by Honey
“That must’ve been so embarrassing for you. I’m sorry, Mama. If Tyler had found that shoe, Royce Dominique would’ve had a lot of explaining to do. Can you imagine how confused my child would’ve been? My goodness! What was Royce thinking?”
“Like the young folks say, she was getting her freak on. I told her to be careful. I don’t want her messing around while my grandson is in the house. She promised me she wouldn’t. That’s enough about your sister’s sex life. I called to tell you about Alberta Dunbar who lives down the street. Can you believe she’s about to get married to her fifth husband at the age of sixty-six? She met some retired middle school principal on a cruise ship. I tell you the truth. . . .”
Zora’s mind abandoned the video call, but her mother was none the wiser. While Mrs. Phillips was giving her the scoop on Alberta Dunbar’s pending nuptials, she was seething about Royce carrying on like a sleazy tramp with Father Gregory. Zora knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was the man who had been in her sister’s bed the morning her parents had driven Tyler back to Atlanta. She was in love with the priest, and she believed he loved her. Zora closed her eyes and exhaled. She wanted Royce to come to her senses before it was too late. She was playing with fire, and she was going to get burned. The only person who could get Royce to realize how huge a mistake she was making was their mother. But Zora didn’t have the heart to tell her that her baby girl was sleeping with the priest. Such news would cause the poor woman to have a heart attack. Zora would have to come up with some kind of plan to save Royce from herself.
* * *
“I have to go home to Chicago next month for my baby sister’s wedding, and I’d like you to make the trip with me. I know it’s short notice, but she and her boyfriend just decided to get married out of the blue. His army unit is about to be deployed.”
Royce rolled over onto her side in the bed, wishing that Father Gregory was lying beside her. “What will your family think about you bringing a woman home?”
“Of course, I won’t be able to introduce you to anyone. I just want you to go with me so I can show you around the city. We’ll have lots of quality time together in our hotel room, too. It’ll be our first romantic getaway.”
“I’ll go with you,” Royce told him, although she didn’t like the idea entirely. It pricked her heart that he would never be able to introduce her to his family as the love of his life.
“Great. The wedding is scheduled for Saturday, May the twentieth. But I’d like for us to fly out on the Thursday before. I won’t let my folks know I’m in town until Friday evening. It will give us time to hang out and enjoy one another before I have to leave you to celebrate with my family. It’s not a perfect setup, but it’s the best I can do, baby.”
No, it’s not perfect. It sucks! I’m your woman, not your closet whore! Royce swallowed those words, but it had taken great restraint to keep her emotions inside. “I understand. We’ll have fun. I’ll leave Tyler with Glenda Tennyson. Rico will love having him crash at his house for a few days.”
“Then it’s settled. I’ll book two first-class tickets to Chicago in the morning. I believe an executive suite at the Four Seasons will be perfect for us. I’m looking forward to giving you a tour of my hometown. I’ll take you to my favorite pizzeria, my high school, and the Sears Tower. We’ll even visit my father’s grave. I haven’t been there in years. I was so young when he passed away. I can’t remember very much about him. If we have time, we may go and take pictures of the president’s home in Hyde Park.”
Royce was amused by Father Gregory’s childlike excitement. “I haven’t visited Chicago in a very long time. This trip will be special because I’m going there with you.”
After a few more minutes of chatting about their travel plans, Royce ended the call. She stared around her dark and empty room. A woman in love wasn’t supposed to be lonely. Then again, she wasn’t supposed to be in love with a priest either.
* * *
“Tell me about your upcoming trip to Chicago.” Andra took a sip from her wineglass.
“I’m going there to check out a new fitness facility and meet with the owners. It’s supposed to be one of the most modern centers in the country. They have all of the latest equipment and monitoring machinery. I want to get some ideas so I can upgrade both of Royalty’s locations.”
“What’s the name of the facility? I want to look it up online.”
“Um . . . um, I can’t remember the name. It’s a really weird name.”
“So, how did you hear about the place?”
