by Imari Jade
“Why would you think that?” Kevin asked.
“You know how infatuated she was with that bum. She’d taken a lot of shit off of him over the years. Maybe this was the final straw.”
Kevin’s eyes widened. She didn’t seem suicidal, but she had seemed a bit out of character.
“I hope she put his sorry ass out of her house,” Alexis said.
“I don’t think so. I think she just drove away and left him there.”
“Well, I wonder where she is. Tina is not a confrontational person. She wouldn’t go back to that house and pick a fight with him.”
“She could not have gone too far. She didn’t have any clothes. It’s early on a Sunday morning and I doubt if any stores are open.”
“What do you mean she didn’t have any clothes? What was she wearing the last time you saw her?”
“One of my t-shirts. She came over in the rain and everything she had on was dripping wet.”
“And?”
“And nothing else, Alexis. It’s not like I keep women’s clothes in my apartment.” He walked to the other bedroom and opened the hamper. “Her wet clothes are gone. She must have put them back on to travel in.”
“Poor baby could be walking around wet and cold,” Alexis said. “Look, I’ll try to find her. Give me a call if you hear from her.”
“I will,” Kevin said. He disconnected the call and walked out of the guest room. Where could she be? Last night, she had slept at the office. Maybe she went back there. He ran back into his room, dressed, and left the house.
****
Tina drove around a couple of hours, not sure of what to do before deciding to do the least thing anyone expected… She went home. She raised the garage door, noting that Erik’s car was missing, and then she drove into her spot. She lowered the garage door and got out of the car. Moments later, she stood alone in her yellow and white kitchen enjoying the quiet before heading upstairs to her bedroom to shower and change. She gazed at the bed as she walked past it and shuddered. The first thing she would do was get rid of it because there was no way she could ever sleep on it again after Erik and that bitch desecrated it.
She continued on into the bathroom and scoured her toilet, sink and tub with a disinfectant cleaner, not knowing if the other woman used it or not. Then after she was sure everything was germ and bitch free, she showered and changed her clothes.
Afterwards, she did a quick tour of her home. Erik’s clothes were still in the closet. His suitcase still sat in the other bedroom where he’d left it.
Tina walked down the stairs to her office and entered. Nothing looked out of place. She reached for a telephone directory and looked up the phone number for a locksmith that was opened on Sunday. After finding one, she placed the call and then headed for the kitchen to prepare a late breakfast for herself. She was feeling kind of hungry after spending a delightful morning making love to Kevin, and she’d sweated off the food he’d prepared for her earlier.
The locksmith arrived around noon and was gone by two. The next thing she did was go upstairs and started packing all of Erik’s things. Everything he owned had to go and she didn’t want him to come there looking for anything. She wanted every reminder of him gone. After five years, she’d had enough. She took his things downstairs and out into the back yard and set everything on fire, thus closing the chapter on that part of her life.
****
Kevin had searched frantically for Tina all day Sunday and even entertained the idea of calling the police. He even rode past her home a couple of times, but didn’t see any sign of life, which worried him. Erik’s car wasn’t in the driveway, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t parked in the garage. No one that he knew had seen her and he was afraid that maybe Alexis might be right about Tina’s state of mind. Kevin got dressed and drove to work, hoping Tina hadn’t gone home and tried to confront Erik. If she didn’t show up in the office today, he was going back to her home with the police and breaking the door down.
Her car wasn’t in the parking lot when he got there. Damn, where is she? She didn’t have any living relatives and her two best friends hadn’t seen her either. He hoped she’d checked herself into a hotel until this thing with Erik ran its course or blew over. All yesterday he’d fretted over the fact that possibly she’d gone back to him…that their time together meant nothing. He kept playing the scenes over in his head…her passionately achieving orgasm in every position he had her and the kisses they’d shared. It nearly drove him crazy.
All his dread was put to rest when Tina walked in a few minutes after he did, carrying a box of pastries for the office. She looked happy and beautifully dressed in a black and white two-piece suit and matching accessories.
“Good morning,” she said to everyone.
“Good morning,” everyone said back to her. She headed toward her office and Kevin followed. He pulled her into his office, closed the door and locked it. He pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly. “I thought something had happened to you,” he said excitedly. “I tried calling, but you wouldn’t answer your phone.” He released her from the bear hug and took her chin into his hand and kissed her. “Are you okay?”
Tina nodded. “I had things I had to do,” she said once he released her.
“When I woke up and didn’t find you there, I started imagining all sorts of things and it just exemplified when I couldn’t find you all day.”
“I left a note,” Tina said in her own defense.
“It said thanks and goodbye like I was never going to see you again.”
“You were worried that I might go off somewhere and off myself?”
Kevin nodded.
“Please, no one is worth that.”
“Where did you go? You weren’t exactly dressed for being out on the town.”
Tina smiled sheepishly. “I went home.”
“Why? What happened?”
“Nothing. Erik wasn’t there. I suspect that he is still with that woman. So I showered, changed clothes, and called a locksmith and had all the locks changed.”
