~15~

I watched her and she watched me as she pushed her half-eaten plate away and grabbed a bottle of Evian. She twisted off the cap and took a few gulps. When she was done, she tossed me a wink, reaching over to put the bottle back on the table.

I decided to look away. The crackling fire blazed almost at the erratic pace of my brain. I was too drawn to Wynter and too fast. A month ago, I didn’t know her and was good with it. Now, I couldn’t get her out of my head. And no matter how recently we’d had sex, I craved more. 

“How was your chicken?”

The sound of her voice brought me back to the table. I looked down at my plate with a few greens remaining.

“It was pretty good.” I sat up, taking a deep breath.

Wynter’s eyes wouldn’t leave mine. She was a distraction herself, wearing just my shirt at the dining room table. After we finished in the hall, we finally came into the suite where she used the bathroom in the bedroom, and I headed straight to the one in the hall. Afterwards, I asked her what she wanted to eat then went into the living room to order dinner.

“I was surprised you ordered a salad.”

“I’m on a diet.”

I scratched my brow. “You know, you don’t talk about yourself much.” Wynter took another sip of her water. “We’ve talked. A lot. And every time I reflect back on a conversation—because I do often—I realize you’ve never given much of yourself.”

She swallowed the bubble in her cheeks. “What do you wanna know, Raj?”

My head reared and I blew out a breath as I tried to think of something significant, now that I had the opportunity. It’s not that Wynter was a closed book, but there was so much about her I didn’t know. That wasn’t fair to me, considering I’d been lowering my guard around her almost every day over the past few weeks.

“I don’t know. Maybe why did you wait until now to start losing weight.”

Without a hint of a smile, she came back with, “I don’t know. Maybe because I now have the lifestyle to do it. For years, I was in the rat race, similar to you, only my accumulation was in tens and not millions, so I had little time for personal recreation.” She tossed her hand into the air, shrugging. “It took a year and a half to put on and I never got the time to address it.”

“So, you weren’t always this size?” Wynter shook her head, her eyes going over to the fireplace in the living room.

That one room lit up practically all the common areas of the suite.  

“I got into a car accident. Pretty bad. Tore my ACL from banging the side of my knee. That set me back for a few months.” With pouted lips, she inhaled deeply. “Then I let depression set in while out on medical leave. When that was up, one hundred percent healed or not, I had to go back to work. The rat race.” She smiled tightly.

Wynter always kept things light. Except with me. When I kicked it with her, she didn’t make me feel humor was a part of the equation.

“Anybody with you in the accident?”

She cleared her throat, sitting up and closing the shirt around her cleavage. “No. Just me.” And there was that crafty smile again. Wynter was nervous about the topic. “And thank God. I was a mess all by myself.” She began to fiddle with the cap of the water bottle, eyes squinting as she studied it. “So grateful no one else was involved.”

“How much you still wanna lose?”

“I was almost one hundred forty-five pounds before the accident. Had been maintaining that for a while.”

“You’ve lost a lot of weight. You’re good—look good. Why the push?”

She rolled her eyes, but I didn’t feel like it was toward me, probably the subject.

After taking a deep breath, she answered, “Because I need to get it off of me. The weight’s turned me into someone I don’t know. I held on to it so long, it feels like more than my appearance changed.”

“Like what?”

Her eyebrows arched high. “My libido for one. I haven’t craved sex like I used to.” Her chin and eyes dipped, but those brown irises rolled back up to me. “As you can see, sex is…something I enjoy. The weight tampered with that. Zapped my desire for it.”

“Or maybe you ran across a man who brought the craving back out of you.”

Wynter paused for a second then leaned her head to the side. “You know that’s your first time openly flirting with me?”

“Really?”

“Yeah. And I like it. You should do it some more.”

“You should do me some more.”

I had no idea why I said it. Only knew I meant it. It felt natural.

Wynter pushed back from the table and stood from her chair. She opened my shirt that was twice her size and let it fall to the floor. My eyes blew up when she crawled onto the table, moving plates, bottles, condiments, and other things out her way until she got to my end and did the same thing.

When her path was clear, she reached down for the waist of my boxers, telling me to pull them down. My hesitation was only for a second and I pushed them down until my dick plopped out. We watched the barbell on my head shrink as my dick expanded. I had no idea what she was going to do. I was down with whatever Wynter had in mind; that’s what this thing had evolved into. I was drawn to her. Wanted a connection with her. The problem was, I couldn’t define it.

She leaned from the table until her hands gripped the sides of my chair.

“What made you get this?” She tapped one of the balls.

My cock twitched. I sucked in a breath.

“That a conversation you wanna have now?” My voice was strained, I wanted her so bad again.

Again…

Wynter smiled cunningly before her head dipped and she put her warm mouth over the head of my cock, rolling her tongue around and around. The pressure she applied on the barbell had my head spinning. My eyes blurred and I could feel myself get even harder in her mouth. Not only did Wynter like sex, she was nasty, too. She licked her juices off me from earlier in the hall.

But I was good. Nothing felt off or weird about her wanting me again. Maybe because I wanted her, too. That was it, I’d decided. I sat back in the chair, sighing from her head game.

Like I said… Dangerous.

