Flaw Less

by Shana Burton

  “I’m a stripper, so the first thought that comes to mind is, ‘Oh, she’s easy. She’s a ho.’”

  —Reginell Kerry

  “I’ve got to say, I was surprised when you called me over,” said Mark, entering Reginell’s apartment the next day. He looked around. “I like how you’ve got everything set up in here. It’s nice.” Mark stood back and took another look at her. Her thick twists were pulled back into a bun. “Speaking of nice, look at you! I like your hair like that. It shows off your face more.”

  Reginell pointed to the sofa with a stern look on her face. “Sit.”

  “Ohh-kay,” he slowly enunciated. “What’s up with the military routine that you’ve got going on here?” he asked after sitting down on the couch. Reginell sat down next to him and pulled back her robe. She wasn’t wearing anything underneath.

  Mark was floored. “Reggie, what are you doing?”

  “You don’t like it? Don’t you think I’m sexy?”

  “Of course! Not that I’m complaining, but what’s going on here?”

  “Nothing,” she answered curtly. “I called you here to give you what you want. This is what you want, isn’t it?”

  “I’m a thirty-three-year-old heterosexual male. I’d be lying if I said no,” confessed Mark, looking down at her seemingly flawless body.

  “Good,” she replied. She lay back on the sofa and gapped her legs open.

  His mouth flew open. “Reggie, what are you doing?” he asked again.

  “I’m giving you what you want. Do you have condoms? If not, I have some in the back.”

  Mark was taken aback. “Are you serious?”

  Reginell crossed her arms in front of her. “I’m very serious, Mark.”

  “So, are we supposed to be having sex today?” he asked for confirmation.

  “Yes, Mark, we are having sex today, but we do need to go ahead and get started. I’m getting my braids taken out at three, and I don’t want to be late.” She huffed and stiffened her body. “Okay, do your thing.”

  “If this is some kind of test, I’m telling you now that I’m in great danger of failing.” He glanced over at Reginell, who looked stoic and bored. Then he leaned down to kiss her.

  She stopped him when he was about an inch shy of her lips. “You know we really don’t have to do all that. Just in and out, no extras. You can skip all that foreplay.”

  “Okay.” Mark shrugged his shoulders and stood up to take off his shoes and pants. He started pulling his shirt over his head.

  “You don’t have to that either,” cut in Reginell.

  “Do what? Get naked?”

  “Yes. I mean I know that you have to take off your boxers, but you can leave your shirt on. I only took my clothes off because I’m more comfortable this way.”

  Bewildered, Mark pulled his shirt down. “Well, do I at least get to touch you?”

  “You can,” she said and frowned, “but I told you it’s really not necessary.”

  Mark caressed Reginell’s face. She only stared uncomfortably at the ceiling and blinked rapidly like she was trying to figure out what he was doing. He thought he felt her wince. Mark tried massaging her shoulders. The only response he received this time was Reginell clearing her throat and swallowing. “Okay, what in heaven’s name is wrong with you?” he asked, frustrated.

  “What? I’m just lying here.”

  “That’s my point!”

  “Look, Mark, are we going to do this or what? I told you that I have other things to do today.” She saw the confused look on his face. “Honestly, I thought we’d be done by now or at least made more progress than this. What are you waiting for?”

  Mark sighed. He knew that he would live to regret passing up this opportune moment, but he couldn’t go through with it. This was a cold, mechanical act, and he didn’t want it to be that way with her.

  “What’s going on, Reggie? You’ve got me over here feeling like a rapist or something, and I want to know why.” He looked down at her again, her crotch staring him in the face. “Please, just close your legs for my sake.” She sat upright. He handed her the robe. “Here, cover your breasts too.”

  Reginell covered her body. “I wasn’t playing games with you, not like you’ve been playing with me.”

  “What are you talking about?” he asked, pulling up his pants.

  “You men are all so transparent. You don’t think I know why you’re so interested in getting to know me? I’m a stripper, so the first thought that comes to mind is, ‘Oh, she’s easy. She’s a ho.’ That’s why I called you here today. Since this whole thing is just about sex to you, I’d rather get that over with and send you on your way than get caught up in your games and lies under the pretense of us trying to form some kind of relationship.”

  “I never thought that.”

  “Yeah, right, so I’m supposed to believe that you asked me out because you actually like me?”

  “That is the real reason.”

  “Yet you couldn’t pull your pants down fast enough when you thought I was going to give you some.”

  Mark shook his head. “Reggie, it’s not even like that.”

  “It’s exactly like that, Mark! You’re no different from any of those fools sweating all over me at work. You just came wrapped in a nicer package, that’s all.”

  “Not all men are like the dudes you deal with down at the strip club.”

  “Yes, they are! Despite all this talk about wanting to get to know me, what you really want to know is how many lies you’ve got to tell me before I’ll sleep with you.”

  “I’ve never had to lie to a woman to get her to sleep with me, nor would I. I respect women, and I have a mama who won’t hesitate to go upside my head if I don’t.”

  “But your mom ain’t here,” countered Reginell.

  “She’s not, but the values she gave me are.”

  Reginell sucked her teeth. “Whatever.”

