Not for a Moment

by Nadirah Foxx

Crystal’s eyebrow lifted. “Just how many times did you sleep with him?”

  “Just the once.” Technically, it was several times the previous night.

  “Oh, girl.” Her brow furrowed. “You’re dealing with another psycho.”

  I suspected it without her mentioning it. Finding lunatics was kind of my thing. Every time I told myself that I was done with society’s rejects, I fell into another lap. My history with men sucked.

  My bestie patted my hand. “You can fix this. Did you tell Leo you were done with him?”

  “Sort of.”

  “No, girl.” Crystal shook her head vehemently. “You’re either done or you’re not. What happened with Matt?”

  “We had one date.”

  “That’s it?” My friend cocked her head to one side and stared at me. “You chose the idiot over him?”

  When heard from someone else, it made my decision sound foolish. “He wants to go out again.”

  “Do it,” Crystal urged. “Rachel, I know you. You’re full of doubts, but have you looked at the pros and cons?”

  “About dating Leo?”

  She nodded and continued, “I won’t ask you what’s great about Leo. I want to know what’s wrong with him.”

  Valid question. So I told Crystal about our first date. I explained how I drove—Leo said he had car problems—and how he was a fan of pizza. I omitted the incidence with the whiskey—although he splurged for the expensive liquor. Finishing up, I told Crystal about Leo’s claim to be a homebody.

  “He sounds like the type of guy you meet in college—broke and waiting for someone to take care of him.”

  Jumping to Leo’s defense, I said, “But he took care of me.”

  “Right. With pizza. Only thing he missed was the beer. Does he even have a full-time job?”

  I thought back to the conversations I had with Leo. “He said he was a musician at the moment.”

  “At the moment?” Crystal’s long manicured nails rapped against the table. “You’re better off without him.” She held up a palm before I could protest. “I know what you’re going to say—it’s not always about money. But here’s the truth, whether or not you want to hear it, think about your future. Do you want a man with the potential of slipping a ring on your finger and a good life? Or do you want a man you might have to take care of while he’s in between jobs?”

  Point taken.

  “Call Matt. I realize he can be a bit much at first, but give him a chance. He wants to move forward. With you.”

  11

  Rewind

  Rachel

  For once, I listened to Crystal. After wrapping up my project, I found Matt’s number and called him. While I waited for him to pick up, I kept telling myself that calling it quits with Leo was for the best. Besides the obvious cons, any man who was hooked on me after one night of sex must have deeper issues. I didn’t consider myself to be that special.

  “Hello?”

  “Matt, it’s Rachel St. John.”

  “Rachel.” Matt’s easy smile came through the phone. “I thought you lost my number.”

  I deserved that. “Yes, well… I’m sorry about that. I should have called you sooner.”

  “Yeah, you should have.” He chuckled. “Tell you what. Let’s start over.” He paused for a moment. “Hi, I’m Matthew Wallace, but my friends call me Matt.”

  “Nice to meet you, Matt. I’m Rachel St. John. I think we have a friend in common—Crystal Dixon.”

  “Yeah. I work with her husband, Scott. We’ve been friends for years, and we’re both officers with the Detroit Police Department.”

  We spent a few minutes talking back and forth, getting to know each other again. It was nice, and I wished I’d done it sooner.

  “Hey, Rachel?”

  “Yeah, Matt?”

  “This has been fun. Um…. How about if we try going out again?”

  “I’d like that.”

  “Dinner Friday night? I can pick you up from work.”

  “That actually sounds good. I’m over near Grand Circus Park. I’ll call for a Lyft in the morning so that I don’t have to worry about my car.”

  “Would you mind keeping it casual?” he said with a hint of caution.

  “Actually, I’d appreciate it. No pressure.”

  ∞∞∞

  Concentrating on my work the next day was difficult. I tried cutting myself a little slack and laying blame on the fact I’d only worked two out of five days. In reality, I knew it was the anticipation of seeing Matt that evening. Thoughts of the handsome man made me both nervous and excited simultaneously. My brain concocted far-fetched scenarios—beginning with him being interested in me to ending with disgust because he could tell I’d slept with Leo.

