Cristiana #2
“No, they’ve been debating moving there, but Hoss has a big, gorgeous estate in Belle Meade. Do you know it?” Reuben asked.
“I’ve heard the name, but that’s all.”
“It’s an independent city within a city.
It has its own police force, regulations, and city hall, which is pretty wild for something that is only about three square miles.
It is the richest area in the state of Tennessee.
It’s primarily a residential neighborhood with a botanical garden and a well-known park.
It was originally part of the Belle Meade plantation. You can tour the original house there.”
“Are you kidding me? There’s an actual plantation house in Nashville? I’d love to see it. One of the things I enjoy about Germantown is the mix of old and new. I’ve never been in a plantation house before,” I told him excitedly.
“Then I’ll make sure you see it. Can’t have you living this close to one and not go,” Reuben said, smiling over at me quickly before focusing his attention back on the road.
“You don’t need to do that. Now that I know it exists, I’ll arrange to tour it one day,” I protested. I wasn’t letting him think I was hinting at him taking me.
“Oh, no, you’re not sneaking off without me.
I’ve never been there either. I’ve lived in Nashville for years, and when you do, you’re blind to all the cool and fun places around you that you can go to.
It’s about time I explored, don’t you think?
Surely, you won’t make me go alone.” There was a plea in his tone, and when I glanced back at him, he was giving me a beseeching look to go along with it. I burst out laughing.
“Oh, for God’s sake, no more. That look is going to wear out its effectiveness,” I warned him.
“If it does, I’ll have to think of another way to convince you to do whatever I want.”
This time, his voice sounded smoky. I gulped as I chanced another peek at him.
He was back to staring over at me, and I swore there was desire in his eyes.
Christ, how would I ever resist him with those looks of his?
I wisely kept my mouth shut, which made him chuckle.
The sexy bastard knew what I was thinking, no doubt.
The rest of the drive, which wasn’t long, went along in a comfortable silence.
I was busy checking out a new area. When he slowed down and turned into a four-story building’s underground parking structure, I knew we’d arrived.
I saw what Reuben meant about the trendy vibe.
I could see it in the mostly clean, modern buildings, though some had more eclectic facades.
He drove straight to a numbered parking spot.
It made sense that they had assigned parking.
“Wait until I get the door,” Reuben told me after he shut off the car.
As I did, I thought about how nice it was to have a man act like a gentleman. He took my hand after he opened my door and assisted me out, then held my hand as we walked to the nearby elevator.
“I live in a flat on the fourth floor. It gives me views of the surrounding area. You’ll see. Then there’s something I want to show you on the roof, but we’ll go to my flat first,” he informed me as we rode the elevator up.
In no time, he unlocked and opened the door to his place. Walking inside, I was excited to see what it was like. The first thing we did was remove our coats and shoes. I put my handbag with my coat in the entryway closet.
Inside, the atmosphere was clean and modern, featuring high-end amenities.
This place had to cost a fortune to rent.
While I would’ve liked more color, the shades of white, gray, black, and silver were eye-catching and suited him.
Reuben took his time showing me around his two-bedroom, two-bathroom flat.
In addition to those rooms, it had a decent-sized kitchen, an eating area, a laundry closet, and a moderate-sized living room.
The windows on the outer walls were large and let in a ton of light when the shades weren’t closed.
They were in the living room, his bedroom, and his bathroom. He had a corner unit.
I felt a little odd being in his bedroom and had to keep my gaze off the king-sized bed after a cursory glance.
My mind kept picturing the two of us on it together, naked.
My body felt hot, and it reacted with my nipples hardening and my core growing damp.
I was relieved when he led me back to the kitchen.
I sat at the island while he got us something to drink.
“Reuben, your place is incredible. How long have you lived here?”
“Thanks. I’ve been here for four years. It’s an upgrade from my last place.”
“You’re lucky to have a dedicated covered parking rather than having your car out in the weather. That’s one thing I wish I had, among others. Of course, you have to pay extra for all this. If I had, it would’ve busted the bank, so I can’t complain. It’s nicer than where I used to live, too.”
“Let’s move to the couch where it’s more comfortable,” he said, holding onto our drinks.
Moving over to the couch, I sat and allowed him to set our drinks on the coasters before he sat next to me.
“Oh my, a guy who not only has coasters but uses them. Wow. I see you got rid of the pizza boxes and cleaned before I came,” I teased.
“Hey, I’ll have you know, there were no pizza boxes, takeout boxes, or beer cans scattered all over.
And if I didn’t have and use coasters, my mamá would smack me silly.
If she didn’t, then my sisters would. As for how clean it is, I can’t take credit for that.
My cleaning lady was here yesterday. But I will have you know, I’m not a total slob either,” Reuben stated piously.
“I was only joking. I know that the stereotype isn’t true for all guys, just like the one about women being neat freaks isn’t true. However, in the case of my brothers, it’s true. God, growing up with them, I wanted to scream.”
“Okay, that’s where we’ll start. Tell me about your family, then I’ll tell you about mine,” Reuben suggested.
I didn’t mind talking about mine, even if they did drive me insane sometimes. Living four hours away wasn’t always terrible for me. It gave me breathing room. They hated it, though.
“Hmm, let me see. I’m from what you would call a traditional, old-fashioned Hispanic family.
Both my grandparents were immigrants from Argentina.
My parents are first-generation born here in the States.
I have two older brothers and one older sister.
They all like to tell me how to live and want to be in my business.
They’re all married with kids. So you can guess, my siblings, along with my parents, are constantly after me to marry and have kids.
Then I can quit working and stay home to raise the children while my husband supports us. ”
“Are they all back around Memphis?” he asked.
