Safe Space (Book 1)

by Tiffany Patterson

  My stomach muscles clenched at her coos and panting, inspiring me to go on. I lapped her up, enjoying her unique taste on my tongue. I inserted a second finger at the same time I felt her thighs tighten around my head. I knew she was close when her hips began bouncing up and down.

  “Ahhh!” she screamed as her orgasm reached its peak.

  I stood up and watched as she panted to regain control over her body. Damn, I’d missed the hell out of her over the last few days.

  “Come here,” I told her, pulling her up to meet me as I hovered over the desk.

  She cupped my face with both her hands and outlined my lips with her tongue, sending a shudder through me. My dick pressed against her stomach, seeking its intended target. When she moaned into my mouth at tasting her own juices on my lips, I couldn’t hold back any longer. Pressing her legs apart once again, I positioned myself at her apex and sunk in fully. Chanel leaned back, pressing her elbows against the desk and wrapped her legs around my waste, granting me better access. I stared down into her big brown eyes and felt myself grow even harder at the look of total submission I saw there. Her lids grew heavy as I stroked in and out of her.

  “Open your shirt and take off your bra.” I wanted to see all of her.

  Sitting up, she managed to unbutton her top and remove her bra. I pressed her back against my desk, leaning over to take one of her nipples into my mouth as my hips continued to piston in and out of her. Her hand came around to cup the back my head.

  “Mmm, Xavier, that feels so good,” she squealed.

  “How much did you miss me?”

  “So much, baby!”

  I pulled back, gripping her thighs and began hammering into her. The feeling of not being able to touch her for the last few days had left me hungry for all of her.

  “Ah yes! Just like that. Make me cum,” she cried out.

  “You gonna cum all over my dick?”

  “Yes!”

  I angled my hips to dig into her better, hitting that special bundle of nerves deep inside her core. Seconds later I felt her tremble before a gush of wetness coated my appendage. The tightening of her walls around my cock was it for me. My own orgasm took over, causing my entire body to stiffen and then shake.

  “Fuck!” I yelled out as ripple after ripple of pleasure moved through me. I leaned down, lowering my head into the crook of her neck, nipping at her earlobe and the sensitive flesh of her neck. I remained there until every drop of my cum was released. When I went to stand, Chanel gripped my face again, forcing me to stare at her. She gave me a look I’d never seen before. Raising her head to me, she pressed a quick kiss to my lips.

  “Thank you.”

  I tilted my head. “For what?”

  “For being you.”

  I wasn’t quite sure what that meant. I turned my head, pressing a kiss to the inside of her wrist, before standing upright, and pulling myself completely out of her. I realized we’d had sex without any protection. Again. For some reason that knowledge didn’t alarm me as it would’ve in the past. We’d discussed STDs and all of that before.

  “Do you have to go back to work today?”

  She shook her head. “I told Liza I was taking the rest of the day off.”

  “Good.” I pulled her to me. “We’ve got some more making up for lost time to do.”

  ****

  Chanel

  “If I didn’t already know you were coming home with me, I might have to kill every man in here for looking at your ass in this dress.”

  I grinned and shivered at his whisper in my ear. We were at The Museum of Fine Arts, at a charity event to raise money for cancer patients. Xavier was a guest of honor, after donating a sizeable amount each year. His grandmother had died of ovarian cancer, which prompted his generosity.

  “Lucky you,” I teased.

  “I sure am.” He kissed the tip of my nose. “Come here; there are some people I want you to meet.” He steered me toward a group of people. He introduced me to a few investors and managers of his restaurants. Grant’s was catering the event, and the new crab cakes were on the menu.

  “There’s Jay and Tori with your pops and Marjorie,” he gestured with his chin. I looked over. While Tori, Jason, and Marjorie wore genuine smiles, my father’s smile was accompanied by a pinch in his eyebrows. I remembered the conversation we’d had in his home office prior, and wondered what his real concerns were.

  “Chanel, you look great,” Tori exclaimed, looking me over in the sleeveless burgundy cocktail dress with a slit up the left thigh. I loved a thigh slit. I had great legs from dance class and didn’t mind showing them off.