“Good for you,” Kevin said.
“And then I fixed breakfast and then packed up everything Erik owned.”
Good. She wasn’t suicidal. She was just getting things in order like a sane person would do after a relationship ended.
“And then I took all his stuff into the backyard and set a match to it.”
Kevin raised an eyebrow? “What did you do?”
“I burned everything from his birth certificate to his socks, and I would have burned that damn bed if I could have gotten it downstairs.”
“Don’t you think that was a bit drastic?”
Tina rolled his eyes at him and gave him much attitude. “No, I would have set both their asses on fire too had I gone home again and found them together.”
Kevin pulled her into his arms. There was definitely something the matter with her. People just didn’t go from light to dark that quickly. “Isn’t there some kind of rule about burning stuff in a residential district?”
“Checked that out before I did it,” Tina told him once he freed her.
“What do you suppose he’ll do when he comes home and tries to get in, and then discovers you’ve locked him out and burned his things?”
“Personally, I don’t give a good fuck,” Tina said as she side stepped around him and unlocked the door. She tossed her hair cockily and walked out of his office.
****
Shit, he was going to be late for work again, and it didn’t help matters much that Tina was still upset with him. He’d stayed away purposely for a couple of days so she could cool off. Yes, it was dumb of him to bring Shanna to their home, and even dumber to make love to her in their bed, but how did he know that Tina would come home a day earlier than expected?
Erik turned the corner and drove down their street. He hoped she’d left for work by now so he didn’t have to explain anything to her until they got home from work tonight. And there was no way she would bring it
up around the office for fear of someone finding out what had happened. Tina was a real private person and wouldn’t air their dirty laundry in the street.
Erik drove into the driveway and got out of the car. He yawned, regretting that he had to go to work. He’d spent the night at Shanna’s place. She had a tiny apartment in a crappy neighborhood and she didn’t keep the place clean enough for him. Shanna kept badgering him to move her into something better. He chuckled. Did she think he was made of money?
Erik walked up to the front door and put his key into the lock, but it wouldn’t turn. What the hell’s the matter with this lock? He gave up after a few tries and opted for the garage door. He put in the pass code, but it wouldn’t open. What the fuck is going on? The only other way in was through the back door. There was a padlock on the gate. When the hell did she put this on? He had to climb the fence, which was no easy fete, because he’d gained a few pounds recently eating out so often with Shanna because she couldn’t cook. He spotted a big pile of ashes, but he walked past it to the back door. He tried the back door key and frowned. That crazy bitch has changed the locks. He walked back over to the pile of ashes in the yard and looked down. “Damn, is that my shit?” He moved his foot around. He spotted his plans for his clothing store, his birth certificate, and the suit he’d just brought. Fuck, Tina has lost her mind.
****
“Erik just called and he sounds angry,” Alexis said as she stepped inside Tina’s office while she and Kevin went over some sketches.
“That’s his problem,” Tina said.
“What did he want?” Kevin asked.
“He said something about Tina locking him out of his house and burning his stuff.”
Tina smirked. “Did he say anything else?”
“Yes, that he would be late for work because he had to go shopping for new clothes.”
“I hope he has money,” Tina said. “Because I turned off all his cards.”
Kevin stifled a chuckle.
“Would you like to go out to lunch?” Tina asked Kevin.
“Ooh, that’s my cue to leave,” Alexis said, hurrying out of the room.
“Sure,” Kevin said. “What are we celebrating?”
“Hunger,” Tina answered. She pushed the folder of paperwork aside and stretched. “I just feel like getting out of the office.”
“You’re not afraid to be here when Erik arrives, are you?”
“No, I own the place, remember?”
“Any particular place you want to go?”
“Thai food might be nice.”
“You’re in an unbelievably good mood,” he said to her.
“I’m feeling good.” She stretched again. “And I’m as loose as a goose.”
Kevin smirked. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed the restaurant. “Yes, this is Kevin Chen. I’d like to make a reservation for two for lunch. Twelve-thirty. Thank you.” He disconnected the call. “Taken care of. What’s next?”
Tina looked at her watch. It was 11:30. “A nooner.”
Kevin pushed his glasses down to the rim of his nose and raised a curious eyebrow. “Are you serious?”
Tina nodded.
“With me?”
Tina nodded again. “I’m feeling a bit experimental.”
Kevin rose quickly. “Let me just grab my jacket.” He grabbed his folder and headed toward the door. “I’ll meet you out front in ten minutes.”
Tina chuckled as he hurried to the door. She grabbed her purse and walked out of her office. Alexis blocked her as she walked through the administration office. “Are you going out?”
Tina nodded. “I have a lunch date with my partner.”
“Oh, I was wondering why he dashed past me heading toward the parking lot. Will you be returning?”
“Yes, I’ll be back around two.”
“Ah, a nooner.”
Tina didn’t answer. She just laughed her way past Alexis and left the office.
****
“Oh my word,” Kevin said as Tina went down on him. He’d never expected anything so splendid in his life from his shy and conservative partner. But he wasn’t complaining. In fact, he felt a bit euphoric.
