Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
G ood food.
Good company.
One of the best nights he’d had in a long time, and Harrison wanted more. Mainly he wanted more of Nyla and not just sexually. She was a breath of fresh air and sunshine on a cloudy day combined. He loved her energy, her vibe, and inviting her over had been one of the best decisions he’d made in a long time.
Harrison also loved how she hadn’t given him a hard time about not being in the office during her last days at Telecom. He had explained that staying home to work was in the best interest of everyone. He hadn’t been in the right headspace after memories of his past came crashing back to the forefront of his mind. That, along with his strong feelings for Nyla, he’d needed time to process it all. Nyla said she understood, and she reiterated that, if he ever wanted to talk, she was there for him.
Part of Harrison’s reason for inviting her over was to do just that, talk, and to formally apologize. Nyla suggested they focus on relaxing and enjoying each other’s company, and if he wanted to discuss his past, fine. If not, she wasn’t going to pressure him.
He glanced at the remains of their meal and smiled. They’d eaten dinner in the living room, picnic style in front of the fireplace with the lights dimmed. They were sitting on the floor where they’d put the sofa cushions, and they used the cocktail table to hold their food and drinks.
Such a simple idea was making for a perfect way to wind down. The only thing that had given Harrison pause was when Nyla suggested they play twenty questions. Something he’d never done, but according to her, it was a way to get to know each other better.
Wasn’t that why he’d asked her over? So he could finally share some of his background with her? So they could get to know each other better?
“City living or suburban living?” she asked as she sipped from her wine glass.
“City,” he said, though he had grown up in the suburbs. In college and while playing at various nightclubs, he had fallen in love with the city of Chicago’s energy. “You?”
“Definitely the city.” She gave him a smile that pierced his heart.
Having her sitting next to him like this didn’t seem real. He had envisioned what their first date would be like. Dinner at an expensive restaurant, maybe some dancing or a night at the theater, but this was much better. Relaxing. Fun. Romantic.
Harrison marveled at how different she was from other women he’d dated, not that they were dating, but he couldn’t help comparing. Nyla was easy to be with, and she outshined them all. Even the woman he’d planned to marry and spend the rest of his life with.
“Chicago style pizza or New York style?” he asked.
“Neither. I prefer Detroit style pizza. Not too flat, not too thick, but just right with the perfect amount of caramelized cheese around the edges.” She moaned as if tasting what she had just described, and Harrison felt the erotic sound to the depths of his soul.
Damn. If all it took was a moan from her to make his body stir, then he was further gone than he originally thought.
Okay, maybe playing twenty questions wasn’t so bad. In the last thirty minutes, he had learned she was a middle child out of five. Her parents used to work in corporate America, but they left their jobs to open a bed and breakfast. He was familiar with the B & B because the building it was housed in was one of the most beautiful structures in his neighborhood. And now he knew he needed to get her some Detroit style pizza to get her to moan like that again.
“What about you?” she asked.
“Without a doubt, Chicago style. No way I can call myself a Chicagoan and not love all things Chicago, especially the pizza.”
They both laughed, and he grabbed his water bottle.
Nyla waved him off. “Yeah, I guess you have a point. Okay, what’s your favorite sexual position, missionary or doggie style?”
Harrison sputtered, coughed, and pounded on his chest. He’d just taken a swig of water that went down wrong.
“What?” he croaked, still coughing.
Nyla, grinning, rubbed his back. “Didn’t mean to get you all choked up there, Mr. Grant. You okay?”
Harrison dabbed at the corners of his eyes and wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his T-shirt. “Yeah,” he said, clearing his throat as he stared at her, not missing the naughtiness swimming in her eyes. “You caught me off guard, but to answer your question. My favorite sexual position is any way I’m buried deep inside of you.”
Nyla’s eyes grew huge, and her mouth hung open.
“Umm…okay,” she said, and lowered her long lashes demurely. Harrison didn’t miss the sly smile playing on her tempting lips.
