Gentrified

by Kirsten McCurran

  Sunday night Winston was on his way home after hanging out down on the corner with his friends and saw the lights on again at Jessica’s house. The shades were drawn, so there was nothing to see. Kyle should be back, he thought, and he imagined their conversation must be pretty interesting after what happened the other night. Were they fighting, or was the couple furiously fucking while they fantasized about Winston’s hands all over her lily white body?

  His more serious-minded friends would be looking for some sort of racism in this situation. He had no doubt that his race played a role in why this fantasy was so hot for Jessica and Kyle. Winston was confident that Kyle’s awkwardness around him was not racism. Kyle was just too afraid to seem racist. Winston was also sure Jessica didn’t have a racist bone in her body, but that didn’t mean sex with a black man didn’t represent a taboo for her—especially given her upbringing. Deep down, screwing Winston was probably a way to stick it to her parents—not that they would ever find out. It was just enough that she knew. In her world, fucking a black man was probably about as wrong as it got. He loved all the weird psychology around pretty white girls from the suburbs fucking city guys like him. It was why he loved seducing women like Jessica in particular. He knew he could rock their world on a level that no other man could ever match.

  It was different with Nicole. Yes, she’d indulged his dirty talk, but he sensed she was humoring him. But Nicole was the most laid back chick he’d ever known. It was why he loved to spend time with her. He needed to make that happen again soon. Nicole hadn’t been around since her girls’ night at Jessica’s.

  Winston was pleased to see Jessica Monday morning. It must have been a good weekend because she had a spring in her step. She even seemed to walk straighter, more confidently, and Jessica already had the best posture he had ever seen. Her pretty smile and wave suggested everything was okay, but she did not cross the street to see him, forcing Winston to go to her as she walked. The way she looked, Winston was drawn to her like a moth to a flame.

  The outfit wasn’t flashy, but was sexy. It was the kind of look that would have men checking her out all day, wondering what was underneath, without thinking she was a slut. At first glance, it looked like she was wearing a white blouse and black skirt, but the long, shiny zipper running down the back revealed it was one piece. Winston imagined pulling that zipper down and watching the dress part and reveal her pale skin. Despite a weekend at the beach, Jessica looked as creamy white as ever. She must use industrial strength sunscreen, he thought. The dress was sleeveless, with a scoop neck that showed lots of flawless skin, but stopped short of showing cleavage. It hugged her tits, but the skirt flared out loose. Her wedge sandals had a high heel, making her legs look awesome. Winston jogged across the street to catch up with her.

  “Hey, Winston. Sorry I didn’t stop, but I have to get in early today. I missed a couple days of work and I need to play catch up today.”

  Winston fell in step beside her. He noted the little bounce of her tits as she walked briskly.

  “I can walk with you, if you don’t mind.”

  “Sure,” she replied brightly.

  “I didn’t see you for a couple days. I was wondering if you’d caught a summer cold.”

  “No, I just missed my little girl, so I went down to the beach to visit. Maddy’s having a blast down there with my parents, but I do miss her so much.”

  “Of course you do. You’re a proud momma. But you should take advantage of the freedom. You and Kyle should go out. There’s a lot of fun places to hit not too far away. What’s the point of moving into the city if you’re not going to take advantage of it?”

  “Kyle is still away. His project ran into trouble and he couldn’t come home. He’s probably going to be stuck out there for the rest of the week.”

  “That’s a shame,” he replied, barely concealing his glee. “You should have stayed at the beach.”

  “I would have, but there’s too much going on at work.”

  “You should go out on your own then. You can experience some real freedom.”

  Jessica glanced over at him as they turned the corner. She looked surprised, but he detected a slight smile on her lips.

  “You think? I couldn’t go out to dinner by myself. And I would feel weird if I just went out to a bar or something on my own.”

  “Why not?”

  “Wouldn’t I be giving the wrong impression? I’m not single, but if I went to a bar by myself people would probably assume I was looking for someone.”

