There Will Be Time Ch. 01

Hello Literotica community and guests!

This is my first story here so I hope it pleases most of you, (because you can't please everyone). Anyway, I would like to thank my editor allofthis, who has been really cooperative, open, and wonderful.

All feedback is welcome and I sincerely hope you enjoy!

LeoCharmer

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Chapter One: They call me... Crybaby?

Adina Richards stood in front of the mirror of the smelly restroom of The Wicked Vine nightclub and bar. The tremors coursing through her body just wouldn't stop and a tear threatened to escape from her right eye. She wouldn't let it though, because she had worked so hard on her makeup. She'd plucked and primed in order to make herself beautiful again after months of not caring about her appearance for the sake of finals. She was twenty-one years old and intended to graduate on time, and because of it she discovered that she had gained forty-two pounds.

Okay, maybe those pounds didn't accumulate in only four months, but over the past four years. Adina didn't like that she was forty pounds overweight, and hadn't realized just how fat she was until her father commented on it. "You've put on some weight," he said.

She could still fit her clothing (most of it), but she was starting to notice the threaded material on her favorite pair of jeans starting to stretch between the thighs, her breasts now need double D cups to keep her from spilling out of her bras, and her love handles were starting to show. That there told her where all those pounds had distributed to.

She used to wear nice clothes and high heels everywhere. To class, to meetings, to functions, to charity events. It didn't matter, as long as she was feeling good about herself. And now it seemed that her wardrobe only consisted of sweatpants, an old pair of baggy jeans, and long sleeved shirts and tennis shoes.

Tonight was New Year's Eve and her brother and favorite cousin were both performing at The Wicked Vine and she was acting as their hype-woman and photographer. And she was also there to get new clients as well for her business. She'd chosen a nice outfit, some black skinny jeans and a loose blue party top, and even pulled out a pair of her best looking stilettos.

Now, as she stood there in the lonely restroom trying to control her mental state, she didn't know if she could do either. And it was all because of that man who made it his business to put her in her place.

Sound was something Adina felt like she was good at detecting when it came to music. Her specialty was being able to hear whether or not something was off key or too loud that it was harsh on the ears. She knew sound, and the vibrations coming through the sound systems were coming from her brother Caleb's keyboard. It was not supposed to sound that way.

It hadn't been a big deal, and it hadn't necessarily been the promoter's words. It was his commanding voice and ability to make her feel inferior that made her take a step back mentally and physically.

Originally, Adina had been offended that he sought not to acknowledge her presence and to ignore her request to lower the volume of the keyboard. The reverb was awful and overpowered Robert's voice.

When she had stood in front of the promoter, she'd given him a once over before addressing him politely. He'd dressed for the club as if it were any other day; a muddy green looking button up shirt, khakis, and tennis shoes.

"This is a sound check. Do you know what a sound check is?" he asked, never taking his eyes away from the sound technician standing just to the side of him.

Adina glanced nervously between him and the young White guy who seemed to not want to get involved with the conversation. She liked for a person to look her in the eyes if they were engaging in a conversation, and it was clear to her that he didn't really care what it was that she had to say. The lack of eye contact disturbed her, but she didn't want him to know that.

Instead of saying the smart reply on the tip of her tongue, she merely confirmed that she did know what a sound check was quietly.

"Okay then, as soon as everything is good with all the sounds, then everything will balance out. Just let the man do his job. Or if you think you can do a better job—then go ahead." And finally his eyes land on her shocked face.

Adina was stunned by his assumption. He was mocking her she realized. And the worst part was that he had guessed right that she didn't know what to do. Her eyes shifted to the equipment to the left. She didn't know the first thing about deejaying or music engineering. The contraption and all of its dials and knobs was foreign to her. His eyes danced with humor as she gained control over her facial features.

"I--I--was just making a—" God, what word could she use to not sound like an expert? The last thing she wanted to do was ruin Caleb and Robert's chance at performing tonight. "A comment," she stammered and gripped the hem of her sweater in an iron grasp feeling like a mere duckling in front of Zeus himself.