I rubbed the last of the moisturizing cream into my hands before pulling the blanket back on the bed. I could still hear the shower running from the bathroom. Exhausted, I plopped down on the mattress, my feet still on the floor. I inhaled deeply, acknowledging my exhaustion. It was two in the morning, and good rest was nowhere in sight—not until Monday, at least, when I’d be back at the estate.

Before showering, I spoke with Tina about my hair and makeup for the events we had tomorrow. A music enrichment luncheon in the early afternoon and two pre-Super Bowl parties at night had my feet throbbing already. But it was my obligation, what I’d signed up for.

“That’s my side of the bed,” his thick chords trickled.

Raj looked good as fuck in just boxers. Gray cotton clung to his sculpted thighs, the elastic waist interrupting his silky trail down to my newfound happy land.

“My bad.” I swallowed, unable to look away from his strapping frame standing in the doorjamb. “I was just uploading an IG story about what your cum tastes like.”   

He chuckled softly, pushing from the frame and sauntering toward the bed. I scooted back, making room for him.

“You know,” I rearranged the pillows behind me, “I’ve never had the pleasure of seeing you naked.”

Raj paused from grabbing his phone from the nightstand. His face folded tightly. “Nah?”

“Uhn-uhn.”

“We gotta do something about that then.” He sat back against the headboard. “C’mere.” He took me at the arm, yanking me gently. “Let’s see what buzz we stirred up today.”

I scooted close to him. “Mike texted me saying some shit about good job.”

Raj growled, his way of dismissing the topic of Mike Brown. I was all too glad to oblige.

“Let’s start with IG,” he hummed his words that sounded melodic.

He tapped to open the app then scrolled down his feed. A text popped up.

Heather: Hey. You okay out there with her? Something down in my spirit don’t agree with this.

I could tell the moment Raj caught onto the tone of her message. He rolled his thumb up to dismiss it then continued his scroll down Instagram.

I licked my lips. “I think you should respond.”

“Why?”

“Because she’s worried.”

“I’m good.”

“She doesn’t know that. She doesn’t trust me.” I reared my head to peer up to him. “Can’t exactly blame her. This shit is…unusual.”

“So is my life. Heather don’t get it, and it’s all good.” He continued to scroll. “She’s married. I ain’t exactly her problem.”

“She’s positioned herself as your bestie.”

“She was—is.”

“Which is it?”

His eyes rolled over to me suspiciously. “You asking as my wife?”

“No. The outside chick.” I squeezed my eyes closed.

Why the fuck did I say that?

“I’ve never laid a hand on Heather since she’s been married—before she got married.”

“Neither are you gay.”

“What?”

“You’re not gay, but you’ve gone to great lengths to prove you aren’t.”

“And?” I had his full attention now.

“And you should extend your bestie the same courtesy.”

“So, tell her what’s been going down between us?”

I nodded. “Myisha, too. Why hide?”

“Because that ain’t my steeze. Ain’t never been. Who I have sex with is my business.”

“So, why marry a stranger to give the world an illusion of who you’re having sex with?”

“You know why.”

I licked my lips, shaking my head. “I don’t, really.”

Our eyes locked for seconds long. It was something I didn’t get. Gay had never been a strong suspicion since I’d enter his world—weirdo, hell yeah! But why go through all of this to disprove something as ludicrous as that notion? He had gay friends and staff, whom he didn’t condemn. What was the big deal?

His phone rang in his hand. Raj’s eyes retreated to it first, I followed.

Young

“Yurp!” he answered, releasing a string of air from his nostrils.

I’d struck a chord.

“What it do, buzzin?” Young Lord returned. “Sound like you in the bed.”

“I am.”

“My bad. I tried calling earlier, but got sidetracked on some bullshit.”

“It’s all good. Just chillin’, kicking it with Wynter.”

There was a delayed reaction to that.

“In bed?” Young asked.

Raj scoffed, “Yeah, nigga. Don’t you and Kenny share one?”

Raj didn’t get it, but I did. He’d told Young Lord about our arrangement, just as, I could tell, he’d told Heather. He had to. That realization chipped at something in me. It was kind of fucked up.

“Oh, word?” Raj’s surprised ring had my attention going back to him. He’d been peering down at me. “Let me ask her.” He moved the phone inches from his ear. “L.I.T. Music is looking for in-house producers: musicians and writers. They’re holding a camp for a select few of heads new in the industry that’s been making some noise. You want in?”

My face tightened in confusion. “Am I being invited?”

He shrugged with warmth in his eyes. “Kinda.”

“How?”

“I told Lord about you wanting to write.” His closed mouth lifted. “Guess he kept it in mind.”

Well, that was overwhelming. Young Lord keeping me in mind. I had to get used to this new universe. But how? Ragee. Young Lord. They both knew me by name, and I so happened to be married to one of them.

Un-fucking-real!

I swallowed deeply, half way unable to process it. “Sure.”

He brought the phone back to his ear. “She’s down. When is it again?” I heard rumbling from Lord’s end. “Oh. That’s only a few weeks away.” Raj’s eyes met mine. “Second week in March. You good with that?”

Mentally, I shrugged. “Why not?”

“She good. Do I need to call somebody?” He nodded, listening. “Okay. Then it’s all goodie. Good looking out, Young. ‘Preciate you.”

