by Cj Howard
A slight shadow crossed her face as she digested these words. He saw her hesitation and responded. “Chantelle, I mean it. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since Vegas. I know I went ahead with the annulment, but it doesn’t seem right because…” He moved next to her on the sofa and slipped his arm around her. “I think about you all the time, and tonight was more than I ever thought possible. You don’t even have to do anything. You just are… and that’s enough.”
Chantelle leaned toward him and his hands slipped across her blouse. He kissed her deeply and she felt like she was falling and yet she was safe in his arms. His kiss covered her mouth and she felt herself respond without thought or worry. She ran her hands up his arms and felt the tight muscles under his shirt. She wanted nothing more than to have nothing between them.
They moved closer to each other without realizing that their need was driving them to close the space between them. His arousal clouded his thinking and he let out a soft moan when their chests touched. He slowed himself and looked down at her body, breathing heavy. She saw his attempt to hold himself back and knew that he wanted to be sure that she was ready. She was definitely ready.
She felt the moistness between her legs. Her satin panties clung to her and she wanted to grind herself into him. She reached down and unbuttoned the next button of her blouse. She looked up to see his reaction and the desire that is next to pain would have made her laugh under other circumstances, but she felt the same desire and so she looked down and unbuttoned the rest of her blouse.
He helped to slide it off of her shoulders, kissing her collar bone as he unsnapped her bra. As her firm, hard nipples were exposed, he gasped, working hard no to lose control. He fastened his mouth over one nipple and gently flicked his tongue. She arched her back. “Ahh… please…” she barely spoke in a throaty whisper.
This was all the encouragement he needed. He slid her to the thick rug and hovered over her, kissing while working at removing her clothes. She helped with the fasteners on her skirt but allowed him to slip off her panties. Soon she realized that she lay totally naked on the floor while he was fully dressed, but instead of feeling nervous, she was proud because he seemed to be feasting on her body.
Slowly, she unbuttoned his pants and eased the zipper down. He took off his shirt while she pulled at his pants. His thick, long erection stood up and she ran her hands along it until he moaned aloud with pleasure. He tried desperately to control himself so that he could give her pleasure, but when she begged, “Please, Justin. Please, love me.” he laid her back and pushed himself into her. She was already so wet that they glided together and she launched into several orgasms. She grabbed him and held him hard against her and he moved within her for a long while until finally he spent the last of himself into her.
They lay panting. He realized that what they had experienced was not just about feeling good. They had come together and cum together. They held each other close through the night, waking each other up to satisfy each burning urge that aroused them as the late hours became early, cocooning them in warm darkness.
Chapter6
The next morning the couple was at least temporarily satisfied; happy, and very hungry. Justin said that he was going to try his hand at cooking again, but Chantelle quickly stopped him.
“Boy, I’m seriously hungry and I want something GOOD to eat, not something you’ve burned in a pot.” Chantelle winked and began examining the kitchen for anything she could work with.
“You should make a shopping list. I’ll have Anne Marie pick up whatever you need.” Justin said this while he casually started brewing cups of coffee.
Chantelle smiled to herself. “Does that mean, you want me to stay?”
“Well, yeah!” Justin said as he opened cupboards looking for another package of his favorite K-cups.
“Who is Anne Marie?” Chantelle asked although she thought she already knew the answer.
“Oh, Annie has been with the family for years. She worked at my parents’ house but she came with me when I got my own place. She cooks, cleans, shops, and basically makes sure that I don’t burn the place down.”
He winked at Chantelle. “I know it is a luxury that most people don’t have, but it really does help when I work 18 or 20 hour days, and I don’t think I could get rid of Annie if I tried. She thinks it’s her mission in life to make sure that I’m clean and that I eat right.” He took a sip of coffee and put his arm around Chantelle’s waist. “I know she’s going to love you.”
Chantelle had woken up in the morning wondering if last night’s love had been love to her but nothing more than a play-time for him. Aunt Janine would not have approved, but it felt so right and Justin was so kind.
She scrambled eggs with spinach and goat cheese. She found a nice loaf of sour dough bread for toast, and cut fresh fruit that Anne Marie had obviously chosen with care. They sat down together and ate. When they had finished, Chantelle had one burning issue that she had to get off of her mind.
“Justin, I need to talk to you about something.” She looked at him from under her eyelashes. “You know, I have friends who will do anything for money, but that isn’t me. I didn’t stay with you last night because of your inheritance. If I were after your money, I would have taken you for half your wealth in a divorce rather than agreeing to an annulment. I just wanted to say it so that you would know that… well, I care about you, and I would feel the same way if you were the same man who told me he was sleeping in Sam’s room in Vegas.” At this last comment, she raised an eyebrow and watched for his response.
“I know, honey. You have been up front with me from the beginning, and I respect that about you.” He lifted his cup of coffee in a mock toast and then drank a sip of Colombian coffee in her honor. He set down his cup and took her hand. “Stay this week. Please stay.”
He didn’t need to use many words because she was ready to acquiesce. A few phone calls home to Aunt Janine and to her job, and her work place allowed her to extend her stay. She had already planned a few days so getting a couple more days covered was not difficult for a girl who had spent years helping her office mates.
