My Sweet

LIV

"Well, I love to know what that smile is for" Em is her nosy self.

"This, my dear sister, is a nervous-happy smile."

"Ooh, drama. I love drama!"

" Nothing to spill here, you can go call Dickhead and go to bed."

"Already talked to Hank. Guess what? He is having one hell of a party. The usual drunkards. No biggie. Mister thought that I'm going to sponsor it." Em is getting worked up.

"Oh no, Em. Did he empty your bank account again?" That wouldn't be the first.

"Of course he tried. I emptied my old account months ago.. All my money goes in the secret account. I can't do it anymore, Liv. I called William. I'm leaving him."

"s**t Em, I don't know what to say. I'm so sorry it didn't work out like you wanted it to. I'm glad you are taking a stand. You deserve so much better."

"It's about time. Well, I'm going to take a bath and then I want to hear about you happy-nervous smile story."

~

"What you going to tell him?"

I told Em what happened last night, she wants it to be a yes and I'm still undecided.

"Come on Liv. You are going to regret it if you don't. At least you know it is going to end. Why not take a chance. Just one week of flirting and making out and being happy. I'll take it anytime.. "

" You know what? You are making so much sense and it scares me." I'm teasing her.

"Is Katie coming?" I change the subject.

I'll know what to do when I talk to him.

" Yes, she slept at James'. She'll get us there. I'm ready"

" Yo-ho, Let's Go!!"

We both shout. It's our saying since we were kids.

~

" Can't you stay here a little longer?" Katie begs.

"You can always come with us, I'll love the company. Especially now that Liv is going to tell James yes."

"Really!" Katie is so excited.

"No, I didn't say that. Em stop lying to her. I don't know yet, Katie. I'm seriously considering it."

"Ohhh! Say yes. James needs to know how to feel again."

I block them out. I'm busy with my people-watching. An old couple walking hand in hand, sweet. The goth girl that's trying to get the jocks attention, move on girl. A man that's in a very uncomfortable conversation with a blonde uptight chick.

Oh My God! Is that?

"Katie? Is that James?" I ask. I have no idea how I should feel about this.

Katie looks.

"Oh hell no. I wondered where he was going this morning. That b***h just can't take no for an answer!" I stop her before she go all ape on the woman.

"Katie, wait. He looks uncomfortable. He definitely doesn't want to be there. What does she want?"

"She wants you to see them together. She must have known you come here every morning. She won't be caught dead in a diner. That bitch.."

"Well, she wants me to see them together, why don't I join them? Em, give me your engagement ring?"

Em has a beautiful pink solitaire diamond ring. That will make an impression.

I cross the street. I have my good jeans on. My favorite leather boots and my leather biker jacket. I feel confident and sexy.

Jessica is still talking or crying, can't really tell with all the Botox.

I walk right up to James, he looks like he wants to murder her.

He looks up and sees me. I get a gorgeous smile, one I can feel in my stomach. I sit on his lap with my back halfway to her.

I take his face in my hands. I see in the corner of my eye that she is watching the ring, thought it will make her think.

"Hey."

"Hey." He replies softly.

"Thought I should come tell you in person."

His eyes lit up. This is it, the moment that changed everything..

" I will give you two minutes, if you not with me in time, I'm leaving."

"No problem Sweet. I'm walking with you."

" James I'm not done with you." Jessica is trying to interrupt.

"two minutes" I give him a short but sweet kiss.

I stand up and turn to go back. I see Katie and Em laughing excitedly .

It took him 32 seconds to grab me from behind and kiss me on my spot.

"Say the words. I want to hear you say it. I have to be sure I'm not dreaming" Still kissing me.

"Yes. This week.. I'm all yours." He turns me around and kisses my face, small sweet kisses.

"You won't regret it.. My Sweet."

We cuddle for a moment . We can feel Katie and Em gawking.

"Come on, let's go eat. I love the ring. Nice touch.” He laughs

This butterfly feeling, I can get use to.

No strings. No regrets.

Easy..

We get to Em and Katie. They smile like kids in a candy store.

“That was f*****g fantastic! You should’ve seen her face!” Katie is shouting now.

“Calm down Katie. The whole Dublin can hear you. That was the best surprise I’ve ever had. Thanks Sweet, you saved me, again" I get a kiss under my ear.

