Dubbed the “Queen of Hip Hop Romance Erotica” by Disilgold Soul Magazine, ELISSA GABRIELLE is the author of two poetry books, Stand and Be Counted and Peace in the Storm, the highly-acclaimed novel, Good to the Last Drop, and the sequel, Point of No Return, as well as the much anticipated novel, A Whisper to a Scream. Gabrielle’s literary contributions can be found in ZANE’s Missionary No More: Purple Panties 2, Erogenous Zone: A Sexual Voyage, Mocha Chocolate: A Taste of Ecstasy, The Triumph of My Soul www.TheTriumphofMySoul.com and multiple poetry anthologies. Gabrielle has graced the covers of Conversations Magazine, Big Time Publishing Magazine, and Disilgold Soul Magazine. Visit the author at www.elissagabrielle.com and email the author at [email protected]. She is the founder of the greeting card line, Greetings from the Soul: The Elissa Gabrielle Collection: www.GreetingsFromTheSoul.com
SMOOTH MOVES
Landis Y. Lain
SHIRLEY: FAWN! ARE YOU THERE?
The email voice was peremptory and tinged with sister attitude. Fawn could virtually hear Shirley’s voice coming through the computer and see her neck snapping back and forth hard enough to flip her head off of her shoulders. Shirley was her friend and foster sister and had been the one constant throughout her life, holding her hand and watching out for her.
FAWN: What?
Fawn’s fingers flew over the keys. She didn’t have much to speak of in the way of family, since foster care didn’t make for many long-term relationships, so when Shirley spoke, it was an ELF Hutton moment as far as Fawn was concerned. Well, except for one large slice of her life. Fawn falling fast and hard in love with an out-of-town brother was emotional suicide as far as Shirley was concerned. But when a credit and LEIN check didn’t show that Amir had a criminal record or paid his bills late, Shirley had backed off, with a warning to him that she’d cut his nuts off if he her hurt her friend.
SHIRLEY: I SAW SOME HUSSY DRIVING YOUR CAR!
FAWN: He wouldn’t do that.
Fawn glanced down at her new wedding ring and shook her head in denial, locks dancing with the motion. She’d left her car at home this morning, because it wasn’t running right. She caught the bus because Amir promised to fix it.
FAWN: There must be some explanation.
SHIRLEY: UH-HUH.
FAWN: Stop shouting.
She could mentally see Shirley roll her eyes, gather her patience and press the caps lock key on her keyboard.
SHIRLEY: I’m telling you, I saw the license plate. Besides, how many people drive a gold 1996 Honda Civic with a Clinton/Gore bumper sticker pasted to it?
FAWN: I don’t believe it.
SHIRLEY: Girl, I know you’re so damned soft hearted that you don’t want to believe water is wet unless you drown, but don’t be soft headed, too. If Amir’s got a good explanation for this one, then I’ll eat my weave.
FAWN: What should I do?
SHIRLEY: Take the afternoon off and check up on a brother.
FAWN: I’ll think about that.
Fawn sighed and rubbed her suddenly throbbing temples with her fingers, reminiscing. Shirley didn’t like Amir and never had and she was always looking for dirt on him. Shirley considered him too smooth, too pretty, too secretive.
Shirley would say in her acerbic way, “If a brother travel too much and can’t tell you exactly what he’s doing, and got too much money, you can bet he’s up to no good.” And most of the time Fawn agreed with her. Insecurity was Fawn’s middle name. She’d had too many men cross her path with fly rides, cell phones and questionable income sources to be impressed. Well, until Amir.
He’d come into the library one day last year, where Fawn was working as a law librarian. She had just finished up her workday and gathered her books so she could go and study for her last Torts exam. She threw a quick wave over her shoulder to her replacement behind the counter and barreled towards the exit door only to slam into what felt like a brick wall.
“I’m so sorry.”
Strong hands grabbed her by the shoulders to keep her from falling. The smooth quiet storm voice washed over Fawn and she looked up and couldn’t speak. She drew in one breath that stuck in her throat, and let the books in her arms slide to the floor. One look into those hot, dark eyes, set in a brooding African deity’s face, and buff body, and Fawn was lost in a magical sensation.
