The Other Side of Love

Chapter 5

“Aren’t you going to kiss me?” She grinned up at me, with a devilish glint in her blue eyes. “We’ve been on two dates now.”

“I didn’t want to assume anything.” I smiled at her and studied her pouty bright red lips. “Though I suppose I should have read the signs a bit better.”

“The signs?”

“Your hooker red lipstick.” I laughed.

“Hooker red?” She leaned in closer to me and ran her fingers down my chest.

“Not that I’m calling you a hooker.”

“Of course not.” She pressed her breasts against my chest lightly. “You’d be paying me if I was a hooker, and I would be demanding payment upfront.”

“Payment upfront, huh?” I laughed. “Are you trying to take me for all my money?”

“It depends on how much money you have.” She whispered against my lips. “I’m still waiting, by the way.”

“I suppose if you want a kiss, I shouldn’t disappoint you.”

“I don’t suggest that at all.” Her arms encircled my waist and she pulled me towards her. I felt the bulge in my pants hardening against her stomach, and I guess she felt it as well because I saw her grin and lick her lips.

“Hopefully the kiss doesn’t disappoint you, though,” I teased her before leaning down and tracing my tongue along her lower lip, before sinking my teeth into it.

“I don’t think you’ll disappoint me.” She breathed out huskily before raising her hands to my face and running her hands through my hair. “Not at all.” She breathed against my lips before reaching up and pressing her breasts against my chest and kissing me passionately. Her tongue was in my mouth before I even knew what was happening, and she tasted like a minty, mysterious paradise. I kissed her back with fervor, nibbling on her tongue as my hands explored her back. I felt her hands reach under my shirt, and she scratched my back as she sunk into me. My hands found their way to the front of her top, and I gently caressed her stomach as my fingers worked their way up to her bra. She gasped as I gently squeezed her nipple, and I felt her fingers work their way to my belt, which she promptly unbuckled. Her lips encircled my tongue and sucked tightly as her fingers encircled my now extremely hard erection. I pulled her towards me tightly as I felt the thrill of sex coursing through my body. My fingers slipped up under her bra, and I felt her body melting into mine as they traced the curve of her breast.

“Come back inside.” She purred as she looked up at me.

“Are you sure?” I held her arms up and pressed her against the door, so she could feel the full length of my hardness against her.

“I want you inside of me, so yes, I’m sure.” She licked her lips slowly and seductively.

“I see.” I laughed, suddenly feeling a bit like a fish out of water.

“I don’t play games, Noah. I know what I want and I want you.” Her face hardened a little bit. “The question is, are you up for it?”

“I’m always up for it.” I growled back at her, not liking how she was challenging my masculinity. There was something about her that put me on edge. I was attracted and intrigued by her, but a part of me didn’t even like her.

“Then come inside.” She grabbed my arm and pulled me back into the apartment. “I told you to be careful of the big bad wolf.”

“I’m no piggy.” I stared back at her. “You’re not going to blow my house down.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure of that.” She laughed as she drew me into her bedroom and pulled her top off. I stared at her as she casually slipped her bra off and flung it into my face. “Don’t play with fire unless you’re prepared to be burned.” She fell back on the bed and stared up at me through veiled eyes. I ignored her words and jumped onto the bed, yanking my shirt off and throwing it on the ground. She grabbed a hold of me and pushed me onto my back, before pulling my pants and hers off in a quick movement. Her mouth was bobbing up and down on my erection within moments and I grunted as I pulled her hair, not feeling anything but the wanton pull of a near-orgasm. My eyes popped open as I heard the sound of footsteps, and I gasped as I saw the eyes of someone watching us through the doorway.

“Wait.” I pulled her away from me in a panic. “I think I just saw someone.”

“Oh.” She looked at me in surprise. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Are you sure?” I frowned at her. “There was someone watching us.”

“She’s a freak.” She shrugged before going back down on me. “I’ll be rid of her soon.”

“Who is—” I started but stopped as I felt myself coming close to a climax. I lay back on the bed, enjoying the sweet feeling of my release, but I couldn’t stop the uncomfortable feeling that was spreading through my body. Who was the girl who had been watching us through the door, and why was I feeling as if I was making the biggest mistake of my life?

