Gettin’ Merry

by CATHY L. CLAMP; FRANCIS RAY; BEVERLY JENKINS; MONICA JACKSON; GERI GUILLAUME

  “They will keep on in one way or another if they don’t respect me. They need to know I’m not going to put up with disrespect.”

  Trey nodded. She was right.

  “One other thing bothers me about the situation,” Anne said.

  “What’s that?”

  “Why does Renee seem so desperate to reconcile with you? Does she love you so much? Did you love her once and don’t love her anymore?”

  “No. I don’t think Renee loves me and I’ve never said any such thing to her. I believe Renee’s problem with our breakup is her pride. The fact that I broke up with her when she didn’t expect it is eating at her. She’s mainly worried about other people knowing. When I was with Renee, I felt more like her trophy than her man.”

  “How long were you together?”

  “About a year and a half. It was habit. She made a passable escort and I got sick of dating different women. I broke up with her because she started pressing me for marriage and commitment and I knew she wasn’t the one. I thought it would be fairer to her to let her go. Maybe she’ll find the right man for her. I’ve told her this again and again, but she doesn’t seem to hear it.”

  “I suppose any breakup hurts.”

  “Especially if your ego is the size of Texas,” he replied.

  “Renee doesn’t want people to see that you left her for a fat woman,” Anne said, looking away.

  “You’re not fat. You’re plump in all the right places.”

  “Like my hips and thighs?” Anne asked, her smile returning and growing into a grin.

  “There’s nothing better than a big-legged woman.”

  “That I am.” Anne’s smile faded and her gaze dropped to her feet. “Trey, that’s another thing I need to talk to you about.”

  “Your big legs?”

  “Sort of. But more like my whole body.”

  “Oh. But I can think of better things to do than talk about it.”

  “Seriously. I got grouchy with you because I was afraid . . .” Her voice trailed off and she looked away.

  He waited.

  “Afraid to take off my clothes in front of you.”

  Trey supposed this problem was a woman thing, because he sure didn’t understand it. “Didn’t I make it more than abundantly clear that I want your clothes off? That I find you desirable, I mean?”

  “I guess so, but Renee is so thin and your mother is so scandalized that you’re interested in a woman my size. Exposing my body to you will be difficult to do.”

  “No, it won’t,” he said gently. “Maybe worrying about it beforehand is difficult, but I don’t think when we actually—” He considered suggesting a trial run but decided this wasn’t the time.

  “There’s something else,” she interrupted him. “I’m a virgin, Trey.”

  That was a bombshell he didn’t expect.

  “A virgin?” He was dismayed that his words sounded so high-pitched and squeaky. He tried again. “You’re a virgin?”

  She nodded and waited expectantly for him to say something else. Trey was speechless. This was one thing that he’d never encountered in all of his twenty-seven years on earth.

  “I guess most women get over it OK,” he finally said. From the look on her face, that wasn’t the best choice of words. He gave it another try. “Um, I heard that it only hurts for a little while.” He studied her frown. “Is it that you want to stay a virgin?” he asked, his eyes widening with alarm.

  “Of course not,” she snapped.

  “Oh.”

  “Have you ever devirginized someone before?” she asked.

  Trey studied his hands, trying to review his sexual experience, which he felt was adequate, if not extensive. Nope, his experiences had never included a virgin. “No. I can’t say that I’ve ever devirginized anybody,” he answered.

  Heavy silence fell.

  “Well, it’s a barrier that everybody has to get through, I guess,” Trey said hesitantly.

  “See, I knew this would be awful,” Anne said with a sob in her voice. “I should have kept my mouth shut.” She fled the room.

  Oh Lord, what did he say wrong? Trey wondered as he followed her. She threw herself facedown on her bed. He sat down beside her.

  “Baby, calm down.” He stroked her back. “I love your body. I want to know every single inch of it. Ever since I met you, it’s been driving me crazy trying to figure out whatever attracted me to a woman like Renee. You make me nuts, girl.” He paused. “In a good way,” he added. “As far as you being a virgin, well, if you’re willing, we’ll manage to. plow through this together.”

