His hand slid across her stomach and she caught a chill. Her skin rose like the covering of a basketball, turning him on more. Becoming aroused he leaned into her body, pressing his erection between her hip and his stomach. He reached around her and lightly licked on her nipple causing her to roll on her back and arch up her hips for him.
Growling Matthias took her dark pink nipple between his lips and began to suck. Her hand rose to stroke his bicep. Silly would wake soon and he would have her ready. Lifting his left hand he traced down the center of her. Between her breasts, over her stomach, at the top of the small amount of black wisps of hair. Another inch and he’d be…
“Matthias where’s the…shit…man.”
Matthias moved quickly to use his body to block Silly’s. It was not that Langston hadn’t seen his conquests before, but this was different. Silly was special.
Matthias wasn’t known for closing his door because he’d never had a woman in his home besides Sharee. And like everything else she closed the door when they were together.
“Other room. Now.” Matthias grunted looking down at Silly who hadn’t stirred beyond what he had done.
He knew a good kiss would wake her, but now he needed to get back to what was important. Burying his head in the crook of her neck he breathed in the sweet vanilla, then kissed her delicate skin that had purpled from his earlier activities. Another soft moan made him hate his routine for the first time in years. What was more important than this moment? He sat back and looked at her once more pulling his comforter over her shoulders, and she snuggled in.
Rolling off the bed he crossed to his closet and pulled out boxers, a pair of nylon shorts, and a black compression shirt. Then socks and a pair of cross trainers and he was ready. Well, ready minus the fact that his erection hadn’t gone away yet. He closed his eyes and tried to think of anything that could kill it, but Silly kept walking back and forth in front of the images. He punched at the wall as he headed to his workout room, not liking the fact he was not in control of his body.
Screw it. Langston was just going to have to work around him. Matthias entered the spare bedroom he used as a gym and turned on his treadmill. Langston rode the stationary bike as they watched Mike and Mike in the Morning on ESPN for about an hour.
“So, let’s look at the future of the Emperors. Is Matthias Jessup still a factor?” the first commentator asked.
“Are you talking about Dallas?” the second replied.
“Did he play in Dallas? I don’t remember seeing him.”
“He got limited minutes, true, but this year Dallas is recovering from some major losses in personnel so it’s not like he was needed.”
“But still, people pay good money to see the stars play and he didn’t.”
“Yes, but was that because of his game or his body? That determines viability.”
“Anyone who lets his personal life take him out of the playoffs, like Matthias did last year…”
“That’s speculation. He’s been a consistent player for years now.”
“But has it been too many?”
“Come on we’ve got four players in their late thirties and forties putting in quality minutes this year.”
“Playing, but not carrying their team, which is what Matthias will need to do in harder matchups and if he can’t handle…” the commentator looked down at his notes. “More than twelve clock minutes out on the floor—”
“In those twelve minutes he got seventeen points and four rebounds.”
“He was icing his knees before halftime.”
Matthias switched off the TV.
“Now I know why Sharee was really mad yesterday,” Langston said as he shot water into his mouth from his water bottle.
“Because the Mikes think I’m floundering?”
“Your bed,” Langston hitched his thumb.
“Sharee doesn’t know about her. She was being overly protective as usual.”
Matthias laid on his back so he could work on his leg press.
“Oh. So who is she? I didn’t get a good look.” He smiled and Matthias instantly cut his eyes to Langston.
“And you won’t.” Matthias shook, then calmed himself. “Until she’s dressed.”
Extending his legs he began his first of ten sets of ten that Dr. Barnes ordered.
Langston started doing some lat pulls. “Looks a little light skinned.”
“She’s white. You have a problem with that?”
“Not if you don’t. I don’t mind a little cream in my coffee. Sharee’s going to kill you.”
“No she won’t, and it’s not her call.”
“Right. Nothing’s her call.”
Matthias could tell by Langston’s tone that he wasn’t telling him everything.
“You do realize she picks the girls you sleep with on the road.”
“No she—” Matthias looked at him and instantly felt a rush of anger. “How does she pick the girls?”
Langston kicked his phone across the carpeted floor and it landed by Matthias’ head. Reaching back Matthias started to scroll through Langston’s pictures.
“How many years?”
“You started to sleep around, what, four years ago?”
That sounded right. Sharee and he were trying desperately to stay together before that and they finally knew it wouldn’t last. He told her he’d been faithful up to that point. No reason to start cheating now. He’d wait until the divorce was final. But she said she didn’t care. Even took out the fidelity clause in their prenup. He told her he’d give her anything she wanted in the divorce, but she smiled, stroked his cheek, and said she’d only take what she earned.
In those last four years she made him more money than she had in the first six. Endorsement deals tripled and his popularity ratings were through the roof all because of her. She had treated him as a client and try as they might what little sexual chemistry they had in their youth was gone.
“Do you work for me or for her?”
“Is there a difference?” Langston let go of the weights and leaned on his knees. “You can sleep with a hundred girls but you and I both know that Sharee’s the one you’ll always love.”
