Noelle's Rock: A BWWM Holiday Romance (13 page)

Chapter 19

Noelle

Wintry Wonderland

Beau, Shelby, Erick and I are walking through the annual Christmas festival the city puts on every year. The cold weather and the snow didn’t stop the crowd from getting out and enjoying the variety of festivities that our city is known for during the Christmas season.

Beau and I are walking hand in hand. Beau is, once again, in his trademark of all black, and he is looking sexy as all get-out. He has a black cap pulled low on his head while trying to remain incognito amongst the crowd.

His thick mane of dark hair is hidden beneath the cap, but if any of his fans took one look into his dazzling, smoky, sapphire-blue eyes, they would instantly recognize him as the great Beau Barringer.

I am feeling happier than I have ever felt in my life being with Beau and my friends. Christmas music is continuously piping through perfectly placed speakers high up on the buildings and poles. Lights are twinkling everywhere with an array of artfully decorated Christmas trees as far as our eyes can see.

“I’m cold,” Shelby says as she looks back at Beau and me bringing up the rear.

She winks and smiles at me before pointing to a vendor who is selling hot chocolate up ahead.

“Who is up for some hot chocolate?” she asks as she pulls Erick with us following along.

“I have my hot chocolate right here,” Beau teases me as he whispers this softly in my ear.

I shudder from his heated words. I think about how he loves to taste me intimately and can’t seem to get enough of tasting me. I look up at him and watch his ice-blue eyes glaze over with heat.

“Behave!” I say to him because I know we would cut our outing short if I let him have his way.

He gives me that confident smirk, knowing that he is getting to me.

“Come on, then,” he says grudgingly. “I will treat us all to hot chocolates,” he says to me before speaking to the man who is selling the drinks. “Four hot chocolates all around,” Beau says.

“Big spender,” Shelby says with a giggle.

“Thanks, man,” Erick says. “The next treat is on me,” he offers as we continue our way through the festival.

I blow on my foam cup of hot chocolate before taking a tentative sip.

“Ouch!” I say before licking my upper lip with the tip of my tongue, trying to soothe it.

“Did you burn yourself, honey?” Beau asks as he looks down at me in concern, and I touch my fingertips across my lip.

I look up into Beau’s eyes and momentarily lose myself in his mesmerizing stare; I find myself doing this most of the time. I can’t get use to how his eyes seem to constantly change colors. His eye color switches to a smoky blue with a hint of sapphire when we are making love. His chameleon eyes hold me captive whether we are alone or in a crowd.

“Yes,” I say as a tremble goes through my body. I can feel heat building between my thighs and wetness pool in my center.

Beau’s head descends; my lips part to receive the softest of kisses. His tongue sweeps across my lips before his tongue delves into the moist cavity of my mouth. His tongue tastes of marshmallows and hot chocolate with a hint of sweet cinnamon. I moan beneath the onslaught of his gentle kiss.

“Are you two going to have to get a room?” Shelby quips as she and Erick wait patiently for us to catch up.

Beau slowly pulls his lips away from mine. I can see the heated look in his eyes matches my own. He chuckles from Shelby’s statement and takes my hand into his to resume our stroll.

“Noelle is so sweet that I can’t keep my lips off of her,” he says before giving Shelby a wink.

“I feel the same about my lovely lady,” says Erick before sweeping a surprised Shelby into a hot kiss.

By the time Erick lets Shelby up for air, she looks flushed with a dazed look in her eyes.

“Who needs to get a room, now?” I tease my best friend.

Shelby fans herself before she replies.

“From the look of things, we both do,” she says with a laugh. “It’s only around thirty-five degrees, but I feel mighty hot all of a sudden.”

We all laugh as we continue to enjoy each other’s company as well as the Christmas festival. I am glad that no one recognizes Beau. I don’t want to share him tonight with his fans. I want him to be just Beau my boyfriend and not the performer because this is who I am most comfortable with. When I really get quiet and think about how big of a star he actually is, I become intimidated and unsure of our longevity as a couple. Although I keep these thoughts to myself, I still have them all the same.

