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Fighting and Loving Ch. 02

By: JadeRose05



Thank you to everyone who read, enjoyed, and commented on the first chapter. I hope this continuation will meet with your expectations. Sorry about this taking so long, had a lot to do this past week. But, the next one should be out much sooner. As before, please keep on sending in any comments or suggestions.

Des sat in his Jeep outside Nic's small townhouse. His fingers drummed along the steering wheel, a nervous habit he thought he had eliminated some years ago. Consulting his wristwatch he discovered he had been sitting here in the dark, undecided on how to proceed, for exactly ten minutes. It hadn't seemed like that much time had passed since he pulled up to the address he had found in the school's student information files. But then, he could hardly remember the drive from the dojo to her street, he had been so deep inside his own thoughts.

Des glanced into his passenger seat. There, barely revealed by the light from the streetlamp just behind his car, sat the reason why he had decided to pay Nic Desmond a visit. Her cell phone rested benignly in the seat, though its very presence seemed to mock the difficulty he was having in making his way to her door. His gaze returned to the view of the street seen through the windshield. Come on Radel! Get off your ass and just give her back the damn phone. She's just a woman.

Des laughed quietly at the pathetic nature of the situation. He had known for weeks now that he thought of Nic as more than just another woman. The problem was he still didn't know how she had managed to set herself so firmly in his mind. She had not done or said anything different than what would typically pass between a student and teacher. If anything, she had been standoffish and distant. She hardly spoke to him inside or outside of class. And, she was about the only single woman in the school who had not propositioned him to join her for dinner, a movie, or a friendly fuck. Their relationship was strictly business. And yet, Nic still managed to bounce around Des' thoughts with frustrating ease, a condition which had grown from the first time they had met.

Upon entering the large practice room some three months ago, Des had only been interested in seeing how advanced the students were. Calling order to the men and women milling about the floor, he had set about introducing himself and quickly flowed into the preliminaries of starting class. Going through the warm-ups and first basic exercises, he had walked around the room and examined each student closely. To be honest, Nic's femininity had not caught his eye as much as her excellent form and execution of the various drills. He noticed her only in passing until their first interaction.

After finishing some across the floor work, Des had broken the class into groups to practice a variety of kicks and punches. One student would hold the target while the others would perfect their form and power. Once again, Des walked around the class observing and correcting. He came to Nic's group last, watching as each student took several shots at the one holding the foam shield. As Nic stepped up, the woman holding the shield grimaced and braced herself firmly. Even with this preparation, as Nic's leg landed on the foam, the woman was knocked off balance and stumbled a few feet to the side. Des was impressed and immediately interjected, relieving the woman of the target.

Taking position, Des held the shield and nodded for Nic to continue. Though he thought he had been ready for her attack, Nic's kick managed to force even Des out of his ready stance. It was then that he had truly looked into her face. Her deep brown eyes sparkled up at him as she raised an eyebrow and tilted her head, questioning if she should continue. Des nodded the go ahead and readied himself again, only this time he was compelled to watch her face as she planted a blow on the target. Nic's eyes had narrowed as she focused on the shield, shading their brightness and giving her an almost relaxed look. Her full lips had opened slightly as she breathed in, standing completely still for a second. As the second ended Nic's body was in motion, her leg cutting easily through the air, her shin landing directly in the center of the shield.

As Des watched, he noticed a moment of animal pleasure cross her face as she landed the blow. Nic was pleased with the discipline with which she controlled her body and the flow of her muscles as she followed the age old movements. Her obvious enjoyment of the physicality involved put down her guards, allowing a glimpse at the woman she was underneath her tough exterior. For an instant, Des was confronted with a kind of sexual rawness, visible in her expression, and all of his male instincts made him aware of the fact that she was female, young, and vibrant. He had wanted her in that split second, in the most primal, uncivilized way. But, just as quickly as the moment came, it passed. Nic brought her leg back down to the mat, preparing to throw another kick.

Des held Nic off by standing up straight and handing her the shield. "You're very talented and have quite a lot of strength. Make sure you don't overextend your power. Using too much force could leave you open for attack," he said, still confused by what he had seen and even more, how he had responded.

"Onegaishimasu," said Nic, bowing to Des before she had readied herself to hold the target. Des had walked away confident that Nic was unaware of the effect she had had on him. She had unconsciously hit the walls of his control, something that hadn't happened since high school. 

While Des had never had a problem getting sexual attention from the random woman, he had been in a bit of a dry spell for some time. He played off his reaction as a need to get laid. But, over the next few weeks, the barrage upon his self-discipline persisted, as Nic's presence in his thoughts began to increase.

Des could remember wanting women before, but never had one so distracted him on a daily, even hourly basis. At first, Des thought he only respected her abilities as a student. Nic had a strong drive to master aikido, which reminded him of himself when he was first learning. Not only did she attend class and take in all the suggestions of the instructors, but she often practiced after class was over, perfecting her technique. Des began pushing Nic hard to learn more, wondering if she could handle the pressure, and was encouraged when she stepped up the pace and matched his demands with quick learning. Although she was one of the younger and less experienced of the students, Nic was easily the strongest female and was comparable to most of the men at her skill level.

Soon, however, the line between Nic as a woman and Nic as a student began to disappear. When Des should have been thinking about her improvement, he was instead sidetracked by a strand of hair that had escaped her scarf or how small her hand seemed when he helped her off the mats. More and more, his eyes seemed drawn to the contours of her uniform-clad body. Nic was favorably endowed both above and below, and Des could only wonder at why she tried to hide her hourglass figure in baggy jeans and oversized t-shirts. Worst of all, Des could not help remembering that look of open sexuality which had initially released the floodgates of his semi-obsession. Was that the face the man who climbed between her legs was greeted by? 

It was aggravating knowing that he was losing the self-possession that he had maintained for so long. If he had only found Nic attractive there would be no problem; however, she had invaded his thoughts, both waking and sleeping. Not being able to completely command his mind, Des forced himself to train longer hours, going to his physical limits. He even tried distancing himself from Nic by becoming the sensei from hell, hoping her anger would cool off the building want. But, even that had backfired, because seeing her eyes spark up at him as she checked her furious passion and channeled it into her training was a flaming turn-on.

The whole situation had culminated earlier tonight after her test match. Des had been half enraged and half proud at the way Nic had continued to fight after her injury. Tending to her wound in the changing room was something he had both dreaded and anticipated as the other teachers left. He couldn't even begin to guess at how he would deal with those long minutes spent alone with her. But, Des had surprised himself by acting professionally and had thought he might have even been gaining some ground with his attraction, until...

Until, he looked up and saw that damned expression on her face. The very one that had captured his attention in the first place. He was lost and so was she, apparently. All the time that he had spent trying to fight off Nic's appeal had been successful only because she treated him solely as her sensei. She had never even hinted at wanting more. Now, Des could plainly see that Nic was in much the same boat. It had been sheer force of will for him to get out of that room without stripping her out of that uniform and taking her there against the wall. When she had run her tongue along those full lips, Des had felt something break inside, and knew that one way or another, he would have Nic Desmond.

The only thing that had stopped Des then was the nervous fear he had seen lurking beneath the surface. Nic was scared of him for some reason, and he wouldn't push her without understanding why. So, he had left as quickly as possible, and holed up in the men's changing room until he heard her leave. He had thought he wouldn't get another chance to see her until next Monday when they met for their individual session, but fate had stepped in, in the form of her forgotten cell phone.

Now Des sat outside her home, trying to justify stopping by at nearly ten 'o clock at night. He could have waited till another day to give her back the phone, and that had been his initial plan. Des had run through drills for an hour at the dojo before leaving with the intent of going home and getting whatever rest his active mind would allow. Nic's home phone number and address had drifted in and out of his thoughts as he drove. I'll call her tomorrow and drop off her phone in the morning. Just as he finished that proposal, Des noticed that he was turning down her street and had already begun looking for the right house number. Pulling his car to the curb in front of her home, he had sat in complete disbelief at his body's rebellious actions. It had given him no choice but to face the craving Nic had produced in him earlier that evening. 

Des glanced out the window at the warm light from the lantern over her door and thought nothing looked more inviting. Clenching his teeth, he finally thrust himself into action, grabbing the phone and his keys as he pushed open his door. Rounding the Jeep before he had time to change his mind, he quickly stepped along the little path to her front door. Des stopped to take a breath under the light, and depositing his keys and her phone in his back pockets, he ran his hands over his face and through his hair before ringing her doorbell. 

The damage is done. No turning back, he thought as he listened intently for her footsteps. He could hear music coming from inside the small house, some kind of jazz perhaps. As Des began to wonder if he should ring again, he heard a chain being slipped out of place and the deadbolt charging out of the lock.

"What have you forgotten now?" Nic pulled the door open quickly, a smile on her lips and in her voice, until she realized it was Des standing before her. As if put under a spell, neither moved, staring in shock at the other. Des knew, Nic was simply surprised at his presence, but he was having trouble getting past the very look of her.

Nic's soft curls were haphazardly pulled up into a clip on the top of her head, quite a few locks escaping to caress the sides of her face and the back of her neck. Her lips were parted slightly, stopped in motion before she could utter whatever else she had been about to say. She wore an incredibly large sleep shirt made to look like a button-down blouse, which hung down to about mid-thigh. This wouldn't have been very surprising to Des, but instead of the cotton or flannel he would have associated with Nic, the shirt was made of satin in a luxurious sapphire color. The material molded itself to whatever skin it could find, half hiding and revealing the shape of her body. There only looked to be about four buttons holding the thing together, and had the top button been undone, Des was sure the whole thing would have fallen off.

If that wasn't enough to stop Des in his tracks, her scent alone would have put him out of commission. The delicate hint of roses drifted to him across the threshold. Nic had apparently bathed earlier, the aroma of the soap or lotion she had used mixing with the natural clean smell of her skin. Des had to check himself from leaning in to get a better trace of the delicate fragrance. He wanted to close his eyes and just breathe her in, but thought that would look a little odd on top of his unlikely appearance.

Des and Nic continued to hold their staring contest for what seemed like hours. He could think of nothing to say, his brain having momentarily shut down from the sight of her. She looked as if she wanted to say something, but couldn't get the words to emerge from her stupefied lips. Had it not been for the soft mewling sound located in the vicinity of their feet, who knows how long they would have remained statue-still on her threshold?

Des looked down to see a sleek, gray and black tabby with green eyes investigating his shoes. The cat was completely confident in its movements, going around and between his ankles with her lithe body. As its front paws passed over the top of his right foot in another circuit of its investigation, Des pushed back on his heel and deftly rubbed the cat's belly with his toe. The tabby shivered in evident enjoyment at the caress, and purred loudly before gazing up at Des in adoration. What I wouldn't give to see Nic look at me like that.

"Nice cat," said Des, bringing his attention back to the animal's owner. "What's its name?"

"Pyewacket," answered Nic in a near whisper.

"What?"

She cleared her throat before repeating the name again. A light went off in Des' head as he glanced back down at the feline and immediately took in the resemblance. "Bell, Book, and Candle. Yeah she does look just like the cat from the movie."

Nic's surprised expression melted into one of small admiration at Des' familiarity with the film. "Most people don't get the connection. Of course, I'm nothing like Kim Novak."

Don't bet on it, thought Des. That husky voice is a spot on match. He would have said this out loud had a phone not started ringing. Nic gazed back over her shoulder and then to Des, an indecisive look on her face. Stooping to pick up the cat, she met Des' eyes once more before opening the door wider and backing up a step.

"Come in, won't you? I have to get that," she said, before turning and moving off toward the source of the sound. Des watched her hips sway as she walked away, noting with pleasure that the slight limp from her sprain didn't appear to effect the unconsciously seductive movement. Des stepped inside, closing the door softly behind him. He heard Nic pick up the phone in what must have been the kitchen, but decided not to follow her. He was more intrigued by how the home would reflect the resident and wanted a chance to explore.

To Des' left stood an open room which encompassed both the living and dining area. It had everything one would expect in such a space, a comfortable looking couch and armchair, coffee table, entertainment center, and dining table with chairs. However, the size of the room had been reduced thanks to the many bookshelves which covered nearly all of the wall space. Storage units in many varieties lined the perimeter of the room, packed with hard and soft cover books, DVDs, and CDs. The collection was truly extensive, covering nearly every genre of literature, film, and music. 

Whatever wall that was not hidden completely behind a bookshelf, was decorated with some kind of picture. All of them were beautifully shot photographs of random, and sometimes obscure, sights that caught the eye and sparked the imagination. Des wondered if Nic was the photographer, because the work was incredibly artistic.

On the dining room table were strewn various papers, graphs, charts, and other documents. A notebook computer stood open at one end of the table, denoting this place as Nic's makeshift desk. Her briefcase lay against one of the table's legs, half falling over a pair of high-heeled pumps that Des was surprised to think of Nic wearing. He only ever saw her wearing casual clothes, but perhaps she dressed to go to work.

Leading out of this main room was a large archway which led into the kitchen, where Des could hear Nic speaking softly to someone. To the right of the kitchen was a short hallway which led deeper into the small house, with a few closed doors along the way. To his immediate right was a staircase to the second floor and what Des assumed would be the bedrooms. He stood at the bottom step, contemplating what Nic's room would look like when he heard her hang up the phone and step out of the kitchen.

