Chapter 11
Warm breath tickled the back of her neck. Leah turned over in bed and came face to face with a sleeping Noah. She hadn’t felt him put her to bed last night, didn”t remember falling asleep for that matter, but here she was tucked into bed next to him. After dinner, they’d started streaming some music, using her closed in porch as a dance floor. The last thing she remembered was cuddling into his side as they watched true crime television. In the predawn light, she studied his handsome face. The lines of his face softened slightly in sleep. Being in his arms felt infinitely better than the body pillow that was her usual bed buddy. He was even considerate enough to turn on the white noise machine next to her bed.
So far, the mask hadn’t slipped. She didn’t think it was possible for the man to be anything other than an open book. The guy that helped out a despondent teenager sixteen years ago was the same man that carried out a similar act this afternoon. It was who he was. Kindness appeared to be his default setting.
Leah touched the closely shorn side of his head and the arm that was draped across her waist flexed in response, maneuvering her into his body. She placed a kiss on his chin, smiling when his embrace tightened. Her mouth strayed to his and after a moment, his lips parted under hers, allowing her to taste his kiss.
“Foxy.” The groan escaped him when her kiss wandered to his Adam’s apple, her teeth snagging the flesh before trailing down his body. Her tongue swirled around an erect nipple while her fingers tweaked the other. Noah moved to lay on his back, and he situated her to straddle his waist.
“Oh my,” she said, feeling his thick cock at her apex. Leah knew the slow descent down his body was painful. The throbbing, cloth covered dick teasing her made that abundantly clear. She was tortured as well but couldn’t bring herself to hurry. She rained kisses on his stomach, her hand snagging the waistband of his shorts. “Commando, huh?”
“I sleep naked.” Hints of sleep and breathlessness laced his chuckle. “I figured I should wear these for a co-ed slumber party.”
“Just so you know, I sleep in the buff as well. So next time, you can leave these off.” She accented her words with a snap of the short’s elastic. They worked in tandem to remove the garment and when he resumed the supine position, her fingers wrapped around the thick length before placing a kiss on the bulbous tip. A hiss melded into a groan as she explored his cock, her lips and tongue caressing the prominent vein running along the underside. When she took his balls into her mouth while still stroking the stiff length in her grasp, Noah fisted the satin covered curls at the base of her neck in a tight grip.
“Come here.”
“Oh no,” she laughed, still jacking him off. “You’re gonna let me have my way.” Instead of waiting for a response, Leah took him back into her mouth. In the early morning light, her eyes found his, keeping contact until the blue orbs were hidden by closed lids. Soon, his grip on her hair tightened and heavy groans pierced the quiet as his hot release filled her mouth, his large frame shuddering.
“Foxy.”
Leah released his still hard dick from its warm, wet prison, but her fingers remained, gently pumping him. “Yes, Texas?”
“On my face.” When she hesitated, Leah found herself being yanked up his big body. “Take that off,” he said motioning to the oversized t-shirt. Before the pink and white polka dot garment hit the floor, she was again lifted and felt warm breath on her waxed pussy just before his tongue speared her channel. Large hands cupped her ass when she tried to pull away, pressing her down until she was fully seated. When his lips surrounded her sensitive clit, sucking gently on the bud, her hips bucked against her will, seeking pleasure.
“Yes!” The fingers of one hand curled around the top of her headboard while the other snagged the front of his short hair. Tightness built in her core, her thighs clenching around his head in response to the need building in her. Noah’s grunts of pleasure as he devoured her blended harmoniously with her cries. His name flowed from her lips like praise as she came, tremors wracking her frame.
Before her body could cease shuddering in ecstasy, she was on her back, her pussy filled to capacity with his cock. Noah’s mouth crashed into hers, tongues twirling around each other as he rocked into her. Her fingers dug into his back, loving the play of hard muscle beneath her hands. Time ceased and nothing existed but the two of them, their bodies partaking in a dance as old as the universe.
