by Tracy Reed
This was my other favorite thing. Talking. I loved making love to my husband, but the post lovemaking conversation was just as wonderful. He said his man card could be revoked for admitting how much he liked talking afterwards.
“I’m hungry. Do you want something to eat?”
“Yeah, give me a minute.”
I walked into his closet, got his robe and handed it to him. We went downstairs, rifled through the refrigerator and probed each other about our friends. “Are you going to talk to Collier?”
“No, when he’s ready to talk, he will.”
“Are you going to talk to Chloe?”
“I have to be careful. Right now she’s a little embarrassed that I discovered her secret. I’ll let her come to me.”
“What time is it?”
“Oh, my God, it’s almost one-thirty.”
“Put that up. I’ve got to be at the conference at eight.” I put the pan back in the fridge, and he put the spoons in the sink and turned the lights off, and we went upstairs. We got into bed and I got in my spot, and he wrapped his arm around me and kissed me. I felt a little something teasing my navel.
“What are you doing? I thought you said we needed to get some sleep?”
“We do.”
“So what are you doing?” I asked again as his hand slipped lower.
“I’m reading you.”
“You’re reading me?” I giggled.
“Yes.” He rolled me over onto my back and kissed me. “Chapter One, your lips taste sweet, like sugar cane. Chapter Two, your neck smells like a garden in full bloom.” He moved his mouth down and kissed the top of my breasts and I started to get aroused. He continued his reading. “Chapter Three, your full bounty is where I love to reside. Chapter Four, your skin feels like a soft peach.”
He continued reading and when he reached the last chapter, I screamed out in delight.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Taylor
* * *
THE LAST TIME I WAS at a high school dance was…let’s just say, I was high school age, but my date wasn’t. How did Jason and I get drafted to chaperone a high school dance?
With the words of Miss Missy Sharp, PTA President, ringing in my head, I searched my closet for something to wear based on the chaperone dress code. I read the email she sent me, “Mrs. Bishop, please stick to the chaperone dress code. Nothing too low cut in the front or back. Skirt should be no more than two inches above the knee. No midriff tops. If you opt for slacks, please no skinny or tight pants. And no stilettos or stripper heels.” I laughed and shook my head at the absurdness of her email.
I reached into my closet and pulled out a fuchsia jersey Donna Karan, with a deep neckline that hugged every curve I had. I looked at myself from all angles in the mirror. This dress should get me out of chaperone duty.
I walked downstairs to the kitchen. “Okay, guys, how do I look?” I slowly turned around and modeled my modest attire choice for the evening.
“Mom, you look great,” Zach said as he smiled.
“Thank you.” I looked at Jason. “Honey?”
He smiled and then a frown covered his face. “No.”
“No?”
“Zach, let Jessica know we’ll be ready in thirty minutes. Your mom and I need to talk.”
Zach kissed me on the cheek and left the kitchen. “Mom, you look great.”
“Thank you baby.” I turned toward Jason and he was still frowning. “What’s wrong?”
He stepped to me, rubbed my shoulders and kissed me. “You know I love the way you dress. It’s one of the things that drew me to you…those curves are dangerous, and that’s why you need to change.”
I stepped out of his grasp. “Excuse me?”
“Honey, we are chaperoning a high school dance at an all boys school.”
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t the boys bringing dates?”
“Let’s be real. You don’t look like the typical parental chaperone they’re used to seeing at a dance.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’re a walking sex dream.” He stepped closer and I stepped back. “Come on baby…it’s the truth.” He stepped closer and eased his hands around my waist.
“You want me to change, because…”
“I don’t want to spend the entire dance monitoring the restroom, because all the stalls are full of horny teenaged boys trying to deal with the reactions their bodies are having when they see you in this dress.” He kissed me. “And don’t get me started on the dads. I’m not going to jail because I hit some middle aged man for getting too friendly with my wife.”
I laughed and wrapped my arms around his neck. “Too sexy, huh?”
“If it was just us going out, I’d be cool, but not tonight.”
“I’ll change.” I kissed him.
“Thank you.”
I looked around the gym and I couldn’t believe the way some of the mothers were dressed. I’m so glad not to be part of the “mommy click.” I had changed into a more modest, fitted taupe Alaia dress with a deep scoop neckline and mid-thigh full skirt. For me this was practically a heavy bathrobe. But some people, like Missy Sharp, found it too revealing, and I was banished to the coat check and told if there was one that fit, to put it on. It was very hard not to pop Missy in her mouth.
I snuck out of my cell to the gym to watch Zach and Jessica…they looked so cute dancing. I stood at the punch table trying to stay out of trouble, when I noticed a young man sitting by himself. I filled two glasses with punch and walked over to him.
“Hi.”
He looked up and his eyes were filled with sadness. I looked around and sat down next to him. “Hi.” I handed him one of the glasses.“Thank you.”
“What’s your name?”
