by Xyla Turner
“O-fucking-kay. I was there. I don’t need you to tell me the story.”
“Maybe you do.” He cocked his head to the side. “The brother I know would have already dragged her ass back down here, tanned it and she woulda liked that shit.”
I burst out laughing at him because the prick was right.
“Got your point. Get the fuck outta my office. Got shit to do.” I kept laughing.
“Do you?”
“Yeah, gonna see about my next move.”
He stood up and said, “Glad I could be of service. Now, stopping being an asshole and stop by the house. Dad’s looking for ya.”
I started dialing numbers, then I looked up and said, “Thanks, Knox. I’ll see ya in a few.”
He put his Stetson on his head and tipped it down in acknowledgment of my words.
“Jeff?” I said over the phone. “Yeah, it’s JD. What’s on her agenda?
“She’s going to a seminar this weekend in Detroit. Her flight leaves tomorrow and is set to arrive back on Sunday afternoon.”
“Perfect. Send me the details.”
“Done.”
* * *
Tess:
“You want me to believe that you had a five-day affair with some hot ass cowboy during a business conference and you have no feelings or anything that lingers about him.” Nina crossed her arms over her chest.
“That’s what I’m saying.” I grabbed my salad from the veggie bar. “And I’m sticking to it.”
“You can lie to me all day, but do not lie to yourself.” Nina picked up the orange at the fruit bar and threw it up to catch it. “That’s how people go off the deep end. Believing the shit, they lie to themselves about.”
“That is not how.”
“Hmm,” she grunted.
We sat down at the lunch table, I was almost positive I had to answer to this asinine inquiry. Apparently, according to Nina, I had been in a mood. My type A personality was now a type B and that stood for bitch. I didn’t think it was so bad but now with that award that we received, LIT was even more in the spotlight. Michael called a press conference and everything to share the news and unveil some of our upcoming projects. So, things were busy.
“Just admit you caught some feelings for him. What’s his company’s name again?”
“I never told you.” I laughed at how my slick friend kept trying to find out.
“I know, but why. It’s not like I’m going to call him or anything.” She held up her orange. “I just want a picture.”
“Fine.” I knew I would regret this. “His company is CAN-IT.”
“What!” She shrieked. “Thee CAN-IT.”
“Keep your voice down.” I swatted at her. “Yes, thee CAN-IT.”
Nina pulled out her humongous Android phone and started typing. Then she turned it around and pointed to that blessed picture of him.
Damn, he was even hotter than he was in Arizona.
I slowly nodded my head and bit my bottom lip. “That’s him.”
“Tess. You know I love you right?” She closed her eyes.
Nina was always dramatic, which was one of the reasons I loved her so much. “We’ve been friends for what eight years now and you haven’t been with no one for any length of time. To top that, no one has affected you like this one,” she pointed to the screen, “has affected you.”
“Nina, you are being a bit dramatic. I have not been affected by him. I’m the same me, just with more responsibilities.”
“Fine. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She shook her head and started to peel her orange. “Lying to me and yourself is not good.” She mumbled.
The next day, Michael called me into his office.
“Hey Tess, how you been lately?” He sat down with his hands stretched out on his desk.
He usually does this when he’s about to have a difficult conversation as a way to calm himself and seem less tense.
“What’s up, Michael. You only get like this when there’s a problem.” I asked straight out.
He exhaled and said, “Tess, people are the office are saying you’re snapping at them and shit. What the fuck? You’re my solid. Always have been.”
He came around the desk and sat next to me since he was definitely loosened up now.
“I’m fine. It’s just after the award we received, I want to make sure we stay the course and with our new ventures…”
“Tess.” Michael interrupted me. “Tess. We’re good. I promise you we are good. You need to go and take a vacation. I don’t know. Go to Jamaica and get your groove back. When’s the last time you had a date? Or even got laid? Shit, I know you have a no work, no fun policy, but dammit woman. Chill out. You are more worried about LIT than I am.”
Well, if Michael Owens was telling me I needed to be laid, what Nina said was right. It was that bad.
“Look, I’m leaving this weekend for the seminar. Maybe, I’ll just take a few more days. I wasn’t aware that it was that bad.”
“That sounds good. Take the week, Tess. Get some R and R and leave the worrying to me,” Michael added and his tone left little room to negotiate.
“Okay, Michael.” I stood up. “I’m sorry. I really wasn’t aware of this.”
“It happens to the best of us.” He smiled. “I know some people wonder why folks take vacations but I get it. Stress is a silent killer and I try to golf or relax as much as I can. LIT is my life, but I don’t want it taking my life. Or yours.”
I nodded my head.
“Thanks again,” I said on my way out.
* * *
Later that night, I curled up with a glass of wine and watched a movie for the first time in a few months. I didn’t do any work and I refused to check my phone. The next day I was leaving for the seminar and I had decided that I wouldn’t go to work but just relax until it was time for me to leave. I also planned a trip to Florida, since Michael was giving me a week. I figured I might as well live it up, get a tan and go to Disney or something. Nina said she’d go with me, so that was perfect.