No one had ever made her feel like a child before, not even her professors. Only her parents held that power over her and she had just gotten enough of that a couple of days ago. And maybe the police, but that was it.

And he kept on going in a condescending tone, totally discrediting her ability to know music by telling her that they knew what they were doing. At some point she had thought about tuning him out and walking away from him, but her mind wouldn't let her. His tone demanded that she stay and listen to him. Her mind and body were warring against each other. Her body was tingling to get away from him, while her pride told her that he shouldn't intimidate her. Stay.

Adina stood there leaning against the column next to her to steady her shaking body. The heels were no help either. She was upset and humiliated, but, nevertheless knew what she was talking about! So she tried again.

"But," she began timidly, "His keyboard—"

"Yeah and that's fine. But you do know what a sound check is, right?"

Nodding her head she resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She couldn't even count how many times he asked her that question and she was starting to get annoyed. Five. What he was doing was deliberate.

He turned his entire body to face her and she noticed his close proximity, but she didn't budge. Just because he was bigger and stronger, and knew more about how to do this sound check she wasn't going to back down so easily.

He finally looked her directly in her eyes as he said, "Everything will be fine unless you think you can do better. If you can then you can get behind there, and be my guest."

The slight laughter in his throat was coming through his words. He knew she couldn't do it.

Asshole! 'You arrogant, fucking curmudgeon!' "No," she said timorously after a moment of their stare down. Her eyes brimmed with tears of anger as she stared back at him and now she wished that he wasn't looking at her at all.

Don't fall... don't fall!

He smirked. "Just don't worry yourself over it. Everyone's ears work differently. It could be that yours are just a little sensitive. The actual show hasn't started yet, so why don't you sit tight and let this capable gentleman right here do his job."

Adina swiped her tongue over her teeth. "Okay," she nodded afraid to look away. 'I get it you fucking asshole,' she wanted to sneer at him, but she couldn't bring herself to. Her parents had raised her and Caleb to be respectful even when it was no longer called for. She felt that if she spoke more than one word to him then she would break down in front of him, and it wouldn't be good for her brother or cousin if she cursed him out then.

Any sudden movement on her behalf could make the waterworks start, so, she stood there for a couple more minutes gazing at the smug bastard in front of her. She had to remind herself that she was a grown ass woman and she cried for no one, especially someone she didn't even know. It wouldn't be good for her as a woman nor her brother as a musician.

This was for Caleb. She wanted him to walk into places where people would knock each other over just to get his autograph. She wanted the sparkling lights to welcome him and flashes of cameras to grace him. It was his dream to be a performer and she wasn't going to screw that up for him just because she was belittled. And for whatever reason that she couldn't quite get a grasp on, the conversation took a sharp left.

The bastard's eyes shifted and he now looked at her as if recognition dawned on him. Had he seen her from somewhere before? "What's your name?"

Adina looked down at his extended hand and reached for it instinctively. "Dina," she half whispered.

He frowned down at her with a slight smile and then leaned forward. "I'm sorry, what was it?"

"Adina," she said near his ear.

He leaned away but hadn't let go of her hand yet. "It's nice to meet you, Adina. How old are you?"

"Twenty-one."

"So, Adina, do you sing?"

"Yes," she said longer than she meant to. 'Why does it matter if I sing?'

"Oh you do? So if I were to put you in front of that mic, would I be able to hear you, or do you sing as low as you speak?"

She blushed, "No."

"No?"

And she shook her head.

His lips twitched a bit and she removed her eyes from his mouth and back to his eyes, still trying to keep the tears at bay. He wouldn't stop looking at her and she felt like they were silently daring one another. To do what, she didn't know.

"Adina," he said in a low guttural voice. The way he was looking at her made it seem as if he was just seeing her for the first time. He seemed a bit, happy? How long had they been exchanging words?

"Why do you speak so low?"

She gasped inaudibly at the change in his tenor voice. "I... my voice is very soft. I'm soft spoken."

His dark eyes made narrow slits and he gazed at Adina for a long time, as if trying to pry her skull open with some telekinesis powers.

