What We Won't do for Love (Love, Lies & Lust Series)

by Mz. Robinson

  “I don’t like what?” I asked, playing dumb.

  “The fact that they’re so close,” Damon said.

  “I’m not bothered by it,” I lied.

  Rolling onto his side, Damon looked at me. Propping his head up with his hand he paused for a moment.

  “What happened between the two of them?” He asked, “Why did they get divorced?”

  I knew that if I gave him an answer it would only lead from one question to another. I was not ready nor did I have any intentions of opening up. Scooting down the bed until we were eye level I pushed Damon down against the pillows. Slipping my tongue in his mouth I kissed him hard.

  He was trying to mumble something so I pulled back and looked him in the eyes.

  “I don’t want to talk,” I said.

  Slipping my hands down to his jeans, I popped open the button then slid down his zipper. Sliding his pants off his hips, I pushed them down his thighs. His boxers were standing up like a tent around a campfire. Smiling, I pulled them down until they were resting against his jeans around his ankles. Gently wrapping both of my hands around his dick I took the head in my mouth. I sucked slow and seductively while Damon held me by the back of my head. I then let go with my hands and took all of him in my mouth.

  “Um,” He moaned, pulling my hair.

  I continued to suck until I saw his toes curl. Climbing off the bed, I pulled Damon’s pants and boxers to the floor. As I removed my clothes he slipped his shirt off and threw it on the floor as well.

  “Do you have a condom?” I asked him. “In the bureau the top drawer.”

  Once I retrieved the condom I climbed back on the bed. Kissing his lips I tore the package open then slide it over his erection. Planting both of my feet flat on the bed I slid down on him. We stared into each other’s eyes as I rocked and rode him like a blue ribbon cowgirl. Afterwards we showered and then climbed back into his bed. We fell asleep and in the middle of the night he woke me for a second round.

  Chapter 13

  I was still trying to recover from the early morning workout Damon had given me, when I pulled up to my mother’s home. Damon’s Benz was parked in the driveway along with my father’s truck and my Aunt Rachel’s blue Taurus. I assumed they had jumped in the car with my Uncle Leroy. I walked into the kitchen to find my mother standing at the island shredding a large head of cabbage and talking to my Aunt Rachel. Aunt Rachel is my mother’s only sibling and although she hates to admit it she is also the oldest. She refuses to grow old gracefully, so instead she keeps her hair dyed fiery red, which wouldn’t be a bad thing, if she weren’t a drop away from being midnight. She also refuses to tell her real age, but Mama told me she’s fifty-eight. She was sitting at the kitchen table slowly peeling a small carrot.

  “Hello,” I said, kissing Mama’s cheek.

  “Hey, Baby,” Mama said.

  “Well, look at you,” Aunt Rachel said, wiping her hands on a towel.

  “Hi, Aunt Rachel,” I said, smiling. “How are you?” Walking over to my Aunt, I placed a kiss on her cheek.

  “I’m just fine,” Aunt Rachel said. “So how is the restaurant?”

  “Business is good,” I said, walking back over to Mama. Taking the shredder from her hand, I took her place with preparing the cabbage. “Sit down Mama,” I said.

  “Thank you Baby,” she said, before sitting down at the table. Within seconds, she was back to work helping my Aunt peel the carrots.

  “Well that’s good,” Aunt Rachel said.” So when are you getting married?”

  I almost knocked the glass bowl of cabbage on the floor. “Where did that come from?” I asked.

  “I told her about Damon,” Mama said, smiling at me. “She wasn’t here when the men left this morning.”

  “Yes, she did,” Aunt Rachel said, smiling.” He sounds wonderful.”

  “Yes,” I told her. “But we are just friends.”

  “Well some of the best-friends make the best husbands,” she told me. “And a woman your age could use a man.”

  What in the hell does she mean my age? “Aunt Rachel, I am only twenty-seven,” I told her.

  “I know,” she said, putting down the carrot. “And it’s about time you start thinking about having some babies.” I hadn’t been in the room for fifteen minutes and she was already getting on my biological clock.

