Brian decided to ignore his father and turned to Tiffany. “I don’t know who you are, but my mom said you were really big back in the day. I came back to see if I could get your autograph, anyway.”
“I guess,” Tiffany said and scrounged around her purse for a pen and paper. Teenagers knew how to keep a person humble. She wrote him a sweet note and signed her name. Brian blushed when he read her statement. He thanked her graciously before leaving the room.
Ryan was curious. “What did you write on the card?”
“I just simply wrote that I thought he had potential, and I signed my name.”
Tiffany looked Ryan in the eyes, hoping he would get the subtle hint. It flew right over his head.
“You are about six thousand miles away from the truth. Brian has mastered the art of doing nothing.” Ryan scoffed at his own comment.
“Sorry, Ryan, but I do not find that funny.”
Tiffany had injected such a serious tone in her voice that Ryan felt compelled to apologize. “I did not mean that the way it sounded,” he said, contrite.
Patricia came into the room to peek.
Tiffany knew that was her unofficial exit cue and made a hasty retreat. Before she left, Tiffany gave Ryan her business card, quickly scrawling her personal address and phone on the back. “Call me soon. Please.”
After her departure, Ryan briefly glanced at the tiny card before he tossed it on his desk. His mind was already on other matters, and he was now in a rush to get the meeting with Principal Black over as soon as possible. Ryan did not notice when his son had again reentered the room and had pocketed the card.
“Karlie, I don’t think this is a good idea.”
“Tanya, quit dragging your feet.” Karlie pulled her friend, and they jaywalked across the street to stand outside a moderate-size house.
“Your mom will be mad if she finds out. Bump that. My mother will have a coronary if she finds out I lied to her when I told her I was going to your house.”
“Tanya, will you cease and desist from worrying already?” Karlie’s chest heaved. The girls stood there for several minutes before Tanya gave Karlie a pointed look.
“Well, are you going to go knock?”
Karlie backed up, suddenly losing courage. “No. No, I am not.”
Tanya stomped up. “You made me get on a bus to come over here, and now you chicken out. Make up your mind, Karlie.”
“I—I guess.”
“You guess what? Look, Karlie, it’s either you are going to ring that doorbell or you aren’t. Just decide. Because I am cold.” Tanya’s teeth chattered.
Karlie gathered her courage. She walked two steps, then stopped.
Tanya’s fists clenched, and she huffed. “Well, I am going back to the bus stop, because my mother is making baked mac and cheese and green beans with some barbecued chicken, and my mouth is salivating.”
“No, no.” Karlie opened the gate and went to ring the doorbell. She pressed her ear against the door to listen for footsteps.
“Maybe the doorbell isn’t working,” Tanya offered from directly behind her.
Karlie jumped. “Where did you come from? Make some noise next time.”
Tanya hissed through her teeth and banged the door with both her fists. “Hello? Is anybody home?”
A neighbor peered through the window to yell, “Go round the back. He hangs out in the basement all the time.”
Tanya looked up toward the man and smiled. “Good looking out.” Without a second thought, she moved to walk around the back.
“Dogs?” Karlie said and grabbed Tanya’s shoulder. She was deathly afraid of dogs, and her wide-eyed expression showed her fear.
“Whatever.” Tanya scrunched her lips, waved her hands dismissively, and kept moving until she got to the back door. She pounded the door so hard that it threatened to break free of its hinges.
“Take it easy,” Karlie cautioned, “or I may have to pay for a new door.”
The door flew open. “Whatever you’re selling, I’m not buying,” the man barked.
“How rude.” Tanya feistiness couldn’t be quelled. Karlie placed a cautionary hand on her friend’s arm to quiet her.
“We apologize for knocking so hard, but I—I really needed to see you. Are you Thomas? Thomas Knightly?”
“Yes.” Thomas squinted his eyes to take a good look at the face somewhat covered by a big wool hat.
Karlie held out her hand. “Hi. I’m Karlie. Your daughter.”
