The Countdown to Thirty (14 page)

I effortlessly slipped off my boots and attempted to get
in the bed before he prevented me.

“Stop,” he commanded in a powerful tone, “Take your
clothes off first.” My fear and excitement grew at the same time and seemed to
form one equal emotion. His eyes told me what he wanted and what he wanted was
to watch. This wasn’t my first time having sex, by eighteen I’d already had a
handful of lovers, decent lovers, but none that took control of me or demanded
respect and obedience the way Lamont did. None that ever shamelessly made me
undress for them while they watched.

I started with my top trying hard not to project the
nervousness I was feeling. I slid it over my head and pulled my arms from the
confinement of the long sleeves leaving me in my black lace bra. I let my shirt
drop to the floor. He was sitting upright in the bed shirtless with his back
against the headboard looking seductive while his muscles bulged and his
approving silence told me to continue. I unbuttoned then unzipped my jeans and
slid them down my smooth brown legs leaving me in my matching black lace
panties that I’d bought and wore especially for this special moment with him. I
reached behind my back and unhooked my bra while giving brief glances at him
because at this vulnerable moment I couldn’t look him directly in the eye. At
this moment I realized just how naive I was about exploring the depths of my
sexuality and I knew that this man, this much more matured and experienced man
was planning to be the tour guide. I exhaled and reconfirmed with myself that I
was madly in love with him as I began to glide the bra straps around the curve
of my shoulders, then down my slender arms and finally off my wrist letting it
drop to its resting place with my shirt and pants.

He stared at me while he licked his perfect pink lips and
said, “Damn.” The most he’d ever seen and kissed before was my cleavage because
I didn’t want to move too fast with him. He was a lot older than me and his
presence was so powerful to everyone he came into contact with that I needed to
make sure I could handle him, make sure I wasn’t just one of the many women who
would gladly fuck his pretty ass simply for bragging rights.

With my long black hair cascading down the sides of my
face I tucked it behind my ears out of nervousness and waited for further
instructions.

He spoke with a thirst for sexual pleasure, “Yea, I like
that. Turn around, let me see that ass.”

I complied and turned around slowly gathering my hair up
and letting him take full advantage of the view in front of him, the view I
believed he earned. Feeling a little more confident and risky and trying to
prove to him that I was the woman for him no matter how young, I bent over
putting it in the air as I began to slide my panties over my hips.

I heard him exhale pleasure and I smiled to myself.
Before I could get my lace panties beyond my thighs he stopped me again.

“Come here…now.”

I walked over, panties still resting beyond my chocolate
cookie and ass and slid in the bed next to him as he held the blanket up and
watched me intensely with obsessively lustful eyes. Without saying a word he
skillfully finished removing my panties from my thighs then ankles in one fluid
movement. Then he eased his chiseled and massive body on top of mine spreading
my legs wide to accommodate his powerful frame. My heart beat wildly as he
initiated and controlled our deep tongue sucking kiss while my hands caressed the
back of his head and neck. My clitoris screamed for pleasure as he slowly grind
his package against my cookie teasing me with the sensation of his big bulge
and getting me slippery wet in the process.

After spending time on my neck and suckling on my stimulated
nipples until they were glistening like they’d been soaked in baby oil he moved
down further caressing my tiny waist line with his enormous hands as he kissed
my stomach then my belly button then lower…to my cookie. He pride fully watched
me squirm, scream and arch my back in sinful pleasure as he used his cunning
tongue to suck, stroke, and penetrate my cookie.

Twenty minutes later with my pelvis in the air and my
legs and thighs wrapped around his head while his hands were joisted under my
ass keeping a firm grip on me I begged him for mercy. He ignored my plea and
instead gripped me harder as he forcefully pulled my pelvis in even deeper.

Moaning with ecstasy I cried out, “Oh baby please, I
can’t take it anymore!”

His head rose and he gave me an arrogant smirk that told
me he had me right where he wanted me, begging him to stop the pleasure before
I passed out. His athletic abilities allowed him to move so quickly that I
didn’t even feel him enter me, one second he was releasing his oral grip from
my cookie and the next he was immersed inside me ferociously deep stroking
every wall with all two-hundred and fifty pounds of pressure and carnality
hitting my g-spot over and over and over again.

