SWEET BEGINNINGS and SPICY ENDINGS tales of true love
Lenise Lee Publications www.leniseleepublications.com www.iamlenise.wordpress.com
Also Available from Lenise Lee
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Copyright © 2011 by Lenise Lee. All rights reserved.
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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents have no existence outside of the author’s imagination and are purely fictitious. Any similarity to actual events, locales, or people, living or deceased, is coincidental.
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WARNING: The material included in this work is intended for adult readers 18 years of age and older. Please store this material in a safe place where underage readers will not have access to view it. Author’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Although the characters in this fictitious writing engage in unprotected and experimental sexual acts, the author does not endorse unsafe sexual practices in real life situations.
Dedication
This story is dedicated to the One who can make all things possible, thank you. A dedication is also given to you, dear reader, thank you for your support.
An Angel for Ms. Right By Lenise Lee
Chapter 1 “Excuse me?” The warm baritone voice interrupted Denise Right’s deep thought and stopped her in her tracks as she exited the lecture hall. Without thinking, she turned quickly on her heels and collided with a massive wall that turned out to be a broad muscular chest. “I-I am so sorry,” Denise stuttered as she looked up in to the most dazzling seagreen eyes she had ever seen. Her breath caught in her chest and she stumbled back and would have went crashing to the floor, if two large hands had not reached her in time enough to steady her on her feet. “Whoa. Steady as she goes. Are you okay?” the green eyes peered uncertainly into Denise’s light brown ones. She remembered where she was and managed to pull her eyes away from his gaze and looked around quickly to confirm whether or not anyone else had witnessed her buffoonery. Thankfully, most of the other students in the Introduction to Legal Process class had already exited and her professor was busy gathering his papers from the dais and had not noticed the scene. “I didn’t mean to startle you,” pretty eyes said as he tried to capture her attention once more. Denise reluctantly turned her head back in his direction. “No, it’s fine. It was my fault. I wasn’t paying attention to what I was doing.” He smiled then and, if it were possible, his eyes seemed to turn from sea-green to a stunning emerald while two breathtaking dimples pierced the cheeks of his olive-
colored skin. Denise felt a blush coming on and decided to hurry the conversation on before she embarrassed herself even further. “Um, did you need something?” she questioned, making sure not to stare too hard at his adorable dimples. With one quick stroke, he ran his tanned hand through his dark hair. Denise noted that it was short around the side and slightly spiky on top. It was not the usual look that she would go for on a guy, but on him it definitely had a sexy appeal and seemed to bring out the strong angular cut of his face. “Actually, I did have a question.” His brow furrowed and he seemed to be trying to find the right words. He took a deep breath and sucked in his lower lip. At that moment, Denise wished she could taste that lip. “Would you go out with me?” Once again, Denise felt herself rocking on the ball of her feet but was able to catch herself before she pivoted too far back and needed another rescue. He must have seen the look of confusion on her face because he quickly continued without being prompted. “Wait, before you think that I am some kind of stalker or weirdo. It’s not what you think. I mean, I don’t think I phrased that correctly.” Of course not, she thought, no guy this gorgeous would ask me out without there being some hidden agenda. She took a quick scan over him again. He was probably around the same age as her – twenty-three – but the similarities ended there.
Black tee that hugged that
wonderful chest she had experienced only a moment ago. Loose fitting dark blue jeans hung perfectly around his hips. A pair of black oxford shoes rounded out the look. He stood well over six feet and had a solid look that confirmed he must work out on the regular. She, on the other hand, had only barely made it to the 8 AM lecture and was donned in a pair of grey sweatpants and long sleeve grey tee, white sneaks. She had only enough time to comb her chestnut brown hair that hung slightly pass her shoulders into a single pony tail at the base of her lean neck before breaking into a fast run across the campus to be seated only moments before Professor Peterson began his morning tirade. Denise took another mental comparison between the immaculate man that stood before her and her own sloppy image and instantly concluded that he wanted something from her. He probably wanted to copy her lecture notes. It was no secret that she currently held the highest average in this course and he would not be the first to attempt to convince her to do their work in exchange for some type of compensation. The first year of law school was brutal and most students did not finish out the entire year before moving on to another course of study. The class she entered with the preceding fall was a total of 200 and had now dwindled to less than 100 during the middle of the spring semester. “What did you mean?” she heard the defensive tone in her voice. Pretty eyes still held a tight wrinkle in his brow and the squinting of his eyes indicated he had taken note of the change in her mannerism as well. “I wanted to ask if you would help me out with this class,” he nearly whispered as he watched her intensely for her reaction.
Ha! I knew it, she smiled in her mind as she mentally congratulated herself on her logical deduction. She placed her hand on her hip, “Look, um, what did you say your name was?” “I didn’t. I’m Adam Aggeliki,” he said as he extended a large hand toward her. Slowly, Denise allowed her own to be enveloped by his firm grasped and felt a warm sensation blanket her mocha tinted skin. Her lashes fluttered and the pair locked eyes once more.
Realizing that he was probably purposefully using his strong
masculinity to win her over, she quickly recovered her hand and then spun around on her heels to move toward the exit door to the left of the lecture hall. “Look, Adam Ag-Ag-” “Aggeliki. It’s Greek.” “Yeah,” Denise called over her shoulder, “That’s nice. I don’t cheat and I don’t do people’s homework, okay? So, I guess that answers any other questions you may have. Bye.” Confident she had made her point, Denise quickly pushed through the door and into the bright sunshine. Her mission was to forget her problems at home, forget she was stressed to the point of tears over her studies, and most definitely forget Mr. Aggeliki.
Chapter 2 Two hours and two cups of black coffee later, Denise found a table in the middle of the study area on the second floor of the Eastern States University Law Library. She flopped down into the high back wooden chair with such force that she found herself suddenly moving in a backwards direction as the chair tipped back on two legs. She jumped up quickly and recovered both her balance and that of the chair before reseating herself, very slowly and carefully this time around. With her papers and several textbooks spread out before her on the large oak desk, she mentally prepared to set to work on getting some major studying done. Midterms were only a couple of weeks away and then spring break. She would have to find the strength to force her drained body to go back home and proceed to pretend how wonderful everything was in the Right Family for a week or so. “I can hardly wait,” she mumbled and then reached for her Torts and Contract Law textbook. At the same moment, the tiny black cell phone clipped to her left hip began to vibrate. This is unbelievable, Denise thought as she scanned the number on the screen before flipping the phone open. “Hello, Mother,” she forced a smile onto her face and hoped it would reflect in her voice. “Denise,” her mother began – no hello, no how are you – straight into a chiding session, “how many times do I have to remind you to call me Mom? For goodness sakes,
we are related by blood, or have you forgotten about that along with bothering to call me at least once per week.” “Sorry, Mom,” Denise purposefully over emphasized the last word, “I have been a little busy. You know, trying to get good grades and all.” “Oh, Denise, you really need to get a life. It is always study, study, and study with you. Why do you persist in ostracizing your own self from the social community?” “You mean, why won’t I go out with any of those guys with the over inflated egos you keep trying to set me up with? That’s what you really meant, right Mom?” The frustration in her mother’s voice became evident after she inhaled a large and overly dramatic breath. “Denise, why do you insist on giving me such grief? All I want to do is look out for your best interest and all you want to do is fight me all the way.” “Mother, your idea of ‘my best interest’ is marrying me off to some doctor or lawyer and then waiting until you can start counting grandkids!” A sudden look of anger from a dark-haired man seated at the table in front of her alerted Denise that she had raised her voice too high and needed to step into the stairwell to finish this conversation before it became even more heated. She threw him a quick smile and then rested the phone between her ear and shoulder. As she rose from her chair, she decided against grabbing her black leather handbag from the table since she would be sure to be right back. She scanned the area as she walked through the large room and looked over tables and around bookcases in search of the door to the stairwell. All the while, her mother continued to try to command the conversation, as usual.
“Denise, you have no right to speak to me that way. If you father was here, I would tell him about this sudden attitude you have as of late.” “But he’s not there, is he, Mother?” Denise shot back after she heard the door to the stairwell click closed. The sudden silence confirmed that her point had been made. Her father, Dr. George Coolidge Right III was rarely home at this time of day or evening. In the last few years, even before Denise had went off to the university, Dr. Right had seemed to find an endless number of reasons to avoid spending anything but the briefest of moments with his family. Denise use to feel sorry for her Mother. Never much of a sleeper, even when she still lived at home on a regular basis, on her way to the large family study or toward the kitchen, Denise would catch muffled sobs of grief coming from her parents’ room. Since she was always certain that her father was not in the house, Denise could only assume that Mrs. Patricia Right had been crying herself to sleep again. It was after several of those episodes Denise vowed she would never allow her life to be that vulnerable to the whims of a man. Around the same time she stopped hearing the cries in the night, her mother seemed to try to take domineering control over Denise’s life, especially her love life. “You know that is not fair, Denise. Your father works hard to provide for us and to keep you at that expensive school you so desperately hide yourself away at.” Denise knew the last statement was meant as retaliation for her earlier comment. Denise resigned this was a losing battle, only to get worse now that the lines had been drawn, and decided it was time to play nice and end this conversation ASAP.
“Mother – sorry – Mom, I have to go back to studying. I will try to give you a call this weekend. I promise.” Denise snapped the phone shut before her mother had a chance to keep the dialogue going any further. She moved to the door and pushed but the heavy metal blockade did not budge. She tried again, putting her shoulder against the frame, since she could not locate a knob, and shoved as hard as she could. It was after the third attempt when Denise realized her 5’4” and 125 lb frame were not going to get the heavy door open. She looked down and noticed the large sign that had materialized from thin air. Emergency Exit only. No Re-entry. “Shit.” The expletive escaped her lips before she could attempt to hold it in.
Chapter 3 Adam Aggeliki felt like a complete idiot. He had gone about his first encounter with Denise all the wrong way. Stupid, stupid, he mentally scolded himself, Of course she would think you were trying to use her. After all, he started off by asking her out and then ended in practically begging her to help him study. What other conclusion could she possibly draw from that turn around? He ran his hand through his hair again, for the umpteenth time, a nervous tick he hated but could not seem to kick. Seated at the study desk, Adam attempted to focus on the Litigation and the Law book opened before him. Each and every time he tried to read through the pages, the image of an embarrassed and then pissed-off Denise floated into his mind. What was he thinking anyway? What would a girl such as her want with someone like him? Despite his best efforts to keep himself looking in top condition by visiting the gym at the campus several times a week and buying the latest styles – albeit from the bargain racks – there was no way he could compare to Denise Right. From what he had heard, her family was well connected and had more money than the entirety of his family would be able to pull together in a year. Adam was positively sure her four year tuition was already paid in full. He, on the other hand, was here via an academic scholarship and several loans.
He was on thin ice in Intro to Legal Process class, having only
accomplished a C on his last paper and a C+ on the last exam. He could not afford to get anything less than an overall B average to keep his funding. Considering she had the highest grade average in the class, Denise was probably his only hope in passing the course, but would probably not attempt to give him any more of her time after this
morning’s incident. He needed to find a way to work up to talking with her again, perhaps if he explained the situation – more clearly this time – she might reconsider helping him out. A noise of wood scraping against the linoleum on the floor jarred Adam from his thoughts. The minute he realized who it was, he knew his prayers were being answered. For a moment, all he could do was watch her as she fumbled with gaining her balance with the chair. A small smile spread over his lips. She always seemed so lost in her own thoughts, and he wondered how she made it through her day without hurting herself several times over. After having already formed a habit of sneaking side looks at her during the lectures, he realized he could easily watch her all day. Her beautiful brown skin always looked so soft and warm; Adam had yearned to have that feel on his fingertips. Today was the first opportunity he had to touch her and the moment did not disappoint. The minute their hands connected, he felt a surge of electricity pass between them. Adam knew she felt it too. When she captured him with those gorgeous light brown eyes, the fire hidden behind them said it all. It took all of his strength not to confess how much he wanted to pull her into his arms and ignite her passion the way she did his. Adam came back to the present and had not realized he was completely transfixed on the woman in front of him until he heard her yelling into her phone. Though he had missed most of what she had said, the tone made it sound like an urgent situation. Instinctively, he wanted to know what the problem was and how he could make it right for her. A funny thought to have considering she did not know who he was until earlier today and even now, staring directly into his face, did not recognize him since she only
tossed him a completely platonic, yet polite, smile as she quickly rose and walked away from the place she had been sitting. Right after he watched her scramble down an aisle of books, he noticed she had left her handbag open on the table. Adam knew that the college they attended was a prestigious one but that did not mean there were not people who would maliciously capitalize on an opportune moment, such as an unattended handbag. Before anyone could wonder what he was doing near her belongings, he quickly picked up the bag and moved his legs in long strides to catch up to her. It took a few minutes of searching in vain before Adam concluded she probably wanted some privacy to handle her phone call and had most likely headed for the stairs at the back of the floor. By the time he reached the door, he heard her voiced raised and decided to hang back a moment before he went through to offer her the forgotten bag. As he spied the sign on this side of the door, he also recognized Denise would be trapped on the other side if he was not there to open it since there was no way she would be able to enter the library from the stairwell. Adam’s mood lifted slightly as he thought this may be the fresh start he needed to reintroduce himself to this stunning lady.
Chapter 4 Denise placed a small hand to her forehead as she felt her stomach turn over and she prayed the moment of dizziness and nausea would pass. This day was going from bad to worse to hell in only a few short hours. She suddenly understood when people she knew often commented they wanted a ‘do-over’ to the day, a chance to start over again and hopefully get the day right the second time around. Get it together, girl, Denise forced herself to take a deep breath. She turned to make her way down the stairs to exit the building and then come back in to gather her things, all the while hoping no one decided on grabbing the last fifty dollars she had in her small purse in the handbag she had so smartly left behind while in a hurry to silence her overbearing mother. Before stepping foot onto the top of the stairs to descend, she heard the door creak open and sigh of relief washed over her. “Thank you so much,” she offered and smiled as she turned and was again captured by those dazzling emerald optics. A sensation of warmth gathered in her stomach, replacing the uneasiness there. His smile was so inviting and comforting. The moment she felt like being captured by those strong arms, Denise knew her mind was playing an awful joke on her sensibility. She remembered how he had tried to play her for a fool earlier and all semblance of happiness faded from her heart and, for some reason, she wanted that feeling again, but it was too late to go back on her newfound annoyance at this man. “Oh, it’s you,” she said poignantly, “What do you want now? I told you, I don’t do other peoples work, that does include term papers.”
His vibrant smile disappeared in an instant and Denise felt like a complete ass for what she had said, especially when she eyed her bag in his hand. He was only returning it to her. He must have been the one sitting across from her in the library. And, to add to her idiocy, Denise also realized that if it were not for him, she would not be able to get back into the library without going the long route down, out, in, and back up. Way to go, Denise. He saved your butt twice in five minutes and you give him grief. Maybe my mother is right about me and this attitude thing. “I only wanted to give you your bag,” he nodded his head toward the inside of the library, “you left it on the table and I didn’t want anyone to take your money or anything. Anyway, here you go. Sorry to bother you.” He practically tossed the bag at her and then turned away and hesitated mid-step. “Also, I thought you might need someone to open the door for you since you can’t get back in from the stairs,” his voice was barely above a whisper. He stepped into the stairwell to hold the door open while Denise slinked passed him with her head and eyes low. As soon as they both were on the inside again, he stepped around her and was headed back toward the tables. “Wait,” she called to him but was sure he would keep walking. After all, his duty was done and she had been nothing but ungrateful. To her surprise, Adam stopped but he kept his back to her. His large frame was like a statue and her words caught in her throat as she tried to form something resembling an apology. “Hey, look, I am sorry for the way I acted back there. I have had a crazy morning, and I am so stressed about midterms, and my mother has been calling me
nonstop, and—” she stopped her own self when she realized she had been rambling. Denise also noticed that he still had not turned to face her. When she thought her own silly apology had failed, it was her turn to take a few steps around him and move toward the tables. “How about lunch? My treat.” For the first time in what seemed like years, Denise felt her whole face lift in a bright smile that she could actually feel in her inner being and was truly genuine not rehearsed.
Chapter 5 Adam watched Denise literally devour the strawberry shortcake pastry he had purchased for her in the cafeteria. Though the large space was awash with noise of various groups of people laughing and talking, all while large flat screen televisions on all four walls pumped in the latest news from the various cable news channels, all Adam focused on was the beauty who sat before him. He noticed she had a small spot of cream left on her upper lip after taking the last bite. Before he could stop himself, he reached over and lifted the cream from her lip with the tip of his index finger and then placed the digit into his own mouth. There was a look of shock followed by an all too brief moment of desire that crossed her perfect oval face. He knew right then his action had not been a mistake. She may be interested but was not ready to admit to it just yet. He needed to steady his own self; it would be all too easy for him to get caught in her soulful brown eyes and her vivacious smile. When she smiled earlier, her entire countenance became illuminated.
Her already naturally beautiful
features became more breathtaking. Other than the light lip gloss she wore on her full lips, he did not notice any other make-up. Her button nose was so cute and perfect. These were only some of the reasons why it took Adam until today to gather the courage to approach Denise. “Adam,” Denise waived a hand in front of his face, “Adam, are you okay?” “Yes,” he sat up with a start, “what were you saying?” Denise laughed and he had no choice but to join in. Her laugh was light and infectious. It was like a melody he could listen to any number of times and was confident would bring the same joy and happiness as though it was the first all over again.
“I was saying I also wanted to apologize for earlier after the lecture. I really should have given you a better opportunity to explain what you were trying to say.” “No, you were right to shoot me down. I went about the whole thing in the complete wrong manner.” “So, please explain,” she flashed those golden eyes at him again and his heart sped up double time. “What I was trying to get out earlier,” he licked his lips and noticed that she followed the movement and allowed her mouth to hang slightly open. To be sure, he repeated the movement and achieved the same affect and, this time, she licked hers sending his mind spirally miles away from what he was attempting to say. Denise caught on and laughed. “You’re doing it again,” she said and he felt his cheeks flush a deep red. “I can’t help it, Denise,” he stared at her and almost willed her to feel the emotions bubbling inside of him. “You have this effect on me. It took me weeks to get enough courage to come up to you and I blew it and here I am doing it all over again.” She sat back in the chair and offered him a confused stare. He feared maybe he had said too much too soon. “What do you mean? How can I have any effect on you, we only meant this morning?” “Ah,” Adam tried to lighten the mood, sitting back as comfortable as possible in the folding chair at the table and clasping his hands behind his head, “we were introduced this morning. I have known about you for a while now. I have to admit, you amaze me.”
It was Denise’s turn to blush as she averted her eyes and scanned several other tables before turned back to him. Adam decided to capitalize on this opening. It was as good a time as any and if they were going to have any type of relationship, personal or professional, he wanted to be as open and honest as possible. On a hunch, he took her petite hands into his own and immediately was overtaken by how delicate they were, how good they felt in his brawny ones, and how he did not want to let them go for anything else on earth right now. “Denise, I started off this morning trying to convince myself to ask you for your help in getting my grade together in Litigation,” he felt her hands tense in his own and saw the rest of her body sit up straight in the chair across the table from him. “Wait, before you think I am one of those guys only trying to get by without doing the work that is far from the truth. I realized right after you walked away, the real reason why I came up to you is because I really wanted to talk with you. Yes, I do need help with the class but even if you say no, I still want to get to know you.” She tried to pull her hand out of his grasp but he held tight and leaned over the table. “Tell me right now you don’t feel some type of connection between us and I will walk away and never bother you again for as long as we both attend this school.” “Adam—” “Yes or no, Denise.” “Yes,” she fidgeted in the chair, “but this feels so, so weird. I can’t explain.”
Adam knew the reason why and went immediately on the defensive. He allowed her hands to fall to the table. He immediately wanted to capture their softness again and had to hold his breath to suppress the urge. “Why? I’m not on your level? Because one of my parents does not have wing of campus center named after him?” “What are you talking about?” He studied her face but could not read whether her confusion was honest or a way to back out of the accusation the easy way. After a surveying the dazed look on her face, he concluded he was the one who had – again – pushed the conversation in the wrong direction. His hand immediately went to his hair and stroked through it several times before he abruptly pushed back from the table and grabbed his canvas sling bag. “Look, sorry I wasted your time. Forget everything I said. See you around?” He made his way through the throngs of patrons in the cafeteria before realizing that she had not followed and he could slow his pace. He found he was disappointed she had not pursued but pushed the emotion to the back of his mind for now.
Chapter 6 Lying on the bed in her dorm room, Denise recounted the events from earlier last week. She had not seen Adam since that day. Although he attended the lecture without fail, Adam always arrived after she did and made sure he was the first one out of the door at the end of the period. She had absolutely no chance to say a word to him. Somehow, she had missed him since that fateful day last week. The heat from his eyes each time they had seen one another that day was so palpable she was convinced the intensity of the image would be embedded in her mind forever. Since she did not know much about him other than his name, neither did she know what other classes he was in, it was tough to try to run into him anywhere else on campus. There were four major buildings, three dorm halls, and a host of several other smaller facilities on the campus so he could be anywhere at any given time. The only thing she had to go on was his name. His name! Of course! She thought to herself as she rolled into a sitting position on the bed. She did not have to worry about making too much noise because her roommate had not returned. It was only 8 PM Friday night, so Denise did not expect to see Amanda until the early AM hours, probably as close to dawn as possible. Lifting her laptop from its carrier bag, Denise logged on to the school’s intranet and found the link she needed on the homepage. Digging deep into her memory, she searched for the pronunciation of his last name and started typing into the search engine box. Angel… Angellis… Aggeliki …ahh, here it is. Since his name was so unique, there was only one Adam Aggeliki listed on the Eastern States University People search. She quickly scanned the basic information and
found his Instant Message screen name. With that in hand, she took a deep breath and typed it into the intranet application. When she saw that a green dot was lit up next to his name, indicating he was still online at whatever terminal he was logged in at, Denise let out a breath she did not realize she had been holding. Why she was going through so much trouble over one guy she had met exactly once, Denise had no idea. Then she remembered how, over a brief lunch date, she had a sense of freedom and happiness that had become foreign to her. Even the idea of a date had become only a memory in her distant past. Not one guy had so much as looked at her since she stepped foot on this campus. She assumed it did not help that she practically lived in sweat pants or jogging outfits and refused to do anything more to her hair than a ponytail or have it hang loose around her shoulders. Denise honestly did not see the point in any emotional attachments to men or anyone else. People, most certainly men, only seemed to disappoint or, at the very least, have an ulterior motive for trying to get close. With Adam, the small bond forged was almost instant and offered her a relief she craved for so long. It was perhaps that closeness, that connection that Denise missed the most. Before the sudden cold shoulder her father handed the family, they had all known some really great times together. Now, everything was a façade at home, one she could no longer be a part of. The connection she felt with Adam brought back a wave of good memories and feelings she desperately wanted back but had convinced herself could no longer exist in her life. When Adam walked away that day, she knew he had some painful secrets of his own he was holding in. Denise held a high hope, given enough time; they would be able to help one another through those pains.
Denise clicked on Adam’s name and was about to type a message when she heard her phone on top of the dresser buzz loudly. She slid the small computer off of her lap and onto the bed as she reached over to grab the phone, all the while watching the green dot on the screen as though her life depended on it. Without checking the phone first, she flipped it open and chimed a greeting. “Well,” her Mother began, “look who is home on a Friday night. Not surprising at all.” While rolling her eyes, Denise sat back against the wall that the bed was adjacent to and placed the computer back on her folded legs. “Mom, I don’t have time for this. Is there a reason you called? Surely, you must have some social function to attend to?” “Actually, I thought your Father and I would be dining out, but he had….other plans, so,” she stopped as though thinking what her next words should be then continued, “Are you coming home tomorrow?” “Mom, you know that I am not scheduled to come back to Pennsylvania until Spring Break in two weeks.” Suddenly overwhelmed with the guilt of not having been home to see her parents in no less than two months, she reconsidered her last statement. “Maybe I can schedule some time next weekend.” “Okay, it’s a definite that you will be here right?” “Yes, I will.” “Good, good. I will see you then. Goodbye, dear.”
With that said, the woman ended the call with no further argument and it was all too strange for Denise but her mind could only process one event at a time. The pressing issue at the moment was that Adam’s name no longer had a green orb next to it, and was not highlighted, usually indicative that he had signed out of his account. Not knowing what else to do, Denise opened up her email account, started typing, and hoped for a miracle.
Chapter 7 Adam knew the minute all four of his roommates had returned to the dorm room in the early evening smelling of alcohol there was no way he was going to be able to get any reading done. Though he had attempted to do just that, after thirty minutes of furniture movement and loud yelps from the common living area of the suite, he gave up the cause as hopeless and wandered outside to find another place to work. He had tried to understand the material but was still having a tough time getting through. The midterms were only two weeks away and he needed to pass that exam with no less than a B+ to keep up his average. Lifting the canvas bag higher on his broad shoulder, he glanced at his wristwatch and concluded the library was either closed or in the process of escorting the last remaining visitors toward the doors. As he crossed the quad, he remembered there was a café around the corner from the west entrance of the campus. Adam was almost positive there was free Wi-Fi there. He would need to look up certain topics online as he read them in the law textbook so as to keep a concrete understanding of the material. For the last week, other than trying to get ready for exams, he was completely consumed with thoughts of Denise. After the fool he had made of himself, he could not bring himself to face her again. He made sure to avoid her as much as possible, which did not seem difficult since he was sure she was not looking for him. He had been rude to leave her at the table but could think of no other way of talking his way out of an embarrassing admission. He was ashamed for not having access to the privileges he was sure were available to Denise. The thought of how she would never want a relationship
with someone like him, who had nothing to offer her, was already embedded at the back of his mind. Life had not always been like this for him. Adam thought back to his early high school years in Reading, PA. He, his parents, and younger brother all lived in a two story townhouse. His father worked as an accountant in Philadelphia and his mother mostly tended to the home, although she did work as a substitute teacher from time to time to bring in a little extra money for the family. Everything had been great until that night. Adam almost felt his heart breaking all over again. Not wanting to dwell on the past and an uncertain future, he moved his thoughts back to studying. He allowed himself one final thought about the lost look Denise always seemed to have in her eyes. Maybe that was the reason he felt so drawn to her. They both seemed to be floating through life, unable or unwilling to connect to anything. She may be the one to bring him back to earth and help him gain a sentiment for life again, if only he could find a way to reach out to her without her or him pulling back.
By a little after eight o’clock that night, Adam’s eyes were near exhaustion. He had updated all the course blogs that required at least one posting per week and contacted some professors via the school intranet email to discuss any options for extra credit or preparing for midterms they could offer. He had even made it through several chapters in one of the litigation textbooks fairly well and decided to call it an evening.
After logging off and packing most of his belongings into the bag, Adam remembered one final task he had forgotten. Luckily, he had not shut down his laptop. All he needed to do was access his school email account again and take a quick look to see whether his little brother had sent him anything. Charles was in his early teens and, though Adam liked to check in with his brother as often as possible, as with every other teen in this day and age, Charles seemed to only want to communicate via the web or some other electrical device. Adam laughed to himself as he scrolled through the emails before coming across one that caught his eye. He clicked on the message as fast as his index finger would allow him.
To: Adam Aggeliki (
[email protected]) FROM: Denise Right (
[email protected]) Subject: (No Subject) Hi Adam.
It’s me, Denise.
Sorry about the other day.
I really would like to be friends with you.
If you still
need some help with that class, please let me know.
You
can call me at the number below anytime J
A tickle of hope ran through his chest as he searched his bag for his phone, making a mental note to send a text to his brother later, and then punched in the number displayed in the message on the screen. One ring, two, three… As the fourth one was about to start, Adam pulled the phone away from his ear and started to hit the end button when a heavenly voice came on the line.
“Hello?” Adam closed his eyes and took in the sweetness of her voice. “Hello? Is this Adam?” “Yeah, sorry. Hi, Denise. It’s me. Can I come see you?”
Chapter 8 The minute she heard the knock on the room door, her heart jumped. Denise took one last look in the hall mirror before deciding to take her hair out of the band to let the brown hair fall free around her shoulders. She also decided to put away the workout wear for one night and instead now wore a cream colored sweater that fit her slim upper body and hung just off the left shoulder, a pair of black jeans that fit her curved hips perfectly, and accented the outfit with a pair of black sling back high heels with peep toes. Denise smiled at her reflection. It was an image she had not seen on herself in some time and she loved every inch of it. She hoped Adam would also. Inhaling a calming breath, she opened the door and immediately wanted to throw herself against his tall and solid body. Her senses screamed that she wanted to be completed engulfed by the presence of this man and his muscular build. The telling smile on his handsome face was stretched from ear to ear and validated a similar thought crossed his mind. She could almost see the green in his eyes casting a blaze. “You look stunning,” he breathed out and she took his hand and led him into the moderate sized suite. After she offered him a seat on the couch, Denise moved to the kitchen to catch her breath. Her body seemed to come alive as soon as he was near. He was the definition of delicious in his light blue jeans and a white polo shirt that set off his wonderful complexion. The shortness of his hair and its spiky roughness had definitely grown on her and she loved how it gave him an appearance of raw manliness she wanted a piece of.
“Did you want something to drink?” she called to him as she stood in front of the refrigerator and enjoyed its coolness. “No, I only want you,” he whispered in her ear as he stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her body closer into his. Shivers went down her spine. Without thought or hesitation, Denise happily sank back into his warmth and wanted to stay in his comforting embrace for as long as possible. “Denise, I missed you. I know that does not sound logical given that we haven’t known one another long, but I can’t seem to help this feeling that you give me.” She turned to face him and saw the sincerity in his eyes. She also saw the sadness, the hints of emptiness she had seen reflected many times in the mirror as she watched herself. She placed a hand delicately to his cheek, only slightly rough from a day’s worth of short dark stubble. He turned his lips to offer her palm a soft kiss. Denise felt her folds moisten. Reason told her to pull back but her heart told her this was a good feeling, something she wanted – no, something she needed to experience. “I know what it is,” she bowed her head, almost afraid to finish her thought allowed. He placed a large finger under her chin and lifted her face until their eyes once more melded into one another’s. “Tell me.” “You bring me to life. I have been so alone and shut down for so long. With you – your touch, your smile, they awaken a joy in me that I allowed to slip away.”
She stopped and he cupped her face into his hands. His olive skin accented her light brown tone perfectly. “Denise, I feel the same way.” Ever so gently he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. She responded softly at first then inhaled his scent of spice and pine and went deeper into the kiss. He eagerly returned the passion that stirred between them. They clung to one another, enjoying the taste of a love in bloom. It was only when Denise felt the cold from the open refrigerator slide across her shoulders she broke the kiss and laughed. It was a laugh of freedom, of a heavy weight being lifted from her mind and her soul. Finally, she believed that there was a chance of her reclaiming peace and happiness in her life.
Chapter 9 Seated on the couch, Denise sat atop Adam’s lap as he held her in his arms. Everything about the moment was so right, so familiar to them both. He held his face to her hair and used his free hand to stroke his fingers through her long tresses. She, in turn, allowed her hands to roam freely across his wide chest. She could feel the hardness of his muscles through the thin cotton of the shirt. She could also feel a delightful bulge growing through his jeans, but had chosen not to comment on that fact as of yet. Denise snuggled down closer to him and exhaled a sigh of relief. “Tell me about yourself.” “What do you want to know?” he whispered as he caressed her back. “Everything. Where are you from?” “Reading, Pennsylvania.” She giggled with delight. “I’m from Chestnut Hill!” He nuzzled her nose and said, “What are the chances?” Making sure to keep their noses touching, she thought of another question. “Okay, tell me about your family, your parents.” He stiffened immediately when she said the words. He knew she did not realize the reason why and could see the worry growing across her face as she sat up due to his reaction. “Adam, what is it? Did I say something wrong?” He looked into her doe eyes and touched her face with the back of his hands as he tried to calm her fear.
“No, it wasn’t you. It was my fault. My family is a sensitive topic for me, is all.” His hand remained on her face but his eyes sank low. “Mine too,” she offered and placed a kiss on his cheek. “I will tell you mine if you tell me yours.” “Are you sure? I don’t want to bring up any painful memories or hurt you any more than you already maybe.” He smiled at the thought of her concern. “No, it’s fine. I want you to know. Actually, it would be better to tell you now and try to avoid any confusion later.” He sat up and she scooted off his lap to the place right next to him. He wrapped an arm around her to make sure she did not go far from his side. “Denise,” he started slow then continued in a hurry as though the words could not be stopped from pouring from his mouth, like a bad taste he needed to get out, “my parents are dead.” She held her hands to her mouth and then clasped her arms around his neck. “I am so sorry, Adam. I promise, I did not know or I wouldn’t have asked.” He pulled her in even closer to him and took in the comfort she tenderly offered. “Thank you. Of course you didn’t know and that’s why I avoided you after our lunch last week.” She sat back and looked up at him. “I don’t think I understand.” A sad smile crossed his lips and he leaned his elbows on his outstretched legs, placing his head in his hands before recovering a moment later.
“Let me explain. My parents made good money when they were still living, but they didn’t have any savings or life insurance. I guess it was something they intended to do and never got around to it,” he hunched his shoulders at the thought. “I use to play football in high school. We played on Friday nights in the fall and they always liked to be there. It was the last game of the season in my junior year and my father had a really important business dinner that he had to attend in Philadelphia. He and my mom went to the dinner and I took my little brother, Charles, with me. At the end of the game, they were still a no-show. My brother and I reached our house and there were police waiting inside and so was our grandmother, our father’s mother. I don’t remember much of what was said that night other than the police concluded it was a drunk driver who must have stolen someone’s car. The other vehicle hit my parents’ car head-on on I-95 and they were gone instantly. The other driver must have made it, but they never found him or her.” Denise gasped at the reality that had come crashing down on her. Here she was complaining about how her parents had left her life in emotional upheaval and Adam’s parents were no longer on the earth. She felt hot tears sting her eyes and wiped them away with the back of her hand. She noticed Adam was no longer speaking and had buried his face in his hands while low sobs came out. Denise immediately wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into her embrace. No words were needed. The couple held one another until Adam pulled away to lift his head and continue. “So, after that, we went to stay with my grandmother. She only had her pension and my grandfather’s pension to live off of. We sold what we could and used the proceeds from the sale of the house for my parents’ funeral and burial and there was not
much left over after that. I worked part-time through the rest of high school to get my brother and I the basics we needed when my grandmother did not have the extra money to do so. We did not have the best and sometimes my brother would get teased and even the people that I thought were my friends kind of pushed me to the side when I could not afford to buy the same stuff or party the way I use to. I was lucky enough to get an athletic scholarship to undergrad school, but I knew I had to work hard in college if I wanted to make it any further than that. And now here I am. I need to keep a cumulative 3.0 in all courses to maintain the scholarship I earned as an undergraduate.” “So, that’s why you were asking for my help.” Denise’s stomach turned over when she realized how inconsiderate she had been when he came up to her after class. She put her hand to her head to keep the room from spinning. Adam moved her hand away from her face and kissed her softly, almost shyly. “I told you, that was one of the reasons. I really wanted to get to know you and that was my ‘in’ to start a conversation. I was the one who did not handle that well.” “Why me?” “I saw you walk, actually stumble, into class one day.” Denise swatted his arm and laughed with him. “I already know my coordination is not the best. Besides, I have a lot on my mind and it detracts from my depth perception.” She offered him a sly smile. “That’s exactly what I mean. I could see your beauty. This lovely skin of yours,” he stroked her face as he recounted the memory, “I could even see there was a fabulous body hiding under all those layers of sweat clothes.”
She blushed and poked at this chest this time. “You have a lot of jokes, mister.” He laughed again and then straightened his features. “Mostly, I also saw you were distressed. There was something about you that seemed lost. You always seem to have a faraway look in your eyes. I immediately recognized it because it was the same feeling and look I had. Believe it or not, you called to me from across the room and I had to know how to make you happy. For some reason, I knew if I could bring a smile to those sad eyes, I would bring one to mine.” “I hope I can live up to your expectations. I’m not good at relationships. The one I have with my own parent’s is a mess and I have not had many serious relationships with men.” “Okay, now it’s your turn. Spill it.” He sat back and waited while she pondered how to begin. “Let me start off by saying, again, I am so sorry for your loss. Whatever I have to say cannot ever compare to what you went through.” He nodded and waited for her to continue. “My mom and dad were so happy once,” she chewed on her finger as she lamented the loss of her loving family times, “now they are like complete strangers. When I was little, my father would bring her roses and take her to all his events. He is a head surgeon for the health care system he works for but he always made time to take her out to dinner every Friday night. My mother spent hours getting her hair and make-up done and picking out the right outfit. I was right there giving my little thumps up or down.”
She and Adam smiled at the sentiment. “Then, one day, he just stopped – everything. He would go away on business for days at a time, he would not come home for dinner, he would barely make it to any dance recitals I had or plays I was involved in. After awhile, I stopped participating in the activities altogether. It was not the same without his big smile prompting me to do my best. First, my mother became a sad recluse, crying herself to sleep every night. Then she became a nightmare, almost tyrannical in trying to get me to go out with boys from rich, prestigious families. Trying to make me dress a certain way and act so out of my character I practically ran away after my high school graduation. I have not been home much since then. She calls me every week to beg me to come home, which I try to avoid like the plague because I know there will be some lawyer’s kids or some guy in pre-med waiting for me as soon as I step foot in the house. I can’t even tell you the last time I spoke to my father. He’s never there when I get home and he calls me only whenever it’s convenient for him. I know how the other students talk about how much money we have and how much my father donates to this school. But it means nothing when the people you trust to love and to care for you are the ones who are killing your spirit.” Denise dropped her head and closed her eyes tightly to avoid the shedding of any more tears tonight. Adam returned the sentiment she gave him earlier. He said nothing, only held her before finally speaking. “It’s okay, Denise. I’m here now, for as long as you want. I hope you feel the same for me.” “I do. I promise I do.”
He settled back onto the couch and she lay on top of him. The emotional cleansing of the evening proved to be more than either was ready for. Denise nestled into his strong and loving arms, and Adam welcomed her tender embrace and the two succumbed to the sleep calling to them.
Chapter 10 One week later and the pair were on a Saturday morning train headed toward Philadelphia Suburban Station. They had spent the last week barely five feet away from one another. Denise helped Adam to get a firm grasp on the topics she was sure would be covered on the midterm and Adam was the pillow of support that Denise needed in her life. “Are you sure your Mom won’t mind me showing up unannounced like this?” Denise rested her head on his strong shoulder while they rode in the cab toward her home on the outskirts of Chestnut Hill. No matter how many times she ran her petite hands along the length of his wide arms, she always broke out into a moist sweat as she marveled at how powerful they felt. He could easily lift her with one arm, and had already done so on several occasions to her delight. “She may, but I want you there with me.” “It would have been nice if you would have told me this before I came,” he smiled into her hair. The silkiness of her waves turned him on beyond belief and he pulled her into a fiery kiss before the cab driver announced they had arrived at their destination. Denise paid the fair and tipped the man and Adam kept solemnly quiet during the exchange. He had not yet overcome the embarrassment that beset him when she paid for food or services but he said nothing to Denise. Denise slid out of the back of the car and her rose pink sun dress lifted in the slight April breeze. Not noticing his slight change in mood, Denise grabbed his hand and pulled him from the back seat and Adam was immediately taken aback by the size of the
Right estate. While he went to the back of the vehicle to pull the luggage from the trunk, he noted that there were no less than four floors, not including what appeared to be the attic at the very pinnacle of the house, and at least twenty arched windows in the front of the bricked mansion. As the taxi pulled away, Adam noted the property also included a wraparound drive way that encircled the width of the house and most of the front lawn before disappearing behind the home. Denise sensed his apprehension and smiled up at him. This calmed his heart from stammering. He had made sure to wear his best pair of Dockers and a crisp polo shirt and had even combed his spiky locks back somewhat so that his hair lay neatly upon the crown of his head. He had no idea what awaited him on the other side of this door and wanted to be prepared. The moment the massive oak door slid back he knew he would be in for some major issues before the day was done.
Denise and her mother immediately took
combatant stances at once another. Patricia Right was a tall, lean woman. Adam guessed she was in her fifties based upon Denise’s age but the woman did not look a day over thirty-five. Her sleek dark hair was pulled up into a sever bun on top of her head. She wore a two-piece peach pants suit and it hugged her feminine curves so well he was sure it was tailor-made to her exact measurements. Her high-heeled shoes were the exact peach color of her outfit and she had tiny white pearls piercing her earlobes and strung on a thin necklace around her neck. Had it not been for the persistent scowl on her face made up with a light powder foundation and burgundy lipstick and matching eye shadow, she would have been an
strikingly handsome woman and Adam had no doubt she was the one from whom Denise received her good looks. After a few tense minutes of neither party addressing one another, Patricia finally broke the silence. “Denise,” she plastered a small across her face, “so lovely to finally see you again, dear.” She glanced briefly over her daughter’s head. “I see you brought a visitor with you. How nice.” Adam could feel the distain for him rolling off of Mrs. Right in waves. Subconsciously, he glanced down to ensure he was presentable. When he looked back up, he saw that Patricia Right had given him the once over to confirm the same. “Hello, Mother. Sorry, Mom. Are you going to let us in?” Patricia stepped back from the doorway and waved her hand back toward the inside of the house. “Of course, dear.” She turned sharply on her heels and disappeared inside. “Tell your friend, to take the bags upstairs to your room. I will have another room prepared for him.” The last word rolled off her tongue with a hint of mockery. “His name is Adam Aggeliki.” “I will be sure to remember, dear,” were her last words as she stepped stealthily up the stairs and disappeared.
“I don’t think your mom wants me here.” Adam spoke to Denise over his shoulder as he unpacked his belongings in the room Denise’s mother showed him before disappearing again. “It doesn’t matter,” she said as she placed her small arms around his thick waist and leaned up to kiss him on the cheek, “I do.” He turned in her arms and swiped her long bang from her face to around her right ear. He smiled before saying, “You were not kidding about your dad not being here. We have been here since noon and I have not heard a peep in this house other than you and me.” “Yeah, I know,” she said as she turned away, “now, imagine being a fourteen year old kid in a house this quiet for hours on end. It’s was enough to drive a sane person such as myself a little nutty.” “Come here,” he drawled and dragged her back away from the door and toward the bed. “Adam, my mom might here us.” No sooner than the words left her mouth, he covered her lips with his own and pulled her on top of him. He ran his fingers through her long waves and then moved his hands down her back and to her rounded bottom and squeezed hard. Denise squirmed with delight as she ran her hands down the front of his shirt and allowed them to slip under. Her hands probed until she found his pert nipples and gave them a squeeze of her own in return.
A second later, the doorbell chimed and Patricia raced passed the open doorway of Adam’s room. “Next time, please close the door, thank you,” she snipped without bothering to turn her head toward the stunned couple.
Chapter 11 Denise ran her fingers through her hair in an effort to comb it down while Adam straightened his shirt and adjusted his pants, and willed his hard member to go flaccid once again. Denise was the first person down the stairs with high hopes her father had finally arrived home. The elation in her heart at the possibility of laying eyes on him after several months of constantly missing him while on her return visits home suddenly fizzled. As she approached the entrance to the foyer it dawned on her a person who lived here would not need to use the doorbell unless the locks had been changed. As her mother stepped to the side to allow another visitor into the entryway, Denise’s breath caught in her mouth. Kenneth. He stood tall and firm in a royal blue three piece suit. His ebony skin contrasted with the brilliant whiteness of his shirt. Dazzling white teeth shown through broad brown lips. Cocoa colored eyes lit up the minute he set eyes on Denise. “Denise. It is so good to see you,” he said as he stepped to her in two long steps and pulled her into his arms. Not sure what to do and caught in the suddenness of his presence, Denise forced a return hug and then allowed her arms to fall to the sides as she stepped back from him and next to Adam. She turned and looked into his green eyes, now somewhat paler than usual, and shook her head to acknowledge ignorance of the situation. Her mother, who watched the scene with a thin smile on her face felt it necessary to enlighten Adam whose face, she surveyed, had turned to stone with a hint of anger.
“Denise, you remember Kenneth, don’t you? After all, you two were inseparable before you went off to the university.” Kenneth continued to smile down at Denise. Under his intense gaze, she felt a little intimidated and stepped further into Adam’s side, and hooked her arm into his. She felt his arm muscles tense. She looked up and saw the line of his jaw harden and then twitch.
After looking over the where Kenneth stood, she understood the sudden
adjustment in Adam’s demeanor. The two men were squaring off and, being only an arm’s length from one another, each waited for the other to make the first move. The two were almost matched in build, though Adam was slightly taller and wider. Denise knew that she had to defuse the situation before one of them actually did make a strike. “Yes, mother, I remember Kenneth,” she said while watching the two men, never taking her eyes from them. “You didn’t tell me he would be coming for a visit tonight.” “Well, dear, you did not inform me you were bringing a guest either. I guess that makes us even?” Denise would deal with her mother soon enough. Right now, she needed to attend to once crisis at a time. “Kenneth, it has been such a long time. I want you to meet my, uh, friend from school, Adam Aggeliki.” At her words, Adam snapped his head in her direction. She was sure they had become much more but had not bothered to put a label on their relationship and Denise did not want to bind him to anything without his consent. “Nice to meet you, Adam Angel, is it? I am Kenneth Houser.” Kenneth extended a dark hand and offered a small smile.
“Aggeliki,” Adam accepted the other man’s hand as he corrected him, “likewise.” While the rivals cooled their heels somewhat, Denise took this opportunity to move on to the next situation that needed her attention. “Mother, may I talk with you in private for a moment?” “Why, dear? Anything you want to say to me, you can say in front of Kenneth. He is practically part of the family now. He visits you every time you come home. Actually, I thought the two of you had become much more than friends by now. That is until today.” Patricia let the last comment hang in the air for everyone to digest. Although Denise still held on to his arm, she did not feel Adam respond to her touch. His arm was at this side, though his muscles remained tense with Kenneth so close. “Mother, why are you playing these games?” “Denise, you are the only one playing games. If you are leading this young man on in seriously believing there is a future for the two of you, I suggest you stop it at once.” “Mother, what are you saying? You don’t even know Adam. He’s a good man.” “That’s what they are all say, dear. This young man obviously has no idea how to present himself when he enters a home such as ours. What does he do for a living? Where is his car? What do his parents do? I have no idea what kind of man he is. Kenneth, however, is a good man. He has a wonderful job, a fabulous home, and that gorgeous car waiting outside. He adores you, Denise, if you would only open your eyes to acknowledge his sentiment. And – and,” she hesitated at admitting the final statement, “he’s black.”
“Mother, how could you! Would you listen to yourself? You sound insane!” “No,” Adam slowly removed Denise’s arm from the crook of his, “your mother is right, Denise. She has no idea who I am, and neither do you. I won’t stay in our family home any longer because I will not disrespect you or your mother, and I fear I will do just that if I stay.” “Adam, no, I – I” “Denise, it’s okay. I understand. I should go. I guess I will see you back at the campus. I can get the train back, just bring my things with you and I can pick-up them up when you return. I can’t stay here any longer.” He rushed to the door and as he opened to leave, he turned and faced Mrs. Patricia Right. “To clarify, ma’am, my parents are deceased. I don’t have all the luxuries that you mentioned because I go to school on a scholarship and I work off and on part-time so I can help support my little brother who currently lives with our grandmother. I hope those answers satisfy all of your questions. It crossed my mind that Denise’s home life could not have been as bad as she explained; now I see she was absolutely correct to stay away from here as much as possible. Have a good evening.” The door slammed behind him and he was gone into the night before Patricia could respond. She stood there gaped mouthed and speechless.
