Undeniable Love (3 page)

Stephane

I arrived at Wyatt’s around 5:30 that evening.  I knocked and then I heard a crash and yelling before he opened the door.

“Hey Stephane, come on in.” He hugged me.

“Hey is everything ok? It sounded like something fell.”

“Umm…yea that was dinner.  It was hotter than I expected and I dropped the dish. Have a seat, let me finish cleaning up and I’ll be right back.”

“Do you need any help?”

“No it’s ok, thanks.  Make yourself comfortable.  Oh and do you like Chinese?” He laughed.

“Sure!  I can look up some places while you’re cleaning.”

“That sounds great, I’m sorry about the hassle Stephane.”

“Don’t worry about it!  Go clean up! I’ll be here.”

“Promise?” He said with a grin and I couldn’t help but to blush.

Wow, how could I forget how great his smile is,
I thought.
Ugh, he is so attractive. I think I need to be careful.
  I pulled out my phone and sent a quick message to Syd to let her know I that I had arrived and that I’d call her when I was on my way home. Then pulled up my Urbanspoon app to see what Chinese food places were in the area.  I searched the app for a few minutes and when he still wasn’t back in the living room, I got up to see if I could help.  I walked in to the kitchen I noticed that he had cut his finger on a piece of glass. He was running his finger under cold water and didn’t hear me walk in.  I put my phone back in my pocket and walked over to help.

“Today is not your day?” I teased him, slightly startled him because he didn’t hear me enter the kitchen.  “What happened?”

“I was trying to rush and wasn’t paying attention. I went to pick up a piece of the dish I dropped, it slipped and cut me.”

“Can I see it?”

“Sure, I don’t think it’s a big deal, though.”

It looked bad.

“Wyatt, that looks deep, maybe we should go to the emergency room.”

“No, its ok, I’ll be fine. Did you find a good Chinese food place?  Do they deliver?”

“I was waiting for you before picking, but let’s put that on pause. Seriously, I think you need to go see a doctor.  Don’t you use your hands for a living?”  I nudged him.  “You don’t need to lose a finger.” I laughed at my bad joke.

“Man, I’m really scoring points in the date department.  First I forget your name and the night that we met.  Now I have to go to the emergency room.  I’m so sorry.  Why don’t we call it a night?  Maybe we can try again another time.”  He sounded so deflated. I had to drop my head to hide my giggle. 

“Wyatt, let’s worry about the next date disaster later, right now I want to get you to a doctor.”

“I’ll be fine.  I’m just going to wrap it and take an Aleve.” 

“Wyatt, stop!  I’m taking you to the doctor, just shut it.  I guess I kind of owe you.  I mean it’s my fault that you are maimed now,” I said with a giggle.  “Here, let me wrap that for you.”

I took some paper towels and wrapped them tightly around his finger, making sure enough pressure was applied to try to stop the bleeding.  I had him tell me where the tape was and I made him a homemade bandage.  After he was all bandaged and ready we got in my car and I drove him to the emergency room. Shockingly the wait wasn’t that long, and we were able to get in and out in under an hour and a half.

Wyatt’s cut ended up being pretty deep, and he needed a few stitches but the doctor said he would heal just fine.  I still felt awful for him. 

On the way back to his house we stopped and picked up some fast food because we were both starving. 

“Well I guess I’ll see you later Stephane.”

“Oh no buddy, you owe me a movie and after all of this commotion I plan to just sit and relax,” she said poking him in his ribs.  “Seriously Wyatt, I would really like to stay and watch that movie if you’re still up for it.”

“Depends, what movie did you pick?”

“Really Mister Greenlaw? After all the fuss you caused tonight, you want to try to be picky!” she laughed. 

“What? I’m the injured one here.  Shouldn’t you feel bad for me right now?”

“Ha! Ok butterfingers!  Well I brought ‘The Notebook.’  Is that okay with you?”

“Can we have popcorn?”

“Do you have popcorn? Or do I have to go get it for you Mr. Injured?”

