Lift Me Higher

Chapter 5

Cards on the Table

“So, Ms. Turner, have you hung out in any nice elevators lately?” Monte asked.

They were seated at an intimate table for two at an obscure Italian restaurant in walking distance of the Time Warner building.

“Ha-ha. Very funny, Mr. Lewis,” Torie replied.

Monte beamed beneath the warmth of her sunny smile.

“I’m just teasing you. How’ve you been?”

“I’ve been well, thank you. And for the record, I’ve been avoiding elevators ever since,” Torie answered.

Monte ordered a cabernet sauvignon by the bottle when the waiter approached. When Torie had returned his call, he was crushed to know that she was actually in California on business. She returned his hopes when she informed that she’d be back in town in a couple of days and would love to have lunch with him. They made plans to meet on Friday, two weeks after their fateful night together. For the days leading up to their date, Monte found himself wafting between moments of elation and others of despair. He didn’t want to make too much of her acceptance of his invitation, yet he couldn’t help but think that it meant, as Brent stated, that she was interested in him. Seated across the table from her now, he felt like a goofy teenager, unsure of himself.

Torie gratefully accepted the glass of wine poured by the waiter. She took a protracted sip, quenching her dry throat. She chided herself silently, annoyed at how nervous she was, seated across from Monte. That morning, with their date looming before her, she’d changed her outfit three times before finally deciding on a long-sleeved animal-print blouse and white slacks. She wore minimal makeup as usual, opting for a subtle shimmer on her eyes and a tinted lip gloss. She wore her shoulder-length bronze-copper hair pulled back from her face and held in place by a silver comb. Confident in her appearance, Torie wished that some of that confidence would calm the butterflies that were flitting around in her belly.

“I’ve got to tell you, those flowers you sent me caused quite a stir around the office,” Monte said.

“Really? Why is that?” Torie asked.

“Well, it’s not every day that I get elaborate floral arrangements from a female.”

“Oh? So do you usually get them from a male?”

“That’s cute. Okay, I guess I set myself up for that one. What I meant to say was that it was an unusual sight and people were curious,” Monte said.

“Were they interested in who they were from or what you did to deserve them?” Torie asked.

“Both.”

“What’d you tell them?”

“Absolutely nothing. I figured I’d keep them guessing.”

“I see. Well, next time, maybe I’ll send you some balloons, instead. All right?” Torie laughed.

“Definitely all right…especially that part about next time,” Monte said.

His meaning was not lost on Torie. She took another sip of wine and smiled at him. It was so difficult not to be captivated by everything about Monte—his eyes and his smile drew her in like a spider’s web. She’d wanted to resist him and the feelings he had ignited in her, but denying herself the pleasure of the company of a man like Monte proved more difficult than she had imagined it would be. When she’d set her mind to avoiding romantic entanglements for the foreseeable future, she had not encountered the likes of Monte Lewis. There was a calm that surrounded the man like a cloak, traveled with him and pervaded the mood of anyone who came into contact with him. She liked the way she felt around him, and going against her previous stance did not seem like such a high price to pay to enjoy that feeling.

“Can I ask you a question?” Monte asked.

“You just did.”

“Wow, are you sure you’re an actress and not a comedienne?” Monte retorted.

“I’m sorry.” Torie laughed. “I have this bad habit of cracking jokes when I’m nervous.”

“What do you have to be nervous about?” Monte asked.

His surprise was evident on his face as he regarded her. The notion that the beautiful, poised woman seated across the table from him would be nervous in his presence or that of any man, for that matter, was absurd.

“You, Mr. Lewis. For some reason, you make me nervous,” Torie admitted shyly.

“I assure you, Torie, you have nothing to be nervous about. I’m harmless.”

“Somehow I doubt that, but we digress. You wanted to ask me a question. Shoot.”

“Well, it’s actually twofold…my question. And excuse me in advance if this is out of line or inappropriate, but I’m a little out of practice at this. I was just wondering if you’re seeing anyone and, if not, if, uh, if you’d like to see me. I mean, you know, maybe go out from time to time—schedules permitting—to dinner, a movie, or whatever you’re into.”

There, he’d said it. Monte could almost feel his throat closing up as he waited for her response. He hadn’t meant to be so blunt, especially not before they’d even ordered their meals. However, he could not continue to deny how alluring he found her and he needed to know early on if there was even a chance that they could see each other again. He told himself that knowing up-front would set the tone for the remainder of their lunch date, and he could avoid getting his hopes up if this was a one-shot deal.