Running helps me to clear my mind. I like to run for miles and miles and jam to hip hop music while I think through whatever is on my mind. Many people run to lose weight or to train for a marathon to raise money for some good cause. I run for me. I run to clear my mind from all my unanswered questions. I run to speak to God. I’m not sure when I started having conversations with Him. I’ve never been particularly religious. I didn’t grow up going to church or reading the Bible. I couldn’t tell you the names of the apostles or the gospels, but somehow I had developed a relationship with God. I think my conversations started my first night in Palm Bonita. And while I never heard a voice speaking back to me, I did always feel like I had been heard after my runs. I couldn’t stop thinking about what Sidney had said to me yesterday. I knew, in my heart of hearts, that I needed to stop letting the guilt weigh me down. But it consumed me when the lights went out and I was alone in my bed, all alone. All I could think about was Skylar and the look in her eyes when she realized that I wasn’t her savior. She had begged me to take her away from Palm Bonita, and I had said no. She didn’t know that I had tried. That I had wracked my brain trying to think of a way to save her from the life she found herself in. She’d cried. Big tears filled with sadness and fear. I could still see the look in her eyes when we’d had that last conversation. It was exactly the same as the first time I had seen her. That haunted wide-eyed look was imprinted in my mind. Now when I run, my conversations with God are angry ones, and no matter how many miles I run, I still never feel like I’ve totally cleared my mind.

“Well, hey, there, stalker.” A voice cut into my thoughts and I looked to the side in irritation. I was surprised to see a familiar face next to me. It was the snotty girl from the restaurant. I groaned inside as I nodded at her. I really didn’t want to deal with the waitress and her issues right now. I also didn’t want to think about the spark I felt when I looked in her eyes. “No hello?” She smiled at me teasingly and I gave her a weak smile back.

“I like to run in silence.” I spoke finally, and she looked at my earphones with a sharp stare.

“I didn’t realize that country music was silent.”

“I didn’t realize that Jay-Z was a country music star.”

“Aha, so you’re listening to music.” She gave me an ‘I got you’ stare and I stifled a sigh and increased the pace of my run. She grinned at me and increased her own pace. “Trying to get away from me?”

“Look, I don’t know you.” I shrugged and frowned at her. “We met once, and frankly you were a bit of a bitch. I’m not sure why you really care to talk to me now.” I said harshly, annoyed that I was somewhat happy inside to see her.

“I’m sorry about the other day.” She made a face. “I had a bit of an attitude. It had been a long day. Thanks for not telling my manager.”

“Yeah.” I kept my face straight. “No problem.”

“Don’t you want to know what happened?”

“Not really.”

“Oh.” She bit her lower lip and I saw her stare at me uncertainly. “I guess I should let you run by yourself now.” Her voice sounded a bit unsure and I realized that she most probably wasn’t used to being brushed off by guys. Even among all the hot girls in Los Angeles, a girl as pretty as she was would get a lot of attention.

“See ya around.” I nodded and continued running.

“Ow!” she screamed, and I paused to look behind me. She was sprawled on the concrete face down, with scratched palms and a bleeding knee.

“You okay?” I sighed and ran back to help her up.

“I tripped.” She stood up slowly and sighed.

“Over?” I looked at the flat surface of the pavement in bewilderment.

“My own two feet.” She blushed and looked away. “Thanks for the help, you can continue on your way now.” She pulled her hands away from me, and I felt suddenly bereft at the loss of her touch.

“Look, I didn’t mean to be rude.” I sighed. “It’s been a long week.”

“It’s okay.” She smiled at me tightly. “I don’t know why I expected you to be friendly to me. Like you said, you don’t know me, and the one time we did meet I wasn’t exactly nice.”

“Yeah, you weren’t.” I made a face and laughed.

“Sorry about that.”

“It’s okay.” I reached my hand out to her. “Let’s start over. I’m Noah, Noah Beaumont.”

“Robin.” She smiled and shook my hand firmly. “Robin Cartwright.”

“Not shrew?”

“What?”

“Nothing but a bad joke.” I groaned to myself. “It’s nice to meet you again, Robin.”

“You too, Noah.” She beamed at me, and her brown eyes sparkled. I stared in amazement as they seemed to change colors right before me. Sharing a smile with Robin awakened something in me, and I tried to ignore the stirrings of interest that pervaded my body.

“Are you okay to run, or do you need help to your car or anything?”

“I’m okay.” She laughed. “I’m a bit of a klutz. I’ll be fine.”

“You need to take better care of yourself.”

“Yes, Dad.” She rolled her eyes and I laughed. I had heard Lucky say something similar to Zane earlier that morning when he had told her to be careful as she was vacuuming the stairs. I guess the paternal instinct was alive and well in both Zane and me.

“I’m not trying to say that you won’t take better care of yourself.” I tripped over my words as she stood there standing there with her hands on her hips and an amused look in her eyes.

“I’m glad to hear that.” She grinned at me and started laughing. “Who knew that a guy as handsome as you could be so awkward?”

“You think I’m handsome?” I smiled at her with a happy smile. A swell of pleasure filled me as I stared at her.

“I also said you’re awkward.”

“Awkward’s cute.” I gave her a lop-sided smile and stuck my tongue out. “I don’t take offense to awkward. But I do take pleasure in handsome. Handsome is even better than cute. You can’t buy handsome. Not even in Beverly Hills.”