“Nope, I have some. Can you pop it for me?” he said batting his puppy dog eyelashes and pouting. I smiled at him and he laughed.  His laugh was infectious.   

We went inside and I told him to take a seat and relax and to let me find my way around the kitchen.  When I went in the kitchen I first checked to make sure all of the glass was up.  Then I grabbed some paper towels for dinner.  We sat on the couch to eating, with the TV on.  Neither of us really said much more than the occasional "yum" or "mmm" because we were both starving. 

“Ok. I’m ready for my popcorn.”

“Yea, yea you big baby.  Where it is?”

“It’s in the pantry.” I got up and started toward the kitchen.  “Oh, hey, don’t burn it. There’s nothing worse than burnt popcorn smell.  I don’t want to have to deal with that all night.” He was cracking up. 
He thinks he's so funny.
  Ok it was a little funny. 

I walked in the kitchen and rummaged around the pantry until I found the popcorn while he set up the movie. 
Guys and their gadgets,
I shook my head
.
  He had to turn on and rearrange about eighteen different things for us to watch the movie.  He had to turn the TV to this channel, turn the stereo to that channel, and put the PS3 in some mode.  I’m just glad I was stuck with popcorn.  Finally the popcorn was popped, and the movie was ready to be watched, so we both settled into the couch to enjoy.

“The Notebook” has always been one of my favorites and I still have the same reaction every time I watch it, I end up balling like a baby.  Imagine my surprise when at the end of the movie I wasn’t the only one crying.

“Do you need some tissue?” I teased.

“I’m not crying from the movie, my finger is hurting,” he protested.

“Mm hm, sure, likely story. It’s ok, there’s nothing wrong with a man that’s in touch with his feelings. You seem to be the sensitive type,” I teased. I was having fun egging him on.

“What?  What are you talking about?”

“I’m just saying you don’t seem to be afraid to cry in front of people.  It takes a strong man to do that,” I said still taunting him.

“You say that like I’m making it a habit to cry in front of you before.  Besides, I’m not even crying right now.  I told you my finger hurts and I'm merely wincing in pain.” I shrugged.

“Well I'll I'm saying is more than once and it becomes a habit and this
is
the second time.  First the party and now, it’s become a habit.”  I laughed hard.

“Stephane, that shit’s not funny.”

“Wyatt! I’m serious.”  I laughed again.

“Damn!  Steph, that’s cold as hell.” He laughed.  “At least I got my shirt back,” that made me laugh hard.

“I’m glad I called you to give it back.  Wyatt, I don’t think I gave you a fair shot and I apologize.  I hate crowds and parties, so I was already in a weird mood, then you spilled your drink on me and...I don't know.  I wasn’t really that mad, I just chalked it up to the alcohol but when you tried to kiss me and then not even five minutes later you were crying to me about her, well…I kind of thought you were a big jerk.”

“Stephane I’m really sorry.  I don’t know what got in to me that night.  I never intended to talk about her that night or at all really, but I feel I need to explain.”

“It’s ok.  You told me she cheated on you.”

“She did, but that’s not what had upset me that night.  She texted me before I got to the party asking for me to forgive her and give her another chance.  I was ready to have fun, and she kinda blew my mood and I ended up drinking way more than planned.  I have enjoyed getting to know you but I will hold to my promise if you aren’t interested I’ll leave you alone.” (He wasn’t really going to hold to that particular promise.)

“Well I’d feel bad leaving you alone now, being crippled and all.” I playfully hit his arm, and he grinned.

“Ouch, that’s my bad arm.”

“You cut your finger, Wyatt.”

“I know but the pain is shooting up my arm.  Maybe you could help.”

“What’s wrong? Do you need some medicine?” I asked believing him and ready to raid his medicine cabinet.

“No I think you can help me another way.”

He leaned in and planted the softest, sexiest kiss on me.  It made my head spin a little.  He pulled back and looked at me to gauge my reaction.  He must have seen what he was looking for because he leaned in and kissed me again.  It was sweet and tender. I assumed that his next move would be to try to sleep with me, but he didn’t. He kissed me one more time then he sat back and just looked at me with an intensity that took my breath away.

