by Desiree Day
Summer strolled to her bedroom and twirled around, like a five-year-old. She pulled off her shower cap, then went through the motions of moisturizing, deodorizing and dressing.
With Trey gone she had started to pay attention to her appearance again. Summer ran her fingers through her naturally curly hair and fluffed it up; the soft tendrils breezed over her shoulders. After her hair kept thinning and shedding nonstop she decided to grow out her relaxer and go natural, it took her several years to do it, but she was glad she did, she loved the results. Her hair was thicker and healthier than ever.
Instead of her usual baggy sweatpants and oversize T-shirt, she pulled on a pair of bright pink yoga pants and a skimpy camisole. Her ensemble would be partially hidden underneath her smock, but it made her feel sexy. For a finishing touch Summer swiped on some red lipstick, put on a pair of earrings and a touch of eye shadow.
An hour later she was in Sugah Cakes standing alongside Lance decorating cupcakes. Linda was in the front cleaning out the cases, replenishing the sugar and creamer containers and wiping down the tables. After taking Clint’s advice she had talked to her, it was hard, but Linda had apologized for her behavior, and she had been a better employee ever since. Everybody had commented on her improvement.
A couple other people were in the other side of the room, each making fresh batter for the cupcakes, muffins and cakes. A Miguel song blared through the air and most of them bopped to the music.
An oven alarm went off signaling that the banana nut muffins were done. Summer left her cupcakes to take out the trays of muffins and put in the trays of poppy seed muffins. They had a couple of hours to go before the morning rush showed up and the small team moved as one.
Summer peeked down the table at Clint; he was decorating a Red Velvet Cake, a southern favorite. She knew that it’ll be gone by noon.
“That cake sure is looking good, huh?” Lance joked.
Summer’s head snapped up. “What?”
Lance grinned. “The Red Velvet Cake, you can’t stop looking at it.”
Summer blushed. “Oh, yeah, it does look good,” she muttered and refocused her attention on her cupcake.
Lance chuckled knowingly. “Yep, it’s a good looking cake.”
“How’s school?” Summer abruptly asked.
“It’s cool man,” he gushed. “I don’t think that I can ever repay Mr. M.”
“Sure you can,” Summer replied and Lance shot her a questioning look. “Just don’t fuck up,” she quipped.
Lance chortled. “That is so not gonna happen. I’m straight now. I got my shit tight and it will stay that way.”
“Bet!” Summer grinned at him.
“I heard about Trey.”
Summer finished decorating her last cupcake. She picked up the tray and carried it out to the case. She returned to her spot and picked up another tray of naked cupcakes, read the label and began decorating appropriately, all the while, Lance was watching her. “Yeah it was time,” she finally said. Everybody at the shop knew Trey, he had come to some of the functions the bakery had, and he used to stop by the shop. She had told a few of the gossipers about her breakup, knowing that they would pass it along to everybody. She was right.
“Cool. You know if you ever wanna hang out, let me know.”
Lance was attractive, but he wasn’t her type. “Thanks. But I don’t date people that I work with, causes too much trouble.”
Lance leaned in close, then whispered meanly in her ear. “But you’d fuck Mr. M if he asks you too, won’t you?”
Startled, Summer almost dropped her cupcake. “What the—”
Lance gave her a disarming smile and held up his hands. “Hey, just joking.”
“Yeah right!” she said, but inched away from him and decorated her cupcakes in peace. She made sure not to look at Clint. Am I that obvious? she wondered. Even Lance could see how I feel about Clint, I need to be careful, she decided to herself.
At eight o’clock she went out to the counter to help Linda with the morning rush. She was on the floor during a lull cleaning the tables when her favorite customer strolled in, Klyde, a professor at Morehouse.
After greeting her he ordered a muffin and coffee then sat down, he invited her to join him and she did. She knew that Clint wouldn’t mind, especially since it was slow.
“How’s everything?”
Klyde smiled and Summer liked how his eyes brightened. “Busy. We have mid-terms this week and everybody’s going crazy.”
