Love UnExpected (Love's Improbable Possibility)

by Love Belvin

  “How was service today?” Azmir asked before taking a sip of his Grande Marnier.

  I saw a hint of a smile on his face and rolled my eyes. I knew he was referring to the women in my Bible study group.

  “The morning sermon was good, but I had a few new pew neighbors ask about my morning…and previous night. I can’t believe that Rhonda asked if we go to bed at the same time!”

  He squinted his eyes in confusion. “How did you answer that?”

  “Are you kidding me? I didn’t! She was out of line for that one. Lisa had the gall to casually ask about your measurements. She wanted to know how tall you are and your shoe size. I swear, I felt like your little sister instead of…” My words failed me and once again, my private truth peaked. I had no idea what I was to Azmir.

  “Instead of what?” his lips twitched as if he found humor in my bemusement. He knew my hesitation and wanted to probe at it. I don’t think so! I didn’t want to damper the moment but didn’t know how to change the course of the conversation.

  “What’s so funny? Do you think I’d say your wife or something?” I scoffed and rolled my eyes at the thought. Deep down inside I didn’t view it as a joke, rather an impossible task.

  With his eyes widened and in a look of total disarray, he asked, “What’s so funny about that idea?”

  Crap! Did I offend him? I didn’t intend to. The thought of marriage caused me to cringe because I knew I could never be a valued partner to anyone. It would also cause me to reflect on how dedicated a partner my mother was to my father. It was to a fault and he didn’t appreciate it. I could never put myself in a position to let someone walk all over me and leave when it suited them.

  “I don’t know. What do you think?” I was at a loss.

  The waiter served Azmir his sorbet in a fancy bowl with an obscurely shaped spoon. Too rich for my blood.

  Azmir nodded in approval, dismissing the waiter and resumed our conversation.

  “Well, it’s what I know.” He spooned his ice cream and scooped it in his mouth. That mouth. “But I won’t tell. That’ll have to be between my wife and me.”

  Though my neck stayed in place, my face fell to the table below. That stung. The thought of Azmir having a connection with another woman made my stomach churn and my chest tighten in anguish. He was mine and I didn’t want to ruin what we had and allow another woman an opportunity with him. I downed the last of my wine in an attempt to blur the pain I felt in my heart. I was close to drunk and was happy about the shield it provided.

  He reached over the table to share his dessert. I didn’t want it, I was too wounded to be sentimental, but I humored him and ate from it.

  “Would you conduct your affairs with your husband any different from how you are with me now?” Where’s he going with this?

  “That’s unfair to ask, Azmir. I’m far out of bounds where we are now. Unlike you, I’ve never been in a serious relationship.” I shook my head in frustration. “Let’s not talk about this.”

  He gave his confident chuckle and signaled for the waiter to bring the check.

  Panic struck.

  “Azmir, I’m not mad. I don’t want to end dinner or rush your dessert.”

  Reaching for his wallet he muttered ever so smoothly, “Oh, nah, we have to go, Ms. Brimm. The way I see it is I have three hours before I leave for my flight.” He handed his credit card to the waiter and motioned that he didn’t need to see the bill. “This gives me three hours to provide you with an idea of what sex would be like for my wife.”

