by Love Belvin
The dinner was uneventful. We sat through Goldberg and Wizer, fluffing up the guests. Once the mundane orations were done, more socializing commenced. Erika had begun to rub elbows with corporate clients independent of me, which I was fine with. I didn’t relish babysitting her all evening. Besides, she was perceptibly comfortable with Michael aiding her ego while glued to her heels. Content with leaving them to their codependency, I took the opportunity to explore on my own.
I didn’t go too far before I met up with Jim Winthorp of Horselake Water. I was completely surprised by his recognition of me, much less knowing I existed at all. He explained how Goldberg informed him of my performance on his many campaigns over the past year earlier when he was introduced to Dale. That was my hook. I went into the countless reasons why Dale, with his athletic build would be a key ambassador of their energy drink. As I nattered with Jim, I could see Ashley standing with Erika and Michael with an executive of Spanx. I smiled internally.
That’s my girl…
Although Erika was pretty small, she was still curvy and wore shaping undergarments. I hope she was working from that angle. That smidgen of excitement was shattered at the sight of Ashley slipping a small piece of paper into Michael’s suit jacket, unbeknownst to him. She even tapped his rear for added measure. That did get his attention and she supplied a seductive wink before sipping her drink. An oblivious Michael, down for anything sex-related, winked back with the same level of seduction before shifting his attention back to Erika.
That little bitch!
Totally disconnected from my conversation with Jim, my eyes skimmed the room subconsciously. Then they landed on him. Jackson was gazing at me as he was supposedly speaking with a small circle. But the penetrative gleam in his eyes made me feel as though he’d been observing me long before I found him. My eyes returned to Ashley, Michael and Erika, then back to Jackson and I immediately grasped he’d had the same view of them and could have very well witnessed that number slip. Suddenly, I wanted to know.
“…but you know how kids are. They’re invariably compelled to those things in direct opposition to your guidance, right?” I’d caught the last bit of Jim’s comment.
“Oh, absolutely!” I offered. “The best thing to do is remain consistent and hope for the best. At least that’s what my parents told me.” I smiled, feigning engagement. “Listen, Jim, I need the ladies’ room, but please tell me you’re available next week to discuss the prospect of Dale’s brand for your new line.”
With hardly any hesitation, he offered his hand. “Why not. No promises, but I’m certainly interested in what you have to say.”
After shaking his hand, I excused myself, needing to find Jackson. Michael may have been coquettish tonight, but owed me nothing but discretion with it. Ashley’s little ass owed Jackson a bit more. As I began my trek to where I’d seen him, I greeted familiar faces on the way. When I neared the area, I peered around and realized Jackson was gone. Scouring the room again, I finally found him at the opposite end, speaking with Dale and Patience. His regard was stapled to me in that permeating manner I should have been accustomed to by now, but never failed to send trickles of excitement down my spine.
Pathetic.
I threaded through the sea of attendees, on my way over to him. When I arrived, I found Patience standing alone. But I just saw him seconds ago. Her eyes lit when they recognized me.
“There you are. You’ve been locked at the hip with Kim so much, I thought you forgot Dale was a provisional client as well.” She was sure to emphasize provisional.
Instead of coiling at that subtle jab, I straightened.
“Funny. I just left Jim Winthrop, closing an agreement to meet about Dale endorsing the new energy drink they’re rolling out this summer. How provisional is my time with Dale?” My expression feigned bemusement.
Patience offered a slight bow. “Touché. So long as we’re on the same page.”
“Trust me, Patience, we are.” I perused the area. “I was coming to speak to Jackson. Did he say where he was headed?” Simultaneously, I found those searing eyes. He stood at the back of the room, near a corridor I’d seen the wait staff appear from. “Uup! I see him. I’ll be right back,” I informed as I paced off.
“Elle,” Patience called, halting my steps. I glanced at her from over my shoulder. “Interesting to meet your boyfriend tonight.” Her eyes smiled.
“Oh?” That comment was lost on me.
“Yeah,” she nodded. “All this time I thought we had something in common.”