The memory of that day felt like it was only yesterday and
with my legs spread, index finger in my mouth and my other fingers moving back
and forth against my clit, I temporarily blocked out all the pain he’d caused
in my life, I shielded my memory from the news story and his monstrous acts and
pretended he was once again in between my thighs.

Blindly reaching for my nightstand drawer handle while still
using my left hand to pleasure myself, I pulled open the drawer and felt around
for my vibrator. Once I had it in hand I flicked the tiny switch to on….but it
did nothing. Forced to momentarily interrupt my fantasy for a good cause, I
propped up and opened my eyes to inspect the hot pink toy studying it intensely
like it was a research project on the cure for cancer.

Flicking the switch off then on again my vibrator still gave
no signs of life, “Dammit!” I whispered to myself.

I flopped back down on the bed tossing the vibrator to the
side in defeat. Laying there bored I listened to the rain transition from
subtle drops to firm pounding before deciding to make a store run for
batteries.

How was I to know I was biting off more than I could chew?

Kaia

After arriving at Celeste’s Mediterranean designed
condominium complex I parked underground and hoped the few hours we had to
spend together alone weren’t as exasperating as I expected. She currently lived
alone in her newly developed condo that she rented which I guessed had to run
her at least twenty-five hundred a month. Since she was good at her job and
frequently dated rappers or football players I assumed it was in her price
range.

My Avalon came to a halt once I pulled alongside her black
Mercedes. She had it parked in one of her two private parking spaces. After
admiring the shiny paint job and black leather interior I made my way to the
Mezzanine area of the lobby. Since her home was three floors up from Mezzanine
level I opted for the elevator over the stairwell while wishing Chateau Oasis
had one of these every time I came home with a carload full of groceries.

“It’s unlocked.” She answered from inside the house after I
rang her doorbell.

I paced through the front door and immediately detected the
intermingled smell of spices and something sweet baking in the oven. Celeste
was standing in the kitchen in a pair of blue jean shorts and a simple white
tank top while chopping onions on her chef style cutting board.

She turned to welcome me, “Hey girl.” She put her onion
dicing on pause and reached to embrace me in a hug.

“Hey Ce Ce, how you been?”

“I’ve been good. Can’t you tell?” She said looking around at
her condo implying that she was doing well financially.

“Yes I can tell, but how are
you
doing?” I asked
further implying that I cared about her and not the stuff she thinks makes her.

“
I’m
doing just fine. Derrick’s dropping Ri Ri off in
a minute so don’t be mad at her about this morning.” She directed as she
resumed cubing her onion.

“Well their Pitt Bull did try to eat me up like I was a
Scooby snack. I’m not as mad as I was before but c’mon, she should have
answered the door,” I complained, “We had plans for today.”

She giggled at that, “I know but you know that girl can be
dumb. Plus she already heard it from you and me. Please just let it go for
now.” She said taking a rare moment to be the big sister peacemaker.

I took a seat on one of her metallic barstools and watched
her as she prepped and continued to cook. Normally, I would have asked if I
could help but growing up with this woman taught me that she was super
controlling, especially in the kitchen. She was an amazing cook, but annoying
to work side by side with.

“So what’d you tell her to get her over here?”

“Nothing really, she feels bad and when I told her you and
Mama were coming over she said she wanted to come to. Be easy on her. ”

“I’m cool,” I exhaled.

“Good. So what did you think?” She asked while scraping the
onions to the side and picking up a bright red tomato to begin chopping away
at.

“Huh?” I questioned with a look of confusion

“My new Mercedes, don’t act like you didn’t see it out there
shinin’ and sittin’ pretty.” She joked…I think.

With the eventful day I’ve had with almost being mauled and
all, remembering to compliment her on her new car seemed to have just slipped
my mind. But I must have forgotten who I was talking to. After all, in Ce Ce’s
world nothing could be more important and money and cars took precedence over
everything, why should this situation be any different.

Stifling my indifference I replied, “Yep, pulled up right
next to her. She’s pretty. You’ll have to show me the inside after dinner. So I
guess things at the club are going good then huh?”

“The club is the club, but I didn’t buy my baby if that’s
what you’re talking about.” She said now pulling celery and carrots from the
fridge and placing them on the chopping block.

“Oh, new boyfriend?”

“Something like that.” She answered and left it at that.