“But you’re used to it right?”
Klyde chuckled self-consciously. “I am, but I feel like I should be on edge like everyone else, but I’m not.”
“Because you’re an optimist, you see the light at the end of the tunnel, while most people are stuck in the dark.”
“Well said,” he complimented her. They were silent while he took a sip of his wine. “I want to say something, but I don’t want you to think I’m being fresh.”
“I would never think that about you!”
“You really should wear lipstick more often it looks really nice on you,” he said shyly.
Summer blushed, glad that she had started paying extra attention to her appearance. She usually smeared Vaseline on her lips instead of lipstick. “Thanks.”
“So are you still seeing Trey?” he asked casually.
Summer almost gasped with surprise, she made herself cough instead. She looked at the man sitting across from her; he was a huge departure from Trey. From his cardigan, tie, button down and shiny shoes, his job, hell he had a career. This was a man not a boy. “We’re no longer seeing each other,” she whispered, suddenly shy.
“Oh, that’s good,” Klyde said. “I’ve been wanting to ask you out for a long time, but you always had Trey.”
“Unfortunately, it was time for us to break up, we were heading in different directions,” she said diplomatically.
“Yep, and you’re heading right into mine,” Klyde drawled.
Summer frowned, something in his voice made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, but she shook it away. “That’s sweet.”
“Hey, Bill Cosby is visiting Morehouse on Friday and will be giving a speech. Would you like to come with me? We can have dinner before or after.”
“Cool, that sounds like fun. I’ve never heard him speak.”
Summer noticed that the crowd was picking up again; she hurriedly gave Klyde her cell phone number. She stood up. “Okay, call me,” she said before racing away.
Klyde watched her, his eyes narrowed. “Oh, I will, bet on it.”
Chapter 10
Clint and Trevor sat at their table with a huge platter of hot wings in the middle along with two pitchers of beer. Their eyes were glued to the Falcons’ game on the big screen TV.
After his impromptu romantic night with Violet had turned into a debacle that he’d soon like to forget, his desire to go home had plummeted even further. Spending an evening at a bar surrounded by drunks was more appealing than home.
Clint sipped on his second beer. He would have preferred to get wasted, but since he had to drive home, he had to forgo that treat. He pulled his gaze away from the game and stared into his beer, he mulled over his current predicament. His wife was mad at him and he didn’t know why. Maybe I should just leave her, she acts like that’s what she wants me to do. Another one bites the dust, he thought sadly.
Just as he was about to swallow his beer, Larkin strolled by their table, paused then backtracked. She squealed then pointed to Clint. “Hey, I know you.”
Clint almost choked on his beer, but he managed to swallow it without causing a scene. Wearing a pair of black skinny jeans, a red sweater that molded her breasts and a pair of five-inch stilettoes, she looked hot and she knew it. “Larkin right?” Clint asked, feigning a case of amnesia.
Larkin beamed at him. “Oh, you remember, that’s sweet. I was supposed to be meeting a friend here but she changed her mind, I was just about to leave when I saw you. Mind if I join you? I still wa
nt to watch the game but I didn’t want to sit by myself.”
“I understand.” He knew that the men in the bar were worse than vultures with women, especially pretty women, he was surprised that she made it this far without getting hit on. “Here sit down.” Clint jumped up and pulled her chair out for her and Larkin blushed. That was the first time in a long time that a man had shown such chivalry.
Trevor introduced himself. “So how do you know my brother?” he asked.
“From Sugah Cakes, I had been hearing wonderful things about the bakery and I dropped by one night and there he was.”
“Yeah, it’s a nice shop. His business is booming. I told him he should open another one.”
Larkin feigned surprise, she turned to Clint. “Oh my God! That’s your shop. You’re the owner, I didn’t know.”
Clint grinned sheepishly. “You wouldn’t know, most customers don’t, it’s cool. Would you like something to eat? We have hot wings but you can order something different to eat if you want,” he generously offered.