  To say that I wasn’t expecting that wouldn’t express my shock. After he cleared the check, we left for the marina.

  ~~~~~~~~~~

  I woke up in a daze. My mouth was dry and my head was slightly spinning. It took seconds for me to realize Azmir was gone and recall that he had caught a redeye flight out to Atlanta. My mood immediately turned somber. I looked at the time on the nightstand and it read three thirty-three in the morning. It was hard to believe he was just here a few hours ago making wild barbarous love to me until I fell asleep in his arms—actually, I had collapsed from total satiation and he wrapped me into his arms just before I dozed off. He was so…bestial that night, I’d hardly recognized him. I grew aroused as I reminisced.

  My thirst unpleasantly drug me from memory lane. I slid off the bed to go get something cool to drink. When my feet hit the floor, I winced from the pain that sapped through my lower back radiating into my hip. That man was wild last night!

  After taking a much needed trip to the bathroom, I made my way into the kitchen in desperate need for something to quench my thirst. I rested against the island and marveled at the sensation of the chilled orange juice traveling the full-length of my esophagus. Mmmmmmm! The advent of O.J. was divinely inspired.

  Once back into the master suite, I checked my phone and saw nothing from Azmir. I couldn’t deny the twinge of disappointment I felt from it, but decided to return to sleep before crazy thoughts crept in and took over.

  A few hours—and five eight ounces of water—later, I was in the hustle and bustle of my day finishing up on staff evaluation interviews for the morning and preparing for lunch. Ben Shivers, one of my new PTs had just exited and closed the door of the conference room where I’d been conducting the evaluations when the phone buzzed and Sharon informed me of a call on line two.

  “Rayna Brimm speaking, how may I help you?”

  “I think you just did. I miss the sound of your voice…but you sound a little hoarse. Are you coming down with something?”

  Azmir’s soothing voice dripping over the line was full of concern. It rendered me under sieged, suspending my brain. His voice always awakened everything carnal in me.

  I sighed. “I’m hoarse, deliciously sore on the inside, achingly sore on the outside and have been reprimanding myself for drinking so much yesterday.”

  “Yeah, you were throwing them back,” he chuckled.

  “And you were throwing me last night. I had no idea you had those positions in your arsenal. I’m still reeling from the things you pulled off!”

  Azmir released the sexiest laugh I’d ever heard from a man. Nothing melted my heart and lowered my guards like his chortle did. He didn’t do it to be sensual, it naturally was. It led me to my next question, the one I swore I wouldn’t ask but he put me into such an comfortable state already in this call that it got the better of my judgment. I leaned in and whispered into the phone, being sure to keep my voice low.

  “How long have you been having sex?”

  “What?” he gasped.

  “You know…when did you become sexually active?”

  He took a deep breath and let it out before giving me that sexy chuckle once more.

  “Come on. Inquiring minds wanna know.”

  “I know don’t, man…ten—eleven, maybe? Why?”

  “How many?” I shot back before I could think twice about it leaving my mouth.

  “How ma—are you sure you want to have this discussion? I am about to go into a meeting with a lucrative deal on the table and you want to have the conversation that will likely end up in you learning something you thought you wanted to know and could handle, but in reality you can’t?” I heard the laughter in his undertone.

  That was a mouthful! But I had put it out there and there was no turning back.

  “Number!” I ordered.

  “Why? Please tell me why must you have this knowledge of my past?”

  My conscious started roaring. He was right, I would never give him my number so it was unfair to ask for his but I still wanted to know.

  “I just do, now tell me!”

  “You’re starting to remind me of how you felt Rhonda and Lisa hassled you in church yesterday with the insanely exploratory questions. But I’ll play your little game. Are we talking about smashing or what I do with you?”

  I could hear him speaking to someone about contracts in the background. “No, the phrase on page 12 needs reworking. Yes. I agree with that as well. Th
anks.”

  “I’m sorry… Are you there?” he returned to our conversation.

  “Yeah. You were just about to tell me how many women you’ve penetrated.”

  “Oh, right,” he said wryly, quickly catching on to my slyness. “I’ve had my fair share of those I’ve smashed, but only a handful of those I’ve made love to.” Azmir was the crafty one. He answered me indirectly. I knew him well enough to know that was his final answer.