Nic leaned against the wall nervously, keeping a lot of space between herself and Des. Not knowing how to break the silence between them, Des waited for her to speak. It also gave him the chance to drink in the sight of her sleek brown legs and the delectable way the fabric of her shirt accentuated all of her movements. The music he had heard outside continued to play in the background, switching from smooth jazz to something with a faster beat. Nic grabbed a remote from the dining room table and shut off the stereo in the entertainment center, bringing an abrupt quiet to the room.

"Why are you here Des?" Nic set the remote back down and absentmindedly shuffled through some papers on the table as she asked the question.

"I...wanted to talk to you," replied Des, unsure as to what he should say. He had come to give back her cell phone. But, at the moment he couldn't bring himself to just hand her the phone and walk away. He was too far over the edge to be able to wait for another opportunity.

"Is this about today's test?" Nic finally looked at Des, her eyes searching his face. He wasn't sure what she was looking for, but felt uncomfortable with her examination. There was an almost ominous tone in her voice.

"What would make you think that?"

"What other reason would you have for coming to my house this late at night?"

"Perhaps I wanted to tell you that I thought you performed well tonight."

Nic answered this response with an incredulous laugh and a shake of her head. "And why would I believe that?" The guarded expression on Nic's face seemed out of character. Des was unsure how to proceed, wondering if he should be angry or disappointed in her lack of trust in his sincerity.

"I've never given you a reason not to believe what I say," he responded. "When someone does a good job, I tell them so."

"Oh, that's a good one. I've been working my ass off for nearly three months now, and I can count on one hand how many times you've actually praised my efforts. You hardly even speak to me unless it's to demand that I run another drill, or work harder, or to give you more!" Nic slammed her hand onto the corner of the table as she worked herself up.

"I never asked for more than you could give," said Des, trying to remain calm. The direction of the conversation was the exact opposite of where he had wanted it to go, and Nic's anger was like a light switch that had suddenly been flipped on. But, Des realized if he wanted to get closer to Nic he would have to explain his actions toward her.


Fighting and Loving Ch. 02



"Yes," Nic agreed. "I could always keep up with your commands. But, you never pushed anyone else as hard as you pushed me; none of the women and probably not even the more advanced men. What made me so different? Why have you felt the need to act like a damn task master only with me?"

"I saw something in you that could rise to the challenge. You are by far the strongest female in that class, if not one of the better students I've ever met. I don't treat this like a game Nic. When I find someone with your kind of raw talent, I assume they're ready to take this seriously, and not like just an aerobics class," said Des, his voice rising as he crossed the room to stand before Nic.

"And when did I ever give the impression I thought that way?" Nic was practically yelling in Des' face. This was quite a feat considering her short stature. Des couldn't help but admire the way she showed no fear as he advanced on her. He knew that he could be downright frightening at times.

"I've been serious about this since the first time I set foot in that school," Nic continued. "But you...you... You make me feel like I can't do a damn thing right! It seems all I ever do now is think about class. I'm at work, where I should be preparing for a meeting with my boss, and instead I'm thinking about new offensive combinations. I eat lunch with friends, who I should be paying attention to, but I'm wondering if I'm correctly following the form for a throw or submission hold. I try to go to sleep at night, and I can't because I'm thinking of you..." Nic broke off, a confused look on her face. Des felt a tug in his stomach at her words, knowing that that had been an unwanted confession and understanding how she felt.

"I mean...I'm thinking about what you'll be making me do in class and questioning if I can live up to your expectations. I wonder if you know how hard it was for me to get on that mat and spar, with you staring me down from the sidelines. I could feel you critiquing everything I did and cataloging it away as something else I had done wrong. I just...I just want..." Nic stopped, unable to form the words.

Des looked down into her frustrated eyes and immediately felt like an ass. This was his own damn fault for taking out his confusion on her. "I'm sorry," he murmured, awkwardly grabbing her hands. "I never wanted you to feel overwhelmed. I recognized the same drive in you I had when I started. I guess I got carried away. But, you've always worked hard and surpassed any expectations I had. Even after the test today, I'm more than pleased with where you are now." This wasn't the whole truth of why he had been such a tyrant, but Des knew that right now wouldn't be the best time to explain himself fully. He just wanted to be on somewhat solid ground with Nic. Even with the attraction that Des was now positive was reciprocated; he wanted her to feel sure about moving past a student/teacher relationship.

Nic stared up at Des in astonishment. It was quite obvious she hadn't expected him to apologize. She glanced quickly down at their still-joined hands and fought for some semblance of reserve. Des watched the battle in enjoyment, liking the fact that the ball was now in her court.

"Well I...I'm sorry, too," she stated hesitantly. "I shouldn't have blown up at you like that. I didn't mean to. There's just been so much stress these past few weeks and... And, then my friend comes over to dinner tonight and says I should just tell you how I feel. Only I can't because...well...nevermind. I'm just sorry."

Des nodded in acceptance of her apology and breathed easier when a rarely seen smile crossed her lips. She ducked her head in embarrassment and managed to extract her hands from his on the pretense of brushing some hair out of her eyes. Des hadn't wanted to relinquish this prize, but knew she needed to create some distance and time to regroup. And honestly, so did he.

"So...is that all you wanted to say?" Nic was once again avoiding Des' eyes. A sure sign she was nervous.

"Yes. I just wanted to tell you that you did well tonight." Des decided to ignore the matter of the cell phone, not wanting to make it appear that he had truly come to give back this lost possession and been sidetracked into commending Nic on her hard work. "But, would it be alright if I used your bathroom?"

"Yes, of course," replied Nic quickly, pointing the way down the hallway next to the kitchen. "It's the second door on the right."

"Thanks." Des moved quickly down the hall and into the small room, finding the light as he closed the door. He needed the time to rethink what he wanted to do. Nothing had turned out right tonight. Of course, this was assuming that he had known how he wanted to deal with Nic, and he had never been sure about that. All he really knew was that he wanted the woman, but had no idea how he was supposed to accomplish that goal. Des had never before gone after something without a plan, but plans kind of fell apart when Nic was concerned. And, it didn't help that he had been half-aroused since that scene in the changing room, the only fact that hadn't altered as the night wore on.

Perhaps it was time to simply get the hell out of dodge. The last thing he needed was something else to go wrong when he had just established a real foundation with Nic. Des could go home and come up with a surefire way to get her into his bed by the time he saw her again on Monday. It was his best option at the moment.

Leaving the bathroom, Des heard water running in the kitchen, and the sound of dishes clinking in a sink. Wanting to say a quick goodbye, Des made his way around the corner as the water was shut off. As he entered the kitchen, he ran full-length into Nic, and managed to grab ahold of her before she fell back.

I should have let her fall, Des thought as his hands found her waist and pressed her smaller form into his body. Nic's hands had automatically grabbed onto his shoulders as they collided, which now aided in bringing them into full body contact. The fabric of her shirt was cool under his fingers, but the warmth of her flesh pierced the thin barrier easily, allowing Des to feel her heat even through his own clothes.

If he had immediately let her go after running into her, Des could have stuck with the plan. He could have made a quick getaway with only a little remorse at not having been able to satisfy some of the physical cravings Nic seemed to so effortlessly create. But, now a line had been crossed. He could feel every inch of her body pressed into his, changing the simmer he had been on all night into a needing burn. Des was made aware of her heavy breasts, free and loose against his chest. Her legs were tangled with his, his right thigh firmly planted between her own. And his cock, now swelling from its semi-hard state, was cradled in the softness of her stomach.

Moving a hand up from her waist, Des reveled in the way Nic's back arched changing the pressure of her breasts against him. His hand continued its journey, eliciting a small gasp from Nic. Her breathing had sped up as soon as she was in his arms, her mouth partly opened as she panted slightly. Des felt he could lose control staring at her full, moist lips and the way her eyes unfocused at his touch. He dipped his head lower, until he could feel her breath on his own mouth, before he slipped past that temptation and buried his face in her neck. He had wanted to do nothing but submerge himself in her scent since she opened the door, and took this time to become acquainted with her unique smell. His hand finally reached the destination of her riotous curls, and quickly removed the clip that held them in check. Des' fingers tangled in her tresses and used this hold to pull her head back, allowing him better access to her neck. His tongue flicked out quickly and lapped at the sensitive skin, loving the way he could feel Nic's moan deep in her throat.

"Please," Nic whimpered, as her hands bunched into Des' shirt, and her hips began to unconsciously move, grinding herself against the hardness of his thigh. Pulling back, Des rubbed his forehead against her own, his mouth just brushing hers. With that small caress, they launched at each other; their first kiss venting all the frustrations they had felt for the past few weeks. Their lips and tongues met over and over again, desperately trying to get more. Des hauled Nic closer with one hand on her rounded ass as the other molded itself to her breast, finding the hardened nipple and teasing it with his fingers. Nic's husky cry only seemed to remind him of the aching throb in his cock.

There was nothing Des wanted to do more than drag Nic to the nearest surface, tear off whatever she might be wearing under that shirt and slid his dick into her hot, wet pussy. He wouldn't be able to be gentle the first time, he needed her too much; needed to hear her scream as he fucked her to orgasm, needed to feel her tighten around him as she came, and then feel his own body strain as he reached his climax. After that he would take the time to explore her at his leisure and find all the things that drove her crazy.

Pushing Nic back quickly, wanting to find anyplace he could lay her down or hold her up against, Des walked her roughly into the kitchen counter. Reaching back to brace herself, Nic's hand brushed a glass that had been sitting next to the sink and managed to tip it over the edge and onto the floor. The loud shattering as the glass met the linoleum startled them both into focusing on something other than each other. They broke apart, looking at the strewn shards for a moment before glancing back to the other.

Nic's lips were swollen from their kisses, her hair mussed from Des' questing fingers, and her shirt rucked up from dry humping in the middle of the kitchen. Des had never wanted a woman more. He reached for her again when she held up a hand, putting an arm's distance between them.

"Wait," she said quietly, almost whispering. Des' body howled in refusal. He had been so close, and it had been so good, he almost disregarded her request to pull her close. But, he could see she had that look in her eyes again. The deer in the headlights expression of fear and uncertainty.

"Why wait? You want me, I want you. There's nothing to wait for," Des said trying, and failing, not to sound like a little boy that had been given his favorite dessert only to have it taken away.

"I...I don't know what I want," Nic said, looking up with those big, brown eyes.

"That's a lie. I could feel what you wanted, and it wasn't for me to stop. What the hell are you so afraid of Nic?"

"Of...of me...and this. I don't know how to deal with this. I don't know how I feel about you. It's all mixed up in my head, and I'm not the type of girl to just go jumping into bed with a guy I hardly know." Nic dragged a hand through her hair looking lost, unsatisfied, and completely fuck-able in Des' eyes. "I just need some time. Time to figure this all out. Please Des, just give me some time."

Des' fisted hands clenched and unclenched as he looked at Nic's pleading face. He didn't really have a lot of choices as to what he could do. Either he agreed to wait and had a chance to get Nic sometime in the future, or he refused and walked away. Both cases presented him with some definite long and frustrating nights to look forward to. Sighing inwardly, he came to a decision.

"Alright we'll wait. I can't promise you a lot of time, but I'll try." Des watched Nic sigh in relief and knew he had made the right choice. His cock might not agree with him, but his head said that all good things came to those who waited.

"So, what happens now?" Nic looked curiously up at Des as she asked the question. Funny that he had been about to ask the same thing.

To be continued...



Fighting and Loving Ch. 03



I cannot apologize enough for this taking so long. Life started to get a little overwhelming with school, work, and family. But, I made a commitment to finish this story and I will. Thanks to everyone who continually showed interest and pushed me to put out the next chapter. I hope that the next won't take as long since I know many people will be anxious to get to the "good part". Please keep sending your comments and voting. 

*

As Nic turned the key to open her door late Sunday night, she couldn't help feeling a mixture of relief and apprehension. It had been two whole days since she had seen or even spoken to Des, and she could honestly say she still had no idea where the hell they now stood. A week ago, Nic had thought it was impossible for someone like Des Radel to even notice she truly existed outside of class. Well, he might have noticed, but she definitely hadn't thought he would have tried to have sex with her in the middle of her kitchen. Now she was faced with the possibility of finding herself in his bed, and Des seemed completely determined to make that possibility a reality.

After their interesting interlude on Friday night, both Nic and Des had thought it best to wait till after class on Monday before deciding how their relationship would continue. Each had busy weekends to face and no time to change their schedules in order to explore the new situation they found themselves in. Following an unsure goodbye, where neither had wanted to touch for fear all control would be lost, Des left with a quirk of his lips and a wave. Nic had watched him climb into his Jeep and drive off before she allowed herself to close the front door. 

Walking into the living room and sitting on the couch, Nic wondered at what had just happened. What had she gotten herself into? She didn't have any reference for how to deal with Des. She'd barely had three boyfriends in her entire dating career, and all of them had been professional, respectful types. Not one of her exes had made her consider breaking her rule of not sleeping with a guy on the first date, let alone before a date had even taken place. But with Des, it was exceptionally hard to think straight, especially when her body kept begging her to let him do all of the things his eyes promised.