Chapter 12 “Perhaps, I should leave,” Kenneth offered looking first to Denise then back to Patricia. When neither woman answered he moved toward the door. “Wait, Kenneth,” Denise walked toward him, “I am so sorry my mother put you in the middle of this mess.” He smiled. “It’s okay, Denise.” She held up her hand. “No, it’s not okay. I want you to know that as much as I appreciate you always taking the time to visit me when I come for visits; I am not interested in you in that kind of way. I have never been and probably never will be. I should have told you that a long time ago, and for that I apologize. I was confused and unsure of myself before; however, I can assure you and anyone else I am thinking clearly as of right now.” Kenneth nodded solemnly and bent down to give her a light, chaste kiss on the cheek. “Good luck with your studies and I still hope to see you some other time.” As soon as she heard the door click, she walked right up to Patricia. “Mother, this has got to stop. You cannot, and will not, try to control my life from this point forward. How could you insult Adam like that? What is wrong with you? Calling him out on his finances, on his family, on his race?” Denise crossed her arms over her chest and stood her ground as she continued on the defensive. The time had come to settle this simmering battle of wills between mother
and daughter. Denise was at her wits end and had come to the point of needing a resolution to this current state of affairs or she may have to force herself to cut ties with her mother completely. “What happened to the sweet woman who would tuck me in at night and cuddle on the couch with me with a bowl of popcorn? The woman who would sing me to sleep and make special meals for me and dad?” “She’s dead, Denise!” The sudden revelations left both women quiet. “She died when the man who promised to love her forever abandoned her with not a sliver of guilt to be found. He not only left her, he left her to raise a daughter on her own. He left me for a white woman, Denise, and demanded I continue this charade of a marriage because of how he thought it would make him look to his colleagues. He refused to be put through a messy divorce in front of them. That is why he is never here. He is with her right now living the life he always wanted to have. I was always just a show piece and now he needs me in name only.” Patricia’s eyes watered and then a single tear streaked down over her flawless mocha skin. Soon others flooded over her cheeks. She gasped and put her hand to her face and released a heavy sniffle. No longer caring about her appearance or her clothing, she became seized with a fit of spasms as years of inner turmoil boiled to the surface. “Mother. Mom.” Denise moved closer to the woman and opened her arms to the disheveled woman, and Patricia fell into her daughter’s arms and exhaled more cries.
“Why didn’t you ever tell me?” Denise questioned the woman sitting next to her. Patricia had ceased her tears hours ago but her face still hung low and solemn. She had removed her make-up and replaced her suit with a pair of khaki shorts and blue tank top. Her long, dark hair hung down her back and in loose waves. “I didn’t want you to hate him. I know how much you looked up to him. You beamed every time he smiled down at you. I wanted you to remember him as a good man. He was a good man for a long time and then something changed.” Patricia reflected on her memories of the past twenty-five years of marriage to George Right. Everything had started off so wonderful. He was an up and coming black professional. He was a real prize to the girls in her South Philadelphia neighborhood. Patricia felt so lucky to have him give her any attention much less ask her to be his wife. She promised her parents she would do whatever it took to make them proud. She was the wife of one of the first African-American doctors to come from their neighborhood. She wore the right clothes, befriended the right people, presented herself well in front of all of his co-workers and, for a while, a long while, she knew that Dr. George Coolidge Right III was happy to have her on his arm. That was until the late night meetings started, all of the phone calls in the middle of the night, and the hang-ups during the day if she answered the line. Then, he became bold enough to avoid coming home at all. Small pools filled her eyes as she remembered the day when she finally confronted him and he laughed at her. Yes, he had the audacity to laugh right to her face. George came right out and said the marriage was a sham. He said he knew there was no way a black
doctor could marry a white woman back then and expect to have any kind of lasting career. He admitted he and Claire had been together for years before he had married Patricia and the other woman had acquiesced herself to the role of mistress because she loved him so much. Patricia demanded a divorce and he laughed again saying he would never give it to her. She played the role of faithful wife and mother better than any of the other wives and that is how it would stay. He actually convinced himself everyone would be happy with the arrangement. Patricia would be able to keep her status and all the benefits and financial security of life as a top physician’s wife. He would be able to finally spend the time with the woman he was really in love with. George stated he would make visits to the home as often as possible so Denise would have a father figure for as long as possible. Everyone would be happy, he said, except it was far from the truth. Patricia had not had an ounce of rest or peace since that day. However, now the secret was out and Patricia felt no need to continue with the old ways any longer. Whether George agreed or not, she was exhausted and was finished with the theatrics and needed to move on with her life. She looked over at her beautiful daughter and smiled at the concern her sympathetic face offered. “Denise, I am sorry for the way that I have been. I did not want you to make the same mistake as me. I wanted you to have the best and I wanted you to be with the best. I thought after the situation I was in, I would be able to weed out all of the degenerates and find you someone who would really love and care for you. I did not want you to be hurt and destroyed like I was.”
“Mom, don’t you see when you changed, I changed. When you lost your love with dad, it felt like you lost your love for me, too.” “O, honey, never!” “Now, I know the truth, before I didn’t. I walked around empty and lonely inside wondering what I had done to ruin your marriage. Then, I met Adam and he held the same loneliness and we comforted one another. I think we completed one another. He didn’t have parents anymore and I believed any real sentiment from my own had been forgone years ago.” As the salty tears rolled down Denise’s face, her mother wiped them away. “Denise, forgive me. If that young man makes you feel authentic love and fulfillment then he is who you should be with and forget about all that non-sense I said earlier. I was a fool but am no longer.” She cupped her daughter’s face with one hand. “Always remember I love you, Denise. As long as you are happy, so am I.” “I love you, too, Mom.” For the first time in a long time, the two women sensed a bond forged, never to be broken again.
Chapter 13 The train ride home was almost unbearable. Adam could not get what Denise’s mother had said out of his mind. She was right, of course. He could not offer her the home, the cars, or any other aspect of the lifestyle Denise was accustomed to – not yet. He would be able to offer only his love, his attention, and his support for many years to come before his law degree might bring in a substantial enough income to support them both. Why he had taken a chance on approaching her that day he could not be completely sure of except his heart had told him it was the right thing to do at the time. Even now, Adam was convinced he and Denise belonged together; it was only a matter of him sorting his life out so he had the means available to take care of her the way she deserved. He had not heard from or seen Denise since Saturday and today would be the first day back to the lecture hall. To his dismay, Denise did not attend class. He was surprised and a bit worried considering the course midterm exam was at the end of this week during the next scheduled class meeting. He willed the class to hurry on and barely heard anything that the instructor spoke. At the end of the period, Adam stormed from the room to get outside and use his phone. This was ridiculous. He had to find out if she was okay. Thinking back, he should have stayed with her to face whatever was going on with her mother. He could not think straight after she referred to him as her friend; it almost crushed him to think she did not see him as more. Out of respect for her and her mother, he had backed down. He now understood before she could ever accept him as her man, he would first have to act like one, starting with making sure if she needed him, he would be there.
He reached the park benches on the outside of the cafeteria building and sat his books down on a table. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his phone and started to push the button to speed dial her number. “Trying to reach someone?” the silky voice teased. A smile donned his lips as he lifted his head and was captivated by how the bright sunshine reflected off her eyes making them appear golden. The light also warmed the color of her skin to perfection. “Sure was. I was trying to check on the love of my life. I haven’t heard from her lately.” “Well, what kind of woman leaves a handsome man like you waiting around?” Adam dropped his gaze. “I guess one who can do better with another tall, handsome fellow – with some nice wheels and a big house to match.” His earlier oath to himself revisited his mind and his will strengthened. He gathered her feminine hands in his masculine ones and looked up into her fiery gaze and matched it with his adoring one. “Denise, you know I don’t have much money. In fact, I don’t even have a bank account yet. However, I do care for you with all of my heart, and will do anything necessary to prove my love and dedication to you and giving you a wonderful life. If you will have me, I promise to make every dream you ever had come true.” Without hesitation, Denise dropped into his lap and kissed him hard. When they finally parted, both were breathlessly panting and wanting more.
“Mr. Aggeliki, I never have and never will care about money or frivolous things. I don’t want some guy who can give me material wealth; I want you because I know you will give me the love I have always hoped for.” Adam’s tanned skin glowed in the sunlight as his face lit up and his dimples appeared. Denise kissed each one in turn. He thanked her with a squeeze on her bottom. “Adam, one thing I do want from you.” “Anything.” “Never leave me again. I don’t think I can take another man walking out of my life so suddenly.” “Never again. I promise.” He crossed his heart and leaned forward and the kissed the tip of her nose. She ran her caramel fingers through his spiky jet black hair and sighed with contentment. “Good. By the way,” she looked at him quizzically as her big brown eyes gazed into his green ones, “Aggeliki – what does that mean anyway? You said it’s Greek, right?” “Yes. Mainly, it means ‘angel’.”
Epilogue Denise surveyed her surrounding before plopping down on the hard king sized mattress splayed in the middle of the floor. Adam seated himself on the corner edge next to her. “How is your mom holding up? I have heard divorces can get really bitter and ugly.” Denise rolled over on her side to face him. “Actually, she is handling this turn of events much better than I had expected. I really don’t think my father has the option of giving her a hard time. Mom never signed any kind of pre-nuptial agreement and dad has been having an affair – a well documented affair – for the entire course of their marriage. With all those facts in mind, I think she will be able to keep whatever she wants from the finances or request whatever alimony she thinks would be fitting.” She crinkled her brows in thought. “Really, I think she only wants some peace of mind. She mentioned possibly going on an extended cruise to Europe once this is over.” Adam rubbed away the worry lines from his love’s forehead. “You still have not heard anything from your father?” “No,” she closed her eyes and reveled in his touch on her skin, “it’s probably for the best. If I was only part of an elaborate scheme to achieve success, we have nothing to say to one another for the time being. I think he loved us once but allowed his own needs and ambitions to dominate his life and ours. Maybe in the future we can all make amends. For now, so long as I have you, I am wonderfully happy and I have everything I need.”
Denise patted the spot on the mattress next to her and Adam gladly lay down, eagerly helping her position her body in a sitting position atop his own. “I cannot believe we found this apartment so close to campus for only half of what we paid for housing on campus,” she smiled down at him. “I know. Lucky, I guess,” Adam said as he looked around the room, “even if the only furniture we have is this lumpy mattress.” The pair laughed at the observation. “Well, let me be the first to suggest that we attempt to flatten out every lump as soon as possible.” Denise leaned down and captured his strong lips. “I concur,” Adam breathed against her mouth. He slid the yellow spaghetti strap tank top over her head to reveal a blue lace sheer bra. “For me?” “Uh-huh, wait until you get to the bottoms,” she purred as she placed wet kisses down the side of his neck. “Why wait?” With a stealthy movement, Adam rolled Denise over so their positions were reversed. He removed the jean shorts she wore and his eyes almost crossed when he saw the matching lace bikini style panties waiting beneath. “I am going to enjoy this.”
After a deep kiss where their tongues played happily together, he moved down to her chin and then used both of his wet lips to claim hold on a tender area of skin on her neck. Denise gasped in air as the pleasure overtook her. Her hands dug deep into his back and then followed a line of firm muscle down to his bottom and pulled him between her legs as she wrapped them around the wide girth of his waist. The heavy hardness she felt rubbing vigorously against her sensitive nub drove her even further with lust. Adam reached the soft mounds of her breasts and positioned his mouth over the lace and onto her erect nipple and bit gently. Denise arched her back in response. “I can’t wait,” he groaned and she used her legs and feet to help him shimmy out of his khaki shorts and boxers. Retrieving a small foil package, he slid the condom down his extended length and readied himself at slick her entrance. “Now, Adam. Please.” With one thrust, he slid inside her and almost lost his mind. Adam focused on pulling down the straps of the bra and releasing her brown flesh accentuated by blackberry colored nipples. Once he had one securely in his mouth he allowed his right hand to gently massage the other nipple. With his free hand he stroked her hair spread across the top of the bed. All the while he continued with slow thrusts that turned faster the moment he heard his name escape her lips. “Adam. More,” she moaned heavily from the back of her throat. She moved her hips forward to meet his and gather more of him into herself. Overcome by waves of ecstasy she hit her peak and released a scream true to the
complete release she allowed to ripple throughout her body. He followed only a few seconds later. One final push, all the way to her core sent him over the edge and he yanked her hair as he growled out her name. “Denise!” After their heart rates settled back to normal, still lying on top of her, he looked down and smiled and her heart melted at the sight of those perfect dimples. “I could stay like this forever,” he whispered to her. “So could I,” she said as she trailed her hand along the side of his face. “I love you, Denise.” “I love you more, Adam, my personal angel.”
THE END
Dear Reader, I hope you enjoy this next tale of one of the lovely alumni of Eastern States University. Always remember, love is a bond not easily defeated by time or circumstances. Thank you and Enjoy.
Love Before a Wedding By Lenise Lee
Chapter 1
My eyes squinted as I focused on the tag. I needed to double-check the price. There had to be a mistake. There was no way a dress this ugly could possibly be worth $500. Flipping the decorate tag, outlined in pink lace and with the designer’s name in stencil writing, I scanned the entire front and back to ensure there were no red marks or stickers indicating this item had been marked down. To my surprise there were none. The gown before me was some shade of electric pole dancer pink and was disturbingly short, probably stopping at my upper thigh area, to be of any good taste for a formal wedding. To add mischief to mayhem, an overabundance of tiny bows encircled the hem and then a giant bow clung lopsided to the middle of the cleavage area. “This is not for real, right?” I spoke over my shoulder to my best friend since kindergarten Jeanette Bixby. She turned her head and eyed the monstrosity. At this point, I was fiddling with the bow, which looked as though it were hanging on by its lasts thread, as I did my best to straighten it. I was trying to kill some time while Jeanette and I waited for her appointment with the boutique’s in-house wedding planner to get started. “Ha!” Her excited exclamation at the dress’s hideousness was enough to startle me away from my task and I almost pulled the whole thing down off the rack as I jumped in surprise. “I wouldn’t have my girls caught dead in an outfit like that! My wedding is going to be done with class and style.”
Taking a quick survey of Jeanette, she would indeed live up to that claim. Standing no less than six foot, she made my modest 5’6’ height look almost shameful. Jeanette was always on the slim side with a creamy complexion and high-society facial structure. Her tall statuesque physique is what now aided her in making a good living as a catalogue model. She was not gauntly skinny and was still a tad full in the hips and so she came to realize way back when she started going out for test shoots and interviews she would have little to no chance on the runway scene. This fact never deterred her from pursuing a modeling career and now she was booked, seemingly on a regular basis, with gigs for catalogues and home shopping channels.
Jeanette never flaunted her
income; however, she was always sure dress to impress and made sure her spacey loft here in Timber Hills, NJ had a great interior décor. Me, on the other hand, was a completely different story.
My butterscotch
complexion was nowhere as smooth as hers. The thickness of my long hair and my reluctance to relax it as compared to Jeanette’s corn silk colored angel fine hair had been the cause of many moments of self-consciousness on my part, especially when standing next to her at parties and clubs. Out of habit, my hand went up to the drastically shortened locks I now wore in layers reaching down to just below my chin and tucked the pressed hair behind my ear. I was also, not too long ago, what one may have referred to as “full-figured” for most of my life. Probably the result of over-indulging in too many varieties of fried foods. I smoothed down the size 8 straight black knee-length skirt I was wearing and gave my white form-fitting blouse a once over. A dramatic event in my life a little over a year ago had prompted me to take the leap and get a new hair-do and to drop almost thirty pounds. Still, I have moments of insecurity.
“Kerine, are you listening to me?” “What?” I realized Jeanette had been going on and on about something but all I saw were her lips moving and her right hand casually accentuating her speech. “I was saying, you know the wedding is a month from now?” “Of course, I am your maid of honor, remember?” She rolled her smoky gray eyes at my bluntness. “What I mean to say,” she continued while casually poking through the neverending aisle of disfigured bridesmaids gowns, “is everything is finally coming together. The final preparations are being made. My end is pretty much cleared up; however, Tyler is just now starting to work with his guys and getting them all set.” After having had this discussion numerous times over and hearing every other wedding related detail repeatedly and in extreme abundance for the last year, I had feigned interest and moved on to inspect another gaudy dress one rack over. This one was midnight blue and seemed a bit too far on the Goth side for my tastes, yet I was sure there would be some giddy bride all too happy to dress her reluctant friends in this nightmare of an outfit. “Yeah, so?” I moved down the row as Jeanette followed. “You know that means he’s coming back?” My heart instantly doubled its pace and my feet supplanted firmly in the carpet below. I felt the slight brush of Jeanette’s breasts on my back as she collided with me, as she had not expected the sudden halt. Making sure to calm my breathing and not trusting my own voice just yet, I responded as casually as I could.
“Who do you mean?” Jeanette stepped around me in the narrow aisle so we stood face to face. “Oh, no. You do not play this game with me,” she said with a look of distaste on her classically beautiful face. “Who was the one who sat up with you for hours on end while you cried your eyes out over him? Who was the who had to force you to come out of hiding from your apartment? Kerine White, you know exactly who I mean.” I immediately dropped my eyes to the floor in shame at the painful reminder. Jeanette softened her stance and put her hand to my shoulder. “Oh, Keri, honey, I am so sorry. I didn’t want to bring all this up except time is running out. You know I do care about you. You’re like a sister to me. I had to tell you he was due to come back soon so you could get ready.” “Get ready for what?” I stepped back from her afraid of what she might say. There was no way she was going to talk me into what I thought she may have been suggesting. “I don’t mean you two getting back together.” I exhaled a sigh of relief. “Well, what do you mean?” “I know how much the break-up hurt you. I only wanted to make sure you were mentally prepared to see him again. With him being Tyler’s best man, we will all have to spend a lot of time with one another over the next few weeks. Are you ready for that?” The look of concern in her eyes along with my sudden light-headedness told me the answer to that particular question was probably an emphatic NO! I chose not to
verbally express my doubt; instead, I sent up a silent prayer that we, meaning me, would get through this event unscathed and unharmed because when Joshua Somers blew back into town all hell was liable to break loose.
Chapter 2
One week after the news and my thoughts remained jumbled up over anticipation of the dreaded reunion. “Bank, Drake, Lyle and Company,” I spoke dryly into the phone upon lifting the receiver from the hook with one quick swipe. I was immediately greeted by the voice of my ever hostile employer Ms. Bank – actually Bank, Jr. – himself. “Who is this?” he inquired gruffly. One would think after working for a man, as his executive assistant for more than two years, he might have learned the sound of my voice by now. I decided it would be best to go along with the charade and humor the humorless man. “It’s me, sir. Kerine White.” “Ms. White, how many times do I need to remind you to announce who you are when answering the line? I want our company to be represented as professionally as possible.” Sucking in a breath as silently as possible, I counted back from five before continuing. I sat up in the leather-rolling chair so I would be able to annunciate every word to his liking. “My apologies, Mr. Bank. It will not happen again.” “Yes, well, please make sure that it does not. Did I receive any calls while I was away?”
Grabbing the memo pad I always kept near me during the day, I began to read off the list of messages and return calls, mostly from women requesting urgent responses. I was absolutely sure this day was bound to get worse from this point on.
“Thanks so much for coming with us on such short notice,” Jeanette turned to smile at me from the passenger’s side front seat of her fiancé’s sports car. This model barely had a full back seat and I had to turn my body so that I was nearly lying sideways just so I was able to expand my lungs enough to keep air flowing into to my brain and major organs. “Yeah, thanks,” Tyler smiled at me in the rearview mirror, “You’re a great friend to Jeanette and me.” “No problem at all,” I said through strained breaths, “You two may want to consider upgrading this car soon. Especially if you plan on having children right away.” The couple looked at one another and smiled.
They must have been
communicating with that private language only people in a close relationship share. “What, what is it?” I was nosy by nature and not likely to change any time soon. The message suddenly broken, the pair went face forward and stared out of the front window. “Look, there it is!” Jeanette began to point excitedly at a large building on the left side. The position I was currently molded into did not allow for me to sit up fully and I would have to wait
until I was released from the back seat before I could catch a good look at what had my friend beaming from ear to ear. A moment later and Tyler pulled into a spacious parking lot, shut off the engine, and exited the car. He pulled the driver’s side front seat forward. He extended his freckled hand toward me and I gladly accepted. I popped up from the car and sucked in a deep breath when my feet hit the ground. I stood to my full height and thrust my arms in the air. “Hallelujah!” “Oh, come on, Keri, is wasn’t that bad,” Tyler grinned from beneath blond lashes. In that moment, I spotted the same boyish charm, which had won Jeanette over. However, that did not stop me from having a little fun at his expense. “Are you kidding me?” I squinted my eyes at him in a teasing manner, “have you sat back there lately? I was fighting to stay alive for the entire ride!” By this time, Jeanette had come over from her side and placed a loving embrace around his waste. “Hmm, Keri, you may be right. Tyler, we might have to upgrade soon.” She smiled into his cheek and he blushed. I allowed the happy couple a moment to bask in their love before breaking up the festivities. “Okay, okay. Can we get on with this? I had a long day and I am ready to crash on the couch as soon as possible.” Our small group walked up to the side entrance of the large church and Tyler rang the bell. A small plaque hanging adjacent to the door requested no one use this entrance
or ring the bell on Sundays from 10 AM to 2 PM. A few minutes later and short man with thinning brown hair greeted us with a jubilant smile. Although he was dressed in a pair of pressed slacks and wearing a blue plaid shirt something about the aura of this man had preacher written all over it. “Come in, come in,” the man said as he ushered us through the door and right into the worship hall of the church. It was a serene site. The entire inside was themed in a calming coloring scheme. While the thirty or more pews themselves were painted in a soft eggshell white, the full cushions on the seats were a neutral beige. The thin carpet was also in a soft beige while the surrounding walls continued with the eggshell color. The roof was domed, again in the soothing eggshell color, and the stained glass windows depicted various biblical scenes being acted out. The dais was a good enough distance from the where the congregation would sit so the speaker could be assertive if needed and still have the people feel as though he or she was speaking amongst them. “Alright, young folks, this is where it will all happen only a short time from now.” The minister was probably only in his early forties but he had a playfulness in his soft brown eyes that immediately allowed one to relax in his presence. I felt my shoulders drop slightly as I took in his melodic speech. “I see you brought a friend with you this time.” “Yes, Pastor Smith,” Jeanette began as she turned to me, “this is a close friend of mine and my maid of honor. I wanted her to come and see the inside of this beautiful building so we can start planning the wedding rehearsal.”
I extended my hand toward the jolly man, who was yet to relinquish his smile. His face only lit up all the more when he spoke, and gently shook my hand. “Hello, I’m Kerine. Most people call me Keri, please feel free to do the same.” “Hello, Kerine. I’m sorry – Keri. It is so wonderful to meet you. Your friends Tyler and Jeanette are a wonderful couple and I can’t wait to join them in matrimony.” As if on cue, the couple embraced and stared lovingly at one another. My mind briefly betrayed me and skipped back to a time when I looked at a certain someone with the same joy and passion. Before the scene could play out any further there was a loud BANG at the back of the church sanctuary. We all turned with startled expressions in that direction. I noted what the wind had blown in and prepared for a battle of wills to begin.
Chapter 3
Joshua Somers. All six foot four inches, two hundred and twenty muscle bound pounds of him stood in the double doors and stared back at us. The huge muscles of his calves were on display because he was wearing a pair of wrinkled khaki shorts. The red A-shirt he wore allowed his firm and curved biceps free access to flex once. The deep copper of the straight hair on his head and on his trimmed sideburns reflected off the bright June sunshine filtering in from the vestibule behind him. He was truly a site to behold and when I felt the corners of my mouth start to curve upwards, I forced myself back to alert mode. We were some distance apart but I knew his metallic blue eyes were locked on to me. I could almost feel the daggers being aimed at my head. After what seemed like a good five minutes of nothing but silence, he finally spoke up. “Sorry about that,” Josh grinned and my heart fluttered. “The door must have been a lot lighter than it first looked, I didn’t mean to scare everyone.” The pastor stepped forward someone hesitantly, a bit of his happy mood must have been disturbed or perhaps Joshua’s large frame taking up most of the door had the man slightly apprehensive. It was hard to tell because Pastor Smith still held a small smile on his round face. “That’s quite all right, young man, may I help you?” “Pastor Smith,” Tyler chimed in, “he’s with us. This is the guy who’s going to be my best man. Joshua Somers.”
Josh had made his way down the aisle and it only took a handful of strides from his long legs to reach where we all had gathered. “Nice to meet you, sir,” Josh reached out and enveloped the other man’s hand before he had a chance to offer it. “Hey, bro, glad to see you again.” Josh reached over and wrapped one muscular arm around Tyler’s shoulder and offered his close friend since high school a manly embrace. Next, he put two arms around Jeanette and pulled her into a chaste hug followed by a quick peck on the cheek. “Jeanette, it’s been too long. I’m so happy for you guys. The big day is almost here,” he said as he released her. I assumed I was up next and was all too prepared to reject any semblance of physical affection he planned to offer. To my shock and dismay Josh actually stepped back two feet and looked at me square in the eyes and said not one word. Struggling not to let my disappointment show, I did what any woman in my position would do, I stood my ground and faced him down. One bronzed hand went to the right side of my waist, while the other gripped my left hip. My lips full lips thinned out and one eyebrow shot up as my brown eyes stared at his blue ones head on. One minute turned to two and then three and neither one of us said a word. If anyone else were speaking at the moment, I would not have known. I was deaf to everything else in the world except keeping my game face on. No matter how much I wanted to feel his masculine body against mine or feel those powerful hands stroke the side of my face again, I was sticking to my guns. This time, he would be the one to roll over first.
“Kerine.” He said my name through tight lips but it was not a greeting, it was a statement. “Joshua.” I returned the favor. Much like onlookers relieved at the sight of two vehicles narrowly missing one another at a street corner, our audience released an audible sigh. Jeanette walked over to me, gently taking my arm, as she moved toward the rear of the church. “We’ll be right back. I want to show Keri the room we’ll be using to put on the final touches on the wedding day.” As I slid pass Josh’s solid form, I willed myself not to reach over and inhale his manly scent of strong spice now filling my nostrils. In fact, I didn’t even glance in his direction, except out of the narrowest corner of my eye. For that, I was intently proud of myself. I was also pleased at the fact he had not taken his eyes off of me. Game on.
“Keri, please don’t do this.” “Do what?” I asked Jeanette as I took a tissue from the box on the counter in the bathroom to wipe a slight sheen away from my face. “Keri, I know this is going to be difficult for you – for both of you. Please, can we all be as civil as possible to one another for the next few weeks?” “By civil, you mean that I can’t slap him upside the head at all?”
Jeanette’s jaw dropped and then her face quickly recovered. We had known one another for twenty years, since we were five, and she still had a hard time realizing when I was joking – slightly joking. “Keri, seriously, please, please, I want this day to be perfect. You know I love you and would not be putting you through this if it didn’t mean the absolute world to me that you be involved with the happiest day of my life.” After applying a fresh coating of toasted almond lip color, I turned to Jeanette and saw the distress in her face and eyes. Her usually voluminous blond hair had gone completely flat. She had a smudge of darkness under each eye. Planning this wedding had started out as fun; however, now it had come to the final phase and the stress appeared to be taking a toll on her physical state. “Jeanette, I love you too. Girl, that is the one reason why I am still here right now.” She offered me a smile that showed her relief. “I promise to be on my best behavior,” I said while holding up my version of a scout’s honor pledge, “as long as he remains on his.”
Chapter 4
The remainder of the afternoon with the pastor went by without any further showdowns. While Pastor Smith went over the layout of the building with Tyler and Jeanette, Josh and I followed behind solemnly. We always made sure to keep a healthy distance between us and whatever either one of us had to say was directed to someone else in our party, never to one another. At the close of the meeting, we all shook hands with the clergyman and headed toward the side door. I was so glad when Tyler grabbed the door for us, because muscle man Josh would have surely ripped this flimsy door off of its hinges. A sly look at Pastor Smith showed his relief as well. When we reached Tyler’s mini car and he remotely unlocked the doors, I walked over to Jeanette’s side and waited for her to pull up the seat for me. In the past few moments, I started storing up as much precious oxygen as possible and discreetly started loosening my limbs in preparation of folding myself neatly into the tight space. When Jeanette bent down to grab for the handle, Tyler announced what had to be an obvious joke on his part. “Hey, Josh, why don’t you give Keri a ride back home?” I turned my head sharply at Jeanette who, in turn, stared drill holes at Tyler. “Jeanette?” It was a plea on my part more than anything else. I could not, would not, and did want to be alone with that man. Tyler answered before Jeanette had a chance to respond.
He shrugged his shoulders and said, “It only makes sense. Not more than two hours ago, you were complaining about the cramped space. Josh has plenty of room to spare. Besides, Jeanette and I want to get home in a hurry.” He wiggled his brows at her and my stomach turned over at the thought. “Spare me the details, guy,” I threw up my hands in surrender. “It’s no problem. I can call a cab. Have fun.” I stepped around Jeanette without casting a glance. I feared what I would see in her face. I did not want to cause her further undue stress and knew she needed Tyler’s comfort more than my tantrums. As I was making my way toward the side entrance with hopes the minister was still around to let me in while I waited on a ride, a wall stepped in front of me. By wall, I mean a large square chest covered by a thin piece of cotton. It would have been a lovely sight, especially since two pebble sized rock hard nipples were clearly poking through the material, if it were not for the tensed arms now folded over and obstructing the perfect view. “Don’t be such a child, Kerine.” My eyes widened in shock. Was he seriously addressing me about being childish after all the crap he put me through? “What did you say?” I put as much force into my voice as was possible. “It’s only a ride home. anyway.”
Nothing more.
Really, it’s not a problem, for me
His cool blue eyes held steady and his jaw was set tight. Was that a challenge? If Josh truly believed he was so irresistible I would not be able to keep my hands off of him for twenty minutes, he had lost a sizeable portion of his common sense. “Fine. Let’s go.”
Tyler was serious about Josh having plenty of room to spare. The last time I saw him, when we were splitting up, he was riding off in a four-door sedan and leaving dust trails behind. Now, he had traded up. The sleek mid-sized black SUV was just right. Not so small as to look like a carriage for a soccer mom but not so large as to appear to be compensation for lacking in other areas. Josh and I walked in silence the short distance up the street to where he was parked. I made my way over to the passenger door and when I opened it I had to stand there for a moment to plan out how I would make the leap up there. The vehicle was definitely more spacious and sat up higher on the inside than it appeared from the exterior. Before I could lift one tan high-heeled foot, a set of strong hands grabbed me on both sides of my middle and I was up in the air and then being turned to the side and seated in the cloth covered chair. “I am a big girl. I can do things all by myself,” I called out to him as the door closed.
I had responded to his charity with mock distain, yet in those brief seconds every inch of my body had tingled under the wonderfully strong support of his robust hands against me. “Yeah, yeah. And you would have still been standing there trying to boost yourself up.” On that point he was probably correct and so I was at a loss for a snappy comeback. Josh opened the door on his side, placed himself next to me, and turned over the engine. I quickly glanced over the inside of the vehicle. Working in the city quickly taught me to be very aware of my surroundings at all times. It was immaculately clean, except for a large black tarp slung over the third row of seats in the rear of the vehicle. I dared not ask, besides it was none of my business what he was doing with his life at this point. “Strap in,” he commanded and the intensity of his deep voice gave me no choice but to comply. Darn him. We were flying up the pike in minutes. I suddenly remembered why I always hesitated to ride with him when we were still a couple. It was the feeling of your life slipping away as he barreled down the road at fifty plus on a thirty-five mile per hour highway and weaving between slower moving cars I did not miss. Nor did I miss clutching the door handle with one hand and the having a death grip on the seatbelt with the other, as I was now doing. “Really, Keri, is all that necessary?” he slid a sapphire eye in my direction and then back on the road before us.
“As a matter of fact, speed demon, it is. When you slow down, I’ll release some of the wind I’m holding in my lungs.” He laughed. It was a rich, full laugh that pulled a similar one from my lips. “Same old, Keri.” “Actually, I’m not.” The casual moment had ended, I was back in the here and now. “Come to think of it,” that eye stealthily made its way back over to me, “you do look a bit different. I can’t quite put my finger on it.” “Anyway, Joshua,” I wanted to remain on formal terms with him for as long as possible, even though it seems he had reverted back to feeling comfortable enough to start calling me by my nickname, “you haven’t even asked where I lived yet.” “I know where you live.” “Is that right? After all this time, you think you still know me that well?” “As a matter of fact, I do know you that well. Once you get comfortable with something, it doesn’t change much after that.” “Was that the problem with us?” The inquiry slipped out before I was able to hold it in the back. The question had consumed me from the moment when a year and a half ago this handsome, witty, freespirited man had ended our six relationship and walked out of my life. Only within the last few months, since my “makeover”, have I been able to push it to the recesses of my mind. Maybe having him this close had pushed the question to the forefront once again. “Kerine, I – ” “No, stop. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to ask that.”
The unmistakable feel of hot tears forming began to sting my eyes. I gathered all of my inner strength and pushed them back. If I had reached up to push them away physically, Josh would know what kind of effect he continued to have on me and I would not allow that to happen. “Kerine. Keri, I told you it wasn’t your fault. I was to blame. I fully accept that and always will.” “Forget about it, Josh. What’s done is done. You moved on to better things. We have both moved on.” “It wasn’t like that,” he elevated his voice with a tone of seriousness and I dared to look over at him. He was gripping the steering wheel so tight, his knuckles had had gone first hot red and then albino white. He still kept his deep copper hair tousled as if he had just rolled out of bed and the need to rub my hands through the locks pulsed in my hands. I was at the point of giving in when he spoke before I could act on the impulse. “It was never that way, and you know it.” “Josh, this is too much for me.” I placed both my hands firmly against the thighs of my dark dress pants and was prepared to hold them there indefinitely if needed. “Jeanette and Tyler are two of my closest friends. I want their wedding day to be perfect and I realize that means having to be around you more often again for the next few weeks. What I do not want is to open up old wounds.” His vehicle pulled up to and stopped at the red light at an intersection. Josh let his head drop to his chin. Another urge hit me and my limbs betrayed me as my left hand
slipped over and covered his right one on the steering wheel. This time, his entire head turned to me and we locked eyes. There was a hint of passion? Guilt? Regret? I couldn’t discern what he was silently trying to convey to me in those short seconds. A car horn blaring behind us – that’s Jersey for you – pulled us back to reality. My hand was still on his as the SUV pulled forward across the boulevard leading up to my apartment complex. When I realized this, I immediately pulled it back and missed the warmth of him. “The last one on the right, correct?” I nodded my head because my mind still buzzed and no words would come. As soon as he pulled up to the curb, I unbuckled myself as fast as my hands would move and nearly tumbled to ground below. I had forgotten how high up we were sitting. Josh reached over with lightning speed and grabbed my arm before I was any further on my way to an embarrassing embrace with the sidewalk. “You okay?” He eyed me with concern. Heat flushed my cheeks and I again nodded, shyly this time. “Thank you, I’m fine.” Now adjusted to the height difference, I climbed down and closed the door. I walked up the path and to safety from this man who obviously still held a large piece of my heart in his grasp. “Good night. Thanks for the ride,” I yelled over my shoulder without bothering to turn around or listen for a response.
Chapter 5
“Good morning, Keri,” Carmen offered the greeting in a singsong voice. “Morning,” I smiled back at the older Hispanic woman. Carmen had taken me under her wing since the first day I started with the New York marketing firm Bank, Drake, Lyle, and Co. For some reason, she was the only one of the other four executive secretaries to take to me. Given, she is titled as the Senior Executive Assistant and, other than the charming Mr. Stephen Bank, Jr., is considered my immediate supervisor but she seemed friendly, not just polite, from day one. If I had any questions, I knew she was the one to go to for advice or assistance. We even shared laughs at the local bar a few times after work. Carmen was a sweetheart and everyone was well aware of that. However, she could also be your worst enemy if you not only made too many mistakes but also had a horrible attitude to match. In two years time, none of the other original executive secretaries are still employed here and a few of their replacements have either been dismissed or moved on to other departments.
She
demands nothing but the best quality work, but she’s always willing to help you make that happen. If it were not for Carmen Acosta’s support, I have no doubt Mr. Bank would have gotten rid of me a long time ago. As I stepped behind the desk and was about the lay my handbag next to my chair, I heard the distinct creek of a door opening followed by large feet padding on the plush carpet that lined the entire office floor. “Kerine, is that you?” Mr. Bank yelled from behind me.
All of the partners had large offices in the rear of the business floor, nearest the windows and a wonderful view of the Manhattan skyline. The area was essentially a large semi-circle.
Each secretary had a desk positioned in front of the office of
whichever partner she assisted. Carmen assisted Bank, Sr. while I had the pleasure of working under junior and all his Upper West Side finesse. Plastering a smile to my face, I glanced over at Carmen who winked at me and then continued to type at her terminal. “Yes, Mr. Bank. It’s me.” Before I could turn around to address him, he had stepped in front of my desk and stood there with a scowling look on his face. Someone should do him well and advise him the spray-on tan fad is over. However, that someone would not be me, not today, anyway. “Ms. White, do you know what time it is?” He always addressed me by my last name when he intended to be especially malicious to me. “Yes, sir. It is exactly 9 o’clock.” “Which means that you are late, does it not?” The fake smile I was donning turned into an authentic one. “No, sir, it does not.” The look of surprise on his face was priceless. Given his upbringing and the fact he probably had not earned his position but rather inherited it, Stephen Bank, Jr. was not accustomed to not getting his way. Today would have to be one of those days when he faced the reality that the world did not revolve around him.
“Do you mind explaining yourself? Before you do so, may I please remind you of how we have a strict attendance and honesty policy at this firm.” “Yes, Mr. Bank, I am well aware of this fact. I am so aware of this fact my actual start time has always been scheduled for 9 AM, yet I have always chosen to arrive at 8:30 AM so as to get an early start on my day’s work. Today is probably one of the only days when I have arrived at my company regulated start time and not at least thirty minutes prior to it.” The flash in his crystal colored eyes indicated he was angry. He was the type to believe he was far too regal to stoop to common anger so I knew whatever he was thinking in that gel slicked head of his was not going to make it to his lips. At least, I hoped not. “Watch your attitude, Ms. White. I have a board meeting at 10 AM sharp and I expect you to be there, on time.” He turned on his heels and disappeared into his office and shut the door heavily behind him. Sitting down to start up my computer and turn on my monitor, I looked around the office and saw no one else close by so I felt it okay to ask my mentor what was on my mind. “What is his problem with me?” I inquired in a low voice. Carmen continued her assault on the keys before her and shook her head noncommittally. “Don’t worry, sweetie. His day will come. You just keep on doing your job as well as you do and everything else will work itself out.”
Although her words of encouragement were to the point, I still couldn’t shake the feeling my superior was out to get me. “How are those classes coming, dear?” Carmen chimed in over my thoughts. “Huh? Oh, we’re done for the semester.” “Not long now until you finish your degree, right?” I thought I had already mentioned to Carmen I had a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and I was only returning to finish up some required business courses. I started Eastern States University with a major in marketing and was then persuaded by an unnamed associate whom I was madly in love with at the time to change to journalism, which so happened to be his major. “Yeah, only one more semester and I’ll be done.
This will be my second
bachelor’s.” “I remember. You just keep at it, okay? Don’t let people like him,” she paused from her typing to nod in the direction behind me, “distract you from your goal.” I nodded in agreement and went to pulling up the software programs I would need to work from for the day. Speaking of distraction, I hadn’t been able to get Josh out of my mind since I last saw him the other day. Not one call. Granted, I changed my number since we were a couple but he could have easily gotten it from Tyler or Jeanette. I had forgotten how good his voice always sounded. A nice even bass, like smooth jazz to my ears. I wasn’t sure if it were my imagination or not but Joshua definitely seemed bigger and more conditioned from last I saw him.
The buzzing of my cell phone in the bag on the floor next to me diverted my thoughts. Sneaking a look behind me, I saw Mr. Bank was near his window. By the flailing of his long arms and the intensity on his face, I knew he would not notice me taking a quick personal call. Knowing him, he was probably having another fall out with any one of his parade of mistresses. I felt sorry for his wife; she must be a sad and lonely woman to want to put up with the likes of him. I know Carmen wouldn’t mind as long as I kept it quick. Scanning the caller ID as I pushed the mute button on the side to end the vibrations, I flipped the phone open and ducked closer to the desk. Maybe if Mr. Bank did look this way, he would think I was on the office phone. “Hello?” I answered in a hushed tone. “Hey, girl.” It was Jeanette and she sounded very refreshed. “Hey, make it quick. My demon boss is here and he is not in a good mood.” “Okay, sorry,” she lowered her voice as if she was here and he was trying to listen in on our conversation. “What’s up?” “Drinks tonight? Please say ‘yes’, it feels like we haven’t had a girls night out in weeks.” “Um, okay. Where at?” “How about that Irish pub on sixty-seventh?” “Yeah, what time?” I happened to glance up and Carmen was giving me the eye so I knew my time was winding down.
“Seven-thirty and wear something sexy.” “Sexy?” The call ended and I was left shaking my head in disbelief.
Chapter 6
By 7:45 PM, I was stuck on Broad Street in a cab with a sense of dread in the pit of my stomach. There was something in Jeanette’s voice earlier and it worried me. Despite the anxiety I was feeling, she was right about not having much fun lately. Working full-time during the day and then taking classes three evenings a week for the last year was becoming a bit overwhelming. Now, with Tyler and Jeanette’s impending nuptials, going with her to pick out cakes, dresses, place settings, invitations, and the list goes on and on, I was at the point I thought I may have to scream just let out the pent up tension. Going on a sudden urge, I decided to give in to Jeanette’s suggestion for this evening’s attire. I had yet to show off my sleek new body, courtesy of weeknights on the treadmill and weekends jogging around the park. I picked up this ensemble on sale at a local boutique and was waiting for an excuse to pull it out of the closet. It was a short sleeved plum colored dress that stopped about four inches above the knee. The cut of the dress was form fitting, and the cotton-spandex blend hugged by curves just right. The cleavage area had section of black lace across it with a slight dip in the middle to reveal just the right amount of mocha colored ta-tas. The dress came with a matching belt and it only added to cut of my waist. Not wanting to overdo the look, I settled for a pair of simple black pumps with a nice three-inch heel. I wore a light plum lip color similar to my dress for added effect. After having washed and flat ironed my hair earlier, I decided to go for a more mature look and allowed the dark tresses to frame my face with a slight bump on the ends.
Finally arriving at my destination, exactly one hour after I first called the cab company, I paid the driver, wished him a good evening and walked in to the pub. Despite the name, the environment was actually quite trendy. The immediate front was the bar area; however, there was a section in the back for dining, and a nice size paneled floor next to that for dancing. The rear of the dance floor had a stage area. I supposed it was for house bands to perform on or maybe a weekly karaoke night. I spotted Jeanette at the crowded bar area. She stood up to wave me over. Her tall frame was wearing a strapless off white cocktail dress. She had her hair pulled up in a sleek French twist and with the light make-up she wore, she looked fabulous. I walked over to where she was sitting and hugged her. The minute I pulled back, I spotted Tyler in the seat next to her and Josh at the one after that. “Girl’s night out?” I looked at her quizzically. “What?” She smirked. “What’s he doing here?” “Well, when I told Tyler we were going out, he immediately wanted to come with us. I couldn’t say ‘no’, he was making that sad face and I just gave in.” I continued to stare at her blankly so she continued on with the story. “Then, he started going on and on about how Josh was here and he hadn’t hung with his buddy in so long and he practically begged me to invite him too.” “So, you did. Just like that, you betray me.” She pulled at my arm jokingly, trying to lighten my suddenly downcast mood. “Kerine,” she sang my name, “we use to all have so much fun together. Can’t we do that again for one more night? Please?”
She pouted and, against my better judgment of doing an about face and sauntering out of there with my head held high, I relented. I was about to scoot up on the open stool next to her when she held her hand out. “Oh, no, you can’t sit there.” She practically knocked me away from the space. “Why not?” She was already on thin ice with me and I was not in the mood for games. “There’s already somebody there.” “So what? I don’t see any name places.” “Keri, trust me. This guy was huge. One of the types we don’t want to have any problems with.” As uptight as I was feeling, whoever this guy was would do better not to give me any hassle. Still, I didn’t want the others to have to have any encounters with the authorities tonight due to my foul mood. “I think there’s a vacant one next to Josh. Besides, we’re going to have dinner, too. The owner said it shouldn’t be more than another twenty minutes or so.” She smiled hopefully. I glanced over her shoulder at the men, who had gone back to their own conversation. Josh made distorted faces as he mouthed something to Tyler. Tyler was facing the opposite direction from me so I could not make out his expresses but he kept motioning his hand as if he were trying to calm Josh. My eyes went straight to the blackened sealing overhead. Another silent prayer followed right behind. The closer I moved to the men, the quieter their voices became. I happened to catch Tyler’s last sentence before all went silent.
“Josh, just relax, okay, man?” The moment I came into Tyler’s peripheral vision, he stood and offered me a quick hug, which I returned. “Hey, Keri. Glad you made it.” “Sorry I was late. You know the traffic around this time and its Friday, too.” “It’s fine, we just arrived here ourselves. Have a seat.” He turned to the bartender and ordered a beer for me. While Tyler finished paying for it, I turned to look at Josh. If it were possible, he was even more handsome than a few days ago. Against the black causal button-up shirt and a pair of lightly worn blue jeans, the light tan of his skin was flawless and his eyes were like two perfect lakes. He had managed to control that full head of Irish hair of his.
The sight of his long slightly crooked aquiline nose and
cherry colored lips brought back memories of his face buried against my neck and evenings of delightful and satisfying endings. He had a far away look on his face and I wondered what was on his mind. I decided to shake off the feeling. I was no longer the woman to soothe those feelings out so I was not going to entertain the thought of wasting my time again. After being handed my beer, I was moving around Josh to grab the vacant seat next to him when he touched my arm and my breath caught in my throat. “Don’t I get one, too?” Without being directed, I instinctively knew what he was referencing and reached over to allow for a quick embrace. Instead, I was met by a set of warm muscular arms
enclosing me from each side and then the sound of a soothing heartbeat in my ears as my head lay against the soft material covering his chest. “You smell so sweet.” I heard him whisper against my ear and tingles went down that side of my neck. Again, I was taken back to memories of lying in his arms on late Sunday mornings, enjoying the sound of his breathing as he stroked my hair and my back with his rough hands. I wanted this moment to last forever. The sensation was too much to handle all at once and I forced myself from him. He looked down at me with a surprised and hurt look of disappointment. Regaining my senses, I reached around him and was able to seat myself before I lost my balance and landed straight at his feet. Josh sat back on his seat and stared straight forward at the mirror behind the bar. Not sure what else to do, I sipped on my beer. “So, Keri, what have you been up to?” He asked without looking over. “Nothing much. You know me. I don’t change much. Still at the ad agency. Same old routine.” I felt the liquid in my pallet but could no longer taste it. “I heard you went back to school.” How did he know that? Of course, it had to be Tyler. “Yup. I wanted to finish my degree in marketing.” “Yeah,” he smiled and, for some reason that made me feel better, “you always did love that stuff. You never had a problem being creative or saying exactly what was in your head.”
“So, what about you?” I wanted to move on from the topic of me as quickly as possible. He shrugged a large shoulder and looked down at his hands. That urge to run my fingers soothingly through his head came upon me again. When we dated, whenever Josh had a lot on his mind or was stressed or feeling down, I would massage his hair. He said that act always lifted his spirits.
He said the feel of my tiny fingers melted
everything away. I wondered if I would still have the same effect on him. I already knew he held the same impression on me. I never felt calmer, more at peace, more safe, than when he held me close to him. “I traveled around for a while and picked up a few freelance photography jobs. My final stop was Virginia, near where my grandparents live, in Fairfax. One of the local news stations hired me full time, said I did pretty good work.” He thumbed the rim of the bottle and then sat still and quiet again. “Photojournalism. So that’s what was under the black cover on your seat,” I said thinking back. “Yeah, it’s to keep the equipment cool and undamaged from the sun. Plus, it deters people from trying to get into the vehicle to take it.” “That’s great. It’s what you always wanted to do. You always wanted to be where all of the action was.” “It’s okay, I guess,” his voice held a hint of doubt. “You don’t like it?” “No, I love my job. It’s just not the same.”
