by Temari James
A fine thread of anger was weaving its way through her calm exterior.
“First you talk me into agreeing to marry you in order to save your job and your inheritance with the pretense of providing the capitol for me to start my own publication. What’s so sad is I believed you and agreed to help you knowing full well about your reputation. Then you suddenly have a change of heart then disappear without so much as a word and on top of it all you give me this cock and bull story about untying your inheritance and having to travel because of your position with the mayor’s office. Do you honestly expect me to believe that?”
Jordan moved to stand in front of her reaching out to touch her she flinched holding up her hands warding him off. He stared at her, shocked by her reaction. then he moved closer raising his hand grazing the side of her face. His hands gentle, is voice rough. “I love you.” then lowered his head and took her mouth in a kiss that was gentle at first then intensified, her struggles ignored, as his arms went around her, bringing her against him.
Molten heat jolted through Payton, as her body pressed into Jordan’s. There was a desperate hunger in his kiss. A familiar ache began to grow deep inside her, as her arms wound around his neck and her fingers weaved in his thick hair, a torrent of emotions raced through her, as she gave into the kiss.
“I’ve missed you,” he murmured against her throat. “I’ve missed us.”
She groaned against his warm mouth, she missed him too but they were not to be, the fates were against them, with strength born from desperation, she shoved him away, getting the message loud and clear with one last glance he turned and walked out. Once he had gone Payton stepped back behind her desk and sank down in her chair.
She rationalized that she had responded to him because she was a little lonely, and busy with the magazine since they broke up. Determined to blot out the remembrance of how good it felt to be in his arms, she focused her attention on the papers in front of her she felt like bursting into tears.
“Damn you Jordan. Damn you for making me want you again.”
Well not anymore, she was determined to get over him and she wasn’t going to be vulnerable to him or any man ever again. The highs weren’t worth the lows and being a gullible fool once was enough, twice was pure stupidity. Using the mortar of humiliation, she was determined to rebuild her defenses. He was out of her life and she didn’t intend to let him back in again.
******************
“You know, shopping isn’t the answer to everything, Mavis.” Payton told her friend, as she followed her up Lexington Ave, like a petulant child.
After spending nearly three hours walking the streets of Manhattan, loaded down with bags, she was exhausted. The only thing she wanted to do was go home, take her shoes off, take a nice warm bath and relax.
“Are you kidding me? You’ve been walking around for weeks looking like a zombie, a day of shopping is what you need my friend,” Mavis said, as she pulled the glass door of, what seemed like the thirtieth shop, they visited that day.
“You can’t spend my troubles away, I just want to go home, bury myself under the covers and listen to Sade.”
Mavis glared at her. “No, what you need is to spend that giant bonus you just got, and I’m going to help you, besides we need to find you something to wear to the press ball.”
Every year there was a ball where everyone in the industry would go to schmooze and garner money, and to convince potential investors, going with their publications, would be a smart move.
She was hoping to skip it this year, since she managed to do so every year, since she’d started working for the magazine. But it seems this year, it was not to be seeing, as she’d been ordered to attend by her boss and City Beat owner Calvin Banks, to quote- show some leg and shake some ass-. If any other person had told her that instead of her seventy year old boss, she would have been offended but Payton knew he just wanted to keep what he considered, his first born, afloat a little while longer.
The sales lady, a slender brunette, greeted them, then led them to a room filled with racks of dressed in every shape, length and color. Payton removed a black short sleeved floor length dress from one of the racks.
“No, not that one,” Mavis said taking the dress out of her hands hanging it back up. “You want to look sexy not like a nun.”
“Hey!” Payton said glaring at her friend. “I do not dress like a nun.”
“Lately you have,” Mavis told her. “It’s like you’re purposely trying not to call attention to yourself. What’s up with that anyway, did something happen I’m not aware of?”
“Yes, but I’m not ready to talk about it right now, it hurts too much.”
“Okay, I’ll let it go for now. In the meantime, we need to find you something that will knock those stuffed shirts socks off.” Tucking a black and purple dreadlock behind her ears, she scanned the racks of dresses.
“Hold the phone I think we have a winner,” she announced, grabbing Payton’s arm, dragging her across the room, towards a rack of colorful gowns, stopping. she pulled out a turquoise blue dress with spaghetti straps and held it up. “This is definitely the one.”
Payton eyed the dress, it was silk with fine beading along the waist, a plunging neckline that looked like it stopped at the navel with a full skirt that flared at the bottom. The thing that caught her attention the most was it had long slits on both sides.
“Are you insane? I am not wearing that.” Payton told her. “I want to dazzle them, not give them a heart attack.”
Mavis rolled her eyes. “Sometimes you have a tendency to exaggerate, there’s nothing wrong with this dress.”
“Says you, I want to look tasteful not slutty.”
“Showing a little cleavage and leg does not, a slut make. Besides you want to get new investors right? Then this is the dress that’ll do it. Just try it on, if it doesn’t look good. then we’ll find something else.”
“Fine I’ll try it on,” Payton sighed, taking the dress then stalking off to the dressing room.