Barely able to sleep that night, thanks to several fantasies of what might have happened in her kitchen, Nic had risen early Saturday morning to travel to her parents' house for the weekend. Packing Pyewacket and a small bag into her car, she had driven to her best friend Lila's house to drop of her cat before setting out. Nic had felt nothing but dread as she pulled up to Lila's lovely suburban home. They had been closer than sisters since rooming together in college and Nic was ninety percent sure that every detail of last night was going to be read by her perceptive crony.

No sooner than when Nic had stepped past the threshold, Lila's honey brown eyes had lit up with the thrill of the hunt. "Something's up with you. Did something happen last night?" she asked, stopping Nic in the process of putting Pyewacket's carrier down in the front hall.

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Nic, wincing at the way her voice seemed to fade out in the middle of the sentence.

"The hell you don't. You might as well go ahead and tell me now because you know I'll get it out of you anyway."

"Seriously, I don't know what you could mean." Nic quickly tried to change the subject. "Look...you know I love that mutt of yours, Chi Chi, to death. But, if I come back and find Pye had a nervous breakdown because of that damnably excitable dog, I'm blaming you."

"Please," scoffed Lila, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes. "If anything Chi Chi should watch out for that demon cat of yours. I swear she lives up to her namesake and might just be a witch's familiar. So what happened last night?"

Nic exhaled deeply, cursing Lila's unshakeable resolve to be nosy. She watched as Lila set her shoulders in that "no bullshit" pose and knew there was no leaving without spilling the beans.

"Okay...last night, after you left... You know how you were telling me that I should just tell my sensei, Des, how I felt about the way he's been treating me? Well I got the chance last night."

"You mean you called him?" asked Lila, arching an eyebrow.

"No. He decided to stop by and we had the chance to talk."

Lila nodded her head and waited for Nic to continue. It was one of her tricks to just be patient and wait out whoever she might be interrogating. Faced with that unbending determination, Nic slowly told her everything that had happened the night before. As she got to a watered down version of what had occurred in the kitchen, Lila could no longer hold on to her excitement.

"YOU DID WHAT?" she practically yelled at the top of her voice.

"Shhhh! You'll wake up Brian," Nic whispered, trying to calm Lila down, without much success.

"Don't give me that. You know my husband sleeps like the dead, especially on Saturday morning before noon. So, tell me what this means. Are you two going out?"

"We don't know," Nic replied. "We'll figure it out after this weekend. But, he seems resolved to start some kind of relationship."

"Well it's about time. After all of those lame excuses for men you've been dating the past few years, you'll finally get some real heat out of someone. If he's half the man you describe him as, the next few weeks should be very interesting."

Nic had looked at Lila's satisfied expression with something akin to resentment and disbelief. Wanting to get away before Lila demanded more of the details; Nic gave her some quick instructions about Pyewacket and slipped out of the door. She half expected her friend to follow her outside, launching an all out attack for more information on this man she had yet to meet, but was relieved to make it to her car without further embarrassment.

The rest of the weekend had been a jumble of daydreams about Des and outings with her mother and father. Luckily, Nic was better at hiding things from her parents than she was with her best friend. And, although she had become lost in thought on more than one occasion, her explanation of being extremely busy at work was just convincing enough to be believed. She had successfully made it through her father's 57th birthday celebration, catching up with some extended family, and early morning church services without arising suspicion. Still, Nic had been glad to get on the road for home, knowing that she couldn't keep evading her mother's hints about any possible "serious relationships".

Of course, now that Nic was home, she could no longer avoid thoughts of Des. Even as she kicked the door to the garage closed and dropped her bags, she wondered if he had thought about her at all over the weekend. Bending down to let Pye out of her carrying case, it took Nic a moment to notice the blinking light of her answering machine, stationed on the counter just inside the entrance to the kitchen. She already knew what messages to expect, but found herself hoping that maybe Des had called to check on her. They had both agreed not to make contact until Monday, but Nic had a hard time eliminating her desire to hear his voice. Haven't even started going out and already I've turned into a clingy girlfriend.

Nic walked over to the answering machine and pushed the play button. Immediately the robotic voice spouted out that she had seven new messages and launched into the date and time of the first. She got herself a drink of water as she listened to her boss calling about the Anderson account, a couple of telemarketers, and Lila demanding that she call back ASAP. As the tape continued on to her father, asking her to let him know when she got home, Nic moved out of the kitchen and put Pye's carrying case into the hall closet. She had grabbed her purse and overnight bag to head upstairs by the time she got through another cold call, but stopped short at the voice that issued from the small speaker next.

"Hey Nic. I was just calling...to let you know...I was thinking about you." Des' deep voice seemed to reverberate off the very walls and echo throughout the small space. Nic quickly dropped her bags and ran to repeat the last message. The machine had recorded his call about five minutes before she had pulled into the garage. Listening to the short sentence once again, Nic felt unsure of her ability to remain standing. Putting her back against the wall she slowly slid down to the floor, disturbed by her strong reaction to Des' simple statement.

Pyewacket moseyed into the kitchen and curiously examined her seated mistress. Climbing into Nic's lap, the cat made itself comfortable. Petting Pye's soft form distractedly, Nic stared off into space.

"Oh Pye," Nic whispered, as she refocused on her surroundings. "What am I gonna do? I could really fall for this one."

**********

Des didn't really understand why he had called Nic. They were going to see each other tomorrow and she hadn't even been there to pick up the phone. It wasn't like him to do something without reason, but now he was acting altogether without thinking. At least he had been honest in the message. He had been thinking about her. It was all he could do not to think about Nic and what might happen after class the next day.

After leaving Nic's house on Friday night, having stealthily slid her cell phone under some papers on the dining room table, Des knew it was going to be a long weekend. With memories of Nic's body under his fingers and the taste of her kiss still on his tongue, the last person he had wanted to hear from upon getting home was his father. But, as he walked in the door, that was exactly who was on the other end of the ringing phone. 

"I'll be in Atlanta this weekend on business; we need to meet on Sunday," his father said in way of greeting. His tone implied that there was no option to the demand. Mr. Radel was used to having his orders obeyed immediately, with no argument. But, it had been a long time since Des had jumped to his father's commands.

"I can't. I have plans," replied Des, his own voice emotionless and flat. There was nothing they really needed to say to one another, and Des had no desire to see his father after more than ten years with hardly any communication.

"Son...you can't keep avoiding me. There are things we need to discuss, whether you'd like to or not."

"There's nothing we need to discuss. You made a decision about this a long time ago. No use in changing it now," said Des, pulling the phone away from his ear, ready to hang up.

"Your sister will be there." Des' father had always known what to use to get to his son. And the mention of his sibling now was the only thing that stilled his hand. Sighing in exasperation, Des spoke with slow deliberation into the receiver.

"You never change do you? You will not use Mia as bait to make me play your game. If she wants to see you, that's her choice..., I've already made mine." Des turned off the phone before his father could say anything else. It gave him a sense of satisfaction to be able to cut the old man off, but the conversation had left him anything but content.

He could only hope his father had been lying about Mia. It had to have been a ruse to flush Des out of hiding, as his sister wanted to see their father about as much as he did. Still, it disturbed him to think that it might be the truth. He made a mental note to get in contact with Mia as soon as possible. He wouldn't really be able to rest easy without some reassurance straight from the source.

Moving through his house without the aid of light, Des contemplated the rest of his weekend. He had promised to join the other teachers at the school in attending a two-day martial arts function. Since he was well-known in certain circles, they thought the publicity would be helpful in drumming up new attendance for the dojo.

As Des threw himself on his bed, fully clothed, he hoped that the rigorous activities over the next two days would distract him from his current situation. Closing his eyes, he was immediately presented with a picture of Nic, hair rumpled and lips moist from his kisses. He opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling, trying without success to think of anything but the one woman his body refused to let him forget. Even after the unpleasant call from his father and worries over his sister, Des couldn't jog Nic out of his mind; and, unsettling as it was, he didn't want to. At the moment, she was the one thing in his life that he looked to with anticipation.

Refusing to give in to the temptation of releasing some sexual tension, Des finally fell asleep. The following forty-eight hours seemed a never-ending combination of socializing, handshaking, and teaching that Des would rather have avoided. Through it all, he knew that he came off as more distant than normal. He was practically the walking dead, allowing his auto pilot to take over as he demonstrated the aikido style and talked to other practitioners and interested new students. At least after years of drills and study he could easily depend on his instinct and senses to get him through these sorts of things.

Des thoroughly blamed his lack of concentration on Nic. Everything he did was combined with the thought of her sticking to the back of his mind. He wondered what she was doing and who exactly she was with. More than anything, he considered whether she was having as much trouble as he was focusing on other things. Des knew that Nic was sexually attracted to him, but other than her frustrations with the way he'd been treating her, he was still unsure how she felt about him. For that matter Des wasn't too sure what his feelings were for Nic other than respect for her hard-working nature and a need to fuck her that had become an ever-present distraction.

But, Des somehow managed to get through the weekend without mishap and spared enough brain function to remember to call his sister. It was the first thing he did when he got back home Sunday evening. Sprawled on the couch, he dialed her number and hoped he wouldn't be waking her up. Picking up before the end of the second ring, Des couldn't help but smile at Mia's sarcastic voice.

"My goodness, hell must have frozen over for you to be calling me out of the blue."

"Don't start Mia. You know I only call when it's important."

"Oh yes. That's why I haven't heard from you since you got back to the states. Apparently it's not important to let your little sister know that you're still alive."

"Hey, the phone works both ways. You could have called me." Des chuckled at the almost habitual fight he and Mia had when they finally contacted one another. Though they each were highly important in the other's life, time always seemed to get away before they had a chance to really catch up. I'm gonna have to put a stop to this, thought Des. I should really check up on her more.

"Yeah, well as the younger sibling I reserve the right to be irresponsible when it comes to this. You're the one with all the discipline; it should be easy for you to remember to pick up the phone. Anyway what's the emergency?"

"I got a call from our Father." Des heard Mia's disgusted snort at the mention of their parent. "He wanted to meet with me today and told me you would be there."

"Well, I'm glad he told you. He certainly didn't think it was something he had to concern me with," replied Mia, utter disdain dripping from her usually cheerful tone.

"I knew he had to be lying, but I just wanted to make sure. You know he has a way of getting what he wants."

"Ah, but therein lies the rub. He never really wanted me, did he?" Des could hear the old resentment in Mia's voice. It was a topic they didn't need to dwell on as the ending result could only be bad memories. Of course, that was to be expected considering the source of the conversation. 

"So," said Des, trying to change the subject. "How's the little one?"

"She's fine," replied Mia, sighing softly. "Sleeping peacefully for once. You wouldn't believe how big she is now... You should come visit...we miss you."

"I know. I'll get out there as soon as I can... And Michael, is he still treating you good?"

"Of course he is. This is hard on both of us. We weren't ready for Morgan, but we're making the best of it... Michael's trying real hard. He sees her as much as he can and gives me all the support I need. I can't ask for more."

"And you're still content waiting for him to settle down?" asked Des. He had never liked that his sister's long-time boyfriend wouldn't commit to marriage. Especially after Mia found out she was pregnant. Maybe I should visit a little sooner...

"I know what you're thinking and you might as well forget it. I won't have you coming out here trying to force the life you think I should have. I'm prepared to wait. That's what people do when they're in love. And it's not like I'll sit around forever, you know me better than that. Michael will realize what Morgan and I can give him, or he won't. But, it's his choice to make."

"Yeah alright. As long as you're happy," said Des, knowing there was no use in arguing. Mia was as stubborn as he was when it came to living her own life. That didn't stop him from wanting to charge in and fix everything. But, he saw that as his duty as an older brother; and nothing Mia said would ever change that.

"So, enough about me. Anything interesting happening to you?"

"No...nothing really." Des could almost hear his sister perk up on the other end of the phone. Somehow she always knew when he wasn't exactly telling the full truth.

"Nothing really, huh? That means it must be something big like another promotion or, you've finally saved up enough to open your own school or,... You've met someone, haven't you?"

"How the hell do you do that?"

"It's a gift," said Mia, her pride a practically palpable force through the phone. "Who is she? And please don't say it's another of those bimbos you usually screw and skip out on."

"No, she's different. I don't know, there's just something about her," replied Des. The confusion he'd felt all weekend resurfaced as his mind returned to Nic. Now that he thought about it, she was nothing like any of the other women he had ever dated. Not just because she was black; no, it seemed that there was something more to Nic that Des had never encountered in another woman. Maybe that's why she was all he could think about.

"Different is good. How long have you been going out?"

"We haven't yet. But, that'll change starting tomorrow. Mia, I have to go. I have some things to do. I'll call you later this week, I promise."

"Changing the subject, huh? Okay. You better not forget to call. I love you Des."

"Me, too." Des felt bad about lying to his sister. He didn't really have anything more important to do. But, glancing at the clock, he had realized that Nic was going to be home soon. He looked at the phone he still held in his hand and remembered his promise of two days ago. 

It had been Nic's idea that they not contact each other until Monday. She thought they needed some time and space to get used to the idea of their new relationship, or whatever it was. Des knew he didn't need more time, but had agreed because he wanted her to be comfortable. Now, staring at his phone, Nic's number drifting through his thoughts, he knew he was about to break his promise.

