Dinner was going great. I learned a little more about Dean. First off, he is 26, his last name was Tomlinson and he grew up in Los Angeles, California. No wonder he has that surfer boy look. Both his mom and dad and his twin sister Kim. He graduated from USC about a year ago majoring in Accounting. After he graduated, he moved to DC and opened his own Accounting Firm, which I found very impressive. He was not just a pretty face. He was intelligent. Something that I seem to find highly attractive. He was living here in DC without any family or friends. That is until he met Bryan at the gym, and they have been friends ever since. I still am on the fence about him, mainly because he is friends with that guy. But maybe I am being too harsh. Or maybe my body is overriding my brain.
"So what about you Nicole? Tell me about yourself?" He leaned back in his chair so casually, I thought he was being disingenuous when he asked, but that warm smile he gave said otherwise.
"Well, I am 21. I grew up in Baltimore, Maryland. My mother Brenda is a veterinarian, and my dad Mark is a gynecologist. He has his own practice." I told him, my voice full of pride. I love my parents. They have given me a lot. Thank God for those glasses of wine I had. I was able to talk to him without being a complete idiot.
"So your dad gets to look at vaginas all day and get paid for it?" Dean asked giving me a half-smile
"I guess you could say that." I narrowed my eyes at him. Handsome, intelligent with a sense of humor. Could he be any more perfect?
I told him how I met everyone else at the dinner table. Tracy and Bryan were so into each other that they didn't hear me bad-mouth Bryan to Dean. I took a look over at them while I was talking. Tracy seemed so happy sitting close to Bryan. And he looked happy as well. I guess I would have to sit back and see what actually happens with them. I hope it works out, but if not I am here to pick up the pieces.
We were all talking and laughing when the doorbell rang. I looked at Tracy who just gave me a shrug. Who is here randomly dropping by?
"I will go see who that is," I said to everyone. I looked up at Dean who was watching me rise from the table. His eyes slowly looking over my body, making me feel self-conscious. Why does he have to look at me like that? I felt as if I wanted the floor to swallow me whole, just so I didn't feel so exposed from his stare. I walked out of the room making sure not to switch my hips since I knew he was still watching. But that is kind of hard to do since I have a big butt.
I walked to the front door and opened it. To my surprise, our good friend Mike was standing on the opposite side of the door.
"MIKE!!!" I screamed capturing him in a hug unable to contain my excitement.
"Damn Nikki. Miss me much," he said barely able to breathe.
I let him go and pulled him into the house by his elbow. We haven't seen Mike for almost 3 months. His mother was sick with breast cancer. So he went home right before summer break to go home and take care of her. His older sister Tammy moved back from Florida, to their mom's house, so that Mike could finish school. All his mother wanted was for him to get a college degree. Mike didn't grow up with wealthy parents as I did. He was the first person in his family to go to college. So it was very important to his family that he finished college and did something spectacular with his life.
"Whose Mercedes is out front in the driveway" Mike stated pointing to the front door.
"I don't know. I think it might be Deans or Bryan." I said waiting for the second name to register to Mike.
"Wait. Who is Dean? And I know you didn't just say, Bryan. As in Bryan Clark?"
"The very one." I laughed looking at the disgust on Mike's face. He has never liked Bryan after the way he treated Tracy and a few of his other friends. Can't say that I don't blame him.
"What the hell is the nig..." I stopped him before he could even finish the word
"Mike Wooten don't you dare use that word in my house." I scolded him. He gave me an apologetic look. He knew how much I hated that derogatory word. I gave him a warm smile.
"Come on. Tracy is going to flip when she sees you." We wrapped our arms around each other's waist and walk to the kitchen.
"OH MY GOD MIKE!!!" Tracy squealed as she jumped up from the table. She ran to Mike and gave him the biggest hug.
"Hey, Tracy," Mike said to her.
