“Larry, don’t tell me that this is the surprise.” “No, this is just the appetizer.” He pulled her to him and kissed her passionately. “Now, get undressed. You don’t want to get any of this baby oil on your fancy suit, do you?”
“Larry, I don’t know about this.”
“Live a little! It’ll be fun.” He slid her suit jacket from her shoulders and let it fall to the floor. “Now, are you going to get undressed, or do I have to rip those clothes off you?” He quickly shed all of his clothes and posed in the middle of the Twister game. Just looking at his naked body turned her on. She took off the rest of her clothes and joined him.
They got lost in each other and she actually enjoyed playing the childish game with her husband. The combination of the oil and their hot bodies twisting in different positions ignited hidden fires. Soon, they forgot the game and wrestled each other in the art of love-making. It wasn’t long before they lay sprawled out on the yellow, green, and orange circles, panting.
“Damn, you got that good pussy,” he growled in her ear, nipping at the lobe.
“You excite me,” she told him, giggling. “I hope I always can.” He entwined her hand in his. “If there ever come a time when I’m doing something wrong or slacking, let me know. Promise me?”
“I promise.” She stared into his eyes and knew that she’d love him forever. He had her heart.
“Now, it’s time for the surprise.” He got up and pulled her to her feet. “It’s out back.”
“It’s outside?”
“Yes.” He propelled her toward the back door.
“I need to put on clothes. I can’t go out there naked,” she protested.
“Well, just throw on my tee-shirt. It’ll cover up the important parts.”
She pulled on his wife-beater tee and followed him outside.
“Wait. Close your eyes,” he said excitedly.
“Okay. They’re closed.” He led her by the hand the rest of the way. They walked out the door, past the yard and she could hear him open the back gate that led to the alley.
“You can open your eyes now,” he instructed. She couldn’t imagine what exciting gift could be in the alley, but she played along.
“Open your eyes, Shae. Damn, what you waiting on?” He could barely contain his excitement. She laughed and lifted one lid.
“Oh my God!” Both eyes widened and she began to jump up and down. “Larry, you bought a boat. Oh my God!”
“Happy Mother’s Day!”
“Oh Larry. Larry, I can’t believe this.” Tears slid down her cheeks.
“Why are you crying? You don’t like it?”
“I love it, you nut. I’m crying because I’m happy. You make me so happy. I love you.”
“I love you, too. Like I said, there’s nothing I won’t do for you, Shae. If I could give you a piece of the world, I would.”
“A piece of you is all I need.” She threw her arms around his neck and gave him a deep, smoldering kiss. Pretty soon, they were back in the living room playing Twister all over again.
Chapter Eighteen
“So, what do you think of James?” Shae asked. She and Della were in the kitchen, cleaning the dinner dishes and putting away leftover food. The men were in the living room watching a basketball game on CNN.
James seemed to have taken a genuine interest in Della and tried, unsuccessfully, to draw her out of her shell. Talking to her had been like trying to walk through a brick wall. She put up her guard. More than once, Shae had wanted to reach over and shake her. The girl was trying too hard to be tough. Hopefully, James could see through the façade.
“He’s okay,” Della mumbled.
“Just okay? Girl, he is fine.”
“Okay, I admit it, he’s mouth-watering, but I don’t want your leftovers,” Della said flippantly.
“Della, James and I didn’t do anything, just fooled around a little back when we were teenagers. Larry was the first man I slept with.” James had been one of the suckers she’d gotten to give her money when she was the project queen. She saw no need to share that information with Della. It was in the past anyway.
“I appreciate you trying to hook me up with someone, but it’s not going to work.” She hung her head and lowered her voice. “James is handsome and successful. Why would he want someone like me? Who’ll want to be with me after they find out about that video tape? And about all the things that happened to me when I was younger?”
“Della, you can’t expect for anyone to love you if you don’t love yourself,” Shae said softly. “You had no control over those things that happened to you. Bad things happen to good people. But, you’ve got to stop blaming yourself and stop living in the past. Don’t you think you deserve some happiness? It’s about time. Just give James a chance.”
Della contemplated what her sister said. She smiled slightly. “He is gorgeous, with his cute dimples. I’m just not ready right now. He can call me and we’ll take it from there.”
“Alright. I guess it won’t hurt to take things slow. I think he’s worth the wait,” Shae said.
Over the next few months, Della and James talked on the phone and got to know more about each other. He was also invited over for dinner several more times. After dinner, they would sit in the living room and converse.
Over time, Della began to open up and let her guard down. She had another talk with Shae before she made the decision to go on a real date with James.
***
“Shae, I really like James, but I’m scared to take it to the next level,” she admitted.
“I can tell he likes you, too,” Shae said.
“You think so?”
“Yes. Every time he comes over, he can’t keep his eyes off you. You would think you were the main course instead of the meat.”
“I don’t want someone who’s attracted to me because they think I’m a sex object. I’ve had enough sex to last me a lifetime,” Della said.