I think he left the statement open-ended on purpose. It felt as though he were trying to draw me in to ask more questions. I decided, fool-heartedly, to go for the bait. “What’s not the same?” He turned to me and his eyes were dazzling. I thought he would speak the words that were also on my heart, but I was devastatingly wrong. He backed out. “Nothing,” he said and looked away and toward the mirror again. “I need to run to restroom real quick. Be right back.” Josh shot up from his seat and headed to the back. Sitting there stunned, I looked over at Jeanette who popped up her head from snuggling up to Tyler only long enough to shake her head, silently telling me not to worry. Had they been listening to our conversation? Suddenly, I had the feeling I was being watched, almost as though someone were standing right at my back. Swinging my legs around, I expected Josh to have returned and was completed taken aback by the man who stood before me. With butterscotch colored skin and almond eyes to match, this man was beautiful. His hair was neatly trimmed with a well-groomed goatee to match. His physical beauty was matched by the top of the line pair of gray dress pants and light blue dress shirt, tucked neatly into his pants, and matching gray printed tie he wore. I must have started smiling without realizing I was, because he returned the sentiment and a stunning pair of gleaming white teeth greeted me. “Hi, pretty lady,” he crooned. “Hello,” was all I could manage in return.
“I saw you the moment you stepped through the door and I had to know your name,” he smiled again. “Kerine,” I giggled. “Hi, Kerine.
I’m Maurice,” he extended his hand, “nice to make your
acquaintance.” I shyly touched my hand to his then drew back just as quickly. “Likewise.” “Listen, I was wondering if you might like to step out on the floor and have a dance with me?” I dropped my head and looked away. The feeling of butterflies in my stomach indicated I was probably behaving like a schoolgirl. I wasn’t sure how I was going to respond until someone else answered on my behalf. “No, she would not.” I heard the deep bass of Josh’s voice and my head shot up. Maurice made a turn so smooth I had not realized he had made any motion at all until his back was to me. “Thank you for the response, my man, but I think I was asking the lady, not you.” His statement was short and to the point. Josh stepped forward; close enough to Maurice so that the two men were toe to toe. With their heights evenly matched, the two men eyed one another for a long silent moment. From where I sat, I could only make out Joshua’s expression. He was like a statue. He stood perfectly still and his eyes were intense and focused on the other man. His gaze faltered only long enough to throw a glance at me and then back at Maurice.
“I saw who you asked and I heard what you asked and the answer is still ‘no’.” Maurice did not seem like he was going to back down. Sudden movement to my right alerted me that Tyler had stood up and so had Jeanette. This was not looking good. Tyler was a good six inches shorter than Josh and Maurice, he was even slightly shorter than Jeanette, but he was a burly guy and could easily move himself around and underneath someone if needed. So could Josh. This was definitely not a good sign. If Maurice was aware there was another man coming up behind him, he gave no indication he knew. He and Josh continued their stand off. “Exactly what gives you the right to speak for her? The lady looks old enough to make her own decisions.” Josh folded his arms over his chest. Yet another ominous sign. He only made that move when he was getting pissed. “Wait, hold on, fellas.” I jumped off the stool and stood to one side of both of the tall men. “Let’s not get carried away,” I said as I looked from Josh then to Maurice, hoping to will them both into submission. I know it was lame, but it was all I could think of to say to try to defuse the situation.
Whatever the attempt, it had failed as neither man took the time to
acknowledge my smaller presence standing there. “I’ll tell you what gives me the right. She’s my woman so she doesn’t dance with any other guys.” My head snapped up at Josh. Did my ears deceive me or had he referred to my as his woman – not his girl – his woman?
“Is that right?” I was so fixated on Josh that it took me a moment to realize Maurice was addressing the question to me. It was only when Josh looked down at me with pleading eyes, I knew I was supposed to respond for myself this time. “Yes,” I directed the answer to Maurice but I continued to stare up at the only man who held my heart. With a look of defeat, Maurice stepped away and put his hands in the air as he walked away. I supposed Tyler and Jeanette went back to their seats. I honestly could not say because my entire being was focused on this handsome man standing there with his hand held out to me. Without hesitation, I took Josh’s hand and let his larger tanned one enfold my smaller bronzed one. With a feeling of being swept off my feet, he lifted me into his arms and carried me over to the dance floor and then gently set me back down. Never taking his hands from around my waste, he kept his eyes steadied on my mine. I wanted to blush, but the need to wrap my slim arms around his thick neck was more overpowering so I just went with the feeling. Using my fingertips, I started to comb through the russet locks that had been teasing me and begging me to touch them. He bent forward and pressed his forehead against mine and released a sigh. “I’m sorry,” he whispered as he moved his lips close enough to gently touch mine. If there was music playing in the background, I could no longer hear it. All I heard, all I felt was Joshua Somers. “For what?”
I closed my eyes and inhaled his heavy scent, wanting to wrap myself in it and implant the memory in my soul forever. “I know you don’t like when I fight.” A small laugh escaped me. “It’s okay. That doesn’t count as a real fight.” I was about to laugh again but I felt his lips press firmly, eagerly against my own. My tongue slipped into his mouth and our noses pressed together as we consumed one another in a kiss passionate enough to spark small flames all over my body. My feet were once again taken from the floor as he scooped me up so were at the same height as he continued to shower small kisses on my mouth. “Kerine,” he breathed heavily. “Yes?” my breath was also languid. “I missed you.” In one moment, my world came crashing down and was elevated all at the same time. I forced myself down and out of his arms. Josh stood back, obviously surprised by my actions. “I think I’m going home now.” “Keri, wait. Why?” He reached for my arm and I dodged his touch. “Why?” I could not believe he had the audacity to ask the question. After breaking my heart into a million pieces and leaving so fast I did not have the chance to throw anything at him and then not contacting me for over a year, he asks me why I’m leaving. “Josh, if you don’t know, then I suggest you search your memory and think on it.”
Once again, I found myself making a hasty retreat away from Josh Somers. As I high tailed it pass the lovely couple, I offered a departing nod. Jeanette called my name but I just held up my hand as I pushed through the door and onto the busy New York sidewalk where no less than a dozen passer-bys whizzed by me. After digging through my black clutch bag and retrieving my phone, I started punching the cab company’s number on to the screen.
Chapter 7
By Sunday afternoon, I had finally recovered from the Friday fiasco. After making sure to ignore any and all calls from my so-called best friend, I was glad to see she had not given up on me just yet. Recognizing her home number on the jingling phone, I quickly flipped the phone open. “Hey,” I answered, trying not sound too eager but with a hint of regret for previously pushing her to the side. To my surprise, Tyler’s voice came on the line. “Hey, Keri,” he answered in his usual upbeat voice. My brow wrinkled as I tried to figure out why he would be calling and not Jeanette. Was she mad at me for being mad at her? “I know you’re probably wondering why it’s me calling and not Jeanette.” “Yeah, kind of.” “Her mom and sister decided to pop-up and surprise her with a spa day. You know, try to massage out some of that wedding day stress. Anyway, she still feels bad about what happened at the bar and wanted you to come over for dinner.” “Hm, I see. Okay, I guess I can get a cab and be there by five. Is that good?” “You don’t need to do that. I can come pick you up in about an hour.” “Okay, see you then.” This had set-up written all over it but, at the moment, I wanted to make up with my friend too much to care.
Exactly one hour later and I heard my doorbell chime. “Coming,” I yelled from the bathroom. I was still in the process of adding a flip to the ends of my layered hair and seriously entertaining the idea of giving one of those hair relaxer products a try. After wiping my hand on a hand towel and giving myself the once over to make sure I was presentable, I moved to go and open the door. Having decided to keep my look simple, I chose a baby pink cami top and straight leg jeans with baby pink sandals. I opened the door and, not really expecting to see Tyler, was face to face with Mr. Handsome himself, Josh. A sudden urge to shut the door in his face worked its way into my mind. Josh probably saw the thought cross my mind by the devious look I was sure I had plastered on my face. He lifted a burgundy colored eyebrow and then quickly placed one large hand against the door and planted one foot across the threshold. I smirked. “Looks like you read my mind, Josh. Might as well come in.” “You don’t look surprised to see me,” he said as he followed me in. I showed him to the couch and walked back to the bathroom and positioned myself in front of the large vanity mirror once again to resume attending to my hair. “Yes and no,” I called out to the living room. A somewhat distant voice answered back. “Ty called me and said you needed a ride over to his and Jeanette’s place for dinner.” “Let me guess, they invited you too?”
“Yeah, is that a problem?” This time the voice was from the large figure looming in the mirror behind me. For an instant his tall and solid build overcame me in my moderate bathing room. The throbbing on my nub that had started when I opened the door to find him standing on the other side only increased under his intense blue gaze. “Not at all.” Nonchalantly, I turned my attention back to the bumper curlers I was using. “Pink always was your color.” The compliment left me with a dazed feeling, especially since Josh had positioned himself directly behind me and taken a firm hold of my hips as he stared at my reflection in the mirror. “Your hair.” A hand with fine cinnamon colored hairs stroked one side of my tresses. I was powerless to try to stop him. His touch was so familiar and I wanted it so much. “You cut your hair. It looks nice – no – sexy, it brings out your face more. I like it.” “Thank you. It looks like you let yours grow out.” His hand combed through the tousled copper length. “Yeah. I remembered you said you liked it on the longer side.” “The side burns, too, it looks good on you.” Josh really did look manlier, more mature than from the last time I saw him before his return. Though we started out on the rough side, overall his attitude was calmer, more focused. The old Josh was always talking a mile a minute about the next
trip he was planning, the next photo shoot he was going to intern at, which bar he and Tyler were going to try to get thrown out of. This Josh also was able to hold his temper for longer than a nanosecond, as was demonstrated on the previous Friday evening. Everything about him seemed that much more polished, refined. “Your hips are thinner. You lost weight.” It was more of an observation than a question. “A little. I needed a change after you left.” “I’m glad you didn’t lose too much of the good stuff.” I looked into the mirror and saw his eyes fixed on my backside and the corner of my mouth turned up. He moved his gaze back to my face and then moved closer to my back and placed his chin on my shoulder and moved his arms to encircle my frame into his own. I could feel his hard abs rubbing against my back and a definite bulge on my rear end. His warm breath on my naked shoulder was electrically tantalizing. With him, it never took much to get me aroused. “Keri, we need to talk.” “About?” “About what happened the other night.” “Nothing happened.” He whipped me around with one fast turn and I dropped the curlers on to the counter top. “Something did happen and you felt it just like I did.” “That was a mistake.”
“Don’t say that.” He leaned his head down and put his cool lips on my forehead. The buds under my strapless bra came to immediate attention. Placing my hands square on to his chest, I forced him to step back. He did so willingly because my weight was definitely not enough to make him do so by force. “Josh, if you want to talk, let’s talk. Only, shall we go back a little further than last Friday. How about we jump back to one year and six months ago when you told me it was over?” “I did not say it was over.” “You may as well have. An ultimatum is as good as deciding the outcome, especially when you already know what the person’s answer is going to be.” He stepped forward again, even closer than the before. “Why was that, Kerine? Why couldn’t you choose me?” “Choose you? Will you listen to yourself? It was not as simple that.” “It was. I asked you come away with me and you turned me down. What was I supposed to do?” It was my turn to cross my arms as the anger boiled up inside me. “First off, you did not ask, you demanded.” His eyes went to the ceiling. “Let me finish. You demanded that I leave my family, my friends, and my job to run halfway across the country with you. How is a person supposed to respond?” “It was not a person, it was you, Kerine. It was you and I. I loved you. I still love you.”
That revelation made me gasp. Josh’s hand went to my cheek and lingered a moment before gently rubbing it with the backside. “I would have taken care of us. You I would have. All that mattered was you with me, and I would have done anything to keep it that way.” “Josh, I – ” “Shh.” He placed his index finger against my lips. “Keri, you broke my heart when you said ‘no’. I couldn’t stay; I was going out of my mind being here. I wanted to see the world and I wanted you to see it with me. I was young and dumb. I thought if I left here for long enough, you would realize you missed me enough to come find me. You never came.” “You never came back or called or anything else that would indicate you were alive much less interested in me anymore.” Josh’s hand moved to my hair and pushed my long bang behind my ear. “I asked Ty about you every time I called. I asked what you were up to, if you had asked where I went, if you were seeing anyone else. His answers never gave me any reason to hope you wanted me back. I never stopped wanting you. I was just too much of a punk to come home and apologize and hear want you had to say.” “Why did you look so unhappy to see me at the church?” “I wasn’t. I wanted to see you so badly, Keri, but I knew how you felt about me. I was only trying to protect myself.” “Why is now any different?”
“I had to come to you. I was so empty and lonely without you near me. I need you, Kerine. From the first time I saw you sitting quietly on Ty’s parent’s couch while this wild party was carrying on all around you.” We both chuckled at the memory. Tyler was known for having some really crazy parties back then. If it weren’t for he and Jeanette hooking up, I would have never been there that night, and I would have never had a very inebriated Joshua Somers drop down next to me on the couch and draw me into a long, passionate tongue kiss that left my toes curled. “I knew you were the one. Six beers can really help open a man’s mind.” He laughed out loud and I playfully hit his stomach and then he laughed even harder. “Seriously, Keri,” he pressed himself into me thereby backing me into the counter, “I missed you. I missed us. I have covered everything from dog shows to hostage situations and none of that compares to the feeling I use to have when we were together. You gave me a peace of mind like nothing else could.” The heat from his body slowly and seductively warped my thinking. I sucked in my lower lip and that’s all it took to unleash his beast. “I want you.” The last three words Josh said before he grabbed my thighs and picked me up and set me on the countertop. Quick thinking allowed me to remember to pull the plug of the hot curlers out of the socket before one of had a bad scar to remember this moment forever. Then his lips were all over me. He showered my face with soft kisses. The line of my neck was next and down to the top of my cami. His hands went under the fabric
and I lifted my arms so he could pull the top off with ease. A second later and his mouth wrapped itself around my breast and nipped gently at my left bud, now standing perfectly erect. While one hand massaged my right one, his free hand went to work to unhook the bra. He wasn’t moving fast enough to my liking and so I skillfully reached back and unpinned the loops and tossed the item to the floor. Josh gasped as he took in the fullness of my caramel colored plump flesh and then he began to hungrily suck first the right and then the left one. My eyes rolled to the back of my head and my thin panties instantly became wet. I pulled at the buttons on his jeans while he continued to enjoy himself. Once I had them undone, I tugged until only his boxers remained. He pulled back to lift his shirt over his head, while I went to work flicking his hardened nipples with my tongue. The sensation must have got him going because he was at full staff and straining at the boxers. I kissed my way down his rock hard chest and made sure to cover every inch of his abs as I worked my way toward his manhood. Once there, I slid the boxers down past his hips and took him into my mouth like I was embracing a long lost friend. “Kerine!” he growled. It had been so long since I had Josh, I couldn’t help myself. I wanted every inch of him on me and in, whatever way was fastest. Once I helped him to achieve maximum hardness, he pulled me back up by the arms. Bending down, he retrieved the square packet from his wallet in the pocket of his jeans. Josh slid the latex over his long and wide member and then placed me back onto the vanity counter. Scrambling to unbutton my jeans, he nearly ripped down my pants and panties at the same time and let them drop
to the bathroom rug. I allowed my legs to drop open and he went down to find my pulsing bud. His tongue easily glided over my folds and into my center. When I thought I was going to lose my mind, I pulled him up and kissed him hard tasting my juices on his mouth. “Josh, now!” Pulling my hips against his, he pushed into me with one even stroke and I inhaled a lung full of air. It had been such a long time since I was with anyone. Josh was my last and I felt every inch of him carry me to new heights. My tightness stretched around him and he released a growl from deep in his throat. “Kerine, you feel ssssooo good.” He almost couldn’t get the whole sentence out before grunting again. “More. Harder,” I panted. He obeyed and pushed deeper up into my walls and started a steady and fast rhythm. A thin sheen covered our bodies, as we pumped against each other in natural unison. My hardened breasts rubbed vigorously against his chiseled chest. How I ever went any number of days with out this kind of satisfaction, I will never know. “You feel so sweet, so tight. Mine, all mine. Forever.” “Oh, Josh, forever and ever.” “Ah, Kerine,” he moaned and thrust forward, his entire length entering me as he released an explosion that had the veins in his neck straining through the skin on his neck. I was next and when the orgasm hit, I literally saw stars as a wave of sweet release washed over me. He collapsed on me and I, in turn, leaned back against the mirror.
Panting hard, I was trying to regain a full breath when I suddenly remembered something. “Weren’t we supposed to be going somewhere?”
Chapter 8
About one hour and one sensual shower later, we were on our way to Jeanette and Tyler’s as planned. I was starting to get the feeling those two had been playing me from the start. Jeanette and I would have to have a serious discussion later; at the moment, I was trying to figure out where Josh was headed. “Where are we going?” “My parent’s house.” “What? Why?” “I know they want to see you.” I sucked my teeth. “Yeah, right. Your mom hates me,” I said as I nibbled on my fingernail. Josh scrunched his face as he turned down a cul-de-sac. “No, she doesn’t. What gave you that idea? My mom adores you.” “Oh, really. She never had anything nice to say about me. The first time you took me to your house, your mom’s jaw dropped so far, I thought it was going to unhinge.” “Ha!” Josh laughed hard and I plucked his arm. “Hey! Once again, for your information, my mom thought you were great for me. You just never came around enough to hear all the good stuff she had to say about you. When you did come over, she was probably giving me the eye to make sure I treated you right.”
“Is that right, Mr. Somers?” “Yes, it is, Ms. White. She gave me so much shit after we broke up. She called me everyday for a month to yell at me for not coming back up here and setting things right with you.” “Really?” The thought of the tough as nails Abigail Somers actually having a soft spot for me brought a small smile to my face. “All this time, I thought she didn’t like me because I’m black.” Josh eyed me suspiciously as he parked the SUV in front of a modest one family home at the back of lane. “Is that what you thought, really?” “Yes,” I admitted, “what about your dad? He never looked happy to see me.” “My dad never looks happy to see anyone. Not even my me.” He unclasped his seat belt and stepped out of the car door and walked around to open the door on my side. This time, I willingly allowed him to pick me up for the short distance from the seat and to the sidewalk. I missed being carried around and it showed because I giggled the entire time. Once he closed the door, Josh turned and kissed my forehead and put his burly arm around my shoulders as we walked up the drive. Using a key on his ring set, he undid the lock and pushed the door open enough for me to inch my way forward into the small foyer at the bottom of the staircase leading to the second floor of the home. “Josh, is that you?”
I heard the woman’s heavy voice call from the rear of the home, most likely coming from the kitchen since Mrs. Somers was never far from her stove. The pit of my stomach bubbled up and I looked up at Josh. He winked down at me and closed the door behind him. “Yeah, mom, it’s me. I have a surprise for you!” My eyes went wide. “You didn’t tell them I was coming here?” I tried to whisper but the shock wasn’t letting my voice drop that low. “It’s okay. Relax,” he said and grabbed my hand for support. There was movement in the corner of my eye as a short, round woman came barreling down the hall next to the staircase and leading from the kitchen. Dressed in short pants and a cardigan top, the fiery red head came straight at me with her arms wide open. I was pulled in a deep bear hug and struggled to return the affection. Abigail Somers was a tiny woman, but she was strong in spirit and physically strong for her size, as I was now finding out. “Kerine!” she exclaimed as she laid a heavy kiss on each of my cheeks. “Mrs. Somers.” “Please, call me Abby.” “Okay, Abby. It’s good to see you again.” “Same here! It’s been too long! Come on, dear. Teddy’s in the kitchen.” Teddy was most likely Mr. Theodore Somers. The woman grabbed my hand and began to pull me back into the direction from which she had just come. I looked back at Josh and he mouthed the words I told you as he smirked at me.
When we reached the kitchen, Mr. Somers was seated at the square solid maple wood table reading the newspaper. He looked up and the unbelievable happened. The man smiled. It was not a full force cheek-to-cheek smile, more like a thin line extending casually across the surface of what usually held a constant placid stare. This was the most emotion I had ever seen the elder Somers male display, so when all 6’5” of him stood – that’s who Josh received his height from – I was darn near floored when he, too, strolled up and place me in a big reunion type hug.
Chapter 9
Josh and I never did make it to Jeanette’s that night but she and Tyler understood and sounded completely relieved when we explained the situation to them over the phone. We ended up having dinner with his parents who could not say enough about how glad they were to see Josh and I together again. His mother chided him for being away so long and leaving such a good girl as me up here so close to the city and all by myself. She must have popped him no less than five times as she reminded him I could have easily been taken by the time he quit his childish ways and decided to make amends. I laughed so hard that I was in tears for the remainder of the night. I nodded in agreement with ever part of her son’s reprimand. We spent the remainder of the night at my place and come Monday morning, I was ready to hit the ground running. The workweek was uneventful and by Wednesday night, we were all back at the church again for one final rehearsal. The men would have the last alterations for their suits done on Friday night and Josh asked me to come along for that as well. Since the spa day with her Mom and sister, Jeanette seemed so well rested she seemed to float through ever day since then. Now, she looked absolutely radiant at the back of the church with a stand in rose bouquet to simulate her actual arrangement. The light shining through the windows of the building hit her face at just the right angle and she glowed with happiness. Tyler stood beneath the dais with the pastor behind him. He looked like a proud man and his face, too, was lit up with elation. The rest of the bridal party, which included myself, Jeanette’s younger sister Erin, a younger looking brunette-headed version of
Jeanette, a good friend of ours from college named Denise, and one of Jeanette’s girlfriends from her modeling agency, lined the left side of the head of the church. The groomsmen, including Joshua, who looked very delicious in his black shorts and gray polo top, Tyler’s younger brother William, an African-American guy I recognized from some of Tyler’s dorm parties way back when but could not recall his name, and another blond-haired man who did not look familiar at all. The woman seated at the organ, probably the choir leader, began her version of Here Comes the Bride and Jeanette began her sultry march forward. She reached Tyler’s side and he took her gently by the hand and tucked her arm around his own and then the couple faced forward toward the minister. Pastor Smith began to explain how he would go about saying the vows and when each one of them would make the solemn affirmation. Although I know we were supposed to be watching the mock nuptial take place, I chanced a look at Josh and found he was already watching me. We held one another’s gaze and my mind floated to a time when I thought this scene would be our own. I wondered if this outcome was still a possibility for our future. Josh must have been thinking the same, his face had an angelic expression and his lips were slightly parted. I could almost feel his gentle kisses on my face from across the room. He mouthed the words I love you and my heart almost melted. I love you, too, I returned the declaration with small tears welling up in my eyes.
By Friday, it was crunch time. The wedding was the following Saturday and we all needed to put the finishing touches on the arrangements, the catering, and the clothing. “As soon as I’m done here, we can go out to dinner. I’m dying for a good steak.” Josh spoke from behind the door of the changing room. “Okay. Hey, let’s try that new steakhouse on Lexington,” I responded as I flipped through the bridal magazine someone left on the chair I was now occupying. “Sounds good. Are you ready?” I put the magazine on the stand and sat up in the chair. “Yes, yes, come on. I wanna’ see.” Josh pulled the door back and I had to fight to stay glued to the chair. The tailor alterations were perfect. His wide square shoulders and the broadness of his chest were accentuated to perfection by the black tuxedo jacket. The dark slacks hung just right on his straight hips and large legs. “You look delicious.” I batted my eyes and he licked his lips. “Don’t do that.” “Do what?” I stood and moved to him and placed a hand over his heart area. “Can’t a woman say how attracted she is to her man?” “Yes, but not here,” he said in a husky voice as I worked my way around to behind him and gave him a nice heavy rub on the rear. “Why not?” “Because I might do this.”
He reached behind him with one arm and pulled me to his chest and then licked at my neck and as I squealed with delight. “And I might not be able to stop next time,” his hot breath tickled the wet spot he left behind. “You two have got to behave.” Tyler came out from the next room and rolled his eyes in our direction. “You know, there are women and children present,” he chuckled as he went over to the standing mirror to straighten his white tie. He and Jeanette had settled for the classic and elegant theme. Jeanette and Tyler would be wearing all white, while the groomsmen wore black suits and white cummerbunds and the bridesmaids were in black dresses with white sashes around the wastes. “Whatever, man,” Josh laughed and pecked me on the lips again before releasing me. He went to the tall mirror on the other side to continuing making his own adjustments. “So, Keri, I think you’ll love Virginia.” Tyler said as he continued to work at getting the white silk tie just right. My ears perked up. “Excuse me?” “Fairfax. It’s beautiful there. I went down to see Josh once last summer. Great area.” “Ty, man,” Josh gave him a warning look, “not right now.”
Josh caught the hint and he quickly moved on to the next subject. “Anyway, you guys mind if Jeanette and I go out to eat with you tonight? We were looking for something to do.” “Wait,” my hand did the halt sign in mid-air, “back-up. What do you mean I’m going to like Virginia? Who said I was going anywhere?” Of course, by this time, I knew the answer but I wanted that certain someone to fess up to it. Tyler looked to Joshua for help. “Tyler, I’m the one who asked the question, why are you looking at him?” “Because I’m the one who said you were going back with me to Virginia,” Josh admitted as he turned back to face me. A look of nervousness and panic settled in those blue pools. “Why would you tell him something like that?” “Because you are, at least, I thought you were going to. I mean, since we are back together, I assumed you would want to.” “Josh, how could you?” “What? What did I do this time?” “You mean, what didn’t you do?” He moved toward me and I made two steps in reverse. “Keri, I don’t understand. We’re happy again. I want you to come home with me.” I picked up my purse from beside the chair. “I cannot believe this, we are right back where we started, Josh.”
“Keri.” “Last time, you didn’t ask me, you demanded that I come with you. This time, you still didn’t ask me, you assumed I would drop everything and follow you. Everything does not revolve around what you want when you want it. I get enough demands at work from the jackass I have to call ‘sir’ all day. I would expect the man that I love and who I thought loved me to ask me for my opinion once in a while.” Joshua stood there speechless as Jeanette made her appearance from sitting with the bridal consultant in her office. “Keri, I do love you and that’s why I want you to be with me in Virginia. I need you with me.” He tried to reach for me again and again I sidestepped him. “Josh, I adore you. I have from the moment you brought a spark of liveliness into my meek existence but I am a person. I think, I have feelings, I have wants and desires like everyone else. Our life together cannot be built around your whims and your short attention span. Any relationship is a partnership, not a dictatorship, and I will not be forced by anyone, not even you, to do something I’m not comfortable doing. I want stability and support, and I’m not sure you’re the one to give that to me.” “What’s going on?” Jeanette chimed in with a look of confusion written all over her face. “Nothing, I was just leaving for the night. Can you take me back to my place?” As Jeanette gathered her own things and glanced a weary eye at Tyler, I knew it was time I stopped horsing around and seriously considered investing money in getting a vehicle of my own for times, like this one, when I needed to make a hasty exit.
“Keri, you are being silly.” “Me?” I darted a disgusted look at my friend. We were riding to my apartment in her red two-door coupe. “Yes, you. You act like the poor man is trying to drag you away like a captive to some remote island. All he wants you to do is move to another state with him.” I threw up my hands in frustration. “Why is everyone missing the point? That’s not the problem. The problem is Josh thinks he can have the world move for him whenever he wants. He never bothered to ask how I felt about leaving home before he decided he needed to escape to another part of the country. He left and never looked back. To add insult to injury, he came back, made me fall in love with him all over again, and now he’s going back and trying to drag me along with him, again without asking my thoughts and feelings on this move.” “Honey, what did you think was going to happen? He only came up here for the wedding.” It was like a smack in the face. She was absolutely right. Joshua had never bothered to make his presence known before this time. He did say he had a job he loved and Tyler mentioned how beautiful Josh’s new town was. Josh really had no ties to anything up here anymore, except for a handful of people. His affections for me weren’t strong enough to keep him here before, why would I assume they would be strong enough this time around?
“Wait, I see that look on your face. I didn’t mean it like it sounded. Yes, he did come back to be Tyler’s best man, but I know for a fact he was waiting for any excuse to come home and see you again.” “Yeah, right, you already spilled the beans the first time. No do-overs.” “Keri, stop it. I know you’re a little mad right now, but I’m not the enemy.” I stopped pouting. “I’m sorry, Jeje. You’re right. It’s just I thought we were really going to make it work this time. It never even dawned on me he would be leaving again.” “And tell me again why you can’t go back with him? Is this really about him asking or about you being the one who’s running away?” “What do you mean? I haven’t went anywhere.” “Exactly. What you said about a partnership is true. A couple has to respect one another’s thoughts and opinions on major life decisions. In addition, each person also has to be willing to sacrifice everything for the person he or she loves. Whether that means moving across the street or moving to the other side of the world, it’s important for each person to help the other to fulfill their dream.” I sat silently as I pondered her words. After a few minutes, she laid her hand on mine while I considered maybe this entire situation, or at least part of it, was my fault not Josh’s.
Chapter 10
By the following Monday morning, I still had not heard from Josh. I had been tempted to call him several times, but had backed out at the last moment. It seemed I was now the one afraid to make the first move toward a reunion. Every time I asked Jeanette or Tyler how he was, they only said he was getting some things straightened out back home. I had no idea he had returned to Virginia. I worried he would stay there and never come back but each of them reassured me he would be back in time for the services on Saturday. In the meantime, I had some serious thinking to do. While I typed away at completing an expense report, I was overtaken by a large shadow. I looked up to find Mr. Bank, Jr. studying me intently. “May, I help you, sir?” I was in no mood for his bull so he had better make his next statement a good one. “Ms. White it has come to my attention that you have been leaving work early over past two weeks or so.” “Actually, only the last week, a close friend of mine is getting married and – ” He cut me off before I could finish explaining the circumstances. “Save it, Ms. White.” He had the impudence to put his hand right to my face, just centimeters from touching me. Strike one. When he continued, he had elevated his voice to a level where this was no longer a private conversation but a public one as some of the other executive secretaries, including Carmen, were now looking our way. Strike two.
“Again, Ms. White, I feel it necessary to remind you of this company’s attendance policy.
We pride ourselves on being over achievers and working under the most
professional standards.” I sat back in the chair closed lipped. I did not bother to look to Carmen for help, because it had become abundantly clear how this was going to end. My mind was made up and all I needed was the final straw to seal the deal. He leaned forward and looked me straight in my eyes. He was so close, I could have given him a clean slap across the face if I so chose, but I think smarter not harder. “If you are not up to the challenge, Ms. White, we can all assume your services are no longer needed in this office.” Strike three. There was a communal gasp from around the room. I clasped my hands together and leaned back into the leather chair. I saw Carmen stand behind her desk and thought she was coming this way but she did an about face and retreated behind her. I could not see where she went because Bank, Jr. was obstructing my view. I was on my own for this one, which suited me just fine. After a tense moment with him still standing there staring daggers at me and all of the other personnel who were present in the suite gawking at the scene, I reached over to my purse and Mr. Bank finally took a step back. Once I picked up my purse, and tossed a few personal items from my desk inside, I casually turned off my computer and monitor. I stood and grabbed my dress jacket from the back of the chair and swung it over my forearm. I walked to the center of the office, with him eyeing me cautiously the entire time, and then turned back to him.
“Mr. Stephen Bank Junior. Please allow me to be the first to inform you of what an inconsiderate, idiotic, and barbaric man you are.” His head snapped back. I think the jab at his civility hurt more than the other two. “No matter how proper or high-end you try to portray yourself to be you are nothing more than another sleazy, spoiled brat who was given a title he doesn’t deserve because of who he knows and not what he knows. If you paid half the attention to your accounts as you do to chasing floozies around this office and around this city, you might just realize your draining more money from this company than you are actually pulling in on its behalf. If my services are no longer required than I am no longer required to spend my time covering your ass and more time pursuing the career I deserve. I have put up with this constant hostile environment for far too long and I am done. As of today, I quit!” “That will not be necessary, Ms. White.” It was a voice that was somewhat familiar but hard to place. Facing the speaker, I understood exactly why. It was that of Mr. Stephen Bank Senior. “Dad?” Junior was just as shocked to see the old man as were the rest of us. When I saw Carmen step from behind the man as he stood in his office door, I now understood she had gone to get the big guns, the real reinforcements. I made a mental note to send her some flowers one day soon. “Yes, Junior, wipe that silly look off your face. I have a few things to say.” Junior immediately went to the attention position and clipped his lips.
In the two years while I was with this firm, I have seen the founding member of this company exactly twice before today and only at the annual company awards ceremony. As far as I was aware, Carmen was the only one, other than the other partners, who dealt with him directly and now here he stood with a mean scowl on his face. This turn of events had definitely peeked my interests enough for me to hang around and to hear what the man had to said; especially given he had called me out by name. He had not changed much since those times I had seen him in the flesh. Stephen Bank, Sr. was no less than sixty-five years of age, around my height, a little thick around the middle, and with a full head of slick white hair. The tailor made black three-piece suit he wore, with the white handkerchief folded neatly in the right breast pocket, was impeccable. “Ms White,” he was addressing me again, “I must apologize for the rude and extremely unprofessional behavior of my eldest son. Carmen is my eyes and ears out here in the executive suite and in the rest of the office and she has nothing but goods words to say about you and your work here. For that, I personally thank you. I trust her judgment and we need more associates such as you, and I would be honored if you would remain on with the company.” “But, dad – ” “Shut up, Junior!” The younger Bank shrank back to attention mode. “Yes, sir.” “You, on the other hand, may consider this your last day at Bank, Drake, Lyle, and Company.”
“What?” Junior’s mouth had dropped so far he nearly started drooling on himself. “Daddy, you can’t.” “I own this company, so, yes, I believe I can. Carmen has also been providing me with copies of your expense reports from over the last few months. Junior, this is a business not your own personal piggy bank. Your expenditures alone are going to cost our investors a good portion of their profits come next quarter. I cannot allow that, not even for my own flesh and blood. Junior, you’re fired, clean out your desk and we’ll discuss the rest of this at home.” As everyone, included me, stood like statues in stunned disbelief, Bank Senior addressed me once more before returning to the privacy of his office with Carmen at his heels. “Again, Ms. White, I implore you to stay. You will not be disappointed if you do so.” That was the last I saw of Mr. Stephen Bank, Sr. but it was enough of an impression to last a lifetime.
Chapter 11
“You look perfect.” It was the truth and nothing but. Jeanette was stunning in her pure white wedding gown. The five foot long train was hand stitched by a designer she had met during one of her earlier days trying the catch on at the New York runway circuit. Although Jeanette had not made it big there and the designer had went on to start his own line, the two had remained close friends. He was thrilled when she asked him to design the gown and she had her dream of wearing a one of kind design on her wedding day come true. As I helped her to adjust her veil over the intricately styled hairstyle the stylist had only finished braiding and then curling under an hour ago, I noticed her smoothing the front of the dress. “You okay? Something wrong? Did you get something on the dress?” “Oh, no,” she answered a little too quickly. I eyed her but my thoughts were elsewhere and I was not in the mood for twenty questions. I placed the last pin in and stepped to the side to admire the full package. “Yes, you look absolutely radiant, Jeje.” Jeanette beamed and leaned down to offer me another nervous hug. So far today, I had received no less than ten of those. Today was the moment of truth and she was a bundle of nerves. “Jeanette, honey, everything is going to be fine,” I soothed as I rubbed her back. I knew it to be true because I had been repeating it to myself over the last week and had given myself no choice whatsoever but to firmly believe in it.
I left work on that notable day earlier in the week without handing in my resignation yet without promising to return after my well-earned week long vacation that Carmen gladly approved on the spot. Since then, I had been looking up some on-line courses to take over the summer session with hopes of finishing my degree sooner and without having to sit through a full Fall semester. Most of all, I had been thinking about Josh, who, as far as I was aware, had yet to return from Virginia. I had searched all over for him when we arrived at the church at the crack of dawn this morning. The ceremony was due to begin at 10:30 AM and most of the wedding party was accounted for by 9 AM. It was nearly 10 now and time was moving faster every second. I saw Tyler in the hall about thirty minutes ago, and he simply smiled at me, nothing more, and then he and the pastor moved on to the sanctuary as they discussed some last minute details. Glancing at my image in the mirror of the bathroom next to the dressing room where Jeanette was, I again congratulated myself on getting my figure in shape for this day. My full curves and lean caramel arms and legs did this bridesmaid dress some justice, I might say. My hair had started growing out again and had reached far enough down my neck so I was able to twist it up and hold it with a small butterfly clip and outline the curve with small white faux flowers. A light beige facial powder and chestnut lip color with matching eye shadow and brown liner completed the look and brought out the soft brown of my eyes. Walking back into the room, I spied that the clock on the wall now read 10:20. I had wanted to talk with Josh before the wedding, I wanted to explain to him that most of this falling out was probably my fault. I knew he was a free spirit when we first started
going together, which was fine for me, as long as we were close to home and my cushion of comfort. I knew sooner or later, he would want to venture out from our small part of the world, and I knew I wouldn’t be ready to go and when the time finally came I wasn’t. I was scared and I wanted him to be scared enough of losing me that he would stay, and that plan had collapsed twice already. It was time for me to get out and face the world, and stop running from the possibilities. Hopefully, Josh would still want to be at my side to lend me some of his strength and adventurous spirit. However, the way things were looking, it seemed as though I would not get to see him until he was standing across from me ten – now, five – minutes from now. After that, he would probably high tale it back down I-95 as fast as his four wheels could carry him. “It’s showtime,” Jeanette said nervously. “You’ll do fine, sweetie,” I hugged Jeanette one last time. “Just think in less than five minutes you will be Mrs. Jeanette Morris.” “Mrs. Morris, I can’t wait.” Jeanette tried to sound sarcastic with her comment, but I knew deep down this was the exact moment she had been waiting for and I was happy for her, for them both. Love – true� love� – is a rare gift only few have the pleasure of experiencing. With a slight ache of sadness in my heart, I walked out to get ready for the line-up as the three-piece band – a local alternative rock group that Tyler knew – started up an acoustic arrangement meant to signal the march of the wedding party. I reached the outside of the sanctuary and saw the other ladies lined up on one side, as well as the groomsmen on the other, awaiting the cue to walk in with their partner.
When I reached my spot at the front of the bridal party line, I was glamored by a stunning pair of sapphire eyes wandering over me. Joshua looked more handsome in his tux today than when I saw him at the fitting last week. His usually unruly red tresses were trimmed a bit shorter and combed back neatly and his side burns had a nice close fade. I, and the rest of the bridesmaids, held a white long stem rose in my hand and Josh, like the other groomsmen, had identical short stem roses pinned to their lapels. Without thinking, I reached over and straightened the fresh flower that had begun to droop to one side of his jacket collar. When I went to pull my hand back, he caught it and pulled it to his lips for a light kiss. I felt my face flush. There was so much I wanted to say to him but, at that moment, the planner, standing just inside the double doorway, nodded her head at us as a cue that it was time for us to start moving. Josh smiled and gave me an adoring look, and then took my arm into the crook of his own. We stepped into the sanctuary and all heads turned back to us. He must have felt my sudden tremble of apprehension, because he leaned over and placed a soft kiss on my cheek and all of my trembling ceased. “Don’t worry, you look beautiful. You are the most beautiful woman I see,” he whispered and then we stepped forward and up the aisle. At the top of the aisle, we parted ways, he to his side and me to mine. I missed him the moment we separated. In my heart, I never wanted to be apart from him again. I was absolutely sure of that now. Wherever he went, I wanted to be right there. He was like the other half of my soul, I was never happier except when we were together and never more torn than when we were apart. I wanted him and I wanted him forever.
The others filed in after us and soon it was time for Jeanette to make her grand entrance. The band struck up a yet another version of Here Comes the Bride. I wanted to watch my best friend walk that aisle but I also wanted to keep the intense longing I was sharing with the man I loved in tact for as long as possible. I had no idea where he would disappear to before I had a chance to tell him how I felt and I did not want to take my eyes off of him for fear he might vanish into thin air again. When Jeanette made her way up and to Tyler’s side, I reluctantly tore my eyes away from Josh as we all angled our bodies to face forward and witness the union. Before I turned away, I noticed Josh shift nervously on his feet and wondered what was on his mind. Had he changed his mind about loving me? Was he really going to leave me again before I had the opportunity to tell him I would follow him anywhere? I was no longer afraid to take a chance and experience life with him. Whatever the circumstances, I would have to wait to find out what the conclusion of our story would be as the minister was beginning his opening. The short jolly man was dressed in his all black clergyman wear with the white collar. He held a small bible firmly between his hands. “Dearly beloved,” he commenced, “we have come together to witness this holy matrimony between this man, Tyler Morris, and this woman, Jeanette Bixby.” The sound of muffled sniffles sounded from the audience. “But before we continue with their vows, one of Mr. Morris’s close friends, Mr. Joshua Somers has something he would like to say.” A wave of murmurs went over the audience and then a sudden hush. I turned back to Josh, wondering if we were both supposed to make speeches and if, in the
madness of the last few weeks, I had forgotten mine. I watched him make his way from the line of groomsmen and toward the other side of the aisle and directly to where I was standing. My face flushed a deep red as I, once again, felt every eye in the room watching us both. I bowed my head shyly when Josh stopped in front of me. He extended his right hand to me. Not knowing exactly what was going on, but trusting him completely, I placed my smaller one in his manly one and he led me out of the line of bridesmaids and back to the center between the two rows of pews. We stopped right behind where Jeanette and Tyler were now standing and, from the corner of my eye, I could see they were also watching the scene unfold. Once we stopped, Josh dropped to one knee and I had to cover my mouth to keep from crying out. Even on his knees, he was still as tall as my chest. Pools of water welled up in my eyes as he pulled a small blue velvet box from the pocket of his tuxedo pants. He opened it and the most breath taking white diamond solitary ring sparkled back up at me. Josh took my hand to his lips and kissed my palm as he held up the box to me. The corners of those blue gems were wet with unshed tears. The sight of him being so emotional only made my own tears start to flow even more. I was sure my neatly applied make-up was now an absolute mess, but none of that mattered at the moment. “Kerine Candace White, I love you with all of my heart,” he confessed through a deep, slightly broken bass. “From the moment I set my eyes on you, you stole my heart. You are by far the sweetest, most caring, and most intelligent person I know. You are the best thing that has
ever happened to me in my crazy life. It has been a privilege for me to know you and an honor to be able to love you.” At this point, I couldn’t hold back anymore, and I sobbed openly as I allowed the vibrant happiness to flow over me. “I was a fool to let you go, not once but twice. I promise you now, if you will have me, that will never happen again. I will spend the rest of the days we have on this earth doing whatever it takes to make you happy. I don’t care where we are in life as long as we are together. Will you marry me?” Anticipation hung in the air. I could almost hear the entire congregation holding anxious breaths as they leaned forward in their seats. I covered my mouth again and released another flow of tears as Joshua looked up at me with those pleading eyes. At that moment, my forever began. “Yes!” He released a heavy breath, as did the audience. “Of course, I’ll marry you! I love you so much!” “I love you too, Keri!” he said as he leaped up and swept me into his arms and kissed me passionately and then hugged me tight to his body. A unanimous cheer went up from the aisles. “I’m never letting you go again and I’m not going anywhere without you again. I promise,” he whispered to me and I was sure he meant it with all of his heart. “I know,” I whispered back into his ear, “I promise the same. Never, ever again. We’ll always be together.” Our foreheads touched, I felt at peace and I knew Josh felt the same.
“Ahem.” The preacher chimed in and everyone settled down. Josh placed me back on to the floor. I looked over to Jeanette who beamed back at me with a knowing smile. I do believe she knew about this whole time. I still need to have that little talk with her. I never did shake the feeling that everything from the day of Josh’s return up until today was a set-up on the part of the future Mr. and Mrs. Tyler Morris. Once we all returned to our places and gave the minister our attention, he continued where he had left off. “Well, now that we have a new marriage pending, shall we finish up with this first one?” Everyone laughed and it was a beautiful new beginning for all of us.
Epilogue
A year later and here I was already coddling my brand new godson. As it turns out Mr. and Mrs. Morris were holding more than one secret until the very end. They were already planning to upgrade Tyler’s sporty model to a room van way back even before I mentioned it. He and Jeanette had discovered she was holding a little bun in the oven but didn’t want anyone to fuss about it until they were officially joined as a family. The baby boy had stunning hazel eyes like his father’s and corn silk golden hair similar to his mother’s. Whenever I made a face at him the infant just cooed and he was too adorable to be believed. Jeanette came and sat on the red picnic bench next to me and retrieved her son from my lap. We were all enjoying a beautiful spring day at the park. “You better watch out, Josh, from the way she keeps cradling ours, she’s going to want one of those soon,” Tyler joked from the grill he and Josh were handling. I looked over at my future husband and blew him a seductive kiss meant for his eyes only. Thankfully, Tyler was staring down at the grill and Jeanette was fiddling with baby’s clothes. Josh caught the kiss and placed it over his heart. As the divine forces would have it and like I had been trying to convince myself of, everything did indeed work out in the end. I had decided to stay on with Bank and Co. Other than Junior, I had enjoyed working at the company tremendously and had learned so much about the advertising business while I was there. When Bank, Jr. was no longer in the picture, a spot opened up for another marketing executive, entry level, of course. With the highest praise from Carmen and a recommendation from Mr. Bank, Sr.
himself, along with all of the business courses I had already completed and the degree I was actually able to finish by taking a full course load last summer, I was offered the job and decided to take it on one condition. I would be working out of the Tinton Falls, DE branch office. Josh and I decided to compromise on our living situation and Delaware seemed like the median point. I was close enough to our main branch in New Jersey to travel up there whenever needed and he was close enough to the news station he worked for so he could continue to photograph for them or any of their sister stations in the surrounding area. We had found a lovely three-bedroom townhouse for a reasonable price and were reasonably close enough to visit family and friends or have them come to us as often as we liked. We were now in the process of planning our own wedding, with Jeanette as maid of honor and Tyler as best man, of course. Ours, we both agreed, would be much smaller and more hassle free, perhaps having only a small ceremony in the park this summer. The specifics didn’t matter; we just wanted to be Mr. and Mrs. Somers as soon as possible. Josh came and angled his long legs around me so he could seat himself behind me on the bench. Wrapping his strong arms, covered in fine copper colored hairs, around me, he kissed me on the back of my neck and an erotic shiver went down my back. I turned around and kissed his soft lips and then his nose. “Don’t worry, Ty,” he grinned down at me and then placed another sweet kiss on my forehead as I closed my eyes to receive the full effect of his affection, “we’re already working on it.” His hands made small circles as he gently rubbed my stomach over my turquoise tank top. My once flat stomach was already starting to show a small bulge. There was a
light fluttering there as the tiny little one developing inside was already starting to respond to its father’s touch.