  “I mean your clock is ticking,” She added. Why does she always go there about my biological clock?

  “Darlene started her family early. Now she doesn’t have to worry about it,” she continued, referring to her daughter. Darlene was Aunt Rachel’s’ and Uncle Leroy’s only daughter. At twenty-nine she had never been married but she had six kids. She had six bad ass kids and five possible baby daddies.

  “Yes, but what man is she going to find to take care of all those kids?” Mama asked. “There are not a whole lot of men who will take a woman with that much baggage,” She added. The look on my Aunt Rachel’s face made me want to melt. She loved to tell other people about their business, but she couldn’t stand it when you got into her family’s shit.

  “Darlene has a good man,” Aunt Rachel said, sucking on her teeth. “His name is Ben.”

  “Let’s just keep our fingers crossed that she doesn’t end up pregnant.” Mama said. “Again.”

  Never looking up from the task in her hand, she continued to peel the last carrot. My Aunt Rachel looked like she wanted to retaliate but she knew better. My mother could talk noise with the best of them. “Octavia is educated,” Mama said. “And she is a successful business owner.” My lovely mother was right.

  “There was nothing wrong with her choosing to establish herself before she got her man,” Mama continued. What man was she talking about?

  “Now she has a good man. She has Damon,” Mama said. She lost me right there. I was all for her singing my praises but I didn’t want her to get this thing I have with Damon twisted.

  “Mama, Damon and I are just friends,” I said, jumping into the conversation.

  “Friendships can lead to something else,” she said.

  “Your mother’s right,” Aunt Rachel said. She had obviously calmed down.

  “That’s how it started with me and your Uncle Leroy.” “That’s how it started with me and your father,” Mama said.

  “Are you talking about the first time or right now?” I blurted out.

  Aunt Rachel’s eyes lit up like fireworks. “What was that?” She asked.

  “You haven’t told her yet?” I eyed Mama suspiciously.

  “Tell me what?” Aunt Rachel asked.

  “Daddy went with Damon and Uncle Leroy this morning,” I tattled.

  Aunt Rachel’s mouth popped open. “You told me they went with Bill!” She screamed, staring at her sister. Watching Mama rise from the table I waited for her response. Walking to the fridge she removed the other ingredients for the slaw. Sitting them on the kitchen table she eased back down on her chair. “I didn’t tell you they went with Bill,” She finally responded.

  “You did when you called us last night!” Aunt Rachel insisted, folding her arms in front of her at the table.

  “What I said,” Mama said calmly, “was that my man wanted to go fishing with your man.” Her man? So now Daddy was her man?

  “Your man?” I asked. “I thought you said you were just friends.”

  “Yes,” Mama said, looking up at me. “Just like you and Damon.” I had the slightest feeling she was insinuating something.

  “So you’re sleeping with Charles again?” Aunt Rachel asked. I was not ready for that.

  “Again?” I asked, “What do you mean again?”

  “It’s been a year since their last affair,” Aunt Rachel informed me. My jaw dropped open then. Grabbing the bowl of shredded cabbage I took a seat between them at the table.

  “You cheated on Bill with Daddy?” I asked.

  Exhaling slightly Mama said,” Yes, we shared a night in Vegas.”

  “I thought you went to Vegas with Bill.”
I said to her.

  “I did,” She answered.

  “So how did you end up there with Daddy?”

  “She called him and told him to come see her,” Aunt Rachel said, smiling. I was surprised by the new information, but I was even more surprised that my Aunt knew before me. Mama never told her sister anything before she told me.

  “Let me get this right,” I said, sorting the info. “You called Daddy and told him to meet you in Vegas, even though you were already there with Bill?”

  “Yep,” Aunt Rachel answered. “And Charles hopped on a plane without hesitation.”

  “How did you get away from Bill long enough to hook-up with Dad?” I asked.

  “Your father only stayed for one night,” she answered. “I waited for Bill to fall asleep before I went to him.”

  “So the two of you have been seeing each other since then?” I asked.

