She gripped the top of the sofa as he did her. She had just showered. She had just put on her dress that had been purchased specifically for her graduation. She was heading out with nothing more on her mind than getting there early. And within minutes everything flipped and instead of driving her rental car to the auditorium, she was naked on her sofa with a man’s head between her legs. Things like this never use to happen to her. Wonderfully spontaneous things like this only happened to her girlfriends and strangers. But it was happening to her. On the day she was to begin her career in earnest, it was finally happening to her!
She lifted her knees as he moved in deeper. His tongue was inside of her folds. But he wasn’t wiggling his tongue. There was no teasing with Charles Sinatra. This man meant business. He sliced into her folds merely to give himself more space to eat. And as her vaginal juices began to spew out onto his tongue, that was exactly what he did. He ate. He ate her in a way that was so intense it was painful. She slid down from the impact, until her ass was no longer being held up by the edge of the sofa, but by the catch of his hands. And he was feasting on her.
Jenay could barely contain herself as she tried to push him away from her. She was pushing so hard, and arching so wildly, that he looked up at her. “You want me to stop?” he asked her.
But she could only shake her head. “You’d better not,” she said firmly. “You’d better not!”
But why did she say that? That was all he needed to hear. What she didn’t realize was that Charles had been going easy on her. He didn’t want to scare her away before he had her. But with that green light, he did it his way. He went deeper. He had her down, on the floor, as he ate her with such ferocity that she was flopping like a fish out of water, arching wildly with the pleasure of his expertise. He ate her until she was screaming from the top of her lungs. She was practically sitting up, and was sliding backwards on her ass, as he ate her.
By the time he couldn’t delay any longer, and had sleeved and shoved his thick dick inside of her, they were well away from their initial start on the sofa. When he started fucking her, the feeling of his fullness pushing through her tightness, on top of those still-vibrant feelings from his tongue, caused her to fall into a kind of serenity she’d never felt before. It was as if she needed this, and loved this, but it also felt bittersweet. It felt as if she needed this the way a wino needed wine. It was great for her now, but what was it going to do for her later?
Charles was so caught in the emotion of making love to Jenay that he wasn’t trying to think about later. It was all about the here and now for him. Because right now, he was in the zone. Right now he was so in love with this woman’s pussy that he thought it was going to take him out. He pushed into her and pushed into her as if he was pushing through a luxurious tub of sweet cream. And the tightness that made even the ridges of his dick pulsate. And the way she stayed so saturated-she never dried up. He thought that night they spent together two months ago was magical. And it was. But this was magical-plus. Because this was sex with a commitment. Not an always and forever commitment. He didn’t know her like that to even begin to think in those terms. But he had come to her. He had driven over three hours to get to her. This was no longer a one-night stand. There was something more at work here.
When they finally came, when they went over that cliff together, that feeling of falling, of where your heart was in one place, and your body was in another, flipped. Because it felt, not like falling, but like landing. Like their heart and body was together, in the same place. And they had landed on their feet.
And hour later and the Jaguar was driving onto the campus of the Boston Hospitality Institute.
“Is that Jenay?” Norm Morgan asked Denise Donahue as they looked at what appeared to be a black female sitting on the passenger seat of the Jaguar. They were standing at the drop-off curb outside of the campus auditorium, dressed all in white, when the sleek black car had just driven up, and Norm immediately noticed the figure.
But Denise wasn’t nearly as certain. She was a nineteen-year-old who entered the Boston Hospitality Institute straight out of high school. Oddly enough, she, thirty-two-year-old Jenay, and forty-three-year-old Norm hit it off right away. Now they were inseparable. “Why would Jenay be in a Jaguar?” she asked, as she was unable to positively identify anybody through the tinted windows of the car, even as she squinted her eyes. “She never mentioned anything about showing up in a Jaguar.”
“She did rent a car,” Norm said, “until she can find herself another car.”
“She rented a Ford. What is it about a Ford that makes you think Jaguar?”
“They make Jaguars, thank you very much,” Norm pointed out.
“Quick lying!” Denise replied.
“They do!” Norm said with a frown. “Why would I lie?”
Denise dismissed him. “That’s not Jenay,” she said. “That’s all I know.”
But it looked like Jenay to Norm. They had been waiting for her arrival for some time now, after they showed up and was surprised she wasn’t the first one in the auditorium. Every class they ever took together, every event they ever attended, they could always count on Jenay to show up first. And on the biggest day of their college careers not only was she not first, but she was almost the last to show up? That wasn’t like her. And Norm was concerned.
But when the driver’s side door opened, and that gorgeous man stepped out, that green-eyed hunk from that reception, he was certain now. It was Jenay. That very man had showed a serious interest in her that day. He smiled. “It’s her,” he said.
“Oh, please,” Denise said, as she watched Charles round his car and head for the passenger door. “Why would Jenay Franklin be in a car with him?”
“I can show you better than I can tell you,” Norm said as Charles opened the door, and Jenay stepped out.
Denise’s young mouth flew open. “Jenay?”
“Told you so,” Norm said with satisfaction.
“Hey guys,” Jenay said cheerfully as Charles assisted her out of the car. “I’m not late, am I?”
