Vegas Surrender (8 page)

To pass the time, I poured a glass of wine and
drank it as I sat in one of our barstool chairs.

“
Wow.”

I jumped at the sound of his voice behind
me.

“
You look amazing.”

“
Where were you?” I swiveled my
stool around.

“
Working. I told you.”

“
You’re never this
late.”

“
It wasn’t my intention. Mr.
Whiteman insisted I have dinner with our new partners.” Daniel
moved closer to me and pushed my legs open, giving himself room to
squeeze in between. “How much have you had to drink?” He kissed
me.

“
Not much.”

“
The bottle was full.”

Sure enough, the red liquid settled well below
the half way mark. I gave him a coy smile. “Maybe a bit more than I
thought.”

He leaned in, his breath warm as the softness
of his lips brushed against mine. My heart rate quickened at the
anticipation of him. His tongue outlined the rim before taking them
all in. The kiss ignited my soul, breathing new life into the
slight moment of despair I felt when I assumed the brunette was
Nicole or Cynthia—whatever the heck she wanted to go by.

Trembling hands found their way between my
thighs. He pushed my skirt up and gently rubbed my silk panties.
Heat radiated from my lower core.

His kisses went from my neck, down my collar
bone, to my navel and, “Ah,” I let out a soft moan as his tongue
flicked the outside of my panties. I lifted my hips, allowing him
to slide them off and to the floor.

Daniel’s tongue danced along and in my nectar.
My clit pulsated, swelling and yearning for its imminent orgasmic
release. I gripped his hair and cried out. The pleasure so much I
was afraid if I came, I’d squeeze his neck too hard. I spread my
legs wider, giving him more room.

A tugging began at the base of my navel and
vibrated throughout my body.

“
That’s it,” he
murmured.

He suckled my nub as I moved dangerously close
to the edge. My hips bucked forward. Daniel grabbed my waist and
moved his tongue fast, so fast on my clit.

“
Oh…” My body jerked as I release
my warm gift to him.

Picking me up out the chair, he positioned me
in front of the island and bent me over it. I helped him pull his
pants down, and he pushed inside me. Slight pain followed by
pleasure followed from his abruptness.

“
I’m sorry. When I saw you, I
couldn’t wait to be inside you.” He palmed my breasts and continued
thrusting into me.

My folds enveloped his hard rod. He pumped deep
within. With each stoke, he trailed kisses along my spine and up to
my neck. My body tingled out of control.

He pulled me up right. My back to his chest,
his heartbeat raced. Our bodies were one. Daniel calmed his pace
and took his time. Slow and deliberately, he rocked inside of
me.

“
This is how we are meant to be,”
he whispered against my neck.

“
I love you,” I panted.

His thrusts picked up speed. My hands flailed
across the island, searching for anything to give me
balance.

Daniel tensed. “Argh.” He found his
release.

*****

Freeing myself from Daniels arm, I tiptoed out
the room and downstairs. All the wine I drank had left my throat
dry. The refrigerator held the key to my thirst, a nice refreshing
bottle of water.

I twisted the cap and leaned against the
stainless steel door. The red light from Daniels cell phone flashed
from its resting place on the island and stood out in the darkness.
Curiosity got the best of me. I grabbed it to bring upstairs with
me but couldn’t help wondering who’d call or message him at this
late hour.

My fingers tapped the display causing it to
light up. Three missed calls from an unknown number and no
messages. Feeling like an idiot, I waited until the bright white
light faded off the screen before entering our bedroom. For all I
knew, it could have been Daniel’s friend in California. He’d had a
bad habit of calling after midnight, thinking it was only
nine.

The bed shifted as a rejoined my
husband.

“
I missed you.” He planted a kiss
on my check and held me tight.

The jealousy faded, and I allowed myself to
relax. I absorbed his body heat and soon drifted off.

Chapter Eleven

“
I think my work will soon be
complete. There’s no denying the connection between you two.
Whatever is missing, you’ve definitely found it.” Our counselor
smiled at us.

Her words danced in my ears, bringing joy to
them as one listening to a symphony. I’d finally be free from the
woman insisting Daniel and I were on the path to doom. Okay, maybe
I was exaggerating, but I’d be finished with spilling out my sex
life to a stranger.

My sister’s words pushed forward. “Talk to her
without Daniel.”

And what? Admit to almost succumbing to a woman
my husband I both slept with in Vegas?

“
That’s great news.” Daniel’s thumb
caressed the top of my hand. “I never had a doubt we’d work it
out.”

Her lips formed a slight curve. “Neither did I,
but I needed you to believe in the possibility.” She scribbled
something on her notepad. “As of today, I’m no longer your
counselor. However, if you need anything in the future, please feel
free to contact me.”

Ding.
The timer went off.

“
Thank you so much.” I accepted her
outstretched hand and whisked Daniel outside.

“
What’s the rush?” He searched my
face for answers.

“
I wanted out of there before she
changed her mind.” I gave him a gentle nudge. “You have time for
lunch?”

“
No. I have a meeting.” He kissed
my forehead. “I’ll see you at home.”

He opened my car door and made sure I was
safely inside before heading to his vehicle. My back sunk into the
soft interior. It was finally over. No more of that woman poking
and prodding in my life until I questioned every decision I’d ever
made about being with my husband. If I had my way, I would have
never returned after the first day. How dare she question my love
for him just because he was white and I’m not? Dr. Patrick just put
it out there.

“
Is being with a man of another
race I thrill for you? Is being with him something to upset your
parents?”