“Are you okay?”
Fawn had stayed silent, brain on hold, hormones on red alert. He tilted his head slightly to the side.
“Hello, beautiful,” he said. His hands gently on her arms, he smiled with just his lips. “I asked if you were okay?” Fawn said nothing. He shook her slightly.
“Breathe or something,” he said, looking alarmed. Fawn finally exhaled and spoke up.
“Oh,” she said, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I was rushing and I didn’t mean to run into you. Did I hurt you?”
His lips burst open with such a camera flash white teeth smile that Fawn blinked several times.
“No,” he said. “You didn’t hurt me.” He released her arms and bent to pick up the books that she’d dropped. He stood and handed them back to her.
“Torts, huh?” he asked. “Maybe you can help me.” She nodded her head ‘yes’ and then flushed because she couldn’t think of one mumbling word to say. She wasn’t usually so tongue tied. When he offered to take her to the coffee shop up the street to make up for nearly knocking her down, she nodded her agreement even though she didn’t drink coffee.
Once they’d gotten to the coffee shop, and she got a cup of tea, she’d loosened up and found her tongue. They discovered that they had lots of things in common and even had similar politics. Amir said that he was a regional sales rep for a major pharmaceutical company who’d been doing some research in the library on cases involving a drug that he was marketing. He lived in Ohio, but Michigan was a part of his territory.
“Turns out,” he’d told her. “That this stuff has a lot more side effects than the company has let on.” He was somber and sincere when he told her that he wasn’t sure that he wanted to continue to work for a company that had slipshod research techniques, but the pay was good and until he found a better gig, he was stuck.
“Brother got bills to pay,” he said, wrinkling his nose in self-derision. He said it made him feel like a drug pusher to keep selling a drug that he knew to be harmful.
Fawn simply nodded her head in sympathy and told him how she’d been working full time in the library and going to law school on weekends.
“Poor, baby,” he’d said and they settled into a comfortable relationship of dating whenever he was in town. He brought her flowers and carob candy when he found out that she was allergic to chocolate. Fawn helped him with some of his research. He helped her study by holding up flash cards and reading to her when her eyes got too tired.
In between studying and research, they went out to dinner and movies, and walked along the river at the local university when Fawn complained that he was spending too much money.
Her friend, Shirley, watched and brooded with suspicion as Fawn fell deeper and deeper in love. All the while, Fawn suppressed her fears of being played.
Amir was a drug in her blood and like a junkie she went back for more and more, as much as she could get. The first time they made love he’d shown up in the middle of a snow storm.
Fawn had been sitting, watching television and proofreading her law office management paper when the doorbell rang. She wasn’t expecting anyone, since Amir was supposed to be in Ohio and Shirley hated to drive in bad weather. She ran to the door and looked out through the peephole. All she saw was a large shape with a furry hood. She turned on the porch light and he shook back the hood, blinking the snow out of his eyes. She looked down at her ragged sweats and sighed, then pulled the door open.
He stepped inside from the cold and grabbed her in a bear hug that took her off her feet.
“I missed you,” he said and kissed her. He pushed her against the wall and kissed her again, kicking the front door closed with h
is foot. He sat her down and kissed her again, running his fingers through her locks.
When he came up for air she’d asked, breathless “What are you doing here?”
He smiled at her, that ‘hey baby,’ smile that made her insides soften and suspicion melt. “I know we said we’d see each other next week, but I couldn’t wait. I got finished early. The flights were grounded because of the weather. So I drove up.”
“You drove up in a blizzard?” she asked, looking out of the picture window in her living room. “Are you crazy? You trying to get yourself killed?”
“I couldn’t stay away,” he said, simply, seriously. “I think about you three times a day, all morning, all afternoon and all night. I can’t keep my mind on work. I can’t sleep without you. Can I stay?” Fawn looked at him closely and noticed the fatigue in his eyes. She nodded her head.
