by Shelby Clark
“Yeah! I got you now, babe. You’re awake now aren’t you?”
“Oooh, ah, ah, ah, yes, I am, babe. I told you I needed to sleep, mm, ooh yes!” Ayana cried out.
Atticus jumped to his knees. He began holding and stroking his rod with one hand as he gazed into her eyes, while still manipulating her flower with his other hand.
“Do you want to sleep or do you want to fuck?”
Look at her, for a sleepy person she’s soaking wet, just the way I love it. Yes, that’s right, beg for it!
“I want you to fuck me, Atty. Fuck me hard. I need you, babe.”
“Pass me a condom. I have some in my side draw. These are better than the ones we had before.”
“Don’t worry about it just come on. I can’t take you torturing me any longer.” Ayana demanded as she flipped to her knees, positioning her entrance to give Atticus full range. She then caressed his shaft and guided it into her canal. It was the perfect fit, like a key to a lock.
“Ah, fuck! Damn, I love your pussy. Shit, woman, you’re going to make me explode sooner than I expected.”
“No! Not yet, hold it. Oh my god, papi, this is so good! Ah, you make feel so wonderful.” Ayana moaned.
Atticus watched Ayana’s body. He could tell that she was coming by the pace she was displaying. Her hips and cheeks were vibrating with her every movement.
“Ooh yeah, that’s it, babe. Slam your pussy down on my cock while I drill it. Ah, ah, yeah, mm, your ass looks so good.”
I’m never letting this woman go. I know I’ve been too busy, but it’ll get better. I may be building a future for us. I just don’t know if I’m ready to fully commit yet. I can’t tell her that yet. I like the way things are now. I’ll give her just enough of my time for now, until I’m ready.
“I’m coming, Atty. Ah, ooh, babe, papi, I can’t control myself, ooh, ooh, ah!”
Atticus’s tempo increased even more. He held her tighter, noticing her legs giving out. The muscles in his arms contracted as he held her in place with ease.
“I know, I’m about to come too! I feel your come all over me and you drive me crazy when you talk like that. You have my mounds soaking wet. Mm, yes, I love it…ah…shit…damn!”
Atticus and Ayana’s bodies gave a vigorous jolt as he seized her legs as if they became fused together. They fell forward to the bed with him on top of her. Her legs trembled uncontrollably.
“Babe, I can’t breathe, you’re heavy. Roll to the side please.”
“Sorry. I’m drained. Man that was awesome! Is it me or do you think making love has been feeling really incredible? I like when we stay at my house. We have more space in the bed.”
Ayana was quiet for a minute. Atticus knew they were about to get serious. He wondered if he should’ve allowed her to sleep. The last three weeks he noticed that she’d been very moody and irritable, and he didn’t have a clue as to why. He thought it was due to her pulling late night cases as well, something they both had in common.
“Well, that’s because you have this massive king size bed. I love being here at your house too. I like the atmosphere and the privacy.”
“You don’t like your house?”
“Yes. I do, but…hold on…I need some crackers and that flat ginger-ale.”
Atticus passed her the crackers as he watched her.
Something is going on here.
“I know!”
Ayana’s eyes widened. “You do?!”
“Yes, I know why you’ve been feeling sick. It’s the change in the weather. It’s getting cooler. At first the climate was blazing hot and now that we’re entering fall, the temperature has dramatically changed. Your body hasn’t adjusted yet.”
“You think you know me don’t you?”
“I know all I need to about you.”
“Hm…OK, if you say so. Anyway, I have medicine to help with the nausea, but I left them at home. If I came over more or moved in, things wouldn’t be so complicated with us. This would show me that we’ll eventually get serious at some point if we plan to move forward. I think so anyway.”
I knew it! Here it comes.
“I don’t want to talk about this for the hundredth time with you, Ayana! Why can’t we just enjoy the moment of making or finishing making love? It’s like you’re never satisfied or you want m…”
Ayana sat up on the side of the bed with the sheet wrapped around her looking over her shoulder at Atticus.
