“Xavier, I would never…” Her voice trailed off and she sighed. “I’m not the same person I was then. I don’t regret what I did, but I would never consider it now.”
“How was I supposed to know that?” I countered.
“You could’ve asked.”
I had no response to that. I hadn’t stopped to ask how she’d felt about getting pregnant again because in the back of my mind I was afraid she’d say she didn’t want children.
“Do you want kids?”
She paused, looking to Dr. Winston and then back to me. “Yes, I think so. I mean, one day.”
A breath I hadn’t even realized I’d been holding pushed out my mouth.
“Xavier, can we go back a minute? You said your pain was connected to your father. Tell me about that,” Dr. Winston requested.
“He denied me when he found out my mother was pregnant. My mother forcing him to take a DNA test proved that I was his and made him pay child support. Aside from that, he had no care to be in my life. It is what it is.”
“Is he in your life now?”
“Nah. He tries every now and again.”
“You never told me that,” Chanel interjected.
I looked at her and shrugged to say it was no big deal. “Never seemed important. He tries to call or make contact a couple of times a year. He doesn’t have my cell number. My mother tells me when he calls. My office staff knows not to put him through to me.”
“So now you’re the one keeping your distance from him?” asked Dr. Winston.
“I guess.”
“Have you ever spoken to anyone about your father’s abandonment?”
I shook my head. “Never felt like I needed to. My mother did a hell of a job, and my aunt and grandparents too.”
“Your aunt, the one who died?”
I glanced at Chanel.
“Xavier, nothing we say goes any further than this room. Chanel has told me a little about you only as it relates to her and her own therapy work.”
I nodded. “Yeah, my aunt Lisa was my father’s younger sister. She and I were close and she was killed by her boyfriend. And yes, Doc, before you say it, I’m sure my reaction to Chanel’s ex had to do with my anger toward that situation.”
“I’m glad you said it.”
I allowed a small smile.
“And did you ever receive counseling for your loss?”
“Some.”
“How much is some?”
“A couple of sessions with a counselor at my high school.”
More writing in her notebook.
“It seems like we covered a lot.” Her eyes shot up to the clock on the wall. “Before we wrap up, I have one last question. Now that you understand your reaction about the abortion was your own pain, and that what Chanel did was due to her pain and where she was in her life at the time, do you still hold any mistrust toward her? Do you have any fears?”
I looked down at our clasped hands and knew my answer. I’d always known it.
“No.” I knew Chanel would be a loving and caring mother to our kids one day. I don’t know where that certainty came from, but I felt as sure about it as I did opening my first restaurant. That had been my destiny, and I was just as sure the woman sitting to the right of me was my destiny as well.
“Okay, well, the hour is up. I think we’ve made some good progress here. Xavier, if you’re interested, I’d like to meet with you again, separately, to discuss more of your past.”
“Maybe.”
Dr. Winston didn’t seem too put off by my response as she gave me a knowing smile. I stood, helping Chanel to stand as well. I couldn’t believe the hour had gone by so quickly. I’d hardly looked at the clock since I’d sat down. And to be completely honest, I did feel a little lighter when I walked out the door.
“Chanel, I’ll see you next week. Xavier, maybe you also,” Dr. Winston stated as we made our goodbyes. I quietly followed Chanel, digesting it all. I’d never really thought my feelings from my past would play out in my adult relationships, but there I was. I was glad I’d agreed to meet Chanel here.
“What’d you think?” Chanel interrupted my thoughts as we stood in front of the elevators.
“She was cool, professional, and has an easy way about her. I can see why you’ve taken to her.”
“And?” She looked at me expectantly.
“And what?”
She rolled her eyes. I grinned, loving when she did that.
“And how do you feel about what was discussed?”
“I said it in there. I still don’t like that part of your past, but I get it, and I trust you. I always did, but I guess my own shit was messing with me.”
“And what about what Dr. Winston said about you going to therapy?”