THE END
A Naughty Like Me SUPER Coffee Break
New Sensations By Lenise Lee
1
“I don’t think is such a good idea,” I spoke softly while sitting in the passenger seat of a rented four-door sedan. As I peered out of the window, a sudden chill of hesitation shot down the center of my body. I shivered and pushed myself further back against the light gray cloth covering of the car seat while my eyes stayed completely fixed on the ominous looking worn down wooden door about twenty feet away on my right side. For a split second, it was as though I actually thought that if I hugged my body as close as possible to the interior of that little blue car that the action would somehow motivate this lifeless object to protect me from whatever was waiting on the other side of that doorway. Hanging over the entrance was a tilted plastic sign that was cracked in several places. The word Crystal was the only part of the title that I could make out. The remainder of the black stenciling on the bar’s moniker was chipped away to the point that the rest of the words were illegible. “Oh, girl, relax. Janay, you worry way too much.” The owner of the not-so-friendly voice was that of the driver, Rita, who was my former best girlfriend and co-worker at the advertising firm we had both worked at since graduating from Eastern States University with our MBA’s about five years ago. I say “former” because I now considered this evil woman my sworn archenemy. No true friend of mine would have dared to have dragged me away from the comforts of a nice and safe B&B and into the furthest reaches of the absolute middle of nowhere to hang out at a bar that seemed to be sitting vacant and deserted at the edge of a town we had never
even heard of back home in Jersey. I know that was a mouthful, yet the rapid succession of those words evenly matched the warped speed of my brain as I sat with a stiff back and praying for a way to get out of having to go inside of that menacing looking building over there. Our required attendance at an annual seminar for advertising consultants had sent Rita and I flying this morning on a pre-dawn flight out of Philadelphia and way over to the other side of the country to a tiny town in Glacier County, Montana. The members on the board of the national council that hosted these training events always reasoned that is was necessary for these conferences to be held at such remote parts of the U.S. map because they claimed the isolation would help to stimulate the creative side of our minds and help us to refocus and reenergize for any upcoming projects. I do have to admit that, up until this nail biting moment, my only complaint was that the nearest major city, where the week long seminars were to be conducted, was over twenty miles away in the opposite direction and that long distance was causing severe havoc with my cell phone signal and wi-fi connection. The first fun fact that my sleep deprived mind locked on to after our plane touched down and as our little vehicle traveled further and further away from the range of the airport towers was that the bars on my slider phone were slowing dipping down lower and lower and so were my arched brows. Our Corporate Liaison, Kerine Somers, was the one who had scheduled our accommodations and putting us up in a residence so far away from the actual location of the conference must have been her idea of a joke. How long before Janay Parker finally snaps from her lack of a daily dose of reading my favorite blogs and then having a gut wrenching laugh at one those everentertaining joke of the day sites? I had contemplated giving her hell when Rita and I
finally went back home but, knowing our office sweetheart as I did, I knew her intentions were probably nowhere near sinister. In general, the trends of today flipped so much faster than a decade ago and, at times, ad work could become stressful beyond belief. I was sure that she thought placing us at this particular residence would allow my companion and I a chance to catch up on some much needed R&R while we traveled on business. When we left from the eastern half of the country, it had been a cold and rainy April morning. It wasn’t until I had actually stepped out of the rental that had brought us within the town limits of Crystal Springs, the name of our home for the next eight days, and into the parking lot of the local bed and breakfast lodge that I finally gave up my desperate hopes of picking up a stronger signal for my phone. I ceased twisting my cell around over and over again in a clockwise rotation in a vain attempt of snatching whatever weak satellite signal floating by. I tossed the useless piece of plastic into my handbag and lifted my face. My eyes danced from side to side as I looked around and beheld my new surroundings. I was nearly overcome by the startling and majestic beauty on all sides of me. Even in the most exclusive boroughs and upscale townships, New Jersey was a crowded place to live, with one of the highest population densities in the nation. It was a foreign yet calming feeling to find myself standing – practically awe-struck – in the midst of such a vast open space, encircled three-quarters of the way around by a collection of mountain ranges that seemed to stretch out in the distance as far as the eye could visibly see. The view of the valley ahead was simply breathtaking.
A soft breeze touched my arms. To my surprise, since this county bordered so close to Canada, the temperature had actually shot up by nearly ten degrees as compared to the frosty sixty-two that I had left behind only a few hours ago. The warm glow of a bright yellow sun working its way further westward added to the effect of how pleasant the temperature had become. I was all too glad to shrug my way out of my light fleece jacket. The single story log cabin style building that Kerine secured for our lodging stretched out for at least an acre or more in both directions. From this position, I could also make out the shape of a wide two story house, encircled by a wood logged fence, toward the far rear of the vast green property and closer to the start of a expanded grove of tall evergreen trees.
The quaint residence was quite a distance away from the mist
enshrouded caps of the gigantic arching hills behind the home.
The scene was
profoundly stunning, like a picture taken right out of a traveler magazine. For a city girl such as me, mesmerizing sights like these were far too rare. I had no idea how long I had stood in front of the doors of the Crystal Waters Inn before the highly annoyed voice of Rita finally tunneled its way into my deep meditation. By the time I turned to answer her repeated calls for my attention, the five foot two hellcat-on-heels had already started lugging her oversized bag up the sloped incline and toward the main entrance of the beckoning hostel. I had taken one last curious glance at the captivating landscape spread out before me, then grabbed my two modest suitcases and did the same. Once inside, we were greeted by a cozy environment decorated with large neutral toned area rugs and rustic art. Old black and white photos of members of a local Native American tribe were hanging on the shellacked walls at straight angles and
spaced at perfect distances apart. A large fireplace lay dormant due to the warm spring day and the smiling face of the B&B’s hostess – I think she might have mentioned that she was the owner’s daughter – greeted us cheerfully at the check-in desk. Now, sitting here with my heart thumping in my ears and my nails digging into the bare skin of my brown thighs, peeking out from beneath the knee length violet spring dress I had decided to change into, I wish I could will myself back into that safe and happy moment. Rita was a natural born party girl and was anxious for a chance to check out the local hangout. She had started bouncing off of the walls of the double queen room within ten minutes of our arrival. Never one to waste time and without even bothering to allow any time to fully unpack, she was already rummaging through her bag and picking out sexy eveningwear. The sweet elderly man who owned Crystal Waters was all too happy to give her turn by turn directions after she batted her long lashes and politely asked him to point us in the direction of the nearest watering hole. I was allotted a handful of minutes to throw on a change of clothes, then we were screeching westward toward the sunset and down the longest and most deserted freeway I had ever traveled on. Twenty minutes after we walked through the doors of the inn, I found myself being forced against my will back into that tiny machine and being driven even further into this new world that I had been transplanted into only a few hours ago. “Jae, we can’t sit in this car all afternoon and there is no way I’m sitting cooped up in that room for the rest of the night,” the platinum blond to my left scolded in my direction. “It’s now or never and I didn’t drive all this way to just stare at the door.” Without turning to look at her, I rolled my eyes and repeated my earlier sentiment.
“Rita, I don’t think we should go in. This place doesn’t look safe.” I squinted my eyes and studied the warped and faded wood, now barely visible from this distance as the sun started a slow descent into the distant expanse of a big blue sky. “It’s getting late, and we don’t want to be here past dark.” “Why not?” Sometimes it was as though what Rita had gained in attitude and spirit, she had lost in the common sense area. There were very few people within my small group of friends, family, or associates who would find no obvious flaw in hanging out after dark in a strange bar full of complete strangers, and Rita was definitely not one of them. I turned and gave her the coldest stare that I could manage, which was probably only lukewarm at most. “Have you had a look at this place? Its half way falling down and by the looks of this ragged and deserted parking lot, I doubt anyone has stepped foot inside of that door within the past decade.” Sometimes I honestly had no clue how we two polar opposites had become such close friends. At the office our conflicting personalities worked to our advantage and had boosted our pay rate and job titles several times. Rita was the creative one while I held on time title of Ms. Practicality with high honor. She saw the big picture – the flash and flair that gave the ad campaigns we designed life and energy – while I organized the logistics and minute details behind the idea that brought all the pieces into a perfectly packaged end product. The differences extended into our personal lives as well. Rita loved men and men loved Rita. Wherever she went, droves of adoring fans flocked to her glowing hair and skin. There was always a round of drinks on the house when she
flashed those emerald green eyes at the barkeeper of whatever local dive we planted ourselves in for the night. Rita Kaye was gorgeous and petite. She was pure eye candy to any man in America who still had a pulse. I, on the other hand, was what my adopted mother – a former beauty queen herself – liked to call a little on the homely side but still pleasing to the eye, which meant that she considered my looks to be only slightly above average at worst. At best, she didn’t expect me to snag anything better than maybe a guy who would turn out to be in middle management, but probably a far cry from my handsome and successful former pro-athlete adopted father. I was given up to the state at birth. I used to wonder – perhaps I still wonder – if mother’s little side notes about my weight and other features were a clear sign that she would not have picked me at all if she could have predicted how average I would turn out to be. One good habit that mother did teach me was how to keep myself lean with a daily jog and avoiding too many heavy foods and other treats. However, all the running in the world still had done nothing to reshape my natural curviness or generous backside and full bosom. Despite the fact that I was in fabulous health and well within the healthy weight for my 5’5” height, compared to my best gal pal, I still managed to look overweight and like the ultimate Plain Jane when we stood side by side. I had my fair share of lovers, most of whom I remained really good friends with. Ms. Rita, however, was the heartbreaker who had left a string of men high and dry, slobbering for more, when she sached away from their lusty stares. On the other hand, my honey brown skin, naturally wavy shoulder length dark brown hair, which I compulsively kept in a neat bun, and deep brown eyes were far from haggish-looking but I knew that I could never command a crowd the way my over caffeinated friend had the ability to do.
“Oh, come on, Jae, live a little. Yeah, it looks a little funky on the outside, but those are always the best spots to hang out and have an unforgettable night in.” I wanted to forget about the idea of going in at all. When I sat unresponsive, she continued on with hopes of coaxing me in by striking a small bargain. “We only have to stay a few minutes….pleeeaasee.” She pinched bright red lips together and pouted. I hated when she did that. It always made me feel like a sour prude who never wanted to have any fun. This was Rita’s well-practiced way of guilting me into doing something that would normally be completely out of my character – such as even halfway considering stepping one foot on the inside of a dark and deserted countryside bar. Against my better judgment and because I didn’t want to have to listen to any more of her wining to get her way, I decided to concede. After all, she did say we would only stay for a little while. What harm could really come from taking a quick look inside? The inquisitive look on my face must have served as confirmation enough for Rita to proceed as planned. Before I could even offer a “yea” or “nah”, I heard the click of the automatic door locks and then the sharp clack of four inch heels sounding off against the cracked concrete as she stepped around the car and over to my side. I pushed open the passenger-side car door, placed my flat Roman-style sandals onto the pavement and immediately felt a buzz of energy shoot up from my exposed legs through my core, giving my heart a quick jolt. A quick glance at the warped entryway ahead and a strange flash of foreshadowing washed over me. It was an odd sensation that I had never experienced before and I wasn’t exactly sure what to make of this distinct feeling that
something or someone was waiting for me on the other side of the door looming ahead. As quickly as I could, I shook my head and tried to wash away that strange moment. As I moved with a bit of disorientation across the lot, I picked up my pace in an attempt to catch up with Rita. For someone as small as she was, she still managed to move with the speed of a jaguar in those stilettos. I stepped up behind her as she turned the knob of the aged hinged door and pulled backward with such force that a sudden gust of air blew past us. The wood voiced a sharp crackle and whiny squeal while it reluctantly separated from the frame. Without hesitation, Rita stepped into the darkened space and I reluctantly followed. In an instant, I felt like destiny was about to deal me an unexpected hand. The natural light of the setting sun behind us filled up the front half of the dimly lit modest room before us. My eyes were instinctively drawn to a pair of intense baby blues aimed intently in my direction, or so I thought.
2
The door snapped closed behind us with a loud clack. Just as the last remnants of filtered sunlight retreated back into the outside world, I saw those amazing eyes flash once more as a hypnotic spark of blue flame roped around me. I stood motionless, breathlessly waiting for my sight to adjust to the darkened room. After a few seconds of trying to refocus my vision, my eyes finally locked in on the owner of that magnificent gaze. He was sitting at the part of the bar counter that was closest to the door. The complete features of his face were hidden behind – of all things – a straw cowboy hat. The peak of the hat was dipped forward and cast a long shadow over the rest of the man’s face, only those bright blue orbs were visible from where I stood, feet planted like a stone statue at the edge of the doorway. The sudden appearance of a smirk at the corner of his lips caused a shudder of self-consciousness to roll over me. The dress that I was wearing was strapless and just barely fell past my mid-thigh area. The elastic band sewn into the top of dress clung tight around my breasts, nearly a full D-cup, and made them push out forward a lot more than they would have in a regular top. Though I had remembered to pack this particular garment should Rita and I have had to attend some type of formal lunch or early dinner function with the rest of the group, I had forgotten the strapless bra that I would have usually worn with it. The chill I had experienced back at the car had caused my nipples to pucker and they had remained stiff. The excessive hardness of my nipples was clearly noticeable and anyone with half decent vision could see them poking up through the thin material. The skinny white belt that was wrapped around my small midsection caused
my generous and wide hips to appear very apparent. A cool breeze that was hovering around the wood planked floor floated up my bare legs. A tingle of anticipation worked its way upward and stopped right at the entryway of my dark kitten. I dropped my eyes and clamped my thighs closer together as I fought back the sudden surge of heat that was gathering there. I did remember to take a minute to thank the good Lord that I had remembered to have a pedicure done yesterday so, at the very least, my open toes – if nothing else – would look somewhat decent, even in this dark room. I could only imagine how self-conscious and silly I must have looked standing there, mouth pinched tight and eyes wide with disbelief that I had even dared to take a chance on coming in a strange place only partially dressed. What would Mother have said? Probably something to the affect of reminding me how important it is to make sure I kept working hard at fighting back the natural ampleness of my thighs. Back at the bed and breakfast, when I had reached for my capri pants, my darling girlfriend told me that casual wear just wouldn’t do when we were going out to explore a new nightspot. Now, I wish I had disregarded her words and worn what I would have felt most comfortable in instead of standing here feeling so awkward and out of place, even in my own skin. I wished I had a shawl or wrap to throw over my shoulders or could run back to the rental and pull out a pair of tights to slip up over my legs, anything to cover myself and make that menacing smirk disappear from his face. Strangely enough, there was something hidden within that alluring half smile that was a curiously appealing. With the mystery man’s complete attention focused on me, I was caught up in a mix of embarrassment and slight arousal. My head was heavy with trying to decide which emotion I wanted to follow through with. His shadowed face
remained aimed at me while I inwardly debated on which direction I should hastily make a retreat toward or whether or not I should withdraw at all. Never had I walked into a situation where a man had held me in his sights for so long. The longer I was standing there, hopelessly trapped in his field of vision, the stronger my urge to make slow and determined strides closer to where he sat so casually bent over the bar top and cradling a draft bottle in one hand, as if patiently waiting for my arrival – knowing, enjoying, amused by the obvious and heated effect his interest was having on me. It was almost as though he were expecting me to take a step closer, then another and another, until he had finally completed roping me into his presence. I wondered what would happen if I were to follow through on my rising need to be near this man. If I turned away, would the invisible hands that I now felt wrapping tightly around my waistline draw me back and pull me up tight to his chest? If I moved closer, would the smoldering fire that was building within me increase – intensify? Or, would he only offer me a devastating blow as he flashed a look of confusion and disinterest because I was not the intended object of his silent affection? As I contemplated the outcome of all of these scenarios and which was the most accurate, movement at the corner of my eye offered a definite signal as to which direction I should proceed. I had completely forgotten that Rita Kaye had also stepped into the room and there was no way that I had succeeded in stealing her spotlight. My mystery man’s deep gaze had probably not been directed toward me at all. With Rita standing there, just about half an inch taller than me in her black spiked heels and wearing a snug fitting cocktail dress that outlined her tiny frame, with one hand planted firmly on her slim hip,
long hair draped over her shoulders and down her back, it became apparent who all the attention had been intended for. A sly smile spread across her face and I knew we were in for a long night. Whenever she showed both rows of her perfectly polished teeth, it was usually a clear indication that Rita was feeling wonderfully comfortable in her surroundings and ready to work the crowd. Though there was no real crowd to speak of in this establishment, most of the occupants were male and she must have set her eyes on some new victim. Or, perhaps she too had been drawn to the appealing blue eyes that had succeeded in captivating me in less thirty seconds time. The collision of pool balls sounded out across the large room and drew my attention to two men starting up a new game in the rear.
A couple was seated at the
opposite end of the bar and the handful of other men present had taken up seats at tables hugging the edge of the walls and on stools stationed further toward the other end of the bar top. The low muffle of a song that I was not familiar with filtered to my ears. Judging by the pace of the beat and the few words that I could make out, I was guessing that it was some kind of bluegrass band. “Jae, I like it…I like it a lot,” Rita spoke in my direction, even as her eyes continued to scan the contents of the building. “I can see lots of potential in here already.” By potential, she was probably referring to any number of possible hook-ups that she was planning out in her mind while surveying the male population. “It’s all right, I guess,” I replied in a low tone, “No where near as bad on the inside as how it looks on the outside.”
My thoughts were still trained on the man at the bar. I wanted to snatch another quick glance over at my dark stranger, but I managed to keep my eyes focused forward and moving over the small crowd. I was desperately searching out a chair as far away from the man with the pretty blue eyes as I could find. Usually, when a man showed more interest in Rita, I never took the gesture personally. I had come to terms with the fact that her open personality and natural flare were more appealing than my quiet and astute ways. However, for some reason, this time felt different and I didn’t want to stand around and watch the pair entangle themselves into a make-out session. Especially since, for once, I would be wishing that it were me who was locking hot lips with this tempting man, whose face I still could not quite make out as I cut my brown eyes in his direction once more for another sneak peak. I snapped my head in the other direction and my heart started to thud in my chest when I realized that he was still following our movements. Had he caught me trying to look at him again? Why couldn’t it be me that he was trying to silently pull over toward his direction? A sudden panic hit me and, without waiting for further directions from Rita, my legs went to the left and toward the corner furthest away from the door. It was darker in that spot and, hopefully, I would be able to wait out the remainder of the night in quiet solitude. I flopped down in the high backed chair at the table that was closest to the corner and sat with my back to the wall so that I could watch all sides of me. My dad was always great at giving common sense advice and his best wisdom to date was to make sure you always know where the exit is and how to get back there. Though he wasn’t my birth father, I always loved him as though he were and missed him dearly. I smiled to myself as his memory floated across my thoughts. When I looked
back up, Rita was staring down at me with a look of confusion. I wasn’t sure whether it was because she was wondering if something were wrong and wanted to know what had prompted my sudden movements or whether she was just surprised that I didn’t wait for her cue. Her next words answered my question. “Don’t you want to sit at the bar?” “No,” I answered and turned my eyes back to surveying the rest of the inside. When I made no attempt to offer further explanation, she dipped her pencil thin eyebrows at me. “We always sit at the bar first.” She took a step closer. I knew what was next and I was prepared this time. There was no way I was going to let her drag me around like her personal best buddy doll. Not this time. I had made up my mind that this spot was where I was staying and I would not be moved by anyone, not even Rita. I was suddenly in no mood to watch her flirt or to fling salon straightened hair all night. “I said ‘no’,” and snapped my eyes back to meet her green ones. She must have seen in my face what was swimming around in my head. This time, she wasn’t going to get her way and I was having no problems with displaying my seriousness. Rita backed up a little, almost as if she weren’t sure what to say next. Most of our conversation always ended up in me going along with her direction, most especially when it came to hanging out in a social scene. She looked me over once, then once more, then one more time before standing up a little straighter and speaking again.
“Fine,” she said and her words had a bit of bite to them. “Do what you want. I came to have fun, not play wallflower all night. See you later.” Rita turned sharp in pointed shoes and headed back toward the bar area. I didn’t need to look around to already sense the change in the air. Men, far and near, were suddenly noticing that she was in the room. The smell of heightened pheromones was starting to travel from one end of the building to the other. I also didn’t want or need to see her inevitable seduction of my guy, so I turned my head back toward the pool table and watched the taller man miss his shot due to lack of concentration as he followed my friend’s slim silhouette back to her destination. I sat back in the hard and flat four-legged chair and crossed my legs and my arms. It was a rare occurrence but once my mood reached the level of aggravation, it was so hard for me to shake it off. All I wanted to do was hop in that car and speed back toward a warm bath and a comfortable bed and then try to make a fresh start in the morning. I glanced out of the double paned tinted window to my right and saw the sun hastily fleeing further and further away. Nevertheless, no matter how annoyed I was with Rita, there was no way that I would leave her stranded in a bar alone after dark and with no way of getting home safely. I would wait out my time in the corner and make sure to take a few minutes to seriously reconsider the nature of our relationship and who always seemed to best benefit in the end, because it sure seemed like it was never me. While I contemplated this thought, the music from a speaker hanging somewhere close by filtered its way into my mind. This was definitely bluegrass or maybe modern country, neither of which I had ever taken the time to listen to for longer than
whatever might be playing in a scene on a movie I was watching or on a radio or TV commercial. The singer, a woman with a nice silky voice, was singing about a summer lover whom she longed to meet again while hyperactive stringed instruments highlighted the emotion in her voice. Despite the obvious longing in the lyrics, the beat was very up-tempo. Perhaps it was the environment that I had landed in having some surreal effect on me, perhaps it was how I could somewhat relate to the heartbreak she was describing in her medley, or maybe I was just enjoying the song, whatever the reason, I noticed that my foot had started to tap out the beat on the floor. And, before I could control myself, I caught on to the tune and started to hum along with the lady singer. I nodded my head in rhythm while she belted out her pain and eagerness to seek out that long lost love of hers. “You like this band?” I froze mid-tap, afraid to look up at the owner of the smooth bass that had just asked the question. Somehow, I had been enjoying the song so much, I had failed to take notice of his approach. Nonetheless, there he stood, a tall man, who was wide at the shoulders of his tucked-in black-checkered shirt that was rolled up at the elbows to reveal well-toned and muscled biceps. He was lean around hips that were hugged by a pair of dark blue denim jeans fastened by a thick black leather belt with a oversized silver buckle shaped in the image of large steer. The music, though I’m quite sure it was still playing, went mute in my ears. I clasped my palms together and sat motionless as I tried to think of the words to say but my mind was completely blank. I felt like I was shifting into autopilot and I had no idea what was going to come out of my mouth.
“Um, I guess so. Maybe. I mean…this is my first time hearing this singer or the band she’s performing with.” I replied without making eye contact, my head stuck staring in the direction of the pool table. “Well, you sure looked like you were havin’ a good time singin’ along. I was convinced that this might’ve been one of your favorites on their album.” There was an accent there, in the way he spoke his words. I had never heard a real twang in person, but I liked the manly strength of his speech and how it caressed my ears. When he spoke again, there was definitely a new sensation of moisture gathering between my burning thighs. “You mind if I take a seat?” When I hesitated with my reply, I heard him laugh low. “No need to be worried, miss, I promise to be a complete gentleman for you.” The sincerity in his statement caught me a little off guard and when I looked up, he had his hand placed over his heart as if he were truly swearing an oath to me. Heat flushed over my cheeks and I knew that my face was turning a few shades redder as a tiny smile slipped up the corners of my mouth. “There we go,” he laughed again, “I like that expression on you much better than the last one.” I laughed out loud this time. I had no idea I had been sitting here looking so grave and or how truly agitated and nervous I had been feeling until I finally had my first real laugh of the evening, possibly my first laugh of the day. And what a long
and draining day it was turning out to be, though it was starting to seem like I just might be on my way to getting a much desired break from all of the tension. The shaded lights hanging from metal braids overhead combined with the curved brim of his hat were still causing a heavy shadow to fall over most of my mystery guy’s face; however, there was no doubt in my mind that this was the same man from the bar. It was the eyes, still bright and gleaming, even under this dim and harsh light. “I’ll take that big laugh as a ‘yes’ to my earlier question,” he said and pulled out the chair directly in front of me on the other side of the square table. He used one hand to easily whip the object around in reverse before taking a seat to face me. “I’m so sorry, I’m being rude. Of course you can sit,” I hurriedly offered. “No need to apologize. A true lady doesn’t accept the proposal of any son-of-a-gun off the street. She sizes him up first and then makes sure he’s the right son-of-a-gun before she says ‘yes’ to his proposal.” I laughed again, despite not truly comprehending the meaning of his sudden adlib. What I did know was that I liked how what he said seemed to just roll off of his tongue with immense confidence and ease, and how he curved his mouth, a beautiful rosy pink, to form the words. It was almost like listening to a soloist sing out an endearing tune, smooth and easy, absolutely captivating my soul. The more he spoke, I realized that his Midwestern accent wasn’t as heavy as I had thought. He didn’t sound like someone from the Deep South but you would definitely never confuse him as being a native New Yorker from the Bronx or even Midtown.
“You have no idea about what I said, do you?” I was embarrassed to admit this obvious fact aloud, but I did so anyway. “No, I’m sorry, I don’t.” I bit my lip and waited for him to tell me off about how ignorant we city gals are. Instead, he threw his head back and laughed hard. After he reigned in his amusement, seemingly at my expense, Bright Eyes leaned forward and crossed his arms over the tabletop. “My dear, you apologize too much.” He smiled and when he did, that puddle gathering in my secret place was starting to overflow again. The cutest dimples that I had ever laid my eyes on were centered in his cheeks. “Always remember, stick to your story and see it through.” I nodded absently, wanting nothing more than to reach out and trace the line of his jaw with my hand. In the back of my mind, I knew that my dad would have loved this man who was so full of quick wit and words of wisdom. “What I mean to say, pretty lady, is make sure you mean what you say and never feel like you have to apologize for it.” He moved back to take off his hat and then placed it down on the table between us. When the last mask hiding his features had finally been removed, I had to hold my bottom firmly to my seat. It was the only way I could ensure that I wouldn’t do something insane, like leap across the table and enfold myself in his big arms. The man
was absolutely and devastatingly handsome. Light brown hair, curled at the ends and hanging right above his wide shoulders was curved around the back of his ears. A straight and angular nose and high cheekbones made him classically striking. His lips were beyond kissable and I easily started fantasizing about having the chance to take long deep drags of tasting him while our mouths locked together.
A sheer covering of
afternoon stubble lined his cheeks and continued under his chin and down his neckline. Underneath the light wash of five o’clock shadow, he had a smooth baby face. If I had to guess, he was barely into his early twenties and no less than five years my junior. Though his face was as sweet as an angel, the fire in his eyes, which turned out to be ice blue – like fresh glacial spring water – were full of energy and mischief. The magnitude of his good looks left me wondering why he was even sitting here with me and not over there laughing it up with Rita. It seemed that a man this handsome would find Rita to be more of his type and match in a mate. Was this some type of silly joke that they were trying to pull? My mood darkened again and I felt my cheery expression fade away. A warm sensation spread over my skin as he used one of his large palms to cover both of my hands at once. “No long faces allowed when you’re with me, pretty lady,” he said and the earnestness in his features nearly brought me to tears over his sentiment. The urge to have him holding me was surging again. I had only known this man for less than five minutes and already I felt like the safest and most cared for woman in the world. “I’m s –,” I stopped short and caught myself before I let the word slip out.
Bright Eyes offered a smirk and nodded his head toward me in approval. I quickly reworded what I was about to say. “I wish I could be better company, but I have so much on my mind.” “Honesty without apology,” he let loose his adorable dimples, “now that’s more like it.” “You know what, I like how that feels,” I replied with my face lifting up, feeling as though a heavy weight had been taken off of my shoulders. He squeezed my hands lightly and then pulled back. I immediately wished I could have the warm and soothing sensation of his touch again – anywhere and everywhere. “Seems like you and I are off to a good and steady start, Miss – hey now…where in the world did my manners fly off to?” A full set of straight teeth peered out, followed by another deep laugh causing a flutter of butterflies to fill my stomach. He spoke his greeting while touching the index and middle fingers of his left hand to his temple and offering a slight nod of his perfectly smooth brow. “Jackson Bryant at your beck and call, pretty lady.” I released a giggle as I spoke. “Janay Parker.” “Janay,” he repeated softly, as though speaking to himself. Jackson paused and offered another half grin before continuing. “Miss Janay, it is my complete pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Another giggle slipped out. My cheeks must have turned beet red and the hue completely overtaken the light mocha brown of my natural skin color. I couldn’t believe
that I was sitting here behaving like a schoolgirl who was overwhelmed by the bright awakenings that a new crush always brings with it. Jackson’s face turned serious and his features steadied as though he were studying me. For a moment, his gaze was so heavy and intense, I thought maybe I had turned him off with my girlish behavior. Before I could drop my smile again, he must have seen the worry flash over me and he was quick to set my mind at ease. “I didn’t mean to be so rude, my dear. I just can’t help but to stare. I like how you glow when you smile,” he said and leaned forward over the table again. Like a magnet, I was drawn to his presence and, before I could halt my movements, I was leaning in closer too. It was the eyes. Cool, blue, alluring, and pulling me further under his sway. Our faces stopped only a few centimeters apart. I could detect the last traces of a spicy aftershave still clinging to his dark peach colored skin. He licked his lips and I wished that I had been the one to complete that task for him. I wanted to taste him so badly that I felt a slight sheen starting to cover my neck and the top of my breasts. Right at the instant that I thought our mouths would finally touch, the music in the speakers cranked up and the front door burst open as a mob of evening patrons spilled through and filled up any vacant bar stools and tables available. Jackson turned his attention away to quickly inspect the new crowd. When he turned back in my direction, his face was awash with mischief. “Looks like the gang’s all here. Now we can really have some fun, pretty lady.”
He winked, leaned forward and kissed my lips gently. His flavor lingered on my mouth. The act was nowhere near long enough and didn’t satisfy my taste for him; it only left me thirsty for more instead. “Sweet Janay,” he whispered against my lips, still moist from being covered by his own, “let’s go see what we can do about brightenin’ up your evenin’.” With that said, and no time allowed for me to object, Jackson grabbed his hat, took my hand, and drew me deeper into an evening with him that I wasn’t soon to forget.
3
The square open space in the middle of the room doubled as the dance floor. Anyone who hadn’t been able to grab a seat when the evening crowd rushed in had opted to start off with a two-step to the rhythmic new country style music hammering out through the overhead speakers. A quick turn of my head back to where we were just sitting, and a group of friends had snapped up the seats at the table as fast as Jackson and I had vacated them. Jackson’s strong hand held me tight as he guided me across the dance floor. With his long strides leading the way, we quickly weaved through the thick crowd and back over to the bar counter. Once there, he pulled back a tall bar stool and helped me to lift my ample rear up and onto the seat. I have to give him the credit he was due. All while he held my hand, and placed his other palm around my waist to help ease me onto the stool, never once did I get the feeling that he was trying to be anything but a true gentlemen. His fingers never strayed away from where he needed to give me the most support for a quick boost off of the floor and sitting comfortably at the countertop. Then, instead of taking up residence in the open stools directly on either side of me, Jackson opted to remain standing as close to me as was physically possible. The large hands that he had just used to guide me into my seat remained firmly planted on the junctions where my waist gently arced down to my hips. His touch was confident and comforting and he held me with just the right amount of pressure from his wide
fingertips. The feel of his hands on my body bordered the thin line between a sense of security and the unmistakable allure from the beginnings of a slow seduction. He stationed himself at an angle next to me and then moved his right arm to encircle me while he leaned the strong appendage against the edge of the bar. Jackson’s tall and wide frame had formed a barricade that seemed to protect me from the rest of the crowd. It was as though the rest of the patrons had disappeared and now only he and I remained. I felt safe and wanted in the tiny piece of the world that he had created for us by using the manly size of his sturdy stature. I could feel the rough wool blend of his shirt rubbing against the bare skin of my shoulder. The smell of his scent, now much stronger due to his close proximity, wafted up my nose and my eyelids drifted close as I tried to inhale as much of this sexually charged man as I could take in at once. The slight chaffing of the material of his shirt mixed in with my sudden arousal from the heat of his warm breath strumming down my neckline sending rhythmic pulses of anticipation down the center of my back. I must have shivered a little because in the next moment I felt him draw his arms tighter around the circumference of my body, pulling my back closer against his covered chest. He placed his stubbled chin on my shoulder and his warm lips at the lobe of my left ear. I was too afraid to meet that cool blue gaze yet my body was reacting to him in a way that no other man had ever been able to draw out of me. The brow of my forehead was covered in a light perspiration and my already taut nipples pebbled another degree harder. I was sure they had become sharp enough to cut straight through the front of the dress.
I wanted to reach out and cover myself and hide my shame and to apologize for my out of character behavior. He must have thought me to be a joke to be so unprepared to respond to him with some kind of sensual look of interest or snappy but sexy comeback like Rita would have been able to do with natural ease in a situation such as this. As I would come to find out more and more over time, Jackson was always willing and able to put my nerves at ease and my fears to rest with his smooth and silky words. It was almost as if he could already read me so well; every uneasy shift in my breathing, every nervous movement and he was right there to calm my spirit. That light Midwestern drawl would be the end of all my wits and common sense. The man was slowly undoing all of my safety nets and I was helpless to stop him. “It’s alright, pretty lady,” he whispered in my ear, “Tonight you’re all mine and I’m gonna’ take good care of you. I’ll make sure you stay warm all night.” “I guess I do look a little out of place, don’t I?” I couldn’t turn my head when I spoke because his lips were still caressing that sensitive part of my earlobe. I licked my lips in response and he responded in turn by placing the very tip of his wet tongue against the spot he had been stroking with his warm mouth. The slick feel of his tongue on my skin caused me to snatch in a quick breath of air as I fidgeted in my chair. I had to cross my legs to keep my pulsing kitten under control. One more move like that and I might lose control and my secret juices would leak out all over this seat. “No, sweet Janay, I think you look mighty fine sittin’ there,” his hot words slid down the slope of my neck. “In fact, you look so good to me right now, I think I’m gonna’ have to let go of you before I lose my gentlemanly ways.”
Jackson laughed lowed and pulled his face, and the rest of his broad body, away from its close contact with mine. I could almost sense the reluctance and hesitance in his motions. He wanted to be right up on top of me and yet he was pulling away so that he didn’t overstep his boundaries. I couldn’t believe that I had actually been hoping he would make that bold move. Up until now, he had been so successful at easing me away from my safety zone and I wanted him to be the one to completely strip away all of these uncertainties that kept me chained up in isolation. I wanted him to be the one to show me how it felt to be truly free to enjoy these new stirrings in the center of my stomach and this sensuous moment for as long as it lasted. Jackson grabbed a stool to his left and dragged it down close to where mine was stationed. Though we were no longer in physical contact, he made sure to lean in close enough to me so that I was able to trace every line and angle of his perfectly craft face with my eyes. If there were anyone else present in the room with us, no one else seemed to matter to him because, as he spoke, his eyes never strayed away from watching me. I could see those ice blue diamonds quietly surveying me, dancing over my face and then quickly dropping down to my neckline and even further to the top of my cleavage and back up again. Every once in awhile, the hint of a naughty smirk would appear and then he would rein it fast as if he were trying his best to keep his thoughts on the straight and narrow. “So what do think of our little home away from home here,” he said and motioned his head so that I knew he was referring to this local nightspot.
“This place is actually a lot better than I thought it would be, but could use a little remodeling inside and out,” I spoke while desperately trying to drag myself away from his heated stare. “Yeah, I wholly agree. The owner should be ashamed for not keepin’ up this place as well as his daddy did. God rest his soul.” His head turned away and, in a flash, there was a small stab of agony in his usually bright eyes. The light there dimmed a bit and then pulsed to life, full of frenzy again, when Jackson returned his gaze over to me. The fire in his eyes was radiating again and I was too afraid to imagine how far I would be willing to go if Jackson dared me to take another step further into the fiery unknown with him. I think it would be impossible for me to refuse any offer, any dare, any forceful act of passion that he presented me with. In a desperate act to break the spell he was casting on me, I dragged my eyes away to take a look around the area in front of me. Hanging in up high over the liquor wall was a glowing bright red, white, and blue sign with the cursive lettering Crystal Springs Lounge.
The wall below the sign held several rows of shelves with various
liquors and wines stationed there. By the looks of the names on the labels, I doubted that these were topshelf brands; nonetheless, if titles like Furious Gem Gin and Rodeo Sterling Vodka were any indication, these drinks were guaranteed to light a match under anyone’s seat and get them movin’ and groovin’ in record time. I laughed to myself as I considered the effect they would have on a person like me, who could barely hold onto her senses after a few small sips on a watered down Long Island ice tea.
“Janay, I think I figured out what the problem is,” Jackson’s straightforward statement cut right through my thought and immediately brought my complete attention over to him once again. Had I said or did something wrong? I wasn’t very good at general chitchat so maybe I wasn’t talking enough. He laughed loud again and punched his knee while the amusement rolled over him. “Damn, sweet lady, I have got to get you to relax a bit.” I dropped my eyes. “I know. Do I look that bad? I’m just not great at letting loose.” A long finger stroked the skin beneath my chin and Jackson used his gentle coaxing to lift up my face toward him. There was emotion there, on his face. I couldn’t quite put a name to it. His features shifted from compassion to passion and back again. “Hey, now, there is no way that you could ever…and I mean ever…look bad at anything that you do. I knew that fact from the moment you stepped through that door. And I sincerely apologize if I was the one to say anything to offend you.” He dipped his head forward and Jackson’s strong and flavored kiss sent my lips into a frenzied tingle of lust and wanting. “Mm,” he smiled and leaned into a resting position with his elbow propped up on the bar, “too many of those and I might be a man in a serious world of trouble because of you…hooked for life,” he mused. I laughed shyly and he offered me a wide grin that made my heart flutter again.
“It’s true indeed …smiles do make you glow like no gal I have ever laid eyes on before.
Beautiful.”
The last word rolled out low and deep, like the mantra of a
meditative word. He shifted his focus up to the shelf I had been reading. “Anything in particular you might like to try?” He cocked a shifty eye over to me. “Oh, I don’t think so,” I fidgeted with my hands, as I answered, “I’m not really much of a drinker.” “Mhm, is that so, pretty lady?” That easy grin made an encore appearance. “Then, I was correct when I said I knew what the problem was.” Still confused, I questioned him with a eye brows arched high. “What’s the problem?” “Let me rephrase,” he said and put the tip of his thumb flat against the side of his temple. “You don’t get out to places like this much, do you?” I chanced a peak around his broad shoulder and spied out Rita at the opposite end of the counter. No less than five guys, all of whom sat enthralled while her big smile, red lips, and green eyes kept them all captivated as she told some type of lewd joke, surrounded her. Though we both were raised near a large metropolitan city, I had never taken the time to learn not even one bathroom stall joke, but my friend had them all memorized from A-Z. There was a huge riotous laughter once she had ended her tale and the men swarmed just a little closer to the queen bee.
“No, not really,” I spoke while settling back into my seat and nervously nibbling on my bottom lip. “I usually only hang out late when I’m with my friend, Rita.” “‘Your friend Rita’,” he repeated with a slight distaste in his tone. “Yeah, that’s her over there with those guys.” “Uh-huh, I know which gal you’re referring to,” he answered without turning his attention away from me. Jackson crossed his arms and leaned in close to me again. He tilted his face and angled it so that we were at an even eye level. I could tell that he wanted me to feel the sincerity of his next words. “Let me ask you a question, Janay. No disrespect intended, but what kind of friend leaves you sitting alone in a strange place while she goes and makes herself comfortable with the locals?” The truth of statement hit me hard.
Jackson was right on point with his
observation. This wasn’t the first time that my so-called best girlfriend had left me to count the cracks in the ceiling once the opportunity to entertain a new guy presented itself. I didn’t like the answer that was swimming around in my head so I chose to remain silent. Jackson placed his larges palms around my restless hands and immediately halted my movements. His touch offered a safety net to my rising apprehension. “I will say this about Ms. Rita,” he lowered his voice as if telling me a secret only meant for my ears, “I sure am glad that she left you alone this time…‘cause now I get to have you all to myself with no interruptions.”
My loud laugh showed up again and I snatched my hands away to cover my mouth. “Oh no, none of that,” Jackson soothed and pulled my right hand back into his warm embrace. “I love how you laugh and I want to hear more and more of it tonight. Okay?” I nodded and the heat spread out over my cheeks. He raised my hand to his lips and kissed my small knuckles softly. When he was done, he signaled to the bar tender, who showed up without too much delay. It seemed as though this part of the state grew their men tall. I was yet to spy one who was less than an inch over six foot, and Jackson and the bartender, as well as every other guy in this place, were all included in that number. The bar keep, Harry was the name that Jackson greeted him by when the man arrived to where we sat, was probably in his late forties, with a thick jet black mustache, the ends curled up at each end, and a thick shadow of hair across his cheeks. Long dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail at the base of the back of his neck. “What can I get for you and your lady friend, boss?” Harry croaked low. His accent was thicker and the distinctive scent of a cigar hovered around him. Jackson’s sly blue eyes made their way back in my direction. “So, what’ll it be, sweet Janay?” I wanted to wring my hands as both sets of eyes shrewdly awaited me to voice my decision. As much as I wanted to carry out that action, Jackson was holding my hands beneath his. When he felt me fidget under his palms, he smiled and started to slowly stroke my fingers.
“Oh, no thank you. I’m fine. I don’t really drink alcohol.” When I finally spoke, my words didn’t quite sound like they had completely escaped my throat. Harry smirked and his squinty dark eyes went back to Jackson. “Well, now, Jackson, what fine young lady do we have here?” A gargled laughter broke from deep out of his belly. “In all my years tending this bar, this has got to be the very first time that a woman has sat on one of those stools and flat out refused an alcoholic beverage of any kind.” Jackson’s squeezed my hands tighter and his eyes gleamed with delight. “I know, Harry, isn’t she the sweetest woman you ever saw?” I saw Harry give him a look of amusement and bewilderment. That expression made me wonder if Jackson offered this same serenade to every out of town woman that walked through those doors. Was he here giving me these sugary compliments because he saw that Rita had expressed no interest in him? “While we wait for Jackson here to snap back to the here and now, miss, let me introduce myself.” Harry stuck out his hand and slipped one of mine from under Jackson’s hold. Jackson immediately twisted his features in disapproval. “Harold Blackbird,” he said as he held my hand at the fingertips and dipped his head slightly. When Harry caught sight of the agitation on Jackson’s face, he took the gesture to new heights. He pressed his heavy mustache to my brown skin but didn’t hold his lips there any longer than to graze slightly over my hand. Having successfully stolen my attention away for the moment, the older man seemed to be playing on his younger
counterparts sudden flare of machismo, and the act was working well. There was the slightest hint of jealously working its way across Jackson’s face, and I noticed a slight twitch in his strong jaw. Perhaps his interest in me was genuine after all or perhaps this was still all part of his intricate game of how to seduce a yuppie. “Easy there, boss, I was only givin’ your new friend here a warm Crystal Springs welcome.” Harry chuckled to himself and placed my hand gently back onto the counter and Jackson quickly replaced it within his own grasp. “Well how about you go a little easier with the welcome wagon? This here is Janay Parker and I’m here to make sure she gets all the good hostin’ that she’s gonna’ need during her visit.” Jackson’s tone was lighter and more toward the amused side when he gave his snappy reply to Harry. These two men were obviously good friends and were able to read one another’s personalities well, hence their very amusing exchange. “Yes, sir, Mr. Bryant,” Harry cocked up a half grin at Jackson and then turned his attention back to give me a quick and playful wink. Jackson smiled big and then pointed back at Harry with an sneaky expression on his face. “I think my lady here just may find one of your Lemon Drop Surprises mighty tasty, Harry.” Harry’s half smile blossomed into a full grin. “Will do. One Lemon Drop Surprise comin’ right up,” he said and turned to head toward the further end of his station behind the bar.
“And get me another draft while you’re back there.” The other man seemed to be out of earshot when Jackson yelled the second half of his order over his shoulder, but Jackson didn’t seem to be concerned with whether or not Harry had heard him call for a fresh beer. “What’s a Lemon Drop Surprise?” I admit that I had no clue what to expect. I had never taken a shot of hard liquor in my life and could barely handle a mixed drink, so I was very curious about the selection that Jackson had made for me. “I can’t go givin’ away Harry’s secret recipes,” he replied with a bright twinkle dancing around in those blue orbs. “You’ll just have to test it for yourself.” Apprehension reared up again and I made another slight attempt at freeing my hands. Yet, as quickly as I tried to pull away, Jackson was quicker to stand up and encircle me with his heavy arms again. The feel of him holding me tight put me at ease as I slowly settled back into his embrace. I think a small sigh of relief slipped through my parted lips. I don’t think any man had offered me a hug that was anywhere near as seductive as the one that I was contentedly bound up in now. Warm breath worked its way over my senses as Jackson crooned into my ear. “Janay, I give you my promise that I would never purposefully offer you anything that I thought would harm you. Do you believe me?” I wanted to believe the sincerity in his words. “Will you give me a little of your trust…please?” The last whispered plea melted my defenses and I knew that I would somehow – before this night ended – become his for the taking.
I decided to go with my carnal instincts and do away with my reservation and let go – for once. I bobbed my head slowly in agreement. Jackson stroked his face, rough from a day’s growth of bristly hairs, against my cheek and the friction was like a stimulating current. A renewed current of tingles went down the slope of my neck when he swept his lips there. “Thank you,” Jackson whispered against my skin before reclaiming his seat. “Okay…one draft for the boss here…and one Lemon Drop Surprise for the lady,” Harry spoke as he placed each drink in front of the appropriate person. I smiled uncertainly and thanked him for his service. “Anytime, Miss Janay. If you need anything else…or if you need me to come back and give this guy a nice pop,” Harry nodded toward Jackson and then motioned his fingers so that he made a light pluck against his head, “you just give me a holler.” I laughed again and so did Jackson. After Harry had moved away to attend to other customers at crowded counter, I sat unmoving and unblinking while I studied the colorful concoction placed in front of me on the dark stained bar top. The drink was contained in a martini-style glass, wide at the head, slim at the stem, and then flattening out at the base. A panorama of shades of yellow danced around in the glass that was topped off with a cherry sliced down the center and attached to the rim. At the very bottom center of the glass, the liquid turned clear and viscous. All in all, the drink appeared harmless enough and my hesitation to take at least a tiny taste was wavering.
Jackson raised the brown tinted bottle in his left hand and tipped it forward as if to make a toast. I swallowed back my nerves and picked up my own glass and clanked the neck of his bottle hard. So hard, in fact, that some of my fruity-looking drink splashed onto the countertop. “I’m sorry, I didn’t get any on you, did I?” My hands went to feel around his shirt. When I realized what I was doing I stopped mid-action, palms flat against his chest. I could almost make out the faint beating of his heart through the thick cloth material against my fingertips. Slowly, I raised my hand to draw back but Jackson held my small fingers in place and pressed them down harder to the left side of his shirt. The pulse that I felt there strengthened and the rhythm increased by a few beats per minute. “Janay,” he smiled at me, “you don’t have to do so much apologizin’ with me. I know you’re a gentle soul and weren’t tryin’ to do me any foul.” With my hand still firmly planted beneath his, Jackson patted his around the wide arc of his chest and down to the hard thighs of his jean covered legs. “See, I’m still in one whole piece.” I looked down at where he had stopped our hands, and it was dangerously close to where his groin would be. I wondered if he had done that on purpose. Before I could decide whether or not he had, I heard the unmistakable clinking of glass against glass. Jackson had touched our drinks together once more and was waiting for me to pick up mine again, which I did, hurriedly using the hand that just been laying on his thigh. “Bottoms up,” he said and placed the draft to his mouth to take a long gulp. I lifted my drink to my lips and allowed a splash of liquid to slide down my throat. There was a definite hint of the tanginess of pineapple and the sour tartness of
lemon present; however, there was also a spicy aftertaste that I could not name offhand. There was no doubt that the Lemon Drop was quite tasty and, before I realized what I was doing, I had abandoned my sipping and was now taking whole gulps of the sweet and sour liquid between my lips at one time. From behind the cover of the glass, my eyes followed Jackson’s Adam’s apple as it bobbed up and down with each swallow of his beer. I followed every motion of the protrusion and as a warm sensation started to fill the expanse of upper body and filtered down to the center of my stomach, I was suddenly overcome with the drive to take a taste of the man sitting so calmly before me. I wanted to know how his skin there would feel on my lips and how much teasing of my tongue it would take to make him shiver in his seat. I wanted to experience the rush of brushing my perky breasts against the heavy material of his shirt or – just maybe – against the hot skin that was hidden beneath the shirt. Wait. Was I actually thinking these thoughts about a complete stranger who was trying to feed me drinks at a bar? It was then that it occurred to me that Jackson didn’t seem like a stranger at all. Even from the second I stepped through that door earlier tonight, I had the sense that he was familiar to me; my mind was already so comfortable and at ease in his presence. It was the level of comfort that it would take an average couple any number of first round dates to achieve but Jackson and I had managed to develop this connection in less than an hour. By the time I had finished the drink – every drop no less – and placed the glass down, I noticed that I had become aware of sounds that had been otherwise mute to me only a nanosecond beforehand. I heard the clack of pool balls in the rear, the ruckus of disbelief over the winning hand of a card game somewhere behind me and to my right,
the scrape of chairs as footsteps pounded on the wood toward the center dance floor, and quick snatches of Rita’s laughter floated in too. Most of all, I heard the music again. The genre was the same, heavy strings and a silky and heartbroken voice – male this time – was singing of a harrowing romance for the ages. The tempo was much slower and I noticed several couples had started to sway slowly and sensuously to the tune. The stool next to me creaked and Jackson stood. His right hand was bent around his back and he extended an open left palm to me. “Care to go a round with me, sweet lady?” I didn’t know how to, nor did I ever want to, refuse the excitement in his voice or the look of passion on his face. I placed my hand in his and Jackson swept me off of the bar seat and into his waiting and wanting arms.
