Wrong Way Renee

by Wynter Daniels

  She thought about Joe. “I have it like that with Joe. We're going to St. Augustine in a few weeks, to a bed and breakfast he knows there.” Just thinking about it made her heart skip a beat.

  Toy sighed. “It's such a romantic place.”

  “Yeah. It's so cool that we're both experiencing this at the same time, isn't it?”

  “We can compare notes.” Toy playfully slapped Renee’s arm.

  She felt like a schoolgirl. She was giddy, happy and excited every day. “Guess what we're doing tonight?”

  “What?”

  Renee applied basecoat to her friend's nails. “I'm taking Joe to meet my family.”

  Toy's eyes widened. “Oh, Lord. I know it's serious now. How did they take the Cleave fiasco?”

  “My dad was not very happy with me. But he knows I couldn't continue a relationship to save face for him at the office. He said Cleave is thinking of going back to Atlanta. I feel awful that I've caused that.”

  “Sister, please. You didn't cause it. You broke up with the man, Renee. Whatever he chooses to do with his career is his deal.”

  She shrugged. “I know. But I feel terrible about it.” She thought about the look on his face as she left his house the day she broke up with him and she cringed.

  “Well, snap out of it.” She snapped her fingers for emphasis. “You've got a great thing going.”

  Yeah, she knew she did. Now she just had to convince her family of that.

  * * * * *

  Renee helped her mother and sister load up serving dishes in the kitchen that night while the men stayed in the dining room with the kids. “I feel awful about Cleave. But I have to follow my heart. I never should have let things go as far as they did with him.”

  “You have to follow your heart,” Char said. “It's not like you purposely broke his. I like your Joe. He seems very sweet.”

  Renee smiled. “He is.” She wished her mother would say something about Joe, preferably, something good.

  The women arrived in the dining room in time to watch Joe handcuff Gary Junior's hand to his chair with the boy's toy handcuffs.

  “I'll un-cuff you when you've eaten your dinner to your mom's satisfaction,” Joe told him.

  “Wow, I never thought of that. Thanks, Joe.” Char winked at Renee as she set a bowl of mashed potatoes on the table.

  “My turn.” Alyssa handed Joe her jump rope then offered up her wrists for him to bind.

  Joe threaded the rope around the back of the chair, pulled it around her and knotted it from behind.

  “When a policeman cuffs you or ties you up, you have to stay that way 'til he lets you go. Otherwise, he'll have to take you to jail,” Gary told his children.

  Gary Junior's jaw dropped and Alyssa's eyes grew huge. The adults laughed.

  “I’m allowed to let you out for good behavior.” Joe gave the children a stern look.

  Gary Junior used his fingers to eat chicken his mother had cut into small pieces. “I didn’t know a white man could marry a black lady.”

  Renee held her breath.

  Char blanched. “Gary!”

  “They are not married,” Renee’s mother said. “But they are allowed to get married. When I was a little girl, people didn’t do that often, but now, it’s no big deal.”

  Renee studied Joe’s expression. To her delight, he seemed perfectly comfortable with the conversation.

  Alyssa stared at Joe then at Renee. “Do you want to marry him, Aunt Renee?”

  Renee coughed and sputtered.

  Thankfully, her mother handed her a glass of water. “That is not a polite question, sweetheart.”

  “I think she does.” Joe winked at the child.

  Aside from her embarrassment at the kids’ questions, Renee thought the evening went well. She left her parents’ house feeling triumphant. Her family actually seemed to like and accept him.

  She and Char got along well after all the years of animosity. When they arrived at her apartment, she kissed Joe and pulled him inside.” “Would you like to stay?”

  He wrapped his arms around her waist. “Is that a rhetorical question?”

  “Does this mean you trust me?” She hardly recognized her own voice.

  Joe unfastened the top three buttons of her blouse and dropped it down past her shoulders. He kissed the skin above her cleavage. “It means I can't wait one more second to make love to you.”