She tried not to feel uncomfortable and removed her hand from his. 'Don't blink.'

He leaned forwards again to speak in her ear. "Then you're too young to understand what I am about to tell you."

Too young? Adina arched her eyebrow at the two words and shifted her weight, all tears forgotten. "Oh? Indulge me."

He smiled and leaned forward to speak again. He talked and quizzed her for what seemed like another ten minutes, and by the time she thought he was finished, he started up again.

Adina put all her weight back onto the column and tried not to look crestfallen. The tears had returned and this time not because she was angry, but because she was moved. She watched him silently as he pulled out his phone, wishing she had her phone so that she could be distracted.

She quickly glanced away at the chance that he wasn't paying attention reigning in her emotions. Geez, what was up with her tonight? This never ever happened from just talking with someone. Why was no one in this damn club paying attention? Why didn't her brother realize she was gone for more time than it would actually take to just say one thing? 'Caleb, help me,' she thought releasing a shuddering breath.

When she looked back in the promoter's direction she saw that he was watching her. Adina gave him a weak smile.

He stepped a bit closer to her closing the space between them and she looked up at him with pleading eyes for him not to say anymore. Leaning in he spoke in her ear, "Guess what?"

"What?" she swallowed, fearful of what he would say next. He spoke like an important person and held up airs like he was someone important. He was worse than a politician.

"It's my birthday."

She smiled broadly, but not too much so that damn tear in her right eye would fall, "Really?" she feigned surprise, but couldn't be happy for him. She didn't even have the nerve to ask him why he was here instead of celebrating.

He smiled broadly as well and nodded his head in agreement. He turned his head so that he was inches from her face. "Guess how old I am?" His warm breath grazed her cheek.

For once she was glad that she had brushed her teeth before they had left the house. She leaned back a little to gauge his expression as she tried to guess.

"Thirties?"

Shaking his head and lifting his hand in a repeated upward motion, his smile never wavered. He glanced down at his phone and stood straight again.

"Forties?" she said more than asked.

It took him a while to nod. "Now guess," he commanded playfully.

Adina frowned. He was completely different now than when she had initially come to make her request about the sound. Playful and talking to her like he just hadn't verbally attacked her credibility. "Forty-seven."

"Nope."

"Forty-nine?"

He nodded seemingly impressed that she had been close to the mark. A sad look touched his eyes for the briefest moment and then it was gone. His skin was smooth and the same color as hers—brown—and his features were very prominent. Straight nose, high cheek bones. He was attractive, but not that attractive for Adina lose her stoicism. Because she really hadn't noticed until then that he was handsome. "I bet I'm as old as your father," he quipped.

Adina nodded, "You are. He's forty-nine too." But this man didn't look that aged at all.

"Look at this," he said showing her his phone.

She felt an arm encircle her waist pulling her gaze away from the man. Her brother stood behind her looking down at her with an excited smile. "Hey Baps, is everything okay?"

She smiled up at Caleb, relieved that someone had finally come to her rescue. "Yeah," she sighed.

He turned around to speak to one of his companions. She turned her gaze back to the man's phone and saw a portrait of a man called Cesare Borgia.

"Good," she heard Caleb say as she continued to focus on the stream of pictures.

She glanced back at her brother quickly before turning back to the phone. Trying to divide her attention was proving to be a difficult task, but the man was patient. "What's up?"

"Oh, I just wanted to tell you that I'm going outside to make a few phone calls. I'll be right back."

"Oh," she said, frowning at a portrait of the fair skinned Jesus Christ that was right next to a picture of the Borgia guy. "When you go, can you grab my phone? I dropped it in the car."

"I didn't plan on going all the way to the car," her brother replied kind of sullenly.

"Never mind," she said turning her head to smile at him. "I guess I can go one night without that thing." And just as quickly as the words left her mouth, her brother kissed her on her forehead and told her he'd be right back.

Adina sighed and turned her attention back to 'that' subject again, but the man pulled his phone away abruptly. She gazed up at him surprised.

"What's—"

"I didn't know you were with the pianist. Why didn't you say anything? Of course you know what he's supposed to sound like!" he said trying to make light of the situation. "You should have said 'I know what I'm talking about! That's my man!'"

