Gentrified

by Kirsten McCurran

  “One other thing.” Nicole crawled across the bed and kissed him, long and slow. “You’d better keep room for me.”

  Winston grabbed the back of her head and kissed her again—this time hard and possessively. “Girl, I ain’t letting you go anywhere.”

  “Good. I might even help you then.”

  Nicole smiled cryptically.

  twelve

  It might have been because she felt at loose ends being alone in the house. Kyle was away for work again and Maddy was at the beach house with her grandparents. Jess had not been alone in the house since they’d moved, and she felt lonely and vulnerable. The house felt strangely spooky at night with no one else in it. She jumped at every little sound, and the old house had plenty of creaks to keep her paranoid—plus there were all the noises from the neighborhood outside. So she was not quite feeling like herself. It also may have been that without her daughter around Jess felt liberated to be her own woman again, rather than just a harried working mother. Whatever the case, it was the week she was alone that Jess decided it might be fun to toy with her husband.

  They had teased each other a little bit since that night when they had the strange, intense sex on the couch, after Winston left them. Teasing each other was fun, and a little naughty, but neither of them seemed eager to unearth the feelings that were exposed that night. But they never left her mind, not completely.

  Jess saw Winston every morning, and now that she was aware he was looking she felt stupid for never noticing it before. He may have been trying to be subtle about it, but the signs were there when she looked for them. She could feel Winston’s gaze crawling up and down her body. Winston was classy, not creepy, so he didn’t leer. He was not trying to make her uncomfortable, but he was absolutely interested and liked what he saw. She stood up straighter, which had the unintended consequence of pushing her tits out for his inspection.

  The attention gave Jess the chills, stirring feelings deep inside her—feelings she wasn’t entirely comfortable with. Since her marriage, Jess hadn’t felt those things about anyone but her husband, and it didn’t feel right. But the feelings were there—there was no denying that, and they had her on pins and needles every time she was around her neighbor. In any other circumstance, she might have tried to avoid him, Winston had become close to the couple, and besides, he was about to start working in their house. How could she tell Kyle to cancel that without explaining her feelings? But the whole truth was darker. Jess liked the way it made her feel. Thinking of Winston lit up parts of herself that Jess didn’t even know were there before. It had been an interesting week.

  Jess started the morning by taking a picture of herself in the full length mirror in the hallway, once she was ready for work. She wore a clingy cream blouse with capped sleeves and a scoop neck that flirted with showing some cleavage. The blouse was paired with a gray pencil skirt that just about came to her knees and really showed off her butt—especially with the heels she wore. It wasn’t why she’d bought the skirt. That was just a nice side benefit. The outfit showed off her slender figure nicely, but was completely appropriate. She texted the picture to Kyle. His reply came quickly.

  K: wow. Very hot.

  - I hope Winston thinks so too. 

  K: !

  The simple reply made her smile. Jess resisted texting any further, but got finished getting herself ready to get out the door. As she’d suspected, the ritual was much easier without her daughter in tow. However, she found she missed the chaos. She hoped Maddy was having fun with her parents, even if she did miss her little daughter.

  As predicted, Winston was outside, sitting on his stoop. She began wilting in the heat the moment she stepped out the door—sweat immediately popping out on her flesh—but it didn’t seem to bother him. He even had a cup of coffee in his hand, as was his habit. Now that she was aware, she could feel him watching her as she crossed the street to say good morning, even though he wore sunglasses against the early morning glare. The morning shade was on her side of the street, keeping her house in deep shadows. Jess wore shades as well, to make it all the easier to pretend she didn’t notice Winston’s attention.

  Jess smiled brightly and greeted her neighbor. She almost felt like this was a little dance between them. Before, Maddy was the excuse for their morning encounters, and with the girl away, Jess could have stayed on her side of the street and simply waved as she passed by. But no, she still made a point of crossing to see her handsome neighbor.

  “How can you sit out here? It’s horrible,” she said.

