Four Degrees of Heat

by Rochelle Alers, ReShonda Tate Billingsley, Brenda L. Thomas; Crystal Lacey Winslow

  “The only thing I regret is that I didn’t meet you sooner.”

  They lay there in silence for a few more minutes. Victoria wondered what was going through his mind.

  “You’re a very beautiful and sweet woman.”

  “Thank you. You’re not so bad yourself.” Victoria paused, then decided to say what was on her mind. “Do you always sleep with strangers?”

  “I could ask you the same question. But no. I told you, I have not been with another woman in four years, since I married Trina.”

  Victoria propped herself up next to Damon. She couldn’t believe how comfortable she felt after sleeping with Damon. If someone had told her she would actually have a one-night stand and not feel bad about it, she would’ve told them they were crazy.

  “So tell me, did you talk to Trina any more?”

  Damon grimaced, like the mere mention of the name was painful. “She actually came to my room last night. She had the audacity to be crying, telling me how sorry she was and how we could work through this. She said this Felix made her feel vibrant and alive and all I cared about was work. That was her justification for having an affair.”

  “Did you buy that?”

  “Hell, no. I work so hard because Trina wants the finer things in life. She doesn’t work, doesn’t want to work, yet loves to spend money. I’m not taking the blame on this. For a second, just a second, I felt my resolve weakening, then I noticed a hickey on her neck. What the hell is a thirty-two-year-old woman doing with a hickey? I finally just had to put her out because I swear to God, I would’ve ended up strangling her and trying to dispose of the body.”

  Victoria leaned over and kissed his chest. He closed his eyes and rubbed her hair. “Thank you for making me forget how bad things were…if only for a little while.”

  Victoria loved his compliments. They were so genuine. “No—thankyou —you just don’t know how good it felt being with you,” she responded. They enjoyed the silence between them for a few minutes before she asked, “Are you still leaving today?”

  Damon looked like he was contemplating his answer. “You know what, I think I’ll stay, now that I have a reason to stay.”

  “What’s your reason?”

  “I’m just getting to know you. I can’t very well leave now, can I?”

  “If you stay, you have to stay the rest of the week. You can’t just tease me a day, then bail out.”

  “That’s no problem. I’m on personal leave because I thought I was going to have to cover up a murder.”

  “I was just kidding. I’d love for you to stay, but I understand if you have to get back.” Victoria really did want to spend some time with him, but she didn’t want him to feel pressured.

  “I want to stay. I like you, Victoria. You make me smile, and it’s been a long time since I’ve had a smile on my face.” He massaged her breast as a devilish look crossed his face. “Can you make me smile again by giving me some more of what you gave me last night?”

  Victoria climbed on top of Damon and straddled him. She was surprised at her behavior. Maybe she was releasing her inhibitions because she never thought she’d see Damon after they left Belize. Maybe she just wanted to make herself feel good for a change and not worry about what anyone else thought. Whatever the case, she was determined to make the most of the rest of the week. “Do you think I’m a bad girl?” she asked.

  Damon glanced down at her naked breasts, looked back up into her eyes, and while palming her naked behind, responded, “You’re so damn good, it should be against the law.”

  “Good answer,” Victoria said as she leaned down and gently bit Damon’s ear. “Very good answer.”

  Chapter 7

  So this was what they meant when they said time flies when you’re having fun. Victoria couldn’t believe that five days had gone by since she’d met Damon. They had spent every waking (and sleeping) moment together. They discovered that they had so much in common, from their love of college basketball to their interest in movies. Their conversations were lively, and they had spirited debates. She really enjoyed talking to him. They had gone snorkeling, Jet Skiing, dancing, and parachuting. She even tried to get him to go bungee jumping, but he had told her there were some things he just wouldn’t do. “Not even for a pretty lady like you,” he had said.

  Victoria didn’t know why she was gravitating to him; why they were so drawn to each other. Yes, they both were on the rebound, but you wouldn’t know it from the good time they had when they were together.

  “Ummmm, right there.”

