by Anna Black
“Yes. Damn, and how do you know her?”
“Ummm, she tried to sabotage Leila and Rayshon’s relationship a few years back. I can’t believe this. I gotta call Leila,” Christa replied, going for her phone. “I’ll see you, Cher,” she said and hurried out the door.
Chapter Nine
Leila heard her phone ringing, but she was too tired to move to get it. Between the baby not sleeping at night and dealing with the kids all day because school was out, she thought she was going to die from exhaustion. Ray had back-to-back-to-back clients, so if it weren’t for Devon, she wouldn’t have any help. She had made the worst mistake of her life by allowing Tabitha to take the summer off. She had figured she could deal with her own children for at least the summer, but they were only four weeks in, and she couldn’t.
She finally turned over and mustered up the strength to see who had been calling her. It was Christa. She didn’t want to talk to her. Devon had told her about her accusing them of having something more than a friendship. Why Devon was celibate or not sleeping with Christa was a conversation she didn’t want to have with him, because, frankly, it wasn’t any of her business.
She put the phone on the nightstand and realized the house was extremely quiet. She got up and went to the bathroom and checked on the baby, sleeping in her bassinette before going downstairs. No one was there. She scratched her head. She remembered going up to nurse the baby while Devon stayed downstairs with the kids. He must have just taken them out for a while. She grabbed the cranberry juice from the fridge just as Devon and the kids walked in. He was carrying RJ, who was sleeping. Deja’s eyes were heavy.
“I’m gonna take him up and get Deja into bed,” Devon whispered.
“Thank you so much, Devon. I appreciate everything,” she said.
When he came back down, Leila was loading the dishwasher.
“How are you feeling, Lei?” he asked.
“Fine, Devon. I’m fine.”
“How are you really doing, Leila?”
She leaned back against the sink and took a deep breath. “I feel like shit.” Tears filled her eyes.
“Aw, Lei, don’t cry,” he said, moving toward her.
She put a hand up to stop him. She had more to say. “I-I-I-I never saw this coming, you know? I had a vision of what my life would be, and it’s like a bunch of bad writers who have it in for me hijacked the movie. Why is this not us? I mean, I married you, Devon, to have a family. My store . . . And all that went up in smoke.”
“Leila, you know how sorry I am,” he said.
She cut him off. She didn’t need his sorry anymore. “I know you are, Devon, and you don’t have to apologize anymore. I know you’re sorry every day when you come here and make sure I’m okay and that the kids are okay. I know you’re sorry. I love Rayshon, Devon. My heart is with him right now, but I will be so honest and say there are a lot of things about you that I miss. And yes, I have moments when I ask myself, ‘What if I were still with Devon?’ And then I think of Ray and how awesome and loving and caring he is. I know he loves me, but he just can’t feel my pain the way he used to. I can’t be mad at him about that anymore. I have to figure me out and find something else that will give my life some fulfillment because if I don’t, I’m gonna go crazy.”
She started to sob, and Devon pulled her into his arms. He held her tightly while she cried. When he let her go, she looked up. Rayshon stood watching them. From his expression, it was best for Devon to leave.
“Look, Leila, I’ll talk to you later,” Devon said and headed for the door.
When he left, Leila and Rayshon stood in the kitchen, looking at each other. Leila dried her face and went back to the dishes.
“You can’t talk to me now, Leila? Is Devon who you want and need? Is that it? Now you wanna go back to him?”
“No, Ray,” she replied. “No.”
“Then what am I supposed to do? I can’t tell him to stay away from my house because his daughter lives here, but I can’t keep watching you and him carry on like he’s still your husband. I am your husband.”
“Rayshon, Devon is just a good friend to me and a good father to Deja. He helps me. That is it, baby. I love you, Ray. That hasn’t changed. Have circumstances raised in this marriage to make us different? Yes. But I’m still here, and I’m still your wife.” She moved closer to him and put her head on his chest.