“What’s that?” my faced screwed.
“Undeniable chemistry with a younger man.”
I was stymied and had to rear back or else fall over my jolted feet.
What the hell?
Recovering quickly, I returned, “Sorry, Patience. In high school, Aaliyah’s “Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number” was a one-sided deal for me. I prefer my steaks seasoned well and slightly over-cooked. That way I can savor it and have it sit well on my stomach.”
Fighting a grin, Patience nodded, dismissing me.
The nerve!
I took off, trying to not appear in a hurry or ruffled in search of my elusive leader. Of course, when I made it to the back of the room, he was nowhere in sight. I decided to try my chances down the corridor, though I had a sliver of suspicion that I was being lured away from the party.
Get over yourself, Elle!
As I rounded the corner to the right of me, my eyes were trained to the left, in search of long legs clad in a tailored suit. My heart leaped from my chest when I was grabbed from behind, spun around and pushed into the wall. I couldn’t scream because my mouth was palmed by a large hand that smelled like…him. With wild eyes, I peered down on an amused Jackson, eyes flickering with mischief.
This was a setup!
As soon as the revelation registered, I felt his masterful mouth caressing the speeding pulse of my neck. His lips roved firmly over my trembling skin and my eyes fluttered closed. With his free hand, Jackson secured himself between my thighs, my entire frame at least a foot over him. I could feel the thickness of his erection and tightened my thighs around him reflectively.
“Now, that you’ve found my destination, I’m going to uncover your mouth and you’re going to tell me why you’ve been giving me shitty disposition all night.” His tone was throaty, husky. “Okay?”
Somewhere between severely aroused and still coming down from being startled, breathing hard and audibly, I nodded my head with gusto, agreeing to whatever he asked.
Slowly, Jackson lowered his hand from my face. His brows hiked expectantly and his hands busied themselves by pushing up my gown until they were fully splayed on my cheeks below.
Oh, god…
My body enflamed at his touch, the heat extending my entire frame. That mere act hiked my arousal to a new level.
“You brought Ashley as your date,” I whispered my shaky vocals, still heaving uncontrollably.
Jackson nodded his head, gesturing for me to continue as though what I shared was insufficient alone.
“You just told me on your veranda that Stephanie wants to be with you and you’re flaunting this other girl around with no cares of Stephanie’s feelings.”
I watched as Jackson’s head angled and brows knitted, processing my grievance. And then, just as quickly, he straightened. Beneath, I could feel him taking a hold of my thong, but wasn’t expecting it when he ripped it apart. My chest lodged in my throat and eyes widened to haunted widths. Jackson’s mouth was on my neck, teasingly scraping the ball of my throat before I could think to react.
“Okay. Now explain the gay dude.”
I felt him wrestling between my sex and his pelvis, but so much happening in the span of about ninety seconds, and I couldn’t register them all quick enough. Would we be caught in this compromised, highly charged position? Is he going to address my issue? And what boyfriend?
Oh! Michae—
“I’m waiting, Elle,” Jackson bit out with g
rave impatience.
I felt my lips quiver.
“Gay? What makes you think he’s gay?”
“Because I saw him do a suspect number exchange with Billy, who’s John’s son, who’s also outwardly gay…flaming gay. And there’s no way a straight man who comes into an establishment like this with a woman like you would entertain Billy past a few seconds of pleasantries. Those two exchanged information…googly eyes. He’s gay.”
So fucking pissed with Michael for not being able to keep this story straight for just one damn night!
“He’s not gay!” I hissed. “He’s bisexual!”
“So, you’re into that shit now?”
“No! We all know he’s not my boyfriend,” I gritted, angered by his audacity.
“Good. I’m glad you know.” He sighed, pushing his cool breath into my face and down my warm and misted cleavage. My entire body was dewy, sensory on overload. “Now that we’ve gotten those minor details out of the way,”—I felt him breach me below, knocking the air from my already shaky lungs.—“we can do something we both can agree we want.”