Des dialed her number and was almost relieved when she didn't pick up the phone. He didn't really know what he wanted to say to her. He left a short message and quickly hung up, having no idea why he had called in the first place. It had felt like the right thing to do and he had acted on that feeling. There was no other way to explain it.

Des tossed the phone to the other side of the couch before he did anything else foolish and made his way to bed. Tomorrow he would finally see Nic again, and perhaps he could start getting over this incredibly confounding attraction. Spending time with Nic would surely reveal that she was just as ordinary as he had originally thought. Delving into the mystery of her would be the easiest way to get her out of his system, wouldn't it?




Fighting and Loving Ch. 03



**********

Nic bent over, placing her hands on her knees and tried to slow down her breathing. From the corner of her eye she watched Des move slowly around her on the mat, annoyingly relaxed and breathing easy. They were a good hour into their individual training session, the other students and teachers having already left, and Nic felt like she was about to drop. Her muscles practically trembled in exhaustion after having worked all day, going to the regular adult class, and the intense drills Des was running her through. Still, she knew that she wouldn't quit or ask for a break. She wouldn't give Des the pleasure of thinking she couldn't keep up with him.

Standing up straight and placing her hands behind her head to stretch the muscles in her back, Nic could feel the way Des' eyes watched her figure. They had yet to talk about what had happened on Friday and the tension between them was thick enough to cut with a knife, though neither would admit to the feeling. Still, it annoyed Nic that Des appeared so calm and confident. That combined with his relentless workout had about pushed her to the limit of her self-control.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" Nic asked out of nowhere. "You have some kind of sadistic streak in you that gets satisfaction in putting me through this torture."

Des' lips quirked in his familiar smile as he brought his attention from Nic's stretched form to her face. Her eyes were closed as her breathing calmed, the rise and fall of her breasts slowly becoming less pronounced. He knew she was tired, but her stubbornness refused to let her give in, only adding to his respect for her. And, he had to admit, watching her go through the forms, breathing hard, and lightly sweating, was something of a turn on. Des couldn't help but imagine what other types of exercise would leave her out of breathe.

"Maybe I do enjoy it," Des responded to her question. "That's why I'll ask you to run the last combination again." Des had barely gotten the words out when Nic groaned, dropping her arms to her sides and turning to look at him straight on.

"Come on Des, um...sensei. We've been working on this same combo for the last ten minutes; I think I've got it."

"I didn't say you don't have it down. I asked you to run it again. This is why we're here. Not because you don't understand what you need to do; but, because it's more than learning the steps. Everything should be inherent to you, should come as second nature. That's the place I'm trying to get you to. The torture is just a bonus for me."

Nic sighed softly at Des' words, knowing that he was absolutely right and surprised that she had let her personal feelings inspire a childish outburst. Somehow this man seemed to bring out the most irrational feelings in her, and always in the most extreme levels. Moving back into a starting position, Nic rolled her shoulders one final time and readied herself for the attack.

"Yes sensei," Nic said humbly as she forced her muscles to relax. "I understand, even if I don't like it." She couldn't resist getting in the last word.

Des raised an eyebrow at her remark and resisted smiling. Stepping onto the mat in front of Nic, he prepared to make the first move. As he stepped forward and flowed into the first attack of the combination, he watched Nic's face. What he had said earlier was true. She knew how to do the movements and had the mechanics down behind every attack and defense. But, she still wasn't believing in her body's abilities and letting go mentally. She had done it on the first day he noticed her in the classroom. Des just wanted her to find that confidence again.

Watching her as they continued through the mock fight, he noticed that the sheer exhaustion she was feeling was pushing Nic in the right direction. Instead of concentrating on each position, trying to remember the order and response, she was letting her body do the work, and giving her mind the chance to step back and see the big picture. As they went through the choreographed actions, her breathing evened and her eyes took on that familiar lethargic look. It was as though Nic was no longer seeing Des; she was more focused on the way her muscles reacted, the shift of her weight, and the transitions in the air as they sparred.

Nic wouldn't have believed it, but Des could have described her with no other word than beautiful at that moment. As he threw the last punch, which Nic easily blocked, and they came to a stop, both exhaled deeply. They stood motionless until Nic refocused on the room and the man standing in front of her. As she looked into his eyes, she could see they had that same dark, stormy hue that had plagued her waking and sleeping hours throughout the weekend. She inhaled quickly and felt a hitch in her stomach that had everything to do with the way only Des could make her feel so nervous and aroused with a single glance.

"Very good," said Des, finally breaking the silence. "There was a difference that time. Did you feel it?"

Nic nodded slowly in agreement. Breaking eye contact, she relaxed and put a little space between herself and Des. If she was being honest with herself, the space was more for her own peace of mind more than anything else. She didn't trust herself when it came to Des, already having experience from the past of what little control she held.

"Then, I think we'll be done for the night," continued Des, forcing Nic to look at him once more. "Good work. You can pack up and head home."

Nic nodded again before remembering to bow to her senior. Funny that she seemed unable to speak. Pack up and head home, Nic thought as she moved off the mat and headed to the wall where she had dropped her towel and water bottle. Are we just going to ignore what happened on Friday? She grabbed her drink and opened it harshly, not really sure if she was mad at herself or Des. It was hard for Nic to believe that he wasn't going to bring up their previous encounter after the expression she had just seen on his face.

As Nic drank deeply, trying to relieve the thirst she had built up over the past hour, she tried to find some way to bring up the topic they had so successfully avoided up until now. She concentrated so deeply on finding something to say that she neither heard nor felt Des move to stand behind her. Finally setting her mind upon the question she was determined to ask, she turned, only to have her mind erased of all thought at the startling nearness of him.

They both knew that he was going to kiss her, and oddly enough they both were equally sure that neither would stop it from happening. With a dip of his head, Des' mouth was on Nic's, taking what he had been thinking about all weekend. He coaxed her mouth open with gentle nips of his teeth and sweeps of his tongue, until he could taste her sweetness as she stopped trying to fight her growing need.

This time, the kiss wasn't desperate or rushed, as it had been in Nic's kitchen. It was just as passionate, but slower, building heat moment by moment. Nic's water bottle fell from her fingers as Des gently maneuvered her into leaning against the wall as he crowded closer. His hands found her hips, pulling her lower body closer to his own, as he tilted his head for better access to Nic's mouth. Her gentle moan of pleasure and the feeling of her hands grabbing the front of his uniform clouded his mind with the urge to finish what they had started on Friday.

Des hadn't meant for it to go this far. He had just wanted to take the edge off of the craving they had been trying to resist. Now, his mind was telling him how easy it would be to unknot the belt around her waist and pull open the front of her uniform. He should have been disturbed at what seemed like a lack of control, but it was amazing what you could get used to when you were slowly being driven insane by a loss of blood to the brain.

Finding a reserve of strength he didn't know he had, Des broke off the kiss and rested his forehead on Nic's. He didn't, however, move away from her sensual warmth. His hips still rested on hers, keeping his throbbing erection in close contact with her own sex. His right hand slowly dragged from her hip to the underside of her breast, his fingers barely brushing that gentle swell as she inhaled deeply.

Nic tried to control her breathing, both hopeful and afraid that he would continue. Almost as if reading her thoughts, Des' hand skimmed over her breast and reached the opening of her uniform, finding the skin of her neck. His fingers lingered there only a moment before continuing on to cup her jaw, his thumb gently caressing the softness of Nic's lips. He moved his head back and stared into her eyes, his other hand coming to rest on the wall, effectively using his larger frame to create their own space.

It was almost claustrophobic, having Des so close. And the way he looked at Nic, as though she were the only thing in the world...no, the universe. She'd never felt anything as intense as the weight of his stare. His thumb moved slowly across Nic's parted lips, first along the fuller bottom half, and then across the top. It was almost hypnotic, the way he lightly teased her mouth and yet was able to transfer the feeling of that touch to her entire body.

Without thought, Nic opened her mouth wider as Des' thumb made another circuit. Using her tongue to invite the digit inside, she softly sucked, closing her eyes to enjoy the pleasure of the unique taste of his skin. Nic opened her eyes again upon hearing a harsh exhalation from Des. His face looked strained, his teeth obviously clenched together in an effort to restrain himself. 

Realizing what she had done, Nic quickly released his finger, embarrassed at her actions. It had been unintentional on her part, but she had heightened the situation, and the unreadable look on Des' face made her worry that she might have gone too far. Nic was relieved when Des removed his hand from her face and shook his head slowly, a slight smile lighting his features.

"You really don't know what you do to me, do you?" Nic didn't know how to respond to that question and remained silent. Des pushed away, allowing space to reinsert itself between them. For the first time since they had started working alone that night, he would not look directly at Nic, instead bringing his attention to the clock across the room. It's almost imperceptible tick, tock was the only sound in the room for a long minute.

"We're going to go on a date tomorrow night," Des said, his low voice filling the silence. "I'll pick you up at eight and we'll go out to dinner. We'll talk about frivolous things, if you want, and we'll keep everything light and simple. But, by the end of the night, we need to decide where this is going, because it's obvious we're going to be moving fast. Alright?"

"Alright," said Nic after a moment, the first word she had spoken in what seemed like forever. Des' tone hadn't really left any room for anything besides agreement. In a way it was almost a relief to have finally come to some sort of resolution, even if it was only that they realized a decision had to be made about the future.

Des nodded once at her agreement and moved toward the back of the dojo where the workout room was held. Nic knelt slowly and retrieved her dropped water bottle and towel, before walking to the changing room. It took only a matter of minutes for her to pull on jeans and a t-shirt before hoisting her bag to her shoulder and heading for the door. If Nic wasn't absolutely certain that she was awake, she would have sworn that what had passed between her and Des had been no more than a dream. But, the beginning of soreness in her limbs was proof that the night was real.

Before Nic could step outside into the cool night air, she heard the sound of the punching board being rhythmically struck over and over. It was apparently going to be a long night for both of them, and for some reason this knowledge made Nic feel better. Pushing the door open, the wind chime over the frame, which signaled any entrance or exit, rang out its soothing song. For a moment the sounds coming from further in the dojo stopped and a voice drifted to the front.

"Sweet dreams Nic," said Des, before the distinct noise of fists connecting with wood once again echoed through the hall. Nic smiled to herself and wondered how she would ever be able to get to sleep.

To be continued...



Fighting and Loving Ch. 04



It's a new year and I guess I should have put this out a while ago. No excuses, I'm just a really good at procrastination. But, Nic and Des have been begging me to finish their story, so I guess I'll have to get my ass in gear!! Hope you continue reading. ~J

*

"Nic, can you update us on the modifications to the TCR-3130 boards and where we stand on estimated test dates? ...Nic? ...Ms. Desmond?!"

"Yes! I'm sorry, what did you say?" asked Nic, snapping back to attention as Mr. Waters, her boss's boss in the marketing department, called out her name.

"The new boards, where do we stand on their development?"

"Uh, yes," said Nic, shuffling through some papers in front of her. "The engineers have returned the modified specs on the board and sent them to the design team. It looks as though they will match up to what the manufacturers expected. We should have a test version out in as little as three months. We'll need to start finding respondents in our target market to run this initial version and discover any bugs that we haven't caught by next month. And as far as my records and the accounting department go, we are right on budget with everything progressing more or less on schedule."

"Thank you Nic. And, in future, if you could pay a little more attention during these meetings. I know I'm boring, but something important might come up," remarked Mr. Waters, smiling slightly to soften the brunt of his words. The other managers at the conference table chuckled lightly as Nic ducked her head in embarrassment.

"Yes sir, sorry." Nic doubled her efforts to pay attention and not let her mind wander during the remainder of the meeting. It was a difficult task, but somehow she managed to stay focused and not inspire any further lectures. As Mr. Waters brought the meeting to a close, Nic quickly gathered her papers and practically ran back to her office, hoping for a moment without interruption.

It had been a long, sleepless night, and the day wasn't getting any better. As soon as she had stepped foot into work, she had been bombarded with problems she had to fix and questions she had to answer. This was not so unusual for her job, but Nic's mind was definitely not on office matters. Her first date with Des was all Nic could think about. A million questions ran through her brain, as well as numerous scenes detailing how the night could play out. It was driving her past distraction and into insanity, a fact that was hard to hide from the other people in her office.

Just as Nic had laid her head down on her desk, reveling in a peaceful minute alone, her door burst open. Without raising her head, Nic knew who had walked in by the enticing smell of CK One cologne. She waited for him to make some kind of smart-ass comment about what had occurred in the conference room. Long moments passed before Nic could no longer take the anticipation and leaned back to glare at the man lounging in the chair across from her desk.

Eric Tennyson was, hands down, one of the most handsome men Nic had ever met or seen. His longish blond hair ranged from the color of wheat to a light russet, and never seemed to be un-styled, even when it wasn't meticulously combed from his high forehead. His cerulean eyes reminded Nic of the waters in the Caribbean, bold and boundless as they surveyed his surroundings. With chiseled features that managed to be masculine without giving way to severity, many would imagine he was the direct offspring of an angel. To top all of this, his lean form, encased in only the finest of suits, was casually muscular and carried a perpetual tan which made Nic wonder if the sun followed him around like a love-sick puppy.

