The jealousy that she always felt towards Regina surface and effectively pushed the chill she’d felt earlier aside. It pissed her off to no end that Regina always got the top modeling jobs and all the fine ass men flocked to her like bees. Hell even after she’d retired, the designers are still comparing every other model to her. Everyone especially her had been ecstatic when Regina had announced her retirement, but that joy and excitement quickly dissipated when she had to listen to all of the designer’s complain about Regina being gone. Her thoughts were interrupted when the sound of voices reached her. She walked further into the house where she could see the stairs and was shocked and aroused by what she saw.
*****
“Ethan will you stop it, you said that I had a visitor and it would be rude of me to make her wait,” Regina admonished, but she didn’t fight it when he pressed her back against the wall at the top of the stairs, and slid one of his muscled thighs between hers.
“I just can’t seem to get enough of you baby,” he whispered against her ear, just before he captured her ear lobe between his teeth. Regina moaned again, her resolve wavering, but she somehow found the strength to stay firm. She cupped his face in her hands and nipped lightly against his wonderful lips. “I promise to feed you again as soon as our guest leaves.” She promised after a deep sensual kiss.
*****
Shana moved back out of their view before they started coming down the stairs quickly making her way back to the foyer. She plastered her top model smile on her face hoping that it would disguise her true feelings.
“Hello Shana, it’s been a long time,” Regina stated embracing the woman briefly. “What brings you by?” Regina inquired as she led the way to the living room.
“I’d heard about the shooting and wanted to come and see for myself that you were alright. I have to tell you I thought I had the wrong house, when that white guy answered the door, but he told me I had the right house. I had no idea you and Joe were over, nor did I have any idea that you went for the vanilla flava.”
Regina frowned, the incident had been kept out of the news so she wondered how in the hell she would have heard about it. Before she could put the question to her, she gave her the answer she needed.
“I talked to Joe and he is very upset about what happened and he only went along with Tiffany because he was afraid that she’d use the gun on him. It is just a huge mess all the way around.” It was Shana's turn to frown when Regina started laughing. “What’s so funny Regina? This is a very serious matter.”
“I apologize, its just that I haven’t heard from you since I left modeling and all because Joe calls you and whines to you, you hop on your broom and whisk your ass over here pretending to be concerned about me, when you and I both know that is not the case. Why don’t you tell me the reason for your visit Shana?”
“You’re right, Joe did call me, but when he told me what happened I was truly concerned about you. Regina, I know that we were never close, but I thought that being in the business together for as long as we were, we developed a friendship.”
“Huh, well as you can see I’m doing great and from the smells coming from the kitchen I’d say that Ethan has started breakfast and cooking is one of the many things that we love to do together.” Regina rose and headed out of the living room giving Shana no choice but to follow her.
“Regina I was hoping…” Regina halted and turned holding up her hand.
“I know exactly what you were hoping, or should I say what Joe is hoping and you can report back to him that whether or not he’ll be charged is between him, his lawyer and the DA I have nothing to do with it. Now if you’ll excuse me I need to go and help my man with breakfast.”
Shana stared at her for a moment before walking out of the front door with her head held high. If the bitch thought that she would allow Joe to sit in a jail cell because of her, she had another thing coming.
Regina walked into the kitchen over to where Ethan stood near the stove slipping her arms around his waist planting a nipping kiss on his shoulder.
“So your little friend is gone?” Ethan inquired as he flipped the blueberry pancakes.
“Yes, she only came by on an errand for Joe. Apparently he called her and asked her to make sure that I wouldn’t press charges.”
Ethan put down the spatula and turned to face her, “You don’t have any say in that,” he stated.
“I know and that is what I told her. She had a lot of nerve coming here pretending to be concerned for me, when she was only worried about getting Joe out of jail.” Regina grabbed a slice of bacon before she took down the plates and set the table.
“I almost turned her away, because I didn’t like the vibe I was getting from her.”
“I’m sure that she offered to keep you company while you guys waited for me to come down.” She laughed when his eyes flew to hers questioning how she knew. “She did the same shit with Joe, but the difference this time is that you turned her down, Joe didn’t.”
“You knew about the two of them?” He asked incredulous.
“Yes of course, why do you think he turned to Tiffany? I knew when he and Shana were screwing and immediately cut him off. I’d seen them dancing around each other and knew what a weak ass Joe was, so I cut him off and only used him as an escort to the different functions I had to participate in. I think he knew or suspected I knew and that was why he’d been cut off. He kept apologizing and promising that he would change, but it all fell on deaf ears because I knew he wouldn’t.”
“I’m glad he’s such a damn fool, because if he wasn’t he’d have realized that you are more than enough woman for any man and because he didn’t see it kept you available for me.” Ethan pulled her into his arms and kissed her hard and deep. “Come on let me feed you so that you can get to feeding me.”
