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Her Choice

By India Jade Smith

Copyright 2012 India Jade Smith

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Thank you for downloading this free eBook. Although this is a free book, it remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy at Smashwords.com, where they can also discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.

All characters appearing in this book are fictitious.

Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental.

I wish to thank and give all praise to God. All honor goes to him. Without him, this would not have been completed nor would I have had the talent to do so.

Author's Note:

If you've read my last novel, "Sometimes Love Isn't Enough", I'm sure you're expecting something similar to that now. This isn't like that in any way. As you read in the description, this is a story of a lesbian protagonist, something I've never done before. I'm not even sure how the idea for this novel popped into my head. I initially wanted it to be a little novella that was to be released at the beginning of fall following "Sometimes Love Isn't Enough" which was released in the summer. But when I began writing "Her Choice", I decided to make it a full novel. I think it's an interesting story so I'm going to for it. I hope you like it as well. Enjoy!

Her Choice
Chapter 1

"How you doing, beautiful?" A deep, resonant voice says from behind me.

I turn around and meet the eyes of the finest boy I've ever seen in my life. Well, maybe not a boy. He must be over twenty. He has big, soft-looking lips that are framed by a neat mustache and goatee. His eyes are deep hazel. It's an interesting combination. He is a dark man, but his eyes are green-hazel. He wore a button up shirt that wasn't buttoned at the top to show his strong, hairy chest.

"I'm fine. How are you?" I respond, trying to keep my cool.

"You are extremely beautiful. I just thought I should come over and say that to you." He says.

"Thanks for the compliment." I say with a blush. He was so fine and here he is talking to little old me!

"Naw, that's the truth. My name's Ace by the way. And you are?"

"Michel," I say, holding out my hand to shake. He takes my hand and kisses the back of it. My cheeks turn aflame. After he kisses my hand, he continues to hold it. Where's Chloe when I need her! She has to see this!

"That's a beautiful name, for a very beautiful girl."

I blush some more. "So, are you enjoying the party?" I ask him.

"It's alright, but this is obviously a kids' party." He says nonchalantly.

I don't know whether to be embarrassed or not. This is my first time at a high school party and I'm a sophomore. Momma is always trippin' and would never let me go. She finally lets me and I definitely lucked out. Look at this fine male specimen talking to me. But the way he said kids' party made me think he was implying that I was just a kid too.

"I think it's pretty fun." I say. I wouldn't call it a kids' party. Kids have piñatas and streamers. This is a high school party. Everywhere you look is alcohol and marijuana.

"Of course you do," He says with a smirk. I wasn't sure how I felt about that.

I cross my arms over my breasts. I am finally a D cup at sixteen. Yes, I am excited about that. My best friend Chloe is already a DD so I had to catch up. "What do you mean by that?" I ask him, rolling my neck a bit.

"Hold up, ma. I didn't mean to come off rude or anything, but I'm just saying. Of course you'd find this little soirée fun, because all you know are high school parties. If my frats and I were hosting this, it'd be much more exciting than teenagers getting drunk before their parents get home." He laughs.

"Well, why are you here?" I asked him, sounding annoyed.

"Nothing better to do," He says casually. He looks me over when he says that, making me feel excited and uncomfortable at the same time. His eyes rest on my fairly large breasts. He smiles his approval, making me feel like a piece of meat.

"Are you a virgin?" Ace asks me out of the blue.

"Why?"

"I was just asking. So are you?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Nothing, that's a good thing. That means you're not fast like all these other girls at this party." He says. He touches my chin. "That's special."

"I guess." I say, hoping he wasn't getting the wrong idea.

"So...you ever give head before?" He asks.

"No, why?"

He laughs like something was funny. "I'm just asking."

"So are you having fun?" I ask, because I had nothing else to say. Usually when I'm in a situation like this with a boy, I just make up an excuse that's never any good and walk away.

"I wasn't, but not that I've got someone worth talking to, I'm good." He says slyly. "So what about you? You having fun?"

"I am now." I say, taking his lead. I glance across the room and see Chloe. I grin at her, showing off that this sexy guy was talking to me.

"So how old are you?" He asks.

"Sixteen," I say proudly. I have my permit and everything.

He grins and nods. "That's a good age."

I was about to ask his age but someone beat me to it.

"So how old are you?" Chloe demands. She has her arms folded across her overdeveloped breasts. Like I said, we are both the same age—I am a few months younger—but Chloe's breasts are out of this world.

"I'm twenty-one." He answers. He looks Chloe up and down like she is a little kid approaching a grown man. I guess she is.

"You're way too old. She's only sixteen." Chloe says defiantly. She raises her eyebrows at Ace, expecting him to explain why he was attempting to rob the cradle.

I look at Chloe. She always acts like my freaking mother or something. Can't she see I just want to have fun?

"Who are you? Her mother?" Ace asks. He tries to keep his cool, but I can tell Chloe was annoying him. Hell, she was annoying me too.

"Thank you," I mumble under my breath. That got me a glare from Chloe.

"No, I'm just her best friend." Chloe says, placing a protective arm around my shoulders. She stresses the best as if it gave her the right to be so dang overprotective.

"Oh," Ace says, nodding. "Y'all are like that."

"NO!" I exclaim, alarmed as I jumped away from Chloe. "To each her own, but not Michel Wilkes. I like boys."

Ace grins. "How do you feel about men?"

Chloe just shakes her head, ignoring his statement. "Why don't you find someone your own age? You're twenty-one. You should have sophomores in college not high school. Messing with sixteen year olds is illegal."

"What are you gonna do? Call the cops?" He challenges sarcastically.

"I could," She retorts.

"Dang, Chloe, it's okay. He's cool." I jump in, feeling as though this has gone on long enough.

"Michel, you know dang well what he wants from you." Chloe says. She sounds like my mother. Michel, before you go, my mother had said before I left for the party. Don't give those boys your goodies, because that's all they want.

"I'm just talking. A man can't talk to a woman?"

"She's not a woman. We're both just teenagers."

"Well, I think she's a woman. And a woman doesn't need a bodyguard; she can make her own decisions."

"Michel, let's go. It's getting late anyway and you know how your mom gets." Chloe says. She grabs my arm and prepares to pull me away, but I take my arm back.

"Why are you being so stuck up?" I demand.

"I'm not the one being stuck up. You acting so new because some older man is talking to you, but you don't even realize he's only trying to get what's between your legs." Chloe retorts.

"You're so jealous that a guy is talking to me instead of you. You're just mad that the attention is on me for once. Why don't you go find someone else to block?" I lash out at her.

"Seriously, Michel? I'm trying to look out for you, because obviously you're being very stupid right now."

"Whatever, Chloe. I'll see you later." I say, moving closer to the guy.

"Michel, you really need to wake up." Chloe say as if issuing one last warning.

"Whatever." I say.

"Forget her. She's just jealous." He says.

"Hardly," I hear Chloe say as I was steered away.

Ace takes me to the refreshment table and grabs two Olde English beers. He hands one of the frosty drinks to me. I take it, but I didn't want to drink it.

"You don't drink?" He asks as if that were a bad thing.

"No," I admit. I am proud of not drinking. Momma's always talking about "young people"—as she called us—having sex, getting high, or getting drunk. I'm not doing any of those things so I'm good.

"Don't be scared." He said, opening my can for me. He held it out to me like the perfect gentleman.

"I'm not. I just don't like the way it tastes."

"But it'll help relax." He says, moving the can closer to my lips. "Try it."

I let him put the can to my lips and I take a sip. I don't know what urine tastes like, but I'm guessing it tastes like beer. Ace lifts the can higher and the gross liquid floods into my mouth. I force myself gulp it down. He makes me drink the whole can in one sitting. I burp when I finish and blush.

"Cute," He says, grinning. He wraps an arm my shoulder and begins leading me towards the open door. "Let's go have a drink."

"Where are we going?" I ask.

"To the garage. I want us to drink with my friends." Ace replies.

"Why can't we drink in here?"

He smiles as if I asked a stupid question. "Because my friends are in the garage,"

"Oh," I say, feeling much like the immature child I am. I hope he doesn't want to go all the way like Chloe thinks. I don't think so. Ace is so nice. "Only for minute though. I know Chloe's worried."

"You're a woman, right?" Ace asks, stopping us in front of the door.

Wrong. I'm just a teenage with a good bra. I nod anyway, knowing dang well I ain't no woman.

"Well, stop being scared and act like a woman."

"I'm not scared."

"I know you're not. That's why I like you; you are a real woman."

Ace holds my hand and leads me through the damp grass to the garage at the back of the yard. There is a normal door and a car door. The car door is closed so we go in the normal door. You would think at a party the garage door would be open for easy access.

There are six more guys about Ace's age scattered around the small, windowless garage. There is a pickup truck parked inside with the lights on that served as the illuminant. The truck plays gangster rap music.

Almost every man has a blunt or a forty or both. All but two. A geeky, lab tech nerd looking guy who looks like he was about to pee himself in the corner. The other guy is a hot, football player looking guy who looks almost as nervous as the nerd. They both stand together, whispering to each other.

"Come sit with me." Ace says. I follow him to a dingy old couch that normally I would never sit on, but I do anyway. Ace wraps an arm around me as if it is the most natural act. I sit rod straight. I feel giddy and uncomfortable at the same time.

"Relax, baby." Ace says to me. He pulls me closer to him and motions for one of his friends. A big, steroid-taking dinosaur brings over a joint and hands it to Ace. Steroid-o-saurus grins me, making me feel uneasy. I ignore and turn my attention to Ace. He was hitting the blunt as though it'd run away.

"Here" Ace says, holding the joint out to me.

I shake my head. "I don't smoke." I say.

Ace grins. "It's cool. Just chill, I got you." With that, I lean in and take a deep toke off the blunt. "Hold that smoke." He coaches me.

I hold the smoke until my lungs reject it. I cough as I exhale. He tries to make me take another hit, but I shake my head. "I'm good." I say. I'd rather not choke to death.

Ace laughs before hitting the blunt again. We sit in silence as the other guys go about their business and Ace smokes the blunt alone. I start to get up to leave, but Ace grabs my arm gently and pulls me onto his lap.

He kisses me. On the lips! I blush madly as he pulls back and grins at me. "You ever kiss a boy?" He asks me.

I don't answer his question with another question this time. "No," I admit. "That was my first time."

Ace grins harder. "That's special." He says.

He kisses me again. This time he puts his tongue in my mouth and bits on my lips a little. I feel like such a spaz. I sit practically motionless as he kisses me. I never French kissed before—I never had any kiss before—so honestly, I am just stolid. All I know is my heart is beating a thousand times per minute. This is so crazy. I can't wait to tell all the other girls in the locker room on Monday that went to first base with a college boy.

Ace starts grabbing on my butt and hips and breasts, making me uncomfortable. He grabs both my breasts in his hands and tries to suck on them through my shirt. I grab his hands to stop him, crawling off his lap.

"Stop it." I tell him. "I'm not doing all that."

"So what do you do?" Ace asks with nasty undertones. His whole attitude has changed, immediately scaring me off.

"I'm going back to the party." I say, standing. His eyes scare me; I'm ready to find Chloe and go home. I try to walk out of the garage, but Ace grabs my arm and yanks me to him.

"Why you trying to run out so fast? We just got here." Ace says. He's acting different.

"Let me go, Ace. I want to leave." I say, pushing him away with all my strength. He holds me tight. "Let go!"

"Shut the fuck up!" Ace snaps on me. He picks me up effortlessly and slams me down on the couch. He starts pawing at my clothes and kissing on my neck.

"Stop it! Let me go! Stop!" I scream at the top of my lungs until Ace slaps a hand over my mouth. I bite him hard. He rears back and slaps me. "Stop it, please." I cry, beg.

"Just shut the fuck up and it'll be cool." Ace says. He strokes my hair as if I am his little child, as if everything were truly going to be okay.

"Please, just let me leave. I don't want to be here anymore." I cry.

The other guys in the room are just laughing and watching. The two guys in the corner watch in horror and disgust. They aren't too disgusted to help me.

"Hurry up, man. I got next." Steroid-Man says, grinning from ear to ear.

"No, please don't!" I cry out. I start clawing and slapping Ace, trying to get up from beneath him and out of this horrid garage.

"Ace, tie her ass up or something. I ain't trying to have that little bitch scratch me up. And I definitely don't want nobody to hear her ass." A guy says from the bed of the truck. He's looking for something.

"Naw, I love it when they fight and beg." Ace says cruelly. "Even though they can't do shit."

Ace pins my arms to the couch with one hand and he uses the other hand to get my capris down.

"Stop it!" I cry some more. He doesn't stop. Instead, he laughs at me.

The guy from the truck tosses Ace a strip of condoms. Ace grins as he sits up. He sits on me to keep me from moving. His weight crushes me, and my tears blind me. He looks me in my eyes.

"You better be real quiet, okay? We're just gonna have a little fun and then you can go. I don't wanna have to really hurt you." Ace says. He speaks in a patronizing tone. "You understand me?"

I cry, sniffling snot as I do. Please, God, don't let this happen to me. I'll never go to another party again. I'll go to church with Momma every Sunday and bible study every Wednesday.

"Shark, toss me that." Ace says to one of the guys. A guy whose teeth seems way too big for his mouth—respectively named Shark—hands a black object to Ace. I struggle to see what it is.

Ace points a black, sleek gun to my forehead. "You see this? All you have to do is be quiet and don't scream or do any more of that dumb shit you been doing, and I won't have to put one of these bullets in your pretty face." Ace says with a supposedly convincing smile. "You understand?"

I never cried so hard in my life. "Please, just don't....."

Suddenly Ace slaps me across the face with the gun. I start all out bawling. "Do you understand me?" He asks more forcefully.

I cry as I nod. I just want it to be over. It didn't end until all seven of them did what they wanted to do to me. I blacked out once and Ace woke me back up. He wanted to me to experience all of it.



"Michel! Michel! Chelly, where the heck are you, girl! We have to go!" I hear Chloe calling me, but I can't find the voice to answer.

I can't even find the strength to get up of the floor when I lie in a puddle of my blood and their semen. Everything about me hurt. My face hurt from being hit. My throat hurt from them shoving their penises down it. My neck hurt from being sucked. My breasts hurt from being bit on. My "down there" hurt from being...Even my butt hurt from them doing it there too.

"Oh my God, Chelly!" Chloe screams when she spots me on the floor. Everything after I burst into tears for the one millionth time of that night was a blur. I blacked out again and woke up in Chloe's house. She and her twenty year old sister were talking about me. Wanting to know what happened. Wanting to confirm the obvious.

"I called your mom, sweetie." Chelsea says to me. She sits next to me on Chloe's bed, her hand lies on my thigh. "She had a fit about you staying the night, but I told her I was too tired to drive so she got over it. I didn't tell her anything about what happened."

I nod, staring out the open window into the windy night. The night that changed my life forever in just a few hours. I stare down at my lap. My stonewashed capris are stained in the crotch as if I had a massive Aunt Flo visit. Tears stream down my face.

Chelsea draws me into her arms and I weep quietly. "You have to tell me who that guy was. Chloe told me there was an older guy that you walked away with. Who was he so I could find that motherfucker? Ain't nobody gon fuck with either of my little sisters, no-fucking-body."

Chelsea is twice as protective as Chloe and their mother, Ms. Cynthia, is ten times as protective as Chels so they get it honest. Chelsea is the big sister I never had, but always wanted. My brother, Terrence, is cool, but he can't teach me how to do make-up.

"Who was that trick?" Chelsea demands.

"There were seven of them." I cry, speaking for the first time since it happened.

"Oh my God, seven? Did they all...?"

"Yes," I cry. I hold Chelsea tighter, weep harder. "I want to go home to my Momma now. Please, drive me home."

"Okay, sweetie. Anything you want. As soon as we get to your house, we're calling the police. That's why we didn't try to clean you up. They need to see what those motherfuckers did to you."



Once again, another blur. We called the police and it got us nowhere, but confirmed that I was raped by seven men. I gave them Ace's name and a description of him and the other guys. I only knew two of their names and they were nicknames. Ace and Shark. I knew nothing else and the descriptions sucked. I just wanted it all to be over. They'll probably never find them, not even in twenty years.
Chapter 2

Ten years later

I snap awake, disoriented, sweaty, and crying. I think I've become too used to waking up in the middle of the night this way. I wipe my tears and slip out of bed, careful not to wake Sabrina.

I walk to the bathroom, close the door gently, and turn on the lights. I stare at my reflection. I am a thickened version of the girl I was ten years ago. Not a girl, but a woman. More tits, more ass, more hips, slimmer face, thinner waist, longer hair—my hair is a curly mess—and hella more attitude.

Ever since that night I realized a lot about myself. One of those things is that I am halfway through the twenty years I predicted it would for the judicial system to put Ace and his friends behind bars and the case is already dead. The hell with it. Another thing I realized was that men aren't for me anyway. That explains the woman sleeping in my bed for those who question it. Sabrina's my girl. A third thing is that I decided to do me. I decided not to live my life for anyone else, not even my mother.

Momma despises my lifestyle. She said she's against my choice to be gay. Last time I checked, it isn't a choice. Or maybe it is. I choose not to deal with worthless ass, piece of shit men.

After using the bathroom, I clean up my tear-streaked face and wipe away yesterday's make-up. I start to wake Sabrina, but now I think otherwise. I'd rather shower and do the breakfast thing and allow her to sleep as long as she wants to.

I step into the shower, already naked after Sabrina's and my lovemaking the night before. The hot water soothes the nightmare away and fills me with just the refreshment I need to start my day.

I lean against the shower wall, away from the stream. I removed the removable faucet from its place and put it between my legs. I close my eyes and enjoy the feel of the hot, strong jet on my clit. I think of the way Sabrina ate my pussy into paralysis the night before.

I hear that a lot of women who were raped have many reservations about sex, while others become addicted to it. I don't think I fall into either category. I have no reservations about sex, actually I love it, but at the same time, I wouldn't categorize myself as addicted to it. Although, one reservation would be that I do not, do not, like penetration. I'm okay with fingering, but that's it. I don't like men so I don't really have to worry about it, but I've had some women who like to fuck other women with a strap-on. I don't mind doing another woman—I have my own strap-on for them—I just don't want that shit done to me.

I almost freak the hell out when the shower door is pulled opened and I'm standing there wide-eyed with my hand between my legs. I sigh as I roll my eyes at Sabrina.

"Don't do that." I tell her, replacing the showerhead.

"Did you think I didn't notice you tossing around again all night?" Sabrina asks. She stands with her arms folded across her chest. She's wearing the rose colored robe I had gotten her from Victoria's Secret along with some other things for her birthday a few weeks ago.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you." I tell her. I lean against the wall and cross my arms also. I hate when she tries to talk to me about this. I'll tell her when I feel she needs to know, don't rush me. I'm a grown ass woman. Twenty-six years old. I'm a damn businesswoman. I own a damn day spa.

"Why don't you tell me what this is all about? I hate seeing you wake up in cold sweat and all I can do is hug you, but I can never help you stop having them, because I don't know what it is. What is this nightmare you're having?"

"It doesn't matter, Sabrina. I'll take care of it and I won't wake you up again." I say with attitude.

I've been dating Sabrina for nine months—a damn pregnancy—but after a few weeks of dating, Sabrina spends a lot of nights with me so she's practically moved in. She has an apartment, but she doesn't ever go there. She has more clothes and shoes at my house than her own. I'm not complaining though, I love having her here with me. It doesn't help the nightmares much, but it makes me feel good to wake up and have a body to hold.

"I'm not saying it like that at all. You know I care about you, Michel. I just want to know what it is that got you tossing and turning almost every night and why you don't trust me enough to tell me about it."

"It's not that I don't trust you, Sabrina. You know I trust you. It's just that I don't feel as if it's that important that you need to know." I say, softening up to her.

"Baby, it is important. Anything that got you troubled in your sleep is very important. I want you to tell me. I need you to tell me. Anything that has this much of an effect on you I need to know because I want to help you."

"I do not need any help, Sabrina. I need you to stop pressuring me about this,"

"Michel, I am not pressuring you, but how do you expect me to ignore this like I don't notice it every night?"

"I don't have nightmares every night." I say. Then I dismiss the conversation. "Now, I want to finish my shower. Either join me or go bathe in another bathroom." I say. I turn my back to her, giving her a view of my ass.

Sabrina sighs, probably upset that the conversation didn't go the way she wants it to. That's too bad. She should know by now: this is my spot and what I say goes.

She may be annoyed, but she isn't stupid. She steps into the shower and enjoys her damn self with some hot, steamy sex. That's how I live my life.



"I'll see you tonight." I say to Sabrina, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Wait, I thought we were gonna spend the afternoon at the spa with Chloe and Chelsea." Sabrina says quickly, holding on to my hand as if I'd run away.

"Oh, shit! I completely forgot." I say, giving myself a V-8 on the forehead. "Okay, it's all good. Three o' clock, right?"

"Yeah, what else do you have going today?" Sabrina asks.

"I'm meeting with the contractor at one-thirty, but it doesn't matter; I'll finish in time." I say.

"Okay, well, you bet not be late."

"I won't be." I say, kissing her again. "Bye, baby."

"Wait!" Sabrina exclaims again.

I force myself not to sigh and demand 'what now'. "Yes?"

"I'll miss you till then." She says, smiling as if that were the cutest thing ever.

I can't help but smile too. "I'll miss you too. And to prove that...." I take her into my arms and kiss her fiercely. I squeeze small C cup tits against my Ds. Let me mention now, I am a breast woman. I love a woman's breasts. Big or small, I love 'em all.

"Bye, baby." I repeat. "And don't forget to lock my shit up when you leave." I add before walking out the door.

Sabrina is what a small-minded man and I would call a straight up bombshell babe. She is the product of an Asian mother and a black father so she has those sexy ass slanted eyes with sexy honey toned skin. Her lips are full and pouty. Any woman or man would want to kiss, bite, and suck on them. Her neck, shoulders, and waist are slender, but she has curves and—as previously mentioned—perky, C titties that appear largest than they really are on her small body, and she's the definition of ass for days. At 5'6'', all that sexiness was set in a petite frame. Though, she's still taller than me, because I'm only 5'4".

I slip into my white BMW M3, strap my seat belt, and set up my phone. I scroll through my contacts until I reach the number I need. I press send on the touch pad.

"Bill Miller's office." Bill's assistant says.

"Yes, my name is Michel Wilkes. I am just checking in to confirm my appointment with Bill. He's supposed to be giving me an estimate today." I say.

"Oh, yes, Ms. Michel Wilkes. Bill will be at your establishment at one-thirty today. Can you confirm your building address for me please?"

"Of course," I say and then relay the address. "Is there anything else you need from me?" I ask.

"No ma'am. Bill will be there at exactly one-thirty and be sure to have all your information, blueprints, and permits. Have a nice day, Ms. Wilkes." The secretary says.

"No problem and you enjoy your day also."

Once we disconnect, I continue my drive to work so I can run my business.



"Chelly!" A shrill voice greets me as I walk out of my office. I turn and see the damn She-Devil herself, decked out in a sexy ass red wrap dress with glittery FMPs (Fuck Me Pumps).

I put on my fake and phony, happy-to-see-this-bitch face and smile. "Raven! Hey, boo!" I greet her. She rushes to hug me and I allow it. "What are you doing here?"

"This is a spa, sweetie! I needed some R&R so what better place than a day spa?" Raven says excitedly. Anyone else's day spa would have been fine. I think grimly.

"I guess so." I say. "Well, you enjoy yourself. I have to get back to work."

"Please, Chelly. This is in fact your establishment so you don't have to get back to work. How about we go to the café and have lunch?" She suggests.

Really, bitch? "Um, I have an appointment not too long from now so I was going to refrain from lunch so I could get more done today." I say. Why am I explaining anything to this heifer?

"Oh, poo, Chelly. Come on, let's have a quick lunch. I have a seaweed wrap in about a half hour anyway so it won't take long." Raven pokes her lips out in a pouty face.

I sigh deeply. "Sure, why not?"

"Splendid," Raven says.

I take her lead and follow her to the café on the opposite side of the spa. I got the café so that when people come and get hungry, they get a convenient spot right there. There was this damn family owned restaurant across the street that was getting its business off the women that left my spa. I figured why give the customers to them, when I could put a restaurant right here.

We take a seat at a table in center of the café. As soon as Sara, one of the waitresses, sees me sit down, she rushes over to us. I smile at her.

"Hey, Michel." Sara greets me.

"How you doing, Sara?" I respond.

"I'm great. And you?"

"Fine."

"Um, excuse me. I'll have a caramel latte and a Caesar salad." Raven says after rudely clearing her throat. I don't suppress my urge to roll my eyes.

"Okay. And what about you, Michel?" Sara asks.

"I'll just take a bottle of water. This won't take long." I say to remind Raven that she's on my time.

"Actually, get Chelly a hot sausage with extra peppers." Raven jumps in. "You still like those, right?"

"Yes, but I don't want one. Just water, Sara." I say.

"Okay, Michel." Sara says. She starts to walk away.

"Um, Sara, is it? Just one second. Get the hot sausage." Raven says.

"Okay,"

"Well, I hope you're eating it." I say.

"Come on, Chelly. You said you'll eat lunch with so eat. I'm buying."

I sigh deeply and make a show of looking at my watch. "Fine, you've got twenty minutes."

"Marvelous," She says giddily. "Oh, and replace Chelly's water with a strawberry-banana smoothie. She loves those."

"Is that all?" Sara asks. She looks at me, but I'm sure she's waiting for Raven to say something else.

"No, Sara, that's all." I say, freeing her from Raven even though I'm still trapped in the web.

"You're gonna tip her good." I tell Raven once Sara bounces away.

"And why does she deserve that?" Raven asks, sounding upset.

"Because she had to deal with you forcing me to eat something I don't want."

"She obviously didn't mind. She was just enjoying her time flirting with you. And you were evidently enjoying your time flirting with her."

"Flirting? Um, maybe I missed something, because I thought I was here the whole time, but obviously I wasn't. When did you see flirting?"

She began mimicking Sara's and my conversation with a mocking, peppy tone. "How are you doing today, Sara? I'm great. And you? Oh, I'm just fine."

"So what? I was being polite." This bitch is so fucking retarded.

"Yeah, whatever." Raven says.

We both fall silent. I begin looking at my watch every thirty seconds, silently praying for Sara to return with the food so I could eat and escape.

"So did you sleep with her?" Raven asks out of the blue.

"What? No!"

"You answered that pretty fast, didn't you?" Raven asks suspiciously.

"Raven, what are you talking about? Sara is my employee so I would never sleep with her. Secondly, she's straight and has a boyfriend."

"Um, that's interesting." She says.

I decide to bite. "How so?"

"Well, if she's so straight, why was she obviously flirting with you?"

"Oh my God, Raven! We weren't flirting." I exclaim, exasperated.

"I guess not." She says.

"Oh, thank God." I mumble when Sara places the appropriate dishes before us. I grab my smoothie and suck it desperately. Drink, Eat, Bounce. Drink, Eat, Bounce. I repeat to myself. I just need to escape the damn She-Devil.

"Thanks, Sara." I say.

"You're welcome, Michel. You ladies enjoy your lunch and call me if you need anything." Sara says.

"Alright, thanks." I say, and Sara bounces off.

"You just don't ever stop, do you?" Raven demands once Sara is gone.

"What?"

"Flirting with her!"

"I wasn't flirting." I say and sigh, giving up on the situation. I pick at the damn hot sausage I didn't want anyway.

"Eat your food. How often do you skip lunch anyway?" Raven asks, changing her tone completely.

"Whenever I feel like it." I say. I push my plate away.

"That's not healthy. Eat," She pushes the plate back to me.

"You eat it." I say.

"Stop being childish. It's obviously that you're not as happy to see me as I am to see you, but—"

"What would give you that idea?" I ask sarcastically.

"Anyway," She says. "I know you're not very happy to see me, but I really want to talk to you."

"There, now we're getting somewhere. I was wondering why you are here acting like we are friends or something."

"Well, we used to be friends. Our relationship was really fantastic so I thought maybe that would make us friends."

I sigh deeply. "Our relationship was cool, but why the fuck is you here now?"

"Chelly, you are way too beautiful to use profanity. And 'is you' is so ghetto. You went to school for a reason. The words are 'are you'."

"Raven, get to the fucking point, aiight!" I snap. I purposely used the slang to annoy her.

"Language, Chelly! Gosh, will it kill you to be a little more ladylike?"

"No, but it will kill me to have to hear you say anything else that does not apply to the reason you are holding me hostage at this damn table." I slump back in my seat and take a bit sloppy bite out of my hot sausage. It was delicious. Damn her!

"Good, you're eating." She says. Self-satisfaction underlined her tone.

"Raven, what do you want?" I demand.

"I want to talk to you, woman to woman."

"You said that, but what is it?"

"I miss Sabrina."

I burst into deranged laughter. I laugh at the hoe, because I know where this shit is going. For those of you slow heifers that didn't catch on, Raven is an ex-girlfriend. Not just any ex-girlfriend. Raven is both my ex-girlfriend and Sabrina's ex-girlfriend. Raven dated me first. Then she dumped me for Sabrina. At that time, both she and Sabrina were queen bitches to me. Then Raven goes and dumps Sabrina for some other queen bitch. I run into Sabrina one day and we get to talking. The rest is history. Not exactly, Sabrina and I have been kicking it steady for nine months and Raven doesn't mean shit to either of us.

"This isn't funny. Sabrina means a lot to me and I really miss her. I was a fool for leaving her." Raven explains.

"Oh my God, Raven are you serious? You go through women—and men—like socks. You find a pair you like, you wear it a few times, and then you lose them in washer. Next thing you know, you've bought a new pair." I know it was a dumb ass analogy. So sue me.

"I just thought I'd come to you and be a woman about this. I am going to go to Sabrina and tell her how I feel. I just thought I'd warn you."

"Warn me? And you just think Sabrina is going to leave me for you?"

"Yes," Raven says simply.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, Raven, but Sabrina and I have been together for too long. Unlike you, I've actually committed to her. You're not that irresistible."

"Oh, whatever, Chelly. You couldn't find me resistible."

"That was over a year ago."

"Well, time is only an illusion."

"Please," I say. I glance at my watch. It was after one o' clock. "And I have to get going." I say, standing.

"Running away from me, Chelly?"

"Please, Raven. I told you I had somewhere to be. Good luck with your Sabrina quest." I throw a twenty on the table, and then add a five for Sara.

"Oh, I don't need luck, but thanks anyway." Raven says. She picks up the money. "I told you I'm paying."

"Well, it can be a tip for Sara." I say, walking away.

"A twenty-five dollar tip? I knew you were cheating on Sabrina with her."

I roll my eyes and sigh, exasperated. "And the pussy was good too!" I shout behind me with sarcasm.

I got a lot of gasps and dirty looks from some of the older women of the spa and some curious glances from the men. Quite a few men come to my spa also. And not all of them are gay.

I give an apologetic glance to a table of older women who gave me looks. I make it no secret that I was a lesbian, but still, there are some things meant for work and some things that are not.

"You are such a tramp, Chelly!" I hear Raven call after me. "That's why I broke up with you in the first place!"

I turn to her. "Actually, you broke up with me, because you're the tramp and you had more women on your list." I turn back and exit.

"Johnny, will you escort that woman I was sitting with out of my establishment? She has long, black hair and she's wearing an out of season wrap dress."

"Of course, Ms. Wilkes." Johnny says.

"Johnny, don't make me have to tell you to call me Michel again." I warn him with a smile as I walk out.

"Of course, Michel."
Chapter 3

"Ah, this feels so good." I sigh as I flex my toes in the foot spa. I relax in my reclined chair, enjoying the feel of being pampered. After getting my estimate, I need to be giving my wallet a massage, because the cost got my pockets all tensed up. But it is worth it, because I want to expand my building before I sooner or later expand to actual business and place another location.

"Don't ignore my question, hoe!" Chloe snaps at me. "What that tramp say?"

I sigh. I brought up Raven to Sabrina, Chloe, and Chelsea. I wanted to vent, but now I think it was a bad idea. I don't want to spoil the mood, but I think it's too late for that.

"Raven said that she misses Sabrina and basically she's going to take her back from me. She said she wanted to warn me that she was getting back with Sabrina." I say.

Chelsea and Chloe laugh. "That cocky bitch! What makes her think Sabrina even wants her ass back? Obviously, Sabrina is taken."

"That's what she said. I laughed in that heifer's face too." I say with a laugh.

"You sound worried." Sabrina comments.

"What?" I ask.

"You sound worried that she might actually get me back."

"Should I be worried?" I ask her. The four of us fall silent. Even the ladies that are doing our feet or nails shush because they were obviously listening to our conversation. I glare at Sabrina, thinking the worst. I'm not gon cry over any woman, no matter how much they mean to me. If Sabrina wants Raven's cheating ass back, then fine. As long she doesn't come crying to me after Raven's slut ass leaves her for a new toy.

"Well, Sabrina? Shit, inquiring minds want to know." Chloe chimes in. Sometimes her nosy, goofy ass gets on my nerves.

"Of course you have nothing to worry about. I was just saying. You seem actually worried." Sabrina laughs. "Don't tell me you're scared Raven will take your woman."

"Bitch, please! Raven can't take shit from me, definitely not a woman. I know how to keep mine happy." I say, laughing with Sabrina.

"Please, hooker. You just think you're the gift to all lesbians, don't you?" Chloe says.

"I know I am. I'll turn your little ass out too." I say. Sabrina and I laugh some more.

"I knew your gay ass wanted me!" Chloe exclaims. "I told you. There ain't nothing bi or curious about me. You better keep your freaky-kinky shit with your girlfriend." She and Chelsea slap each other high five.

"Please, hoe, I don't want your ugly ass." I say. I was laughing so hard I had to get a napkin and wipe the water that was trickling out my nose.

"Mmm-hmm," Chloe murmurs. "I swear you be watching me all lustful type. You want my body, don't you?" We all burst out laughing.

"You sound like you want her to say yes. Is there something you want to tell us? Are you coming out, sweetheart?" Sabrina asks in a patronizing tone. "Are you joining our club?"

Chloe splashes water from her foot spa on Sabrina. "I love dick too much to ever join y'all club. Besides, y'all are some ugly bitches. I could do better." Once again we all burst out laughing.

"Chelsea, I don't know what you laughing at. You and your sister might as well be twins so both of y'all is ugly." I say.

"Fuck you, hoe!" She laughs, splashing me with water.

I gasp and splash water back. We keep up with that splashing shit until Patricia gets upset.

"Alright now, I know this your spot and everything, but who y'all think got to mop this up?" Patricia snaps on us with her hand on her hip.

I can't help but laugh. "I'm sorry, girl. We're done." I say. I lean back in my chair. Chloe meets my eyes and we burst out laughing again.



After we get our nails and feet done, we get hot oil massages, waxes—Brazilian of course, facials, deep tissue treatments, and quite a few other things. In other words, we had a ball and those greedy heifers didn't have a problem with taking advantage of "my treat".

"I'm so hungry." Sabrina moans as we walk down the boulevard. She and I walk with our arms around each other's waist as Chloe and Chelsea walk beside us. Sabrina's head lies on my shoulder as we walk. I like that shit. She's wearing flip-flops and I'm wearing four-inch heels so I'm taller than her today.

"Then let's get something to eat. I could definitely go for some Chinese." Chelsea says, rubbing her stomach for emphasis.

"Mmm, Chinese! I swear you were just reading my mind." Chloe perks up. The thing is, they be serious about that mind reading shit, because I swear they really be reading each other's mind. That's how those heifers be cheating each other in games and shit.

We roll into P. F. Chang's and find a table, feeling good that we got one, because the spot was unusually packed. We sit, chat, and skim the menu as usual, already knowing what we want.

"The sexiest thing walking is coming over here!" Chelsea hisses at us in an excited whisper, interrupting the flow of our conversation. Chloe, Sabrina, and I all turn to see what's up. Sabrina and I turn away when we see two, decent looking men walking over. Don't nobody care about no dick!

"How are you doing tonight, ladies?" The taller of the two men asks. He had a nice body, if I do say so myself. He was built like a running back, lean and strong. He wore a tight T-shirt that hugged the muscles of his arms and chest, letting the ladies know exactly what he was working with.

"Fine," Chloe and Chelsea chime together. How tacky are these dudes? How you gon pick up women in a damn P. F. Chang's?

"What about you?" Mr. Running Back asks me. I guess because Sabrina and I didn't respond to his first question.

"I'm good," I say nonchalantly. I didn't want to just come out and say I wasn't interested, but I wasn't in the mood for small talk with a dick I don't want.

"I see," He says. He tries to discreetly look me over, but I see it. He obviously likes what he sees. "So, what will it take—"

"How about you two tell us now which of us you plan on flirting with? There are two of you and four of us. Obviously you have choices, no?" I interrupt him. I deliberately came off with an attitude so neither of them would say they want to talk to me.

"Why are you always so mean when men are nice to you?" Chloe says to me. She put on a fake, pretty smile so the men wouldn't think anything was wrong, but I knew the deal. She feels that I am messing up her upcoming dick action.

I glare at her with a matching fake smile. "You know exactly why."

She grins. "Maybe you should switch t—"

Sabrina cuts her off before she could tell me to switch teams. I can't help but laugh. "Come to the bathroom with me so Chelsea and Chloe can get their hoe on." Sabrina says, grinning.

"I'd love to." I say, slipping out of the booth. I give both men—both were looking a tad bit confused—a sweet look before Sabrina and I walk off.

"I bet they leave." I hear Chelsea say.

"You know they will. Heifers!" I hear Chloe.

Sabrina and I laugh as we exit the restaurant. They know us too well. We bounce, go back to my crib, order Chinese, eat, and hit the sheets.



"Right there, baby," I moan. I tangle my fingers in Sabrina's hair as she plays between my legs. My eyes drift closed and then I force them open over and over again, the pleasure was too much to handle.

Sabrina works her tongue up and down my slit, making me feel like I'm flying through the stars. But the real deal is the vibrator she has. She has the toy pressing against my clit in the most deliciously painful way. My legs quiver and shake as her tongue ravishes me, but the vibrator is something from a whole different dimension of pleasure. Like nothing I've ever felt before. The smooth silicon with the fierce vibrations...

"Oh, God!" I scream. My back arches my body into the air and off the bed. My freshly pedicured toes dig into the sheets and my fingers follow suit. The pleasure she gives me builds and builds. My body hangs in anticipation like a dam waiting to break. I'm only moments away from flying apart—

"Ow! Oh, God! Get the hell off me!" I scream. I crawl off the bed, but my foot is tangled in the sheets so I fall flat on my face. That doesn't stop me though. I scramble to my feet and run to the bathroom, slamming the door behind me. I lean against the sink with my arms folded over my naked breasts and hot tears lining my eyes.

I told her I don't like that. I don't want her to do that. Why would she do that when I told her I don't like it?

Sabrina knocks gently on the bathroom door. I ignore her as if I don't hear her even though we both know I do. My hand slips down between my legs and I touch my womanhood tenderly. That brief penetration of that vibrator didn't hurt at all. I was so wet it had slid right in, but that didn't make it any better. I told her I didn't like that. I feel violated. Abused. I didn't want that.

"Michel," Sabrina calls softly through the door.

I hug myself, trying to stop my heart from beating so fast. I breathe deeply, but my mind is still racing. I hear Sabrina still knocking on the door. Chill out, Michel. Everything's okay. It's fine. Calm down. Calm down. Calm down dammit!

I try to tell myself but it doesn't work.

All I can think about is that night. During the day, while I'm awake, it doesn't get to me. Only while I'm asleep do I think about it. Now I can't get it out my head. Why'd she do that?

"Let me go, Ace. I want to leave."

"Shut the fuck up!"

"Stop it! Let me go! Stop!"

"Michel, let me in." I hear Sabrina saying. "Let me in."

"Stop it, please."

"Just shut the fuck up and it'll be cool."

"Please, just let me leave. I don't want to be here anymore."

"Michel!" I can tell Sabrina is yelling at me, but her voice sounds farther and farther away. "Michel, open this damn door and talk to me. I know you hear me, Michel."

"Hurry up, man. I got next."

"No, please don't!"

"Ace, tie her ass up or something. I ain't trying to have that little bitch scratch me up. And I definitely don't want nobody to hear her ass."

"I said I'm sorry. Stop ignoring me so we can talk about this. Open this door or I'll just come in."

"Naw, I love it when they fight and beg. Even though they can't do shit."

"Stop it!"

"You better be real quiet, okay? We're just gonna have a little fun and then you can go. I don't wanna have to really hurt you. You understand me?"

My heart is racing, pounding in my ears. All I can hear is them, their voices, laughs. I try to focus on Sabrina, but her voice is fading away. I struggle to breathe, but I can't seem to get air into my lungs.

"You see this? All you have to do is be quiet and don't scream or do any more of that dumb shit you been doing, and I won't have to put one of these bullets in your pretty face. You understand?"

"Please, just don't....."

Then everything starts going black. Suddenly I was on the floor, curled into a ball, crying, struggling to breathe. But the voices begin to fade. All of them, even Sabrina's. I hear her voice one last time when the door bursts open. She stares down at me, fear on her face.

"Oh my God, Michel, what's wrong?"

She drops to her knees beside me and reaches for me, but I never feel her hands on me. The blackness takes over, and then there was nothing.
Chapter 4

"Michel, talk to me." Sabrina demands. She walks quickly, trying to catch up with me.

I keep my eyes straight ahead and keep walking. I walk faster and faster through the corridor until I'm almost running.

"Michel!" She calls after me.

When I finally get outside the hospital into the cold night air, I am forced to stop because I don't have any idea where Sabrina is parked. She reaches me and wraps her arms around me. I stiffen. She notices.

"I'm sorry." She says. I can tell she's on the verge of tears, thinking that this was her fault.

"I'm sorry." I tell her. "I...I overreacted, a lot. You didn't do anything." I force myself to wrap my arms around my girl and stop thinking of her as if she were...them.

"I shouldn't have done that. I thought you would like it. You seemed to be enjoying everything else I was doing. I figured if you saw if felt good there wouldn't be a problem. I didn't know you would...I didn't think you would react that way."

"I told you I don't like that." I tell her. I'm somewhat angry with her. It isn't her fault. She doesn't know the real reason behind it.

"I know, and I'm sorry. I won't do it again."

"It's okay. I'm fine."

Sabrina doesn't say anything, but puts her hand in mine and leads me to her red Nissan Altima. She opens my door for me when we get to the car and I slip inside. Moments later she gets into the driver's seat. Once we're moving, her hand comes over the console and she laces her fingers with mine. She squeezes my hands before she speaks.

"Michel?"

"Yes?" I answer cautiously. I know she still wants to talk about it.

"You have to tell me why you reacted that way."

"It was nothing, Sabrina. I just got freaked out. I told you I don't like that. When it happened I just got spooked."

"Spooked? Michel, you had an anxiety attack. I was so scared, seeing you down on the bathroom floor, shaking and naked." She squeezes my hand tighter in hers. "There's a lot more to this than just you not liking penetration. Don't treat me like I'm stupid. I know what I'm talking about."

"I'm not treating you like you you're stupid. It's nothing. I freaked out, okay? That's it."

"There's more than that." She says. Her voice trails so I know she's about to say more. I wait. "Is this about those nightmares you're always having?"

"No." I answer all too quickly.

"Yes, it is. I knew it was." She says. My speedy answer only confirmed it for her.

"I really don't feel like talking anymore, Sabrina."

"Why won't you just tell me?"

"Because there's nothing to tell," I tell her firmly.

"I care about you, Michel, so I'm not going to push you. I'm going to be patient. Just like I've been patient for the last nine months, I'm just going to wait. Sooner or later you'll be comfortable enough with me to tell me."

I can hear the disappointment in her voice, but what was I supposed to do about it? She slips her hand out of mine and puts both hands on the wheel. I simply look out the window into the darkness. Matching my mood, it's raining outside. I watch the rain fall and my own tears follow. I take a deep breath to calm myself. I care about Sabrina too, but I'm not ready to reveal that part of my life to just anyone.



"Good morning, Momma." I greet my mother with false enthusiasm. It's not that I don't love my mother, because Lord knows I do, it's just that she can be a little pretentious.

"Hello, darling." She responds with a huge smile on her face. She kisses my cheek. "How was the workweek?"

"Great. There were a few quirks here and there, but everything went well as usual." I tell her, taking notice of her bouncy step. If I didn't know any better, I would think Momma done got some of what I had last night. Hot, wild, mind-blowing sex with about seven or eight orgasms.

"What type of quirks, sweetheart?" She asks. She pours hot tea into a china cup, places it on a small, matching saucer and sets it in front of me on the kitchen table. She kisses my cheek again.

Sweetheart and darling? Fine china on a normal Sunday? Random kisses? Uh-uh, Momma done got some dick! Good dick at that!

"Raven showed up with her usual style bullshit."

"Language, honey. A lady doesn't have to swear to express her thoughts."

"Sorry, Momma. I didn't mean to say that, but all is true. Raven is on her extra type stuff."

Momma sighs, but doesn't stop smiling. My God, is she glowing? "Raven is the one that left you for the one you're shacking with now, correct?" Momma asks. She looks annoyed as she always does when we talk about my girlfriends. If I were talking about a man she wouldn't mind one bit.

"Yes, Momma. And the one I'm shacking with now is Sabrina." I tell her. I hate how she refers to my women as the ones. She still treats my sexuality as a current phase I'm going through even though I've been openly lesbian for about eight years. Since I was eighteen.

"So what did this Raven do?" She asks once she was all caught up and, the initial shock of being reminded that I was shacking with another woman wore off.

"She showed up at my job, I guess she was initially getting some treatments, but them she starts talking about how she plans to get back with Sabrina."

"Even though you're dating her?"

"Yes, Raven is the most conceited person I've ever met. She's also the most callous. And she's oblivious of half the stuff that comes out of her mouth."

"Yet you dated her. So what did you see in her?"

I roll my eyes. "Sexy body, pretty face, and, at the time, an intriguing personality."

Now Momma rolls her eyes. "That's just nasty. You sound just like one of these doggish men."

I smile. "Well, I do have something in common with them."

"And what's that, because last I checked there was a vagina between your legs. No matter what sick little toys you use nowadays."

"Are you talking about a strap-on, Momma?" I ask her incredulously.

"Ew, just don't even say that in this house."

"Momma, actually I was talking about my love for woman, not a penis. And secondly, you're gonna have to get used to the fact that I'm a lesbian sooner or later if we're going to talk like this."

"I'll get used to it as soon as I believe it's true."

"What's there not to believe, Momma? You've met all of my girlfriends over the last eight years. Obviously, I'm not lying or playing a joke."

"Maybe you think that, but you'll get over this lesbian thing sooner or later. And as soon as you do, you need to repent to God. God did not intend for man to lay with man or woman to lay with woman."

"Momma, I'll lay with whoever I damn well please."

"Watch yourself. I told you about your language. You need to be repenting about that also."

I sigh, but I know better than to say something. "So how was your week?" I ask her, deciding to change the subject.

"Fabulous," She drawls with a reminiscing look on her face. She is obviously recalling something savory that happened during her week.

"Hmm, it sounds like this week was extra significant. Was there anything special?" I ask her, watching carefully for another sign of unusual behavior.

"Well, actually—"

Momma was about to tell me what was so spectacular about her week, but the back door burst open and in walks my father. He doesn't even notice me, but goes right to Momma. He leans down and they share a long, wet kiss. I say wet because when they untangle their tongues a line of saliva runs from his lips to hers. Gross!

Momma grins like that cat that got the canary. She and my father lock eyes in a timeless moment. I start to believe that she forgot I was there too.

"You smell good." Daddy says to her.

"And you still smell like—"

"Eww!" I exclaim, making my presence known. I had figured Momma's early morning happiness was because of some good dick action, but I was actually thinking that bible study class was popping last night. I thought it truly had nothing to do with sex at all. Little did I know, Momma and Daddy were getting it in in secret.

"Hey, baby girl!" Daddy exclaims. He looks at me uneasily. I guess they weren't quite ready to let the cat out the bag.

"Y'all been fucking!" I yell before I was able to stop myself from monitoring my profanity.

"Michel Renee Wilkes, what did I just say?!" Momma thunders at me.

"Dang, Momma, I'm sorry, but...Wow!" I say, chuckling while shaking my head. "Y'all been fu...screwing."

"We weren't screwing." Momma says. She is blushing like I don't know what. "People our age don't screw nor do we...excuse me...fuck."

"Ooh, you been screwing and now you cussing!" I say teasingly. "Hmm, hmm, hmm, Daddy, what did you do to her?"

Daddy grins cockily. "Well, I just—"

"Don't even answer that." I say, interrupting him before he gave me the not so juicy details of his and Momma's sexcapade.

"Don't ask then." He says, making his way over to me. He kisses me on both cheeks and the forehead. I should have objected, but I still love Daddy's affection. But Momma was right. Old Man smells like fucking. I decide to stop breathing through my nose.

"So, how long has this been going on?" I ask the two of them. Daddy sits down and Momma comfortably takes her place on his lap as if she's been doing it all the time.

For those of you that are too damn slow to catch on, Momma and Daddy are divorced. They've been divorced since I was about five years old. So pretty much, they've been divorced my whole life. Needless to say, this new intimacy is a bit much for me. I don't give a damn though. Doesn't every child want their parents to be together?

"Don't be so nosey." Momma scolds me playfully. I could tell by the look in her eyes that she was dying to share her dirty little secrets.

"Don't be so nasty." I shoot back, risking a cuss out. I hope she takes it playfully and not get in my ass.

She rolls her eyes with a neck roll like she was one of the hoochified mamis on the streets nowadays. "If you can be, I can be."

I laugh. If she were one of my girls, I would have high fived her. Though, I don't want to open that can of worms with my mother.

"Please, I like her nasty." Daddy chimes in. He nibbles gently on her left ear.

"Eww!" I exclaim, looking away. "Please save that mess for when I'm not here."

"You can leave then, sweetheart." Momma says with a smile.

I feign an offended gasp. "Look at you. You start getting some and now you kicking me, your only daughter, out for it."

"Oh don't be so dramatic. Ain't nobody kicking you out." Momma says. I watch as she unconsciously strokes Daddy's chest with her fingertips. You could just see the love—and lust—between them.

"I can't wait to tell T about this." I say, referring to my big brother, Terrence.

Momma and Daddy sigh in unison. "I can just see the blowout now." Daddy comments.

"Mmm-hmm," Momma agrees. "But those are your kids."

"And I still love 'em no matter what." Daddy says, grinning at me. I smile back.

"I love you too, Daddy." I say.

"And what about me?" Momma asks.

"You nasty!" I say.

Momma reaches over the table and playfully slaps me on the arm. I laugh. "I love you, too, Momma."

"I love you too, baby." Momma says. Suddenly some group hug action goes on.

"Dang, what did I miss?" I hear.

"Ty!" I scream, jumping up and hugging my brother around the neck, damn near choking him. He tells me so.

"Alright, girl, strangle me, why don't you?" Terrence says, but he squeezed me just as tight, maybe even tighter.

"Why didn't you tell me you were flying in?" I demand, slapping him on the shoulder.

"I was going to, but Dad told me to surprise you."

"Oh, so that means you know about this?" I ask, pointing to our parents.

He grins. "Strange, isn't it?"

"Very," I concede.

"So are we going to church or what?" Momma asks, jumping up off of Daddy's lap. Is that a boner?

"You need to go repent." I tell her, sounding much like the way she talks to me. "You up in here shacking."

"Shacking is when two unmarried people live together and have sex, like you're doing. Your father and I aren't living together."

"That's even worse. Y'all friends with benefits. You better pray about it. Y'all ain't married."

"Well, we were married before so that counts for something."

"I kind of like that friends with benefits though," Daddy says, hugging Momma from behind. "I believe you and I are very beneficial." He kisses her neck and Momma giggles like a teenager.

"Eww!" Terrence and I exclaim in unison, damn near running out of their sex cave. T and I start laughing hysterically once we get to Daddy's car to wait for them.



Church is going nice, granted I haven't been here in a while. My only complaint is that it's too long. It's always the black churches. White churches and get their praise on and be out before noon. Black churches gotta have the nine AM worship service, then the ten o' clock worship service for those who missed the nine AM service. And there's the offering and the introduction of visitors, and then there's the sermon. The pastor always says "I'm gon say this one last thing and then we're going home", and then ten more things later they saying that same line. And then it seem like every time I go to church there's communion so that adds another forty-five minutes. Fifteen minutes of singing, fifteen minutes of talking about how Jesus started communion, ten minutes of praying, and then five minutes of actually swallowing the dang grape juice and crackers. I think they only take so long with communion because black folk always take years to pass the juice and crackers around like they don't get it every month anyway.

"Hello there, Miss Michel." Pastor Grant greets me after he gives me a friendly hug.

"How are you today, Pastor?" I respond with a smile. I'm waiting for the punch. I like Pastor Grant, he's a very upstanding man and you can tell he loves the Lord. The only thing is he always feels the need to remind me that he only sees me about four times a year. Easter, Christmas, New Years, and those rare occasions that Momma convinces me to go.

"I'm blessed so I can't complain. And how are you this afternoon?"

"Blessed, so the same." I say. I said blessed instead for "fine" or "good" as I usually do to put some Jesus in my words.

"So why haven't I seen you in so long, Miss Michel?" And there it is. I knew he was gon ask.

"Well, I've just been busy, you know?"

"No, I don't know. You can never be too busy for God. The busier you are, the easier it will be for the devil to rear his ugly head in your life."

Is that his way of saying if I don't go to church, I'll go to hell?

"Well, I'm gon try harder to come to church more often." I say. That wasn't completely a lie. I'm gon try harder, but I still ain't coming every Sunday and bible study. And don't even get me started on all the revivals.

"I hope to see you next Sunday as well."

I smile and nod. "I'll make an effort."

I stand there awkwardly as the Pastor engages in conversation with my mother. I don't want to just walk away, but it wouldn't kill me to make an escape.

"Oh, Michel," Pastor Grant says. I turn ad perk up to the conversation when I hear my name.

"Yes, Pastor." I say.

"I wanted to introduce you to my granddaughter." He says, motioning to the attractive, twenty-something year old woman who seemed to materialize beside him. "You two are about the same age so I figured it would be good for you two to have someone to converse with."