  Victoria held her breath and tried to talk out of her nose. “You want, I massage you without de towel.”

  “Umm, yeah, that would be nice.” Damon was lying facedown on the massage table. He thought she was next door getting a facial, but she had actually convinced the masseuse to let Victoria take her place. Now she was standing over Damon, rubbing oil up and down his back.

  “So,” Victoria said, her voice still disguised, “de lady you with, she be your girlfriend?”

  “Naw, she’s just some girl I met here in Belize, a piece of ass to tide me over.” Damon kept his face buried. Victoria’s smile faded, and a look of confusion crossed her face.

  “Yep,” Damon continued, “she’s just a chick I met here. She is good in bed, though, so I think I’ll keep her around until I leave.”

  “Huh?” Victoria was dumbfounded. She could not believe what she was hearing.

  “Did you get a load of those breasts? I know you’re a woman and all, but I think even a woman can appreciate how a man would want to have sex with a woman with tits like that. She’s all right, a little slow in the brains department, but those breasts. Lord, have mercy. Can you believe she threw up on me the first night I met her?” Victoria couldn’t hold it in any longer. She was straight pissed. How could she have been so stupid? Although she wasn’t looking for anything special, she at least thought she was more than just a “piece of ass.”

  Victoria threw the towel and hit Damon across the head. “She should’ve thrown up on you.” She stormed toward the door.

  Damon’s laughter stopped her. “Good thing you don’t claim to be an actress.”

  Victoria turned around, planting her hands firmly on her hips. “Excuse me?”

  Damon flipped himself over. “You’re in Belize, so what’s up with the Jamaican accent?”

  Victoria pursed her lips and tried not to smile. “So you knew it was me all along?”

  Damon draped the towel around his waist and eased off the table. He walked over to Victoria and pulled her to him. “Sorry, but your accent stinks.” He leaned in to kiss her.

  Victoria playfully tried to pull herself away. “Don’t kiss me. I’m just a piece of ass with big boobs.”

  “Okay, I’m sorry. But you do have big boobs.”

  Victoria swung at him. He jumped back, causing her to barely miss him. “You know I’m just messing with you, girl.” He grabbed her arm and pulled her in toward him. “Let me make it up to you.”

  “How?”

  Damon gently ran his fingers across her chest. “Let me show you.”

  There went that moisture again. “Let’s go back to the room,” she muttered. Victoria couldn’t believe how absolutely horny she got around him.

  “No.”

  “No?”

  “I want you right now.”

  Victoria looked around the room. “Here?”

  Damon backed up to the massage table and patted it. “Right here. Right now.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Victoria said incredulously.

  Damon extended his hand, and Victoria could tell he wasn’t kidding. “But the masseuse will be back any minute.”

  “Let her watch.” Damon dropped the towel from around his waist. Victoria’s eyes made their way down to his full erection. Her hormones went into overdrive. She gently stepped back.

  “Baby, let’s go back to the room.”

  “Baby, let’s get our freak on right here.”
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  Victoria started to protest. She was usually pretty conservative when it came to having sex. But, hell, nothing about this week had been usual for her. Why start now?

  “Okay.”

  Damon grabbed the sash on her wraparound skirt and pulled her into him. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back as he started kissing her neck. He kissed her earlobe, her chest, her breasts. Victoria felt on fire just from his kisses.

  Damon didn’t stop kissing her as he backed up toward the massage table. He swung her around, lifted her up, and sat her on the table. She lay back and began unfastening the buttons on her tank top. Damon pulled the sash on her skirt, loosening it until it dropped to the side, revealing a hot pink thong—another out-of-the-ordinary thing for Victoria.

  He sighed when he looked at her lying on the table. Her firm breasts were beckoning, and he happily obliged, taking as much into his mouth as he could. After several minutes of kissing and caressing her breasts, he moved his tongue down her stomach, over her belly button, and down to her vagina. He gently teased the outside before pushing his tongue deep inside. He worked his tongue for all of two minutes before Victoria exploded all over him.

  “Ummmm,” he said, savoring her juices. Damon climbed on top of her. “Can I get you to do that again?”