  “It’s not so bad,” he replied, although sweat beaded on his shaved head and buff exposed arms. He wore his usual morning uniform of a white “wife beater” tank top and loose basketball shorts, with his feet in sliders.

  She enjoyed the view, even as she felt him looking her over. Exposing his arms like that showed off all the time he spent lifting. They were thick like telephone poles, his chest looked like it was carved from granite. His physique was so impressive, but Jess vividly remembered how gently he held her for that moment they shared in the basement. Being enveloped in those arms was perfect. She subtly licked her dry lips as she thought about it. The morning was suddenly much hotter.

  “It’s going to be much worse later,” he finished.

  “I know. I think I’m going to melt. I feel bad leaving the air on all day when no one is home, but it’s going to be brutal this evening if I don’t.”

  She felt her pale cheeks turning red in the heat, a bead of sweat running down her back under her blouse. She must already look a damp mess, she thought. Did she want Winston seeing her like this? He didn’t seem to mind. Even closer together, they couldn’t see each other’s eyes through their shades, but she knew that just as she was looking at his strong arms and shoulders, he was appreciating her trim figure in her snug outfit. She swore she could feel him staring at her breasts, and she stood straighter, pushing them out. It felt good, because while her tits were cute and perky, they weren’t usually what guys focused on.

  “I bet you and your folks belonged to a swim club back in the day,” he commented.

  “Yeah, it was great. If we weren’t at the beach house, we were at the club. The heat didn’t seem so bad then. I was never one to bake in the sun, but if I was hanging out by the pool, or playing volleyball, or doing anything outside, the heat didn’t really get to me. I could spend all day on the beach on a day like this without a second thought.”

  “When I was a kid, we used to open up the fire hydrants. You can do it legally now—I’m sure you’ll see some—but back then it wasn’t recommended. It was before they made the things you can screw onto the nozzle, so someone would make up their own, so the water would just pour out. Either way, we stayed cool.”

  “I bet that was a lot of fun. I think it’s better to find your own fun, than to have it handed to you. I’m afraid Maddy’s generation is going to have it too easy.”

  “Heh, I don’t know. I think I’d rather have spent my summer days by some nice pool, or on the beach, if it was up to me.” He gave her a meaningful look. “Especially if there were lots of pretty girls in bikinis hanging around.”

  “I guess I can see that.”

  “You still rock the bikini on the beach, don’t you?”

  “Sometimes. It depends on my mood.” She caught the hungry way he was looking at her, and added, “But not one of those thong bikinis, or any other teeny, tiny thing. I have to stay respectable.”

  “Of course you do, Jessie.”

  Jess didn’t have to be a mind reader to know exactly what was on Winston’s mind. He was picturing her in some bikini—she knew it—though she doubted it was the kind of two-piece she’d wear to the beach. She favored a nice halter top and bottoms that gave her full coverage, a suit that made it easier to be active and chase a child up and down the hot sand. He surely pictured some little thing she had to keep pulling down over her boobs, and that climbed up her butt. She did still have a couple ancient string bikinis fr
om the old days, but she never considered pulling them out. The tops were probably a tad too small anyway, since pregnancy had left her chest at least half a size larger. She smiled wryly, thinking Winston would enjoy that.

  “What’s so funny?” he asked.

  “Hmm?”

  “You’re smiling. Happy memory?”

  “Just thinking of something.” Rather than explain herself, she said, “I really need to get going. I think my makeup is all going to melt off if I stay in this heat any longer. I can’t go to work looking like a scary clown.”

  “I bet you could pull off the Joker look.”

  “Very funny.”

  “Jessie, you don’t even need makeup anyway, girl.”

  “You’re too sweet.” His compliment made her heart beat faster. “I’ll see you later. Stay cool.”

  “You too.”