Tina’s hands moved down to his balls, squeezing them gently while she suckled his knob like a lollipop. His stomach clenched as her teeth raked against the sensitive skin.
“You taste delicious,” Tina said as she momentarily came up for air. She returned to her mission, sucking a little harder while simultaneously giving him a hand job.
Kevin inhaled deeply, trying to fend off the rising climax. No, no, no, not yet. He sat up and gently nudged Tina away. “I nearly came, you little vixen,” he told her. “Your hot little mouth is dangerous.”
Tina bowed her head and ran her tongue over her lips. “Thank you, Sensei.”
Kevin gulped. The tongue over the lip thing did not help, especially if the lips were Tina’s. Hers were full and ripe like a plum, and right now they were swollen and dewy wet with his moisture. “Come here,” he told her.
Tina crawled up toward him and wrapped her arms around his neck.
Kevin lowered his head to kiss her and felt fingers working his hair out of the pony tail. It floated down to his naked shoulders.
“I like it like this when we mate,” she told him. Tina kissed him deeply, burying her tongue into his mouth. She dug her fingers into his hair and tugged him closer. His hair spilled onto their faces and she kissed him breathlessly. “I have to have you inside of me,” she whispered against his lips.
Lordy, what is happening to her? The kitten had turned into a tigress. The next thing he knew, Tina shoved him back, mounted him, and guided his erection into her moist pussy. She sank down on him, moaning.
Kevin wrapped his arms around her waist to help her in the descent. Their bodies moved together in perfect sync.
Tina rolled against him, taking him in deeper. She continued to kiss him passionately. It was like she couldn’t get enough of him. Which was perfectly okay with him and he was only too willing to oblige. Tina came, shaking upon his lap, moaning incoherently and making him feel like he was the best stud in the world.
“Ooh, my turn,” he said as he waited for her to calm. He used his calf muscles to quickly lift her from his lap and place her on her back, and then he slipped back inside of her. Kevin groaned as he came, shooting his load inside of her. He fell against her, exhausted. Ballentina Ferrari was phenomenal.
****
“That must have been some lunch,” Alexis said as Tina and Kevin entered the building around two p.m.
Tina glanced over at Kevin. His pale cheeks now had a rosy glow and his hair still hung free.
“Quite filling,” Kevin said, bowing to both of them and then departing quickly to escape Alexis’ inquisition.
“I like the hair,” she called out behind him. “What did you have to eat?”
“Thai,” Tina said, chuckling. “With a Taiwanese appetizer.”
“Oh, girl, you’re so bad,” Alexis said. “And I haven’t seen you this happy in a long time.”
“I haven’t felt this way in a long time,” Tina confessed. “He makes me feel so special.”
Alexis pulled her on the side and out of ear range of the rest of the secretarial staff. “How was he?”
“On a scale of one to ten, I would say a twenty.”
“Ooh, I’m so happy for you, but what about Erik?”
“What about Erik?”
“Are you going to break it off with him?”
Tina smiled and nodded. “I’ve already started the process. He’s locked out of my house and now my heart.” She walked past Alexis and headed for her office. Erik stopped her before she could do so. “Can I talk to you for a moment?”
She walked into his office.
“How was your lunch?”
“Good,” she told him, trying to figure out why he needed to entertain her with conversation after what he’d done.
“’I’m going to be late tonight. I have a fe
w errands to run.”
“Okay,” she said. “So why are you telling me?”
“Because you need to stay up to let me in. You changed the locks and I don’t have a key.”
“And that doesn’t tell you something?” she asked. “You are no longer welcome at my home.”
She started for the door and he grabbed her arm. “What do you mean?”
“It’s over,” she told him. “You think you can fuck some bitch in my bed and I’m supposed to welcome you back with open arms?”
“Baby, let me explain.”
“Get your hand off of me.”
Erik released her. “I’m sorry.”
“Sure you are. But I’m not falling for it this time.”
“What am I supposed to do now?”
“That’s entirely up to you.” She walked out of his office, leaving him there speechless.
****
“What’s wrong with you?” Shanna asked Erik as he entered her apartment.
“Nothing,” he said, moving an armload of clothes so he could sit down. “I’m just tired.” And disgusted.
“I’ll be ready in a moment,” she told him. “Where are you taking me?”
Every night was the same thing. If he kept this up, he’d be broke in no time. “When are you going to learn how to cook?”
“Never,” Shanna answered. “Why should I learn to cook? I like going out to eat every night. It gets me out of this place.”
“A job would take care of that,” Erik said, loosening his tie.
“Why should I work when I have you?”
“Because I’m not made of money.”
“No, but your woman is.” She chuckled and dashed off toward the bedroom.
He didn’t like the way that sounded. Erik sighed. And to think he’d messed up a good thing with Tina for this one. He didn’t know how he was going to tell her that Tina had cut him off emotionally and financially. Well, maybe he wouldn’t have to tell her if he could find a way to win Tina back.