Second Time Around

by Darrin Lowery

  From where she stood, she could hear the sigh that he let out. She could also see the muscles in his neck and back stiffen. Something was bothering him, something besides his boss’s relationship with Korie.

  It had been a long time since Jayna found a man who she really cared about. It had been a long time since that care, love, and admiration were reciprocated. She walked over to him, stopping just a few feet before him. He hadn’t turned around or acknowledged her. Lightning flashed in the windows and the wind howled outside and still his gaze seemed transfixed on the storm outside and the weather below. She wanted to hold him. She wanted to touch him. She wanted to tell him that whatever made him upset, she could make it right.

  That’s what she wanted to do.

  What she had to do was stand her ground.

  What she had to do was make it abundantly clear that he could not simply address her, or talk to her any kind of way. Boundaries needed to be set.

  This looked as if they were about to have their first argument. Although she didn’t know what they were about to argue about, she knew she needed to make him understand some things. She didn’t want to make the mistake that a lot of black women make and let him talk to her any kind of way. That would establish a precedent and a pattern of disrespect. Once a woman started down that path, there was generally no turning back. Jayna loved Brandon, but she would not be disrespected by any man. Not even her man.

  “I don’t want to talk right now.”

  He continued to face the storm, but he turned his head to the side as if to acknowledge her. His statement wasn’t a request or a plea. It was more of an instruction. It was as if to say, I don’t want to talk right now, go away until I do. His tone was dismissive. Again, most women might have waited. Most women might have chosen to fight this battle another day. Jayna thought to herself there was no time better than the present.

  “So when do you want to talk about it? Should I schedule an appointment? Or should I simply start in with this first thing in the morning?” She was cynical.

  He turned to face her. She was still looking breathtaking. She stood there naked as the day she was born, and she looked flawless. Naked or not, the look on her face said that she was not to be trifled with.

  Most men looking at her would have given a moment of pause.

  Most men would have taken Jayna back to bed.

  Not Brandon. He wanted to. But a man’s pride can be a powerful thing.

  She would not back down, and neither would he.

  “What don’t you understand about my not wanting to talk right now?”

  “What I don’t understand is the way that you just addressed me.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Don’t you? Your tone, it was dismissive. I’m not your damned concubine or an AA or some groupie. I just want to make sure we’re clear on that.”

  “I never called you any of those things. You’re reading too much into this.”

  “Am I?”

  “You are.”

  “Then tell me what is bothering you.”

  “Didn’t I just say I didn’t want to talk about it?”

  “That’s what your mouth says, but your body is saying something altogether different.”

  “Oh, you’re a damned therapist now?”

  “I’m a woman; it’s pretty much the same thing.”

  “No, it’s not. Jayna, I have a lot on my mind right now, that’s all.”

  “Then say that. Don’t disrespect me.”

  “Disrespect you? Who the hell is disrespecting you? I have a lot on my mind and I don’t want to talk about it right now. I told you that.”

  “Again, it’s not what you said, but how you said it.”

  “Jayna, I hope this isn’t what I have to look forward to each time we have a disagreement.”

  “It’s not, if you come at me the right way.”

  “Hold up! Come at you the right way, just who the hell do you think you are that I’m supposed to walk on eggshells around you?”

  “You don’t have to walk on eggshells, Brandon, but like I said, you aren’t going to just talk to me any kind of way, either!”

  “Look, woman!” He took a step in her direction.

  “Look what?” She took a step forward in his direction.

  They were just a foot away from one another. Again, he was taken by her. She challenged him. In every way, she challenged him. In every way, she was his equal. Even now, with being upset with her, he loved her. The things he hated most about her, he loved about her as well. He stood there with fire in his eyes. She stood there with fire in hers. Brandon was well built and was a man who could instill fear in other men with just a glance. With Jayna, she just looked at him as if he were another mountain to climb, another obstacle in her way.

  She took in his Issey Miyake cologne. He took in her Delicious by Donna Karan. He looked at her flawless body, her well-sculpted abs, and her ample hips. She looked into his dark brown eyes, his smooth skin, and his ripped midsection. For seconds they stood silent, watching one another. The storm continued to rage outside, and there was one brewing in his bedroom.

  He wanted her.

  She wanted him.

  He wanted her more than he had ever wanted anyone.

  At that moment, she wanted him more than she had ever wanted any other man.

  “Do we have to do this now?” he asked.

  He wasn’t rude. He asked. His reasons for asking were obvious.

  “No. We don’t have to do this now.”

  Her tone was almost forgiving.

  He walked over to her. He invaded her space. He looked down and she looked up. They both were poised like two prizefighters.

  “But we will finish this conversation.”

  “Oh, you can count on it. We will finish this conversation.”

  “But not now.”

  “No, baby, not now.”

  He pulled the drawstring on his silk pajama bottoms. As he did, they dropped to the floor. He stepped out of them and took yet another half step forward. This time he more than invaded her space. They were pelvis to pelvis. His hands explored her backside and her arms reached up and around his neck.

  They kissed.

  A storm waged outside the bedroom and another waged on the inside.

