Don't Even Go There

by Brenda Hampton

  “Yes,” I said, already seeing Steven’s number.

  “Get in your car and drive down the street. Make a left, and at the first street, make a right. I’ll be parked on the corner.”

  I didn’t bother to tell anyone I was leaving. I walked to my car, and followed the directions that Steven had given to me. He was leaned against his black BMW, wearing his shades and looking dynamite as ever. His khaki shorts revealed the muscles in his toned calves, and the dark purple polo was perfect against his cocoa skin.

  I parked in front of his car, then got out to talk.

  “What’s up?” I asked, standing in front of him, squinting my eyes from the bright sun.

  “You miss me yet?”

  “No, not really. I don’t like your attitude, and the more I think about how you have everything you need, and I don’t, it bothers me.”

  He sighed. “Everything like what? What is it that you want?”

  “I want respect, and don’t you ever compare me to your wife. If you think she is so much better than me, then don’t run your ass to me again. In addition to respect, I want sex at least three times a week, no excuses. If you can do better than that, you won’t hear me complaining. Pertaining to money, my pockets are getting tired of being empty. They shouldn’t have to be, especially if I’m giving myself to a man like you. This has nothing to do with you being my sugar daddy; it’s all about you giving a little to get a lot in return. Fair is fair, wouldn’t you agree?”

  Steven held out his hands. “The sex is no problem, and as far as Liz is concerned, I will keep her name out of my mouth. The money, I’m not sure what you want, and you need to be a bit more specific.”

  “I need some spending money, Steven. What can you do or give to a woman who gives you so much? I deserve something, don’t I?”

  Steven stood looking at me for a moment, then reached into his pocket to retrieve his wallet. “I want to see you tonight,” he said, then gave me a credit card. “There’s a hundred-thousand-dollar credit limit on that card, and all that I ask is that you not max it out.”

  That put a tiny smile on my face. It was good to know that we were progressing in a way that was beneficial to us both. I took the card, holding it in my hand. “Where would you like to meet tonight?”

  “The usual.”

  “No, I’m not feeling that.”

  “Then where?”

  “At your house. Let’s meet at your house.”

  He removed his glasses. “What? You know we can’t go to my house.”

  “Steven, you can do anything that you want to do. I’m sick of meeting you at hotels, and I don’t want you to come to my place. I need a change of atmosphere. I’m getting bored with the regulars.”

  “Well, we can’t meet at my house tonight.”

  “What about next week, or the week after? Liz is going out of town the week after next, isn’t she?”

  “Yes, but I’m supposed to go with her.”

  “Then don’t go.”

  He shrugged. “Maybe. But what about tonight?”

  “I can’t do tonight. The earliest I can do is Monday morning. I’ll call in sick, and while Liz is at work, I can come to your house. What about that?”

  Steven hesitated and sucked his teeth. “I feel what you’re doing. You know you’re putting me on the spot. If I say no, sex between us ain’t happening any time soon, is it?”

  “I’m afraid not. I told you a long time ago that I was a risk taker, and I’m in one of those places where I feel as if I need to start taking a bigger risk. You’ve struck me as being a big risk taker too. Starting your business from scratch, I’m sure you took plenty of risk. I really don’t see what the big deal is.”

  “I’m a risk taker, but that’s a big…huge risk. I’ll let you know what I decide tomorrow night.”

  “Make sure you let me know ahead of time. Since we haven’t been together in weeks, I promise to make it worth it.”

  “I’m sure you will,” he said, watching me as I walked back to my car. I sped off, and since Veronica had driven to the park, I sent her a text, telling her something came up. I asked if she would take Lance home. Truth was, I had some major shopping to do, and couldn’t wait to get myself a new bedroom set.

  When Sunday night came, I waited for my call from Steven and got it. I couldn’t believe the power of pussy, but, then again, yes, I could. Steven told me to come to his house at nine o’clock in the morning and he gave me directions. I assured him that I would be there, and left a message on Liz’s phone to tell her I wasn’t going to make it in tomorrow.