“OK, first I want to know. Where did you learn that moves? That twisty arm thing you did to Wicked Witch.” Katie ask.

“Our dad send us to self defense classes. All the girls went to modelling and beauty courses. Dad said, ‘first thing a girl should learn is how to defend herself. The makeup and beauty s**t is what you learn from your mother.'"

I look at Em we are both longing for our dad’s wisdom.

We lost him 6 months after Chris died.

“I want to learn that. That was bad-ass. Can you take down a big ass man?” Katie giggles..

“I don’t know. Never had to. Em here took it a bit further. She did Taekwondo.” Katie looks at Em in awe.

“WOW! You two are my heroes or heroines.”

James’ phone rings. Excuses himself.

“What are you studying Katie?” Em asks.

They are talking about courses and studying and uni life.

I’m people-watching again..

“Sorry about that. How quick can you get a dress?” James asks me.

“ Why? I’m not a dress person”

“I have an event the day after tomorrow, I forgot about. I have to be there. Would you like to accompany me?”

“I don’t know, I don’t like attention and those type of things.”

“Liv, you going. You could do with some sprucing up.”

Em decides for me.

“I know the perfect place to find you a dress. If we go now you’ll have your whole look by tonight” Katie’s in her element.

“Here’s my card, Katie. Get her whatever she needs.”

“Excuse me! I’m still here. I’ll go, but I’ll buy the dress. I already know where I want to shop. Katie, give him back his card. Another thing.. Aren’t you coming with? There is nothing more sexy than a guy go dress shopping with his date.” I say with a big smile and a wink. I love teasing him.

“Luckily, I have to go to work. As soon as I’m done I’ll catch up with you. Promise.” He bends down to give me a kiss.

His kisses are short but so intense.

“Bye ladies.” He turns back quickly and kiss me on my spot.

I shiver.

~

“OH f***s Liv, you look stunning!” Em is her old loud self.

It could be the champagne too.

We are at an old vintage shop. I saw the shop the second day we were here. The lady was so excited when I told her what I am looking for, she made an instant dressing room with a couch for Em and Katie and a small step for me to stand on in front of a big old mirror. Her husband got out some whiskey, that’s all he had in his cabinet. Katie got some champagne for her and Em, I never liked champagne. It’s a headache in a very expensive bottle. I’m drinking with the old man and his wife.

“I don’t know. It’s gold. Makes me look yellow. It’s very shiny and shimmery. It hurts my eyes.”

It was the third dress I put on and it’s going from bad to worse. Maybe I should get an over expensive dress. I just hate wasting money.

“Well, you have 2 dresses left. You better get it over with.”

Katie is getting annoyed.

I go back into the fitting room. There is a black dress the lady just brought in. I’m in love immediately. I put it on. This is it.

It fits perfectly.

“Hey ladies” I hear James come in.

I step out, onto my step to look at myself.

Nobody says a word.

“Jaysis almighty…” James says and he leaves, again.

“Do I look that bad?”

I look back to see how it looks from behind. The open back shows of my colorful dragon tattoo beautifully.

I got it after Chris died, it symbolizes strength and courage. Maybe he doesn’t like tattoos.

“No, you look.. I have no words. That doesn’t happen. Don’t mind him. When he gets overwhelmed he tends to do that. Leave, I mean.”

“What would happen if he stays?” I ask Katie.

Our kiss in the pub overwhelmed him. He felt that too. My heart skips a beat.

“He’ll pass out. Smack on his face.” She makes a slap sound with her hands.

“Then I should get another dress…”

“Hell no, that one is perfect.” James growls at me.

He stalks to me, take me in his arms and kiss me till my toes curl.

I’m so f****d…

~

“Liv! Your milis is here!” Em is learning some Gaelic words from Katie.

“What the hell does that mean?”

“That means sweet. Katie and I are going to scout some self defense classes for her. Then we going shopping. What you two going to do?”

“You do know you probably saying it wrong? As far as I know I’m going to his studio. Don’t know what after that.”

“You look sexy sister.. Are you going to f**k him today?” She asks bluntly.

“What the hell? No! If we do, you’ll be the last to know!”