  He picked her up and carried her to the bed. He turned on his iPod and soft music began playing. He laid her down on the bed and began kissing her ever so slowly on her soft lips. Their naked bodies touched. Pelvis to pelvis they felt one another’s heat. It took virtually no time for his manhood to ease inside her. Her vaginal opening welcomed him freely. When he entered her, they both let out a sigh. They both exhaled and felt relieved. They both felt each other’s passion.

  He began with slow, deliberate strokes. She ran her hands alongside his muscles and across his face. She looked deep into his eyes as he glided in and out of her. Her mouth was open as he gently and deliberately hit her spot. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feel of him. She enjoyed his length, his girth, and the deliberate taps to her cervix.

  Muscles flexed throughout her body. Her legs pulled him in further and her vaginal muscles gripped his penis like a farmer grabbing a cow’s utters. Her vaginal muscles flexed. Her Kegel exercises came in handy during love play. She held him. She held him with her love, her passion, and her pussy. Her breasts were swollen with passion and her nipples were erect. She enjoyed him. She enjoyed every inch of him.

  Their tongues danced with one another. He reached beneath her and grabbed her ass as he forced himself deeper inside of her. She let out a guttural groan and he let out a primitive growl. He went deeper inside of her, deeper than even he had ever gone before. He began fucking her. He fucked her like he was trying to release all his demons in his seed. He fucked her as if he were making a point. He fucked her like he was trying to leave his mark on her forever in the bedroom. Together they rocked and bucked and began to sweat. She matched his intensity blow for blow. Together, a
s they made love, they looked like a muscular sculpture of two people in a passionate embrace.

  The bed rocked. It was a 4,000 dollar bed that had never moved before since Brandon owned it. Tonight it was rocking. Tonight it was being tested. Brandon said things he never said before in bed. He called Jayna’s name and said vulgar things in her ear as he penetrated her, things that could only be said in the throes of passion. She said a few things back and together they talked so dirty and so foul that Larry Flynt would have been proud. Two hours later they came. They came and they both collapsed.

  Morning came. With the morning came the aftereffects of the storm. Irreparable damage had been done. The storm left its mark on the city and both Brandon and Jayna left their mark on one another. Each had the other’s scent on their body. Each was sticky from their night of passion and each seemed to have enjoyed their primitive moment. Still, Jayna couldn’t help wondering what had Brandon so distracted.

  Brandon got up from their bed of sin and went to the shower. He had a lot on his mind. Part of what was on his mind was contained in the envelope in the drawer of his nightstand. The other issue was about Jayna. He loved her. There was no doubting that. The question was, Could he love a woman like Jayna? He let the warm water cascade over his body. Slowly her scent left his body and went down the drain. All his muscles tensed as he thought about the conversation they would soon have. He knew Jayna. Last night she wanted him just as much as he wanted her. Now that their lust had been quelled, it would just be a matter of time before they began again. It would be just a matter of time before she came and approached him about what was really bothering him last night. He lathered up his body in an effort to wash away his thoughts, his issues. While he stood in silence with water running over him, he exhaled. He knew their next conversation would not be a kind one.

  While he contemplated things on the outside, Jayna was in bed thinking about things as well. She loved Brandon, that much was obvious, but what was last night about? She understood finances. She also understood that the company’s stock had taken a dip in recent months. It was a decline that coincided with Korie and Vaughn’s relationship. The company was still doing well, but to a stockholder any decline in funds would be closely monitored. Jayna wondered if Korie could be distracting Vaughn. If so, those distractions could indeed be costing the company tens of millions of dollars.

  Jayna thought to herself that even if that were the case, what went on between Korie and Vaughn needed to stay between Korie and Vaughn. As far as Jayna was concerned, it wasn’t her business. It wasn’t Brandon’s business, either. She understood his concern from a financial standpoint. Personally, however, she didn’t see where it was anyone’s place to butt in. Besides, what did her friend’s relationship have to do with her? Jayna decided that she would not challenge Brandon about her girl. That wasn’t her fight. All Jayna needed to know was that everything was okay between her and her man. That was what she decided, and that was what she was going to tell him.

  She got out of bed, his scent on her flesh. She made up the bed, got a bottle of water, and then walked to the bathroom. She knocked and then slowly walked in.

  She stepped into the shower with him, kissing his back and shoulders and hugging him from behind. Again his muscles flexed. He closed his eyes and took in the scent of last night’s session. He turned to her and hugged her, then stepped out of the shower and began to dry off as she began to wash.

  She lathered with her favorite scent from Bath & Body Works. She had clothing at his place, toiletries and even a few pair of shoes. She lathered her body up and washed last night’s scent off of her. Silence overtook them both. Jayna spoke first.

  “So . . . do you want to tell me what was really bothering you last night?”

  Brandon closed his eyes as he let out a small sigh and continued to dry off.

  “Do I have a choice?” he said almost jokingly.

  “We can ignore the elephant in the room or we can tackle it head-on, sweetheart.”

  Brandon nodded his head in agreement. He put on his boxers and Jayna began to rinse off.