I nod and reach out my hand to shake. "Hi, I'm Michel."

"I'm Kita." She says, shaking my hand and smiling.

"Well, you two can run along and get acquainted while I talk to Mrs. Wilkes." The Pastor says, shooing us off from grown folks business.

I shake my head as Kita and I walk outside. "I guess this is supposed to be a play date." I say as I look around for Terrence. I spot him with his hands full as two younger girls—maybe nineteen—flirt with him. He looks like he was flattered, but my brother never got involved with women under twenty-one. He's twenty-eight as is.

"I know. My granddad always acts like I'm still that little girl with pigtails who was too shy to make friends." Kita says. She laughs wistfully as if remembering something.

"Well, don't feel obligated to stay and have a conversation with me. I'm just waiting on my mother so I can get out of here." I say, glancing at my watch. It's almost two o' clock. Church should not run this late.

"I know! Granddad's gonna take us out, but we'll never get there if he doesn't pry himself away from the congregation."

"Well that's pastors for you."

"Ain't that the truth?"

We both lean against the guard rail as we wait for our respective parents. Terrence makes his way over looking confused.

"You okay out there?" I ask him.

He laughs. "You see that? First of all, what kind of woman picks up men at church anyway? She had the nerve to call me a faggot because I wasn't interested."

I laugh. "I guess she was mad."

"You don't have to tell me. I bet if she knew where I parked, she'd be keying my car right now."

"Or Dad's car. You didn't drive."

"Dang, somebody needs to watch her."

"Oh, I'm being rude." I say, remembering Kita. "Kita, this is my brother Terrence. Terrence, this is my new play mate Kita." Kita laughs at the play mate line as she and Terrence exchange a few words.

"You mean like play mate?" Terrence asks, raising his eyebrows from me to Kita.

"What? No!" I say and then lower my voice. "She's the Pastor's daughter and he sent us out here to play like some five year olds."

"Oh! My bad." Terrence says and then laughs. "I had to confirm. Sometimes I think you do better than me."

"You mean she gets more girls than you?" Kita asks, jumping into our little squabble.

Terrence and I look at each other and then back at Kita. I shrug at Terrence to show him that I don't care if she's knows I'm lesbian or not.

"Yeah," He says simply.

"I find that hard to believe." She says, winking to show she was obviously flirting with him. I suppress a laugh. Terrence just can't get a break from the ladies.

"Well, you know how it is." Terrence says, smiling back.

Terrence and Kita grin and smile at each other as a short guy with glasses walks over to us. He was obviously Kita's brother or something because they look exactly alike.

"Hey, you ready?" The guy asks Kita.

"Um, sure." She says, never losing focus from Terrence.

"Oh!" She says, realizing she's being rude as I did only moments ago. "Michel, this is my brother, Keenan. Keenan, this is Michel and Terrence."

"What's up?" He greets us, looking at me.

I smile back, but not flirtatiously. "Y'all really look alike." I comment.

It was almost uncanny. They both had the same green-hazel eyes and long, thick lashes. Both of their skin tones were smooth-honey toned. Their noses were wide and somewhat flat and their lips were full. Keenan's lips were plum-brown. If Kita weren't wearing lipstick, hers would probably be the same color. The only difference was that Keenan wore glasses.

"Oh, we're identical twins." Kita says nonchalantly.

"That's cool. I've never met male and female identical twins before." I say.

"Glad I could share the experience with you." Keenan says. He was pretty attractive, but of course not my type. "I've seen you before."

"I don't think so." I say. Isn't that whole "have we met" stuff a little tired?

"No, I'm not flirting with you. You just look really familiar." He says, scrutinizing me.

"Hmm, well maybe we met at one time or another." I say, dismissing the conversation.

Keenan shrugs. "Whatever." He grins at me. What a pretty smile. "So how are you doing this afternoon?"

"I'm fine and how are you?" I say politely.

"Great. So are you a new member of the congregation?"

"Sort of. I used to come here with my mother, but I don't come often." I admit.

"Oh, so when was the last time you were here?"

I think back. "Easter of 2011." I say and then we laugh.

"You definitely don't come often." He says, still grinning. "So I guess my granddad sent Kita to make you feel welcome."

"Exactly. You know your grandfather." I say, shaking my head. "I wish my mother would come on. She's probably reviewing her life story with the pastor she sees twice, sometimes up to four times, a week."

Keenan smiles. "I know. These women in this church just love talking to the pastor. I swear, they find any reason to say something to him." Keenan disguises his voice to sound like an old lady. "Oh, Pastor, I just love that tie. I've been meaning to tell you that my friend's brother-in-law's cousin's nephew's granddaughter is in the hospital. Will you please pray for her and the family? This is a really tough time."

I laugh. "I know right." I agree and then join in. "Pastor, I've been having some problems with my grandson, but don't worry about me. You can just pray for little old Halle May Adele Simmons Butler. I'll be alright."

Keenan laughs. "What I don't understand is, if you're going to say don't worry, why bring it up?"

"I know right!" I exclaim. "I don't if they are just asking for attention or if they are just lost in the world of AARP." We laugh some more.

Finally, my mother and father spot us in the parking lot and make their way to us. I turn to Keenan and smile.

"Well, it looks like Terrence and I are free. Good luck getting your granddad away from all the women." I say and we share another laugh.

"Hello there, Keenan." Momma greets him.

"Hi, Mrs. Wilkes." Keenan says politely. "How are you?"

"I'm fine and how are you?"

"I'm great." Keenan says. He waits to see if Momma says anything else, and when she doesn't, he turns back to me. "So, maybe I can call you sometime?"

I smile. "You seem cool and all, but I have to tell you, you're not really my type." I say, trying to be simple about it.

"What's that mean? Were we not standing her having a good time?"

"We were." I agree. "But I'm into women." I say bluntly.

"Oh, really?" Keenan says in a tone that told me he thought I was lying. "Sure you are. If you're not interested, just say so. I hate when women lie about things like that just to shoot a man down."

Kita laughs. "Chill out, Keenan. She really is..." She looks at my mother and father. "She's really playing for the other team."

"Oh...I'm sorry." He apologizes for getting so defensive.

"It's cool. I guess I'll see you at church." I say, dismissing it.

"Alright, I'll see you on Christmas." He says and we laugh.

"See you, guys." I say to Kita and Keenan. "It was nice meeting you both."

We exchange pleasantries, and I notice Kita and Terrence exchanging numbers. We all wave, and then Momma, Daddy, Terrence, and I walk back to Daddy's Toyota SUV.

"Michel, how can you just turn down the pastor's grandson like that?" Momma asks me once we are in the car.

"Momma, I think you know why I turned him down." I say as I put on my seatbelt. Terrence and I exchange a look.

"That was just rude. That's the pastor's grandson. And did you have to tell him you were lesbian? What if that spreads around the church? Then what will I do?" Momma continues.

"Then I guess you'll just have to deal with the shame people knowing your daughter is lesbian." I say with an eye roll.

"Don't you roll your eyes at me, Michel Renee. I had enough of that little smart mouth of yours."

I sigh deeply and meet Daddy's eyes in the rearview mirror. Save me please, Daddy.

"Alright, Marilyn, that's enough. If my baby girl doesn't want to date the pastor's grandson, that's quite alright. If she'd rather date the pastor's granddaughter, that's alright too. It's her choice." Daddy intercedes.

"Daddy..." I whine. "Everything was good except for the granddaughter part."

"Daddy is just trying to help. You know when you were born, I figured T and I would be fighting off knuckleheaded boys since you are so beautiful, but now that it isn't boys, I'm pretty much lost in this situation. But I love you regardless."

I smile and shake my head. "Doesn't this make it easier?"

"I guess. Except that time Terrence came home crying about you stealing his girlfriend." Daddy says and we all laugh, including Momma.

"I was not crying over Yolanda. I was just flustered that she switched teams on me." Terrence says, defending himself.

I laugh. "That was years ago. I had no idea you were dating her at the time. We just sort of hooked up."

"Well, you didn't break up with her when you found out." T says.

"You saw her. If it were the other way around, would you have broken up with her?" I ask him with my eyebrows raised.

Terrence laughs. "Heck no, I wouldn't have broken up with her. Yolanda was fine with a capital F." Terrence says and I join in the laughter.

"We had fun. Maybe I should give her a call and see what she's been up to." I say jokingly and Terrence messes my hair.

"I can't stand you sometimes." He says playfully.

"Am I the only one that sees something wrong with this?" Momma demands out the blue. "My daughter shouldn't be stealing women from my son. My son shouldn't joke around about how attractive women from his past are with his sister. Am I the only one who has a problem with this?"

There is a collective sigh in the car from Daddy, Terrence, and me. We all exchange looks.

"Marilyn, you are the only one who has a problem. Why don't you just let it go, okay?" Daddy says.

"I can't let it go. Maybe I'm the only one that knows Michel, but this girl is not lesbian."

"Momma, then what am I? Experimenting for eight years?" I ask her.

"I don't know, but this isn't you. Like I said, you'll get over this."

"We're home!" Daddy announces, I'm sure just to shut us up.

"Thank God!" I exclaim as I hop out the car before it comes to a complete stop. I head straight to my BMW.

"I don't understand who made you so dramatic, because you sure didn't get it from me." Momma says as Daddy helps her out of the car.

I laugh once. "I guess I just acquired it over the years." I say sarcastically.

"And that mouth. I'm tired of it. And when were you going to tell me you were in the hospital?" Momma asks with her arms folded across her chest.

I shake my head. "I wasn't gon tell you." I say honestly.

"When were you in the hospital?" Daddy and Terrence ask in unison.

"And why not? I need to know these things. Mary Ellen told me you had an anxiety attack, passed out, and was brought in naked? What happened?"

"Nothing to concern yourself with, Momma." I say.

"I am your mother, Michel. Whether you want me to be or not. I am already concerned to hear my twenty-six year old daughter is having anxiety attacks."

"I'm not having anxiety attacks. It was a onetime thing. And why would you ever say I wouldn't want you to be my mother? And you're trying to say I'm dramatic?"

"Michel, you are. Now get in this house and tell me what happened and you can help me with dinner."

"I can't stay for dinner." I tell her as I walk to my BMW.

"What do you mean you're not staying, baby girl?" Daddy asks.

I turn to face him with a desperate "I-need-to-escape" look on my face. "Daddy, I really can't stay. My mood is ruined. I won't be much company tonight." I say. I feel terrible for disappointing him.

"Come on, baby girl. You and Marilyn get into it all the time and then you'll be perfectly fine tomorrow. Don't let this ruin our night. Terrence won't be in town forever."

"I'm sorry, Daddy, but I can only take Momma for a few hours a day. I'll see you guys at another time." I say. I run over and give Daddy a tight hug and then give one to Terrence.

"See you later, sis." Terrence says. I know he understands.

"Later, bro."

"Seriously, Michel? Am I that bad that you can't stay for dinner? We can even go out to eat. Maybe the public place will make me a bit tolerable." Momma says sarcastically.

"Bye, Momma. I love you." I say and then I hop into my BMW and lay some tire tracks.

Really? I'm the dramatic one?
Chapter 5

"Everything will be alright, Chelly." Sabrina says, looking me in the eyes. She's wearing the cutest pair of four-inch stiletto heels so she's looking down at me. Sometimes I hate being short.

"I know it will, but if it's not one thing, it's another." I say with a sigh. "I wonder how much this is going to cost me."

"Are you really worried about the cost? As much money as you make?" Sabrina asks me.

"Still, the contractor we had was perfect. Why the hell would he just fall back like that? I mean, he could have gotten married in another two months or so."

"I know. The nerve of him! How could he just find true love on such short notice like that? And how could he give his wife-to-be such a long honeymoon. That bastard," Sabrina says sarcastically.

"I know. The bastard," I concede and then we laugh. My first laugh of the day. "So now what? If I want the expansion done now, I have to find another contractor that's as good as Bill."

"You'll find someone. I know you will." Sabrina says. "Come on, let's go back to the front and I'll give you a massage."

I smile. "There are still customers here. It's too early in the day to give them that kind of show."

Sabrina giggles. "Well, then let's go back out front and I'll tell you about the massage I'm going to give you once we get home."

"And get me all hot and bothered when I have to go on a contractor hunt?" I tease.

"Sounds good to me." She says, wrapping her arms around me from behind.

I giggle much like she does. "Okay, okay, stop it. We have to be professional now that we're going back out to the civilization." I say in a mock uptight tone.

Sabrina and I walk back to the front of the spa and take a seat in on an empty waiting couch. Sabrina and I settle into a position so that one more person could sit between us. I'm not embarrassed or ashamed about my sexuality, but people do get a bit more offended by PDA (Public Display of Affection) when it's from a same sex couple.

"Maybe you can call Bill back and see if he refers someone." Sabrina suggests.

"I tried that. I got his secretary and she said Bill won't be taking calls until he gets back from his honeymoon. So I asked if maybe she knew anyone and she said it'd be disloyal of her to refer business to a competitor." I say with a sigh.

"Ooh, what about your Dad? He worked in construction, he should know somebody."

"Yes! I didn't even think about that. How could I forget my own father?" I say and then give myself V-8 on the forehead. I turn and give Sabrina a deep kiss on the lips. "Great job, baby."

"I get a kiss in the workplace? I feel special." Sabrina says jokingly.

"Oh, damn, I forgot where I was for a second." I say with a laugh.

"And I thought you had gotten over your fear of PDA."

"Nope, not yet." I say and we laugh.

Sabrina and I continue talking and laughing, enjoying my lunchless lunch break, until a large person casts a shadow over us. We both look up in mid laugh and we're greeted by Terrence.

"What's up, sis, Sabrina?" T greets us.

"Hey, Terrence." I say. Sabrina and I give him a double team hug. "To what do I owe this pleasure?" The only time this man shows up at my job is if he has women he wants me to slide in without an appointment.

"I need you to help a brother out." Terrence says, taking a seat between Sabrina and me.

I sigh. "I knew you wanted something, and I'm not in the mood to help a brother out."

"Well, get in the mood to help your own brother out."

"What do you want?" I ask grouchily.

"Slide my girl in to get her nails and feet done." Terrence says and then grins. "And maybe a Brazilian wax."

I roll my eyes. "My spa is not for you to get laid."

"Come on, sis, I would do it for you. And besides," He glances at Sabrina. "She said she knows a few women you may like."

"Is my girlfriend not sitting right here?" I demand with an eye roll.

"She said women, that means more than one, y'all can share."

"You know, Terrence, just because we like other women, it doesn't mean we are nasty and doggish like men. We're not just gon share women." Sabrina says.

Terrence laughs randomly. "Y'all shared Raven."

Sabrina and I both start whacking him on the head with pillows from the couch. "That's it. I'm not doing you any favors. Tell your girlfriend to go to that Chinese place and get her nails done short notice. You got to make appointments here." I tell him.

"Come on, sis. I was kidding. Look, please just do me one solid and I'll do you a favor whenever you need it. Anything you want." Terrence begs. I can still see the hint of a smile on his lips from his stupid ass joke.

"No." I say flatly. I know I'm going to cave. I actually already did, but I'll still make him beg a little while longer.

"Come on, sis, please."

I roll my eyes. "Fine, but you really have to stop doing this and you will be paying full price."

"That's cool. I just needed to get her in." T says. "I'll be right back."

Sabrina shakes her head. "You are such a push over."

"I'm not a pushover. I may be a little soft for my brother, but that doesn't make me a pushover."

"Yes, it does. So, can I get my nails done?"

I smile. "No, because I have to stop being a pushover."

"You can be a pushover for me." Sabrina says and she turns and kisses me on the cheek.

I roll my eyes. "We all just got our nails done last week."

"I know, but remember that little accident we had the other night." Sabrina holds up her left hand to show me the two nails she broke, her middle and index finger.

That little accident was us wrestling like little boys on my bed. We were watching WWE and I don't know why because neither of us even likes wrestling and when it went off, we starting play fighting. Sabrina ended up breaking two nails.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that." I say with a smile. "You can get your nails done. I'll even do them myself if you do something for me."

Sabrina smiles also. "What do you want?"

"Surprise me."

She giggles and I can tell she's thought of something that is only seen on lesbian porn. I can't wait.

"Hey, Michel!" I hear a woman call to me. I turn in the direction of the voice and see Terrence coming in with Kita from church in tow.

"Hey there, Kita. How are you doing?" I greet her politely.

She hugs me once she and Terrence reach us. "I'm great. How you doing, girl?"

"I'm great, too." I say.

I look at Terrence to see him smiling. That little perv. He just met Kita at church two days ago. It's only Tuesday.

"Kita, this is my girlfriend, Sabrina." I say, introducing Sabrina before the little green monster rears his head in her. Sabrina hates when I talk to a female and don't introduce her as my woman. Even if the woman is straight, Sabrina will get jealous. She'll never admit it, but she gets jealous.

"Hi, how are you?" Kita say happily. I had already pegged her as the happy type but she seems to be in a fantastic mood. Actually, so does Terrence.

"I'm fine. How are you?" Sabrina greets her, but I can tell she was being leery. I give her a smile, and she snakes her arm around my waist.

"I'm great!" Kita says happily. Kita turns to me. "T says you gon hook me up with a nail job?"

"Yes, I got you, no problem." I say with a smile. I remember looking over the books that Natasha is open for the next hour so I'll send Kita to her.

"Thanks so much, girl. I'm so tired of going to that dang Chinese place, and I couldn't go in if I wanted to anyway."

I was curious so I ask, "Why can't you go in?"

"I had a little incident with one of the girls doing my feet. She kept jabbing the thing under my toenails and that does not tickle. I ended up Bruce Lee kicking her in the face and they acted like I did it on purpose."

"Did you do it on purpose?"

"Yes, but they still had no right to accuse me of such." Kita says and we all laugh. I feel Sabrina's fingers tighten on my hip. I move closer to her to show her that I'm hers.

We talk for a few moments more before I go see Natasha and ask her to take Kita. Of course she does and gives me her usual little playful attitude. After I get Kita settled, I return to the front where Sabrina and Terrence are talking. I return to them and start to question Terrence about Kita.

"So, what's up with you and Kita?" I ask him coyly.

"None of your business," Terrence says with a Cheshire Cat grin.

"Uh-uh, you know better than that. I want to know. I saw y'all flirting after church." I say teasingly.

"Yeah, while you were busy flirting with Keenan."

"What?" Sabrina perks up, looking at me.

"Keenan is Kita's twin brother. We were talking a bit, but then I had to tell him I'm lesbian."

"Oh,"

"Anyway, what's up with Kita?"

"We kicking it. Chill out." Terrence says coolly.

"I bet Momma loves this, you dating the Pastor's granddaughter."

"Let that go. You know how Ma can be."

"I don't care. She's just so..."I struggle to find the right word.

"Pretentious, factious, judgmental?" Terrence helps me out.

"I chose all of the above." I agree. "It doesn't matter. I'm not in the mood to get into it. I have other problems right now."

"Like what?"

"My contractor bailed on me. I need to find someone else, someone with just as good reviews—if not better—as Bill."

"What about the contractor I used for my house? I had my house build up from the ground and the dude was real cool. He had my house ready in record time too. And he wasn't iffy about the pricing."

"Oh yeah, I forgot you knew someone reliable. What's his information?" I ask as I stand up to walk to the front desk. I grab a pen from my receptionist, Mary.

"His name is Bryce Washington. I think I have his card in my car, I'll run out and get it for you." Terrence says.

"Thanks so much, bro. And I thought it was going to be difficult to find a new contractor." I say as Terrence heads for the door.

"So, what's really up with Kita?" Sabrina asks once Terrence is gone.

I can't help it, I roll my eyes. "Come on, Sabrina, you just heard that she's kicking it with T."

"Still, why is she so....perky with you?"

"I don't know. I guess that's just her nature. That's how she was when I first met her."

"And you just met her at church on Sunday?"

"Yes, Sabrina. I only met her once."

"Then why is she hugging you on your second meeting?"

"I met her at church. Church people always hug each other."

Sabrina rolls her eyes and makes a quarter turn away from me. "I guess."

I want to laugh, because Sabrina is so cute when she's jealous, but I know that will only make her mad. "Come on, Sabrina, what did I do?"

"Nothing, I just don't really like her that's all."

"Why don't you like her? You just met her."

"She's so pretty. Do you like her?"

"Hell no! The only woman I'm checking for is you. Besides, Kita is obviously straight. She's with Terrence."

"So if she's wasn't straight and dating T, you'd go with her?" Sabrina asks, sounding frustrated.

""No. I don't like or even know her. You're all I want. You don't have to worry about Kita."

I wrap my arms around her slender waist and nuzzle her neck. I kiss her there and feel her muscles flex. I take a quick glance around to insure that the main room is still empty with the exception of Mary who was dissolved in her computer.

"Stop it, Michel." Sabrina whispers but makes no effort to push me away.

"No." I say simply and continue to kiss her neck. I make my way up her neck, to her chin, and then plant my lips on hers. I kiss her gently, licking her lips softly until she parts them and grant me access. I slip my tongue inside as I caress her back gently. Sabrina's hands find their way to my curls. We moan against each other's lips, and I realize it's time to chill.

I lean back, having to put a little more pressure to get Sabrina to release me, and look my woman in her eyes. "Are you still worried about Kita?" I ask her in a sultry whisper.

"Not really," Sabrina says and she pulls me back to her, losing her tongue in my mouth. I allow it and kiss her back rather than attempting to be professional in the work place.

Suddenly I feel a chill, and I may be smelling sulfur. I pry my lips from Sabrina's, but keep her close to my body. Now I feel the need to be possessive.

Raven comes flitting in wearing a tight black dress and four-inch silver FMPs. Her bag is expensive looking and gorgeous. I hate her for looking so famous and Terrence follows close behind carrying a big gift basket. The thing was so big I could barely see his eyes peering over the top of it. He looks uneasy. He meets my eyes and we both give the She-Devil the same "bitch, you are not welcome" look.

"Hello, Chelly!" Raven says brightly. Then she turns to Sabrina, giving her the bedroom eyes and though I don't want to admit it, looking sexy. "Hey, Sabrina."

Terrence and I both bust out laughing at her lame attempt to be subtle. Sabrina only looks uneasy. I lace my fingers into hers and press my lips to her cheek, leaving a lipstick imprint. My lipstick was mixed with her lip gloss which was smeared over her mouth from our little make out session. That was my way of marking my territory.

Raven grins, and I hate it. I can tell she knew what I was doing, and she thought it was pathetic.

"To what do I owe this displeasure, Raven?" I ask her politely and watch Terrence smile.

Raven pouts her lips at me. "Play nice, Chelly. I come in peace."

I sigh deeply and like a domino effect, Sabrina sighs, and then Terrence sighs. "What do you want?" I ask, exasperated.

"I brought you something special." She says giddily as only she can. She waves her hand to Terrence as if he were some sort of butler or servant.

Terrence places the gift basket at my feet and I look it over. "What is this and why did you bring it?"

Raven sighs. I love giving her a hard time. "Well, I figure the other day was a bit much when I came and said what I said so I felt the need to apologize. I don't apologize for what I said, but the way I said it was a little rude."

I roll my eyes. "Well, thanks for the gesture, but I don't really want this—"

"Stop it, Chelly. These are all your favorite thinks all stuffed in one huge gift basket. I got you shoes, dresses—"

"When do I ever wear dresses?"

"Well, now you can start. You are too beautiful to be so tomboyish. Anyway, I got you shoes, dresses, bath products, perfumes, gift cards to your favorite restaurants and stores including Vetri and Boyd's—"

"I don't shop at Boyd's, you do. And I never really cared for the long trips to Philly to shop and eat when we could do that right here in Pittsburgh."

Raven sighs. "I'm just trying to do something nice for you. Do you always have to be so mean? So maybe you don't like Vetri and Boyd, but it wouldn't kill you to try new things. At the very least you could treat Sabrina to something nice rather than the Pittsburgh you see every day."

"I can treat Sabrina to whatever she wants just fine without your little gift cards."

"Well, don't get upset when she gets bored and goes looking for something—someone—a little more exposed to the world outside of Pittsburgh."

"Is that a threat, Raven?"

"Of course it isn't, Chelly, but it is a warning."

I stand from the sofa and get ready to pounce, but suddenly I feel two sets of hands on me. Sabrina takes hold of my left arm and Terrence takes my right.

"Chill, sis." Terrence warns me with a hiss in my ear. "I don't really know a place to hide a body."

I sigh and chill out. "She's not worth breaking a nail over." I say and sit down next to my woman.

Sabrina strokes my back gently, trying to calm me down. It works. "Thanks for the gift, Raven. I really appreciate it." I say in my best phony, polite voice.

"You're welcome. I also got you about five hundred dollars in alcohol so you should be good for the next...few hours." Raven smiles. "I'm only kidding."

"That's too bad. I'm going to need a drink once you finally leave."

"Oh no, I wasn't kidding about that. I did get you quite a bit of liquor, champagne and wine also, not just vodka. I'm just saying I'm sure it'll last even you more than a day or two."

"And what does that mean?"

"Come on, Chelly, you've always been a bit of a lush. You'd finish three drinks before I got through one." She laughs gaily, like a little fairy. So cute, but I hate it so much.

I roll my eyes. "Whatever. Is that all?"

"I guess so." She says as if she doesn't want to leave.

"Well, it was good to see you." I say, dismissing her.

"Well, actually, I'd like to talk to Sabrina alone for a moment."

"No." I say easily.

"What? Are you scared I might say something she'd like to hear?" Raven challenges.

"Please, that's not it at all. I know where Sabrina wants to be."

"Then it won't hurt for me to say a few words to her."

I turn to Sabrina. "I'll just hear her out, not that I really care what she has to say." Sabrina says to me.

I fight the disappointment that's threatening to show up on my face. "Fine, whatever."

"If you're not okay with it—" Sabrina starts.

"Please, I'm fine. Just don't take all day."

Sabrina smiles at me and then frames my face in her hands. She kisses me deeply, slipping her tongue into my mouth. She sucks on my lower lip and also sucks any doubt that may have flooded my mind right out. I hear Raven clear her throat which only made me pull Sabrina a little bit closer and kiss her a little bit deeper. She nips at me lips gently before pulling away.

"Don't worry. I'm sure this won't take long." Sabrina says, licking her lips.

I smile and lean back into the couch, feeling suddenly giddy and confident. Raven glares at me, and I smile at her. "Hurry back." I say to both of them.

Sabrina and the She-Devil walk outside to talk, and Terrence takes a seat next to me. He looks at me and I look at him.

"What?" I ask him, still smiling.

"You're okay with that?"

"Yes. Raven is only going to do exactly what she said she would. She's going to ask Sabrina to come back to her, but after all Raven put Sabrina through, that's not going to happen. Sabrina and I already talked about this."

"Still, if my woman's ex came along and wanted to talk to her, I wouldn't let that go down. Especially if the ex was as fine as Raven. Damn, I'm kind of mad you met her first. She swing both ways, right? Yeah, I would tear that—"

"Way too much information." I say with a head shake. "I wish you would have found her first. Dating the She-Devil was not as hot as you think."

"Just one night, I'll make it hot."

I roll my eyes. "It doesn't bother you that I slept with her multiple times?"

"I know it should, but she so fine it doesn't."

"That's terrible."

"I know."

Kita comes running into the main room in a hysterical fit of laughter. Terrence and I both look up at her laughing like a hyena with grins on our faces.

"What's so funny?" T asks her.

"Oh my God, it was hilarious." She says, choking on her words with her laughter.

"I bet it was." I say with a smile.

"I wish you two could have seen it. There was this guy getting a manicure, he was so fine, but too fine if you know what I mean." Kita says and then laughs. "So, the male manicurist who is obviously playing for the other team starts flirting with him. The man keeps saying he's straight, but Jacques, the manicurist, doesn't get it so he keeps going. The straight guy starts getting upset and calls Jacques out of his name. Then Jacques, being so dramatic, acts as if he faints from his virgin ears and falls onto the man's lap and the woman who was seated next to him." Kita falls into my lap and then lays back onto Terrence's and busts into a fit of laughter.

"Then the man pushes Jacques onto the floor, Jacques starts flailing his arms and legs and knocks over the pail of water all over himself. It was crazy!" Kita says, laughing like she lost her mind. Terrence and I just look at each other and her.

"I guess you had to be there." Kita says, sitting up so that she was now only on my lap. She was just about to get up when Sabrina and fucking Raven walks in.

Sabrina stares at us. "Why is she...?" She starts just as Kita scrambles off my lap and stand up, still laughing a bit.

"It isn't like that, girl. I was just telling them something."

"I was not talking to you." Sabrina says vehemently. She glares at me. "Why was she just on your lap, Michel?"

"It's not serious. She was just telling us a story and she was simply showing us what exactly happened." I say, standing up to get next to her rather than have the She-Devil whispering in her ear.

"I bet she was." Sabrina says, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Seriously, Sabrina, that's all it was." Terrence says, having my back.

"Of course, you'd just stick up for her." Sabrina spats at Terrence.

"Kita came here with me, remember?"

"A great cover-up story," Sabrina says and then she turns and walks back to the door to leave. Raven turns and starts to follow, but I stop her.

"Excuse me, but I think she's my woman." I say, walking briskly to catch up to Sabrina.

"Not for long, but go ahead, go plead your case." Raven says snidely.

I stop myself from ripping her three hundred dollar weave out and go after Sabrina. By the time I get outside, Sabrina is already down the street and getting ready to cross.

I half run-half jog down the street until I reach her as oncoming traffic keeps her from crossing. As expected, she rolls her eyes and turns away from me. I touch her shoulder and she shrugs me off.

"Sabrina, I swear to God, Kita was not on my lap for some freaky shit. She was truly telling a story." I tell Sabrina sincerely.

"I told you I don't like her. What was her reason of sitting on your lap when Terrence was right there?" Sabrina says, making a somewhat valid point.

"I don't know. I guess it was because I was closer. Besides, she was laughing so hard I doubt she was really paying attention."

"I don't believe that. I don't like her. I swear she's lying about being straight."

"I highly doubt that. She's seeing Terrence."

"Yes, to stay close to you."

"Her father is a pastor; he'll practically disown her or treat her like my mother does me."

"This is why she's keeping it on the low."

"I don't know about all that, but I do know, whether Kita is gay or straight, I'm only thinking about you. I want you and no one else. How much do I have to convince you of that today?"

"As many times as it takes Kita to go away,"

"Well, I doubt we'll see her that much." I say, bringing Sabrina's body close to mine. I kiss her lips gently and she doesn't resist.

"I don't like her."

"I know." I say. "And I don't like Raven. What did she say to you anyway?" I ask, trying to sound nonchalant, but failing.

"It's killing you, isn't it?" Sabrina asks with a wicked grin.

"You get jealous, well so do I."

"Yeah, but you have nothing to worry about with Raven."

"And you definitely have nothing to worry about with Kita."

"Well, Raven reminded me of Wanderlust. We were supposed to go this year. I did want to go, and you're not into that type of stuff, so I—"

"So you wanna go with her?" I ask her. I release her and step away from her.

"Well, not necessarily with her, but I do want to go to Wanderlust. I went in twenty-ten, but I missed last year. I really did want to go this year."

"But why do you have to go with her?"

"I don't. She only reminded me because we reserved a hotel and tickets a year in advance. I may use the ticket, but I told her she can enjoy that hotel room alone because I won't be sleeping with or near her."

I roll my eyes. Typical Raven. She really tried to lure someone in with an expensive hotel as if that would just make someone throw the pussy at her. "So, you're going?"

"I'll miss this year too if you don't want me to go. Raven will be there, but with all the people, we may not even see each other." That was a pitiful attempt, but I guess it doesn't hurt to try.

"Whatever, if you want to go, who am I to stop you?" I say insouciantly.

"Michel, if you don't want me to go, I won't. Or maybe you can come with me. I'd love for you to be there. I'm sure you'd like it."

"No, I wouldn't. I went last year with Raven and I hated it. Yoga is not my thing." I felt like I was being forced to relax while pushed into awkward positions while they play terrible music. I hated it.

"Come on; please just try it again for me." Sabrina pleads.

"You're only begging me to go because you want to go. Just go. I don't really care." I turn to walk back to the spa. "You two have fun." I say halfheartedly.

"See, don't say it like that. I'm not going to be with her. We may both be there, but we won't be together."

"You'll fly there together. And I'm sure Raven will weasel her way into your room somehow."

"No, she won't. You don't trust me."

"No, I don't trust Raven. The devil is a master at temptation."

"But the She-Devil has nothing I want to tempt me with."

"Whatever, Sabrina. I have to go to work." I say and I start walking away.

Sabrina catches up to me and wraps her arms around me waist from behind. "Michel, I won't go."

"No, go. You want to. I'm not that jealous. And I do trust you." I say, only half lying. I was only halfway jealous and I only trusted her halfway.

"But I know it's getting to you. Go and have fun. When you get back you can show me some of that yoga naked." I say with a cheap smile.

Sabrina smiles and kisses my cheek. "I will definitely do that. I'm sure I'll get you to like yoga then."

I fake a smile for her as we walk, hand in hand, back to the spa. When we get back, thank the Lord, Raven is gone, but Terrence and Kita are still here.

"Everything's cool?" Kita asks as soon as we get into hearing range.

"Yeah, everything's cool." Sabrina and I say simultaneously. Sabrina giggles at that.

"Great. Sorry about that, Sabrina." Kita apologizes. "I've always been a bit open and somewhat touchy-feely. I'm too happy."

"It's okay. I can be that way too." Sabrina says, and I can tell it pained her to say it. Though, she is right. Sabrina is a happy-giddy person too and can be just as touchy-feely.

"Oh, here's Bryce Washington's card." Terrence says as he reached into his pocket and retrieves it. I take the card and look it over. The card was very creative and professional. Washington Construction, simple, but that's really all I need.

"Bryce Washington, the contractor?" Kita asks.

"Yes, I'm doing expansions." I tell her as I put the card in my purse.

"I know him. He's good friends with Keenan. He's a great guy."

"Good, but is he a great contractor?"

"One of the best and I'm not just saying that because I know him."

"Well, that's a good sign."

"He's great. He's a real sweetheart, like Keenan."

Terrence makes a face, and I'm sure he is wondering how well Kita knew Bryce Washington.

"Well, look, we were going out to eat lunch. Do you two want to join us?"

"Yeah, I'm starved." Sabrina says and rubs her stomach for emphasis.

"Actually, I have a lot of work to do so I'm going to hang back." I say.

"Come on, babe, you have to eat." Sabrina says. Immediately I think of Raven and her obsession of making sure I eat three meals a day, and it makes me angry.

"No, I'm not even hungry."

"Chelly?"

"Don't call me that I hate that."

"Raven calls you that all the time."

"Is that why you're saying it? Because Raven's pompous ass says it?"

"No, I was just—"

"Forget it. I'll see you tonight." I say. I turn to get to my office to make some calls, but Sabrina catches me around the waist.

"No kiss?" She says timidly.

"Oh, sorry." I say. I pry her arms from me and give her a kiss on her cheek. "See you later."

I walk back to my office before she can say anything else to me and I lose my cool. I close and lock my office door and relish in my solitude. I sit behind my desk and put my head down.

I trust her. I trust her. I trust her. I trust her.

I try to repeat the words in my mind so they'll seep in, but it doesn't seem to work. No matter how much I trust Sabrina, I don't fucking trust Raven. I just know something will happen. I know it. Raven always finds a way, always. I don't want Sabrina to go, but if I tell her that, I'll only seem like the asshole. Fuck!
Chapter 6

I sigh deeply as I transfer money between my bank accounts via my computer. I had to switch some things around. I had enough money for the expansion, but it wouldn't hurt to be sure. I'm not exactly sure if Bryce would charge me more, less, or equal to Bill.

Thank God it's Friday.

The shrill sound of my telephone ringing snaps me out of my focus. I press the intercom button.

"Yes, Mary?" Mary serves as the receptionist and my secretary when I need her.

"Bryce Washington is here." She says. She lowers her voice. "He's so fine...and strong."

I laugh. "I bet he is. I'm coming out."

"Okay, I'll entertain him."

I laugh again as I leave my office, closing and locking the door behind me. I walk to the main room to find Mary out from behind her desk for the first time. The only time she moves from that spot is opening and closing time. She rarely ever leaves for lunch.

I identify Bryce Washington easily as the tall, muscular man standing in front of Mary. He wore fitted jeans that stretched fairly tight over his butt rather than hanging down and showing his underwear. His body reminded me of that of a running back. Lean and strong. He was brown skinned, like dark brown sugar. He wore a flannel shirt, also fairly tight, but I guess he did that on purpose to show off his strong arms. He was probably about thirty. Mary is right. He is pretty handsome. She better go for it.

I make my presence known by coming to stand beside the two of them. Bryce Washington turns to me and smiles. He has a pretty smile with thick—juicy—lips. Do I know him from somewhere?

"Hi, Mr. Washington, I'm Michel Wilkes." I say, holding my hand out to shake. He takes my hand gently and I squeeze his firmly as I shake it. I can tell he's the type that believes women are delicate and easily broken just by the way he shook my hand.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Bryce, even though you already knew that." He says with a smile.

I smile politely and release my hand since he seemed to linger on it. "You got the papers I faxed to you, correct?"

"Yes, that did in fact quicken the process." He says. His voice easily changes to professional from sweet and somewhat flirty. "If you'd like to show me to the area, we can get this started."

"Very well," I say simply. "Follow me, please."

I take Bryce to the back of the small café. I indicate where the work will be done. "As you already know, I want to take this wall out here and expand the spa back to take the place of the building beside here." I say, pointing. Bryce simply nods and listens. "Then I want this room and the new area created to be sectioned into rooms like this." I spread my hand drawn blueprints out on a café table in front of us. Bryce peers over my shoulder and follows my finger as I point everything out."

"This is nice. You designed this yourself?" He asks.

"Yes, and thank you." I say politely. "I purchased the building beside here which will be knocked down so the spa can be built in the area."

"Well, it looks like you and Bill already have everything in order, but I do want to go back and look over everything. Bill's a great contractor, but I'd rather trust my own judgment than work off of what he said. Do you have any problems with that?"

"No, of course not. I'm glad you are double checking for your own sake. It speaks a lot on your job quality."

"Well, I insure that my customers get the best."

"That's good." I say. Bryce meets my eyes and holds it there. We stare at each other for long awkward moments until I finally look away. Eerie. I feel like I've met him before. "Well, you can do your inspections and whatnots and I'll get back to my work. Just tell Mary when you need me."

"Yes, ma'am." He says with a smile. He gives me a strange look. "You are very beautiful. I like your curls. It's not perfect, but very messy. You don't look like you just woke up though, you look very gorgeous. I like it." I want to say he's flirting with me, but he seemed like he was giving a sincere compliment.

"Um, thank you." I say. "I'm going to let you get to work now."

I don't wait for him to respond. I turn and walk away with a small smile and blush on my face, experiencing a strange fluttering feeling in the pit of my stomach.

When I walk into my office, I find Sabrina behind my desk. I fight the urge to roll my eyes at her for coming into my office uninvited, but I don't, because that would only cause problems.

Sabrina has her fingers twined together on my desk like she was some big boss or something. She motions to one of the two chairs that sit in front of my desk.

"Have a seat." She says in mock seriousness.

"Not there I won't. You're in my chair. Get up." I say sounding like a child demanding her toy back from a bully.

Sabrina giggles. "Make me get up." She says and then spins around in my chair with her feet out like a little kid.

This time I do roll my eyes, but I simply take a seat in one of the other chairs. "I have a lot of work to do so just tell me what's up so I can get back to it." I say tartly.

Sabrina sighs, the smile leaving her face. "Why are you mad at me?"

Then my conscience resurfaces and I feel bad. I sigh also. "I'm not mad at you. What would make you say that?" I ask like I wasn't acting salty to her ever since that Raven thing.

Now Sabrina rolls her eyes. "Please, Chel—" She cuts off before she says Chelly and I remember why I was upset in the first place. Fucking Raven is getting to her. "Michel, you've been acting all shady to me lately."

"How?"

"Please, you're doing it now. You're giving me attitude."

I roll my eyes. "I'm giving you attitude? Now you're really tripping."

"What did I do wrong? I didn't even get as much as a kiss from you last night or this morning."

"I'm sorry I've been busy." I say with much attitude.

"Michel," She whines.

"Sabrina," I mock her tone.

"You know what? Fine, whatever. If this is how you wanna act, so be it. Call me when you're finished being jealous of Raven."

Sabrina gets to her feet in a huff and tries to storm out of the room. I get to my feet and grab her arm. I'm careful not to be rough with her, but just strong enough to stop her.

"Excuse me?" I demand, close to her ear.

"You heard me. If you didn't want me to go to Wanderlust, you could have just said so instead of ignoring me." She snatches her arm away from me even though it wasn't necessary because I wasn't holding her tightly.

"I wasn't ignoring you. I said I was busy."

"You came home super late last night, got into bed, turned your back on me, and went straight to sleep. You didn't even say goodnight."

I roll my eyes. "I was tired."

"Well so am I."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean if you can't show me any respect then I can't do the same for you. I'm going to Wanderlust and I don't care how you feel about it."

"Fine, I told you to go anyway!"

"But you know you don't want me to."

"So you're going just because you think I don't want you to?"

"Yep," She said simply.

"Get out my office, Sabrina."

"Excuse me?"

"Get out." I tell her calmly. "I have work to do."

"Fine."

"Fine."

Sabrina turns, swinging her hair behind her—much like Raven does—and leaves my office, slamming the door behind her. Seconds later, I hear a knock on it.

"What the hell do you want?" I demand as I slam myself into my chair. My chair, the one she thought she could just steal from me.

"It's Bryce, do you need a moment?" The contractor asks.

"No, come in." I say, pulling myself together before I ruin my business.

Bryce strides in with a carefree, masculine swagger about him that I could tell was natural instead of perfected. He holds a clipboard and my blueprints in his hands.

"I'm sorry about that." I say, standing like I would do if my date returned to the table. "Have a seat." We both sit down, and I watch Bryce take in my office.

"Don't worry about it. This is a nice office. You have a thing for design, huh?" He asks, looking around.

"Well, I like everything to look nice." I say modestly.

"I can tell by looking at your whole spot that you are good with decorating."

"How do you know I didn't hire a designer?" I ask him, relaxing into my chair.

"No, I can tell you did it. This place is all you. I can see your own unique style all over."

"Are you gay?" The words slip from my mouth before I can stop them. "I'm sorry; you don't have to answer that."

Bryce chuckles, a deep, manly, comes from the chest laugh. "No, I'm not gay. I like woman very much. I just have a tendency to say what I'm thinking a lot."

"That's okay. I hear most men don't say what they feel."

"Oh, you hear? I guess you've never dated a man to find out." He makes the same face I made a few seconds ago. "I didn't mean to say that. You probably didn't want...Kita told me—"

"It's okay." I say with a reassuring laugh. "I am lesbian, and the chick that ran out of here was my girlfriend."

"What chick?" He asks and then laughs. "Yeah, I saw that. Are you okay?"

"Why do you care? You don't know me."

"Maybe I want to get to know you."

"Didn't I just tell you I like women?"

"So we have something in common." Bryce says and laughs. I can't help but to laugh with him. "Maybe we can go meet women together." He says and we both laugh again. "No, I'm kidding. But you do seem like a nice person. Kita told me about you before you called."

"Oh, what did she say?"

"She just said you're a cool person and she likes you so when you call me, I better make an appointment to come see you because you're her friend." He laughs. "She likes you enough to threaten me for you."

I laugh slightly, but then I think about what Sabrina said. Maybe Kita is a bit...

"I guess it's obvious you don't even recognize me. We go to the same church. I always see you in there with your mom." He says, casually stretching his long legs in the chair.

"Oh," I say, smacking myself on the forehead. "I knew you looked familiar. But then again, I only recently started going to church more often. I'm more of an "only for Easter and New Years' person." I laugh but he doesn't.

"Jesus sacrificed more than a little time for me up on the cross so I try to always give Him one day out of a week." I nod, thinking maybe I struck a nerve.

"So anyway, I'm getting too comfortable." Bryce continues, going back to that easy-going attitude. "I can get to work on this as soon as possible, whenever you like."

"Do I have to close up while you work?" I ask.

"No, but you will have to close the café side, though I can't help it if it gets to be a little noisy while you run your place of relaxation."

"I'm not too worried about that. These walls are thick for a reason."

"Well, when do you want me to start?"

"Hell, can you start tomorrow?"

"Actually I can."

I smile deeply. "Fantastic."

"Well, if that's all, I'm going to head back to my place of work and get my crew together."

"Alright, thank you so much." I stand and we shake hands over my desk.

"See you tomorrow."

"See you,"



I drag myself into house, slamming my purse and jacket into the nearest chair. With the exception of getting a worthwhile contractor, my day sucked. I'm so fucking over Sabrina's bullshit. Two days ago she was caring and sweet and not so wrapped up in herself that she can't see past her own eyelashes to anyone's problem, but now...now she reminds me of exactly how she was when I first met her, when she was with Raven. She was a bitch, just like Raven, but whatever. I'm over it. Whenever Sabrina wants to apologize, I won't be too petty than to accept.

I start dropping my clothes as I walk to my bedroom. I need a nice, long, hot, relaxing bubble bath. When I get to my bathroom, I run my whirlpool tub and begin adding my oils, salts, and bubbles to the tub. I need to go all out with this. My soul is irritated from Sabrina's bullshit.

Once my bath is nearly filled and I am fully naked, I slide into the tub, emerging myself in the hot water. I close my eyes and sigh. This is better than sex...well, it's a close second.

I may have been feeling good in my wonderful bath for all of eleven minutes before my phones starting ringing. I just chill for a moment as my reggae ringtone reminds me of what I am missing for my bath. Music. I reach for my cell and answer it without looking. I put the phone to my ear and am greeted before I even speak.

"Hey, baby girl!"

"Hi, Daddy!" I say just as cheerfully as he greets me.

"How is my girl doing?"

"I'm okay, Daddy. How are you?"

"Oh no, how are you really doing? You don't sound very okay."

"I had a bad day, but I did get a contractor."

"Who'd you go with?"

"Bryce Washington, the same guy that worked with Terrence."

"Good. He's a nice, upstanding man. I know he'll be good for you."

I laugh. "You're talking like he's my date for the prom."

Daddy laughs too. "Well, I'm just saying he's good at what he does. I just want to make sure you're not with someone who'll try to get over on you. I know a lot of men like that." Daddy worked in construction so he knows every contractor and his momma.

"Well, he does in fact seem like a good guy and I know from Terrence's office that he's good at what he does. And he's all the more better since he has the Daddy Approval."

"That's right. Daddy knows best."

I laugh. "I know."

"So you said you had a bad day so what happened?"

"Well, work wise the day was fine. I keep my business intact. It's my personal life that's getting wonky right now."

"Wonky?"

I roll my eyes. That is one of Sabrina's favorite adjectives. "Sabrina is tripping, and it's all because of that bitch Raven." I don't apologize for my language because it doesn't ever bother Daddy, but I do try not to swear in front of him simply for the reason that he's my father.

"What is Sabrina doing and how is that Raven involved?" Daddy asks. Daddy is exactly how Chloe would be if she were old and male.

"Okay so Raven just shows up at the spa the other day saying she wants Sabrina back and she's gonna get back with her and stuff like that. Then she comes back yesterday to talk to Sabrina after bringing me a bunch of bullshit gifts like she was planning on bribing me to just let Sabrina go. So she reminds Sabrina of that Wanderlust thing and of course Sabrina wants to go and is going. The only thing is Raven is going too, and I just know they'll end up spending time together no matter what Sabrina says."

I take a breath and then start again. "And then Sabrina got an attitude with me because at first I told her to go even though I really didn't want her to go. But now I told her I really don't want her to go so she says she's going anyway just because I don't want her to. That's so freaking childish. I mean I don't understand her. The way I see it is if she wants to be with Raven then she needs to just be woman enough to tell me rather than play games with me."

"You don't want that, do you?"

"Of course I don't, but at the same time, I'm not gon waste my time playing games trying to preserve what will inevitably fail." Even as I speak the words my feelings are hurt because I really don't want them to be true.

"Then you need to talk to your woman instead of just lying down and dying so to speak. If Raven wants to get back with her and you want to stay with her, you need to be showing your woman why she should stay with you rather letting some petty drama come between you."

"But why should I start jumping through hoops for her when she knows firsthand the kind of woman I am and the kind of woman Raven is. I am obviously the better choice."

"But there was obviously something that drew both you and Sabrina to Raven other than her looks."

"But still, Daddy. I'm not about to start kissing some woman's ass to make her stay with me." I know I need to calm down because I never swore so much in a conversation with my father. It's just this thing with Sabrina got me heated. I'm tired of it.

"Well, what is it gonna be, sweetheart? Be humble and a girl up to keep the woman you care about or being prideful and dignified and lose her?"

I sigh. "I'm not being proud, Daddy, but everyone has a line where they just have to hold on to that one bit of dignity they have left."

"That one bit of dignity? Baby girl, I'm willing to bet that you didn't even attempt to act hurt over this. You probably just made it seem like you didn't care and went on with your life as if nothing happened. Now am I right?"

I sigh with a slight smile. "That's not fair; you know me too well."

"I know I do." Daddy says. "Just go talk to Sabrina. If you really care about her, you wouldn't mind losing a little pride over her."

"Okay, Daddy. I will."

"Don't do it for me. Only do it if you want her to stay with you."

"I do, Daddy, and I will."

"That's my girl."

I smile. "So, what's up with you? Are you and Momma still creeping around?" I ask and then laugh.

Daddy gives the hearty laugh that I love. "Yes, your mother and I are still enjoying each other's company." He says evenly.

I laugh. "Enjoying each other's company?" I mock his tone. "Please, Daddy. I'm twenty-six years old. Y'all been enjoying more than each other's company."

We laugh. "Well, baby girl, we are just being grown. You just stay doing what you doing with your little girlfriends." I laugh at his attempt to downplay my love-life as if he and Momma are Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Hefner.

"Whatever, Mr. Casanova." I laugh. I shake my head. I still can't picture it.

"Well, look, before I forget—"

"Yeah, because you are getting old."

"Watch yourself." Daddy jokes. "Anyway, your mother wants us, including you, to come to the church to get more involved and—"

"Come on, Daddy. I know lately you and she have been getting along a lot better now, but please don't drag me into it. I go to church when I can. If I gave Momma her way, I'd be at church more than I work. And you know I don't belong there."

"First off, don't say you're in church whenever you can because you know you could try harder to go than you do. A few times a year is hardly all you can manage. And secondly, everyone belongs in church so I have no idea what you mean by that."

"You know what I mean, Daddy. I don't want to be made to feel guilty of my sexual orientation."

"Nobody's going to judge you. It's church. Only God can judge you."

"See that's even worse! I don't want to be reminded every moment that I'm going to hell for the way I feel."

"Baby girl, please just come on Tuesday for the young adults meet-n'-greet thing. Terrence will be there so you won't be alone. At the very least you'll meet more people your age to get to know and spend time with so you'll attend more church functions."

I sigh. "Daddy, I don't want—"

He cut me off. "Do it for you mother. She really wants you and T to start attending church."

"Why should I go for her? She's not even speaking to me." I pout sounding much like a child.

Daddy laughs at my childish attitude. "Then go for Daddy, baby girl. Can you do your old man a big favor?"

I shake my head. "Okay, Daddy. I'll be there."

"It's at six o' clock Tuesday night."

"Okay, Daddy." I sigh, defeated.

"Terrence, is that Michel?" I hear my mother in the background.

"No, Daddy." I warn him.

"Yes, sweetheart, we were just wrapping up the conversation." He answers her, ignoring me.

"Well, when you finish up, let me talk to her." I hear Momma say. "I've been calling her, but she never answers. I bet she answered you on the first ring." Momma says with a badly hidden attitude.

I roll my eyes. "So it begins." I murmur to myself. I hear the shuffling in the background as Daddy gives the phone to Momma.

"Hello, Michel." Momma greets me but not nearly as cheerful as Daddy had greeted me. It wasn't cheerful at all.

"Hello, Mother." I say with the same dull tone.

Momma sighs as if she were being forced to do something she doesn't want to do. "So how was your day, or rather your week since I haven't spoken to you since Sunday."

I sigh. I knew it wouldn't take long for her to get on this subject. "My week was fine, Mother. And how are you?" I ask, doing the best I could to sound less bitchy.

"Oh, stop it, Michel." Momma says, exasperated. "I'm sorry, okay? Can we let this go already?"

I sigh. "You're always sorry and then you'll be doing it again. Why can't you just accept that I like women?"

"Because you don't like—" She starts in a yell, but then stops herself. "Fine, Michel. I won't bring it up again. But you have to realize that I'm going to believe what I believe until you show me otherwise."

"I've been showing you for eight years, Mother."

"I'm sorry, but I'm not convinced. But that doesn't matter; I'm only worried about my only daughter not speaking to me."

"I am speaking to you, Mother."

"For God's sake, Michel, stop calling me Mother!" Momma exclaims. "Why are you so dramatic?"

"You're the dramatic one!" I sigh for the tenth time in the last five minutes. I don't want this to continue into an argument. "Momma, I'll see you on Tuesday."

"So you're going?"

"Yes, Daddy just asked me."

"If I would have asked you, you would have said no."

"Momma, please."

"It's the truth." She says. "Well, I'll see you Tuesday since you don't want to talk to me."

I decide not to feed into her. "Bye, Momma." Then I hang up before she can say anything else.

I close my eyes and sink deeper into my water. This time my relaxation lasts about eleven seconds. The door opens and Sabrina walks in. She sits down on the closed toilet seat and looks at me. I close my eyes and pretend she's not there. If she's expecting an apology out of me, then she better not hold her breath for it. Then I remember what Daddy just said to me ten minutes ago.

"Sabrina, are we really going to keep this up?" I ask her. I stay sunken into the tub. I don't want my nudity to be a distraction.

"I don't want to, but you started this." She says.

I don't get upset immediately as I normally would, instead I stay calm. "How did I start this?"

"Why didn't you just tell me you didn't want me to go rather than saying go and then being a bitch about it later?"

"Because it's easier to be a bitch than tell you I didn't want you to go because of Raven."