As Nic's eyes met those of the man across her desk, a smile began to appear across his well-formed features. His full lips pulled back to reveal straight, incredibly white, teeth and a dimple in his right cheek. Nic leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms, waiting for what she knew was sure to come next. 

Without fail, a slight tremor began in Eric's body as one hand came up to cover his mouth. While this was an effective barrier to his smile, it did nothing to hold back the rising sound of mirth which was quickly filling the office. Nic rolled her eyes as Eric stopped trying to control his laughter and let the deep, rumbling sound pour from him unrestrained. He relaxed into the chair and laughed until tears began to spill over and his hands clutched at his stomach, while Nic fumed and shook her head.

"Shut up, Eric." Nic's voice could barely be heard over Eric's continued guffaws. His amusement was so loud people passing by Nic's office peered into her windows with unreserved curiosity.

"I'm serious Eric, if you don't shut up, I will take out all of my frustrations from the past few days on your narrow, overly-coiffed, stuck up ass." Although Nic said this with a smile, there was no mistaking the dangerous tone to her voice. Hearing this Eric quickly tried to sober up, looking almost remorseful at his outburst. However, the lull in his enjoyment was short-lived as he gathered breath to utter a single sentence.

"I wish my boyfriend was dominating enough to say that," Eric gasped before breaking into laughter again; this time almost falling out of his chair in his glee.

"That's it!" Nic scanned her desk and picked up the seven-pound paper weight from its surface, reasoning that no one could possibly blame her for assaulting Eric when he was being so damned annoying.

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry," Eric pleaded, holding up his hands in surrender. He fought to regain his composure as he straightened up in his seat and pulled himself together. Nic reluctantly replaced the paperweight before letting her head fall once more to the cool surface of her desk.

"I've known you for about one year now," mused Eric, as he regarded the amusing picture Nic made. "In all of that time, I have never seen you frustrated, bewildered, or completely distracted by anything. The only time you ever gave a hint of being overly-stressed was during the Bione chip manufacturing disaster back in February. We stood to lose about $15 million on that deal and you didn't even break a sweat. But today, when old man Waters tried to get your attention...and the look on your face. It was classic. I wish I'd had a camera to capture that once in a lifetime moment of complete surprise. Anyway, your conduct today leads me to one conclusion, and I have a question to ask... What's his name?"

Nic mumbled unintelligibly into her desk, refusing to raise her head from its surface. When Eric repeated the question, leaning forward to catch her answer, Nic gave up the pretense of shutting him out and prepared to once again lay the drama of her life on the table. If it had been anyone else in the office she could have lied and steered the conversation to work or some other distraction. But, Eric knew her too well.

Nic had met Eric on her very first day. He was basically her counterpoint in the sales department, meaning that they worked closely nearly every minute of every day. When Nic had been promoted to her current management position, she knew it would be essential to get along with the sales department division manager if they were to be successful. She couldn't have possibly predicted how well they would get along in the ensuing months from their first meeting.

Upon first being introduced, Nic had been struck by Eric's looks, like every other female. But, instead of fawning over him like a blithering idiot, something nearly every woman who met him couldn't seem to resist doing; she shook his hand candidly and hoped he had brains to match his handsome appearance. Taken aback by Nic's obvious disinterest in trying to work her way into his bed, even before he had told her that he was gay and in a very happy, long-term relationship, Eric had liked her direct and honest attitude, as well as her complete ignorance of what a good person she was. He had become completely enamored of the way see humorously put herself down while still having great self-confidence, stood up for what she believed in, and cared unreservedly for her friends.

Nic had garnered the enmity of most of the female staff, and a few of the males, in her building for their incredibly tight relations, but had gained a true, if not sometimes annoying, friend in Eric Tennyson. Few understood how the friendship worked, seeing that they were like night and day, unlike Lila and Nic who seemed to be long lost twin sisters. Where Nic was usually serious, nearly morose, in her outlook, Eric was constantly upbeat. Getting a smile from Nic was like pulling teeth, but speaking more than two words to Eric would likely result in the glaring brightness that was Eric's customary grin. And yet, in spite of their differing attitudes, they managed to remain close with little effort and almost no disagreements. This was the only reason Nic felt at all comfortable in revealing the cause behind her lack of attention today.

Trying not to go into too much detail, Nic explained the basic situation to Eric who, to her surprise, listened without comment or emotional outburst. After she had finished bringing him up to speed on the date tonight, Eric simply nodded his head in understanding and sat in quiet contemplation. Nic cocked an eyebrow in confusion and tried her damnedest to stem the growing tide of apprehension she felt building at Eric's continued silence.

"So," said Eric, finally coming out of his reverie. "...what you're telling me is that there is a good possibility that you could get laid."

Nic stared at Eric in shock before slowly shaking her head and covering her face in her hands. How is it possible that this is all my friends can think about? Isn't it supposed to be a good thing to not sleep around and instead concentrate on building a nice life? Nic exhaled wearily as her mind tried to make sense of everything.

"Have you not heard what I just said over the last five minutes?" asked Nic as she pushed away from her desk and began pacing in the space between the chair and the window that was the back wall of her office. Her muscular legs ate up the small space in five steps, the black patent leather pumps she wore making muted thumping noises in the carpet.

"I have a date in less than six hours with a man that I have no idea how to deal with. And did I forget to mention that he is also the most irritating, frustrating, and annoyingly arrogant man that I have ever met. I don't think it's ever occurred to him that he may be anything other than correct, every minute, of every day. And yet, with all of these things going against him, he still has the completely illogical ability to make me feel like I'm the ninth grade reject getting attention from the all-star, senior quarterback!"

As Nic continued in her tirade, her anxiousness steadily increased, pushing her to walk and talk faster. She was building up to what looked to be an incredibly deadly explosion, and Eric began to wonder if he should take cover. He had never seen Nic so out of it before and while half of him was ecstatic that she was finally showing some form of human weakness, the other half wanted to pull her into his arms and tell her that everything would be alright. But, knowing Nic, well-meant compassion would hardly help matters. What she would want would be sensible opinions, that could aid in the formation of a plan of attack. So, Eric settled back and tried to think of what to say when she finally ran out of steam.

"This whole situation makes absolutely no sense. There is no good reason for Des to feel such a strong attraction to me... Unless he's just one of those men 'experimenting' outside of his race. That's probably what it is, he's probably just curious. And once he's slept with me, he'll toss me aside and move on to something more his speed. Maybe I should just call the whole thing off. I could just tell him I've changed my mind and decided that...that I...that he..." Nic groaned loudly in frustration, unable to make her brain manufacture a reasonable excuse. Yet another sign of the toll Des was taking on her life.

Ceasing her frantic back-and-forth pace, Nic stood in the middle of her office and inhaled deeply, trying to come down from yet another intense outburst. How many can I possibly have in one week? She had never been one to give over to hysterics, and she'd be damned if she'd start now. She had complete control over her life, if not her emotions, and just needed to find the handle to this situation in order to manipulate a positive outcome. 

Unfortunately, Nic had no idea what she wanted from Des. Half of her was screaming to just let go and give in to what was definitely feeling like an exciting roller coaster ride. It was the first time she had ever gone at such a frightening speed, in directions that she couldn't predict; and the pure excitement that rose in Nic, when just thinking about Des, was a heady and captivating sensation that was hard to resist. Still, there was that logical half of her, which insisted Nic examine the realities of what was happening. Her common sense would formulate questions that led to more questions, a never-ending flow of "why" which begged her to get off of this crazy ride before she was hurt.

Opening her eyes, Nic gazed at Eric with a look of barely concealed desperation. "I don't know what to do," she whispered. Eric knew the look on her face well. Whenever Nic couldn't find a way out of a bad situation, she was prone to drop the problem and walk away. It was what made her such a good manager; she had no qualms about getting out when the getting was good. This usually resulted in saving money on projects that could potentially end up as a disaster. But, when it came to her own life, her instincts were distinctly skewed. Nic only took risks when she felt good about the outcome. Which was fine as far as her career was concerned, but was hell on her personal life. 

In other words, when the going got tough, Nic usually got going, right out of all three of her past relationships. She'd been unsure about her future with those men and unwilling to explore the possibilities of circumstances without seeing the benefit. What was the point of having a significant other if you couldn't guarantee that the companionship would last? It just didn't make sense. And now she was confronted with much the same dilemma.

Turning her back on her friend, Nic gazed out of her window, trying to find an answer in the searing blue sky and scorching white sun. When Eric came up behind her and wrapped her in an embrace, she did something completely out of character and allowed herself to lean on someone else. After several moments of silence, Nic had to admit it was rather nice being able to discuss her issues with another person; a luxury she rarely allowed herself.

Eric smiled to himself gently as he felt Nic's body relax into his arms. It was normal for her to never really allow anyone to touch her. No holding hands or a casual arm thrown about the shoulders. She hardly let anyone hug or kiss her unless they were particularly close family. No, a firm handshake was all you should expect from one Nicole Desmond. But, once in a while, she'd let her guard down and one of her friends would have the odd pleasure of being able to get close enough to feel the warmth she insisted was nonexistent. She made herself out to be an ice queen, but Lila and Eric knew better.

"You should go through with this," Eric spoke softly, his breath ruffling the hair on top of Nic's head. "You won't lose anything in going out with the guy once. And who knows, you might actually have a good time, which you need."

"Humph," Nic snorted softly, causing Eric to laugh at her lack of agreement with that last statement.

"Besides," Eric continued as he gave Nic a soft squeeze before turning her to face him. "You deserve this. You won't admit that something might be missing in your life, but I know you want to be more than just content. I know you want to be happy, and this could be your chance. Am I right?"

Eric placed his fingers under Nic's chin and forced her gaze upward. She refused to look into his eyes, instead shifting her line of sight to the side and pouting her lips, a sure sign that she was going to stubbornly resist admitting to something she knew was true. Eric smiled at her obstinacy, finding her ability to be both intelligent and completely immature yet another factor he couldn't help but love about her character.

"And, if he breaks your heart, Chris and I will send the gay mafia in to bust his kneecaps." Eric knew that would catch her attention. She glanced up into his face, smirking at his last comment.

"So the gay mafia really exists?" Nic questioned, a skeptical tone in her voice.

"Oh yeah, they're real alright. And they'll ruin your life. They'll make you sleep with the fishes in the worst polyester suit they can find; not only causing you great pain, but also eternal embarrassment." Eric and Nic looked at each other for exactly three seconds before they both burst into laughter.

"You're out of your mind!" Nic exclaimed as she tried to catch her breath. "But, you wouldn't be my friend if you were sane. And I have to say my life would be far less interesting without my 'fairy godfathers' in it... I'll think about what you said, but I'm not making any promises."

"No, you never do. Anyway I have to get back to the office. By now some kind of emergency must have popped up that I need to fix," Eric said, glancing at his watch. He ruffled Nic's hair quickly, well aware that she hated when he did so, and made his way to her door.

Opening the portal onto the hustle and bustle of the corporate world, he turned back to find Nic still standing in the middle of her office, looking less desperate but still unsure. He was almost certain that she would go through with the date, or at least he hoped she would.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Chris wanted me to remind you about dinner this Thursday. He's trying out a new recipe and needs another victim. You're still coming right?" Eric watched Nic smile and nod slightly to herself, the last of the confusion fading from her face as she returned to her executive chair and settled behind her desk.

"I'll be there," Nic replied as she brought her computer out of hibernation. "And don't think you're going to get any of the details of a possible date out of me. I don't kiss and tell."

"Yeah right," said Eric, smiling widely. He was now certain that she'd made the decision to go out with Des, or she wouldn't have even mentioned its possibility. "Like you could ever keep anything from me."

Nic opened her mouth to respond, but Eric quickly pulled her door closed, ensuring that he got the last word. She shook her head at his juvenile tactic, but felt better for having talked with him. Somehow, for all his joking ways, Eric always knew what she needed to hear.

Bringing her attention back to her work, Nic pushed the coming night to the back of her mind. She had made her decision and would stand by it, come hell or high water. She just hoped she wasn't doing something she would come to regret.

**********

At 7:55 that evening, Nic glanced at herself in the mirror for the final time. She ran a hand through her curls, giving them a bit of order and then shrugged her shoulders at the final picture she made. It's not going to get any better than this; she thought to herself as she turned away from her reflection and made her way to the first floor.

Des had not specified the dress code for this "date", whether casual or dressy, so Nic had opted for somewhere in between. A pair of black slacks encased her legs, just tight enough to give anyone who looked the exact contours of her ass when she moved. Peeking out from beneath the hem of the pants were the toes of the 3" heels she had, for several reasons, decided upon.




Fighting and Loving Ch. 04



Nic had coerced herself into believing that she had only worn the shoes to gain a bit more height. But, if she was being honest with herself, she also liked the way they made her hips sway to a silent, seductive beat as she walked. And, Nic had begun to realize that Des was very aware of her figure. She couldn't have ignored the weight of his stare in class yesterday as she went through warm-ups and the habitual exercises if she had tried. A single glance in his direction had been enough to let Nic know that he was hardly examining her body in any way that could be compared to a simple teacher's interest in the progression of a student.

