by J. Nichole
I told him all about the sights, the people, the weather, “The restaurant scene was popping, bars seemed like a place you’d hang out.” I rubbed my hands together. “But if I ever go back, it’ll have to be in the warmer months.”
“Hmm, sounds like a place to keep on my list of places to visit.” I asked him what other places graced his list. “Too many to name, but my top three domestic cities are New Orleans”—I loved it there—“San Francisco”—cute city—“and Charleston.” Bingo, I’d never been to Charleston.
“Of the three cities you mentioned, I have never been to Charleston.” I stopped short of offering for us to take a trip there. Besides, I was hot off the warning from Marley to not replace her as my traveling buddy.
“Maybe we can visit together one day,” he said as he pulled into the parking spot in front of my condo.
Russell placed my luggage beside my closet door and asked, “Mind company?” I shook my head because I didn’t mind, not one bit.
“Give me just a second to change clothes,” I said. I always felt all types of dirty when I finished traveling. The airports, airplanes, germs from all sorts of people. The thoughts made me hop in the shower instead. I started the shower and let the room become steamy before I stepped in.
With soap lathered on my arms, I heard Russell knocking on the bathroom door. “Need any help in there?” The many times we’d spent the night together, we had yet to shower together. I certainly wasn’t opposed to the idea, at all.
“Sure,” I responded to the opening door.
I continued lathering soap around my body as he undressed and joined me. He began rubbing circles into my back. My neck dropped forward but I avoided dipping my hair into the spray of water. After the soap had all dripped off my body, I turned to him. I added soap to my hands instead of my washcloth and worked it into his skin. Starting at his shoulders, reaching up above my head to reach them. Then I worked down his torso, where I stopped at the V to admire his dick hardening from my touch.
I continued down his legs, rubbing soap into his thighs. My eyes peered up to catch him watching me, intently. “All clean,” I said as I watched the water cascade from his body after we switched positions. He grabbed my chin and pulled me into a kiss. My eyes closed and my arms wrapped around his waist, his dick nudging me in my belly.
His head dipped to my neck, and his hand went between my legs. As he kissed and teased me, I peppered kisses down his chest. Then a spray of cold water stunned the both of us. “Shower time is over.” He laughed as he reached to turn the shower off. I grabbed towels for us and wrapped mine around me before stepping into my bedroom. “Not so fast,” he said from behind me. He pulled the corner of my towel causing it to drop beside us.
He wrapped his arms around my legs and laid me onto the bed. Dropping to his knees at the edge, he spread my legs wide and massaged my inner thighs before he dipped his tongue between them.
Alternating between licks, and soft rubs, my moans went from soft whimpers to loud rumbles. When he sucked on my clit, I screamed, “Shit.” My eyes started to roll and my back began to curve off the bed. “Russell, damn,” I said as he continued sucking. My breath quickened and I was just about to cum before he stopped sucking. He moved from the edge of the bed and returned with his dick teasing my entrance. He hovered over me with my arms wrapped around his shoulders, gripping him, trying to pull him into me.
He kissed between my breasts before he pushed inside of me. My hips lunged forward, trying to take in every, single, inch of him. I slowed my hips as he filled me, and my hands rubbed up and down his back as I whispered, “I missed you,” into his ear.
Both of his hands framed my head and I felt his eyes on me, before he kissed my forehead and replied, “I missed you too.” Those admissions were enough to send us over the edge. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders, pulling me forward as my body jerked in response to one last thrust.
We sat holding each other, just like that. I rested my head on his chest and drifted to sleep, safe in his arms.
Fourteen
Russell
“Yeah,” I said into the phone. “We’re on our way,” I lied as I watched Anaya lay across the bed. We were on our way to the party, but Anaya stepped out of the bathroom dressed in only black, lace panties and a bra to match.
I laughed when Nolan snapped, “Bruh, I know when you’re lying. Your ass hasn’t even left yet, have you?” I didn’t respond. Anaya was blowing me kisses and I knew we’d be later because if I had it my way, we’d be getting into one more round before we left for the night.