  Morning was here before I knew it. I really hadn’t gotten much sleep, thinking about my adventurous day. By 8:55 A.M., I was parked down the street from his house and had knocked on his door. Steven was in his robe, smelling good as ever. He had the phone pressed up to his ear, but grabbed my waist and pulled me inside. We stood in the foyer, and as he kept saying, “Uh-huh, yes,” to the person on the other end, he playfully pecked down my neck. He squeezed my waist, pulling me into him and smiling his butt off. I was all smiles too, and as the person on the phone went on and on, I inched him back to the plush steps. I untied his robe, and he lay back on his elbows. Lowering myself, I gave him pleasure and sucked his goods while he remained on the phone. He could barely utter a word, and after rushing to tell the person he’d call them right back, he let the phone fall from his hands. It tumbled down the steps, landing in the foyer. I quickly brought Steven to an eruption, then crawled up a few more steps to straddle his face. I wore a very short skirt, but had on no panties. My wet slit touched his lips and when his tongue dipped into me, I was trembling all over. His performance was so good, and he held on to my thighs to keep me in place.

  “I told you you’d enjoy this, didn’t I?” I said. “I sure in the hell am, and I can’t wait to get to your bedroom.”

  Steven worked me, and the oral sex exchange on the steps was just the beginning. We traveled from there to his bedroom, and then to the shower. We took a break around noon to get something to eat, and then ended our last session in his office in the basement. I was 110 percent satisfied, and as four o’clock rolled around, I finally put on my clothes to go.

  “Are you happy now?” he said, standing by the front door with his hand on the knob.

  “Maybe. Today, you showed me that you got game and guts. I like that.”

  “Not as much game as you, but I’m a big boy, and trust me, I can handle it.”

  I had no doubt that Steven could. I kissed him one last time before leaving, and he smacked my ass on the way out.

  Things were back to normal, at least pertaining to Steven and me. I was glad to be back on track with him, but I was so disappointed with what had been going on at work. Liz had rescheduled her trip, pushing it back an additional three weeks. That was fine with me, but that meant I wouldn’t be able to spend any time with Steven in their house. Liz was acting so cold toward everyone in the office, and since her coldness was not just directed at me, I didn’t take it personally.

  Mr. Aimes had come in a few times to talk to her, and whenever he left, she was in a tizzy. I figured he was on her again about sales, but maybe she should have been a bit more focused on her job. Liz had gone off on Claudette so badly the other day, she sent Claudette’s ol’ sensitive self to the bathroom in tears. Liz’s type of going off was just her raising her voice, or her correcting you when you were wrong. Claudette had lied about mailing some invoices, and the customers didn’t get them on time. Liz looked through her desk after work one day, and found the invoices tucked at the side of Claudette’s computer. She looked so stupid when Liz told her she’d found them, and all that idiot could do was cry. Whenever Liz got after me like that, I challenged her back. I rarely made mistakes, but lately my mind was a bit preoccupied. I was making more mistakes than usual, and you’d better believe that Liz caught every little thing. She brought it to my attention, and sighed when I came up with an excuse about why it happened.

  “I
probably got interrupted by my phone, but I am human and I will make some mistakes.”

  “Don’t let it happen again,” she spat, then went into her office and closed the door.

  I reminded myself to ask Steven if he knew what was up with her, and when I finally told him about her attitude at work, he simply said that she was frustrated with her job.

  “She’s had a lot going on, Chase, so don’t take her actions personally. She is perfectly fine at home, and if anything changes, I’ll be sure to give you a heads-up.”