Her ensemble was topped off by a white, button-down shirt, with cuffs that practically covered her hands. Nic had left enough buttons undone at the neck to give a hint of the beginning of her cleavage. On a thoughtless note, she had also added a silver chain with a crimson-hued pendant which caught the light and flashed attractively. Unbeknownst to her, it fell in such a way as to draw the eye down to that barely revealed valley of flesh peeking from between the edges of her top. Adding a touch of lipstick, which matched the shade of the stone in her jewelry, and a bit of dark eye shadow, Nic had achieved an understated look of glamour and elegance. She wasn't expecting to turn heads, but she hoped that Des would at least find her appealing.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Nic grabbed her purse from the last step and walked over to the dining room table. Pack rat that she was, her purse was jam-packed with various items that would probably only have meaning to her. She began hastily removing anything she thought would be unnecessary to a night out, only to change her mind when she was down to just her wallet, cell phone, and a tube of lipstick. You never know when you might need Kleenex...some hand sanitizer...and maybe I'll keep this little hairbrush.

Nic was still trying to decide if she wanted to shove her entire key ring into the bag when a knock sounded at the door. She glanced at it before swinging her gaze around to the clock on top of her entertainment center. Exactly eight 'o' clock, on the dot...if nothing else could be said for the man, Des was punctual. Nic looked back at the bag sitting on the table and couldn't for the life of her decide if she had everything she needed. She had been emptying and refilling her purse for the last few minutes, and it was only starting to dawn on her that she might be the smallest bit nervous.

The knocking resounded again, a bit louder this time and Nic released the pent up breath she hadn't even recognized she'd been holding. Stepping away from her purse and trying her hardest to appear unaffected by the situation, Nic made her way to the door. In the few steps it took her to cross the room, she had almost convinced herself that she could pull this off without looking like a pathetic, love-starved idiot. But, then she opened the door and met Des' grey-eyed gaze as he took in her appearance and knew for certain that tonight would change everything.

**********

Des hadn't really wanted to seem overeager about tonight, but maybe he should have thought of that before he showed up at Nic's house fifteen minutes early. Once again he had found himself sitting in his Jeep, outside of her house trying to find the will to man up and just walk over to her door. It was only a few steps, simple enough in any other situation. So, why did every simple thing appear so much more difficult when Nic was concerned?

Images of what had passed between them the previous night at the dojo, forced their way into Des' mind. He closed his eyes and could easily remember the heat of Nic's body pressed to his and the softness of her skin under his fingers. He had thought that first night at her house when they had kissed with such abandon in her kitchen had been trying to his control. However, the slow build up of heat that had transpired between them yesterday had been one of the hardest things he had ever had to deny himself. Nic had been so receptive to his touches, going so far as to suckle his thumb in the most seductive, yet innocent way.

Needless to say, it had been a long night for Des. He had spent the better part of the remainder of the evening doing everything he could to give his body pain: punching the board until his knuckles were an angry red, kicking the bag until his legs felt like weights, and doing various rolls across the floor until his back cried out in exhaustion. Then he had wearily made his way home and collapsed into bed, giving himself over to dreams he couldn't quite remember in the morning. The most he could recall were impressions of strong, entangled limbs, deep sighs of pleasure, and the scent of roses. The rest escaped with the darkness that the morning light expelled from the sky. 

Des only wished that the physical memory of what his sleeping mind had created was as easy to banish. For though his consciousness could not bring back further details of the dream, his body certainly seemed to have no trouble making up the rest. He had awoken hard and ready to finish what he could only assume his fabricated twin had started. Des had spent a long time in the shower, easing the sore muscles he had acquired from the day before and doing his best to take the edge off of his built-up sexual frustration, worried he might be unable to check himself around Nic later that night.

The day had been something of a blur, with Des throwing himself into work teaching a couple of the day classes. He had been fairly sure that a call would come from Nic canceling the date they had tonight, but his anxiousness had been unfounded. By the time five 'o' clock rolled around, he felt foolish for worrying so much about the whole situation. It was just a date, something he had done enough times before to be familiar with. And, it was Nic he was going out with; which meant he didn't have to try to impress her by throwing money around or attempting to meet some impossible standards that she had set in place.

If anything could be said about Nic, it was what you saw was what you got. Des appreciated that straightforward nature and knew that she was as much attracted to the real him, as he was to her. He couldn't help being himself around her, even if that meant half the time they were butting heads and the other half, almost falling into bed. In fact, it was amazing how easy it was to relate to Nic. There were no games, which was something he was coming to welcome, having been a part of the dating rat race for what felt like eons. He just wanted someone he could spend time with, without the drama of shallow emotions, and a willing partner in the bedroom...and bathroom...and kitchen...or whatever surface happened to be nearby. With any luck, Nic was just what the doctor ordered.

But, even with these realizations, Des was still unnaturally nervous about messing up tonight, which explained why he sat in front of her house trying to pull himself together. There were too many ways to count of how he could screw up what was beginning to happen between them, and Des did not relish having to see Nic nearly everyday at the dojo should things turn sour. No use worrying about what hasn't happened yet, he thought as he took a final deep breath and pushed out of his vehicle. A quick run of his fingers through his hair and he was making his way to the door.

Before he could let himself think about it, Des had put up his hand and knocked. He forced himself to concentrate on the little details of her small porch, trying to keep himself distracted. Her door was a cheerful green color, with a circle of glass in the upper center broken into six panes. The handle and hinges were brass which matched the light fixture hanging above his head, in the fashion of a lantern. The warm illumination offered by this lamp highlighted the potted hibiscus that stood to either side of the door. The golden spill burnished the red petals of each bloom to a burgundy color that was almost sensuous in nature. Somehow their exotic, yet simplistic, character reminded him of Nic.

Shaking himself from his observations, Des knocked again, a bit louder than before and was just getting ready to ring the bell when the door was flung open. He took one look at Nic and could only stare. I wonder if I'll actually make it through dinner before I lose control...

**********

"Hi," Nic said, with far more confidence than she actually felt. Once again Des and his eyes were making it hard to breathe, or even remember what it was they were supposed to be doing. She half wondered if he would attempt to kiss her now, or if they would even make it out the door before they fell on each other.

"Konbanwa," breathed Des, before shaking himself out of his Nic-induced stupor. "I mean, hello. Sorry, sometimes I slip into Japanese when I'm not thinking about it."

"No problem. I actually know a little Japanese. Outside of what we have to know in class, of course," replied Nic, forcing a nervous smile as she tried to become accustomed to Des' unrelenting stare. She was starting to think something was wrong with the way she was dressed, considering the intensity of the way he continued to examine her from head to toe. "You didn't mention where we would be eating. Am I dressed alright?"

Des didn't answer for a moment, instead reaching for Nic's hand and initiating a twirl so that he could see her from all angles. When she had come to face him again, he retained possession of her hand, caressing her fingers lightly with his thumb as he brought his gaze back to hers.

"You look...good." The way Des said it, the word "good" hardly meant just adequate or decent. It took on a whole new definition, with enough innuendo and connotation to make Nic feel the word down in the pit of her body, where her femininity and arousal found its source. Her hand began to tremble lightly. A fact she could only eliminate by slipping it from Des' grasp, which he seemed unwilling to let happen.

Nic took a deep breath and willed herself to a state of calm. Cool, calm, and collected, that's me... What a joke. Allowing her eyes to slip from Des' gaze, she quickly looked him up and down. She was surprised to find him wearing a suit jacket and slacks, accustomed to seeing him in only the school's uniform, or on occasion jeans and a t-shirt. The grey of the shirt he wore almost matched the color of his eyes. He wore no tie and the top two buttons of his shirt were undone leaving Nic an unimpeded view of his throat and the hollow between his collarbones. His hair was brushed back from his face, another aberration, as when he was not teaching a class, when his locks were forced into a short ponytail, it was usual for it to fall forward, curtaining his countenance.

Des looked different, and yet, to Nic's eye, he still had that edge which had defined him from the first day of class. If anything he almost appeared dangerous, like dressing up a tiger to make it seem more like a common housecat. The illusion was there, but it did not completely make one forget the reality. Still, in either case he looked wonderful, and Nic felt no small amount of pride that he had asked her out.

"You look very nice, too," Nic responded softly, earning a smile from Des. "Let me get my purse and we can go," she continued, gently pulling her hand from his and turning to walk over to the dining room table.

Des watched the pronounced sway of her ass as she moved away and silently thanked whoever had been ingenious enough to design high heels. He had the most overwhelming urge to bend her over the dining room table and bite into that delectable ass, right before he slid himself into the tight, wetness of her pussy. He felt his cock jump at the thought and willed himself into control through sheer force of will. He had to take things slow if he wanted to keep from scaring Nic off.

Des resisted following Nic into the room and managed to calmly wait as she scooped a few items into her purse and turned back to him with that same nervous smile. He had felt the way her hand had trembled in his grasp and was shocked, as well as slightly pleased, that he could have such an effect on her; though it wasn't going to make the night any easier knowing that they were both on edge. 

Still, Des was glad of her response to him. He had half convinced himself that he had blown their previous encounters way out of proportion. After the almost unnatural way he'd been lusting after the woman for the past few months, it wouldn't have surprised Des if Nic's interest in him was nowhere near to the level of urgency his own raging libido had reached. But, with every moment he was in her presence, he felt how in sync their desires were becoming, and it gave him a wary sense of hope that their relationship, or whatever it was, would move along speedily.

"So where are we going?" Nic asked, meeting him once more at the open door. She was curious as to what kind of place Des would be interested in. They knew so little about each other, and if the look in his eyes meant what she thought it did, Nic assumed she'd have only the few hours during dinner to learn about the man before they became far more intimate. It was a thought that made her both anxious and anticipatory, which led her to hope the night would be drawn out as well as hurry to its destined ending all at the same time.

Des stepped back out of the doorway, allowing Nic to close and lock her front door before placing a hand at the small of her back to guide her to his car. In moments she was sitting in the passenger seat of his Jeep, watching as he walked around and slid gracefully behind the wheel. He started the engine before he finally answered her question.

"There's a place just inside the city I thought you might like. Kind of small, but it has great food and it'll give us the chance to talk without a lot of interruption." Des looked at her as he spoke, his face mostly hidden in the darkened interior. It seemed as though he almost expected Nic to make a run for it, but she simply nodded her head in agreement and offered a small smile, approving of his choice.

Des exhaled deeply. He hadn't even been aware that he'd been holding his breath, waiting for that first sign that they were actually going through with this date. As he inhaled, Des felt his confidence rise. Starting the car and pulling out into the street, he could only hope that the rest of the night would go well. He seemed to want Nic more with every passing moment, and only providence would tell if he would be able to have her.

To be continued... 



Fighting and Loving Ch. 05



Ensconced within the soft lighting and smooth seats of a booth which delivered a heightened level of privacy, Nic handed her menu back to the waiter and did her best not to play with the napkin in her lap. The drive to the restaurant had been nearly silent, the radio used as a filler for the non-existent conversation. Still, both occupants had seemed comfortable during the twenty minute drive, neither feeling the need for unnecessary chatter.

Nic had been taken aback at the restaurant. It was indeed a small place, practically a hole in the wall that she would have never noticed if they hadn't walked right up to it. She had been surprised when Des brought her to a stop in front of what looked like a closed building after parking in a public lot. But, then he had pulled the door open, allowing Nic to precede him into the darkened interior, and she was met by a polite hostess and the gentle music of a live band.

Once they had been seated and Nic had a chance to examine the subdued elegance of the place, she had to admit, she was fairly impressed. It was obvious that was the reaction Des wanted, but he had gone about it in his own fashion. Most guys would have taken her to the highest-priced, most talked-about restaurant in the city. They would have thrown money around as if it was going out of style and probably would have regaled her with talk of how impressive their status was within their company. At least, that was how other dates had gone. But, Des had taken her to a place he obviously loved, if his familiarity with the wait staff was any indication. He'd known both the bartender and their server by name and had asked after their lives with genuine interest.

Now, feeling herself relax as the beautiful strains of a piano and saxophone soothed her raw nerves, and taking in both the candles that graced the tables, and the brass fixtures that warmed up the cherry wood paneling on the walls, Nic felt the confidence to raise her eyes to the man sitting across the table from her. She was surprised to find him staring right back at her, his gaze intense and unwavering. A feeling of exposure crept over Nic. As though she couldn't hide anything even if she were to try; not even in the privacy of her own mind.

Taking a deep breath and sipping from her glass of water to allow for some time to collect her thoughts, Nic wondered once again how Des could look at her with such passion. He examined her like a puzzle that needed to be solved, which was laughable. There was nothing about her that even hinted at being an enigma. If anything, Nic felt she was an open book, although she prayed that Des did not guess at half the thoughts she had while in his presence.

On the contrary, it was Des that was the mysterious one. She had never met a man that was so hard to read, a skill she had crafted over the years and was proud to say she was quite adept at using. That is, until she had met the man she was with tonight. Even now, the only thing that Nic was sure of was that Des seemed to want her physically. She had no idea if he even liked her or wanted to get to know her better. But, that was what a date was for, and she was determined to have some sort of insight into Des before they entered into what was fast becoming the obvious conclusion to their night.