“One of my vendors told me about it a few weeks ago.”
“Hey, I should go with you. I love Chicago.”
“Nooo!” Royce responded louder than she’d intended to. She glanced around and noticed several nearby diners in the popular Buckhead bistro staring at her. She lowered her voice. “It’s just that I’ll be too busy to hang out with you. I’m going there to work, sweetie. I’ll be in and out of meetings all day, pricing equipment, and observing the way the staff operates. You’ll be bored to death.”
Andra stared at Royce with what appeared to be suspicious eyes, making her feel very uncomfortable. All of the lying and sneaking around she’d been doing recently was causing her to sink deeper into a pool of guilt. She was constantly being dishonest to Tyler and her parents. And she hadn’t spoken to Zora since their conversation about her affair with Father Gregory. Royce desperately needed a break from her regular routine of secret rendezvous and calculated lies. The trip to Chicago would give her and Father Gregory the time, freedom, and space to behave like a normal couple without the burden of discretion, until he would have to leave her to be with his family. Even so, she was still counting down the days.
* * *
“I made an eight o’clock reservation for us at Alinea. It’s one of Chicago’s premier restaurants. I hope you don’t mind.” Father Gregory caressed Royce’s thigh tenderly.
“Chi-town is your city. I don’t have a problem following your lead.”
Father Gregory turned to admire the beauty of the sky from his window seat on the plane. The soft blue hue scattered with pure white, cottony clouds, illuminated by a brilliant sun, were the magnificent creations of God’s handiwork. And the gorgeous woman sitting next to him was the most stunning creature the Almighty had breathed life into. “The weather is supposed to be nice the entire weekend,” he announced after a moment or two. “Rhonda is happy about that. She said it would be a sign of bad luck if it were to rain on her wedding day.”
“What time is the ceremony Saturday?”
“It’ll start at five o’clock sharp. My mother and Max are strict about time. And because they’re footing the bill for the small ceremony, they are holding Mrs. Pollard, the coordinator, to task. I expect the wedding to be short and sweet, followed by a small, intimate reception with just our family and closest friends.”
Royce shifted in her seat and turned her head in the opposite direction. Father Gregory picked up on her stiff and defensive body language right away. She was closer to him than anyone else in the world, including his parents, yet she wouldn’t be allowed to attend Rhonda’s wedding. She couldn’t be there. Their complex circumstances wouldn’t allow it.
“How long will I be stuck in the hotel room alone with nothing to do, Nicholas?” she asked in an emotionless voice.
“I’ll hang around at the reception long enough to eat and to greet the people I haven’t seen in a long time. I’m the bride’s big brother. Heck, I’m her only brother. It’s a standing tradition that I dance with her at least once. After that, I’ll fake a headache or tell everyone I’m tired. I promise I’ll be back in time to take you out on the town.”
Chapter Thirty-four
“Something fishy is going on, Andra. And I believe you know all about it. I can feel it deep down in my bones. Tell me what you know about Royce’s new man.”
The younger cousin released a breath and counted to ten. Zora had always been bossy, judgmental, and meddleso
me as far back as she could remember. It was really time for her to get a life so she could stop trying to control Royce’s.
Andra was not a fool. She knew Royce was involved in a secret affair with some mystery man. She had picked up on the warning signs weeks ago. But Royce was a grown-ass, independent woman. She had a right to sleep with whomever she wanted to. And it wasn’t Zora’s business. If Royce was on a lovers’ getaway to Chi-town with a man, it was perfectly all right with Andra.
“I don’t have time to play private eye and snoop around in Royce’s personal life,” Andra finally said. “She’s an intelligent, successful woman. She works hard, Zora. I think she has the right to play just as hard. Anyway, I have to run now, cuz. Like Royce, I’m a single lady. I’m on the prowl for a good man who’s willing to put a ring on it. The nightclub is calling me. I’ll talk to you later.”
