Wednesday at Noon

by Teneka Woods

  Candace rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean. I seriously believe you knew you were going to go there with him all along, and you were playing hard-to-get just because.”

  “That’s not true,” Tora said. Then she sighed. “It was just getting harder for me to ignore the way I felt when I was with him.”

  “Mmm-hmm… I told you so. Now imagine if you didn’t snatch him up and he moved on to another chick? You would’ve been the friend watching that beautiful man from the sidelines loving someone else.”

  Tora shook her head. “I don’t even want to think about it.”

  * * *

  She let herself into the apartment with the key he’d hidden underneath a bush near his front door. He sent a text message earlier to say he wanted her there when he came in from work, butt naked and waiting in his bed.

  “Good girl,” he smiled when he found her lounging nude in his queen-sized bed. “I was counting down the hours at work because I couldn’t wait to be here with you.”

  “You and me both,” she smiled back.

  He took off his T-shirt and pants and crawled in beside her. “I’ve been thinking about this all day,” he said, and covered her mouth with his in a slow, passion-filled kiss.

  She loved how he kissed in slow motion, his mouth lingering on hers as if he intended to leave a light visible imprint. His tongue teased her lips around the edges, soft and feather-like, and slid in and out of her mouth. He cupped a breast in his hand, gently twisted the nipple between his fingers. Tora leaned into him when he released her breast and his hand traveled down her torso to her legs and parted her thighs. Chill bumps rose on her skin as he gripped the hair, tugging lightly at the most sensitive area, and Tora felt all of her nerves rush towards his touch.

  Nate’s tongue was still in her mouth when he began his four-one rhythm down below. Slowly and tenderly his finger caressed her clit in a circular motion before dipping in the warm center. One-two-three-four-one. One-two-three-four-one.

  Tora spread her legs wider as the minutes passed and Nate wasn’t stopping. She wound her hips in the motion of his hand and thrust forward as a finger pushed inside her. One-two-three-four-one. One-two-three-four-one.

  She buried her face in his neck, panting softly as the heat intensified. The more he rubbed, the wetter she became, and it wasn’t long before he slipped all four fingers inside. His palm brushed her clit as he went faster and deeper. Tora squeezed her eyes shut, the tempo vibrating her whole body. Electric-like currents zipped up her spine, curling her toes from the sensation. She had never experienced anything like it, and she lay there spread-eagled—her nipples taut, her skin hot and cold at the same time—as Nate proved what his hands were capable of.

  When the heat rose from the bottom and the wave rushed to her center, she turned her face into Nate’s shoulder and screamed.

  “Mmm,” he breathed, and kissed the side of her face.

  Her heartbeat thudded in her ears as she lay there, breathless.

  Tora eased her legs closed, but Nate guided them back open.

  He wasn’t done.

  She looked up at him and he dipped his head to kiss her lips. Then she felt those magical fingers on her again. He was in her hair, caressing and pulling as gingerly as he did before. How soothing, those hands, the way they stroked her back to calm. He rolled over on top of her and kissed her again. Her lips, her cheek, her neck.

  He started to move.

  Still in his boxer briefs, Tora felt the solidness of his penis as he glided back and forth. She was a slippery slope down there, her clitoris swollen and tender, but that didn’t stop her from wrapping her legs around his waist, encouraging him to keep going.

  It hurt so good.

  Nate filled her mouth with his tongue again, cradled her head between his hands, and rocked her until she reached another soul-shaking, heart-pounding climax.

  THIRTY-FIVE

  He sat at the end of the conference table in the back of the room. His supervisor, Luis Morales, was giving a presentation, but Nate wasn’t paying attention. It was their mandatory quarterly meeting that all of the trainers had to attend, whether or not they were scheduled to work that day. The objective was the same: how to bring on new clients, how to retain the ones they have, and to always remember to mention their supplements. Nate never suggested supplements to his clients. He didn’t believe in their use and preferred to do things the natural way. As usual, Luis was standing at the front of the room reading straight from his PowerPoint slides as if they couldn’t read the bullet points for themselves. Nate always thought it strange how Luis was such a lively personality in one-on-one conversations, but a total bore when it came to these meetings. He wished Luis would just send the entire presentation to them via email so they could review it on their own time.