“What were you going say, Atticus? Was it the word, more? If so, then yes, I do want more from you. I’m not satisfied with us just seeing each other and making love here and there.”
“How can you say that, babe? I’ve cut my hours back tremendously for you in the last three weeks!”
She got up and started pacing the floor in his large bedroom, which was big enough for three king size beds. His closet looked like a smaller sized bedroom that was one step down in size from his room.
Atticus knew he was in trouble when he saw her walking the floor. This usually meant her mind was really ticking with multiple thought processes all happening at the same time. He remembered how she operated from seeing her in the court room when he used to sit in on her cases.
She placed her pointed finger on her lip and paused as if she was about to speak. Her brow over her left eye was raised.
“Don’t patronize me, Atticus! I can count the number of times we’ve been together, slept together, and eaten together in the last three weeks. You can’t even tell me how you feel about me.”
“Based on what you’re saying, how often, or rather, how much time and what activities has been reduced according to you?”
If she breaks this down, then I’m in deep shit and I have to defuse this situation.
“Compared to the beginning of our relationship to the last three weeks we’ve gone from making love four to five times a week to two to three times a week, leaning mostly to two times a week.”
“What else? Go ahead, you might as well continue.”
“Alright, and eating and spending time together, we’ve gone from almost every day to two to three times a week with an occasional once a week.”
Atticus began to get angry, his voice deepening. “Ayana! You know my position at my company. I shouldn’t have to tell you that’s how business is. You know this. Hell, your cousin owns her own law firm, and for a moment you had to run it. So you should know how it is.”
Ayana paused and looked away for a second.
Shit, did I make her cry? Ayana doesn’t cry. She’s tough as nails. If I don’t know anything else, I know she will curse you out before she allow you to hurt her. So, is this a manipulation tactic of hers?
She spun around on her heel to reface Atticus.
“Yes! I do know that, but did I once at any time neglect you or brush you off because of the amount of work I had on my desk? Maybe you’re lacking two important skills. The ones called organization and prioritization!”
Atticus walked closer toward her as he raised his voice, “Ayana! If I didn’t care about you we wouldn’t be here and I wouldn’t waste my time with this ridiculous argument that doesn’t make any sense to me, dammit!”
She took a step back as if she wasn’t sure of his intent. Atticus stopped in his tracks as he observed her.
“Goddammit! Don’t do that! Don’t you dare act like that toward me. You know that would never cross my mind. I would cut off my own hand before that would ever happen. And you know this!”
“Yeah, I also know how hot tempered you Escobar men are. I wasn’t taking any chances, the way you were coming toward me raising your voice.”
“That’s because you make me so damned frustrated. If you feel like you can’t trust me and what I do is a problem for you, maybe we shouldn’t be together. Maybe this is a waste of time.”
Ayana snatched her clothes from his sitting chair and headed for the bathroom.
“Or maybe that’s what you’ve wanted all the while!” she yelled as she slammed the door.
>
Atticus’s cell phone rung while Ayana was inside the bathroom. He heard the water running and decided to answer it. Martina Sosa showed up on the Caller ID. It was a call he had to answer in regards to business. As soon he answered the phone he also heard the water in the bathroom stop.
“¿Si? Hey, Martina.”
“Atticus! I’m glad you answered, can you meet me in an hour so we can go over the contract one more time,” Martina requested. “I discovered some discrepancies that could make the whole deal illegal.”
“How is that possible? My cousin, Antonio Risario, and I both went over it with a fine tooth comb.”
“I don’t know, but you need to see this before I submit it to the lawyers tomorrow. I’m not at my office, so can you come to my house?”
Shit! This’ll be another exhibit to build her case and I bet anything she is listening through that door.
Atticus’s back was to the bathroom door. He was trying not to talk too loud. He didn’t want to add any more fuel the fire of their disagreement.
“Now?!”
“Si. Hurry, I need you.”
