Page 24 of The Designer
We lay in the afterglow, face to face. Once we arrived back to the room, and I don’t know if it was the alcohol from the evening or just our deep attraction, but we absolutely couldn’t keep our hands off each other. This time, it was more intimate. I slowly peeled her out of the purple fitted dress, following the trail of the zipper as its teeth were separated, exposing her back. When the garment fell to the floor, I carried her over to the bed and gently laid her down. She wanted to advance the moment, but I stopped her with a kiss.
We took time to show each other affection from head to toe. I tied her hands, kissed and licked every inch of her body, not allowing her to touch me or herself in any fashion, letting the intensity build. I didn’t rush the penetration; instead, I entered into her slowly, her pussy opening and closing onto my dick with each poke. She wrapped her legs around me, locking us into a lover’s embrace, and I continued to move in and out at a gentle, steady pace. No spanking, no devouring, no biting, just simple, beautiful love.
“What’s your favorite food?” she asks.
“After tonight it’s quickly becoming crab. What about yours?” I push her sweat-dampened hair off her face and behind her ear.
“Mmm, I like pizza, actually.”
“That’s surprising. Favorite movie.”
“That’s easy.Brown Sugar,” she replies.
“Why?” I ask, intently listening.
“The question about when did you first fall in love with hip-hop sparks conversations for all who love that genre of music. The stories that people tell range from first dates, to first time having sex. It’s sweet actually. What about you? What’s your favorite movie?”
“I really don’t watch a lot of movies, but I have to say, and don’t laugh at me, butBeauty and the Beast.”
She laughs, and I take a pillow and slightly hit her with it.
“No, no. I’m not laughing at your choice. I’m laughing at myself because I expected something likeTwisterorRocky. You know, a man’s movie. At least that’s what my ex would say.”
“I’m a huge Disney fan,” I admit.
“Me, too. I actually have all the cartoon collections. It was something my mom would make sure Tiana and I had. I just expanded it.” The replay of her saying “ex” calls back to me.
“So, what happened between you and your ex? If I may ask.”
Her eyes close, and I think she’s going to cry, but when she opens them, there’s a look of hurt in them.
“In short, he cheated on me, got some girl knocked up, and left me for her. This is after I worked hard to help him finish school. He’s now living in California with his fiancée and their two-year-old daughter. He never once looked back or gave me any explanation. That was three years ago.”
“Oh, wow. I’m sorry I pried. I shouldn’t have asked you something so personal.”
“It’s okay. I basically lived a life of solitude after that. Carefully not falling for the other person or breaking up with them when I felt that they wanted a serious relationship and I wasn’t into them like that. I said the next guy I fall for will make all the moves. I won’t give of myself so freely.” She pauses for a moment, obviously reliving that time in her mind. “You have any exes?” she asks, steering the direction of questions.
I despise talking about Macie, but I find myself in the same boat as Kara.
“Well, take your situation and reverse it, adding New York to the list, and you have my story. The only difference is that she was my fiancée, and he my best friend. I spent fourteen hours in jail because of that one unfaithful night. They eventually dropped the charges, and my dad helped clear my record. I guess that’s part of the reason I’m like this. The sting of a loved one hurting you, sometimes you can’t get over it. I vowed to always be in control.”
“Have you ever dated a black woman?”
This question wasn’t what I expected, but I was glad to answer. “No, I haven’t. Not that I didn’t want to. I was shot down by a girl in my high school. Leia Banks—man was she gorgeous. But her father wouldn’t let her date outside her race. It was the first time I ever dealt with race as an issue. We would sneak and meet at the library, and I kept trying to wear her down, but she wouldn’t stand up to her dad. I couldn’t blame her. Then in college there were a few girls I wanted to date, but again race was an issue. I don’t know why things are the way they are. I never did understand the whole ‘stick with your race’ thing. If people are attracted to each other, then that’s all that should matter.”
We both lie there looking at each other, no words spoken. I softly caress her cheek, outlining her facial features.
“Ick. This talk has bought us down off our high. Let’s change the channel. Favorite music genre,” she asks, propping up on her arm.
“Okay. You’re gonna think I’m weird again, but I love the R&B sounds of the sixties. When people sung from their souls and not with enhancements. Not that I don’t like today’s music, but you felt something with those old-school lyrics.”
“I’m impressed. I love that genre, too. I guess even opposites have to have a common ground or foundation.” She hesitates for a moment, averting her eyes, then she looks back to me. “Brent?”
“Yeah, baby,” I reply, waiting for the next question.
“Are you falling in love with me or just fooling around? I guess talking about our past made me realize that we both said what we wouldn’t do anymore, but yet here we are, and I don’t want to be hurt again.”
That’s the same thing I was thinking. I didn’t fuck her on her table because I wanted some pussy. I took control of what I was feeling and acted on it. I can’t have her believing I’m not into her, because I am.
