by Tina Martin
Everson took a moment to appreciate her, every inch of her soft, feminine body – staring at the familiar places where his lips and mouth had been but still watered for. He loved June. No woman could be what June represented to him and he would never love anyone the way he loved her.
He lowered himself to his knees, kissed her thighs with moistened, small kisses, listening as she gasped when he got closer and closer to her thigh’s juncture. He lingered there, drunk with her womanly scent.
“Everson,” she said softly.
He felt her jerk beneath him and let up, licking circles around her navel as her body continued to write at his touch.
“Oh, Everson...ah,” she gasped. “I missed you, too. I missed you so much.”
“I know,” he said standing, easing her legs apart before he eased down on top of her. “I love you, June.”
“I love you, Everson,” June said, staring into his eyes, seeing a slight wetness in them.
“I love you so much,” Everson said, taking another kiss that nearly rendered her spineless. When she felt the grand entry of his body sliding into her dampness, she clung on to the sheets moaning while he descended, then he moved his body with the power of a locomotive – making love to her in a way he never had before – like he was afraid this would be the last time. Afraid of losing her.
She tightened her hold on him, crying out in pleasure when he rocked her straight into utopia. He wouldn’t stop even still, provoking her to wrap her legs tight around his thick, muscular thighs and hold on, their bodies fitting together so tightly, he’d lift her up off the bed with his precise back-and-forward motions. Then she felt the exact moment sensations drove him to the brink.
“Oh, June,” he said. “Oh—” he groaned, overwhelmed with pleasure as blood sizzled through his veins – as love passed from his body to hers. And he continued groaning. Continued stroking. Continued making love to her until he drained every drop of himself. Until he gave her his all.
Sated, heaving for air, he looked at her. Smiled. ‘‘You are everything to me.” He kissed her lips. “Do you know that?”
Sweat laced her face. Soft moans still drifted from her mouth. “Yes. I know that. Do you know you’re everything to me, too?”
“I’ll always be everything you need me to be.”
“Good,” she said, steadily panting. “How on earth was I able to go without the beast for nearly a week?”
Everson chuckled. “Trust me, the beast missed you, too.”
“I can tell. I can’t feel my legs.”
Everson lowered his mouth and took another tongue-tangling kiss. “Mmm...I’m not done,” he said, feeling his arousal awaken even more now as he lay buried in the very depths of the woman he loved. He took a quick kiss of her damp lips. “May I have more?” He kissed her again.
June’s eyes sparkled as she stared up at him. She appeared love drunk when she replied, “Everson, you can have whatever you like.”
“I love the sound of that,” he said, closing his eyes briefly, letting the moment overtake him like he was overtaking her, rocking back and forth with trained precision – knowing her, knowing her body and what it would take to send her soaring.
June’s hands struggled to grip his dense shoulder blades, sweaty ones, and he was consistently working up more sweat, putting in overtime. The faster he moved, the more she panted and struggled to grip him. Anything she could grab on to at this point would help, but her nerves were so rattled and she was so gone, all she could do was lock her hands around his neck completely and move in sync with him while her body fragmented into tiny, little pieces.
“Everson!”
“I’m right here with you, baby.” Spasms left her body and went right into his, causing his body to throb and convulse in a way it never had before. He doused the heat building inside of her and continued panting. Continued riding the peak to new heights while she held on.
“June!”
He toppled over again, threw his head back and grunted loudly into the heated air inside of their bedroom.
Moments later, he eased off of her, staring into her eyes. Stroking her brown hair. “I have to be the luckiest man in the world to have a woman like you.”
June smiled, tracing the groove of his lips. “No. I’m the lucky one.” She leaned close to him, kissed those lips she’d just traced. “Everson.”
“Yes, baby.”
“I don’t want to sound clingy and needy, but I want us to spend more time together.”
“You don’t sound clingy. In fact, I was thinking the same thing.”
Her eyes widened. “Really?”
“Yes. Being away from you made me realize exactly what you’re saying right now. I want us to strengthen our bond, and I’m not opposed to starting on our family now.”
June smiled. “Seriously?”
“Yes. You look surprised.”
“I am,” June said, propping up on her shoulder. “Since before we were married, you’ve wanted to wait three years before having children.”
He grinned. “Yeah.”
“So, what’s changed?” she asked, teasing his nipple with her index finger. “What’s gotten into you, Everson Blackstone?”
Everson threaded his hands behind his head as he looked up at the ceiling. “I don’t know,” he said, but he knew. Finding out he had a teenage son made him long for what it would be like to actually watch his child grow up. To watch June’s body change and blossom with his baby growing inside of her. And he had no doubts that June would be an excellent mother. She was already a wonderful wife.
“Well, if you’re one-hundred percent sure, I’m okay with it.”
“You are?” he asked, looking at her.
“I am,” she responded, lifting her head, lowering it on Everson’s bare, clammy chest, already imagining holding their baby in her hands. She always wanted children. She didn’t know how many, but just holding the first one would bring her so much joy.
He moved his hands from behind his head, wiggled her ponytail loose and submersed one hand in her hair, using the other to strum her back.