4
When my feet landed on the ground, Jackson extended my arm up and twirled me around once. I felt the rush of wind gathering under my dress as it flurried outward; and when I stopped, I was completely enfolded in his strong embrace. My head was tucked neatly beneath Jackson’s chin. His big hands were planted firmly on both of my curved hips and his fingertips started to embed themselves there. It was almost as if he were trying to push right through the cotton fabric and feel my soft skin beneath the pads of his fingers. All the while, and true to his word to remain a gentleman, he made sure to keep a slim space of distance between our bodies as we swayed slowly in time with the overhead music. The sudden rush of deep emotions from the singer and the power of the strings surged down from the ceiling, up through the floorboards, and I suddenly experienced the surprise portion of my Lemon Drop drink. An upwelling of fire burst into a spontaneous and engulfing flame in my chest as the moist center between my thick brown thighs gushed to life. On instinct, I pulled Jackson as close to my body as I could without pushing right through him, eliminating any micrometer of space between us. If he were content to remain a gentleman, I had become eager to push him into a frenzy and force him to break his oath. I freed my arms so that I could reach up and wrap my limbs around his neck. I wanted to be secure in the knowledge that he was completely mine for the small amount of time that we had together. If we never met again, at least I would know that he was my man, right here and right now.
As if waiting for my cue, Jackson leaned down lower and hugged me tighter. His stubbled chin pressed down hard on my bare shoulder and his hands moved with patient ease down to my round ass. I felt their heavy print meticulously massaging the generous plumpness there. He rotated from tracing wide circles on my rear to moving rough hands up my exposed back and then dragging long fingertips back down the center again. I heard his intake of air as he inhaled my scent and breathed it in deep. I pushed closer still against him until I could clearly hear the strumming of his strong heartbeat. I could feel the bulge of his manhood pressing into my stomach.
My hands clasped onto his
shoulders and I turned my face so that I could use my teeth to take nips at his chest through the checkered material of his shirt. How I wished that I could be taking playful bites at his beautifully tanned skin without the cloth covering that separated us. During my exploration of the broad area of his chest, I chanced upon the feeling of his erect nipple and I bit done firmly at the spot. When I felt a shiver run through his body and his hardness lengthen against my belly, I knew what would happen next and I couldn’t wait for the event to begin. “Tell me you’ll be mine tonight, Janay. Tell me that I can have you…please, baby.” His whispered request – raspy and desperate – prompted me to draw back, but only enough so that we could face one another. If I were going to go through with this lustful deed, I needed to know that he really want me and not just any random woman. I needed to know that I was his woman for tonight and that no one else here, not Rita or any other female within fifty feet or more, would have been able to take my place in his arms.
“What do you want from me?” I asked, almost afraid to hear his reply. My heart pounded in my chest as the ice blue of Jackson’s eyes caressed me softly. His hands locked into my waistline and he bent forward and kissed me hard, his tongue sweeping through my mouth as I opened up more and more to his demanding gesture. As he withdrew, Jackson sucked at my lower lip and left it feeling plump and naked, ready and eager for a repeat of his adoring treatment. Before he spoke again, a final kiss was gently placed at the center of my brow. “Janay, I don’t want for anything, but I do know that I need you. Right now.” I had been anxious to hear those words. I was the only one that had the power to fulfill his need. It was me that he desired to make into his lover for tonight. I placed my head on his chest and gathered a patch of cloth from the back of his shirt in my hand. I held on to him like a woman feeling as though she would faint away. “Yes…I need you too, Jackson,” I whispered and gave up my last bit of strength to him. With his mighty brawn, he easily lifted my heels from the floor and cradled me flat against his hard torso. The whole world dropped away as he exited the dance floor with me still protectively wrapped in his arms. With stealth movement, Jackson crossed the wooden floor and moved around the area of the bar and back toward the rear of the building. The rush of lights and the blur of colors and faces faded away into the distance as we entered a secluded corner, devoid of all but a slight filter of light from the head of the building, where the evening crowd remained behind continuing on with the hype of their evening.
Once we were away from prying eyes, Jackson carefully set me down and his wide frame moved me back into an alcove. While pinned against the wall of the cut out, I noticed a door to my left. The black letters on the smoked windowpane read General Manager/Owner. A slight panic crept up into my mind. What if the owner, or whoever was behind that door, decided to open it and found us here entangled in such lewd behavior? “Jackson, maybe we shouldn’t be back here?” I questioned. He pushed me further against the hard surface of the wall by pressing his heavy frame flat on me. “No need to worry,” his voice a low and hoarse whisper, “I know the owner and he’s definitely not in that room and he definitely won’t mind that we’re back here.” “Are you sure?” My face turned back to the closed door. A fingertip coaxed me back in Jackson’s direction and his wet lips covered mine once again. When he released me from the kiss, I was hungry for more and tried to lean forward to capture his mouth again. Before I could catch a taste of him, he used his moist rose pink lips to trace a slow trail down the curve of my neck. When he stopped at the juncture between my neck and shoulder, he sucked at the skin there causing an erotic effect on me. My hips bucked forward and Jackson pushed his massive hardness to meet my sizzling center. He dipped his face further down and ran a lazy tongue across the center of my upper chest and dragged the back of his fat tongue down and over the top of my heaving breasts, now fully plumped in anticipation of the feel of his hot mouth. With a quick
movement, faster than my mind could perceive, Jackson dropped his body down low and wrapped his burly hands around the back of my thighs and lifted me off the floor and high into the air so that we were at eye level. My legs instinctively engulfed him between them and yanked him up to my dripping center. The juices gathering there had started to leak through the tiny pair of black bikini panties with the thin hip straps that I was wearing. At any moment, my wetness threatened to burst through and start a slow descent down my thighs. I was helpless to stop the process. I knew there was no going back now and, in all honesty, I wouldn’t dare try to. Jackson’s tongue worked at my lips again then made a quick plunge down the front of my full breasts. I pulled in a swift and deep gulp of air when the intense warmth of his mouth landed on one of my plump mounds. He latched onto the plentiful D-cup and sucked hard at my titty as his tongue playfully rolled over the chocolate nipple hiding beneath the cotton fabric there. When the bud protruding in his mouth had puckered high and to maximum hardness, Jackson bit down gently and my legs tightened around his waistline. He dipped his right hand under the hem of my skirt and cupped my ass firmly within his rough palm, squeezing the soft and ample skin there. With his free hand, he yanked at the part of the dress that still covered my other breast until the other mocha colored mound fell heavy over the top of the strapless dress.
Once freed, Jackson quickly commenced with
massaging and rolling my large dark nipple between his thick fingers. He released the breast that he was suckling only long enough to use his chin to nudge the other half of the top of the dress downward. When I looked down and caught sight of both of my big breasts exposed in front of me, I became aroused by my own
sensuality. I arched my back and thrust my chest up as an offering for him to take more of me. When Jackson made no move to reclaim me into his mouth, a hint of selfconsciousness started to make its way into my thoughts. I removed my hands from around his neck to make a motion to cover myself. “No,” he whispered before I could do so. “Please don’t. I just wanted to look at you for a minute. I wanted to take in how beautiful you are…you’re so beautiful, Janay.” Instead of covering my chest, I buried my fingers in the silky long locks of his light brown hair and pulled his face to the deep valley between my breasts. The instant his face found rest there, his tongue started to work long wet strokes as he lapped at my skin, slick with perspiration. “Mmm, Jackson, I want you…I want you inside me.” I could hardly believe that I had voiced those words aloud. Yet, the feel of his hard cock stuffed in my tight channel was all I could think of at this moment. He was all I wanted, all I desired. He switched hands so that his right was now holding my full weight while his left hand went under my dress and eased its way under the lining of my panties. My eyelids slid shut as two thick fingers slid inside my slick pussylips and worked in and out of my dripping hole. “Oh…baby…you’re sooo wet…mmm,” he mouthed against the inside of my breast as his mouth planted soft kisses down my stomach. “Wet for you…just for you,” I managed to breathe out slowly between soft pants. I was completely consumed by his fingers’ fast assault on my cunt hole. “I need to have you right now, Janay…or I’m gonna’ burst.”
“Yes…now…right now…please.” Jackson placed me back on the floor and I was barely able to hold myself up. He bent down and used both hands to delicately pull my panties from over my hips and down my legs so that I could step out of them. He placed a lingering kiss on the inside of each thigh, making sure to bite down and suck with enough force to cause a small purplelishred bruise to form on each one. He looked up at me, flames dancing in his eyes. “This is so you won’t forget about tonight. I want you to remember all of this when the morning light comes. I want you to remember me.” With that said, Jackson shoved the soaked material of my panties into his back pocket. When he stood to unbutton and unzip his jeans, I wasn’t quite prepared for the size of his manhood.
He released his phallus from beneath dark blue boxers and
Jackson’s hard cock stood straight out, harder than a rock, and the glint at the tip was a clear sign that he was already dripping big drops of pre-cum. As I stood wondering if his massive length and girth would even fit inside of me all at once, he sheathed himself and I immediately missed looking at the size and shape of his naked cock. I wondered if he would taste sweet in my mouth and even sweeter sliding down my throat. The answer to that question would have to wait. Jackson quickly lifted me off of my small feet and buried himself between my legs and my bosom again. I loved how this man felt – strong and sturdy – holding me tight as if I were the only woman that mattered to him. My fingers made fast work of unbuttoning his top and flinging each side of the shirt over his hard round muscular shoulders. I had to feel his hot flesh in my palms.
While his heavy and wet pink tongue flicked and lapped at my erect brown nipples, switching from left to right, teasing each in turn, I felt his movements at my center. He shifted his heavy weight between my thighs and pushed his dickhead at my tight hole. After a few gentle nudges, my moist hole opened up just enough for the fat head of his cock to slip through. As he pumped slowly and evenly at my hole, my walls clamping down with a tight grip around the wide width of his round head, Jackson completely engulfed my plump left breast into his hot and smoldering mouth. The sensation of the pointed tip of his tongue wiggling against the sensitive and highly aroused skin of my nipple combined with the quickening pace of his strokes caused me to throw my head back as I allowed his masculine consumption of my body to sweep away all my cares. I felt my thick juices coating the perfectly round bulb of his cock and his thick rod growing even more rigid as my slickness started to slip down and cover his long shaft completely. His breaths quickened, and a small guttural growl escaped his throat as Jackson pushed hard up my pussy. The forceful motion opened up my pink center wide to his extended length and massive girth. As his dick stretched me to new limits, I could feel the slight curve of his nine-inch length filling me up almost up to the womb. I made a small cry as Jackson’s cock claimed my dripping cunt as his own. My short nails dug deep into the sweaty skin of his hard back. I clung to him while the sweet abrasiveness of Jackson sliding his thick rod back and forth forced his cock up to the tip of my cervix. He was making sure to caress every inch of the soaked walls of my channel, driving me further up against the wall he had pinned me against.
I gasped and panted as Jackson held me up, my legs spread wide open, his cock fucking me deep. I wanted – needed – more of him inside me, pounding me, stretching me, making me feel alive and wanted, desired beyond all comprehension. “Say my name, Janay,” he said and drove his cock in up to the hilt. I dug my nails further into his shoulder blades. There was a slight trickle of wetness as I felt the skin there break open a little, and I heard Jackson moan at the sensation. “Say it!” He commanded again. “Jackson,” I breathed out heavy, not even sure if the word was audible to his ears “That’s it baby. Now tell me you’re mine…tell me, Janay,” he pleaded softly. “I am…I’m yours.” “Do you feel it, baby? Do you feel our connection? Please tell me you do.” “I do…ooo…I do.” Whatever link that ran as a shiver over my body before I entered the bar tonight, whatever bond that drew my eyes over to Jackson, whatever destiny we had together was being sealed into place forever by this moment of reckless abandon. With my confession given to him, Jackson drove even deeper inside my aching pussy. He pumped with frenzy until I felt that telltale cramping of my stomach. My soaked walls locked down hard on his cock and Jackson pushed his dick further up my cunt like a determined lover, not easily satisfied until we had both had a powerful release. Just when I felt my swollen cervix about to spasm and squirt, Jackson set me down on the floor and spun so that I faced the wall. His palm on my back urged me to bend forward while his other hand lifted my left leg over his thigh. He buried his cock up
my pussyhole with one long and eager stroke and I nearly collapsed as my heated channel splashed a thick milky orgasm down the shaft of his dick. While I melted away in the euphoria of my own orgasm, Jackson’s hands gripped both of my plumped and sweaty breasts and fucked me fast and hard from behind. The heaviness of his balls slapped viciously against my soaked lips of my pussy. His left hand took over gripping both of my breasts at once while he used his right hand to pull at my neat bun, causing my hair to flare out around my shoulders. Jackson fisted a handful of my wavy hair and hammered me until I felt his back stiffen. Once…twice…three more times he managed to force his hard cock inside me before I heard him growl out loud, and then felt the heat of his heavy stream of semen splashed up inside my tender core. An unexpected crash of glass shattering against the wooden floor of the bar area called both of our attentions away from our perfect climax and pulled us back to reality.
5
Jackson’s arm shot up around me and then he eased me to the side, closer to the manager’s darkened glass door. He used his other hand to push his hair, slick with heavy sweat, away from his eyes and forehead. He angled his large frame closer to the edge of the alcove, where the secluded space opened into the main back hallway. When he was sure that I was completely concealed from any roaming eyes that might be passing by this way, Jackson arched his head so that he could peer around the corner and catch a glimpse at whatever the source of the commotion was. When he didn’t report back to me fast enough, I slid myself alongside the wall and chanced a peak around the corner as well. Whatever was going on in the main meeting room wasn’t visible from this spot. There was a group of patrons at a table about twenty yards directly in front of us and they all had their heads pointed to their left and our right. Someone had turned the lights up a bit brighter and turned the music down significantly, though the muffled bass was still strong enough to filter back down the hall to where Jackson and I stood watching and waiting. I wondered where Rita was and if she were all right. “John Junior, you son-of-a-bitch,” Harry’s voice thundered out loud, “I aught to slap you silly.” Whomever he had been speaking to was inaudible to us at this distance. All I could make out was a small indecipherable whimper. “Not get over there and clean up that mess you done made.”
There was padding of heavy footsteps and then the lights dimmed a little again. The friends at the table went back to their conversation as the volume of the speakers lifted back to regular levels. “It’s okay. It’s just a local buffoon causing trouble again.” Jackson’s voice was reassuring. He caressed away the gooseflesh that had formed up the length of my arms and then added a warm kiss at the curve of my shoulder. I couldn’t readily reply to his tender coddling because the sudden distraction had finally shaken me loose of whatever enchantment this man and the stimuli of this new environment had held me under. All at once, every minute of the past two hours hit me hard. It was like I had been plunked on the head. I looked down at my fully exposed and perspiration covered breasts and my hiked up dress. I became aware of the moist ends of my hair dragging across my shoulders. Oh my…what had I just done? My head cocked up and I stared blankly at Jackson. “Janay, what’s wrong?” His handsome face was awash with confusion and concern. He looked me over carefully from head to toe. “Did I hurt you?” All I could manage to do was to shake my head no. I was in absolute disbelief over the act that I had just participated in. Yet, I was completely voluntary in my role in how this scene played out. He had done nothing wrong but I still couldn’t stand there any longer in his presence while the heavy waves of shame and uncertainty started to barrel over top of me.
As quick as I could manage, I snatched my top, pulled the hem of my dress down, and bolted toward the light of main hall as if I were on inline skates. As I fled, I heard Jackson fumbling with his jeans and shirt. I wouldn’t have much time to make it out the door and back to the car. I needed to find Rita fast and get away from this place in record time. Once back onto the main entertainment floor, I turned my head left and then right, trying to spy out my girlfriend. When I saw her hovering in the same area of the bar that I had last seen her, I don’t think I had ever been so happy to see the shimmering flash of her light blond hair. The evening crowd had ballooned to maximum capacity and I had to push my way through throngs of patrons. Some were dancing small steps on whatever vacant piece of floor they could find and others were just standing in the midst of the pack with drinks and making conversation with other partygoers.
I stopped just behind an
unusually tall Native American looking man. He was one of several guys that Rita was entertaining and he just happened to be the one who was closest to her proximity, standing directly in front of her and blocking my way. Whether he didn’t see me or simply chose not to step to the side, I wasn’t sure. Either way, it didn’t matter at the point. I had come to retrieve my friend and hit the road and there was little that anyone, even this gigantic man, was going to be able to do to stop me. I used my elbow to give him a poignant nudge and he peered down at me in stunned disbelief. “Excuse me,” I said with a small smile. My hand darted forward and clasped Rita around her tiny wrist.
“Hey!” She exclaimed at my sudden movements. Then her features focused in to recognize that it was me and her flurry of agitations down-shifted a few degrees. “Jae, what is it? Why are you grabbing me?” “We need to go – now,” I yelped out, trying to keep my voice as calm as I was able to, given my frenzy. “Leave now? What for? It’s only getting started in here.” I knew my window of escape was closing at an accelerated rate. We had to start moving soon if we were to make it out of here without Jackson spying me out in the crowd. “Give me the key,” I said while pulling her with me through the thick throng. “Jae, slow down.
Tell me what’s going on,” her voice was low under the
combined cluttered noise of the people mixed with the music. Having finally made it to the front exit, I stopped and opened my hand in expectation of having the rental car key placed there. “I’ll tell you later. Can you please give me the key so we can go?” I assume the urgency in my voice was starting to filter through her brain loud and clear. Without further hesitation, she dug into her small clutch bag and handed me the silver key. I made quick steps across the packed parking lot, dodging pointed car fenders and stepping around cattycornered rear bumpers, and eventually located our small vehicle at the further rear of the tightly cramped lot, which had been practically vacant only a few hours beforehand. I pushed the remote button on the key and I heard the click of the passenger and driver’s side doors pop open. Rita was only a few steps behind me and – thankfully –
hadn’t asked me any new questions. She plopped down into the right side seat while I made quick steps around to the left side. I strapped myself under the seatbelt, put the key in the ignition, turned the engine over, and swerved out of the parking space and back onto the road. As the wheels of the car rolled onto the paved highway, I snuck another fast look back at the Crystal Springs Lounge. My heart stammered as I saw Jackson come bolting through the old door. Under the fading glow of the overhead sign, I caught a glimpse of him waving his head from side to side, searching out the space of the parking lot. When his gaze landed on our car, I hit the gas and blazed a trail back toward the direction of our lodgings, desperately hoping to put the night’s events as far behind me as possible. An hour plus later and I was toweling myself off after a nice steamy bath in the bathroom adjacent to our cozy suite. I threw on my gray sweatpants and white A-shirt and then threw myself across my queen-sized bed and flung the quilt over my head. There was nothing so consoling as an oversized mattress and a warm blanket. “Okay, Jae…spill it,” Rita’s voice punched through the thick material of the quilt. When I didn’t reply, she padded across the floor and yanked the top half of the cover off of me. I kept my eyes closed, trying to avoid her harsh stare. “Are you going to tell me what happened tonight or not?” “Not,” I answered hoarsely behind sealed lashes and reached up blindly to seek out the top half of my blanket. Rita dropped the edge of the blanket and I was delighted to be concealed beneath its dark enclosure.
“Whatever, Jae. I don’t know what’s getting into you lately, but I hope you straighten up soon. You’re not acting like yourself.” I heard the lamp click. In the midst of the darkness, Jackson’s smiling face and dazzling blue eyes flashed across my mind. I had to stick my hand between my legs to keep my throbbing nub from pulsing too hard. Our story had concluded. My hurried escape had to be the end of the whole affair. I rolled over to try to push my need to touch him again and feel his presence close to me far away from my forethoughts. After a few restless minutes, my mind floated away to a cavernous sleep.
6
Promptly at eight in the morning, Rita and I were pulling up to the Royal Pavilion Hotel and Suites, where our weeklong seminars were to commence on this bright and gorgeous Monday morning. The sky was a perfect cloudless powder blue. It was beyond seasonably warm so I opted for my khaki knee pants and elbow length button up pink top and white casual sneakers. I didn’t really expect this conference to be any more formal than the last handful I had attended so I wasn’t too concerned about my highly casual choice of clothing. Plus, I didn’t want to see or wear another skirt or dress for the next few weeks or more, at the very least. That would be too much of a reminder of my first – and last – one night stand in the back of roadside dive. Rita had opted for a cute and very short sleeveless black sweater dress and low flat boots. After the valet made haste in jetting away in our little sedan, she and I wandered into the foyer of the conference room. I’m not sure why Rita was moving at a snail’s pace, perhaps she had knocked back a few too many beers on tap, but I was absolutely sure of the reason for my steady paced and careful strides. I was extremely sore in some very sensitive places. The muscles in my thighs were aching, my back was throbbing, my neck had a crook in it, and my – uh – kitten – was in a great need of another long and scorching bath to sooth away its tenderness. To my surprise, even as I eased my way from the sign-in desk where I was given one of those My name is…stickies and then over to the large circular table that we had been assigned to, I couldn’t help but to smile contently to myself. Despite the slight discomfort I was experiencing, my guy had given
me one of my most intense orgasms to date. Even a quick reflection back on the exact moment of release, when my juicy female cum was pouring down his shaft, was enough to start my hot button thumping again as it swelled out. I shook my head and chased away the memory. New day, new start. I could already see that forgetting about that sexy man from Crystal Springs’ local night spot wasn’t going to be as easy as I had originally hoped. Or, maybe I just didn’t want to forget about him so easily. The small hickies on the insides of both of my mocha thighs had been delightful reminders of his sensuous playfulness.
Jackson had indeed
succeeded in ensuring that I had not lost any delicious memories of him when I awoke this morning. “Hey, girl, are you with us over there?” Rita questioned with one eyebrow raised up high. “Yeah, I’m good. I was just thinking about something.” “Whatever it was had you smiling like a Cheshire cat just now. Would it happen to have anything to do with last night and that young stud I saw you doing the country two-step with?” When had she seen me dancing with Jackson? I thought her own fellas had kept Ms. Rita occupied. I guess I was so wrapped in Jackson’s world and his big arms that I had drowned out everything else around me. I cleared my throat and relaxed my facial features before I answered in a calm, dismissive voice. “No, we had a dance and that was mostly the end of it.” “Mostly?”
I looked away and watched as more members filtered through the doors. “I think Ms. Janay isn’t telling her bestest friend in the whole world the entire story. You never did explain why we had to high tail it out of there like the roof was on fire.” “That’s because there is nothing to tell,” I replied without turning back in her direction. I know that wasn’t the complete truth but I honestly was not ready to share the lustful events of the night I fucked a stranger in dark corner. Even thinking of my time with Jackson in that type of manner was disturbing because that crude description did not quite fit how it all really happened. Yes, I really didn’t know him well, but our attraction was instant and our ease in one another’s company was natural. Our perfect in sync chemistry was undeniable and, although he was hard and rough when he was taking me against the wall, there was still the feel of tenderness and deep passion present, the kind that only two eternal lovers can have. I was the one who had decided to call a sudden halt to our thrilling evening when I fled in a panic and ran off into the night like some type of overzealous drama queen. Thinking back, I almost wished that I had stayed and was able to see where the rest of our night together would have progressed to. Another thought flashed like a hot poker stinging me. What if Rita and I weren’t as different as I had always perceived us to be? Maybe she was the better woman for not being afraid to express who she really was inside and what she really wanted out of life, love, and relationships while I hid behind a false facade of modesty. No, that wasn’t completely true. As long as I had known Rita she had always been a free spirit and as long as I had known myself, I had always been quiet and reserved. There was something
alluring about Jackson Bryant and his enticing effect on me. His seductive pull was strong enough to coax me out of my safety zone and, thus far, he was the only man who had ever been successful at drawing out the carnal cravings masked within me. I wasn’t lying when I told him that my exaggerated euphoria last night was only for him. I doubt that another man would have been able to work me into new heights of excitement and risky behavior, as he had been able to with ease. “Yup, so you say,” Rita’s comment snapped me back to the present. “Anyways, the pickings sure are slim this time around.” Rita was right on point with that observation. The number of attendees since last year’s seminar had shrank by almost half. There were still several large tables that were wholly unoccupied. The male population was near close to zero and most of the men present appeared to be from the same company. Even though the guys were spread out amongst the tables, they were all dressed in similar business casual attire, pressed black slacks and blue polo tops embroidered with their company’s logo on the front. “Guess you’re not getting any tonight,” I tossed at Rita. “What’s that supposed to mean?” I gave her a knowing look. Besides the fact that her comment about the lack of selection in the room was obviously referring to the limited number of men here, I had known this woman long enough to know that she was determined to have at least one fabulous roll under the covers before we left this state on Saturday afternoon. She chuckled to herself and rolled her eyes toward the podium. “Okay, okay, I admit that I’m trying to line up some possibilities. I don’t want you to be the only one who has a naughty story to go back home with.”
I was glad that Rita was looking the other way because my eyes nearly jumped out of the sockets. I was seriously starting to wonder how much she really knew about what I had done last night. Her teasing was getting dangerously close to the truth regarding my encounter with a hot young man named Jackson. Rita and I were at the front table and our attention went over to the noise of someone fumbling at the stand. The speaker was a middle aged Caucasian man who was in fairly good shape and pleasing to the casual eye in his thin red V-neck crew sweater and dark dress pants. He cleared his throat over the microphone and the rumble of the audience died down. After giving a brief introduction of himself, the chairman of the of the national agency that hosted this event, and offering the customary ice breaker joke, followed by the customary bellowing of the audience’s laughter, he announced the theme of this week’s training events. The topic was curiously familiar to last year’s theme – crossing the generational gap. The man’s eyes wandered over to where Rita was a seating, arm folded in front of her on the table. She smirked up at him and his face lit up like a tree. When his eyes wandered further down her dress top, I already knew this was going to be an awkward introductory workshop, and possibly an even slower morning, than I had anticipated. I shook my head in disbelief that I was missing out on my joke of the day for this nonsense. Four exhausting hours later, after an over abundant number of meet-and-greets, networking sessions, and useless mini-shops on how to be trendy and hip, the group was excused for an extended lunch of our choosing. The morning hadn’t turned out to be all in vain. A very handsome Latino man with smooth butter almond skin had come over to Rita and I during one of the networking
meetings and cheerfully introduced himself. His name was Alberto Santino and he was a contractor who was scheduled to begin a new project with our agency when we all returned back to the office next week. He had taken a later flight out and was just now getting around to picking us out of the crowd. He explained that because he was a contractor, he had to make his own accommodations for travel and lodging and that was the reason he had not been able to join us from the beginning of our trip. The three of us spent the rest of the morning snatching chances at having small talk and trying to get to know one another. Advertising was usually done within tight work conditions. The members of the team would be faced with working long and stressful hours when a new project started up, so it was best to be on good terms with anyone who was picked to be your group. When lunch was called, Rita and I grabbed out handbags and floated toward the front of the hotel with Alberto in tow. As our small group made its way down the staggered stone steps of the front of the hotel, I surveyed two interesting observations. Alberto wasn’t giving Rita the type of attention that I was used to men adorning her with. In fact, he seemed to be more on the girlfriend side than on the guy friend side. I kept that thought to myself and stored it away for later consideration. Besides the fact that this was neither the time nor the place – nor any of my business, actually – to pose the question that was on my mind, my full attention was cut to the monstrous vehicle parked at the head of the circular driveway of the hotel. A shiny silver extended cab pickup truck was parked a few feet behind where the teenage valets were waiting for the next vehicle that they could race away with to arrive. The underframe of the truck sat up about six inches from the asphalt of the driveway.
Stationed on the passenger side of the truck, leaning back against the door, the ankle of one long leg crossed over the other and burly arms folded over his big chest, was the man who I both longed to see and dreaded running into again. The shirt was a light beige this time, still rolled up past the crook of the elbow, the jeans were a shade lighter and fell down over tan colored boots, but the bowed straw hat dipped forward over his face was the same and so was the flutter in my heart. It was as though he heard my heart skipping against my breastbone. The instant I swallowed hard and held my breath for a long pause, Jackson Bryant lifted his head upward and blue jewels playfully danced over every inch of my face. I felt the air rush out of my lungs when his easy grin lifted up one side of his pink lips. I was becoming light headed and all of my nerve from yesterday had fleeted away. My feet wouldn’t budge one centimeter to move me closer to the place where my tempter stood calmly waiting for my arrival or one back step closer to retreat. My two companions had also taken note of the man waiting patiently and unmoving, like a chiseled piece of perfect Greco-Roman art, at the curb ahead. A swift flash of slyness crossed Rita’s green eyes and, not to my amazement, a look of interest also settled over Alberto’s brow as well. “Jae, it looks like you have been a naughty, you little minx,” Rita quipped in. All amusement aside, I remained stuck in place, unsure of how I would make the first move. I caught movement out of the corner of my eye and then realized that I didn’t have to. Jackson was making long and determined steps toward where my companions and I waited about five steps up from the sidewalk. His six foot plus height and brawny frame moved at a smooth and steady pace. His cool swagger, combined with my nostrils
catching a whiff of his spicy cologne, was already starting to reke havoc on my hormones. I must have looked like a silly schoolgirl waiting for her boyfriend after class. I was helpless to stop the big grin that was plastered across my face or fight down the big knot of nerves gathering in my stomach. This would be our first meeting since our intimate encounter the previous night and I was at a loss as to what to expect from Jackson. Had he purposefully come seeking me out or had this unexpected reunion only been a coincidence? Was he here to see some other person – some other woman – and just happened to run into me standing here so awkward and confused and excited and horny all at once? After all, this was a public hotel and suites; there could be any number of other people he was scheduled to meet up with here on this particular day and right at this exact time when I would be exiting the building. As he approached closer, I became fairly certain that I could scratch out the last part of my rambling thoughts. His eyes, light like tinted quicksilver today, had locked in on me in perfect aim and put me at ease. Jackson halted his broad stride right in front of me. His large body was standing one stone step lower and yet he remained tall enough to be smiling down at me. “I knew I’d find you again, Miss Janay,” he grinned wide while he spoke. The blush crept into my cheeks but shyness was not the emotion that was washing through the nether regions of my body. “Yes, you did, Mr. Jackson…now what?” The urge to be cheeky with my reply was irresistible. He liked that feisty response. That telltale blaze was starting to kindle in his eyes. “Now I get to make sure you never run out on me again.”
My pussy jumped. I liked his comeback more. Someone to my right let out a small cough and I snapped out of my trance. My eyes reluctantly abandoned his intense gaze, now settling down a few degrees, and floated over to where my companions waited. There were creased lines in their foreheads from eyebrows being raised almost back to the hairline.
I suppose
introductions were in order. I took a chance and reached out to lightly lay my hand on his shoulder blade as I pointed out each person in turn. I felt no hesitation or motion to flinch away from my small token of affection, and I considered that a good sign. “Jackson this is my friend and co-worker, Rita Kaye.” Cue the dramatics. Rita stepped from the sideline and made her way over a few inches closer toward Jackson. Big green eyes flashing, hair glittering in the early afternoon sunlight, body perfectly petite. She was truly liken to a picture off of a women’s fashion magazine. I could never find fault in Rita for being naturally stunning. I would, however, have to do so if she even attempted to lay one manicured finger on my man. Huh? Did I actually just consider telling off my best girlfriend over I man that I barely knew? “Howdy, cowboy,” Rita’s evenly coated red lips mouthed the words with practiced ease. She offered a crooked hand and waited for Jackson to take hold of it, as she was so often use to. Instead, to my great relief, he opted to raise his hat from the crown of his head and tip it forward in her direction.
“Ma’am,” was the unruffled response he offered in return to her flare. His face remained even and expressionless. If I had a camera, this moment would have definitely been featured on one of those photo finish commercials. Rita’s jaw dropped down to her collarbone and her face tinted turnip purple. She snatched her hand back and angled it on her small hip. “Ma’am? Excuse me, but I am nobody’s ma’am.” Rita had become the picture of exasperation and she didn’t wear the look well. Since none of us were ready to deal with her antics, and I already knowing how far off the map Rita could take the direction of this conversation, I cut her short and moved on the next person waiting to be introduced. The appalled look splashed on her face was beyond priceless. “And this is my soon-to-be coworker and new acquaintance, Alberto Martino.” Jackson stuck his hand out to the other man without hesitation and Alberto returned the gesture with a firm shake of his hand. “Alberto, nice to meet you,” Jackson said as he nodded with an open smile toward his male counterpart. “Same here, Jackson.” Rita had remained speechless during the exchange but the instant she was about to form her lips to make a new sentence, Alberto chimed in this time and cut her off again. “Our little Janay here hadn’t told us she befriended such a nice looking man.” Jackson’s eyes widened a fraction, almost imperceptible to the naked eye, and then relaxed to their natural state again. He never lost that classically friendly smile while he listened and then replied to Alberto.
“Chances are my pretty lady didn’t mention me because she and I only met up last night.” Jackson turned his sights on me and I could tell by the bass in his voice and the glint of passion in his eyes that he wanted to kiss me – hard and long – but I also knew that he wouldn’t be anything but a gentlemen with me while we were in public and especially in present company. I wasn’t sure of how I could be so certain of these two notions; nonetheless, I knew that my hunches were right on point. “Ah, I see,” Alberto snatched a look over at me with a knowing smile. “I take it you two must have gotten along well?” “Janay and I sure did,” Jackson said as eased in closer under my hand on his shoulder and slipped his arm around my waist. He made sure to stare deep into my brown eyes as he said his next words. “That’s why when she ran out on me, I didn’t have any choice but to come lookin’ for her. I had to see my lady again.” Alberto made a high yelping noise and clapped his hands together. “¡Que linda! How beautiful! This reminds me of one of those novels I was reading during the plane ride over here.” Jackson and I snickered and grinned at his comment. At the same time, in the back of my mind, I felt like all of this was playing out all too well and I kept mulling over when all of this sweet attention might turn sour and fade away. For the time being, I pushed that dark possibility to the side. In all honesty, I was elated to see Jackson in person – and in daylight – and I wanted to make the best of this opportunity. “Jackson did you need to speak with me about something?”
I still hadn’t found out the real reason for his surprising visit and was curious to hear his answer. “Actually, I did,” his face was eager, “I wanted to see if you were free to take a lunch break with me?” “Um, I not sure if I have enough time,” I answered while I started to dig for my phone, which had managed to shimmy down to the very bottom of my purse. I had no idea what time it was and we were only scheduled for a one hour lunch. I didn’t know where he might be planning on taking me and was hesitant to accept his offer if we would be returning past my allotted time. “Sí, claro,” Alberto nodded vigorously, “Of course you do.” I gave him a puzzled look. These seminars were considered to be part of our required CEU’s. We all needed at least twenty continuing education units, roughly five days worth of training, each year to maintain our certified professional licenses. “Alberto, I need all of these workshops to fulfill my requirements.” “Don’t worry about a thing, doll,” he winked and angled his head toward silent Rita, “We will cover you. One of us will make sure to sign your name in whatever workshop we stop in. Won’t we, Rita darling?” He tapped her side lightly with the tip of his elbow and snapped her out of her moping. “I guess so, since I’m finally allowed to speak now,” she pouted and pushed her hair back over shoulders. No one bothered to jump on to that downhill wagon.
“Well, Janay,” Jackson pulled me a little closer to his side, “Looks like your friends here have you all covered. There’s no reason for you to refuse my offer. What’ll it be, sweet lady?” The phrase “all eyes on me” would have been highly appropriate for this exact moment.
I could almost hear each person’s inhalations as they all waited on my
response. “Sure, why not? Sounds fun.” I smiled as the pulse at my temple strummed double time. I had never once thought of skipping a class in all my years of school, and even up through graduate classes, and now here I was, a grown woman, getting her coworkers to forge documents of attendance on my behalf. Rita was right, I wasn’t acting at all like my normal self. The newfound friendship of the sexiest man in a pair of fitted jeans had somehow rearranged my internal wiring. It was an exhilarating feeling to take a turn on the wild side. Of course skipping a dull afternoon of seminars wasn’t exactly on the same level of danger as BASE jumping, then again, hot sex in a bar could be considered equally as thrilling as that – if not more so. “I promise to bring her back before your classes are done for the afternoon,” Jackson yelled over his shoulder as my feet were lifted straight up from the step I stood on and then set back down near the truck door in one smooth motion. “See you later, dear…have fun!” Alberto exclaimed to me. I was still trying to regain my balance after that quick ride down the stairs and had a little trouble turning to wave at my two companions. Rita stood stone faced and with her bottom lip still poked out. I was surely going to get an earful later.
“Thanks again, I won’t be gone too long,” I sounded off, attempting to push away the guilt of what they were doing on behalf while I ran off into the Montana planes with Jackson. “Oh, stop worrying, dear. Have some fun for us too.” Although I wasn’t close enough to see the actual gesture, I heard the wink in Alberto’s voice and I giggled at what I was sure he was trying to imply was going to happen. After I said my good-byes, Jackson opened the wide door for me and I wondered if I were going to have to make a giant leap to make it up that first step. Hopefully, if I did so, I would land in the passenger’s seat and not straight out the other side of the truck or get hopelessly tangled in between. “Up we go.” Ever on cue, Jackson scooped my legs up from the ground with ease and placed me into the plush cushioned seat. He even snapped my seatbelt around me before closing the door. There was no changing my mind once his big body slid in behind the leather steering wheel. He took off his hat, tossed it over the back seat, and turned over the ignition. The engine roared to life as Jackson set the beast into gear and we headed into destinations unknown together.
7
The question was unavoidable and had to be asked. Right now was as good a time as any. “How did you know where to find me?” I had to speak up as we sped down the freeway. My window was halfway down and a warm breeze was flowing like natural air conditioning through the open glass. Jackson was driving with his right hand casually anchored to the wheel. His window was all the way down and his left arm was propped in the doorframe with his hand clutching the edge of the exterior roof. I was enjoying how this scene was playing out. Me riding down the open road sitting beside a man I was eager to know so much more about – other than the fact that he was the best lover I had ever experienced.
Oceans of hunter green grass
surrounded us for miles on both side and the snow capped mountain range opened up majestically before us. I didn’t have a care in the world and whatever troubles might come up, I was sure Jackson would be right there to smooth them over. It was a refreshing and liberating feeling. So much so that the tight band that was holding my hair bun in place was starting to nag at me. One quick motion and I pulled my wavy strands free and allowed my hair to blow in the oncoming wind. The sensation of the breeze felt wonderful as it gently caressed my scalp. “Damn, you’re beautiful.” I hadn’t seen him take his eyes off of the road, so he must have been watching me from the side of his wily eyes. I liked the feeling of him needing to watch me at all times.
It made a naughty sense of mischief creep up into my chest and my nipples pebbled just a tiny bit beneath my shirt. “You didn’t answer my question, mister,” I said with a smirk and went back to watching the painted scene fly by. Jackson laughed low. “Janay, didn’t you know that a man always knows where to find his lady?” “Ha,” I laughed generously, “that answer isn’t good enough. Try again.” “I love it when you get sassy,” he grinned and I saw those lovely dimples make an appearance. “I’m waiittingg,” I purposefully dragged out my words to emphasize my point. “Okay, you got me. I bribed politicians near and far to coax the information outta’ them.” Jackson made a light slap of the steering wheel as he mused at his own wit. He continued speaking after he had enjoyed good minute of his own humor. “Truth be told, Janay, Crystal Springs is a small town and a new face is easy to spot. I figured if you and your gal friend had made your way that far back and found the lounge, then you must be stayin’ in town and not in the city. If you were stayin’ in town, there’s only one place to lay your head if you’re not already a permanent resident. I know the people who own the boarding house and they helped me to figure out where your meeting was gonna’ be.” He glanced a shimmering blue eye over at me and I teased him by looking away. “Was that response sufficient enough for you, drill sergeant?” I gave him a mock salute from the crown of my head and a sharp nod.
My follow-up question was also unavoidable. “Why Jackson?” My words were whispered and melded in with the wind that flowed through the space of the interior cab. The pick-up slowed a bit from the roaring sixty-five we were doing as Jackson shifted his position so that he could control the wheel with his left hand and reach over to tenderly sweep the back of his right hand down my cheek. He chanced a quick look in my direction and then focused on the road again. “Baby, don’t you know already?” I sucked in my bottom lip at the hoarse sweetness of his tone. “Tell me,” I spoke low and rubbed my cheek slowly against his open palm. “Janay, when you left me so fast last night, I thought that I lost my breath after you disappeared.” He paused and contemplated his next words. I watched his rigid Adam’s apple bob up and then back down and I wanted so badly to place my lips there and sweep them along the lengths of his stubbled neck. “Janay, I think you took a piece of my heart with you when you went out that door. I had to search you out so that I might get the chance to claim a piece of yours.” I kissed the tips of his fingers. With that confession, he already had claimed more than a just piece of heart and my body. I was ashamed that I wasn’t brave enough to tell him the same. Instead, I stroked my face along his hand once more and then went back to silently staring out of the window.
Jackson didn’t force the conversation. He left the subject at this particular spot for the time being and I was greatful to him for that. I just wasn’t ready or willing to bear my soul. I needed more time to sort through these burgeoning emotions. I was leaving in a little over four days, so was there any real point in laying my heart out on the table? “May I ask where you’re visitin’ us from?” The change of subject was welcome. “Jersey…New Jersey. Timber Falls.” “Never heard of it,” his grin was back. “Neither have a lot of people, but it’s there, south of New York City. You know,” I cut an eye to him, “I could say the same about your hometown.” “Haha…touché.” “Have you lived here all of your life?” “Yeah…mostly,” his voice faded a little and his eyes went blank, “I left for awhile to go to college to get my associates. Business Administration. I was away for about two years.” “That’s not that long to be away from home.” “Hm. You’d be surprised how much life can change in such a short amount of time.” He was silent after that. It would be my guess that there was a story behind that statement and his sudden shift in mood but it wasn’t my place to dig any further. He had been polite enough to leave a subject that I was touchy about at rest and I decided to do the same for him.
I couldn’t resist another glance over at his handsome face and well-toned body. My eyes glided from his thick arm and swept up and over the features of his face. Behind a thin layer of course light brown hair, there was an angelic baby face hiding there. The wheels in my mind started turning over again as I contemplated his age. I needed to know how much of a baby he really was. “Would you mind if I asked how old you were are?” “It depends, pretty lady,” he tossed me cool grin. “What does it depend on, handsome man?” I loved how his face lit up while a long laugh resonated from his wide chest. “It depends on whether or not you’re gonna’ mind the answer.” Uh-oh. Now, I was worried. Anything under twenty-one and I would have to tell him to turn this ride around and point it back in the opposite direction. “That look on your face is making me a bit more hesitant to tell you. But, I believe in being as honest as possible – always. I will be twenty-five come this summer.” I released a loud sigh of relief. He wasn’t as young I had feared, yet he was still a little over three years my junior. This was my first time going out with a guy who was younger than me and having that knowledge on hand wasn’t quite as disturbing as I had always imagined that it would be. Come to think of it, this was the first time I had any relationship with a white man that was other than strictly friends only. That, too, didn’t feel as awkward as I had thought it would seem. “Don’t you want to know my age?” When Jackson didn’t ask the question, I posed it for him. “No, Janay, I don’t.”
Stunned, I asked him why not. “Because it truly doesn’t matter to me how old or young you are. That number won’t take away from any of the reasons why I want to get to know you.” “What are the reasons?” My voice was soft, I was almost afraid to hear the response. “Well,” his words were low and careful, Jackson was taking his time while he sorted through his thoughts, “I don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see that you’re more than smart. You’re intelligent and wise. You ponder things and think them through first. I like that – a lot – ‘cause that’s how I am. You’re quiet by nature but I can see there’s a wild child lurking around behind those hypnotic brown eyes of yours.” I covered my mouth to keep the laughter at bay. “You like to laugh, but you don’t get enough chances to really let your playfulness out. You’re not spontaneous by nature but you love a good challenge and taking up a good cause.” He paused to run a finger down my cheek and under my chin. “Most of all, you remind me of someone dear to me and I can’t wait for you to meet her.” There was no way he could be referring to who it sounded like he was. There were only two types of her’s that a man was usually referring to – a mother or an exgirlfriend. I sincerely hoped that Jackson wasn’t spending time with me only because I recalled memories of an old flame. Still, I just couldn’t believe that he wanted me to meet his mother so soon. To his credit, I doubted that a man would take a woman home
to see his momma if all he had been interested in was getting a little action. Could Jacskon really be sincere in his tender feelings for me? A moan rumbled up from my midsection. The low grumble followed by a sharp hunger pain was actually a nice breakaway to a new subject. “Sounds like my baby’s getting’ hungry.” The blush in my cheeks heated up. “Yeah, she sure is. Where are you taking me anyway?” We had been driving for nearly an hour and had passed Crystal Springs Lounge awhile back and were still seemingly driving toward more and more of empty country range. “I am takin’ you to the best eatin’ establishment this side of the Midwest.” At this point, my stomach was in such an uproar that I would have settled for cold fries and a greasy burger. I needed something to fill my empty gut and I needed it sooner rather than later. “Okay, and where is this wonderful place? I’m not sure how much longer I can hold out.” “Fair enough. You should be seeing the outline comin’ up over the horizon in about ten seconds.” Like clockwork, Jackson’s timing was accurate to the tee. The shape of a red-bricked rectangle popped up in the near distance and grew in height as we meandered closer to its location on the right hand side of the road. He pulled the big truck up onto the grassy lot and parked at the end of a small row of several other cars. A large white sign that read Auntie Bee’s Kitchen greeted us. To
add to the effect, a honeybee was painted in the background of the sign and the awnings and trimmings of the front windows were all a golden yellow. Jackson took the key out of the ignition and placed his key ring in the holder under the armrest. “You’re leaving your keys inside the truck?” He shook his head as he closed his door and walked over to my side. “You really are a city gal aren’t you?” He chuckled while opening my door and helping me down to the ground. I looked up at him and squinted my eyes tight. “Thanks for the laugh at my expense.” “Oh, come on now. I think you know I would never laugh at you…only with you.” I nudged his solid arm lightly with my knuckles. “You’re the only one who’s laughing right now.” “No need to worry, you’re gonna’ be grabbin’ at your side, keelin’ over with laughter, about five minutes after we walk through that door.” When my face remained unchanging, Jackson pulled me to him and placed a secure arm around my shoulders. He leaned down and kissed the side of my brow tenderly. “Forgive me?” he crooned against my skin, his warm lips relaxing my frown away. How could any woman refuse an apology like that? “Yes,” I offered with a small, sneaky smile.
“Good…not let’s go eat!” He intertwined out fingers, his light tan against my mocha brown, and guided me through the screen door. The instant that Jackson and I walked through the door, out of the bright mid afternoon sun and into the dim light of the small country restaurant with the low ceiling, all the clang and commotion seemed to grind to a sudden halt. A stab of apprehension ran through me and Jackson squeezed my hand for support. I was always nervous when I met people for the first time and this instance was not proving to be any different. Several diners sitting at various booths looked up from meals and stared with curious and bewildered expressions in our direction. A handful of people at the short counter to our right turned halfway on wide cushioned stools to take a long look at the newcomers. I couldn’t quite tell if I was getting all the attention focused on me because I was new face or because I was the only face with color. Another handful of timeless seconds ticked slowly away before the swinging doors that led back to the kitchen area burst forward. A small statured and pudgy woman, dressed in a classic white approned waitress uniform came stomping out. She had the most unusual up-do I had ever seen. Not quite a fifty’s bee hive and not exactly an eighty’s up-tease, more like some creative melding of both, and absolutely perfect her Auntie Bea’s animated personality. “Why the hell is it so quiet out here?” She took a neck jerking survey of the space and then locked round and wide eyes onto the man who was holding me tight by his side.
“Jackson!” she yelled at the top of her lungs, despite the fact that her restaurant wasn’t bigger than the size of a modest rancher home. Stubby legs moved with stealth as she made her way to where we stood fixed in place near the doorway. “Oh, come here, honey, and give your Auntie a big hug and kiss! It seems like I haven’t seen you in ages!” She reached up, through her wabbly arms around his neck and pulled Jackson down to her height. Once she had him in a vice grip, she planted a big smooch on his cheek and then ran fast fingers through his long brown hair. All the while, Jackson never released his hand from mine. “Aunt Beatrice, it’s only been since Saturday,” Jackson grinned hard while he combed his hair back behind his ears again. “Three days is a lifetime, sweetie. When you get to be my age, you’ll learn that lesson well.” “Yes, ma’am, I suppose I will.” Her ocean blue eyes darted over toward my direction as if she had just taken notice of me standing there. “And who is this cute little girl?” Her wide and toothy smile put me somewhat at ease. Other than Jackson, it was the only friendly face that I had seen thus far while inside these walls. “Auntie Bea, this is my lady, Janay Parker.” His aunt gave Jackson a wide grin and then brought her attention back to me. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Beatrice,” I said as I extended my hand.
