Nightie Night: The Lingerie Series (Stir Sticks & Stilettos)

by Hines, Yvette

  Brushing my hair over my shoulder, away from my face, he asked, “Are you alright?”

  Glancing back at him, I nodded. “Very much so.” My voice sounded hoarse to my ears. From all my screaming and oral pleasure I’d performed on him I was sure.

  “Good.” Leaning down, he kissed me softly as he slipped from me.

  I whimpered at the ache of my well-used sexual muscles and his absence. I wanted to turn back time and start the experience all over again. But, I hoped this was just the first of many.

  He caressed my ass. “You are one tempting sight, Kalan. However, I’ll just have to wait until we have more condoms at our disposal.”

  Hearing those words thrilled me. I stood on shaky legs and watched him pull his underwear and pants up.

  “You can use my bathroom. I’ll take the community one down the hall.”

  “Thanks.”

  Stepping to me, he cupped my cheek and ran his thumb over my bottom lip. “Be back soon.”

  “I’ll be here.”

  He turned, grabbed his shirts and was pulling on his undershirt as he left the room.

  Sighing with joy, I scooped up my skirt and top and crossed to the bathroom. My heels which I still wore clicked on the tile floor as I entered and shut the door behind me. I only allowed myself a quick glance at the satisfied woman in the mirror. My blue eyes were luminous with pleasure and my mouth was plump and pouty. They could rival my best friend, Oriana's full lips that I had always envied. My hair looked like a lover had thoroughly mussed it while ravaging me, which he had.

  Giggling to myself, I hurried with a quick splash and rinse over my hypersensitive sex then straightened by eschewed panties and pulled on my skirt and blouse. I added a coat of gloss and fingered my blonde hair, leaving it wild and untamed. I wanted Aaren to know how much pleasure I took in how he made me look and feel.

  Opening the door, I was greeted by the phone ringing. I figured if it was Blaine or the next guard on shift calling to check on us. Normally, when Aaren and I had worked late the guards rang when they changed shifts to document who was still in the building. Crossing to Aaren’s desk, I snatched up the phone on the fourth ring.

  “Hello, Mr. Reston's office.” I forced a professional tone out of my hoarse voice.

  There was a pause. “Oh, is this his secretary?” a woman with a soft melodic voice asked.

  Frowning, I looked down to check the time on the base of the phone. 9:22 it was very late for a professional call. “No, this is a co-worker. Mr. Reston stepped out for a moment.”

  Even though I had just finished screaming Aaren's name over and over again in the heat of passion I felt it was best to keep things between us professional. At least until we ironed out what this relationship would be between us.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. Are you all still in your meeting?”

  “We just wrapped things up.” I smiled to myself seeing in my mind just what we were wrapping up. “Can I help you with something?”

  Wondering what the nature of the call was and why the woman was asking so many questions instead of stating who she was and why she was on the phone something snared my gaze—the front of the picture on his desk.

  Never having been on this side of his desk before I didn’t know what was on it. Raised to respect other people’s privacy, I never asked.

  “Just tell him that Gabrielle called. Well not really me, Jason wanted to talk to him actually,” the woman began saying.

  As the woman spoke, my gaze was fixed on the picture. I only partially paid attention to the woman’s words. In the silver frame were three smiling faces, a man, a woman and a boy. The man was tall, dark and handsome with pale green eyes—Aaren. Behind him stood a woman with her hands on his shoulders, she didn’t look that tall even with Aaren sitting before her, a pretty black woman. If that was shocking enough, the little bi-racial boy with golden brown complexion in Aaren's lap was a punch to my core. On the woman’s left hand was a wedding set even though Aaren wasn’t wearing one.

  I wasn’t against interracial relationships, hell, I’d pushed for my best friend, Oriana and my favorite cousin, Chase to get together for years. However, what I was against was cheating, lying fuckers like Aaren.

  The woman’s voice broke into my thoughts. “It’s not really important. Since you all are done, we’ll just see him when he gets home.”