After a few quiet moments, she said, “You know we’re hosting the family dinner on Sunday.”
“Gee…it’s back around to us already?”
“It is. It’s been coming around quickly since Gary’s house is out of the rotation now.”
“That reminds me...I need to holla at him. I need to catch up with everybody, to be honest.”
“You do, but for right now, you’re all mine.” June planted soft kisses on his chest.
A small smile touched his lips. “I love being all yours.”
“Good,” she said. “Now, get your butt up and put on some clothes. I’m hungry.”
He grinned. “Hungry?”
“Yes. You thought we were going to lie here all day? It’s just after six.” June sat up and poked him in the chest. “Come on. Get up.”
“Where are we going, bae?”
“You mean where are you going? I want some takeout.”
“Chinese?”
“Ah, yes. Me, you, Chinese and the sofa. It’s been ages since we’ve watched TV together.”
“Sounds good to me, sweetheart. I’m just going to take a quick shower before I run out.”
“How about we take one together?” June asked, standing up from the bed, her nakedness on display. Her hips swayed from side to side as she walked across the dark stained wood to Everson’s side of the bed. She took him by the hand. “Come on. Let’s go.”
Both naked, they walked into the bathroom hand in hand. June turned the water to warm and stepped inside, rubbing her hands down her husband’s naked, wet frame.
“Alright, woman. Keep doing that and we won’t be eating dinner until eight.”
“I’m cool with that,” June said, then licked water from Everson’s pecks.
He closed his eyes and looked heavenward while water rained onto his face. “Enough with the teasing,” he said, grabbing a hold to her steady in
his arms. He didn’t need the support of the glass encased walls to connect their bodies. He just did it, holding her bottom in his palms like a serving tray but he was the one serving her – squeezing, steering into her.
June body gave. She was as good as gone when she felt him embedded inside of her. The warm water spraying on her back added to her sensitivity. All she could do was hold on.
Pant. Moan. Hold on.
Every time he made love to her, she felt her body spiraling out of control, but in the shower? They’d never done it in the shower and he was always thorough whenever they did connect, but today, his lovemaking was more potent. His dives, deeper. His grips firmer. His determination stronger. Need more potent.
“Ah,” he grunted. “Look at me.”
It was difficult to keep her eyes open but she obliged, even as water pummeled her.
“See what you started?” he asked tauntingly, still holding her without support, making love to her without restraint.
June gasped, water flying into her mouth before Everson’s tongue did. And their mouths mated fiercely, greedily, prompting him to take a few steps backward until her back was pressed against the glass.
The water was warm, but the glass was cold, making June’s body jerk which only served to spur him on even more, causing him to quicken his pace, his movements becoming more rapid as he kissed and sucked water from her succulent lips.
Pleasure tore through her, so intense she couldn’t help but move with him, holding on tightly and shuddering straight into unrestrained ecstasy. That’s when a scream flew from her mouth.
Lured by her pleasure, a loud growl emerged from his throat until he drained his love, all of it while fire rushed through his body. Did he accidentally increase the water’s temperature or was he just that hot?
He eased his body away from hers, lowered her until she was standing upright again and said, “Now, let’s take a shower.”
“Okay,” June said breathless, standing on a pair of weak legs.
Everson turned around to reach for a bottle of shower gel and when he did so, she took a step behind him, closed her arms around him and pressed her face against his back, beside herself with happiness that he was home and that he cared enough about their marriage to take some time off work. She needed that, especially since feeling that things between them were strained for a few weeks, that something was up with him. Now, she felt like herself again. He was home, he was fine and she could let go of any fears she had about Everson. Their love was solid and he saw the need to spend more time together without her having to give him a lecture about it. That’s how in sync they were. That was the way it had always been – the way it would always be.
Chapter 10
The next morning, Everson tossed around the idea of calling Eliana for no other reason than to set up a time in which he could meet his son. But he was still riding the high of being home with June and appreciating his new perspective on life – on their lives – that he couldn’t bring himself to make the call just yet. Talking to Eliana would remind him of what almost happened in her hotel room. Remind him that he had a teenage son he still needed to tell June about. Remind him of the lies he’d told June. So, he put it off. Besides, he wanted to talk to Bryson beforehand, regarding Eliana’s claim that their parents had something to do with keeping Jaxson a secret.
“I’m heading out, Everson,” June said walking into the kitchen with a brown Michael Kors tote hanging from her shoulder.
Everson was sitting on a barstool with his phone in front of him when he looked up at her. Dang, she looked hot – wearing a pair of hip-hugging, dark blue skinny jeans and a dusty pink, V-neck blouse. Her hair was done up in a carefree bun with small, gold studs in her ear. “Where are you going again?” he questioned.
“I’m taking those boxes of clothes that’s been sitting in the garage to the Goodwill.”
“What boxes of clothes?”
“You know, those two boxes with our old winter stuff. I never got around to dropping them off.”
“Oh,” he said. “I’ll put them in the trunk for you.”
“I already did it. I put them in there while you were making the food run last night.”
“Look at you thinking ahead.”
