The Perfect Love Storm

by Anna Black

  “Whoa, Madison. I’ve told you that Hope and I only have a business relationship. I’m with you. I only want to be with you, not Hope. She and I could have been together long ago. I’m a man, and I don’t need you to handle shit for me.”

  “Fine,” she said. She tossed the box cutter onto an unopened box and tried to walk away. Chase grabbed her arm and blocked her way. “Hey, wait, listen. And don’t walk away from me when I’m talking to you.”

  “Let me go and get the hell out of my way, Chase.”

  “No. We’re going to finish this conversation.”

  “We are finished.” She yanked loose and walked away.

  Chase followed. “Madison, what have I done to make you, for one moment, feel insecure?”

  “Nothing, Chase, and I’m not insecure. She knows that you and I are together, yet this little dense, space-head-chick acts as if she has no respect for our relationship. She has no business calling you after nine, and if you don’t see shit wrong with it, there is nothing else to say,” she yelled.

  “Hell, calm down and lower your voice. I agree with you, Madison, but you pissed me off with your tone and telling me that you’ll handle things like I’m a kid. I don’t need you to handle Hope for me. My intentions with her are innocent, and I will choose to answer or not answer my damn phone. You don’t decide that for me.”

  She shrugged, her eyes glossy. She and Chase didn’t argue much. There was only turbulence when it came to his phone, old flings calling, and when they ran into his old jumpoffs on the streets, and they tried to be all over him as if she were invisible.

  “Fine,” she said, “now can you go? I have things to do here.”

  “Oh, now you want me to go? You’re kicking me out?”

  “Yes, I’d like you to leave.”

  “Fine,” he said between clenched teeth.

  Madison watched him leave and locked the door behind him. She didn’t want to be jealous, but that damn Hope got under her skin. She was the town’s crowning glory. Folks worshiped her as she were a queen. If she and Hope stood side by side, no one would even see her, even though she was twice as big as the other woman was. Hope was known not only for her beauty but for her contributions to the community. Deep down, Madison felt she only did all the things she did for recognition and popularity, not because she gave a crap about giving back. She had never worked an honest day in her life, and she had everything her heart desired. Her family’s money was as long, maybe even longer than the Storms’.

  Any man in East Texas would gladly take Hope’s hand in marriage, so Madison hated that the black Barbie had the potential of taking her man.

  “Damn!” Madison said, balling her fists. She wanted to punch Hope in the face. She had just argued with her man, that she hadn’t sexed in four days because the last-minute list of things-to-do at the salon weighed on her. She had been going home later and later each night, but that night, she had planned to wrap things up a little early so that she could service her man.

  Oh well, another night alone, she thought. She opened some more boxes and organized a few more things before heading out.

  When she got home, she was shocked to see an old friend sitting on her porch. He stood when she got out of her truck.

  “Tony, what are you doing here?” she asked.

  “I came to see you.”

  “At this time of night?”

  “I’ve been waiting several hours.”

  “Still, this late?” she said, approaching him. “What do you want?” When she got closer, she could see his eyes were red. “Tony, what’s wrong?”

  “Dad passed earlier this evening.”

  “Anthony, I’m so sorry.”

  He sniffled and wiped his face.

  “Come inside. I’ll make some tea.” He followed her, and they headed into the kitchen. “Have a seat. I’ll put the kettle on; then I need to run up to change.”

  He nodded and took a seat on one of the stools at the island. He removed his hat and sat with his head low.

  Madison washed her hands at the sink and filled the kettle. She grabbed her tea set, went for the tea bags, and dropped a few of them inside the teapot. “I’ll be back down soon.”

  When she came back down, Tony was up and pouring the hot water into the teapot. “Thanks,” Madison said.

  “No problem. It was whistling for a few moments, and I figured you didn’t hear it.”

  “I didn’t,” she said, walking to the other side of the island to join him. “I’ll take it from here.” She took the kettle from his hand. “Have a seat,” she instructed.

