Taste (Sense Series Book 2)

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Love,

Ellen

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Sometimes life can be pretty surreal. You think that you have it all figured out and then everything completely changes. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining at all. I’m just making an observation. I really did have my entire life mapped out, well my love life anyway. I was supposed to marry my lawyer boyfriend, we were going to get married, and then have children.

I would achieve the American dream, a great job, 3 kids, a beautiful home, and a cheating husband. Michael was a cheating bastard, and I cared but I was willing to put up with it because I loved him and in the grand scheme of things, he was going to give me what I wanted in life. I had to be practical because I’m almost 30 and my other ex-boyfriends were no prizes either.

A woman has to choose her battles, and he seemed like the safest choice at the time. Then Adam entered my life, and he turned it upside down. Adam lives next door to me in my apartment complex, and he is everything that Michael isn’t. Adam is sweet and thoughtful. He’s basically the type of man that every woman says that she wants and then turns down for the douchebag.

I’m happy that I’ve finally opened my eyes to the good guy for once. He has been making me so happy, and I’m grateful that he entered my life. I was still in a relationship with Michael when I first slept with him. I felt like crap over what I did and tried to stay away from Adam. Then Michael decided to give me what I’ve always wanted. He proposed to me at Navy Pier, and I felt a sense of dread. I couldn’t get Adam out of my head, and I knew that it wouldn’t be fair to Michael or me if I married him.

I thought that Michael would take it pretty easily, especially considering that he’d been cheating on me with at least two other women. He has been so upset about losing me, and he teeters between sadness and rage. One moment he’s sending flowers to my job and then he’s sending me evil text messages. I try to take it all in stride but every now and then I lash out.

I’ve been getting better at ignoring him as the months have passed, and you would think he would have let up by now but he’s still going strong. I’m not afraid of what he’ll do, but he is becoming a nuisance. My feelings for him weren’t cut off, I still love him very much but I know that he isn’t any good for me. I can’t ever trust him again, and I deserve to be with someone that’s going to be faithful.

My best-friend Elizabeth agrees with me, and she was overjoyed when she found out that I broke up with Michael. I can’t deny that I spend a lot of time thinking about him. We were together for a year and overall it was pretty great. Moving on with someone else so quickly hasn’t really given me time to heal. But Adam and I are taking things very slowly, and that’s helped a lot.

Adam would like to be in a relationship with me, but the truth is that I’m not ready for another relationship. Right now I’m enjoying his company and the amazing sex. We’re only dating each other and so that’s made my life a lot easier. He argues that we’re in a relationship without the title. I understand his point, but the label adds a pressure that I don’t need right now. I also want to make sure that his character doesn’t change in the course of our new friendship.

I’ve made really bad choices when it comes to men, and I’m not ready to find out if I’ve made another. I just want to enjoy my bliss and be happy. Is that too much for a girl to ask for? Apparently it is, because Adam said that he wouldn’t pressure me, but that’s been the theme of our last few conversations. A relationship like ours would be a dream for most men, but he isn’t most men, and that’s what attracted me to him in the first place.

So I’m in a bit of a bind when it comes to our relationship. I’m looking forward to seeing where it goes. I hope that he’ll exercise some patience. The thought of getting into another official relationship so soon turns my stomach into knots. Lizzie says that I need therapy, and I say that I just need time.

Now I’m on my way home from work, on the train. I hate the train, but it’s pointless to drive to work unless I want to be frustrated, and I don’t want to spend an exorbitant amount of money on cab rides. I used to take a cab to and from work every day but then Lizzie found out, and she jumped all over me. But that’s what happens when your best friend is your accountant too. She pointed out how much money I was wasting every day, week, month, and year. I nearly had a heart attack; do you know how many pairs of shoes that money could buy?

I walked the short distance from the train to my apartment complex, and I smiled when I saw Adams car parked in the front of the building. I rushed up the stairs and went to my apartment. I couldn’t wait to get out of my clothes. I worked in marketing at a big art gallery, and I didn’t have to dress in corporate attire but I’ve always thought that it’s more appropriate that way. Everyone talks about the way that I dress, but I guess that’s to be expected when you work with hipsters.

I slipped into a pair of comfortable jeans and a fitted t-shirt. I unpinned my hair and let my red locks tumble across my shoulders. Adam loves it when I wear my hair down, and he says that I look like his personal “Little Mermaid.’ That always makes me giggle, and he’s called me Ariel on quite a few occasions. He’s one of the many men with an obsession with Disney characters. I’m happy to oblige him whenever I can. Some days I put my starfish pin in my hair and it drives him nuts. I guess I know who I’m going to be for Halloween. He would make a really cute prince Eric.

I walked down the hall, and he opened the door before I could even knock.

“Took you long enough,” he said with a toothy grin.

“Well excuse me,” I laughed.

He embraced me and nuzzled my neck. He always gave out the best hugs, and I couldn’t get enough of them. I hugged him tightly and sniffed his spicy cologne. I loved the way that he smelled, and this scent in particular was my favorite.

“Good afternoon,” I said as I went to his sofa to take a seat.

