Real Love

by Tracy Reed

  GENERATIONAL CURSE

  TRACY REED

  Chapter 18

  KYLA PROMISED HERSELF SHE WOULD never be like the other women in her family, dating a married man and settling for the pennies he doled out.

  She’d always felt she was worth more. She met Eric at a fundraiser. He smiled, she smiled and after the cocktail hour, they found themselves seated next to each other. During dinner they talked and flirted and once the evening was over, he asked for her number. She declined and while getting ready for bed, she reached into her bag for her phone and noticed that she also had someone else’s phone.

  She called the last number dialed and a vaguely familiar voice said, “I’ve been waiting for your call. So what time do you want to meet for breakfast so I can get my phone?” They both laughed.

  They agreed to meet the following morning for breakfast. Two days later, they met again and included an extra slot for “therapy.”

  Making love in the morning seemed so decadent. She didn’t think anything of it until she received her first black envelope a month later.

  Eric said, “I’m tired of hotels. Rent a place and fix it up for us and keep whatever is left.”

  “I’m not a hooker.”

  “I didn’t mean any disrespect. I want to keep seeing you, but my neighbors are nosey.”

  “Oh, you’re married.”

  “No, I’m not. I just like my privacy. I like being with you, but—”

  “I understand.” She dropped her head and quickly began getting dressed. “I don’t think this is—”

  He noticed the change in her behavior and rushed to reassure her. “I don’t want you to think I’m ashamed of you, but I also don’t want you to think I’m monopolizing your time. You need your space and so do I. When we get together, it should be on neutral, comfortable ground and not some cold hotel room or a place filled with memories of past lovers.”

  He wrapped his arms around her pulling her to him, gently stroking her hair, inhaling her neck and gently placing a kiss on her soft shoulder. She turned around trying to read the expression on his face. Looking into his eyes, she wondered how many more love nests he had scattered around the city. She pulled his face close to hers and covering his mouth with hers, kissed him passionately. She slipped her hands inside the front of his pants while sliding her tongue inside his mouth, exciting him to the point of arousal.

  She pulled back and whispered, “Once more before we have to go?”

  He couldn’t resist her. The soft seductive tone of her voice and the gentle touch of her hand, made him weak and willing to do anything she asked. Kyla knew if there were anyone else, they would have a hard time competing with her.

  She got her education in how to manipulate a man by eavesdropping on her aunts’ conversations. They were all experts when it came to being with and manipulating married men. She learned how to kiss from her high school boyfriend. And her college boyfriend, her biology professor, schooled her in anatomy and how to physically please a man.

  Before getting involved with Eric, she had dated, but she only had two other semi serious relationships. Neither was fulfilling. The first was Thomas Smith. He was cute, but he lacked the drive to satisfy her physically. When they were together she found herself fantasizing about other men. Intellectually he was a genius, but no one really makes love to a person’s brain. It was the other part of his body that needed more educating and she knew she wasn’t a school teacher.

  Then there was Alister Humphrey. The name alone intrigued her. She had never met a black man with such a stuffy name. In the beginning he seemed like the complete package. Model good looks, intelligence and his skills in bed were unbelievable. The first time they made love, the intensity of his being inside her brought tears to her eyes. Not because it was painful, but because she had never felt such pleasure. Alister knew exactly how to read her body. A skill that was the result of his blindness. What he lacked in vision, he more than compensated for in his other senses. But, he was a man and as they all do, he began making demands and that’s when she called it quits. Mind blowing sex aside, Kyla was gone.

  Her aunts always said, “Don’t allow a man to make demands on you. You make the demands on him. Use what you have and any man can be controlled with the sway of your hips and the wink of your eye. And, showing a little cleavage wouldn’t hurt either.”