"I don't understand why you couldn't just be honest with me."

"Because I want you to go have fun with your Wanderlust thing, but I don't want you doing it with Raven. I didn't want you to think I didn't trust you."

"But that's the point; you don't trust me. You think as soon as Raven comes around I'm just gon jump into bed with her."

"That's not what I'm saying, but we both know that's what Raven wants."

"So what? The fact that I've been with you for the last nine—almost ten—months should be enough for you to trust me no matter what Raven does or wants." Sabrina says, her voice rising. She is now standing up with her arms crossed. I didn't want this to be an argument. I just want us to let this bullshit go.

"Sabrina, I don't want to fight with you on this. I never said I don't trust you, but that doesn't mean I'm going to want you out of state with fucking Raven. I'm not going to stop you from going; I can't stop you. I just hope if you do go, you don't feed into Raven's bullshit."

Sabrina rolls her eyes. "Why won't you just tell me you don't want me to go?"

Then I snap. "I don't want you to go, Sabrina! Okay, if that what you were waiting for? Don't go. I don't want you to, okay?"

"Okay. Then I won't go." Sabrina says. She pauses then continues. "Since you obviously don't trust me."

I sigh. I'm done. "You know what, Sabrina? You do whatever you want to do, because frankly I don't give a damn. You haven't heard a word I just said. Go to the damn Wanderlust. I don't care." I sink lower into my bath, but the relaxation is gone. It's time to get out. This isn't helping anymore.

"It isn't my fault you don't trust me."

"I do trust you. It seems to me like you're arguing with me on purpose. Maybe you don't trust yourself."

"Whatever, Michel."

"Fine."

Sabrina slams the door when she leaves and then moments later I hear my front door slam when she leaves the house. Fine, if that's how she wants it....
Chapter 7

I walk into the church's fellowship hall and glance around. There were a lot of people there and oddly enough, no old people. Everyone was at least under thirty. I spot Terrence motioning for me from the back of the room with Kita so I go to him.

"Where's Daddy...and Momma?" I ask him as I take a seat at their table.

"With the rest of the old people, upstairs." T says with a laugh.

"Oh, I didn't realize we were going to be separated." I say. "It's better this way anyway."

Terrence laughs. "The bible says honor thy mother and father."

"Oh, shut up." I say and then look at Kita. "I'm sorry. How are you doing?"

Kita laughs. "I'm good. How you doing?"

"Fine." I say. "Thanks for calling Bryce Washington ahead for me." I say with a laugh.

"Oh, he told you that? I was just messing with him." Kita says with a laugh. I've come to notice that she laughs a lot.

"Hey there, Ms. Wilkes." I hear a deep baritone. I look up and there is Bryce Washington standing over me with Keenan.

"Hello...Mr.....Washington or Bryce?" I ask, not wanting to be disrespectful since he just called me Ms.

"Bryce is fine if I can call you Michel." He says with a handsome smile.

"Michel is fine." I say. "And how are you? I didn't know you came to this church."

"I'm fine. And I really don't, but I just came with my boy, Keenan."

"Oh, that's nice." I say for lack of anything else to say.

Bryce takes a seat next to Kita and Keenan sits next to me. I take a quick look around, wondering when they were starting whatever this was supposed to be.

"So, I see you're in church two times in a row. Is that a record?" Keenan asks me with a smile.

I laugh a bit. "Actually it kind of is." I admit.

Keenan's mouth opened as if he were about to say something, but then it just hung there suspended for a moment before he snapped it shut and licked his lips. I looked over and noticed Bryce having the same reaction. I turn in the direction of their stunned eyes and smile. The bombshell twins with different birth years just walked in.

Chelsea and Chloe spot us, wave, and then make their way over to our table. I almost die when Keenan all but breaks his neck to pull out chairs for them. They just smile and sit. Chloe sits next to Terrence—nothing new there—despite the fact that he was sitting right next to Kita. Then Chelsea sits between Chloe and Keenan leaving only one empty chair, right between me and Bryce.

"Hey, everyone!" Chloe say cheerfully. I watch her eyes carefully scrutinize Bryce. She smiles her approval, but turns her attention back to Terrence, her goal of almost twenty years. Yes, Chloe's been feeling Terrence since we were six.

"So, are you two twins?" Bryce asks after everyone responds to Chloe's greeting.

"Actually, we're not. Our birthdays are on the same day though, but I'm a year older." Chelsea answers with a smile.

"That's really cool. I guess that makes you two even closer as sisters. I'm Bryce by the way." He says, stretching his hand across the table. He shakes Chloe's and then Chelsea's hand. Then Keenan does the same.

"Kita and I are twins." Keenan says conversationally.

"I thought so; you two look almost exactly alike." Chelsea says, looking at Keenan. He grins as if she complemented him. Then she grins. I laugh inside. Are those sparks I see flying?

"Wait, is Sabrina coming?" Chloe asks, nodding to the empty chair next to me.

"No," I say simply with a small headshake.

"Why not? What's up?" Chloe asks, looking at me intently.

"I'll tell you later. I don't want to air my business." I say.

"Please don't tell me this involves that trick Raven. Don't make me go straight up Clairton on her ass." Chloe says heatedly.

"Chill, girl, you cussing in the church." Kita says, looking at us from whatever Terrence was saying to her.

"I know." I say with a weak laugh. It's funny how she knew it involved Raven, but it also makes me think that I'm not the only one seeing something extra in Sabrina when Raven shows her face again.

"So does it involve her?" Chloe asks, calming just a bit.

"Yes, but I'll tell you the rest later."

Chloe just shakes her head.

"Okay, everyone!" I hear the upbeat, cherry voice of the director of this little gathering. I turn and see a thirty-something year old woman. She seems to be in an incredibly good mood, but to the point that I'd be annoying. Everyone quiets down and turns their attention to her.

"So, we're going to get started and jump right into it. For those of you who don't know me and whom I've never met, my name is Monica Black. I am the head of the young adult ministry here at First Baptist Church. I just want to welcome you all here, and I hope you all enjoy yourselves and return again. I want to thank all the people who brought a friend and all the friends that decided to come. Now we're going to get started. I want everyone to partner up with one other person. If there needs to be a group of three, that's fine."

Chloe and I instantly laced our fingers together and smiled at one another. It was like school all over again. "Class, choose a partner," And Chloe and I are together like magic.

"But," Monica says. "Your partner must not be anyone you already know. And if you just so happen to know everyone in here, it must be a person from a different table than the one you sat at."

Chloe and I sigh and roll our eyes with a smile. Now what am I to do?

"Would you like to be my partner, Chelsea? We are sitting together, but we don't know each other." Keenan asks, blushing. He is just too cute.

"Yes, I'd love to be your partner." Chelsea says with a giggle. She covered her mouth with her hand as she spoke as if that would hide the blush on her high yellow skin.

"Well, if Chelsea can shamelessly flirt in a church event, I will too. Bryce, you want to be my partner?" Chloe asks.

Bryce grins. "Sure, I'd love to."

"Don't worry, I'll be fine with some stranger." I say sarcastically. Our whole table just partnered up—even though Monica said the people must be from a different table—so now I'm the only that must meet a stranger.

I stand to my feet and take a look around. Everyone is bustling around. Maybe I should just wait until that last person is without a partner and pair up with them. I lean against my chair rather than sitting down to show that I was still looking, but not actually looking.

"Do you need a partner?" I hear the low, sultry, melodic voice ask me.

I slowly drag my eyes up from the floor, scanning the body before me from toe to head. She's wearing black heels, four inch with little bows on the side. She has long, dark chocolate legs that I could see tangled with my light mocha ones. Her black skirt sat just above the knees, sexy, but not slutty. Her blouse was a simple blue button up, but the first few buttons are undone, giving a hint of cleavage. Nice. Her neck is slender and her face is as well. She has full lips, a pert nose, and gray almond shaped eyes. She looks so exotic. I've never seen anyone with such smooth looking dark skin and have gray eyes. "Yes, I do." I say smoothly. I curse myself for sounding flirtatious. This is a church, you better watch yourself.

I follow the woman to her table and sit beside her. We are the only people at the small, round table. I divert my attention to the white tablecloth, feeling uncomfortable. I found myself wishing she was gay. It was wrong I know, especially since I have Sabrina, but I just really wanted this woman to be gay. I couldn't tell. Nowadays, a lot of women are gay or bisexual, even if it's just for experimentation, but I can never really tell who is or who isn't. With the exception of butch woman, it isn't like lesbians look any different than straight women.

"What's your name?" She asks me. Her voice is so melodious. It's like soft R&B music, low and sexy.

I turn to her, thanking God that you really can't notice a dark girl's blush. "My name is Michel. And you are?"

"Michel? I never met anyone with that name before. That's a beautiful name. I'm Imani."

"Your name is beautiful too. Where are you from if you don't mind me asking?"

"I'm from Philadelphia." She says and giggles. Even her laugh is freaking harmonious.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were from somewhere foreign or something." I say, looking away.

She laughs. "I get that a lot. My mother is Haitian and my father is African. They met in Philly thirty-five years ago and stayed there ever since."

"What made them come to America?" I ask even though the answer is probably the same as it always is.

"They were both starting over alone and looking for a better life. My father's parents died in a fire. He was all alone when he came to America. My mother was an orphan and came with a woman who had become her sister while they lived on the streets in Haiti." Imani says, sounding proud. "Are you from Pennsylvania?"

"Yes, I was born and raised on the North side."

"Oh," She laughs.

"Why is that funny?"

"Well, you know those North side women better than me."

I roll my eyes. "You need to quit or you gon find out." I say with a laugh.

"Oh, I'm sorry." She laughs.

"Okay, I see that everyone has a partner so let's get started." Monica says, smiling brightly. "I want each group to make a poster presenting an activity or event for the young adults to do to expand the young adult ministry. Some of you may have the same idea, but that's okay. Think of something creative and make your posters look good. If everyone likes your idea we will use them to publicize the activity."

Monica passes out poster board to every group of two and a box of markers and such for each table. I grab a black marker and pull the poster board to myself.

"You have an idea for an activity?" I ask Imani as I look down at the blank.

"Um...how about we have a nice zoo trip?" Imani suggests.

I look at her with raised eyebrows. "Who wants to spend the day in a hot, stinky zoo? We're not children." I say with a laugh.

She laughs too. "I don't know. I don't hear you giving any suggestions. What about bowling?"

"Everyone has bowling parties. That's hardly creative." I say.

"Bingo maybe? Everyone has a secret gambling monkey."

"Gambling is a sin, isn't it? And besides, old ladies do bingo."

Imani sighs, but her smile stays intact. "Okay, well, how about a community day sort of thing. We can do it outside. There can be arts and crafts, basketball, live music, and even a short—and I do mean short—sermon."

I think for a moment. "That sounds good, but the only thing is, where will it be held, and who's going to plan it all. It will probably be us since we came up with it."

"Oh well, that's out, because I definitely ain't planning nothing. Ooh, I know, we'll do skating. Everyone likes skating. We can rent out the rink or just go on any day and eat their food."

"No." I say simply. "What else you got?"

Imani sighs in frustration so I can't help but laugh. "Where are your ideas? You're shooting mine down so yours must be amazing."

I laugh some more. "No, come on. You're doing really good; keep going."

"I like skating. What's wrong with skating?" Imani says with her arms crossed, pouting like a child.

"I don't like skating."

She squints. "Who doesn't like skating? Everyone likes skating."

"I don't."

"Why not?"

I roll my eyes. "I can't skate." She laughs at me and I blush. "I never got the hang of it."

She laughs harder, drawing attention to our table. "That's so cute!"

"Oh God! Please, shut up before I kill you. It's not that serious."

"Yes, it is. How old are you?"

"I'm twenty-six, and?"

"And I'm twenty-five. Where I grew up, everyone knew how to skate."

"Well, where I grew up, some people skated and everyone else had better stuff to do."

She bursts into laughter, but quiets when people start to look at us. "We're definitely doing skating now."

"No, we aren't. Let's just do bowling. That was a great idea." I say. I uncap the marker I was holding and prepare to write "Bowling Party" in big, bold letters.

"No, we're doing skating." Imani says, pulling the paper from beneath my arm.

"Chill, we're not skating. Why would I want to go skating if I don't know how?"

Imani looks at me with a grin. "Because I can teach you how,"

I keep my hold on the paper, but I look at her curiously. She holds my gaze for a second or two and then looks away to reach for a marker. I snatch the paper back to my side of the table. Is she flirting with me or am I imagining things?

I place the tip of the marker on the paper, but suddenly it is snatched from under me, leaving a sharp, black line across the paper. I drop my mouth open, but it's hard to hide my smile.

"Look what you did!" I exclaim, pointing at the mark.

"You were about to write bowling when I told you we're doing skating." Imani says. She flips the paper over to the other side and prepares to write. "I got you. Skating is easy."

"No, I don't want to." I grab the paper and pull. Imani pulls also. In the next moment, we have two smaller pieces of crumbled paper.

"Now look! Why you go and do that?" Imani demands while smiling.

"Me? If you would have just let me do it, this wouldn't have happened." I say. I try to hide my smile, but I burst into laughter.

Imani laughs too. "Go ask Monica for another piece of paper."

"That's okay. You can ask her." I say, smiling.

"You ripped it so you ask her."

I laugh. "You ripped it! I had it first. I didn't ask you to snatch it off me like that."

Imani keeps laughing. "I guess we failed at our first task for the night."

"I guess so," I say, laughing harder. I'm sorry, but I just find it funny. It doesn't matter. We can just voice our idea and say our paper ripped.



"So can I call you sometime? I'd like to hang out with you outside of church." Imani says to me.

We are outside, standing in the parking lot as people file out of the church to their cars. Imani walked me to my BMW. I immediately start blushing, possibly getting ahead of myself. Her beauty which I was able to ignore up until now became that much more noticeable and hard to ignore.

I decide to take my chances with embarrassment. "Are you flirting with me or are you being friendly?" I ask plainly.

Imani smiles; it's breathtaking. "Both," She says coyly. "So can I have your number?"

"I have to tell you I'm seeing someone right now and it's kind of serious." I say, remembering Sabrina.

"That's okay. I'm just looking to hand out, if that's okay?"

"Yes, sure." I say all too quickly. She grins and I blush. I give her my number and save hers in my phone. I won't call first so it isn't like I'm cheating or anything.

"I'll call you sometime this week. Maybe we can go skating or something." She says with a laugh.

"Maybe we will so I could get some beforehand practice before the church's whole thing since you insisted upon skating."

She laughs. "I told you everyone likes skating." She looks around nervously. "Well, it's getting late so I'm going to let you go home. I don't want to draw attention to ourselves. No one here knows I'm a lesbian and I want to keep it that way. I don't want anyone to see me flirting with you."

"Why are you hiding it?"

"Aren't you?"

"Not really. I mean, I'm not advertising it, but I'm not ashamed of it either."

"I'm not ashamed, but at the same time, you know how church folk are with gay and lesbian."

I nod in agreement. "Yeah, I know. I'll talk to you later, I guess."

"I'll call you. You better answer." She says with a grin.

I smile. "I will."

I watch as Imani walks to her car, not too far from mine, and slides behind the wheel fluidly. She drives a red Camry. I watch her drive off and honk the horn at me. Damn, she's just too beautiful. I could get caught up behind her.

I slide behind the wheel of my BMW and pull out of the church parking lot. I need to get something quick to eat and then I'm going home.



I check my rearview mirror again and still I see the same black Navigator behind me. I noticed it as soon as I came off the parkway leaving the church. I swear it's following me. There's no way the car can be travelling the same exact roads as me. I can't even spot the driver because it's lagging behind, leaving space for seven other Navigators between us. All I know is a big man is driving. I can see that much. Even when other cars get between us, I still see that Navigator on the same route as me. When the other cars turn on their way, the Navigator is still right there.

God, help me...

I finally spot my destination, only a few ten feet ahead. Steak n' Shake. I pull into the parking lot, cut my engine, and wait. It was a nice public parking lot and I could see through the windows that it was very crowded inside. Still my breath catches in my throat when the Navigator pulls into the same parking lot. He parks only a few spaces across from me, between a minivan and a Ford. That was probably just cover for when he kills me.

I sink lower into my seat as my hand opens up the glove compartment. I grab my item and squeeze it tight. Come on, motherfucker. I got something for that ass. I watch the man get out of the car. He was lean and muscular, probably a runner. Damn, he's probably looking for a chase. Psychos are sick like that.

He walks in my direction, not the direction of the entrance. I sink lower into my seat. I wish I had more light. This parking lot should be more lit up. I probably could see better if I wasn't so low in my chair.

Oh my God, he's right there! I watch him reach down and grab my door handle. He opens the door, and I light his ass up! I press the stun gun to his massive chest and fire. I hold him there for exactly two seconds and draw back. He crashes to the ground in a big heap of twitching psychopath. 500, 000 volts, bitch! I lean back into my car and get my cell phone and flashlight. I shine it down on my assailant and gasp.

"Bryce Washington, what the hell?" I demand, hands on hips as if he could respond in this state. I shake my head, wondering if I should leave him there or not. I doubt he was trying to hurt me. He's not that type. It was probably a joke Chloe put him up to. A two second jolt will take him at least fifteen minutes to recover from.

I take a step back and sit in my car with my legs out. I sit and watch the recovery process, holding my stun gun in case he comes around and wants to fight. If he was seriously trying to do something, I will tear his ass up.

Suddenly he yanks my foot and pulls me down on top of him. He strong arms crush me to his as he restrains me. I kick and wrath in his arms, screaming for dear life. The stun gun drops form my hand and skitters across the pavement. The flashlight in my seat sends light over us, but not on us.

"GET THE HELL OFF ME!" I scream. Not again. I'll fight to the death before this motherfucker will have me.

"Michel, what the hell is wrong with you? Stop!" I hear him yell at me. He wraps his legs around mine and squeezes tight, locking my body in a cocoon of his. I couldn't move now. All I could was cry, trying to escape his hold. He was too strong. He was too big.

"Michel, have you lost your damn mind?" He demanded, loosening his hold on me. He sat upright with me still in his arms. I look into his face with some newfound illumination.

"Bryce?" I choke. "What the hell are you—" Because of his now loosened grip, I am able to break out of his hold. I lunge for my stun gun and turn onto my back, ready to give him another jolt. Bryce comes over to me, ready to reach down to me, but jumps back when he sees that I'm armed.

"Back the hell up!" I shout, scrambling to my feet while aiming the stun gun at him like it was an actual gun.

"Michel, are you crazy?" He demands. He has his hands up in surrender as he speaks to me.

"No, but you must be crazy if you think you're ever going to mess with me. Don't fuck with me, Bryce. I'll kill you first."

"What?" He stares at me like I'm insane.

Suddenly I began to think that maybe he isn't trying to hurt me. I begin to lower the stun gun, slowly. He keeps his hands up though, watching me cautiously like I am a bomb ready to explode.

"Are you okay?" He asks.

"Are you?"

"I don't know what the hell is going on." He says as he lowers his hands to his sides. "What the hell was that for?"

"Why were you following me?"

"I wasn't following you. I didn't see you until the turnoff into the parking lot."

"Sure you didn't."

"I didn't, I swear. I saw you turn in, and I was already coming here so I was going to ask you if you wanted to share a table."

I sigh, depressed. "I'm sorry," I say pitifully. "I thought you were trying to kill me or something."

"What? We don't really know each other, but the few times we talked should be enough for you to see I am not a murderer."

"How am I supposed to know that?" I demand, crossing my arms. "A big man in a black truck following me this late at night?"

"I wasn't following you."

"Well, I thought you were." I walk past him to my car where I safely tuck my stun gun and flashlight into the glove compartment. "I said I'm sorry." I grab my purse, turn on my heel and walk to the entrance of the Steak n' Shake.

Bryce chases after me. He grabs my shoulder and forces me to turn and face him. I snap away. "Sorry for what? Stunning me or confusing me to be a killer?"

"I'm sorry for confusing you to be a killer, but honestly, I want to stun you again." I say smartly. Once again, I turn on my heel and try to get away from him.

"You stunned me for no reason at all, and you're mad at me? What did I do wrong other than wanting to pay for your meal?"

"What about damn near breaking my spine? If you weren't trying to hurt me, why did you do all that?"

"I wasn't exactly in control of my body down there. I reached for something and I grabbed you. When you started kicking and fighting, I immediately went to restrain you."

"Yeah, sure, tell me anything."

"You are insane." He says as if he's come to a great revelation.

"Yeah and what are you going to do about it?" I demand, turning to face him. "Who the hell do you think you are? I apologized so you can just go on your merry way and leave me the hell alone."

"Psycho ass woman," He seethes, shaking his head and walking back to his car. "Every black woman in America got to be a freaking crazy." He gets into his car and slams the door.

"And every man has to be freaking misogynistic assholes! That's exactly why I don't deal with them. I'll take a crazy ass black woman rather than a mangy two-legged dog any day!" I scream at him. He puts his arm out the drivers' side window as he pulls off and gives me the finger as he drives off.

"Well, fuck you, too!" I scream.

I turn and see that a group of spectators have arrived. I roll my eyes at all of them and proceed into Steak n' Shake. I'm not letting anyone ruin my damn meal. I just wish I could get a Butterfinger milkshake with a shot of tequila.
Chapter 8

"So how was your day?" I ask Sabrina. We sit across from each other in a booth at the Olive Garden. After about two weeks of fighting, I decided it was time to let go of the bullshit so I invited her to dinner. It's just Olive Garden, nothing special. I did this so it would be nice, but not too much pressure.

"My day was good. I had a lot of fun. I spent the day shopping with my mom. She asked about you." Sabrina says with a small smile. I can tell she's monitoring her words as if she'll say something wrong, and we'll argue again. We are both being cautious with word choice. We have so much to say, but not a clue how to say it without offending the other,

I smile at her. "Tell Mrs. Davis I said hello. Did you have a good time? Or rather, did you spend a lot of her money?"

Sabrina chuckles; it seems a bit forced in my opinion. "I did have fun, and we spent about seven grand between us. She asked me to invite you, but I didn't think you'd want to come. I was surprised when you invited me to dinner tonight."

"Why were you surprised?" I ask her even though I know the answer. "Don't you think it's about time?"

"Yes, it is, but I was still surprised. I wasn't sure how long this was going to last. I wasn't even sure if that last fight meant we were broken up by the way it ended."

"I am definitely not breaking up with you. Unless you—"

"No!" She stops me quickly. "I don't want to break up with you. I just want to stop all this unnecessary fighting even though it's my fault."

"It's both of our faults. I should have been upfront with you as well as you should have been with me. We shouldn't have started playing around each other's emotions."

Sabrina nods, agreeing. "So, is there anything we need to talk about or are we going to pretend it never happened?" She asks.

"We're not pretending it never happened, but it's not important to me anymore. Nothing started because of Raven will ever be important to me. As far as I'm concerned, we can just let this go, keep moving forward in our relationship, and keep Raven out of it."

Sabrina nods and smiles. "I'm glad you feel that way. I do too. I hate fighting with you like this." Sabrina reaches across the table, takes my hand, and squeezes it. "I'm over it too if you are."

"I am." I concede. I'm truly over it, and I'm very much over Raven's bullshit. It's me and my girl for now on; no one can interfere with that.



"I still have that damnable basket Raven gave me. Want to have a drink in her honor?" I ask Sabrina as we rifle through my kitchen for the type of food you eat in bed. No whipped cream. No chocolate syrup. Not even a jar of Maraschino cherries. We want to make this night hotter than any other one we've had, but it doesn't look like that will involve any sweet treats other than the honey dripping from between our legs.

"I thought we were going to forget about Raven," Sabrina says with a coy smile. Her eyes are sparkling with excitement; that only encourages me more to give her the best night of her life. I have to. It's my duty as a girlfriend.

"And we are, but in order to do that we have to get rid of all this stuff she bought. What better way to get rid of wine than to drink it?" I say mischievously. I retrieve the giant basket from my pantry—that is the only place it fits since it was so obnoxiously huge.

Sabrina and I tear open the plastic that kept the gifts inside and began removing them one by one. If Raven were anyone else I'd say "wow, she really outdid herself. This is amazing. I have to find a way to thank her." But I know this is blood money. She's probably bribing me or something of the sort. Or maybe she thinks she can get over on me and get me to

I had three bottles of wine, two bottles of champagne, top shelf vodka, rum, tequila, Ciroc, Hennessey, Hpnotiq, and some shit I never even drank filled the basket. No wonder the damn basket was so heavy. It was hell getting this from my car to my house.

As she said there were gift cards and such. I told Sabrina she gets her pick of whatever she wanted out of them with the exception of a few key cards I wanted. Whatever Sabrina doesn't want will go to Chloe and Chelsea.

The bath products and perfumes I mostly kept for myself, but Sabrina took a grab at them, supplying herself with quite a few products and bottles of perfume. The dresses and shoes, I had no idea what to do. My mom is my shoe size, but I don't think she'll like any of the shoes Raven picked out. Heels higher than the Empire State building and she even found flats that looked slutty. I don't wear dresses, but no one is my dress size. That's too bad. I'm stuck with this stuff until I can get to Goodwill.

I put all the alcohol away with the exception of one bottle of wine, and Sabrina and I court all the stuff to my bedroom. I sit on the bed, protecting the wine and two glasses, and watch with an analyzing expression as Sabrina gingerly puts all the dresses and matching shoes into the closet.

She turns and grins. "I can feel you staring at me." She says.

I smile. "I'm sorry, but there was something sexy about watching you hang those clothes up."

"Like what?" She says. She begins a slow catwalk to me, rocking her hips seductively.

"Like the way your hips swayed in the opposite direction than where you were reaching...and the way you kept bending over to organize the shoes."

Sabrina smiles and jumps on me. She pins me to the bed and begins placing light kisses all over my face. I wrap my arms around her back and spread my palms wide at the small of it. I press her lithe body against mine, fitting our curves together. Without using my hands, I try to bring my mouth to hers, but she keeps dodging me. I let out an exasperated sound, and she laughs, her breasts jiggling against me.

"Stop that," I command with a smile.

She shakes her head. "No, you're cute when you struggle like this. Besides I'm on top so I'm in control."

No later than when the words left her mouth, I flip her onto her back, trying to hold her body down with my small frame. I catch one of her hands in each of mine and lace my fingers into hers. She giggles softly just before I claim the kiss I'm lusting after.

I trace her lips with my tongue, tasting the fruity lip gloss she had refreshed after dinner. I gently take her bottom lip between my teeth and bite softly, then a little harder. Her hands tighten around mine and her hips lift to hit mine firmer. I slide my tongue inside and kiss her like I missed her. I kiss her like I hadn't seen her in years.

Somehow our hands disconnected. Mine end up on either side of her face, holding her as I kiss her passionately and hers end up on my hips, pulling me down on her. She bumps against me, causing a friction that may cause me to rip her clothes off and go too fast into it. It's been too long.

I pry myself away from her lips and away from her rocking hips—it was probably the hardest thing I ever did—to keep myself from creaming in my jeans. I sit up on the bed, straddling her. I swallow once. She's so beautiful, and right now she's sexy as hell with her eyes half-closed and her lips poking out at me so alluringly.

"I missed you, missed this." She says, noticing me staring at her.

"I know; I did too. Let's not do that anymore." I say, and Sabrina nods in agreement. "This is the first time we ever fought like this."

"Yeah," She says lazily. She reaches up, grabs my shoulders, and pulls me against her again. She kisses me deeply, and I moan. "You're killing the mood, Michel." She says with a smile. "Just keep kissing; that's the best use for your mouth."

I move and bite her neck a little hard. She gasps, squirms, and then moans. I look into her eyes, loving the "I'll rape you" look she's giving me. "Watch yourself." I warn her.

"I can take it." She says. "Can you?"

And then it was on.



I awake cuddled against Sabrina. We lay in a spooning position with her luscious ass pressed against me. I kiss the back of her neck. I wish I could stay right here in bed for the whole day.

Sabrina stirs a bit, and I deliberate waking her up for a quickie before I have to leave for work. We've only been asleep for a couple hours since we've been up all night, but she can sleep the rest of the day away; I can't. I decide to wake her up.

I slip away from her, gently push her onto her back, and slide between her legs. I immediately dig into my treat. I love the taste of her, honeyed and light. When her legs lift and settle around my head, I know she's awake. The heels of her feet dig gently into my shoulders. That encourages me more.



I walk into the spa walking on air. I never knew how much better I'd feel with my girl in bed with me. I almost didn't leave for work this morning. I was so close to calling Jasmine, my manager, and having her take control today. Sabrina and I should fight more often because the make-up sex is off the damn hook.

After unlocking all the doors, turning on all the equipment, and double checking that everything is in order, I go to my office. I had literally just turned on my computer when my cell phone started ringing. It's Imani.

"Hello," I answer almost nervously. I feel wrong just answering a phone call from another woman now that I made up with Sabrina.

"Hey, Michel," Imani says, making my name sound sexy rolling off her tongue. "What are you up to?"

"I just got to work." I say. "What are you doing?"

"Honestly, I'm just thinking about you." She says easily. "I'm wondering if maybe I can get you to go skating with me."

I'm glad we're on the phone and not talking in person so she can't see the shock—and fear—on my face. Damn, she doesn't waste any time with idle small talk. She just jumps right into it.

"Oh, well I—"

She laughs, surprisingly deep and husky—sexy as hell. "Don't tell me I scared you off that quick."

"No, it's just I don't think that's a good idea." I say.

"Why not? I thought we were really enjoying each other the other day. I'm just trying to enjoy you more." Oh, Lord!

"I have to be completely honest with you. My girl and I just made up last night. It'd be wrong of me to mess that up by going out with you tonight."

"I don't care about your girlfriend. I told you on that first night that I'm just looking to hang out. I just want to spend some time with you, but if you can't handle that, I can understand."

"No, I can, but I just want everything out in the open. I don't want you to get confused about what this is."

"What is this exactly?" She asks. For some reason, I can tell she's smiling.

"Like you said, just us hanging out."

"Does that mean you're going skating with me?"

"Can't we do something else that doesn't involve me falling on my ass?"

"Don't worry, I'll catch you. You said you wanted practice so here it is."

I smile at the idea of her catching me and her arms around me. Girl, pull yourself together! "What time do you want to go?"

"Right now," She says.

"I can't go right now. I told you I'm at work."

"Please, you own your own business. When you're the boss, you can do whatever you want."

"How did you know I owned my own business?"

"I asked around about you. I know you own a day spa, graduated from the University of North Carolina, business major, and you don't attend church very often."

I laugh easily. "Well, that's pretty much common knowledge." I say. "I still can't just take off. I'm doing an expansion so I still have to be here for my contractor until he actually starts the work." I inwardly groan at the thought of seeing that overgrown Bob the Builder wannabe. If I didn't already know that his work is nothing short of perfect and fast, I would have fired him just because of his attitude. Got the nerve to try and cuss me out in a Steak n' Shake parking lot. I wish a nig—

"Oh, come on, please. Don't make me beg." Imani pleas with me.

"It's so early. Why don't we go at noon? I'll take off after lunch."

"That's too long. I want to see you now. Have you had breakfast yet?"

"I don't normally eat breakfast in the morning."

"Well, we can get breakfast, skate a while, have lunch, and then I'll get you back to work before two."

I sigh, giving in. "Okay, where do you want me to meet you?"

"I'll pick you up; I know where your spa is. Delicious Detail, right?"

"Yes," I answer. "How long before you get here?"

In my defense, I named the spa when I was about fourteen. I always had the idea that I was going to own a spa. I called it Delicious Detail because it's like when you get a car detailed, but it's your body.

"I'll be there in about a half hour."

"Okay, see you in a little bit then."

Once we hang up, I commence to turn off my computer and lock up my office. I walk to the main room, but of course no one is here yet except Mary. She was taking off her jacket so she obviously just arrived.

"Mary, I'm going on for a couple hours. Call me if there are any problems. I'm calling Jasmine now, but only you have access to my office so if Bryce Washington needs anything, I trust that you can handle it."

"I can handle Mr. Washington very well, Michel, you don't have to worry about that."

I shake my head and roll my eyes. "You and he have fun with that. I'll be back around two."

I walk out the front door and watch as Bryce Washington pulls into the employee parking lot. Would I be wrong if I told that fool he had to find a space in front of a meter? I debate going back to my office and hiding out until Imani shows up so I don't have to see his face, but it's too late now.

He walks to the front entrance where I'm standing and gives me a cocky smirk. "Hello, Ms. Wilkes." He says with forced cordiality.

"Mr. Washington," I say, not even bothering to be polite.

His smirk turns into a full smile as he walks into the building. Asshole! I roll my eyes at his back.

A shiny, silver Lexus pulls to the curb in front of me. The passenger window rolls down and I see Imani's sexy gray eyes. I can't help but smile at her, looking like a movie star with a yellow designer scarf around her neck.

"Are you just going to stand there or are you getting in the car?" She asks me, her eyes gleaming.

"Sorry," I say as I reach for the handle and slip into the comfortable seat. I look around the gray interior. "I thought you drove a red Camry."

"I have four cars, all birthday gifts from my father. I have a fascination with cars so he buys me a new one every few years or trades in my old ones for better ones." She says.

"I wish my dad would buy me cars like that, but he's not all that rich." I say.

"My parents started doing well once they came to America. They're both doctors, my father is a plastic surgeon."

"Oh," I say. "So where are we going for breakfast?"

"I'm in an IHOP mood, but we can go wherever you want as long as I'm paying for it." Imani says as she begins driving again.

"I can go for IHOP; I haven't been there in years though."

"Years? How can you not go to IHOP?"

"I don't know. I guess I never thought about that much. I've never been one for breakfast late night and I don't eat breakfast in the mornings either so I don't go to IHOP."

"If I have to pick you up every morning, you'll start eating breakfast. It is the most important meal of the day."

I shake my head, contemplating going to breakfast with this sexy woman every morning. I'll lick syrup off every inch of her body in the backseat of this car.

Stop it, Michel. Bad girl, don't think like that.

Once we get seated in the IHOP in Pittsburgh, we end up in a one sided conversation with Imani talking and me answering like an idiot because I'm barely paying attention to anything other than the cleavage peeking out from her blouse. On top of that, the blouse is thin and white and I can see her bra right through it when she moves the right way. Her scarf covers it for the most part, but I find myself stealing glances for the moments when her scarf moves enough to give me a peek. Damn, she's just so sexy, and I'm just horny.

You shouldn't even be horny, my logic argues. You just had bomb sex last night and this morning.

"What are you going to order?" Imani asks me.

I look up from her tits long enough to answer. "I guess I'll just get some buttermilk pancakes with the breakfast platter."

"Buttermilk pancakes?" Imani asks with a single brow raised. "You can eat that at home. You look like a chocolate kind of woman. Get the chocolate chip pancakes."

"What are you getting?" I ask her. Honestly, I barely looked at my menu; she is far more appetizing.

"I'm getting the strawberry shortcake pancakes."

"That looks good. I think I want that too."

"Don't get the same thing as me. Get something different so we can each off each other's plate."

"Ok, I'll get the chocolate, but don't be surprised if I eat more of yours than my own."

"That's okay. I'll even feed it to you."

I feel a flutter in my stomach. I don't even want to think about Imani feeding me anything that has to do with strawberries and whipped cream.

Thankfully, the waiter arrives and saves me from responding. We give him our drink and food orders and he carries on. I glance back down Imani's shirt. The dark chocolate mounds seem to beg me to run my tongue between them.

"You know, Michel," Imani says. Her voice sounds low and sultry like a sexy whisper. The sound of my name drags my attention back to her face. A small smile plays on her lips.

"Yes," I ask, finding just as much attraction to her beautiful eyes as I feel to her breasts.

"If you want to see my breasts, why don't you just ask? I'm sure you're trying to be discreet but I see you looking down my shirt every chance you get." Her sexy smirk only adds fuel to the fire.

I feel my face getting hot, and I look down at the table in front of me. Where the hell is that waiter with the drinks?

"I-I-I'm sorry." I apologize, blushing hard but thankful that she can't see it.

"Don't be sorry. I'm flattered. That tells me exactly what I needed to know."

I look up at her. "And what's that?"

"That you're just as attracted to me as I am to you."

I swallow once. My eyes go back to the table, finding the smooth wood very intriguing. I've never been shy with woman, if anything I was very bold. I was never afraid to be upfront with a woman I wanted to spend time with in that 'special' way. But that doesn't work with Imani. For some reason she got me blushing and drooling over her like some fourteen year old boy whose balls just dropped.

"I don't—"

"Don't tell me you don't find me attractive, because I know that's a lie." She interrupts me.

"Actually, I was going to say I don't think my girlfriend will be okay with me asking to see anything you have." I say, finding my voice and my normal forthright air.

Surprisingly Imani laughs. "You keep bringing up your girlfriend like that will make me feel any different. If I want you, I'm going to have you. It's as simple as that; you're girlfriend doesn't matter here."

Suddenly the air begins to feel thinner. I don't let up though. I refuse to keep acting shy and nervous and inexperienced. I'm not that girl anymore; I'm a grown ass, sexually progressed woman. Not even sexy ass Imani can make me weak. "I thought we were just hanging out."

"I bet you want me to say that I lied about that to get you out here, right? So you could make yourself feel less promiscuous? But we both know you were very aware of my intentions yet you came anyway. And why is that? Because you wanted to. I lied for your benefit not mine."

I lick my lips. Damn. I have to admit that she read me like an open book. Easy read, too. Yes, I knew she wanted me, and it wasn't any secret either. I knew "hang out" meant a lot more than that. I also knew that I wanted to "hang out" with her too. So yes, I pretended to be oblivious just so I could feel good about myself.

A slow, sexy smile creeps onto Imani's face. "I hit the nail right on the head, huh?" She asks haughtily. After a pause, she continues. "It's okay, Michel, we're both adults here. All you have to do is admit that you want me to yourself, and I'll handle the rest."

And sudden laugh bubbles out of me, surprising both of us. "You are so cocky." I shake my head. "I can't take it."

She looks offended for all of a second before she shifts back into her normal confident mode. "I think you can. I'll go easy on you."

Now it's my turn to give a cocky smirk. "I think you're getting the wrong idea about me. You briefly threw me off my game—I'll admit that—but I damn sure am not the type of woman you need to go easy on. I'm the type that you need to train, practice, and pray just to get in the ring with."

Imani smiles. "I get that from you. I can see it in the way you walk, talk, dress. I think we can be great together. I think I'm just the type of woman that will make your hot ass cool down."

My smirk turns into a full on smile. "It'll take a lot more than bomb sex to make me settle down. I get bomb sex every night."

"I wasn't talking about sex, but since we're on the subject, I can take you far beyond bomb. I don't stop for anything short of Earth-shattering. If you don't come at least a dozen times, you're not allowed to leave my bedroom."

"I get a dozen—"

"As I was saying, what I mean is that I'm the type of woman that will compliment your mind and your body. Trust and believe, if you're with me, you won't even feel the need to go out with another woman."

I want to come back with a clever retort, but that last comment gets to me a bit. I am cheating on Sabrina by being here. Dammit, and I had the nerve to be mad about Raven...

"I don't know what you're expecting from me, but you probably won't get the result you're going for." I say, going in a different direction.

"You're contemplating everything I'm saying, and that's all I want. Everything else will fall into place as it's supposed to."

"As in, you think I'll end up taking your offer?"

"I don't think it, I know it." She smiles at the waiter as he places our drinks before us. When he leaves she says, "I think you know, too."

I decide not to justify that with a response. Instead I keep my mouth closed until the waiter returns with our food. I try not to look at Imani, but I feel her eyes on me. When I steal quick glances at her, I see she has a satisfied smirk on her face, looking mischievous and sexy.

"I thought we were going to share." Imani says, watching me intently. We'd just gotten our food, and I had taken a bite of mine already.

"I never really agreed to that." I say. Images of me, her, and a bottle of boysenberry syrup pop into my head. Added to that is fresh strawberries and a spray can of whipped cream. Mmm!

"Please, you suggested it." She cuts a small piece of her pancake, covers it in strawberry syrup, and holds it out to me. "Come on, eat it." She says seductively.

So I do. I even lick the dripping syrup from the fork. It was that freaky little move that opens the door to everything else we do today.



She slams me against a nearby tree, and supports me when my roller skate clad feet refuse to steady me. I gasp, gripping the hard, dry bark. She pushes herself harder against me, pressing my back into the tree almost painfully. Her hands grab my ass and she squeezes hard, now pulling me away from the tree and closer to her sensuous body. Her lips find my ear, taking the lobe between her teeth, she bites. I moan and arch my back.

She slams me back against the tree as if the way I moved out of the position she put me in offended her. She bites my ear again, but sucks it gently between her teeth before I get a chance to feel any pain. She caresses my ass tenderly, lovingly. I poke my ass out into her hands, loving the sinful feel. My heart is pounding; I almost don't know what I am doing. No groping on the first date, Michel! She takes my encouragement and continues.

I can feel her reluctance as she pulls away, leaving me feeling bare and empty against the tree. I immediately miss the warmth of her body and the aggression of her hands on me.

"Does it feel better now?" Imani asks me, her lips close to my ear.

I nod numbly. I had fallen on my ass quite a few times and had begun to complain about the pain. That erotic little butt massage was Imani's way of taking the pain away. She did succeed, but now I have a pain in another place on the lower part of my body that I'd love for her to massage also. God, I need help!

Imani smiles, very aware of what she's doing to me. Imani takes my hand and leads me out of the grass to the smooth surface of the paved ground. We begin moving again, me shaking and swaying. I clutch her hand, a silent prayer for her not to let me go this time.

She laughs brightly at me when I squeeze her hand even tighter as I nearly collide with a couple of skaters. I don't like this. I'd much rather go back to that tree. There isn't enough grass in this area of the park for me to land in. I keep falling on smooth concrete.

When Imani's hand slips out of mine, my heart begins beating one hundred miles per second. I keep my balance this time though, instead of falling immediately. I turn, doing well, and make a full, very wide U-turn to get back to Imani. She meets me halfway. My legs wobble and struggle to stand erect as Imani brings my body flush against hers. I moan as her lips once again find my ear.

"Good job, now can you keep it up?" She whispers the challenge into my ear.

"I think I can," I say, high on her touch. This woman doesn't even know what she does to me. Or maybe she does, and that makes it much worse.

"I think I can. I think I can," Imani says with a laugh. "The little skater that could."

I grin at her and roll my eyes before breaking out of her hold and taking off. I skate hard and fast, using my last shred of pride and dignity to keep me from falling. I turn the corner and keep going. I want to look over my shoulder and see where Imani is, but that'd be pushing it. I'd surely fall on my ass then.

After a few more turns, I feel warm fingers lace into mine. Imani smiles at me as she pulls me forward, launching me way faster than I was going on my own. I think I can. I think I can.

I grip Imani's hand tighter—I believe she likes that—and brave out the tour. I was honestly thanking God when Imani began to slow. I began missing my tennis shoes as soon as we stopped. I feel good though, shaky but good. I can skate!

"Oh my God, what time is it?" I ask her, still grinning stupidly.

She pulls out her cell and checks the time. "It's quarter to two."

"What? Damn!" I say. I turn and begin to skate back to Imani's car. Now I thank God that Imani bought me skates so we don't have to go to any rental place. "I didn't even know it was that late. I have to get back to work."

Imani catches up to me, grabbing my arm to stop me. "What's the rush? You own the place don't you?"

"Yes, but I still have work to do. I already wasted more than half my day. I really need to get back before I get really behind."

Imani whips me around to face her, nearly dropping me because I'm still not all that great on these skates. She stares at me with hard eyes. The look she gave me almost scared me. She holds me like that for long moments and I allow it. She just stares at me. When she finally releases me, she says nothing, just takes off on her skates. I guess I have to follow.

I do my best to catch her, but to no prevail. After a few moments, I can't even see her anymore. When I finally reach her, she is standing next to her Lexus, wearing her sandals again. She looks past me as if I hadn't just gotten there. Obviously someone has an attitude...

I change out of my skates in silence, and then stand before her with my arms folded. Still she stares through me. At the very least, she could move from in front of the passenger door so I can get in and have her little attitude on the way back to the spa. I told her I need to get back.

"What is wrong with you?" I demand, crossing my arms and staring at her.

She looks down and glares at me. I'm only 5'4" and she's probably 5'10" to even 6'0" so she is literally looking down at me. I roll my eyes at her and then match her stare. We just glare at each other; I can tell she's angry, but I don't even know why. She blinks first.

"I'll take you back to your little spa now." She says. She opens my door for me, expecting me to get in.

"My little spa? Excuse me? What is your problem?" I demand, standing my ground. My little spa is my life and dream. No one has the right to demean that.

"I thought we were having a good time, but then you say you've already wasted more than half your day. Obviously you're bored with me so let me just take you back to your spa because that work must be amazing." Imani says, still holding the door open.

"Is that what you're mad about?" I ask, almost laughing in her face at her immaturity. "I didn't mean it that way. I did have a great time with you today, but I don't usually just take off from work like that. I just meant I need to get back and take care of everything I neglected to go out with you."

"So you did have a good time?" She asks, sounding unsure rather than the overly confident woman I've come to know.

"Yes, I did. I had a fantastic time with you today. We can even do it again if you want." I say, sounding almost as unsure as she is.

Slowly, the cocky smirk takes place on her lips. "I knew you would." Imani says. She lets go of the door and takes my hand. In a dance-type move, she spins me into her arms. "I had fun, too."

Then she kisses me.

Saying time stopped when her lips touched mine would be stupid and cliché. Truth is, time didn't stop, the world around us didn't freeze, and it didn't feel like we were the only two people on Earth. In actuality, everything began going really fast. It felt like an out of body experience like she and I were flying through space at a million miles per hour. My heart rate was going just as fast. I was very aware of all the people around us, the women judging, the children pointing, and the perverts watching. It only fueled Imani's flame and made me hotter. Her hands, roughly exploring my body, were like that of the Tasmanian Devil's. I wanted more. Faster. Faster. Faster.

Her tongue forces entry into my mouth before I could grant her access. Exploring, discovering, learning, her tongue seeks every crevice of my mouth as if trying to establish familiarity. I grab her by her hips, slamming them against me. Her hands are everywhere on my body before they settle on either side of my face. She holds me in place as we molest each other's mouth. I moan, loving the feel, the heat, of her. More. More. More.

I clutch her hips, needing her body on mine more than I need my next breath. She is just so tall. My neck is already beginning to ache at the awkward angle she held my head to prolong the kiss, but it's okay. I'm very willing to take the pain if it means more of this. But when she slowly—reluctantly, I know—pulls away from me, I feel empty and incomplete. More...please?

Imani smiles wickedly at me. I watch her breasts rise and fall as she breathes heavily. I'm full-fledged panting, just like a bitch in heat. I'm almost willing to drop to me knees and beg for more.

"Come on; let's get you back to work." Imani says, returning her attention to the open passenger side door.

I comply, walking slowly to her car. As soon as I reach one leg into car, I hear my name called. I turn and see the She-Devil decked out in a tiny halter top and some even tinier shorts with skates on. Whore.

"Having fun, Chelly?" Raven asks, coming to a stop before me with her group of followers. "I'm sure you are after the two of you traded lipstick." She scans Imani with her lasers and smiles. "She's beautiful." She obviously admires Imani's face and body, and it makes me uncomfortable.

"What the hell do you want?" I demand. I try to sound hard, but I'm done after she relays this to Sabrina. Imani steps closer as if protecting me.

"It looks like you've just given me what I want." She says and then laughs. I can't help but notice her friends look dead inside, all beautiful but also empty. Raven must have sucked the life out of them.

"And you are?" Imani asks coolly with minor attitude.

"I'm Raven Manchester." She says. She offers her hand to Imani, but Imani refuses it. "I'm friends with Michel's girlfriend." She says the words as if she felt they'd get me in trouble with her.

"Sabrina should really keep better company." Imani says with her patented smirk. She turns to me. "Michel, if you're finished, we can go."

"I was finished a whole minute ago, come on." I say, getting into the car.

"Enjoy the rest of your day," Imani says, as she pulls out of the parking lot. Raven is either standing with her usual oblivious grin or attempting to pick her face up off the ground. I'm going with the latter because it makes me feel better.

"How'd you know Sabrina's name?" I ask Imani during the ride once the thought occurred to me.

She laughs. "You told me while we were eating."

"Oh, I didn't even remember that." I say, laughing at my own stupidity. I don't even remember saying her name, let alone mentioning her, but how else would Imani have known?

"What's up with that Raven Manchester?"

"She's just the She-Devil that Sabrina and I both dated at one time."

"She-Devil? Is that why I was smelling sulfur?" Imani laughs at her joke.

I can't help but laugh too, because I say the same thing whenever Raven comes around.
Chapter 9

I skate around in circles with Chloe and Kita, feeling profoundly out of place. I feel like I should be home with Sabrina, lounging on the couch, watching movies, and making out. Surprisingly, everything's been good with us. I say surprisingly, because it's been a week, and Raven hasn't told Sabrina about Imani and me in the park. I figured Raven wouldn't waste any time dropping that on her. Maybe Raven is over Sabrina and being merciful to me.

Ha! That's funny. I know she's just waiting for the perfect time to drop the nuclear sized bomb on me.

Ever since that day in the park, I'd been avoiding Imani. She'd called me write a few times, and we talked over the phone, but it's never gone farther than that. She invited me out to lesson two before the actual skating party, but I chose to decline. I think I should cool off of Imani. I find myself thinking of the way she kissed me way more than I should, even when I'm with Sabrina. And when I think of the way she had me pinned against that tree...Damn!

Now I have to see her today. She'll be skating around, reminding me of that day in the park by using just that cocky grin of hers. I didn't want to go without Sabrina. At least if Sabrina was here, I wouldn't be tempted to do anything stupid. But if Sabrina did come, Imani might feel the need to make her presence known. I hadn't seen her yet. Maybe she isn't coming. Maybe she's already here, but avoiding me. This is a big enough place to hide in plain sight.

"Since when could you skate?" Chloe asks me as we come to a skate out of the rink to find a table.

"I got a little help from a friend when I found out we were going to have this skating party thing." I say coyly.

"Who Sabrina?"

I was about to say no, but Terrence, Keenan, and Bryce gesture to us from a booth. I use them to ignore Chloe's question. We all sit at the table, men across from the woman. I was lucky enough to sit across from Bryce the Butthole.

"I thought Chelsea was with you guys." I say, looking at Terrence and Keenan as if Bryce wasn't there. He notices and smiles. I really can't stand him.

"Playa-Playa here got her getting him some pizza." Terrence says, patting Keenan on the back. Keenan blushes deep red, turning his face a soft burgundy. I smile.

"You go, boy." I say. "Now I just need a knight to come slay this dragon." I say, chucking my thumb at Chloe.

Chloe chuckles. "He better come wielding a very powerful sword 'cause this dragon makes it hot." She winks at Terrence, and he grins. Then she turns her attention to Bryce and gives him a sweet smirk. This girl has no shame.

"I don't know what to do with you." I say. Shaking my head, a body catches my eyes. Tall, long-legged, curvy, and dark chocolate. There's Imani. Her eyes meet mine. She gives me a smile that makes my stomach flutter. What is it about this woman?

I've come to learn that she is very forceful. I think she may be the dominant type. She's tall and strong and uses that to bully me like she did in the park. She likes to pin me against walls, pinion my arms to my sides, and crush my body against hers so I can't move. She's a very aggressive kisser. She doesn't like to be told no. She gets upset easily, but she doesn't seem to have a temper. She shuts down and ignores me when she's mad. She is a sex-kitten. She's cocky and arrogant. She's probably used to getting whatever she wants—woman included. She knows how attracted I am to her so she plays that to her advantage.

And I think I love everything about her. She's intoxicating, and I crave her body, her lips, her voice, her taste. I know I didn't fine "The One", but I know I found the one that can keep me occupied for a long, long time.

And where does Sabrina fit into this?

She doesn't have to know.

You know that's wrong.

But you know you want Imani.

Just do it once and never do it again.

I can't. I care about Sabrina.

Well then, hop off Imani.

I break out of my trance and turn my attention back to the table. Still I can feel Imani's gray eyes on me. So sexy. I can stare into her eyes for hours and never get bored. Thankfully, Imani doesn't come over to me. Instead, she goes to the rental counter with her group of three other women. I wonder if she's dating one of them.

A small part of me wishes she would come say hello to me. But only a small part.

"Make room, please." Kita says, standing over me. I slide down and she sits next to me. I'm thankful because now every time I look up, I see Terrence and not Bryce.

"I saw you out there, Michel. I guess someone got over their fear of skates." Terrence says to me.

I roll my eyes and smile. "It wasn't a fear/ I just never enjoyed doing it." I say, grinning proudly. I had to sleep with an ice pack on my ass, but Imani's lesson was worth it.

"No, you were terrified. I remember you used to hide when Dad was teaching me so he wouldn't try to teach you anymore."

"I was like nine. Any nine year old will hide when they're scared."

Terrence is about to say something but Chelsea interrupts him when she comes to the table with a plate of pizza in hand.

"Here you are, baby." She says, placing the pizza in front of Keenan and then sitting next to him.

"Thanks," He says. He leans in to kiss her, thinks better of it, and then stops. Chelsea just smiles knowingly. Keenan is so shy. I never pictured Chelsea with a guy like him, but they make a cute couple.

Terrence and Bryce break into a fit of laughter. Terrence pats Keenan on the back again as if he'd done some amazing. Kita laughs too so I suspect she got the joke.

"Chill out, okay?" Keenan says. Then he grins. "Now I know why y'all are single." Now Chloe and I laugh.

"Little Keenan is acting big now that he got himself a girlfriend." Bryce says, still chuckling.

"You sound jealous to me." The words slip out of my mouth. I was trying not to acknowledge Bryce.

Bryce shakes his head and chuckles. "Trust me, I don't have to be jealous. I do just fine with women." He says. He doesn't sound playful anymore as he did with Keenan. Now he sounds serious and arrogant.

"Yes, I can tell." I say sarcastically.

"And I can tell you do also. Your girlfriend seemed very happy with you the other day."

I can hear my face crack. "You have no right referring to my personal life. Especially since you should have been doing the job I hired you for, not observing my relationship."

"You were both loud enough to alert the whole block. But hey, I'm sure you're great with women." He sneers.