  Jess walked away and swore she could feel his eyes on her butt. The snug pencil skirt did its job. Just that brief encounter left her tingling down below, and she tried to push sultry thoughts of Winston from her mind. As she walked to her car, she imagined them on a beach together, she in one of those little string bikinis, Winston in snug trunks. The sweat stood out on his ebony skin and he glistened in the sun. She knew she had to tug her top back into place, but she didn’t bother, knowing he was looking at her. He told her he was afraid she would burn, and she dutifully laid down on the blanket while he spread slippery lotion all over her body. Those big, strong hands felt like magic. He tugged on the knot holding her top closed and she sighed as it came undone…

  A loud car horn snapped Jess back to reality. She’d stepped off the curb and right into the path of an oncoming car. She waved and said she was sorry. The middle age driver seemed to cool down when he watched her cross in front of his vehicle. She had to get her head out of the clouds!

  Since she did not have to drop Maddy somewhere, Jess had chosen to leave the car in place and take the bus to work while her daughter was away. She liked the ecofriendly idea, and not moving the car was appealing, but walking several blocks farther to the bus stop in the sweltering heat had her rethinking the idea. She felt gross by the time she reached the bus stop, and while the bus itself was air conditioned, the commuters were packed in tight and she was lucky to find a seat. Jess was squeezed between an older woman, who resembled a librarian, on one side, and a heavyset, African American on the other. Her leather case was clasped between her heels on the floor.

  Every time the bus lurched, Jess was thrown against the man to her side. She apologized the first couple of times, but it gradually dawned on her that he did not mind. He pretended to stare at his phone the entire time, but from the corner of her eye she saw he kept glancing to her when she thought she was looking away. The stranger seemed particularly fascinated with her long legs. Her skirt had come up to mid-thigh, but she wasn’t exposing anything. Still, her bus-mate was happy with the view.

  The man beside her didn’t resemble Winston at all, but his attention had a similar effect as when her neighbor was checking her out a few minutes earlier. She didn’t think it was because they were both black, although she was flattered that any black men at all thought she had curves worth staring at. She was just more aware of the attention of men in general, and she’d discovered she enjoyed it. A modern feminist, she reckoned she probably shouldn’t, but it was flattering. Didn’t everyone want to be desirable? As long as the men weren’t pigs about it, where was the harm?

  The bus dropped her a block from work, and she was relieved to be off the bus. Toward the end, the man beside her had shifted in his seat, so that every time the rocking bus pushed her against him it was her boob that pressed into his arm. Her shoulder was pinned back against the plastic seat, making it impossible for her to adjust. It was only a few more blocks, so she let it go, but she was glad to be free. Being admired was one thing—borderline groping was another.

  Jess took a few moments to cool down in her tiny office. She hung her head back over the air conditioning vent under her window, drying her damp hair, then she touched up her makeup. It would have to do. There was just one more thing to do before she started her day. She snatched up her phone.

  - I was right. He loved the outfit

  Kyle did not respond immediately, leaving her disappointed. He was probably in a meeting already, but she was excited by the little game she’d started and wanted to play. She was knee deep in her morning email routine when he finally replied, but that didn’t stop her from grabbing the phone.

  K: of course he did. Ur hot!!!

  - u don’t mind?

  K: just don’t tease the poor man too much

  - oh? Why not?

  K: don’t want to give him the wrong impression

  Jess didn’t even think about her reply. It flew right from her fingertips.

  - who says it’s the wrong impression?

  K: haha

  - it’s lonely being in the house alone. Maybe I should invite him over for a beer.

  She immediately feared she may have taken her game too far. She didn’t want Kyle to think she was really up to anything. Now that she had confessed to her crush, she didn’t want her husband to think she was getting any ideas. It took Kyle a couple minutes to reply.

  K: go for it. I’m meeting a couple ppl for drinks after work

  Jess was piqued. Her mind jumped right back to her thoughts that it would be so easy for him to fall into bed with a coworker after a few drinks and have a work fling. Kyle never really talked about who worked in his office. It could have been full of cute college interns looking for a foothold in the company. She replied:

  - a few drinks with the guys?