The look on Bryan's face was priceless. His eyes were burning with anger, his jaw clenched, and his nostrils flared. I looked over at Mike who was giving Bryan the same, look. Oh, I loved this. I was hoping that Bryan would talk shit so Mike could kick his ass. And maybe I could kick Bryan while he was down. Literally.
"Mike," Bryan said coolly
"Bryan," Mike said back.
Bryan was giving Tracy a murderous look as she was still holding on to Mike. She immediately let go and sat back down next to him. Feeling the tension in the room, I tried to lighten it.
"So when did you get back in town," I asked mike, curious to know the answer.
"Last night. I stayed at my dorm last night. But decided I need to see my girls." he said giving both of us a wink.
"Well, we both missed you, sir." I hugged him again a placed a kiss on his cheek.
I really did miss Mike. He is such a good friend. And it doesn't hurt that he is so damn cute. Tall, dark chocolate skin, with eyes to match. He worked out every day, so his body was something you would see on the cover of a fitness magazine. Brains. He was one of the smartest people I have ever known.
"I missed you too Nick," he said wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me to him. I could feel the heat radiate from his body. I was feeling a little awkward from our intimate embrace. We have hugged before, but this feels different. This feels more. It could be the wine that has me feeling this way. Just in case, I pulled away from him and turned around to introduce Dean to my good friend. But as soon as I saw the look he was giving me, I swallowed the words.
There, sitting at the table was a man who was giving me the scariest look I have ever seen. What was his fucking problem? I glanced at his eyes, which were focused on Mike's hands that were still on my waist. I couldn't tell, but it looked like there was a sense of jealousy in his eyes. He slowly trained his eyes on mine. He raised an eyebrow to me as if saying "get his hands off of you."
Without thinking, I moved away from Mikes's hold.
"Mike this is Dean. Dean this is my good friend Mike." I made sure to emphasize the word friend.
Mike walked over to Dean who stood up and held his hand out to Mike, They shook hands, but the look they gave each other was a little intense. They were standing there sizing each other up. The whole room was silent, watching the pissing contest that was happening.
"Mike are you hungry?" I asked trying to ease the tension in the room.
Both Dean and Mike both turned to me and gave me a "who is this guy" look. I just looked away, not wanting to see their expressions.
"Yeah, I'm a little hungry," Mike said quietly.
"Good, I will get you a plate."
I handed Mike a plate and sat down next to him. I sipped more wine as he filled us in about his last 3 months away. His mom was doing a little better. Her body was responding to the chemo treatments, and she was finally picking up weight. His sister was concerned about him leaving school to take care of their mother. She was a little older than him and had two children. She decided to pack up her kids and move home to help.
Wanting him to finish school, she told him to come back to school and finish it because it was what their mother wanted. He was a little reluctant to come back, worried that something would happen to his mother, and he wouldn't be there. But after he talked to his mother and she convinced him she would be ok, he decided to come back. And here we are now.
I missed my friend Mike. We meet our first week of classes during freshman year. We had anthropology together. I absolutely loath that class. Mike made it more bearable. I walked into the classroom and sat down to take out my books. The professor had not come into the classroom yet, so I just skimmed through the text-book.
All of a sudden I heard someone playing their iPod very loudly. I looked over and hadn't noticed this cute brown-skinned guy with brown eyes sitting next to me. When did he sit down? I quietly listened to the song he was listening to. Absent-mindedly I started singing along with the song.
"You've got a smile so bright. You know you could have been a candle. I'm holding you so tight. You know you could have been a handle. The way you swept me off my feet, you know you could have been a broom."
I must have been in my own little world because I felt eyes on me. I looked over to the guy sitting next to me and saw that he was staring at me, with an amused look on his face. I stopped singing and looked back at my text-book.
"Don't stop singing on my account. I was enjoying the show," he stated trying to suppress a smile. I didn't say anything. I just sat there too embarrassed to speak. Finally, he said, "Hi I'm Mike Wooten." I slowly looked up from my book.
"I'm Nicole Hamblen, but everyone calls me Nikki."