"And where's your woman?"

"I'm single by choice. And besides, there's no reason dating any woman in Pittsburgh because they're all either crazy or a dyke like you."

The next thing I know, I'm jumping across the table and my hand is burning after it slapped him across the face. He stands to his feet as if he's gon do something. I feel hands on me, pulling me back. Terrence stands to his feet. He grabs Bryce by the shoulder and roughly pushes him back.

"Chill," He says sternly. His eyes were hard on Bryce's.

Bryce stares at Terrence and the he stares at me. I glare at him. If he thinks he's going to disrespect me, he got another thing coming. I wish I had my stun gun on me. And if he didn't already know, he's fired. Bryce shakes his head and the walks away. Good choice.

I slam myself into the booth, fuming. "I can't fucking stand him."

"I thought you liked him. Now I feel bad for suggesting him." Kita says, staring at me as if I had two heads.

"As a contractor, he's fine I guess. As a person, he's a dickhead and I can't stand him." I say. I cross my arms and stare straight ahead as I speak.

Terrence slowly slides into his seat. He looks at me purposefully. "Say the word and I'll..."

I shake my head. "No," I say. "He's not even worth it. He's not even worth the stinging in my palm."

"Damnnnnn," Chloe breathes, dragging the word out. "I did not see that coming. Did you have to slap his fillings out?"

I roll my eyes and shakes my head when she, Chelsea, and Terrence start laugh. Kita and Keenan look torn. Their loyalty is in question. Who to choose? Us or him?

"I'm going to go see if he's alright," Keenan says, standing to his feet. Kita nods and stands as well as if he had asked her to join. They walk away, and I don't care to watch.

Terrence exhales. I can tell he's upset. He's always been protective over m, even more so since the incident when I was sixteen. When I turned eighteen and came out about my sexuality, some boys I graduated with decided to make fun of me for it. The leader of the group was upset because I didn't go to prom with him. Adding insult to injury, after I came out, his prom date and current girlfriend admitted to be being a lesbian shortly after me, and we were an item for a while.

That was a terrible idea, even for him. He decided to tease me, and Terrence decided to kick his ass. Not only that, but Terrence had a lot of friends, A lot of big, strong male friends. Terrence and his friends beat that groups of boys down and then took me and Chloe out for pizza on the same night. Good times.

I smile reassuringly at him. "It's cool, bro. Thanks for having my back."

"Always," He says. He stands up, looking down at Chloe. "I'm going to go skate around awhile, join me?"

A slow smile spreads across her face as if her biggest wishes just came true. "I'd love to." Terrence takes her hand and leads her to the rink like the prince escorting Cinderella.

Chelsea looks at me expectantly. "What was that about, really?"

"He and I got into a misunderstanding a few weeks ago, after the meet n' greet thing, and it escalated into something it shouldn't have."

She raises her eyebrows, smiles, and then lowers then. "Hmm,"

"What is that for?" I ask her suspiciously.

"Nothing, it's an insider." She stands. "I'm going to go find my baby and skate some."

"You and Keenan? How did that happen?"

She smiles wistfully. "I don't know. There's something about him. And he's the biggest sweetheart I've ever met."

"Well, go girl." I smile. "You better go get him now before Bryce corrupts him."

She shakes her head and laughs. "So you say,"

I want to ask what that meant, but she just winks and walks away. I decide to roll my eyes and ignore. That's always works for me. I close my eyes and lean against the booth. Time for a breather.

"Sexual frustration is a bitch, isn't it?"

I peel my eyes open, look up, and see Imani. She's standing over me, looking beautiful, with a playful smirk on her face.

"Who said I was sexually frustrated?" I ask artfully.

"You did. You just didn't say it with your words." She says. She slides into the seat next to me, sitting close even though the booth could fit at least three on each side.

"And that means what?"

"That's mean exactly what we talked about in the park so don't play dumb. That means you want me, if not need me, to relieve you of that extra weight your carrying around. Trust me, if I give you that release you need, all that stress will melt away, and you'll feel a hundred times lighter."

I meet her eyes, attacking my predator dead on. "I'm not sexually frustrated. I have a girlfriend to take care of these needs." I say this more to remind myself than to remind her.

She rolls her eyes. "You keep saying that even though I already know that—"

"You don't act like you know that."

"And neither do you." She says. Her tone changes. "And don't interrupt me when I'm speaking. You keep speaking of this girlfriend you care so much about, but I've never seen her. How do I know she even exists? How do I know you're not just lying, because you're scared of me."

"I'm not scared of you."

"No, but you're scared of what I can do to you." Her voice lowers as she brings her lips close to my ear. She whispers, "You're scared that I can make you scream. You're scared that I will be more of a woman than you've ever know, than you can ever handle. You're scared you can't take it."

I am about to respond, something smart and cocky, something she would say, but her hand slips down my thigh and cups me between my legs. A soft, inaudible gasp escapes me. I quickly look around. Can anyone see? No. No one could see unless they were down on their knees under the table beside us.

Her hand squeezes me tight, a sensation I never felt before. She squeezes roughly, her fingers pressing against my forever moistening folds. Thank God, I'm wearing jeans. Her fingers push hard as if she's trying to break through my jeans and get to my core.

"Let me make things easier for you, Michel. It's okay to be scared, but it's not okay to run from me. The truth is, you can't handle me. You can't take it. You'll never be able to keep up; I'll make sure of it. But," Her tongue begins an assault on my ear, matching the sweet attack between my legs. My eyes drift closed; I can't help it. I'm giving in.

"But," She repeats. She stops messing on my ear. I immediately miss it. "The good thing is, you'll enjoy it, all of it. Everything I do will make you feel good, I promise. All I want to do is please you, and you'll do the same for me. Just close your eyes and let me take control. Be a good girl for me."

I do as she says. Why? Because it felt so damn good, and her voice in my ear was the ultimate aphrodisiac. I close my eyes and lean back into the chair, relaxed. I'm aware of the people, the children and teenagers as well, in the skating rink, but as far as I know, we're invisible over here. They won't see us. I need this. I need this release from her.

Imani works harder, faster. She presses deeper, sending my boy short panties between the lips of my woman. Faster, faster still, her fingers stroke my slit. The quick, mind-numbing rapid caress makes me feel as though I wasn't wearing the jeans at all. So wet. So good.

Then she stops. Just stops! I wasn't even ready for her to stop yet. Since I agreed to do that, the least she could have done was followed through. I just stare at her, confused at her actions and my own.

"I can't have you wetting all over yourself in a public skating rink, can I? I do have manners. If you want more, follow me home tonight." Then she stands up, winks oh so sexily, and then walks away. She returns to her group of friends. A few of them cast me curious glances. Did she just tell them what she did to me?

I collect myself and then power walk outside. Now I need some air. Impulsively, I walk straight to my car. I don't get in it though. It's a rather warm night so I just lean against it, deliberating with myself.

I didn't cheat on Sabrina. It's considered cheating because I didn't orgasm and neither did she. Someone has to cum in order for it to be cheating, right? I heard that somewhere.

"Dammit, I need to get out of here," I mumble aloud. "This night is getting worse by the minute." I reach for my keys, ready to get in my BMW and go, but a voice stops me.

"Can we talk for a second?" Bryce asks from behind me.

I turn on him with a glare. His voice doesn't sound like it normally does. Instead of sure of himself and jaunty, he sounded solemn and sincere. I decide to bite.

"What is it?" I demand.

"We should really stop this." He says. He pauses and then continues. "For the sake of the fact that I am doing a job for you, I figure we should at least learn to be civil."

"Speaking of which, I wanted to inform you that your services will no longer be required." I say smoothly in my years-practiced, all business voice.

"Really? So you've found another contractor?"

"Not yet, but I will. I refuse to work with you. If you do anything spiteful that will harm my place of business, personal will become an entirely different level. I will spill blood, and it won't be mine."

"I can assure you that I am professional enough not to include business into our personal differences." He says his business voice in tact also. Then he returns to his normal yet downtrodden tone. "Like I said, I want us to at least be cordial to each other, but I don't think that's enough. Obviously your friends and my friends are friends so we're going to see each other. My boy is dating one of your friends.

"So I think we should just stop this and start over. What happened in the parking just went a bit too far in my opinion. Whether I do this job for you or not, you're still going to see me, every time you go to church and probably every time you hang with Keenan and Kita. So can we just be friends?" He flashes me a handsome, white smile. The smile looks cocky, but the pleading look in his eyes makes me think otherwise.

He is right. I think that debacle in the parking lot did go too far, way too far. I'd stun gunned the man for Christ's sake. And deep down, I know it was really my own paranoia that made me react the way I did. And he's right about our seeing each other also. Obviously he's not going to stop being with his friends because now I'm involved with them, and I won't do that either. As adults, we might as well let it go.

I nod. "You're right." I say.

"Friends?" He asks, holding his hand out as if he wants to shake on it.

"Sure," I say. I take his hand and instantly feel the heat that ran through me. His hand was freakishly warm. He just spiked my internal body temperature by ten degrees.

His smile widens once we withdraw our hands. "Now, how about we go skate, like friends."

"Don't take this the wrong way, I have decided to let go of that little incident, but I do not want to skate." I say.

"You were just skating, what's the problem now." His tone became that of an insecure child. "Don't you like me?"

I smile and shake my head at him. "How about we play a game?"

"I would have suggested that, but I didn't want to ruin our newfound friendship by beating you."

"What makes you think you'll win?"

"Simple," He says. "It's because you're a girl."

"Okay, let's see about that, Mr. Man."



And respectfully so, I whipped his ass in every game we played. From the arcade style racing games to the old fashioned pinball machine, I won everything. Bryce was standing frustrated, clutching the standard-sized Spalding basketball in his hands, squeezing tight enough to deflate it. I laugh at his disposition.

"Don't laugh, I need to concentrate." Bryce growls at me. He focuses his eyes on the target, shoots, and scores. He lines up again, shoots, scores. He readies himself for his third and final shot. If he makes this, we'll be tied and I'll be forced to beat him in a tie-breaker round. He gets ready to shoot so I point and say "Oh crap, what is that?"

From mid-shot, he turns, and the momentum and direction of the ball is lost. The ball goes completely left of the target. I laugh out loud.

"That's like seven to nothing." I say, cackling loudly.

"It wouldn't be if you would stop cheating." He says. He has a gleam in his eyes, frustration and amusement. He isn't as mad as he looks.

"I didn't cheat. You just can't focus."

"Let's go to a court and play some real basketball. You won't even make one shot." He says challengingly.

"I'll make much more than one shot. I can shot from half court." I say, and it was the truth. I may be small—5'4"and 113 pounds, but I can shoot. My only problem is when some gargantuan, tall, lanky freak blocks me, it's over. I'm small and fast though, so I do pretty well getting around them. But if a player manages to stay in front of me, they've blocked my shot and my pass. That's why I never played ball in high school. It would have been futile.

"That don't matter. I will block each of those wannabe perfect shots." He says.

I laugh, partly because he was right, he can block all my shots, and more so because he was so mad he lost. "Yeah, whatever, boy."

"You think I'm playing. I'm not losing my manhood to a five foot short little woman. Tomorrow, take lunch with me. We'll go to the park and see who the better player is."

I shake my head. "That's not necessary. I'll just let you win a few games now."

"I don't care about these games. These are punk ass arcade games I haven't played since college. I'm going to beat you properly and royally."

"Okay, deal. But do you really want to do it in the park, where everyone will witness you losing to a girl?"

"Losing? Please, I'm going to enjoy beating you." Bryce says. He takes my hand in his overly warm one. "Put your skates back on and lets go."

So I did, against my previous protests. Bryce had actually forced me to put the skates back one, but I did. Next thing I knew we were in the rink, skating around at a moderate pace.

"Why you skating like you scared?" Bryce asks me as I move slowly and groove to the Kirk Franklin song playing.

"Actually, I'm skating like I don't want to fall. I'm not all that good at this, but I'm sufficient."

"You're boring me." He says. "We're skating like a half a mile per hour."

I scoff. "Well, you can go skate with someone else. I didn't want to skate anyway; I did this because you forced me to."

He laughs. "Just give me your hand." One my hand is secured in his, he takes off, dragging me behind him. He doesn't go too fast, but it is fast enough to make me squeeze his hand tighter and tighter with ever turn around the oval-shaped rink.

"Isn't this better?" He asks me, smiling brightly.

"I guess," I say. "Whoo!"

He laughs at my sarcastic attempt at feigned excitement. "Just think of it as a Kennywood ride. It's fun, right?"

I close my eyes and allow him to lead me around. With my eyes closed, it is sort of like a Kennywood ride. It's kind of fun rather than scary. It's when I opened my eyes that I didn't like it. I don't like the fact that I am constantly reminded that I'm going to fall on my ass sooner or later.

Suddenly I feel another hand lace into mine. I look to my right, and there's Imani. I smile goofily as the fluttering begins in my stomach.

"Can I have her for a moment?" Imani asks Bryce's permission. She looks at him through her lashes, looking sweet and innocent—everything I'm come to find out she is not.

"Knock yourself out," Bryce says, releasing my hand. "Matter of fact," He grins at me. "Just knock her out."

I roll my eyes at him. "Whatever, hater," I say just as Imani began to lead me in the opposite direction.

Imani leads me out of the rink and takes me to a table, the same secluded booth we were in about an hour and a half ago. Now I really begin to feel something deep inside me, but it wasn't quite butterflies in my stomach.

"What's up?" I ask her as I slide into the booth. This time—thankfully—she sits across from me rather than beside me.

"I was tired of seeing you give him all your attention when I'm here." She says boldly. She looks jealous and somewhat disappointed.

I decide to use this moment not to give her control over me. She seems to easily take it, but this time, I'll have it. "Are you jealous?" I ask, looking at her intently, sexily even.

"Yes," She answers. She isn't ashamed or even trying to hide her feelings. "I am jealous, and I don't like the feeling. I figure it was time for me to take you away from him before someone here made a mistake."

I squint. "What mistake is that?"

"Actually there are three." She says. "You will make the mistake of actually leaving here with him when I want you with me. He will make the mistake of walking off with what I want. And I will make the mistake of making a scene because of you."

"You say that like I am vowed guaranteed to you."

"You are. Well, you almost are. As soon as you stop playing these games with me," She winks. "But it's okay, I enjoy the chase. You're making me wait; I've never had to do that before."

"I'm not making you wait. As long as I'm with Sabrina, I have no intention of doing anything with. I can assure you that."

To my surprise, Imani laughs at me. "Please, that's a tired argument, isn't it? You've already showed me you want me, but you've also showed me that you have incredible willpower. Any other woman would be pulling into my driveway right now as I prepared my bedroom for her visit."

"For her visit?" I say skeptically. "I guess you take women home all the time."

"Yes, I do." She says bluntly. "I'm single and have been for a while. Most women can't keep me entertained long enough for me to sustain a relationship with them. As a single woman, I enjoy my time, and I chose to enjoy it with other women by making them cum repeatedly, over and over again."

The challenge in her eyes says it all. She'd just blatantly admitted to sleeping with many women and none of them mean anything to her. And obviously she wants to put me in the same category.

And yet I'm still sitting here.

"What? You have nothing to say to that?" She says condescendingly.

"I'm just taking it all in." I say. "So, if I were to go home with you tonight, what would happen after? Would I be just like the other women who can't hold your attention? Would you just forget about me after we sleep together?"

"See, you...you're different. I will keep you around. I'd keep you around for a very long time. And I know you'll stay, because I'll be sure to keep you happy. I'll make sure you want me and only me, because you're all I want."

I swallow once. "How can you say I'm all you want when you and I haven't even gone on a date?"

"It doesn't matter. I know what I feel, and I trust my instincts more than anything. I know you'll be good for me. I know you'll crave me, like an addict craving a fix. You'll need me like your next breath. And I'll love it."

"You're so sure of yourself."

"You make it easy. You've already proven to me you want what I want. You're just torn between your desires for me and your desires to be faithful. Just choose me, it is in fact what you really want."

"How do you know?"

"I guess you forgot that I nearly made you cum right in this booth. When you stopped, you looked upset, like I was denying you something you really wanted."

"I don't think so. You caught me off guard."

She laughs. "Does this mean you won't be following me home tonight?"

"I won't be following you home ever."

She laughs again. "That's what your mouth says." And then she gets up and leaves me.
Chapter 10

"Michel, are you there?" Sabrina asks me, waving her hand in front of my face.

I shake my head as if that would clear it. "Yes, sorry. What were you saying?"

"I said do you want to have lunch with me?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. My mind is somewhere else right now. But I can't have lunch with you, I'm meeting someone."

"Who do you have to meet?"

"Bryce Washington, the contractor, we have a little thing going so we're going to the park to play basketball."

"Oh," Sabrina nod and chews her bottom lip as if she wants to say more. "That sounds nice." She lies.

I chuckle. "Do you mind? I'm sure he won't care if I cancel."

"No, no, let's not go through that again. I trust you completely." She says with a small laugh.

I roll my eyes a bit. "Don't worry about that. I'm not bisexual, and I never will be bisexual. Bryce is just being nice, because just yesterday we couldn't stand each other."

"Oh," is all she says.

I can't help, but smile more. "I don't have to go. I don't even really want to. We all know he's gon win."

Sabrina laughs. "He does have a big height advantage."

"I know. He's going to shoot right over my head."

"Yes, but that's okay." Her eyes dart to the door and then back to me. "I can give you a little luck before you play."

"Luck? Are you a leprechaun now?" I ask with a smile.

"If anything you'd be the leprechaun with your short ass." She says with a smile. She slides from her spot on my desk and crawls into my lap. Her sexy legs straddle me, causing her skirt to slide up and give me a view of her white lace thong.

I shake my head, choosing not to comment. I touch my fingers to the white lace. "For me?"

"Of course it's for you. I don't want anybody else." She says. She buries her head in my neck, kissing and licking me. I close my eyes to enjoy, but maybe I should have kept them open.

My thoughts immediately drift back to Imani. I don't know what it is about her, but I just can't get her off my mind. Last night, I dreamed of what would have happened if I had followed her home. I don't regret my decision of not going—I know to stay away from temptation—but a girl can fantasize.

Sabrina shifts awkwardly as she moves to kiss the other side of my neck. I immediately realize the problem. I push her to sit up.

"Baby, are you uncomfortable?" I ask her. The armrests of the chair have to be a problem for her legs.

"Yes," She says. She slides off my lap and slides onto the floor, probably the sexiest thing I've ever seen in my life. "Get down here," She says as if I should have already known that.

What the hell, why not? I get down on my knees on the plush burgundy carpet of my office. Sabrina shakes her head at me and then forces me onto my back. Then she straddles me again. Once again her lips find my neck.

Once again my mind drifts to Imani.

I moan softly as she begins the sweetest suction on my neck. She starts off slowly, but then gets stronger. After a few delicious moments, she pulls away, admiring her work. I know she just gave me a hickey, but who cares? She is my woman after all as I am hers.

"So you and whoever else realize what's mine." She says.

I can only nod numbly. Is that not something Imani would say? Dammit! Why can't I get her out my head?

"Get on your back, let me show you something." I say.

"What do you have to show me?" She asks teasingly.

"Actually, you have something to show me."

She smiles, inching her skirt up higher and higher but seemingly slower and slower. I love the tease though. She lies on her back once the tight little black skirt is secured around her waist. I take hold of her panties and slowly slide them down. I pull down them slowly, because I'm afraid I'll rip them clean from her supple hips.

Once her woman was free, I part her legs around my thighs. I love the view from here. Sabrina lay on her back with her thighs around mine, skirt around her waist, and sans panties. So damn sexy. To complete my fantasy, I reached out to unbutton her blouse. The blouse was sea green and it complemented her smooth honey skin tone. I unbutton the blouse down to her navel, leaving only one button in place. She must have known I would do this because she wore a bra that clasps in the front. I free her breasts and then relish in the sight I'd created.

I want a picture of this, a picture to print and touch myself to at night. I don't ever masturbate, but I would if I had this to look at. That was an odd thought.

I bury my face between her legs. Her scent, her taste, her feel, it all intoxicates me. She moans out loud. Someone could hear us!

And I don't really care.

Her moans grew louder and louder as I devoured her. Louder and louder she screams, sending me on a high. I lick, suck, and kiss her from her lips to her thighs. Soon everything between her legs was soaked including my face.

Her hips buck forward, slamming her pussy against my face again and again. I grab her thin waist and bring her to the ground. I dive back in and soon she is shuddering beneath me. Her hands find my hair, and she holds me in place for her. I'm focused on her clit. I suck her into my mouth and stay there.

She cries out, begging me to "stay right there" and to "please stop for a minute" all at the same time. I go with her first request. Her hips jerk, and her legs clamp around my head. I grab her sexy ass into my hands and squeeze. She screams my name in a long, slow hiss as she cums.

I give her time little time to recover as I reach for a pert breast. I fondle her breast and tease her nipples. Her back arches as she moans. Suddenly she's sitting upright and pushes me against my desk. The drawer handles dig into my back, but it doesn't bother me. Sabrina's hands clawing to get my jeans down? That bothers me.

Once I'm naked from the waist down, Sabrina doesn't waste time with preliminaries. Her fingers are quickly drawn to my slick sex. Her fingers curl to my G-spot, but I stop her.

"Just squeeze and stroke me," I advise her. To enhance the dream, I give her another order. "Be rough,"

I hear Sabrina's giggle as she does as I say. She fervently violates my pussy. I grab her ass and give her pained squeezes. My hips gyrate in time with her aggressive strokes. Excited now, Sabrina works her fingers harder, faster.

"My ear," I croak.

Without a second's hesitation, my right earlobe disappears into her mouth. Her succulent lips suck me until her tongue flicks out to explore. I moan, squeezing her ass tighter to pull her closer to me. Without my jeans, with her fingers touching just me, the sensation is ten times better than that in the skating rink.

I'd recreated the scene with Imani with Sabrina instead. I hadn't even realized what I was doing until the fantasy was complete. I can't stop thinking of Imani, her fingers stroking my woman, her lips teasing me, her voice in my ear.

Her aggressive strokes were so perfect, so close to bringing me to cum. I'd wanted that so bad. I couldn't help it. I didn't care who saw. I wanted that feel again. The heat, the pleasure, the pain, it all made me crazy. More, Imani, more. Please don't stop again.

Her fingers pump furiously, urging me to cum. I try not to give her what she works for. She sends me deeper and deeper into my fantasy. Imani and I are still in the skating rink, but now it's empty. And we're naked. Imani has me pinned to the table with her legs and one arm. The free hand is between my legs, molesting me.

I am a mess, writhing and moaning beneath her. Her fingers push me farther and farther. Harder and harder. Faster and faster. Wetter and wetter. I buck my hips, but her body pressing against mine hinders my movement.

"Cum for me." She purrs into my ear. "Scream my name. Let me know you like it." I'm not sure if those were commands or requests.

Either way I listen. Her fingers and my hips buck frantically. My moans grow louder and louder and more and more incomprehensible. When the dam breaks and I flood, I scream her name at the top of my lungs.

Suddenly I'm pushed away, and Sabrina is rushing to her feet, yanking her skirt down.

"I can't fucking believe you!" She spats at me.

Still in the haze of my orgasm, I'm unable to follow her. "What did I do?"

"What did you say?" Sabrina demands.

"Huh?"

"Imani! You called out Imani! Who the hell is that?" Sabrina demands.

"I didn't say..."

"Don't try to lie if I just heard you! How could you?"

"Sabrina, I—"

"Fuck you, Michel." Sabrina rips open my bottom desk drawer and swipes a few baby wipes. I always kept baby wipes there for sanitary purposes. Sabrina quickly cleans herself then throws the soiled wipes at me. "Fuck you, Michel!"

She turns and tries to run out, but I grab her and bring her body to me. "I'm so sorry, Sabrina. Don't leave."

Sabrina breaks away from me. "Why shouldn't I? Who's Imani?"

"She's nobody."

"She's somebody, Michel, so tell me."

"She's just a woman I met at church. I swear she's nothing special." I lie.

"She obviously is if you say her name instead of mine."

"Please, Sabrina,"

"Have you ever slept with her?" Sabrina asks, her voice surprisingly calm.

"No, never." I say.

"Kiss her? Touch her?"

I don't want to, but I decide to lie. "Of course not. I told you, you're all I want."

"Then why did you say her...?"

"Please, let's just forget it. And her. I don't want her." I lie some more. I'm sorry. I can't tell her that she and I got to "third base" so to speak in a skating rink. I definitely can't say anything about how I left work to see her at the park. Sabrina will be pissed.

"Michel, I wanna believe you, but..."

"No buts. Please, Sabrina," I beg and pull her to me. I crush her body to mine.

"Michel, I just—"

She's interrupted by my cell phone ringing on the desk. We both glance at it, but then my attention is put back on her. "Please, Sabrina,"

She shakes her head. She looks more confused than hurt so I was grateful for that. That gave me hope that she'll forgive me. I can't believe I just said that, did that.

"Answer your phone," Sabrina says, staring at it.

"Are you going to leave when I turn my back?" I ask her, looking into her eyes. I know that's what she'll do.

"No, I won't leave." She lies.

"Promise me you won't."

"Just answer the phone, Michel!"

I slowly grab my phone. I read the name, frown, and then try to press ignore. I couldn't because suddenly Sabrina was on me, prying the ringing phone from my hands. I try to keep it from her, but she won't relent. After pinching my arm, she gets the phone from me. Thankfully it had already stopped ringing.

"Sabrina, give me my phone." I command.

She glares at me and starts tapping the touch screen. She reads aloud. "One missed call from Imani." Suddenly she snaps the fuck out. "One missed call from fucking Imani! Fucking Imani, Michel. Iiii—fucking—Mon—fucking—Eeee!!" She screams, breaking apart the syllables in her name.

"Sabrina, I—"

"Fuck you, Michel. Why is she calling you? Did you sleep with her?"

"No, I swear to God I didn't. Sabrina, please, just listen to me for a—"

"No!" Her eyes are wet with tears. "I can't believe you. And you gave me a fucking hard time about Raven, and here you are...Fuck you, Michel."

She reaches for the door, and I reach for her. She smacks my hands away. "Just stay away from me, Michel."

Stay away from me? I think I would rather prefer the "fuck you".



"Ready?" Bryce asks me. He'd changed out of his usual stonewashed jeans and flannel shirt to basketball shorts and a T-shirt. I'd changed into my gym clothes. I bring my gym bag to work every day, telling myself I'll go, but I never go. Yet I still pay the membership.

I nod. I just want to lose this game as fast as I can so I can get back to hiding in my office, dialing Sabrina's number, and praying for her to answer. I follow Bryce out of the spa and to the parking lot.

"I'll follow you okay?" I tell him as I walk towards my BMW.

"Just ride with me." He suggests. His bright smile was in place.

"Nah, I'd rather drive myself." I say.

So we drive in separate cars. After parking in the unusually near empty parking lot, we walk together to an open court. Out of the three courts, one was empty. The other two were taken by men my age or older and teenagers.

"You can have first possession." Bryce says as he checks the ball to me. I catch it and stare at it as if I don't know what to do with it.

"That's fine." I say. "Ready?"

He smirks. "Are you?"

I don't return his cocky grin even though normally I would. I'm not even in the mood for this, and it's really hot. I sigh; I'm already starting to sweat.

I dribble to ball and begin to move, with forced energy to the hoop. Bryce swings past me and swipes the ball. He spins and then sinks a two pointer. I pretend to look disappointed.

"Come on, what happened to the woman who was supposed to kick my behind?" Bryce teases.

"I'm sorry. Let's go." I say halfheartedly.

Bryce grins and begins to move, and I go at him. He fakes left and then right, leaving me moving like a ragdoll trying to get the ball from either side like an idiot. Bryce laughs, spins, shots, and gains another point.

"Come on you're not into this." He says, walking off the court.

"No, I am. Let's go." I say, standing at center court with my arms out.

Bryce turns and looks at me, shakes his head, and then calls to me. "Come on. We'll be back. I just wanna get you something."

I sigh dejectedly and follow him. He leads me to an Italian Ice vendor. I watch with confusion as the man scoops colored creamy ice into little kids' cups. Bryce takes my hand and takes us to the line.

"One regular and a large, please." Bryce asks. He opens a neat wallet and peels from bills out. He gives the man the money.

"What flavors would you like?" The vendor asks cheerfully.

"Make the large a watermelon." He says. He turns to me. "What flavor?"

"Why are we—"

He turns away before I could finish. "I think you'll like mango. Give me a mango for that medium."

"One moment," The vendor says. Quickly, he scoops up the sweet treat and puts it in the proper cup. He slides the larger one to Bryce who lifts the cup to his face and licks a bit of it. When the smaller cup is passed to him, he holds it out to me.

"What?" I ask, confused. Since when were we getting Italian Ice?

"Do you want it or not?" He asks as we start the walk back to the court. He still holds the treat that is meant for me.

I sigh as I take the cup. "What does mango Italian Ice even taste like?"

He laughs. "I think you'll like it. You look like a mango type of woman."

I cringe. "What is a mango type of woman?"

He looks me in the eyes, his expression serious and something else I couldn't identify. "It means you're free, of fears and inhibitions."

I smile at though. I know I'm free of inhibitions. I do have my dislikes, but there's still not a lot I won't try once. Fears? Not so much. I do have my fears. Fears that I keep locked away in the deep back corner of my memory for as long as I can control it.

Suddenly Bryce wraps a strong arm around me and shakes my shoulder. It wasn't an awkward motion, but a friendly one. "What's wrong?" He sounds almost as if he truly cares.

"Nothing," I say, pulling a slow, fake smile over my face.

Bryce scrutinizes me closely. "You looked like you were going to cry."

I can't help but smile for real this time. It's kind of comforting to know that there are people with genuine concern for others. "You might cry after I beat on you."

He laughs heartily, an encouraging sound. "We'll see, lil' midget." He laughs at his own joke.

"I know you didn't call me a midget. Everybody can't be skyscrapers, you know." I unconsciously take a spoon of the ice. I smile with satisfaction. "This is really good."

He smiles proudly. "I knew you'd like mango."

I smile as I eat some more. "I guess you're the Italian Ice Guru, huh?"

"Something like that." He begins scraping his spoon around the bottom of his cup to get the last scraps, and I gaped at him.

"How did you finish a large before I even made a dent in my regular?"

"You just started eating yours," He laughs.

"It's only been a few minutes!"

He only laughs some more. "You better stop eating like a girl so we can play. Or are you trying to bide your time?"

"Please, boy. I may not be a human vacuum cleaner, but I am not scared."

"We'll see." He says. He dribbles the ball a little and then shoots. He scores from half court. I stop myself before I look impressed. I could definitely do that.

He smirks at me, challenging me. "Are you ready or what?"

I feel the good old me resurfacing. I love the challenge. "Fine. I'll just have to beat you before my ice melts."

He checks the ball to me and I catch it fiercely. "Let's go."

So we go. I maneuver around him quickly from the half court line, drive to the court shoot and score. I grin at him as he takes position at half court. I smile sweetly. I was feeling a lot better; I couldn't lie about that. I was surprised at myself though. I could make a shot no problem, not when someone's blocking me. Bryce attempts to move past me but I swipe the ball from him. I turn and shoot.

"Alright, you got me." He says.

The same scenario repeats itself. I can't help but laugh. "Are we going to ten? I think I can beat you before my ice melts." I say cockily.

"I'm just getting ready."

The game continues of like this for the next six points. Now the score is 8-0. I smile triumphantly. I have the ball, and I dribble lazily. He looks at me with the same contempt he had at the skating rink. I know what he's thinking. How the hell is this five foot bitch beating me?

"We can stop now if you want." I say.

"I'm good." He says.

"Works for me." I move around him just as easily as I had been doing the whole game, shoot, and then score. He takes the ball to half court. "Don't let me get the ball. Game point."

He just smirks. I move to swipe the ball from him, but he switches to the left. I chase him, but he keeps faking left and right. He shoots, I jump for it, but the ball goes in. I can't jump to save my life.

He smiles. Whatever. 9-1. Now I have the ball, Game point! I dribble quickly and immediately drive down the lane. I go for an easy jump shot. Bryce jumps, knocks the ball down, lands, spins, shots, and scores. I can't help but to suck my teeth.

He smirks. We keep going on like this. I get the ball, he blocks my shot, and he scores. Either he just got a big shot of adrenaline or he's been playing me this whole time.

"Good game," He says. He dribbles the ball lazily.

"Oh, fuck you!" I say, grinning.

He laughs. It is a loud, bellowing sound that has many people looking in our direction. "Don't be such a sore loser."

"You played me."

"How so?" He asks with a smirk.

"I thought..."

"You thought I was weak, huh?" He throws his head back and laughs. "Never underestimate your opponent."

I grin. "Rematch?"

"If you want to lose two times in a row, that's fine. But know, I won't go easy on you this time."

"Fine."



"Just don't even talk to me," I say as Bryce and I walk back into the spa. We were both still wearing our sweaty "play clothes" and carrying my third and Bryce's fifth Italian Ice.

He laughs. "I told you. That little game at the rink was bull shit. On the real court, you would never beat me."

"I came close though. We were 9-9 three times." I say, defending myself.

"You did get close," He says. Then he adds, "But you didn't win."

I punch him in the arm. "Forget you."

He laughs. "Wanna play again tomorrow?"

I smile. "Sure, but let's make it after work. I don't want to come in all sweaty like this again."

He nodded. "I sweat like this all the time so I guess it doesn't bother me."

"Well your stink bothers me."

"You stink too!" He says and laughs.

"I have a shower in my office so I'll take care of that, but you enjoy your own funk." I say, turning to walk away.

"You didn't offer me a shower." He says.

"And I'm not going to."

I laugh as I lock my office door behind me. We'd played five games and Bryce had won each of them. It was actually pretty fun. No, it was very fun. Bryce is actually a nice guy and not so much of the dick I thought he was. He is still a bit of a dick for beating me though. He managed to keep my mind off of Sabrina and Imani for an entire hour and a half. That was good.

I sigh. I still have to deal with Sabrina.
Chapter 11

I walk into the church, feeling a mixture of sadness, happiness, apprehension, and excitement. I was a upset because Sabrina still isn't talking to me. I was happy because I was beginning to enjoy coming to church even though I was happier to sit and goof off with my brother, Chloe, Chelsea, Kita, Keenan, and Bryce. I was apprehensive because I didn't really want to see Imani. I was excited because I really want to see Imani.

Strange, isn't it?

"Hey," I say in a half whisper to everyone. They were all seated at our "usual" table in the back of the fellowship hall. It's bible study, and it's always split into groups. The children 18 years and under are in the church's annex. The young adults, 19-25, are in the under part of the annex. And the older young adults, 26-35, are here in the fellowship hall while everyone over 35 is up in the sanctuary.

After an exchange of hellos and hugs to everyone, I sat down in my usual seat, between Bryce and Chloe. My two favorite cut up buddies. The lesson was already in progress. Pastor Grant is teaching us today so I inwardly sigh. If it were Monica teaching, the lesson would go a lot faster and more easily understood.

I try to focus on Pastor Grant, but I can feel the pair of gray eyes burning into my soul. I'd seen Imani when I'd walked in, but I chose to ignore her. I need to be on my best behavior to say the least. I'd hate to actually give Sabrina something to be mad at.

After a few more minutes of pretending to pay attention to Pastor Grant, I finally look to Imani. Our eyes meet and hold. She gives me her confident smile and a wink. I can't help it; I get that feeling. You know the feeling. It's the kind of feeling a woman gets when she just knows she's going to end up losing her panties.

I pry my eyes away and glue them to the Pastor. After a few seconds, I peak back at her and see that she had turned back to the Pastor also. She's wearing that damned cocky smirk.

"How's your butt?" Bryce whispers to me.

I shake my head and glare at him through the corner of my eye. We both keep our eyes trained forward to pretend we weren't talking. "It's perfectly fine. How's your face?"

He sighs. "You got me good with that one." He says.

We had played basketball again today. We've been playing every day after work for the last few days and I've resorted to cheating. Now I can actually win some games. Who says cheaters never win? Now granted, I may be 3 wins to 50 loses, but that 3 is important to me.

Today while we were playing, I charged him, but his body just deflected it and put me right on my behind. I paid him back though by "accidently" elbowing him in the face. Ouch, right?

My phone vibrates so I reach for it to read the text and then put the phone on silent. The text is from Imani. She wants me to meet her behind the church. I look up and see that she isn't in her seat anymore. I didn't even notice her leave.

"I'm going to run outside for some air real quick, okay?" I whisper to Chloe.

She simply nods. She was lost in the lesson. I wish I could at least say I knew what it was about. Bryce touches my thigh with his big, warm hand.

"Are you alright? Do you want me to come with you?" He asks, sounding concerned.

I say "no" a little too quickly and a little too loudly. A few people turn in our direction so I mouth an apology. "I'm okay. I just need a little air. It's kind of warm in here." It's about to get a lot hotter outside if Imani gets her way. My way.

Bryce nods, but the concerned look doesn't leave his eyes. I smile at his thoughtfulness. He's a sweet friend. I quietly and discreetly slip out the back door of the fellowship hall which took me to the back of the church. I look around for Imani but don't see her. At least it isn't dark yet. It's only seven o' clock.

I text her to ask for her location, and she tells me she's in the yard behind the annex. I walk to the yard and spot Imani in the far, secluded area of the yard. She smiles at me. It wasn't her usual cocky or sexy smile. It was just a smile, and it reassured me that I was safe out here.

She pats the spot next to her on the bench she sat on. I take a seat, but not as close as she had indicated. Here's the apprehension and excitement. Damn, can she hear my heart beating?

"Why haven't you called me? Or even answered one of my phone calls?" She asks. She's reclined on the bench with her feet up on the small outdoor coffee table. She's relaxed, but I'm not.

I simply shrug as I rake my eyes over her body. She's wearing dark jeans with a purple halter top. She was wearing a jacket in the church to cover herself, but she took it off when she came out here. It wasn't cold out, but the air had chilled. She only took it off to tease me. Slut. I smile at the thought.

"Why haven't you called me, Michel?" She presses me. The way she said my name...I can picture her saying it that way over and over again as I...stop it, Michel.

"You called me, and Sabrina saw it. Now she's pissed at me." I saw. I didn't want to give up any real details.

"She's that insecure that she's mad over a phone call from another woman?" Imani asks. She rolls her eyes, disgusted.

"It wasn't just the phone call..." I say, trailing off.

Imani looks at me curiously. "Well what else is it? Don't tell me you walked away to take the call privately. One of the most important rules of cheating is don't act suspicious. Taking private phone calls is suspicious."

"I wasn't cheating though." I say. I honestly wasn't. Right?

She smiles like I'm a little kid who knows nothing. "Call it what you want to call it."

"I'm not calling it cheating." I mumble.

She ignores me. "So what did Sabrina say?"

"After saying 'fuck you' five times, she told me to stay away from her." I say. As much as I hate to admit it, that really did hurt me the most.

"Over a phone call? Tell me everything, because I know you're leaving something out."

"That's it," I lie.

She shakes her head. "Tell me,"

"That's it,"

She places her dark, smooth hand on my thigh. "Please?"

Something in me tightens. Damn! "We were...playing and I said someone else's name." I admit. I look off and find a new interest in grass. I just want to look anywhere other than at her. I force myself to look at her and see the surprise and shock on her face.

"Whose name?" She looks as if she's just come to a great revelation, and a hugs smirk breaks over her face. There's Imani, a cocky minx. "My name,"

I roll my eyes. "Don't get too excited." I wanted to say she wasn't on my mind that much, but I didn't think I could pull off the lie.

"Too late." She says. She yanks me into her lap and forces me to straddle her thighs. Okay, she didn't force me to straddle her, I did that myself, but she was still responsible. Before I could say a word of resistance, she presses her lips to mine.

It isn't a gentle kiss either. She pushes her tongue into my mouth and attacks mine. She holds the collar of my shirt, keeping me pulled tight against her. My hands fall to my sides in tight fists. I didn't know what to do with them. If I touched her like I really wanted to I would only encourage her.

Imani wrenches herself away from me. She glares at me fiercely and I almost fear that I am in trouble. In trouble!? "You better kiss me back. Don't act like you don't want it."

She pulls me back to her body and this time kisses me slowly. She drags her tongue across my lips in the sexiest way. She's waiting for me to take the initiative. So I do. I grab her roughly like she's always grabbing me. I want to grab her by the collar, but with the halter top and no bra, that might not work out too well. For her.

Instead I grab her by the back of her neck and put another hand in her hair. I pull her forward and shove my tongue into her mouth. She moans, and I go into a frenzy. I grind my body on hers and kiss her like my life depends on it. Her hands roam and caress my back in frantic motions before she settles them on my ass.

I push back against her hands and love the way she squeezes me. I press my breasts against hers and begin to wonder how this would feel without our clothes.

"Shit!" I jump off of Imani and damn near fall on my ass as I get to my feet.

"What's wrong?" She asks me almost dazedly. She has that smoky, sexy look in her eyes. That look that says, "I can make you cum like never before". That is at least the look I was getting from her.

"We're at church! We should be listening to the lesson not trying to get our freak on out here."

Surprisingly, Imani laughs. The heat in her eyes cools...a little. "You're right. Let's go finish the lesson and then we can spend the night together."

I shake my head. "I can't."

"Yes, you can, and you will."

"No, I can't. I know I'm throwing you mixed signals. One minute I'm all over, but the next I'm preaching about my girlfriend, but I'm serious. Sabrina and I aren't really broken up."

"Sounds like you're broken up to me. Not that I really care," Imani stands and comes to me. She pulls me against her body gently and kisses my ear. "I really don't care about Sabrina. I just need you to give me what we both want. We can deal with titles and claims after that."

"You'd really be okay with sleeping with me knowing I have a girlfriend who I'd also be sleeping with."

Imani pulls away so I could look at her. "No. What I said was we can have sex tonight and deal with everything else later. When I want a woman, I take her completely. I just need one night to show you that. After you get with me, you'll have no need for Sabrina. Sexually or otherwise."

Suddenly my mouth feels very dry. All the wetness in my body has gone somewhere else. "I'm not coming to your house tonight." I say firmly.

"Come on, we'll have a lot of fun."

I groan. "You're like a pedophile trying to lure a kid in with videogames and candy."

"Well, I do have an X-box, and we can pick some candy up on our way there." Imani smiles at me, looking oh so tempting. Like sin. Don't do it, Michel. This is God's house.

I shake my head. "I really should get back into the lesson before someone comes looking for me."

I turn and walk away before she could say anything else. I think if she would have said it again, I might have agreed.

Once I return to my seat, Bryce seems to blow a sigh of relief. "I was worried. You were out there kind of long."

"I know. It was really good air." Did that just come out of my mouth?

He chuckles. "Whatever that means."

I simply smile demurely. He don't need to know my business.



"Where are you headed now?" Chloe asks me after bible study had ended. We were lingering in the parking lot. "Do you want to go get something to eat?"

"I would, but I think I want to go see Sabrina. Maybe if I surprise her she'll talk to me." I say. I think about Imani and her offer. No, Sabrina is a lot more important than bomb sex.

Chloe smiles. "You two have the most bipolar relationship." She shakes her head. "Call me tomorrow so we can have lunch."

"Okay, I'll call you first thing in the morning. Where do you want to go?" I ask her.

"Anywhere is fine. We haven't gotten to chill with just us for a while. I'd invite Chelsea, but she'll invite Keenan, and then the whole crew will be there, and that'll just defeat the purpose."

I nod in agreement. "Keenan and Chelsea are so into each other, it's almost sickening."

"Who you telling? We share a house. He's always over or she's always on the phone with him. I like Keenan, but I like him less and less as the days go by."

I laugh. "It can't be that bad."

"Just look at them," She chucks her thumb in their direction. They were kissing with Chelsea's back pressed to Keenan's car door. What happened to the preacher's kid?

I smile. "At least someone's relationship is good." I begin to turn. "I'll call you tomorrow. I want to get to Sabrina's before she goes to sleep."

"Good luck." Chloe says.

"Thanks," I say as I walk to my car. She calls after me, and I turn to her.

"Don't come to lunch tomorrow with Sabrina's pussy hair stuck in your teeth."

I can't help but gape at her, praying no one heard her. "You're going to hell, this is God's church."

She laughs. "Says the hoe who's trying to go get into some sin tonight."

I shake my head. If only she knew the offers temptation has given me.



Once I get to Sabrina's apartment and decide not to knock. After eating half a container of Tic-Tacs to get Imani's taste out my mouth, I use my key to get in. I walk through the living area and take note of the condition of the apartment. It wasn't bad, but there were a lot of things knocked over. The floor lamp was down and the pillows were all off the couch. Looks like one of Sabrina's fits of rage.

I walk straight to her bedroom, tripping over items as I went. Her bedroom door is cracked, and I was just ready to push it open, when I hear a moan. I'm sure my jaw hit the floor, but I forced myself not to peak in like a Peeping Tom. Hell no. I slam that motherfucker open and walk in like I own the damn place.

I shouldn't have done that.

Sabrina is on her knees, kneeling forward between smooth legs. She stares at me with pure horror on her face. Raven, who is lying back on the bed with her legs spread, doesn't have the same look. She looks smug. She looks as if she knew I was coming and planned this just so I could see.

Raven sits up on her knees as Sabrina struggles to cover herself. Raven bears it all to me with no problem. She crosses her arms like she was the Queen of Sheba.

"Michel, I—" Sabrina starts, but I silence her by putting a hand up.

"Don't bother." I sigh as if a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. "I don't even care."

"Michel, I didn't mean to. I was just..."

"Just stop it, Sabrina. You missed Raven, didn't you? That's why we kept having those bullshit arguments. You wanted to break up so you could get with Raven. That's fine; I understand." I say. I didn't even raise my voice. Damn, I really don't care.

"Don't put it on her. You still have that tramp from the park." Raven says. She looks as if she'd just dealt a big blow, but really it meant nothing.

"You're right, I do. I think I'll go see her right now." I say as I turn.

"What?" I hear Sabrina demand.

"I caught Michel kissing some black bitch in the park." Raven says quickly.

"Michel, how could you?" Sabrina demands. She almost looks hurt.

I shrug. "Whatever. You two have fun." I say and then I walk out of the bedroom. I hear the scrambling behind me, Sabrina trying to pull on clothes to chase after me.

Once I reach the door, Sabrina catches me. She's wearing a robe. Raven stands in the bedroom doorway wearing the pink robe I had bought Sabrina. I just shake my head.

"Save it, Sabrina." I turn and face her. "Just forget about it. I cheated on you too. You probably cheated first, but it doesn't matter. We both did it. Don't do me any favors. Be with who you want to be with."

Then I leave. I hop into my car and I drive home. As soon as I got into the door, I began straightening up my house. I went, to the bathroom, stripped of all my clothes, and turned on the shower. My cell phone began ringing before I could step in.

"I'm still upset you didn't come over." Imani says in that slow, sexy voice of hers. Did she know I wanted to hear from her.

I take a chance on it. "Why don't you come over now? It's not that late."

I can see Imani's smile through the phone. "When someone invites a person to their house at almost midnight, they're only looking for one thing."

"And what is that?" I ask her, knowing exactly what she meant.

"Sex. When I get there, don't try to have a conversation with me. Just greet me at the door naked."

"I'll think about it. My address is..."

"Really? I'm only twenty minutes away."

"I'm about to get into the shower so take your time."

"You have forty-five minutes before I get there. That's the best I could offer."

"That's fine. I'll see you when you get here."

"Be naked," Imani says and then she hangs up.

I shake my head. Imani is a piece of work to say the least. I smile. Without the guilt of Sabrina on me, I can actually enjoy this.



I decide not to meet Imani at the door naked; instead I lotioned up my body in cocoa butter to feel nice and smooth. I added a little bit of some of the expensive perfume Raven bribed me with, and dressed in a lingerie set. It wasn't anything too freaky. It was boy shorts, a push up bra, and a matching robe. The color was royal purple. When I opened the door to Imani, I could see her appreciation.

She hugs me and buries her face into my neck. She is carrying a gym bag that I'm guessing has her extra clothes in. She drops it at our feet. I take her into my bedroom and give her a tour of my bed. Queen sized canopy with 600 stitch sheets, and teal.

Imani puts me on my back and kisses me slowly. My body reacts and I lift my hips to meet her body. She's so damn tall!

"Go to sleep," She suddenly orders. She slips off of me, and settles into the left side of my bed.

"What?" I demand lazily.

"Why did you invite me here when a few hours ago you were whining about your girlfriend?" Imani asks.

I decide to be honest. "She and I are over now."

"That's what I thought. I'm not going to do this as your rebound."

I sigh. "You're not rebound. You can't be. I've been thinking about this long before she and I broke up." I move to slide on top of her but she stops me.

"Then why didn't you call me until now?"

"I couldn't do it while we were still together."

"Well, I can't do this now. I'm not in the mood."

"What, you need me to have a woman already to get into the mood?"

"No, but I want your mind on me and only me when we do this. I don't want Sabrina in your thoughts at all."

I sigh. "Well, why did you come over?"

"I still wanted to sleep with you." She says. She slips under the covers.

I roll my eyes. "I should kick you out. You've been threatening me for two weeks and now you can't deliver."

Imani pulls me down on the bed and plants a wet kiss on my lips. She's so aggressive that she pins me down as she does so. Her tongue attacks me fiercely. I moan into her mouth. How dare she tell me no!

"Baby, I always deliver." She says. She pushes me away from her and then puts the comforter over me. "Now, go to sleep."

"That's my side." I tell her. "I sleep on the left."

"Not tonight you don't. I always sleep on the left."

"My house, my bed, my rules, my side. Get up."

She smiles. "Fight me for it."

Tempting, "I'm not in the mood." I say, mocking her tone.

She just laughs. Then she pulls me to her to spoon me from behind. The feel of her body placates me. I push back against her, loving the softness.

"I said, go to sleep." She orders and I laugh.

"Good night, Imani." I say with a smile.

She kisses my neck and pulls me closer. "Good night,"

And it is a good night, despite the circumstances.
Chapter 12

I awake with the warmest, softest, yet firmest body pressed against my back. I push back against it, loving the feel. I almost say Sabrina's name, but then the events of yesterday all come flooding back to me. Imani's in my bed.

Imani's in my bed!

I immediately slide out of the comfort, the heat, of Imani's body and pull the comforter back so I could get out of bed. Before I could even swing my leg over, Imani grabs me around the waist and pulls me back.

"And you are going where?" She murmurs. Her lips brush my shoulder as she speaks. She has her face nuzzled into the crook of my neck, looking mighty comfortable.

"To the bathroom," I say.

"Don't lie." Imani says. "You were about to run and hide."

"I wasn't," I lie. Well, it was a half lie. I wasn't about to run. "I do need to talk to you though."

"About last night?" She sings. She still holds me as close as possible and makes it a little hard to concentrate.

"Yes, I—"

"You regret inviting me over here, and you need me to leave before you leave for work." She didn't even sound upset when she said it.

"No, I don't regret it, but I really shouldn't have called you over here. I'm just glad we didn't have sex, and I thank you for that."

Imani yawns. "You called me over here, because you wanted me to be here. Admit it, had I pressed you, you would have slept with me a week ago or even yesterday in the church's yard. You were waiting to break up with your girlfriend so you wouldn't feel guilty."

"I didn't. I never wanted to—"

"Michel, don't try to play me. I can see right through you. You wanted me since we first partnered up at that young adult thing."

"I really didn't—"

Imani suddenly flings off the covers and reveals her body to me. All of a sudden, my mouth gets really dry. She's naked, completely and fully. There is not a stitch of clothing on her body. I swear she was fully dressed except for shoes last night. She just took it all off at some point while I was sleeping.

"Are you saying you didn't want me since day one?" Imani asks, sitting up on the bed.

Her body is incredible. Her skin is so sexy, the color a smooth, dark chocolate brown. Her breasts are large and perfectly round. Her areoles are the size of half dollars, maybe even a little bigger. Her nipples are hard and pert like gum drops. Her stomach is flat, but with muscle. My heart almost stops beating when I spot the butterfly navel ring.

I shouldn't look lower, but I do anyway. Her womanhood is just as sexy as she is. She has an oval design waxed on her. Everything else is clean shaven. My eyes drag over her long, sexy legs. Her legs are strong and toned. Her arms are the same way. I can even make out every line of her muscle. I suck in a deep breath. I want to lick her all over.

She's built like a stud, muscly and strong, but at the same time she's like a model, statuesque and all woman. Just beautiful. I love her dark skin. She's like an African goddess. The black Aphrodite, a chocolate sex symbol, a walking libido boost.

"Are you saying you didn't want me since day one?" Imani repeats, forcing my eyes back to her face where they belong.

"I, I, I did, but I..." I trail off. I can't help it anymore. I have to touch her.

I reach for a heavy breast, but decide to take one in each hand. I massage her and caress her, watching as her eyes drift closed with pleasure. I run my thumbs over her nipples, and knead her breasts in my hands. Her back arches, sending her breasts towards me, encouraging me. I pinch her nipples and a moan escapes her. So sexy.

"Come closer," She whispers in a sultry tone. She pulls me on her so that I am sitting on her lap. She lifts one of her breasts and feeds it to me.

I suck her for dear life. I hold the other in my hand, periodically pinching and squeezing her as I lick, suck, and kiss the other one. After spending a few delicious minutes on one, I move my attention to the other.

"Bite my nipples!" Her cracking voice shouts the command.

I do as she says, and I bite her hard. I know with Imani there is no sense in playing games and being cute. This woman likes it rough, I can tell. She throws her head back in a shrill, high-pitched moan, grabbing my head and holding me captive at her breast.

"More," She orders.

So I give her more. Her moans are breaking me down. I feel weak. I wanted to taste every inch of her, and then I want her to return the favor. I don't want to have sex with her or sleep with her or even make love to her. I want to fuck her. I want to rough, nasty, sweaty, hot fuck her. I want to rape and molest her.

Everything in me is hot, tight, and needy. And very wet! I don't understand it, but I'm so horny. I need to cum so bad. I need her tongue on me. That's all I need and then I'll do whatever she wants me to do to her and let her do whatever she wants to me.

She lovingly caresses all of my body that she can reach. Her fingers catch and pull against my clothes. Well, the purple, lacy boy shorts and bra. I can tell she's trying to get my bra off, but is failing miserably. I would help her, but I don't want to detach myself from her breasts.