“A penny for your thoughts?” Beau whispers against my ear.

I look up at him and smile. I make sure the worry is wiped from my eyes before replying.

“I am just enjoying being with you and taking in the scenery. I am loving this time of the year because I have you.”

“Keep saying things like that, and I will have to cut this outing short and take you home.”

“Is that a promise?” I ask, fluttering my eyelashes flirtatiously.

“That’s not only a promise, Miss Winters, but that is a fact.”

“Hey, love birds, I am going to separate you two for a while,” says Shelby as she grasps my hand.

“Where are you taking my woman?” Beau questions Shelby.

“Not too far, we will stay in sight,” she replies as she pulls me along, leaving Erick and Beau staring after us.

“Girl, that man of yours is something else. He is sending out so much heat that it will melt this snow before it hits the ground.”

“He really does.” I had to agree with her because Beau was as deliciously sexy as they came.

“Look at these homemade wreaths,” Shelby says, changing the subject.

“Those are beautiful. I think I will get Beau one for his door. He has a Christmas tree but no wreath…This one will go beautifully on his door.”

“I like this one,” Shelby says, picking up the one that is adorned in white doves.

“I like that one too,” I agree with her before making our purchases.

“Hi, Noelle,” I hear a familiar voice behind me as I reach for my shopping bag that contains my wreath.

I turn and look directly into the face of Victor.

“What the hell are you doing here, Victor, and why are you speaking to Noelle?” Shelby turns and mean mugs Victor.

“Well, let’s see Shelby,” Victor says, returning my friend’s hostile look. “First off, the last time I checked, this is still a free country. Therefore, I may go anywhere I damn well please. Secondly, I am speaking to Noelle and not you, unless by chance your name has changed to Noelle,” he says with a smirk.

“Ha, ha,” she says, but no humor is in her voice. “Go away, Victor. Noelle wants nothing to do with you after you did her the way you did. I am so angry with you.”

I can feel that the tension between my best friend and Victor is about to escalate, so I decide to intervene. I didn’t expect to see Victor again until the papers were ready to sign. Since he was the one who suggested I have an abortion, I have never thought of this baby that I am carrying as ours.

“I can handle this, Shelby, but thank you,” I say to her with an
I got this
look. “What do you want?” I ask Victor.

“You look good Noelle…real good,” he says as his eyes take in my body from head to toe. His eyes finally rest on my slightly rounded stomach that can be seen clearly beneath my fitted sweater, which matches a pair of colorful leggings and my leather, black, knee-length boots. “You being pregnant with our baby becomes you.”

“You do mean
my
baby, don’t you?” I ask him, ignoring his compliment.

“No, I mean our baby.”

“Victor, I don’t have time for your games. Let’s not pretend that you want to have any part in this baby’s life. You clearly asked me to get an abortion. Tell me if I am wrong,” I continue in an exasperated tone.

Victor looks off into the distance as if he is in deep thought before he speaks.

“Noelle, I made a mistake. I am sorry I ever let those words escape out of my mouth.”

Shelby grunts beside me. I know she wants to speak, but I hold up my hand to silence her. Her eyes hold the look of an angry tigress. I know she is ready to tear Victor to shreds with her words.

I look around before looking at Victor once again.

“Where is your girlfriend and child?”

“Samantha…Sammy left me,” he stutters as a pained look flashes across his face. “And she took little V.J. with her.”

“What do you mean she left you?”

“Her husband wanted to reconcile with her and make their marriage work. He even told her that he is willing to accept V.J. into their family, even though he knows that I will still be a hands-on father to my son,” he says this with sadness lurking deep in his eyes.

“Aww, I see. So, let me see if I can get this right. Since Samantha…Sammy, or whatever you call her, has abandoned you…you are now ready to be a father to my baby,” I say, feeling resentment build inside of me.