“That’s what I do best,” she said. “Oh, and after I leave the Goodwill, I have to drop by the cleaners and Kalina’s office.”
“Why are you going by Kalina’s office?”
She frowned. “Why are you asking so many questions all of a sudden? You usually don’t give a hill of beans what I do.”
“That’s not true.”
“Oh, yes it is,” she said, walking up to him. “I’m going to see Kalina because we’re working on a project together, bringing more awareness about Alzheimer’s in the African-American community.”
“Will you be gone long?”
June shrugged. “I don’t know, lover boy,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck, sinking her lips in the dimpled crater on his chocolate face. “Love you.”
Love you, too, baby.”
Everson folded his bottom lip underneath his teeth then slapped her butt as she walked away. He didn’t want to see her go, but doggone if he didn’t love watching her leave. Just the sight of her curvy body swaying brought him pleasure. Then a thought hit him – one that he never thought of before: If she was able to incite that kind of reaction from him, what kind of desires she was unknowingly eliciting from other men?
The thought faded when his phone rang. He saw his brother’s name, Barringer, flash up on the display.
“Hey, Barry. What’s up?” he answered quickly.
“Nothing much…heard you were back. Can you do lunch today?”
“Lunch? You’re actually taking a lunch break?”
Barringer chuckled. “I know it’s hard to believe, but yes. I am. You rolling or no?”
“The usual spot?” Everson asked.
“Yep.”
Everson rotated his wrist to glance at his watch. “What time?
“Let’s say one. I have several items to deal with right now that should be resolved by then.”
“Cool. I’ll be there at one.”
Everson pulled up at the restaurant before one, taking his time, finding a seat. He wondered if Barringer was bringing Garrison along since they worked together. Or maybe he’d bring Candice. He hoped not. He loved his sister dearly, but it took a certain mood to deal with her at times. Today, he wasn’t in that kind of jokey, tit-for-tat mood, especially with everything that had transpired with Eliana.
Finding a four-seater near the bar, he sat down, not comfortable in the least. He was uneasy, plagued by his own wrongdoing, still picturing Eliana in his mind – the way he easily fell on top of her. Kissed her. Became aroused around her, and—
“Hey, bruh,” Barringer said, his hand landing on Everson’s shoulder.
Everson nearly jumped out of his own skin. For a second, he thought that was Eliana’s hand, but it was his brother scaring him half to death.
“Dang, man,” Barringer said pulling out a chair, sitting. “Are you nervous about something?”
“Nah. I’m good.”
“Are you sure? You look a little skittish.”
“Nah, I’m good. I was thinking about something and you caught me off guard. I wasn’t aware you were standing behind me,” Everson explained. He took a long look at Barringer. He looked different, he noticed. Happier. “So, what’s good, Barry? Last time I saw you, was at your anniversary party. You and Cali must be doing well.”
“We are. Better than we’ve been in a long time. She’s my baby, and I love her.”
“You’re lucky she loves your stubborn behind. Better hang on to her.”
Barringer chuckled. “You’re one to talk. According to June, you’re one of those barely-there husbands.”
Everson chuckled lightly. “Can’t say she’s wrong about that. But, it’s a new day, my brother, and this is a new me.”
“A new you, huh?” B
arringer said, thinking about how he watched Everson have dinner with another woman. Was his weekend fling a last hoorah before returning to a normal life with June? Is that what he meant by, a new me?
After they both ordered tacos, the restaurant’s special for today, Everson said, “You just got back yesterday, didn’t you? I heard you and Cali went to Myrtle Beach for the weekend.”
Barringer almost grimaced. He played off his skepticism and said, “Yeah, we were.”
“Oh,” Everson said. “How was it?”
You tell me. You were there too, weren’t you? “It was nice. The weather cooperated. We’re going to incorporate more of that in our lives. It’s nice to get away and have a break. Just you and your spouse – ain’t nothing like it.” Barringer couldn’t resist emphasizing the word spouse just to see how Everson would react to it.
Everson nodded in agreeance. “Yeah. I just told June last night that I want more of that. I’m taking a few weeks off to focus on my marriage and home life.”
Oh. Now you want to focus on your marriage after focusing on another woman for the weekend. That’s golden. “That’s...that’s...great, man,” Barringer forced out.
Everson looked at his brother sideways. Why did he seem different? He couldn’t put his finger on it.
“You just got back too, I heard,” Barringer said. “How was Atlanta? All play and no work, I’m sure.” Barringer took a sip of Sprite, awaiting Everson’s response. He wondered if his brother would tell him the truth – that he wasn’t in Atlanta – or would he continue adding to his all-work-no-play remark.
“I didn’t get to enjoy the city much,” Everson said. “I never do…doesn’t matter where I travel. It’s all about the work.”
Unable to mask it this time, Barringer frowned. Work? Did he really say it was all about the work? He sure wasn’t talking work as in business work. His work was more along the lines of the singer, Rihanna’s, Work. Thank goodness the waitress came by with their taco platters before he blurted out what he was thinking. He was ready to light into his brother – not that he was holier than thou and never made mistakes in his own relationship. Still, he never did anything close to fooling around with another woman.