Chapter Twenty-two
Darnell raced into Tiffany’s backyard, barely breaking out in a sweat. April and Amber were at home asleep. He did not know what he was doing here at this time of night. He had asked his mother to spend the night because he could not keep Tiffany out of his mind. He wanted to finish what they had started the other day.
Darnell had not heard from Tiffany, and given the man that he was, he decided the next move would come from him.
Darnell went over to the huge tree and looked up, eyeing the window that led into what used to be Tiffany’s old bedroom. Over a decade ago, he remembered climbing this tree to get into Tiffany’s room. His raging teenage hormones had made him fearless. Darnell patted his flat, toned stomach with pride. He was still in shape—he could still scale this tree in fifteen seconds flat. He wondered if Tiffany had moved back into that room. There was only one way to find out.
Darnell could simply ring the doorbell or call Tiffany’s cell, but he decided to take his chances with the tree. It made him feel adventurous, although if someone saw him and decided to call the cops, he could be in some serious hot water. Adrenaline pumped through his system, and Darnell grabbed hold of the tree until he had a good grip. Bravely, he started to climb, counting on the window to be open, or his efforts would be futile.
Once he was up the tree, Darnell took a deep breath, then grabbed hold of a huge branch. Easing his body along slowly, Darnell refused to look down. His body had not changed, but his trepidation had. His armpits and upper lip sweated profusely.
Finally, Darnell extended his hand to the window. Thank God the branch had held his weight. Er, oh yeah. He had to remember that God was not involved in this harebrained scheme. Darnell gripped the edge of the window and gave it a good tug. “Please let it be unlocked,” he whispered. Thank God for small favors. Well, maybe he should not be thanking God for boldly trespassing, for breaking and entering, to fornicate. In one swift move, Darnell hoisted himself inside.
He looked around expectantly. Nobody was in the room. Once his eyes adjusted to the darkness, Darnell saw the Hello Kitty decorations and knew that he had just broken into Karlie’s room. “Of course,” Darnell told himself. Tiffany would be in the master bedroom. Made perfect sense, now that he was standing in her daughter’s room. Luckily, Karlie was not in the room.
Moving quickly, Darnell refused to dwell on where Karlie could be. He was more concerned about getting out. Karlie would probably scream at the top of her lungs at the sight of him, and he wouldn’t blame her. Feeling stupid, Darnell exited the room but knew he’d come too far to turn back. He walked toward what he hoped was the master bedroom. He passed a bathroom before coming to a closed door. With extreme caution and sweaty hands, Darnell cracked the door open a little and peeked inside.
Tiffany was in bed. Bingo.
Just then, Darnell heard a toilet flush behind him. “Karlie.” Darnell panicked and entered Tiffany’s room, promptly closing the door behind him. Taking huge breaths, he felt his chest heave and tighten. He could feel the perspiration coursing down his back even though it was about forty degrees outside.
Darnell vowed he would never do something this asinine again. He was not cut out for it, and he felt like a burglar.
Darnell walked over to where Tiffany was sleeping. His feet made the wooden floor creak. Tiffany woke up almost instantly and jumped out of bed with the covers securely wrapped around her body. He saw her hands fly over her mouth in absolute shock, so he turned the light on before mayhem broke out.
“Darnell?” Tiffany looked like she had seen a ghost.
Darnell saw her hands clutch her chest as she stood immobile. He hadn’t meant to give her a heart attack. “Yes, it’s me,” he replied, stating the obvious.
“What are you doing here, and how did you get in?” Tiffany asked, now fully awake. She pulled the covers off and tiptoed over to where he was standing.
Darnell felt foolish and cursed his rash behavior. From her befuddled expression, he could not discern if Tiffany was upset or happy to see him. His new streak of spontaneity had begun when Tiffany reentered his life. He had never done anything like this before—er, well, without permission—and you’d best believe it was his last time.
“The old tree . . .” He stopped. Now he felt stupid.
“You didn’t.” Tiffany giggled cheekily at his admission. “You are lucky my daughter did not wake up, or I do not know how I would explain your climbing through her bedroom window. Worse yet, you would have probably given her an idea.”
