by Tiana Cole
He chuckled and kissed his way up her body until he reached her mouth. “Taste yourself,” he ordered.
Dammit, why was she turned on by his words? But the fact of the matter was that his command turned her on and she wrapped her lips around his tongue and sucked. Pretending it was his cock, she licked and laved, sucked the tip until he pulled away.
“Enough! I need to be inside you, Ebony.” He reached over and grabbed a condom.
“Let me,” she said, and grabbed the condom, pinching the tip and rolling it down with a bit more force than necessary. “There.” She leaned back and fisted his cock, running it through her juices. “What are you waiting for?”
David’s eyes were nearly black with desire as he pushed into her body. “Fuck. Ebony,” he sighed, stilling when he was fully seated and looking down at her. “You’re so goddamn tight.”
She squeezed her muscles and smiled when he groaned. Then it was his turn to smile when he pulled all the way out and slammed in. “Oh!” He kept up a torturous pace, bringing her close to orgasm several times and pulling back only to drive her up the cliff again. He drove deep, over and over, lifting her legs to his shoulders so he could go deeper. “More, please.”
David smiled and gave her exactly what she wanted. He slid nearly all the way out and drove in harder and harder, faster and deeper, until Ebony practically crawled up his body to get closer. When she pinched her nipples he knew he didn’t have much time left. “Ebony,” he growled in warning, and her golden brown eyes flew to his.
“Right,” she said, and shoved her middle finger in her mouth, pulling it out slowly and crawling down her body and running it over her clit. Back and forth she went, flicking the button while David fucked her. His eyes were so dark they were big black orbs. His hips thrust faster and then she broke apart, every nerve ending in her body exposed to his touch, his mouth. On and on her orgasm went, seemingly never ending, as he growled and pushed in one last time.
“Fucking hell!” He collapsed on top of her, kissing her neck and licking her collarbone. “Incredible,” he whispered.
Ebony completely agreed. It was even better than the last time. Her skin tingled with him, smelled of him, was slick with his exertion. Her body was loose, sleepy and so satisfied she felt on the outskirts of sleep. “Wow.”
His body shook with laughter and he smacked a kiss on her neck. “Exactly.”
Looking up into those smiling green with swirling gold eyes, Ebony gasped. She was in trouble. Damn, damn, double damn! She was developing feelings. Feelings would only lead to heartache. She needed to get out. Now.
David felt her stiffen. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” She shook her head, hoping her smile felt as strong as she needed it to. “Just thinking too much.”
“Regrets?”
She shook her head because she couldn’t bring herself to regret something so beautiful. So magical. “No regrets.”
Chapter Nine
Five minutes after she opened her eyes to a new day, Ebony’s day went straight to hell. Kim hadn’t slept well, which meant Ebony hadn’t slept at all except for the past three hours. Now it was time to do it all over again. My glamorous life. “What’s with all the noise, little girl?”
Kim looked up at her mother with a gummy grin, stopping the silence for all of ten seconds before a shrill wail erupted from her tiny body.
“Oh, baby.” She scooped up the baby and noticed the mess. “I’d be cranky too, angel.”
Thinking back, Ebony realized that shower time with her little girl might have actually been the highlight of her day. Even though Kim had been uncharacteristically clingy, she’d been able to get out of the house in time to make it to her first two classes of the day. A quick trip to the library meant that she’d missed her bus and had to wait. No big deal. And it wouldn’t have been if Lexington hadn’t found her again.
“Damn, Ebony. You get sexier every time I see you.”
She looked up at him, annoyed. “What are you doing over here, Lex?” His gang didn’t roll this far west so he was there for her.
“Since you moved out the neighborhood this is the only way I get to see you. Make you mine.” He licked his lips in a way she suspected was meant to cause her lady parts to react, but really it made her sick to her stomach. “Why don’t you let me give you a ride home?”
“No, thanks. The bus is fine.” His casual expression turned angry and she rushed to explain. “It’s not personal, Lex, but I don’t deal with gangbangers. I don’t want to be around that.”