The week was spent getting to know each other. They did all of the usual things that every tourist must do. Justin made fun of himself for running around town as if he were from Ohio, but truly, it was fun for him to see the city through her eyes. Things he had grown accustomed to, she found exciting.
He took her to see the Statue of Liberty and remembered how much he loved to view it as a boy. He bought her a ridiculous magnet from a stand that had a photo of the Statue of Liberty superimposed on a Hello Kitty magnet. She laughed and told him that it was a better gift than the ring.
The rings were both in the safe at his apartment. They hadn’t said much about them, but when Chantelle presented him with her diamond wedding ring, he said, “Let’s keep them together and see if they get along.” With a wink he strode to a hidden safe and put her ring with his.
Chantelle couldn’t believe how many types of markets and restaurants were in this one city. Once Justin had discovered her favorite foods, every meal was an adventure. They caught Broadway shows and operas. Chantelle didn’t even know that she liked the opera, but she had a wonderful time. She wasn’t sure if it was because of the singing or because she was with Justin. She enjoyed walking with him and seeing so many new sights. A woman selling flowers practically begged Justin to buy a bouquet of daisies for Chantelle.
They were about to go into a show and it would have been inconvenient to buy flowers at that time, but Justin could see that she needed the money and with the purchase of one more bouquet, her work day would be over. So he bought the flowers and gave her a generous tip.
He took one daisy from the bouquet and handed it to Chantelle and then turned and gave the entire bunch to a man who was obviously arguing with his wife on the phone. “Hey, buddy. See if these help you out!” Justin winked and the man mouthed the words ‘thank you’. They could hear him telling his wife that she would
n’t be so angry knowing that he had bought her a little gift. Chantelle giggled and tucked the daisy into her purse to press later.
They didn’t realize how many close calls they had throughout the week. Tom was constantly in the background, but Justin’s wealth was like a barrier that separated them from many things. Tom’s constant phone calls still annoyed and angered the couple until finally Justin had the calls blocked from her phone. She worried about what kind of retribution Tom would have in store for her, but this was a week to enjoy, not to worry.
Chantelle had dinner with Justin’s friends at a jazz club. The guys were happy to see her and thrilled that they were all together again. They had taken an immediate liking to Chantelle in Vegas and tried to convince Justin to stay in touch with the woman. They sat listening to the jazz and sipping on good microbrews.
Sam kept ordering beer and appetizers and then setting the bill in front of Justin. “Here ya go. I think this is for you, big guy.” Good natured Justin didn’t let anyone take advantage of him in business, but he knew that Sam was a good sort and he never asked for serious money.
After the second set, Chantelle excused herself to the lady’s room. As she left the room to return to her friends, Tom stepped out from the shadows.
“Baby! What do you think you’re doing?” He growled as he grabbed her arm. “Tom! How did you get here? I told you; we’re done! I don’t understand why you’re here!” She was flustered and didn’t know what to do.
Tom grabbed both shoulders. The smell of cigarette smoke, alcohol, and tooth decay was strong. “Bitch, I told you that you were mine. We’re going home, now!” Chantelle tried break loose but in spite of Tom’s weaknesses, he was a physically strong man. As he yanked her around to lead her out the door, a swift movement from the hall disengaged her from Tom’s grip.
By the time she had regained her balance, she could see Justin pushing Tom out the door. Tom tried to throw a punch, but Justin was too quick for him. He growled at Tom, “I would kick your ass if you were worth it, but I don’t want the legal hassle. Bother her again and I’ll take my chances with the court system.” With that he threw Tom out of the back door of the club.
He turned to Chantelle with question and concern in his eyes.
“Can we go home now?” She asked him in a soft voice and he took her hand and called for the car. The idea of going home together was lovely even if it was premature. He guided her gently to the elevator that seemed like it was the path to coming home for them both.
That night, after making love, Justin asked her about Tom. She explained that she had never loved Tom and that any infatuation died off quickly when his character started to emerge. Justin told her that he wanted to know if she sensed any more trouble because he had made a threat to Tom and he was more than willing to carry through with it.
The day before Chantelle was scheduled to leave for Vegas, she woke up feeling a little off. The breakfast pastries that usually made her run to the table looked disgusting to her, and when Justin put out a breakfast casserole that Anne Marie had left for him to heat up, one whiff made her run to the nearest bathroom with nausea. She sat on the soft chair in the sitting section of the large bathroom and it occurred to her that in the confusion since their meeting in Vegas, she had lost track when it came to watching for her period.
She quickly thought back and reviewed the time that had gone by. She had noticed some bloating but she thought it was from the stress and changes to her diet. When she tallied the clues, she saw that they added up to a strong possibility that she was five weeks pregnant.
Her emotions spun in so many directions that it left her stomach in a knot. Justin knocked quietly on the door. “Honey, are you okay?” She made a swift decision to keep her suspicions to herself until she knew for sure.
“I’m alright. I think it’s just all of the change and excitement. I may need a little rest today.” She came out and he enfolded her in his arms.