  Tony went back to his stool, and she opened the cabinet and got some cookies. She placed them on a plate and poured them both a cup of tea.

  “Did you make any calls yet?” she asked.

  “No, not yet. This is all just sinking in, you know. I knew this day was coming, and I thought I was mentally prepared. But I wasn’t. It hurts like hell.” Tears ran down his cheeks.

  Madison went around to console him. “I’m so sorry, Tony,” she said, rubbing his back. He turned to her and buried his head in her neck, sobbing as she held him. “It’s going to be hard at first, but it will get better in time. The first day is always the worst day.”

  After a while, he pulled himself together. “Do you have anything stronger?” he asked.

  “Yeah, sure.” She went to the liquor cabinet and brought back a bottle of Crown Reserve, then went for a glass of ice for him. “Do you need a chaser?”

  “No, on the rocks will be just fine.” He took a gulp and frowned. She was about to take the bottle, but he stopped her. “No. I’m going to need more than this.”

  She set the bottle back down and reached for her cup of tea. “Will you join me?” he asked.

  “Tony, I have to be up early.”

  “Madi, I just lost my father.”

  “Okay, let’s take this to the back porch. The lake is beautiful under the moonlight. It helps me when I’m sad.”

  He nodded. “Okay.”

  She grabbed the ice bucket and lid, filled it, and grabbed a glass. He got the Crown, and she grabbed a can of Coke from the fridge.

  “I can’t drink it straight,” she said.

  He burst into laughter. “Still a girl, I see.”

  “Yep, I am.”

  They settled outside and sat in silence.

  “So, when is your family coming?” Madison asked after a while.

  “Tomorrow. Simone was still working when she got the call, so we decided tomorrow would be better for her. I didn’t want her and the kids on the road too late.”

  “That’s understandable.”

  “It’s just so surreal, the fact that he is gone. I mean, yes, he was in pretty bad shape, and I knew he was suffering, but I still had hoped he’d get better.”

  “Well, cancer is a monster.”

  “I know.”

  “At least there is no more pain for him. And you’ll be okay. You knew he was ill. Trust me, that makes a difference. It’s better than getting that call out of the blue. I didn’t prepare mentally for the death of my husband and twins. I mean, like, after I went down to the morgue and saw their bodies, I still went home thinking they’d come through the door any minute, asking about dinner or could they play their video games for a little while before dinner. The next morning, it was the same. I woke up thinking it was time to head down to make everyone breakfast.” Her eyes glossed, but she held her tears. “But they were gone. I had to get out of that house because every moment there reminded me of them.”

  “That’s why you came back?”

  “Yes, and maybe I should not have. Maybe if I had stayed, I would not have fallen into such a deep depression. After all, my parents didn’t force me or make me rejoin the real world until a few months ago. Almost four years of my life was spent doing absolutely nothing but thinking of them.”

  She stopped, remembering she shared the same story with Chase one night when he had asked her about her family. She could see
in his eyes that he felt her pain.

  “I know, Madi, and I can’t imagine what that must have been like. I mean, Simone drives me nuts, and the boys are hardheaded brats, but the thought of losing them . . .” He paused. “I just can’t imagine that.”

  “Well, I don’t wish that on anyone. Sudden or not, I know losing a loved one can be tough.”

  “Absolutely.”

  When she walked him to the door, she heard her phone ringing. She had left it on the kitchen counter. “Excuse me a minute.” She went to it and saw that she had missed five calls from Chase. He had sent her a text.

  I’m sorry, baby. Can I come by so we can talk?

  He had sent that at 12:30 a.m.

  She put the phone down and walked back over to Tony.

  “Is everything okay?” he asked.

  “Yes, I just missed a few calls from Chase.”

  “So, it’s true? You are seeing him?”

  “Yes, I am.”

  “Wow, you didn’t want to continue to be my mistress, but you’d get with the town’s player?”

