by Janice Jones
At the mention of Cody’s name, my face became flushed. For the first time since Shaun’s incarceration I was glad that he was away and unable to see my reaction. I was in awe that after all this time, Cody still had such a profound effect on my libido. I honestly hadn’t thought about him since the last time I saw him. Yet at just the mere mention of his name, my body instantly heated. And I’d just had a baby for goodness sake.
I talked with Shaun for the remainder of the time he had left, then I went to lie down to get some rest before Lil’ Shaun’s next feeding. While I napped, I dreamt of Cody, seeing his face over and over in my subconscious state. Even though it had been months since I last saw him, I could remember every beautiful contour of his features as clearly as if he were standing in front of me. I remembered his smile, his intellect, his wit, and his touches.
Shyanne insisted there was chemistry between me and the S.I.A., Sexy Italian Attorney, as she called him, and that it wasn’t one-sided as I believed. But after Shaun’s incarceration, I never heard from him again. If he were attracted to me, I would think he would have come up with some reason to see me again. I’m sure Shyanne was wrong.
Then again, Cody could simply be acting on ethics and morals. He knows I’m a married woman, so he was doing what’s right and keeping it strictly professional. Somehow that thought only served to make me think more fondly of him.
That evening after I had lain down for the night, or at least until the baby woke me up, I dreamt that Cody and I were making love. I awoke for Lil’ Shaun’s three A.M. feeding, and surprisingly, not a trace of guilt accompanied me in my conscious state. After the feeding I went back to sleep eagerly anticipating making the phone call later in the morning.
“No, I insist. You just came home from the hospital. It would be better if I came to your house.”
“Okay, if you insist, Cody. Thanks a lot. I really appreciate you responding so quickly.”
“You don’t have to thank me for doing my job, Lindsay. I’ll see you at about eleven thirty.” Then he disconnected the call.
I was surprised and fascinated at how effortlessly he reverted to using my first name. I was so anxious to see him. Eleven thirty gave me ninety minutes to get ready. I ran around the house for the next forty-five minutes making sure everything was spotless. I even cleaned my bedroom and changed my sheets. Uh ... oh! What was I thinking? It wasn’t like his visit was going to end in there. I pulled the reins on my wayward thoughts and decided to call Shyanne to come and act as a chaperone.
After getting Shyanne to agree to come and sit with the Lil’ Shaun while I had my meeting with Cody, at least that is the line I fed her, I jumped into the shower. Shyanne would only have the one child to contend with since Shauntae was in school. Once my cleansing was complete, I put on the prettiest fragrance of lotion I had, then attempted to step into a pair of tight fitting Guess jeans. My body said guess again. The jeans only came as far as my knees. I guess I forgot that I had just given birth four days ago and had gained twenty pounds since I last wore those jeans. Now what was I supposed to do? The last thing I wanted was for Cody to see me looking like Myrna Moose.
I searched my closet again for a cute loose fitting dress, but realized I didn’t own anything like that. I finally settled on a pink and blue Nike sweat suit with an elastic waistband. I was going for the sporty, yet sexy look. I pulled my hair back into a cute ponytail, letting a few loose wisps of hair hang around my face. I applied moisturizer to my skin, and I put dark pink lipliner and light pink lip-gloss on my lips to give them the pouty look. When I was all done I was pleased with what I saw.
However, I was unsure of what I felt. Here I was going out of my way to look attractive for a man who was not my husband. Never before meeting Cody had I been the least bit interested in any man other than Shaun. But I was wanting Cody and wanting him to want me. What God must be thinking of me now. But in the very next breath, I felt that I had a right to have Cody if only for a little while because of all the crap that Shaun had put me through. I knew God was not in agreement, but my mind was made up.
As I came down the stairs, Shyanne entered the front door. “Don’t you look cute!” she exclaimed.
“Thank you,” I replied and did a spin move as I reached the bottom of the steps.