He was sure she hadn’t expected that response, but he meant it. When they finally made love, he had no doubt they were going to be electrifying together. This thing between them, this remarkable, mind-blowing, magnetic pull between them was like nothing he’d ever felt. It was exciting while also being scary as hell.
Nyla still didn’t respond to his comment. Instead, she drained her wine glass. If she’d been trying to turn him on with her words, her questions, and even her innocent—not so innocent—expressions, it was working.
When he invited her over to his place, it had only been under the purest of intentions, but the more time they hung out, the more those intentions were shifting.
“Kissing in the rain or kissing in a movie theater?” she asked, as if she hadn’t just sent his mind on a free-fall, wondering what it would be like to make love to her.
“Hold up. You know it’s my turn to ask a question,” he said, turning more to face her. “What’s your favorite sexual position?”
She nibbled on her lower lip, again looking like she was struggling not to smile. “I’m not sure, yet. Hopefully I’ll find out soon.”
Harrison’s dick twitched. If that wasn’t an invitation, he didn’t know what was. It was taking all his restraint not to ravish her body, but he couldn’t. Not yet. Not until he shared his truth. No matter how emotionally painful it might be, she deserved to know who she was getting involved with.
As if sensing the route his thoughts had taken, Nyla squeezed his thigh. The heat from her touch, even through his jeans, sent an electric current shooting over his skin. It had been a long time since he’d wanted a woman as bad as he wanted this beauty sitting next to him.
Soon. Even if it didn’t happen tonight, they’d be intimate soon. Of that he had no doubt.
“Now answer my question. Kissing in the rain or kissing in a movie theater?”
“In a movie theater,” he said, clearing his throat that had suddenly gone dry. “I wouldn’t want to get my hair wet,” he cracked, and ran his hand over his low haircut. She burst out laughing, and he loved the throaty sound of it. “What about you?”
“In the rain, of course .” She grinned and shrugged. “I’m a romantic, and I don’t care if my hair gets wet.”
“Seriously? You don’t care if your hair gets wet?”
“Nope.”
“And you would risk getting soaked and catching pneumonia?”
“Yup. I’m a risk taker. What can I say? And I’m all for a good, wet kiss.”
“So am I,” Harrison said and slid his hand behind her neck, then covered her mouth with his.
He was game for any type of kiss, wet or otherwise, just as long as the lips touching his belonged to Nyla. Harrison had been wanting to taste her again since arriving at his place, and he was glad she was a willing participant. Her natural sweetness combined with the earthiness of the red wine on her tongue were like an aphrodisiac making him dizzy with desire.
The slow, drugging kiss was as challenging as it was rewarding because Harrison wanted her naked. He wanted to feel, kiss, and touch every part of her luscious body, but the voice in the back of his head screamed—not yet! Not before she knew more about him. He wanted her to have all the information before she decided whether to take a chance on him.
Yet, he couldn’t pull away. She tasted too good. Instead, he lifted her onto his lap, and Nyla’s arms immediately went around his neck. Their kiss had started out slow but with each lap of their tongues, soul-reaching pleasure stirred within him.
Harrison eased her onto the floor and covered her with his body without breaking their connection. Gawd, this woman . She kissed him with a hunger that rivaled his, and their moans mingled, filling the quietness in the room.
As he loved on her mouth, Harrison slid his hand under her shirt and found her skin was as soft as he imagined it would be. Yeah, this was what he wanted. His hand moved up to cup her breast, and Nyla ground against him.
Damn she felt incredible, and his senses went into overdrive, while that nagging voice inside his head kept screaming at him. Harrison ignored it. He moved his lips to her jaw, then beneath her ear, and on down to her scented neck.
“I want you,” he murmured against her smooth skin as he tweaked her pert nipple through the satiny fabric. Nyla cried out, and that only turned Harrison on more.
