Sweet in the Middle

by TaugJaye Crawford

Eris knew she had no business fucking this man raw, but that shit was above her. The Walgreens up the street was 24 hours. She’d swallow an abortion pill with a mimosa in the A. M.

  The only thing that mattered right now was the man who held her still while his dick filled her pussy.

  The feeling of his lips and tongue causing her nipples to swell, as he equally showed them a beastly amount of attention, hit her kill switch. When he simultaneously pinched the nipple that wasn’t in his mouth, they both felt her nectar trickling down their counterparts and onto his balls.

  Goodness, gracious, she’d have to get her couch cleaned.

  Maverick just had a touch.

  An aura.

  Twenty-five-plus years of sexual experience with working the fuck out of some pussy that she just couldn’t walk away from!

  Her back arched after he stood up with his dick still inside of her and laid her down in the missionary position. Holding her legs back with his hands in the creases of her knees, Eris cried out in sheer agony as he started thrusting that dick in and out of her.

  Her sugar daddy was the shit!

  He was nothing like these new-aged niggas.

  Maverick was gon’ get deep in them walls, in positions that were pleasing for a woman and perfect for his stamina.

  So when he pushed her legs back by her head and planted his feet on either side of her body for balance, Maverick dropped all, now ten inches of his dick ‘cause his mans kept growing in length from the excitement, deep into that pussy.

  Her chest caved in with each time his balls slapped her ass. When he shoved all of himself inside of her, stuck his tongue in her mouth, used both of his hands to pinch on her nipples while she started to thrust her hips upward to match his rotation, Eris came again!

  Other than him, no one else had ever made her cum like this except for her boo, who wasn’t even a man!

  Would Emery had been cool with her fucking Maverick like they’d been doing?

  It was only once every blue moon it seemed.

  After his wife was murdered by some lil’ punk for her car, a year before him and Eris met, Maverick hadn’t been the same relationship-wise. He threw himself into work since he didn’t have any kids, and he was cool with kicking it with Eris.

  They texted, they stayed in touch.

  FaceTimed each other to keep the flame lit.

  Plus, she loved to send him freaky pictures and videos playing with herself. He hadn’t gotten any of those in a little minute, but when the pictures of her and Emery hit social media, he saw why.

  He could only respect it but also knew the deal with them fucking just wouldn’t come to a halt. He laid the dick too damn good and they both knew that shit.

  Maverick usually took her out and whisked her away to a room at the Four Seasons when he came in town, but he was pressed for time on this occasion.

  Six years later and this had been his life.

  When you lost a soulmate, that shit made you numb. He’d been with his wife since he was thirteen and she was fourteen. Got married when they graduated from high school and life was good.

  Again, sex with Eris that night on the cruise was supposed to be a steppingstone. You know, to get his groove back after coming to the realization that his wife was forever gone, but it wasn’t. His heart wasn’t ready for commitment, even when he knew Eris would’ve been perfect to have on his arm. But his dick fell in love with the way her pussy vacuum-sucked him in.

  It was the closest thing to a relationship that he could handle, and best believe he appreciated his Big Mama for her understanding.

  “Mav, I’m cumming! Oooooooh, my fucking gaaaaaaaawd!”

  He was drilling into her silky abyss from behind, leaning over on top of her. One hand cupping her jawline, holding her chin to the ceiling as his thrusts sped up a notch.

  “Cum for me, Big Mama…”

  “I am! Oh, fuck, baby, it’s coming down right now! Dooooooooon’t stooooooop!”

  “Mmm, fuuuuckkkk!”

  Maverick stuck his tongue in her mouth as he spilled his seeds deeply inside her womb. Slow stroking every last drop into her sweet pussy until they both collapsed and tried to catch their breaths, highly anticipating what the rest of the night had in store for them.

  *SITM*

  Emery could somewhat breathe again. After all of the courtroom appearances, the police reports, talk about the funeral, and suffering from a slow month of work, things were finally starting to look up.

