by Mz. Robinson
“And what are your gentleman customer’s going to use in the meantime?” the inspector asked.
“The employee restroom,” I answered.
“The one in the back of the kitchen?” He asked, staring at me over his wire rim glasses.
“Yes.”
“That would be cause for another violation,” He said. “You can’t have your customers running in and out of your kitchen...it’s unsanitary.”
“And what about liability?” He asked. “What if one of them was to trip and fall?”
“Do you really want a possible civil suit on your hands?” Did I ask him to give me legal advice?
“Okay, I can close just for today but you can’t give me a failing score,” I pleaded.
“Do you know what that’ll do to my image?”
“I’m sorry,” he said. “You’ll have a month to make the improvements and I’ll be back.”
“A month?” Damon asked.
“Yes, a month,” he repeated himself.
“Maybe there’s something we can work out.” Damon said. The man looked from my head down to my low cut blouse that framed the slope of my breast.
“Like what?” He asked, smiling. If I wasn’t on crutches I would have crossed my arms blocking his peep show. Damn freak! I don’t know what he was thinking but sex was not an option.
“Maybe you and I can work something out,” Damon said.
“Baby, why don’t you give me and Mr..”
“Horatio,” the inspector answered.
“Give me and Mr. Horatio a moment alone.” Damon continued. I watched as the two men walked through the parking lot with their heads together engulfed in conversation. A few minutes later I watched as Horatio went over a new check list, and then handed it to Damon. Damon took the sheet then passed the man what appeared to be three crisp, one-hundred dollar bills.
“He said for you to keep your old rating posted until a different inspector comes.” Damon said, handing me the new score sheet. I smiled at the bright red 94 on the page. My current posted score was a 100 so leaving that up was fine by me.
“Money talks,” I said.
“Sometimes,” Damon said. “It just depends on who’s listening.”
Chapter 23
After all the little incidents at the Ambiance, I finally decide to take Damon up on his offer and agreed to stay with him in the corporate suite until I had the cast taken off. He offered to get me my own suite but I didn’t see any point in the two of us staying at the same hotel in different rooms besides, we would have ended up in the same bed either way. Damon catered to my every need and I do mean every. He gave me sponge baths being extra careful not to get my cast wet. He helped me get dressed and chauffeured me all over town like my name was Miss Daisy. I’ll admit I was getting too spoiled for comfort. Damon was taking such good care of me that I hadn’t thought of any other men. That was about to change.
“Hello.” I answered my cell without checking the caller ID.
“What’s up Ma?” Beau’s voice was still smooth and sexy.
“How are you?”
“My dicks hard…so what does that tell you?”
“You miss me.”
“You know it.” I laughed lightly.
“Why haven’t you called me?” He asked.
“I’ve had a lot going on.”
“You ain’t gotta lie to me, Ma,” he said. “I know you weren’t feeling me after our last conversation.” I didn’t deny it.
“It’s not that I don’t feel bad about what happened to ole girl,” He said.
“I do have a heart.”
“It’s just that she got on a nigga’s bad side....and that was the wrong thing to do.”
“I’m a grudge able muthafucka.” He said. His voice was soft but I was fully aware of the honesty in his words.
“I understand that.” I said. “But there’s a time and a place for everything.”
“No doubt.” He said. There was a pregnant pause between the two of us.
“So what do I have to do, to see you?” He finally asked.
I can’t…”
“Don’t make me beg Ma.”
“It’s not that,” I said. “But I don’t have a car right now.”
“What’s wrong with your ride?” He asked.
“I had an accident…it’s totaled.”
“Damn…you alright?” There was a hint of concern in his voice.
“Yeah but I broke my ankle.”
“I can come to you.” He said.
“Actually, I’m staying with a friend,” I said, quickly.
“Well tell me how we can make something happen.” He pleaded. “I need to feel you Ma.” As much as I wanted to resist, I couldn’t. My pussy had a mind of her own.
“Name the time and the place,” I said.
“My place at eight.”
“Okay.”
I was clueless to how I was going to work it out but I had the will, so I knew there was a way.
Damon picked me up from work a little after five. I had my plan and my lie together before my butt settled in the passenger’s side of his Mercedes.
“I’m going to go spend some time with ‘Tay tonight.”
“You two going out?”
“Yeah, one of the girls from the Hairtip is having a saucy ladies party.” The lie rolled off my tongue like water.
“What’s that?” He asked
“An adult toy party.” Damon’s face lit up like a tree on Christmas.
“Are you going to buy any toys?” He asked, grinning. “I may.” I laughed.
“So you want me to drive you?” Why did he have to be so considerate?
“Shontay is going to drive.” I said, quickly. I had already worked out the details with Shontay. She would pick me up from the hotel then drop me off at Beau’s. There was no way I was going to let Damon drop me off at ‘Tay’s house. You never know when a brother might do a ride by. I’m not saying Damon is the type to follow a sista or check her whereabouts but you never know.
“Alright,” he said.
“I can’t believe you’re using me as an alibi.” Shontay complained. She arrived at the hotel at exactly seven-forty-five to pick me up.
“Why are you even doing this?” She asked.
