Sugar

by S. L. Jennings

  Realizing that no words had passed between them and it had been a least sixty seconds since she entered, Marcus finally cleared his throat and attempted to cut the tension.

  “Good to see you again,” he said in his most professional tone, the one that didn’t reveal how turned on he was. “What brings you in today?”

  One corner of Nina’s mouth curled seductively. “You.”

  Flustered, Marcus once again fondled his tie, before offering a tight smile. “Please, have a seat. Can I get you anything?”

  Nina tracked Marcus with her eyes as he returned to the safety of his desk chair. He honestly thought a slab of wood was enough to guard him against the overwhelming temptation of hiking up Nina’s dress, spreading her pretty, thick thighs, and sliding inside her. Considering the way she was eye-fucking him, she, too, knew he was playing himself.

  Hips swaying, Nina made her way to the chair stationed before Marcus’s desk. Then she slowly sat, keeping her sultry gaze on him the entire time.

  Marcus swallowed thickly. Damn. Why was he nervous? What was it about this woman that made him feel like he was sixteen again, dreaming of his very first lay? She had to have been a good decade his junior, yet there was something so indescribable about her that stirred those thoughts of nostalgia in him. She made him feel young, wild, and free. A dangerous combination as an accountant … and as a married man.

  Finding his nerve, he asked Nina, “What are you doing here?”

  Nina ran her tongue over her cherry red lips. “I thought you could use a break.”

  “What would give you that impression?”

  Nina crossed and uncrossed her legs, giving Marcus an eyeful. “Call it intuition. Have you eaten today?”

  Marcus didn’t have the good sense to lie, answering, “No.”

  “Oh good. I bet you’re hungry.”

  With that, Nina made her way towards the door to flip the lock. Then she sauntered to where Marcus sat on the other side of the desk.

  Marcus opened his mouth to ask her what she was doing, but the words were ripped from his throat the moment she gently pushed him back so she could position herself between his legs. With him sitting and her standing, he was eye level to her sex.

  Her scent was intoxicating.

  “Tell me, do you want a taste?” Nina cooed. Then she hiked up one leg, settling her foot on the armchair.

  From this angle, Marcus surely could see that Nina wasn’t wearing panties. When he didn’t answer right away, she grasped his necktie and pulled. “Don’t be shy now.”

  “I’m not being shy,” Marcus insisted, unable to take his eyes off Nina’s silken flesh. Reflexively, he licked his lips. He wanted to taste her. He wanted to make her a full course meal.

  “Glad to hear that. Because from what I remember, you were very friendly the last time we were together. Or have you forgotten already?”

  Marcus shook his head, his nose nearly brushing the inside of Nina’s thigh. “I haven’t forgotten. Not at all.”

  “Are you sure? Because I feel like we should get reacquainted. Right now.”

  With that, she slid her ass onto the desk behind her, scattering papers and file folders, and spread her legs wide, giving Marcus full view of what he had been craving for days.

  He didn’t even think. Without a word, he buried his face in her soft, wet mound and devoured her like a man possessed. Marcus licked and sucked and nibbled like he hadn’t eaten in months, and Nina was more than generous with showing her satisfaction with his technique.

  “Yes, Marcus,” she moaned, gripping his tie in one hand and the edge of the desk with the other. “That feels so good. Fuck me with your tongue, baby.”

  The more she talked, the more hungrily he ate her. Marcus felt as if he couldn’t get enough of her sweet taste. Even as wetness coated his chin and dribbled down onto his shirt, he didn’t want to stop. He couldn’t. He didn’t know if he’d ever have this chance again. Only when Nina yanked his tie did he look up from his feast.

  “My turn,” Nina smiled. Then she pushed him back before sliding off the desk and dropping to her knees.

  Marcus had always been a sharp dresser, but he didn’t give a damn about his clothes as Nina tore open the fly of his slacks and ripped his shirt free so she could get to his hard, throbbing shaft. The moment her lips touched his swollen head, he shuddered. Then inch by inch, Nina savored him, right down to the root.

