Nice Girl (27 page)

Was he trying to close me out?

I went back to my desk and sat there to think.   I had some work to catch up on from being out yesterday so I needed to get my head back into the game.  I looked at my in box.  Then I realized that something I put on my desk was no longer there.

Jim’s business card.

I remembered throwing it on my desk before I went back to the kitchen.  I looked through all the papers on my desk.  I looked on the floor.  No business card.  Hmmm.  This was interesting.

I softly walked back to Vinnie’s office.  The door was open only a few inches.  I quietly pushed it forward just enough so I could peek in.  Vinnie was intently working on his computer.

……and holding Jim’s business card.

“What are you doing?”  I said so forcefully I startled him.

He quickly covered up the business card in his massive giant hand.  “Nothing.  What do you need Grace?”

Then it hit me.  “You’re doing a background check on Jim Derring aren’t you?”  I almost wanted to laugh out loud.  I’m glad I resisted.  All of a sudden I knew exactly how I wanted to play him.

“What are you talking about?”  Vinnie acted annoyed.

Annoyed he was caught.

“Vinnie, give me back the business card.”

He hesitated then said “No.”

“No?”  I asked incredulously.

“Yeah I said no.  This is that loser’s third job in a year.  You’re not going to call him.”

“Well, I think that is my decision to make, not yours.”  I started walking towards him.  I was trying to figure how I could grab the business card.

Like I was any match for him.

Apparently my intent showed all over my face.  He got up from his desk and started to back up.  He was smirking with a look of now-what-do-you-think-you’re-going-to-do-about-it?

He was backed up against the wall.  I took my finger and poked him in the chest.

“Give. Me. That. Card.”

“No.” He had the nerve to laugh.

I looked at the fist where I knew the business card was crunched up in.  I grabbed his hand which only made him laugh harder.  I knew I would never have the strength to open his fist on my own. I had to plan a quick strategy.

Keeping my one hand on his fist, I took my other hand and seductively laid it on his chest.  I leaned in and whispered.  “Why won’t you give me the card Vinnie?”

He actually looked nervous.  Score!

“Because I don’t want you seeing him.”

I continued stroking his chest with my free hand “Why don’t you want me seeing him?  Should I just be friends with him?”

His free arm snaked up my back and landed on my waist.  I leaned in so my body was touching his.  I couldn’t believe how bold I was being. 

It felt too damn good to be this close to him.  But I had to focus.  I had a plan.

As I brought my free hand up to his neck, Vinnie mumbled “I’m throwing his number out.”

“Really?”  I asked as I stood on my tiptoes and planted a soft kiss on his lips.

It was like I lit a match.  He bent his head down and smashed his lips back onto mine.  I was, at first, shocked by the intensity.  Then, I melted.  He was so good at kissing.  It was like every emotion from Saturday night was pouring back and forth between both of us.  I think I whimpered.  His hand began moving up my back to rest at the back of my head.  He grabbed part of my hair and held the back of my neck powerfully.  I could barely move.  It seemed to convey that he was in control.  Almost as if he was letting me know he wouldn’t be pushing my head down this time.  

He broke away for just a second and murmured “Grace.” 

This time I moaned and he used the opportunity to slip his tongue in.  Just every so lightly he caressed the inside of my mouth.  I had never before felt such a loss of will as I did kissing him.  I had to tell myself to focus. 

I started stroking his closed fist with my hand that was holding it.  I started just with my thumb in small circles.   Eventually I was able to lock my fingers into his.  I could feel the business card that started all of this linked between our hands. 

I knew I was doing a fine job distracting him but, oh man, it was all just as distracting to me.  I wanted him to tear my clothes off and fuck me right there on his office floor. 

Keep it together girl.  You want him to want you more than anything.  Stick to the plan
.

I had to figure out to break the kiss and keep him off guard at the same time.  Our bodies were touching but there was a part of me that was too chicken to press
there. 

It was the only way this was going to work.  I moved my hips and started to rub.  My pelvic area began to press harder against his.  I felt his erection and got a surge of confidence.  He was as turned on as me.  That gave me satisfaction.  There was a brief moment of fear at the feeling of that erection pressing into me.  I remembered how huge he felt on Saturday night.   

……and then the more I was rubbing against him, the more it seemed to grow.