Within a few seconds, the call ended. Raj went back to Instagram and I, into my head. I don’t know how long I stayed there.

“What’s up with you?” he asked. When I glanced up at him, I saw he was still into his screen.

I was partially clothed, lying beneath Ragee McKinnon as he cruised social media. This was a form of domestication I couldn’t even dream up. But there was a bigger issue plucking at me.

“Just find it fucked up how you’re able to tell people about our arrangement, but if I do, my kids and great-grands will be indebted to you.”

Raj’s eyes snapped to me and his brows narrowed. “What’re you talking about?”

Casually, I took a breath. “You told Heather about us.”

“I didn’t tell her—”

“And Young Lord. You did. Please don’t lie.” Raj scratched his head. “Did you tell your Pastor yet? I’m sure his reaction was one for the books.”

“No.” He scoffed. “I haven’t said anything to him.”

“Why, church boy?” my tone lazy. “You don’t tell clergy the biggest fib of your life, but you spill the beans to your besties: male and female.”

Raj chuckled. He dropped his phone on his lap and gripped both sides of his head while it rested back against the headboard.

With humor in his vocals, he admitted, “I know this is messed up, but it wasn’t something I came straight out and told either of them. Heather’s different. She can sense shi—stuff. Hearing I was dating then marrying out of the blue confused her. I told her what the deal is without giving too much away. And with Lord…” He shook his head. “I hid from my friends for months after the marriage thing. I couldn’t face them. Like with Ezra, I couldn’t lie to their faces. I still don’t know how I’ve been able to keep avoiding him.”

“Because deep down inside, you know he doesn’t believe you anyway,” I murmured. I could sense that.

“He can see right through me whether I like it or not.”

“Like Pastor McKinnon?”

He shook his head. “She ain’t as sharp, but she’s a seer, too. Once in a while she can be spot on. And other times—when it matters the most—she can be blind as hell.” I felt the burn from the acid in his words. There was something behind that.

“But you respect her enough to lie to her.” I understood.

He gave one affirmative nod. “Ezra, too.”

“I get it,” I breathed into the air, my eyes rolling up to the ceiling.

Lying could be so damn taxing.

“Why? You’ve told people?”

I licked my lips as I shook my head. “I’ve got nobody I owe that to.”

“But your uncle, Van?”

“He’s a prince liar. He’s never told me everything. It’s been a trait of his I’ve adored and resented at the same time.”

He scoffed, “If he’s the prince, who’s the king?”

“His father.” I swallowed. “My grandfather.”

After a beat, he asked, “Who’s the queen?”

I froze at that inquiry. This was a road I didn’t want to travel. I turned from on my back to face him, letting out a breath of exhaustion on the way. My eyes met his. “Let’s just say I have no interest in gaining the crown.”

“Sounds cryptic.”

I shook my head, lips parted, and my gaze sharp on him. “No. You are.”

I stretched out, leaving from his arm. Sleep was finally banging at my door.

“You can go from zero to a hun’ned. I wonder how your boyfriends get around that,” he posed behind me.

“I wouldn’t know. Too old for boyfriends,” I mocked.

I could hear Raj chuckle behind me. Seconds later, the light was turned off and we were shrouded in darkness, but for the glow of light streaking in from the living room fireplace.

Slowly, my eyes blinked open to the darkness as I lay on my belly. I couldn’t remember my last thought before knocking out or detail of the dream I’d just awakened from. Something beckoned my consciousness. Inhaling deeply, I straightened my folded leg and turned my head so the right side of my face lay on my crossed arms under the pillow.

My head jolted when I made out his silhouette, sitting up high on the stacked pillows, peering down on me while lying on his side. Raj appeared ruminative, and…wide awake. I patted my right hand toward the nightstand for my phone. When I felt it, I turned to look at the time. It was after four in the morning. I put the phone back and faced him again, not knowing how to ask, “Why the hell are you behaving like a murderous psycho at this hour?” 

“I like you,” he spoke so softly, but his words were crisp.

“Well, I hope you do,” I moaned, wiping my tight eyes. “Three years is a long time to be married to a douche bag.”

With my eyes now clearer, I faced Raj again and found his face dropping as he shook his head.

“Nah. Like, I really like you.” There wasn’t a hint of a smile on his face.

I blinked, the fuzz of my sleeping brain clearing. “Oh…”

He droned with thick morning chords, “I don’t mean it romantically. Like… I’m good when I’m around you. I don’t like it, but I can’t shake it either.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” I whispered, jarred by this exchange.

“Don’t be. Just don’t make me regret it.”

My eyes ran rapidly across his face. Raj was deathly serious.

“I won’t. I swallow. Remember?”

His eyes closed and his head retreated as he fought not to laugh. Meanwhile, my heart trembled from the gravity and shock of this announcement. Before I could think about it too much further, his hands reached and hooked me under my arms, and I was lifted and dragged on top of him. Without provocation, I straddled him, laying my head on his chest.

“Guess I can’t expect a second of uncomic conversation from you, huhn?”

I adjusted my pelvis over his; his heated and delicious scent propelled me to want to feel him against me again.

“Not when you’re this hot and use words like uncomic.”

I could feel him chuckle beneath me, his abdomen vibrating as I yawned.

“So, I can’t be sexy and know how to throw words together?”