There is a knock on the door and Em is off to answer it.

Shit, sex... Haven’t thought about that part..

Suddenly I’m very nervous and uncertain..

Calm down Liv, you are a grown ass woman!

Woman up! Go with the flow.. I preach to myself.

I haven’t had s*x since Chris.

~

“Hey Sweet. You look fabulous.” James takes my hair out of the way to kiss my spot.

“Aww, milis.... You two are so bloody cute.

I grab James’ hand and get out of there. Before Em starts with her s*x questions.

“What did she just say?” James smiles.

“It’s supposed to be sweet in Gaelic.” I smile back at his special smile. Oh word. My butterflies is raging.

“She is saying it wrong, I should help her.”

“Just leave it James. She thinks it’s perfect. Later it’s going to be mielie” James have this confused look on his face.

” That’s corn in Afrikaans. So she might call us corn in the near future.”

We laugh at my silly sister.

” Your sister is weird.”

“I know, she thinks we are the weird ones.”

We arrive at his office. It’s a modest building. The last thing you’ll think when you see it is MUSIC EMPIRE.

“Welcome to my second home. We had a big, over the top building in England. I moved everything here, after Jessica ran.”

” You said “we”. Was she your business partner?”

“No, Aiden was. He did all the PR stuff. He was great at it. Everyone loved him. He was very easy to like. I was behind the scenes. When they left I had to start all over. I had to scale down drastically. Lucky for me, I have a great family and friends.”

“Wow, you should be proud.” James smile shyly and takes me inside.

The office inside is plain and simple. A couch, that looks really comfortable. Two chairs and a coffee table. A little further in the big space is a desk, where a small petite red haired girl is sitting. She looks up and smiles.

“You must be Liv, I’m Rachel. So happy to meet you. You are the one that makes this one tolerable .” She points at James.

“Are they here?” James asks Rachel.

“Yes, been here a while. They in the studio 1.”

“Someone I want you to meet. Then you can see what is happening here.” James takes my hand and kiss my knuckles.

“You have another partner?”

“No, he is just using the studio. He is a good friend”

We turn left in the corridor. There are three doors. One on each side of the hall and one at the end.

“ Here’s the studios . The room at the end is storage.”

James knocks on the left door.

“Yea! Its open.”

The voice is deep and raspy, he has a accent. An African one!

James opens the door, let me in first.

The man in front of the control board is a big, black man. He has the kindest eye. He looks so tired and frustrated.

“f**k James, good to see you here. I need your help. Something is off.”

James and the man greet each other with some manly bro handshake.

“First I want you to meet Liv. Sweet, this is Mandla. Sorry, still can’t pronounce your surname. Liv, is from South Africa.”

Mandla take my hand with both hands and kiss it

“ Wow, where from?”

“ Jo-burg. You?” I replied.

“Durban”

“Oh, surfer boy?”

“Yes, and after my ugogo, I miss that the most. It’s piss cold here.” he gives a raspy short laugh.

James look at us confused. I help him quickly.

“Ugogo is granny is Zulu.”

“How many languages is there in South Africa?” The man is totally confused, he heard two different languages in an hour.

“Eleven” Mandla an I answer simultaneously.

The two men starts talking music. I look through the glass,

and see a young boy sitting there. The poor thing looks so scared and haggard.

“Who is that?”

Mandla gapes at me.

“What do you mean who is that? Don’t you recognize him?”

“Mandla, she’s not into TV, magazines or social media for that matter. She wouldn't know who that is.”

Mandla shakes his head.

“ No s**t, didn’t know you get people like that anymore.”

“That’s Alaric. He just won one of the biggest singing competitions. Mandla here is producing his new album. He is only 19, and very unsure of himself. Mandla is struggling a bit with him”

“The poor kid is scared shitless. Look at him.. Can he sing?” I ask them. Mandla starts to laugh

“What? These days people can’t sing. It’s all about the image. They all sound the same. They can sing a load of shit.”

“Well, s**t. That was a mouth full and it’s all true. This guy can actually sing. He can basically sing everything, any genre you throw at him. He is that good. But we just can’t get the sound right” Mandla tells me..

I look at the poor kid again. He watches the Gibson guitar in the corner.

“Can I listen to it ?”