I contemplated telling her of my plan to seduce Cody, but I figured I had better wait until I knew for sure Cody would take the bait. Knowing Shyanne, she would probably figure it out on her own.
“Is all this cuteness for the fine Italian attorney that’s on his way over here?”
Just as Shyanne uttered the last of her question, in walked Cody through the door that Shyanne left open behind her. I knew he heard her comment because he wore a slight smirk on his face. I was slightly embarrassed, but I didn’t let it worry me too much. I figured I could use it to my advantage at some point.
“Hello, ladies,” Cody greeted.
“Hey there, Cody. How have you been?” Shyanne responded. I never said a word. Shyanne and Cody stood in the foyer making small talk. I used the opportunity to walk into the bathroom just down the hall.
I stood in the bathroom and took a deep breath. I looked in the mirror and checked my face, my clothes, and my attitude. What in the world was I thinking? How did I think I could hit on my husband’s attorney and get away with it? What if I started the come-on with Cody and he didn’t respond like I thought he would, but instead told Shaun?
I was so glad that I took the extra moment to compose myself. I rethought my plan, realizing that trying to have a brief fling with Cody while Shaun was imprisoned wasn’t such a good idea after all. The risks were too high. The consequences too great. God would forgive me, but Shaun would divorce me for even making an attempt to seduce his lawyer. He would probably try and take my babies away from me as well.
I left the bathroom with a no-nonsense-completely-business demeanor and joined Shyanne and Cody in the living room where they settled.
“Well, I guess I’ll let you two talk while I go upstairs and tend to the baby. It was nice seeing you again, Cody.” Shyanne said and headed upstairs.
I sat in the chair opposite the sofa Cody sat on. If I had stuck to my original plan, I would have sat relatively close to him on the sofa. But I digressed. I was all about business now.
“Are you okay, Lindsay? Seems like every time I see you, you are off and running to the bathroom,” Cody said jokingly. Then he gave me his award-winning smile. My resolve to be professional cracked, but just a bit.
Cody was just as beautiful as I remembered, probably more so considering I had not had sex in more than five months. He was semi-casually dressed in a pair of tan Dockers and cream colored Polo shirt. His hair looked a little longer and his skin perhaps a little darker than before. Cody was flat out dazzling. I closed my eyes and silently prayed that God would give me the strength not to make a fool of myself and risk my marriage for this man.
When I opened my eyes again, he was staring at me so intensely I simply lost my voice. I actually had to remind myself how to talk. It was as if I totally forgot I possessed the power of speech.
“I’m sorry I left like that, Cody. I felt like I had something on my face so I went in to check,” I lied.
“I could have told you your face was perfect if you had only asked me.”
Was he flirting with me or was I just imagining the sultriness I heard in his voice, hearing what I wanted to hear? A few more comments like that and all bets for a professional affiliation only were off.
“Thank you, Cody. You always say just the right thing.”
“I only speak the truth, Lindsay.”
Okay. There went my imagination again. I could have sworn he put sensual emphasis on the way he said my name so I would realize he remembered the secret he and I shared in Shaun’s presence. Help me, Lord.
“Uh ... so you can help me with the FBI right?”
“Yes I can. As a mater of fact, all you have do is inform them that any questions they have
should be directed to your attorney. I’ll handle everything from there.” That’s exactly what Shaun said on the phone the other night. If that was indeed the case, why the need for this meeting?
Cody reached into his briefcase. He pulled out some documents and handed them to me. “These are the warranty deeds for your house, the car wash and the store. The dates of official ownership on all documents were established before you and Shaun were married.”
I stood up and walked the short distance to the sofa to get the paperwork from Cody. After they were in my possession I sat down on the sofa next to Cody without thinking.
“The FBI should not ask you for them, but if they do, you will have them. Remember, don’t give them anything or answer any questions unless I am with you.”