Relieved, Darnell smiled, appreciating her sense of humor, and explained about Karlie being in the bathroom. Some women would have thought his actions psychotic, but Tiffany had taken it all in good stride.
He watched as she walked over to the door and secured the lock before going into the bathroom. Darnell walked over to the bed and sat down to wait for her. He took off his jacket and placed it on the armchair. Darnell started to undo his boots but stopped, not wanting to take anything for granted.
In the bathroom, Tiffany brushed her teeth and tried to do damage control on her hair. She felt like a kid all over again, having Darnell here. She brushed her teeth and looked at herself in the mirror.
Tiffany knew she should not be entertaining Darnell, considering the circumstances. “I must be just as crazy as he is,” she sputtered before rinsing her mouth with mouthwash.
Tiffany knew Darnell was the kind of man she could fall in love with, and that was no longer an option for her. However, she could have some fun. “Just don’t fall in love with him and get all complicated,” Tiffany warned herself.
She would lay down some guidelines and make sure Darnell understood. She was sure he would agree, because he had already lost one woman in his life. Darnell would not be eager for anything serious with her, considering.
Yes, Tiffany was giving Darnell King the kind of deal that most men craved—nooky with no strings attached.
Giving her breath and teeth a final check, Tiffany went out of the bathroom and walked over to Darnell. “Do you think this is a good idea?” she asked, although she had already made up her mind. She was going to make love to Darnell.
“I have not given it much thought, Tiffany,” Darnell answered honestly. “The only thing I know for sure is that I haven’t felt these feelings stir up in me in a long time, and I just want to explore them. Beyond that I do not have a clue.”
Tiffany nodded her head in understanding. She took a finger and started circling Darnell’s chest through his shirt. She could feel his deep intake of breath at her manipulative actions and allowed her hands to roam freely. Tiffany boldly looked down at the outside of his jeans. There was a noticeable bulge. Tiffany reached her hands out. “Somebody is happy to see me.”
She had not made contact there—but Darnell was already moaning.
Dropping her hands, she said, “You are going to wake my daughter up with all that noise.”
“I’m sorry. It’s been a long time,” Darnell explained.
Tiffany believed him. She continued her onslaught, and Darnell became impatient. Tiffany smiled at his obvious discomfort.
Feeling overdressed, Tiffany took off her pajama top. The silky teal top floated to the floor.
That was all the encouragement that Darnell needed. He took off his boots and unzipped his jeans before jumping out of them and throwing them carelessly on the floor. His shirt followed next. In his haste, Darnell flung it across the room. He was not sure where it landed—nor did he care.
Half dressed, Tiffany got under the covers and waited for Darnell to join her. He got in and enfolded her in his arms before placing his lips on hers for a kiss. After a few seconds, Darnell deepened the kiss.
Tiffany could feel the eager beating of his heart against her chest. Suddenly, she did not want to wait. Her body sprang to life, and passion raged within her. Tiffany sought only to relinquish the fire consuming her being and slid out of her pajama bottoms.
Darnell, however, was already having second thoughts. He stole a glance at Tiffany and saw how ready she was for something he could not give. Sighing loudly, Darnell knew he was risking the wrath of a woman in heat, but he figured that nothing outweighed the wrath of God.
Tiffany shifted underneath him.
Darnell eased away from her. He now lay beside her and looked up at the ceiling. Darnell was valiantly trying to come up with the right words to convey his apology.
Tiffany got up out of the bed, put her pajamas on, and ran downstairs.
Darnell heard her rummaging in the kitchen, but consumed with his own thoughts, he did not pay Tiffany any mind.
Moments later, she reentered the room.
Seeing what was in her hands, Darnell tried to jump out of the bed. But it was too late. Within seconds, he felt himself doused with the contents of an ice bucket.
“Hope that sufficiently cools you down.” Tiffany sucked her teeth and went to get a change of linens.