While I was flipping through channels, I saw the Notebook was playing. When I saw it years ago, I cried but it also made me think of JD and how I really did miss him. It was an impossible situation and not really worth the risk to pursue. Even he agreed because he hadn’t contacted me and while I tried not to be hurt by that. The truth was, it hurt.
My flight to the seminar in Detroit was quick and easy with no hassle, no delays or layovers. It was colder than Antarctica in Michigan, but I should have been used to it since New York was like an icebox even in March.
I was staying a five-star hotel near the two-day seminar on international business practices. LIT was on the verge of breaking into working overseas so this was key for our growth. Dick and Craig were starting to feel the pressure as well because they couldn’t continue to be whatever they were and keep up with everything Michael was bringing under LIT’s umbrella.
Once I checked into the hotel room, I looked at the agenda to see that the meet and greet started later in the evening at seven o’clock. At the time, it was only three, so I decided to take a nap and rejuvenate from the flight. After I woke up, I saw the light on my hotel phone was blinking red, meaning I had a message. When I listened to it, the person must have hung up because no message was left.
When I arrived at the event, I saw a few familiar faces from previous engagements or other work related dealings. Some congratulated me on LIT’s award and others just stared. Who knew why, but I didn’t stop too hard to think about it. I was here to do a job and that is what I intended to do.
Well, that was until I heard my name being called in that sexy ass southern accent.
“Tess, get over here.”
That was nobody but J fucking D.
I turned around to see him with a group of three other men. I’m sure my eyebrows were raised in confusion because he said, “Get over here woman. We were just talking about the leaps and bounds LIT Tech has made with you at Michael’s side.”
/> “Yeah, he’s lucky to have you. JD was just telling us how instrumental you’ve been with moving LIT to the next level.” He reached into his breastplate and said, “Give me a call sometime. I’d love to talk future with you.”
I walked to the group to take the card from the man’s extended hand. “Thank you.”
“Likewise,” the distinguished man nodded his head. He turned to pat JD on the back and said, “JD, I’ll see you next weekend, right?”
“Yes, it’s a plan,” JD replied.
“Good,” they shook hands and patted each other on the arm. “I’ve got some seminars to start. Don’t stay out here too late. We’re going to get going soon.” He looked at me. “Tess.”
“Yes.” I smiled.
He was the facilitator of the two-day seminar on international business. That was Carter Fields, the international guru and he authored a book on international relations that was a New York Times Bestseller. And he was hanging out with JD.
Damn.
The three men left, leaving JD and me alone. I stared at him and didn’t say anything.
“So,” he said as those hazel eyes stared back at me. “I heard that at these conferences, it’s customary to slip your card key to someone you want to know more intimately.”
“I wouldn’t know. I’ve never done that.” I replied.
“Oh, that’s good to know.” He nodded his head. “So,” he took my hand, “if I gave you my card key, you wouldn’t come?”
Dammit. The blood rushed to my head, causing my neck to feel achy and my head feverish. Just like that, his words, presence, what was to come, had turned me all the way on.
“What are you doing here, JD?” I asked, showing the annoyance in my voice.
“Isn’t it obvious?” He turned his head to the side.
I turned away from him, then pulled my hand back.
“Tess,” he called as he entered my space.
To an outsider, it could definitely look like we were a couple and I didn’t want that. In Arizona, I let it get out of hand but I didn’t want to repeat that.
“JD, we aren’t in Arizona. Okay? This is difficult enough alone and I don’t need you here trying to act like we need to pick up where we left off. That’s not fair and I don’t appreciate it.”
The bell chimed for all of the conference attendees to gather inside the hall, so I quickly walked away from him.
And he let me.
As the evening progressed, there was no word from JD. He wasn’t calling my name across the room and I tried my best not to look for him. It was a simple evening that allowed us to get a glimpse of what we would have in store for the next couple of days. I didn’t really eat anything because my stomach was in knots overseeing JD. Why had he come? How did he know I was coming? If he was friends with the facilitator, then he probably found out that way.
This was going to be a long two days, so my plan was to make my dislike for him very clear, the next time he approached, so he would stop. What I didn’t know was that his plan included that same evening.
A knock on my hotel room door, had me giving it the side-eye. I did not order room service. I tiptoed to the door and saw it was a hotel staff member.
“Hello,” I said.
“Room service.” The man smiled.
“I didn’t order room service.”
“No, it was ordered for you. Especially made for you, ma’am.”
He started pushing the cart inside. “Sir, can you tell the person that ordered this, that I am not interested. Please.”
“I’m sorry ma’am. That’s not possible.” He leaned into me and whispered, “I would just take the meal and enjoy it or give it to someone else. I just want to do my job.”
My head nodded, “I understand.” He pushed the food in and turned to leave. “Oh wait, let me give you a tip.”
I ran to get my purse and when I turned around, the guy was gone and JD was standing in the doorway. Dammit, I should have known he was behind all of this. Well, I knew, but I didn’t know he would just show up.
“JD,” I exhaled loudly.
He held up his hands as he stood in the doorway like he was surrendering.