Ray wrapped his arms around her. There were no more words to be spoken. It had been weeks since he felt the heat from her body. He planted a few kisses on her forehead and then made his way down to her lips.
His dick hardened and started to ache. They hadn’t made love in months, and he realized at that moment just how much he really missed her. He grabbed her ass and pressed as hard as he could against her body, and she moaned.
“Baby, I’ve missed you. I want you,” he said.
Leila reached into his sweats and grabbed his erection. She hadn’t touched it in so long, and the way it stiffened so fast, she knew that he was happy to feel her touch.
“Follow me,” she said.
They rushed into the family room. Leila sat on the coffee table and pulled his sweats down to expose his erection, then took him inside of her mouth. He grabbed her head and held it gently as his rod glided in and out of her mouth. She grabbed it and traced the tip of his head with her tongue, making his body jerk, and he squirted in her face.
Leila looked up and smiled at him, and she felt the connection they used to have. “Let me get you a towel, baby. I’m sorry for that, but you know how good you are,” he said, putting his nut-tipped penis back into his boxers. He hurried off and got her a hot towel, and when he handed it over, she wiped her face.
* * *
As soon as she put the towel down, the baby monitor released the sounds of the baby crying, so Leila got up.
“I’m not done with you yet, Leila,” he said when she got closer to the stairs.
She paused and turned back to him. “I hope not,” she said and smiled before going upstairs.
Chapter Ten
Leila parked and took a few deep breaths before opening her door. She was ready to see what her bookstore had transformed into since Christa had become her renter. Christa had been blowing her phone up for the last couple of days, and Leila was still a little irked at her for saying she and Devon had something more than what it was. Friendship and that’s it, Leila thought as she took Rayven’s stroller out of the back of her Armada.
Deja was with Devon, and Rayshon had taken RJ to work with him. He had told Leila that he’d just let him go to the gym’s daycare to give her a little peace. It was cool, but Leila didn’t like the idea of her son being in one room all day. After Rayshon assured her that he would let him hang out with him between sessions, she had given in.
“Hello, hello, hello,” Leila said as she entered what was once her bookstore. She looked around in awe because the space seemed so different, and it was beautiful.
“Leila,” Christa said with excitement, “come on in. I’ve been calling you, girl. I know you are buried in children, but could you have at least answered one call or called a sister back?” She reached for the baby. “Aw, li’l Rayven is so beautiful,” she said, picking her up out of her stroller. “She should be my first little client.”
“Girl, I’m sorry. Half the time, I don’t even know where my phone is. The kids are driving me bananas. It looks so good in here. Oh my, paint and wood floors go a long way.” Leila missed her bookstore even more.
“Yes, it’s turning out so lovely. This place is so great. I haven’t even put up the new sign yet, and I already have folks tapping on the window asking me when I open.”
“Wow, that is so great, Christa. I’m happy for you.” Leila walked around, admiring the new accents that had been added. Modern sconces, mirrors, art, and beautiful images of Christa from her modeling days made the room look like a modeling agency.
“Rayven is so pretty, Leila. You should consider letting her model.”
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Leila knew she had a gorgeous baby, but she was not interested in making her into a baby model. “Hey, Rayven is not going to be your first client, so stop. She is too little to have cameras in her face.”
“You say that, but I know somebody that works for Gerber. Rayven could be the next Gerber Baby.” Christa tickled Rayven under her little neck, and the baby smiled. “See, look at that beautiful smile.”
“Again, no thanks. Rayven is not ready for the spotlight,” Leila said, moving to the back of the store to what used to be her office. “Wow, you changed everything in here too.” She felt a pang. She didn’t realize that to see the changes to her store was going to hurt like this.
“Yeah, the carpet was old, and the wood throughout makes it more modern.” Christa put the baby back into her stroller. “So, Leila, how have you been?”
“Good. Still telling myself to take it one day at a time, so I’m doing good. I’m looking around this place, and I don’t even recognize it. But it looks great, and I hope it brings you way more success than it brought to me,” she said sadly.