“According to you Damon is all that a woman would want in a man.”
“He is.” I was wondering where she was going with the conversation.
“Okay, so why are you fucking with this guy, Beau?”
“Because he’s good at what he does,” I said.
“Why is everything about sex with you?” She asked. She sounded genuinely annoyed.
“When are you going to realize there’s more to life?”
“Do you really want to spend the rest of your life alone?” She continued, before I could answer.
“I’m just not ready to be committed to one man.” I said, looking over at her. “If and when I am…I will.”
“It’s not like you’re getting any younger,” she preached.
“You sound just like Mama and Aunt Rachel,” I said, rolling my eyes.
“So what ‘Tavia,” she said. “They’re right.”
“I don’t want to hear it Tay.”
“Fine,” she said. “But just think about this...”
“Maybe everything that’s been happening to you is for a reason.”
“Like what?” I asked.
“Maybe, God is trying to tell you something.”
“God doesn’t have to try and tell me anything.” I said. “He just says it.”
“Maybe he is and you’re just too stubborn to listen.”
“I could say the same about you.” I said, sucking my teeth.
“What is that suppose to mean?”
“He’s been showing you that Kenny is a dog, for how many years now?”
“But yet you’re still clinging to his trifflin’ ass.” I said, folding my arms across my breast.
“Why is that?” I waited for her answer.<
br />
“I’m not clinging.” She said. “I’m standing by him.”
“No, you’re getting walked over.” I said, sarcastically.
“Call it what you want.” She said. “At least I’m woman enough to try to work it out with my man.”
“Oh, I’m woman enough,” I said. “I’m just not that stupid!”
Even though I was pissed by Shontay’s judging me, I immediately felt bad for what I said. I had never asked Shontay to lie for me, or do anything else for me. So I knew her frustration was channeling from someplace else, probably from something that had happened with her and Kenny.
We rode in silence until she pulled up in front of Beau’s house.
“Call me when you’re ready.” She said, not looking at me.
“I can call a cab.” I said, opening the passenger’s side door.
“I brought you and I’ll pick you up.”
“Thanks.” I maneuvered my way out of the car, then balanced myself on the crutches.
“Octavia.”
“Yeah?”
“It’s just that you have so much going for yourself,” She said, leaning over looking at me. “I just think it’s sad that you don’t want to share that with someone.”
“You really think I got it going on?” I teased, cocking my head to one side.
“Yeah, trick,” she laughed.
“Thanks, girl.” I smiled. “But so do you…I just wish you knew.” I shut the door to the car, then blew her a kiss.
“I’ll call you when I’m ready.”
Beau and I didn’t waste any time with conversation. The moment I walked through his front door, we were all over each other, kissing and exploring one another’s bodies. He removed my fitted t-shirt and denim shorts at his door then carried me off to his Master suite.
Inside his bedroom he had burning candles, sitting on small mirrors all around the room and R Kelly’s “Imagine That”, playing in the stereo. He re-acquainted himself with every inch of my body, by rubbing my skin with KY warming massage oil. Afterwards, he took each of my fingers in his mouth and licked, then sucked them teasingly. By the time he rolled the lubricated condom over his dick and entered me, I was halfway to ecstasy. My pussy was warm, wet, and purring. Beau sucked on my chocolate nipples, while he moved slowly inside me. In the beginning his rhythm was slightly off. At first, it was difficult for him to position himself on top of me; my cast kept getting in the way, but then he lifted my legs so my ankles were resting on his shoulders and from then on, the two of us were straight fiickin’. He pushed his dick in and out of my pussy, each time stopping just before he hit my g-spot. Finally, he drove his head into my hot spot, setting of a chain reaction. One heat wave of pleasure followed by another shook my body. I came long and hard. I kissed his lips then sucked on his tongue, savoring its warmth and wetness.
“I love this phat pussy Ma.” He moaned, in my ear.
“This is my pussy... my pussy.”
“My pussy…” he chanted over and over again.
“Awww…fuck!” He yelled. “I’m cummmminng…” I felt him. I held him inside my walls until his orgasm was complete.
Beau climbed off me then sat on the edge of the bed, trying to catch his breath. He took a deep breath in through his nose then out through his mouth.
“Damn you’re good,” he said, looking over at me. I gave him a small smile, before easing off the bed.
“Do you mind if I use your bathroom?”
“Naw, not at all.”
“The towels are on the shelf by the sink,” he said. “There’s soap in the top drawer.”
“Thanks.” I grabbed my purse then slipped inside the bathroom. I turned on the water in the sink then called Shontay to tell her I was ready for her to pick me up. After taking a quick wash up, I walked back into the bedroom to get dressed. Beau was sitting on the sofa with a lit blunt in between his fingers. He took a long pull, inhaling slowly, held his breath then allowed the smoke to bellow out through his mouth. I moved across the room then sat down on the love seat facing him.
“You want me to fix you a drink?”
“No thanks,” I said. “I’m fine.”
“How many other niggas are you fucking?” His question caught me completely off guard.
“Why?”
“I just wanna know.” He said, looking at me strangely.
“Does it matter?”