Her hips met each deep thrust and her channel gripped his length. “That’s right, Foxy. Fuck me back.” The words were carried by a hoarse groan as his fingers clasped her hip. “You feel so good wrapped around my cock.”
A trail of biting kisses stung her neck as his thrusts continued. “Noah!” She felt as if she had been touched by a live wire. Her body literally hummed as she rode a wave of euphoria, her pussy clenching tightly around his length.
“Fuck!” She felt the muscle under her fingers, slick with sweat, constrict as his hot release bathed her walls. Her hands moved up the hard landscape until they touched his short tresses then down again, the gentle caress soothing her as both of their heartbeats slowed from a gallop. His head slowly rose from the crook of her neck and their lips met in a soft kiss. “Good morning, Foxy.”
“A good morning indeed,” she said, covering a yawn with her palm. “Although it’s still a bit too early for me.” She saw the silver numbers on her clock displaying 5:24. “I’m absolutely sleeping in for another couple of hours.”
Noah pulled out of her embrace and the soft whine that passed her lips when the cool air replaced his body heat surprised her. “I’ll be right back. I’m gonna clean us up and climb back in next to you. The sun’s not done sleeping.”
Her head turned, following his naked body into her bathroom. The man was practically a walking statue. Even in the dim light her eyes ate up the corded muscle of his back and thighs, her palms itching to have the area back under her hands. She let out a soft whistle. “You got a nice ass, Texas.”
She heard his heavy laughter over the running water. “I appreciate the compliment.” Once he had them both cleaned up, he slid back into bed, and back into her arms.
“I could get used to this.”
“Me too, Foxy.”
Fuck, I said that out loud.
***
“Foxy, we need to have a talk.”
Leah looked up from her plate of catfish and cheese grits as they sat at her breakfast nook. She woke about an hour ago with Noah’s name on her lips and his head buried between her thighs. Once they managed to get showered and dressed, the breakfast she’d promised started to be prepared. “What about?”
“Unprotected sex.”
“Oh yeah. Well, if you”re worried, I”m on birth control.”
“I figured as much, but because we”re going to keep doing it, we need to get tested.”
She eyed the man incredulously as he bit a large biscuit in half. “We”re going to keep doing it?”
He stared back at her, his gaze filled with amusement. “Is there an echo in here? We”re going to keep doing it, so we need to get tested.”
She fought the urge to say ‘Yes Daddy’ knowing the sassy remark would get her pressed against the nearest flat surface and filled with dick. The thought made her second guess her response. Instead, she gave her head a slight bob and settled for an “Okay.”
“Good. I’ll set up the appointment for this afternoon and then I’ll take you to ‘Driftwood’ tonight.”
Leah’s dark brow arched. “Oh, you fancy, huh?” The restaurant boasted some of the best seafood in South Carolina and was pretty exclusive, so she was excited to partake.
“Well, you cooked for me and seeing that I don’t have time to grocery shop, I figured I’d take you out.”
“Sounds good but I expect you to cook for me soon.”
“It’s a deal, Foxy. And be prepared to be impressed. I’m a man of many talents.”
Leah filled her mouth with a spoonful of grits in order to keep the words on her tongue from spilling out. Noah was indeed quite skilled. Their conversation was sporadic as they enjoyed their meal and as he collected the plates to load in the dishwasher, her doorbell sounded. “I’ll be right back.” She felt Noah’s eyes on her as she walked towards the front of her house. When she looked through the glass panel next to the door, her shoulders slumped. “Lord, this is about to be interesting.” Leah took a deep breath, then pulled open the door. “Hey, Uncle D.”
“Baby-Niece, I would have barged in as usual,” he said, flowing into her home, dressed in white from head to toe. The lounge set was a replica of one he’d given her in sky blue. “But I saw a truck in your driveway and thought it best to use the manners Nafisa instilled in me.” As she followed him into the kitchen, she waited for him to chime in on what he was to find. “Well, don’t the two of you look domestic?”