Andra hung up the phone before Zora had an opportunity to go into one of her infamous rants. She didn’t have the time or patience to listen to all of her screaming and outrageous accusations this evening. Happy hour had just begun at Masai’s on Peachtree, and Andra’s girlfriends were waiting for her to join them at the bar.
After applying one last coat of copper lipstick and a couple of strokes of mascara to her eyelashes, she was satisfied with her appearance. “It’s show time, baby. Brothers, beware.”
Andra left her studio apartment prepared to mingle, but she filed a brain note to warn Royce as soon as she returned to Atlanta that Zora was up to her nosy-Rosie routine and had attempted to solicit her help in her scheme.
* * *
“The food was amazing, and the ambience was incredible. Thanks for a lovely evening.” Royce pecked Father Gregory on the cheek as they walked hand in hand through the swanky downtown Chicago restaurant.
“Nicholas? Nicholas Gregory, is that you?”
They stopped in midstride and turned toward the booming voice. Royce became nervous as the heavyset man with a wild beard and mustache made steps in their direction. She could tell that Father Gregory was a bit uneasy. He rubbed the back of her hand with the pad of his thumb.
“It’s me, Shadow Henderson. We were altar boys together back in elementary school at Covenant Life Cathedral. I was the chunky kid who always had licorice sticks stuffed in his pockets. And you were going to be a priest and serve the Catholic Church for the rest of your life.” The man’s grayish brown eyes inspected every inch of Royce’s body. He smiled at his childhood friend. “I see you changed your mind. I never understood why you wanted to punish yourself with such a boring life. I’m glad to see you turned out to be smarter than you looked.”
Father Gregory blinked his eyes a few times as if he were recovering from a wicked spell. He extended his free hand to Mr. Henderson. “It was good to see you again after so many years. Take care.” He walked away, pulling Royce along with him.
“Are you okay? I’m sure that was very awkward for you.”
“I’m fine.”
It was not true. He wasn’t fine. It was obvious to Royce. The whole scene had unfolded like the most frightening horror movie. A fellow altar boy from his past had misjudged his life in only a matter of seconds, and he’d been too embarrassed and flustered to correct him about it.
“I don’t feel like going for a walk downtown. Let’s turn in early tonight. We’ll have all day tomorrow to hang out,” Royce reminded him.
* * *
There were over ten cars parked in the driveway and along the street in front of the two-story brick house. Father Gregory immediately reflected on the many fun-filled memories of hanging out with his older sister, Michelle, Rhonda, and all of their friends. Their house had once been the spot to be because his mother was always there cooking and watching over them while Max was at work. Most of their friends had been products of families wherein both parents were employed or the children of single, working mothers.
Father Gregory got out of his rental car, slamming the door behind him. He thought about Royce on his trudge up the walkway. She should’ve fallen asleep by now after an afternoon of extensive sightseeing. Right after breakfast, they’d visited and laid flowers on the grave of Edward York, Father Gregory’s biological dad. Their next stop was the DuSable Museum of African American History and then on to the Chicago Riverwalk, where they’d eaten lunch at a quaint café. Royce had refused to return to the hotel for a room-service dinner without first doing a little bit of shopping at the Water Tower Place.
The sounds of animated voices talking and laughing floated through the front door. Father Gregory rang the doorbell, excited about seeing his parents, sisters, and the rest of the family. Judging by the extra cars, he was expecting to see some of their old friends as well. The door swung open.
“Get on in here, son.”
A pair of strong arms grabbed him and pulled him into a warm embrace. The familiar scents of pipe tobacco and top-shelf brandy surrounded him. Father Gregory relaxed in Max’s arms and pulled his stocky body close.
“You look good, Pops,” he said, taking a step back. “I see you’re celebrating early.”
“My baby girl is leaving me. I’m not celebrating, Nick. I’m trying to drown my sorrows.” He released a hearty laugh from his protruding stomach.
“Nick, is that you, baby?”
