Mama's Boys: The Look Of Love - Mama's Boys: The Look of Love Part 16
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Mama's Boys: The Look of Love Part 16

"It absolutely is. You made a decision about us." He ran his hand over his head. "Good thing I'm in a forgiving mood."

"Ha-ha. You're so cute."

"Not as half as cute as you."

The laughter subsided at the table. Fortunately, the waiter showed up to remove the empty plates and refresh their drinks.

"So you never dated anyone else after me?" Gunnar asked.

"I never said that." Eboni liked teasing Gunnar.

He sat up taller. "Well?"

"I dated here and there." She kept her stare on her drink, only peering up at Gunnar on occasion. "Nothing serious."

If Eboni wasn't mistaken, it looked as though Gunnar breathed a sigh of relief.

"I went out with Grover Maddox once."

Gunnar's eyes went wide. "You dated Mad Maddox? That dude was crazy."

"We didn't date. We just had lunch after church one day. He seemed nice." She shrugged. "He was the first guy who didn't immediately tell me he could help me forget you. Little did I know that church boy had a million and one hands."

Gunnar balled his large hand into a fist.

Eboni had to diffuse this bomb before it went off. "He tried to touch me and I made him cry like a girl. Don't ask me what I did."

"Do I need to go down and talk to him?" Gunnar's knee bounced like he wanted to fight.

"Calm down. This was almost nine years ago." She held up her hand. "That man is married with seven kids of his own now. I guess he can't keep his hands off his wife either."

"He wouldn't have approached you if I hadn't left."

Eboni got quiet. Luckily, their dinner arrived and she didn't have to confirm what he already knew.

She took a bite of her fish. The buttery, flaky flesh danced on her tongue before she swallowed it. If Gunnar had planned on ordering this meal for her, he certainly knew her tastes.

Halfway through the dinner, Gunnar started up their conversation again.

"If you weren't at Press 'N Curl, what would you be doing?"

Eboni shrugged. "I would be doing something for the community center. That place really saved my life. It gave me a place to go when things got rough at home."

Gunnar nodded. "I could see you as a teacher. You would be so good with children."

Eboni grabbed her water and took a hefty gulp.

"You're very patient and open." Gunnar smiled at her.

She didn't respond except to match his smile with one of her own.

"Hold on." Gunnar picked up his napkin and wiped the corner of her mouth. "Got it."

He sure did. She loved his touch. The way he looked at her really started her heart. Her skin tingled. Each time she looked into his eyes, her nipples hardened. Deep in her heart, she knew this moment should be the one to share her secret, her pain.

Gunnar had revealed himself to her and told the truth about what had broken them apart. She started to tell him, but the words had gotten choked in her throat. The evening had gone by so well, Eboni didn't want to break the easy flow. She would have to reveal the secret later.

At the end of the meal, Eboni had to collapse back in her chair. "So much wonderful food. I would have never stopped at this restaurant if you hadn't brought me."

"Never judge a book by its cover." He winked at her.

After paying for the meal and leaving a sizeable tip, Gunnar stood and held his hand out for Eboni. She accepted it, hoping he didn't notice how her knees buckled when he touched her.

He helped her put on her coat before walking her to his rental.

"It's so strange that they had to keep Elizabeth for an extra day." Eboni climbed into the SUV with Gunnar's assistance.

After getting inside, Gunnar turned up the heat. "Not really." He sort of snickered before he said, "She said she wasn't feeling very well so that she could stay another night." He glanced over at Eboni when she didn't say anything. "It was Mom's way for me to ask you out tonight. She was giving me my space by faking a medical condition."

Got to love Queen Elizabeth.

Eboni grinned. "Can we have some coffee at your place? I don't want to go back to my apartment right now."

"I'm sure my mom has coffee or tea in her kitchen." Gunnar remained quiet as he drove the nearly empty Virginia Beach streets. "You could spend the night if you wanted."

"I didn't bring a change of clothes." Eboni wrung her purse straps. "But with it being so late, I think I'd like that."

"I'm sure my mother has something in her closet that can fit you."

Eboni didn't think about what other clothes she could wear. She wanted to get out of her attire and figure out a way to get Gunnar naked as well.

After a rocky start to dinner, it sure looked like it would end smoothly.

Gunnar pulled the truck around to the backside of the house in front of the detached garage. As he'd done all night, he jumped out of the truck and got her door for her. Eboni could get used to this chivalrous behavior.

He unlocked the back door and let her inside. "Let me get your coat."

Eboni shrugged out of her black coat and let Gunnar hang it up in the closet along with his own. "I've always loved Queen's house. It feels so inviting."

"Funny. I feel the same way." Gunnar went into the kitchen and knocked around, looking for mugs and some tea or coffee. "Found some instant coffee. Is that okay?"

