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  “Don’t say a word,” he whispered. “And next time, don’t forget to lock the door. Nothing has to come from this, and I promise you that I will make no demands. All I want to do is make love to you. That’s it, Mo, and if you want me to leave after we get finished, I will.”

  In the predicament I was in, I felt caught up in the moment. I had longed for my breasts to touch his chest again. I needed to feel his hands massaging my thighs and his fingers tampering with my hotspot that had already started leaking fluids. I knew he would lift me up high and tear into my goodness like only he could do it. And within a matter of seconds, he’d done just that. My arms were secured around his neck, while my legs were tightened at his waist. His eleven-inch steel traveled deep within me, and as he broke down my walls, I screamed in ecstasy. Yet again, I was high—high from the feel of his muscle that punched my insides and brought forth more juices with each rhythmic stroke. His head swiped against my swollen clit, causing me to holler even louder. I was thrilled that my time with him had finally come again, but I also knew there would be some regrets.

  “I told you we could do this,” he said, holding me up with his decorative arms. I loved his tats; particularly the one that still enabled him to rep my name. We kissed feverishly; the taste of his lips and tongue were sweet as honey. I couldn’t get enough, and as the water rained between our lips, I could barely catch my breath. My entire body shivered, especially when he lowered my legs and made a swift entrance from behind. My legs weakened as I was bent over, touching my curled toes. I was the recipient of his hard meat that left me in a trance, and in that moment, our past was the past. I didn’t dare think about our future. He was in there and that was all that mattered to me right now.

  “Yes, we can always do this,” I admitted as his lengthy strokes intensified. “Whenever you want to ju . . . just call meeeeee.”

  He pulled on my braids and yanked my head back. As his lips traveled down my neck, his words were loud and clear. “You’d better answer when I call, and I don’t want no shit with this pussy because you know it belongs to me. Ain’t that right, bitch? Who got the stamp of approval on the goods?”

  I didn’t answer so he slapped me hard across my ass, rubbing it. We both liked it rough sometimes, and even though I didn’t want to give him my approval, I did.

  “That’s my girl,” he said. “I always knew I could count on you.”

  Demetrious loved that I’d surrendered myself to him. He rewarded me well. During the midst of my orgasm, he pulled out and dropped to his knees. While separating my healthy cheeks, his tongue traveled far, causing serious vibrations to erupt from my insides. I was about to collapse, but he caught me. Told me he would forever have my back, and after getting what he had come for last night, he left without waking me.

  I swallowed another lump stuck in my throat, and with the coffee cup still in my hand, I squeezed the handle. Guilt ate me alive, especially since I’d been ignoring Nate’s phone calls today. I was too distraught to speak to him. Too angry at myself for what I’d done. I wished I could take back what had happened, but then again, I didn’t want to lie to myself. Demetrious was going to be a big problem for me. I could feel it. I hated it, and the disappointment I’d felt inside made me pitch the mug at the wall and drop my face in my hands. My only thoughts were . . . damn, damn, damn!

  NATE

  Chapter Two

  I had left the doctor’s office with good news. News I wanted to share with Monai, but she hadn’t been answering her cell phone or responding to my text messages. I figured she must’ve been busy. She was less than a week away from closing on another real estate deal, and I was so proud of her for the way she conducted business. Needless to say, I loved so much about her. She was intelligent, a good listener and her support meant more to me than anything. I didn’t necessarily need a woman to cater to my every need, but Monai had stepped up to the plate like no other woman I’d been with had ever done. She was the answer to my prayers for a decent woman. From day one, I knew she was someone special. I had been through so much with women, and the last woman I’d dated, Ariel, left me high and dry. We had dated for nearly six years. The only reason I hadn’t asked her to marry me was because I knew, deep in my heart, that shit wasn’t all good with her. She was too money hungry, spent too much time shopping and all she cared about was impressing other people. With me being overseas most of the time, our long-distance relationship didn’t survive. She demanded attention that I couldn’t always give her. She depleted our bank accounts, basically leaving me with nothing. And when I’d gotten injured in Afghanistan, by then, she’d already had one foot out the door. She didn’t even come see me in the hospital—that, in itself, spoke volumes. I knew I could do better, and at thirty-seven-years-old, I felt like I still had time to find a good woman whom I could marry and start a family with. Monai had stressed how much she wanted a family too. With her being thirty-three, her career on the right path, and with her being the wonderful woman she was, the timing seemed right for us to take things to the next level.

