“Get your own damn glass,” he snapped. He sipped from one glass, then let out a belch that echoed in the room. If that weren’t enough, he didn’t even excuse himself. I kept thinking, Handle your business, girl, please handle your business. Now!
“Excuse you,” Veronica snapped.
He pointed to himself. “Excuse who? Me?”
“Yes, Tony. You belched out loud and everyone heard it.”
He frowned and acted as if she was talking down to him. “I don’t give a damn,” he said. “I belched, so what? You belch at home and I don’t hear you excusin’ yourself. Why put on a front now?”
Veronica dropped her napkin on the table and stood up. “Come on, Tony. Let’s go home. I knew this was going to be a bad idea, and you couldn’t go one day without complaining about something.”
He cocked his head back. “Sit your fat ass down,” he said.
By then, my hand was over my mouth, Liz’s eyes were bugged, and Korey and Steven looked disgusted. Claudette looked as if she wanted to bust out laughing, but I’d give that bitch something to laugh about later.
“Maybe you all should leave,” Steven suggested. “This is the wrong place and time for that, man, and you shouldn’t be talking to your lady like that.”
I knew Steven was my kind of man. Go ahead, baby, speak up. Lance came back over to the table, trying to see what was going on. It didn’t take long for him to see.
Veronica was near tears, and Tony’s eyes cut Steven like a knife. “Mind your own business, fool. I can’t stand to be around salad-eatin’, uppity black folks who forget where the fuck they come from. Enjoy the white man’s meal, and I’m sure they’ll be kickin’ up the music in a few minutes so you all can snap your fingers and do the jig. Stupid shit,” he said, looking at Veronica. “Are you goin’ home with me or not? If not, you’d better find a ride home because I’m takin’ the car.”
I was hyped about what Veronica was going to say next, but she had an unsure look on her face. Steven stood up from the table, and Lance grabbed Veronica’s arm. “Chase and I will take you home,” he said. “You don’t need to go anywhere with him, and I don’t need to tell you why.”
Everyone waited for Veronica to make a move, but I sat back and said not one word. I could almost predict the outcome, and when she got her purse, I could have gotten up and punched her myself.
“I have to go pick up my daughter from the babysitter’s. I apologize for this and I’ll see everyone on Monday.”
She looked downright humiliated, but what could anyone at the table do? We all shook our heads and watched as Tony and Veronica left together, arguing on their way out the door. Claudette couldn’t wait to open her mouth.
“That is such a shame. I had no idea Tony was that kind of person, and I feel so sorry for Veronica.”
Liz quickly spoke up. “Listen, we’re not going to sit here and talk about what just happened. Let’s enjoy the night, and I will speak to Veronica on Monday.”
“A woman like her can’t be reasoned with,” Steven added. “Sometimes, something tragic has to happen before they even wake up.”
Liz looked at her husband and snapped, “I said, let’s not discuss this. It has no place at this table and I mean what I said.”
I wasn’t shocked when he snapped back, because he looked like the kind of man who didn’t take no shit. Those were the ones I admired. “I’ll say whatever I wish to say. Watch your tone, woman, and let’s do enjoy our evening.”
What the fuck! I guess everything that looks good on the outside isn’t. They seemed as if they had some drama too, and this was another reason why I would never, ever bring a for-real date to a company event. Liz cut her eyes at her husband, and throughout dinner, our table remained pretty quiet. I made small talk with Lance, and Claudette was trying to make conversation with Korey. He was in no way listening to her, and when I got up to get something to drink, he got up as well.
“Do you want something to drink?” he asked Claudette.
“A soda will be fine. Thanks, honey.”
I stood in the long line, waiting to get a drink. Korey stood behind me, doing his best not to look obvious. “What’s up with the dude you’re with? Isn’t he your neighbor?”
“Yes.” I smiled and waved at a coworker from another department. “Why?”
He whispered, “Are you fucking him too?”