  When we ended our phone call the previous night, I packed a small overnight bag with a change of clothing—and yes, I tossed in fresh underwear and a toothbrush. Then I had second thoughts and unpacked it all, thinking I was being too forward. I chastised myself for jumping to conclusions—Matt wanted to keep things casual, and I prepared to spend the night. In the morning I pulled out the bag again and threw in a change of clothes, toiletries, and underwear. After all, I’d been a Girl Scout. Being prepared was our motto.

  Nice try.

  So what? I was guilty of jumping into situations with men. Crystal wasn’t wrong about me. After losing my mother, I tried living in the present. Gone were the thoughts of what-ifs and going slow. We didn’t know what the future would bring or if we’d live to enjoy it.

  Keep telling yourself that one.

  Although I steadily watched the clock throughout the day, I got my work done and even started the research for a project due the following week. As the clock inched closer to quitting time, my heart beat erratically. My emotions were all over the map like a schoolgirl’s. Anyone who looked at me would think it was my first date. I rolled my shoulders and blew out a few short breaths.

  Relax.

  Focus.

  At five minutes after five, Matt came through the door. Instead of a uniform, he wore dark jeans, a Red Wings letterman jacket, and a beaming expression. My co-workers—female and male—checked him out as he made his way over to my desk.

  “Hey, beautiful,” he said.

  I was so glad I changed my clothes after lunch. “Hi, yourself.”

  His eyes raked over my jeans and my black pullover sweater. “Ready to go?”

  “I am.” I stood, reached for my jacket hanging on the back of my chair, and then laughed.

  “What’s so funny?”

  I held out my Red Wings black fleece.

  Matt laughed. “Looks like we have something in common.”

  “My dad introduced me to the sport as a kid. We usually catch a few games during the season. You?”

  “All my life. I played hockey. My foster dad used to take me to games. I still go with Scott.” Matt helped me with my jacket. “Maybe we could go together?”

  “We should,” I agreed.

  ∞∞∞

  Matt carried my bag as we hopped onto the People Mover and headed for Greektown—a place I hadn’t been in a long time. After playing a few hands of blackjack—and losing miserably—we walked over to Pegasus Taverna for a bite to eat. The Greek restaurant wasn’t too crowded for a Friday night, and we got a table shortly after arriving.

  The saying about an unrecognizable language being all Greek was so true. I couldn’t make heads or tails out of the menu. Sure, I could have played it safe and ordered a steak, chicken, or fish, but I didn’t want to appear stupid in front of Matt. There were other places we could eat, but I was the one who insisted that Greek was fine.

  The problem was, I’d never been a huge fan of Greek food and had no idea what to try. Normally, I hated it when men felt the need to order food for women. I wasn’t helpless and could pick out what I wanted, but that night I didn’t mind.

  When the server arrived, Matt noticed my hesitation. “We’ll start with the avgolemono.” He glanced at me and said, �
��Do you like lamb?”

  I nodded.

  Matt looked at the menu again and said, “The lady will have the arnaki pilafi with rice. I’ll have the arnisia paidakia also with rice. To drink… A couple of glasses of your red sangria.”

  As soon as the woman left, I asked, “What did you order?”

  “The avgolemono is a chicken soup with lemon, rice, and egg. The arnaki is a simmered lamb. I ordered lamb chops. I hope you didn’t mind my ordering for you.”

  My brow furrowed for a moment. “No. Other than baklava and moussaka, I had no idea what to order. And I didn’t want to get the usual chicken, steak, or fish.”

  “I get it. It’s like going into a Chinese restaurant looking for a hamburger.”

  “Exactly.” I took a sip from my water glass. “You seemed very comfortable with the menu. Do you eat here a lot?”

  He grinned. “No. As a teen, I worked a few summers at a Greek restaurant. My foster parents were fond of the cuisine, too.”

  The waitress returned with our drinks. After she left, Matt’s gaze lingered on me for a moment.

  “What?”

