Lulu's Loves (8 page)

“Sexy,” I repeated the word.

“I see it, but you don’t. See what others see, Lulu, and you won’t be so surprised when someone compliments you.” He seemed to admire what he saw.

“Lulu, don’t be nervous or anxious. I’m sorry if my words make you uncomfortable. I just speak my mind, and that’s what it told me to say.” He paused, looked again, and continued.

“I’m not going to like it when you leave tomorrow. What time do you need to go?”

“It’s only about five hours, but I’d like to be home in time to have dinner ready for my dad when he comes in. It’ll be a nice surprise for him.” Thinking about it made me smile.

“Just you and your dad?” Thom asked. I hadn’t told him about Dad and me. I hadn’t told him about my mom, except that I looked like her. I knew this conversation would have me do that.

“My mom passed away when I was eight. Breast cancer.” Just saying those two words caused tears to fill my eyes. I swiped my hand across them to wipe the tears away. “It’s just been the two of us. He’s been both the mother and the father all these years.”

“Seems he did a good job. He raised a beautiful, smart, interesting woman.”

“Thank you for sharing this with me, all of it, Thom. This has been the best vacation. I couldn’t have imagined a better time.”

“Neither could I, Lulu.”

He was quiet for a moment and I waited.

“I’m staying tonight, Lulu, but we aren’t going to make love,” he said finally, wrapping his arms around me.

“We aren’t?” I asked.

“No. I’m going to hold you. I’m going to kiss you passionately to get a taste of you, but that will be all. We’ll talk while you’re home and we’ll dream about making love when you come back. I’ll be anxious.”

“Me, too,” I said. He pulled me close and lowered his lips to meet mine. The kiss, as he promised, was passionate. I felt myself melt into him. He rose, reached for my hand and led me to the bedroom.

“Before we get in that bed.” He paused. I felt his eyes on me. Anticipation and hesitation filled his gaze. “I have to know that you’re okay with this. We aren’t making love, Lulu. Are you okay with that?”

“I think I have to be, or you’ll leave.”

He pulled his shirt over his head. I’d seen his chest at the beach, but this; this was different. He slipped his pants off, and then, to my surprise, he slipped his underwear off. Naked, he crawled in my bed. The sight of him left me breathless.

His body is beautiful…Breathe, Lulu. Breathe! You have to get naked too, but naked bodies sharing kisses, in a bed with this gorgeous man with no sex, is more than I think I can bear.

He lay there waiting – watching. Finally, I gathered the courage and slipped down to my underwear. I took a deep breath. Biting my bottom lip nervously, I continued until I too was naked.

“Oh my God, Thom. I don’t know if I’m as strong as you think I am.” I laughed, nervously, pushing my hand through my hair.

“We can do it, Lulu.”

I crawled in beside him and he pulled me close. The feel of his skin touching mine left me excited in ways I’d never felt. He turned me in his arms, so that he was holding my body, spooning me. He kissed the nape of my neck and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me even closer. I held my breath.

“What are you doing?” he whispered in my ear.

“Praying,” I said with a sigh.

“Me, too.” 

We stayed just like that most of the night. I dreamed, but it wasn’t in my sleep. I couldn’t sleep. I dreamt of him making love to me. I dreamt of ‘the next time,’ wondering when that might be. I dreamt of the exploration–the pleasure. I dreamt of the feel of him inside me.

At six, he stirred; it only made me want him more. “Are you awake?” he whispered.

“Yes.” He raised the covers and scooted closer. He’d never moved very far away, but there we were once more, skin touching skin.

“Don’t. Move. A. Muscle,” I said, when he finally had his arms around me.

“What?” He laughed, nuzzling my neck.

“I mean it. Lay still. I haven’t slept all night. All I could think about was you making love to me, and if you’re moving around, I just don’t think I can be strong a minute longer.”

“Tell me your dreams, Lulu.” He kissed the back of my neck and held me tighter. Thank God the rest of his body remained still.

“I can’t. Talking about it…” I inhaled deeply and then blew the breath out. “I’ll have an orgasm if I even think about it again.”

“I love your honest heart. I love your laugh. I love the feel of your body touching mine, and I long for that day.”

“Which day?” I asked.

“The one where I will slowly enter your body…”

“STOP!” I cried out and sat upright.

I looked back at him. He flashed an easy smile that spread across his face. It was like the sunrise when it hits that spot on the horizon where it becomes more than a tease. He pulled me back.

“Was it hard?” he asked, the smile becoming teasing as I looked in his eyes.

“A couple of times,” I replied. He laughed out loud.

“I don’t want you to leave me.”

“I have to. My classes start next week and I have to get ready.” I pulled him closer. Placing my hands on his face, I drew him to me for a kiss. It was the most passionate kiss I’d ever shared. Finally, I pulled away, quickly. I threw the covers back and moved toward the bathroom to shower.

“Lulu?”

“Thom?” I replied, looking back over my shoulder.

“You are beautiful.”

BREATHE, LULU, BREATHE!

“So are you, Thom Miller.”

As I turned, he started singing.

Your body is a wonderland

Your body is a wonder – I’ll use my hands

Your body is a wonderland

I stopped again and turned back. He was lying there with his hands behind his head, watching me. A smile rested teasingly on his lips.