Pulling the dress over her head she fastened the small zipper in the back and rotated the dress then smoothed it down with her hands and stepped out of the dressing room.
“Wow!” Mavis cried out. “You look amazing.”
Turning Payton looked at herself in the full-length mirror beside the dressing room door. She had to admit, the turquoise brought out the color in her eyes, and made her creamy skin glow. Though she had no idea how to keep her breasts from spilling out of the bodice, maybe if she used double sided fabric tape, she may just be able to pull it off.
“Alright, I admit it, you were right, I do look good in this dress.”
“See, I told you,” Mavis said, a smug expression on her face. Payton just stuck her tongue out at her. ”Now all we have to do, is find you some shoes.” Rolling her eyes, she just followed her friend to the register to pay for the dress, then to shop, for shoes.
Unlocking the door to her apartment Payton kicked off her shoes and made her way into the living room dropping her bags on the couch. Picking up the remote, pressing a button, filling the air with the sounds of George Benson. Walking over to the phone, she dialed her messaging service and listened to her messages. One was from her mom, checking on her. The second was from Earl, the boring, she silently added. A man she’d been set up on a blind date with. A nice enough man, but as dull as powder. The entire evening he kept talking about his Anime DVD collection and how he couldn’t wait for the next Naruto, to be released. She was so bored, she wanted to bang her head on the table. The third was from Jordan, a message she quickly deleted the moment she heard his voice.
The pain was just too fresh, even after all this time, she just didn’t want to go that route again. She was just beginning to return to her normal self. Sure, she missed him, after all they’d been best friends and spent a lot of time together, even gone on several vacations together. She’d even accompanied him to several of the law firm’s functions. She hadn’t heard anything about w
hether or not he was seeing anyone and frankly she didn’t really care. He’d inflicted enough pain on her to last a lifetime and she had no desire to reopen old wounds again. She hadn’t seen him since the day he’d dropped by the magazine, hopefully she’d never see him again. Although, she had a feeling she would, releasing a sigh, she turned and begun unpacking her purchases.
******************
It took some doing, but he managed to finagle an invitation to the press ball, Jordan stood at the bar nursing a glass of bourbon, waiting for Payton to arrive. God he missed the hell out of that woman, he had to do something to get her back. When he’d read in the newspaper about the ball, he called in a favor to a friend. Now here, he stood and he had no idea what his next move was going to be. The only thing he knew was that he had to get the woman he loved, back.
Then he saw her, dressed in a turquoise gown, she looked stunning, her hair had been straightened and arranged in an intricate style and her makeup was flawless. Every male in the room had their eyes fixed on her, as she made her way across the room, over to the table where her boss and his wife where and sat down in a vacant chair. Downing the last of his drink, Jordan made his way over to the table.
“Good evening folks,” he said as he stopped at the table, his eyes focused on Payton.
“Oh good evening young man, I don’t believe we’ve met,” Wilma Banks said.
“My name is Jordan Cain, I’m Payton’s fiancée
“Oh congratulations,” everyone said in unison.
There was nothing Payton could do but go along with it, to avoid an embarrassing situation so she smiled and thanked everyone, but on the inside she was plotting a certain lawyer’s demise. Then the band began playing a romantic tune.
When Mrs. Banks suggested that she and Jordan dance and enjoy one another, Payton wanted to use the excuse that she was here to work but Calvin put the kibosh on that by saying he could assign someone else the task of wooing possible investors. That left her no choice but to accept Jordan’s suggestion, they share a dance.
“You have some nerve showing up here and then have the audacity to introduce yourself to my boss and his wife, as my fiancée, I don’t recall us ever reconciling.”
Jordan gave her a sexy smile. “I’m a very persistent man, when it comes to something or someone I want, don’t you remember?”
Once the song ended, Payton turned and walked off the dance floor Jordan not far behind.
“The only thing I remember is you being an asshole,” She said turning to face him raising her hand.
“Uh-uh, you don’t want to make a scene here especially in front of the boss,” Jordan reminded her as he caught her hand stopping it before it connected with his face.
Payton glanced over at the table where Mr. Banks and his wife sat with the other executives from the magazine, then back at Jordan.
“Fine, I won’t. But know this Jordan Cain, I wouldn’t marry you even if you were the last man on earth.” Then she turned and walked away leaving him standing alone.
“Things not working out the way you planned?” Howard asked, his team providing security for the event.
“I think of it as just a bump in the road.”
Howard chuckled. “More like a roadblock, if you ask me.”
“Shut up,” Jordan said, as he stalked off toward the bar to get another drink.
After nearly three hours of schmoozing, her gown working its magic and even handled a few businessmen trying to cop a feel on her derriere with grace and ease. She had successfully convinced several business men to invest in the City Beat Magazine. Proud of herself and her accomplishment, she decided to reward herself with a much needed drink.
“You did well, I’m so proud of you.” Calvin Banks said as he walked up and stood beside her.
“Thank you sir,”
“Rudolph Watkins was so impressed with your presentation, he bought three full page ads for his men’s hair products. They promised to have his assistant contact marketing, first thing Monday morning. And don’t get me started on Sheldon Swan,” he gushed.
