Moving my wet kisses from his lips to his neck I began to suck softly but vigorously, waiting for the sounds of his moans to tell me I was doing a good job. When they came I transitioned to the other side of his neck then finally when I couldn’t take it anymore I helped him remove his shirt exposing every bit of beef and flesh beneath it.
He whispered excitedly, “Are you sure about this?”
I was completely confident in what we were about to do. I harbored no reservations about this, so when I unquestionably responded, “Definitely,” he picked me up while still straddled around his waist and walked me into the bedroom.
And when he came inside me touching and stroking every crevice of my body it made for the most arousing night of my life. It was no wonder he’d driven women crazy. But this was more than a short lived encounter, it was love…
v
By Monday afternoon I was back at work and into my normal flow of things. After retrieving a printout from the copy machine I made it back to my desk in time to see a new email notification flash on my computer monitor then fade away.
When I opened the email I saw it was from Henry Chase, our Department President asking to speak with me in his office pronto. Henry was a quiet man with whom I’ve only heard speak during our departmental meetings when he announced mindless information like the results of the employee satisfaction survey. He wore a bowtie to work every day and the buzz around The Hive was that he was a devout member of the Nation of Islam. That was until we found out he frequents the synagogue and is in fact a member of the Jewish community. (Apparently, he just loves his bowties…please get the workplace gossip right people!) But still, I’ve never spoken to him. I couldn’t help but to worry what this was about. I know our earnings have been down the last few quarters- -
Oh my God was I being laid off like Sonya? If I got laid off I’d have to forget about buying that house or helping Riley with a car.
I took a deep breath before knocking on his office door and let myself in once he gave me the okay. After sitting down and going through the standard exchange of greetings with one another Henry quickly got to the point and offered me the position of Sr. Graphic Designer. He let discretion fall to the wayside as he explained to me he’d fired Rosie earlier this week, hence the reason she hadn’t been here in the last few days. Apparently she’d missed several important deadlines; one of which initially resulted in the loss a major account. That was until our sales manager made an executive decision to give our clients a fifteen percent discount on services for the next twelve months if they continued business with us.
This promotion was a six thousand dollar annual increase which bumped me to a very comfortable fifty-eight thousand a year.
I was excited but as Henry continued to speak, my mind drifted and I began to have reoccurring flashbacks about my night with Christian. The memories were still so erotic they sent shivers between my legs every time I thought about it.
“We should have promoted you long ago, congratulations Kaia.” Henry said as he stood from his seat and extended his hand, “We’ll make the announcement tomorrow morning. How’s that sound?”
“That’s perfect Mr. Chase, thank you for the opportunity.”
“Oh you’ve earned it.” He said as he walked me to the door.
Trying to contain my joy, I waited until I got outside of the building to hop, jump and skip in excitement about my new promotion. I felt like I was floating, but I couldn’t float too far. I was scheduled to meet with Joanna in the next ten minutes and didn’t want to be late.
Even though I was in the middle of a bidding war for the house on Mountain Glitter, Joanna was hard at work securing my future home. We’d met up at the nearby Subway during my lunch break where she suggested we’d offer to pay two-thousand dollars towards closing costs to sweeten the pot and finalize the deal today – or we walk.
“I’m not playing games with these people anymore Kaia.” She admitted, “If they don’t accept this deal we’re walking and I’ll find you a house ten times better.”
She took her business seriously and this ongoing foolishness from the owners brought out the fire in her eyes. Her competitive instinct came out like a lioness on the prowl ready to kill anything that got in the way of her pride’s next meal. No wonder she’d been referred to me as one of the best in the real estate game, she was fierce.
After Okaying Joanna to submit the new bid she promised me she’d have an answer within a few hours then sped off in chase of her commission check. I remained at Subway and ordered a six inch Italian BMT on wheat, light on the Mayo, heavy on the onions. While I ate I thought about calling Christian but instead reached for my phone and dialed Riley. I hadn’t heard from her in a month and I was beginning to get worried.
“Hello?” she answered on the second ring.
“Hey girlie I haven’t heard from you in a while. I miss your voice.”
“Hey Kaia,” She responded in a somber tone.
“What’s wrong? You don’t sound good.”
“It’s been a lot. Mama didn’t tell you?”
That very question scared me. My mother hadn’t told me a thing especially since we haven’t spoken since my trip to Cali. This is what I was afraid of, that low-life had gotten her pregnant. I knew it! “Tell me what Ry?” I asked anxiously.
She hesitated for a moment, “I...I...I-“
“You’re pregnant!” I interjected no longer able to wait for her to spill the beans. God, how was I ever going to help her now?
“No! I ain’t pregnant!” She exclaimed, “We use protection. Well we used to use protection. Me and Derrick broke up and I’m not sleeping with anybody else.”
“Oh,” I said hiding my relief that she wasn’t preggo and that that idiot was out of her life one way or another. I just prayed it wasn’t one of my “break-up then make-up” moves. I did my best to sound empathetic to her situation, “I’m sorry. How are you holding up?”
“I have good days and bad days,” she said in her baby voice, “but that’s not what I was talking about.”
“Oh, okay. Go ahead, I’m sorry. I’m listening Ry.”