"Fuck!" She cries suddenly. "Take this damned thing off."

I can't help but to laugh, but I taper it down to a chuckle. I gently take her hands and direct her fingers to the hidden clasps in the front. Imani watches in near amazement as if she's never seen such a contraption. When the bra falls open, spilling my breasts free, she smiles in satisfaction.

I don't realize how much I needed her touch until her hands grasp my breasts. I moan and push towards her, damn near slipping from her lap. She delves down and takes one taut nipple into her mouth. She suckles at me in hard pulls before clamping down with her teeth.

"Ahh!" My moan sounds more like a scream.

When she releases her bite, she begins licking me so that I never even feel the pain. She does this over and over again until I'm sure my breasts were purple with bites and hickeys. I didn't care though. The pain just hurts so damn good. I direct her to my neck where she places more delicious bites, kisses, and licks.

"Let me take these off you," Imani murmurs against my neck. I hadn't realized it until now, but her hands were gripping the band of my panties.

I nod and lift my hips so that she can slide them down. Once they are gone, I get back onto Imani's lap, but now I wrap my legs around her waist. I meet her lips and kiss her deeply. I slide my tongue inside her mouth and savor her taste. Imani grips my ass tightly and pulls me firmer against her. I moan at the skin to skin feel. I'm so ready.

"I should have done this last night." Imani whispers, but seemingly more to herself.

"I told you," I say. "But you were scared." I chuckle.

Imani grins. "Says the woman who's been scared since day one. That's okay though. It's better late than never."

She reaches between my legs and cups my mound. I gasp softly as she strokes me. She kisses my neck gently and then sucks. She's giving me a hickey, purposely I could tell. She grabs my face and makes me meet her eyes. She looks at me fiercely and speaks firmly.

"We're doing this," Imani says, and I'm not sure what she means. "I don't want to hear Sabrina's name ever again. You're mine now."

"Yours? What does that mean?" I ask. I'm still in a haze. I could feel an overdue orgasm creeping up ever so slowly. I just need her to unleash it.

"Whatever you want it to, your girlfriend, your woman, whatever," She kisses one cheek and then the other. "As long as you know I'm the only one. I don't want to say I'm jealous, but I am quite possessive. What you did to Sabrina, you will not do to me." She smiles at my expression. I was simply listening curiously.

"Whether you admit it or not, you did cheat on her. You shouldn't have spent that much time with me or allowed me to touch you the way I did." She continues. "Don't do that shit to me. No other woman touches you, but me. I don't think you're the type, but I'm saying it anyway. I'm the only one, understand?"

Surprisingly, I nod. "But the same applies to you. I know how you can be."

She smiles. "How can I be?"

"You're a flirt. A cocky one at that," I say. I run a gentle finger across her chest. "Kind of hard to say no to."

"I know." She says with her cockiness. "I knew you wouldn't say no to me, and it was just a matter of time before you broke up with your girlfriend."

I shake my head with a smile. "You set me up?"

"Of course I did. I gave you just enough to have you looking for more."

I meet her lips to stop the conversation. I still have a more pressing issue. I kiss her deeply. When I pull away, her grey eyes look smoky and dark with desire. "Can I have more now?" I look up at her through my thick lashes. When I was little, my father would give me whatever I wanted if I gave him that look. Sometimes, I could even get my mother that way.

Imani licks her lips in the sexiest way. "Do you have any toys?"

"I have a few things." I say and I truly meant few. I was never really into toys. I climb off of Imani and crawl across the bed to get to my nightstand. In the bottom of the three drawers, I store a bullet, a vibrator, and a strap-on. The bullet and the strap-on are still in their packages.

Imani immediately reaches for the strap-on. "Did you use that vibrator on her?"

I nod. I had the thing for months, and it was only used on Sabrina or her using it on me. I bought the strap-on for her pleasure as well, but she had her own that she preferred.

"Throw that away." Imani commands as if it's contaminated.

I smile at her jealousy, grab the vibrator, and throw it across the room. It misses the small trash can and rolls a few feet away from it. I'll get it later.

I turn back and see Imani ripping the strap-on out of its package. I grab her face and kiss her. "I have one rule," I tell her. "The only thing I want inside me is your fingers."

Imani gives me a confused look with one brow raised. "Why is that?"

"It's just not my thing. If I wanted dick, I'd date men," I tell her.

She drops the strap-on and shrugs. Then she crawls between my legs and gives me what I like.



I sigh when I peel my eyes open after my nap. I stretch, yawn, and moan. Hmm, so good. After kissing Imani's cheek, I pad to the bathroom and close the door behind me. After a shower, I go back to the bedroom and realize Imani wasn't in the bed anymore. Covering my disappointment, I lotion up and get dressed.

I glance at the clock on my nightstand and see that it is damn near twelve o' clock. Fuck, I done missed half my morning already. I grab my cell phone and call Mary as I make my way to the kitchen for something quick to eat.

"Hello, Michel, the building is not on fire." Mary greets me.

I sigh in true relief. "Well, that's good to hear, but what else is going on?"

"Everything is perfectly fine, as always. Bryce—with his fine self—says he's ready to bring his men in and get started, but he needs to speak to you first."

"Okay, I'll be in within the hour so tell him we can talk then. What else?" I ask.

"Well, surprising enough, Jasmine is doing the job you pay her to do and everything is running smoothly," She says sarcastically. "Seriously, why do you pay her if you're always going to check up and make sure everything's fine. She's manager for a reason, Michel, she can handle it."

"I know, but my spa is my baby. I have to double check everything."

"Hell, you should make me manager. You consult me more than you consult her." Mary laughs.

"I know, but that's because I trust you, and you've been here longer—"

"Jasmine has been here for four years, she's knows what she is doing." Mary interrupts me. "You worry too much."

"I do, but you should be happy. You get a 'dealing with my boss's over concern" bonus every month."

"Yes, and this is why I say, worry on, my girl." Mary laughs. "I'll see you in an hour."

"Okay, Mary." I absolutely love her.

I hang up my cell and walk into the kitchen drawn by the smell of food. I smile at Imani, dressed in new, clean clothes and cooking on the stove I rarely ever use. I go to the refrigerator and grab the orange juice. I pour each of us a glass as Imani spoons eggs onto a plate. I take a seat, and Imani places a plate in front of me. I frown at it.

"Eggs, chicken strips, and PopTarts?" I question her. I know everyone has weird taste, but that's a little random.

Imani gives me an incredulous l look. "You have no food here. You have no bacon or sausage so I made chicken strips. You have no waffles or pancakes so I threw some PopTarts into the toaster."

I laugh. "I don't really eat here or cook for myself. I always eat out or I buy food as necessary."

Imani shakes her head. "I noticed you have an abundance of alcohol and shit you can eat off someone."

I laugh at that also. "Someone gave me a gift basket that was filled with basically alcohol."

"And the aphrodisiacs?" She questions.

I shrug my shoulders and decide not to answer. Instead I pick up my fork to eat. Imani takes a seat next to me. I taste the eggs and smile. They were actually good.

"Okay, so you're not trying to poison me or anything right?" I joke before taking another forkful.

"Why would you even say that?" Imani says. She gives me her sexy, bedroom eyes. "Obviously I'm only here for your pleasure."

I roll my eyes. "Let's have a conversation when you're not being conceited."

Imani laughs; I love the sound. "I'm not conceited. I just know that I'm the shit. You know that too."

I shake my head. "If I recall correctly, you were calling my name just as much as I was calling yours."

"No, I'm sure you said my name more." She says and laughs. "And you were a lot louder."

"That's not fair, I've always been a screamer when I cum. That's nothing special about you."

She glares at me. "So you always say "sex has never been so good" after you finish? Do you always squeeze your girl so tight after like you never want to let go? Do you always whisper her name and moan while you're sleeping?"

"You heard me while I was sleeping?" I ask her, more embarrassed about that than anything. I did have a very sensual dream about her after we fell asleep.

"You woke me up, because you were moving around so much." Imani says. Her tone was still firm. "Don't try to downplay me. You know what I do to you. I hate when females do that."

I raise my eyebrows ever so slightly. "I didn't mean to offend you. I was only kidding."

Imani nods as if she understood. "I just hate when women act like I don't mean anything to them when they know damn well they always end up addicted."

I laugh. "With your cocky ass, I can understand why. I wouldn't want to pump your head up anymore."

She starts singing Beyoncé's "Ego". "Some call it arrogance, I call it confidence." She laughs and then pushes her plate away. "I can't eat this. You really need to buy food. Next time I come over here, there better be food in the fridge."

"I didn't want to make you feel bad, but I wasn't planning on eating anything other than the eggs." I stand and clear our dishes. "I need to get to the spa now though. Everyone is getting ready to leave for lunch and I haven't even been in yet."

Imani smiles. "You're welcome. That just means I completed my job to beyond satisfaction." I roll my eyes and mumble, "Cocky ass" under my breath.

Once we leave my house, Imani grabs me around the waist and slams my body against hers. I close my eyes and wait for her kiss. I give her control because she demands it. She has to be the aggressor, and I'm okay with that. It's sexy.

Imani squeezes my hips as she kisses me passionately. I hold her with my arms around her neck, savoring her kiss. Her kiss was gentle and lingering now rather than rough and fierce. When she pulls away, I sigh.

"I'm coming over tonight, around eight. I'll bring something to eat." She says with her lips close to mine.

I simply nod rather than question her. I enjoy her company to say the least, and I do want to spend more time with her. "I'll be waiting."

She smiles. "I like the sound of that, that you'll be waiting for me. Will you be naked this time?"

"Probably not, but if you behave I'll let you take my clothes off." I smile.

Her smile turns to that cocky smirk I've come to enjoy. "You know I won't behave, but you'll let me take your clothes off anyway."

I roll my eyes. "We'll see, cocky ass."



"Where the hell have you been all day?" Chloe demands as soon as I sit down. We were going to go somewhere for lunch, but I was running late this morning so we had no time to really think or make sure there were tables open. Instead, we decided to just kick in the mini-café of the spa.

"I'm so sorry." I say with my most convincing apologetic expression. "I overslept."

"Tramp, please!" Chloe spats in mock disgust. "You never oversleep. You may undersleep, but you never oversleep. Is that pussy on your breath, hoe? You were with Sabrina all night, weren't you?"

I frown and shake my head. My happiness almost dies down at the mention of her name. "I walked in on Sabrina and Raven fucking last night." I say.

Chloe's jaw drops; I attempt to pick it up for her. "Don't even start tripping about it. I don't really care. In the back of my mind, I saw it coming. And of course I had my own fun so to speak."

Chloe leans in as if ready to hear something juicy. "Do tell." She immediately backs up when Sara comes over to take our orders. I order a chicken Caesar salad with a Brisk raspberry iced tea, and Chloe gets crab croquettes with coleslaw and a Pepsi. I ask Sara to bring our drinks and food at the same time so we don't get interrupted more than necessary. Once Sara leaves, I lean in to give the details.

"I've been talking to this other woman." I lower my voice and glance around as if someone may be eavesdropping. "She's gorgeous and so damn sexy. We've been flirting back and forth and doing a tad more than that for the last few weeks. We finally slept together this morning and it was the best sex I ever had."

Chloe raises her eyebrows and nods in appreciation. "Dick was good, huh?" I give her a confused look before she shakes her head and realizes her mistake. "My bad, wrong person. Let me get into my lesbian-friend mode." She takes a deep breath as if she's becoming a different person and then says, "So it was good? Wait, why did you sleep with her this morning and not last night?"

I smile. "I invited her over last night after I walked in on Sabrina. When she came over she said she didn't want to be my rebound—which she isn't by the way—and that she didn't want Sabrina on my mind when we get together. All we did was sleep, and it was one of the best nights of sleep I've ever gotten."

Chloe smiles. "How sweet! She could have just fucked you while you were vulnerable, but instead she decided not to take advantage."

"That's the point. I wasn't vulnerable. I honestly didn't care about Sabrina and Raven. I've been talking to this woman for weeks and all I could think about was her and how much I wanted her. Now that Sabrina is with Raven, I can do what I want, and not feel guilty about it."

"So you've been cheating on Sabrina for weeks?" Chloe asks with brows raised.

"No, not exactly, well actually yes in a way. I went out for breakfast and skating with her and we kissed many times. Hell, we did more than kissing. The way she touched me..." I sigh in remembrance. "The ways we kissed. I nearly came every time."

Chloe throws up her hand, and I high-five her. "Damn, it's like that!" She exclaims.

I shush her immediately when Sara returns with our food. "It is." I say once Sara leaves. "And this morning, all that sweetness you were just cooing about went right out the window. She gave morning sex a new meaning."

Chloe gives me a look I can't decipher as she leans into the table again. "I never asked you this, but I'm curious. You always say you fuck or have sex with women, but how do you actually fuck? Do you use a strap-on or is this an all-night pussy-eating contest?"

I laugh out loud. It was a legitimate question, but it was still funny coming from her. "For me, it is pretty much just a tongue thing, but most of the women I date like to be penetrated by more than fingers. That's where the toys come in, mainly a strap-on. I don't like being fucked by a strap-on, but I'll still fuck other women with one." I explain to her in all seriousness.

Chloe smiles and speaks dreamily. "That must be fun. I always wondered what it'd be like to have a dick."

I raise my brows at her skeptically. "Are you okay? Is there something you want to tell me?"

She laughs and shakes her head. "No, but didn't you ever wonder how it'd be to fuck a man in his ass with a strap-on?"

My eyebrows reach my hairline. "No! Sheesh, girl, when do you wonder shit like that?"

She shrugs. "I watch a lot of porn when I'm bored. I don't watch it to masturbate or anything, but I watch it for entertainment and ideas."

I nod as if I understand, but Chloe opened up a whole new side of herself to me today. It's a little shocking.

"So who is this new woman? Do I know her?" Chloe asks, moving on to the next topic as Chloe does.

"I don't think I want to say who she is yet, but you do know her." I say, leaning back into my chair as I pick at my salad. I'm too engrossed in the conversation to eat.

"Hmm," Chloe murmurs as if she's thinking. "Is it Kita?" She asks suddenly.

I make a face. "Of course it isn't Kita, why would you even say that?"

"I don't know about her. She broke up with Terrence for no reason. If I was talking to his fine ass, I wouldn't let him go for anything."

I shake my head and smile. "They weren't really dating so maybe they didn't have a lot in common."

Chloe shrugs. "I guess, but that's less competition for me. I'm gon fuck your brother one day."

I laugh. "Why do you have to talk like that? If you like him then whatever, but don't say you only want to fuck him."

She rolls her eyes. "Well, I'm only saying what's on my mind."

"No, you're saying what's on your clit."

She laughs. "That too," I shake my head as she continues. "But let's not change the subject. I want to know who this new woman is."

I shake my head. "I don't want to start spreading it around that we're seeing each other when we really only just started."

"Didn't you two sleep together?" She doesn't wait for an answer. "Then y'all are seeing each other."

"Not necessarily," I say. "Somet—"

"Do you two have any plans to see each other again already made?"

"Well, yes, she told me she's coming over tonight."

Chloe smiles. "Y'all are definitely seeing each other." Her smile deepens. "She told you, huh? She didn't ask. She just said it and you went with it. That means you two are seeing each other or you are whipped."

I laugh. "I'm not whipped. Imani is just like that. She gives orders and expects them to be followed."

"Ha!" Chloe exclaims before I even realize what I did wrong. "Imani, I don't know an Imani. Who is she?" Chloe sits ruminating over it as she slices her croquettes.

"Well, maybe you don't know her personally, but you have seen her before." I say as I finally take a bite of my salad. It's good too.

"Point her out to me. She won't know and neither will anyone else."

I shake my head. "I'll think about it." I say.

"Bitch," Chloe mumbles with a peachy smile. "That's alright, hoe. You never keep anything from me for long anyway."

I laugh because I know she's right. I tell Chloe everything. She's my best friend. "Well, at least I can savor it for now." I tell her.



I wrap the vacuum cord around the base and push it back into the closet. The living room is spotless now. I'd even fluffed and organized every throw pillow on my couch, something I never do. I just throw the damn things on there.

I'd already cleaned my kitchen and all three bathrooms. I have a master bathroom, a guest bathroom, and a half bathroom on the first floor. All I have left is my own bedroom. My bedroom is never too messy except for unorganized products on my vanity and clothes I forget to fold, hang up, or put into dressers.

I am just about to go to my bedroom when there is a soft knock at my door. I glance at the living room wall clock and see that it is only seven-twenty. Imani won't be here until eight. I half run to the door and peer through the peephole just in case she decided to be early. I frown at who I see.

Maybe if I'm extra quiet, she'll go away.

She knocks again and waits. Impatient, she knocks harder and faster. "Michel, your car is parked out here so don't try to pretend you're not here."

I sigh and open the door to Sabrina. "Yes?" I ask her with eyebrows raised.

"Can I come in?" She asks, ignoring my attitude.

I step aside to grant her access, but I tell her, "I'm expecting someone so you can't stay long."

She frowns. "A woman?" She asks with contempt.

"Does it matter?" I respond.

"I guess it doesn't," She says contritely. She takes a seat on the couch and looks around. "It's very neat in here. I guess you're expecting someone important."

"What is it, Sabrina?" I ask her candidly.

She sighs. "I want to apologize."

I shake my head. "You don't have to do that. There's nothing for you to apologize for. I understand completely." I tell her honestly.

"No, but I do. I should have been straight up with you from the beginning. Remember when you told me that Raven came to the spa looking to get me back?" I nod as she continues. "That wasn't completely true, because at that time I was already talking to her again. She told me she was tired of waiting for me to tell you that I wanted to be with her. By the time you caught us, we had already been sleeping together for almost two months. I wanted to tell you, but I didn't know how."

I swallow once. That was like a blow to the gut. "So, all this time you've been sleeping with her and me, but you didn't know how to tell me?" I ask myself more than her.

She nods. "I'm sorry, Michel. I just didn't know what to say. I didn't want you to hate me."

"I wouldn't have hated you if you were honest with me. I would have preferred we broke it off rather than fighting for something I already lost."

"I know and I'm sorry."

I shake my head. "Well, I'm sorry too. It wasn't two months, but for a few weeks, I've been talking to another woman also. And I'm meeting her tonight."

"The girl from the park?"

I nod slightly, almost guilty. "Yes. And I really like her."

"That's good." Sabrina says unconvincingly. She gives a weak smile. "I know I don't have the right to be, but I'm sort of jealous. I bet she's as beautiful as Raven described her."

"You're correct about that. You have no right to be jealous." I say. I immediately bite my tongue. I hadn't meant to say that. Now I sound jealous. I'm not jealous.

Sabrina's smile fades. "I think I should so you can get ready for your...date. Raven and I are going to a musical."

I frown. Why did she have to tell me that? I don't care. "That's nice." I say. I walk her to the door. "You have fun."

"I'm sure you will."

I roll my eyes as I open the door. My frown deepens when I come face to face with my mother. Well, not exactly face to face. We're both 5"4', but she's wearing heels, small ones though. Sabrina gives my mother a smile.

"Hello, Mrs. Wilkes." She greets her with forced politeness.

"Hello," My mother says curtly. She turns to me with a heated glare. "Are you..." She chooses her words carefully. "Entertaining?"

"No, I'm not. Sabrina was just leaving." I say.

Sabrina gives me a contrite smile. "Yes, I was just telling Michel goodbye." She gives me a remorseful look. Oddly, I reach out and hug her before she leaves.

My mother walks into my house—uninvited I must add. I step out of the way and make a sarcastic gesture of inviting her in. She walks into my living room, her eyes darting around, scrutinizing my place.

"Cleaning up after you two finish?" She asks tartly.

"Actually no, Mother, I'm cleaning because I have a date coming here tonight. Actually, she'll be here at eight so..." I say, trailing off because I'm sure she can get the hint.

"Hmm, does Sabrina know that?"

"Sabrina and I are done."

"And you already have another woman coming over here?" Momma shakes her head, disgusted.

"Mother, what is that you need?" I ask, trying my best to disguise my frustration.

"Why do you always do that? Why can't I just come to see my only daughter?" Momma queries, exasperated.

"Any other mother can do that, but you can't. Every time you come around, you have to reprimand me on my lifestyle. I have a date tonight and I really need to finish cleaning up my bedroom." I turn and head for the stairs. I hear her talking behind me as I climb them and go to my bedroom.

"Michel, why are you always rude to me? And you know everything I say to you is the truth, not a reprimand."

"Mother, I am not in the mood." I say. I pick up the folded sheets that sit at the foot of my bed and unfold them. I lay the fitted sheet and place one corner. My mother instinctually goes to the opposite side of the bed and lays the sheet as well.

"Fine, Michel. Is it so bad that I just wanted to see you?" She asks. "You haven't spoken to me in almost two weeks."

"Momma, that's a lie. I spoke to you after bible study yesterday." I say, my tone softening.

"Saying hello and then holding a full conversation with your father is not speaking to me. Why is it that you don't call me?"

"I don't have the time, Mother." I say, becoming annoyed again.

"Don't lie to me, Michel Renee. You make time to call your father three times a week, but you can't call me once."

"How would you know how often I call Daddy?" I ask and then remember their little secret. "Oh, I forgot about your relationship."

"Michel, why won't you talk to me?"

"Because you don't want to talk to me, you want to preach at me. Every damn time we speak it's the same thing. Get over it, Momma, I'm a lesbian." I say firmly.

"Language, Michel."

I shake my head. "And that too! Daddy doesn't care if swear. Damn is hardly a cuss word. "

"Well, Michel, a young lady should speak like a young lady."

"And according to you, a young lady should only fuck men, but I don't do that either, do I?" I fume, surprised at myself.

"Michel, if you aren't going to watch the way you speak to me, then we can't talk."

"Mother, we're not talking, we're arguing, as usual. And actually, if you don't mind, I really do need you to go. I told you I have a date."

Momma sighs. "How about I promise not to mention your sexuality again or preach to you about your life or your language?"

"How many times a month do you make that promise to me? And then how many times a week do you break it?"

"Michel, I'm trying. You have to understand that this bothers me. I didn't raise you this way so—"

"It doesn't matter how I was raised. This is who I am."

"I don't—"

"Momma, I really need to finish up before—" A knock at my door interrupts me. I sigh deeply. "Goodbye, Momma."

"Fine, Michel. I'll call you tomorrow afternoon. I expect you to answer." She says. She gasps softly. "I think you should get that up before your date comes in here." I follow her eyes to the far corner of the room. They rest on the vibrator Imani had me throw away last night, but I had missed the garbage can. I can't help but grin.

"It's really not what you think." I tell her, blushing and smiling.

She throws up her hands and shakes her head. Surprisingly, a smile plays at her lips. "I'm not going to say anything. Walk me out."

I quickly pick up the vibrator and drop it into the garbage can. Then I take the nearly empty bag out, tie it up, and carry it with me as I walk Momma to the door. Another impatient knock sounds from Imani. I smile. She's so demanding.

"Why is she banging on your door like that?" Momma asks once we reach the living room.

"She's not banging, Momma. She's just impatient." I laugh a bit at her.

I really didn't want Momma to meet Imani quite yet, but I know she'll have a fit if I ask her to leave out the back door. I walk in front of her and open the door. Imani sees me and smiles.

"I hate to be kept waiting, Michel. Don't let it happen again." She says as she drops her overnight bag by the door as she had last night.

"Well, I was—"

I can even get the words out before she grabs me, yanks me to her, forces my head back, and slams her mouth onto mine. My body immediately responds. I give a shrill moan. One of her hands is gripping my hair, holding my head back at the awkward angle while her other hand finds my ass and squeezes. I slam my hips against hers and welcome the onslaught. Her tongue is wild in my mouth as is mine. I grind my hips against her, losing myself in the feel. Oh God, she's so good.

I am oblivious to everything. That is until I heard the ominous, loud throat clearing of my mother. I break away from Imani and put three feet between us faster than humanly possible. I know my face is a few shades darker, because I'm blushing like all hell. How could I have forgotten my mother hadn't left yet? Shit, I stepped in front of her.

Imani's eyes widened when she saw my mother. She was obviously unaware of her presence. She regains her composure, and holds her hand out to my mother. She gives Momma a dazzling smile.

"Hello, my name is Imani Okello, and I already know that you are Michel's mother. You two look just alike."

My mother gives a polite smile. I'm apprehensive inside, because my mother always gave my dates the dreaded cold shoulder. My mother takes Imani's hand and shakes it. "Have we met before?"

"Yes we have. We actually attend the same church." Imani says politely and clearly. She sounds like she's being interviewed. Well, actually she is.

Momma's eyes widen and then focus on me. She frowns. Dammit, she's angry. "Momma, I—" I'm immediately ready to explain myself even though I don't know what to say. Momma doesn't play about that church. I already know what she's thinking. God forbid someone finds out her daughter is fucking one of the other female young adults in the church.

"Momma, no one knows about it." I say quickly. That's the only defense I have.

She raises her hand to stop me before I go on. "I'm not saying a word. Your business is your business. You two have fun." She looks to Imani and nods. She kisses me on the cheek. "Goodnight, sweetie, I'm sure you'll sleep tight." She says with a wink. Then she leaves. I stand there with my mouth agape as Imani closes and locks my door.

"Your mom is very nice." Imani says appreciatively. "I almost thought she was going explode though."

"I'm sure the thought crossed her mind, especially after you kissed me" I tell her as Imani follows me to the couch, and we sit down.

"I kissed you, but you made that escalate the way it did." Imani says with a satisfied smirk.

"Me?"

"Yes, you," She says. "I don't know what it is about you, but you make me lose control." She squeezes my thigh approvingly.

"Yeah, I make you lose control," I mumble.

Imani laughs and pulls me onto her lap. She kisses me gently, something Imani rarely ever does. "Is that so hard to believe? You are so fucking sexy." She wraps my hair in her fist and pulls my face to hers. She starts tonguing my ear, and I melt against her, a sigh escaping me.

"Mmm, you're so fucking sexy too." I tell her in a whisper. I turn my head and let her tongue continue to caress me. She yanks my hair, damn near breaking my neck, and puts me in the position she had me in initially.

Suddenly, Imani pushes me off of her and leaves me feeling bereft. "I thought we were going to watch movies." She says easily.

I wait for my heart beat to return to normal before I answer. "I thought you were going to bring something to eat."

She smiles. "I'm sorry, I was running late. Had I stopped somewhere to get food, I would have been even later."

"That's okay. Had you been later, my mother wouldn't have had to see you." I say with a sigh.

"You didn't want me to meet your mother?" Imani asks, sounding hurt.

"No, that's not it, but my mother isn't the biggest fan of my sexuality."

"So seeing you with another woman got to her?"

"Yes, but she kept her promise and she didn't say anything," I concede.

Imani takes me lead and changes the subject. "Do you want to order something? I'll still buy it."

I shrug. "It's up to you. I'm not really all that hungry." At least not for food, I think naughtily.

"I'm trying to be a lady about this, but it's hard with you looking at me like that."

I wipe my expression to an impassive one. "What do you mean?"

"You're looking at me like you want me to give you a tour of my panties."

Something in me tightens a bit and I decide to go for the bold approach. "And what kind of panties would I be touring?" I ask easily. I inwardly sigh. I love when I'm in full control of myself.

Imani smiles, no, she gives me that cocky smirk. "Maybe I'll let you find out later."

"Later? Why not now? It's not like we have much else to do."

"There's plenty to do other than doing each other," She says. She looks around and accesses my living room. Her eyes fall on the DVD case. "Even if we just watch a movie."

"That's so boring," I say, a neediness in my voice. Down, girl. It's very unlike you to beg.

Imani smiles and sits up on her knees on the couch. She crawls across the short distance in the sexiest way imaginable. I feel a very pleasant wetness in my panties. Instinctively, I back away from her until my back hits the arm of the couch.

"Don't tell me you're running from me." She says sweetly.

"Of course not, I'm only getting comfortable." I say. Imani grabs each of my ankles in either of her hands and spreads my legs apart. She crawls between them and fits herself to me. I raise my hips to meet hers. Ooh, I like this...

She licks her lips above me, and then I do the same. I just wonder all the things I could do to her and her to me. She leans down and presses her lips to mine. My body immediately responds. I wrap my arms around her back and caress her there, fighting the urge to unhook her bra. Is it so wrong that I just want to get right down to business?

As usual, her hand finds my hair and yanks my head back. She begins pressing wet, hot kisses down my throat. My breath is coming ragged. Her tongue joins the game, and she begins licking me oh so sweetly. The hand that isn't holding on to my curls is now trailing up and down my body. I sigh at the sweet torture. Her hand, gently and slowly, travels down my shoulders, down the curve of my breast, across my stomach, over my hips, and back up again. I've never felt so hot in my life.

"Just so we're clear: we don't want any food and we're not watching a movie, right?" Imani asks with false concern. I can feel her smile at my skin.

I try to nod, but her hold on my hair prevents that. "Use your words, Michel." She cajoles.

"No food, no movies," I breathe. "But you can still eat." I add slowly.

I feel her smile widen. "Oh, I plan to." Suddenly her teeth latch on to my shoulder and sink in. I cry out in pain and an odd mix of pleasure. Her teeth continue to squeeze until my scream is over. The she sucks the skin into her mouth and uses her tongue as an added sedative. I sigh beneath her, suddenly craving her to bite me again.

"Bedroom?" I wheeze. The hands that were once caressing her are now clutching her for dear life. If I let go, I'll lose my hold on reality. I fear I'll come apart in a thousand pieces, and end up twitching and panting in her arms.

Imani chuckles. "I love that you are so eager for me. That's a big change from bringing up your ex all the damn time."

"I know," I say, still panting. "Now bedroom?"

She gives me a sexy smile. "Yes, now bedroom."

And so we go to my bedroom, after Imani grabs her bag. Imani immediately starts shredding clothing, so I follow her lead and do the same. She stops me though. "Let me do that."

She does a model style walk to me clad in only her jeans. The first button on her jeans is undone, and I see her panties are sky blue like her bra. Her breasts jiggle as she walks to me; I stifle the urge to grab one in each hand. For now...

Her deft, long, thin fingers take the hem of my nicely fitting T-shirt, and she pulls it over my head. I watch her eyes light up like a kid in a toy store when she surveys my bra. It's pink and black lace. My firm nipples are making their presence evident through the fabric.

"I like this so we'll leave it on for now." Her finger trails my waistline. "Do your panties match?"

I take a slow, deep breath. "Why don't you find out for yourself?"

"I will." She makes a show of unzipping my jeans. She smiles her approval at my panties. Of course my panties match! "Lie back on the bed." She orders softly.

I do as she says and raise my hips as she peels my tight skinny jeans from my body. Once I'm in only my bra and panties, Imani stands up and grabs the waistband of her designer jeans. I watch closely as she pulls then down and kicks them off as if they were a raggedy old pair yet it was still so sexy. The panties go next. She stands naked before me like a dark chocolate goddess that I'd really like to melt down and lick up.

With that sexy models' walk, she comes to the bed and climbs on. Then she crawls between my legs. Lowering on top of me, she places her lips on mine. We kiss feverishly. I wrap my legs around her, trapping her sensual body against mine. Moans escape me and we've barely even started.

"Hold on," She murmurs, out of breath as well. My chest pumps up at the thought that I'm having the same effect on her. I release my legs and she crawls off me. She reach for her bag and searches through it. She brings various items out and lays them on the bed. Everything is still packaged.

A vibrator, a rabbit, a multipack of bullets, eggs (I frown at that one), and a strap-on. She reaches into her bag for more stuff, but I stop her. "I'm not sure we'll be using all of this stuff." I say.

Imani smiles, not in the least bit wavered. "Sure we will. Unless you're scared."

"I'm not scared. I'm just not all that...adventurous." I spot a package in her bag and pull it out. "Anal beads? You're crazy."

"You can't knock it until you try it. Everything I have here is everything I've used and had used on myself before."

I frown. "I still don't like the looks of all this." I get a thought. "This is the sort of thing you ease on a person. You just took a trip to the goody store and bought everything on clearance then sprung it on me."

She laughs, a carefree sound. "I did ease it on you. When we had sex this morning, it was very simple."

Simple? Really? For me it was anything but. It was FUCKING amazing!

"I don't know," I say. I don't want to say not to all this shit, because I don't want her to go, but I damn sure don't want to say yes either.

"How about this? Since you want me to ease it on you, how about we both pick two items to use on the other? And if I let you do it to me, you have to let me do it to you, deal?"

I sigh. "Sure," I say, shocking myself a bit. I'll just pick safe items. "And whatever you do to me, I get to do to you as well, right?"

"You can do whatever you want to me," Imani says, her eyes locked on mine. "I have no inhibitions."

Something in me clenches tight, making my nipples even harder. Anything I want to her? Why does that turn me on so much? I suddenly wish I could be the same way with her. If I'm completely free with her and she's free with me, our sex life will be fantastic.

I reach for the bullets, nice and safe. After some brief consideration, I take the rabbit. "These are my two choices."

She sighs. "How did I know that's what you'd pick?" She grabs the strap-on and the anal beads. I flinch and grimace.

"No," I say firmly. "I'm not with that."

"You can't reject my choices. I didn't reject yours. I'm trying to teach you how to lose your inhibitions."

"I'm fine with my inhibitions, thank you." I say bitterly. She's beginning to turn me off. Well, almost turn me off. She's still sitting naked before me, looking so sexy as she fingers the toys.

"I'll put one down, but not the other. It's your choice. But let me warn you, before the end of this month, I'll have used every one of my toys on you." Oddly enough, I don't get scared or freaked out. I get a little turned on. "So what will it be?" She asks, holding to toys up in each hand.

"I don't want anything that resembles a dick inside me." I say.

"Why not? I don't get that." Imani implores.

I take a deep breath and decide to tell her now. Something tells me she'll only push me with this strap-on thing until she gets what she wants or a valid excuse. She definitely won't be getting what she wants.

"I was raped years ago. I'm not very fond of penetration." I say with forced indifference.

She gasps and grabs me. She pulls me into her arms, knocking the dirty little toys onto the floor. She kisses me hard and passionately. Once she releases me, I am breathless. She looks me fiercely in the eyes.

"I will never hurt you. You understand that? Anything I do to you will be for both our pleasure. You just have to trust me." She says.

'I just don't—"

"Not tonight, but learn to trust me. I'll take care of you and your body." She kisses me again. "In every way, I promise."

I nod, believing her. There's something about her eyes. I know she's telling the truth. I can trust her. At least I can with my body. I push my hips to her, an unspoken plea. I reach for whatever toy my fingers fall on. I push it into her hands. It's the egg.

"Show me," I breathe.

She nods. "I promise you'll love everything I do to you. If you cry, it'll only because I made you cum hard."

I get that familiar clenching feeling I get when I'm around her. "Make me cum, please." My voice comes out small, but firm. I believe her so now I want her to deliver. Make me cum, Imani. I know you can.



I awake with my body carefully wrapped around Imani, her ass pressed flush against my womanhood. To dream about something sexy and wake up to something sexier has to be the most delicious feeling in the world. That is everything but whatever is stabbing me in my side. I lift, careful not to wake Sleeping Beauty, and reach beneath me. I was lying on a butt plug.

Yes, I, Michel Renee Wilkes, was lying on a butt plug. It so happened to be the same one Imani enjoyed as I fucked her with her own strap-on. Mmm, what a good night! A new thought occurs to me. Why didn't that gross me out that I just picked that up?

It was also a strange night. I'd experience some things that I've never even imagined last night. What is more shocking is that I'd enjoyed it. If someone would have told me a few weeks ago that I'd have anal beads shoved into my ass and I'd like it, I would have kicked their teeth down their throat.

I don't know. It's strange as I reflect on it. I can't help but believe that I only enjoyed it because it was with Imani. I swear the woman is a goddess, the Aphrodite reincarnation. She has that effect on me, makes me want to do things I won't normally do. Like skating. Even Chloe couldn't convince me to put some skates on. But Imani did. And she made me enjoy it. Just like last night.

I slip away from Imani and get to my feet. I kiss her gently on the forehead before padding off to the bathroom.

"Don't you dare get into that shower without me." Imani orders from the bed in a surprisingly clear voice as if she's been awake for a while. She gives me her smile and I melt. How can she look so innocent and sweet now yet she fucked into submission last night?

"Sorry, I only shower alone." I say with a straight face.

Imani frowns, looking disappointed. "What did I tell you about inhibitions?"

"You said lose them." I say, feigning seriousness.

"Well?"

"Not this one," I say. Then I turn and go into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me.

I'm just getting into the shower when Imani comes in and smacks my ass firmly yet playfully. She's murmuring something about a "stupid inhibition", but I don't care to listen over the sound of the water beating over her delectable body. I move in to lick the water droplets.

"Did you have a good night?" Imani asks. I know her smirk is in place.

"It was okay," I say nonchalantly. I spell my name with my tongue in the water droplets across her chest.

She pushes me and slams my back against the wall. Her body presses firmly to mine. I sigh at the feel. "Okay? Michel, don't make me hurt you."

I laugh at her seriousness. "I am not about to stroke your ego."

"Fine, don't, because I don't mind stroking yours. I don't mind stroking anything of yours actually." Her eyes gleam with a hidden promise. Or was it a threat?

"You were great last night." She continues. She nuzzles her face in my neck. "And so open and wet for me. You surprised me. I didn't think you would be so free with me on the first day."

Her gray eyes are sexy and hazy. Her voice has gotten sultry and low. Her lips on my neck have become a lot more overwhelming. If she's trying to seduce me, she's succeeded. If she just wants some compliments out of me, she can have that too.

"You know you were amazing." I tell her. "I've never done it like that."

"Just remember who made you feel that way, and remember you're mine now." She says. Her teeth latch on to my ear, dragging a moan out of me.

Hers? Why does that sound so good to me? Hers.

"And you're mine?" I ask breathless before I claim her mouth.

"All yours, baby," And then we have the hottest sex in the shower.
Chapter 13

"Why did I even agree to come here with you?" I ask Bryce as I access my surroundings. Kids run past us and race to different machines and games. Adults who are acting like kids chase each other with tickets and prizes. For those of you that didn't catch on, we're in Dave n' Busters in the Waterfront.

"Because you can't resist a game," Bryce says with a laugh.

I shake my head, because he's right. I can't resist playing games with him. He makes me want to compete with him, and he makes me want to win. "Fine, go get us cards." I say. I reach into my bra and pull out some folded bills. I peel off a twenty and offer it to him. He accesses me with a wry expression.

"One, I'm paying so I don't need that. Two, do you always carry money in your bra or do you carry a purse?" Bryce asks me. He sounds truly interested.

I shrug. "I usually carry it in my purse. I just didn't want to bring my purse in here. Didn't you notice when I took money from my wallet and put it in my bra?"

He shakes his head. "Had I noticed you with your hand to your breast, I might have crashed the car."

I frown and poke out my lips disapprovingly. Don't tell me he's going to make this weird. We're just friends, Bryce. "Bryce, you do know I'm a lesbian, right?"

He gives me an incredulous look. "Really? I hadn't noticed." He says sarcastically.

"Well, don't flirt with me." I say. "It makes me uncomfortable."

He laughs at me. "I think of you like I think of Kita, as just another female friend whom I have no sexual attraction to."

"Oh," I say, frowning and embarrassed. "Well, go get the cards."

He smiles and winks at me before turning and walking to the desk. I frown. Now I feel like an ass. I swear he was flirting with me. My frown deepens. I'm being ridiculous.

Once Bryce returns, he hands me a card. "Ready to go get beat on?" He asks with that smile of his. He offers me his hand and I take it.

"You'll be getting whipped, but okay, let's go." I spot the game I want to play first. Basketball. I pull at Bryce's hand, falling into the child-like state that Dave n' Buster's usually invokes. I lead him to the game and hear him groan.

"Scared?" I tease as I swipe my card.

"Hell no," He grins, returning to his overzealous mood. "I just figured you'd want to play something new. But I guess this is all you can do."

I roll my eyes. "We'll see about that." I say. "Now, swipe your damn card."

He laughs. "Eager to lose, are we?"

I smile. "Yes, it appears you are."

He smirks at me and the game begins. It doesn't take long for the laughing, trash-talking, pushing, shoving, and of course embarrassment to begin. Before long the game ends and of course I win. He missed one shot while I got a perfect , maximum points. I walk away laughing while shoving my tickets in my nifty little pouch.

"Rematch?" I asks him, smiling innocently. I love the look on his face. He's upset that he's lost, but he doesn't want to show it.

"No," He says all too quickly and I laugh. "Let's not waste time on this little game. We already know who the king of real basketball is." He laughs haughtily.

I roll my eyes. "If you weren't so big and tall, I'd be able to get a shot in."

"But I'm am, so you can't." He puts his hand to the small of my back and leads me into another direction. "Now, let's really play."

Hours later, and neither of us have burnt out yet. The games have been pretty evened out in terms of wins, still, I believe the weight is still tilting in my favor. Now it's Bryce's turn to pick the game. He leads me to a shooting game. I frown and then smirk. I've never been great at shooting games except on X-box, but this shouldn't be so bad. I just point at the targets and shot. Thankfully, it's just a light sensor, because if it were anything solid, everyone would become a casualty.

"Swipe your card, shorty." Bryce says, smirking. I hate when people talk about my height. So what if I'm short. It's fun being short. I can wear six inch heels without intimidating anyone.

I watch as Bryce holds the rifle and then I mirror him. I watch him take his first shot and hit a target. It flashes and points get added to his score. I take a shot and hit well above the target. I frown and try again. Too low this time.

"Having trouble over there?" Bryce teases, looking down at me from his six foot plus altitude. He takes another shot and gets more points, making it look so easy.

"I got it," I snap and take another shot. A slow smile spreads across my face. "Got one!"

Bryce laughs. "I have five."

I shake my head and set the rifle down. "You can have this one. I'm not much of a shot outside of Black Ops."

"No shit? You play Call of Duty?" Bryce asks, lowering his gun.

I nod. "I love that shit. I always play video-games, now that's something you won't ever beat me in."

"Please, shorty, I'm a man, I have advantage over girls in video-games."

I roll my eyes. "That is so sexist. I'll kick your ass in any fighting, racing, or shooting game."

"You aren't kicking any ass in this shooting game right now." He laughs.

I push him. "It's like you in basketball. In the arcade game version, I can beat you, but in the regular version, I can't. In actual shooting, you can beat me, but not in video-game shooting."

"I think I'll beat you in both. Actually, I know I will."

Bryce raises his gun and takes the remaining five shots to make ten and make him the winner.

"Next game?" I say, dismissing the subject.

"Not yet. Let me teach you how to shoot." He swipes his card again, and, after a sigh, I do the same.

Bryce stands behind and lifts the rifle for me. Bringing his strong arms around me body, he takes my head and levels it properly for me. Rather than resting it on my shoulder as I had done, he makes me hold it up so that the aim is actually eye level. Who knew?

"When you aim, don't close one eye. It's actually more accurate when you keep them both open." He pushes his hand at the small of my back, forcing me to stand straighter. "Relax, the gun is fake." He chuckles, and I roll my eyes.

I do as he says, aim, focus, relax, and shoot. I sigh when I miss, but I'm a tad happy that I hadn't missed by much. I look at Bryce with a can-we-quit-now expression, but he shakes his head.

"Here," He comes behind and bends low so that he is eye level with me. He put his arms around me, his head at my shoulder, and his hands over mine. I inhale his scent. He smells really good. Like soap, some subtle cologne, and a natural manly smell.

He helps me to aim, talking me through it as he does. His finger rests on top of mine on the trigger. For some reason, I lean back against his chest. I feel a rumble as he chuckles and I immediately lean forward again.

"Don't worry, I got you." He says. "You got your aim right?"

"You tell me." I say. I'm not sure if I'm doing it right or not. I'm not sure of anything, but how warm his body is. I want to lean back again.

"Come on, try it." He says. So I do. I squeeze the trigger and get some points.

"See, good shot." He says, stepping away from me.

"Yeah, because you literally held my hand and walked me through it." I say.

"Well try it by yourself." He suggests. So I do. I miss three and get two. Not too shabby.

"Help me again," I say, almost whining. Truly, I don't care about my shot. I'm cold and he's warm so I want his arms around me again.

"Wait, I'm too tall to keep getting down to your level." Suddenly, he picks me up and sets me so that I'm kneeling on the counter before us. He comes behind me and wraps his arms around me. I want to protest that he has me on the counter like a child, but I'm warm so I won't complain.



. In the end, I had fifty-three more points than Bryce. He was upset about it too. I laughed at him. He blamed it on the shooting game, but how could that be if we both kept playing and he beat me each time? We ended up giving our cards to little boys who were having almost as much fun as us. There wasn't anything either of us really wanted from the prize shop. "Aw, it's raining!" I exclaim once Bryce and I exit the Dave n' Busters' without prizes

"Really? I was wondering why water was falling from the sky!" Bryce says sarcastically.

I push him so that he goes from under the shelter of the roof. He gets a tiny bit wet before he runs back under. He shrugs. "We have to get wet anyway if we want to get to the car."

"Why don't you run through the rain and bring the car over here?" I suggest, giving him a sweet smile.

"How about no?" He laughs. "We're in this together."

At that, he grabs my hand and runs into the downpour. I shriek and try to break away to get back to dry safety. Once he lets me go, I run ahead instead of back.

"Run faster!" I scream. I hear him laughing from a few feet behind me.

Suddenly, I feel the strong arms wrap around me as Bryce scoops me up and begins spinning around in the rain like some old movie. I scream and laugh.

"You're getting my hair even wetter!" I screech at him, smacking his shoulders.

He begins running around through the cars, hardly worried about the direction of his own in the parking lot. He sets me down and holds me tight to his body so I'm still forced to stand in the rain.

"Come on," I laugh, tugging at his arm.

He hugs me tighter. "Nope. You're getting wet today!" He laughs, and the laughter is infectious. I can't help but to laugh too.

I push against him until he lets me go. "Let me get on your back," I tell him, laughing like a little girl as my hair hangs in my face and blinds me.

He turns around and I jump on, squealing happily. "To the car!" I exclaim.

"Should I make horse noises as well?" He asks in what I believe is his sarcastic voice.

I answer sarcastically as well. "Yes, and they better sound realistic."

And he does it too. He runs to his car with me on his back, neighing and whinnying all the way. He pulls out his keys, presses the unlock button, rips open the passenger side door, and tosses me inside. He slams the door and runs to the other side. Once he's in the car, we are laughing up a storm. My ribs actually hurt.

"That's what you get for cheating," Bryce says once we're driving.

"How did I cheat?" I demand, still giggling.

"That shooting game got you those points."

I laugh. "No one told you to teach me how to shoot." I say. "I won fair and square."

"At least we didn't bet on it."

"If we would have, I'd have your car right now."

He laughs and strokes the console lovingly. "I'd never bet my baby."

I roll my eyes. Boys and their toys. I relax into my seat as best I can, but I'm uncomfortable and wet. As we ride back to the spa, we talk, laugh, and argue about who really won at Dave n' Buster's. Me of course!

"Do you want to come in and change into your gym clothes? Your bag is still in my office." I offer Bryce once we get there. I am going to change into my gym clothes as well because I am not about to get into my BMW soaking wet.

"My car's already wet so I don't care, but some towels would be nice." Bryce says as I unlock the spa. He follows me inside.

We walk through the dark until I reach my office and unlock it. I flick the lights on, and we both blink repeatedly. I know this place like the back of my hand, actually better, so I could maneuver in here in pitch blackness.

Once we're in my office, I go to the cupboard and take out the few towels I store in there. I throw him a couple. "I'm going to go in there and change." I say, pointing to my bathroom.

"Okay, I'll wait for you," He says. He's dabbing at himself with a towel.

I peel my clothes off me, and stuff them into a plastic bag. I sigh; I feel twenty pounds lighter without those wet clothes on. I take a towel and dry myself off, before I dress again in my basketball shorts and tank top. I put my sneakers on as well since my sandals are wet.

I grab my bag of wet clothes, and walk out of the bathroom. I freeze when I see Bryce. I gasp, cover my mouth, and turn and run back into the bathroom. I slam the door and lean against it, catching my breath.

Go away! I command the horrible thoughts. I sigh deeply. God, am I hyperventilating?

Bryce...Bryce, Bryce. Bryce, you fucking idiot. That damned man is standing ass naked in the middle of my office, water droplets still running down his body as he dries with one of my towels...oh, Lord!

Suddenly I hear a loud boom of laughter. It's him. Why is he laughing? Did he do that on purpose? I feel myself blushing as he laughs harder. That's it. I'm not going to be his friend anymore.

"What is it, Michel?" He calls to me, after his laughter ceases. "Since you're a lesbian, you're scared of a man's body?" He begins laughing again.

I'm sure my face looks burgundy from how hard I'm blushing. "I was just surprised." I call back, still leaning against the door. I hear him laugh some more. "Please get dressed." I add.

"I'm working on it," He says, his laughter is being tapered to a chuckle.

Am I panting? Why am I panting?

I know why. It's because he looks fucking sexy. Damn, I admitted it. I wasn't always a lesbian. I used to be straight, when I was a teenager. I remember I was straight and I had boyfriends, but I used to be curious about females. Maybe I was borderline bisexual so to speak. I used to pay too much attention to the girls changing in the locker room with me. It wasn't until after I was....that I began to embrace my curiosity.

When I eighteen, I came out and admitted it. After a while, I never really even thought about men. I was barely attracted to them anymore. It took a really sexy man like Idris Elba or sexy ass Trey Songz to make me acknowledge that a man is handsome. But here's Bryce. In all his wonderful glory.

Fuck! Go away! Get out of my head! Internally, I yell at myself. It's too late, the images are seared into my mind. His body was so perfectly sculpted. I tried not to notice it when we played basketball or when he hugged me, but it's hard to ignore. His chest is hard, his shoulders are broad, and he has a wonderful eight pack. Yes, eight! And I even saw his...it didn't look too big, maybe even a little shriveled. I guess that's because he was cold and wet.

Why do you even care about the size of his dick? You're a lesbian. Remember, Michel, a lesbian. Get yourself together. You have a girlfriend.

But he did look good though.

Fuck, even my inner lesbian finds him attractive. Fuck my life. And fuck Bryce. He said he wasn't going to change, but there he was...naked.

"I'm dressed, you can come out now, Michel." I hear Bryce call to me.

On shaky legs and trembling fingers, I turn the knob and walk into my office. Bryce is dressed like me now. Tennis shoes, basketball shorts, and a homemade tank top. It's a T-shirt, but he cut the sleeves off and cut down the sides of the shirt. Now if I look at his profile, I'll see his chest again. I blush again. Get a hold of yourself, Michel.

Bryce gives me a dazzling grin, my knees feel weak. "I'm sorry. I should have warned you before you came in that I decided to change. You opened the door before I could form the words." He does look apologetic.

"Why did you laugh at me?" I ask in a small voice. I swallow once, trying to find myself, my regular gay self.

Bryce frowns when he meets my eyes. What does he see there? Fear? Lust? "I'm sorry. It was funny the way you covered your mouth and slammed the door. I didn't mean it like that." He closes the distance between us and offers his hand to me. "We cool? I mean you didn't see much anyway, right?"

No, I saw everything. Every wonderful thing. "No, not really," I lie. "We're good." I put my hand in his. It's warm. Really warm, as he always is. I shudder a bit. His unnaturally warm temperature makes me realize how cold I still am despite that I'd taken off the wet clothes.

"You're still cold?" Before I can answer, Bryce pulls me into his arms, hugging my body to his. He envelopes me in his warmth, and I lean into him, wrapping my arms around his strong back. Suddenly I wish he was naked again, I'd like to feel his skin under my fingers. Fuck!

I push away from him, but he holds me tight. I look up into his face, studying his features. "I'm warm now," I say. I may be too warm.

Bryce just stares, no he gazes, into my eyes, not answering or letting me go. His head tilts down and mine goes up. I divert my attention to his lips instead of his eyes. I shouldn't have down that. His lips are just as tempting. His lips look juicy, waiting to be bitten and sucked on.

Suddenly, but slowly, Bryce begins to lean down. I know what he's about to do. I should stop him. But I don't. Seconds later, his mouth is on mine. I watch his eyes close before I close my own. His lips part slightly and I follow. I feel his hands, strong and large hands, travel lower down my body, stopping at the small of my back. He pulls me closer.

I feel the air around us change. The atmosphere changes. His hands tighter their hold on me and his parted lips fall open. He takes my bottom lip into his mouth and does what I wanted to do to him. He sucks on it and bites gently, tentatively. I give him the green light when my arms snake around his neck.

Suddenly we're moving. He's walking and taking me backwards. The next thing I know, I'm sitting on my desk and Bryce is between my legs. He kisses me fiercer, stronger. His passion is palpable. Tangible. I can feel his erection pressing against my womanhood. I gasp, breaking our kiss for mere seconds before he slams his mouth back onto mime. I have the weird suspicion that he's claiming me. When his tongue—finally—slips into my mouth, I believe that to be true.

A thought occurs to me. He took off his boxers. His erection is covered by nothing but the thin basketball shorts. Surprisingly, the thought makes me moan rather than scaring me. I grind against him, against it. The friction feels good, moistening me. He grabs my hips, dragging me closer. I moan again.

He breaks our kiss, against my dark inner wishes. He kisses my cheek and presses his lips to my ear. I turn my head to give him access. He whispers directly and so sexily into my ear, "Come home with me, Michel. Please."

Yes! Yes! Yes! I'd love to! Take me now!

The slutty straight woman in my mind is all for it, but I decide to drown that bitch. I remember my fear. I don't want anything inside me. I don't think Bryce would hurt me, but...I just know firsthand I won't like the way it feels, and I'm sure he won't be down for oral sex and nothing else.

I shake my head. "I, I, I can't, Bryce." I whisper. Even though I really want to.

"Why not?" He pleads with his eyes. "I know you like women, but you can't deny that you like me too. I know you liked it when we kissed. I know you liked the way it feels. I know you like the way this feels." He lifts my hips a bit and then rolls his own, grinding his manhood into me. I jerk my head to the side and bit my lip to stop the moan. My body trembles, he hit my clit perfectly.

I shake my head, shaking the bad thoughts away. "I have a girlfriend."