  “Thanks, Tori. You all look great.” I greeted my sister-in-law with a kiss on her cheek, then my brother, then Marjorie, and finally my father. We talked for a little bit until someone pulled Xavier aside to discuss a business proposal. I watched him walk away with a group of men, which included my father and Jason. They looked great in their tuxedos, but my eyes kept returning to Xavier’s profile.

  “Daaaamn, girl! Wipe the drool off your chin,” Tori laughed.

  I glared at Tori. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I took a sip of champagne.

  “Umm, you know. Marjorie, you saw the way she was watching him?”

  I squinted at Tori, especially not wanting to have this conversation with Marjorie involved.

  “Oh, I saw,” Marjorie giggled. “Looks a lot like the makings of love. Are you all right?”

  “You okay?”

  She and Tori asked at the same time when I began choking on my champagne. “Y-yeah, I’m fine,” I answered, holding up my hands. “Also let’s not bring up the L word again, okay? Thanks.”

  I watched Marjorie and Tori exchange a look, the meaning of which I wasn’t quite sure, but I knew I didn’t like it.

  “Please, let’s change the topic.”

  “Well, you know I don’t usually like to bring up business in off-hours, but I heard you’re the lawyer for Michele Wyatt. That’s a big deal,” Marjorie began.

  “Oh yeah, I heard Jacob Wyatt’s wife filed for divorce. I didn’t know you were her attorney, Chanel. Why didn’t you say anything?” Tori added.

  I shrugged. “A little thing called attorney-client privilege.”

  Tori frowned. “I’m married to a lawyer, so I know telling me someone is your client wouldn’t violate that privilege.”

  She was right, it wouldn’t, but I didn’t go around bragging about who my clients were.

  “Wait, isn’t Jacob represented by Jason and Elliott’s firm?” Tori looked over to where the men stood.

  “Yup,” Marjorie added.

  “Oh, that’s messy.”

  “Not really. Robert’s handling the divorce, so it’s not like I have much interaction with Jay or dad.”

  “Well, I’m proud of you. It’s a huge case and from what Elliott’s been saying, you’re giving Robert a run for his money,” Marjorie laughed.

  I paused, my champagne flute halfway to my face. “He’s mentioned it to you?”

  “Oh yeah, he read over the deposition you did a few weeks back and was spouting some legal mumbo jumbo about what he would do next. Following day, he comes back and is like, she did it, she filed this claim or that claim with the judge.”

  I crinkled my brows. I wanted to ask Marjorie if she was sure we were speaking about the same person.

  “He’s proud of you.”

  That almost made me choke again.

  “Jay, too. He’s always talking about when you come to work at the firm, it’ll finally be complete,” Tori interjected.

  I knew she wasn’t embellishing. Jason had already made his feelings clear on my working for the firm. But I was still digesting Marjorie’s comments.

  “You okay?” I heard in my ear. I was instantly comforted by the hand on the small of my back as I looked up into Xavier’s handsome face.

  “Perfect. You’re done with all your man talk,” I teased, as both my father and brother came to stand by th
eir wives. I noticed again how my father easily slipped his hand around Marjorie’s waist, gracing her cheek with a kiss.

  I blinked away, noticing a familiar face at the entranceway.

  “There’s your mom.” I nodded to the door.

  “I didn’t know she’d be here.” Xavier held up an arm to get her attention. She looked stunning in an off-the-shoulder beige dress that hugged her petite frame. She spotted Xavier and started in our direction. About halfway there, her steps faltered as she noticed the rest of our group. I wondered what that was about, but Tori mentioned something about the kids, and redirected my attention.

  Wanda Grant joined us a moment later and greeted everyone, though her demeanor was a bit icy. It turned out her company was a big donor to the organization and at the last minute, had asked her to stand in for the executive who’d been supposed to come that night.

  “Did you know Grant’s was catering tonight?” I asked, making conversation as Xavier and Jason excused themselves to talk with some other people. “The crab cakes are delicious.”