  Nate wasn’t concerned about the meeting notes because he was busy texting Tora with his phone hidden beneath the table.

  Will you be there again tonight? I need more of you.

  She replied back, Probably not. I don’t wanna spoil you. I must ration it out.

  Nate crooked his elbow and coughed into it to hide his laugh. He texted back, Too late. I’m already spoiled. I’m sitting here in a meeting but all I can think about is you. I wish I didn’t wash my hands.

  You’re so nasty.

  You haven’t seen nasty yet.

  I’m still thinking about last night too. No one has ever made me cum while still wearing his clothes.

  Nate looked up and towards the front of the room. He nodded his head in agreement as if he was listening to Luis. He replied back to Tora, Next time there won’t be anything between us. And I’m gonna show you what my tongue can do.

  He put his phone away because he was getting hot, his body stiffening at the thought of tasting Tora, hearing her sweet whimper as he took her to ecstasy.

  Leticia was warming up by doing some brisk walking on the treadmill when he emerged from the conference room.

  “I hope you wasn’t waiting too long,” he said. “I thought the meeting would never end.”

  She shook her head no. “It wasn’t too long. I’ve only been here twenty minutes or so.”

  Nate noticed Leticia was sporting a new hairdo—one of those old-school French rolls in the back, and a cascade of Shirley Temple curls framing her face in the front. “I like your hair,” he said. “Looks like Ms. Leticia’s going on a date tonight,” he teased.

  She grinned coyly, patting the back of her head. “As a matter of fact I am.”

  “Really?” Nate laughed. “That’s all right, Ms. Leticia. Do your thing.”

  “You won’t believe where I met him,” she said. “At the doctor’s office when I went to get my check-up.”

  “What?” Nate said in surprise.

  “Yeah, he was there for a check-up, too. We started talking about our issues to each other, and before we knew it, we were laughing so much the other people in the waiting room were looking at us crazy. He asked for my phone number and I told him I didn’t have time for anything like that because I’m focused on raising my son. But do you know that fool was waiting in the lobby for me after my appointment?”

  “For real?” Nate said. “He was determined.”

  “A whole hour later,” Leticia said. “He told me he had no intentions of taking me away from my son, that he would love to meet him, but he hoped I would join him for a cup of coffee and a couple hours of conversation.”

  “And you couldn’t refuse?” Nate smiled, thinking of how even the middle-aged man had to work hard for a date.

  “So that’s what I wanted to tell you. We have to take it easy today because I don’t want to ruin my curls.”

  Nate laughed again. “I gotcha, Ms. Leticia. I promise I won’t work you too hard. We will do some core and lower body training. How about that?”

  “Alright. Sounds good.”

  He led her to a private corner in the weights area. “You haven’t told me what the doctor said though. Is everything cool?
”

  “Oh yeah,” she said. “He was impressed with my results. I see him again in six weeks for a follow-up.”

  “That’s great. I love to hear it.”

  “I’m proud of Vaughn, too. Since he’s lost a few pounds, he’s feeling himself now. You should see him… when we’re at home and I’m making my plate or something, he’ll tell me to watch my portions, or if I’m going for seconds on a bowl of ice cream, he’ll say ‘Do you really need more ice cream or are you just losing your willpower?’”

  Nate chuckled. “He wants to make sure you’re staying on track too, huh?”

  “I guess he figures we’re in this together now even though it was just a few months ago when he was looking down on my healthy cooking. Working with you has helped a lot, and I see that you’ve inspired him to do better, and I thank you for it.”

  “Hey, it’s what I’m here for, Ms. Leticia. I’m just glad I could help. I admit I was a little worried about him in the beginning, but… he came around.”

  “And you’re a cool dude,” Leticia smiled. “That’s what Vaughn told me.”