Darnell departed after that, using the front door this time, of course. Tiffany kissed him on the cheek to let him know all would be well. She understood and respected his desire to remain faithful to God.
Christians and their conscience. Definite nooky blocker.
Chapter Twenty-three
Neil sizzled. He watched Myra walk around their bedroom in just her bra and panties. She was talking to one of her church sisters on the telephone. It sounded like they were organizing some luncheon.
Neil enjoyed seeing certain parts of her body jiggle with every movement. Giving in to his instincts, Neil walked over to Myra and lifted the cup of her bra. He closed his eyes in delight at the sight of her curves. Neil bent over, attempting to kiss her.
Myra shooed him away, as if he were an insistent fly. Neil felt hurt and mouthed the question “Why not?” to her. Myra, still listening to the other woman ramble on, pointed to her watch and mouth the word “Time.”
Instantly, Neil became angry. Everything with her was about time. Like a defiant child, he marched down to the kitchen and stomped over to the calendar. By the looks of it, the right time would not be until the following week. “Surely, she doesn’t expect me to wait that long.” With a sudden spurt of masculine indignation, Neil tore the calendar off the refrigerator door and crushed it into a ball before throwing it in the garbage. He left the house and slammed the door behind him with a loud crash. He seriously needed to cool off, or he was going to tell Myra about herself. Neil walked to the corner store and purposely bought a fresh pack of cigarettes.
Neil felt a personal satisfaction as he lit one, but before he drew its contents into his mouth, he thought he spotted Karlie walking toward him. Swiftly, he spit the cigarette out of his mouth and onto the sidewalk. Neil used his shoe to make sure it was fully out. As the girl came into view, Neil realized that it wasn’t her. “Thank you, Lord,” Neil said, looking up toward the heavens. It had been eons since Neil had touched a cigarette, and God knew he did not want to, anyway. It was a stupid, childish way of getting back at Myra. However, God had used the right tactic to help him live up to his promise not to seek comfort in a butt. He had help from the Lord. God was his refuge and strength. He threw the pack of cigarettes into a trash bin at the end of the street.
Neil decided to pay Tiffany a visit.
Tiffany watched Neil as he plopped his body in the chair. His whole demeanor and body language said something was seriously disturbing him and rattling his mind.
“What’s on your mind?”
“It’s Myra,” N
eil explained. “The thing is—”
Seeing his distress, Tiffany rushed to reassure him. “You know you can tell me anything.”
“Well, she has endometriosis, and it’s making it difficult for her to have a child, you know. But Myra is becoming obsessed about having a baby, and it’s beginning to interfere in everything.” There. He’d said it, laid it all out there.
“You aren’t getting any, huh?” There. She’d said it, laid it all out there.
“You got that right.”
Tiffany smirked at his quick response. She retrieved a box of cheese crackers and shared some with Neil. The two crunched until Tiffany asked, “You want me to talk to her?”
“I—I do not know.” Neil hesitated, unsure if that would be a good idea.
“I would be discreet about it. Talk to her without being obvious. It’s up to you.”
Neil considered her suggestion. At this point and time anything was worth a try. Then he blurted out, “Yeah, go for it. Maybe if another woman spoke to her, it would make a difference, because she is driving me crazy. I mean, I am a child of God, but this is trying for a saint.”
Tiffany laughed in commiseration. “I feel your pain, man.” She told Neil about her confrontation with Thomas and her make-out session with Darnell.
“You could still . . .” Neil trailed off, trying to be tactful.
Tiffany laughed. “Evidently. I am dying, but I am not dead yet.” She chuckled when she saw his face redden with embarrassment. He was cute when frazzled.
“So the hormones are still kicking.” Neil gave Tiffany the once-over.
Tiffany noticed and accurately interpreted Neil’s speculative look. “Yeah,” she admitted. She squirmed a little, hoping he was not getting any ideas in his head, because in her opinion men could probably understand the concept of friendship only for so long. She knew Neil was firmly dedicated to God, but he was also a man with blood running through his veins—a man seriously deprived at home from the sounds of it.
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