Ride to Restoration (Ride Series Book 2) (34 page)

Chapter
66

F
ive
minutes later we were packed up, welcomed by Gio, passionately hugged by Mile
and flying across the causeway to Aunt Catfishes for dinner. Dining on platters
of fresh seafood, drinking Sam on draft and wine from a bottle, we conversed
and laughed like we did a month ago; almost as if we’d never been apart.

Gio
graciously paid the tab and we were off to the hotel with me leading the way.
Candi was once again beside me, Major relegated comfortably to the back seat.

Having
checked in Gio and Mile before I left, I handed them their keys on our arrival.
“
Let
me help you with your things, Gio. You
’
re useless with two crutches
and a cast.
”

Gio
nodded, then spoke.
“
Not useless where it counts ... Mile, she ride sidesaddle.
”

We
laughed all the way to the elevator.
“
Gio, Mile would you prefer
breakfast at seven or eight?
”

“
Seven good,
”
replied
Mile.

Feeling
an excruciating pinch on my arm from the woman on my immediate right, Candi
announced,
“
Eight is better.
”

Sensing
the wrath of someone slighted, I quickly replied,
“
Eight it will be.
”
Handing Candi the room key and the leash, I helped settle
Gio and Mile into their room, while Major, the tail wagging dog that he is, did
the same for Candi.

With
Mile retired to the bathroom, I embraced Gio,
“
Thanks for coming and thanks
for bringing Candi. Thanks for being you.
”

“
Welcome, D ... We happy now ... You happy now ... we good.
”

“
We are good ... for now. Good night all,
”
I shouted to Mile, slapping the closed bathroom door on my
way out.

I
found Candi waiting for me on the balcony, Major piled comfortably on the
couch.

Looking
at Major disapprovingly,
“
old habits die hard don
’
t they, D?
”

“
They do,
”
I
confessed,
“
except when they don
’
t. You weren
’
t here to scold him and I
haven
’
t
the heart after leaving him in the kennel for over a month. It
’
s the least I can do, let
him sleep where he wants to...
”
I
assured her while running my fingers through her natural curls.
“
The same goes for you, you
know.
”

How
do I say this and not sugar coat it
?
“
D, I had sex with Joseph because I wanted to, not because
he forced me to ... although he did to some degree. I wanted what he wanted,
someone to love, to laugh with, to be happy with. Sadly, in his own distorted
sense of reality, he believed the only avenue he had to keep me was through the
pain he brought to you. What you saw on the tape was real, not contrived, but
real. Look at me!
”
He
looks puzzled. Have I said too much?
“
You have watched the video
by now, haven
’
t you?
”

What
exactly does she want me to say?
“
I
have
…
not. Do you
have your iPad? If it means so much to you, we can watch it together.
”

“
No, No, I can
’
t believe you weren
’
t the least bit curious
—
That
’
s not important now. What is important there was something
between Joseph and I, twice. I was working to get it back, before I took off on
the Family odyssey in search of Fool
’
s Gold, by way of you.
”

I
had more to say.
“
D, just to let you know, I got him back for filming me
unawares. Tit for tat ...
 
no it was
more like twat for cock.
”
That
doesn
’
t
sound right either.
“
Not for what he did to me, mind you, but for what he hoped
to do to you. I poured out my soul extracting revenge. Do you know what? After
I got it, I cried. I used his weaknesses that are inherent to his character to
humiliate him before my eyes. I even have it on tape. Blackmail is a powerful
tool that goes both ways. I don
’
t think he
’
ll bother us again.
”

“
It
’
s twice scorned Joseph, remember? Can I see what you have
on him?
”

“
You didn
’
t watch my video ... now you want to watch his? I
’
ll have to think about it.
”

“
Remember the Godfather?
”
I laughed at myself for asking the question.
“
Of course you do. How could
you not
—
being Family and all? Anyway, someone in the movie said,
'revenge is a dish better served cold.' Which means, as I interpret it, it
’
s best to take a deep
breath, calm down and let your emotionally charged anger subside before seeking
retribution. You didn
’
t do that, did you?

“
I did, until I didn
’
t ... as you
’
re so apt to say. I imagined
you and Vic banging each others brains out, soothing each other, being the slut
that you are, pardon me, but it is the truth ... because of the turmoil Joseph
and I brought into your lives.
”

There
are no saints in this room. It was my turn to come clean
.
“
Candi, look at me. The
sexual banter between Vic and I started long before anything physically
happened between us. She was hot and she knew it. She was sexual and I knew it.
She
’
s
also a damaged little girl who tried to comfort me the only way she knew how by
giving herself to me, sexually. Like I told her then, like I
’
m telling you now, my Momma
preached,
‘
when you play with fire, you
’
re gonna get burned. It
’
s not a matter of if, but
when
.
’
Sure I was unhappy the way everything went down between us.
I pulled an all-night bender the day you left. Strangely enough, I was even
more unhappy that you put yourself out there to be recorded in the raw. This
stuff does not easily go away once it
’
s splashed across the web.
Too many fingers touching it and voile, you
’
re a porn star whether you
meant to be or not.
”