“What—”
“I mean, don’t be too long. I have other engagements planned. I’ll text you my address.”
Damn! Well, Ayana’s mind is made up apparently.
Atticus took a deep breath. “Alright, I’m on my way.”
As soon as Atticus turned around Ayana was standing before him completely dressed with her fists clenched to her sides. Her anger and rage was apparent. If looks could whip, she would’ve struck several times at Atticus.
“It’s just business, Ayana!”
“Let me guess, she wants you to come to her house, right? Please tell me you’re not going to fall for that, unless you want to?”
Atticus’s voice deepened. “Ayana?!”
She put her hand up to stop him from saying another word.
“Mm. You and those damn women, but it doesn’t matter anymore. I don’t care. But I do have one request. My mother is flying in tomorrow and I wanted her to meet you.”
“Sure, but I need to get dressed and get this done. Just call me. After your mother leaves, I think maybe we should take some time to think about what’s going on with us.”
I can’t believe I just said that. No, I can’t let her go like that, but she has to trust me and without forcing me to express and examine my feelings toward her. If we’re meant to be, it will happen.
“If I didn’t have so many pictures around my house of us and the things we shared, I would’ve just forgotten about it. Also, since we’re giving things a rest I want you to know that you spend too much damn time with other women. You need to evaluate why you need that.”
Atticus responded through gritted teeth. “Alright, Ayana, you told me that before. I’ll walk you to the door.”
She spun around on her heel.
“Don’t bother, I know my way out, thank you.”
As soon as the door shut, Atticus pulled his phone out once more to make a call.
“¿Si?”
“Antonio? This is Atticus! Martina just called and said there were some discrepancies with the contract and that it’s not going to go through. I thought I told you to get it proofed twice with our lawyers.”
Atticus knew him and Antonio worked hard on this project. He couldn’t afford any screw ups because Escobar Telecom Communications, Inc. was climbing up the ladder of the Who’s Who? by buying up many of the small companies within the United States. One thing about his family is that they don’t play with their money, and Atticus knew his cousin Antonio was no different—a billionaire by birth, an investor who was always looking for ventures to partake of to expand his money.
Relief fell in his stomach when Antonio confirmed the quality of their work. He also opened his eyes to some degree about Ayana’s point of view.
“Atticus! This is your day off. You haven’t had one in a long time. She’s lying or up to something. You know that we are too thorough for any bull like this. I’ll handle it. Are you meeting her at the office?”
“No, but get this, she wanted me to come to her home. She texted me her address.”
Antonio respond in laughter. “Fuckin’, no way! Martina?! I mean why not back at our office or her office? I know what she had in mind. You dodged a bullet there, primo. She wanted you. Text me the address. I’ll handle this for you. Plus, you have a lady friend.”
Damn, maybe I am around too many women. I was trying to give her the benefit of the doubt. I’ll go to Ayana tomorrow, meet her mother, and try to talk to her.
“Yeah, man, and it’s funny because she said the same thing. I guess lawyers do have that sixth sense.”
“She’s a lawyer?”
“Si. It’s August’s wife’s cousin. Remember, we were their witnesses in the wedding down in Cancun.”
“Atticus! You need to listen to her more or better yet, make her your lawyer like your brother did.”
“I don’t know yet, Antonio. I’m not sure if I want to go that far, but I don’t want to be without her either. I just need some time.”
“Well, I’m going to say it like this, dude! Don’t wait too long because if she looks like her cousin, somebody will snatch her up.”
“Yeah, you’re right, but I have to know for myself. Anyway, thanks for confirming that for me, Antonio. Talk to you later.”
****
“Thank you, Tess, for coming over. I just don’t want to deal with my mother alone. With these emotions, she might make me kill her. My hormones are in a tizzy and it’s going to take everything in me to hide my pregnancy.”
“When do you plan to tell her? You know she knows something is different about you. She kept trying to pluck information out of me in a nonchalant way, but I saw her coming a mile away.”