He took another pull before putting the half smoked blunt out in the ashtray sitting on the coffee table.
“When I’m gettin’ something...I want to be the only one gettin’ it.” He said, seriously.
“The shit you do to me, I don’t want you doin’ it to nobody else.”
“We both agreed to keep this strictly sexual.” I said, looking him in the eyes.
“I don’t care how many women you have,” I said. “As long as I’m protected.”
“I’m not like the rest of those punks you’ve been dealing with,” He said, leaning forward on the sofa. “I’m a grown ass man.”
“And I don’t share.” He said. Before I could respond my cell phone rang.
“Hello”
“I’m outside.” I had never been so relieved in my life to hear Shon-tay’s voice.
“I’m on my way out.” I closed my phone then dropped it down in my purse. I put my purse on my shoulder then grabbed my crutches.
“My ride is here.” I said, standing.
I walked to the front door with Beau trailing behind me. I opened the door then turned around to look at Beau.
“I had a good time tonight.” I said, honestly. “But this was our last.” I looked him in the eyes to gauge his reaction. He laughed.
“Whateva, Ma.” I didn’t respond. I moved as fast as those damn crutches would allow, down the driveway to Shontay’s car. Shontay got out, helped me in, then hopped back in on the driver’s side.
“I take it you had a good time,” she said, pulling away from the curb.
“I did,” I said.
“I guess if you’re going to creep…it should be worth it.” I didn’t respond to her statement, instead I looked out the window thinking to myself. I had no intention of ever creepin’ with Beau again. Our situation had run its course. I guess it’s true what they say: all good things truly must come to an end.
“I thought you were going to buy some toys.” Damon asked, after I made it back to the hotel.
“I didn’t see anything I liked.” I lied. Lately, I was telling more lies than I had in my entire life. It was an ongoing cycle. One lie led to another one then to another then to one more.
“Oh.” He looked somewhat disappointed. I laughed.
“You are a freak.”
“You like it.,” he said, pulling me down on the sofa on top of him.
“I do…I really do.”
He gave me a quick peck on the lips then rubbed his nose against my neck, smelling my hair.
“Have you been smoking?” He asked, pulling away then looking at me.
“No, why?”
“Your hair smells like smoke,” he said, sniffing me again. “Like weed.”
“You know how girl’s night out can get,” I said, sweetly. “A couple of the girl’s were smoking in the bathroom.
“I had to pee…I ended up walking right in after they had left.”
“Oh, okay.” He looked a little suspicious but I didn’t give a damn.
“Why don’t the two of us take a nice hot bath?” He suggested.
“I’ll even wash your hair.” What I really wanted was to go to bed. Shit, I was tired! Then I thought about all the lies I had told him. Damn!
“I’ll wait here while you get the water ready.”
Chapter 24
Damon and I decided to drive to Memphis for the weekend. We agreed that we needed a change of scenery. The two of us were worn out mentally. I, from everything that had happened in the past few weeks and he, from the deals he had going on with Nomad and Gold Mortgage.
The two of us wer
e standing on the deck of the Creole Queen enjoying a midnight cruise. Wrapping his arm around my shoulder, Damon kissed my cheek softly. I settled into his arm and continued to stare at the half moon in the sky above us. The stars surrounding the moon sparkled like tiny diamonds.
“I have something to tell you,” he whispered.
Wrapping both arms around his waist I turned to face him. Looking me in the eyes he bit his bottom lip nervously.
“I don’t know how to tell you this,” he said.
In the months Damon and I had been kicking it I had dismissed the notion that he had something to hide. I had slowly accepted that maybe just maybe he was one in a million. Well, I have a feeling reality is about to bite me in the damn ass. I bet you he has a wife and crumb snatchers tucked away back home in Atlanta and I’m willing to bet, Wifey told him to get his shit together. I took a deep breath and said nothing.
“I didn’t intend for this to happen,” he said.
“What is it, Damon,” I asked. I was starting to get a little pissed. The man brought me all the way to Memphis to confess. He could have done this back in Alabama.
Swallowing he ran his fingertips down my cheek. “Octavia, I’m in love with you,” he said.
“What?” I asked. I wanted to make sure I heard him correctly.
“I am in love with you,” he repeated himself.
I stood there looking into the eyes of one of the finest men I had ever touched and I smiled. I don’t know if I smiled because I was relieved he didn’t have a wife and kids or if it was because he had just professed his feelings for me. Either way I could feel myself smiling. When he saw my expression he began to smile too.
“I can’t get you out of my mind,” he said. “I want to make you happy.”
Kissing my forehead lightly he continued,” I love you and if you give me the chance I’ll do everything I can to prove it to you.”
He took my face in his hands and he kissed me slowly and gently. I felt my heart flutter. Pulling back he kept his hands on my face. “Will you give me the chance?” He asked.
I thought about my track record with men. Even if I had been ready for a relationship most of the men I’ve known still had some type of issue. Baby Mama Drama! Bad credit! Lazy! Little dicks! No ambitions! There was always something. Damon didn’t fit into any of those categories, but yet if he was asking for the chance to prove his love for me, I knew that he would be expecting a commitment in return. I wasn’t ready for that.