  That didn’t sound right, he thought. “It’s a job that somebody has to do and I’ll give it my best shot.” That was a little better, he decided.

  What sounded like a snort came from the vicinity of her face. “Jeez, Trey, stop it. You’re gonna kill me,” she said, her voice muffled.

  Although it sounded as if she was laughing, he hoped she wasn’t referring to the obstacle at hand. Trey patted her back in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. “It won’t be that bad,” he said.

  Her shoulders were shaking and she was probably overcome with sobs. He’d ride this out with her. He wanted to always be there for her. Rubbing his eyes, he felt drained. It had been a long day and an emotional one. He wanted to make love to her, but the time wasn’t right. But he knew it soon would be. Fate had finally contrived to bring him his soul mate. This initial getting to know each other with all its hurdles seemed an unnecessary bother. He’d never come close to feeling this way about any other woman and knew with cutting clarity that Anne was the love of his life.

  Now all he had to do was convince her.

  He settled down next to Anne, his arm around her waist, and closed his eyes.

  Chapter 10

  Anne woke feeling Trey’s heavy leg across her and his warm breath against her cheek. He’d been so awkward and funny last night with his consternation over her virginal state that she thought she’d crack something trying to hold back her howls of laughter. He’d fallen asleep next to her on the guest-room bed and she’d soon joined him in slumber.

  Now the pink early-morning light cast stripes on the wall as it fell through the slats in the window. She didn’t want to stir; she wanted to imprint this moment with Trey at her side in her mind and heart.

  But unfortunately, she had to go to the bathroom. Brushing her teeth wouldn’t be a bad idea, either.

  Anne extricated herself, trying not to wake Trey, and dashed to the bathroom. Afterward, she peeked into the guest room, praying he was still asleep and debating whether to curl up beside him again.

  He was sitting up in the bed, his dark eyes fastened on her. “Good morning, darlin’,” he said as if the endearment were as natural to him as breathing.

  She stepped into the room, more excited than frightened, and nestled into the crook of the arm that he’d held out for her.

  “Good morning,” she answered.

  He brought his mouth down on hers and kissed her, slowly and deeply, a drugged kiss that made her body go limp and liquid. She twined her arms around his neck and they slid down on the bed, the hard length of his body imprinted against hers. Desire flamed within her, not to be denied.

  “All right,” she said. “Let’s do it.”

  Trey laughed. “All right, we will,” he said.

  One by one he unbuttoned the shirt she was wearing and let it fall open. He traced circles over her skin and she shivered with longing, need, and a touch of fear.

  “You have to realize how beautiful I think you are,” he whispered in her ear. She felt his uneven breathing on her cheek as he held her close. She relaxed, sinking into the feel of his arms around her, his body next to hers.

  He twisted his fingers through her hair and kissed her again, his tongue sensuously moving in her mouth, causing a tidal wave of longing to build within her. She moved against him restlessly, seeking, wanting . . . Her hands moved lower and traced the throbbing length of him through hi
s jeans. “Let’s do it right now,” she said.

  He drew in a quick breath. “Lady, we’ve only just begun,” he said.

  He trailed kisses down her neck as his fingers worked to unhook her bra and slide her shirt off her shoulders. He kissed the hollow of her collarbone and shoulders. Her nipples rubbed against the soft material of his T-shirt and she felt impatient to feel his skin against hers. She tried to pull his shirt up. He obliged, with a smooth motion pulling the shirt over his head, exposing his lightly haired, muscular chest. Her heart pounded painfully as her body yearned to have this man inside.

  He began a languid exploration of her breasts with his lips and tongue. Circling her pink nipple with his warm, wet tongue, he moved from one breast to another, licking, sucking, and flicking her sensitive nipples with his tongue.

  “Ohhhhh, that feels so good,” she whispered.

