Risking It All

by Ambrielle Kirk

  “What will you do?” Julissa asked, licking her lips nervously.

  “Julissa, I can’t help it…” He ran his fingers through her hair.

  “I know, Q. That’s why this is so dangerous. You and I…it’s too dangerous for us to be together.” Julissa lifted her own hand, caressing the side of his face and rubbed the back of his neck softly.

  “Are you willing to risk it all, Julissa? Risk everything just so we can get to know each other?”

  Julissa dropped her head and sighed.

  Quinton gently lifted her chin back up with his other hand, forcing her eyes on his.

  “Yes.” She leaned in and kissed Quinton on the mouth.

  Their lips lingered together for a while until Quinton began pressing deep kisses into them. She accepted him and when his tongue trailed along the seam where her lips were pressed together, she opened them and welcomed him into her mouth.

  He tasted so good and she wanted so much more. They kissed like two sex deprived lovers.

  Julissa pulled away to catch her breath, but he wasn’t done with her. He moved his lips downward, kissing her neck and bare shoulders.

  “Q…” She didn’t want him to stop. In fact, she needed much more. She lifted a thigh over his in an attempt to get closer. She must have made contact with his manhood, because he groaned into her neck softly. She bit into her bottom lip, enjoying the way he caressed her ass as he kissed along her shoulders and collarbone.

  “I want to do naughty things to this sexy body,” Quinton whispered against her skin. “Can you imagine the things I would do to you? How I would stroke you tenderly and make you tremble beneath my touch…”

  “Q…” She wanted him.

  He slipped his hand under her dress and his fingers grazed the inside of her thighs. “Are you wet?”

  Her center was warm. There was no doubt that she’d become aroused by his touches and the sound of his voice.

  Pulling her closer and lifting her thigh a little higher across his, he slipped a finger past the seam of her panties, stroking her sensitive flesh softly. He found her center and parted her wet slit. She shuddered when he teased her clit. He slowly pushed two digits inside of her, and she bit her lip to keep from crying out.

  “Damn, you’re tight. I wish your pussy were pulsing on my dick instead.”

  She said nothing. Her voice was gone, and replaced by nothing but pure pleasure.

  He had grown hard. She could feel him against her leg.

  Quinton played with her pussy until her clit throbbed in need, and her panties became drenched. His lips found her ear, and he pressed his forehead against the side of her face, and whispered, “I would eat this pussy like a fine dessert, and then I would fuck you hard and fast, and then soft and slow all in one night.”

  She tightened around his fingers just thinking of all the things she wanted him to do to her. To add momentum to the already raging inferno, he licked at her hot skin lovely, along a vein, up her neck, and to kiss her lips again.

  Julissa closed her eyes and drowned out everything. The kiss was slow and sensual, and she didn’t want to stop.

  She was in heaven…until Ed pulled the curtains back and they were caught red-handed in the act.

  “Whhhooaa…” That was all Ed said. His mouth remained open.

  The girl Ed brought to the table looked flabbergasted as well.

  “Oh, my gosh,” Julissa breathed. She pulled her leg off of Quinton’s and ran her fingers through her hair nervously, and then adjusted her top. “It’s not what you think.”

  Ed looked from Julissa to Quinton, and then back at Julissa. “It’s not me that you need to explain to. Sorry, dawg, didn’t know.”

  “It’s not like that, Ed,” Quinton said.

  “You’re in denial, too, huh? Well, excuse us, we’ll find another table.”

  Julissa was so embarrassed. But she was only a little bit relieved that Ed was the only one who saw that. What if the whole crew had come back and found them out? Then she would really be busted. Shit! What was she doing?

  Quinton moved over on the booth. “No, Ed. Don’t act like that. People will really get to thinking if you leave out like you just saw this.”

  Ed seemed to be thinking about it for a moment. Then he drew the curtains some more and led his new found girl into the booth. “This is Mya. Mya, meet Julissa, a longtime friend, and Quinton, my cousin.”

  “Hi,” the girl spoke, shyly. Julissa could tell that she was much younger than Ed, but she was a cute girl nonetheless. Julissa wondered what happened to one he claimed was wifey material. Some things never changed. Then she didn’t have any room to talk herself. Here she was already in a serious relationship and openly making out with Ed’s cousin.

  Ed, Quinton, Mya, and Julissa had light conversation about their jobs and the need for a vacation. The kiss that she and Quinton shared was still heavy on her mind. How could she have gotten so caught up in the moment? Now, she feared, there was no going back.

  The valet attendant had just pulled up Olivia’s Hummer curbside and the girls were getting ready to leave, when Quinton called out to her.

  “Julissa…wait.” He pulled her aside just as she was about to follow the other girls into the car.

  “I’ll catch up in a minute,” Julissa called out to them, and then she gave her attention to Quinton.

  “Can we meet for brunch or something tomorrow, before I leave?”

  “That won’t be possible. I have to pick Michael up from the airport tomorrow.”

  Quinton looked a little disappointed, but then he smiled again. “Well, can I have a rain check to be redeemed when I come back in about a week?”