“Oh, phooey with the handshakin’. If you’re my nephew’s lady, then you’re practically family. Come here, girl, and give Auntie Bea a hug!” Before I could object – not as if I were intendng to – her thick creamy arms hauled me into her plentiful bosom and squeezed me tight. Next up was the smooch on the cheek. I was so overwhelmed by her sentiment that I had no other choice but to wrap my arms as far around her roundness as I could manage and return her enthusiastic hug. As quickly as the action started, it ceased. Auntie Bea pulled back and scrunched up her circular face. At first, I thought maybe I had done something wrong – didn’t hug quite hard enough, perhaps? A second look and I saw that the twinkle in those shrewd blue eyes was on to a new revelation. She turned her head sharply to the left and then equally as fast back over to the right. “Well? What the hell is everybody starin’ at? Can’t we take care of some personal family business here? Get back to your plates!” Without delay, all the diners went back to their food and to their conversations as though there had never been a dramatic pause hanging in the room. I loved Auntie Bea already. “Oh goodness, girl,” she lifted both of my arms and looked me over, “you need some meat on your bones. You’re practically fadin’ away.” That was a comment that I knew without a hint of doubt my mother would never utter to me, at least, not in this lifetime. “We need to get some down home food in you fast. Ritchie!”
When she turned her head to holler back into the kitchen, I snuck a look up at Jackson. My eyes were wide with laughter and he mouthed I told you so with an equal amount of amusement on his face. “Ritchie get out here and meet Jackson’s girl!” She paused for reflection. “And bring two big bowls of that turkey soup and a plateful of those mashed potatas with you when you come.” I usually tried to avoid carbs and too much heavy meats – it helped to keep my weight down – but my stomach was begging me for a taste of anything. Whatever Aunt Bea was serving, I was going to accept with much delight. “Janay, come on in here and take a seat, sweetie,” she pulled me by the hand toward one of the rear booths. “Jackson, be a sweetheart and go get us some cold drinks from the kitchen and help out your uncle while your back there.” She pulled me away from Jackson with such vigor that I had no choice but to release his hand. I looked back while Aunt Bea drew me forward and Jackson watched for my reaction. I calmed the tension on his face my waving to him that I was fine and giving him a hearty smile. Without having to turn around, Auntie Bea didn’t miss a beat. “Of course she’s fine, Jackson. Now, go on and do like I asked.” From the corner of my eye, I saw him turn away and disappear behind the flapping double doors. Aunt Beatrice led us back to the last booth and flopped down on one side while she motioned for me to take a seat across from her. “Go on, child, make yourself at home.”
I worked my way onto the thick red cushion of the seat and then folded my hands in front of me and waited. Aunt Bea laughed loud and slapped her hands down on the tabletop. “Relax, little one, this isn’t a test. If our Jackson came through that door,” she shot a finger back toward the direction from which we had just come from, “and introduced you to me,” fat thumbs pointed back at her hefty bosom, “then I already know you’re a good woman. Jackson is a great judge of character, just like his daddy…may the Good Lord rest his soul,” she said and nodded her head briefly when she spoke the last few words. Jackson’s father was deceased, just like my dad. He hadn’t mentioned that to me. Then again, why would he? We had only met last night and he probably thought it wasn’t any of my concern. “Thank you for the warm welcome, Msss–,” the older woman’s raised brow dared me to say the words and this was one challenge I wasn’t going to accept, “Aunt Bea.” She smiled again. She was satisfied with me making use of that more familiar and more personal name. She leaned in a little and put her heavy elbows on the table. “I’m certain you’re not a local, so what part of this great nation are you visitin’ us from?” “The East Coast, ma’am.” “Ahhh…city gal?” “Yes,” I nodded with a grin. Were my origins that obvious? “Looky here, our little Jackson went and snagged himself a big city lady.”
She laughed again and the sound was contagious so I joined in too. “I already know some of this trip is personal,” she winked and I blushed, “but are you here on business as well?” “Yes, I’m attending a business conference in the next town over.” “How nice. How long you stayin’ for?” “Just until the end of this week.” “Oh, really?” Her brows went up again and she leaned in even closer and, to my shock and awe, lowered her voice a notch. “Does Jackson know that?” A feeling of shame ran over me. This whirlwind of excitment that he and I had become caught up in had given me little opportunity to let him know about the details of my schedule for this week. “No, ma’am…not yet.” “I see.” I could see her rolling the thought around in her head. “Well, sweetie, don’t you think you had better let him know soon?” Her inquisitive glance made me shrink back some. “I want to. I will. It’s just he and I…we got caught up in this…whatever this is that’s sweeping over he and I.” I bit my lip, a little too hard maybe, and flinched at the sting. She placed a chubby hand over my own and then patted gently. “I understand. Our Jackson is a passionate fella. He knows what he wants and he goes and gets it, no matter what the obstacle in between. He’s always been stubborn and brave all at once.”
Aunt Beatrice leaned against the cushioned high back of the booth and exhaled a deep breath. “He’s been goin’ through a bit of a rough patch since his daddy passed on. We were all startin’ to get a little concerned for him.” She cut her eyes back over to me and offered a knowing smile. “I think his time with you will be well spent. I already see a big improvement, even since he was last here on Saturday. You just make sure you don’t wait too long to give him the news about your upcoming departure.” “I will tell him tonight, I promise.” “And you make sure you let him down easy. If you don’t, just know that I’m gettin’ pretty darn good at using that internet thing. I hear you can find addresses and numbers and all kinds of interest facts about people.” I took the hint and nodded that I understood. “I’ll do my best not to hurt him.” “You sure will. I know you will.” She broke the tension with another round of hearty laughter and then gently patted my hand again. “Until then, you’re family and we take care of our own.” I was completely convinced of the truth in that statement. “You sure are a tiny little gal, aren’t you?” A light male voice coming from behind caused me to turn around with sharp twist of my body. The toothy grin of a man who may have been in his early fifties or slightly older or younger, depending on the angle that you viewed him from, was staring back at me.
“Ritchie, what the hell took you so long? The poor girl is sittin’ here starvin’ half to death.” “Oh, hush up, woman,” Uncle Ritchie said and tossed his hands at his wife. If Auntie Bea was short and wide then Uncle Ritchie was the complete opposite. His giant height barely fit under the low ceiling and his wispy frame left him looking like he was the one who was in the greatest need of a nice banquet meal or several, not me. “Janay, this is my senile husband of forty years, Richard Pratt. Ritchie, this here is Jackson’s girl, Janay,” the woman said as she smiled and angled a fat finger at me. “Woman, didn’t I tell you to hush? I know who the little gal is. Jackson told me all about her and he was right…she’s cute as a button.” Uncle Ritchie offered the compliment with glee in his voice. “Well, Ritchie, if you know so much, how come you forgot the food I asked you to bring out?” Aunt Beatrice asked him plainly with a smug face. “Woman, I didn’t forget, nephew is – was – right behind me.” The tall man looked around and was in complete confusion at Jackson’s absence. “Ah, there he is. He’s comin’ now.” Aunt Bea and I peered around Uncle Richard, which didn’t take too much effort to accomplish because the man had partially disappeared when he turned to the side. We both spied Jackson at the same time, struggling with an oversized tray, crammed with several bowls, plates, glasses, a pitcher of tea, and eating utensils. We jumped up at the same time while Jackson did his best to balance the tray and work his way around chairs, tables, feet, elbows, and back to our booth. “Ritchie, what in the Sam hell is wrong with you?”
“What?” Uncle Ritchie questioned back with genuine bewilderment on this face. “It’s okay, Aunt Bea, I’ll go help him out.” “Thank you, dear. You’re a sweet girl.” As I moved from the table and toward Jackson to grab some of the items from the top of the tray, I heard Auntie Bea giving Uncle Ritchie a plentiful earful regarding his lack of manners and common sense. Uncle Ritchie, however, was smart enough to keep his lips shut tight while he took his reprimand from his adoring wife. I cannot even begin to imagine the type of pouncing he might have had to endure should he have dared to interrupt her exhaustive scolding. I felt a hint of sympathy and a stab of hilarity running through my gut simultaneously. Jackson was right. I was getting a big and relaxing laugh while enjoying his aunt and uncle’s company. Even so, I continued counting down the minutes until I finally had some more personal time with him. The slippery spot between my legs was anxious for that chance to arrive relatively soon. A week was suddenly becoming all too brief. I wondered if any expanse of time would ever be enough for me when it came to being in Jackson’s presence.
8
When our riotous meal was all concluded, I actually did feel right at home with the Pratts, as if I were truly a member of their family. It was a contented and easy state of mind, one that I could easily get use to if I wasn’t careful. There was nothing so nourishing to the soul as love – love of self, love of family, and the love of a good man – and I was blessed to have had a chance to have all three at once and under one roof. By the time Jackson signaled that it was time for us to make our way back up the road, the long faces showed up and then there were big hugs all around. Even some of the patrons who made Auntie Bee’s Kitchen their afternoon hang out spot were in line to give endearing goodbyes. I truly hoped and prayed that I would get another chance at meeting all of their pleasant and honest faces again. The time I spent with people who were one step away from being complete strangers was the first time in far too long since I had felt at peace and at home. “Jackson, you make sure bring her back soon, sweetie! Bye Janay, love you sweetie!” Aunt Bea called cheerfully and loudly after us as Jackson’s truck backed out of the lot and he maneuvered the beast back toward the direction of Crystals Springs. I waved again and Jackson tooted his horn as the dust picked up and the cozy family restaurant disappeared into the rearview mirror. “Your aunt and uncle are a handful,” I laughed as I mused over their hyperactive behavior.
The pair was a perfect match and I couldn’t picture either of them living a single peaceful day with anyone but each other. “Yup, they sure are. They can be a tad on the rowdy side, but they always mean well and both of them are full of love for everyone they cross paths with.” “Yes, I can tell.” I spied the time on the dashboard and it was already well past five. The sessions for today had already been concluded for over an hour. “It’s too late to go back to the hotel, you can just drop me back at the B&B.” Jackson focused on the illuminated time centered in his console. “Janay, I am so sorry. We were havin’ such a nice time, I completely forgot that I had to bring you back for your class.” “Jackson, for once, I’m not even worried about missing an appointment. I had a better afternoon spending time with you than being held up in a dull seminar. I’m glad I missed the sessions and it was worth it.” I placed a hand on his shoulder and then tucked a wayward piece of light brown hair back around his ear.
He turned his head enough to keep his eyes planted on the
dimming road and still be able to lay a soft kiss on the palm of my hand. “Thank you. I’ll do better next time. I promise.” By the time we reached my temporary residence, night had quietly slipped over the valley and the decorative white lights strung up outside of the quaint establishment were twinkling bright. Jackson walked with me to front entrance of the building and then turned me back toward him. His big arms were stationed on my hips and the large antique-style lamp hanging up over the entryway behind him was casting a shadow over
his handsome face. Without reservation, I ran my hand over his features and then traced a path with my index figure around the edge of his strong jaw line. Blue eyes gazed attentively at brown ones. We finally had another fleeting moment to stand face to face, away from peering and nosey glares, and to take in the peaceful awe of one another’s presence. “What are you doin’ tonight, pretty lady?” “I’m not sure. I guess not too much.” I glanced over into the parking lot and was shocked to see the rental car was parked there. Rita had decided to hang out “at home”, which was a rare occasion. “Will you come see me at the bar later tonight?” “You sure do hang out there a lot,” I was joking and serious all at once. Jackson offered me a half grin and then leaned in and captured my lips. It had been far too long since our lips had touched. I savored the flavor of his tongue and enjoyed the impression of his mouth taking control of mine. “I have my reasons,” he said when he leaned away, leaving me with swollen lips longing to be caressed again. “One of which is waiting for my lady to pay me a visit.” His natural charm was irresistible and made it hard for me to flat out refuse his invite. “I have to get up early tomorrow, but I’ll see what I can do for a handsome man like you.” “Lady, that’s all I’ll ever ask of you,” he spoke in a seductive tone as he pulled the back of my hand up to his lips, “If you make a little time for me, I’ll give you my world.”
It was my turn to make the first move. One more kiss was what I craved before we parted for the moment. I clasped my arms around his neck and drew him low so that I could kiss my man hard and deep, shoving my tongue to the back of his mouth, soaking in his taste on my lips and searing his essence into my memory. After Jackson and I parted – a dozen kisses later – I made my way up to the room that Rita and I shared. When I walked in, she was splayed across the bed in her fuchsia nightgown and stabbing at the buttons on her phone while she texted to some unknown person. From the vexed look on her face, as she focused with furious intent on her thumb typing, whatever she was hammering out to send electronically back across the globe did not seem like it was of a positive nature. “Hey,” I said in her direction as I moved to start taking off my day clothes. “Hey,” she echoed back without peering up from her task at hand. “What are you doing? I thought you would have made your way to a new night spot by now.” “Hmph…now you care what I’m doing.” “What do you mean by that?” Rita tossed the slim black phone to the side and gave me a sharp look. “Janay, you have been gone for hours. You didn’t even bother to call and tell me where you were after you disappeared into some random guy’s truck.” “Some random guy, huh? Sure seemed to me like you were doing your best to give my guy an eyeful earlier today.” “What?” She cocked her head to the side.
“So, you’re telling me that you did not take one ounce of offense when Jackson didn’t go for falling to his knees when you batted your lashes?” “No…I didn’t.” Was that confused look because my comment had hit home or because Rita honestly had no idea about the accusation I had just made? “What has gotten into you?
Every since we arrived here, you have been
acting…strange.” My eyes bugged out with disbelief. “You are calling me strange? Why is that, Rita? Because I’m not following you around anymore like a pet poodle? Because a hot guy wanted my attention this time and not yours? Or is it because I’m not afraid to say ‘no’ to you anymore or tell you what’s honestly on mind, even when it’s something that you don’t want to hear?” She sat cross-legged on the bed, head turned toward the wall, and silent. “Well? Which is it?” “None,” she spat out. “Then explain why we’re having this conversation right now?” She pulled a handful of her long hair from around her back and started to braid it over her shoulder and down the front of her chest. “I don’t know,” her harsh tone softened, “I guess it’s maybe because you and I are best friends and we usually do everything together. Two days with this new guy and you’re already starting to ditch me. You don’t even want to sit and have a drink with me anymore.”
“Rita, you know neither of those statements is true. I have never and will never ditch you for any guy. I made sure I took you with me when I was ready to go yesterday. I knew that you were fine entertaining your fans at the lounge last night, and I knew that you would be fine hanging out with Alberto for a few hours.” I went and sat next to her on the bed and placed a loose hug around her slim shoulders. “Rita, you are always fine and the life of the party no matter where you go. I’m not trying to steal your shine or ex you off as my closest friend. I met a man who I felt a connection with. That might happen to you every other night but you know that almost never happens to me. I have to do this. I like Jackson and he likes me, and we want to spend some time together while I’m here on our trip. Okay?” She stopped fussing with her hair and nodded. “Okay, okay, enough of this mushiness,” Rita said after we exchanged a quick hug. “So what are we doing for the rest of the night?” The hasty turn of the conversation had me wondering if this issue was truly resolved or only shelved for the moment. Rita’s mood had brightened somewhat and I was glad to see the change so I decided to ride with the upswing. “I don’t know about you but I’m ready to hit the pavement and stop at the first roadside dive that I see.” Considering that the Crystal Springs Lounge was the closest drinking establishment for an even twenty-mile radius, it wasn’t hard to guess the spot that I was referring to.
Rita and I made fast work of redressing for the evening. Our morning session was scheduled to begin at 8 AM tomorrow and we needed to be back by no later than midnight if we were going to be able to make it to that workshop on time. Because it was closest to my customary casual wear, I very nearly opted to wear a pair of faded jeans and a plain T-shirt. In a moment of spontaneity that was far from lucid, I chose a peach wrap around skirt – sure to give any onlooker a generous eyeful of my smooth brown legs – with a white halter-top and white wedge-heeled sandals instead. A slender pair of white lace thongs sliding up my thighs, snuggling up against my trimmed triangle, clamping down tight over the roundness of my hips and, lastly, settling down deep into the slit in my rear was the juicy topping for my already risqué choice of clothing. I also decided on allowing my hair to flow free, an inch or two past my shoulders, rather than bunch it up again in that tight and uncomfortable bun. Rita decided to be the lady in red tonight – red spandex mini dress, red wedges, and a red rose placed in her hair over top of her left ear. She was most definitely going to be a sight for sore and lusty eyes tonight. As we walked to the car, my phone buzzed inside of my handbag. Once again, I had to dig for gold before I was able to find it. The number on the face wasn’t familiar but I tapped the answer button anyway. I wasn’t really the type to screen my calls and I usually always answered every call. If it were someone that I didn’t want to talk with – the guy from a horrible date, a telemarketer, sometimes it could even be my mother – I would simply, and always politely, offer an excuse to end the call. “Hello, this is Janay.” “Darling!”
The voice was somewhat familiar but I couldn’t grab onto a name to match what I heard. “Who is this?” “Tsk, tsk. You have forgotten me so soon, even after I went through so much trouble to clear your schedule so that you could run wild with that adorable man this afternoon.” “Alberto! Yes, yes, of course I remember you. I didn’t recognize your number. I forgot to program it into my phone.” “I completely understand, dear. If it had been me in your place, I would have forgotten about the rest of the world as well,” he said in his usual chipper voice. “Thank you, again, for helping me out. I truly appreciate it.” “Anything for love, dear,” I heard the teasing in his tone. “Back to the reason why I called you. What are you chicas planning for this evening?” “Alberto, my friend, you have excellent timing.”
Rita and I doubled back toward the city to pick up Alberto from the hotel. We were sure there would be almost no way he would be able to find his way to the lounge in the middle of the night. Without the light from the broken sign to serve as a guidepost, the surrounding landscape was practically pitch black for miles around. Unlike the first night we pulled into Crystals Springs only night spot, the lot was far from empty. In fact we had to park out on the edge of the road because so many other
cars, truck, and jeeps were jammed in front of the building. I spied out Jackson’s gigantic silver pickup parked at the front space on the left side. I assumed that he had been parked in the rear yesterday when Rita and I arrived, because there was no way I would have missed that truck, not even from a distance. His four wheels were all macho machine, and I loved how I felt riding alongside Jackson when we were flying down the road in his beast. If the number of vehicles we were currently snaking our way around was any indication of the size of the crowd awaiting inside, there must be a full house tonight. Whoever owned this place must be raking in the dollars on a regular basis. I wondered why they had not taken the time to rejuvenate the outside and maybe given a little springcleaning to the inside as well.
When my group stepped through the warped door, the energy of the crowd and the roar of the music slammed into us. The inside was packed from wall to wall and heads from all over turned in our direction. Alberto was quite the catch in his powder blue dress shirt, dark denim jeans, and black dress shoes. The three of us standing side by side together – Alberto in his blue, Rita in her red, and me in my white and peach – must have made an amusing trio. I didn’t catch on to the significance of the colorful medley we were wearing until after we had made our grand entrance. My pals and I must have looked as if we were going to be the evening’s entertainment, possibly a new patriotic singing group, as we stood at the head of the establishment. The only items we were probably lacking to complete the hilarity of this moment were some wireless mics and a fully equipped live band shuffling in behind us. When the expectant stares failed to
turn away, Rita assumed the lead and cut a sharp path right through the thick of the crowd and toward the rear end of the bar counter. With Alberto and I following close behind, and none of our group uttering any sound that would indicate we were about to let loose our lungs, heads turned back to ice cubed drinks and rambling conversations. Our five seconds of fame had passed. When we arrived at our destination, to no surprise, all of the stools were occupied by denim-clad rear ends. It would be impossible to work our way in any other direction, the crowd was way too dense to try to search out any vacant seats elsewhere. There were probably none to be found anyhow, so we opted to stand in a small huddle until our next move became available. “Hey, hey, hey!” Harry Blackbird’s voice boomed toward us. “Unless you have a fresh drink, less than thirty minutes old in your hand, vacate the bar.” When rodeo hat decked heads stared blankly in his direction, unable or unwilling to respond, he leaned over the counter and made himself eye level with the patrons and stepped up his delivery. “Any one sitting in these first five stools has exactly five seconds to clear the bar or else I’m coming around the counter to clear it myself. Five! Four! Three!” Before he reached two, seven seats had cleared, rather than the original five he had requested. He waved his tattooed arm toward us and we pushed our way back over to the stools and took our newly reserved seats. “Janay,” he croaked in that heavy accent, a half grin pulling at his bristly mustache, “how is Jack’s ladylove doin’ this evening?”
Jackson sure didn’t waste anytime spreading the word that he and I were an exclusive item for this week. Somehow, that title – being referred to as his ladylove – appealed to me, more than expected. I was climbing higher and higher up a mounting hill of fantasy and leaving the reality of how temporary this arrangement was to be far below. When would I make that inevitable tumble back down out of the clouds? “I’m doing well, Harry. How are you?” “I’m a lot better now that we have you here to add some class to this place,” he said with a wink. “You give me too much credit,” I said as I returned his playful act. I made an informal introduction and reintroduction of Alberto and Rita. They both greeted Harry and he offered them each a half smile and slight dip of his head before excusing himself. When he returned, Harry set down a draft for Alberto and tall, slim glasses of Raspberry Twists for Rita and I. Without a second thought, I started to sip at mine eagerly. “Drinks are on the house for ya’ll tonight,” he yelled as the music flared up, “compliments of Jackson.” Rita and Alberto raised their drinks and thanked him. As Harry went to turn away, I touched his arm lightly to grab his attention. “Where is he?” I raised my voice as I high as I could without straining myself. Harry dipped his head lower and motioned for me to repeat my question. “Jackson…have you seen him around?”
“Yeah…he came in earlier and told me to be on the lookout for you and to make sure you were taken care of. I haven’t seen him much since then…he’s probably floating around and spending some time with the customers.” I used my fingers to give Harry the okay sign, and he moved off to the other end of the bar near the front door. I made a vain attempt to stand up and try to look over the crowd to see if I could locate Jackson amongst the throng. At a spot in the back, closest to the swarmed pool table and the busy area surrounding the dartboard, I thought I caught a glimpse of Jackson talking with another man. His usually easy grin and casual cool appearance were noticeably absent. The lines of his face were sharp and tight as he exchanged heated looking words with the man he was speaking with, whose face was turned at an angle that made his features hard to see. The distance from my vantage point was too great for me to be able to interpret their words by reading their lips and the steady murmur of the evening crowd was way too loud for me to audibly hear their conversation. My pulse quickened. I didn’t like the way the two men were having a muted battle of wills. The impulse to call out to Jackson was strong, an innate feeling to bring my man back to me. I wanted to ease his tension, do away with his worries, and have him resume his calm and loving nature. I was fairly confident that the set-up of this scene, with mobs of people separating us, would cause even my most urgent exclamations to him to fail. I reluctantly turned away to join in with Rita and Alberto’s conversation, but thoughts of Jackson and the mystery man remained at the forefront of my mind. “Looks like someone is in love,” Alberto teased in a singsong voice.
Was it that obvious that I was preoccupied with thoughts of Jackson, both worrying about his stressful looking conversation and wanting to be close to his manly build again? I lifted up a half smile, slightly embarrassed that I was wearing my heart on my sleeve for all to see – and comment about. “She is not,” Rita’s sharp tone cut through my thoughts. “Oh, hush, Rita darling,” Alberto sassed her back, “you’re just jealous.” “What? I am not!” “Mhm,” he returned and took a sip of his beer. “What do I have to be jealous of?” She cocked a high arched eyebrow up at him. I remained silent, contemplating whether or not I should take offense to that statement and the inflection in her tone. Why is it so hard to imagine that I may have some delight in my life that she couldn’t manage to find or hold on to in her own? “Stop pouting, chica…it doesn’t suit you at all. We all know you have your fabulous looks, darling, but our little Janay has something far more special and a lot less temporary.” I could already tell this conversation could easily take a nasty turn and I didn’t want to see it end that way, even if Alberto was presenting his case on my behalf. “Alberto, Rita is right,” I said in an even tone, the fingers on my right hand working absently around the stem of my glass, “Jackson and I are only hanging out. It’s really not anything serious.” I tried to sound as dismissive as possible at the notion that I may be falling in love with a man that I barely knew. Besides, Jackson and I lived on opposite ends of the
country, there was no way a true intimate relationship between us would ever work out for the best. “We’ll see, dear,” Alberto smiled mischievously. He moved the conversation along by asking if either of us had any idea of the name of the band or the title of the song that was playing over the speakers. He thought the tune was catchy and might want to download it when he returned to his room at the Royal Pavilion. From there, our talk continued on smoothly, yet my mind remained on the possibility that the tingly and warm feeling growing in my chest and clouding my mind could actually be the first signs of love. Twenty minutes later and the already tight space in back of us had become more cramped as the population swelled to maximum capacity. A peak over my shoulder about five minutes ago revealed that Jackson and the other man had moved off to another location. I had given up hope of running into my charming guy any time soon, when a heavy tap on my bare shoulder caused my stomach to flutter with anticipation. I turned optimistic eyes around, hoping to meet up with Jackson again and, instead, was staring at a fat and red flushed face. Two glazed and dark marble-like eyes, red rimmed around the edges, stared back at me. The smell of liquor was heavy around this stubby man. The scent of alcohol was leaking through his pores. “You’re pretty,” the man belched a little when he spoke. “Thank you,” I offered as politely as I could muster. When I tried to angle my body back around to face the bar, the inebriated stranger grabbed my arm tight.
I yelped and it caught my companions’ attentions. “I’m John Junior.” I could agree with the name John. It was average like this man standing unevenly before me and fit his nondescript characteristics. However, the second half of his name was far from an accurate desciption when it came down to helping someone picture this squat and pungent little man. Since his width was wider than me, Rita, and Alberto pushed together side by side and his ragged appearance pulled him up past fifty, Junior was definitely not his size or a precise estimation of his age. “That’s very nice for you…now let go of my arm.” “Let’s go have a dance,” his words came out slurred but his strength was immense. “I don’t think so. Please let go of me.” I repeated my request because I thought maybe, in his condition, he might not have caught everything I just said. When that didn’t work, Rita stepped off her stool. “Hey pal, she asked you nicely. Not get off of her and go away.” John Junior squinted his eyes in recognition at Rita. I didn’t hear him respond directly to her question, I did, however, hear Junior mumbling something relating to the word cocktease under his heavy and rancid breath. All the while, his grasp on my arm was tightening and starting to feel way past the point of discomfort. “Listen, man,” Alberto stepped over and made his best attempt at sounding threatening. “We don’t want you over here. Now let her go and there won’t be any need for any trouble.”
The next words out of John Junior’s mouth were beyond excusable and it hurt my ears and my heart to hear someone vocalize such rude remarks about anyone’s private life. His profane and bumbling speech drew heads in our direction as people turned to check out what the disturbance was about. “Come on, gal, I said let’s dance!” He yanked me hard and I fell forward off of the stool and fumbled off balance onto the wooden floor. My shaky legs wobbled in my wedges and I would have surely tumbled face first downward if a new set of strong hands hadn’t stopped my descent in midair. Jackson stood me up straight and commenced in plucking John Junior’s fingers from my arm, one at a time. His motions were precise and painful, if the sudden bursts of pain on John’s greasy round face were any clue. Once Jackson had freed me from the grubby hand, his tall body stepped in front of me as he crossed his arms over his chest. “John Junior you’re not welcome in my bar anymore.” Jackson’s bar? “Oh, come on, Jackson, I was just wantin’ a dance with the pretty Negro girl.” Wow. That was an unwelcome blast from the past. I looked over at Rita and Alberto, who were both wide-eyed with stunned disbelief. Our fun night out had done a rapid nosedive. “Get. Out.” Jackson’s words were like daggers. His quick verbal jabs cut through the air like a chef’s blade.
“Awe…she don’t mind…do you girly?” John Junior made an attempt to reach around Jackson and make a grab for me. Faster than a flash of lightning, Jackson took a big fistful of the front of the drunken man’s grimy shirt and forced him back against the solid wall to our right. He was like a raging bull charging the red cloak of a bullfighter. The force of John’s back banging against the wall caused several framed pictures hanging near the spot of the collision to shake loose and crash to the floor. The bar patrons in that area jumped clear of the scene and the music ceased playing through the speakers. The overhead lights brightened and when my vision adjusted I saw that Jackson’s wide fist was only a hair’s breadth away from John Junior’s face. I made a step to go toward the two men but Rita and Alberto simultaneously motioned to hold me back. “John, you have two choices. I can either crack your face and the medics can carry you out or you can leave on your own. But, I swear…on everything that I love…if you touch my lady once more, I’m gonna’ make that choice for you and I guarantee that you won’t like it one bit.” “Easy, boss.” Harry had finally made his way through the dense crowd. He patted Jackson on the shoulder and then made a quick swipe at John’s head. “We all know John is a drunk. And there’s nothing more aggravatin’ than a stupid drunk. Trust me, boss, he’s not worth a night in jail. How would you get to spend time with your lady if you’re waitin’ around for us to hustle up some bail money?”
Jackson relaxed his grip on John’s shirt. He blinked a few times then released a heavy breath through flared nostrils before unclamping the other man completely. John Junior slid down the wall and doubled over to catch his breath. “Apologize to my lady,” Jackson spoke with menace. His voice booming down at the crumpled man. John grunted and wheezed while he spoke. “I’m…sorry…miss…won’t happen again.” “Now apologize to her friends.”
Jackson tossed his head in their general
direction. “Ya’ll please…excuse me…I don’t hold my liquor too well…nowadays.” “Now, get out and don’t set one foot over that threshold until I tell you it’s okay to do so.” “Yes, sir…yes…sir, Mr. Bryant.” Jackson moved to the side to allow John a small space to gather his senses and ease his way forward. Harry made fast work of taking the unstable man by his right arm and hastening his exit out of the lounge. “Let’s go, Junior. Let’s call your ma’ and see if she can swing by and pick you up.” With that said, John Junior was carried off into the crowd and Jackson remained stone faced and pumping his fists while he stared at the wall blankly. I shook myself away from Rita and Alberto’s protective stance and motioned slowly toward Jackson.
I walked around to face him and entangled our fingers together. “Jackson,” I whispered and laid my free hand on his cold cheek. His eyes flashed down at me and the anger searing in his irises calmed by a few degrees. He wrapped his arms around me tight, pulled me up to eyelevel with him and kissed me deeply. I moaned against his mouth and savored his touch. When he released my lips from his burning mouth, we panted against one another, our foreheads touching – hot skin against hot skin. “I’m sorry, baby. I should have come over to find you sooner. I let myself get caught up in business. I promise you that I will never let that happen again.” I ran my fingers down the lengths of his long hair and placed another light kiss on his lips. “No apologies…isn’t that what you told me when we first met? It wasn’t your fault and I’m just glad you came over when you did…right on time, as always.” I wanted to wrap my legs around him and beg Jackson to fuck me right then and there but I clamped down the lust surging inside me. Though most people had turned away from the scene and the music had started up again, this wasn’t the place to release my growing passion and desire to have him inside me again. “I need some air,” Jackson breathed out heavy, “I need you, Janay.” He placed moist lips against my neck while he spoke. “Can I have you again, baby…please?” I breathed out my torrid confession. “You can have me whenever you want, Jackson.”
To be with Jackson, and to have his large frame mounted on top of me, I would gladly spread my searing thighs without delay and eagerly welcome him inside my dripping delight. In the very next second, I had the sensation of flying. I felt the cascade of fabric from people’s clothing rubbing against my arms, while Jackson whisked me through the crowd and out in the blackened Montana night.
9
Jackson pushed our joined bodies through the flimsy door and out into the darkened lot. The wood from the front door slammed closed and the clatter and clang of the party raging inside faded away as he moved us further into the cloak of the night. By the time we had reached his truck, conveniently parked on the side of the building and at a nice distance from the glow of the light from the broken sign, Jackson hoisted me up further into his embrace. With one arm locked around my waist, he fumbled for his key ring with the other. He must have hit a keyless entry button because I heard the distinctive click of locks unfastening and then the pop of a truck door opening and pulling away from the frame. With so much movement and hurried excitement over the last five minutes alone, my senses were swimming and I had become awash with a sudden and invigorating state of rapture. I didn’t care about the consequences of what we were going to experience together for a second time around. I only cared about being engulfed in this man’s arms and feeling his fiery passion for me swelling to an uncontrollable frenzy. Jackson set me down on the back seat of the truck’s cab and ran his wide palm under my chin while he watched me with blazing eyes. It was too dark to catch sight of the icy blue hue, but I knew that their intensity had caused them to darken to a powerful metallic tint. With his other hand he worked at loosening up the button that fastened his jeans and when he didn’t move fast enough, I used my nimble fingers to help him to free himself of the tight confines of the rigid material. I grabbed the sides of his pants and
tugged hard at the boxers hidden beneath. The force of my pull caused his stiff cock to pop forward and right against my lips. I hadn’t realized I was leaning in so close but now that I was so near the object of my fevered lust, I was frantic to get a chance to take Jackson’s swelling cock into my mouth. Using my lips alone – no hands – I urged his cock deeper and closed my eyes as the slippery viscous fluid of his pre-cum landed at the center of my tongue. My tongue twirled around the fat mushroom and lapped at the tiny eye at its center. I heard Jackson suck in a gulp of air through clenched teeth as I quickened my wet tongue’s wiggling motion and felt large thick veins pulsing against my cheek. With each bob of my head back and forth, further up his hard shaft, I welcomed more and more of his long rigid cock deeper down my open throat. Thick fingers laced themselves through my loose hair and gripped me behind the crown of my head. My slick pussylips started to ache and throb beneath my skirt. I opened my legs and placed my index finger at the spot where my pulsing bud was and rubbed vigorously, kindling the small spark that was gathering there into an explosive flame. My left hand went up to my round breasts, alternating between kneading the Dcup flesh there and pinching my puckered nipple. While Jackson’s hands pulled my head along his wide cock, I pushed my mouth forward and hungrily consumed his massive size, even as my folds gushed with a fresh coating of silky natural lubricant. Our synchronized motion accelerated and I loved the gagging sensation as his succulent cock tapped at the back of my throat. Only Jackson could lure this completely uninhibited reaction from me. I dared not repeat with any other man except him.
Jackson’s hoarse and raspy breaths quickened, his back stiffened, and I was sure he would explode inside my wanting mouth at any second. Without warning, he pulled back and his cock fell from my lips with a loud plop. I looked up at him and my expression was one of puzzlement. “I want your sweet, warm pussy wrapped around me before I cum.” His deep bass caused me to release a renewed flow of juice. During my playful self-stimulation, I had already pulled the thin piece of fabric from my heated crotch and moved it to the side. My fingers were nearly coated with my own milky fluids. I was soaked and ready to take his massive dick into my lubed folds. Without haste, I slid back on the seat and parted my legs even further, the hem of my wrap around skirt falling up my legs and exposing more of my juice covered upper inner thighs. “Oh, baby,” Jackson’s lips trembled, “look how wet you are,” he whispered. I leaned back to sit up on my elbows and used my sandaled feet to clamp his thighs and pull him closer to me. “I’m ready for you and I don’t want to wait any longer.” My hands encircled my plumped up breasts as I spoke. “Please don’t make me wait,” I purred. I saw him shudder as my breathy plea reached his ears. Jackson reached in his back pocket for the square packet and covered himself. With smooth agility, he dove forward and reversed our positions so that he was lying on the backseat while I was mounted atop him, knees wide around his muscular waist. The fast motion sent a gust of air up my skirt and I tightened my pussy at the cool burst.
My hands splayed out across his cotton covered chest, a black button up this time instead of checkered, and I could feel the thud of his heart against his chest wall. It was a rapid heartbeat that was pumping with the urgency of Jackson’s desire to become one with me only. The thought sent an erotic chill through my core and I dug my nails into the fabric, while pushing my dripping cunt lips down over his hardened cock. Jackson’s hands weaved into my wavy hair again and pulled me down so that he could tease my upper lips with his own while I pumped my lower lips against his dick. His wide shaft sliding along my engorged clit teased my hips into pushing down harder on the bulb of his cockhead. My mind unwrapped and my inhibitions fell away at the sensation of my wet folds closing tighter around his unyielding and rigid pole. The harder his cock became, the more my desire escalated. “Bite me,” he implored in a low voice. “Yes,” I breathed out and nipped at his bottom lip. “Harder,” he urged and I obeyed. “Mmm,” Jackson moaned. He shot one of his arms down between my thighs and jammed three stiff fingers up my dripping hole. I gyrated my hips slowly and then raised them up and then back down on his thick fingers, enjoying his vigorous pressing at the sensitive vein just on the inside of my slick canal. I knew what he was doing and I was enjoying how he teased my insides. Jackson was trying to drive my fever to the point of no return and, simultaneously, loosen me up so that I could receive his cock’s immense length and width. Jackson’s dick size was far
beyond what I had been use to, which is why I yearned to feel his heavy weight stretching me open again. As my fingers dug deeper into his shirt, almost straight down to his skin, and the brutal assault of his fingers up my leaking hole escalated, I threw back my head and squealed with delight as my stomach knotted and my love came rolling down his hand and settling in his waiting palm. “That’s it, baby…give it all to me…every drop,” he murmured as I bucked my hips hard again, squirting more intensely this second time. While the lingering vibrations of the orgasm flooded through me and I rode a wave of ecstasy, I had no choice but to lay my heavy forehead against his. While I was still riding my tide of unbound lust, Jackson positioned his throbbing cock at my quivering entrance and thrust upward. I snatched in a breath of air and whimpered a little as his enormous girth pushed at my walls and filled me up completely. Even covered in my own rich cum juices, my pussyhole had to make a big stretch to widen open enough to accept him inside me. My clit pulsed and swelled again as it rubbed against the vein on the upper side of his shaft. Jackson’s hands cupped my bare ass, nudging me forward so that he could suckle the hardened nipple of my left breast through the front of my halter-top. His teeth tugged lightly at the puckered skin while his heavy hands urged my ass downward and back up again. I followed his lead. My movements were slow and steady at first, so my hole could become accustomed to his size again, then accelerated to a maddening pace. I bounced up and down his rigid cock, enjoying the dizzying and tingling sensation of my lips opening wide for him.
When sucking my titty through the top just wasn’t enough for him anymore, Jackson reached up and yanked the tie at the back of my neck loose and both of my large brown breasts bounced free. His eyes went wide and then he quickly started to lap a rough and moist tongue at each black cherry nipple, making sure to give both tender and heated attention. I grabbed a handful of his slick hair in each palm. I wanted to cum again and I wanted Jackson Bryant to be the one – the only one – to make me reach these newfound heights of bliss and rapture. “Fuck me hard Jackson,” I panted while he was clamped down on my breast, “make me cum again, baby.” Without releasing my warm and moistened breast from his mouth, Jackson grabbed both of my round ass cheeks tight. He squeezed hard as his hips pumped with fury and he drilled his big white cock deep up my pussy. I grabbed onto his muscular shoulders for support and to hold myself upright while he pounded into me. I wanted to work my hips and join in with his fervor but was hopelessly and wonderfully lost in the throws of passion. Harder and faster than any man before him, Jackson gave me long strokes that caused my eyes to roll back and snap shut. After another handful of deep thrusts, I finally managed to push down to meet Jackson’s motion and that was the spark that caused us both to explode into an inferno of orgasmic release. While Jackson grunted and growled at the blast of his hot load into my dripping center, I moaned loud as my entire body shuddered to the core.
“Oh, Janay…baby…damn…mmm,” was all he was able to yell out as he pumped his hips and pushed out the lingering remnants of his orgasm. I collapsed onto his chest and closed my eyes with drowsy satisfaction as Jackson wrapped me in his arms and kissed my brow.
It was silent for a few moments afterward. My breasts were flat against Jackson’s shirt and my legs were still hugging his waist tight. Although his big arms were still holding on to me with securely, I thought maybe he had drifted off to sleep. “I apologize for my behavior tonight,” he spoke in a low tone. I opened my eyes and looked up at his stubbled chin, the light brown hairs were shades darker in the blackened space of the vehicle. “Jackson, why are you apologizing? You didn’t do anything wrong.” “Yes, I did,” he said and swallowed lightly. “I left my lady alone in a bar full of half-drunken rascals and then I let my anger get the best of me.” I kissed his chin and rubbed my hand over his chest. “Usually I have better manners and don’t react so harshly and – believe it or not – John Junior isn’t usually harmful to anyone but himself.
This time…I don’t
know…hearin’ how hear was speakin’ to you and seein’ him tryin’ to paw at you…it just got me all worked up and I couldn’t hold back my temper any longer.”
“It all worked out.” I smiled when I said my next words, even though I knew his eyes were centered elsewhere.
“And I think you more than made up for any
inconvenience I might have experienced.” A low laugh escaped his throat. “You’re a bad girl – a very bad girl – when you wanna’ be Miss Janay.” “I’m only bad for you,” I confessed freely. “I like how that sounds,” he said and I heard the amusement in his voice. I was glad at being able to declare that statement aloud. I wanted no one else, except for Jackson, to know of my secret desires. Unfortunately, every new confession of my affection for him would make my departure at the end of the week that much harder to bear. A scowl from Auntie Bea suddenly flashed across my thoughts and I hurriedly pushed it away. I had to tell him the details of my trip and it was now or never. “Jackson,” my throat was suddenly dry and I coughed a little to clear it, “I’m leaving at the end of this week.” There was a silent pause and I think I might have stopped breathing. “I figured as much.” His voice was almost inaudible but the reply was enough to get my lungs moving again. I licked my lips and considered my next words. “I wanted to tell you that so much sooner.” He shifted his body weight and placed his left arm behind his head while still holding me tight with his right. “I appreciate the concern. Thank you for telling me.”
His timbre seemed distant. I didn’t know whether he was lost in a thought or upset at my revelation or just plain nonchalant and unconcerned by the situation. The need to offer further explanation caused a rush of words to flurry from my brain and off my tongue. “I didn’t mean to wait so long. I was having such a nice time with you that it slipped my mind to mention this to you. You have every right to be angry, I should never have let this happen between us again without letting you know th–.” Jackson angled his head down and used the hand that had been thrown over my body to tilt my chin upward. He kissed me softly and delicately and then grazed his lips over mine. “Janay, I don’t want you to go,” he whispered huskily. My heart sounded off in my ears and if he had asked me right then and there to stay with him forever, I would have resounded with an earsplitting Yes. To my disappointed, that wasn’t his intent. “I know you have business here and I knew that when I came seeking you out earlier today. I just couldn’t help myself. I needed to see you again. I wanted to be with you, have you in my presence one more time.” My body temperature soared as he spoke in a soothing and spellbinding manner. “I also knew,” he continued, “that you would be leaving…eventually…I was just hopin’ that it wouldn’t be so soon.” “I know…the week is starting to seem so short…too short.” Jackson moved a lock of my hair behind my ear and then dragged his finger along my ear and down to my chin.
“Janay, I want you to come home with me.” I sat up and stared into his eyes, which glinted slightly in the full moonlight that was starting to filter in through the open window. “What?” I croaked out. “Come stay with me while you’re here on your trip.” His sincerity was hard to judge with a half shadow hanging over his face. “You really want me to come and…live…with you for the next few days?” That one word caught in my throat and I had to force it out. “Yes, I do,” Jackson said as he sat up straighter and brought me up with him so that my head rested on his shoulder. “I know you have your classes to attend to, but I want to make sure I get to spend as much time with you as I can while you’re here. There’s plenty of room and I would love to have you with me. Will you?” I pondered his offer. On the one hand, I still didn’t know much about this man except that I was crazy for him and even crazier when I was with him. Under normal circumstances, the proposal of sleeping in a stranger’s bed for the next few nights would have yielded a definitely negative response.
However, the events that had thrown
Jackson and I together in this whirlwind romance were far from the usual casual dating scenario. I wanted Jackson like I wanted my next breath. I desired him like a present I had been longing to receive. I needed him to keep this life-giving flame burning inside of me. I don’t think I have felt as alive at any other time in my limited years on this earth as I had during the exhilarating moments spent with Jackson Bryant over the last two days. The thought of separating from him for even a handful of minutes caused an empty
chasm in my chest. I clutched at the spot where I felt it growing and was on the verge of agreeing to be his live-in lover for whatever days we had remaining together. The shape of a shadowy silhouette peering into the truck at us halted my response.
10
In our hurry to join together as one, Jackson and I had neglected to shut the open passenger side door. Whoever the visitor was, he or she had full access to our two half naked bodies entangled around one another. “Who is it? Who is that?” Jackson’s voice boomed as he rotated our positions so that he could cover me beneath him. “Whoever it is had better answer before I step out of this truck.” The shadow moved and the moonlight reflected off of hair that was a mix of gold and silver under the strained light. It had to be Rita. I knew of no one else with such pale tinted blond strands. “It’s just me…Rita. Janay, are you in there?” She stooped her body low and I could tell that she was trying to adjust her eyes so she could catch a glimpse of my face. “Can you give us a moment, please, ma’am?” Jackson’s tone was short and tight. He adjusted his clothing and zipped himself with stealth before placing long legs up right onto the loose gravel and asphalt below. His large and broad body covered the full frame of the door, completely blocking Rita’s view, while I hurriedly fixed my clothing as well. I heard Rita ask him whether or not that was me on the seat and a small, controlled grunt from Jackson’s chest indicated that he resented she was implying it might have been anyone else laying prone in the back of his truck.
I doubled my efforts to re-dress and quickly scooted forward and onto my feet. He hadn’t exactly expressed his sentiment verbally, but I had the distinct feeling that Jackson did not care much for my friend. Since he had only had a few words with her over the last forty-eight hours, I could only assume that the reason for his dislike for her was probably due to his instinctive protectiveness over me. “Janay, are you all right?” Rita said as she narrowed her eyes at Jackson and latched onto my wrist, urging me closer to her side. Jackson huffed and put his left hand in his jean pocket. He cocked his head away and clamped his lips tight. He might have been offended by Rita’s accusation that he had done some kind of harm to me, yet he remained true to him gentlemanly ways and allowed me to answer without interruption. I was taken aback by the question and it caused a delay in my response. This may have been the first time that Rita had followed me when I had decided to step away from a gathering. She was usually too preoccupied with her present company to survey what I was up to and with whom. The duty of keeping watchful eyes usually fell on me when my gal pal slipped into the arms of a shifty looking character. “Yes…I’m fine. Are you okay? Where’s Alberto? You didn’t leave him alone in there, did you?” “Alberto can handle himself, it’s you that I’m a little concerned about,” she remarked with a bitter undertone. I calmly pulled my wrist out of her grasp. “There’s no need. Jackson and I will be back in shortly.” Rita cut her eyes at Jackson again and then back to me.
“Maybe you should come back in now. It’s really dark out here and I don’t want to leave you alone.” “Rita, I’m not alone,” I replied, trying to keep my voice level, “I said we would be back inside in a few minutes.” When she still didn’t budge, I continued on, another notch of strength added to my voice. “I’ll see you then.” She scrunched her lips and shook her head slightly. “Yeah, see you then,” she said as she turned on her heels and stalked away. Once her slim shadow, elongated by the ethereal glow of the overhead moon, disappeared around the corner, I turned back to Jackson. His facial expression had softened but was unreadable beyond that superficial observation. “What’s on your mind?” I wanted to know why he had such distaste for my best friend. “Honestly, it’s none of my business, so I should keep quiet on this.” “No…you shouldn’t.” He had already given some weight to my theory. None that it was out there, I wanted him to continue on. “She’s my closest friend and if you have a problem with her, you should tell me so.” Jackson shifted his weight and angled his long body back against the truck. “My problem isn’t with her directly,” he arranged his words carefully as he spoke, “my problem is with how she treats you.” “What do you mean?”