But he’d never loved Sharee. Not like that. He loved her like he loved his kinfolk. Like he loved Kendrick and Langston. She was his best friend. She knew where the bodies were buried and he trusted her with his life. But love? No. Admiration. A sense of obligation. He should have hired her, not married her. That was his big mistake. Because Langston was right about one thing. Sharee had loved him. She had loved him deeply. He could see that now.
The woman he met twelve hours ago laying naked in his bed had caused him to rethink the whole idea of love.
“What’s love? To you? Sharee described her feelings for this new guy—”
“New guy? Or was she projecting her feelings for you on him?”
“I don’t think so. I’m pretty sure it’s her feelings for him. You observe from the outside. Only her and I know what we really are to each other. I know the world wants to see us back together—”
“It’s not the world. Why is she still in charge of everything for you?”
“Because she has my undivided trust. You on the other hand have become suspect.”
“Now I’m suspect.”
“Yes and will remain so.”
“Hi,” a soft voice interrupted the discussion and Matthias looked up. He dropped his legs down and smiled at Silly who had thrown on another one of his hoodies. This time she was barefoot, but all he could think about was she probably hadn’t put on her underwear yet. “I don’t mean to disrupt anything. I know it’s a long shot but is there any chance you have applesauce?”
She smiled as the morning sun came through the window hitting her so a halo formed around her body.
“I found a few things to cook with, but without baking powder I’m kind of held back.”
“I don’t have applesauce.”
“I do,” Langston offered. “Taylor was over
last weekend. It’s just cups, would that do?”
“I can work with that. You have honey? Matthias only has sugar. But it’s sweeter with honey.”
“What are you cooking?” Matthias had eaten eggs and rice everyday since he moved out of his home.
“It’s a surprise. I’d have made pancakes but you really are sparse on the staples.”
“He doesn’t cook,” Langston kidded as he walked Sylvia out of the room. “The staples are for the two nights a week his cook comes by.”
“Matthias,” Silly said as she picked at her fingers. “I know it’s probably not my place, but those are going to kill your knees.”
“Doc ordered leg presses.”
“Not like that.”
“Okay.” Matthias rolled off his back, stood up, and extended his hand to usher her onto the device.
“I don’t know if I can model this for you,” she whispered against his chest and looked down. “If you know what I mean.”
“Can you walk me through it?”
“Yes, see you need to push up with your heels, not flat footed. It strengthens the muscles that support your knees.” Dropping to her knees she stroked his thigh and placed her hand on the back of his calf.
Matthias looked down at her crystal blue eyes with a quirked smile. Standing back up she stood close, blocking his erection from Langston as she snagged a little kiss.
“Sorry about that.” She looked down to his pelvis and back up to his eyes. “But it will work.”
“Doc did say something about strengthening. Thank you Silly.” He stroked back her hair and let his thumb caress her bottom lip. “Take care of my girl here, Langston.”
* * * *
“You can call me Langston too, by the way.”
“Sylvia.”
“I’m sorry about this morning.”
“What about this morning?”
“Oh…nothing. It’s not important.”
“Okay.”
Langston walked Sylvia across the hall and he started to rifle through his cupboards.
“So you’re Matthias’ neighbor?”
“Bodyguard. He bought this place for me so I could be on a twenty-four hour watch more or less. Well, Sharee bought it. I used to live in the guest house in Lenexa with them before…well, you know.”
“She seems nice. I mean what little I know of her.”
“She’s very nice. Here we are,” Langston dropped a pack of Motts in front of Sylvia so she nodded.
“These should do. You have a kid?”
“Yeah, she’s four. How about you?”
“A kid?” Sylvia scoffed and stifled a shiver. “I would have gone home if I had a kid.”
“Would you?”
“What mother wouldn’t?”
Langston shifted his weight and shook his head as if she was a moron. Sylvia turned to go out of Langston’s apartment and back to Matthias’.
“Don’t get any ideas.”
She turned back to him. “Ideas?”
“That this is going to lead somewhere. I’m sure Sharee will be over when the roads are clear to have you sign some nondisclosure agreement.”
Sylvia could feel the acid building from her stomach all the way to her throat. All that Matthias had said must have been some game to get her in bed. Well, it worked. Then Sylvia remembered she went into this as a one-night-stand and even though she’d deluded herself for a few hours that his words were real, she knew better.
“You’re the heavy huh?”
Langston crossed his arms, shrugged his shoulders, and gave her a small smile. Matthias had Langston so he wouldn’t have to be the bad guy. Well she wasn’t that stupid. She got it.
“Right.” She nodded, not about to let this crush her. She knew this was a possibility. Hell a likelihood. She got her one night with Matthias and it was wonderful, why should she have expected anything more. “Well I don’t need an agreement. There’s nothing to tell.”
“That’s not what your neck says.” He pointed to her throat.
She had seen a mirror by the door and looked in it now. Matthias had marked the hell out of her throat. Hickies galore. Well that’s a fine twelve-year-old how do you do.
“Maybe I should just leave.” She dropped the pack of applesauce back on the counter and turned away.