  K: I didn’t say they were all guys

  He was just teasing her back. She knew it, but it still got under her skin.

  - I guess it’s ok then if Winston comes over for a beer. It’s not inappropriate for me to have another man over while ur gone?

  K: what will the neighbors think?!? Haha. Ur the one who’s always telling me he’s a gentleman

  - maybe not if I’m giving him the wrong idea

  K: if it’s the wrong idea…

  Kyle had turned her words back on her, but was he playing, or was he genuinely angry? She hated the lack of context in texting. Jess couldn’t imagine he was really mad. He trusted her. He understood she was just playing. Right? She wasn’t sure how to reply, so she texted:

  - maybe you have the wrong idea

  K: I think I know exactly what’s on ur mind

  - do you?

  K: u have the hots for our neighbor and u like the attention he gives u. I don’t mind it. I’m proud

  - but?

  K: but what?

  - aren’t you afraid of something happening?

  K: because you’ve been going out of ur way to tease him?

  Jess didn’t reply right away. Was she so transparent? She was indignant, even though she’d been caught.

  - I have not

  K: since when do u send me pix of what you’re wearing to work? Ur doing it and u want me to know it. The dressing up isn’t for me

  Now she really did feel like she’d taken things too far. She didn’t want Kyle thinking this was anything real. It was just something to spice things up, and have a little fun with in the bedroom.

  - sorry

  K: u don’t have to say sorry. I’m enjoying it. It’s kinda hot.

  - really?

  K: u don’t get like this. It’s like I’m seeing a new side of you and I like it

  Jess was at a loss again. Sure, they’d talked about this the other night, after that intense sex on the couch, but she didn’t take it all that seriously. She thought they were just talking, teasing each other, like she thought she was doing now, but she was getting the impression there may be something more to this. They should be having this conversation face to face, not by text when they were supposed to be working, but here they were.

  - so u want me to do this? Keep flirting with Winston?

>   K: what do u want to do?

  -it really could get out hand. He really might get the wrong idea

  K: if it’s the wrong idea.

  The conversation had become frustrating. Kyle was being deliberately vague, she knew it, and it pissed her off. If it’s the wrong idea. What was he saying? She felt he was implying he wanted her to do something more than flirt, but that was just inconceivable, which was why he was leaving himself wiggle room. If she flipped out on him, he could claim she misunderstood how far he wanted her to take things. Jess wasn’t going to play that game. They could not hash this out over texts, but she was going to damn well pin him down when she got him on Skype later on. She finished with:

  -then you’re okay with wherever this leads?

  K: I trust u. I’m okay with whatever you’re okay with

  - guess I’ll just see what happens when I see him. Gotta run. Xo

  Her phone chimed with another text immediately, but she purposely ignored it, setting her phone aside. Everyone had their own alert, so she could safely ignore her husband without missing something that was actually important. She didn’t pick up her phone again until it chimed with a message from Nicole.

  N: have a bottle of wine with your name on it

  Jess thought drinks with her best friend might be just the distraction she needed.

  - sounds great but I have yoga after work. Later?

  N: I’ll be there at 8

  - perfect!

  thirteen

  Winston held Nicole’s slim hips and pistoned her up and down on his cock. She had a white-knuckled grip on his hands, and her screams echoed through his living room. Her head was thrown back and her jet hair hung down past her shoulders, almost to where her slender back was arched away from him. They sat on his couch and she bounced on his lap while facing away, her salmon-colored shorts and black thong thrown away. A white sleeveless blouse, with ruffles down the front buttons—which were all open—hung on her body and her black bra was unfastened.

  Nicole had been in control, hopping on his lap after he went down on her, but once she climaxed he took over, working her up and down like a fucktoy. He loved the way she completely turned herself over to the act. There was no vanity, no self-consciousness. Nicole was pure sex, fully into the moment. When she came, it was with her whole body. And as he worked her on his prick, her tight pussy gripped him and convulsed around him, like she would never stop coming.