“Let him know that upfront. If it’s not something that he can agree to, then maybe he’s not the man for you.”
Della let out a deep sigh. “He wants to take me down to the pier where we can just sit and talk.”
“Well, are you going to go?”
“I don’t know.” “How will you know if you two are compatible if you don’t at least go out with him once? Just go. Have a conversation. If you’re not vibing him, call it a night and come back home.”
“You’re probably right. I’ll go.” She gave her sister a rare hug. “Thanks for being here for me to talk to.”
“That’s what sisters are for. Oh and thank you.”
“For what?”
“For not wearing all black and scaring him off that first night I invited him over. Do you need to go shopping?” she asked quickly. “I’ll go to the mall with you if you do. I need a couple of outfits, some Vicky Secrets, and some shoes. ”
Della actually laughed. “I have plenty of clothes. Which reminds me, should I change out of this?”
Shae surveyed the Baby Phat Capri outfit Della wore. “I don’t think you need to change. You look fine. You’re going to be on the beach.”
“I don’t really care for the beach,” she said, hesitantly. “Did you know I got attacked by a pelican once?”
“What?” She gave her an “I don’t believe it” look. “I did! I was walking along eating an ice cream cone. That damn bird swooped down out the sky and snatched my ice cream. I picked up a bottle and tried to bust its head wide open.”
“Della, stop!” Shae laughed until tears came to her eyes. “No you didn’t try to hit the bird with a bottle.”
“Yes I did. I got real gangsta on that beast. How is it gonna just take a kid’s ice cream like that? Now, every time I go near the water, I make sure to take some Alka Seltzer.”
“What for? In case you get an upset stomach?”
“No. I heard that it will make a bird explode. I don’t know if that’s just an urban myth or not, but I’m holding onto it. If one of those di
rty seagulls comes my way, I’m tossing it a treat it won’t forget.”
“You are a mess! You are going to have those animal rights people in an uproar. Stay away from the birds on the beach and try to have a good time.”
James chose that instant to enter the kitchen. He cleared his throat and the women turned toward him.
“I just wanted to say thanks for the dinner. It was delicious,” he told Shae.
“No problem. You might end up being a regular around here,” she told him, winking at Della as she said it.
“So, are you ready?” His eyes rested on Della causing his face to light up.
“Yes.” They headed out together and Shae smiled. Her plan had worked. Maybe, just maybe, Della finally found her chance at happiness. After everything she’d endured during her life, she deserved it.
Chapter Nineteen
Della was a little nervous being alone with James. She didn’t know why. She’d been around plenty of handsome men before and they hadn’t given her the jitters. Being near James just gave her a different kind of feeling. It was inexplicable.
“Would you like to listen to some music?” James asked as they drove toward the pier.
“No,” she declined. “I’m fine.”
“Well, talk to me. Some conversation would be nice. Tell me a little about yourself. I never knew Shae had a sister,” he admitted.
“I didn’t find out about my other sisters and brothers until about two years ago. My mama and Jimmy hooked up when he was separated from Shae’s mama,” she explained. “Actually, I didn’t meet Jimmy until I was about eight years old.”
“Oh, really? Well, where did you grow up?”
“A little bit of everywhere,” she revealed. “My mama was strung out on drugs for most of my life. We lived on the streets, in alleys, in abandoned buildings, shelters, at the crack house, you know, wherever we could lay our heads without being arrested.”
James threw her a look, but it wasn’t judgmental. He could tell that she was being straight with him. “How horrible,” he remarked. “So, what happened to your mother? Is she still around?”
“I have no idea where she is. She’s a rolling stone. I’m not even sure if she’s still alive.” The last time she saw her mother, Lorain had been tricking on Sixteenth Street, next to a fast-food joint called Gyros. A bunch of old men hung out in the vacant lot, playing cards and drinking. Her mother had been partying with them. She looked like dirty, white, trailerpark trash. Della had felt embarrassment and humiliation knowing that was her mother. She made sure that Lorain didn’t spot her. Even thought she was in a car that had darkly tinted windows, she slid down in the seat.
“That sucks.” He glanced at her briefly then back at the road. “Can I ask you something?”
“Yes.” She braced herself. He was going to try and talk her out of some pussy. If he did, she was going to demand that he stop the car.
“How old are you?” He surprised her by asking.
She looked at him in disbelief then exhaled. “I’m nineteen,” she answered. “But I feel like I’m ninety,” she added.
James pulled into a parking space next to a meter and got out. He hurried around to open the door for Della, impressing her. No man had ever done that before. He took her hand in his and helped her out of the car. As they walked, he held her hand. He made her feel special and worthy.
“You’re a beautiful woman, Della. I’m sure you’ve been told that a lot.”
“Don’t let the pretty face fool you. I’m not the kind of woman you’d want to take home to meet your family,” she said bitterly.
“Why would you say that?”
As they walked around the pier on that beautiful, warm, breezy night, she talked. For some reason, she felt the need to purge herself and James became her confessional. She didn’t sugarcoat anything and left nothing out. She told him about the rape and how her mother sold her to different men- and women. She talked about being promiscuous, and even admitted sleeping with her sister’s husband.