  Those butterflies she loved took to flight—thousands of them. She led him to her bedroom. Thankfully her bed was actually made. It was every day now. It was the grownup thing to do, she told herself every morning as the little devil in her tempted her to be lazy and leave it unmade. Apple was sleeping soundly on the bedspread. Renee gently lifted her and relocated her to the couch.

  When she returned, Joe was sitting on the edge of the bed with a larger-than-usual bulge in his jeans. She moved into the space between his thighs and set her hands on his shoulders.

  He opened her blouse the rest of the way to reveal her black lacy bra. He worked the hooks around the back of it and slipped it off. Meeting her eyes, he silently asked for permission to proceed.

  “Stop now and you’re a dead man.” She moved closer.

  His lips curled in a sexy. Cupping her breasts, he licked circles that veered ever-closer to the peaked points.

  A hungry gasp broke from her lips as he finally sucked a nipple into his mouth. The heat that had been simmering inside her all night roared to a flame. She went to open his jeans, but he held her hands at bay.

  “Not yet,” he whispered. “You first.” His mouth devoured hers.

  She wanted the kiss to continue forever. It swept her away, and she was happy to be lost in it. Her entire body tingled, aching for this man. The intensity of her desire caught her off guard as it reached a fevered pitch.

  He guided her onto the bed as he peeled off her jeans and cast them to the floor. He teased her, running his fingers around the lacy, elastic edges of her panties. He trailed his tongue along the valley between her breasts, then traveled down the center of her torso.

  Her body rocked of its own accord as passion like she’d never known spiked her desire to new heights.

  “Lift up, love,” he said, almost inaudibly.

  When she did, he slid her panties off. His tongue found the hollow of her neck as his roaming hands rubbed her inner thighs, occasionally stopping momentarily on the tangle of hair between her legs. He lingered there long enough to make her moan with pleasure, before moving on.

  She whimpered with helpless need. “Please, Joe.”

  Her breath hitched as he grazed a finger over her sex. “You’re soaking wet.”

  She bit her lip and nodded.

  Desire rolled off him in waves as he rubbed her mound. Her pleasure crested higher and higher. How did he know exactly how to touch her?

  Quivering sensations rolled over her skin. Her climax hit her with a ferocious intensity that sent her into an erotic tailspin.

  Wave after wonderful wave of pleasure washed over her, bathing her in rhapsody. The deluge went on and on and on. She writhed and moaned, sated and happy.

  He got off the bed and stripped off his clothes. She feasted on the sight of him. From his thick arms and shoulders, roped with muscle to his long, sinewy legs, he was everything she’d hoped and more.

  His erection curved up to his belly and his hooded stare heated her from the inside out. She held out her arms to him.

  He dug in his pants pocket for a condom and rolled it over his shaft.

  “Make love to me,” she said.

  He climbed onto the bed and kneeled between her legs. Then he licked and stroked and explored until he’d stoked her flame back to life. He moved over her and positioned himself over her. “I love you, Renee.” With that, he pushed into her, gently at first, inch by delicious inch until he filled her completely, wonderfully. Her intimate muscles stretched to accommodate him.

  He started thrusting, slowly. His muscles quivered with restraint
as he brought her closer and closet to the precipice of nirvana again. Nipping her neck and her breasts, he stroked harder, deeper, faster.

  She fell over the edge into a sea of bliss where she’d have gladly drowned. The deluge of pleasure went on even as he exploded in his own orgasm. She tightened her intimate muscles around him and delighted at his joyful moans.

  The power of their ecstasy brought tears to her eyes. “I love you too, Joe.”

  He lay atop her, holding her, stroking her hair, loving her, perfectly.

  They slept for a couple hours, then woke to make love again. Renee slept peacefully, next to the man she planned to sleep with for the rest of her life.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Things must be going well or else you've started taking Prozac.” Renee sat at her station three weeks later opposite Melissa.

  “I've been on Zoloft for years.”

  Renee raised an eyebrow. “Oops. Sorry.”

  Melissa shrugged. “I'm not ashamed of it. But things are going particularly well lately. I have some news.”