“Umm…well I better get up and get ready to go.  I’ve got to get up for work in the morning.  We can’t all call out maimed.”  He smiled, but it was different.  It was seductive.
Damn, I need to go now!

“I had a great time tonight Stephane, despite injuring myself.”

“I really hope we can do it again.”

“I hope so too.”

He got up and walked me to the door, kissed me sweetly on the cheek and I left.  When I got in the car I plugged in my iPod and the first song that came up was Ernie Halter’s ‘Something’s Come Over Me,’ and I thought
Well isn’t that perfect timing!
  Something really had come over me.  I thought about Wyatt the entire ride home.

Wyatt

After another rough start, I ended up having a terrific night with Stephane.  I didn’t want her to leave but, I didn’t want to give her the impression that I was just out to sleep with her, especially after the April crying fiasco. Add to that I couldn’t even remember who she was when we met up the first time so I could get my t-shirt back, make that the second time, and I’m surprised that she didn’t drop me off at the hospital and speed off. If the tables were turned I don't know that we wouldn’t have made it past Café Coco.  Shitty, yes, but I’m honest. 

I genuinely hadn’t thought about April since Friday.  Funny, in just a matter of three days Stephane consumed my thoughts.  Shortly after she left I sent her a message, to say good night.

(11:31pm)

Wyatt: Hey Steph, please get home safe. 

Stephane:  Thank you Wyatt!

Wyatt:  Steph…

Stephane: Yes?

(11:36pm)

Wyatt: Never mind, have a good night. Sweet dreams.

Stephane: What is it?

Wyatt: Nothing, sleep well.

Stephane: Thanks you too

I wanted to see her again, like tomorrow, but I didn’t want to appear creepy.  It’s funny how when you don’t date for a while, you forget the basics.  When was it ok to ask for another date?  How soon after a date should you call or text?  Everything seemed to be about texting these days.  Maybe I’m crazy but the sound of a woman’s voice when they first wake up or as they are falling asleep is one of the sexiest things in the world.  You don’t get that with a text.  You don’t get to hear the want or need in her voice when she misses you.  I’m not old but maybe I’m old fashioned.  I was turning out the lights and walking into my bedroom when my phone buzzed.

(11:54pm)

Stephane:  Wyatt?

Wyatt:  Yes?

Wyatt:  I had a great time.  I would like to see you again.

Wyatt: If all it takes is hurting myself then I will get frequent flyer miles at the hospital!

Stephane:  Haha! Not funny Mister!  You just want to pick the movie next time.

Wyatt:  Well there is that! Lol

Stephane:  LOL! Talk to you later Wyatt.

Wyatt: Wouldn’t have it any other way.

Yes!!
I shouted! I was actually nervous that she wouldn’t want to go out again.  I felt like I had redeemed myself from the Halloween party fiasco but I wasn’t sure until now. 

Stephane wasn’t my usual type, which was petite, blonde and busty. That was probably a good thing because my “usual type” had been nothing but trouble.  Just look at my most recent ex as an example.  April was the second girl I had ever been serious about in my life.  The first was Lola.  Never trust a girl named Lola.  She was a foreign exchange student from France when I was in school.  She was a few years younger than me.  I was in grad school and she was still in undergrad.  We were together for about a year when I discovered that she had been having an affair, with her married Econ professor.  I was crushed or at least I thought I was.  I later realized I was infatuated with her because of her accent and her body.  Honestly she was a royal bitch! 