“Jamal.”
“I’m Taylor. Why aren’t you dancing?”
“My date abandoned me.”
“Why would she do that?” I sipped some punch.
“She said she only came with me to make Tyrone Reynolds jealous.” He sipped some punch.
“Who’s Tyrone Reynolds?”
He pointed across the room to this kid who was six feet tall and a wall. “Looks like he’s here with someone else.”
“She said that’s his rebound.”
“I see. So you’re going to sit and sulk?”
“Or go home.”
“Or ask someone else to dance.”
“Everyone has a date.”
I nodded. “Come on.” I put my glass down next to my seat, stood up, and extended my hand to him.
“I can’t. Rules say no dancing with teachers or the staff.”
“Then I guess it’s a good thing I’m neither. Come on…take my hand.” My hand was dangling. “Jamal, this is a one-time offer…three…two…” He grabbed my hand and stood up. “We are going out there in the middle of the dance floor, and show what’s her name?”
“Felicia Owens.”
“We are going to show Felicia what she’s missing.” I led him out to the dance floor and we danced for three songs. Then the band played a slow song, and he almost passed out. I looked past him to Jason and nodded to him to rescue me. “Put your hands around my waist.”
“I can’t Miss Taylor.”
“Jamal, do it. Be a badass and every girl in here will want to get with you.”
“Really, Miss Taylor?”
“Dude, you are dancing with a sexy, older woman.”
He laughed. “Okay, Miss Taylor.” He stepped closer and wrapped his arms around my waist, and I put my hands around his neck.
We swayed back and forth to the music. I was careful not to get too close, remembering Jason’s comments. “Don’t look now, but she’s looking at you.” He started to turn around. “I said don’t look.”
“Really?”
I looked at Jason and he was walking towards us. He stopped and tapped Jamal on the shoulder. “Excuse me, but this beautiful young lady wanted to know if she could dance with you?” he
asked.
I looked at Jamal and a huge smile covered his face. “Miss Taylor, do you mind?”
I addressed the cute girl. “He’s an excellent dancer.” I stepped aside and she slid into his arms.
He mouthed to me, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” I turned to face Jason. “Seems I’ve lost my dance partner.”
He extended his hand to me. “Would you do me the honor of this dance?”
“I don’t know. Do you think you can handle being close to me in this dress?”
He slipped his hand around my waist, pulled me to his chest and I wrapped my arms around his neck. “I’ve been waiting all night to dance with the prettiest girl in the room.” He crushed his lips against mine and it felt like it did the last time I was at a high school dance. And like my last high school dance experience, I got the same physical reaction from my date.
“Do you need to go to the restroom?” I teased.
“Only if you come with me.”
“Mr. Bishop, I believe that is against chaperone protocol,” we smiled. “But I think I left my other jacket in the coat room.”
“Really?”
“I was told if there was a problem, the coat room monitor could help me.”
“Seems you’re in luck, because I’m the coat room monitor.”
“I guess this is my lucky night.”
“Follow me, and I’ll see what I can do about helping you find your jacket.” I took Jason’s hand and escorted him to my assigned chaperone station, the coat room.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chloe
* * *
I LOOKED AT COLLIER AND wondered what our life would have been like had we gotten together when we were younger. I don’t want to sound like a crazy woman, but it felt right. Like this was destined. Now I sounded like Dionne and Alex.
I finished feeding Parker and he started his yawing exercise, followed by his sleep serenade.
“What is that noise?” Collier asked.
I laughed. “That’s Parker.”
He laughed. “Are you serious? He sounds like an old man.”
“I know. He inherited that from his father. Let me put him…” I started to get up, when Collier stepped in.
“Let me,” he extended his hands to take Parker.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Let me try.” I placed Parker in his arms and watched as he rocked Parker until he calmed down and fell asleep.
About ten minutes later, I approached him. “Here, I’ll take him.”
He stood up. “I’ll put him down. Point me to the nursery.”
“Third door on the right.”
He gingerly walked down the hall to Parker’s room. I waited until he was in the room and hurried down the hall behind him, and stood outside the door.
“Little man, I need your help. I’m trying to convince your mommy that you and her dating me is a good idea. Maybe you can tell her it’s okay. I never stopped loving her. She’s the reason I never got married. I’ve been waiting on God to send her back to me, and He has. Not only did He bring her back, but she came with a little something extra, you. Now if she’ll only trust God this is a good thing, maybe the three of us can be a family.” I quietly walked back out to the patio.
I heard his footsteps and looked up. “How did it go?”
He sat down and placed the baby monitor on the table. “Easy.” He smiled.“Where’s his father?”
“With his twenty something year old fiancée, I guess.”
“Oh.”
“How did you like church?” I needed to divert all relationship talk after hearing his conversation with Parker.
“I like your pastor. He’s a little different from mine, but I like him.”
“Do you and Moses go to the same church?”