  First, though, I wanted to tell her that my upcoming surgery would possibly eliminate the pain in my foot and I would no longer have to use a cane to walk. My doctor was almost positive that after one more surgery, I could be one hundred again. I was happy about the news because my injuries had left me stressed and feeling less than a man at times. People would immediately see me walking with a limp and assume I needed assistance. Many would open doors, hold me up and even give me looks like they felt sorry for me. There was no need to feel sorry for me, but it took a while for me to stop feeling sorry for myself. Monai had helped me get my courage back, which was another thing about her that I was thankful for. She made me feel like I could now take on the world; there was no doubt in my mind, now, that I could.

  On the drive to her house, I kept calling her cell phone but she still hadn’t answered. Sent a few text messages, but got no reply. It seemed kind of strange that she hadn’t responded, nor did she call me last night, as she’d indicated she would. I pressed on the accelerator, trying to get to her house as soon as I could. Maybe something serious had happened; something where she needed me and couldn’t get to a phone.

  Upon arrival at her house, I swerved in the curved driveway and parked my BMW right behind her car. I rushed out of the car, but as my foot hit the pavement, a sharp pain rushed up my leg. I paused to rub it. The doctor had given me a shot for the pain, but it was starting to wear off. Then again, my fast pace could have caused the sharp pain, so I slowed down as I proceeded to the door and knocked.

  Nearly two minutes later, Monai opened the door. Puffy bags were underneath her eyes, her braids were wrapped in a bun, and the short silk robe she wore showed her blemish free, smooth legs. She looked tired—beat more like it. Maybe I had come at a bad time, especially since the smile on her face appeared forced for some reason.

  “I didn’t know you were coming over today.” She opened the door for me to come inside. “I thought we were going to meet up later.”

  I stepped inside, wearing a white Nike cap that covered my lined waves. My beard was trimmed and for many years I had sported a goatee. It was sprinkled with a few strands of gray, but the gray hair made me look a bit more mature for my age. A few buttons on my well-pressed shirt were undone; my shorts displayed my toned calves. I felt strong and healthy, but this damn cane and limp made me look, and, at times, feel otherwise.

  “We were supposed to hook up later, but I’ve been trying to reach you all day. I came over here to make sure everything was good with you.”

  There was something about the way Monai looked at me that gave me bad vibes. Or, should I say, the way she wasn’t looking me. She kept blinking to avoid eye contact, and the forced smile she presented while at the door had vanished. Her kiss, however, provided some comfort to me. She planted a juicy one on me, before explaining why she hadn’t answered her cell phone or responded to my texts.

  “I haven’t charged my phone since last ni
ght so the battery died. I just remembered to plug it up while I was in the kitchen drinking my coffee. Would you like some?”

  “Coffee sounds good, but I would prefer some orange juice and a little shot of Vodka, if you have it.”

  Seeming to perk up, she laughed and headed toward the kitchen. As she walked in front of me, my eyes traveled to her sweet backside that jiggled underneath the robe. Seeing that she was naked underneath the robe, my mind journeyed into the gutter. We hadn’t had sex in nearly two weeks; it was time for me to satisfy my cravings.

  “What do you think about all of the rain we’ve been getting?” Monai asked while standing in front of the sink, rinsing a glass. I eased up from behind and secured one arm around her petite waist. My lips touched the tip of her earlobe.

  “I think the rain is perfect for making a whole lot of love. But before we do, I have some good news to tell you about my doctor’s visit today.”