“Yes sure. Another pair of ears won’t hurt.” Mandla presses and turns the knobs and dials. The song is really nice, it’s called She’s the One

The boy can sing but something is definitely off. I nod my head and the music is turned off.

“Hey sweetie, my name is Liv. Do you mind if I sit here and help out?” The boy is so surprised, all he could do is nod.

“Yes ma'am” He answers quietly.

Mandla and James are watching us like we are creatures from another planet.

“Can you play this song for me? Don’t sing, just the guitar.”

The boy smile wide and takes the Gibson.

“You see boys. That poor kid knows what he wants, he just never gets asked. He doesn't have the confidence to speak up. Let him have a little input.”

“f**k me” Mandla says and ask

“Do you have music experience?”

“Only my iPod, my love for classic rock and I know what I like”

The kid starts to play.

“s**t, he is good.” James says.

Mandla starts with his knobs and s**t. He cues Alaric to sing.

“It’s better but not there yet.”

“Put that electric sound off, or dial it down. He doesn’t need that he can sing. Let HIM sing.” I’m getting annoyed with Mandla and I’m not even the boss.

Eyes wide, Mandla fiddles with the knobs again.

“That’s it! Can you f*****g believe it! Liv, will you marry me?” Mandla asks with a teasing smile in his voice.

“f**k you man.” James slaps him behind his head.

“Alaric, son you better speak up.”

“Yes mam.”

“Alaric, looks like you and I need to have a long talk. We can make a hit album if it sounds like this.”

James get another phone call and leave us.

Alaric starts to sing and play his heart out.

“You have a good ear. Have you ever considered a career in music?” Mandla ask.

“Oh no, I’m good with my books.”

“You write something I know?”

“No, never had the guts to publish. I have a bookstore and coffee shop.”

“Tell me, how is things in SA?”

“I don’t talk politics, Mandla. Or religion for that matter. I’m a live and let live kinda girl.”

“Man, I hope that guy knows what he has in you.”

I feel a bit uncomfortable. This man is way to complementary, if you get something like that. He must be starved for female company.

“You have a girl, Mandla?” I try to shift the attention of me.

“Ha! No. Have you met the women in the music industry? Sadly they are the only women I come in contact with.”

“Then you should come home and get yourself a good South African woman.”

“I think I just met one.”

OK. Now I am really uncomfortable.

James came in and see something is wrong.

“You OK?” he asks me.

“Yes, why wouldn’t I be?” I take his hand. Trying to reassure him.

Mandla stands gives me a hug that lingers a second to long.

He whispers in my ear “Hlala uthando lwami”

I break the hug and say bye. My Zulu isn’t that good but I swear he just said ‘bye my love’. It could be sister.. I just shrug it off..

I'm just being paranoid.

James and I leave, he looks troubled.

“James, you look off. Are you jealous?”

“I don’t do good with friends hugging my girl.”

“James, not everyone is Jessica and Aiden.”

“I know that. It’s just hard sometimes.”

I stop him in his tracks look him in the eye.

“I’m so not sorry for what I’m about to do.” Quoting him.

I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss the living daylight out of him.

“ Hmmmmm.. You taste like ice cream.. Gelato..” He closes his eyes and smile, rubs his nose against mine.

“What flavor would I be?”

“Later. I want to take you away from here.. Just you and me..” I get a short intense kiss.

I feel my body buzzing, there is a promise in that sentence and it excites me.

~

“OK Mister. Where are you taking me?”

We are in his car listening to Celtic music. He looks so relaxed today. I get that warm feeling, just knowing it is because of me..

“It may be cheesy but I love the Dublin Zoo.” I get one of his special smiles.

“ Oh, you do realize that you are taking a South African to the zoo? Home of the Big 5?” I laugh with him.

“Shoot, I haven't thought of that.” he says with panic on his face.

“Hey, I’m just yanking your crank. The zoo is fine, I love animals”

He starts to laugh out loud.

“ What did you just say? Yanking my crank?”

“It’s Em, she’s rubbing off on me. That can’t be good”

We walked around a bit not looking at the animals at all.

“Tell me Mr. Mogul. What’s your shits and sweets?”

“Dive right in, don’t you?” We are walking hand in hand.