  If she were going to marry, it would be to Eric. He was everything she wanted. Handsome, well educated, focused, rich and eager to please in and out of bed. But she also learned from her aunts, the wife always got the leftovers and Kyla didn’t like leftovers or sloppy seconds. When Eric suggested the apartment, at first she thought, he was ashamed of her. But Eric’s response to her kiss and touch convinced her, she was his priority.

  She knew she was in charge. She eased her hand further down his pants pleading, “Baby, please make me sing again before sending me off to start the day.”

  She kissed his neck before dropping the sheet that was caressing her body and walked into the bathroom. He stood still contemplating the repercussions of being late to the office, when he heard the shower running. He looked at his watch and texted his assistant he would be late. He put his phone on the desk, striped, walked into the steam filled bathroom and opened the shower door to a wet and soapy Kyla, smiling.

  “Are you ready to sing?” he asked as he leaned her up against the slippery tiled wall. He pressed himself against her and filled his mouth with every inch of her. He lifted her from behind and rode her like a beautiful long legged mare. The harder he rode, the louder she sang. One last trot, and he sang out too. He rested his head on her chest and she had her answer, “no,” there was no one else, just her. She reached over and turned the hot water off. They both needed to cool down. “Baby, I’ll do whatever you want, just don’t leave me,” he begged.

  She smiled to herself and replied, “Whatever you say baby.”

  He pulled away and she turned the hot water back on and washed him like a newborn baby. Gently stroking every inch of him. He knew there wasn’t another woman like her. No woman ever treated him like this. He stood still and let her soft hands wash him clean.

  On his way to work, he called her. “You are an amazing woman.” She remained silent. “Can I see you tonight?”

  She thought for a moment before replying, “Only if you promise to repeat that shower scene.”

  “Your wish is my command.”

  Now more than three years later and countless showers and secret meetings, she’s still calling the shots.

  Chapter 19

  THE INDENTATION OF HIS WARM body was still pressed into the bed. When Kyla rolled over onto the other pillow, she could still smell Eric…musk, tobacco and citrus. She wrapped herself in the wet sheets, closed her eyes and replayed the morning. She felt breathless as she remembered how his hands felt following the map of pleasure up and down her body.

  Eric knew every inch of her almost as well as she did. She licked her lips and the taste of him brought a wicked smile to her face causing her to sink deeper into the mattress. She opened her eyes and looked at the clock noting the time, nine o’clock. She took a deep breath and threw her feet over the edge of the bed, tossing the sheet back. She stood up, and stretched to the heavens while admiring herself in the mirrored closet doors. She walked into the bathroom and continued with her second favorite morning ritual, a hot bath. She turned the hot water on and sprinkled a mix of lavender bath salts, rose bath oil and a dash of parfum scented bath foam into the water. She hated washing Eric’s scent off, but she couldn’t bear for anyone to know what she had been doing before walking into the office. She climbed into the large white soaking tub letting the bubbles graze her chin. She reached for the remote and turned the television on to her favorite morning news program.

  She closed her eyes and slumped down further in the tub resting her head on the plush terry cloth neck pillow. Her mind drifted to the game of footsies they had played in the tub before making out until the wat
er got cold, only to be heated up again by their love making.

  She looked around the bathroom and wondered what her life would be like if she accepted Eric’s proposal? He had asked her several times and each time she explained that marriage wasn’t for her. She never saw herself as the type of woman to go grocery shopping for pot roast or making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. And pushing a vacuum cleaner was not her first choice of exercise. However, each time after they made love, and getting him dressed for work, she thought, maybe.

  On the elevator ride down, she told herself, “Once the elevator stops, I’ll call him and say yes.” She reached inside her bag for her phone and pressed the coded number. Three rings and she hung up. Three rings later, she took a deep breath all set to give Eric the answer he’d been waiting three years to hear.

  “Hello,” the deep voice sang through the earpiece. She never said anything, always waiting for Eric, before saying anything. “I’m sorry, let me check on that and I’ll get back to you.” He ended the call and ten-seconds her phone rang. “Hey sexy.”