  Her melodic, soulful voice seemed the perfect match to the African-American woman before my eyes. My hand squeezed tight around the phone and my stomach felt queasy. I wanted to throw-up.

  “You said your name was Gabrielle? And you are…”

  “Finally, I’m back. Boy, you forget how far the bathroom is when you have your own.” Aaren strutted into the room, the perfect image of a well-put-together businessman with a smile.

  I just wanted to pick up my laptop and whack him on the head with it until the smile fell from his lips. Lips I had spent time kissing. Lips that had kissed me all over and brought me pleasure between my thighs. I was disgusted with him and myself. Fools rush in was true.

  “Who’s on the phone?” he asked.

  “Gabrielle.” I waited for the shock or fear that he’d been caught in an adulterous lie to show on his face.

  His features tightened in concern as he rounded the desk but nothing else.

  I set the phone down and moved away, not wanting to touch him, not even accidently.

  Picking up the phone, he said, “Hey, love, what wrong?”The love and concern in his voice was the last nail on the coffin of what I thought we could have. Now all that was left for me to do was bury it.

  He listened intently to whatever the woman was saying on the other end. “No, we ordered in here. So, you can pack mine up and I’ll bring it for lunch on Monday.”

  The ass didn’t even have enough sense to look ashamed or concerned that he’d just had sex with me before talking routine things with his wife. I needed to get away. Had to get away from him and the memories of our encounter. If I didn’t get away now, I’d explode into a screaming mess and probably break something that would cost me my job. I loved my job and I wasn’t going to let some lying, cheating asshole make me lose it.

  “Put Jason on the phone so I can tell him goodnight.”

  Turning, I moved quickly to the couch and grabbed my purse. I closed my laptop and shoved it in my briefcase. I rushed to the door.

  “Kalan, hold on a moment.”

  My feet paused at the sound of my name. I still felt drawn to him and I hated myself because of it. Facing him, I said, “Look, I need to go.”

  “We’re not done here yet.”

  The hell if we’re not. “I have…um…family…game night.”

  Arching an eyebrow, he stared at me, seeing through my lie. “You said you had already let them know you wouldn’t— Hey, buddy. Yes, we’re still doing brunch and the movies tomorrow. Why are you still up?”

  Saved by a little boy who wanted to talk to his father.

  Not wasting any more time, I left. As soon as I passed the glass walls of Aaren’s office, I ran.

  Instead of going right to the bank of elevators, I turned left and then a quick right to the stairs. I couldn’t risk waiting and having Aaren catch up with me. I shoved through the emergency door and closed it softly behind me. One hand gliding along the rail, I raced down the steps.

  My thighs were on fire by the time I made it from the fourteenth floor to the basement car park but I didn’t care. I ignored the stinging in the back of my eyes as I fought against the tears. I was not going to allow myself to cry over a selfish bastard. Nope.

  A dog would always be a dog, but it was my fault for not asking the right questions. There I was like an idiot believing his sad story about his parents. It was probably a lie he used frequently to get into gullible women’s panties. It worked all too well on me.

  Thirty-five minutes later, I pulled into my parents' house. I had already dropped a bag there in the morning because my grandmother, who lived with my parents, asked
me to take her to the zoo in Asheboro tomorrow. They may not be expecting me for game night, but if I didn’t come over at all tonight, they would worry. I hated to make my parents worry, even six years after my hospitalization. I could have called them and said I wasn't coming tonight, but I didn’t want to be alone.

  Not because I was afraid, but because I needed the company to escape my own thoughts.

  Seeing the street filled with vehicles of my family made me smile and lifted my spirits some. Entering the house, I was greeted by the riotous voices of the Henderson clan and the game of Pictionary in full swing.

  From the door, I could see Chase, Oriana and Lenny. My best friend, sitting beside her fiancé of a month, waved at me. I gave her a small smile. Oriana and Chase had finally found love. Why couldn't the same thing have happened for me? The burning in my eyes returned with a vengeance. Maybe I should have gone home.

  “Kalan, you’re here.” Lenny, one of my Uncle Nile's children, called out. “Your team needs you. These cheaters are wiping the floor with us.”

  I knew Lenny was referring to his twin, Darrell. Recalling my look in Aaren’s bathroom mirror, I realized that before I could be around my family, I needed to shower and change.

  Yelling into the family room, I said, “One second. Let me get out of my work clothes.” Running up the stairs, I turned right at the landing and entered my room. In the center of the bed was my dark blue small suitcase. Instead of the purple and white the room had been when I grew up in it, it was now mauve and cream. Four years ago, I helped my mother redecorate it to something more adult and packed away all my teenage memories.

  With my back pressed to the door, I took a few breaths. I needed to get myself together.

  A tapping at the door sounded behind me.

  Shit. I cleared my throat. “I’ll be down in a second. I just need to change.”

  “Kalan? It’s Oriana. Can I come in?”

  Sighing, I was grateful that it was my best friend and not one of my relatives. Turning, I pulled the door open and stepped away, going to my case.

  “When you came in you didn’t look well, so I wanted to check on you.”

  Looking over my shoulder at her, still standing in the open door, I said, “I’m fine. I just—”

  She took one look at me and shut the door. “Oh, my good, Kalan, what happened to you?”

  It was true, I looked as bad as I felt. “Nothing happened.”

  I’d never lied to my friend before. There was a first time for everything just like finding yourself fucked into oblivion on the couch at your job by a married man.

  “Come on, Kay. I can’t believe that for a minute. Were you mugged? Do we need to call the cops?” Concern laced her voice and her dark brown eyes were filled with worry.

  “I wasn’t mugged.” Shaking my head, I opened my case and pulled out sweats, a big t-shirt, a pair of underwear and a sports bra.

  “Something had to happen. You’re all wrinkled, the split of your skirt is ripped halfway up the seam, you hair is a wreck, your mouth is swollen and your eyes are all red and puf— Oh, my gracious, you had sex.”

  Whipping around, I faced her, waving my arms in the air. “Shhh. Before someone hears you.”

  Tilting her head to the side again, Oriana assessed me with those wise brown eyes. “Wait, you couldn’t have had sex.”

  Now I was a little offended. I folded my arms under my breasts. “Why not?”

  “First off, you’re not dating anyone. Second, because you look like you’re either going to burst out crying at any moment or beat the shit out of something or someone.” Cocking a brow, she asked, “Which is it?”

  Groaning, I flopped down onto the side of the queen size bed. “All of the above.”

  Walking to the bed, Oriana shoved the bag over and sat down on the foot of the bed. “This has got to be good. Tell me how does a woman find a guy and end up having sex when said woman works as hard as you have been in the past six weeks.”

  “Said woman would have sex at work,” I confessed.

  “At work?” Oriana frowned then her eyes stretched wide and she whispered, “Aaren Reston. How could I forget you were assigned to work with Mr. Tall, Green-eyed and Hunky?” She wiggled her eyebrows at me.

  “Yeah, how could you.” I fingered my hair back behind my ear.

  “So, if you finally got to do the lusty, sweaty tango with Aaren why do you look so depressed?” she teased, wiggling her pinky finger. “Was he just a little below average even with all his height?”

  Swatting her hand down, I laughed, shaking my head. My sex was still throbbing at the remembrance of just how above average he was. “That’s not the issue.”

  “Then what gives?”

  I don’t even know why I was trying to fight telling Oriana. I’d never held a secret from her before. The two of us had become fast friends our sophomore year in college and soon after, she had become part of the Henderson family, making us practically sisters. I was glad my assignment was over so I could help her plan her wedding in less than five months to my cousin.

  “He’s married, Orian—” The thickness in my throat broke off my words and released the tears I’d been holding back. Wrestling out the next words, I said, “I feel like such a fool.”

  Scooting over, she gave me a one arm hug. “I know when you pointed him out to me when I came to have lunch with you there wasn’t a ring on his finger. So I know you didn’t know. How did you find out?”

  “The worst way.” I stood up and moved to the dresser. The woman looking back at me in the mirror wasn’t the polished professional I had been when I left my house, or the vixen I had seemed to be in Aaren's bathroom, but a worn out, emotionally beaten person. I hated that look, it reminded me too much of how I looked after my ex until I pulled myself together. I would again.

  “Please don’t say his wife walked in on the two of you?” Oriana’s gaze met mine in the mirror.

  “Thank God no. She called just after we’d finished. There I was basking in the afterglow of what could only be described as the most earth rocking, soul shaking sex I’d ever had. Only to pick up his phone and have Gabrielle’s voice greet me while I’m staring at the picture of their family on his desk.”

  “Oh, shit.” Oriana had a hand over her heart. “How long have they been married?”

  “I don’t know. Didn’t ask. Wasn’t sticking around to find out.” Picking up a brush, I dragged it fiercely through my hair and then picked up one of my old bands and pulled it into a ponytail.

  “Gabrielle. Is she Latin or something?” Oriana crossed her legs and folded her arms.

  “Nope. A pretty black woman who looked so happy in the picture with Aaren and their son, who was at least four.” I removed my shirt, skirt and unhooked the front latches of my corset. I didn’t bat an eye about being all natural in front of her. My best friend had seen me nude almost as many times as my mother. Moving to my closet, I pulled on a robe.

  “So, even if not married long they’ve been together for a while.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry, Kalan.”

  “Don’t apologize. You’re not the ass, he is.”

  “Yeah, but I know how much you cared for him. Two years is a long time to have your mind set on someone…I’d almost say you were in lo—”

  “Don’t you dare say it!” I set my hands on my hips and aimed a glare at her.

  Holding her hands up in defense, she stood. “Okay. Fine. You going to talk to him about it? You know, ask him why?”

  “Never. This internal audit is finished. On Monday, he’ll pick up all the packets for the shareholders meeting Tuesday morning. It was already set for him to give the presentation alone.” I brushed my hands against each other as if knocking the dust from them. “Done. Case closed.”

  “Whatever you feel is best, Kalan. You know I got your back.” Crossing the room, she gave me a hug. She moved away and headed to the door. “That means even if you want to catch him in a dark alley, I gotcha back.”

 
; I laughed and it felt good. I knew she was only joking, neither one of use were vengeful people, but it gave me a nice thought. “Thanks, girl.”

  Smiling, Oriana left.

  Turning to the bathroom, I headed for the shower. I would make myself put Aaren Reston out of my mind. It was over. Yes, I had spent the better part of the last two years pining for him and imagining a relationship with him…maybe even falling for him a little, but lesson learned. After tonight, the book of us would be burned on the bonfire of heartache.

  ~YH~

  “Knock, knock.” Glancing up from my computer, I saw Tashi, Mr. Reston's secretary, as I liked to refer to him now, standing in my doorway.

  “Yes.”

  “Sorry to bother you, Kalan, but Mr. Reston needs a favor from you.” The petite Asian woman took a couple steps into the office.

  No, he doesn’t. Especially not after I’d spent all weekend forcing myself to not think about him. Repeatedly an unknown number had shown up on my phone but I had ignored it out of fear it was him. I just needed my subconscious to get the message. This morning like the last two, I’d awakened from an erotic dream of the two of us and had to masturbate twice to calm my body and shower for work.

  “I’m sorry, Tashi, I’m busy. He’s going to have to find someone else.” Smiling to take the sting out of my words, I turned back to the monitor.

  She moved further into my office. “There isn’t anyone else. You two completed the internal audit together.”

  Oh, shit. Now she had my full attention. Had I messed up something in my mad dash away from him? “What’s wrong with the audit?”

  “Nothing’s wrong with it. However, Mr. Reston left early this afternoon.”

  Shaking my head, I said, “I’m still not following.”

  “Because of a family illness, he will be out a few days. He will need you to give the presentation tomorrow.”

  “What?” I stood up. In a way, this was good news. If I gave the presentation to the shareholders, I’d be more than just a name on the credits of a PowerPoint slide, but someone they could hear, see and remember. Especially Mr. Pace. So maybe the next district manager slot that came open in my department could possibly be mine. “I can do that.”