“Good morning, Dayo. Glad to see you up and around.”
“Good morning, Big Country. It’s good to see you period.”
“Uncle D, what brings you by?” Leah wanted to hopefully distract her uncle before he asked too many questions. It was probably fruitless, but it was worth a try.
“I see you’re not answering my question, sweetie.”
“You didn’t ask a question. You made a statement. And you really don’t want an answer, you want details.” Leah resumed her seat in front of her cup of tea. “Do you wanna have breakfast? See, that’s an example of a question that needs an answer.”
“What are y’all having, smart ass?”
Leah shot Noah a withering glance when the man had the gall to chuckle. “Grits, biscuits and fried fish.”
“I wish, but I better not have any of that. According to the people at the hospital, after recently having a heart attack, eating better should be the goal. I will have a cup of tea, though.”
“You look great,” Noah added, quickly placing a cup of the hot brew before her uncle.
“I feel great, Big Country but thank you for noticing.”
“I need to go, Foxy. I’ll call you a little bit later and let you know about the appointment.”
“Okay.”
“Nice seeing you, Dayo.”
“It’s always good to see you, Big Country.” Noah placed a soft kiss on her lips. “Oh, ain’t y’all full of sugar.”
“Hey, you forgot your bag,” she called after him, pointing to his large brown duffle.
“No, I didn’t.” The man had the nerve to toss her a wink before making his way out of the back door.
“That was certainly a surprise,” her uncle said. “A pleasant one I might add.”
“Don’t read anything into this.” Leah didn’t dare tell him about what unfolded between her and Noah, not that it took a rocket scientist to figure it out. “What does bring you by this morning, Uncle D?”
“I was close by after leaving my doctor’s appointment and I wanted to talk to you about what we were gonna be doing this summer for vacation, but it looks like you might be busy.”
Ever since Leah graduated from high school, she and her uncle took at least one trip together each year, normally during the summer. It was the first time she’d ever done anything with her school breaks that wasn’t church related, and she instantly became addicted. He’d done the same with Damaris and Miriam when they graduated as well and whenever possible, the two liked to be included on the trips. They’d traveled the world together, and she had no plans for that tradition to come to an end. “I don’t know what you mean. I’m looking forward to going on vacation. You’re the best travel buddy.”
“That’s good to hear, sweetie. It’s good to know that just because you have a man it doesn’t mean you have to put your life on hold.”
And here we go.“I don’t have a man.”
“So, 6’ 3” that just walked out of here. What are we calling that?”
“He’s a man. He’s not my man.”
“I see you’ve decided to wear that sack of delusion as a backpack today. Does it match your favorite pink lamé shorts?”
“I’m not doing this with you today, Uncle D.”
“It’s obvious by the little bitty bruises on your neck that you’ve been doing it with Big Country and seeing that he left his overnight bag here, he plans to put on a repeat performance sometime soon.” Leah fought the urge to touch the bruises that graced the right side of her throat. “How was your doctor’s appointment?”
“Everything’s fine. For someone who just had a heart attack, I’m in pretty good shape. I have to watch what I eat and get a little more exercise but other than that everything‘s looking good. No medication needed. Just told me my condition can be controlled with a good diet and a little more physical activity.”
“And I’m gonna be on you, Uncle D. You’re not leaving me yet.”
“Girl, I have no plans on leaving this raggedy ass rock anytime soon. I got too much to do. I plan on dancing with you at your wedding. Now,” he said, pointing a bright red nail at her, “I’m back to being on you. Did you and Noah get a chance to talk, or did you just give your mattress a workout?”
“I’ll have you know we did talk. We got a lot of things out in the open.”
Her uncle smiled. “Good. I like him for you.”
“We don’t know that he’s for me.” You’re going to get screened for STIs with the man this afternoon. Of course he’s for you her mind chided.