  She turned to face me, then placed her arms on my shoulders. “Good news? What did the doctor say?”

  “He said after one more surgery, I should be all good. There is a chance that I will have no more pain, so you won’t ever have to massage my feet again.”

  She smiled while rubbing the tip of her nose against mine. “Aww. That’s a shame because I love massaging your stinky feet. I enjoy tickling them too.”

  I reached for her hand and placed it over my hard package that started to expand. “Well, instead of massaging my feet, feel free to rub something else more often. That would please me so much more, not to mention how much help it would be to me.”

  Monai pecked my lips, but moved her hand away from my steel. She lifted the glass so I could see it.

  “Let me get your orange juice and Vodka,” she said. “I’ll pour me a little something too and we’ll toast to the good news.”

  That sounded like a plan to me, and as she fixed our drinks, I made my way to her bedroom so I could hide her surprise in a drawer. But the second I entered her room, something felt real strange to me. A funny feeling came over me, and whatever it was caused me to halt my steps and stand by the doorway. My eyes shifted from the messy bedsheets to pillows which were sprawled on the floor. There was an empty glass on the nightstand, on the opposite side she’d slept on, and the musky scent in the room alerted me that another man had been there. I wasn’t sure if it was just me or not, but something didn’t feel right at all. Even when I’d gone into her bathroom, the same feeling came over me. Three wet towels were on a towel rack, the same musky scent filled the air, and Monai’s silk panties were on the floor. The moist crotch section was visible; I could tell she must’ve been excited about something. As I was about to peek in the trashcan, I heard her call my name. My head snapped to the side, and as our eyes connected, I felt a hard punch in my gut.

  “Are you done in here?” she asked.

  Her eyes focused on her panties and then moved to the trashcan. “Sorry about the mess in here,” she said, walking further into the bathroom. “Had I known you were coming, I would have removed my panties from the floor and cleaned up a bit.”

  She snatched her panties from the floor. Afterward, she tied the tiny trash bag that was inside of the trashcan, removing that as well. I didn’t know what was inside of the trashcan, but I’d had an idea. My thoughts were racing a mile a minute, but I kept my cool until I had all of the facts.

  “You don’t have to apologize for the mess. I guess it’s something I’ll have to get used to, especially when we start living together.”

  Appearing real nervous while biting her nail, all she responded was, “Right.” After that, she left the bathroom.

  I took a leak, washed my hands, and then I returned to her bedroom again. I yanked the messy sheets back, and to no surprise, I noticed a few stains. The punch to my gut occurred again. This time, I staggered back a bit, fearing that I was on the brink of losing Monai to someone else. I couldn’t believe she had been cheating on me; I didn’t want to believe it. There had to be some kind of explanation for this. It just didn’t seem like a woman of her caliber would do something like this. Before I could even question her about my suspicions, she stood near the doorway gazing at me again. As if she had known what I was about to ask her, a response came quickly.

  “I’m almost embarrassed to tell you how those stains got there.” She came into the room and opened a dresser drawer. A small bottle of something was in her hand, and when she lifted it, I could see it was KY warming jelly. “There are times when I have to please myself. Days when I wish you were here with me, and when you’re not, I let my imagination run wild. I hope you don’t mind having a woman who knows how to please herself, and when I say I do know how, trust me, I really do. The proof is on the sheets. I would have changed them had I known you were coming over.”

  I removed my cap and scratched my head. I couldn’t let her off the hook that easily, so I hit her with another question.

  “What about the smell in here? I smell masculine cologne. I know for a fact it’s not mine.”

  She sniffed the air and frowned. “I’m not sure what that is, but I assure you that no other man has been here. The only man who has been in my bedroom, for the past two years, is you.”

  Of course I didn’t believe her, but I was never the kind of man to put up a fight with a woman, unless I had all the facts. Some of the facts were, I trusted my gut more than anything. I was nobody’s fool, and while working with the interrogation unit during my time in the service, I could sense when people lied. Monai was lying about something. I would soon find out the truth, but until then, I decided to keep her little surprise in my pocket and save it for another day.