  He unzipped her jeans and started to ease them and her panties over her hips. Pausing, he asked, “You’re sure you want this now?” his voice hoarse.

  “Please.”

  She reached for the buttons of his jeans and ran her fingers over the hard thickness of his rod. She thrilled in her power over him as she felt a tremor go through his body.

  “You set me on fire, girl,” he said, pulling her jeans and panties down over her hips. His eyes seemed to memorize her body. She opened to him, surprised that she didn’t feel shy or shamed.

  “How could you not believe you’re beautiful?” he murmured as he proceeded to languidly explore every inch of her body with his lips and tongue.

  He worked his way over the swell of her belly and entwined his ringers in her triangle of curls; his mouth and lips worked lower and lower, his hands grasping her knees.

  Anne sensed where he was going with his mouth and closed her legs, but he slipped his hand between them and gently pried her knees open.

  “I need to taste you.” His head dipped and she felt his tongue in the most private part of her. She echoed his moan as tremors of pleasure and shock raced through her body and he fastened his mouth on that tiny bead of pleasure and sucked gently, rhythmically.

  She writhed under him. “Yes, yes, yes,” she moaned as waves of unbelievable pleasure raced through her body, more intense than she’d thought possible.

  Her hands tangled in his hair and she went wild against his mouth, her hips involuntarily bucking. Her sighs and moans intensified to sharp gasps. The world drew into a pinpoint of tense need on the edge of release. Then the tidal wave broke, causing her to quake at the intensity of pleasure battering her. Slowly she came back to herself so spent, she didn’t feel she could move again.

  A girl could get used to this, Anne decided.

  And he didn’t stop.

  “Enjoying yourself?” he asked, kissing the insides of her thighs and working down to the backs of her knees. Incredibly, an ember started to flame within her again. Was she building to another climax? She didn’t know if her body could take it.

  She’d never guessed that the backs of her knees were an erogenous zone.

  He rolled off the bed and left the room. She hardly had time to feel bereft before he returned, dropping his jeans and briefs to the floor. His heavy erection jutted out as she ran her eyes over his perfect male form—his narrow waist, long, muscular legs—and raised up and fitted her naked body against him. She wanted to feel him, to taste him, to take him inside her.

  He knelt at the side of the bed and pulled himself to her. She fit perfectly, her yin to his yang, light and dark, woman to man. She saw her beauty reflected in his eyes and she no longer felt a shred of self-consciousness. She encircled him with her small hand and felt a shudder go through his body. She felt moisture at the tip of his engorged erection and circled her thumb around the head, flush with pleasure at the power of making him burn and moan for her.

  He thrust a condom in her hand. She tore open the foil package and worked it over his swollen shaft with trembling fingers.

  And then he was on top of her, his hardness jutting against her engorged folds. “Now,” she whispered. “I want you inside me now,” she whispered, reaching for him.

  He pinned her arms over her head. “Slowly,” he said.

  She wriggled under him until the tip of his shaft grazed her damp entrance. He kissed her, his tongue thrusting rhythmically into her mouth. She bucked against him, needing what she’d never had before, for him to fill her.

  “Slowly. I’m only human, woman,” he said, barely banked desire burning in his eyes.

  “Please,” she begged.

  She felt his swollen head at her entrance and tried to engulf it with her body. He slipped it in a fraction of an inch and she paused at the pain she felt.

  “Hurts?” he asked.

  She nodded.

  “Do you need me to stop?”

  She shook her head frantically. “Now, now,” she gasped, her hips grinding against him.

  He moved inside of her another fraction of an inch, his eyes never leaving hers. He tested her depth and width and her tolerance for his thrust. He controlled her and played her like an instrument, stilling her hips that wanted to take him in, moving against him frantically.

  “Hold on,” he said, easing himself in slowly, so very slowly.

  The seconds spread out to minutes. She couldn’t stand it any longer. She had to have all of him inside her. “It doesn’t hurt anymore,” she said.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Please, Trey, please give it to me now.”