Father Gregory’s mother pushed through the crowd until they stood face-to-face. She threw her short arms around him and reached up high to kiss his cheek. “Come on in, baby. Everybody was waiting for you to get here so you could offer the blessing over the food.” Lillian Gregory turned around and sashayed her petite frame down the hallway. “It’s a shame you’re staying in a hotel like a complete stranger,” she threw over her shoulder to her son. “I got your room ready, but you have the gall to be spending your money on a fancy hotel room. Shame on you.”
“I figured other relatives might’ve claimed my old room before I got here. I didn’t want to be a bother.”
Michelle and Rhonda, the bride-to-be, ran from the den and yanked their brother into a group hug. They started laughing and talking over each other exactly the way they used to do when they were little girls. Relative after relative came forth to greet Father Gregory soon afterward. He eventually ended up in the dining room, standing before a table covered with scrumptious-smelling, good-looking food.
He folded his hands in front of him. “Let us bow our heads and close our eyes for the grace.”
* * *
“You’re back early.” Royce sat up in bed and turned on the lamp on the nightstand.
“I missed you.”
“How is the family?”
“My parents look great. Mama is just as stubborn and feisty as ever, and Max is having a hard time letting Rhonda go. Although he never treated Michelle and me any different, I always believed he loved Rhonda more because she’s his biological child.”
“Is that for me?” Royce asked, pointing to the saucer covered with aluminum foil in his hand.
“Yes. I brought you a piece of my Aunt Zelda’s award-winning double-chocolate cake.”
“Thank you, sweetheart. That was very thoughtful of you. We’ll share it tomorrow. Tonight the only thing I want is you.”
Father Gregory stripped bare in record time and joined Royce in bed. Running into Shadow Henderson the night before had dampened their romantic mood, so there had been no intimacy. Their last lovemaking session had been two weeks ago, on a night when they could no longer control themselves. The senior priest, in his horny state, had left the parsonage in the middle of the night out of sheer desperation. Luckily, Tyler had turned in early, exhausted after track practice. The secret lovers had wasted no time satisfying each other from midnight until the break of dawn. If the walls in Royce’s all-white living room could talk, they would’ve had an erotic story to tell. Soon, the same could be said of their executive suite at Chicago’s Four Seasons.
Their kisses were hot and urgent as if two years had passed instead of two weeks. Crazed and in need, Father Gregory fl
ipped Royce over onto her back with more force than necessary. In his condition, his strength had obviously increased unbeknownst to him. Royce took pleasure in his roughness and aggression. She met his feverish kisses with intensity. She relished the feel of his hands all over her body, kneading her flesh, setting it on lustful fire.
Royce tore her lips away from his and spread her legs wide. “Now, Nicholas, right now.”
Father Gregory lifted her legs higher and rested the backs of her knees on his broad shoulders. His rigid penis entered her drenched vagina with ease. Royce tightened her inner muscles around his rock-solid dick and watched his eyeballs roll to the back of his head. Pump for pump and thrust for thrust, they gave to and received from each other at an urgent, quick pace. Streams of sweat dripped from Father Gregory’s face as he pushed deeper and more vigorously inside of Royce. She hummed and lifted her hips, bucking in orchestration to his steady rhythmic motions. Royce reached around and gripped his butt with both hands, pulling him closer to that spot within that would blast her into orbit.
“Right there, keep it right there, baby. That’s it. That’s it,” she encouraged. And then the rapturous sensations seized her entire body. “Mmm . . . mmm, Nicholas!”
Her climax undoubtedly triggered his. Royce felt the explosive release of warm semen swooshing inside of her walls. Father Gregory trembled and groaned from his soul moments before he collapsed fully onto her perspiration-covered body. He rolled over onto his back slowly with Royce in his arms. She rested her head on his chest and inhaled the potent scent of sweet sex wafting in the air. Her eyelids became droopy, and her body was sated, causing sleep to come quickly.
Chapter Thirty-five
“Let me help you with that.” Royce reached up and secured a perfect knot in Father Gregory’s blue and red paisley-print tie.
He turned away to examine the results in the mirror. “Not bad. Who taught you how to tie a men’s necktie?”