"So, how did you hear about this place?" Nic asked, after clearing her throat and gathering her courage. She knew it was an inane question, simply designed to clear the air between them, but it was a start. You just have to learn to get comfortable around him. Just treat him like a client. He's only interested in doing business with you. And, at this very moment, stripping you out of your neatly pressed shirt and slacks, and burying himself balls deep in your very needy pussy, is absolutely the last thing he is thinking, Nic thought before mentally slapping herself for putting that very provocative image in her mind.

"It's owned by a friend of mine," Des replied, pulling Nic from her thoughts. "We grew up together and managed to stay in touch even after I went to Japan. Whenever I came back to the States to visit, Rico was always one of the few people I'd drop in on."

As if speaking his name had commanded the man to materialize, Rico appeared at the table, a kindly smirk on his nutmeg-brown face. Dressed in a pair of worn jeans and a chef's jacket, he hardly seemed like the owner of the restaurant. He looked more like a busboy than a proprietor. But, it was obvious just from looking into his dark brown eyes that he was very happy, almost jolly, and quite proud. And the reasons for that could only be the restaurant he was standing in and the sight of his good friend.

"Man, don't you ever stay home to eat. I swear, Keith says this is like the fourth time you've been in here this week," Rico laughed, grabbing Des' hand as he rose from his seat and initiating the typical male greeting of the one-handed, back-slapping hug.

"Why should I cook for myself when I can count on you to give me a discount on Janie's award-winning meals?" Des smiled back at the slightly shorter man, pleased that he had been able to visit on a night when Rico had time to come out of the kitchen.

"Hey, Janie isn't the only one back there," Rico exclaimed with mock indignation. "I can hold my own in the kitchen. And, if I'm not mistaken, most of the time you're in here for the Rosemary Chicken, which we know is my specialty." Rico popped the collar on his jacket with a smug look on his face, before he burst into another grin.

Nic watched the proceedings between the two men with interest, finding the very apparent camaraderie and subsequent enthusiasm refreshing. Des hardly showed any expression at the dojo, preferring to be the cold and distant sensei. And, other than the bouts of desire he had shown for her, Nic had wondered if Des ever relaxed.

Before Nic had any time to contemplate this new side of Des, she found herself the object of attention. Rico, glancing at his friend's dinner guest, now swept Nic's hand from the table and placed upon it a light, flirtatious kiss. Glancing up at her while still bent over her hand, he smiled in an exaggerated form of seduction and waggled his eyebrows. Nic took an immediate liking to his obvious teasing and the expression of good-natured fun that glowed on his happy face.

"And, what do we have here? Tell me it isn't so. Tell me my good friend has not brought such a gem into my fine eating establishment without introducing her." Rico looked back at Des with what could only be described as outrage at such tawdry behavior. At least, the dramatic inflection in his voice implied that. However, the glint in his eye gave away the curiosity he felt at this unexpected turn of events. Des had mentioned nothing about a woman in his life.

Shaking his head and rolling his eyes at Rico's antics, Des returned to his seat before turning to Nic.

"Nic Desmond, Rico Alvarez. Don't believe a word he says," remarked Des as he noticed that his friend had yet to relinquish Nic's hand. It wasn't that he was jealous or anything as ridiculous as that. He just thought Rico's antics were a bit extreme, even for him. It was common knowledge that Rico liked to flirt with the ladies a bit, but the whole besotted knight routine was going slightly overboard.

"I'm wounded," Rico replied, drawing Nic's hand to his chest with a hang dog look upon his face. "To think that you would say such a thing to someone who has been your friend for over twenty years."

"And I'm only now beginning to think that was twenty years too long," Des growled, as he glared pointedly at Nic and Rico's clasped hands.

"You don't mean that. And, I'm sure your companion will not let your lies about my character color her judgment of me," replied Rico as he reluctantly released Nic's hand and gave her a quick wink.

"I think I'll reserve my opinion of you until after I've tasted your cuisine," Nic said, as she graced both men with an amused expression. "If the food is anything like the chef, it should be quite an interesting meal."

"A woman with good sense...I like you already," said Rico, his smile getting impossibly wider and more cheerful. "Seeing that I definitely want to make a good impression, I'll have to oversee your meal myself. And, since we aim to please here at the Fifth Course, I can guarantee that your opinion of me will be a positive one by the end of the night."

"Well, I look forward to it," replied Nic, as Rico continued to hover around the table. She was now almost completely certain that he was sticking around just to get a rise out of Des. And if the stony look on Des' face was any indication, it was working.

"So," said Des, speaking before Rico could get in a word. "How's Janie's pregnancy coming along? She should be what...about five months? You must be starting to look forward to being a father." Des sat back in the booth, a little smirk on his face as he mentioned Rico's wife and co-owner of Fifth Course, in an obvious effort to get his friend to stop lingering around his date

In response, Rico raised an eyebrow at Des' behavior, never having known him to take a little light flirting so seriously. He could tell that Des was, on the surface, just trying to equal his own joking; but, he had never cared enough about any woman he was dating to express even a slight need to infer possession. Who was this woman? And what spell had she cast over Des to make him act so...like a boyfriend?

Rico snapped his fingers and sighed in a very good impression of disappointment. "Well, there go my chances of stealing your date out from under you. The cat's been let out of the bag." But, even as he made that declaration, a smile pulled at Rico's mouth as his eyes strayed to the door to the kitchens. This smile, unlike the earlier grins of amusement and mischief, was soft and adoring. His face took on a glow that only a man truly in love could ever achieve.

"Janie's doing really well," Rico said, forcing his eyes back to the table. "She refuses to slow down no matter how much I threaten to hide her favorite cooking set. But, the doctor says both her and the baby are coming along nicely, and that the birth should be without complications."

"That's great news," said Des, while a genuine smile lit up his eyes. "I'm happy for you man. I never really thought Janie would catch you but, I'm glad she did. The whole married life really suits you."

"Yeah, who would have thought that, huh?" A sheepish grin bounced into place as Rico swept a hand through his curly hair. Nic could tell both he and Des were remembering their shared past and what could only have been the trouble they had gotten into. It made her wonder again about her date, and what he would have been like as a child. Would he have been serious and quiet as the adult he had grown into, or had there been another more fun-loving side to him.

"Well, I'd better get back there and work my magic," said Rico, interrupting Nic's contemplation. "I'll stop by with Janie later, so she can say, hi."

"Great, thanks," replied Des as Rico waved and quickly made his way back towards the double doors which led to the hidden interior of the restaurant. With a swing of the doors he had disappeared and silence had once again settled on the table. Rico had blown in like a refreshing breeze, managing to distract from the nerves and uncertainty of the night. Now that he had left, all of the previous emotions rushed back in, leaving both diners unsure of what to say.

"So, you and Rico are pretty close, huh?" Nic asked, tearing her eyes away from the table.

"I guess you could say that," replied Des, a small smile playing across his lips. "He probably knows more about me than anyone else, other than my sister. And, he was single-handedly responsible for most of the trouble I got into when I was younger." Des paused, his eyes becoming slightly unfocused as his mind was flooded with old memories.

Nic watched as the smile which graced his face went from soft to hard. It was an almost imperceptible change that most people probably would not have caught. Instinctively Nic knew, without a shadow of a doubt that quite a bit of his past had not always been pleasant. She wanted to ask him about what he was thinking of but, felt it was not the right time to be quite that personal. This was a first date after all.

Grasping at the last comments Des had made, Nic found a topic that was relatively light.

"Was it just you and your sister or, do you have other siblings?" Nic asked, hoping to bring Des back from wherever he had gone. She was relieved when his eyes focused on her once again and the tightness around his jaw eased.

"No, it was just me and Mia. Well, that's not exactly true. Rico was around us enough that he was just about family so, it was almost like I had a brother, too. Which Mia probably would have preferred not to have since we were both kind of...over-protective."

"Your sister's younger?"

"Yes. How did you know?" Des asked, as the question had seemed more like a statement.

"Just the way you talk about her. The way you struggled for a way to say you were a typical complete nightmare of an older brother," Nic replied, laughing to herself.

"I wouldn't say I was a complete nightmare," said Des, as their waiter approached with some fresh rolls and butter. "Though, I will admit to being a bit overbearing."

"Only a bit, huh?" Nic asked, raising an eyebrow at her date. She was very obviously referring to how he acted in the dojo, and how he'd treated her in the past few months. "Overbearing" was far too kind a word for the hell he had put her through.

Des laughed at the sarcasm in her statement and shrugged his shoulders, in a most charming way. He couldn't deny that she was exactly right about him. He did find it rather easy to be an asshole when the need arose. But, it was almost always for a good reason.

"Okay, maybe more than just a bit," he said, conceding defeat on that subject. "Although, with Mia I felt the need to...look out for her. She didn't have the easiest childhood. She was born prematurely and had a lot of health problems for the first few years of her life. But, she's always had a really strong spirit and sense of self. All she ever really needed was a little push when she got down on herself, which I took the responsibility of providing."

"So you're one of the few good big brothers?" Nic asked after a short pause. She'd had to stop herself from asking why his parents had not taken on such a large task but, a sudden image of Des as he had thought about his past just a few moments ago had crossed her mind. She had bit her tongue at the last minute, feeling again that that was ground she did not want to tread upon.

"I have my moments. It wasn't hard looking out for her...she was, and is, a pretty likeable kid."

"You talk about her like she's only seven."

"She'd probably agree with you there. She insists I still don't know that she ever got past the 5th grade." Des laughed softly to himself, and Nic couldn't help but join in. His smile was contagious. His whole face softened and his eyes seemed to deepen. It made her feel that he was smiling just for her, as if they were sharing a private connection instead of just a simple conversation. Good thing he never smiled at me before, I would have fallen head over heels ages ago.

"What about you? Do you have any siblings?"

"No, it's just me," said Nic, shaking her head softly. "Although, I also have a best friend that's more like a sibling. Lila and I met as roommates our freshman year in college and have pretty much been inseparable ever since. It's like we both found the sister we never had."

"And what was it like being an only child..., pretty quiet?"

"I'm not sure you could say it was quiet. I have millions of cousins that were just like siblings and often visited. And, my family is kind of naturally loud and overwhelming. The only part of being an only child that I benefited from was probably being a bit more spoiled than the typical kid. I didn't get everything I wanted but, my mother has always said I've got her and my father wrapped around my finger."

Nic rolled her eyes at that, knowing quite well that although she had been given more than her fair share of all the toys, clothes, and other miscellaneous entrapments of young girls, she had always been taught to respect her elders. She could easily recall times when she was quickly corrected if she ever overstepped her bounds with her parents. But, she could never fault them for their discipline. The last thing she wanted was to become one of those children who looked at their parents as a personal bank account.

Des examined Nic as she talked about her family and childhood. He tried to picture her as she would have been then. What came to mind was a little brown-skinned girl with scraped knees, hair in pig-tails, and an air of confidence. If she was anything then as she was now, she had probably been fearless. That one girl in every neighborhood who could run, jump, bike, and play as hard as any of the boys.

It was a good picture. Somehow it just seemed to fit. The little girl and the woman she had become. In essence, she was the same person, just wiser and more confident as time went on. He would have liked to have known her when she was younger. He wondered if he would have been very different if they had known each other for years instead of only months.

Des' eyes flickered to Nic's hand as she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. He thought it amazing that Nic seemed to have no idea of her own attractiveness. Admittedly, she did not have the modern day idea of beauty. Most people would probably have considered her plain, however... Des wasn't really sure what it was about her. Or perhaps it was that there wasn't just one portion of her that was alluring but, everything combined.

The dinner continued along these same lines as Des continued to contemplate the woman sitting across from him. Their conversation was easy and flowed smoothly. Music and books, work, hobbies and a variety of other topics graced the table along with the meal that was leisurely consumed. And throughout it all Des could hardly take his eyes away from Nic's face. He felt entranced by the light and color of her eyes, the tilt of her head, and the lushness of her mouth. He had an unbearably hard time restraining himself from touching her, drawn as he was to the warmth of her skin.

Although he responded to all of her questions and kept up with the stream of their banter, he knew that he was staring at Nic more than anything else. Even when Rico came back out with Janie to say hello, he was far more focused on Nic than anyone else. He enjoyed the way her eyes would catch his whenever she looked away from her plate. Des was almost positive that she was nervous by the way she bit her lip and would never hold his gaze. If they didn't leave soon, he was afraid he would do something drastic, like dragging her across the table to have his first taste of the dessert he'd been craving for the past three months.

Nic took another bite of the decadent chocolate cake in front of her and tried, unsuccessfully, to tamp down the nerves that had flared in her stomach. She would have laughed if only her situation hadn't seemed so pathetic. Never had Nic thought she would be so sprung over a guy. It just wasn't in her nature to be hung up over a man; especially a man that had the ability to be both overwhelmingly irritating and devastatingly sexy. And yet, here she was, battling her ricocheting emotions and altogether out of control body.

Nic couldn't be sure when the change had occurred, but the atmosphere at the table had definitely shifted. Somewhere between talking about their lives and eating what had to be one of the best meals Nic had ever had, Des had begun to look at her with more than just a polite interest. Her mind replayed again and again the ways Des had looked at her in the past: his barely restrained gaze in the changing room, his hungry glare after the kiss they'd shared in her kitchen, and the cool lust he had shown in the dojo. But, when thinking about him then in comparison to now, Nic knew she had had no idea of just how much Des wanted her.




