Chapter 48 One Night Stand (5)
"This is Pete, my boyfriend," Almond fidgeted.
Both Kelly and I stared at her in shock. I tried a scoff, suppressing the thought that she had earlier called him her ex-boyfriend.
Pete turned his golden eyes on me. "And who are you with, Almond?"
My hands which were settled on my knees slowly began to clench tightly. I was sure I wasn't going to like Pete at all. Why was Almond fidgeting, why was she bleached white at the sight of him?
"This is my friend, Sam Leo, and his sister, Kelly. We were just having some we-time." Almond smiled at her boyfriend.
"I see," his lips pressed into a thin line. "I do hate the fact that you ignore my calls. You do know how much I've missed you."
"Almond," I called.
Almond eyes turned to me.
"If you don't want him here, you can just say the word." The words rolled off my lips and Kelly nearly choked on her drink.
"Who's this fool here? Do you know who you're talking to?" Pete's voice rose, making eyes steer in our direction.
Almond stood up, calming Pete down. "It's fine, Leo. He's no danger. I'll just be about my way with him. And Kelly, thank you for this hangout. It was lovely."
Almond let her boyfriend grab her hand and then they both walked out of the coffee shop. Kelly was watching me watch them while they drove off the street on his motorcycle.
"You see why I never wanted a girlfriend," I pushed my chair back as I stood up.
Kelly followed me out. "Leo, you just need to calm down."
"Calm down? Almond and I had spent a night together, she was all over me and I think I fell in love with her, which should have never happened. We even thought to squash our scrambles and look forward to the future. What was I thinking?" My brows twitched.
Kelly touched my arm. "I'm so sorry." But I slapped her hand off.
Yet she continued. "I didn't know all this beforehand. I'm so sorry."
"Don't be sorry, Kelly. But never you try this again. I feel so humiliated." I told Kelly.
The days stretched on, and I partially succeeded in having no persisting thoughts of Almond. But the memory of us making love together would string my groin into a massive bulge.
A mild knock hit my door. I was standing onto my feet. Today was s free day, and I certainly wasn't expecting any indication that someone would visit me.
Another knock followed and I rolled myself from the bed. It couldn't be Kelly, she had gone off to see our dad.
I jerked the door open. Almond stood out there, with bruises all over her face. Her clothes were almost ripped out in shreds.
"Almond? What...what happened to you?"
We haven't seen each other since our last encounter. How then did she know where I lived?
"I'm so so...sorry Leo. I had no one to go to. And I didn't want to sleep at home. I reached out to Kelly, she told me where you lived. Please, do not take it out on her." She explained as tears swelled in her eyes.
"No, no, no. Come here." I urged.
She sprinted into my arms, letting herself sob. Her soft lavender perfume wafted towards my nose. I did miss her so much.
"What happened?" I asked her.
"I...I confr...confronted him. He said he loved me... But he keeps on cheating on me....," she rambled as I held her face in my hands.
"Shhhhshh, calm down. I can't hear a thing. Let's go in and we can start all over. Okay?"
She nodded. I led her to my room and made her sit. Then she sat on the bed, while I got her a cup of warm tea.
"Drink this, will be good for you." I sat beside her.
She took the cup from me and watched me from the rim of the cup while she drank. "Now, let's start again, what happened?" I asked her when I was fully sure she'd drank to her fill.
"I never want to return there. It's Pete. Every little offense he finds on me, he beats me up for it. He had been cheating on me with reckless abandon. But whenever I do confront him, he would beat me up for it as well." She explained.
I waited till she was done then I took the plug. "Why are you still with him, Almond?"
She paused, strangely unable to answer me. "My father found him for me. He's from an influential family. My father thinks we'll make a very good couple."
"Oh, your father thinks so?" I nodded my head. "And are you happy?"
She slowly shook her head in negation.
"Almond," I grabbed her hands, steering her to face me. "I'm not making this about me. I know that I do miss you and I can't stop thinking about you. But seeing you like this is making me pissed. Pete doesn't value you, leave his stinking piece and ragged ass alone."
Almond scoffed.
"You're smiling?" I grinned.