  “Tell me.”

  “We're leaving for Scottsdale this afternoon. Our daughter was born last night.”

  Her throat swelled with emotion. She put down her file, unable to see through the rush of tears. She pulled a tissue from the box on her station, offering one to Melissa who was having the same problem. They sat there for a long time, crying together, neither able to get a word out.

  Finally, Renee whispered, “Congratulations.”

  Melissa dabbed the tissue under her eyes. “I have more news.” The floodgates opened again.

  “Okay, let's hear it.” She picked up her file, trying to work.

  “I'm pregnant.”

  “Oh my God.” She reached across her table and hugged her client, who had become her friend. They both started laughing.

  “What are you going to do?” Renee asked. “When are you due?”

  Melissa wiped her tears. “I'm about nine weeks along. I suppose I should have noticed before now, but I was sure I couldn't get pregnant and so preoccupied with the adoption, I never even thought about it. If everything goes okay, we'll have two babies, seven months apart.”

  “Wow. I think you're going to need a nanny or something.”

  “For now, all I want is our little girl. Wish me luck.”

  Later that day, Renee went to the desk to check her schedule. Pam was next. Dread crept into her heart. She went to the kitchenette for a drink, then cleaned her table and got her acrylic supplies ready. A moment later, Pam sat down, looking suddenly very pregnant.

  “Hey. How are you?” Pam arranged herself in the chair.

  “Good, you?” She was surprised by Pam's pleasant demeanor—a rarity lately.

  “I brought my boyfriend with me. Mind if he sits in?”

  Renee didn't even have time to think about it when a tall Hispanic man came out of the rest room and sat in a chair next to Pam.

  His eyes locked with Renee’s and a wave of nausea came and went in an instant. She saw the recognition on his face.

  He coughed and stood up suddenly. “I'm gonna…gas up my car.” He raced out the door.

  “Wait,” Pam said to his back, but it was too late. “What the hell was that all about?”

  Renee started filing, looking down at her table, refusing to meet her client's gaze.

  “Renee?” she shouted.

  Chantelle looked over, then went back to work on her client.

  Pam lowered her voice. “I asked you a question. Do you two know each other?”

  “W-what do you mean?”

  “Why did Pablo run out of here?” Pam jerked her hand away and landed a fist hard on the table. Everything on it shook.

  “I…I don't…” Her heart pounded.

  Pam leaned toward her, her eyes wild. Tell me now, Renee. I know you're hiding something.”

  She held up her hands in surrender. “Okay. I’ll tell you. I met Pablo at a party. I went with Joe to his best friend Wyatt's holiday party.”

  “Yeah, I've heard Pablo mention Wyatt. And?”

  “And Pablo showed up with his…his new wife.”

  Pam gasped, then started shaking her head. “No, no way.” Denial, shock and finally anger registered in her expression. “Son of a bitch.” She stood so fast she knocked over her chair, and ran out the door.

  Everyone in the salon looked at Renee, waiting for an explanation.

  “She didn't like my prices,” she said calmly before heading to the kitchenette for a glass of water. Her whole body trembled. She wished just this once that she was a smoker.

  She wondered what would become of Pam and her baby. She'd probably never see the woman again. Would it have made any difference if she'd told her about Pablo earlier? She doubted it.

  Thank God she and Joe were now having an honest relationship. She’d never lie to him again.

  * * * * *

  “Do you think your parents will ever forgive me?” Renee took a bite of her salad at a seaside restaurant in St. Augustine Sunday afternoon.

  Joe put down his fork. “Dad's not the judgmental type. It's Eloise you have to worry about. She's a much tougher nut to crack.”

  “I’ll never forget the look on her face that day.” She cringed. “Maybe if I get down on my knees and beg.”

  “If you like being on your knees, I have something for you to do.” He winked at her and heat stormed through her. They’d made love about a dozen times in the last week and it had just gotten better and better.

  He ate an oyster then wiped his mouth. “Look, she’s protective of me. And she does hold grudges.”