  Wanda nodded. “Yes, I’ve tried them at the restaurant.”

  “Wanda, that dress is lovely,” Marjorie complimented.

  Xavier’s mother gave her a funny look. “Thank you.”

  “Sweetie, I’m going to go speak to John for a minute,” my father told Marjorie.

  “I need to go to the bathroom; excuse me,” Wanda commented, and before I could even acknowledge her, she was strutting off.

  Marjorie looked at me and shrugged. We made idle chit-chat for a little while before Xavier rejoined us and introduced me to a few more people.

  “I have to go to the bathroom. I’ll be right back,” I whispered to Xavier.

  “Hurry back.”

  I headed down the long hallway to the bathroom. Instead of the main bathroom, I knew of a more private bathroom that was up one floor. I headed up the back steps and through a door to the bathroom that was thankfully empty. I used the toilet and then went to the sink to wash my hands and check my makeup.

  After pulling out a blotting towelette from my bag, I blotted my face, reapplied another coat of the nude lipstick I was wearing, and headed to the door. As soon as I opened it, I heard voices that seemed familiar, but were hushed. There seemed to be tension between whomever was talking, so, not wanting to interrupt or make them aware of my presence, I just stood by the cracked-open door, hoping they would leave soon.

  “You never told him about us, did you?” A male whisper sounded, and a chill ran down my spine.

  “Of course not!” the female answered, and I felt bile rise in my throat. I knew these two people, but I continued to hope against hope that they weren’t who I thought they were.

  “Xavier doesn’t need to find out about this. He likes Chanel.”

  I closed my eyes and began to tremble.

  “I don’t need anyone finding out, either. Chanel would hate me even more.”

  “I doubt that’s even possible,” I stated coldly, stepping out into the hallway.

  My father and Wanda turned to me, eyes wide. I looked at Wanda first, unable to look at my father. Her head was downcast; shame etched into every line of her body.

  “Chanel, you weren’t supposed to hear that,” my father started.

  “I bet,” I laughed, almost maniacally. “I mean, what man wants his daughter to overhear his mistress tell him her son likes his daughter? Wait, did I even get that right? This is a confusing scenario. And what about Marjorie, your wife? Does she know about you two?”

  “No! There’s nothing to know,” Wanda nearly shouted. “Not anymore,” she added.

  “Anymore?”

  My father looked as if he might take the attitude that he didn’t have to answer to anyone. That was often the attitude he took when my mother questioned his whereabouts when he’d come home in the middle of the night.

  His chest heaved. “What happened between Wanda and me was years ago, before Marjorie.” He sounded unusually ashamed.

  “Years ago? So, while you were married to Mom?” I looked between them, Wanda’s shoulders sagged, and I knew the answer. I shook my head, alarming both of them when I began laughing again.

  “This is just great,” I continued to laugh.

  “Chanel, I’m sorry,” Wanda apologized.

  “For what?” I asked between laughs. “For having more of my father’s attention than I ever had in my life?”

  “Is that why you told me to ‘be careful’ of Xavier?” I looked to my father, putting air quotes around be careful. “Not out of any concern for me, but because you didn’t want your little secret exposed? Wow.” I was looking at my father with all the disgust I had in my heart.

  “What?”

  I looked up to see Xavier standing at the end of the hall, his face a mask of confusion and anger.

  “What the hell did you just say?” he asked me, but looking between my father and his mother.

  “Go ahead, Dad. You’ve been awfully quiet. Why don’t you share with Xavier the news I just found out?” I folded my arms across my chest.

  “Xavier, baby, we can discuss this at another time. Not here. Not now,” Wanda began, turning to her son.

  “Pssh,” I tutted. She didn’t have a problem talking about it there with my father when she thought they were alone.

  “You know what, Wanda? You’re right,” I said. “I’m leaving.”

  “Chanel,” my father called. “Look, this is complicated, and I’m sorry—”

  “Sorry? Are you sorry? Why, because you got caught? Tell me, Dad. Was Wanda the woman you’d been out with the night before Mama died, or was that a different woman?” My anger was boiling over.