  She thrust her hips, bucked, and clawed his back until he surged forward, filling her entirely, filling her with a pleasure so intense, she couldn’t tell the ending of the pain and the beginning of pleasure.

  He gasped against her mouth and she rocked with him, meeting him thrust for thrust and urging him with her body and her moans of pleasure. Their bodies collided again and again, her sensitive bud beating against his hard male form. She was climbing, climbing, climbing, the pinnacle so close, and then she was there, spinning off, falling into ecstasy and calling his name. She heard his hoarse cry and he surged into her wildly, exploding inside her. Her fingers clutched his shoulders.

  She knew with certainty that for her, it would be Trey, only Trey, always and forever.

  Chapter 11

  By the time evening fell, Anne was sore but tingling with happiness. Her body felt more alive than it ever had before. For the first time in her life she felt beautiful. She took Trey’s appreciation for every curve on her body, his delight in every secret slippery bundle of nerve endings, his enjoyment in the taste and scent of her, and made it her own. She saw her body in a new light—feminine, powerful, healthy, and capable of bringing her and her man incredible pleasure.

  Neither one of them bothered to dress or leave the bed for more than a few minutes the entire day. They leaned against the headboard while Trey examined the contents of the box that Helen had presented to Anne to look over, full of scrapbooks, pictures, and memorabilia of the father she had never known.

  “You look like him,” Trey said, looking at a picture of her father.

  “It’s funny how my grandparents always said I looked like my mother.”

  “You probably look like her, too. I’m a blend of my mother and father also. Different features favoring each parent.”

  “What happened with your father, Trey? If you don’t mind me asking.”

  “He left when I was around thirteen.”

  “Sorry. That must have been tough.”

  “Not really. It was a good thing, actually. He was pretty rough on my mother.”

  “Was he abusive?”

  “Not directly. He wasn’t much of a man. He didn’t work and drank too much. Laid around the house. He was a drain on my mother, like having another kid around rather than a partner. I don’t know why she put up with him for so many years.”

  “Maybe he was depressed.”

  “Maybe.”

  “My papa is the opposite. He works all the time and is never ho
me. He refuses to retire. I think Grammy goes days on end without seeing him.”

  “Have you talked to them lately?” he asked.

  She shifted uneasily. “No, I haven’t. Do you realize that we haven’t eaten today?” she said, trying to change the subject. She wasn’t quite ready to leave the warm, dreamy reality of this bed for the other issues in her life.

  Trey’s hand went to his stomach. “I’m starving. I can’t believe I’m only realizing it now.” He looked at his watch. “Damn!”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I nearly forgot that I have a talk on black economic empowerment tonight at the community center. I need to shower.” He jumped out of bed.

  “I’ll make a sandwich for you to take with you.”

  Fifteen minutes later, she handed Trey a bag with two sandwiches, some chips, and fruit.

  “Bye, baby,” he said, dropping a kiss on her forehead. “I’ll see you there, shortly?” he asked.

  “I’ll be in the audience as soon as I dress.”

  It was after Trey left that Anne realized she was standing in his kitchen as naked as a jaybird without an iota of self-consciousness. Life had certainly taken a turn. It was definitely an improvement, she decided as she headed for the shower, munching on the last bit of her sandwich.

  An hour later, Anne listened to her lover speak, filled with admiration for his words, his energy, and his intelligence. The fact that he was hers, at least for the next few days of Kwanzaa, was almost beyond belief.

  At the reception afterward, Trey and Anne were nibbling on hors d’oeuvres and discussing how long they should stay before a polite exit could be accomplished when Rachel appeared, flanked by her two daughters.

  “You did a marvelous job, dear, as usual,” Rachel said, kissing the air near Trey’s cheek.

  “Hi, Mom.”

  “What are your plans for this evening? I’d love for you to come with us to dinner for Kwanzaa tonight. I know this African-American-owned restaurant—”

  “Mom,” Trey interrupted with a frown.

  “What?”

  “It’s impolite to ignore Anne,” he said firmly.