Chapter 20
Regina left the studio with a towel wrapped around her neck having enjoyed a vigorous workout. She longed for a hot shower to soothe her aching muscles, just as her foot hit the bottom step, the doorbell rang. Muttering a slew of curses she turned and headed to the front door. Opening the door she was surprised to see Joe standing on her porch.
“Regina, please don’t close the door in my face, I really need to speak with you about what happened. I promise if you give me a few minutes of your time. Once I say what I have to say I promise I’ll leave.”
Regina eyed him suspiciously, but decided to give him a minute to say what he had to say. Stepping back she allowed him to enter, but she stopped him from going further than the foyer. “Say your piece so that you can leave.”
“First of all I wanted to apologize for what happened. When Tiffany called me she’d asked if I’d go with her on an errand. I had no idea she meant to come here. I tried to talk her out of it when I realized where we were headed. When I told her that I wasn’t going in, she pulled the gun on me and threatened to shoot me if I didn’t go along.”
“I heard all this from Shana, if this is all you have to tell me than you can leave now.” Regina snapped.
“Okay, look I’m just saying that I fucked up with sleeping with Tiffany and I know that you are the best thing that’s ever happened to me and I know that we belong together and I know once you realize that you’ll end this thing with white boy. I know you are aware that Tiffany wasn’t the only woman I cheated with, but I can promise that if you give me another chance I can change…” he trailed off when she shook her head and began to laugh.
“I cannot believe that you think I’d been stupid enough to let you back into my life, let alone into my bed. Yes I knew about Shana, why do you think you and I no longer slept together? I knew Shana slept around and I saw the way the two of you always pretended not to see each other whenever you were in the same room.” She laughed even harder at his pained expression. “Don’t worry about it, why don’t you run on to Shana apparently you mean something to her for her to come to see me at your request. Now you’ll have to excuse me because I need to shower.”
Ethan walked out of the kitchen just as Joe left, “What in the hell was he doing here and why in the hell did you let him inside while you are here alone.” He demanded striding towards her.
“Ethan, he came to…”she didn’t get a chance to finish.
“I don’t give a fuck as to why he was here. How could you let him inside, don’t you remember what happened the last time he was here? Did you even think about what could have happened being here by yourself with him? How could you be so stupid?”
Regina struck without warning, her palm connecting loudly with his cheek, “Get the hell out and don’t worry about coming back since you think I’m so damn stupid.” She kept the tears in check until she heard the door slam shut behind him and she slid to the floor with her back to the door and cried.
*****
Ethan slammed into his house still seeing red. How dare she get pissed at him, she was the one that wasn’t thinking. He raced upstairs and throwing a few things in his duffle bag, he needed to go to the gym to try and work off some of his anger. Maybe after a hard workout he’d be able to calm down and it would give Regina time to realize how wrong she was.
*****
He waited two weeks to hear from her and now it was going on week three and he still had not heard anything from her. Ethan hadn’t gone over to her place or called and he began sleeping in the spare room attached to his office at M&M’s, for fear that if he stayed at his place he’d be tempted to give in and go over to her place and use his key and enter. He was afraid that she’d changed the locks and that would be something he didn’t think he could handle.
“Hey boss, didn’t I leave you here last night?” Tammy said coming into the office. She’d heard that he’d been sleeping here and she was wondering if things were on the rocks between him and the little dancer. Maybe she should come back up here later tonight and offer comfort.
Ethan shrugged, not in the mood to banter. He refocused on the books before him or at least he tried to, but his mind kept replaying the last time he’d spoken with Regina…well he hadn’t spoken, more so he’d yelled and he’d called her stupid. “Damn, I’m such a jackass.” He snapped slapping his hand on top of his cherry oak desk. He rose and headed into the spare bedroom hitting speed dial on his cell as he went.
“Hello?”
“Hey Eric, can you talk for a minute?”
Eric eased into his office and softly closed the door. “Man what in the hell happened between you and Regina?” He demanded in a harsh whisper.
Ethan quickly related the argument between him and Regina, “Man I know I fucked up by calling her stupid, I wasn’t calling her stupid I was just saying it was stupid for her to allow that bastard inside while she was there alone. I know I reacted badly and I shouldn’t have yelled at her, but I just kept remembering what happened the last time he’d been there. I know he came there trying to explain why he was there with Tiffany.”
“Did she tell you why he was there?”
“I was so pissed I didn’t give her a chance and when I made the stupid remark she slapped the shit out of me and told me to get out.”
Eric sighed, “Man you’re right you have royally fucked up, but I can understand why you did it.”
“Well can you tell me so I’ll understand it?”
“Don’t you get it, fear and jealousy is a bad combination my friend. One thing about us men, is we don’t handle fear and jealousy well especially when we are feeling them at the same time. When the two of you talk, you need to apologize and beg her forgiveness and you need to let her know what you were feeling and thinking when you saw that bastard leaving.”
*****
Regina sat listening to Roz as she berated her for allowing Joe into her home while she was there alone. There was nothing she could say or do, because Roz was absolutely right.
“Look Roz, I know I shouldn’t have let him in, but that was no reason for Ethan to react the way that he did and to call me stupid.”
