Because the Night

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.


~Chapter Four~

As I stared at the computer screen, my mind wandered constantly to last night’s events. After our discussion, Lisimba would not hear of me returning home. One of the criminals had managed to snatch my wallet, which contained my identification, which listed my home address. So I spent the night at a stranger’s flat being pampered and treated like a queen. I don’t believe he slept at all. He kept watch over me while I rested, making certain I did not have a concussion or any other lasting damage. Then, when I woke, he showed me his ‘dear friend’s’ closet and told me to take my pick.

“She won’t miss anything, and if she does, all I need to do is offer my credit card. She is very fond of spending my money on herself.”

“Really, Lisimba, I could just as easily go home and get my own clothing.”

He shook his head at me. “What exactly would you wear during the journey to your home, Cecilia?” He didn’t wait for me to respond, which was good because I could only blush. Again. “Just pick something from the closet. Half the suits still retain their purchase tags. Melinda will not care.”

After a little more arguing, some wonderful breakfast with the most aromatic coffee I’d ever passed over my palate, he finally picked something and handed it to me. True to his statement, it really did still have the price tag on it. I did not get the chance to see the tag, though. Lisimba spotted it before me, ripped it off, and took it with him when he left the room.

Judging by the constant whispers and finger pointing, I imagine that I didn’t want to see that tag after all. I have always been a natural born cheap skate. If it doesn’t say ‘clearance’, I don’t buy it. If I’d seen the actual price tag, I probably would have fainted.

At first, I thought the attention was due to the tiny bandage which remained on my forehead. However, that idea was quickly dispelled when no one approached, asking what I’d managed to damage this time. I wasn’t sure if I should feel grateful that no one asked why I sported a lump and a bandage, or if I should be upset that they were so distracted by the quality of my clothing to not notice the injury.

The reflection on my screen showed yet another couple of female heads bent close together behind me, pointing and whispering. I slammed my hand to my desk and shoved the seat back, standing in one fluid motion, though the pain still shot through my wounds.

“All right, ladies. What is such a big deal today? You guys have been whispering since I walked in the door!”

Genevieve stepped over and wrapped her arms around my shoulders. She leaned as if to whisper, then spoke loud enough for all to hear. “Cici, I’ve been to your house, and I’ve seen all your clothing. This gorgeous ensemble did not come from your closet.” She waved her hands referencing the fitting, but not restrictive charcoal pant suit with plum-colored pinstripes and a silk blouse in matching plum. “And I’ve seen you trying to hide that limp. It’s already been talked about enough that I can’t just pull you aside to get the story. You might as well explain in front of everyone, because they’ll all find out in less than thirty seconds anyhow.”

I hated that the woman was right. It wouldn’t do me a bit of good to concoct some sort of story. No one would believe me. If Lisimba had just let me get my own clothing, I could have made it through the day without any nosey nonsense. Someone would have asked if I walked into an open door, but otherwise, it would have been quiet. Instead, I come to work dressed in what probably amounted to several hundred dollars of designer name clothes.

I knew my face colored before I started speaking. “Well, you know how I was supposed to meet you guys at the club after we left Papa Sardi’s?”

She nodded. “Yeah, we got a message from the bartender that you’d called and said you weren’t feeling well.”

I chuckled. “That much was true.” I sat down and lifted the pant leg, then peeled one of the bandages back to show them the raw skin beneath. Several of the ladies looked ready to vomit. I felt I’d gotten a little of my own back in that one motion.

“On the way over, I was attacked by some disgusting goons.”

Numerous exclamations of, “Oh my gosh,” and other epithets circled the room while everyone moved closer to make sure they heard every detail.

I rolled my eyes and continued. “Anyhow, a very nice young man came to my rescue before anything super awful could happen. He took me back to his flat and nursed my wounds, watching me all night to make sure I didn’t have a concussion, and this is what I was given this morning to wear because my clothes were pretty much destroyed, and I didn’t even have anything to wear so that I could go home and get my own clothes. End of story.”

Genevieve glanced over me from top to bottom again. “He just had this laying around?”

“I’m not saying anything else.”

My intercom button sounded, drawing attention away from their speculation briefly. “Cici, there is a gentleman here to see you. He said he has an appointment, but I don’t see anything on your schedule.”

I closed my eyes, scanning my appointment calendar in my head, trying to remember who I was scheduled to see today. I came up as blank as the secretary’s monitor. “I must have forgotten to pencil it in. Go ahead and send him back.”