  “Yeah, that’s true. I bet you get hit on all the time when you go out.”

  “That’s very flattering, thank you. I hope I still have it.”

  “You got it, Jessie. And you know it. Who do you think you’re kidding? Does it drive Kyle nuts?”

  Jessica laughed. It was light and musical. “It’s not like men are constantly trying to pick me up. I don’t think I put that vibe out there. Sometimes, if Kyle leaves me alone for a moment, a guy might come over. It feels nice, I guess, but I let them know I’m married pretty quickly.”

  “That’s a shame. Why not have a little fun and flirt? Unless it does drive Kyle nuts.”

  “It doesn’t make him crazy, no. I actually don’t think he minds at all.”

  “Some guys are like that. They know how to appreciate what they have, instead of being worried someone’s going to steal it.”

  “Well, I’m not an it that can be stolen, but I get what you’re saying. I don’t think Kyle minds at all if men look. He trusts me.”

  “Smart man. I know a woman like you can’t be stolen. You choose what you want. Nobody’s going to make you do anything, Jessie.”

  “No, they’re not. But that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to tempt fate. Flirting could be dangerous. Why would I put myself in that situation?”

  “What’s the situation? We’re just talking about a little fun here.”

  Winston kept it light, but he could feel she was testing him. When she flirted with him before, it was reckless, like she was acting on impulse and just going with the flow. Now he felt like she was taking control to see how he would react. He was ready for the challenge.

  “It could be fun, but no girl wants to be called a tease. And if I’m really just having fun and the guy thinks it’s something else, doesn’t that make me a tease?”

  “Some guys like to be teased,” he countered.

  “Not for very long, in my experience. I think guys usually want something. So if I just go out and tease a guy, then I’ll be in that situation where something might happen.”

  “You don’t think you’ll stay in control?”

  “I just think temptation is dangerous.”

  They stopped to wait for the light to change. Winston noticed she was flushed, and he didn’t think it was the heat. She was watching him, probably thinking he couldn’t see her eyes behind her sunglasses, but he could see her eyes sweeping over his chest. The tank top hung loose on him, showing off his thick arms and broad chest. His basketball shorts were loose, but that didn’t stop her eyes from lingering down there. Nicole described her reaction to the cock shot he’d texted. Was she wondering if it was real? His cock twitched as he thought about her looking at that picture and touching herself. He didn’t think she’d deleted it.

  “Have you ever been tempted, Jessie?”

  “I’m a human being,” she said, looking up at him.

  “That’s a yes,” he confidently replied.

  “Doesn’t everyone get tempted?”

  “I think some people don’t let themselves go there.”

  “You can try to fight it, but you still feel it.”

  “Do you fight it, Jessie?”

  “I’m married. I should, shouldn’t I?

  “Maybe. But that doesn’t really answer the question.” Winston pinned her with his eyes, trying to will an honest answer.

  “I’m doing my best.” Another little smile.

  The light changed and Jessica charged ahead before
Winston could ask another question, but he was momentarily speechless anyway. It sounded like she just admitted she was tempted and fighting it. He knew an admission like that, from a woman like Jessica—even an opaque one—was huge. A moment had just occurred between them and Winston felt like it changed everything. Jessica admitted there was something between them, but wasn’t telling him to back off and stay away. Winston took it as a dare to press her. Something had changed for Jessica, and he was going to find out what it was.

  sixteen

  Jess was regretting going to yoga. It was hot in the studio, and when she stepped outside she was smacked in the face by a wall of humidity. The sun was setting on the horizon, but she could still see the skies were the dull color of lead. Thunder crackled in the distance. The forecasters warned there could be evening storms. She usually threw something on before the walk home, but she was so hot that she left the loose t-shirt in her bag. The fitted racerback Nike top was somewhere between a sports bra and a tank top, not quite as skimpy as the former, but still showing a landscape of her toned belly. The t-shirt also would have draped over her butt. Kyle would love to see me walking down the street like this, she thought. Her husband was always telling her how amazing her butt looked in yoga pants.