“We’ll be there soon,” I huffed before hanging the phone up and walking back to the bed. “I could have just told him we were staying in tonight,” I said as I crawled next to Anaya.
Her eyes widened and she said, “No, Shay would kill me.” She was right. I’d never hear the end of it if we stayed in. Shay and Nolan were in town for the New Year’s Eve Party, and we had planned on meeting them there weeks ago. “But”—she kissed my cheek—“there’s always after.” She rolled out of the bed and I sighed as she went back to the bathroom.
I stood from the bed and started dressing in my slacks when Anaya came out of the bathroom wearing a fitted, black lace dress. Her hair was curled around her shoulders, and she had on a fresh layer of red lipstick—I had kissed off the first application.
“I should just call them back,” I said. “I can deal with the wrath of Shay later.” Anaya winked at me and turned around to reveal the dip in the dress that exposed her back. “Damn, babe.” I grabbed my dick and adjusted it so my pants would zip. “If we are going to get out of here, you are going to have to put your jacket on.” She laughed and left out of the room with a pair of red pumps in her hand. I’d have to remind her to keep those on when we got back tonight.
Once I had my shirt and suit jacket on, I joined her in the living room where she had pulled on her coat, but even fully covered I still wanted to take her back to the room. I knew what was under that coat.
Tonight was our first night out as an official couple though. For Christmas, although we didn’t spend it together, I asked her to be my girl. I asked her as I gave her a small gift box with diamond earrings on Christmas Eve. As I navigated to the event, I looked over and saw the earrings in her ear. “The earrings look good on you, Babe,” I told her.
She put a hand behind her earlobe and said, “Oh yeah, my boyfriend gave me these.”
“He must be a keeper,” I said to her chuckle. I pulled up in front of The Renaissance hotel and threw my keys to the valet. With my arm outstretched, I escorted the sexiest woman of the night into the party. We checked Anaya’s coat before we walked in and I said, “Whoa,” as we entered the packed room. “I should call Nolan to find them.”
Anaya swiveled her head around then agreed. “Yeah, it’s too dark to even try to look through the crowd.”
“Hey,” he shouted into the phone, “we’re over by the bar near the entrance.” I turned to my right and saw the bar before hanging up.
Anaya and I laced our fingers together and I led us to the bar where I saw Nolan and Shay talking to a couple I didn’t recognize. I didn’t interrupt but stood beside them to order myself a beer and Anaya a glass of wine. “Finally,” Nolan said with a hand to my back. He wrapped an arm around my neck and leaned into my ear. “Anaya has you all types of messed up, huh?”
“Man.” I thought about our time in the bed before leaving, and the time earlier in the day too. “Almost wanted to cancel on y’all,” I said as I handed Anaya her glass. I looked to Shay and said, “I knew you wouldn’t let us live that down.”
“Damn right,” she said as she opened her arms for a hug that I gladly returned. “It’s been too long since I’ve seen my girl.” Anaya smiled and hugged Shay next. “Tell me he’s been treating you right.” She tried to whisper but the music was so loud she still sounded like she was shouting.
Anaya looked to me and I could see how I felt in her eyes. Over the past mont
h, my feelings for her had grown, and I see hers had too. Unfortunately, in a few days I’d be back on my travel schedule and neither of us ever wanted a long distance relationship, but we’d have to figure out a way to make it work. “He sure is.” She smirked. “Otherwise, my big sis taught me exactly how to kick him to the curb.” I cocked my head at the two of them sharing a laugh.
A couple of seats opened up at a table nearby, and Nolan and I stood beside the ladies as they sat and chatted about the night, old times, whatever, as Nolan told me about his latest house project. “Man, I still haven’t gotten into the whole fixer upper thing,” I said as he told me how they removed the doors of their kitchen cabinets, stripped them and repainted them. “Yeah, all that sounds like it took a long time,” I admitted.
“Not too long actually.” He dug his phone out of his pocket to show me pics. While he was scrolling, Shay asked Anaya about her Christmas.