“What, like on my own?”
“Yeah.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’d said maybe. I’ll think about it,” I added when Chanel looked like she was going to respond. “Now,” I began, as we stepped into the empty elevator. I pressed her back against the wall. “You’re coming home with me tonight, right?”
“Tonight? I can’t. I have—”
“It’s been seven nights since you last slept in my bed. That’s unacceptable.”
“You were away this week.”
“And you weren’t fucking with me like that this week,” I added. “But we’re good now, right? You’ve forgiven me for what I said?” I wasn’t about to apologize for fucking her ex up. I’d do that over again if I had the chance. Lucky for him, my security escorted him out of the club and, according to Quincy, Ethan had left the country again.
“Yes.”
“Good, then you can bring that ass over tonight.”
She giggled. “My car’s in the lot across the street. I’ll have to follow you home. And before you try and tell me, no.” She reached up, covering my lips with one finger. “I am not leaving my car in the lot overnight to pick it up in the morning.”
“I could have some—”
“No. I’ll drive to your place.”
“Fine,” I reluctantly agreed. “Just don’t try to sneak out in the middle of the night.”
“Oh, my god! That happened one time, and you’re never gonna let me live it down, are you?”
“Nope.” I dipped my head to taste her. I licked the seam of her lips, gently prying them open with my tongue. Once she opened for me, I dove in without hesitation. Unfortunately, that kiss was short-lived as the elevator stopped on the seventh floor and a few people entered. I reluctantly pulled back, glaring at them over my shoulder, mad they’d interrupted what I was trying to get started.
“You sure you won’t let me drive you?” I questioned low in her ear, reminding us both of the pleasure we could enjoy in my car.
Chanel dipped her head, avoiding eye contact with me, but I knew her thoughts already. “I’m sure,” she answered breathlessly.
I growled in frustration, causing one of the men who’d entered to turn and look at me. I stared at him back, telling him without words to mind his damn business.
“It’s only a twenty-minute drive to your place. You’ll be okay,” Chanel said pulling my attention from the man.
“Whatever.”
****
Twenty minutes was way too long. By the time I pulled my car into my driveway behind Chanel’s, I’d come up with at least ten different positions I had planned on having her in tonight.
“We would’ve gotten here faster if you’d have let me drive you.” And at least one orgasm, but I left that last part out.
“That’s ’cause you drive like a bat out of hell.”
“Only sometimes.” I let her lead the way up the steps to the door, my eyes on her plump bottom that was covered by the pleated skirt she wore. “You wore that to work today?” I asked, my eyes still planted on her ass.
“You know I did. I went straight to Dr. Winston’s from work.”
My jaw tightened as I put the key in the lock and opened the door. The thought of anyone else l
usting after her in her typical work outfits didn’t sit well with me.
“Don’t tell me you’re jealous,” she purred, turning to me and lifting up on tiptoes to wrap her arms around my neck.
“What do I have to be jealous of? This still mine, right?” I reached around with one hand to squeeze her ass.
“Always.”
Always. That word echoed in my mind a few times, and the thought of always being attached to Chanel sent a sensation of satisfaction through me. I spun the both of us around so now her back was planted against the closed door.
“Move in with me.”
She happened to look shocked. “You still want me to move in with you?”
“What do you mean, still? I never stopped.” I decided not to let her respond. Instead, I lowered my lips to hers, claiming them again. She cupped the back of my head as I began pulling her silk top out of the waistband of her skirt.
As soon as my fingertips made contact with the soft, smooth skin of her belly, my entire body ignited and I knew it was time to take this upstairs. I pulled back, staring down into her glazed over eyes and kiss-swollen lips, taking a mental picture of how she looked to store in my memory bank.
Chanel decided to take control as she lifted up again and ran kisses along my jawline until she reached my ear. She ran her tongue along the outer shell of my ear, sucking on my earlobe before pulling back. She sidestepped around me, causing me to turn to look at her. When I did, she began to slowly back away towards the stairs, undoing one button of her blouse with each step.