“Wings and beer are fine, I’m not picky. I’ll be right back, I need to wash my hands.” Trevor and Clint stood when she left the table.
They both watched her saunter away. Trevor whistled softly. “Wow!”
“Yeah wow!”
“Now, that lady will break up a marriage!”
“Yeah, if I let her, but I’m not. But damn she is fine.”
“Be careful,” Trevor warned.
Clint narrowed his eyes. “What are you talking about?”
“You damn near choked on your beer when you saw her. You’re attracted to her, there’s nothing wrong with that. Just don’t do anything that you’re going to regret.”
Clint flattened his lips. “There’s nothing to worry about, I’m straight.”
“We’ll, see.”
The rest of the evening the trio watched the football game and cheered for the Atlanta Falcons. Every time Marcel’s name was announced, Larkin wanted to throw her mug at the TV. Whenever the Falcons ran a play that garnered a cheer, Larkin grazed her breasts against Clint, by the end of the game he was leaning toward her, encouraging her brushes.
“Go Falcons!” Clint cheered at the end of the game. The Falcons had won again. “I bet they’re going to the playoffs!”
“I guess I better head on home. Blaklee is in one of her moods, she about blown up my phone with her stupid texts,” Trevor said, but he was grinning. Clint knew that he enjoyed the drama. “It was nice meeting you Larkin.” Trevor nodded at Clint, then he mouthed, “Be careful.” He strolled out of the bar.
“I think I’d better get going too.” Larkin stood then swayed. She reached out for the table, groping the air. “I need to sit down.” She slid into her seat. “I think I drank too much. I don’t think I can drive home,” she slurred.
Clint nervously licked his lips. “Is there somebody you can call?”
“No, it’s too late. It’s almost midnight. I don’t want to disrupt anybody’s bedtime just because I can’t hold my alcohol.”
“Would you like me to call you a cab?”
“I hate cabs, they’re always so dirty and smelly.”
Clint gulped. “I can drive you home.”
Larkin looked at him, her eyes wide and guileless. “You sure? It’s all the way in Stone Mountain.”
“Um sure. Come on.”
Clint helped her up and Larkin sagged against him as he tugged, pulled and almost carried her out to his vehicle, a Mercedes SUV. “Nice car,” she mumbled.
“So where am I going?”
She gave him the address then promptly fell asleep. Clint turned on his radio and settled in for the hour-long drive ahead of him. By the time he turned into her driveway, Larkin was snoring softly.
He gently nudged her awake. “We’re here.”
Larkin’s eyes fluttered open and she gave him a goofy grin. “Thanks will you walk me to the door?”
Clint strolled over to the passenger side and pulled Larkin out, she wrapped her arms around his neck. “You’re cute,” she said.
“Thanks,” Clint said attempting to remove her arms from around his neck and trying to make his dick go down. “Come on.” They stumbled to the front door. “You have your key?”
Larkin shoved her purse at him. “You get it.”
He propped her against the door while he quickly opened her little clutch, fortunately she only had her cell phone, lipstick, money clip and her keys, so he didn’t have to do much searching.
After a couple of tries, he found the right key, and unlocked the door, they stumbled in. He slammed the door behind them.
“Can you take me up to my bedroom?” Larkin asked.
“You can’t make it up to your room?” he asked incredulous.
“I might fall down the stairs,” she whined.
“Okay, okay, just show me.”
“Grab my hand.”
Clint hesitated before taking her hand and they walked through the dark house with Larkin leading the way. They made their way upstairs and Larkin stopped at her bedroom. “Can you please stay with me tonight?”
Clint snatched his hand away, causing Larkin to sway, she leaned against the doorjamb and grabbed her head. “I can’t. I’ll make sure that you get into bed, but I can’t stay.”
“Please stay. I might be sick, I don’t want to puke all over myself, please,” she begged.
“Larkin, I really can’t,” he said firmly.