“Probably a good idea.” She looked back to see Langston leaning against the counter curling his fingers to wave goodbye.
Back in Matthias’ place she went straight to the dryer and pulled her clothes out. She didn’t care about getting dressed in the open. What did it matter anyway? It’d all been a lie. What didn’t make sense is why would he need to lead her on? There were other girls he had to be able to screw on command. Why did he have to ruin her fantasy of him? That was what hurt the worst.
He must get off on it like all the damn celebrities do. Damn it, why did she go home with him? Because, she chastised herself, she was an idiot.
Matthias had put her coat somewhere, but she didn’t know where. She didn’t want to see him and feel even more humiliated.
She searched for a closet before finally locating a crack in the wall. She pressed lightly and it sprung open. Her black and white Columbia was hung like he gave a crap. Ripping it off its hanger she put on her shoes, checked her pocket for her keys, and hit the stairs.
Going outside was like another world. The cold bitter wind bit at her face as the white out conditions made it impossible to even see across the street. She thought driving yesterday would be bad. Today would be impossible. Maybe it’d subside by the time she was done with work.
Her hand went to her throat and remembered the damn hickies. Doing the walk of shame in yesterday’s clothes was bad enough. Now she’d have a week of regret on her neck. Asshole. And to think she was going to make him breakfast.
Putting one foot in front of the other the snow came up to her knee from being plowed. Crossing the street was a little better, the snow having been trampled down by the few cars on the road.
Her phone rang. Pulling it out she saw it was from work.
“I’m on my way,” she explained knowing full well she wasn’t anywhere near late.
“Museum’s closed today,” her boss said. “They don’t expect anyone to try to go out in this so turn around and snuggle back up in bed. We’ll see you Tuesday.”
Tuesday. Tuesday. Damn it. A whole day’s wages lost. Well, there went her pathetic attempt to try to get a Christmas present for anyone.
Sylvia kept trudging knowing the ride home today would be worse given the memory of being used still fresh in her mind. A half a block away from the museum a voice carried through the wind.
“Silly. Silly.”
“Silly!” She turned and barked. Looking down the block she could barely make out a dark figure. That was better. She was yelling into the wind and not to his face. “Silly. That’s a perfect name for me isn’t it? The stupid-silly-girl who believed your show. Why?” She cried not wanting to collapse, but feeling she would all the same. “Why’d ya do it? Was I some damn challenge? Were you on a scavenger hunt of pussy? Or are you just here to make sure I sign some damn paperwork?”
Matthias slowed as he approached her and took her in his arms. His mouth found hers and she tried to push him away. But the more she fought, the harder he held until she finally allowed his tongue in her mouth. She pulled and sucked on it as his hand swept her hat off so he could grab her hair.
As much as she wanted to fight it she couldn’t. His draw was still too great for her. They fell against a snow bank. Sylvia’s neck felt the bite of the cold snow but it couldn’t stop the most passionate kiss she’d ever felt in her life. If she was a fool at this moment in time she didn’t care. Matthias pulled away and looked down at her.
“I never kissed Sharee that way. Not once. You know what we have, don’t run away from it.”
“What do we have? One stupid night where I did what probably a thousand other girls have done for you.”
“It’s not
like that, Silly,” he brushed the hair from her forehead and kissed it softly. “Come back to my place.”
“I’m not gonna be your blizzard lay. Get someone else to come out in the snow.”
* * * *
Silly pressed her face into her gloved hands then seemed to clear her eyes and look at him. Not with the sweet adorning blue eyes he’d seen last night. Or the curious eyes from dinner, but crushed broken eyes that seemed to be pleading with him to make everything bad in her life go away. The worst part was he believed he was the bad at that moment.
“Matthias, I’ve been in love with you since I was fifteen. Dreamed of sleeping with you so many times I felt like a damn nympho. Imagining over and over what you’d do to me or I’d do to you, knowing full well none of it would ever come true.”
Tears streamed down Silly’s face as her throat tried to hold on to the words. The hoarse scratches weren’t coming out in the sweet tone he loved. Instead it was letting the cold penetrate his chest.
Talk about pressure. Matthias suddenly lost that ten-foot tall bulletproof feeling he’d had for most of his life. He’d destroyed her dream, not brought it to fruition.
“Then it did.” She breathed in deep then bit at her lower lip. “It happened and everything I wanted came true, but I screwed it up. I didn’t know how to act. I held back because I was afraid it wouldn’t be as wonderful as I had imagined.”
She came like ten times last night. What more could he have done? This woman was going to kill him. Wait, she said she held back? Matthias’ cock twitched even though the cold was creeping through his shorts.
“But it was. And for one moment I believed it was real. That’s what hurt the most. It had happened. To me. Until…this morning and Langston made me more than aware that no matter how magical last night was that’s where the dream had to end and I had to wake up. It couldn’t keep going even if I hit the snooze button a thousand times.”
Matthias’ first thought was to fire Langston. He’d been with him for the last nine years but whatever he’d said to make Silly feel this way was ground for dismissal. And a good ass whippin’. Not necessarily in that order.
Silly Girl Page 8