“Well then, rest you shall, and the timing couldn’t be better. I have managed to put business in the background so far this week, but I have a pressing issue that doesn’t seem to want to wait until I am ready for it.” He grinned and showed that he had a healthy attitude toward business.
He was diligent but knew that it couldn’t replace the people in his life. “I’ll tell you what. You can stay here and rest or go to the spa in the building and have a nice massage or whatever women do there. I’ve already alerted the staff that any of your expenses will be billed to me.”
Chantelle was relieved to have this time to herself and sent him on his way, knowing that she would take the time to go to a local clinic for a legitimate pregnancy test. She didn’t want to leave something this important to a drug store test. She decided that she wanted a definite answer – the sooner the better.
Late that afternoon Justin returned, loosening his tie and flopping his long frame down on the couch where Chantelle was reading. She had quickly gone to the clinic for the test. She had hoped that she could find out that day, but she didn’t have an appointment and it was very early in her pregnancy. The only thing they could do for her was to draw blood and take a sample and send her on her way.
A nurse practitioner would have time to review it later and give her the results. They led her to believe that the NP would be able to call her within a couple of hours with some indication. She had been leaving her cell phone off to avoid calls from Tom, and since the news was supposed to come well before Justin got home, she gave them Justin’s land line phone number.
They had spent every evening out seeing shows, dancing, meeting with Justin’s friends, and eating in fascinating restaurants. These outings were on the heels of full days of shopping and viewing the city’s monuments and galleries. Even without a pregnancy, Chantelle would have been exhausted, and looking at Justin, she saw that he was tired as well. They certainly weren’t getting much sleep at night, either!
Chantelle suggested that they stay in for their last evening. She loved the foods they had been eating, but the simple chicken and rice in the refrigerator, cooked by Anne Marie’s hands in her own kitchen, seemed like just the thing. The two young people caught a glimpse of what it would be like to have a life together. Like the rings in the safe, they fit together as if made for each other.
They listened to tunes that they had found as mutual favorites during dinner, and to Justin’s surprise, he found out that Chantelle wasn’t only into books, art, and theatre. He looked slightly abashed when she stammered to him. “ummm.. ah… baby? I kind of like watching ‘The Bachelorette in Texas.’ He pulled her in for a warm bear hug, and laughed softly.
“That’s what I love about you, honey. You keep me guessing.” As he reached for the remote, he shook his head and said, “I would have guessed ‘Little Ladies San Diego’ or ‘Essence of Love’.” She playfully slapped him and settled in under his arm and nestled to his side with her cup of herbal tea, directing her attention to the giant television screen. She chose to relax that night in his arms and tell him about the possibility of a baby in the morning when they were both fresh and alert.
Chapter7
The next morning started with an early phone call from one of Justin’s assistants. The business that he had tried to manage the day before needed a bit more of his attention. He knew that Chantelle had to be on her plane late that afternoon. He had tried to convince her to let him fly her home in the private jet, but she refused such an extravagance.
“Justin, do you have any idea what the carbon footprint of a jet is? Don’t get me wrong, I expect you to take all of our friends to a tropical resort on that baby, but it isn’t worth it to send just me when I’m perfectly comfortable on a commercial airliner.” He didn’t have time to argue and agreed to be back in time to take her to the airport. He didn’t like spending the last day away from her, but he assumed that they would have a proper goodbye and many, many more weeks like this together in the future.
She lingered as she ate breakfast and got r
eady for the day. She kept expecting the phone to ring and to know if she was pregnant or not. She knew that she had to tell Justin before she left for Vegas. She hesitated to call it ‘home’. Although Aunt Janine was there, she had felt more at home with Justin than she had felt in her entire life.
She was dressed and killing time with a favorite book she found in Justin’s library when the doorman notified her of a visitor who was cleared for entrance. Justin must not have told the doorman that he and Candace were no longer involved.
Chantelle met Candace at the door. “Well, well, well” said Candace. “You certainly have settled in, haven’t you? Janquin? Was it?”
Chantelle decided to take the high road and not to allow Candace to anger her. Candace strolled around the room, stroking the furniture. “Ahhh, I see he finally got rid of that gawd awful table that I hated so much. It’s just as well. I never would have stood for it once we are married.”
Chantelle paused. “Married?” She asked Candace in a disbelieving tone.
Candace laughed in her grating way. “Of course, dear. You didn’t think he was taking you seriously, did you? I mean, you’re so young and… well, you don’t know the same people we know.” She helped herself to a drink from the bar; showing that she knew her way around his home.
“Of course, we’re engaged. As his fiancé, I expected him to have a bit of a last fling. It’s just the thing. Most men do it, but don’t feel too badly, he’ll probably still come and see you in Vegas after we’re married. I certainly don’t expect to limit myself if he can’t keep up with me. So if he wants to visit you occasionally and,” Her extended pause was dramatic “take care of some of his more base needs that I refuse to tolerate, so be it!” With a flourish, she dropped an ice cube into her glass and raised it to her thin, overly darkened lips.
Chantelle felt as if the floor had fallen out from under her, but she couldn’t believe this woman. Hadn’t Justin taken her to a restaurant where they could be clearly seen by his peers and by her?