"Nice to meet you," we said at the same time laughing. And the rest is history. He has been my Bgf (best guy friend) ever since.
I looked over at my friend who was sitting to my left of the dinner table and smiled at him. I was glad he was home.
"Yeah, that's when she punched Travis in the face." I heard Mike say, throwing his head back laughing. Oh shit. They were talking about me.
"She did what?" Dean asked looking at me with a grin on his face. Why is that smile doing things to me?
"Yeah knocked him out with that One Hitter Quitter. It took me, Tracy, and Brad to hold her back from stomping his ass. Although Brad was half-naked. Which was kind of sick, but it was still funny."
"So violent you are Nicole." Dean laughed
"Oh yeah, she is. She has a mean right hook. Best remember that Dean." Tracy pointed out from across the table.
"Would you two shut up please?" I said completely embarrassed.
"Better do what she says or she will kick our asses," Mike said.
I got up to clear the plates. I was not going to participate in this conversation. I do not want to remember the day I caught Travis going down on Brad.
It was almost midnight and I had a class in the morning. Mike decided to stay in his room at our house. He said goodnight to everyone but gave me a warm kiss on the cheek. I was a little taken back by his gesture. I said goodnight to him and started to load the dishwasher.
Tracy and Bryan made their way to the living room. This left only Dean and me in the kitchen. My body tensed as he rose from the table and walked over to help me load the dishwasher. I didn't dare look at him. I could not explain the way my body responded to him. It was like he was willing me to look at him. I slowly turned my gaze up at him drinking in his body as I brought my eyes to meet his. His face giving nothing away.
"So are you and Mike dating," he asked coolly leaning against the counter. Where the hell did that come from.
"What?" I asked.
"I hate to repeat myself, but I will ask you again. Are you and Mike dating?" He asked again, making sure to enunciate every word as if I was a child.
Wow is he serious right now? Standing there with his arms folded. Did he really just speak to me like that. What a jerk. If he was hoping that I would play nice he was sadly mistaken. Wait, is he jealous? No man has ever thought enough about me to be jealous. Well, maybe Doug Green, who was upset because I aced our calculous test and he only received 98%. No man has ever looked at me the way Dean is right now. I had to take a step back from him.
"That's none of your business, Dean." I blurted out. He said nothing. But I could see the anger in his eyes as he tried to stare me down. But I refuse to cower. I squared my shoulders and gave him the same intensity he was giving me.
What he did next took me by surprise. He walked slowly towards me and stood directly in front of me. He was so close that I could feel his warm, sweet breath on my lips. My breathing became shallower and my heart raced. He does not believe in personal space. If I were being honest, I did not want him to move away. I wanted him to be even closer.
He brought his lips closer to mine. I closed my eyes and parted my lips, longing for him to kiss me, wanting him to touch me. But nothing happened. I opened my eyes to see him looking at me with a fire I had never seen before. I couldn't explain it, I saw jealousy, desire, anger, all in his eyes. We just stood there looking at each other.
"Aye man you about ready" I heard Bryan say from behind Dean. When the hell did he come back in the kitchen? How long has he been standing there?
"Yeah, let's go. I have a meeting in the morning." Dean said.
Bryan walked back out of the kitchen, leaving us alone again. Dean looked back towards me. He slowly reached up with his hand a gently cupped my chin with his fingers. And before I knew it his lips were pressed against mine, kissing me. His kiss was so aggressive and yet so sensual. I tried so hard to resist him, but before I knew it my body was responding to his, ignoring what my brain was telling it. His lips were soft and inviting. I wrapped my arms around his neck, Deepening the kiss, opening up so that his tongue could caress mine. I could feel my blood warm in my veins, giving me a new meaning for hot a bothered. Just as soon as I was starting to get into it, he pulled away, leaving my body reveling in the wake of his storm.
"I will be here tomorrow to pick you up for dinner around 8. No sneakers please," he said before he kissed me on my forehead and walked out of my kitchen, said goodbye to Tracy, and walked out the front door.
WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED!