by Robin Allen
“My mother always wanted me to get married and have babies. The fact that I haven’t married and had a family has disappointed her,” Callie said. “What about your mother? Did she encourage you to go to college and have a career?”
“My mother is old-fashioned too. Like your mother, she believes that women should be at home,” Sage responded carefully, reflecting on her relationship with her mother. If she answered truthfully, she would have to admit that there was no relationship. And maybe now, after their recent disastrous meeting, there never would be.
Callie shifted the questioning back to the present. “Is there any truth to the rumor that you had an affair with the mayor when you started working for him? Many people speculate that that’s the reason he chose you to run his campaign.”
Sage suppressed the urge to smile. That was one rumor that refused to die, and yet she’d never understood what had started the vicious gossip. Questions had been raised about her relationship with Cameron from the very beginning. But perhaps it was as simple as his reputation in private circles to be a womanizer. “No. We have never had a relationship other than a professional one.”
“I understand that you have traveled together,” Callie pressed.
“Of course,” Sage said reproachfully, refusing to dignify the implication by defending their relationship any further.
“One more question,” Callie said, checking her watch. “What three words would you use to describe yourself?”
Sage leaned back against the chair in thoughtful repose. “Confident, driven and people-oriented.”
“That’s all for now,” Callie said. “May I call you if I have more questions later?”
“Absolutely.”
* * * * *
Ava was headed home for Christmas, even though she had only been in Atlanta for three weeks. Whether she would make the flight was still in question as Sage sped down the interstate, her speedometer registering eighty miles per hour. Ava’s flight would be leaving in forty minutes.
“If there’s no traffic and no red lights, we’ll make it, Miss Last Minute,” Sage said.
Sage hated rushing frantically and usually allowed herself plenty of time to get to the airport. Getting through the airport to the departing gate was a maze of checkpoints, ticket counters, trains, escalators, elevators and terminals.
But Ava was different. Last minute with everything, she didn’t start packing until they got home from work.
“I hope you don’t get a ticket,” Ava taunted, when Sage barely slowed in time to pass the police car without being stopped.
“You will pay for it if I do.”
“Hey, you can handle it better than me,” Ava said. “I’ve seen your bank statements.”
“That’s not the point,” Sage said. “Why did you wait until the last minute to pack? We should have left an hour ago.”
Ava covered her ears with her hands. “You said that already.”
They rode in silence for a while, driving in the fast lane, on the lookout for patrol cars.
“Why don’t you ever go home?” Ava suddenly asked.
“You know Ma and I don’t get along.”
“I have never understood why. You haven’t been home since you left.”
“Ava, why do you want to talk about that now? It’s in the past.”
“Because Christmas has always been lonely without you. I never got used to it.”
“What’s the big deal? We weren’t supposed to celebrate Christmas anyway,” Sage said, commenting on the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ declaration against holidays. Hearing Prince’s song “Little Red Corvette” blasting from the radio, Sage said, “Change the station. I hate that song.”
Ava selected a different radio station, replacing the pulsing verse of “Baby, you’re much too fast” with Mariah Carey’s octave voice. “You don’t like Prince, do you?”
“Not really. The only song of his I like is ‘Erotic City’.”
“I can’t wait to see Aaron and Daddy,” Ava said. She missed her twin brother and was very close to her father.
“I’d like to see Aaron too. Maybe he’ll come down for spring break.”
“Mommy is going to hug me to death, and then she’s going to yell and scream at me for leaving her. She just about died when I told her I wasn’t coming back. She still hopes it’s just a long visit.”
“She’ll adjust,” Sage said.
“Guess who I met the other day,” Ava said, fumbling through the box of CDs.
“Who?”
“Edwinna.”
“How did you meet her?” Sage cast a sideways glance at her sister.
“She came to the office with her father to see Mr. Hudson. I can’t believe Ramion ever liked her. She’s not even pretty.”
“She’s the boss’s daughter,” Sage explained. “And Ramion was Edwin’s protégé. I don’t think Ramion was ever in love with Edwinna, but she was crazy about him. I think Ramion got involved with her because of who she is, the people she knows, the whole bit. But she wanted to get serious, and he didn’t. Ramion didn’t want to owe Edwin for the rest of his career. Believe me, he didn’t make the decision easily. He lost a lot of political connections when he left Edwin’s firm. But he wants to make it on his own, without feeling like Edwin owns him.”
“Whatever the reason, she’s definitely Miss Attitude, and she’s real upset that you stole her man. She looked at me like I was dirt when Marika told her I was your sister.”
Sage laughed. “Yeah, that’s what she gets for thinking she should get whatever she wants.”
“I don’t like her, Sage.”
“Neither do I.”
“She may be rich and well educated and high society, but she’s got a nasty personality,” Ava observed.
“She’s a bitch,” Sage said. “She’ll do anything to get what she wants.”
Changing subjects, Ava asked, “So what are you going to do for the holidays?”
“I’m going to Ramion’s family for Christmas dinner.”
“What about New Year?”
“We’re going to Cancún.”
“Ooh, are you going to do it on the beach?”
“Ava!”
Sage pulled into the airport, adroitly maneuvering through the frenzy of cars driving in front of and pulling away from the airport’s entrance.
“We made it!” Ava exclaimed.
“Girl, you have fifteen minutes to get to the gate. You’re going to have to carry your luggage on the plane, so get to stepping.”
Ava laughed. “So you do know some slang.”
They got out of the car and retrieved Ava’s luggage from the trunk. “Love you,” Ava said, giving Sage a quick hug before dashing into the airport.
* * * * *
The day before leaving for Cancún, Mexico, Sage went on a shopping spree to buy clothes for her four-day vacation. Tawny went along.
Sage bought three swimsuits—a red one-piece suit and two bikinis for the beach—casual outfits to wear exploring the islands and evening outfits for going to restaurants or clubs. On impulse, Sage stopped in Frederick’s of Hollywood.
Holding an edible bodysuit, Tawny said, “How about this?”
“Now you know that’s too wild for me.” Sage held up a leopard-print teddy with dangling garters and said, “This is borderline.”
“Go for it,” Tawny encouraged, her pretty brown face breaking into a friendly, gap-toothed smile. “No one will ever know.”
Tawny and Sage had been friends since both women worked at Coca-Cola. They had been roommates until Tawny moved in with her boyfriend.
“I don’t have the nerve,” Sage admitted, putting the teddy back on the rack. “Let’s get something to eat. I’m starving.”
Their final stop after a four-hour shopping spree was at a restaurant.
“I knew you were going to come over here,” Tawny said, looking at the Ruby Tuesday menu. “Let me guess, you’re going to order the seafood gumbo and baked potato.”
; “Uh-huh, and you’re going to have the blackened chicken salad,” Sage shot back.
“My favorite salad,” Tawny said, laying the menu on the table. “You’re glowing, girl. Ramion must be the one.”
Sage smiled. “Boy, did we have to struggle to get this far.”
“Yeah, but you’re there now. You should feel really good about things. The man gave up a promising position with a prestigious firm for you.”
“You act like he sacrificed his entire career when he’s actually doing better and making more money.”
“Sage, you know what I’m talking about. He left his big-time mentor, Mr. Williamson. Notice nobody calls him Ed or Edwin. It’s always Mr. Williamson.”
“So?”
“So, he’s got clout. With Mr. Williamson backing him, Ramion was set. Breaking into politics would have been no problem. They would have laid out a welcome mat for Mr. Williamson’s protégé.”
“Are you implying that I ruined his career?”
“No. I’m just saying he did it for you. That should make you feel special,” Tawny said.
“Don’t be cute, Tawny. It wasn’t just for me. Ramion wants to make it on his own.”
“Are you in denial, girl? The only reason he left Mr. Man’s law firm was because he knew he couldn’t have a relationship with you after breaking up with Edwinna.”
“Maybe,” Sage said, shrugging her shoulders. “But it was over between them when we started going out.”
“Not quite. And you know it. He probably wouldn’t have broken up with her when he did if it weren’t for you.”
“Maybe.”
“Sage, you know it’s true. That’s why Edwinna hates you so much.”
“That’s her problem,” she said, tapping her finger against the menu.
A mini-skirted waitress approached their table. “Good afternoon, Ladies. What can I get you?”
“A gag for my friend,” Sage said to the waitress. “And I’ll have the gumbo.”
* * * * *
When Ramion arrived to pick up Sage for their trip to Cancún, she was grinning with the glee of a child on Christmas morning. “I guess you’re ready to go,” Ramion said, noticing the three suitcases lined up by the door.
“I’ve been ready for hours,” Sage admitted. “I can’t wait till we get there.”
“I can’t believe I had to talk you into taking this trip,” Ramion said, recalling her unenthusiastic reaction when he suggested a vacation for the New Year’s holiday. Sage had been reluctant, explaining that she had a lot of work to do.
Ramion had been relentless, placing travel brochures all over his house so that, no matter where Sage went, an enticing brochure lay in arm’s reach. The brochures were filled with pictures of coral beaches, the azure-blue ocean water, historic ruins, museums, elegant restaurants, uniquely architectured hotels, and shopping malls. It was the picture of the Cozumel ruins that finally captured her attention and tempted her to leave work behind for a few days.
Stretching up on her toes to peck his lips, Sage said, “I’m glad you convinced me.”
Ramion loaded her luggage into his car and closed the trunk. Sage locked the front door of her house and came down the steps carrying her purse and computer.
“Baby, what kind of vacation are we going to have if you take that computer with you?” Ramion asked, his forehead creased in a frown.
“I can get some work done on the plane or lounging on the beach.”
“You’re not going to be able to relax if you bring that computer with you, baby. Leave it here, okay?”
Sage hesitated before turning around and going back inside her house. Minutes later, she came outside without the laptop.
“I was going to hide it in my suitcase,” Sage said, grinning devilishly, as Ramion opened the car door for her.
“Let’s leave work behind us. It’s time for some fun!”
* * * * *
Sage flipped through the current issue of Vanity Fair magazine as the airplane glided down the runway to position for takeoff. Seated comfortably in the first-class section of the jumbo jet, a glass of mimosa on the tray in front of her, Sage sighed with contentment. Ramion sat beside her, reading a book. She heard the airplane’s engines rev, and moments later they were on their way to Mexico.
Cancún greeted them with a light, misty rain. They went through Customs, presented their passports to Mexican custom agents and then retrieved their luggage. Outside the airport, they took a taxi to the hotel.
“Look at this place,” Sage said, as the taxi driver drove through the resort zone, a mile-long stretch of hotels in all kinds of architectural styles and design.
“Tourism is the number one industry here,” Ramion said. “So hotels are plentiful.”
“Oh, that looks like a mall,” she said, pointing to a sprawling building with storefronts and restaurants. “We have to go there. I heard they have wonderful pieces of jewelry here.”
“We can do that tomorrow if you like. But on Saturday, I want to go to a bullfight.”
“Oh, Ramion, I can’t believe they still do that.”
“Believe it.”
Sage and Ramion checked into a six-star resort that offered tennis courts, a golf course, a fully equipped fitness center, a sand-bottomed whirlpool, swimming pools fed by waterfalls, four restaurants, three bars and aquatic activities. It was located on the beach and within walking distance of a shopping center.
The first thing Sage did after entering their room was walk out to the balcony. She didn’t notice the entertainment center with the 40-inch TV, VCR and stereo system. She gazed upon the crystal-blue waters of the Caribbean coast and breathed in the salty ocean air.
“It’s so beautiful,” she gushed. “I guess I thought the pictures were too good to be true.”
“It’s real, baby,” Ramion said.
“This is paradise,” Sage said, peering over the balcony. White sails danced offshore in the distance and, closer inland, people swam in the turquoise water. The diamond-white shimmering beach, with its perfect sand, beckoned.
“I don’t even want to unpack,” she said. “I just want to get to that beach.”
“Then let’s change and hit it,” Ramion said.
Under the sunny sky, Sage and Ramion walked along the beach, holding hands. Removing her sandals, Sage let the silky sand ooze between her toes. They found a spot to sit under a tropical palm tree and savored the moment—the sultry sun, the silver-white sand, the turquoise ocean and the cloudless sky. They had already fallen under Cancún’s hypnotic spell.
Much later, they returned to their room, unpacked and changed clothes for dinner.
Downstairs in the hotel lobby they exchanged American dollars for Mexican pesos and caught a taxi to a downtown restaurant. They dined on lobster dinner while beautiful Mexican girls dressed in gypsy clothing performed a flamenco dance, their feet stomping and hips gyrating to a salsa-hot beat.
The waiter cleared the table, recommending flan for dessert.
“We’ll pass on dessert,” Ramion said, his gaze passionate and hungry as he stared at Sage.
“I’ll be your dessert,” she whispered, when the waiter walked away.
* * * * *
Dessert began on the balcony. Sage stood against the railing, the cool ocean breeze caressing her body. Ramion kissed the nape of her neck and tenderly massaged the muscles in her shoulders. She relaxed against him and closed her eyes, enjoying his soft, gentle kisses. He nibbled at her ear, his tongue delving inside, his teeth gently nipping at the lobe. He unbuttoned her blouse while licking the sides of her neck, slowly, then faster, faster.
Sage was quickly aroused and anxious. She wanted to kiss him back, felt an urgent need to run her tongue through the dense black hair on his chest. She wanted to feel his desire and touch his maleness. She tried to turn in his arms to face him, but Ramion held her tight.
He removed her silk blouse and the strapless bra and unzipped her skirt as he kissed her back. Restless with ant
icipation, Sage wrestled with him.
“Be still and patient,” he whispered. “I’m going to love you.”
He ran his hands up and down Sage’s stocking-covered legs, loving the feel of silk against his hands. He rubbed the inside of her thighs before moving to the place between her legs to stroke her hot, wet center. She moaned encouragement when he pulled down her panties and stockings. She kicked them away impatiently.
“Don’t turn around,” he whispered, and sank to his knees. He caressed her soft buttocks, his hands moving in small circles, driving her senseless. She dug her fingers into his shoulders.
Ramion slowly moved higher, his hungry mouth kissing every inch of her flawless back until he was standing, then nibbled her shoulder. Sage could not contain her passion. She turned and kissed his lips hard, her tongue determinedly probing the inside of his mouth.
She softly bit his bottom lip, and her slender fingers inched up and down his chest through the dark mat of hair and tugged at his nipples. Ramion then carried her from the balcony and gently laid her on the bed.
He quickly removed his clothes and unleashed a torrent of kisses on her breasts. His hot tongue began an encirclement on the fleshy tips of her breasts—around and around and around until her brown nipples were taut. His mouth covered her nipple, pulsating rapture through her body. He licked the fullness of her other breast, up and down, up and down, and when he finally took her nipple into his mouth, Sage trembled.
His hands began to explore the place between her thighs, and she writhed under his touch.
Ramion lowered himself so that his head was between her legs. He began licking her inner thighs to the vortex of her pulsing need. He opened her with his fingers, and his tongue plunged inside her lips to taste the sweet nectarine of her desire.
“Ramey Ramey,” Sage moaned.
When he rose up to meet her, she clasped her arms around his neck and bit into the deepness of his shoulders. Ramion spread her legs wide and entered her. Slowly, steadily, he moved inside her, deeper and deeper. Languidly. Sage arched to him and rocked with him. She opened her eyes and whispered, “Faster, faster.”