Big Apple Sin Page 3
“Cherry?” Levan rasped.
“Yeah?” I leaned toward him.
“It’s getting late, I’d better get you home.” Levan pulled away and motioned down the street away from his apartment.
“Alright,” I murmured and followed him down the sidewalk.
Silence filled the air between us as we sunk into our own thoughts. For a minute there I thought Levan was going to kiss me… and for a minute I was hoping he would.
Time slipped away as we walked and Levan’s voice broke me from my thoughts.
“The coffee shop is just around the corner, does anything look familiar?” He asked.
Looking up I laughed and pointed at my apartment building with its maroon awning over the door. The building looked a bit out of place in the neighborhood. It was part of a program where the owners and city were trying to revitalize the area. The apartment building wasn’t anything special but had been recently remodeled and updated. Around the corner were the coffee shop and some cute shops where I had browsed and purchased a few things.
“It’s nice,” he murmured as he looked both ways and helped me across the street.
“You know, I might have been wrong?” I stated as I stepped back up on the sidewalk.
“About what?” Levan looked confused.
“You just might be a boy scout after all,” I giggled as I looked down at the way he’d looped my arm around his to lead me across the street.
“Naw, that’s just good manners.” Levan shrugged and grinned at me.
“So, you live with your mom and aunt?” I asked out of the blue.
“Naw…” If Levan had been pale, I was sure his cheeks would have shown red in embarrassment. “It’s my grandma and my dad’s sister, so yeah Trinika is my aunt.”
“I’m sorry,” I mumbled because I could see his hand twitching as if he was uncomfortable.
“You’re fine. Makes sense for you to wonder about the kids' home life,” he insisted.
As we both stood looking at each, it was obvious that neither of us knew what to say. Whether it was God or Mother Nature, I wasn’t sure, but lightning lit up the sky overhead and was followed quickly with booming thunder.
“A storm –” As the words began to leave my mouth, the skies opened up and it began to pour.
We both rushed beneath the awning, already soaked in the short sprint to cover.
“Oh no,” I gasped as I looked at the rain coming down in sheets.
“Go on in,” Levan said as he looked out at the streets running with the sudden onslaught of water that wasn’t able to drain fast enough.
“I can’t leave you out here and there is no way you can walk back in this.” I looked between Levan and my door.
“It’s okay, Cherry. I’ll just wait it out and then head back. I’m sure you have an early morning and need your sleep to deal with the little ones.”
“But –”
“Go on,” Levan shooed me toward the door.
Making a split-second decision, I didn’t allow myself a moment to change my mind. “How about you come up and get dried off? You can call home to let them know you’ll be back later than you thought, too.”
“I couldn’t –”
“Don’t want to hear it. My mom taught me manners, too. Let’s go, mister,” I ordered as I punched in my code on the keypad and pulled the door open.
“You sure?” Levan looked at me and then out at the rain.
“Absolutely,” I chirped – inside I was wobbly like gelatin.
Chapter Six
Levan
Cherry’s apartment was nice and very clean. You could tell she didn’t have five people in the place with two of them barely three-years-old. Everything was in the perfect spot. It reminded me of a home decorating magazine.
“Sorry for the mess,” Cherry said, shutting the door behind us.
“Mess?” I chuckled. “Your place is spotless.”
“You’re too kind,” she laughed and walked past me. “Want a cup of coffee? Tea? Water?”
“Some tea sounds good.” I followed her into the kitchen. Even her kitchen was spotless. Not a single dish in the sink.
I had a feeling Cherry grew up in the type of place where good manners meant you pretended things were worse so that people would give you compliments. I wonder if she even realized that she did it? Cherry intrigued me and had me wanting to get to know her better.
“You can have a seat,” she offered me a chair at her small white cafe-style table.
“Thanks,” I replied as I took my seat.
My eyes were on Cherry as she made two cups of hot tea. She’d occasionally look over at me and smile. Each time I felt like my heart was going to explode. Her smile had that effect on me. I couldn’t help but return it.
“You have a beautiful smile,” I said softly. She turned her head quickly in my direction. Her cheeks reddened.
“Thank you.” Her blush darkened as she grabbed the two cups off the counter. Slowly, she walked over to me and set one cup down in front of me and the other in the empty spot at the table. Before she took her seat, however, she opened the blinds next to the table to show off the storm.
“Making sure I don’t stay longer than I need to?” I joked.
“What?” she gasped.
“You’re watching to make sure it’s still raining,” I grinned. She looked mortified.
“No. I just really like storms,” she blurted. I placed my hand on her hand.
“Relax, I was teasing,” I smiled and then moved my hand back to my side of the table.
“Oh,” she laughed. “Sorry.”
“No. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t tease. We’re still getting to know each other.”
As soon as the words left my mouth, I wished I had a time machine so I can go back and never say them. My words made it seem like I thought this was a date. It clearly wasn’t. Cherry was just being polite and allowing me to wait out the storm.
“That’s true. Maybe, next time, we’ll joke around,” she said without missing a beat. She averted her eyes from me and sipped slowly from her cup.