  “Hey,” she said, interrupting my thoughts. “Are we still going to celebrate your good news or are you going to stand there and continue questioning me about a stinky little ole smell?”

  I didn’t answer, until she untied her robe and dropped it on the floor behind her. Seeing her naked body caused my package to rise to the occasion and forget about the smell, for now. As I made sweet love to her, I could feel that someone else had tampered with her pussy. His scent was still there, and I had a duty to find out who he was.

  Chapter Three

  For the past two weeks, I had been on a heart-breaking mission. It didn’t take long for me to figure out what had been going on with Monai. When I saw her having dinner with her ex-boyfriend, Demetrious, I knew right away what was up. Their conversation appeared very intense. I examined them from afar that day; she appeared to yell at him and even get emotional when his voice went up a few notches. Then, I saw him comforting her, kissing her forehead and trying to attack her lips. She wouldn’t allow it, but her actions didn’t make me feel good. I hadn’t said one word to her about what I had witnessed. It surprised me that she carried on with me like everything between us was perfect. She was the aggressor when it came to us having sex. She’d told me she loved me more often than usual, and just last night, she surprised me with my favorite dish for dinner, Lasagna. I predicted she would soon tell me what was up; she didn’t appear to be the kind of woman who could keep a secret like this for long. I still had faith that there were plenty of good women out there, but I’d be lying if I said this wasn’t a setback for me. I guess I was more understanding about these kinds of things than most people were. Sometimes, I understood why people made stupid mistakes. The lies, however, hurt. They cut deep; deeper than I was willing to admit. I kept telling myself it would be easy to walk away, if I had to. But there was no doubt that walking away from Monai wouldn’t come as easy as I wanted it to.

  As I stood on my balcony, looking at tourists visiting the Gateway Arch, my thoughts were interrupted by my ringtone. I knew it was Monai, so I went inside and picked up my cell phone from the counter. The second I answered, I heard her sexy voice.

  “Baby, I’m so sorry, but I’m going to have to cancel our plans for tonight. I still have three houses to show, and one couple is adamant about seeing one of those new penthouses on the South
side. I’ll make it up to you tomorrow. Maybe we can go see a movie or maybe even drive to Chicago for the weekend to see your mother. You mentioned that you wanted to go see her, didn’t you? I don’t have any plans, whatsoever, after tonight.”

  I cleared my throat and curiously stroked the hair on my chin. “No problem, sweetheart. Handle your business, and I’ll let you know if I decide to go see my mother. Let me call her first and get back to you, alright?”

  “Okay. I love you and don’t forget to call me. I don’t care how late it is, just be sure to call and let me know what’s up.”

  “Will do and I love you too.”

  After our call ended, I sat on a stool, thinking about how to handle this unfortunate situation. I suspected that Monai wasn’t showing any houses tonight. If I’d put some money on it, I was sure that she was going somewhere to hook up with Demetrious. I wanted to bring my concerns to her attention, cut ties with her and walk away. Those were my intentions, but first, I needed so badly to catch her in the act. I wanted to know if she would choose him over me. What would she say, if she got busted and had to explain her lies? I had to see the expression on her face, and until I saw her reaction, satisfaction for me wouldn’t come.

  Refusing to wait a minute longer, I grabbed my car keys from the counter and jetted. While driving, I tapped my fingers against the steering wheel and bobbed my head to the Hip Hop music that blasted through the speakers. The lyrics helped me clear my mind; they also enabled me not to think about the pain I was feeling inside. I dreaded what the end result would be, and that punch in my gut kept coming back-to-back. The last thing I wanted was for things to be over with between me and Monai. But I could never continue on in a relationship with a woman who was creeping behind my back. Even if she’d had a reasonable explanation, playing with my emotions like this wasn’t good. None of this felt good; I wouldn’t wish this feeling on my worst enemy.