“Come on, now, Leila, don’t go there. Don’t start.” Christa smiled. “Everything is going to go the way it’s supposed to go, okay?”
“Okay, okay,” Leila said, smiling with her.
“Now, let’s get to other business. I’ve been blowing your phone up, Mrs. Johnson, because the other night, I found out some craziness, and I had to tell you.”
“What?” Leila walked over and took a seat on a pretty red plush sofa.
“Brace yourself,” Christa warned.
“Come on, girl, spill it.”
“Well, your rental manager slash real estate agent is the older sister to ol’ girl, Katrina.”
“Katrina? Crazy Katrina that almost caught a beat-down in Ray’s loft the last time I saw her ass?”
“Yep, that’s the one,” Christa said and sat on a stool.
“No fucking way. Are you serious?”
“Yes. The other night, I went to Jay’s, and I was talking to Cherae and bam! Outta the blue, she walked up to Cherae with some nonsense about owing her money for burying their mother. And get this—their momma was apparently on crack, which is why Cher left home.”
“Who gives a damn about their momma being on crack? The point is the woman that is handling business for me is the sister of the woman who hates me and wants my man.”
“Wanted your man. And speaking of wanting men . . .” Christa took a deep breath. “Do you still want Devon?”
“Excuse me?” Leila asked. Christa had to be on crack too, to think that. “That’s absurd, Christa.”
“No, it isn’t. I don’t know what kinda hold you have on Devon, but it’s affecting our relationship.”
“Christa, listen to yourself. Whatever issues you have with Devon have absolutely nothing to do with me.” Leila was pissed. How dare Christa come out of her mouth saying something so ridiculous.
“Well, it has to be something, and I decided to be up front and ask.”
“Well, you are barking up the wrong tree. Whatever is wrong or not right with you and Devon is between you and Devon. Like I told you before, Devon and I are close friends, and that may never change. If that’s a problem for you, maybe you should consider leaving one of us alone.”
“What?” Christa asked and stood up.
“You heard me, Christa. I mean, I get so tired of telling you and telling Ray over and over that nothing is going on with Devon and me. Yet, you blame me for Devon not sleeping with you. If that’s making you so unhappy, then dump his ass.”
“You’d love that, wouldn’t you?” Christa spat.
Leila was speechless. “Well, I thought you were more than just a pretty face, but I guess I was wrong. Be sure that your rent is on time.” She pushed the stroller toward the door.
“No worries, Leila. Devon already cut me a check,” Christa yelled.
* * *
“Hey, Ray, you got a second?” Christa asked, barging into his office.
“Ummm, I guess I do since you’re here,” he said.
She took a seat. “I think Leila and Devon have something going on that they are not telling us.”
Ray sat back and frowned. “What? What makes you say that?”
“Well, to be honest with you, Ray, Devon, and I have never had sex.”
“So, you come in here assuming he’s having sex with my wife?”
“I can’t say that for sure, but it’s something. It’s like Leila can snap her fingers, and he drops everything to rush to her side.”
“Christa, it sounds like you’re a little jealous of their friendship.”
“Ya think? I don’t know, Ray. At times, I feel like it’s more than that. I notice the way he looks at her and how he is like this good guy when she’s in the room. And I swear, as sweet as Devon is to me, I don’t think that he’s really into me. I mean, not like he’s into Leila.”
“Listen, Christa, you need to talk and confront Devon with what you’re feeling. But trust me, I know my wife, and she isn’t sleeping with him.” He stood up. “I have work to do. I’ve got a client waiting,” he said and left.
“Well, Rayshon, I hope you’re right,” she said.
Chapter Eleven
“Hey, Devon,” Leila said when he walked in.
“Hey, how are you, beautiful?”
“I’m fine, but we need to talk,” she said.
He set the Chinese food he brought for her and the kids on the counter. “Okay.”
Leila told Deja to take her brother upstairs. When they were gone, she turned to Devon. “Look, I know it’s none of my business, and you can tell me to butt out if you want to, but I have to ask.” She paused, nervous. “Why are you not sleeping with Christa?”