  Marcus couldn’t remember the last time he had been this spontaneous with Lauren. Hell, he’d never dreamed of having sex with her in his office. His wife wasn’t a prude, but she did have standards. She gave the occasional blowjob, but it always felt like it was solely for his benefit, as if she was doing him a favor. It made him feel selfish for wanting her mouth on him. He even loved returning the favor, but she often pushed him away, giving him one excuse or another.

  And here he was, down the throat of the gorgeous young woman who had invaded his life, his bed, and his thoughts in the past seventy-two hours. And the way she was taking him into her mouth, each suck greedier and wetter than the last, he didn’t know how he would be able to shake her after this.

  He hissed out his pleasure, feeling fire wrap around his spine. His heavy sac tightened as if purging the depravity from his body.

  Nina cupped him and massaged, bringing Marcus so close to that release. He didn’t want to come in her mouth but trying to push her away was futile. He wanted his seed trickling down her throat. He wanted to own a part of her, even if it was temporary. And Marcus knew what this meant.

  He was giving away what he had vowed to give only to his wife.

  The second his orgasm seized him, Nina dug her fingernails into Marcus’s upper thighs, holding him in place so she could swallow every drop. He was a slave to her eager, warm mouth and could do no more than grunt through the spasms still wracking his frame. He had gotten what he wanted. And now… now every part of him felt empty.

  When Nina stood, he looked down to find his tie was stretched and misshapen, his pants were covered in his cum, and his shirt was stained with Nina’s sweet juices, as well as missing a few buttons. Shit. How could he have been so careless? Ten years of devotion, and he loses his head like a thirsty ass teenager in the span of just a few minutes.

  “Looks like I got a little carried away,” Nina remarked, looking down at Marcus’s disheveled state. “My bad.”

  Marcus tried to offer up a playful smile, but it felt sad on his face. No words could describe what he was feeling. He hated what he had done, but he also needed it. He knew he wouldn’t have just simply gotten over his infatuation with Nina. You didn’t forget about a woman like her, no matter how much time passed. And now that he had gotten a taste of her, he only felt more conflicted. Because he wanted her again. And he knew he couldn’t have her.

  Not if he wanted his marriage to survive.

  “You’re home early.”

  Startled, Marcus dropped his gym bag in the foyer and looked towards the source of the unexpected voice coming from the kitchen. He glanced down at his watch, ensuring he hadn’t imagined it was the middle of the day instead of early evening when his wife usually got home.

  “Yeah,” he called out, silently cursing himself. “Um, wasn’t, uh, feeling good.”

  Making a mad dash for the shower would seem too suspicious, so he did what all good husbands would do: he went to the kitchen to kiss his wife hello.

  “You’re home early too,” Marcus noted after laying a peck on Lauren’s cheek. She was focused on chopping vegetables and didn’t pause to spare him a glance, for which he was grateful. He took inventory of the carrots, celery, onions, and herbs along with the stockpot on the stove, boiling broth and what smelled like chicken.

  “Yeah. Wasn’t feeling well either. Maybe we both caught a bug. Good thing I’m making soup.”

  A bug. She’s making soup for us. I’m such a prick.

  When Lauren scooped up a handful of veggies to add to the pot, she finally glanced up at Marcu
s and frowned. “You got sick at the gym?”

  Marcus looked down at his athletic clothes as if he had forgotten what he was wearing. They were the only other clothes he had handy, and there was no way he could leave his office covered in cum and shame.

  “I thought I could sweat it out,” Marcus said, choosing his words carefully so he didn’t outright lie. “But I started feeling dizzy and came straight home.”

  “You poor baby. Go get comfortable and rest. I’ll finish up dinner and make us some tea.”

  It was all Marcus could do to keep from breaking down and telling his wife everything, groveling at her feet. She was so loving, so nurturing. She wanted to take care of him, even when she wasn’t feeling good. And here he was, lying, covered in another woman’s lipstick and saliva. Hell, he could still taste Nina. And he had the nerve to kiss his wife with that same mouth? He was disgusted with himself, and he needed to scrub away his indiscretions immediately before he really was sick.