I stared at Cody and read a lot more into his last few words than I’m sure he intended. Cody returned my stare with an unreadable expression as we fell into an awkward silence. I reexamined the paper in my hand to break the eye contact and tried to think of something to say.
“This all seems so simple, Cody. I guess I made it sound more urgent than necessary. You certainly didn’t have to come over here for this. I could have picked these papers up in your office and saved you the trouble of the trip.”
“Trust me, Lindsay, it was no trouble at all. It was actually my pleasure. I was grateful for the opportunity to see your lovely face again.”
Okay that did it. I was convinced now that he was flirting.
Shyanne was right. The attraction was mutual. However, I still wanted to tread lightly. I wanted to avoid coming across like a cheap tramp by throwing myself at him. Cody needed to take the lead, but I figured a little nudging from me could not hurt. I gave Cody my most brilliant smile and placed my hand on his knee.
“You are so sweet, Mr. Vincini. I’m so glad you’re my attorney. You’re smart, you know your business, and you’re so accommodating. What more can a woman ask for?”
I purposely left Shaun’s name out of the equation. I wanted him to know that I felt he was my attorney now. Cody took the bait and ran with it.
Cody lifted the hand I had on his knee and began gently rubbing it between both his hands. He then lifted my hand to his lips for a light kiss.
“You are an amazingly beautiful lady, Lindsay, and at the risk of professional compromise, I would really love to take you to dinner some time soon. I promise I’ll handle any personal interaction between us with the utmost discretion.”
“I’m glad to hear that, Cody. In that case, I would love to have dinner with you.”
My affirmative answer was rewarded with one of his devastating smiles, which caused me to get warm all over. I reminded myself to stay cool. I was a long way from the standard six-week waiting period after giving birth. But my objective was to have all of Mr. Vincini eventually.
Cody gathered his briefcase and stood to leave. I stood with him, walking him to the door. Just before he opened the door, he turned to me, grabbed both my hands, and gave me a tender peck on my cheek, then a more aggressive kiss on my lips.
“I’ll call you later this evening to make arrangements for dinner. I’ll talk to you then, beautiful.” Then without a backward glance he was gone.
Chapter Twenty-two
The plane began descending just as I found a comfortable position in my seat. I’m sure my seating companion was thoroughly tired of my fidgeting. For some reason I just could not relax. Who was I kidding? I knew exactly why I was so on edge. This would be the first time I had seen Shaun since I started my little fling with Cody. I was positive he would know I was up to no good with his attorney.
Cody and I had been on four dates in the last two weeks. Each one was just as marvelous as the previous. The time I was spending with Cody reminded me of how special things were when Shaun and I first started dating. We went to very exclusive restaurants for dinner. Whenever we would see a movie together, we drove twenty miles or more out of the way. Cody did this in an effort to live up to the promise of keeping things between us discreet. The only person aware of our liaison was Shyanne. She was totally in favor of our little secret rendezvous. Shyanne had never been big on commitment. She was especially displeased with mine for the past year considering whom I was committed to.
Last night the kids stayed with Mama since she knew I had an early flight this morning, so I invited Cody over to watch television with me. He insisted on bringing a couple of movies with him. We stayed up past 2:00 A.M. watching The Bodyguard and Pretty Woman. This was the first time I had seen either movie. I found them both to be very romantic, which led to things getting pretty heated between Cody and me. The only thing that kept us from ending up in bed together was the fact that I was only two weeks into the standard six-week recovery after giving birth.
Cody had been the perfect gentleman, never pushing me into anything more physical than our kissing and heavy petting. As a matter of fact, I was usually the one who initiated any intimacy between us. He was patiently waiting for the time when we could explore each other fully.
I was amazed at how guilt free I have felt over this thing with Cody. Not once have I harbored any emotional remorse over cheating on my husband. It was my conclusion that this whole affair is all Shaun’s fault. If he hadn’t continually lied; if he had not cheated and fathered another child; if he had not continued to sell drugs, which led him to prison and away from his children and me, then it would be his arms that I lay in every night, not those of another man. I have earned some peace and happiness.