  “Okay. Okay. Part of the problem that I have is that your girlfriend has my boss kind of sprung. Under normal circumstances I wouldn’t say anything but—”

  “But that distraction is costing the company a considerable amount of money.”

  “Yes.”

  “Babe, I understand your concern, and I mean no disrespect, but is that really your business?”

  Silence overtook the room again. Brandon began to moisturize his body and Jayna turned the water off.

  “As one of his chief advisors, yes. Yes, it is. In fact, the board of directors is monitoring my response to the situation.”

  “I wasn’t aware that you had responded to the situation.”

  Jayna moved the shower curtain back and retrieved a towel to dry off.

  “That’s just the thing. I haven’t. Vaughn is more than my boss and more than my mentor. He’s also my friend. He is also not the type of man who you tell what to do or the type of man who you readily challenge. Our friendship, our business relationship is now somehow . . . complicated.”

  “It’s never been complicated before?”

  “Not until Korie.”

  “So no other woman has ever captured his heart like Korie?”

  “No woman since his wife.”

  “Well, as his friend, is that a bad thing?”

  “As his friend, no. As his chief advisor it’s a problem. A huge problem.”

  “So what can you do?”

  “As his friend, I can just leave him alone and hope for the best, which is what I have been doing. As his advisor, there are provisions where I can ask him to step down from his duties. His contract is very specific in these areas. There are checks and balances. If the company stock reaches a certain point, or if he is somehow deemed negligent in his duties, then he can be asked to step down.”

  “Step down? For how long?”

  “Temporarily . . . indefinitely. It depends on the situation.”

  “And who would be his successor?”

  Again silence took the reigns. It was clear to Jayna whom his successor would be.

  “Oh. Wow. That’s a lot of pressure, isn’t it? It would be you. And you aren’t ready to take the helm of the company yet, are you?”

  “Oh, I’m ready. I’ve been ready for some time. Vaughn has been grooming me to be his successor for years now. The thing is, neither of us saw that happening for at least another four of five years.”

  “Are things really that bad?”

  “No, they aren’t as bad as the board of directors thinks. But things have changed. The thing that bothers me most about the situation with Vaughn is that he has excluded me from the process. Generally I’m there to provide him with counsel. Whenever he leaves the country, generally I leave the country. When the Japanese backed out of this last deal, Vaughn lost face with the board. When he left to pursue the Japanese, that didn’t look good either. Vaughn never chases anybody. He lost additional points with the board when he decided to fly after them rather than have them return to us. When he left without me, the board became concerned. When word got out that he was taking his girlfriend with him on a business trip that could make us millions, he lost the board’s respect completely.”

  “Has he called you?”

  “No. And here’s the thing. He needs to close this deal. Otherwise the board may just go ahead and appoint me to take over. I want the big chair; I want to run the company, but not this way.”

  Jayna understood why he was so conflicted and distracted. What she didn’t understand was why he couldn’t tell her; why he hadn’t confided in her.

  “You could have told me all this last night.”

  “I could have. But that was only part of what was on my mind last night.”

  “There’s more? What else is bothering you?”

  “Us.”

  “Us? What about us?”

  “I think I love you.”<
br />
  “Okay . . . I know that I love you. Is that a bad thing?”

  “You tell me.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?”

  Jayna was completely dry and began to get dressed into her warm-up gear. She assumed she and Brandon were going running this morning. Instead, Brandon sat on the toilet with a towel wrapped around him and his head in his hands.

  “Brandon? What’s wrong?”

  “Did you ever date or sleep with Harold Thomas at the Gideon Group?”

  That stunned Jayna into silence. Her heart skipped a beat as the words left Brandon’s mouth.

  “Uh, I did date him. But—that was before you—and—”

  “Did you sleep with Mike Johnson over at P and G?”

  Each name hurt Jayna like a dagger. She tried to get angry, but her voice was almost taken away.

  “Uh . . . Brandon . . .”

  “Cyril Harris at Chase”

  “Brandon . . .”

  “Charles Gandy at MGM? Fred Michaels at First Chicago, Torrence Koonce at Cardinal, Rodney Harris over at Lasalle Corporation, the DA, an ADA—, hell I think there are another ten or twelve names of affluent Chicagoans that I can go ahead and name. Jayna, did you bed all these men?”

  She was speechless. Stunned. She was hurt beyond words and in that moment she felt a lifetime of regret. In that moment only one word could describe her as she had an epiphany. One word summed up her multiple trysts: Whore. Her bottom lip began to quiver.

  “Where are you getting this?” she said with tears in her eyes.

  “Is it true?”

  “Where are you getting this?”

  “Is it true!” he snapped.

  He stood over her and she slumped to the bathroom floor. Tears streamed from her face.

  “Yes,” she said in a whisper while her bottom lip continued to tremble. “Yes, it’s true.”

  Tears filled Brandon’s eyes. He stormed out of the bathroom and headed to the bedroom. He heard the words that he already knew to be true. He began to get dressed, cursing the whole time.

  “Brandon.” Jayna’s voice was filled with hurt and anguish. “Brandon.” The second time that she called him, her voice was almost pleading.