“You’re a dork.” She shook her head, laughing at me.

“An awkward, handsome dork.” I held my hands up in the air. “I sound like a winner.”

“You’re incorrigible.”

“But I’m still handsome.” I grinned at her, all worries gone from my mind. I was enjoying our banter more than I had enjoyed anything in a long while.

Robin rolled her eyes and leaned over and brushed my chest softly. My breath caught at her touch and I stared at her wondering if she had felt the same spark of electricity.

“You had some fluff on your t-shirt.” She offered an explanation for her touch and stood back with a slightly bewildered look in her eyes.

“Thanks for brushing it off.” Touch me again. I wanted to beg her to press her hands against me again. Her touch had ignited something in me. Her fingers had made me feel something deep inside where it was dark and cold. Her touch had created warmth.

“I don’t normally do this, but would you like to go for a drink tonight?” She laughed girlishly and lowered her eyes.

“A drink?” I took a step back.

“Yeah, you know. You get a whiskey or a gin and tonic and I get a white Russian or a sex on the beach.” She grinned at me effortlessly.

“Sorry.” I shook my head. “I’ve got plans.”

“Figures.” She smiled ruefully. “All the good guys are gone.”

“I’m not dating anyone.” My voice sounded harsh and she looked up at me with a curious expression. “Sorry, recent break-up.” I softened my tone.

“That’s okay. I’ve been there.” She shuddered. “And I’ve been a lot meaner to you, so no need to apologize.”

“Well, I should probably get going.” My heart was beating rapidly and my body was starting to feel warm with confusion. “I need to finish my run before I turn into a slob.”

“Yeah, you don’t want to turn into a slob.” Her eyes looked me up and down, and she didn’t hide the fact that she was impressed by my muscular frame. I tried to ignore the feelings of pleasure that rose in me again at her obvious interest. I was in no place to start dating.

“Glad you’re concerned for me.” I started jogging in place. “But I should be going now.”

“You got your phone?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Take my number. In case you ever change your mind and want to get that drink.” She smiled. “And I’ll even buy the first round.”

“How can a guy say no to that?” I smiled at her and handed her my phone.

“I don’t know. How can a guy say no to that?” She grinned at me impishly and then handed me back my phone.

“Only a fool would say no!” I slipped the phone back into my pocket. “And I dare say I am that fool.”

“Well, fools can change their ways.” She hesitated before continuing. “I hope you don’t think I’m being too forward. I just feel really bad about how I acted in the restaurant. I’m new to Los Angeles and I’m the cliché drama student who wants to be an actress and make it big and, well, I’m just trying to meet some new people. And not sleep my way to the top, though it seems that all producers want to do is see how far I’m willing to go on the casting couch.” She paused and slapped her hand to her mouth. “Not that you wanted to know any of that.” She sighed. “Sorry again. I’m an over-sharer.”

“Then you fit into Los Angeles already.” I gave her a reassuring smile as I studied her face. I liked her like this, not so confident and slightly out of her element. It made me feel like we had something in common. “We all over-share here. It’s a problem we have. It’s like we all think our lives are a movie and we want everyone to understand every single part of it. Cue angsty music from Paramore.” I laughed and she joined me, while running her hands through her hair.

“You haven’t really shared much with me, though.” She pursed her lips. “I barely know your name.”

“That’s because I don’t live my life as if it’s a movie.” I looked to the ground for a moment before looking back up and catching a flicker of remorse on her face. “But really, I should get going. I’ll give you a call sometime,” I lied to her.

“That would be great.” She nodded at me, and looked away. “I’ll catch you later, Noah.”

“Yeah.”

I ran away from her quickly, feeling suddenly alone as I left her. As I got to the corner, I looked back quickly to get one more glimpse of her and I saw her still standing in the same place staring blankly at the space in front of her. My heart panged for her as I wondered what she was thinking about. Part of me wanted to run back to her and find out what was going on in her life. I wanted to know where she grew up, where she had gone to college, why she wanted to be an actress, what sort of actress she wanted to be. I wanted to tell her that she was so much more than just the cliché drama student who comes to L.A. to make it big. She had charisma and character. She was someone that you didn’t forget easily. She was someone I wasn’t going to forget easily. Even though I barely knew her.

But instead I continued running away from her. I couldn’t help her or save her. It wasn’t fair to bring her into the confusion in my life. Not when I still had so much unresolved. Not when my heart still had a hole in it the size of the Mississippi. I thought back to what Sidney had said about moving on in life and making a fresh start. But a part of me didn’t want to forget. A part of me still hoped that everything could still work out. And while I still had hope, it wasn’t fair to bring someone else into my life. No matter how many times my stomach flipped just thinking about her.