  Mrs. Freeman cleared her name better than filing a Chapter 7 or a Chapter 13 bankruptcy could’ve ever done. Harlem’s autopsy coming back with high traces of opioids, cocaine, morphine, and barbiturates, explained a lot to her family, the judge, and the public about her actions.

  The threatening text messages, voicemails, and direct messages on every social media platform you think of, painted a clear picture of the harassment Emery had been suffering from.

  Not to mention the restraining order, the change of her number, a confession from Harlem’s friend, Soul, about her obsession with Emery, and being present during one of their many physical altercations—all evidence that provided more than enough weight to back her up.

  God had truly covered her in the blood of the lamb, and Emery was grateful.

  She was thankful.

  She should’ve been jumping for joy, praise dancing, and celebrating her freedom for crying out loud.

  No, all of the animosity didn’t disappear.

  Harlem’s mother and father had forgiven Emery and realized that she was only protecting herself from their abusive daughter’s wrath. It was sad to say that a lot of their family and friends still blamed Em out of animosity and grievance, and she had to accept that.

  Everything wouldn’t be kosher, and that was life.

  Yet, none of that shit seemed to matter as much as it should have without having Eris physically on her side.

  Emery was tore the fuck up over their split.

  Shorty had gotten besides herself.

  She was out of pocket.

  One hundred percent wrong for the way she splurged on and disrespected Eris, and her mama was holding her accountable for it.

  It’s why Emery’s always had a high level of respect for her mama.

  A lot of people were too afraid to take it there with Em because they knew she was a wild thing.

  She was bullheaded, had a big ego, and thought she was untouchable. But, baby, Janet ain’t give a fuck about none of that shit!

  She chewed her daughter out each and every time it was called for, and Emery needed that.

  Especially from a companion.

  Half of her was torn between being devastated, while the other half of her was proud of Eris.

  She didn’t hold her tongue.

  She didn’t run.

  She didn’t avoid putting up a fight.

  She fucking showed Emery that disrespect, assumptions, and being in the heat of the moment meant nothing to her.

  Eris had boundaries that Emery had certainly overstepped, and she felt horrible behind it.

  What made her feel even worse was receiving Eris’ text messages with prayers. Simply checking up on her like a partner should, no matter what their current dilemma was.

  But she wouldn’t answer the phone.

  Emery’s text messages were ignored.

  Her phone calls went to voicemail.

  They didn’t communicate.

  It drove a fucking knife through her chest to know that her mama had been in contact with the woman she loved because Eris wanted to stay in the loop, but that’s where that train stopped.

  She truly wished the best for Em through it all, and shorty had to fix this.

  There were things that Emery had to tell Eris which couldn’t be said over the phone, and after a month of agony, she decided to quit being so damn stubborn and lay in the bed she made.

  Just like her mama told her to do.

  Janet wasn’t about to allow her baby to lose out on the woman
who, she knew with her heart, was the love of her life. Vanity was one hell of a sin, and her baby was not falling submissive to that.

  If Emery was big and bad enough to allow that shit to come out her mouth, then she needed to pick her head up and be just as confident to apologize. Plain and simple.

  “How do I look, mommy?”

  Janet turned around and peered over her shoulder from reading on her kindle to observe her beautiful daughter.

  “You look great, baby.”

  “Honest?”

  Her mama removed her reading glasses and nodded her head in approval.

  Emery was nervous as shit and she should be. Eris had every right not to accept her apology.

  To continue and ignore her.

  To leave their current status where it was to protect her peace, and Emery had no one to blame but herself.

  The shade of sunflower yellow corresponded perfectly with her brown hue. She rocked the hell out of a Bali B special. The one-shoulder bodysuit with the right side of her abdomen cut out, hugged her curves with perfection. It fit like a glove but screamed public-friendly versus raunchy. Paired with clear, open-toed E. Binx five-inch sandals and a black frontal styled bone straight/parted down the middle, her outfit was perfect for the seventy-seven degree, sunny Spring day.