“I like you, too, Monte,” was Torie’s simple reply.

Monte held his breath, unsure if a but was about to come. When she said nothing further, he surged ahead for her.

“But?”

“But nothing. You like me and I like you, too. It’s out there now. So, why don’t we just sit back, enjoy our lunch and see what happens.”

Damn, he thought, what style. No one could deny that this woman had panache. He took her advice and enjoyed every minute with her that afternoon. They chatted more about her upbringing in her hometown—North Atlanta, Georgia—in comparison to his as a native New Yorker. They discovered a few things they had in common, such as both being raised in single-parent homes and neither of them having a relationship with their fathers. Monte was an only child; Torie’s younger brother, Darius, was a deputy sheriff back in Atlanta. They laughed when they discovered that they’d both served as senior class presidents in their respective high schools, and while Monte had played the tuba in the school band, Torie tooted the clarinet.

Two hours later they emerged from the restaurant, with sides that ached from laughing. Monte’s hand rested on the small of Torie’s back as they strolled down the street. He deposited Torie in front of an entrance to the subway so that she could catch a train to her Upper East Side apartment. As they prepared to part company, Monte leaned in, kissing her lips briefly. He’d been aching to taste her mouth again all through lunch and flushed at the feel of her lips against his. With a tentative pledge to get together again soon, they moved away. Monte whistled as he made his way back to the office and his good cheer certainly had everything to do with the sexy woman who’d brought a smile both to his face and to his heart.

Chapter 6

Undress My Heart

“Monica, that’s terrific. That’s exactly what I was hoping to hear from you today,” Torie squealed.

She leaned forward in the passenger seat of Monte’s Lexus ES350 luxury sedan and slapped the open palm of her right hand on her thigh. She turned to Monte, her face a bright beam of happiness, which served to bring out a smile on his face, although he had no idea what she was so happy about.

“And they’re ready to sign?” Torie asked. “Wonderful. Okay, uh, sometime next month? Okay, I’ll wait to hear from you. Thank you again, Monica. Take care.”

Torie disconnected the call and dropped her PDA onto her lap. She clapped her hands together three times rapidly before covering her face with her hands.

“Are you going to tell me what we’re celebrating or am I going to have to guess?” Monte asked.

“Oh, my goodness, Monte. It’s unbelievable. No, scratch that. It is totally believable because I’m damned good at what I do,” Torie stated emphatically.

“Yes, you are. Now, what are we talking about?” Monte asked again.

“Well, a few weeks ago, I read for a lead spot in a new series pilot called Higher Learning—I know, same title as that nineties movie with Ice Cube. It’s a drama based on a college campus. I read for the role of Senora Phelps, head of the recruiting department. It’s a really great role…one that leaves a lot of room for growth. I had a good feeling when I read but, you know, you never can tell. Anyway, it turns out that feeling was right on the money!” Torie shouted.

“You got the part?” Monte asked.

“Not only did I get the part, but Monica said they’re offering me a very sweet deal to boot. She’ll have the written contract next month, and she says I’ll be pleased.”

“Damn, girl, that’s all right! Congratulations. Look at you—been in the Big Apple for five minutes and you’re already doing great things. Go ’head, Ms. Turner,” Monte shouted, his enthusiasm paralleling hers.

“Oh, Monte. I can’t even tell you what this feels like. I mean, it’s one thing to strive for something and envision it for yourself, but when it actually happens, it’s surreal. I don’t know what I did to be so blessed, but I’m truly grateful.”

“What you did was to be beautiful, talented, smart and driven. That’s a lethal combination, by any measure,” Monte said. “Don’t you want to call your mom?”

By this, their third date, Torie had already shared with Monte a bit of her relationship with her mother. She’d told him how demanding her mother could be, and she’d admitted that while her mother had always been her biggest supporter, there were times when her mother’s visions for Torie’s future conflicted with her own. At those times the pressure that Torie felt could be overwhelming as she struggled to follow her own course, despite how tenaciously Brenda tried to steer her into another direction.

“I’ll call her…later. Right now I just want to savor the moment, you know. I know there is an urge when good things happen to us to run right out and shout it to the world, but some things—like this one—are just so big that you need to keep it private for a while and soak it in,” Torie said.