  “I’m not out here looking for a good time. I can’t deny being attracted to you, but there are a thousand other reasons that I like you too.”

  “Name one.”

  “For starters, you’re the most upfront woman I’ve ever met and, for reasons I can’t explain, I actually like that. But I can tell that there’s a big heart underneath that tough exterior. You make me laugh, and you keep me on my toes. You’re sassy, but you’re fun too. I’m feeling you—I can’t lie.”

  “Mark, you don’t have to say that.”

  “I know I don’t. Stop acting like you don’t deserve to have nice things said about you.”

  “I don’t know that I do. I mean, I know what I do for a living, and I know what people think of me, especially my sister and her friends.”

  “Your sister loves you, Reggie, that’s why she goes overboard. She doesn’t want to see you get hurt or live beneath your potential. Quite honestly, neither do I.”

  “Dancing is just a stepping-stone,” she explained. “Why can’t anyone see that?”

  “I’m sure that’s how you see it, but you’re so much more than some sex object. You’re pretty and smart and funny. You shouldn’t sell yourself short.”

  “Now, you’re starting to sound like Lawson,” groaned Reginell.

  “That’s because I care.”

  “That’s what I don’t get. Why do you care?”

  “There’s something about you, I guess. You were the only one on my side when I was trying to get my son, and that means a lot to me. You’ve got a good heart. Plus, I just like being around you.”

  “Somebody certainly has taught you how to lay it on thick,” responded Reginell, not swayed by his flattering words.

  “I’m speaking from the heart. I don’t know what more I can get you than that.”

  “Mark, I deal with lying, sleazy, triflin’ men every day. It’s hard to believe you’d be any different.”

  “You have a point,” he conceded. “But I am different. You’ll see.”

  “Every man claims he’s different, which makes all o
f you pretty much the same.”

  Mark gripped Reginell’s shoulders and looked her in the eyes. “I like you, Reggie, and I can’t promise you that I’m going to always act like a Boy Scout around you, especially when you come to the door dressed like that. Even if I had been thinking with the other head when I first saw you, it’s different now.”

  “How is it different, Mark? How are you different?” She gently removed his hands and walked a few feet away from him. “You barely even know me.”

  “But I want to get to know you. I feel something when I’m around you that I haven’t felt with anyone else, and it’s not just a sexual attraction. I actually sit around thinking about you like a lovesick teenager. You’ve got me open. I don’t know how or why, but you do. If I was to be honest, you have ever since the first time I saw you in Lawson’s living room. If it means taking our time and being just friends until you feel comfortable with being something more, then we’ll do that. No strings attached.”

  “You can’t say that you just want to be friends, but every time we’re together, you’re trying to get in my pants. I get enough of that at work. I don’t need it from you too.”

  “And you won’t get it from me. Not all of us are oversexed swine, you know?” Mark slipped his shoes over his feet.

  “That’s remains to be seen.”

  “Now, I want you to answer a question for me. Would you really have gone through with it a few minutes ago?”

  She smiled coyly. “I guess we’ll never know.”

  “Well, know this, Miss Kerry, you’ve got me for as long as you’ll have me. Now, why don’t you go slip into something a little less comfortable so we can talk?”

  Reginell couldn’t help laughing. “Are you always this silly?”

  “Maybe. Why don’t you spend some time with me and find out.”

  Reginell went into her room and returned wearing jeans and a T-shirt. “Is this better?”

  Mark made a face. “Not really, but definitely more appropriate.”

  Reginell sat down next to him. “Can I ask you something?”

  “You can ask me anything.”

  “Are you still in love with Lawson?”

  Mark dropped his head a little. “I don’t recall ever saying that I was in love with her.”

  “You asked her to marry you, and I know that you weren’t too happy about her marrying Garrett.”

  “That was more about Namon than it was my feelings for her. I didn’t want to be cut out of his life. I admit, there was a time when I thought there might be some potential for something to happen between Lawson and me, but it was more of an attraction than love.”

  “How do you feel about her now?”

  “I care about her. I want to see her happy, and I think Garrett does that for her. I want her to have a great life because whatever she does affects my son. I value our friendship and the relationship we’ve managed to establish, but that’s pretty much it.”

  Reginell nodded. “I just thought that maybe . . .”

  “What?”

  “I thought you had me here because you couldn’t be with her, you know, kind of like a substitute.”

  Mark shook his head. “Lawson was the furthest thing from my mind when I invited you to lunch or came here today. In fact, lately, all women have been the furthest thing from my mind, except you.”

  “Really?” He nodded. “I’ve been thinking about you lately too. I think you’re pretty cool, Mark.”

  “What—for an old guy?” he inferred.

  “You’re not that old . . . are you?”

  Mark laughed. “I’ve got about a decade on you.”

  “I’ve dated guys a lot older than you. Believe me, they weren’t nearly as nice either.”

  “So that’s what we’re doing? We’re dating?”

  “Um, well . . .” stammered Reginell. “I didn’t mean, like, you’re my boyfriend or anything.”

  “Not yet,” replied Mark. “But I definitely like the thought of dating and seeing you more often.”