  “No, after that we didn’t speak again until you saw him here the other weekend,” she told me.

  “Whose idea was that?” Aunt Rachel asked.

  Ignoring the question my mother started mixing the ingredients.

  “What about Bill?” I asked.

  “Bill is a good man,” Mama said. “But he’s not my man.”

  “You’ve been married for fifteen years!” I yelled.

  “It was a marriage of convenience,” Aunt Rachel said, shaking her head.

  I sat there looking at the two of them like they had lost their damn minds.

  “Did you forget that Daddy dumped you for Cheryl-Ann?” I sounded like I was trying to plea bargain. It was obvious my mother was still hung up on my father. So it was up to me to bring her back to her senses.

  “Ugly Cheryl-Ann?” Aunt Rachel asked. “You haven’t told her the truth about that?”

  Looking from my Aunt Rachel to Mama I asked, “What?”

  “For goodness sakes Charlene, the girl is old enough to handle it,” Aunt Rachel said.

  “That’s between Octavia and her father,” Mama said, cutting her eyes at her.

  “Well he needs to go ahead and clarify it with her then,” Aunt Rachel said, sucking her teeth. “Clarify what?” I asked. “Ask your father,” They said in unison.

  “Maybe I will,” I said agitated. I knew the chances of me asking him about his relationship with Cheryl Ann were slim to none. After all these years I still couldn’t bring myself to address the subject.

  “So does Bill know?” Aunt Rachel asked, changing the subject.

  “I’m going to let him know once he returns home,” Mama said, looking at me.

  “Let him know about Daddy?” I asked.

  “Yes, and to tell him that it is over,” she said.

  “Just like that?” I asked.

  Looking at me with wide eyes, Mama said, “Just like that.”

  I sat in silence thinking about my conversation with the two women and wondering what else they were keeping from me.

  * * * * *

  “Octavia I’m glad you finally got yourself a man,” Uncle Leroy said, sucking on a toothpick. We were sitting around the dining room table after dinner.

  Rubbing the thick patch of hair on his chin, he added, “I was worried about you for awhile.”

  “Damon and I are friends, Uncle Roy,” I said, smiling at Damon. He was sitting beside me sipping on a glass of ice tea.

  “Well I’m glad to see you got you a male friend,” He said, letting out a small laugh. “For a minute I thought you might be one of those lezz-bians.”

  My mother and father looked at each other then started laughing. Damon almost choked on his tea. Covering his mouth with his hand he looked at me with raised eyebrows.

  “Uncle Leroy, why would you think that?” I asked, loudly.

  “Your Aunt Rachel suggested it,” he said, looking over at my Aunt. She was sitting beside her husband with a look of innocence on her face.

  “Aunt Rachel, why would you say that?” I asked her.

  Waving her hand in the air, “I didn’t,” she said rolling her eyes at her husband. “I said I don’t think you like men.” Is that not the same thing?

  “Trust me Uncle Roy, I am not gay,” I said strongly. My uncle had no idea just how much I loved men.

  “Well you never brought a man around, until now,” Uncle Leroy said, pulling the chewed toothpick from his mouth. “I told Damon earlier there must be something real special about him.” I could see Damon smiling out of the corner of my eye.

  “I think there is,” Aunt Rachel cut in. She was right; there was something very special about Damon. My hand was now rubbing it through his pants under the table.

  “There is something extremely special about Octavia,” Damon smiled nervously.

  Squeezing my hand under the table he stared at me with crystal clear eyes. My freak moment deteriorated and I suddenly felt like I was in the middle of a Kodak commercial.

  Chapter 14

  Bill had been gone for a month but my mother didn’t seem to mind. She was too busy re-living her childhood with my father. They spent every moment they could together. He took her roller-skating, on picnics in the park and out of town to the casinos. My mother had become a partying - gambling - adulterating, wild woman. To say I was having a hard time adjusting to her lifestyle change would be a small understatement. Nevertheless, I wanted her to be happy and if being with my father again made her happy; then so be it.