“Not yet,” Norm said as they began moving closer toward her. “They haven’t made the first call for line-up yet.” Then he looked beyond her, at her companion. “Hi,” he said.
“Hello,” Charles responded. He didn’t remember Norm from Adam, and Norm was a little disappointed by that.
Jenay was disappointed that he and Denise had to witness her coupling with Charles this soon. They were going to ask her a thousand questions, and she knew it. But it was done now. “Charles, I want you to meet two close friends of mine.”
“Hi, I’m Denise Donahue,” Denise said, stepping in front of Norm and extending her hand. Jenay could tell that Charles wasn’t used to a woman as forward as Denise, but if he was going to hang around her, he would get used to it. Then she caught herself. Who said he wanted to hang around?
Charles shook Denise’s hand. “Nice to meet you, Denise Donahue.” Then he smiled. “Funny, you don’t look Irish.”
Denise, an African-American woman, laughed. “But you look Italian,” she said. “And you are Italian, aren’t you? I can spot any ethnicity a mile away.”
Charles was actually Sicilian, but he wasn’t going to quiver about it. In truth, it was a difference without a distinction to most.
“And you remember Norm,” Jenay said to Charles. “He was one of the cooks at your son’s reception.”
“Not cook, Jenay,” Norm quickly corrected her. “Chef. One of the chefs.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. He was THE chef at your son’s reception, Charles.”
“That’s better,” Norm said as he extended his hand. “Nice to see you again.”
“Same here.”
Then Norm realized something was amiss. It wasn’t Jenay’s hair, which was in a flawless down-drop of gorgeous, layered curls, but it was something. Then he looked at her attire: a beautiful form-fitting black dress. But it horrified him. “What happened to white, Jenay?” he asked hysterically
. “We agreed we were wearing white, in solidarity, remember? What happened to that cute little white number I helped you pick out? We agreed on white and you show up in black, the exact opposite?”
Charles looked at Jenay. That little white number was still on her living room floor, and given the way he had flung it off of her, it was in no condition to be worn anywhere soon.
And Jenay, to Norm, who was suspecting what she was thinking, looked guilty as hell. “I decided to wear something different,” she said. “No biggie.”
“What was the solidarity about?” Charles asked Norm.
“We: Jenay, Denise and I, are the three oddateers. We’re three very different people who came together and actually got along. And we decided, as a threesome, to stand together in graduation. It took a lot for all three of us to get to this point, and we wanted to prove a point.”
“What difference does it make anyway?” Denise asked. “We’re all wearing big, hideous graduation gowns anyway.”
Jenay smiled. Denise had a knack for saving her bacon.
“I’ll park the car,” Charles said to Jenay. “I’ll see you inside.”
He wanted to kiss her, to show that she was his, but he knew she wouldn’t appreciate it in front of her friends. He got in the car and drove off.
Norm looked at her. “He did it, didn’t he?”
Jenay began walking toward the entrance. “He did what?” she asked as her friends followed her.
“He came over to your house and snatched you out of that glam white dress. Didn’t he?”
Denise laughed. “That’s ridiculous!” she said. “How do you come up with such foolishness? He even told me, Jenay, that Ford made Jaguars. That’s how off-the-reservation he is.”
Ford did partner with the Jaguar automakers, Jenay thought, and he was right-on about that white dress, but that was nobody’s business but her own. “Completely off the reservation,” she agreed, and they all headed inside.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“This place is beautiful, Charlie,” Jenay said as the maître d sat them in a quiet booth overlooking the Boston harbor. “I’m surprised you didn’t need a reservation,” she added.
“The prices keep the masses away,” he said with a grin. He hadn’t been this upbeat in years. Literally years! Coming here today, to see Jenay, was the best thing he could have done.
“So how do you feel, college graduate?” he asked her.
“Satisfied,” she responded. “I feel accomplished, you know? Like I set my mind to do something, and I actually got it done. I thank God for blessing me to get to this place. And I know I still have an uphill battle to get my career where I want it to be. But at least I’m on the right track now.”
“Amen,” Charles said.
Their pre-dinner wine was served, their orders were taken, and Jenay and Charles relaxed to the music. None of the chosen songs were of no great moment for either one of them, especially Charles, until Billy Joel singing Piano Man started up on the surround sound. Charles smiled. And then he nodded his head. “I love that song!” he said. “Isn’t that a great song?”
Jenay nodded. She couldn’t tell him if it was great or not. She might have heard it twice in her entire life. “It’s nice,” she said.
“Nice?” Charles asked as if she had offended him. “It’s great! Don’t you know greatness when you hear it? Listen to that harmonica lead. Listen to those lyrics! Are you kidding me? They don’t write songs like that anymore.”
Then, as if to prove his point, he actually started singing along with those Billy Joel lyrics he loved so much. Jenay was amazed. Charlie Sinatra singing? Although he had the right last name for such a task, it didn’t fit his personality in the least! But he did it. He started serenading her with song:
“And the piano sounds like a carnival,
and the microphone smells like a beer,
and they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar,
and say man, what are you doing here?
Sing us a song, you’re the piano man.