I shrugged.

“You know how to speak—well. You don’t see me clowning you,” his thick timbre echoed across the big room.

“Well, maybe I use big words to compensate for you not using but two to communicate to me the first three months of our fake marriage.”

“Touché,” he murmured.

“Can we go back to sleep now?” I yawned, snuggling against his brawny frame. “This is incredibly comfy, by the way.”

For a stretch, he didn’t speak. I closed my eyes and relaxed into him.

“What’s your favorite color?” the sound of his voice was so tender.

“Silver.”

“Silver?”

“Mmmmhmmm,” I moaned.

“That’s weird. Never heard anybody say silver’s their favorite color.”

“It’s a winter theme. My names are winter-themed.”

There was an extended pause.

“Your last name is Blue. Right?”

“Uhn-uhn. McKinnon.” My body tremored from a silent laugh. “Yes.”

“What’s your middle name?”

“Haile with a silent e at the end.”

“Damn.”

I lifted my head on his chest, though I couldn’t see much of him. “Damn, what, church boy?”

“All season-themed names. That’s cold.”  

I lay my head back down, trying to find my comfort again. “That’s winter.”

His hand reached down and began rubbing my back. I hummed again. This was heaven. I was on the verge of sleep in no time.

“I wanna eat your pussy,” I heard rumbled over my head and vibrated under my chest.

My eyes popped open, pacing left to right. At first, I didn’t know what to say. I’d gone down on Raj twice already—couldn’t wait for another go at it. I’d been in such a lust fest with him, I didn’t realize he’d refrained from returning the favor. I just guessed we hadn’t gotten there yet. I wasn’t complaining. It had been a good time.

“I won’t object.”

“I know.”

I didn’t get it. “Then why don’t you?”

There was a pregnant pause. “I don’t know how.”

He didn’t know how to go down on a woman? Can’t be! Raj may have been weird as hell sexually, but dude could fuck. What man would go to the lengths of piercing his dick—know how to work it, too—but not know how to eat pussy? That didn’t make sense to me.

Neither does Ragee…

My head lifted, but before I could speak, he asked, “What type of birth control you on?”

I swallowed hard and my brows pinched at the sporadic direction of this conversation.

My mind was spinning when I murmured, “Depo-Provera.”

“What’s that?”

“The shot.”

“Oh.”

“Is that a problem?” I yawned again, soothed by the rumbling of his chest each time he uttered a word.

“Oh, nah.” He delayed before softly explaining, “Just didn’t know.”

His hands continued to roll down my back.

Heav-fuck-an…

His touch wasn’t suggestive, just intimate and relaxing.

“There’re lots of things you don’t know about me, let you tell it.”

His hands paused. “That’s true.”

“It’s true of you, too.”

After a beat, his hands resumed, casting me into a peaceful sleep.

You’re Alpha and Omega, God…the beginning and the end, Father.

You’re majestic…sovereign, God.

You’re a healer, Lord…a redeemer.

You delivered me from the bowels of the enemy, God.

You put a song in my soul no man could compose.

You put a fear in my heart no beast could match.

You’re Jehovah Jireh…you’ve provided over and over.

You’re faithful, God…never leaving my side.

You’re omniscient, Father…your wisdom is infinite!

Holy, God. You’re holy, Father—

A knock at the door had my head lifting from the sofa. I looked around the main area of the suite from the living room, hoping it wasn’t loud and I hadn’t missed anything. Then I rose from my knees and headed for it. My food had arrived. Breakfast. After signing for it, I rolled the cart farther into the living room then strolled into the kitchen to wash my hands.

It was just after six in the morning, and I was restless. I may have slept two hours all night. So much was running through my mind. I was used to work stressing me: investment deals being risky, politics of the movie industry, the drips and drabs of the record label. I’d dealt with it all. There were good days, and bad days.

A rhythm of blues, as she says…

But this was something new. Wynter was becoming a member of my world more and more every day now. And nah, I wasn’t romanticizing the idea of having a play wife. But I vibed with her…a little more than I was comfortable with. So much I wanted to know more about Wynter. The dangerous thing about that was just as I wasn’t exactly an open book, neither was she. And I couldn’t expect more from her than I was willing to give.

There was something in my spirit bothered by this whole setup. Before it was because I knew it wasn’t right. I wasn’t the type of man to engage in propaganda to further my career. As a man of God, I knew full well my steps were ordered. But I did it. I went along with it. At first, I resented Mike and Wynter for being involved. Mike was still on my hit list.

But Wynter…

It confused and stressed me. Internally, my flesh had been winning over my spirit with anger, my language, my ugly actions…everything.

I sat down on the sofa and removed the cover from the food. It looked and smelled good, but I knew it wasn’t made to my specifications like Earl’s would have been. All that brain work had me needing to fall to my knees and pray and got me hungry. My eyes burned from exhaustion and stomach rumbled from emptiness. I felt part complete, half excited about being away.

And with her….

I sat and ate my breakfast quietly, feeling my eyes get heavier and heavier. I had a long day ahead. One that would start in a few hours. If I could grab just two hours, I would be fine. When I was done, I packed the cart with my scraps and separated it all from Wynter’s food. Hopefully she liked what I ordered for her. I lay down and closed my eyes, meditating on a worship song developing in my spirit.