The cluster of people scattered as I seated myself in preparation for the unknown meeting. Whispers still pervaded the space, but at least they wouldn’t stare while I worked with a client.

At least, that’s what I thought. Then the ‘appointment’ approached our open work space. Every female eye in the building followed his fluid movements as if they were stranded in a desert and he was bottled water. The form-fitting jeans and billowy button-down tried to detract from the animalistic attention he drew, but every pore emanated sexuality.

“Lisimba? I wasn’t expecting to see you today.” My heart raced at just the sight of him, and I barely knew the man.

“I apologize for the misinformation. I assumed an appointment to be the best opportunity to actually speak with you.”

If I were a cat, my purr would echo from every wall in the office. His presence relaxed me so greatly. I wanted to curl into a ball and let his gentle hand stroke my back until I slept. He would be gentle with a cat.

“Come in. Come in. I admit, I am a bit surprised.” And seriously turned on. A few simple sentences uttered, and my engine was cranked wide open. The more time I spent near Lisimba, the harder it became to maintain my celibate state.

He stepped over near my desk but did not accept the empty seat opposite me. “I do not wish to disturb you.”

I muttered under my breath. “It’s a little late for that.”

“Excuse me?”

My eyes jerked to his. There was no way he could have heard that. Yet, the glint of success in his eyes made me think he had, and that he had planned the disturbance perfectly.

“Nevermind. I was just mumbling. Is there something I can help you with?”

His smile could unnerve the pope. “Yes, there is. I find that I am alone at lunch much too often. Would you do the honor of joining me?”

My eyes must have grown as wide as my mouth. I stammered. “I, uh, I don’t, uh, usually take a lunch break,” I started to explain. Then I caught a glimpse of Genevieve signaling from her desk behind my guest. Judging by the wild arm movements, I believed she was telling me that if I did not go, she would truly have me committed. I jerked my vision from desk to desk, seeing just how much everyone was pretending to work so that they could hang on every word being spoken.

I grabbed my purse and stood, looping my arm under his extended elbow and resting my hand on his forearm. “But on such a glorious day, let’s get the heck out of here.”

He must have sensed my anxiety. “At what time must you return?”

Genevieve spoke up. “Normally, we are only allowed an hour, but Cici hasn’t taken a lunch break in over a month. Take all the time you need.”

Lisimba stepped over toward her as we headed to the exit. He loosened our grip and offered his hand to my supervisor. “I am Lisimba-Amon Rashidi. I believe you were with Cecilia last night.” He raised her hand to his lips and placed a very gentle kiss upon her knuckles.

Genevieve widened her eyes and flushed slightly. It was her turn to stammer over words. “Um, yes. Yes, we…I was with…Cecilia.” She recovered quickly. “You must be the knight in shining armor who rescued our resident geek squad from those terrible attackers.”

“If we want to beat the lunch rush, we should get going.” I had to stop this conversation before it got too in depth.

“I merely was in the right place at the right time. It is disheartening that filthy vermin feel the desire to crush a gentle rose such as Cecilia.”

“Really, Lisimba. We should go.”

“Cici is a very gentle creature, is she not?” Genevieve was enjoying herself. I could tell by the gleam in her eyes that I would not be able to get a single bit of work done when I did get back from lunch. Her appetite for gossip was whetted, and she must know all the juicy details.

Lisimba flashed that smile at her again. “Alas, my flower requires watering. Please excuse us while I see to her nourishment. I will return her unharmed in one hour’s time.” He glanced at the clock on the wall. “Perhaps one and a half.”

***

I held my tongue until we were outside and I had been handed gently into his limousine. Once the door was closed and we were on our way, I practically exploded. “Oh my gosh. I won’t be able to get anything done. She is not going to leave me alone. Oh my gosh. None of them will leave me alone. If I thought the whispers this morning were bad, this afternoon will only be worse. I guarantee that every last one of them watched out the window when we left. They saw me get into a limousine. A limousine? You picked me up in a limousine? Making an impression is one thing, but good lord! This is beyond an impression. This is tantamount to water cooler suicide. I might as well have just tattooed on my forehead, ‘I will be the only topic of gossip for the next month. Everyone please pay close attention and take notes. There will be a quiz.’ What were you thinking?”

Lisimba frowned slightly. “You are upset? I thought you would enjoy a little extravagance.” He handed me a glass of zinfandel.