She bent her head to the left to show off her bling and said, “It was amazing.” I was proud of the smile she wore as she said it.
“Okay, I see you, Russ,” Shay said looking to me. “What about Yara, how was her Christmas?” My eyes bulged and I swallowed a lump in my throat. I avoided looking to Anaya to see if she was listening. But Shay answered that for me when she said, “Shit.” She put her hand to her mouth. “You didn’t tell...”
I stole a glance at Anaya who was staring at me, waiting for my response. Meanwhile, Nolan said, “Here they are.” Like he had missed the entire exchange that his wife just had telling all my business I hadn’t had the chance to share with Anaya yet.
When I couldn’t spend Christmas with Anaya, because it was my holiday with Yara, I wanted to tell her the reason. I had all intentions of Anaya sticking around, and one day introducing her to Yara, but I couldn’t find a way to tell her about my three-year-old. Would our relationship be a non-starter? Now that Shay graced her with the detail, accidentally, I’d have to explain.
Shay looked at Nolan and rolled her eyes. Then she said in a motherly tone, “Anaya, maybe that’s something for y’all to discuss later.”
Anaya looked from me to Shay and said, “Might as well discuss it now since I seem to be the only one who doesn’t know who Yara is, and why it appears to be such an issue to say her name in front of me.” When she said the last part she was staring me down.
I looked around us at the crowd growing larger and asked, “Could we step outside for a minute?” She climbed off the stool and followed me to the lobby. I found two chairs away from the party and loud music so I could tell her and not worry about yelling, or people listening to our business.
With my elbow on my knees and my forehead in my hands, I took a deep breath then sat up. Anaya sat beside me with her arms crossed her chest and a stone face. “Yara is my three-year-old daughter,” I said plainly, because there was no way to sweeten up the delivery. Anaya’s mouth went loose and she looked up to the ceiling. “She’s the reason why I am busy every other weekend, and couldn’t spend Christmas together with you.”
“And the reason for the second bedroom in your condo,” she said softly. I nodded my head. “So from day one you could have told me about your daughter and you chose not to.” I had zero excuses for why I didn’t tell her. I respected the fact that she was angry, I’d probably be angry too. “Shay and Nolan both…” She pointed towards the party. “Why wouldn’t they have told me?”
“I wanted to tell you sooner. I told them I would.” I sighed, remembering the conversation where the two of them, on speakerphone, told me things were getting serious and I needed to tell Anaya. “Anaya, I’m sorry.”
She sat back in the chair, her fingers pinching the bridge of her nose. “I need a minute, Russell.” She opened her eyes and said, “Just give me a minute.”
I didn’t want to leave her sitting alone in the lobby, so I asked, “Are you asking me to leave?” She nodded her head. “I’ll be back inside, same table.” I stood to leave and took another look at her; she wouldn’t return my glance. Instead, she looked beyond me as if I wasn’t there.
Shay looked behind me when I returned to the table. “Did she leave?”
I shook my head and told her, “She said she needs a minute. She’s in the lobby.”
“Bruh, this is what we tried to warn you about weeks ago.” Nolan shook his head judging me for my wrongdoings. “You were so convinced that she wouldn’t be one you’d fall for, then you did, and then you believed you could tell her in your own time, and that wasn’t soon enough.” Shay placed a hand to Nolan’s arm and he stopped drilling into me.
“Russ, as a woman I will tell you, that was probably a hard blow.” She bit her lip and continued, “But a child isn’t like another woman. I hope she can look past you not telling her sooner.”
I sat alone at the table while Nolan and Shay went to the dance floor. Around the fourth song they danced through, I started to worry Anaya wouldn’t be returning. When Shay and Nolan returned for more drinks, I asked Shay, “Could you check on her?” She nodded her head and I told her exactly where to find her.
While we waited for Shay to come back, Nolan tried to show me the damn pictures of the cabinets and I looked at him out of the corner of my eyes and said, “Bruh, the fuck?”
He shrugged. “Thought you could use a change of thought for a minute.” I shook my head and took the phone from him, scrolling through his pictures not appreciating his work as he said, “Alright, maybe not now.” I couldn’t help but laugh at his crazy ass as I slammed his phone back into his hand.