  She frowned.

  “But not forever. When I was a senior in college, I took her car one night without her permission and backed into a dumpster. It took her three or four weeks, but she finally started speaking to me again.”

  “She didn't speak to you for that long?” She shivered. “But you're her stepson. She had to forgive you. I'm just your girlfriend.”

  “You're more than that, Renee. She'll forgive you. She loves me. When you hurt something she loves, it takes her a long time. She loved her car, but not as much as she loves me.”

  Everything inside her ached with the knowledge that she’d been the cause of pain for him. Her selfishness and cowardice had caused untold anguish not only for Joe, but for his family as well. She was through with lying to people. With him by her side, she knew she could handle anything life threw at her. “I'm so sorry I hurt you.”

  He took her hand. “I know. Let's not discuss this any more. I want to enjoy my oysters.”

  But seafood wasn't the only thing he enjoyed that night. When they returned to their room at the bed and breakfast, Renee put on her new, sexy nightie. It was lacy and black with satin bows across the bodice. Joe untied each bow with his teeth, then traced tiny circles on her skin with his finger, then his tongue. When he got below her navel, she couldn't take it anymore. She jumped off the bed. “I'm not getting back in that bed unless you take me-right now.” She giggled.

  He wouldn't budge. “I'm not through teasing you yet.” He reached for her hand, but she pulled away.

  “I mean it, buster. I want it now.” She grinned wickedly.

  He gathered the bedspread in his fists, pulling it up under his chin. “But I'm afraid, missy, please, don't force me,” he said in falsetto.

  She planted her hands on her hips, her nightie hanging open. “I said now and I mean now. Do me.” She ripped the bedspread from his grasp.

  He pretended to shake with fear.

  Laughing, she jumped onto the bed and pushed him down so he was splayed across it. She climbed on top of him and rocked back and forth over his erection.

  “Take me, wench. If you must, I mean.” He guided her atop his length.

  She grew serious. She bent to kiss him and tasted the desire on his lips. “I love you, Joe.”

  “I love you, too.” He smoothed down her hair then guided her onto his shaft, filling her litt
le by little. Her hips took on a life of their own, rocking, grinding, gyrating in rhythm with his.

  He took hold of her hips and control of their lovemaking. Her orgasm built. She let go and tumbled into oblivion, surrendering to her pleasure. Her body pulsed with ecstasy. She moaned his name until her delight ebbed.

  Joe rolled them over and kissed her everywhere. She tingled with bliss as he entered her again. She ran her hands over his sides and back, felt the muscles there work and tighten. A sweet burning flood of renewed pleasure built in her core.

  Joe met her stare and refused to release it. The intensity of his gaze was unspeakably erotic. The pulse at his temples fluttered and his jaw clenched. He detonated inside her and ground out her name.

  She tightened around him, milking him until he settled against her. Their hearts pounded in unison. This was how she wanted it to be. Forever.

  They made love again in the morning. Then indulged in a breakfast of homemade waffles and bacon before they headed out to explore the Castillo de San Marcos, a fort built by the Spanish in the late sixteen hundreds.

  “You know this fort was never taken by military force.” Joe said as they strolled along the upper level, taking in the view of the Atlantic Ocean.

  “Really? It is a pretty imposing structure.” She mated her fingers with his.

  “It changed hands several times, but only by treaty. It has such an impressive foundation. Very solid, you know?”

  She stopped walking and faced him. “Are you trying to tell me something?”

  He kicked some sand around, stared at the ground. “Maybe. Things with strong foundations can last a long time.” Finally he met her stare. “I think we can have something that lasts as long as we do. But we have to break it down and build it strong from the bottom up.”

  Her heart kaboomed like a jackhammer. “I'm willing to do whatever it takes. However long it takes to build, we'll work on it.”

  “Glad to hear that.” He took both her hands.

  She looked into his eyes and her breath locked in her chest. His eyes held a passion that told her he was in for the long haul. It was all she needed to know. The man turned her into a puddle of a woman and she planned to hang on to him forever.