“Oh,” She chuckled as if something humorous had just popped
in her mind, “When did you get the stun gun by the way? You know that might be
considered animal cruelty right? What you did to that dog.”

I shook my head from embarrassment and laughed, “Christian
gave it to me for protection. Hey I was just defending myself,” I explained not
exactly telling the whole truth. When I stunned the evil devil I was
considerably safe, but he deserved it.

“For protection? Well then where’s mine and everybody
else’s,” She said looking at me with selfish expectations, “I’m the one working
at the club. What do you need protection against?”

I told her all about the sudden increase of break-ins in the
area and how my new comrade Sonya and I just installed ADT.

“Sounds like you live in the ghetto Kai Kai. I thought you’d
sworn once you left Mama’s house you’d never live in the hood again.” She
implied with attitude as she glared at me with bitterness.

Every time we seemed to get together she always managed to
bring up ‘The Fight’ we had the night before I left for UNLV. You’d think after
ten years she’d be over it but clearly she wasn’t. Basically what it boiled
down to is that she was jealous that Christian volunteered to be my designated
driver to Las Vegas. She had this major crush on him in those days but
Christian didn’t see her that way, well at least not anymore. He used to be on
Ce Ce so tough, buying her perfumes, asking her out on dates, giving her
compliments but she could care less…that is until he joined the military but it
was too late by then, he’d moved on. At this point she’d gotten suspicious that
we had something going on and possibly have been ever since.

“I don’t, don’t worry.” I upheld repressing my annoyance and
heading for the sliding patio door off her master bedroom. It was only ten
minutes in and I needed a break from her already.

I stepped out onto her porch and caught a neutral Cali
breeze that blew in from the Pacific. It was divine and so was her view of the
shimmering sapphire ocean that seemed to be within the grasp of my fingertips.
Down below, traffic flowed at a moderate pace while golden haired pedestrians
in their cargo shorts and flip flops walked their way into charming little
coffee shops and restaurants without a care in the world.

“True California living at its best,” I admitted hoping I’d
be able to live here again one day. Don’t get me wrong, Vegas is nice and
incredibly cheaper but nothing compares to So Cal.

I laid myself down in the wicker chaise lounger with the
dark blue cushion that occupied most of the space on her patio and
simply…relaxed.

Approximately fifteen minutes later I opened my eyes
underneath my dark shades as I remained laid out on Ce Ce’s chaise lounger
basking in the warmth of the sun. My tranquility had been temporarily
interrupted by the light knocking of Riley on the other side of the patio door.
I was still upset about the deviation of our plans and the dog incident but
with no difficulty offered her an approachable smile anyway.

She joined me and timidly offered me another apology on
behalf of herself and Derrick. After explaining how she’d overslept and her
phone died in the middle of the night which is why she didn’t hear her alarm
and how sorry she was about the dog whose name she told me was
Red,
I
accepted her long-winded apology and blew the incident off like it was no big
deal. I accepted Derrick’s apology to but solely to keep the peace.

Mama finally made it over to Celeste’s after her shift
accompanied by a few miniature bottles of Paul Mason. I had to shake my head at
that, she was so predictable.

“Hey baby,” she said as she put her belongings down and gave
me a big hug.

I squeezed her back tightly, “Hey Mama, how was work.”

“Girl I’ve been mad all day,” she complained, “That dog is
out my house now right Riley?” Mama snapped.

I shot Riley an uneasy glance.

“Yes Mama, he took him to his uncle’s house.”

“Why’d he get that ugly thing in the first place?” Celeste
ridiculed.

“Because he was planning on getting a female one to so he
could breed em’.” Riley answered with her hand pressed to her temple showing
visible signs of stress.

“Uh huh! Not in my damn backyard!” Mama forbade.

“Oh my God Mama I told you he’s gone!”

“Okay, okay, okay come on Ry help me set the table. Mama you
ready to eat?” I said stepping in to take some of the pressure off Riley.

“Girl, you know I’m ready to eat.”

Midway through dinner while I was working on the fabulous
spaghetti Ce Ce put together my phone began to ring. Looking at the caller ID I
saw that it was Malcolm. A smile crept across my face because ever since we
made up, he’d been doing a better job of staying in contact with me. I badly
wanted to answer the phone and talk to him but I knew this wasn’t the right
time. Instead I sent him a little text letting him know I was having dinner
with my family and would call him right after.