Fighting and Loving Ch. 05



Bringing her eyes once again to her date, Nic did her best not to look away from his stare. It would have been an easy enough task if he had not used that moment to take the last bite of his own dessert. Nic couldn't help but watch as he ate the last bit of his cake, sliding the fork slowly from between his lips as he savored the taste. The man obviously liked his chocolate.

It was strange that Nic had never before really taken notice of a man's mouth. She had always considered Des' to be firm and unyielding, usually because he was barking orders at her in the classroom, although she had only recently come to realize it could soften into the smiles he had graced her with tonight. As she followed his tongue, coasting along his upper lip to catch an errant smear of chocolate frosting, she reevaluated her original opinion. His mouth was assuredly firm, she remembered that very well from the few kisses they'd shared; but, it was also smooth and sensual. Just full enough to be attractive without straying into the feminine and, at this moment, utterly devastating to her senses.

Nic could hardly help imagining his mouth covering various places on her body. Her traitorous mind conjured images of him playing his lips and tongue over the swells of her breasts, teasing her nipples and perhaps biting lightly as he learned her sensitivity. Continuing along the expanse of her stomach and torturing her belly button with quick flicks of his tongue before finally trailing down to the... Snapping herself out of her daydream, Nic realized Des had asked her something. She hoped she hadn't been staring at him for very long.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" Nic asked, praying he hadn't noticed her lapse.

"Do you like it?" he asked, catching Nic's gaze with his own. His voice rasped across Nic's nerves, sending a shiver through her body that seemed to reverberate in her erogenous zones. His eyes were the deep grey that she had come to associate with his arousal. He pulled a slight smile that made Nic suspect he knew exactly what she had been thinking. She squirmed in her seat uncomfortably, realizing that she was quite wet and not clearly remembering how she got that way.

"D-Do I like what?" Nic got the disconcerting feeling that he was referring to himself. As though he was asking if she liked what she saw and what she had been imagining.

"Your dessert," he responded, gesturing toward her half-eaten slice of cake. "Don't you like it?"

"Yes, I do. I...um...I'm just so full. I couldn't eat another bite. You obviously enjoyed it." Nic smiled down at his empty plate, hoping that he bought her excuse. She could hardly tell him the real reason she didn't finish was because she was too busy trying to rein in her libido.

"I think this cake has become my new favorite indulgence. Though, I'm very much looking forward to having something else tonight." Des slid his hand across the table and slowly engulfed Nic's in its warmth. He rubbed his thumb gently across the back of her hand in what should have been nothing more than a romantic gesture. But, the predatory gleam in his eye gave it quite another meaning.

Nic's heartbeat seemed to triple in speed and her breath caught. When she was finally able to take a breath she found she had difficulty doing so regularly. What the hell was the man doing to her?! And why the hell couldn't she seem to stop herself from wanting everything he had to offer?

Her skin felt heated under his touch. Her hand was burning up within his grasp, and the heat was slowly traveling up her arm and spreading towards places she would much rather have him touch with his hands, his mouth, his cock. Nic only just managed to hold back a whimper as Des brought her hand to his lips and laid a gentle kiss on the palm.

It was too much. Nic felt like she was cum right there in her seat if Des didn't stop looking at her like that. Prey caught in the sights of a very hungry predator, that's what it felt like. That was what made this so different from the other times that he had touched or kissed her. This time there would be no turning back, and no running from what they both felt.

"I-uh, I need to go use the ladies' room before we leave." Was that husky, little voice really hers?

"Of course. I'll get the check," said Des, that same smile still in place. He released her hand slowly and watched as she grabbed her purse and made her way to the back of the restaurant. He was now sure she was nervous and enjoyed the fact that he had her off balance. God knew he had felt the same way since they first met.

Adjusting himself so as not to attract too much attention as he made his way across the room, Des slid out of the booth and headed to the bar. Once there, he breathed a sigh of relief that no one seemed to have noticed the erection that he had been trying to control since about half way through the meal.

Quickly taking care of the check, Des tried to stop himself from thinking of the way Nic had looked just moments ago. He hadn't really meant to come on so strong in the restaurant. And he probably could have pulled back if she wasn't so responsive. Just the light touch of his hand on hers had sent a visible shiver through her. Kissing her palm had made her eyes go unfocused and forced her breathing to speed up, which only drew attention to her fantastic breasts. It was almost torture having to sit across from her and not be allowed to do more.

Impatiently looking back toward the hallway which led to the restrooms, Des spied the door to the employee lounge. Though, if everything Rico had said was true, that title was a bit of a stretch. The small room was more of a "spontaneous sex spot" for when Rico and Janie were feeling a little frisky.

At the moment, the door to that room seemed more like the gateway to heaven itself. Des couldn't help the lecherous grin that pulled at his mouth as he made his way down the hall towards the back of the dining room. He was sure Rico wouldn't mind if he made use of his private sanctuary; just to take the edge off until he could get Nic somewhere with an actual bed.

Nic wet a paper towel in cold water and pressed it to the back of her neck. Looking at herself in the mirror, she noted that she had the appearance of a woman that had just come from a long haul make-out session. And all Des had done was kiss her hand. Damn, but that man turns me on so good!

"Okay," she said, straightening her shoulders and taking a deep breath. "You are going to go back out there and calmly allow Des to take you home. You will not, upon reaching your house, act like some slut in heat and immediately jump on him. No matter how much you've been dreaming about doing just that."

With a pep talk that she really didn't believe over and done with, Nic grabbed her purse off of the sink and made her way out of the bathroom. She took one final deep breath before she started down the hall towards the dining room. She had just passed a door marked "Employee Lounge" when a large arm grabbed her around the waist and pulled her into a darkened room.

Not even pausing to think about what she was doing, Nic quickly went on the defensive, using her attacker's momentum to put even more thrust into the elbow she shot towards his abdomen. Imagine her surprise when her arm was blocked and the arm about her waist disappeared only to slide across her chest, pinning her other arm to her body.

Undaunted, Nic let her body go limp, in the hope that she could get under the assailant's guard and put him away with a well placed kick to that all important location of the male anatomy. Once again she was to be disappointed as the man scooped his other arm under her armpit preventing her from falling. When she would have tossed her head back in hopes of hitting him in the nose, his arm quickly came back so his hand rested against her neck. In a matter of a few seconds, he had her securely within his grasp.

Nic drew in a deep breath to prepare her last defense, the loudest scream she could manage, but was cut off by a deep voice whispering in her ear.

"We seem to have taught you well. If I had been any other man, you'd probably have already taken me down."

Nic's scream came out as a shocked gasp as she realized that Des was the one that held her. As quickly as he had forced her into submission, he now wrapped his arms around her in a much more intimate fashion as his mouth brushed gently along the side of her neck. His breath tickled along her skin, as he pressed open-mouthed kisses starting just underneath her ear and stopping where the collar of her shirt impeded his progress.

Pressed full-length against the front of Des, Nic couldn't help but be aware of the hard-on pressing into her ass. The close contact transformed the adrenaline she had felt at first being grabbed into pure lust. She couldn't have broken out of his hold now if she wanted to, and that was something she very much did not want to do.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Nic breathed, trying to make sense of everything that had happened in the past few moments. Her head felt like it was spinning, and Des' hands tracing the counters of her body wasn't helping matters. She was once again losing control; falling into the pace Des had set and unable to deny that was exactly what she wanted.

"If you have to ask, I'm obviously doing something wrong," Des murmured as his hands drifted over her abdomen to her breasts. She expected that he would continue to tease her, his fingers tracing lightly over her shirt, the heat from his palms sensitizing the skin just a layer of cloth away. It quickly became clear Des had other plans as a sharp tug sent buttons flying and bared Nic's skin to the cool air of the darkened room.

Before Nic could gain her breath back from the surprise of being nearly half naked, Des pulled the cups of Nic's demi-bra down and quickly replaced the sheer fabric with his hands. His grip went just to the edge of being rough, his fingers squeezed and played her tight nipples pulling a sharp moan from her lips and arching her back so that her ass danced along the hot pole of flesh straining against the zipper of Des' slacks. 

"Oh God," Nic whispered, trying to hold on to some semblance of reality as Des twisted and plucked the sensitive peaks of her swollen breasts. She could hardly believe she was allowing him to do this. What if someone walked in? Nic was facing the door and there was no way they could explain away what they were doing. Of course, Des' hands felt so good, she probably wouldn't care either way. It had been so long since she had had a man to touch her, and never had it been like this.

"You feel even better than I thought you would," Des whispered skimming his hands down over the trembling muscles in Nic's abdomen. She was softer than he'd imagined, and yet there was a strength there that drew him deeper, making him eager to find all the different sides of her. To bring everything she kept hidden to the surface. For his eyes only.

His fingers played in the indentation of her bellybutton, skirted around the shape of her waist before reaching the barrier of her slacks. He slowed his movements, listening to the increased pace of their breathing, and trying to bring himself under control. It was so tempting. He could easily draw her pants down, free himself from his own clothes and slip inside her; giving them what they both wanted. What they both needed.

Slipping past the button and zipper hiding her from view, Des followed the seam between her legs, gripping the heat shielded by her thighs. His own groan of impatience played alongside Nic's gasp of surprise. God, he could feel her right through the fabric; so ready for him. He pressed against her, tracing the outline of her lips and locating easily where her clit was already straining for his touch. She whimpered and gasped, grabbing onto his arm as though to push him away, but instead covering his hand with her own, following and then leading him towards her pleasure.

Nic's head fell back against Des' shoulder as she grinded herself against his fingers, eager for the release he could give. When he pulled his hand away she moaned in frustration, already so close to climax. Fortunately he moved to the button and zipper of her slacks, working them free so quickly Nic barely had time to prepare herself for the heat of his fingers moving through the light down that was the last flimsy obstacle to the place they both needed him to explore.

He wasn't gentle. His hand delved between her pussy lips to find the liquid heat he could smell even now. He worked a finger into her, her tight walls clutching him so hard he thought he'd lose it. Des ground his cock into the soft valley of her ass as he set up a rhythm, pumping into her as deep as he could reach, needing to feel her cum more than he wanted to breathe.

"That's right, baby. Give it to me. Come on," Des murmured as he added another finger and pressed the heel of his palm into her clit. Her moans were more than he could take and the way she moved with him, fucking herself onto his hand with abandon was torture. He really didn't want to embarrass himself, but if she didn't cum soon...

Nic reached out to the wall, pressing a hand against it in support as she lost herself to Des' pace. It was too much. It wasn't enough. She wanted...she needed... Reaching behind her with her other hand, she reached between their bodies to cup his heavy length. Oh God, she wanted him inside her so much. Fucking her hard, not with just his fingers. Gasping for breath, she stroked him, wanting to drive him as insane as he was driving her. Wanting to make him forget that they were in the back of restaurant probably seconds away from getting caught.

But, it was too late. As though he was reading her mind he skimmed his mouth from her neck to her ear and whispered, "Don't worry. I'll fuck you as soon as we get back. Hard as you want. You'd like that wouldn't you?"

Nic nodded her head as she felt the crest rising within. She was lightheaded. She couldn't breathe. God, she was gonna die.

"Let me hear you say it. Tell me you want me to fuck you. Say it and cum all over my hand," he demanded and pushed a third finger inside, stretching her so good the slight pain melded with the pleasure to push her over.

"Yes, yes, yes! Fuck me, fuck me, fuck me!" Nic half screamed as her pussy clamped down hard and her vision blurred. He kept working her, refusing to let her come down, extending her orgasm out until she really thought she'd pass out. When he finally gentled his movements, her legs were shaking so badly she was certain there was no way she could walk out of that restaurant under her own power.

They stood for a long minute trying to catch their breath before he pulled his now drenched hand from her pants and tried his best to right her clothes. Nic could hardly care that her shirt was ruined and that she'd just allowed Des liberties she'd never previously allowed any man to even get close to on a first date. Her body was loose and relaxed, and she just knew that there was a smile on her face. She hadn't felt this good in...well...years. And yet, strangely enough, even now she throbbed to have more of him. Couldn't wait, to be exact.

Pulling off his jacket, Des slipped it over her shoulders before directing her to a couch Nic hadn't noticed until this very minute. He pushed her down and knelt in front of her to adjust the jacket. Once he had her covered, he gave her a smile before leaning in for a sweet soft kiss that was completely at odds to what they had just done.

"I'm going to pull the car around back. We can leave through the kitchen. Okay?" he asked as his thumb traced her lower lip, has hand cupping her cheek.

She nodded mutely, the smell of her cum on his hand both arousing and embarrassing. Nic watched him stand and head to the door. Before opening it he turned back to her, his grey eyes dark.

"You know we're not finished right? I'm going to take you home and I'm spending the night. That's alright with you, isn't it?"

His voice was less question and more command. But, Nic couldn't deny that she wanted this. Wanted him. She nodded again and felt immediately lighter when her response was met by another of his smiles.

She smiled back and watched him exit the room. Flopping back against the couch she tried to tell herself that getting involved like this was a bad idea, that she'd probably regret it by tomorrow morning. But, she couldn't quite make herself believe it. And wondered if that was a good, or bad thing.

To be continued...