"Now you have a boyfriend." He says, smiling a little.

"I can't,"

"Why not?"

"I'm scared."

"I would never hurt you."

"I know, but..."

Bryce disentangles himself from me, and I close my legs. The squirm puts pressure—and pleasure—on my woman. "Okay," He sighs, dejected. He gives me a smile that only Bryce could form. It makes me smile a little too. "Next time, don't kiss me unless you're willing to give me a try. It's just as fun having a boyfriend than a girlfriend." He's smiling, but I know he's disappointed. I feel bad. For some reason, I don't like the thought that I'm disappointing him.

"How would you know?" I implore. I offer a smile to steer us in a different direction.

"I guess I wouldn't."

"You wanna leave now?"

He looks me in my eyes. "Not really."

I sigh. "Well, let's leave anyway."



I throw my head back and moan. So good, so good. More, please. My body bows of the bed, arching toward heaven. My fingers claw the sheet as screams fill my throat and explode out until my throat feels raw. I don't stop screaming though.

"Yes, more!" I moan.

Bryce looks up at me and smiles. He looks amazingly sexy with my juices on his face. "I told you it's more fun with a boyfriend."

"Yes!" I moan, not necessarily listening to him. And then I cum in body numbing waves.

I wrench my eyes open, a light dew of sweat cover my forehead and neck. Cautiously, I slide my hand down my body and between my legs. My body has the familiar overly sensitive to touch sensation going on as my hand travels south. My panties are all wet. I touch myself dubiously. My hips jerk involuntarily in response. I came in my sleep. I'd had a wet dream thinking of Bryce. And I came.

I climb out of bed and nearly run to the bathroom right after checking my clock. It's 2 AM. Once in the bathroom, I take a cold shower. Afterward, I still feel hot. I go back into my room and reach for my phone. It's booty call hour, but I need someone, I need him now.

After ringing for a while, I get a sleepy answer. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's Michel, what are you up to?" I ask, despite the obvious.

"I'm running a marathon." Imani replies sarcastically. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine, sort of. I really wish you would come over." I tell her. I didn't even have to try to sound sexy. My voice was already sultry from my evident arousal.

"Now?"

"Yes, please. I know it's late, but I'd like to spend the rest of the night with you."

I can tell Imani is smiling her cocky smile. "Sprung already, Michel?"

I smile. Yes, but you aren't responsible for my current state of wetness. "I thought you knew that already."

"I did, but I wanted to hear you say it. I'll be there before 3." Imani says.

"Okay, Bry-baby. Please hurry. The door will be unlocked." Once I hang up, I smack myself for almost saying his name and put on lotion before my shower could make me ashy. I decide not to get dressed. I'll meet her naked. She'll like that.

Thirty-five minutes later, Imani pushes my bedroom door open. She stands at the foot of the bed wearing a thigh length gray jacket, no visible bottoms, and black slippers. She looks sexy as all hell. She drops the coat and reveals her yellow slip. That's all she wears.

I lie naked on the bed, loving the way her eyes molest my body as mine does hers. When she crawls between my legs and drops kisses on my face, I realize that Bryce was wrong. Girls have much more fun.
Chapter 14

"Are you avoiding me?"

His eyes stare into mine in the most unsettling way. It's as if he's gazing into my soul and he sees something he likes. He looks wry, but genuinely amused, and maybe even adoring. It's scaring the hell out of me. I don't like it.

I frown and try to feign offense. "Of course not, Bryce." I lie, fairly straight-faced. "Why would you say that?"

Bryce grins, but it's not his normal beautiful smile. It's a very pale generic version that does not meet his standards or my own at all. I inwardly sigh. Why do I even want him to smile like that at me?

"I guess it's maybe because you barely waved to me all day and you didn't answer any of my calls all weekend." He says. He looks hurt, and I hate myself for it. I didn't mean it, baby.

I halt my wayward thoughts. He is so not my baby. "I lost my cellphone, and I didn't find it until this morning." I lie. I'd gotten all twenty-three of his calls, all thirty-five of his text messages, and all sixteen of his voice mails. The man is persistent.

"Oh, well, good thing you found it." He says. I have a feeling that he knows I'm lying. Well, it is a terrible lie. "Why didn't you come to church yesterday?"

"I wasn't feeling too well." And I wasn't ready to face you.

"Do you feel better now?"

"Peachy,"

"Well, can I take you somewhere for lunch?"

I shake my head. "I have work to do."

"You have to eat."

"Bryce, don't—"

"Did I ruin our friendship on Friday?"

His question takes me by surprise. I don't want our friendship ruined...even though it is safer that way. "Of course not. We're still friends, right?"

Bryce smiles, one of his true, dazzling smiles. "Yes, for as long as you want to be."

The word "forever" hangs in my subconscious and I realize I'm getting ahead of myself. "Where do you want to go for lunch?"

"Basketball?"

I glance out my window. The sun is shining high in the sky, and there are no clouds. "I thought we were going to eat."

"We'll eat Italian Ice." He says with a smile.

"I don't think my mom would call that food."

"It's fruit flavored. Fruit is good for you."

I roll my eyes. "I guess I can go with that."

He smiles and reaches for my hand. I hesitate before I take it. His heat warms my whole body. I wonder if he sweats without even moving around.



"What kind did you get?" Bryce asks me as he mixes his together. He's making blue and red swirls.

"I got mango, of course, and watermelon." I say. I don't mix mine like Bryce though. That way I can still taste the separate flavors or taste them together. "What did you get?"

"Blue raspberry and cherry." He says, almost proudly. He looks down at his cup and pouts at the swirls. "I thought this would turn purple."

I laugh. "It is purple a little bit. If you let it melt, it will."

"If it melts, it won't be ice anymore." He looks like a confounded child.

"If you wanted purple, why didn't you get grape?" I ask, still laughing a bit.

"I wanted to make purple."

"Just eat your ice." I say, spooning more of mine.

"Let me taste yours." He says.

"No, you have your own." I say, savoring every spoonful of mine.

"You can taste mine." He offers.

I roll my eyes. "Nope, I'm good." I take an exaggerated mouthful of ice and moan like it's the most delicious thing I've ever had.

"Please, come on, Michel."

I smile and offer him my cup. He uses my spoon and takes some. Something pulls inside me, and suddenly I'm very eager to use my spoon again. He offers me a spoon of his and I very willingly accept it. I blush hard when I swallow it, but I'm not sure why.

And then we sit there, spoon feeding each other Italian Ice. Our eyes are locked on the other as we do so. I find myself squirming with anticipation every time it's my turn to feed him. He eats the smooth ice in the sexiest way. I know he's doing it on purpose, but I like it too much to stop him. His tongue touches it first and he tastes it as if he's never tasted it before. Then he wraps his sexy lips around my spoon and slowly, seductively sucks it off. I find myself trying to be just as sexy. I try to make him feel the same way he's making me feel.

"Ready to go?" Bryce asks me once we both have finished the other's ice.

His eyes are...distracting. They're dark, looking black and sexy. I feel like I want to beat my libido out. I can't help it, no matter how much I want to suppress my feelings. I'm attracted to this man. Does this make me bisexual?

I nod numbly. He takes my hand and we walk back to his car. He opens the door for me and I climb in. Once he's in the car, we drive in silence for what feels like an extremely long time.

Bryce reaches over and laces his fingers with mine. "I know you won't like this, but I'd really like to kiss you again." He stares straight ahead at the road, but I see the sincerity on his face. I nod. I'm not sure if I'm giving him permission, agreeing, or simply acknowledging what he's saying. All three, I suppose. He squeezes my hand.

"I hate that you're gay," He continues. "The one time I find a woman I enjoy spending the time with..."

He trails off. It seems like he's talking to himself more than me. Especially since I'm not responding. I hold his right hand in both of mine, stroking his palm, distracting him from the one-sided conversation.

"I wish I could be straight for you," I mumble under my breath.

He cracks a smile. "You wish? I wish. Why don't you just try? You obviously want to."

"It's complicated."

"How so?"

I let go of his hand and turn to look out the window. "It just is. I do like you, I really, really do."

"You're not telling me anything."

"What can I tell you?" I ask in a whisper. What can I say? That I was raped ten years ago, and I can't handle any form of penetration because of it? For years, I couldn't even look a man in the eyes. I couldn't even stand to be alone with a boy while in high school. It was even worse when I would walk home and the group of boys who lived on my block would walk the same way. They never really bothered me, they said hi, and one of them had a crush on me, but they would never really mess with me. But I always thought they would. I power walked home just to get away from them if Chelsea couldn't drive me.

"Tell me anything, everything." He says. The car begins to slow, and I realize we are approaching the spa. I feel a mixture of relief and disappointment. I'm relieved to be getting out of this car and off this subject, but disappointed that I'll be away from him. He parks the car, but makes no move to get out. "Why are you so scared? Did some man hurt you?" He says it with so much anxiety, as if he can't bear the thought of someone hurting me.

"Can we talk in my office? I'd rather not sit in the parking lot." I say, acting as if I didn't hear the question.

As soon as we're in my office, Bryce starts again with his question. "Who hurt you?"

"No one, Bryce." I tell him immediately. I don't like lying to him, but I don't want to tell him the truth.

"Then why?"

"I have a girlfriend."

"But you like me,"

"I do, but I'm with her." I tell him.

"Be with me,"

"I can't just leave her."

"Please?"

"I can't."

"I'll make you want to." He says, smile in place.

I shake my head. "How can we be friends if we keep talking about this?"

"I don't want to be friends, but if that's all I can get, I'll take it, for now."

"Bryce, you are so sweet." I sigh.

"I can be a lot sweeter if you'd only give me a chance. I like you, Michel. I want to be with you and see where this takes us." He takes my hands in his and looks me in my eyes.

"Bryce..."

"Okay, fine, I get it. But look, will you at least do something for me?"

"Sure, Bryce," I shift my attention from his eyes before I respond.

"You know about the little young adult dance at the church right?"

I shake my head. "No,"

"Well, we're having one. We talked about it on Sunday. It's in a couple weeks. It's nothing too fancy, but I want you to be my date so to speak."

"But, Bryce—"

He cuts me off. "It's just as friends. I'd really like to be there with you and I'm sure you won't want to go with a woman in a tux."

"Okay, Bryce, I'll be your date." I say with a smile. I can't say I won't be looking forward to it.



I pad into the living room, wrapping my robe tighter around my body as I go. The persistent pounding on my door grows louder and faster.

"What! What! What, dammit!" I screech. I quickly unlock the door and swing it open, ready to kick some ass. "What!" I demand, yelling. Imani is standing on the other side, arms now folded, staring at me with contempt.

I frown at her. "What's wrong with you?" I ask her in a calmer tone, but still upset. I step aside and motion for her to come in. She does and closes the door behind her. I turn the lock. When she doesn't answer, I repeat my question. It's two o' clock in the damn morning, she better have a damn reason, and it don't look like she looking for sex.

"I couldn't sleep." She says simply. She walks past me and walks to the stairs. I sigh and follow her. She goes right up to my bedroom.

"So you'd like to sleep here?" I ask sweetly with a small smile.

"If you don't mind," She says. She's already sitting on my bed, peeling her shoes off. She's wearing heels; cute. "Unless you already have company."

I raise an eyebrow. "Who would I possibly have over here and why would I let you in if they were here?" I ask sarcastically with a frown.

"I don't know. I saw you at the park sharing ice cream with some man." Her eyes darken and narrow on me. I sigh and sit down next to her. I lay my hand on her thigh and she jerks away from me. "Don't go silent on me now. Who was that guy?"

"He's nobody. We're only friends." I tell her. It is true. We are and always will be, only friends.

"You didn't look like friends. You were feeding each other ice cream." She moves away from me and lies down on the bed, face up.

"Why didn't you come over and say anything? You just sat in the park and watched me." I ask.

"I didn't want to interrupt." She bit out. "You looked like you were having a good time."

"We're only friends," I say again. "I'm not bisexual. I only date women."

"You were eating off him!" She suddenly shouts at me. She exhales and continues in a calmer tone. "I was skating and I saw you sitting with him. I wanted to say something, but..."

I crawl up the bed and curl up next to her. I lay my head on her stomach and wrap an arm around her. "We're only friends. I swear it." I look up at her and see the glitter in her eyes. I crawl up her body as sit astride her. "Don't cry. I wasn't cheating on you."

"You were," She mumbles, ignoring me on top of her.

"I wasn't," I lean down and press kisses to the wetness beneath her beautiful gray eyes.

I lick the salty tears and then kiss her lips. She doesn't fight, reject, or ignore me; she welcomes me immediately, as she always does. Her lips part and her tongue pokes out, seeking mine. I give her what she silently asks for, kissing her gently but passionately, giving her my all.

"We're only friends, okay? You have to believe that." I tell her between kisses.

"I told you many times already. You're mine now. I don't want you with anyone else but me." Her eyes latch onto mine and hold on there. "I don't want you to see him anymore."

I frown at her. "He and I aren't together. I'm with you. He and I are just friends."

"I don't want you to see him."

I roll off of her and stare at the ceiling. "Why not? I don't like men. I don't like Bryce that way." At least not completely.

"I saw the way he was looking at you. I was there, remember? I saw you looking at him the same way." She's sitting up on the bed now, glaring down at me as she rattles off.

"He's my friend, Imani. And I knew him before I met you."

She scowls. "So that's it. You're choosing him over me then?"

"I'm not choosing anybody. I'm not going to stop being Bryce's friend. I can promise that you won't ever see us sharing food."

"I knew you'd do this. I knew you wouldn't want to give him up. I noticed it at the skating rink too. I noticed it at church. You may be a lesbian, but you're mighty curious about him. You want to fuck him, don't you?" She demands, incensed.

"NO!" I scream out, sounding more defensive than I intended to. "You know how I feel about penetration."

"I bet you'll be okay with it if he asks. I know it. I can see it all over your face. Fuck, Michel!" She leaps off the bed and stomps toward the bathroom with her arms crossed like a child. I follow her, catching her before she can slam the door in my face.

"I don't want to do anything with him." I tell her. Something deep inside me makes me feel as though I'm lying. I remember that thing in my office, and I flush.

"See!" She exclaims. "You're lying. I know you're lying. You do want him. I know it."

She looks like she's going to cry again. My gut clenches. I don't like seeing that, and I damn sure don't like being the cause of it. "Stop seeing him, Michel." Her voice is hard and angry, the aggressive Imani I've come to know.

"I can't just do that."

"Because you like him?"

"No, because he's my friend."

She abruptly grabs me by my shoulders and slams her mouth onto mine. She kisses me fiercely and possessively, claiming me. "I said you're mine."

"I know."

"Then act like it."

"I won't stop seeing him,"

She growls, literally growls at me, before pulling and dragging me to the bed. She throws me on it and then jumps on top of me. She pins both my wrists to the bed in one of her hands. "Mine," She whispers through gritted teeth.

"Yours," I assure her. I stare up at her, wide-eyed and anticipating, waiting for her to touch me.

"I don't want you to see him. You have to choose, him or me."

"I'm not choosing anyone. He's my friend, you're mine. End of discussion." I lift my hips, allowing my woman to bump against hers. "Let me take my robe off," I tell her, trying to tug my wrists from her tight grip.

"Pick one, and you better pick me." She releases my hands, and we both fight to get my robe off. I'm naked underneath.

"I already picked you, but I picked him too." I grab her neck and draw her face down to mine. I sample her lips sweetly. I sigh. She tastes so good.

"I want to be the only one," She whispers close to my lips. "Why don't you get that?"

"You are the only one. Why don't you get that?"

She lets out an exasperated noise and then she swoops down to my neck. She bites me there, hard. I cry out a garbled, raw moan. I squirm beneath her, every bit of movement feels good. So wet, so ready.

I groan, feeling needy and painfully strung out. "Fuck me already,"

Her eyes blaze at me. Damn, did those words just come out my mouth? Before I could even say a word to explain myself, she pushes, no she shoves, two fingers inside me. I gasp and raise my hips to meet her. I writhe below her. My body feels tight like a bow string. I can't take it.

"More?" Imani purrs. Her fingers jerk upward into my G-spot, and my eyes roll up into my head. I probably look very unattractive, but I'm too far gone to care.

She presses down on my pelvis with her free hand and then begins to move her fingers inside me. I cry out. She brutalizes me. Her fingers thrust mercilessly, angrily caressing my G-spot. I cover my face with my hands, trying to muffle my screams. Ah! So good, so good!

"Uncover your face." She orders. She pushes harder on my pelvis and moves faster inside me. I start to bite my finger to control myself, truly losing my mind in the pleasure. "I said, uncover your face!" She repeats, yelling. I do as she says and a long, drawn out moan escapes me. My body tries to bow off the bed, but her hand on my pelvis holds me down.

"I want to see you. I love it when you fall apart...all because of me. Look at me!" She demands when my eyes drift closed. I look up at her and match her gaze. She stares down at me in awe, as if I'm the stars in the sky, bright and beautiful. My gaze is lazy but equal in wonderment. She is a goddess to me.

"Have you ever felt this before?" She asks me, gazing down at me. "Have you ever cum this way?"

"Not like this, not feeling like this," I mumble, trying my best to speak clearly. I hadn't even cum yet, but I feel amazing like I did. She's so rough, so demanding, but I love it.

"I make you feel this way. Not him. Remember that."

"I don't want him, Imani."

"Remember this, Michel. And I'll know you won't want him. Now cum for me," Her fingers pound harder, faster, targeted at my G-spot. I never knew I could take this much stimulation. I begin crying out, begging for more, for less. I tell her I can't take it.

"Yes, you can, baby." She cajoles. "Just cum for me."

I feel that familiar yet foreign pull in my stomach. I feel it all the way down to my toes, spreading over my whole body. My body seizes up and tightens. My breath suspended, my legs tight, I scream when my body erupts.

And then I go silent as my orgasm is wrung from my body. My body trembles uncontrollably and I can't stop it. I've never came like this before. I hold my breath as an unfamiliar jet surges from me. Oh, God, did I just wet myself?!

"G-spot orgasm," Imani says, explaining it to me. I'm weak and breathing heavily. I just stare up at her in amazement. "You didn't pee." She smiles. "You squirted."

I cover my face again, embarrassed that I don't know my own body. But she does, I think wickedly.

Imani pulls my hands from my face and plants a soft kiss—gentle kisses are rare with Imani—on my lips. "Tired?" She asks, sounding like a mother. It's unnerving.

I nod. "I want to make you cum though." I say. I stifle a yawn. God, I am tired. I'm not sure if it's because she woke me up out of my sleep or if it's because of that intense orgasm. I'd bet it's the latter.

"Later," She lies down on the bed, and pulls me toward her and out of the wet spot. She kisses my hair. "Mine,"

I really want to object. I really don't want to be so selfish, but I'm worn. I snuggle closer to her body and let the drowsiness take me.
Chapter 15

"So, how was your week, sweetie." Momma asks me as she places a plate of scrambled eggs, sausage, and waffles in front of me.

"Everything was good, Momma." I say. "How about you?"

"Good, I'm just glad my daughter actually came by." She smiles as she pours my orange juice. Terrence frowns at me as he makes his own plate. He's jealous, because Momma is catering to me at the moment.

"I'm glad I did too," I say, smiling extra wide for Terrence.

"So, how was your date with that Imani?" She sits down between me and Terrence. Daddy is seated next to me.

"That date was good, amazing even. She was mad at me a few days ago, but I handled it."

"Why was she mad?" Momma asks, frowning.

"She's jealous of my male friend."

This perks up my mother's attention. "Male friend?"

"Yes and he's just that, a friend." I tell her.

"Then why is she jealous. Doesn't she know there's no hope for you and men?"

"She should, but she thinks she saw more than she did."

"Well, what did she see you doing?"

"We were feeding each other Italian Ice, but it really was just a friendly thing."

All eyes turn on me, even Daddy is mirroring Momma's stare. "You were feeding Italian Ice to a man?" Daddy asks.

"It wasn't that serious!"

"Do you like him?" Momma asks. Terrence is silent.

"As a friend,"

"You're blushing," Daddy grins. "My baby girl is blushing over some man." He sounds astounded.

"I'm not!" I hide my face in my hands, but I can't stop my smile. I feel like I'm in middle school again. "I don't like him."

"What's his name?" Momma asks.

"Bryce," Terrence answers before me.

I glare up at him. "How did you know it was him?"

"Keenan told me you're always with him. And he talks about you enough, always asking questions about you."

"He does?" I ask in a small voice.

"Aw, he likes you too!" Momma coos.

"No, he doesn't, stop!"

"Wait, the contractor?" Daddy asks.

"Yes,"

Suddenly, the back door burst open and Chloe walks in. I thank God for her. Then I frown deeply when I see Bryce behind her. Why is Bryce with Chloe? Why do I care?

"Hi, Mom, Mr. Wilkes!" We've always called each other's mother our own as well. We're sisters after all. Her predatory gaze falls hungrily on Terrence. "Hey, T." She says slowly, seductively. I smile. I see she's not worried about Bryce. Why do I care?

"Good morning, Chloe," Momma says cheerily. She didn't even mind that they just walked into the house without knocking. "We were just talking about Michel's boyfriend."

"Stop it now, Mother!" I snap, glaring at her.

"You have a boyfriend?" Bryce perks up, looking at me with wounded eyes. Don't tell me he's jealous of himself.

"No," I spat.

"Yes," Momma says.

"Momma, stop, please!" I whine. I'm on the verge of crying. She's embarrassing me.

"Aw, Michel, stop whining, I'm only teasing." She kisses me on my forehead. "You're so precious. My little girl!"

"Oh, God," I groan. I push my plate away and put my head down on the table.

"Okay," I hear Chloe sigh. "We came to bum some food before church. Do you mind, Mom?"

"Of course not, Chloe. You bum food almost every Sunday." Momma says. "Who's your friend?"

"Bryce Washington, ma'am, it's a pleasure to meet you."

I peel my eyes up just in time to see Momma looking at me and fanning herself. "Really? You're Michel's friend? How sweet! You are such a handsome young man."

Bryce gives her his beautiful smile topped off with a blush. "Thank you. And yes, I'm friends with Michel, Terrence and Chloe." He throws me a grin. I'm glad he added their names to take the pressure off me.

"Well, sit down, you want breakfast too, right?"

"Oh, no, I'm alright."

"Oh, please, honey, sit down." She forces him into her seat...right next to me. She moves her own plate to a different place. "Michel's friends are always coming over to eat. I don't mind. I always cook too much for just us anyway. Well, maybe not too much for Terrence."

Terrence smiles at Momma and throws me an "I'm-glad-I'm-not-you" look. Momma places a hearty plate down in front of Bryce and pours him some orange juice.

"Hey, Michel," Bryce says, giving me a smile.

"Hey, Bryce," I focus on my eggs, but Bryce is more appetizing. I inwardly scold myself.

"Ready for church?"

"I wish I could leave now."

"I'll drive you now if you really want to leave."

"No, my mother will only get upset." And then she'll really think you're my boyfriend.

"Your mom teases you?" He asks with a smirk.

"Only when she's in a good enough mood." He laughs even though I don't think it was that funny.



"Is your mom trying to set you up with Bryce?" Chloe asks me.

"Yes," I groan. We're in the kitchen, helping my mother prepare dinner while the men, including Bryce, are in the living room watching the game. It's the Steelers vs. the Browns. Momma practically forced Bryce to come back with us from church for dinner.

Chloe laughs at my pain. "That's so funny yet so terrible for you, even though you do like him."

"I don't like him. I'll like you before I'll like him. I like women, remember?"

Chloe rolls her eyes. "Your gay ass know you like him."

We laugh. "I'm gay yet I like him? That doesn't even make sense."

"Your complicated life."

I sigh. "You got that right."

Bryce walks in holding his empty glass. "Mrs. Wilkes, do you mind if I get a refill?" He asks my mother.

"Of course not, sweetheart. Michel, get Bryce something else to drink."

Chloe is a lot closer to the refrigerator than I am, but I have to serve him. I open the fridge and ask him what he'd like to drink.

"It's better if I just make it." He says, smiling. I step aside and watch him.

He pours orange pop, Sierra Mist, and red Kool Aid into his glass and swirls it. I frown at him. "That's something a little kid would do."

He shrugs. "It's good. I've been doing this since my nephew's seventh birthday party."

"You're copying seven year olds?" I smile.

"They got good taste. Here taste it." He offers me his glass and I quickly decline. "Are you scared? Taste it."

"No, thank you. I don't want to get sick in the summer time. You'll ruin the rest of my season."

He quickly wraps me in his big bear hug and holds the glass to my lips. "Taste it, Michel." He sings. "I'll let you go if you taste it."

"No!" I laugh, struggling to get out of his grasp without spilling the Mystery Drink on myself. I'm aware that my mother and Chloe are regarding us as a sideshow, laughing and cheering him on.

"Then I guess you want me to hold you like this all night." He say, hugging me closer.

I know he hadn't meant them to be, but somewhere in my perverted, suddenly bisexual, mind, his words sound very seductive and tempting. "Okay, I'll taste your stupid drink!"

He holds the glass for me and I sip it. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't very good either. "Good?" He asks sweetly.

"No," I roll my eyes when he releases me. He pecks me on the cheek and I quickly wipe it off. "Go away, you big weirdo."

"You liked it." He grins and returns to the living room.

Did he mean I liked the drink, his arms around me, or his kiss on my cheek? I kind of liked all three—well maybe not the drink.

"Aw, you two are so cute!" I expected the words to come from my mother, but they came from Chloe.

"Oh, please," I groan.

"See, you can see she likes him." Momma says to Chloe.

"Yes,"

I sigh. "I hate you."

Momma smiles wider. "How cute!"

"I forgot to ask," Bryce says. We are in the kitchen, after dinner, left with the task of cleaning up. Momma's doing. We've finished so now we're only talking. "Who's your boyfriend?"

I sigh. Not this again... "I don't have a boyfriend. You know that."

"Who was your mom talking about?"

I sigh again, this time more exaggerated. I decide to tell him the truth. "She was talking about you."

"Me?" He grins proudly, and I wish I would have lied. "You were telling your mom about me?"

"Not exactly. I was trying to tell her how my girlfriend hates you and why she was mad at me."

"Why does your girlfriend hate me? Do I know her?"

"I don't think so. She was skating at the park the other day and she saw us sharing Italian Ice."

"Oh, is she still mad?"

"No, she's pretty much over it."

"Pretty much?"

"She doesn't want me to be your friend anymore."

"What did you tell her?"

"I told I'm not choosing."

"Good. I like being your friend." He wraps an arm around me and leans back against the refrigerator, pulling me onto his chest. I stiffen. His body is always so warm, so hot. I hate the way I feel when I touch him, especially when he holds me.

"I like being your friend too." I mumble. I force myself to relax and give in. I melt into his firm abs. His muscles are hard and strong. I lay my head on his chest.

"Is that why your mom is so nice to me and invited me to dinner?" Both arms tighten around my body.

"Yes,"

I don't look up at him, but I know he's smiling. "Michel?"

I drag my face from being buried into his chest. I meet his eyes. His eyes are dark and smoky...like that night we were in my office after the rain. I exhale slowly, feeling suddenly apprehensive and excited.

"Can I kiss you?" His voice is low, sexy, sensual. My kitty purrs for him.

"But, Bryce..." I whine. Don't do this to me.

"Michel, I just want to kiss you once. You can stop me if you don't like it."

"No." My voice is firm.

"Please?"

"Okay," He did say please.

He smiles, but not his normal movie star smile. This one is sexy and sure, making me squeeze my legs together. I almost expect him to grab my hair and pull my hair back like Imani, but instead, he tips my chin up slowly and then eases his lips down to mine. My insides scream when our lips meet. One gentle hand settles on my hip and holds me firmly in place while his other hand caresses my cheek as he kisses me. I kiss him back.

I sigh. God, he knows how to kiss. He's not even being fast or rough with me yet I'm out of breath. That's probably because I've been holding it. My lips fall open, and Bryce takes the invite. His tongue slides tortuously slow into my mouth then mingles with mine. His hands slide down my body and massage my back. He's so slow—so gentle—trying not to scare me.

My heart beating faster than humanly possible, I tear myself away from him. "Okay, that's enough." I tell him, now trying to get myself together.

"You said I could kiss you." He wraps his arms around me and yanks me to him. My soft breasts crush to his hard chest, and a tiny moan escapes me.

"You already kissed me." I whisper. I'm shaking like a leaf.

"Let me kiss you more." I gasp when his lips crush to mine. He holds me tightly and his tongue attacks me. I moan into his mouth. Why does he kiss so good? I can't help it. I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him closer. The next thing I know, he's turned us around so that my back is now to the fridge. He lifts my legs to his waist, and I gasp. I feel him there! It's my office all over again.

I try to push him back, to catch my breath at the least, but he presses his entire, deliciously firm body against mine, pinning me. "Relax, I'm only kissing you." He murmurs. He kisses my jaw, my neck, my ear. I tilt my head, turn my neck, grind my hips, anything to feel him closer.

"Do you like my kisses?" He mumbles against the sensitive skin of my neck.

"Mmm-hmm," I groan, pressing myself to him.

"Can I keep kissing you?"

"Mmm-hmm,"

"Am I your boyfriend?"

"Mmm-hmm,"

He chuckles and kisses my neck. "I wish that were true."

"Mmm-hmm,"

He sucks my neck gently, and I stiffen. "Don't do that, my girlfriend will know." God forbid Imani finds a mark on my body that she didn't put there. She'll have my ass. He sighs and moves away from me. I slide down his body, and my feet refuse to support my weight. I grasp the refrigerator handles for extra assistance.

"I don't want you cheating on her with me. I just want you with me."

"I like woman, Bryce."

"I would have believed that...before you kissed me like you just did."

"And what are you two doing?" I turn and see my mother standing with her arms folded across her chest looking as if she caught two teenagers in the act.

"Nothing," Bryce and I say in unison. I take two unconscious steps away from him.

"Then why is Bryce wearing your lipstick?" Momma smirks.

Bryce quickly begins scrubbing his mouth with his hands, and I frown at my mother. "I'm not even wearing lipstick. Stop it, Momma."

She laughs. "But his reaction just told me y'all were in here kissing." She shakes her finger at me and makes a "tsk, tsk" sound. Bryce blushes and I swear it's the sexiest thing I've ever seen in my life. I bite my lip to keep from smiling.

"Come on," Momma says, motioning to the living room. "Let's go where I can keep an eye on you."

Bryce and I walk past her to go into the living room, but she grabs my arm to pull me back. "Sweetheart, it's okay to like him. There's nothing wrong with liking a man...whether you're a lesbian or not." She managed not to sound too disgusted by word.

"I don't like him, Momma."

"Then why were you kissing him?"

"It's not what you think."

"What, you accidentally kissed him?"

"Sort of..." I didn't actually want to kiss him. Well, I didn't want to want to kiss him.

Momma smirks. "Well, I like him, and I think you do too. He's a sweetheart. And he adores you."

I sigh. "I know, Momma."
Chapter 16

"Uh, Michel, you have a visitor here in reception." Mary hisses into the phone. By the tone of her voice, I could tell she was already fed up with the person.

"Okay, Mary, I'll be out in two minutes."

"Make it one or I'll kill her myself." Mary says.

"Okay, I'm coming right now."

I hang up the phone, and push aside my paperwork. Paperwork that I need done by noon and it's already 11:30. I exit my office, closing the door but leaving it unlocked, because I know I'll end up with this person in my office.

I frown deeply once I reach reception. I sigh as I watch Raven bickering with Mary. Mary is actually out from behind her desk with a hand on her hip and a finger in Raven's face, rolling her neck like she was fresh out the projects.

"Relax, Mary, I'll handle it." I say, coming between them. The sadist in me wants to watch Mary kick her ass, but that would probably be bad business.

"Please, just let me handle her for you, Michel. I really want to stomp this tramp."

"Tramp? I won't even stoop to your level..." Raven started spewing out her bourgeois bullshit.

"Raven, shut the hell up!" I snap. They both fall silent, and surprisingly, Raven simply folds her arms and keeps quiet. "Mary, are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm sorry."

"It's okay, I'll handle Raven, alright."

She nods and returns to her seat behind her desk. I point to Raven, make a "follow-me" motion with my index finger, and then I turn and walk to my office. She follows in silence, obviously angry. I close my door behind her and watch as she sits in a chair in front of my desk. I sit in my own big, leather chair.

"You better have a good reason, Raven." I say, glaring at her. It's too early in the afternoon for her drama. It has to be at least four o' clock for me to put up with her. Or I need to be drunk.

"I really wanted, not I really needed to talk to you." She says, her voice softened a great deal from moments ago.

"Okay, talk, Raven, and I don't have all day." I cross my arms. I really don't have this bitch to do.

"Well, first, Michel, I'm so sorry."

"For Sabrina? Whatever, I'm not mad. You said you wanted her back and you got her." I shrug to emphasize my point.

"Not just for her, for everything. I'm sorry for the last year. I was terrible to you, Michel, and you deserved much better than that. You were nothing but good to me, but I cheated on you and left you. Then, after I realized how much I fucked up, I tried to make you angry too by bothering you and arguing with you every time we saw each other.

"I never even wanted to be with Sabrina, she was never my type. She was always just a fling. That's the real reason why our relationship didn't last. Then when you started dating her...I was just so angry, because I didn't want her to have you. And when I started sleeping with her again, it wasn't because I missed her. It was because I didn't want you to have her or anybody else...anybody but me."

I sit with my mouth hanging open and my eyes bugging out. Shit, I did not see that coming at all. This bitch just came out of left field for real! I sigh deeply, thinking to myself, trying to find words, but I couldn't. "So, what are you saying, Raven?"

"I'm saying I miss you. I'm saying I want you in my life again. Please, Michel, I know you missed me too." Her eyes are wide and rounded, her bottom lip trembling. What is wrong with her? I know this bitch ain't about to...

And then the waterworks come. The tears start leaking from her eyes like a broken faucet and a soft wail leaves her trembling lips. She puts her face into her hands and cries softly. I stare.

"What about, Sabrina?" I demand. I can't help it, I'm getting angry.

"Sabrina's gone...She br-br-br-br-broke up with me a week after....you found out. I....didn't care though. I was...only...going...to...break...up...with...her anyway." She cries as she speaks. The sobs break her sentences up and she sniffles between words.

I can't help but notice that even though she's crying hard, her mascara and eye liner doesn't run. If this ends well, I'll ask her what brand she uses. Never mind, I'm sure her mascara costs more than my eighty dollar shoes. Raven is over-the-top with everything.

"So, you got with her because you wanted me to be alone?" I ask incredulously.

She nods, sniffles. "I got tired of seeing you with her. I—"

"Why did you wait until we've been dating for nine months?"

"I didn't want to do it. Everything in me told me I was going too far, and Sabrina didn't deserve to be hurt because of my selfishness. I told myself I'd get over you and let you be happy, but I couldn't."

"Why didn't you come to me nine months ago? Before I got serious with Sabrina?"

She shakes her head. "I don't know. I don't know. I didn't think you'd listen to me."

"And you think I want to hear it now? After I couldn't stand you for months? While I'm dating a woman I really like."

"I'm sorry." She pulls her knees to her chest and puts her face in it. She cries harder now, her back thrashing with each sob. It's a pitiful sight to see. "Do you realize...you're the best....woman I've ever....ever known.....I've never ever.....been so...happy...except when I...was with...you." She clutches her legs, hugging them, crying like there's no tomorrow. She cries like her life is over.

"Raven, please stop crying." I say gently. "It's okay. I'm not angry. It's okay. I forgive you."

She peeks at me, but her crying doesn't stop. She's mumbling something incoherent. I can only make out some words: sorry, please, forgive, didn't, Sabrina. I stand and go to her. I stand beside her chair and reach for her. I stroke her back, awkwardly. This may be the most uncomfortable thing I've ever had to do.

"Raven, stop it. I don't like seeing you like this." That is the truth. I've never seen her cry before today, and I never want to again. No, I've seen her cry at her aunt's funeral, but it wasn't like this. This is torture.

"I'm sorry, Michel." She uncurls her body and reaches for me. She pulls me into the chair next to her, but then crawls into my lap.

She hugs me, crying into my shirt. I force myself to relax and just hold her. She squeezes me tightly, and I try my best to console her. I whisper things like: "it'll be okay", "just let it all out", "I've got you", and any other cliché I could think of.

After a while, she quieted. All I heard was her gentle breathing and an occasional soft sniffle. She's fallen asleep. I can't help my slight smile. It's not often that a grown ass woman cries herself to sleep in my arms.



"Come in," I say, projecting just loud enough for the person outside the door to hear me, but not to wake Raven. She had honestly fallen asleep so I woke her up and allowed her to nap on my couch until she's comfortable to leave. That was a display of kindness I didn't even know I was capable of.

Bryce walks into my office, smiling broadly. He looks at me like I'm a princess to admire from afar. I smile, inside and out. God, he makes me feel special. I immediately frown at the thought.

"How's your day going?" He asks me, taking a seat in front of my desk.

"Strange, but pretty much good," I say. I point to Raven on the couch. She stirs ever so slightly, still sniffling a bit like an infant.

Bryce's eyebrows raise. "Care to explain?"

"She came here about an hour ago, we talked, and things got deep. I let her nap here." I say, trying not to reveal too much of Raven's business, not that I care too much.

"Was she crying?"

"Yes," I say simply. "So, what's up with you."

"Nothing, I just wanted to see you. You didn't leave for lunch but now I see why." He motions to Raven.

"I think we need to talk." I say. I lean forward in my chair and lace my fingers together. This is my business mode.

Bryce frowns. "If you're going in the direction I think you are, just save your breath."

"No, this has to be said." I say, keeping my composure.

"What has to be said? That you like women and there is no chance for you and I whatsoever? That even though we kissed a few times, it means nothing? And that you think it's best that we stop being alone together so much?"

Damn, so much for that! I sigh deeply. Just the fact that he pretty much covered everything I was thinking is disarming. "Well, yes. I feel like I'm leading you on."

"You're not leading me on, Michel. I'm not going to tell you how to live your life, because I had no problem with your sexuality until now. Now, I do have a problem, because no matter how many women you've been with, you want to be with me now, a man." He leans back in his chair, his chest seeming to puff out with pride. He even looked a little smug.

"I don't like you that way, Bryce." God, it hurts to lie.

"Then why did you kiss me so many times? How come every time we're alone together, I feel like you want to jump on me—"

"Bryce, I never wanted to jump on you!" I interrupt him. At least not every time we've been alone.

"Come on, Michel. Admit it. We both know it's true, no matter how much you don't want it to be."

"It isn't," I mumble, putting my face in my hands. I hate this!

I suddenly feel Bryce's exceptionally warm hand on my back, rubbing in gentle circles. "It's okay, Michel." He spoke to me as if he were consoling a child. I'm not crying, I'm just frustrated.

"It's just like when you came out the first time," He continues. "I know it must have been hard when you first admitted to yourself and everyone else that you liked women, but now you have to do it all over again and admit you like a man now."

"A person can't just be gay one day and straight another."

"Sure they can. It's called being bisexual."

I sigh. "I have girlfriend." That seems to be the only excuse I have left. That and my fear. I'm not only scared of penetration, I'm scared of men period. They're bigger and stronger than me. If any of them wanted to hurt me, they could. Even carrying a Taser and stun gun can't always protect me. I'm already small. I'm only 5'4", and I'm not too much over a hundred pound, maybe 120. And my weight comes from curves and ass, not muscle.

"I don't care about you girlfriend." He says, staring down into my eyes. I breathe deeply as his gaze holds mine, hypnotizing me into doing whatever he wants. I can't help but remember Imani had said the same thing about Sabrina. Why am I suddenly into the habit of cheating on my girlfriends?

"I do," Same script, different cast.

He drops down to one knee, and I have the fleeting, frightening though that he's about to purpose. Then I realize how ridiculous that was. Instead of pulling out a diamond ring, he plants a kiss on me that is worth his weight in gold. His lips, gentle and tentative, samples mine. He's always slow and careful with me until I give him the green light. I'm never slow and I always want him to "go!".

My tongue seeks out and finds his. I taste his heady masculine flavor that way before I suck his deliciously full and luscious bottom lip into my mouth. I bite him, a dominating bite that would most naturally come from Imani. My hands slide over his head, expecting to grab hair, but only coming into contact with a neat, close cut. It feels good in a weird way so I continue to stroke and caress his head.

"Michel?"

"Bryce," I breathe, meeting his lips again, but he freezes. Then I realize that was a woman's voice that said my name. I spin in my chair and push Bryce away at the same time. He stands to his feet just as Raven sits up, stretching.

"Michel?" Raven says again, this time she's fully awake. She looks at Bryce curiously, as if trying to remember him, gives up, and looks back at me. "Should I go?"

"If you're ready," I say with all honesty and compassion. I surprised myself by caring.

"I would like to talk to you some more...later." She looks to Bryce again; she regards him peculiarly.

"Okay," I agree, almost reluctantly.

"Can I meet you at your house tonight?" She asks. Why does she have to sound so hopeful?

"I really don't think—"

"I'd just like to continue our conversation. There's a lot I'd still like to say. I promise I won't fall asleep on you again." She smiles, beautifully but weakly.

I sigh in defeat. "Sevenish?"

"Perfect," She stands and collects herself and her purse. Once she reaches the door, she gives me another smile, her face still sheepish with sleep. "I'll see you later."

I just nod, stunned by everything that just happened in the last few minutes. I look at up Bryce, and he looks impassive. "Is that your girlfriend?"

"No, she's an ex."

"Hmm," He says.

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing, it was just a thought."

"What thought was that?"

"You know damn well she doesn't want to talk yet you're letting her come over anyway."

"Whether she wants to or not, we will just talk. Otherwise, I'll just kick her out."

"Hmm," He murmurs. Fuck that damned "hmm".

"Well, I have work to do." I say. Hint hint.

"Kicking me out?" He smiles, no he smirks.

"Yes,"

"Okay, I'll see you later." I just nod as he closes the door behind him.



I open the door and work extremely hard to get my jaw to stay intact. Raven gives me a demure smile as she slinks past me. She's changed since I saw her earlier. The designer jeans and blouse are gone and replaced with a short white dress. If one could call it that. It's more like a piece of fabric stretched around her body.

It's completely strapless and extremely tight. I can't help but notice her breasts are trying to escape through the top of the tube and get some oxygen. The dress is flattering to her midsection, showing off her flat, dancer's belly. The dress stops maybe an inch below her ass—and that inch rides up and down with every step she takes. I wonder how she got out of her car without showing everyone everything her mother gave her.

She tops the dress off with four inch FMPs with a bow on the side of each shoe. Her teardrop earrings are rubies as is the matching teardrop necklace. Her hair is down, cascading in black down her back, like an actual raven. She wears a simple red clip off to the side of her head, it seems to tie everything together. Her makeup is classy and neat, and I believe it is the saving grace that keeps her from looking like a whore. If her makeup were as slutty as her dress, she'd look like an expensive prostitute.

Raven sits comfortably on the couch, crossing her legs at the ankle. I'm sure if she crossed them at the knee as she normally would, the dress would be around her waist. Her arms spread out along the back and arm of the couch, looking sexy and inviting. Whorish or not, she looks fucking delectable.

"Are you going to sit with me or just stand there staring?" She says, smiling easily. As if her game isn't obvious.

I walk—rather sluggishly—to the couch and take a seat on the opposite end from her. I regard her warily. Even after she's been crying and sleeping in my office, Raven is a panther waiting to pounce. I think I'm sitting on, but not in, her trap.

"Michel, I'm going to be completely honest with you right now. I lost my composure earlier, because I really missed you and want you and need you to forgive me. Though truth is, I didn't come here to talk."

Duh! I would have never figured that out! "I assumed that as soon as I saw your dress."

She smiles as if I'd complimented her. "Do you like?"

"I won't lie. You look sexy as hell." Despite the compliment, I'm not leading her on. If Imani were wearing this dress, I'd already have it off of her.

"Please, Michel, give me another chance."

"Raven, I'm glad you came over here, because we do need to talk. I can't and won't ever give you another chance."

"But don't you understand how I feel. I miss you, Michel."

"But I don't miss you."

Her face drops. She searches mine for whatever it is she's looking for. She stares into my eyes, trying to find a wavering, something to let her know she may have a chance. She doesn't find it.

"Fine, Michel." She stares wistfully at the door. I'm sure she wants to leave to save face. "Just know I'll always be here if you change your mind."

I nod because there isn't much else I could say to that, especially since it's coming from Michel. I referred to her as the She-Devil.

"I'll see you around, Raven." I offer.

"Hopefully," She says. "I want us to at least be friends. Can I have that?"

"Yes," I answer without thinking. I would like to be here friend. I feel like our constant bickering after our breaking was childish.

She smiles and wraps her arms around me in a hug. She presses her body firmly to mine; I suspect to get some sort of reaction out of me. When she doesn't, she pulls away and sighs.

"I'll just go before I embarrass myself even more." She smiles wryly.

I nod. "See you around," I repeat.

I walk her to the door, ignoring her ass and the slow riding of her dress up her thighs. I may not want her, but I am still alive. That ass is almost perfect. I open the door and Imani stands on the other side. Imani's eyes land on Raven who is standing eye-to-eye with Imani in her heels. She is gently tugging her dress down. She gives Imani a curious look and a polite smile, but I'm sure Imani didn't see it that way. Imani's gaze falls on me and I suddenly feel really small as hard, gray eyes search my soul for infidelity.

"Hi," Raven says simply. As if she could feel the tensions, she gets to her car in a speed too fast for her heels.

"Why was she here?" Imani demands. She steps in and closes the door behind her.

My first is to say, It's not what you think! but that statement is always the most suspicious. "We were only talking, Imani. I promise." I step to her and reach my arms up around her neck. I rise to my tippy-toes as well. I peck a kiss to her jaw, hoping to diffuse the situation quickly before she can make a big deal of it.

"Dressed like that?" Imani pushes me off her and stalks away. I sigh as I follow her to the couch. I sit down; she doesn't/

"I promise you that when I let her in, I intended to talk. She may have had something else on her mind, but I didn't. As you can see, she's gone and I'm fully dressed." I say.

She looks angry. She looks like she caught me in the act. "What did I tell you when we first started this? I said you will not treat me like you did Sabrina. You won't cheat on me." She glares at me, angry and even hurt.

I stand to my feet. "Are you listening to me? I didn't do anything."

"When a woman is dressed like that..."

"It doesn't matter. Why don't you trust me?" I cross my arms and walk to the door. I open it and stare out into the straight. Then I turn to her. "Just go, Imani. You weren't invited her anyway."

"I don't need an invitation to come see my girl. I thought that was implied. I guess I interrupted."

"She was leaving when you came."

"So you were finished?"

I glare at her. "You need to stop being so jealous and listen to me. You know I didn't do anything."

"I don't like that she was here."

"We didn't do anything. It wasn't like that for me. I was just talking to her. Either you can trust me or you can leave me. I won't be in a relationship where I'm accused every time you see me with a woman."

"That's because I don't want you with any other woman, Michel!" Imani screamed at me. My eyes widened and I shut the door at her outburst. She took a deep breath and calmed a little. "The only woman I want you with is me."

"It can't always be that way. I'll talk to other women, but I will never cheat on you with one." I have a fleeting thought about Bryce. I'm still telling the truth; he's not a woman.

Imani storms over to me, seeming a lot taller than 5'10". She's even wearing flats—flip-flops. She grabs me by my upper arms and yanks my body to hers. She slams her mouth onto mine in an almost painful way. My body responds immediately. Her tongue twists and twines with mine and our breathing easily becomes labored.

"I'm sorry, okay? I get jealous too quickly, I know." She says in a half-assed apology. I accept it regardless.

"Jealously I can handle, but this lack of trust? I can't do that."

"I'm sorry. I do trust you. I just don't want to see beautiful women in your house, wearing only half a dress."

I run a soft finger across her cheek. "You're a lot more beautiful than she is and I like you a lot more." That is true. Imani is beautiful in a strikingly, exotic, stunning model way. I've never met anyone more gorgeous. She's strong and she's dominating, but she doesn't look the least bit masculine. She's all woman and all mine.

"If I get out of hand again, just shut me up." She murmurs before meeting my lips in a chaste kiss.

"How am I supposed to do that?"

"Like this," She leans down and samples my lips in a breathtaking sort of way. I wrap my arms around her.

"I can do that."

"Let's go upstairs."
Chapter 17

"You look....beautiful, amazing, stunning, gorgeous, radiant. I don't know what to say. You look perfect, like an angel draped in purple." He steps in to admire me some more and I beam, happy that he likes my dress. I'd rather not front, I'd bought it just for him. I wanted him to find me beautiful tonight.

I'm wearing a knee length dress with a split in the side that is just the right mix of skin and demure enough to be mysteriously sexy rather than slutty. The dress soft and loose around my thighs, making it easy to move and dance in. The bodice is clingy and hugs my body in the perfect way. It's a halter top style dress with a rather low neckline and plunging in the back. The color is in lilac and compliments my skin perfectly. I'm wearing silver FMPs with a matching clutch purse. My jewelry is also silver, tear-drop necklace and earrings with a tennis bracelet.

"Thank you," I beam at him. I finally take a good look at his outfit. He's wearing dark Levi jeans that fit way too well. His shirt is tight-fitting and lilac, because I had told him the color to wear. The shirt has two unfastened buttons at the top and his chest peaks out in the sexiest way. I can make out all the muscles in his body because of how tight his shirt is. His shoes are simple, all white, clean Nikes. He looks sexy as all get out, but he's not dressed formally.

"Why are you wearing jeans?" I ask him.

"I was actually going to ask you why you're dressed for Homecoming." He says, smiling dashingly. He sips his juice, chuckling to himself.

"What do you mean? This is a dance isn't it?"

"Yes, but not that type of dance. Didn't anybody tell you? It's a blue jean sort of thing. There'll be teenagers there too, as well as the older church members. Is your mom going?"

My eyes widen. "No one told me anything, but you. I should go home and change. I'll be the only one in a dress." And I look so good too.

Bryce grabs my hand, pulling me away from my car. "You look fine. There are other girls in there with skirts on."

"Like this?" I ask, pulling at the waist of my own.

He looks me over, a hungry, sensual, caressing kind of look. "Sure," He says and I know he's lying. He leads me by the hand into the church's fellowship hall where the dance is taking place. The hall is decorated like a school dance would be. The church colors are the theme. Balloons litter the floor and ceiling. A banner hangs with the scripture "We who had sweet fellowship together, walked in the house of God in the throng—Psalms 55:14."

I feel as though all eyes fall on me for a whole minute. I stick out like a sore thumb. A sexy, lilac, sore thumb. Bryce takes my hand and leads me to a table. Our usual gang is here; Chloe, Keenan, Chelsea, Kita, and Terrence. My parents, also dressed casually but nicely, stand talking to Terrence who is sitting. My mother's mouth drops open when she sees me. I blush, already embarrassed.

"Honey, you look so beautiful!" My mother gushes, hugging me like she haven't seen me in years.

My blush darkens. "Stop it, Momma, I already stand out." I glare at my table of friends. "Someone could have told me this wasn't a formal affair."

"Your date could have told you, too!" Chloe snaps at me playfully. She looks Bryce over and gives me a smile I don't understand.

"Your date?" Momma gives me a very unnerving smile. "I knew it."

"Stop it, Momma." I warn her in a tone that makes me feel like the parent.

"Come on, Marilyn, let's dance. I'd love to show these kids something." Daddy says, pulling Momma to him in a way I don't find appropriate for a church function. Daddy touches my shoulder as they pass me. He whispers into my ear, "You do look gorgeous, baby girl." I smile and thank him. The best part is, he whispered it. At least Daddy is never bent on embarrassing me.

"I'd like to dance, too." Bryce says. He has one hand lingering on the back on an empty chair. Either we dance or we sit. Truth is, even though I wanted to come here with Bryce, a part of me is fearful that this will become like a real date. It isn't a real date.

"We just got here, I thought maybe we could sit and talk for a while." I motion to my girls. Then I say something that is surprisingly painful to voice especially since I know I don't mean any of the words. "Or you can go dance with one of the other women. I know you have your share of admirers. I won't get jealous." I grin to pretend I'm being playfully supportive. I know a part of me will die and get really pissed if he danced with another woman. He is here with me so he only dances with me.

I push the selfish thoughts away. If I don't want him, I have to make room for a woman who does. I don't even convince myself with the nonsense thought. I'm irrational. I don't want to want him, but no one else can have him.

"Why would I dance with them if I have the most beautiful woman in the room right here?" He flashes me that 1000 Watt, Mr. America smile. My heart melts at the compliment. Momma and Daddy can say I look beautiful and I just say thank you, when Bryce says it, I swoon. "But we can sit for a little while, then I want you one the floor."

He wants me on the floor?

Bad Michel, you're in the church. Stop thinking bad thoughts!

He pulls my chair out for me and I watch as his eyes darken when the split in my dress separates and exposes my thigh. I quickly put it together and shift in my seat to keep it that way. He gives me a smile. I return it uncertainly.

"You do look beautiful, Michel, overdressed, but beautiful." Chloe says, admiring my dress. "You and Bryce make such a cute couple, and you both match."

"Thank you," I say in respect to the compliment on the dress. I wasn't even going to address the comment about us being a couple.

We talked, but it didn't last very long. We talked about little things like how our weeks went, dates Keenan and Chelsea went on, the spa, and how Chloe forced Terrence to be her date. The last piece of information was most interesting. They even followed Bryce's lead and went to the dance floor with us.

The music playing is "Church Clap" by KB and Lecrae. It isn't exactly a song to dance to, but more of a "get hype" song. It doesn't take long before we are just jumping around having fun. I'm laughing and having a good time. Bryce's energy is infectious. I can't but notice how he manages to bring my back against his front no matter what dance we're doing. I chose to ignore it. Well, I didn't ignore it. I simply didn't say anything and allowed him to keep it up. I find myself giggling and flirting and falling all over Bryce as if I were drunk in the club. I'm definitely intoxicated by him. Everything about him is getting to me. If we weren't in the church's fellowship hall, I might just name some things.

I drag Bryce by the hand to the table to find it deserted except Chloe. I sit down, having a giggling fit. I'm having so much fun I don't even know what I'm laughing about.

"Having fun?" Chloe asks, laughing at me.

