fooling around, and you know what I mean?”

“Yeah yeah, I’m not getting any
younger, and you want grandchildren, I get it.”

“Son I love you no matter what, but
this isn’t something I can solve for you, you’ll figure it out. And
yes I want some grandbabies to spoil.” She laughed.

“Yeah I’ll get right on that
Mom.”

Jake heard his Dad in the background,
asking his Mom for help with something. “Honey I hate to cut this
short but your Dad needs help with some new fences.”