I had wanted to slap the smirk off her face.
Who in their right mind would be with someone just to upset another
person? Our life wasn’t an act, and it sure as heck didn’t come
easy. Atlanta isn’t called Chocolate City for nothing. This city
oozed with black professionals compared to other cities. Sure,
there were interracial couples, but those were majority black men
with white women.

My mother didn’t care who I dated as long as
the money kept flowing. From the time I I’d become and adult, I’d
only been a paycheck to cover her living expenses. For all of my
childhood she semi-raised me, my grandmother did most of the work
until she passed away two years before my eighteenth birthday, I
owed her the rest of my life. So she overcame a drug addiction. It
didn’t negate her lack of parenting. I tried not to think of her at
all.

Daniel only met her on a few occasions. He
understood my and Tina’s reluctance in being around her.

“
No, Dr. Patrick,” I’d answered.
“I’m not getting back at anyone. In fact, I relish in the stares
black men give me for thinking I sold out.”

Daniel had nudged me for my sarcasm.

“
I’m with my husband because I love
him.”

My stomach growled, interrupting my
funk.

“
Call Tina.”

The phone rang twice before she answered. “You
finished getting your head shrunk?”

“
Ha ha. Have you eaten lunch
yet?”

“
I was getting ready to head out,
why?”

I switched my car in gear and pulled off. “I’ll
be there in five.”

From the counselor’s office, my sister’s
building was a straight shot. I ended the call and navigated Ponce
de Leon with ease.

Her purple wrap dress stood out among the
others coming and going from the law firm. She gave me a half smile
as I pulled up.

“
What’s up?” She eased her body
into the passenger seat.

“
Today was the last session. You
want Italian or American?”

“
If you’re buying, then Italian.”
She laughed. “So you two are fixed now. That’s awesome. Did it fix
the way some of the white woman make you feel when you attend
events together?”

“
Tina.” I kept my focus on the
road. “It’s not as bad as you think.”

“
Is that why you didn’t bother
telling me how the last one went?” She folded her arms. Her eyes
bore into the side of my skull.

“
I didn’t tell you because
Cynthia…” Oh crap I didn’t mean to let her name slip
out.

Her brow rose. I’d garnered her interest.
“Who’s Cynthia?”

“
Nobody.” I pulled up to the valet.
He held my door open and traded my keys for a ticket. I stepped
ahead of my sister as we walked up the small path to the door. I
bypassed the smiling hostess and went for a seat in the bar
area.

Tina’s chair scraped across the cobblestone
floor as she adjusted her seat. “Nobody my ass. This is the first
time you haven’t uttered a word after an event. Spill
it.”

I waited for the bar staff to fill our water
glasses. “Sweet tea, thank you.” She walked off, and I turned to my
sister. “Fine. I have to get it out because it’s driving me
crazy.”

“
This is more serious than I
thought.”

I swallowed hard, giving way for my throat to
allow the words to escape. “Cynthia is a woman we met in
Vegas.”

The lines in her forehead scrunched in
confusion. “Vegas? I thought we were talking about the
event.”

A smile plastered to the face of the waitress
interrupting us. “Are you ready to order?”

I nodded. “Shrimp Alfredo.”

“
Same for me.”

The pimply faced college-aged woman grinned.
Her gesture caused her dried out makeup to crack in the corners of
her mouth. “I’ll get this in.” She grabbed our menus and walked
off.

“
So?”

“
She showed up at the
event.”

“
Okay. This is silly. Some woman
you met in Vegas showed up at an event. What’s the big
deal?”

I lowered my voice so the people at the next
table couldn’t hear. “The big deal is we had a threesome. I was
drunk and had been told over and over how I’m such a prude so I
decided to please my husband. Now she’s here.” The words spilled
out my mouth.

Tina’s jaw fell slack. “You what?”

“
You heard me.” No way I wanted to
repeat that.

She stared at me long and hard. Her gaze curved
up into a smile, and she let out a giggle “My sister’s a freak. Way
to go.”

“
I’m confused.” The judgment I
anticipated didn’t come. It was one thing to talk about the act but
another to expect her to accept it. Somehow, I’d avoided the
rapture. I’d put it all out there, and the response was just shy of
a standing ovation.

“
Girl, hush. You’re not the first
person to have a threesome. The world isn’t going to
end.”

Her approval didn’t settle well. It spat in the
face of the guilt I felt for enjoying it. “What about her showing
up here?”

“
What about it? It’s a free
country. Did you speak to her?”

“
Of course. I’m not rude. It’s
just…” Heat rose to my cheeks. “Vegas was Vegas. What if she
enjoyed it so much that now she wants Daniel?”

My sister gave me the side eye. “Really? This
woman somehow knew where you are from, knew you would be at the
event, and all to get Daniel? You’ve been watching too much TV.”
She laughed.

The way Tina said it did sound kind of
farfetched. Cynthia living in the same city just happened to be a
coincidence. Besides, Cynthia tried putting the moves on me again,
not Daniel. The entire thing was silly. I did the deed with Daniel.
It’s done and over with. “You’re right.”

We finished our lunch, and I dropped her back
at work before heading to my office. I needed to quit worrying
about Cynthia and focus on my handsome husband whom I no longer
have to attend counseling with.

Chapter Twelve

I tapped my pen on my desk. The end of the
quarter always brought on these calls. I’d gone over the numbers
three times before I sent them off.

“
Yes, Mr. Alexander. I’ve accounted
for everything.” As I’ve always done. For two years, we’ve always
had the same conversation. He’d overspend and bust his budget, and
I’d get the blame for his finances not meeting their anticipated
mark in the end. I’d rather be sitting in a dentist office having a
root canal than listening to him.