“Ugh, girl, I love her, but she can be a nuisance and a busybody. And you know no one is good enough for me except for Josh.”
Please Lord, don’t let her bring up Josh tonight at dinner.
“Who the hell is Josh?” Tess chuckle as she drew closer to get an ear full while eating a sandwich.
“Wait one minute.”
Ayana looked around and walked to the hall, then the stairway.
“Mother!”
“Yes, darling?” her mother answered after walking to the top of the staircase.
“I just wanted to know if you were alright and to tell you that dinner won’t be that long before it’s done.”
“OK, love. Remember, yelling can strain your voice. We southern women do nothing to create tension for ourselves.”
Ayana waited until her mother walked away, then rolled her eyes, exhaling as she did so.
“OK, she’s still upstairs unpacking. She acts as if she’s staying for a while, not if I have anything to say about this, and I do. As soon as she starts getting on my nerves she’s out of here.”
Tess pulled on Ayana’s sleeve.
“Come on, get to the juicy part before someone interrupts. Who’s Josh?”
“Josh is Professor Joseph Caleb Patel who teaches law at S.C.S.U. He always liked me ever since I was in law school. He’s in his mid-thirties I think, and I’m not interested. But my mother has been trying to push us together forever.”
“Get out! No…Well, is he ugly or something? Why do you refuse him?”
“No! He’s fine as a bottle of nineteen fifty-seven wine. The chemistry is just not there for me. He seems a little crazy, possessive or something. And he seems to be waiting like I’m going to change my mind.”
“All I know is if Atticus don’t get it together, Josh might be giving him a run for his money.”
“Tess, don’t forget, I’m carrying Atticus’s child.”
“Girl, good men don’t care about that. They will love you and your baby. They’re just looking for a good woman, and that’s what you are.”
“Well, Josh is not a good man. He’s a crazy man in my opinion. There’s something about him.” Ayana reiterated.
Suddenly, the door bell rung with the sound of chimes. Ayana began to get nervous.
“Oh my god. How am I going to pull this off with unstable hormones kicking in? My mother on one side driving me crazy and my supposed-to-be man getting on my nerves on the other side.”
Ayana leaned over the sink trying to catch her breath and gain control over the anxiety she was feeling.
“Look, act as if you were in the court room. Take control over the case. You’re running this show, not them and don’t forget it.”
Ayana responded in a whisper. “Damn straight, no, I got this! I’m running this show. And I’m not making it easy or giving in for anyone. I’m tired and that’s the truth. I could use a nap right now.”
Tess stayed to watch the food cooking while Ayana answered the door. She peeped through the peephole to see who it was. As she opened the door a breeze blew into the house, knocking over a couple of pictures. Ayana quickly stepped outside to talk to Atticus.
He was dressed very nice, and was very easy on the eyes. For a second she forgot that she was mad at him. Just staring at him made her feel at ease. But she remembered her statement to Tess that she wasn’t making things easy for anyone.
“Why are we standing outside? I thought you said your neighbors were nosy?”
“They are and that’s the reason why I wanted to move. On the other hand, I really love my brownstone house. However, we’re out here because I wanted to chat a bit before we go in.”
That was one of the reasons why I wanted us to live together.
“OK, what about?”
“Look, I thought it would only be fair to warn you of my mother. I didn’t know if you were going to show up or not.”
“I gave you my word.”
“Hm. Atticus, let’s just get through the night. The sooner it’s over, the sooner my mother can go back home. Oh yeah, don’t be alarmed, but my mother thinks she’s a steel magnolia.”
“What do you mean?”
“She can be hard, harsh, and very blunt, an iron fist if you will.”
“I think I’ll be okay. There hasn’t been a woman I’ve met that I couldn’t handle.”
“Yeah, I already know this.”
Nope, nope, nope…tears get back. There won’t be any of that. I will not cry. For now on, I have a grip on these emotions. I still can’t believe he just said that to me.