  I thanked Steven and ended the call. I figured Liz hadn’t known anything either, as she had proven herself to be the kind of person who would quickly call you on your shit. I wasn’t too worried about that, but I was concerned about my job. Steven had set up an interview for me with a friend at his office, working as his secretary. He wanted me to get away from Liz as quickly as possible, and said that it would put less strain on what was going on behind closed doors. He could tell that I was bitter when it came to her. Even though I used to like Liz a lot, I had changed my mind. Not only because of her husband, but because she was really fake. She had been smiling in our faces for months, but deep down, she couldn’t stand any of us. I thought Claudette was her favorite, but as it turned out, the only person Liz was okay with was Veronica. Why? Because she stayed out of Liz’s way, and the one thing I liked about Veronica was, she never, ever tried to kiss Liz’s ass. I liked how Veronica backed off when Liz tried to jump into her personal business about Tony, and ever since then, Liz hadn’t said one word to Veronica about that night at the Christmas party.

  We were busy as ever, and as I was trying to do my work, I heard Claudette whispering on the phone to someone. I figured it was that nappy-head fool she had brought to the picnic with her, and when I heard her say his name, it confirmed I was right. She was giggling a lot, and the last time I checked, Liz had deadlines for all of us. I hadn’t heard Claudette’s fingers typing on those invoices all day, but Veronica was behind me doing her thing. Now, she may have been a snacker, and I would hear bags of chips and other snacks crackling all day. She was always tossing something over my cubicle for me to eat, and she was known for downing a lot of sodas. That’s where most of her weight came from, and since I’d been hanging with Veronica, I had picked up a pound…maybe two. I at least had her working out with me on some mornings, and, before coming to work, I’d tell her to meet me at the gym. She met me one or two days a week, but everybody had to start somewhere.

  As I continued to type Liz’s letter, Claudette’s giggling and whispers were becoming annoying. Veronica had already emailed me, asking if Claudette was up there doing any work. I responded, “Hell no,” and Veronica was livid. Since she and Claudette did the same kind of work, the burden would fall on her. Veronica got out of her seat, and stood in front of Claudette’s cubicle.

  “Excuse me,” Veronica said, interrupting Claudette’s phone call. “Uh, we have less than three hours to get this work done. Those papers on my desk have not moved, and I’m not going to sit here and do all of this by myself, especially while you’re up here on the phone. You’ve been on it for at least an hour. I wish you would save the conversation with your man for later.”

  “Hold on, snookums,” Claudette said into the phone. Without even looking over my cubicle, I knew her neck was rolling off her shoulders. “Excuse me, but I have only been on the phone for ten minutes. Don’t be coming over here trying to tell me what to do. I’ll get those papers off your desk as soon as I get off the phone.”

  “You have not been on the phone for ten minutes. There are people around here who will vouch for me, especially if I have to go tell Liz about this. If she asks why those invoices aren’t done, you’d better believe that when she comes out of her office, I plan to tell her.”

  Claudette finally told trick daddy to call her back. She stood up to confront Veronica. I had to give it to the chick, she really had guts. Veronica was a pretty big girl, and one blow from her would send Claudette flying backward. “I don’t give a care who you get to vouch for you. I assume it will be your playmate, Chase, and who gives a darn what she thinks? She’ll side with you anyway, and if you want to go tell Liz on me like a little whiny child, then go ahead and do it. I’m shaking in my seat. I’m so, so scared.”

  I was doing my best not to intervene, but why did my name have to come out of her mouth? She knew we weren’t on good terms already, and if she wanted to play the bully, then she deserved to get confronted. I stood, looking into her cubicle. “Please keep my name out of your mouth. This issue is between you and Veronica. I have nothing to do with it.”

  She rolled her eyes and threw her hand back at me. “Shut up and sit down. I’ll say what I want to, slut, and you’re not going to do a darn thing about it.”

  “No, I’m not. Only because you’re not worth my time, Claudette. You’re still bitter because I had sweatdripping sex with your man, and you really need to get over it.”

  I sat in my chair, but she kept at it. She looked over at me this time, as her situation with Veronica was no longer an issue. “That’s what trashy women do, Chase. They sleep with other people’s men, because they can’t find one of their own. Too bad Korey fell for it, but he’s a whore just like you, so it really doesn’t matter.”