“That’s none of your business. How many times do I have to tell you to stay out of my business? I thought we had an understanding, and if we don’t, then we need to end this.”
Korey couldn’t say another word, because Claudette was making her way over to us. “We’ll talk later,” he whispered, and smiled at Claudette when he turned his head.
“This line is too long,” she said. “My water is fine. Why don’t you come back to the table to finish your food? Afterward, I want to dance.” She wiggled her shoulders, looking silly as ever.
“That’s fine,” he said. “I’ll get something to drink later.”
They walked away, and I continued to wait in line. As I got closer to the bar, Lance approached me.
“Risky, risky, risky,” he said, playfully wiping his forehead. “You are a risk taker, aren’t you?”
“What are you talking about?” I smiled.
“You know exactly what I’m talking about. He’s the brotha who was at your apartment that day, isn’t he?”
I placed my finger on my lip. “Shh, don’t talk so loud. And, no, it isn’t.”
“You’re not a good liar. Besides, you can’t dispute something I saw with my own eyes. He can’t keep his eyes off of you tonight, and, as a man, I know what it’s like to have two women in the room who you’re—”
I placed my hand over Lance’s mouth. “Okay, you’re right. Now, can we talk about this in the car or at home?”
He laughed, and as we stood in line talking about other things, Korey was making a spectacle of himself. If Claudette wasn’t paying attention to him, then she was crazy. I guess she thought she had him wrapped around her finger, but that was in no way the case.
Lance and I got our drinks, and, after dinner, everyone started dancing. I was really having a good time, and so was Lance. I even got a chance to dance with Liz’s husband, Steven, and as he turned me in circles, not only was my head spinning, but so were my thoughts. I liked Liz a lot, but I was starting to like her husband so much more. I added him to my to-do list and was serious about somehow luring him to my bedroom As he and I wrapped up our dance, I looked by the doorway and saw Korey standing by the door. He nudged his head toward the exit, and walked out the door. Claudette and some of our other coworkers were sitting at the table talking to Lance. I told him I needed to go to the restroom and would be right back.
As I exited the ballroom, I looked down the huge hallway, but didn’t see Korey. I then noticed a cracked door, and his hand waving out of it from inside. I swiped my sweaty bangs away from my forehead, making my way toward the room. When I got to the door, Korey pulled me inside. The room was pitch black and I couldn’t see a thing.
“What do you want?” I whispered. “I’m serious about calling you later, and I promise you that I will.”
“I can’t wait until later. You’ve put me off long enough, and I have a feeling that you’ll be over at your neighbor’s house tonight.”
I didn’t even bother to tell Korey that he was so wrong about me and Lance. Instead, I flipped the lights on by the door, noticing nothing but a marble floor and tall black curtains that separated one section of the party room from another. I hit the lights again, and directed Korey behind one of the curtains, just in case someone came in. When we got behind the curtain, I hiked up my dress and took Korey’s hand. I eased it into my panties, letting his fingers go to work.
“Is that what you want?” I asked, resting my arms on his shoulders.
“Yes.” He sighed from relief while feeling my insides. “You’re damn right that’s what I want.”
I backed away from
Korey’s touch and sat on the floor. I knew we didn’t have much time, so there was no need to get completely undressed. I moved the crotch of my silk panties aside, feeling just how wet they already were. Korey didn’t want to put his dick inside of me. Instead, he held my panties aside for me and used his tongue for immediate pleasure. He got a kick out of tasting me, but not as much as I did. I leaned back on my elbows, dropping my head back from the spectacular performance. Korey was jabbing his fingers and tongue at the same time, trying to squeeze every ounce of juice out of me. It wasn’t long before he got what he wanted, and I fell flat on my back, taking deep breaths.
“Ohh, Korey,” I moaned. “Nobody ever sucked my pussy this well. You are so good at that, but please put your dick in me. Send me back out there with a glowing smile on my face.”