I wanted to ask if she meant we could hang out again sometime. However, I really didn’t want to push my luck and get tossed out on my ass and have to move the twins to a new preschool.
I sipped slowly from my cup of tea. The steaming liquid was just what I needed to warm up. She hadn’t told me what kind of tea she made, but it tasted like honey, chamomile, and cinnamon. It wasn’t an unusual mixture of ingredients; however, it tasted really good.
“Taste okay?” Cherry asked, setting down her cup.
“Tastes great. Thank you.”
“You’re quite welcome,” she smiled. Lightning lit up the sky outside the window. We both turned to watch the light show.
“Mother nature is being fierce tonight,” I sighed.
“Maybe it’s because I didn’t try Lily’s choice of hotdogs,” Cherry teased, making me laugh.
“Could be. But I promise next time, we’ll take you there.”
Seriously? Again? I groaned to myself when the words flew out of my mouth.
“Look, I’m really sorry. It’s been a long time since I was around a woman one on one. I mean, I know this isn’t a date or anything, but still. I keep coming across as some creepy guy. And I’m sorry,” I said at a pace of a hundred words per minute. Cherry was looking at me amusingly. “What?” I asked softly.
“I think it’s cute when you’re nervous,” she giggled.
“Laughing at my expense?” I smiled and she nodded.
“Just a little.” She held up two fingers and spaced them an inch or so apart.
Ding.
My text message notifications went off. I already knew who it was.
“Oh. No. You didn’t text them,” Cherry gasped.
“It’s okay,” I assured her and then took my phone out of my pocket.
“Boy, where you be? The weada bad.” GramMa’s message read. Her spelling never ceased to amaze me. She texted how she talked.
“Oh. You wit a woman. Good for you. Night.”
“It’s not like that. She’s the twin’s teacher.” I quickly wrote.
“No need to lie boy. I was young once. Now quit textin me.”
I didn’t know if I should groan in frustration or laugh because GramMa was hilarious.
I set my phone on the table. Cherry was looking at me.
“Everything okay?” she asked softly. I nodded and then laughed.
“Everything is fine,” I smiled.
“Are you sure?” She looked genuinely worried. I reached across the table and held her hand.
“Cherry, I promise. I wouldn’t lie to you.” With my thumb, I stroked the top of her hand. She looked down at my hand and smiled.
“Okay. As long as you say everything’s fine. I’ll believe you.” She looked up at me and smiled.
I grabbed my cup with my free hand and sipped some of the tea. It was finally cool enough, but still warm, to where I could drink it and enjoy it. Cherry was now drinking from her cup. She looked over the brim of the cup at me. I had noticed her eyes from the moment I had seen her at the daycare, but now I was able to look into them without interruptions.
“What?” Cherry asked, lowering her cup to the table. Her cheeks were once again reddening.
“Do you always blush?” I laughed and she shook her head.
“No. Not usually,” she whispered. “Do I look stupid?”
“No, you don’t. You look beautiful.”
“Aw,” she smiled. “Thank you.”
“Just telling the truth, but I’m sure guys tell you that all the time,” I smiled, but she didn’t. Instead, she shook her head.
“No. You’d be the first in a very long time,” she admitted quietly. Her words made me frown. How could any man walk past her and not notice her beauty?
“Well, then on behalf of those men, I’m sorry that they’re idiots.”
“Idiots?” she laughed.
“How could they not tell you how beautiful you are?”
“If we hadn’t ended up going out for hotdogs, would you have told me?” she asked with her eyebrow rose.
She got me there. If I only saw her in the twins’ preschool class, I would have kept everything professional. I wouldn’t compliment her on her looks.
“No,” I admitted with a sigh and shook my head. “I would have been too worried about putting my foot in my mouth or crossing a line.”
“And what about now?” she asked, looking down at my hand, which still held hers.
My cheeks felt like they were on fire. My heart felt like it was going to race out of my chest, and nerves rushed through me. I was still holding the woman’s hand and hadn’t even noticed it. It had felt natural as though we had held hands a thousand times.
Levan, you’re in for it now.
Chapter Seven
Cherry
Levan was so genuine that I couldn’t help but like him. His compliment had thrown me a bit if I was honest, but there was something in the way he had said it. As if he was a bit afraid.
I could understand being nervous around someone of the opposite sex. I’d dated my ex-husband for so long before we even got married and then when we had tried for several years to have a baby with no luck, I had continued thinking he was the same man I’d married when in reality he wasn’t. Or maybe he was and I just hadn’t realized it.
I bit my lip as I thought about what he’d said. Would the school frown on us spending time together? A needy feeling rose inside of me and demanded that I reach for what I wanted. It wasn’t willing to let someone tell us who we could or couldn’t have.
That’s partly why I ended up with my ex. Everyone loved him. They thought we made the perfect couple.
What would everyone back in Dublin have to say about Levan?
“What do you do for a living, Levan?” The question popped out before I could stop it.
His eyes snapped up to mine.
“Why, you want to try and sell me something?” He grinned at me and I shook my head.