  My father gave me a horrified look. Likely because of the fact that I’d thrown my mother’s death in his face. Yeah, he could live with that too.

  “Don’t bother answering. I’m leaving.”

  “You’re not going any damn where,” Xavier’s thunderous words bordered on a threat as he grabbed my wrist, preventing my escape.

  “Xavier…” I sighed, just wanting to get out of the presence of these two people, especially my father.

  “Nah, you’re not leaving. Mama, we’ll talk later,” he stated abruptly, turning and guiding me with him down the hall.

  “Let go of me. I just want to go home,” I tried to keep from yelling as I attempted to break free of Xavier’s grasp.

  “And I’ll take you home once the night is over.”

  I looked at him like he had two heads.

  “After the night...did you just hear what I heard in there?” I pointed to the door we’d just passed through. We were now standing in the stairwell.

  He nodded calmly, which served to infuriate me. “I did, and like I said to my mother, we’ll talk about it later. Right now, I have to make a speech, and I want you here with me.” His eyes bored into mine, imploring me to grant his request.

  I closed my eyes against the intensity of his gaze, feeling like I’d say or do anything to please him. But I didn’t want to do anything just to please another man. I didn’t feel like smiling for a bunch of people while I was bubbling with anger and hurt inside. I’d grown up seeing my mother smile on the outside to everyone else, only to yell and cry behind closed doors over her hurt. Hell, I’d even been my mother when I was with Ethan. Smiling when people commented how great he was, only to fear going home, because who knew what type of mood he’d be in…or to go to the bathroom to reapply another coat of makeup so the bruises didn’t show through.

  Then I got angry with Xavier for even asking me to do this. Yes, I knew I was selfish, but shit, I was tired of smiling for men while feeling like I was breaking on the inside.

  Yet, despite my resolve, once I opened my eyes, I knew I couldn’t leave Xavier hanging.

  “Fine. But I want to go straight home afterward. And…” I paused when the door of the stairwell opened, and my father and Wanda passed through. “Keep them away from me,” I added, fleeing down the remainder of th
e steps.

  The rest of the evening was a blur, as I made polite conversation with a few other guests Xavier introduced me to. I noticed my father leaving early with Marjorie, and not too long after, Wanda left. Tori gave me curious looks, obviously sensing something was off, but I couldn’t answer her. I prayed for the time to come for Xavier to give his speech so we could get the hell out of there.

  When it finally came, he was riveting, of course. Charming the crowd and conveying the pain and grief he’d felt watching his grandmother die of ovarian cancer, and why he felt compelled to give to such a worthy cause. I applauded just as loudly as everyone else once he finished, a part of me glad I’d decided to stay. However, that didn’t quell my anger, and it made me even sadder for what I needed to do.

  We gave our farewells to Tori and Jason, and headed home. Even though my original plans were to spend the night at Xavier’s, I couldn’t do it. Not then. It took some convincing, but he finally directed the driver to my condo. Each mile we passed, the weight on my chest grew heavier.

  ****

  Xavier

  I had no idea what the fuck had happened tonight. One minute, I’d been enjoying myself, looking forward to the end of the night when I could slide in between my favorite pair of thighs. And then, I was following Chanel as she hurried down the hall to her condo, obviously thinking she was going to shut me out. Not happening. My mother was a whole other issue I’d have to deal with, and I didn’t even want to think about that right then. I ran my hand down my face and sighed as Chanel unlocked her door.

  “Thank you for tonight, but I just want to be alone now,” Chanel began.

  I took one look at her and pushed the door behind her open, brushing past her. “Nah, fuck that.” I could feel her pulling away from me, and I didn’t like that at all.

  “Xavier, I don’t have the energy for this tonight.”

  “Too bad. Why do you have to ruin our evening over some shit that has nothing to do with us?” I folded my arms across my chest, stood with my legs apart.

  “Nothing to do with us? Are you serious? Did you hear what I heard? Our parents had an affair while my mother was still alive!” she yelled, eyes watering.