"Yes!" I exclaim excitedly. "Why aren't you dancing?" At this point, I can't imagine why no one wants to be doing the amazing things I discovered with Bryce on the dance floor.

"I was. Terrence and I only just sat down. He's getting us something to drink. I guess you were too wrapped up in Bryce to see me out there." Chloe says, smiling in a knowing sort of way.

"I'm too wrapped up in everything. I'm having such a good time." I groan with a smile. "But God, my feet hurt!"

Chloe and I laugh. "You're the only person here wearing heels. Everyone else has tennis shoes or sandals on."

"Well, we all know I didn't get the dress code. Who cares? I'm having a ball. I'm so glad I came."

"I'm glad you came too." Bryce says. He takes my hand and holds in on the table. I smile at him. I'm more than happy that he asked me to be his "date."

Terrence returns to the table with two cups of punch in his hands. He gives one to Chloe and sips the other. He and Chloe exchange a look and I get a feeling that I'm intruding on something.

"Why don't you guys go away so I could talk to Michel alone for just one minute?" Chloe says, looking at Terrence.

He grins at her. "Tired of me already?"

She gives a smirk. "Never that."

"You get one minute," Terrence says to me. "Then I'm reclaiming my date." He turns to Bryce. "The finest women I've ever seen were standing over at the punch bowl, let's go talk to them." He watches Chloe as he says this. She rolls her eyes in an unworried manner.

"Date? You and Terrence? This took you long enough." I say to her once they're gone.

She squeals happily. "I know, right! I wanted your brother since 5th grade."

I laugh because that is true. Chloe has vowed to make Terrence her man since she first met him. He had walked me home from school and she fell in love. "He asked you to this dance?" I ask her. It had always seemed like the attraction was one-sided. Terrence has always told me he and Chloe were like siblings. Chloe never saw it that way.

"In a way," She says demurely.

"What does that mean?"

"It means Terrence and I have been seeing each other for quite a few weeks now." She says, watching me carefully.

"How could you have not told me that? Some best friend you are," I pout. I need to know these things. "How did that come about?"

"Remember that brief time when we all assumed he was seeing Kita?" I nod and she continues. "Well, I went to him and I told him that I don't want him to date her, because he should be dating me."

"What did he say?"

"Well, he and Kita didn't last very long, did they?" She laughs. I high-five her across the table.

"You should have done that years ago!"

"I was scared. Terrence is the only guy I can't just carelessly flirt with. He actually means something to me. It wasn't until I thought of having to see him and Kita together every time I went to church that made me man up. I'm glad I did."

"If you two get married, we'll really be sisters!" I say, finding a girlish excitement in me I never knew I had.

"Jesus, we aren't anywhere near marriage, but I love the thought of being your sister." She smiles to herself. "What about you and Bryce?"

I shrug nonchalantly. "We're having fun."

"I see," She says, but says nothing more so neither do I.

As if on cue, I feel Bryce's hands on my bare shoulders. I know it's Bryce without looking because his hands are always hot. He rubs me gently, making me warm from the inside out.

"Dance with me," Bryce says, looking down at me in a way that makes my stomach flutter. I simply nod and let him pull me to my feet. He brings me into his arms and rocks with me to the beat.

I wish for a slow song, just to feel our bodies moving together, but I know one will never come on. This dance is filled with teenagers as well as adults and no one wants anyone to get too close to one another. Bryce and I move to the rhythm we're given and still enjoy it. For the most part, we keep an appropriate distance from each other.



"I had a wonderful time, Bryce." I tell him in a small voice. We're standing in the parking lot, in front of my drivers' side door. Bryce is holding me close and rubbing my arms to warm me up in the chilly night air. It's eleven o'clock and the dance has ended. I kind of want to stay. I'm not all the way worn out yet.

"Me too," He says, he's rubbing slows to soft caresses. Even with less friction, the gentle touch seems to heat me up even more. "I wish we could spend some more time together. I should have picked you up. That way I could have the pleasure of driving you home."

I close my eyes, choosing to just listen and feel. I wish he had driven me too, but I insisted against it. I never felt more like an idiot. "Maybe you can...maybe...I don't mean it like..." I trail off. I want to spend more time with him, but I don't know how to say it without sounding promiscuous.

"Tell me," He says. His hands have slowed to a complete halt, now he's just holding me, leaning against my car. I've never felt warmer. It can't possibly be forty degrees out here.

"Maybe..."

"Maybe?" He prompts.

"Maybe you can follow me to my house and we can watch movies or play...checkers?" Do I even own a checker game?

I could tell Bryce is smiling. "That's perfect."



I close my eyes, relishing the feel. I bit my lip to stifle the moan bubbling up inside me. Bryce just smiles knowingly at me. He knows he's good. He reaches for the bottle of baby oil and squirts a little more into his hands. Then he goes back to work on my feet. I sink deeper into the couch, heaven can't be better than this.

"Why didn't you just take your shoes off like any other woman would have?" Bryce asks. He presses his thumbs into the ball of my foot and I groan happily. I'm never wearing heels again.

"I would have been the only barefoot woman there. I was already the only woman in a dress; I didn't want to stand out more."

He laughs. "You stood out no matter what. You were in fact the most beautiful woman in the room."

I blush, but choose not to thank him. "You were the handsomest man." I say weakly, avoiding his eyes to stare at the ceiling.

"Tell me something I don't know," He grins and I toss a pillow at him. He catches it. "Seriously, Michel, you are beautiful, and seeing you lying here in this dress is making it hard for me to be your friend."

I quickly draw my legs back, reluctantly depraving my feet from his massage. "Maybe I should go change into my sweatpants then."

"That won't change anything. You're beautiful no matter what you wear."

He reaches for me, and I scoot away. He grabs my ankle and pulls me across the couch. Now he's kneeling between my legs. My sorry excuse for underwear isn't covering anything so if he decides to look down, my modesty is gone.

"Bryce," It's on the tip of my tongue to stop him. I'm already formulating my lesbian with a girlfriend speech, but the words never come. Instead I say what I know he wanted to hear, what I am more than happy to tell him. "Kiss me,"

He smiles for a brief second before he's hovering over me, supporting his weight with one arm on the couch beside my body. In another second, his lips on are mine. There was no gentle kissing either. His tongue was in my mouth before the third second ticked away.

I reach for him and wrap my arms around his waist. I fan my fingers out along his waistline. I want him closer so bad, but if he lowers himself on me, his big body will crush me. I grope his body instead. My too eager hands roam every part of him that I can touch, pulling him lower, closer. Finally he settles onto his knees to support his weight while pressing himself to me.

His lips leave mine and I whine in protest. I reach for his head, trying to pull him back but he's already begun to drift down. His wet lips press my neck, kiss, suckle, lick, and bite. I moan. My neck has always been my soft spot. When a woman kisses me there, I melt. When Bryce kissed me there, I sizzle up and burn. He nips and nuzzles my neck all the while his hands are leaving the safety zone of my waist. Hot hands trail up my curves and rest for a moment at my shoulder.

I clamp my eyes shut when his hand cups my breast. I make a strangled noise and arch toward him. He begins to knead, squeeze, and massage my breast as I undulate below him. My breasts felt heavy and nipples were painfully hard. He finds my nipple through my dress—it wasn't hard to find since I'm sans bra. He pinches my nipple and my body jerks off the couch. I moan.

"You're so beautiful, Michel." Bryce murmurs against my neck. "All I want to do is touch you everywhere."

"Yes," I breathe. The thought of his hands all over my body is more than pleasant.

He grasps the fabric around my neck, searching for some sort of tie. If he finds it, I'll be naked. "Help me here. How do I...?"

I lay panting. "Let's go to my bedroom first. I can't handle this on the couch."

Reluctantly—extremely reluctantly—Bryce peels himself from between my legs. The cold air cools the heat between my thighs without him and I have half a mind to pull him back. We get to our feet; I'm rather shaky. He takes my hand, drops it, and then scoops me up.

"Where?" He asks, almost as breathless as I am. I point him to the stairs and then direct him to my bedroom. He pushes the door open and carries me to the bed. He lays me down and then stares at me.

"Tell me you're okay with this." He says. "Don't feel pressured."

"I'm okay," I say, but my voice is shaking. "Please, come here."

He kneels between my legs again before he lay between him. The same delicious torture from the living started back up again. His hands found my breasts and his lips met my neck. I'm panting like a bitch in heat.

I know what he means. Sex. I invited him to my house, and then into my bedroom when it's after midnight. I'm terrified, but excited; nervous, but curious; apprehensive, but willing. I want him so bad. I've always thought about what it would feel like to be with a man, to truly be with a man, willing. I heard about it enough from Chloe and Chelsea, and they've only made me more curious. I've always wanted to feel a strong man between my legs, inside me, pleasuring me like Chloe explains. I was just too scared to do it. I don't want to be hurt. But Bryce won't hurt me, I know he won't.

Bryce finally figures out how to unfasten my dress, it's like a necklace clasp. He holds the unfastened ends, but doesn't uncover my body. He kisses my lips gently and stares into my yes, pleading.

"Let me make love to you."

I choke on a sob. I want to cry, but I don't know what I'd cry for. "I've never done this before, with a man," I tell him so he'd understand my dilemma

He releases me and sits up beside me on the bed. "You're a virgin," He says, not asking, but stating.

"No," I say. I stare at the ceiling. I feel cold without him on me, but I don't pull him back.

"Then how?"

I steel myself. "I was raped, years ago." I take a deep breath, forcing myself not to cry or to faint or to lose my mind. "I was never really with a man...intentionally."

Bryce pulls me into his embrace. "How long ago?"

"Ten years," I bury myself into his chest, hugging him closely. He smells good, feels better.

"Why didn't you tell me before?"

"You didn't need to know."

"I would have wanted to."

I crawl out of his embrace and crawl to the other side of the bed. He sits and stares at the bathroom door. I don't want this to ruin the mood, to ruin our night. I want him to touch me. I just thought he needed to know that. So he'd be careful, gentle. I stand and drop my dress, it pools at my feet. I pick it up and toss it on the dresser. I walk around the bed until I'm in Bryce's view, wearing nothing now but a thin, white thong.

"Do you not want me now?" I ask him in a small voice. I stand with my hands at my sides, bearing my full self to him, self-conscious but trying to be confident. "I still want you. I can't let that continue to run my life. I can't fear every man because of it. I don't fear you, Bryce. I want you, to touch me, to kiss me...to make love to me."

Bryce was on his feet with his arms around me in seconds. "I won't hurt you." He promises. "Don't be afraid to tell me to stop."

"Don't be so afraid that you think you might hurt me. I'm not fine china, I won't break."

"You are fine china, even more delicate and perfect and beautiful than that. I know you won't break, because you're strong. I'm going to make you happy tonight."

"Kiss me,"

He does. A searing, deep, suppressed passion, burning desire kind of kiss. I feel the tingle from my lips to my toes and most definitely to my womanhood. His arms circle my waist and draw me as close as possible. I feel his erection pressing against my stomach. Desire bubbles up inside me. I want him. I want him. I want him!

"For you to stand here before me, like this, trusting me and wanting me, you don't know how I feel. You are wonderful."

"So are you," I say. "Now take me to the bed."

He chuckles lightly before picking me up and laying me on the bed. He stands in front of me and begins to unbutton his shirt. I stop him.

"Sit down, let me do it." I've never undressed a man. This is a night of firsts for me. I want to experience everything with him. I want to take all his clothes off and then memorize his body to dream about him forever.

He sits on the bed and I slide into his lap. I slowly, slowly unbutton his shirt, kissing down his wife beater as I do. I push the shirt of his arms and drop it leisurely to the floor. I lean in and kiss his neck. I trace his throat with my tongue and then bite him, a predatory bite just like it's done to me. He jerks, grabs my hips and thrusts upward, unintentionally slamming his sex into mine. I sigh and sink into him like a cement block in a lake.

"Do that again and I won't be able to let you take your time. I'll throw you down on your bed and have my way with you." He meets my lips in a sensual kiss.

I clench deep inside, but continue, seemingly unfazed except a small smile playing at my lips. I lift his fresh, clean wife beater over his head also drop it to the floor. He's so...beautiful, sculpted like a black Adonis. Sinewy, hard muscles everywhere I look. I caress his shoulders and arms, loving the way his muscles flex under my hands.

"Why is your skin always so hot?"

"I don't know. I've always been that way." He lets out a slow breath, showing that he's been holding it. I smile. So I am affecting him.

"I like it, it feels good." I whisper, embarrassed.

"I'm glad."

I slide off his lap, kneeling before him, and grasp the buckle of his pants. I stare up at him, not asking permission from him, but from myself. There's no turning back now! I free him and he lifts his hips to allow me to pull his pants down. He kicks them away and his boxers come next. His manhood springs free, standing up and proud like an American flag, only it's curved a bit. Beautiful.

Excitement courses through me. I feel it, throbbing between my legs, tingling in my stomach, and pumping in my heart. His masculinity is darker than the rest of him and hotter than the rest of him too. He's as thick as my wrist, maybe eight inches long. It looks like a baby's arm. The head of him is fatter, looking like a mushroom—I love mushrooms! I want to touch him, feel him, kiss him there, if only to explore.

A big vein runs right up the side and wraps to the middle of it. I trace it with a nimble finger. His breath catches. He stares down at me in wonderment. I smile in return. A clear fluid is slowly leaking from his opening. I know it's pre-ejaculate. I touch it with a finger and taste it. It tastes salty. It doesn't taste God awful like Chelsea says, but it's not amazing like Chloe says either.

"I'm not sure if you want to dissect me or..." Bryce says with a small smile on his face. He looks to be in pain. I know that look. Man or woman, I guess it's unisex. That's the "hurry-up-I'm-losing-control" face.

"I'm sorry," I say. "I'm curious. Looking at pictures in health class and seeing it on the internet isn't the same as seeing the real thing. Your dick is beautiful."

He chuckles. "No woman's ever called it beautiful before." He reaches out to stroke my hair. "Take your time."

I cup his sack, it weighs more than it looks, not unnaturally heavy but more than it looks. I stroke the line that separates his ball and he sucks in a breath. I lean in and kiss his sack. His eyes drift closed. I kiss him up his shaft, darting my tongue out to taste along the way. He tastes like salty man, a heady, delicious flavor. I look up at him, his eyelids are low, and he's holding his breath again. I think that means I'm doing it right. I settle over his head and clean the clear liquid up with my tongue. Bryce grabs me.

"Let me take care of you, not the other way around."

"We can take care of each other." I lick his head again. He stops me, but doesn't speak. He's fighting the urge to be a gentleman and the urge to just enjoy. "I'm curious. You said I can." I'm nearly pouting. He nods and relaxes, but he tenses as soon as my mouth closes over him.

I suck the head, and then I try to take him deeper. I barely take him halfway. I begin to glide up and down his shaft using my saliva and his precum as a lubricant. I use my hand to stroke and caress the rest of him. I watch Bryce as I suck him off. His eyes are closed and he's grunting in response.

I close my eyes. This does something to me. I move faster, alternating between sucking and simply gliding. It's fun, and Bryce loves it. I pull off of him, and his cock and my mouth make a satisfying popping sound. I lick his head, round and round, then I slide him back in once I catch my breath. I repeat this over and over.

"Stop!" He nearly shouts. He almost yanks me off of him. "That's enough. You'll kill me if I let you." I smile. It's a compliment to me.

He lifts me up and lays me on the bed. I sprawl out comfortably, enjoying the feel of the soft sheets on my bare skin. Bryce smiles at me.

"You're so beautiful."

"You've been saying that all night."

"Because it's true." He reaches out and grasps the hem of my panties. He slides them down my legs and I squirm when cool air hits my sex. "Your turn," He murmurs.

I practically writhe in anticipation. He kneels between my legs, his manhood hard and pulsing as if begging me to kiss him again. He pushes my thighs wide open, and then he fits his broad shoulders between them. He kisses both my inner thigh before diving in. My body bows off the bed on the first lick. He grabs my hips and pins me down.

"Now I can do to you what you just did to me," He says.

His mouth covers me and before I know it, I'm being devoured. I buck and moan as Bryce attacks me. His tongue is wide and thick. I love to suck his tongue when I kiss him. With it between my legs, I'm on a rocket ship at a million miles per hour to heaven. I grab his head and hold him to that perfect spot. He nibbles at my clit and I jerk. I find myself climbing higher and higher with every stroke of his tongue, seconds away from flying apart.

"Yes, Bryce!" I scream as I cum. I hold his head and coat his face in my orgasm. I feel and hear the slurpy sounds as he drinks my juices. I nearly die of a heart attack right them. I suddenly remember the dream I had about him just like this.

Bryce slides up my body and comes down for a kiss. I taste myself all over his tongue. I moan. When he pulls back, I see that his face is all wet around his mouth. I grab his head and draw him down to me. I lick myself off his face. I love the taste of myself more than anything else.

"You are the sexiest woman I've ever seen or even heard of." Bryce kisses my face. He sits up on his knees and gazes down at me. I spread my legs wider. "I won't hurt you."

"I know." I reach for his hand and bring it to my dripping womanhood. I'm ready. I'm not even scared. I trust him with my body completely. I know he won't hurt me. Bryce strokes my lady gently and then pushes two fingers inside with ease. My eyes drift close and my head sinks back and he begins to glide in and out of me. He retracts his fingers and sucks them clean.

"Grab my back, scratch me up, scream in my ear, or tell me to stop. Do whatever you want or have to do, just don't let me hurt you. Tell me immediately."

"Do you think you'll hurt me?"

"No, but just in case. You're not a virgin but you never did this before. I don't want you to..."

"I'm okay, Bryce, really. I want you to show me how good it could be. Show me what a man can do to a woman."

With that he presses himself to the opening of my woman. He gives me one last concerned look before he pushes in, agonizingly slow. He's like a piece of burning hot steel. He stretches me, I feel it, but it doesn't hurt. It's like I'm stretching for him, not because of him. I garble a moan as I clutch his back. A pleasure I've never known before opens up inside me. My eyes drifted closed at the same rate as he entered me.

"Did that hurt?" Bryce asks. Concern etches his voice, but he sounds husky. I know he likes the feel of being inside me. I love the way he feels.

"No," I say. "Make love to me. Don't be afraid."

He slides out at the same slow rate until only his head is inside me. He circles his hips and I moan. His manhood swirls at my core, before he slides back inside.

"You're so wet. Wet and hot and tight," He kisses my neck as he slide in and out of me with slow ease.

I moan in response. "Thank you," I choke. The crude compliment became the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me. I wrap my legs around his waist and lift my hips. His head touches the deepest part of me; a moan rips out of me with a jolt.

"Don't be afraid, Bryce, please." I beg him. "I'm not hurting. I want you to make love to me. I want you so bad. I want all of you."

"I don't want to..."

"Please," I grasp his shoulders and kiss his neck. In a not so gentle bite, I clamp down on the side of his throat.

He lets out a groan and grasps my hips. "I told you don't do that or I'll—"

"Have your way with me." I wasn't finishing his sentence. I was making a demand. I bite him again. "Please, Bryce."

"Michel!" He tightens his hold on my hips and suddenly he's pounding into me. My head starts to spin, to swim. I begin screaming like a banshee. I grab his back and dig my nails deep. I can't help it, my teeth sink into his neck again. He only thrusts harder, deeper.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" I moan aloud. Incomprehensible noises leave my mouth. I continue to buck and moan. I call his name and I call on God. I beg for mercy because it feels like my body is going to explode.

Bryce gathers me up and clutches me to his body. He buried his face in my neck and continues to thrust into me. Tears escape my eyes. Pleasure I can take, but this sort of passion? I can't. Our bodies are so close together, I feel as though we may fuse forever at any moment. I can feel his passion in every thrust, in every kiss on my neck, in every ragged breath he takes. This is lovemaking! This is how it should be! I'd deprived myself of this feeling for years.

"Bryce!—I—Please!—Oh, God!—Stop! More!—Oh, baby!—Don't ever stop!—I'm—Please!—Cumming!" The broken sentences form in my mind, but don't come out that way. Bryce seems to understand. He doesn't stop, but gives me more, more, more! I pant and moan, begging and pleading for control over my body. It never comes. Every thrust Bryce delivers breaks me down until I'm a sputtering, moaning, panting mess.

"Let go, Michel," Bryce grunts through thrusts. His voice is so strained and husky, so damned sexy. That alone is enough to send me over the edge. "Let go, Michel."

"Same time," I pant. I hold on to his body for dear life.

"Yes,"

He gives me three quick, hard, deep to the hilt thrusts. One, two, three, I'm out. I scream, announcing my orgasm. Bryce slackens and begins to slow grind his hips, pressing deep inside me. My orgasm tears through me and I coat him with my cream. Then finally I feel his hot jets surging within me. I moan a strangled sound. We clutch each other close as we ride out our orgasms together.

Bryce rolls onto his back, pulling me on top of him. I don't move. I lie on his chest, deliciously exhausted. I kiss and lick at the sweaty hairs of his chest. Something in me wants to find that disgusting, but the rest of me finds it sexy. Bryce wraps his strong arms around me.

"Did I hurt you?"

"No. You gave me everything you promised. You made me very happy." I kiss his chest some more. I can't get enough of the hypnotizing male taste.

"Good, because I think I'm the happiest man in the world right now."

"I'm the happiest woman."

"I'm glad."
Chapter 18

I open my eyes and glance at my alarm clock. Damn, it's almost noon. How long did we sleep. I roll onto my side and realize I'm in bed alone. I swallow once. He wouldn't leave me like that. Not after we... I spot the note lying in spot before I could complete the thought. I grab and rip it open.

Good morning, Beautiful Michel. I went out to buy some food for breakfast. Don't leave this room without putting on my shirt. When I get back, you have to have on my shirt and nothing else.

-Bryce W.

I hug the note and smile. Conveniently, he put his shirt on the bed with the note. I leap out of bed and run to the bathroom to get cleaned up. I shower quickly, but thoroughly. There's nothing sexy about a woman with mixed, dried cum between her legs. After my shower, I went back into my bedroom to lotion up. I rubbed myself down in baby oil as well so my skin became even softer. Then I slipped on a pair of black boy shorts reading "Grab It" on the back and put on Bryce's shirt. I hugged myself in it. It smelled wonderful and sexy and very masculine, just like him.

I feel incredible. No, it's more than that. I've never feel so magnificent in my life. All credit goes to a big, steaming hot serving of Bryce, with seconds. I hear knocking on the door and I'm immediately excited. He's back! I step into my slippers and prance down the stairs. I run to the door and swing it open, ready to pounce on the amazing man. As soon as he walks in, I jump on him a wrap my legs around his waist. He stumbles with the bag, nearly dropping it, because he wasn't ready for my attack. I hold on tight. To hell with the food, I'm the only thing he needs to replenish him.

"I like this kind of ambush," He murmurs, pressing his lips to my ear. He hooks an arm under my ass, giving it a little squeeze first, and then carries me to my kitchen. He sets me carefully on the counter and sets the bag on the table. I sit, kicking my legs like an impatient child.

"Come here," He says, leaning against the table opposite me. I hop off the counter and dance to him, but he stops me. "Turn around," I do as he says, making it a point to pop my butt at him so he'll read my underwear. He smacks my ass and I giggle.

"It says grab not smack," I tell him.

"I'm sorry." He grabs a handful of my ass and squeezes. "Happy?"

"Yes, actually I am."

He envelopes me into his arms from behind. "You look good in my shirt. I knew you would." He gives me a sweet, tender kiss on the neck. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling amazing, Bryce." I tell him almost petulantly. If he asks me if I'm hurt one more time, I'm going to hurt him.

"Are you sure? You don't feel any pain at all?"

"I'm a little sore, that's all."

"Where?"

"You can guess where, Bryce." I turn around and look him in the eyes. I speak firmly to him. "Bryce, last night was the most incredible night of my life. I was scared at first, but at the same time I trusted you. I knew you wouldn't hurt me and you didn't. You made me feel great and I'm willing to do that again and again and again and again—and again." I smile at him.

He hugs me closer. "I just want to make sure. I know that was a first time for you, I just wanted to...be sure."

"I am one thousand percent okay. I feel fantastic, Bryce, really. I never knew it could be that way." I lay my head on his chest. "I thought sex with women was great, but now I don't ever want to go without...what you gave me."

"And you don't have to, you have me now."

I push away from Bryce and walk around the table, to put some space between us. I sigh as a dreaded thought creeps into my mine. I'd been suppressing that thought since I woke up yesterday morning. What about Imani?

"No, I don't. Remember that girlfriend I kept mentioning? She's still my girlfriend."

"Break up with her,"

"It's not that easy."

"Why not?"

"This seems like a pattern to me." He gives me look so I continue to explain. "I broke up with my last girlfriend Sabrina for my current girlfriend, Imani. Now, after only dating her for a few weeks, I'm supposed to leave her for you? I can't do it."

"So what does that mean for me? You'll stay with her but cheat with me when you feel like you want to be with a man?" Bryce demands. He seems angry already.

"I just don't want to seem like I'm changing woman—or men—like I'm changing socks."

"Who cares what it seems like? You want to be with me now. And I'm who you're going to be with and they'll be no more changing."

I shake my head. "How am I going to tell her?"

"I can be right there with you."

"No. Imani can be...intense. I think she'll take it better if I can explain alone."

"Do it tonight."

"Why so soon?"

"I want you to myself. There's no reason to lead her on if you're done with her."

"I don't know,"

"Let's talk about this later. It's ruining your afterglow." Bryce smiles.

"I am glowing, aren't I?" I say, touching my cheeks. I noticed it after I got out the shower and it hasn't worn out yet. Is this what dick does to a woman? If so, I like it.

"You look beautiful, and I did that to you."

I smile. "Yes, you did,"



"I can't believe you did it!" Chloe shrieks. She's holding my shoulders and shaking me hard. It doesn't feel good.

"Relax, it's not like you don't do it." I say, looking away from her even though she's all up in my face.

"I know I do it, but it's you. You're the gayest person I know."

I laugh and pry myself away from her. I sit on the couch and stare through the television. It's on, but we're not watching. "I enjoyed it." I tell her.

She grins big and toothy. "You did? Tell me everything. I want to know every detail. Did it hurt?"

I roll my eyes. "Bryce asked me if I was hurt like ten times. It actually didn't hurt at all, well it hurt a tiny little bit. The overall feeling was great. It felt good, really good."

Chloe squeals. "OMG, it's like you lost your virginity." A look flickers across her face and I'm sure she's remembering how I actually lost my virginity.

"I really liked it. He was so sweet and really gentle at first."

"A first?"

"He was so...careful. It was sweet, but he was making love to me like he thought he'd break me. I wanted him to be free with me, you know? I wanted him to treat me like he would before I told him I was raped."

Chloe nods in understanding. "And then he got rough?"

"I wouldn't say rough. He got intense. He was so passionate. It was harder, faster, deeper." Chloe giggles when I stress my favorite part. "It didn't hurt at all even though he was literally pounding me. I loved it."

"And you'll do it again?"

I dismiss it. "Like I told Bryce this morning, I'll do it again and again and again. It was that good."

Chloe laughs. "I knew that man would have the complete package. He is so fine and strong and big...was he big?"

It's my turn to giggle. "He was big, to me at least. He wasn't painfully humungous though. I'd guess eight or nine inches." I smile. "And he's very thick. That's where the pain came from: he stretched me quite a bit."

She laughs. "It's official, you love the dick!"

"I wouldn't say that. I don't want to go out and have sex with other men now that I discovered I like it. I still only want him."

Chloe smiles. "I already knew you did, but you really like him."

I nod seriously. "I do. I didn't want to—I really didn't—but he's so perfect. He's so sweet and funny and he started out as my friend."

"So what are you doing about the woman you've been seeing?"

I sigh, upset that she remembered that. "Bryce wants me to break up with her."

"Are you going to?"

"We've only just started dating, and there is nothing wrong with our relationship. I really like her. I can't just leave her for someone else."

"Who do you like more, her or Bryce?"

I shrug. "I don't know. I know I like Bryce, but I like her too. There so different too. Bryce is sweet and playful while Imani is aggressive and bossy."

Chloe raises an eyebrow. "Imani from our church? The African girl?"

I nod, not even realizing I said her name. It's not important to keep it a secret now—especially since it may end. "We met at the young adult meeting."

Chloe nods. "I'd rather have sweet and playful than aggressive and bossy."

I smile. "It's not in a bad way. It's in a sexy way. She's cocky and she likes to be in control. I'm okay with that—most of the time. And Imani has her sweet moments too. She makes me feel...like the most desirable woman in the world."

"And how does Bryce make you feel?" She asks, sounding like a therapist.

"He makes me feel like...like I'm the center of the universe. He looks at me like I'm the most beautiful woman he's ever seen and he tells me so. He has a way about him that makes me feel like I'm the only girl in the world and he's the only boy. When I'm with him, I forget about everything but him. He easily made me forget about Imani last night."

"Well, be with Bryce."

"At the same time, when I'm with Imani, I don't want anything but her. I can't say no to her. That's why she gets away with being so dominating. She's sexy. And she's like a sex symbol. My pussy sees her before I do."

Chloe shakes her head. "That's how I feel about Terrence. Your brother is fine."

"So what happened last night with him?"

A huge grin spreads across her face. "I don't think you want to know what I did with your brother."

"You slut!" We break into laughter. "I guess we both had a lot of fun last night."

"I had more than fun. I had...I don't even know what to say. Words do not describe it. Terrence is the most passionate lover. He kissed me everywhere. He was so sweet. He kept saying how gorgeous I look and he refused to turn out the lights so he could see me."

I smile. "I would never have expected that. But then again, I never imagine what my brother would be like in bed."

"He's amazing."

I laugh. "So I've heard."



"Hey," I say in a voice that didn't exactly say I was happy to see her.

"I missed you," Imani says. She wraps her arms around me and hugs me tightly, squeezing her body against mine. I force my body to behave.

After she releases me, I shut the door, but leave it unlocked because I'm sure she'll be running out of here soon. I lead her to the couch and we sit down. I give her a look, a confused, uncertain, but furtively scrutinizing look.

"I can see you didn't invite me here because you missed me too." Imani says. Her tone is confused too, but it isn't wavering like mine.

"We really need to talk." I say. I unconsciously move back on the couch even if only to put more space between us. I want to be able to see her clearly and fully

"Don't tell me you don't want to see me anymore, Michel."

I stare at her. Am I that transparent? "I'm sorry. It's so complicated." I put my face in my hands. I really don't want to hurt her. I like her. I just like him more.

"That's your excuse for everything, Michel. It was complicated with Sabrina too. Tell me right now what the problem is." Her voice has taken on that governing tone she does so well. That dominating way that makes me listen to her even when I don't want to.

"Imani," I stare at her. She'll snap if I tell her I'm leaving her for a man. And if she knows I slept with him already? She'll blow a fucking fuse.

"You met someone else, right?" She roll her eyes like it was a simple inconvenience. "I figured as much. I guess this is a common thing with you, right?"

"What do you mean?"

"Meeting someone, having a relationship, and then leaving her for someone else you meet. I guess I should have expected that since you did it with me and Sabrina."

"It's not like that at all."

"Of course it is, and you'll just leave her too later. Not this time, Michel. I told you from the beginning: don't do to me what you did to Sabrina. Just the fact that you met someone tells me you cheated on me."

"Imani, I'm sorry. I won't say, 'it just happened", because it didn't. This sort of thing had build-up. We were friends, and then, weeks later, we became more than that."

"Well, end it. I'm not letting you leave me, Michel." Imani's eyes held a fire in them, a fire that stirred something deep in my stomach. I'm weak and a slut. I should be condemned.

"You really don't have a choice in the matter, Imani. I like you so much. If I could have you both, Lord knows I would. It'd only be selfish of me to keep this going with you knowing I have someone else on my mind and in my bed."

"You slept with her?"

I don't say anything, but I know my face told it all. Only it wasn't a her, it's a he, and I plan on doing it again and again until he denies me.

Imani lunges at me. The next thing I know, I'm on my back with my legs spread and my arms above my head, pinned at the wrist. Imani is between my legs, using all her body weight to keep me pinned down. My eyes widen, but not in fear. It was definitely surprise, but not fear. She swoops down to kiss me, but I turn my head.

"Get off me, Imani!" I snap, trying to wriggle from beneath her.

She pulls back and looks me in the eye. She holds my wrists down with one hand and uses her other to make me face her. "You're mine, remember that? You're not just going to leave me for the next thing that catches your eye. We're together until I end it, and I don't think I will."

I shake my head at her audacity. "No, Imani. I'm sorry and you know I am, but you're not going to fuck me into submission. Let me up so we can talk."

She shakes her head. "I don't want to talk and I know you really don't either. Get this other bitch out of your mind now, because you're not seeing her again. Mine, Michel, remember you agreed to that."

"That was before—" I stop myself. I did agree to that, but that was before Bryce.

"I'm here. Get her out of your mind now, Michel."

"I won't. You know I won't. Even if we have sex now, it won't matter because I'll keep going back to...her. I won't forget her and I won't stop seeing her, Imani. I'm trying to do right by you and break it off now before you catch me cheating on you. That's exactly what's going to happen. I'll continue to sleep with you, but I'll be dating her." I forced myself to continue to say her only because saying it's a man seemed worse.

I feel the sting of her hand before I even register what happened. Imani's hands wrap around my neck and she squeezes tight. "Don't ever say that to me, Michel! You're mine, you understand me? You will not leave me! Get that bitch out of your fucking mind now, because you won't ever see her again!"

I suck in air in short bursts, trying to breathe all the while I'm prying her hands from my neck. "Get the fuck off me, you crazy bitch!" I jerk and twist, flipping Imani off me. Her surprise shows on her face, but then I land on her and pin her down with all my weight. I hold a wrist in each hand and pin them on either side of her head. She struggles, but I hold tight. I lean close to her face, breathing hard.

"Get the fuck out of my house, Imani!" I scream at her. I'm one breath away from kicking her ass, but at the same time, I know how to handle such an outburst.

"I'm so sorry," She goes limp below me. Her eyes fill and stare up at me like a sad puppy. "I don't know why I did that. I didn't mean to do that. I don't ever want to hurt you, Michel."

I roll off of her and lie on my back. What the fuck! I never expected no shit like that. I never thought Imani was the type to cry. Shit, why are all these women crying around me all of a sudden. I push the selfish thought away. I stare up at the ceiling, trying not to look as she furiously swipes the tear away before they fall.

"It's okay," I say. I'm not sure if I meant the slap or if I meant that she'll be okay.

"We just started dating,"

"It's complicated."

"You always say that."

"I'm sorry,"

"Me too,"

Imani rolls onto her stomach and then crawls over to me. She kneels lower until her face hovers over mine. I move my face a fraction of an inch but her lips catch mine before I could move farther. She kisses me deeply yet gently. I kiss her back with my eyes open. I watch as the tears pool between her eyelids and then drop down to my face. I close my eyes now, not wanting to see her cry anymore. Her tongue presses me so I let her really kiss me. And I kiss her back. By the time she pulls away, my face is covered in her salty tears. I just stare up at her.

"Choose me," She mumbles before she's kissing me again. "You're mine and I'm yours, remember? Don't fuck up a good thing, Michel."

Her fingers stroke my neck gently. The tears that had just seemed to have slowed swell up again and begin to fall. "Your neck is red, Michel." She leans down and kisses it. "I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me. I'll never do that again, I swear to God, I won't. I just don't want to lose you. And listening to you say all those things about being with someone else, I can't take that. I'm so sorry."

I listen to her speak numbly. I don't really know how to reply. I just lie there, letting her kiss me and occasionally kissing her back.
Chapter 19

I open my eyes, but as soon as I do, I want nothing more than to climb back into the dreamland staring Bryce. Imani's body is wrapped up in mine, our libs tangled together. Shit, what did I do? I unravel myself from her and roll silently off the bed. I pad into the bathroom, grabbing a robe and a cell phone on my way in.

I have messages from my mother, Chloe, and Bryce. I decide to call no one back right now. All three messages are about if I'm going to church or not, and if I want to ride with them. I would love to take the offer from Bryce, but I can't after what I did last night. I'm not even going to go to church today.

After a shower, I find Imani fully dressed in yesterday's clothes in the bedroom. She looks up at me, cocky grin in place. "Sleep well?" She asks, so sure of herself.

Her arrogance doesn't even make me smile as usual. I enjoyed the sex with her and that only makes me feel worse. Guilt and disgust swirl up in my stomach and I hate the feeling. What if Bryce finds out? Am I willing to hide it from him? No, I'll tell him and face the consequences.

I nod. "You?" I ask simply. I don't even hear her answer. Holding my robe tight, I walk to my dresser and pull out panties, a bra, sweatpants, and a tank top. This is a lounge and pout day. I go into the bathroom and get dressed, not that that made any difference. She's seen me naked numerous times.

"What's wrong? Aren't you going to church?" Imani asks me. She's still sitting on my bed, giving the impression that she has no intention of leaving.

"I'm not going today," I say. "But you can call me after..." Hint hint.

"No, if you're not going, I'll stick around and keep you company."

"That's okay. You don't have to miss out on my account. I'm fine. You go ahead and tell me what the sermon's about later." Hint hint.

"Please, I much rather be with you that in a hot church without anyone fun to sit next to."

"I'd really like to spend the day alone..." Hint fucking hint!

She frowns as if finally getting the message. Well fina-fucking-ly. "What did I do wrong?"

"Nothing, Imani. I just want—"

"You're thinking about her! What are you going to say when she asks you if you broke up with me yet?"

"Imani," I whine. I'm up to here!" The me in my mind holds her hand up to her forehead.

"I told you to get her out of your head, Michel."

"Well don't count on it, Imani!" I bite out. I stand to my feet. "I shouldn't have done that last night, but it's too late to undo it. I don't know why I was so scared last night or why I let this go so far, but we're done. I'm sorry from the deepest part of my soul, but there's nothing I can do. Now please get your things and go."

My tone is firm and unwavering. I have to be that way with Imani. Imani will just ignore me otherwise. I sound like a real bitch, to fuck someone then leave them. It didn't go exactly that way, but it feels like it. I don't want to hurt her, but I need her to understand that we're done and there's either of us can do about it. I have someone else. And he's someone I'm not so sure I'd ever want to give up.

I exhale deeply when the thought is complete. Yes, what Bryce and I are forming is something real. And I won't be the one to let it go, not even for Imani. Not for her or for Sabrina or for Raven. No one.

She rushes to me, and I put my hands up to defend myself in case she goes for my neck again. I let it go last night but today I'll fight back. She doesn't choke me, but she fights dirtier. Her tongue is in my mouth and her hands are on my sweatpants clad ass, pulling me closer. I push at her with everything I have, and she struggles to keep her mouth on mine.

"Stop it! Stop it!" I sputter, swatting at her with flailing hands until she finally gives me two feet of space. "Stop using sex as a means to get what you want. You did it last night and obviously that didn't change anything. If anything, it made me realize just how much I want out of this relationship. Sex is the only we have. I want more than that. All the sex in the world, no matter how good, will never be enough to get me to stay with you. My someone else is very special to me and I'm staying to that."

"I can give you more. I'll give you anything." Her eyes shine with the swelling tears that she is refusing to let fall.

"No, you can't, Imani. I'm sorry, but we just won't work."

"I'm dedicated to you."

"I'm sorry."

She shakes her head. "You apologize like that will make anything better."

"I don't know what else to say."

"Say you'll stay with me."

"I can't. I have someone now."

"And I guess I mean nothing them, right?" She's suddenly angry. Seconds ago she was soft and on the verge of tears. No she's on the verge of murder. "Fucking and dating me was just for fun until you found someone better. You're a whore and I didn't even realize that."

"A whore? I'm not a whore. I didn't date you out of mere boredom. I dated you because of I liked you."

"But you don't like me now."

"I said I'm sorry,"

"Sorry doesn't cut it when I'm forced to lose the person I like, the person I care about, to someone else."

"You'll find someone else, Imani. It isn't like it's hard for you to pick up women."

"I want you."

"I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing, it's making me angry."

"Please leave,"

"So just like that I's over?"

"Yes, and I'm sorry. We can still be friends."

"The hell we can. Fuck you, Michel."



Bryce holds me close to his body, engulfing me in the delicious warmth and feel of him. I lean back into his bare chest. Even when the rest of my world feels like shit, Bryce still feels comforting and amazing. He kisses my shoulder every so often in the place where his head is cradled into my neck. We're sitting on my couch, staring through the television as "Think Like A Man" plays. I thought I like this movie?

Bryce sighs but I ignore him. Even though he's trying to hold me together, I can't offer him any emotional relief. I'm too pitiful in myself. I hurt her. I want to apologize, but she probably won't talk to me unless I'm begging her to take me back and that won't happen.

"Michel, I'm so sorry. I know you feel bad. I know you'll miss her, but I will make you forget." He says with conviction. "I wish I wouldn't have rushed you to do that, but you have to understand my position. I've never met a woman like you before. Not only are you sexy and feminine and make me want to kiss you everywhere all the time, but you are strong and tough and I can play with you like a friend. I enjoy being around you. I couldn't wait any longer and risk you wanting her more. I'm a selfish asshole and I know it, but I just want to be your selfish asshole. I don't want you with anyone else."

I crack a smile for the first time all day since Imani left. Bryce had come to my house right after church to try and coax me out of my funk. Two hours later all I can do is stare through the T.V.

"You are my asshole. There aren't any other assholes out there that I want. You're the only asshole I want." I look down at the floor and continue after a beat. "I just feel terrible for hurting her. I really liked her—I still do. How would you feel is someone broke up with you only weeks into the relationship after you've been hitting it off because she found someone else?"

"I'd hate it." Bryce concedes, sounding as if he didn't want to admit it. "But if she's as beautiful as you described her to be, she'll find someone else."

"That's not the point. I do hope that she does find someone. She's a good person and she deserves that."

"You're a good person." He plants another kiss on my shoulder.

I sigh. "No, I'm not. I cheated on two women consecutively and I left both of them for someone else." What if I cheat on Bryce? No, I wouldn't do that, not anymore. "I just wished I wouldn't have met one of you. Then I would have had to choose and I won't have to feel this way."

Bryce releases me and leans back on the couch without me. I move to the opposite side and look at him. I can tell by the way his eyebrows draw in that I'd offended him. "I hope you mean you wish you had never met her."

"I guess that's true since with you and not her."

"You guess?"

"Don't do this to me, Bryce. I just want to—"

Bryce crawls across the couch and presses his lips ever so slightly to mine. I sigh contently and lean in for more. Bryce grabs my shoulders and falls backward, pulling me on his chest as he lies back on the couch. His hands slide up my back and back down to my ass. He squeezes and pulls me closer. I let out a small, breathy moan as his kiss ravishes my mouth. I grab him with everything I've got and beg for the same in return.

His hands catch the hem of my shirt and he starts to lift it, slowly, slower, and after long moments, it's off. "I'm selfish, Michel. I need you. I promise, baby. I'll make you forget her so all you'll want is me."

His hands caress my bare skin and I almost believe every word he says. I almost believe I can just forget her. They say you never forget the first and the best. I still hadn't forgotten Tara from my first year of college; she was a senior with a purpose. And I'm sure I won't forget Imani; a woman with a talent for making me cum.

He brushes his lips against my jaw, my neck, my shoulder. I shudder in his arms. I move over him and kiss him hungrily. He pulls me even closer and we mold together, pulling clothes as we go.



"Where have you been, Miss Lady?" Momma asks me as we set the table. Momma's overdoing it. I invited the crew over for dinner. It was Bryce's idea. He wants me to let everyone know we're together from the start. I can understand his reasoning, but I feel like he doesn't trust me. I think he's doing this because he thinks I'm going to run in the opposite direction. I thought I proved I wouldn't.

"Momma, it's been two weeks, relax." I say, organizing the silverware alongside each plate.

"I haven't even heard from you since that dance. And you left without saying goodbye. Did you have fun with Bryce? I saw you too leave together. Did you go straight home after or did you spend more time with him? I know you went with him. You two stuck together all night. He even waited outside the bathroom door for you."

"Momma, chill. Leave Bryce out of this, I thought we were talking about me."

"Talking about Bryce is talking about you. I talked to Chloe on Sunday, she said—"

"You interrogated Chloe? Sheesh, Momma, I'm a grown woman."

"I know, I know. I just wanted to know why you weren't in service. It was actually Bryce that told me you weren't feeling well. So was that a real sickness or were you just playing hooky?"

"I wasn't playing hooky. I had a lot on my mind and I needed to spend the day to think. Leave my friends alone, Momma."

She laughs. "It's like you're in middle school all over again. Who's coming over tonight?" She asks, changing the subject. Thank God!

"Chloe, Chelsea, Kita, Keenan, and Bryce," I tell her. Chloe and Chelsea should actually be here soon.

"I think it's nice that you're friends with the pastor's grandchildren." Momma says, seemingly nonchalantly.

I roll my eyes. Of course she's happy. That raises her status in the church. "Yeah," I say halfheartedly.

"So I guess you're not going to tell me about Bryce even though we both know something is going one between you two." Momma says, turning to face me.

I sigh. "Momma, something is going on." She nods, urging me on. "Bryce and I are a thing now."

"A thing?" She tries to conceal the growing grin in her voice, but to no avail. Her lips spread wide, but she hides the smile with monotone. "What does that mean?"

"It means there's nothing to make a big deal about so stop smiling like that. You're freaking me out."

She bursts into laughter. It's a gleeful laugh that shows she laughing from happiness not because she thought what I said was funny. See, that's why I shouldn't tell her anything.



When everyone finally arrives, I have to fight the urge to run and jump into Bryce's arms. After sitting and talking about him with Momma and Daddy for all this time, I really started to miss him. I smile and lure him over to me. He grins back and makes his way to me tauntingly slow. He snakes one arm around my waist and pressed a kiss to my forehead. I frown—almost pout—at him. He darts a glance to my Mother and then shoots me a look.

"I already told them." I tell him, smiling knowingly.

"You couldn't let me be here with you to break the news." He says with mock offense.

"Trust me, you're lucky. All my parents want to do is gawk at you."

Bryce smiles. "Well I am very sexy. You gawked at me quite a bit too."

I roll my eyes. "That's a dang lie. I barely noticed you until recently."

"Now that's a lie. I caught you checking me out when we first met at your spot."

I shake my head, a blush rising. "I really didn't."

"What's the point of lying? Everyone in here knows you've been hurting for me."

"Okay, Bryce, your head is a little too big for me." I laugh and walk away from him to the other side of the table. Of course he follows me.

"Admit that you've been feeling me since you first met me."

"Not in the way you think. I simply thought you were attractive. I encouraged my receptionist to go after you."

"Mary? You started that? She flirts with me every time she sees me at the spa. You need to stop her."

I smile. "You don't like Mary?"

"Why would I even look her way when I've got you?" He leans close to me, his breath tickling my lips. I sigh and lean in for a kiss but he backs just out of reach.

"I'll talk to Mary. I'll let her know she missed her chance with you." I touch his face gently, trying to coax him closer. "You haven't kissed me yet."

Bryce smiles, suggesting and sexy. "You haven't asked either."

"Will you kiss me, please?"

His lips meet mine before I can even complete the last word. I sneak my tongue and taste his heady flavor. I fall into his chest, feeling light-headed and more than a little horny. I love when he kisses me. I truly feel like we're the only two people in the world. A sinking, fluttering, tingling sensation forms in my stomach. I grab his shirt and pull him closer, arching my body to his.

"Dang, Michel, let the man breathe." I hear Terrence say and the room erupts in laughter. I force myself away from my man and lean against the sink. I simply smile though my face is hot with a blush.

"No, she's doing fine. Who needs oxygen anymore?" Bryce grins at me in a seemingly playful way, but his eyes say something different. I know he's thinking just what I'm thinking, but we have to get through this dinner first.
Chapter 20

I step out of the shower, wrap my towel tightly around my body, and walk back into my bedroom. I walk, humming softly to myself, and switching to the beat in my head.

"Michel, I really need to—"

"Holy fucking—damn—what?" I sputter, nearly dropping my towel. I clutch it tighter around my body as Imani's teary gray eyes study mine. "How the hell did you get in here? You scared the shit out of me."

"Don't be mad, your door was unlocked. You didn't answer, but I knew you were here because of your car so I came in. I heard you in the shower so I waited." She ran an index finger under each eye, clearing the slowly falling tears. I look away. I really don't need to see that.

"Imani, please don't come here with this. I don't need it right now. You know I'm sorry, but if it's over, then it's over." I say, recalling how she said fuck me and stormed out of here last week.

"Did you ever think about me? Just once? Maybe I don't want it to be over."

"You don't have a choice. It takes two to have a relationship. I told you I have someone else." I open my dresser and take out panties, a bra, and a Pink pajama outfit. I walk into the closet, shut the door, and begin to dress as she talks.

"Don't you know how much I already miss you? I know you miss me too." If the closet door were open, I'm sure I would see her cocky smirk in place.

"Of course I do, but not enough to come back to you."

I hear a muffled sound. Did she just punch my bed? "I don't believe that—"

"Well, believe it. I'm sorry, Imani." I step out of the closet, thinking about the lotion I can't put on until she leaves.

"Stop saying you're sorry." She stands and steps to me. I take a step back. She reaches for me and I let her take my hand. "Stop that. How much did you miss me, Michel?"

"Not nearly enough," I try to snatch my hand away for effect but she holds it tight.

"I can feel your pulse," She murmurs as if that meant anything. She lifts my hand to her lips and kisses it. I tug my hand, she squeezes tighter. "Your heart's beating so fast. Am I exciting you?"

"No,, you just scared the shit out of me when I found you in here."

"Your heart isn't beating like this because of that." "She turns my wrist the licks the spot where she felt my pulse. I shiver before I can contain it. She smiles. "You missed me, right?"

"Not that much, Imani."

"My sweet liar," She licks the palm of my hand. It tickles and I try to pull away. "You smell fresh, taste clean."

"Get off me, Imani. I'm not dessert."

"You're even sweeter than that." She pulls my hand and pits her body close to mine. Her lips skim the top of my ear; my eyes drift closed. Her hands meet at my hips and her fingers gently caress me. Her tongue flicks out and tastes my ear. I sigh and fall into her, but catch myself.

"See, you really did miss me. A lot I think." She says, cocky smirk in place. Her thin, soft fingers trace my neck and outline my jaw. Another sign escapes me. "Is there something else you missed, Michel? You seem to be lacking fulfillment."

"Stop it, Imani." I warn, stepping out of her embrace. "Tell me what you want or just get out."

"I want you, Michel. Isn't that obvious?"

"I'm not an option."

"You're the only option," Her lips brush mine and my eyes sink closed. Her hands cup my butt and my pussy begins to throb in time with my heartbeat. She pulls me closer and coaxes my mouth open. The next thing I knew, I was flying and tasting her tongue. Her hands caress me in the most intimate way and I stand with my hands frozen on either side of her face.

She pushes me as she walks forward, forcing me to walk backward to the bed. I try to stop her, to get her get off me, but she grabs my wrists again and then I'm lying on her back. Her mouth is all over me, my face, ears, and neck. I grab her, hold her face before my, and look her in the eyes.

"No, Imani! We're over." I say with my as much conviction as humanly possible.

"You say a lot, but yet, your heart's beating all crazy, and you're all out of breath from me kissing you. You like it, all of it. Now stop denying that and enjoy it. I'm here to make you happy. I know you want me to make you cum."

Her hand snakes down between my legs and she grabs me there. I gasp and she squeezes me gently. She releases me slowly, then squeezes again. Her fingers press and stroke me, causing my body to arch off the bed.

"Let yourself enjoy this, Michel. You really want to."



We lay in bed some time later, holding each other's naked, sweaty, slick body. My head lie on her stomach, and though sweat has matted my hair to my face, she still strokes the stringy curls. We just lay there, listening to the other breathe.

"Damn," Imani mutters under her breath. I shift ever so slightly to look up at her in question. "Something's vibrating under me, it must be your phone." She lifts and reaches and messes around until she produces a phone from beneath her thigh.

'Hello," I answer without looking.

"Tell me you're bored out of your mind and you really need someone to spend time with so I can have a legitimate reason to come over there."

"What? No! Don't come over here!" I snap, jumping out of the bed.

"Damn, why not? I thought you'd want to see me. I was actually already on my way..."

"Baby, I do—I do. I'm sorry, baby, but I'm just so busy cleaning up my house right now, you'll have to come by tomorrow."

"Well, damn, okay." Bryce sighs, sounding disappointed. After a beat he says, "I think you're mad at me."

"No, why would I be mad at you?"

"I rushed you. I rushed you with that woman you were seeing and I rushed your m momma to find out."

"It's okay. You just wanted me to yourself." I glance at Imani and then look away under her glare. "I find that so sweet and sexy. Sweetheart, let me show you just how much I mean that tomorrow."

"I need to be showing you something."

"Just looking at me in that way you do is enough." I sigh, sinking to a seat at the foot of the bed.

"Do you have any idea what you mean to me, Michel Wilkes?"

"No, Bryce Washington, I don't know. Please enlighten me."

"I...I think you're amazing."

"I think you are too." I blush. Now, I'm missing him, but Imani is in my bed. I really fucked up this time.

"Talk to me later, okay, beautiful?"

"I promise." I say. I smile at the phone I've hung up.

"Was that her?"

"No, that was him. I'm seeing a man now."

Imani sits up in bed. "How does that work? You hate penetration."

I flinch. It sounds crude when someone else says it. "He's helped me get through that. I enjoy it now."

Imani stands to her feat, a full temple of naked, chocolate perfection exposed to my greedy gaze. "You wouldn't even let me near you will a six-inch strap on, now you're dating a man. I don't believe this."

"What does it matter that it's a man and not a woman?"

"Because last I saw you, you were a sexy, vibrant lesbian, now, you're...this." She spat the word with disgust.

"You should go, Imani."

"You seem to like fucking me and then kicking me out."

"You seem like coming here and getting sex out of me even though you know I'm not leaving me current relationship."

"Because I know you still want to be with me."

"I don't, Imani!"

"Then why don't you just say no."

"It's hard."

"You must not like this new boyfriend you've suddenly got. Dick must not be your thing."

"Get out, Imani."

"Make me, Michel."

"I said GET OUT!" I scream.