He was right, I should have left his answer unspoken. I didn’t think the nature of the relationship between Rita and I was any of his concern. Or, could it be that I was ashamed that he easily observed what I had tried so desperately to hide – even from myself – for so long? “Janay, she treats you like you’re her personal assistant. If you make one move that she doesn’t like or that isn’t concerning her well being somehow, she turns on you without hesitation. Tell me that this isn’t the first time she’s come lookin’ to see how you are during a big gatherin’ – in whatever years you may have known her – and I’ll shut my mouth right now.” He laid the challenge on the table and I knew that I couldn’t hide the answer that was already so obvious, even to an outsider. I dropped my head in shame. I couldn’t look this strong and brave man in the eyes knowing that I was the absolute opposite. “I should get going, we have a long day tomorrow.” I didn’t raise my head when I talked. Jackson reached out for me and I stepped back. I didn’t see any reason to pretend that we were compatible any longer. “Baby, come to me…please,” he lowered his voice and softened his stance. Trying to resist taking hold of the open hand that he had extended to me was impossible. When I laid my palm in his, Jackson folded my fingers and brought my knuckles up to his mouth and kissed them sweetly. I walked one foot closer, then another, and two more until I was positioned against his hard body.
He placed his mouth next to my ear and spoke lightly while his lips brushed my small lobe. “Janay, you’re my lady. I want to take care of you and I don’t wanna’ see any harm come to you…not if it’s in my power to stop it.” My secret places fluttered while he massaged my back and shoulders with broad fingers. “Why me?” His shirt caressed my flushed cheek. “That’s easy,” I heard him smile as he spoke, “one look into those soft brown eyes, with all that sunlight floodin’ in behind you, and I knew you were the one…a quiet but mighty spirit…and I had to have you for myself.” I threw my hands around his neck and combed my fingers through his hair. We stood silently, tenderly holding one another under the moonlit night and an ocean of twinkling stars, for a timeless pause in this great creation we called Earth. I’m not sure how many seconds, minutes, or hours had passed until we finally made our way, hand-in-hand, back inside of the bar – Jackson’s bar. There were still some unanswered questions that would have to wait for another opportune moment. Inside, the crowd had thinned out by a few heads and settled down somewhat. Easy-listening music, with a slow and steady beat, strummed soothingly through the speakers. Couples were floating, cheek against cheek or cheek against chest, across the center of the room.
Jackson twirled me round and then brought me back into his arms so that his chest was against my back. He already knew that he didn’t have to ask me to dance because I would have said yes to just about anything he would have quizzed me on right then. He enfolded me in his arms and tucked his face into the crook of my neck. After placing a soft kiss on my shoulder, his short bristly hairs rubbing my delicate skin, he settled his chin on the spot. I felt small in his arms but was happy with the knowledge that I had captured a big piece of his heart. We danced the night away, swaying to the music, even after the beat had perked up, until a chime signaled midnight and the end of a wild and enchanting evening.
No wasn’t the answer that I had originally wanted to give Jackson regarding his invitation to stay with him at his home. Nevertheless, that was the response I gave when he asked again right before we parted ways. He told me that he understood and he knew that I was the type of person who wouldn’t leave a friend to fend for herself in a new community. He also said that he could see that my friend Rita still needed me more than she was willing to admit. I programmed my number into his cell, somewhat surprised that he didn’t mind me having access to his phonebook, and skirted off up the highway. I missed him the moment that he disappeared from view as Rita heaved the rental up the road. Now, sitting here at the most anti-climatic seminar in all of human history, I wished I could have snatched a few more hours of sleep before having to attend this bore feast.
This particular room was jammed packed. Ten rows of about twenty chairs each were filled, and a few more people idled in the rear corners. More attendees had filtered into the hotel since yesterday. Despite the dynamic title of the workshop – New Worlds, New Possibilities – the speaker, a young woman, probably not much older than Rita and I was quite lackluster, and the information was nothing that couldn’t be researched at home while surfing the net. She stuck to every bullet on her power point and her voice never deviated above a whisper, even though a microphone was clipped to her shirt. This must have been her first solo presentation, because she only chanced a single blink back toward the audience from her place at the podium. Two-thirds of the way through the presentation and the woman turned her attention back to those present. She posed her question to us with eyes glued to the slip of paper that must have been laying on the stand that she was gripping the edges of for support. The young speaker wanted to know if, based on the information she had provided us with, how we might present an old product to a new generation audience. Silence followed. There was a dry cough toward the rear, someone to my left sneezed, the faint chiming of a mobile phone to my right, but no raised hands. The young woman looked nervously from side to side, still clutching at the podium. After an extended and deafening mute pause, I felt bad for her and threw my hand up. The red headed woman with the low cut hairstyle nodded gingerly at me and smiled as if the weight of the world had dropped away. Rita, Alberto, and I were sitting in the center of the third row, so when I stood, heads from the rows ahead of us angled around to take a look at me. One of the faces I immediately took note of was an African-American man who was sitting a few feet away
in the next row up. He had nice smooth mahogany skin and an attractive smile that grew brighter as he widened his eyes when they landed on me and traced my outline. Who knew that Montana was the place to be if I wanted to attract a hot guy? Despite this man’s obvious physical appeal, Jackson was the man in my heart and on my mind and I turned my attention forward. The idea that I presented was one that I had been mulling over for our new account at Bank, Drake, Lyle, & Co., the advertising agency that Rita and I worked for. The standard and bland way that this presentation had been set-up actually helped me to shape my concept into a more clear and concise statement. “The best way to market to a fresh audience is a fresh approach,” I spoke up as loudly as I could. I was aiming my comment at the speaker but the feel of all those eyes on me had my ears burning. If Jackson were here, I know that big grin of his would set me at ease and that’s what I focused on to help get me through the rest of my remark. “Instead of using the same production, maybe add a different twist on the familiar. For example, as opposed to getting a rapper to do the theme for a sneaker commercial, why not get an unknown artist to remix that rapper’s song with a crazy new sound and use that for the commercial. I mean…the song is familiar to the kids and so is the product but it catches them because it sounds different and then they latch on to the commercial.” I flopped back down in my seat and crossed my jean-clad legs and folded my arms. From the corner of my eye, I saw some heads nodding and then a round of
applause went up. I knew for a fact that this was a tough audience and if they thought the idea sounded decent then hopefully – prayerfully – our project lead would think the same. That burst of energy from the crowd seemed to perk up the young speaker. Her words had more life and flavor as she flowed through the remainder of her presentation, sans reading from her script. There were a few laughs and the meeting adjourned on a positive note. While my companions and I shuffled toward the door, a tap at my sleeveless elbow turned my attention back. The Afro-American man was smiling down at me and I offered a polite one in return. “Hello,” his grinned and flashed all of his polished teeth, “I’m Andre Weaver.” The man extended his hand and I shook it briefly. “Janay Parker.” “Janay…I like that name. It fits you.” “Thank you,” I kept my smile polite. I didn’t want to give him the impression that this conversation would be leading to anywhere outside of a professional nature. “Was there something that I can help you with?” His smile dropped down a little. “Oh, no. I wanted to come over and let you know that your proposal was really good. It had originality.” “I appreciate your compliment, thank you.” I tried to rejoin Rita and Alberto, who were having small talk with some other attendees near the door. “Oh, wait.”
I sent an arched brow back at Andre. “Yes?” “I was wondering if you might be free later on today. Maybe we could have a drink in the hotel café.” I was at a loss for words. I swear that I have never had so many men wanting to cozy up next to me all at once. Unfortunately for Andre, he had terrible timing. I had already chosen the man who I wanted to spend my free moments with while on this business trip and I had no interest in keeping a spare on the side. “I don’t think that I can do that. I have other plans.” I didn’t see any reason to be rude or loud, so I tried to keep my explanation short and to the point. Just as he fixed his warm cinnamon colored lips to voice an objection, I felt my phone vibe through the purse that hung at my side. It was my excuse to cut Andre off and stealthily step away. “Excuse me, I need to take this call,” I tossed over my shoulder without daring to look back to see whether or not he remained in the same place, mouth set on sweet talking me into hanging out with him. This time I didn’t need to dig down low into the confines of my purse. I had never noticed the pocket of fabric stitched into the lining of the inside shell. The shape and size were perfect for my little phone and that’s where it was nestled, all ready and waiting to be used. I plucked the device from the holder and spied out the name on the screen. My spirits perked up and my heart stammered a few beats off course.
Jax was the
abbreviation that I had programmed into my phone – it was also the name currently lit up in big black letters – and Jae was the nickname that I had added to his. One touch to answer the vibrating cell and my ears were filled with that cheerful accent that I was coming to love. “Janay?” He sounded happy but hesitant, as though he wanted to make sure this was the right number for the person he was trying to reach. “It sure is, handsome.” A low laugh echoed over the line. “Hi, sweetheart, how are ya'?” “Better, now that I’m talking to you.” “Then you won’t mind me sayin’ how much I missed you today.” I pulled the phone away and noted the time to be eleven-thirty. “Jackson, it’s been less than twelve hours since you saw me.” “I know the time, pretty lady, and my statement still stands firm. I missed you, Janay.” The cheeks on my face sat up high and rosy. “I missed you too, Jackson.” “That’s what I like to hear,” his bass crooned. “Have you decided what you’re doin’ for dinner tonight?” My eyes darted over to Rita and Alberto. As much as I wanted to see Jackson, we had all settled on driving to a restaurant in the city and then seeing some of the rest of the metro area.
“Actually…yes,” I was hesitant to have to decline his impending offer, “I’m going out for dinner and a drive through the city with Rita and Al. I wish I had known you were going to call.” “It’s no problem, sweet lady, I understand you need time with your friends. Seein’ a new city is always somethin’ to look forward to.” There was a pause and then his voice came back on the line. “I should probably go over some paperwork tonight anyways. How about this? Will you spend the afternoon with me tomorrow? I still have one more person that I’m hopin’ to reintroduce you to.” Another afternoon off meant that I would miss another workshop. I didn’t want to have to inconvenience my pals with covering for me again; nonetheless, I desperately wanted to be with Jackson again – and soon. “That sounds great. What time?” “How about I pick you up at where you’re stayin’ at about one o’clock.” “Alright, I’ll be waiting.” “Make sure you have some comfortable walking shoes on.” “Huh? Why?” “I’ll tell you more tomorrow when we meet up,” he laughed again. “You sure this won’t interfere too much with your work.” “No, not really,” I told a half truth, “Besides, I really want to see you in person again.” “Same here. Listen, I don’t wanna’ keep you too long. I’ll be thinkin’ of you in the meantime.”
“Same here,” I blushed a shade redder. “Enjoy your day, baby, and I’ll get to hold you again tomorrow.” “Bye.” I wasn’t sure what words to use to express my eagerness to be near Jackson again, so I let the phone click off and started re-counting down the minutes until our appointed reunion.
11
The rest of the afternoon and even the evening seemed to drag on for an endless stretch of time. Though I tried to make the most of my workshops – thankfully, Andre had chosen a separate agenda – and also made a wholehearted attempt at enjoying the glitz of the new city we toured later that day, my mind continuously floated back to Jackson. I never knew that it was possible to actually yearn for someone. That was an expression I had read about in novels, watched characters act out in movie theatres, even heard other close friends mention when recalling their torrid tales, yet I had not been given the opportunity to experience this craving firsthand – until now. At twelve in the afternoon on Wednesday, Rita begrudgingly drove me back to the Crystal Springs bed and breakfast. She said a quick so-long and promised to sign my name on a few more attendance sheets. Though we had talked out the tension that was mounting between us the day before, I still felt that there was a cold stone wall dividing us. The laughs just didn’t seem to flow as readily and I wasn’t ready to have a repeat conversation, especially when Jackson and I only had a few more days remaining together. The issues hanging over Rita and I may have to wait until we returned home and back to the real world. Like the changing of the guard, Rita sped from the parking lot and Jackson pulled his truck in and stepped out. As his long legs and broad frame motioned toward me, I caught a glimpse of what he was holding in his left hand. The breath was nearly snatched
from my lungs as Jackson stopped his big body in front of me and handed me a long stemmed pink rose. “A rose for my sweetheart,” he said and then placed a warm kiss on my trembling lips. His sentiment had brought a slight tear to the corner of each eye. I accepted the fully blossomed flower as well as the second kiss on the cheek that came with the gift. I inhaled the pleasant aroma of a freshly cut flower and was flooded with anticipation from all of the possibilities the spring season brings. “At first, I wasn’t sure which color to get you,” he spoke while wrapping his heavy hand around me and turning toward the entrance of the building. “Then, I thought about what I already knew about you and I was sure that any shade of pink would be your favorite.” He was dead-on with his observation. Even now, the local temperature had soared higher and I was wearing a hot pink tank top and white shorts and walking shoes. “How do you know me so well?” As we walked I laced my arm through his bent elbow and enjoyed how his mighty six foot two height towered over me. “Hm, let’s see,” his blue eyes lifted to the sky and pondered for a moment. “Maybe because you were always meant to be my girl. Maybe I’ve been waitin’ this whole time for you to show up so I could give you my heart and seduce you into givin’ me yours.” I giggled at his teasing and he winked down at me. “I wonder what took me so long to get here,” I chimed in on his playful mood. “I wonder that too. I also wonder why you’re thinkin’ about leavin’ so soon.”
I didn’t have a readymade comeback for that statement so I turned my attention to our walk. Each moment that Jackson and I spent together was another moment that I wanted to delay a return trip back east. But what sensible person puts the rest of her life to the side so she can run off with her true love? It’s just not something that a sane person would do – or is it? As we walked, I noticed that we were headed in the opposite direction, away from his truck and past the land where the bed and breakfast was seated on. “I thought you were taking me to meet someone.” “I sure am. We’ll be there in less than five minutes.” It was then that I noticed we were headed straight toward the two-story house that was located at the rear of the vast property. I had not taken the time to ask anyone about the property and admit that I had forgotten it was back here. The closer we moved toward our destination, I saw just how beautiful the home was. Deep red brick, lined by fresh white paint, and tall, slim clear paned windows that lined up around the front and side caused the building to stand picturesque and genteel against a rolling green background that was capped by mighty mountains and bordered by a thick forest. When we came to the wood logged fence surrounding the spacious property, Jackson unlatched the hook that bound the gate to the rest of enclosure and pulled it back so that I could step through. We walked the rest of the way toward the house, hands clasped together, with my mind restless about who was waiting for us inside that home. Once we arrived at the grand entryway, a laced white lattice arching over a pecan colored thick oak door, my palm started to moisten.
Jackson tugged at my hand. “It’s alright, Janay, she’s gonna’ love you.” She? Forget moistened, my hands had become flat out sweaty. Jackson turned the brass knob and pushed the door open. “Ma, are you in here?” he called inside the silent interior. When he said the word Ma, I thought I would faint dead away. I wasn’t even halfway dressed to meet a man’s mother. My hair was still flying loose, I hadn’t put a layer of lip gloss on in days, my clothes were all wrong, and when I looked down at my white sneaks, the fresh grass had turned the top and edges lime green – lime green! If Jackson hadn’t been holding so securely to my hand, I would have turned and ran in a heartbeat. A flash of hope crossed my mind. Maybe she wasn’t here yet. Perhaps there was still time to head back in the other direction before she had a chance to sneak up. “I’m back here, Jackson!” a woman’s voice sounded out from a short distance away. Damn. Jackson’s pace quickened as he pulled me by the hand through the doorway and across a carpeted and beautifully decorated foyer, connected living and dining rooms, and finally stopping at the rear of first floor in the white tiled kitchen. A slim woman, who was significantly shorter than Jackson, with curly reddish brown hair was chopping onions on a cutting board next to the stainless steel sink.
When she turned to face us, I was a bundle of nerves. What would she think of her son – I’m supposing her only child – bringing this peculiar black girl into her home unannounced? Would she be upset, hostile, or maybe eerily silent? All of the above? Once my eyes landed on her face and gazed at her features, the woman was familiar to me, though I couldn’t quite place where I had seen her before today. The older woman, probably mid-forties, but with smooth and creamy peach colored skin smiled, a warm and welcoming smile. A smile that put a big chunk of my worries to the wayside and reminded me of someone else that I knew – Jackson. He had his mother’s heart melting grin and also her unique and serene ice blue eyes. He must have gotten his height and brawny body from his father. “It’s so nice to meet you again, Janay.” Her voice was soft but rich, with a slight twang, and gave me a cozy and relaxed feeling. When she said again it suddenly dawned on me who she was. She was the same woman who had greeted us the first day at the front desk. The bright smile and kind face were one and the same as before. My mind floated back to when Jackson had said reintroduce when we spoke over the phone yesterday. I had thought maybe he merely used the wrong terminology, it does happen to even the brightest of us from time to time. I was a little heated at his subtle, but ingenious, play on words. I cocked my eye up at Jackson, feeling as though he had been playing a huge practical joke on me. Never once had he mentioned that his mother was co-owner and hostess of the residence that I was lodging at. And though he still had not confirmed his ownership of the Crystal Springs bar, I was now convinced that this was an undeniable fact.
A sudden buzz of laughter caught my ear and softened my gaze. “I know this must come as a bit of a surprise, dear,” Jackson’s mother mused. “The look you just handed my boy was enough to slap a grown man down.” I fixed my mouth to apologize and his mother waved the unspoken statement away, her mood was full of jolly cheer. “No need, dear, no need. Jackson had it comin’. I told him to tell you who I was the very first day he walked through that door with his eyes all bright and talkin’ about this beautiful girl he had met up with the previous night.” Jackson had told his mother about me the day after we met. I wondered how serious his feelings for me really were. How deep did his emotions for me run after less than a handful of days? More than that, did I share the same intense connection and dedication to him? As if reading my thoughts, Jackson squeezed my hand while his mother continued on, and I felt his passion for me flow through his touch. “But, Jackson here insisted on doin’ it the proper way and bringin’ you to our home so that he could make the introductions in person. Though, at the moment, it seems he is bein’ somewhat tongue tied.” His mother’s last words pulled Jackson out of whatever hypnosis he was in. When I angled my head to look at him, I saw that he had been staring at me with a twinkle in his eyes. Jackson’s easy timbre spoke up without him ever taking his gaze off of me. “Janay Parker,” my name resounded tenderly from his lips, “I am so pleased to present you to my mother, Annette Bryant.”
My face was flushed when I extended my free hand shyly to Jackson’s mother. “It’s so wonderful to meet you, Mrs. Bryant.” “Oh, stop that,” she opened her arms wide, “I’m sure my sister, Bea, already told you there are no handshakes in this family, only hugs all around.” Jackson reluctantly released my hand so that I could move forward and accept his mother’s embrace. She pulled me into her thin arms and hugged me tight. It was funny – but not really – how a woman whom I barely knew was so much more affectionate toward me than my own mother had ever been. She patted me on the back once more before letting go. “And as for the Mrs…you can just call me Annie, everyone else does.” “Okay,” I said with a smile. “So where are you two kids off to this afternoon?” “I was gonna’ take Janay over to the spring,” Jackson said and tossed his head toward the open window. “Well, well,” Annie’s grin spread out wide, “that sounds lovely. You better get started now so you can be there before dark fall. It’s a beautiful day to take that walk.” Annie’s eyes dropped down to my feet and embarrassment washed over me. “Those are cute shoes, dear, but they won’t get you ten feet further up that trail without you comin’ back with some serious calluses.” She walked over to the closet embedded in the wall nearest the screened back door and cracked it open. “You look like you’re about the same shoe size as me…let me see what I have down here.” In an instant, she pulled out a pair of tan hiking boots, with thick rubber soles.
“Try these on while I go get you a pair of clean socks from the laundry. Those should fit you just right. If they don’t, you let me know and I’ll hustle up something to at least give you some extra paddin’ in your own shoes.” She walked back to the other side of the whitewashed kitchen and opened up the sliding door where the washing machine and dryer were placed in a tight cutout from the main room. It didn’t take Annie long to produce a starched white pair of freshly washed socks and then she handed them over to me. “Ya’ll take your time and be safe. Cliff and his friends think they might have seen a bear passin’ through,” she said while hugging me one more time. “Dinner should be ready by the time you get back.” All the while, Jackson was leaning one elbow on the marble countertop. I could tell by the pleased look on his face that he was absolutely ecstatic that his mother and I were already getting along so well.
The boots fit perfectly and Annie was a Godsend to lend them to me. She was right about the terrain being too rough for the type of sneakers that I was wearing. The lush grass of the flat plane surrounding the house was heavy laiden with pebbles and other larger rocks hidden below the tall blades of green. Once Jackson and I entered the forest that was at the edge of the property, the land continously sloped upward at a steep angle the further we moved inward. Jackson led the way and, at regular intervals, would turn to take my hands and guide me over a rough patch up land
or lift me up over a large rock outcropping. The air was ripe with the sounds of nature – birds, bees, squirrels, and other wildlife – carrying on with the cycle of their day as we journeyed forward still. As we walked along, Jackson explained that his dad had passed away last summer. Jax’s father, Jackson Bryant, Jr. worked long hours at the family owned bar and still made time to help out his father, the original Jackson, at the country suites as well. One hot summer night, his body overly exhausted from the double duties, Jackson Junior fell asleep at the wheel and slid off the road and into a steep ditch. Another car passing by heard the blaring of the truck horn as his father lay unconscious against it. He clung to life for a few more days after the accident but his body was too weaken to recover. Jackson didn’t say this aloud, but I heard the guilt in his voice. He had been away at school, finishing up his Summer Session when the tragedy had occurred. Afterward, he added a few more courses to his fall semester and completed his degree ahead of schedule so that he could help his mom and grandfather handle the family businesses. By some sad misfortune, the bar’s finances had strank and Jackson was struggling to raise capital to pay off the debt his father had left outstanding on the property. I listened in silence and offered comments only when I sensed they were necessary. Jackson was still working through his grief and my best support was to be his open ear not his judge or financial advisor. I countered the conversation by sharing details about my life, my work, and my dad who had passed away a few years ago from a congential heart defect that no one had ever known he had. I told Jackson about how much I missed my father’s presence, because he was my closest link to what a real family was supposed to feel like.
When we exited the back edge of the forest, the land mounted up high as giant boulders loomed ahead and a sharp cliff dropped down low on my righthand side. I jumped away, startled at the sudden change in scenery, overcome by its colossal appearance and possibility of danger. Jackson took my hands and guided me forward again. “Easy, sweetheart, I won’t let anything happen to you, I promise. It’s only a little farther to go.” With each new step, I placed more of my life and my safety into this man’s hands. I was thankful for his bravery and patience because, without them to find comfort in, I would not have inched one more foot in any direction.
Another survey of our
surroundings and I realized that we had entered the lower half of the grand mountain range I had spied out before. We traveled another fifty feet through jagged rock and then passed through a slim passage cut between two monolithic sized boulders before the land finally opened back up into a flat green plane again. The sound of cascading water drew my head to the right and a free flowing stream, about ten feet wide, was gushing from a source further up the next heap of mountains. The rushing force of the water had cut a path back down straight through the mass of rock we had just passed by. Jackson stepped up behind me, circled his muscular arms around my shoulders and laid his hands over my stomach. “Welcome to Crystal Springs,” he whispered to me. We stood in silence, taking in the majesty of the serene scene. After a few moments, Jackson walked over to a flat patch of grass and rolled out a blanket. His
mother had given him specific instructions that she didn’t want me getting all dirty from the dew on the grass or from the wet dirt beneath. “Go on over and have a look,” he called out to me. For the first time in about an hour and a half, I wasn’t afraid to take a step without his supportive hold. And what I saw was beyond any accurate description. The water flowed clear and the sunlight shining down on the glistening and churning liquid caused the surface to sparkle like tiny diamonds or crystals. The effect was so life-like, the urge to reach down and pluck one from the water was nearly overwhelming. Below the surface, multicolored stones sat stationary while miniature fish swam in circles amongst the tiny pebbles. “It’s amazin’, isn’t it?” Jackson’s question reached my ears and I was almost too captivated with the site to speak. “Yes…stunning.” I walked back to where Jackson was sitting on the blanket and sat down crosslegged next to him. “That’s the exact reaction I wanted to see from you.” My eyes must have still been large and round, full of excitement while I continued to take in the sheer beauty surrounding me, like a child looking at all of the presents waiting under a tree. “Jackson…this is so…stunning,” my mind was at a loss for a more descriptive word to use so I repeated the one that best fit my elation. His arm went around my shoulder and my head instinctively rested on his chest.
“Further upstream, the spring splits into two directions. You can’t see the divide from here and it’s too far to make that trek today. Hopefully, we’ll get a chance to do so in the future.” Jackson smiled down at me before looking back out toward this section of the spring. “My great grandfather came over from Scotland and discovered this spring at the turn of the century. He bought the rights to the area for about one dollar, a whole year’s wages he had saved up from working in the coal mines that use to be about fifty or so miles from here. He built a little hotel over on the other side of that rocky hill,” he pointed back toward the direction of the B&B, “that catered to the rich folk who traveled on scenic tours through the Rocky Mountains and then further south to the SierraNevadas, and on to California. When he saved up enough money, Dilbert Bryant sent overseas for his childhood sweetheart who was still waitin’ for him back in his village. The day after she arrived in the fledglin’ town that was springin’ up all around these hills and planes, Dilbert showed Mary McClure – soon to be Mary Bryant – this spring and pledged his eternal love to her right at the water’s edge. Every man in our family has done the same deed when he’s found the woman he wants to marry.” I was hearing the words, could almost make a guess at what he was implying, but I couldn’t grasp the concept. The idea of this wonderful man hinting that I was very possibly the woman he wanted to be his wife was too much for my sheltered and unfanciful mind to grab a hold of. “Janay…sweetheart,” I heard Jackson swallow hard as he spoke, his voice low and deep, “do you know why I brought you here?”
“No,” my voice was humble, there was a lump caught in my throat. Jackson hooked his thick finger under my chin and tilted my face upward toward his clean shaved face. He looked like a cherub, a heaven-sent angel, and his eyes were smoky, the blue was hazy and heart-stopping. His pink lips were wet and tempting as he kissed me and left me panting for more. “I know that I have no idea what your life is like back where you come from but what I do know is that you’re the woman for me. I’ve always known what I want in life and I know with no doubts in my mind that I want you.” He shifted my legs so that I was cradled in his lap. “I’m pretty sure if I asked you that question right now, you would turn me down flat.” Don’t be so sure. I wanted to add a voice to that thought then decided to push it away. Jackson continued on with the intense sincerity in his tone. “I just want you to know, Janay Parker, that you have my heart,” he placed my fist, cupped in his, against his chest and over his strong heartbeat, “It’s been yours since I first set eyes on you. I’m hopin’ you feel the same about me because I think you ruined me for any other woman. There’s no one else for me, only you.” This was the fork in the road; beyond this milestone there was no return. A puffy white cloud, almost close enough for me to reach up and pinch a piece of the cotton white substance off, passed overhead, masking the rays of the sun and casting a wide shadow over where Jackson and I sat locked in one another’s arms.
My sensible side told me to stop now, get up, and politely ask to go back home – my temporary home. There was no way that this relationship would ever work out. We were from two very different worlds. Mine was one of business meetings, schedules, arranged visits with my mother, and fast paced pounding of feet against hard concrete. My career was on the right track and I had so many other professional possibilities lined up back in Jersey and some others in Philly and New York. Dating was acceptable. Dating with casual sex was also in line with my plans. Love, however, was neither an option nor a risk that I could afford to take. Love. Was that what I was sensing in the center of my chest? Was that warm and fluttering emotion, a feeling of wanting to laugh, to cry, to yell to the highest peaks how happy I was – all at the same time – was this love at its purest form? This upwelling of emotion was all so new to me. Should I go with this refreshing sensation or reign these unreserved feelings back in? Like a sign from the heavens, the brilliant glow of the sun burst forth from behind the shadow of the cloud. Golden yellow rays poured down over the valley and lit up the gurgling spring like a radiant lamppost, the full surface of the water shining in illuminated brilliance. This is what I wanted. This is where I belonged. Jackson Bryant was the man that I had been waiting for all of my slalom life. If this wasn’t love then real love didn’t exist in the world. I closed my eyes and sank my fingers through his loose curls, still tucked around the ears, and pulled Jackson in for a deep and combustible kiss. My tongue wiggled
against his as he willingly accepted my affection and timed his thrusts into my mouth to sync with mine. I breathed his scent deep into my nostrils and allowed the spicy aroma to fill my lungs. “I want to be with you, Jackson…only you. You’re everything that I’ve ever wanted. Don’t let go of me,” I pleaded while our lips dangled together. “I won’t, baby, as long as I walk this earth, I promise we’ll be together.” Our foreheads pressed and our hands melded. I finally felt at peace, set free from the noise of the world I had managed to escape from. I felt a strange tingling and then saw an image of my dad’s smiling face flash across my vision. I knew that he and Jackson would have gotten along just fine. “Stay with me tonight, Janay. Come home with me and stay in my bed.” “Yes,” the only answered that I ever wanted to give to Jackson from this day forth.
12
The fleeting sunlight dipping slowly behind the mountain peaks that surrounded us was our signal to make haste toward home. The trail back didn’t seem as difficult the second time around. I guess it’s true that the trip home moves so much quicker than when you’re trying to get to a new destination. It could have also been because we were going with the natural force of gravity and not against it. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t relieved when we finally touched down on level ground. When we reached Jackson’s homestead, his mother Annie had dinner already set out on the oval and well-polished mahogany dining room table. Generous portions of steak, fried onions, home fries, and sweet tea were on the menu. I’m sure that my mother would have freaked out if she could have witnessed how much red meat I was consuming in one sitting. Jackson’s grandfather, the originator of his unique name, stopped by to have a bite to eat before hustling back over to their suites to tend to the guests. Although I hadn’t heard from Rita all day – no text, no buzz, and no carrier pigeon to be seen – I felt it only appropriate to tell her my plans for the evening. Standing out on the trimmed front lawn under the purple sky, with dots of sparkling jewels bursting to life overhead, I dialed her number. She grunted her reply and then clicked off the phone. Next, I made a quick call to Alberto and chatted it up with him for a few minutes. His hilarious and repetitious use of the pet name darling sobered up my mood. His cheerful humor offered more support in pursuing my passions and the direction that my heart was leading me to.
I hadn’t known Alberto as a personal friend for very long but I was glad to have meant him when I did, his encouragement had become priceless tokens of true friendship. At the close of the evening, Annie said her good nights and headed up the stairs toward the master bedroom at the front of the house, facing the back of the B&B. Jackson and I had remained sitting on the overstuffed couch that was shaped in a semicircle and positioned against the side wall, where the invisible threshold separated the neighboring dining room. When we heard Annie’s door rattle then click closed, he looked over at me and grinned with mischief dancing in his cool eyes. Jackson was handsome when he had his light beard growing in, but he was a downright heartthrob when he was clean-shaven and I was hoping that he would wear this fresh look for a few days longer. “Ready for bed?” his mouth rose into a sly half smile. “Sure am,” I offered him one of my own. “Then let’s not dally,” he said and slapped his hands together. A sharp clap echoed off of the wall behind us. He jumped up from the sofa, angled his arms under my legs, and pulled me into his embrace in a mad rush. I threw my arms around his neck and tried to keep my laughing as low as possible while he bounded up the carpeted staircase two steps at a time, with me bouncing slightly the entire way. At the top of the stairs, he quieted his movements as we walked toward the rear of the second floor. Jackson set me gently back on my feet and I immediately wanted to crawl back up into his muscular and safe arms. He pointed out his room on the left-hand side of the hall and then to the full bathroom on the right side.
“I figured you might like a little alone time, so I’ll use the bathroom downstairs to shower. You can make use of whatever you find in there. Take all the time you need and I’ll see you in a bit.” When I nodded okay, he placed his thumb and index finger on my chin and kissed me quick then thudded back up the hall and down the stairs. I turned the knob and stepped inside of the upstairs bathroom. After feeling around on the wall, I located the switch and flipped the lights on. A pristine inside, with decorative white and beige tiles and starched white and cinnamon brown sheets, opened up before me. I went to turn the lock on the door and found there was none. As I thought it over, I don’t think I had encountered one lock or bolt during my entire stay in Crystal Springs. I folded my clothes, slightly soiled from some slips and trips during our earlier hike, and placed them in a neat pile on top of the weaved hamper near the door. Tomorrow morning, I would be sure to ask if I could wash them in Annie’s laundry facility. The tingling sensation from the drizzle of hot water flowing throughout the lengths of my hair, over my face, dripping off the tips of my nipples and dipping down into my belly button was exactly what I needed to relax away the strain in my muscles and sooth my lingering thoughts of how this fanciful romance would eventually end. At the moment, the end didn’t matter so much as the time Jackson and I had remaining together, and I wanted to make the most of every enthralling second. I would leave my cares and worries on that subject to the wayside and at the furthest corners of my thoughts. I wanted to be with Jackson and if our love was truly meant to flourish, then
we would find a way to live out our dream, and if not – well, I hadn’t thought that far ahead. I shut off the spray nozzle and stepped on the patterned rug at the base of the shower. My wet hair dangling around my shoulders was cold and caused small droplets of water to tumble over my shoulders and down my back. After towel drying myself and tossing that one into the hamper, I wrapped a fresh one around my hydrated and rejuvenated body. Jackson’s door was cracked open. The inside was darkened and silent as I pushed the oak door back and stepped lightly through the entryway. The otherworldly blue glow of the moonlight filtering in through the four-paned window to my right helped me to get my bearings. There was a large king sized bed encased within a carved wooden frame with a high back board that stood up halfway to the ceiling. I lifted my foot to step across the plush rug and the quiet atmosphere in the room shifted. Jackson’s tall hard body glided against mine, the skin of his shirtless chest was still moist from his shower. My toweled covered breasts pressed firmly against his heavily muscled stomach. Without separating our two bodies, Jackson reached around me and closed the door, sealing us within this hushed space together for the remains of the evening. His hands came forward and cupped by face while my fingers tucked into the sides of the cotton towel that encircled the lowest portion of his waist. “Baby,
I’ve
been
waitin’
for
this
moment
since
met…you…here…with me,” he whispered, his lips pressed to my brow.
the
day
we
I tightened my grip on his towel and my full lips glided over his bare chest. My tongue traced the curve of each of his well-sculpted pecs then my lips clasped on his left nipple, erect from his arousal, and bit down firmly. Jackson’s hands went up from my face and threaded in my hair. “Mm…yes…just like that,” he moaned while I continued to nip at his chest and moved down the perfectly carved abs along the length of his hard stomach, stopping at the place where the towel bordered the thin hairs of his upper pubic area. I tugged at the material and it fell to the floor below. His rigid cock shot up and stood straight out. I had a taste for him again and couldn’t wait to suck his full length into my hot mouth. I kissed the wide bulb of his dick and then lapped at the head before enclosing my eager lips around the broad width of the shaft. Jackson’s grip on my hair tightened. His hips pushed forward while he urged my face to meet his deep thrusts. My eyes rolled back at the feel of his fat cock in my mouth, sitting heavy on my tongue. I savored each forceful plunge he made down my throat. The muscles in his long calves tightened and he stopped. “On the bed…I want you on the bed this time,” he said in a rushed voice. He pulled me up and folded me in his arms so that he could carry me the four-step stride that it took for him to reach his destination. With me still cradled in one arm, Jackson pulled his fleece blanket back and laid me down in the center of crisp sheets. He unfolded the towel that was wrapped around my naked body and stood back. His face was mostly hidden in shadow but I could sense his smoldering eyes tracing every curve along my body. I wanted every inch of me to belong to him only. “Beautiful,” he whispered.
I held out my arms to him, beckoning my man to come lay with me. “Jackson,” I panted. I opened my legs wide for him, my pussy already slick with anticipation. He lowered his big body so that he kneeled before me at the edge of the bed. Two long fingers make short and efficient strokes at the spot where my searing button was and teased me there until he coaxed my clit from beneath its hood. I felt the sensation of Jackson’s straight nose rubbing across my hot nub, then his wet tongue tickled the soaked folds of my pussy lips. He dragged the back of his wide tongue down my pulsing center and lapped the juices up before encircling my clit with his warm lips and sucking hard. “Mmm.” I whimpered at the delight of his suckling. On impulse, in reaction to the erotic spark, my back arched high up off of the bed and Jackson laid his heavy palm on the middle of my belly and gently eased me down again. I pulled my knees further back and grabbed them, trying to spread my legs as wide as my flexibility would allow. I lifted myself up slightly so that I could see his face buried in my heated pussy. Jackson used the strength in his hands to stretch my lower lips far apart. When he was satisfied that he had me wide open, a stiff tongue swiftly darted inside of my dripping hole and wiggled furiously while he drank in every ounce of silky cream that slipped out. My hands embedded themselves in the wet strands of his long hair as I pulled his face further within my cunt and used my hips to meet each of his exhilarating tongue thrusts.
At the moment when my belly started to spasm, he pulled back and moved his muscled body up over top of me. He supported his large frame by propping himself up on his elbows at either side of my head. I turned my face so that I could lick each one of his hard and chiseled biceps, first the left then the right. He clutched the sheets below and sucked in a lungful of air at my teasing. My legs clamped around his waist and I pulled him down further against my heated body. I looked up into his beautiful eyes while my love stared down at me. His wet hair, hanging over his smooth forehead, dripped steady beats of water against the top of my breasts. This coupling we were about to share was different. We had indulged in frantic and lustful moments over the last few days. We had exchanged affectionate touches. Yet, none compared to the significance of this moment. The intent here wasn’t purely sexual or playful, it was meant as an everlasting testimony of our bond. From this moment forward, Jackson Bryant and I would be joined by an unbreakable tie. “Are you ready, Janay?” His voice was hushed. “Yes, Jackson…I am.” And I was. I memorized every second of this sacred coupling. Every beat of my heart, every expression on Jackson’s face, even the serenade of the crickets near the outside of the window. Jackson positioned his throbbing and swollen cockhead at the entrance of my flooded canal. He didn’t sheath himself this time and that was my confirmation that this love that we shared was real, and not just a fancy for the evening.
When he slid inside me, my perky nipples heaved up and Jackson buried his face in the valley between my two large mocha breasts, his lips still covered from eating my pussy. I heard him take a gulp of air and groan as his chest shuddered. His strokes were slow and determined. Each one dug far up my tight hole coating his white cock in sugary sweet liquids as he pushed at my tender walls. I ran my fingers over the marks I had left on his back from our last sensual play. They were still healing on the solid skin of his back and my nails scraped over the surface there. “Do it,” his low octave timbre enticed me. Without restraint, my nails sunk in deep and Jackson kissed me hard. I tasted my own silky juices on his mouth while Jackson’s dick drilled and stretched my aching pussy. “Oh…fuuccckk…Janay,” he called out. The hot splash of his seed against the tip of my cervix sent me tumbling over the edge of reality. My back arched up sharply and I my cunt pushed down hard as wave after wave of ecstasy ran over me. My milky pearl drops splattered over Jackson’s throbbing cock and onto the sheets. I remember calling out his name at the top of my lungs and then falling into a heavy slumber as exhaustion overcame my spent body.
The bright sunshine filtering in throught the thin beige curtains of the window urged my eyes to blink open. I sat up and had to quickly recall exactly where I was.
I touched the place beside me and found that I was alone in bed. Jackson had already left the room. I sat dazed and unsure of what I had allowed to occur last night. I gathered my senses and rolled over to the edge of the bed to drop my bare feet on the carpet below. As I sank my toes down into the fibers, my eyes caught sight of a note pad and a folded white hangerchief on the bedside. The handwritten letters on the paper told me to come downstairs after I finished dressing and the unfoled hankerchief contained my black bikini underwear that Jackson had slipped into his backpocket during our first encounter at the rear of the bar. I laughed out loud and shook my head at the discovery. When I stood to go retrieve my clothing from the bathroom across the hall, I found that the garments had already been washed, pressed, and folded neatly at the end of the bed. Annie, I thought with a smile. She must have found the clothes there and taken care of them for me. How sweet and motherly of her. After I washed up and did my best to smooth down my hair, curled in bouncy spirals from last night’s shower, I dressed and made my way to the kitchen. “Well, look who decided to join us for a late breakfast,” Jackson called from the square kitchen table. “What? What time is it?” “Jackson, you let Janay get her bearin’s straight before you start in messin’ with her. Good mornin’, sweetie,” Annie’s pleasant voice chimed in on my defense.
“Good morning, Annie,” I smiled and nodded in her direction. “Thank you so much for taking care of my clothes but I could have washed them myself.” “Oh, you’re welcome, dear. You’re a guest and I don’t mind at all,” she said and went back to washing her dishes at the sink. “Come here, sweetheart,” Jackson beckoned to me. His hand was opened for me to join him at the table. I went and eased down in the seat next to him, every joint in my body was stiff and in need of another hot shower. “Good mornin’, Janay.” Jackson kissed my hand and then my cheek. His touch actually helped to relieve a degree of my body’s discomfort. “Janay, help yourself. There’s plenty left,” Annie tossed over her shoulder. Despite the fact that I hadn’t jogged or participated in any form of dietary fasting since last Saturday, I fixed a big helping of fried potatoes, hash, and scrambled eggs, and savored every last bite. I don’t think I had eaten so richly since I last visited with my grandparents in Jersey City. Even then, I wasn’t fully allowed to enjoy the meal since my mother keenly watched every forkful I placed at my lips with a menacing eye. I might be adding a few extra pounds to the dial and a half-inch to the hips but I honestly didn’t care. I loved to eat and I was glad to finally get an opportunity to do so without a judgmental gaze following my every move. Annie flipped her dishcloth over her shoulder and joined us at the table. “Janay, how did you enjoy the spring?”
Her blue eyes were bright and jubilant. There was no doubt that she understood the significance of her son, Jackson Bryant III, taking me there since she had probably had a similar experience with his father. My face flushed as rapid snapshots of my time with Jackson flashed through my mind. “It was wonderful, ma–,” sharp eyes, like Auntie Bea’s, stared back at me with eyebrows arched high, daring me to greet her with any formal title, “Annie.” Her jovial smile returned. Until that telltale sign surged, I saw no similarities between Annie and her sister. Where one was thin with brownish hair and light eyes, the other was pleasantly plump with blond hair and dark blue eyes. That stern face must have been the family trademark because it sealed the two women as definitely being blood sisters. “I’m glad to hear it. Maybe you two will be havin’ an announcement to make at the family dinner tomorrow?” She watched us both carefully, her smile never wavering. When no immediate response came to mind, I looked to Jackson for help. “Ma, weren’t you the one who just told me to let Janay get herself together before startin’ in on any questions and such?” He had pulled her card so she changed the subject. “Alright, I get it. Keep your poor mother as the last to know,” she said while using the dishtowel to wipe crumbs from the table, “So, what do you kids have planned for today?”
My eyes quickly darted around the bright room. They landed on a clock shaped like a cat grabbing onto the wall to keep from sliding down. The cat’s back held the circular face of the clock. The hands pointed out the time to be nearly 9 AM. “Oh shoot, I’m late.” “What time does your classes start, sweetheart?” Jackson asked, a hint of concern in his voice. “About an hour ago.” My voice was calm. There was no need in getting all flustered. I was an adult and I had made the conscience decision to skip seminars and hang out late with my new guy and I didn’t regret not one single choice I had made – thus far. “Well, then we better high tail it back into the city. Ma, I’ll be back later to check on you.” Jackson kissed his mother and then grabbed my hand. As I followed behind, I stopped mid-step. Without completely understanding why I felt the need to do so, I turned and walked back to Annie. I leaned over and gave her a polite hug, and she kissed my cheek and patted my back. “You have a good day, Janay. I’ll see you later, too, sweetie.” I smiled at her naturally warmhearted return of my affection and commenced following Jackson back to the front of the house. When we reached the door, as Jackson turned the handle pull the door inward, another large body was already angling itself to step in. The large man, with a heft gut protruding from his front, was wearing all black from button up shirt to pressed slacks and spit-shined shoes. Even his cowboy hat was
the color of midnight. His aged features were twisted into a hard scowl and capped with pinched thin lips. I was sure that he and Jackson were going to barrel into one another but Jackson pulled back at the very last second so that the stranger could stomp heavy footsteps into the foyer. Jackson tightened his grip on my hand and half of his body covered me slightly. As I watched the rude man make his way into front room, though his face was not positively recognizable to me, he did seem familiar. Where had I seen him before and why did his presence disturb me? “Just the man I wanted to run into,” the man spat out without so much as a howdy. “Can’t this wait ‘til later? I have some other business to attend to,” Jackson’s reply was crisp. “No, it cannot. I need to speak with you now, boy.” Boy? I watched Jackson reign in his mounting anger. I didn’t even know this man’s name and I already didn’t like him one ounce. The man turned his round gut back toward us and fierce eyes landed dead on me. He narrowed his dark lenses and then looked over at Jackson with an unwritten question smeared across his lined face. “Janay, this is my business associate…and uncle,” Jackson hesitated at the last two words, “Chett Bryant. Chett, this is my woman, Janay Parker.” I didn’t offer my hand in greeting and neither did he. A flimsy nod of his head was all the salutation that he afforded to me. “Since you have…company…I think it’s best we discuss this matter outside.”
Chett stomped by Jackson and I without awaiting a response. Jackson touched the soft curve of my jaw. “I’ll be right back. Then, we’ll be on our way.” “Is everything okay?” “Sure it is.” His weak smile didn’t quite convince me that was the absolute truth. Jackson squeezed my hand again and walked out of the front door. I stood by the door with my arms folded. I contemplated going back into the kitchen to sit with Annie then decided not to. If she hadn’t come to the front to see who was entering the house than she must be busy in the back, probably getting ready to head over to the B&B and start the rest of her day. I shifted from foot to foot, my pulse uneasy, and my mind wondering if Jackson was all right. After five minutes of dry air and no sign of his return, I couldn’t wait any longer and my instinct to seek him out kicked in. I walked briskly out the open front door and when I didn’t catch sight of anyone, I wandered around toward the side of the brick home. When I heard the murmur of gruff voices, I slowed up my steps and stopped at the juncture before turning the corner. “If you don’t listen to what I’m sayin’, boy, you’re gonna’ get yourself into a whole heap of trouble.” It was Chett. “I hear you, Chett, but I’m tryin’ real hard not to,” Jackson countered. “You better reconsider the offer that I’m makin’ you, ‘cause this is gonna’ be the very last time that I come around askin’.” “My answer is the same today as it was the other night at the bar. I don’t like the changes that you’re suggestin’. My father’s bar was a community gathering place and
you want to turn it into a spot for peep shows and cheap lap dances. I won’t have his memory tarnished like that. I just won’t do it, no matter how much we need the money.” Chett must have been the man that I had seen Jackson arguing with on Monday night. A small twig cracked under the weight of my foot. The two voices paused and then dropped down another octave. I hugged myself closer to the red brick and stood stone still so that I could tune into the heated conversation once more undetected. I knew that this was none of my business but my curiosity and concern for Jackson got the better of me. “My brother was a small-minded man,” Chett started in and Jackson immediately cut him off. “You watch your mouth when you’re speakin’ of my father.” “Oh, Jackson, come on, you know I don’t mean no harm. I only want what’s best for you and your ma’.” I heard Jackson hmph in reply. “Son, you don’t know what you’re gettin’ yourself into. All of my clubs are real money makers and I can do the same for the Crystal Spring’s Bar & Lounge by addin’ a little extra spice to the joint.” Jackson remained silent. I wish I could see his face or at least stand by his side while he held his temper against this foul man. How could the two men have descended from the same family tree? Had Jackson’s father been anything like his brother Chett during his life on this earth? Would he have welcomed me so easily into his home as his sweet wife had done? As these thoughts walked through my brain, the conversation
picked up again. Chett was still trying to draw Jackson down a darkened path with twisted words and ill advice. “Jackson I wish you would take a good look at yourself and the choices that you’re makin’, son. I mean look at that gal you brought home to meet your ma’.” My heart stammered. The motivation for his next few sentences had been sorely obvious from the instant that terrible man was introduced to me. The experience of that cold and harsh stare was one that I never wanted to have to revisit. “You already know that she won’t hardly fit into this family. Do you really think that’s the kinda’ legacy you wanna’ leave the next generation of this community with…race mixin’? She looks like she can satisfy a sweet tooth but –.” Hard footsteps thudded over the dirt and grass. Even though I was standing some distance away, I felt the vibrations from each step shoot up my leg. The sound of a small scuffle sounded. Jackson’s voice boomed in after the commotion ceased. “I’m not your son and glad of it, and if you say one more syllable, I swear you’ll leave this property with a limp.” I angled my leg to motion toward the two men. I couldn’t simply stand idly by and allow this disagreement to continue on this way. Just as one foot rose up, a polite but firm voice cut in and I halted my step. “Janay, sweetie.” When I turned to face Annie, she must have seen the shock and horror on my face. She smiled evenly and waved me over to her side.