“It was nothing really Mr. Banks, I was happy to do it. After all you took a chance on me all those years ago, the least I could do is repay you for having faith in me.”
“I knew a dedicated worker when I saw it and I snapped you up before anyone else discovered what a treasure you were.”
Payton knew her boss was drunk, or at least close to it, he never called any of his employee’s treasures, even when they were doing a good job.
“I see Noel Whitcomb, I think I’ll go say hello.”
After her boss had departed, Payton saw it as her chance to use the ladies room, after drinking several glasses of champagne, she really needed to use the bathroom. Luckily the restroom was empty because she really needed to sit down and didn’t want to do it if she knew she was flashing someone. Collapsing on one of the couches, Payton kicked off her shoes and wiggled her toes. She didn’t know how in the world she let Mavis talk her into buying these heels, sure they were cute and they matched the dress but jeeze, after standing in them for most of the night, she was ready to come out of them.
Satisfied that she was somewhat rested, Payton stood up walked to the wall length mirror, over the counter and refreshed her makeup and made sure her hair was still in place. So far, after their encounter on the dance floor, Jordan hadn’t approached her again. Maybe he’d gotten the message that they were really over.
Sighing, Payton retrieved her purse from the couch and opened the door to leave the ladies room and came face to face with Jordan. He looked as though he’d been standing there for a while.
“I bet you thought you’d gotten rid of me huh?”
“Well if it isn’t Satan himself. What do you want Jordan?”
Payton watched as he moved closer reaching out his hand touching her arm. “I thought we’d have a talk. You and I have some unfinished business.”
“We don’t have anything more to discuss, excuse me I have a party to return to.” When Payton tried to move passed him, Jordan moved, blocking her efforts.
“Jordan, I don’t have time for this, would you please move?”
“Not until we talk.”
“You and I have nothing more to discuss, I thought I made that clear?”
“I disagree. I think we have plenty of unfinished business, don’t you?”
Payton knew Jordan was as stubborn and tenacious as they came, when he was on a mission to accomplish something, so she decided she may as well give in.
“Fine, what did you want to talk about?”
“Not here,” Grabbing her hand pulled her back into the ladies room locking the door.
“Jordan, what are you doing? This is the ladies room, you can’t just lock the door, someone might want to use it.”
“Let them wait,” he told her right before pulling her into his arms covering her lips with his.
The kiss was gentle at first, like he was expecting her to resist, when she didn’t he deepened the kiss wrapping her arms around his neck, his cologne, a citrusy scent, enveloping her, as her body connected with his. Leaning his weight into hers, he pushed her backwards, against the door, while his tongue licked and sucked at the insides of her mouth, tasting the bourbon he’d drank earlier on his tongue. All rational thought fled as he continued his sensual assault on her mouth as she pressed her body against his.
“Let me make one thing clear to you, I love you and I never meant to hurt you.”
Payton was silent for a moment, feeling her resolve crumbling. She loved this man with all her heart and he broke it. However, her instincts told her, he regretted everything that happened and she decided to give him another chance.
Seeing that his words had broken down the last of her defenses, Jordan kissed her again.
“I need you now.”
“But we’re in the bathroom,” she pointed out, glancing around at their surroundings.
“So,” he said, as he reached up and pulled the straps down
of the bodice of her dress, snapping one of the straps as he exposed her breasts. Her nipples formed hard, aching points, that begged for attention as he bent his head and sucked one into his mouth, then paying attention to the other, sending zings of pleasures through her body. Raising his head, he pulls the dress down her body and Payton steps out of it leaving it in a heap on the floor, leading her over to the couch he pushes her down on it and removing her thong panties.
His eyes take in every inch of her, the look of raw passion and need within their depths. Lifting his hand, his fingers graze over her right breast, his hand covering it then pinching the nipple with his fingertips. Payton sucks in a sharp breath, as her eyes drift shut for a moment, her back arched and a soft sigh escaped her lips, as he nibbled then bit the nipple gently, a shudder rippled through her body.
Kneeling, he parts her legs, lowering his head, spreading the lips of her pussy apart with his finger. Leaning further down, he slowly licked her, from top to bottom, his long smooth strokes driving her wild under him. Payton lets out and groan, then a whimper. Locking his lips on her clit, her body suddenly locks and becomes rigid, her back arching, her breasts thrusting out, the convulsions hit her, staggering in their intensity.
Leaning back, Payton gazes at him through shimmering eyes, as he removes his shirt and his pants and finally his black, silk boxers. Pulling her forward, penetrating her hot, wet pussy, her back arching as he pushes in deeper, picking up his pace, probing deeper, driving her wild. “Now that I have you back, I’m never letting you go,” he whispers, pounding her harder and faster until their climax hits, thundering and crashing through them, causing their bodies to convulse over and over, their bodies shuddering. Standing, they clean up and get dressed.
“I don’t know how I’m going to go back out there looking like this. Everyone’s going to know what we were doing,” she said, searching the inside of her purse for a safety pin.
“Who cares what they think?” Jordan responded, fastening his cumber bund around his waist.