  “Sure.” Julissa smiled. “Take care.”

  “Until next time, Julissa.”

  Ed watched their every move as he waited on this SUV. He shook his head, smiling.

  Julissa smiled back, sheepishly, and waved. When Julissa got in the car, Shanice turned around and asked, “What was that about?”

  “What was what about?”

  Shanice rolled her eyes. “Don’t play, girl. What did Quinton want?”

  Julissa tried to keep her cool. “We were just confirming some details about his closing in two weeks. Why?”

  “Oh.”

  Olivia pulled off. First stop, her house. She needed to catch her beauty sleep. She had a list of things to do in the morning and then she was scheduled to pick up Michael from the airport. She didn’t want him to see her while she was looking like she had a wild night out on the town.

  But that was exactly what had just happened, and she felt guilty as hell.

  Chapter Six

  “Did you miss me?” Michael took a sip of the coffee and placed it back in the cup holder between their seats.

  Julissa merged onto the interstate in the direction of home, before she answered. “I did. You know that I always feel lonesome in that big ole house by myself.”

  “Surely you had something to keep you occupied. When’s Christina coming back?”

  “Those two lovebirds are on a month long honeymoon. Longest honeymoon that I’ve ever heard of. They’ll be on a cruise in the Bahamas that last week.”

  “Did you help that guy out with his property search? What’s his name? Quinton?”

  Julissa held her breath. “Yes, we met at a building of duplexes and townhomes on Wednesday. I think he was really interested in buying,” Julissa said, carefully.

  “Oh, really? Big payday for you coming up then?”

  “Definitely.” Julissa nodded. She hadn’t really given thought to the big commission check that she would be getting from the deal. “So, enough about me. How was your trip?”

  “Great.” That was Michael in another nutshell; he liked to keep their conversations about work or anything else, for that matter, short.

  “So, what would you like for dinner? I promise, no takeout this time.”

  Michael smiled. “Surprise me.” He took another sip of his coffee. “I think after w
e get home, I’ll take an afternoon nap. I’m a little tired. I’ll be up in time for an early dinner.”

  While she was cooking dinner, her cell phone rang. She confirmed that the call was from no other than Quinton. There was no way that she could answer the phone to him while she was cooking dinner for Michael. And certainly not in Michael’s home. She sent the call to voicemail, telling herself that she would return his call tomorrow morning while she was out shopping.

  **

  On Saturday morning, she was on her way home from the grocery store when her mother called. Her mother, Annette, lived in Washington with her stepdad. She and her real father were divorced the year Julissa started college. Her father lived in Canada with another woman.

  When Michael and Julissa first started dating, Michael flew them out to visit Annette. Back then, he seemed genuinely eager to meet her mother. Annette took a liking to Michael right away. Called him a gentleman and even classified him as a keeper. Her mother had always warned her not to make the mistake she did by marrying for all the wrong reasons.

  When Julissa had been old enough to understand, her mother revealed that the relationship with her dad was based on nothing but sex. When Annette got pregnant with Julissa, naturally a wedding followed. When the attraction faded, her dad asked for a divorce and moved on to the next chick.

  For the most part, Julissa still talked with her dad on occasion, but their relationship had not been the same after he divorced her mother.

  Julissa and Annette were on good terms and called each other at least once per week to catch up on things. She hadn’t seen her since this past Thanksgiving, when she and Michael visited together.

  “Hi, Mommie. How are you?” Julissa asked, smiling into the phone.

  “I’m doing well, honey. How’s my pretty little girl?”

  Julissa smiled. She always blushed when her mother called her that.

  “I’m doing good. Are you still going to your knitting and sewing classes?”

  “As a matter of fact, I am. I’m making a nice quilt that I’m almost done with.”

  “You should send me a picture when you’re done.”

  “Even better, I’m making one for you, too.”

  “How’s the weather in Washington? It’s nice and warm here. In the eighties.”

  “Pretty nice. For spring. How is Michael? Are things coming along with you two?”

  “Things are okay?”

  “Just okay, baby?” It was obvious still that her mother absolutely adored Michael. She believed that Michael was the best thing that happened to Julissa. Not only did she know that Michael was more than well off when it came to money, he was also good-looking, and a charmer. These things were a plus to Annette West. Julissa’s father, Latino and black, was blessed with good looks, but when it came to money, he couldn’t keep a steady job for more than one year. And even when he had a job that paid six figures, he spent money and charged up credit cards as if he made double that. Aside the fading attraction, like her mother claims, money problems were the main thing that led her mother and her father apart.

  “Yes, things are okay.”

  “Don’t worry, baby. No good man is gonna move you into his home without plans of marriage,” her mother reassured her.

  “Either that or maybe he just wants someone to cook, clean, and buy his clothes…” Julissa sighed.

  “You do what you got to do to keep that man. I was a little hesitant with you moving in with him, but I was thinking about it and I think women and men nowadays want to test out how married life would be before they actually make the commitment. It didn’t quite work out that way for me.”

  “I hope you’re right, Mommie.”