I saw a caramel apple martini sitting on his coffee table. I grabbed it and took a quick sip, and it was so good. My eyes rolled dramatically to the back of my head. He always made me a cocktail after work, and he knew that this one was my favorite. Adam takes great care of me, who needs dinner when you have vodka?

“You like?” he asked with a chuckle.

“I like it a whole lot and I swear these get better every time that you make them.”

“I added a splash of sour mix to it this time, I’m glad to see that you like it. I thought that you would,” he said as he took a sip of his martini, and assumed that it was a dirty martini. I found it interesting that he could make drinks so well, when he liked the most disgusting martini ever. I hate dirty martinis because they taste exactly how they sound…dirty. I turned my nose up at his drink.

“Hey don’t judge my drink. I made yours, so let me enjoy mines.”

“Ugh,” I said before I took another sip of my delicious cocktail.

We spend the next hour filling each other in about our days. I always had a story to tell about an eccentric person that I ran into for the day. He filled me in about his training for the day. He was on his way to becoming a Wing Chun instructor. He had taken the year off from being a science teacher at a high school to pursue his dream of doing this full time. He only had two more test before he was all set to go.

Most people wouldn’t think that his hands were registered weapons when they saw him. His medium muscular frame is usually hidden behind the flannel that he loves to wear so much. I’ve been on a mission to get him to test some other prints and fabrics out, but he hasn’t taken the bait. He loves his comfortable clothes, and he’s not going to let me change that. That’s not going to stop me from continuing to try, one day I may get lucky and catch him on a good day.

“I’ve missed you today,” he said looking into my eyes.

“I’ve miss you too babe,” I responded.

“If we make it official, you can just move in here with me. You’re here all the time anyway,” he said.

I grabbed my drink and took a big gulp. I wasn’t ready to get into that kind of conversation with him yet. I wasn’t ready to move in with him at all. The truth is that I’d never lived with a man before. I’ve always preferred to have my own space and safe haven away from the relationship. My apartment has been my safety net, and I wouldn’t be giving that up for a long time. I’ve seen women stay in relationships for far longer than they should have because they’ve merged their finances with a man. Then when they breakup they have to decide who gets the CD’s, DVDs, the couch, and even the dog. I wanted to pass up all of that drama, and I could do without it in my life. I had no plans on fully living with a man until a few months before our wedding.

 I’m not old fashioned, but I am practical and that just doesn’t seem like a good idea to me. I tried to think of a way to convey my feelings to him regarding the subject in a very non-confrontational way. He did his best not to take things personal, but I could tell that this was something that he really wanted from me.

“You know I’m not ready for that,” I said softly.

“What will it take for you to get ready?”

“Time and consistency,” I responded, “Those are the only two things that will prepare me for a relationship. I need to do this at a pace that I’m comfortable with.”

He sighed and leaned his head back on the couch, “I’m really trying, and I don’t want to push you. It’s just that I’m so sure that you’re the woman that I want to be with. It hurts a little to know that the feeling isn’t mutual.”

“Aww, don’t say that. I really do feel like you’re the person for me, and I’m so happy that you’re in my life. I wouldn’t have it any other way but for my own peace of mind I need to take my time. Just give me a little longer, and then we can take a leap into traditional coupledom.”

“Okay, just don’t take too long. I’m in high demand,” he said jokingly.

“Is that so?” I asked lightly slapping him on the shoulder.

“It’s true, but I only have eyes for my red-haired goddess.”

“That better be the case,” I laughed.

He leaned in to kiss me, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. His tongue dipped between my lips and I gladly opened my mouth to accept his gentle probing. His tongue was velvety and smooth, and he tasted of the vodka that he’d just drank. His hands played along the edges of my t-shirt before he caressed my stomach and cupped my breast. My breathing became ragged and I all of a sudden couldn’t be close enough to him.

I lifted and straddled him on the couch, his cock was pressing against the seat of my jeans. I could feel him swell beneath me, and I rocked back and forth against him. His grip on me tightened as I purposely aroused him. I looked at his face, and I fell in love with the look on his face. He was gone, away from here, and enjoying the feel of my body against his own. He was immersed in me, and it warmed my heart.

He reached behind me and unclasped my bra, freeing my breast from the horrible contraption made for women. His warm hands kneaded my mounds of flesh and my nipples pebbled at his touch. I laid my head on his shoulder and moved hips to a rhythm that only I could hear in my head.

“The things that you do to me,” he whispered into my ear.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” I asked.

“More than you’ll ever know,” he responded.

I couldn’t take anymore, and I stood to my feet and he echoed my actions. We quickly removed our clothing. He led to the arm of his huge sofa and bent me over it. I shamelessly perched my ass into the air, giving him an open invitation to enter me from behind.

His hands ran from my neck, down my spine, and to my ass. His hands explored the sensitive flesh between my legs and I trembled beneath his touch. I could feel myself moisten, and I prepared myself to feel his cock inside of me.

“Fuck me,” I panted.

“So impatient, geesh,” he said with amusement lacing his voice.

“Well you’re teasing,” I said with a pout looking back at him.

“Okay, if you insist,” he said pushing deep into me all the way to the hilt.