I better break away now or I was in big trouble.  Emphasis on big!

His hand left my head and started traveling down my back to my ass.  That was my opportunity. I rubbed against his erection one more time and then he groaned.  Oh god, what a turn on!  I didn’t let it deter my goal.  I unlocked my fingers from his as if my hand was going to move somewhere else.  I quickly grabbed the business card that was, at this point, all crinkled up. 

I stepped back and broke the hold.

I smiled as devious as I could considering how much I wanted to go right back to what we were doing.

“Did you say you were throwing this out?”  I held up the card.  “I don’t think so.”

He was breathing heavy.  His hands were leaning on his thighs.  I loved that I did that to him.  The corners of his mouth turned up slightly.  I walked out before I lost my nerve again.  

Sweet innocent Grace who knows nothing about seduction just won the first round.

Chapter 30

I finally stopped being a depressed idiot and joined my girlfriends in a web chatting discussion.  I was happy for Eve and I wanted to be a supportive friend.  The discussion was all about her which was fine with me.  I didn’t want to update my girlfriends on what I learned about Vinnie.  It was too heart wrenching to talk about. 

I had decided my plan of action with Vinnie was to ignore his claim that we would just be friends.  I would accomplish this by flirting endlessly with him. 

Hearing the story of Eve’s first night of passion with Lou, the tribal police officer, definitely encouraged me to go for it with Vinnie.

Both Eve and I were on the same goal of avoiding any kind of intimacy with a man.  We both had unfulfilling sex.   Neither of us was ready for another blow to our self esteem.  She tried to resist Lou’s constant pursuing of her.  She wanted to believe he was just like those immature college boys that won’t commit.  He wouldn’t let up.  He also let her know that he wasn’t interested in a one night fling.  Then, to add to whole package, he was the most attentive lover.  She hit gold. 

My friends kept bringing up the wedding this weekend. They assumed that my night of passion wasn’t too far away.  I can see why they came to this conclusion.  It was hard not to explain my attraction to Vinnie without mentioning his incredibly muscular rock hard body.  The way his eyes bore right through me whenever he looked at me.  How I shivered every time he touched me. 

What they didn’t know about were the demons that Vinnie was fighting from his past.  How he grew up watching his mother service customers in their home.  How she stood by and did nothing while his face was slashed when he was trying to protect her.   Vinnie was eighteen when this happened.  This meant he has been spending the past twelve years hardening his desire for women.  Being rough and emotionally cruel in his intimate encounters has been his way for too long. 

  Would he be ready to come full circle and let go of the past…..

…..and actually make love?

The only way I was going to find out was if I gave him the signals that I was ready for the next step.

I went to bed early fully expecting that I would be tossing and turning.  Because it was the night before Ivy and Jamal’s wedding I assumed I wouldn’t be able to sleep.  Surprisingly I slept like a baby and woke up totally refreshed.

I worked out hard for an hour and then quickly showered.  Jamie and Luke were picking me up at 10am for our spa day.  I still didn’t know how I was going to afford this wonderful idea of Jamie’s.  When he first told me that the hotel had a spa and that we should spend the day together, my first reaction was I would never be able to afford it.  However, Jamie can be quite persistent.  I decided then that I would find out when I got there how many of the services I could partake in.  Just to be on the safe side I made sure I packed my razor in case the waxing was out of my budget.

I was waiting outside my dorm ten minutes early.  I was too excited to wait in my room.  My weekend couldn’t start more perfect than a day at the spa with my two best guy friends.  Their car pulled up and Luke rolled down the window yelling “Wahoo!”

It was an hour drive to the hotel.  My stomach was in knots when I thought about tomorrow’s drive home.  As usual, Vinnie had offered to drive me home.   I had no idea what would happen when the reception ended tonight. 

We quickly checked into our rooms.  We weren’t on the same floor but I said I’d meet them at their room so that we could walk to the spa together.  Our appointments were at 11:30am which gave us a few hours.  Ivy and Jamal’s wedding ceremony started at 4pm with the reception immediately following.   

We walked into the spa as giddy as little girls.  I was unsure how often gay men visit a spa but the receptionist at the desk didn’t bat an eye.  I wanted Jamie and Luke to check in first.  I knew I was going to have to examine the prices line by line before I chose what I was going to get. 