Lexington gave his chest a double pat and smiled. “I am who I am, baby.”
“I know that, but so am I.” Reason and logic never worked with Lex before, she knew, and now that he was on drugs, it was worse.
“Oh, you’re too good for a banger like me? I could set you up nice just like that white man you spread your legs for, but you don’t want my drug money, do you?”
And trafficking and pimping underage girls. And guns. But she didn’t say any of that. “It’s not about your money, Lex. It’s the violence. I’m not getting in a car with you knowing there are probably fifty people at anytime who want you dead. Why would I?”
“I could keep you safe, but you just a stuck up bitch. Soon you’ll be begging to be my bitch, Ebony.” He winked, licked his lips and walked away.
Ebony released a long, tense breath, happy to see him going away. She couldn’t afford to let Lex get to her. It was only because she wasn’t interested that he wanted her. In their neighborhood, Lexington Michaels was considered a catch. He was the shot caller, had a nice, sleek Benz and was generous to his lovers. No one mentioned that his most recent girlfriend had ended up beaten and shot behind a dumpster in rival gang territory. Or the baby mama before her who he’d beaten so badly she’d lost two other babies before vanishing in the night. Or the fifteen-year-old everyone knew he kept on the top floor of his house, but no one said anything because her parents didn’t seem to mind. And because they wanted to live good long lives. Her best bet was to politely decline before he tried to follow her home and found out about Kim.
If he knew she’d had a child with another man, despite the fact Lex had no claim on her, he would make trouble for everyone. Ebony just knew it.
She groaned at her next thought—David. She’d promised herself she would tell him about Kim. Today. After shooting a quick text asking if he could meet her again at Wilson Park, she called her mom to tell her she’d be home later than usual. Of course she was thrilled. Ebony couldn’t seem to feel anything other than nauseous.
Can’t get enough of me? –D
She laughed but didn’t respond. It would do no good to get into a flirty banter with him, as though there was a chance they could be friendly after what she was about to tell him. David would be angry; hell, he would probably hate her for burdening him with a child he didn’t want. It doesn’t matter. He needed to know and she would tell him.
An hour later she sat at a table in the park looking at a picture of her little girl with those green eyes marbled with gold, so much like her father. If pressed, she couldn’t say why she felt so nervous, so anxious about telling David. All she knew was that she had a bad feeling about this. A very bad feeling.
A feeling that only intensified when she watched David’s long-legged stride, so confident and easy going. Such a lie. David was not easygoing. “Hey,” she said softly when he sat across from her.
Familiar eyes scanned her face and she felt the air charge the moment he realized something was up. “Hi. What’s up?”
She knew he wondered why she’d called when she’d been the one to say just one more night. Then a bitter smile came when she realized he probably thought she was here to shake him down. “I have something to tell you. Something I should have told you when I first saw you again.” She sucked in a long breath and slowly released it. “That first night we were together, I hadn’t been with anyone in a long time so I had no reason to be on anything.” She looked up
at him to make sure he understood what she was saying.
“Okay,” he answered, voice rough and deep.
“Well that night, we—”
“Sorry to interrupt this little meeting. Well, not really.” Bonnie giggled with Lexington and rested one long red nail on David’s shoulder. “I told you, David, she wasn’t right for you.”
Smacking her hand away, he stood. “Bonnie, did you forget my promise if you came near me again?”
She nodded but her smile hardly wavered. Ebony was impressed. “Of course, darling. But this was important enough to risk your wrath. You see, your little girlfriend,” she spat the word and tossed an evil look Ebony’s way, “has a child by this gangster.”
“That’s not true, you old bitch!” Ebony turned to David. “It’s true that I have a child, it’s why I called you here today and why I wanted to get to know you.”
The look David gave her was cold enough to send a wave of chills down her back. “Because you wanted to see if I was dumb enough to give you money?”