By the time she reached the staircase, her shirt was completely undone. She removed it and tossed it to me. I caught it with one hand while still keeping my eyes locked on her. The sight of her in her lace bra—a bra I knew was part of a matching set I’d bought her—made my dick jumped in my pants. Adjusting myself, I quickly made my way up the steps, following her every move like a prowling panther stalking my prey. That was exactly how I felt at that moment. This woman was mine, and there was little she could do about it.
By the time we made it up to my bedroom doorway, she was down to her bra, panties, and shoes, while I held her shirt and skirt. I dropped those items and reached for her, pulling her up against me.
“We’ll leave the shoes on tonight. I want to see your heels up around my shoulders.” Pushing open my bedroom door with one hand while still holding onto her with my other, I backed her up all the way to my bed. I allowed her to push my suit jacket down my shoulders and arms until it hit the floor. Her deft fingers made quick work of unbuttoning my shirt and sliding it down my arms to the floor as well, exposing my top half. When she started as if she was going to sink to her knees to unbutton my pants, I stopped her and instead directed her to lie on the bed horizontally.
“You can do that later. Right now, it’s your turn,” I growled, planting her legs on the bed. I undid her garter belts and grabbed the sides of her panties to remove them. I pushed her legs wide open at the knees, completely exposing her plump pussy. My mouth watered with anticipation and, even though I’d been in a teasing mood, that was replaced with a need to put my mouth on her. I leaned in and swiped her with my tongue from the bottom of her lips all the way up to her clit, pausing at her swollen button. I felt a ripple move through Chanel as she bucked against me. My whispered name coming from her lips with the added edge of desperation turned me on so much, I knew playtime was over.
I lifted her legs at the knees and placed them over my shoulders as I kneeled down at the side of my bed. Her pussy was now eye-level with me and in the perfect position to do what I’d been fantasizing about since we left the doctor’s office. I planted my mouth on her, slurping up the juices she was releasing and holding onto her thighs tightly to keep her from wiggling away. I was relentless as I sucked her button into my mouth, massaging it with my tongue and freeing it to kiss and tongue her outer labia.
I began to feel her thighs quake around the side of my head, which spurred me on. I inserted a finger into her wet canal, curling it to make contact with her G-spot deep inside her. A loud wail sounded from above my head at the same time my mouth and chin were flooded with her juices. I continued to suck on her until the last tremors of her orgasm left her body.
When they did, I placed her legs back on the bed, one by one, and stood to release my rock-hard dick. I was to the point of pain by then as I eased my pants and boxers down and over my erection. I stepped out and kicked my pants to the side. I took both Chanel’s wrists in one hand, raising them back and over her head as I leaned down over her, my dick just touching the entrance of her core.
“C-condom,” she panted.
I shook my head. “I want to feel all of you tonight. I’ll pull out.” I added that last part when she gave me an unsure look. I took her silence for agreement and didn’t want to give her too much time to think about it, so I slid all the way to the hilt. I don’t know what was more satisfying, hearing the gasp that came from her as I filled her up, or the physical sensations that moved through me as I did. My body was urging me to move, but I waited until Chanel turned her eyes to me. I leaned down over her, so close that our lips were almost touching. When her head picked up to kiss me, I pulled back.
“Move in with me.”
“Xavier,” she breathed out, causing my dick to grow even stiffer inside her. She tried wriggling her hips to get me to move. That wasn’t going to work, though.
“Then tell me what I want to hear.” I reached up to cup her breasts that were still covered in the lace bra and squeezed them before undoing the front clasp to expose them to me. I leaned down nibble at her left nipple, but before I could reach to the right one, she squeezed her muscles around my dick. My knees nearly buckled but I caught myself. She wasn’t about to win this little power of wills.
“Baby,” she moaned.