That was my rational response. My spiritual response was quite different. While I felt I owed Shaun no loyalty, I knew I owed God more. But I was hurt. I was in so much pain. It was so hard, too hard not to just follow my mind and enjoy the serenity I felt being with a handsome, intelligent, wealthy, attorney who found me beautiful, intelligent, and worthy of his time.
Besides, it was not as if I were going to end my marriage and be with Cody forever. This was just a here and now thing, something to take my mind off of everything I had been through in my relationship with Shaun.
Now would be the true test though. I wondered how little guilt I would feel after facing Shaun in the prison visiting room, especially after having been kissed, fondled and caressed by another man just last night.
When I arrived at the prison I went through the normal routine of the degrading search, having them make sure I was on the visitor list and the lengthy wait. My wait was going to be a bit more tense than normal, however, because of a name I found signed on Shaun’s visitor’s page. Tawanda Jackson visited last week. I don’t know Tawanda Jackson, but I was more than a little interested in finding out all about her.
I assumed the worst during my wait. Then I lectured myself on how much nerve I had considering what I was into with Cody. But darn it, I had been there and done that with Shaun. I was not going to stand for it again.
Shaun entered the visiting room about twenty minutes after I sat down, which gave me plenty of time to stew over the woman’s name on his list. Before he could put his butt firmly in the chair I began questioning him.
“Who is Tawanda Jackson, Shaun?”
“Hello, wife. It is so nice to see you too. I have missed you so much since the last time we visited,” Shaun said sarcastically.
I felt bad behind his reply. He was right. I didn’t hug him, say hello, or update him on the kids.
“I’m sorry, honey. The kids and I are fine. Lil’ Shaun’s two-week check up was yesterday. He is as normal as he can be bodily, but when it comes to cuteness, he is off the charts.” I smiled at Shaun to ease the tension I caused by my initial behavior, but it was still prevalent in my mind.
“That’s all wonderful to hear. It is reports like those that keep me going in here. I keep my mind focused on the positive and count my blessings instead of stressing over the time I have to do. I can’t wait to meet my son.
Something about Shaun had changed in just the six short weeks since I last saw him. Physically he was a little heav
ier. I assumed he must have been working out to help pass time. The new weight and muscles added to his beauty, but it was more than that. He seemed more subdued, calmer. I know we haven’t spent much time talking today, but it was more than what he said or even how he said it. It was as if something was exuding from his soul.
Shaun pretended as if he never heard the question I asked about Tawanda Jackson, so there was no way he was going to be forthcoming with any information. I had to wait for the perfect opportunity to bring it up again. I decided to stick with the small talk for now.
“How are Sha’Ron and the rest of your family doing?”
“Sha’Ron is doing pretty well. He’s growing like a weed and his grades are good. My being here is hard on him though. He’s older than Shauntae, so he’s aware of my absence and why I am in jail. But I make sure my mother brings him with her when she comes to visit. The last thing I want is for him to forget me or feel like I have abandoned him.”
I was a little envious of the fact that Shaun wanted Sha’Ron to visit but not Shauntae. However, my understanding outweighed my jealousy. Sha’Ron is four years older than Shauntae.
“Has Uncle Bobby been here yet?” I figured if I could get him to keep talking about his visitors, I could bring up this Tawanda person.
“No. Uncle Bobby doesn’t do the prison visitation thing, but I’m not mad at him. He just can’t stand to see me locked down like this.”
“Well, who is Tawanda Jackson, Shaun? I saw her name on your visitor’s page. I assumed she was someone you know through your uncle or your work.”
I could tell Shaun knew I was lying by the way he looked at me. He shook his head slightly and took a moment before he answered me. I waited patiently versus doing my usual grilling and rushing.
“You know what, Lindsay, I was going to make up a story about Tawanda, but I think you’re mature enough to handle the truth.”