April and I had started out as friends and co-workers at my old company Jean Smith Consulting.  That should have been a red flag because she apparently likes to sleep where she eats.  I was instantly attracted to her, but she had a boyfriend when we first met, so I waited.  I became her shoulder when she needed to cry and her sounding board when she needed to talk or just wanted a guy’s opinion.  I was her go-to guy.  I figured it was just a matter of time and it would all pay off. Whenever she came to me about something I took mental notes.  What she liked, what she didn’t, what turned her on and off, etc.  Don’t get me wrong I’m not some creepy stalker dude.   I had my own thing going during that time.  And after a little while, I noticed something.  Whenever she got word of a girl I was seeing or interested in she would always make some comment.  Things like, “She’s cute but you could do better,” or “Her really? Hmm…I just imagined you with someone different.”  My favorite was probably, “if I was her I would…”  She would always say that after she asked about how a date went.  She always said something complimentary to me while subtly knocking my date.  I realized that she was jealous.  I played that knowledge to my advantage. 

One night I stayed late at the office working on a project.  I was the last one on the floor that night.  Everyone had been gone for a couple of hours when April ended up coming back because she left her phone.  I acted like I didn't notice she had come back in.  She saw me, licked her lips, unbuttoned the top two buttons on her shirt and strolled over to my cubicle and started talking.  She wasn’t really talking about anything in particular, at least that I can remember. I wasn’t really paying attention. I was half working on my project and half checking out her rack while fantasizing about bending her over my desk.  I got hard thinking about it, realizing that latter had won. April noticed and smirked then she took a quick glance around the office.

“Is anyone else here?” she asked.

“Nope, just lonely little old me!” I grinned.

“Good.”

She stepped around my desk, stood in front of me and dropped down to her knees. She was so quick that before I had time to protest, not that I was going to, she had my belt unbuckled, pants unzipped and my manhood was free.  She looked at me and smiled.

“That smile must mean you approve so are you just going to keep smiling at me or are you going to do something with it?”

Yea, I was a cocky bastard, what can I say.  Her smile widened she looked back at my cock, licked her lips then sucked me off right there at my desk.  I don’t know if it was her or if it was the thrill of getting caught but that was on my list of top five blow jobs ever.  When she finished, she got back on her feet, pulled her skirt up to her waist and just stood there.

“Wyatt, I want you!” she said.  “Fuck me, right here!”

So I did! Just like I had fantasized, I turned her around and pushed her forward so that she was leaning on my desk.  I reached for my wallet and pulled out a condom, slid on it on and fucked her right there on my desk.  All she was supposed to be was a hot piece of ass that I could tap at work. That was all I wanted from the first time I saw her and in the beginning that's all she was.  We would meet at lunch in a storage closet or after work in my SUV. She didn’t even know where I lived for the first four months that we were screwing.  Right about then, I got really sick.  I had come down with bronchitis, and being stubborn, didn’t get it treated quickly enough so it turned into walking pneumonia.  I will admit I’m a big baby when I’m sick, so I was out of commission big time.  April had somehow convinced my buddy Phil, via Facebook messages, to give her my address. She showed up at my house unannounced with chicken noodle soup, ginger ale and a copy of “The Hangover” on DVD. 

“Thank you, you really didn’t have to do that.”

“Of course I did!  That’s what girlfriends do, silly boy.” 

Oh fuck,
I thought.
This isn't good
, but I was too sick to argue so I let it go for the time being.  I tried to address it a couple of times when I was feeling better but she somehow always distracted me and change the subject.  Usually it was with wild sex and I really didn’t complain at first.  Plus it was cool having someone around who wanted to do everything for you so I let it go.   Time passed and eventually I fell for her.  In the beginning she was great, but there were always red flags.  Things like hiding her phone or our plans would change or get cancelled at the last minute because as she would say, “my girls need me.”
“Pay close attention to the red flags”
is one of the best pieces of advice ever offered to me and I offer it to my friends in return. 

I’m sure April knew about my family’s money situation from the very beginning, because she brought it up to me pretty early, another red flag.  Just a few months in and I had several red flags.  I definitely should have paid attention to that shit. I had to squash that money thing quickly.

“I don’t know what you have heard or what you think you know about my family, but we, meaning you and me, aren’t anywhere near there yet,” I told her.  I laughed at that memory now because I freely shared all of that with Stephane on our "first" date.  She was unique.  I couldn’t wait to see her again.

