Can’t Fight the Feelings

It was Sunday night and she had just given him a ride back to the hotel after spending the entire day with the family at Uncle Vivian’s house in Pickering. Rehoboam persuaded her to come upstairs for a little while but as they stood there, facing each other in the large suite, she became anxious and wanted to leave. Being alone with him like this wasn’t a good idea.

All night she had tried not to stare at him but it wasn’t easy. He looked gorgeous in the black shirt and faded blue jeans. Several times their eyes met and she was terrified that someone would notice. Thankfully, no one seemed to. They were too busy eating, drinking, talking and dancing to notice anything.

She got high praises for her Spiced Chicken Kebabs with Garlic Yogurt Sauce served with basmati rice. At one point when she and Rehoboam were alone briefly, he said to her, “I can’t tell you how much I have enjoyed your cooking.”

“Thank you,” was her breathless reply. She wondered if he could hear how fast her heart was beating or if her breathing seemed as loud to him as it was to her. “I’m–I’m happy you enjoyed the kebabs.”

“I envy the man you end up with because he will get to enjoy more than your cooking,” he said, quietly.

“Re…” she started to tell him that there could never be anyone else but just then, her mother came over and asked her to help to set the dessert out on the table.

That was the only time she and Rehoboam had a chance to say anything to each other since they arrived. On the way back to the hotel, they talked about how nice it was for the family to be together and how sorry they were that his parents and Merari couldn’t be there too. They had asked him about his girlfriend and when they saw her photo, they couldn’t stop talking about how beautiful she was.

Tamar remembered how she sat there, listening and trying to hide her jealousy. It was all her mother’s fault, blabbing about how she had tried to fix Re up with Monica only to find out that he had a girlfriend. Everyone wanted to hear about the girlfriend and then someone, probably her mother, wanted to see what she looked like. “The next time you come to Toronto, bring her,” her mother told Rehoboam. “We would all love to meet her.”

“What’s the matter, Tammy?” her father had asked her in a low voice when he went to sit beside her on the sofa.

“Nothing,” she muttered under her breath. She wished her mother would stop talking so much about having an television anchor in the family and how wonderful it would be for the family to visit São Paulo next year.

“Don’t mind your mother. She adores Re and wants to see him settle down with a nice young lady.”

“We all want Re to be happy.”

“And we all want you to be happy too.”

“I’m happy with my life, Dad. I love my job and I love cooking.”

“Well, I hope that one day you will meet a good man who will enjoy your cooking.”

“Thanks for the tickets to see the Raptors, Dad. Re and I had a great time.”

He smiled. “Good.” They talked for a while and then, she was ready to leave. “Work tomorrow,” was her excuse.

After they said their goodbyes and were given doggy bags, Rehoboan and she left. On the ride over, he talked about how nice it was seeing family and friends again and how much he enjoyed the food, especially her kebabs. Before they got to the hotel, he persuaded her to park the car nearby and come up to his suite. She parked in a lot nearby and they walked to the hotel. He was staying at the Fairmont Royal York. The one bedroom suite was huge and very elegant. It had a a parlour with a comfortable living room area. From the window she could see the CN Tower. “Very nice,” she remarked, looking around.

“Compliments of the company I work for,” he replied. “Would you like some coffee? There’s a coffee maker over there.”

“No, thank you.”

“Okay. Let’s sit over there on the sofa and chat for a while.”

She followed him to the sofa and sat down. It felt soft and plush. He joined her and turned so that he was facing her. She sat with her knees pressed together and her hands clasped tightly on her lap. She could feel his eyes on her. Never in her life had she ever been this nervous. “So, do you have any plans for tomorrow?” she asked, starting straight ahead.

“I have a meeting tomorrow but after it’s over, I will come back here, change and then go for a walk, probably to the Harbourfront area.”

“That’s sounds good.”

“It’s too bad you can’t join me.”

“I-I can’t. I have work.”

“Tamar, take one day off from work this week and spend it with me.”

“I–I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t think it-it would be a good idea just like coming up here wasn’t a good idea.” She got to her feet. “I–I should leave now.”

He got up and walked over to her. “Running away isn’t going to change anything,” he said quietly.

She swallowed hard, her heart pounding wildly against her ribs. Her chest rose and fell quickly as her breath quickened. “I’m–I’m not running away,” she protested. “It’s-it’s after nine. I–I have to be at the office early tomorrow.”

“Tamar…” he was standing in front of her now. His eyes met hers and what she saw in them made her tremble. When she would have backed away, he reached out and caught her by the shoulders. He pulled her towards him. “It’s no use fighting what we’re both feeling.”

She didn’t struggle but watched mesmerized as his face got closer and then his mouth was on hers. Groaning, she put her arms around his waist and pressed against him. She kissed him back wildly, passionately, unable to control the desire which was raging inside her.

His hands left her shoulders to cup her face as he plundered her lips. His body was on fire. Breaking off their kiss, he drew back to rip open his shirt. His chest was heaving and his eyes were filled with desire. The rest of his clothes were discarded on the carpet next to his shirt. He stood there, naked and fully aroused. He reached for her and pulled her roughly against him. She moaned as he devoured her mouth. They stood there, exchanging kisses and then, he scooped her up and carried her to the bedroom.

As soon as they got there, he tore the hat off her head and dragged her clothes off, his harsh breathing mingling with hers, both of them anxious to feel bare skin against bare skin. When she was naked, he pushed her down on top of the bed and then, his hands and mouth were all over her body, driving her wild.

Then, he was inside her. Waves and waves of intense and toe curling pleasure filled her. She clawed at his back. The lights of the city bathed their writhing bodies.

Back in London, Fernanda lay awake. For some reason she was having trouble sleeping. She glanced at the clock on the radio on her bedside table. It was near three. Rehoboam would still be awake. She reached for phone and called his cell but there was not answer. Perhaps, he was still with his family. She left a message. One more week and then he would be back in London. She couldn’t wait to see him. Perhaps the next time he went to Toronto, she would go with him. I bet he would really like that, she thought as she settled down once again to try to get some sleep.