“Say you’ll move in and I can end this torture for both of us.” I thrusted my hips slightly, just to remind her how deep inside her I was.
She stared into my eyes as if she was thinking. “If you go to counseling,” she said , just above a whisper.
“What?”
“I-I’ll move in if you agree to see a counselor.”
Shit. I wasn’t expecting that, but in this position, I’d agree to anything. “Okay.”
“Then I’ll move in.”
A flood of emotion flowed through me and I leaned in, taking her lips while I began moving my hips. I felt every ripple and ridge inside her channel run along my naked shaft as I manipulated her insides. I let her hands go to lift her legs up over my shoulders again as I dove deeper and deeper. I pushed her legs back so her knees came up to her ears and I finally kneeled down on the bed leaning over her, allowing her to capture my tongue in her mouth.
Our tongues dueled, and I reached down to rub my thumb across her clit. Her entire body jumped at my contact. She broke the kiss on a gasp and threw her head back against the mattress. I knew she was getting ready to come when I felt the involuntary squeezing of her pussy around my dick again. She panted and thrust her hips against mine as her orgasm tore through her. The squeezing of her pussy muscles around my hardness signaled my orgasm, and I shuddered as I came inside her, forgetting all about my intentions of pulling out.
Chapter Nineteen
Chanel
“You cannot be serious right now?” I attempted to maintain my composure, but was boiling inside. I’d been humiliated in court, all because my client failed to convey some very pertinent information to me. At present, I stared down at Richard Crawford as he sat across my desk with a contrite look on his face.
“Richard, what is the number one thing I told you when first met?”
“Uh, how good you were?” He attempted humor in his southern drawl.
I wasn’t buying it. “No. One of the first things I told you was that, as your attorney, I needed complete honesty from you, right?”
“Yeah, about th—”
“I made it very clear that you can lie to your soon-to-be-ex-wife, you
can lie to the guy who cuts your hair, hell, you could even lie to your accountant. I mean, I wouldn’t advise that. But you don’t ever lie to me.” I pointed at my chest as I stood leaning over my desk. I was much too worked up to sit down.
“Technically I didn’t lie.”
“A lie of omission is still a lie,” I seethed. “And back in September, I asked when was the last time you had sex with your wife, and you said, and I quote, ‘Darlin’, it’s been a while since that lassie road this old pony.’ Now, I assumed that meant you hadn’t had sex in a while, but since I’m an attorney and a pretty decent one, I don’t hang anything on assumptions. So, to clarify when the last time you had sex with your wife was, I asked again, and you told me that you hadn’t even seen the woman since early June and you were pretty sure the last time you had intercourse was in April. I told you to keep it that way, did I not?”
I didn’t even pause to let him answer the question. “But today, today we get to court, and I find out that now, as we are in early November, you last were with your wife in July and August? Now she’s claiming she’s pregnant! And not only do I just find this out, I had to hear it from opposing counsel.” I slammed his file down on my desk at my last statement.
“Well, now that you put it like that, darlin’, it sounds like you might be a tad bit jealous.”
“Don’t even try it. Do not try to break up this moment with your humor. Do you get this? What you don’t tell me affects how effectively I can do my job. You failed to mention that you were still sleeping with your wife, and that she was pregnant, which means you cannot file for divorce at this time. And when I go into court not knowing important information like that about my client, I look incompetent. I do not like looking incompetent. Now, we have to wait.”
“What for? I’m sure that baby’s not even mine. I’m pretty sure I used protection.”
I began pacing my office, arms folded across my chest. “Richard, let me explain something to you. She is your wife. It is extremely rare that a court will grant you a divorce while she is pregnant, whether or not the baby is yours. A court will not force a carrying mother to take a DNA test until after the baby is born. Therefore, now you are stuck with your wife for at least another seven months. Do you understand? You cannot get a divorce right now.”
Safe Space II: The Finale Page 21