And then he reared swiftly, causing my thighs to tremble. My mouth hung agape and vision blurred. Jackson lunged back in, this time slower than his initial thrust and I couldn’t decide which speed suited me best. I felt dizzied and pleasured all in the same moment. He moved with evenly measured thrusts, and before I could close my eyes—unable to see straight anyways—I caught his jaw tighten to the point of snapping and eyes gloss over as he attempted masking his pleasure. Jackson moved sinuously in and out of me, making me forget to breathe. And I tightened my legs around him more, guiding him to that sweet spot in my canal that was sure to take me to impossible heights.
“You’re not taking flight without me seeing it in your eyes,” he croaked then scraped my chin on a bite.
Those damn teeth. They were going to be the death of me and was the only play I would get from his mouth. Having Jackson’s mouth on me, tortured the pathetic ache that desired to have his lips against mine, over mine, in mine.
His eyes were heavy, but his body was still fluid as he took long strokes in and out of me. I pulled him into my arms, feeling I needed more elements of him, feeling greedy for his essence. I couldn’t have his mouth, so I needed more of him in lieu. Pulling his hard body into me changed the angle of his dives into me, abbreviating this experience we were attempting to savor.
“Goddamn!” Jackson groaned in my ear, undoubtedly losing himself in pleasure.
Gathering him in my arms was a bad move. A familiar stirring brewed in my groin in no time. Jackson must have felt it, too, because his jaw slackened and he began to plummet into me with wild abandon, pushing his total weight onto me against the wall. I felt the pressure on my back, but welcomed the ache if it meant more of what he provided each time he took me with force…and stealth. I welcomed both. I wanted to scream, to allow the growing pleasure to release from my mouth, but that would go against the current circumstance. So, I pursed my lips together as tight as I could, not being concerned with the smudging of my lipstick; Jackson had already compromised that when he accosted me.
Then it felt as though my stomach dropped. I tightened around his tapered waist, clasping on to him for dear life before the tidal wave hit. I felt him. All of him. I felt every ridge of his appendage and the thick rim of its bulbous head as it rubbed fiercely against that sweet tender spot deep in the recesses of my womb.
“Look at me,” he gruffed in my face, fighting through his own bliss.
My eyes snapped open and the world disappeared in Jackson’s straining eyes and all that existed was his amber orbs, his hips thrusts causing my limbs to quiver and my walls to weep all around him.
I exploded. Bombs, bells, horns…they all launched and sounded in my head, in my core and inundated throughout my entire frame. I bucked onto him, against the rigidness of the wall behind me, trapped in pure bliss. My breathing turned audible as Jackson cupped my chin to force my eyes into focus…on him.
“You’re fuckin’ fla…flawless—” he faltered in words before his hips did as they jerked in his release.
Jackson’s grip on me intensified while he clung onto me during his ascension. We coasted together, holding on to each other. For seconds long, neither of us moving, struggling for lucidity and basking in post-coital euphoria. I felt the thrumming of his heart against my own as we waited to come down.
“Jackson, we’re going to get caught,” the laissez faire cadence of my voice didn’t match the imminence of our predicament.
We were in a back hall, right off the commercial kitchen in a restaurant. Any worker could come out of the kitchen at any moment, or a meandering guest could come wandering down the ingress of the corridor and see us.
Damn. How did I get here? Sneaky Ashley had totally been pushed to the back of my befuddled mind being clouded with lust.
I pushed against him, feeling a dull ache in my back. I knew right away it was from being pushed against the grainy veneer.
“Okay…” he hummed before shifting just slightly.
Slowly, Jackson peeled from my chest, pushing up from his palms splayed against the wall astride me. In my impatience, I studied his face. For a few seconds, I caught his preoccupied eyes and then they disappeared, seemingly shirking from my glower. I winced when he pulled out of me, my insatiable body grieving his fullness right away. He eased me off the wall, endorphins still amok in my frame, but the pulse of an ache reminding me to prepare for full on pain before the night was over. Jackson immediately straightened my gown, settling it around my waist and hips after pulling my rent panties down my legs, off my ankles.