  “First, being your woman on the side was not right, Tony. And as for Chase being a player, I don’t know that side of him. That seems to be the first thing out of everyone’s mouth. No one ever asks if I’m happy or how things are going. It’s always a comment about how much of a bad boy he is, or was, rather. He treats me with love and kindness. Whatever he was before we started dating is who he was. We’re fine, and I’m not his sidepiece,” she added as a matter-of-fact.

  Tony held up his hands in mock surrender. “Hold on, Madi, relax. I’m just saying he has a reputation, so be careful. I don’t want to see you hurt by Chase or any other man. Just don’t be naïve, Madi. He’s cunning.”

  “I got this. Don’t worry about me and my relationship with Chase, okay?”

  “Okay,” he said and backed away.

  He walked out, and she stood on the porch and watched him get into his truck and leave. When his taillights reached the end of the block, she turned to go back inside, but a car immediately pulled into her driveway.

  “What the hell?”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chase got out of the car and slammed the door. He was pissed. He had been sitting outside for two hours looking at Tony’s truck in his woman’s driveway. He had wanted to get out and ring her bell, but he knew that was a bitch-ass move. He had called and called, but she didn’t answer. They’d had words, but having a man at her house was not acceptable.

  He felt something he had never before felt in his life—jealousy. Before, he couldn’t care less what a woman did when he wasn’t around, but with Madison, it was different. He was falling full speed for her, and he didn’t want to share her. It had been a shock to see Tony, a man who could give him some competition.

  “What are you doing here?” Madison asked with her hands on her hips.

  “No,” he snapped. “The question is, what was Tony doing here until one thirty in the fucking morning.”

  “You’re spying on me?”

  “No, I came to talk to you about earlier since you weren’t answering my calls. I pulled up and saw Tony’s truck in your driveway. What the fuck, Madison? Are you fucking him now? You’re cheating on me with Anthony Reed?” he yelled.

  “Lower your voice,” Madison hissed.

  Chase’s temples throbbed. No woman had ever made him feel the emotions that Madison had him feeling at that very moment, and he just wanted to punch something. He wasn’t in any position to get played or compete with no man for Madison. She was his, and he wasn’t going to let Anthony Reed stroll in and take his woman—and he was married—so why was he creeping around Madison’s place was another question.

  He rolled his neck and rubbed his head. He was frustrated, and he wanted answers. “Why was Tony here until this time of morning? What were you two doing that was so important that you couldn’t answer my calls, Madison?” he said, trying to remain calm. He wanted to yell. If she had fucked with Tony, he was for sure done with her ass, and the bet would be off. He’d tried, but he wasn’t going to let a woman—not even Madison—make a fool of him.

  “Come inside, and we can talk.”

  “I don’t want to go inside, Madison. If I go in and see a romantic scene, it’s going to make me very angry. Now, tell me what’s going on with you and Tony,” he insisted.

  “Nothing. I came home, and he was here. He needed to talk.”

  “About?” Beads of sweat settled on his forehead.

  “His father died, Chase. Mr. Reed passed early this evening. That’s it. I was just there for him; that’s it. I offered him tea and my condolences, and he wanted something stronger. We sat out back, drank Crown, and talked about our losses. I left my phone inside on the island, and when I went to walk him to the door, I saw that I had missed your calls.”

  “That’s it?” he said, still not convinced.

  “That’s it. I dated Tony in high school. A few months ago, we had a thing, but I broke it off. He’s married, Chase. I was lonely, he was there, and I went there. I crossed some lines, but that was over even before we got together. Trust me, Tony and I are not messing around.”

  He looked at her. She was fully dressed, not in a tee or nightie. He needed to survey the inside; check out her bedroom.

  “I need to see your bed,” he said. He knew it sounded crazy, but all of this was so new to him, he didn’t know what was okay or not okay. All he knew is he wanted his woman to be the woman he thought her to be and not some heartless whore as he had been over the years. He didn’t want to be hurt.

  “Fine, go ahead,” she said, gesturing toward the door.