  The month of May was only a few days away, and the St. Louis weather had surely broke and was there to stay.

  “You look fine, baby. Like nothing less than royalty. Add some lip gloss to those lips of yours and go and get your girl.”

  Emery blushed like her favorite bashful emoji. Her mama was confident that what she and Eris were building was stronger than a disagreement, so she was faithful too.

  Janet’s intuition was never wrong.

  Emery’s thirty-inch tresses blew in the wind as she floated her newly washed, detailed, and waxed Rari down the freeway, trying to make it to her destination as fast as she could. The closer she got to the Hanley exit, the worse her stomach churned. Emery couldn’t catch her breath, her edges were perspiring, and her palms were getting clammy.

  Homegirl was a complete mess and prayed to God that He carried them through this. She didn’t like how life felt without Eris Costello in it. Emery was willing to do whatever it took to receive her forgiveness.

  Custom made, orange-tented, Gucci Bee sunglasses to match the cluster-diamond choker around her neck, shielded her face as she entered the doors of Nordstrom. The ride up the escalator went a lot quicker than she anticipated, but there was no turning back now. Emery missed her boo and was dying to see that gorgeous, chubby-cheek smile on her face…

  To touch her.

  To kiss her lips…good, Lord, just to be in her presence.

  She knew Eris worked the evening shift, so they wouldn’t be able to see each other for as long as Emery would like. But the possibility of enjoying a nice little lunch with her love, if she’d have her, would be more than enough to slap a smile on her face.

  “Hi, welcome to Nordstrom’s lingerie department. I’m Cookie. How may I help you today?” the manager greeted her.

  “Hey, Cookie. I’m here to see Ms. Eris Costello. Is she available?”

  “Actually, you just missed her. She worked the first shift today, so she’s gone. If I’m not mistaken, she went downstairs to the Nordstrom Café to grab a smoothie before she left.”

  “Thank you so much.”

  Emery put a little pep in her step as she rushed for the escalator in hopes that she’d still be there. Her prayers were answered when she turned the corner where the old BeBe store used to be and caught her boo thang standing at the counter exchanging laughter with the cashier. Home boy was flirting hard according to his facial expressions and the constant lick of his lips, but could you blame him?

  High waist, off-white, linen bell-bottom slacks fiercely hugged her hips and round ass, giving onlookers the perfect display of her shape. A pearl-colored, linen button-down with black polka dots, tight-fitted sleeves at the wrist, and a long, fashionable shirt tie at the bottom that reached down to her crutch point, was paired with them. Corresponding neon orange, chunky, open-toe wedge heels to match her Marc Jacobs snapshot purse was stunning on Eris. Her hair was pulled up high in a ponytail that swept across the middle of her back each time she moved her head. It displayed the light makeup she wore and her new, gold-trimmed, Ray Ban prescription glasses.

  Boy, Emery’s words were caught in her throat like something serious.

  She had butterflies, she was turned on, her mouth salivated, her eyes closed, her tummy dropped, her body shook—all in the same damn breath.

  Hell, she was too timid and nervous to build up the courage to speak.

  What should she say?

  “I’m saying, Eris. You gon’ let me take you out or what? You know I been tryna fuck wit’ you for a lil’ minute now.”

  He was so smooth with the raise of his naturally thick and arched brow. Milk chocolate skin just a glowing, Adam’s apple moving each time his deep baritone pierced through his lips. Homeboy had hunger in his eyes that was one hundred percent evident as Emery got closer in ear and eye shot.

  “I told you I had a girlfriend, Julius. Now cut that shit out before I have to let shorty loose on you, a’ight?” she vocalized with a bright smile and grabbed her free smoothie.

  “Damn, E? It’s like that? You know I want you.”

  “It sho’ is, playa.”

  Eris felt her heart stop when she heard that voice. Her pulse shot from the 80s to the 100s in a matter of seconds, and her breaths became short, forcing her to spin around on her heels. The smile that aligned her face was inevitable. She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t enthused to see her.

