Then, Allison reached for my arm.
“Cedric, I don’t want you to leave. I don’t want to be alone tonight. The second you left, I regretted it…and then you came back and I just—”
I cut her off pulling her mouth toward mine and backed her into the apartment, slamming her door shut behind us with my foot. I. had. no. control.
She walked backwards as I kissed her fiercely on the neck falling back onto the couch and I laid on top of her. Her body felt so good. Her breasts were pressed against my chest and I could feel that they were soft, definitely not fake, like Karyn’s.
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Allison smelled like citrus and her erratic breathing was driving me nuts. I have never felt so out of control with a woman before, never wanted anyone this badly.
She pulled back and looked at me. We were both panting and I caressed her face, but I knew what she was thinking, why she pulled back, so I broke from her.
“Allison, you know we don’t have to go there tonight, right? I could just stay and we can do…you know… this…without… that. I don’t want you to think I expect anything more than just being with you tonight. I know we haven’t known each other for very long…but I just…love…being with you.”
“I love being with you too, Cedric. Yes, I think it’s best if we don’t go there tonight.
It’s too soon…but I am really glad you came back.”
Allison hugged me and I buried my nose in her neck, breathing in the scent of her skin deeply.
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I lifted her off the couch and pulled her into the bedroom. We both collapsed onto the bed, exhausted from earlier. I laid down behind her and breathed in her fruity scent mixed with shampoo. She smelled amazing. I kissed the back of her neck softly until she fell asleep in my arms, the sound of her breathing my lullaby .
This girl is going to be the end of me, I thought before drifting to sleep.
*** I woke to the smell of eggs, bacon and coffee coming from Allison’s kitchen.
I got up from her bed and snuck into the bathroom off the hallway to catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and take a leak, before meeting her for breakfast.
I looked like ass, so I wet my hair down and rubbed some toothpaste over my teeth with my finger. I lifted the toilet seat 325/727
and peed, careful to return the seat to its original position. I sure didn’t need to be making that mistake so soon.
I had slept in my clothes, which were now wrinkled but would have plenty of time to go home, change and pack before my flight to ll.A. tonight.
I snuck down the hallway to the kitchen, catching sight of Allison. She hadn’t noticed me yet. She had talk radio on low and was cooking at the stove, her long hair cascading down her back. This beautiful woman was making me breakfast and I was tempted to sneak up behind her and kiss her neck, but I just stood there staring, amazed at my willpower last night and amazed at how lucky I am to be here. There was no doubt in my mind that she was too fucking good for me, in every way.
I walked over to her and gave her a peck on the cheek. She jumped at the surprise of seeing me.
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“Good morning.” She smiled.
“Good morning. Thanks for doing all this.” I wrapped my arm around her waist and kissed the top of her head. I couldn’t help myself.
“It’s the least I could do after what you did last night for me,” she said sweetly.
Allison separated the eggs onto two different plates and placed three slices of bacon onto each one. I grabbed two mugs from the cabinet to start pouring the coffee.
“Oh, do you mind grabbing that one for me?” She gestured to a different mug that had a picture of J.J. from the show Good Times on it. I shook my head and laughed out loud.
“This is your favorite mug?” I asked surprised.
“It is…I don’t know why, it puts me in a good mood.” She laughed.
That smile…Allison’s not J.J.’s…made me wish I wasn’t going to ll.A. tonight.
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I poured the coffee into the mugs, placed them on the table, then sat down.
Allison grabbed cream and sugar and two pieces of toast and joined me.
“These are the best scrambled eggs I have ever tasted,” I said, devouring them. It was the truth.
Allison grinned. “The key is to not mess with them too much when you’re cooking them and I add a dash of milk. I am glad you like them.”
I inhaled the breakfast and helped her clean up the table. We walked over to the couch and sat down, our bodies turned toward each other.
“Do you have to work at all today or just get ready for your trip?” Allison asked.
“No work—the office is closed until tomorrow. I wish I didn’t have to go to California.”
“Me too.” Allison grabbed my hand and I entwined my fingers with hers.
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She gestured for my other hand, the one wrapped in gauze.
“We should take a look at that,” she said.
“I guess you are right.” I removed my good hand from hers and started to unwrap it until Allison stopped me.
She took over, unwrapping it carefully. It looked a lot better than I expected, but was still a little red and bloody.
She got up and returned with peroxide and cotton and began cleaning my hand.
She then did something that blew me away. Before wrapping the hand back in fresh gauze, she took my nasty looking hand up to her mouth and kissed it gently right on the wound, closing her eyes.
I closed my eyes, too, overwhelmed by the raw emotion I felt from that gesture, but didn’t do or say anything, just watched her as she wrapped my hand in gauze again.
“Thank you, Allison.” I whispered.
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She couldn’t possibly imagine how much I needed to have her right now.
“You’re welcome.” She moved in toward me and placed her head on my shoulder. I pulled her close to me and we sat like that for a minute.
“Do you have to work at the diner today?” I asked.
“No, I would have been there by now.
I took today off and go back tomorrow.” We sat in silence for about a minute, then I turned to her and kissed her on the forehead when she looked up at me.
There was so much I wanted to say to her. I didn’t know where to begin.
“Allison…if you don’t mind my asking, was Nate your last boyfriend? Is there anyone else?”
She straightened herself up as if to prepare to answer my question.
“No, there isn’t. I haven’t dated anyone since Nate. The whole thing was just 330/727
such a huge disappointment. Everything was so normal in the beginning with him. Alcoholism is a real beast.”
“Yeah, but not all alcoholics are violent. Had he tried anything like that before?” My body cringed at the thought.
“He never tried to rape me, but he did hit me, like I said, the one and only time before last night. That was it. I broke up with him the second he put his hand on me.”
“I am so sorry, but I am glad you were smart enough to leave,” I said, suddenly wanting to find Nate again and finish the job.
“Yes. I had never experienced violence in my life. It was just Mom and me since forever. A peaceful existence, until she died.
Everything seemed to fall apart after that.” Allison looked down.
I hated seeing her sad. “Things fell apart in ways other than Nate?” I asked.
“Well, Nate happened and that’s also when I dropped out of school. My whole life 331/727
just changed. I felt like I didn’t have a purpose and overall I just missed my Mom. It’s strange to not have her around to talk to anymore, to be alone. But I have been doing my best.”
I put my hand on her knee. “You’re not alone and I know she is watching over you. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if she had a hand in my showing up last night.” She smiled. “I would love to believe that, Cedric. Lately things have really turned around, especially since I met Callie and Lucas.”
I loved hearing that. “I wish I didn’t have to leave tonight,” I said.
Allison abruptly changed the subject.
“Cedric, what about you? Were you and Karyn serious?”
“No. I mean, we dated for a while exclusively, but the chemistry wasn’t there. To be honest, we couldn’t have been more different. I really want to settle down with 332/727
someone who shares my family values, but mostly those feelings you need to have to want to be with someone forever, were not there for me with Karyn.”