  * * *

  He’d just finished a podcast recording when he heard the key placed in the lock. He turned around in his seat at the computer desk to see Tora enter the apartment. It warmed his heart that she decided to come over afterall, but her attire raised his eyebrows. “It’s nighttime and damn-near eighty degrees outside, Tora, why are you wearing shades and a trench coat?” He appreciated the shiny black pumps however.

  Without a word she walked over to him, dropping her bag on the floor along the way. Her face was expressionless behind the sunglasses as she stood looking down at him.

  “What’s up, baby? Everything okay?”

  She shook her head somberly, and he was concerned, until she untied the coat sash and undid the buttons. Then a wry smile curved her lips. She was naked underneath.

  At the sight of her smooth brown skin Nate felt his temperature rise. He reached up, grabbing her waist, but she pushed his hand away. She shrugged off the coat and stood before him unmoving, quiet still. He reached for her hips this time, and she just as quickly batted his hands away. He sat back in his seat and waited. As the seconds passed, his eyes roved all over her body. From the delicate curves of her shoulders to her teacup-sized breasts, flat stomach, and straight hips; the soft thighs and ultra long legs he fell in love with at first sight.

  She propped a foot on his thigh, and Nate didn’t care that the heel of her shoe pierced his leg because the thing he craved most was just inches away from his face now. The bushy triangle, the hypnotizing scent of it—a sweet musk—drove him wild, and he licked his lips unconsciously.

  With both hands she gripped the sides of his head and pulled his face forward. He couldn’t help squeezing her ass. She tsked and shook a finger at him, then in silent command forced his hands on his knees. Nate understood now, and when she tilted hr pelvis towards his mouth, he stuck out his tongue.

  He licked and sucked and savored.

  Nate felt his penis straining against his shorts, and he wanted so badly to free it, to sink inside Tora’s hot body. He was already having trouble keeping his hands under control. They trembled with the urge to hold onto something, anything as he thrust his tongue inside her.

  Tora’s fingers curled around his locks, holding his head in place as she began to rock her hips, rubbing his face in her sex. From his mouth up to his nose, and then down to his chin she smothered him.

  Nate’s face glistened with her sweet nectar, and it turned him on to hear her moans grow louder, to feel her body tightening as she rode it freely, uninhibited, until her body shuddered from the powerful orgasm.

  “You should come with me tomorrow to my parents’ house. For Sunday dinner,” Nate said later as they lay in bed.

  “Why would I do that?” Tora said.

  “What do you mean ‘why’? For dinner like I said. And because I want to introduce you to them.”

  “You forgot I already met them at your sister’s engagement party?”

  “That don’t count. You were just the photographer then.”

  She turned over to face him. “And what am I now?” she smiled.

  “You tell me,” he said.

  She leaned forward and kissed him. “What do you want me to be?”

  He rested his hand on her hip. “Right now? My freak.”

  Tora grabbed the pillow and pushed it into his face.

  “Seriously,” he laughed. “You may as well get to know my family.” He rubbed his thumb across her cheek. “And they need to know my lady.”

  THIRTY-SIX

  It was her first time inside Nate’s SUV—a blacked-out GMC Yukon with limousine tint and black rims. She wondered how he was able to see at night because, although it was only five-thirty, the tint made it appear much later outside. She sat in his passenger seat, bobbing her head along with him as they listened to 97.9 The Box’s Sunday mix. The drive to Nate’s parents’ house for dinner made her think about her own parents and how much she missed going out with Sharon to their favorite soul food restaurant when Sharon wasn’t in the mood to cook, which was most of the time because she had never been very good at it; or going to her dad’s house after he’d call to tell her he wanted to have a cookout and she needed to come over, and yes his new girlfriend and her kids would be there, but he also wanted the company of his own daughter.

  She wished she could convince her parents to move south so they could be close again, but they were adamant Pittsburgh was home, and they had no intentions of leaving.