  He cleared his throat. “I hope this doesn’t spoil the evening, but can I ask why you called me?” He rushed to add, “Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy your company, and I’m glad you—”

  “Let’s just say that I had a change of heart.” No way would I admit my shortcomings to that man. He warned me about Leo. Listening to him gloat about being right would ruin the date. “Is there a problem?”

  “No. Like I said, I enjoy being with you.” He glanced up. “Here comes our food.”

  ∞∞∞

  After dinner—a meal that was just okay—we went for a walk through Greektown. Plenty of people were out enjoying Detroit’s nightlife. Matt pointed out places he frequented and told me about being a beat cop—a position he was more than happy to give up.

  “I should probably get you home,” Matt said as we approached East Lafayette Street.

  “I’m in no hurry, but if you have other plans…”

  “No.” He reached inside his jacket and pulled out his phone. “Let me call an Uber. We’ll go to my place and get my car.”

  Luckily, there was a driver in the area. Fifteen minutes later we were at Matt’s loft in Rivertown. It was a fabulous place to live with fantastic views of the river. The lofts and brownstones occupied a renovated warehouse—a great use of Detroit’s abandoned properties. Matt stayed in a one-bedroom bi-level unit—still too pricey for my meager salary.

  “This is really nice,” I said, noticing the colored concrete floor.

  As soon as I stepped into the loft, the small open kitchen was on the right. A metal spiral staircase divided the area. Straight ahead was the living room with an exposed brick wall and that great view people paid for. Matt’s home was sparsely furnished with a worn brown leather sofa, a recliner, a few scattered tables, and lamps. I glanced up the stairs.

  “Bedroom and bathroom are up there.” He rushed across to the sofa and picked up some discarded clothing. “Sorry for the mess. I’m rarely home.”

  “Oh?” I said, dropping my bag near the stairs and then removing my coat.

  “I work a lot of hours. I pick up as many shifts as they’ll let me. When I’m not at work, I’m usually hanging with Scott, or I’ll go see my foster dad.”

  “Are you close to him?”

  “He’s the only father I’ve ever known.” Matt opened a closet and tossed in the clothes along with his jacket. “I consider myself blessed that I ended up with the Pattersons.”

  Nodding, I walked over to the window. “Wow. This view.”

  Suddenly, Matt was at my side. “I know a nicer one.”

  Yes, people would judge me. It was only our second date, but at that moment, I needed someone to help me forget about Leo.

  Facing him, I said, “Well, what I see isn’t too bad either.”

  Matt leaned in and slanted his lips over mine. The kiss was warm and inviting. Instead of cherishing the moment, my mind dissected it. Evaluated it. Compared it. With every stroke of Matt’s tongue, I thought about the last man who kissed me. Thinking of someone else felt like cheating, so I pushed Matt away.

  He frowned. “Something wrong?”

  A knot formed in my stomach. What would Matt think of me if he knew the truth? Would he toss me aside like yesterday’s newspaper? Or would he understand and accept me, flaws and all?

  Shaking my head, I steeled my spine. It wasn’t necessary to seek an apology for my own needs. If I wanted to move forward, I had to put all thoughts of Leo out of my mind. And what better way to forget one man than to get under another one. I put my arms around Matt’s neck and pulled him closer. Suggestively, I said, “Only thing wrong is that we’re down here instead of up in your room.”

  He lifted an eyebrow. “What are you saying?”

  “I’m saying… I’d like it very much if you took me home after breakfast.”

  The corners of his lips curled up, and he swept me into his arms. “When you ask like that, you can stay as long as you want.”

  ∞∞∞

  Matt’s bedroom was much better than the lower level. A king-sized bed was the main attraction with sheets so soft they had to be Egyptian cotton—not something I expected on a cop’s salary. The furnishings were tasteful and looked new.

  He lowered me gently onto the bed and stared down at me. Was he appraising me?

  Pushing up onto my elbows, I twirled a strand of hair around my finger and kicked off my shoes. “Still like what you see?”

  “Oh, yeah.” He unbuckled his belt and stripped down in a matter of seconds.