“Wouldn’t get far, I’m a horrible salesperson,” I admitted. “Just curiosity – you know, to get to know the twins’ family.”
“Ah, the twins, yes…” His gaze moved back to the window to watch the rain hitting against the windowpane.
Something moved in his eyes and I regretted my words instantly. My nerves had gotten the better of me and I’d chickened out. Hell, I hadn’t meant to even ask the question. No matter how much I wanted to know about Levan.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I shouldn’t have asked.”
Rising from the table I went to take my mug to the sink. Levan grabbed my hand before I was able to walk more than a step. I looked down and was taken by the differences in our skin tones. His was such a rich color that I wanted to stroke my fingers over every inch. Actually, my thoughts were going a bit more rated R than that. I wanted to lick him.
“You can ask me anything you want, Cherry,” Levan rasped as his thumb stroked over the back of my hand.
“What if I want to know everything?” I asked nervously.
My cheeks heated and I groaned. The lights chose that moment to flicker and go out.
“Stay still,” I ordered as I shuffled to the counter and set my mug down. It only took me a moment to find the drawer with my emergency candles.
Placing them in their holders on the counter, I reached back in the drawer and flicked on the lighter. As the flame took to the wicks, I dropped the lighter back into the drawer and turned a smile toward Levan.
My breath caught in my chest at the sight of him in the flickering candlelight. He was a very handsome man. I noted some of the small details. His short and neat hairstyle. The inch-long goatee that lengthened his jawline. The size of his biceps as they stretched his damp t-shirt.
“Levan, can I tell you something?” I whispered.
“Anything,” he replied just as quietly.
“I…” My voice faltered and I turned back to the candles. “Never mind.”
“Cherry…” Levan’s breath blew across my neck and I startled at his nearness.
He started to back away and I turned to stop him. We were face to face. Well, as face to face as we could be with our height differences. I loved the way Levan made me feel small. It wasn’t something I’d often felt in my life. My curves always had gotten comments in the past.
“Don’t go,” I rasped.
“Alright,” he smiled. “But only if you finish what you wanted to say.”
Embarrassment and nerves filled me as our gazes locked. There was something between us and I ‘d never felt the way I felt at that moment.
“My husband knocked up a younger woman because I couldn’t get pregnant. Once he knew he was going to be a father he filed for divorce. I moved here to get away from them, the memories, and the disappointment.” The words poured from me as soft as a feather in the quiet and dim room.
“He’s more than an idiot, Cherry,” Levan replied just as quietly. It was as if we were afraid to break the spell that had built between us. “He’s a lunatic.”
A giggle rose inside of me. The joy from hearing someone stand up for me… it was priceless.
“Levan, I don’t know how to move on,” I admitted. “I’ve only ever been with him.”
“Oh, Cherry,” Levan reached up and bracketed my face with his hands. I could feel the calluses and rough skin from whatever he did for work. “I…”
Levan’s eyes dropped to my mouth as he started to speak.
“Levan, would you ta–”
The kiss came out of nowhere for me. One second Levan was frozen in place, staring at my mouth, and the next his tongue was demanding entrance.
I moaned at the sensations that raced through me. The attraction I felt between us multiplied by a thousand and I felt way too hot. My hands moved to his chest and I w
himpered as Levan broke away from me.
“I’m sorry.” He took a step backward and I felt the cold almost instantly.
“No, Levan. Don’t be,” I pleaded as I took a step toward him. “Please.”
Frantically looking around I searched for answers. Something to tell me what to do.
“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured and reached out to me.
“Are you single?” I pulled the question from my chaotic brain. Please say yes, chanted in my head. Mortification at the thought I’d pushed myself onto a man who was already taken filled me.
“Yes. I have been since before the twins were born,” he admitted. “Their mother preferred partying to being with me… or the twins for that matter.”
“I’m sorry, Levan.” My words felt inadequate against the pain I saw etched into his face.
“She’s gone now. The twins are better for it.” The harshness in his tones had me freezing mid-step. “She died of a drug overdose.”
Levan moved to the window and I watched as his hands rubbed at his face and then over the top of his hair.
“I shouldn’t have said that,” he rasped.
Watching his reflection flickering against the glass from the candlelight, I struggled with the desires the man pulled from me. I wanted him. The need I felt had my thighs rubbing together as I stood and waited to see what he would do. But a thought rose in me. It grew stronger the longer the silence in the room held.
Both of us were hurt. Neither of us knew how to move forward.
“Levan…” I walked up behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist. My fingers met over his rock-hard abs. “I don’t know why we’re here together like this but I… can we comfort each other?”
“Comfort?” He turned slightly and looked down at me.
“Show me what it’s like to be with someone who cares… even a little bit.” I knew I wouldn’t have asked for what I wanted if the storm hadn’t hit and the electric hadn’t gone out. Levan would have been only a dream. But in the flickering candlelight, something was different.
“But the kids,” Levan rasped as he let his head fall forward against my window.
“We’re adults, Levan. The kids, the school… none of that needs to be a factor here. Tomorrow will just be another day but tonight can be for us.”