It is a sunny but cool day.

“Nothing much to tell. It’s just me, my mom and Katie. Dad died ten years ago, massive stroke.”

“I’m sorry. How old was Katie?”

“Fifteen. She took it hard. She was daddy’s girl. I’m just glad I had my act together by then.”

“ You mean you were a little s**t? I don’t believe you. I see you as the perfect son with perfect scores and perfect girl, everything just perfect.” I say in a high pitched girly voice.

“I was the biggest s**t. I was studying business management. I always knew I was going to go into music. First study then I would take the music world by storm. That was the plan. But there was way too many booze and babes to pick from. I had no respect for women. They were there for one thing and one thing only.”

“You pig. What happened? Got someone knocked up or you got a STD. No, you slept with someone’s wife? You got a STD from someone's wife and you knocked her up?” I’m teasing.

“A lot more embarrassing than that. My dad caught me in the act. I was hitting the s**t out of a girl with a flogger. She was all tied up and gagged. I can take a lot, but the look on my dad’s face that day. The disappointment, it crushed me.”

“Oh shits no. What did he do?”

“He looked me right in the eye and said: What if someone did that to Katie? That is someone’s Katie.”

He was quiet for a while. “I got so overwhelmed, I couldn’t take the thought off Katie like that.. I passed out. I woke up later, Katie cuddling me with tears rolling down her face.”

“Wow. That explains you running every time.”

“Now. It’s your turn sexy mamma.” He pulls me to him and kiss me on top of my head.

“What do you want to know?” dreading that he’ll ask about Chris and that awful day. That’s usually the first thing everyone wants to know about.

Like I want to relive that day.

People can be such d***s.

“Your kids. I want to know about your little humans.”

I smile big and relieved I start talking.

“Well, that I can do.” I lift my head and give him and quick kiss on the lips.

“David, Mark and Becky. David is 25. I had him when I was very young. Well, young in my eyes. His dad is my best friend..

Tequila, a broken heart and your best friend doesn’t mix so well. He was named after his dad. Well, long story short. My dad was so disappointed in us, David Sr. was like a son to them. He had some trouble at home. He is bisexual and his parents didn’t accept it. Anyway, when we found out that I was pregnant, David decided that he would be known as, uncle David, he didn’t think he would be a great dad, but he is the best, he doesn’t even realize it.. I had to grow up, fast. I managed.”

“I bet you did..” he says proudly.

“Mark is 15. He is the spitting image of Chris. Just as clever as he was.

Becky is 8 she is my lady-tomboy. She can dress up just like a princess, then she’ll play rugby and cowboys and crooks and kick all the boys butts. She’s a good mix of me and Em.”

I miss my babies. They visiting Chris' dad for the holidays.

“Love the way your eyes light up when you talk about them.”

I get a kiss and a very intimate hug.

“I want to show you something.”

We get to the Nakuru restaurant. He leads me down a hidden path. We get to a hut, a nice secluded spot and there is a picnic ready for us. It’s breathtaking.

“James, when did you have the time to do this?”

“Katie’s friend works here. She helped me. I see she went all out. You like it?”

I love that he knows that I don’t like over the top stuff.

I’m in awe of the scenery, everything is so clean and green here.

“It’s beautiful James. Thank you.”

“ Come sit. Let me feed you.”

How could I resist.

He takes my hand and help me sit on the fluffy blanket. There is an array of fruits, cold cuts and ice cream.

“I didn’t know what you like. Em was no help at all. She says I have to work for it.”

“I love it, it’s way too much but I love it. Thank You.”

Suddenly I’m starving but not for food.

James fill our glasses with Guinness.

“Are you trying to make me drunk?”

“Oh no, when I taste you I want you as conscious as possible, so you can remember it.”

I lost my breath.

I’m falling..

I’m falling hard...

I’m falling totally, madly...

In love with this man.

“What do you want first?” James asks, not realizing what he just did to me.

I don’t know what came over me, I just went for it. I crawl on top of his lap. I tangle my hands in his hair and kiss him.

I have to taste him, I want him to taste me.

I want him more than I want my next breath.

With our tongues dances around, tasting and licking.

Slow hands, touching, caressing…

I bite his lip. I’m rewarded with a deep growl.