I watched as he deftly removed the condom from his semi-deflated self. In my rapture, I hadn’t realized he’d put it on. Jackson quickly tucked himself in, carefully smoothing his dress shirt into his pants before zipping up and fastening his belt. I could tell from the flexing of his jaw, his mind was churning. I didn’t have time to inquire about it; I had to get the hell up out of there before we were found out.
I smoothed my gown, suddenly subconscious about the fragrance of sex on me…on Jackson. A flash thought of being able to lay in it together appealed to me.
“I have to go,” I informed over my shoulder as I pivoted on wobbly legs. Jackson hooked my arm. I leaped in the air, returning his glower. “What the hell…?”
His shoulders straightened. “Come home with—” Jackson stopped himself. “I’ll go first. I’m sure you’ll have to hit the ladies room before you go back out.”
Although I didn’t like the initiative, I nodded, agreeing to him returning first. Jackson didn’t move right away. He remained, paying me a long and intense regard. I could tell he wanted to say something, but likely understood time wouldn’t allow for pillow talk. With shoulders deflated, Jackson finally took off, applying casual speed to his pace into the long hallway. I waited a few seconds, when I thought he was out of the vicinity before I started to the restroom.
Ten minutes later, I entered the dining hall and found mostly everyone seated, the room quieting and the lights being lowered. Grateful for the distraction, I strode to my seat. Once I arrived at the table I could see Jackson sitting next to Ashley and found myself getting upset all over again, realizing he’d never addressed my concerns of his philandering ways as it related to the heart of a delicate young woman.
“There you are!” Erika cried. “I need to go soon. Southie isn’t feeling well. I want to catch a flight back to be with her,” she whispered to me.
Before I could answer, I heard, “I was going to come looking for you soon, sweets.” Michael wore a scowl. It was nothing like Jackson’s glower, but it did spur my guilt for sneaking out and grabbing a quickie from my boss while he escorted me to a work function. By this time, I’d had everyone’s attention, including Jackson’s.
“I’m sorry,” I had to think quickly. “My mother is complaining about the happenings of back home, boring me out of my mind.” I snorted. “But you can
’t rush mom, right, honey?” I placed my hand familiarly on Michael shoulder.
“Oh, yeah!” Michael rolled his eyes. “We had to endure the maundering of my Ma on the way here. So, honey, you got it twice in one day, huhn?” Pleased by the cohesion of our stories and relieved at the navigation of the conversation, I paid a cursory glance around the table, wearing a mask of a jovial smile. “That’s more than I give you in an average day, isn’t that right?” He shoulder bumped me.
I choked on my spit at that one. Bridgette snorted her outburst, Marie gasped audibly, and Ashley flat out laughed. My eyes teared from the obstruction in my throat.
“Shit. You okay?” Michael turned fully toward me, concerned.
Asshole takes things too far.
So much for that solidarity. Michael took me at the arm with one hand and patted my back with the other. The tenderness in my skin from being pushed up a coarse wall caused me to flinch. I motioned for him to let up as I tried to gain a hold of my breathing. I’d just managed before the emcee spoke and while the dessert tray arrived at our table. It was difficult to not toss a glance Jackson’s way because I knew he’d invariably be searing me with his heated gaze. And sure enough, I was right. Even in the dim room, I could see those eyes.
The program progressed with final and spirited words of hope and noted success for J.G, Wizer and Hunter. Jackson was even given time to introduce Erika, Dale and Blackboard Scratchers—who he surprised even me by announcing were new to our roster—as our clients. As I applauded with the rest of the room, I glanced over to Bridgette, who wore a guilty beam. She knew I hadn’t known until that moment. Though I was still fighting off the shame of my earlier copulation with my boss—young adolescent boss—I felt a twinge of pride at being a part of a burgeoning team. Jackson’s announcement to the crowd of “we’re on our way out of the stratosphere, aiming to reach portions of the galaxy uncharted by any other firm” had such pride blossoming in my chest. He was right. We were on the rise. I could just feel it. The exhilaration made me forget my lewd behavior from the back of the restaurant earlier…just momentarily.