“So, you see I’m far from perfect,” she ended, her voice catching in her throat. “I’m damaged and flawed. If you walk away now, I’ll understand. No hard feelings.”
“Why would I walk away?” He took both of her hands in his and kissed the back of them, one at a time. Her eyes misted over. “I still want to get to know you, Della, the real you. Do you think you can handle that?” He gazed deeply into her eyes.
She could only nod, being too choked up to speak. She’d taken off her veil and revealed her true inner self. James didn’t walk away. Instead, he stayed.
“Come here,” he told her, holding out his arms. When she went into them, she felt at home. When his lips met hers the kiss was smoldering. She swore it could be felt to her soul. When they pulled apart, she gazed at him breathlessly. “I’m gonna make you love me, Della,” he said. “That’s a promise. I’m going to show you that there are still some good men left. Not all men just want to be with a woman for some ass. Granted, I like getting busy. Don’t get me wrong on that aspect. But, sex isn’t all I’m looking for.”
“What are you looking for?” she asked.
“Well, just like you, I’m not perfect either. I’ve had my share of women. When I was younger, I made a lot of bad decisions. I have four children, by four different women. Even though I made mistakes, I don’t consider my children to be mistakes. I love each one of them. I believe in family. I didn’t have much when I was growing up, so I try to give my own kids the world. Now that I’m back in town, I take an active role in their lives and in their upbringing. So, if you don’t like children, I’m afraid we’ll have to part ways.” He looked at her with a serious expression.
“I don’t have a problem with children. I have two little brothers and a niece,” she said.
“Maybe you’ll meet them soon. Like I said, I spend a lot of time with them. It’s very important for me to do that. I feel that it takes a man to raise boys into men and I have four soldiers I have to be a role model for. I won’t let them end up being statistics.”
The more they talked, the more he made her feel comfortable. Plus, he had quite a sense of humor.
“I have three sisters. They are ghetto as hell. I’m going to try my best to keep you away from them,” he said.
“Why? Do you think I’m not ghetto?”
“You may be, but you don’t act it or look it,” he said.
“What do you mean?” “You know exactly what I mean. You don’t live in the projects, waiting on some welfare money. You don’t sit out on your front porch playing cards, eating garlic crabs and drinking E & J. The block party ain’t always at your crib,” he explained causing Della to laugh. She did know the type.
“What do your sisters do?” she asked.
“Not a damn thing except depend on Section 8! Neither one of them will get a job. Well, I take that back. My youngest sister, Natalie, she just got a job as a customer service rep. Maybe there’s still hope for her. She only has two kids so far. My oldest sister, Faye, has five kids and one on the way. And my other sister, Lizette, has seven kids.”
“Are you serious?”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
“Oh my goodness.”
“Seems like they’re having a race on who can push out the most children before they turn thirty. So, I got a lot of nieces and nephews. My wallet is always empty around Christmas time.”
They stopped walking and sat at a table. James reached across the table and grasped her hands in his. She smiled at him. She debated on whether or not to tell him about the videotape. If she told him, she could risk the chance of him walking away. If she kept it a secret and it got back to him, he might accuse her of being dishonest. He could still leave her. It seemed like a no-win situation. She just decided to put all of her cards on the table. Keeping half-truths was a way to ruin a relationship.
It was quiet and peaceful. Other couples sat and carried on whispered conversations. Occasionally, someone erupted with laughter.
<
br /> “There’s something else I have to tell you,” Della said. “It’s about something that happened to me – recently. You might reconsider your decision to get to know me.”
“O-kay,” he said hesitantly.
She took a deep breath and let it out. “There’s a videotape floating around with me on it,” she told him.
“What kind of tape?” he asked quietly.
“An X-rated one,” she said. He stiffened and took his hands out of hers. She still had to tell him everything regardless of his reaction. “I went to a house party. We were drinking and smoking, you know, having a good time. One of the men slipped something into my drink. The next thing I knew, it was the next day and I was in my bedroom. I had no idea how I got there. I felt really strange. I knew something happened. I could remember bits and pieces, but all of it wasn’t clear.”
“Wait a minute. You said, someone drugged you?” She stared at him and nodded. He didn’t seem disgusted or put off by her confession. That was encouraging.
“Yes. Toby came home pissed off at me because he saw me on a tape. I didn’t remember being videotaped.” James just stared at her, saying nothing. “But it happened. I saw the proof with my own eyes. I was so humiliated. St. Pete’s Bitches Gone Wild. Who wants to be known for that? At first, I was ashamed and wanted to hide my face from the world. I thought I deserved it because I shouldn’t have placed myself in that predicament. But, the more I thought about it, I realized that no matter what I did, I didn’t ask to be raped. When I fully remembered what they did to me, I vowed to pay each and every one of them back,” she said evenly. “And I did. For every vile, despicable thing that they did, I paid them back.”
Project Queen II Page 14