“Sweetheart, tell me to go and I’m gone. But! Only if you can stand there and tell me that what happened in Arizona was just a fuck. It didn’t mean anything, there nothing between us and you don’t think about me at all. You tell me that, tell me to leave and I’m gone.”
Son of a bitch. I couldn’t say any of that and the bastard knew it.
“You tell me there is something we can do about our situation, then.” I snapped at him. “You live in west bumble fuck and I live on the East Coast. What do you propose we do about that? Huh? Nothing, so why send ourselves through this long drawn out process instead of committing to the inevitable. JD?” I shook my head. “Don’t do this.”
He walked inside, leaving the door to shut on its own and I knew from the final click there would be no going back. He had won this round because I did not have the strength to let him leave again.
His hand cupped my face, bringing it in view of his.
“Don’t do this,” I murmured.
“Sweetheart, it’s already been done. I don’t think we have a choice, anymore.”
He descended down and kissed me lightly at first but it was just a tease. Before I could inhale, the man had me against the wall with his slippery tongue in my mouth. I wasn’t any better because my fingers were clawing at his back as I tried to rip his shirt clear from his body. JD’s hard exterior pressed against mine as the growth from his cock awakened on my stomach.
JD frantically grabbed for my thighs, lifting me so my legs wrapped around his taut body. He pressed his middle section deeper into mine, causing my temperature to rise higher. My panties were no longer wet but soaked and I was no longer breathing as my lips were wrapped around JD’s tongue.
He growled and I left trying to rip the shirt and pulled his hair. My fists were full of his long dark brown locs and his hands were full of my ass. Then he pulled back, completely out of breath.
“I haven’t been with anyone since you.” He breathed. “You?”
“Nobody,” I answered while shaking my head.
“Good.”
He moved us towards the bed, dropped us on it and ripped off my blouse. The buttons landed on me, in my hair, the bed, and the floor. I pulled my arms through and tore off my bra before he ripped that. My pants were off next and his shirt was gone. My fingers started grabbing for his belt buckle but it was huge and I didn’t know what to do with it. He was on his knees while I was sitting up.
“You’re such a cowboy.” I laughed.
“Born and proud.”
He unlatched it somehow and moved his hands so I could do what I wanted. I unzipped his pants, then began to yank them along with his boxers down his legs. He assisted and we were free as the day we were born, besides his socks.
JD looked as gorgeous when I first saw him in all his glory. My mouth watered at the thought of my tongue caressing his long, thick cock. Scooting forward on the bed, I picked up his heavy artillery and held it to the entrance of my mouth. As I opened it for him to enter, his eyes clothes, then he murmured, “God, I missed you, woman.”
That was all I needed as my tongue rolled around the head, then his shaft and eventually his large sac. His groans grew deeper when I tried to swallow him whole and just like he always did, he grabbed my hair to hold me in place so he could push in and out of my mouth, touching the back of my throat and sending chills through my body.
His murmurs of missing me, my mouth, my lips, and sweethearts were more than enough to have me ready for him. When he pulled out, he breathed, “I’m coming inside of your pussy, not your mouth on our first night.”
First night?
That meant there would be more.
At that moment, he would get no argument from me since I was more than ecstatic to have him inside of me again. I thought we were going to have the main course now, but JD
made a detour and made a beeline for my aching center. He was good with his mouth and that wicked tongue, so I again did not complain.
His tongue traveled around my pulsing clit, which felt like any little touch would send me over the edge. It was taut and swollen from his massaging it when I was against the wall. JD’s tongue rolled down to my opening and he leaned up and said, “Mama, you’re so wet for me.”
My head fell back because I knew it was coming. His two fingers entered me and I began to rock on them, which he latched on to my clit and flicked it back and forth with his tongue.
Every part of me felt like a volcano about to erupt. Every piece of hair on my body was standing at attention, the sounds his fingers were making inside of my wet channel rang in my ears as the blinding light from my closed eyes began to change colors. The burst of freedom started to travel down my spine, wrap around my chest to my lower stomach and then she erupted, setting the alarm off and my own voice surprising me in a scream. My body were shaking; my legs were closing as I tried to get JD from in between them as the alarm was still going off.
“Holy shit,” I breathed.
My chest was rising up and down trying to catch up with what my body just went through. JD wasn’t lost because my breath was snatched away again when he entered me with no warning. He slid right inside, bringing me to another breath catching fit.
“Oh my fucking God,” he groaned. “You’re still so tight.”
He pushed inside and started rocking his hips to our rhythm. My arms were are wrapped around his neck and his elbows were beside my head as he nipped my lips and kissed my jaw, chin, neck and forehead.
“I’ve missed you,” he pushed inside. “So goddamn much.” He pulled out. “Was going crazy without you. Not knowing when I’d see you.” He pushed in. “I didn’t like that, Tess.”
“Shhh,” I leaned up to kiss him. “Let’s have this.”
“I want more.” He pushed in hard, causing me to gasp. “And so do you.”
“Shhh.” I finally said again after he got quiet.
Then I kissed him. It wasn’t a frenzied kiss but an ‘I miss you too, now shut the fuck up’ kiss. Well, it was more than that but I had no time to admit it as he tenderly kissed my lips with purpose and adoration.