I feel like I’m going to explode with the fire burning inside me.

I have to stop this..

I break our kiss, with my eyes closed I imprint on this moment, this feeling. I know this will not last.

“Christ Liv. If this is what I get for a picnic...” James trails off breathlessly, shaking his head.

“What flavor?” I ask him with a smile. He kiss me again.

“Your lips taste like Bacio.” I get a kiss.

“Here,” He kiss me under my earlobe “Crema..”

He nuzzles me there.

“Here, my favorite spot..” He give me a lingering kiss there on my spot . “Pesca..” He whispers softly.

I shiver..

This is so sexy..

He opens my jacket a bit, He kiss me right between my breast.

“Here, definitely Amarena..”

I gasp, I’m on fire.. Ice cream became so much more than a desert..

We just sit there reveling in our connection..

I try to climb off him, he grab my waist.

“Where do you think you’re going? I like you right here. Near me. I need you right here. This, I want to remember this.. Next week...”

He suddenly looks sad.

“Hey.. Don’t.. No regrets. Remember? We are not talking about it till the day. OK?” I look into his eyes, willing him back to his playful, hot self..

I pop a strawberry halfway in my mouth.

He gets what I want him to do.

He takes the other half in his mouth and bite it. It was a nice and juicy…

The kiss not the strawberry.

He licked the juices up from my lips, my chin, my neck..

I feel my head getting heavy with lust. My legs are trembling. A moan creeps up in my throat.

“James, we better stop. We have to cool it down. Not here..” I'm trying to get my bearings.

I climb off him and walk to the lake.

“ I’m sorry. Got a bit carried away there.” He follows me.

“James, I kissed you first. You are not to blame. I’m not sorry. I just don’t want to call my sister and say I’m in jail for indecent exposure.”

He stands behind me and kiss me on my favorite spot.

“She’ll love that!” he laughs.

“Yes, she’ll probably high 5 me and then call my mom.”

We get back to our blanket. Each sitting on the other end.

“Dammit! I ate way too much. Thanks again James. This was great.”

He takes my hand and start playing with my fingers.

“The pleasure is all mine, Sweet. Believe me..”

The tension is building up again. I have to do something. This time I won’t be able to stop. I grab a handful of nuts and throw it at him.

“What the hell?”

I threw it to hard and regrets it intermediately.

“s**t, I'm sorry..” I start to laugh and know I should flee, quickly.

I’m too slow and James tackles me as I try to stand. He starts to tickle me.

“Stop. Stop. Stop. I’m sorry. You win. Whatever. Just stop.” I plead.

I lie on my back and he is on his side beside me. Our laughing dies down.

He takes my hair out of my face. He watches me intensely. He traces his finger around my face. First my forehead, my eye then my cheek then he sweeps his thumb over my lips. I gasp.

He palms my face.

“ You beautiful.” he whispers.

His lips meet mine. First with small quick pecks. He licks my lips, I open for him, his tongue plays and dips inside. His lips are so soft, yet demanding.

He tastes like more..

I want more..

So much more…

I put my hands under his shirt. He stills for a moment and starts kissing me with every fiber of his being.

“ Maybe we should take this to your place.” I say between kisses.

“Yes, yes. We should..”

The ride to his apartment is quiet and full of tension.

By the time we get into the elevator we are high strung with all the s****l tension. His hand touches mine, and I snap.

I jump in his arms, hook my legs around his waist. He laughs and kiss my neck. He push me against the elevator wall. His erection pressing just there where I need it most. My c**t is throbbing. I need release, so badly.

The elevator opens, he carries me with one hand under my thighs to his door. As soon as the door closes we take off each others jackets, and start unbuttoning each others shirts.

We are frantic. It’s just hands and kisses and touching in between.

“James! Is that you, darling? I called you, when you didn’t answer I got worried. So I thought I’ll drop by.”

We both freeze. Eyes wide.

“f**k”

“Who’s that?”

“My mother..”

Oh devil.

Earth, please open up and swallow me whole!

We quickly button our shirts.

I was pouting. So close..

“Don’t worry. I’ll ravage you tomorrow night.” he whispers, when he sees my pout.

“Promise?” I wink.

Yep! I want him. I don’t feel guilty about it at all!