I was just about to drift when I heard pitter patter from the bedroom. I tilted my head backward on the arm of the sofa. Wynter appeared at the door wearing one of my white tanks, only. Her phone was clutched in her hand and her mouth hung open.

Without speaking she walked into the living room barefoot. She stopped at the food cart and lifted both metal salver covers.

Her head swung to face me. “You ordered without me?”

“I got what I thought you’d like.”

“It could have been cold by the time I got to it.”

I took a deep breath. God, I’m tired… “You jumped outta bed like you heard a bomb go off.” I closed my eyes again.

“Actually, I thought you left me after…” When I thought she was hesitating, I felt her weight on me. Wynter stretched out on top of me. “…all that nasty stuff last night.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Because you’re so damn weird.”

“Sticks and stones…”

“And now I wanna feel your bone.” My eyes opened to her lazy smirk. “Was I snoring? Is that why you came out here?”

“Nah. Couldn’t sleep. Decided to pray.”

“In the spirit, like Pastor McKinnon? She speaks a different language when she gets really into it. I thought that was only a myth.”

I thought for a moment. “Yeah. Like that.”

“Is that what you always do when you can’t sleep?”

“Sometimes.”

“Oh.”

Her nails scraped to reach my chin through my beard. I closed my eyes, not exactly relaxed with her this close. I liked it, though.

“I have to call Mike today.” Her chin lay on her hand that covered my chest, so her words were muttered. I wanted to say fuck him, but my spirit would have been rebuked. I’d been foul at the mouth for a while lately. “He called twice last night. Not sure about what.”

“Yeah. Me, too.”

“I like being away from the house for a while, but it’s colder here than it is in Jersey. I wish I could really get away. Some place in the tropics…to make me forget about the coldness of the winter,” she whispered, I was sure just shooting off at the mouth.

“But you like winter,” I teased, fighting a yawn. “Your favorite color goes with the theme. Remember?”

“Yeah, but silver like silver bells,” she shifted her weight on top of me. I sucked in a breath when I felt her hand reach for my cock. It started to swell right away.

Lifting from me a little, she shifted my boxers down enough for my cock to lay bare on my stomach. We watched together then her eyes rolled up to mine.

“You never said why you got this.”

“Because it’s complicated.”

Her thighs widened around me, the warmth of her pussy lay over my erection.

“Was it to wow women like you are me, now?” She rocked over me, eyes stapled to mine, expecting an answer.

I shook my head. “Nah.”

“No?” She rolled her hips, moving her pussy up and down.

“Nah. It was personal.”

She studied my face while rubbing against me. I could now feel her wetness all around my cock. When she slid all the way up to my head, the pressure from the bar pushing up had me thickening even more. My eyes closed as her breathing got heavier and heavier. Wynter was feeling the effects of the bar, too.

“You mean something that feels this good wasn’t meant for your lovers?”

I pushed out a dry laugh. “You don’t mar your dick and spend months healing from it to please chicks. At least I didn’t.” When she rolled up again, the top of her lips rubbing weightily on my head, had me biting my lip.

Wynter shook her head. “Don’t do that. I’ll come too soon.”

Her lips met mine and she kissed me like she’d done it a million times first thing in the morning before brushing her teeth. Her breath was stale, but her mouth felt so good. This must be what domestication feels like. Wanting each other so bad, you skip the prep. Whatever it was, I was with it.

Wynter left my mouth and sat up. She lifted the tank, holding it just underneath her tits as she rode my cock without me being inside of her. Her eyes went below to my dick that disappeared every time she moved up. Her body rocked when her fat clit rubbed against the barbell. Wynter’s eyes rolled back as her lips parted.

I almost busted when her eyes opened again, tight and strained.

“You like me, you say,” she moaned. “It’s not something I hear every day.”

She moved fluidly, up and down my raging dick.

“Feelings can be so complicated before you,” she swallowed back a breath, her thighs tightening around me. “…add in what we grow between us.” Her eyes fell to where we met and hips picked up speed, but at a gradual pace.

I didn’t speak, now understanding she was sharing one of her poems.

“I’m Wynter, and nothing grows in the cold, but this lust…”

She panted, her shoulders caving while she whipped her hips back and forth. “This thing growing between us can be so beautiful if we don’t complicate it with expectations of things neither of us can deliver.”

Her thighs tightened even more and I could tell she was about to explode. And I could feel her jelly flesh softening around me, could see her wetness on my belly.

“I just want to make you laugh, smile, and shi—” Her body vibrated, chest pumping up and down while her spine seemed to circle as she fought to hold on. “…shiver,” she moaned. “Oh!” she cried.

Her expression when coming stole my breath. Roughly, I reached up and grabbed her at the back of the head, bringing her mouth to mine. I kissed her hard and fast as she danced on my dick. My tongue went slack when I skeeted hard between our bodies smacking against each other.

God, she’s dangerous…

 

My body jolted and I shot up into a sitting position, heart galloping. I scanned the room, not recognizing where I was right away.

How did I get back in the bed?

I was out of breath when I turned to the nightstand for my phone.

Eleven eighteen!

I turned to find Raj lying next to me. His arm crossed over his face.

“It’s after eleven and my ringer is off. Tina probably tried calling me for my hair and makeup.” I was panicking.