“Don’t mind us, you can take the call.” Celeste said with
her nosey self.

“Thanks, but I don’t want to take the call right now. I’m
with my family.” I said smiling all the while feeling one hundred percent bogus
in that answer, I’d really rather answer the phone.

Swallowing a bite of her dinner roll mama asked, “Who was
it?”

“Oh, a friend that’s all.” I didn’t want to give too much
information on my dating life at this point so I decided to leave it at that.

“I didn’t know you were seeing someone, what’s his name?”
Celeste asked.

Why did my family have to be so damn nosey all the time? Why
couldn’t they just leave well enough alone? Didn’t I just say he was a friend
and that was all?

“His name is Malcolm and we’re working on our relationship
right now, that’s all.”

My phone beeped and my text message icon popped up. It was
Malcolm responding telling me to take my time and to call him no matter how
late. Wow, I think this time apart has really helped us. I’m breaking him down!

“What happened? What did you guys have to work on?” Riley
asked innocently while they all stared at me for information.

In an attempt to abandon this invasive game of twenty
questions I suddenly changed the topic of discussion to the house warming gift
Ms. Eleanor sent me.

“She sent it to Christian’s house and I went over there to
pick it up. She told me I can’t use it until I move-into the house. Ma did you
know she was sending it?”

“No I didn’t even know until she called me and told me you
called her and thanked her. I didn’t even know you was planning on buying a
house. You told Eleanor but you can’t even tell your Mama?” She said looking as
if I committed the ultimate offense.

“No I didn’t tell her, Christian did. He’s supposed to go
house hunting with me one of these days…but I’m not so sure about that now.”

Celeste loudly placed her fork down, “House hunting…you and
Christian? What’s really going on there?” She inquired still bothered that we
might have something going on. When was she going to get over that crap and
realize it wasn’t like that between us? We had nothing going on and the kiss we
shared was just a technicality that she didn’t even know about so I really wish
she would drop the sudden attitude.

I ignored her.

“I think you should date Christian, you guys would be cute
together.” Riley commented. “Plus military guys have money.”

“No they don’t Riley, don’t fall for that. There’s plenty of
guys out there with more money than that. Never date a nine to five man.”
Celeste said trying to downplay Christian in her unnecessary bitterness.

“That may be true but it’s better than the big mouthed, have
to be seen, have to be heard fools you like to date. They have no real
confidence in themselves so they brag about what they have when they really
don’t have a thing.” I mentioned out of a state of frustration.

“What you mean don’t have a thing? Every guy I date has
something, I only date ballers.”

“Oh, you mean like Hakeem the football player who had tons
of money but tried to kill himself after he got cut from the team and had to
file bankruptcy? Or maybe Shawn the rapper who wore a twenty thousand dollar
chain but couldn’t pay his child support? Yea, you date true intellects
Celeste.” I chastised.

Riley started laughing at the furious look on Celeste face
then Mama stepped in to save the day, “Yea that might be true but did you see
Ce Ce’s new Benz yet? That was a gift she didn’t have to pay for that. The both
of you need to take some lessons from Celeste.”

I gave my mother a doubtful look like that will never
happen. Perhaps she didn’t pay with cash or credit but she definitely paid with
something else.

“That doesn’t matter mama. These guys, they have no depth.”

“There she go again, thinking what she got is better than
what everybody else got,” Mama said to Celeste.

Somehow my success with college and my career versus Mama’s
lack of success in her life always translated in her mind as
I think I’m
better.
In an effort to ignore her comment, I switched the subject.

“So Ry, I went online and printed out the requirements for
the AA program in Criminal Justice for you.” I mentioned while reaching into my
purse for the printout. “Take a look.” I said handing her the paperwork.

“Thank you.” She looked over the courses and her eyes grew
big. “How long is this gonna take, it’s a lot of classes.” She was clearly
overwhelmed so I tried to help her break it down.

“Well typically it takes about two years if you go
full-time, but when you’re done you can transfer to a university or start
working if you want.” I said in an attempt to leave her with options.

“Riley you need to do that instead worrying about Derrick
all day, and while you do that you can do what you and Celeste talked about so
you can start paying your way.”