I
continued,
“
You are correct in your earlier assumption, I am, or was, a
slut. But you knew that going in. I
’
m also a hopeless romantic.
I wanted to recapture what you and I had, if not with you, then someone. It was
wonderful. No, it was spectacular. You left me with a void that I could only
describe as indescribable. I hoped I could instantly fill the black hole with
Vic. And I attempted to multiple times. Truthfully, I still might be able to
—
but then there
’
s you
—
precious, beautiful, desirable you. No matter how hard I
tried to suppress your memory, I couldn
’
t shake you out of my mind.
”
I laughed somberly.
“
Even when I made love to
her, I couldn
’
t help but think of you. That
’
s not callous or cruel or
arrogant. It
’
s factual. Sadly, Vic damn well knew it. She couldn
’
t compete with you as long
as there was a chance for us. That
’
s why I
’
m here. I need to know if
there can be an us again.
”

None of this makes sense
right now. We
’
re
two screwed up people searching for the same dream we realized on that fateful
day at Starbucks
.
“
Come closer, D. Hold me.
”

And
I did, embracing her on the balcony, listening to and watching the waves
breaking rhythmically on the shore. Running my fingers through her hair, I
kissed each eye, each cheek before softly pressing her lips to mine. Tongues
darting, hands roaming, fingers exploring, lust replaced the tenderness I
’
d spent so much time trying
to convey. I led Candi inside, guiding her midway onto the bed before rising to
turn off the lights.

My
clothes are smothering me. I want them off and I want him ... now!
Tossing my blouse to the
side, I shimmied out of my jeans and waited for this man to return. I wanted
his chest next to mine, his lips kissing and exploring every neglected inch of
my body. I wanted D on top of me, inside me, tasting me, breathing me. I
’
ve waited long for this day
to come again ...
Please ... let the wholeness return
.

So
much for taking it slow
,
I mused. Finding Candi undressed except for her matching Victoria Secret
attire, I shed my clothes before lowering myself on her while my lips
passionately pulled her darting, dancing tongue into my mouth. Rocking my hips
back and forth across her moistening thong, I moved my attention to the nape of
her neck, her fingernails, grasping, scratching, clawing into my neck, my back.
I breathed into her ear,
“
I have missed you, baby. We left so much unsaid,
unrealized, unexplored.
”
Releasing
her legs from mine, I pressed hers together and pushed my rigid self between
them, gliding up and down her warm crevasse ... My body was waging war,
fighting my lips and my tongue that longed to be there as well.

How
he drives me insane, biting my neck, kissing my ears. It
’
s time I reciprocate
. Grasping his head in my
hands, I pulled D
’
s neck to my lips while his cock rubbed my vagina and that
ridiculous thong I had absentmindedly left on.

Wow
... that makes me hot! Hotter than I remember!
Her lips attacked my neck
with a vengeance, her teeth bit gently into my flesh. I flipped her over. With
her magnificent breasts in my palms, I guided her twins across my lips,
playfully tugging on each nipple, while my hands lifted and lowered her
moistness across a glistening
—
me. Reaching the point of no return, I slid my arms under
her thighs and carried her across my chest into my waiting mouth. With her
hands propped against the headboard, I began licking, flicking, kissing and
sucking each side of her sweetness, while Candi ground herself into me,
attempting to relocate the razor thin cotton separating me from her ecstasy.

Mindful
that I had taken her as far as the fabric would allow, I forcefully ripped off
her soaking wet thong and flung it across the room. Relieved there was no
longer a barrier between us, I breathed as deep as my lungs would allow, before
burying my face inside her until the back of my nose rested firmly on the front
of her love button. Random oval circling with my tongue, first deep, then wide,
shallow, then pointed, followed by the vacuum of my lips stiffened her body
paving the way for the pleasure of her orgasm, soon to be realized.

Tossing
Candi onto her back, I resumed the position, using two fingers to massage her
magic spot just below my planted tongue. That did it. She exploded
—
no she rocketed into the abyss
—
riding wave after wave of pleasure, her legs locked
involuntarily around my neck. Tossing, turning, twisting, bucking, Candi
moaned, then screamed, then melted into the bedding.

Catching
my breath, first one minute, then two, I eased on top of her, where she warmly
welcomed me inside. Easing Candi
’
s legs together, I glided effortlessly to the tempo of my
making. First slow, then fast, then somewhere in between. I thrust in and out
of her wet, warm vice that had no intention of letting me go. With beads of
sweat dripping from my forehead, I came hard, pushing deeply inside her as far
as her body would allow. Totally spent, I moved to her side and snuggled her
head to my chest. In moments, we fell fast asleep, our bodies and hearts
finally reconnected.