“Why don’t you come on inside with me and sit, while the fellas talk out their business.” “But –,” I was going to tell her that I think that they might have been in some kind of physical altercation. “It’s fine, dear, come on inside with me.” She placed her slim arm around my shoulder and guided me back under the white lattice over the door and toward to couch. Annie had already set out a white ceramic tea pot, decorated with lavender flowers all around the circumference, and matching tea cups placed on a sterling silver serving tray. When she had settled me on the sofa, my body shaking a little from the bits of conversation I had overheard, Annie went to the low leveled coffee table at the center of the living room where the tray was sitting and poured out a steaming cup of tea. A cube of sugar and dollop of cream were next into the tiny cup and then she brought the hot liquid over and carefully folded it within my hands. She patted the outer side of my hands as she sat next to me. “Pardon my manners, but Chett Bryant is one mean and hateful SOB.” I heard her voice as she spoke but it was as though she were speaking from a far off distance. I had to focus hard in order to bring myself back from wherever my mind had floated off to. “My husband, God rest his soul, always said that his little brother came out of their mother’s womb with a snotty attitude and was disgusted with the world before he could even form the words to spit out all of his hate.”
“So…Mr. Bryant…Jackson’s dad…he wasn’t like that? I mean…what Chett was saying about race mixing and the other things.” “Lord, no,” Annie huffed out. I was relieved to hear that answer. “Other than my little boy, Jackson the third, Jack Jr. was the kindest, most gentle man I have ever known. Even my father-in-law, Jack Sr., isn’t quite sure why his youngest is so foul.” Annie shivered and rubbed her arms lightly. “I tell you the truth when I say Chett is the only person that I avoid as often as I can. You see that I didn’t bother to come greet him when he barged in like he owned the place, like he always does. I put up with him for the sake of my husband, my son, and their patriarch, and that is the extent of my allegiance to any awful person like him.” I sipped my tea but my taste buds had gone numb so there was an empty flavor sitting on my tongue. “Why is Jackson even dealing with him if he is as bad as he seems? Both of you are too kind to have anything more to do with him.” Annie sighed and nodded her head. “Well, firstly, he’s still blood relation to my son so I can’t turn him away from here. Jackson is the only one who can set a limit on Chett’s visits to this home.” Her next words trembled on the edge of her rosy lips before she spoke them. “On top of that, Jack Jr. never had a chance to renew his life insurance so, when he passed on, we used most of our savings, first, for the funeral and then to start paying off the taxes and other debts on the bar that were under his name and relatively past due. We don’t get as much out of town business as we use to and that causes a strain on the local finances. The
trickle down is that everyone always wants his or her money in a lump sum so they can push off some more of their own bills. Poor Jackson had to leave school earlier than planned so he could come home and help out. He was goin’ for his Bachelor’s but had to finish up with an Associate’s instead. The past nine months have been a really stressful period for all of us, yet we work through it all as a family. We pull together and get the job done.” I sat with the cooling cup in my hand, trying to digest every event of the last twenty minutes. It was a huge chuck of information to take in all at once. I marveled at Jackson’s strength and determination. His dedication to his family’s continued wellbeing – not to mention his seemingly fierce devotion to me – was beyond praiseworthy. One week truly wasn’t nearly enough time to spend sharing my life with this wonderful man – my man and perfect lover. “Janay…are you in here?” Jackson thudded into the room. Relief washed over his furrowed brow when he laid his blue eyes on me. He rushed over to me and placed his big hand on my cheek. “Are you all right, sweetheart?” “She’s fine, Jackson,” his mother chimed in from next to me. “Janay was just sittin’ and chattin’ with me while you and your uncle hashed out your differences. I was assurin’ her that he most certainly does not speak for any other members of this family.” Annie eyed him and smiled, and her son immediately understood that I had overheard a harsh part of the two men’s conversation. Jackson’s eyes filled with worry and he stroked my cheek with his thick thumb. “Come on, sweetheart, let’s get you to your destination.”
He took my hand and folded it with great care within the protection of his own. “Thank you, ma,” he nodded to Annie as we exited through the door. My encounter with Chett Bryant had tugged my eyes open regarding the cruel reality of how outsiders might react to my relationship with Jackson. Though Jackson and his mother had both done their best to shield me and lift my spirits concerning the matter, I wasn’t sure that I had an ounce of Jackson’s strength or enough of his mother’s resolve to handle the kind of pressure our relationship would face in the outside world. It was a vast and unforgiving place where sometimes even love wasn’t strong enough to conquer the challenges that would undoubtedly present themselves.
13
The next two days passed at the speed of a finger snap. Jackson’s cement foot and silver bullet managed to get me back to the Royal Pavilion in time enough to attend a handful of workshops, enough to add to the necessary credits that I needed for my certification renewal. Friday was triple frantic. Another round of seminars, followed by a visit to the bar with Jackson for a couple of hours, and ending with a big family gathering for dinner at his Aunt Bea and Uncle Ritchie’s house, about a quarter mile behind their roadside restaurant. Jackson told me it would be all right to extend an invitation to Rita to attend the function. She quickly declined and returned back to her room after we all exited the bar early on in the evening. Annie and Bea weren’t fibbing when they said there were no handshakes given in their clan. I lost count after the first twenty hugs as I was introduced to nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, more aunts and uncles, a few grandparents, and a whole host of close family friends, who all welcomed me – literally – with arms wide open. Annie kept enthusiastic eyes aimed on Jackson and I throughout the night. I was almost sad to dash her hopes of a marriage announcement during the lively dinner jamboree. By the time Saturday – the day of my expectant departure – arrived, I was worn out and barely able to move from my bed at the B&B.
Jackson had asked me to stay
with him another night, as I had done for the past two, but I thought it best and easier if I slept in my own bed for the last night of my stay.
I heard the alarm on my phone sound; nonetheless, it wasn’t until I felt Rita shaking my covers when I finally gathered enough energy to snap my eyes open and crawl from the bed. “Maybe if you hadn’t been out so late, you might be able to get up on time like you use to,” Rita’s voice was tight as she walked back over to her bed to finish slinging her items into her suitcases. I didn’t bother to reply to her irritable comment. Instead, I went to get dressed and then started folding my clothing and other items back into my bags and readying myself for my separation from my beloved Jackson. As Rita lugged her baggage toward the hallway, I told her that I would be waiting for Jackson to give me a ride over the airport. “Yup, see you there,” was all she said before disappearing up the hall without so much as glancing back. After giving the room the once over to make sure I hadn’t missed anything, I spotted Rita’s brush and make-up kit. I placed both inside of one of my bags to give to her later. Annie and I waited in the parking lot for Jackson to arrive. “Janay, sweetie, I sure am gonna’ miss you,” the kind woman spoke sweetly as we stood arm-in-arm. “Annie, you already know that I’m going to miss you, Aunt Bea, and the rest of your hilarious family the minute I get outside of the limits of Crystal Springs.” I tightened my grip on her and rubbed the back of her hand lightly.
“Just make sure this isn’t the last time that Jackson and I see you,” her words were earnest and her eyes watched me carefully for a reaction. “I’ll try to make sure that doesn’t happen.” It was the best answer that I could give without promising to set my return in stone. Annie nodded and we both turned our heads at the rumble of Jackson’s truck pulling into the paved lot. I freed myself from Annie’s side and bounced over to meet my lover. I jumped into his arms and he caught me with ease while I wrapped my legs around his waist. A sweet and intense kiss followed. Afterward, Jackson settled me back onto the ground and ushered me up into the passenger’s seat. As we pulled out of the lot, I waved to Annie as she called out to me and blew a kiss and a wave. “I’ll see you soon, Janay!” I wondered if there would be any truth in that declaration. Despite our passionate reunion in the parking lot, the drive to the airport was silent. Jackson kept his eyes trained on the road and I fidgeted restlessly in my seat. This is what our steamy liaison had fizzled down to, an awkward farewell. Jackson parked at the curb of the departure zone for the busy airport terminal. He helped me out of the truck and grabbed all of my small bags with one hand. He followed me through the sliding doors and walked with me to the check-in counter – all in a heartbreaking silence. No sweet kisses of longing. No words of consolation at our separation.
No eternal exclamation of his undying love. How could I have ever imagined that our affair could last beyond the border of Crystal Springs? This was real life and these types of scenarios rarely came with a happy ending. I heaved in a lungful of air and prepared myself to walk away, not broken, but forever grateful at having the opportunity to experience this mind-blowing love story – even if its ending was so anti-climatic. The woman at the counter registered all of my documentation and pointed me toward my gate at the same moment as the overhead speakers announced that the flight was starting to board for take-off. I went back over to Jackson to reclaim my baggage and make my way toward the gate. As I approached him, my heart cracked in two as the vision of his distressed and grief stricken face filled eyes. I stepped up directly in front of him, unsure if there were any words that would adequately sooth this moment and give either of us any peace. When I found none, I voiced the first thought that came to my mind. “Goodbye, Jackson,” I said and touched his handsome face, now covered by a light dusting of hair, for the last time. He dropped my bags at his side and pulled me into his arms, pressing my face against his chest. He kissed the crown of my head and then guided me back so that he could stare into my eyes and cup my face between his palms. “Janay…baby…I said this once and I’ll say it again,” his hands trembled slightly as he spoke, “I don’t want you to go…please don’t leave me.”
My fingertips clung to the sides of his shirt. Any moment, I thought I would faint away as the pain in my chest swelled. “I don’t want to leave you, Jackson…I…I,” my full confession was stuck in my throat so I opted for the part that was easiest to release, “besides my dad, you’re the best thing that has ever happened to me.” “Stay…stay with me, Janay, and I’ll make sure you know how much I desire and care for you every minute of every day.” The announcer called for boarding passengers again. My life back east was shouting at me that it was time to leave my fantasy behind. What would my mother think if I didn’t return home so I could live wild with a Montana man? How would my best friend feel if I didn’t get on that plane with her to return to our job and our upcoming account back home? I dropped my head and shook it from side to side. “Then, at least tell me when you’re comin’ back?” “Soon,” was the best reply I could offer. “Soon isn’t good enough…tell me that you’re gonna’ come back to me. I need to hear you say the words.” I did something that even I didn’t expect. I placed my hand over his heart and swore an oath I prayed that I wouldn’t break. “Jackson, I promise that I will come back to you.” A final blazing kiss and I knew that there was no other man who walked this earth who would ever fill my heart as completely as this man had.
I picked up my bags and dashed for my plane, leaving Jackson Bryant and my adventure in Crystal Springs, Montana behind. Hopefully, not forever.
The flight back home was stuffy and started off bumpy when the entire interior of the plane seemed to shake uncontrollably on take off. I spent the duration of a seven hour flight back to New Jersey strapped between two little twin boys. Rita and Alberto were stationed elsewhere on the flying object and I didn’t see them during the trip. The boys’ parents had never taught them that staring was impolite and I did my best to tune out their eerie nonblinking eyes. I think that there mother was the woman sitting in the row directly in front of us, but it was hard to confirm that fact since she didn’t bother to give them any attention for almost five hours before cutting a slight eye back to take a quick survey of each of them. After we touched down – finally! – I made a mad dash as far away from that tight enclosure as possible and hailed the first taxi I could thumb down, leaving Rita and Alberto to fend for themselves. I was positive that they each would manage to find their own way back to their respective homes. A sudden migrane left me with limited patience for any extended conversations. I very nearly kicked down the front door of my modest apartment at the outskirts of Downtown Timber Falls, and collapsed faceforward on the bed the nanosecond after I entered the bedroom. My ears picked up at a low humming noise somewhere nearby.
I cracked open a previously closed eye and spied out my black phone lighting up and dancing merrily as the vinbrations caused the device to slowly shimmy its way out of my open purse – haphazardly thrown down upside down beside me – and onto the bed. I patted my hands around until my roaming fingers wrapped around the cell and moved it closer to my face. I squinted my eyes and read the name on the screen. Why now? was my exasperated thought. I had little to no energy to deal with this particular caller, nevertheless, I tapped the answer button anyway. “Hello?” My voice was faint. I wasn’t even sure if she had heard me. “Janay?,” my mother’s voice responded in a confident tone. “Yes, Mother, it’s me, your daughter,” as if she didn’t already know whose number she had dialed. “Watch the attitude, miss,” she snapped back. There was a pause in between. “I was calling to ensure that your flight had landed on time and that you had made it home safely.” Her expression of concern sounded more toward the cold and indifferent side. It was like she was checking on a neighbor that she sometimes associated with and not the daughter who had known no other mother since being given away at birth. “Yes, it did and I walked through the door five minutes ago…safe and sound.” “That’s good. Well, I suppose you need time to regroup and settle yourself back in for work on Monday.” “Okay, thank you for calling.” It’s always polite to thank someone for an expression of concern, even if their motivation for doing a particular act was not necessarily sincere.
“Before you go,” the level of her voice faded away and then returned to normal, as though she were not sure of her words, “I wanted to invite you over for dinner on Wednesday.” I bit my lip. I was due to start working on my new account this week and I didn’t need to add anymore stress to my shoulders by having to muttle through a meal with my mother. “I’m not sure that I can make it.” “Of course you can,” she was more matter-of-fact this time. “It’s been far too long since you dropped by. I’ll see you at seven sharp and bring Rita with you. I would love to see her.” There was no surprise there. My mother always seemed to prefer Rita’s company to mine and the two got along abundantly well. Perhaps inviting me was a means to get to spend some quality time with the daughter that Mother wished she had as opposed to the lackluster one she ended up with. “Sure. See you then, Mother.” I hit the End Call button and dug my face further into the bed. Before I had a chance to shake my dissolutionment with my adopted mother away, the black device twinkled and vibed again. I tightened my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose, hoping that it was not her calling back to antagonize me further. When my eyes opened and I read the new name – Jax – on the illuminated screen of the slider phone, butterflies danced in my stomach.
While I wanted to hear his soothing timbre caressing my earlobe again and relive all of the flare that made his memory such a sweet one in my mind, the rational side of my brain told me that I was better off not responding to the call. Jackson had his world, I had returned to my own with startling clarity, and there should be no mixing of the two. My sight was fixed on the illustration of the ringing phone dancing around the glowing face of the phone but I was no where near prepared to answer the call. A few more chimes and the phone stopped buzzing. One Missed Call is what the screen read. A sudden burst of anger at my silliness had my hands fixed to toss the phone across the bed and onto the floor when I was stopped midaction by a single beep and then a buzz. I read the newly delivered text message and felt double ashamed for ignoring the phone call. hi pretty lady…wanted to check on you…IMU…call me soon. J I miss you too, Jackson, I spoke in my head and wiped at the dab of moisture in the corners of my eyes.
I received another text message from Jackson on Sunday asking me how I was. Monday and Tuesday, he called once each day – in the morning on Monday and the evening on Tuesday. I left all of his attempts to contact me unanswered. The rest of my life and the first half of the week carried on as usual, as though I had never left and my adventure back west had never occurred.
I returned to the office, answered emails, checked
voicemails, and Rita, Alberto, and I prepared a preliminary presentation for our new advertising account. On Wednesday evening, at promptly 6:50 PM, my graceful and stylish mother greeted Rita and I at the front door of a lavish three-story brownstone in an exclusive neighborhood on the complete opposite end of town from my apartment. Leshaune Vasquez Parker. Tall, slim, refined.
Dressed in a strapless summer dress that clung to her
statuesque figure and down to her tiny ankles and well lotioned feet that were strapped in chic roman sandals. Her shiny long tresses were swept up into a loose bun at the crown of her head with tendrils of her glosses curls dangling down below the tips of ears. Her outfit and prim hairstle accentuated her high cheekbones, perfectly shaped mouth and slanted eyes with polished precision. Her light butter almond skin glowed in the early evening light. My mother’s mother was from a small village located outside of Barcelona, Spain and her father was Afro-Cuban. They were both first generation immigrants to the US, who met during a naturalization class in Manahattan. The combination of their two sets of genes logically produced the dazzling woman who stood before us. Her stunning features and tall height made her a successful runway model for many years up until she married my dad, a professional basketball player at the time, and opted to retire at a relatively young age from the profession. As a little girl, it wasn’t uncommon for me to wonder if Leshaune Parker regretted bringing me home and making me a permanent part of her picturesque family.
If she could have predicted how ordinary, career wise and, most especially, with my physical characteristics, would she still have chosen me? She reached out calmly and clasped my hands in her soft embrace. Mother touched her smooth cheeks against both of mines before stepping back and inspecting me with her hazel eyes. Her thin fingers touched the loose ends of my hair. I had finally decided on abandoning my tight hair bun altogether. “Janay, you have your hair out…it’s different.” She let my hair fall back to my shoulders but her eyes continued to scan over me. “You look as though you have put on some weight. What have you been eatting over the past week?” I pulled my hands away and clamped down my lips. An imperseptible smile passed over her mouth. Her gaze moved over to Rita and brightened tenfold. “Rita, you look lovely always,” mother said as she repeated the same cheek to cheek with my friend, only this time the exchange of sentiment appeared more endearing. After the lull of chit chat, the three of us settled down at the cloth covered rectangular dinner table with Mother at the head and Rita on either side of her. During our meal of red wine, roasted duck – with the duck probably made of nonfattening, high protein tofu – and a meddly of various steamed vegatables, I skirted through the events of my business trip, conveniently skipping over anything to do with Jackson and his clan. I knew Mother well enough to know that she would not have approved of my relationship with my former lover. Jackson Bryant and his easygoing manner were not going to be inclusive with her perception of the ideal man for me. A dentist…maybe. An office manager…closer. The small town owner of roadside bar…definitely not. It
was not so much Jackson’s race as much as it would be his economic status that would have caused her judgemental personality the most trouble. Although Leshaune Parker was a second generation American raised in a middle class family, the increased fortune that a life with my dad had presented her with, left Mother accustomed to a certain lifestyle. And it was a lifestyle that she had been unsuccessful in convincing me was a necessasity for my life. “You didn’t tell her about Jackson, Jae,” Rita’s face gleamed in my direction across the table. I bit down on the silver fork in my mouth and flinched as the metal resonated on my teeth. Mother looked at me quizzically. “Janay, may I ask who that is?” I wiped my lips on the cloth napkin and cleared my dry throat. The nature of my sexual encounters with Jackson were obviously off limits. I wanted to phrase my response to sound as general and coincidental as possible. “He was…a man that I met in the town where Rita and I stayed. He showed me around.” “He sure did,” Rita cut in and went back to munching on her forkful of duck. “Jae, tell your mom everything that he showed you while you were in his truck.” “Truck?” Mother’s sculpted brow lifted. I couldn’t believe that Rita had placed me in this awkward situation. Why would she do that to me? She knew that my mother and I had a cordial relationship – at best. At worst, we tolerated one another’s conflicting personalities. Was Rita purposefully
trying to cause more discord between my mother and myself? I know that she was certainly extending the rift that had been slowly sliding in the middle of our friendship. A weak smile clung to my lips as I tried to clean up the damage that had already been done. I could see Leshaune’s mind turning over behind her fixed hazel eyes. “He was very friendly when Rita and I visited his family’s businesses and he took me on a hike into the mountains to visit a local natural spring. He also drove me to our seminars a few times and to the airport before I left for home.” “Jackson and Jae were joined at the hip while we on our trip…practically inseparable.” More unnecessary comments from the other side of the dinner table. Mother was never any one’s fool and she quickly interpreted the significance of the last half of Rita’s sentence. “Is this true, Janay?” Her eyes were hard and disapproving. “Answer me.” When no response came, she put her slim hands to her plum tinted lips and shook her head slowly from side to side. “If your father were here…” My head started to spin before she finished her sentence.
Was this really
happening? I twisted my hands like a child awaiting an expectant reprimand. “If your father were here,” she repeated, “he would be shocked…maybe ashamed of your behavior. He and I raised you better than to play the role of a floozy with a local hick.” Something in my conscious latched on to the string of words Mother had spoken – harsh, inappropriate words.
Floozy. Hick. The two played on a continuous repeat while I watched Mother’s lips continue to move, however, I heard no sound. All was mute. I was no man’s floozy or whore and I wouldn’t tolerate Jackson being called by such a degrading and ignorant name, like hick, either. What he and I shared over the course of a week was more intimate and profoundly stronger than what some couples waited a lifetime to experience. No one – not Rita – not my mother – could ever take away from the bond that my love and I had shared. I slapped my hands down on the table top, causing some of the dinnerware to clang together, and forced my chair in a screech across the polished wood of the floor so that I could stand straight up – tall and confident in what I was about to say. “Stop it!” The level of my voice was a little higher than I had intended but the effect was exactly as I had hoped. Mother sat tight lipped and silent and Rita was frozen in mid-bite, her utensil stiff between her lips. “Stop treating me like a child. I am an adult woman who is fully capable of making my own decisions regarding what’s best for my life and my well-being.” “Janay, I –,” Mother started and I cut my eyes over to her. “I’m not finished, Mother.
Regardless of how Rita is trying to portray my
relationship with Jackson, he was the most deceit and polite man that I had ever met, other than Daddy. He was nothing but a gentleman to me the entire time that I was with him, and that made me love him all the more.”
Shock. Disbelief. Uncertainty.
All of these were written in Leshaune’s
expression. Still I continued on. “That’s correct, Mother. I loved him. I still love him and I wish he were here now or that I was still with him in Crystal Springs. He has been the only person in this whole world who has ever made me feel happy and excited to be me, just as I am…without a fancy wardrobe, without losing ten pounds, without a high level job title…just me. I won’t apologize to you for being born without long silky hair, or a perfect figure, or the ability to charm crowds of people with ease like Rita. I will, however, tell you that I am so sorry that you didn’t get the daughter you wanted. I almost wish you had taken me back to Social Services when you figured out that I wasn’t what you had hoped for. Goodnight, Mother. Take care.” I grabbed my purse from the empty seat next to me and wiped away the streams of hot tears that were flowing down my cheeks as I walked through the downstairs and out the front door without turning back. I had finally succeeded in saying to my mother what had been stabbing at my heart for so long. Whatever happened with our soured relationship after tonight was entirely up to her. I had made my peace.
The remainder of Wednesday, as well as Thursday and Friday, went by uneventfully. My cellular phone and email, except for calls pertaining to business, was relatively quiet. No one reached out to contact me, not even Jackson. I was sure that he had finally decided to
forget about the stuck-up girl from the Mid-Atlantic and carry on with the remainder of his life, probably with a woman who was more his type. Rita Kaye and I had not spoken on a personal level since the night she tried to embarrass me in front of my mother. Nonetheless, she and I had to continue working together on our presentation to the account supervisor. Alberto had tried to be at his wittiest to keep the tension within our small group at a minimum and have been relatively successful at doing so. Our big day was Friday morning and the three of us arrived at the office early to double check presentation slides, summaries, graphs, and to review how we would explain our concept for a new string of ads for a popular soda that was to be marketed globally via our agency. After much debate, Rita had voiced the opinion that the idea I had presented at our seminar, about using a new group to perform a relatively well known song as the theme for the product, wasn’t viable or marketable to our client. To be on the safe side, we all decided on the simple but time tested concept of repackaging the drink to make it more appealing to a new audience of shoppers. At 9:30 AM sharp, our direct supervisor, who was also the account team leader, as well as the authorized representatives of the client filed into the conference room on our agency’s floor in Midtown Manhattan. While the group took seats around the long oval table, Alberto and I went over some final financial figures at the head of the table as Rita offered beverages. I would be kicking off the presentation and was just about to ask for the lights to be turned down, so that everyone could see the screen at the front of the room, when Rita’s voice boomed to life from the opposite side of the room nearest the door.
“Gentleman, ladies,” her tone was filled with natural charisma and a gigantic beaming smile to match, “we welcome you to this exciting new day.” I looked over to Alberto, who shot me a confused expression and threw up his hands. We watched as Rita, dressed in a classy gray and black three-piece pin striped skirt suit and tall heels, moved like a lioness around the table. The people at the table were captivated by her looks and her enthusiastic approach. “My colleagues and I,” she made a small nod in our direction, “worked tirelessly on a standard presentation.” She paused for dramatic effect. “However, I’m here to tell you all that it just…wasn’t…good…enough.” My eyebrows knitted into a frown. I was genuinely confused regarding what was happening or what Rita was up to. “I sat up all night trying to pull together an innovative concept that would help you reap the full reward due to your respected product.” The idea of an increased profit had snagged the soda company’s representatives and they sat spellbound by her words, practically on the edge of their seats. “I thought that maybe we could try a new and fresh approach to an old idea. I say that we do a search for an up-and-coming band. Once we find the group that fits your product’s image, we have them remix – so to speak – the tune of another more popular artist or group and have that fresh version as the theme of your product. In this way, we save money by hiring new and relatively cheap talent, but the kids will still recognize the beat and be drawn to the updated way it’s performed. They will immediately latch on the commercial and your soda.”
This woman, once my closest friend, the person who I thought cared for me like a sister had stolen my idea and presented it practically verbatim – word for word �– as being completely her own creation. After the supervisor and the rest of the group had a moment to digest her suggestion, there were some nods of approval, followed by a few hand claps, and then the attendees started to buzz amongst one another about the wonderful possibilities that this concept represented. Save money and turn a profit. Perfect was the word that I heard a representative of the client comment. “Excellent job, Rita,” Phillip, our supervisor, said as he offered her a small handclap, “this is a really great idea. You must have really worked hard to come up with something as original as this.” I was stunned, hurt, angry, but I wasn’t speechless. “Rita,” I called to her from across the room. Her head snapped up and that fake smile faded clean away once she saw the seriousness on my face. “I need to speak with you in private,” my sharp words cut the air. “Can’t it wait until after we finish up here?” She tried to lay out calm and soothing tones but it had no effect on me because she had done the unthinkable – betrayed a friend. She had twisted the knife in my back for the very last time. “No,” I accentuated the word, “it cannot wait.”
I stepped with determination around the table, toward the rear, and out into the main hall and I fully expected Rita to follow my lead. It was the least she could do to make up for her actions. I waited in the middle of the hall, arms folded, and foot tapping away. When I heard the conference room door click open, and saw Rita step out, I continued my path back to our shared office further up the busy thruway. What I had to say to Rita was for her ears only. I didn’t want to make a bigger scene than I already had back at the meeting. It simply wasn’t professional and I refused to sink down to her level of inappropriateness. Once the office door was shut tight, I turned and stared her down. “What is wrong with you?” I questioned. She flipped her hair and pounced down in the leather rolling chair on her side of the room. “There’s nothing wrong with me. I think you should be asking yourself that question, Jae.” “Rita, how could you do this to me? For seven years, you were my best friend. Suddenly, over the past two weeks, you have set your will to making sure I feel as miserable as you do right now.” She turned her face away and bit her lower lip. I must have been on to something. “Unless you can give me one good reason why I shouldn’t cease our friendship on the spot, it ends today, Rita. What you did back there is inexcusable. I won’t go on ignoring how you have hurt me time and again with your actions.”
“Whatever, Jae, you need me. How else will you learn how to get along in the world? Before you and I started to hang out, you had never even been to a club. Did you even know how to have fun?” There it was. I understood what had brought on Rita’s change in attitude toward me. I didn’t want to see it before, now I had no choice but to face this remarkable twist in our friendship. “Alberto was right, I won’t live in your shadow anymore and…you’re jealous. You’re jealous of the connection I had with Jackson.” She tugged at her bottom lip with her hand this time. I waited a few seconds, expecting her to deny the allegation and no reply came. “You’re jealous because I fell in love with someone? Why?” Rita sighed yet remained silent. I couldn’t make her answer my question and I was too tired of this childish battle of wills to continue on. Though I would be saddened that our long friendship would end on such a terrible note, I rotated my body toward the door and was poised to turn the knob and leave Rita’s companionship behind. I didn’t want to lose my friend. However, I suppose this was part of the natural course of life. Sometimes, we have to leave behind old acquaintances that are holding us back from our true potential so that we can connect with others who will encourage us to reach for the moon and the stars beyond. “Janay…wait…please.” I heard her light voice call after me and I stopped and turned back. “Janay, when a guy looks at me, he sees a good time and some laughs for a few hours. When a man looks at you…he sees a partner, a mate, someone to share more than
the night with. Jackson wasn’t the only man to fall for you on the spot; you just never noticed how other men flocked to your sweetness and your goodness. Jae…you are the only real female friend I have ever had. If I had been half as good a friend to you as you have been to me – since day one – I would have told you this a long time ago. I didn’t want to lose you and your friendship, especially not to a guy, so I always went along with your conclusion that guys wanted me more. Jackson…Jackson was different…you two were connected on sight…a real bond…and nothing I tried to do could shake it loose, even now, I can see your love for him in your eyes. I was wrong to be so snotty and underhanded to you over the last two weeks. I guess…I guess I was trying to scare you into being my close friend again. I’m terrible, I know, but I would do almost anything to make it up to you. Will you forgive me?” Soft green eyes begged for a return to how we once were. Forgiving Rita would be the easy part. Forgetting all the awful ways she treated me over the last couple of weeks would be more difficult. Another priceless piece of advice my dad gave to me was to never hold a grudge, because you never knew under what circumstances you would meet up with the person in the future or whether this would be the last time you saw that person at all. “Rita, if you know me at all, then you know that the answer is ‘yes’. I do forgive you for your actions, I just hope that maybe we can become real friends this time around.” We exchanged a refreshing hug, the first real sentiment between us in weeks. After I dabbed my eyes, and Rita blotted her own and checked her make-up, we returned to the meeting.
She aptly explained to the group she had misspoken during her
presentation and that it was I who originated the idea but she was so excited about the concept she asked to be the one to give the oral presentation. In spite of Rita and I settling our differences, an empty void still remained hovering in my spirit, causing me another sleepless night.
14
When Sunday arrived, I was mentally drained as a result of all the emotional calamity and upheaval of the past week. I had not heard from Jackson and I had set my mind to resisting the urge to call him for comfort and support. My body yearned to be near his hard physique again and my spirit was restless without his endearing affection. I hoped that by severing all contact and leaving him peacefully in Montana, his transition to a new lover would proceed as smooth as possible. I wanted that wonderful man to be happy, even if happiness was a life without me by his side. It was a heartbreaking thought, but I also arrived at a point in my life where I realized I had to learn to stand tall under my own strength. Jackson had been the catalyst who had started me on this new journey but it was me who had to be the force that motivated the direction of my life and my future. After clearing the stagnant air that had surrounded two of my most familial relationships, I was off to a fresh and brave start and looking forward to making longer and more prominent strides of confident independence. Still, it would turn out to be a lonely walk without the man whose example had urged me on this path. While I inwardly lamented my lost love, I also refused to hide in my apartment daydreaming about what could have been. My trio had decided to attend an afternoon showing of the latest romantic comedy, which turned out to be more dramatic and tear jerking than what the previews had led us to believe. Isn’t that the way it always seems to turn out? At the exact moment when all seems beautiful and perfect, some sudden
crisis throws life in a tumble. At least in the movies, the hero always shows up to save the day and rescue his girl – by any means necessary. “I simply loved how that movie ended. Why can’t I meet someone like that?” Alberto said with elation in his voice. “I know, it was so sweet,” I nodded in agreement, “when Peter showed up at Sheila’s job, all dressed in his groom’s tux and with the rest of the bridal party following right behind him all decked out in their wedding clothes, I had to blink away some tears.” I dabbed at each eye with the back of my hand as I mocked myself. Rita and Alberto fell into laughter. As we rode the elevator to my apartment floor and then stepped out in the well-lit hallway leading up to my door, we each recounted our favorite scene from the film with startling clarity. It wasn’t until we had reached a yard from my apartment when a figure caught my eye. The person was leaning near my door, which naturally drew my attention to him. From the side, the man was a handsome portrait dressed in casual pressed khaki pants and a white button up dress shirt, tucked in at the waist and folded up at the elbow. The side view of silver raging bull at the center of a thick brown leather belt gleamed in the light and the brown heel of clean boots peaked from the hem of his pants. His tall frame was leaning against the white washed walls of the hall, one long leg crossed over the other at the ankle and thick arms folded across his chest. At this angle, I could see one chiseled bicep protruding from beneath the cuff of his folded left sleeve, the material strained around the giant bulk of muscle. The man’s face was partially concealed beneath the shadow from the trademark straw cowboy hat, bowed at the side brim, so that only his hairless and strong chin and
jaw were visible. The muscle at the juncture of his jaw twitched once and so did the pulsating nub between my legs. My feet stopped mid-stride and so did my heart. When he turned to face me, it was like someone had released the tightly coiled knob on a wind-up toy. My body started in slow motion then I took off toward him like I was running the hundred-meter dash. My strides were so quick that I was already jumping forward, arms spread wide, into Jackson’s arms before he had advanced a full foot toward me. He leaned down and received me into his embrace while I latched my legs around his sturdy waist, determined to never let him go again. Jackson swung me around while burly arms clamped around me like steel. I rained kisses all over his face and forehead, the excitement of my hurried affection knocking his hat from his head and down to the floor below. “Jackson!” I exclaimed, pulling back only enough to take in the striking features of his face. Bright blue eyes, half a shade away from being silver, stared back at me, full of tenderness. “Janay…pretty lady,” he crooned, his pet name for me rolled from his tongue like sugar, igniting my internal flame once again. This is what I had been longing for. The nagging and ache in my chest was fleeing rapidly with each new second that Jackson and I were in one another’s arms. A sense of wholeness and passion was filling the void that had tried to make a home in my soul. “I missed you…so much.”
The words escaped at the same time as I glided my lips over his own, elated at being able to recapture his sensuous taste on my mouth. When I released his lips and tangled my fingers in the loose curls of his hair – another sensation I had desperately missed feeling – Jackson touched his brow to mine. “I missed you too, baby,” he breathed out slow and then inhaled a lungful of my scent. “It’s so damn good to see your beautiful face again and to have you in my arms.” He hugged me closer still until we were flat against one another, our rapid heartbeats pounding in perfect sync. One week ago, I had returned to the town where I had spent nearly my entire life living and existing, but only right now – being caressed and adored by the man that I loved and who I hoped loved me in return – did I actually feel as if I had finally made it home, my real home. “Janay, darling,” a timid male voice spoke in our direction. It was Alberto. I had completely forgotten that he and Rita were standing there. “Rita and I are going to give you two a little time alone. We’ll see you at work tomorrow,” he said while simultaneously turning away and hooking his arm through Rita’s to motivate her to do the same. “Janay,” Rita’s small voice spoke up, “have fun.” She smiled at us and I felt as if her well wishing was truly genuine. “Jackson,” she continued and his eyes went over to her, “it’s nice to see you again. Take care of my friend.” “I always will.” He nodded at her and offered a polite grin.
When Rita and Alberto were out of sight, I reluctantly climbed down out of Jackson’s arms and quickly unlocked my door to pull him in behind me and settle on the sofa in my TV room. “What are you doing here?” I asked the question while I was nestled on his lap, staring up into his exotic blue lenses. “What’s the matter? Not happy to see me?” he teased. “You know I am,” I playfully rolled my eyes, “I’m just wondering how you knew where to find me.” Those rosy pink lips lifted into an alluring smile. “You ever heard of a reverse search?” I had. I smiled at his mischievousness. “From the look on your face, I take it that you have,” he laughed low. “Well since I already had your phone number and I already knew the name of your town, all I didn’t know was your exact address.” Jackson squinted his eyes and lowered his brow. “Auntie Bea told me to make sure you knew she helped me to find that info and the directions of how to make it here from the airport. She said you would know what I was talkin’ about when I said that.” And I did. Sweet Aunt Beatrice had made good on her promise to hunt me down if I ever left her beloved nephew high and dry. “Yeah, I do. On the first day she and I met, Aunt Bea assured me that she would find me no matter where I went if I ever went missing from your life.”
Jackson laughed and then his mood sobered. He shifted on the couch and then settled back down, his arms still fastened around me. “Yup, sounds exactly like how my auntie would think.
Speakin’ of that
subject…I tried to call you a bunch of times, sent you a few messages, and I didn’t hear a word back.” His voice trailed off, leaving the ball in my court to offer an answer for my lack of communication after he had made several attempts to contact me. My reason was firmly planted in my mind, yet not so easy to form into a sentence that would lessen my guilt for seemingly abandoning him the moment we had parted ways. I breathed in slow and found the courage to say the difficult confession. “Jackson…I…I thought that if I left you alone…it would make it a little easier for you to find someone new…a new girl.” His jaw flinched again. He sat in silence waiting for me to continue. “I honestly believed that would be the best way to end our relationship. I wanted you to have a normal and happy life. I didn’t want to hold you back from restoring family’s businesses.” Thick, long fingers touched my cheek and urged me to look at him. I had turned my face away out of shame. This was the second time that Jackson had made the overwhelming effort to search for me so that we could be together and I hadn’t even had the decency to return his phone call. “Janay, there is…no…other...woman…for me,” he said the declaration slowly, I could hear the emotion welling up in his chest, “Don’t ever think that I could have a
happy life without you…not anymore…not now that I know a woman as sweet and pure and loving as you exists. I want you with me…always, Janay.” Jackson ran his thumb across my quivering bottom lip. “But…what about your uncle and what he said…I don’t want you to lose your bar because of me.” “Chett is blood but he isn’t family. My pa already knew that before he passed on. All of our businesses are community oriented. My father wouldn’t sacrifice his morals for the sake of making his bank account richer and neither will I. Ma and the rest of us will make do, like we always have…as a family…united through all types of trouble.” I nodded that I understood, and wished that I could one day have a bond that strong with my mother, whom I hadn’t heard a sound from in many days. “Thank you for not hating me and what I did to you,” I whispered. “I could never hate you, sweet lady. In fact, I was a fool to let you go without tellin’ you that I loved you,” Jackson kissed the palm of my hand and then touched it to his warm cheek. “I guess I was afraid that you didn’t love me back.” “I do…oh, God…Jackson, I do love you,” my arms pulled him closer; my fingers clung to the muscles beneath the back of his shirt. “Janay, there isn’t anywhere in this world that I wouldn’t go to find you,” he spoke into my hair, his voice full of urgency. “Please tell me this isn’t the end. I need you in my life. I promise I won’t let another day go by without me tellin’ you how much I love you.” Two weeks ago, I was a girl who was intimidated by my own reflection. I met a man who opened my eyes to an entirely new outlook on life and love. One week ago, I
left the better half of my soul in Montana. I was afraid of how the people who were closest to me and to my lover would judge our union. Today, I am a woman who is done with living in fear of criticism and the ignorance of others. Today, I am Jackson Bryant’s woman and I would gladly leave behind everything that I know and everyone whom I thought I knew to be with the man that I love. From this moment forward, I would love Jackson with all my heart and, if necessary, fiercely protect our bond against any naysayers. I kissed him deeply and poured out all of my passion and longing into him. After some mean tugging of clothes and shoes being frantically kicked to the side, when my slick pussylips slipped over his throbbing and rock hard cock, our reunion was reconsummated by the sizzling explosion of our unified eruptions. Jackson and I were one and as one we would face the challenges ahead of us.
Jackson changed his ticket to the following Saturday morning so that I could reserve a seat on the same flight back to the city closest to Crystal Springs. I gave my extremely short resignation notice to my supervisor the next morning. He had a stunned expression on his face but made no comment regarding my reason stated in the letter. To pursue a new opportunity in life, is how I phrased my explanation in the signed draft that I placed on his desk. Rita and Alberto were both far from surprised.
Alberto wished me much
happiness and insisted that I invite him for a visit sometime during the upcoming summer
months. Rita tearfully hugged me goodbye and told me that she would miss having a friend that had been as understanding and kind to her as I had been, despite her flaws. Saturday morning, as Jackson and I moved slowly up the causeway of northern New Jersey’s international airport, I heard what sounded like someone calling my name. This part of the building was overcrowded and I could have easily been mistaken. “Janay…wait…Janay,” was what I heard filter in through my straining ears for a second time. This time the voice was louder as if the caller was closer and coming up from somewhere behind me. I looked over my shoulder and Jackson instinctively turned around too. Of all people that I could have imagined jogging at full speed in a tank top, a pair of jeans and walking shoes, Leshaune Vasquez Parker would not have been at the top of my list. My mother was flaling her arms in the air and moving at top speed on her slim legs. “Janay…over here…wait.” I stopped moving forward and stood waiting for her to arrive. After another minute of squeezing through the lively throng of soon to be flyers, Mother was standing in front of me trying to catch her breath. “Janay, I’m so glad I didn’t miss you,” she said when she gathered the air back into her lungs. “Mother, how did you know I was here?” “Rita told me. I tried to call you this morning. I wanted to come by and see you since I had not heard from you since the dinner. When I only reached your voicemail, I was worried so I called her. She told me you were leaving today.”
“Yes, mother, I am.” I angled my head over to Jackson, who watched our exchange in polite silence. “Mother, this is Jackson Bryant.” Jackson tipped his hat forward. “Please to make your aquaintance, ma’am.” “Likewise,” Mother said in a low voice. “I’m going with him to Montana and I won’t be coming back this way for awhile, at least not until we get settled and I help him with working on some important business dealings.” Mother looked from me and over to Jackson and then back to me. Her expression was unreadable as she studied my face for whatever answer she was searching out. “Janay, are you sure about this?” I saw Jackson’s motion from the corner of my eye. I had previously told him about the last conversation that my mother and I had and the terms under which we had parted. He had encouraged me to reach out to her before we left but also stated that he understood and it was my call to make in my own good time and when I was ready to do so. “Janay, I think I better allow you and your ma a moment of privacy.” “No, stay. You brought me into your family with open arms. You didn’t hide their quirks and I want to do the same with you.” Jackson remained where he was and his tender blue eyes were encouraging as he tilted his head toward me.
“Mother, this is the man that I love and who I want to share my life with. I would want you to be happy for me but…if you’re not…it won’t change my mind.” I was prepared to hold my ground long enough to wish her well before I went on my journey; however, I would not apologize for following my heart and my instincts. “I understand,” her smile was faint, “Believe it or not, I am happy for you. If you have found someone who loves you as much as you say and it’s obvious you feel the same for him, that is all I have ever wanted for you. Happiness.” She cleared her throat before continuing. “Janay, I know that I have not been the best at displaying my affection for you. You were always a daddy’s girl and I envied the relationship that you and your father shared. But never…and I mean never, think that I don’t cherish having you as my daugher. I have loved you like my own from the day I took your tiny body into my arms, all wrapped up in receiving blankets.” Mother opened her palms to gesture at holding an object – a baby – carefully in her arms. “You were so small and I was worried that I would hurt you. I worried every day since then that I wasn’t doing my job as your mother…as your mom, well enough. After the dinner at my house, I could see that I was right about that part. I was wrong to call you and…your…boyfriend, those awful words. I apologize for that, truly I do. You are my daughter, Janay, even if we don’t share the same DNA…you’re my daughter, and you are already perfect in my eyes. I love you and only ever want what is best for you, and I guess I went overboard in how I tried to make that happen. If being with the man you love and who loves you back is what you truly want out of life…and I can see by the determination on your face that it is…then I wish you two only many years of bliss together.”
“Do you really mean that, Mother?” I wanted to believe the truth in what she had said. I wanted to believe that my mother loved me the way that she said she did and that I wasn’t a disappointment to her. “I do, Janay. Remember, no matter how old you get and or where you go, you’ll always be my little girl.” I pulled her into my arms and heaved out tears of joy on her slim shoulder. My mother loved me and I didn’t feel like an unwanted orphan anymore. After another handful of sobs while she clasped me tight, trying her best to make up for years of missed hugs and restrained expressions of her full affection, Mother slowly pulled back. She kissed my nose and wiped my tearstained cheeks. “You two better get going. I don’t want you to miss your flight.” Jackson, who had been patiently waiting alongside of us, took hold of my hand. “Goodbye, ma’am, I’ll make sure your daughter is always taken care of.” Mother nodded her acknowledgment and sniffed once more. “Make sure you do, Jackson.” “I’ll call you as soon as we touch down, Mom.” Her face brightened. “I look forward to your call.” We both knew this was the first time I had ever called her by that endearing term. Though she and I were going in separate directions, a thousand miles apart, our renewed relationship was off to a promising start. From some bright place, I was confident that my dad was smiling about my mom and I reaching this hopeful resolution.
Jackson and I started up the terminal again, hands clasped, toward our awaiting departure and on to a brave new world – together.
Epilogue
Three exciting and tenacious months later and the crowd outside of the bar surged in anticipation as Jackson and I cut the yellow ribbon for the grand reopening. The New Crystal Springs Bar & Lounge was what the pristine and illuminated sign over the sturdy and solid oak door read. Jackson’s hometown proved to be his greatest ally in refurbishing his father’s establishment and paying off the lingering debt on the property. After a townhall meeting to discuss the sour state of the local economy, the residents of the tight-knit community volunteered service and materials to restore both the exterior and interior of the bar, as well as held several fund raisers to pay down the back taxes. Rita and Alberto called to show their support as well. Both offered to volunteer their time to help construct an ad campaign to revitalize tourism through the valley. The duo, thicker than thieves since my exodus, would be flying down at the end of the month to help plan out our endevours for the invigorating my town. They would be bringing my mom along with them and I just couldn’t wait for her to meet up with Jackson’s clan. Leshaune and Annie were refined women and would have no problems getting along. I was more interested in seeing the priceless and stunned look that was sure to make an appearance on my mother’s face when she encountered the Pratt’s – Bea and Ritchie. I giggled to myself at the outcome of that particular get-together. I sat on the stool next to Jackson and shared a few laughs with him as the patrons filed in through the door and filled up the space. The first round of drinks was going to
be on the house – courtesy of the owners – and there wasn’t a dry tongue within five miles that was willing to miss out on such a treat. The music started up and the door remained propped open. Sunlight and fresh air poured in, as more folks stepped inside. Dancing couples pranced across whatever empty space they could find. Harry and Annie poured drinks from behind the bar – as a newly instated House Rule, only sparkling cider for John Junior, which he sipped slowly – while Bea and Ritchie argued back and forth over how long the mesquite barbeque sauce should simmer. Thirty minutes into the celebration, when the place was in full swing, Jackson turned to Harry and signalled him with two fingers held up in the air. I watched the action, but was nonethewiser as I drank from my own glass – Harry’s Lemon Drop Surprise. The snappy tune over the speakers dimmed and the massive crowd fell into a hush. Jackson placed my hands in his and turned me faceforward so that I was peering out at the crowd behind him. I threw my hands up to my mouth the instant he bent his large body down to one knee. “Janay Parker…I love you,” his cool blue eyes were shimmering up at me, “I think I have since the second you stepped across that threshold. I should have asked you this the day we were up at the spring but I’m askin’ you now…will you marry me?” He swallowed hard and I could have sworn the entire crowd leaned in just a little closer to hear my answer to his life changing question. A tear slipped over my cheek, then another, followed by several more in long hot streams on both sides. I was crying again, probably blubbering too.
“Yes…of course I will,” I croacked out and Jackson stood up to seize my lips, the moisture from my face trickling onto his clean shaven cheeks. As I dabbed at my eyes with my right hand, he slipped a sapphire ring, encircled in sparkling diamonds, on the finger of my left hand. I hugged him again, still too speechless and giddy to do anything else. “Welcome to our family, Janay,” Annie said from across the bar. Her grin was wide and her face was flushed with excitement. “Now you and Jackson can start workin’ on givin’ me some grandbabies.” The bar went up in a roar of laughter. I looked at Jackson and lifted my eyebrow, an alluring smirk hanging on my lips. “I’m ready to start right now, if you are Mr. Bryant.” A full set of pearly whites shot back an answer before he spoke. “Baby, I’m always ready to have a taste of you…Mrs. Bryant.” When I turned eighteen, I had contemplated searching for my birth parents. Standing here now, swooning over the man that I loved and surrounded by friends and family, with more arriving in a few weeks, I came to the conclusion that I was so glad I had not taken that path. This was my home, and it was always waiting for me to arrive. Another lingering kiss between Jackson and I sealed our futures together, forever and always.
THE END
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