  Lauren knew she was laying it on thick, but she felt like even more of a terrible person after finding out that her husband was sick while she was getting laid in a dressing room. She couldn’t even look at him when he walked in. And if he knew what she had done, he would never touch her again.

  She had it all planned out. After she left the flower shop, feigning illness, she rushed home to try to wash away the stain of infidelity, along with Nina’s scent that had lingered all over her. Then, she was going to rely on some comfort food to help her get her emotions together. She didn’t expect Marcus to come home early—he never left the office before five. It was as though God was punishing her, and rightly so. She had disrespected her vows and her husband. But most of all, she had disrespected herself by going against her morals.

  Lauren had to make amends, even if Marcus didn’t know what she was making amends for. She’d make an effort to cook more. She’d take an interest in the sports he loved. She’d wear sexy lingerie to bed instead of ratty, worn t-shirts. She’d even initiate intimacy, something Marcus had always wanted her to do. Lauren was willing to do anything to make it right. If she didn’t, she’d lose him for sure.

  She set the soup on simmer and prepared a tray with hot tea and honey, along with a few snacks in case Marcus hadn’t eaten. He often worked through lunch, and she wouldn’t be surprised if hunger had contributed to his lightheadedness.

  Just as Lauren was exiting the kitchen with the tray, Marcus came padding down the stairs, freshly showered and dressed in comfy sweats. He looked so grim that she almost burst into tears right then and there. How could she do this to him, especially when he was in such a vulnerable state? Granted, he didn’t know, but it didn’t ease the guilt. At this point, nothing would. He didn’t deserve this. And she didn’t deserve him.

  His

  Marcus had used scalding hot water and almost a whole bar of soap to scrub Nina’s scent from his body. His skin was red and raw, but he still felt dirty. To hell with that, he was dirty. His wife was perfect; she was an angel. His angel. And he had betrayed her for a sexy stranger with a fat ass. A good blowjob did not equate to ten years of history—a decade of love, devotion, and companionship. He had always prided himself on being a logical guy, but he had just done the stupidest, most illogical thing he’d ever done in his life. And he had no idea how to stop being stupid.

  Flowers? Lauren owned a flower shop.

  Candy? She hadn’t had processed sugar in months.

  Jewelry? Nice, but she’d know he had done wrong. And he couldn’t break her heart. He couldn’t hurt the woman he loved above all others.

  He only had two choices: live with the lie and let it fester within him for the rest of their days. Or come clean and tell Lauren. Give her the option to forgive or move on, even if that meant he’d spend the rest of his life loving her.

  Theirs

  They hadn’t even settled into the couch when there was a knock at the door. Marcus and Lauren looked at each other with wide eyes, both wearing looks of shock and fear. They weren’t expecting anyone, especially since their friends and family knew they worked. Who could be stopping by in the middle of the day? And did they truly want to find out?

  “I’ll get it,” Marcus announced weakly. Tension was noticeable around his eyes, and his shoulders looked like they were bound in anxiety. Lauren could relate. She’d been holding her breath since that dreaded rap at the door.

  “Who is it, sweetie?” Lauren asked, trying to mask her trepidation.

  Marcus didn’t answer right away. Instead, he reentered the living room, a medium sized white box in each hand. “Deliveryman. Looks like there’s a package for you. And for me.”

  He handed off the box that had Lauren’s name scribbled on a tag. No sender. No address. Just her name. Marcus’s box seemed to be similar.

  “Did he say who it was from?” Lauren asked, inspecting the package warily.

  “No. Just had me sign for it and left.”

  “Should we open them?” Hers didn’t feel like a bomb or a severed head. But what did she know? She was a flower shop owner. Mortal enemies were bad for business.