Disconcerted, she couldn't believe that his impression of her getting an attitude would be performed in such a ghetto fashion. Another sudden change in his character; she replied almost angrily, "Well... you know this kind of... stuff. You're the professional."

He laughed then, short and melodic, "Well, tell your man not to worry. Tell him that I'm old enough to be your father."

Adina gave a shaky laugh though she found what he'd just said to her utterly humorless. She leaned in so that he could hear her loud and clear. "He's my brother." And then she stepped back to look at his expression and was satisfied to see the surprise in his eyes.

"But he—"

She held up her hand, the images of Cesare Borgia and the pictures of Jesus Christ plastered in every Catholic text she'd ever read flooded her mind making her emotional all over again. She could care less about his mistake—for now. She doubted that he even knew how much that "origin lesson" really affected her.

"Excuse me." Adina turned around slowly so as to not fall on her face in those ridiculously high heels and made her way cautiously to the restroom.

"God, I'm so sensitive and stupid. What the hell am I crying about?!" she now berated herself, frustrated that the tear had finally managed to fall down her face. Then two more came and soon she was shuddering to get control over her emotions again. "Oh, right; because I don't anything about my own people."

Adina dabbed her eyes with a cloth and took a few deep breaths. "Get it together," she scolded her reflection. Tonight was about business, not a history lesson. Adina liked to think that she had a deeper understanding of who she was better than any other African American person her age. Until tonight, she had thought that she'd known who she was. That promoter surely opened her eyes.

What he'd told, or how he'd chosen to tell her was so profound it hurt her heart. She suddenly didn't feel like being in that place, thinking she should be in a solitude area to reexamine her life and everything she had been through and told.

The door suddenly pushed open and she turned her head away from whoever was entering. It was silent for a while and then she heard the deadbolt click. She reached her hand out toward the purse that held her pepper spray and spun around to see who in the world would do something like that and came face to face with the promoter.

'You again,' almost slip from her mouth. She blinked her tired eyes and pierced her lips withdrawing her empty hand from the purse. What did he want to talk about now? Why couldn't he just leave her alone?

"I'm sorry if I offended you. I thought you were just one of the customers from the bar trying to tell me how to do my job," he said with a cool expression on his face.

She averted her gaze down to the wet gray floor in defiance. 'I don't want to talk to you.' It wasn't that simple and it wasn't fair for him to make her feel like shit for being so ignorant. The problem was that she was more upset with herself; he hadn't done much except provide her with information and historical proof—and made her realize that she should stick to her own profession as a saleswoman.

He stepped forward closing the space between them and Adina backup instinctively pressing back against the sink counter, her heartbeat pounding in her ears. What is he doing?

She leaned her head back frowning at him, her chest heaving and then tensed when she saw his face. He looked... different. His eyes were darker and hooded, his lips slightly parted. "Adina, I..."

"What are you doing?" she panicked when he rested his hands on either side of her. Her eyes darting around for her bag; she'd just had it. If this guy thought he was going to attack her then he had another thing coming.

On contact, Adina's mind went blank and all she felt were his soft lips pressed against hers and her nether regions tighten. His tongue snaked out to taste her lips and she shuddered, letting out an involuntary groan. She almost cried when his mouth left hers. Her eyes fluttered open to find him looking at her with a small humorous smile for a long time before answering in the most seductive voice she'd ever heard in her life, "Apologizing."

Adina stood there trembling like a deer in headlights watching his face lower to hers again. The sudden attraction to him now that she was alone and wrapped in his powerful arms was so unexpected. This time she still wasn't ready for it, but he was insistent, using his hands to crane her face up to his, consuming Adina's tingling mouth in a lustful kiss. No one had ever kissed her so passionately before.

Before she knew what she was doing, she was kissing him back grabbing onto the front of his button up shirt and pressing her burning body into his. He ran his hands swiftly down her ribs sending a rush of excitement through her system. She was so aroused that her nipples tightened to little buds and scraped against the fabric of the bra she was wearing.