  “It would be my pleasure,” Victoria moaned.

  Victoria arched her back as Damon entered her. It took everything in her power not to have another orgasm too fast. She tried to wait so they could come together. Finally, just when she thought she wouldn’t be able to take any more, he started moaning, “Come with me! Come with me!”

  Victoria released the hold she was trying to have on her body and relaxed. All her frustrations about Kendrick, all her inhibitions about being with Damon, everything, went out the window as Damon took her to a plateau she hadn’t experienced in a very long time.

  Damon had just slumped over on Victoria when they heard a noise.

  “Ahem.”

  Both of them turned their attention to the door, where the massage therapist stood with her arms crossed. “Oh, shit!” Damon jumped up and fumbled for his robe. Victoria slid off the table and shrank down on the side of it as she reached for her clothes.

  “I…I’m sorry,” Victoria fumbled.

  “Did you have to do that on my table?”

  Damon grabbed his robe and pulled it around him. “Look, I apologize. We didn’t mean…I mean—”

  The masseuse held her hand up. “Don’t. Don’t even try to explain. Could you all just take that back to your room? You getting me all hot and bothered, and my girlfriend is out of town.” She broke out in a huge smile. Victoria could have died from embarrassment. She couldn’t even look at the woman as she scurried out of the room. Damon reached in his wallet and handed the masseuse a twenty-dollar bill. “Thanks.” He quickly followed Victoria out.

  Victoria was around the corner, her hands massaging her head. “I just do not believe this.”

  Damon smiled. “She seemed cool about it. She probably was getting off watching you.”

  “Me?”

  “Yeah, you. Didn’t you hear her say her “girlfriend” was out of town?”

  “Oh, dang, she did say that.” Victoria laughed. “Seriously, how long do you think she was standing there watching?”

  “Who cares?” Damon started unbuttoning Victoria’s top again.

  Victoria slapped his hand away. “Would you stop? You already got me busted by the masseuse.”

  Damon held his hands up. “Fine, if you want to walk around with your top on backward, so be it.”

  Victoria looked down. Her tank top was turned inside out, and her wrap skirt was draped askew around her waist. She couldn’t help but laugh. Damon joined in.

  “Let me go throw on my clothes,” Damon said after their laughter died down. “Then I’m taking you shopping.”

  “Shopping? It’s been a long time since a man took me shopping,” Victoria kidded.

  “Don’t get too excited, we’re just going to the flea market down the street,” Damon snickered. He quickly jumped out of the way as Victoria playfully tried to punch him again. “Damn, you’re a violent woman, aren’t you?” he said as he darted into the dressing room to get his clothes.

  Victoria relaxed in a chair in the lounge as she replayed the past few days in her mind. She absolutely, positively could not remember the last time she’d felt so happy.

  After Damon changed, they walked two blocks over to a nearby shopping strip, where Victoria almost lost her mind at all the good deals.

  “Oh, my God! Would you look at this necklace?” Victoria shrieked. She held up a green crystal beaded necklace. “It’s beautiful.” She had already spent over a hundred dollars on jewelry, so she gasped when she looked at the price on the necklace. It was a hundred dollars by itself.

  “That’s real crystal. I make a good deal for you,” the clerk said.

  “We’ll take it,” Damon responded.

  Victoria looked shocked. “Damon, you don’t have to. I can buy this myself.”

  “I’m sure you can.” He took the necklace and handed it to the clerk. “Can you box this up, please?”

  The clerk was grinning like a Cheshire cat. She took the necklace and Damon’s money.

  “Damon—” Victoria protested.

  “How can I take you shopping if you give me a hard time?”

  Victoria could just hear Iman.Girl, if the man wants to buy you a necklace, let him buy you a necklace, and whatever the hell else he wants to buy.

  “Okay, fine,” she finally said, a huge smile across her face. “Thank you.”

  They had just left the shop when they heard someone yell. “You bastard!”

  Victoria and Damon turned toward the voice. Both of them exhaled in frustration when they saw who was behind it.