"You do hate Pete, don't you?" She asked.
"Yeah, I do."
She leaned in and kissed me. Then I hissed and kissed her back. My body was re-vibrated to life. I did miss her. Then I was stung by the realization that she was in a mess.
I pulled free from the kiss and stood up to my feet. Just one kiss with her and my bulge was all alive.
"We can't do this, Al. We just can't." I slapped my temple to emphasize it.
"But you do miss me, and I do miss you too." She stood up to meet me.
"Al, you do know that I can't say no to you. But we can't do this. You belong to another man." I told her.
"You just said that Pete doesn't value me. I don't want to go back to him, I hate him so much."
I urged her into my arms again, holding her tightly to me. "I won't let you go back," I assured her.
She jerked her head up, seeking for a kiss. This time I couldn't refuse her, I let her tongue soak through my mouth, making peace with the moment.
Yet, I pulled out of our embrace when she started tearing at my shirt. "Al. Let's get you all cleaned up." I said to her.
We ate dinner after I'd wiped her face, and cleaned her arms and neck. Then, we watched a movie while laughing over some jokes. She must have noticed the way I was keeping a distasteful distance between us.
When it was time to sleep, I left her on the bed while I had the couch to myself.
"Why won't you sleep with me, Leo?" She questioned.
"I'm trying not to, Al. You must conclude. As much as I want to make you mine, you must want me as well. Right now, you just need to go through the process." I explained.
I did leave her but when I did return, she was already half asleep, crying in her sleep.
"Almond," I called.
Her eyes opened, and she sniffed shifting herself backward to create room for me to sit.
I couldn't resist flipping myself beside her and holding her in my arms. She wore my shirt, looked perfect in my arms and all I wanted was to call her mine.
Her hands encircled me, and I could hear her heartbeat. "Leo, are you asleep?" She asked me, peering at my face.
"I'm not. Why is your heart beating that way?" My eyes were still closed.
"Please, make love to me, Leo." She begged.
I opened my eyes and looked her in the eyes. "You know I can't, Almond."
"Stop trying to be a good man and just fuck me instead." Her hands dug into my loosened pants.
My cock stirred in her hand. With some little strokes, it stung alive. My breath hitched, I pushed my face into her hair, suppressing the thought of fucking her.
I did want to make love with her so terribly but not like this. "You see, that's the thing, Almond, that's what makes the difference between Pete and I. And you're beginning to come to the terms that Pete is the usual normal to you which shouldn't be." I rolled off the bed.
She jumped out of it, hugging my back. "I'm sorry, Leo. I'm not trying to compare him with you. I just want you to love me like we did when we first met."
I released her hands, turned her around and lifted her chin. "I'm not a hard man, Al. I'm human but I love you so much. Just this once, Al and you can decide what you want to make out of this. I do want you to know that I love you."
I bruised her lips in a fierce kiss, unbuttoned my shirt she had on her then cupped her breasts in my hands. The feel of her naked flesh energized me, she peeled down my pants and my shirt followed after.
Minutes later, we were both basking in each other glories. Kissing and hugging. Soon, I was thrusting into her slowly from the side. The intimacy between us was not to be rushed, we'd missed each other and to relish in every fiber of our lovemaking was essential.
Slowly, we drew nigh to the stars, humping into each other as the need arose. She was all that I ever wanted, all that I ever loved. She was the woman that was yet not mine.
When I woke up the next morning, she wasn't beside me. Maybe she was in the bathroom, I reasoned.
"Almond?" I called.
But she wasn't there. Where was she? We had made sweet love all through the night, then she slept soundly in my arms only to leave me without informing me.
I dialed her number, and she picked up on the second ring. "Hello?"
"Hello, Al. Kelly gave me your number. I was worried, you just left."
"I'm so sorry, Leo. You were sleeping so well and I didn't want to disturb you." She said from the other end.
"Why, what happened?"
"Pete came to pick me up. He apologized, Leo, and I accepted him back."
I scoffed at my stupidity, I'd been foolish to think she would accept me. She was too entangled with Pete and I wanted none of that. I slapped the telephone down, I would make sure she had no access to me.
Ever!