Ice Cream Man (9 page)

Making it perfect for him.

When she finally glanced at the clock again, it was after four in the morning. She didn’t feel like going upstairs now. She was too tired to even walk. Curling up on her chair in the sewing room would be fine. Just a little shut-eye was all she needed until the day broke.

When she heard a knock on the front door of her shop, she quickly woke up. Rubbing her eyes, she realized it was six o’clock and as she straightened herself from her chair, she felt awful. Her body was stiff, sore and feeling every bit of those forty years. She had never taken a shower, never changed her clothes and was exhausted beyond belief.

It was Antonio at the door. Looking fresh, handsome and oh so right.

“This is the worst you could possibly see me,” she said, covering her face. “Don’t look.”

“Janice.” He took her hands and pulled them away from her face. “Stop it. What are you still doing down here?”

She yawned. “Come with me.”

He followed her into the sewing room, then watched as she held up the striking aqua silk shirt on a padded hanger.

“This is what I’ve been doing all night.”

Antonio frowned. “For me?”

She nodded. “I made it for your audition. Do you think it’s something you’d like to wear?”

“Of course I’d wear it.” He walked over to her and fingered the garment, then looked at her. “What a great color. Is this silk?”

Janice nodded. “You have to trust me on the color and the style. I do have a knack for these things.” She couldn’t help but smile. “The color will look great with your skin tone. All I need to do is have you try it on and make a couple of last minute adjustments.”

Antonio was staring into her eyes. “Janice, this is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. I…I don’t know what to say.”

With the way he was looking at her, Janice felt choked up. He had warmth in his chestnut eyes that she had never seen before in a man. Antonio had the look of love.

And it was for her.

As he put on the shirt and stood in front of the mirror, Janice watched with eager anticipation. He turned from side to side looking at himself and appeared to be pleased. Staying up all night for him had been worth it.
So worth it.
The shirt looked gorgeous on her ice cream man.

No.

He was no longer the ice cream man, not at all. He was transformed into the handsome, talented actor named Antonio Rodriguez right before her eyes.

She came closer to him and pinched a little of the fabric near his right side at the waist. “I think I’ll take this in on both sides.” Looking up in the mirror, she saw how the update would be. “It should be absolutely perfect then.” When she glanced up into his eyes, he was staring at her again.

“How long will it take for you to finish?” he asked.

“Ten minutes.”

“Okay.”

Janice sewed the few inches on each side of the shirt to fit Antonio flawlessly. When he tried it on the final time, she couldn’t help but sigh. Whether it was because he looked so good or because she was so tired, she didn’t know.

He put an arm around her and smiled. “We’re going upstairs before you fall down.”

Antonio locked up her shop and they both walked back up to her apartment with the shirt in tow on the padded hanger.

She yawned. “I think I’ll take that shower now.”

His eyebrows rose. “I think I’ll help.”

Her ears tweaked.
What?
He was going to help!

It only took a moment for him to strip off her clothes and lead her to the hot water he had already started for her in the shower stall. They climbed into it together, bodies wrapped tightly around each other. The hot water ran over their hair, down their faces and Janice couldn’t help but close her eyes as she leaned against his wet, naked body. Nothing had ever felt this good, this right, before.

Antonio took the soap and rubbed it over her back, her shoulders, then slipped soapy hands over the soft curves of her butt and in between her cheeks. Hands went to her breasts as he caressed and massaged them slowly and lovingly, like each one was a work of art. Leaning down to her face, he nibbled on her lips before he eased his tongue into her mouth for a full, sensuous kiss.

Fingers moved down over her abdomen. She could feel the heat pooling between her legs as they moved to her folds and gently touched them. When two fingers plunged inside to her soft center, breath came quicker. A finger on his other hand moved up to her clit and started a soft massage. The water rained down over her face and she couldn’t breathe.

He leaned over to her ear and spoke softly. “I’m going down. Brace yourself.”

Leaning against the back of the shower stall, she watched as this gorgeous man bent to his knees in front of her. As he rubbed her clit gently with a finger, she couldn’t help but moan. The moaning became louder when she felt the finger replaced by his warm tongue. His lips closed over the throbbing head as he sucked gently.

Janice knew she couldn’t stand up much longer. She was melting into the shower stall wall. Her legs were buckling, her pussy pulsating with a mind of its own.

Antonio took his time between her folds. He stroked, he kissed, and suckled. The time he was spending with her made her feel special. Nothing had ever felt as good as this man did between her legs.

He was making love to her.

Unintelligible sounds started coming from her mouth. Her release was coming. As she grabbed the shower curtain with her right hand for support, she lost all sense of where she was. All she could feel was pleasure as her orgasm overtook her. She was falling…falling.

Literally falling! The shower curtain went down with them as they landed on the floor. Luckily, neither one of them were hurt. They sat up together and grinned.

Then kissed and kissed and kissed.

Antonio helped her up from the floor and wrapped her in a large towel. “Let’s get you to bed. I need to start getting ready.”

She yawned. “I can help you with your lines again.”

“No.” He grinned. “I’m good. Get some rest. You deserve it.”

As Janice settled down into the soft bed, all she could think about was sleep. She was relaxed, clean and happier than she had ever been before in her life.

When Antonio woke her to say goodbye, her mouth dropped open in awe at how handsome he looked in his new aqua silk shirt and black slacks. His hair was perfect with loose black curls hanging to his chin. Moustache and goatee trimmed short and neat, smile absolutely dazzling. They had to give him the acting job. They just had to.