I accepted it, drew a deep breath, and forced myself to calm down. “I’m not upset at you, Lisimba. You have done nothing so far to deserve my wrath. Office politics are a regular work hazard. I go out of my way to avoid being the topic of conversation. I’m much more comfortable in the background, letting someone else take the lime light.” I sipped the beverage, enjoying the explosion of flavor and bubbles on my tongue. “Oh, that’s good.” I leaned back. “So, where are you taking me for lunch? If I’m going to have to tell a story when I get back, it should be a good one.”

He grinned, his eyes glimmering in the small amount of light passing through the tinted windows. “I have planned a small surprise for you. Sit back and enjoy the ride.”

***

We traveled a number of unknown roads before we turned onto a small access road in the middle of what might as well have been nowhere. My eyes had watched the scenery, but once we left the city behind, I would never find my way back. As the driver slowed to a stop, my eyes settled on the view. Beautiful green grass on a gentle slope overlooked a lake. The calm wind caused only the slightest ripples on the water.

The chauffeur opened the door. Lisimba stepped out first, then offered his hand to me. I was so awestruck that I acquiesced, allowing him to lead me across the neatly clipped lawn. As we neared our destination, I gasped. On the ground lay before me the most romantic luncheon a suitor could devise.

“Please,” he signaled for me to choose my seat.

I stammered a ‘thank you’ and knelt on the plush picnic blanket. It felt like mink. My senses were already on overload. I suddenly wasn’t too sure I could survive all this extravagance.

“I don’t know what to say, Lisimba. This is all so…so beautiful.”

I hated that I sounded like some country bumpkin. There truly was no other reaction to be had. Only the most snobbish woman would not appreciate these luxuries.

My hand skated across the material. “Is this mink?”

“Yes. You have an eye for fur?” His voice teased.

I grinned sheepishly. “Not really. I have a faux mink blanket that I use in the winter months. The feel of it is just so...” I paused. I had nearly said the feel of mink to be sexual. I was nowhere near ready for that kind of admission. How else could I describe the feel of wrapping myself in mink to sleep through the cold, lonely winter nights? I shook my head for the lack of words. “It’s just so amazing, so luxurious, and so warm.”

His eyelids lowered slightly. “I am happy that you are pleased.”

“Such rich crimson.” I blushed. “You make me feel like royalty.”

“Every woman should be treated with grace, but you, Cecilia,” his hand brushed my cheek. My eyes fluttered shut. “Your surface beauty is surpassed and engulfed by the greatness of your heart and your strength. A woman like you deserves only the best.”

I released a pent up breath. “Oh my.” Anxiety crept into my chest again. “I, uh, I don’t know if I’m ready for anything like this, Lisimba. I don’t know if I can actually handle the emotional soup you’re stirring. I’ve kept that pantry locked tight for a long time, and you’ve come along. You’ve not only pried open the lock, but you’ve also pulled all the stock from the shelves and started reorganizing.” I swallowed. “I’m petrified.”

He nodded. His long, black locks swirled around him in the breeze. “I understand your hesitation, ma chère.” He chuckled. “After all, only last night, I was an exotic dancer.”

It took only a moment for the words to pierce the anxiety and settle in my mind. When they did, the nervous tension lifted immediately and the comedy of the statement made me giggle. The giggle became a full laugh as I relaxed into the moment. “Thank you. I needed that. My mind was jumping too far ahead.”

Lisimba reached into the woven basket. He presented me with a pristine plate laden with decadent food.

“Succulent beef, baby carrots and potatoes. Wow, this smells amazing,” I commented.

Another plate followed. “Strawberries, honeydew, fresh pineapple, kiwi, and mango, all drizzled with chocolate sauce and cream cheese. I may have to walk a few extra blocks tonight.”

He smiled. “You are very good at identifying your food source, mon ami. I am impressed.”

I laughed. “If there is one thing I know well, it’s food. I have a very healthy relationship with food. Consequently, I also have a very good relationship with my walking shoes.”

“I am pleased that you do not put forth the pretense so common among women. I enjoy honesty.” He leaned back, stretching his full length across the blanket. I knew he was tall, but seeing him spread out before me accentuated my perception. “I feel I owe you a confession.”

My heart skipped a beat.

His eyes twinkled in the soft sunlight. “I must confess to you that I did not bring flat ware. My full intention for this lunch,” he reached forward, plucking a strawberry from the plate and raising it toward me, “was to take pleasure in feeding you. Will you allow me this guilty pleasure?”

The fruit remained suspended between us. Part of me wished to simply throw caution to the wind, lean forward, accept the seduction, and lick the rich chocolate from his fingers. Then there existed the part of me who held the reins. That woman’s voice screamed in my head, “Don’t even think about it! Are you out of your mind? You barely know this man.”