  “For real?”

  “Yeah . . . I mean, if you’re okay with that.”

  She paused for a second, still in shock. “That’s cool. I would—” she took a deep breath, gaining confidence—“I would like that very much.”

  “I’m glad to hear it.”

  “What about Lawson? Are you going to tell her?”

  “Is what we do really any of her business?”

  “In this case, it is. She’s your baby’s mama.”

  “Reggie, you can tell her if you want. I don’t feel obligated to fill her in on who I’m dating whether it’s you or anyone else. Lawson’s only concern should be how the woman I’m with is treating our son. That’s a nonissue with you. You love Namon as much as we do, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”

  “It shouldn’t, but you know how people are. You know somebody is going to have something negative to say about it.”

  “I thought you didn’t care what people think about you.”

  “I don’t, but I’m kind of worried about what they might think about you. My last boyfriend broke up with me because he couldn’t handle his friends and family giving him a hard time about me being a stripper. Not only are you dating a stripper, but she’s also your son’s aunt.

  “I care about what other people have to say about as much as I care about the latest episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, which is very little.”

  “You seem like a really nice guy, Mark,” she paused, “then again, you all do until you get what you want.”

  “Well, I am a nice guy, and all I want is to get to know you.”

  “And you wanna date me?” she asked skeptically.

  “Very much so,” he admitted. “It’s all I can do to stop myself from kissing you right now.” Reginell exhaled loudly. “I’m not going to, I’m just thinking about it.”

  They talked for hours, and she loved every minute of it. Reginell couldn’t remember the last time she laughed so much or felt so much like her old self. With her history and her job, she knew she wasn’t worthy of a man like Mark, and it was only a matter of time before he knew it too. But she was bound and determined to enjoy it while it lasted.

  Chapter 21

  “When it’s meant to be, you just know.”

  —Angel King

  “Did you buy out the stores?” asked Channing when Angel came in carrying her weight in shopping bags following her Black Friday shopping.

  She set the bags down. “I rationalize by only purchasing items that are more than 50 percent off.” She looked around the house. It was unusually quiet. “Where’s everybody?”

  “The girls are spending the night with Reese’s parents, and Duke went to the comedy show with some of his frat brothers,” reported Channing.

  “I forgot about that. Why didn’t you go with him?”

  Channing rapped on his leg. “I’m still in recovery, remember?”

  “You’re able to get around so effortlessly that it’s easy to forget.” She put her hands together. “Well, I’m about to go into the kitchen and whip up something to eat. You hungry?”

  Channing put his hand over his stomach. “Famished!”

  “What are you in the mood for?”

  “Anything other than turkey!”

  Angel remembered the frozen shrimp she didn’t make for Duke. “How do grits smothered in shrimp gravy grab you?”

  He smiled. “Sounds perfect.”

  “So where did you learn to cook like this?” asked Channing, helping himself to a third serving.

  “Big Mama, of course! I was her official helper in the kitchen.”

  “Are you close with your family?”

  “I try to be,” she replied. “It’s sort of hard with everyone else living farther north, but Duke and the girls are my family now. Having them here definitely makes it easier.”

  “Did you ever think you and Duke would get back together?”

  Angel shook her head. “I prayed for it for a long time, b
ut once he moved back to D.C. and married Theresa, I gave up hope.”

  “For the record, I never agreed with his decision to leave you and walk away from his marriage. None of us did, but once my cousin gets an idea in his head . . .”

  “Nothing can talk him out of it!” finished Angel. “I know that better than anybody.”

  “But despite all that, you two found your way back to each other. I think that was nothing short of a miracle.”

  “Even though I didn’t know if Duke and I would ever be together again, I’ve never had any doubt about him being the love of my life.”

  “Duke must’ve felt the same way too,” gathered Channing.

  “When it’s meant to be, you just know. We know,” boasted Angel with a smile.

  Channing nodded. “It’s good to be so confident about something in a world full of so much uncertainty.”

  “Isn’t that how you feel about being a soldier?”

  “Yeah, it’s what I was born to do. Serving my country is what I want to die doing.”

  Her eyes widened. “Wow, that’s powerful. I’m really in awe of your commitment and integrity.”

  “Believe me, I’m no saint,” he hinted. “I guess that’s the wrong thing to say to an angel.”

  “None of us are saints, but you’re an honorable man. That’s a rare find these days.”

  “That’s a trait we Kings have in common.”

  Angel averted his gaze. “Not all of you . . .”

  “Are you talking about my cousin, your fiancé?”

  Angel recalled their first failed attempt at marriage. “There was a time when Duke was anything but honorable.”

  “You’re talking about when he left you for Reese, right?” She nodded. “I tried to tell him it was a bad move. We all did. You didn’t deserve to be treated that way.”

  “Thank you for saying that. Duke and I are fine now, but it took us a long time to get here.”

  “If you can get through that, maybe the two of you are meant to be.”

  “We are. It’s destined.” She began eating again. “Speaking of couples who are meant to be, why are you still single?”

  He chuckled. “Trust me, it’s by choice! Honestly, I move around so much that it’s hard to settle down long enough to establish a real connection with anyone.”