“Ooh, I see that backpack of delusion has morphed into a hard side suitcase. Who knows, by the time this is over, you might have the whole ensemble.”
“And I still haven’t let go of the idea of hoeing this summer.”
“Baby, Big Country thinks he’s all the hoe you need.”
***
“Looks like that motor is giving you hell.”
Upon hearing his dad’s voice, Noah put down the breaker bar and stepped from under the jacked up full size pick up, toeing the empty oil pan towards the back of the shop. “Yeah. It’s seized and for the life of me, I can’t figure out what’s wrong. Oil was good, no rust or water, head gasket’s fine and all the axles look good.”
“Vapor lock, maybe?” Art Jr. asked, scratching his head which was more salt than pepper even at fifty-six years of age.
“Nope. Engine’s ice cold now and still seized.”
“Huh.” His dad took his place under the vehicle, looking for the culprit. “Maybe the water pump’s bad.”
“Nope. Checked it already and it’s in working order.” Noah had actually pulled the repair from Elian, one of the mechanics in his service department. He needed something to keep his feet firmly planted on the ground, to occupy his mind with thoughts other than the pretty sepia skinned nymph that was becoming something along the lines of an obsession.
As his father rattled off possible causes, Noah confirmed that he’d checked them all. “Might have to do a rebuild but this truck’s not even ten years old yet. Don’t think it’s needed.”
He watched as his dad wandered under the vehicle, using the light from his phone to illuminate the motor. “I think I found it.”
Noah was by his dad’s side in a flash. “What?” He had gone over the engine with a fine-toothed comb.
“Take a good look at this right here.”
When he moved under the vehicle, angling the work light towards the engine block, he saw it. The least little bit of a metallic shimmer in the oil coating the rods. “Motherfucker! Something’s knocking against the inside of a bearing cap and scraping the insides.”
His father gave the part in question a tap. “I’ll bet my life this rod is bent. Probably a replacement. More than likely factory standard not thick enough for the truck’s build path. Looks like the engine’s been modified.”
“I would have been all day looking for this.” An engine would usually be coated in metal dust, the oil practically gleaming from the residue behind a thrown rod. “That’s wild. I’ve never seen an engine seize behind a rod before it’s thrown.”
“We still don’t know for certain it’s the cause, but I’m almost positive. Gotta pull it first to be sure. And you can thank Uncle Sam and the years I spent underneath vehicles. I’ve seen it all. And now, you won’t ever forget this.”
As Noah went to enter the diagnosis into the computer, he felt his father staring daggers into his broad back. “What brought you by today, Dad, even though I’m thrilled to have you here.”
“I wanted to know how your date went with Leah.”
He would get enough of telling Riley anything. It was obvious the woman couldn’t hold water in a cup with two hands. “It went fine, Dad. We’re having dinner tonight.”
“When do we get to meet her? Your Big Daddy seems to think she might be the one.”
“I don’t think she would feel comfortable enough to be meeting family, although I think she would like you. She says you raised a fine man.”
“Is she referring to you?” Art Jr. chuckled.
Noah turned on his heel to face his father. “I am your only son, aren’t I?”
“As far as I know.”
“Like I said, I think it’s too soon. She’s on the fence right now. But if anything changes, I’ll be sure to inform the town crier.”
“You should bring her to Kiawah next weekend. We’re having a cookout, and everyone will be there.”
“I’ll think about it, Dad.” Noah would do more than think about it. If things went well tonight, he would ask her to accompany him. Hell, he was taking a major step in his mind. Getting tested with her was a sure sign that she was interested in forming something serious with him. Some would say he might not have left her much choice in the matter, but he would disagree. Leah was a woman that knew her own mind. If she didn’t want to do something, there was no one in the world that could persuade her. A smile formed on his lips.
“What’s that grin about, son?”
“I’m just thinking of the possibilities, Dad.”