“Good luck.” She smiled at him.

He bent down and kissed her with those full, soft lips that she already loved. “Thank you,
mi corazón
, for everything.”

Chapter Four

Janice looked to the street of St. Mark’s Place from her shop window like she always seemed to be doing. Watching and waiting for customers, keeping an eye on the neighborhood, running down a dream.

She had slept for hours after Antonio had left and didn’t get her shop opened until two. Taking her time to get dressed, she felt upbeat and cheerful today. Bright blue Capri pants with magenta stretch cotton shirt and leopard heels was what she chose to wear. It went with her mood. Color her happy.

As she waved to the waitress at the outside bar across the street, someone tall, dark and handsome blocked her view.

It was Antonio.

Janice turned to the door in anticipation as he breezed through.

His amazing smile said it all. “Even though I’m going back for a second audition, my agent said she’s already heard that they want me.”

She put a hand over her mouth. “Oh my goodness!” Throwing her arms around his neck, she hugged him. “I’m so happy for you!”

He ran his fingers through his hair. “This acting gig pays pretty well. Filming starts next month all over the city. I had no idea I would make this amount from a series if I get this job. Can you believe it? And with me being a nobody, too.”

“You won’t be a nobody anymore.” Janice beamed at him. “And you’re certainly not a nobody to me.”

“Goodbye Queens. Hello East Village.” He grinned.

“Huh?” Her smile abruptly faded.

“Hello East Village.” He held out his hands. “Do you want me living near you or not?”

She raised her eyebrows. “You’re moving here?”

He smiled smugly at her. “I’ve already done some checking in the area today. That’s why I’m so late getting here. There is an apartment for rent right down the street near Avenue A that I’m considering, once I formally hear I have the job. It’s a little bigger than yours.”

“Anything would be bigger than mine.”

“It’s a brownstone. I can take care of the rent with my new salary, give my mother extra money every month and put money in the bank.” He raised his eyebrows. “Who would believe that I’m finally moving to Manhattan?”

“I’m so happy for you.”

“I’d even have my own entrance and share a front porch. You could put some flowers on the stoop for me if you like.” He smiled. “I’m no good at that stuff. Help me make it a nice place, Janice. Do a little decorating. Go with me to pick out some furniture. I have barely anything at my apartment in Queens that will be coming here with me.”

Her mouth gaped open.

“If you decide at a later date that you’d like to move in with me, there’s plenty of room for your things. That was one of the considerations I made for the size of the apartment. I wanted there to be plenty of room for you.”

She bit her lip to make sure she wasn’t dreaming.

“Not until you’re ready, of course,” he continued. “I won’t rush you. It will be your decision after we know each other better.” He shrugged. “We still have things to learn, but I’m looking toward the bright side for the future.”

She was stunned. This wasn’t what she had expected from today. Hoping that Antonio received the job was the main focus. Maybe going out for a nice dinner in the evening, talking some more, celebrating, but this?

“Janice, I’d like to try and make you happy.” He grabbed her hands and held them tightly.

With those words, Janice became choked up. This was starting to sound like heaven. Tears were starting to form in her eyes as she looked into the deep chestnut wonders that were his.

He waved a hand in front of her face and grinned. “Hello? Are you the slightest bit interested or not? It’s a nice place, Janice. I can take you there when you close up today. You’re still close to your shop. You’d just have to walk a little farther if you decide to move in. I want you to see it before I sign a lease.”

Janice didn’t know what to say. Her heart was thudding in her throat. No one had ever made her feel the way she was currently feeling. No man had ever caused her heart to skip a beat every time she thought of him.

“I was thinking.” Antonio put a thumb and forefinger on his goatee, rubbing it. “If you like, we could keep the apartment upstairs for storage of your stock. I have a feeling you’re going to get busier.”

“Okay,” she said slowly, still feeling in shock at how fast things were moving. “How do you know I’m going to get busier?”

“Because you’re going to have to close up your shop one day next week for a private sale of your spring line.” He grinned. “Hope it’s ready to go.”

She nodded. “Almost. Just another dress or two to finish.”

“Then finish. Everyone loved my shirt, Janice. In fact, one of my new co-workers will be bringing some of her friends in to see you.” His eyebrows rose. “You will recognize some of their names. Interested?”

“Sure.” She felt the lump in her throat get larger, and scarier.

“I also need to let you know, I’m finished with ice cream.”

“No!” Her mouth gaped open. “Ice cream lovers make the best lovers.”

“Oh, we’ll still be ice cream lovers.” He grinned. “But it’s time to move on to something else. Now I’m into handcuffs. I’ll be a cop in the series, you know.”

Janice couldn’t help but laugh out loud at that one. She could see that being with Antonio was never going to be boring. Producing the handcuffs from a brown paper bag, he dangled them in front of her face. Before she could object, he had placed one of the handcuffs over her wrist and the other one over the metal railing of one of her clothes racks.

He locked the front door of the shop and raised his eyebrows. “Ready?”

She let out a breath and smiled. “Ready.”

Things were going to change. As they should. Antonio was getting work as an actor, something he had always wanted to do, and Janice was going to have a better chance at being the designer of her dreams.

But if they ever needed to be reminded of how they met, all they would have to do was hear the familiar jingle blaring from the ice cream truck.

Or simply buy an ice cream.

She grinned as she saw his delicious mouth coming toward hers. Forty wasn’t going to be so bad after all. In fact, forty was fucking great!