I’d even missed another call from Mike.

“You’re good,” he breathed, turning to his side. The boulder that was his arm flexed as he curled it to push his hand underneath the pillow. “I hit her up already.”

My face tightened. I was confused.

“What did you say?”

Raj cracked an eye. “Told her we’re skipping the luncheon. Got her on something else.”

“Oh.” My shoulders dropped.

“You look disappointed.”

My brows rose. “I’m not. Just didn’t want to screw this up.”

“You’re not. You’re good.” He shuffled again, turning over. “I’m going back to sleep. You need to eat. Orgasms ain’t nourishment for everything.”

My eyes popped open and nipples tingled.

“Uhn-hnnn…” he hummed, being cocky. I was sure of it.

“What?” I asked, chewing on a carrot stick.

“Somebody sure loves hummus.” I sipped from a bottle of water.

“I do. It reminds me of something unhealthy.” I dipped the remaining carrot again into the hummus. “It makes me forget I’m eating right.”

He chuckled quietly. My laughter was just as subtle as I grabbed a cherry tomato from the veggie platter. I was eating again today. Earlier, I managed a few swallows of the old fashioned oatmeal Raj ordered for me at the crack of dawn. It was cold and settled by the time I got to it, but three or so spoon servings was enough to quiet my hunger pangs. Then I grew restless, feeling so off from the spotty rest spells last night. Not to mention, I was totally off my schedule. It was a quick decision to throw on my workout gear and sneakers I’d packed and head downstairs for the hotel gym.

I may have been in there for thirty minutes before Raj joined me. I left a note in the suite before leaving out. He came dressed for his own work out. Raj paid thirty minutes to the treadmill then moved on to weights. He only interfered with my agenda when my posture was off, and came over to correct and even demonstrate. Other than that, we were in our own worlds. I was done first, and left him to come back up to the suite to shower. He wasn’t far behind when he asked that I order lunch on his way into the shower.

We’d just finished up our food when I asked, “So, just how much will my ovaries freeze out there tomorrow?”

“Where?” he asked and at the same time, his phone chirped.

Raj lifted it from the table to check.

“At the game,” I continued with my question.

“I don’t expect them to freeze at all.”

“It’s cold as hell out here,” I scoffed. “The bleachers’ll be twenty times as cold as the air.”

Raj’s eyes shrank as he laughed in my face. He laughed so hard, his head tilted back and I saw his Adam’s apple bob beneath his full beard. When he was able to look at me again, I guessed he noticed I didn’t join in the humor.

“You serious?” his deep chords trickled.

I gulped down my own water. “Yeah.” My expression was unsmiling.

Raj’s face relaxed, but amusement gleamed in his eyes. He shook his head. “We won’t be watching the game from outside.”

“Oh. We’re going to another Super Bowl party to watch the actual game?”

The side of his mouth curled up as he fought his humor. “We’ll be in a couple of suites, Wynter.”

“Suites?”

“At the stadium. The U.S. Bank Stadium has suites for private, heated, enclosed seating.” He swallowed back the rest of his water and as he screwed the cap on, he murmured, “My bad. I don’t know when you’re joking or serious.”

My forehead wrinkled. “Why would I expose my lack of culture for the sake of a joke? I know nothing about football or fancy suite seats. I’m a poor citizen.”

He stared at me for seconds long. I pretended to not care as I finished the last of my platter.

“You never answered my question,” he rasped across from me.

“What was that?”

“About your last boyfriend and how he dealt with you going from zero to one hun’ned.” His head dipped. “Or do you still have a boyfriend?”

It was my turn to laugh. Hard.

“What’s so funny?” he asked with a creased forehead.

“The fact that you didn’t exactly ask me that question. And that you’re just asking if I had a man after all that copulating we’ve been participating in. Then on top of all of that, you never answered my question!” 

“What question?”

All humor left me and my eyes went to my empty tray when I asked, “Who took that picture of you that Basso painted?” Slowly, my regard raked back up to him.

Raj snorted, chortling silently as his eyes rolled adorably toward the ceiling. “Funny,” he whispered, more to himself.

I leaned toward the table, eyes squinting. My chin rested on the back of my hand. “You see how communication works? It’s a mutual activity. You—for some unknown reason—are compelled to get to know me better. You need to take a number and get to the back of the line. I’ve been at this for months with no help from you.” It was a partial lie.

I honestly had no desire to get to know Raj in the beginning. He was cold, rich, and bitter. It wasn’t until he forced me to share his bed that I cared to even notice his eye color.

“A’ight.” He took a deep breath, sitting up in his chair. “I’ll go first then you can tell me what I really wanna know.”

“Which is?”

“How did you learn how to please a man?”

“You mean, how I learned how to fuck?” It was a serious, yet surprising question.

Raj’s head cocked to the side and he scratched his nose. “Your mouth can be…something else.”

My eyes fell to the table again and I licked my lips, feeling ashamed. Raj was different from the men I was used to being around. All the men in my family had a propensity to profanity. And the men I worked with, my clients all came with vulgarism as their first language. Now, having been around Raj and his grandmother, my conscience grew more sensitive about the words I used.

His head straightened and he took a deep breath as though giving himself a countdown.

“Heather.”

“Huhn?”