“You bet I will,” he confirmed, and put on a condom. He liked to hit it from the back, so when I turned on my stomach, and separated my legs, he quickly went in. His hands roamed all over my butt, and as he soaked my insides from behind, he excited me even more when he used his finger to tease my anal hole. He managed to sink his finger inside, and I let out a gasping sound that caught me off guard.
“Can I put my dick in there?” he whispered. “Trust me, baby, it will feel so, so good.”
I didn’t gesture either way, but no response from me gave him the go-ahead. Korey pulled out of one hole, and carefully eased into the other. I was tense as ever, but his slow pace put me at ease. His fingers dipped into my wetness, and with all of the multitasking going on, my body was trembling all over. I couldn’t back it up like I wanted to, but Korey was busy doing his thing.
“Do you like that?” he asked while sliding himself in and out of me. He started traveling from one hole to the other, skillfully doing so and causing me minimal pain. I guess the fact that I was sopping wet helped, and as we both got ready to climax together, he stayed in my vagina.
“Yes, I love it,” I confirmed. “But hurry. I know some people may be wondering where we are.”
“Fuck them,” he groaned. “Let them wonder. To hell with your neighbor, too. I bet that he don’t make you feel like this, does he?”
Korey had the right rhythm, and, yes, he knew how to turn up the heat in order for me to say what he wanted. “Hell, no, my neighbor can’t fuck me like this! Only you can do it, baby, only you.”
“Only you too,” he shot back, squeezing his butt and letting his excitement seep into the condom. He lay on my back for a minute, allowing himself to regroup. He then moved my ponytail aside, and pecked down my neck. “Just a quick FYI,” he said. “I’m not going to marry Claudette. This pussy is too good for me to let go and it would be so stupid for me to marry her. I’ll be making the biggest mistake of my life. I know how you feel about us having a relationship, but think about it, okay? The way we connect can’t be ignored, and even you, yourself, can’t deny your feelings for me.”
It was the wrong time for me to elaborate on what Korey had said, so I didn’t. I just told him that we’d talk later and left it at that. Truth was, I didn’t want a relationship with Korey. All I wanted to do was fuck him and keep him at a distance. Now, I understood how he felt about not marrying Claudette, as that would definitely be a stupid move on his part. But if he ever thought our relationship would go any further than what it was, he was sadly mistaken. In no way did I trust men to the level where I would ever seek a relationship with him so quickly. Especially after he’d shown me how easy it was for him to deceive Claudette. Korey was coldhearted and had little or no regret for what he was doing. He had proven himself to be a complete dog, and there wasn’t a chance in hell I would ever run around and call someone like him my man.
We quickly straightened our clothes, and I left the room first. I went to the bathroom to tidy myself up a bit, but had no makeup in my purse to freshen up. My dress had a few wrinkles too, but that could be attributed to dancing so much. I had to live with my appearance, and when I returned to the table, the only people who were there were Lance, Claudette, and Korey. Liz was off running her mouth again, and so was her husband. I dropped to my seat, immediately taking a sip of water to calm myself.
“I thought you got lost,” Lance said. “Two of your coworkers came over here looking for you, but I told them you’d gone to the ladies’ room.”
“I did, but I also walked around the hotel to check it out. It’s a beautiful place and you should go see it for yourself.”
Lance just gazed at me and let out a soft snicker.
“What?” I said. “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing. Nothing at all.”
We sat quietly for a few minutes, watching other people dance. I did my best to ignore Korey, but it was so darn hard to. He was facing Claudette, and every time he looked over her shoulder, there I was. I noticed something white on his lightly trimmed mustache, unsure if it was the creamy sauce from dinner or from me. I pointed to the spot on my lip, trying to get his attention. He caught on quickly and licked his lips from side to side.
“What are you doing?” Claudette said to Korey, then turned to look behind her. I was already looking in another direction.
“I was trying to get something off my lips. Is there anything there?”
She picked up a napkin and dabbed his lips. “Looks like something clear and sticky, probably the sauce from the fettuccini. Either way,” she said, pecking his lips, “I got it.”