  She felt the simple three letter word on the tip of her tongue and when she opened her mouth, instead of “yes,” she replied, “I love it when you call me that.”

  “On your way to the office?”

  “Yes.”

  “Are we still on for tonight?”

  She thought about his hands and his chiseled chest pressing against her breasts and the work out they had this morning and thought maybe not tonight. She opened her mouth to form her answer, and instead of “No, not tonight,” she replied, “I’ll be the one wearing the red pumps and a smile.” She listened as he cleared his throat. “Don’t have a heavy lunch. I don’t want you so full neither of us can enjoy ourselves.”

  “Yes ma’am.” He almost choked as he envisioned her legs wrapped around him and the sound of her voice as he did that thing with his tongue she liked. “Did you see the envelope?”

  “Yes, thank you.”

  Her desk drawer was filled with enough little black envelopes to launch her own stationery store. Always the same, thirty crisp one hundred dollar bills. Never a check and never anything smaller, sometimes more and always tucked into the inside pocket of her bag.

  In the three years they’d been together, he had given her close to a half million dollars. The apartment belonged to her, but it wasn’t where she lived. It’s where she and Eric lived their fantasy life. It could be their permanent life if she would just say, “Yes.”

  “Sweetheart, I—”

  “Honey, I think I know what you’re going to say and the answer is still the same, not yet.”

  “You’ve got me all tied up in knots, but you’re in charge and I’ll wait.”

  “Thank you. Now I want you to lock your door, lay down on the sofa, close your eyes and picture us naked and me kissing you from head to toe.”

  “Baby I can’t I have…”

  Kyla knew Eric couldn’t resist her anything after imagining her in her birthday suit. Three times a week she was either his breakfast meeting or an early therapy session and when he wanted to spend more time with her, she was both. And twice a week she was his dinner meeting or a VIP patient. After spending the weekend with his family, he was like a newly released prisoner, anxious to be with a woman again.

  “I’ll see you at seven. Bye lover.”

  Chapter 20

  “I WANNA GET MARRIED,” ERIC announced.

  Kyla leaned up against the headboard. “Excuse me?”

  “I want, let me rephrase that. If I want to be taken seriously as a marriage therapist, it would help if I were married.”

  “I see.”

  “Most of the couples I’ve been working with are beginning to question my ability to treat them, seeing I’m not married. So, what do you say?” He waited for her answer.

  “That was a horrible proposal.”

  “I’m sorry.” He got up and walked over to her side of the bed, took her hand in his, cleared his throat and made a second attempt. “Kyla, will you marry me.”

  She looked at him for a brief moment, before replying, “Baby, I’m not Susie Homemaker. I like things the way they are.” He stood up, looking at her with no reaction. “Like I told you before, I’m not interested in marriage.”

  “We don’t have to live together, it could be like it is now. Only difference is, we’d be married.”

  “How is that like what we have now? I don’t want to be legally bound to you, or anyone else for that matter.” She tried to read his expression. “If this is something you feel you need to do, then I think you should get married.”

  “But you said you didn’t want to get married.”

  “I don’t.” She stood up and put her robe on. “Excuse me.” She walked into the kitchen and he followed her.

  “I’m a little confused. You agree with my decision to get married, but you don’t want to marry me.”

  “That’s correct.” She poured two glasses of champagne.

  “I don’t understand.”

  She took a long sip and answered him. “It’s very simple. You need a wife. Let me rephrase that, you want a showpiece. Someone your patients can relate to, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “All I want from you is sex.”

  “I thought you loved me.”

  She brushed the side of his face. “That’s cute. Baby, I’m not in love with you and deep down, you’re not in love with me.”

  “Yes, I am.”

  “Really, then why are you seeing someone else?”

  He was speechless. He had an answer for every one of her questions, but this one caught him off guard. “I’m not seeing anyone else.”