“No! I just wanted to see if you’d be receptive of the idea of being a father.”
“Stepfather, don’t you mean?” He shook his head, disgust radiating off him. “You really played me for a fool, pretending you didn’t care about the money when we both know you do.”
That statement was like a lance across her chest. “Actually, I don’t mean stepfather, David. I mean father, because my child is yours. If you’re interested in being a father to her.”
He leaned over the table, close enough his anger was like a living breathing entity. “And if I’m not, you plan to sell your story to the tabloids?”
Asshole. “No. If you’re not, then we’re done here.” She grabbed her purse and turned away, only to be stopped by Lexington.
“You just gonna pass my baby off as some white boy’s?”
She yanked out of his grasp. “You know damn well we’ve never slept together and we never will, so whatever your game is go try it somewhere else.” She pushed him out of her way. “And if you fucked that old woman, you’d better get checked out, word on set is that she lets anything with a dick shove it in her. Leaves the boys burnin’, if you know what I’m saying.” She kept walking until she heard David’s long stride behind her. “What?”
“Why wouldn’t you tell me you had a child if it was mine?”
She could see Lex and Bonnie rushing behind him. “Like I said, I wanted to see if you even wanted children before letting you know about her.”
“And you decided after last night?”
She had no idea how to explain it to him. “No. I knew before then, but I liked being with you and I thought what was the harm in having a few nights for myself.”
Bonnie scoffed. “Likely story. Don’t listen to a word this slut says, David. She was going to pass off his child as your child.”
David glared at Ebony in a way that made her physically wilt. She felt herself shrink, deflate. Die. “I don’t want anything to do with you, do you understand? Never again,” he growled, and stalked off. She wasn’t even worth a look back.
With tears in her eyes, Ebony watched David walk away. Regret washed over her for hurting him, for losing his respect. But mostly she regretted that she loved him and he hated her.
“Stay away from David or I’ll spread the word in your old neighborhood that you’ve got quite a nest egg stashed.” Bonnie used her height in an attempt at intimidation.
Ebony nodded slowly at her words and turned with an evil glint in her eyes. “Do that and I’ll sic every tabloid journalist in the city on your favorite plastic surgeon. Nasty gambling and hooker problem he has, very susceptible to bribes.” With that she turned and walked away from all the chaos and drama her upset stomach told her was coming. At least it’s done.
~
Unbelievable. That one word had tap danced around in his mind for the past few days. Since turning away from Ebony’s crocodile tears and stalking out of the park, unbelievable was the only appropriate word for what he had allowed.
Ebony had him good and fooled. It was impressive really when one thought about it for longer than a minute. He was an obvious mark since he’d already shelled out half a million dollars. Of course she’d try and come back for more. He’d been fooled alright. By her pretend disdain for his cash, discomfort at the places where the ultra rich wine and dined, by constantly reminding him of the money he’d paid her already. She’d gotten him good, he thought bitterly.
And Bonnie. He cursed the aging diva while he finished off a second bottle of scotch in two days. Shaking his head absently, David thought of her high stepping it through the park path alongside him, still trying to sell herself to him.
“I told you she wasn’t right for you, David. Now perhaps you’ll give me careful consideration.” She sniffed her disdain.
He’d stopped and stared down at her, hoping his icy glare worked perfectly. “Listen to me, Bonnie. You may think you scored some victory here today, but you haven’t. Even after all this I still want her more than I’ll ever want you.”
“You can’t mean that! We’re perfect together.” She grabbed his arms, pleading her case loud enough to draw stares.
David had taken a step back. “I do mean it. You’re self-absorbed, boring and bitter. I am not interested, got it?” He smiled remembering the way she’d nodded so fast he thought her head would spin off. “Good. I’m glad we cleared that up. But my threat still stands.” He turned then and walked away, listening to the tap of her heels to make sure she didn’t follow.