I had to turn my head before I burst out laughing. When I did, all Lance could do was shake his head. He knew exactly what had happened that night, and when we got in the car, he couldn’t stop talking about how obvious Korey and I really were.
“I mean, if Claudette had been really paying attention to her man,” Lance said, “she would have known that he was interested in you.”
“I regret that his looks were so obvious, and I hope you’re not upset with me, are you?”
Lance broke it down to me gently. “You’re not my woman, and I have played that game many, many times before. So in no way am I mad at you.”
I took a deep breath, wondering if Claudette really suspected that anything was going on between Korey and me, or if she was simply naïve.
Chapter 4
On Monday, Veronica called in sick. I had an idea why, and since Liz called in and said she wouldn’t be in until afternoon, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I wanted to find out where Veronica lived. The more I thought about it, Tony really irked the hell out of me. If what I thought was going on, that fool was going to pay.
Claudette wasn’t in yet, so I crept into Liz’s office, closing the door behind me. I started looking through her important files, and when I found the one with Veronica’s name on it, I opened it up. The first thing I saw was her salary. It showed that she made $46,300 a year, and that was a bit much for someone who basically did nothing but enter data into a computer, check it, print it off, and mail it. My job was much harder than hers and Claudette’s both. I swear, secretaries always got screwed, but did more than anyone. I quickly wrote down her address, then placed her file back into the drawer. Just for the hell of it, I looked for Claudette’s file and found it too. When I looked at her salary, I couldn’t believe my eyes. She made $51,000 a year, and was in no way worth that kind of money. I jotted down her address too. Since she had been calling Korey so much while he was at my apartment, I already had her phone number. I put her file back into the drawer, and continued to be nosy. I was looking for anything that gave me some information about Liz’s husband. He called the office sometimes looking for her, and had I known he was hooked up like that, I would have made my move on him, instead of Korey. I couldn’t find anything until I flipped through Liz’s business card holder. His business card was in there, showing that he was a director of financial advisors. Sounded pretty important to me, and maybe it was time for me to get my finances in order.
When I came out of Liz’s office, I heard sniffles coming from Claudette’s cubicle. I walked over to it, noticing her
with Kleenex in her hand and dabbing her eyes. I guessed Korey had finally broken the news to her, and it was quite a sight to see Claudette’s face beet red.
I pretended to be so concerned. “What’s wrong, Claudette? Are you okay?”
Giving her attention made her cry even louder. I rubbed her back while pursing my lips. I was sure all Korey had to do was give it to her like he had given it to me at the Christmas party, and she’d be fine. That shit he did to me at the party was off the chain, and I hadn’t forgotten about it since. There was no way Claudette could hang with something like him, and it was obvious that he was getting all of his pleasures from me.
“I’m okay,” she said, starting to calm herself. “I… I just lost him, that’s all. I loved him so much and I lost him.”
“Men will come and go, sweetie. You’re a beautiful person, Claudette, and Korey can always be replaced.”
She snapped her head to the side, quickly correcting me. “No, it’s not Korey I’m talking about. It’s my cat, Bubbles. He died yesterday and I am so, so miserable.”
I stood with a blank expression on my face, and had a visualization of me smacking her upside her head. This bitch was all choked up over a cat? What kind of shit was that? I really didn’t know what else to say to her. As a matter of fact, I didn’t say anything else. I left her cubicle, shaking my head. She and Korey were complete opposites, and I knew he wasn’t up to babysitting this kind of so-called woman for the rest of his life.
Liz had already put a few things on my desk for me to do, so I got busy. She didn’t show up until almost noon, so I pushed my lunch back by an hour.
Before going into her office, she stood by my cubicle with three shopping bags in her hand. I thought she’d told me that she had an early morning business meeting to attend, but I had no idea that Saks Fifth Avenue was conducting corporate meetings. Some people could get away with all kind of shit, but I guess that’s just how things are.
“Did Veronica call in sick today?” she asked.
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