  When she hung up with her mother, she thought about their conversation. Julissa had seen how unhappy her mother was while going through a divorce. She didn’t want to make the same mistake by marrying a man for all the wrong reasons.

  **

  Michael had just finished helping her bring the shopping bags into the house. They were putting the groceries in the fridge and pantry. This was something that Michael rarely helped her do.

  “You don’t have to worry about dinner tonight, Julissa,” Michael said, lining up the canned goods in the pantry in order of expiration date, matching each type of canned good with each other on the respective shelves. It was a habit that he had picked up from her.

  “I was actually looking forward to it. I was able to get some fresh salmon today.”

  “I wanted to take you out tonight. If you have a taste for seafood, why don’t we go to Mary’s on the River?”

  He was being extra nice to her. She wondered what it was. Something in the air? Whatever it was it was making her feel guilty for what happened between her and Quinton Thursday night.

  “That would be nice. I don’t remember the last time we went out to a nice restaurant like that…just the two of us.”

  “I know, baby. I had some time to think on this trip and I know that I’ve been neglecting you a lot with all this work. I want to make it up with you starting tonight.”

  Julissa smiled. “What time should I be ready?”

  “I’ll make reservations for six. Is that alright?” Michael said, moving around the island to get to the other side beside her. He kissed her on her forehead.

  “Six is fine. I better go get ready. I neglected my hair appointment this morning, so I need a head start.”

  “Go ahead. I’ll put up the rest of the groceries.”

  Um, what had gotten into this man?

  He hadn’t been this thoughtful in a long time. Was Julissa finally winning at getting her man to realize that their relationship was lacking and they needed to revive it? She wondered how long this act of romance would last. One night, one week, one month? Who knew? But, it was the moment that Julissa had been waiting for and she was going to enjoy it for as long as it lasted.

  At the restaurant, Michael was the perfect gentlemen talking about the situation they were having at his job and about all the people involved. She listened intently, sometimes even lending her opinion. They enjoyed grilled lobster and scallops, white wine, and dessert at the famous high-scale restaurant.

  When they arrived home, they were both early risers, so they took turns taking showers and getting ready for bed. Michael watched her as she slipped out of her robe and into a red teddy.

  “Oh, I wanted to tell you one more thing…”

  “What?”

  “I’m planning on hosting Ray’s fifth anniversary party at my house. Some people on the job thought we should do something special since he’s done so much for the firm. Ray and I work close together on a lot of projects at the office.”

  “That’s nice of you. Do you have an exact date and do you know how many people we should expect?”

  “In three weeks. I’m thinking about inviting a handful of employees and a guest. Between all your friends and my friends, we should plan for about forty or fifty people. Think you can handle that?”

  “Yeah, I can handle that. No problems.”

  “Good. Although, I had no doubts about that.” Michael said, kicking off his bedroom shoes and climbing in bed. “Come here.”

  “What?” Julissa turned around while pulling her hair up in a ponytail.

  Michael tapped the empty space on the bed where she was supposed to be. She climbed in bed beside him.

  He kissed her shoulders and arms lightly. “I didn’t realize how much I would miss you over this past week in New York.”

  “I think you just missed getting some, not me.”

  “That, too.” He climbed up over her. “I missed everything about you. The way you smell. The way your skin feels so soft when I touch it.” His hands had found its way up her teddy and to her waist.

  “Uh-huh. What else?”

  “I missed kissing you.” He kissed her body through the silk fabric of the teddy. “I missed tasting you.” He lifted her skirt and kissed and licked her belly button. “I missed you.”


  Julissa closed her eyes and moaned as Michael’s lips traveling up from her stomach all the way to her lips. He began kissing her softly. Suddenly, an image appeared in Julissa’s head. An image of Quinton kissing her. She pulled away and shook her head.

  Michael looked at her strangely. “Something wrong?”

  “No, just a little migraine, I think.” Julissa pulled Michael’s lips back to hers. “I know you can make it feel better.”

  He smiled, sheepishly, and continued kissing her.

  Michael didn’t waste time pulling off their clothes, prying her legs open, and inserting his throbbing dick into her pussy. After all, he hadn’t had sex in over a week. She didn’t blame him for pounding into her like it was the last thing good on this earth.

  After about four minutes, he was completely spent. Only seconds later, he was quietly snoring beside her.

  She squeezed her legs together, turned her back to Michael, closed her eyes, and waited for exhaustion to set in.

  **

  It wasn’t until Thursday that Julissa actually broke down and called Quinton. She had checked her personal email this morning and he had emailed her.

  Julissa,

  I know your situation. I don’t blame you for not answering or returning my calls. It’s just that I didn’t think it would go down quite like this. I was expecting to talk to you and hear your voice, but I guess not much can be done when you’re hundreds of miles away. But, I’ll be there soon. I’m coming down on Friday. Can you call me when you get a chance to discuss our closing? Our relationship is more than just what we obviously feel for each other. We also have a professional relationship regarding real estate. Did you forget? I will be waiting to hear from you.

  Missing You, Q.

  How could she forget that she was supposed to be helping this man with his closing? She picked up her cell and dialed Quinton’s cell phone number.