Stephane

The next day at work, I found it really hard to concentrate.  First thing that morning we had a meeting about an upcoming project for the Barrtin Group.  I was in charge of coming up with fun and exciting ways to market the project through social media channels.  What fun promotions could we do?  How could we get our followers talking about it?  What possible hash tags that we could get trending?  Etc. I love my job and consider myself very fortunate to make a good living doing what I love, but that day I was over it all.   I just kept checking my phone hoping for something from Wyatt.  One of my co-workers, Leslie, was trying to tell me her ideas for a few different hashtags when my phone buzzed.  I have never moved that fast to grab my phone in my life.

(10:41am)

Syd: Hey girl, we still on for our typical Monday night ritual?

I was slightly bummed that it was only Syd. 
I’ll get back to her in a bit
, I thought.  I went back to pretending to pay attention to Leslie.  I have no idea if she was talking about work or her personal life.  A few minutes later my phone buzzed again. 
Geez Syd, its just pizza, calm down
, I thought before looking at my phone.
 
I pulled it out again and my mood instantly lifted.

(10:53am)

Wyatt:  Ok I know we’ve only been out twice…officially...but I can’t stop thinking about you. Is that nuts?  Am I crazy?

Stephane:  You are crazy but not because you can’t stop thinking about me.  I am quite awesome. ;)

Wyatt:  You are indeed Stephane Trudeau. Can I see you tonight?

Stephane:  You are making this a habit sir, be careful. I’m a hard habit to break, lol.

Wyatt: Who says I want to?

Stephane
:


Wyatt: So does that mean yes?

Stephane: It does. My place?  7pm?

Wyatt:  Sounds good, what do you want me to bring?

Stephane: Wine wouldn’t hurt?

Wyatt:  You trust me around alcohol? Lol.

Stephane: I don’t think you’ll be foolish enough to forget me…again.

Wyatt: You are correct ma’am.  Wine preference?

Stephane: My fave is Moscato

Wyatt:  Moscato it is.

Stephane:
 
Ok well I better get back to work, see you tonight.

Wyatt:  Have a good day at work Steph.  See you later.

My day had just turned around.  I sent Syd a quick text to tell her we needed to move things to tomorrow night and I’d give her a quick call after work.  The rest of the day passed in a bit of a haze. I was too busy focusing on what to make for dinner to be much help to Leslie and my other co-workers.   I just sort of nodded with whatever they said.  I needed to get this day over with.  When the clock hit five, I didn’t think I could move my legs fast enough.  Someone tried to ask me a question, but I was walking so fast I missed who it was and what they wanted. 
I’ll figure it out tomorrow,
I said to myself.

After work I made a quick run to the grocery store.  As I was pulling my phone out of my purse to call Syd, she called me.

“Hey Syd!”

“Don’t ‘hey’ me, what are you up to that you are totally ditching me tonight?”

I laughed at her dramatics.  Syd ditched me constantly for her new man of the month.

“You are a mess Sydnee, you know that right?”

“I do! Now spill!”

“Wyatt and I made plans for tonight.”

“Again? Didn’t you just see him last night?”

“I did, so what?”

“Two nights in a row?  Whoa, you must really like him.  You never miss Bachelor Mondays!”

“You sound jealous!” I laughed.

“Maybe a little.”  She jokingly admitted.

“I promise to call you and give you all the stale, boring details.”

“I’ll be waiting by the phone.”

The tables had finally turned.  It was normally me who was waiting for all the juicy date details from Syd.  Not that I didn’t date because I did.  Just not nearly as much as Sydnee.  Plus her date stories were always much more interesting than mine.  She seemed to pick some real “winners.”  Prime example, Mr. Tony Stark from the Halloween party?  His real name is Sam, and he ended up being slightly obsessed with his Stark persona.   He even wanted Syd to dress like Black Widow from “The Avengers,” as part of their sex play.  She was totally okay with it the first time or two but when that was the only way he would get excited, she decided to cut him loose.  I couldn’t stop laughing when she told me that one.