  “How the fuck you goin’ try and follow me down here to bust me and you gallivanting around with this ho?” Trina was wagging her neck from side to side.

  “Ho?” Victoria stepped toward her. She wasn’t a fighter, but she definitely was about to kick this bitch’s ass.

  Damon put his arm in front of Victoria to keep her back. “Trina, you would want to get out of my face. Go find Felix or something,” Damon calmly said.

  “Why are you so concerned about Felix when you’re cheating your damn self?”

  Victoria surveyed Damon’s wife. How could he end up with someone like that? Trina wore a bright red sleeveless catsuit and a huge straw hat with a scarf tied around it. She looked like a ghetto queen who had hit the lottery.

  Damon’s lips tensed, and he stepped toward Trina. She backed up as he leaned toward her and stuck his finger in her face. “Inever, do you hear me,never cheated on you! I gave you the world, my heart included, and how do you repay me? By running off to Belize with another man. Don’t fucking talk to me about cheating!” He took a deep breath, like he was trying to calm himself down.

  “Why are you still here?” Trina whimpered.

  “No, the question is why areyou still here? You’d think after I caught you with your lover, you’d want to get home and try to explain things, but it’s obvious you don’t give a damn about explaining anything.”

  “I…I was coming home. I’m leaving today, as a matter of fact. I…I just stayed because Felix is in the hospital. You broke his jaw and his rib,” she stuttered.

  “He’s lucky I didn’t kill him. But you know what? Stay here as long as you like. Move here for all I care. We’re through.”

  Trina tried to hug him. He pushed her away.

  “You don’t mean that, baby. You’re upset. I know you’re messing with this tramp just to get back at me. I forgive you.” Trina never looked Victoria’s way.

  Damon stared at her like she’d lost her mind. “You forgive me? If that isn’t the funniest thing I’ve heard today. I’m glad I have your forgiveness. But you damn sure don’t have mine.” Damon turned toward Victoria. “Come on, baby, let’s go.”

  “B
aby?” The ghetto started coming out in Trina. She spun toward Victoria. “Don’t your trick ass know he just using you?” she snarled.

  Victoria contemplated cussing this woman out. But she decided the best payback would be to walk off with Damon. She draped her arm through Damon’s. “Come on. Let’s go so you can use me up.” They both laughed as they walked off to the sound of Trina’s cursing and screaming.

  Chapter 8

  Victoria spotted her mother standing just outside the baggage claim area. Who couldn’t spot her mom standing there in a big-brimmed leopard-skin hat, a strapless tank top, and some skintight jeans? One of these days her mother was going to realize she was fifty-five years old and start dressing her age.

  “Oh, baby, welcome back. Are you okay?” Rhonda asked as she ran over to her daughter. Iman was right behind her.

  “I’m fine, Mama,” Victoria responded, hugging her mother. “Hey, girl.” She hugged Iman as well.

  Rhonda finally noticed the man lingering behind her daughter, and her eyebrows rose.

  “Oh, ummm, Mom, this is, ummm, this is my friend, Damon. Damon, this is my mom, and my best friend, Iman.”

  Both Rhonda and Iman tried to mask the shock on their faces. “Hi, Damon.” Rhonda extended her hand, which Damon gently shook before doing the same with Iman.

  “Do you want me to take your bags out?” Damon asked.

  Victoria smiled. “No, I’ll let the skycap do it.”

  Damon stood there as if he didn’t want to leave. Rhonda and Iman stared intensely at both of them.

  Victoria ignored them, figuring she’d deal with them in a few minutes. “Well, ummm, I really enjoyed this past week.” She caught herself feeling like a giddy teenager again. She actually felt sad about seeing him leave. “How long before your flight?”

  “I only have to wait about thirty minutes.”

  “Oh, okay.” Victoria turned toward her mother and friend, who hadn’t taken their eyes off the couple. “Excuse me. You can go on to the car. I’ll be out in just a minute.”

  “But you don’t know where the car is,” Rhonda protested as her eyes made their way up and down Damon’s body.