Frantically, he lifted her shirt higher and then her bra. It was as if her perky nipples were begging for attention, and he didn’t want to disappoint. His mouth covered one while his fingers tweaked the other.
“ Oh, God . Harrison,” Nyla whimpered and squirmed.
Her hands gripped the back of his head, holding him in place, while her lower body bucked against him. He licked, sucked, teased, and gently bit down on her nipple before moving to the other one. While his tongue swirled around the dark bud, he cupped her other breast, squeezing.
“Oh, my goodness,” Nyla murmured, her head brushing back and forth against the rug. “I—I’m not sure I can take much more.” Her words were breathy as she continued wiggling beneath him.
Not yet. You can’t do this yet ! That voice in Harrison’s mind hounded him. He tried shushing it, but…
“I want you so damn much,” he said on a groan, willing himself to slow down. No. Not. Slow down, he needed to stop.
He cursed under his breath and abruptly rolled off Nyla, bumping into the coffee table in the process.
“I can’t,” he panted. “We can’t do this, not before we talk,” he said, his chest heaving as he stared up at the ceiling.
Breathing hard, Nyla scrambled to a sitting position and adjusted her bra and shirt, and Harrison groaned. He’d probably call himself all kinds of a fool later, but right now, his only concern was doing right by Nyla. She had a right to know who and what type of person she was getting involved with.
“I’m sorry, baby,” he said, the endearment falling from his lips naturally. “I shouldn’t have started—”
“Technically, I’m the one to blame. My round of questioning was suggestive, and I’m sorry about that. I’m not a tease.”
Harrison bolted up. “Of course you’re not,” he said, rubbing his hand down her arm. “I’ve been wanting to kiss you all night. We only did what came naturally. Unfortunately, Nyla, I don’t feel comfortable moving forward until I tell you about my time in prison.”
Harrison was smart enough to know that to really move on from his past, he needed to come to terms with it. That meant dealing with his mother and Veronica instead of shutting them out whenever they called. He also needed to share his story with Nyla. She was coming to mean something to him, and they would never have a future together if he couldn’t close that chapter in his life. Especially the painful parts.
Closing his eyes, Harrison pinched the bridge of his nose. He was going to need something stronger than water to get through this conversation. Yet, he also needed to be sober instead of consuming liquid courage.
He startled when Nyla squeezed his hand. “Hey, if you’re not ready to talk about it, it’s okay. I’ll be around whenever you are ready.”
Bringing the back of her hand to his lips, he kissed it. “Thank you, but it’s time. First, let me clear these dishes and make some coffee. Unless you’d prefer something stronger.”
“Water for me, and I can help clean up.”
She started to stand, but Harrison encouraged her to relax while he took care of the dishes. It wouldn’t take but a couple of minutes to load the dishwasher. He was glad she didn’t argue because he needed a few minutes alone.
Harrison made quick work of gathering up their dishes while Nyla pulled the room back together. After taking her a bottle of water, he returned to the kitchen and got to work tidying up. He debated on where to start with the conversation.
How much should he share? It was late. Surely, she wouldn’t be up for hearing the whole sordid details of the snowball of events that shook his world to almost disrepair. Then again, if he wanted a future with Nyla, she deserved to know everything.
Sighing, he dried his hands and didn’t bother with the coffee. It was now or never. He went back to the living room, then pulled up short. Chuckling, Harrison shook his head.
She’s asleep .
Nyla had returned the cushions to the sofa and was fast asleep. What had he been thinking? Of course she was exhausted after her long night at the club. Instead of encouraging her to go to bed, he hadn’t wanted the night to end—for any reason.
Starting down at her, Harrison sat on the edge and gently ran the back of his fingers down her soft cheek. She didn’t stir, and he didn’t have the heart to wake her. Instead, he stood and swept her into his arms.
“Harrison,” she whimpered, and warmth spread through him when she snuggled into him.
This feels right , he thought as he climbed the stairs. Tomorrow. They’d talk tomorrow.