Jamie and Luke were starting with a 30 minute couples massage.  Watching the glee in their eyes when the receptionist said the two masseuses were ready for them was just precious.  Then Jamie shocked me by saying “Whatever Grace starts with, she has to be done by 12pm so that the three of us can have lunch before our afternoon seaweed wrap.” 

I didn’t even want to know what this place would charge for lunch.  “No, that’s okay, Jamie.  I think I’m going to skip lunch.”           

“Lunch is our treat, Grace.  We’re the ones that suggested this so the least we can do is buy you lunch.”

“You’re not allowed to say no.”  Luke piped in.

“You guys are the best.”  I grinned “Now let me see what I am going to sign up for today.”  I instantly cringed when I saw some of the prices.

“Did you say your name was Grace?  Are you Grace Locke?” asked the receptionist.

“Yes.”  Then I looked accusingly at Jamie.  “Did you make an appointment for me without my consent?”

“No, this has nothing to do with him.”  The receptionist quickly intervened.  “A Vinnie Lewis called this morning and paid for you ahead of time.  You can choose three services.  He also covered your lunch.”

“Grace has a sugar daddy!”  Jamie exclaimed.

“Why would Vinnie do such a thing?”  I asked.

Luke, the ever dramatic one, cupped his hands under his chin and exclaimed “This is so romantic.”

“He’s getting you back for all flirting you did with him this week.” Said Jamie.

“You noticed?” 

“Oh come on!” huffed Jamie.

“What?”  I tried to act innocent but I will never have a poker face.

“If you came on to him any stronger, we all were going to have to close our office doors.”

“How dare you compare me to Carmella!”  I punched his arm playfully.

“All I want to know is how you’re going to thank Vinnie.” Squealed Luke in such an adorable way that even the receptionist smiled.

I definitely needed to thank Vinnie but if I thought too hard about it, I would get nervous.  It was perfect timing for the receptionist to interrupt.  “Your massages are waiting, gentleman.”

“Yeah!”  Said Luke “See you at lunch, Grace.”

My first service was getting my legs waxed.  She then used some sort of exfoliating lotion all over my legs.  I had never felt such baby smooth skin afterwards.  I envisioned my legs wrapped around Vinnie.  He, on top of me, using those powerful arms to move my legs higher so that my hips arched further into him.  I was aroused all over just thinking about it.  Damn, I was getting as bad as Dee.

My afternoon services were hair and makeup.  I told the makeup artist that I was wearing a pink dress.   I’m so glad I chose makeup as one of the choices.  She used colors that I would never have thought to use.  She applied a tan color on my eye lids with a bold brown in the crease.  Then around all the edges she used a sparkly pink shadow.  My eyes stood out in a way I could have never done.  The end result was stunning.

I wasn’t sure about the hair style when it was first described to me.  I wear my hair up all the time so the last thing I wanted was an updo.  One thing I noticed about hair stylists is that they get pretty set in their ways.  This woman wanted to put my hair up in the worst way.  When she noticed I wasn’t going to budge, she went for a compromise.  She pulled part of my hair from the top and both sides in a back swirl.  Then she used pins to create a bump.   My hair was still long at the back.  She curled in beautiful ringlets at the sides.  Then she used a teasing comb to pull out several strands to frame my face.  I have to admit, it was different, and I loved it.  

The three of us walked out at 3:30pm on the dot……refreshed, relaxed and ready to party.

Chapter 31

I told Jamie and Luke I’d meet them at the ceremony which was in the same room as the reception.  We didn’t have a lot of time to dress and we were on separate floors so it only made sense to meet them there.

Walking into the hall and seeing it beautifully decorated for a wedding caused me to stop and catch my breath.  What I first noticed were the flowers.  Ivy was too creative of a person to go with a traditional white look.  Beautiful pastel colors of light orange, soft yellow, and baby pink covered the aisles, the background, and the portable canopy where they’d be saying their vows.  Lines of chairs were set up on the dance floor where the guests would sit during the ceremony.  At the other end of the hall, the tables were all ready for dinner.  It was a smart setup.  Obviously after the ceremony, the guests would move to their tables, while the staff took down the chairs for the after dinner dancing.