  He rushed past her, and she posted up at the bottom of the steps. Her room seemed normal. The bed was made, and there was no scent of sex in the air. He headed to the bathroom. Her shower and tub were bone dry. He let out a breath and walked back down to where Madison stood with her arms folded.

  “Believe me now?” she asked.

  “I’m sorry, baby.”

  “You ought to be.”

  He pulled her into his arms. “Forgive me, baby, for everything—for Hope and for thinking you were creeping with Tony. I mean, imagine the scene. I sat outside for over two hours.”

  “All you had to do was ring the damn bell, Chase. I’m not that type of woman.”

  “I’ve never been in a serious relationship before, baby, so please, bear with me. I overreacted at the salon last night. You are right. Hope has no business calling my phone like that. I didn’t get it until Lance broke it down to me. I wanted to come by and apologize in person. When I didn’t get you, I thought you were too pissed to talk. When I got here and saw Tony’s truck, all kinds of shit popped into my head, Madison. The thought of you with another man made me crazy.”

  “I’m with who I want to be with, Chase. I only want to be with you.”

  “Me too.” He swallowed hard. “I love you, Madison.”

  She studied him. His eyes were sincere, and she knew he was telling her the truth.

  “I love you too, Chase.”

  He kissed her, his tongue dancing around hers. “Let me make love to you, Madison,” he said.

  Undoing the buttons on his shirt one by one, she looked into his eyes, and his heart raced. It was like she was looking into his soul.

  “Baby, I’ve never been in love with a woman before,” he admitted. “So, I’m probably going to do something else crazy, or stupid like I did tonight before I get it right,” he joked.

  “Hard to believe. I’m your first?”

  “Yes, you’re the first, and I don’t know if I’m cut out for this. What I feel is one thing, but it’s still a foreign feeling, baby. I’ve never had a meaningful relationship, and I don’t want to disappoint you. I’m new at all this.”

  “Follow your heart, Chase. Just treat me the way you want to be treated, and we’ll be okay. I’ve only loved one man in my life. I thought I loved Tony, but that wasn’t love. I was a kid. When I married Dre, I thought
it would be forever. And trust, after losing him, I never thought I’d love again. So, we both have to do our best, okay?”

  He nodded and moved his attention back to her lips. He kissed her softly at first; then it turned into a hungry kiss. He undressed her right there in the foyer, at the bottom of the stairs. She lay back on the steps with her legs spread wide, allowing him to feast on her pussy. She moaned in pleasure as he pleased her bulb and inserted his tongue inside of her. When she came, he felt her tunnel contract and tasted the juices released from her body.

  He allowed her to pull him up into a kiss, sharing the taste of her sex with her. He wanted her silky walls around him. He wanted her thighs around his waist. He reached down and pulled his shaft out of his boxers; then he guided his head to her opening.

  “Condom, baby, condom,” she panted.

  “No, not tonight. I want to feel your flesh,” he whispered and pushed his way in. Her eyes widened.

  “I’m not on anything.”

  “I don’t care.”

  “But—”

  “Do you want me to stop?” he asked. She looked him in the eyes. “Do you want me to stop, baby?” he asked again moving in and out of her wetness slowly, and she said nothing. He pumped her slow and steady, and her moans heightened the sensations. She wrapped her arms around his neck tighter, and he felt her walls tighten with every thrust.

  He pushed his tongue into her mouth and worked his hips in a steady motion. She felt good, soft. Being inside of a woman without plastic was an overwhelming sensation for him. Her body, the moment, and her plush pussy were too much. He came a lot quicker than he normally would have. His body jerked, and he pushed his rod deeper as he released the best nut of his life.

  “Aaah, aaaah, aaaaah,” he growled.

  The feeling was too intense. It was a feeling he had never experienced before. His dad had always told him never to penetrate a woman that wasn’t wife without a condom, no matter how pretty or sexy she was, and he never had. He didn’t want to risk making a baby—no shot could cure fatherhood—and he didn’t ever want to have to get a shot for being reckless.

  “Baby,” he said. “That was . . . was . . . I can’t explain.”