“I can’t wait.”

I showered and when I returned, Thom was dressed, waiting for me on the sofa.

“Even fresh-faced, you are beautiful,” he commented at my lack of make-up.

I couldn’t think about him right now because a dam was about to burst.

How did this happen in such a short time?

I started gathering my things, chucking them in my bags. When I had everything packed, he rose and helped carry the bags to my car. I went back to double check the room before leaving the key. When I got back to my car, he was leaned against his, legs crossed at the ankles, waiting. As I approached, he opened his arms and I stepped closer.

“I have so much I want to say.” As he began to talk, I felt the lump in my throat. He noticed and grinned. “I’ll start with the safety talk.”

He winked at me. “Drive safely. I want you to come back to me. Call me, or text me when you get home. No texting and driving. I’ll call you at least every other day, every day most likely. What time is best for you?”

“My classes will end by two, but I’ll have prep for the next day. I’ll be available after five Monday through Thursday and Fridays, after two.

“You’ll share dinner with your dad,” he smiled. “I have to be there at the pub for happy hour so how about we plan on sevenish?”

“I will look forward to sevenish rolling around and seeing your name pop up on my caller ID.” I felt the lump in my throat grow larger.

“I don’t want you to leave me. What a surprise you’ve been these last few days. I can’t wait to surprise
you
.”

“You already have,” I replied. “I have to go.”

I got in the car, and as I put the seatbelt in place, he leaned in to kiss me. “What have you done to me, Lulu Welk?”

“Thank you for finding me,” I replied.

Driving home I couldn’t get Thom Miller off my mind. Part of me was anxious, thinking of the next time we’d be together. Part of me was apprehensive, hoping there really would be a next time. Somehow though, I knew there would be. I was pretty sure what we shared couldn’t be faked. We could have had sex and I’d never hear from him again. But we didn’t.

I called Dad when I got close to Savannah. “On my way, I’ll have dinner ready when you get home.”

“I can’t wait to hear about your trip,” he replied. I wondered what I would tell him.

I stopped by the grocery store and grabbed things that I knew we needed, and the things I wanted for the dinner I’d make for him.

He loves pork chops.

I made my way by the meat counter. My phone rang. I looked, and when I saw that it was Thom, my heart raced.

“I’m back in Jacksonville, stopped by the grocery store, and was going to call you when I got to the house.” I said before he said hello.

“Thank you for the update, but I called to say that I miss you already.”

“I missed you as soon as I put the car in drive,” I told him.

“I’ll call you later.”

What is happening?

“So?” Dad asked; his way to inquire about my weekend.

“Best vacation ever!” I announced.

“What made it so great?” he asked, with a chuckle. I looked up and smiled. Realization made him question me. “You met a guy?”

“No. A man. Daddy, I met an incredible man.” I took a bite of food from my plate and gave him a minute.

“You need a man, Lulu, not a guy. You’re too mature, too smart, for just a guy to satisfy you.”

“What does that mean?” I asked.

“Intellectually,” he stammered. “But after Jason, and you being alone for so long, I’m sure sexually as well.”

I started laughing. “Oh, the conversations we’ve shared over the years! I didn’t have sex with him, but I want to.”

“So you’ll be going back?”

“I hope so. I don’t know when, but I hope so.”

“Tell me about him,” he encouraged.

“His name is Thom Miller…”

At eight, my phone rang. “Hey there,” I said as I answered. I was in the living room watching TV with Dad. I went to my room.

“Am I interrupting time with your dad?”

“He’s watching TV. Our evenings are usually quiet. We talk over dinner. I’m glad you called.”

“We were slammed for happy hour, so it’s later than I wanted. End of summer,” he explained. “Lulu, I don’t want this to sound weak or whiney…I wish you were here. I don’t know how long I can wait to see you. I’ve had a hard time clearing my head of the feeling of holding you last night.”

“Me, too.”

“I’ve never needed a woman, Lulu. Wanted them, but never needed. I need you. What if we planned a quick weekend in Savannah? It’s halfway. I could take the time away from the pub. Danno is more than capable,” he suggested.

“When?” I asked, allowing the idea to sink in.

“Friday night.”

“This Friday?” I asked. I know he heard the shock in my question.

“Yes.”

“I don’t want to say no, but…”

“Too soon?” he asked, his voice full of disappointment.

Think how to turn this around, Lulu.

“How about the next Friday? I have to get the lesson plans and everything ready. If we do it next Friday, I have the week to complete all that, and then I’ll be ready for classes the following week.”

“If we do it next Friday, you may not be able to walk on Monday.”

“Oh!” He chuckled at my reaction. He said it in such a way that it caught me totally off guard. He surprised me, and he liked it.

“I’ll make the plans, but I’m warning you. I’m going to be so ready for you that I will eat you alive.”

“Thom?”

“Yes, Lulu?” he replied. I could visualize the smile on his face.

“That’s never happened to me before.”

“Jesus, Lulu. You better be ready for me!”

“I’m counting the days.”

I hung up and went back to the living room. “The man?” Dad asked. I replied with a grin.