  “Don’t cry about it,” I said, noticing her get all worked up. I was so done with Korey, but I wanted to infuriate her even more. “And when you get done calling me names and suggesting that I’m such a whore, you know what, you’re right. That’s why I’m still having sex with Korey, and that freaky stuff you wouldn’t allow him to do, he does with me. He asked how you were doing the other day, and I told him you were still the ol’, big-lip, bitter bitch he left standing at the fantasy wedding looking stupid.”

  Her face was turning red and her voice was getting louder. “Oh, you don’t—”

  Liz’s door flew open, and she stood with her hand on her hip. “Please do not tell me that the two of you are at it again. Into my office,” she ordered. “Now!”

  Claudette walked with a mean mug on her face, but I was calm as ever. Veronica looked a bit upset too, and she came in behind me, just so she could tell Liz how all of this got started. I hated to act like a kindergartner, but Claudette made me go there. She and I took a seat, but Veronica stood by the door.

  Liz took off her glasses and laid them on her desk. “I can’t believe the two of you are still going at it over a man. What is up with this? Is he worth the two of you losing your jobs?”

  Before I could tell Miss Liz that she was wrong again, Veronica chimed in and told her what had happened. Claudette defended herself, but Liz stopped her. She pointed to the green lights on her phone.

  “You see these buttons right here?” she said. “When they are lit up, I can see exactly who is on the phone and for how long. Claudette, your phone has been lit up three or four times today, for too, too long. I told all of you that I needed to get these invoices out of here, and my letters needed to be typed and mailed today. The files in my office are backing up, and all you ladies can do is sit out there and argue with each other. Are we back in kindergarten or something? I thought you all were grown women. I can’t tell you all how disappointed I am.”

  “I apologize, Liz,” I said. “And I’ve done my best to stay out of Claudette’s way. There is only so much a person can take, and I can’t accept being at work and being called bitch and ho. I have never attacked Claudette in such a way, and she knows it. I have always tried to conduct myself with professionalism in here, but it is difficult working with someone like Claudette who doesn’t have the same work ethic.”

  Claudette’s mouth was open. I reached over and lifted her chin to close it. She smacked my hand, calling me a stupid bitch. Plan B went into action. What do you do to a woman who continues to disrespect you at work? You slap the shit out of her. That’s what I did, and it was something I had wanted to do for a long, long time. Liz jumped up from her seat, but before she made it around he
r desk to get between us, Claudette pushed my chest.

  “Don’t put your hands on me, heifer,” she yelled.

  “Stop it!” Liz hollered, standing between us. Veronica had one of my arms, but I was in no way going to hit Claudette again. I got the smack that I wanted, and quite frankly, I enjoyed seeing my handprint on her face.

  “Pack your things,” Liz ordered. “And both of you get out. You’re fired! I’m not going to do this. I will get some of the other women from the other departments to assist me.”

  I had already figured that something like this would happen, so I wasn’t going to sit there and defend my situation to Liz. I left her office, and started gathering my things to go. Veronica offered to help, but I declined her offer. I told her we would talk later, and thirty minutes later, I was out the door. Claudette had left before I did and that was a good thing.

  On my drive home, my cell phone started to ring. I looked to see who it was. It was Steven.

  “Hello,” I said sharply.

  “Please tell me that what Liz just called and told me was a lie. I know you didn’t go out like that at work, did you?”

  “I’m not sure what Liz told you, and I’m sure she made me look like a villain. Claudette went too far today, and I basically let her have it.”

  “As calm and collected as you are when we’re together, I can’t even see you doing anything like that. The interview is still set up for you with my friend, but I can’t guarantee that you’ll get the job.”

  “I’ll give it my all in the interview. Hopefully, your friend will feel I’m qualified and hire me. If not, I’ll look somewhere else. I’m not going to stress myself out about it. As you said before, this may all turn out for the best anyway.”

  “I agree, but I don’t like that you got fired. I’ll check back with you later, and if that particular opportunity doesn’t work out, I have a few other connections. I’ll see what else I can do.”

  I hung up. It was good to know that Steven had my back. It wasn’t like I could take weeks and weeks off without pay, but I at least had his credit card to help with my wants and needs.