“Wow. Well, Christa and I sleep together all the time,” he said.
Leila knew he knew what she meant, but she rephrased the question. “Okay, then, I’ll be blunt. Why are you not fucking Christa?” she asked. She knew she was crossing the line, but she wanted Christa to understand that it had absolutely nothing to do with her.
“Whoa. I guess women do discuss everything.”
“Yes, we do, and we also point the finger and make accusations. Christa has this big thing in her head that it’s because of me.” She watched him closely and waited for his response.
“Really?”
“Really,” she said.
“Well, to tell you the truth, Leila, part of it’s true.”
Leila covered her mouth. “No, Devon, no. Don’t say something so crazy, okay? We’re friends, dammit. Nothing more, nothing less.” She became teary-eyed. She didn’t want shit to be complicated.
“I know that, Lei, but I can’t stand here and look you in the eye and tell you that I still don’t have feelings for you. I can’t get over you, no matter how I’ve tried. Yes, I wish I were coming home to you every day, and, yes, I miss the hell outta you, but I know you are married to Ray. And I don’t bother you with my feelings or tell you how much I hate that I fucked up our marriage and how Christa doesn’t arouse me the way you do.” He moved closer to her, and she stood frozen. “Leila, I miss your scent, your cooking, your singing in the shower, and having you to myself.” He kissed her on the lips, and she stood there like a statue.
“No,” she whispered, barely loud enough for her to hear her own voice. “We are friends,” she tried to say in a normal voice.
“I know,” he whispered and kissed her again. “We will always be friends, Lei, and I respect you and your marriage. I would never ask for anything more.”
He moved as if to kiss her again—and Ray walked in. Devon quickly stepped aside. “Do you want me to fix the kids’ plates?” he asked.
“Naw, I got it from here,” Ray said.
“Okay, then, I’ll be leaving.” Devon hurried to the door and left.
Ray’s temple flared. “Leila,” he said through clenched teeth.
“Yes,” she said, moving around the kitchen, not giving him any
eye contact.
“What did I walk in on?”
“Nothing, Rayshon,” she said and got two plates from the cabinet for the kids.
“Nothing?” he asked again. He sounded furious.
“Yes, nothing,” she said. She went to the stairs and called the kids down.
She turned and saw Ray looking at her with disgust. Without saying anything else, he walked out the door, slamming it hard enough to shake the walls. She ran to the door and called out to him, but he kept walking toward his truck.
“Ray, wait, please!” she yelled.
He climbed into the driver’s seat of his SUV without responding. Her heart raced. She didn’t know what he had heard or how much he had seen. What she did know was that she had to keep her distance from Devon. She didn’t want him back, and she did not want to lose Ray, either.
She decided she’d give him a little time to cool off, but when it was after midnight, and he hadn’t come back home, she called him. He didn’t answer, so she called again, over and over. When he still didn’t answer, she texted him, asking him just to call and let her know that he was safe. He didn’t reply.
Finally, close to two a.m., when she was up feeding the baby, she heard the door chime from the alarm. She was relieved that he was home.
When he walked into the room, he didn’t say a word. He went straight to the master bathroom and turned on the shower. Leila sat nursing Rayven and looking into her little eyes. They were just like Ray’s. Leila smiled at her. “Please tell your daddy not to be angry with me,” she whispered. She wished Rayven could speak. Maybe if she told him, he’d listen.
When Ray came back into the room, she was done feeding the baby and had her sitting on her lap, patting her back for her to burp. He had a towel wrapped around him, and when he stood in front of his dresser, Leila remembered staring at his beautiful back the day they had their first sexual encounter. It was amazing then and even more amazing now because it belonged to her.
She smiled, but when he turned around with a sad look on his face, her smile faded. Their eyes locked, and he quickly looked away. He stepped into his boxers and climbed into bed. He lay on his side, facing them and began talking to the baby. He didn’t say anything to Leila.