“Yes. In fact, he and Alex have taught a couple of the singles classes.”
“She didn’t tell me that.”
“No?”
“Is she different when she’s there?”
“Yes and no. Here, she seems more like Alex Miller Adair and there, she’s very much Mrs. Adair.”
“Really?”
“When she’s in New York, it’s like she’s on holiday from her life.”
“I understand.”
“They’ve been renovating the townhouse, and it keeps her busy. I know she’s still adjusting. He loves her either way. What’s he like here?”
I poured more lemonade. “Quiet. I think he’s still trying to find his way. He spends a lot of time with Bas and Quentin, and like her, he seems to be on vacation from his life.”
“I think once they really get used to being married, you won’t be able to tell the difference between their east coast and west coast personalities.”
“Exactly. Have you been to dinner with them?”
“Do they act like that all the time?” I asked. We laughed and he gently touched my hand.
“Yes. And it’s contagious. Wait until you go dancing with them.”
“My friend doesn’t dance.”
“Your friend may not, but my friend’s wife does. You should see them. They go dancing, not clubbing. They’ve got a few places they like to go.”
“You’re kidding!” The woman he described sounded nothing like my friend.
“No. Or you’ll be over for dinner, and they’ll be in the kitchen dancing.”
“No, I haven’t seen that.”
“They asked me to stay with them, and I said no. I learned my lesson never stay with newlyweds,” he smiled. “His first wife was nothing like Alex. He seems freer, relaxed…he’s like the guy I first met in college.”
“Her fiancé wasn’t very affectionate. You only knew they were a couple because they said so. But when you see her with Moses, you know they’re a couple.”
“Exactly. When we go out it’s like chaperoning two horny teenagers. They can’t keep their hands off each other.” We laughed.
“What’s with that?”
“It’s just them.” He looked at me and smiled. “I asked about the honeymoon--”
“What did he say?”
“He had this stupid grin on his face and said it was nice.”
“That’s all she said. I was all ready to hear some juicy details and all she said was, it was great and the place is beautiful.”
“It all has to do with some rule they have about keeping everything private.”
“I can’t blame them. If more people did that--”
“That’s the same thing I said. Tell me about the wedding.”
“It was very intimate and filled with love...very much like them. They got married in his grandmother’s garden. Alex was beautiful and he was a nervous wreck. I tease them about how they carry on, but I want that. I want to kiss my wife in public and not care who sees. I want my wife to know I’ve got her back. I want to dance with her in public. I want to give her the world and know she doesn’t expect it. I want a partner. That’s what they have. He said she refers to their marriage as a team, and said he’s the captain. They said they have to do whatever is necessary to keep the team progressing.”
“Wow.”
“So far it’s working. Like the other night, he called her at the last minute to meet his publisher. She didn’t complain, she showed up, wooed his publisher, stood in the back row of his reading like a dutiful wife, and he was very proud. And when she needs help at the store, he goes over and does whatever she asks him to do.”
“You’re kidding.”
“No. They’re for real. If anyone told me three years ago my heartbroken best friend would be married, I would have said they were lying. Much less, that that same friend and his wife would teach me how valuable a good marriage is, I’d have said “no way”. But here I am, waiting on God to bless me like He’s blessed them.”
“When I came back and found out Alex was married, and she told me about the rules they have, I decided right then the next time I get married, I’m doing that.”
“So CJ,
what…”
“Want to watch a movie?”
“Sure.”
We went inside, popped in a movie, got comfortable on the sofa and spent the rest of the day watching movies, playing with Parker and Collier showing me how to use my stove. Now I knew how Alex ended up in New York with someone she barely knew. When you know it’s right, nothing else matters. I think this is what Alex was trying to tell me. There are just some things in your relationship you need to keep secret.
* * *
Alex
* * *
“PALM SPRINGS,” MOSES SMILED AND kissed me. “I really needed this. Thank you, baby.”
“You’re welcome.” I tucked my hair behind my ear. “Have you spoken with Collier?”
“No, why?”
“No reason.”
He looked at me. “Really?”
“Okay, so I want to know what’s going on, if anything between him and Chloe.”
“Why don’t you ask her?”
“I left her a message.”
We pulled up to the valet and stopped the car. Moses walked around, helped me out and we walked into the restaurant to the hostess station.
“Hello, welcome. How may I help you?” the hostess said.
“Hello. We have a reservation. The name is Adair.”
She checked her iPad and looked up at Moses. “Table for two. Follow me,” she said.
We followed the hostess and as I looked around I, spotted a familiar face and stopped walking. Moses almost stepped on the back of my foot, and grabbed my waist.
“Babe, I’m sorry.”
“Is that Collier with Chloe?” I asked.
“Where?” He looked in the direction I was pointing.
“What…I believe it is.”
“Did you tell Collier we were coming here?”
“No. Did you tell her?” he asked.