I was thrilled she’d broken up with Derrick and even more thrilled that she wasn’t pregnant. But knowing that there was more news to uncover I hoped for the best but prepared for the worse.
“Whatever she says, you can deal with it. Be understanding.” I coached myself.
“Well, Ce Ce took me to the club and I danced.” She admitted before telling me she’d never do it again for as long as she lived.
“I just felt pressured but I thought I could handle it. I didn’t like it though. All those nasty niggas watching me with my clothes off, I didn’t feel safe. I don’t know how she can do it cause I didn’t like it, at all. So I never went back. I’m never going back.”
Of course I was angry that she’d been talked into this crap by Mama and Celeste. In so many ways she was still a baby, my baby. I shook my head in admonishment at those two while fighting back the urge to call them both and cuss them out worse than ever. But when I looked on the bright side of this travesty, I was happy she’d made her final decision even though it meant a night on stage. She was learning to find her voice, like me. I was grateful that at eighteen she’d found hers instead of at twenty-eight, there may be rays of hope for her after all.
“Are you okay?” I asked her.
“Yea I’m okay. Ce Ce doesn’t understand and Mama’s still complaining that I haven’t found a job, but I’m trying Kaia I swear I’m putting in applications and resumes everyday but nobody’s calling me back.” She said in frustration reminding me of my dear Sonya only a month ago.
“Shush, you don’t need to explain it to me. I know finding a good job is hard.” I said before a brilliant idea came before me. The most brilliant idea I’ve had all year, I just hoped she’d hear me out.
“Listen baby girl, I want you to come and live with me, out here in Vegas. I’ll give you all the help you need. I’m in the process of
buying a house and hopefully if this deal goes through I’ll have one very soon. You’ll have your own room, you can go to school and I may even be able to get you a job at my firm as an admin or receptionist. It’ll be a new environment for you. You can start over…fresh.” I plead hoping she’d take me up on my offer.
She paused momentarily like she was mulling it all over. God I hoped I wasn’t too excitable when she replied, “Yes. You’d really let me come and stay with you…in Vegas?”
“Yes of course! I would have offered sooner but I know you had things…well Derrick holding you back. I’d love for you to come. I miss my baby sis anyway, it’ll be fun.”
When she agreed my mind did a flash forward of where she could be in the next two years if I were able to work with her alone. Get her on the right track and be a good influence on her. She could have her AA and getting ready to transfer to my alma mater with a savings and self-respect under her belt. When I told her the news about me and Christian she dropped the phone then nearly had a heart attack. Her happiness for us however, couldn’t contain the nervous hesitation in her voice…she knew big brother would be watching her.
Forty minutes into my lunch period I gathered my things and abandoned the discreet flavorful smell of Subway for my Cherry Berry scented Avalon. I cruised back to the office peacefully with content thoughts of the house, the promotion, my Riley and of course my Christian. God was good. By the time I made it to Christian’s apartment after work, the orange sun had gone down officially calling it a night on its reign over the valley. Two hours prior, Joanna informed me in a victorious cheer that my offer had been accepted by the sellers.
“Congratulations, you’ve bought your first house!” She’d exclaimed. “I flat out told them we weren’t going a penny higher and if they don’t take this deal not only are they crazy but were walking. All their other offers backed out so they had no choice!” She laughed releasing a cutthroat guffaw when she described their meeting.
With the news, Christian and I skipped our home cooked meal and drove to the Mountain Glitter house located only ten minutes south from where I currently live. Christian eased his Navigator up the steep and hilly streets of my newly gated tract home community; all with the same soft peachy color stucco creating a real “Leave It to Beaver” looking neighborhood. We turned right on Prancing Horse then another right into a cul-de-sac where my home sat at the end of the block. Mountain Glitter was wide but only played hostess to nine houses in total; three on opposite sides of the street and three (including mine) that outlined the circle of the cul-de-sac. I led Christian across the driveway while walking around the perimeter of my neatly cut green lawn. I wanted to see if we could get a peek into one of the living room windows. After giving that an unsuccessful try we got lucky when Christian did a little snooping on his own and discovered the side gate to the backyard was unlocked.
We walked in, hand in hand as I released a heavy exhalent breath of air. I finally did it and it felt, great.
“Wow, its nice baby. You did a good job, look at that view.” Christian complimented as we strolled to the long brick wall at the end of the yard. The entire Las Vegas Strip was lit up from the Stratosphere to Mandalay Bay. From here it appeared simply stunning; there were no indications of slot machines, nightclubs or drunken tourists, just peace.
“Riley’s going to like it here.” He said as he stood behind me and wrapped his arms around my body.
His warmth felt good, “Yes, I think she will.”
“And maybe with a little time, I will to.”
I turned to him and planted a sweet kiss on his lips considering the idea that had also been bouncing around in my head, “I think I’d love that.”
v
That weekend the four of us; Sonya, Kyle, Christian and I, celebrated at Town Square’s Blue Martini just south of The Strip. Kyle bought the first round of drinks and Christian bought the second. While the boys talked sports – a subject they were both crazy about – Sonya and I agreed that if we were moving in the right direction…thirty was looking pretty damn good.
The Countdown to Thirty Page 26