“I don’t believe he was calling you stupid, but it was stupid for you to allow that worthless bastard inside. When are you going to realize that Ethan is madly in love with you and he reacted in a typical male manner? When fear and jealousy comes at them at the same time, they say and do stupid things. I think you need to take your stubborn ass over to that restaurant and talk to your man.”
Regina held the phone in her hand long after the dial tone droned in her ear.
*****
Regina smiled warmly at the hostess remembering her from the dozen plus times she’d come with Ethan when he’d had to check on things.
“Hi Regina, he’s back in the office, come on and I’ll show you where. Boy, are we glad that you are back in town. He’s been a perfect beast and we think he’s been sleeping in the spare room connected to his office.” The petite blonde informed her.
Regina only nodded unable to speak with fear choking her. What if she’d waited to late to come and talk to him, what if he rejected her? She wondered as she followed Barbara through the restaurant through the kitchen to the office. She spoke and smiled at everyone that yelled out a greeting to her, hoping no one would see through her façade.
*****
Tammy rushed out of the restaurant wanting to make a quick stop at the lingerie shop before she went home to prepare for her little surprise for Ethan. If she played her cards right, she was finally going to get her man.
*****
Ethan looked up from the page he’d been staring at for the past hour when his office door opened. Barbara smiled at him as she stuck her head in, “I have a special guest for you and once you see who it is I expect a nice bonus in my next check.” She backed out of the door before he could advise her that he didn’t want to see anyone.
His heart thudded in his chest when Barbara’s smiling face was replaced by Regina’s. He stood slowly his eyes locked on hers, he could see that she’d been crying and it hurt his heart to know that he was to blame. He knew no one could see that she’d been crying but him, he was the only one able to see behind the façade.
The first thing she noticed was that he looked like hell. She could tell he hadn’t slept nor had he shaved. Part of her wanted to run to him and comfort him and hold him until they both felt right again, but the other part of her wanted to slap him again for his stupid comment. “I wanted to try and talk rationally about what happened. You didn’t give me a chance to do that before. After I’ve said my piece then I’ll leave.” At his nod she continued.
“When I answered the door for Joe, he stated he wanted to explain things and then he’d leave. He gave me the same old song and dance about how much we belonged together and how Tiffany had threatened to kill him if he didn’t go along with him.”
“You already knew that thanks to his lover,” Ethan stated.
“That’s what I told him and I told him I knew all about him, Shana and all the other women that he’d been seeing. I told him there was no way in hell that I’d be foolish enough to allow him back in to my life. He was leaving just as you’d come in the back. I didn’t appreciate the fact you called me stupid, but I do agree with the fact that it was a stupid decision for me to allow him inside while I was there alone.”
Having said all she felt she needed to and feeling that she was close to breaking down, she turned towards the door. She didn’t hear him move, but when she gripped the door knob, his hand was there keeping the door closed. She could feel the wonderful sensual heat coming off of his body as he stood closely behind her. “Ethan please let me go.” She whispered tearfully.
“I can’t let you go baby, I just can’t. I listened to you, can you please give me the same courtesy.” He pleaded. She couldn’t deny him so she nodded her acceptance. “First I need to apologize and beg your forgiveness for words that came out so damn wrong and my only excuse is the fact that seeing him there reminded me of the last time he’d been standing there and you were on the floor bleeding to death. I almost lost you that day Gina and that scared the shit out of
me. I reacted out of fear and yes I’ll admit jealousy. I let those strong emotions rule my tongue and said things to you that were untrue and hurtful. I’m begging you to find it in your heart to forgive me and I know I don’t deserve a second chance from you but I’m begging for that also.”
He turned her around to face him and his heart broke at the sight of her tears coursing down her face. “Oh baby, please forgive me and give me chance to make it up to you,” Ethan pleaded kissing away her tears.
“Only if you will find it in your heart to forgive me,” she countered.
Ethan captured her mouth with his as he scooped her up into his arms and carried her into the spare bedroom kicking the door closed with his foot. Regina went to work on removing his clothes and he went to work on hers. In minutes they were both naked, their mouths still melded together. He fell onto the bed with her in his arms, and rolled her beneath him. Their bodies were on fire and close to combusting at any moment. Ethan trailed kisses down her neck to her collar and down to her full breasts. Her nipples hardened and peaked into ripe blackberries and he needed a taste. He suckled greedily causing her to writhe beneath him.
“Ethan please, it’s been to long. I need you to fuck me now,” she demanded tugging on his hair.
“Not yet baby, I need a taste of my pussy pie,” he countered and proceeded to feast upon her like a starving man. As always, his talented tongue worked its magic lapping and licking her to an explosive climax.
“Ethan!” She shrieked.
“Again!” Ethan demanded as he continued to feast upon her building another climax within her driving her closer and closer to the edge where she took flight. Ethan eased his body back up the length of hers positioning his body between her legs, his cock poised at the opening of her core.
Beginnings Page 17