He nodded with pouted lips—lips I wanted to feel all over me one day. “The picture I had sent to Franco. Heather took the picture.”

“So you really do fuck—” Quickly, I caught myself. “You sleep with her.”

He shook his head.

“Exactly how long ago?” I asked.

Something about her attachment to him didn’t sit well with me.

“When we were kids.”

“What kind of kids? College aged kids?”

Raj’s eyes fell. “Late middle school.”

Heather’s been fucking that long?

“Oh,” was all I could manage for a few seconds. “Was she your firs—”

“I was her first. She was my second.”

Then why can’t you look at me? The energy in the room had shifted that quickly. His mood darkened. So, I pushed. “So, she took the pic and that was it?”

I found it hard to believe. Even I was aroused at the sight of his meatiness.

He shrugged, clapping his hand for finality. “That’s all it could be.”

“When was this?”

“About three years ago. Maybe two.”

I rubbed the back of my neck, starting to understand it. Heather still wanted him…sexually. “I mean… You are very tempting. I can attest to the temptation.”

He snorted. “But she’s married. I’ve done a lot of scandalous things in my past, but the golden rules haven’t been broken by me. Cheating in marriage is one of them.”

I nodded my understanding. “I hear you. Me either—either way,” I amended. “I loathe cheating and all the precursors to it.”

“So, that answers one of my questions.” Half his mouth smirked. “You’re not cheating on me.”

My eyes widened when I caught on. “Or him. I could be cheating on a him with you.” Raj shrugged as he smiled. “No. I don’t have anyone in my life, romantically. I haven’t been involved with a man in so long, I can’t remember my last fuc—” My lashes fluttered. “Sexual encounter. Maybe two years ago.”

“That’s hard to believe for someone as…” He searched for the right word.

“Someone as good as I am?” I lifted my brows, goading him.

Raj chuckled again. “Yeah. That. You just don’t seem as shy about sex as some chicks.”

“Well,” I took a deep breath, “I was raised by grandparents who were completely monogamous, but sexually liberated. They taught me from since I could remember how to get to know my body and never be ashamed of it.” I scoffed, staring at the vase in the middle of the dining room table. “I remember my grandmother teaching me how to wash myself when I was about four or five. She pointed between my legs and said, ‘Don’t go too rough down there. It’s going to be your friend when you get older. If you can avoid banging it up from rough wiping, it’ll be your best friend before you graduate high school.’ She winked at me and I had no idea why.” I laughed harder when I saw Raj’s face light up in shock.

“I swear to god. My grandparents were the coolest. The morning of my first date, I was like twelve and it was a small group of us going to the movies. But it was known most of us were little couples. My grandfather gave me a condom that morning. He told me he didn’t want me using it until I could tell him what a guy did to make my legs shake.”

Raj burst out laughing again, this time he looked freaked out.

“I know. And I was only twelve, so the implication went over my head. But I took it literally. He wasn’t encouraging sex. He was expanding the concept of it. By that time, I knew just about every STD and contraceptive out. He meant what he said. I was obedient, though. I never used that condom or any until my legs shook for the first time. By then, my grandparents had passed away.”

“I’m sorry,” he murmured so gently.

He may have been the coldest son of a bitch when we first met, but this church boy had tact and etiquette.

“Don’t be. I know the rhythm of blues. Remember?” I tried smiling. “I know my grandparents’ approach to sexuality would have Pastor McKinnon flip her best wig.” He nodded and I laughed. My tone turned as soft, delicate, and as warm as the memory. “But they showed me what true love looks like. They were everything I needed.” I shrugged, my shoulders lifting high before dropping. “Anyways… Even though my leg-shake was delayed, when I was ready, I went for it.”

“And when was that?”

“About when I was fifteen.”

“I take it he was special.” He was fishing and I wasn’t used to it.

I’d grown accustomed to his indifference as far as I was concerned.

“In my fifteen, sixteen, seventeen—all the way until I was old enough to realize he wasn’t—year-old mind.”

“Damn. You were married.”

“No.” I laughed. “I just wasted a lot of time I can’t get back.”

Damn sure can’t…  

“So, from that one dude, you gained ya whole bag of tricks?”

“My tricks come from my imagination.” I took a sip of my water. “But yeah. A lot of them were honed with him.” I pointed to the bottle of Mauve next to the vase. The topic was growing uncomfortable for me and I needed truth serum if I was going to play fair. “You mind?”

“Not at all.”

I stood to grab a glass from the kitchen a few feet away. “Want some?”

After a moment of delay, I heard behind me, “Why not.” It wasn’t posed as a question.

I was back in the dining room in a second when he picked up his interrogation. “That’s a lot of tricks for a young dude. I can’t front, my skills developed from being with a variety of women.”

I poured us both a glass. Right away I took a swig of the brown juice, appreciating the burn down my throat. 

“I don’t think twenty-seven is young,” I remarked.

 “Oh. Dude’s a year younger than you.” Raj followed suit, finally sipping the brandy.

“No. He’s forty-one.”

A sheet of sweet brown liquid spewed on my face and chest then he grabbed his throat as he choked on what was left.

“You okay?” I leaped to my feet to pat his hard back. Raj was bent over forward, trying to catch his breath. When he was able to nod, I was confident he’d regained his lungs. “Gotta be careful what you ask for, bud,” I teased, though I wasn’t expecting that reaction.