  I leaned back against the pillows and, patted the bed—daring Matt to join me. When he didn’t move fast enough, I unzipped my jeans, keeping my gaze on him. “Are you going to make me do this myself?”

  That snapped Matt’s attention. The mattress dipped beneath his weight. He leaned over me, hooked his thumbs into my waistband, and tugged the jeans down my legs. He gave my body a bold, sweeping gaze. Matt’s eyes darkened with desire before he lowered his head and nuzzled my inner thigh. His fingers slid past my lacy thong. Fabric ripped and then a breeze caressed my naked pussy. Matt groaned.

  I gasped when his fingers unexpectedly slipped into me. His tongue circled my clit. My hips lifted, and I clenched the sheets. Matt teased me open, and I writhed against his hand while he finger fucked me.

  “Matt…please…”

  My body, on fire with pleasure, vibrated as I came in his mouth. Matt lapped up my honey. The sensation sizzled through me, but recovery wasn’t happening. Not yet. Matt pushed my knees up and wedged himself between my legs. I was throbbing for him, and he didn’t leave me waiting. Opening myself wider, he pressed his thick, hard dick into me.

  Much bigger than…

  Matt pulled almost all the way out and then thrust deep. Painful. I grimaced, and he stopped.

  Breathing heavily, I said, “Don’t. Stop.”

  Thankfully, he moved again, and we found our rhythm. Thrusting over and over. The slapping of our sweat-slicked skin filled the room while the headboard banged the wall.

  My pussy tightened around his cock. As Matt moved within me, I edged closer to my climax. Again.

  “Damn,” he groaned. “Fuck. I’m gonna come.”

  His dick pulsed as he pounded me. With one last jerk, Matt came, screaming out my name.

  My release chased his, and I shook with ecstasy.

  ∞∞∞

  After a few minutes, Matt rolled off me. His glistening cock twitched. I gasped, slightly afraid he might be ready for another round. Instead, he wrapped an arm around me, pulled me close, and kissed the top of my head. “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “Honestly, I didn’t plan on this tonight. We’ve only been out twice.”

  Great. He thought I was easy.

  Matt caressed my cheek and continued, “Work sucked today. This was the perfect end.”

  “Glad
to be of—”

  He lifted my chin and claimed my lips again.

  12

  A Storm Brewing

  Rachel

  Morning came too soon since I had no desire to leave Matt’s side. Thankfully, he felt the same way. Our breakfast consisted of bagels and coffee and more sex.

  Around noon, life forced us to leave the bedroom. Matt had to go into work, which meant time to go home. I quickly showered and changed into the extra clothing I’d had the foresight to pack. When I reached downstairs, Matt had prepared lunch—homemade chili and a salad.

  “Did you make this?” I asked, taking a seat at the kitchen island.

  He shook his head. “Courtesy of my foster mom.”

  “It’s nice that you’re so close to them.” I tasted the chili. “This is fantastic.”

  Matt smiled. “She keeps my fridge stocked. I don’t cook much for myself.”

  “Understood.” I was prone to throwing something in a slow-cooker—anything that didn’t require me to stand in the kitchen for hours. Anything I made usually ended up in Dad’s fridge, anyway.

  We finished our meal in silence.

  ∞∞∞

  Matt walked me to my apartment—still not trusting the neighborhood. As I unlocked the door, he asked, “Can I come by after my shift? It might be late.”

  I glanced over my shoulder, letting my eyes rake over his body. “Bring a change of clothes. We can go to mass together. I’ll even introduce you to my dad.”

  “Already?” Matt leaned against the doorframe. “Do you really want me to meet your father?”

  I realized it was soon, but why not? Life was too short for waiting. Besides, after my ordeal with Leo, I felt better if my friends and family knew who kept me company. “Yeah. I’m sure.”

  “Then, I feel honored.” Matt leaned in, and his lips brushed mine.

  As soon as the kiss started, I sensed someone watching me, and I pulled away.

  Matt’s brow furrowed. “What?”

  The familiar voice answered our question. “So, this is how it is, Rachel? You claim to love me, and then you cheat on me with him of all people.