  The smell of Em’s perfume equally smacked Eris in the face as it crept up her nose, causing her pearl to tingle and her heart to swell.

  Lord knows it’s felt like it’s been forever since that hazy night in Emery’s living room.

  Lord knows she’d been on Eris’ mind morning, noon, and night. But Emery had to learn that, just because she was easygoing, it didn’t give her the right to treat her any kind of way.

  Upset or not.

  The look in Eris’ eyes displayed how much she’d missed her boo, and it forced tears to rush for the surface of Emery’s irises as she threw her arms around her lady’s neck.

  It bothered them none that there was now three other customers in line behind them.

  For a split second, nothing in this world was tangible or had existed.

  No one or anything else other themselves.

  Emery rocked her boo back and forth as Eris secured her arms around her slim waist. The moment was so beautiful that the patrons on standby couldn’t help but admire their suffocating affection.

  “Please forgive me,” Emery begged once they pulled back and looked each other in the eye.

  She was so sorry.

  Those tears trickling down her cheeks weren’t an act.

  They weren’t forced and neither had their connection ever been.

  People fucked up.

  No one was perfect, but Eris certainly made it clear that she wouldn’t only knock Emery’s ass the fuck out if she ever did that shit again, but she wouldn’t be so forgiving.

  “Come on.” Eris thumbed a few of her boo’s tears away before she grabbed both her smoothie and her purse from off the counter. “Let’s get out of here.”

  Emery was such a baby, nodding her head in agreement as she slipped her hand between Eris’ arm and held onto it as they headed home.

  After dropping Eris’ car off and changing into a pair of orange Gucci slides, they ended up downtown at Union Station, two hundred feet in the sky riding the Ferris Wheel. With their fingers intertwined and Em’s head resting on her boo’s shoulder, they rode in silence for the first few minutes until she could no longer hold back her apology.

  “I was wrong to say all the things I said to you, Eri. Yeah, that shit with Harlem was so fucked up on so many different levels. But that didn�
�t give me the right to, not only take my anger out on you, but to display the face of jealousy when it was evident that you had my back through and through, even with what you were battling. We women get jealous and lose our cool over our partners, too. Having someone as special as you in my life feels threatening when someone else tries to come along and take that. I’m working on that. I have to trust you, in which I do. Sometimes I just can’t control myself…My delivery was fucked up—I can admit that.

  The timing couldn’t have been any worse, and it was selfish of me not to consider your feelings. I’ve got a big ego, babe. A biiiiiiiiig, ego. You know that. Kanye ain’t got shit on me, but know that my apology is genuine and how it’s taken a lot out of me to say this. Call me crazy all you want, but whether it’s been four months or four years, I love and care about you entirely too much to watch you walk away when I’m the blame. God still working on me. I ain’t gon’ whip into shape overnight, but if you walk with me through this, I promise to never treat you like that again and learn to get my act together. I wasn’t willing to do that for Harlem or any other woman for that matter, but I’d go to hell and back for you, Eri.”

  Em wasn’t the only baby in their relationship. Eris couldn’t hold her faint laughter nor the tears when her boo reached up and cleaned her face.

  “I swear that’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me,” she confessed with trembling lips. “All my damn life, all I’ve ever wanted was to be loved and accepted for who I am—without having to put on a front or be anything other than Eris Costello. It took me a while to learn that drawing the wrong attention makes me just as guilty when things go wrong, too. I can’t lie and say that I hadn’t harbored bitterness and resentment from my relationship with Brendan’s dad. For the longest time, I couldn’t even talk about it. Not to P, not to Bucky—who you don’t have to worry about. The things you said may have been out of anger, but they were true, and I honestly thank you for that. I needed to hear it. I’ve chopped things up with my family, I’ve checked B’s delusional ass, Royce and I are now on better grounds, and I’ve even talked things over with my son.”

  Emery’s eyes lit up. She was equally shocked as she was proud and filled with excitement to hear that.