“I need a beer,” I said as I walked back to the bar. When I got back to the table, Shay was back, but she was alone. “Damn, did you find her?”
She shook her head. “I called her while I was out there and she didn’t answer.” She frowned. “I’m probably on her shit list too.”
I guzzled the remainder of my beer and offered Shay a hug and shook hands with Nolan before I said, “I need to go find her.” They didn’t object.
I went to the lobby, back to where we sat and saw another couple occupying the seats. The lobby bar was empty, so I went back to the coat check and presented my ticket. “Oh, the lady picked it up,” he said when he returned empty-handed.
I retrieved my car from valet and drove to her condo, calling as I drove. When she didn’t answer I left a message, “Anaya, I will give you all the time you need to process the news of my daughter.” I sighed then continued, “I just want to know you’re safe.” I hung up and pulled in front of her condo. I looked up to her floor but couldn’t see her windows from where I was parked.
My finger jabbed the elevator call button and I stepped inside the empty elevator. I rubbed the top of my head as I prayed she was home safe, and would at least let me know that. I lifted my hand to the door but listened for any movement inside before I tapped on it. She didn’t answer and I left to keep from getting cursed out from the neighbors.
Driving along the highway, I thought about the week we’d spent together, and how I’d miss her when I was back on the road. Having the chance to just chill after work with her, go out to dinner mid-week, it was something I hadn’t experienced until now. Not even with Veronica, and maybe that was half of our problem. She became lonely and instead of telling me it bothered her, she stepped out.
Inside of my condo, I was drawn to the only room that was completely decorated—Yara’s. I sat in the middle of her bed and grabbed one of her favorite teddy bears. Yara would always be my proudest accomplishment. She’d always be my First Lady, I just hoped Anaya could understand why I protected her near my heart instead of telling her sooner.
As I sat there, my phone notified me of an incoming text.
Anaya: I’m home, safe.
I sighed a breath of relief and typed out a text in reply.
Russell: I’ll give you all the time you need. When you’re ready, I’m here.
Fifteen
Anaya
Dear #FutureHusband, honesty isn’t just answering the questions I
ask of you, it’s about telling me the answers to the questions I’m not asking.
The morning after I posted my last #FutureHusband post, I had tons of texts from Lisa and Marley both asking what the hell happened. I still had a day off before I had to return to work so I agreed to meet them for drinks in DC.
They were fans of Russell, but they were my ride-or-die girls. If I told them we hated Russell, then we hated Russell. Or so I thought.
I rolled my eyes to the back of my head, and like my mama said, they were going to be stuck the number of times I kept rolling them as Marley tried to convince me I had every right to be mad, but didn’t need to end my relationship over him having a daughter.
“Listen,” she started again, trying to negotiate on his behalf. “Having a kid is a big thing. I can only imagine that telling the chick you like that you have a kid is huge too.” I looked to Lisa hoping she’d add some logic to this conversation, but she just sat there nodding her head in agreement with Marley.
“Like y’all never talked about wanting to have kids in the future?” Lisa asked, leaning on the table in front of me.
I shook my head. “No, it hadn’t come up before.” I wanted kids eventually, but I wasn’t out here sizing dudes up about whether they wanted kids or not. “It wasn’t the top thing on my list to discuss.”
“Hmm,” she grunted, “it’s like one of my first questions to a dude.” Of course it was. Lisa was ready to start a family as soon as she could get Deshaun to pop the question. “Deshaun wants kids, and he came from a big family, so he probably wants more than I do, but that’s negotiable.”
I watched as Marley shook her head. “What are you going to do?” Marley asked.
“I lost sleep over the same question last night.” We had grown closer over the past week, and I liked what we had together. I trusted him, until now. Now I felt like there would be times when I’d have to question whether he was withholding the truth. Like I wouldn’t think I’d have to ask if he met a girl while traveling, but I’m sure he wouldn’t offer that information up either. “I just need more time to think about it.”