  Tora was as equally amazed as she had been the first time she entered the Walker estate. She couldn’t get over the vastness of it. Not before or since her short time with renowned disc jockey Mike Stack had she witnessed anyone living a life of such opulence.

  Bryanna and Melody ran up to their uncle, nearly knocking him off balance because he wasn’t expecting them to jump into his arms. “Yo!” he laughed as he held one in each arm and they blew raspberries on his cheeks.

  Tora laughed, too. It was cuteness overload.

  He set them on their feet and Bryanna promptly told him, “Uncle Nate, we had a sleepover here last night with Nana and Grandpa. We played games and watched movies and ate popcorn.”

  “We ate… and we ate popcorn!” Melody echoed excitedly.

  “So you had a fun night with Grandma and Grandpa, huh? That’s cool,” Nate said. “Hey, do y’all remember Ms. Tora?”

  The girls looked up at her and she smiled back. “Hi Melody. Hi Bryanna.”

  “Hi,” Bryanna said, and she turned and skipped off, Melody right behind her as they left the foyer. The two of them almost crashed into Kaneesa as they went.

  Kaneesa sucked her teeth, a look of disdain on her face as she glared at Tora and Nate. “Oh. It’s just you. I thought it was Sunny and the kids.”

  “Well, hello to you too, Kaneesa. How you doing?” Nate said.

  She rolled her eyes and turned back around. Nate made a gesture as if he wanted to back-hand slap her across the back of her head.

  Tora swatted his hand down. “Nate, don’t do that.”

  “I’m sorry, baby, but she likes to try me sometimes.” Then he kissed her shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’m not gonna embarrass you or nothing like that.”

  “You better not,” she said, and he grabbed her hand and led her across the threshold towards the lively dining room.

  It looked like a holiday feast was going on. The room buzzed with the chatter of Nate’s family as they sat around the long table. A number of colorful dishes were scattered across the tabletop.

  The buzz ceased when Nate spoke and announced she would be joining them for Sunday dinner.

  “Welcome,” Nate’s father said, followed by Nate’s brothers. The women, whom Tora remembered were his sisters-in-law Sharday and Evelyn, smiled and said hello.

  “Nate, why didn’t you call to tell me you were bringing a guest?” his mother asked. And she looked Tora up and
down as if she were checking to see if she looked decent enough to invite to her table.

  Tora had asked Nate before they left his apartment if he thought she should remove her nose ring before visiting his parents, and he had shook his head, told her to be herself.

  “I wanted it to be a surprise,” Nate told his mother as he bent down to kiss her cheek.

  “You know I like to be aware of these things to ensure we have enough for everyone.”

  “Ah, c’mon, Ma,” Nate groaned. “You know we always have enough. I tell you what… I’ll let Tora eat my portion first, and if there’s anything left after everybody else gets theirs, then I’ll eat. Is that alright with you?”

  Everyone laughed expect Kaneesa and his mother.

  “Don’t start with me, son,” his mother said.

  Nate held out a chair at the corner end of the table and Tora sat down. “Thanks,” she said quietly. He took the chair at the end right next to her.

  “Nate, you know Sunny and them are coming, and that’s where they sit. Why would you put her there?”

  Oh God, Tora thought. She looked at Nate for confirmation if she needed to move.

  “Kaneesa, please,” he said. “It’s enough seats here for Sunny and the kids. Levi can find somewhere else to sit. They’re the ones late this time.”

  “Oh my god. Really?” Kaneesa looked at his mother. “Vickie, how is he able to do this? He knows his sister will be here for dinner. She shouldn’t have to find a seat elsewhere.”

  “Kaneesa, why are you even talking to me? Last time I checked your last name ain’t Walker, so maybe you should give up your seat if you’re really concerned about Levi having one.”

  “You know what? Screw you, Nate!”

  “Alright. Alright,” Nate’s father said calmly, trying to bring order, but Kaneesa was fired up.

  “Don’t come in here trying to show out in front of your little girlfriend, okay?”

  Victoria said, “She’s right, Nate. This is exactly why you should’ve let me know ahead of time.”