  Okay.

  “How many of us have you pulled the tricks on that you did with me last night?”

  I had no clue why I was torturing myself. I hated the thought of him being with another woman the way he was with me last night—or any other time.

  “Last night was a mixture of techniques, and quite fun by the way. There were a few things I’ve been wanting to try with you and some I did—and very successfully. I was testing your flexibility.”

  “And did I pass?”

  “With flying colors.” He didn’t skip a beat.

  “Yikes! I was nervous for a bit. I feel sorry for your wife if those are the tests she has to look forward to ‘til she’s old and gray,” I teased.

  “Don’t worry. She’ll be just fine, Tyler will make sure of that.” I giggled at that one. “Seriously, are you okay? You were quite inebriated last night and…responsive,” Azmir growled that word out. “At some points, I thought I was hurting you until you made it clear that it was to the contrary.”

  Last night was freaking amazing! Are you kidding me!

  “Ummmmmm…other than lingering soreness and paw bruising on my hips, I’m fine.”

  “Paw bruising?”

  “Yeah. Your finger marks are on my backside and my hips and my thighs. I should try going home and explaining that to my husband,” I picked up our joke from the previous night over dinner about being married to other people.

  “Fortunate for me and lucky enough for him, you don’t have a husband.” By the arctic sound of his tone, I could tell he didn’t find my joke amusing.

  He went off talking to someone else in the background again. “Huhn? Okay.”

  “Ms. Brimm, that’s my roll call. Gotta go make these donuts.” Although I understood he really had to go, it really stung ending our conversation like that.

  “Okay, knock ‘em out of the park. And, Mr. Jacobs?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Tyler won’t have time to train your wife because he’ll be preoccupied with me, helping me build my stamina so that we can do last night again and again and again,” I whispered seductively, I couldn’t help myself. That’s what Azmir brought out of me. Fieriness.

  “Ahhhhh…you’re hurting me, and just before I walk into my meeting,” he growled.

  “Later.” I giggled.

  “Indeed.”

  I smiled on the inside and outside after hanging up the phone. That man had the ability to make or break my day. I don’t think I liked him having that type of talent but I was in over my head and just powerless at that point. My elated state didn’t linger for long when my cell rang and moments later, I was chatting with Chanell.

  “Guuuurl, ‘dat tight ass skirt from BCBG ain’t fit me! I told you I couldn’t get into no size 10! Im’ma have ta’ take ‘dat shit back!”

  “Oh, no! I was sure it would. I’m sorry, C. When are you planning on going back to the mall?”

  “I ‘on’t know. ‘Dats why I’m calling you. I thought we could roll together. You ain’t never pick up ya’ gear.”

  What Chanell didn’t know was that I didn’t know anything about Kid’s birthday bash in Vegas until she brought it to my attention that day over lunch. I thought Azmir would bring it up to me last night and he most certainly didn’t mention it moments ago during our brief conversation. So, I had no need to shop. I didn’t like the idea of him being danced on by strippers and I sure as heck had no desire to watch them.

  “Chanell, I have no interest in watching strippers. I see enough moves by women in my dance class every week.”

  “Oh, nah!” she exclaimed. “’Da strippers is for Thursday. He having a big ass party down there on Friday night. He got the major hook up. There’s gonna be performances and celebrities in ‘dat bitch!” she shrieked.

  “I don’t know, C. We’ll see. Did you arrange for the dancers?”

  I can’t lie, I had to know if Azmir would be in that suite with a horde of naked, sweaty, and thirsty women wiggling for dollar bills.

  “Yeah, ‘dat shit is official right about now.”

  We wrapped up our conversation with me inviting her to text me a picture of a larger size skirt on and me giving her my deliberations that way. I didn’t really care to make so many trips to the mall. Saturday was more than enough for me for a while.

  That evening went by so slow. The energy balance in the apartment was so off when the man of the house was away. He called to tuck me in, so to speak, but it didn’t cure my blues for him. I took note that he still hadn’t mentioned Kid’s party. I found it very strange considering how close they were. I had started to believe that he simply didn’t want me in on that part of his bachelor life. But when I thought about how his time in Vegas would detract our limited time together in between his heavy traveling it tore at my heart.