Eboni strolled around the living room, looking at pictures of Queen with her boys. "That's fine. Just need something to warm up my bones." She didn't think Gunnar would be keen on warming her up with his body, although the heat between them challenged her assumption.

She walked toward the kitchen. Gunnar had catered to her all night. The least she could do would be to help him. Besides, she liked looking at him and being close to that incredible body.

She stood in the doorway. "Anything I can do to help?"

Gunnar glanced at her. He shook his head. "You go relax. I found some chocolate chip cookies. I should have known Mom would have had those around here. They're her favorite."

Eboni sauntered into the kitchen. She picked up a cookie from the plate and took a nibble. "Homemade."

"Yes, she loves to bake." Gunnar moved over to the other side of the kitchen.

"Did you taste one?" She followed him to where he stood.

"No. Not yet."

Eboni held up the cookie she'd just tasted. "Take a bite."

He shook his head and went back to the stove. "No, I'll wait to have one with my coffee."

She watched him carefully. "Are you avoiding me?"

Gunnar crossed his arms over his chest. "Why would you think that?"

"Because whenever I get close to you, you move away from me." To prove her point, she walked toward him.

"I need spoons." Gunnar went to a drawer on the other side of the stoveaway from her.

"See." She laughed.

Gunnar turned toward her. "Okay, fine. So you caught me." He took a deep breath.

"A big MMA fighter is afraid of little ol' me. Why won't you get near me? Afraid I'll bite you?"

"I wish." He braced his hands on the counter with his back to her before he finally turned around. "I want you so badly. I'm afraid if you get too close to me, I'm going to make a fool of myself somehow."

"A fool how?"

"I want to kiss you again." He stared at her lips. "If I kiss you, I'll want to touch you. If I touch you, I'll want to--" Gunnar stopped himself before he finished his thought.

Eboni licked her lips. "Then I think we need to talk."

She didn't really want to talk. She wanted her man. Her body ached to have him touch her, move inside of her, connect with her in a way she hadn't felt in years.

The kettle whistled on the stove, and Gunnar turned off the gas and moved it from the heat. "I think I need to take you back home."

Chapter 10.

Eboni shook her head. "No. I don't want to go home. I want us to talk." She approached Gunnar and put her hand on his arm.

That simple touch sent a surging heat through his body. Although Gunnar stayed in his spot, he couldn't stop his heavy breathing. "You don't understand what you're doing to me."

"Tell me." She moved closer to him.

"It's like dangling steak in front of a starving man." He billowed the front of his sweater to get some cool air against his chest. "You want to know the last time I had sex? It was the last time we had sex." Gunnar motioned his hand between their bodies. "I haven't dated anyone else. I haven't had any other type of sex either. You were right about the groupies. There were plenty of them willing to do whatever I wanted." He shook his head. "I didn't want any of them. I don't even watch porn. I wanted to stay focused on training and fighting. All night, hell, all day I've thought of nothing but having sex with you."

Eboni blinked and took a step back. "Wow."

"Yeah. Lack of sex makes a man angry."

She snickered. "No wonder you remained undefeated."

"I thought I'd be okay. But having you here and looking the way you do and smelling so good, I just keep thinking about--"

"What?" she interrupted him. "Tell me."

"I wouldn't be gentle. I would rip every one of those buttons off your dress to get to your body. I'd destroy your panties just to get to you."

"How do you know I have any on? I might not be wearing any."

"Christ, don't tease me." He moved by the doorway of the kitchen and pulled a chair in front of his body.

Gunnar felt himself trembling and hoped Eboni didn't notice. He gripped the top of the chair so hard he heard the wood crack.

"It looks like we have a great opportunity here. It would be a shame to turn our backs on it." Eboni looked like she glided toward him.

Gunnar held up his hand. "What I don't want is for us to do something that we'll regret. I can't have you hating me again."

Eboni remained quiet, regarding him for a moment. Then she spoke. "I never hated you. I just didn't understand." She took a deep breath. "There's a difference between now and then. First of all, we'll be going into this with eyes wide open. I know when Queen gets better that you'll be going again. No surprises this time. You have a career. You have to defend that title. Second, I want you, too. We're adults. I think we can handle a little fling without it being something more."

Gunnar shook his head. "I'm not going to treat you like a fling."

She moved in closer to him again. "Good. Then don't. Treat me like a woman you truly care about."

Gunnar approached her.

Eboni halted him with a hand to his chest. "And treat me like a lady. You may have had my body years ago. I'm going to make you appreciate it now."

He framed her small face in his large hands. "Baby, I'm not a virgin. You know that." When he pressed his lips against hers, everything stopped. He didn't want to pull from her when he did.

"Every dog can learn a new trick." Eboni smiled.

"Let me get your coat."

She furrowed her eyebrows. "You still want to take me home now?"

"No. I want you to keep warm when we walk over to the apartment over the garage. I can't do what I want to do to you in my mother's house."

Eboni went to the closet to get her coat. "What about yours?"