“They are, and yes, before you ask, they hate that I live so far away. It means they can’t be constantly sticking their noses in my business.
They still try to, but it’s harder to do.
They call and text often, asking for updates and begging me to move back.
I don’t mean to sound like I don’t love them because I do.
It’s just that they need to chill a bit.
I do miss them at times, especially my nieces and nephews. So there you have it, my family story.”
Reuben chuckled. “Sounds like in some ways we have the same family. I’m the oldest, and I have three younger brothers and three sisters.
My grandparents on both sides immigrated from Mexico and had their children here in the US, so I’m a second-generation American.
Both my parents are still living. All six of my siblings are settled.
And all but the youngest sister have children.
Like you, I’m constantly asked when I’ll find a good woman and have a family. ”
“Do they live near Nashville?” I asked.
“They do, though scattered in different towns. We see each other often. They’re traditional in many ways, such as Mamá believes men should stay out of the kitchen.
When I first moved out, I thought I’d starve until I learned to cook, just as I didn’t know how to do laundry.
Now, I’m not a gourmet chef, though I make a few things rather well. ”
“What do they say about your job? Or don’t they know? If they do, do they know you live the lifestyle?” I asked because I was curious about how he handled it.
“They do know what I do for a living and that I practice that lifestyle. They don’t like it and blame it on me not having a wife and kids at the ripe old age of forty-one.
I told them it has nothing to do with me being single.
If I wanted, I could’ve settled long ago, but I refused to do it with just anyone.
I’m looking for a woman to not only love but who can share all parts of my life, including the fact that I’m a Dom.
Does your family know about you living the life? ”
“God, no, they have no idea. If they did, my father and brothers would try to force me to move home and then send me to church daily to drive the devil out of me. They wouldn’t understand.
The fact that I’m not a virgin still at thirty-two would be enough of a shock.
Of course, the fact that my brothers weren’t saints and had lots of women before they married is perfectly acceptable.
I hate the double standard. Was your family the same way with your sisters? ”
“My family doesn’t think I need an exorcism, at least. As for my sisters and virginity, don’t hate me, but we did hope they stayed virgins until they married. Did they? Probably not, but we pretended they did. We ran off more than a few guys who came sniffing around them.” He said it with pride.
Without thinking, I smacked his arm. “That’s terrible—your poor sisters. If I ever meet them, we’ll have horror stories to share. My brothers and Papá are the same. Another reason I’m glad for the space.”
Reuben laughed at my smack then replied, “Oh, you’ll meet them. When you do, try not to be too harsh on your brothers. We mean well and love our sisters.”
His casual remark that I’d meet his family sent a thrill through me, but I tried not to let it make me too happy. There was no guarantee that he and I would become anything more than casual acquaintances or friends.
Suddenly, Reuben was leaning closer to me. His hand came up to lightly grip my chin, so I had no recourse but to meet his eyes.
“I know what you’re thinking, Cristiana, but this between us will be more than friendship. I feel it in my gut. Don’t overthink it. Go with the flow. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. I want this to work.”
I sighed. “Reuben, I want the same thing, as nuts as that sounds. I’ll try, I promise. And you ask if you have questions, too.”
“Good girl. Hmm, what should we talk about next?”
From there, the next two hours flew by. We discussed a wide range of topics, including our work, favorite foods, movies, and music that we enjoy. Our favorite colors were even mentioned. Things that we couldn’t stand were on the list.
As things wound down, he suggested that he take me to see the roof. I agreed, but asked to use the bathroom first. When I was through, we put on our shoes and coats, then left his flat and took the elevator to the roof. It wasn’t what I expected.
I thought he was taking me there to show me the view, which was as lovely as the one from his place.
However, that wasn’t all. The owner had created an oasis for the residents.
There were several comfy seating areas complete with tables.
In addition, there were umbrellas to shade you from the sun and tall, portable outdoor heaters to keep you warm.
A large grill setup completed it. My mouth hung open.
“What do you think?” he asked.
“I think that I hate you and want to push you off this roof for having this. Your flat and parking are wonderful, then you have to add this. That’s it, we can’t be friends, let alone anything else.” I pretended to scowl at him.
A low growl came out of his throat. The next thing I knew, I was plastered to his front as Reuben’s head lowered and he kissed me.
This kiss was aggressive and filled with passion.
I automatically opened my mouth and then sank into a haze as we kissed each other silly.
Suffice it to say, when we eventually parted, which I had no way of knowing how long we’d kissed, my entire body was ablaze. My lips felt puffy and slightly sore.
“We’re not just friends, and there is no reason for you to envy me or to kill me.”
“Oh, really, why not?” I mumbled.
“Because as soon as you agree to be mine, you can enjoy all this with me. Your sweet ass will be moving in with me,” he said boldly.
Again, my mouth dropped open in astonishment. I blinked at him, thinking I’d heard him wrong. It was possible since my head was still reeling from that unbelievable kiss.
“What did you say?” I asked.
“I said after you commit to me, you’ll move in here to share this with me.” He said it slowly this time.
“Joking like that will get you in trouble,” I tease.
“It isn’t a joke. I’m dead serious, Cristiana. I won’t want us to be apart, not even for a day. I know this is extremely fast, but I want you never to doubt what I want. It’s not happening tomorrow, so no need to panic. Would you like to stay up here for a bit, or go back to my place?”
He was giving me a chance to collect myself, so I took it. “I’d like to stay up here, if you don’t mind. The weather is so nice and the view is great.”
Reuben nodded, then took me to one of the seating areas that would let us look out over the area. He sat close and held my hand. I let the experience sink in as I wrapped my brain around what he had said. It was a lot to think about.