“Please,” she pleaded while she grabbed his hand and pulled him into her bedroom. “It’s almost morning anyway, I’m sure you have a long drive back home, stay here. I’d feel badly if you fell asleep at the wheel or got into an accident,” she whispered.
“The drive isn’t that long.” But as soon as he said it, he realized that he didn’t want to drive another hour to go home just to lie next to Violet.
Larkin bumped into her bed, she dropped down, pulling Clint on top of her. “Please,” she repeated.
Their mouths were only inches apart. “Okay,” Clint mumbled. He rolled off her. “Let me go lock up the truck. I’ll be right back.”
As soon as Clint stepped out of the room, all traces of her inebriation evaporated. “Gotcha!” She raced to the bathroom, pulled off all her clothes, then slipped into a sheer baby doll. When Clint returned to the room, Larkin was standing in front of the window stretching, the moonbeams were like spotlights on her, outlining her nearly naked body.
He froze while he devoured her body with his eyes. They kept returning to her lush breasts. He cleared his throat. “I’m back.”
“I see. Ready for bed?”
“Sure.”
Larkin slid between the covers and she watched Clint with amusement. He had kicked off his shoes, but he stopped there, unsure of how much he should take off. He nervously tapped a small travel kit against his leg.
Larkin made it easy for him. “You might be more comfortable if you take off your pants and shirt,” she said softly. “You can set your bag on the nightstand or on top of the dresser, either one is fine.”
“Sure.” Clint turned away from her while he undressed. He folded everything and placed them on her dresser and planted his bag on top of the pile.
“I can hang your clothes if you want.”
“That’s okay.”
Clint got into bed beside Larkin and her scent hit him. Oh God. He turned away from her, hiding his excitement. Larkin touched his back and he nearly jumped off the bed.
Larkin bit back her laughter. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. I just wanted to thank you for driving me home. I owe you.”
“No you don’t. It’s something that anybody would do.”
“Yeah, but they might try to take advantage of me, and you didn’t, so thank you. Good night.”
“Good night.”
Clint woke up to the smell of coffee. He wiped his hands over his face, he was surprised that he had even slept. As soon as she had fallen asleep, Larkin had snuggled into him, pressi
ng her breasts against his back and scissoring her leg between his. He had gotten so turned on that he had thought about going into the bathroom to jack off, but he refrained, the last thing he needed was for Larkin to walk in on him pleasuring himself.
Clint picked up his clothes and his traveling kit before ambling off to the bathroom where he cleaned himself up as best as he could. He found his way to the kitchen where Larkin was cooking in the same sheer baby doll she had slept in.
“Sweet Jesus,” Clint hissed. It was like she was naked. His eyes blazed over her body. He zeroed in on her taut ass, it was two perfect orbs. His hands itched to touch it.
Larkin turned around and Clint inhaled sharply at the frontal view. He didn’t bother to disguise his desire as he boldly took her in. Larkin stood proudly in front of him, she stuck out her chest, giving him a perfect view of her lush breasts. Clint’s gaze traveled down, then stopped at the sweetness between her legs, he unconsciously licked his lips. He noticed two things: that she shaved and that her pussy looked sexy as hell.
“Good morning,” Larkin said, breaking the silence. “I’m not on the menu this morning, but I can be,” she said with a wink.
“Um, no. I’m married.”
“I’m here if you change your mind. Anyway, I made you breakfast.”
Clint shook his head. “Thanks, but I really have to go, I need to open the bakery.”
Larkin cocked her head to the side. “You’re telling me that you’re the only one who can open the bakery. Don’t you have a manager or an assistant who can do it?”
“Yeah, but I like to be there—”
Larkin pointed to the table nestled in the breakfast nook, it was already set for two. “Sit down, you’ll drive better with some food and coffee.”
“Oh, okay, sure,” he conceded, then took a seat.
She gave him a bright smile before leaning in front of him to pour his coffee, her breasts dangled enticingly. “Cream or sugar?”
Clint shook his head, unwilling to speak. He was afraid that if he’d open his mouth, he’d latch onto one of her delicious looking nipples.