They drove in silence for a few long moments. Monte’s excitement for Torie’s good news was another in a list of indicators that he’d had over the past couple of weeks, telling him how caught up he was with her. It almost felt as if her success was his own and he didn’t think he could have been any happier if, in fact, it were his own.

“I’m happy I’m here with you in your big moment,” Monte said, breaking the silence.

Torie turned to face him, while Monte kept his eyes on the road ahead of them.

“I’m glad you are, too,” Torie said sincerely.

They drove the remaining few miles in relative silence, save an occasional comment on the scenery around them. It was early on Saturday and they were headed out to the lake house in Ronkonkoma, about an hour’s drive from where Monte lived in Sands Point. Monte had bought the lake house just a few months after Shawna died. Their house had so many memories that he’d thought that having a change of scenery on the weekends would be good for the boys. It turned out that he was right. Being able to do activities like fishing and going out on the lake in a canoe brought smiles back to his boys’ faces and to his own. For the first year after Shawna died, they’d drive out almost every Friday night and stay through Sunday evening. It was a place of solace and comfort and, Monte felt, one of the best investments he’d ever made.

Now that his mother was living with them, Monte and the boys only went out to the house a couple of times a month, usually when his mother was feeling up to going with them. Otherwise, Cheryl would stay in Sands Point and look after her. Today, Monte’s hope was that he and Torie could spend some time alone, away from crowded restaurants and other people. He couldn’t deny that he found himself in a constant state of arousal every minute he spent with her. Today, if the mood was right and if Torie was feeling half of what he was feeling, he hoped they would fulfill every one of their desires.

Monte gave Torie the grand tour of the small cottage-style house and the surrounding grounds. The two-bedroom home was modestly decorated, with fireplaces in the living room and the master bedroom, two bathrooms and a fully loaded kitchen. Out behind the house there was a barbecue pit and screened patio, and the yard area was surrounded by a thicket of trees and shrubbery that offered privacy from the next house several hundred yards away. He took Torie down to the lake, which was a short walk from the house. They sat beneath a tree, looking out at the water for a while, easy chatter flowing between them. When they returned to the house, Monte spread a blanket in the backyard and left Torie out there reading a magazine while he prepared the brunch he’d packed for them.

“Wow, don’t even tell me you cooked all of this yourself,” Torie exclaimed when Monte spread the food in front of her.

“That depends. What do I get if I say yes?”

“Mmm, how about I kiss the cook,” Torie said, licking deviled egg from her fingers.

“Promises, promises.”

They ate and talked some more about Torie’s new role, a topic that made Torie’s light eyes shine even more brightly than they did.

“When you were a little girl, was acting the dream you held for yourself?” Monte wanted to know.

“I was seven when I decided that I wanted to act. I remember telling my mother that I thought the most powerful people in the world were people who could make others laugh, cry, be happy or sad, just with a few words or a smile. She thought I was just being what she liked to call my usual dramatic little self, but I was serious. I never wanted any other career.”

“So you’re doing what you love. Isn’t that the best feeling in the world?”

Torie lay back on the blanket, staring up at the sky for a moment before answering. She searched for the words to describe how she felt. Monte lay beside her and held her hand.

“It is. It’s acting out a fairy tale,” she answered at last. “What about you? Did you always want to be a lawyer?”

“Nah, I wanted to be a pilot. I thought I’d go into the air force, learn how to navigate planes and eventually end up in space operations.”

“Wow, space? Don’t tell me you wanted to walk on the moon?”

“I hadn’t really thought that far, but, hey, you never know. But I quickly realized that I didn’t want to end up in a war so the air force was probably not the best way to avoid that. Besides, my mom was always dropping hints about how nice it would be to have a lawyer in the family.” Monte smiled.

He rose up on one elbow so that he could peer down into Torie’s face.

“Oh, don’t I know about that mother pressure,” Torie exclaimed, rolling her eyes.

“Yeah, but it actually turned out to be a good thing for me. I went to law school, absolutely fell in love with the field and, voilà, here I am.”

“Here you are,” Torie replied, staring into Monte’s eyes.

Monte glided two fingers down the side of Torie’s cheek, amazed at the softness of her skin.

“Tell me about your father.”

“There’s not much to tell. I guess I don’t even remember him, at least not much other than what my mother told me,” Monte mused.

“Do you know if you look like him?”