  It was a seven block walk home from the yoga studio, and Jess drew the attention of several of the men who passed her by. The subtle ones only quickly glanced at her, but she knew when she passed they were looking at her butt. The players openly checked her out and smiled if she made contact. One guy even murmured, “Nice,” on his way by. Kyle definitely would have loved that.

  The past few weeks had revealed surprises about what her husband liked. Jess had discovered that his pride in having a pretty wife ran deeper than she ever could have guessed. To be fair, she didn’t think Kyle knew how deep that pride ran either. They had both discovered new things about themselves over the last few weeks—if not months—and there was one reason. Winston.

  Even thinking about her handsome neighbor caused a physical reaction these days. Jess was unaccustomed to the feelings Winston elicited, and uncomfortable with those feelings. She loved Kyle, but she had never had such purely sexual feelings for someone in her entire life. When she thought about Winston, she got goosebumps and felt a tingling between her legs that demanded attention. What had started as a harmless crush had become something of an obsession for her. Kyle’s feelings on the subject did not cool her desires.

  The moment Nicole left after their girls’ night, Jess ran upstairs and made a video call to Kyle on her mobile phone. The night’s shenanigans had left her incredibly horny and she could not get that picture of Winston’s penis out of her mind. She needed a distraction. And she wanted answers from her husband. Kyle answered right away. It looked like he was in bed in his hotel room, and he was shirtless. Jess was in bed too, still wearing the dress Nicole had picked out, with the buttons half undone. Suddenly she didn’t know what to say.

  “Did you have fun tonight?” he asked.

  Jess wanted to extend the torture and keep teasing him, but it wasn’t in her. She confessed the truth.

  Kyle didn’t sound surprised and didn’t explain why, except to say, “I knew you wouldn’t send him those pictures.”

  “But what if I did? I’m sure he would have come over.” Jess was piqued.

  “I’m sure he would have.”

  “And then what, Kyle? Do you really want me to do something like that?”

  “What do you want, Jess?”

  “Don’t keep doing that. I hate it when you answer a question with a question. I feel like you want me to do more than flirt.”

  “Do you want that?”

  “Kyle!”

  “I’m not sure what I want. That’s the truth, Jess.” Kyle sighed.

  “What do you know?”

  Jess watched the emotions wash across her husband’s face and wished the image on her phone was better. It kept breaking up and coming back together, but she could tell Kyle was conflicted.

  “You know I’ve always liked showing you off, right? I think there is more to it than that. It’s hot that other men want you, but it’s really sexy when you flirt back. I don’t know, it really does something for me.”

  “But I’ve never wanted anyone but you. You know that, right?”

  “Yeah, I know. This is probably more about me than you, sweetheart. I do know that the effect this thing with Winston has had on you is really pushing my buttons. Knowing you’re so hot for him gets me.”

  “I never said I was hot for him,” she protested. That image of his huge black dick flashed through her mind again.

  “But I know you are. If we’re going to be truthful here, you have to acknowledge the effect he has on you, Jess. The way you’ve been dressing, the way you flirt with him. I’ve never seen you like this, and yeah, it turns me on.”

  “I’m doing it to turn you on.”

  “Jess, that’s not the only reason.” He stared at her through the screen.

  “Okay, it’s not the only reason, but I do love teasing you, because I know how it gets you. I like being so desirable in your eyes.”

  “You always have been.”

  “But like you said, this is different, isn’t it?”

  “Yeah.”

  “And I can’t help feeling you want more, Kyle. It seems like you want me to do more than flirt with Winston.”

  “That’s where it all gets cloudy for me. I just don’t know. I think it could be hot, but I know it’s crazy to even suggest something like that.”

  “It kind of is. I’m your wife.”

  “But if something did happen, I don’t think you’d push him away.”