“Samantha leaving me isn’t the only reason I want to be a present figure in our unborn baby’s life, Noelle. The last time I saw you on the Friday after Thanksgiving…I have been feeling some type of way. I will say again that I am very sorry that I suggested you terminate this pregnancy. I don’t know what got into me.”

“You know exactly what got into you,” Shelby finally speaks after holding her words in for so long. “You thought you had your little side-piece family all wrapped up into one neat bow. You didn’t want the additional responsibility of raising a child with Noelle, so you abandoned her and this innocent, little life growing on the inside of her. You are nothing but trash and lower than low in my eyes,” she lashes out at him with her spew of carefully orchestrated words.

“For a white girl, you sure are acting ghetto,” Victor threw the insult at Shelby.

“Stop it, Victor. Your remark isn’t even called for. Shelby is not only my best friend, but she is like a sister to me. If you insult Shelby, it’s just like you are insulting me, so don’t go there,” I warn him.

“I’m sorry,” he says, throwing the apology Shelby’s way. His mouth apologizes, but his eyes still hold an unapologetic look.

“Whatever.” Shelby throws up her hand in dismissal.

“You know what, Shelby, this is between Noelle and me. You can stay the fuck out of it.” Victor doesn’t try to hide his anger and frustration.

“Like Noelle says, we are family, and her being my family makes it my business.”

Victor lets out a cruel laugh.

“Get gone, little Miss Snow White. When did Princess Jasmine and Snow White become sisters?” He lets out a cruel laugh.

Shelby lets loose a bunch of expletives before she lunges at Victor, but she is caught up in the circle of Erick’s arms before she makes contact with him.

“Shelby, baby, calm down.” Erick pulls Shelby away as she struggles to get out of his grasp to lunge at Victor again.

“What the hell is going on here?” Beau comes to stand in front of me, facing Victor in a combative stance.

“I don’t know who you are, but I’m trying to have a conversation with my baby mama,” Victor replies, crossing his arms across his chest.

“I am Noelle’s man,” Beau states his relevance in my life.

Victor’s eyes widen in surprise before a sneer forms around his mouth. He looks down at me with disappointment in his eyes.

“So this the way you doing it now, Noelle. I haven’t been out of your life but a minute and you’ve decided to cross over to the other side?” he says in an insulting tone of voice and throws a menacing look towards Beau.

“Victor,” I try to say before Beau cuts me off.

I look over at Erick and Shelby. She has calmed down a bit, but she is still looking at Victor as if she wants to strangle his neck.

“Oh, so this is Victor, your ex-boyfriend,” Beau says as he accesses Victor and sizes him up.

“Yeah, but what’s it to you?” Victor questions Beau as he gives Beau the once over and tries to size him up as well.

“Let’s go, Beau,” I say, stepping between Beau and Victor because I can feel trouble brewing.

Beau shrugs my hand off of his shoulder and steps toe to toe with Victor. They are around the same height and both hold a stance of dominance. I could feel tension beneath Beau’s shoulders before he shrugged me off.

“I don’t know what you and Noelle were talking about, but I advise you to stay as far away from her as possible. She doesn’t need you or the stress you bring in her life. Since you don’t want to be a daddy, you don’t have to be. Noelle and her baby have me, and I promise you I am not going anywhere,” Beau puts his cards on the table as he lays claim to me and the baby.

Victor’s eyes become cloudy with anger. I can see he is not going to back away easily by his rigid stance.

“Who the hell do you think you are giving me orders? You don’t know me or anything about the relationship that Noelle and I have. It would be wise for you to back off and leave Noelle and I to straighten out our differences in peace. Besides, whether I go anywhere or not, the fact doesn’t change that this is my baby growing inside of her womb,” Victor says proudly, directing his stare towards me as if he has every right to lay claim to my baby after he is the one who messed up.