I hated talking about my past.

Thinking he needed help, I ambled into the kitchen to get wet towels, one for him and one for me. I was wiping my neck when I returned, handing one to him. My phone vibrated over the table. The last name I wanted to see flashed across the screen.

Mike Brown

Damn…

I tapped to take it then hit speaker so I could finish wiping brandy from my face and chest.

“Hello.”

“Fuck you been?” I couldn’t care less about his words, my skin crawled at the sound of his voice. “I been calling since yester-fuckin-day. Damn!”

Ragee’s head shot up and his face wrinkled in alarm.

I wanted to say, ‘Yeah. This is the type of treatment the contractor gets in your company!’ but I didn’t dare. It wasn’t wise to let Mike know we were here in Minneapolis, exchanging secrets.

“Sorry, chief. Been busy, traveling and getting dolled up, and all.”

“I ‘on’t even know what that all means, but I do know when I call, you need to answer.”

I closed my eyes, willing my patience.

“Is there a point to this call?”

“Is there a point to this call?” he huffed. “Hell, yeah. There’s a point whenever I call you. I’mma business man. I got better shit to do than call after random muthafuckas.”

I cocked my head to the side and pouted my lips before asking again, “And your point to these allegedly important calls was…”

“Smart ass,” he swore underneath his breath. “Make sure you get mad pix with TB’s wife. You know who dat is, yo?”

My curious eyes swept to Raj. His were on the phone as if Mike was there on the table himself. His mouth was open and jaw twisted in contemplation, it seemed. He couldn’t help me out with the TB answer, too stuck on Mike.

“No.”

“Raj’ll tell you. That’s Trent Bailey, the quarterback of the Kings. Make sure you get pix with his wife. She been in the blogs lately for her new baby, and shit. People wanna know what they baby look like. They been hiding it. TB go to Raj’s church. That connection could help us out with solidifying this shit. Got it?”

I frowned, trying to keep up with his fast paced orders.

“I guess.”

“Man, just remember to get lots of shots with Jade Bailey. She a short cutie with hazel eyes. You can’t miss her, she dat little. Ask Raj to point her out. Ask for a selfie if ain’t no paparazzi around outside the party tonight. She gone be at the first one y’all hit. Don’t. Fuckin. Forget.”

“Okay.” I shook my head, frustrated already. “Got it.” I rolled my eyes, annoyed that quickly.

“Where Raj at, yo?”

My eyes shot to him and saw he was still staring at the phone. I was looking for a cue from him, but nothing.

“You want me to get him?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay. Hold on.”

I muted the phone and looked to Raj.

His eyes remained on the table when he asked, “He always coming at you like that?”

I snorted, finding that question comical. “Until he pushes too far. But yeah, this is us.” I stood from my chair, going to put my finished dishes back on the room service cart for pick up.

Raj tapped the mute button. “Yeah.”

“What up, nigga?” Mike’s tone was one hundred percent more amicable, though I knew he was frustrated with Raj, too. Raj didn’t respond. After a while, Mike caught on. “I just wanted to know if you was good.”

“I’m good.” His response curt.

“Yeah. I know having her around ain’t where it’s at, but we getting shit done, my nigga. I just told her what it is for tonight. Get camera time with The Flash Johnson tonight. He supposed to be at both them parties. Make sure you hit TB’s suite tomorrow, too.”

“I ain’t going,” thick chords pushed out.

My neck snapped too fast to look into the dining room.

“You ain’t going to Super Bowl?” Mike asked just as alarmed as me.

Raj casually wiped his face with the wet towel then answered, “Nah. Tonight. I ain’t going.”

“The hell, Raj? They said you ain’t show to the lunch thing today either.”

Ragee took his time answering that, too. “Been in a creative zone all day. It is what it is, man.”

This time, Mike didn’t come back right away. Even he needed a minute to process it.

“Look…” Raj started.

“Wait up, man—”

“I gotta get back to what I was into. I ain’t taking her back the phone. You gone need to call her back.”

He tapped to end the call.

“Such a fucking douche. I really hate that dude,” I groaned gutturally. “And I’m indifferent to most assholes, so I have a pretty high threshold for them.” Raj didn’t respond. He sat quietly with his eyes to the table. “I’m sorry. I know that’s your boy and all, but he’s pure evil. I picked that up from him on day two.” I leaned against the wall. “I didn’t pick it up on day one because I was kind of drunk when he encountered me with this opportunity.” I shook my head, filled with regret. “He’s the devil. Trust me, I recognize the devil. I’ve cut a deal with him twice in my life. Mike Brown was the second time.”

Still he said nothing. The air around us had changed since that call. And now that we weren’t going out to those parties, things felt awkward.

“Well,” I took a deep breath, pushing from the wall to stand straight. “I meant what I said.”

“We gonna finish this drink or what?” he rasped, one leg extended under the table and an elbow on top where he flicked his fingers.

“I guess so, now that I know we’re not going back out.” I moved for the table. “Why not drink the last of my deals with the devil away? No more deals for me. Pastor McKinnon’ll make sure of it.” I plopped back into my seat and raised my tumbler.

Raj snorted with a smirk then he met my glass with a clink.