“Yeah, I look exactly like him. It’s funny because sometimes you hear that when a woman and man split up and that man leaves their child or children behind, the mother can take her anger out on the poor kid. It’s especially bad when the kid looks like the father. But not my mother. My mother always told me how handsome I was, how much she loved me. Even though my father left her to struggle on her own, she held his little boy close, looked in a face that was the spitting image of his father’s and loved him,” Monte finished wistfully.

“That’s beautiful.” Torie smiled. “I bet that’s why you’re such a great dad.”

“How do you know what kind of father I am?”

“Well, because every time you talk about one of your sons, there’s this dreamy proud-papa look that comes into your eyes. And you smile at the mere mention of their names. And you work hard, for them.” Torie paused. “And you’ve helped them go on through what has to be the worst thing that can happen to a little boy.”

Torie reached up and touched the side of Monte’s face. He turned his face to kiss the palm of her hand.

“I find your patriarchy incredibly sexy, Mr. Lewis.”

The way she looked up at him, her gaze a mixture of seduction and timidity, made his heart flutter with equal strength as in his loins. His lips found hers and an immediate electric bolt shot through him, causing his senses to sing. Their kiss was slow and probing, neither of them felt the need to rush. They wanted to savor each moment, as if by doing so they could lock the seconds of pleasure into their memories forever.

Monte’s tongue slid deliberately over Torie’s, intertwined with it in a sexy waltz without music. She sucked on his bottom lip as if trying to extract its very essence and nibbled at his top lip, making a sensual meal out of him. Monte’s breathing sped up as he grew more aroused. He could feel the blood rushing to his manhood and, try as he might to slow the tempo of his sexual longing down, he was powerless to ebb the flow of the current that was propelling him forward. Suddenly, he broke the connection of their lips, leaning back slightly to look at Torie’s angelic face.

“Are you okay…with this?” he asked.

“Better than okay,” Torie answered as she moved her hand to the back of Monte’s head and let her fingers roam through the thick curly hair. “You are quite the kisser, Mr. Lewis.”

“You’re not half-bad yourself.” Monte smiled.

He planted a small peck on Torie’s lips.

“Have I told you how absolutely breathtaking this place is?” Torie said. “You are absolutely breathtaking, Torie Turner,” Monte replied.

Torie’s smile radiated from her eyes. The perfection of the day seemed almost too good to be true. If one of her girlfriends were telling her this story, she would caution her that she was moving too fast. She would say that three weeks was nowhere near enough time to get to know a man and that her friend was being caught up in a lust that was clouding her judgment. However, she would only be looking from the outside, and from that vantage point there was no way to understand what happens when two souls connect on the basest level. The past three weeks had been free from pretention or game playing. They had not allowed anyone or anything from the outside to interfere with or influence their courtship and, as a result, they had been free to be entirely open and honest about their attraction to each other. Torie did not feel that they were moving too quickly, and while she didn’t join him at the lake with the intention of moving their relationship to the next level sexually, it was beginning to feel as though that were the next logical place for them to go.

“I want you, Torie,” Monte said, as if reading her mind.

Torie searched his eyes and it was clear that he felt the magnetic pull as strongly as she did. It was a force that was greater than both of them and far more evolved than pure lust. Torie kissed Monte firmly on the lips, hoping to convey what she didn’t trust words to express.

“Baby,” Monte said softly but firmly, “these past few weeks have been amazing. I…I didn’t expect this. I wasn’t looking for anyone, but there you appeared. I feel like you came into my life at the precise moment you did for a reason. I believed that I could make a happy life for myself, my boys and my mother and be satisfied with that. But, Torie, you’ve made me realize that there’s a part of me that’s been unsatisfied and unhappy.”

“Monte, I don’t know what to say. This feels too good to be true,” Torie whispered.

“You don’t have to say anything. I know it’s too early to think about what’s going to happen in the future, and I don’t care about that at this moment. All I know is that, right here, right now, this is all that matters.”

Monte stopped talking, as if all the words that had poured out of him had left him exhausted. He searched for an escape from the frenzy of emotions that were racing through him, but there was no such escape.

“Torie, I’ve been alone for a long time. To be honest, I think I was preparing myself to spend the rest of my life alone. I feel like a big kid, unsure and clumsy.”

“I think that’s another thing that’s so endearing about you, Monte. The fact that I’m not just another notch on a very long belt for an incredibly gorgeous man,” Torie replied.

“I’m not a ladies’ man, Torie, but I’m still a man and I want…well, I want to feel like a whole man again. I want to feel that with you,” Monte said.