  She smirked. “Eric, give me a little credit. I know I’m not the only woman you’re seeing. I may be the only one you’re having sex with, but I know there are others.” She turned and went back into the bedroom.

  “That’s not true.” He followed her.

  “Really? Honey, that sickly sweet parfum gave you away.”

  “One of my patients hugged me.”

  She took her robe off and climbed back into bed. “Okay, you stick with that story.” She pulled the sheet back on his side of the bed and patted the mattress. “Why don’t you come back to bed and let me explain my reasons a little more.”

  He stood pouting.

  She crawled across the bed, wrapped her arms around his neck and gently kissed his lips. “You know, I heard once you get married, you rarely have sex. So if you don’t want to have sex anymore, then we should get married.” She pulled back waiting on his reaction. He slowly smiled and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him. “So what do you want to do?” she purred.

  “Whatever you want.”

  “Uhmmm…,” she purred again. The feel of her hot breath gliding into his ear was exciting. He was under her spell and ready to do anything she suggested. “We need to find you a wife.” She covered his mouth with hers, kissing him hard as she fell back onto the bed pulling him down on top of her.

  “Whatever you say, sexy.”

  She smiled and in between kisses she rattled off one last command. “Although she’ll be your wife, I’ll be the one you share a bed with.” She opened his robe and pulled him close. “Do I make myself clear?”

  “Very.”

  Breathing heavy, Eric rolled over onto his side of the bed and announced, “I’ve been seeing someone.”

  “And you felt now was the best time to tell me? I know romance isn’t something we pretend to do, but, you’re barely out…” She pulled the wet sheet across her chest and leaned up against the headboard. “Fine, tell me about her.”

  “She’s everything you told me to look for.”

  She hesitated before responding. “How long?”

  “Six months.”

  “Have you slept with her?”

  “No.”

  She nodded. “So what’s next?”

  “I guess I’ll propose, unless you…”

  “I told yo
u, all I want from you is sex. I’m fine with you marrying your little girlfriend.”

  He sighed. “Well, I guess I’m getting married.”

  “I guess you are.”

  “And us?”

  “We can still see each other.”

  “Okay then.” He smiled.

  “You need to understand I will not be treated like the other woman. I am to remain number one. She’s second.”

  “Okay.”

  “When I call, I expect you to come right away. And she needs to be on the pill.” He smirked. “I’m serious Eric. If she gets pregnant, it’s over. And when we’re together, no talking about her or your other life. She is simply an end to a means. And you’d better not sleep with her and then come over here to me.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “You heard me. I will not be getting her sloppy seconds. I have put too much time into training you to have some other woman benefit from it.”

  He looked at her, questioning her statement. How would she know he’d been with his wife? Was being with Kyla even worth it? She was great in bed, but that privilege came with a price. He looked at her, thinking about the round they’d just had and he had his answer. She was worth it and more. “Is there anything else?”

  “Since you’re getting married, I’ll be dating.”

  “What?”

  “What we have is fun, but since you’re getting a wife, I think it’s only fair I date.”

  “So does this mean you’ll be…”

  “I’m single, I can do whatever I want and if that means I want to sleep with someone else, I will.”

  He went into the bathroom and came back. “I don’t like it. I don’t want you sleeping with anyone else.”

  “That’s not your decision to make. I’m a grown woman without any attachments.”

  “It doesn’t have to be that way.”

  “No, it doesn’t.” She went into the bathroom and turned the shower on.

  “Kyla.” She ignored him and stepped into the shower and closed the door. “Kyla.” She turned her back to him. He opened the door and joined her in the shower. He wrapped his arms around her kissing her neck. “Baby, please, please don’t let anyone else hear you sing. Please…,” he begged pulling her closer and caressing her body. “Please…,” he whispered pressing himself into her causing her to sing. Each push made her sing louder. “Please…,” he whispered again. One last push and he joined her cries of delight. “I’ll do whatever you say, just don’t let anyone else hear that beautiful sound.”