Sing us a song tonight.
We’re all in the mood for a melody.
And you’ve got us feeling just right.”
The lyricist, Billy Joel, actually said you’ve got us feeling alright, but Jenay let it slide. The song was ending, and that was the point for her. She smiled at Charles. “You’re in an awfully good mood,” she said.
“Good? Are you kidding? I’m in a great mood,” he said, and they laughed.
“But I feel you,” she said. “It’s been a great day. Everything’s great today.
“Oh yeah,” he said, “I’m . . .” Then his look turned serious. “I’m very proud of you, Jenay, is the truth of it. You didn’t get any breaks in this life, but instead of complaining and sitting down, you got up and did something about it. You proved them wrong. That takes balls, young lady.”
She laughed.
“Now you’re a graduate of the prestigious Boston Hospitality Institute,” Charles went on, “with a degree in hotel management.” He lifted his glass of wine. She lifted hers too. “Congrats.”
They toasted and took a sip. Jenay realized she was in an awfully good mood herself, even though that small ache within her knew it wasn’t going to last. He’d be gone tomorrow, if he didn’t leave tonight, and that would be that. Maybe she’d see him again when he was passing through on his way to business elsewhere. Maybe she wouldn’t. It was an ache that was beginning to hurt.
“I thank-you for attending my graduation,” she said. “And for clapping when they called my name.” She added with a smile: “Even though they said no clapping, please.”
“Wasn’t going to happen,” Charles said. “This was your big day. You deserve to enjoy every moment of it.”
“Thank-you, Charlie. And I have. Every moment.”
They exchanged a glance as memories of their morning flooded back. Charlie, too, had an ache. It was as if he was having the time of his life today, but he knew that the feeling, the sights and sounds, and especially the woman that caused him to feel this way to begin with, would be gone tomorrow. It was for the best, he knew that. He wasn’t interested in any hot and heavy romance with anybody right now. Not because of the here and now, but because of the end game. It never ended well. It would always start out fantastic. His affair with his ex-wife, the mother of his four grown sons, was fantastic in the beginning. Then boy did it go south. It went so south that Mississippi would have ruled it too southern for them. Then even the good memories became distorted and bad. No, it was for the best. Enjoy the day, and then get the hell out of here.
“Did you hear me?” Jenay asked.
Charles realized he had been distracted. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”
“I asked how were the newlyweds. How was your son and his new bride?”
“Oh! Yes, Donnie’s happy anyway. He says his wife is too. So things appear to be going okay for them. At least at the moment.”
“They’re still on their honeymoon?”
“No, no. They’ve been back. And they’re already having problems, don’t get me wrong. But that’s what he wanted.”
“I heard at the reception they were going to trek across Europe.”
“That’s what they did.”
“You ever been to Europe, Charlie?”
“No, I’m not much of a world traveler. If I don’t have any business there, I don’t feel I have any business being there.”
Jenay smiled. “That’s an odd way to look at it.”
“That’s the way I look at it.”
“Sightseeing across Europe. I think it’s so romantic,” Jenay said with a smile. “Her father must be loaded to bankroll a trip like that.”
“I bankrolled it,” Charles said, “but I also think her old man is loaded.”
Jenay was impressed that he would send his son and daughter-in-law on such an elaborate honeymoon. “And you have four children. And all boys.”
“That’s right. Four strapping young men. My younge
st is 18, my oldest is 22.”
“Do they have a relationship with their mother?” Jenay asked this and then looked at Charles. Her unasked question was a simple one: Does he have a relationship with their mother?
“Yes,” he said. “They have a relationship with her. Not a good one, but a relationship. I don’t, but they do.”
“Do you want a relationship with her?”
“Hell no! I can’t stand the bitch.”
Jenay smiled. “That’s not nice, Charlie.”
Charles smiled. “I’m sorry, Miss Franklin, for being such a bad boy. I suggest you take me home, put me over your knee, and spank the shit out of me.”
“Yeah, I’ll put you over something alright, but it’s not going to be my knee.”
They laughed. They both were having pure fun.
After dinner, they took a slow drive back to Jenay’s house. Charles held her hand, and occasionally squeezed it, but neither one of them had any appetite for conversation. It wasn’t until Charles’s Jaguar pulled up alongside Jenay’s rental car on her driveway, did they say anything at all. He looked at her.
“So you decided on Econolodge?”
“That’s right.”
“You said it was just outside of Boston. Where?”
“Oh, no, it changed. It’s Albuquerque now.”
Charles frowned. “Albuquerque? Albuquerque, New Mexico?”
“Yes! I was just as shocked as you were. But the job will be in New Mexico.”
Charles couldn’t believe it. “Why didn’t they tell you that at that job fair?”
“They said the manager at the one outside of Boston returned unexpectedly, so the only opening was in Albuquerque.”
“And you accepted it?”
She nodded. “I did, yeah. I figured if I’m going to get on with it, I need to manage a hotel, not assistant manage one. I need experience at the top. So I said yes. I’ll start next week. On Monday.”
Big Daddy Sinatra: There Was a Ruthless Man (The Sinatras of Jericho County Book 1) Page 9