I cleared my throat. “It’s extremely intimate to eat from another’s hand.”

He tipped his head in acknowledgement. “Yes, it is, Cecilia. It is an action that requires trust and a degree of supplication. It is something normally reserved for lovers.”

My heart beat harder with every sentence that exited his lips.

“Some women would question my motives for such a blatant seduction attempt.”

A trail of juice trickled down his elegant fingers and gathered at his knuckle. It fell to the mink, yet he seemed unbothered.

“My motives are extremely impure. I desire you, Cecilia. I have desired you ever since I gazed my eyes upon you trying to sneak into the back room of the club. After I danced for you, I desired you more. I gave you my coat for the excuse to seek you after the show. I found it draped over the chair, with your scent woven into the fabric. Your scent is intoxicating, ma chère.

“I wish to make love to you, Cecilia. I wish to wrap your long legs around my waist and draw you so close to me that you can no longer tell where you end and I begin. I want to whisper my lips along your neck and trail my tongue all over your beautiful breasts. I want to hear you gasp and writhe in pleasure over and over again.”

I felt wrung out, yet I hadn’t moved. His words and the magic of his tenor created images in my mind of everything he described. My midsection twitched, pleading for the fulfillment of this picture he painted. My breasts ached and grew heavy with desire. I felt flushed, only this time not from embarrassment. Words would not form. A clear thought could not form without more images of his taut body pressed to mine, glistening with sweat and passion.

He shifted the fruit slightly closer. His scent enveloped my senses, escalating those imaginings to include the sexual intensity from the dance at the club.

“But for now,” he whispered, his breath caressing my cheek. “I simply desire your trust. I want you to partake from my fingers the delicacies which I offer you. I want you to take pleasure from every morsel. When you are ready to fulfill my desires, you will make your decision known. I will wait with utmost patience.”

My voice finally found its way back to my mouth. “Are you certain you’re willing to wait, Lisimba? It could take a very long time. I’m not a fickle woman. I don’t enter relationships with a light heart.”

He nodded. “Nor do I, Cecilia.”

Lisimba brought the strawberry within reach. As I closed my lips around the delicate fruit, I closed my eyes, welcoming the surrender of trust to this unusual and eccentric man. The sweet flesh burst in my mouth, flavor exploding over every taste bud as the juice trickled down my throat. I felt some slide down my chin, but before I could wipe it away, electricity shot through my skin where his lips drank the liquid. He shifted upward, capturing my mouth with his. My body reacted of its own accord, parting my lips, welcoming him to share in this first bite of forbidden fruit.

The sensation was unusual—the taste of succulent, vine-ripened strawberry, decadent chocolate, cream cheese, and Lisimba. My analytical mind struggled to sort through the overload, categorizing each in its own file until finally it quit struggling and created a new file labeled, ‘Indescribable.’

When we parted, I was a bit surprised to find some of the fruit still in my mouth. I licked my lips then finished chewing the food. I was even more surprised that his hands had not moved. With as sensual as that kiss was, Lisimba stood by his vow to let me guide our relationship.

I swallowed then cleared my throat. “If the rest of the food is as good as that strawberry, I may become a victim of spontaneous combustion.” I grinned at him.

Lisimba chewed the fruit his tongue had stolen from my mouth then flashed that gleaming smile again. “That was a particularly spectacular strawberry.”

***

Time passed much too quickly. As the limousine pulled up to the front of the office, I released a contented sigh. We had somehow managed to consume most of the food. We also managed to share several other samples in the same manner as that first berry. I would be glad for the work day to be done because I needed an extremely cold shower. Although we had kissed throughout the luncheon, Lisimba kept his hands to himself. Still, I felt ignited and coiled tight.

I needn’t look to know that every female eye in the building, as well as some of the males, stared out the windows at the gleaming black stretch vehicle, not wishing to miss a single moment of the show. I imagine they’d all taken turns watching for my return.

Lisimba escorted me inside. Once at the reception area, he bent over my hand, planting a gentle kiss which held reminders as well as the promise of more to come. Then he bowed and turned. He paused at the door.

“I will see you again Saturday, at seven.”

I nodded. As soon as the door closed behind him, I whipped around and started for my desk. At Genevieve’s office, I detoured, shutting the door firmly and collapsed into her guest chair.

Gen was on the phone when I entered. She glanced at me once, told the caller she’d contact them again in the morning and disconnected.

***