  Marcus shook his box then held it to his ear. It was light, and he didn’t hear anything clinking around. He had no logical reason not to open it. Plus, he didn’t want to worry Lauren. He was feeling guilty enough.

  “Sure. Why not?”

  Chapter 6

  Theirs

  The husband and wife team carefully ripped open their respective boxes. They had no clue what could be inside, yet were both cautious about revealing the contents to the other. A symptom of their shared lie. Lies weave themselves into the fabric of even the most mundane moments, just waiting to be exposed. And this particular scenario was no exception.

  Lauren pulled out the royal blue bandage dress at the exact time Marcus held up a crisp, white dress shirt. They looked at each other, then at the garments. Lauren’s gift represented the dress she never got around to trying on because she was too busy tonguing Nina’s nipples, but did he know that?

  Marcus realized it was a replacement for the shirt stained with Nina’s climax, but did his wife know that?

  Neither was brave enough to ask the questions that had wholly taken up residence in their heads, but they knew the answers. They couldn’t decide if that made things better or worse.

  Trust was broken.

  Vows were shattered.

  Their marriage was fractured. But could they survive? Or would they forever wonder what happened with the sexy, brown-eyed vixen who left her mark on their lives until it drove them apart?

  “Hungry?” Lauren asked, stuffing the dress back into the box and setting it to the side.

  “Starved,” Marcus replied, doing the same with his shirt.

  They ate, making small talk, staying far away from all topics pertaining to their weekend tryst and the day’s activities. They’d sweep this under the rug for now, just as they had with all their problems. But sooner or later, the mess under that rug would become too hard to ignore, and maybe what was done in the dark would come to light.

  Since his dirty secret was her dirty secret, who really would be the one to blame?

  That night, Marcus fucked his wife like he both hated her and loved her all at once. And when Lauren came so hard that she milked the orgasm right out of him, she called out Marcus’s name as if she was proving she hadn’t forgotten it. But as they lay in bed, glistening with sweat and shame, they knew that their marital bed would be forever stained with red lipstick and the memory of the third person in their relationship.

  Next Lifetime

  Brown Sugar

  MarZe Scott

  Chapter 1

  Elijah Hargrove’s body lay on the beige shag carpet, with a gunshot to his temple and a .9-millimeter handgun next to him. However, those two things weren’t enough for Daylin to believe he had taken his own life.

  God should pay Daylin in cash for every prayer she ever whispered for Elijah. At least, then her relationship with him wouldn�
��t have been in vain.

  Tears streamed from her eyes as red and blue lights flashed onto the blood-spattered walls. Police and EMTs swarmed around the tiny apartment in search of answers to her boyfriend’s untimely death.

  “Baby, why?” she cried, wrapping her arms tightly around her knees. Her gaze followed the blue uniforms and neatly dressed investigators around the place where she had lived a tumultuous life with a man she once believed was her Prince Charming. He showed himself to be a monster instead.

  “I’m sorry for your loss, Miss—?” one raven-haired detective said, narrowing her blue-eyed gaze on Daylin.

  “Montgomery,” Daylin supplied to the woman who she thought was too beautiful for this dangerous line of work.

  Daylin and Elijah lived in an area of Deering Park, Michigan that was known for its bourgeois residents with mini mansions and manicured lawns, but the small off-street apartment complex hidden behind a concrete wall, full evergreen trees, and brush was anything but elite. The sound of gunshots was as common to the drug-ridden community as city buses passing from the east side to downtown.

  “Miss Montgomery, I’m Detective Voorhees. I need to ask you a few questions.” The detective took Daylin’s silence as consent to begin the interrogation. “Do you know if there was anyone who wanted him dead?”

  “No,” Daylin barked, failing to tamp down her anger at such a dismissive term. “And his name is Elijah Hargrove.” She maintained her spot in the corner, only shifting position to glance into the detective’s somber face.

  “Do you know if Mr. Hargrove used drugs?” Detective Voorhees inquired searching Daylin’s face, her pen in hand, ready to record any and all information that was shared.