"Don't you talk to me that way!" And then my cheek is stinging and Imani's watching me with wide eyes of disbelief.

I lunge at her. I land on top of her with my hands around her neck. "Stop hitting me, you fucking psycho!"

"I am not a psycho! Get off me, Michel!" She screeches as she claws and fights to get me off her. She slams me onto my back and then shoves her tongue in my mouth. I push her off.

"You are fucking crazy. You have anger issues. And sex issues too." I crawl backwards until there's enough space between us to allow me to stand up. "This is the second time you put your hands on me."

"I'm sorry,"

"Just get out,"

"I'm sorry,"

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't resist. I missed you too damn much, girl." Bryce's voice is heard before I see his face and all I could do is freeze in the headlights.

Bryce looks from Imani to me. I'm standing in front of the bed while Imani is on the floor before me. Both of us are naked.

"You must be fucking kidding, Michel." Bryce's eyes harden and his hands curl into fists. For once, his size begins to intimidate me.

"Bryce, listen to me please. I didn't—"

"Cover your damn self, please!" He snaps at me, staring into my eyes like I disgusted him. "This is why you didn't want me to come over." I rip the comforter off the bed and wrap myself in it.

"Bryce, let me ex—"

"Bryce? Bryce fucking Washington? This is who you're seeing? Trust me, Michel, you can do a lot better than the likes of him." Imani jumps to her feet and comes to my side as if to protect me. I quickly move away from her.

"What does that mean?"

"That means Bryce is the very type of man you despise. The type of man you told me about." Imani says. She stands with her arms crossed over her breasts, naked as the day she was born.

"Don't even do it, Imani. Out of all the women you could see, you go after the one I want."

"I had her first, Bryce. You were just temporary. You must not know Michel's full story if you think you have the right to be in her presence."

"How well do you two know each other?" I ask, looking from one to the other. The angry look of betrayal left Bryce face and now he looks panicked. He's terrified and it's because of Imani.

"I know Bryce really well. He used to be my cousin's best friend back in the day. Right, Bryce."

"Your cousin and I were barely friends." Bryce says with his fists clenched tight. He wouldn't dare hit her.

"Tell me what you're talking about, Imani." I say. Nervousness spread from the pit of my stomach. I know this won't end well.

"Gladly, baby." Imani says. She wraps an arm around my shoulders. She's not the least bit concerned about her nudity. "Bryce isn't as good a person as he claims to be. No matter how much you go to church, your sins can't just be wiped away."

"What sins, Imani?"

"You know what, Bryce? How about you tell her? How about you tell her about the things you, my cousin, Keenan, Shaquan, Lamar, and those other fake ass frat boys used to do."

"Imani, get the hell out before I put you out." Bryce actually growls.

"Tell me now!" I snap.

"Tell her, Bryce!" Imani yells at him. "Had I know she was dating your sick ass, I would have never allowed it. I would never let you hurt her like you hurt some other girl."

"What is it?" I plead. I need to know what the hell they are talking about. I'm getting scared by the possibilities.

"Bryce, tell her how you and your friends used to do the same thing to young girls that had happened to her. Tell, Michel, how you are a fucking rapist!"

And then the recognition hit me. I knew he looked familiar. I knew it wasn't just from church. My vision began to fade, in and out, until I felt dizzy and lightheaded. Suddenly I was sixteen again and it was that night all over again. I was back in that garage. Ace and his friends were all drooling over. All except for two. I felt Imani's grip tightened on my waist and I clung to her. Two men hung back, watching as the other five took turns on me. They only came over when Ace yelled at them. Then they joined the others. The one with the glasses threw up as soon as he finished. It was...Keenan. Then Bryce helped move Keenan to the corner. Then Bryce took his turn.

"That was me!" I hear myself screaming. "You raped me!" I step back, pushing out of Imani's grasp. "Both of you, get the hell out of my house."

"You? No, Michel. I didn't." Bryce seems disgusted by that. He shook his head in sheer horror at the thought.

"I was at a party, ten years ago. I was only sixteen. I met this guy, his name was...Ace. You know him don't you?" Please say no. Please let me be wrong.

Bryce's face seemed to break with emotion and tears begin to fall out of his eyes. "I—I didn't know that was you, Michel. I never wanted to do that."

"Get out, Bryce! Get the hell out of here!"

"Michel, please forgive me. I didn't know it was you,"

"It doesn't matter...You're a fucking rapist. How many women have you abused?"

He shakes his head. "Just one. I...I...I never wanted to do it then. Ace made me, Michel. But I never did it again. I dropped out of college a few weeks later."

"So it was just me. You just raped me." I can't stop the tears that swell up and race down my cheeks. "Why didn't you stop them? You could have helped me. Instead you joined the festivities. And then you come back and sleep with me again. You're sick. You're a sick, sick bastard."

"I didn't know it was you."

"But you knew you were a rapist. You knew I was raped when I told you, right before we...Get out of my house!"

Then I drop to my hands and knees and empty my stomach on my thirteen thousand dollar rug. I wretch and heave, clutching my sides, hoping the pain will subside. "Get out of my house, Bryce. Get out of my house. Get out before I call the police and get you put behind bars where you belong."

"Michel, please talk to me."

"GET OUT!" I throw a stray Red Bottom pump, which must be Imani's, at him. The shoe narrowly misses his face.

Then he finally leaves, still begging for a chance to talk, for me to listen to him. I continue to scream "get out" until I hear the front door close. Imani goes into the bathroom and comes back with a damp rag. She drops to her knees beside me and my mess. She reaches out and cleans my mouth with the cloth. I try to take it from her but she refuses.

"I didn't know he was the one," Imani murmurs as she cleans my face. "I knew what they did, but I didn't know they did it to you."

"Why did you tell me? Why couldn't you just let me be oblivious and happy?"

"I just wanted you to leave him alone. I knew you would if you knew he and my cousin used to do. I hadn't known you were a victim."

"I need to be alone."

"No, you don't. I'm here for a reason."

And she doesn't leave. She tucks me in to bed and then she sleeps next to me, holding me as I cry.



When I awake the next morning, I am alone in bed and I thank God for it. I crawl out of the tangled sheets, still as naked as I was last night. I shoot a look to my mess from last night, surprised to find it cleaned up. Imani must have done it while I was asleep. I walk into the bathroom, turn on the shower and get in it. The hot water beats mercilessly onto my body. I relish in the feel.

I try to stop the onslaught of unanswerable questions that clang around in my head. I try to stop myself from thinking about it. I slid to the floor of the shower. I curl up and let the nearly scalding water abuse my body. The tears come and I hug myself tightly.

Now what do I do? Bryce and Keenan were both there and they live like it never happened. If Imani hadn't known, would Bryce have ever told me? Did he truly not recognize me? I didn't recognize him, not truly. Get the police involved? No, of course not. This case has been dead for ten years; I'm not turning anybody in.

But why him? Why? Of course something would be wrong with him. He was so perfect. No one's that perfect. For the first time in my life, I find a man whom I really liked, whom I wanted to spend time with, whom I gave myself to, and he turns out to be one of the men who attacked me. He's one of the men I've hated for the last ten years and I hadn't even known it. And he didn't tell me. Even if neither of us knew it was me, he could have told me what he's done. After I told him, he should have told me.

"Michel, what the hell are you doing?" I hear Imani shriek. She reaches down and tries to pull me up. I resist her. "You can't drown yourself in the shower." She murmurs. "Come on, get up."

"I'm fine. Just leave me alone." I snap at her. I don't even bother to look at her. I wish she would just leave already.

"I already told you, Michel, I'm not leaving you alone." She sighs. "Now, get the hell out of this tub."

"Leave me alone, Imani!"

"Get out of the tub!"

"Fuck, fine!" I stand to my feet and step out of the tub. Dripping wet with my hair plastered to my face and covering my eyes, I wrap myself in my bathrobe and walk into the bedroom. I hear Imani's feet as she follows me.

"I took some clothes out for you, some sweats and a tank top," She says softly from behind me. I glare at the clothes on my bed.

"I don't need you picking out my clothes, Imani." I hiss, angry at her for almost no reason.

"I'm only trying to help you, Michel." She says, not at all daunted by my attitude.

"I don't need it." I pull on the boy shorts and bra she laid out for me, growling as I do. I can almost hear her smile of approval. "I'd really like for you to leave." I pull on the tank top and then sit down to put on the sweatpants.

"No you don't. You keep saying that, but you don't really want to be left alone. That's not going to help you in the least bit. I'm going to help you. I'll help you get over him." She comes and sits on the bed next to me.

"I don't need your help with that, Imani. I don't need anyone's help. I was over Bryce as soon as I learned the truth." I swallow once, willing the words to be true.

"I wish that were true, but we both know it isn't."

"Then why are you here, if you know I still want him?"

"Because I know you still want me. I know he hasn't pushed you away from me completely. If you hadn't chosen him over me, you'd never even feel like this."

"That's not what I need to hear right now. It's not my fault I fell for him. It's his. He's the liar. He's the one who came to me. He made me believe he was so great, just to keep something like this from me. I hate him!"

I clench my fists tight. I do hate him. I hate all of them. Bryce, Keenan, and especially Ace. If I ever see him again, and I will know him when I see him, I will spit in his face and then beat the shit of him. I'll taze him in the dick until he never wants to have sex again.

A hand instinctively goes to my stomach when a terrible, bubbly feeling stirs up inside me. I jump to my feet and run to the bathroom, attempting but failing to close the door behind myself. I drop to my knees, clutch the porcelain bowl, and empty my guts. I retch and heave until I feel lightheaded. I feel Imani's slender hand on my back, stroking softly, as she murmurs gentle words.

When I finish, she produces a damp towel which she uses to wipe my face just as she'd done the night before. I struggle to my feet and get to the sink. I rinse my mouth with water and Listerine, and then walk out without thanking her.

"You keep throwing up. Are you sick?" Imani asks. She sits on the bed and begins rubbing my back. I want to push her off, but her touch is comforting.

"Yes, I'm sick. I'm sick in the worst way. My boyfriend raped me, Imani! The one fucking man I trusted turns out to be a fucking rapist! Every time I think about it, I get sick to my fucking stomach!" And then the dam breaks and I burst into tears.

Imani wraps me in her arms and holds me close as I cry. I clutch her to me, holding on for dear life. She murmurs something sweet, something about everything being okay, something about how she's here for me. I cry harder. She can't help me with this. No one can. I have to handle this myself.
Chapter 21

"How are you feeling? Are you okay?" Momma feels my forehead, checking for a fever for the one hundredth time.

"I'm fine, Momma." I burrow into my pillows, seeking comfort in the soft threads.

"How's your stomach?"

"Still hurts, but I don't have to throw up."

"I bought you some...some crackers. I think they'll help. I'll go get them." She scurries out of the room without looking back, seeming even more awkward.

Imani called my mother. Seriously? Imani has been here for weeks. When I started going back to work, avoiding Bryce whenever he'd try to talk to me, Imani would leave and go wherever she goes during the day. Then come six o' clock, she's right back at my house with clothes and food. No matter how much I say I need to be alone, she always stays. She's here so much, I expect it. I even missed her the one time she came home late. As much as I hate to admit it, without her here, I might have slipped from sanity. She did help me, and I'm forever grateful for that.

Though, Imani definitely overstayed her welcome when she called my mother and told her everything. Everything about Bryce and me. Now my mother, father, and Terrence are all here, making sure I'm alright. Well, Terrence just assumed I'm alright and he's in the kitchen eating whatever Imani made for dinner.

"Bryce called me." Imani says, coming to my bedside.

"And what did he want?" I demand like I didn't already know.

"After he cussed me out and called me an evil, conniving bitch, he demanded that I let him talk to you. I told him that you were too busy being sick and disgusted in him to talk. He called me some more names and then he said he has half a mind to come over."

"No, I don't want him here. I don't want to talk to him. I hope you made that clear."

She strokes my hair back and begins fingering the curls. "Of course, I let him know, pretty rudely I might add, but he got the picture."

"He should just leave me alone. I want nothing to do with him."

"I know. I'm here to make sure of it."

"I hate him. Did I make that clear, too?"

"You say it every day. I actually started to believe you."

"Why wouldn't you?"

Imani simply shrugs and then moves away from me when Momma enters with a box of Saltines. I look pointedly at Imani. At least someone may possibly believe it, because even I still don't.

"Here, honey, try these. They should settle your stomach." Momma says. She pulls a long strip from the box and hands it to me.

"Isn't this going to dry my mouth out?" I ask, almost whining. I'm not a fan of crackers without soup.

"Imani, sweetheart, will you go and get Michel some more ginger ale. I wouldn't want her mouth to dry out." Momma says, almost sarcastically.

Imani smiles. "Of course, Mrs. Wilkes." She strides out in that way she does. That way that commands everyone to watch her like a model on the runway.

"So I take it you haven't spoken to Bryce." Momma says in an attempt to be casual.

"Why would I? I hope I don't ever have to speak to him for the rest of my life. I can't wait until the expansion is over. I had to make Mary act as the communicator between us."

"Is that really necessary?"

"Momma, he raped me! Why are you pushing me to talk to someone like that?"

"I know what he did, Michel. I know, and I wish none of that had ever happened to you. That isn't something I ever imagined my little girl would have to go through. But hear me when I say that that was a long time ago. We all can see that he's changed."

"No amount of church is going to erase his sins, Momma. I don't how he's buried it or how guilty he felt or how much he's repented. He's a rapist."

"You said he only did it once. Maybe he got caught up with the wrong crowd and they made him do a bad thing. Maybe after doing something so wrong, he left that crowd of friends and went to get his life right."

"Why are you trying to justify his actions?"

"I'm not. I just want you happy. That's all. "

"I'm a lot happier without him."

Momma frowns. We both know that much isn't true. I'm miserable without him. No, I'm miserable because of him. Had I never met him, had he never did what he'd done, I would never have to feel this way. It's not because I want to be with him still. It's because I hate him.

"I'm not so sure about that."

"I will be a lot happier once he's truly out of my mind."

"But what about your heart?"

Now I frown. "And that means?"

"You love him, don't you?" It didn't sound too much like a question as much as a statement of confirmation.

"We only dated for a few weeks."

"It doesn't matter. It's been written all over your face since you met him. Even before you told me about you two dating, I suspected something, because you would light up when someone mentioned him, He'd watch you...he watched you like a man in love." Her eyes scrutinize me, searching for confirmation. "You love him, don't you?" She repeats.

Imani walks in then, holding an icy glass of water. I reach for it like a baby grabbing at her bottle. I sip the water gratefully, more thankful for her presence that shut Momma up.

"I have to go." Momma announces after a beat and a rather peculiar look at me. "There's bible study tonight. Michel, you should really come."

"Momma, I—"

She cuts my protest short. "Imani, you should get her to go."

Imani nods and gives a dazzling smile. "I'll try, Mrs. Wilkes."

"I'll see you ladies, hopefully, later tonight." Momma says, sending another look my way. "Don't forget to try those Saltines."

"I will, Momma. I'll call you tomorrow."

Momma makes a face, taking that as confirmation that I won't be attending bible study. "Okay, baby." She leaves the room , casting one last peculiar glance my way.

"So, you are feeling a lot better, physically, right?" Imani asks, crawling into my bed and slipping under my blanket, making herself comfortable.

"Yes, you may have asked me that one hundred times already."

"I'm just making sure. You know I care about you."

"Stop it now. You're starting to sound like Momma."

Imani smiles as if that's a compliment. "Talk to me. I miss talking to you."

"Do you miss talking or do you miss doing that other thing?"

She smiles. "Maybe both," She laughs. "I miss both, but talking is more important at the moment."

"Only for that moment?"

"What do you want from me?"

"I was going to ask that same question."

She makes a face. "You've never been so difficult with me."

"Now you really sound like my mother."

Imani takes my face in one of her hands in a feathery soft touch. She closes in and I already know what she's going for. When her lips near mine, I turn my head. She falls back and sighs in deep frustration.

"Call me a slut, but I really need you right now."

"Okay, slut." I crawl out of the bed with no real destination but to find somewhere to wallow undisturbed.

Imani chokes on a laugh. "Michel, let me make you feel better."

"Like I haven't heard that one before."

"I'm only trying to help. Why are you treating me like I'm the enemy?"

"Because that's how you're acting. I ask for one thing and you do the total and complete opposite. I ask you for space, and you practically move in. I ask you to keep this to us, and you call my mother. I ask you to just let me deal with this on my own and you nag me for sex. Is that all I am to you? Is that why you were so upset about this breakup? Because I won't be fucking you anymore?"

"You know that's not the reason why. If I wanted sex, there's of people I could have went to."

"Then why aren't you at their house?"

"Do you want me to leave that bad?"

"I never asked you to stay!"

She glares at me through narrowed eyes. She looks feral. I hold my ground though, matching her hot leer with one of my own.

"I'll leave then." She says, sounding hurt as she breaks the silence.

"Then go," I turn and flop back onto my bed, dismissing her presence. I scowl at myself for the guilty feeling swirling in the pit of my stomach. What do I have to feel guilty for? I didn't do anything wrong.

And neither did she. Who said helping out is a bad thing? ,says the more rational, less angry part of me.

I didn't' ask her for that.

She offered. Like a kindhearted person.

I mentally cussed out the angel on my shoulder. It's so much easier to be mean. Nice makes them come back.

"I appreciate all that you've done for me in the last few weeks. Thank you for being there for me."

She gives me a peculiar look, surprised by the expression of gratitude that seemed to have come from out of the blue. After what seems like an eternity of hesitation, her anger and hurt clears from her face. "You're welcome. I'd do just about anything for you."

I nod, not knowing what to say to that. Imani slinks slowly to me, like a cat taunting its prey before it pounces. I was her cautiously. Her finger gently touches my cheek. I turn away from it. A flash of disappointment crosses her face before the confidence returns just as fast.

"Just one kiss? To show your appreciation?" Imani tilts her head to the side, looking dangerously sexy with that pleading look on her face.

"If I do that, you'll only demand another and then another and it won't stop until we wake up naked."

She smiles demurely. "Now who's being cocky?"

I smile. "You know what I mean."

"No, I don't. Show me."

She kisses me before I can even respond with a witty comeback. We both sigh as our lips move together in that way we've come accustomed to. Our tongues mesh against each other. Her hands come to my waist and yank me closer. I close my eyes, trying to get into it, but I can't. Her hands touch me in all the places I like.

Her fingers stroke my spine that hidden sensitive spot that I'd only known existed with her. That special spot usually made me arch and moan, not now. Her hands snake around and slip up my body. She caresses my breasts. I'm almost stolid. Her hands and lips seem to grow more urgent as if she can sense my lack of response.

Kissing her only makes me realize what I've been denying for weeks. I don't want to kiss Imani. I only what to kiss him. And I hate him for it. Imani's kiss doesn't even affect me anymore. I'm aching for him. I can't help it. I don't miss him, but I miss his touch, his kiss, his...other touch.

"I can't do this," I push her away. I walk to the other side of the room. "I'm not feeling it."

"Because of him," She spat the word.

"I...I don't know." I steady myself. "I don't want him." I try to spat the word in the same way she did, but even I can detect the longing in my tone. No matter how much I miss him, I still won't ever let him back in my life.

"I'm going to go. I'll see you later or maybe tomorrow."

I nod. "Bye," I say. I know she's done a lot for me, even waited on me hand and foot, but I look forward to the solitude.



The knock is so soft that I almost think I imagined it. Only it keeps coming. The knock is light but persistent. I climb out of the bed, step into my slippers, and wrap a robe around my body. I almost think it's Imani, but Imani has a key now. Besides, she would call before she came in this late. It was the kind of knock a burglar makes to see if there's anyone home. I grab my mace and cell phone just in case.

"Who is it?" I called, tying my robe as tight as I can get it without it becoming painful. I dial 911 on my cell phone and slide it into my robe pocket for easy access. I hold my mace in position to give someone a face full of hell.

"It—it—it's Keenan. Please open the door."

I swallow once. What the fuck does he want? "What the fuck do you want?"

"Please open the door. I really need to talk to you."

"No, you don't. Get the fuck off my property before I call the police."

"Please, Michel. Let me talk to you. I just want to talk. It's just me." I hear him sniffle as if he's been crying. "Please,"

I pull the door open and give a quick squeeze of the pepper spray, just because I felt like it. It wasn't enough to do any real damage, but it was enough to make me feel better.

He sniffles and sucks up snot like a child. "I know I deserve that and more." He rubs his eyes, wiping the spray off his face. "Can we please talk?"

"Make it quick. You woke me up out of my sleep." I fold my arms over my chest and cross the room to the recliner. I take a seat like the big boss in a meeting. I motion for him to sit on the sofa. He does.

"Please don't hate me, Michel." Tears stream down his face, faster and faster. He's crying and sniffling. It's the most pathetic thing I've ever seen.

"Don't hate you? Don't hate you?" I laugh a hysterical, desperate sound. "You disgust me! I have every right to hate every breath you take. I'm supposed to forgive you? That's what you're here for right? Forgiveness? That's what everyone says. I should forgive you worthless bastards because it's the Christian thing to do? Fuck that! You're lucky I'm not turning any of you in. I hate—"

"Michel, I'm so sorry. I know saying it will never be enough, but you have to understand how I feel. We—Bryce and me—never wanted to do that. I know it's the same old story, but we were stuck with the wrong crowd. We were in college and we only wanted to fit in."

"Raping me made you cool? What kind of fucked up school did you go to?"

"I didn't want to do it. Bryce and I were best friends, like we are now, but we're exact opposites. I was the nerd, he was the jock. He was always popular and had lots of friends, but all I had was him. When we went to college, I tried my best to change that. I hung out with the other football players, because it—"

"Why are you telling me your life story? I don't care. Sell the right to Lifetime."

"Please listen, Michel. Please understand me." His eyes plead with me. I push my anger back enough that I can keep my mouth shut and try to listen without exploding. "I hung out with Bryce and the other players, because it made me cool by association. Girls talked to me just because I was friends with Ace. I liked the attention. I never got that before. Bryce's shadow never got me that much attention. The only problem was that, Ace and his friends like to pick on me like I was the team's water boy or something equally embarrassing. Bryce protected me like he always did, but it wasn't enough to make them stop.

"They would always say they were just playing and I understood that. I just wanted to be the one joking for once rather than the one being joked about. I wanted to be one of them. The only problem was that I would never be a football or any other sport player. Then Ace told us about how they always run a train on a high school girl they meet at a party. Bryce and I didn't approve, but we never cared because we assumed these girls were willing. Ace always described them as young sluts who looked forward The Men's visit, as they called themselves.

"Ace told Bryce and I we needed to get in on it to be truly part of the crew. I was all for it. I wanted to be accepted by them. Bryce was the one that was leery. I brushed him off though. I wanted to do whatever Ace said. When we got to the party, we all had to wait in the garage while Ace found a girl willing to do it. He came back with you. We started freaking out when Ace hit you and started forcing your clothes off. What scared us the most is that the other guys didn't care. That was normal.

"Shark told us to relax. They told us to do it or they'd ruin college for us. I didn't want that. I didn't want another four years of being alone and picked on. I was still willing to do anything, even hurt a girl five years younger than us. Bryce didn't care. He wanted out. I convinced him to stay. I told him to do it for me. I wanted him to do it so that all the popular people would like me. So Bryce did it. I thought I'd be okay with it, but I threw up as soon as it was over. Ace congratulated us, and they bought us jackets like theirs. We were part of the crew. Rape was the orientation. Bryce and I transferred out of that school only two weeks later."

"So what are you doing? Are you justifying your actions and his too? I don't give a damn if you were bullied in school, Keenan. You used me to stop that. You hurt me in the worst way possible so the bigger boys wouldn't pick on you anymore. This story doesn't make a difference to me. I still fucking hate you!"

"I know this doesn't justify anything. I just wanted you to understand, hear me out. Just know it wasn't Bryce's idea. He wanted to leave, but I made him stay. It's all my fault. I hate myself for it every day. Even before I knew it was you, I hated myself. I always think about that young girl whom I encouraged my best friend to rape just so I could get the football players to like me."

"Bryce is a grown man now and he's a grown man then. He knows what's right from wrong. He shouldn't have done it. Coming here to defend doesn't mean anything for either of your cases. If your friends were jumping off a bridge, would you follow?"

"I probably would have. I was that type of kid."

I hadn't realized it, but tears streak my face. I'm crying and didn't even notice. "I don't care."

"Please forgive me for what I did, Michel. I know it's unforgiveable, but I want you to forgive me anyway. Please. I hate me more than you'll ever know for what I've done, what I'm made Bryce do. Please forgive me."

"Fuck you," I breathe.
Chapter 22

I hug Keenan one last time. His chest is soaked in my tears and my hair is wet with his. We talked for hours. It was around two when Keenan came by, but now it's nearly five. It was worth it. We prayed together. We made amends, me with him and him with himself. I forgive him, even though it felt like I lost a piece of myself. I don't mind it though; I feel lighter. Now I just want to go to my bed and finish crying.

"Thank you, Michel."

I nod. "Thank you too." I sniffle and swallow. "It'll take time, but sooner or later I'll be your friend again. And Chelsea too." Chelsea broke up with him as soon as I told her, after she and Chloe tried to kill him.

I open the door and there is Bryce, waiting on my porch swing. His eyes are red and puffy as if he'd finished crying too. He and Keenan exchange a sad look and then Keenan walks off the porch and to his car without another word. Before he climbs into his Chevy, he casts me a weak look. I wish I could I smiled reassuringly at him, but I couldn't muster the lie.

"Can we talk?"

"No,"

I could forgive Keenan, but I can't talk to Bryce right now. I just know it'll take longer to forgive him. Even after Keenan told me he'd told Bryce to do it, I still feel like Bryce had done worse. They are equal in sins, maybe Keenan's is greater, but I still can't talk to Bryce.

"Please?"

More tears burn my eyes. I will them not to fall, but it's impossible for me to stop crying once I've already started. I shake my head and grip the door handle so hard my knuckles turn white.

"Fuck you, Bryce," I try to slam the door, but his foot darts to the threshold. "Go away, Bryce."

"No, we have to talk."

"I can't, not right now. Please, Bryce, I need to get some sort of sleep."

"You'll talk to Keenan and not me? I though you liked me more." It was a weak attempt at humor, and the smile he tried to give looked more like a grimace.

"Please, Bryce—"

He pushes hard against the door, hard enough that I stumble back. Bryce walks in, his usual gait hunched by grief. He breathes deeply, all broad shoulders and chest. Once he closes the door, he motions to the couch as if I were a guest in his house.

Bryce sinks into the recliner and holds his face in his hands. He's either staring at the floor or he has his eyes closed and head down. I slide onto the couch as if in slow motion. I stare—more like gaze—at him.

"Talk or just go," I say, trying to keep my voice from wavering, trying to sound angry rather than lonely and hurt.

He lifts his head forlornly. His eyes are wet with tears with sadness in them that only a true monster can ignore. As much as I wish I didn't, I want to hug. I want to make everything go away. Tell him that I forgive him and that we can get back to the perfect relationship we had for all of three weeks. But no, it will never happen. Love is fucked. My heart clenches, attempting to squeeze out the last of my life.

Love?

Of course not.

"I don't know what to say to make you forgive me." His voice is barely a whisper. The house is silent but the pounding of my heart and the blood in my ears makes it difficult to make out the words. "I'm sure Keenan told you everything about... that night. I'm sure he even told you that I wanted to leave. But I know that's not enough. I should have left. I knew it was wrong, but I stayed anyway. I tried to bury it in my mind for ten years, but it never goes away. I always think about that girl, wonder what happened to her.

"I would have this nightmare that we'd be caught. I'd dream that she identifies us all and we go to jail for life. Sometimes I think that she could have gotten pregnant and it could have been mine. I hated myself. I...I...I wanted to die after most nightmares. I thought of therapy, but I could never tell anyone what I'd done. If it wasn't for Keenan, I would have killed myself."

"You were suicidal?" I ask in a small voice. I hate the thought. To think that he may not have been here, that he may have taken his own life—tears burn in my eyes. I curl my hands into fists. I find the emotion bubbling up inside me even more surprising than Bryce ever being suicidal.

"At one time, I was. I felt like scum. I didn't deserve to live after what I had done. When Keenan got me into the church, I gradually got better. Pastor Grant, even though Keenan and I never told him what we did, told us that God forgives all sins. For the last eight years, I've dedicated myself to charity and volunteering, hoping that that would be enough to counteract my sins."

I sit silent, not knowing what to say to that. I want to say that I'm glad he's no longer drowning in his guilt, but at the same time, I want him to feel remorse. I want all of them to hate themselves over what they did.

"Michel, I wish you could forgive me. I know what I did was...was beyond forgiveness, but I still need that from you. Even if you never want to see me again, please just forgive me. I made the worst mistake of my life and I regret it every day. I regret it even more now that I know it was you. I can't believe I hurt the very woman that I...the woman that I love."

I stare at him, open mouthed and wide eyed. What is there to say to that? Tell him I love him too or tell him that I hate his guts? Why'd he have to go and say that? He's only making this worse for me. He's making it harder for me.

I didn't realize my eyes were closed until I opened them and Bryce was kneeling on the floor before me. He meets my gaze and searches my eyes. For what? I don't know. I guess he finds something because he leans in and brushes the curls back from my face. Tears glitter in his eyes.

"I love you, Michel." He says in a weak voice. "I don't deserve you—I don't even deserve to look at you from afar—but I love you. I didn't think I did at first. It was too soon. I decided that I loved you while I was at the store buying food the morning after that dance. I didn't want to love you. We hadn't established a relationship; we'd only had sex once. I think I loved you before we even kissed. I thought we were good friends, playing basketball and competing with each other. Then I realized it was more than that."

"That doesn't make any sense." I say, lying. It made perfect sense. He loved me, and I believed him. What more was there to understand?

"It makes perfect sense. I love you. What more is there to understand?"

Is he reading my mind?

"I want you to love me too, but it's obvious that you hate me. I hope that's only temporary. I hope you can forgive me and love me back." His finger traces my lips. I sigh and lean in on a breath.

Don't touch me! You make it harder when you touch me!

Then he made it a whole lot worse. Bryce touches his lips to mine in a feather-soft caress. My eyes drop closed as if on cue. His kiss presses harder against my lips. Tears begin flowing from my eyes like a fountain. Slow streams of tears fall from Bryce's eyes as well. The salty liquid mingles with our kiss.

"I love you." He kisses me. "I love you so much." He kisses me again. "I love you, Michel."

Bryce pulls away from me and I sit staring with empty eyes. His kiss felt good, full, and familiar like warmth and home. But it didn't erase the pain. I don't feel better. I feel worse. I want to forgive him, but I can't. Now every time I see him, I think of hurt and betrayal and—

"I'm sick!" I scramble to my feet and run to the kitchen. Then I'm vomiting my guts out into the sink. I clutch the edge of the counter until the heaves stop wracking my body. I feel Bryce's hand on my back, rubbing gently. I stiffen uncomfortably. Once I pull myself together, I rinse my face and mouth with warm water.

"Are you okay?" He asks, eyeing me cautiously.

I nod. "I've been throwing up a lot lately. It seems to happen the most when I think about you."

He lets out a breath. "That's nice." He sounds offended.

"You should go. I need to brush my teeth."

Bryce grabs my arm and then begins walking. "Then brush."

I force my feet to a stop, but he keeps walking so I stumble along. He forces me—supposedly gently—up to the bathroom. Once I'm in front of the sink, I stare at him.

"Brush," He cajoles.

"Leave," I retort.

"I'm not leaving you after you just threw up like that. I need to make sure you're alright."

"I said it happens often. I'm fine. Besides, Imani will be here soon and you don't want her to find you here."

"I'm not scared of her. I want her to see me here."

"Because this is all her fault right? She had no right to tell me what you'd never admit."

"That's not what I mean. I would have told you. We would have learned that it was you on our own, not with her."

"Whatever," I put my toothbrush in my mouth with way too much toothpaste. I brush fiercely.

"At least try not to hate me," He says in a low voice.

"I am trying." I spit the foamy paste out of my mouth in a very unladylike manner. I rinse my mouth in an equally uncouth fashion.

"I'll leave—so you can get some sleep—but I'll be back." His eyes meet mine and hold. "I love you, Michel."

I nod and look dumbly to the door. Why is even sticking around after I've thrown up. I couldn't love someone after they've thrown up in the kitchen sink. And I have to go clean that up. I follow Bryce to the door at a snail's pace, simply watching him walk and look back at me every so often. We both stop at the door.

"I'll be back,"

I shake my head. "No more surprise visits. Wait until I call you."

"What if you don't ever call?"

I stare up at him. He's more than a foot taller than me. "Then respect that."

He nods, but I know he's not accepting that. He leans in and pecks me on the cheek. I stiffen. "I'll see you."



"So, what did Bryce have to say?" Imani asks, arms folded across her chest like a disappointed parent.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, please, I know he said something special. Obviously he said enough to make you kiss him."

"What?" I almost stutter. How the fuck does she—

"Let me just cut to it. I saw you two last night. I came home and found you two on the couch."

"We were talking."

"I saw you."

"Where were you? Why were you spying?'

"Spying implies that you were doing something wrong."

"I haven't done anything wrong, Imani. Bryce and I just had a conversation and if I kissed him, that's my business."

"So, you're admitting it."

"Imani, yes, I'm admitting it. And in case you asked, yes, it is my business."

"Wow, Michel, I don't know if you're blind or just stupid, because Stevie Wonder can see that Bryce is just trying to play you."

"He's not trying to play me."

"So, you're stupid. I thought we'd already established that you need to leave him alone."

"I know that! Fuck, Imani! Leave me the hell alone!"

Then she slaps me across the face hard enough to loosen my fillings. "I told about talking to me like that! You never listen when I'm trying to look out for you, Michel. You're so fucking—"

I crash into her in a tackle that would have made Mike Tomlin proud. I land on her chest and start bitch slapping and scratching her like a wild animal.

"I fucking told you about putting your goddamn hands on me!" I slap her, maybe harder than she hit me. "Get the fuck out of my house, Imani! I'm done with you! I'm so tired of this. This is like the third time. Fuck you and get out!"

I dismount from her and stare down at her. She just lies there and stares up. The rare teary eyes are on display. "I'm sorry,"

"You're pathetic. Fuck your apologies. You choked me, you've slammed me, and you've slapped me. Fuck you. I don't want to hear it. Get your shit and get out."

"I—I—I didn't mean that. I have problems controlling myself sometimes when I get angry. I automatically go to hit someone who upsets me. I've been working on it. I'm in a class and everything."

"Fuck your class, Imani. I said get out."

Almost as if the tears never existed, her entire demeanor changes to anger and aggressive. "I think you're doing this so that I won't be around when Bryce shows up again. Just admit that you want him back."

"Just get out of my house!"

"Yes, that's what I thought. Only the stupidest, most desperate type of broad will run after a fucking rapist."

I slap her. I straight up, backhand slap her like a pimp without his money. I glare at her. She just holds her cheek, looking at the floor.

"I guess we're even now, right?"

"Just get out!"

"Michel, we just need to—"

"You just need to go. Fuck you!"
Chapter 23

"What's up, sexy!" Chloe greets me enthusiastically. She hugs me tightly and I hug her just as hard. We haven't seen each other in days.

"I missed you. Where's Chelsea?" I ask her. I glance to the door expecting her to come in since Chloe left my door open.

"She's probably tied up. Keenan showed up at our house yesterday in tears. It was like four AM. He looked so terrible, even I felt sorry for him. Not sorry enough to let him stay, but Chelsea decided to listen to whatever he had to say."

I nod. "That's good. He showed up on my porch at about two. I guess he went to your house after. I hope he got some sleep."

Chloe raises a skeptical brow at me. "I guess you two are on good terms."

"We had a long talk. I guess talking to him made me realize that what happened happened and there's nothing we can do about it. We can't take it back or erase it. Keenan has been a good friend to me before this. If Jesus can forgive so can I." That's something my mother would say.

Chloe nods. "I understand. Jesus forgave Bryce too so how do you feel about him?"

"I don't know if I can—"

"How can you forgive Keenan and not him?"

"Keenan didn't sleep with me—I mean he didn't sleep with me after all this."

"But we know he didn't know it was you. You two were a good couple before this."

"Stop, you sound like Momma."

"Where is she anyway?" Chloe looks towards my still open door.

"She's here?"

"She's supposed to be. I drove her over. Maybe she's taking a call."

We both stand and go to the door. Momma is standing on the porch, holding a drug store bag, and looking lost.

"Alzheimer's must have set in." I joke with a smile. Momma smacks my hand.

"I'm not old, little girl." She says, giving a small laugh.

"You bring me something?" I ask, eyeing the plastic bag.

Her eyes drop to the bag as if she's just realized she had it. "Yes—yes, uh, actually I did." She sits gingerly on the couch. She cradles the bag like a precious gem.

"So-o-o, can I have it?" I ask her, apprehension swells in the pit of my stomach.

"Sweetie, you know I love you and I'll always look out for you..."

"Momma, I'm scared." I smile to say it jokingly, but it's still true.

"Honey, just know that sometimes a mother knows things about her babies before her babies even know."

"Sixth sense from the womb?"

"Sweetheart, I—" She suddenly switches gears as if something new just popped into her head. "Have the saltines been working for you? Have you been eating?"

"The saltines are good. I'm been eating them like Pringles. They're all I can eat without puking. I haven't had much of a desire for anything else though. Every time I think I'm hungry, I make something, but as soon as I'm done, I don't want it anymore."

Momma nods like Dr. Phil listening to someone's problem. She sighs. "I thought the Saltines would help. And don't worry about your appetite; it'll come back in a month or so. That's how I was."

"When you broke up with your exes?"

Momma shakes her head and gives me a sympathetic look. "No,"

Is this a dramatic pause? Seriously, Momma, what's up?

"When I was pregnant," She says. She opens her mystery bag and pulls out a small, rectangular box. After a few seconds of piecing things together, I recognize it as a pregnancy test.

"Momma, I'm not pregnant." I say with a stark laugh.

Though when I say the words, I feel the doubt growing inside me. It's possible. Bryce and I had sex every day for two weeks. Sometimes we did it multiple times. And we never used a damn condom. Not a single time. It never even entered my mind. I'm sure Bryce hadn't thought of it either. Shit, what the fuck are the signs of pregnancy? I'm not pregnant. Pregnant women get cravings and eat a lot. I can't eat a damn thing.

And they throw up a lot like me.

"I'm not pregnant." I say again. This time I'm a lot more doubtful.

"Did you and Bryce use protection?" Chloe asks. Her eyes are bugging out like goose eggs. "Are you on birth control or something?"

"Birth control for what? You don't need birth control when you're only fucking females!" Momma doesn't even flinch at my language.

"Condoms? You may have never thought of it, but he knows. He had protection, right?"

I shake my head. "I don't think he considered it. I didn't."

"God, Michel, you have sex one time in your life and you go crazy and do it without protection. I failed as a mother!" She throws up her hands in an exasperated motion.

"I'm sorry. I forgot. We weren't exactly thinking when we were..."

"Here, take the test so we can be sure."

I touch my stomach. Somehow I'm really sure.



"Honey, have some tea, you look pale."

I shoo her off with a wave of my hand. "I'm not hungry."

"Tea, sweetheart, you drink it."

"I'm not thirsty—oh, wait, I have something." I jump up and run to the kitchen. I search my special cabinet for a bottle. I choose red wine. I pour myself a glass and bring it to my lips. The glass is snatched out of my hands just as the liquid splashes my lips. I lick my lips desperately. That won't solve anything.

"Oh, come on! A glass a day; the baby will be fine."

"The hell!" Chloe says.

"I didn't drink when I was pregnant with you and you won't drink with Renee." Momma downs the glass, pours another.

"Who is Renee?"

"Your daughter," Momma says matter-of-factly. "In our family, we name our girls after their mother's middle name. I'm Marilyn Michel therefore you are Michel Renee. You daughter will be Renee, whatever you make her middle name. We get to name our granddaughters, not our actual children."

I roll my eyes. "What a great tradition. I'm not following that."

"Oh, yes, you are."

"What if this is a boy?"

"It's not. Your great-grandmother had a son first, your grandmother had a daughter first, and I had a son first. You'll have a daughter first."

"Babies don't work that way."

"Ours do,"

"Whatever," I look longingly at the wine Momma and Chloe are guzzling down in my face. "I need to sleep."

"When are we calling Bryce?" Chloe demands, half empty glass in hand.

"We're not!"



"God, am I showing?" I hold my shirt up as I gaze into the mirror at my flat but soft tummy. I pull at the flesh. "I'm getting fat, aren't I?" Chloe and Chelsea look at each other and roll their eyes. I frown at them. I'm serious. I swear I was skinner last month.

"You're not showing at seven weeks." Momma says, looking at my stomach. Her lips twitch. See, she notices I'm getting fat!

"I can't believe this. I'm pregnant." I sit down in my big leather chair and kick my heels under my desk. We'd just returned to my spa after my OB/GYN appointment.

"What did Bryce say?" Chelsea asks. I watch Chloe throw her a death glare. She shrugs, confused.

"He doesn't know." I says carefully.

"So, tell him. He's in the café right now."

I snort. "I don't think I—"

"Don't tell me you plan on hiding his baby from him."

"My baby," I say. I look away from my mother before I say, "How do I know if I'm even going to keep it?"

"You knock that right out of your head right now. We don't do abortion in this family."

"Well, I've already decided the other day that I'm breaking a lot of family traditions."

"You don't have to name your daughter Renee, but she will have a name, because she will be born."

"Momma, I'm not ready to be a mom. I'd like to be a wife first."

"I'd like you to be a wife first, but God didn't work it out that way. Or who knows, maybe Bryce is hiding a ring in his tool kit."

I flinch and shiver. "I don't want to marry him."

Momma shakes her head. "I know what Bryce did, but—"

"It's not that, Momma. I just want to marry someone I love, be that a man or a woman. I don't want to be the type to get married because of a baby."

"You may think that now, but God may be bringing this baby in so early so that you will marry the love of your life."

"Bryce isn't the love of my life."

"You gave him yourself, practically your virginity. He's the only man you've ever truly been with. You have to love him after that."

"Love and lust are two different things. You taught me that, Momma."

"So, you're telling me the only reason you were with him is because you were sexually attracted to him? There was nothing else there?"

"That's it. When I first saw him in the spa lobby, the first thought in my mind was how fine he was. When he smiled, I was literally knocked off my feet. When he flirted with me, I even blushed. He's a sexy man. That was enough to make me bisexual."

"There had to be something more than that. You two spent enough time together. And Bryce had to have felt more, because no man will hang around a lesbian as much as he did with you when he knows he has no chance of getting some." That comes from Chelsea.

"Bryce told me he loved me." I stare at the door, wondering if Bryce is thinking about me right now as he works.

"What did you say?" Momma implores, watching me carefully.

"Not that,"

"I think you two should talk."

"We did talk. That's when he said he loved me."

"And you're sure you don't love him?"

I nod, but I feel something tightening in my gut, more like in my heart. I tell myself it's not the same feeling I get when I lie. "I wish none of this ever happened. Even if we did love each other and even if I did forgive him, we still can't be together. What kind of relationship is that? What do I say when my child asks me how I met Daddy? Am I supposed to say he raped me and we later fell in love? Loving him is like giving them a pardon on everything they did. He probably thinks making me love him will cleanse his conscious."

"Who cares? Hell, if it means that much to you, lie to your children until they're old enough to understand. If you love Bryce then you need to tell him that. Real love is unconditional, no matter what he did, if you love him for real, you'll let it go." Chelsea says. She's on her feet, pointing and motioning as if she's a motivational speaker.

"How can I kiss him again without thinking of that night? No matter how much I want to be with him, I can't just forget that."

"If you want him, you'll have him. It's just that simple."

"It's not simple. You can't understand unless you've—"

"I know I can't ever understand what you've been through, but I do understand this. Do you know how much I hate Keenan, how much I want to hate him? I want to hate him so much that his presence makes me sick, but I can't. I can't make myself hate him. It's impossible. I love him so much that even though I hate what he did, I can't stop loving him. I will never understand how you can make yourself hate Bryce."

"I don't hate him," I say in a small voice. "I just don't want to be with him."

Chelsea shakes her head. "I can look at you and tell you love him. I just know it. Fuck society! Fuck what people think! Fuck your child's future curious mind! You love him."

I choke on a laugh trying to calm her. "Fuck my child's mind?"

"You know what I mean, Michel. You don't know how much you're going to hurt yourself and your child if you try to deny yourself the love of your life and your child's father."

"Why does everyone keep saying he's the love of my life? That's so damn dramatic."

"He's the first man you've ever truly given yourself to. He's obviously something to you."

"Well, he's not that."

"Fine, whatever, Michel. I can't talk to you when you're being this stubborn. Just know, denial is not cute."

I roll my eyes. "Just leave me be."



Bang-Bang-Bang-Bang-Bang! Harder and faster and louder on my door. If that's Imani, I'm going to strangle her. I swing my feet from the bed, step into my slippers, and run downstairs. I yank my door open with a glare that could paralyze Medusa.

"I can't fucking believe you,"

"Bryce, what the hell are you—"

"Why didn't you tell me, Michel?" Bryce slams my door behind him after he invites himself in. I involuntarily back up as Bryce advances on me, broad chest raising and lower in the most intimidating way. "Why the fuck didn't you tell me, Michel?"

"What are you talking about, Bryce?" I demand in a whisper. I know what he's talking about. But who told him?

"You know what the fuck I'm talking about, Michel! How can you hide this from me? How can you not tell me?" He grabs my biceps and squeezes as he shakes me like a ragdoll. "Why didn't you tell me, Michel? Were you really trying to keep my baby from me?"

Tears leak out of my eyes as I beat against his chest. "Just let me go, Bryce. You're hurting me. Please just let go."

"You hurt me, Michel!" He releases his grip, but then he pulls me into his chest and hugs me tightly. I shake my head and fight against him, but he holds me tighter. I cry harder when I collapse into his embrace and my arms go around him. I hate this more. I'd rather he continue to try and break my arms than do this.

"I'm sorry, Bryce. You don't understand. I just...I—"

"No, you don't understand, Michel." He scoops me up into his arms and carries me to the couch. He sits down with me on his lap. I try and scurry out of his arms, but only end up laying on the couch with my legs over his. He lifts my shirt and uses his finger to "write" something into my skin. I flinch at the feel of his soft, gentle fingertips. He lays his hand flat across my stomach, seeming to cover my whole belly.

"You don't understand." He repeats. "I love you. This is my child, and I love him too. I could have let you push me away before, but that's not happening now. I'm not leaving you or my baby." He leans down and presses a kiss to my stomach.

"What if I don't want you here?" I stare into his eyes, trying to make myself sound strong.

"Then you'll have to get used to it. I'm not going anywhere now. I love you, Michel. I want you to love me too. I know what I did ten years ago. I can never take that back no matter how much I want to. We're going to work through that. I don't deserve that, but I want it anyway."

"Bryce, I wish I could be with you, but...how do you expect me to let that go?"

"I think you already have. I could be completely wrong, but I think you love me. I feel like you do. Tell me what's really wrong, because it's not how you feel about me."

"I don't think it's right. Who cares how we feel about each other? How can we love each other and raise a child together after what happened back then? What kind of person dates her rapist?"

He visibly flinches and I know that hurt him, but it's the truth. "I don't know, Michel. I can't say I've ever heard that happen, but it isn't impossible. I love you and I don't care at this point. I just want to be with you."

"But, Bryce, you don't understand. What will I tell my baby if she asks how I met you? What do I say then?"

"We don't have to tell our child anything, at least not until he's old enough to understand. If we raise our child right with lots of love, he'll understand that it's possible for you to love me even after what I did to you."

"You keep saying "he". Momma thinks it's a girl. I believe her."

"I don't care if we a boy, girl, or both. I'll love him or her regardless. And I'll love you even more for being the mother." Bryce gathers me into his arms. He stares into my eyes. "I just want you to love me, Michel."

I blink back my tears. "I already do."

Then he kisses me. I close my eyes and savor, wondering why it tastes better than the last time he kissed me. Why did I hate it so much before, but now...now I want it like he does? Because I admit that I love him and denying it is no longer killing me inside.

"I love you so much, Michel." He murmurs as he presses kisses to face and lips. He repeats the words over and over again like a mantra, placing wet kisses all over my neck.

"Let's make love, Bryce." I say, embarrassed and excited at the same time. "Let's forget everything except right now. I just want to feel good. I haven't felt good since all this started."

Bryce nods—God bless him—and grabs me at the waist. "I'll make you feel good tonight and every night for the rest of my life." He pulls my night shorts and panties off in one fluid motion. My shirt came next. He latches himself onto my breast and I arch my back and moan. I start clawing at his clothes, trying to pull them off with no help from him.

"No foreplay tonight, Bryce, just come on." I whine, surprised by my own words.

He chuckles against my skin before pulling away from me to remove his clothes. Moments later, his naked body is pressed against mine as if we were melted together. I spread my legs and wait for him, anticipating. His lips meet mine and then he enters me. I cry out, my body arching from the couch.

"Bryce," I hiss his name out through clenched teeth. My breath comes out in pants as my nail dig in to his perfectly muscled back.

Bryce works himself in and out of me. He grips my hips to hold me still as he thrusts powerfully and passionately. I hold on for dear life, trying to keep up but I can already feel myself preparing to fall off the edge.

"Bryce, I'm going—"

He cuts me off with a kiss and slips me the tongue. My legs tighten around him and I blast off. His lips never leave mine even as he pumps faster and faster, prolonging my orgasm, and coaxing out his. I clutch his head as we kiss, feeling my lady muscles clench and tighten around his manhood. When he finally explodes inside me, I break our kiss and scream out in sheer pleasure.

"I love you," We say in unison and then I giggle. I do love him. I just don't know how this will ever work.
Epilogue

"Happy Birthday, baby." I press a kiss to her forehead. "Did you have fun today?"

"Yes, Momma, this was the bestest birthday ever! I can't wait till next year. I wanna have a princess party and I'm going to the princess and you and Daddy will be the queen and king. And we're gonna have a carriage for everyone to ride in with real horses. And we're gonna have real princesses to like Cinderella and Bella and Ariel and Pocahontas and my favorite princess ever, Princess Tiana! And we'll also have—"

"What's the point of having a princess party? You're already Daddy's Princess." Bryce interrupts her as he walks into the room. He sits on the end of her bed.

"But I want real princesses at my party, Daddy!" Renee automatically protests.

"You are a real princess!" Bryce says with a laugh. "But if you want Princess Tiana and the frog here too, Daddy will make it happen."

"He's not a frog anymore, Daddy. Prince Naveen married Tiana and she became a real princess so when they kissed, he became a man again. Remember, Daddy? Remember you got scared that they were gonna stay frogs forever?"

"Yeah, babe, remember you cried?" I say, smiling at him and the memory.

"I do remember now, Princess." Bryce says. "But I don't remember crying." He shot at me with a grin.

I just laugh at him. He definitely cried. That's my big baby. "You're going to bring them to my party?"

"Of course, I'll do anything for my little princess." Bryce kisses her cheek. "Matter of fact, we'll go to Disney Land and party with all the princesses."

"Really, Daddy? Can we Momma?" Renee is sitting up in bed, practically vibrating.

"We'll book it tomorrow." I say with a smile. How can I say no? Besides, I've never been to Disney Land myself. "But now you have to go to sleep, Little Princess."

"But I wanna talk about next year." She gives me the pouty face and I have to steel myself. "Please, Daddy, I wanna stay up just a little bit longer."

"Well, I guess you can—"

"No, it's already late, sweetheart. We'll talk all we want tomorrow, okay?"

She sighs in resignation. "Okay, Momma. Can you read for me first?"

"Don't I always? Move over, honey." I get into her little bed with her, and she cuddles up to me. I wrap an arm around her and throw my legs onto Bryce's lap. He instantly begins massaging my feet. It's our usual bedtime tradition.

Renee pulls a book from some hidden place beneath her covers. I read the cover: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. I smile. No surprise there.



"You're spoiling her," I say to Bryce as we strip out of our clothes to prepare for our other bedtime ritual.

"How?" Bryce asks as he pulls off his shirt. I can only smile at him, because he is truly oblivious t spoiling her.

I just shake my head. "I can't believe she's five now. And we're already planning her sixth birthday."

"I know. Now I understand it when parents say their kids are growing up too fast." Bryce wraps his arms around me from behind and kisses my ear. "She's already taller than you."

I push his 6'3" frame away from him me. "I'm so tired of your short jokes. You don't complain about my height when I'm riding your big ass into the mattress." I say, rolling my neck with my hand on my hips and a finger in his face.

He laughs and grabs me up again. I stand up on my toes as he leans down and we kiss. He does tower a whole foot over me. If Renee is anything like him, she'll pass me up in height in no time. "You're right about that." He murmurs against my lips.

"I know I am," I say. I turn around and climb into bed. I pull my wedding ring and engagement ring off and kiss them both before putting them in the top drawer of the nightstand to put back on tomorrow. Except while I sleep, I always wear my rings and so does Bryce. I want everyone to know we're Bryce and Michel Washington. Bryce climbs into bed beside me and I hear the drawer on his side open and close as he puts his ring inside. I roll over and wrap myself around him with my head on his chest, as usual.

Our life couldn't be better. It was shaky for us in the beginning. I refused his proposal three times. I was eight months along when I finally accepted. My water broke during the reception. I was afraid to be his wife, but I did it. It took me a while to figure it out. Even after I proclaimed my love to him, I was still in denial. It was while we were at a Lamaze class that I realized it. Bryce was holding my hand and kissing me while we practiced the breathing techniques. I don't know if it was hormones or what, but there was something about how sweet he was and how compassionate he was. I knew right then that I wanted to truly be with him every day and in the same bed every night. I proposed to him while the annoyingly perky teacher told us some bullshit that didn't even work in the end. He accepted and gave me the ring he had for me.

So yes, our life is almost perfect. I love my man, I love my daughter, and Bryce and I are working on a son. Life couldn't be better.

Thank you so much for reading. I really hoped you enjoyed this. Most of all, I hope you all understood the main theme. Love is love, no matter where it comes from. And real love is unconditional. Once again, thank you for taking the time to read this. Don't forget to rate and leave me a review.

Sincerely yours,

India Jade Smith