  “I know I should. I think I would. I know that’s not right, even if it is tempting.”

  “See, you are tempted.”

  Jess smiled. “Don’t use my words against me.”

  “But you do want him.” It was a statement, not an accusation.

  “And you want me to. Thinking I might have sent that picture, thinking he might have come over, I know what it must have done to you.”

  “I’m still hard,” he confessed.

  “You like me showing off for him, don’t you?”

  “Yes.” His answer was husky. “And you really wanted to send him that picture, didn’t you?”

  “I don’t think I could make myself. But thinking about it is hot.”

  “So is thinking about what he would have done.”

  “Yes.” Now Jess’s voice was low and breathy. Her free hand wandered down, pushing up the hem of her little dress.

  “He knows I’m not home. He would have come right over. He probably would have grabbed you the second you opened the door,” Kyle teased.

  “Yes.” She touched herself through her panties. “Winston would have torn my dress right off.”

  “God, Jess,” he moaned.

  “You’re touching yourself, aren’t you?”

  Kyle nodded on the screen.

  “Let me see,” she demanded.

  He shifted the phone down and she saw his fist wrapped around his cock. She had to compare it to Winston’s. It couldn’t be helped. Kyle was not small, and the camera made him look bigger, but Winston’s still looked like a monster next to her husband’s. Would it make that much of a difference? Kyle had always satisfied her.

  “You are too, aren’t you?”

  “Yeah,” she breathed, nodding rapidly. She titled the phone down and showed him without being asked to.

  “Take off your panties.”

  Jess complied, wriggling her butt and tugging them down her legs. It was difficult with only one hand. She touched herself then, showing Kyle how wet she was.

  “I know that’s for him,” Kyle simply said.

  “Kyle…”

  “It’s okay, Jess. It’s goddam hot.”

  That had been less than a week ago, and Jess had not been able to stop thinking about their situation since then. Jess made herself climax twice that night wi
th Kyle. The dirty talk had his cum flying too. She loved watching him jerk off like that and knowing it was because of her. They had done some dirty things on video calls since he’d been away, but nothing that explicit. She never thought she would be able to use her vibrator in front of Kyle like that, but she’d reached for it without a second thought. Her sex toy had seen a lot of use recently. That night had been fun, but it did not answer her questions. She knew her flirtation with Winston turned Kyle on, but she still didn’t know if he wanted her to do anything about it. He couldn’t say yes, so the answer was really no.

  When Jess was honest with herself, her internal conflict was as much about her own desires and moral code as what her husband wanted. What would have changed if Kyle had said yes, I want you to be with Winston? Sleeping with another man would be wrong. Just because she craved Winston so intensely didn’t mean she should do anything about it. She could hear her mother’s voice in her head, calling her a slut for even thinking about her neighbor that way. Even if Kyle told her to sleep with Winston—even though she might want to do it—Jess just couldn’t. And yet, she didn’t know if she could stop flirting with him and teasing him. She loved how it felt. She loved the woman she was when Winston was around. Jess was not ready to give that up. Could she have both? Could she play these little games with Winston, but leave it at that? He would certainly have something to say about that.

  Jess tried avoiding Winston for a few days. It was easier to be a chicken than test her resolve against the temptation. And then he caught her in the morning, and she slid right into flirting, sucking in his attention like it was the oxygen she needed to live. Yes, he noticed how she’d dressed, and maybe she had dressed with him in mind—just in case he saw her.

  A couple blocks from home the skies opened up. She considered unrolling her yoga mat and holding it over her head, but instead picked up her pace. By the time she reached home, she was soaked. She may have looked like a drowned rat, but at least she was cooled off. She expected to be cooled by the air conditioning when she stepped through the door, but it was stifling and dark inside. Jess futilely tried the light switch beside the door, but it just clicked. Lights were on in the neighbors’ homes, so the power had not gone out. She stepped inside the door to get out of the rain and took out her phone.