  Chapter 10

  Rayna

  The following day went by a little quicker. Work came with its peaks and valleys, but because I had a session with Pastor Edmondson, it accelerated once I punched out.

  Pastor Edmondson informed me that he was made aware of my women’s group discovery last Thursday. He, of course, didn’t disclose his informant but did say that he explained to “them” that he was well aware of my living arrangements and had made it clear to me that though he doesn’t condone my decision, he respects my walk with Christ enough to allow God to evolve my perspective on it.

  He was totally honest. Pastor Edmonson lovingly demonstrated, biblically, why God disapproves of two people living together unwed, but made very clear that it was not his intention to force change of my lifestyle, only to infuse me with godly principles that would change my heart and from there I would willingly change my lifestyle. I didn’t quite get it at that time, but it never left my memory.

  He laughed apologetically about the encroaching questions I got and sympathized with Azmir for coming home to the likes of Rhonda and the others in his living room gawking at him. My pastor was easy to talk to and uncompromising in his beliefs. I deeply respected him for that.

  That Wednesday, as I was writing reports to wrap up my day before heading to dance class, I got a call from Azmir. He sounded agitated.

  “Hey, you! What’s up?” I tried masking my panic.

  “I just spoke with Petey who reminded me that Kid’s thirty-fifth birthday party is going to be in Vegas this weekend starting tomorrow.” I was thrown partly because I’d already known and also because he seemed to have not!

  “I was planning on coming home Friday and heading up to Santa Barbara with you for a quick overnight stay but shit, I gotta check on his birthday gift and at least be there for his birthday party on Friday night.

  “It’s okay. Kid is special to you. I wouldn’t be upset if you went to celebrate a milestone occasion with him.”

  Did I sound like the proverbial understanding girlfriend or what! I wanted to see him on Friday—no, scratch that—I needed to see him on Friday!

  “No, I need to see you this weekend,” he muttered, quickly dismissing my offer and sounding more like he was thinking out loud than he was talking directly to me. I was happy he felt the same. “I’ll be on a plane on Monday and away for almost another week again.” There was a pregnant pause before he spoke again. “Would you mind hoping on a plane Friday when you get off and meeting me in Vegas? I’ll have Brett book your flight and arrange for car service to the hotel. I won’t arrive until Friday night because we have a meeting scheduled here first thing that morning.”

  “Errrr…” Wow! Talk about a turn of events.

  “
I’ll have you home at a decent enough hour on Saturday so that you can be ready for church on Sunday morning…” he pleaded. I could tell he was earnest in his offer.

  This was a tall order. “Mr. Jacobs, the expense for me to get ready for this party… As it stands, this week I would have paid my monthly expenses, my mortgage…”

  “Did you spend the money that I had deposited last month? If so, I’ll have funds deposited into your account by lunch tomorrow. Please. I’d really like to see you, Brimm.” Okay now I hear desperation.

  I had totally forgotten about the money he had put into my account. “Ughhhh…you know how I feel about—”

  He cut me off again. “You just committed to not fighting me when I treat you to things. This would really be for me. I’ve screwed up my dates and am now inconveniencing you. Please cut me some slack and have peace about this,” he seared me using my recent spiritual commitment against me. I sighed in concession.

  “Okaaaaaaaaay,” I sang softly in the phone sounding of defeat.

  “Indeed,” he breathed in his Brooklyn twang.

  I heard a feminine voice in the background saying something to him.

  “Ms. Taylor,” rolled familiarly off his tongue, similar to the flirtatious manner he’d say my last name.

  She must have walked up on him because I clearly heard her say, “Mr. Jacobs…our table is ready. The host is calling for us,” so velvety with a hint of seduction almost.

  Something wasn’t right. I didn’t like the cordialness in their voices.

  “Alright. I have to go, Brimm. Brett will contact you with your travel info.”

  “O-okay,” I uttered with somewhat of a cracked voice. I was still trying to wrap my head around the cozy exchange he’d just had with this mysterious Ms. Taylor.

  “Aye…” he called out, snatching my attention. “I expect you to fully expend the amount necessary to make you feel as good as you look. If you need more just let me know…though I doubt you would be so liberal,” he was a bit mocking with his last few words.