“You hungry?” she asked. He nodded and she went into the kitchen to heat up left over chicken casserole. He went back to the car, got his suitcase and took his things to her guest room. Then, he headed back to the kitchen.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“I’m not taking anything for granted,” he said, sitting down to eat. “I just want to be with you. No strings. No pressure.”
Fawn watched him wolf down the casserole. When he sat back replete, she spoke. “No pressure, huh,” she said smiling, slightly sarcastic. Trust was hard for Fawn and it didn’t help that Amir had especially smooth moves.
He didn’t smile back, just got up and crowded close to her, so that he was looking down into her eyes. She stood up.
“I love you,” he said, touching her face with one finger. “I have loved you since the very first moment I saw you.”
“So, you saying I had you from hello?” She laughed. Wisecracking covered up her vulnerability when the atmosphere got thick. She wasn’t going to get hoed.
He gave her a long, smoldering look and she felt her heart crack. If he was playing her, at least the unbearable hurt wasn’t going to show on the outside.
He shook his head, slightly. “Don’t joke.” He reached into his pocket. “Not about this. I want to you to marry me.” He pulled out a red velvet box and Fawn backed up against the wall, stunned.
“You mean it?”
He put the ring on her finger and kissed the palm of her hand. She put her arms around his neck and pulled his head down. He stopped right before his lips touched hers.
“So is this yea or nay?”
“Ask me after,” she said.
“After what?” he asked, eyes darkening.
Fawn felt the heat down to her toes. She pushed him into her bedroom and he went without protest, falling back on the bed when his knees touched it. He lay on his back and watched her undress with hooded, desire filled eyes. He groaned once when she pulled off her panties and tossed them onto his sweater clad chest. When she was completely naked she twirled around so he could get the full effect.
“So,” she said striking a hands on the hips, leg cocked cutie pose. “What cha’ think?”
“Outstanding,” he growled. “Even better than I imagined.” He sat up and pulled off his sweater. He stood briefly and shucked off his black jeans and boxer shorts in one smooth move. Fawn caught her breath in admiration. He reached for her hand and drew her to him.
“I like how you get right to the point,” he’d said, taking her face into his hands gently. He kissed her lips, light gossamer touches. She ran her hands over his wide shoulders and felt the muscles tighten and ripple in each place she touched. He deepened the kiss and she ran her hands down his heavily muscled chest past his waist. Her lips parted and his tongue plunged in, plundering and retreating, marauding and caressing until Fawn was dizzy with desire. They both groaned when she cupped him and he reached down and drew her hand away.
“No baby, not yet,” he said. “If you do that, it will be over with a quickness. I don’t want to disappoint.”
She laughed. He tipped her back onto the bed and came down half on top of her. He kissed her lips one last time and the moved to her breasts to suckle. When he came up for air he moaned and said, “Mmmm, tastes like ham hocks and butter beans, my favorite.” He dipped lower, to her navel and licked into it. Fawn moaned her approval.
“Red beans and rice,” he said and moved lower, stroking her hips with his hands. When he touched her with his tongue, she froze in a swoon of kaleidoscope sensation and gripped the sheets in a tight fist to keep from leaping off the bed. She undulated her hips in time with his tongue and arched her back, getting hotter and hotter, biting her lips to keep from screaming her pleasure.
He paused briefly.
“Scream,” he coaxed, “I want to hear you scream.”
And she screamed, until she exploded in heat and light and a thousand sopping wet pieces. Amir slid up her body, took time to put on a condom and slid inside of her with a groan, all before she recovered.
“Peach cobbler for dessert,” said Amir, and she tasted herself on his lips as his hands curled around her hips and plunged deeper and deeper, trying to crawl inside her skin, not moaning, not speaking, just mating with his soul searching for hers. Fawn rose to meet him stroke for stroke until he finally stiffened, transfixed for an eternal moment and plunged so hard that Fawn cried out the pleasure was so intense. He collapsed on top of her, panting and she hugged him close to keep him inside, not even feeling crushed by his weight. When he could speak, he nuzzled her ear and whispered, “I love you.”
“Yea,” she whispered back.