He’d come home and that’s where he’d been ever since. Slumped on the plush Italian leather—a stark white he’d let a hot designer talk him into—David tore into three different bottles of rare, expensive scotch. At first the amber liquid stung going down but after the fourth or fifth glass it got even smoother than top shelf scotch normally was. He’d gotten drunk off his ass, only getting up to bring a bucket of ice to the coffee table. He’d even made the concierge in his building come in to get cash from his wallet to pay for takeout.
He was a mess.
And it was all Ebony’s fault. Ebony with the smooth cocoa skin, more curves than an Italian country road and that mouth. Fuck, that mouth was the stuff of dreams. In his drunken haze he had dreamed about it. Licking it. Kissing it. Fucking it. Then he remembered the lying.
Her boyfriend. He’d done exactly as she’d suggested and asked about a significant other. I wouldn’t be here if I did, she said. “Ha!” He never would have pegged a woman like Ebony to be dumb enough to get mixed up with the likes of that Lexington character. He was obviously a gangster. The only explanation was that she’d been gearing up to get more money out of him. It wouldn’t be the first time, he thought bitterly.
“I’m pissed at myself. Women lie, it’s what they do. The more money at stake, the bigger and better the liar.”
“Wow that’s some pretty cynical thinking there, big brother.”
He squinted up at his sister’s voice and her heels pounding across the floor. “Sarah, what the hell are you doing out this late? And must you walk so loudly?”
She laughed, walking even harder towards the bank of windows facing west and yanking open the blinds. “By late I assume you mean ten in the morning?” She dropped down on the sofa next to him. “Why the hell are you drunk this early in the morning? Or should I ask, have you stopped drinking over the past couple days?”
He frowned. “Couple?”
“Yeah, genius, you’ve been locked away up here for two days. Two and a half if you want to be precise. What’s up?”
“What’s up? You want to know what’s up, Sarah? I was a fool, that’s what’s up, baby sister.” His words were slurred but he stumbled through the entire story, starting with seeing her at Club Escape and offering her half a million dollars for a night of sex. He detailed—minus the hot sex—every part of their relationship up to the blowup in the park. “She was going to pass someone else’s baby off as mine.”
&nbs
p; Sarah took his hand in hers and laid them against her chest. “Oh, my dear, stupid brother, did she ask you for anything?”
“She hadn’t gotten to it before Bonnie and Lexington showed up.” He whined the man’s name childishly, drawing a laugh from his sister.
“So she hasn’t asked you for anything.”
“Nope,” he smiled, “she got me good. Said she only wanted to get to know me.” And sucker that he was actually felt pleased by that.
“What kind of woman would want to get to know a man before telling him he had a kid?” she asked sarcastically, complete with scoff and eye roll. “And why would you believe Bonnie, who has her own agenda, over Ebony?”
“Didn’t I tell you?” His words were bitter and sarcastic, “The real baby daddy was there too.”
“So obviously he has his own agenda too. Let me guess, he wants Ebony but she doesn’t want him? Just like Bonnie. You and Ebony bust up and they each slide in to get what they want. Makes perfect sense to me. It’s a wonder you were able to make your billions with all them smarts.” She slapped his back and gave him a mocking smile.
He sounded like an idiot when she said it like that and he told her as much. “So I’m supposed to believe everyone but Ebony is lying?”
She shrugged and gave him that adorable smile that had always been able to get him to do her bidding as a child. “Why not? There’s a chance she was telling the truth, right?”
“Fuck.”
“That sounds about right,” she said, a smile in her voice. “Now that I know you’re alive I’m heading back to the office. And don’t forget the ribbon cutting tomorrow at noon. Your assistant has the details.”
And then he was alone again.
~
Ebony was tired. She was angry. And she was so damned frustrated that at times she just wanted to cry. Ten days after the fiasco in the park, as she now thought of it, she was still vibrating with emotions. But she’d stopped crying, stopped cursing David and Bonnie and Lexington and she’d tried to stop giving a damn. She was pretty proud of her progress. Today’s give-a-damn-o-meter was at about a seven.