  Damon had become an active part of my life and to be completely honest I didn’t mind. I had all of the benefits of having a man without having to make an actual commitment. When my car needed a tune up, he took it to the dealership. When it needed to be washed he took it to get detailed. We went out, we laughed, we talked and we made crazy love. In my mind we were both content with the way things were. I’m a firm believer that if it ain’t broke don’t try and fix it.

  Shontay on the other hand was trying her best to work things out with Kenny. I truly could not understand why. The man wasn’t that good looking and as I remember from seeing him naked at the hotel, the family jewel could use a few extensions. Shontay was a dark-skinned, plus-size beauty. She was thick in all the right places and had never had a problem getting the attention of a man. She made more money than he did so she didn’t need him financially. In my opinion, she was too good for Kenny but my opinion didn’t matter because she loved him. She loved him so much she was willing to accept that he brought a child into the world with another woman.

  Chapter 15

  I had forgotten all about Beau until one day I was cleaning out my car and I found the crumbled piece of paper containing his number. Damon was in Atlanta for the weekend and Shontay was spending the weekend with her husband and his daughter. My mother and father had driven to Mobile to see my Great Aunt so I was left with nothing better to do than call him.

  He answered on the first ring and sounded like he was underwater.

  “Yeah,” he said, inhaling deeply.

  “May I speak with Beau?”

  “Who dis?”

  “Octavia.”

  “Who?”

  “Octavia, we met after Erica and Tim’s wedding.”

  He inhaled again. Let out a slight cough then asked, “What’s up Ma’ what took you so long?”

  Smiling I told him,” I’ve been a little busy.”

  “Word,” He said, inhaling. “I feel that shit, baby”

  “Anyways, what’s up with you for the night?”

  “It’s whatever baby.”

  “What do you have in mind?”

  “You.”

  “And?”

  “Me.”

  “Doing what?”

  He inhaled again then slowly answered,” Whatever comes naturally, baby.”

  There was silence until he said,” Why don’t you meet me at Fatty’s around eight?”

  Fatty’s was a hip-hop club on the south side of Huntsville where all the thugs and ghetto mamas go to party. I normally wouldn’t step off in the place but I thought what the hell it’s
Saturday night.

  “I’ll be there,” I told him.

  “Tight, I’ll be looking for you.”

  I stepped in Fatty’s wearing my backless, body hugging, gold mini halter dress and my three inch open toe, gold stilettos. I decided to let my hair do its own thing so I let it air dry and ended up with a beautiful wavy bush. You know, the same hair styles females buy weave to have. The men in the club seemed to like it because I was turning far more heads than normal, time I stepped in the place. The club was packed with half naked women shaking their asses and men with their pants sagging watching the women shake their asses. I spotted Beau sitting with four other men at a table toward the back of the club near the deejay’s booth. Making my way across the crowded dance floor, I kept my eyes on him as I approached the table. I was less than halfway there when a tall dark complexioned brother stepped in front of me.

  “How you doing,” He asked. He had the face and build of Shaq with the voice of Mighty Mouse.

  “Fine.” I attempted to step around him.

  Placing his hand on my arm, he stopped my stride. “Where you going, beautiful?” He asked.

  Looking from my arm to his eyes I frowned, hoping he would get the hint and let me go. He didn’t because he continued to stand there smiling with his hand on me. Tightening his grip on my arm he looked from my head down to my toes.

  “What’s your name?” He asked.

  Taking a deep breath I tossed my head back and softly said,” My name is Octavia. Now please step off.”

  He let me go, but he continued to stand in my way. “What’s the rush, baby?” He asked,” Why don’t you let me buy you a drink?”

  “Thanks but I’m here to see someone.”

  “Fuck him.”

  I wanted to scream out Fuck YOU, now get the fuck out of my face but I decided to remain calm.

  “Listen, I’m not interested,” I said.

  “You will be once you get to know me,” He said. “So, how about that drink?”

  “No, thank you,” I said, again attempting to step around him.

  Blocking my path again, He asked “Why not?”

  Rolling my eyes I stepped back and crossed my arms across my chest.