He’d asked her to move to Ohio when she finished school, but Shirley talked her out of that madness.
“You must be nuts,” Shirley had said. “You just got a little security in your life. You got a job and a nice little house. Why can’t he move here?”
Fawn put the question to him and he’d moved without question, just went back to Ohio, loaded up his stuff in a U-haul and moved into Fawn’s house without a look back. Everything had been fine, until Fawn called home one day two weeks ago and a woman answered. Fawn had been so surprised by the sultry voice that she’d hung up the phone. She dialed back quickly and Amir picked up.
“Who was that?” she’d demanded.
“Who was what, baby?” he’d asked, innocence personified.
“The woman who answered our phone,” she said.
“Don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Fawn had hung up a few minutes later wondering if she’d dialed the wrong number. That night, she’d come home to flowers and a massage. As soon as she stepped over the threshold, Amir started with lavender oil and warm strong hands. Discarding shoes, hose, and underpants in one smooth move, he shoved her skirt up to her waist and laid her down on the plush burgundy carpet. He massaged her toes, her arches, her heels and moved up her legs so slowly that she was moaning long before he gave her loves deepest kiss with his tongue and sent her flying over the edge of reason before she had time to catch her breath. He rubbed fragrant lavender beads and soft rose petals over her body and then buried his nose in all of her secret places, moaning his appreciation with every breath.
Later, after a second long bout of breathless lovemaking, while Amir slept, she’d checked the caller ID and sure enough there were two calls back-to-back from her work number.
She twisted her wedding ring with her right hand and came out of her revelry. Tears sprang to her eyes. She blinked them back resolutely. For the rest of the workday, she was distant and uncommunicative with her co-workers.
She left work at the usual time, fortifying herself to kick Amir and his woman out when she got home. She rode the bus, staring sightlessly out of the window, heart aching. When the bus got to her stop, she almost didn’t get off. She thought about letting the bus take her where ever it went. She castigated herself for being a coward, for letting Amir have such a sensual hold over her senses, and squared her shoulders, stepped off the bus and walked the two blocks to her home. The first thing she noticed was that her car was
n’t parked in the usual spot in the driveway and her heart sank. She looked in the garage and found Amir’s beautiful Lexus parked in silent splendor.
She unlocked the door and walked into the house. Amir was sitting on the couch in the living room. He got up when she came in.
“Hey, love,” he said, giving her his, hey baby, smile. He kissed her on the cheek and took her hand. He ran light kisses over each knuckle.
“Hey,” she said and took a deep breath. “Where’s my car?”
He looked at her with concern and asked,” Your hands are freezing. You okay?”
“Amir,” she said, tone brooking no opposition. “Shirley saw some woman driving my car. Where the hell is my car?”
“Right outside, baby,” he said and pointed out the window. Fawn snapped her head around just in time to see a Gold Lexus with a giant red bow tied to the top glide into the driveway. A woman got out of the car and smiled, posing by the car as Amir led a dumbfounded Fawn back outside.
“Kelsey,” he said, when they’d stopped just in front of the lovely woman, who beamed back at them like she had the secrets to life. “This is my wife, Fawn. Fawn, this is Kelsey, from the Lexus dealership. The lady who answered our phone that day you called. She was also the woman that drove your car. She dropped me off back at home, took yours back in trade and is now dropping off your new car.” A second Lexus pulled up behind the one in the driveway.
“Pleased to meet you,” said Kelsey, beaming. She shook Fawn’s cold hand and handed her the keys.
“Congratulations. Enjoy!” She bopped off to the second car with a jaunty wave, got in and the car sped off, leaving Amir and Fawn in the driveway a thousand miles separating their understanding.
“What-,” Fawn choked, and then cleared her throat. “What is going on?”
“Graduation present, baby. I had to special order it, and there was a mix up, which is why Kelsey came by the house that day, to deliver the right papers. I thought I was busted for sure when she answered the phone. But you never mentioned it afterwards so I didn’t know you were still worried about it.”
Mocha Chocolate: Taste A Piece of Ecstasy Page 5